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Showbiz Tonight
`War of the Worlds` Premieres; Publicists and Paparazzi
Aired June 23, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: I`m Karyn Bryant.
TV`s only live entertainment news show starts now. The war of the world`s world tour comes home. We are there live as Tom walks the red carpet. But will he bring Katie. And what if they had a scientology wedding, tonight a rare inside look at what happens in the world of scientology.
HAMMER: Also publicists and the paparazzi. Their love hate relationship. Tonight Jessica Simpson`s father joins us live with one of Hollywood`s most prominent star handler as we continue our special report "Inside the Paparazzi."
BRYANT: Lindsay Lohan one on one. You have heard the rumors about her weight, her partying now she sets the record straight. Lindsay Lohan in the SHOWBIZ sitdown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If it happened today, it is on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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HAMMER: Well, tonight we bring you a rare inside look at Tom Cruise`s mysterious and controversial religion scientology. And what Katie Holmes would have to go through if she converts. That is coming up in just a few minutes.
BRYANT: But first right now Cruise is wrapping up his worldwide "War of the Wars" promotional blitz right here in New York City. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live at the premiere where just a short time ago the man of the hour Tom Cruise walked a crowd of fans with Katie Holmes by his side. The beautiful fianc'e. Now, "War of the Worlds" hits theaters June 29, and Cruise and Holmes have been on a world wide promotional campaign first in Paris where they announced their engagement and then in London and now tonight in New York.
Director Steven Spielberg arrived at the premiere just a short time ago as well as Tom`s costar Dakota Fan.
HAMMER: Right now we are going to go live to the red carpet just outside the premiere at the Big Bell Theater here in New York. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny D`Attoma who covers the movie industry for us is live right now at the premier Jenny it looks like a wide crowd and I`m sure the place went nuts when Tom Cruise showed up. What is going on?
JENNY D`ATTOMA, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT PRODUCER: They certainly did, there are hundreds of fans lined up waiting for Tom Cruise. They are wearing t- shirts; they are showing pictures, waiting for autographs, take a look at that crowd out there. They are cheering. And standing with me right now is the man of the hour Tom Cruise.
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: And Steven Spielberg.
D`ATTOMA: So guys what is this like?
CRUISE: Wild, exciting.
D`ATTOMA: So many fans out here for you.
CRUISE: When we were making the movie we thought .
STEVEN SPIELBERG, DIRECTOR: We were dreaming about this. We said what if it was a really cool premiere and everybody was yelling and screaming.
CRUISE: It is a good party for summer.
SPIELBERG: Exactly. We had such a good time making this picture. And you won`t be able to tell when you are watching it because it is really scary but we did have a good time making it.
D`ATTOMA: Now tell me when you see all of these fans and you actually stop and sign photographs, I saw you signing hundreds of autographs and meeting your fans. Why is that so important to you?
CRUISE: It`s people. People are important. It`s nice to do that. It`s fun. You know? I mean that`s what we do. Steven does that, you know, and I -- I like talking to people, and I like doing that. They come out and I just want.
SPIELBERG: You know when they look at me and they yell, "Tom, Tom," I can`t resist walking over to them and putting my name on their pieces of paper. You know, ringing in my ears, for the last week in every country in Europe, "Tom, Tom!" and I love to sign when I hear the name, Tom.
D`ATTOMA: Tom, I have to ask you, is Katie, is she overwhelmed? Is she getting used to this?
CRUISE: You got to ask her. She`s just so cool, Katie, she`s so relaxed. You know, it`s just; it`s such a fun time. We`re just having giggles, you know, just giggling about it. It`s fun.
D`ATTOMA: You both look fabulous tonight.
CRUISE: Thank you.
D`ATTOMA: Who dresses who and do you coordinate your outfits?
CRUISE: No, I mean, I actually -- I picked out a couple of her dresses, I have to admit, you know, but she`s got great taste. She`s got great taste.
D`ATTOMA: After this is all wrapping up, are you going to take a little vacation, maybe plan a wedding?
CRUISE: Well, we`re going to plan the wedding. Steven`s shooting, and then I`m actually going into "MI: 3." You start shooting the 29th.
SPIELBERG: I`m already married. You asked me about planning my wedding? I`m already married.
CRUISE: No, you and Kate. Now he has a Kate, too, you know that.
D`ATTOMA: I know, a very lovely Kate.
SPIELBERG: Thank you.
CRUISE: J.J. Abrams has a Kate. And I met -- you have to understand - - "MI: 3" -- I met DePalma through you, J.J. Abrams because of Steven. He is the godfather of "Mission Impossible."
SPIELBERG: Oh, I love that.
(CROSSTALK)
SPIELBERG: Cut me on the profits now.
D`ATTOMA: All right, we`ve got to go. Thank you so much. Good luck to you and enjoy the premiere.
CRUISE: Thank you. Appreciate it. Take care.
D`ATTOMA: All right, so we`re just going to -- so A.J., we are just going to keep watching for celebrities and seeing these screaming fans and getting some more interviews here at the Red Carpet Premiere of "War of the Worlds."
HAMMER: All right nice job out there, Jenny, hanging with the stars, Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg. Well, that`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny D `Attoma, she covers the film industry for us. And we all know by now Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have this wedding to plan that Tom spoke of and it very well could be a scientology wedding. But what would that look like, if Katie does in fact convert? Well coming up in just a few minutes, we`ll go inside scientology to find out.
BRYANT: Well, he`s a prince among princes, and tonight he is also a college graduate. Prince William graduated from college today, but tonight he could become a brand-new target for the paparazzi. CNN`s Paula Hancocks is in London for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It`s a proud moment for any student.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: William Wales.
HANCOCKS: Being heir to the English throne makes you no exception. Prince William received his degree from St. Andrews University in Scotland, watched by a proud father and grandmother, better known as Prince Charles and the Queen of England. He`s now officially the smartest member of the royal family, walking away with better grades than his father.
But he is also walking away from four years of sanctuary from the media. The press has had an agreement to leave William in peace while he was studying, in return for guaranteed photo and interview opportunities. As an ordinary student, he could go and buy a newspaper from the local shop unhindered and unbothered by the press. After his graduation ball Friday night, that all changes.
DICKIE ARBITER, QUEEN`S FORMER PRESS SECRETARY: Come Saturday the 25th, the gloves are off, and William is out on his own in terms of the media. And, unfortunately, they`re going to be hunting him down and looking for him and trying to take photographs of him at every opportunity.
HANCOCKS: Media interest is likely to focus on the prince`s girlfriend, Kate Middleton, who also graduated from St. Andrews Thursday.
ROBERT LACEY, ROYAL BIOGRAPHER: There are no plans for them to be living together, so far as we know. But, obviously, it`s something that the press is going to look for and pry into, and that`s an obvious area where there are problems ahead.
J.D. HEYMAN, PEOPLE MAGAZINE: The royal family has a very funny relationship with the press. They need the press, and they very much manufacture events so they can be photographed in the press. But it is an uneasy relationship. Prince Charles has never been fond of reporters, and he did make a crack about a reporter he didn`t like, which was overheard when he was skiing with his sons recently.
PRINCE CHARLES: Bloody people. I can`t bear that man.
HANCOCKS: Next week, Prince William flies to New Zealand to watch the British Lions rugby tour. While he`s there, he will carry out his first solo public engagement, representing the queen for the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. That one royal duty signaling a major shift in Prince William`s role within the royal family.
HEYMAN: He`s going to be doing things that are gong to put him in the public eye a little bit more. It`s never been an easy relationship between the paparazzi and the royal family, but he is prepared for this. After all, this has been his whole life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: And let the record show that not only did Prince William earn a geography master`s degree, but he also scored much higher than his father, Prince Charles, who graduated from Cambridge.
HAMMER: Well Prince William could probably get some advice on how to deal with all the media attention from the subject of tonight`s first "Showbiz Sitdown," Lindsay Lohan. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is in Hollywood with that. Sibila.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That`s right, A.J. Her new movie, "Herbie: Fully Loaded," opened yesterday. Now Lohan played Maggie Peyton, the owner of number 53, a Volkswagen bug with a mind of its own. I sat down with the teen queen to talk about her new role and her life in the fast lane.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: What are some of the challenges of working with an inanimate object as your co-star?
LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: It`s interesting. Because you can feel silly at first. You say I`m talking to a car. At the same time, I really developed kind of a bond with the car, in a way. It`s a cool experience.
VARGAS: Did you learn anything about racing?
LOHAN: Oh, my gosh. I have so much respect for the NASCAR drivers. Because being in that car, not even driving when I first went in it, it was the scariest experience. I`m a better driver now because of it.
VARGAS: And speaking of -- I know recently you had a thing with the paparazzi. Has that made you more aware?
LOHAN: You know, I thought I was aware before it, because it`s been going on for a year now, that crazy. It`s just been published more with me and they`ve put pictures out more with me and more consistently, that`s for sure. But you feel like that will never happen to me. And it`s a wake-up call. And I think it`s -- I feel -- I kind of feel it sounds bad, and I hope it doesn`t happen again, but I feel good that it happened to me when I wasn`t with my family.
VARGAS: It seems like the world is just obsessed with everything that you do.
LOHAN: I`m flattered. You know, this is everything. This is a blessing what I do, and it comes with a lot of things. Nobody`s perfect. Everyone has their ups and downs. Everyone has their own opinion, and they`re entitled to it. And, you know, you learn from everything. And I`m 19 years old. It`s a learning experience. And I`ve been surrounding myself with fantastic people, and it`s a great time.
VARGAS: Yeah, I mean, you`ve got a really good attitude. But there`s that obsession, and it`s got to be hard. I mean, everything -- I mean, your look, you know, your weight. Do you think that there is pressure in Hollywood to be thin?
LOHAN: Oh, yeah, definitely, and it scares me, because my sister is 11, and she reads the tabloids. Everyone has their own reason for why they want to be thin and how they get that way. I`m healthy, and I`m not an idiot, and I have people around me that would say, "Hey, stop it," that I can trust and I will actually listen to. But I don`t want to be sick. I`m not like that. So, you know, work with a trainer and eat healthy, and people say you go out too much, and stress, and it is stressful, but I want to be in this for the longevity of my career. I don`t want to be a flash in the pan. That was never my intention. This is what I love to do. It`s just -- I`m out there right now, and I`m an easy target.
VARGAS: Do you ever feel, though, at times, that maybe you didn`t have a childhood? Because you`ve been working since you were 3.
LOHAN: I know. I feel like an old lady at this point. No, no, no, no. My family, especially my mother, was very stern about the fact that they wanted me in school and to experience going through high school and having an education and, you know, grow up with friends and go through all of that and have normal experiences. And I`ve always had that. My life south there, and it comes with the territory and being in the business. I wouldn`t give it up for everything.
VARGAS: What`s the biggest misconception about Lindsay Lohan?
LOHAN: That I`m out all the time and irresponsible. I should be writing a book next year about you know, there`s a lot of misconceptions and there will be, and I understand that. But don`t believe what you read.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: Lindsay also told me that while she`s enjoying being blonde at the moment for a film role, she is looking forward to going back to being a redhead. So not all blondes have more fun. A.J.
HAMMER: All right Sibila. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas in Hollywood thanks very much.
Well, Lindsay Lohan certainly has spent plenty of time in front of the flashing cameras from the paparazzi. Much like another famous young singer and actress, Jessica Simpson. Tonight in our series "Inside the Paparazzi," we`ll hear from Joe Simpson, Jessica`s dad and manager, about the relationship the paparazzi have with the publicists and their famous clients. That`s coming up at 33 minutes past the hour.
BRYANT: Also coming up -- Scientology secrets. Tom has been a Scientologist for years. Now Katie is looking into it. Just ahead, we`ve got a rare look inside Scientology.
HAMMER: Plus, the runaway bride. Her book deal, her fianc'. Well, Dr. Phil has some pretty strong opinions about that and a whole lot more. Dr. Phil`s prescription coming up.
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HAMMER: Well, just a few minutes ago you saw Tom Cruise live right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT as we covered the New York City Premiere of his new movie, "War of the Worlds." Some say his publicity blitz for the movie has been overshadowed by the over-the-top romance going on and the engagement he announced to Katie Holmes and his devotion to scientology. Well CNN correspondent Jason Carroll got a rare tour of the Church of Scientology New York Center. Jason is here to show this tonight to sort of run us through what he found out. Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A quick run through for you, as you know Scientologists rarely open their doors for a look at what`s inside and they did and they showed us some of the things someone would have to go through in order to convert.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL (voice over): While Tom Cruise appeared at a press conference today to plug his new film, "War of the Worlds," it was his new love, actress Katie Holmes and the religion they now share, scientology, that interested many of the reporters.
CRUISE: There are things in my life, and Scientology, and tools, that I have spoken of before that apply to my life that help me to overcome barriers and problems with my life.
CARROLL: Holmes, a Catholic, has talked about her interest in Scientology, telling "People" magazine, "I know how important it is to Tom, and I want to be able to share that with him." But how? Does Scientology have rules of courtship? Public displays of affection appear to be OK. What about guidelines of conversion? Scientologists are typically reluctant to talk to the media.
But the New York Center gave me a two-hour tour of their facility and agreed to answer our questions via e-mail. On the subject of dating, Ed Parkin, scientology`s vice president of cultural affairs, says there are no rules. "The church does not try to regulate personal lives. We provide a path by which people can become more honest." And that path is through conversion. Rick Ross studies new religions like Scientology.
RICK ROSS, RELIGION EXPERT: I think that Tom Cruise has Katie Holmes on the fast track of indoctrination and absorption into Scientology.
CARROLL: If Holmes converts, one of the first things she`ll go through is what the church calls a "purification rundown." It takes place on one of the upper floors here at the New York Center. A person, or "thetan," as they`re called in Scientology, exercises, sits in a sauna and takes vitamins to clear the body of toxins. Parkin says, "By ridding the body of these toxins, an individual can experience spiritual relief." Katie Holmes could also seek spiritual relief through auditing sessions. Church auditors use a device called an e-meter, seen here in Scientology literature, to sort through negative parts of a person`s past.
ROSS: So what the e-meter does is measures your nervous tension and it enables the auditor to dig deeper into the things that are bothering you.
CARROLL: Information from auditing sessions goes into a confidential personal file kept by the church. Since they began dating, Cruise and Holmes have been spotted with this woman on several occasions. She`s Jessica Rodriguez, a ranking member of the church. In our e-mail interview, Parkin would not say if she`s Holmes` auditor, saying, "Jessica Rodriguez was invited along on the tour by Ms. Holmes as a friend." Tom Cruise makes no secret of his support of scientology. The studio allowed Cruise to have an information tent on the set of "War of the Worlds."
Recently, Cruise fired his longtime publicist, replacing her with his sister, also a Scientologist. The tabloids claim Holmes is cutting off ties to her old friends. But she`s ignoring her critics. Katie Holmes has unofficially says if she will convert. If she goes through the entire process she could reach what Scientologists call a state of clear, a point when the mind is free from all negative parts of a person`s past. A.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Fascinating stuff. Thanks very much, Jason. Appreciate that.
And now we would like to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Scientology in Hollywood: Is it getting a bad rap? You can vote by going to CNN.com/showbiz tonight, got more to say send us an email SHOWBIZTONIGHT@cnn.com is our address and we`re going to share some of what you had to say later on in the show.
BRYANT: Well the "Showbiz" guide to online music is coming up next.
Plus, what does most of America think of Michael Jackson`s acquittal? Dr. Phil has a word or two on the subject. We`ll hear what he has to say, coming up.
And our series "Inside the Paparazzi" continues. Tonight the relationship between the stars, the photographers and the publicists. Ashlee and Jessica Simpson`s father/manager joins us live to fill us in, that is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT where it`s time for the "Showbiz guide this is where we help you decide where to spend your dollars on movies, music, DVDs and more. Tonight, it is your guide to music online. Joining us live to give you some ideas, Barry Jeckell, editor-in-chief from Billboard.com, thanks for joining us Barry. I want to get right to it with AOL they seem to be leading the way with online music, sessions at AOL. What else do they have to offer?
BARRY JECKELL, BILLBOARD.COM: Right now they`re moving a lot of things that used to be behind a firewall for members only to AOLMUSIC.com. It`s a free site with a lot of great offerings. One of the main things that is there right now is an opportunity to buy tickets for the Backstreet Boys, and they`re having a big concert tour this summer. You can buy two tickets online and get two free lawn seats for any show at a clear channel venue.
BRYANT: It`s almost as if the chaperones can go chill out on the lawn maybe while the youngsters are sitting in the seats.
JECKELL: Undoubtedly, and it is also a way to get people back into the venues after a couple of summers of high prices and restrictions at the venues where you couldn`t bring a blanket in or you couldn`t bring food in. All of those things have faded away. It is really good.
BRYANT: Let`s talk about Amazon.com, talking about things that are just for members only. They`ve got something literally for just the people that work with Amazon?
JECKELL: Well the people that work with Amazon will be treated to a tenth anniversary concert in Seattle on July 16th. Amazon.com was started in a garage and now a mega place. They`ll celebrate with a concert with Bob Dylan and Norah Jones. It`s going to be Norah Jones` only appearance in the United States this year so it is a big deal. For everyone, tune in to Amazon.com and see it live, it will stream online.
BRYANT: I want to talk about some individual artists; They Might Be Giants, always very popular with college kids. What are they doing?
JECKELL: Fabulous, they`ve been around for more than 20 years, they are always on tour, they are actually recording stuff for kids as well as their normal quirky stuff, but they go on tour and they record all of their shows and offer most of them online either for a price sometimes for free. They also record songs on their last tour, a specific song for each venue they were in. And what they did is compiled them all. You can buy the disc online.
BRYANT: Natalie Merchant is doing something similar, releasing her own music?
JECKELL: Well she left a major label world, started her own label for the last album and now she`s working on a couple of songs for a greatest hits that will be an addition. She has also put a song called "The Good Old Way" which is an old spiritual that she has recorded and streaming live on her site is the only place you can hear it.
BRYANT: Very good, well thank you for joining us. Barry Jeckell from Billboard.com.
Still to come, Dr. Phil speaks out on the Michael Jackson verdict.
Plus our series "Inside the Paparazzi," what does Jessica and Ashley Simpson`s dad think about the paparazzi chasing his famous daughters? We`re going to find out when he joins us live.
HAMMER: And what sparks Hal Sparks` attention? Plenty, these days. The comedian and "Queer as Folk" actor joins us live, coming up in the "Showbiz Sitdown."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts. And here`s your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
Police in Aruba have made another arrest in connection with an Alabama teen`s disappearance. Aruban Judge Paul Van Der Sloot was first questioned over the weekend in the case of Natalee Holloway. His 17-year-old son is among four other people around in custody. Natalee`s aunt says, from the start, Natalee`s parents thought the judge knew something about the disappearance.
And a reminder of the sweeping powers possessed by the U.S. Supreme Court. If your local government wants to seize your house and give it to a private developer, it now has the permission of the high court. In a sharply divided ruling, the justices voted to expand the government power of eminent domain.
And fire crews in the West are making some headway against several fires burning in California and Arizona. Outside of Palm Springs, 1,000 people were allowed to return to their homes today. Meanwhile, just outside of Phoenix, Arizona, a fire there has burned about 30,000 acres so far and destroyed at least ten structures.
That is the news for now. Thanks so much for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts. We take you back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: "Inside the Paparazzi," our special series, continues. Tonight, how stars just can`t live with `em, can`t live without `em. We`ll chat with Joe Simpson. And he`s Jessica and Ashlee`s dad and manager, coming up live.
BRYANT: And the doctor is in, and he is speaking out. Dr. Phil has a lot to say about Tom Cruise, the runaway bride, and Michael Jackson. And we`re going to hear it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VANESSA CARLTON, MUSICIAN: Hi, I`m Vanessa Carlton. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 31 minutes past the hour. I`m Karyn Bryant.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Here are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
BRYANT: A royal graduation. Today, Britain`s Prince William graduated from college, or "university," as they call it across the pond. The 23-year-old son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana was one of 260 graduates of St. Andrews University in Scotland. With the graduation, the prince loses his protection from the media. His father had struck a deal to allow his sons, William and Harry, to complete their education without press attention.
HAMMER: And we`re at the "War of the Worlds" New York premiere. You are looking live at the Ziegfeld Theater. It`s just a few blocks away from Headline Prime studios here in Manhattan. Tom Cruise, with fiancee Katie Holmes, co-star Dakota Fanning, Steven Spielberg, who directed the film, of course, all walking the red carpet. Just a short time ago, we spoke with Cruise and Spielberg about the movie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUISE: When we were making a movie we thought...
SPIELBERG: We dreamed about this.
CRUISE: Yes.
SPIELBERG: We said, "What if it was a really cool premiere, and everybody was yelling and screaming?" That would be fun.
CRUISE: It was a good party for summer.
SPIELBERG: Exactly. But you know, we had such a good time making this picture. And you won`t be able to tell when you`re watching it, because it`s really scary, but we did have a good time making it.
CRUISE: We had a great time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Well, Tom Cruise has been quite public about his religious beliefs. So much so that his convictions are getting about as much attention as his career. Now, tonight, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Scientology in Hollywood: Is it getting a bad rap? You can keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. You can write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com And your e-mails are coming up at 54 past the hour.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, we once again take away more of the mystery surrounding the business of the paparazzi, as we continue our week-long series, "Inside the Paparazzi."
This week, we`ve revealed the story behind how the paparazzi do what they do as they chase down the celebrities, camera in hand, day after day. Tonight, we speak to the power players who must deal with their stars winding up in all the newspapers and magazines. And we`re going to find out how they deal with the paparazzi game.
So joining us live from Hollywood to talk about, Joe Simpson of JT Entertainment. Joe also happens to be the father and manager of two singing superstars, his daughters, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson.
And joining us live here in New York City, publicist Ken Sunshine, of Ken Sunshine Consultants, who reps the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Affleck.
Joe, I want to start with you. The paparazzi: Do you love `em? Do you hate `em? Is it a little bit of both?
JOE SIMPSON, FATHER OF JESSICA AND ASHLEE SIMPSON: You love to hate `em. And you know, certain of the paparazzi are really good to us, and treat us right, and are respectful of the girls and their privacy, and then also their job. And then obviously, there are those who go past that line.
HAMMER: And Ken, I want to throw sort of the same question at you. Paparazzi, good or bad for you, or again, is it sort of a blend?
KEN SUNSHINE, KEN SUNSHINE CONSULTANTS, INC.: It`s not a blend. It`s mostly bad. And it`s gotten much worse the last couple of years.
The old-fashioned paparazzis, they would annoy people like me representing certain clients. But that is nothing compared to these out- of-control stalkerazzis, as we call them now, who are, I think, committing crimes and making life miserable for people trying to live a normal life in places like L.A.
HAMMER: And I want to talk more about the stalkerazzi in just a moment.
But Joe, I want to ask you about your daughter`s relationships with the paparazzi, because rarely have I seen Jessica, who gets an awful lot of press, portrayed in a bad light. Is that a strategy that you`ve had? Have you worked out a deal? Is it all about just really stopping and taking your time with them and doing the right thing?
SIMPSON: Well, you know, to begin with, we`re from Texas. So we`ve learned to always be courteous and kind, and that`s the first part of us.
You know, we try to be good to people. We try to be honest. The annoying part is, obviously, when they don`t allow us to be honest. They print, you know, whatever they want to. And that`s, you know, that`s the horrible part of this business, is that there`s no way you can defend whatever`s in print because, for some reason, it has to be true.
HAMMER: Well, all week long we`ve been speaking with some of the biggest photographers in the business, trying to get an understanding of how all of this works. We spoke to E.L. Woody, one of the biggest on the West Coast, Steve Sands, who is here in New York City, among others.
And maybe, Ken, you can give me a sense of this. They say that, at times, publicists will tip them off to let them know where their stars are going to be and when. Does that actually happen, and if so, how does that work out?
SUNSHINE: Sure, it does. I mean, I don`t do it. I don`t represent clients that want me to do it. I wouldn`t represent any clients that want me to tip paparazzis to tell them so that they can intrude on their personal lives. But unfortunately, I think there are publicists that play a cruel game with A-level celebrities. They`ll sell out the well-known celebrity to try to get the unknown celebrity in some of these magazines or on TV shows.
HAMMER: And do you think this is being done without the knowledge of these A-listers?
SUNSHINE: I know it`s being done without their knowledge. And people come to me all the time saying, "Do you know what is going on?" I`m a little guy in New York. Unlike Joe, who`s done an amazingly great job for his daughters, I`m from New York. I`m not so polite.
And let me tell you, nobody should be polite to these idiots that are doing what they`re doing, particularly in L.A. And there`s no reason why Joe`s daughters or my clients should be besieged by people, I think, acting in an absolutely outrageous manner, putting cameras to somebody`s face, refusing to stop, screaming and carrying on to try to get a reaction.
That`s what we`re talking about. It`s not this sort of polite taking a photo at an embarrassing moment. I could live with that. I don`t like it.
HAMMER: And to be sure, that does happen. I mean, it`s not all bad.
SUNSHINE: Of course. And obviously, there`s a distinction to be made. I mean, taking a picture of one of my clients when he doesn`t look so great coming out of Starbucks, I don`t like it. I wish they wouldn`t do it. But that`s different than car chasers down the Hollywood hills or chasing Joe`s daughters, you know, into a bathroom. I`ve seen stalkerazzis hide in stalls in bathrooms.
HAMMER: What about your experiences with that, Joe? Have you had any bad experiences with photographers?
SIMPSON: Of course we have. You know, right now, the girls live in gated communities, so they sit outside the gated community and wait until the girls leave. I mean, Jessica and Nick went to Palm Springs last weekend. They followed them from their house all the way to Palm Springs. Then they hid in the trees while they were there. So absolutely.
HAMMER: And what do you do about that, Joe?
SIMPSON: You try to do the best you can. You know, at times we`ve had to call the police because they wouldn`t let the girls get out of their car. They wouldn`t until they got the shot they wanted, you know.
Some of these guys are really -- you know, they`re really evil. But it`s all money-motivated. I mean, you know, the real evil person here is the tabloid magazines who are paying, you know, thousands and thousands of dollars to say to these guys, "You know, get that worst photograph of Jessica, or Ashlee, or whatever, and that`s worth $50,000, or $100,000, or $1 million," whatever.
HAMMER: Got it. And particularly, not only is the manager, but as a father, that has to be pretty tough on you when you know that that`s going on. And it`s presenting potentially threatening situations.
SIMPSON: Absolutely. You know, it`s a scary thing. You wish there was some way to deal with it. You know, I haven`t found it.
I`ve tried talking to the magazines. I`ve tried saying, you know -- and they will then say, "Look, you know, if you`ll just give us access, we`ll treat you right. We won`t, you know -- people are dying to know, so if you`ll tell us, you know?"
And then what they do is they do print that story, but they also print the other story on the next page or, you know, they give you the last three lines of the story and say, "But, you know, Jessica says," or "Jessica Simpson`s father says, blah, blah, blah." And it`s almost like, you know, no one really believes him, and he`s lying anyway or Jessica.
And it`s quite frustrating. You end up just saying absolutely nothing, except, "I`ll sue you."
HAMMER: So, Ken, from a publicist`s standpoint, for somebody who doesn`t deal with the paparazzi, and you`re not out there tipping them off, how do you manage when the photos get taken, and how they get taken, and who takes them?
SUNSHINE: Well, at a certain point, you can`t manage it. You know, we have a precious thing called the First Amendment in this country. Unfortunately, these creeps are hiding behind the First Amendment and doing things that in no civilized society should be tolerated.
I mean, I scream. I try to cajole. I even try to be charming to, frankly, to embarrass magazine editors. And some of the TV shows are guilty, also, for some of the video footage into, you know, how can you look yourself in the mirror by printing some of the things you do or blatantly lying about photos?
The most embarrassing photo, or photo of somebody kissing somebody, hello, making believe it`s a big love affair. I mean, this kind of stuff goes on all the time. And I think the public out there, who loves celebrity coverage -- and look, I`ve earned a good living, and Joe does, in part, because of the celebrity culture. That`s not part of the celebrity culture. That`s lying, and cheating, and abusing the First Amendment, and that should not be tolerated.
HAMMER: OK. And naturally, the publicity is, you know, goes hand-in- hand with what you guys do. And I really appreciate you giving us your insight from both sides of it. Ken Sunshine and Joe Simpson, thanks for joining us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT
Now, tomorrow night, our "Inside the Paparazzi" special will continue. We`re going to take an inside look at the magazine wars. We`re going to speak live with a couple of the biggest buyers of paparazzi photos. Those are the celebrity tabloids.
How do they decide what will sell, and how do they respond to what the critics are saying about contributing to reckless, even dangerous, journalism, some of what we`re talking about here tonight? That`s going to happen tomorrow, right here on TV`s only live entertainment news show, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: Well, still to come, he never holds back. So what does Dr. Phil prescribe for tom and Katie? His point-blank thoughts are next.
And you can bet Hal Sparks has a thing or two to say about them. He`s the "Queer as Folk" star and the guy from "I Love the `70s," the "`80s," and the "`90s." And he`s going to be stopping by live, as well. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, Dr. Phil is weighing in on two of the most talked-about stories in the news these days. First, the Michael Jackson verdict. Now, Dr. Phil used to be a jury consultant. On last night`s "Tonight Show," Phil said he doesn`t think anyone on the Jackson jury actually thinks that Jackson is innocent, but given the burden of proof, he wasn`t at all surprised by the acquittal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. PHIL MCGRAW, "DR. PHIL": The jury didn`t find Michael Jackson innocent. They found him not guilty. If this thing was based on common sense, they`d have put him under the jail.
Just based on what we all heard in the interview that he did before, where the little kid is sitting there next to him, and he`s talking about being in bed, anybody -- you would have to be the town fool to not know that that`s creepy, at best.
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Right.
MCGRAW: I mean, is there anybody here that would have your kids babysat by Michael Jackson? I mean...
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Dr. Phil also chimed in on the runaway bride. He said, essentially, who cares if the woman ran away and hid? She shouldn`t be on television every other day. In fact, Phil said the only one who should care is her fiance, who still wants to marry her. And that people who wasted their time searching for her should care, as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCGRAW: While people were looking for her, they weren`t dealing with real people who needed protection and service.
LENO: Exactly, exactly.
MCGRAW: And that`s the problem.
LENO: Exactly.
MCGRAW: And somebody gave her a book deal. By the time that ink`s dry on that book and it`s out, is there anybody that will care?
LENO: Right.
MCGRAW: Here`s a clue. If she hides in the woods for three weeks to not marry you the first time, that`s not a good bet.
LENO: Right.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Jay Leno also asked Dr. Phil about Tom and Katie, of course. He kind of dodged the question but he did say that studies show long engagements don`t necessarily mean long marriages, for whatever that`s worth.
BRYANT: Tonight, another "Showbiz Sitdown," this time with actor/comedian Hal Sparks. Of course you know him from Showtime`s "Queer as Folk." You`ve probably also seen his nostalgic commentary in the VH-1 series "I Love the `70s," "I Love the `80s," "I Love the `90s."
Well, Hal is appearing tonight at the New York comedy club Caroline`s. He`s also joining us now live.
Hal, thanks for coming. And I want to talk about the things Phil just talked about.
HAL SPARKS, "QUEER AS FOLK": Right. Yes.
BRYANT: So your take on the runaway bride?
SPARKS: You know, I honestly don`t think it`s news, although I am looking forward to the sequel, "Runaway Bride 2," which I hear is on the way. The book deal was, what, $500,000? So after her fine, and the cost of paying the caterer, and the new hiring the hotel to get the, you know, party, I think she`ll walk away with like 12 bucks. I think like that? Which is the price of the book, so she can read her own -- she`ll be the one person to buy a copy of her own book.
BRYANT: If that were your fiancee, would you stay with her?
SPARKS: My fiance would run away, you know, on the day before the wedding. She would run away well before, probably when I asked. So, no.
BRYANT: They`d give her the Heisman.
SPARKS: She totally would. I have -- no, you don`t have a ring. Bye.
BRYANT: All right, then let`s move on. Then what about the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes whirlwind?
SPARKS: Here, I think -- you know what? He`s only guilty of exuberance. And I think, if you`ve been famous since you were 16-years- old, you are -- I think you get, what is it, every seven years you get a mental breakdown, you`re allowed to freak out because you live in a glass bubble?
And as far as Scientology goes, I have as much respect for Scientology as I do for any other religion, which is almost none. I just care how you act. You know what I mean? And I think, ultimately, he`s kind a good guy. So whatever he wants to do with his free time is his own business. And he`s got a good smile. Make people happy, dude. He`s fine.
BRYANT: He`s a movie star. People love him around the world.
SPARKS: Yes, right. Yes, yes, yes. That little machine`s a little creepy, though, that they have, or whatever, the little Nintendo...
(CROSSTALK)
SPARKS: Yes, the new -- you know, the soul Nintendo or whatever it is? Yes, that creeps me out. But...
BRYANT: And Michael Jackson?
SPARKS: Michael Jackson, I think, his case would have been helped a lot if he didn`t look like something from "The Dark Crystal." But unfortunately he does. You know, he suffered from the same thing that Dr. Kevorkian did. If Kevorkian had looked like Santa, his bill might have gotten passed. But unfortunately, he looks like death itself.
You know, Michael is guilty. And I think anybody on the jury that said he was innocent should have sent their kids to be babysat by him the following weekend to prove their belief in the verdict. I think that`s logical.
BRYANT: Nice. Well, so obviously, you`re well-entrenched in the standup comedy right now.
SPARKS: It`s true.
BRYANT: You`re riffing right now. I do want to talk about "Queer as Folk," though, because the show is a ground-breaking show on Showtime.
SPARKS: It is, yes.
BRYANT: There`s now talk that there`s going to be the LOGO Network, a gay network.
SPARKS: Right.
BRYANT: Do you think that`s a good idea? Do you think it`s in one of those things where you`re just going to preach to the converted, and the ones who need the new ideas aren`t even going to tune in?
SPARKS: See, I think the truth is, it`s sad that it`s necessary at this point, but it is. So maybe it will change some hearts and minds. When "Queer as Folk" came on, people thought that, you know, only the people who believed in it already would watch and that it would be a very narrow audience.
The truth is, we built more bridges with that show than people even know. And I get letters all the time from people who go, "I`m now in contact with my son, whom my husband and I had not talked to for years because he was gay," and that kind of thing.
And you know, you`re bringing families back together. That`s a healthy thing. So there`s no bad thing that will come from this.
BRYANT: But what about the idea -- last question, quickly -- what if there was the Straight White Guy Network?
SPARKS: There is. There`s like 20 of them. That`s the whole point, I think, which is why they need theirs, yes.
BRYANT: I guess it`s the overt nature of calling it...
(CROSSTALK)
SPARKS: If you accept gay people, they won`t have to have pride parades anymore. I think that`s the rule. You know what I mean? You only have a pride parade when people have their hand in your face all the time, you know what I mean?
BRYANT: Good point.
SPARKS: Yes.
BRYANT: Well, Hal Sparks, thanks for joining us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
SPARKS: Cheers.
BRYANT: And good luck to you tonight at Caroline`s in New York City.
SPARKS: Thanks.
BRYANT: A.J.?
HAMMER: All right, guys. Well, it`s time now to get your laugh on in "Laughter Dark." As we do every night, we bring you the late-night laughs you might have missed.
On the "Late Show with David Letterman," Dave asked "Herbie: Fully Loaded" star Michael Keaton to recall a favorite summertime memory. But by the sound of it, it was a little more traumatic than memorable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL KEATON, ACTOR: And then, apparently -- oh, I do remember this -- we were leaving one day. There was like 19 of us or something. I have a big family. And the door came open, and I was on the end.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW": The car door?
KEATON: The car door. And we were going up around the bend. And the car door swung open, and I fell out.
(LAUGHTER)
KEATON: And I remember going out, and getting up, and doing it -- really, one of those great old parachute rolls, you know, kind of like hitting and rolling and, like, looking up. And to me, the car looked about seven miles away. You know?
(LAUGHTER)
KEATON: And that was a really -- you know, the normal kid would go, "Oh, this hurts," or something. And I just remember seeing the car going (INAUDIBLE) and I get up and I ran after it. My little underpants fallen down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Which is never good. Tonight on "The Late Show," "War of the Worlds" star Tom Cruise.
BRYANT: There is still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Scientology in Hollywood: Is it getting a bad rap? You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote on-line on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Scientology in Hollywood: Is it getting a bad rap?
We`re going to take a look at how the vote is going so far. Twenty- five percent of you say, yes, it is getting a bad rap; 75 percent of you say, no, it isn`t. These are your e-mails.
Melanie from Illinois writes, "If the church would be less secretive, perhaps more people would be less negative."
And Morris from Missouri says, "I have been a member of the Church of Scientology for over 35 years. It is great to see Tom Cruise successful and attributing that success to Scientology."
Now, you at home can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
HAMMER: Karyn, why don`t you and I take a look at what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow?
BRYANT: Can we, please?
HAMMER: Yes, we can.
BRYANT: Marquee Guy, take it away.
MARQUEE GUY: Tomorrow, we wrap up our "Inside the Paparazzi" series with the ones that fork over the big bucks for the big pictures. The tabloids, how they make sure no one just glosses over their glossies. We`ll find out, tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also tomorrow, we got lots of game. Summer blockbusters, summer video games, "Batman," "Revenge of the Sith," "The Fantastic Four." Bring some quarters and come join us in the game room, tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
This is the Marquee guy. A.J. and Karyn, I`m game. Are you game?
BRYANT: I`m game. Do you game at all, A.J.?
HAMMER: You know, I gamed when I was younger and I never got back into it.
BRYANT: It`s fun.
HAMMER: I was a huge "Asteroids" player.
BRYANT: Sure.
HAMMER: Had the Atari 2600.
BRYANT: You know, I was all about (INAUDIBLE) but there are some incredible games right now. The graphics, it`s worth checking out.
HAMMER: "Fantastic Four," I hear is amazing.
BRYANT: Yes, very night. Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN HEADLINE NEWS.
ROBERTS: Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts. Let`s get you up to speed with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
Iraq is not in a quagmire, so says Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld who appeared today before a very tense Senate hearing on the war. But he also warned Iraq`s government not to delay important political steps, such as drafting a constitution. The top U.S. commander in the Middle East, General John Abizaid, testified the Iraqi insurgency is as strong as it was at the start of the year and failed to endorse Vice President Dick Cheney`s claim insurgents are in, quote, "their last throes."
Justice is served 41 years later. Today, a judge in Philadelphia, Mississippi, sentenced former Ku Klux Klansman Edgar Ray Killen to 60 years behind bars. The 80-year-old Baptist preacher was convicted of manslaughter for the 1964 killings of three civil rights workers.
And three young boys remain missing in what is being called the nation`s most dangerous city. Police in Camden, New Jersey, are scouring the neighborhood of the nearby Delaware River for the 5-, 6- and 11-year- olds who disappeared yesterday.
That is the news for now. Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts.
END
