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Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight for July 5, 2005, CNNHN
Aired July 05, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: I`m Karyn Bryant.
JASON CARROLL, CO-HOST: And I`m Jason Carroll. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL (voice-over): Tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, worlds apart, or are they? Make-believe horror, real-life horror. The chilling similarities between "War of the Worlds" and the most tragic day in American history.
BRYANT: Also, "The Fantastic Four," live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." It`s the summer movie that many are saying is the one to beat, and we`ve got a fantastic interview with the fantastic cast, including Jessica Alba and Michael Chiklis, live.
CARROLL: And, star pitchers. Your favorite celebrities -- plugging your favorite products. How much do they make for that, and does Paris get paid to party? We reveal the secrets they may not want you to know about, tonight, live.
CHERYL HINES, ACTRESS: I`m Cheryl Hines, and if it happened today, it`s own SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: Hello. I`m Karyn Bryant.
CARROLL: And I`m Jason Carroll. A.J. Hammer is off tonight, getting some R&R.
BRYANT: That`s right. Well, tonight, "War of the Worlds," and the war on terrorism. The final numbers came in today, and Tom Cruise`s new movie opened really big at the box office.
CARROLL: But the millions of people who went to see it may not have expected to be reminded of September 11 and the nightmare of that day, when terrorists hit the Pentagon and brought down the World Trade Center.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S David Haffenreffer is here with us right now with the story -- David.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jason and Karyn, Steven Spielberg`s "War of the Worlds" has definitely struck a chord with Americans, not only because it`s a compelling modern day remake of a sci-fi classic but because of how reminiscent it is of one of America`s darkest and most tragic moments.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: Rachel?
DAKOTA FANNING, ACTRESS: Dad?
CRUISE: Need your suitcase.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): It`s a story of fear.
CRUISE: Get down!
HAFFENREFFER: Of survival and of war, timeless themes that make up the classic story told in "War of the Worlds." Aliens invade and try to exterminate Earth.
This updated version of the 1938 sci-fi thriller hits close to home in a post-9/11 world. Some can`t help but make comparisons.
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: There are absolute echoes of 9/11 in this film. At one point the child, Dakota Fanning, who`s Tom Cruise`s little daughter, when the attacks first happens, she goes, "Are they terrorists?" People are sort of running in masks, covered with ash. You have that sense that this was on Spielberg`s mind.
HAFFENREFFER: as a matter of fact it was on Spielberg`s mind.
STEVEN SPIELBERG, DIRECTOR: There are politics, certainly, underneath some of the scares and some of the adventure and some of the fear, but I really, you know, wanted to make it suggestive enough that everybody could have their own opinion.
HAFFENREFFER: Moviegoers coming out of theaters just a mile away from Ground Zero certainly formed their own opinion on this one, and they tell me the 9/11 theme didn`t go unnoticed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was unsettling, of course, because whether you relate back to 9/11 or whether a relative got killed in the plane crash or -- I think this film is going to evoke a lot of those sort of feelings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The falling of the bodies and the clothes, I guess. There`s a lot of dust in the air, and I guess that would be similar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was like a terrorist attack again, all over again.
HAFFENREFFER: Spielberg has said that "War of the Worlds" is an iconic story, best told during international crises.
SCOTT BOWLES, "USA TODAY": Steven Spielberg has always said that "War of the Worlds" is a time for us to examine our place in the world, how we handle confrontation, how we handle attacks. The film is really a parallel for how the world views itself, when it`s at war.
ORSON WELLES, ACTOR/DIRECTOR: New York City, the bells you hear are ringing to warn the people to evacuate the city, as Martians approach.
HAFFENREFFER: In 1938 amidst fears of Nazi Germany marching into Europe, Orson Welles first broadcast "War of the Worlds" over the radio and sent families fleeing their homes, looking for cover from what they thought was a real Martian attack.
It was the same in 1953. On the cusp of the Cold War and America`s growing distrust of Russia, the first "War of the Worlds" movie hit theaters.
BOWLES: During each of those decades, filmmakers saw "War of the Worlds" as the perfect parallel for how Americans would handle possible invasions. It`s always sort of struck at the chord of viewers, of audiences of that fear, and 9/11 is that embodied.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: And "War of the Worlds" struck a chord not only with the America but the entire world. Internationally, the film brought in about $102.5 million, Japan and the U.K. each topping $15 million.
And here in the U.S., box office sales were sky high, $77 million over the four-day weekend. That`s a big haul, Karyn.
BRYANT: Yes, it is. Thank you very much, David Haffenreffer.
Well, while the numbers for "War of the Worlds" are certainly big, could it, and should it, have done even better? Well, did Tom Cruise`s romance and ranting publicity blitz help or hurt the picture?
Joining us live in Hollywood to talk about it, Paul Degarabedian, president and CEO of exhibitor relations. It`s a company that tracks box office numbers.
Paul, was it as big as expected?
PAUL DEGARABEDIAN, PRESIDENT/CEO, EXHIBITOR RELATIONS: Well, I think, considering this box office malaise we`ve been in, it did extremely well. We`ve had 19 down weekends in a row, and for this film to have earned $113 million in its first six days is very impressive.
This also marks the biggest opening weekend, believe it or not, for Tom Cruise, and so -- and the second biggest opening weekend for director Spielberg.
So I would have to say this is a hit. People lined up this weekend. It was their first choice for the Fourth of July holiday, and I`d have to say, it did extremely well.
BRYANT: Well, I`m glad you touched on that. I wanted to talk about the past track record for Tom Cruise and Spielberg.
DEGARABEDIAN: Yes.
BRYANT: Because certainly, they`ve had some huge openings in the past.
DEGARABEDIAN: Oh, yes. Yes, definitely. And you know, Spielberg, no stranger to the blockbuster. He sort of almost invented that genre. He had $72.1 million with "The Lost World." "Jurassic Park," this comes in second to that with a Friday through Sunday gross of $65 million.
And for Cruise, this beats "Mission: Impossible 2," which opened with about $57 million. So this is very impressive.
BRYANT: Not bad. But what about this coming weekend, though. "The Fantastic Four" will be opening. "Mr. And Mrs. Smith" looking very good still. "Batman Begins" still strong.
DEGARABEDIAN: Yes.
BRYANT: Is this going to be the proving weekend for this picture?
DEGARABEDIAN: I -- I hope this weekend breaks this, you know, downward trend. If it doesn`t, this would be 20 weekends in a row.
And last year, it was very strong at this time. The summer was doing extremely well. A year ago, "Anchorman" opened with $28 million, but more significantly the second weekend of "Spider-Man 2" did $45 million.
So it`s going to be a very competitive weekend. I`m hoping that the strength of "Fantastic Four" and the second weekend hold-over strength of "War of the Worlds" can break us out of this slump.
BRYANT: All right, well, thanks for joining us, Paul Degarabedian, a pleasure, as always.
Now, we just gave you the numbers for "War of the Worlds." Now the rest of the top five, as the overall box office results are down for the 19th week, as Paul said.
"Batman Begins" dropped to second with $19 million. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" in third with more than $12 million. It was followed by "Bewitched" with $11 million. And "Herbie: Fully Loaded," more than $10.5 million this weekend.
CARROLL: Can`t get enough of that. As we told you, next weekend, "Fantastic Four" takes on "War of the Worlds," and we`ve got them live for you right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in less than a half hour.
The super cast of "Fantastic Four" -- there they are, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Ioan Gruffudd, and Chris Evans, all here live, at 32 minutes past the hour, right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." Where else?
And tonight, Martha Stewart speaks out. And for the first time, she can`t control what is being printed and said. The domestic diva is breaking her silence about her prosecution, her fellow inmates, and even what the hard-core prisoners called her to her face. I bet she just loved that.
CNN`s Mary Snow is here right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the story -- Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Jason.
It`s been four months since Martha Stewart walked out of prison. She hasn`t spoken to anyone, not Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, Larry King, about her experiences behind bars. That`s until now. She sat down with "Vanity Fair" magazine and what she has to say could surprise you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): You`ve heard of P. Diddy. Now meet M. Diddy, Martha Stewart`s prison nom.
Were there scary people there? She tells "Vanity Fair" she wasn`t frightened for one second. Those are some of the details Martha Stewart dishes in an exclusive interview with the glossy.
It was done on the grounds of her 153-acre Bedford, New York, estate, where she returned in March to serve five months of home confinement. To that she says, "I hate lock down. It`s hideous."
In her most stinging comment yet about being convicted of lying about a stock sale, Stewart suggests she was targeted in order to intimidate others.
She`s quoted as saying, "Of course that`s what it`s all about, bring them down a notch to scare other people. If Martha can be sent to jail, think hard before you sell that stock."
While she`s appealing her conviction, she indicates that lying about a stock sale is far from other corporate scandals in the headlines.
As to the electronic bracelet she must wear, "Vanity Fair" indicates that her creativity isn`t confined only to the kitchen. As for the accessory, the magazine quotes Stewart saying, "I watched them put it on. You can figure out how to get it off. It`s on the Internet. I looked it up."
With her five month prison sentence in Alderson, West Virginia, and her five months of home confinement winding down, Stewart is looking ahead. Stewart has been out of town promoting some of her upcoming projects, including an NBC daytime shows. The promos have already started.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s Martha like you`ve never seen her before.
MARTHA STEWART, FOUNDER, MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA: Right, Francesca?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Week days this fall.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Now, you may recognize that dog in the promo you saw. It`s the same one you`ll see in "Vanity Fair."
Stewart is also preparing her own version of "The Apprentice." She tells the magazine she won`t follow Donald Trump in saying "You`re fired" but might come one a more pleasant way to dismiss contestants, such as, "If you`re from Idaho," she says, "I could say, `You`re back in Boise for apple picking time`." Only Martha Stewart.
CARROLL: The kinder, gentler Martha Stewart. Thanks Mary. Thanks very much for that. We`re going to see you also later on tonight -- on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." We`re going to be seeing Mary, where she tells us about a new federal law aimed at changing the way people watch cable TV. Uh-oh. Better watch for that.
In the meantime, the concerts may be over, but the stars of Live 8 aren`t done yet. Find out where they`re heading, coming up next.
BRYANT: Also, celebrity endorsements. How much do all those stars really get paid for pushing products, or even for showing up for a party? We will reveal secrets, coming up.
CARROLL: And for sure, we`ve got "The Fantastic Four" live. What is it like to be a superhero? And do they have the power to rescue the box office? Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Ioan Gruffudd and Chris Evans, of course, all here live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," coming up in just a few.
BRYANT: Very nice.
CARROLL: So we`re going to have to watch for that. Also, now on entertainment and our show`s pop culture quiz. In which feature did Jay Leno play a detective? Was it A, "January Man"; B, "Forced March"; C, "Collision Course"; or D, "Child`s Play?" We`re going to be right back with the answer, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CARROLL: So again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In which feature did Jay Leno play a detective? "January Man," "Forced march," "Collision Course" or "Child`s Play"? Well if you guessed the answer C, you`re correct. It was "Collision Course."
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." I`m Karyn Bryant. It is time now for "The Show`s Biz," a look at stories making news in the business of entertainment.
Well, Mickey D`s staff could be wearing Diddy`s duds. The fast- food chain said today that it wants hipper uniforms for its employees. So it is hired a New York based brand marketing firm to work with designers like P. Diddy`s Sean John, Polo, Ralph Lauren, and Russell Simmons` Phat Farm to come up with some hot designs. You could start seeing those uniforms in 2006.
CARROLL: Going to have to look for that.
Well, McDonald`s certainly has had its share of celebrity endorsements, and it`s not alone. Tonight, more in "The Show`s Biz," the real story behind how all those stars and how they get all those endorsements and what they make.
In the next few months, you`ll be seeing ads featuring rapper 50 Cent. It`s for Glaceau Vitaminwater, pushing his new flavor, Formula 50.
And in late 2004, Paris Hilton agreed to open her new club in Florida, Club Paris, for a lofty sum of $100,000. But I heard she didn`t show up.
And movie stars like Susan Sarandon and Halle Berry are also jumping in on the endorsement wagon, appearing in Revlon commercials.
Joining us live right now is Ryan Schinman, the owner of Platinum Rye Entertainment, a top celebrity and placement music licensing firm. That`s a mouthful. What does that mean? What do you do?
RYAN SCHINMAN, OWNER, PLATINUM RYE ENTERTAINMENT: Well, we`re the largest buyers of celebrity talent and muse licensing in the country, for Fortune 500 companies as well as ad agencies. So they`re looking for stars, we`re the place to go.
CARROLL: So basically, I`m the CEO of a big company. I need a starlet. I come to you, you`re my man to help me get this person?
SCHINMAN: It`s everything hey if you want advice on who to look to or who`s appealing to a certain demographic, we`re the ones. We go in, we negotiate a great job for you. And at the end of the day, hopefully you sell some more product.
CARROLL: OK, I`m just about sold. Tell me about Paris Hilton, paid $100 grand to do this for the club? I kind of question the guy who wrote that check. I don`t know.
SCHINMAN: I mean, it`s not a deal we did. But at the end of the day it had something to do with licensing her name to a club. And part of the deal, I heard, was her having to show.
But sometimes, look, acts of God happen and you never know what`s going on. Hopefully, they had a good lawyer and a good negotiator and at the end of the day if she didn`t show, they didn`t have to pay. But you never know.
CARROLL: So tell me about the top five most wanted celebrities that you hear about for these Fortune 500 companies.
SCHINMAN: I think right now in demand, Angelina Jolie is always at the tip of everybody`s tongue.
CARROLL: Of course.
SCHINMAN: You look at people like Halle Berry if you`re trying to hit that segment. Jessica Simpson has been hot as ever. I thought for awhile she might cool down, but she just keeps on trucking.
And I think Will Ferrell right now. He turns most of the stuff down, but at the end of the day, Will Ferrell is always at the top of the list.
And who can forget Johnny Depp? I think he does some stuff internationally, but you won`t really see him do too much domestic work.
CARROLL: OK. Let`s say I`m someone like a Johnny Depp. How do you convince me, Johnny Depp, to do a commercial or an ad or anything at all? I`m already making lots of money. People love me. Why should I do it?
SCHINMAN: I think with a guy like him, why it`s very tough. You have to really look to what he`s into.
I think he did a campaign recently for Mt. Blanc pens.
CARROLL: Right.
SCHINMAN: Because it was beautifully laid out, and I think it was philanthropic. And there was charity attached to it, something that was dear to his heart. And I think it had to do with writing.
And you know, it`s something where he really, you know, I think he got to pick the photographer. He loved the product, and it made sense.
A lot of times it`s not about the money. You`re right, a guy like Johnny Depp, making $20 million, $30 million a picture certainly doesn`t need a couple million dollars.
CARROLL: Ryan, let`s talk about the money, my man. How much money are you are you going to pay me to do something like this? I`m a big celebrity remember. I`m huge.
SCHINMAN: Like who?
CARROLL: Well, I`m huge.
SCHINMAN: Pick someone.
CARROLL: I`m Johnny Depp.
SCHINMAN: You`re Johnny Depp?
CARROLL: I`m Tom Cruise.
SCHINMAN: If you`re Tom Cruise there is no amount of money. There really isn`t.
I think right now at the top end, if you look at someone like a Catherine Zeta-Jones, what she got for T-Mobile, which is, you know, close to an eight-figure deal, you know, she had just come off an Academy Award. It`s something that, you know -- I didn`t exactly see the association with T-Mobile. I think Cingular does a much better job at really attaching the right celebrities and the right musical people to their -- to their product, but you know, it`s in the millions.
CARROLL: All right. Looks like you`re doing the right thing. Thanks very much, Ryan. Really appreciate that. And that`s going to be it for us. Thanks, Ryan.
SCHINMAN: Any time.
CARROLL: All right.
BRYANT: This past weekend, it was all about Live 8. But tonight, it`s all about G-8 and whether Live 8 will make a difference. With the worldwide concerts, seen by millions fresh in mind, celebrity activists are moving on to their next stop, which is the G-8 summit of world leaders in Scotland.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT (voice-over): Live 8 may be over, but some of the stars who took the stage this weekend at the largest concert event ever are doing an encore this week, as they continue their effort to help end poverty in Africa.
BOB GELDOF, SINGER/LIVE 8 ORGANIZER: We hope to achieve an historic break-through.
BRYANT: Singer and Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof has gone from the Live 8 stage to Scotland. That`s where leaders of the eight richest nations are meeting this week for the G-8 summit. Geldof and his Live 8 friends are trying to convince those leaders to step up aid to Africa.
GELDOF: It`s a very different G-8 this time. It`s serious international poker, and unfortunately, the dice they`re playing with poor people, which isn`t very pleasant. But it could be that we see something very different, but that`s what we all hope for.
BRYANT: Geldof isn`t the only celeb in Scotland. This video shows Virgin Atlantic mogul billionaire Sir Richard Branson arriving in Edinburgh on one of his planes, and he gave a lift to some famous activists, including Oscar nominated actor and African native Djimon Hounsou and pop singer Natalie Imbruglia. They say they wanted to add their voices to the growing anti-poverty chorus.
NATALIE IMBRUGLIA, SINGER: And anyone in the public eye can just show that they agree with what`s going on and, you know, we should all be doing it and lending our support.
BRYANT: Annie Lennox is also lending her support and her voice to the cause. Today in her native Scotland, she read a statement from the Dalai Lama.
ANNIE LENNOX, SINGER: "G-8 summit and the Make Poverty History campaign can and will be turning points in history if G-8 leaders and their governments live up to their earlier commitments to take actual steps to reduce poverty in the world. If they succeed, we will all benefit, whereas failure will harm us all."
BRYANT: Lennox is one of the performers scheduled for a tenth Live 8 concert set for tomorrow in Scotland. Godfather of soul, James Brown, is performing, too.
JAMES BROWN, SINGER: People are having problems. The ones that can give some (ph) is you and I. We can only let our people -- our governments know how we feel, but we have to solve it by loving each other.
BRYANT: We can probably expect more of the celebrities who helped out with Live 8 to converge in Scotland in coming days to continue their fight against poverty. It`s a fight they say is getting more desperate by the day.
GELDOF: People say it`s down to the wire. It hangs in the balance, all of those cliches, that`s true.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: And now we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Live 8, will it make a difference? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also send your e-mails to us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. And we will read some of your thoughts later on in the show.
CARROLL: And just married to Ben Affleck and a mom-to-be, Jennifer Garner travels all over the world on TV`s "Alias." We`ll find which places are her favorite celebrity vacations, next.
BRYANT: Also, we`ve got the cast of one of the most anticipated flicks of the season -- I`m thrilled they`re here -- yes, we`ve got the Thing, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch and Mr. Fantastic. Of course, we`re talking about "The Fantastic Four." They are live right here with us.
CARROLL: Itching with excitement.
And, the way you watch cable TV is changing. We`ll let you know what`s different about your favorite shows. Find out when you stay right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Time now for "Tuesday InStyle."
CARROLL: You do look pretty stylish. But tonight, celebrity dream vacations and a look at some of this summer`s hottest travel spots.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POLLY BLITZER, "INSTYLE MAGAZINE": For our travel like a star story, we asked celebrities where their favorite places would be to go this summer.
Drew Barrymore is say classic California girl. Her favorite place to go this summer would be a tropical beach somewhere just really exotic and far away.
James Denton, whom we all know as the sexy plumber on "Desperate Housewives," would love more than anything to do an off-the beaten path kind of trip this summer. He would love to take a whirlwind ballpark tour, going to different stadiums all over the country.
Jennifer Garner is more of a cultural vacation goer. And she wants to learn the language and cook, so she wants to go to Italy, or to Spain or to Greece.
If you want to travel like a star, there are a few must-see place this is summer. One place that we spotted out as a top celebrity destination -- it`s a classic -- is Santorini, an island off the coast of Greece, and stars from Angelina Jolie to Heidi Klum have vacationed there. It`s just an absolutely beautiful place from its beaches to its ruins.
Aspen is another celebrity hangout in the summer, and it`s actually a little bit forgotten, because everyone thinks of it as a ski slope place. Stars from Kate Hudson to Meg Ryan love to go there.
One of the hottest places to go this summer that`s attracting stars from Tom Cruise to Steven Spielberg is the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia. The Dalmatian Coast in Croatia has been dubbed the new Riviera.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: To read more about celebrity vacation hot spots, pick up a copy of July`s "InStyle" magazine. It`s on newsstands now.
CARROLL: Hey, these four really do travel in style, and they`re traveling all over our set live. The good guys, and of course the gal, from "The Fantastic Four." That`s coming up next.
BRYANT: Plus some classic films you love are now out on DVD. That and more in the "Showbiz Guide" to new DVDs, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts, and this is your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
A convicted sex offender found Saturday with a missing Idaho girl has formally been charged with two counts of first-degree kidnapping. Joseph Edward Duncan III appeared in a Coeur d`Alene, Idaho, court by jail video hookup. Duncan is accused of kidnapping 8-year-old Shasta Groene. Her 9-year-old brother, Dylan, is still missing, though searchers looking for him found human remains on Monday.
Tropical Storm Cindy is approaching hurricane strength and is spreading heavy rain in squalls as it bears down on the north central Gulf Coast. A tropical storm warning stretches from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Destin, Florida. Tonight, meanwhile, Tropical Storm Dennis has prompted tropical storm warnings and hurricane watches in the Caribbean. Dennis is on track to reach Florida by Friday.
And President Bush is in Denmark for a stopover on his way to the G-8 Summit in Scotland. While there, he`s going to meet with the country`s prime minister and the queen and thank Denmark for its contributions to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wednesday he continues on to Scotland.
That`s the news for now. Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts.
BRYANT: Look out, would-be bad guys. We have the superheroes in the studio. Tonight, the cast of "Fantastic Four" joins us live.
CARROLL: Tonight`s "Showbiz In-depth." TV ratings, the cable industry is spending millions of dollars to help parents control what their kids are watching, but is it working?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAGGIE GRACE, ACTRESS, "LOST": I`m Maggie Grace. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s only live entertainment news show. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m Jason Carroll, filling in for A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: Doing nicely, as well. I`m Karyn Bryant. Here are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
Tom Cruise may still be under fire for his high-profile romance and his comments about psychiatry, but his movie is conquering the box office. "War of the Worlds" took in $77.1 million over the weekend and bringing its total ticket sales to more than $113 million.
CARROLL: Martha Stewart says she had a nickname in prison. In a "Vanity Fair" interview, Stewart says her fellow inmates call her "M. Diddy." She also says she`s testing out catchphrases for her upcoming reality show, which is a spin-off of "The Apprentice."
Tonight, Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof is in Scotland where leaders of the eight richest nations meet this week during the G-8 summit. Geldof and other Live 8 participants are trying to convince the G-8 to increase aid to Africa.
And that leads us to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Live 8: Will it make a difference? Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight and write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. Your e- mails are coming up at 54 past the hour.
BRYANT: Well, tonight in a "Showbiz Sitdown," we have a fantastic lineup for you. This Friday, the legendary comic book, "Fantastic Four," hits the big screen in a big-budget movie that is already generating big buzz, and we got all "Fantastic Four" joining us live tonight.
The Invisible Woman, Jessica Alba, the Thing, Michael Chiklis, the Human Torch, Chris Evans, and Mr. Fantastic himself, Ioan Gruffudd, or P. Gruff, right? What are we -- we`re just going to invent some good things.
IOAN GRUFFUDD, MR. FANTASTIC, "FANTASTIC FOUR": Just call me "Yo."
BRYANT: Yes, just "Yo." OK, that`s good. Thanks for coming.
And first and foremost, I have to say, I saw the movie, and I really, really enjoyed it. So congratulations to you.
Now, for those who are uninitiated, I want to kind of go around the class and let people know in 20 words or less or so what your superpowers are.
So, Jessica, I`m going to start with you.
JESSICA ALBA, THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, "FANTASTIC FOUR": All right. My superpower is I play the Invisible Woman. And she goes invisible, and she also puts a force field that can protect people from things, from elements.
BRYANT: Very nice, Michael?
MICHAEL CHIKLIS, THE THING, "FANTASTIC FOUR": I play the ever- loving, blue-eyed Thing, who is a big huge rock monster, rock-hard He- Man with a heart of gold, very, very powerful, and can withstand great heat and cold.
BRYANT: OK, Chris?
CHRIS EVANS, THE HUMAN TORCH, "FANTASTIC FOUR": I play Johnny Storm. He`s the Human Torch. He can burst into flames and fly.
BRYANT: Very nice. And Ioan?
GRUFFUDD: I play Dr. Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic. And he`s able to stretch any part of his anatomy.
BRYANT: Whoa! And you mean your brain. I know that`s what you`re talking about, your brain.
Well now, Michael, I heard that you, as a young man, said you were going to play the Thing. You knew that you wanted to play this, were meant for this. Is that true? And if so, why?
CHIKLIS: Yes, it`s funny how the telephone happens. I basically flippantly said to my brother -- I was reading the comic -- I was a fan of the comic. That was around 15-years-old. And I said, "You know what? If they ever make in this into a movie, Ben Grimm would be a great role for me."
It just really loved him and related to him. And you know, it`s not like I thought about it again, but you know, I just thought it was - - 15-year-old actor trying to play casting director. I thought it would be a good role for me.
BRYANT: But there is something to be said for seeing these roles and going -- you know, everybody thinks about, "If I had a superpower, you know, what would I do?" Have you have guys ever considered, a, if you wanted a superpower, or what you might have actually done with the ones you`re given in the movie?
ALBA: Yes.
CHIKLIS: Yes, absolutely. I know Chris wanted to fly badly.
EVANS: Oh, I`d go on vacation. Niagara Falls...
(CROSSTALK)
ALBA: I would put a force field around my pugs, because they like to run into the middle of the street, so I would protect them from cars.
BRYANT: Oh, that`s a good idea.
ALBA: They give me so much anxiety.
CHIKLIS: See, I always loved the strong guy. Personally, I loved Thor, the Thing, and the Hulk. And you know, I always liked the idea of the guy who would stand between the bully and the little guy and stand up for him. So I just thought that that was an admirable quality, and that`s why I always responded to the Thing.
BRYANT: Plus, I have to say, I`ve been also a "Shield" fan since day one. So to see you playing -- I mean, you`re such an anti-hero in that, and this time you`re really just a solid -- no pun intended -- good guy. It had to be kind of fun.
Now, I want to talk to you about a little bit more about like the actual spirit of the movie. Because in a way, too, these characters are -- they have extensions of their own personality. Isn`t that sort of where their superpowers come from?
GRUFFUDD: Yes, their sort of insecurities, or as you said, you know, the part of their characteristics are then sort of accentuated when they develop these powers. I mean, for me, personally, Reed Richards is always reaching for a better formula, because he`s a scientist, or reaching for the stars, so that`s where the stretching comes, or possibly he`s spreading himself a little bit to thin sometimes.
So yes, you`re right, there is sort of an extension of their own sort of character traits.
BRYANT: And, Chris, though, you seem in the film to be the only one who has fun.
EVANS: Right.
BRYANT: Talk about that a little. Because like I said, I`ve gotten to see it, and for those who haven`t, you guys are a little more reluctant. And yet the Human Torch just sees it for the fun it potentially has?
EVANS: Sure, well, everyone kind of takes a different stance when we`re presented with this situation, presented with instant fame and responsibility, and just these powers. And I think Johnny kind of plays the part of someone who embraces it, who runs with it, who swings for the fences. And I think plenty of people would, given that type of power.
ALBA: And he`s real sexy.
BRYANT: You`re shirtless a lot in the movie. I will say that.
ALBA: He is shirtless a lot in the movie.
BRYANT: OK, well not for nothing, now, I was, you know -- when I saw the screening, you walked on the screen, Jessica, and wolf whistles, you know, cat calls, the whole bit. And I read online, too, there was a sort of (INAUDIBLE) before the picture, and everybody broke down your characters.
"Ah, Mr. Fantastic, he`s great, well-played, very smart. The Thing, he`s -- Jessica`s hot," and that`s all it said. I mean, isn`t there something about being the woman in the group, though, where -- do you ever want it to be more than just about you being hot?
ALBA: Well, that`s the thing. Sue Storm...
CHIKLIS: No, no, I`m the Thing.
BRYANT: Ah, get a rim shot.
(CROSSTALK)
ALBA: You know, Sue feels invisible. She feels like people just see her as a woman. They don`t see her as an intelligent person. They don`t see her as a scientist. They don`t see her as the head of gene research at, you know, Vondoon`s (ph) company. That all they see is that she`s just a woman, and she feels invisible, and so that`s where her ability comes from of being invisible.
And it`s when she`s emotional that she goes invisible. And that`s why, I think, "Fantastic Four" is such a great movie and why these superheroes are so relatable is because it`s all connected to their emotions. So it seems more feasible, you know, that someone can turn into a superhero if they`re having issues with it and if it comes directly as an extension of their personalities.
BRYANT: Speaking of the costumes, though -- you weren`t, but I`m going to now -- I`m just going to make that transition because I need to.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
ALBA: Right.
BRYANT: Your costumes -- well, I was thinking of it, because when you walked out, it was the cat calls and the thing. I knew there was a stream of consciousness in there somewhere. The costumes -- save for you, Michael, and I`m going to get to you -- are so unforgiving. Was it every ounce that you ate, I think, was visible. What was it like even training or staying fit for this film?
GRUFFUDD: Well, to be perfectly honest with you, in my case in particular, they were enhancing what was already there, so I was wearing a muscle suit, honestly, yes.
EVANS: We both were wearing muscle suits. We needed the muscle suits.
GRUFFUDD: But can you imagine wearing those sort of blue spandex all-in-ones? We felt that we`re like ballet dancers.
(CROSSTALK)
BRYANT: But it`s streamlined.
CHIKLIS: You pull them off, guys. You all pulled them off. You did. You pulled them off.
BRYANT: And this the thing, Mike, because obviously, yours, it must have been, you know, cumbersome. What was it made of? What did it feel like?
CHIKLIS: I`m sorry, I don`t know if I can say this word, but I`m going to anyway. It was the seventh circle of Hell. It was. It was just hot, cumbersome, incredibly difficult. It was, you know...
ALBA: Oh, it wasn`t that bad.
CHIKLIS: Yes, right. Three-and-a-half hours a day to get in it. Then we have a 12-hour shoot day, and then an hour-and-a-half to get out of it. So it was incredibly difficult for me, but at the same time it proposed an incredible acting challenge.
Like the first day of shooting, I was on set. Tim Story looked at me and he thought I was upset with him. And he came up to me. He said, "Michael, are you OK?" Tim Story is the director. And I said, "Yes, I`m fine."
I had a neutral expression on -- like this -- I was just spacing out. But neutral with the mask on was this. So he thought I was upset.
So you could tell -- I could be misconstrued at any time, so I had to go and do something I never do, which is to look in the mirror and try to figure out ways of manipulating it. And also, when people would come up to me, I would deliberately smile at them so they wouldn`t think I was mad.
BRYANT: Yes, I just -- I can`t imagine doing that. What was the dynamic like on the set? Because your character`s very muscle-y. You two have this great rapport with each other. You`re sort of father, you know, looking after everybody. Does that translate into those sort of real life situations on the set?
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
EVANS: Oh, we hate each other!
(LAUGHTER)
CHIKLIS: No, actually, we really, really were a family on the set.
ALBA: Yes.
CHIKLIS: You know, I think from the top we also realized that, if you`re going to make a movie about a functional, dysfunctionally functional family that you really need to have rapport, that it doesn`t matter how many special effects were in this movie, that we would have to have that beautiful rapport as a family.
ALBA: And I credit Tim Story for that. He really made the set so wonderful, from the crew to the cast, to all of us, we all felt like a family, and he embraced us.
CHIKLIS: He talked about that from the beginning. It was like, "Guys, you know, it`s all about chemistry and us being a family."
BRYANT: All right, well, thank you for joining us. It`s going to be a crowd-pleaser, I`m sure. I think "War of the Worlds" better look out. Michael Chiklis, Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, and Chris Evans, thanks for joining us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Your favorite superheroes, "The Fantastic Four," it opens in theaters this Friday.
ALBA: July 8th.
BRYANT: Now, would Oprah beat George Bush if she ran for president? Well, we have the results of a new poll. That`s coming up.
CARROLL: And also coming up, we`re going to be able to tell you all about a new series that we`re doing on cable TV, who holds the remote, parents or the government? We`ll tell you about changes in the rating system, coming up next on "Showbiz In-depth."
BRYANT: And "Bride and Prejudice." Is it worth the trip down the aisle at the video store? We`ve got that and other new DVDs coming up in the "Showbiz Guide."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Time now for "Showbiz In-depth."
Is anyone really paying attention to those advisories about content on cable? Well, recently, you may have noticed something different when you watch cable TV. That ratings box that`s in the upper corner of your screen has gotten bigger.
But there`s more to the story. And joining us once again to tell us about it is Mary Snow from CNN -- Mary?
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Karyn.
The cable industry says it`s part of an effort to give parents more control over what their kids watch, but it`s part of a bigger campaign to keep the government from having the remote control.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): It started with Janet Jackson`s bare breast during the 2004 Super Bowl network broadcast. A curse during a televised awards show by rocker Bono heated things up. And complaints grew about indecency and sex on network TV. That was on the networks, but a year-and-a-half later on cable, you`ll now see this and this on cable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s much more choice today.
SNOW: The cable industry is tuned in to the complaints about indecency and spent $250 million to educate parents on how to control what their kids watch on TV. Part of the effort, an enlarged rating system on screen, similar to the ones used in movies.
Have parents noticed? Some industry observers say not so much, but politicians did.
BILL MCCONNELL, "BROADCASTING AND CABLE": A lot of lawmakers were threatening to hit cable networks with the same type of indecency restrictions that broadcasters face. A lot of that talk has died down.
SNOW: While the talk may have died down, it hasn`t died.
CHARMAINE YOEST, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: Putting a warning label on something is not a license for them to just dump raw sewage into our culture.
SNOW: The clash over culture has put the media industry overall on guard.
JIM DYKE, DIRECTOR, TV WATCH: When they talk about smut, and pornography, and sewage on television, they`re actually talking about some of America`s most popular shows.
SNOW: Shows like "The Simpsons," that a group called TV Watch says may not be for every kid, but certainly shouldn`t be banned. The group is a coalition recently formed of media companies like Viacom and NBC, along with conservative and liberal groups.
Their message? Parents, not the government, should control the remote. They say complaints to the Federal Communications Commission about indecency don`t represent the majority views of Americans.
DYKE: The FCC is almost being controlled by a heckler`s veto at this point.
SNOW: Others say, though, that the government needs to be more involved in TV regulation. And they compare it to monitoring the environment.
YOEST: It`s something that affects all of us. And so we need the government to be involved in policing what the television industry is doing.
SNOW: Cable TV has certain legal protections the networks do not. And observers wonder how FCC restrictions may impact the cable industry in the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: The question remains as to whether the high court can block regulators the way parents can block television shows -- Karyn?
BRYANT: All right, thank you very much, CNN`s Mary Snow.
Well, O would have beaten W. That`s just one of the many results of "Parade" magazine`s online entertainment poll. It is not out yet, but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look.
Here are some highlights from the 2,000 people who responded to the poll. Now, if Oprah Winfrey had run for president against George W. Bush, the nation would have its first female and its first African-American president. Sixty-five percent would have voted for Oprah, 35 percent for Bush.
And which celebrities are Americans tired of seeing in the press? Well, sorry, Paris, you`re not as hot anymore. Forty-eight percent are sick of seeing Paris Hilton in the media. Soon-to-be mom Britney Spears is second with 27 percent of people having enough of her.
But you haven`t maxed out on Jessica Simpson and Lindsay Lohan. Less than 10 percent have had enough of them.
CARROLL: Can`t get enough of Jessica.
Well, it`s time now for the "Showbiz Guide," where, throughout the week, we help you decide where to spend your dollars on movies, DVDs and more. Tonight, on new releases on DVD.
Out today, a musical, an oldie and a TV series. Joining me here to talk about it New York, here is Nicki Gostin from "Newsweek" magazine.
Thank you so very much for joining us. We`re going to get dark here for a moment, aren`t we? We`re going to talk film noir. Not a genre I`m familiar with, but I know that you love it.
NICKI GOSTIN, "NEWSWEEK" MAGAZINE: These are like the greatest movies in the world. And I just -- people should rush out and buy this box set. It`s just fantastic.
CARROLL: What`s the name of it?
GOSTIN: It`s "Film Noir Classics: Volume Two." There`s "Volume One," and it`s five movies. And it`s movies like "Crossfire," and "Clash by Night," and "Dillinger." And if you haven`t -- I`m sure a lot of film buffs would have seen them, but I think a lot of regular people wouldn`t have seen them. And they`re just fantastic, great classical movies.
CARROLL: Let`s also talk about TV series here. "Monk," great show, really, really funny stuff.
GOSTIN: Very cute, yes.
CARROLL: If someone hasn`t gotten a chance to see it, now is their chance, right?
GOSTIN: Yes, I mean, it is season three, but it`s a very cute, quirky show.
CARROLL: It`s terrific.
GOSTIN: And there`s some great little extras in the DVD that explain more of his quirks, and phobias, and his back story. And the cast and crew talk about their favorite scenes, which is cute.
CARROLL: Yes. Also, we`re going to get a little Bollywood here for a moment. Now, this was a -- "Bride and Prejudice," this didn`t do so well in the box office. Now, why am I going to -- is this something I should be waiting for cable to check this out?
GOSTIN: I mean, you know, yes. It didn`t -- it was actually a box office flop. But to keep moving...
CARROLL: So not one of your favorites.
GOSTIN: Right. But it`s a cute movie, and it`s fun to see Bollywood done with Jane Austin. So it`s just a fun movie.
CARROLL: Also, there`s a special song that`s on there, as well, right, a lot of people might want to be checking out, right?
GOSTIN: There`s deleted scenes, and there`s some extra songs, and Ashanti, who`s in the movie, also has...
CARROLL: So Ashanti fans may want to check that out. Also, "Prozac Nation," great book. A lot of hype about this movie, but went straight to DVD, right?
GOSTIN: It was on Starz, a cable station last year, and this is its first time on DVD. It was never released theatrically. So I don`t think it`s -- there`s a reason why.
CARROLL: All right, Nicki some very good choices there. Thanks very much. Nicki Gostin from "Newsweek" magazine, some great choices for us to check out. Thanks very much, Nicki. Really appreciate it -- Karyn?
BRYANT: Thank you.
It is time to get your laugh on in "Laughter Dark." As we do every night, we bring you the late-night laughs you might have missed. Now, on last night`s "Late Night with Conan O`Brien," Conan illustrated how broadcasting in high definition has given the show a different look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONAN O`BRIEN, "LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O`BRIEN": For example, here`s an interview I did with Brad Pitt late last year in the old standard definition format. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: It was grueling. It was grueling. I started out like six or seven months beforehand with the sword training, the fight work.
O`BRIEN: It must have been cool to work with Peter O`Toole. You have an amazing scene with Peter O`Toole. We have a clip here from the movie, and this is a pretty amazing fight scene.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O`BRIEN: All right. Here`s how that same interview is going to look in the new super high-def.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: It was grueling. It was grueling. I started out like six or seven months beforehand with the sword training, the fight work.
(LAUGHTER)
O`BRIEN: It must have been cool to work with Peter O`Toole. You have an amazing scene with Peter O`Toole. We have a clip here ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Very funny. Well, tonight on "Late Bight," you just saw him here moments ago. He plays the Thing. Michael Chiklis will be joining Conan.
CARROLL: And there`s still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Live 8: Will it make a difference? Vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com, and we`ll read some of your e-mails live. That`s coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Live 8: Will it make a difference? Let`s look at how the vote is going so far.
Well, only 30 percent of you saying yes, it will make a difference. That means 70 percent of you kind of cynical tonight, saying it will not.
CARROLL: Very cynical. And we`ve gotten some e-mails about it, too.
Christopher from Ontario, Canada, writes, "Although the cause of Live 8 is definitely admirable, the message may not be strong enough."
And Lauren from New York writes, "I think it will make a difference. If the G-8 do not listen to the voice of the world, it will be shameful, plain and simple."
You can keep on voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
Time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
BRYANT: And that means we have to take a look at the "Showbiz Marquee." Marquee Guy, take it away.
MARQUEE GUY: Tomorrow, Janice Dickinson, from being a model to judging models. And now, her life is about to get really "Surreal." You`ll never believe who she`s moving in with, and it`s not the Marquee Guy. Janice Dickinson is here live tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Put on your dancing shoes, everybody. We`re going on a field trip to the summer`s hottest show. We`re on the set of "Dancing with the Stars," tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
This is the Marquee Guy. And would everybody please join me on the floor as we do together the marquee mambo?
BRYANT: Oh, boy.
CARROLL: The Marquee Guy is getting a little frisky.
BRYANT: Yes, he is. Just a little bit.
Well, that does it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.
CARROLL: And I`m Jason Carroll. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts, and this is your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
The attorney general of Aruba is said to be reconsidering yesterday`s release of two brothers who had been held in the disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway. This comes after an emotional plea today from Holloway`s mom who insists the two were involved in the violent crime against her daughter, although they have not been charged with any crime.
In Coeur d`Alene, Idaho, a convicted sex offender is being charged with kidnapping an 8-year-old girl at the center of a mysterious family slaying. Joseph Edward Duncan III was arrested Saturday after being spotted with Shasta Groene in a restaurant. The girl and her 9-year-old brother, who is still missing, disappeared May 16th. That day, the bodies of her mother, older brother, and mother`s boyfriend were found beaten to death at their home.
And the average price for gas in the U.S. is just pennies short of the all-time high. It`s now up to $2.23 a gallon. The record is $2.28. That was set in mid-April.
Thanks for joining us. That`s the news for now. I`m Thomas Roberts.
END
