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Showbiz Tonight
Cronkite: U.S. Should Get Out of Iraq; "Brokeback Mountain," "The Producers," HBO, ABC Top Golden Globe Nominations; EBay Founder Making Films with a Message; Critic Shares Music Picks; Oprah Winfrey Picks Elie Wiesel`s "Night" to Join Her Book Club Selection;
Aired January 16, 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: the Cronkite controversy. Tonight, why Walter Cronkite says the U.S. should get out of Iraq right now. Shocking statements from the legendary anchorman, once known as the most trusted man in America.
WALTER CRONKITE, FORMER CBS NEWS ANCHOR: And that`s the way it is.
HAMMER: Will he change the course of war history again? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
Also, Oprah`s next pick. Tonight, you won`t believe which book Oprah Winfrey has just chosen for her book club, her first selection since the stunning controversy surrounding her last choice. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, with the choice and a special report on the power of Oprah.
It`s Golden Globes night. And only one entertainment news show on television is there live. Why, that would be us, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. The biggest stars. The hottest looks. The super surprises. Get ready for a golden night to remember.
FELICITY HUFFMAN, ACTRESS: Hi. I`m Felicity Huffman. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi, there. I`m Brooke Anderson live in Hollywood, where the stars are getting ready for the Golden Globes. And we`re the only live entertainment news show live at the Golden Globes.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer, live in New York City. And we`re going to get to our live coverage of the Golden Globes in just a moment. But first, the Cronkite controversy.
The most trusted man in America, legendary newsman Walter Cronkite, says it`s time to get out of Iraq. He changed history decades ago, when he said during his newscast that it was time to get out of Vietnam. Well, now, in front of TV reporters meeting in Pasadena, he`s saying that if he were on TV today, he would say the same thing about Iraq. But now, Cronkite is getting an entirely different response.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CRONKITE: And that`s the way it is.
HAMMER: Twenty-five years after leaving the airways, Walter Cronkite is still, as far as he`s concerned, telling it like it is. A former CBS News anchor, who in the 1960s helped turn the tide of public opinion against the Vietnam War, is now turning his fire on Iraq.
While talking about Iraq this weekend, Cronkite told a group of reporters, quote, "It`s my belief that we should get out now."
Cronkite went on to say that Hurricane Katrina give the U.S. the chance to leave Iraq honorably. He says the U.S. could have told the world, quote, "We find ourselves missing the amount of money it takes to help these poor people out of their homeless situation and rebuild some of our most important cities in the United States. Therefore, we are going to have to bring our troops home."
CNN contributor and college professor Frank Sesno says Cronkite`s comments make for a significant story.
FRANK SESNO, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: He`s still Walter Cronkite, and he gets tremendous notice.
ANNOUNCER: This is "The CBS Evening News" with Walter Cronkite.
HAMMER: Cronkite anchored "The CBS Evening News" from 1962 to 1981. During that time when there was no Internet, no blogs and no cable news channels, Cronkite was the most popular TV news man in the country and the most trusted man in America.
SESNO: He was a father figure. He was the guy every night, night after night after night, who showed up in people`s living rooms and brought them the world at a time when the world was somewhat a distant and mystical place.
CRONKITE: Whatever price the communists paid for this offensive, the price to the allied cause was high.
HAMMER: In 1968, Cronkite went to Vietnam to cover the bloody conflict there. When he returned, he gave this shocking editorial.
CRONKITE: To say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic, if unsatisfactory conclusion.
HAMMER: Many point to Cronkite`s editorial as the beginning of the end for support for the Vietnam War. Upon seeing it, President Lyndon Johnson reportedly said, quote, "If I`ve lost Cronkite, I`ve lost middle America."
SESNO: When someone who occupies a place like that turns against the president of the United States, and against the defining policy at the time, the Vietnam War, that`s something that shook the White House to the foundation.
If a reporter or an anchor person today, hard news anchor person today, said get out of Iraq, there would be a full scale revolution on one side or the other that would have its first shot fired in the Internet.
HAMMER: And that`s just what happened after Cronkite spoke out this weekend. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s been monitoring the blogosphere, and Cronkite`s comments are having an impact. He`s criticized the Iraq war before, saying it hasn`t made the U.S. safer from terrorism.
And, in an interview with CNN last year, he criticized the way the news media covered the march to war.
CRONKITE: Whether we did enough in preparing the American people for this war, and even covering the Senate debate which lead us to this war, I think is highly doubtful.
HAMMER: Still, Cronkite`s comments on Iraq do more than remind us of other divisive conflicts. They also remind us of the days when a single news man`s opinion could sway a nation`s opinion on the war. They remind us that those days are probably over.
SESNO: There is nobody in the current media environment who occupies the place that Walter Cronkite occupied. I`m not sure we`ll ever see that again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: In addition to his Iraq comments, Cronkite joked about CBS`s efforts to find a replacement anchor for Dan Rather in the anchor chair for "The CBS Evening News." Cronkite says, quote, "I`m standing by, if they want me."
ANDERSON: Tonight, one of the biggest nights of the year for Hollywood: the Golden Globes. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show there, live.
Now in just a few minutes, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association will announce who it thinks is the best in television and film. It is the unofficial kickoff of awards season, and many feel Globe gold is a very good predictor of who will win Oscar gold in March.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is live on the red carpet at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, with your guide to everything you need to know before tonight`s show.
Sibila, look at you. You`re absolutely lovely.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you so much. Well, as you can see, this year`s Golden Globe race is jam packed this plenty of star power. Movies with messages, of course, a lot of controversy. This year leading the pack are the gay cowboys of "Brokeback Mountain," a movie that has sparked some controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wish I knew how to quit you.
VARGAS (voice-over): The same could be said for the Hollywood foreign press`s affection for "Brokeback Mountain."
ANG LEE, DIRECTOR, "BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN": It`s the kind of movie that sinks in with the audience and they have to process it afterwards. The movie has a magic (ph).
VARGAS: The film about two gay cowboys snagged the most Golden Globe nominations, seven, including best picture -- drama; best director, Ang Lee; and best actor, Heath Ledger.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did anyone ever tell you you have very sensual lips?
VARGAS: Also faring well, "Match Point" and "Good Night and Good Luck." Each film is up for four Globes, including their directors, Woody Allen and George Clooney. The former "E.R." doctor admits the attention is paying off.
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR/DIRECTOR: Things like this really are helpful with keeping the film out there and helping it be seen by other people.
VARGAS: Other dramas receiving nominations, "The Constant Gardener" and "The History of Violence."
"The Producers" leads the pack in the best musical/comedy, with four nominations, including best actor for Nathan Lane.
NATHAN LANE, ACTOR: The Golden Globes are just more fun than the Oscars. The Oscars is like the wedding and the Golden Globes are like the bachelor party.
VARGAS: Other nods went to "Pride and Prejudice," "Mrs. Henderson Presents," "The Squid and the Whale," and "Walk the Line."
(on camera) Of course, the Golden Globe Awards also honor television, and this year it was neck and neck between two networks, HBO and ABC.
MARCIA CROSS, ACTRESS: So you want me to lie?
HUFFMAN: Yes, I thought that was understood.
VARGAS: "Desperate Housewives" received five of ABC`s 16 nominations, including best comedic actress for Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman and Eva Longoria, who was left out of the category last year.
EVA LONGORIA, ACTRESS: You know, people keep going, did you ever think you`d ever been nominated? I`m like, "It`s the second year."
VARGAS: Newcomers "Everybody Hates Chris," "My Name is Earl" and "Weeds," as well as HBO favorites "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Entourage" were all nominated.
"Rome" received one of HBO`s leading 17 nominations. It`s up against fellow freshman series "Prison Break" and three ABC`s dramas, "Lost," Grey`s Anatomy" and "Commander in Chief."
GEENA DAVIS, ACTRESS: Everybody is very excited. Everybody is really excited. There was a lot of pressure to bust out some champagne.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... office of president of the United States.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And Geena Davis is no stranger to nominations. In fact she has four Golden Globe nominations, including her very first one, which was back in 1992 for her starring role in "Thelma and Louise." Do you remember that one, Brooke?
ANDERSON: I do. Of course, we do.
OK, Sibila. Thank you so much. And it looks like the red carpet is heating up behind you, getting more and more crowded as we count down to the awards show.
Sibila Vargas live on the red carpet in the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. And we want you to know that at 11 p.m. Eastern tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be the only entertainment new show on TV live after the Globes. We will bring you the latest breaking news, the first interviews with the stars backstage, of course the fashion hits and misses and so much more. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at 11 p.m. Eastern. Please make sure you join us.
So we want know what you think about it all. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Award show winners: do they really reflect the best? Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Send us an e-mail at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`re going to read some of your thoughts later on in the show.
HAMMER: Well, one of Eminem`s songs is called "Without Me," but apparently, he just couldn`t go on without her. The rapper, whose birth name is Marshall Mathers, remarried his ex-wife and high school sweetheart, Kim, in Michigan over the weekend. Celebrity guests included 50 Cent.
Kim and Marshall`s first marriage, which lasted two years, ended in a real ugly way back in 2001. The couple had battled over the custody of their young daughter, Hailie, which Eminem has rapped about. Eminem announced he was getting back together with Kim back in December.
ANDERSON: Oprah makes her next book club pick today. Will this choice spark worldwide controversy like her last one? Coming up, a revealing look at the power of Oprah.
HAMMER: Plus, is Conan O`Brien related to a presidential candidate in Finland? Find out how the late night host just might change the outcome of a very important election. That`s next.
ANDERSON: And, more of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s live coverage of the Golden Globes. It`s the story of how Hollywood told a billionaire who made his fortune on eBay, no way. And now his movies with a message are up for Globe gold. That`s next!
But first, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Who was the first woman to win the Globes` highest honor, the Cecil B. DeMille award? Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor? Think about it. We will be right back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: So again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Who was the first woman to win the Golden Globes` highest honor, the Cecil B. DeMille award? Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor? Judy Garland took home the award in 1962. The answer is B.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
Well, tonight, how Conan O`Brien might actually be changing the political landscape from his New York studio, halfway around the world in Finland. You see, the late night host has been endorsing the re-election of Finnish President Tarja Halonen because they kind of look alike.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CONAN O`BRIEN, HOST, NBC`S "LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O`BRIEN": The show is extremely popular in Finland. And we didn`t know why, and then we realized it`s because I look exactly like their president, Tarja Halonen. Right there. Look at here right there. There she is.
So, I`ve been doing everything I can to help Tarja win the big election this Sunday, and I`ve been doing some commercials. And these commercials have actually been airing in Finland. Today it`s Friday. This is my last chance to influence the election. So we`re going to do it now once again. Here`s one of my political ads, supporting Tarja Halonen for president.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (speaking foreign language)
GRAPHICS: Life certainly has been good to us.
O`BRIEN: (speaking foreign language)
GRAPHICS: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (speaking foreign language)
GRAPHICS: Our murder rate has gone from two every ten years to one every ten years.
O`BRIEN: (speaking foreign language)
GRAPHICS: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (speaking foreign language)
GRAPHICS: Our standardized test scores are strong, like the great Finnish-Nose (ph).
O`BRIEN: (speaking foreign language)
GRAPHICS: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (speaking foreign language)
GRAPHICS: Under Tarja Halonen the fisheries are producing more carp than usual.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, the Finnish presidential rate is close to the finish line. Tarja did win that first round of elections yesterday, and a runoff is now scheduled for January 29.
ANDERSON: Now for more of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT complete Golden Globes night coverage. Let`s go live to the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. We are there live at the 63rd annual Golden Globes awards. You`re looking at it now. Those awards are just minutes away.
Now, tonight the compelling story of one very rich film maker, the man behind such movies as George Clooney`s Globe-nominated "Good Night and Good Luck" and his billion dollar connection to eBay. He hopes that by using his green, he`ll be able to grab gold and spread some very important messages.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF SKOLL, PRODUCER: Another expression that I always heard.
ANDERSON: When Jeff Skoll decided to become a film maker two years ago, he already had an impressive list of achievements. The Stanford Business School graduate co-founded eBay and retired at an early age with several billion dollars in his pocket. So what`s a 30-something billionaire to do next?
SKOLL: My dream all along was to be able to tell stories, to reach people in a compelling and entertaining way and make a difference.
ANDERSON: Skoll moved to Hollywood and created Participant Productions, a film company with a goal of making movies that bring awareness to topical social issues. A noble idea, but one that came with warnings from skeptical industry veterans.
SKOLL: I heard a few different phrases. If you want to send a message, call Western Union. And then, you know, people from outside the business come to town with money and they try to make films. And their carcasses are littered across the streets of Hollywood.
ANDERSON: But Skoll was undeterred. And he had no trouble inspiring other like-minded team to join him, including Participant president Ricky Strauss.
RICKY STRAUSS, PRESIDENT, PARTICIPANT PRODUCTIONS: The people in the office all really believe in social change, in the betterment of society and improving their own communities in which they live.
ANDERSON: Participant Productions set to work. From Edward R. Murrow`s fight for freedom of the press in "Good Night and Good Luck"...
DAVID STRATHAIRN, ACTOR: We`re going to go with the story, because the terror is right here in this room.
ANDERSON: ... to sexual harassment in the workplace in "North Country"...
CHARLIZE THERON, ACTRESS: I know some of you here think I want to shut down the mine.
ANDERSON: ... and U.S. dependency on foreign oil in "Syriana," Participant has hit its target of creating movies with a message while managing to attract audiences in the process.
SKOLL: What we try to do is use our best assessment of great, compelling material that people want to see. And then we let the chips fall where they may.
ANDERSON: So far the chips have fallen generously in favor of Participant with the help of some A-list talent, including George Clooney and Charlize Theron.
CLOONEY: They`re films that you want to do and that you believe in.
THERON: I think films like this really kind of spark that new train of thought.
ANDERSON: Sparking thoughts and hopefully action. Through its web site, Participate.net, the company offers suggestions for how to become involved with the issues raised in Participant`s films.
STRAUSS: Do you have the tools to actually make a difference is the one step further that Hollywood hasn`t gone before. And that`s what makes it really exciting.
ANDERSON: An exciting time for an idealistic group. But Skoll says Participant Productions is not partisan. Before thinking of him as just another Hollywood liberal...
SKOLL: Our goal is to present these issues in as fair and even fashion as we can, and then bring together the tools, the partners to help people actually get involved and make change.
ANDERSON: And it appears that this newcomer to movie making is on the path to do just that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: So, will any participant films win big tonight? Well, you will find out if you stick with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We will be the only entertainment news show on TV live after the Globes. The latest breaking news, the first interviews with the stars backstage, the fashion hits and misses, and so much more. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, 11 p.m. Eastern. Please make sure you join us.
HAMMER: Tonight, we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT actually have proof that there really is life after death, as long as there is a commercial break. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, always on the lookout for these quirky things that you might have missed, and tonight, we`ve got one of them. A foxy move from the highly anticipated season premiere of "24," which happened on FOX last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mike. Mike, what is it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: David Palmer has been assassinated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "24" began with a shocker. The season kicked off with the startling assassination of former President David Bauer (sic), who has been played by actor Dennis Haysbert.
Well, that became the driving plot theme for the show, President Bauer`s (sic), murder and what happens next. But even though his character was killed off, Haysbert, himself, kept popping up during "24`s" commercial breaks. And he was selling, of all things, safety insurance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID HAYSBERT, ACTOR: It`s time to make the world a better place to drive. That`s Allstate`s stand. Are you in good hands?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Haysbert is a pitch person for Allstate Insurance, and FOX tells us they were aware that his commercials would appear last night. FOX also says last night`s "24" Had its highest ratings ever, but it got beat by "Desperate Housewives" by about seven million viewers.
ANDERSON: A child star`s mysterious disappearance. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the latest coming up.
HAMMER: Plus when Oprah speaks, people listen and spend. Tonight a revealing look at the power of Oprah, why she is able to make or break careers. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has her latest book club pick. That`s still to come.
ANDERSON: Also, it`s golden Globes tonight. And some care more about what the stars show up in than what they might take home. A behind the scenes look at a fashion designer to the stars. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show with live coverage, so stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: It`s time now for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT guide. Throughout the week, we help you decide where to best spend your dollars on movies, music, DVDs and more. Tonight, in "People`s Picks and Pans," what`s new in music. We`re talking about the Strokes, Australian singer Sia, and eclectic jazz pianist Robert Glasper.
Joining us live in New York to tell us all about them, "People" magazine writer Ann Marie Cruz.
Want to talk about the Strokes, their new CD, "First Impressions of Earth." But first, let`s take a little listen to the first single off the album, "Juice Box."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: These guys burst onto the scene five years ago, and they were the saviors of rock `n` roll in a lot of people`s eyes. Does this album hold up?
ANN MARIE CRUZ, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: You know, folks are not going to be disappointed with this album. If you love them, you should definitely get the album. But they`re no longer shouldering the burden of having to save rock `n` roll. That`s sort of been shifted over to The Killers and Franz Ferdinand and even The White Stripes, who are similar garage rock revivalists.
But they seem to be expanding their repertoire, whereas The Strokes, while increasing the good production values on the album, you can hear Julian Casablancas sing more. There are couple songs that are, like, missteps and...
HAMMER: OK.
CRUZ: Yes.
HAMMER: So not 100 percent?
CRUZ: Yes.
HAMMER: Maybe that debut album that they had five years ago.
Let`s talk about Sia, because me, like so many people, heard the song during the series finale of "Six Feet Under," and I had to go get the song. Let`s take a listen to "Breathe Me" real quick.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is this consistent on the rest of her album, "Color of Me"?
CRUZ: Definitely. And you know, if you love the song, you have two more versions of the song on the album. But also, the rest of the album is great. If you like Nelly Furtado and Portishead, definitely get the album.
HAMMER: Let`s talk about jazz pianist Robert Glasper. This album is called "Canvas." Is he the next big thing in jazz?
CRUZ: Now he has such a great style. I totally am recommending this album. Get it. It will make you feel smarter. He`s worked with Mod Def and Q Tip. So even though there`s no hip-hop influences on the album, per se, you just feel like this guy has a lot of range. And you want to definitely track his career from here on out.
HAMMER: Robert Glasper. Excellent. We don`t talk about jazz often, so I`ll take that recommendation. Thank you very much, Ann Marie Cruz.
CRUZ: Thank you.
HAMMER: Nice to see you.
For more "Picks and Pans," you can get your copy of "People" magazine on newsstands now.
ANDERSON: Which actress just found a husband to be at the office? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT knows, and we will tell you, coming up next.
HAMMER: Plus Golden Globe fashions, some of the biggest names in Hollywood aren`t heading to the red carpet without checking in with this celebrity stylist. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes you behind the scenes of designer are to the stars, Rachel Zoe.
ANDERSON: Also, Oprah makes her very first book club pick after the stunning controversy surrounding her last one. We`ll have her choice and a revealing look at the power of Oprah, when she speaks why so many people listen, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report. Stay with us.
(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 very own live entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, still to come, Brooke, of course, we all know Oprah Winfrey has been in the news quite a bit lately, rather unwittingly, because of all the controversy swirling around her latest pick for her book club. But we`re going to tell you what her latest pick in the book club is. And as we know, when Oprah speaks, people spend. The power of Oprah, an investigative report. It`s coming up, too.
ANDERSON: She certainly has...
HAMMER: It is mind-blowing the power she has.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. She certainly has a tremendous amount of influence. You`re right, A.J. And, also, it is the Golden Globes tonight. It is the hottest ticket in town tonight here Hollywood. And coming up, we will go behind the scenes of one of the most popular Globe after-parties. And we`ll tell you who likes to hit the dance floor at this big bash.
And also, we`ll talk to one of Tinseltown`s most sought-after stylist and hear how she gets her celebrity clients red-carpet ready. That`s coming up in just a few moments.
But first, A.J., tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
TV news legend Walter Cronkite says the United States should get out of Iraq now. Back in 1968, Cronkite said that the Vietnam War was unwinnable, which widely influenced public opinion. Speaking to reporters, Cronkite said he`d say the same thing about Iraq. During Vietnam, then- President Lyndon Johnson reportedly said, "If I`ve lost Cronkite, I`ve lost middle America."
The search is on for a missing former child actor who left an ominous note in his car and hasn`t been seen since. Police in Washington State have been looking for Joe Pichler for nearly a week. His family says his car was found near a waterway and there was a note in the car saying that he wanted a younger brother to get his belongings. As a child, Pichler appeared in two of the "Beethoven" movies and "Varsity Blues." He`s now 18.
Tonight, actress Brittany Murphy is engaged. "People" magazine says she and boyfriend Joe Macaluso got engaged over Christmas. They met when he was a production assistant on this romantic comedy, "Little Black Book," which Murphy starred in two years ago.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
HAMMER: Let me throw some names at you: Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Garner, Nicole Ritchie. They are the reigning royalty of Hollywood, and they`ve really become some of the hottest fashion icons around. But the real secret to their fantastic look is stylist Rachel Zoe. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas had the chance to catch up with her, and she joins us now live in Hollywood -- Sibila?
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, A.J., the Golden Globes are so much about fashion. Let`s face it. We really want to know what the stars are wearing. And they`re looking absolutely beautiful, partly because of Rachel Zoe. She`s one of the hottest fashion stylists out there right now. She`s dressing some of the ladies out here today. And I had to find out what was so great about her.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): Jennifer Garner, Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan, and Nicole Ritchie, young, beautiful and so perfectly packaged, no surprise when these celebrities need help deciding what to wear.
RACHEL ZOE, CELEBRITY STYLIST: This is actually a vintage piece.
VARGAS: Their go-to girl is stylist Rachel Zoe. Take one look at the racks of gorgeous gowns and the rows of designer shoes. Listen to her phone ringing nonstop in her busy studio, and you quickly know that Zoe is in demand.
ZOE: It`s shocking to me everyday the emphasis that is put on someone`s image in this business.
VARGAS: Rachel Zoe`s business is image. And these days, business is very good. Like a movie producer who brings together actors a director and a script, Zoe takes hair, make-up, shoes and a gown and puts together a star. She`s one of a handful of Hollywood stylists who earn thousands of dollars a day making sure there`s glamour on the red carpet.
And Zoe has her own distinctive style, mixing vintage and modern designer pieces into Bohemian chic ensembles. Her influences are diverse.
ZOE: You know, `60s, `70s, into early `80s, you know, Grecian, you know, Bianca Jagger, Diane Von Furstenberg, sort of, you know, in the Studio 54 days. That`s always been the thing that really works best for me, personally.
VARGAS: She started as an editorial fashion assistant in New York and worked her way west.
ZOE: My father always tried to justify my work by saying it`s my art, it`s my craft.
VARGAS: If image-making is an art, Zoe made herself into a master. And her work turning clients from freckled teenagers into stylish starlets is judged every day, every week by some of the toughest critics in the fashion industry.
ZOE: (INAUDIBLE) "Elle" and (INAUDIBLE) magazine, and, you know, the "New York Times," or, you know, whatever. When these publications and "Women`s Wear Daily" are writing all these positive things about my clients, or west coast fashion, or whatever it is, you know, that, to me, is the highest form of recognition.
VARGAS: Zoe`s influence on clients has become so recognizable that some people say her famous proteges are actually starting to look like her.
ZOE: Inspiring, and it`s great, but I don`t consider myself responsible for it. I think that -- I don`t know. I think we just spend a lot of time together. And so I think, inevitably, you rub off on each other.
VARGAS: We caught up with Zoe at her home as she was getting ready to dress several of her high-profile clients for this year`s Golden Globe Awards.
ZOE: I love it, because, at the end of the day, it`s literally like sending your daughter off to the prom every day. And I don`t care if my client is 40 years old. When I stand at the door and they`re getting into the limousine, it`s like, I`ve been doing this for 13 years. I get just as excited today as I did the first day I started.
VARGAS: She`s surrounded by glamour, but somehow still manages to keep it all in perspective.
ZOE: It`s about them and it`s about them feeling beautiful and (INAUDIBLE) comfortable. And if they don`t, then I haven`t done my job.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And believe it or not, Rachel is actually dressing 10 women at the Golden Globe Awards. But she can`t tell us until after the ceremony. But you bet they`re going to look good.
A.J., back to you.
HAMMER: All right, Sibila. I`m sure you`ll get to the bottom of who`s wearing what, as you stay there throughout the night. We`ll see you a little bit later. Sibila Vargas joining us live from the Golden Globes red carpet in Beverly Hills.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to be live again at 11:00 Eastern to be giving you the up-to-the-minute Golden Globes coverage. Your one-stop shopping for awards news buzz, after the ceremony interviews, and all the fashion hits and misses, of course.
And now on to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," which is: Award show winners: Do they really reflect the best? You can keep voting by going to CNN.com/showbiztonight. You can also write to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`re going to share some of what you have to say at 55 past the hour.
ANDERSON: OK. Try this one on for size: The truth, whole truth and nothing but the truthiness. It`s a word that`s sweeping the nation, but what does it really mean? We will dare to tell the truthiness, next.
HAMMER: Plus, Oprah makes her next pick for her book club. It`s already climbing the sales charts. We`re going to tell you what it is. We`re also going to look into why Oprah has so much power in other ways. That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: And it`s Golden Globes night. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only one to take you behind the scenes of one of the hottest parties in town to see how it all comes together. That`s still ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s only live entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Well, life goes on for Oprah`s book club. As you probably heard by now, there`s been a firestorm of controversy over Oprah`s last pick, James Frey`s "A Million Little Pieces." Well, today Oprah announced her new selection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: Like Dr. King, I have a dream of my own, too, that the powerful message of this little book would be engraved on every human heart. It is my honor today to announce as my next book club section "Night," by Noble Peace Prize-winner Elie Wiesel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: "Night" is Elie Wiesel`s account of what he witnessed at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. Oprah`s selection virtually guarantees that it will shoot to the top of the bestseller`s list. CNN`s Heidi Collins joins us now with more.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: That`s right, Brooke. Even the controversy over her last selection couldn`t stop "A Million Little Pieces" from selling copy after copy, and proving yet again, forget about EF Hutton; when Oprah Winfrey speaks, people listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WINFREY: We support the book, because we recognize that there have been thousands and hundreds of thousands of people whose lives have been changed by this book.
COLLINS (voice-over): That was Oprah Winfrey saving the bacon, the book, and maybe the career of author James Frey.
WINFREY: Our next book is "A Million Little Pieces."
COLLINS: Of course, it was Oprah who started the book`s juggernaut back in September when she chose it as a selection for her book club and sent it soaring to the top of Amazon`s bestseller list. It`s still there.
There`s a reason why "Forbes" magazine named the daytime diva the most powerful celebrity in the world.
LOLA OGUNNAIKE, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": She`s able to move commerce, she`s able to move the culture, and she`s able to tug at American woman and men`s heartstrings.
COLLINS: She tugs at their heartstring and tells them what to read. "A Million Little Pieces" is the 56th book Oprah`s pitched to her public, since she started the book club in 1996, making household names out of often obscure authors. In 2000, she chose "Gap Creek" by Robert Morgan. Within a month, the book sold 650,000 copies. With her stamp of approval, she makes bestselling authors out of new writers.
OGUNNAIKE: If you`re a no-name author and she decides that she loves your book and she puts it in her book club, you are going to be on the bestseller`s list.
COLLINS: And she gives new life to old classics. Her choice of the 1875 Tolstoy novel, "Anna Karenina," forced the publisher of a new translation to rush one million extra copies into print.
WINFREY: But there ain`t nothing wrong with a little bit of bling!
(APPLAUSE)
COLLINS: It`s not just books, but bling that Oprah turns into bestsellers. Every year, she showers her audience with her favorite stuff, from diamond watches, to iPods, from Burberry coats to laptop computers. And they all start selling like hotcakes, something she hasn`t given away yet.
OGUNNAIKE: People trust her opinion. People believe in her taste. And they know that she is not going to B.S. them. If she believes in something and she likes something, she`s going to go all out for that thing or that person.
WINFREY: I`m going to change, with your help, the laws in this country, state by state by state.
COLLINS: Oprah may have the power to push products, but she`s also got the power to put away the bad guys. She recently featured the FBI`s most-wanted child molesters on her show. Forty-eight hours later, two pedophiles were behind bars.
WINFREY: I know that it resonates with millions of other people who have read this book.
COLLINS: And with the few minutes on "LARRY KING LIVE," Oprah turned a P.R. nightmare into a book-selling bonanza. James Frey has found himself a powerful friend.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: The power of Oprah is already at work for her new book club pick, "Night," by Elie Wiesel. Yesterday, it ranked about number 34,000 in sales on Amazon.com. And when we checked just now, it was number 21. Number one? James Frey`s "A Million Little Pieces." Who`d have thought?
Brooke?
ANDERSON: All right. And it is climbing as we speak. Heidi, thank you so much. CNN`s Heidi Collins for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Well, the controversy surrounding Frey`s memoir might just bring to mind the word "truthiness." That`s right; I said truthiness. You never heard of it? It, in fact, is a word. And, in fact, it happens to be the word of the moment, truthiness.
Here comes CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Truth be told, it seems like it`s getting harder to determine...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... the truth, the whole truth...
SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (R-PA), CHAIRMAN OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: ... and nothing but the truth.
MOOS: ... which brings us to the American Dialect Society`s word of the year...
(on-screen): Truthiness.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Truce-iness?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Truthiness. I`m going to use it.
MOOS (voice-over): The Dialect Society likes to pick a word that best reflects the preoccupations of the year gone by. It took a pompous, fake news commentator to popularize this year`s winner on his debut show.
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE COLBERT REPORT": Truthiness. Now, I`m sure some of the word police, the "wordinistas" over at Webster`s, are going to say, "Hey, that`s not a word."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It sounds like a very fuzzy political term for not quite true.
MOOS: The American Dialect Society defines truthiness as "the quality of stating facts one wishes to be true rather than facts known to be true." Maybe you`d prefer the term voted 2005`s most creative: whale tail, the appearance of thong underwear above the waistband. The runner-up was muffin top, the bulge of flesh hanging over the top of low-rider jeans.
Truthiness is, actually, a word, first noted in 1824, according to Professor Michael Adams.
MICHAEL ADAMS, PROFESSOR, RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: It`s in the Oxford English Dictionary.
COLBERT: OK, stop right there. I pulled this word right out of where the sun don`t shine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I consider it offensive.
MOOS (on-screen): Truthiness, the word?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MOOS: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any embellishment on the word "truth" is unnecessary.
MOOS: But when does truth become truthiness? Author James Frey seems to measure truth in pages.
JAMES FREY, AUTHOR, "A MILLION LITTLE PIECES": Total page count of disputed events is 18, which is less than 5 percent of the total book.
MOOS: Take it from Oscar Wilde, "The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple."
(voice-over): These days, truthiness seems to be a way to cover your whale tail.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: We are counting down to the Golden Globes. We`re here live as the stars are getting ready for the big show. And we are the only live entertainment news show live at the Golden Globes.
From Scarlett Johansson to Eva Longoria to George Clooney, they`re all nominees tonight. They`re also on the guest list for one of the hottest after-parties. Only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is pushing back the velvet rope and giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how the party comes together.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): It`s considered a Golden Globe must, the "InStyle"-Warner Brothers after-party. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s got your all- access pass to see how everything comes together.
My first stop: check in with event planner Tom Ford. For the seventh year in a row, Tom transformed this courtyard into a jaw-dropping party room.
(on-screen): Tell me what the feel is here, the scene.
TOM FORD, PARTY PLANNER: It`s sexy, but it`s sexy `70s. I wanted to go more into the `70s and Halston.
ANDERSON (voice-over): To get that `70s, New York City artsy look, Tom went with a lot of silhouettes and luxurious fabrics.
FORD: I took out all the magazines. And I ripped tons of pages out of magazines, a lot of, you know, designs that are thrown out.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: The real focus of the room, these beautiful, hand-blown glass chandeliers. They weigh about 350 pounds each and consist of more than 1,200 one-of-a-kind glass pieces.
Two hundred people worked all week to put this together, all worth it once the a-list guests start arriving.
(on-screen): It is a star-studded...
FORD: Halle Berry`s always there. Halle Berry`s always sitting somewhere on the couch.
ANDERSON: So she likes this party?
FORD: Yes, she likes this party. Charlize always comes. The "Desperate Housewives" always come and dance.
ANDERSON: Didn`t Prince stop by one year?
FORD: One year, yes. All of a sudden, Prince stopped by. And he just got up and started playing. It was amazing.
ANDERSON (voice-over): So many big stars on their biggest night of the year. So what to serve?
FORD: A lot of times, in the dinner, they don`t like to eat, because they don`t want to be caught eating on camera.
ANDERSON (on-screen): When they get here, they really chow down?
FORD: They can eat, and they can relax. You know, they can relax now, because it`s over.
ANDERSON (voice-over): If the stars are looking to chow down, they`ve come to the right place. Among the munchies on the expensive menu, 3,000 pieces of shrimp cocktail, 400 pounds of seafood, and 1,250 egg rolls.
(on-screen): It is a celebration, so there will be plenty of bubbly to go around. In fact, more than 100 cases -- that`s 2,500 bottles of champagne -- that will be on hand for guests to enjoy.
(voice-over): Lots of food, lots of booze, but flowers really set an event apart from the rest. Take a look at these beautiful enfurions (ph). "InStyle" had 2,000 of them shipped over from Hawaii just for tonight.
If flowers aren`t your thing, maybe chocolate is. There are literally hundreds of pounds of chocolate lining these walls.
(on-screen): So, in addition to all the chocolates you have here, you also have this very decadent drink for guests to enjoy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, this is our Godiva Chocolatini. And it`s a decadent, delicious drink.
ANDERSON: Pretty popular?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it usually is. And we expect it to be, as well, for the party.
ANDERSON: Chocolatini, all right. Cheers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And it tasted pretty good.
All right. Aside from going to great parties, the stars will also score some serious swag tonight at the Golden Globes. Presenters, like Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx, will get $62,000 worth of free stuff, including cruises to mingle with the penguins in Antarctica and trips to diamond mines in the Canadian Arctic. Not too bad, huh?
And we want you to know that at 11:00 p.m. Eastern tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be the only entertainment news show on TV live after the Globes. You`re looking at a live picture right now from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. We are going to bring you the latest breaking news, the first interviews with the stars backstage, the fashion hits and misses, and so much more. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, 11:00 p.m. Eastern. Please join us then.
HAMMER: Drinking on the job. I`m sure there was no alcohol in there.
Well, there is still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Award show winners: Do they really reflect the best?
You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight. You can write to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your e-mails, live, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." We`ve been asking: Award show winners: Do they really reflect the best?
Well, taking a look at how the voting is going so far, apparently you love the award shows, don`t necessarily think it`s about who wins the awards. Eleven percent of you say yes; 89 percent of you say no.
Among the e-mails we`ve received, we got one from Chris in California who writes, "Nominations provide a glimpse of the best pictures or performances, but the most deserving hardly ever wins."
Kathy wrote to us from Illinois to say, "It`s all about how much money the studios spend selling their movies to the judges and Hollywood politics."
That is so true. You can keep voting by going to CNN.com/showbiztonight.
ANDERSON: It is a huge night in the entertainment industry. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has you covered. We`re the only entertainment news show with live coverage at the Golden Globes, with special coverage that starts just three hours from now. We will have the latest from the red carpet, the winners, the early reaction, the fashion.
We`re live at the best Golden Globes parties in town, so come back, see us at 11:00 Eastern tonight for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s exclusive live coverage of the Golden Globes. A.J., I`m going to do a quick change, throw on a dress, hit the Golden Globes. I`ll see you, 11:00 Eastern.
HAMMER: You`re heading to that "InStyle" party, right?
ANDERSON: I am. I`ll stop by.
HAMMER: We`ll see you there. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
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