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Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight for August 15, 2005, CNNHN
Aired August 15, 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.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, he said they had sex. She said, no way. Tonight, FOX makes its decision on "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul. Did she sleep with a contestant? Will she be coming back to "Idol"? Is Idolgate really over? So many questions, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the answers.
BRYANT: Also, Demi dishes about Ashton like never before. Will Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher get married? What about kids? And what really goes on when the lights go down? Tonight, a revealing tell-all interview.
HAMMER: And...
DICK CAVETT, TELEVISION ENTERTAINER/HOST: Can you picture yourself at the age of 60 doing what you do now?
MICK JAGGER, MUSICIAN: Yes. Easily, yes.
HAMMER: Dishing with Dick. The biggest names in rock once came to him: the Stones, Janis Joplin, Stevie Wonder. Tonight, Dick Cavett comes to us, live. We also celebrate a special Beatles anniversary.
SHANNON ELIZABETH, ACTRESS: Hey, I`m Shannon Elizabeth, and if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant.
We begin tonight with a major new development on television`s No. 1 show that you may not have heard about yet, and in fact, that may be the way the show`s network wants it to be.
HAMMER: Of course, this is about that huge scandal over "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul`s alleged affair with a contestant. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer is here with the latest.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Karyn and A.J., it all happened as people -- most people were beginning their weekend. FOX tried to put to rest a very public and very embarrassing flap regarding its prized smash program, "American Idol."
Attorneys FOX hired to look into the Abdul allegations have wrapped up their investigation. They didn`t find anything scandalous. So why did FOX bury the lead?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERALD FORD, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our long, national nightmare is over.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Amen to that. The biggest scandal to hit the country since Watergate, Iran-Contra, Whitewater...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rachel and John.
HAFFENREFFER: ... and maybe John Hurley`s loss on the show "Dancing with the Stars" is now history.
RYAN SEACREST, HOST, "AMERICAN IDOL": This is "American Idol"!
HAFFENREFFER: Idolgate is over, and Paula Abdul will keep her job as a judge on "American Idol," following claims by former contestant Corey Clark that they had a hot affair while he was on the show.
But an independent counsel hired by FOX has determined there is no evidence to back Clark`s claim that he and Abdul slept together.
And no evidence Abdul gave him special help while he was on the show.
MARC PEYSER, "NEWSWEEK": I think everybody felt that unless there was a really serious smoking gun here that Paula was going to be exonerated.
HAFFENREFFER: After the counsel interviewed Clark he appeared live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and told us he`s sticking to his story.
COREY CLARK, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: No, I mean, I told them the truth, like I told everybody the truth.
HAMMER: We have this story just in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We just got word that FOX`s investigation of the Paula Abdul/Corey Clark scandal is now over.
HAFFENREFFER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first broke the news that Paula is in the clear just moments after FOX sent out a Friday night under the radar press release, too late for all the other entertainment news to report, and a story sure to escape too much notice on a sleepy summer weekend. Coincidence or brilliant timing?
MARVETT BRITTO, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: It will get lost between, you know, what happens on Friday night and what -- new news on Monday morning. You know, so it was obviously very calculated and FOX`s -- in the manner in which FOX decided to release this statement.
ANNOUNCER: This is FOX.
HAFFENREFFER: And that breeze you feel may be FOX breathing a tremendous sigh of relief they don`t have to fire the popular Abdul. They can get on with season five. By the way, auditions begin this Thursday. And the "American Idol" blockbuster ratings machine can keep on going.
But how will the outcome of Idolgate affect the show?
BRITTO: I think every contestant in the back of their mind will think, you know, do I need to soften up this judge a little bit? Do I need to -- you know, is this judge showing another contestant favoritism? I think it`s going to be on the forefront of every contestant`s mind.
This isn`t something that`s going to go away, particularly because the judge isn`t going away.
HAFFENREFFER: Abdul, who`s always denied Clark`s claims, is clearly relieved, saying in a statement, quote, "I`m grateful this ordeal is over, and I`m so looking forward to getting back to the job I love."
But Clark`s attorney tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he`s not commenting right now.
So after three and a half months and interviewing 43 people, FOX`s independent counsel is calling it a day, and the crisis that threatened a nation is now one for the history books.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: Oh, thank goodness. And just to keep Idolgate from happening again, "American Idol" says it`s enhancing it`s so-called non- fraternization policy as to prevent any appearance of impropriety between contestants and judges again in the future. We`ll see if it works.
HAMMER: They said they spent 600 hours doing this whole thing.
HAFFENREFFER: That`s a lot of lawyer fees.
HAMMER: That`s a lot of money spent. Well, thanks very much, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer.
Well, now with this whole investigation complete, does something feel a bit awry? Does the post investigation aftertaste not seem quite right?
Well, joining us live to take a closer look at the investigation is Lola Ogunnaike, entertainment reporter for the "New York Times."
Lola, we were having a lot of fun back there in that piece, comparing it to Watergate. But the fact is, the entertainment industry it`s pretty serious. Thirty million people a week watch this program, a lot of money at stake.
Is FOX happy to have this behind them now?
LOLA OGUNNAIKE, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER, "NEW YORK TIMES": FOX is definitely happy to have this scandal behind them. You know, Paula Abdul is such a central figure to the show, and I`m sure that they did not want to lose her. There are millions of people who tune in just to see her and Simon Cowell go at it. And now that they get to keep their star and they get to go on without having to deal with this scandal anymore, I`m sure they`re all breathing a collective sigh of relief.
HAMMER: There was a lot of spin control going on throughout this entire ordeal. But they`re not saying it didn`t happen. They`re not saying it did happen. Basically, they don`t have any way of substantiating Corey Clark`s claims about sexual misconduct by Paula Abdul or any kind of misconduct and no corroborating witnesses.
Do you think that FOX managed this properly?
OGUNNAIKE: I think they did manage it properly. Because they made a very public display about doing a thorough investigation, over 60 hours of work gone into this. Forty-three people were interviewed.
But also, I think if they really wanted to convince the American viewers that they care about this, they should upload the findings on the "American Idol" web site and let us read for ourselves what all the information that they really gathered.
HAMMER: And they`re saying in their statement because of the personal nature of their investigation, and of these interviews that they held, they`re not going to be doing that. But now they do have this enhanced non-fraternizing policy. That has to be a good thing.
OGUNNAIKE: Which means they`re going to hide all the contestants in a bunker in Afghanistan and all of the contestants are going to perform via satellite. That`s what that really means.
HAMMER: Upshot for Paula Abdul`s career here?
OGUNNAIKE: You know, I don`t think it really hurt her at the end of the day. If anything, people feel more sorry for Paula, because if it is indeed true that she actually had to hook up with an "American Idol" contestant, that`s pretty pathetic.
HAMMER: All right, Lola. I think America will be able to sleep tonight. We appreciate you joining us.
OGUNNAIKE: I`m going to sleep easy, definitely.
HAMMER: Well, that`s very important to us, as well. Lola Ogunnaike from "The New York Times."
And now that you`ve heard what happened, we`d like to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day." Paula Abdul cleared: was the investigation legit? Let us know what you think by voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
You can e-mail us, too, if you`ve got more to say: ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`re going to read your thoughts later in the show.
HAMMER: Two thousand five out, Seacrest in. "American Idol" -- A.J., you love that. I know that. "American Idol`s" Ryan Seacrest will help Dick Clark ring in 2006 from Times Square. Dick Clark says today Seacrest has signed on to be with him on his annual New Year`s Eve show and to eventually take over as the sole host.
It is expected to be the 75-year-old Clark`s first public appearance since he suffered a stroke last December. Regis Philbin would up filling in for Clark on his New Year`s Eve Show.
HAMMER: I`m so happy that was your story.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, a revealing new look into the way the December-May relationship between Demi Moore and Ashton may be heating up, and it comes from Demi herself.
Their romance -- a lot of people wondered, at first, if famous prankster Ashton Kutcher was just punking the public, but not so fast.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Brooke Anderson live in Hollywood now with the details -- Brooke.
BROOKS ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not so fast, A.J.
In a brand new interview, Demi dishes to "Harper`s Bizarre" about kids, marriage and cuddling for the first time ever. But of course, we knew it along. We`ve got all of the juicy romance details and a first look at some Demi photos so glamorous you certainly won`t forget them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first time I came to the Teen Choice awards I was nominated...
ASHTON KUTCHER, ACTOR: You got to slow down.
ANDERSON (voice-over): SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there last night at the Teen Choice Awards as Ashton Kutcher got a fan from the audience to read his acceptance speech for choice TV comedy actor. All eyes were on Demi Moore as they looked on with love and admiration.
And it`s that love and admiration that 42-year-old Demi Moore is opening up about for the very first time. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the first look at her exclusive interview with "Harper`s Bazaar."
She told the magazine, quote, "You talk about meeting your soul mate. I truly feel I have been given that gift, and believe me, I wasn`t some lightweight package. I`m like the package that didn`t just come with luggage. I had trunks." Lots of talk about soul mates.
You`ll remember Karyn`s interview earlier this year when Ashton and Amanda Pete were promoting their flick, "A Lot like Love." Ashton said it`s up to you to find your soul mate.
KUTCHER: I believe you have a soul mate, but I don`t think that you`re predestined to be with them.
ANDERSON: They also believe, and this is a rare one, that they can all get along. Demi`s ex, Bruce Willis, gets along with Ashton. Her three girls call Ashton MOD. That means "my other dad."
And what about kids of their own? Demi told Harper`s, quote, "The next phase? The growth of my partnership, the growth of our union, the growth of our family, which is all the things we truly desire, to expand our family."
I asked Ashton about the "m" word earlier this year.
(on camera) Any movement towards marriage in real life?
KUTCHER: What? No.
ANDERSON: Just point blank?
KUTCHER: No.
ANDERSON: Absolutely not?
KUTCHER: No.
ANDERSON: But Demi told "Harper`s" the two, who have been living together for two years and just moved into a new Hollywood hills home, are practically married now. She said, quote, "I feel that we are and that we don`t need something normal. So to do so isn`t a big deal one way or another. It`s not like we`re holding out. It`s right in with everything we would like to share with one another and with others."
Demi says a quiet night in for the two is -- listen to this one -- sharing a bath with one another, snuggling up naked watching Court TV.
A.J., are you listening?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: A.J., they could be watching you on "Hollywood Heat" on Court TV.
Now, as we`ve seen from those amazing Harper`s shots, Demi is more fabulous than ever. But she said in the interview, quote, "I am flawed. And I`m not 20, not 30, but I`m certainly different from what most people feel someone in her 40s should be."
We could all only hope to look that good.
HAMMER: Oh, stop it, Brooke. Give yourself a little more credit. That was a unplanned bit of cross-promotion, I`d want to say.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Court TV, "Hollywood Heat." Right/
HAMMER: That`s it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in Hollywood.
Well, you can read more about Demi and Ashton in September`s issue of "Harper`s Bazaar." It`s going to be on the stands on August 26.
BRYANT: You`ll soon be able to take former President Bill Clinton with you wherever you go. You can find out what we`re talking about in "The Show`s Biz." That`s next.
HAMMER: Also, "Will and Grace" is doing something it`s never done before. Here`s a hint: we do it every night. In fact, we`re doing it right now. Doesn`t it show? Eric McCormack, Will, is going to join us to tell us about it, coming up next.
BRYANT: Plus will Russell Crowe`s arrest for throwing a phone at a hotel concierge cost him millions? And will the concierge be getting the money? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT cuts through the rumor mill and sets the record straight, coming up.
HAMMER: Let`s get to tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Shall we? Lisa Marie Presley filed for divorce from Michael Jackson after how many months of marriage? Do you remember this? Was it four, seven, 20 or 31? We`re coming straight right back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Once again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Lisa Marie Presley filed for divorce from Michael Jackson after how many months of marriage? Four, seven, 20 or 31? The answer is, C, 20 months.
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.
Tonight, a major change at ABC News, a week after the death of peter Jennings. ABC News announced it changed the name of "World News Tonight," taking Peter Jennings`s name off the signature news cast, and the change started with tonight`s show.
The network said they left his name on as a tribute to its anchor, but that Jennings would`ve wanted accuracy. ABC says they consulted with Jennings` wife before they made the change. Charlie Gibson and Elizabeth Vargas are still taking turns anchoring the newscast until a replacement is found.
HAMMER: Tonight in "The Show`s Biz," a CD collection of presidential proportions. Former President Bill Clinton is releasing a series of compilation albums. The first one in the Bill Clinton collection will be out next month, and it`s going to have a lot of jazz, like Miles Davis` "My Funny Valentine," also "Chelsea Morning" by Judy Collins.
His charitable foundation is putting out the CD`s, and you`ll be able to buy it online at ClintonFoundation.com.
BRYANT: Tonight in our first "SHOWBIZ Sitdown," Eric McCormack joins us live. Every week, fans tune into the popular NBC sitcom "Will and Grace" to see a comedy about a neurotic interior designer and her gay best friend. As that best friend, Will Truman, Eric won an Emmy in 2001, and this year he is up for the award again. And it is one of 15 nominations for the show, quite the haul. Eric McCormack, thank you for joining us here.
ERIC MCCORMACK, ACTOR: Thank you.
BRYANT: So you`re going into your eighth season. You guys are doing something on opening night. You`re going live?
MCCORMACK: Yes, just like you are now.
BRYANT: Any nervousness (ph) about that?
MCCORMACK: No. I mean, all four of us come from a theater background. So I think that part is exciting. What`s strange is that our show when we shoot it is not 22 minutes, exactly, because people laugh longer than that. So it will be interesting to try to fit it into exactly a network half hour.
BRYANT: And you guys are going to be doing it twice, once for the east.
MCCORMACK: Right, 5:30 for the East Coast, which will be 8:30 out here and 8:0 for the west, which will be great.
BRYANT: If one of you were to crack, which character, who do you think would bust out first laughing?
MCCORMACK: Sean.
BRYANT: Yes, would he?
MCCORMACK: He`s -- but I don`t know. I mean, live is going to be different, because the pressure will be on. It will be that much more rehearsed. However, I think we all kind of agreed if it`s perfect, that`s really no fun. So I think there will be actually some hijinks, is my guess.
BRYANT: That`s what we`d like to think around here. We keep it purposely irregular around here.
MCCORMACK: You guys are nothing but hijinks at CNN.
BRYANT: Exactly. I want to know, at the end of the show, are you thinking -- is Will Truman perhaps going to go out with a big splashy wedding? You know, gay marriage is very much, you know, in the forefront of the gay movement, and that`s a possibility, maybe, for your character?
MCCORMACK: I`m just hoping he goes out with a bang.
BRYANT: Yes. We`re in shock (ph).
MCCORMACK: Or that. Yes, I think there`s going to be happiness. I think there`s going to be that for everybody.
It`s -- the nice thing is, we`re still having a great time. I mean, in my heart, I could play this part for longer, but I think shows all have a shelf life. And we want these characters to go out big and strong, and in everyone`s memory the way they have been.
BRYANT: I do wonder, too, Will has become a gay icon. Is it something that you`re ready to move on from, or have you learned a lot from playing that role? And do you feel a responsibility, now that you`ve played this great role, that has been embraced by both gay and straight fans?
MCCORMACK: Well, I mean, I think both. I`m really proud of the show. I`m proud of the character and the work I did. At the same time, it`s always a bit of an uphill climb as a sitcom actor to then convince the industry that you can do other things.
As a sitcom actor playing a gay character, that`s a steep hill, so my work is cut out for me. But I have no regrets. It`s been an amazing seven, eight years.
BRYANT: And also, you will live on forever in syndication.
MCCORMACK: That`s the weird thing. We`re going to be, you know, weeping in each other`s arms when it`s all over. For three years, people are going, "I love your show." They don`t know. People watch it more in syndication, I think, these days. People come up to me and say, "I never miss it at 11 p.m., every night." Yes, you know, we`re also on Thursdays at 8:30. So...
BRYANT: Yes, part of the must-see lineup. Well, you know. So you`re the last holdout of that, too, which is kind of...
MCCORMACK: That`s true.
BRYANT: Kind of cool. So what do you wear to the Emmys, though? Because certainly, we hear about the women spending all day getting ready for it. Are you the kind of guy that rolls out of the shower, throws on the tux and hits the road, or what? How do you prep for that?
MCCORMACK: I dry, because otherwise, the tux gets all sticky.
BRYANT: Probably would.
MCCORMACK: But yes, I mean, look, you`re a guy. What are you going to do? I think I`m going to go black tux. That`s what everybody does. What are you going to do?
I think the thing about it is, it`s just -- it`s nice to be invited to the party. I don`t put too much pressure on it, winning, losing. It`s think it`s really nice to be asked. That nomination is just -- it refreshes your memory that the people in the business are watching you and appreciating your work.
BRYANT: And we want to know what you`re doing next as well.
MCCORMACK: I got a lot of things going on I`m excited about. I have formed a production company. It`s a first look deal with NBC. This week we sold two shows. We sold -- I sold a show, a half hour to NBC and a full hour drama, thriller/drama to UPN. And we`re called Big Cattle Productions.
BRYANT: Nice.
MCCORMACK: Because when you shorten the word productions, you end up with Big Cattle Prods, which I like. I like that, and I think a name should always have at least one other entendre.
BRYANT: Well, that`s very good. Well, congratulations to you on your nomination.
And you can catch Eric and the cast of "Will and Grace" as they kick off their eighth season live, hijinks and all, on Thursday, September 29, on NBC.
HAMMER: And we found out he dries after the shower, which is always a good thing.
Albums from country star Brad Paisley, Bow Wow, and a new artist from Jay-Z and Kanye West`s label. That`s coming up next in the "SHOWBIZ Guide to New Music."
BRYANT: And, Janis Joplin, the Beatles, Joni Mitchell, and more. Dick Cavett had them all on his popular late night talk show in the `60s and `70s. And he has some amazing stories to share. Dick Cavett is live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Plus, her last name is Trump, but now she`s making her own name for herself. Ivana says watch out, Donald, because I`m going to do something bigger and better. She`ll tell us what the heck she`s talking about, live, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: 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`s Picks and Pans: New Music."
Joining us live is "People" magazine`s senior editor, Julie Dam.
Julie, thank you for joining us.
Let`s get -- let`s get into some country. Brad Paisley. The album is called "Time Well Wasted." Before we dish about him I want to give people a little bit of listen. The song is called "Alcohol." Let`s take a little listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: So this sounds like a very traditional country record.
JULIE DAM, SENIOR EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Yes, I mean, he`s known for being a, you now, country guy. Like, he has an affinity for gospel sounds, though, and the song "Alcohol" is one of his wittier numbers. It`s sung from the point of view of alcohol, as it were.
And one of the criticisms that some people have against him is that he`s not macho enough. And on this album he`s macho almost to a fault. There`s a song called "Pornography," which kind of refers to Dolly Parton`s assets, shall we say?
BRYANT: OK.
DAM: You know, he actually is making a lot of progress, and this is a good album.
BRYANT: All right. A good country record. Well, let`s shift gears completely. Tiearra Mari. The album is "Rockefeller Records Presents Tiearra Mari." She`s young, hip-hopping. We`re going to take a little listen to the song called "No Daddy."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAM: This song shows sort of her street edge. You know, this is an anthem for all of the girls from broken families. That`s what she says.
And you know, but she`s very cute also. And I think it`s hard being a young R&B singer these days, because you`re compared to the Cieras, the Amaris and something like that and inevitably compared to Beyonce...
BRYANT: Beyonce.
DAM: ... of course, and this song sounds like, you know, Beyonce hand-me-downs but, you know, it`s not a bad debut.
BRYANT: Not bad for a young `un.
And let`s quickly get to Bow Wow. The album is "Wanted." Big song with "Let me Hold You." Is this record any good?
DAM: Yes. I mean, you know, remember when he was Little Bow Wow? Now he`s grown up. He`s 18 years old. And he has this great hit that samples from a Luther Vandross song that came out before he was even born.
BRYANT: OK. Well, we`re -- I`m sorry we have to go short on that one. But thank you for joining us, Julie Dam. "People Magazine`s Picks and Pans."
And for more, you can pick up a copy of "People" magazine on news stands now.
HAMMER: Well, when music icons like David Bowie, Joni Mitchell and the Rolling Stones wanted to talk, they went to Dick Cavett. The late night great is going to join us live. We`re going to ask him about a very special Beatles event that happened 40 years ago today.
BRYANT: Plus the secrets of the new "Desperate Housewives" season. And the Teen Choice Awards. That, and all the winners, coming up.
HAMMER: Also, he allegedly threw a phone. Now will Russell Crowe have to throw down serious cash? We`re going to fill you in on what`s happening with him in the "Legal Lowdown."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in just a minute. But first, I`m Sophia Choi with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
Well, a tense situation in Norfolk, Virginia. Main landing gear problems forced a military jet there to make an emergency belly landing. The pilot circled the runway to burn the excess fuel. The C-2 Greyhound plane was fully loaded with 25 passengers at the time, all of whom left the plane safely. The pilot pulled up his nose gear and brought this aircraft down successfully.
Iraqi lawmakers are getting seven extra days to work on the draft of a new Iraqi constitution. The national assembly missed today`s completion deadline as both sides debated still unresolved issues, including federalism and the role of Islam.
Greek police raided the offices of Helios Airways today, one day after a deadly plane crash that killed 121 people on board. Autopsies indicate at least six of those passengers were still alive when this plane went down north of Athens.
That`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi. Back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. You`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
A lot still to come tonight. We`re going to be talking live with Ivana Trump. She is building Ivana Las Vegas. This is going to be the tallest skyscraper on the Las Vegas strip, and the penthouse is going to retail for $35 million.
HAMMER: She will be benefiting from the Trump name, as well.
BRYANT: Yes. We`re going to ask her about that monstrosity, that building, yes.
HAMMER: Also still to come, there were reports unraveling about the last couple of days about Russell Crowe settling that alleged phone throwing incident with a hotel concierge somewhere to the tune of about $11 million. Will Russell be paying up? Will he actually still have to go to court? We`re going to talk to Harvey Levin...
BRYANT: Can he hit me with a phone, if that`s the case?
HAMMER: Expensive phone call. Harvey Levin`s going to join us from "Celebrity Justice" to go through it all.
BRYANT: All that and more is coming up. But first, with the "Hot Headlines" from Hollywood, we go to Brooke Anderson.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Karyn and A.J.
Tonight, a major change at ABC News in the wake of the death of Peter Jennings. ABC changed the name of its signature newscast to simply "World News Tonight," taking off the name of Peter Jennings. ABC News says Jennings would have wanted the newscast to be accurate. Still no word on who will replace Jennings, who died a week ago Sunday at the age of 67.
Dick Clark is coming back to ring in the new year. Today Clark says he signed on "American Idol`s" Ryan Seacrest to help him ring in 2006 from Times Square. It will be Clark`s first public appearance since he suffered a stroke in December of last year. He`s said to be walking and talking.
Seacrest will eventually take over as the sole host, but first he`ll return to hosting "American Idol," which has been at the center of a sex scandal. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first broke the news that judge Paula Abdul was in the clear, just moments after FOX sent out an under-the-radar press release. Season five auditions begin this Thursday in San Francisco.
And those are the "Hot Headlines" from Hollywood. Karyn, back to you in New York.
BRYANT: Thank you, Brooke Anderson live in Hollywood.
Well, we`ve been asking you to vote in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Paula Abdul cleared: Was the investigation legit? You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. You can write to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your e-mails are coming up at 54 past the hour.
HAMMER: Well, it wasn`t the Beatles` first or last appearance in New York, but many say it was their most memorable. It was 40 years ago today that the Beatles made history at Shea Stadium.
August 15, 1965, that`s when the Fab Four packed those 55,000 fans into the Queens stadium, the largest audience ever for a concert, and it came at the absolute height of Beatlemania. The guys only played for about a half-hour, an the music, of course, could hardly be heard over all those screams from the audience.
Well, George Harrison appeared on our next guest`s late-night TV talk show back in 1971, after the Beatles had already broken up. It was truly a memorable moment in television history in an of itself.
And tonight, in another "Showbiz Sitdown," Dick Cavett joins us, the host of "The Dick Cavett Show" during the late 1960s and early `70s on ABC. George Harrison just one of the many big-name musicians to appear on the brand-new three-disc set, "The Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons." It will be in stores tomorrow.
It is such a pleasure to have you here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Mr. Cavett.
DICK CAVETT, HOST, "THE DICK CAVETT SHOW": Well, thank you. May I call you by your first initial?
HAMMER: You may call me simply "A." I feel compelled to call you Mr. Cavett.
(CROSSTALK)
CAVETT: You know, I realized one day that I never made a particular point of having rock people on. I just suddenly one day had somebody came on, and I think Janice, and it worked well. And people thought I was nuts when I had to sit down and talk. A rock star talking?
Well, suddenly, I had this treasure trove of dead and living rock stars, all of whom were very entertaining. In your business, you owe it to yourself to see, on this thing, the Sly Stone-Cavett time.
HAMMER: That didn`t go so well, did it?
CAVETT: Well, you know, people that told me, "You had an awful time. Remember the Sly thing?" I get all kinds of different reactions to it and descriptions to it.
I finally saw it the other day. And you know what I decided? That Stone was brilliant and that he was using a consummate put on artists` work on me, using it on me.
HAMMER: So he was goofing on you?
CAVETT: Yes. Everything he said got a laugh.
HAMMER: Because it was basically unintelligible, most of what Sly Stone was saying.
CAVETT: You know, you can always find intelligible. But he was, I think, a master. And later, when he asked intelligent questions on other subjects, I realized I`d been had, in a way.
But it`s very funny to watch it. Every line seems to be a laugh.
HAMMER: I wanted to ask you about the George Harrison moment that we mentioned earlier, because George was really the first of the Beatles to make it famous. A lot of people don`t realize. He got to appear for 90 minutes, you had the guy on the show. We only have three minutes here. You had him for 90 minutes.
CAVETT: People said to me, are you out of your mind? Have you ever talked to George Harrison?
HAMMER: Give me a memory from that night.
CAVETT: Wondering at the beginning how I was going to live through it, noticing something true in saying that Yoko Ono sat in that chair three days ago. Harrison jumped out of the chair in a humorous manner.
And as the show went on, somebody said, "You got him to the point where you couldn`t shut him up by the end of the show." He was just delightful, informative, funny, and a hell of a nice guy, as opposed to the many schmucks in our business.
HAMMER: And you mentioned that people thought you were nuts for having the idea of putting rock stars in. You mentioned Janis Joplin`s name. And you would have Janis on. She was one of your favorite guests. You had her on several times. And you would talk about things, politics aside. Give me a Janis memory.
CAVETT: She was on four times, I do believe. I enjoyed all of them, worked with an improv troupe and joined right in. She was just -- I loved Janis.
And one show I noticed I said to her -- I had forgotten this -- "I read that you got a tattoo somewhere near Baltimore." She said it was a lot closer to home than that.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: And of course, we all know Janis Joplin made it to Woodstock, which had happened right around that time.
CAVETT: Yep.
HAMMER: One artist, other female rock icon who didn`t make it, Joni Mitchell. And I understand you`re partially to blame for that.
CAVETT: You know why? I don`t think I am, but then I may be. But I learned recently to my amazement that her manager said to her, "You`re one person who isn`t going to Woodstock." And she said, "Why?" He said, "You need the Cavett exposure more than you need to appear on somebody`s farm," probably figuring there were 500 people there.
And amazingly, a lot of folks got from Woodstock to my studio for a show the next day about Woodstock, and Joni Mitchell was super in that. There was a rock star I know who was getting high in jail and nobody knew how he was doing it. And he kept doing it, and they kept stripping him, and probing him. And he still got high, and giggled. And they found that he had taken a dentist`s -- gotten a dentist to take a rear molar, drill a hole, put the wire through it, hang the condom down his throat that had the reasonably large supply of stuff.
HAMMER: And who is this?
CAVETT: Oh, I probably shouldn`t mention him. I don`t know how litigious this is.
HAMMER: This is your opportunity to get it out. We`ll let it slide.
CAVETT: Can I come back tomorrow and tell you?
HAMMER: We`ll see about getting you back tomorrow. We really appreciate you stopping by tonight, Dick Cavett.
CAVETT: Thank you.
HAMMER: And it`s an amazing collection. A DVD set, "The Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons" will be in stores tomorrow.
BRYANT: Well, music was the big draw, but a love story proved to be a big hit among teens this past year. The movie "The Notebook" nabbed eight awards at last night`s "Teen Choice Awards." It was thanks to that kiss, the one in the pouring rain, between the film`s stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, that won them an award for best chemistry in a movie.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there as Eva Longoria, the Black Eyed Peas, a remade Paris Hilton, and Gwen Stefani holla`d back at us on the red carpet. And Eva, who won for breakout star, gave us a "this-just-in" secret from the set of "Desperate Housewives."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVA LONGORIA, ACTRESS, "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES": Well, the show`s getting darker and funnier. And Gabrielle`s going to have another love interest. It`s not going to be a love interest, but definitely another man is coming into her life.
So we will find out what`s going to happen there. And then the pregnancy, dealing with the pregnancy. And that`s going to be funny to see how much she hates it.
JIM CARREY, ACTOR: Oh Mickey, you`re so fine, you`re so fine you blow my mine, hey, Mickey! Hey, Mickey!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: That was Jim Carrey picking up his award for best movie bad guy in his own very special Jim Carrey way. He won for his role in "Lemony Snicket`s A Series of Unfortunate Events." And the "Teen Choice Awards" airs tomorrow on FOX.
HAMMER: Dialing for dollars. Is Russell Crowe about to shell out some serious cash for throwing a phone? The latest in tonight`s "Legal Lowdown." That`s on the way.
BRYANT: Plus, will Trump trump Trump? The Donald`s ex-wife, Ivana, is planning to one-up her former husband. She`ll tell us what`s she got planned, when she joins us live, next.
HAMMER: And what did President Bush do on his summer vacation? Jay Leno knows. Find out in "Laughter Dark," coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: It is time now for the "Legal Lowdown."
Tonight, Russell Crowe`s costly call continues to plague him. It was just two months ago when the Oscar-winner was arrested for allegedly throwing a phone at a New York City hotel clerk, Nestor Estrada. Well, tonight, attorneys for both sides are shooting down tabloid reports that Crowe will settle out of court for $11 million.
Joining us live from Hollywood with the "Legal Lowdown," "Celebrity Justice`s" Harvey Levin. Harvey is also an attorney.
All right, Harvey, even if there is no truth to this story at all, an $11 million settlement, it reminds us of the fact that this story is still out there. They`re going to court at the end of September. Does Crowe need to deal with this guy and settle out of court?
HARVEY LEVIN, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": Yes, he will need to deal with this guy. And he will settle out of court. But I`ll tell you, if it`s worth that, somebody hit me with a phone. There`s no way in the world this case is worth anywhere near that.
But Russell Crowe will end up paying out a sizeable amount of money so that this goes away. He does not want to have to take the stand and testify in a case like this, no doubt in my mind. Eventually, he will settle.
HAMMER: Does that necessarily mean, though, that this will go away? Because there were other people who saw this happen. There were other witnesses to the event. Could Estrada actually be forced to testify? Could it actually ever get to court?
LEVIN: Absolutely. I mean prosecutors -- even if he says, "Look, I`m unwilling to testify. I`ve changed my mind," meaning he got some money, the prosecutor can still press on with the case. It`s going to be harder to do when you don`t have a cooperative witness.
But, absolutely, prosecutors can go on in a case like this, without even the willingness of the victim. And he could be forced to take the stand and ultimately thrown in jail if he refuses. So this case would be by no means over, if it settles before the criminal case.
HAMMER: And it sort of brings to mind the original Michael Jackson child molestation back in the `90s that was settled for reportedly around $20 million. There were no witnesses, so it couldn`t go to trial.
There were witnesses, as we just said, in this case. A lot of people were hanging around the hotel when that phone was allegedly thrown. So you`re saying Crowe could still be convicted and perhaps be a double loser if he indeed also settles out of court.
LEVIN: Yes, I mean, I don`t really see it as a double loser if he settles the civil case. Look, he did something wrong. He even admits it. So at a point, he`s going to have to own up to it, and that`s going to cost him some money.
That said, the criminal case is what`s really troublesome here, because he`s being charged with a felony. And that felony could not only cost him dearly in terms of prison, but it could cost him in terms of coming back to the United States, if he ever gets convicted and ultimately goes to prison and then gets out.
HAMMER: And could you clarify that real quickly? If he`s brought -- if lesser charges are brought against Russell Crowe, could he still be prevented from working in the United States?
LEVIN: Well, if it`s a misdemeanor, no. But if he`s prosecuted for a felony, and if this sticks, he could be in real trouble, in terms of his future in the United States.
A.J., I don`t think that`s going to happen. I mean, I don`t think this is the kind of case that is ultimately worth a felony. It seems to me this is a misdemeanor case. My guess is, you will see it settle civilly.
Criminally, I think you`re going to see it played out on a misdemeanor basis. He`ll do some kind of community service. My guess is it will go away.
HAMMER: And no matter what, the most expensive phone call he ever didn`t make. "Celebrity Justice`s" Harvey Levin...
LEVIN: Talk about message units, exactly.
HAMMER: Thanks very much, Harvey. We appreciate you joining us tonight.
LEVIN: OK.
BRYANT: It`s time now for another "Showbiz Sitdown," this time with Ivana Trump. She was married to the Donald for five years during the 1980s and `90s, and during that time, she learned the ins and outs of managing real estate.
Ivana was the vice president of interior design for the Trump Organization, which meant she oversaw the look of all of Donald`s properties. And now, Ivana`s on her own and trying her hand in Vegas. Joining us now live from Hollywood, Ivana Trump.
Thank you so much for joining us tonight.
IVANA TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP`S EX-WIFE: Thank you, good evening, Karyn. How are you?
BRYANT: I`m very well. I want to know about your property in Las Vegas. Supposedly this is going to be the tallest building on the strip?
TRUMP: There`s going to be the tallest building in all the west coast and definitely it will be the tallest in Las Vegas. It`s an 80-story tower, which is 945 feet tall. And it will have -- it is about -- we will have about 945 hotel condominiums and penthouses, starting from about, I don`t know, $500,000 up to $35 million penthouses.
BRYANT: Yes, and, obviously, we were just looking at a mockup there, because you`re breaking ground on this. But I have to ask you -- and I know you`ve got a sense for interior design -- but I`ve heard that the penthouse will cost $35 million, Ivana? What am I going to get for my money?
TRUMP: What you`re going to get: You`re going to get 20,000 square feet of living space. You will have theaters, you will have recording studios, a huge pool, spas, the beauty centers, the makeup rooms.
And it is just a huge, huge space. It`s absolutely spectacular. And the view -- we are actually taller than the stratosphere. And we will change the skyline of the Las Vegas. We are actually ten stories taller than Eiffel Tower in France, in Paris.
BRYANT: All right, not too shabby. Now, obviously, people are aware that your ex-husband, Donald, is also a developer there. Yours is going to be taller than his. Do you see him as competition?
TRUMP: No, I don`t see Donald as competition, no. There is a place for both of us in Las Vegas. It is largest community, growing community in the United States. And it is the number-one, you know, destination for tourists in the world.
There are 40 million people which are visiting Las Vegas a year.
BRYANT: So it`s no...
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: They have to be -- I honestly don`t think it`s a competition. I just love what I`m doing. And it will be...
(CROSSTALK)
BRYANT: Right, right, right, right, well, good, good, get him! So, I`m curious, though, speaking of competition, "The Apprentice" is a competition show. Do you watch that show?
TRUMP: I watch it sometimes, yes. You know, I travel quite a bit, but I did see it. And I think it`s a great show. And I wish Donald the best in it. And like I said, we are friends. And I don`t compete with Donald. I just do what I like.
BRYANT: Well, do you have any interest, though, in doing a reality show? Because you are a successful businesswoman. Martha`s doing an "Apprentice." Would you ever see yourself doing a reality show?
TRUMP: Well, I actually did tape a reality show with FOX. And it`s called "Ivana Young Man." And it will be coming sometime in the fall.
BRYANT: Oh, nice. OK, great.
Well, I do wonder, if you had maybe three tips for young women out there who are trying to be successful businesswoman, what would you suggest to them as major points for success?
TRUMP: Well, you know, number-one thing, it`s really you have to work hard. You know, you have to have a confidence in yourself. And that`s the second one. And then really, you know, go, and go -- if you set yourself a goal, try to achieve it as close to your goals as you planned. You know, just get out there and get what you want.
BRYANT: OK, well, great, words to live by. Thank you so much for joining us and best of luck on your new building in Las Vegas. Ivana Trump live in Hollywood.
TRUMP: Thank you so much, Karyn.
HAMMER: Well, it is time to get your laugh on in "Laughter Dark." President Bush spends a little time on his bicycle, in a little vacation. And he`s going to be -- you know, the Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong was spending some time with Mr. Bush.
Well, on Friday night`s "Tonight Show," Jay Leno pointed out that the president has already had a very active vacation. Just take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Well, anyway, as you know, President Bush down there in Crawford, Texas. That is the garden spot of the south. Have you been to Crawford?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ve never been there, man.
LENO: Beautiful vacation, things to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, really?
LENO: And today, President Bush released a video of some of the things he`s done on vacation. Take a look.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Busy guy. Tonight, Jay welcomes comedian Howie Mandel. Also, he`ll have a performance by Hilary Duff.
BRYANT: And there is still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." FOX saying it`s keeping Paula Abdul on "American Idol" after finding no evidence that contestant Corey Clark had sex with her.
So the question is: Paula Abdul cleared. Was the investigation legit? You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails live next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: We`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Paula Abdul cleared: Was the investigation legit?
The vote so far, 46 percent of you say yes, you think it was legit. Kind of an even split here. Fifty-four percent of you say no, you don`t think it was.
Some e-mails on the subject, too, including one from Lis in Florida who writes, "With all the overwhelming evidence against Paula Abdul, it is clear to me how biased this investigation was."
Also heard from Karen in Missouri, who says, "Move on. Who cares if Paula and this Corey had a fling? It`s over now, and let the silly subject die." I agree.
Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
BRYANT: Well, it is time to see what is playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
HAMMER: For that, we go to our Marquee Guy. Take it away, Mr. Marquee Guy.
MARQUEE GUY: When you`re seeing things, and they look like Elvis and Marilyn Monroe, who you going to call? Not Ghostbusters, but Chris Fleming. This guy talks to dead people. Really, I`m not kidding. Famous dead people, too. And you have more than a ghost of a chance to see him, tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also tomorrow, it`s hot out, but this guy`s as cool as ice. He`s Vanilla Ice. And don`t think he just has a plain vanilla story. Vanilla Ice, tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
This is the Marquee Guy, and I`m always as cool as ice. Just ask A.J. and Karyn.
HAMMER: Right. Fifteen years ago, almost exactly to the month that "Ice Ice Baby" was the number-one song in America. Interesting...
BRYANT: That was such a hit.
HAMMER: It will be interesting to talk to Mr. Ice tomorrow.
BRYANT: Yes.
HAMMER: That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tonight. I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
HAMMER: Mr. Ice?
END
