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Showbiz Tonight
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, CNNHN
Aired November 24, 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. A special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Thanksgiving 2005. Hollywood giving is in. Tonight, the amazing way stars are reaching into their hearts and their wallets more than ever.
From disaster relief...
CELINE DION, SINGER: I`m talking with my heart.
HAMMER: To battling deadly disease.
BEYONCE KNOWLES, SINGER: You feel like you need to do something.
HAMMER: We reveal how celebrities are using their fame for the less fortunate. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report.
Also, Leeza Gibbons` crusade of giving. Leeza opens up about her personal connection with Alzheimer`s, how it affected her mother and her grandmother.
LEEZA GIBSON, TV PERSONALITY: You watch someone slowly disappear.
HAMMER: The emotional interview with Leeza Gibbons that will bring you to tears, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And a remarkable reunion off the battlefield. Tonight, how former Vietnam veterans are giving a Hollywood star something very special to be very thankful for on one of TV`s big hits.
GEORGE LOPEZ, COMEDIAN: Look what they`ve come through.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there, I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Happy Thanksgiving. You`re watching a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on Hollywood giving is in. Hollywood heavyweights often walk the red carpet, show their support for certain charities, but now we`re seeing more and more stars going further than that, just rolling up their sleeves and drawing attention to their favorite causes.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is in Hollywood with more with this special report.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That`s right, A.J. and Brooke. From AIDS to cancer research to children`s causes, Hollywood is getting involved and giving back. Now it is our favorite stars aren`t just pulling out their checkbooks; they`re getting out there and they`re lending their names and making a direct difference to the charities that matter to them most.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): These days, while we`re still seeing a lot of this, the paparazzi, the glitz, we`re also seeing a lot more of this. It`s a new age for celebrities. A kinder, gentler time, a time of giving back.
Sharon Stone is just one celebrity who`s using her star power to help the survivors of the recent hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. Stone helped write a benefit song, "Come Together Now," and got a lot of her star friends to sing on it. She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT how important it is for Hollywood to give back
SHARON STONE, ACTRESS: We`re really honored to have this opportunity to be of service, and I think that, you know, when you get do that, whether it`s a song or, you know, to go out and just help your neighbor, I think it`s really great.
CELINE DION, SINGER (singing): Just when it seems that all your hope is gone.
VARGAS: Celine Dion also lent her voice to "Come Together Now" and gave a million dollars to relief efforts. Her emotions poured out while on "LARRY KING LIVE," talking about her decision to get involved.
DION: Yes, we gave a million dollars, but what we expect, what I want to look -- like the rest of the world, I open the television, there`s people still there, waiting to be rescued. And for me it`s not acceptable. Maybe I`m too emotional. I`m not thinking with my head, I`m talking with my heart.
VARGAS: Alicia Keys is another one who has opened her heart. She`s the face of the Keep a Child Alive Foundation, which provides life saving medicine to children and families affected by HIV and AIDS.
Keys got some of her famous friends together to raise money for the cause. Usher was one of the first people she called, and he tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, he didn`t even have to think about whether he would show up. He says it`s his responsibility as a star.
USHER, SINGER: Any time you hear of an artist taking from themselves to give hope or offer hope for someone else in need, as an artist, you have to get up. It would be ludicrous if I didn`t.
VARGAS: Melissa Etheridge is a breast cancer survivor and works tirelessly to raise money for a cure. She, too, says giving back is one of the benefits of being famous.
MELISSA ETHERIDGE, SINGER: When you`re a celebrity and you have -- you get to cut the line, and we have money and we`re doing very well, I really want to give back. I really want to serve my community.
VARGAS: No doubt, stars have been involved in fund-raising since the early days of Hollywood, but recently, more and more stars are lending their names to causes simply because it`s more important than their focusing on their own celebrity.
KNOWLES: When you perform an tour and you become really successful, sometimes you need to do, actually, all the time, you kind of have a little bit of an emptiness and you feel like you need to do something and take advantage of that celebrity.
VARGAS: Beyonce and her group, Destiny`s Child, work with the Ronald McDonald House, which helps terminally ill children. The girls just released a new single called "Stand up for Love" to raise proceeds for the organization.
KNOWLES: We thought this is wonderful because it`s something we` feel passionate about.
VARGAS: A passion to help, the gift that keeps on giving.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And Destiny`s Child is not only giving back to the Ronald McDonald House. Beyonce, her family and Kelly Rowland have also set up a youth charity in their hometown of Houston which has helped find temporary housing for hurricane victims.
Brooke, back to you.
ANDERSON: It`s terrific to see so many people using their star power to help others. Thanks, Sibila.
HAMMER: Well, now another story of giving back, this time through music. It`s the story of how singing can make a difference in the lives of many and it`s actually being used as therapy.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S David Haffenreffer is in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom with that story.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., musicians from Eric Clapton to Neil Young have all actively supported music therapy, a way to build communication and reach people with disabilities.
Music therapy centers are popping up around the globe, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned firsthand how it works. I spent the day with Hayley Westenra, the young New Zealand singing sensation whose success abroad has been compared to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
She`s an active volunteer at a London music therapy center, and we got to see how it all works here in New York.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): She`s an 18-year-old singer from New Zealand but she`s already a major international star with two albums under her belt and legions of fans. And as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT found out, her classical voice can captivate any audience.
And it`s her work helping young children through music therapy that keeps her singing.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there as Haley worked with three New York City children at the Norta Robin (ph) Center for Music Therapy at New York University.
All of the children have disabilities. Ileesh (ph) has Down Syndrome, and Thomas and Austin the boys struggle with communication and speech disabilities. But all have been helped over the past two years through the stimulating and therapeutic effects of music.
HAYLEY WESTENRA, SINGER: It`s just amazing to see the joy on their faces and just the joy on their faces. And you know, they now can still communicate and because music is kind of -- has become the key really. Music has managed to get through the thick kind of shell and barrier they - - a lot of children put up when they have a disability. And they`re in their own little world but music manages to break through that.
HAFFENREFFER: Music therapy is built on a belief that everyone can respond to music, despite illness or disabilities. Therapists use music to reach the patient and develop a relationship. Researchers say the result is a sharper response, better motor skills and an improved ability to relate to others.
Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Neil Young and Bon Jovi are just a few musicians who have actively supported the cause.
(MUSIC)
HAFFENREFFER: Hayley actively helps people through music in London, too, and told me it makes a lot of sense.
WESTENRA: There`s something magic about music. You know, it manages to really kind of reach you. I feel so fortunate to, you know, have this opportunity to fulfill my dream, and I`ve been given so much. And so, yes, I do feel, you know, obliged to really give something back.
Do you like singing?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: Westenra`s sophomore album, "Odyssey," just released, and is in stores now. Her first album, "Pure," sold over two million copies worldwide and topped the British classical charts. So this is one to watch -- A.J.
HAMMER: David, thanks very much. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer.
Well, coming up next, one of Hollywood`s most popular stars dealing with one of the most horrific diseases. Teri Garr`s heart-wrenching story of multiple sclerosis.
ANDERSON: Also coming up...
GIBBONS: You watch someone slowly disappear.
ANDERSON: Leeza Gibbons` emotional struggle, her very personal story about Alzheimer`s and how she`s giving back, despite having her mother taken away. It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And a war story like no other. The amazing tale of Vietnam veterans who survived the battlefield and ended up together on the same Hollywood set with George Lopez.
You`re watching a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Hollywood Giving is In."
Now tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In the 2001 Thanksgiving episode of "Friends," who shows up to dinner and admits they belonged to the `We Hate Rachel` club? Christina Applegate, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, or Alec Baldwin? The answer coming up next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM ROBBINS, ACTOR: I`m thankful for my family. I`m thankful for the luck that I`ve had. I`m thankful for rock and roll. And I`m thankful for everyone out there who`s having a good Thanksgiving.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Once again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In the 2001 Thanksgiving episode of "Friends," who shows up to dinner and admits they belonged to the `We Hate Rachel` club? Christina Applegate, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, or Alec Baldwin? The answer, C, Jennifer Aniston`s then husband, Brat Pitt.
ANDERSON: Welcome back to a special Thanksgiving edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Hollywood Giving is In." I`m Brooke Anderson.`
Tonight, a "SHOWBIZ Sitdown" with actress Teri Garr. She`s a successful actress, a comedy legend, and many people may not know that for years and years she has battled multiple sclerosis.
More than 2.5 million people worldwide suffer from the serious illness, which affects the body`s nerves and can make you disabled. Well, now she`s out with a new book, "Speed Bumps: Flooring it through Hollywood." In it she really opens up about her struggle with M.S. I asked her why she wanted to talk about it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TERI GARR, ACTRESS: It`s OK. It`s not so bad. You put a face on it. And I thought you know, I should write about this, because it`s so interesting. And then I thought, you know, about my own life. I have a lot of name dropping in it, too. Like stories about my career.
ANDERSON: The Beatles, Elvis. We`ll get to all those in a second, of course.
GARR: Well, you looked at it, didn`t you?
ANDERSON: I did.
GARR: But I just thought it`s about 75 percent about my life and then it`s about 25 percent of the book is about living with M.S. and how I deal with it.
ANDERSON: What have you learned about people and how they`ve reacted to you?
GARR: Well, I`ve learned that some people probably all knew, but there`s good people and there`s bad people. And oftentimes you really don`t know which ones are which until there`s a crisis in your own life or, you know, even in their life.
But you know, I mean, look at the people that came to rescue at 9/11. I mean, it was just like guys walking around New York and whistling at girls, and then they came to face that head-on when a crisis happened. And I think the things that are inside people come out. And it`s a good feeling. It`s been a good feeling for me, going: you know, I`m a lot stronger than I thought I was.
ANDERSON: And you were at the height of your career when all of this happened.
GARR: I don`t know if I was at the height of my career.
ANDERSON: Well, "Tootsie," nominated for an Oscar.
GARR: I`m still waiting for the height of my career
ANDERSON: But you had done so well and been so successful. What happened? Was your career affected after your diagnosis?
GARR: You know it`s very hard to say. I think well, yes, I was dropped by several agents and stuff. They just weren`t going to handle it. But for me I was never -- I never felt like it was a problem. But...
ANDERSON: Do you think others felt like it was a problem? Do you feel you were discriminated against?
GARR: I`m sure. I think -- yes, definitely. But I think there`s people out there that go, "Oh, she has breast cancer. We`re not going to hire her." I mean, I think here`s a lot of discrimination against people that have illnesses. And I think people surpass them.
So, you know, whether people come out and talk about their illnesses is a question that we all have to kind of grapple with. Maybe we shouldn`t tell people because it`s -- people can`t handle it.
But I`ve done it now. The cat`s out of the bag. Elvis has left the building.
ANDERSON: You hung out the Beatles.
GARR: Oh, that was a lie.
ANDERSON: During a recording session.
GARR: Yes, I did.
ANDERSON: "Yellow Submarine." How did that happen? And at the time, were you thinking, "This is pretty darn cool"?
GARR: Yes, I really did think that. You know, I`d gone to London with some friends of mine. And we got to stay in Cass Elliot`s -- one of the Mamas and Papas -- apartment, because he had rented it. This guy that was also staying at the apartment was the Mamas and Papas road manager, and he knew them.
And so he said, "Do you guys want to come to a Beatles recording session?" You`ve never seen three girls move so fast in your life.
"Do we? Yes." And we went there, and John had just gotten this -- his Rolls Royce painted, and he wanted to take it out. "You birds want to go out for a ride?"
"Yes, we do. We would like to go for a ride with you." We all piled in the car, the four Beatles and my friends and I. It was fabulous.
ANDERSON: Elvis Presley. You danced in, what, nine of his movies?
GARR: Isn`t that unbelievable?
ANDERSON: It is. You hung out with Elvis off the set, but it wasn`t always as glamorous as many people think it was.
GARR: No. Well, when I first worked on an Elvis movie, they said -- this Memphis mafia guy said, "You guys want to go to a party at Elvis` tonight?"
We went, "Yes." It`s just the groupie in me.
So he should have just said, "Do you want to come to Elvis` house and watch Elvis watch television?" Because that`s actually what we did.
It was like, "This is no party. I don`t see any punch. Chips and dips."
ANDERSON: That was fun.
GARR: But it was fun. And you know something, Elvis was very funny. Hollywood did him in, because it`s such a fake place.
ANDERSON: So many people think Hollywood is this promised land, that it`s so fun and just blue skies ahead. But what have you learned about Hollywood?
GARR: Well, it`s just an ordinary place. It`s a business town. It`s like a lumber business. We`re in a business here. And they`re selling and trading and buying and selling. And that`s what it`s about.
But people come out thinking it`s going to be the glamorous life: "Maybe I could be a star and if I was a star I would be happy. It would be the answer." And of course, it is not the answer.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And there are many more great stories in Teri`s book, "Speed Bumps: Flooring it Through Hollywood." That`s in stores now.
HAMMER: Teri Garr is getting praise from other celebs, including talk show host Montel Williams. Williams, who also has M.S., says he`s thankful for Garr`s fight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT recently caught up with him at the Angel Ball for cancer research in New York City.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MONTEL WILLIAMS, TALK SHOW HOST: She`s been, I think, a very, very powerful voice at making people understand that, at the same time that we may suffer from an illness, you have the illness, the illness doesn`t have you. So she continues to go out there and fight every single day. She tries to laugh about it, which I think is really unbelievable. So I have a lot of respect for her and I wish her well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Williams went public with his battle with M.S. back in 1999. His charity, the Montel Williams Foundation, funds research to stamp out the disease. For more information you can log onto MontelMS.org.
ANDERSON: Still to come, the crippling worldwide AIDS epidemic. Tonight, what stars like Jessica Alba, Alicia Keys and Elton John are doing to help stop the spread of this devastating disease.
Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIBBONS: You watch someone slowly disappear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Leeza Gibbons opens up about watching her mom and her grandmother suffer from Alzheimer`s Disease. That`s coming up at the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Plus a unique bond on the set of "The George Lopez Show." Tonight, how five Vietnam vets who served separately came together. Their special story when this edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Hollywood Giving is In" continues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING": Hi, I`m Larry King.
SHAUN KING, WIFE OF LARRY KING: And I`m Shaun king.
L. KING: And I`m thankful for our two little boys at home. Chance is 6 1/2 going on 23, and Canon, who`s 5 going on 5 1/2.
S. KING: And we`re also thankful for all of our older children who are out of the house, starting from 24 on up to 50. We love them all.
L. KING: In other words, I`m old. Happy Thanksgiving.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On this Thanksgiving Day, of course, our thoughts are with our service men and women stationed around the world. And we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in wars past and present.
Tonight, a remarkable story of some Vietnam veterans who share a very special bond as crew members on a Hollywood set.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas joins us again in Hollywood with that story.
VARGAS: This is a story of five exceptional Vietnam vets who found themselves working together side by side on ABC`s "The George Lopez Show." It`s a rare and unique Hollywood tale of shared experiences and camaraderie.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is me and Alley Cat together in Danang (ph), Vietnam, 1968.
GEORGE LOPEZ, ACTOR: Wow, look at that. Look at that picture.
VARGAS (voice-over): It`s been more than 30 years since these men heroically patrolled the rice fields and waters of Vietnam as United States soldiers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at that.
LOPEZ: Yes, 1967.
VARGAS: Now, they are manning the set of the ABC hit comedy, "The George Lopez Show." As senior crew members, their work gets the show on the air.
George Lopez tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they are part of what makes his crew so diverse and so unique.
LOPEZ: Those guys and their stories and who they are and what they do and what experience they bring, not only in life but in their ability to do their job, is great to see every day. You know, because they`re not -- come on, look what they`ve come through. They`re going to be thrown by tape on the floor? I don`t think so.
VARGAS: There are an incredible five Vietnam vets on the staff of the Lopez show, an extraordinary number for any set in Hollywood. They were all surprised but heartened to find each other.
ANGELO OREFICE, VIETNAM VETERAN: It`s kind of a rare situation. It`s kind of nice because we can -- do share some memories together and just memories other people don`t understand. They can`t fathom some of it.
VARGAS: Al Orefice is Angelo`s first cousin. Angelo traveled across Vietnam to see him when they were both serving for an Easter weekend in 1969.
AL OREFICE, VIETNAM VETERAN: All the helicopters were grounded because of the weather was so bad, so I was hitchhiking down to Danang (ph). Whoever I could get a right with or do a little bit of walking, whatever. Ended up with him. We spent three days together, which was great, excellent. We celebrated our 35th anniversary of that weekend this last Easter.
VARGAS: Shared stories like that with the vets and other cast members brought one word to mind: family.
WILL BALASH, VIETNAM VETERAN: It`s family. We`re all very comfortable together. And we just come and have a good time. It`s a wonderful job, because I come in to work every day and get to laugh.
VARGAS: They have all been with the Lopez show since the very first episode. The show is now in its fifth season and on its 90th episode. George Lopez told us he never really had a family, but said these vets are part of his family now.
LOPEZ: You know, the thing is that they`re great guys. You know, if they still wore fatigues, I`d still be a little concerned, but they`re great guys and they`re really funny. And we know they`re their history and we`re proud of them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And George and the cast get together quite often off the set, too. They have regular staff bowling and golf tournaments. And on top of that potluck lunches and dinners around the holidays, which is making me kind of hungry, A.J.
HAMMER: Very cool story. Thanks very much. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.
Well Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are getting together with his ex, Nicole Kidman, to combat AIDS. We`ll have that next.
ANDERSON: Plus, it`s the heart-wrenching story of a star watching her mom slowly waste away. Tonight, Leeza Gibbons` personal struggle with Alzheimer`s disease coming up.
HAMMER: And when the call for hurricane help went out, the stars were there in a big way with Katrina relief songs. But are those in need getting what they need? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates coming up. You`re watching a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Hollywood Giving is In."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: I`m extremely thankful for the fact that through al of the catastrophes that seem to be facing this nation, we still have people that understand the true spirit of giving.
And no matter how badly their individual plight has been, they`re still reaching in their pockets and they`re giving back to other Americans. And that`s what the whole idea of America is all about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SUSAN HENDRICKS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in just one minute. Hi, everyone. I`m Susan Hendricks with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
Four U.S. soldiers are among those injured in a suicide car bombing that killed at least 30 Iraqis. It happened outside a hospital south of Baghdad where the Americans were handing out toys.
In New York, authorities say they`re not sure if the wind played a part in the accident during the Macy`s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Two people were hurt when the M&M`s balloon snagged a lamppost, causing part of it to fall. The accident is similar to the one back in 1997 that left two people seriously hurt.
Chile`s former strongman will spend his 90th birthday Friday under house arrest. General Augusto Pinochet was indicted on human rights charges hours after he was released on bail for other crimes. Those charges include tax fraud and passport forgery related to $27 million he allegedly stashed in foreign bank accounts.
That is the news for now. I`m Susan Hendricks. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues.
ANDERSON: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Hollywood giving is in. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Hollywood and the AIDS epidemic in Africa. With 25 million already dead, the disease continues to wipe out whole societies and create tragic devastation in families. Many of your favorite stars are lending a helping hand, working to make HIV and AIDS a thing of the past.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer joins us once again with the story.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN HEADLINE NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, A.J. That`s right.
Hollywood`s long been associated with the fight against AIDS and HIV. The cause got special attention recently in New York City with a star- studied "Time" magazine fundraiser, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Jessica Alba, John Mayer, Usher, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there as they raised money to get medicine to children and families living with HIV and AIDS.
JESSICA ALBA, ACTRESS: It`s not fair and it`s not right that 12 million children have to be infected with the disease that they know nothing about, that they didn`t choose to have.
HAFFENREFFER: Grammy award-winner Alicia Keys is the face of the Keep a Child Alive Foundation, which provides life-saving medicine to those in dire need of help.
ALICIA KEYS, MUSICIAN: When you`re in an impoverished country where you just cannot afford that medication, your only other option is to die.
HAFFENREFFER: The numbers are staggering. Worldwide, 3 million children live with AIDS and HIV today, most in poor countries in Africa, but many here in America.
Around the world each year, more than 700,000 children are infected with HIV. Roughly half die before the age of two. These figures may seem overwhelming, but help is out there.
Alicia called on several of her famous friends to help raise money. She even got some of them, like John Mayer, to perform a song with her.
USHER, MUSICIAN: I mean, I really didn`t understand the severity of it until I decided to take a trip to Africa, went on a township, got a chance to really see the faces of these people affected. And, you know, to stand aside and act as if, you know, it`s just something that`s going to fix itself is unrealistic. We have to do something.
HAFFENREFFER: Alicia tells us all donations to the Keep a Child Alive Foundation go directly to children and their families. And that`s important. In the U.S. and other wealthy countries, anti-retroviral medicines have transformed AIDS from a virtual death sentence to a manageable disease, but over 95 percent of all people with HIV-AIDS life in impoverished countries that can`t afford the medication.
CYNTHIA NIXON, "SEX AND THE CITY": It`s overwhelming when you think of how many people are infected. But, again, if you just start, you know, every life saved is a life saved. And if you can save thousands of lives, millions of lives, you know, it`s worth it.
JOHN MAYER, MUSICIAN: I find it amazing that there are numbers that exist in the world today that if you did -- which doesn`t take long -- put your head around, it would make you get up and stop what you were doing.
HAFFENREFFER: Actress Natasha Richardson knows AIDS firsthand. Her father, Tony Richardson, succumbed to it in 1991.
NATASHA RICHARDSON, ACTRESS: It`s a subject very close to my heart, the fight against AIDS, because my father died of AIDS. And I know what`s happening globally.
And we`re all feeling at the moment the horrors, the pain that Katrina caused. And I think if we imagine that times 100 over years and years with many, many thousands of people, that`s what`s happening in the world right now. And I wouldn`t want it for my child, and I don`t want it for anyone else`s.
HAFFENREFFER: Just recently, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with singer Elton John in New York. John established his own AIDS charity 13 years ago, and he tells us he regrets not getting involved sooner.
ELTON JOHN, MUSICIAN: It`s something that I didn`t get involved in enough in the 1980s, when I needed to. And I`m trying to make up for lost time.
It is a huge pandemic that`s affecting the whole world and will, unless it`s stemmed in some way or other, it`s going to have catastrophic consequences for the economy of the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: Elton John started his charity back in 1992. And since then, the foundation has raised more than $60 million. Nice work -- A.J.?
HAMMER: And he always has done so much. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer, thanks very much.
Well, more big name celebrities are joining the battle against AIDS. The LIFEbeat Charity is auctioning off a bunch of signed items. And get this: One of the items is a podium from this year`s MTV Movie Awards autographed by Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Nicole Kidman.
Other artists who donated signed stuff, Britney Spears, Jamie Foxx, on a cover of "Vibe" magazine, and Wynonna Judd puts her John Hancock on a guitar. The auction will kick off a week from today on December 1st, which is Worlds AIDS Day. And to bid, you can simply head to bidtobeataids.com.
ANDERSON: Well, disaster and tragedy often bring out some amazing star charity efforts. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has closely watched how celebrities gave back in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, covering how the stars are helping its victims, raising money with concerts and songs.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates: Is all that help offering any relief?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): "Come Together," a "We Are the World"-style effort that brought together many stars. It was written and produced in part by Sharon Stone and just one of the many musical efforts created to support Katrina victims.
SHARON STONE, ACTRESS: You can be there for your neighbor. If you`re in the position to help with Katrina, if you`re in the position to just help your neighbor down the street, but it`s a one-to-one thing, that service is a one-to-one call to action.
ANDERSON: And that call was heard by countless musicians. Sharon Osbourne remade Eric Clapton`s "Tears in Heaven." Another successful remake, Neil Young`s cover of Fats Domino`s "Walking to New Orleans."
And legendary singer Stevie Wonder performed his benefit song, "Shelter from the Rain," live for CNN and told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT everyone should do their part.
STEVIE WONDER, MUSICIAN: Whether you be Stevie Wonder, or whether you be the president, whether you be a doctor, whether you be a lawyer, you`ve got to show your heart.
ANDERSON: And that`s why John Mayer and Aaron Neville teamed up to create "Heart So Heavy" for the effort. Earlier, they told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that they have high hopes for the song.
MAYER: I`m going run it for the guys at Columbia and say, "What kind of playbook do you have for this? And how long does it take to print these things up and get these things on shelves in every Wal-Mart across the country?"
ANDERSON: But the music hasn`t been at every Wal-Mart. And some say that`s a problem. iTunes has been offering most of the Katrina tracks, and proceeds from downloads benefit Katrina.
But CNN`s pop life music correspondent Denise Quan says musicians tell her distribution has been tough.
DENISE QUAN, CNN POP LIFE CORRESPONDENT: A lot of these big artists with some big hearts are recording some benefit singles, and they`re distributing them on places like iTunes, but you`re not hearing them on mainstream radio. And because of that, you don`t have your perfect commercial definitive hit.
ANDERSON: And that means money isn`t making it into the relief fund. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spoke with "Billboard`s" Jonathan Cohen to get some answers.
JONATHAN COHEN, EDITOR, "BILLBOARD" MAGAZINE: I mean, I think it`s a mixed bag. The star power would suggest that perhaps these songs could get some airplay, but on the other hand, I wouldn`t expect that there`s going to be wall-to-wall radio domination of songs like this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: iTunes told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it`s up to each individual artist and recording company to determine how much of the proceeds go to relief efforts, but most of the songs we mentioned have just found a new home. A double-CD titled "Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now," just hit stores. The proceeds, of course, will go towards victims of Katrina and other natural disasters.
HAMMER: Leeza Gibbons opens up about her family`s painful struggle with Alzheimer`s Disease.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEEZA GIBBONS, JOURNALIST: It`s death in slow motion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s coming in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: And Petra Nemcova barely escaped death during last year`s devastating Asian tsunami. Now she`s taking her tragic experience and turning it around. Find out what she`s doing in Thursday "InStyle," coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIEL RADCLIFFE, ACTOR: I`m thankful this year, I suppose, that I`m alive. It`s sort of a basic thing. But I suppose we take it for granted a lot. And so, you know, I`m alive and I`m really, really happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
Tonight, Hollywood giving is in, an in-depth look. And we`ll continue with that in just a minute. But first, a look at what`s new at the movies this week. For the holiday weekend, the big-screen version of the Broadway smash, "Rent," starring Rosario Dawson and Taye Diggs; John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton in the action-comedy "The Ice Harvest,"; Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo`s romantic comedy, "Yours, Mine and Ours"; another romantic comedy, Ryan Reynolds` and Amy Smart`s "Just Friends." And hip-hop star Usher heads to the silvers screen with Chazz Palminteri. It`s called "In the Mix."
Tonight, another "Showbiz Sitdown." This one is with Leeza Gibbons. She`s a well-known public figure as a TV and radio personality for more than 20 years, including a stint hosting a daytime talk show called "Leeza." But it`s her private life that`s occupied much of her time recently. Her mother is battling Alzheimer`s Disease. I sat down with Leeza to talk about her emotional day-to-day struggle and her ongoing personal mission to raise awareness about the illness.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEEZA GIBBONS, JOURNALIST: Any family that has a disease process break into your life, it`s difficult. Memory disorder is especially cruel, I think, Brooke, because you watch someone slowly disappear. It`s death in slow motion.
You know, it`s like taking your life story and then rewriting it. And so that parent that you love, or that spouse that you love, they change before you have to say good-bye. And so it`s like Nancy Reagan said. It is the longest goodbye.
ANDERSON: It`s heartbreaking. I had a great-aunt succumb to the disease years ago. Just to watch that decline in their health. And your mother was the impetus for your involvement, for your action. She actually asked you to do this, to educate people.
GIBBONS: Don`t you love a woman with that strength? You know, she was such a steel magnolia, this woman from the south who, when she got her diagnosis, she said to me, "OK, honey." She`s the one who helped me figure out that I was a story teller in life.
So she said, "Take this story, and I want you to tell it, and use it, and make it count." So that`s what I try to do with our work with the Memory Foundation and when we open up what we call Leeza`s Place, which we are now -- from coast to coast, these are intimate settings and communities to honor caregivers and those who have been diagnosed with a memory disorder.
ANDERSON: Kind of a safe haven. Walk us through the emotions that you went through when your mother was diagnosed, and what you`ve been through, and how that compares and contrasts to how other people are most likely dealing with the same sort of thing.
GIBBONS: Oh, this battle is a deeply personal one. My mother, I believe, when she put her head on the pillow at night, knew that abyss where she was headed, because she saw her mother.
For me, getting the diagnosis was the end of the innocence because, until we got that moment we were able to say, "You know, mom`s drinking too much," or, "Mom`s life isn`t so full anymore, so she`s repeating herself."
But she was the one who said, "I have paid this bill three times. Something`s wrong."
She really took the lead. I remember the day we were in the doctor`s office, and they said, "We`ll need to take Mrs. Gibbons back and give her a little test." And I got up to go with her and they said, "You can`t go."
And I said, "I can`t be with her?" And they said, "We just need your mom." And I watched her walk down the hall.
And, Brooke, it was like watching a little girl. She looked over her shoulder. And I so wanted to stop it, you know? Like a parent wants to stop the hurt for a child, and...
ANDERSON: The roles were reversed.
GIBBONS: They were reversed, exactly. I think that what happens with all families is, first, a lot of guilt, because it creeps up on you. And when the memories are faded, then you`ve lost your best chance to get that family history, to appreciate that person, to let them know how much they mean to you.
ANDERSON: So this is you and your mom. Talk to us about what pictures we`re seeing here.
GIBBONS: This picture was taken at home in South Carolina with my mom after she was diagnosed, shortly before my dad was no longer to care for her anymore. And she wanted to be an advocate.
And we took these pictures. And I had no idea that this would come to symbolize wrapping my arms around what she represents. She did it for me for so many years. And now I can wrap my arms around her and embrace all that she is.
And now she really needs me. And I want to be there for her.
ANDERSON: And you`ve wrapped your arms around so many others that are suffering, as well.
GIBBONS: I hope so.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. I think we have some more pictures that we`ve...
GIBBONS: This was after mom began to fade behind that veil of Alzheimer`s disease. The little baby is actually my sister`s child, Blake. But my mother couldn`t quite figure out who it was.
And she didn`t really know -- we didn`t think the baby was safe in her arms, because she would say, "What is this, and what am I supposed to be doing with this?"
And we`d give her a bottle, and she didn`t know what the bottle was. And it was important, though, to my sister that she hold that baby and that some day she was able to say to Blake, "This is your grandmom, and she loved you."
ANDERSON: Wow, very powerful image. How`s your mom now?
GIBBONS: Thank you for asking.
ANDERSON: Of course.
GIBBONS: I must be honest with you and tell you that I know my mom didn`t want to linger on in this state, so she`s here, but she`s gone. She`s in the final stages. She doesn`t speak. She has no glimmer of recognition.
She has transformed physically into someone that doesn`t look like my beautiful, confident mom. And yet, she said to me early on, "When I can`t call you by name, honey, I don`t want you to waste your time. I don`t want you to come visit me, because you have other things to do. Don`t come visit me. I won`t know that you`re there."
And I said, "But you know, Mom? I`ll know that I`m there, and I`m never going leave you."
And we don`t know what the thought process is. I don`t know which part of her can still feel, and touch, and need. I don`t know what`s transcended. So she`s doing as well as she can do.
ANDERSON: That is the saddest thing. I am so sorry to hear that. I`m teary-eyed from what you`re going through, but you`re doing something with it and you`re making a difference. Has this experience made you a stronger person?
GIBBONS: Oh, I think all pain makes us stronger, you know? My mother would always say those mom-isms, you know, like, "Well, God gave you those big, strong, broad shoulders for a reason, honey," and, you know, all those things that she said that were so true. Yes.
ANDERSON: You need to write all of those down...
GIBBONS: Oh, my gosh.
ANDERSON: ... and keep them as a memory book for your kids, for her, about her.
GIBBONS: That`s why I started scrap-booking.
ANDERSON: That`s right. And you have this book in stores, where other people can scrapbook and make memory books for their family.
GIBBONS: Tell the story of your life, you know? And for anyone that`s fading, anyone that you`re losing or have lost, keeping them alive in a scrapbook page is really cool.
So, all of our proceeds from the book and from my scrapbook products all go to the foundation. I`m just looking for ways to tell our message, and to keep funding out there, and to keep helping families.
ANDERSON: What a noble cause. And I wish the best for you, and your family, and your mom.
GIBBONS: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Leeza is such a strong and giving person. And the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation has launched a 12-city memory wall tour. The wall is designed for personal tributes to caregivers and loved ones afflicted with memory disorders. For more information, check out Leezasplace.org.
HAMMER: Your favorite celebrities, their favorite charities. Tonight, what groups Halle Berry, Natalie Portman, and Usher go to when they want to give. That`s coming up next, in Thursday`s "InStyle."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRACE ADKINS, COUNTRY MUSICIAN: You know, when we do our little around the table, what are you thankful for thing, I was thinking I`ve never told my old man how thankful I am that the night I wrecked his truck when I was 17 that he didn`t kill me.
And I knew he wanted to, because I could see it in his eyes. I walked in and I said, you know, "Daddy, I wrecked your truck." And he jumped up off the couch. And I really thought I was going to die that night. I thought I was a dead man. But he didn`t kill me, and I want to thank him for that this Thanksgiving.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: It`s time now for Thursday "InStyle." In this season of giving, "InStyle" magazine focuses on stars who use their star power to help those in need. Tonight, a look at celebrities and some of their favorite charities.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE ZUCKERMAN, "INSTYLE" MAGAZINE: In Shining Stars, which an annual portfolio in "InStyle," we focus on seven amazing Hollywood stars who use their celebrity and their power to make other people`s lives better.
Natalie Portman is a member of an organization called FINCA, which is a grassroots organization that targets primarily women in underdeveloped countries. They give these women seed money to start their own businesses so that they can make a better life for themselves.
Halle Berry is one of the bravest celebrities that we feature in this year`s Shining Stars portfolio. She is an Oscar winner. She`s one of the world`s most stunningly beautiful women, yet she also openly reveals that she`s a second-generation victim of domestic violence. She volunteers at the Ginette Center (ph), which is a shelter for battered women.
Usher has a really interesting charity called Camp New Look. Camp New Look is a two-week program that takes place in a college outside of Atlanta where kids go and are mentored by famous figures from the sports and entertainment world.
Petra Nemcova, probably up until the Asian tsunami, was most famous for gracing the cover of "Sports Illustrated" magazine. She`s started an organization -- it`s called the Happy Hearts Foundation -- that aims to help all of the young children in Thailand who are orphaned or homeless because of the tsunami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And to read more about these charitable celebrities, pick up a copy of the "InStyle" magazine on newsstands now.
HAMMER: Time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
ANDERSON: A.J., why don`t we take a look at the Showbiz Marquee? Tomorrow, it`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report: Hollywood`s obsession with weight. Stars are getting thinner and thinner. Are they sending a dangerous message to the rest of the country? We`ll investigate.
HAMMER: Also tomorrow, body transformation. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the secrets of how the stars fatten up and slim down for their roles. The extremes they will go to, to nail that big part. It`s part of a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
And that is it for this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson. We`re thankful you joined us on this holiday. And have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
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