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Showbiz Tonight

Shirley MacLaine Speaks Out about Hurricane Response; Marriage Over for Renee Zellweger, Kenny Chesney; Prince Harry Celebrates 21st Birthday

Aired September 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, Hollywood`s hurricane dilemma. Tonight, how sensitive should Hollywood be to the Katrina devastation? Should the Emmys be toned down? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks should projects that deal with disaster be pulled, or must the show go on?

BRYANT (voice-over): Also tonight, for the first time Nicolas Cage speaks out about the 9/11 movie he`s doing with Oliver Stone, and he`s talking to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

NICOLAS CAGE, ACTOR: This is not an exploitative movie.

HAMMER: And...

SHIRLEY MACLAINE, ACTRESS: I think George Bush is very bad karma for this country.

HAMMER: Shirley`s swipe at the president. Tonight, actress Shirley MacLaine`s fiery comments about President Bush`s handling of Hurricane Katrina and what she`s doing to help. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT sits down with Shirley.

GEENA DAVIS, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Geena Davis. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Hello, I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: Tonight a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, how Hurricane Katrina has turned up the sensitivity meter in Hollywood.

HAMMER: Of course, America has been watching the devastation in the Gulf unfold as it happens. Now Hollywood is walking on egg shells, extra- sensitive about the images it shows in TV and in film, especially anything having to do with hurricanes.

Our David Haffenreffer has been looking into this, and he`s live tonight in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT news room.

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Karyn and A.J., today Hurricane Katrina officially became the worst storm to strike the United States ever. In the wake of such incredible devastation and to the nation, Hollywood is taking note.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): As the images of Katrina`s devastation are burned into the minds of Americans, Hollywood is being extra-sensitive about its images.

PAUL DERGARABEDIAN, PRESIDENT, EXHIBITOR RELATIONS: Sensitivities are very high. I think the networks as well as the film studios are really cognizant of not offending anyone and being perceived as being completely insensitive.

HAFFENREFFER: But while TV news shows has shown nothing by images of disaster in the Gulf, it`s a much different story for the rest of television.

ABC was impacted by Katrina. One of its new shows called "Invasion" depicts a devastating possibly alien-powered hurricane hitting Florida.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you sure you`re OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

HAFFENREFFER: ABC pulled a promo for the show earlier this month, but still plans on airing the premiere next week with a viewer advisory.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no, PETA, how could they do that?

HAFFENREFFER: FOX delayed last Sunday`s airing of "Family Guy." The episode has a parody of ABC`s drama "Lost" and contained references to a hurricane. FOX said out of sensitivity to the victims, it`s holding it back a few weeks.

(on camera) There`s no doubt the networks are looking extra hard at the images that they`re pumping out onto the airwaves, but it`s what falls through the cracks that gets the most attention.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "The Price is Right"!

HAFFENREFFER: CBS mistakenly aired an old "Price is Right" episode where contestants won the showcase, get this, a trip to New Orleans, and a free speedboat.

DERGARABEDIAN: The networks and the film studios are trying to be really diligent about this, but certainly, there`s no way to catch every single thing that can be offensive to audiences.

HAFFENREFFER: and with audiences in mind, Hollywood is also making big decisions about when it`s OK to go through a project after a catastrophe like Katrina, like this Sunday`s Emmys.

MELISSA GREGO, "TELEVISION WEEK": The Academy and CBS, which is telecasting the Emmys are in a little bit of a -- between a rock and hard place.

HAFFENREFFER: Some wonder whether this year`s Emmys with its incredible glitz, glamour and decadence, should be toned down.

GREGO: It is going to be business as usual, but I do expect there to be at least some acknowledgement of what`s going on, and the tenor will probably be somewhat reflective of the disaster and the feeling of the country rallying together.

HAFFENREFFER: And many celebrities tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they`re grappling with those same issues.

PATRICIA ARQUETTE, EMMY NOMINEE, "MEDIUM": It`s such a strange time in the world. I feel weird about wearing this glamorous borrowed dress and there`s people that have nothing. And so it`s kind of a weird conflict for me.

HAFFENREFFER: but this isn`t the first time.

SHARON WAXMAN, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": After 9/11, you`ll recall the Emmys once again came right after 9/11. Everybody dressed down, and it was a very much more sober and spare ceremony.

HAFFENREFFER: September 11 impacted not just the Emmys, but Hollywood in general for a long time.

DERGARABEDIAN: There was a lot of uncertainly at that time, and there were certain movies that either depicted, you know, like planes in peril. Here we are in 2005, that happened in 2001. I think just now we`re starting to see -- recently there was a television movie depicting Flight 93.

HAFFENREFFER: "The Flight that Fought Back" tells the story of the crew on Flight 93 that eventually crashed in Pennsylvania. Executive producer Phil Craig tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he grappled with whether it was too soon to portray a movie about September 11, but the victims` families helped him decide.

PHIL CRAIG, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE FLIGHT THAT FOUGHT BACK": It`s not a question so much of the media deciding it`s time to tell the story. It`s a question of people deciding that themselves would share things with us.

HAFFENREFFER: The time will come when images of Katrina turn from the reality of TV news to a Hollywood re-creation.

DERGARABEDIAN: Media reflects the culture. And certainly, Katrina is major cultural event. When we will see that cultural event start creeping into the subject matter of movies and television remains to be seen.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: and this newfound sensitivity has hit the music industry, as well. Hip-hop artist The Game was set to come out with a new line of sneakers in December, which he had planned on calling Hurricane. He simply felt terrible about it and decided to do something for the victims instead. He`s auctioning off a souped-up 2005 Bentley Continental he got as a signing bonus, sticker price on the car $250,000. If you want to place a bid on the car, you can log on to CharityFolks.com.

A.J., back to you.

HAMMER: How nice to hear The Game is pitching in. David Haffenreffer, live tonight in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom. Thanks very much, David.

This leads to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here it is. Katrina aftermath: should the Emmys be toned down? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or e-mail us more at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`re going to share some of what you had to say later in the show.

BRYANT: Tonight, powerful words about Katrina and President Bush from one of the most outspoken actresses in Hollywood, and you`re going to hear it only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Shirley MacLaine set down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny Ditoma (ph) at the Toronto Film Festival where MacLaine`s upcoming movie "In Her Shoes" debuted. MacLaine took on the government`s handling of the Katrina disaster and a whole lot more. And as you`ll see, this woman really let loose.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What was your reaction to Hurricane Katrina when you first saw the devastation?

MACLAINE: Where are our leaders? I mean, I think George Bush is very bad karma for this country. On the other hand, maybe this is a karmic event that needs to be experienced.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?

MACLAINE: It certainly has exposed the lack of coordination and the lack of organization. I don`t think that guy could organize a Chicklet. I think he has a real problem with delegating authorities.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you watched -- did you watch some of the news reports?

MACLAINE: I`m a news freak. I watch everything. I watch your program.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Many, many celebrities have been pitching in on the relief efforts. Do you think celebrities have a responsibility?

MACLAINE: I don`t know about a responsibility. It`s only to themselves, and if they feel so frustrated that they have to do something, I really admire them for having done it.

I do it through my web site, with coordinating animals, lost animals and people. And the people who sponsor my show are giving 10 percent of their income and so am I, 10 percent of what, you know, I make from -- matching the others.

I am not a person who would go down and get in the water like Sean Penn. I don`t have that in me. I`d probably would fall out of the boat anyway. And I do admire all of them for having done it. And I don`t think anyone does that for publicity. I really don`t.

And even if they do, they`re using their celebrity for something good. So I like celebrity activism. And I think it`s old-fashioned to say, "Should celebrities be active politically and socially?" Old-fashioned.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Well, Shirley MacLaine also had plenty to say about reporters who get emotional while covering stories. And she isn`t the only star with strong opinions about that. You may be surprised at what some stars have to say. We`ve got that for you, coming up a little later in the show.

HAMMER: Tonight a Hollywood shocker: Renee and Kenny have called it quits. Late today, we learned that actress Renee Zellweger and country music superstar Kenny Chesney`s whirlwind marriage is over. They`re getting it annulled.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson is live now in Hollywood with the latest -- Brooke.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., Chesney and Zellweger are going their separate ways just four months after they we wed. The country superstar and Oscar winner are having their marriage annulled. Late today SHOWBIZ TONIGHT confirmed the news with both Chesney and Zellweger`s representatives after "People" magazine first broke the story.

Now, the pair raised eyebrows when they secretly we had on May 9 at Chesney`s home on St. John in the Virgin Islands before a small crowd of family and friends. It was the first marriage for both of them. Now, this is a picture of them posing on the beach just minutes after tying the knot.

But Zellweger and Chesney were tight-lipped about their relationship following the wedding. Thirty-six-year-old Zellweger spoke fondly, albeit briefly of the secret ceremony while promoting her summer movie "Cinderella Man."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RENEE ZELLWEGER, ACTRESS: You know what? It was a really, really beautiful experience, and I`m just going to keep it for myself if that`s OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.

ZELLWEGER: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can I ask you one more question then?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: When Chesney was asked less than a week after getting hitched how being married has changed his life? He said, it really hadn`t.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KENNY CHESNEY, COUNTRY MUSIC STAR: To be honest with you, it`s not that different. It`s just -- I`m a little more at ease, you know. I`m not searching, and that`s what great about her, and she`s a great girl.

I really don`t feel my life hasn`t changed. I don`t feel like I`m a changed guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP0

ANDERSON: Their nuptials followed a whirlwind romance. The two met in January at a tsunami relief telethon, where Chesney performed and Zellweger answered phones.

Then in late April they made their romance public, when Zellweger joined Chesney on stage at a concert in Jacksonville, where she kissed him on the cheek and presented him with his signature post-show margarita.

Now many say Kenney and Renee have both been very busy, led somewhat separate lives since their wedding. Chesney hit the roads just three days after the ceremony for his "Somewhere Under the Sun" concert tour, and Zellweger recently began European and Australian promotions for "Cinderella Man."

So once again, recapping the headline, the biggest surprise in Hollywood today, Renee Zellweger, Kenny Chesney are getting their marriage annulled. We`ll bring you more details as we have them.

A.J., back to you in New York.

HAMMER: All right. Brooke Anderson, live from Hollywood. Thanks very much for joining us tonight.

Well, it`s a royal birthday with some regrets. What Prince Harry had to say on the eve of his 21st birthday. That`s coming up next.

BRYANT: Also Nicolas Cage is working on a powerful new movie about 9/11 with Oliver Stone, and Nick is speaking out for the first time to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That`s coming up.

HAMMER: And he`s got Emmy nominations for "CSI," but he`s not done yet. How is one of film`s biggest getting set for an even bigger record- breaking season on the small screen? Talking about Jerry Bruckheimer, and he`s in our "And the Nominee Is" series, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.

Tonight a royal birthday. Prince Harry, who is the younger son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, turns 21 today. And tonight we have got a very rare and very special interview, candid interview with the so-called party boy prince, in which he admits his wild child image has attracted too many headlines, but Harry simply insists, "I am what I am."

We`ve got a special report from England`s ITN royal correspondent Romilly Weeks, reporting for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMILLY WEEKS, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Harry chose his mother`s favorite photographer to take his birthday pictures, Mario Testino clearly someone Harry is at ease with.

But what the prince`s first formal interview shows is Harry`s also a man who`s really at ease with himself. The perception had been of Harry as the party prince, not helped by images like these of scuttles outside a nightclub, or of him going to a fancy dress party in Nazi uniform.

But when Harry makes mistakes, they`re often made in public. And in a separate radio interview, he admits that infamous Nazi fancy dress costume still haunts him.

PRINCE HARRY OF WALES, UNITED KINGDOM: I`m very sorry for -- if I offended anybody. I know I did. It was something that I shouldn`t have worn. It was a stupid choice, but it`s something that I would prefer to put in the past if I can.

WEEKS: Age 21, Harry badly need a new image. Could this be it?

PRINCE HARRY: The first few weeks are tough. And they are as tough as they`re supposed to be. You`re marched around for your first week in green, and it made you look half like a gardener and half like an inmate. Apart from your nametag there and a number on the back with a ball and chain, but it`s pretty close to that.

WEEKS: Having survived that, though, Harry says he can see himself staying in the Army for 30 or 40 years and seems to have found his niche.

PRINCE HARRY: I think I`ve made some really good friends. I think going in there and sort of being who I am is odd, sort of finding people to trust. But I found it surprisingly easy to trust people, and as it is the case of everyone`s doing the same thing. You`re being drug through the same rubbish, as usual. And there`s guys who I can trust and there`s guys who I can get on with, and, you know, everything. They`re all really, really good guys. I very I`m lucky to have such a good bunch of guys with me.

WEEKS: The more mature side of Harry was first glimpsed on his visit to AIDS orphans in Lesotho, work he remains committed to.

PRINCE HARRY: When it comes together, I just -- I love kids. There`s something about African kids that are just even more special. And they`re so underprivileged, anything you give them, any little present, whatever it is, and they`ll be so appreciative about it. They think it`s Christmas.

WEEKS: But Harry`s press hasn`t always been glowing.

PRINCE HARRY: They still upset me and I still read them. Why, I do not know, but I have to read them just for peace of mind, just to know what they`ve written.

WEEKS: And Harry wants to sets the record straight about his relationship with Camilla.

PRINCE HARRY: She`s a wonderful woman, and she`s made our father very, very happy, which is the most important thing. William and I love her to bits, get on really well with her, and as far as I see, nothing has changed.

WEEKS: As for his own love life?

PRINCE HARRY: I would love to talk to you about how amazing she is, but it is my private life. And once I start talking about that, then I`ve left myself open and when anyone asks in the future, they`ll say, "Well, why did you tell them and not tell us?"

WEEKS: This is the other official 21st birthday picture. And on his relationship with his brother, Harry is disarmingly frank.

PRINCE HARRY: Every year we get closer. And we`ve even resorted to hugging each other now, after not seeing each other for long periods of time. And yes he does remember.

WEEKS: Do you give your older brother advice? And do you listen to his?

PRINCE HARRY: As the years go on, it`s sort of changed to me giving him advice. Everyone is saying, whatever, but unfortunately it has turned to that. But privately and publicly we talk to each other about everything. And if he has problems that he wants to talk about, then he comes to me, and apparently I give him quite good advice.

WEEKS: It was a deftly handled interview, Harry aged 21 exhibiting a new maturity but not so grown up he`s lost his sense of humor.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: That was ITN`s royal correspondent Romilly Weeks reporting for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And later on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT we`ll by talking live with somebody who knows the royal family very well, Prince Harry`s aunt, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York -- A.J.

HAMMER: Welcome her to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Well, Karyn, tonight the countdown continues with the 5yth annual primetime Emmy awards set for this Sunday. And all this week, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been bringing you the biggest nominees for TV`s biggest nights in our special series, "And the Nominee Is."

Tonight one of the most powerful players on the big screen who is quickly becoming the same on the small screen, "CSI" creator Jerry Bruckheimer, so-called king of drama, has six shows on the air for the past season that got him a whopping 12 nominations. Busy guy, but still he had some time to sit down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas, who joins us now live from Hollywood.

Hi Brooke -- hi, Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, A.J.

Well, Bruckheimer`s "Amazing Race" got five Emmy nominations. "CSI" got four, and "CSI Miami," "Cold Case" and "Without a Trace" each garnered one nomination apiece.

But it seems it`s not enough for him. This fall he`s adding three new dramas to primetime and another mid season replacement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS (voice-over): Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is counting on lightning to strike this TV season, not one, not twice, but 10 times. His top rated drama, "CSI," is just one of a whopping 10 Bruckheimer productions slated to air during the 2005-2006 season, the most ever for an individual producer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t know if she was buried alive, but she wasn`t buried alone.

JERRY BRUCKHEIMER, PRODUCER: Television is a whole ray of reaching people, an enormous mass audience. When you reach 35 million people in one night, that`s a real thrill.

VARGAS: Bruckheimer thrilled Emmy voters, as well. His various shows pulled in 12 nominations this year, including five for the reality competition "The Amazing Race."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seems like it means a lot to you guys to stay in this race, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

VARGAS: Jerry Bruckheimer told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT a typical day for him plays out more like an "Amazing Race" challenge.

BRUCKHEIMER: I get up around 6, 6:30 in the morning, work out for about an hour, and then another 40 or 50 minutes on a stationary bike, and that`s where I kind of read all my television scripts and watch our episodes.

VARGAS: How does the day end?

BRUCKHEIMER: Usually it ends around 11 or 12 when I get home. And I do a little reading and get up and, you know, get to bed by 1 and up again by 6.

VARGAS (voice-over): Eight hour days, he used that kind of tenacity to get his new Pentagon drama, "E-Ring," onto NBC`s fall lineup.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Know your enemy, because he`s in the room.

VARGAS: His other new series includes "Close to Home" on CBS and "Just Legal" and "Modern Men" on the WB.

(on camera) You`ve got 10 shows coming out this fall. How do you even -- how do you even know what they are at this point? How do you manage 10 shows?

BRUCKHEIMER: You know, again, it`s just you have to hire 10 great show writers, and they do their job and we worked with through years on other shows. We can bring them along and know the really talented ones will carry the load.

VARGAS (voice-over): They also carried "CSI," "CSI: Miami" and "Without a Trace" to the ratings top 10 last season.

Bruckheimer is also a big-screen maverick, responsible for "Top Gun," "Black Hawk Down" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."

He believes in a film and TV hybrid.

BRUCKHEIMER: We see our televisions like little mini features. They just give us less money. But we try to give the same expertise, and we use a lot of the same skill and the skilled people that make features.

VARGAS: Bruckheimer burns off steam playing hockey with Hollywood pals.

BRUCKHEIMER: It`s fun to get together with real people who are outside the industry and then we`ve had actors -- Cuba Gooding Jr. plays with us. And we`ve had Tom Cruise through the years float through and score a bunch of goals.

VARGAS: And whether Bruckheimer scores during his weekly scrimmage or not, he remains a winner with audiences.

(on camera) It`s not bad to be Jerry Bruckheimer.

BRUCKHEIMER: No, it`s pretty good. It`s pretty good.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: Pretty good indeed. According to the "Forbes" 2004 -- 2005 celebrity ranking, Bruckheimer pulls in a whopping $66 million annually, ranking him No. 7 for pay among Hollywood directors and producers. He falls just behind Steven Spielberg at No. 5, Mel Gibson at No. 3 and George Lucas, of course, at NO. 1.

A.J., back to you.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. Thanks a lot, Sibila.

BRYANT: Coming up, TV reporters crying, getting angry unlike any time before. Tonight what stars feel about the media interjecting emotion into Hurricane Katrina reporting. That`s next.

HAMMER: Also the guy that took topless picture of Cameron Diaz gets the book thrown ought him. And how Paris Hilton is connected to the Supreme Court nomination hearings? Yes, it`s coming up in the "Legal Lowdown."

BRYANT: And Martha didn`t beat the rap, but can she rap? Find out next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: It has been a big week for Martha Stewart, launching her brand new daytime show, "Martha." But while in prison, she had a street nickname, M. Diddy, and today she got a visit from Diddy himself. She also got a lesson in rap from the rap star. It is today`s "Talk of the Day."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIDDY, RAP ARTIST: Wanna be bawlers, shot callers? So ask them the question.

MARTHA STEWART, HOST, "MARTHA": Wanna be bawlers, shot callers.

DIDDY: Who`ll be dippin` in the Benz with the spoilers.

STEWART: Who`ll be dippin` in the Benz with the spoilers.

DIDDY: One more time.

STEWART: OK.

DIDDY: On the low from the Jake in the Taurus.

STEWART: On the low from the Jake in the Taurus.

DIDDY: Now, wanna be bawlers, shot callers. Like this. Move your shoulders now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Stick to the cooking, Martha.

Coming up, someone who knows a thing or two about the royal family. She`s Prince Harry`s aunt. The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, joins us live.

BRYANT: Plus Nicolas Cage is working on a movie about the tragic events of 9/11 with Oliver Stone. Tonight, Nicolas is talking about the dramatic details of the film for the first time. That`s ahead.

HAMMER: Also, Hurricane Katrina reporting, countless images of reporters getting emotional, even breaking down in tears on camera. Well, tonight we`re going to hear what the stars think about this emotional reporting. That is still to come here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. You`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.

BRYANT: Still to come on the program tonight, this is very interesting, you know. Actors make their living getting emotional, letting people really know their feelings, and we`re going to have some actors piping in on what they think about reporters getting emotional. In the wake of Katrina, people have really, really let their colors show, and we`re going to have some words from some Hollywood heavyweights on that.

HAMMER: And a Hollywood heavyweight appearing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Beginning next month what`s going to be a very emotional movie, the first major theatrical movie about September 11, as directed by Oliver Stone, gets under way with production. Nicolas Cage starring in that film, and we`re going to speak with Nic and get his thoughts on whether or not he thinks it`s too soon for a movie like that.

But first, let us get to tonight`s "Hot Headlines." Sibila Vargas joins us live once again from Hollywood.

Hi, Sibila.

VARGAS: Hey, A.J.

Tonight, a Hollywood shocker in a story first reported by "People" magazine. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed that Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney are having their marriage annulled four months after their wedding day. The Oscar winner and country star were married in Mary, about four months after they met. So far, no other details on the split.

NBA star Shaquille O`Neal scores an assist off the court for Miami police. Early Sunday morning, Shaq, who wants to become a policeman after his basketball-playing days are over, saw a man yelling anti-gay remarks and throwing a bottle at a couple in Miami Beach. Shaq followed the suspect, alerted a cop, who arrested the 18-year-old suspect. Go, Shaq.

And even if you can`t make it to New York for a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday you can still take part. Today we learned the Big Apple/Big Easy concert featuring New Orleans hometown heroes the Neville Brothers will be available live for pay-per-view. It will cost you about $20 with proceeds going to relief and rebuilding. The star-studded lineup also includes performances from Elton John, Lenny Kravitz and Bette Midler. It sounds like a good one.

And those are "Hot Headlines." A.J., back to you.

HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Sibila. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas, live in Hollywood.

BRYANT: Tonight, some of Hollywood`s biggest stars are revealing their feelings about reporters getting emotional while covering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

There has been much talk about this. Should reporters express their emotions or should they keep a straight face? Well, tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes the debate to the people who make their living being dramatic.

Our Brooke Anderson is back again with us, live in Hollywood -- Brooke.

ANDERSON: Karyn, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked some of Hollywood`s leading actors and actresses about reporters getting emotional, and the stars that we caught up with had definite and strong opinions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON (voice-over): The devastation of Hurricane Katrina, a story rife with emotion. For the first time, viewers see reporters wearing their emotions on their sleeve, and it has the country talking.

Flashback to 1987, the film "Broadcast News," where William Hurt plays sportscaster Tom Grunick, who catapults his way into the anchor chair, not only because of his good looks, but by faking emotion while reporting.

Hurt`s friend, actor Jeff Daniels, thinks the emotional reporting viewers are seeing on Hurricane Katrina helps them make a connection to the dramatic story.

JEFF DANIELS, ACTOR: Bill Hurt is a friend of mine. Bill had that movie called "Broadcast News" where he cried, and it was -- where it was manufactured in the script and all that.

That`s not happening, and that`s the trap. They`re human beings, and they`re standing down there in this mess that we watch on television and we try to relate to as best we can. And we see the horror of it, but I think that helps to add to the horror to us who are disconnected.

ANDERSON: Relieved is how actress Laura Linney describes herself after seeing reporters get emotional in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

LAURA LINNEY, ACTRESS: It seemed to me these reporters were not going to underreport what was going on, you know, that there had to be some breakthrough of natural, honest response to what they were in, what they were seeing, what was going around them.

And also sort of saying this is, you know, what reports are coming out of Washington is not what`s happening here. You know, I found that a relief, actually.

ANDERSON: One of Hollywood`s most dramatic actresses, Shirley MacLaine, a fan of the movie "Broadcast News," says the real-life broadcast news is anything but fake.

MACLAINE: Having been a James Brooks aficionado and watched "Broadcast News," I don`t think they`re doing what the William Hurt character did with the (INAUDIBLE) let`s have a tear. I don`t think so. I think they really mean it, and I think they`re appalled.

ANDERSON: Toni Collette, Oscar nominated for "The Sixth Sense," says sentiment is part of the core being of reporters and something they have to show.

TONI COLLETTE, ACTRESS: I think being emotional while you`re reporting is part of the fact. I mean, that`s how -- that`s how people are feeling, and it should be expressed. It should not be repressed. It`s big, and it`s hard.

ANDERSON: Asking tough questions is what actor Jeff Daniels hopes the media does in a time where he says everything is reduced to snippets and sound bites.

DANIELS: I hope the media continues to be, whether it`s emotional, angry, just at the end I hope they ask -- continue to ask the tough questions after the attention span of America, which is 16 seconds long, moves on to the next thing.

ANDERSON: And Daniels has a message for reporters who continue to cover Hurricane Katrina.

DANIELS: Don`t let up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Obviously the hurricane story has really struck a chord with Hollywood, as well as the way reporters have been covering it.

Karyn, back over to you.

HAMMER: Thank you very much for that report. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson, live in Hollywood.

Well, we have been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Katrina aftermath: should the Emmys be toned down? A lot of people asking that question right now. You can put your vote in at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can write us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. And your e-mails will be on the air at 54 past the hour.

HAMMER: Tonight actor Nicolas Cage is speaking out for the very first time about his starring role in an upcoming movie about the September 11 terrorist attacks. Oliver Stone will direct. It`s going to be the first feature film about the attacks, which of course, occurred four years ago.

I asked Cage when I spoke with him earlier, whose latest movie, "Lord of War," will open up tomorrow, what he thought about people who say it`s just too soon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICOLAS CAGE, ACTOR: Well, I think they have a point, and I understand their concern, but I am going to alleviate some of that concern by saying this is not an exploitive movie. This is not in any way an action film.

This is a story about a handful of cops who went into the World Trade Center. It`s a true story based on fact. These are real living people. And it`s very positive about the human condition, and that is what drew Oliver to it, and it`s the kind of movie he does the best.

That`s why, you know, we waited a long time to work together, for whatever the reason -- I wanted to work with him, he wanted to work with me. It didn`t happen. And now it finally is.

I`m going to say, it`s worth the wait. Because you know, this is a very carefully tailored script that doesn`t -- I don`t even think you`re going to see the buildings in the movie, actually. So they`re treating it as responsibly and ethically as possible.

HAMMER: And despite the fact that you and Oliver Stone have been waiting so long to work together, did you instantly jump at it when you knew he was associated with the project, or you really needed to wait and see the script and think it through in terms of deciding for yourself whether or not it was the right time for this kind of movie?

CAGE: Well, I always read the script first. I mean, it doesn`t -- it doesn`t matter who you`re working with. You`ve got to see the lines or the essence of the piece. So I mean, I read it, and then I called him and said, "Yes, this is -- this is special."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: We will have my full interview, including Cage`s thoughts on Hurricane Katrina, tomorrow night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

BRYANT: Sarah Ferguson has firsthand knowledge of not one, but two, modern obsessions: royal watchers and Weight Watchers. The Duchess of York is joining us live. That`s next.

HAMMER: Plus the guy convicted of trying to sell topless photos of Cameron Diaz has been sentenced. And this is not just a slap on the wrist for this guy. That`s coming up ahead in the "Legal Lowdown."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.

Earlier on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we took you to London, where Prince Harry has been celebrating his 21st birthday. Joining us now for a "SHOWBIZ Sit- down" is another royal, Harry`s aunt, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. She`s in town for a special event here in New York. It is Fashion Week.

Sarah, I want to welcome you.

SARAH FERGUSON, DUCHESS OF YORK: Thank you very much.

BRYANT: Thank you for coming. We want to touch on your nephew just for -- just for a second. What is it like -- you know, has he been misrepresented? Because they`ve called him the party prince. Is that true?

FERGUSON: Well, I don`t know. He`s a really good man. He`s so kind, and he`s -- he`s happy and he`s a young lad. I don`t know if just because you`re young you`re labeled as something, as a party animal or whatever. I think I`m still a party animal.

BRYANT: Go, girl.

FERGUSON: And I`m 45. I think -- I think he`s just allowed to be himself. And I think he`s daring to be. And I wish him a very happy birthday. He`s a really good lad. And he`s a redhead, too.

BRYANT: Well, there you go. And what is it like to celebrate birthdays and special events like that with the world watching?

FERGUSON: It`s not good, actually. It`s not good. Because you want to go and let your hair down and have a good time and you`re not allowed to. But actually, I think he`s probably going to have a great party tonight. I hope he does. He`s 21. I was 21; I know what it`s like.

BRYANT: Exactly. Well, I do want to talk about why you`re here in New York. It`s Fashion Week. People are seeing the spring clothes. And you are a spokesperson for Weight Watchers. You`ve teamed up with Betsy Johnson for a contest and you`ve brought some winners here?

FERGUSON: Yes, that`s right. Well, I think Betsy is fabulous, because she dresses for very feminine women with lovely curves, or not, you know? She dresses for everybody. And she`s a legend, been around 40 years.

And Weight Watchers has been around for 42, 44 years and it`s a very steadfast company, you know. It`s not about dieting. It`s about lifestyle, you know?

And I think it was so good with Betsy`s fashion shows, because there were three -- four winners I took with me. Natalie had lost 156 pounds.

BRYANT: Wow.

FERGUSON: And she`s in a size 8 Betsy Johnson at Fashion Week with confidence, looking good, feeling fine. And I think good for her. Bravo, you know. And I was really proud.

Next to us was Kelly Osbourne.

BRYANT: Great.

FERGUSON: Natalie was going, "Oh, my God. This is huge."

And I just think it`s very inspiring. And I think the secret for Weight Watchers really is confidence and building someone`s confidence up with the support that the organization gives you. I`ve done it now for 10 years.

BRYANT: And certainly, I mean, it`s so tough to go to Fashion Week and you see women who are size 2, size 0.

FERGUSON: Zero, yes.

BRYANT: It`s just really -- we always talk about they`re changing the idea of what women should be, but then you go back to Fashion Week and they all look like 12-year-old boys, really, if you want to know the truth.

FERGUSON: And terrifying, actually. I mean, I was really frightened. I went there yesterday again for Michael Kors, walked in, and it`s terrifying, because they really are so thin and just like sort of lanky and wandering around in a daze. And...

BRYANT: Well, they`re hungry.

FERGUSON: Yes. A gust of wind, you know, will blow them off. You know? And I just -- I just sort of think on the other hand, beautiful.

BRYANT: Lovely, though.

FERGUSON: I would love to look like that you know, Greek.

BRYANT: You know what? The guys like a bit of something. You know?

FERGUSON: I hope so.

BRYANT: It`s my fourth anniversary tonight. I know a little thing about it.

FERGUSON: Oh, really? Is he taking you out?

BRYANT: Well, he`s out of town right now, but he sent me some lovely flowers, though.

Talk to me about New York. You`re a New Yorker now. You`ve got an apartment here. You`re working on television here locally. Tell me about your move.

FERGUSON: Well, I just decided that it was time, you know. Twenty years I`ve never had my own apartment. You know, I lived...

BRYANT: What?

FERGUSON: Yes, I`ve sort of lived in like a big house, like castle, palace castle type thing, you know, with lots of staff and no keys.

BRYANT: Not so bad.

FERGUSON: And suddenly, you know, I have -- I`ve got a one-bedroom department on the river. I`ve been there four days.

BRYANT: And you`re loving it?

FERGUSON: No furniture, but I love it, you know? And I can lock my own front door, and I have keys in my handbag.

BRYANT: Right.

FERGUSON: Isn`t that kind of cool?

BRYANT: Have you found a great place to get a slice? Because pizza, it`s called a slice here. You`ve got to find a good place.

FERGUSON: I`ve got to get the lingo down. I`ve got to get, you know, how to speak. I`ve got to get it right, you know? I`ve got to work it. I`ve got to walk the neighborhood.

BRYANT: Yes, because I would think you`d be well-received here.

FERGUSON: We have -- I have a great time. But the thing about being here is that I like the American people, and they`ve given my back my life. I never take it for granted.

Ten years ago I came here. I was broken. I had nowhere to go, and the American people embraced me, and like they do, you know? You`re trailblazing compassion and like you will in New Orleans and the poor victims from the Hurricane Katrina. You will rebuild it. You know?

I know, I trust the American people. They will do it. They will bring hope and they will rebuild. And that`s what I feel when I`m here. So I love it. I`m sort of the Duchess of New York now, really.

BRYANT: That`s fantastic.

FERGUSON: Sort of a closet American, really.

BRYANT: No, it`s great. It`s great. Well, cheers to you. Thank you for joining us, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of New York.

FERGUSON: Thank you.

HAMMER: It`s time now for the "Legal Lowdown." Here`s a look at tonight`s hot topics.

First, the photographer found guilty for trying to sell nude photos of actress Cameron Diaz without her consent gets four years in the slammer. We`re going to have more on that.

And Paris Hilton makes it to the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for John Roberts. We`re going to explain that, as well.

Joining us to go through all this from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin, the managing editor for the soon to be launched entertainment news site TMZ.com. Thanks for joining us, Harvey.

HARVEY LEVIN, MANAGING EDITOR, TMZ.COM: My pleasure, A.J.

HAMMER: Now, before we get to the Diaz story, I just want to bring people up to speed, remind them of what happened here. John Rudder, he was the guy who was accused of trying to blackmail Diaz for $3 million over these steamy bondage themed photos that he had taken of her before she became famous, well, he was found guilty back in July of attempted grand theft, forgery, and perjury.

Now he gets sentenced just today, four years in prison. Just about four years in prison. Wow!

LEVIN: And he was really nailed. And I`m telling you, the judge in this case basically said, "Look, John Rudder, you don`t have a criminal record, but you behave like a sophisticated criminal."

And he says -- the judge said that this guy was pulling all of the strings in this case, and John Rudder was blaming this on an administrative problem with getting the wrong signature. And the judge said, "You were the marionette in this thing. You`re responsible." And the judge nailed him.

HAMMER: Regardless of all of that that the judge said he did, isn`t the punishment a little bit severe?

LEVIN: Well, he could have gotten up to five years, so he didn`t get the maximum in this case. But you know, this was a case where, you know, the judge looked at what was done and he looked at the fact that, look, John Rudder in court today never really said, "I`m sorry; I did the wrong thing." He basically made it sound like he was sorry because of this misunderstanding. And that`s not exactly the way to present yourself before a judge.

But it was a very serious thing he did. I mean, he forged documents. He attempted grand theft. These are all felonies. And I think the judge in this case was sending out a message.

HAMMER: Pretty hard-core, too. Did you think this Rudder guy has any chance of getting the sentence reduced?

LEVIN: Well, I`ll tell you this. I know this judge. His name is Mike Pastor. We both studied for the bar exam together, though I`m sure he`s older than me. And he`s a really good judge, and rock-solid. And I`m guessing Rudder does not have much of a chance here.

HAMMER: Let`s move on to the confirmation hearings which are continuing on Capitol Hill for Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. Today, Paris Hilton`s name comes up. What`s the world coming to, Harvey? What happened here?

LEVIN: Oh, my God, this is just the greatest. There is a senator, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, who basically said, look, he said, something happened a while back where Republican staffers hacked into the Democrats` computer system to find out the strategy Democrats would use in dealing with judicial nominees of President Bush.

So the senator today said that he`s written a letter to the U.S. attorney general saying, you need to look at the Paris Hilton case. Because remember, Paris Hilton had her telephone, her cell phone hacked into this by this teenager, and all the celebrities` phone numbers got posted.

HAMMER: Yes.

LEVIN: So the senator said, "Hey, guess what? You need to investigate this and maybe prosecute, using the Paris Hilton case as precedent."

So Paris Hilton is now part of the confirmation hearing for the chief justice of the United States of America.

HAMMER: Wait, wait, wait a second. Is this actually a real legitimate precedent here? You`re an attorney, you can tell me.

LEVIN: It`s insane. It is insane. The senator, on this one, he is a whackadoo. There is no precedential value. This is some trial judge who sentenced a juvenile to 11 months in a juvenile facility. This does not rise to the level of any kind of precedent. It`s such incredible grandstanding, but it`s so hilarious, you have to forgive him.

HAMMER: It`s so funny, hearing her name in the Supreme Court nomination hearings. Harvey Levin, who uses the word whackadoo very well in a sentence, managing editor for the soon to be launched entertainment news site, TMZ.com. Thanks for joining us, as always.

LEVIN: See you.

BRYANT: Well, it is hard to see how anyone couldn`t love Biff, the stage manager for "The Late Show with David Letterman." But as we see in tonight`s "Laughter Dark," he didn`t really hit it off with actress Reese Witherspoon. Check it out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": ... on Friday. Here`s the lovely Reese Witherspoon, ladies and gentlemen.

REESE WITHERSPOON, ACTRESS: I got lost coming out here.

LETTERMAN: What happened?

WITHERSPOON: I don`t know, Biff left me hanging.

LETTERMAN: Biff, what was the deal? Where were you?

BIFF HENDERSON, STAGE MANAGER: I guess she had a problem following directions.

WITHERSPOON: Ooh, snap. Biff just cut me down to size.

LETTERMAN: Biff, Biff, Biff...

HENDERSON: What`s the matter?

LETTERMAN: I think you didn`t really mean that, probably, did you?

HENDERSON: That`s what I said.

LETTERMAN: Thanks, Biff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Oh, Biff, hitting her hard. Man. Reese Witherspoon`s new film, "Just Like Heaven," is in theaters tomorrow.

HAMMER: In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Hollywood is exercising extra sensitivity about the images that it`s showing and the type of programming that it is putting on television, so we`re still asking you to sound off on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. On that note, Katrina aftermath: should the Emmys this coming weekend be toned down? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Got more to say, our e-mail address is ShowbizTonight@CNN.com.

Hang around, because we`re reading some of your e-mails live, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.

Throughout the program, we have been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Katrina aftermath: should the Emmys be toned down?

Here`s how the votes have been going so far. Twenty-nine percent of you say yes, the Emmys should be toned down. So 71 percent of you say no, they should not.

We`ve gotten some e-mails on the topics as well, including one from Kathy in Montana, who writes, "If Ellen DeGeneres is as awesome this time as she was after our country`s last big disaster, the country will keep on giving."

You may remember, of course, Ellen hosted the Emmys right after September 11.

We also heard from Laura in Washington, who writes, "The Emmys should not be toned down, but maybe they could donate the $40,000 gift bags they give to the presenters."

Not a bad idea.

Also heard from Sarah in California, who writes, "A night of glamour and glitter and excitement would probably be a nice change."

You can continue to vote simply by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.

BRYANT: We`ll be tuning into that, of course, the Emmys.

HAMMER: Of course we will.

BRYANT: Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.

END