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Showbiz Tonight
Does Bush Need Media Makeover?; Tab Hunter Discusses Life, Career in Hollywood; Celebs Raise Awareness, Funds for Breast Cancer Research
Aired October 28, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: And I`m A.J. Hammer. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, what a week to be president. A nominee out, the lights still out. And today, an indictment comes in. Tonight, does President Bush need a media makeover?
It`s a sign of the times for 50 Cent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The gangster rap world is a violent world.
HAMMER: A new movie, a new video game, a major new controversy. And they`re bringing out the big guns. Tonight, why some people are all riled up, saying this billboard has to come down.
The real-life ghost whisperer. He talks to the dead and they talk back. Now, this psychic medium is on a search for haunted objects, large and small.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can an object bring good fortune?
HAMMER: James Van Praagh joins us live, for the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
MELISSA ETHERIDGE, MUSICIAN: Hey, I`m Melissa Etheridge. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Well, tonight, President Bush under siege and under the hot lights of an intense media glare.
HAMMER: That`s right. Today`s indictments at the White House cap a remarkably bad week for the president in the media spotlight. Can he bounce back? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer with the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID HAFFENREFFER: A.J., we`ve all had bad weeks, but few of us ever have them while the rest of the world watches it all unfold on television. And while the White House gets the weekend to regroup after a week of nominee withdrawals, indictments, challenges in Iraq and declining polls, how can President Bush restore his image? It may be time for a media makeover.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thanks for the warm welcome. Thanks for the chance to get out of Washington.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): One can`t blame President Bush for wanting to end his work week by getting out of Washington. It`s been a very rough week for him.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Scooter Libby, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, has been indicted.
HAFFENREFFER: Just today his vice president`s chief of staff was indicted in a CIA leak scandal that still plagues the White House.
BUSH: While we`re all saddened by today`s news, we remain wholly focused on the many issues and opportunities facing this country.
HAFFENREFFER: Yesterday the president`s Supreme Court pick, Harriet Miers, stepped down after she and the president who nominated her spent three weeks getting slammed in the media.
On Tuesday, the U.S. death toll in Iraq hit 2,000, leading to more unwelcome headlines in the White House.
And even when President Bush did something that went relatively well, like his pick to replace Alan Greenspan at the Fed, he still got zinged in the late night comedy shows.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, CBS`S "LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Apparently, Bush is trying out a new strategy, qualified people.
HAFFENREFFER: It`s official: the media are hammering President Bush right now in the news hour and in the late night hours.
(on camera) President Bush has been going through a bit of a rough patch.
JAY LENO, HOST, NBC`S "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": I heard.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): I caught up with "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno this morning at his children`s book signing at New York City`s 92nd Street Y. He says President Bush and his troubles have been good for comedy.
LENO: Well, of course, Clinton was the golden age of comedy, you know, chubby girls under the desk. What`s funnier than that? I mean, that was the golden age. But this one, I think, seems to work pretty well, too. But -- so it`s been pretty good for comedy.
HAFFENREFFER: Still, the president`s troubles may not be a laughing matter for the White House. In recent polls, President Bush`s disapproval rating has hit 55 percent.
And CNN political analyst Bill Schneider says the media see blood in the water.
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Coverage of President Bush has become far more aggressive than it used to be. Now that his popularity has fallen, the media see him as vulnerable. They`ve gotten more aggressive.
HAFFENREFFER: President Bush needs a media makeover, stat. To that end, Bill Schneider is recommending the president, a proud Lone Star Stater, do a Texas two-step plan to rehab his image in the media.
Step one, admit mistakes.
SCHNEIDER: The first step is to acknowledge mistakes, something this president doesn`t do very often. It may be hard for him to do, but he`s got to do it.
HAFFENREFFER: And the second step: fire some people.
SCHNEIDER: Create a fresh start. Create the clear impression that new people are coming on board, that you`re jettisoning those who have caused problems.
HAFFENREFFER: But there is some good news for President Bush: the only thing the media likes more than a scandal story is a comeback story.
SCHNEIDER: The press likes a story, whether it`s a scandal story or a comeback story. They want something fresh, something new. The press loves anything that`s news, that`s a new story. So what the press would like to see is a new George Bush come out of this, because he`s still going to be president for the next three years.
HAFFENREFFER (on camera): And there is speculation in Washington that the president could announce a new nominee for the Supreme Court early next week -- A.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: No doubt. I`ll take it right here, David. And no doubt, that, too, will provoke strong reaction. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer, thank you.
HAMMER: Well, tonight the real life West Wing says it`s going to spend the weekend restarting President Bush`s second term. Does this mean that the president will, in fact, get a media makeover, and if so, what kind of face lift can we expect? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking the experts.
Live tonight in Washington, D.C., Morris L. Reid, Democratic strategist and managing director for branding agency Weston Reinhardt. Also live in Washington, D.C., Frank Luntz. He`s a communications consultant.
Gentlemen, thanks for being with us.
MORRIS L. REID, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Thank you.
HAMMER: What a mess for the president.
Morris, I want to start with you. Should there be a media makeover, and what should that entail? We saw a couple of suggestions just now in terms of Bush admitting some mistakes and perhaps firing some people. But what do you think it should entail.
REID: It`s been a tough week for the president. But I think there`s two things he needs to do.
One, he needs to be seen more with the first lady. She`s extremely popular, a very calming person. The American people enjoy seeing her.
And I think the second thing he should do is really get focused on rebuilding of the gulf states. He hasn`t really spent enough time there in a positive light where he can really shape the message.
So those are two things I think that he can really fix very quickly and turn his image around.
HAMMER: So really getting out there quite a bit. What about you, Frank? What`s your take on it?
FRANK LUNTZ, COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT: Yes, the more time that he spends out of Washington with real people, engaging them -- he`s very good off the -- off the cuff and on the stump -- the better he`s going to be. And a sense of empathy, of really feeling.
In times of great crisis he`s a very strong leader. But I`ve always felt that he didn`t show enough of the heart, enough of his soul. And that kind of interaction with real people will give him a more positive image in the very near future.
HAMMER: And Frank...
REID: I think Frank`s right. The more that George Bush is seen outside of D.C., it appears that he`s doing the people`s work and not focusing on partisan politics. So it`s always good to move it around and also have your cabinet move it around, because it shows you`re really working hard for the people.
HAMMER: And Frank, what about that idea of admitting mistakes? Something this president hasn`t done barely at all in his entire presidency.
LUNTZ: The idea where he acknowledges, "Hey, I`m not perfect and nobody is," where he acknowledges that some things haven`t gone the way that he would have hoped that they would have done, the more that he shows he`s human.
Bill Clinton was fantastic at showing the human dimension, but he was very inconsistent politically. This president is very consistent politically, but I think perhaps as a Texan he feels more uncomfortable with that human component. He`s got to show his heart a little bit more.
HAMMER: Well, at one point today on live TV, we saw the president getting out there, perhaps showing his heart. This was at the same time the special prosecutor was meeting the press about indictment. Simultaneously, we were watching on CNN, and we saw the president and the vice president giving speeches in other places. The president at the White House. Dick Cheney was rallying the troops.
Morris, would you say this little activity today was by design?
REID: Absolutely. It was brilliant strategy to get them out and show that they`re doing the people`s job. They`re not going to be focused on what some partisan guy is doing to bring down his administration.
I think Frank has really hit a chord, though, that the president has to get outside of his comfort zone. When you`re in times of trouble and when you really need to refocus your energy and efforts, you really have to go a step beyond. Don`t look as if you`re overcompensating but do something that`s really out of the ordinary where he really feels that people he`s connecting -- he hasn`t really connected with people since 9/11, and I think he should get back to that.
HAMMER: And Morris, one way you mentioned to do that is perhaps spending some time in the Gulf Coast.
Frank, I want to ask you. Of course, after Katrina, the media had its focus laser-sharp on the president. But has the bar been raised even higher now in terms of the scrutiny the president will be, you know, having put on him after today`s news?
LUNTZ: The press likes nothing more than a feeding frenzy. And they really enjoy it. If they`ve got someone down, their philosophy is don`t just kick them: punch them, hurt them, choke them, choke their family, do everything. And this, it`s typical of Washington.
But as Bill Schneider said earlier, they also like the comeback story, the comeback kid. And I`m going to surprise you. I don`t think it`s enough to get the president out there. I think the vice president needs to be seen more often.
HAMMER: That would be interesting to see if we actually see Mr. Cheney making some face time. And I`ve got to wrap it up there, guys. I`m sure they`re hard at work this weekend at Camp David. Frank Luntz, Morris L. Reid, thank you for joining us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
REID: My pleasure.
HAMMER: Well, now we`d like to hear from you on this. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day for a Friday night. President Bush: does he need a media makeover? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or e-mail us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails later in the show.
ANDERSON: George Takei of "Star Trek" fame has been keeping a secret for decades, but now it`s out. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, 50 ways to stir up controversy. 50 Cent`s new video game, new movie and even a billboard has some people up in arms. We`ll check on that, coming up next.
ANDERSON: And psychic medium James Van Praagh is here. We`ll ask about when Cher came to him to try to speak with Sonny. That`s coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
Tonight a beloved actor from the "Star Trek" television series has come out of the closet. George Takei, who played Sulu, has come out as a homosexual in Los Angeles magazine "Frontiers." Takei says that the world has changed from when he was a teenager feeling ashamed of being gay. The 68-year-old actor and his partner have been together for 18 years.
ANDERSON: Well, it was back in 1955 that "Confidential" magazine broke a story implying that Hollywood hunk Tab Hunter was gay. Back then, the teen idol denied the allegations, but now at 74 years old, he`s saying the magazine was right.
Tonight a "SHOWBIZ Sitdown" with Tab Hunter, who`s out with his tell- all autobiography, called "Tab Hunter Confidential." I spoke with Tab and asked him what made him tell his story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TAB HUNTER, ACTOR: Well, I lived in a fantastic time. I figured, you know, if you`re going to do this, to put your life out there, you better be pretty straightforward about it. And I had to.
I`ve worked with some amazing people. Amazing people. And I was in the part of the industry -- the studio system was in existence then, that no longer around. So I was fortunate to be a part of that.
ANDERSON: You were really the Brad Pitt, the Tom Cruise of your time. Hollywood very different now. Talk to me about the difference, and how life was for you then.
HUNTER: Hollywood for me then was a lot of things. First of all, I was living two lives, so that was really tough. That was really tough, because I`m a very private person. I don`t like people who are blah right out there in your face. I never have. I was not brought up that way. So that was difficult.
But to a young kid in his 20s, being thrown into the motion picture business, getting to work with and met all these interesting people, I loved every moment of that.
ANDERSON: And you talk about living two lives. When did you decide to come forward with who you were? And how hard was that?
HUNTER: When I heard someone else was going to be doing a book, and I thought, I don`t think so. I`m not going to have some schmuck write a book about me that doesn`t even know me. You`ll get it from me. And I won`t -- I won`t mince any words. I`ll be very straightforward with you. So -- it was very difficult. A lot of it was very difficult.
ANDERSON: But coming out of the closet?
HUNTER: The closet, I am what I am. And like Geraldine Paige said to me one time, "If people don`t get your message, that`s their bad taste."
And I said, "I will never forget that." And there are many people in this world that should realize if people don`t get your message, no matter what, that`s their problem, not yours.
ANDERSON: Because you were marketed as the boy next door.
HUNTER: I was the boy next door.
ANDERSON: The heartthrob. Exactly.
HUNTER: That`s a label.
ANDERSON: But on the inside did you feel that wasn`t who you were?
HUNTER: Well, that`s a label they stick on you, to sell you, to build you up. That`s all part of the hoopla. That`s all part of that system. And they grind it out like a -- like a sausage factory. You know?
ANDERSON: A product of Hollywood. And let`s talk about that.
HUNTER: Interesting you say product of Hollywood, because that was the title I was going to put on the book, "Tab Hunter Confidential, The Product of Hollywood." Because I was a product of Hollywood. I was thrown in with the new name. You know, where does one serve one`s apprenticeship? It`s very difficult when you`re a product of Hollywood.
ANDERSON: How has Hollywood changed in terms of accepting gay actors?
HUNTER: I don`t really know how Hollywood has changed about that. I know that, you know, a lot of people are very fearful. It`s a very competitive business. I don`t know how people react. Everyone reacts differently about that. All I know is that people should be truthful to themselves, and I don`t think you have to be in people`s faces.
ANDERSON: And you`ve been very honest, as I said, and even talk about you had a relationship with Anthony Perkins.
HUNTER: That`s right. Only for a couple of years, a couple -- three years.
ANDERSON: I`m sure, were you discreet? Did you feel like you had to be secretive?
HUNTER: Yes, we did feel we had to be secretive. I mean, this is not something -- I don`t flaunt things about it. I never have been like that. I just don`t like that.
Tony was a very private person. He was a wonderful actor, had a great sense of humor, was very tense. I was, too. I was, too, when it came to things like that, because it was nobody`s business. Nobody`s business.
And I was happy that later in life he was able to marry and have two - - two wonderful sons, and I was very proud of him for doing that.
ANDERSON: So often now, Tab, celebrities say it`s really difficult to have a private life, what with the paparazzi, the celebrity magazines. What was it like back then? How difficult was it?
HUNTER: Well, I think they were -- they -- they intimated a great deal, but they were never as blatant as the press is today. I`m not a great lover of the press, only because they were really cruel to me. And I write -- I put the reviews, I put it all right there in the book. Let people read it. Let them see what it was like.
ANDERSON: They tried to expose you.
HUNTER: Oh, yes. Sure. But oddly enough, sure, they tried to expose me. But, you know, I`m like this. I`m a great one with denial. I just don`t face up to things that I think are negative.
ANDERSON: Didn`t look at it?
HUNTER: I don`t look at the negativity. There`s much more than that in life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Such a nice guy. And Tab Hunter wasn`t always Tab Hunter. Before he went to Hollywood he was known as Arthur Gelien. An agent convinced him to change his name.
"Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star" is in stores now.
HAMMER: Well, ABC is taking up the fight against lung cancer with a new series. Today the network announced the month-long "Quit to Live" fighting lung cancer series will start on Tuesday. The announcement comes three months after "World News Tonight" anchor Peter Jennings died of lung cancer at age 67. The series will report on ways to quit smoking and the options for the treatment and prevention of lung cancer.
ANDERSON: Tonight, celebrities getting involved in fighting breast cancer. In the last decade, more than 2,000 organizations have raised more than $1.7 billion to fight breast cancer. Joining in on that fight, Hollywood, doing what they can to raise money for research.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ETHERIDGE: It takes about a year to really come back to, you know, where I was.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Melissa Etheridge: rock star, mom and breast cancer survivor. She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she`s now fully recovered after a year-long battle.
ETHERIDGE: This is the hard rock breast cancer pin.
ANDERSON: And she`s making sure she continues the fight against breast cancer by raising money for the Susan Love Research Foundation.
ETHERIDGE: I love them so much because they are working to prevent breast cancer. They`re not looking for a drug that`s going to cure it that they`re going to sell; they`re looking for how to stop it.
ANDERSON: She`s just one of many celebrities speaking up during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. "Desperate Housewives" Felicity Huffman and Marcia Cross pitched in...
MARCIA CROSS, ACTRESS: All net proceeds benefit the Entertainment Industry Foundation`s women`s cancer research fund.
ANDERSON: ... teaming up with QVC to sell brand-name shoes on sale with proceeds going to cancer research.
HILARY SWANK, ACTRESS: I`ve been so lucky in my life and so blessed in so many ways.
ANDERSON: And Oscar award-winning actress Hilary Swank was just one of many celebrities to team up with Saks Fifth Avenue for their "Key to the Cure" campaign.
SWANK: I feel it`s really important to give back and to be able to support things that are important to you. And curing cancer is a huge, huge, important thing to me.
ANDERSON: The "Key to the Cure" campaign is featuring these shirts, designed by Diane Von Furstenberg, on sale now in Saks Fifth Avenue stores around the country. Proceeds benefit the Women`s Cancer Research Fund.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at Saks for an exclusive breast cancer benefit, hosted by actress Helen Hunt.
HELEN HUNT, ACTRESS: It`s been through my family and the family of almost everyone I care about. I bet you if you ask every person in this room if some woman in their life has been touched by cancer, the answer would be yes.
ANDERSON: The statistics are staggering. The National Cancer Institute says that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. This year, they predict more than 40,000 women will die of breast cancer. That means about 110 women will die each day, five every hour.
Patricia Clarkson, star of HBO`s "Six Feet Under," told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that research is key.
PATRICIA CLARKSON, ACTRESS: There`ve been great advances in breast cancer, in the fight against it, but it`s still a long way to go.
ANDERSON: But the organization Melissa Etheridge is working with, the Susan Love Research Foundation, says they`ll end breast cancer in 10 years.
ETHERIDGE: I know that it`s possible, that cancer in 10 years will be a completely different diagnosis and outcome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And if you want to buy one of those T-shirts to raise money for breast cancer research, they`ll be on sale this weekend at any Saks Fifth Avenue store around the country. And they`ll also donate 5 percent of their overall sales this weekend to research.
HAMMER: All right. One 50 Cent controversy, plus two more. Well, I figure that`s about $1.50 worth of controversy. We`re going to make some change, coming up.
ANDERSON: Plus, what`s the forecast for your weekend at the movies? Well, we`ll check out "The Weatherman" and other new films coming up in "Picks and Pans."
HAMMER: And gather round, everyone. We`re going to get a bedtime story from this man, John Lithgow, coming up in the interview you`ll see only here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Time for the "SHOWBIZ Guide," where we help you decide where to spend your dollars on music, DVDs and more. "People" magazine`s "Picks and Pans: New Movies." "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" is out. So is "Prime" and "The Weatherman." And joining us from "People" magazine, movie critic Leah Rozen.
Always good to see you, Leah. I know it`s your job to review these movies. But let me have a stab at "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang." Unconventional, funny, confusing at times, extremely well acted.
LEAH ROZEN, MOVIE CRITIC, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, hey, I don`t have to do anything else. You got it exactly.
Robert -- this is directed and written by Shane Black, who previously has been known as a screenwriter for big movies like "Lethal Weapon." Here he`s kind of making this small, "I`m doing it my way" movie. Just puts everything into it, gets great performances out of Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer.
HAMMER: Excellent.
ROZEN: Val Kilmer, playing the gay detective, Gay Perry -- Perry. But he`s just -- he`s more alive than he`s been in any film in a long time. You look like -- he looks like he`s actually having fun.
The movie ends up being fun. But like you said, you really have to pay attention to this one.
HAMMER: Well, that being said, Robert Downey Jr. as narrator also sort of wraps it all up nicely enough, if you weren`t paying close enough attention.
ROZEN: Yes. And given that it`s sort of a play on the film noir, they`re playing on those conventions by having him do this sort of voiceover.
HAMMER: Let`s move onto "Prime." Two great actresses in here, Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep.
ROZEN: In a not so great movie. This is supposed to be a romantic comedy. Uma Thurman is the patient of Meryl Streep`s therapist. Unbeknownst to them she is dating Meryl Streep`s 23-year-old son. Uma Thurman`s supposed to be 37. When mom figures out who her patient is dating, things are not so happy.
This just, though, it plays like sitcom, sort of starts out well, the movies start out well and kind of goes downhill from there. Meryl Streep is always fun to watch. Uma Thurman gives a lovely performance. Brian Greenberg is cute. I`ll go no more.
HAMMER: OK. We have 30 seconds to talk about "The Weatherman." Nic Cage didn`t do so well in his last flick, "Lord of War." Not a big audience for that. What`s this one?
ROZEN: Again, I think it`s going to get mixed. They`re selling this as though it was this chipper comedy. And it`s really this rather dark, moody little film about accepting middle age and the compromises therein. So I think audiences are going to go expecting one film, see something else and probably be a little miffed.
HAMMER: Leah Rozen from "People" magazine, thanks, as always, for joining us.
ROZEN: You`re welcome.
HAMMER: And for more "Picks and Pans," grab your copy of "People" magazine. You`ll find it on newsstands now.
ANDERSON: Question for you: how is marriage like a flat-screen television? Well, you`re not going to believe what Kenny Chesney says about his divorce from Renee Zellweger. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, we`re taking a look at the 50 Cent controversy that could change the skyline in Los Angeles. We`ll explain what that`s all about, coming up, as well.
ANDERSON: And, he`s the psychic medium that stars from Katie Couric to Barbara Walters to Cher have flocked to for insight. James Van Praagh live, ahead in the interview you`re going to see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SUSAN HENDRICKS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in one minute. I`m Susan Hendricks with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
Vice President Dick Cheney`s now-former chief of staff Scooter Libby says he`ll be cleared of all charges. He was indicted today of perjury, obstruction of justice, and making false statements in the CIA leak investigation.
The New Orleans Police Department tonight firing 51 staff members for deserting their posts during Hurricane Katrina. The police department was unable to account for 240 officers out of 1,400.
The mother charged with throwing her three children to their deaths in the San Francisco Bay was in court today. If convicted, Lashuan Harris could be eligible for the death penalty. Harris` supporters say the mental health system failed her. She`ll be back in court on November 18th.
The Chicago White Sox are celebrating clinching the World Series for the first time in 88 years, but apparently not that many people were watching. The series was the lowest rated in history.
That is the news for now. Thanks for watching. I`m Susan Hendricks. Back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And you are watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, it is Friday night, and as we continue to move through it, there`s a new controversy surrounding 50 Cent. He`s got a new movie coming out. He`s got a brand-new videogame. And there are some residents in Los Angeles not all that happy with a billboard promoting the movie.
A small group of advocates having some big success against a major movie studio in getting those billboards taken down. We`ll give you the whole story, coming up in just a few moments.
ANDERSON: Absolutely, A.J. And I`m going to speak to 50 Cent on Monday so I`ll get his take on this controversy.
Now, shifting gears, A.J., a man who`s made a career out of talking to dead people, James Van Praagh, one of the most famous mediums in the world, he claims to have spoken to a number of dead celebrities, including Marilyn Monroe, JFK...
HAMMER: Who hasn`t, Brooke?
ANDERSON: ... Princess Diana. His work has even inspired the "Ghost Whisperer," the television show. And he`s got a TLC spooky Halloween special airing this weekend. James Van Praagh live, coming up with us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first, A.J., I want to give you tonight`s "Hot Headlines." We start with Kenny Chesney. He is comparing his break-up with Renee Zellweger to, get this, a television set. In an upcoming interview with "Life" magazine, the country star says the split was, quote, "like opening the door to your house and having someone come in and take your big screen TV off the wall during the big game, and there`s nothing you can do about it."
Zellweger applied for an annulment last month. The couple was married in May. TV set, really? Wow.
And tonight, Potter gets pilfered. The flying car used in the Harry Potter films has been stolen off a movie lot in England. The 1960s-era Ford Anglia was not drivable, so police say whoever stole it used a trailer, tow truck, or maybe even some magic?
And Rocky says he`s doing another Rambo. Fifty-nine-year-old Sylvester Stallone has signed on to star in "Rambo IV." It would be the first movie in the series about a former Vietnam vet who`s a one-man army fighting the bad guys, first one since 1988.
Shooting begins in the spring. Stallone recently said he`s also doing another "Rocky" movie.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines." A.J., Sly really getting back into the game.
HAMMER: As long as he doesn`t redo "Stop or my Mom will Shoot!" That`s only one we just don`t want to see coming back, if you even remember.
ANDERSON: You never know.
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Brooke.
Well, tonight, rapper 50 Cent is in the middle of a heated and emotional controversy. He`s about to come out with a new movie and a video game. But local L.A. residents are coming out in droves protesting his movie`s billboards, saying they promote gun violence and they`re harmful to children.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas live in Hollywood now.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, A.J.
Well, today, I went to the South Central Los Angeles neighborhood of Hyde Park where some of the billboards were hung, one near a preschool. Today, the community is celebrating a big victory against a big-time rapper, a big corporation, and against the big problem of gun violence.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): This is the scene from the trailer of Paramount Picture and rapper 50 Cent`s new movie, "Get Rich or Die Trying." And these are the movie`s billboards, billboards showing the rapper in a crucifixion-like pose, his bare tattooed torso revealing a bullet-scarred back, a microphone in one hand, a gun in the other.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re kicking you out. You got to go.
VARGAS: Posted near elementary schools and even one preschool, they were billboards that pushed community members in South Central Los Angeles over the edge. And they rallied to do something about it.
EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON, LOS ANGELES URBAN POLICY ROUNDTABLE: The message is, "Violence is OK. It`s promoted at the highest level." And we say once again, Paramount, you are doing damage to our community. You are doing an injustice to our community. And you are committing violence in our community. And that includes 50 Cent, too. It must go.
VARGAS: In communities already plagued with gun violence and gangs, enough was enough.
LITA HERRON, MOTHERS ON THE MARCH: If 50 Cent doesn`t have good sense, then he needs to stop doing what he`s doing or teach our men more productive ways to live, because I`m not raising five grandchildren to follow him into the thug life, or to follow him into prison, or to follow him to the cemetery either.
VARGAS: The community campaigned Paramount Pictures to take down the ads. It`s a story of a community against a corporation, and the community won.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spoke to an insider at Paramount who told us they have taken down some of the billboards in the neighborhood and might take down more. It`s a win for a community living with gun violence every day.
I went to the South Central neighborhood preschool right where one of the billboards used to hang.
(on-screen): What do you think the impact of this victory is?
CYNTHIA OLIVAS, DIRECTOR, GOLDEN DAY PRESCHOOL: I think it`s a start for our community.
VARGAS: What is the message here?
OLIVAS: The message here is, we should feel free to call somebody for help when we need it, and get together, and do things together, the way everybody came together to get the billboards down.
VARGAS (voice-over): This isn`t the first time rapper 50 Cent has come under criticism for promoting gun violence.
And here`s your first-look at his new video game, "Bullet Proof." In the game, you shoot, stab and break the necks of drug dealers using dozens of weapons, including many different types of guns and knives.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spoke with the executive producer of the game that`s in the crossfire of a controversy, too.
ANDRE EMERSON, VIVENDI/UNIVERSAL GAMES: Because of the violence and mature content and the language, it`s definitely a mature title. And we`ve targeted that from the start. You know, it`s like we knew what the kind of themes and the aggressive nature of the game, we knew that it was going to be mature. But, you know, we didn`t try to go over the top, make it gratuitous.
VARGAS: But some would argue there`s sometimes no way to avoid children playing these video games or watching these movies. But now some of the billboards are off the streets. The community says it`s one small step for change.
HERRON: The public should know that, since 2000, there have been 800 homicides in this community. Now, who wants to uphold that standard? Who wants to keep perpetrating that madness?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: Wow. Well, rapper 50 Cent said today in a Reuters interview that he`s happy with all the controversy because it`s actually helping to promote his film. He says there are guns all over many different film advertisements, especially action films.
Now, as far as Paramount`s decision to take down the posters, he said he understands it was a business decision.
A.J., back to you.
HAMMER: Thanks very much, Sibila. And once again, our own Brooke Anderson will be speaking with 50 Cent, get his take on it, on Monday. Thanks very much, Sibila, live in Hollywood.
Well, they say it`s good to be king. And Brooke has that story.
ANDERSON: I will take it right here, A.J.
They do say it`s good to be king, but being prince may be another story. Prince Charles gives his first U.S. TV interview in more than 10 years. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look.
The future king tells "60 Minutes" of his struggles, including the perception that he`s out of touch with the common people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE CHARLES, INTERVIEWED ON "60 MINUTES": The most important thing is to be relevant, and so -- I mean, it isn`t easy, as you can imagine, because, if you say anything, people will say, "It`s all right for you to say that."
It`s very easy to just dismiss anything I say. So what I`ve -- I mean, it`s difficult. But what I`ve tried to do is to put my money where my mouth is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: On Tuesday, Prince Charles embarks on a U.S. tour with his wife, Camilla. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be there every step of the way. That interview with "60 Minutes" airs Sunday on CBS.
HAMMER: Well, I believe there are a few people would argue it`s been a really bad week for President Bush. Vice President Dick Cheney`s chief of staff indicted today and resigned. His Supreme Court nominee stepped down. The milestone of 2,000 U.S. troops killed in Iraq. And, of course, approval ratings going down by the day.
We`re asking the question: Can the president restore his image? Does he need a media makeover? That`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. And write to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. E-mails on the way at 55 past the hour.
The psychic who claims to have spoken with Johnny Carson, Sonny Bono, Princess Diana, and many more celebrities on the other side. Is he legit? Find out. James Van Praagh, live, coming up next.
HAMMER: Also, a not-so-odd couple. Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane get Jerry Seinfeld and Kathleen Turner out on Broadway. What are the stars of "The Producers" up to? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there. That`s coming up next.
ANDERSON: And another Broadway guy, John Lithgow, you know his acting, but did you know about his writing, and what`s been making him cry for 20 years? It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Tonight, a guy who claims to have spoken with some of the most famous people ever. But there is a catch: They`re all dead.
James Van Praagh is one of the best-known mediums out there. He`s claimed that he`s chatted with Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, Johnny Carson, Sonny Bono, and more and more. James is also the co-executive producer for the new CBS show "Ghost Whisperer," starring Jennifer Love Hewitt.
James Van Praagh joins me now, live here in Hollywood. James, welcome.
JAMES VAN PRAAGH, PSYCHIC MEDIUM: Thank you, Brooke. Thank you very much. Nice to see you.
ANDERSON: Nice to see you, as well. Now, talk to us about some of these celebrities who you`ve spoken with on the other side. Were you able to get in touch with Sonny Bono?
VAN PRAAGH: I certainly was. I went to see Cher -- actually, she called me several months after he passed away, and she didn`t know anything or what this was all about.
And I went to her house. And we sat there. And she goes, "I don`t know what`s going to happen." And I said, "I don`t know what`s going to happen either. Hopefully, he`ll come through." And he came through. He was actually one of the last ones to come through. Several people came before him.
And he came through with his best friend`s name, full name, beginning name, last name. He came through with details that only she would know. Also mentioned details about her closet, about her telephone that was not working, that he was making the telephone act weird, which the day before she said, "Yes, it did act weird," various details that, indeed, that only she would know.
ANDERSON: And speaking about the telephone acting weirdly...
VAN PRAAGH: Oh, yes.
ANDERSON: ... Princess Diana, pretty interesting story there.
VAN PRAAGH: Very weird story. I`m, you know, a very weird person. I do weird things.
When Princess Diana died -- I knew Princess Diana. And she came to me after she died. And what happened -- I was in a hotel room. And that Sunday -- she died on a Saturday -- and the phone rang, like a British phone. "Bring, bring, bring, bring."
And I picked it up three different times. And no one was there. And I called up the front desk and they said, "Sir, your phone has not rung whatsoever." I said, "Yes, it did." And he said, "No, sir, it hasn`t." So I think that might have been her coming through, or someone British coming through.
ANDERSON: Wow. James, I have to ask. I know that you run into a lot of people who are hesitant to accept the fact that you say you do this. I have to be honest, I`m a little bit skeptical myself. How do you convince people, or do you even try?
VAN PRAAGH: It`s not my job to convince anyone. I just really share my experiences that I`ve had with people. And if they want to accept it, they can, or if not, they don`t have to. Everybody has their own time and their own way in accepting things. It doesn`t matter.
I don`t have to throw things down people`s throats and force them to believe anything. I find a lot of people are fearful of things that they don`t know about. And the more that they`re aware of it and more of a knowledge, enlightenment about it, then the fear is taken away.
ANDERSON: Well, you`ve made quite a career out of it with your approach. And you`ve got this spooky Halloween special on TLC this weekend called "Possessed Possessions." James, it sounds a little bit to me like "Antiques Road Show," but different.
VAN PRAAGH: That`s exactly what it is. It`s "Antiques Road Show," but they`re possessed items. And I really was a little leery about doing this show. And I`ll tell you, it`s one of the best shows I`ve ever been involved with.
People, everyone, has these items, and these heirlooms from family members, and so forth. And they sometimes feel kind of weird. They have like this energy about them.
Well, we`ve collected several items from some very interesting people. And one of the items is an African mask, which, if you touch it, you die, which has a history of this.
ANDERSON: So you didn`t touch it, I assume?
VAN PRAAGH: I didn`t go near it, thank you. I almost threw it overboard from the Queen Mary. No, I did not go near it.
But there were some very interesting things that happened, like marionettes danced by themselves, no one even near them. So it`s a very interesting show called "Possessed Possessions." Yes, it`s on Sunday night. I`m really happy that I was involved with it.
ANDERSON: And very appropriate for Halloween.
VAN PRAAGH: Perfect.
ANDERSON: And what do you think? What is the fascination with the paranormal? Because there are so many primetime TV shows on right now, including "Ghost Whisperer" and "Medium," people are fascinated.
VAN PRAAGH: I think that it`s -- it goes in waves. You know, it comes and goes. And I think it`s part of history.
I think it`s a generational thing, too. It happens with generations. I think the baby boomers are now starting to wonder about their destiny and their future about life after death and so forth.
And organized religions are not answering those questions they might have. So I think they`re searching in other ways. I think that`s just part of it. And I also think it`s a trend. I do think things come in trends.
ANDERSON: A lot of interest in it. Well, James Van Praagh, thank you for being here and sharing your very unique talent with us.
VAN PRAAGH: Thank you, Brooke. Appreciate it.
ANDERSON: Of course. "Ghost Whisperer" airs tonight on CBS. James` Halloween special, "Possessed Possessions," is on TLC this Sunday.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, a duo that`s still going strong after 40 years brings a big group of stars out to Broadway. "The Odd Couple" is back on the Great White Way. There`s the music right there.
This time, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are playing Oscar and Felix, re-teaming after their last hit, "The Producers." Stars like Jerry Seinfeld and Kathleen Turner flocked to Thursday`s premiere. Co-star Brad Garrett was on-hand to celebrate, as was Broderick`s wife, Sarah Jessica Parker.
Playwright Neil Simon was approached by Nathan Lane years ago about bringing "The Odd Couple," which originally starred Art Carney and Walter Matthau, back to the stage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NATHAN LANE, BROADWAY STAR: People know the TV series. But the original play hasn`t been seen in a long time. So it`s always been a favorite of mine. So, you know, that`s how it started.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, it looks like Felix and Oscar are sweeping up at the box office. The show`s advance sales sold out to the tune of $20 million.
Well, tonight, it`s time now for another "Showbiz Sitdown." This time, John Lithgow is our guest. His kids are all grown up, but he`s still a kid at heart. Lithgow has written his sixth children`s book. It`s called "Marsupial Sue Presents the Runaway Pancake."
And he`s currently starring in the Broadway production of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." Now, I had the chance to ask him about all of that as well as his hit sitcom, "Third Rock from the Sun," and what`s been bringing tears to his eyes for over 20 years.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: "Dirty Rotten Scandals," wildly successful on Broadway right now.
JOHN LITHGOW, ACTOR: Smash hit, smash hit musical. Who would have thought?
HAMMER: Who would have thought? And a long way from, you know -- people know you for your great body of work, from all the films and other theatre you have done. But a lot of people know you from "Third Rock from the Sun," of course. Theater`s really your first love, though.
LITHGOW: Well, it`s where I came from. I really do have this feeling of returning to form, returning to my roots.
HAMMER: It`s a demanding schedule, though, with that many shows every week, as is working on a sitcom, like "Third Rock." Which one was more demanding on you?
LITHGOW: Working this hard on a play, I think, is far more demanding. Sitcom actually is the dream job. You know, you work five days a week, but it`s a very leisurely 10:00-to-4:00 kind of job.
HAMMER: And another career that you have, which some people may not be aware of, is writing children`s books. You`ve written now six?
LITHGOW: Yes, my sixth one is just out.
HAMMER: When do you take the time to do all this?
LITHGOW: It doesn`t take a lot of time. They`re only about 35 pages long.
HAMMER: Well, this one, "Marsupial Sue with the Runaway Pancake," now I personally have never encountered a runaway pancake, but I love the premise.
LITHGOW: Yes, well, it`s a good, old, traditional story, "The Runaway Pancake," which I spun into a story song for kids, which I`ve been singing for years. It`s actually my sort of hit single when I do kids` concerts. I am actually on a CD at the back of the book.
HAMMER: You`re now enclosing a CD. That`s excellent.
LITHGOW: This is kind of a sequel to a book I did, called "Marsupial Sue," about a kangaroo who hates to hop. She has joined all her Australian animal friends, and they put on the play of "The Runaway Pancake," so subliminally it`s a book about theater.
HAMMER: The other thing that you`ve done, you`ve done these "Boredom Blasters." And I`m particularly fond of this one, my birthday being on Halloween...
LITHGOW: You`re a Halloween baby.
HAMMER: Not only is it, you know, great stories and ideas of, you know, not kill time, but how to pass the time constructively. But you included, you know, props, and googely eyes, and spiders, and lots of little things here.
LITHGOW: Yes, this little series -- I mean, I`ve sort of moved on from doing things for kids to doing things for parents to do with their kids. The "Boredom Blasters" are books full of creative play activities, just bright ideas that parents might not have thought of.
And it`s attached to a box full of, sort of, supplies. The googely eyes and the spiders are for, you know, make your own board game, you know, the little pieces, a Halloween board game.
HAMMER: You`ve had such an enormous body of work. And if you`re cool with this, I would like to play a little "John Lithgow Word Association."
LITHGOW: Ah.
HAMMER: I`d like to just raise a couple of things that you`ve done. And maybe you can give me a couple of sentences on the first thing that comes to mind for each of them?
LITHGOW: Sure, sure.
HAMMER: Let`s start off with "Shrek."
LITHGOW: Ah, "Shrek." Well, I think the best animated film ever made, just completely delightful.
HAMMER: What comes to mind when you think of "Third Rock from the Sun"?
LITHGOW: Just laughing all the time, like, laughing for a living. There were days when all of us were lying on the floor, on our backs, like turtles upended on a beach, just laughing our heads off. I mean, that`s what kept me young, that.
HAMMER: One of the great weepy movies of all time, "Terms of Endearment"?
LITHGOW: Unquestionably the best movie I`ve been in...
HAMMER: OK.
LITHGOW: ... you know, just a small part, but a great film. It still makes me cry.
HAMMER: Broadway, when you hear the word?
LITHGOW: I just think of curtain calls, and people having a fabulous time, and the essence of acting, really, being there with the audience, sharing the story with them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Nice guy. Love what he does. John also told me that, when his kids where young, he would make their costumes, of course, for Halloween. His best work was turning his daughter into the Energizer Bunny.
ANDERSON: And there`s still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." President Bush: Does he need a media makeover? Vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`re going to read some of your e-mails live, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." President Bush: Does he need a media makeover?
Here`s the vote so far: A lot of you agree. Eight percent of you say, yes, he does; 20 percent of you say, no, he does not.
Among the e-mails, one from Raihan -- I hope I got that right -- in Pennsylvania who writes, "He needs a media, personality, viewpoint, staff and foreign policy makeover."
Ian from Ohio adds some pretty words. "You can`t be serious. He doesn`t need a media makeover, he needs to be impeached."
Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
ANDERSON: Wow, strong thoughts.
OK. Time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on Monday. Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen are having an affair, on-screen, though. It`s her new movie, "Derailed." And I`ll ask her about how she stays on- track, off-screen. Jennifer Aniston, Monday.
Also Monday, it could very well be the hottest Halloween party in Hollywood. Come along as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT heads to the "Playboy" mansion. There will be stars, starlets and, of course, sultry costumes. A special sneak peak preview on Monday.
A.J., Monday is a pretty special day for you, right?
HAMMER: Yes, it is. Thank you very much. I`ll be dressing up as Nancy Grace, as a matter of fact.
ANDERSON: Happy birthday.
HAMMER: Thank you very much. Have a great weekend. That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer, live in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson live in Hollywood. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
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