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Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight for June 15, 2005, CNNHN
Aired June 15, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: Why Chad Lowe is keeping the stars quiet.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: And why "Cinderella Man" may be turning into a pumpkin.
I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Just when you thought the drama was over, are you ready for a Jackson family reality show? Tonight the story behind the show, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings in reality TV show producers to find out how they would do it, live.
BRYANT: Rich, talented, famous, single! Let the feeding frenzy begin. Tonight, a first look at the hottest 50 bachelors in Hollywood.
HAMMER: Dwight Yoakam live.
DWIGHT YOAKAM, MUSICIAN (singing): She said, "I`ll give him an intentional heart."
HAMMER: The actor and country superstar has a new album hot off the presses. And some new movies coming out. Dwight Yoakam joins us live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
KYRA SEDGWICK, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Kyra Sedgwick. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: Hello, I`m Karyn Bryant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and you are at the top of the show.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. You`re watching TV`s only live nightly entertainment news program.
BRYANT: Well, tonight, as Michael Jackson remains secluded behind the gates of Neverland, reality may come knocking.
HAMMER: Today, we learn that the Jacksons may actually be getting their own reality show.
BRYANT: And for a family that recently has been living a life far from reality, it`s got a lot of people asking, "What, you kidding me?"
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer is here live to tell us more.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lot of people are asking, "Are you kidding me?"
Yes, a six-episode reality show is reportedly being shopped around to the TV networks by a Jackson family friend and a Hollywood talent agency. And while the Jacksons and the agency told us "no comment," all of America is talking about the idea that the Jacksons might well become TV`s next reality stars.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): One son is an eccentric and newly- acquitted superstar who`s seen his share of cameras lately. One daughter is a star prone to wardrobe malfunctions, caught on lots of cameras.
(MUSIC)
HAFFENREFFER: And the entire family has spent part of five decades basking in front of cameras and in the public eye. It just might be wacky enough for a reality series.
"The Hollywood Reporter" broke the story, saying the Jackson reality series would show how the family rallied around Michael during his child molestation trial.
ANDY WALLENSTEIN, "THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER": A reality show about the Jacksons is a mixed bag. On the one hand, there is a tremendous curiosity factor, and Michael Jackson has proved that he is a huge draw during a sweeps month.
On the other hand, this isn`t something advertisers are going to want to touch.
HAFFENREFFER: Of course, the Jackson family wouldn`t be the first slightly-eccentric musical clan to invite cameras into their home 24/7.
SHARON OSBOURNE, OZZY OSBOURNE`S WIFE: (expletive deleted) you.
OZZY OSBOURNE, MUSICIAN: (expletive deleted) me.
HAFFENREFFER: "The Osbournes" success, on MTV, led other stars to open their lives to the reality TV cameras. This summer, we`re getting a show featuring singers and headline makers Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston. That show will air on Bravo.
KEVIN FEDERLINE, MARRIED TO BRITNEY SPEARS: It will work out pretty good.
BRITNEY SPEARS, SINGER: Really, really good.
HAFFENREFFER: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline reality`s show, "Chaotic," ended its run on UPN Tuesday night. And apparently, neither critics nor viewers are sorry to see it go. The show got terrible reviews and fewer viewers than expected.
Could a Jackson show suffer the same fate?
WALLENSTEIN: I think there would be a tremendous curiosity factor among viewers, because Michael Jackson is who he is and his family is who they are. But at the same time, I can`t see that curiosity lasting more than two or three episodes.
HAFFENREFFER: The family unity the Jackson family reportedly wants to highlight in the reality show has seen some cracks over the years. In 1993, La Toya Jackson, publicly hinted that she believed the sexual abuse charges made against her brother at the time. Her family denounced her as a loose canon.
JERMAINE JACKSON, SINGER: We love La Toya. But right now, she`s -- she`s gone astray.
HAFFENREFFER: And Jackson family members, including Michael, has said that Joe was a strict stage father who would beat them for on-stage mistakes. And there is a question of how real a reality show featuring Michael Jackson would be.
WALLENSTEIN: As we`ve learned from his own experiences in the documentary world, he has, you know, a knack for, perhaps, staging some of these situations that go into reality programming, about the Jackson family. Who`s to say that we won`t see similarly-staged footage here?
HAFFENREFFER: But a Jackson reality show would get lots of attention. And in this competitive, crowded TV landscape, that may be enough to get it on the air.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: And believe it or not, all this attention isn`t helping the Jackson reality show so far. This afternoon, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT contacted all three networks that reportedly were approached with the idea: ABC, FOX and the A&E network. Each told us they said thanks but no thanks.
Still, even though the Jackson reality show has gone 0 for 3 so far, there are lots of other networks that might still pick it up. A.J., stay tuned.
HAMMER: All right, David.
Well, now, the interesting thing to ponder: what might a reality show about the Jackson family actually look like? In tonight`s "Showbiz In- Depth," we get a reality check with a couple of Hollywood`s most prominent and prolific reality TV producers who are going to tell us how they would do it.
So joining us live from Los Angeles, Stuart Krasnow is the executive producer of the shows "Dog Eat Dog," "Manhunt," and the big hit "Average Joe." Also live in Los Angeles, Ben Silverman. He has executive produced "Nashville Star," "The Restaurant," and his new show, "30 Days," actually premieres tonight on the FX Network.
OK, guys, if done properly, this could make for great TV. You guys are the pros. How would you do a Jackson reality show?
Stuart, let me start with you.
STUART KRASNOW, REALITY TV PRODUCER: Well, I would be concerned at first that we could develop the right amount of trust between the producing team and the Jackson family.
I mean, certainly the Jacksons, as a family on TV, has the potential to be -- to make the Osbournes look like a normal, American family. And you know, I`m salivating about that part of it. But I -- I have doubts about whether they would be willing to give up the kind of control that they would need to give up to give us a fair representation but also true stories. And I would be very concerned to work with them on certain levels.
HAMMER: And that does really go contrary to what reality TV is obviously all about.
So Ben, what would your Michael Jackson or Jackson family reality show look like?
BEN SILVERMAN, REALITY TV PRODUCER: Well, I would include a lot of singing and dancing. That`s what`s worked for them in the past. And if I was going to be involved in a show like that, I think it would be an opportunity to do a new variety show.
A show just chronicling the family, as it reprograms itself for Americans` appetite to watch them and kind of re-ingratiate themselves by showing how tight-knit they are, wouldn`t be as nearly as interesting to me as watching the Jacksons the way you want to see the Jacksons, which is on stage and acting musical. I think it should be more like "The Partridge Family" than like "The Osbournes."
HAMMER: Of course, when you see these shows, though, like "The Osbournes," you want to want to spend time with these people. And David Haffenreffer in his report a few moments ago mentioned, you know, "The Osbournes." That was the show that basically got it all started. And it was compelling enough that we did want to spend time with them.
Kevin and Britney seemed good on paper. Nobody wanted to spend time with them.
So Stuart, what would you do to make us want to spend time with the Jackson family, if you were to put together a show like this?
KRASNOW: Well, going back to that trust, you know, it`s me -- it would be my impulse to try to shoot everything. And I mean everything. And then talk to them later about it. I would want to have final cut in the edit room. I would want to have control of what the final show is, which of course could be an issue.
But I think, you know, they`d be like watching a football game unfold before you every time. You wouldn`t know what you`d be getting. And the fun would be covering that and then figuring out what the stories are later.
You know, I do think that makes a great point about we do want to see them sing and dance. We do want to see this -- this family reinvent themselves, really, before our eyes. They`ve been in most of our lives our entire lives. It would be nice to see, you know, kind of the front seat to what`s going to happen next with them.
HAMMER: And Ben, you know, we were talking a minute ago with Stuart about those guidelines that might have to be put in place, because they are notorious about control and wanting to really have a handle on how everything is done in their lives. How would you handle the guidelines with the Jacksons?
SILVERMAN: Well, I absolutely agree with Stuart, who`s such a seasoned producer. And you would have to be able to be able to have final cut as the network and the production entity, because if you left it in their hands, it`s likely that the piece will not have any of the drama or any of the kind of, you know, interesting behind-the-curtain stuff that you want to see.
And you`ve got to have control in order to do that, because everybody is vain. And people are not going to want to let elements of their personality on screen.
I think one of the big issues with the Kevin and Britney show was that they were basically handing in tapes that they made of their own honeymoon, kind of edited by the people they controlled. So, you know, there was nothing new in there. There was no kind of real drama. There was nothing exciting that would have everybody talking about it the next day at the water cooler.
And Stuart`s absolutely right. The way that you could get the Jacksons to do that is through trust. You would need to engage them and convince them that you were not going to show them, either in a light that was going to affect them negatively, or do anything to manipulate the scenario. You were just going to show them, as-is.
HAMMER: Right. OK. And we`ll have to see if their reality show becomes a reality, indeed. And good luck, Ben, with your new show, "30 Days," which debuts tonight. And thank you, Stuart Krasnow, for joining us.
The next season of "Average Joe," by the way, is going to begin later this month, June 28 to be exact.
And now, we`d like to hear from you. If this were all to happen, what would you do? It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day: Jackson family reality show, would you watch? You can vote at CNN.com/Showbiz Tonight. Got more to say? Our e-mail address is ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`re going to share some of what you had to say later on in the show.
BRYANT: Michael Jackson may one day work with someone who knows a thing or two about reality TV: the boss of "The Apprentice." Donald Trump`s now Frontier hotel and casino is expected to open up in Las Vegas in two or three years. One of the owners says he was talking to Jackson about performing there before the trial. And he hopes, now, that the negotiations can continue, since Jackson has been acquitted.
HAMMER: Well, Nicole Kidman is snapping back at the paparazzi. On the red carpet at the "Bewitched" premiere here in New York City, Kidman stopped to tell photographer Mitch Gerber that he was being rude. Apparently, Kidman and her co-star, Will Ferrell, were posing for pictures together, but Gerber wanted shots of Kidman by herself. So when she started to walk away, Gerber reportedly started booing.
She went back to tell him, quote, "You are incredibly rude."
We want you to know that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be bringing you the big picture on the paparazzi. Be sure to watch our special series, "Inside the Paparazzi: The Stories You Didn`t Know." It`s all next week right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: Single guys in double digits. The 50 hottest celebrity bachelors, coming up next.
HAMMER: Also ahead, "Cinderella Man" has critical acclaim, big movie stars, a great director, so why did the big movie become such a big flop? The inside story you haven`t heard yet, coming up.
BRYANT: Plus, Mrs. Smith goes to Washington. Why Angelina Jolie was in the nation`s capital today, and what made her get so emotional. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the one-on-one interview. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Time now for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Denzel Washington named his son after which famous figure? Alexander the Great, Malcolm X, Jim Brown or Bill Russell? We`ll be right back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back. Once again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Denzel Washington named his son after which famous figure? Was it Alexander the Great, Malcolm X, Jim Brown or Bill Russell? If you guessed B, Malcolm X, you are correct.
BRYANT: Well, they`re hot, they`re famous and they are single. Tonight, hot off the presses, "People" magazine has just named its top 50 bachelors for 2005. Got to tell you it`s a very good-looking list.
So joining us live from Hollywood to give us the scoop is "People" magazine`s Julie Jordan. Julie, thanks for joining us.
I want to talk about this right off the top of the list. We`ve got Colin Farrell. You`re calling him one of your Fab Five?
JULIE JORDAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Yes, well, we`ve got all the top leading bachelors in Hollywood. Like Colin Farrell and Jake Gyllenhaal. Collin Farrell, he`s kind of the quintessential bachelor. He`s told us it doesn`t matter what age women are. He loves all shapes and sizes.
BRYANT: Is that true? Because you know, he has been sort of a bit of a player? But it seems like he was skewing younger with the ladies.
JORDAN: I don`t know. You know, he goes really -- he goes a little younger than he tends to go. Even so old you`re amazed. It doesn`t matter with him. And he loves women. That`s the thing. You`ve got to respect him for it, because he makes no apology.
BRYANT: OK, great. Well, it`s great to have an Irish import there.
JORDAN: Yes.
BRYANT: Now I want to talk about Jake Gyllenhaal.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: He`s a smart guy. People -- you`ve said he`s a heartbreaker a little bit. People have seen him in the film "The Day After Tomorrow," among others.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: He was in "The Good Girl" with Jennifer Aniston. What`s the deal with him?
JORDAN: Well, he`s very much the intellectual, you know. He`s a former Ivy Leaguer who really, you know, kind of is just a deep thinker. And women like that. They like the brainiac. He`s easy on the eyes. You know, that`s a good combination.
BRYANT: He`s only 24, though. So you know, he`s probably not going to marry for awhile, I would guess.
JORDAN: Well, he`s got plenty of time to figure out what he wants in life.
BRYANT: All right. Well, someone on your list, a little bit older, you`ve got the man of the moment, John Stamos. He is recently divorced. He is a little bit older. He`s 41-year-old. Of course, he`s got a show, "Jake in Progress," right now. What`s the deal with the man of the moment list?
JORDAN: Well, like with John Stamos, he`s a guy who -- he didn`t realize or even think it was a possibility he`d be a bachelor again. He`s looking for a marriage and kids in his future. He loves showering women with flowers. You know, very sweet. Very traditionalist. And again, that`s the perfect package. That`s kind of what we`re looking for.
BRYANT: Yes, he is quite lovely, isn`t he?
JORDAN: Like you said, you know, these guys -- none of these guys are really hard to look at. They`re pretty incredible.
BRYANT: That`s right. Well, I happen to be a big sports fan. I don`t necessarily root for the Philadelphia Eagles. But there`s a young man on the list. His name is Dhani Jones.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: He is 27 years old and he is a linebacker. A lot of ladies may not really know that much about him if they`re not football fans. What can you tell us?
JORDAN: Well, here`s a guy who does everything. OK, he writes poetry. You know, he hosts his own show. He writes. He`s a musician. And he designs bow ties. So you know, if you`re looking for a well-rounded kind of guy, whether you`re a football fan or not, Dhani is the way to go.
BRYANT: Is the bow tie making a comeback, by the way?
JORDAN: If he -- if he has anything to say about it, I`m sure it`s going to.
BRYANT: OK. Now obviously, Jesse Metcalfe from "Desperate Housewives" has been getting a lot of attention this past year. He`s 26 years old. And of course, you know, on the program, he is having an affair with Gabrielle.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: Does he really like older women in real life?
JORDAN: Yes, he told us that he tends to stay away from women who are too much younger than him. And he likes older women. He thinks they`re more mature, they`re more direct and they`re much less dramatic. So yes, I would see him skewing a little bit older in terms of the women he prefers to date.
BRYANT: All right. I want to move on to Bradley Cooper. You`ve got a sub-list called "guys on the rise." Now, this guy`s 30 years old. He`s been on the show "Alias," on the WB`s "Jack and Bobby."
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: What do you know about him, and what does he do to impress a woman?
JORDAN: Well, he says that he used to want to be a chef. And so he tries to, like, you know, show off in the kitchen to really impress a woman. He cooks a mean stuffed calamari that`s really incredible. But he says it`s a problem because he tends to be really particular with the details. That shows his obsessive side. But I don`t think any woman is going to complain if a guy is cooking for her in the kitchen.
BRYANT: I second that thought right there. That`s for sure.
Owen Wilson, a lot of ladies in the office like him. He`s 36.
JORDAN: Yes.
BRYANT: He`s been in "Starsky & Hutch," the "Life Aquatic." He`s kooky. He`s nutty. Quirky.
JORDAN: Quirky, yes. He`s very quirky, very self-deprecating. And that`s charming. I mean, plus, he`s got this sense of confidence that you just respond to. You know, but he`s very much -- he`s a man of tradition. He hopes -- he sees marriage in his future; he hopes he has a church wedding. So that`s kind of fun to think about.
BRYANT: All right. And lastly, we have Wilmer Valderrama.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: He`s been dating some young other starlets. You know him from "That 70s Show," of course. He`s 25 years old. He has been linked to Lindsay Lohan, Mandy Moore. What does he say about dating in the public eye?
JORDAN: All right. Well, he`s young. He`s out there, and you can`t blame him. You know, he`s got a lot of experimenting to do before he figures out, you know, and settles down for the rest of his life.
So you know, he knows paparazzi are going to follow his every move. So he never does anything he`d regret or it would make him wonder if someone was watching. And then he tries, if he really wants to impress a date, he tries to avoid the scene. His favorite restaurant is California Pizza Kitchen.
BRYANT: OK.
JORDAN: It definitely -- it definitely is a family atmosphere, and he loves pizza.
BRYANT: All right. Well, Julie Jordan, thank you very much for joining us.
And if you`d like to read more on "People" magazine`s top 50 bachelors, the new issue his newsstands on Friday.
HAMMER: Boom! John Madden is heading over to NBC. Yes, the football broadcaster signed a six-year deal with the peacock network today. He`ll call the games for NBC`s "Sunday Night Football." That will begin in 2006. NBC reportedly paid $600 million to broadcast those games.
Of course, Madden currently works on ABC`s "Monday Night Football," which is being moved to ESPN after this season.
And as we do every night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the very best from today`s talk shows. Today on "Live with Regis and Kelly," the makers of a documentary called "Rize," which is all about this new dance craze called crumping stopped by. And before you knew it, Kelly and Reege were getting their crump on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(REGIS PHILBIN AND KELLY RIPA DANCING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Not so bad. Tomorrow on "Regis and Kelly," "Bewitched" star Nicole Kidman.
BRYANT: What kind of dance clubs have you been hanging out in, A.J.?
Well, we have got a first look at Alicia Silverstone`s wedding pictures. That is coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, country music superstar Dwight Yoakam. He has a brand new record out today. Keep an eye on the big screen again, as well, because Dwight Yoakam`s got three films out this year. And he`s live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: Also coming up live, actor Chad Lowe. He and his wife, Hilary Swank, have a new show together. We`ll get the scoop on that when Chad joins us live a little bit later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. 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.
BRYANT: The Jackson trial may be over. But the material is just too good for the late-night shows to give up. So even though Jay Leno is long since off the witness stand, his mind is still on Michael Jackson and the trial.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": And you see that dove lady that was releasing the doves in front of the court? Did you see that? Every time she`d release a dove. I`ll tell you, the district attorney, Tom Sneddon, he was not happy about her releasing those doves.
Show what he did yesterday. Take a look. There she is. Can we cut to Sneddon, Ellen?
Yes, yes.
After trial last night, Michael finally got a chance to relax, went out and had a little Mexican. I think his name was Ramon.
It was really on pins and needles yesterday, because Michael had no idea if he would be found guilty or innocent. In fact, out at Santa Maria airport, they was stocking his plane. There was talk he was going to leave the country. Did you see him stocking his plane to take off? Show them at the airport yesterday. There they are stocking his plane.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Next on "The Tonight Show," mother and daughter, Kathy and Paris Hilton.
BRYANT: And the Jackson jokes just keep on coming.
HAMMER: Yes. On "The Late Show with David Letterman," the whole top ten list last night was devoted to the King of Pop and his answering machine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": the category is top ten messages left on Michael Jackson`s answering machine.
Number five: "Happy Father`s Day from the lab where we artificially inseminated your sham wife."
Little rough, isn`t it?
PAUL SHAFFER, MUSICIAN: Haven`t heard anything like that.
LETTERMAN: On the answering machine. You know, if you don`t like it, unplug your machine.
SHAFFER: All right.
LETTERMAN: Number four, "Change your outgoing message, dude. "Thriller" was, like, 20 years ago."
"It`s Martha. Disregard the letter with cell decorating tips."
Number two: "Tom Cruise here. I`m calling every person in America to tell them that I`m in love with Katie Holmes."
And the number one message left on Michael Jackson`s answering machine: "Hi. It`s Saddam Hussein. How do I get one of those idiot juries?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Dave`s guests are Dennis Leary and Alanis Morissette, who has a CD out today.
BRYANT: That`s right.
Up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Michael Jackson`s accuser, we just learned how he reacted after hearing that Jackson was acquitted of molesting him. We`ve got a live report coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, we`re going to go live to Washington, D.C., where Angelina Jolie spoke out today. Her emotional one-on-one interview is just ahead here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I`m Catherine Callaway. And here`s your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
The House has voted to block the FBI and the Justice Department from using the Patriot Act to investigate the reading habits of terror suspects. Lawmakers rejected part of the law that allows the government to search library and bookstore records. President Bush has threatened to veto that measure.
And in Baghdad, Iraqi troops have rescued an Australian hostage during a security sweep. Douglas Wood was found tied up in a house. Three people were detained in that operation.
This while Iraqi security forces suffered heavy losses around Iraq today. A suicide bomber killed at least 23 Iraqi soldiers at a military base in Bakubah. Four others were killed in an attack on a Baghdad police patrol.
And the autopsy`s been completed on the brain-damaged woman at the center of a long legal battle in Florida. Medical examiners say Terri Schiavo had no hope of recovery. The post-mortem shows Schiavo was blind and her brain had deteriorated to half its normal size.
I`m Catherine Callaway. Now back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: Tonight, she takes lives in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," but in real life, she`s working hard to save them. Angelina Jolie`s worldwide mission.
HAMMER: And Dwight`s doing something right. He has sold more than 20 million albums with an outside-the-box sound. Dwight Yoakam joins us live.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GAVIN DEGRAW, MUSICIAN: Hey, I`m Gavin DeGraw. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. Here are tonight`s hot headlines.
HAMMER: "You`re hired." That`s what Donald Trump might just be saying to Michael Jackson. There are reports out today that "The Apprentice" star wants to offer Jackson a long-term performing gig at a yet-to-be built casino in Las Vegas. Trump`s New Frontier Hotel and Casino is scheduled to open in either 2007 or 2008.
BRYANT: Well, Michael might have something else to keep him busy. According to "The Hollywood Reporter," the Jackson family has been pitching a reality TV show about how they rallied around the pop star during the trial. So far, the idea has been shopped to FOX, ABC, and A&E, who all said no.
HAMMER: So what do you think of that idea? We have been asking you to vote tonight on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Jackson family reality show: Would you watch? You can continue to vote by going to cnn.com/showbiztonight. If you have a little more you want to tell us, you can. The e-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to share some of what you had to say in about 21 minutes from right now.
Well, for the past two days, we`ve been hearing an awful lot of people react to the fact that Michael Jackson was acquitted. Tonight, for the very first time, we`re hearing from his accuser. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson live now from Hollywood with the latest -- Brooke?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., well, Michael Jackson may be relieved about the verdict in his trial. It`s a different story for his young accuser.
Today, Santa Barbara county district attorney Tom Sneddon took to the morning airwaves. While making the rounds, Sneddon told CNN`s "American Morning" and the "Today" show on NBC just how the alleged victim felt after hearing the jury`s verdict.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM SNEDDON, D.A. IN MICHAEL JACKSON TRIAL: He was very down. He just didn`t understand why people didn`t believe him, a little cynical about the system. And I just encouraged him and told him what a hero he was and how courageous he was to come forward, and that he did the right thing, and that it was time for him to move on with his life, and never looked back, because he did the right thing.
He`s gone through a lot in his life. He survived cancer, a very serious bout with cancer. He didn`t necessarily want to get involved in this case. He disclosed, very reluctantly, if you saw the video that we played for the jury. It was very evident that it was very painful for him to tell people what had happened to him. And so he -- it`s difficult, as you would expect of any young boy, who went on -- put his heart and his soul on the line in front of the world, for that matter, and to not be believed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The accuser, who is now a high school football player, hopes to one day have a career in law enforcement.
There are also some staggering numbers coming out in terms of money made in Santa Maria due to the trial. One man made more than $300,000 by renting out his roof across the street from the courthouse. And a woman who owns a coffee shop made so much money she`s going to buy herself a BMW.
A.J., that`s a whole lot of coffee. Back to you.
HAMMER: That is crazy. Brooke Anderson, live in Hollywood. Thanks very much -- Karyn?
BRYANT: Angelina Jolie is one of the biggest on-screen stars. And you can currently see her with Brad Pitt in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." But it`s her work off-screen that`s making news today. It is also made her breakdown when she spoke with CNN`s State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel. Andrea is live for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in Washington, D.C.
Andrea, why did Mrs. Smith go to Washington?
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Karyn, it was a little bit of a mixture of business and pleasure, when she wasn`t playing tourist with her son, Maddox, she took him to some of the museums here in Washington. She was actually getting involved in something that she has become incredibly passionate about, and it`s trying to raise awareness about the millions upon millions of refugees around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL (voice-over): With her latest movie a box-office smash, the real-life Mrs. Smith came to Washington. But unlike the character she plays on screen, Angelina Jolie used her passion, not her punches, to win over this audience.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS AND U.N. GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: The people we speak about today are no different from us. And in fact, they are us.
KOPPEL: The people Jolie is talking about are an estimated 17 million refugees around the world. Last year, the U.S. resettled 52,000 of them and contributed over $250 million to the U.N.`s work with refugees. A good start, said Jolie, but still not enough.
JOLIE: Basically, as much as America gives the most, they can say they give the most money, when it`s the percentage of what we have that we give, we actually give the least.
KOPPEL: For the last four years, the Oscar-winning Jolie has left Hollywood`s red carpet far behind. And in between filming movies, traveled to refugee camps around the world as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency. As art sometimes imitates life, for Jolie it was her role as an international aid worker in the movie "Beyond Borders" which inspired her to get involved.
In an interview with CNN, Jolie remembered the first time she saw a child die in a refugee camp.
JOLIE: I saw him dying. And you know, it was my first trip, my first moment. And my thought was, being somebody from the states and having a bit of money, well, we`ll just airlift him and take him to the hospital. I can solve this in a second.
And then you suddenly -- there`s that moment where you look around and you realize that there are, you know, hundreds of thousands of people in the exact same situation and that a lot of the kids were going to die. And then I went home and I thought I should have at least taken one. And I`ll always kick myself for not trying with just that one.
KOPPEL: A few years ago, Jolie did adopt a Cambodian child, Maddox, and says she hopes to adopt again soon, perhaps from Africa.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: And you know, on top of Angelina Jolie donating her time over the last four years, she`s also donated millions of dollars. In fact, Karyn, she has spent $3 million on her travel because she doesn`t allow the U.N. to pay her ticket, as many celebrities have done. She pays her own way, over the last four years, in addition to donating millions more to try to help these refugees -- Karyn?
BRYANT: All right, thanks very much, Andrea Koppel, in Washington, D.C.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, in the show`s biz, the inside story behind why "Cinderella Man," starring Oscar-winning actors Russell Crowe and Renee Zellwegger, and directed by Oscar-winner Ron Howard turned into a box office bomb.
The movie cost a whopping $88 million to make. Well, in its opening weekend, it made little more than $18 million. And in its second weekend, the audience dropped by 47 percent. That`s a huge disappointment in Hollywood.
Well, today, in a "New York Times" article, entertainment reporter Sharon Waxman, author of the best-selling book, "Rebels on the Backlot," revealed what happened and what the studio is doing to try to fix the flop.
Sharon Waxman joins us now live from Hollywood. So as you talk about in the article, Sharon, you have these Oscar-winning actors. You have this a-list cast, Oscar-winning director. Critics loved the movie. Everybody who has gone to see the movie seems to love it. What went wrong?
SHARON WAXMAN, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Well, apparently, this is just not the time of year to release a kind of serious period movie. Remember, boxing is a little bit of a challenging subject anyway. Period movies are notoriously challenging to bring in a broad audience.
We`re not talking about a small, art house audience. This is really a big bet with a big director and some big stars in it. And it turns out that -- at least this is the conclusion of the executives at Universal who made and released the movie -- that really summer is a time when people want to see fun, happy, bright movies.
And this movie, really, the tone of it, felt more like a fall movie, or a movie for another time of year anyway, not the beginning of the summer.
HAMMER: And these movie executives have been talking -- in the article, you talked about a crisis management meeting that the studio held, which is a pretty big deal for a movie that was supposed to have done so well. So what went down behind those closed doors?
WAXMAN: Well, basically, I think they were just trying to assess the situation. I think they were really disappointed. They were really surprised. Don`t forget, it`s not just the movie`s not opening in a vacuum. This is the most competitive time of the year.
So you have got movies out there like "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," and Angelina Jolie we just saw, and "Madagascar," and "Star Wars." And it feels like people want to go out and have some eye candy and have some kind of mindless fun, you know?
And this is a much more thoughtful, serious movie. So the purpose of the meeting was to see if they could kind of regroup. Universal and Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, have still had and still have real Oscar hopes for this movie. And so they were trying to see what they could come up with to try and either reconfigure the advertising or let it play out and then maybe bring it back. That`s really what the hope is now, that they can bring it back in the fall in October for limited run so that, when it comes time for the Oscars, that voters will remember the film.
HAMMER: And I`m just curious, if they raised any concerns about the Russell Crowe arrest. Because the public`s been talking about it ever since it happened. And that proceeded the second weekend.
WAXMAN: Yes, well, you know, you never really know if those things help or hurt, because it gets your star`s name in the news and in the headlines. Of course, it`s not for a great thing, you know? He was arrested for throwing a telephone at somebody.
But I think that their analysis is that on balance, it didn`t -- it was kind of a wash. They couldn`t quite tell if it helped or hurt the movie. And really, by that point, the movie had already opened and it already didn`t perform to their expectations or to their hopes. So yes.
HAMMER: Well, who knows? And it`s a very interesting read in today`s "New York Times." Sharon Waxman, thank you very much for joining us.
WAXMAN: Thanks.
HAMMER: Still to come, we clue you in on a "Clueless" star`s marriage. Your first look at Alicia Silverstone`s wedding pictures.
Also, if you can`t beat `em, Yoakam. A country music superstar who came up with a unique hit-making sound. Dwight Yoakam joins us live.
And Hilary Swank and her husband, Chad Lowe, are involved in one big charade. He`s here to tell us about it, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY HILFIGER, DESIGNER: Hi, I`m Tommy Hilfiger. I`m listening to the Rolling Stones` greatest hits, because the Rolling Stones are the greatest rock band in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Another great rock band, Coldplay, they are hot all over the world. "X&Y" equals number one for the band on the Billboard chart just out today, and in 21 other countries, as well.
Some other big debuts on the album chart this week include the Black Eyed Peas whose debuted at number two with "Monkey Business." Also, the best sales week for the White Stripes. They`re debuting at number three with "Get Behind Me, Satan."
Shakira sets a new record for the best debut for a Spanish language album with her latest, which is at number four. In fifth place this week, Mariah Carey`s former number one, "The Emancipation of Mimi."
Well, tonight, in our first "Showbiz Sitdown," country star Dwight Yoakam. He has been in the music business for more than two decades. He`s won Grammies, sold more than 20 million albums, even done his fair share of acting.
Well, today, he`s out with a brand new album called "Blame the Vain." It`s the first album he produced all by himself. And Dwight Yoakam joins us now live from Hollywood.
Congratulations on the release of the album, Dwight. Nice to see you.
DWIGHT YOAKAM, COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER: Thank you, A.J. Nice to be here.
HAMMER: A lot of people liken the release of a brand-new album to having a baby. Do you have that feeling yourself?
YOAKAM: You know, in some ways. Only the delivery process is probably much more extended than having a baby. The baby, you know, I guess, well, depending on -- some women would argue with that, I guess.
Labor is usually, what, over a day period or a night, or you know, a few hours. This seems like the labor of this -- you know, when you finally start to mix it, and decide that it`s ready to put out, it can be, you know, a process that takes a couple of months to -- from that point to releasing it, it`s taken really about four months. So shooting the album cover and so forth like that. Yes, it`s an extended kind of delivery period.
HAMMER: But how great to go through all of that process and have the album come out. And it, of course, is released to the critics, you know, a little while before the public gets it and to great reviews. You received four out of five stars. Some people say it`s your best work in a long, long time.
Is that stuff important to you? Because a lot of artists do say, "You know, I`m just doing it for the fans." But it can`t hurt to have something nice written about you, right?
YOAKAM: Well, no. It never hurts to have things nice said about you. It`s always preferable to have things that are nice and positive said about you than just to have something said that`s negative.
But I really didn`t really come out of the eye of the storm of that record and think about those kinds of things until, you know, the last month or so here. And then, it`s to late to do anything about it -- do anything, you know, about it other than what the music can do for itself.
And my focus on this album has been to convey the kind of reckless joy that I felt about making music from the time I was a child until now. And the things that I heard and listened to -- as you led in, I saw Tommy Hilfiger was talking about the Stones. I`ve been listening to a recent re- release of their "Made in the Shade" album, because I remember driving around with a hot pink eight-track cassette in a `68 Impala that I had listening to those songs and that compilation when I was, you know, 17-, 18-years-old.
And have been listening to the White Stripes last album a lot in the last couple of months, "Elephant." And I`m a big fan of theirs. So music is, for me, about the joy of experiencing it every day that I have the opportunity to.
HAMMER: And real quickly, also, since you were a child, a close second to music has been acting. Of course, "Sling Blade" everybody remembers you from that tremendous role. I can`t believe that movie is almost ten years old. You have three movies coming out this year with some big stars, Salma Hayek, Vince Vaughn, Penelope Cruz. Is there one person you worked with this year who made a big impression on you?
YOAKAM: Well, obviously, the movie I did with Billy Bob Thornton in 1995 -- we just celebrated the tenth anniversary of the completion of filming. There`s a new DVD of it out. And it`s a director`s cut. It has some scenes that were deleted, put back in. I mean, it only runs another 15 minutes or so.
But my experience with Billy Bob, and recently my experience with Tommy Lee Jones, probably parallels the experience I had with Billy Bob as closely as anything I`ve ever done in film.
HAMMER: What a nice thing to have, once again.
YOAKAM: Yes, I`m really proud to have been a part of Tommy`s movie, "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada."
HAMMER: All right, Dwight Yoakam. We appreciate you spending some time with us tonight. Dwight`s brand-new CD, "Blame the Vain," is in stores now -- Karyn?
BRYANT: Well, from a country start to a wedding in the country. "Clueless" start Alicia Silverstone got married this past weekend. And tonight, "People" magazine has got the first look at the wedding pictures. Silverstone tied the knot with Christopher Jarecki on the shores of Lake Tahoe. He is the lead singer of the punk band STUN. And you can read more about their wedding in this week`s "People" magazine out Friday.
And now, it is time for another "Showbiz Sitdown," this time with actor Chad Lowe. In real life, he is actor Rob Lowe`s brother and husband of two-time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank. But on the small screen upcoming, Chad takes on the role of a father in the new Hallmark Channel movie, "Fielder`s Choice." In addition, he and his wife, Hilary, are executive producers on AMC`s "Celebrity Charades."
Chad, thanks for joining us here.
CHAD LOWE, ACTOR: Thanks for having me.
BRYANT: Yes. You know, the last time I sort of saw you, I was covering the Oscars. And I saw you with your wife. Obviously, it was a big night. What was it like when you went home that night? We saw the hamburger incident, right?
LOWE: Oh, yes. And that was strange, because we -- I mean, you know, we thought we were getting away from it all. We went to Astroburger on Santa Monica Boulevard. Everybody else was at Morton`s or wherever. We thought this would be our little hideout.
BRYANT: Nope.
LOWE: No one would know. No one would be the wiser. You know, it`s just an extraordinary thing to get to see the person you love more than anybody in the world, who you`re -- you know, have seen grow, who`re you`re -- you know, to be in that moment, accepting that kind of honor is just -- it`s an incredible experience. It`s very rewarding, and then you get back to life as usual, normal.
BRYANT: Well, is it normal, though? Because we`ve been talking a lot about the paparazzi lately. I mean, is that normal to you? Do you feel that you have got to look extra-sharp when you walk out of the door now because someone might be snapping your picture?
LOWE: No, I don`t think that anybody could ever get used to that. And I don`t think it is normal. And there`s certainly a line that is being crossed. And I think the debate now is, where is that line? You know, because, certainly, I think people are entitled to their private life.
And yet, you`re also -- there`s a certain obligation. I mean, you know, you know that`s part of the gig when you sign up for it. But I think the line has been definitely crossed. And I think we all have to figure out where it`s been crossed and how we might be able to remedy it, because it`s gotten to be very strange, actually. It makes you feel very self- conscious to think that anybody really cares that much to see a picture of you eating a cheeseburger. I guess after the Oscars, that`s one thing.
BRYANT: Right. It is one thing.
So I want to talk about "Charades." This is the thing -- I guess this is a television show that came out of a home -- you know, one night at your house or...
LOWE: Well, actually, Bob Baladan (ph) has had a legendary game here in New York City for years. And when we moved to New York, we met with Bob, and he invited us to come and play in this game. And we just had such a good time. And there was so much comedy, and conflict, and we learned so much about people that we thought we knew.
And we came up with this idea to have a running charades show. But it`s not really a game show. It`s kind of like a Robert Altman movie meets a Christopher Guest meets, kind of, "Annie Hall," kind of cinema-verite, documentary-style, you following me here?
BRYANT: Yes, yes.
LOWE: It`s very strange. And it`s going to be -- hopefully, it will have like a cult following, because it`s either going to be something people watch and really dig, and they think, "God, that was so great." Or they`re going to go, "I don`t quite get that." But it`s daring, you know? And AMC took a chance on it. And we had a blast shooting it, so...
BRYANT: And also, we`re going to be able to see you in "Fielder`s Choice." So you`re a busy man. It`s good to see.
LOWE: I am busy. It`s all good. I`m blessed.
BRYANT: Very nice. Well, Chad Lowe, thanks for stopping by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And of course, you can catch "Fielder`s Choice." It`s on the Hallmark Channel. That`s premiering June 18th. And "Celebrity Charades" on AMC begins June 20th.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. A Jackson family reality show: Would you watch? Only 15 percent of you say yes, you will watch; 85 percent say no, thank you.
HAMMER: It is time now to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
BRYANT: Here is the SHOWBIZ marquee.
MARQUEE GUY: Get ready for a good laugh with Robert Klein. He`s one funny guy, and we`re inclined to bring you Robert Klein, live tomorrow.
Also, Batman. How the caped crusader became the caped crusader, tomorrow. This is the Marquee Guy. Bye-bye.
HAMMER: That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Good night.
BRYANT: See you.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, everybody. I`m Catherine Callaway. Let`s get your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
The Senate`s considering raising the retirement age to 69, but the new law would only apply to Americans who are still 20 years or more from retirement. Currently, you can retire with full benefits at 65-and-a-half.
A Harrier jet crashed this afternoon near the Yuma, Arizona, Marine Corps air station. The pilot managed to eject safely from the plane about a mile away from where it crashed. There were no injuries reported on the ground and still no word on why the jet went down.
And the woman hailed for bringing a peaceful end to the manhunt following the Atlanta courthouse shootings has signed a book deal. Ashley Smith`s book will reportedly be called "Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero." It should be out this fall. Some of the proceeds will go to a memorial fund for the shooting victims.
That is the news for now. I`m Catherine Callaway.
END
Aired June 15, 2005 - 19:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: Why Chad Lowe is keeping the stars quiet.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: And why "Cinderella Man" may be turning into a pumpkin.
I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Just when you thought the drama was over, are you ready for a Jackson family reality show? Tonight the story behind the show, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings in reality TV show producers to find out how they would do it, live.
BRYANT: Rich, talented, famous, single! Let the feeding frenzy begin. Tonight, a first look at the hottest 50 bachelors in Hollywood.
HAMMER: Dwight Yoakam live.
DWIGHT YOAKAM, MUSICIAN (singing): She said, "I`ll give him an intentional heart."
HAMMER: The actor and country superstar has a new album hot off the presses. And some new movies coming out. Dwight Yoakam joins us live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
KYRA SEDGWICK, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Kyra Sedgwick. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: Hello, I`m Karyn Bryant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and you are at the top of the show.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. You`re watching TV`s only live nightly entertainment news program.
BRYANT: Well, tonight, as Michael Jackson remains secluded behind the gates of Neverland, reality may come knocking.
HAMMER: Today, we learn that the Jacksons may actually be getting their own reality show.
BRYANT: And for a family that recently has been living a life far from reality, it`s got a lot of people asking, "What, you kidding me?"
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer is here live to tell us more.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lot of people are asking, "Are you kidding me?"
Yes, a six-episode reality show is reportedly being shopped around to the TV networks by a Jackson family friend and a Hollywood talent agency. And while the Jacksons and the agency told us "no comment," all of America is talking about the idea that the Jacksons might well become TV`s next reality stars.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): One son is an eccentric and newly- acquitted superstar who`s seen his share of cameras lately. One daughter is a star prone to wardrobe malfunctions, caught on lots of cameras.
(MUSIC)
HAFFENREFFER: And the entire family has spent part of five decades basking in front of cameras and in the public eye. It just might be wacky enough for a reality series.
"The Hollywood Reporter" broke the story, saying the Jackson reality series would show how the family rallied around Michael during his child molestation trial.
ANDY WALLENSTEIN, "THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER": A reality show about the Jacksons is a mixed bag. On the one hand, there is a tremendous curiosity factor, and Michael Jackson has proved that he is a huge draw during a sweeps month.
On the other hand, this isn`t something advertisers are going to want to touch.
HAFFENREFFER: Of course, the Jackson family wouldn`t be the first slightly-eccentric musical clan to invite cameras into their home 24/7.
SHARON OSBOURNE, OZZY OSBOURNE`S WIFE: (expletive deleted) you.
OZZY OSBOURNE, MUSICIAN: (expletive deleted) me.
HAFFENREFFER: "The Osbournes" success, on MTV, led other stars to open their lives to the reality TV cameras. This summer, we`re getting a show featuring singers and headline makers Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston. That show will air on Bravo.
KEVIN FEDERLINE, MARRIED TO BRITNEY SPEARS: It will work out pretty good.
BRITNEY SPEARS, SINGER: Really, really good.
HAFFENREFFER: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline reality`s show, "Chaotic," ended its run on UPN Tuesday night. And apparently, neither critics nor viewers are sorry to see it go. The show got terrible reviews and fewer viewers than expected.
Could a Jackson show suffer the same fate?
WALLENSTEIN: I think there would be a tremendous curiosity factor among viewers, because Michael Jackson is who he is and his family is who they are. But at the same time, I can`t see that curiosity lasting more than two or three episodes.
HAFFENREFFER: The family unity the Jackson family reportedly wants to highlight in the reality show has seen some cracks over the years. In 1993, La Toya Jackson, publicly hinted that she believed the sexual abuse charges made against her brother at the time. Her family denounced her as a loose canon.
JERMAINE JACKSON, SINGER: We love La Toya. But right now, she`s -- she`s gone astray.
HAFFENREFFER: And Jackson family members, including Michael, has said that Joe was a strict stage father who would beat them for on-stage mistakes. And there is a question of how real a reality show featuring Michael Jackson would be.
WALLENSTEIN: As we`ve learned from his own experiences in the documentary world, he has, you know, a knack for, perhaps, staging some of these situations that go into reality programming, about the Jackson family. Who`s to say that we won`t see similarly-staged footage here?
HAFFENREFFER: But a Jackson reality show would get lots of attention. And in this competitive, crowded TV landscape, that may be enough to get it on the air.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: And believe it or not, all this attention isn`t helping the Jackson reality show so far. This afternoon, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT contacted all three networks that reportedly were approached with the idea: ABC, FOX and the A&E network. Each told us they said thanks but no thanks.
Still, even though the Jackson reality show has gone 0 for 3 so far, there are lots of other networks that might still pick it up. A.J., stay tuned.
HAMMER: All right, David.
Well, now, the interesting thing to ponder: what might a reality show about the Jackson family actually look like? In tonight`s "Showbiz In- Depth," we get a reality check with a couple of Hollywood`s most prominent and prolific reality TV producers who are going to tell us how they would do it.
So joining us live from Los Angeles, Stuart Krasnow is the executive producer of the shows "Dog Eat Dog," "Manhunt," and the big hit "Average Joe." Also live in Los Angeles, Ben Silverman. He has executive produced "Nashville Star," "The Restaurant," and his new show, "30 Days," actually premieres tonight on the FX Network.
OK, guys, if done properly, this could make for great TV. You guys are the pros. How would you do a Jackson reality show?
Stuart, let me start with you.
STUART KRASNOW, REALITY TV PRODUCER: Well, I would be concerned at first that we could develop the right amount of trust between the producing team and the Jackson family.
I mean, certainly the Jacksons, as a family on TV, has the potential to be -- to make the Osbournes look like a normal, American family. And you know, I`m salivating about that part of it. But I -- I have doubts about whether they would be willing to give up the kind of control that they would need to give up to give us a fair representation but also true stories. And I would be very concerned to work with them on certain levels.
HAMMER: And that does really go contrary to what reality TV is obviously all about.
So Ben, what would your Michael Jackson or Jackson family reality show look like?
BEN SILVERMAN, REALITY TV PRODUCER: Well, I would include a lot of singing and dancing. That`s what`s worked for them in the past. And if I was going to be involved in a show like that, I think it would be an opportunity to do a new variety show.
A show just chronicling the family, as it reprograms itself for Americans` appetite to watch them and kind of re-ingratiate themselves by showing how tight-knit they are, wouldn`t be as nearly as interesting to me as watching the Jacksons the way you want to see the Jacksons, which is on stage and acting musical. I think it should be more like "The Partridge Family" than like "The Osbournes."
HAMMER: Of course, when you see these shows, though, like "The Osbournes," you want to want to spend time with these people. And David Haffenreffer in his report a few moments ago mentioned, you know, "The Osbournes." That was the show that basically got it all started. And it was compelling enough that we did want to spend time with them.
Kevin and Britney seemed good on paper. Nobody wanted to spend time with them.
So Stuart, what would you do to make us want to spend time with the Jackson family, if you were to put together a show like this?
KRASNOW: Well, going back to that trust, you know, it`s me -- it would be my impulse to try to shoot everything. And I mean everything. And then talk to them later about it. I would want to have final cut in the edit room. I would want to have control of what the final show is, which of course could be an issue.
But I think, you know, they`d be like watching a football game unfold before you every time. You wouldn`t know what you`d be getting. And the fun would be covering that and then figuring out what the stories are later.
You know, I do think that makes a great point about we do want to see them sing and dance. We do want to see this -- this family reinvent themselves, really, before our eyes. They`ve been in most of our lives our entire lives. It would be nice to see, you know, kind of the front seat to what`s going to happen next with them.
HAMMER: And Ben, you know, we were talking a minute ago with Stuart about those guidelines that might have to be put in place, because they are notorious about control and wanting to really have a handle on how everything is done in their lives. How would you handle the guidelines with the Jacksons?
SILVERMAN: Well, I absolutely agree with Stuart, who`s such a seasoned producer. And you would have to be able to be able to have final cut as the network and the production entity, because if you left it in their hands, it`s likely that the piece will not have any of the drama or any of the kind of, you know, interesting behind-the-curtain stuff that you want to see.
And you`ve got to have control in order to do that, because everybody is vain. And people are not going to want to let elements of their personality on screen.
I think one of the big issues with the Kevin and Britney show was that they were basically handing in tapes that they made of their own honeymoon, kind of edited by the people they controlled. So, you know, there was nothing new in there. There was no kind of real drama. There was nothing exciting that would have everybody talking about it the next day at the water cooler.
And Stuart`s absolutely right. The way that you could get the Jacksons to do that is through trust. You would need to engage them and convince them that you were not going to show them, either in a light that was going to affect them negatively, or do anything to manipulate the scenario. You were just going to show them, as-is.
HAMMER: Right. OK. And we`ll have to see if their reality show becomes a reality, indeed. And good luck, Ben, with your new show, "30 Days," which debuts tonight. And thank you, Stuart Krasnow, for joining us.
The next season of "Average Joe," by the way, is going to begin later this month, June 28 to be exact.
And now, we`d like to hear from you. If this were all to happen, what would you do? It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day: Jackson family reality show, would you watch? You can vote at CNN.com/Showbiz Tonight. Got more to say? Our e-mail address is ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`re going to share some of what you had to say later on in the show.
BRYANT: Michael Jackson may one day work with someone who knows a thing or two about reality TV: the boss of "The Apprentice." Donald Trump`s now Frontier hotel and casino is expected to open up in Las Vegas in two or three years. One of the owners says he was talking to Jackson about performing there before the trial. And he hopes, now, that the negotiations can continue, since Jackson has been acquitted.
HAMMER: Well, Nicole Kidman is snapping back at the paparazzi. On the red carpet at the "Bewitched" premiere here in New York City, Kidman stopped to tell photographer Mitch Gerber that he was being rude. Apparently, Kidman and her co-star, Will Ferrell, were posing for pictures together, but Gerber wanted shots of Kidman by herself. So when she started to walk away, Gerber reportedly started booing.
She went back to tell him, quote, "You are incredibly rude."
We want you to know that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be bringing you the big picture on the paparazzi. Be sure to watch our special series, "Inside the Paparazzi: The Stories You Didn`t Know." It`s all next week right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: Single guys in double digits. The 50 hottest celebrity bachelors, coming up next.
HAMMER: Also ahead, "Cinderella Man" has critical acclaim, big movie stars, a great director, so why did the big movie become such a big flop? The inside story you haven`t heard yet, coming up.
BRYANT: Plus, Mrs. Smith goes to Washington. Why Angelina Jolie was in the nation`s capital today, and what made her get so emotional. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the one-on-one interview. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Time now for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Denzel Washington named his son after which famous figure? Alexander the Great, Malcolm X, Jim Brown or Bill Russell? We`ll be right back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back. Once again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Denzel Washington named his son after which famous figure? Was it Alexander the Great, Malcolm X, Jim Brown or Bill Russell? If you guessed B, Malcolm X, you are correct.
BRYANT: Well, they`re hot, they`re famous and they are single. Tonight, hot off the presses, "People" magazine has just named its top 50 bachelors for 2005. Got to tell you it`s a very good-looking list.
So joining us live from Hollywood to give us the scoop is "People" magazine`s Julie Jordan. Julie, thanks for joining us.
I want to talk about this right off the top of the list. We`ve got Colin Farrell. You`re calling him one of your Fab Five?
JULIE JORDAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Yes, well, we`ve got all the top leading bachelors in Hollywood. Like Colin Farrell and Jake Gyllenhaal. Collin Farrell, he`s kind of the quintessential bachelor. He`s told us it doesn`t matter what age women are. He loves all shapes and sizes.
BRYANT: Is that true? Because you know, he has been sort of a bit of a player? But it seems like he was skewing younger with the ladies.
JORDAN: I don`t know. You know, he goes really -- he goes a little younger than he tends to go. Even so old you`re amazed. It doesn`t matter with him. And he loves women. That`s the thing. You`ve got to respect him for it, because he makes no apology.
BRYANT: OK, great. Well, it`s great to have an Irish import there.
JORDAN: Yes.
BRYANT: Now I want to talk about Jake Gyllenhaal.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: He`s a smart guy. People -- you`ve said he`s a heartbreaker a little bit. People have seen him in the film "The Day After Tomorrow," among others.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: He was in "The Good Girl" with Jennifer Aniston. What`s the deal with him?
JORDAN: Well, he`s very much the intellectual, you know. He`s a former Ivy Leaguer who really, you know, kind of is just a deep thinker. And women like that. They like the brainiac. He`s easy on the eyes. You know, that`s a good combination.
BRYANT: He`s only 24, though. So you know, he`s probably not going to marry for awhile, I would guess.
JORDAN: Well, he`s got plenty of time to figure out what he wants in life.
BRYANT: All right. Well, someone on your list, a little bit older, you`ve got the man of the moment, John Stamos. He is recently divorced. He is a little bit older. He`s 41-year-old. Of course, he`s got a show, "Jake in Progress," right now. What`s the deal with the man of the moment list?
JORDAN: Well, like with John Stamos, he`s a guy who -- he didn`t realize or even think it was a possibility he`d be a bachelor again. He`s looking for a marriage and kids in his future. He loves showering women with flowers. You know, very sweet. Very traditionalist. And again, that`s the perfect package. That`s kind of what we`re looking for.
BRYANT: Yes, he is quite lovely, isn`t he?
JORDAN: Like you said, you know, these guys -- none of these guys are really hard to look at. They`re pretty incredible.
BRYANT: That`s right. Well, I happen to be a big sports fan. I don`t necessarily root for the Philadelphia Eagles. But there`s a young man on the list. His name is Dhani Jones.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: He is 27 years old and he is a linebacker. A lot of ladies may not really know that much about him if they`re not football fans. What can you tell us?
JORDAN: Well, here`s a guy who does everything. OK, he writes poetry. You know, he hosts his own show. He writes. He`s a musician. And he designs bow ties. So you know, if you`re looking for a well-rounded kind of guy, whether you`re a football fan or not, Dhani is the way to go.
BRYANT: Is the bow tie making a comeback, by the way?
JORDAN: If he -- if he has anything to say about it, I`m sure it`s going to.
BRYANT: OK. Now obviously, Jesse Metcalfe from "Desperate Housewives" has been getting a lot of attention this past year. He`s 26 years old. And of course, you know, on the program, he is having an affair with Gabrielle.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: Does he really like older women in real life?
JORDAN: Yes, he told us that he tends to stay away from women who are too much younger than him. And he likes older women. He thinks they`re more mature, they`re more direct and they`re much less dramatic. So yes, I would see him skewing a little bit older in terms of the women he prefers to date.
BRYANT: All right. I want to move on to Bradley Cooper. You`ve got a sub-list called "guys on the rise." Now, this guy`s 30 years old. He`s been on the show "Alias," on the WB`s "Jack and Bobby."
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: What do you know about him, and what does he do to impress a woman?
JORDAN: Well, he says that he used to want to be a chef. And so he tries to, like, you know, show off in the kitchen to really impress a woman. He cooks a mean stuffed calamari that`s really incredible. But he says it`s a problem because he tends to be really particular with the details. That shows his obsessive side. But I don`t think any woman is going to complain if a guy is cooking for her in the kitchen.
BRYANT: I second that thought right there. That`s for sure.
Owen Wilson, a lot of ladies in the office like him. He`s 36.
JORDAN: Yes.
BRYANT: He`s been in "Starsky & Hutch," the "Life Aquatic." He`s kooky. He`s nutty. Quirky.
JORDAN: Quirky, yes. He`s very quirky, very self-deprecating. And that`s charming. I mean, plus, he`s got this sense of confidence that you just respond to. You know, but he`s very much -- he`s a man of tradition. He hopes -- he sees marriage in his future; he hopes he has a church wedding. So that`s kind of fun to think about.
BRYANT: All right. And lastly, we have Wilmer Valderrama.
JORDAN: Right.
BRYANT: He`s been dating some young other starlets. You know him from "That 70s Show," of course. He`s 25 years old. He has been linked to Lindsay Lohan, Mandy Moore. What does he say about dating in the public eye?
JORDAN: All right. Well, he`s young. He`s out there, and you can`t blame him. You know, he`s got a lot of experimenting to do before he figures out, you know, and settles down for the rest of his life.
So you know, he knows paparazzi are going to follow his every move. So he never does anything he`d regret or it would make him wonder if someone was watching. And then he tries, if he really wants to impress a date, he tries to avoid the scene. His favorite restaurant is California Pizza Kitchen.
BRYANT: OK.
JORDAN: It definitely -- it definitely is a family atmosphere, and he loves pizza.
BRYANT: All right. Well, Julie Jordan, thank you very much for joining us.
And if you`d like to read more on "People" magazine`s top 50 bachelors, the new issue his newsstands on Friday.
HAMMER: Boom! John Madden is heading over to NBC. Yes, the football broadcaster signed a six-year deal with the peacock network today. He`ll call the games for NBC`s "Sunday Night Football." That will begin in 2006. NBC reportedly paid $600 million to broadcast those games.
Of course, Madden currently works on ABC`s "Monday Night Football," which is being moved to ESPN after this season.
And as we do every night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the very best from today`s talk shows. Today on "Live with Regis and Kelly," the makers of a documentary called "Rize," which is all about this new dance craze called crumping stopped by. And before you knew it, Kelly and Reege were getting their crump on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(REGIS PHILBIN AND KELLY RIPA DANCING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Not so bad. Tomorrow on "Regis and Kelly," "Bewitched" star Nicole Kidman.
BRYANT: What kind of dance clubs have you been hanging out in, A.J.?
Well, we have got a first look at Alicia Silverstone`s wedding pictures. That is coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, country music superstar Dwight Yoakam. He has a brand new record out today. Keep an eye on the big screen again, as well, because Dwight Yoakam`s got three films out this year. And he`s live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: Also coming up live, actor Chad Lowe. He and his wife, Hilary Swank, have a new show together. We`ll get the scoop on that when Chad joins us live a little bit later.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. 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.
BRYANT: The Jackson trial may be over. But the material is just too good for the late-night shows to give up. So even though Jay Leno is long since off the witness stand, his mind is still on Michael Jackson and the trial.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": And you see that dove lady that was releasing the doves in front of the court? Did you see that? Every time she`d release a dove. I`ll tell you, the district attorney, Tom Sneddon, he was not happy about her releasing those doves.
Show what he did yesterday. Take a look. There she is. Can we cut to Sneddon, Ellen?
Yes, yes.
After trial last night, Michael finally got a chance to relax, went out and had a little Mexican. I think his name was Ramon.
It was really on pins and needles yesterday, because Michael had no idea if he would be found guilty or innocent. In fact, out at Santa Maria airport, they was stocking his plane. There was talk he was going to leave the country. Did you see him stocking his plane to take off? Show them at the airport yesterday. There they are stocking his plane.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Next on "The Tonight Show," mother and daughter, Kathy and Paris Hilton.
BRYANT: And the Jackson jokes just keep on coming.
HAMMER: Yes. On "The Late Show with David Letterman," the whole top ten list last night was devoted to the King of Pop and his answering machine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": the category is top ten messages left on Michael Jackson`s answering machine.
Number five: "Happy Father`s Day from the lab where we artificially inseminated your sham wife."
Little rough, isn`t it?
PAUL SHAFFER, MUSICIAN: Haven`t heard anything like that.
LETTERMAN: On the answering machine. You know, if you don`t like it, unplug your machine.
SHAFFER: All right.
LETTERMAN: Number four, "Change your outgoing message, dude. "Thriller" was, like, 20 years ago."
"It`s Martha. Disregard the letter with cell decorating tips."
Number two: "Tom Cruise here. I`m calling every person in America to tell them that I`m in love with Katie Holmes."
And the number one message left on Michael Jackson`s answering machine: "Hi. It`s Saddam Hussein. How do I get one of those idiot juries?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Dave`s guests are Dennis Leary and Alanis Morissette, who has a CD out today.
BRYANT: That`s right.
Up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Michael Jackson`s accuser, we just learned how he reacted after hearing that Jackson was acquitted of molesting him. We`ve got a live report coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, we`re going to go live to Washington, D.C., where Angelina Jolie spoke out today. Her emotional one-on-one interview is just ahead here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I`m Catherine Callaway. And here`s your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
The House has voted to block the FBI and the Justice Department from using the Patriot Act to investigate the reading habits of terror suspects. Lawmakers rejected part of the law that allows the government to search library and bookstore records. President Bush has threatened to veto that measure.
And in Baghdad, Iraqi troops have rescued an Australian hostage during a security sweep. Douglas Wood was found tied up in a house. Three people were detained in that operation.
This while Iraqi security forces suffered heavy losses around Iraq today. A suicide bomber killed at least 23 Iraqi soldiers at a military base in Bakubah. Four others were killed in an attack on a Baghdad police patrol.
And the autopsy`s been completed on the brain-damaged woman at the center of a long legal battle in Florida. Medical examiners say Terri Schiavo had no hope of recovery. The post-mortem shows Schiavo was blind and her brain had deteriorated to half its normal size.
I`m Catherine Callaway. Now back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: Tonight, she takes lives in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," but in real life, she`s working hard to save them. Angelina Jolie`s worldwide mission.
HAMMER: And Dwight`s doing something right. He has sold more than 20 million albums with an outside-the-box sound. Dwight Yoakam joins us live.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GAVIN DEGRAW, MUSICIAN: Hey, I`m Gavin DeGraw. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. Here are tonight`s hot headlines.
HAMMER: "You`re hired." That`s what Donald Trump might just be saying to Michael Jackson. There are reports out today that "The Apprentice" star wants to offer Jackson a long-term performing gig at a yet-to-be built casino in Las Vegas. Trump`s New Frontier Hotel and Casino is scheduled to open in either 2007 or 2008.
BRYANT: Well, Michael might have something else to keep him busy. According to "The Hollywood Reporter," the Jackson family has been pitching a reality TV show about how they rallied around the pop star during the trial. So far, the idea has been shopped to FOX, ABC, and A&E, who all said no.
HAMMER: So what do you think of that idea? We have been asking you to vote tonight on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Jackson family reality show: Would you watch? You can continue to vote by going to cnn.com/showbiztonight. If you have a little more you want to tell us, you can. The e-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to share some of what you had to say in about 21 minutes from right now.
Well, for the past two days, we`ve been hearing an awful lot of people react to the fact that Michael Jackson was acquitted. Tonight, for the very first time, we`re hearing from his accuser. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson live now from Hollywood with the latest -- Brooke?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., well, Michael Jackson may be relieved about the verdict in his trial. It`s a different story for his young accuser.
Today, Santa Barbara county district attorney Tom Sneddon took to the morning airwaves. While making the rounds, Sneddon told CNN`s "American Morning" and the "Today" show on NBC just how the alleged victim felt after hearing the jury`s verdict.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM SNEDDON, D.A. IN MICHAEL JACKSON TRIAL: He was very down. He just didn`t understand why people didn`t believe him, a little cynical about the system. And I just encouraged him and told him what a hero he was and how courageous he was to come forward, and that he did the right thing, and that it was time for him to move on with his life, and never looked back, because he did the right thing.
He`s gone through a lot in his life. He survived cancer, a very serious bout with cancer. He didn`t necessarily want to get involved in this case. He disclosed, very reluctantly, if you saw the video that we played for the jury. It was very evident that it was very painful for him to tell people what had happened to him. And so he -- it`s difficult, as you would expect of any young boy, who went on -- put his heart and his soul on the line in front of the world, for that matter, and to not be believed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The accuser, who is now a high school football player, hopes to one day have a career in law enforcement.
There are also some staggering numbers coming out in terms of money made in Santa Maria due to the trial. One man made more than $300,000 by renting out his roof across the street from the courthouse. And a woman who owns a coffee shop made so much money she`s going to buy herself a BMW.
A.J., that`s a whole lot of coffee. Back to you.
HAMMER: That is crazy. Brooke Anderson, live in Hollywood. Thanks very much -- Karyn?
BRYANT: Angelina Jolie is one of the biggest on-screen stars. And you can currently see her with Brad Pitt in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." But it`s her work off-screen that`s making news today. It is also made her breakdown when she spoke with CNN`s State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel. Andrea is live for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in Washington, D.C.
Andrea, why did Mrs. Smith go to Washington?
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Karyn, it was a little bit of a mixture of business and pleasure, when she wasn`t playing tourist with her son, Maddox, she took him to some of the museums here in Washington. She was actually getting involved in something that she has become incredibly passionate about, and it`s trying to raise awareness about the millions upon millions of refugees around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL (voice-over): With her latest movie a box-office smash, the real-life Mrs. Smith came to Washington. But unlike the character she plays on screen, Angelina Jolie used her passion, not her punches, to win over this audience.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS AND U.N. GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: The people we speak about today are no different from us. And in fact, they are us.
KOPPEL: The people Jolie is talking about are an estimated 17 million refugees around the world. Last year, the U.S. resettled 52,000 of them and contributed over $250 million to the U.N.`s work with refugees. A good start, said Jolie, but still not enough.
JOLIE: Basically, as much as America gives the most, they can say they give the most money, when it`s the percentage of what we have that we give, we actually give the least.
KOPPEL: For the last four years, the Oscar-winning Jolie has left Hollywood`s red carpet far behind. And in between filming movies, traveled to refugee camps around the world as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency. As art sometimes imitates life, for Jolie it was her role as an international aid worker in the movie "Beyond Borders" which inspired her to get involved.
In an interview with CNN, Jolie remembered the first time she saw a child die in a refugee camp.
JOLIE: I saw him dying. And you know, it was my first trip, my first moment. And my thought was, being somebody from the states and having a bit of money, well, we`ll just airlift him and take him to the hospital. I can solve this in a second.
And then you suddenly -- there`s that moment where you look around and you realize that there are, you know, hundreds of thousands of people in the exact same situation and that a lot of the kids were going to die. And then I went home and I thought I should have at least taken one. And I`ll always kick myself for not trying with just that one.
KOPPEL: A few years ago, Jolie did adopt a Cambodian child, Maddox, and says she hopes to adopt again soon, perhaps from Africa.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: And you know, on top of Angelina Jolie donating her time over the last four years, she`s also donated millions of dollars. In fact, Karyn, she has spent $3 million on her travel because she doesn`t allow the U.N. to pay her ticket, as many celebrities have done. She pays her own way, over the last four years, in addition to donating millions more to try to help these refugees -- Karyn?
BRYANT: All right, thanks very much, Andrea Koppel, in Washington, D.C.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, in the show`s biz, the inside story behind why "Cinderella Man," starring Oscar-winning actors Russell Crowe and Renee Zellwegger, and directed by Oscar-winner Ron Howard turned into a box office bomb.
The movie cost a whopping $88 million to make. Well, in its opening weekend, it made little more than $18 million. And in its second weekend, the audience dropped by 47 percent. That`s a huge disappointment in Hollywood.
Well, today, in a "New York Times" article, entertainment reporter Sharon Waxman, author of the best-selling book, "Rebels on the Backlot," revealed what happened and what the studio is doing to try to fix the flop.
Sharon Waxman joins us now live from Hollywood. So as you talk about in the article, Sharon, you have these Oscar-winning actors. You have this a-list cast, Oscar-winning director. Critics loved the movie. Everybody who has gone to see the movie seems to love it. What went wrong?
SHARON WAXMAN, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Well, apparently, this is just not the time of year to release a kind of serious period movie. Remember, boxing is a little bit of a challenging subject anyway. Period movies are notoriously challenging to bring in a broad audience.
We`re not talking about a small, art house audience. This is really a big bet with a big director and some big stars in it. And it turns out that -- at least this is the conclusion of the executives at Universal who made and released the movie -- that really summer is a time when people want to see fun, happy, bright movies.
And this movie, really, the tone of it, felt more like a fall movie, or a movie for another time of year anyway, not the beginning of the summer.
HAMMER: And these movie executives have been talking -- in the article, you talked about a crisis management meeting that the studio held, which is a pretty big deal for a movie that was supposed to have done so well. So what went down behind those closed doors?
WAXMAN: Well, basically, I think they were just trying to assess the situation. I think they were really disappointed. They were really surprised. Don`t forget, it`s not just the movie`s not opening in a vacuum. This is the most competitive time of the year.
So you have got movies out there like "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," and Angelina Jolie we just saw, and "Madagascar," and "Star Wars." And it feels like people want to go out and have some eye candy and have some kind of mindless fun, you know?
And this is a much more thoughtful, serious movie. So the purpose of the meeting was to see if they could kind of regroup. Universal and Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, have still had and still have real Oscar hopes for this movie. And so they were trying to see what they could come up with to try and either reconfigure the advertising or let it play out and then maybe bring it back. That`s really what the hope is now, that they can bring it back in the fall in October for limited run so that, when it comes time for the Oscars, that voters will remember the film.
HAMMER: And I`m just curious, if they raised any concerns about the Russell Crowe arrest. Because the public`s been talking about it ever since it happened. And that proceeded the second weekend.
WAXMAN: Yes, well, you know, you never really know if those things help or hurt, because it gets your star`s name in the news and in the headlines. Of course, it`s not for a great thing, you know? He was arrested for throwing a telephone at somebody.
But I think that their analysis is that on balance, it didn`t -- it was kind of a wash. They couldn`t quite tell if it helped or hurt the movie. And really, by that point, the movie had already opened and it already didn`t perform to their expectations or to their hopes. So yes.
HAMMER: Well, who knows? And it`s a very interesting read in today`s "New York Times." Sharon Waxman, thank you very much for joining us.
WAXMAN: Thanks.
HAMMER: Still to come, we clue you in on a "Clueless" star`s marriage. Your first look at Alicia Silverstone`s wedding pictures.
Also, if you can`t beat `em, Yoakam. A country music superstar who came up with a unique hit-making sound. Dwight Yoakam joins us live.
And Hilary Swank and her husband, Chad Lowe, are involved in one big charade. He`s here to tell us about it, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY HILFIGER, DESIGNER: Hi, I`m Tommy Hilfiger. I`m listening to the Rolling Stones` greatest hits, because the Rolling Stones are the greatest rock band in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Another great rock band, Coldplay, they are hot all over the world. "X&Y" equals number one for the band on the Billboard chart just out today, and in 21 other countries, as well.
Some other big debuts on the album chart this week include the Black Eyed Peas whose debuted at number two with "Monkey Business." Also, the best sales week for the White Stripes. They`re debuting at number three with "Get Behind Me, Satan."
Shakira sets a new record for the best debut for a Spanish language album with her latest, which is at number four. In fifth place this week, Mariah Carey`s former number one, "The Emancipation of Mimi."
Well, tonight, in our first "Showbiz Sitdown," country star Dwight Yoakam. He has been in the music business for more than two decades. He`s won Grammies, sold more than 20 million albums, even done his fair share of acting.
Well, today, he`s out with a brand new album called "Blame the Vain." It`s the first album he produced all by himself. And Dwight Yoakam joins us now live from Hollywood.
Congratulations on the release of the album, Dwight. Nice to see you.
DWIGHT YOAKAM, COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER: Thank you, A.J. Nice to be here.
HAMMER: A lot of people liken the release of a brand-new album to having a baby. Do you have that feeling yourself?
YOAKAM: You know, in some ways. Only the delivery process is probably much more extended than having a baby. The baby, you know, I guess, well, depending on -- some women would argue with that, I guess.
Labor is usually, what, over a day period or a night, or you know, a few hours. This seems like the labor of this -- you know, when you finally start to mix it, and decide that it`s ready to put out, it can be, you know, a process that takes a couple of months to -- from that point to releasing it, it`s taken really about four months. So shooting the album cover and so forth like that. Yes, it`s an extended kind of delivery period.
HAMMER: But how great to go through all of that process and have the album come out. And it, of course, is released to the critics, you know, a little while before the public gets it and to great reviews. You received four out of five stars. Some people say it`s your best work in a long, long time.
Is that stuff important to you? Because a lot of artists do say, "You know, I`m just doing it for the fans." But it can`t hurt to have something nice written about you, right?
YOAKAM: Well, no. It never hurts to have things nice said about you. It`s always preferable to have things that are nice and positive said about you than just to have something said that`s negative.
But I really didn`t really come out of the eye of the storm of that record and think about those kinds of things until, you know, the last month or so here. And then, it`s to late to do anything about it -- do anything, you know, about it other than what the music can do for itself.
And my focus on this album has been to convey the kind of reckless joy that I felt about making music from the time I was a child until now. And the things that I heard and listened to -- as you led in, I saw Tommy Hilfiger was talking about the Stones. I`ve been listening to a recent re- release of their "Made in the Shade" album, because I remember driving around with a hot pink eight-track cassette in a `68 Impala that I had listening to those songs and that compilation when I was, you know, 17-, 18-years-old.
And have been listening to the White Stripes last album a lot in the last couple of months, "Elephant." And I`m a big fan of theirs. So music is, for me, about the joy of experiencing it every day that I have the opportunity to.
HAMMER: And real quickly, also, since you were a child, a close second to music has been acting. Of course, "Sling Blade" everybody remembers you from that tremendous role. I can`t believe that movie is almost ten years old. You have three movies coming out this year with some big stars, Salma Hayek, Vince Vaughn, Penelope Cruz. Is there one person you worked with this year who made a big impression on you?
YOAKAM: Well, obviously, the movie I did with Billy Bob Thornton in 1995 -- we just celebrated the tenth anniversary of the completion of filming. There`s a new DVD of it out. And it`s a director`s cut. It has some scenes that were deleted, put back in. I mean, it only runs another 15 minutes or so.
But my experience with Billy Bob, and recently my experience with Tommy Lee Jones, probably parallels the experience I had with Billy Bob as closely as anything I`ve ever done in film.
HAMMER: What a nice thing to have, once again.
YOAKAM: Yes, I`m really proud to have been a part of Tommy`s movie, "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada."
HAMMER: All right, Dwight Yoakam. We appreciate you spending some time with us tonight. Dwight`s brand-new CD, "Blame the Vain," is in stores now -- Karyn?
BRYANT: Well, from a country start to a wedding in the country. "Clueless" start Alicia Silverstone got married this past weekend. And tonight, "People" magazine has got the first look at the wedding pictures. Silverstone tied the knot with Christopher Jarecki on the shores of Lake Tahoe. He is the lead singer of the punk band STUN. And you can read more about their wedding in this week`s "People" magazine out Friday.
And now, it is time for another "Showbiz Sitdown," this time with actor Chad Lowe. In real life, he is actor Rob Lowe`s brother and husband of two-time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank. But on the small screen upcoming, Chad takes on the role of a father in the new Hallmark Channel movie, "Fielder`s Choice." In addition, he and his wife, Hilary, are executive producers on AMC`s "Celebrity Charades."
Chad, thanks for joining us here.
CHAD LOWE, ACTOR: Thanks for having me.
BRYANT: Yes. You know, the last time I sort of saw you, I was covering the Oscars. And I saw you with your wife. Obviously, it was a big night. What was it like when you went home that night? We saw the hamburger incident, right?
LOWE: Oh, yes. And that was strange, because we -- I mean, you know, we thought we were getting away from it all. We went to Astroburger on Santa Monica Boulevard. Everybody else was at Morton`s or wherever. We thought this would be our little hideout.
BRYANT: Nope.
LOWE: No one would know. No one would be the wiser. You know, it`s just an extraordinary thing to get to see the person you love more than anybody in the world, who you`re -- you know, have seen grow, who`re you`re -- you know, to be in that moment, accepting that kind of honor is just -- it`s an incredible experience. It`s very rewarding, and then you get back to life as usual, normal.
BRYANT: Well, is it normal, though? Because we`ve been talking a lot about the paparazzi lately. I mean, is that normal to you? Do you feel that you have got to look extra-sharp when you walk out of the door now because someone might be snapping your picture?
LOWE: No, I don`t think that anybody could ever get used to that. And I don`t think it is normal. And there`s certainly a line that is being crossed. And I think the debate now is, where is that line? You know, because, certainly, I think people are entitled to their private life.
And yet, you`re also -- there`s a certain obligation. I mean, you know, you know that`s part of the gig when you sign up for it. But I think the line has been definitely crossed. And I think we all have to figure out where it`s been crossed and how we might be able to remedy it, because it`s gotten to be very strange, actually. It makes you feel very self- conscious to think that anybody really cares that much to see a picture of you eating a cheeseburger. I guess after the Oscars, that`s one thing.
BRYANT: Right. It is one thing.
So I want to talk about "Charades." This is the thing -- I guess this is a television show that came out of a home -- you know, one night at your house or...
LOWE: Well, actually, Bob Baladan (ph) has had a legendary game here in New York City for years. And when we moved to New York, we met with Bob, and he invited us to come and play in this game. And we just had such a good time. And there was so much comedy, and conflict, and we learned so much about people that we thought we knew.
And we came up with this idea to have a running charades show. But it`s not really a game show. It`s kind of like a Robert Altman movie meets a Christopher Guest meets, kind of, "Annie Hall," kind of cinema-verite, documentary-style, you following me here?
BRYANT: Yes, yes.
LOWE: It`s very strange. And it`s going to be -- hopefully, it will have like a cult following, because it`s either going to be something people watch and really dig, and they think, "God, that was so great." Or they`re going to go, "I don`t quite get that." But it`s daring, you know? And AMC took a chance on it. And we had a blast shooting it, so...
BRYANT: And also, we`re going to be able to see you in "Fielder`s Choice." So you`re a busy man. It`s good to see.
LOWE: I am busy. It`s all good. I`m blessed.
BRYANT: Very nice. Well, Chad Lowe, thanks for stopping by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And of course, you can catch "Fielder`s Choice." It`s on the Hallmark Channel. That`s premiering June 18th. And "Celebrity Charades" on AMC begins June 20th.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. A Jackson family reality show: Would you watch? Only 15 percent of you say yes, you will watch; 85 percent say no, thank you.
HAMMER: It is time now to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
BRYANT: Here is the SHOWBIZ marquee.
MARQUEE GUY: Get ready for a good laugh with Robert Klein. He`s one funny guy, and we`re inclined to bring you Robert Klein, live tomorrow.
Also, Batman. How the caped crusader became the caped crusader, tomorrow. This is the Marquee Guy. Bye-bye.
HAMMER: That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Good night.
BRYANT: See you.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, everybody. I`m Catherine Callaway. Let`s get your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
The Senate`s considering raising the retirement age to 69, but the new law would only apply to Americans who are still 20 years or more from retirement. Currently, you can retire with full benefits at 65-and-a-half.
A Harrier jet crashed this afternoon near the Yuma, Arizona, Marine Corps air station. The pilot managed to eject safely from the plane about a mile away from where it crashed. There were no injuries reported on the ground and still no word on why the jet went down.
And the woman hailed for bringing a peaceful end to the manhunt following the Atlanta courthouse shootings has signed a book deal. Ashley Smith`s book will reportedly be called "Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero." It should be out this fall. Some of the proceeds will go to a memorial fund for the shooting victims.
That is the news for now. I`m Catherine Callaway.
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