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Showbiz Tonight
Reports Say Bono, Bob Geldof Considered for Nobel Prize; Justice`s Son Becomes Media Darling; Big Changes Ahead for Newscasts; Wynonna Judd Opens Up About Battling Weight Problems
Aired October 04, 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.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CO-HOST: I`m David Haffenreffer. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, two of the world`s biggest rock stars, up for the Nobel Peace Prize. Tonight, who Bono and Bob Geldof are up against, their chances of getting it, and do they deserve it?
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Call it "Extreme Makeover: Network News Edition." Why ABC news may do something dramatically different to fill the anchor chair left vacant by Peter Jennings. But will it work? Tonight, the future of network news.
ANDERSON: Heather Mills McCartney. Model, powerful activist, passionate crusader and married to one of the most famous musicians in the world. Tonight, Heather McCartney, live in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
GEENA DAVIS, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Geena Davis. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: Hello, I`m David Haffenreffer. A.J. Hammer has the night off.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson.
Tonight a pre-award buzz that`s being heard around the world. Two big names in music may be in line for the most prestigious prize on the planet.
HAFFENREFFER: And we`re certainly not talking about a Grammy award here. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is live tonight in Hollywood -- Sibila.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That`s right, guys.
This week U2 lead singer Bono and musician turned activist Bob Geldof could join the ranks of Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Yasser Arafat and Martin Luther King Jr. Reports from all over the world are saying that Bono and Geldof are very much in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize. The recipient will be announced Friday in Norway.
Bono or Geldof would be a unique choice, but would it be a controversial one?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): Bono has a ton of Grammy awards. Bob Geldof was knighted in 1986. And now one or both men may soon receive what may be the most prestigious prize in the world: the Nobel Peace Prize.
NICKI GOSTIN, "NEWSWEEK": It`s an incredible honor. It still would be -- to win the Nobel Prize.
VARGAS: International odds makers are giving the two musicians 7 to 1 odds to take home the prize this week. That`s just below the 4 to 1 favorite, the former president of Finland, but they`re still well above President Bush, who is considered a 1,001 to 1 shot.
(MUSIC)
VARGAS: As lead singer of U2, arguably the biggest rock band in the world right now, Bono is a major voice in music. And for years he`s used that voice to lobby countless world leaders on issues ranging from AIDS research to poverty.
Bono told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that he`s seen a lot of progress.
BONO, MUSICIAN: African aid has doubled today: 10,000 people, they`re saying, who would -- who would have lost their lives to AIDS by 2010 will be on antiretroviral drugs. Whether that`s eight million, you know, that is an extraordinary number.
VARGAS: Bono also told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he`s trying to influence a generation.
BONO: Pop stars can change the world. I mean, you`re absolutely right. All rock stars or hip-hop stars or film stars. But our audience will change the world.
BOB GELDOF, MUSICIAN/ACTIVIST: Please, please, give us as much money as we know you have.
VARGAS: Bob Geldof first gained worldwide fame for organizing the Live Aid concert for famine relief 20 years ago. This summer he organized the worldwide Live 8 concerts to pressure politicians to forgive the debts of poor African nations.
Bono was a big part of that, too.
GOSTIN: If the Nobel Prize award committee decides what they`re working on, third world debt, is an important issue, they`re certainly the spokespeople of it and they`re the most famous spokespeople for it. So it`s a great way to shine a light on third world debt and to acknowledge all the hard work that they`ve done. And they have done a lot of hard work.
VARGAS: Both Bono and Geldof have been nominated for Nobel Peace Prizes before. Whether Nobel will recognize them this time around is anybody`s guess. That`s because recipients are chosen by a super secret five member panel in Norway from a list of more than 100 nominees from all over the world.
The names on that list are a tightly guarded secret but Nobel prize experts are pretty sure Bono and Geldof`s names are on it, either for this year`s prize or maybe even next year`s.
GOSTIN: Whether you like their music or not, they really have done a terrific job in highlighting third world debt and brought a topic that sort of isn`t really very sexy or hasn`t gotten as much press as it should -- they`ve gotten it a lot of press and a lot of discussion about it, purely because they`re rock stars.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And Nobel Prize recipients are being announced all this week. And again, we won`t know who the next peace prize laureate will be until Friday. Whoever it is will receive something other than the prestige and a shiny medal. Nobel recipients also receive a prize of $1.3 million. It pays to be good, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. Thank you so much.
Now we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. The Nobel Peace Prize: do Bono and Bob Geldof deserve it? Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Send us an e-mail at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your thoughts later in the show.
HAFFENREFFER: Tonight actress Cameron Diaz is speaking out about whether celebrities have an obligation to get involved in charity causes.
In an interview SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny D`Attoma about her new film, "In Her Shoes," Diaz said she thinks it`s not only Hollywood`s responsibility, but everyone`s responsibility to help out in times of crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAMERON DIAZ, ACTRESS: I feel like as a human being, we all have the responsibility to do what we can do, you know? And my community, the community that I`m a part of, you know, being in the film industry, we did what we could do. We lent what we felt was most valuable to help give help to these people, you know?
And I think it`s everybody`s responsibility to do that. We have to. We have to do what we can. And that was one part of what I -- you know, what I`m trying to do to help with that. And I know that, as the response, you know, this is the first phase of the response.
There`s going to be a lot that`s going to be needed to be done for these people and for that part of the world. And, you know, we`re going to know what more we can do as time goes by. And there`s going to be a lot more required of us. So I think it`s important for people to keep showing up for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAFFENREFFER: And best of all, Diaz practices what she preaches. She`s a staunch environmentalist, driving a Toyota Prius and hosting a show on MTV called "Trippin`" that toured some of the most environmentally unique areas in the world.
ANDERSON: Tonight, a look at one of Washington`s newest and littlest media stars, Chief Justice John Roberts` 4-year-old son. Jack was the smallest person in the room during Senate confirmation hearings for his dad but also the biggest ham in the room.
And while he ain`t misbehaving all the time, he certainly does it enough. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before you even see him, you hear him. He`s back! Four-year-old Jack Roberts was in the spotlight again, and parents everywhere must have shuddered in sympathy when they heard the words...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you bring the kids up? The kids?
MOOS: He was dubbed the court jester back when his dad was first introduced. Remember how he eluded his mom, and ended up crawling on the floor on national TV? But it was his dance step that got him on "The Daily Show."
Since then, Jack`s every gesture has been scrutinized -- flexing his muscles at the judiciary committee hearing, yawning, shaking hands with politicians like he was running for something.
This is a kid who has a nose for news, pressed up against the windowpane, eyeing the press.
(on camera) Jack was so renowned for his antics that all it took was the mere mention of his name to get laughs.
(voice-over) Witness President Bush welcoming the Roberts family.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And son Jack. A fellow who`s comfortable with the cameras.
MOOS: Comfortable yet wiggling in his seat at his father`s swearing in, where Dad thanks the committee that confirmed him.
CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS, U.S. SUPREME COURT: With this nomination, the committee faced a very special challenge. We found a way to get Jack into the committee room without any serious crisis. Thank you.
MOOS: Jack`s even starting to resemble a Supreme Court justice. Notice Justice Stevens` bow tie. And check out Jack`s neckwear.
But the headline for Monday`s series of photo ops was "Ain`t Misbehaving." When there was applause, Jack waved appropriately. He got up like a young gentleman on his dad`s lap. Only a single pointed finger admonishing him.
He allowed his jacket to be straightened. He smiled on command.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Smile.
MOOS: Sure his dad`s eyes kept darting in his direction. At one point he cleaned his ears on camera and there was one moment when his legs started to move. Would Jack dance? Would Jack fall? Saved by the firm hand of grandma.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: What`s that Jack going to do next? That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos reporting for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
David, a politician if I`ve ever seen one.
HAFFENREFFER: One in the making perhaps.
And there could be a major renovation in the works for the anchor desk once occupied by Peter Jennings. And what`s going on with CBS? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the latest coming up next.
ANDERSON: Plus, Heather Mills McCartney`s passionate crusade including taking on Jennifer Lopez. Heather Mills McCartney is live next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAFFENREFFER: Plus, Wynonna Judd opens up about the most personal details of her life, her family, her weight, her problems with money. It`s the revealing interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, coming up.
ANDERSON: But first, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." How much does Lucy charge Charlie Brown for counseling sessions in 1965`s "A Charlie Brown Christmas?" Was it five cents, ten cents, 25 cents, or $1? We`ll be right back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: So again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." How much does Lucy charge Charlie Brown for counseling sessions in 1965`s "A Charlie Brown Christmas?" Was it five cents, ten cents, 25 cents, or a whopping $1? Well, the answer is a, five cents.
HAFFENREFFER: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
In what could be a dramatic change coming to the anchor chair at ABC News. "TV Week" is reporting tonight that ABC may go with not one but two anchors, Bob Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas, to fill the chair left vacant by the late Peter Jennings.
And CBS is still desperately seeking an anchor to replace Dan Rather. So what`s going on here?
Live tonight from Pittsburgh, Jeff Allen, news director for WPGH and author of "Anchoring America: The Changing Face of Network News." And live tonight from Baltimore, Brian Stelter, editor of the widely read media blog site, TVNewser.com.
Gentlemen, thanks for being with us.
JEFF ALLEN, NEWS DIRECTOR, WPGH: Hi, David.
HAFFENREFFER: First off to Jeff, this dual anchor idea isn`t new. ABC tried it in the 1970s with Harry Reasoner and Barbara Walters. CBS tried it in the 1990s with Connie Chung and Dan Rather. Why would anybody think that this was a good idea in 2005?
ALLEN: I don`t know. You know, if I was David Weston, the president of ABC News, I`d be very nervous about this.
First of all, when Barbara and Harry anchored it was a complete disaster. Harry Reasoner didn`t want her there, and he got his way and she was gone.
Then, when Connie and Dan put the anchor chairs together another big failure.
So, you know, do we really need two anchors up there? I don`t know. But there`s a lot of nervousness at ABC.
HAFFENREFFER: And Brian, we should note, first of all, that ABC has said that no decision has been made yet. And so that`s their official line at this point.
But one name not in the mix here, Brian, is Charlie Gibson of "Good Morning America," which comes at a time when "Good Morning America" is really making some headway against "The Today Show" over at NBC.
If they don`t choose him to take this anchor chair for Peter Jennings, he could, I guess, leave the network all together. But if they do take him to do Peter Jennings` job, that might sacrifice some of the gains that "GMA" has made against "The Today Show."
How do you view where this all puts Charlie Gibson today?
BRIAN STELTER, TVNEWSER.COM: Well, I think there`s a very strong possibility that if he doesn`t get the evening anchor chair, he could leave in the morning, as well.
I mean, he`s been waking up for years to do "Good Morning America." And I think it`s probably time for him to sleep in. I think he would like a break from that 4 a.m. alarm clock.
He did a phenomenal job when Peter was sick. And he`s been taking over since then quite a bit. And I really think it will be a shock if he doesn`t get the anchor chair. I`m not sure he`d stay at ABC much longer.
HAFFENREFFER: So we still have to wait to get the official word on that.
Jeff, over to CBS here, because Dan Rather has been out of the anchor chair for months now. He retired months ago, and there`s a lot of word in the trade papers that maybe the CBS president, Andrew Heyward, might be on the way out as well.
What`s going on at CBS News right now, and is there a chance, since they`re the number -- perennial No. 3 in the nightly news race all the time, that CBS might simply pull the plug on the nightly newscast?
ALLEN: Hey, there`s always that chance.
By the way, I want to go back to something Brian said. Charlie Gibson is a pro, and I sort of disagree. I think he`ll stay with "Good Morning America" and, you know, I think he really likes it there.
But anyway, over at CBS, I`ve got to tell you, this becomes a problem of how much money it costs them to operate that newscast versus what it costs them in lost advertising revenue for the low ratings.
So unless they make a dramatic change, their accountants that meet in back rooms -- I`ve said this before -- that they`re going to, you know, pull the plug at some point saying, "Wait a minute. How much longer do we want to bleed money here?"
And it`s a real problem because "60 Minutes" isn`t doing as well. "48 Hours" isn`t doing as well. And so the whole network`s news division is in real trouble. So they`re taking a good hard look at it.
HAFFENREFFER: They may be in trouble, Brian, but we hear at FOX news they`re considering doing a national newscast for all the FOX over the air affiliates out there. This comes at -- seems like a divergent set of opinions here. Is this a good idea for FOX?
STELTER: I think it is a great idea for FOX, because they see a void. They can get the younger viewers that CBS and ABC desperately want. They can do a very fast paced, lively, entertaining newscast, maybe with Shep Smith, maybe with Brit Hume that would bring in all the viewers that are watching FOX in the evening. All the ones that are watching "Simpsons" reruns could be tuning into a national newscast and make FOX even more dominant than it already is.
HAFFENREFFER: Gentlemen, thank you both very much.
ALLEN: Thanks, David.
HAFFENREFFER: Jeff Allen and Brian Stelter.
ANDERSON: Tonight, Wynonna Judd in a revealing interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
She`s bona fide country royalty, selling more than 29 million albums. But her 20 years of professional highs have also brought very personal lows.
In her new memoir, she`s telling the world about her inspiring journey to battle her demons like diet, money and a rocky relationship with her famous family.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s A.J. Hammer spoke with her about that and asked her about writing the book.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: This is not one of those "I sold 20 million albums, this is my career" memoir. You put it all on the table, all your struggles, from men to money to weight, to everything. Was writing the book kind of part of a healing process for you?
WYNONNA JUDD, COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER: Absolutely. I recommend that everybody write a book about their life, because it allows you to take a look back and bury the past. From here on out, it`s from here forward. And hopefully I`ve left a lot behind.
HAMMER: So it`s a real demarcation in your life?
JUDD: Absolutely. Absolutely. During the highs, which were the No. 1 parties, the platinum selling albums and the tours, at the same time, you know, I`m filing for divorce and I`m going through birth. It all happened at the same time.
You can have professional highs and personal lows at the same time. And I think that`s why I`m such a contradiction sometimes. Success as well as failure happening all at once.
But the book says "if you fall down, get back up." And that`s sort of what this book celebrates is the fact that 20 years later I`m still here.
HAMMER: Which means so much to your fans. And it`s no secret to you that your fans adore you and they support you. But was your fans` love for you part of your reluctance for initially coming forward with the struggles in your life?
JUDD: Absolutely. I want to be a celebration of life. I want -- my music is so autobiographical. And when I get on that stage, nothing matters. I say that I`m Xena with a guitar.
But also underneath all of that, there was a lot of stuff going on. And I wanted to bridge the gap between fantasy and reality because the fact is in entertainment, it all looks good on the outside. So it was like setting myself free and going, you know what, sometimes it`s tough.
HAMMER: And one issue that you write extensively about in the book that so many people can relate to are weight issues. You got to a point...
JUDD: Addiction.
HAMMER: Addiction. And with food, how it had taken over your life and began to control of your life. Why was food controlling your life?
JUDD: Well, in any addiction, whether it`s getting on the Internet for eight hours, addiction is like, OK, it separates you from people you love.
And what I was doing was going out on stage in front of 5,000 people, then ending up back at the hotel room by myself, you know, with my dog. And it was really lonely. And you got to read the book. There`s a lot of depth, too, as to why I did what I did.
My weight shows up, obviously, on the outside. But people walk around not realizing that there`s something taking them away from who they really are. Distractions.
You know, when I eat, I do it for emotional reasons, not for fuel. Otherwise, I wouldn`t be doing -- having the problem I do. But don`t you all think we have something that we`d like to not do?
HAMMER: Sure.
JUDD: Right. You know, whether it`s go through towards the same bad relationship every time. You know, insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results.
We all have something that we`re doing that we need not to do. So what I`m trying to do is be real about it, because I got offered all kinds of deals to lose weight. Companies offered me millions of dollars. I thought, you know what, I really need to do this myself organically, and it`s a pain in the butt.
HAMMER: What was the trigger -- what was the trigger for you that you said ultimately said, "You know what? I`ve got to face up to this and start dealing?"
JUDD: Well, I was walking down the red carpet in Hollywood at a premier and I had gotten a call from a doctor saying I needed to check myself into a hospital, that I was a walking time bomb.
And I said, "I can`t right now. I`m at this premier and, you know, Ashley is here and Mom and we`re having a great time." And I realized, whoa, whoa, you know, I need to be in the hospital right now.
But as usual, I`m a survivor, I`m strong, I can lick this, I can get it, you know -- get it done tomorrow. It`s like how much does it take to make you stop and look at your life and go, "I need to make some changes here"?
HAMMER: Dealing with weight a daily issue. How`s it going?
JUDD: I fluctuate like the weather. I make time for everything else. And I told myself recently, you know what, you keep taking yourself off the list. You keep promising yourself, you know, you`ll be top five. I`m about a seven or eight right now.
But I`ve got the kids. I`ve got Roach, my husband. The fans, right now we`re pushing 15, 18-hour days. You know, and when I get up in the morning, I`m thinking, "Hmm, am I going to go walk in Central Park or, you know, order room service and stay in my pajamas"? Boy, that`s a real tough one.
So I`ve got to get it together, you know? Everything else in my life is going so well. That`s one area of my life where I need more discipline, I think.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s A.J. Hammer with Wynonna Judd. We`re going to have much more with Wynonna on tomorrow`s show. She`ll open up about almost going bankrupt and the troubled relationship she has had with her mom and famous sister, Ashley.
HAFFENREFFER: Well, some very angry people want to take Dr. Phil to court. We`re going to tell you why, coming up in the "Legal Lowdown."
ANDERSON: Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the inside story of Sarah Jessica Parker`s photo shoot for "InStyle" magazine. That`s next in "Tuesday in style."
HAFFENREFFER: And, what country superstar Clint Black is doing to help U.S. soldiers and their families. Clint Black joins us live for the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Time now for "Tuesday InStyle." Sarah Jessica Parker is known best as fashion-forward Carrie from "Sex and the City." Now, Parker is going for girlie frills and tulle for this month`s "InStyle" magazine cover shoot.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARISA FOX, "INSTYLE" MAGAZINE: Sarah Jessica Parker graces "InStyle`s" October cover. She has a great new fragrance out called Lovely and she is back in the biz with a couple of great films coming out.
Sarah Jessica Parker loves couture. And she`s wearing a relatively unknown designer called Louisa Beccaria on our cover. It`s a red velvet tulle dress. And you can get one that looks very similar to it at good old Banana Republic for all of $168.
She loves couture. She loves Oscar de la Renta. We have her in a gorgeous Oscar de la Renta dress. It is empire wasted bodice with a gorgeous and big fluffy tulle skirt.
Turn the page and you see her also in another Oscar de la Renta dress. This time it`s a chic and short black cocktail dress but there`s a little bit of tulle thrown in.
Sarah Jessica Parker is so frilly and feminine that, you know, she just doesn`t look right if she`s not wearing tulle. She`s just a fool for tulle.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: The girl has got good taste and never afraid to take fashion risks, I might add. And for more about Sarah Jessica Parker`s cover shoot, pick up a cover of "InStyle" magazine, on newsstands now.
HAFFENREFFER: Well, she married a Beatle, was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and now Heather Mills McCartney is taking on J. Lo. She`ll be here live to tell us why.
ANDERSON: And in the "Legal Lowdown," we`ve got the skinny on why some of Dr. Phil`s fans say his diet plan is a fraud.
HAFFENREFFER: Also "New York Times" reporter Judith Miller speaks out after three months behind bars, and she`s talking to CNN first. What she had to say about her harrowing experience, next.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
THOMAS ROBERTS, HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in one minute. Hi everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts with your HEADLINE PRIME NEWS BREAK. The aftermath of Katrina continues to hammer New Orleans. The city`s mayor, Ray Nagin, now says the city has to lay off as many as 3,000 workers. Nagin says he`s tried to come up with alternative to keep workers on the payroll, but hasn`t found a solution.
President Bush says he never asked Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers what she thinks of abortion. Court watchers on both sides of the aisle say there are still many unanswered questions about Miers` views. There is no judicial record to look at because she`s never been a judge.
Meanwhile, the high court busy this week. Tomorrow it takes on the contentious issue of assisted suicide.
A Texas jury has ordered Ford Motor Company to pay $30 million to the family of a 16-year-old girl who died in an F-150 pickup. Jessica Garcia (ph) died when the truck roof collapsed in a rollover. Ford disputes the claim that the seat belt failed and plans to appeal.
That is the news for now. Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts. We take you back now for more of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson.
HAFFENREFFER: And I`m David Haffenreffer. A.J. Hammer has the night off tonight. You`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
ANDERSON: And tonight, we`ve got something really exciting coming up. In just a few minutes, Heather Mills McCartney will join us live. She`s a model, a tireless activist. She`s been working to promote her causes and organizations for many, many years and she`s married to one of the most popular musicians in the world, David, Sir Paul McCartney, a former Beatle. We`ll talk about her causes and her efforts to educate another celebrity, Jennifer Lopez, about the use of fur. Should be interesting.
HAFFENREFFER: She`s very busy. Also out there tonight that we`ll talking about coming up later on in the Legal Lowdown, TV`s most famous shrink, Dr. Phil McGraw, getting into a little bit of legal hot water. It seems that some people who tried to sign up and utilize his diet plan -- well, they didn`t lose anything but money they say, so ...
ANDERSON: Didn`t lose much weight they say.
HAFFENREFFER: No, just money. So they want to talk to him about that.
ANDERSON: All that and more coming up.
But first, let`s get tonight`s hot headlines from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas. She is joining us once again, live from Hollywood. Hi, Sibila.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ANCHOR: Hi Brooke. Well, tonight, a big scare for British soccer star David Beckham and his wife, former Spice Girl Victoria. "People" magazine reports that their 3-year-old son Romeo was rushed to a hospital in Spain because of convulsions. There`s no word yet on what`s causing them, but this is the second time it`s happened this week.
Actress Sharon Stone is sticking up for Kate Moss after her cocaine scandal. Stone said today that Moss made a mistake, but the focus should be on the fact that she apologized and is changing her life. Stone criticized several fashion houses for dropping Moss after a British tabloid published pictures of her allegedly snorting cocaine.
All bets are off for Al Pacino. The NFL has demanding that networks pull ads for his upcoming film during the football games. His film, "Two For the Money" is about the sports betting industry. The NFL said they want the ads pulled because it endorses betting. The mandate has irked Universal Studios, but the networks have obliged and pull the ads.
And those are the hot headlines tonight. Brooke, back to you in New York.
HAFFENREFFER: All right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas live in Hollywood. Thank you very much.
Well, tonight, "New York Times" reporter Judith Miller is speaking out in her first interview since being freed from jail. Miller was locked up for refusing to give up a source on a story. CNN`s Lou Dobbs spoke with her late today in an exclusive interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDITH MILLER, NEW YORK TIMES: I knew and I know that I wasn`t covering for anybody. I was protecting the confidentiality of the source, to whom I had given my word. I was keeping my word. And until I knew that that source genuinely wanted me to testify and I heard that from him, I was willing to sit in jail.
I didn`t want to be in jail. But I knew that the principle of confidentiality was so important that I had to, because if people can`t trust us to come to us, to tell us the things that government and powerful corporations don`t want us to know, we`re dead in the water. The public won`t know.
LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: The public is certainly ...
MILLER: The public won`t know. That`s why I was sitting in jail for the public`s right to know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAFFENREFFER: And she did sit in jail. Miller spent nearly three months in prison for refusing to give up her confidential sources and was released last week.
Time now for another "Showbiz Sitdown" with Heather Mills McCartney. Whether it`s working for her charity, Adopt-A-Minefield, or fighting battles for the animal rights organization PETA, McCartney is passionate about what she does. In fact, her work earned her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 1996. Heather Mills McCartney joins us tonight. Heather, nice to see you.
HEATHER MILLS MCCARTNEY, ACTIVIST: Hi.
ANDERSON: Now, there`s so much to talk about. You`ve led a fascinating life, but I want to start with just a few weeks ago, New York`s fashion week, you entered the offices of Jennifer Lopez`s Sweetface clothing line with camera crew intact behind you. Jennifer Lopez not there but you wanted to send a message. You even posed in front of her pictures with PETA. Was it a little ad?
MCCARTNEY: Yes, it was all -- it was all improvised. I was doing launch of if you wouldn`t wear your dog, why wear a fur at Brian Pak (ph), at fashion week, and Dan said, you know, you should give Jennifer a DVD. And I walked across and I didn`t expect all the press to follow us. That`s not me being naive. I was actually surprised.
ANDERSON: We`re watching some of the video right now.
MCCARTNEY: And I walked across and just went in the offices. And there was no security there, so then I walked inside. And then all the cameras were there and I said, OK. We`ve written hundreds of times to Jennifer. It`s never gotten to us, so I`m hoping it`s because her, you know, security, PR, whatever is not giving to her. But this she will definitely hear about.
ANDERSON: Have you heard from her?
MCCARTNEY: Not a word. Not a word at all.
ANDERSON: Are you still trying to contact her?
MCCARTNEY: Of course, and I`m willing till I get through to her because, you know, I showed you the video earlier. They`re skinning dogs and cats and other animals alive for fur, for fashion.
ANDERSON: It is heartbreaking to watch.
MCCARTNEY: It`s barbaric and it`s horrific and you`ve seen it so ...
ANDERSON: Well, let me ask you this. Also Martha Stewart, someone who has made a turnaround. A year ago, we would see her wearing fur going in and out of court, now she`s a PETA spokesperson with a new ad.
MCCARTNEY: Which shows you people can be turned around. You know, PETA have spoke to her. Her daughter is an amazing animal activist and a vegetarian. And she said she had to work on her for nine months but eventually she gave it up because she`s realized it`s superficial and it`s only for insecure people who aren`t confident enough just to be happy in their own skin.
ANDERSON: So not an easy sell, nine months.
MCCARTNEY: It`s not an easy sell, but you have to work on people that are role models to different generations. And Jennifer Lopez is a role model. You know, we`ve heard that Elle MacPherson is trying to pull out of black glamour (ph), which is a mink thing.
And people are realizing if they haven`t got the warmth in their hearts to actually never wear it because they care about the animals, they know it`s bad for their reputation. To have all that money and to have everything and then to murder animals to stick on your back just means you`re shallow and superficial and have no depth to yourself whatsoever.
ANDERSON: So you`re trying to educate as a spokesperson, and have a new ad with your dog, Ollie (ph), trying to put it in terms people can relate to. A lot of people have dogs as pets.
MCCARTNEY: To realize that, you know, dogs and cats are domestic, wonderful animals. They save lives. You know, they do incredible things. They have emotions. And to skin them alive for furs is just horrific. And it`s just to let the public know that`s what you could be buying. You know, we have the footage. It`s -- if they want to go on furisdead.com or the PETA Web site or heathermillsmccartney.com, they can see the visuals if they need the proof.
ANDERSON: Very graphic visuals I might add.
MCCARTNEY: Yes, but it`s what`s happening. You have to take responsibility for what you buy.
ANDERSON: And, Heather, in addition, you`re a champion for -- you`re lobbying to have a worldwide ban of land mines. You`ve been recognized for your work. As we said earlier, 1996 Nobel Peace Prize nomination. As we`ve reported in the show, U2 -- worldwide famous rocker Bono and producer Bob Geldof are nominated this year.
MCCARTNEY: Two amazing guys. They absolutely deserve it.
ANDERSON: What do you think about that? Do celebrities have more of a responsibility to do good?
MCCARTNEY: Celebrities have to. Celebrities have to, have to take responsibility for the position they`re in and give back. Majorly. You know, you`re in a great position and you can get the message out. And it`s a really sad world that celebrity means so much.
It`s a very, very sad world, because you get these amazing activists that work for people like PETA, the Humane Society U.S., many other animal charities that work behind the scenes that can`t get five minutes on a show like yours to put the message out. So they have to rely on people like me, even though I work behind the scenes as well, to get that message out on behalf of all those amazing animal activists.
And people think of animal activists as crazy people. But if you look at the Web site and see dogs and cats being skinned alive for fashion, then you can join in and write to everybody you know, every designer, every stylist, every politician, every person you can think of. Each person can make a difference.
ANDERSON: And take action. Well, even a tireless activist for many, many years, long before you ever met your husband, Sir Paul McCartney. But he`s also very passionate. Do you two work together on these causes?
MCCARTNEY: You know, we`re different. He enjoys his music and family means a lot to him and he helps us out with his celebrity when he can. But we`re completely different. You know, I -- it`s in my stomach. I can`t stop myself. But he realizes he has such a huge celebrity that can make a difference.
You know, with the land mines, I`ve been doing it 12 years. We had Diana only eight months but you would say we had her for eight years. She made a huge difference. And then my husband does a couple of things a year for us but you would think he does millions because everyone listens.
ANDERSON: So taking advantage of that public ...
MCCARTNEY: You have to make the most. But it`s for a good cause.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Heather, thank you so much for being here and sharing.
MCCARTNEY: Thank you very much.
ANDERSON: Heather Mills McCartney.
HAFFENREFFER: And as we`ve been reporting, two music legends, Bob Geldof, and U2`s Bono could be up for the Nobel Peace Prize later on this week. And it`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day.
The Nobel Peace Prize -- do Bono and Bob Geldof deserve it? Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight and write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. Your e-mails are coming up at 55 minutes past the hour.
ANDERSON: Up next, Dr. Phil`s legal woes. We`ll tell you why some of his fans are saying he`s no Dr. Phil Good.
HAFFENREFFER: And "The Daily Show`s" Jon Stewart takes a not-so- cutting-edge look President Bush`s new Supreme Court nominee, Harriet Miers. You`ll see why everyone was laughing when we bring you "Laughter Dark."
ANDERSON: Also, how Clint Black is giving back. He`s more than a celebrated country music star and he`s live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to tell us what he`s doing to help the families of soldiers in Iraq.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAFFENREFFER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Time now for another "Showbiz Sitdown," this time with country superstar Clint Black. He`s sold more than 18 million albums. He`s got a new one out today called "Drinkin` Songs and Other Logic" and uses his fame to help people as well. His charity, The Clint Black Foundation, raises money for the families of fallen American soldiers. Clint Black joins us now live. Thanks for coming in.
CLINT BLACK, COUNTRY MUSIC STAR: Thanks for having me.
HAFFENREFFER: Tell me how the foundation works because obviously this has been a busy time.
BLACK: Well, it began with a song that my partner and I wrote to kind of rally the troops back before the war, just to cheer them on. And I created a t-shirt to go with it, as we do so many times. And the t-shirt started selling and I didn`t want the money from that. So I created the fund knowing that there would be a void left if it did come to the war, as it did.
So people can buy the t-shirt and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the fund. And they can also make donations at the Web site. And if people are directed to us they write in and we look at their situation and write them a check if they need it.
HAFFENREFFER: Nearly 2,000 soldiers have lost their lives in this war. Should we still be there?
BLACK: You know, I`m not an expert in that area. And, fortunately, I don`t have to make those tough decisions. I would like to think that it`s a job being well done and that it is the right cause.
And all I really can go by is what I read. And the more I read, the more I realize I don`t understand completely. But I talked to a lot of the soldiers who have been there and have given an arm and a leg, you know, or more.
HAFFENREFFER: What do they say? What do they tell you?
BLACK: And I ask them if it`s worth it and they say yes. They say they`re doing good over there and would rather be over there fighting the war than having the war being fought here at home.
That`s their take on it. And I have not been able -- and I ask them all. And I keep hoping that it`s worth it to them, because I think that`s what matters the most. And I`ve yet to find one who says it`s not.
HAFFENREFFER: You were born in New Jersey but you were raised in Katy, Texas, just west of Houston.
BLACK: Kept the accent, though, didn`t I?
HAFFENREFFER: I do want to ask about these hurricanes that swept through the Gulf this season, Katrina and Rita, obviously affecting some areas you are -- well know about down there. Are you involved at all in the relief efforts there?
BLACK: We were talking about doing some concerts which were put on hold after Rita came through. But I was really proud to see Houston stepping up the way they did, and they were organizing a concert.
Right now, I don`t know what the status of that is. And I know that as time goes on, there are going to be more and more opportunities for all of us to play some kind of role and I`ll be ready to do my part.
HAFFENREFFER: That new album is out today, "Drinkin` Songs and Other Logic." What makes a good drinking song?
BLACK: Well, it doesn`t hurt to be drinking when you`re listening to it. Songs written about drinking, songs that were written by someone when they were drinking. I think a lot of times it`s probably a little bit of lamenting that helps, a little bit of sadness.
HAFFENREFFER: What do you drink to these days?
BLACK: I drink to my health. That`s what matters the most, and my family.
HAFFENREFFER: And people might not know but you grew up listening to almost equal parts rock `n` roll, equal parts country. So how would you describe your sound?
BLACK: Well, my sound is mixed. If I look back at the body of my work, I`ve written and produced about 125 songs. And it`s mostly traditional country, and every now and then I push the envelope, which is what led to this album. I felt I had pushed every wish way I could without crossing my own boundaries. And so I went back to roots, listened to all the music I grew up listening to, and then went in the studio, determined to make another honky tonk album.
HAFFENREFFER: Well, it`s a pleasure having you here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BLACK: Thanks, David.
HAFFENREFFER: Thanks for being with us.
BLACK: Thank you.
HAFFENREFFER: That is Clint Black of course. Clint`s brand new CD, "Drinkin` Songs and Other Logic," hit stores today. And if you want more information on the Clint Black Foundation, click on clintblack.com.
ANDERSON: Time now for the "Legal Lowdown," a look at what`s going on in the world of entertainment legal news. On the docket tonight, it`s not what the doctor ordered. That`s what former customers of Dr. Phil McGraw`s discontinued Shape Up! diet products are saying. They`re suing the popular TV host claiming they lost money, not weight.
And actor Robert Blake denies plotting to kill his wife and things get testy. Details on the civil trial of his wife`s death. Joining us live now from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin. He`s the managing editor of the soon-to-be launched entertainment news site tmz.com. Harvey, great to see you.
HARVEY LEVIN, EDITOR, TMZ.COM: Hi, Brooke.
ANDERSON: I want to start with Dr. Phil. A man famous for dispensing advice, is now being sued by some folks who say his advice was misleading. It involves the now discontinued weight loss product Shape up! Harvey, what are they claiming?
LEVIN: Well, they`re basically saying that the people who bought it dropped a lot of money but didn`t drop any weight and that the product, they`re saying, is bogus. There were claims that there were scientific studies that this product worked. It actually directed consumers that if you`re shaped like an apple, you buy one of these product and if you`re shaped like a pear, you by another. So ...
ANDERSON: Which is not scientifically proven, right, for ...
LEVIN: Well, I mean, that was one of the things that the lawyer is saying. He`s saying how do you -- where did apple and pear become a scientific category? But the bottom line is three consumers have sued Dr. Phil and the company that makes this product. And now what they`re trying to do is get what they call a class action status, which would theoretically allow thousands of people to join in the lawsuit.
ANDERSON: Wow, and OK, they didn`t lose weight, they bought the product. Pretty extensive diet regimen, in fact, up to $120 a month. Harvey, 22 pills a day. What about buyer beware? Doesn`t buyer beware apply?
LEVIN: You know, it doesn`t. I mean, look. I have two things to say about it. I think the first caution is anybody can sue anybody over anything. And just because they`re making the claim doesn`t mean that Dr. Phil did anything wrong. I mean, on a level you have to look at this and say, wait a minute, I mean, the guy has got so much money, why would he do anything like that knowingly?
That said, there isn`t such a thing as buyer beware. When someone merchandises a product like a diet product, there is something in the law. It`s called -- the technical term is a warranty of merchantability, which means that the product will be used effectively for what it`s being sold for and if it`s not effective in what it`s claimed to do, then the consumer has a remedy.
ANDERSON: And it was taken off the market after the FTC said it was going to investigate, right?
LEVIN: Yes. The FTC was investigating and apparently they struck some kind of a deal. And the company said, look, if you drop the investigation, we`ll stop marketing and then everything kind of stopped there.
ANDERSON: Well, it will be interesting to see what happens there. OK, moving on. "Baretta" star Robert Blake. He`s found not guilty of murdering his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, in a criminal trial. Now, he`s testifying in the wrongful death civil trial brought by Bakley`s family. He`s having to personally respond to accusations that he tried to hire people to kill Bakley, his wife. What`s he saying?
LEVIN: Well, he`s saying it`s not true. I mean, these people who testified that Blake tried to solicit them to kill Bonny Lee Bakley, they testified at the criminal case, and I have to tell you, they didn`t do such a good job. A lot of people felt these witnesses were completely discredited.
Now, granted, the standard of proof is much different in this case. It`s easier to prove that Blake did it. Nonetheless, these witnesses did not do a particularly good job.
This is a really contentious trial. I mean, I think it`s kind of hilarious that Blake is calling the lawyer for the other side Junior, which is so fitting of Robert Blake. So I think the judge is having a little bit of trouble getting order in the court.
ANDERSON: Blake has been pretty gregarious during this trial, and he even admitted to saying bad things about his wife, including venting that he wanted to throw her out of a window at one point. Is this venting going to get him into trouble during the civil trial?
LEVIN: Well, always a bad thing when you have to admit that you were going to throw your spouse out of a window, at least you talked about it, because there`s not that much of a leap between that and murder.
But you know, a lot of people vent. A lot of people say stupid things, and the jury just may say, hey, you know what, who hasn`t said something in a fit of anger at some point? But that doesn`t make him a murderer.
ANDERSON: We shall see. All right, Harvey Levin, as always, thank you so much. We appreciate it.
LEVIN: You`re welcome.
HAFFENREFFER: Well, it`s time now to get the lowdown on the best in late-night laughs, in "Laughter Dark."
On "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart shows us that President Bush isn`t taking any chances with his new Supreme Court nominee, Harriet Miers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON STEWART, HOST, "DAILY SHOW": To those critics who are already calling Miers` appointment cronyism, like former FEMA head Mike Brown, believe me, Miers` resume doesn`t have any Arabian Horse Association filler in it.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When I came to the office as the governor of Texas, the Lottery Commission needed a leader of unquestioned integrity. I chose Harriet, because I knew she would earn the confidence of the people of Texas.
STEWART: The Texas lottery commissioner. And, indeed, it was Harriet Miers who restored sanity to the Crazy 8`s scratch and match.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Can you restore sanity to the Crazy 8`s scratch and match?
Well, there`s still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. The Nobel Peace Prize, do Bono and Bob Geldof deserve it? Vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight, or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails live coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAFFENREFFER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m David Haffenreffer.
Throughout the program, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. The Nobel Peace Prize -- do Bono and Bob Geldof deserve it? Let`s take a look now at how the vote is going so far. Fifty-seven percent of you say yes, they do deserve it; 43 percent of you say, no, they do not. And here are some of the e-mails we`ve received.
Norma from Nevada writes: "You bet Bono or Bob Geldof should receive the prize. Personally, I hope they share it.
And Kerry from Virginia writes: "These two men have been working for change for 20 years. And I`m glad millions are listening."
And you can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
ANDERSON: And they have been working for years, and Geldof just organized the Live 8 recently this summer. They`ve been tirelessly working.
HAFFENREFFER: This has been the people giving show. We`ve had Heather Mills McCartney giving back to so many people, Clint Black Foundation giving back to so many people as well.
ANDERSON: Bono and Geldof. Absolutely.
All right, that`s a wrap for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
HAFFENREFFER: And I`m David Haffenreffer. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN HEADLINE NEWS.
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