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Showbiz Tonight
Jury Finds for Polanski in Libel Case; Fashion Editor Fired for Blogging; Courteney Cox Arquette Opens Up About Her Baby Blues
Aired July 22, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a stunning decision. It`s got sex, an Oscar-winning director accused of rape, Mia Farrow and a major magazine. Tonight, the verdict and the fiery reaction.
HAMMER (voice-over): Also, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes in-depth. Should you get fired for what you write online? It`s something we`ve all done, talk about our boss behind his or her back. Live tonight, the fashion magazine editor who may have blogged her way out of a glamorous career.
ANDERSON: Plus, Courteney Cox Arquette. She comes to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to set the record straight about those reports she suffered from postpartum depression. And going from playing obsessively-neat Monica on "Friends" to a woman haunted with obsession.
HAYDEN CHRISTIANSEN, ACTOR: I`m Hayden Christiansen. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. Karyn Bryant has the night off.
One of Hollywood`s most controversial and powerful directors today won a stunning victory in court against one of the world`s best known magazines.
HAMMER: "Vanity Fair" had claimed Roman Polanski tried to pick up woman right after the murder of his very famous and very pregnant wife.
ANDERSON: Today, a London court ended the libel showdown with a decision that has rocked Hollywood and the media world.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer joins us now live the case of Roman Polanski v. "Vanity Fair" -- David.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J. and Brooke, the court case brought together all of the ingredients of an international media story: a Hollywood actress, a grizzly murder and a fugitive on the run. The victory for Roman Polanski surprised those who watched the case, but for the 71-year-old film director, he was simply trying to right a wrong that appeared in a widely read magazine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): It was a case that involved Hollywood scandal, sex and murder. Polanski is the Oscar-winning director of "The Pianist." He took "Vanity Fair" to court over an article that ran three years ago.
The article alleges Polanski, on his way to his wife`s funeral in 1969, went to Elaine`s bar in New York. That`s where, the article alleged, he tried to seduce a sexy a sexy Swedish woman.
His wife, actress Sharon Tate, was brutally murdered by followers of Charles Manson in their Hollywood home.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there in London earlier this week when, in his defense, Polanski`s lawyers called actress Mia Farrow to the stand. Farrow, acting as a character witness, said she`d swear on stack of bibles that Polanski was too distraught to have tried to seduce anyone.
"Vanity Fair," though, stood by its story.
It just took the London jury just 4 1/2 hours to decide that "Vanity Fair" and its publisher, Conde Nast, were guilty of libel. The judge ordered the magazine giant to pay Polanski about $87,000 in damages, plus court costs.
It`s a rare judgment against a publication which has a staff of attorneys review every article before it`s published.
"Newsweek`s" Nicki Gostin tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that this could have repercussions for the industry.
NICKI GOSTIN, "NEWSWEEK": It`s not a huge amount. It`s not like millions of dollars. This is not -- Conde Nast is a huge corporation. This is not a big deal for them, 50,000 pounds. But you know, it`s certainly one that sent shivers down the spines of various editors.
HAFFENREFFER: Polanski testified in a court filled with 18th Century tradition, using high definition television and the latest in satellite hook-ups from Paris. That`s because he`s lived in France since fleeing the United States in 1978 to avoid child sex charges. Had he come to London, he could have been arrested and sent to America.
Hours ago, the 71-year-old Polanski said in a statement that, quote, "It goes without saying that, whilst the whole episode is a sad one, I am obviously pleased with the jury`s verdict."
But "Vanity Fair" editor Graydon Carter was clear in his anger.
GRAYDON CARTER, EDITOR, "VANITY FAIR": As the father of four children, one of them a 12-year-old daughter, I find it equally outrageous that this judgment was considered defamatory, given the fact that Mr. Polanski can`t be here because he slept with a 13-year-old girl a quarter of a century ago.
HAFFENREFFER: The circumstances of the case left many bewildered.
GOSTON: He even admitted that he went on a -- that he slept with a lot of women after Sharon Tate`s murder. So I think people were surprised that his reputation had been harmed by this, because you could make the argument, how can you damage someone`s reputation who has been convicted -- who had been convicted of sleeping with a 13-year-old. That`s sort of not a great reputation to have in the beginning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: With Conde Nast based in New York City and Polanski living in France, many wondered why the case was tried in London. Observers say libel cases against international media cases are often tried there, because British courts are considered friendlier to those filing the lawsuits than in the United States -- Brooke.
ANDERSON: Thank you, David. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer.
Tonight, the Michael Jackson child molestation trial may be over, but the bills are still pouring in. It`s reported that the unsuccessful prosecution of the pope star cost California taxpayers $2.7 million dollars, and that`s just for crowd control and posting sheriff`s deputies at the Santa Maria County Courthouse. It doesn`t include prosecution and investigative expenses.
Also today, Jermaine Jackson, Michael`s brother, says the trial, quote, "Tore Michael apart mentally" and left him too tired to attend his father`s 76th birthday party in Berlin.
HAMMER: Tonight, busted for blogging. Anyone who keeps a blog on the Net or has had something bad to say about their boss behind his or her back, you`ll want to listen up.
Nadine Haobsh, a fashion editor for "Ladies Home Journal" magazine, was fired after it was learned that she was the person who was writing the blog that had the whole fashion industry buzzing.
And Nadine Haobsh -- I`m sorry about that -- joining us live here in New York City.
This thing took off like wildfire.
NADINE HAOBSH, FIRED FOR BLOGGING ABOUT WORK: Yes.
HAMMER: Fifty thousand people visited -- visited the site over a six- week period. Talk to me about some of the things that you were blogging about on your site.
HAOBSH: Well, to be honest, it was 80 percent celebrity gossip and only 20 percent beauty, but obviously, because I work in the beauty industry and such, it was the beauty blogs that got the most attention, the beauty posts.
And so I was talking about, you know, the freebies that we get, because beauty companies have a lot more money than fashion companies do. And so, you know, the Christmas gifts you get and the things that you -- the swag, basically, that you get sent with the products. And I guess I sort of outed a few of the secrets of the beauty industry, even though they`re really not secrets.
HAMMER: Well, speaking of those freebies, let me read an example of one of the things that you wrote on your site.
You said, quote, "My boss regularly gets Marc Jacobs wallets and coats, plane ticket vouchers, iPods, yearlong gym memberships, and of course, all the free highlights and haircuts your poor dyed, straightened and styled hair can stand."
Now, you attempted to keep your identity secret. Was that partially because you thought maybe some of these things were crossing the line?
HAOBSH: To be honest, I don`t know why. That`s my biggest regret, that I kept my identity secret, because I think that this could have all been prevented if I had just come clean from the beginning and told my bosses that I was doing this.
But I mean, probably in the back of my head I knew it was bad idea, which was why I didn`t tell them until I was contacted by a writer from the "New York Post" a couple days ago, and they told me they`d be doing a story on me.
HAMMER: So talk to me about what happened to your jobs.
HAOBSH: Basically, I told my boss a few days ago when the "Post" writer contacted me that they wanted to a story on me. My boss was understandably upset. And then the very next day, I received a job offer from "17" magazine. I went to my existing bosses, gave the two weeks` notice, which they declined. And then the story broke the next day in the "Post," and "17" rescinded the offer that day.
HAMMER: OK. So do you feel that it was within their right to fire you?
HAOBSH: To be honest, yes, I do. I mean, it`s my fault. I should have come clean from the beginning. You know, it was a conflict of interest, because I was a beauty writer, and I was writing about beauty. And being an employee at the time of "Ladies Home Journal," I basically was a spokesperson for them.
And so I understand, you know, it was unprofessional. I didn`t realize it at the time, and that`s sort of my -- that was my error. But it was all -- it was done with the best of intentions. You know, I was naive enough to think what I was writing was all in good fun and that it wouldn`t get back to my bosses, and that`s my mistake.
HAMMER: OK. Well, Nadine stick around, because we want to talk to you some more about this. This is a question that I`m sure many people are wondering about. Should you be fired for what you write about your job in a blog? That is the topic of our "SHOWBIZ In-Depth" tonight.
So joining us live from San Francisco to chat about it, Kurt Opsahl. He`s the staff attorney for Electronic Frontier Foundation, which handles Internet right issues. And live from Hollywood, Xeni Jardin, our friend from BoingBoing.net. It`s a technology Web site.
Good to see you all.
Kurt, I want to start with you. Certainly, companies are entitled to protect proprietary information. That`s not what was getting out here. It was basically, you know, for lack of a better term, gossip. Was it within the company`s rights to fire Nadine?
KURT OPSAHL, ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION: As a general matter, people are employed at will. A company can fire them for no reason, for any reason, so long as it`s not a protected reason. You can`t be fired for your race or your gender or for organizing a labor union in the workplace. And from what I`ve seen of Jolie in NYC, it doesn`t seem that it falls under any of those protected categories.
HAMMER: What do you think about that, Nadine, you know, seeing as how it didn`t fall within that sort of set of parameters?
HAOBSH: No, I think he`s right. I mean, basically, it came down to the fact that my boss has felt that it displayed a lack of professionalism and a lack of respect for the industry. And as a writer for "Ladies Home Journal," I was the representative within the industry. And so it`s disappointing, but I understand their position.
HAMMER: Xeni, weigh in on it.
XENI JARDIN, BOINGBOING.NET: Yes, well, I`m not a lawyer, but I am a blogger. And one of the things that a lot of people forget when they sort of experience the power of blogs for the first time, is that you then become subject to the same kind of legal issues that any other publication or any sort of broadcasting entity might. You`re now publishing information, so issues about defamation, publishing trade secrets, intellectual property, all that stuff then becomes your concern.
And I know that this blog, this is dealing with lip gloss not yellow cake uranium. But still, there`s some important legal issues to consider here. The EFF actually published a really good legal guide for bloggers that everybody behind a blog should be reading.
HAMMER: And you guys have that on your web site, Kurt. So this must be happening an awful lot lately, because blogs are easy to start. I mean, basically, you just go online and anybody can start writing these? Is this just a problem that will continue to grow? And where`s it heading?
OPSAHL: Well, the blogs represent the democratization of media, giving any ordinary individual the power of the press, so they can publish their thoughts and opinions to the world. This enables people to express themselves more. But at the same time they might not have the resources to see the rules of the road, have legal departments like a corporate media entity might have.
That`s one of the reasons we came out with a legal guide for bloggers so people can understand their rights, and if necessary, defend them.
HAMMER: So Nadine, you really didn`t know what you were getting yourself into, basically? You were just writing away?
HAOBSH: Exactly. I mean, I really didn`t. And I started the blog because a lot of my friends have blogs. You know, I read a lot of blogs regularly, like Gawker and Defamer and Paris Hilton, things like that. And so it just, you know, it was one of those cases where it seemed like something fun. It seemed pretty harmless.
And my advice to would-be bloggers would be, you know, don`t write about your industry and think before you write, because it is going to get back to people.
HAMMER: And Xeni, this is not the first time we`ve seen this happen, is it?
JARDIN: No. There have been plenty of incidents. And I imagine we`ll see more. There was a blogger named Mark Genn (ph) who worked at Google, who was fired, somewhere alleging that this because of stuff he wrote in his blog. There was this Delta Airline stewardess, as well. There have been a number of cases like this, and it`s not going to go away, because blogs aren`t going away.
HAMMER: Kurt, your best piece...
JARDIN: Never think that you have anonymity.
HAMMER: Kurt, your best piece of advice for a would-be blogger?
OPSAHL: Blog anonymously. I`d rather have people blogging and keeping their anonymity than stopping blogging about workplace issues. This might not have been yellow cake uranium, but it is an important insight into the beauty world. And I think that it was a valuable blog that people enjoyed reading. If you blog anonymously and you can protect your identity, you can keep speaking out on these issues and protect yourself from getting terminated.
HAMMER: Stay anonymous. Kurt, Nadine and Xeni, thank you very much for chiming in and going in-depth with us here us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAOBSH: Thank you.
OPSAHL: Thank you.
JARDIN: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, now we`d like to hear from you on all of this. Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day is blogging: do you have the right to trash your boss? You can vote by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or e-mail us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. Some of your thoughts later on in the show.
ANDERSON: Well, another celebrity speaks out about her struggles with postpartum depression. Who is it? We`ll tell you, coming up next.
HAMMER: And Courteney Cox Arquette opens up to tell us about her baby blues, her relationship with Brooke Shields, thoughts on Tom Cruise and her totally un-Monica-like new role. A revealing "SHOWBIZ Sitdown" with the former "Friends" star is coming up.
ANDERSON: And, we`ve got a bonus feature for you on bonus features. How movie studios are turning big screen flops into small screen fortunes on DVD. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Silver Screen Secrets" series continues.
HAMMER: Time now for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." What was the name of the Scottish freedom fighter portrayed by Mel Gibson in the movie "Braveheart?" Was it William Wallace, Montgomery Scott, Robert the Bruce or William O`Connell? Hang out. We`re coming right back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Once again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." What was the name of the Scottish freedom fighter portrayed by Mel Gibson in "Braveheart?" William Wallace, Montgomery Scott, Robert the Bruce or William O`Connell? Well, Mel Gibson took home a best picture Oscar as producer for "Braveheart" in 1995. He played A, William Wallace.
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Tonight, another celebrity is coming forward and revealing her battle with postpartum depression. Carnie Wilson admits she was depressed after her daughter, Lola, was born in April and, quote, "cried all day over everything."
The 37-year-old Wilson Phillips singer, and daughter of Beach Boy Brian Wilson, also says she sympathizes with Brooke Shields and doesn`t think Tom Cruise is right. Cruise has openly slammed Shields for taking anti-depressants for postpartum depression.
Wilson, who didn`t take medication for fear of possible side effects, says she got through it all with hypnosis.
For more on the Carnie Wilson story, pick up a copy of "People" magazine. It`s out today.
Tonight, Courteney Cox Arquette is setting the record straight about her reported battle with postpartum depression, and she`s doing it right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I sat down with Courteney this afternoon for a wide-ranging "SHOWBIZ Sitdown," and we talked about everything from the postpartum story to Tom Cruise and her much buzzed about new movie, "November." It opens this weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You`ve got a new movie coming out, "November," this weekend. Very different role for, you very dramatic, much darker.
COURTENEY COX ARQUETTE, ACTRESS: Yes.
ANDERSON: Why drama? Why now?
ARQUETTE: Well, I read the script and thought it was just so unique, and it`s really ambiguous. And I like movies that, when you leave the theater, you want to talk about it and analyze it and figure it out. And it`s exactly that kind of movie.
It`s really -- it is dark. It`s a psychological thriller about a girl who experiences a tragic incident, and it`s her interpretation of what happened.
ANDERSON: This was a drama. Your character went through some dramatic things. You`ve had a lot of drama in real life lately. You gave birth to your first daughter, first child last year, Coco. Congratulations. How has your life changed?
ARQUETTE: Well, having a child is, obviously, the most rewarding, time consuming job that I`ve ever taken on. I mean, she is the most amazing little kid. I don`t want to be away from her for one second. She`s very communicative. She talks a lot. She doesn`t walk, but she says everything.
ANDERSON: What does she say?
ARQUETTE: I mean, "Watch. Bellybutton, Momma, Daddy." She says just -- I mean, she repeats everything, like a little mimic.
ANDERSON: That`s adorable.
ARQUETTE: She talks like this sometimes. Maybe she`s copying her father. Who knows? But she`s just a really -- she`s a bright child.
ANDERSON: Well, you just lit up just talking about her. And I don`t know if you`ve heard Carnie Wilson recently now has opened up about having postpartum depression with her child. Brooke Shields has been very open, and I know you opened up to "USA Today" about delayed depression.
ARQUETTE: I know I had postpartum depression -- I don`t know if it was -- it was postpartum because it was after the baby, but it wasn`t like right afterwards. I just think my hormones really dropped, because I`d been injecting myself for a long time. I did two rounds of in vitro.
And then all of a Sunday, what I`m used to was here and then after you have the baby and after about six months, your hormones drop. And what was normal before I was pregnant, or years before, was no longer normal for me.
But I think a lot of things got taken out of context, about something about me driving off -- I don`t know if you read that. But -- and something about dying and selling. I mean, I don`t want David to take a girl to the house.
ANDERSON: Right. I did see that.
ARQUETTE: Sometimes, I`m really sarcastic and flippant. I was having a conversation just so off-the-cuff. And I was joking. I wasn`t that bad. I did not experience what Brooke Shields did. I mean, and it can be really bad. So I don`t want to put myself in that category. I wasn`t. Thank God I didn`t. But it can be terrible.
ANDERSON: Did you have to have medicine to overcome it? Did you?
ARQUETTE: I took progesterone. But I`m not one of those ones who -- I mean, hey, I say medicine`s great. Vitamins are good, medicine is good, and Tom Cruise is good. All good.
ANDERSON: Well, speaking of Tom Cruise, he really criticized Brooke Shields for take anti-depressants. What do you think about that?
ARQUETTE: I didn`t see that. But I didn`t actually -- I`m the only person in the world who didn`t see that exchange or the one with Matt Lauer. So I missed some good TV. But...
ANDERSON: Yes, you did.
ARQUETTE: I really did. I didn`t even pull it up on line. I`ve got to get on that. But I like -- I think Tom Cruise is such a nice guy, and I think if that`s his opinion, fine. But you know, it works for some people and I`m an advocate of it.
ANDERSON: Did you and Brooke Shields talk when you went through this?
ARQUETTE: I actually did call her when I was going through it, just saying, "I`m having a hard time sleeping. My heart`s racing, and I`m just really anxious." I mean, like I said, luckily, I didn`t have it to the extent she had it. But mine -- it hits people.
ANDERSON: Any more baby Arquettes in the future?
ARQUETTE: I hope so, yes. Yes.
ANDERSON: OK. Boys? Girls? What do you...
ARQUETTE: I`d like to have a little boy just because we need another little Arquette in the family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Courtney also told me that she has recently paired up with her favorite charity, the EB Medical Research Foundation. She`s paired it with her favorite cosmetics line, Conneraif (ph), and the cosmetics line will donate 10 percent of its sales purchased at four stores to the foundation. For more information log on to www.EBKids.org.
And a reminder: Courteney`s new movie, "November," does open this weekend.
HAMMER: Well, she`s a "d-w-f" seeking an "s-w-m." Oh, and he must love dogs. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with the stars, and the dogs, of "Must Love Dogs" on Hollywood`s red carpet yesterday. The romantic comedy, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack, explores the perks and the pitfalls of online dating.
Lane`s character enters the world of virtual matchmaking with one simple requirement: her potential suitors must love dogs. She takes the good dates with the bad and spills the beans about online dating.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIANE LANE, ACTRESS: I think everybody`s in the closet doing the dating thing. Absolutely. I`m convinced.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the movie does not do well then I might be on the Internet. And if you`re out there and want to, you know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s fun movie. I had a chance to see it last week, and Diane Lane is amazing. "Must Love Dogs" will be in theaters on July 29.
ANDERSON: A talented actress she is. Well, it`s "Dancing with the Stars," "Regis and Kelly" style. That`s next.
HAMMER: Plus, some scenes end up on the cutting room floor, but what could end up as trash ends up as big cash. It`s a "Silver Screen Secret," and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will clue you in. It`s our special series, coming up.
ANDERSON: And, she may not have time for the pain, but we`ve got plenty of time for her. Carly Simon, the singer-songwriter, puts her spin on the works of some of her favorite songwriters. Carly Simon comes to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a "SHOWBIZ Sitdown." That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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.
HAMMER: Well, earlier on "Live with Regis and Kelly," a dance troupe showed up and showed the two hosts a new way to get around town.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m going to lift up.
KELLY RIPA, CO-HOST, ABC`S "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": You know, this reminds me of something -- never mind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, ready. Now, you`re going to be right between us. You can let your feet down straight.
RIPA: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Ready?
RIPA: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here we go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There you go. Now...
Just hold on.
REGIS PHILBIN, CO-HOST, ABC`S "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": Now, wait a minute.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can sit up straight here. Just hold on. That`s good. Hold the mane. And they`re going to be off.
PHILBIN: I`m not kidding, I`m going to hang on to that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s good. Hold the mistaken and are you ready, get set?
PHILBIN: Easy, easy!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Monday on "Live" actress/comedian Whoopi Goldberg.
HAMMER: Coming up next, our "Silver Screen Secrets" series. Tonight, DVDs.
ANDERSON: Plus, a trip to "The Island" with Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Buscemi. The "SHOWBIZ Guide" to new movies opening this weekend, coming up.
HAMMER: And Carly Simon is coming around again with a new album. And she opens up to us about that "You`re So Vain" mystery. What Simon says, on the way on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in one minute. Hi, everybody, I`m Thomas Roberts. Here`s your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
A series of explosions have hit the resort town of Sharm el-Sheik in Egypt. The Associated Press says that the blast killed at least 25 people, wounded more than 100 others. Witnesses say a four-star resort was completely destroyed and the explosion shook windows miles from the site. We`ll continue to follow that story.
Scotland Yard has made an arrest in connection with the most recent transit attacks. Authorities aren`t saying if the man is one of four suspects whose images was captured on cameras near the bombing sites. Earlier, police shot and killed a man at an Underground stop. They say the shooting was linked to their investigation.
And a blaze about 80 miles from Phoenix, Arizona, has jumped a highway where firefighters were hoping to contain it. More than 350 homes have been evacuated. More than 65,000 acres have burned. It`s one of 32 large wildfires burning across ten western states.
That is the news for now. Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts. We take you back for more of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, special secrets revealed. Why movie studios are spending plenty of extra time on extras. How DVD special features are becoming a big bonus business. It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Secrets of the Silver Screen."
ANDERSON: She`s kept us guessing for decades, who`s so vain? Now Carly Simon`s back with her fourth standards album, "Moonlight Serenade." She joins us for a "Showbiz Sitdown."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COURTENEY COX-ARQUETTE, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Courteney Cox-Arquette. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s only live entertainment news show. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. As we roll into the weekend, here are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski wins his libel suit against "Vanity Fair" magazine. The article accused him of propositioning a woman on the way to his wife`s funeral back in 1969. Polanski, who testified in British court via video link from France, was awarded $87,000, plus court fees.
ANDERSON: California taxpayers are footing part of the bill for the Michael Jackson trial. The tab so far is close to $3 million, and that excludes the cost of investigating and prosecuting the King of Pop. Jackson is still recovering from a trial his family said "tore him apart." He was unable to attend father Joe Jackson`s 76th birthday party in Berlin.
HAMMER: The stork has a date with Britney Spears, and we know when. The pop star is due in September, according to little sis Jamie Lynn. The younger sister was dishing on her Internet diary that the whole family is preparing for the baby`s September arrival.
ANDERSON: Earlier on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we had on guest Nadine Haobsh, who was fired from her job as an associate magazine editor for blogging about office business. Well, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day. Blogging: Do you have the right to trash your boss?
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, we blow off the cover off DVDs and reveal everything you don`t know about them, as we wrap up our weeklong series "Silver Screen Secrets."
What are the stories behind all those DVD extras? You ever wonder how they`re made? Well, joining us live from Los Angeles to tell us some of these secrets, Susanne Ault. She is with two magazines, "DVD Exclusive" and "Video Business." And J.M. Kenny from New Wave Entertainment. They are the largest producer of content and features for DVDs in the industry.
J.M., when this all started, when DVDs were first being released, you were lucky if, in addition to the movie, maybe you got the trailer. Now there are entire additional DVDs in the set with bonus features.
What is the secret to how you`re able to make a great DVD extra? And I imagine your access to behind the scenes plays a lot into this.
J.M. KENNY, NEW WAVE ENTERTAINMENT: That`s absolutely it. I mean, more and more, as we continue to get further and further into the scope of DVD, we`re realizing that access early on to the filmmakers gives us the ideas.
I mean, we`re reading scripts at the same time that the projects are going into development. So we`re able to start shooting behind-the-scenes footage. We able to start culling ideas about what`s going to be on the DVD as the film is starting to go into production. And then we`re able to see it all the way through to the phase of the release of the film, as well as the release of it on the home video.
HAMMER: So you`re right in there the whole time.
And, Susanne, very often, a studio will release a movie, won`t really do all that well, won`t make that much money at the box office. And then they`ll turn around, release it on DVD, and it will be wildly successful. What is the secret behind the studios turning these movies that didn`t do so well, the flops, into DVD success stories?
SUSANNE AULT, "DVD EXCLUSIVE" MAGAZINE: Well, I guess a big example that`s going to be coming up in a couple of weeks is the release of "Alexander." And in this case, the movie in theaters didn`t do well at all, in America especially.
And so, to try to salvage its performance, they asked Oliver Stone to re-cut the film into kind of a tighter, more action-packed version for the DVD. So now we`re going to get a film that Oliver Stone specifically made for the DVD. So that just kind of shows how important they think DVD is and could potentially get a lot of money for them to save, you know, what happened at the box office.
HAMMER: Right. A lot of added value there.
J.M., walk us through the process a little bit. You said you guys are right in there from the very beginning. What are some of the other secrets or things people may not know about how the extras are made for the DVDs?
KENNY: Well, a lot of times it`s with filmmaker involvement. Filmmakers love the medium, because they sometimes want scenes to stay in films. And for whatever the reason, the scenes have to leave, if it`s timing or it`s just the pacing of the film.
And they give us deleted scenes. They give us insights to their processes that they go through, what it`s like day on the set. We`re able to make filmmaker diaries, hour-long pieces, where you`re able to see how it is to make a film, as well as them giving us access to stunts, and explosions, and things that a lot of times, without this coverage, you can`t fully create a featurette or mini-documentary on.
HAMMER: And one of the features that a lot of people are always interested in seeing, either the director`s commentary or the actor`s commentary, how is that done? Are these guys just getting together in a little room, screening the movie? Are they sitting on a couch somewhere? What`s some of the technology you employ for the commentary scenes?
KENNY: Well, at New Wave Entertainment, we created a booth specifically for audio commentaries. It`s state-of-the-art. It`s a circular table that has four flat-panel screens. And we can put up to -- I think we`ve had up to eight or ten people when we did the "SWAT" commentary for Sony Home Entertainment.
But the idea is that it is a very comfortable environment for the cast or the director and his technical advisors. And then can basically really see each other across the table. It`s sort of like a "T." So they never seem to fade off of microphone.
A lot of times, when you have multiple people, you have to sit them in a line. And what ends up happening is that, when somebody leans in to talk to another person, they go off microphone. So with our setup, we enjoy the fact that everybody seems to stay in the moment, and they`re right there in the room with each other.
HAMMER: Which helps out a lot, because a lot of times you`ll listen to these things and think, "Well, you know, they don`t seem like they`re having all that much fun." How do the actors and directors feel about doing the commentary, Susanne, quickly?
AULT: Sure. Well, most of them do increasing like the commentaries. It`s like a final record of their work, and they want to make sure that everyone knows the behind-the-scene secrets of how they put the film together.
But there are a couple of directors, still, that don`t like to do commentaries, which is a shame, because these guys are some big ones. Quentin Tarantino and Steven Spielberg continue not to want to do commentaries, which probably is upsetting to a lot of their fans.
HAMMER: Sure. And as the technology improves, hopefully they`ll get on board with that. Susanne Ault, J.M. Kenny, thank you very much for giving us some of the secrets, as we wrap up our series, "Silver Screen Secrets," on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Appreciate it.
KENNY: Thank you for having us.
AULT: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Time now for the "Showbiz Guide," where, throughout the week, we help you decide where to spend your dollars on movies, music, DVDs and more.
Tonight, "People" magazine`s "Picks and Pans," new movies "The Island," "Bad News Bears," and "Hustle and Flow" are out in movies. And joining us here in New York City is "People" magazine movie critic, Leah Rozen.
Leah, thank you so much for being here.
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: You`re welcome.
ANDERSON: Let`s kick it of with "The Island." Now, this is a film with more than one focus, a drama about cloning, and then also an action- thriller with a high-stakes chase.
ROZEN: Well, this is directed by Michael Bay, who`s the guy who did "Pearl Harbor," did "Bad Boys." He does big action films.
May I say, by Michael Bay`s bombastic standards, it`s his best film yet.
ANDERSON: Really?
ROZEN: It`s a fairly smart thriller, but completely derivative. A few too many chase scenes. I don`t know why they don`t just put "Chase Scene Here: Go to DVD for Full Thing."
ANDERSON: "Insert Chase Scene."
ROZEN: Exactly.
ANDERSON: And Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson...
ROZEN: Ewan McGregor gives a terrific, very witty performance. Scarlett Johansson doesn`t have much of a role, but you know, for a Saturday night movie, this one`s kind of fun.
ANDERSON: All right, so kind of iffy there.
ROZEN: Good enough. Good enough.
ANDERSON: All right, moving on now, "Bad News Bears." A new take on the 1976 comedy hit. No Walter Matthau here. We`ve got Billy Bob Thornton. How does he do?
ROZEN: Billy Bob Thornton is playing the dissolute coach. You know, if an umpire were ruling on this one, he`d call it foul for foul-mouthed. I mean, it is relentlessly raunchy. I think it`s probably aimed at teenagers. I would not take little kids, unless you want to hear them parroting back to you this really potty-mouthed humor.
ANDERSON: More crass...
(CROSSTALK)
ROZEN: I don`t know why they had to remake the movie. The original is pretty good. So if you`re a teenager, it does what you want. It`s a lot of smart-mouth stuff. Billy Bob is kind of fun, but this is in no way a classic.
ANDERSON: Not for the children out there.
ROZEN: Not for kids, and no reason adults have to go.
ANDERSON: OK. Lastly, "Hustle and Flow," getting the best reviews out of these three movies this weekend, starring Terrence Howard.
ROZEN: Yes. "Hustle and Flow" was a big hit at Sundance. It stars Terrence Howard, who was in "Crash." This is a story about a Memphis pimp, a real sort of down-and-out Memphis pimp. Basically, he`s a chauffeur for prostitutes.
He decides he wants to be a hip-hop star. He follows his dream, the fresh setting of Memphis, the guy being a pimp, and Terrence Howard just giving an incredible performance makes this fairly familiar story all seem fresh again.
ANDERSON: You liked this one.
ROZEN: Like this one.
ANDERSON: Quickly, bit of an "8 Mile" feel here?
ROZEN: It`s a little bit like "8 Mile." It`s a little bit, like, you know, Prince`s movie. I mean, it`s that same, familiar echoes of those. But Terrence Howard is such a terrific actor. And the whole thing just seems fresh, because you haven`t seen the story before. Absolutely worth going to.
ANDERSON: "Hustle and Flow," all right.
Leah Rozen, thank you so much. We appreciate it.
And for more "Picks and Pans," check out the new issue of "People" magazine. It`s on newsstands now
HAMMER: So do you think you can dance? Getting jiggy with it on late night TV. Jay Leno`s got the moves you haven`t seen.
ANDERSON: She`s a legend in her own time, with all that "Anticipation." Well, "That`s the Way I`ve Always Heard it Should Be" with singer-songwriter Carly Simon. Carly Simon opens up to us about the "You`re so Vain" secret when she stops by for a "Showbiz Sitdown," coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, troubled actor Tom Sizemore`s latest battle against his personal demons and why lawyers are working to keep him out of jail. That`s in tonight`s "Legal Lowdown," which is next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
In tonight`s "Legal Lowdown," lawyers for Tom Sizemore are trying to work out a probation deal for the actor. They want Sizemore to remain in a psychiatric hospital for drugs and depression if he admits to a probation violation.
A conviction could land Sizemore in state prison for three years. Sizemore is accused of faking the results of a court-ordered drug test. He also skipped out on a hearing. Sizemore`s doctor says he believes a mood disorder is the underlying cause of the actor`s substance abuse. He says Sizemore is determined to overcome it.
HAMMER: It`s time now for a "Showbiz Sitdown" with Carly Simon. She is an icon. Hits like "Anticipation," "Mockingbird," that`s her. She won Grammys, a Golden Globe, and even an Oscar. But perhaps more legendary than her accolades and that famous smile of hers is the mystery surrounding her chart-topping hit "You`re So Vain," a mystery that just doesn`t seem to go away.
Well, now she`s back with a brand-new CD. It`s called "Moonlight Serenade." This is her fourth album of standards. Carly Simon joins us here in New York City.
It`s terrific to meet you.
CARLY SIMON, SINGER-SONGWRITER: It`s so nice to meet you, too.
HAMMER: And you were hanging out on stage in New York City, a rare appearance at a little club downtown. Your son, Ben Taylor, your son with James Taylor, was out performing. And I understand he did a smashing rendition for the first time ever in public of your first hit ever.
SIMON: Yes. He sang "That`s the Way I`ve Always Heard it Should Be." And it was heart-stopping. It was so beautiful. I was very, very moved. I was moved to tears.
He was choked up. The whole audience was -- you know, it may have been one of the defining moments in life.
HAMMER: So he did you proud, made mama proud?
SIMON: Yes, he did. And then we all got up on stage, Sally, Ben and I all got up on stage, and sang, sang "You Can Close Your Eyes," which is a song I learned before either Sally or Ben were born. And, you know, I used to sing with James.
And we always used to say, you know, it`d be really nice to have a third-part harmony. And therefore, we had Sally, who did a great third part. And then surprisingly enough, Ben came along, too, and so, you know, it became four parts. But then James left, and so there are only three parts left.
HAMMER: So, Carly, I`ve got to ask you -- because, of course, a couple of months ago, one of the best held secret identities was finally revealed when everybody found out who Deep Throat was.
And then everybody started talking about the other well-held secret over the years, the identity of the person you`re singing about in "You`re so Vain." Can you believe, first of all, that some 30 years later people are still talking about this? Does it make you crazy, or is it funny to you?
SIMON: Why do you think people are still talking about it? I can`t figure it out. But why do you think that`s it of interest?
HAMMER: Well, the same way with Deep Throat. I mean, this is a song that has been a part of...
SIMON: Well, Deep Throat was a huge political and, you know, -- I mean, it mattered. This does not matter.
HAMMER: Apparently, it does. America wants to know. And the song will forever be a part of American culture.
What`s the craziest person that somebody suggested that song is about? I mean, we know the obvious ones that people have said, about, you know, Warren Beatty, and James Taylor, and Mick Jagger, who sings on the song. Has anybody ever come up with a crazy idea?
SIMON: Well, somebody thought that it was Jesus Christ. And I thought that that was pretty far out.
HAMMER: "Moonlight Serenade," your fourth album of standards. The standout song on it for you -- because it`s been getting great reviews -- what`s your favorite tune on the album?
SIMON: It`s been getting great -- oh, you mean, what`s my favorite song, not with...
HAMMER: Yes.
SIMON: I guess I like "Alone Together" the best. It`s got a lot of personal meaning for me. It was written by a great friend of my parents, Arthur Schwartz. And I like the bossa nova style. I loved working with Richard Perry again.
HAMMER: The guy that you worked with back in the `70s and did "You`re so Vain" with.
SIMON: That`s right. And "Nobody Does it Better," and lot of the -- you know, "Mockingbird," and "Haven`t Got Time for the Pain." And we picked the songs together. And we picked the ones that were closest to my heart and that were in the best key in my voice. And we picked 11 great ones, I think.
HAMMER: And it worked out well for you. And it`s always great hearing your voice on those old songs. And, Carly Simon, it`s a pleasure to meet you.
SIMON: It`s a pleasure to meet you.
HAMMER: Thanks for stopping by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And you can pick up your copy of Carly`s new album, "Moonlight Serenade." It`s in stores now.
SIMON: She`s got an incredible voice.
All right. Well, it`s 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. On "The Tonight Show," host Jay Leno worried a new dance show on FOX may be too much for television.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Did anybody see "So You Think You Can Dance"? Did you watch it last night?
You know what I noticed? It`s a little edgier than "American Idol." Did you see it? It`s a little edgier, a little more bite.
Well, here. Show a clip from the show last night, "So You Think You Can Dance."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dance, dance, dance!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That`s just wrong.
All right. And for all the Led Zeppelin fans out there, tonight, former front man Robert Plant performs on "The Tonight Show."
And you know it`s hot here in New York City when David Letterman starts talking about it. So how hot is it? Well, here`s how "The Late Show" describes the heat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW": It`s so hot here in New York City, over at St. Patrick`s Cathedral earlier today, the nuns were filling their Super Soakers with holy water.
It was so hot, I saw a rabbi rolling a keg of beer down Broadway.
It`s so hot in New York City today, the hookers in Times Square are passing out frozen condoms.
It`s so hot Martha Stewart violated her parole just to get back in the cooler.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And the collective moan among the staff here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
All right, tonight on "The Late Show," actors Tom Arnold and Jessica Biel.
A.J., it`s pretty hot here though, right?
HAMMER: It`s bit of hot weather here in New York City. And it`s so hot here tonight, as you continue to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." I have no idea what that means. Blogging: Do you have the right to trash your boss?
We do want to know what you have to say on the subject, so you can vote by going to the web site, CNN.com/showbiztonight. Got more thoughts on it? Our e-mail address is showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`re going to read some of your e-mails live, coming up next.
ANDERSON: But first, the "Entertainment Weekly" must list, five things "EW" says you`ve got to check out this week.
First, it`s your prerogative. You can do what you want to do, but what you should do is check out "Being Bobby Brown." Next, book it down the theatre aisle to see Owen Wilson in "Wedding Crashers." You`ll say "I do" love this movie.
"EW" says it`s summer, so "Everybody into the Pool." This new book is a comic tale about moving from the `burbs to the big city, and then back. Next, watch wannabe rock stars battle to become the lead singer of INXS on CBS` "Rock Stars."
And finally, see Geoffrey Rush shine in "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers." It`s out on DVD. For more on the must list, pick up a copy of "Entertainment Weekly," on newsstands now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, throughout the show tonight, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Blogging: Do you have the right to trash your boss?
Well, here`s how the vote`s been going so far. Guess what? Seventy- one percent of you say yes, you do have the right to trash your boss, man or woman, on blogs. And 29 percent of you say no, not a good idea.
Among the e-mails we received on the subject, one from Cathy in Montana. She writes, "This country is partially based on freedom of speech. However, idle gossip and harmful slander are not."
Heard from Carlene in Florida who says, "Anyone taking the boss` money has no right to criticize him without permission."
Also heard from Mary. We`re not going to tell you where she`s from to protect her identity. She tells us, "My boss is basically very annoying. So to gossip about him is really the only way I can get back at him."
If you still want to vote, you still can. CNN.com/showbiztonight is where you got to go.
ANDERSON: Not that I`ve ever done it, but Mary might be venting.
HAMMER: I can understand that.
ANDERSON: All right. OK, well, now it`s time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Monday.
HAMMER: And to do this, we`re going to launch into the weekend with the only guy who can take us there...
ANDERSON: Absolutely.
HAMMER: ... our Marquee Guy. Take it away, M.G.
MARQUEE GUY: We are a part of the iPod nation. The pod-people are everywhere. Run for your lives! Get ready for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s week-long series on iPods, iPod popularity, iPods for dummies, iPods for smarties, like the Marquee Guy. Everything iPod, starting Monday.
Gentlemen, start your engines. Her boots were made for walking, and that`s what she`s going to do. It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with "Dukes of Hazzard" star Jessica Simpson Monday.
This is the Marquee Guy. I`m missing saying "tomorrow." And you should see me in a pair of Daisy Dukes. Yee-haw!
ANDERSON: He can work on Saturday.
HAMMER: No, no. I want him to say it anyway.
MARQUEE GUY: Tomorrow!
ANDERSON: Tomorrow!
HAMMER: Karyn Bryant returns on Monday. Thanks for hanging out. It`s been nice to have you here.
ANDERSON: Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
HAMMER: That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
ROBERTS: Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts. And it`s time for your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
A series of explosions have hit the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. The Associate Press says the blast killed at least 25 people and wounded more than 100 others. It appears that several hotels were targeted in the attacks. Witnesses say a four-star resort was completely destroyed in the explosions that shook windows miles from the site.
Police in London say they`ve made an arrest in connection with yesterday`s failed bombing attempts. Another suspect was shot and killed by police after a chase through a subway station. They say the shooting was directly linked to the investigation.
London police have released these security camera images of the suspected transit attackers. Police believe these men carried bombs to three subway stations and a bus. In each case, the explosives failed to fully detonate.
And crew of the Shuttle Discovery has returned to the Kennedy Space Center. Discovery is set to blast off Tuesday after a two-week delay that was caused by a faulty fuel gage.
That is the news for now. Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts.
END
