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Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight for August 25, 2005, CNNHN
Aired August 25, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: And I`m Karyn Bryant. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, one on one with Martha Stewart. From house arrest to two new television shows, Martha opens up about the life she has planned for after the ankle bracelet. Tonight, Martha dishes with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON (voice-over): A missing young actress, a frantic search. A dramatic and sudden end to the story of the teenage starlet who vanished two weeks ago. What was behind her disappearance? We have the answers on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: Tonight, an eye-opening look at Scott Peterson`s life behind bars. We go inside the prison to see how he spends his days. It`s the story you haven`t heard, until now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
NICK NOLTE, ACTOR: I`m Nick Nolte. And it if happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hello there. I`m Brooke Anderson, live in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer is off this week.
BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant, live in New York.
Tonight Martha Stewart breaks her silence in a big way, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there. Now Martha put on the dog and pony show today to promote her two new TV series, and she didn`t let her prison ankle bracelet get in the way. Martha also went one-on-one with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer, who is here live.
You know I`m a Martha fan. How is she?
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: She is back, and she showed us the ankle bracelet at the press conference today.
Karyn, she was behind bars, of course, and often depicted as a pain in the behind. But Martha Stewart isn`t letting that hold her, or her empire, back from what she hopes is a major rebound. This is a side of Martha you may have never seen before.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): It`s a softer, relaxed, fun Martha.
MARTHA STEWART, FOUNDER, MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA: It is fun!
HAFFENREFFER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was in New York as Martha went in front of the press to make it clear: she`s got nothing to hide about her life, her jail time and her confinement.
STEWART: I have a microphone on one ankle and a bracelet on the other ankle.
HAFFENREFFER (on camera): That bracelet comes off August 31, and with it starts a whole new chapter for Martha Inc.
And the warm fuzzy thing is working. Her brand and her image are on the rebound. And come September, you`re going to be seeing even more of Martha.
(voice-over): That`s because Martha`s introducing not one, but two new shows: one day-time, one prime time. Both featuring the "new" Martha, with a new promise.
STEWART: Reality, accessibility. We`re not going to avoid things.
HAFFENREFFER: If anything, it will be more Martha than you bargained for. In her daytime talk show, aptly called "Martha," she promises an unusual look at celebrities.
STEWART: But really what I want are guests that are going to show us what they do when they are not being celebrities.
HAFFENREFFER: A far cry from her days on her other show, potting plants. You`ll get to see all kinds of new sides of Martha. Making a weenie...
STEWART: We like mustard.
HAFFENREFFER: ... working a cash register...
STEWART: Your total is $15 exactly.
HAFFENREFFER: ... flipping burgers...
STEWART: How am I doing?
HAFFENREFFER: And generally, poking fun at herself.
STEWART: It`s my new summer job -- my community service.
HAFFENREFFER: Joking about her jail time is part of Martha`s selling point. Even in her newest commercial, Martha highlights what she learned in jail.
STEWART: I learned a lot about patience. I also learned how to microwave cook. You could actually make creme caramel.
HAFFENREFFER: It`s a far cry from the women portrayed on the made for TV movie, "Martha Inc."
CYBILL SHEPPARD, ACTRESS: Who opened three bottles of wine?
HAFFENREFFER: Martha told me that "Apprentice" producer Mark Burnett really helped her turn her image around
STEWART: He really realized that Martha was more than just the image that had been developed somehow in the press. So the last two years were a lot of difficult stuff. And it`s not nice to see the scowling Martha coming out of the courthouse every single day.
HAFFENREFFER (on camera): And that`s just it. You`re embracing your experience over the past couple of years.
STEWART: Yes. It`s part of my life now. Part of my CV.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Burnett told me the same.
MARK BURNETT, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE APPRENTICE": I just so want the world to see the Martha I know. This way you see the daytime show. That stands for excellence in culinary and home making arts. And in the evening, the business Martha.
HAFFENREFFER: That`s right. In the evening, the prime time Martha, in her own version of "The Apprentice," and with a very appropriate theme song. Ready?
EURYTHMICS, MUSICIANS (singing): Sweet dreams are made of these...
HAFFENREFFER: She and Burnett, the man who created the Donald`s "Apprentice," have teamed up for her own reality show, pitting 16 entrepreneurs against each other and competing with Martha-like tasks.
STEWART: We want people to see what real business is really like. They`re going to be aware of what it takes to be an apprentice at Martha Stewart Living.
HAFFENREFFER: And while Burnett created Trump`s special line...
DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MOGUL: You`re fired.
HAFFENREFERR: ... it doesn`t look like Martha will say anything nearly as harsh.
STEWART: I don`t even like firing people. So I couldn`t say, "You`re fired." I don`t know if I`ve ever said that.
HAFFENREFFER: Really? Just the same, she`s keeping her tag line a secret.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: We have to wait for the first episode, but they have leaked a few secrets. For one, the Donald himself will make a special guest cameo appearance in Martha`s version of "The Apprentice."
And on her day-time talk show, she`ll invite over 100 women named "Martha Stewart" from around the country, from age 12 to 80, even some pets named Martha Stewart, we understand, to come on the program.
BRYANT: All right. Thank you very much, David Haffenreffer.
And coming up later on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we`ll talk to an expert from "Fortune" magazine, to tell us whether Martha`s makeover will pay off and translate into bigger bucks for her empire.
And now we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Martha Stewart, will you watch her new shows? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And if you want to get your thoughts on the air, send us an e-mail at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com.
ANDERSON: Martha today offered an invitation to Russell Crowe on the same day we learned more about his incident of allegedly throwing a phone at a hotel worker. Crowe`s people told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT this afternoon that the actor has settled with the hotel worker. Crowe got arrested for the incident in June. No word on how much money Crowe may have paid to settle the civil suit. He still faces charges. Today Martha Stewart invited Crowe onto her new talk show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: One person I really would love to have on the show is Russell Crowe, and then we have these problems. But he was so kind do me in the last couple years, offering me a quiet place to visit in Australia. That would be -- it would be very nice to see him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRYANT: Let`s get some insight now into the Russell Crowe story. It`s one of the stories in tonight`s "Legal Lowdown." Also, we`ll be covering Olivia Newton-John`s missing boyfriend and his reportedly less than perfect past.
Joining us from Burbank, California -- you know him, you love him -- "Celebrity Justice`s" Harvey Levin, who is also an attorney.
So with this Russell Crowe settlement, what do you think it is? Because the rumor is six figures.
HARVEY LEVIN, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": I`m guessing it`s six figures. I mean, I wish I could get hit by a phone like that. It would be such a nice Christmas present. I`m guessing this guy got a lot of money.
There was a report, Karyn, that he got $7 million or $11 million. I think that`s completely bogus.
BRYANT: And we should remind people...
LEVIN: This was in the hundreds of thousands. It was not in the millions, I`m sure.
BRYANT: OK, right. And yes, we should remind us, this was a guy that was working at a desk at a hotel. Russell was fuming one night, came down and threw a phone. Yes, it`s not worth millions of dollars, I don`t think.
LEVIN: It`s not, and I`m sure that he got a lot more money because it was Russell Crowe than if it were Joe Blow.
BRYANT: Right. Does this mean Russell can still work in the United States? Because there was talk that he could get deported.
LEVIN: Well, you`ve got to remember, there`s still a pending criminal case. And that doesn`t go away because he settled civilly. Not it could be that prosecutors say, you know, once this guy, the guy at the hotel got his money and maybe he doesn`t have a taste for prosecuting Russell Crowe, then maybe it would go away.
But prosecutors can still go after him. And if Crowe is convicted of a felony, theoretically, immigration could try and keep him out of country. It is possible still.
BRYANT: I hope not.
LEVIN: Me, too.
BRYANT: He`s a fine actor.
LEVIN: I agree.
BRYANT: OK. Let`s talk about Olivia Newton-John, her missing boyfriend. A few years ago filed for bankruptcy. There`s been talk that he`s had difficulty meeting the alimony payments to the ex-wife. Can you - - can you shed some light on why he may have disappeared? And does this financial problem have anything to do with your thoughts on why he might be gone?
LEVIN: I mean, I don`t know. I mean, I think it`s possible that it could, certainly. I mean, this guy, you know, has had his own financial and other problems over the years.
But what`s really interesting is now all of a sudden the people on that boat are now saying they don`t recall seeing him on the boat. They found, I believe, some of his personal items on the boat. But now people are saying, "You know, we`re not really sure if we saw him."
So there are questions about, you know, exactly what did happen to this guy. But when you take it all together and you look at the fact that he`s got all of these problems, that this didn`t become public for weeks and weeks and weeks, when typically with a missing person, you try to take it public right off the bat and the fact that now maybe he wasn`t even on that boat, it raises some suspicions?
BRYANT: OK. So do you think, though, that the trail has gone too cold?
LEVIN: You know, what they do, Karyn, is that when the police have a missing persons report, it basically casts a wide net all over the country. So if somebody ends up getting picked up on a traffic violation, it could be that it solves the case. That`s what remains to be seen.
BRYANT: All right. Well, Harvey Levin, thank you for joining us tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
LEVIN: Thank you, Karyn.
ANDERSON: Right now, new information about the paparazzi-related car accident involving actress Scarlett Johansson. The paparazzi followed Johansson to Disneyland last Thursday. Her publicist says she was driving into the parking lot and swerved to get away from four paparazzi SUVs.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got a recording today of the 911 call the actress made right after the accident.
(BEGIN AUDIOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nine-one-one.
SCARLETT JOHANSSON, ACTRESS: Hi, we`ve just gotten into a car accident. We`re way in Disneyland Drive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re at Disneyland Drive and where?
JOHANSSON: Disneyland Drive right on the entrance to the 5 Freeway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you actually on the on-ramp or are you right before...
JOHANSSON: No, actually, we pulled off to the side, but unfortunately, we have a bunch of paparazzi cars also following us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?
JOHANSSON: I`m Scarlett Johansson, an actor. They`ve been following me all the way here. But we`ve gotten into an accident -- not with the paparazzi but with a woman behind us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Are you actually -- so everyone`s on the right shoulder?
JOHANSSON: Yes, we`re on the shoulder.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And no one`s hurt?
JOHANSSON: I`m sorry? No one`s hurt, no.
(END AUDIOTAPE)
ANDERSON: The owner of a photo agency admits some of his photographers had been following Johansson for four days but denies they contributed to the accident.
And next, the mystery of a young actress who disappeared almost two weeks ago has been solved. We`ll have the answers, coming up.
BRYANT: Plus, Scott Peterson`s life behind bars. Coming up, a rare look at what he does every day inside the prison walls and the nickname they`ve given him there.
ANDERSON: And, Robert Redford speaks out about activism in Hollywood. Redford tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT there`s something stars better make sure they do before they speak out. That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, the mystery of the young actress who disappeared two weeks ago has been solved. Scout Taylor-Compton disappeared. This story plays right out of a script for "The Gilmore Girls" show in which she appeared.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is breaking news on this case. In fact, I was the first to tell her own publicist the news. Here`s the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCOUT TAYLOR-COMPTON, ACTRESS: OK, stop.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Stop looking. The search is over for missing 16-year-old actress Scout Taylor-Compton, who was last seen on the big screen here in 2004`s "Sleepover."
TAYLOR-COMPTON: I still have to pinch myself.
ANDERSON: She found success at an early age. Besides "Sleepover," he she had a bit part in the Jennifer Garner vehicle, "13 going on 30" and appeared on the WB`s hit teen show, "Gilmore Girls."
And according to this online biography, her first role was in the movie -- get this -- "AWOL." Not anymore; she was found this morning. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got the first word from authorities.
JODI MILLER, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER: It was between approximately 9 o`clock and 9:30 that she was returned to the Apple Valley Station. And that`s where they did do an interview with her. Her parents then came to the station and picked her up and took her home.
ANDERSON: Taylor-Compton, who goes by Desiree, went missing from her home on August 12. The family, who lives in Apple Valley, a desert town halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, contacted authorities immediately. But word got out to the press just yesterday.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just learned that the family did not make the starlet`s disappearance sooner for fear that, if she were running, she would run further.
It was the local high school that cracked the case.
MILLER: They indicated they had information as to what her location was. Deputies from Apple Valley did follow up with some interviews, which led, then, to her whereabouts. She has since been recovered. She is unharmed.
ANDERSON: Not harmed because she was a runaway who authorities say didn`t want to be found. But she didn`t get far. She was found at a friend`s hose in her hometown. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned that she most likely fled because of a family disagreement. She lives with her father and stepmother.
While doing publicity for 2004`s "Sleepover," she talked about the importance of friends and family.
TAYLOR-COMPTON: They`re like making me feel like a family and making me feel a part. When I first showed up, I didn`t go to the table read. I was cast in it afterwards. So I kind of felt like, "Oh, my gosh, are they going to like me?" And Alexa and Mika just came up to me and hugged me. It was really sweet. I felt there, a part of the family.
ANDERSON: But details of her own family life and what motivated her to run are still unclear.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Now this just in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the police tell us Scout was found at the home of a local student. A school police officer was conducting a follow-up visit at that home and spotted Scout. The officer recognized her from news reports, called her out name and she answered.
Scout`s publicist gave SHOWBIZ TONIGHT an official statement, which says, quote, "On behalf of her family, we are very grateful to everyone for their concern and support in helping to find Scout. We appreciate everyone`s courtesy as the family recovers" -- Karyn.
BRYANT: Well, the soldier`s mom whose anti-war protests near President Bush`s ranch have led to hours of TV coverage, is taking her show on the road. Cindy Sheehan, whose son, Casey, was killed last year in Iraq, announced today that she and her supporters will leave their Crawford, Texas, campsite next Wednesday to begin a three-week bus tour.
Celebrities such as Ed Asner, Richard Dreyfuss, Josh Lucas, and Ed Begley Jr. are backing her crusade.
Now, this afternoon, I had a chance to talk with Robert Redford, who is promoting his upcoming movie, "An Unfinished Life." And we got a chance to talk about celebrity activism, a topic with which he is very familiar.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: Well, here`s what`s interesting. On our show, we were talking the other day about celebrities speaking out about political causes. And some people said celebrities should do it; they should keep to themselves. Other people think, "Hey, you`ve got a forum. Mr. Redford, a lot of people will hear you. They`ll recognize your face."
Do you worry at all, or what are your thoughts about celebrities specifically getting into the role of an activist?
ROBERT REDFORD, ACTOR: Well, first of all, I don`t think being an actor means you give up citizenship papers. So I know when I first start speaking out in the early `70s, I would always get these counter arguments: "What does he know? He`s an actor."
So that hounded me for years until Reagan got in office.
BRYANT: There you go.
REDFORD: But there`s that issue. You are an American just like others. You have a right to speak out just like anybody else.
However, because you`re known, because you`re a public figure, your speaking out carries a lot more responsibility to know what you`re talking about. And I feel very strongly about this.
So I spent a lot of years digging into the issues firsthand to really understand both points of view, understand what the real issue was on the deepest level. So if I spoke about it, I can say, this is what I really feel, what I believe from genuine experience, and I`ve covered the ground. So I did that and am comfortable with that.
But how you`re perceived is another thing. But I do think that actors, whether they`re actors or artists or musicians, what have you, they have every right to speak their mind. But they also have almost an obligation to make sure they know what they`re talking about.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: And like Cathy (sic) Sheehan, Redford also has a very strong opinion about the Bush administration, and it`s not based on the war. We will have that, and the rest of my talk with Robert Redford, on tomorrow`s show.
Well, MTV`s Video Music Awards are coming up this weekend. But will a hurricane crash the party? We`ll take you live to south Florida. That`s on the way.
ANDERSON: Plus, Ashlee Simpson opens up about her infamous "Saturday Night Live" flub. She tells me whether she plans to go back and do "SNL" again. That`s coming up.
BRYANT: And, is the world ready for the new and improved, post-prison Martha Stewart? You better be, because she`s relaunching her career. But will it work? We get the inside story on the way.
Now tonight`s "Entertainment Tonight Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Which of these movies starring Christina Ricci was not released in 1998? "The Opposite of Sex," "Buffalo 66," "The Ice Storm," or "Pecker"? We`ll be right back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Once again tonight`s "Entertainment Tonight Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Which of these movies starring Christina Ricci was not released in 1998? "? The answer is "C," "Ice Storm."
ANDERSON: Time now for a "SHOWBIZ Sitdown" with Ashlee Simpson. The singer has put her "Saturday Night Live" lip-synching mishap behind her, and she hopes you have, too.
Simpson is taking on her first feature film role, in the new movie "Undiscovered." I sat down with Ashlee, along with her co-star, Kip Pardue. Ashlee opened up about the film, her aspirations to hit the "SNL" stage again, her manager father, and following in the footsteps of her big sis, Jessica.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: "Undiscovered," why did you want to be part of this movie? I know you were in a television show, but this is your first film, right? Feature film?
ASHLEE SIMPSON, SINGER: Yes. I chose to do the movie because I really wanted to do a movie. And I wanted to do something that I wasn`t the lead, but I was, you know, around a great cast.
ANDERSON: Where are you now in terms of personally? How have you overcome what you went through with "SNL" and where are you now?
SIMPSON: I`m in a great place. I have a new album comes out called "I Am Me." And I just -- I went to the studio and did the record, wrote about "SNL," and I`m at a really good place. I think that humility is a good thing. And I think it`s good to fall on your face every now and then. Because you know, you find strength in that. You have to pick yourself up and keep on going.
ANDERSON: Do you think you`re stronger because of it?
SIMPSON: Absolutely. So much stronger because of it.
KIP PARDUE, ACTOR: And you have a great sense of humor about the whole thing.
SIMPSON: Yes. It`s to me, you know, in the past.
PARDUE: It`s an awful thing to have happen but if you don`t get it all out of you, then it can eat you alive, and I`m glad.
ANDERSON: It`s good to be able to laugh at yourself, like you say, because everyone has to fall at some point.
SIMPSON: Yes.
ANDERSON: And I heard -- are you going back to "SNL"?
SIMPSON: It`s not been confirmed yet, but I would love to go back.
ANDERSON: How would you do things differently?
SIMPSON: I wouldn`t stress myself out. I wouldn`t get nervous. I think that if I did it again, I would have a lot of confidence and be glad to, you know, have the second chance.
ANDERSON: Your dad executive produces this movie.
SIMPSON: Yes, it was. It was really nice.
ANDERSON: Well, he has done unbelievably well with both you and Jessica. What would you say to the critics who say he may push you too far, too hard at times?
SIMPSON: My dad is not pushy at all. Everything we do, we choose. And you know, I`m ever like, "Dad, I`m tired," he`s like, "OK." He makes sure that I don`t have to do anything. He`s not pushy. He`s not hard on us. He`s really, you know, like a comfort zone.
You know, for us, he just wants us to be who we are. And he always laughs and he`s like, I`m individual. I can`t ever tell you what to do. You`re your own person. So he`s not that way.
ANDERSON: On this movie, was he there to guide you and...?
SIMPSON: No. He didn`t -- you know, come around too much, because he knows that it was my first movie and I kind of want to be on my own. And I might not be able to do it. But if I ever needed him there, he`d be there in a heartbeat.
ANDERSON: What would you say to the people who say your success is based on your big sister`s success?
SIMPSON: I think that, you know, very untrue. Jessica and I both work equally, you know, hard. I -- because, you know, my sister was over at Columbia Records when I was getting my record deal I wasn`t going to go there. I wasn`t going to, you know, ride her coattail or anything. I want to do everything on my own.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: "Undiscovered" opens in theaters tomorrow.
BRYANT: Spike Lee has a brand new project out, but you won`t find it on the big screen. We`ll have that, and how Kanye West figures into it, coming up.
ANDERSON: Plus, all week long we`ve been talking about the problems at the movies: cell phones, screaming kids, outrageous prices. Now it`s time to talk about the solutions. That`s ahead as we wrap up our series, "Movie Theater Madness."
BRYANT: And, an inside look at Scott Peterson`s life in prison. Coming up, how he spends his time behind bars. You`re not going to want to miss this one. Stay tuned to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(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."
Hurricane Katrina has made landfall near Miami. Nearly 5 million residents in the area are being pummeled by Katrina`s heavy rains and the 80 mile-an-hour winds. Fort Lauderdale`s airport has just been closed due to the storm and at least one death being reported now in Fort Lauderdale. Katrina is still a Category 1 hurricane, but forecasters say some areas could get up to 15 inches of rain.
Cindy Sheehan is taking her antiwar vigil on the road. When President Bush leaves Crawford later this month, Sheehan will set out on a three-week bus tour that culminates in Washington, D.C. Sheehan has vowed to continue her protest until President Bush meets with her again. Bush policy supporters plan a rally in Crawford Saturday.
And people whose livelihoods depend on Air Force facilities will have to wait until Friday to learn their fate. The Federal Base Closing Commission will vote tomorrow on bases in South Dakota and New Mexico. Today, they voted to close Walter Reed Army Medical Center after 96 years of service.
That is the news for now. I`m Thomas Roberts. We take you back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m Karyn Bryant in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. You`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
BRYANT: And still to come this half-hour, we`re going to be talking about Scott Peterson. He is in prison. He`s still kind of a sociopath. And we`re going to talk about what he does on a daily basis. Brooke, it`s insane what this guy has in his cell. You won`t believe it.
ANDERSON: I can`t wait for that. Life goes on behind bars for Scott Peterson.
And, Karyn, just before the show, I checked and my flight departing for Miami tomorrow morning is not delayed, not canceled.
BRYANT: All right.
ANDERSON: Despite Hurricane Katrina, I`m heading down there for the MTV Video Music Awards. So I`m excited about that.
And coming up, we`re going to go straight to the scene for a report on how all the bad weather has affected MTV`s pre-parties leading up to Sunday and what kind of contingency plan that they have, if they even have one, for that matter. So all that and more is coming up.
But first, let`s get tonight`s "Hot Headlines." And for that, we got to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer. He joins us live again from New York.
Hi, David.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN HEADLINE NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Brooke.
Well, tonight, Russell Crowe has dialed up a deal. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned this afternoon that the actor has settled a civil suit with the New York city hotel clerk that he allegedly threw a phone at back in June. No word on how much, if any, cash changed hands. Crowe is due back in court in September to face criminal charges.
Tonight, a missing teen actress has been found alive. Scout Taylor- Compton, star of the 2004 film "Sleepover" was found today, two weeks after she went missing in California. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned that she most likely ran away because of a family disagreement.
And here comes Martha. Speaking at a press conference today in New York, Martha Stewart told me you`ll see a whole new side of her on her talk show and "Apprentice" clone beginning this fall. Martha says she won`t hold anything back and will even share some stuff that she learned in the slammer. Stewart has been confined to house arrest for nearly six months for lying about a stock sale. Oh, by the way, that ankle bracelet is scheduled to come off next Wednesday, last day of August.
Those are your "Hot Headlines." Back to you, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Thank you, David.
And so we want to hear from you. We`ve been asking you to vote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Martha Stewart: Will you watch her new shows? Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. Write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your e-mails coming up, 54 past the hour.
BRYANT: Tonight, a hurricane is threatening to throw a wet blanket on one the hottest celebrity shows and parties of the year. Hurricane Katrina is heading towards Miami right now, site of this weekend`s MTV Video Music Awards, as well as all those hot and sexy pre-parties.
Now, braving the storm for us, live from Hollywood Beach, Florida -- got a lot of family in the area, J.J., so tell me what`s going on -- J.J. Ramberg live down there.
I want my "VMAs." Are they going to happen?
J.J. RAMBERG, HOLLYWOOD BEACH, FLORIDA: Hi, Karyn.
Well, MTV is telling CNN that, as of right now, the VMAs are going to happen as scheduled on Sunday. But that`s Sunday. They`ve had a lot -- they had to cancel a bunch of parties today.
You can look around me right now. You can see this is not exactly a great day for a pool party. They had to cancel all of the outdoor events. The winds are blowing so strong right here. There`s no way you can be outside doing anything, partying, whatever.
So they are saying that Diddy`s party is going to happen, Kanye West, and all the events that are planned for tomorrow, they`re going to take on a case-by-case basis and decide if they`re going to cancel them or not.
Now, one thing that had a lot of people watching was MTV`s hotel today. They had a big moon man on the top. They had to bring that moon man down from the top of the hotel to the ground. They still kept him up there, but they`re saying that, if they kept him up there, the top of the hotel, he was going to blow over.
The big concern right now for the awards, though, is not whether they`re going to happen or not, but who`s going to be able to attend. Miami Airport, though it`s not closed right now, has gotten so many cancellations and so many delays that it`s basically closed. They`re trying to reroute people so that they can get here for sure. But as of right, who knows what`s going to happen?
Karyn?
BRYANT: All right. Thank you very much. Great report, J.J. Ramberg live from Hollywood Beach, Florida. Thank you.
And well, today, MTV also said it will add broadband coverage of the "VMAs." Fans will find the awards ceremony and bonus clips on MTV Overdrive online.
Well, Kanye West is scheduled to perform at the "VMAs," if he makes it. And tonight, in our "Showbiz Showcase," we`ve got a first look at the latest from the Grammy-winning rapper. He`s starring in a new Pepsi commercial directed by Spike Lee with music from his upcoming album called "Late Registration."
"Time" magazine cover boy Kanye West, "Jesus Walks" is also nominated for video of the year.
ANDERSON: Tonight, we conclude our "Movie Theater Madness" series. All week long, we`ve been revealing what drives you crazy about going to the movies. So what can be done about the annoying people yapping, the jerks that talk on their cellphones, the crying kids, the high price for popcorn and soda?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked you for your suggestions, and we`ve been overwhelmed by the number of e-mails we`ve gotten. So let`s get to some of them right now.
Deborah from Maryland writes, "Movie theaters should install cellphone jammers. When they do, I will start going to the movies again."
Joe from Florida says, "I have the will and the dollars to go to the movies, but, until they return to civility, putting out cellphone users, talkers, et cetera, there will be no more bucks for the movie theaters."
Amy from Texas thinks that "they need to place ushers back in the movie theaters, like they used to throughout the entire movie would be a better idea."
And Brett from New York says, "Infants should not be exposed to loud violence and parents should be barred from bringing them."
Anna from California has a suggestion about something that drives a lot of people nuts, saying, "Leave the commercials to TV."
Karyn, amen to all of that. Back to you.
BRYANT: That`s right.
OK, well, that`s what you thought. Now here`s what we think. The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff got to talking today, and we came up with our own top ten list of things that need to be done to stop the movie theatre madness. We`ve called in comedian Chuck Nice to help us out. He`s here with our top ten ways to get us excited about going to the movies again.
Chuck, take it away.
CHUCK NICE, COMEDIAN: Absolutely. Of course, going to the movies should be pleasant and, as a result, here are the top ten ways to make it a little less mad.
One, cell phone jammers. Are you really that important? Seriously. Because if you are, you don`t belong at the movies, you belong out saving the world, OK?
Muscle-bound bouncers is number nine. Why? Because they can also act as a cellphone jammer, because if a person won`t get off the phone, they can very gently place it in their mouth.
No children under five is number eight. If it`s not a G-rated movie, and even then, they should be very, very mature five-year-olds.
Number seven is movie ads have to list the actual start times. You`re a movie theater, not an airline, OK?
Number five, investigate -- oops, number six. Sorry. I can`t count. Moveable chairs. You know what? That way, if I don`t like you, I can get away from you.
Number five, investigate price gouging. If it`s the middle of the afternoon, it should be like buying a watch in Times Square. I got $10. I`ll give you $2.
Number four, reserve seating. If it works for restaurants, it`ll work for the movies.
Number three, people muzzles. That way I don`t have to listen to the girl behind go, "Oh, my god. He`s about to kill her. Oh, my god. Don`t go in that closet, girl."
Number two, bear traps for the guy who keeps kicking my chair. You`re not a soccer player. Stop bending my chair like Beckham.
And number one, electric buzzers. That way the annoying person who can`t follow the plot who keeps asking me questions can get a little jolt to shut up.
BRYANT: Nice. A couple of radical ideas coming from the staff.
NICE: Yes, the staff, the staff, they`re very expansive thinkers.
BRYANT: Thank you very much, Chuck Nice. Well done, well done.
Well, Martha Stewart`s on the comeback trail, but how about the bottom line? Can she fix the damage to her business empire? Find out, next.
ANDERSON: Also, Scott Peterson. A revealing look at his life on death row. What his day-to-day life is like behind bars as he awaits execution for killing his wife and unborn baby. That`s next.
BRYANT: And how late-night TV managed to squeeze some humor out of Pat Robertson`s shocking comments. That`s coming up in "Laughter Dark."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson live in Hollywood. Right now, more on Martha Stewart.
As we told you earlier, Martha spoke out today for the very first time since her house arrest was extended. At a news conference in New York, Martha hyped her two new shows, a live, daily syndicated program that debuts next month and her primetime "Apprentice: Martha Stewart" show.
So will viewers think this kinder, gentler Martha is a good thing? Well, joining us live tonight is Elizabeth MacDonald, senior editor for "Forbes" magazine, to discuss it.
Elizabeth, thanks so much for being here.
ELIZABETH MACDONALD, SENIOR EDITOR, "FORBES" MAGAZINE: I`m glad to be here.
ANDERSON: Great. Well, I have to tell you, it looks like they`ve taken major steps to make sure these shows are just as warm and fuzzy as the new Martha. Will it work? Will they catch on?
MACDONALD: Well, you know, there`s an interesting back story here, and that is that Martha Stewart`s company is posting tremendous losses. The losses in the second quarter doubled from last year.
So it`s interesting to see -- it`s going to be interesting to see whether or not, you know, advertisers are going to buy more ads in her magazine. That`s the idea, to cross sell ads into her magazine, because they see her on an "Apprentice"-style show, or whether or not viewers are going to run out to K-Mart, you know, to buy a new pillowcase.
You know, people seem -- people have really forgotten an important element of this story. And that is, before her insider trading scandal, before she got involved in an insider trading scandal, her company was not doing well at all.
You know, the TV ratings were in decline. The publishing arm of her operation was maturing. So it`s going to be interesting to see whether or not this new, softer side of Martha is going to really help the business.
ANDERSON: Absolutely, she`s going to great lengths to really bounce back. Two new television shows, a serious radio show, appearances on MTV`s college network. Elizabeth, this is a lot for a woman who`s been incarcerated for a while, had restrictions on how much she can work while under house arrest.
Is she spreading herself too thin, do you think?
MACDONALD: You know, that`s a question that a lot of analysts have down on Wall Street, whether or not she is spreading herself too thin. But, you know, Martha has a lot of energy and a lot of creative ideas.
But what`s interesting, too, is that we`re going to see a more humorous side of Martha Stewart. For example, she`s going to surprise viewers by showing up in some people`s kitchens to see what they`re making for dinner at night. I hope she doesn`t show up in my kitchen. I`ll be standing there over the kitchen sink eating ravioli out of a tin can. And I`m still waiting for that microwave cookbook.
But, you know, I think she`s got some interesting ideas that may, may pull the company through the very fragile state that it`s in right now.
ANDERSON: Totally different Martha, like you say. And one of the new ads for her show jokes about her prison experience. She committed a serious crime, and she`s capitalizing on this felon image, taking the self- deprecating approach. Is that a good idea?
MACDONALD: I think it`s a good idea, because, remember, all throughout the trial, we saw this scowling, kind of an ice queen sitting in court, or before the cameras. And I think what they`re trying to do is melt that image down to bring more of her humor out and more of the softer side of Martha to come forward.
ANDERSON: Bottom line: Is she really caring this much about her image or is it all about her business?
MACDONALD: I think it`s two-fold, because Martha Stewart is the business. So, you know, the image took a hit. The business took a hit. The stock took a hit.
The stock now is what analysts on Wall Street are calling is a momentum stock, in other words, there`s a lot of positive feeling that she will be a success in her TV ventures. But still, there`s a big question mark still hanging over this company.
ANDERSON: It will be interesting to see what happens. Elizabeth MacDonald, senior editor with "Forbes," thank you so much for being here.
MACDONALD: Sure. Glad to be here.
BRYANT: Tonight, a rare look at Scott Peterson on death row. Almost six months after Peterson was sentenced to die for killing his pregnant wife, Laci, and their unborn child, he is living a low key but eerie existence on death row.
The new issue of "People" magazine features a fascinating inside look at the prison life of Scott Peterson. And "People" magazine`s Johnny Dodd is live with us from Los Angeles tonight.
Johnny, here`s the thing: I believe he`s guilty, OK? So riddle me this, Batman. How does a murderer, adulterer, psychopath get fan mail from women? And how does he get this crazy nickname in prison?
JOHNNY DODD, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: I think you see that spring up in a lot of cases. You know, you have people that are -- I guess their lives are so empty they somehow attach themselves to somebody whose face has been splashed across TVs, and magazines, and newspapers.
So I`m not a psychologist, but it seems like that`s sort of a basic thing that happens. The nickname came early on...
BRYANT: Scottie the Hottie.
DODD: Scottie the Hottie. It came from -- I guess they were actually -- if I have this correctly -- they were reading -- you know, they scan everybody`s mail. And they saw that in the mail. He was getting something like 85 letters a day at one point early on. And that dropped off for a while, but now here it`s back up.
And he evidently, in writing back to some of these well-wishers, female well-wishers, I think -- once again, if I have it correctly -- he used the term to describe himself.
BRYANT: Yikes. Well, what is a day in the life like for Scott Peterson. Because he`s not in gen-pop, right? He`s in solitary confinement while on death row?
DODD: He`s on death row, yes. He`s, you know, up at seven. He`s had -- I know of two outings out into the yard at this point. He basically stays in his cell most of the time. He`s declined, you know, going out into the yard, into the population of about -- I think there are 400 other inmates that actually go out for these exercise periods.
BRYANT: So he stays in his cell. So what`s in the cell with him? Because I read -- you mentioned some books he`s allowed in there?
DODD: Yes, it`s a ten-by-six cell. He`s got a 13-inch color TV, which picks up, you know, local broadcasts in the Bay Area.
BRYANT: No cable?
DODD: No cable.
BRYANT: Aha! That`s awful.
(LAUGHTER)
DODD: And he has -- he can have eight -- I think eight CDs and six books. And he`s currently reading a book out of the prison library by Roald Dahl. It`s called "My Uncle" -- it`s called "Uncle" something.
BRYANT: Right. And I looked it up. And that book is about supposedly the greatest fornicator of all time.
DODD: Yes, exactly. What a surprise.
BRYANT: Yes. OK, what do you think is Scott`s mental state, because I think he`s, you know, mentally unstable, but what`s he like there?
DODD: I think he`s still -- you know, what we`ve hear is that he`s still in denial of these crimes against him. He gets along pretty well with everybody. He`s very polite to the guards.
We`ve heard that, when the female gaurs, of which about 25 percent of the guards at San Quentin, or at least in the California state system, are female, when they walk by, he seems to, quote, "light up." But other that that, it`s just -- he`s off in his own little world.
BRYANT: All right, and lastly, quickly, who is allowed to visit him? Does he get a lot of visitors?
DODD: Yes, his parents come. He can have visits on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a minimum of two hours, a maximum of four. He`s got a clergy member. His parents and supposedly a female member of his defense team...
BRYANT: Oh, great.
DODD: ... who`s not coming there, it doesn`t sound like, for legal purposes.
BRYANT: Oh, OK. That`s fantastic. Fascinating stuff. Thank you very much, Johnny.
DODD: Sure.
BRYANT: And, again, you can read "Scott Peterson: A Killer`s Life Behind Bars" in the new "People" magazine.
ANDERSON: Time now for a look at the best late-night laughs. We call it "Laughter Dark" here.
Tonight, everyone is still buzzing about televangelist Pat Robertson`s controversial comments calling for the assassination of Venezuela`s president on the "700 Club" the other day. But Robertson apologized, or, as Jimmy Kimmel discovered, did he?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAT ROBERTSON, CHRISTIAN BROADCASTER: If he thinks we`re trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and go it. It`s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war.
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": Well, maybe he did. I blame the media, always twisting things around.
(LAUGHTER)
If you don`t like Pat Robertson, I`ll tell you what, media, chew on this for a while.
ROBERTSON: Miracles we pray today in your holy name. Amen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amen.
ROBERTSON: You know, on this, I want to ask...
(LAUGHTER)
KIMMEL: There you go. Again, you`re misinterpreting. He`s just saying he thinks you`re number one, that`s all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A lot of misinterpretation there.
And there`s still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Martha Stewart: Will you watch her new shows? Vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails, coming up live, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Tonight, Jerry`s got three. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned that Jerry Seinfeld and his wife, Jessica, are the proud parents of a new baby boy. It`s the couple`s third child, and they`ve named him Shepherd Kellen. He was born on Monday in New York City and everyone is home tonight and doing just fine. Shepherd`s big siblings are a 4-year-old sister named Sascha and a 2-year-old brother, Julian.
BRYANT: Throughout the night, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Martha Stewart: Will you watch her new shows?
Let`s take a look at how the vote is going: 44 percent of you say yes, you will; 56 percent of you say no you won`t. Pretty close here.
Some of your e-mails include this one from Alma from Texas. She writes, "Why watch a show that is hosted by a criminal? I feel that she has not served enough time for the crime she committed."
But Jeremiah, also from the Lone Star State, thinks a new Martha is a good thing. "I`m glad to see that Martha is coming out of the situation with a blaze of glory, and may that flame burn forever."
You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
ANDERSON: Time now to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow. Let`s take a look at the "Showbiz Marquee."
Marquee Guy, all yours.
MARQUEE GUY: No, Brooke, here`s how you say it. Tomorrow, we`re on the ranch with Robert Redford. He`s in a new movie with Jennifer Lopez, the artist formerly known as J-Lo, and Morgan Freeman. And we`ll hear about his run-ins with the paparazzi and his strong opinions on celebrity activism. Robert Redford, tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also tomorrow, Whitney Houston. In the `80s she was at the top of the charts, then she charted off-course. How will you know if she can make a comeback? Watch the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report on Whitney Houston, tomorrow.
This is the Marquee Guy daring to do this: I will always love you.
ANDERSON: Whitney`s got nothing on you, Marquee Guy.
BRYANT: Oh, my gosh. Well, Brooke, safe travels to you. I hope you make it to the "VMAs." I`m sure we`ll see you on the air.
ANDERSON: I appreciate that. Thank you. Looking forward to it.
BRYANT: All right, well, that`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson from Hollywood. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
END
