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Showbiz Tonight
Movie Goers Fed Up With Theaters; Show on Eating Disorders Sparks Controversy; Behind the Scenes at "Dukes of Hazzard"
Aired August 05, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: I`m Karyn Bryant. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, mayhem at the movies. What are your biggest pet peeves about going to the movies? The cell phones? The crying babies? The jerk kicking your seat? Tonight, what`s driving you crazy and what can be done to fix this mess.
More attention for "Starved." The eating disorder comedy hits the airwaves, serving up food for thought.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re repugnant and weak.
BRYANT: Tonight, the anxiety over anorexia as entertainment.
Attack of the B-list celebrities. From "Dancing with the Stars" to the new "Surreal Life," semi-famous is the new famous. Tonight, why more and more B-listers are back in the spotlight.
KELLY MONACO, ACTRESS: Hi. I`m Kelly Monaco.
ALEC MAZO, DANCER: And I`m Alec Mazo.
MONACO: And we`re with "Dancing with the Stars."
MAZO: If it happened today...
MONACO: It`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: Hello. I`m Karyn Bryant. A.J. Hammer has the night off. And Brooke Anderson is joining us from Hollywood.
BROOKS ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Thank you, Karyn. Tonight I`ll have the scoop on the latest phenomenon in Hollywood: B-list celebrities making it big on reality TV.
Plus, we`ll talk with Jessica Simpson and the cast of the weekend`s most anticipated movie, "The Dukes of Hazzard" -- Karyn.
BRYANT: Thanks very much, Brooke.
And the movies are our top story tonight. Actually, we`re talking about the whole movie going experience. These days, way too often it is bad enough to ask for your money back. A new poll out tonight reveals why so many people are so fed up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
THE BEATLES, MUSICIANS (singing): You say you want a revolution...
BRYANT (voice-over): It`s a revolution of sorts. Moviegoers are fed up, because more and more, the entire theater experience is turning into a scary movie experience.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am scared! Oh!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I paid my money like everybody else up in here.
BRYANT: Annoying audience members are just part of the problem.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got you on camera.
BRYANT: It`s also high ticket prices, screaming kids in theaters, and then there`s the cell phones.
"Entertainment Weekly" magazine asked its readers why they`re disillusioned with the whole movie experience. They asked if people go to the movies less than they did five years ago. A whopping 65 percent answered yes.
We wanted to know why, so SHOWBIZ TONIGHT took to the streets all around the country, in New York, Atlanta, and Chicago. They all said the same thing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t go to the movies right now. I go less.
BRYANT: Less.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely less.
BRYANT: What were their biggest pet peeves about the entire movie going experience?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s just the price.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cell phones going of.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of previews. A lot of advertisements.
BRYANT: When "E.W." asked readers about their biggest gripe, almost 50 percent said bad manners, including cell phones and talking.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shut up!
BRYANT: And 98 percent said they absolutely think ushers should be allowed to kick people out for bad behavior. And every single person SHOWBIZ TONIGHT interviewed agreed overwhelmingly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure, I do. I think that when people pay their money they should get total satisfaction.
BRYANT: And the main reason people don`t go to the movies these days? Thirty-four percent of "E.W." readers said the price of tickets were too high. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s own poll found price to be a big problem.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We hardly ever get popcorn and Coke anymore because it`s so dang expensive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I could find better things to do with my money.
BRYANT: movie theaters around the country, you`ve heard America speak. They`re fed up with the entire experience, except for one diehard New Yorker.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you find that the sound of people slurping their soda kind of adds to the whole experience.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: Another thing moviegoers told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, DVDs have dramatically changed the way they watch movies and have replaced the hassle of going to theaters.
Still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT a little later, we`ll have a panel of experts who will tell us how the movie industry can fix the problem and get warm bodies back into that stadium seating.
And this does lead to our question of the day. The movie going experience: are you fed up? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And you can send e-mails to us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. Later in the show we will put some of those e-mails on the air.
Well, we do have another split in Hollywood tonight. Eddie Murphy was served with divorce papers by his wife, Nicole. The couple have been married for a dozen years, and they have five children.
The star of "Daddy Day Care" told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "The welfare of our children is our main concern, and their best interest is our first priority."
And I`ve got to tell you, the best interest comes into play tonight in our "SHOWBIZ In Depth." We`re talking about the TV comedy that not everyone is laughing about. It is a sitcom about people with eating disorders.
The show, called "Starved," debuted yesterday on FX. The National Eating Disorders Association has informally called for a boycott of the show. But Eric Schaeffer, the star and creator of "Starved," says humor for a lot of people is a huge part of their recovery.
Eric joins us now live along with Lynn Grefe, the CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association. Now, we should say you two were here on Tuesday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We got an overwhelming response. So thank you.
ERIC SCHAEFFER, CREATOR, "STARVED": I was late. I`m sorry. I apologize.
BRYANT: It was kind of rock star. You popped in and it was cool. Well, thank you for being timely tonight.
SCHAEFFER: Thanks for having me. I`m there for like two hours.
BRYANT: Forever. Lynn, the other day the show had not yet been on the air. Now that it`s been on the air, what are you hearing? What`s the response?
LYNN GREFE, CEO, NATIONAL EATING DISORDERS ASSOCIATION: Well, I`m hearing there`s already some triggers because there`s things in the show that kind of lead people to suggest what they could do in their disease and in their illness.
The other thing, it`s like an escape for people. It justifies them staying sick. And our goal is to lead people to treatment. We want people to get well. These are serious mental illnesses. We know that 10 million women and one million men suffer from anorexia or bulimia.
SCHAEFFER: So why is there only one million men, Lynn? You think that`s because there`s 9 million more women that actually have this disease? Or do you think it`s because men are scared to come forward?
And I wrote a show that three out of four characters are men. You don`t think that if you really cared about the well-being of the eating disorder community that you would get behind a show that had three men characters, three male characters?
GREFE: Well, actually, the fact that we know that there are more men and they`re not coming out. The problem is...
SCHAEFFER: They`re ashamed, right. Why not have a show on television that has three male characters, regular guys. You know, we have a cop who`s a good-looking black man. We have me, who`s just a regular guy. We have a...
BRYANT: What about that argument that he`s helping people come out?
GREFE: Well, the problem is it`s not really helping people. I mean, the fact that there were male characters I thought`s terrific, because I have found that men are saying, "Oh, boy, nobody`s speaking for me." We`re working really hard to get the stigma out of this illness. People are ashamed to come forward. People don`t understand it`s a mental illness. Instead they say -- they say...
SCHAEFFER: So I have a show that has three men on it. So why wouldn`t you support that? So why wouldn`t you support that?
GREFE: I`m supporting people getting treatment and not being ridiculed for their mental illness.
SCHAEFFER: I have a question for you. The last time I was on the last thing you said was that my show was not realistically portraying people. That`s my life. OK? That`s my eating disorder. So you`re telling me that I`m not portraying my life realistically?
I have one question. What`s your eating disorder? I just am curious.
GREFE: I can`t speak to your eating disorder.
SCHAEFFER: Do you have an eating disorder?
GREFE: I am very familiar with millions of people through our organization...
SCHAEFFER: Do you have an eating disorder? I`m just curious what your eating disorder...
GREFE: I kind of thought we`d talk about the show here.
SCHAEFFER: But I`m just curious what your eating disorder is. Do you have one?
GREFE: It`s not my job to talk about me. I`m here to represent the people who are fighting for health care...
SCHAEFFER: You`re not even qualified to be talking about it.
BRYANT: Let`s do this. Let`s do this. Let`s take a clip because Eric, as creator -- as creator and writer, you do say that you speak from the heart because you have these problems...
SCHAEFFER: Absolutely.
BRYANT: I want to just show a clip because some people have not seen the program. This is where your character is triggered and goes into the trash can to get some food.
BRYANT: Realistic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aren`t you afraid you`re going to eat some of that detergent?
SCHAEFFER: Never happen. The icing acts as an impenetrable barrier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Now, here`s the thing. I don`t have an eating disorder. I looked at this program. There were things I found in it that were very funny, but it was just about the character. It was not necessarily about the eating disorder. But to me I look at that and I go -- and I know this was one of the concerns. Is that you`re going to give people great ideas.
Well, that to me, Eric, doesn`t look like a great idea. So speak to the concern that you are showing people how to have an eating disorder.
SCHAEFFER: OK. Anybody that has an eating disorder, I agree with you, I don`t think that glamorizes eating disorders. I think anybody that`s going to eat around detergent dumped on chocolate cake, believe me, they know how to do that already. Nobody`s getting -- that`s not a very high-minded idea of how to binge. That`s not a cool secret.
Anybody who has an eating disorder is not going to watch my show and get ideas of how to binge in ways they haven`t binged before.
BRYANT: But what are you hoping they`re going to get out of it?
SCHAEFFER: What I`m hoping they`re going to get out of it is an identification with a real-life, humanly portrayed illness. If they watch my show and they see -- a guy especially seeing me, a regular guy, eating cake out of the trash, they`re going to go, "Ph, my God. I`m not alone." And maybe, maybe they`ll seek help.
If they see a really good-looking, cut-up black cop binging and purging, they might be out there and go, "Oh, my God, I`m not crazy. I`m not alone. Maybe I`ll get help."
GREFE: This show is advertised as a shameless comedy about splurging and purging. It`s painful. I mean, people can`t even afford to get treatment because insurance doesn`t cover people with eating disorders. We don`t want to ridicule people that have these illnesses.
SCHAEFFER: But how does it ridicule them? How does it ridicule them? How does it ridicule them?
GREFE: ... in patient treatment, you`ll see people are hooked up to machines.
SCHAEFFER: You have a party line, but you`re not talking from the heart.
BRYANT: Here`s the thing. Here`s the thing.
GREFE: I`ve been quite polite.
SCHAEFFER: You have your script. You have your script.
BRYANT: I want to talk about a couple of the e-mails that we have. And just to read them quickly, one of them is very positive. It says, "I`ve been suffering from an eating disorder for the last 18 years, and I thought the show `Starved` was pretty funny. It`s easy to find comedy in things you identify with."
Conversely, we`ve gotten an e-mail that says, "Just the thought of making fun of eating disorders devastates me. My illness is not fun or funny. I don`t like being held up as a comical figure because of my obsession with food."
Now, obviously, people are on either side of this issue. Do you really feel that you`re making fun of the eating disorder...
SCHAEFFER: That`s the key -- that`s the key point there. There`s no scene that makes fun of an eating disorder.
OK. There`s a man that goes down the alleyway, binges and purges, ends up vomiting on a homeless man. Do I think homelessness is funny? Of course not. Do I think bulimia is funny? Of course not. Do I think, in a grotesquely perverse way, the moment of a bulimic man vomiting on a homeless man is funny? Absolutely.
Do I think that nine out of ten people watching it go, "Oh, God" and don`t know why they`re laughing but laugh? Absolutely. And I think that most people would lie if they told you that they didn`t.
BRYANT: Well, here`s the thing. It`s going to play out over the next few weeks. People can certainly, Lynn, turn the channel if they don`t want to watch it.
GREFE: Absolutely.
BRYANT: I do want to thank you, Lynn Grefe and to you, Eric Schaeffer, for joining us.
SCHAEFFER: Thanks for having me back.
BRYANT: You can visit Lynn`s web site, the NEDA`s web site, at www.NationalEatingDisorders.org. And Eric Schaeffer is the star and creator of "Starved," which airs Thursdays on FX.
Well, moving on, the attack of the B-list celebrities. It`s a little levity for you people. Coming up, we`ll look at how reality TV has altered the lives of the almost famous.
Plus, how did Jessica Simpson get in Daisy Duke shape? Well, we have the answer from the star herself. That is coming up.
And while we are on the subject of bodies, why do men have nipples? It`s the answer to that question. Even we have to submit that`s funny. It`s the questions that you`d only ask a doctor after your third martini. Those are coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson, live in Hollywood.
Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the revenge of the B-list celebs. If you`ve seen the TV shows like "The Surreal Life," "Dancing with the Stars," "Hit Me Baby One More Time" or "Celebrity Fit Club" you`ve probably noticed a trend. Reality shows are breathing life into the careers of some unlikely people.
Are these shows making what are considered B-list celebrities the new A-list?
Well, joining me live, "New York Times" reporter Lola Ogunnaike, who just wrote an article entitled "B-List Rivals Bring Their A Game to Reality TV."
Lola, welcome to you.
LOLA OGUNNAIKE, "NEW YORK TIMES": Thank you.
ANDERSON: First I have to ask you why the fascination with these so- called B-list celebrities? We had Trista go from "The Bachelor" to "The Bachelorette" to "Dancing with the Stars." Omarosa, "The Apprentice," "The Surreal Life." Coming up soon, her own talk show. Why are people intrigued?
OGUNNAIKE: I think that these B-list celebrities are so much more accessible than the likes of Nicole Kidman or a Tom Cruise or a Russell Crowe or even a Jude Law, for example. These people could be anyone. They could be your next-door neighbor. They could be the nanny. They could be the baby-sitter. They could be your mechanic. And they just lucked up upon a hit show and happened to parlay that into even more shows.
ANDERSON: So people might identify with these folks, in fact.
OGUNNAIKE: Right.
ANDERSON: And a lot of these shows feature people we haven`t seen or heard from in a while. In your article you talk a lot about "The Surreal Life," which is a great example. Why such a surge in these shows featuring B-list celebrities? Got to be an incentive for the networks.
OGUNNAIKE: Well, you know, it`s cheaper. A lot of these celebrities are willing to do this for next to nothing, because what they want out of it is notoriety. They want to be back in the public eye. They want to jumpstart careers that might have been stagnant for awhile. So they`re willing to go out there and do these things for next to nothing.
And also, they`re a lot cheaper to produce. "Surreal Life" was done in, what 13 days. That`s not "Friends" money at all.
ANDERSON: No. It`s definitely not. And Lola, what I found funny, in your article you even compare celebrities to roaches and zombies. Now, not very nice. Explain what you mean, because shortly thereafter...
OGUNNAIKE: Bad Lola, bad Lola. I know. But the point I was trying to make is that celebrities never really die. You can never count a celebrity out. Someone who has been A-list and fallen to D-list could resurrect themselves from the dead. Just like when you think you killed a roach and all of a sudden those legs started flapping and they`re back again. That can happen.
John Travolta`s a perfect example of that. You know, he was a hot guy actor, "Saturday Night Live," dancing, the whole thing, and then he was nowhere to be found. Hops in "Pulp Fiction." All of a sudden he`s a superstar again.
ANDERSON: So you just never know. And Omarosa, of course, said she made lemons -- you know, made lemonade out of lemons. She certainly is extending her notoriety.
But Lola, I`ve got to leave it there. That`s all we have time for unfortunately. Thank you so much for being here.
OGUNNAIKE: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Lola Ogunnaike from "The New York Times."
Karyn, out of all those shows, do you have any favorites?
BRYANT: I don`t really believe in the reality TV too much, Brooke. I have to tell you, I watched "Project Greenlight" and a little bit of "The Contender" and that`s pretty much it.
ANDERSON: OK. All right.
BRYANT: It`s time for "Talk of the Day." Jessica Simpson, she is an a-list star, thanks in part to her reality show "Newlyweds." It may be over, but all of those famous little quirks that we`d almost forgotten came rushing back to memory this morning on "Live with Regis & Kelly."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLY RIPA, CO-HOST, ABC`S "LIVE WITH REGIS & KELLY": So all right. I`m going to -- I`m going to bother you just this one time, because you know the staff backstage really is curious. And I`m curious and we`re all curious. How did you get in such good shape? I mean, because you`ve always had a great body, but you`re just in the best shape ever.
JESSICA SIMPSON, ACTRESS/SINGER: Well, you know, to play Daisy Duke, I mean, that`s like an iconish...
RIPA: Is that a word? Iconic.
SIMPSON: Iconic.
RIPA: It`s iconish if you`re in Norway.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Well, we are now going back to Hollywood, where Brooke Anderson has more with Jessica Simpson -- Brooke.
ANDERSON: I do, Karyn. Today`s the day "Dukes of Hazzard" fans couldn`t wait to get here. The General Lee races into theaters, and everyone`s already talking about Jessica Simpson playing Daisy Duke.
And now what everyone is dying to know is how did she get into shape for the role? Well, Jessica revealed her workout secret to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and her co-stars let us in on a little secret, as well.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): A bar fight. Some moonshine. The General Lee and a gal who wears her Daisy Dukes with an attitude. "Dukes of Hazzard" fans, buckle your seat belt. The movie version of everyone`s favorite TV show is hitting theaters this weekend.
The good ole boys, Seann William Scott who plays Bo, and Johnny Knoxville, who plays Luke.
JOHNNY KNOXVILLE, ACTOR: Right.
ANDERSON: Never meaning no harm. Are trying to save Hazzard County from crooked commissioner Boss Hogg, played by Burt Reynolds, who is seizing properties all over town.
While the movie has a built-in fan base from the hit TV show, the movie version is sure to attract some Jessica Simpson fans, who are eager to see her debut in those Daisy Dukes.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has this behind-the-scenes footage for you. It`s no secret that the pop star hired a physical trainer to get ready for the role. Move over, Catherine Bach. And in an interview with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the pop star revealed some of her workout secrets.
SIMPSON: Two hours a day, sometimes 2 1/2 hours a day. A ton of cardio, lots of -- you know, everything from doing jump-ropes to sprints to, you know, lifting weights.
ANDERSON: And from the looks of her music video for "These Boots are Made for Walking," alongside country music great Willie Nelson, her workouts paid off.
Simpson also revealed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that working alongside Nelson was a dream come true and had her feeling a little bit like Renee Zellweger`s character in "Jerry Maguire."
SIMPSON: He always had the most amazing things to say, and he had me at hello, for sure. And I just always wanted to hear his experience, you know, with whatever he was going through.
ANDERSON: The good ole boys, Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott had a hooting and hollering time driving around the General Lee, and Scott told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT this secret. Ready? Here it comes. When it got a little scary, they relied on some good old-fashioned editing to make it look authentic.
SEANN WILLIAM SCOTT, ACTOR: It`s cool. Every time we`d do a stunt Johnny and I were like screaming like little girls. So they had to cut that part out obviously.
ANDERSON: What did he say?
SCOTT: Johnny and I were like screaming like little girls. Like little girls.
ANDERSON: Johnny Knoxville -- he starred in MTV`s stunt-driven reality show "Jackass" -- didn`t get to drive the General Lee.
JOHNNY KNOXVILLE, ACTOR: Seann was all, you know, training with Bobby Orr, who`s the best stunt driver in the world, for about four to six hours a day, because he had to do a lot of stuff in the car. He would just come in, and he would be, you know, just drenched in sweat.
ANDERSON: So does he hold a grudge against his co-star for driving the famous Charger?
KNOXVILLE: Son of a (expletive deleted).
ANDERSON: And for Simpson what didn`t break her certainly made her stronger. Training for those Daisy Dukes gave her a little more girl power.
SIMPSON: I took a lot back home with me to -- from Daisy. I really did. I love going to the gym now. I know how to stand up for myself now.
ANDERSON: So after her Daisy Duke transformation can she take husband Nick in an arm-wrestling match?
SIMPSON: Oh, for sure. No. I would lose.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Jessica Simpson also told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that she has been writing new material for her next album. She says so far it`s got a little Daisy Duke influence in it.
"The Dukes of Hazzard," of course, is in theaters today. Karyn, sounds like she`s capitalizing on "The Dukes of Hazzard," going forward with her music career.
BRYANT: That`s right. Well, good for Jessica. Thanks very much, Brooke.
Stay with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a review of "The Dukes of Hazzard." That is coming up in "People" magazine`s "Picks and Pans."
Plus, fired up about the upcoming season of "The Apprentice"? We`re going to preview the new fall season. That`s coming up in our series "Summer Reality Check."
And Heidi Klum says sometimes she forgets she`s pregnant. But coming up, some photographic evidence. We have pictures from her new photo shoot. That`s a little later on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Supermodel Heidi Klum is taking a page from Demi Moore`s pregnancy playbook. Klum bares nearly all in a photo shoot for the fall shoot of "Vitals Woman" magazine, which is on newsstands today.
She and her husband, pop singer Seal, are expecting their first child together, and Klum says she has doctors ready on both coasts, because she doesn`t know where she`ll be when it`s time to give birth. She says sometimes because of her busy schedule she`ll forget she`s even pregnant and then, quote, "Boom, I get a kick in the stomach."
That issue of "Vitals Woman" magazine is on newsstands today.
So if we could put a man on the moon, why can`t we get people to keep quiet in a movie theater? We are tackling that issue, coming up next.
Plus, Bill Murray is back on the big screen in the new film from Jim Jarmusch. But can the respected indie director translate to the masses? We`ll find out ahead in "Picks and Pans."
And come on, you know you`re curious. CNN`s own Jeanne Moos dares to ask, why do men have nipples? You definitely want to stick around for that one.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in just a minute. I`m Sophia Choi with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
Well, the FBI says there`s no apparent terrorist threat against a Southwest Airlines flight. The plane landed at a Houston airport and was evacuated after a note was found onboard suggesting a possible bomb threat.
In Ohio, a series of memorials are now being held to honor 16 local Marines killed in Iraq over the past week. Hundreds of mourners attended a prayer vigil in downtown Cleveland.
And on the Arizona-Utah border sealed off from the rest of the world and from the law lies a breakaway sect of Mormon fundamentalists. The group`s prophet has been accused of running an entire generation of boys out of town. So what could lead families to disown their own sons?
In our Friday night investigation, a special report on the lost boys. That`s on "PRIME NEWS TONIGHT" at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Well, that`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi. Now back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, do you think going to the movies has become a nightmare? If you do, you`re not alone. What is causing you to surrender at the Cineplex?
And take a reality check. If you thought you`d seen every reality show possible, you are wrong. There are more coming down the pipeline for the fall. Our special series looks ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi. This is Carrie Washington (ph). And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s only live entertainment news show. It is 31 minutes past the hour. I`m Karyn Bryant. A.J. has the night off.
Well, a superstar couple split. That is one of the big stories tonight. Let`s go to Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with tonight`s "Hot Headlines" -- Brooke?
ANDERSON: That`s right, Karyn. Eddie and Nicole Murphy have called it quits. Eddie was served with divorce papers this morning. They cite irreconcilable differences. The star of "Daddy Day Care" and "Shrek 2" has been married for 12 years. They have five children.
Rosie O`Donnell in "Fiddler on the Roof"? Sounds crazy, no? More clues tonight Rosie will join the Broadway cast. On her blog, there`s a picture of her son, Parker, sitting on the roof playing a fiddle. O`Donnell reportedly would play Tevye`s wife Goldie. Tevye is played by Harvey Fierstein. No official word yet from Rosie.
The calendar says August. And the hottest thing in Hollywood is the coolest thing, literally, "March of the Penguins." Today, the movie studio more than doubled the number of theaters playing it. It now has a chance to be the number-two documentary of all time.
Karyn, you just can`t beat those cute little guys waddling around. They`re adorable.
BRYANT: They do look adorable. Thanks, Brooke.
Well, going to the movies certainly ain`t what it used to be. Earlier in the show, we told you about a new "Entertainment Weekly" poll out today that reveals just how fed up moviegoers are with all the noise, and the rudeness, and everything else going on when they go to the movies.
Well, it now seems that everything from high ticket prices to commercials and cell phones are turning the movie-going experience into an ordeal. How do we end this movie madness? Joining me live in Hollywood is Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations. It`s a company that tracks box office results. And here in New York, Gitesh Pandya, founder and editor of Boxofficeguru.com.
Thanks for joining me, gentlemen.
First off, Paul, I want to start with you. We heard a lot of talk this summer about the slump and returns on the movies, and blah, blah, blah. Aren`t people just sick of going because it`s noisy, there`s a jerk behind you, there`s a crying baby at a 10:00 p.m. show? Isn`t that really the reason?
PAUL DERGARABEDIAN, PRESIDENT, EXHIBITOR RELATIONS: Well, I think that`s a big part of it. And I think what this box office slump, or so- called box office slump, has done is it`s validated people`s negative opinions about going to the movies. When you have box office attendance down about 10 percent year to date, and all this talk week after week about a down weekend, another down weekend, box office records not being broken, then people say, "Hey, you know, I kind of have figured out a long time ago, I don`t like going to the movies for this reason, that reason, the other."
But I don`t know. I think people still like to go to the movies. And really, it`s up to each patron to look out for each other. I mean, we`re all in this together. If you`re sitting in that movie theater, you`ve paid your ten bucks, you deserve to have a good movie-going experience. If other people are rude around you, that`s a big problem.
BRYANT: Well, Gitesh, what do you think about that? Because people did cite bad manners of others as the number-one reason they`re fed up with the movie-going experience. Is this a fixable problem?
GITESH PANDYA, EDITOR, BOXOFFICEGURU.COM: Well, yes, I think it is, in some ways. Obviously, you know, we go out to the movies, we want to enjoy ourselves and get our money`s worth.
But, you know, people are very rude in theaters. They answer cell phones. And, I don`t know, maybe we need martial law in the theaters to get these people out of there who are not behaving right.
But then also you have situations where, here in New York City, for example, you`re spending $10.75 for a movie theater -- for a movie ticket, and I think people are demanding more. I think that the standards are much higher. People want a lot for their money, especially when movies come out on DVD in three months or less. You know, they want a lot for their money and a lot of times they`re not getting it at the theaters.
BRYANT: All right, Paul. How about this idea: ushers as bouncers? Ninety-eight percent of the people polled say that ushers should have the power to just boot people out of the theater. Is that going to happen?
DERGARABEDIAN: Well, a lot of theaters that I go to, I don`t even see ushers. So, you know, I would hope to be in a theater where you would have that because for the individual audience member to have to take that into their own hands, you don`t really want fist-fights breaking out in the middle of the theater.
BRYANT: A little sketchy sometimes, too...
(CROSSTALK)
DERGARABEDIAN: Although, in that case, there might be more action in the theater than on the screen. You never know.
But I`m telling you, it is a problem, because there`s this perception now that people don`t want to go to the movies. And this is just compounding that.
I think, too, that it really comes down to the product. It`s the movies in the marketplace and it`s also that in-theater experience. When people go to a theater, they see a great movie and they have a great time, that makes them want to go back. We need to nip this in the bud and make sure that people don`t have a negative feeling about going to the movies.
BRYANT: Now, Gitesh, what about the idea to make a better experience? You know, out in Los Angeles, for example, there`s the ArcLight theater. You can pick your seat. You can get gourmet snacks. Are we going to see a trend toward more kind of high-end specialty showings in theaters?
PANDYA: Well, I think many theater chains are already trying that, with high-end ticket prices for reserved seating, where ushers actually come and bring you your popcorn and your soda so you don`t have to wait in line. You pay a little bit more for that.
So theaters are trying to figure out ways to give more convenience to the consumer so the overall experience is great, so they come back a second, third, fourth time over the summer or over the year.
And if you think about it, you know, with the amount of money people are paying, especially with the commercials that we get at the beginning of a movie, three, four, five commercials for non-movie-related items, you know, people don`t want that. So I think theaters have to think about cutting that down, as well.
BRYANT: All right, well, there we have it. Thank you, Gitesh Pandya of Boxofficeguru.com and Paul Dergarabedian of Exhibitor Relations.
Now, in the spirit of this story, we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT conducted an informal poll on what drives us crazy at the theaters. More than half of us on the staff think that the bad manners, like talking and cell phones, bug us the most. Me, personally, it`s the ads.
So what bugs you the most? We have been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." The movie-going experience: Are you fed up? You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight and write to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. And we will put your e-mails on the air at 54 past the hour.
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. We`ve got "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Broken Flowers," and "My Date with Drew." They`re in theaters this weekend.
Joining us now in New York City is "People" magazine`s movie critic Leah Rozen. So, Leah, I feel like this is going to be a juicy one. Talk to me about "The Dukes of Hazzard."
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Do we really have to, Karyn?
BRYANT: You must.
ROZEN: I think this is the worst movie of the year. So far, you know. The year is young; there`s still time.
But, you know, this is just the most mediocre thing they have slapped together, thrown on the screen, assume people will lap it up because it`s based on the TV series. There is a difference between a fun bad movie and a boring bad movie, and this is a boring bad movie.
BRYANT: What about Jessica Simpson making her big-screen debut? How does she do?
ROZEN: Not all that great. You know, she sings "These Boots are Made for Walking." I`m guessing she`s going to have Nancy Sinatra`s film career. Also, you know, teeth that are so freakishly white you could read a book by them at night.
BRYANT: So you`re saying pass?
ROZEN: Oh, yes, take a real wide pass on this one.
BRYANT: OK. Now let`s move on to "Broken Flowers." Bill Murray, he`s on a role, is he not?
ROZEN: Bill Murray is the prince of middle-aged melancholia. And in this film, as he did in "Lost in Translation," he`s again exploring that territory. He gets an anonymous note from a woman 19 years ago when they were having an affair. She says there was a child that resulted.
He goes back and sort of looks up a number of women he dated 19 years ago. It`s a road movie. Bill Murray is so good. "Broken Flowers" is absolutely worth seeing.
BRYANT: Now, is this the type of movie where he might get another Oscar nomination?
ROZEN: I think he could, but, you know, there are a number of strong male performances, I know, coming in the fall so we`ll see.
BRYANT: Right. I`m a Bill Murray fan. So I`m looking forward to this one.
ROZEN: Oh, he`s -- no one does deadpan comedy better. I mean, who else would you laugh hysterically as he`s eating carrots? I`m telling you. Look for the scene.
BRYANT: OK, probably not Johnny Knoxville, anyway, right?
So let`s talk about "My Date with Drew." This is a documentary-ish...
ROZEN: This is a little tiny documentary by a guy named Brian Herzlinger who had no money but a dream. He`s a sort of out-of-work Hollywood filmmaker. He wants to date Drew Barrymore.
He gives himself 30 days to somehow or other work a connection to meet Drew. At first, he ends up, he`s a little nebbish, you`re going, "Oh, I don`t like this guy," but you end up being won over by him. It`s a cute movie.
BRYANT: All right. All right. Well, thank you for joining us here, Leah Rozen. And of course, for more "Picks and Pans," you can pick up this week`s edition of "People" magazine.
Still ahead, this weekend you`ll be talking about the book that`s got the biggest buzz online. It has to do with nipples. But it is clean enough to nourish your kids. What`s that book? Well, we`ll tell you next.
Also, from boob to boob tube. This summer`s reality shows may seem unreal, but if you`re wishing for more, fall`s reality shows may grant your wish. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only place for your fall preview, and that`s on the way.
But, of course, summer is not over. Jessica Simpson and her Daisy Dukes are at the box office, as we just mentioned. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes you where she might just melt. That is still ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I am Karyn Bryant, and I`ve got a couple of questions for you. Quiz time.
Ever wonder why men have nipples, or why ice cream gives you a headache, or why you laugh when you`re tickled? Well, a hot new book called "Why Do Men Have Nipples?" -- how many times can I say this tonight, "Why Do Men have Nipples?" -- it reveals the answers to those little mysteries of life.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you`ve ever wondered why you yawn when someone else does, if you`ve ever questioned why you have an innie rather than an outie, if your navel gazing has wandered north of the belly button to ponder...
(on-screen): Why do men have nipples?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re asking me?
MOOS (voice-over): Now you can ask them, the guys who wrote this, "Hundreds of Questions You`d Only Ask a Doctor After your Third Martini."
(on-screen): Does urinating on a jellyfish sting stop the burn?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
MOOS: Wrong.
(voice-over): She must have been watching "Friends."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jellyfish sting. Oh, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re going to have to pee on it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It doesn`t hurt that bad!
MOOS: Dr. Billy Goldberg says forget urine, use vinegar. Dr. Goldberg is an emergency room physician who teamed up with a humorist to write the book.
DR. BILLY GOLDBERG, CO-AUTHOR: People harass me at parties. They ask me questions. I get phone calls in the middle of the night from my family. Someone`s tongue has turned black from drinking Pepto Bismol.
MOOS: Folks ask things like, can you lose a contact lens in the back of your head? Nope.
GOLDBERG: It`s a closed space. So it can`t really go anywhere.
MOOS: Is it bad to crack your knuckles? Not really. You`re just popping air bubbles, though you might stretch your ligaments.
But let`s get down to basics...
(on-screen): Why does sweat stink? Because, I mean, it`s basically water.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because it goes through a lot of crap to get out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe because of something that you ate?
MOOS: Sweat stinks when it interacts with bacteria on the surface of the skin. Maybe you`ve wondered if it`s dangerous to hold in a sneeze.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You holding something back. You might blow your brains out your ears or something like that.
MOOS (on-screen): Well, that`s true.
(voice-over): Sneezes have been clocked at up to 100 miles an hour. As for contagious yawning, they think it has something to do with humans subconsciously imitating one another.
GOLDBERG: I like the fact that other animals yawn. I never knew that. I found out that fish yawn. Have you ever seen a yawning fish?
MOOS: We`ve seen a yawning two-headed turtle, where one head yawned and the other followed suit. It may be full of bathroom humor, but the book has gotten to number three on the Amazon best-seller list. Look out, Harry Potter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re coming to get you.
MOOS: But why do men have nipples?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Women need something to play with, as well, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For piercings?
MOOS (on-screen): For piercings, that`s excellent.
(voice-over): Actually, all embryos develop nipples until the male chromosome kicks in at about six weeks. Co-author Mark Leyner showed off his embryonic souvenirs.
(on-screen): There`s a third.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s a little thing. I don`t know what that is. That`s not actually a third one.
MOOS (voice-over): But if you ask most guys why men have nipples...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know. Maybe I`m a morphodite.
MOOS (on-screen): A morphodite? OK, thank you.
(voice-over): Now, there`s a guy who finds the nipple inexplicable.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: That is fantastic, a morphodite. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos reporting for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Brooke, you know, the ironic thing is, I literally was just having a conversation about this the other day and here comes a book. So I`ll have to get it.
ANDERSON: You will have to get it. We have found out some answers now, Karyn.
BRYANT: Exactly.
ANDERSON: All right, moving on, tonight we`re wrapping up our "Summer Reality Check" series. We`re now going to look ahead to what you`re going to see in the fall on the big broadcast networks.
Joining us live to help us, our "Entertainment Weekly`s" Jennifer Armstrong and "Newsweek`s" Marc Peyser.
Welcome to you both.
First, I want to start by saying the two new reality shows this fall are both on NBC. First, Martha Stewart`s version of "The Apprentice," then "Three Wishes," similar in tone to "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Marc, why just two new shows? Is the reality TV craze not quite so crazed anymore?
MARC PEYSER, "NEWSWEEK": No, that`s not actually true. It`s never really crazed in the fall. The fact is, the networks are still a little bit spooked by reality shows. They`re tainted a little bit.
The good stuff is always sitcoms and dramas, the ones that a network really wants to have on the air and they can do a big deal. So reality shows are sort of left in the wings to plug the holes when the bad sitcoms and dramas are dropped.
ANDERSON: I see, when something maybe fails. OK, well, let`s talk about "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart." Jennifer, how does this version compare to Donald Trump`s version?
JENNIFER ARMSTRONG, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Well, I think the biggest thing that it has going for it is that it`s new and different, and Martha has all kinds of buzz around her right now. I think there`s going to be a huge, huge curiosity factor when it comes to this, and people are definitely going to tune in, in droves, not to mention the fact that it`s up against just some sitcoms and "One Tree Hill," and "America`s Next Top Model."
So it`s got a great time slot. And the really interesting thing to see will be whether she beats Donald in the ratings race, because Donald loves to brag about his ratings. So that`s going to be really fun to see.
ANDERSON: And he`s also an executive producer on this version, which is all about domesticity and all those fun tasks. Now, I want to move on to the other new reality show. It`s "Three Wishes."
Marc, are we seeing a trend in reality TV, as evidenced by this really feel good show?
PEYSER: Yes, that`s exactly right. There is a little bit of trend toward feel-good. In the earlier days of reality, it was always about backstabbing and making you eat gross things. It was kind of humiliation television.
And I think they`re trying to find a way to be a little bit more uplifting. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" has been a big success for ABC. And this is NBC`s attempt just to rip it off and do "Three Wishes" every night instead of one.
ANDERSON: I have to tell you, I cry every time I watch "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." I`m a real softie. I`m looking forward to "Three Wishes," as well.
And, Jennifer, let`s talk about a returning show this fall. "The Amazing Race," new twist this time. Instead of teams of two competing, it`s families competing. This has been a hugely successful show, Emmy- winning show. Why mess with a good thing?
ARMSTRONG: Well, you really do have to keep it fresh. Just like they`re doing with "The Apprentice," bringing Martha Stewart into the mix, here they`re bringing the families in. It`s a little bit of a risk, because they`re messing with a formula that`s really just starting to take off for them.
But they do have to keep things new and interesting. And I think it could be fun to see the family dynamic in this same environment.
ANDERSON: Such a different dynamic, like you say. OK, lastly, the gold standard for TV, as they say, "Survivor: Guatemala."
Marc, is it a must-see?
PEYSER: Oh, "Survivor`s" always a must-see. There would probably be no reality TV if "Survivor" hadn`t hit as big as it did back in the day.
It`s one of those shows that always does things well. Just like Jennifer says, you have to sort of keep it fresh. And they mix things up every time. There`s always something that you didn`t see the last time. You know, I don`t watch every episode of "Survivor," but when I tune in I`m immediately hooked.
ANDERSON: Set the standard, all right. Thank you so much, Jennifer and Marc. "Entertainment Weekly`s" Jennifer Armstrong, "Newsweek`s" Marc Peyser.
Karyn, back over to you.
BRYANT: Still ahead, Jessica Simpson tells us these boots were made for walking, but we`ll take you to a place where she`s not walking anywhere and you can touch her. Find out where. That`s straight ahead.
And there is still time for you to sound off on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." The movie-going experience: Are you fed up? You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails live, next.
But first, it`s time for the "Entertainment Weekly" must-list. Five things "EW" says you`ve got to do this week. Watch MTV take a kid with a big dream and make it a reality on "Made." Then check out only this Nine Inch Nails video from the same director as "Fight Club," great movie, that will have you on pins and needles.
Next, hustle and go. Check out "Hustle and Flow," the new indie flick about a small-time pimp with big dreams. And "EW" says you`ll confess, Kyra Sedgwick on "The Closer" rocks. No question about it.
And finally, they say to pick up "In the Shadow of the Law," by Kermit Roosevelt. This thriller with a killer will make you leave your reading lamp on.
For more "EW" must-lists, pick up a copy of "Entertainment Weekly" on newsstands now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson live in Hollywood.
Well, her dukes were made for showing, and that`s just what happened today in New York city. In honor of "The Dukes of Hazzard" opening weekend, Jessica Simpson`s wax figure was dressed as her character, Daisy Duke.
The figure, which was in shorts, of course, stood outside New York`s Madame Tussaud`s museum in Times Square holding the American flag with a General Lee car by her side. "The Dukes of Hazzard" opens today.
And, Karyn, that`s it from Hollywood. It was a lot of fun. Have a great weekend. And please tell Mr. Marquee Guy I said hello.
BRYANT: Oh, I absolutely will. Thanks very much, Brooke.
Well, we have been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Movie-going experience: Are you fed up?
The vote so far, 77 percent of you say yes, you are fed up. That means 23 percent of you say no, you aren`t.
We`ve gotten some e-mails. Lola from Tennessee writes, "Prices are high and people have to resort to smuggling food. I have better things to spend my money on."
And John from California writes, "I used to go once a week, but it`s turned into a negative experience every time I go lately."
Well, you can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
It is time now to see what is playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on Monday. That means we`re taking a look at the "Showbiz Marquee" with the Marquee Guy.
Take it away.
MARQUEE GUY: Good evening, everybody. This is the Marquee Guy. Here now, the news.
Cell phones, camera phones, dotcom deadlines. All next week, America`s instant news fixation and how, as my idol used to say, "That`s the way it is," or will be, Monday.
Also Monday, it`s Southfork coming to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Miss Ellie, Bobby, Sue Ellen, Pam, J.R. "There`s going to be hell to pay, Bobby," when "Dallas" comes to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Monday.
This is the Marquee Guy with a confession again. No one knows this, but I shot J.R.
BRYANT: Oh, that`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant. A.J.`s back on Monday. Have a great weekend. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN.
CHOI: Hi there. I`m Sophia Choi. Let`s get to your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
Well, the U.S. and Britain are joining the race against time to rescue Russian sailors trapped in a small sub more than 600 feet under the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. Navy is sending sailors and two unmanned rescue vessels to the site. Meantime, the Russian Navy is trying to pull the sub to shallow waters.
The crew of shuttle Discovery is preparing to leave the International Space Station for an early Saturday departure. Today`s duties include loading a huge container of trash into the shuttle for the trip back home. Discovery is scheduled to land on Monday.
Well, medical examiners are performing an autopsy now on a 12-year-old girl who died at a Walt Disney World water park. Officials still don`t know why she collapsed near the edge of a wave pool. It is the third time in two months a child has died or become critically ill at the resort.
That`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi.
END
