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Showbiz Tonight
Will Trump Enter Politics?; Lindsay Lohan Hospitalized; "Chronicles of Narnia" Knocks off "King Kong"; Professor: Intuitive Eating Leads to Weight Loss
Aired January 03, 2006 - 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: And I`m Brooke Anderson. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, will the Donald become the governor? Tonight, will Donald Trump leave his "Apprentice" office to run for office?
DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MOGUL: You`re fired.
HAMMER: Is he for real or is this just a hair-brained scheme? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets to the bottom of this Donald do or don`t mystery.
Also, a new year and plenty of new pounds to lose. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a startling new diet that lets you eat whatever you want, when you want.
Plus, Richard Simmons live with breaking diet news and the real skinny on slimming down.
And secrets from the set. Tonight, your first reports from the set of the brand-new "Rocky" movie, straight from the guy that`s playing Sylvester Stallone`s son. It`s the knockout interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
DAN AYKROYD, ACTOR: I`m Dan Aykroyd. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi, there. I`m Broke Anderson, live in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer, live in New York City.
Tonight we have a developing story out of Miami. Actress and pop singer Lindsay Lohan has been hospitalized. We`re going to tell you what happened and have the latest on her condition in just a moment.
But first, from the boardroom to the governor`s mansion? Tonight, real estate mogul and "Apprentice" star Donald Trump is being mentioned as a possible candidate for governor of New York. The funny thing is, it`s not the strangest political rumor going around about Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): California has Arnold. Will New York get Donald?
While New York was ringing in the new year, New York state Republicans were giddy with rumors that Donald Trump is interested in running this year for the GOP nomination for governor of New York. The news made state Republicans as happy as New Year`s Eve partiers.
JOE BRUNO (R), NEW YORK STATE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: You are all going to be excited, interested, and want to write and show and do everything else.
HAMMER: But like all New York parties, this one had to end. Today, Trump told the "The New York Post," quote, "I`m not going to run for governor, because I`m having too much fun doing what I`m doing now."
But the story isn`t over, because Donald is dropping another political bombshell. The "The New York Post" quotes sources who say Trump is definitely interested in running for president in 2008 as an independent.
"The New York Post" state editor Frederick Dicker tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that he asked Trump himself about it.
FREDERICK DICKER, "NEW YORK POST": Trump did not rule it out. He flirted with it a little bit, talked about well, right now he`s not interested in running for any kind of elective office but down the road, it might be different.
HAMMER (on camera): Isn`t it just like Donald to reach for the top? Donald Trump has conquered the world of business. He`s conquered television. Some would say that the next logical step would be politics. And with his money and influence, the Donald would probably have a good shot.
(voice-over) Trump has been tempted by politics before. He`s a registered Republican, but he has supported Democrats in the past, and he has thought about running for president before.
TRUMP: I`m not looking to get 20 percent of the vote.
HAMMER: Back in 2000, Trump considered going for the Reform Party nomination. At the time, he gave a preview of what he`d do in a Trump administration.
TRUMP: There are a lot of things I`d do if I were elected, but one thing I`d do definitely is stop other countries from ripping off the United States. We`re like a whipping post.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hit the streets of New York City to find out what people think about the prospect of Trump hitting the stump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would tell the Trump to stick to prime-time television.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For president? No, I wouldn`t vote for him for president. I think he`s too money oriented.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he could do great things because he is a businessman, and I think that`s very important.
HAMMER: And CNN political analyst Bill Schneider says if Arnold can be successful in politics, so can Donald.
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: There is always a market for non-politicians, for outsiders. People don`t like politicians. They want someone who can come in and clean house and tell people you`re fired, like people may be in FEMA.
HAMMER: but getting back to reality, some political reporters say this Trump for president talk could all be a giant publicity stunt from the most relentless self-promoter around.
DICKER: Frankly, I think he`s enjoyed this publicity about the possibility of running for governor. Imagine the publicity he`d have with the possibility of running for president.
HAMMER: But just like on Trump`s TV show...
TRUMP: You`re fired.
HAMMER: ... Trump will ultimately have the last word on this issue. Back in 2000, he made this assessment of his political prospects.
TRUMP: I may be too straight. I may be too honest, truly, to be a politician.
DICKER: You can make the case that his life would turn a lot more miserable than it is now if he ever wound up being president of the United States.
HAMMER: But let`s say he did run for president. Who would he run with? Who would possibly be his vice-presidential running mate? He could always turn to Martha Stewart. No? Well, what if he gave Omarosa, the infamous fired apprentice a call? No? Well, there`s always his old buddy, Regis Philbin. Donald and Regis in `08. Now, that`s a race we can`t wait to see.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, Trump`s people tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that he is not commenting on his political future at this time. But chances are he will talk about it when he appears on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE" tomorrow night.
And now, we want to hear from you on all this for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Donald Trump for president: would you vote for him? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or e-mail us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. Your thoughts later in the show.
ANDERSON: Now on to the developing story we told you about just moments ago. Actress and pop star Lindsay Lohan rushed to the hospital. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Adrianna Costa is live with the latest -- Adrianna.
ADRIANNA COSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, very scary story, Brooke. Here`s what we know so far.
Lindsay Lohan was spending the New Year`s holiday in Miami when she was rushed to the hospital last night. The reason, according to her publicist, a severe asthma attack.
We also know this. Lindsay hosted a New Year`s Eve party at the chic South Beach club Free Bay, and it lasted into the way wee hours of the morning. Last night she complained of not being able to breathe and was rushed to a Miami area hospital.
Now, you remember back in October 2004 she was also admitted to a Los Angeles hospital from suffering from exhaustion.
She is supposed to begin shooting her new film about John Lennon`s killer, Mark David Chapman, in two weeks. But for right now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that she is still in the hospital, where doctors are monitoring her breathing.
Brooke, back to you.
ANDERSON: Adrianna, thank you so much. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Adrianna Costa with the latest on this developing story.
And remember, you can catch Adrianna`s entertainment reports ever morning on "Robin and Company" from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern. That`s right here on CNN Headline News.
HAMMER: Tonight a huge victory at the box office. Some say an upset. In a extremely close battle for No. 1, "King Kong" lost the top spot over the four-day holiday weekend to "The Chronicles of Narnia." And critics are saying that mass marketing to Christians is what put Narnia on top of the world.
Sibila Vargas joining us live from Hollywood with that story -- Sibila.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That`s right, A.J. "Narnia" raked in an estimated $32.8 million from Friday through Monday. "King Kong" was a close second with $31.6 million.
Now, "Narnia`s" dollars could be thanks to its aggressive campaign towards Christian churches, and many are wondering if this strategy is a recipe for success.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Numbers do not win a battle.
SKANDAR KEYNES, ACTOR: No, but they help.
VARGAS (voice-over): And for "Narnia," numbers did help, putting it in the top place at the box office over the four-day holiday and beating "King Kong" by a hair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a prophesy that two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve will appear.
VARGAS: And many are saying "Narnia`s" success has to do in large part to its Christian subtext and by marketing in churches. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT getting the message behind the movie with syndicated talk show host, Michael Medved.
MICHAEL MEDVED, SYNDICATED TALK SHOW HOST: There`s no question, it seems to me, that one of the reasons among many that "Chronicles of Narnia" has been so successful was the marketing in the Christian community.
There was very strong marketing. This was a series of books that had sold 85 million copies and that were particularly cherished by Christian homes. So I think that this is one more demonstration, if one was needed, that there is an eager audience that wants to embrace movies that have faith-affirming and spiritual themes.
VARGAS: Last year, Mel Gibson delivered a clear message to Hollywood. Christian movies sell. "Passion of the Christ" raked in an astounding $370 million in the U.S. alone. Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations, tracked these numbers.
PAUL DERGARABEDIAN, PRESIDENT, EXHIBITOR RELATIONS: When you have a movie like "The Passion of the Christ," which proved that if you can bring in a religious-based audience you`d make a lot of money at the box office, "Narnia" has kind of capitalized on that and shows that an entertainment that isn`t overtly religious but has religious overtones can be extremely successful at the box office.
VARGAS: Does that mean sex is out in `06 and religion will reign in the new year? Not so fast. Michael Medved told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Hollywood isn`t converted just yet.
MEDVED: If you look at already the plans for 2006, people are talking about the "Da Vinci Code."
"The Da Vinci Code" is just coming out in May of next year. Ron Howard just told "Newsweek" magazine they haven`t softened any of the controversial elements at all. And those controversial elements suggest that the gospels are lies, that Jesus actually got married and had a daughter. And that`s going to be very, very difficult to sell, it seems to me, in that very, very large segment of America that`s deeply religious.
I mean, people need to keep in mind that every single week in this country, some 40 percent of Americans go to church or synagogue, and that`s nearly four times as many as the number of people who go to the movies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s the biggest cover-up in human history.
VARGAS: When "Da Vinci Code" hits theaters this spring, it will be one of the most anticipated movies of the year. And that could be because controversy, especially religious controversy, sells.
DERGARABEDIAN: What does controversy mean? It means people are talking. When you`re talking about a movie that raises awareness about the movie. That automatically creates an interest by movie-goers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And a few Hollywood films with religious themes in development, "The Second Son," based on a novel about a construction worker who may be the second coming of Christ. "Magdalene," a faith-based action adventure about Mary Magdalene`s female warrior descendants and a big-time biblical epic called "The Lamp."
So A.J., you`ll have to stay tuned.
HAMMER: And it sounds like the marketers behind "Narnia" knew exactly what they were doing.
VARGAS: They sure did.
HAMMER: Sibila Vargas joining us from Hollywood. Thanks so much.
Well, Johnny Depp`s new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, still months away at this point. We`ve got your first look tonight coming up in the "SHOWBIZ Showcase." That`s next.
ANDERSON: And secrets from the set of the new "Rocky" movie from the actor who`s playing Stallone`s son. We go a few rounds with Milo Ventimiglia in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Also, new year, new you. Imagine being able to keep that New Year`s resolution to lose weight by eating anything you want, whenever you want. Is it too good to be true?
Plus, Richard Simmons joins us live with more ways to keep those pounds off.
ANDERSON: But first, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." What baseball stadium does Kevin Costner take James Earl Jones to in 1989`s "Field of Dreams"? Candlestick Park, Shea Stadium, Fenway Park or Astrodome? We`ll be right back with your answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: So again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." What baseball stadium does Kevin Costner take James Earl Jones to in 1989`s "Field of Dreams"? Candlestick Park, Shea Stadium, Fenway Park or the Houston Astrodome? Ray Kinsella, Kevin Costner, takes Terence Mann, James Earl Jones, to the home of the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park. The answer is C.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer, live in New York. And now it`s time for tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Showcase." Captain Jack is back! Johnny Depp reprises his Academy Award nominated role as Captain Jack Sparrow from "The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man`s Chest." Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley also return. And here`s your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a debt to pay. You owe David Jones your soul. That was the agreement. Time`s up. You`re a marked man, Jack Sparrow.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On deck all hands. Move it!
JOHNNY DEPP, ACTOR: I was nothing more than an almost innocent by stander.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You won`t be able to talk your way out of this one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jack Sparrow is a dying breed. Jack must find a place in the new world or perish.
ORLANDO BLOOM, ACTOR: What about Jack? I can`t leave without him.
Never mind. Let`s go.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man`s Chest" hits theatres on July 7.
ANDERSON: Tonight, a new year, and a new you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to help you lose weight in 2006. We`ve got one of the best-known get-in-shape experts, Richard Simmons himself, live in a bit.
But first, a startling diet that claims you can eat what you want, when you want. Before you say fat chance, here`s CNN`s Gary Tuchman reporting for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Food shopping with Steven Hawks is, well, an unexpected experience.
(on camera) If I have a craving at breakfast for chocolate cake, is that OK if I have chocolate cake?
STEVEN HAWKS, BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY: Oh, yes. In fact, that sounds good right now.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Especially when you consider he`s a health science professor. He teaches at Brigham Young University.
(on camera) What about lunch, I want more chocolate cake? Dinner?
HAWKS: Day-to-day fluctuation is going to happen and it may be erratic. And so one day it may be a total chocolate cake today and that`s fine.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Chocolate cake? All day? On a diet? Cake, cookies, candy, they`re all OK if you`re on the Intuitive Diet. And it`s fairly easy to follow. Just eat whatever you crave, whenever you crave it. OK. It`s not that`s easy.
HAWKS: You can eat whatever you`re physically hungry for. And that doesn`t mean you can eat what you`re emotionally hungry for or socially or environmentally.
TUCHMAN: and that it where it may get confusing. Unlike simply counting calories or cutting down on carbs, this diet is a bit more complex. It puts the onus on you, the dieter, to ask yourself two tough questions before you even take a bite. Question one, what am I really, really hungry for?
(on camera) We`re in the meat aisle. So here I see ground pork.
HAWKS: Yes.
TUCHMAN: And here I see pork chops.
HAWKS: OK.
TUCHMAN: And here I see hot dogs with 15 grams of fat for one serving. This is diet food?
HAWKS: All food is legal. Everything is legal. But I would qualify that. If I`m looking at all these meats and if I`m thinking again, I`ve got to think what am I hungry for, what`s going to satisfy my hunger, what`s going to take the edge off, what`s going to hit the spot and I`m looking at all this, and I think, well, a hot dog could do it or a lean cut of meat could do it. If they can both do it equally well, then yes, choose the healthy one for sure.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): You see, the theory behind the Intuitive Diet is this. If you give yourself permission to eat what you really want, you`ll find you don`t really want the bad stuff all that much.
(on camera) So if I get, let`s stay, a Starburst and a Hershey`s bar and let`s go for the Kit-Kat and the Twizzlers.
HAWKS: OK.
TUCHMAN: And I`m going to have this for breakfast, this for lunch, this for dinner and this for a midnight snack, is that OK?
HAWKS: Again...
TUCHMAN: Not the whole thing, but some of it.
HAWKS: Right. What you will find is that honestly, that`s not what your body wants to be healthy and strong. You`re not going to really want that.
TUCHMAN: I want it right now.
HAWKS: And if you want it right now, then we can get you something.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Question two, now that I`m eating what I want, how will I know when to stop?
HAWKS: If you think of it on a scale of one to 10, one I`m starving to death and ten, I am stuffed until I`m sick, I want to wait until I`m about a three and I know I`m hungry. And then I want to stop when I`m a five or six.
TUCHMAN: But if you`re eating anything you want, is there any hope of eating healthy?
(on camera) In addition to certain foods make you gain weight, certain foods can also clog your arteries. If I eat a lot of foods with lots of fats, it`s not going to be good for my cardiology.
HAWKS: That`s true. And one of the questions about intuitive eating is if you eat this way, what`s that going to do to your health? And the research that we just did at BYU shows that people who eat this way, who eat intuitively, have a lower body weight. They have less risk for cardiovascular disease. They have a better blood lipid profile, lower triglycerides.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Professor Hawks says he`s living proof that intuitive dieting works.
(on camera) How much did you used to weigh?
HAWKS: Between 210, 220 pounds.
TUCHMAN: How much do you weigh now?
HAWKS: About 165.
TUCHMAN: So you lost 45 or 50 pounds on this diet?
HAWKS: Fifty -- about 50 pounds.
TUCHMAN: On a diet you eat whatever you feel like eating when you`re hungry?
HAWKS: That`s exactly right. And I stop when I`m satisfied.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Critics might complain the discipline required may be too much for the average dieter. But Steven Hawks says the country`s rising obesity rate shows traditional diets simply fail to stem the tide.
(on camera) You realize a lot of diet experts think this is nuts.
HAWKS: Well, where has dieting got us? I mean, you know, ever year we get more and more overweight. Dieting has not fixed that. This is -- this is an alternative to dieting that I think for many people, will lead to actually eating less, having a much happier, more satisfied relationship with food, still eating a balanced diet and maintaining a stable weight. I think it has potential.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Something to keep in mind when you`re staring at a bag of carrots but craving one more piece pumpkin pie.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Definitely something to keep in mind. That was CNN`s Gary Tuchman for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has more ways you can get in shape in 2006. Fitness fanatic Richard Simmons will join us live with his special ideas to battle the bulge.
HAMMER: Also, wonder women. Coming up, the amazing stories of celebrities who are overcoming personal obstacles and struggles to get a fresh start on the new year. We`ll do that on "Tuesday InStyle".
ANDERSON: Plus, "Lost" star Michelle Rodriguez may be facing jail time and how the new year could bring new stiff penalties for paparazzi whose shooting goes too far. Still to come in the "Legal Lowdown." Plus.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: And it`s time now for "Tuesday InStyle." Tonight, a new year and new beginnings. From Brooke Shields to Melissa Etheridge, the emotional stories of female celebrities who have overcome insurmountable odds and struggles and have a lot to look forward to in 2006.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE ZUCKERMAN, "INSTYLE MAGAZINE": The theme of InStyle`s January issue is "Fresh Start," and so fittingly, we chose amazing Hollywood women who not only are making fresh starts in their lives, but are overcoming personal challenges and doing so to emerge on the other side better than they were before.
What`s so interesting about Brooke Shields is that when she wrote her memoir, "Down Came the Rain," about her experience with post-partum depression, she never, ever anticipated that she would get into a war of the worlds, so to speak, with Tom Cruise.
But rather than sort of slinging mud in the press or backing away from this challenge, she has only been more open and honest about the issue that she really feels affects many, many women and is still kept in the dark slightly.
Nicole Richie had a much-publicized arrest for heroin possession in 2003, and it`s a rare transformation that she`s experienced since then. She`s a living example, if you sort of get healthy internally, it will transform your external appearance.
Although she jokes that, you know, she didn`t just wake up one day and decide to lose weight, cut her hair and take out her piercings, that is, in fact, the result of what happened after she decided to get happy with herself.
Melissa Etheridge has overcome a hard-fought battle with breast cancer. You know, she has a really, really positive outlook on life in that she says whatever her daily problems are, it`s not chemo. So therefore, it`s something that she`ll be able to overcome.
What`s so sort of beautiful and spiritually enlightened is a statement that Melissa says, which is that even when the body fails you, your sort of soul and spirit do go on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: For more on "InStyle`s" spirited women, pick up a copy of "InStyle" magazine on news stands now.
HAMMER: Which celeb had one of the first babies of 2006? The big announcement from a star who`s no stranger to announcements is coming up next.
ANDERSON: Plus Sylvester Stallone gets back in the ring. And we`ve got the secrets from the set of the new "Rocky" film from the guy who`s playing his son, Milo Ventimiglia. The live interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And we are sweating to the oldies in the new year. Tonight, Richard Simmons joining us live with weight loss tips you can use right now to shed those pounds. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT looking to help you get in shape in 2006, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And you are watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, of course, the new year is upon us. And just like every January, weight loss on a lot of people`s minds.
ANDERSON: Absolutely.
HAMMER: If you are looking to party off the pounds, who better to do it with than Richard Simmons? Richard will join us live in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And we`ve got a special little treat from Mr. Simmons you will not want to miss.
ANDERSON: Ooh, can`t wait for that. And I`ve done some sweating to the oldies myself, I will admit, A.J.
Also, did you know it`s been nearly 16 years since the last "Rocky" movie was released? Can you believe it?
HAMMER: Unbelievable.
ANDERSON: Now, a new one is in the works. It`s being filmed right here in Los Angeles, the sixth film in the series, called "Rocky Balboa." And the actor who plays Rocky`s son will join us live, take us behind the scenes. A.J., he`s going to give us some secrets from the set. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Oh, cool. All right. Well, we`ll look forward to that. But first, let`s get to tonight`s "Hot Headlines" with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Adrianna Costa, joining us live in Atlanta.
Hi, Adrianna.
COSTA: Thanks, A.J. Good to see you.
Yes, Lindsay Lohan starting off the new year with a health scare. Today, we learned Lohan was admitted to a hospital after suffering a severe asthma attack while celebrating New Year`s Eve in Miami. Now, tonight, Lohan is still in the hospital where her breathing is being monitored. She`s set to begin shooting her new movie, "Chapter 27," in just two weeks.
"Tonight" show announcer John Melendez is a father again. Good news for him. His third child, a boy named Oscar, was born Sunday just after midnight. And this is really cool. Reportedly, the first baby -- he was the first baby born in California`s San Fernando Valley in the new year. Melendez and his wife have two daughters already, ages five and nine.
Donald Trump says he won`t run for governor of New York. His name has been floated as a possible candidate, but Trump says he has no interest in running for office at this time. Trump also suggested to the "New York Post," though, that a run for president is not out of the question in the future.
Those, my friend, are tonight`s "Hot Headlines." Brooke, back on over to you.
ANDERSON: Thank you, my friend in Atlanta. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Adrianna Costa. And be sure to watch Adrianna`s entertainment reports Monday through Friday between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m. on "ROBIN AND COMPANY." And that is right here on Headline News.
And that leads us again to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Donald Trump for president: Would you vote for him? Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight and write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your e- mails are coming up at 55 past the hour.
HAMMER: Well, just a short time ago, Bob Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas finished their first official "World News Tonight" broadcast together.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: From ABC News, this is "World News Tonight" with Bob Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, instead of being on opposite sides of the anchor desk, the duo were on opposite sides of the world. Vargas was in New York, and Woodruff reporting from Iran. The pair became the first network evening news co-anchor team since the failed Dan Rather/Connie Chung CBS experiment back in the 1990s. Woodruff and Vargas were named to succeed Peter Jennings, who died last August.
ANDERSON: Tonight, in a "Showbiz Sitdown," Sylvester Stallone is back in the boxing ring once again. The actor who starred in all five "Rocky" movies is shooting the sixth, "Rocky Balboa," right now in Los Angeles. And California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger just visited the set. There`s the picture.
Details about the new movie have been top secret. But tonight in an interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the actor who plays Rocky`s son, Milo Ventimiglia, he joins us live to dish a little bit and to talk about his new DVD release "Dirty Deeds."
Milo Ventimiglia joins us now live. Thanks for being here.
MILO VENTIMIGLIA, PLAYS ROCKY`S SON IN "ROCKY BALBOA": Definitely. Thank you for having me.
ANDERSON: All right. We just showed the picture of Governor Schwarzenegger on the set, but we also have pictures of you and Sylvester Stallone on the set. I want to ask you, Sylvester not only staring in this film, but he`s also directing it.
VENTIMIGLIA: Directing...
ANDERSON: So what is that like for you, under his direction?
VENTIMIGLIA: Well, it`s nice. He wrote the script, as well, writing, directing, producing and acting, so he -- if you have any questions, you can really talk to him about it, because he knows the world of the characters and the story.
At the same time, like, he`s a very kind person with his time. And he trusts the actors and what they`re doing. And he hired us for the reason of doing service to these characters that he brought to life several years ago. And now it`s continuing...
ANDERSON: Almost 30 years ago.
VENTIMIGLIA: Yes, I know. I wasn`t even born or thinking about being conceived, I think, when the first one came out and was made.
ANDERSON: Well, let me ask you about that. It`s been nearly 30 years, nearly 16 years since the last "Rocky" film was released. What do you think the appeal is?
VENTIMIGLIA: I think there`s always going to be a want for films like this. I mean, it`s the working-class, underdog story that appeals to, I think, not just Americans but anybody. It`s just nice to see, you know, such an earnest, such an honest character continue to grow throughout, you know, one film to the next film to the next film. And into the sixth film, which is such a beautiful story. It`s really nice.
ANDERSON: And now you are a part of it.
VENTIMIGLIA: And now I`m a part of it.
ANDERSON: And let`s get down to it, secrets from the set. We want to know, what are you filming right now? Is there anything involving fight scenes with Sly right now?
VENTIMIGLIA: We took a week in Las Vegas to film a fight sequence. And then we were in L.A. for about 2 1/2 weeks. And we`re actually about to pack up and go to Philadelphia to work for the brunt of the script. Ah, secrets, I don`t know...
ANDERSON: What can you tell us?
VENTIMIGLIA: ... I don`t know what I`m allowed to talk about. It`s going to be a great film.
ANDERSON: Oh, it`s horrible.
VENTIMIGLIA: It`s very reminiscent of the first one, going back and acquainting myself with all of the films. I think that it`s closest to the very first film...
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: And hood to hear that you`ve done your research.
VENTIMIGLIA: Oh, yes. I did.
ANDERSON: And Sylvester Stallone, he`s turning 60 years old this year, Milo. Has there been any joking, any ribbing, on the set that he`s back putting the gloves on again?
VENTIMIGLIA: You know what? You joke with him, you`re going to get hit.
(LAUGHTER)
No, he`s a -- I don`t think there`s been joking so much as just the logistics of, if a boxer were to come back, if he were to come back and try fighting again, what`s the reality of it? Would they allow that? Would they be too concerned about him hurting himself or hurting somebody else, in like this kind of fit of rage of, hey, it`s the last fight? But, no, nobody -- you can`t really make fun of a guy who`s in, like, the best shape of his life.
ANDERSON: He still looks good.
VENTIMIGLIA: He looks great. And what I think was so amazing for me to see was his stamina. You know, he wrote, directed, is producing this film, and he`s acting, and he`s doing a great job. And he`s keeping his energy up from the very beginning of the day until the end of the day.
ANDERSON: He showed me part of the script last year, and he was thrilled about it, very, very excited about it. And quite a career, I must say. Congratulations to you, as well. Quite a career you are having, too.
VENTIMIGLIA: Thank you.
ANDERSON: In addition to this, also, you`ve got a movie coming out on DVD, right?
VENTIMIGLIA: Yes, "Dirty Deeds," a film that came out at the end of the year and coming with a DVD release.
ANDERSON: Not an X-rated movie, right?
VENTIMIGLIA: No, no, no.
ANDERSON: I just want to clear that up.
VENTIMIGLIA: Oh, no, no. I`m sorry, no, it has nothing to do (INAUDIBLE) It`s a high school story, a simple story about a kid who gets challenged to do a series of what they call dirty deeds over the course...
ANDERSON: Dares.
VENTIMIGLIA: ... yes, dares, over the course of a night for homecoming.
ANDERSON: Well, thanks for clarifying that. And thanks for sharing all of this with us.
VENTIMIGLIA: Definitely.
ANDERSON: Milo Ventimigla, thank you for taking time with us tonight.
VENTIMIGLIA: Thanks a lot.
ANDERSON: And you can catch Milo in "Dirty Deeds" on DVD January 10th.
HAMMER: A star of the hit TV show "Lost" may find herself in jail. Michelle Rodriguez could be in some serious hot water with the law. That`s coming up next in the "Legal Lowdown."
ANDERSON: And we are three days into the new year. How are your resolutions going? If you`ve fallen off the wagon a bit, we have the perfect guest to get you back in gear. We`ll get some tips from weight loss guru Richard Simmons. That is coming up live.
HAMMER: First, let`s get to a birthday shoutout, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT birthday shoutout. This is where we give the fans a chance to wish their favorite stars a very happy birthday. And tonight, we`ve got a birthday shoutout going to Mel Gibson, celebrating birthday 50 today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Matthew Saro (ph). I just wanted to wish Mel Gibson a happy birthday. My favorite movie, Mel? "Braveheart." Unbelievable. You`re a great actor, and I love you. Happy birthday, buddy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s only live entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Well, it is time now for the "Legal Lowdown." This is a look at what`s going on in the world of entertainment legal news. On the docket tonight, actress Michelle Rodriguez from the hit show "Lost" may find herself behind bars after a DUI charge. The actress could get more than a year in jail. We will have the details.
And tonight, a new strict paparazzi law is in effect in California. Will it help curb the paparazzi`s aggressive behavior? Joining us live now from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin. He`s the managing editor of the entertainment news site, TMZ.com.
Hey, Harvey.
HARVEY LEVIN, MANAGING EDITOR, TMZ.COM: Hi, Brooke.
ANDERSON: I`ve got to start with Michelle Rodriguez. This girl, she`s in deep trouble, right? Previous conviction of DUI, she could go to jail, right? Possibly, could she get kicked off the show?
LEVIN: You know, there are morals clauses on these shows. And I`m not sure that this necessarily qualifies for that, but she is in a heap of trouble, because not only does she face drunk driving, a conviction, possibly in Hawaii, where she could get 14 days in jail, but also in Los Angeles. She`s on probation for hit-and-run, for DUI, for reckless driving. And this could violate her probation by getting arrested in Hawaii. And the city attorney in L.A. has gone into court and said, "We want her probation revoked." And if a judge agrees, she could go to jail for up to 18 months, so this is a big deal.
ANDERSON: It is a big deal. She has quite a rap sheet, as you just referred to. And, Harvey, this is a high-profile case in Hawaii. She, of course, lives there, works there. I`m sure the locals know her. Some are probably friends with her. Could her celebrity there have an impact on the outcome of the case?
LEVIN: Brooke, I think celebrity always has some impact on a case because, when a star goes before a jury, juries have an image of that star and it`s usually a good image, and it`s hard to reconcile this glamorous woman with this drunk lady driving down the street, at least according to prosecutors. So, to some extent, I think that helps any star when they go before a jury with that kind of good will.
ANDERSON: We will see how it plays out.
Another big story, Harvey, the new anti-paparazzi law with stricter, harsher penalties on the paparazzi has gone into effect. Tell us about that.
LEVIN: Well, the law basically says, if a paparazzi is really overly aggressive and assaults a star trying to get the shot, and that star or somebody else suffers an injury, the paparazzi could be on the hook for three times the actual damages somebody suffers, and the paparazzi can`t sell the photograph they take because it`s kind of an ill-gotten gain. Whether this is going to actually help curb the aggressiveness of paparazzi, I don`t think so.
ANDERSON: All right. Well, you`re familiar with the paparazzi. You work around them. You talk to them a lot. What are they saying about how this could possibly affect how they do their business?
LEVIN: Well, I mean, they`re moaning and groaning about it. But I think, ultimately, when you look at basic economics, you know, this just means that if somebody really gets hurt, then they can sue for three times the actual damages. The fact is, some of these money shots they get go for a fortune. And if they`re still profit motive there -- and there is in taking these photographs -- and occasionally they get nailed, it becomes the cost of doing business. And I don`t think this kind of a law is really going to have that much of an impact.
ANDERSON: All right. Harvey Levin, as always, thank you for you insight and your time. We appreciate it.
LEVIN: See you, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Harvey Levin of TMZ.com.
HAMMER: It is time now for another "Showbiz Sitdown." This time it is with weight loss guru Richard Simmons. Richard, of course, has helped millions of Americans lose weight with his popular Deal-a-Meal systems and the "Sweatin` to the Oldies" videos.
Richard joining us live tonight to help with your new year`s resolutions and maybe a couple of dance moves. I don`t know.
RICHARD SIMMONS, WEIGHT LOSS GURU: Hi, A.J. How are you?
HAMMER: It`s good to see you, Richard.
SIMMONS: Isn`t this fun?
HAMMER: Love having you on the program. Happy new year to you.
SIMMONS: Happy and healthy and prosperous new year to you and all your listeners.
HAMMER: Thank you very much. And the viewers, as well.
SIMMONS: And the viewers.
HAMMER: Hopefully, they`ll...
SIMMONS: See, I do radio now, so I keep listeners. And to the viewers.
HAMMER: And we`ll talk about your radio in a moment. New Year`s, of course, a time when people often are waking up in the morning after all their New Year`s indulgences and saying, "Oh, my God, what have I done to myself?"
Did you ever have a New Year`s Day, back before you got yourself in shape, where you looked in the mirror and you`re like, "I have to do something?"
SIMMONS: Well, I was 200 pounds in the eighth grade. And when I graduated high school, I was 268 pounds. And that was the last time I weighed myself. So I`m sure it went over that. And I had a very, very sad New Year`s, one new year, that I just felt that I was going to die if I didn`t do something.
And I had tried everything. I had been on laxatives, diet pills, throwing up, starvation. I went from 268 to 119. I put the weight back. But it was only when I had to learn about me, and about loving me, about exercising, and about watching the portions.
There`s a lot of stupid diets out there. There`s a lot of diet pills out there. There`s a lot of crazy things out there in 2006. And I just beg your listeners: Love yourself no matter what you weigh. Start slow. Watch the portions of your food. Try to move your body every day.
People say, "How often should you exercise?" And I say, "Well, how often do you eat?" And that would be seven days. So, every day, you`ve got to get up and you have to move your body. You`ve got to get out of bed early, because you get out of bed early. You`ve got to count your blessings. You`ve got to make your list. You have to journal your thoughts.
People say, "Don`t write down your resolutions." And I say do it. Put them down on paper. Let people see them. And look at them every day. And reach those goals.
Here`s a little kid from New Orleans who all I did was eat fried foods and look what I`m doing now. And it only happened when I believed in myself.
HAMMER: And you absolutely love what you`re doing.
SIMMONS: And I love it. I travel 250 days a year. I teach classes all over the world. I try to give people hope in a very hopeless world right now, where we`re not very kind to overweight people, overweight children. There`s more obesity in America now than ever before. And that`s why I`m still here.
HAMMER: And why is that? Why do you suppose now it`s just -- it continues to really spiral out of control from all the reports that we see, America`s overweight?
SIMMONS: Because people are -- people are sad. When you`re overweight -- you`ve never been overweight, so you don`t know what it is to weigh 300 or 400 or 500 pounds. I see these people every day and call them every day. It`s a very sad time now. And people have given up. And that`s why it`s so important in January that everyone has hope.
HAMMER: You mentioned a whole lot of things that people can do. But can you just break it down? What would you say the three real key things that somebody right here today can do to at least start on that road?
SIMMONS: They can find a realistic food program that talks about portions and not stupid programs that take food groups away. They can start to walk and then they can start to get some videos or, if they can afford it, to join a gym and start slowly. But the most important thing is that people have to know right here, on this show, your self-worth. And until you have that, you have nothing.
HAMMER: Well, you certainly help people along the way of finding that or identifying it within themselves. And you do it in a fun way. You`ve been doing these videos now for how many years?
SIMMONS: This is my 57th and 58th video.
HAMMER: If people want to party off the pounds, you`re the guy to do it with.
SIMMONS: I did a great aerobic video. I did a great aerobic video, another toning video with real people. There`s people in these videos that have lost 50, 80, 100, and 150 pounds, you know, with that support. I have a great web site, RichardSimmons.com, where thousands of people come all the time, and I try to inspire them.
And then I`ve got my Sirius satellite radio show -- and you`re on Sirius.
HAMMER: Sometimes.
SIMMONS: And so I do a show on Sundays called "Lighten Up." And I read my letters. And I call the people live, A.J., and talk with them, and give them some hope, from the 500-pound woman whose husband just died to the 300-pound woman who has four kids and is now single.
HAMMER: Lot of crying going on, on that program, I imagine?
SIMMONS: Well, I try to make them laugh.
HAMMER: Yes.
SIMMONS: You know, have you to see the lighter part of this. You really do. You really have to make them -- I give a whimsical approach. I want to make it fun for them. People don`t like to be talked down to. They want to feel embraced. They want to feel excited about their life.
HAMMER: Well, I know you`re also a huge fan of television. You enjoy watching television. Do you watch the NANCY GRACE program here on Headline Prime?
SIMMONS: You better stop it right now.
HAMMER: She happens to be a big Richard Simmons fan.
SIMMONS: You better stop it.
HAMMER: Would you like to meet Nancy Grace?
SIMMONS: You better stop it right now. OK, don`t do this.
HAMMER: Because, Richard Simmons, we`d like to introduce you to Headline Prime`s Nancy Grace. Welcome to the program.
SIMMONS: Oh, please, don`t -- no. Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
HAMMER: Here come the tears.
SIMMONS: Oh, my God! Oh, hi. You`re so teeny. Oh, my God.
NANCY GRACE, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: I have to tell you a story about you.
SIMMONS: Oh, my God, she`s next to me. I thought I`d never meet her because I never committed a crime.
GRACE: Listen, this weekend -- this weekend, I was on the treadmill trying to run. I made it to three miles. And I was about to quit. And you came on the Fit Channel. And you -- it showed your workout club, and you had fat people, you had regular people, you had skinny people, you had old people, regular people like me, working out. And they interviewed you, and you teared up, and it made me tear up, and I ran four miles because of you.
SIMMONS: Oh, Nancy Grace is here, everybody.
HAMMER: We`re going to get you a pair of these shorts, Nancy.
(LAUGHTER)
SIMMONS: I don`t know what to say.
GRACE: I have a question. I have a question. How do you give people hope? I try to do that, and you do it so well.
SIMMONS: You do a great job, Nancy. I watch your show. And what`s so good about you, girlfriend, is that you love everybody and you want the truth. And that`s what I try.
I want people in 2006 to be honest with each other. I want people to be honest about their weight, how much they have to lose, their goals and their dreams.
As a little fat kid in New Orleans eating mufalattas (ph) and fried oyster sandwiches, I used to dream about what I wanted, you know, what I wanted in life. And all I wanted to do was help people and make them laugh. So now I`m a court jester. And that suits me fine. Look, I`m sitting next to...
HAMMER: Maybe Richard can autograph those for you.
GRACE: Would you? I told my father right before I came on the air...
SIMMONS: How is Mom?
GRACE: Quick, quick, quick, make sure you turn on...
SIMMONS: How`s Mom?
GRACE: They`re great.
SIMMONS: OK.
GRACE: My father works out five times a week.
SIMMONS: Do you believe this, A.J.?
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Well, you know, your little New Year`s gift from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Richard.
GRACE: Can I have a kiss? Dare I ask? Wait, just a tiny one, just on the cheek? Happy New Year.
SIMMONS: Happy New Year`s.
HAMMER: I`ve got less than 30 seconds left. Is there something you want to ask Nancy?
SIMMONS: No questions for Nancy. I think what she does is help people understand a lot that they don`t understand. We sort of kind of do the same work. We try to be honest, help out, be inspired, and love all people.
HAMMER: It`s great to see you, Richard. Happy new year to you.
SIMMONS: Oh, A.J., thank you.
HAMMER: We`ve got to wrap it up. Nancy, thanks for dropping by and making this happen.
GRACE: Thank you. And happy new year, friend.
HAMMER: Yes, happy new year, friend. Richard Simmons` new videos -- they`re "Super Sweatin`" and "Super Tonin`." They`re on sale now. And we`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: We`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," which is: Donald Trump for president: Would you vote for him?
The vote so far: Only 10 percent of you say yes; 90 percent of you say no. Among the e-mails we`ve received, one from Felix in Kansas. Felix writes, "I don`t think Donald Trump would make a good president. He`s just an entrepreneur and should stick with what he does best."
We also heard from Andy in Pennsylvania who writes, "Trump would be an excellent president of the United States, and the United States would benefit from him because he runs his businesses really well."
You may continue to vote by going to CNN.com/showbiztonight.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I am Brooke Anderson. Please stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
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