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Showbiz Tonight

Fans, Celebs React to Michael Jackson Trial; "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" Director Dishes on Movie; Apple Offers iPod Refunds

Aired June 03, 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.


A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: How your iPod could put 50 bucks in your pocket.
KARYN BRYAN, CO-HOST: And the ABCs of the DVD biz. I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT (voice-over): Tonight, Michael Jackson`s fate. What do some of Hollywood`s big stars think will happen now that the jury has the case?

HAROLD PERRINEAU JR., ACTOR: In my heart I hope that he`s completely acquitted.

BRYANT: The stars reveal all to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And we`re live from Hollywood to Neverland and beyond.

HAMMER: The mister behind "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." He was behind the scenes as the Brad and Angelina drama played out on both sides of the camera. Director Doug Liman joins us live.

BRYANT: Phylicia Rashad, beyond Claire Huxtable. She`s gone from stage to screen and back again. She`s up for a Tony, and she`s live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

EDDIE CAHILL, ACTOR: I`m Eddie Cahill. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and you`re at the top of the show.

BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. You`re watching TV`s only live nightly entertainment news program.

HAMMER: Tonight, the fate of the King of Pop is in the hands of 12 jurors who have just gone home for the weekend after their first day spent trying to decide if Jackson is a child molester.

BRYANT: It will probably be a sleepless weekend for Michael Jackson, who is at his Neverland Ranch, 20 miles away from the courthouse.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is your place to turn for the very latest on the trial. We are on this story everywhere.

BRYANT: Brooke Anderson live at the Neverland Ranch, where Michael Jackson is right now with the latest from the trial. Sibila Vargas is in Hollywood with the stars and what they think might happen. And David Haffenreffer is live in Times Square, the crossroads of the world, with reaction.

HAMMER: Let`s get started with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson. She is live, as we said, at Jackson`s Neverland Ranch right near Los Olivios, California.

Brooke, set the scene for us there.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, A.J.

Of course, the fate of Michael Jackson now rests in the jury`s hands. They deliberated for less than two hours today. And then they have now gone home for the weekend.

Jackson, of course, arrived home here at Neverland from the courthouse at about 1:20 this afternoon local time. About 50 fans were here to greet him.

Of course, Michael, when he usually arrives home, he rolls down the window and waves to fans. Today he did not roll down that window. The window stayed up.

Jackson spokeswoman Raymone Bain says that Jackson is relieved this part of the trial is over, but he`s also a little bit nervous about awaiting a verdict.

Now Jackson was surrounded by family at court today. Sisters LaToya, Janet and Rebie, brothers Jermaine and Randy, parents Joe and Katherine. Jackson is looking very frail, very gaunt, quite emaciated, in fact.

Bain says that he actually stopped by the hospital at some point yesterday on the advice of his friend Dick Gregory and received some treatment for dehydration, some electrolytes. But she also said he`s doing just fine now.

Today a big day in court, a dramatic day. The last time this jury would hear from lawyers from both sides.

Defense attorney Tom Mesereau did finish his closing argument this morning. He reiterated his case that the accuser and his family are conniving, out to get Jackson`s money, and that is what they want. He called them liars, actors and con artists.

Deputy district attorney Ron Zonen then had an hour for his rebuttal. Zonen derided Jackson as a predator who exploited a vulnerable family, said Jackson molested this boy because he could, because the family was on tape for a documentary praising Jackson.

Now, legal analysts are divided on who did the better job, Mesereau or Zonen. So that means the jury could also be divided, as well.

If you take a quick look behind me, fans are here. We`ve got about 50 fans still here if you can see back to the gate. They put angels on both sides of the gate. This gate is probably the closest we will get to the inside of Neverland, a mini Disneyland, 2,500 acres. It`s been Jackson`s home since 1998.

There has been speculation -- and you can hear the fans behind me -- there`s been speculation that Jackson will sell Neverland. But actually, his spokeswoman and the Reverend Jesse Jackson, his spiritual adviser, say he has no plans to do that. A.J., that could also hinge on if he`s convicted or acquitted.

Back to you.

HAMMER: All right. Looks like quite a bit of activity there at Neverland, which I`m sure will continue throughout jury deliberation. Thanks very much, Brooke Anderson at the Neverland Ranch.

BRYANT: Tonight, while the Michael Jackson case is in the hands of the jury, Hollywood stars are paying close attention to what is happening. We continue our coverage of the Michael Jackson trial. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is in Hollywood with star reaction.

Hey, Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That`s right, Karyn. Here in Hollywood the Michael Jackson trial is the talk of the town.

Last night some of TV`s top stores gathered at a fund-raiser to benefit research into childhood epilepsy. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was on the red carpet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS (voice-over): The talk was all about Michael Jackson at the Avalon theater in Hollywood. Television`s top talents, from dramas "Lost," "Alias," "General Hospital," all there.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there as they gathered for a benefit for epilepsy research. Dubbed Hollywood`s Helping Hands, it featured finger-painted artwork for auction from stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Sylvester Stallone and David Schwimmer.

The night`s host, "Alias" star Greg Grunberg, whose son is living with epilepsy.

GREG GRUNBERG, ACTOR: I just want to raise awareness and take that stigma away, at the same time raise a lot of money for UCLA and let them do the incredible work that they`re doing so they can help people the way they helped us.

VARGAS: Leave it to Andy Dick, he wasn`t so sure what he signed up for.

ANDY DICK, COMEDIAN: Let me see what event we`re at. Disney? Guitar Center? Is it like free guitars for orphans? What event am I at?

VARGAS: And all the big names had something to say about the Michael Jackson case. We asked Harold Perrineau from "Lost" his thoughts.

PERRINEAU: I hope justice is served. In my heart, I hope that he`s completely acquitted and I hope that, you know, there was no wrongdoing. I really, really do. But if there was some wrongdoing I hope that, you know, the right thing happens.

VARGAS: "CSI New York`s" Eddie Cahill says he hopes for the truth.

CAHILL: Half of me wants to think that he`s not; the other half doesn`t know what to believe. However it works out, I hope the truth is revealed.

VARGAS: Greg Vaughan from "General Hospital" told us only Michael knows the real story.

GREG VAUGHAN, ACTOR: He knows the truth, and that`s what he`s got to live with.

VARGAS: Vanessa Lengies -- you remember her from "American Dreams" -- says living with stardom isn`t easy.

VANESSA LENGIES, ACTRESS: I feel so much sympathy for him because being in the spotlight when you`re so young, especially in the time that he was in a spotlight, it`s so hard for kids. And it messes you up so bad. I hope they help him figure out, you know, what`s been troubling him from when he was little.

VARGAS: But whether Jackson`s career will survive, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked "Survivor`s" Jerri Manthey.

JERRI MANTHEY, "SURVIVOR" CONTESTANT: I think Michael Jackson will survive regardless of what happens. I think he has a strong enough support group of people around him that he`ll be all right.

VARGAS: Alicia Leigh Willis from "General Hospital" wasn`t so sure.

ALICIA LEIGH WILLIS, ACTRESS: I think it would be really, really, really difficult for him to recover from this. I think it would. I mean, he`s an amazing musician. He really is. He`s so talented. But this is a pretty big setback.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: And we`ll be keeping tabs on how the stars react when a verdict in the Michael Jackson case comes out.

Karyn, back to you.

BRYANT: Thank you very much, Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.

HAMMER: Well, of course, celebs aren`t the only ones talking about the Jackson trial. Tonight, it`s the talk of the town all over the country and around the world.

And at the crossroads of the world, Times Square in New York City, is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer. He continues our live coverage now.

David, what are you hearing out there?

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., it`s damp in Times Square in New York City this evening. And you know, Michael Jackson has been in the spotlight for virtually his entire life, so it`s no wonder just about everybody has an opinion as to how this trial is going to play out.

Here in Times Square, where people visit from all over the world, we caught up with a number of people not only about how the trial`s going to unfold, but whether or not Michael Jackson will ever get his music career back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the charges, I think are credible based on the evidence so far.

HAFFENREFFER: Do you believe the charges against him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a 50-50 scenario, because he shouldn`t have been sleeping with other people`s kids anyway. But at the same time you got to blame your parents. You`re not going to put your kid in a cage with a hungry lion, you know? I`m not going to let my kid sleep with any 45- year-old man regardless of fame, status, whatever.

HAFFENREFFER: Do you believe the charges against him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don`t.

HAFFENREFFER: Why not?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because he seems like a pretty nice guy. They don`t have any video footage of what he did.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t think that he`s that type of guy. I think it stems from his childhood where he`s, you know, with the kids and everything. He missed out on his childhood. I think he had a bad family life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were talking about this in 1993. They`re talking about it again now. I read the newspaper. I believe -- sorry, Michael, I believe Michael Jackson is a child molester.

HAFFENREFFER: Can he ever get his music career back on track?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think there will always be people that will buy his albums and listen to his music, no matter what he does. I mean, that`s history in the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely not. Michael Jackson, I was once a big fan. I think he`s washed up. He`s definitely `80s, `90s and that`s pretty much it.

HAFFENREFFER: Do you think he can get his music career back on track?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hope so. That`s a tough thing to say. But I do. He`s a great entertainer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I liked "Beat It" and all those funny -- all those funny songs, Michael. Hey, you rule. But no, I wish you a lot of luck in future.

HAFFENREFFER: Wow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: And you know, an unscientific poll on CNN.com today, asking which side presented the stronger case in the Michael Jackson case, 53 percent said it was the prosecution; 47 percent said it was the defense. We`ll have to see what the jury thinks about it next week -- A.J.

HAMMER: All right, David, that was interesting to hear what the people are saying.

And now we want to know your thoughts. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson -- do you believe the charges? You can vote by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. If you have more to tell us, we`d like to hear from you by e-mail. ShowbizTonight@CNN.com is the address. And we will share some of what you had to say later on in the show.

And don`t forget, of course, Headline Prime, where SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "NANCY GRACE" is your place to turn for the very latest in the Michael Jackson trial.

BRYANT: He has the inside story on Brad and Angelina`s new movie, because he was their boss on the set of "Mr. And Mrs. Smith." Director Doug Liman joins us live coming up.

HAMMER: Plus, is your iPod on the nod? Coming up, a victory for iPod owners that actually could mean some cold, hard cash.

BRYANT: Also, faster than you can say, "Hey, wasn`t that just at the theater?" Here comes the DVD. Coming up in our series, "The DVD Deal," why studios are rushing to the shelves.

Now, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz."

Sarah Michelle Geller first gained notice for her role in which soap opera? Was it "Guiding Light," "All My Children," "Another World" or "General Hospital"? We`ll be right back with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Once again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Sarah Michelle Geller first gained notice for her role on which soap opera? Was it "Guiding Light," "All My Children," "Another World" or "General Hospital"? The answer is B, "All My Children."

HAMMER: Well, tonight, in our first "Showbiz Sitdown," Doug Liman, the director who brings us the widely anticipated "Mr. And Mrs. Smith," joins us live.

His fans got to know and love him from his work from the sleeper hit "Swingers" back in 1996, and more recently, the Matt Damon action flick "The Bourne Identity."

"Mr. And Mrs. Smith" stars two huge action stars -- actors, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and of course, in this film they play assassins who are hired to kill each other.

And I should also mention Doug responsible for executive producing the pilot, I believe it was, for "The OC" and directing several episodes to follow.

Thanks for dropping by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

DOUG LIMAN, DIRECTOR: It`s great to be here.

HAMMER: And I know you probably make so many decisions as executive producer and director, you may not have anything to do with these swag that`s given out. Mike, can you walk those in here? We get a lot of stuff when movies are released.

LIMAN: Cool stuff.

HAMMER: This is not going to get thrown out. The "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" mugs actually will get used. So I appreciate it, if you had anything to do with that.

LIMAN: They`re cherished in my kitchen.

HAMMER: I`m sure. And which one do you use?

LIMAN: Mister.

HAMMER: OK. Just kidding. I got to check. I got to ask.

So you`ve been waiting to direct a movie with Brad Pitt for awhile. You actually wanted to direct him in "The Bourne Identity" originally?

LIMAN: Yes. We had talked about him playing the lead character in "Bourne Identity." And I had numerous meetings with him. And he ultimately chose "Spy Game" instead.

But he then came to the premiere of "Bourne Identity." And came up to me and said, "You know, you really made the film you told me you were going to make. And that means a lot to me."

HAMMER: And probably played a role into you directing him finally in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." So did the work of directing Brad Pitt actually live up to your expectations?

LIMAN: He went so far beyond my expectations, I couldn`t believe it. I mean, people see it when they go see the movie. I mean, he is -- I always knew he was a great, great actor. And I always knew Angelina Jolie was a great, great actress. I had no idea they were so funny.

HAMMER: And that`s the thing about this movie. It is an action adventure. There`s also a romance involved, obviously. But there`s a comedic side. Can you tell me how that plays out?

LIMAN: Well, it really is a romantic comedy. It`s a romantic comedy between two action heroes. So the way in another romantic comedy the characters might work through their fights, you know, maybe even throwing a frying pan, in this film they fire a rocket launcher.

But it really does use the grammar of a romantic comedy, and it is ultimately a love story.

HAMMER: So the audience is laughing?

LIMAN: They are definitely laughing and especially because of Brad and Angelina`s performances.

HAMMER: And such huge actors on the -- on the film for you with Brad and Angelina. And you`re getting a lot of publicity, or the movie certainly is getting a lot of publicity perhaps not for the reasons that you had originally anticipated, because of alleged things going on between them. There`s been a lot of debate as a result of that whether or not that is good, ultimately, for the film. What`s your take on that?

LIMAN: I think people are going to forget about that in five years, and just the film`s the only thing that`s going to survive. And...

HAMMER: Right. But in terms of getting people to the box office, because obviously, there are probably a lot of people who perhaps wouldn`t have been interested but for this side story that`s playing out in real life.

LIMAN: You know, we have a huge advertising budget for this movie. So I think people would have come to see this movie no matter what. It`s different if it was one of my first films. Like "Swingers," we really could have used a controversy like that to get people into the theater. But we`ve got, like, a major advertising budget. We didn`t need "US Weekly" to promote this movie.

HAMMER: And having such huge stars as Brad and Angelina has to have impacted the way you shot the film in terms of logistics, because the paparazzi, I`m certain, was everywhere. Can you give me a little story about any dealings you may have had to have with the paparazzi around all the time?

LIMAN: Well, you know, I started out in independent film. And the guerrilla filmmaker is still alive and well in me. I still live in New York. And I still get the instinct to want to put the camera on my shoulder and grab the actors and take them out there and wing stuff.

And you know, I grabbed Matt Damon and he and I went all over Paris shooting stuff for "The Bourne Identity." And just right off the bat, that just was not a possibility with Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie.

HAMMER: Right.

LIMAN: These are people that get followed by helicopter from their hotel room to the set. So there`s no version of me sneaking off with Brad and, like you know, camera on my shoulder and grabbing a shot.

HAMMER: So you know Brad Pitt is showing up when the helicopter arrives, I imagine?

LIMAN: Yes, you hear the helicopter about a minute before you know he`s there.

HAMMER: And real quickly, who`s better with a weapon? They both worked with guns in previous movies they`ve done. But who seemed more handy with the weapon?

LIMAN: I`d be more scared to face Angelina Jolie in a dark alley with a knife.

HAMMER: OK. Good to know. Mark that one down. Doug Liman, thanks very much.

LIMAN: Thank you.

HAMMER: And best of luck with the movie. And "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" will hit theaters next weekend.

BRYANT: Tonight in the show`s biz: iPod battery backlash. If you`ve got an iPod, you might be entitled to 50 bucks, courtesy of Apple. Over 12,000 people filed a class-action lawsuit against the company because they said the battery just wasn`t up to snuff.

Well, joining me live from Hollywood to sort through all the details of the suit is Xenia Jardin, co-editor of BoingBoing.net. Thanks for joining us.

And first and foremost, tell me what the class action suit is all about.

XENIA JARDIN, CO-EDITOR, BOINGBOING.NET: Well, if this device here looks familiar to you -- I mean, this is an iPod. This is a later model. But the class-action suit is about iPods that are a few years older than that, first, second and third generation iPods.

People basically were complaining that Apple promised that the batteries inside these music players would last the whole lifetime of the product and that you could play up to 10 hours of music without having to recharge the battery again. And some consumers complained that, hey, the battery`s only lasted 18 months and they would only go on four hours with continuous play.

So back in 2003 eight consumers sued iPod saying that, you know, it was false advertising. It wasn`t living up to the claims.

BRYANT: OK. I have an iPod that is nearly four years old. So I`m guessing that I`m eligible. But for certain, who are the eligible people?

JARDIN: Well, it depends on the age of your iPod. You need to check out AppleiPodSettlement.com. That`s the web site with al the information. It has the claim forms and all the details on who`s eligible. And on Apple`s web site, if you go to Apple.com/batteries/iPods.html, there`s more information there, too.

BRYANT: OK. So when we get there, what are the steps we have to take to get our $50?

JARDIN: You have to fill out a claim form. Depending on which generation of the iPod you had, you can either get the entire iPod replaced for free. You may be able to get an extension on the warranty. And some of the iPods, you can also get $50 credit towards any Apple merchandise except for iTunes downloads.

And if you bought one of these $99 replacement batteries that so many of us went out and bought, you can get $49.50 back. In other words, half of the purchase price back from that extra battery you bought.

BRYANT: OK. Last question, quickly, do we need our receipt?

JARDIN: You absolutely have to have your receipt. So if somebody gave you the iPod, ask them for the receipt. If you bought it, yes.

BRYANT: All right. Get the receipt. All right. Well, thank you very much for that information, Xenia Jardin.

HAMMER: Well, of course, we all remember her as Claire Huxtable. But there is definitely life after "The Cosby Show" for Phylicia Rashad. And much of it takes place on a stage. Phylicia Rashad will join us live, coming up.

BRYANT: Plus, "Cinderella Man" is out today. Will Russell Crowe knock out the competition? The answer is coming up in "People Magazine`s Picks and Pans."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Time now for "The Showbiz Guide," where throughout the week we help you decide where to spend your dollars on movies, music, DVDs and more.

Tonight, "People Magazine`s Picks and Pans," new movies. "Cinderella Man," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "Lords of Dogtown" are in theaters today. Should you check them out?

Well, joining us here in New York is "People" magazine`s movie critic Leah Rosen to let us know. We`re going to start with "Cinderella Man." This has a good cast, good director...

LEAH ROSEN, MOVIE CRITIC, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: And it`s a good movie.

BRYANT: All right.

ROSEN: I mean, this is a quality operation. You`ve got Ron Howard, Russell Crowe and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman. These are the same folks who did "A Beautiful Mind." They know how to make a movie.

In this film, Russell Crowe plays James J. Braddock, a boxer, who in the Great Depression has absolutely no money, is thought to be a total has been. Starts winning fights. It`s essentially Seabiscuit with humans.

BRYANT: And if you`re a non-boxing fan, will people like it?

ROSEN: The story will take you through. I have one little reservation.

BRYANT: Yes.

ROSEN: It was a terrific movie. You`ll have a great time while you`re watching it. It doesn`t resonate. It`s not like it stays with you the next day and afterwards in the way that "Million Dollar Baby" did.

But go see "Cinderella Man." You won`t be sorry.

BRYANT: OK. What about "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"? This is an adaptation of the popular book, right?

ROSEN: Popular book with teenage girls, and that`s who it`s aimed at. It`s aimed at teenage girls. And I think they`re going to like it a lot. The 16-year-old in me quite liked the movie. The somewhat older woman, you know, going well, a little TV movie-ish, a little sentimental.

But it`s essentially four girls. They spend the summer apart. And they mail each other a pair of jeans that gives them a great adventure. Sweet little film. Sweet.

BRYANT: Now, maybe not so sweet, "The Lords of Dogtown." This is a skateboarding movie?

ROSEN: This would be the teenage boy movie for the weekend.

BRYANT: OK. Fair enough.

ROSEN: This is about -- it`s based on a true story. There was a documentary called "Dogtown and the Z-Boys" a couple years ago. This is the feature film, sort of slightly fictionalized version.

It`s about kids in Venice, California, back in the `70s who took skateboarding and made it a big sport, what happens to their lives. Some great, great skateboarding sequences. In the end, though, you kind of go, yes, so? It was already all in the documentary.

BRYANT: Right. And you`re saying the documentary is probably more worth your money then, to go rent that?

ROSEN: Yes. I would actually -- and if you see the film, then you will absolutely want to go rent the documentary and see who were the real guys and what did they look like and what happened.

BRYANT: So one yes and two sort of go-ahead-if-you-want-to`s.

ROSEN: For the segment, for the audience they`re aimed at, they`ll work. No reason adults have to go.

BRYANT: All right. Well, great.

Well, for more picks and pans, check out this week`s issue of "People" magazine on newsstands everywhere.

HAMMER: Well, Lindsay`s on the mike again. Lindsay Lohan`s been getting a lot of publicity lately, not necessarily for the things she wants publicity for. She had a little run-in with the paparazzi. But now it`s going to be for her music. Coming up in the "Showbiz Showcase," a first look at Lindsay Lohan`s new music video.

Plus, our series, "The DVD Deal," continues this week. From deleted scenes to behind the scenes, we`re taking a look at how they come up with all of those extras on the DVDs, plus some other DVD secrets. That`s on the way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, everybody. I`m Catherine Callaway. And here is your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

A suicide car bomber has blown himself up near a police station in the Iraqi city of Mosul killing three officers and wounding five others. Still, U.S. troops hope their massive security crackdown in and around Baghdad is starting to turn the tide. Today has been one of the least violent days in Iraq in a month.

And the jury`s deliberating in Michael Jackson`s child molestation trial. Defense attorney Thomas Mesereau ended his closing arguments today, calling the accuser and his family "con artists."

Police in Aruba are investigating whether this missing Alabama teen may have met with foul play. Eighteen-year-old Natalee Holloway was last seen Monday as she was leaving a nightclub. Holloway and about 100 students from a Birmingham, Alabama, area high school were in Aruba for their senior trip.

And that is the news for now. I`m Catherine Callaway. Back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

HAMMER: She won our hearts as Mrs. Huxtable. Now she may win another Tony award. Tonight, Phylicia Rashad joins us live.

BRYANT: Lohan fully loaded. We have a first look at Lindsay`s new music video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Lindsay Lohan. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Tonight, the fate of the King of Pop is in the hands of four men and eight women.

HAMMER: And after deliberating for a little over two hours, the jury in the Michael Jackson trial went home for the weekend. Twenty miles away at the Neverland ranch, Michael Jackson nervously awaits what they`ll say. Is one of the world`s biggest celebrities a child molester?

BRYANT: For 14 weeks, jurors have heard testimony in this case which could put Jackson behind bars for the next 20 years. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is your place to turn for the latest on the trial. We are on this story everywhere.

HAMMER: And joining us now with all of the details from today`s closing arguments, CNN`s Rusty Dornin, outside the courthouse in Santa Maria, California, for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Rusty, fill us in.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, A.J. You know, after three months of testimony and more than 130 witnesses, it was really the power of persuasion that was key for both sides today. As the public battle over Michael Jackson`s fate ends and the closed-door jury deliberations begin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): With his mother on his arm, his father close by, Michael Jackson gave one small wave to fans before going into what would be the last chance to sway the jury. Five of Jackson`s brothers and sisters came to court, the largest showing of the Jackson family since the early days of the trial.

In his final two-hour plea to the panel, defense attorney Thomas Mesereau repeatedly described the accuser and his family as con artists, actors and liars. He asked the jury to question why the boy didn`t claim molestation until after the family had seen two lawyers.

SUSAN FILAN, LEGAL ANALYST: He`s not slurring the victim for the purpose of putting the victim on trial. He`s slurring the victim because he thinks this victim is committing a fraud and a perjury on this court. And he even said to this jury, "Don`t let them do it to you."

DORNIN: Mesereau urged the jury to consider reasonable doubt and to throw the case out the door, but prosecutor Ron Zonen got the last word. He asked jurors, how could they believe that Jackson`s practice of sleeping with boys was not sexual?

CRAIG SMITH, LEGAL ANALYST: If he sleeps with a boy who is 12-years- old, and he`s a middle-aged man, if he sleeps with a boy 365 nights a year, that`s not a friendship. That`s a relationship.

DORNIN: The defense argued that Jackson would have been stupid to molest the accuser after the documentary aired. But prosecutors countered that Jackson would do it because he could and because the accuser was in love with him.

The prosecution made their final impression by showing tape of the police interview with the accuser, where the boy, in halting tones, claims Jackson molested him.

Jackson`s gaunt appearance in recent weeks has drawn questions about his health, as did his visit to a hospital this week.

RAYMONE BAIN, JACKSON SPOKESPERSON: It was not because he was sick, but because Mr. Gregory said, "You look a little dehydrated, and I feel that you need electrolytes."

DORNIN: Jackson has been to the hospital twice before during the trial, once complaining of back pain, another time with flu symptoms. And again, on his mother`s arm and with a weak wave, Jackson left the courthouse to return only when his fate has been decided.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: The judge gave Michael Jackson one hour when the jury does come back with a verdict to come back here to the courthouse. Neverland is about a half-hour drive away. The jury deliberated just less than two hours today before going home for the weekend. And they`ll be back again 8:30 Monday morning -- A.J.?

HAMMER: CNN`s Rusty Dornin.

Of course, stay tuned to Headline Prime. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and "NANCY GRACE" are your places to turn for the very latest in the Michael Jackson trial.

And that leads to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. We`ve been asking you to vote, and call in, and write in on Michael Jackson. Do you believe the charges? Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Send us your e-mail us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`re going to share some of what you had to say, coming up at :54 past the hour.

BRYANT: It is time for another SHOWBIZ sit-down, this time with Phylicia Rashad. Now, you know her best a Claire Huxtable on "The Cosby Show." But Phylicia is also a Tony Award-winning actress and is up for another one this Sunday for her performance in August Wilson`s "Gem of the Ocean." She joins us here live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Thank you for coming.

PHYLICIA RASHAD, ACTRESS: My pleasure.

BRYANT: So, you know, you won a Tony last year for "A Raisin in the Sun." You were the first black actress to win the lead actress category. How gigantic did that feel? And can you sort of take us into your mind when you were walking up to the stage to accept that?

RASHAD: Well, first of all, I didn`t know about the history. I was completely unaware of that. And when I was asked about that, I said, "Well, what happened, nobody was nominated before?" I mean, that was my response.

BRYANT: Sure, OK.

RASHAD: You know, OK. So, I mean, the work. It`s about the work. And I was and am grateful for the experience of the work because it was phenomenal. It was phenomenal to have a rebirth of this play, to look at it again in new light, for it to be given a new vision, and to be in a play in the theater where audiences were clamoring to come in, and everybody wanted to be there.

And our last performances, it resembled a rock concert. People would come and camp out on the street the night before because there would be 50 tickets sold every morning and they want to get those 50 tickets. The line would wrap all around the block.

BRYANT: Rock star.

RASHAD: Rock star.

BRYANT: That`s great. Well, speaking of, I mean, extremely popular, obviously, "The Cosby Show" really, I think, set the mark for family sitcoms, black family sitcoms. I certainly know my family all the time, we`re like "Who put the camera in the window and watched what we were doing?"

(LAUGHTER)

BRYANT: Like, we had the same conversations. How do you feel about those kinds of shows these days? Do you think that we slipped from where you set the standard, or have we improved on that?

RASHAD: Well, according to what the people say, we have not improved on that.

BRYANT: What`s up with that?

RASHAD: It takes a special genius to know how to put that together.

BRYANT: You`re not feeling the genius right now out there currently?

RASHAD: I don`t know. I don`t think of it -- I don`t know what that is. I don`t know what all that is. I know what it`s not. But I don`t know what it is.

BRYANT: Well, certainly, your former co-star, Bill Cosby, has been getting a little bit of -- well, raising some controversy talking about black young men, young women, taking ownership, taking more responsibility for their lives. What do you think of that? I mean, is that something that he always held dear to him and is just now finally speaking more about?

RASHAD: No, he`s always spoken about it. He`s always spoken about it in his work. He`s always set that example.

You have to remember, Mr. Cosby comes from the civil rights era. And let`s go back and let`s look at what that was, and what that has meant, and what the vision was, and what the hope was, and let`s look at what`s happening. And has it been realized? I mean, you know?

BRYANT: Yes.

RASHAD: Has it been realized? And it wasn`t just -- you know, the civil rights era, the civil rights movement wasn`t just black people marching in protest. People, American people were speaking out.

BRYANT: Right.

RASHAD: And that`s something that seems to get lost somehow in translation.

BRYANT: Now, I hear, real briefly, that you were at the big Oprah bash recently. Look at those earrings. Very nice. That must have been a great time. Talk about the legacy of people pushing the struggle forward and just trying to make the world better.

RASHAD: Well, a lot of great people on that weekend. Oprah is -- well, she`s too many things. Oprah wanted to honor people. And she sat down, and she thought of the people that she would invite to a luncheon, you know, just to have lunch with her at home, because she appreciated their work, and because it was so dear to her, it meant so much to her.

And there were these legends who had been at it for a while. And there were 26 of them. And she said, "Well, it just seems like I can`t honor them. I shouldn`t try to honor them all by myself. I`ll invite some more people that I like to help me celebrate."

BRYANT: Well, my invite must have gotten lost in the mail. I hope to be there next time.

And Phylicia, good luck to you on Sunday. You`re up for a Tony again for "Gem of the Ocean." And I`ve seen the play; it`s a great play. So thank you for joining us.

RASHAD: Thank you.

HAMMER: Well, we are capping off our week-long series on "The DVD Deal." And daring to ask the question, why are movies coming out so fast on DVD? And what does that mean to you? That`s coming up next.

BRYANT: Plus, Lindsay Lohan gets her motor running in her brand new music video. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you a first look, coming up in the SHOWBIZ showcase.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANDA BYNES, ACTRESS: Hi, my name is Amanda Bynes. And I`m wearing Vena Cava. And I wore this dress because I thought it was, you know, a classy version of, you know, just a simple brown dress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

The DVD business is booming. And tonight, new figures from the Motion Pictures Association of America show that DVD sales and rentals have soared a whopping 675 percent since the year 2000.

Well, tonight, as we wrap up our special series, "The DVD Deal," we`ll be looking at why the movies are heading to DVD so much faster than ever before. We`ll also be taking a look at the deal with TV shows on DVD, the motivation behind all those DVD extra features, and what`s next in DVD technology.

Joining us live here in New York to talk about it, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT contributor Julia Boorstin, from "Fortune" magazine and in Hollywood, Thomas K. Arnold from "The Hollywood Reporter."

Nice to see you both.

Thomas, I want to start with you. I`ve always been a guy who says very often, "I`m going to wait for that to come out on DVD and not see in it the movie theater." And now I don`t have to wait that long. Why are the movies turning around so quickly on DVD?

THOMAS K. ARNOLD, "THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER": You know, you`ve really got two factors at play here. One is that we really live in a flavor-of- the-week society. Movies are opening so big and then they`re forgotten. And the studios really want to seize on that momentum and pump those DVDs out as fast as they can when they`re still in the forefront of people`s minds.

Secondly, in the old video cassette days, everything came out for rental first. DVD made everything come out at the same time at a low price, so you can buy a movie for $15 bucks at Wal-Mart, or Target, or Best Buy, you know, three and four months after it opens theatrically now.

BRYANT: And there`s really this mentality now that you want to collect DVDs to have a collection, just like you have books on your shelf. You want to have DVDs that you can pull off and watch at any time. And I think it is, part of that, you know, flavor-of-the-week mentality, but also the sense that these movie studios are very smart and that they`re capitalizing on their huge marketing push.

They`re spending millions and millions of dollars marketing the movies, so the sooner the DVD comes out, the more likely you are to remember the commercials.

HAMMER: There`s still that buzz going on about it.

BRYANT: Exactly.

HAMMER: And as Thomas said, it makes sense. The rentals aren`t that much less expensive than the actual movies are to buy.

Well, Julia, let me ask you about the business of TV shows now arriving on DVDs, seasons for all of the Seinfeld episodes have been wildly successful. Chappelle, the same thing. This is really big business, isn`t it?

JULIA BOORSTIN, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: It`s really big business. And it`s also a relatively new thing. I mean, one thing that`s kind of become sort of commonplace is introducing a show that hasn`t gotten as much buzz as the networks expect.

For instance, "Arrested Development" and "The O.C." both were introduced on DVD not so long after the first season was over. And the idea there was that they were going to get people really excited about the second season. They`re going to sort of hook people on the show.

But one thing that`s new that`s starting now is sometimes some really popular shows, such as "Desperate Housewives," are now going to be released on DVD this September. And there`s a different philosophy behind that, the idea that, you know, there`s this cult show. It`s not going to do so well in reruns. So they might as well try to get a lot of bang for their buck and sell it while they can.

HAMMER: And get it out there just in time for...

BOORSTIN: Before the second season starts.

HAMMER: ... the next season.

OK, let`s talk about those DVD extras, Thomas. This, as well, has added to the big business of DVD sales. Tell me why these are so important and how they go about thinking of these things.

ARNOLD: Well, you know, you really saw a sea change in Hollywood about how home video is perceived by the creative community. In the old VHS days, video was almost a dumping ground for movies.

You know, you`d see a movie come out with no extras. And it would come out six months to a year after it broke theatrically, and it was an afterthought. With DVD, directors are finding that maybe they had to cut scenes out to get a certain rating or to please a certain studio executive. All of a sudden on DVD, they have that freedom again. And they can put all that great stuff they filmed back in, and they can also sit back, and reflect on it, and talk about it.

And all of a sudden, you know, you have -- home video is no longer seen as a dumping ground but almost as a museum, an archive.

HAMMER: OK.

And Julia, really quickly let`s just talk about new technology for a second. We were talking about yesterday, high-def and blue-ray. What`s the real quick scope on these?

BOORSTIN: Well, from a purely technological standpoint, blue-ray is probably considered better because it actually can hold more technology, it can actually hold more. And you know, the more time that progresses, the better the technology is going to get.

And you`re going to be able to walk around with a little gizmo that looks like an iPod and have your entire movie library on there.

HAMMER: Oh, won`t that be the day.

BOORSTIN: So it`s just going to get stronger and smaller, and you`ll be storing more movies than you could ever imagine.

HAMMER: All right, Julia Boorstin, always good to see you.

And Thomas K. Arnold, thanks for joining us live from Hollywood tonight.

BRYANT: In tonight`s "Showbiz Showcase," Lindsay Lohan`s new video, "First." The song is from her platinum-selling album "Speak," and it will also be on the soundtrack to the movie "Herbie: Fully Loaded." The video debuts on AOL Music this Sunday, but we`ve got your first look right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOHAN (singing): I want to feel like every other girl in the world, not every other one (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and then I realize I want to come first.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: You can catch Lindsay Lohan in "Herbie: Fully Loaded," in theaters June 12th -- 24th, sorry, June 24th.

HAMMER: That`s June 24th.

Time now to get your laugh on in "Laughter Dark." As we do every night, we bring you the late night laughs you might have missed.

On "The Daily Show" -- this is very funny. I`ve been looking forward to this all night -- Jon Stewart takes a light-hearted jab at President Bush`s choice of words in a recent press conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": President Bush in particular was scornful of the Amnesty International report.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of -- in the allegations by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that have been trained in some instances to disassemble (sic), that means not tell the truth.

(LAUGHTER)

STEWART: Actually, Mr. President, "dissemble" means to not tell the truth. Disassemble is what we did to Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Just a light-hearted jab.

Tonight on "The Daily Show," Russell Crowe.

BRYANT: There is still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson: Do you believe the charges?

You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight, or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your thoughts live, next.

But first, the "Entertainment Weekly" must list, E.W.`s five things you`ve got to check out. They say you should see "Mad Hot Ballroom." E.W. says this documentary about inner-city school kids dancing the rumba will make your heart do the cha-cha.

Another must-see, Ewan McGregor in "Revenge of the Sith." His performance is Obi Wan Kenobi good.

E.W. also says pick up the album "Feel Good, Inc." by the Gorillaz. It`s addictive mix of hip-hop and cartoon pop will have you feeling good in no time.

Next, run, carefully, to the bookstore and pick up a copy of Todd Pruzan`s "The Clumsiest People in Europe."

And finally, on DVD, E.W. recommends "NewsRadio." It may not make you smarter, but it will make you laugh.

For more of the must list, pick up "Entertainment Weekly" on newsstands now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson: Do you believe the charges?

Let`s see how the vote`s been going so far. Seventy-two percent of you say yes, you do believe the charges. Twenty-eight percent of you say, no, you don`t. We`ve gotten some e-mails on the question, as well.

We`ve heard from Melissa in California who says, "The Michael Jackson trial can only be categorized as a freak show. He obviously has serious mental problems."

Jodhi (ph) from Canada writes, "I think M.J. is completely innocent. All these charges are huge lies."

We also heard from Fay (ph) in Canada who writes, "After listening and watching these past few months, I`m sorry to say that I believe Michael Jackson is a child molester."

Remember, there`s still time to vote by going to cnn.com/showbiztonight.

BRYANT: It is time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT next week.

HAMMER: Let`s kick off the weekend with our favorite dude, the Marquee Guy. Take it away.

ANNOUNCER: Roll out the red carpet, because there are two big movie premieres coming up next week. From "Mr. And Mrs. Smith" to the new "Batman," it`s summer blockbuster time. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT puts you in the front row.

Also, Madonna, she takes Manhattan. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is there as she paints the town red -- as in well-read. Madonna`s got a new children`s book out, and we bring you "Bedtime Stories with Madonna," next week on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

This is the marquee guy, and my stories always put people to sleep. Hey, wait, guys, really, I can explain.

HAMMER: I don`t know, Marquee Guy. We love your stories.

OK, tonight, before we say goodbye, we wanted to give our very best wishes to one of our CNN colleagues.

BRYANT: Judy Woodruff, who has been with CNN for the past dozen years, signed off "INSIDE POLITICS" for the last time tonight. If you know Judy, you know that politics is in her DNA.

HAMMER: She has been in the anchor chair at CNN for all of the big stories, President Clinton`s impeachment trial, the Bush-Gore election controversy, 9/11, the death of Ronald Reagan.

BRYANT: Every president during her tenure, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, every political story you can think of, Judy was right there. And today, Judy says goodbye.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: To you, viewers, I also want to say it has been a glorious 12 years. I thank you for the wonderful highs, and I hope you`ll forgive me for all the low, all the dumb questions I asked, the time I fell asleep in the middle of an interview.

(LAUGHTER)

But you and me, we care. We do care about politics. And even as I go off to explore other projects, I will miss you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: A lot of class. All the best, Judy.

BRYANT: That is a class act.

HAMMER: She really is. She really is.

BRYANT: Sure.

HAMMER: So Doug Liman, whose "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" movie comes out next week, on the program earlier, you actually went to college together.

BRYANT: We went to college together. And I knew back -- I could see he was already, like, hands-on into the entertainment thing. It`s great to see him doing so well.

HAMMER: He had so much fun being here he told us during the commercial break, don`t be surprised if you see him getting into live TV.

That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.

HAMMER: And enjoy the weekend.

END


Aired June 3, 2005 - 19:00:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: How your iPod could put 50 bucks in your pocket.
KARYN BRYAN, CO-HOST: And the ABCs of the DVD biz. I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT (voice-over): Tonight, Michael Jackson`s fate. What do some of Hollywood`s big stars think will happen now that the jury has the case?

HAROLD PERRINEAU JR., ACTOR: In my heart I hope that he`s completely acquitted.

BRYANT: The stars reveal all to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And we`re live from Hollywood to Neverland and beyond.

HAMMER: The mister behind "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." He was behind the scenes as the Brad and Angelina drama played out on both sides of the camera. Director Doug Liman joins us live.

BRYANT: Phylicia Rashad, beyond Claire Huxtable. She`s gone from stage to screen and back again. She`s up for a Tony, and she`s live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

EDDIE CAHILL, ACTOR: I`m Eddie Cahill. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and you`re at the top of the show.

BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. You`re watching TV`s only live nightly entertainment news program.

HAMMER: Tonight, the fate of the King of Pop is in the hands of 12 jurors who have just gone home for the weekend after their first day spent trying to decide if Jackson is a child molester.

BRYANT: It will probably be a sleepless weekend for Michael Jackson, who is at his Neverland Ranch, 20 miles away from the courthouse.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is your place to turn for the very latest on the trial. We are on this story everywhere.

BRYANT: Brooke Anderson live at the Neverland Ranch, where Michael Jackson is right now with the latest from the trial. Sibila Vargas is in Hollywood with the stars and what they think might happen. And David Haffenreffer is live in Times Square, the crossroads of the world, with reaction.

HAMMER: Let`s get started with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson. She is live, as we said, at Jackson`s Neverland Ranch right near Los Olivios, California.

Brooke, set the scene for us there.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, A.J.

Of course, the fate of Michael Jackson now rests in the jury`s hands. They deliberated for less than two hours today. And then they have now gone home for the weekend.

Jackson, of course, arrived home here at Neverland from the courthouse at about 1:20 this afternoon local time. About 50 fans were here to greet him.

Of course, Michael, when he usually arrives home, he rolls down the window and waves to fans. Today he did not roll down that window. The window stayed up.

Jackson spokeswoman Raymone Bain says that Jackson is relieved this part of the trial is over, but he`s also a little bit nervous about awaiting a verdict.

Now Jackson was surrounded by family at court today. Sisters LaToya, Janet and Rebie, brothers Jermaine and Randy, parents Joe and Katherine. Jackson is looking very frail, very gaunt, quite emaciated, in fact.

Bain says that he actually stopped by the hospital at some point yesterday on the advice of his friend Dick Gregory and received some treatment for dehydration, some electrolytes. But she also said he`s doing just fine now.

Today a big day in court, a dramatic day. The last time this jury would hear from lawyers from both sides.

Defense attorney Tom Mesereau did finish his closing argument this morning. He reiterated his case that the accuser and his family are conniving, out to get Jackson`s money, and that is what they want. He called them liars, actors and con artists.

Deputy district attorney Ron Zonen then had an hour for his rebuttal. Zonen derided Jackson as a predator who exploited a vulnerable family, said Jackson molested this boy because he could, because the family was on tape for a documentary praising Jackson.

Now, legal analysts are divided on who did the better job, Mesereau or Zonen. So that means the jury could also be divided, as well.

If you take a quick look behind me, fans are here. We`ve got about 50 fans still here if you can see back to the gate. They put angels on both sides of the gate. This gate is probably the closest we will get to the inside of Neverland, a mini Disneyland, 2,500 acres. It`s been Jackson`s home since 1998.

There has been speculation -- and you can hear the fans behind me -- there`s been speculation that Jackson will sell Neverland. But actually, his spokeswoman and the Reverend Jesse Jackson, his spiritual adviser, say he has no plans to do that. A.J., that could also hinge on if he`s convicted or acquitted.

Back to you.

HAMMER: All right. Looks like quite a bit of activity there at Neverland, which I`m sure will continue throughout jury deliberation. Thanks very much, Brooke Anderson at the Neverland Ranch.

BRYANT: Tonight, while the Michael Jackson case is in the hands of the jury, Hollywood stars are paying close attention to what is happening. We continue our coverage of the Michael Jackson trial. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is in Hollywood with star reaction.

Hey, Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That`s right, Karyn. Here in Hollywood the Michael Jackson trial is the talk of the town.

Last night some of TV`s top stores gathered at a fund-raiser to benefit research into childhood epilepsy. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was on the red carpet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS (voice-over): The talk was all about Michael Jackson at the Avalon theater in Hollywood. Television`s top talents, from dramas "Lost," "Alias," "General Hospital," all there.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there as they gathered for a benefit for epilepsy research. Dubbed Hollywood`s Helping Hands, it featured finger-painted artwork for auction from stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Sylvester Stallone and David Schwimmer.

The night`s host, "Alias" star Greg Grunberg, whose son is living with epilepsy.

GREG GRUNBERG, ACTOR: I just want to raise awareness and take that stigma away, at the same time raise a lot of money for UCLA and let them do the incredible work that they`re doing so they can help people the way they helped us.

VARGAS: Leave it to Andy Dick, he wasn`t so sure what he signed up for.

ANDY DICK, COMEDIAN: Let me see what event we`re at. Disney? Guitar Center? Is it like free guitars for orphans? What event am I at?

VARGAS: And all the big names had something to say about the Michael Jackson case. We asked Harold Perrineau from "Lost" his thoughts.

PERRINEAU: I hope justice is served. In my heart, I hope that he`s completely acquitted and I hope that, you know, there was no wrongdoing. I really, really do. But if there was some wrongdoing I hope that, you know, the right thing happens.

VARGAS: "CSI New York`s" Eddie Cahill says he hopes for the truth.

CAHILL: Half of me wants to think that he`s not; the other half doesn`t know what to believe. However it works out, I hope the truth is revealed.

VARGAS: Greg Vaughan from "General Hospital" told us only Michael knows the real story.

GREG VAUGHAN, ACTOR: He knows the truth, and that`s what he`s got to live with.

VARGAS: Vanessa Lengies -- you remember her from "American Dreams" -- says living with stardom isn`t easy.

VANESSA LENGIES, ACTRESS: I feel so much sympathy for him because being in the spotlight when you`re so young, especially in the time that he was in a spotlight, it`s so hard for kids. And it messes you up so bad. I hope they help him figure out, you know, what`s been troubling him from when he was little.

VARGAS: But whether Jackson`s career will survive, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked "Survivor`s" Jerri Manthey.

JERRI MANTHEY, "SURVIVOR" CONTESTANT: I think Michael Jackson will survive regardless of what happens. I think he has a strong enough support group of people around him that he`ll be all right.

VARGAS: Alicia Leigh Willis from "General Hospital" wasn`t so sure.

ALICIA LEIGH WILLIS, ACTRESS: I think it would be really, really, really difficult for him to recover from this. I think it would. I mean, he`s an amazing musician. He really is. He`s so talented. But this is a pretty big setback.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: And we`ll be keeping tabs on how the stars react when a verdict in the Michael Jackson case comes out.

Karyn, back to you.

BRYANT: Thank you very much, Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.

HAMMER: Well, of course, celebs aren`t the only ones talking about the Jackson trial. Tonight, it`s the talk of the town all over the country and around the world.

And at the crossroads of the world, Times Square in New York City, is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer. He continues our live coverage now.

David, what are you hearing out there?

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., it`s damp in Times Square in New York City this evening. And you know, Michael Jackson has been in the spotlight for virtually his entire life, so it`s no wonder just about everybody has an opinion as to how this trial is going to play out.

Here in Times Square, where people visit from all over the world, we caught up with a number of people not only about how the trial`s going to unfold, but whether or not Michael Jackson will ever get his music career back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the charges, I think are credible based on the evidence so far.

HAFFENREFFER: Do you believe the charges against him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a 50-50 scenario, because he shouldn`t have been sleeping with other people`s kids anyway. But at the same time you got to blame your parents. You`re not going to put your kid in a cage with a hungry lion, you know? I`m not going to let my kid sleep with any 45- year-old man regardless of fame, status, whatever.

HAFFENREFFER: Do you believe the charges against him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don`t.

HAFFENREFFER: Why not?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because he seems like a pretty nice guy. They don`t have any video footage of what he did.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t think that he`s that type of guy. I think it stems from his childhood where he`s, you know, with the kids and everything. He missed out on his childhood. I think he had a bad family life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were talking about this in 1993. They`re talking about it again now. I read the newspaper. I believe -- sorry, Michael, I believe Michael Jackson is a child molester.

HAFFENREFFER: Can he ever get his music career back on track?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think there will always be people that will buy his albums and listen to his music, no matter what he does. I mean, that`s history in the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely not. Michael Jackson, I was once a big fan. I think he`s washed up. He`s definitely `80s, `90s and that`s pretty much it.

HAFFENREFFER: Do you think he can get his music career back on track?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hope so. That`s a tough thing to say. But I do. He`s a great entertainer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I liked "Beat It" and all those funny -- all those funny songs, Michael. Hey, you rule. But no, I wish you a lot of luck in future.

HAFFENREFFER: Wow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: And you know, an unscientific poll on CNN.com today, asking which side presented the stronger case in the Michael Jackson case, 53 percent said it was the prosecution; 47 percent said it was the defense. We`ll have to see what the jury thinks about it next week -- A.J.

HAMMER: All right, David, that was interesting to hear what the people are saying.

And now we want to know your thoughts. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson -- do you believe the charges? You can vote by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. If you have more to tell us, we`d like to hear from you by e-mail. ShowbizTonight@CNN.com is the address. And we will share some of what you had to say later on in the show.

And don`t forget, of course, Headline Prime, where SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "NANCY GRACE" is your place to turn for the very latest in the Michael Jackson trial.

BRYANT: He has the inside story on Brad and Angelina`s new movie, because he was their boss on the set of "Mr. And Mrs. Smith." Director Doug Liman joins us live coming up.

HAMMER: Plus, is your iPod on the nod? Coming up, a victory for iPod owners that actually could mean some cold, hard cash.

BRYANT: Also, faster than you can say, "Hey, wasn`t that just at the theater?" Here comes the DVD. Coming up in our series, "The DVD Deal," why studios are rushing to the shelves.

Now, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz."

Sarah Michelle Geller first gained notice for her role in which soap opera? Was it "Guiding Light," "All My Children," "Another World" or "General Hospital"? We`ll be right back with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Once again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Sarah Michelle Geller first gained notice for her role on which soap opera? Was it "Guiding Light," "All My Children," "Another World" or "General Hospital"? The answer is B, "All My Children."

HAMMER: Well, tonight, in our first "Showbiz Sitdown," Doug Liman, the director who brings us the widely anticipated "Mr. And Mrs. Smith," joins us live.

His fans got to know and love him from his work from the sleeper hit "Swingers" back in 1996, and more recently, the Matt Damon action flick "The Bourne Identity."

"Mr. And Mrs. Smith" stars two huge action stars -- actors, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and of course, in this film they play assassins who are hired to kill each other.

And I should also mention Doug responsible for executive producing the pilot, I believe it was, for "The OC" and directing several episodes to follow.

Thanks for dropping by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

DOUG LIMAN, DIRECTOR: It`s great to be here.

HAMMER: And I know you probably make so many decisions as executive producer and director, you may not have anything to do with these swag that`s given out. Mike, can you walk those in here? We get a lot of stuff when movies are released.

LIMAN: Cool stuff.

HAMMER: This is not going to get thrown out. The "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" mugs actually will get used. So I appreciate it, if you had anything to do with that.

LIMAN: They`re cherished in my kitchen.

HAMMER: I`m sure. And which one do you use?

LIMAN: Mister.

HAMMER: OK. Just kidding. I got to check. I got to ask.

So you`ve been waiting to direct a movie with Brad Pitt for awhile. You actually wanted to direct him in "The Bourne Identity" originally?

LIMAN: Yes. We had talked about him playing the lead character in "Bourne Identity." And I had numerous meetings with him. And he ultimately chose "Spy Game" instead.

But he then came to the premiere of "Bourne Identity." And came up to me and said, "You know, you really made the film you told me you were going to make. And that means a lot to me."

HAMMER: And probably played a role into you directing him finally in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." So did the work of directing Brad Pitt actually live up to your expectations?

LIMAN: He went so far beyond my expectations, I couldn`t believe it. I mean, people see it when they go see the movie. I mean, he is -- I always knew he was a great, great actor. And I always knew Angelina Jolie was a great, great actress. I had no idea they were so funny.

HAMMER: And that`s the thing about this movie. It is an action adventure. There`s also a romance involved, obviously. But there`s a comedic side. Can you tell me how that plays out?

LIMAN: Well, it really is a romantic comedy. It`s a romantic comedy between two action heroes. So the way in another romantic comedy the characters might work through their fights, you know, maybe even throwing a frying pan, in this film they fire a rocket launcher.

But it really does use the grammar of a romantic comedy, and it is ultimately a love story.

HAMMER: So the audience is laughing?

LIMAN: They are definitely laughing and especially because of Brad and Angelina`s performances.

HAMMER: And such huge actors on the -- on the film for you with Brad and Angelina. And you`re getting a lot of publicity, or the movie certainly is getting a lot of publicity perhaps not for the reasons that you had originally anticipated, because of alleged things going on between them. There`s been a lot of debate as a result of that whether or not that is good, ultimately, for the film. What`s your take on that?

LIMAN: I think people are going to forget about that in five years, and just the film`s the only thing that`s going to survive. And...

HAMMER: Right. But in terms of getting people to the box office, because obviously, there are probably a lot of people who perhaps wouldn`t have been interested but for this side story that`s playing out in real life.

LIMAN: You know, we have a huge advertising budget for this movie. So I think people would have come to see this movie no matter what. It`s different if it was one of my first films. Like "Swingers," we really could have used a controversy like that to get people into the theater. But we`ve got, like, a major advertising budget. We didn`t need "US Weekly" to promote this movie.

HAMMER: And having such huge stars as Brad and Angelina has to have impacted the way you shot the film in terms of logistics, because the paparazzi, I`m certain, was everywhere. Can you give me a little story about any dealings you may have had to have with the paparazzi around all the time?

LIMAN: Well, you know, I started out in independent film. And the guerrilla filmmaker is still alive and well in me. I still live in New York. And I still get the instinct to want to put the camera on my shoulder and grab the actors and take them out there and wing stuff.

And you know, I grabbed Matt Damon and he and I went all over Paris shooting stuff for "The Bourne Identity." And just right off the bat, that just was not a possibility with Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie.

HAMMER: Right.

LIMAN: These are people that get followed by helicopter from their hotel room to the set. So there`s no version of me sneaking off with Brad and, like you know, camera on my shoulder and grabbing a shot.

HAMMER: So you know Brad Pitt is showing up when the helicopter arrives, I imagine?

LIMAN: Yes, you hear the helicopter about a minute before you know he`s there.

HAMMER: And real quickly, who`s better with a weapon? They both worked with guns in previous movies they`ve done. But who seemed more handy with the weapon?

LIMAN: I`d be more scared to face Angelina Jolie in a dark alley with a knife.

HAMMER: OK. Good to know. Mark that one down. Doug Liman, thanks very much.

LIMAN: Thank you.

HAMMER: And best of luck with the movie. And "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" will hit theaters next weekend.

BRYANT: Tonight in the show`s biz: iPod battery backlash. If you`ve got an iPod, you might be entitled to 50 bucks, courtesy of Apple. Over 12,000 people filed a class-action lawsuit against the company because they said the battery just wasn`t up to snuff.

Well, joining me live from Hollywood to sort through all the details of the suit is Xenia Jardin, co-editor of BoingBoing.net. Thanks for joining us.

And first and foremost, tell me what the class action suit is all about.

XENIA JARDIN, CO-EDITOR, BOINGBOING.NET: Well, if this device here looks familiar to you -- I mean, this is an iPod. This is a later model. But the class-action suit is about iPods that are a few years older than that, first, second and third generation iPods.

People basically were complaining that Apple promised that the batteries inside these music players would last the whole lifetime of the product and that you could play up to 10 hours of music without having to recharge the battery again. And some consumers complained that, hey, the battery`s only lasted 18 months and they would only go on four hours with continuous play.

So back in 2003 eight consumers sued iPod saying that, you know, it was false advertising. It wasn`t living up to the claims.

BRYANT: OK. I have an iPod that is nearly four years old. So I`m guessing that I`m eligible. But for certain, who are the eligible people?

JARDIN: Well, it depends on the age of your iPod. You need to check out AppleiPodSettlement.com. That`s the web site with al the information. It has the claim forms and all the details on who`s eligible. And on Apple`s web site, if you go to Apple.com/batteries/iPods.html, there`s more information there, too.

BRYANT: OK. So when we get there, what are the steps we have to take to get our $50?

JARDIN: You have to fill out a claim form. Depending on which generation of the iPod you had, you can either get the entire iPod replaced for free. You may be able to get an extension on the warranty. And some of the iPods, you can also get $50 credit towards any Apple merchandise except for iTunes downloads.

And if you bought one of these $99 replacement batteries that so many of us went out and bought, you can get $49.50 back. In other words, half of the purchase price back from that extra battery you bought.

BRYANT: OK. Last question, quickly, do we need our receipt?

JARDIN: You absolutely have to have your receipt. So if somebody gave you the iPod, ask them for the receipt. If you bought it, yes.

BRYANT: All right. Get the receipt. All right. Well, thank you very much for that information, Xenia Jardin.

HAMMER: Well, of course, we all remember her as Claire Huxtable. But there is definitely life after "The Cosby Show" for Phylicia Rashad. And much of it takes place on a stage. Phylicia Rashad will join us live, coming up.

BRYANT: Plus, "Cinderella Man" is out today. Will Russell Crowe knock out the competition? The answer is coming up in "People Magazine`s Picks and Pans."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Time now for "The Showbiz Guide," where throughout the week we help you decide where to spend your dollars on movies, music, DVDs and more.

Tonight, "People Magazine`s Picks and Pans," new movies. "Cinderella Man," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "Lords of Dogtown" are in theaters today. Should you check them out?

Well, joining us here in New York is "People" magazine`s movie critic Leah Rosen to let us know. We`re going to start with "Cinderella Man." This has a good cast, good director...

LEAH ROSEN, MOVIE CRITIC, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: And it`s a good movie.

BRYANT: All right.

ROSEN: I mean, this is a quality operation. You`ve got Ron Howard, Russell Crowe and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman. These are the same folks who did "A Beautiful Mind." They know how to make a movie.

In this film, Russell Crowe plays James J. Braddock, a boxer, who in the Great Depression has absolutely no money, is thought to be a total has been. Starts winning fights. It`s essentially Seabiscuit with humans.

BRYANT: And if you`re a non-boxing fan, will people like it?

ROSEN: The story will take you through. I have one little reservation.

BRYANT: Yes.

ROSEN: It was a terrific movie. You`ll have a great time while you`re watching it. It doesn`t resonate. It`s not like it stays with you the next day and afterwards in the way that "Million Dollar Baby" did.

But go see "Cinderella Man." You won`t be sorry.

BRYANT: OK. What about "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"? This is an adaptation of the popular book, right?

ROSEN: Popular book with teenage girls, and that`s who it`s aimed at. It`s aimed at teenage girls. And I think they`re going to like it a lot. The 16-year-old in me quite liked the movie. The somewhat older woman, you know, going well, a little TV movie-ish, a little sentimental.

But it`s essentially four girls. They spend the summer apart. And they mail each other a pair of jeans that gives them a great adventure. Sweet little film. Sweet.

BRYANT: Now, maybe not so sweet, "The Lords of Dogtown." This is a skateboarding movie?

ROSEN: This would be the teenage boy movie for the weekend.

BRYANT: OK. Fair enough.

ROSEN: This is about -- it`s based on a true story. There was a documentary called "Dogtown and the Z-Boys" a couple years ago. This is the feature film, sort of slightly fictionalized version.

It`s about kids in Venice, California, back in the `70s who took skateboarding and made it a big sport, what happens to their lives. Some great, great skateboarding sequences. In the end, though, you kind of go, yes, so? It was already all in the documentary.

BRYANT: Right. And you`re saying the documentary is probably more worth your money then, to go rent that?

ROSEN: Yes. I would actually -- and if you see the film, then you will absolutely want to go rent the documentary and see who were the real guys and what did they look like and what happened.

BRYANT: So one yes and two sort of go-ahead-if-you-want-to`s.

ROSEN: For the segment, for the audience they`re aimed at, they`ll work. No reason adults have to go.

BRYANT: All right. Well, great.

Well, for more picks and pans, check out this week`s issue of "People" magazine on newsstands everywhere.

HAMMER: Well, Lindsay`s on the mike again. Lindsay Lohan`s been getting a lot of publicity lately, not necessarily for the things she wants publicity for. She had a little run-in with the paparazzi. But now it`s going to be for her music. Coming up in the "Showbiz Showcase," a first look at Lindsay Lohan`s new music video.

Plus, our series, "The DVD Deal," continues this week. From deleted scenes to behind the scenes, we`re taking a look at how they come up with all of those extras on the DVDs, plus some other DVD secrets. That`s on the way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, everybody. I`m Catherine Callaway. And here is your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

A suicide car bomber has blown himself up near a police station in the Iraqi city of Mosul killing three officers and wounding five others. Still, U.S. troops hope their massive security crackdown in and around Baghdad is starting to turn the tide. Today has been one of the least violent days in Iraq in a month.

And the jury`s deliberating in Michael Jackson`s child molestation trial. Defense attorney Thomas Mesereau ended his closing arguments today, calling the accuser and his family "con artists."

Police in Aruba are investigating whether this missing Alabama teen may have met with foul play. Eighteen-year-old Natalee Holloway was last seen Monday as she was leaving a nightclub. Holloway and about 100 students from a Birmingham, Alabama, area high school were in Aruba for their senior trip.

And that is the news for now. I`m Catherine Callaway. Back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

HAMMER: She won our hearts as Mrs. Huxtable. Now she may win another Tony award. Tonight, Phylicia Rashad joins us live.

BRYANT: Lohan fully loaded. We have a first look at Lindsay`s new music video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Lindsay Lohan. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Tonight, the fate of the King of Pop is in the hands of four men and eight women.

HAMMER: And after deliberating for a little over two hours, the jury in the Michael Jackson trial went home for the weekend. Twenty miles away at the Neverland ranch, Michael Jackson nervously awaits what they`ll say. Is one of the world`s biggest celebrities a child molester?

BRYANT: For 14 weeks, jurors have heard testimony in this case which could put Jackson behind bars for the next 20 years. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is your place to turn for the latest on the trial. We are on this story everywhere.

HAMMER: And joining us now with all of the details from today`s closing arguments, CNN`s Rusty Dornin, outside the courthouse in Santa Maria, California, for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Rusty, fill us in.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, A.J. You know, after three months of testimony and more than 130 witnesses, it was really the power of persuasion that was key for both sides today. As the public battle over Michael Jackson`s fate ends and the closed-door jury deliberations begin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): With his mother on his arm, his father close by, Michael Jackson gave one small wave to fans before going into what would be the last chance to sway the jury. Five of Jackson`s brothers and sisters came to court, the largest showing of the Jackson family since the early days of the trial.

In his final two-hour plea to the panel, defense attorney Thomas Mesereau repeatedly described the accuser and his family as con artists, actors and liars. He asked the jury to question why the boy didn`t claim molestation until after the family had seen two lawyers.

SUSAN FILAN, LEGAL ANALYST: He`s not slurring the victim for the purpose of putting the victim on trial. He`s slurring the victim because he thinks this victim is committing a fraud and a perjury on this court. And he even said to this jury, "Don`t let them do it to you."

DORNIN: Mesereau urged the jury to consider reasonable doubt and to throw the case out the door, but prosecutor Ron Zonen got the last word. He asked jurors, how could they believe that Jackson`s practice of sleeping with boys was not sexual?

CRAIG SMITH, LEGAL ANALYST: If he sleeps with a boy who is 12-years- old, and he`s a middle-aged man, if he sleeps with a boy 365 nights a year, that`s not a friendship. That`s a relationship.

DORNIN: The defense argued that Jackson would have been stupid to molest the accuser after the documentary aired. But prosecutors countered that Jackson would do it because he could and because the accuser was in love with him.

The prosecution made their final impression by showing tape of the police interview with the accuser, where the boy, in halting tones, claims Jackson molested him.

Jackson`s gaunt appearance in recent weeks has drawn questions about his health, as did his visit to a hospital this week.

RAYMONE BAIN, JACKSON SPOKESPERSON: It was not because he was sick, but because Mr. Gregory said, "You look a little dehydrated, and I feel that you need electrolytes."

DORNIN: Jackson has been to the hospital twice before during the trial, once complaining of back pain, another time with flu symptoms. And again, on his mother`s arm and with a weak wave, Jackson left the courthouse to return only when his fate has been decided.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: The judge gave Michael Jackson one hour when the jury does come back with a verdict to come back here to the courthouse. Neverland is about a half-hour drive away. The jury deliberated just less than two hours today before going home for the weekend. And they`ll be back again 8:30 Monday morning -- A.J.?

HAMMER: CNN`s Rusty Dornin.

Of course, stay tuned to Headline Prime. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and "NANCY GRACE" are your places to turn for the very latest in the Michael Jackson trial.

And that leads to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. We`ve been asking you to vote, and call in, and write in on Michael Jackson. Do you believe the charges? Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Send us your e-mail us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`re going to share some of what you had to say, coming up at :54 past the hour.

BRYANT: It is time for another SHOWBIZ sit-down, this time with Phylicia Rashad. Now, you know her best a Claire Huxtable on "The Cosby Show." But Phylicia is also a Tony Award-winning actress and is up for another one this Sunday for her performance in August Wilson`s "Gem of the Ocean." She joins us here live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Thank you for coming.

PHYLICIA RASHAD, ACTRESS: My pleasure.

BRYANT: So, you know, you won a Tony last year for "A Raisin in the Sun." You were the first black actress to win the lead actress category. How gigantic did that feel? And can you sort of take us into your mind when you were walking up to the stage to accept that?

RASHAD: Well, first of all, I didn`t know about the history. I was completely unaware of that. And when I was asked about that, I said, "Well, what happened, nobody was nominated before?" I mean, that was my response.

BRYANT: Sure, OK.

RASHAD: You know, OK. So, I mean, the work. It`s about the work. And I was and am grateful for the experience of the work because it was phenomenal. It was phenomenal to have a rebirth of this play, to look at it again in new light, for it to be given a new vision, and to be in a play in the theater where audiences were clamoring to come in, and everybody wanted to be there.

And our last performances, it resembled a rock concert. People would come and camp out on the street the night before because there would be 50 tickets sold every morning and they want to get those 50 tickets. The line would wrap all around the block.

BRYANT: Rock star.

RASHAD: Rock star.

BRYANT: That`s great. Well, speaking of, I mean, extremely popular, obviously, "The Cosby Show" really, I think, set the mark for family sitcoms, black family sitcoms. I certainly know my family all the time, we`re like "Who put the camera in the window and watched what we were doing?"

(LAUGHTER)

BRYANT: Like, we had the same conversations. How do you feel about those kinds of shows these days? Do you think that we slipped from where you set the standard, or have we improved on that?

RASHAD: Well, according to what the people say, we have not improved on that.

BRYANT: What`s up with that?

RASHAD: It takes a special genius to know how to put that together.

BRYANT: You`re not feeling the genius right now out there currently?

RASHAD: I don`t know. I don`t think of it -- I don`t know what that is. I don`t know what all that is. I know what it`s not. But I don`t know what it is.

BRYANT: Well, certainly, your former co-star, Bill Cosby, has been getting a little bit of -- well, raising some controversy talking about black young men, young women, taking ownership, taking more responsibility for their lives. What do you think of that? I mean, is that something that he always held dear to him and is just now finally speaking more about?

RASHAD: No, he`s always spoken about it. He`s always spoken about it in his work. He`s always set that example.

You have to remember, Mr. Cosby comes from the civil rights era. And let`s go back and let`s look at what that was, and what that has meant, and what the vision was, and what the hope was, and let`s look at what`s happening. And has it been realized? I mean, you know?

BRYANT: Yes.

RASHAD: Has it been realized? And it wasn`t just -- you know, the civil rights era, the civil rights movement wasn`t just black people marching in protest. People, American people were speaking out.

BRYANT: Right.

RASHAD: And that`s something that seems to get lost somehow in translation.

BRYANT: Now, I hear, real briefly, that you were at the big Oprah bash recently. Look at those earrings. Very nice. That must have been a great time. Talk about the legacy of people pushing the struggle forward and just trying to make the world better.

RASHAD: Well, a lot of great people on that weekend. Oprah is -- well, she`s too many things. Oprah wanted to honor people. And she sat down, and she thought of the people that she would invite to a luncheon, you know, just to have lunch with her at home, because she appreciated their work, and because it was so dear to her, it meant so much to her.

And there were these legends who had been at it for a while. And there were 26 of them. And she said, "Well, it just seems like I can`t honor them. I shouldn`t try to honor them all by myself. I`ll invite some more people that I like to help me celebrate."

BRYANT: Well, my invite must have gotten lost in the mail. I hope to be there next time.

And Phylicia, good luck to you on Sunday. You`re up for a Tony again for "Gem of the Ocean." And I`ve seen the play; it`s a great play. So thank you for joining us.

RASHAD: Thank you.

HAMMER: Well, we are capping off our week-long series on "The DVD Deal." And daring to ask the question, why are movies coming out so fast on DVD? And what does that mean to you? That`s coming up next.

BRYANT: Plus, Lindsay Lohan gets her motor running in her brand new music video. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you a first look, coming up in the SHOWBIZ showcase.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANDA BYNES, ACTRESS: Hi, my name is Amanda Bynes. And I`m wearing Vena Cava. And I wore this dress because I thought it was, you know, a classy version of, you know, just a simple brown dress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

The DVD business is booming. And tonight, new figures from the Motion Pictures Association of America show that DVD sales and rentals have soared a whopping 675 percent since the year 2000.

Well, tonight, as we wrap up our special series, "The DVD Deal," we`ll be looking at why the movies are heading to DVD so much faster than ever before. We`ll also be taking a look at the deal with TV shows on DVD, the motivation behind all those DVD extra features, and what`s next in DVD technology.

Joining us live here in New York to talk about it, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT contributor Julia Boorstin, from "Fortune" magazine and in Hollywood, Thomas K. Arnold from "The Hollywood Reporter."

Nice to see you both.

Thomas, I want to start with you. I`ve always been a guy who says very often, "I`m going to wait for that to come out on DVD and not see in it the movie theater." And now I don`t have to wait that long. Why are the movies turning around so quickly on DVD?

THOMAS K. ARNOLD, "THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER": You know, you`ve really got two factors at play here. One is that we really live in a flavor-of- the-week society. Movies are opening so big and then they`re forgotten. And the studios really want to seize on that momentum and pump those DVDs out as fast as they can when they`re still in the forefront of people`s minds.

Secondly, in the old video cassette days, everything came out for rental first. DVD made everything come out at the same time at a low price, so you can buy a movie for $15 bucks at Wal-Mart, or Target, or Best Buy, you know, three and four months after it opens theatrically now.

BRYANT: And there`s really this mentality now that you want to collect DVDs to have a collection, just like you have books on your shelf. You want to have DVDs that you can pull off and watch at any time. And I think it is, part of that, you know, flavor-of-the-week mentality, but also the sense that these movie studios are very smart and that they`re capitalizing on their huge marketing push.

They`re spending millions and millions of dollars marketing the movies, so the sooner the DVD comes out, the more likely you are to remember the commercials.

HAMMER: There`s still that buzz going on about it.

BRYANT: Exactly.

HAMMER: And as Thomas said, it makes sense. The rentals aren`t that much less expensive than the actual movies are to buy.

Well, Julia, let me ask you about the business of TV shows now arriving on DVDs, seasons for all of the Seinfeld episodes have been wildly successful. Chappelle, the same thing. This is really big business, isn`t it?

JULIA BOORSTIN, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: It`s really big business. And it`s also a relatively new thing. I mean, one thing that`s kind of become sort of commonplace is introducing a show that hasn`t gotten as much buzz as the networks expect.

For instance, "Arrested Development" and "The O.C." both were introduced on DVD not so long after the first season was over. And the idea there was that they were going to get people really excited about the second season. They`re going to sort of hook people on the show.

But one thing that`s new that`s starting now is sometimes some really popular shows, such as "Desperate Housewives," are now going to be released on DVD this September. And there`s a different philosophy behind that, the idea that, you know, there`s this cult show. It`s not going to do so well in reruns. So they might as well try to get a lot of bang for their buck and sell it while they can.

HAMMER: And get it out there just in time for...

BOORSTIN: Before the second season starts.

HAMMER: ... the next season.

OK, let`s talk about those DVD extras, Thomas. This, as well, has added to the big business of DVD sales. Tell me why these are so important and how they go about thinking of these things.

ARNOLD: Well, you know, you really saw a sea change in Hollywood about how home video is perceived by the creative community. In the old VHS days, video was almost a dumping ground for movies.

You know, you`d see a movie come out with no extras. And it would come out six months to a year after it broke theatrically, and it was an afterthought. With DVD, directors are finding that maybe they had to cut scenes out to get a certain rating or to please a certain studio executive. All of a sudden on DVD, they have that freedom again. And they can put all that great stuff they filmed back in, and they can also sit back, and reflect on it, and talk about it.

And all of a sudden, you know, you have -- home video is no longer seen as a dumping ground but almost as a museum, an archive.

HAMMER: OK.

And Julia, really quickly let`s just talk about new technology for a second. We were talking about yesterday, high-def and blue-ray. What`s the real quick scope on these?

BOORSTIN: Well, from a purely technological standpoint, blue-ray is probably considered better because it actually can hold more technology, it can actually hold more. And you know, the more time that progresses, the better the technology is going to get.

And you`re going to be able to walk around with a little gizmo that looks like an iPod and have your entire movie library on there.

HAMMER: Oh, won`t that be the day.

BOORSTIN: So it`s just going to get stronger and smaller, and you`ll be storing more movies than you could ever imagine.

HAMMER: All right, Julia Boorstin, always good to see you.

And Thomas K. Arnold, thanks for joining us live from Hollywood tonight.

BRYANT: In tonight`s "Showbiz Showcase," Lindsay Lohan`s new video, "First." The song is from her platinum-selling album "Speak," and it will also be on the soundtrack to the movie "Herbie: Fully Loaded." The video debuts on AOL Music this Sunday, but we`ve got your first look right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOHAN (singing): I want to feel like every other girl in the world, not every other one (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and then I realize I want to come first.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: You can catch Lindsay Lohan in "Herbie: Fully Loaded," in theaters June 12th -- 24th, sorry, June 24th.

HAMMER: That`s June 24th.

Time now to get your laugh on in "Laughter Dark." As we do every night, we bring you the late night laughs you might have missed.

On "The Daily Show" -- this is very funny. I`ve been looking forward to this all night -- Jon Stewart takes a light-hearted jab at President Bush`s choice of words in a recent press conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": President Bush in particular was scornful of the Amnesty International report.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of -- in the allegations by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that have been trained in some instances to disassemble (sic), that means not tell the truth.

(LAUGHTER)

STEWART: Actually, Mr. President, "dissemble" means to not tell the truth. Disassemble is what we did to Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Just a light-hearted jab.

Tonight on "The Daily Show," Russell Crowe.

BRYANT: There is still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson: Do you believe the charges?

You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight, or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your thoughts live, next.

But first, the "Entertainment Weekly" must list, E.W.`s five things you`ve got to check out. They say you should see "Mad Hot Ballroom." E.W. says this documentary about inner-city school kids dancing the rumba will make your heart do the cha-cha.

Another must-see, Ewan McGregor in "Revenge of the Sith." His performance is Obi Wan Kenobi good.

E.W. also says pick up the album "Feel Good, Inc." by the Gorillaz. It`s addictive mix of hip-hop and cartoon pop will have you feeling good in no time.

Next, run, carefully, to the bookstore and pick up a copy of Todd Pruzan`s "The Clumsiest People in Europe."

And finally, on DVD, E.W. recommends "NewsRadio." It may not make you smarter, but it will make you laugh.

For more of the must list, pick up "Entertainment Weekly" on newsstands now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson: Do you believe the charges?

Let`s see how the vote`s been going so far. Seventy-two percent of you say yes, you do believe the charges. Twenty-eight percent of you say, no, you don`t. We`ve gotten some e-mails on the question, as well.

We`ve heard from Melissa in California who says, "The Michael Jackson trial can only be categorized as a freak show. He obviously has serious mental problems."

Jodhi (ph) from Canada writes, "I think M.J. is completely innocent. All these charges are huge lies."

We also heard from Fay (ph) in Canada who writes, "After listening and watching these past few months, I`m sorry to say that I believe Michael Jackson is a child molester."

Remember, there`s still time to vote by going to cnn.com/showbiztonight.

BRYANT: It is time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT next week.

HAMMER: Let`s kick off the weekend with our favorite dude, the Marquee Guy. Take it away.

ANNOUNCER: Roll out the red carpet, because there are two big movie premieres coming up next week. From "Mr. And Mrs. Smith" to the new "Batman," it`s summer blockbuster time. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT puts you in the front row.

Also, Madonna, she takes Manhattan. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is there as she paints the town red -- as in well-read. Madonna`s got a new children`s book out, and we bring you "Bedtime Stories with Madonna," next week on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

This is the marquee guy, and my stories always put people to sleep. Hey, wait, guys, really, I can explain.

HAMMER: I don`t know, Marquee Guy. We love your stories.

OK, tonight, before we say goodbye, we wanted to give our very best wishes to one of our CNN colleagues.

BRYANT: Judy Woodruff, who has been with CNN for the past dozen years, signed off "INSIDE POLITICS" for the last time tonight. If you know Judy, you know that politics is in her DNA.

HAMMER: She has been in the anchor chair at CNN for all of the big stories, President Clinton`s impeachment trial, the Bush-Gore election controversy, 9/11, the death of Ronald Reagan.

BRYANT: Every president during her tenure, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, every political story you can think of, Judy was right there. And today, Judy says goodbye.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: To you, viewers, I also want to say it has been a glorious 12 years. I thank you for the wonderful highs, and I hope you`ll forgive me for all the low, all the dumb questions I asked, the time I fell asleep in the middle of an interview.

(LAUGHTER)

But you and me, we care. We do care about politics. And even as I go off to explore other projects, I will miss you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: A lot of class. All the best, Judy.

BRYANT: That is a class act.

HAMMER: She really is. She really is.

BRYANT: Sure.

HAMMER: So Doug Liman, whose "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" movie comes out next week, on the program earlier, you actually went to college together.

BRYANT: We went to college together. And I knew back -- I could see he was already, like, hands-on into the entertainment thing. It`s great to see him doing so well.

HAMMER: He had so much fun being here he told us during the commercial break, don`t be surprised if you see him getting into live TV.

That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.

HAMMER: And enjoy the weekend.

END