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Showbiz Tonight
Police Arrest Suspect in Daniel Horowitz`s Wife`s Murder
Aired October 20, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, stunning new developments in the murder of attorney Daniel Horowitz`s wife. Tonight, the dramatic and surprising arrest of a suspect, a teenager. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the very latest.
Religion and Hollywood: Tonight, the controversial "Left Behind" movie that is turning Hollywood upside-down and turning churches into movie theatres.
Plus, "Left Behind" star Kirk Cameron, live, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also live, Melissa Etheridge, cancer survivor, activist, rock star. Tonight, her passionate music, her passionate crusade. Plus, a possible breakthrough in breast cancer treatment. Melissa Etheridge live, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
EVA LARUE, ACTRESS: I`m Eva LaRue. And if happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Good evening. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: Tonight, a breakthrough in the brutal murder mystery that has shocked and captivated the nation. TV legal commentator and defense attorney Daniel Horowitz is known for analyzing the latest developments in high-profile murder cases. Well, tonight, there`s a shocking development in his wife`s gruesome and mysterious murder case.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer, live in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom with the latest.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN HEADLINE NEWS CORRESPONDENT: A.J., it`s been less than a week since Daniel Horowitz discovered his wife, Pamela Vitale`s, body in their California Bay Area home. Just today, funeral services for Vitale was held. And just today, an arrest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIMMY LEE, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT: A 16-year-old male juvenile has been arrested for murder in connection with the killing of Pamela Vitale.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): It was startling news. But today, finally, news. An arrest made in the case of the brutal slaying of Pamela Vitale, wife of well-known TV commentator and defense attorney Daniel Horowitz. But authorities say there`s a long road ahead.
LEE: We are still interviewing people. Our crime lab is hard at work. We`re analyzing evidence and waiting for test results to come back.
HAFFENREFFER: The teenage suspect is from Lafayette, California, where the couple was building a home in the hills east of Oakland. It`s the first break in the mystery that`s captivated and fascinated the country.
A lawyer famous for defending murder suspects found his wife of 11 years murdered. The 52-year-old woman was found beaten to death in a trailer on the couple`s property Saturday. Daniel Horowitz found her.
DANIEL HOROWITZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: And I saw her. And everything -- I understood everything that I could see. I took it all in. And I knew she was dead.
HAFFENREFFER: In his very first interview since finding his wife`s battered body in their home, an emotional and stunned Daniel Horowitz opened up to a close friend, Headline Prime`s Nancy Grace.
HOROWITZ: You scream, you cry. But I know I just basically sat with her and I just told her, "I love you, and you`re beautiful, and," you know, just whatever things you say to somebody you love.
Because, to me, at that point, all that was there was the person I love. I mean, it didn`t matter anymore, you know, what was around her or the horror. I had so much time with Pamela, so I just looked at her face and it was beautiful.
HAFFENREFFER: Horowitz is known as a fixture on the legal talk show circuit, covering topics like the Scott Peterson and Robert Blake murder cases. And his wife`s murder has thrown the case he`s been working on, that of Susan Polk, the woman accused of killing her millionaire therapist husband, into a mistrial.
The arrest today in the Pamela Vitale case is big news. Horowitz told Nancy Grace that all along he thought the crime was committed by a neighbor, someone familiar with their home. Today`s news might help ease the pain, but Horowitz told Grace the agony will be with him forever.
HOROWITZ: It`s not going to ever go away, but I`ll be able to have a life of some sort. And so, right now, people around me really love me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: And Horowitz knows all too well the laws that will impact this case. Should this case proceed, the 16-year-old suspect can be tried as an adult under certain laws in California. The death penalty, however, cannot apply -- A.J.?
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer, thanks very much. And we`ll be dealing with that story some more in the "Legal Lowdown" a bit later in the show.
Well, tonight, we have startling new information about the late Johnny Carson. Even as he was all smiles on the air, he was getting terrifying death threats behind the scenes.
During the 1970s and `80s, the "Tonight Show" host received letters demanding money. And if he didn`t pay up, he would be killed, shot dead, even blown up. The threats were part of a 600-page file the FBI kept on Carson and were obtained by the news magazine show "Inside Edition," which airs tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM J. DALY, FORMER FBI INVESTIGATOR: I believe the FBI took these threats very seriously. They dispatched agents from all over the country, from different field offices. They sent some of the exhibits to the laboratory section for analysis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson spoke with Doc Severinsen this afternoon, Carson`s long-time bandleader. And he told her that Johnny never spoke about the threats and there was never extra security on the NBC lot where the "Tonight Show" was taped.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT also called Carson Productions, and they say, quote, they "have to nothing to add to the story." Carson died last January. He would have been 80 this Sunday.
ANDERSON: Well, this weekend audiences will flock to a new sequel in a popular series of movies, and they`re walking right past the multiplexes to go see it. The apocalyptic drama, "Left Behind: World at War," is playing at 3,200 churches nationwide this weekend.
In just a moment, I`ll talk to its star, Kirk Cameron. The "Left Behind" series is part of a growing number of movies aimed at a Christian audience. And their success is making Hollywood take notice.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What shall be the sign of that coming and of the end of the world?
ANDERSON (voice-over): "Left Behind: World at War" stars Kirk Cameron and Oscar-winner Louis Gossett, Jr. It`s the latest in an extremely popular series of "Left Behind" books and movies that depict the evangelical Christian view of the end of the world.
KEVIN ECKSTROM, RELIGION NEWS SERVICE: The "Left Behind" series has struck a chord with a lot of American churches, folks who believe that the end times are imminent, that we may actually be living in them right now. So this is something that they can relate to; this is something that they believe very strongly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s the anti-Christ. You can`t kill it.
ANDERSON: Chances are you won`t find "Left Behind: World at War" at a theater near you but at a church near you. Churches and Christian groups throughout the country are paying a licensing fee to the film`s distributor to screen the movie for their congregations this weekend. It`ll be released on DVD next week.
With more than 60 percent of Americans saying religion is very important to them, Hollywood is finding that it`s very profitable to turn churchgoers into moviegoers.
The musical drama "The Gospel" shocked Hollywood earlier this month. The movie`s marketing campaign was heavy on gospel radio shows and church- based promotions. The result: "The Gospel" debuted in the top ten with a weekend gross of nearly $8 million, double what it cost to make.
And who can forget about "The Passion"? Moviegoers and churchgoers flocked to Mel Gibson`s "Passion of the Christ" last year, propelling it to box office grosses of near biblical proportions and forcing Hollywood to find religion very quickly.
GITESH PANDYA, BOXOFFICEGURU.COM: I think Hollywood, when they see movies, especially this summer, under-perform on a regular basis at the box office because people are sick and tired of the same stories, the same sequels, and the same remakes, they will go after church-based moviegoers, if they have a product that they will spend money on.
ANDERSON: Disney`s upcoming "The Chronicles of Narnia," an epic based on the book "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," will get a heavy marketing push among Christian groups who`ve long seen religious themes in the children`s classic, the latest sign that Hollywood plans to mine the religious audience for all its worth.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: As we mentioned, "Left Behind" is being shown in churches across the country this weekend. And live in Hollywood is the star of the "Left Behind" series, Kirk Cameron.
Kirk, welcome.
KIRK CAMERON, ACTOR, "LEFT BEHIND": Thank you very much. Nice to be here.
ANDERSON: It`s nice to have you here. Now, more than 3,000 churches. That`s almost as large as a Hollywood movie premiere. Kirk, tell us why people would want to go to churches to see a movie about the end of the world?
CAMERON: Well, obviously, there`s a core audience for the "Left Behind" books and the "Left Behind" movies. So if you want to see this on a big, giant screen, chances are the only place you`re going to see that is at a church this weekend.
After that, you`ll be able to get it on DVD. But I`m going this weekend. We`ve got the premiere tonight, and I`m very excited.
ANDERSON: And why the grassroots-style campaign? Is admission charged?
CAMERON: There is a licensing fee for the church to actually be able to screen the movie. But churches have their own option to either charge admission, or some people are even requesting that people bring in food relief for hurricane victims, anything that they decide is an appropriate way to get people to pitch in and help out with their community.
ANDERSON: Maybe voluntary donations, then?
CAMERON: That`s right. Voluntary donations, sometimes donations to the church itself or, like I said, there`s organizations, like the Children`s Hunger Fund and many others, who are participating with churches to encourage people to bring food and clothing for disaster relief as admission prices.
ANDERSON: Let me ask you this: People, of course, were visibly moved watching Mel Gibson`s "The Passion of the Christ" in theaters on the big screen. It made more than $600 million worldwide.
But, at first, Hollywood wasn`t that excited about his pitch. He had to finance it all on his own. Do you feel that Hollywood has kind of been missing what moviegoers want to see?
CAMERON: Well, I think that it`s obvious to everyone, after "The Passion of the Christ," that there are multitudes of people who want to see faith-based movies and, even more specifically, Bible-themed movies.
And with Hurricane Katrina, and Wilma, and earthquakes, and Asian bird disease, and all kinds of catastrophic events potentially having major effects on the entire world, people are starting to ask questions around the dinner table.
"Hey, what do you think about all this, you know? Does this fit with what the Bible has to say? Did you go to church? What do you think about that?" And so, when you bring a movie like "Left Behind" onto the radar screen, people are very intrigued at this point in history.
ANDERSON: Encouraging conversation. And, Kirk, many people may not know but, after "Growing Pains," you`ve devoted your life and your career to your religion, to Christianity. How has that affected your career choices?
CAMERON: Well, first, I would say that I`ve devoted my life to my family and to God. And, as a Christian actor, it is -- it`s made things -- it`s made things even easier for me, because I have a set of values and an integrity filter that I`m able to screen opportunities through.
And it helps me to narrow down and focus in on the projects that I think are best, ones that I can be proud of, and things that I`m going to want my kids and my family to watch. And that`s the kind of thing that I want to pursue.
ANDERSON: All right. Sounds great. Kirk, thank you so much for joining us. Best of luck with this film.
CAMERON: Thank you. Thank you.
ANDERSON: And "Left Behind: World at War" opens this weekend in more than 3,000 churches nationwide.
HAMMER: Well, Michael Jackson may actually be heading back to court in California, but not for the reason you may be thinking. We`re going to explain, coming up in the "Legal Lowdown."
ANDERSON: Plus, with a name like "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang," you know it isn`t your average Hollywood fare. Val Kilmer is here live to tell us all about his new movie and the roles that made him famous.
HAMMER: And you got to love the women with guitars. Melissa Etheridge comes to our window, coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: But first, let`s go to tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" great American pop culture quiz. Where did Ernest Hemingway die, Idaho, Cuba, Key West, or Spain? We`ll be right back with your answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: So, again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" great American pop culture quiz. Where did Ernest Hemingway die? Was it Idaho, Cuba, Key West, or Spain? The answer is a, Idaho.
HAMMER: Tonight in our "Showbiz Sitdown," everyone remembers Val Kilmer from the 1986 blockbuster movie "Top Gun." He played Iceman, of course, arch nemesis of Tom Cruise`s character, Maverick. And who could forget his absolutely unbelievable portrayal of legendary rock star Jim Morrison back in Oliver Stone`s `91 film "The Doors"?
Well, Kilmer returns to the silver screen in a dark new comedy. It`s such a cool movie. "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" is the name of it. He plays a gay private eye. It opens up this weekend.
Val Kilmer, thanks for joining us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Nice to see you.
Lots of people making a big fuss about a particular scene in this movie, this kiss between you and Robert Downey, Jr. And I feel it`s fair to point out to audiences who are going expecting to see a romance between the two of you, that`s not what they`re going to get.
VAL KILMER, ACTOR, "KISS KISS, BANG BANG": No. It`s a hard movie to describe because it`s so unique. Shane Black wrote it, who kind of created this action-buddy genre with "Lethal Weapon." And he directed it, as well. And it`s just really funny. I mean, I can guarantee you that you`ll laugh when you see it.
HAMMER: And it`s truly -- and this sounds like a critic`s cliche -- but it`s truly a wild ride. It`s quirky, and it`s unconventional and a lot of fun.
KILMER: Yes.
HAMMER: And about that particular scene, you know, you guys are out doing press, talking about the movie. And I`m sure everybody`s asking, "Oh, is he a good kisser?" and all of that.
Well, I heard Robert Downey, Jr., answering that question and said, "Oh, yes, Val`s a good kisser. I just wish he hadn`t eaten a smelly sandwich before that scene." Now...
KILMER: He did that. He had garlic toast before we kissed.
HAMMER: So it was him?
KILMER: Yes.
HAMMER: OK. So he was not minty fresh, and you were?
KILMER: I was, yes.
HAMMER: It`s...
KILMER: I only kissed two men, him and Colin Farrell.
HAMMER: And Colin Farrell was also -- that was also in a movie?
KILMER: That was also in a movie, yes.
HAMMER: Which film was that?
KILMER: That was "Alexander."
HAMMER: OK.
KILMER: I played his dad, so...
HAMMER: It was a whole...
(CROSSTALK)
KILMER: So why did he give me tongue? That was weird.
HAMMER: That shouldn`t have happened.
KILMER: I know. It was odd.
HAMMER: You may need to take that up with him.
KILMER: Robert`s a better kisser, though.
HAMMER: OK.
KILMER: Sorry, Colin.
HAMMER: Well, let`s move on.
You`ve received a lot of critical acclaim for your role and for your work. And it really is just such a great character for you. Do you have objectivity when you walk away from doing a role saying, "Yes, I was pretty good in that"?
KILMER: All I know is every night, mostly night shoots, I didn`t want it to end. And I ruined more takes than any movie I`ve ever done before by laughing.
Robert`s just funny. And a great new actress in it, Michelle Monaghan -- she`s currently starring in "Mission Impossible 3," so she probably won`t return anyone`s phone calls this time next year.
HAMMER: But when you get back to your hotel room at the end of the night, do you have a sense that the performance went as well as people say it did?
KILMER: We`ve been trying to find the right time to open it, which is now, I think tomorrow, tomorrow night here in New York. And it`s been over a year. So we had to wait about a year to find out whether we were funny.
You never know. I mean, I laughed. But the audiences are really enjoying it, so it`s very gratifying. And I`ve been looking to do a comedy for about five years. I just couldn`t find one.
HAMMER: And this, truth be told, is a dark comedy, but do you want to get more into a straight comedy role? Perhaps this will lead you to that. Because people stay away from giving you a comedy roles if you haven`t done one in a while, is my understanding.
KILMER: Yes, I know. I don`t know why. It`s like there`s an unwritten law in Hollywood, you can`t do a comedy unless you just did one. But, yes, I`d love to. It was a lot of fun.
HAMMER: Well, you`re a writer. Would you ever consider writing a comedic screenplay?
KILMER: I talk to Robert about it all the time. I`d love to work with him again, yes.
HAMMER: He said you guys became great friends during the course of this movie, friends for life. Was there one particular incident that cemented the friendship?
KILMER: Besides the kiss, there was one night when the light just -- the wind was just blowing in his hair...
HAMMER: The light just hit him in a certain way?
KILMER: Yes. It was just something.
HAMMER: Seeing if you can get past...
KILMER: Wish he didn`t get married, but he did.
HAMMER: If you can get past him having a garlic sandwich...
KILMER: And he`s married now.
HAMMER: He is married now.
KILMER: Yes.
HAMMER: All right.
KILMER: Michelle Monaghan got married, too.
HAMMER: All the people you`re working with.
KILMER: Just me and Shane will be alone with the Geiger counters, like Richard Nixon in La Jolla.
HAMMER: Do you have a specific memory of the most fun you`ve ever had making any one of the movies you`ve done?
KILMER: I`ve been really lucky. I`ve worked with some great people. And, of course, because I just finished this, this was my most favorite memory is with Robert.
HAMMER: So this ranks up there for you?
KILMER: Yes. It really is wonderful.
HAMMER: Well, you`ve had a great success in your career with so many different and diverse roles. And you`ve also had many diverse looks in your career.
You`ve been somewhat of a chameleon. We actually have the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Val Kilmer photo book. And I was hoping we could flip through a couple of the pictures and maybe you could just give me a reaction to...
KILMER: OK.
HAMMER: ... to what was going on in here. So if we can open up the photo book and throw up this first photo. What comes to mind there?
KILMER: The Germanic version -- well, that might be my first gay role. That was in -- that`s in "Top Gun."
HAMMER: In 1986.
KILMER: Yes.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s flip to another one.
KILMER: That, believe it or not, I wore those seriously. I don`t think that`s for a role.
HAMMER: Those were prescription.
KILMER: It could be "Batman," but my hair is too long.
HAMMER: That`s 1994.
KILMER: Yes.
HAMMER: Let`s throw to the next photo.
KILMER: Yes. Yes.
HAMMER: Great experience for you?
KILMER: It was a lot of fun. It really was.
HAMMER: And it sounds like this movie that you just are putting out this weekend ranks up there. And we appreciate you stopping by to talk with us about it.
KILMER: Thanks.
HAMMER: Val Kilmer, nice to see you.
"Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" does open in select cities tomorrow -- Brooke?
ANDERSON: If you want a star-studded event in Hollywood, make it about the environment. Stars, including Harrison Ford, came out for the Environmental Media Awards, honoring movies and TV shows that increase awareness of environmental issues. Cameron Diaz won an award for her MTV show "Trippin`." She said the EMAs are important for a big reason, a sentiment which other stars echoed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAMERON DIAZ, WON AN AWARD FOR "TRIPPIN": Everybody breathes air. Everybody drinks water. Everybody use the soil to grow their food. So it really serves everyone to be aware of what it is that we`re doing to the environment.
ROB REINER, ATTENDED ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS: If we don`t fix this, if we don`t have a sustainable environment, then we don`t have to worry about too much of anything else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The event had a special green carpet, which stars were allowed to drive on, in hybrid cars, of course.
All right, attention California residents: Your fate could be in the hands of Michael Jackson. We`ll explain, coming up in the "Legal Lowdown."
HAMMER: And hot trends on the red carpet, coming up next in "Thursday InStyle" here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Plus, are you a bad parent if you let your kids watch TV in primetime? One group says the situation is getting, you guessed it, desperate. That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Well, it`s time now for "Thursday InStyle." Tonight, it`s the look with fashion director Hal Rubenstein. He tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what fashion trends are hot right now and why he just can`t get enough of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAL RUBENSTEIN, FASHION DIRECTOR: The thing about this sort of showgirl look is that fashion and red carpet are parallel, but they don`t always mix. There`s a certain flash that you need on that red carpet.
It is called show business. You look at the Versace dress that Brittany Murphy is wearing. It`s not a dress that will really work anywhere else, really. But when you`re on a stage, or the Elie Saab dress. There`s so much flash going on that you sort of have to be isolated. It really is about putting on a little show of your own.
The thing about the Boho look -- and I think the reason why it has been so popular across the board -- women love this look, because it`s comfortable, because it`s flirty, because it`s not tight. It`s just great stuff. It`s very gypsy, it`s very Cher-like, `70s. And I think women have fun dressing this way.
Taken from a couple of years ago when this -- sort of the white shirt and the shirt came back, we`ve now gotten back to the blouse. What we`re talking about is a very feminine piece of clothing, sort of Victorian blouse that gets all frilly, and it`s all girlie, and it comes up to here, and it flutters down.
And there`s lace, and there`s ruffle, and there`s krill work (ph). And it`s incredibly intricate. The way it`s worn best for me is Hilary Swank, because she`s wearing it with a leather jacket, she`s wearing it with a pair of jeans, a pair of boots. The counterpoint of the very soft, and the sleek, and the slightly harder, I think, makes for a more balanced style.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Beautiful looks. But it`s not that effortless. He didn`t talk about that, that stars work hard to make it look so easy. They`ve got to make sure everything`s in place with those dresses cut down so low.
But if you want to read more on this month`s hottest celebrity fashion, pick up a copy of "InStyle" magazine. It`s on newsstands now.
HAMMER: Melissa Etheridge, not only a big-time rock and roll star, but she`s also on a mission to end breast cancer. She is a survivor and a rock star to boot. Melissa Etheridge is live, coming up.
ANDERSON: Yes, she is. Plus, is "American Dad" bad for Americans and dads? One group says yes. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: And stunning news today of the arrest of a teenager in the murder of attorney Daniel Horowitz`s wife. More details coming up in the "Legal Lowdown."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in a minute. Thanks for joining us. I`m Catherine Callaway with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
Floridians are keeping a watchful eye on Hurricane Wilma, whose winds are now gusting at about 150 miles an hour. Governor Jeb Bush says that now is the time for residents to decide whether they want to ride out the storm. Wilma`s expected to start battering Cancun, Mexico, tonight.
Rescuers are still looking for two young children in the San Francisco Bay. Witnesses say their mother threw three of her children into the water yesterday. One body has already been found. The mother is in custody.
It could be the dirty truth about anti-bacterial soaps. An FDA panel finds that they are no more effective than regular soap in preventing infection. They add, "Simply using good old soap and water should usually do the trick."
And that`s the news for now. I`m Catherine Callaway. Back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And you`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
Tonight, A.J., as we`ve been reporting earlier in the show, a stunning breakthrough today in the case of TV legal commentator Daniel Horowitz`s wife`s murder. A 16-year-old, a teenager, was arrested for murder in connection with that case. And coming up in the "Legal Lowdown," we`ll get details on this suspect and how he might be tried.
And also, A.J., it`s been, what, four months since Michael Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges?
HAMMER: That`s right.
ANDERSON: Well, acquitted by a jury, and now he`s being summoned to be on a jury. We`ll have all that in the "Legal Lowdown."
HAMMER: Can you imagine that that could quite possibly ever happen?
(LAUGHTER)
Also, from a pretty tough story to a great story, rocker Melissa Etheridge is here live. She`s had a pretty tough but incredible year battling breast cancer in a very public way. And there`s also some big news on the breast cancer fight front tonight. We`re going to talk to Melissa about that in just a couple of minutes.
ANDERSON: Yes, she`s very involved.
HAMMER: She is.
But first, let`s get tonight`s "Hot Headlines." David Haffenreffer joining us live again from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom -- David?
HAFFENREFFER: Thanks, A.J.
Tonight, will the Donald fire Martha? In an interview with ABC Radio, Donald Trump says Martha Stewart is to blame for his show`s ratings drop. Trump says the Martha version of "The Apprentice" is causing, quote, "confusion for viewers." Trump`s "Apprentice" ratings are down 40 percent from last year`s. Stewart`s "Apprentice" has been a disappointment. Trump also says no decision has been made to cancel Martha show just yet.
Well tonight, Tina Fey is heading back to work. Today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned that the "Saturday Night Live" writer and star will return to the show this weekend. She`s been on maternity leave after giving birth to a baby girl back in September.
And 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42. Those numbers have some unknown powerful force on the program "Lost," but they weren`t powerful in last night`s Powerball drawing. Hundreds of people played them and lost. On the ABC show, the Hurley character wins $156 million with those numbers, but then has a string of bad luck.
By the way, one winning ticket, worth $340 million, was sold in Oregon.
And those are your "Hot Headlines" tonight. Brooke, back to you.
ANDERSON: One winning ticket. All right, David, thanks so much.
HAMMER: Tonight, a "Showbiz Sitdown" with an extraordinary woman, Melissa Etheridge, singer, songwriter, activist, mother of two, and cancer survivor. She`s got a greatest hits album. It`s in stores now. And she`s actively doing her part to find a cure for breast cancer. Melissa joins us now live here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
So great to see you. You look amazing.
MELISSA ETHERIDGE, SINGER-SONGWRITER: Thank you very much. I feel good.
HAMMER: Good. Well, that`s good to know. And I know you had a big performance here in New York City last night. And you had plenty of energy for it?
ETHERIDGE: Yes. Oh, yes, yes, yes, lots. I`m not touring, like, full on. I just did a couple of shows here and there. And that`s nice. I`ll tour, like, next year.
HAMMER: Well, I want to go back to one particular performance, which you`ve been talking an awful lot about, but, for me, I was one of those people up on my feet when you performed at the Grammies this year.
You know, there are so many great Grammy performances in history. This was one of the top, for sure. You and Joss Stone out there. Was that exactly the medicine you needed that night?
ETHERIDGE: That was so much about me that night. I had been on my back for so long and gone through the chemotherapy. And to get a call from Ken Ehrlich at the Grammies saying, "We`re doing a tribute to Janis Joplin. Will you come sing?"
I said, "God, I can`t imagine anyone else doing it. I want to do it. I`m going to be bald." And it was about really getting back in there and getting up and singing it. And I love that song so much.
HAMMER: It has to have been so liberating for you.
ETHERIDGE: Oh, it was. It was huge. I mean, you could tell by the screaming I had a good time.
HAMMER: And ever since then, you`ve been out there fighting the fight. And in a particular way right now, because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What exactly are you doing to help get the message out there this month, in addition to showing off these cool little pins?
I`m sorry I didn`t ask for a close-up of this before, but this is -- camera five, where are you? Right over here. Right over here. It`s a little Hard Rock Cafe pink pin.
ETHERIDGE: Yes, you can get it at Hard Rock or you can go to Hardrock.com. A hundred percent of proceeds go to Susan Love Research, which is one of the great breast cancer research foundations.
I`m also -- there`s a song on my greatest hits called "I Run for Life." It was written for the Race for the Cure. You can go to Fordcares.com. A hundred percent of proceeds go to research and such. And there`s just a lot of stuff this month.
HAMMER: That has to feel good, being able to do your part for it. And so often, when celebrities are afflicted with something, they sort of become the de facto spokesperson for that disease, whether it`s Michael J. Fox and Parkinson`s, or Magic Johnson and AIDS.
But this is something that you perhaps felt you had no choice but to get out there and be upfront for?
ETHERIDGE: Yes, because it is a part of me. It`s not -- I am willing to come here and answer your questions.
My experience certainly isn`t like the majority of others, I mean, especially breast cancer experience. Very different for everyone. And I can only speak about my experience. And for those who want to know or want to know that information, I gladly will speak about it.
HAMMER: And to that end, though, it`s very personal. I mean, I`ve read where you`ve talked about stuff, and you`re showing off your scars that are -- I mean, really things that I wouldn`t expect a couple of years ago you would have gone to that depth of personal level.
ETHERIDGE: Well, no, I`ve kind of always been kind of a personal -- I tend to answer whatever questions you guys ask me.
HAMMER: That`s true. Actually, you`ve got something there.
ETHERIDGE: You know, my lifestyle, my everything. And this is just - - I made a choice, when I got that diagnosis. I made a choice a year ago, "You know what? I`m going to walk through this with as much dignity and respect as I can, and I`m going to answer the questions when they come. I`m going to be willing to talk about it."
HAMMER: Big news today, of course.
ETHERIDGE: Yes.
HAMMER: A great revolutionary medical breakthrough that doctors are saying really could lead, or perhaps lead to -- or perhaps be the cure.
ETHERIDGE: Yes. Herceptin is good for the one type of breast cancer. Actually, it -- you have to be -- oh, I don`t know the medical thing -- it`s something positive that I actually am not. So I was not able to use that.
HAMMER: OK. You would not have been a candidate.
ETHERIDGE: But for the millions that are, it is a very good sign. And not only that, but there are so many researches, so many researchers and things that they`re looking at right now that are so positive. You have no idea. I know that, in 10 years, cancer will be an affliction, but not one that sends fear in all of us.
HAMMER: You do believe that, in your heart of hearts?
ETHERIDGE: I know it. I`ve seen it...
HAMMER: Because that`s a pretty bold statement, and giving people a lot of hope.
ETHERIDGE: No, I truly -- I mean, I lost my father, my grandmother, my aunt. And I, you know, of course, have had it. And I do believe that wholeheartedly.
HAMMER: Do you think the government`s doing enough, enough funding?
ETHERIDGE: Oh, don`t talk to me about the government.
(LAUGHTER)
No, of course not. But there are a lot of private foundations that you can put a lot of money to. And that`s really what our society needs to do, because, of course, the government is very slow in that.
HAMMER: And the money is just not there where it needs to be.
ETHERIDGE: You know.
HAMMER: Biggest lesson you learned in the course of this last period of time?
ETHERIDGE: Nutrition and listening to your body, not only women, but men, all of us in our western society, we really believe that we can eat food that has no nutritional value and sustain ourselves? I really learned what food is in the human body and why we need to really look at that and take care of ourselves.
HAMMER: Well, I`m glad to know that you are feeling well and you truly do look terrific.
ETHERIDGE: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: I don`t just say these things, Melissa. I mean these things.
ETHERIDGE: All right. Then thank you.
HAMMER: Thanks for being with us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And as Melissa mentioned, you can go to Hardrock.com or you can stop by any Hard Rock Cafe and pick up one of their breast cancer pins. One hundred percent of the profits, as she said, go to research.
ANDERSON: And she looks great. Glad to hear that she`s doing so well.
And even more celebrities are helping out today in the battle against breast cancer. Jennifer Aniston co-hosted Couture Cares, a benefit for breast cancer, this afternoon in Los Angeles, with fashion designer Oscar de la Renta. Other stars that came out for the fashion show included Reese Witherspoon, Brittany Murphy, Rose McGowan, and Calista Flockhart. Proceeds from the first-time event go to the Revlon-UCLA Breast Center.
And they may be some of the best-rated TV shows out there, but, tonight, one group is calling them the worst to watch. What gives? Find out why some shows about families are not family-friendly, next.
HAMMER: Plus, there`s breaking news in the horrific case of a murdered TV lawyer`s wife. That`s coming up in tonight`s "Legal Lowdown," live.
ANDERSON: But first, this is a lot of fun. Now a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT birthday shout-out. This is where we give fans a chance to wish their favorite stars a happy birthday.
Tonight, a birthday shout-out to rapper Snoop Dogg. He`s celebrating his 34th today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, I`m Dave Amarian (ph). And I wanted to wish a happy birthday to Snoop Dogg. You`re my idol. I love you. And you and Dr. Dre performed the greatest song ever on the MTV music awards.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
Time now for the "Legal Lowdown," a look at what`s going on in the world of entertainment legal news. On the docket tonight, breaking news today in the case of TV legal commentator Daniel Horowitz`s murdered wife. Police arrest a 16-year-old boy in connection with the bludgeoning death of Pamela Vitale. Horowitz discovered his wife`s body last weekend in their California home.
And believe this: It seems like Michael Jackson just can`t stay out of court. Four months after being acquitted of child molestation charges by a jury of his peers, he is now being asked to join his peers on a jury.
That`s right. Michael Jackson got a summons for jury duty.
Joining us live from Hollywood, investigative journalist Pat Lalama.
Let`s talk about the first case, in terms of Daniel Horowitz and his wife`s murder. Breaking news, as we said, with this 16-year-old suspect now in custody. What do we know about him?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Oh, it`s such a tragedy. This young man allegedly is from the area, very close by. Allegedly -- and it`s been published -- that he and a friend were involved in some sort of credit card scam where they would, allegedly, steal credit cards from people`s mailboxes with the intent of having a pot farm.
And we`re told, and we understand, that he sent in for some paraphernalia, some equipment to start this pot farm, thought that this equipment had been delivered to Mrs. Vitale`s home, went there to look for the paraphernalia and equipment, and then the altercation happened, and we know the rest.
A horrifying, horrifying murder. He is the prime suspect at this point. We thought for a while that the eye was going to be on the gentleman who lived on the property, but it turns out he is not the person that the police are looking for.
HAMMER: Yes, so this was a real left turn, a big surprise to most people.
LALAMA: Yes, it is. Yes, it is.
HAMMER: So what happens here, Pat? And do we even know at this point, could this young man, 16 years old, be tried as an adult?
LALAMA: Oh, absolutely. And, look, I mean, here`s -- the way the law works in California, there are seven different criteria that the justice system will look at to determine whether this kid can be bound over and tried as an adult.
But the one thing that you need to know is that, in this case, only one of them really matter. And that is the gravity and the seriousness of this murder. That alone will trump all the other six elements he will most undoubtedly, if it comes to this, be tried as an adult in the state of California.
HAMMER: Does the death penalty play in here at all?
LALAMA: No, it doesn`t. Even if there were special circumstances, if he were an adult, the fact that this happened allegedly when he was a minor, it absolutely disqualifies him for the death penalty. So we`ll have to wait and see what happens. He`ll definitely be tried as an adult, if and when it comes to that, but not the death penalty.
HAMMER: And, of course, they have the suspect in custody, but police are quick to point out the case is still wide open.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Is that pretty typical, or are they just making sure they have the right guy, or have they said anything else further on that?
LALAMA: My guess would be in this matter they don`t want to make any mistakes. We know how California cases can go, particularly high-profile. I think they want to cross every single t.
My understanding is that the friend who was allegedly involved with the pot-growing scheme is not a part of the murder and will not be any part of any kind of indictment there. But, at this point, I think they`re just being careful.
HAMMER: And I`m sure the details will continue to flow this week.
LALAMA: Yes.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s move on to what strikes me as just a little bit bizarre, Pat, call me crazy. Michael Jackson getting...
LALAMA: I`m trying not to smile.
HAMMER: Yes, I mean, what`s the deal here? Michael Jackson getting a summons to appear in jury duty in Santa Barbara near his Neverland ranch. Will he ever have to even show up?
LALAMA: Are you kidding me? The only way -- come on. The only way he`s going to come from Bahrain, where he lives now, to show up for jury duty is if D.A. Tom Sneddon`s relative happens to be the defendant in the case. Then I`m sure he`ll walk there if he could.
But no. I mean, look, all he has to do -- he`s got, I think, a couple of months to write papers that say, "I don`t live there anymore. Here`s where my home is. See you later. Good-bye." So don`t expect him in a Santa Barbara court.
But you know what`s really funny? There still is a pending case down in New Orleans. I spoke to the clerk of the federal court -- in the federal court today of the gentleman who says, back in 1984, he was molested at the World`s Fair by Michael Jackson.
That is still pending. So we`ll see if that court wants to drag him all the way from his royal buddies to show up in court for that case.
HAMMER: All right. So Michael could, in fact, wind up in court, but we won`t expect to see him on a jury anytime soon.
LALAMA: Oh, heavens no.
HAMMER: Pat Lalama, thanks so much for joining us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
LALAMA: My pleasure.
ANDERSON: Tonight, incest, bestiality, necrophilia on TV, and your kids could be watching. The Parents Television Council just released its list of the top ten best and worst shows for family viewing.
And according to the PTC, some of the most watched shows are the most unwatchable. Some of their list of the worst shows, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" on CBS on that list. The animated dysfunction Griffin family with the smart-aleck baby and talking dog, of FOX`s "Family Guy." And those "Desperate Housewives" of Wisteria Lane on ABC, all on the worst show list.
And live in Washington, D.C., tonight`s "Showbiz Newsmaker," Melissa Caldwell, director of research with the Parents Television Council.
Melissa, great to see you.
MELISSA CALDWELL, PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL: Thanks.
ANDERSON: All right. Let`s talk about those shows that I just mentioned, "CSI," "Desperate Housewives," "Family Guy," what`s specifically wrong with these shows?
CALDWELL: Well, you know, a lot of people have questioned us for including "CSI" and "Desperate Housewives" on this list. After all, they reason, you know, these are adult dramas targeted to adult audiences, which may be true, but they are also surprisingly very popular with young viewers, some of the youngest members of the family.
And I don`t know if that`s because these young viewers are necessarily seeking out these programs or if it`s just that mom and dad are just sort of absentmindedly watching it with the kids still in the room.
But if you step back from the glitzy production values and the slick editing of these programs and take a look at the themes that are addressed in these programs, you have a woman having an adulterous relationship with an underage boy, a mother covering up her son`s accidental murdering of another character`s mother-in-law.
You have, on "CSI," many episodes involving incestuous relationships, fetishist behavior, S&M sex clubs and the like. And so you have to consider what kind of messages the young children who are watching these shows -- and there are millions of children watching these shows -- what sorts of messages they`re absorbing from these programs?
ANDERSON: Well, are you trying to alert the parents, or are you trying to put the networks on notice here?
CALDWELL: A little bit of both. You know, as I said, obviously, parents have to be aware, to a certain extent, that their kids are watching these programs, even if mom and dad happen to be fans of these shows. If they`re watching with the kids in the room, that signals a problem.
You see surveys oftentimes that indicate that something like 98, 99 percent of parents think there`s too much sex and violence on TV. And yet, more than half the children in this country have TV sets in their bedrooms. That`s a problem.
ANDERSON: And...
CALDWELL: So...
ANDERSON: Go ahead. I`m sorry.
CALDWELL: So there is certainly an element of parental responsibility at play here, but that doesn`t let the networks off the hook, either. They need to be mindful of the fact that kids are watching these shows and be careful with the messages they`re putting out there.
ANDERSON: And, on your list of best shows -- I`m looking at the list right now -- you list "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Three Wishes," "American Idol." You have nine shows here. You couldn`t round out the top ten. Do you not think there are ten positive family-oriented shows on TV, primetime TV right now?
CALDWELL: Yes, it`s unbelievable. We`ve been doing this list for a number of years and this is the first year we`ve ever been unable to come up with ten shows that we could wholeheartedly recommend for family viewing.
And I think that`s pretty sad, when you consider that, between the six major broadcast networks, they have over 10 hours of primetime to fill. They can`t even give families ten shows that they can watch together.
ANDERSON: Very interesting, Melissa. Thank you so much for joining us and sharing your insight. We appreciate it.
CALDWELL: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And that leads us to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Primetime TV: Is it inappropriate for kids? Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. Write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your e-mails are coming up right after this break.
HAMMER: Well, there`s some big legal goings-on in Iraq, where Saddam Hussein is on trial. It looks like a celebrity judge might actually be getting involved, and she`s not taking any lip. That`s coming up, in "Laughter Dark," next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: It`s time now for "Laughter Dark," the best from late night TV. Well, as you might have heard, a very defiant Saddam Hussein got into a little bit of a courtroom quarrel with the judge at his trial. But did you see this video? "Late Night with Conan O`Brien" did.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONAN O`BRIEN, HOST, "LATE NIGHT": That`s a tense scene, the opening day, yes. Saddam really got into it with the judge. It was very, very tense, powerful TV. Take a look.
SADDAM HUSSEIN, FORMER DICTATOR OF IRAQ (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I am innocent of all charges against me.
JUDGE JUDY, TELEVISION JUDGE: You must think that the whole world is stupid, including me.
(LAUGHTER)
HUSSEIN: I bought uranium to try to build the bombs, but what happened...
JUDY: That never happened, never happened!
HUSSEIN: It did happen. It happened.
JUDY: Never happened in this country, sir.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Judge Judy, she`s a tough cookie. When she`s on the bench, you better watch out, right?
All right. Throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Primetime TV: Is it inappropriate for kids?
Well, let`s take a look at how the vote is going so far: 73 percent of you say, yes, it is inappropriate; 27 percent of you say, no, it`s not inappropriate.
Here`s some of the e-mails we`ve received.
Chris from Canada writes, "A terrible metamorphosis has flooded network television with programs oriented to the less innocent adult mind."
And Cathy from Montana simply says, "Bring back real family entertainment."
You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
HAMMER: It is time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow. Let`s take a look at the "Showbiz Marquee." Marquee Guy with the night off, so tonight it`s me.
Tomorrow, Jeff Garlin`s going to be here. Funny, funny man. He was on "Mad About You." Now he`s hanging out with a mad-man, Larry David, on HBO`s "Curb Your Enthusiasm," one of my favorite shows. Get set for some funny times. We just can`t curb our enthusiasm for Jeff Garlin. He`s live tomorrow.
Clearly, this was written for the Marquee Guy.
Also tomorrow, Martina McBride, live. This big-time country star of today has got a brand new album of songs from yesterday`s country stars, like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Tammy Wynette. It`s going to be McBride tomorrow night live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
END
