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Showbiz Tonight
Oscar Wrap-Up
Aired February 28, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: After the Oscars, what went down? I`m Karyn Bryant in Los Angeles.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: And who looked best in her gown? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People that show up now have their Oscars, and we`ll get to touch them.
ADAM DURITZ, COUNTING CROWS: We`re just going to run around and try and kiss a bunch of girls.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oscar after hours. The awards are out, and we`re in the hottest parties. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, up late everywhere. We`ll tell you what the stars did after the Oscars.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILARY SWANK, BEST ACTRESS: I`m wearing Guy LaRoche.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Prada.
GWYNETH PALTROW, ACTRESS: Stella McCartney.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And fashion hits and misses, a live coast-to-coast look at the fantastic and the flops on the red carpet. Plus, Jackson, day one. The opening arguments begin, but who shows up? We`re live at the courthouse. And Dan Rather dissed. Why some of his closest colleagues are saying, We don`t watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMIE FOXX, BEST ACTOR: This is Jamie Foxx, and if it happens today, it`s on show biz tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Hey, there. I`m Karyn Bryant, live from Hollywood.
HAMMER: A.J. Hammer, live from the Headline Prime studios in New York. You`re at the top of the show.
BRYANT: Tonight, it is all about the Monday night quarterbacking. The Super Bowl of entertainment may be over, but the parties lasted all night. And the fashion will be debated for days to come. We`ll get to all of that tonight. And you know, you may have watched the Oscars, but while you went to sleep, the stars kept going, and so did we. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there every step of the way, from the very moment Rock started rocking the house.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS ROCK, OSCARS HOST: OK, OK! Sit your asses down.
BRYANT (voice-over): You heard the man, and so did a full house at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, waiting for Chris Rock to drop an F-bomb. It never happened during the show, but after the show? That`s another story.
ROCK: It is time to bring it, my (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Bring it.
BRYANT: This Oscar night was important one for Rock and the record number of black actors nominated.
ROCK: It`s a great night tonight. We have, what, four black nominees tonight. So (UNINTELLIGIBLE) It`s kind of like the Def Oscar Jam tonight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the Oscar goes to Jamie Foxx and "Ray."
FOXX: Let`s live this African-American dream. It`s beautiful. I`m glad I`m with you, and I ain`t never leaving you, so I love you.
BRYANT: For only the second time in Oscar history, two black actors won for major roles.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the Oscar goes to Morgan Freeman, "Million Dollar Baby."
MORGAN FREEMAN, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: It means that Hollywood is continuing to make history. Life goes on. Things change. They never stay the same. So we`re evolving with the rest of the world.
BRYANT: Freeman had some Oscar company, his "Million Dollar Baby" co- star.
SEAN PENN, ACTOR: And the Oscar goes to Hilary Swank, "Million Dollar Baby."
BRYANT: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there exclusively with Hilary`s boxing trainer, Hector Roca, at his home in Brooklyn.
HILARY SWANK, BEST ACTRESS: My trainers, Grant Roberts and Hector Roca, pushed me further than I ever thought I could push myself.
HECTOR ROCA, BOXING TRAINER: That`s it! (UNINTELLIGIBLE) baby. Million-dollar gold baby. I blame Hilary for all this.
(LAUGHTER)
BRYANT: After her big win, Hilary told me she couldn`t have done it without him.
SWANK: Hector was so instrumental, and he just believed in me so much, and he pushed me every day so hard. And he just told me that I can. You know, this is as much his as it is mine.
BRYANT: And the hits kept coming for "Million Dollar Baby," as Clint Eastwood beat out Martin Scorsese for Best Director and also took home Best Picture.
CLINT EASTWOOD, BEST DIRECTOR/PICTURE: I kind of was a little bit disappointed when they started -- started billing it a competition between Marty and myself because I have the greatest respect for him.
BRYANT: Cate Blanchett told me her win wasn`t the same without Scorsese in the winner`s circle.
CATE BLANCHETT, BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: With or without one of these, he is extraordinary. And none of the people who won Oscars tonight for "The Aviator" would be there without him. So it`s -- yes, it is bittersweet.
BRYANT: But perhaps the most bittersweet Oscar moment, Jamie Foxx and his emotional tribute to his late grandmother, Estelle.
FOXX: She`s not here tonight, and this is going to be the toughest part, but she was my first acting teacher.
BRYANT: I caught up with Jamie after the Oscars with his daughter, Corinne. He told me that tonight`s win was a family affair.
FOXX: Tell her what you told me just before they called out the names.
CORINNE: I said, If you don`t win, you know, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tell you that you`re a great actor.
BRYANT (on camera): Sage advice, sage words from such a young...
FOXX: Incredible. I was already leaking before I got to the stage.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: Definitely one of the most emotional moments of the night. And we are finding out just how many people saw it. The Nielsen numbers came in just a short time ago, and 41.5 million people tuned in. That is actually 2 million fewer than last year, but more people aged 18 to 34 watched this year, which one ABC exec says is all because of Chris Rock -- A.J.
HAMMER: All right, Karyn. Looks like you are hanging for all the stars and hanging out late. No rest for the winners, either. After the big night and the parties, two of last night`s winners were back at the Kodak Theatre, where Oprah hosted a post-Oscar show today. Hilary Swank said that she wasn`t quite ready for her win when it happened, and Jamie Foxx told Oprah that her Kleenex advice came in handy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FOXX: You have no idea how -- how this -- how incredible it was to have you behind me. And then you walked up...
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: Oh, yes.
FOXX: ... and she gave me a tissue.
WINFREY: Yes.
FOXX: And I`m thinking, Well, does she think I`m going to cry?
WINFREY: No.
FOXX: And she said, Give me that gum. Give me that gum. Get that gum out of your mouth. Give me that gum.
SWANK: I tried to be really present when everyone else was getting their awards.
WINFREY: Yes.
SWANK: I wasn`t thinking, How many is it away? I was just trying to take them in and appreciate them and...
WINFREY: And then when they called your name, were you...
SWANK: Well, all of a sudden, Sean Penn walks on. And I`m...
(CROSSTALK)
SWANK: ... because...
WINFREY: You know that the previous actor from last year is going to introduce...
SWANK: That`s right.
WINFREY: ... Best Actress, OK?
SWANK: That is right.
WINFREY: And so there was that moment.
SWANK: But I -- I -- they don`t -- they didn`t -- usually at the commercial break, they say, And next, you know, Sean Penn...
WINFREY: Yes...
(CROSSTALK)
SWANK: They didn`t say it.
WINFREY: They didn`t say it.
SWANK: So I thought it was the next -- maybe the next commercial break...
WINFREY: Yes.
SWANK: ... and I`m still trying to...
WINFREY: It did get there, quickly, didn`t it.
SWANK: ... be in the moment and...
WINFREY: It got there quickly. All of a sudden, there it was.
SWANK: Yes. All of a sudden, there it was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Karyn, I want to hear more about the party you were at last night.
SWANK: Well, you know, the party was great. But the stars were on Oprah just after hours of dizzying partying. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hit all the parties, as well. So you know, you can consider us your RSVP for the Oscars after hours throughout the night show. I do want to begin with the first up on the party circuit. I, of course, dropped in on the Governors Ball.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It was a million-dollar night for Hollywood, and the party continued after the Oscars. The first stop, the Governors Ball, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there. The tables were set, the music was puffin` (ph), and everyone was getting ready to let loose. I caught up with the winners of "Million Dollar Baby," who all agreed they had something special from the very beginning.
FREEMAN: You know you got a good script. You know you got a good director. You know you got good actors. You`re having fun making the picture. After that, it`s out of your hands, you know, so you don`t -- you don`t know until they tell you.
SWANK: I just knew from the beginning that the script was phenomenal and that it was this stunning, stunning piece of work. And I just hoped not to mess it up.
EASTWOOD: I thought it was special from the very beginning. I thought the script was very special. I loved the story. Once I got it cast and had the cast and I got on the set, I figured, Yes, this is going to be OK.
BRYANT: And feeling better than OK, Jamie Foxx, who snagged Oscar gold for his starring role in "Ray." He was ready to party.
(on camera): Going to get your drink (ph) on tonight?
FOXX: Tonight we may have a little champagne tonight to bring the night in right. But you know what? It`s a great feeling right now. Right now is the most incredible feeling you could ever imagine. So we will celebrate tonight and it will be fun, but it`s just been so beautiful.
BRYANT (voice-over): And speaking of beautiful, we caught up with another winner, Cate Blanchett, who admitted to us that her nerves almost got the best of her.
(on camera): What goes through your mind when you hear your name?
BLANCHETT: I -- not a lot, I must say. I kind of blanked. And it was mostly, Don`t trip and always remember to thank Martin Scorsese because I wouldn`t be standing up there without him.
BRYANT (voice-over): And without an Oscar in hand, Counting Crows front man Adam Duritz wasn`t letting his locks get the best of it. He was looking to score something else.
ADAM DURITZ, COUNTING CROWS: We`re just going to run around and try and kiss a bunch of girls.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: And the partying doesn`t stop. We`ll take you to the "Vanity Fair" bash in just a bit, and you can find out why Donald Trump says there`s no better place to be.
HAMMER: Well, you may be wondering what the White House has to say about Chris Rock`s opening monologue. We were wondering, too, so today SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to the White House. First, a recap. Last night, Rock first said he wasn`t going to bash the president, and then he marveled about how the president was able to win reelection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROCK: Just imagine you work at the Gap. You`re $70 trillion behind on your register, and then you start a war with Banana Republic because you say they got plastic tank tops over there. You have the war. People are dying, a thousand Gap employees are dead. That`s right, bleeding all over the khakis. You finally take over Banana Republic, and you find out they never made tank tops in the first place.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So what did the White House think of Rock`s routine? Well, this afternoon, a White House spokesperson told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "We`ll leave the -- we`ll leave the book, movie and Oscar monologue reviews to the folks in Hollywood." So there you have it. Here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we`ll always take you right to the source.
Chris Rock says he`d do it all again if the Academy asked him back. But would you want to see him back? Well, that`s what we want to know. Did Rock rock at the Oscars? It is our question of the day. What do you think? You can take our poll by going to cnn.com/showbiztonight. You can also e-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. And we`ll read some of your thoughts a bit later on in the show.
Time now for a "SHOWBIZ Short." "Saving Private Ryan" passing the FCC test. The FCC ruled today that ABC`s broadcast of the movie last Veteran`s Day did not violate indecency guidelines. There were complaints about the profanity in the movie, but the FCC says it wasn`t indecent because of the context, which was showing the horror of war.
BRYANT: It isn`t easy to pick something to wear to the Oscars. Trust me, I know firsthand. So who hit the Oscar fashion bullseye and who missed the target? We`ve got a live, no-holds-barred bicoastal look. And you know our "Buzz Bench" won`t hold back. They`re going to talk about Chris Rock and Beyonce.
HAMMER: Now it`s time for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" "Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Luther Vandross`s big break came back in 1975, when he sang backup vocals for which pop legend? A, Rod Stewart, B, Carly Simon, C, David Bowie, or D, Eric Clapton.
We are coming right back with the answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROCK: And who is Jude Law? Why is he in every movie I have seen the last four years? Even the movies he`s not acting in, if you look at the credits, he made cupcakes or something. He`s in everything!
PENN: Forgive my compromised sense of humor, but I did want to answer our host`s question about who Jude Law is. He`s one of our finest actors, and -- and...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) today`s "Entertainment Weekly" pop culture quiz. Luther Vandross`s big break came in 1975, when he sang backup vocals for which pop legend? Was it, A, Rod Stewart, B, Carly Simon, C, David Bowie, or D, Eric Clapton? the answer is C, David Bowie.
HAMMER: Well, Karyn, it is time to talk about Oscar fashion, which is, of course, the other big topic of conversation tonight. The Oscars are, of course, the most important unofficial fashion show of the year. So joining me live in New York to discuss the hits, the misses and the trends, celebrity stylist David Evangelista and Toby Tucker Peters, who`s the fashion editor for "In Style" magazine. And out in Los Angeles, hanging in Hollywood, fashion editor for "People Hollywood Daily" Eleni Gage.
David, I want to start with you.
DAVID EVANGELISTA, CELEBRITY STYLIST: Sure.
HAMMER: Who was your big female fashion hit of the night, the best dressed woman?
EVANGELISTA: The best dressed female hot mama that I loved, Cate Blanchett. I mean, when I -- when I saw her, you know, walk down the carpet, my mouth in my living room just dropped. She looked so incredibly beautiful. There are so many elements. It was sexy. It was beautiful. It was elegant. And she just made -- it was a huge presence. I thought it was great -- great move.
HAMMER: All right...
EVANGELISTA: And she was smart because she said, Valentino, you`re making this dress for me. You`re not dressing anyone else! Fantastic!
HAMMER: And it worked. So it was just her. She was the only one.
EVANGELISTA: Yes.
HAMMER: All right. Well, let`s get right to the men, then. Who do you think was the best dressed guy. Because a lot of people were saying it was a real mish-mash with the men last night.
EVANGELISTA: I thought Clive Owen looked pretty good. You know, he looked pretty -- he was wearing Armani. The tie was kind of cool because it was satin up top and velvet on the bottom. The lapels were wide, satin. I thought it was a really, really great look. And Clint Eastwood -- I mean, the man could probably wear a paper bag and still look pure class. Pure class.
HAMMER: Pure class? I love that! All right, Eleni, let`s go out to you there in Hollywood. Who do the think the best dressed female was last night?
ELENI GAGE, "PEOPLE HOLLYWOOD DAILY": Well, I loved Charlize Theron`s look. I`m glad she`s gone back to the blond. She`s doing it slowly, so she`s at a sort of chestnut hair color right now that I think really works for her. And I loved her Dior gown.
HAMMER: OK. What about the sharpest man for you last night at the Oscars?
GAGE: Well, thank God for the men because the women have stylists and -- hair stylists and make-up artists, and the men are the only ones who go out on a limb. So frankly, I loved Prince because he took a risk and looked, well, a little ridiculous. I mean, he was wearing white palazzo pants and a purple velvet blazer, which is not a look that most men can carry off.
HAMMER: Very true!
GAGE: But you know, it added a little bit of stature to him because I walked past him, he`s about my height, which is five feet tall, and I think he`s thinner than I am. So you know, this really sort of gave him a little bit of heft.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: All right, appreciate that take on it. Toby, what do you think? Who was the best dressed woman last night?
TOBY TUCKER PETERS, "IN STYLE" MAGAZINE: I have to say I think the best dressed woman was Hilary Swank.
HAMMER: Yes, some people are saying that.
PETERS: I mean, she came to win. At first, when she stepped out of the car, I thought, Interesting, because you couldn`t see the back of the dress yet.
HAMMER: Right.
PETERS: And I think everyone would agree, when she turns around, that body, the back, the way the dress fit her -- it`s Guy Laroche. She had beautiful, beautiful jewelry by Chopard.
HAMMER: Right.
PETERS: She just looked like she was there to win. It was a serious dress for a serious actress.
HAMMER: I don`t know much about these things, but there was no room to miss with that dress.
(CROSSTALK)
PETERS: No wiggle room.
EVANGELISTA: And who was your favorite?
HAMMER: Let`s not discuss what I think!
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Let`s discuss what Toby thinks, actually, in terms of the men, too.
PETERS: I think Chris Rock. Honestly, I think he...
EVANGELISTA: Yes, he looked really good.
PETERS: ... looked so great. He was in Sean John couture. I mean, Puff Daddy did it himself. But it was absolutely -- I thought he looked clean-cut. He looked like he was ready to do the Oscars. He didn`t go -- he didn`t vary it that much, but the thing is that he was there to present at the Oscars, and he looked like he was there for (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
EVANGELISTA: And he had that little diamond stud in his lapel. I thought it was chic. I never really got into that...
(CROSSTALK)
EVANGELISTA: No, it wasn`t. And he did it with class.
HAMMER: And I didn`t mean to blow you up. I actually think Beyonce looked smashing last night...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: ... in her many outfits. But of course, everybody really dishing today about the misses of the evening, so give me your -- your Miss Miss, the misses miss last night.
EVANGELISTA: Well, I think I have two. I mean, you -- I mean, we were talking backstage. I mean, Melanie Griffith, if you`re watching this show, call me, girlfriend, whenever you can.
(LAUGHTER)
EVANGELISTA: Dial me up, CNN, whatever (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I really think it was a misstep. It was -- you know, she tripped over the fashion wagon, and she just -- you know, it just spilled over. It wasn`t flattering on her.
HAMMER: OK.
EVANGELISTA: Wasn`t really...
HAMMER: All right, real quickly, which guy didn`t get it right for you?
EVANGELISTA: Which guy didn`t get it right for me? Oh, my God. Spike Lee.
HAMMER: OK, you got to be quick around here, David!
EVANGELISTA: I`m sorry. I just -- there`s a lot -- there was a few of them that didn`t get...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: ... to Eleni. Eleni, which woman didn`t have it right for you last night?
GAGE: Well, I hate to say it because I think she`s so beautiful, but Laura Linney did not look as good as she did at the previous awards show. I think her hair was too fashion forward. It was sort of more for the runway than for a timeless event like the Oscars. And the color of her dress didn`t really do anything for her coloring.
HAMMER: Right.
GAGE: So not so good.
HAMMER: OK. Well, thank you very much. Toby, we`ll have to get your worst next year...
PETERS: That`s OK...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Thanks for doing this, guys -- celebrity stylist David Evangelista, Toby Tucker Peters, who`s the fashion editor for "In Style" magazine, and Eleni Gage out there in Hollywood, the fashion editor for "People Hollywood Daily," thanks so much.
And Karyn, I know that when all the awards were finally handed out last night, the night was really just beginning.
BRYANT: That`s right, A.J. It was quite a night, as we partied into the wee hours. We`ll show you some more of what went down after the curtain came down at the Oscars. All that is coming up: Plus: Rather tuned out. Dan is about to leave the "Evening News," but some of his CBS co-workers haven`t been watching. We`ll tell you who`s been changing the channel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN WILLIAMS, ACTOR/COMEDIAN: Brando could have been Elmer Fudd! He would have been amazing! Be very, very quiet. I`m hunting rabbits. And Elmer Fudd could have been in "Streetcar Named Desire." Stella.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: She gives out her final rose tonight, but is there already a "Bachelorette" break-up? That`s coming up later in the show.
HAMMER: Well, minutes ago, Dan Rather finished anchoring the "CBS Evening News" for one of the last times he`ll do it. He steps out of the anchor chair in a week-and-a-half. But an article out today has some shocking confessions in it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer joins us now with more on the punch in the eye from a surprising place. Inside CBS?
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: You got it, A.J. You have to wonder almost what a dinner party would be like these days when you invite Dan Rather, Walter Cronkite and Don Hewitt. After the latest "New Yorker" magazine, which hit newsstands today, you can only imagine how frosty it must be one block down from here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: From CBS News headquarters in New York...
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Just a week before he steps down from the anchor chair, Dan Rather is finding out that some of his closest colleagues are anything but his biggest fans, from Don Hewitt, the creator of "60 Minutes" to Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, who he replaced. In a shocking "New Yorker" magazine article, Cronkite confesses Rather is not his No. 1 choice, saying he often switched to just-retired NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw. And in biting comments, Cronkite says, quote, "Dan was playing the role of a newsman, that he was conscious of this, whereas the other two anchors appear to be more the third party reporter."
Then there`s long-time "60 Minutes" colleague Mike Wallace, who tells the magazine, quote, "Rather is a superb reporter and dead honest, but he`s not as easy to watch as ABC`s Peter Jennings or NBC`s Tom Brokaw."
Even Don Hewitt, who created "60 Minutes," told "The New Yorker" he also doesn`t watch Rather, he watches Peter Jennings.
HOWARD KURTZ, "WASHINGTON POST": It`s a little surprising that some of the old bulls at CBS would choose this particular moment, when Rather has obviously been bruised by the "60 Minutes" National Guard controversy and has only a week to go before he leaves the anchor chair after 24 years, to unload on him.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): And Rather leaves that chair a solid No. 3. Brokaw`s replacement, Brian Williams, has held the No. 1 spot for NBC in the evening news. Now the battle is between Williams and Peter Jennings at ABC. CBS is no longer even mentioned. For NBC and Brian Williams, it`s a big win.
KURTZ: NBC was brilliant in the way that it handled the transition, naming him two-and-a-half years ago, clearly grooming him for the job. So it was no surprise when he tried to fill Brokaw`s considerable shoes. The mess at CBS is just the opposite. They don`t seem to know who they want, what kind of format they want, how many people they want to succeed Dan Rather.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: And just minutes ago, Dan Rather issued us a statement, saying, quote, "I`m not going to respond to any of that." Starting a week from Thursday, CBS News veteran Bob Schieffer will take over the anchor desk for Dan Rather on an interim basis. No permanent anchor has been named -- A.J.
HAMMER: OK. Thanks very much, David.
Opening statements begin in the Michael Jackson trial. Who showed up? And the documentary that the prosecutor says rocked the pop star`s world. That`s coming up. And more Oscar after hours. Who showed up at the Rocket Man`s party? We`ll tell you if they`re still standing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN HEADLINE NEWS: Hello, I`m Sophia Choi. Here`s your headline prime newsbreak.
Five days after she disappeared in Homosassa, Florida, the father of a missing girl is again begging for her safe return. Mark Lunsford is convinced his daughter, Jessica, did not run away. An Atlanta Braves pitcher who lives in Homosassa has offered a $25,000 reward for information that leads to her whereabouts, and a search and rescue team from the National Center for Exploited and Missing Children will arrive on Tuesday to help search.
The man who police suspect of being the notorious bind, torture, kill serial killer will have a court hearing tomorrow. Dennis Rader will e charged with 10 murders over the course of 30 years. Rader may appear by video from jail.
And Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is going on a crusade against obscenity. He announced today that he will aggressively (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to prosecute obscenity cases. Gonzales says the constitutional guarantee of free speech does not apply to people who distribute obscene material.
That`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi.
Now back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Still single, she`s giving out the final rose tonight, but will there be a bachelorette bombshell?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP: I think everybody is there. Everybody is at the "Vanity Fair." It`s amazing, actually.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And Oscar after hours, the party people were out. And we`re there with them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRAN DRESCHER: Hi, I`m Fran Drescher. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOW BIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, live at Headline Crime Studios in New York.
BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant, live in Los Angeles.
Here are tonight`s hot headlines.
Ratings down. According to Nielsen numbers out this afternoon, 41.5 million people watched the Oscars on ABC, a drop of about 2 million from last year. The show seemed to do better, though, in urban areas.
Will there be a Rock repeat? Chris Rock says he enjoyed himself and would be up for hosting again. And when asked about concerns over naughty words, he said it was never an issue. Why? Because he doesn`t curse in front of his mom, who was watching his every move,
HAMMER: Well, we`ve been asking you to vote on tonight`s showbiz showdown question of the day. Did Rock rock the Oscars? And we want to hear what you have to say. Did he rock the Oscars or not? CNN.com/showbiztonight is the address. You can send us your e-mails at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN.com, and we`re going to share some of what you had to say coming up at about 55 past the hour.
BRYANT: Well, you know, "Vanity Fair"`s Oscar bash has always been one of the glitziest parties around, and our Oscars After Hours coverage continues now with Brooke Anderson, who was on the guest list. Tell us about it.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: On the guest list for outsiders, Karyn, for the arrivals, I`m not inside, of course. But thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: It was just one of the parties on what is called Oscar Alley last night. That`s where three bashes take place in a four-block radius. But really, "Vanity Fair" is truly incomparable. Even Donald Trump, who`s been to more parties than he can probably even remember, told me there`s no other place to be.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP: Everybody is at the "Vanity Fair." It is amazing, actually. If you enjoy stars, you`ve got them here.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Thousands clamored to get in. But if you didn`t have an invite, an Oscar, or a press pass, chances are you were shut out. Until now, because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is taking you behind the velvet rope.
SAMUEL L. JACKSON: It`s fun, because if you get here, and people will show up, and they`ll have their Oscars, and we`ll get to touch them.
JESSICA SIMPSON: Everybody`s a winner.
NICK LACHEY: Well, here comes (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I`m actually...
(LAUGHTER)
LACHEY: ... actually not too...
JESSICA SIMPSON: "Desperate Housewives" for you next.
He`s a Halle Berry fan.
LACHEY: Well, I was talking to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ANDERSON: And Nick wasn`t disappointed. Here she is. Every A-, B-, and C-list star was styling and profiling. This time, Tara`s red-carpet walk was not as revealing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s the best party of the year.
ANDERSON: This swank soiree is held every year at Norton`s Restaurant in West Hollywood. A wall is knocked down inside the restaurant, a 30- foot-long topiary was put up, and guests enjoy wild mushroom risotto, sticky toffee pudding, and some of the most expensive (UNINTELLIGIBLE) champagne around.
ROSARIO DAWSON: You got pictures of Scarlett Johansson drinking champagne. I`m, like, You`re 19. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Anjelica Huston being, like, Oh, my God, can I talk to you about everything you`ve ever done?
GWEN STEFANI: I know that there is a long night ahead of me. I am looking forward to just wearing this dress as long as possible.
ANDERSON (on camera): This is the party of the night, I am told.
SPIKE LEE: All right, well, we`ll find out.
ANDERSON (voice-over): The top stars were there, Cate Blanchett, Hilary Swank, Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Clint Eastwood, Jamie Foxx, Morgan Freeman, no-shows, but it didn`t matter.
ALISON JANNEY: It`s such fun. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) such an exclusive party here in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Heidi Klum and Seal told me they haven`t set a wedding date yet, but they were showing some love.
HEIDI KLUM: It`s nice, all the big movie stars are coming. And it`s just, you know, the best party to be at, you know, when there are other Oscars on. So it`s always great to come.
ANDERSON: They came, and they all talked about the man of the hour. Beyonce told me there was just one man on her mind, other than Jay-Z.
BEYONCE: Jamie Foxx definitely deserves it. I`m so happy for him.
USHER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) everything about what American families should, you know, should be, you know, that is the type of speech I would have given if I was in his position as well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love him. Congratulations, Jamie.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And that last bit of video you saw there was Hilary Swank sharing her Oscar, showing it to all the fans across the street outside the party. And Karyn, I have to tell you, the reason Jamie Foxx probably didn`t make it by the bash last night, Gabrielle Union told me he was having his own party, so he probably had to get home to prepare for that, right?
BRYANT: Well, that`s right, he had to put Corinne to bed first, I think, too, and then get on his (UNINTELLIGIBLE), right?
ANDERSON: And then get the party on, yes.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: Well, thanks so much, Brooke.
And, of course, we will still be taking you to Elton John`s party. A.J., I know you`re a big Elton fan. Sorry you to had miss that one.
HAMMER: And I know he always throws a big bash, Oscar time comes around.
Well, it`s time now for more showbiz shorts on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
"Sideways" coming soon to a living room near you. Fox Searchlight announced today that the DVD is coming out on April 5. If it had won the best picture Oscar, the studio had planned to keep it in theaters for a little while and delayed the DVD release.
Tony Hawk`s coming to "CSI." We learned today that the skateboarding star will be in an episode of "CSI Miami" playing a corpse. His character is a skater and video game tester whose murder is investigated by the CSI team. The episode is set to air on March 21.
We have more showbiz shorts coming up throughout the show.
Well, tonight, the king of pop on trial. Just moments ago, opening statements ended for the day in the Michael Jackson trial, and some shocking accusations in the courtroom.
CNN`s Ted Rowlands is live for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT from the courthouse in Santa Maria, California. Ted, I heard it was quite a first day.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Quite a first day indeed, A.J.
Fans from around the world, members of the media from around the world, Gary Coleman was even here working as a member of the media outside the courtroom, all for day one of what is expected to be a five-month trial.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Outside the courtroom, Michael Jackson seemed to be in good spirits, at one point even giving a thumbs-up to a camera. Inside, he sat quietly as jurors were told two dramatically different stories about what happened between Jackson and the alleged victim.
Lead prosecutor Tom Sneddon painted a disturbing picture of sexual abuse on a child. Sneddon said Jackson gave the victim and his brother wine and vodka on numerous occasions, saying, quote, "Instead of cookies and milk, you can substitute wine, vodka, and bourbon."
Sneddon said dozens of X-rated magazines were found in Jackson`s home, and at least one had both Jackson`s and the victim`s fingerprints. Sneddon said about the relationship between Jackson and the victim that Jackson was, quote, "manipulating the trust of the common bond that was created."
Sneddon described in great detail the alleged sexual abuse, saying the victim will testify in front of the world about what happened. He also told jurors that the victim`s brother witnessed alleged abuse on two separate occasions. The abuse allegedly took place in the master suite at Jackson`s Neverland Ranch.
Michael Jackson`s lawyer, Thomas Mesereau, told jurors, quote, "These charges are fictitious, bogus, and didn`t happen." Mesereau said Jackson was the victim of a trap set by a family with a history of milking celebrities. Before Michael Jackson, Mesereau said, Jay Leno thought he was being manipulated by the same family. Leno, according to Mesereau, cut short a phone call with the victim after hearing the mother possibly coaching him in the background.
Mesereau said, quote, "The mother, with her children as tools, was trying to latch onto a celebrity."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS: Mesereau is expected to finish his opening statement when court resumes in the morning. The first witness for the prosecution is expected to be Martin Bashir, who was the author of that documentary that prosecutors say rocked Michael Jackson`s world, A.J.
HAMMER: OK, Ted, thanks very much. Ted Rowlands in Santa Maria, California.
Be sure to say with Headline Prime for more on the Michael Jackson trial, starting with "NANCY GRACE" at 8:00 Eastern, right after SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, did the host hit it? Karyn, take it away.
BRYANT: Yes, did the host hit it? That`s a good question.
And Beyonce, you know, she was beautiful. But how did she do with the singing? We are taking it to the buzz bench.
HAMMER: And then I`ll take it away. A bachelorette breakup? We`ve got the scoop on tonight`s finale.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tonight, because, you know, the men don`t get enough fashion love.
LEONARDO DICAPRIO: Prada. Wear a little nice Prada suit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Yes, it is time for the buzz bench. We call it Oscar afterthoughts. How did you feel about the show, the Rock, and all the singing?
Joining us now on the buzz bench, comedian and TV personality Chuck Nice. Yes, he is. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Amy Kean, and "People" magazine`s Leah Rozen.
Leah, let`s start with you. A lot of comments today about the format changes. What did you think?
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, at least it was short. That`s good.
HAMMER: Shorter.
ROZEN: Shorter. Any time it comes in under four hours, I am happy. Any time you get to bed before midnight, that`s good.
The show itself, mixed bag. The right people won, the movies that were -- that won were good. The show itself, a little mixed. And it feels a lot like a rerun these days, given that you have the Golden Globes, given you have the Screen Actor`s Guild, by the time you get to the Oscars, it`s haven`t we been to this party before, been there, done that, same speeches, same winners?
AMY KEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) all the talk after all of our anticipation about Chris Rock, I sort of felt like it wasn`t that different. I mean, it wasn`t so crazy, wild. And he didn`t -- But at the same time, earlier today, he was on "Oprah," talking about how, you know, he was working for ABC, it wasn`t really his show...
HAMMER: Right.
KEAN: ... and so...
CHUCK NICE, COMEDIAN: I got one thing to say about the Oscars. As usual, there`s one word to sum it up, snoozalicious.
HAMMER: Well, not entirely, though.
NICE: Well, I mean, overall, I would say it didn`t really change anything. I liked Chris Rock, I thought he was entertaining. I thought he added an air of lightness to it.
HAMMER: Right.
NICE: Like, don`t take it so seriously. And I thought I felt people loosen up because of him.
ROZEN: Well, I thought Chris Rock, though, made, the real point was when he went to the actual movie theater, talked to actual moviegoers...
KEAN: That was definitely the highlight, yes.
ROZEN: ... and not one of them had seen a single nominated film. And they all clearly felt that "White Chicks"...
KEAN: I liked that.
ROZEN: ... should have been the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) picture.
KEAN: Yes, yes. And it was also kind of, like, he was sort of thumbing his nose at, you know, it was sort of disrespectful, but in a kind way, whereas other things he did, I think, didn`t work so well. The whole Jude Law thing, I think, didn`t work that well.
HAMMER: Yes, but people wanted something to latch onto to make a big deal of today, and it really wasn`t a big deal.
(CROSSTALK)
KEAN: It was awkward. It was definitely awkward.
ROZEN: And yet, if you`re going to insult people, he very carefully didn`t insult anyone who was in the audience.
NICE: Right.
KEAN: Yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: Jude Law wasn`t there, and honestly, I`m sure Jude Law wasn`t offended. We all know that Jude Law has been in every movie this year. And, you know, it wasn`t that big of a deal. He was just saying, Why is Jude Law all over the place?
KEAN: I thought what was interesting was that he wasn`t, in my opinion, he wasn`t as funny as I expected. I thought his routine, some things worked, some things didn`t. But I thought this was a really a big moment for him. So I expected really great material.
ROZEN: But once he finishes the monologue, it`s not really his show any more.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Didn`t it seem like he did disappear for, like, an hour?
ROZEN: Yes.
KEAN: Yes, yes.
NICE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You know, if you look at past Oscars, the host does that towards the end of the show, the host just kind of disappears from the show.
HAMMER: Right.
KEAN: Right.
NICE: But the one thing I liked about Chris Rock was all of his introductions. Those were hilarious.
KEAN: Yes, I loved when he said Tim Robbins, when he said, when he`s a great actor when he`s not, when he`s not boring us with his politics. I thought that was very funny.
HAMMER: He was...
NICE: That was funny. And you know what?
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: Tim Robbins laughed at that.
HAMMER: He did, he did...
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: He laughed at that.
HAMMER: Well, let`s talk about another big part of the show. Beyonce seemed to be the other 75 percent of the show last night.
NICE: I don`t know what the deal was with that. I mean, honestly, Beyonce sang, like, every single song. What happened, did the Oscars run out of money? They paid Chris Rock that much that they were on that tight of a budget because she had to sing every song?
KEAN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Beyonce, I thought she was glamorous, and I thought she looked great.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: OK, speaking of looking great, in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) we were showing...
KEAN: But it was too much.
HAMMER: ... a minute ago, with all of that ice, with all of those jewels, a friend of mine at my little Oscar get-together said it looked like she got tangled up in a chandelier.
(CROSSTALK)
ROZEN: ... three outfits, three wig changes, three makeup changes. You`re going, if those dresses didn`t have Velcro on them, it must have been ugly backstage.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: That was pretty remarkable...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: ... the fact that she was able to pull off those changes so quickly.
NICE: Yes, I thought it was great. The only thing that I didn`t like was that I saw so much of her, I was actually glad to see Antonio Banderas.
KEAN: Yes.
NICE: So, you know...
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: ... and that`s a bad thing.
(CROSSTALK)
ROZEN: Yes, but don`t you think, you know, J-Lo, Queen Latifah, Judy Collins, they all called their agents today and said...
(CROSSTALK)
KEAN: ... how did she get that? How did she, I mean, I think some of the performers who were in the audience should have been, who were actually there for their songs, should have been performing their own music.
NICE: I think maybe JZ got on the phone and made a couple phone calls to some performers that were slotted to appear, and they got sick.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Best moments for any of you guys? Leah, what about you?
ROZEN: Best moment, I think, had to be the emotion of the speeches, when you know, Hilary Swank says, I am a girl from a trailer with a dream. When Jamie Foxx trotted his dead grandmother out again, who we had seen before...
HAMMER: Not the nicest way to put it, but OK.
ROZEN: ... well, you know, not the nicest way to put it, but it, that`s what it, but it was barely very moving.
NICE: I loved the way you trotted out your dead grandmother. Must we again hear about your dead grandmother?
ROZEN: I mean, it was very much, but we, you know, you`ve been there, you go, OK, I know what`s coming. But it, you know, indeed was emotional high point.
KEAN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for me the best moment was when Edna, the animated character in "The Incredibles" came out, I thought that was the best presenter. But I think next year, Edna should host the Oscars.
HAMMER: They always do a fascinating...
ROZEN: What they do, yes.
HAMMER: ... little bit of technology, and they pulled it off last night.
Buzz bench, thanks for stopping by. Leah Rozen, Amy Kean, and Chuck Nice, we always love seeing you guys.
And on Sunday night, there`s more, because there was a big, big amount of partying going on last night, and Karyn has more to tell us about that..
BRYANT: That`s right, A.J., but first I want to tell you to tell the buzz bench gang to start shoveling, because I need my plane to land so I can get back there with you for tomorrow night.
But, yes, Sunday night is all right for partying, and, of course, partying for a very good cause. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was invited to Elton John`s annual Oscar party. And you are too. That is coming up.
And when is a rose not a rose? Well, maybe when it`s given out by a bachelorette. We got you saying, Huh? Confused? Don`t worry, we`ll sort it out next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUSTIN HOFFMAN: And the Oscar goes to...
BARBRA STREISAND: Ooh, the Oscar goes to...
HOFFMAN: Sorry. Go ahead.
STREISAND: Well, the problem is, I forgot my glasses, but -- OK.
I`m so happy to give you this again, Clint. "Million Dollar Baby," (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Tom Rosenberg and Clint Eastwood.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Hello again from Hollywood. Time for more showbiz shorts.
He`s a little bit country. This year`s Country Music Television award nominees include an unlikely character, Nelly. The rapper is nominated for two CMT awards for his song "Over and Over," featuring Tim McGraw.
Strange days indeed. "Days of Our Lives" star Alison Sweeney is on maternity leave, so the show is temporarily replacing her with a man. Starting today, her character is being played by a guy. The plotline is, she disguises herself as a man to gather dirt on her enemies.
HAMMER: Well, they`ve been talking all day, and we`ve been listening now as we do every night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. The best from today`s talk shows.
Tonight, bachelorette Jen Schefft gives out her final rose. But "People" magazine is reporting that Schefft and the guy that she picks have already called it quits. "People" says that sources in her home town of Chicago have romantically linked Schefft to her boss, a local nightclub promoter.
Earlier today on the "Tony Danza Show," Schefft was tight-lipped.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "TONY DANZA SHOW")
TONY DANZA, HOST: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
JEN SCHEFFT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sort of stressful.
DANZA: Really, huh?
SCHEFFT: Yes, it`s because you have to keep a secret for so long.
DANZA: Oh, well, that`s true. You`ve known now, you know who it is, and have you almost slipped up a couple of times?
SCHEFFT: Oh, yes, especially with my friends, when it`s just sort of, like, we`re just talking, like, Oh, I talked to -- It was, like, Ooh, ooh, I can`t say the name, so...
DANZA: And is there a penalty if you were to divulge the...
SCHEFFT: Yes, it`s a $5 million -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE), if you tell the secret, you lose $5 million. So I don`t have that.
DANZA: Yes. Smitty...
SCHEFFT: So...
DANZA: ... Smitty, our stage manager, he`s...
SCHEFFT: ... I can`t really steal it.
DANZA: ... got some money.
(LAUGHTER)
DANZA: All right, so you`re not going to tell us...
SCHEFFT: No, I`m not.
DANZA: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You can`t...
SCHEFFT: I wish I could.
DANZA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know what? We`ll pay the five mill. (UNINTELLIGIBLE), we`re going to do it.
SCHEFFT: OK, OK, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
DANZA: Well, we`ll take a collection. Everybody will chip in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Just have to watch him find out.
Well, it didn`t cost five mill to get into Elton John`s Oscar party, but tickets weren`t chump change. We`re going to show you who showed up coming up. And there`s still time for you to sound off in tonight`s SHOWBIZ showdown question of the day, Did Rock rock the Oscars? Go to CNN.com/showbiztonight to vote.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m live in Hollywood.
And throughout the show, we`ve been giving you a look at the town`s hottest Oscar parties. Now we`re going to a bash known as the second-best place to watch the Oscars. That is next to the Kodak Theater.
Cue the helicopters, live TV, you got to love it. At Sir Elton John`s annual bash, the A-list invitees can get dinner for a party of 10 for, get this, $25,000. Now, we don`t know if that includes a tip.
Still, many stars were in the mood to show up for a good cause and have a good time with Elton. But "Will and Grace"`s Eric McCormack may have forgotten to read his invitation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC MCCORMACK: Elton John? Is he here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this evening.
JOAN RIVERS: Well, started my last plastic surgery, which is three months, and the botox, and the Riscalin (ph), then I had to take -- I have to shave my back (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That took a while.
RIVERS: That took a while.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That took a while. That was a tow-day process.
RIVERS: That was a two-day process.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then they did, like, the first, and then they went for, like, a cleaning.
RIVERS: And then the whole mustache, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes, that took a lot.
RIVERS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are very flattered to be here, and hopefully once we get drunk, we`ll be able to play music with Elton and teach him a few things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Well, Maroon Five didn`t get to play with Elton, but another hot fan did. That is Sir Elton John, doing "The Bitch Is Back" with the Scissor Sisters, fantastic band. The proceeds from the party go to Elton John`s AIDS foundation.
HAMMER: Well, the Oscars weren`t just a Hollywood event. Here in New York, these stars came out as well, Oscar winner Liza Minnelli and Tony Danza joined dozens of celebrities at the annual Entertainment Weekly party, which was held at Elaine`s. This party was for those who couldn`t make it out to Hollywood.
Also on hand, another Oscar winner, Marcia Gay Harden, who was wearing Randolph Duke, in case you were wondering. Chris Malone and Joan Collins were some of the other names on hand.
Well, throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our question of the day. Did Rock rock the Oscars? Let`s see how the vote has been (UNINTELLIGIBLE) going so far. It looks like yes, 44 percent of you say yes, Rock did rock the Oscars, 56 percent of you said no, Chris Rock did not rock the Oscars.
And we`ve been getting some e-mails on this question too. We heard from Tabby in Helena, Montana. She wrote, "Nothing was more boring than the old ceremony. This was the first time I watched the Oscars from start to finish, and I am 32."
And Terri writes, "While some of his jokes hit the mark, many fell flat and were borderline tasteless. Bring back Billy Crystal!"
Remember, we`d like you to continue voting by going to CNN.com/showbiztonight.
BRYANT: Time to see what is playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT this week. Let`s take a look at the SHOWBIZ marquee.
ANNOUNCER: Playing tomorrow, Jennifer Lopez gives birth to a new album. Had you going, huh? (UNINTELLIGIBLE) going across the block with the girl from the block, as J-Lo releases "Rebirth," live in New York`s Time Square. It`s going to be a madhouse.
Also tomorrow, a Nashville star. Now, why would Leann Rimes say...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEANN RIMES: I`m a freak of nature to actually have a career.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Come on, Leann, you rock. OK, maybe you`re country too. And you`ve got a new album, and you`re on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Plus, bye-bye "Blue." As "NYPD Blue" goes off the air, we ask, why, oh, why? We`re there as the cast says goodbye. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a very special guest from the show. You`ll know him. You`ll see him tomorrow.
HAMMER: Karyn, I know it`s a lot of work without a lot of sleep out there. Hope to see you back tomorrow here in New York City.
BRYANT: Got my fingers crossed that that plane`s going to land, A.J. I`ll see you tomorrow.
HAMMER: All right.
Headline Prime continues next with "NANCY GRACE."
END
Aired February 28, 2005 - 19:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: After the Oscars, what went down? I`m Karyn Bryant in Los Angeles.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: And who looked best in her gown? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People that show up now have their Oscars, and we`ll get to touch them.
ADAM DURITZ, COUNTING CROWS: We`re just going to run around and try and kiss a bunch of girls.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oscar after hours. The awards are out, and we`re in the hottest parties. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, up late everywhere. We`ll tell you what the stars did after the Oscars.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILARY SWANK, BEST ACTRESS: I`m wearing Guy LaRoche.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Prada.
GWYNETH PALTROW, ACTRESS: Stella McCartney.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And fashion hits and misses, a live coast-to-coast look at the fantastic and the flops on the red carpet. Plus, Jackson, day one. The opening arguments begin, but who shows up? We`re live at the courthouse. And Dan Rather dissed. Why some of his closest colleagues are saying, We don`t watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMIE FOXX, BEST ACTOR: This is Jamie Foxx, and if it happens today, it`s on show biz tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Hey, there. I`m Karyn Bryant, live from Hollywood.
HAMMER: A.J. Hammer, live from the Headline Prime studios in New York. You`re at the top of the show.
BRYANT: Tonight, it is all about the Monday night quarterbacking. The Super Bowl of entertainment may be over, but the parties lasted all night. And the fashion will be debated for days to come. We`ll get to all of that tonight. And you know, you may have watched the Oscars, but while you went to sleep, the stars kept going, and so did we. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there every step of the way, from the very moment Rock started rocking the house.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS ROCK, OSCARS HOST: OK, OK! Sit your asses down.
BRYANT (voice-over): You heard the man, and so did a full house at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, waiting for Chris Rock to drop an F-bomb. It never happened during the show, but after the show? That`s another story.
ROCK: It is time to bring it, my (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Bring it.
BRYANT: This Oscar night was important one for Rock and the record number of black actors nominated.
ROCK: It`s a great night tonight. We have, what, four black nominees tonight. So (UNINTELLIGIBLE) It`s kind of like the Def Oscar Jam tonight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the Oscar goes to Jamie Foxx and "Ray."
FOXX: Let`s live this African-American dream. It`s beautiful. I`m glad I`m with you, and I ain`t never leaving you, so I love you.
BRYANT: For only the second time in Oscar history, two black actors won for major roles.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the Oscar goes to Morgan Freeman, "Million Dollar Baby."
MORGAN FREEMAN, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: It means that Hollywood is continuing to make history. Life goes on. Things change. They never stay the same. So we`re evolving with the rest of the world.
BRYANT: Freeman had some Oscar company, his "Million Dollar Baby" co- star.
SEAN PENN, ACTOR: And the Oscar goes to Hilary Swank, "Million Dollar Baby."
BRYANT: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there exclusively with Hilary`s boxing trainer, Hector Roca, at his home in Brooklyn.
HILARY SWANK, BEST ACTRESS: My trainers, Grant Roberts and Hector Roca, pushed me further than I ever thought I could push myself.
HECTOR ROCA, BOXING TRAINER: That`s it! (UNINTELLIGIBLE) baby. Million-dollar gold baby. I blame Hilary for all this.
(LAUGHTER)
BRYANT: After her big win, Hilary told me she couldn`t have done it without him.
SWANK: Hector was so instrumental, and he just believed in me so much, and he pushed me every day so hard. And he just told me that I can. You know, this is as much his as it is mine.
BRYANT: And the hits kept coming for "Million Dollar Baby," as Clint Eastwood beat out Martin Scorsese for Best Director and also took home Best Picture.
CLINT EASTWOOD, BEST DIRECTOR/PICTURE: I kind of was a little bit disappointed when they started -- started billing it a competition between Marty and myself because I have the greatest respect for him.
BRYANT: Cate Blanchett told me her win wasn`t the same without Scorsese in the winner`s circle.
CATE BLANCHETT, BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: With or without one of these, he is extraordinary. And none of the people who won Oscars tonight for "The Aviator" would be there without him. So it`s -- yes, it is bittersweet.
BRYANT: But perhaps the most bittersweet Oscar moment, Jamie Foxx and his emotional tribute to his late grandmother, Estelle.
FOXX: She`s not here tonight, and this is going to be the toughest part, but she was my first acting teacher.
BRYANT: I caught up with Jamie after the Oscars with his daughter, Corinne. He told me that tonight`s win was a family affair.
FOXX: Tell her what you told me just before they called out the names.
CORINNE: I said, If you don`t win, you know, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tell you that you`re a great actor.
BRYANT (on camera): Sage advice, sage words from such a young...
FOXX: Incredible. I was already leaking before I got to the stage.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: Definitely one of the most emotional moments of the night. And we are finding out just how many people saw it. The Nielsen numbers came in just a short time ago, and 41.5 million people tuned in. That is actually 2 million fewer than last year, but more people aged 18 to 34 watched this year, which one ABC exec says is all because of Chris Rock -- A.J.
HAMMER: All right, Karyn. Looks like you are hanging for all the stars and hanging out late. No rest for the winners, either. After the big night and the parties, two of last night`s winners were back at the Kodak Theatre, where Oprah hosted a post-Oscar show today. Hilary Swank said that she wasn`t quite ready for her win when it happened, and Jamie Foxx told Oprah that her Kleenex advice came in handy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FOXX: You have no idea how -- how this -- how incredible it was to have you behind me. And then you walked up...
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: Oh, yes.
FOXX: ... and she gave me a tissue.
WINFREY: Yes.
FOXX: And I`m thinking, Well, does she think I`m going to cry?
WINFREY: No.
FOXX: And she said, Give me that gum. Give me that gum. Get that gum out of your mouth. Give me that gum.
SWANK: I tried to be really present when everyone else was getting their awards.
WINFREY: Yes.
SWANK: I wasn`t thinking, How many is it away? I was just trying to take them in and appreciate them and...
WINFREY: And then when they called your name, were you...
SWANK: Well, all of a sudden, Sean Penn walks on. And I`m...
(CROSSTALK)
SWANK: ... because...
WINFREY: You know that the previous actor from last year is going to introduce...
SWANK: That`s right.
WINFREY: ... Best Actress, OK?
SWANK: That is right.
WINFREY: And so there was that moment.
SWANK: But I -- I -- they don`t -- they didn`t -- usually at the commercial break, they say, And next, you know, Sean Penn...
WINFREY: Yes...
(CROSSTALK)
SWANK: They didn`t say it.
WINFREY: They didn`t say it.
SWANK: So I thought it was the next -- maybe the next commercial break...
WINFREY: Yes.
SWANK: ... and I`m still trying to...
WINFREY: It did get there, quickly, didn`t it.
SWANK: ... be in the moment and...
WINFREY: It got there quickly. All of a sudden, there it was.
SWANK: Yes. All of a sudden, there it was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Karyn, I want to hear more about the party you were at last night.
SWANK: Well, you know, the party was great. But the stars were on Oprah just after hours of dizzying partying. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hit all the parties, as well. So you know, you can consider us your RSVP for the Oscars after hours throughout the night show. I do want to begin with the first up on the party circuit. I, of course, dropped in on the Governors Ball.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It was a million-dollar night for Hollywood, and the party continued after the Oscars. The first stop, the Governors Ball, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there. The tables were set, the music was puffin` (ph), and everyone was getting ready to let loose. I caught up with the winners of "Million Dollar Baby," who all agreed they had something special from the very beginning.
FREEMAN: You know you got a good script. You know you got a good director. You know you got good actors. You`re having fun making the picture. After that, it`s out of your hands, you know, so you don`t -- you don`t know until they tell you.
SWANK: I just knew from the beginning that the script was phenomenal and that it was this stunning, stunning piece of work. And I just hoped not to mess it up.
EASTWOOD: I thought it was special from the very beginning. I thought the script was very special. I loved the story. Once I got it cast and had the cast and I got on the set, I figured, Yes, this is going to be OK.
BRYANT: And feeling better than OK, Jamie Foxx, who snagged Oscar gold for his starring role in "Ray." He was ready to party.
(on camera): Going to get your drink (ph) on tonight?
FOXX: Tonight we may have a little champagne tonight to bring the night in right. But you know what? It`s a great feeling right now. Right now is the most incredible feeling you could ever imagine. So we will celebrate tonight and it will be fun, but it`s just been so beautiful.
BRYANT (voice-over): And speaking of beautiful, we caught up with another winner, Cate Blanchett, who admitted to us that her nerves almost got the best of her.
(on camera): What goes through your mind when you hear your name?
BLANCHETT: I -- not a lot, I must say. I kind of blanked. And it was mostly, Don`t trip and always remember to thank Martin Scorsese because I wouldn`t be standing up there without him.
BRYANT (voice-over): And without an Oscar in hand, Counting Crows front man Adam Duritz wasn`t letting his locks get the best of it. He was looking to score something else.
ADAM DURITZ, COUNTING CROWS: We`re just going to run around and try and kiss a bunch of girls.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: And the partying doesn`t stop. We`ll take you to the "Vanity Fair" bash in just a bit, and you can find out why Donald Trump says there`s no better place to be.
HAMMER: Well, you may be wondering what the White House has to say about Chris Rock`s opening monologue. We were wondering, too, so today SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to the White House. First, a recap. Last night, Rock first said he wasn`t going to bash the president, and then he marveled about how the president was able to win reelection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROCK: Just imagine you work at the Gap. You`re $70 trillion behind on your register, and then you start a war with Banana Republic because you say they got plastic tank tops over there. You have the war. People are dying, a thousand Gap employees are dead. That`s right, bleeding all over the khakis. You finally take over Banana Republic, and you find out they never made tank tops in the first place.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So what did the White House think of Rock`s routine? Well, this afternoon, a White House spokesperson told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "We`ll leave the -- we`ll leave the book, movie and Oscar monologue reviews to the folks in Hollywood." So there you have it. Here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we`ll always take you right to the source.
Chris Rock says he`d do it all again if the Academy asked him back. But would you want to see him back? Well, that`s what we want to know. Did Rock rock at the Oscars? It is our question of the day. What do you think? You can take our poll by going to cnn.com/showbiztonight. You can also e-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. And we`ll read some of your thoughts a bit later on in the show.
Time now for a "SHOWBIZ Short." "Saving Private Ryan" passing the FCC test. The FCC ruled today that ABC`s broadcast of the movie last Veteran`s Day did not violate indecency guidelines. There were complaints about the profanity in the movie, but the FCC says it wasn`t indecent because of the context, which was showing the horror of war.
BRYANT: It isn`t easy to pick something to wear to the Oscars. Trust me, I know firsthand. So who hit the Oscar fashion bullseye and who missed the target? We`ve got a live, no-holds-barred bicoastal look. And you know our "Buzz Bench" won`t hold back. They`re going to talk about Chris Rock and Beyonce.
HAMMER: Now it`s time for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" "Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Luther Vandross`s big break came back in 1975, when he sang backup vocals for which pop legend? A, Rod Stewart, B, Carly Simon, C, David Bowie, or D, Eric Clapton.
We are coming right back with the answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROCK: And who is Jude Law? Why is he in every movie I have seen the last four years? Even the movies he`s not acting in, if you look at the credits, he made cupcakes or something. He`s in everything!
PENN: Forgive my compromised sense of humor, but I did want to answer our host`s question about who Jude Law is. He`s one of our finest actors, and -- and...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) today`s "Entertainment Weekly" pop culture quiz. Luther Vandross`s big break came in 1975, when he sang backup vocals for which pop legend? Was it, A, Rod Stewart, B, Carly Simon, C, David Bowie, or D, Eric Clapton? the answer is C, David Bowie.
HAMMER: Well, Karyn, it is time to talk about Oscar fashion, which is, of course, the other big topic of conversation tonight. The Oscars are, of course, the most important unofficial fashion show of the year. So joining me live in New York to discuss the hits, the misses and the trends, celebrity stylist David Evangelista and Toby Tucker Peters, who`s the fashion editor for "In Style" magazine. And out in Los Angeles, hanging in Hollywood, fashion editor for "People Hollywood Daily" Eleni Gage.
David, I want to start with you.
DAVID EVANGELISTA, CELEBRITY STYLIST: Sure.
HAMMER: Who was your big female fashion hit of the night, the best dressed woman?
EVANGELISTA: The best dressed female hot mama that I loved, Cate Blanchett. I mean, when I -- when I saw her, you know, walk down the carpet, my mouth in my living room just dropped. She looked so incredibly beautiful. There are so many elements. It was sexy. It was beautiful. It was elegant. And she just made -- it was a huge presence. I thought it was great -- great move.
HAMMER: All right...
EVANGELISTA: And she was smart because she said, Valentino, you`re making this dress for me. You`re not dressing anyone else! Fantastic!
HAMMER: And it worked. So it was just her. She was the only one.
EVANGELISTA: Yes.
HAMMER: All right. Well, let`s get right to the men, then. Who do you think was the best dressed guy. Because a lot of people were saying it was a real mish-mash with the men last night.
EVANGELISTA: I thought Clive Owen looked pretty good. You know, he looked pretty -- he was wearing Armani. The tie was kind of cool because it was satin up top and velvet on the bottom. The lapels were wide, satin. I thought it was a really, really great look. And Clint Eastwood -- I mean, the man could probably wear a paper bag and still look pure class. Pure class.
HAMMER: Pure class? I love that! All right, Eleni, let`s go out to you there in Hollywood. Who do the think the best dressed female was last night?
ELENI GAGE, "PEOPLE HOLLYWOOD DAILY": Well, I loved Charlize Theron`s look. I`m glad she`s gone back to the blond. She`s doing it slowly, so she`s at a sort of chestnut hair color right now that I think really works for her. And I loved her Dior gown.
HAMMER: OK. What about the sharpest man for you last night at the Oscars?
GAGE: Well, thank God for the men because the women have stylists and -- hair stylists and make-up artists, and the men are the only ones who go out on a limb. So frankly, I loved Prince because he took a risk and looked, well, a little ridiculous. I mean, he was wearing white palazzo pants and a purple velvet blazer, which is not a look that most men can carry off.
HAMMER: Very true!
GAGE: But you know, it added a little bit of stature to him because I walked past him, he`s about my height, which is five feet tall, and I think he`s thinner than I am. So you know, this really sort of gave him a little bit of heft.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: All right, appreciate that take on it. Toby, what do you think? Who was the best dressed woman last night?
TOBY TUCKER PETERS, "IN STYLE" MAGAZINE: I have to say I think the best dressed woman was Hilary Swank.
HAMMER: Yes, some people are saying that.
PETERS: I mean, she came to win. At first, when she stepped out of the car, I thought, Interesting, because you couldn`t see the back of the dress yet.
HAMMER: Right.
PETERS: And I think everyone would agree, when she turns around, that body, the back, the way the dress fit her -- it`s Guy Laroche. She had beautiful, beautiful jewelry by Chopard.
HAMMER: Right.
PETERS: She just looked like she was there to win. It was a serious dress for a serious actress.
HAMMER: I don`t know much about these things, but there was no room to miss with that dress.
(CROSSTALK)
PETERS: No wiggle room.
EVANGELISTA: And who was your favorite?
HAMMER: Let`s not discuss what I think!
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Let`s discuss what Toby thinks, actually, in terms of the men, too.
PETERS: I think Chris Rock. Honestly, I think he...
EVANGELISTA: Yes, he looked really good.
PETERS: ... looked so great. He was in Sean John couture. I mean, Puff Daddy did it himself. But it was absolutely -- I thought he looked clean-cut. He looked like he was ready to do the Oscars. He didn`t go -- he didn`t vary it that much, but the thing is that he was there to present at the Oscars, and he looked like he was there for (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
EVANGELISTA: And he had that little diamond stud in his lapel. I thought it was chic. I never really got into that...
(CROSSTALK)
EVANGELISTA: No, it wasn`t. And he did it with class.
HAMMER: And I didn`t mean to blow you up. I actually think Beyonce looked smashing last night...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: ... in her many outfits. But of course, everybody really dishing today about the misses of the evening, so give me your -- your Miss Miss, the misses miss last night.
EVANGELISTA: Well, I think I have two. I mean, you -- I mean, we were talking backstage. I mean, Melanie Griffith, if you`re watching this show, call me, girlfriend, whenever you can.
(LAUGHTER)
EVANGELISTA: Dial me up, CNN, whatever (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I really think it was a misstep. It was -- you know, she tripped over the fashion wagon, and she just -- you know, it just spilled over. It wasn`t flattering on her.
HAMMER: OK.
EVANGELISTA: Wasn`t really...
HAMMER: All right, real quickly, which guy didn`t get it right for you?
EVANGELISTA: Which guy didn`t get it right for me? Oh, my God. Spike Lee.
HAMMER: OK, you got to be quick around here, David!
EVANGELISTA: I`m sorry. I just -- there`s a lot -- there was a few of them that didn`t get...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: ... to Eleni. Eleni, which woman didn`t have it right for you last night?
GAGE: Well, I hate to say it because I think she`s so beautiful, but Laura Linney did not look as good as she did at the previous awards show. I think her hair was too fashion forward. It was sort of more for the runway than for a timeless event like the Oscars. And the color of her dress didn`t really do anything for her coloring.
HAMMER: Right.
GAGE: So not so good.
HAMMER: OK. Well, thank you very much. Toby, we`ll have to get your worst next year...
PETERS: That`s OK...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Thanks for doing this, guys -- celebrity stylist David Evangelista, Toby Tucker Peters, who`s the fashion editor for "In Style" magazine, and Eleni Gage out there in Hollywood, the fashion editor for "People Hollywood Daily," thanks so much.
And Karyn, I know that when all the awards were finally handed out last night, the night was really just beginning.
BRYANT: That`s right, A.J. It was quite a night, as we partied into the wee hours. We`ll show you some more of what went down after the curtain came down at the Oscars. All that is coming up: Plus: Rather tuned out. Dan is about to leave the "Evening News," but some of his CBS co-workers haven`t been watching. We`ll tell you who`s been changing the channel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN WILLIAMS, ACTOR/COMEDIAN: Brando could have been Elmer Fudd! He would have been amazing! Be very, very quiet. I`m hunting rabbits. And Elmer Fudd could have been in "Streetcar Named Desire." Stella.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: She gives out her final rose tonight, but is there already a "Bachelorette" break-up? That`s coming up later in the show.
HAMMER: Well, minutes ago, Dan Rather finished anchoring the "CBS Evening News" for one of the last times he`ll do it. He steps out of the anchor chair in a week-and-a-half. But an article out today has some shocking confessions in it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer joins us now with more on the punch in the eye from a surprising place. Inside CBS?
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: You got it, A.J. You have to wonder almost what a dinner party would be like these days when you invite Dan Rather, Walter Cronkite and Don Hewitt. After the latest "New Yorker" magazine, which hit newsstands today, you can only imagine how frosty it must be one block down from here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: From CBS News headquarters in New York...
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Just a week before he steps down from the anchor chair, Dan Rather is finding out that some of his closest colleagues are anything but his biggest fans, from Don Hewitt, the creator of "60 Minutes" to Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, who he replaced. In a shocking "New Yorker" magazine article, Cronkite confesses Rather is not his No. 1 choice, saying he often switched to just-retired NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw. And in biting comments, Cronkite says, quote, "Dan was playing the role of a newsman, that he was conscious of this, whereas the other two anchors appear to be more the third party reporter."
Then there`s long-time "60 Minutes" colleague Mike Wallace, who tells the magazine, quote, "Rather is a superb reporter and dead honest, but he`s not as easy to watch as ABC`s Peter Jennings or NBC`s Tom Brokaw."
Even Don Hewitt, who created "60 Minutes," told "The New Yorker" he also doesn`t watch Rather, he watches Peter Jennings.
HOWARD KURTZ, "WASHINGTON POST": It`s a little surprising that some of the old bulls at CBS would choose this particular moment, when Rather has obviously been bruised by the "60 Minutes" National Guard controversy and has only a week to go before he leaves the anchor chair after 24 years, to unload on him.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): And Rather leaves that chair a solid No. 3. Brokaw`s replacement, Brian Williams, has held the No. 1 spot for NBC in the evening news. Now the battle is between Williams and Peter Jennings at ABC. CBS is no longer even mentioned. For NBC and Brian Williams, it`s a big win.
KURTZ: NBC was brilliant in the way that it handled the transition, naming him two-and-a-half years ago, clearly grooming him for the job. So it was no surprise when he tried to fill Brokaw`s considerable shoes. The mess at CBS is just the opposite. They don`t seem to know who they want, what kind of format they want, how many people they want to succeed Dan Rather.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: And just minutes ago, Dan Rather issued us a statement, saying, quote, "I`m not going to respond to any of that." Starting a week from Thursday, CBS News veteran Bob Schieffer will take over the anchor desk for Dan Rather on an interim basis. No permanent anchor has been named -- A.J.
HAMMER: OK. Thanks very much, David.
Opening statements begin in the Michael Jackson trial. Who showed up? And the documentary that the prosecutor says rocked the pop star`s world. That`s coming up. And more Oscar after hours. Who showed up at the Rocket Man`s party? We`ll tell you if they`re still standing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN HEADLINE NEWS: Hello, I`m Sophia Choi. Here`s your headline prime newsbreak.
Five days after she disappeared in Homosassa, Florida, the father of a missing girl is again begging for her safe return. Mark Lunsford is convinced his daughter, Jessica, did not run away. An Atlanta Braves pitcher who lives in Homosassa has offered a $25,000 reward for information that leads to her whereabouts, and a search and rescue team from the National Center for Exploited and Missing Children will arrive on Tuesday to help search.
The man who police suspect of being the notorious bind, torture, kill serial killer will have a court hearing tomorrow. Dennis Rader will e charged with 10 murders over the course of 30 years. Rader may appear by video from jail.
And Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is going on a crusade against obscenity. He announced today that he will aggressively (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to prosecute obscenity cases. Gonzales says the constitutional guarantee of free speech does not apply to people who distribute obscene material.
That`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi.
Now back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Still single, she`s giving out the final rose tonight, but will there be a bachelorette bombshell?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP: I think everybody is there. Everybody is at the "Vanity Fair." It`s amazing, actually.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And Oscar after hours, the party people were out. And we`re there with them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRAN DRESCHER: Hi, I`m Fran Drescher. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOW BIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, live at Headline Crime Studios in New York.
BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant, live in Los Angeles.
Here are tonight`s hot headlines.
Ratings down. According to Nielsen numbers out this afternoon, 41.5 million people watched the Oscars on ABC, a drop of about 2 million from last year. The show seemed to do better, though, in urban areas.
Will there be a Rock repeat? Chris Rock says he enjoyed himself and would be up for hosting again. And when asked about concerns over naughty words, he said it was never an issue. Why? Because he doesn`t curse in front of his mom, who was watching his every move,
HAMMER: Well, we`ve been asking you to vote on tonight`s showbiz showdown question of the day. Did Rock rock the Oscars? And we want to hear what you have to say. Did he rock the Oscars or not? CNN.com/showbiztonight is the address. You can send us your e-mails at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN.com, and we`re going to share some of what you had to say coming up at about 55 past the hour.
BRYANT: Well, you know, "Vanity Fair"`s Oscar bash has always been one of the glitziest parties around, and our Oscars After Hours coverage continues now with Brooke Anderson, who was on the guest list. Tell us about it.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: On the guest list for outsiders, Karyn, for the arrivals, I`m not inside, of course. But thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: It was just one of the parties on what is called Oscar Alley last night. That`s where three bashes take place in a four-block radius. But really, "Vanity Fair" is truly incomparable. Even Donald Trump, who`s been to more parties than he can probably even remember, told me there`s no other place to be.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP: Everybody is at the "Vanity Fair." It is amazing, actually. If you enjoy stars, you`ve got them here.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Thousands clamored to get in. But if you didn`t have an invite, an Oscar, or a press pass, chances are you were shut out. Until now, because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is taking you behind the velvet rope.
SAMUEL L. JACKSON: It`s fun, because if you get here, and people will show up, and they`ll have their Oscars, and we`ll get to touch them.
JESSICA SIMPSON: Everybody`s a winner.
NICK LACHEY: Well, here comes (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I`m actually...
(LAUGHTER)
LACHEY: ... actually not too...
JESSICA SIMPSON: "Desperate Housewives" for you next.
He`s a Halle Berry fan.
LACHEY: Well, I was talking to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ANDERSON: And Nick wasn`t disappointed. Here she is. Every A-, B-, and C-list star was styling and profiling. This time, Tara`s red-carpet walk was not as revealing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s the best party of the year.
ANDERSON: This swank soiree is held every year at Norton`s Restaurant in West Hollywood. A wall is knocked down inside the restaurant, a 30- foot-long topiary was put up, and guests enjoy wild mushroom risotto, sticky toffee pudding, and some of the most expensive (UNINTELLIGIBLE) champagne around.
ROSARIO DAWSON: You got pictures of Scarlett Johansson drinking champagne. I`m, like, You`re 19. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Anjelica Huston being, like, Oh, my God, can I talk to you about everything you`ve ever done?
GWEN STEFANI: I know that there is a long night ahead of me. I am looking forward to just wearing this dress as long as possible.
ANDERSON (on camera): This is the party of the night, I am told.
SPIKE LEE: All right, well, we`ll find out.
ANDERSON (voice-over): The top stars were there, Cate Blanchett, Hilary Swank, Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Clint Eastwood, Jamie Foxx, Morgan Freeman, no-shows, but it didn`t matter.
ALISON JANNEY: It`s such fun. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) such an exclusive party here in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Heidi Klum and Seal told me they haven`t set a wedding date yet, but they were showing some love.
HEIDI KLUM: It`s nice, all the big movie stars are coming. And it`s just, you know, the best party to be at, you know, when there are other Oscars on. So it`s always great to come.
ANDERSON: They came, and they all talked about the man of the hour. Beyonce told me there was just one man on her mind, other than Jay-Z.
BEYONCE: Jamie Foxx definitely deserves it. I`m so happy for him.
USHER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) everything about what American families should, you know, should be, you know, that is the type of speech I would have given if I was in his position as well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love him. Congratulations, Jamie.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And that last bit of video you saw there was Hilary Swank sharing her Oscar, showing it to all the fans across the street outside the party. And Karyn, I have to tell you, the reason Jamie Foxx probably didn`t make it by the bash last night, Gabrielle Union told me he was having his own party, so he probably had to get home to prepare for that, right?
BRYANT: Well, that`s right, he had to put Corinne to bed first, I think, too, and then get on his (UNINTELLIGIBLE), right?
ANDERSON: And then get the party on, yes.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: Well, thanks so much, Brooke.
And, of course, we will still be taking you to Elton John`s party. A.J., I know you`re a big Elton fan. Sorry you to had miss that one.
HAMMER: And I know he always throws a big bash, Oscar time comes around.
Well, it`s time now for more showbiz shorts on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
"Sideways" coming soon to a living room near you. Fox Searchlight announced today that the DVD is coming out on April 5. If it had won the best picture Oscar, the studio had planned to keep it in theaters for a little while and delayed the DVD release.
Tony Hawk`s coming to "CSI." We learned today that the skateboarding star will be in an episode of "CSI Miami" playing a corpse. His character is a skater and video game tester whose murder is investigated by the CSI team. The episode is set to air on March 21.
We have more showbiz shorts coming up throughout the show.
Well, tonight, the king of pop on trial. Just moments ago, opening statements ended for the day in the Michael Jackson trial, and some shocking accusations in the courtroom.
CNN`s Ted Rowlands is live for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT from the courthouse in Santa Maria, California. Ted, I heard it was quite a first day.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Quite a first day indeed, A.J.
Fans from around the world, members of the media from around the world, Gary Coleman was even here working as a member of the media outside the courtroom, all for day one of what is expected to be a five-month trial.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Outside the courtroom, Michael Jackson seemed to be in good spirits, at one point even giving a thumbs-up to a camera. Inside, he sat quietly as jurors were told two dramatically different stories about what happened between Jackson and the alleged victim.
Lead prosecutor Tom Sneddon painted a disturbing picture of sexual abuse on a child. Sneddon said Jackson gave the victim and his brother wine and vodka on numerous occasions, saying, quote, "Instead of cookies and milk, you can substitute wine, vodka, and bourbon."
Sneddon said dozens of X-rated magazines were found in Jackson`s home, and at least one had both Jackson`s and the victim`s fingerprints. Sneddon said about the relationship between Jackson and the victim that Jackson was, quote, "manipulating the trust of the common bond that was created."
Sneddon described in great detail the alleged sexual abuse, saying the victim will testify in front of the world about what happened. He also told jurors that the victim`s brother witnessed alleged abuse on two separate occasions. The abuse allegedly took place in the master suite at Jackson`s Neverland Ranch.
Michael Jackson`s lawyer, Thomas Mesereau, told jurors, quote, "These charges are fictitious, bogus, and didn`t happen." Mesereau said Jackson was the victim of a trap set by a family with a history of milking celebrities. Before Michael Jackson, Mesereau said, Jay Leno thought he was being manipulated by the same family. Leno, according to Mesereau, cut short a phone call with the victim after hearing the mother possibly coaching him in the background.
Mesereau said, quote, "The mother, with her children as tools, was trying to latch onto a celebrity."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS: Mesereau is expected to finish his opening statement when court resumes in the morning. The first witness for the prosecution is expected to be Martin Bashir, who was the author of that documentary that prosecutors say rocked Michael Jackson`s world, A.J.
HAMMER: OK, Ted, thanks very much. Ted Rowlands in Santa Maria, California.
Be sure to say with Headline Prime for more on the Michael Jackson trial, starting with "NANCY GRACE" at 8:00 Eastern, right after SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, did the host hit it? Karyn, take it away.
BRYANT: Yes, did the host hit it? That`s a good question.
And Beyonce, you know, she was beautiful. But how did she do with the singing? We are taking it to the buzz bench.
HAMMER: And then I`ll take it away. A bachelorette breakup? We`ve got the scoop on tonight`s finale.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tonight, because, you know, the men don`t get enough fashion love.
LEONARDO DICAPRIO: Prada. Wear a little nice Prada suit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Yes, it is time for the buzz bench. We call it Oscar afterthoughts. How did you feel about the show, the Rock, and all the singing?
Joining us now on the buzz bench, comedian and TV personality Chuck Nice. Yes, he is. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Amy Kean, and "People" magazine`s Leah Rozen.
Leah, let`s start with you. A lot of comments today about the format changes. What did you think?
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, at least it was short. That`s good.
HAMMER: Shorter.
ROZEN: Shorter. Any time it comes in under four hours, I am happy. Any time you get to bed before midnight, that`s good.
The show itself, mixed bag. The right people won, the movies that were -- that won were good. The show itself, a little mixed. And it feels a lot like a rerun these days, given that you have the Golden Globes, given you have the Screen Actor`s Guild, by the time you get to the Oscars, it`s haven`t we been to this party before, been there, done that, same speeches, same winners?
AMY KEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) all the talk after all of our anticipation about Chris Rock, I sort of felt like it wasn`t that different. I mean, it wasn`t so crazy, wild. And he didn`t -- But at the same time, earlier today, he was on "Oprah," talking about how, you know, he was working for ABC, it wasn`t really his show...
HAMMER: Right.
KEAN: ... and so...
CHUCK NICE, COMEDIAN: I got one thing to say about the Oscars. As usual, there`s one word to sum it up, snoozalicious.
HAMMER: Well, not entirely, though.
NICE: Well, I mean, overall, I would say it didn`t really change anything. I liked Chris Rock, I thought he was entertaining. I thought he added an air of lightness to it.
HAMMER: Right.
NICE: Like, don`t take it so seriously. And I thought I felt people loosen up because of him.
ROZEN: Well, I thought Chris Rock, though, made, the real point was when he went to the actual movie theater, talked to actual moviegoers...
KEAN: That was definitely the highlight, yes.
ROZEN: ... and not one of them had seen a single nominated film. And they all clearly felt that "White Chicks"...
KEAN: I liked that.
ROZEN: ... should have been the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) picture.
KEAN: Yes, yes. And it was also kind of, like, he was sort of thumbing his nose at, you know, it was sort of disrespectful, but in a kind way, whereas other things he did, I think, didn`t work so well. The whole Jude Law thing, I think, didn`t work that well.
HAMMER: Yes, but people wanted something to latch onto to make a big deal of today, and it really wasn`t a big deal.
(CROSSTALK)
KEAN: It was awkward. It was definitely awkward.
ROZEN: And yet, if you`re going to insult people, he very carefully didn`t insult anyone who was in the audience.
NICE: Right.
KEAN: Yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: Jude Law wasn`t there, and honestly, I`m sure Jude Law wasn`t offended. We all know that Jude Law has been in every movie this year. And, you know, it wasn`t that big of a deal. He was just saying, Why is Jude Law all over the place?
KEAN: I thought what was interesting was that he wasn`t, in my opinion, he wasn`t as funny as I expected. I thought his routine, some things worked, some things didn`t. But I thought this was a really a big moment for him. So I expected really great material.
ROZEN: But once he finishes the monologue, it`s not really his show any more.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Didn`t it seem like he did disappear for, like, an hour?
ROZEN: Yes.
KEAN: Yes, yes.
NICE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You know, if you look at past Oscars, the host does that towards the end of the show, the host just kind of disappears from the show.
HAMMER: Right.
KEAN: Right.
NICE: But the one thing I liked about Chris Rock was all of his introductions. Those were hilarious.
KEAN: Yes, I loved when he said Tim Robbins, when he said, when he`s a great actor when he`s not, when he`s not boring us with his politics. I thought that was very funny.
HAMMER: He was...
NICE: That was funny. And you know what?
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: Tim Robbins laughed at that.
HAMMER: He did, he did...
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: He laughed at that.
HAMMER: Well, let`s talk about another big part of the show. Beyonce seemed to be the other 75 percent of the show last night.
NICE: I don`t know what the deal was with that. I mean, honestly, Beyonce sang, like, every single song. What happened, did the Oscars run out of money? They paid Chris Rock that much that they were on that tight of a budget because she had to sing every song?
KEAN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Beyonce, I thought she was glamorous, and I thought she looked great.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: OK, speaking of looking great, in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) we were showing...
KEAN: But it was too much.
HAMMER: ... a minute ago, with all of that ice, with all of those jewels, a friend of mine at my little Oscar get-together said it looked like she got tangled up in a chandelier.
(CROSSTALK)
ROZEN: ... three outfits, three wig changes, three makeup changes. You`re going, if those dresses didn`t have Velcro on them, it must have been ugly backstage.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: That was pretty remarkable...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: ... the fact that she was able to pull off those changes so quickly.
NICE: Yes, I thought it was great. The only thing that I didn`t like was that I saw so much of her, I was actually glad to see Antonio Banderas.
KEAN: Yes.
NICE: So, you know...
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: ... and that`s a bad thing.
(CROSSTALK)
ROZEN: Yes, but don`t you think, you know, J-Lo, Queen Latifah, Judy Collins, they all called their agents today and said...
(CROSSTALK)
KEAN: ... how did she get that? How did she, I mean, I think some of the performers who were in the audience should have been, who were actually there for their songs, should have been performing their own music.
NICE: I think maybe JZ got on the phone and made a couple phone calls to some performers that were slotted to appear, and they got sick.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Best moments for any of you guys? Leah, what about you?
ROZEN: Best moment, I think, had to be the emotion of the speeches, when you know, Hilary Swank says, I am a girl from a trailer with a dream. When Jamie Foxx trotted his dead grandmother out again, who we had seen before...
HAMMER: Not the nicest way to put it, but OK.
ROZEN: ... well, you know, not the nicest way to put it, but it, that`s what it, but it was barely very moving.
NICE: I loved the way you trotted out your dead grandmother. Must we again hear about your dead grandmother?
ROZEN: I mean, it was very much, but we, you know, you`ve been there, you go, OK, I know what`s coming. But it, you know, indeed was emotional high point.
KEAN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for me the best moment was when Edna, the animated character in "The Incredibles" came out, I thought that was the best presenter. But I think next year, Edna should host the Oscars.
HAMMER: They always do a fascinating...
ROZEN: What they do, yes.
HAMMER: ... little bit of technology, and they pulled it off last night.
Buzz bench, thanks for stopping by. Leah Rozen, Amy Kean, and Chuck Nice, we always love seeing you guys.
And on Sunday night, there`s more, because there was a big, big amount of partying going on last night, and Karyn has more to tell us about that..
BRYANT: That`s right, A.J., but first I want to tell you to tell the buzz bench gang to start shoveling, because I need my plane to land so I can get back there with you for tomorrow night.
But, yes, Sunday night is all right for partying, and, of course, partying for a very good cause. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was invited to Elton John`s annual Oscar party. And you are too. That is coming up.
And when is a rose not a rose? Well, maybe when it`s given out by a bachelorette. We got you saying, Huh? Confused? Don`t worry, we`ll sort it out next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUSTIN HOFFMAN: And the Oscar goes to...
BARBRA STREISAND: Ooh, the Oscar goes to...
HOFFMAN: Sorry. Go ahead.
STREISAND: Well, the problem is, I forgot my glasses, but -- OK.
I`m so happy to give you this again, Clint. "Million Dollar Baby," (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Tom Rosenberg and Clint Eastwood.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Hello again from Hollywood. Time for more showbiz shorts.
He`s a little bit country. This year`s Country Music Television award nominees include an unlikely character, Nelly. The rapper is nominated for two CMT awards for his song "Over and Over," featuring Tim McGraw.
Strange days indeed. "Days of Our Lives" star Alison Sweeney is on maternity leave, so the show is temporarily replacing her with a man. Starting today, her character is being played by a guy. The plotline is, she disguises herself as a man to gather dirt on her enemies.
HAMMER: Well, they`ve been talking all day, and we`ve been listening now as we do every night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. The best from today`s talk shows.
Tonight, bachelorette Jen Schefft gives out her final rose. But "People" magazine is reporting that Schefft and the guy that she picks have already called it quits. "People" says that sources in her home town of Chicago have romantically linked Schefft to her boss, a local nightclub promoter.
Earlier today on the "Tony Danza Show," Schefft was tight-lipped.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "TONY DANZA SHOW")
TONY DANZA, HOST: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
JEN SCHEFFT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sort of stressful.
DANZA: Really, huh?
SCHEFFT: Yes, it`s because you have to keep a secret for so long.
DANZA: Oh, well, that`s true. You`ve known now, you know who it is, and have you almost slipped up a couple of times?
SCHEFFT: Oh, yes, especially with my friends, when it`s just sort of, like, we`re just talking, like, Oh, I talked to -- It was, like, Ooh, ooh, I can`t say the name, so...
DANZA: And is there a penalty if you were to divulge the...
SCHEFFT: Yes, it`s a $5 million -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE), if you tell the secret, you lose $5 million. So I don`t have that.
DANZA: Yes. Smitty...
SCHEFFT: So...
DANZA: ... Smitty, our stage manager, he`s...
SCHEFFT: ... I can`t really steal it.
DANZA: ... got some money.
(LAUGHTER)
DANZA: All right, so you`re not going to tell us...
SCHEFFT: No, I`m not.
DANZA: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You can`t...
SCHEFFT: I wish I could.
DANZA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know what? We`ll pay the five mill. (UNINTELLIGIBLE), we`re going to do it.
SCHEFFT: OK, OK, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
DANZA: Well, we`ll take a collection. Everybody will chip in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Just have to watch him find out.
Well, it didn`t cost five mill to get into Elton John`s Oscar party, but tickets weren`t chump change. We`re going to show you who showed up coming up. And there`s still time for you to sound off in tonight`s SHOWBIZ showdown question of the day, Did Rock rock the Oscars? Go to CNN.com/showbiztonight to vote.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m live in Hollywood.
And throughout the show, we`ve been giving you a look at the town`s hottest Oscar parties. Now we`re going to a bash known as the second-best place to watch the Oscars. That is next to the Kodak Theater.
Cue the helicopters, live TV, you got to love it. At Sir Elton John`s annual bash, the A-list invitees can get dinner for a party of 10 for, get this, $25,000. Now, we don`t know if that includes a tip.
Still, many stars were in the mood to show up for a good cause and have a good time with Elton. But "Will and Grace"`s Eric McCormack may have forgotten to read his invitation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC MCCORMACK: Elton John? Is he here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this evening.
JOAN RIVERS: Well, started my last plastic surgery, which is three months, and the botox, and the Riscalin (ph), then I had to take -- I have to shave my back (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That took a while.
RIVERS: That took a while.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That took a while. That was a tow-day process.
RIVERS: That was a two-day process.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then they did, like, the first, and then they went for, like, a cleaning.
RIVERS: And then the whole mustache, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes, that took a lot.
RIVERS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are very flattered to be here, and hopefully once we get drunk, we`ll be able to play music with Elton and teach him a few things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Well, Maroon Five didn`t get to play with Elton, but another hot fan did. That is Sir Elton John, doing "The Bitch Is Back" with the Scissor Sisters, fantastic band. The proceeds from the party go to Elton John`s AIDS foundation.
HAMMER: Well, the Oscars weren`t just a Hollywood event. Here in New York, these stars came out as well, Oscar winner Liza Minnelli and Tony Danza joined dozens of celebrities at the annual Entertainment Weekly party, which was held at Elaine`s. This party was for those who couldn`t make it out to Hollywood.
Also on hand, another Oscar winner, Marcia Gay Harden, who was wearing Randolph Duke, in case you were wondering. Chris Malone and Joan Collins were some of the other names on hand.
Well, throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our question of the day. Did Rock rock the Oscars? Let`s see how the vote has been (UNINTELLIGIBLE) going so far. It looks like yes, 44 percent of you say yes, Rock did rock the Oscars, 56 percent of you said no, Chris Rock did not rock the Oscars.
And we`ve been getting some e-mails on this question too. We heard from Tabby in Helena, Montana. She wrote, "Nothing was more boring than the old ceremony. This was the first time I watched the Oscars from start to finish, and I am 32."
And Terri writes, "While some of his jokes hit the mark, many fell flat and were borderline tasteless. Bring back Billy Crystal!"
Remember, we`d like you to continue voting by going to CNN.com/showbiztonight.
BRYANT: Time to see what is playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT this week. Let`s take a look at the SHOWBIZ marquee.
ANNOUNCER: Playing tomorrow, Jennifer Lopez gives birth to a new album. Had you going, huh? (UNINTELLIGIBLE) going across the block with the girl from the block, as J-Lo releases "Rebirth," live in New York`s Time Square. It`s going to be a madhouse.
Also tomorrow, a Nashville star. Now, why would Leann Rimes say...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEANN RIMES: I`m a freak of nature to actually have a career.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Come on, Leann, you rock. OK, maybe you`re country too. And you`ve got a new album, and you`re on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Plus, bye-bye "Blue." As "NYPD Blue" goes off the air, we ask, why, oh, why? We`re there as the cast says goodbye. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a very special guest from the show. You`ll know him. You`ll see him tomorrow.
HAMMER: Karyn, I know it`s a lot of work without a lot of sleep out there. Hope to see you back tomorrow here in New York City.
BRYANT: Got my fingers crossed that that plane`s going to land, A.J. I`ll see you tomorrow.
HAMMER: All right.
Headline Prime continues next with "NANCY GRACE."
END
