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Showbiz Tonight
Clemency Denied for Death Row Inmate; Who Will be Golden Globe Nominees?
Aired December 12, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CO-HOST: I`m David Haffenreffer.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And I`m Brooke Anderson. TV`s only live entertainment show starts now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Hollywood battle to stop an execution. Tonight, as the clock ticks for former gang leader Tookie Williams, we talk to the stars who say he doesn`t deserve to die, including former M*A*S*H star Mike Farrell, live, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Tonight, the inside story on the former "Sopranos" actor charged with killing a cop in cold blood. He got his big break with Robert De Niro in "A Bronx Tale."
LILLO BRANCATO JR., ACTOR: Is it better to be mugged or feared?
ANDERSON: Tonight, the tale of his fall from grace.
HAFFENREFFER: It`s "King Kong" here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. All this week, we have the stars of what could end up being the biggest movie ever. Tonight, one on one with director Peter Jackson. Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your first look at actual scenes from the movie that will amaze you.
GOLDIE HAWN, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Goldie Hawn and if it happened today, then it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi, there. I`m Brooke Anderson, live in Hollywood.
HAFFENREFFER: And I`m David Haffenreffer, live in New York, filling in for A.J. Hammer tonight.
Last minute dramatic developments as Hollywood stars fight to stop the execution of Death Row inmate Stanley "Tookie" Williams. Late today, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to grant the convicted killer clemency, and Williams is expected to die right after midnight.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the story and talking to the stars for reaction. News continues to break on this story. So let`s go straight to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas, live in Hollywood with the very latest.
Hi, Sibila.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, David.
That`s right. Tookie Williams co-founded the notorious Crips gang and, of course, he was convicted of robbing and killing a 7-Eleven employee as well as gunning down an entire family.
But in his time behind bars, supporters, many of them Hollywood heavyweights, say he did tremendous good helping children and gang members. And today there was outrage when his fate was decided by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): Bianca Jagger was taping an interview with me at the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT studios, when news broke that Governor Schwarzenegger had rejected clemency.
(on camera) So you just got the news that Governor Schwarzenegger has just denied Stanley "Tookie" Williams clemency. What is your immediate reaction?
BIANCA JAGGER, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST: I am shocked. However, I am not surprised. Although I was prepared today give the governor the benefit of the doubt and hoped that he was going to make a decision in accordance to his conscience, I knew very well that he is, before anything now a politician and that he was going to decide whether it was good or bad for his political career.
VARGAS (voice-over): Jagger, rapper Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx, Jesse Jackson, Harry Belafonte are just some of the A-list celebrities who fought to halt Williams` execution.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mrs. Stanley "Tookie"...
VARGAS: This past weekend, Jamie Foxx, who played Tookie in the 2004 FX biopic "Redemption" told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT cameras he`s still fighting for Tookie.
JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR: Here`s a man who`s given us a hope right when the world is pretty miserable in some spots.
VARGAS: In the 24 years on Death Row, Williams preached against gangs, initiated gang truces and wrote more than half a dozen books teaching children to stay away from gangs, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
Fifteen-year-old Edward Medina (ph) read the books.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I would have been in a gang right now, I would have probably been in jail, dead.
VARGAS: Now, he`s on track to graduate and go to college.
Fred Jackson worked with kids who grew up surrounded by gangs. He says they really listen to Williams.
FRED JACKSON, OPPOSES EXECUTION OF WILLIAMS: He would be telling those want-to-be gang members or those wannabe gang members, I don`t care how you turn your life around, once you are stuck, you are stuck.
VARGAS: But Schwarzenegger wasn`t buying it, saying, quote, "Williams is not reformed and that he still sees violence and lawlessness as a legitimate means to address societal problems." Adding "it is impossible to separate Williams` claim of innocence from his claim of redemption. Cumulatively, the evidence demonstrating Williams is guilty of these murders is strong and compelling. Based on the cumulative weight of the evidence, there is no reason to second guess the jury`s decision."
But the most outspoken, perhaps, is the stepmother of Albert Owens, the 7-Eleven clerk killed in 1979.
LORA OWENS, VICTIM`S STEPMOTHER: I will be standing there in name of Albert and his father, watching that execution.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: ... Williams`s supporters` last hope. But just minutes ago, Tookie`s lawyers filed a last-ditch appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in hopes that justices would stay.
ANDERSON: Sibila Vargas, thank you very much.
And one celebrity who has been very outspoken in working to commute Williams` death sentence is "M*A*S*H" star Mike Farrell, who is also the president of Death Penalty Focus, a non-profit organization dedicated to the abolishment of the death penalty.
Mike Farrell, joining me now live from San Francisco.
Hi, Mike.
MIKE FARRELL, ACTOR/ACTIVIST: How are you?
ANDERSON: I`m doing well. Thank you. I want to get your first reaction to Governor Schwarzenegger`s decision not to grant clemency here.
FARRELL: Well, it`s not a surprise. The governor is, after all, now a politician, and politicians are demonstrably cowardly when they feel they may incur some wrath from some wrathful part of the public.
But I`d like to clarify a couple things that I`ve seen, if I may. While Mrs. Owens, the stepmother of Albert Owens, will be standing at the execution, or sitting, Albert Owens` widow and his wife have both come out and said that they would support commutation for Stanley Williams. So, it`s appropriate that we understand this is not an issue that is the family is all of one mind on.
ANDERSON: Well, what would you say to the families maybe who are still grieving to this day and do agree with Governor Schwarzenegger? In his statement of clemency, he said no need to rehash the findings of the courts over 24 years of litigation that jury decisions that he is guilty of these four murders, should pay for his life. What would you say to those family members who are still grieving, still upset about this?
FARRELL: Well, one, I would say that, of course, we all share their grief. Nobody is supportive of murder. We all understand that violence is a problem in our society. The concern is that we teach our children the wrong lesson if we teach them that the way to respond to violence is with more violence.
The Murder Victims` Families for Reconciliation, an organization I work with, is made up of such people, the people who have suffered the loss of a loved one to violence. And they understand that this concept of closure, this promise that prosecutors make that people will be released somehow of the pain of the loss of their loved one by the extermination of the perpetrator, or in this case, the presumed perpetrator of the crime, really is a sham. And it is a sad one.
ANDERSON: Mike, quickly, we only have a few moments left. What do you think this it is about this case, about Tookie Williams that has attracted so many celebrities to his cause?
FARRELL: Celebrities that you`ve focused on have joined Nobel laureates, religious leaders, elected officials, all people from all walks of life, who said that it does not gain us anything to kill this man. And what he is doing, working with young people, is a social good that should be continued throughout his -- continue to exist under life without possibility of parole in prison.
ANDERSON: Mike, thank you so much for sharing your time with us tonight. Mike Farrell, president of Death Penalty Focus. We do appreciate it.
HAFFENREFFER: Tonight, an actor from "The Sopranos" is accused of murder. Lillo Brancato Jr. played an aspiring mobster on "The Sopranos" and Robert De Niro`s son in the movie "A Bronx Tale."
Police in New York say he and another man face murder charges in the death of an off-duty police officer. Prosecutors say Brancato will be charged with second degree murder.
Coming up later in the show, we`ll have a "SHOWBIZ Special Report" on Brancato`s fall from grace.
ANDERSON: Tonight we have late-breaking news that actor Colin Farrell has checked himself into a treatment center. Farrell`s rep says he`s being treated for a dependency on prescription medication and for exhaustion. Farrell was prescribed the medication after a back injury.
His people aren`t saying which treatment center he has checked into or how long he might stay there. Farrell recently finished filming "Miami Vice" and also stars in the upcoming film, the "New World."
Well, Hollywood pays tribute to Richard Pryor. Coming up, Steve Martin and other Hollywood heavyweights tell us what it was that made Pryor such a giant in comedy.
HAFFENREFFER: Plus, will Broke Back Mountain break away from the competition at this year`s Golden Globe nominations? We`ll find out, coming up as our special live panel of experts makes its predictions.
ANDERSON: And it`s "King Kong" week here. Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we have jaw-dropping scenes from the movie, and our chat with director Peter Jackson, next in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In what year was Jackson Browne`s "Doctor My Eyes" a top 10 single? Was it 1971, `72, `74 or `76? We`ll be right back with your answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: So again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In what year was Jackson Browne`s "Doctor My Eyes" a top 10 single? 1971, `72, `74 or `76? The answer is B, 1972.
HAFFENREFFER: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s only live entertainment news show. I`m David Haffenreffer filling in for A.J. Hammer.
Tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we kick off "King Kong" week. The man who created the new "King Kong," director Peter Jackson, sat down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and he admitted that his boyhood dream of creating a new version of the classic 1933 film had its challenges along the way.
No rest for the weary director, though. Jackson told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he started working on "Kong" while he was wrapping up his final installment of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Return of the King."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And lo, the beast looked upon the face of beauty, and beauty stayed his hand. And from that day forward, he was as one dead.
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): For director Peter Jackson, "King Kong" was a childhood dream come true. Jackson won a whopping 11 Oscars for "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" and launched right into "Kong" even before he collected the golden guys. Jackson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he and his team of animators were ready for the challenge.
PETER JACKSON, DIRECTOR: During the year of "Return of the King." And so I thought if there was ever a time to do "Kong," it would now immediately. No break, just go straight in it.
HAFFENREFFER: And Jackson and his team certainly had their work cut out for them. Jackson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT creating an authentic Kong had its own set of challenges.
JACKSON: He has this great mane of fur. We wanted the fur to get muddy and dirty. We wanted the mud to be wet, and then we wanted it to dry. And then the dry fur starts to cake and bake and then fall off. We wanted leaves to be tangled in his hair. We wanted all of this detail. We were way beyond anything we`d ever done in "Lord of the Rings."
HAFFENREFFER: Unlike "Lord of the Rings," which was all based in fantasy, Jackson had to turn back the clock and re-create New York City in 1933. He told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he and his team of animators did what they know best. They went high tech.
JACKSON: We had to build Manhattan in 1933, which we`d never had to do on "Rings." It was all fantasy stuff. And now we were dealing with New York City exactly as it was in 1934. You know, we build a very, very accurate computer copy of Manhattan that we use all the time in the movie.
HAFFENREFFER: Casting the movie proved to be an easier challenge for Jackson. He tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT his kids were the reason behind his choice of comedian Jack Black for the role of the overly ambitious filmmaker Carl Denham.
JACK BLACK, ACTOR/COMEDIAN: You, short stuff.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Puff Daddy.
BLACK: Wrong. Billy?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lisa Minnelli?
BLACK: What are -- you guys, this project is called Rock Band. I`m talking about bands that rock.
JACKSON: The children had the DVD of "School of Rock," and were like playing it 25 times over Christmas. And had Jack Black sort of beaten into our subconscious sort of on a daily basis.
HAFFENREFFER: All humor aside, "King Kong" is already receiving fantastic reviews and is expected to clean up at the box office when it opens this Wednesday.
And for Jackson, his boyhood dream about an ape and his beauty may be even bigger than he imagined.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: Peter Jackson has also been making news on another front, his extreme weight loss. He told "Entertainment Weekly" he shed the pounds as a part of putting in 21 hours a day directing and editing "King Kong."
A little bit later on in tonight`s show, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has one of your first looks at a scene from "King Kong." It`s in -- it`s when "Kong" takes on T-Rex. So you`ll want to stick around for that, of course.
ANDERSON: And now we do want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. "King Kong": is it your must see movie of the year? Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight and send us an e-mail at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`re going to read some of your thoughts later on in the show.
HAFFENREFFER: Well, tonight, Hollywood`s biggest stars are on pins and needles because tomorrow is a big day.
The Golden Globe nominations will be announced. And from the looks of things, "Brokeback Mountain" could be this year`s breakout hit. The film, about a love affair between two cowboys, roped in some major awards over the weekend.
The New York Film Critics and Los Angeles Film Critics Associations both named "Brokeback Mountain" best film and best director. It also topped nominations at the Critics Choice Awards, with eight, including another for best film. Will "Brokeback Mountain`s" momentum continue at the Golden Globes?
Live in Hollywood is Tom O`Neil, a columnist for the Internet news site, TheEnvelope.com. Also, in Hollywood, David Ansen, film critic for "Newsweek" magazine. And live here in New York City Michelle Kung from "Entertainment Weekly."
Welcome to you all.
David, we start with you. What do you think will "Brokeback Mountain" -- will the streak continue tomorrow?
DAVID ANSEN, "NEWSWEEK": I think it will. I mean, I heard there`s going to be a long streak if it`s going to will continue tomorrow. It`s going to continue with the Oscars. Because it`s a movie that moves people very deeply.
HAFFENREFFER: And Tom, obviously getting a lot of critical praise for this particular movie. Does this necessarily mean it`s going to be big -- post some big numbers at the box office?
ANSEN: Well, these awards will certainly help in that case, because suddenly, this is Oscar homework. You`ve got to see this movie if you want to follow the whole awards derby.
Focus Features, the studio, has been very shrewd in its release. It was in only five theaters this past weekend, but it pulled a half a million dollars. That`s how much demand there is. They`re only adding 25 theaters per week from here on in. This doesn`t go wide until the middle of January, right at Golden Globe time.
HAFFENREFFER: So, it could stand to bode well for the film itself.
Michelle, obviously "King Kong" getting a lot of praise out there. Will it also get a lot of nominations?
MICHELLE KUNG, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Definitely. Peter Jackson has a history with the awards. This is such a film on an epic scope, that it will definitely pick up a lot of awards tomorrow.
HAFFENREFFER: That`s probably good news for Mr. Jackson, of course. He`s got a lot of experience in all this. But it didn`t get released too late, Dave, to get too many nominations on the Golden Globes front?
ANSEN: That`s a question, is whether Universal screened it for all the members. And I`m pretty sure they probably did. They wouldn`t miss an opportunity like that.
HAFFENREFFER: I mean, there is a write off...
ANSEN: It wasn`t seen by most of the critics until last week.
HAFFENREFFER: I was going to say, there`s a lot of thought going into the strategy behind release dates, is there not? So there would be -- this wouldn`t be getting past those in charge of releasing this film.
ANSEN: No. They don`t want to miss the Golden Globes.
HAFFENREFFER: Yes. A lot of money rides on all this.
Tom, let`s talk about big surprises in the nominations coming out tomorrow. You`re of the thought that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, their names would get mentioned in the nominations tomorrow. Tell us about that.
TOM O`NEIL, THEENVELOPE.COM: Yes, Brad could have a date with Jen at the Golden Globes. It`s a slam dunk shoe-in that Jennifer Aniston will be nominated for "Rumor Has It" in the comedy/musical side.
Brad Pitt will probably be nominated too. He has actively campaigned for this. He was the key note speaker at a crucial lunch the Hollywood Foreign Press Association had in July that usually translates into a nomination. Because remember, he owns "Mr. And Mrs. Smith."
So the question is, do we also see his co-star, Angelina, nominated? And Vince Vaughn could be up there, too, for "Wedding Crashers".
HAFFENREFFER: It could be quite a photo opportunity at the awards show.
Michelle, any big surprises come out tomorrow in your eyes?
KUNG: I don`t there will be too many surprises, simply because all the awards leading up to this has been pretty uniform in who they`ve been choosing. But I mean, I`m personally rooting for "The Constant Gardener" and for "Madam Morales (ph)" to score some nominations tomorrow.
HAFFENREFFER: And finally, Dave here. Biggest surprise that we might expect tomorrow?
O`NEIL: Well, you might see, because there`s two categories in acting for musical and comedy and for dramatic. You may very well see Heath Ledger nominated twice for best actor for "Brokeback Mountain" on the dramatic side and "Casanova" on the comic side.
HAFFENREFFER: All right. We`ll look for that. And Dave, real quick. We mentioned as -- rather, Michelle mentioned "Constant Gardener." We`ve got "Syriana" and "Brokeback Mountain," all movies that sort of deal in some controversy. Is there a theme here?
ANSEN: Well, yes. It`s a political year. You`ve also got "Good Night and Good Luck," which has a lot of political overtones for today. I think, you know, you can`t keep the real world out, even in Hollywood, for too long.
HAFFENREFFER: Indeed. That`s the truth. Thank you very much to Tom O`Neil, David Ansen and Michelle Kung. And be sure to tune in tomorrow when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will have all the results from the Golden Globe nominations.
ANDERSON: A classic Alka-Seltzer commercial remade. We`ll show you who can`t believe he ate the hole thing these days. Coming up in a "SHOWBIZ Showcase."
HAFFENREFFER: Plus, a brunette Bond breaks his silence on the blonde bond. Pierce Brosnan tells us exactly what he thinks about Daniel Craig replacing him as 007. That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: And he was discovered on a beach, starred in "A Bronx Tale" with Robert De Niro, went on to "The Sopranos" and is now facing murder charges. We have the stunning story of what happened coming up in a "SHOWBIZ Special Report."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Tonight, in a "SHOWBIZ Showcase," a mini "Everybody Loves Raymond" reunion that`s been 30 years in the making. Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts star in the remake of the famous 1972 Alka-Seltzer commercial. It`s the one that featured the phrase "I can`t believe I hate ate the whole thing." A husband complains about eating too much food, and his wife comes to the rescue with some Alka-Seltzer.
Here`s your first look at Peter and Doris, who played cranky spouses on "Raymond" for nine years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER DOYLE, ACTOR: I can`t believe I ate that whole thing.
DORIS ROBERTS, ACTRESS: Oh, where have I heard that before?
DOYLE: I can`t believe I ate that whole thing.
ROBERTS: OK, I ate it.
DOYLE: I can`t believe I ate that whole thing.
ROBERTS: Take your Alka-Seltzer.
ANNOUNCER: People overdo it. That`s why for 75 years, they`ve reached for Alka-Seltzer to break up and dissolve away stomach discomfort and pain fast.
DOYLE: Good night, dear.
ROBERTS: Drop one crumb and you`re dead.
ANNOUNCER: Alka-Seltzer, a rich history of relief.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That remake is part of Alka-Seltzer`s 75th anniversary. The company says depending on how this one goes, they might redo more.
HAFFENREFFER: Well, it`s time now for the best in daytime talk, in "Talk of the Day." On the Ellen DeGeneres show, Diane Keaton got all dressed up for her visit to the show. Maybe a little bit too dressed up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, TALK SHOW HOST: She just said, "I can`t sit. This is too tight." The last time you were on...
DIANE KEATON, ACTRESS: I`m wearing a girdle.
DEGENERES: Are you really?
KEATON: I am. I`m wearing a black girdle, and it`s -- because I can`t zip the damn thing up. I can`t get the damn thing all the way up. It`s pathetic.
DEGENERES: Well, that must be extra, extra tiny then, because you`re so thin that something that wouldn`t fit you is a crying shame.
KEATON: It`s a tux.
DEGENERES: And did you just come from a photo shoot? Is that it?
KEATON: No, no. No, no. No, no. I`m going to my premiere.
DEGENERES: You are?
KEATON: Yes.
DEGENERES: You look fantastic. I thought maybe you just dressed up for me. But...
KEATON: Always.
DEGENERES: We actually look like we could be getting married right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, they do.
All right. It is "King Kong" week here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. So what happens when King Kong meets T-Rex? Well, coming up, we`ll show you actual scenes from the movie.
HAFFENREFFER: Plus, Hollywood remembers Richard Pryor. Coming up, Steve Martin, Rob Reiner and Jamie Foxx give us the inside story on the legacy that this ground-breaking comedian leaves behind.
ANDERSON: And an actor`s tale, the man who once played Robert De Niro`s son in "A Bronx Tale" now facing murder charges in real life. His amazing rise and fall coming up in a "SHOWBIZ Special Report."
Keep it right here. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in one minute. Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
The cofounder of the Crips street gang, Stanley "Tookie" Williams, is making one last-ditch appeal for his life. His attorneys are asking the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay of execution. Earlier today, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the circuit court of appeals refused Williams` request for clemency. Now, Williams is set to die around midnight Pacific time for four murders in 1979.
A strong earthquake shook northwest Pakistan and northeast Afghanistan today near the site of that devastating quake two months ago, which killed (INAUDIBLE) U.S. Geological Survey says today`s quake was a magnitude 6.7. There are no immediate reports of damages or injuries.
President Bush acknowledged today about 30,000 Iraqis have been killed since the U.S. invasion, but the president said the country is buzzing now with signs of democracy ahead of Thursday`s elections. And Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman John Murtha responded saying Iraqis aren`t against democracy, they`re just against the American occupation. Meanwhile, a human rights group has discovered possible signs of abuse of another Iraqi facility housing dozens of detainees.
Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts.
HAFFENREFFER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes after the hour. I`m David Haffenreffer in for A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, and you are watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
HAFFENREFFER: Tonight, an actor featured in the HBO mega-hit "The Sopranos" could very well be facing murder charges after an incident over the weekend in New York City where a New York City police officer, off- duty, was shot and killed. He`s currently in a hospital, the actor, and could be arraigned on those charges later on this week. We understand he also starred, Brooke, in a movie with Robert De Niro.
ANDERSON: He absolutely did, "A Bronx Tale," in fact. It`s shocking, what allegedly happened.
Also, David, as we said throughout the show, it`s "King Kong" week here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. The movie opens on Wednesday, getting rave reviews. It`s been called "jaw-dropping," "heart-stopping," "sensational." Well, coming up in just a few minutes, we`ll have a look at "King Kong" going up against T-rex. It`s one of the nail-biting scenes from the film. Very exciting.
HAFFENREFFER: We`ll look forward to that. But first, let`s get tonight`s "Hot Headlines." Sibila Vargas joins us now live again from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Hollywood newsroom.
Hi, Sibila Vargas.
VARGAS: Thanks, David.
A good thing for Martha Stewart`s daytime talk show. NBC-Universal said today it has renewed "Martha" for another season. The company says it has improved timeslot ratings in 17 out of the top 20 markets in the country. As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT previously reported, Stewart`s primetime show, her version of Donald Trump`s "The Apprentice," was canceled. It will not be returning for another edition.
A country couple ties the knot. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood got married this weekend at their home in Oklahoma. Brooks proposed this May in front of thousands of fans at an event honoring country stars. It`s Brooks` second marriage and a third for Yearwood. Congratulations.
And big news out for the cable TV world. Today, the nation`s two largest cable operators, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, which is part of the company that owns CNN Headline News, said they will offer packages of family-friendly channels. Earlier this month, the FCC urged industry executives to help parents shield children from violent and raunchy programming, and it looks like they`re doing just that.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines." Back to you.
ANDERSON: There had been talk of doing that for a while. Sibila, thank you so much. Sibila Vargas, live in Hollywood.
Tonight, comedians and heavy-hitters in Hollywood remember comedic legend Richard Pryor who died of a heart attack over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMIE FOXX, SAYS PRYOR INFLUENCED HIM: Everybody here knows that that`s a huge loss. But at the same time, he inspired all of us. I mean, who doesn`t have a Richard Pryor album? Who didn`t get in trouble when your parents often said, "Boy, what are you listening to?" "This is Richard Pryor," and then have us sit down and hear your mama giggling to Richard Pryor and everything like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Throughout his career, Pryor took a no-holds-barred approach to race, shocking audiences and saying he spoke, quote, "for the black voices that could not be heard."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE MARTIN, COMEDIAN: All of people come and say, "You were the first comedian" -- talking about me -- they say, "You were the first comedian to sell out arenas." And I said, "No, I wasn`t. Richard Pryor was." But because he was playing to all black or mostly black audiences and was not coverable by the media, it was not known that he was selling out 15,000-seat auditoriums.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He battled a cocaine addiction that he said fueled his performances. In 1986, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Nothing was off limits in his standup act, including himself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD PRYOR, LATE COMEDIAN: I found out something was wrong. I didn`t know what it was. Plus, the director said, "Come this way, over here." And my body would go...
(LAUGHTER)
"Cut," crack. "What?" "Richard, stop kidding." "I`m not kidding."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He broke a record in 1983, making $4 million for his role in "Superman III," the highest paid salary for a black actor then. Pryor was one of the most successful comedians of his time, starring in 30 films.
HAFFENREFFER: All right. Tonight, joining us with their special and personal memories of Richard Pryor, live from New York, Reginald Hudlin, president of entertainment for BET, Black Entertainment Television. Hudlin has worked with comedy greats like Chris Rock, Bernie Mac, Martin Lawrence, and Steve Harvey, many of whom have been influenced, of course, by Pryor`s work.
And comedian Paul Mooney, also live from New York, who worked on several projects with Richard Pryor through the years, including "The Richard Pryor Show," which aired on NBC in 1977, when Pryor`s career was taking off.
Welcome to you both. Paul, I want to start with you. You know, everybody we talked to talks about what a legend Richard Pryor was. What was it that he did that sort of got him to that level, where everybody talks about him as a legend?
PAUL MOONEY, COMEDIAN: Because he was on the edge. And he was a great storyteller. And he had a little boy`s quality, which he was very likeable, even though he talked about things that were very adult, you know?
And he was a comic`s comic. Comedians liked him. They liked to watch him, liked to study him. They liked to steal from him, liked to copy from him.
Richard, his biggest idols. He loved Redd Foxx. He loved (INAUDIBLE) and he loved Bill Cosby. I mean, he really put Bill Cosby on a pedestal.
I`ve known Richard since he was about 24, 25. And we had a lot arguments, a lot of discussions about Bill. I told him that Bill couldn`t hold a candle to him, because I used to, you know, go to all his shows, and I`d watch Bill`s shows. I saw Bill when I was 18. I`ve watched Richard`s shows, and I`ve watched the audience.
And Bill had a great appeal to a white audience, because he didn`t mention race. And they were very much into that. And race is not going anywhere, by the way. And it`s still here. So, Bill, you were wrong. Richard dealt with race.
HAFFENREFFER: Richard attacked it head-on.
MOONEY: Race, head on, and in reality and political. And Richard was -- you know, he`s a storyteller. When he played the wino, you believed it. And you believe Richard. Even if he told a lie, you believed him, you know?
HAFFENREFFER: All right. So, Reggie, with that in mind, you know, a lot of comedians that we talked to say that he really helped to pave the way for black comedians to make them a name for themselves in the industry. How did he do that?
REGINALD HUDLIN, PRESIDENT OF ENTERTAINMENT, BET: Well, I think his effect wasn`t just for black comedy; it was for all of comedy. And in fact, I think his effect went beyond comedy itself. It went to entertainment in general.
I think he was a cultural giant. But certainly, for black entertainers, his -- just from sheer force of will and talent, he became a giant movie star. Basically, after Sydney Poitier, when you say, "Who was the biggest next giant movie star who was a black man?" it would be Richard Pryor.
HAFFENREFFER: And, Paul, you know, we talked about how you`d worked with him in the past. And you`re looking at that clip of the "Superman" film there. And you`ll say, "I`ll tell you"...
(CROSSTALK)
MOONEY: Yes, because we went to the premiere of "Superman." And Richard said, "You know, I`m going to be in one of these `Supermans.` I`m going to make it my business to be in it." And I said why? He said, "Because when you look at this Superman, he`s so perfect. And you think to yourself he just might not be prejudiced." And that`s why Richard wanted to work with him.
HAFFENREFFER: Was he easy to work with?
MOONEY: Who?
HAFFENREFFER: Richard Pryor?
MOONEY: Yes, for me. For me, it was easy. For a lot of people, it wasn`t easy. But for me, it was, because we had kind of a good friendship, you know? And I was his biggest fan. And it was a marriage.
I mean, because Richard was very funny. I mean, if you listen to all his old albums, you`ll hear me laughing. No, you will. You`ll hear me laughing. And if I wasn`t there when he performed, he would do one performance. If I was there and he heard me laugh, he would get on the edge, because he knew that we were at the same place, and that he had his back, and he knew that there was someone there that would understand him, and he would like be showing off. You know, he would just go even further.
HAFFENREFFER: Well, I wish we had more time to talk about this, man, but I appreciate you both being here with us tonight. Thanks to Reginald Hudlin and Paul Mooney.
ANDERSON: Still to come, the shocking story of a "Sopranos" star. How he went from working with the likes of Robert De Niro to alleged murderer. That`s next in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report.
HAFFENREFFER: Plus, will the Bonds bond? Tonight, Pierce Brosnan speaks out about the guy he was dumped for, the new James Bond, Daniel Craig. And find out what superstar director Brosnan really wanted to work with, next.
ANDERSON: And it`s "King Kong" week all this week on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`ve got your first look at "Kong" taking on T-rex. It ain`t going to be pretty. That`s still to come in tonight`s "Showbiz Showcase."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAFFENREFFER: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s only live entertainment news show. I`m David Haffenreffer filling in for A.J. Hammer.
Tonight, an actor who played a wannabe mobster on "The Sopranos" finds himself in real-life trouble with the law, facing charges of murdering a New York City police officer. Lillo Brancato was going to be a star, a promising actor, but something happened to cause his fall from grace. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Lillo Brancato`s movie career began here with amazing luck at this New York City beach. With the kind of break seemingly all actors pray for, a casting director spotted him walking in the sand and knew he`d be perfect to star opposite Robert De Niro in the 1993 movie "A Bronx Tale."
LILLO BRANCATO, JR., ACTOR: What better life? We don`t even own a car. We ain`t got money. We ain`t go nothing.
HAFFENREFFER: What impressed the casting director, so the story goes, was Brancato`s ability to do impressions, like this one he did of Joe Pesci in "Raging Bull."
BRANCATO: (INAUDIBLE) Joe Moose? That`s right. He`s a heavyweight. You`re a middleweight. You can`t fight him. You know what, Joey? I`m better than them.
HAFFENREFFER: But it was his work as a dramatic actor in "A Bronx Tale" that earned him praise and critical acclaim. Brancato played De Niro`s son in a story about a teenager torn between two competing role models, a local mobster and his own father.
ROBERT DE NIRO, ACTOR: I just saw you driving Sonny`s car. I don`t want you driving his car around. I don`t like that.
BRANCATO: Dad, I`m not in the mood to hear this.
DE NIRO: I don`t care if you`re not in the mood to hear it.
HAFFENREFFER: Brancato took the success from "A Bronx Tale" and ran with it all the way to Hollywood. The actor went on to appear in other notable roles. He was in the movie "Crimson Tide," had a small part in a music video starring Alicia Keys and Usher, and enjoyed a recurring role in the HBO mega-hit "The Sopranos."
Brancato`s character was eventually executed by fictional mob boss Tony Soprano. Now, Brancato is fighting for his real life inside the Jacobi Medical Center.
This weekend, Brancato was allegedly involved in a shooting that killed a New York City police officer. Police say the actor and another man broke into a Bronx apartment building, allegedly looking for drugs, when a gun fight erupted. The off-duty officer, Daniel Enchautegui, had just been off-duty a couple of hours when he approached the scene.
Now, Brancato stands to be arraigned in his hospital bed later this week and is expected to face murder charges. In a statement just released to CNN, Joe Pesci, who also appeared in "A Bronx Tale," said, "I extend all my sympathies to police officer Enchautegui`s family. It`s a tragic loss. I worked briefly with Mr. Brancato 12 years ago in `A Bronx Tale,` but I have not seen him since."
Today, Brancato`s family declined interview requests, coming to their Westchester County home`s front door to tell us only that they had nothing to say. Their front yard still lined with Christmas decorations, a neighbor, a retired cop himself, recalled Brancato as a friendly neighbor.
FRANK SARDO, NEIGHBOR: ... says, "If I ever make it big in the movies," he said, "I`m going to buy you all new (INAUDIBLE)
HAFFENREFFER: This is not Brancato`s first brush with police. He`s already facing three pending criminal cases, ranging from disorderly conduct to heroin possession.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: And Robert De Niro told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in a statement that this was disturbing news, quote, "a tragedy beyond comprehension." He had not been in touch with Brancato for years. Police officer Enchautegui will be buried with full honors this Wednesday.
ANDERSON: Tonight, a former James Bond is finally speaking out about the current one. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Pierce Brosnan, who was dumped at the gadget-loving, womanizing spy in October, and asked him what he thinks of his replacement, the first-ever blonde bond, Daniel Craig. We also learned what might have been, had a secret plan worked out to bring director Quentin Tarantino on board for Bond.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PIERCE BROSNAN, ACTOR: I think he`ll make a very good Bond. I think he`s a very strong actor. And I think they want to shake it up and go back to the original blueprints.
I think they`ve got a very fine man, candidate in Daniel. I wish him great success and happiness.
Quentin is his own man, and he wants to -- he`d run amuck, but in a great way. He`s passionate about it. He`s passionate about the whole genre, as he`s passionate about movies right across the board. But it was a wonderful idea for a short moment in time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Brosnan`s new movie, "The Matador," comes out later this month. And the next James Bond flick, "Casino Royale," starring Daniel Craig will be released in about a year, November 2006.
HAFFENREFFER: It`s "King Kong" here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And this week, we`ll be bringing you clips from the brand-new "Kong" movie that`s got everybody buzzing. In tonight`s "Showbiz Showcase," we have your first look at a super simian showdown, as Kong keeps Anne, Naomi Watts, from the clutches of T-rex.
Well, now we know how dinosaurs became extinct. It was Kong. And be sure to join us tomorrow, as "King Kong" week continues. We go one-on-one with stars Jack Black and Naomi Watts. And on Wednesday, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first reviews, as fans flock to the theater on the film`s first day out. All this and more, right here, 7:00 pm and 11:00 p.m. Eastern.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "King Kong": Is it your must-see movie of the year? Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your e-mails are all coming up at 55 past the hour.
It is time now for the "Showbiz Guide." And this is where, throughout the week, we help you decide where to spend your dollars on movies, music, DVDs and more. Tonight, in "People`s "Picks and Pans," what`s new in music. Mary J. Blige returns with "The Breakthrough." Sinead O`Connor is back with a new reggae sound. And Earth, Wind and Fire`s 23rd album, "Illumination."
Live in New York, is "People" magazine senior writer, Anne Marie Cruz. Hi, Anne Marie.
ANNE MARIE CRUZ, SENIOR WRITER, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE": Hey, Brooke. Glad to be here.
ANDERSON: Oh, glad to have you. We`re going to start with Mary J. Blige. The album is "The Breakthrough." Let`s take a quick listen to the track "Be Without You."
Anne Marie, Blige is known for putting her emotions, for putting heartbreak into her music. She seems to do just that here, as well. Is this a solid disc?
CRUZ: Definitely. It`s definitely a solid disc. But, you know, for the long time, fans of Mary J. Blige, she`s putting out an emotion that they haven`t seen from her very much, which is pure joy.
She`s basically talking about how she has a drama-free life now and she`s found total happiness with her husband of two years, Kendu Isaacs, who`s a music producer. But some of the tracks that fans will love of her cool (INAUDIBLE) when she talks about the contempt and bitterness from a love that falls apart in "Ain`t Really Love." And also, she hits Aretha Franklin-esque heights on "I`ve Found My Everything." So, yes...
ANDERSON: This also has a version of U2`s "One" on there, with U2. So it sounds like a good disc. But, Anne Marie, we do have to go on. Sorry about that.
CRUZ: Yes.
ANDERSON: "Earth, Wind and Fire," the next one. Their 23rd album, "Illumination." A quick listen here to the track "Lovely People."
Classic sounds here of Earth, Wind and Fire that we love, Anne Marie?
CRUZ: Yes, but it`s also old-school meets new-school, leading neo- soul to a new level. Because on this track that we`re listening to right now, Will I Am of the Black Eyed Peas is on it.
And, you know, they`ve been around for 35 years, so it`s come around to the point where the people that they`ve influenced are now influencing them. They even have a version of "The Way You Move," which was Outkast`s huge hit from last year. So it`s all the fantastic, brilliant brass, and the falsetto of Philip Bailey, contrasting with the rich baritone of Maurice White, and also the irrepressible sense of fun that they always have on their albums. So, yes, it`s definitely classic.
ANDERSON: All right, Earth, Wind and Fire. I caught a performance this year of their 35 years at it. And they`ve still got it. Anne Marie Cruz of "People" magazine, thank you very much.
CRUZ: You`re welcome.
ANDERSON: And for "Picks and Pans," you can pick up a copy of "People" magazine. It is on newsstands now.
HAFFENREFFER: And there`s still time for you to sound off on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "King Kong": Is it your must-see movie of the year? Vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight. Or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails live, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We have been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "King Kong": Is it your must-see movie of the year? The vote so far: 19 percent of you say yes; 81 percent of you say no.
Here`s some of the e-mails we`ve received. Lisa from Florida writes, "I can`t imagine why we need yet another remake of this movie. It`s just so damn sad to cry over Kong`s death again."
Graham from California says, "It is the must-see movie of the year. I`m confident Peter Jackson`s filmmaking skills will make the movie an epic."
You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. We appreciate your e- mails.
HAFFENREFFER: And it`s time now to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow. The Marquee Guy`s got the day off. So here goes.
Tomorrow, "King Kong" week continues. And we`ve got some king-size stars. One on one with Jack Black and Naomi Watts. All this and more, as "King Kong" week continues on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, the "Queer Eye" guys are back, and they`re not just playing it straight anymore. They`re making over brides and their fiances to create the ultimate fairy-tale weddings. Find out how they`ll do it. The "Queer Eye" guys, live tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Great job, David, filling in for the Marquee Guy tonight.
HAFFENREFFER: It`s not easy.
ANDERSON: And A.J. as well. Great to have you.
That is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAFFENREFFER: And I`m David Haffenreffer in for A.J. in New York. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
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