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Showbiz Tonight
Media Frenzy Over Supreme Court Nominee; Video iPod to Hit Stores; "Reba" Episode to Focus on Hurricane Survivors; Sister Stunt Women Share Inside View of Career
Aired October 13, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CO-HOST: I`m David Haffenreffer.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And I`m Brooke Anderson. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Miers and the media. The White House, radio talk shows, and even "Saturday Night Live" are in full spin over the president`s Supreme Court pick. Tonight, the inside story on whether the media frenzy could keep her from getting on the bench.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Gadget alert! The new video iPod. The bells, the whistles, even "Desperate Housewives." But if you think that`s cool, wait till you see what`s next. Tonight, the future of entertainment in the palm of your hand.
ANDERSON: The hips that launched a thousand swoons are back. Ricky Martin is shaking his bon-bon again. We`ll ask him why he left the spotlight, and why he came back. Ricky Martin is here, for the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
PARIS HILTON, HEIRESS/TV STAR: It`s Paris Hilton. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: Hello, I`m David Haffenreffer, filling in for A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson.
Tonight, the woman who would be the next Supreme Court justice is still waiting to be grilled during a Senate confirmation hearing.
HAFFENREFFER: And yet Harriet Miers and the president who nominated her are being grilled plenty in the media. But the media heat Miers is getting isn`t coming just from the usual places.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAY LENO, HOST, NBC`s "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": Have to go with a woman who`s had more courtroom experience, like Courtney Love. Somebody who`s spent more time...
HAFFENREFFER: Harriet Miers is the subject of joke after joke on late night TV.
LENO: Bob Dylan.
As the former Texas lawyer with no experience as a judge fights for her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, with President Bush fighting along with his nominee and long-time friend...
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: She`s eminently qualified for the job.
HAFFENREFFER: ... the White House is not only dealing with snickers on late night TV...
DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS`s "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": She is an inspiration to unqualified people everywhere.
HAFFENREFFER: ... they`re even dealing with heavy opposition to Miers from an unlikely source: conservative media.
PAT BUCHANAN, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: President Bush gave the conservatives a wet mitten across the face for this nomination.
HAFFENREFFER: Reliable righties like Pat Buchanan and even radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh...
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: This is a pick that was made from weakness.
HAFFENREFFER: ... are up in arms over Miers` nomination. Conservative blogs are also lighting up with anti-Miers criticism.
Much of the past and influential network of conservative media, widely credited with President Bush`s political success, appear to be made about Miers, and not in a happy way.
HOWARD KURTZ, "WASHINGTON POST": Every time I turn on a conservative radio show, I hear not just the host but the callers saying how disappointed they are in President Bush, how they don`t support Harriet Miers, how they feel betrayed because they were waiting for this moment to have one of the most brilliant conservative legal minds push the Supreme Court to the right. There`s a real feeling of letdown on the right.
HAFFENREFFER: Some observers feel that because there are few official records of Miers` judicial philosophy, that leaves a vacuum in the debate over her nomination, a vacuum that those who question her conservative credentials are more than happy to fill.
CHRIS LISOTTA, "TV WEEK": You don`t have a lot of factual things you can talk about in terms of her record, looking at cases, talking about decisions that were made. But what you do have are all the people who were very willing to go on television and tell everybody how disappointed they are.
HAFFENREFFER: And how is the White House fighting this Miers media mess? By using the media, of course.
It came out this week that Bush aide Karl Rove has been touching base with leading figures in the Christian media to assure them that Miers is one of them. The most prominent target of Rove`s lobbying act, James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family, a Christian media empire that reaches 26 million radio listeners a week. Judging from Dobson`s comments on the radio this week, that lobbying may be paying off.
JAMES DOBSON, FOCUS ON THE FAMILY: What did Karl Rove say to me that I knew on Monday that I couldn`t reveal. Well, it`s what we all know now, that Harriet Miers is an evangelical Christian, that she is from a very conservative church, which is almost universally pro-life.
HAFFENREFFER: That still hasn`t quelled the danger that Miers` nomination is facing from President Bush`s right plank.
KURTZ: It`s really, right now, a fight among conservative pundits and intellectuals.
HAFFENREFFER: And ironically, it appears those conservative pundits and intellectuals are the ones speaking the loudest about Miers` judicial philosophy, leaving talk about her personal connection to President Bush up to the late-night laugh makers.
WILL FORTE, ACTOR: This wasn`t a choice based on friendship. We`re not even that close.
Ashley, send in Ms. Miers.
RACHEL DRATCH, ACTRESS: Bushy!
KURTZ: The immediate reaction to Harriet Miers can be summed up in one word: disbelief. And that reaction, particularly among conservative pundits, has framed the whole debate about whether this obscure White House aide is qualified to sit on the Supreme Court.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: And the Miers media battle will reach its peak during the upcoming confirmation hearings that are scheduled to take place sometime before Thanksgiving. And they do promise to be some riveting television.
ANDERSON: I`m sure they will be. All right. Tonight, the iPod announcement that really has America buzzing, the video iPod. You heard right. Apple has already revolutionized the way people listen to music, and now it looks like they`re going to do it with the way you watch TV.
CNN`s J.J. Ramberg is live tonight in the SHOWBIZ news room.
Hi, there, J.J.
J.J. RAMBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Brooke.
Well, iTunes` new video iPod is making it possible to watching TV when you want to and how you want to. Because now, starting today, Apple`s offering TV shows, short movies and thousands of music videos to download straight to the video iPod. And when it hits the stores next week, watching television will become a whole lost more mobile.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Susan!
RAMBERG (voice-over): The new video iPod takes the cast of ABC`s "Desperate Housewives" and puts them right in your pocket.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Whee!
RAMBERG: Everyone had been expecting for Apple to come out with a video iPod, but no one expected it to be this big.
JAMES KIM, CNET: I think TV, you know that, was something that really surprised us all.
RAMBERG: Apple`s partnership to create on-demand TV programming was a shocker and made an interesting new family tree. Apple`s teaming up with Disney, Pixar and ABC.
BRETT PULLEY, "FORBES" MAGAZINE: Not only does Apple now have a television network providing content for this new device, well, they happen to have a very hot television network.
RAMBERG: So hot, you can download every episode of "Desperate Housewives" and ABC`s other big hit show, "Lost," all for $1.99 apiece.
Apple is already selling the shows on its iTunes sites today.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bring it on, Shirley.
RAMBERG: Disney`s making their episodes of "That`s So Raven" and "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" available on iTunes, as well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RAMBERG: (AUDIO GAP) ... have any plans so far to offer feature films on their iTunes, but CNET`s James Kim says it`s a real possibility that, once they sort through all the licensing issues, they will be offering these. And I mentioned to you earlier, Brooke, the new iPod will be available in stores sometime next week -- Brooke.
ANDERSON: All right. Thank you, J.J. And sorry about those technical difficulties.
But coming up later on in the show, with the video iPod out, big changes in the way you`re entertained are inevitable. We`ll tell you what`s next.
So now we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Video iPod: will you buy one? Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Send us an e-mail, ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. Of course, we`ll read some of your thoughts later on in the show.
HAFFENREFFER: A star of the hit TV show "Lost" robbed at gunpoint. We`re going to tell you who and how it happened, next.
ANDERSON: Plus the WB show "Reba" is the first sitcom to put Hurricane Katrina into a plot line. "Reba" co-star Chris Rich directed the episode. He joins us live. That`s coming up.
HAFFENREFFER: And you may not know their names, but you`ve seen them in dozens of major movies, kicking butt and taking falls. Two of Hollywood`s busiest stunt women are here live for the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
A star of the hit TV drama "Lost" has had a real-life drama of his own. Josh Holloway and his wife were robbed at gunpoint in their home in Hawaii. The robber apparently surprised the couple when they were in bed and stole cash, credit cards, and their Mercedes. The car was found later, abandoned. Now, Holloway plays Sawyer on "Lost." So far, there is no word on whether the suspect has been caught.
HAFFENREFFER: And tonight, the stars of the TV sitcom "Reba" are using their show to keep the suffering of Katrina`s victims in the public eye. This week`s episode is all about the displaced people struggling to remake their lives after the hurricane.
It all starts when Reba takes in a stray dog that survived the storm. When she tracks down the dog`s owners, she opens up not only her heart, but her home as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Come on, baby, we got to get back to the shelter now.
REBA MCENTIRE, SINGER/ACTRESS: OK, you know what? We have plenty of room. Why don`t you all just stay with us, all of you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, Reba, that`s asking too much.
MCENTIRE: No, it`s not, really. Really. We can make room. Stay with us. Don`t go back down there to that shelter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAFFENREFFER: And joining me live from Hollywood is Chris Rich. He stars opposite Reba McEntire on the show. He`s also the guest director for this particular episode.
Welcome to the program. How did this all come about? We understand that you went directly to the producers with this idea.
CHRIS RICH, ACTOR/DIRECTOR: Well, that is true. I did go to them, since our show is set in Houston and suggested that we do a piece about Hurricane Katrina survivors in the Hart household.
But as soon as I spoke to him, Kevin Abbott, our executive producer, told me that they had actually had the same idea, and one was already in the pipeline. And the good news for me was that that episode happened to fall into the slot for me to direct. So I was very fortunate.
HAFFENREFFER: Great minds think alike. You`re a native Texan and, of course, Katrina and Rita both did a whole lot of damage to that region. How were you touched by the storms?
RICH: Well, I think all of us in Texas felt very strongly when Katrina hit New Orleans. You know, New Orleans is a jewel for the entire country. And particularly, it`s a place for Texans to get out of the state and go -- go have a little fun. It`s also one of the great cultural centers of this country, and all of us in our cast and all my family back home, they were devastated at what happened in New Orleans.
HAFFENREFFER: A lot of people hoping and crossing their fingers that the city is rebuilt as much to the way it formerly was, of course.
RICH: Absolutely.
HAFFENREFFER: It`s been about six weeks now since Katrina struck. Why the episode now?
RICH: Well, when we first started talking about doing this episode, we felt that it was important to keep the situation with the Katrina survivors in the news. You know, the news passes over these issues relatively quickly. And Reba`s worked closely with Habitat for Humanity for a long time. And we wanted to tie in a story line with Hurricane Katrina survivors and Habitat for Humanity that will keep this thing in the public eye and that will help get some homes built.
HAFFENREFFER: We just talked to John Tesh last night. He was doing his best to keep it in the public eye, as well, bringing housing down to the people there. Do you think the government, the federal government has done enough to help the people who have been affected by the storms?
RICH: Well, I think like most Americans, I was as shocked at the -- at the initial response from the federal government and disappointed. And we still hear stories about survivors living in tents or perhaps they have a FEMA trailer that is not hooked up to sewage or electricity.
And I hope this helps us all formulate a better plan that so when these things do happen, we have a response that takes care of the people. Yes, I`m disappointed.
HAFFENREFFER: And we understand that you and the crew on the show. It`s not just you in the plot line of this particular episode, the rest of the crew, as well, all doing their part to help out the victims. You`re chipping in to raise money. How is that going? How much have you raised so far?
RICH: Well, it`s something that actually is -- is quite touching. And all the guys, and I`m not talking about, you know, the celebrities who have a lot of money or writers who -- who make a big check. I`m talking about the little guys like the P.A.`s and the crew members. They`ve been kicking in money right and left on the set. And we`re up to almost $20,000 that we`ve raised on the set that will go to Habitat for Humanity for the survivors.
HAFFENREFFER: You know, it does feel as though there have been so many disasters of late. Of course, the tsunami. We can point to this year`s hurricane season, last year`s hurricane season, as well, this latest earthquake over in Pakistan, as well. Do you feel as though people are getting somewhat disastered out, some disaster fatigue?
RICH: Well, I`m sure that we`re all going through some of that. But you know, it`s really important that we not feel overwhelmed by it, because these things are going to -- are going to keep happening. You know, sometimes it feels like they come in droves. And when we remember that.
But you know -- we have nice, nice calm periods occasionally in history. It just happens that we`re getting nailed right now. And I hope that people, you know, keep their hearts strong and their faith up and help get this country back on its feet, that part of the country, New Orleans.
HAFFENREFFER: Chris Rich, thank you for being with us tonight.
RICH: Thanks, David.
HAFFENREFFER: The special episode of "Reba" airs this Friday night on the WB.
ANDERSON: Well, tonight`s a big night for the men and women who make the stars look good by doing the most dangerous stunts in the world for them in the movies and on television. Tonight is the Taurus World Stunt Awards, basically the Oscars of the stunt industry, and we`ve got two of the best in the business with us tonight.
Joining us live, two of Hollywood`s leading stuntwomen, Debbie and Donna Evans. And yes, they are sisters. Debby, Donna, thank you so much for being here.
DEBBIE EVANS, STUNT WOMAN: Thank you.
DONNA EVANS, STUNT WOMAN: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Debbie, two of your nominations for the movie "Taxi." Donna, you`re up for "the Punisher." I want to know, Debby, what makes a good stunt double. I assume fear is not even in your vocabulary.
DEBBIE EVANS: Actually, fear is part of what we do. And if you don`t have a healthy fear of things, you`d better not do it, because you`re going to hurt yourself or kill yourself or someone else.
ANDERSON: Go too far.
DEBBIE EVANS: Yes. Fear is something that we talk through. We take calculated risks and we choose to walk through the fear. And we use it as a guide for us.
ANDERSON: Well, let`s talk about that. Donna, you`ve doubled -- you both have doubled for so many actresses. You, including Cameron Diaz, Sandra Bullock. Have you ever done something and then afterwards you thought, "I can`t believe I just did that"?
DONNA EVANS: Many times. A lot of times it`s actually right before I do the stunt. And it sounded great in prep. And then I get there and I think to myself, I`m looking at it and I`m going, "I don`t know. This could really hurt me. I could get killed."
And then as soon as they yell "rolling," that all goes out of my mind, and I`m totally focused on completing the task at hand and making the shot look as good as it can possibly look.
ANDERSON: Is there hesitation, trepidation sometimes. And you`ve doubled for Carrie Anne Moss from "Matrix: Reloaded."
DEBBIE EVANS: Yes.
ANDERSON: Also Angelina Jolie. What are some of the craziest things you`ve done?
DEBBIE EVANS: Well, I drove the car underneath the semi truck on "Fast and Furious" and flipped it. I did a turnover on "What Dreams May Come" inside of the Broadway tunnel in San Francisco. And I hit the top of the tunnel, broke the light. Just a few little odds and ends like that.
ANDERSON: Just a few things. Is there anything you two just refuse to do? You say, no, that is too much?
DEBBIE EVANS: I don`t want to do high, high falls. Because I know too many people that have, you know, lost their lives.
ANDERSON: Really?
DEBBIE EVANS: And with the kids, it`s just not worth it to me.
DONNA EVANS: I`m the same. Because there`s a lot of people that are in the industry that were ex-gymnasts or high dive specialists. And that is their field. That`s their forte. Ours happens to be more in the motorcycles and the car realm. And if you miss with an air bag, or even if you don`t hit the center of an air bag, you die.
DEBBIE EVANS: And they also have machines now called descenders and accelerators that can put you on a wire and assimilate the same thing, basically as a high fall, and you`re a lot safer.
ANDERSON: Much safer way to do it.
Well, I have to ask, when did you decide, when was the moment that you said, "I want to be a stunt woman?" I mean, you`re sisters. Was it when you were younger? Did you think, "I want to grow up and crash cars for a living and, you know, fly on motorcycles while standing on the seats?" When was that time?
DEBBIE EVANS: Well, actually somebody called me and asked me if I wanted to work in a movie. And I said yes, and I definitely found my calling. I loved it.
ANDERSON: And did you follow in her footsteps?
DONNA EVANS: Yes, I did. I was still in high school when she started in the industry. And she started out doing the tough stuff. Some women get by riding passenger in the car and not really doing the big stuff. I mean, she was flipping cars with no roll cage right off -- right off the bat.
And so at first, I thought, "Gee, I don`t -- I don`t think I would want to do that." But then the more I watched and the more I saw what she did and I saw that there were -- it was planned well, and it`s not totally safe, mind you, but they take precautions and it`s really an art, and I was very attracted to it.
ANDERSON: Looked kind of -- looked kind of fun?
DONNA EVANS: It looked kind of fun. And I thought, I`ll give it a try and here I am.
ANDERSON: Well, how do you teach yourselves to do this? Or do you have help? I just can`t even imagine. This is coming from someone who trips over her own feet.
DONNA EVANS: So do I.
ANDERSON: Oh, really, you`re a klutz, too?
DONNA EVANS: Yes. There was once I was off work for about a month. And I thought I was going to kill myself. I had bought my first townhouse. I fell down the stairs. I slipped in the shower and hit my ribs on the soap dish. And I said, "I`ve got to get back to work or I`m going to kill myself."
DEBBIE EVANS: When they say action she can do anything. She`s awesome.
ANDERSON: Well, you`re both mothers.
DEBBIE EVANS: Yes.
ANDERSON: What is it like when you come home and you talk to your kids about your day in the office?
DEBBIE EVANS: They`re very excited. My son says, mom, "Would you please teach me to drive a car like you?" He`s 11, and he just thinks what I do is so cool.
ANDERSON: You worried that they might follow in your footsteps?
DEBBIE EVANS: Actually, him, no, because he`s very athletic and very gifted physically. And I think that that`s his gift. But the other two, you know, I really would rather they didn`t do that.
ANDERSON: And you doubled for Lindsay Lohan in the recent "Herbie: Fully Loaded."
DEBBIE EVANS: Yes.
ANDERSON: I understand your daughter`s friends at school didn`t believe that was you, that you were doing it. You guys must be the coolest moms in the class.
DEBBIE EVANS: Yes. She came home, all upset: "Mom, they won`t believe me." And so the next day that they had something at school, I wore my "Herbie" hat to school. And one of the little girls said, "Mrs. Levitt" -- that`s my married name -- "did you work on `Herbie`?" And I said, yes. And then Rebecca was standing there, all proud.
ANDERSON: All proud of her mom.
DEBBIE EVANS: And all the kids are going -- you know?
ANDERSON: Well, what you do is simply amazing. Thank you so much for being here and sharing it with us.
DEBBIE EVANS: Sure.
ANDERSON: I appreciate it. Debbie and Donna Evans.
And the World Stunt Swards air tonight on E!
HAFFENREFFER: A lawsuit against Siegfried over the tiger mauling that nearly left Roy dead. You`re not going to believe this one. All coming up in the "Legal Lowdown."
ANDERSON: Plus, the man who got famous living "La Vida Loca." Now he`s set his sights on ridding the world of a major evil. We`ll hear all about it from Ricky Martin, right here in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Tonight, U2 says it does not want some people at its concerts, specifically politicians trying to raise money for their campaigns. Politicians including Republican Senator Rick Santorum have scheduled fund- raising events in arena sky boxes at the band`s Vertigo tour, which runs through December. Bono says he`s not involved in these fundraisers and that U2 shows are not venues to raise money for any politician, that they`re rock concerts for U2 fans.
Santorum`s office says he hasn`t spoken with Bono about it, but that it`s routine for politicians to hold fund-raisers at concerts and sports venues.
All right. Now it`s time for "Thursday InStyle." Tonight, "Man of Style" with Clive Owen. From films to fashion, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes you on an inside look at what it`s like to be this sexy British actor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POLLY BLITZER, "INSTYLE" MAGAZINE: Reporter: InStyle`s "Man of Style" this month for the October issue is Clive Owen. He`s British, he`s hot. He`s going to be around for a long, long time.
Clive plays a bad boy on screen, but off screen he`s known as just a very humble guy from Coventry, England. And even though there wasn`t a lot going on where he grew up, he joined a drama club, a youth theater club when he was really little, acted in a play. And he knew right then and there he wanted to be an actor.
Even though Clive has an incredible sense of style, he said he and his wife Sara are not at all crazy about clothes. He won`t wear something that someone else buys for him unless he really likes it. But she doesn`t even do the shopping for him.
While Clive is a self-proclaimed anti-fashionista, he still totally digs Chanel. But when it comes to Chanel, he loves their fragrances.
Clive said that David Bowie was his inspiration when he was growing up. When he was 13, he emulated David Bowie by making his hair every color under the sun.
So from growing up and having five different colors in his hair to now being a huge hot British import in the United States, Clive has come a long way. He also has two daughters that he says growing up in a family of six boys is like the greatest gift that he could ever have.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And to read more about Clive Owen`s style, just pick up a copy of "InStyle" magazine. It`s on newsstands now.
HAFFENREFFER: And you know Clive Owen`s name was floated as a possible heir to the James bond throne. But tonight, it`s another British actor who may be on the verge of becoming 007. That`s all coming up.
ANDERSON: Plus, we`ve seen the future of gadgets, and they`re even cooler than the new video iPod. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes you boldly where no man has gone before. That`s next.
HAFFENREFFER: And Gwen Stefani`s "Hollaback Girl" now has got a place forever in music history. That story is really B-A-N-A-N-A-S, and it`s coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in one minute. Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
U.S. troops told President Bush by videoconference today that Iraqi forces are up to handling security for this weekend`s referendum. The top general in Iraq recently said only one Iraqi army battalion was fully ready for combat.
The rain just will not let up on the northeastern coast of the U.S. after eight water-logged days. Flood warnings are still up from New Jersey to Connecticut. The hardest hit so far, New Hampshire, where flooding has killed three people.
Texas prosecutor Ronnie Earle has subpoenaed the home phone records of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. DeLay was indicted last week on charges of money laundering and conspiracy.
A Pennsylvania woman is in custody after reportedly attacking a pregnant neighbor in an attempt to steal the woman`s baby. Police say Peggy Jo Connor drove her neighbor to a secluded area and cut open her stomach. Police say a teen on an ATV came by, stopped the whole attack. Doctors performed an emergency c-section on the mom. Doctor say that she and baby appear well.
That`s the news for now. I`m Thomas Roberts. We take you back 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, filling in for A.J. Hammer. You`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
Tonight, the future of hand-held electronics. Of course, Apple came out with their iPod video player. You`re going to be able to watch TV shows, music videos.
ANDERSON: Very exciting.
HAFFENREFFER: All the stuff going on. But what does the future hold? We`re going to take a peek. We`re going to pull the curtain back and take a look at the next wow factor.
ANDERSON: What we can expect going forward.
And, David, have you ever shaken your bon-bon to Ricky Martin music?
HAFFENREFFER: Not knowingly.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: Well, it`s been six years since Ricky Martin released that self-titled debut English album, "Ricky Martin." Well, now he`s back with a new album called "Life." Coming up, I`ll speak with him about why he took that little break, why he`s coming back, and also about his humanitarian efforts that he is so very passionate about. So all that and more is coming up.
But first, let`s get tonight`s "Hot Headlines." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is joining us live from Hollywood.
Sibila, it`s hot, right?
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is. And, also, I mean, I`ve shaken my bon-bon, but that`s my business.
(LAUGHTER)
He wasn`t smoking in the boys room, but rocker Tommy Lee did have trouble with fire. The Motley Crue drummer was burned when a concert pyrotechnics stunt went awry.
Lee was suspended by a wire 30 feet above stage when sparks began to fly. The rocker did make a visit to "Doctor Feelgood" to treat minor burns on his arms and face. This follows Vince Neil`s on-stage calamity last month. He tore a calf muscle during a show in Atlanta.
And things just got complicated for "The Simple Life." FOX network dropped the hit reality series. The network says it didn`t have a time slot for the show in its schedule. Executives say this has nothing to do with the reported feud between co-stars Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. The studio and producers say they`ll look for a new home for "The Simple Life."
Well, TV`s "Blossom" has turned over a new leaf, delivering her first child. Actress Mayim Bialik gave birth to a baby boy. It`s the first child for Bialik and her husband, Michael Stone. The pair met at school after Bialik`s run as "Blossom" in the `90s. The spunky teen went on to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. Mother and baby are said to be doing just fine.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines." Brooke, back to you in New York.
ANDERSON: Neuroscience and a new baby. Good for Blossom. Thank you so much, Sibila. Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.
HAFFENREFFER: Well, tonight, everybody`s talking about an evolution. As we reported earlier, Apple`s new video iPod is out. It plays music plus video, letting you travel with your favorite TV shows right in your pocket.
But if you think that`s cool, wait until you hear what else has yet to come. Live tonight in Toronto is tech expert Leo LaPorte. In Hollywood is Xeni Jardin, editor for the tech web site, Boingboing.net.
Welcome to the program.
LEO LAPORTE, TECHNOLOGY EXPERT: Good evening, David.
HAFFENREFFER: All right, Leo. This new iPod is pretty cool out there.
LAPORTE: Yes.
HAFFENREFFER: It`s hold 150 hours of video. It plays TV shows, music videos, and music, of course, and more. It`s obviously setting some type of trend here. This is just the tip of the technological iceberg, is my feeling. What`s the next big thing that`s going to be coming out of this?
LAPORTE: Well, there`s a lot of pressure on Apple to do this thing. I mean, Apple was kind of behind the curve. Microsoft has a similar product. But everybody was wondering, what`s the next iPod going to be?
By putting TV on the iPod and by selling TV shows in the iTunes music store, I think they`re creating a whole new business. In fact, it`s bad news for broadcast television, because all of a sudden people are going to be downloading television shows instead of watching them on TV and watching them on a little iPod.
HAFFENREFFER: Putting the broadcasters on notice, I imagine.
Xeni, this is an exciting time, of course. Apple revolutionizing the music industry with the iPod. How will the video iPod revolutionize the industry? And this may get back to the warning for TV broadcasters.
XENI JARDIN, BOINGBOING.NET EDITOR: Well, TV is changing. And the way that people like to enjoy media is changing.
I mean, I think what we`re going to start seeing is more devices like this that act like, you know, a one-size-fits-all place for you to store your video, your audiobooks, your music, your photos. People want to take it with them.
And I think the real question with devices like this is going to be: What kind of quality of program can you get? Will the broadcasters open up their libraries so that companies like Apple can make that available to us?
I heard that Apple was in talks with the BBC to get availability of past BBC shows. It`s not just the device; it`s what you can do with it.
HAFFENREFFER: Yes, indeed.
And, Leo, obviously, the iPod -- so many people know what the iPod is. But they`ve got these little screens. They`re about 2 inches by 2 inches. Are we going to be satisfied with that, or will those screens be getting bigger, do you think?
LAPORTE: This is the small iPod. And the screen is so tiny. But, of course, it`s going to be bigger than this. It`ll go all the way across.
It`s not really very satisfying. I think it`s not going to be great for the kinds of programming they`re offering right now, like "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost." But maybe we`ll get used to it. And, certainly, I think programmers are going to start designing programming to fit the screen. I know I am.
HAFFENREFFER: Can they move to a touch screen and make it bigger, for the entire front of the deck-of-card size piece of equipment that it is?
LAPORTE: Rumors are that Apple has been developing a variety of devices like this. This is just the first step. I think Apple has in the labs a much bigger device. There`s the Sony PlayStation Portable, which has a very usable screen. You`re going to see a whole lot of devices like this.
HAFFENREFFER: I do want to go to some predictions here. We got about 45 seconds remaining. And for both of you, I`m going to ask the question.
First to Xeni. Your thoughts on what`s going to be the "it" gadget three to five years out that we`re not even thinking about right now?
JARDIN: Well, whatever it is, I think we`re going to see increasing demand from users for devices that allow us free use of the content that we have the rights to. So let`s say I buy a DVD. I want to carry it around on my video iPod. I can`t do that right now very easily, nor can I take that "Desperate Housewives" episode and burn it back to a DVD.
HAFFENREFFER: So simply more versatility, perhaps, of what you can do with the content that you`re currently getting from the providers out there.
Leo, same question for you. What`s going to be the gadget three to five years out?
LAPORTE: Five years out, you`ve got 10 times the processing power, 100 to 200 times the storage. You`re going to have voice recognition. You`re going to be able to talk to this thing, and it`s going to talk back to you. That`s going to turn this into a very powerful device.
HAFFENREFFER: Well, listen, we thank you both for being with us today, giving us a peer into the future, Xeni Jardin and Leo LaPorte.
Apple`s video iPod, by the way, begins shipping out to stores next week.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day" throughout the program. Video iPod: Will you buy one? Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. And write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your e-mails all coming up at 55 past the hour.
ANDERSON: Talking iPod, huh?
All right. Tonight, Gwen Stefani is one in a million. The singer is setting records with her hit single "Hollaback Girl."
Stefani is marching to the beat of 1 million digital downloads. According to Nielsen Soundscan, Stefani`s catchy cheerleader chant is the first song ever to sell that many legal downloads. It is indeed bananas.
"American Idol`s" Kelly Clarkson takes the number two download spot with her hit, "Since U Been Gone."
HAFFENREFFER: And the question of who will be the next James bond will soon be answered for you. Tomorrow, the actor`s name will be revealed at a press conference in London.
And tonight, the smart money is on Daniel Craig. A report in "USA Today" says he`s the one. The British actor has appeared in some 34 films, including "Road to Perdition," "Sylvia," and recently, "Layer Cake."
Still, he isn`t exactly a household name just yet, something that could definitely change if he becomes the new Bond. When the rumors started circulating, Craig told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he always chooses roles carefully.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIEL CRAIG, REPORTEDLY THE NEXT JAMES BOND: There`s a lot that goes with playing a part like that. Obviously, there`s a lot of money to be made in playing a part like that. But there`s also a lot to lose.
So you have to -- I mean, if something like that was to come along, I would give it careful thought. Things like that come along, you have to consider them. Bond is an incredibly iconographic, you know, figure in film, and there`s a sort of, you know -- I mean, I`ve always loved the movies, but...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAFFENREFFER: How could you say no? The new Bond movie starts filming in January. Stay tuned to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`re going to bring you all the news from the press conference on tomorrow night`s program.
ANDERSON: Well, that should be exciting.
Well, he was employed to keep Roy Horn safe. But the tiger tamer`s ex-bodyguard said Siegfried stood in the way. And now he`s suing. That`s in tonight`s "Legal Lowdown."
HAFFENREFFER: It`s an incredible story.
Plus, Ricky Martin, he`s relaxed, refreshed, and raring to go. Ricky`s got a new album. And this time, he`s on nobody`s clock. The interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, next.
ANDERSON: And the cover-up for under the covers. The one degree of Kevin Bacon only a select few know about. Jay Leno breaks it down in tonight`s "Laughter Dark."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: It`s time now for a "Showbiz Sitdown" with Ricky Martin.
All right. You remember that song, of course. It was 1999 when "La Vida Loca," the crazy life began for Martin with his self-titled English debut album. Well, he sold more than 50 million albums in his solo career. And now, after taking a little break, he`s back with a new look, a new sound, and a personal mission.
Ricky Martin is here now. Ricky, great to see you.
RICKY MARTIN, MUSICIAN: And I`m glad to be here.
ANDERSON: You seem rested, relaxed. You`re looking good.
MARTIN: Do I? Thank you.
ANDERSON: Yes, you`re looking good. Are you feeling good?
MARTIN: I`m feeling great. Three years where I had the -- you know, literally the opportunity to just go back home, spend time with my family and write, write music.
I did a lot of traveling. I went to India, Brazil, Egypt, just looking for sounds.
It`s amazing because I`ve been doing this since I was 12 years old. And this is the first time I did music without thinking about a schedule and without thinking -- without any pressure. And it feels amazing. And I think it comes across in the album. I`m really happy.
ANDERSON: Just let the creative juices flow.
MARTIN: Exactly.
ANDERSON: And let`s talk about that step away from the limelight. Recently, you said that, prior to that break, you felt a little angry at times and like you were faking it for the audience. Were you struggling at a certain point?
MARTIN: I don`t think. I don`t think I was faking it. When you`re on stage in front of 30,000 people, the adrenaline is there. And I just thought it was very important for me to step out of the limelight for a second.
Like I told you, I`ve been working since I`m 12. And for more than a decade, I just didn`t stop. And I just wanted to do things differently. And I wanted to, in this sabbatical -- you know, I had the chance to look at where I`ve been and where I wanted to go. And I`m very excited just to be here.
ANDERSON: And here you are with this new album.
MARTIN: You know what I`m saying? It`s about gratitude.
ANDERSON: Exactly. It`s called "Life." What does the title mean? You`ve said it`s very personal for you. What about you will we hear on this disc?
MARTIN: I guess life is such a simple word, but at the same time it`s so complicated. We can spend hours talking about life.
I just let life happen. I really focused my emotions on what I really needed to feel to write music. I went to many countries, like I told you. And I met a lot of musicians.
And it was -- this album, I think, is about mixing, just bringing the world together, and focusing on the similarities instead of the differences between countries.
ANDERSON: Well, I`ve listened to it. I`ve heard it. It`s great.
MARTIN: Really? Thank you.
ANDERSON: I enjoyed it. I have to ask you, though: If Ricky-Mania erupts all over again, do you want that to happen? Can you handle that again?
(LAUGHTER)
MARTIN: Who would complain? Of course, we love the acceptance. It doesn`t matter, you know, how rebel you can be. When you do music, when you`re an artist, you love the acceptance, you love the applause. And that`s why we do music at the end of the day. I`m starting my concert...
ANDERSON: And you`ve done it so well.
MARTIN: I`m starting my concert tour in November 15th. You know, I can`t wait.
ANDERSON: Get back on that stage.
MARTIN: It`s just to have that immediate reaction. It`s just amazing. It`s addictive.
ANDERSON: And, Ricky, many people may not know this about you, but you`re very involved in charity work, and specifically child trafficking laws. And your work at the U.N. has been very well-received.
Why did this cause -- what drew you to this cause, specifically children`s causes?
MARTIN: Well, this is an industry that generates $10 billion every year. It`s organized crime, so everything is done, like, under the radar.
And there is a lot of ignorance. I had no idea 200,000 people are trafficked into this country for sexual labor every day. And I said, how come there are so many victims out there and no one knows about this?
So, you know, I`ve been very aggressive. I need to -- it`s all about creating, you know, a better world. And with my music, I can do something about this. With the power of music, I can create awareness about this issue.
ANDERSON: And the power of celebrity. Here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we`ve extensively covered celebrities` relief efforts following the recent natural disasters, from the tsunami in East Asia to Hurricane Katrina. And you`re donating proceeds from your tour.
What do you think, Ricky? Do celebrities have an obligation to help out?
MARTIN: I think it`s an obligation. This is how I see it. I`ve been able to see and exchange ideas with victims. I`ve seen videos, and it`s been horrible. And it`s, like, what am I going to do to get rid of this anger, this frustration?
I need to be active. So I need to talk about it. So I`ve been talking to, you know, prime ministers. I became a U.N. goodwill ambassador, because we need to make a movement.
We`re talking about slavery. This is the slavery of the new era. And 2 million children are forced into prostitution and pornography every year.
ANDERSON: It`s a serious issue.
MARTIN: This can`t go on, you know?
ANDERSON: Well, I commend you for your work. And hopefully other people will follow in your footsteps.
MARTIN: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And congratulations on this new album, "Life."
MARTIN: We`ll see what happens.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Ricky Martin, thank you so much for being here. Nice to meet you.
MARTIN: All the best.
ANDERSON: And the new album, "Life," of course, is in stores now. And you`ll love this. Like he said, he`s embarking on a worldwide tour starting next month that will go through Latin America, the U.S. and then Europe.
HAFFENREFFER: All right. Time now for the "Legal Lowdown," a look at what`s going on in the world of entertainment legal news.
On the docket tonight, a former security guard for Siegfried and Roy is accusing Siegfried of -- get this -- drugging his partner, Roy Horn, against his will by overmedicating him as he recovered from injuries after being attacked by a tiger on stage. Now the guard`s suing the Las Vegas tiger tamer, claiming he was fired for simply trying to protect Roy.
Also tonight, the bust of the largest counterfeit CD and DVD ring ever in the United States history. What does it all mean?
Live tonight in Hollywood, investigative journalist Pat Lalama joins us.
You know, we`ve got some pretty heavy charges here in the Siegfried and Roy case here. You know, a lot going on, busy thing. Why is he making this claim? And is there any truth to it?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Well, let`s talk from the gut right now. From the gut, I say something is very fishy in the tiger cage.
It just seems odd to me. It`s a couple of years later. He`s only asking for $10,000. He was fired from his job. That smells like a disgruntled human being. Of course, I`m only speculating at this point.
But the thing that really gets me is, in looking at the civil case itself, he has no attorney. He did it on his own. And I`ve spent today calling just every heavy gun I can think of in Las Vegas. None of them are associated with the case. Nobody knows of any rift between Siegfried and Roy.
And, in fact, Roy just said recently that Siegfried has been so close to him, helped him through rehab, took him -- this is the interesting part -- took him to Germany so that he could go through the rehab of getting off pain killers, because he had to take so many while he was ill.
Something`s weird here. We need to investigate.
HAFFENREFFER: Explain the significance of why he would have to file a lawsuit on his own versus hiring an attorney.
LALAMA: Well, I mean, yes, of course, we all have the right to do that. But, you know, usually, God bless all attorneys -- I`m very close to many -- but if they sniff out a high profile case with some meat to it, they`re on it. Come on.
The fact that he didn`t get any help with this, or at least it seems that he didn`t get help with this, it`s just odd to me. I could be completely off-base. But I`m trusting my instincts on this one. I think I need to hear more, but right now I am not smelling any meat here.
HAFFENREFFER: And only asking for $10,000 in the case.
LALAMA: Yes, it`s odd.
HAFFENREFFER: Not trying to break the bank.
LALAMA: Well, yes. I mean, is this his search for 15 minutes of fame? I don`t know. I tried to call him today. I didn`t get any return call. But I just don`t know of anybody who`s heard of any problem like this who`s connected to Siegfried and Roy in Las Vegas, so we`ll have to see.
HAFFENREFFER: All right. I smell a book deal.
Over to CD and DVD bust.
LALAMA: Oh, yes.
HAFFENREFFER: A federal grand jury today indicting three individuals from two stings involving 13 different locations in California and Texas. This is big business, where individuals were suspected of involvement in a large-scale network that was illegally manufacturing and distributing millions of pirated CDs and DVDs.
What happens if these people are found guilty?
LALAMA: Well, I think the worst right now, from what I can tell, is about five years in prison and a big, hefty fine. But here`s the problem: The problem with these people is that they`re -- well, not a problem for them, the problem for the rest of us -- they`re incredibly smart, OK?
These are not street thugs trying to support their drug habits. They`re incredibly smart. They`re incredibly technologically advanced. They`re incredibly organized. And most importantly, they are ripe with greed.
Their attitude is the motion picture industry and the CD business, the record business, these guys make millions. We`re going to get the man. We don`t care. There`s no conscience.
And they are so organized, it`s frightening. However, I think this time, you`ve seen -- let`s give kudos to this task force. There`s about seven different agencies that got together and said, "Oh, no, no, no. We`re going to jump on this before it gets worse."
And let`s hope that they -- they tell me they put a big dent in the operation. I think they have.
HAFFENREFFER: We`ll see how much of a setback it is.
LALAMA: Yes.
HAFFENREFFER: Pat Lalama, thank you.
LALAMA: My pleasure.
ANDERSON: Well, Kevin Bacon, a gentleman when the ladies are around. The actor tells Jay Leno how he keeps it discrete on the set, with a little trick. Leno brings home the Bacon, so to speak, in tonight`s "Laughter Dark." That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAFFENREFFER: Kevin Bacon is probably best known for his first movie, "Footloose" and, of course, the always-entertaining game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon." But it seems the actor was worried about something other than his foot being loose on a recent film, as you`ll see in our "Laughter Dark" clip from "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEVIN BACON, ACTOR: Look, I mean, if you`re doing a scene, a love scene with somebody, and you`re, you know, supposed to be completely naked, it is sort of in good taste to wear some kind of a thing, which is a bag.
LENO: Oh, I see.
BACON: Yes, it`s kind of a flesh-colored sock bag kind of thing. It`s sort of taped on.
LENO: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
BACON: And they call it a "Bacon Bag."
LENO: A "Bacon Bag"?
(LAUGHTER)
LENO: Or "Bacon Bits."
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: How do you respond to that?
HAFFENREFFER: A "Bacon Bag." We just learned a new industry term.
ANDERSON: I think we did.
All right. Moving on. Throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Video iPod: Will you buy one?
Let`s take a look at how the vote is going so far: 18 percent of you say, yes, you will; 82 percent of you say, no, you will not.
And here`s some of the e-mails we`ve received. Jason from Pennsylvania writes, "After buying the original iPod, the Shuffle and the Nano, why would I want to buy the video iPod?"
But Lyndon writes, "I would love to buy one. I want it in the sleek black."
You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. We do appreciate your e-mails.
HAFFENREFFER: And that is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for tonight. I`m David Haffenreffer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. A lot happens in 24 hours. We`ll be monitoring it. So join us tomorrow night for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
In the meantime, stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
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