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Showbiz Tonight
Colin Farrell Sues Over Sex Tape; In-Depth on the Media`s Natalee Holloway Obsession; Scarlett Johansson Takes Fashion Cues from Idols
Aired July 19, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, sex lies and videotape. Another celebrity sex shocker. This time it`s Colin Farrell. He has something in common with Paris Hilton, and he`s not too happy about it. We`ll tell you what`s got Farrell furious.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Plus Natalee Holloway, new developments in the baffling disappearance of the missing teenager in Aruba. Two months later, why is this story still getting so much attention? Tonight, the media and mystery.
HAMMER: And tonight, "Silver Screen Secrets," our special SHOWBIZ TONIGHT series. Tonight how do the stars gain and lose so much weight so fast? How do they transform their bodies? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, with the secrets.
JESSICA BIEHL, ACTRESS: I`m Jessica Biehl. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hello, I`m Brooke Anderson. Karyn Bryant has the night off.
HAMMER: And I`m A.J. Hammer.
What in the world is going on in Hollywood? For a second day in a row, one of Hollywood`s biggest leading men is caught in a startling sex scandal.
ANDERSON: Yesterday it was Jude Law confessing to cheating on his fiancee with his kids` nanny. Today it`s Colin Farrell suing over a sex tape that shows him in a very uncompromising position.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer is live in New York City tonight with the very latest -- David.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke and A.J., yes, Colin Farrell is starring -- he`s the new leading man in a movie he`s not all that happy about. And in fact he`s suing at the moment to prevent this tape from coming out for the entire world to see.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton, Fred Durst, even Rob Lowe, way back then. Now add Colin Farrell to the list of celebrities starring in their very own sex tape.
The Irish actor is suing ex-flame and former "Playboy" Playmate Nicole Narain -- here she is posing for "Smooth" magazine -- for allegedly trying to sell their sex tape through an intermediary. SHOWBIZ has the lawsuit, and here are the details.
Farrell says the video was made two and a half years ago. It`s 15 minutes long and yes, it shows the two having sex. Farrell alleges the two agreed it would remain, quote, "strictly private and confidential between them," unquote. He says no one has the right to license or sell the tape.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went straight to "Newsweek`s" Devin Gordon. He knows a few things about celebrity scandals. He says this isn`t the first Hollywood hijinks caught on tape.
DEVIN GORDON, "NEWSWEEK": We are now in the post-Pamela Anderson environment, the post-Paris Hilton environment, where celebrities having sex tapes out there, it`s almost part of their career moves in some ways. So the notion that this might hurt someone`s career, to a certain extent, it`s a little bit outdated.
HAFFENREFFER: The "Alexander" star -- here he is looking like someone you wouldn`t want to mess with -- says he was contacted by a third party trying to sell the tape, and Farrell wasn`t the only one. Kevin Blatt, the producer being the infamous Paris Hilton sex tapes, told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively, he too was approached.
KEVIN BLATT, ADULT FILM PUBLICIST: Two people representing Nicole Narain, the Playmate -- the Playmate in question here, had approached me in a couple weeks back. And I had a meeting with them. They wanted to see if they could raise $1.2 million for them, in their efforts to commercially show this tape.
Nicole Narain is probably looking for a big payday. And, you know, as these Playmates or Penthouse Pets get older and up in age their options are somewhat limited.
HAFFENREFFER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, went to get Nicole Narain`s side of the story. Her people weren`t talking. But on her personal web site, Narain has posted a picture of Farrell and two short articles about the sex tape.
So could this hurt Farrell`s career?
GORDON: The notion that Colin Farrell has a sex tape floating out there. Well, gosh, I mean, everybody knows the guy`s been sleeping with half of Hollywood for the past five years. So I don`t think that he was doing it discreetly. I think it surprises anyone that there`s a tape out there. So I don`t think it`s not going to hurt too much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: And Colin Farrell is seeking a temporary restraining order and an injunction prohibiting the sale or exploitation of this particular videotape. He`s also seeking general compensatory damages, as well. Colin Farrell is in Florida shooting "Miami Vice."
Back to you in the studio.
HAMMER: All right, David. Thanks very much. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer, live in New York.
Well, with Colin Farrell fighting to maintain his privacy, we`re wondering what you think. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Celebrities: do they deserve more privacy? You can vote by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Got some more to say on it? The e-mail address is ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`re going to share some of our thoughts later on in the show.
Tonight helpless and hurt women all across America have one of Hollywood`s powerful women fighting their cause. Salma Hayek testified today on Capitol Hill to push for renewal of the Violence Against Women Act. The legislation improves responses to stalking and domestic and dating violence.
Hayek got involved after doing some research for a movie role at a California jail. Hayek said many of the jailed women had been affected by domestic violence.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was in Washington as she urged lawmakers to renew the legislation and increase funding.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALMA HAYEK, ACTRESS/ACTIVIST: If this bill wouldn`t -- doesn`t get renewed, it would be catastrophic for American society, not just nor domestic violence, but for everything that domestic violence touches.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Time is pressing here, too. If it isn`t renewed, the act will expire at the end of September.
ANDERSON: Tonight new developments in the Natalee Holloway case that has captured the nation`s and the media`s attention.
It`s almost been two months since the Alabama teen disappeared in Aruba and sparked a media obsession. The latest on the story, strands of blonde hair have been found on a piece of duct tape on a beach in Aruba. Tonight investigators are testing to determine if that hair is Natalee Holloway`s.
Ever since Holloway vanished on May 30, it seems you can hardly turn on the news without hearing about every latest development. In tonight`s "SHOWBIZ In-Depth," why is the Holloway case getting so much attention?
Joining us tonight, live from Baltimore, is Brian Stelter, who runs the closely watched TV Newser blog site. Brian, thank you so much for being here. We appreciate it.
BRIAN STELTER, TV NEWSER: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Brian, the sad reality, unfortunately, people go missing all the time. Tens of thousands of people are reported missing. Why is there such a big media obsession with this particular case? Why Natalee Holloway?
STELTER: I think there are several reasons, but the most important one is the family involved. They all flew to Aruba. And especially Natalee`s mom, Beth, has been all over the airwaves.
She was very honest when she went to Aruba. She said, "I`m here to get the media`s attention about my daughter. I need to convince the Aruban authorities to go and find her." So she was very blunt about going out there and trying to get the media`s attention. And it worked. The media became the voice of Natalee Holloway.
ANDERSON: The family has been very media savvy, obviously.
Well, one article, one of many that recently caught my eye, in "The Washington Post," Eugene Robinson wrote about the media coverage. He compared the media coverage of missing person cases like Holloway, Elizabeth Smart, Laci Peterson. He said for these cases to get that 24/7 coverage, it helps if the person is white, attractive, income, middle class or higher.
Do you think that plays a part in this case?
STELTER: It definitely does. I think it`s pretty much an accepted fact at this point that missing, young, blond, usually Caucasian females will get the most media attention. It seems like the cable news executives think they know what their viewers want.
But there`s also other factors. All of those cases were missing persons, who done it? Everyone, unfortunately, loves a mystery.
ANDERSON: They want to see the ending.
STELTER: Exactly.
ANDERSON: Maybe want to see how it ends, right? Why is it that certain stories like this one or the Peterson case do break out from the pact, for so long such an adoring attraction, attracts so much media attention?
STELTER: Well, there`s a couple of things. I think, for instance, it`s relatable. You can wonder to yourself, could it happen to me?
Elizabeth smart, your daughter vanishes in the middle of the night. Laci Peterson, this woman just goes missing, completely, with her new baby. And now Natalee Holloway on her senior trip to Aruba doesn`t come home with everyone else. So parents out there, and viewers, can wonder, could it happen to my family? That`s very compelling television.
ANDERSON: Compelling. Brian, is this the case of the media being more fascinated with it than the public is?
STELTER: I don`t think so. You know, I`ve been surprised about how much media attention this story has gotten. But the viewers are chomping at the bit. Greta Van Susteren on FOX News went to Aruba. She had the ratings go through the roof. She even beat Bill O`Reilly, who`s the king of cable news.
And our colleague here, Nancy Grace, at 8 p.m. has also had better ratings because of Natalee Holloway. So this story seems to have legs, because the viewers keep tuning in night after night to find out what`s happening.
ANDERSON: How long do you think the legs are, very quickly?
STELTER: You know, I think until we have the conclusion, you know, it`s going to keep going. This is a cliffhanger. People want to know the ending.
ANDERSON: All right. Brian Stelter from the TV Newser blog site. Brian, thank you so much for being here. We appreciate it.
All right. Coming up, we`ll get all freaky with a magician who calls himself "Mindfreak," Criss Angel. He`s just attempted one of the most difficult tricks ever, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is with him live.
HAMMER: Plus the tricks of the movie trade, our "Silver Screen Secrets" series continues tonight. Fattening up, slimming down. We tell you how celebrities get their bodies ready for roles.
ANDERSON: Also, movies about September 11. Big stars are getting involved but why now? And will the movies open too many emotional wounds across America? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes in-depth, coming up.
Now tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In which movie did "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno play a detective? Was it "January Man," "Forced March," "Collision Course" or "Child`s Play"? We`ll be right back with answer. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: So again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In which movie did "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno play a detective? Was it "January Man," "Forced March," "Collision Course" or "Child`s Play"?
Alongside Pat Morita -- of "Happy Days" and "Karate Kid" fame --- Leno played Detroit cop Tony Costas in this 1987 flick. The answer is C, "Collision Course."
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
Tonight, a magical escape by a man who`s being called the post-modern Houdini. Magician and illusionist Criss Angel pulled off a daring and almost breathless feat today in New York City, and did made it out alive.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer is back with us live in New York City with the very latest. What happened here, David?
HAFFENREFFER: A.J., it was here in Bryant Park yesterday that mystifier Criss Angel was locked inside a box in this contraption behind me, airtight box. And that`s submerged in about 2,000 gallons of water. It was called Oasis.
And the trick and the challenge for him was to get out of this box, get out of that tank of water before he got out of oxygen, basically. He did all that very early this morning. And we`re pleased to welcome mystifier Criss Angel to the program.
Congratulations. What was the degree of difficulty here for you?
CRISS ANGEL, ILLUSIONIST: It`s was incredibly difficult. Like all my challenges, I try to do stuff that had never been done before. And this is one of those things in a public forum that what you see is what you get. So it was incredibly difficult.
HAFFENREFFER: What was going on inside? What were you feeling inside? Because I guess what I read, it`s an immense amount of pressure on your body.
ANGEL: Well, it was a sensory deprivation chamber, which basically means that I could not see. My vision was completely distorted. I couldn`t hear. My ear drums were constantly popping. And besides that, I also didn`t eat for three day days prior, because I couldn`t use the bathroom.
And I was quite tired, because I`d been working on a series, which is premiering tomorrow night on A&E, 10 p.m., presented by Pontiac. And so I really was very busy doing that. So I didn`t really prepare mentally, physically or like I normally do.
So it was very challenging, and I decided that I was going to attempt to get out this morning, a little bit more than 24 hours. I had up to 33 hours, and I`m very happy to say that I was successful in that.
HAFFENREFFER: How did you do it? There was an audience here. You`re in full view of the public.
ANGEL: I guess that`s what separates the men from the boys. When the camera goes off, I`ll tell you, but then I`ll have to kill you.
HAFFENREFFER: All right. So I`ll be dead tomorrow. Criss Angel, thank you for being with us and congratulations again. Again, A&E tomorrow night, Criss Angel. "Mindfreak" is the name of the program.
A.J. back to you.
HAMMER: It`s been nice working with you, David. Have a good night. Thank you very much. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer, live in New York City -- Brooke.
ANDERSON: A.J., tonight we reveal another magical trick, how some of Hollywood`s biggest stars change their bodies for the movies they make. As part of our special series this week, "Silver Screen Secrets," tonight we are revealing how the stars fatten up, thin down and a whole lot more to get it right on the big screen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): It`s one of the more fascinating parts of showbiz, how a woman like Charlize Theron can go from this to this. But it`s a growing trend in Hollywood that`s getting a lot of attention. It`s body transformation.
SCOTT BOWLES, "USA TODAY": I think what you`re seeing recently is that actors and particularly actresses who change the way they look, and usually it`s by weight gain or weight loss. Around at Oscar time, you look at Charlize Theron with "Monster," or Hilary Swank with "Million Dollar Baby." They are being taken more seriously by the awards committees because they look more like the characters that they`re playing.
ANDERSON: And those transformations are extreme. Charlize Theron gained 25 pounds for "Monster." Christian Bale lost 63 pounds for "The Machinist." And then, incredibly, gained much of it back in two months. And Tom Hanks gained and lost 50 pounds during the movie "Castaway."
It begs the question: how do they do it?
VALERIE WATERS, JENNIFER GARNER`S PERSONAL TRAINER: Discipline, strong but excited and motivated, and the motivation has got to come from inside. And typically, the celebrities` motivation is the fact that they`re going to be on the big screen.
ANDERSON: Zellweger said she worked closely with a nutritionist when she packed on an extra 20 pounds for "Bridget Jones." And it wasn`t all pasta and doughnuts on her menu. Her secret ingredient to weight gain: flax seed oil, mixed in with high calorie shakes and salad dressings.
And for Christian Bale, who put himself through perhaps the most dramatic body transformation, losing 20 bounds less than his nutritionist would have liked by simply not eating, he look emaciated, eating only an apple and a latte each day to survive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where are you?
ANDERSON: But for his hottie, pumped-up role in "Batman Begins," he packed it all back on by healthier means, a strict diet of chicken, tuna and veggies. Plus daily three hour running and weight sessions. It doesn`t sound like much fun.
WATERS: I believe that the biggest misconception that America has is that they think that the celebrities have it easier. And this is not true. And I can tell you they still have to not eat the cookie. They still have to not have the bread at the restaurant. They still have to get up and do their workout, and often that means training at 4 or 5 in the morning, which is not the most fun.
ANDERSON: Valerie Waters told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she help helped Jennifer Garner get her butt-kicking bod for her roles in "Alias" and "Elektra" the old-fashioned way, working hard.
WATERS: Five meals a day, no starchy carbs, no sugar, no processed food, and working out five days a week, maybe even six days a week, but for an hour.
ANDERSON: It was the same for Hilary Swank, who packed on 20 pounds of lean, mean boxing muscle for her role in "Million Dollar Baby."
HILARY SWANK, ACTRESS: I trained about four to four and a half hours a day, six days a week for three months.
ANDERSON: And she was eating too, a lot. More than 4,000 calories a day of carefully calculated proteins and essential fat.
Jessica Biehl, who vamped up for her role in "Blade," got those bulging muscles through a mixture of weight training and cardio and a strict diet of three small meals a day and absolutely no sugar.
BOWLES: They`ll essentially put themselves through hell for that role, if they think it`s going to get them more money or acclaim. It generally adds to the success of their career.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: No sugar, I thought anything in moderation.
Tomorrow night, we`ll continue our look at "Silver Screen Secrets" and take a look behind the scenes at Hollywood`s stuntwomen, which celebrities they double for and how they do it. You`ll see it tomorrow, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Still to come, Mia Farrow takes the stand. What she has to say about a murder that happened more than 35 years ago. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the story from London.
ANDERSON: Also, the cast of "Roseanne" reunites for the first time in nearly a decade. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there. We`ve got the scoop on why the Conners caught up.
HAMMER: And, the mom of another famous TV family, Florence Henderson, joins us live. And this "Brady Bunch" mom will tell us why she`s gone to the dogs. It`s a "SHOWBIZ Flashback."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson, in for Karyn Bryant.
Brooke Shields once said nothing becomes between her and her Calvins. Well, today it was the so-called crossroads of the world that got between some Calvin Klein models.
The fashion designer launched a living billboard in New York`s Times Square that is three stories tall. And yes, it`s built with real life models who will be living there, out in the open today and tomorrow. The idea is to create the illusion of a big party. The billboard is part of a new ad campaign for the CK1 fragrance.
HAMMER: It`s time for "Tuesday InStyle." Tonight, fashion flashback with Scarlett Johansson. She`s got it all. She`s got the looks, the brains, and now she is stepping into Hollywood`s A-list category.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE ZUCKERMAN, "INSTYLE" MAGAZINE: Scarlett Johansson has taken Hollywood by storm. This girl is 20 years old, and she puts out a huge number of movies a year.
And what`s amazing about Scarlett is that she shows this incredible range. Every time she steps onto the red carpet, whether it`s in Calvin Klein, like this lemon yellow, beautiful satin number she wore to last year`s Costume Institute gala, or Prada or MuMu (ph), she really has a range as incredible as her acting talents.
She wore something very modern to the Golden Globes. It was this architectural sort of corseted bodice Stella McCartney in this beige color. And then she`ll pull out all the stops with a very old Hollywood glamorous jade silk Alberta Ferretti gown.
And what she does is she dresses sort of in character from head to toe. She`s says that she`s inspired by women like Audrey Hepburn and Marilynn Monroe.
Scarlett has said in many an interview that she`s been doing this for half of her life. Her most remarkable role from her childhood was when she appeared in "The Horse Whisperer" with Robert Redford.
Another film that she did that was extremely memorable was "The Girl with the Pearl Earring." She only spoke 13 lines, and yet she delivered such an arresting performance she was nominated for an Oscar for that.
She`s also in the Michael Bay block buster that`s out this month called "The Island." She`s a pro. She`s a fantastic actress. This girl does not miss.
What`s interesting about her is that she`s not stick skinny. She`s curvy, and she embraces her curves. There`s a big trend in Hollywood where thin is in. And Scarlett just defies that trend. She proves that you can be ultimately so incredibly beautiful and womanly. She`s still a girl, but she`s got that hourglass figure, and she really enhances it. She doesn`t shy away from showing her curves.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: If you want to take a closer look of some of those photos and read more about Scarlett Johansson`s fashions, just grab a copy of this month`s "InStyle" magazine. It`s on newsstands now.
ANDERSON: Well, they`ve been talking all day, and we`ve been listening. Now, as we do every night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the best from today`s talk shows.
On "Live with Regis and Kelly," "Wedding Crashers" co-star Isla Fisher talked about her acting roots in clown school and the art of juggling.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REGIS PHILBIN, CO-HOST, ABC`s "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": Why would people, actresses and actresses go to this?
ISLA FISHER, ACTRESS: Juggling is actually the way forward for actors.
PHILBIN: Really? You`re a pretty good juggler.
KELLY RIPA, CO-HOST, ABC`s "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": I wouldn`t say I`m pretty good juggler, but I`m an amateur juggler.
PHILBIN: Yes, but you can keep the three balls going.
FISHER: Do you juggle balls or do you move into other things?
PHILBIN: Anyway, let`s talk about the movie.
FISHER: Let`s go back to the balls.
RIPS: No, just balls and they have to be the same size, because I can`t -- any sort of -- any difference in size confuses me.
FISHER: Confusing.
PHILBIN: The movie is a big hit, it really is. And...
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Way to change the subject, Regis.
Tomorrow, it`s game, set, match on "Live with Regis and Kelly," as star tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams stop by to chat.
HAMMER: Maybe they`ll be juggling some tennis balls, who knows?
Well, we get set to launch into the "SHOWBIZ Guide." Find out what`s new on DVD, including a `60s cult TV classic. That`s coming up next.
ANDERSON: Also, she was a `60s icon. We`ve got the story on the lovely lady who has a whole new bunch of co-stars. Brady Bunch mom Florence Henderson joins us live, a "SHOWBIZ Flashback."
HAMMER: And of course it was one ever the darkest days in America`s history. Now Hollywood is creating its interpretation of 9/11. But why now and why are so many big stars getting involved? "SHOWBIZ In-Depth," coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, there. I`m Sophia Choi. And here is your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
Well, in just over an hour, we will know who President Bush`s pick is for the next Supreme Court justice. He will reveal his nominee in a live televised address tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Speculation is focusing on several female candidates.
The president says he wants a new justice seated by October. Headline News will cover the announcement live.
Meantime, coastal residents in two countries are bracing for a strengthening Hurricane Emily. Forecasters say the storm will probably intensify over the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall tomorrow morning. Right now, Emily is spinning winds of at least 100 miles an hour.
25,000 Iraqis have lost their lives since the beginning of the war, and that`s according to a new London-based report. U.S.-led forces are responsible for 37 percent of civilian victims, most of them in the first few weeks of invasion. The military responded by saying it works hard to avoid civilian casualties.
Well, that`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi. Now back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a new September 11th documentary takes a no-holds-barred look at the worst attack on U.S. soil. Is it too much too soon? We talk with the filmmaker live in tonight`s "Showbiz In-depth."
HAMMER: It was indeed much more than a hunch. Florence Henderson raised the "Brady Bunch," right in America`s living rooms. What`s she up to now? The TV super-mom joins us for tonight`s "Showbiz Flashback."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRAN DRESCHER, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Fran Drescher. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s only live entertainment news show. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. Here are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
Paula`s putting on her dancing shoes. FOX announced today that "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul will have a, quote, "special role" in its upcoming series "So You Think You Can Dance," which premieres tomorrow. She`ll travel the country and teach people how to dance. Abdul got one of her first big breaks in the 1980s, dancing as a Los Angeles Laker cheerleader and then went onto choreograph music videos.
HAMMER: Irish actor Colin Farrell is steaming over a sex tape. He`s taking legal action to keep a 14-minute video of him and a "Playboy" model under wraps. Farrell says he and "Playboy" playmate Nicole Narain agreed to keep the taped tryst between to the two of them. And he claims someone from Narain`s camp wants to profit from the video.
ANDERSON: And that leads us to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "Celebrities, do they deserve more privacy?" Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight, and write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. Your e- mails are coming up at 54 past the hour.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, yet another movie is in the works about September 11th. Now, "Showbiz In-depth": Why the rush to make so many of them right now?
The Discovery Channel has just announced that on September 11th it will air a recreation of the hijacking of Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania. It`s called "The Flight that Fought Back."
This follows director Oliver Stone`s announcement that he will direct a film starring Nicholas Cage that`s based on a story of the last two men rescued from the rubber of the World Trade Center. And Kevin Costner and Hilary Swank will narrate "On Native Soil," a documentary set for release at the end of this year about the 9/11 Commission report.
Joining us live tonight in Los Angeles is the producer of that documentary, Linda Ellman. And also joining us live tonight, "New York Times" correspondent, David Halbfinger, who has talked with the producers of the Oliver Stone film.
I want to thank you both for joining us.
And, Linda, I want to start with you. What a coup getting two of Hollywood`s a-listers, Hilary Swank and Kevin Costner, on board. How did you pull that off?
LINDA ELLMAN, "ON NATIVE SOIL": Well, they were terrific. They were the first two people we asked to narrate the film and they said yes, as simple as that. I think they felt it was a good project to be involved with. They looked at the rough cut of the film. And I think they liked it, and they agreed to do it.
HAMMER: And one of the reasons I had also heard was the fact that it does not have a political agenda, per se.
ELLMAN: Absolutely. This is a film taking a look at the investigation into the 9/11 -- it`s the 9/11 Commission report, a look into the investigation of what happened on 9/11, why it happened, and how we can prevent it from happening again. There`s absolutely no political agenda here.
HAMMER: And, David, as I mentioned earlier, Oliver Stone and Nicholas Cage on board with Oliver in a movie that will have somewhat of a fictional bent to it. And you had an opportunity to actually speak with some of the producers involved with this film. What are you hearing about this?
DAVID M. HALBFINGER, "NEW YORK TIMES": What I hear is that, you know, they are still putting the movie together, but they`re going to begin shooting in October. They`re going to be shooting in New York, and then eventually in Los Angeles because of the weather.
But they made a point that they`re not shooting this in Toronto, as so many movies set in New York are done. They`re going to be shooting in the Big Apple itself. And it`ll be moving to Los Angeles. But they haven`t released the whole cast. But they`re starting shooting in October.
HAMMER: And one of the things, as you said, that they expressed importance in actually doing it in New York, as people are trying to, you know, help the film industry in New York in the Lower Manhattan Project.
And, Linda, for your film, I understand you actually worked directly with victim`s families. And I`m curious what the reaction from the families was when you had first approached them. And did anybody around the project suggest that maybe it`s a little too soon for something like that?
ELLMAN: No, they didn`t, actually. When we approached them the earlier this year, we told them we were taking a look at the investigation into 9/11. And what we had found originally is that there almost wasn`t a 9/11 Commission Report.
And the families pushed themselves, they fought the government to have the commission established in the first place and they won. And it was very important for them, they felt, to keep the memories of 9/11, what happened and the investigation, alive, so that we can prevent this from happening again. They were very willing.
HAMMER: David, do you know anything about any involvement of victim`s families for the Oliver Stone project?
HALBFINGER: No, I don`t. I know that it`s really important -- you know, there`s a whole variety of 9/11 projects underway, not just documentaries and Oliver Stone`s project. There`s another feature film in the works. There`s a mini-series being done for ABC.
And all of the producers, you know, they`re all extremely -- it`s sort of like we`ve got a race underway to get material on the small screen and the big screen. But everybody`s racing kind of on tip toes or on egg shells, because, you know, nobody wants to do it wrong.
Everybody, to a person, to a project, is saying, "If we`re going to do this, we`ve got to do it right. We`ve got to be sensitive." A studio executive I talked to today actually said, you know, "We`re in the entertainment business, but how do you entertain -- how do you do a movie that`s entertainment with this kind of material?"
HAMMER: And one of the areas where people have to be particularly sensitive, as we are here at CNN and other news organizations are, as well, is what footage is actually shown. And real quickly, Linda, can you tell me, where do you draw the line? How do you decide what footage is appropriate and what you stay away from?
ELLMAN: We`re showing everything. This is a documentary of what happened on 9/11. And we`re not staying away from anything.
What the families told us is that they wanted the truth told about what happened on 9/11. And the nicest thing is, we screened the film last week when we finished it for the families who were involved. And it was so moving. They said, "Finally, the truth is being told." And we do not stay away from anything.
HAMMER: That`s nice. OK, well, good luck with that project, Linda. We appreciate you joining us.
And David Halbfinger, thank you for joining us as well tonight, "Showbiz In-depth."
ANDERSON: Hilary Swank`s powerful Oscar-winning role in "Million Dollar Baby" is striking a chord with viewers right now. Here`s this week`s top DVD rentals just out today, courtesy of Blockbuster.
The Best Picture Oscar-winner "Million Dollar Baby" is the most popular rental. Robert De Niro`s "Hide and Seek" seeking the second spot. "The Pacifier" with Vin Diesel powers its way into third. Bruce Willis` "Hostage" taking the fourth position. And Will Smith and Kevin James` "Hitch" rounds out the top five. That`s a pretty good date movie.
All right. 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, new releases on DVD out today: A Keanu Reeves interpretation of a comic book, a lost space classic, and one for the baby Einsteins out there. Joining me live to go through these new DVDs, Nicki Gostin from "Newsweek" magazine.
Nicki, welcome to you.
I want to kick it off with a cult classic, a new DVD from a classic `60s television series, tell us about this. "Lost in Space," right?
NICKI GOSTIN, "NEWSWEEK" MAGAZINE: Right. This is the third season, the final season of "Lost in Space." And you know, it was a really cheesy show, but it`s a lot of fun. And if you grew up with it, you`re certainly going to get a kick out of it.
It`s got interviews with Bill Mumy and Jonathan Harris, who played Dr. Smith. So it`s lots of fun, with outtakes. And I think if you grew up with this show, you`ll really appreciate it. And I think you might enjoy showing it to your kids, because it really is a campy classic.
ANDERSON: All right. So thumbs up from you.
OK. Next up, "Constantine," based on the "Hellblazer" D.C. comic series of graphic novels. Now, this one didn`t get very good reviews, reviews were mixed when the movie hit theaters, but the deluxe DVD has something really special for those "Hellblazer" fans out there, right?
GOSTIN: Right, it is pretty cool. If you`re into the movie, it`s pretty cool. It comes with a "Hellblazer" comic book. It comes with 18 minutes of deleted scenes, and an alternative ending, and lots of very cool photos of the production. So you can sort of really get a sense of how they made the movie. Because visually, it`s a beautiful movie.
ANDERSON: A lot of special effects there. A big production budget
GOSTIN: Yes.
ANDERSON: OK, moving now to something my 2-year-old nephew would really love. Parents, listen up out there. "Baby Einstein" out with a new DVD. Tell us what`s on it.
GOSTIN: Right. It`s called "Baby Wordsworth." And it just teaches kids one and up, when they`re first learning how to speak -- it`s words around the house. But the great thing about this is, it includes Marlee Matlin doing some sign language. So you sort of get an introduction to sign language, too, which I think is really great.
ANDERSON: And that`s become very popular, especially since "Meet the Fockers"...
GOSTIN: Exactly.
ANDERSON: ... they had all those references to babies and sign language.
OK. Nicki Gostin, thank you so much, from "Newsweek" magazine. We appreciate it.
GOSTIN: Thanks.
HAMMER: Up next, why Mia Farrow went to London to testify for a director who`s been accused of raping a child. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is in London with the story.
ANDERSON: Also, a "Showbiz Flashback." Reining matriarch Florence Henderson joins us live.
HAMMER: Plus, the Roseanne clan reunites. We`ll tell you what brought the cast of the hit show back together. And of all places, a bowling alley. You`ll see it here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Karyn Bryant has the night off.
Tonight, a star turn on the stand. Mia Farrow was in court in London today and said there`s no truth to the stories written about Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski.
HAMMER: Polanski, of course, directed Farrow in the film "Rosemary`s Baby." The Oscar-winning director is suing "Vanity Fair" for libel. There at the courthouse in London, CNN correspondent Robyn Curnow, reporting for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- Robyn?
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Brooke and A.J. Well, what an unusual case being heard in the royal courts of justice behind me.
In courtroom 13, a case involving a heady mix of Hollywood scandal, sex and murder. And also in courtroom 13, a rather unusual bunch of characters.
Now, picture this: The judge and barristers, that`s the attorneys, are all wearing wigs, as is customary in the British law courts. Also there, appearing by video link, is Roman Polanski, the film director.
Now, in the front row, opposite the judge, is Graydon Carter, the editor of "Vanity Fair" magazine. Also there, Mia Farrow, the actress who was once married to both Frank Sinatra and Woody Allen.
Now, what are all these people doing here? Well, it`s libel trial. Polanski is suing "Vanity Fair" for an article written in 2002 which alleges an incident from 1969.
Now, the article alleges that Polanski, soon after the funeral of his murdered wife, Sharon Tate, went to Elaine`s night club in New York where, the article alleges, Polanski tried to seduce a good-looking Swedish girl by promising to make her "the next Sharon Tate."
Now, Polanski is outraged. He says this is a blatant lie. "Vanity Fair" is sticking by their story, except they say for the dates, which they might have got wrong. Mia Farrow is here to act as a sort of character witness for Polanski.
Either way, this trial has provided much fodder for the British. Well, it continues.
I`m in London. I`m Robyn Curnow. Back to you.
ANDERSON: It does continue. CNN`s Robyn Curnow, thank you very much.
Well, a possible break for actress Cameron Diaz in her suit over topless photos. Two forensic experts testified that the signature bearing Diaz`s name on a release form was forged. Witnesses say certain letters in the signature were slanted differently than in Diaz`s writing samples. Photographer John Rutter is accused of trying to blackmail Diaz over the 1992 photos. She posed for the shoot at age 19, before she became famous.
HAMMER: Tonight, another "Showbiz Flashback." She is known, of course, across America as one of television`s favorite mothers of all time. As Carol Brady on the "Brady Bunch," Florence Henderson created an everlasting icon, who could really instantly make us all cringe when uttering the words, "Well, I`m very disappointed in you."
Seriously, I would visibly shake at the time. We`re not disappointed tonight, because we`re joined live by the lovely Florence Henderson on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. So nice to have you with us.
FLORENCE HENDERSON, ACTRESS: Oh, so nice to be with you, A.J. Thank you.
HAMMER: We were talking before the show tonight, and I learned something about you that I, and probably most of America, doesn`t realize. In addition to being a stage and television legend, another vocation that you mentioned, because when you were working, years and years ago, and you needed to be calmed and needed to extend your energy, you would be hypnotized, and you actually...
HENDERSON: I am a hypnotherapist. I was helped so much by it that I went to school and became a certified hypnotherapist. And it is a great tool. It`s helped me so much in my life. And by the same token, I`m able to help others.
HAMMER: And you made one of our cameramen quack like a duck, which I thought was pretty cool.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Just kidding.
HENDERSON: Yes. I think I need to work on Colin Farrell, to tell you the truth, and straighten him out. But that`s another story.
HAMMER: You can turn on the television, still, any time of the day, and see the "Brady Bunch." And I always get sucked in, if it`s on when I`m passing by a set. Why do you suppose, 35 years later, it endures the way it has?
HENDERSON: Well, you know, it`s never been off the air in this country. And it`s in 122 countries around the world.
I think really because of what it represents, this sweet, little blended family trying to get along with each other, honoring their parents. The kids fight; they make up.
It`s just about basic values. And I think today, more than ever, that`s what people long for. And we keep getting another generation of little kids, you know?
HAMMER: To be sure, television a little different now than it was 30 years ago when you were first doing the show.
HENDERSON: Oh, yes.
HAMMER: All of these shows, thankfully, get to live over there on TV Land.
HENDERSON: Yes.
HAMMER: Is there anything you`re watching on TV now that you say, "Well, that could possibly be around in 30 years"?
HENDERSON: You know, I asked that question a lot when I watch certain shows. I go, "I`ll be anxious to see if that can be around, you know, 30 years later, and never be off the air, and see if people really develop an affection and a love for it." I`ll be surprised.
Right off the top of my head, I can`t think of one. Can you?
HAMMER: No, I can`t. But can you tell me who from the cast you`re most in touch with still?
HENDERSON: I`m in touch with all of them. Recently, I`ve been more in touch with Chris Knight because he`s asked my advice about his girlfriend from the "Surreal Life" and how to handle that.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: You are still the mother to these kids.
HENDERSON: I am. I`m a surrogate mom to all of them. Yes.
HAMMER: That`s terrific. And this morning, we got to see you -- you`ll have to clear this up for me -- I believe you were singing to a dog on the "Today" show. What was going on there?
HENDERSON: Well, I was. You know, I`m here, really, because of Cottonelle has sponsored this wonderful contest called "Tales of Best Friends and Family." And I really -- anyone can enter this contest. All you have to do is write a song about your dog.
It has to be a dog. Can`t be a cat in dog`s clothing. It has to be - - I know you have a dog. And you just write a song about it. You have to appear in it. Oh, look at that little...
HAMMER: Now, that`s not your dog.
HENDERSON: No, that`s little doc. That is a the yellow lab. And of course that -- the yellow lab is always featured on Cottonelle products.
No, I don`t -- and you know what? I mentioned Apple, one of my grand dogs, I call them. But I have a little grand dog son named Sammi. And really, my granddaughter, Rachel, saw the "Today" show -- and she`s watching right now.
HAMMER: OK.
HENDERSON: Rachel, I love you more than the puppies, but I had to mention -- I tried to explain to you that this is show business. But you know, Rachel, I love you. And Sammi is a big lab. He`s the love of my life. And Apple, that`s another grand dog. And then I have Izzy, another grand dog. And I have three real grandsons, as well.
HAMMER: So you got all the mentions in. Nobody`s crying after watching you on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Florence Henderson, it`s so nice to see you.
HENDERSON: Thank you. And enter the contest. You can win $200,000 in your home, making over your home. And you get to be an ad in "People" magazine.
HAMMER: You`ll have to help me write a song.
HENDERSON: Enter seven.
HAMMER: Though you may not be able to do that.
HENDERSON: Oh, sure.
HAMMER: Nice to see you, Florence.
HENDERSON: Thank you, A.J.
ANDERSON: Oh, you can do it, A.J. I know you can.
Tonight, it`s a Conner family reunion. The original cast of TV`s "Roseanne" comes together for the first time in nine years for the launch of their first DVD. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is there.
The cast traded in the Lanford Lunchbox for a Los Angeles bowling alley last night. Roseanne, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, and all three Conner kids hit the lanes. The complete first season DVD includes 23 episodes, bloopers and interviews with the stars. Roseanne jokes she`s TV`s original desperate housewife.
But just what was it that made "Roseanne" such a hit?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN GOODMAN, ACTOR: Just plain folks, sir. We was just plain folks, ordinary tales of human suffering, told by rich Hollywood stars.
SARA GILBERT, ACTRESS: It was a blue-collar show from a woman`s perspective, which wasn`t really on the air. And so I think it was a niche that, like, people were really hungry to have filled.
ROSEANNA, ACTRESS: I`m real glad that it was a big hit and that people liked it. And I hope they continue to like it for a long time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The "Roseanne" DVD hits store shelves August 30th.
HAMMER: It`s time now to get your laugh on in "Laughter Dark." As we do every night, bringing you the late-night laughs you might have missed.
Well, Senator John McCain makes a cameo appearance in the new movie "Wedding Crashers." Some describe the Owen Wilson-Vince Vaughn comedy as a little bit raunchy. So the senator has even caught a little bit of flak about his participation.
However, on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," McCain explains that it`s really not much different from his day job.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Now, see, I have to ask you something. Now, I know it`s an R-rated movie.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Yes.
LENO: And I read, I think, the Drudge Report called it a "raunchy boob fest."
McCain: I think that`s the limited of his imagination. But you know, in Washington, I work with boobs every day.
LENO: Really?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Good for him. Tonight, Jay welcomes Diane Lane to the show.
ANDERSON: And there`s still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "Celebrities: Do they deserve more privacy?" Vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails live, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "Celebrities: Do they deserve more privacy?" The vote so far, 68 percent of you say yes, they deserve more privacy; 32 percent of you say no, they don`t.
We`ve gotten some e-mails. Tony writes, "Celebrities should get more privacy. The mystique is lost when you see a picture of them shopping for groceries."
But M. Brown (ph) from South Carolina says, "If you don`t want your sex life made public, keep it behind closed doors and the camera in the off mode."
HAMMER: Stop making the videotapes.
ANDERSON: Turn it off.
HAMMER: It is time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Let`s take a look at the Showbiz marquee.
Marquee Guy, take it away.
MARQUEE GUY: Tomorrow, from the new thriller, "The Island," actor Michael Clarke Duncan drops anchor in our studio. He`s a big guy, and the Marquee Guy is not getting in his way. But A.J. Hammer will, live tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also tomorrow, "Silver Screen Secrets," a look at Hollywood stuntwomen. We`ll tell you which stars they double for and how they survive danger. That`s tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
This is the Marquee Guy. And there`s no stunt double for me, because I said it before, and I`ll say it again. I`m often imitated but never duplicated.
ANDERSON: We got it, we got it. All right. That`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
END
