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Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight for August 9, 2005, CNNHN
Aired August 09, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer.
KARYN BRYAN, CO-HOST: I`m Karyn Bryant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, stunning news from Christopher Reeve`s widow. Dana Reeve has lung cancer. Tonight, the very latest on her condition and the emotional support pouring in from Hollywood and beyond.
HAMMER (voice-over): Forget the traditional news. In the age of Internet and cable, can the network nightly news casts survive? Are they already dinosaurs? It`s the question we`re asking tonight in our special series, "The New News."
BRYANT: A Marilyn Monroe mystery. Tonight the secret tapes that could finally answer the questions that still surround her death.
JOE ELLIOTT, MUSICIAN: Hi, I`m Joe.
PHIL COLLEN, MUSICIAN: And I`m Phil. We`re from Def Leppard. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant.
Tonight, startling news about Christopher Reeve`s widow. Dana Reeve revealed today that she is battling lung cancer. Even as we were all getting over the shock that lung cancer claimed the life of ABC News anchor Peter Jennings so quickly.
HAMMER: Jennings` death is already having a remarkable impact on the fight to prevent lung cancer. We`ll have more on that in just a moment.
But first, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson is live in Hollywood with the very latest on Dana Reeve -- Brooke.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, A.J., Karyn.
Dana Reeve is just 44 years old and not a smoker. About 87 percent of lung cancer is thought to result from smoking. Just three percent occur in people under age 45. It`s heartbreaking news for a family that has already endured its fair share of heartache.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): She`s a widow, a single mom, an activist. Now she has a new battle. Dana Reeve, who spent nine years caring for her paralyzed husband, "Superman" star Christopher Reeve, until his death last year, has revealed that she is fighting lung cancer.
The 44-year-old Reeve is a nonsmoker, and through the great agony, pain and heartbreak she`s endured, still she has a positive spin. In a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Dana Reeve said, "I am currently undergoing treatment. I have an excellent team of physicians and we are optimistic about my prognosis."
It`s optimism that has kept her going in the past, and it will help her face this next challenge. It`s not known how advanced her lung cancer is, but Duke University`s Dr. Jennifer Garst tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Dana is a fighter.
JENNIFER GARST, DUKE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: From what I`ve seen, Dana has a wonderful fighting spirit. She certainly has done a tremendous amount of work advancing the cause of people with spinal cord injuries. And I think that she will face her treatment. And her overall health is good. I think she`ll do well with whatever treatment she receives.
ANDERSON: Reeve certainly knows how to fight. She stood by her husband`s side for nine years after a horseback riding accident in 1995 left him paralyzed, a quadriplegic needing constant assistance, unable to breathe on his own, paralyzed from the neck down and confined to a wheelchair.
Christopher Reeve died last October. Just this May, Dana Reeve told CNN`s Soledad O`Brien it hasn`t been easy.
DANA REEVE, CHRISTOPHER REEVE`S WIDOW: It`s been tumultuous. It`s been pretty busy. I`ve been, you know, doing a lot of work for the foundation. We have a lot of new fundraising initiatives. And you know, I have moments of -- you know, that it`s hard.
ANDERSON: Adding to her pain, earlier this year, Dana lost her mother to complications from ovarian cancer surgery. But through such incredible challenges, she`s persevered: serving as chairwoman for the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, fighting for research and improvements for the disabled.
Now Hollywood is pulling for her. Close friend Robin Williams and his wife told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in a statement, "Our family sends all of our love and support to Dana and her family during this challenging time." And went on to say, "We hope their need for privacy is respected so Dana can focus on her healing."
Reeve, who has a 13-year-old son, Will, has asked for privacy. She told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Now more than ever, I feel Chris with me as I face this challenge. As always, I look to him as the ultimate example of defying the odds with strength, courage and hope in the face of life`s adversities."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Dana Reeve certainly has a lot of strength and courage herself. Celebrities who have fallen victim to the disease, Desi Arnez, Walt Disney and Gary Cooper and, of course, Peter Jennings.
A.J., a very tough day for Reeve and her family. Back to you.
HAMMER: Sad day indeed. Thanks very much, Brooke Anderson, live in Hollywood -- Karyn.
BRYANT: Peter Jennings` battle against lung cancer is already inspiring people all over the world to quit smoking. And this, it seems, is yet another lasting legacy the eloquent journalist is leaving behind.
The response to Jennings` passing is nothing short of remarkable. And today, the day after we learned lung cancer had taken his life, the tributes to the legendary ABC News anchor continued to pour in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is "World News Tonight" with Peter Jennings.
BRYANT (voice-over): Just a short time ago tonight, we got a sad reminder still being felt by millions of people. In its second newscast after the death of its anchor, ABC`s nightly newscast is still officially titled "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings."
ABC tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that title will remain for the near future.
PETER JENNINGS, ABC NEWS ANCHOR: Good evening, everyone. We begin tonight...
BRYANT: But even if the man who used to occupy the center chair is gone, Jennings is still being celebrated by those who knew him and those who simply watched him. Like actor Matt Damon.
MATT DAMON, ACTOR: He was class from the word go.
BRYANT: Damon tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that he`s one of the millions of Americans who watched Peter Jennings.
DAMON: I thought he was terrific. I really did think he was terrific. And he really seemed like he always told it like it was. And he just kind of gave you the news.
And nowadays, everybody wants to tell you their own feelings about it and editorialize it. And he never did that. He just kind of gave it to you. And I always appreciated him for that.
BRYANT: Another Hollywood tribute came today on "Good Morning America" from Jennings` friend and "West Wing" star Alan Alda.
ALAN ALDA, ACTOR: He could respond to the events that were particular, and daunting, and horrific. And report them in detail, and at the same time, he could think broadly and conceptually.
BRYANT: Alda, and millions of others, are remembering Jennings as a great journalist. They`re also remembering him as a man who, in the end, didn`t hesitate to talk about the lung cancer that killed him.
JENNINGS: Yes, I was a smoker until about 20 years ago, and I was weak in that I smoked over 9/11.
BRYANT: On "LARRY KING LIVE" last night, former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw talked about Jennings` fight with lung cancer and the impact it could have on others.
TOM BROKAW, FORMER NBC NEWS ANCHOR: Peter would want us all to remember, as well, that other American families are going through this every day. And they don`t get nearly the attention that Peter does. And maybe his case will bring more of a focus on lung cancer and, particularly, on the penalties and the hazards of smoking in America.
BRYANT: Jennings` death may be doing just that, if the postings on "Good Morning America`s" message board are any indication. Diane Sawyer read one on the air this morning.
DIANE SAWYER, CO-HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": We have 10,000 messages right now on the message board, and the ones that would have pleased Peter so much are the ones that read like this: "In Peter Jennings` honor, I vow to stop smoking. God bless his friends and family."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Peter Jennings may have lost his life to lung cancer, but he left a lasting impression on America, not only as a reporter and an anchor but, as that piece just told, as a smoker, as well.
The American Lung Association said today it is getting an overwhelming reaction from people all over America, telling how Jennings` death has impacted their lives.
So joining me live now, Dr. Ruth Oratz with the American Lung Association. She`s a cancer specialist at NYU`s School of Medicine.
Doctor Oratz, thanks for joining us tonight. Diane Sawyer said the ABC web site has a lot of people telling their stories. And I was spending some time on your organization`s web site today. You have a wall of remembrance, and a lot of people writing in about Peter Jennings. Please tell me about that.
DR. RUTH ORATZ, AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION: We have had an innumerable number of people writing into us with tributes to Peter talking about their own personal stories, also, to the American Lung Association.
One story that was really touching was a young woman who wrote in whose mother died of lung cancer last year. She`s a smoker. But it was when she heard of Peter`s death and now the news today about the diagnosis of Dana Reeve with lung cancer that she was moved to call and take action for herself.
HAMMER: Are you receiving a lot of phone calls?
ORATZ: Calls are up 30 percent in the last couple of days for people looking for help and information, lung cancer, about smoking cessation.
HAMMER: And so many people are now making a pledge, as you said.
ORATZ: Yes.
HAMMER: To quit as a result of Peter Jennings` passing. And particularly because he said he quit 20 years ago. He started up again around 9/11. But it just shows that it`s always the right time to quit.
ORATZ: It`s always the right time to quit. And there is help. It`s a tough thing to do. Don`t do it alone. Don`t do it cold turkey. But quitting is the right thing to do.
HAMMER: And as Tom Brokaw pointed out to Larry King last night on "LARRY KING LIVE," Peter Jennings really represents the story of so many other Americans. And he`s really doing a lot to impact, getting the idea of how people can fight lung cancer.
ORATZ: I think that`s true. And I think that this story, which has moved us all so very, very deeply is also an inspiration, that there is work to be done. There`s more research that we can do. And we can help one another. Absolutely.
HAMMER: And your organization`s web site?
ORATZ: WWW.LungUSA.org. There`s also an 800 number, 1-800-LUNG-USA.
HAMMER: Dr. Ruth Oratz, thank for joining us tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- Karyn.
BRYANT: Martha Stewart may be under house arrest. But she`s definitely spending some time hanging out with Donald Trump. We`ve got the tapes to prove it. That`s coming up in the "SHOWBIZ Showcase."
HAMMER: Plus, the news as you know it is undergoing a major revolution. Tonight we`re asking, can network news survive? That`s coming up in our special series, "The New News."
BRYANT: And she`s an enduring Hollywood icon and one of Hollywood`s enduring mysteries. Tonight, new information that could change what you think you know about Marilyn Monroe.
HAMMER: Time now for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." What was the name of the U.S. president played by Harrison Ford in "Air Force One"? Was it Richard Kimble, James Marshall, Jack Ryan or John Book? Do you think you know? We`re coming right back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Again, here`s tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." What was the name of the U.S. president played by Harrison Ford in the movie "Air Force One"? Was it Richard Kimble, James Marshall, Jack Ryan or John Book? Tougher than you might have thought. The answer is "B," James Marshall.
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.
Tonight the side of Peter Jennings you didn`t know. So many of the tributes to the late NB -- ABC News anchor have focused on him as a man who took the news very seriously. But Peter Jennings was also someone who could laugh at himself.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You`ve seen him in his trench coat, his safari look, his flak jacket.
(on camera) How did he strike you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s a real mensh.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think what I like about him, he didn`t do the chitchat nonsense.
MOOS (voice-over): His chitchat always seemed significant, whether he was sitting on the floor with Iran`s Ayatollah, or with American kids.
Over at ABC, Diane Sawyer`s eyes were brimming. His colleagues referred to the empty "World News Tonight" set...
CHARLES GIBSON, ABC NEWS: That`s Peter`s chair.
MOOS: ... as if it were the equivalent of JFK`s riderless horse.
To say Peter Jennings took the news seriously, but not himself.
SAWYER: Just before you`d go on the air, as we all know, he would say are you going to wear that?
MOOS: His own wardrobe malfunctions never made it on the air.
JENNINGS: This is Peter Jennings, ABC News, Cairo. One 12, eh? Do you want to do another in the -- what are you doing?
MOOS: How many network anchors end up being immortalized as an animated puppet?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Team America has once again (expletive deleted) the entire world.
MOOS: He was known for serious news. But Jennings wasn`t above getting painted at an Indian festival...
JENNINGS: Happy holy.
MOOS: ... or even doing the Macarena.
Or spoofing one of those news promos they said he hated to do.
JENNINGS: On "World News Tonight" we don`t have the vaguest idea what we`re going to do. But we`ll try to make it as interesting as we can. We`ll use a lot of stock film, some of which you`ll have seen before. But we`ll try to run it back yards or sometimes just going the other way across the screen so that you will think you`re getting something truly fresh. I hope you`ll join us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was long.
JENNINGS: That was long.
MOOS: He made woman`s eyes twinkle.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good looking.
TED KOPPEL, ANCHOR, ABC`S "NIGHTLINE": He was a stunningly handsome man. Bore a not slight resemblance to Roger Moore during the time that he was playing 007.
ROGER MOORE, ACTOR: My name is Bond, James Bond.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jennings, Peter Jennings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can see him drinking a martini, no question.
MOOS: He was the last of the big three anchors.
BROKAW: People often asked, "Are you friends?"
And Peter said, "Yes, we are friends, because we don`t see each other that often."
MOOS: And Jennings was humble enough that he didn`t take offense when a waitress spotted him, and said this...
TODD BREWSTER, JENNINGS` CO-AUTHOR, "THE CENTURY": "Has anybody ever told that you look exactly like Tom Brokaw?"
And Peter looked up and said, "All the time, madam, all the time."
MOOS: He came a long way from Miss Canada.
JENNINGS: First runner up will take over, and the first runner up, Joan Clarkin of Montreal. Miss Canada 1965, Linda Douma.
JENNINGS: Oh, that is -- yes, I used to think you and I were friends. Oh, my God almighty.
MOOS: At least that`s someone he never mistook himself for.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Well, the death of Peter Jennings highlights how radically the face of network news has changed over the last year. Coming up a little later, in our special series, "The New News," we`re going to take a look at whether network news can actually survive.
And that leads to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Nightly network news cast: is it your main source for news? You can vote by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can e-mail us, too. The address is ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`re going to read some of your thoughts a bit later in the show.
ABC`s Elizabeth Vargas is one of the names that has come up as a possibility to take over the anchor chair at "World News Tonight." Well, tonight her husband, singer Marc Cohn, is recovering after a close call during a shooting in Denver.
CNN`s Brian Todd is live for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in Washington, D.C. -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., Marc Cohn says simply he feels lucky to be alive over a terrifying sequence of events within the past 48 hours.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): In his 1991 hit, "Walking in Memphis," Marc Cohn sings about getting a break when luck`s turned against you.
(MUSIC)
TODD: Cohn may want to write a new song about Denver, because he sure got a break there.
Late Sunday evening, the Grammy winning pop solo artist, fresh off a performance, is riding back to his hotel in a van with three members of his group. A man identified by police as Joseph Yacteen tries to commandeer the vehicle, waving a gun.
SONNY JACKSON, DENVER POLICE: The driver of the van tried to avoid him and go around him. At that point in time, Yacteen fired into the van, striking the driver, grazing his chin and also some lacerations and striking singer Marc Cohn in the temple.
TODD: The 46-year-old Cohn has a bullet lodged in his head. He`s rushed to a local medical center. The bullet is removed. He gets more treatment and is soon released from the hospital.
We asked a top neurosurgeon what saved the singer`s life.
DR. DANIEL BARROW, EMORY UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE: If the velocity is of the bullet is altered by hitting another object such as a windshield, another human being, the skull, then obviously that decreases the velocity of the projectile and diminishes the harm that it will cause to the brain itself.
TODD: Doctor Daniel Barrow also says the fact that the bullet struck Cohn`s right temple, what he calls a silent area of the brain in most people, was crucial.
Cohn`s wife, ABC News anchor Elizabeth Vargas, rushed to Denver to be by his side. Cohn is expected to make a full recovery.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: Not only that, Marc Cohn hopes to resume his North American tour with Suzanne Vega. He had a little more than a week left in it.
As for the suspect, Joseph Yacteen was arrested late Monday after a five-hour standoff with Denver police -- A.J.
HAMMER: Brian, thanks very much. CNN`s Brian Todd live in Washington, D.C. for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- Karyn.
BRYANT: Well, there is another person throwing her hat into the reality ring. It`s going to be finely, meticulously crafted, of course. And she is the subject of tonight`s first "SHOWBIZ Showcase."
The premiere of NBC`s "Apprentice" spin-off is more than a month away, but tonight, we have your first look at the commercial featuring the Donald, and I suppose, A.J., we should probably now call her the Martha.
HAMMER: No!
BRYANT: Here`s a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTHA STEWART, FOUNDER, MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA: I just can`t wait to get started.
DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MOGUL: Well, it`s going to be a great season: two amazing "Apprentices," my original "Apprentice," plus "Apprentice: Martha Stewart." It just doesn`t get any better than that.
STEWART: Donald, it can always get better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Oh, boy. "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart," debuts Wednesday, September 21.
HAMMER: All right. Listen to this. Among the reality stars already on TV, you hate Omarosa. But Nick and Jessica can baby-sit for you any time.
Well, maybe that`s now how you feel. But these are the results of a new "TV Guide"/Bravo poll that is just out tonight. Here`s what the results of that poll say.
"The Apprentice`s" Omarosa is the most hated reality star of all time. No real surprise there. "American Idol`s" Clay Aiken is most loved. No real surprise there, I suppose. He just edged out Kelly Clarkson.
The "TV Guide"/Bravo poll finds that "Newlyweds" Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are the reality stars you would most entrust to raise your child. And in the "huh?" category, as in "huh?" which reality star would you like to most see in a Speedo. Apparently, you would most like to see "Joe Millionaire`s" Evan Marriott. But then again, maybe not.
Well, with the dawn of computers and cable, some say the nightly newscasts are old news. Coming up in our special series, "The New News," we`re asking, can the big three survive?
BRYANT: Plus, it is one of the biggest mysteries in Hollywood, the death of Marilyn Monroe. But tonight, the pieces of the puzzle may be coming together, thanks to a dramatic new tape. Stick around, because that`s on the way.
HAMMER: And "Wedding Crashers" star Vince Vaughn has a special place in his heart for "Swingers." Sounds a little dirty. It`s actually one of Vince`s favorite things. And that`s on the way on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s time now for "Tuesdays InStyle." Tonight, Vince Vaughn. Of course, he stars in the summer`s comedy blockbuster, "Wedding Crashers." And we have an inside look at some of Vince`s favorite things.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARISA FOX, "INSTYLE" MAGAZINE: Who doesn`t love a guy with a great sense of humor? Well, Vince Vaughn comes with a great sense of humor and great looks. I mean, he just looks so amazing in this month`s "InStyle."
Vince Vaughn appears in this month`s film, "The Wedding Crashers." And he plays a lawyer with major commitment issues. But he had no problem committing to his favorite things.
Vince Vaughn loves movies, of course, and his favorite films, span a range from "Tender Mercies" to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo`s Nest." Vince Vaughn`s favorite that he`s ever been in was "Swingers." He says that it was just a pure experience. They shot it in 21 days. And it was just a thrill, a great film.
His favorite childhood TV shows are "The Andy Griffith Show," "Happy Days" and "What`s Happening?" You`d be happy to know that Vince Vaughn gets his news from CNN. He loves CNN.
Vince Vaughn`s favorite car is a Pontiac Trans Am convertible. How American is that?
He loves his red tab Levi`s. He`s got about 10 pairs of them. He`s a casual guy. And he looks great casual, too, doesn`t need much.
Vince`s favorite times of year are Christmas and also, he likes the start of the summer.
Vince is a, you know, bacon and eggs and toast kind of a guy. That`s his breakfast.
Vince Vaughn`s favorite landmark is the Grand Canyon. I mean, this guy is all American. Vince is a big guy from Chicago. He loves his sports. And of course, he loves NFL football, college football. I mean, he`s just a guy`s guy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: If you`d like to read more about Vince Vaughn`s favorite things, just grab your copy of "InStyle" magazine, which is on news stands right now.
BRYANT: So A.J., let`s talk about favorites. Who`s your favorite Muppet?
HAMMER: I`m not partial to any one particular Muppet, although I actually know Elmo personally.
BRYANT: Do you? I love Kermit, especially in his little reporter outfit. Always seeking, too (ph). Well, this is why I`m asking. Because there`s a new way to hang with the Muppets in your living room, and we`re going to be taking a look at that in just a bit.
HAMMER: Plus a Lazy Boy, a TV dinner and the 6 p.m. news. Doesn`t get much more American than that. Well, except for Vince Vaughn`s favorite car, perhaps. But blogs and cable are beating down the door of the network newscasts. Tonight in our series, "The New News," can the network news survive?
BRYANT: And the new Michael Jackson controversy. It isn`t Jackson under fire tonight. It`s the jurors, and Jackson`s lawyers are spitting nails. It`s going to get hot in here when we get back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in one minute. Hi, everybody, I`m Thomas Roberts with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
The space shuttle Discovery glided smoothly back to Earth just before dawn this morning, landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California when the weather in Florida just refused to cooperate. But the landing opens some new questions for NASA`s grounded space shuttle fleet. But the space agency has scheduled Atlantis` launch for next month, but officials are still waiting preliminary findings on foam insulation repairs.
The Federal Reserve has raised a key interest rate for the tenth straight time, pushing the short-term interest rate to 3 1/2 percent, its highest rate in four years.
The number of detainees being held at the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, could drop in the coming months. Two senior State Department officials say the Bush administration is in discussions to hand over detainees to ten Muslim countries. 510 detainees from 34 nations are being held at Guantanamo Bay.
That is the news for now. Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts. We take you back for more of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Welcome back to the second half-hour of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s only live entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant.
Still to come this half-hour, we`re going to be talking about Marilyn Monroe. It`s been 43 years since she died. There`s new tapes out of her talking to her psychiatrist. There is some insight to the mystery of her death. There`s also some nuggets of Joan Crawford, Jack Kennedy...
HAMMER: The mystery continues.
BRYANT: ... interesting stuff, yes.
HAMMER: Also, even before the unfortunate passing of Peter Jennings, people were questioning the future of network newscasts as a nightly ritual as it has been for generations. We`re going to be talking about whether it can survive in our special series, "The New News," coming up.
BRYANT: And we`re also going to fit two Jackson jurors. You know, they`re now saying that Jackson is guilty. We`re going to talk to Harvey Levin about that, too.
HAMMER: He`s not happy.
BRYANT: No.
First, though, we`re going to go back to Hollywood to get tonight`s "Hot Headlines." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson joins us live once again.
Brooke, what`s the latest?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Karyn, A.J., first of all, it`s 32 machines past the hour. Here is the very latest.
Dana Reeve revealed today she has lung cancer. The 44-year-old nonsmoker, widow of "Superman" star Christopher reeve confirmed her illness in a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Reeve says her doctors are optimistic about her prognosis. No word on how long she has had the cancer or how long she`ll be getting treatment.
A Delaware judge said today former Hollywood super-agent Michael Ovitz can keep the $140 million severance pay he got after working just 14 months as president of Disney. Disney shareholders claimed the company`s board of directors had no business giving him Ovitz the money after he was fired. They are planning to appeal today`s decision.
Tonight, the feds are saying, if you play for pay, it`s going to cost you. The FCC now says it was investigate whether payola is going on throughout the record industry. The move comes after last month`s scandal, where Sony-BMG agreed to pay $10 million in fines to New York State. Now, payola is the illegal practice of paying radio stations for some airplay and not telling anyone, telling people about it.
And will there be "Terminator" turmoil? California governor makes money off his "Terminator 3" video game, but today`s "Sacramento Bee" says state law makers are considering a ban of violent games to those under 17. Experts say that could boost sales of the Governator`s game. Arnold`s office says there is no conflict of interest.
And those are the "Hot Headlines" from Hollywood. A.J., back to you in New York.
HAMMER: Brooke, I think we have to put a moratorium on the term "Governator." But that`s just me speaking.
ANDERSON: I think I said it, what, two, three, four times? Sorry about that.
HAMMER: We`re going to move on from that.
Now, as we continue our special series, "The New News," tonight we`re focusing on the revolution in the news industry and how it`s evolving to stay relevant, which it really has to do.
A year ago, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings all anchored the nightly evening newscasts. Well, now, they`re all gone. So as the faces change, how will the broadcasts themselves change? CNN`s Bruce Morton reports for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Once there was one.
WALTER CRONKITE, FORMER CBS EVENING NEWS ANCHOR: Good evening, everyone. Here is the news.
MORTON: The other networks did news, but CBS`s Walter Cronkite became a kind of national trust figure. When he declared the Vietnam War a stalemate, then-President Lyndon Johnson reportedly said, "If I`ve lost Cronkite, I`ve lost middle America."
MORTON: Then there were three, Tom Brokaw at NBC, Dan Rather at CBS, and Peter Jennings, whom we honor and remember today, at ABC. They were there for a generation. But in that time, things changed all around them.
All-news cable networks arrived, first one, then three. No more news at 6:30, news at 11:00. News every second. Now, answer right now. Please, we`re live.
News on MTV. And then all of the networks, and the newspapers, and the magazines went online. CNN.com, theDailyblatt.com (ph), Slate magazine, which existing only online. And then the blogs, those mixes of fact and opinion which like making fun of the old-fashioned MSM. That`s mainstream media, if you`ve been napping.
In the 1970-71 TV season, 75 percent of the sets in use during the network newscasts watched those newscasts. Now, 37 percent. How will Americans get their news 10 years from now? Hard to imagine, maybe impossible to imagine, but differently from today. We do know that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That is for certain. That was CNN`s Bruce Morton reporting for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now, joining us live to discuss the state of TV news, live from San Antonio, Texas, Brian Stelter, the editor for TVnewser.com. It`s a blog site about TV news.
And live here in New York, Lola Ogunnaike, entertainment reporter for the "New York Times," and Johnnie Roberts, senior writer for the media business at "Newsweek" magazine.
Now, I want to welcome you all. And, Brian, I want to start with you. Let`s bottom line it right from the top of the segment here. The network newscasts have been a fixture for generations, but can they survive?
BRIAN STELTER, EDITOR, TVNEWSER.COM: I hope they can. I think we need an end-of-the-day, close-the-book newscast. But it`s going to have to evolve.
And on my blog, I`ve been talking about how it`s going to happen. For instance, ABC is talking about bringing elements of "Good Morning America" over to the evening. And CBS is talking about storytelling, and how they`re going to use personalities to present the news.
So I think the ideas are on the table to really change the evening news and bring it to a new generation. In the next few years, we`ll start to see those on the air.
HAMMER: Now, I want to talk more about those ideas in just a moment.
But first, Lola, let me get from you your take on whether or not the network newscast can actually stick around.
LOLA OGUNNAIKE, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": I think it`s going to be a difficult struggle, definitely. It`s not the nightly ritual that it used to be, say 20, 30 years ago. People aren`t getting off work at 5:00, coming home by 5:30, and gathering around the TV set at 6:00.
And they`re going to have to figure out a new formula and a way to attract a whole new audience. I think the key is also going to be working on personalities, finding new people that viewers can connect with, much in the same way that the morning show people have personalities that draw viewers.
HAMMER: Johnnie Roberts, what`s your take?
JOHNNIE ROBERTS, SENIOR WRITER, "NEWSWEEK": Yes, well, the three networks combined still attract about 30 million viewers to the evening newscasts. Advertisers still want to reach an audience that large. So I think that the newscasts will continue to be a part of our television lives.
Like the other guests, I agree, too, that it has to evolve. And it is evolving. You do have CBS talking about reinventing the news. Clearly, over at NBC, they`re talking about the same thing. So it`s going to be different, but I think it will survive.
HAMMER: You mentioned that number, Johnnie, 30 million, nearly 30 million viewers every day still getting their news from the network newscast. Nothing to sneeze at. In fact, something that Brian Williams, who is the anchor of "NBC Nightly News" currently, is very passionate about. And as he told our own David Haffenreffer when David recently ran into him here in New York City.
Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN WILLIAMS, HOST, "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS": Every night, 30 million people divide up their time among three networks. A, we`ve been luckiest enough to finish first in their hearts, and, b, that still makes us the largest source for news in the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brian, it`s a lot of people, 30 million people, but the average age somewhere around 60, and, for lack of a better term, the audience is dying off. No new viewers are coming to the network newscasts. Where are they going?
STELTER: Well, they`re going to cable. They`re going to the Internet. I was talking to my friend, Alex, who is 21, that audience that the cable networks are getting and the networks would love to get. And he says he doesn`t ever watch the evening news. He doesn`t even turn it on.
It`s just a death toll from Iraq every day and the latest Social Security news. So it`s not relevant to him. So he goes looking for news that affects him, not from the evening news.
HAMMER: And your take on that, Lola? What is the next generation of TV news viewers looking for?
OGUNNAIKE: I think younger viewers in particular are looking for people who have personalities. Gone are the days when, you know, the paternalistic teleprompter reader from the Planet Monotone comes in to sort of give you the news and talk down to you.
People want to be spoken to. People want to feel like they`re at least having a conversation with this person and they`re learning something, but not being told that this is what you should know, much in the same way that people don`t want to be told, "These are the vegetables that you should eat because it`s good for you."
People want to be engaged. And they want to see interesting things that entertain them and enlighten them.
HAMMER: And it`s been the same format for generations now, the single anchor format. Brian Williams, the only remaining permanent single anchor in place. The other networks are going to begin to experiment, Brian, as you had mentioned earlier.
Johnnie, is it your feeling -- and this is something Brian spoke very passionately about last night -- is it your feeling that we need to have that single network anchor formula? And can that actually work anymore?
ROBERTS: You know, well, we can have it, I can`t answer that. But do we need it, is, I think, the more salient question.
With all of these different diverse sources for news, and with all of the news now available to us because of technology, it does seem that sometimes we need a mediator. Now, whether that mediator will be that one kind of authoritative voice from on high, or whether, as Lola mentioned, it`s going to be someone with a very, very different personality, who knows?
Or for that matter, will it be an audience member? You know, a great deal of the news now is being generated by the audience itself. We`ve had some recent examples of that.
In the case of the tsunami, where some of the first images were put up by regular people out there. We saw it in London, as well, with the recent terrorist attack. So that person, that personality can emerge from anywhere.
HAMMER: And I think that proliferation of technology will really shape what is to come with the network newscasts. And Brian Stelter, Lola Ogunnaike, and Johnnie Roberts, I want to thank you all for joining us tonight.
All this week here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we`re going to continue our series on "The New News." Tomorrow, we`re going to get down and dirty, "Today," versus "GMA," versus "The Early Show." It`s the morning show wars. Thursday, the explosion of news on the `net.
BRYANT: Mesereau is miffed. This is Michael Jackson`s lawyer. He won the case. So why is he so upset tonight? We`re going to tell you in the "Legal Lowdown."
Also tonight, it`s one of the biggest mysteries in Hollywood. What happened to Marilyn Monroe? Tonight, there`s a new twist. And we hear it from Marilyn herself. Her secret confessions are next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Tonight in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Legal Lowdown," the Jackson juror fallout. For the first time, Michael Jackson`s lawyer is blasting jurors who found Jackson not guilty of molesting a young boy but who are now saying they should have convicted him.
On June 13th, Jackson was acquitted of all charges by a jury of 12 men and women. But now, two of those jurors are speaking out, and one says that there is no doubt in her mind Jackson molested the boy. Jackson`s attorney, Thomas Mesereau, ridiculed the juror, saying, quote, "They clearly like being on TV. I`m very suspicious."
Well, "Celebrity Justice`s" Harvey Levin, who is also a lawyer, is with us tonight from Hollywood. Harvey, what`s up with Mesereau? Does he have a point here, or what?
HARVEY LEVIN, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": He`s totally right, Karyn. He`s absolutely right. I think these people find television, books and money intoxicating.
And if you look at what`s going on here, I mean, they`re saying, "We`re ashamed of these other jurors, guilty of sin, free as a bird." I mean, all of these little buzzwords, to me, smack of somebody who`s hocking a book. It`s just disgusting.
I mean, it really is disgusting that these people were grownups when they voted. They new they could have hung this jury. And they knew they should have hung this jury, if they really believed what they say they believe now. So...
(CROSSTALK)
BRYANT: Well, but the say they were afraid of getting kicked off the jury, and they were afraid that they`d go tell the bailiff. And, "Well, we just succumbed to peer pressure," essentially, right?
LEVIN: It`s the stupidest thing I`ve ever heard. I mean, who on Earth thinks they`re going to get thrown off a jury because they disagree with other people? They know better than that.
The judge gave instructions. It`s ridiculous. I mean, I wish they could come up at least with a better argument. But they`re just assuming everybody is stupid and they`re going to buy this. It`s so transparent.
BRYANT: And what do you think about the credibility of these two jurors, now and when the books come out down the road?
LEVIN: They want to sell books. I mean, that`s what this is about. I mean, first of all, the verdict wouldn`t -- it`s not as if Michael Jackson would have been found guilty. You`re talking about two out of 12 people.
It could have been a hung jury, and they knew it could have been a hung jury. And if they really believed this, it would have been a hung jury. So this is about two people who realized that they can get a heck of a lot more traction by being controversial right now, so that people might want to buy the books they`re about to write.
But that`s all this about. It`s about money, greed and books.
BRYANT: So what do you think the next step should be, either from Mesereau or just by the general public? Should we just go, "We`re never going to buy these books. We`re not even going to talk to you people," or what?
LEVIN: The verdict is not going to change. I mean, the verdict is the verdict is the verdict. The prosecutor has already said this publicly, and Mesereau is saying move on.
I just think these people are whackos. And I think that they should be -- I really do. I mean, I really think they`re whackos. I think that what they`re doing is really appalling, because they`re playing with the jury system, they integrity of it. And they should probably be forgotten. And, honestly, by the time their books come out, they will be forgotten.
BRYANT: All right. Well, Harvey, just for that reason, let`s forget them. I`m not even going to say their names. Thank you for joining us tonight, Harvey Levin.
LEVIN: OK, Karyn.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, dramatic new tapes that could hold the secrets to what really happened to Marilyn Monroe. Joining us again with this story is CNN`s Brian Todd. He`s live for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in Washington, D.C.
What`s going on here, Brian?.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, A.J., as you know, she was the blond bombshell, known for `50s screen classics like "Some Like It Hot" and "The Seven-Year Itch." Who can forget that famous scene of her standing over a subway grate?
But there seemed to be almost as many conspiracy theories on Marilyn Monroe`s death as there are on President John Kennedy`s. And new details released in a transcript of audiotapes, recorded by Monroe herself, will likely add fuel to those theories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): From the mind of Hollywood`s ultimate starlet, intimate details about Marilyn Monroe`s personal life, transcripts of audiotapes the actress recorded for her psychiatrist shortly before her death.
The transcripts come from former L.A. County prosecutor John Miner who investigated Monroe`s death. The psychiatrist has since died, and the tapes are believed to have been destroyed.
Monroe`s body was discovered on August 5, 1962. The coroner said she died of barbiturate poisoning, and the death was ruled a probably suicide. But Miner has always believed otherwise.
JOHN MINER, FORMER L.A. COUNTY PROSECUTOR: No one who heard those tapes or read the transcript of what she said could possibly believe that this woman killed herself.
TODD: One example from the transcript, the ending of Monroe`s alleged affair with Bobby Kennedy.
Quote, "Doctor, what should I do about Bobby? As you see, there is no room in my life for him. I guess I don`t have the courage to face up to it and hurt him. I want someone else to tell him it`s over. I tried to get the president to do it, but I couldn`t reach him."
On the tapes, Monroe also details plans for her career.
MINER: She had very elaborate plans for the future. She said that she would become the highest paid actress in Hollywood.
TODD: As almost an aside, she says, "I have thrown all my pills in the toilet. You see how serious I am about this."
We also see glimpses of Monroe`s legendary love life, perhaps most surprising what seems to be a one-time tryst with Joan Crawford. Quote, "Next time I saw Crawford, she wanted another round. I told her straight out I didn`t much enjoy doing it with a woman. After I turned her down, she became spiteful."
Ultimately, Miner believes Monroe was unwittingly drugged. He won`t speculate on who could have given her the lethal dose.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: But we need to point out, again, in 1962, in a reinvestigation of the case 20 years later, it was concluded both times that Marilyn Monroe likely took her own life -- A.J.?
HAMMER: Brian Todd in Washington, D.C., thanks for joining us once again.
And it is now time for the "Showbiz Guide" here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`re dealing with what`s new on DVD. Joining me live in New York, Nicki Gostin of "Newsweek" magazine.
Let`s get right to the r-rated spectacle, the "Kung Fu Hustle."
NICKI GOSTIN, "NEWSWEEK" MAGAZINE: Right. This is a really fun, kung fu movie that`s sort of like a cross between Jet Li and "Loony Toons." The choreography is by the same guy who did "The Matrix" -- "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "The Matrix," actually. And it`s just really fun, and goofy, and makes fun of movies like "Spiderman." And it`s just a great, fun...
HAMMER: Pretty violent. Pretty violent. And everybody I know who saw it said they loved it.
GOSTIN: Right, but it`s cartoonish violent, in the way that Roadrunner`s violent.
HAMMER: Speaking of lighter fare, cartoons, the Muppets. Nearly 30 years after it first came on the air back in 1976, season one finally available on DVD. And this is a pretty great package, isn`t it?
GOSTIN: Right, it`s fun. I mean, it`s sort of fun to see the Muppets after all these years, you know, Miss Piggy, and Fozzie, and Animal. And it is sort of funny, thought, that you forget that it was pretty cheesy and, like, bad sort of showbiz jokes.
And it`s sort of fun seeing all the `70s guests like Ruth Buzzi, and Florence Henderson, and Twiggy. But it`s just really fun...
HAMMER: And I understand there`s some great extras on here...
GOSTIN: Right.
HAMMER: ... including interviews with some of the cast, including Kermit, who reveals what role he secretly covets somewhere in the behind- the-scenes interviews.
GOSTIN: Right. And plus, there`s a pop-up trivia option, which is really fun. And there`s actually a hilarious pitch reel that Jim Henson created to sell the show, which is actually really, really funny.
HAMMER: Oh, the actual pitch reel. That`s really cool.
GOSTIN: Yes, it`s fun.
HAMMER: Thanks for letting us know about the new DVDs, Nicki Gostin from "Newsweek" magazine -- Karyn?
BRYANT: Well, there you have it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Nightly network newscasts: Is it your main source for news?
Well, it`s very one-sided. Only 12 percent saying yes, it is your main source for news. That means 88 percent of you said no, it isn`t. These are some the e-mails we`ve received.
Daniel from Texas writes, "Most people simply don`t listen to nightly network newscasts because they`re tired of liberal bias." OK.
Well, you can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
HAMMER: He is back for a Tuesday night. Time to find out what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
BRYANT: Let`s take a look at the "Showbiz Marquee." Take it away, Marquee Guy.
MARQUEE GUY: Tomorrow, they wake you up before you go, go. But they`re no angels of the morning. We`re talking serious sunrise show- downs, Katie versus Diane, Charlie versus Matt. The morning news battle. It`s part of our "New News" series. Rise and shine, and turn to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, it`s summer. And it`s sure hot out. But we`re getting stone cold with the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger and company. Before they head out on tour, they`re heading to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. When? Tomorrow!
BRYANT: Tomorrow!
HAMMER: Tomorrow!
MARQUEE GUY: This is the Marquee Guy. And once you start me up, I never stop.
BRYANT: Isn`t that the truth with that guy? My goodness.
HAMMER: Sadly so, it is.
BRYANT: Fantastic. Well, that does it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Stay tuned for the very latest from CNN Headline News.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts. And it`s time for your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
A Pennsylvania congressman says the Pentagon knew about the ringleader of 9/11 more than a year before the attacks. House Armed Services Vice Chairman Curt Weldon says ringleader Mohammed Atta and three other hijackers were identified by a military intelligence unit, but the information was never passed on to law enforcement.
Hundreds of detainees at Guantanamo Bay may soon be transferred to their home countries. State Department officials tell CNN the Bush administration is working with as many as 10 Muslim countries to return their citizens. In the coming months, the detainee population at Guantanamo could drop from more than 500 to about 100 prisoners. Officials say the worst will remain.
Today marks the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the last wartime target of a nuclear explosion. Survivors and peace activists gathered in the Japanese city today to mark the moment when more than 60,000 people died. Nagasaki`s mayor called for a ban on nuclear weapons.
That`s the news for now. Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts.
END
