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Showbiz Tonight
Jolie and Pitt Return Home to California; Messy Break-up Battles in Hollywood; Alec Baldwin Told He Must Have his Head Examined; Interview with Stars of `Superman Returns`
Aired June 12, 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: Why Alec Baldwin is being forced to have his head examine. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And what`s next for Brad and Angelina now that they`ve left Africa with their new baby. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, celebrity mommies. They`re the most famous moms in the world. Britney`s baby boo-boo, Denise`s divorce tug-of-war, every move they make, every step they take, the world is watching them. The press, the paparazzi, and the prying eyes of the media, hounding the Hollywood mothers. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, are celebrity moms judged too harshly?
A 16-year-old girl runs away to the Middle East to see a man in his 20s, someone she met on MySpace. Her story and her mother`s warning to other parents.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You always think it can`t happen to you. You know, we`ve all went through this. It doesn`t seem real.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the "MySpace Runaway."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there, I`m Brooke Anderson and I`m in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer and I`m in New York City. And tonight, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are out of Africa and word is they are back home in the United States.
ANDERSON: And, A.J. after weeks of making news during their stay in the African country of Namibia, all of Hollywood is wondering what this celebrity power couple has in store for us now. So, you think you`ve last of them? Well, as they say, you ain`t seen nothing yet. And Sibila Vargas is here Hollywood with more -- Sibila.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: So, Brooke, What did you do during your last trip overseas? I think I know the answer. You were camping.
ANDERSON: I didn`t have a baby, that`s for sure.
VARGAS: Well, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt of course had their baby in Africa. They had a baby girl, it touched off international bidding war for their baby pictures that`s estimated have gone into the millions and they donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charity. Well, they`re back in the U.S. now and the buzz is that both of them plan to get busy, especially Angelina.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Brad and Angelina, thanking Namibians.
ANDERSON: The first ever joint broadcast interview with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
HAMMER: And the world`s most beautiful parents, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, speak out for the first time.
VARGAS: Say what you want about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Brooke, they know how to express their gratitude.
(voice-over): Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt`s extended stay in Africa got them and their new baby girl daily media coverage. And now that the celebrity couple and their new and improved family have left their African media safari behind, Harvey Levin of tmz.com is telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what the couple has planned for their return home to California.
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Basically what we`re hearing is she`s going to be, at least for a while, a stay at home mom, while Brad goes off and does another movie.
VARGAS: Brad Pitt is scheduled to begin shooting "Oceans 13" soon. And Angelina Jolie has shot here role in Robert DeNiro`s upcoming movie, "The Good Shepherd." But even if Jolie is now more into motherhood then movies, it appears she`s not slowing down her humanitarian work.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTOR: I`m Angelina Jolie.
VARGAS: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that just weeks before giving birth, Jolie filmed this public service announcement.
JOLIE: For the millions of displaced persons around the world, please help to keep their hope alive and remember World Refugee Day.
VARGAS: Last week while she and Brad were making headlines with their pictures of baby Shiloh, Jolie told Namibian television that she plans to play a big role in World Refugee Day, next week.
JOLIE: June 20 is Refugee Day and, absolutely, I will be -- I celebrate it every year, and I say celebrate because it is, I think, refugee are -- if not the -- it is a very difficult thing to be in, it`s this tough thing, but I celebrate refugees because they are the strongest people I`ve ever met.
VARGAS (on camera): The "People" magazine with the famous and expensive photo of Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt is on newsstands right now. Shiloh`s famous parents got plenty of press for donating the proceeds of the photo sales to charity. And that selfless move only adds to Angelina`s rep as a celebrity humanitarian.
(voice-over): In recent years, Jolie`s role as a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Refugee Agency has gotten her more attention than her movie roles and taken her all over the world. Jolie the jetsetter has visited refugees in Ecuador, Columbia, the Balkans, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Namibia, Tanzania, and other places. And Jolie`s new family and her recent charitable donations to Africa have all but pushed reported role in Pitts divorce from Jennifer Aniston off the celebrity news pages.
LEVIN: The sense that I`m getting is that the stroke of genius for this couple was donating the money for the baby pictures to charity. I think all of the ill-will toward Angelina kind of evaporated then. And now what they`ve done is they`ve kind of set the standard for greedy celebrities who pocket money to make, you know, a million bucks off of a baby photo or a wedding picture when they have plenty of money and they don`t really need it.
JAMES HIRSEN, AUTHOR "HOLLYWOOD NATION": An unprecedented exercise in celebrity power.
VARGAS: James Hirsen, author of "Hollywood Nation: Left Coast Lies, Old Media Spin, and the New Media Revolution," says Angelina`s role as an icon for international charity is a good one for her, but she should be careful.
HIRSEN: Celebrities have tremendous influence and Angelina has to be cautious, because went she uses her influence to direct money flows towards a charity, that`s great. When she begins to speak out as an expert, that becomes dangerous.
VARGAS: Still, no matter how long it takes for Angelina Jolie to resume making movies, her recent acts of charity will shape how the public sees her for a long time to come.
HIRSEN: Any act of love and generosity that`s real, that`s in action, is going to help her. It`s going to give her depth and give her a much greater stature, not just in the United States, but throughout the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: We can tell you the paparazzi has already swarmed outside Pitt and Jolie`s Malibu home, so they are no means out of the spotlight -- Brooke.
ANDERSON: No they`re not.
VARGAS: Can`t they just leave them alone?
ANDERSON: Can`t they just leave them alone? I`m sure they have very tight security. And nobody can blame them for that, either. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas as always, thanks so much.
OK, the bitter divorce between actors Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger is heated up again. A judge has told Baldwin that he has to get his head examined. A judge ordered a detailed psychological exam if he Baldwin wants any chance of winning extra custody of their daughter, Ireland. This divorce, just one of the messy break-ups battles going on in Hollywood tonight -- going on in Hollywood tonight, now. Joining us to talk about it tonight, Alton Abramowitz, of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
Alton, thanks so much for being here.
ALTON ABRAMOWITZ, AMER. ACADEMY OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS: You`re welcome, Brooke. Thank you for having me.
ANDERSON: Oh, we are glad to have you. We`re going to start with Alec and Kim, of course. A lot of name-calling has been going on in this case. Last year, Alec said that Kim had a pathological need to turn Ireland against him. Kim said Alec had severe emotional problems. Now, Alec tried to get a shrink to evaluate Kim, and now the tables are being turned. Why in the world is this happening? What`s going on here?
ABRAMOWITZ: Every time you have a custody case, the parents` psychological fitness is put into issue. Courts have to decide what`s in the children`s Best interest. And if the parent suffers from some kind of psychiatric or psychological pathology, then the courts want to know about that. So, they`re going to have the parents tested and examined before any modification of visitation or custody is made or any final determination is fixed.
ANDERSON: Well, let`s talk about the child`s best interest, here. Their marriage lasted seven and a half years. The back and forth has really been mind boggling, often. This custody battle is going on four years and counting. Is it normal for it to last that long? And can this be good for the child? It just can`t be.
ABRAMOWITZ: No, it can`t possibly be good for the child. All of the fighting and arguing is bound to cause severe stress on the child, anxiety, all kinds of emotional disturbances. So the courts are going to look for which parent is best apt to calm the child down and present the other parent with meaningful access to the child while, at the same time preserving the child`s psychological well being.
ANDERSON: Child is just -- Ireland is just 10 years old, I want to mention. Another bitter break-up battle in Hollywood, Alton, of course is Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards. These people have been all over the place. They have recently extended their restraining order against Charlie until June 28. He has to stay at least 300 yards away from Denise and their two kids. In court papers Denise has claimed Charlie was into drugs, he was abusive, he was addicted to gambling as well as teen and underage porn. He has denied everything, of course. It`s just another Alec and Kim in the making? And what in the world should be tackled first?
ABRAMOWITZ: Well, the first thing they ought to look into is whether these allegations are true. If they are true, then it`s going to obviously impact on Sheen`s ability to spend time with his children without supervision. And, of course, then if they`re not true, then it`s going to reflect on her ability as a parent to make false charges against the father of her child.
ANDERSON: Two very, very complicated cases. Alton Abramowitz, we`re going to leave it there. Alton, in New York, thanks so much for your insight.
ABRAMOWITZ: Thank you.
HAMMER: Some very exciting news to share with you, starting this coming weekend, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT airs seven days a week. That is right. We are bringing TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekends, beginning on June 17, make sure you tune in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 p.m. Pacific.
ANDERSON: We are very excited about that. OK moving now to Puerto Rican pride, tonight a poignant documentary takes a look at what it means to be Puerto Rican. Jimmy Smits and Rosie Perez are coming up in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Plus, Britney Spears has an explanation for driving with her baby on her lap. She also clears up rumors about her marriage. We`ll get into that next. We`ll also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now I don`t know if she went on her own or if she was forced.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s a parent`s worst nightmare; a teenage girl takes off to meet an older man she meets on MySpace thousand of miles away. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the case of the "MySpace Runaway."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It`s time now for a little story that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous." We`ve all heard of guard dogs, of course, but now there`s a Tabby cat in New Jersey that is so good at guarding his yard, he can even strike fear in the heart of a black bear. That`s right. In North Jersey, Jack, a 15 pound orange and white cat, ran a trespassing bear up a tree. Twice. No kidding. The bear claimed up the tree while Jack hissed at him. The bear came back down after about 15 minutes and promptly was chased up another tree. A bear afraid of a cat, now, Brooke, we have to say, "That`s Ridiculous."
ANDERSON: "That`s Ridiculous." And, you know, this area of New Jersey is considered one of the state`s most bear populated areas, so it is good for the owners who have a cat who obviously thinks he`s more vicious and larger than he really is.
HAMMER: Beary good indeed.
ANDERSON: Beary good. OK, you may remember the controversy after Britney Spears was photographed driving with her baby in her lap. Well now, Britney`s offering an explanation. She said it`s because she`s country. She tells the "today" show`s Matt Lauer that her daddy drove with her in his lap and that`s why she was seen driving with Sean Preston on her lap because, "We`re country." But, she says that she`s a good mom and that despite tabloid reports, her marriage to Kevin Federline`s is, "awesome."
Britney Spears isn`t the only star whose mothering skills are under the white-hot media spotlight, though. So, stay tuned to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for our segment on celebrity mommies, that is at 43 minutes past the hour. But first, we want to hear what you think about it. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Celebrity Moms: Are they judged too harshly? Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight, send at that address, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: Well, if anybody knows about the scrutiny of the spotlight, it`s certainly Jennifer Lopez, but it was all good yesterday when the paparazzi and the fans were going crazy and swarming as she and husband Marc Anthony arrived at New York`s Puerto Rican parade. The parade was all about Puerto Rican pride. And two millions people lined the streets of Manhattan to celebrate, including Rosie Perez and Jimmy Smits. Rosie`s new documentary, "YO SOY BORICUA" says it all, "I am Puerto Rico." Jimmy Smits narrates the film.
Rosie and Jimmy, it`s excellent to have you here in New York. Was my pronunciation OK? I`m trying.
ROSIE PEREZ, ACTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER: "YO SOY BORICUA PA`QUE TU LO SEPAS."
JIMMY SMITS, NARRATOR: Just so you know.
HAMMER: Yes, and it is all about the pride. Were you guys having a blast yesterday? You feel that energy in New York on that particular Sunday.
SMITS: It`s just awesome. When you make that turn from the side, whatever, you`re on 44th, 45th, up Fifth Avenue, and you see that sea of flags and just positive energy, it`s was great.
HAMMER: Were you waiving your flag? Because I know when you were growing up, that was a big deal every year going to the parade. Were you out there wearing the hats and the t-shirts? What was your day like?
PEREZ: I was wearing the Puerto Rican flag and I was also waving the `YO SOY BORICUA" flag. It was fantastic, it was a day that couldn`t be beat.
HAMMER: And people talk about Puerto Rican pride, and somebody in your documentary actually says it`s almost hard to describe, it`s just something you feel. Even said, I`m starting to feel it coming on now just talking to you. It`s sort of intangible, isn`t it?
PEREZ: Yes, it is. But this documentary was made so that we can back up the feeling of the pride with fact, with historical history. And in the documentary, I just bring you 4,000 years back and show you our history -- our cultural history, our political history in relationship with Spain and the United States, and show how we`ve endured so much and we`ve still able to maintain our culture and our identity and have garnered political presence here in the United States.
HAMMER: Well, what`s so amazing to me is that, despite the importance of the Puerto Rican culture in the United States, despite the pride, we know shockingly little about the history. You really go into that in the documentary. Things like the sterilization of women campaign. I had no idea that something like that happened. What would you say is the most shocking thing that most people don`t know about the history of Puerto Ricans?
SMITS: Well, the whole sterilization thing that happened was incredible. The fact that the big drug companies tested birth control pills on the island, all of these statistical information that`s in -- chocked full in the film are great. But then Rosie has this whole element of the film where her and her family are inter-dispersed, so it really -- it functions on both levels.
HAMMER: So, we get to learn a little history and we get to see you in action. Latino Americans constantly in the news. There`s no escaping it. There`s one particular story that just came through that made my blood boil when I saw it about a filly cheese steak shop that actually had the guts to put a sign up that said, "This is America, order in English." When I hear that, it makes me crazy because our country is a melting pot. When you hear something like that, when you see these things taking place, how do you react?
PEREZ: Well, unfortunately that`s a very ignorant statement, and you know, maybe someone should talk to that person and just let them know that, you know, America was built on immigrants, and on immigrant labor, and we are comprised of immigrants. And although we are all American, we have to respect our differences. And if you have the American heart and the American soul, it really shouldn`t matter what language you`re ordering a cheese steak in.
HAMMER: I couldn`t agree more.
SMITS: One of the things that comes across in the documentary, I think, is that you can have the sense of pride of your island, of your history, and at the same time be as many -- most Puerto Ricans are -- very American in their feelings and the unique relationship that the island has with the United States.
PEREZ: Yes. And it also talks about the immigrant experience, how people are standing in two different shoes, you know, I`m this and I`m also American. I have my native tongue, but I speak English. And for some people, such as myself, my Spanish is just so improper, and it`s because my parents wanted the best for me. And because they endured so much racism and prejudice here in the United States when they came, although misguided, they wanted to make sure that I was successful in the American experience and the American dream by pushing the English language to me. And I found through the screening that there are so many people who have shared that experience regardless if there are Latino or not.
HAMMER: Struggling with that identity and where do you fall? And that is something that you really dealt with as a child, but has it changed for you?
PEREZ: Well, this is what`s crazy. It`s that, although I struggled with those certain issues, I always knew I was Puerto Rican first and foremost, you know, so, but it was just growing up and learning and not judging and not -- and telling people don`t judge me, as well.
HAMMER: Well, it`s a terrific piece of work and I appreciate you both coming in to talk with us about it.
PEREZ: Thank you.
HAMMER: Nice to see you. Rosie Perez, Jimmy Smits, thank you very much.
PEREZ: Thank you.
Thank you, we`ll be on IFC.
PEREZ: IFC tonight.
It`ll be on IFC. I got it for you here. Jimmy Smits and Rosie Perez, YO SOY BORICUA -- say it for me. I can never say it right.
PEREZ: "YO SOY BORICUA PA`QUE TU LO SEPAS."
HAMMER: It can be seen on the Independent Film Channel on June 27.
ANDERSON: There you go. OK, we have some exciting news to share with you. Starting this weekend, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT airs seven nights a week. That`s right. We are bringing TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekends starting June 17. Be sure to tune in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 p.m., 8:00 Pacific.
HAMMER: The stars of one of the most anticipated movies of the summer, "Superman Returns" talks with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. coming up the new Superman and Lex Luthor tell us what it`s like to fill some pretty big shoes.
HAMMER: Plus a celebrity sidelined in a terrible motorcycle accident. We`re going to tell you who he is and how he`s doing coming up. We`ll also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How 16-year-old can hop on a plane out of the country within a few days is beyond me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The shocking story of the 16-year-old girl who flew all the way to the Middle East to see a man she met on MySpace. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the case of the "MySPace Runaway." We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tomorrow hook ups, make ups, and break ups. Why are we so obsessed with celebrity romances? These stories sure sell a lot of magazines, but what`s the real reason we just got to know what goes on behind closed doors? We`ll get into that tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Look up in the sky. It`s a bird, it`s a plane. No, it`s probably an ad for the new superman movie. After about 20 years, 23 years to be exact, Superman returns in a big way with "Superman Returns." Brandon Routh plays mild-mannered reporter, Clark Kent, who has to every now and then dashes around to put on a red cape. Kevin Spacey plays chrome-dome`s bad guy, Lex Luthor, who simply wants to take over the world. Not hard. I had a chance to ask Spacey and Routh what it was like to step into the roles made famous by Gene Hackman, Luthor, and the late Christopher Reeve, who played Superman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Stepping into the shoes once filled by Christopher Reeve, who many people just loved and adored, was it daunting?
BRANDON ROUTH, PLAYS "SUPERMAN":
Chris was my superman, so it was amazing to be able to follow his footsteps. And I was so proud that, all those good things kind of overpowered, you know, what negative or worry things I might be thinking about.
KEVIN SPACEY, PLAYS "LEX LUTHOR": I don`t think actors own parts. I think that we rent them. And I`ve seen dozens of actors play Hamlet and dozens actors play Richard III, and I think that that`s one of the things that`s interesting for actors as well as audiences is to see how it is that different actors will interpret similar parts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: We`ll have more of my chat with the "Superman Returns" stars later this week. By the way, se dug some scoop out of Parker Posey, she plays Kitty in the movie. She admitted to signing on for three Superman film, so it looks like this one won`t be the last. The movie opens Wednesday, June 28.
HAMMER: Al Franken is on a mission. The "Air America" host and liberal pundit has a new movie. Al Franken is here coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now I don`t know if she went on her own or if she was forced.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s a parent`s worst nightmare. A teenage girl takes of to meet an older man she met on MySpace thousands of miles away. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the case of the "MySpace Runaway."
HAMMER: And Britney Spears has been criticized all over the place for her parenting skills. But are famous moms judged too harshly? Celebrity mommies, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We will be right back.
(NEWSBREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a Monday night. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Hope all of you had a great weekend. I am Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
A.J., Britney Spears has of course been harshly criticized in the press recently for how she parents. But you know what? She`s not the only celebrity mom who has taken a lot of heat for making parenting mistakes. Coming up, we find out if they`re just under too much scrutiny, and if people are just too darn judgmental.
Also tonight, Brooke, bashing President Bush. It seems to be happening a lot more as the president`s approval ratings have gone down. The Dixie Chicks have been met with mixed results, although they do have the No. 1 album in the country. Al Franken does it everyday on his Air America radio show, and he keeps showing up for work, and they keep letting him in the building. He`s got a new film out that is opening at a film festival, and Al Franken will join us in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in just a few moments.
ANDERSON: But first, it seems to be happening all the time now, and it`s frightening: stories of young kids on the Internet, chatting with strangers, some of whom have turned out to be disgusting sex sickos. Tonight, the story of a young girl who stopped at nothing to meet a guy she talked to online, even if it met traveling halfway around the world to see him.
Here`s CNN`s Carol Costello for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sixteen-year-old Catherine Lester is back on U.S. soil after secretly flying to the Middle East to see a man she met online. Authorities say last Monday the teenager left home and took a plane from New York to Tel Aviv, Israel.
MARY LESTER, SISTER MET A GUY ON MYSPACE: How a 16-year-old can hop on a plane, out of the country within a few days is beyond me.
COSTELLO: Catherine`s mother says the family had no idea where she`d gone or who was she was with, until a relative went looking for clues on the girl`s computer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She got on the MySpace, and found out that she had been talking to a guy from Tel Aviv.
COSTELLO: Lester was detained at a stop in Amman, Jordan. Police say she planned to meet a 25-year-old man from Jericho on the West Bank. For at least three months, she`d been chatting with him on the social- networking site MySpace.com. The family says the man went by the name "Abdullah." Sometimes he posted on MySpace as a 14-year-old, sometimes as a 25-year-old.
SHAWN LESTER, DAUGHTER MET A GUY ON MYSPACE: That he could take a young girl that`s never even had a date and talk her into something or - you know, right now I don`t know if she went on her own or - or if she was forced.
COSTELLO: The MySpace Web site, with more than 72 million members, has raised concerns for parents and police about teens being targeted by sexual predators.
M. LESTER: I`m just glad that they caught her when she - when they did. (INAUDIBLE) the Lord knows what would have happened.
COSTELLO: Investigators have confiscated Lester`s computer from her home trying to determine if a crime has been committed. The FBI is assisting with the investigation.
On Friday, Catherine arrived back in the United States.
S. LESTER: You always think it can`t happen to you. And, you know, we`ve all went through this. It doesn`t seem real. You know, I would have never dreamt, but now I will not have a computer in my home. I`m just glad she`s alive.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Carol Costello for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And Catherine`s family says the dangerous trip is totally out of character. Her father says she`s a straight-A student and they`d never had a problem with her.
HAMMER: Well, the Dixie Chicks enjoying their massive success once again at the top of the music charts. But the trio behind "Not Ready to Make Nice" are finding out country music fans may not be ready to make nice with them either. As many as half of their concert dates are being canceled or postponed. Poor ticket sales are said to be the reason. The group says they`ll instead go to where their fans are, outside of the U.S.
So can anyone criticize President Bush without enduring a wrath of some sort? Well, ask fiercely liberal Air America radio talk show host Al Franken. He certainly knows a thing or two about it. His new documentary is called "Al Franken: God Spoke," and it opens the Nantucket Film Festival.
Al Franken joining us for a "SHOWBIZ Sitdown" from Minneapolis.
It`s nice to see you, Al.
AL FRANKEN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Good to sort of see you.
HAMMER: Yes, I know. It`s a little tough from...
FRANKEN...looking in a camera there.
HAMMER...from your perspective.
So if you`re the Dixie Chicks right now, what are you thinking? Because they`ve endured the backlash before; their album is No. 1, but the ticket sales - you know, their base not - not buying into their concerts.
FRANKEN: I don`t know. Maybe they over - like, booked them in too big a venue. I - I don`t know what their booking history is. You`d have to talk to a promoter. I - I don`t know.
I know that they got - they`ve certainly gotten a lot of publicity lately. And - but I don`t sing. I`m terrible. I can`t sing.
HAMMER: Well, we`re not going to ask you to do that.
FRANKEN: Or play fiddle or anything like that.
They`re great. I like - I think they`re great.
HAMMER: Well, I have to bring up something that`s been a hot-button issue in the news lately. Conservative author Ann Coulter - you`ve had a thing or two to say about her in the past. I want you to read you a little quote from her new book, where she said that she`s - quote - "never seen 9/11 widows enjoying their husbands` deaths so much."
Now, Matt Lauer called her out on it last week on the "Today" show. Many have. You`ve been talking about her as well on your radio program. There are some who are actually...
FRANKEN: Very little.
HAMMER: There - there are some who are actually saying, though, Al that the media criticism of her is unfair. Is that even possible?
FRANKEN: No, I mean, 9/11 families were - really did a service to the country by getting the 9/11 Commission established. The president was against it and against it and against it, and without the pressure, we never would have had the commission, and we would never have the historical that we have, and the recommendations that we have. So we all owe a tremendous to those - to those families. And that`s just - you know, it`s sort of half logical, I think. So...
HAMMER: I mean, is that you think it is?
FRANKEN: And we haven`t been discussing a lot on - on the show, frankly. Because it`s so fair over the line that it`s - she hasn`t the line for several years.
HAMMER: Yes, well a lot of people have said that as well.
And do you think - you say pathological. Do you think it is - it is for the sake of being inflammatory and for hopefully pushing this book that she`s pushing?
FRANKEN: Yes, I mean, the way I kind of look at is - is that, it`s a real - you know, to sound cliche, a self-esteem problem. If you believe that you have to be that poisonous in order to make a living, that there`s something, I think, deeply wrong and self-loathing going on there.
So we - we actually really have hardly discussed it all because there`s so many - so much more important stuff happening, obviously.
HAMMER: Well your movie, "Al Franken: God Spoke" deals with, among other things...
FRANKEN: Speaking of which.
HAMMER...these very public feuds that you had with a certain conservative talk show host on another network during the 2004 election.
Now as things are ramping for 2008, we are hearing more and more Hollywood stars speaking out than ever before. And I`m curious your take on if it can actually make a difference, or do you think it could backfire? Because there are a lot of people who say, you know, I want my movie stars to act in movies, and I don`t want them talking politics to me.
FRANKEN: Yes, well I`m - I`m certainly not a movie star, so - and I - I talked to friends of mine who are, and tell them to not speak out there area of expertise.
I think it`s great when someone who`s well known shows up for a fundraiser - say, just a garden party on behalf of a congressional candidate, because people will be interested in - in meeting them. But I don`t think it`s really that helpful for someone who isn`t that expert on - on a topic to - to speak to it.
HAMMER: I got just a couple seconds, Al. Is there one particular celebrity out there who you think is really making a difference?
FRANKEN: A celebrity who`s making a difference? Hmm. I think, like, when Richard Dreyfus talks about Israel, I think he knows what he`s talking about. I think there are people like that. I think if - if - that`s absolutely appropriate.
HAMMER: All right, Al. I appreciate you joining us from Minneapolis tonight. Al Franken, as always...
FRANKEN: Sure.
HAMMER... a pleasure to see you.
"Al Franken: God Spoke" opens the Nantucket Film Festival on Wednesday.
ANDERSON: As we`ve been telling you, you will soon be able to see SHOWBIZ TONIGHT seven nights a week. That`s right. We are brining TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekend, starting this Saturday, June 17. Be sure to tune in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday, 11 p.m. Eastern, 8 Pacific.
HAMMER: Coming up, celebrities` baby news. Which good-looking couple welcomed a new baby girl into the world? Find out in tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
We`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it must be very difficult to have to live your life on camera, because all of us make mistakes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Britney Spears has been slammed for her parenting skills, but is she being judged too harshly? Coming up, a look at celebrity moms and how they handle the spotlight.
HAMMER: And one celebrity suffers a very serious motorcycle accident. Who is it? Where did it happen? And how`s he doing? We`ve got that coming up next.
ANDERSON: But first, a look at what went on the box office this weekend. It was "Cars" that drove off with a big win.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED VOICE ACTOR: Seriously, that was some pretty darn nice racing out there.
UNIDENTIFIED VOICE ACTOR: By me!
UNIDENTIFIED VOICE ACTOR: In your dreams, Thunder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The Disney Pixar flick starring a lot of people, including Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt and George Carlin, pulled in - get this -- $60 million during its debut.
Here`s a look at the rest of the top five: Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston in "The Break-Up"; "X-Men: The Last Stand" in third, breaking the $200 million total mark; followed by "The Omen" and "The Da Vinci Code."
Stay with us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) Master, stand by to break. Roll the break, effect (ph) black.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fade up music (ph) under Go Three (ph). Stand by, A.J. Pre-set Camera 4. Open his mic, dissolve 4 (ph), go.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a Monday night. We are TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
It`s time now for another story that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous!" Nothing like some sun, fun and a little naked weekend bike ride. Yes, these bikers in the buff in Mexico City, London and Madrid protesting car-clogged streets and pollution. They wanted to raise some awareness about cleaner transportation choices. But this story has got us feeling a little dirty. Please, someone get these pedal pushers some clothes, because we have to say, "That`s Ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: Some clothes and some sunscreen, A.J. Those are parts of the skin that aren`t exposed very much. And the organizer of the ride said that if this doesn`t lead to a fundamental debate, then we will see a lot more naked bike riders next year.
HAMMER: Just something you don`t want to do naked, as far as I`m concerned.
ANDERSON: No, you don`t. Ride a bike. Couldn`t be that comfortable.
OK, Britney Spears is fighting back. After months of bad press which had many questioning her parenting skills because of photos like her baby son Sean sitting on her lap as she`s driving, she tells NBC`s Matt Lauer that she`s a good mom. The rest of that interview is coming up later this week.
Now Britney certainly isn`t the first mom who has messed up a bit, shall we say. So tonight we ask: Are star moms under too much scrutiny? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT took it to the streets.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Call it a Hollywood baby boom: Angie, Katie and now Britney again. It seems every week there`s a new headline announcing the next expectant starlet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody loves celebrities. They want to know everything personal about their life.
ANDERSON: Unprecedented access to the stars has just fueled the attention. Madonna, Demi and even Pamela learned early how to navigate the stormy waters of celebrity and motherhood. Thanks to them, mommies could finally be seen as nurturing and hip. Plus, that baby weight - forget about it.
But recently, there have been some not-so-pretty public mistakes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s horrendous.
ANDERSON: Britney caught a lot of heat after driving with 8-month- old Sean Preston in her lap.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that was totally irresponsible of her.
ANDERSON: Right after that, she put him in the car seat, only he was facing forward in a convertible with not much more than sky over his head.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t think she`s really a bad mom as people portray her.
ANDERSON: Britney`s not the only star mom who has slipped up. A very pregnant Catherine Zeta-Jones was once reportedly busted smoking a cigarette.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it must be very difficult to have to live your life on camera, because all of us make mistakes.
ANDERSON: Kate Moss was no model mom when she was photographed allegedly doing drugs.
Even clean-living Gwyneth Paltrow caught some slack after she was spotted drinking what appeared to be a beer while she was pregnant.
But are star moms catching too much heat?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every little mistake they make is on TV, where I could make the same mistake when nobody ever heard about it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have to see how they`re taking care of their baby, and not what the magazine tells you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Now most of the people we spoke to said when it comes to being a star mom, the pressure of being in the spotlight far outweighs the benefits of being a star.
HAMMER: Well that may be true, but that doesn`t seem to stop people from putting these star moms under a microscope.
Joining us tonight, Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychiatrist. Thank you for being with us.
GAIL SALTZ, PSYCHIATRIST, N.Y. PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL: My pleasure.
HAMMER: It is wild the amount of scrutiny that celebrity moms get. All moms - you know, everybody is trying - you know, especially a new mom.
SALTZ: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Why is it though? I mean, why - why are they being judged so much more than non-celebs?
SALTZ: Well, motherhood is a very galvanizing topic, because all moms struggle with it. Like, you can - am I a good enough mom? Did I do it right? How do I define myself versus me as a mommy? So it`s a very difficult topic, and we`re always curious, how are others doing it? And certainly those that look like they`re on top - are they really on top? I`m curious to know. And so comparing yourself to them, and to some degree probably wanting to find them wanting - like they`re not doing such a hot job - that makes me feel pretty good.
HAMMER: Right. Yes. If that big superstar who makes millions of dollars a year can`t quite pull it off, well then, hey, I`m not doing such a bad job.
SALTZ: Exactly.
HAMMER: And people are just kind of waiting to strike, though. I mean, you know, Britney Spears is obviously the easy one to talk about here.
SALTZ: Right.
HAMMER: The whole incidence we just mentioned with her driving with her son in between her and the steering wheel.
SALTZ: Right.
HAMMER: Now that was fair.
SALTZ: Not OK.
HAMMER: That was fair criticism.
SALTZ: But listen, it`s legal. And - and it`s certainly the - you know, all studies show, you got to be in a car seat. It`s just not safe.
But there were other incidents where, frankly, you know, everybody has almost fallen with their baby.
HAMMER: Yes, and...
SALTZ: They didn`t drop their baby.
HAMMER: And to the point you`re speaking of when she was stepping out of her hotel...
SALTZ: Right.
HAMMER: There are people swarming around her, and she kind of trips...
SALTZ: That`s right.
HAMMER: First of all, we trip.
SALTZ: We all trip.
HAMMER: And I really feel that people were treating her unfairly at that time.
SALTZ: Well people are - are being harsh and critical because she`s under a microscope, because every mom, something has gone wrong. You didn`t - you gave them the bottle, it was too hot. They fell out of something. Something happens. But no one`s there watching to judge you.
But we like to judge about motherhood.
HAMMER: We do, and - and - and very often, celebrities, certainly they may have a lot of money, and certainly they probably have some help, a few nannies...
SALTZ: Absolutely.
HAMMER: ..to really pick up...
SALTZ: Absolutely.
HAMMER: ...pick up some of the burden. And there are some who would say, Well look, she has all that money, she has that extra assistance....
SALTZ: Right.
HAMMER: So what does she got to complain about? Is that a fair thing to say?
SALTZ: You know, not really. Yes, it does take the stress off if you don`t have to worry about money and if you can get extra help. But the fact is, motherhood is stressful. I don`t care how much money you have and how much help, because if you want to be a really good mom, then you`re going to be torn about lots of things: being there enough, not being there too much. There are all kinds of issues that are going to plague you and make it stressful.
HAMMER: There are always challenges.
SALTZ: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Certainly no mother under the spotlight more than Angelina Jolie right now...
SALTZ: Oh yes.
HAMMER: ...with Baby Shiloh. You know, everybody is paying attention, whether it`s on the Internet, in the newspapers, on television shows, we`re all talking about her. So it`s just an - a lot of added pressure. There`s a lot of pressure to being a mom to begin with.
Is it ever possible to escape the scrutiny? Unless you - you know, move away to Namibia or something like that and build a wall?
SALTZ: Yes, I kind of - I mean, when you`re a big celebrity, to some degree, you know, it`s a human nature that the bigger you are, the harder you fall. People to some degree want to see some crashing and burning here. That`s why I to some degree - I feel badly for some of these women. I mean, they want to say, Hey, oh, she`s so gorgeous. Oh, she`s so got it together. Well I`d like to see her, you know, trip and fall a little bit.
So I think to some degree people are waiting to see something kind of go wrong. And that kind of under the spotlight is incredibly difficult.
HAMMER: And then it becomes difficult for the children. I mean, you like at - you know, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes` child...
SALTZ: Yes.
HAMMER: While - while Katie was pregnant, that child was the focus of an entire nation.
SALTZ: Absolutely.
HAMMER: So is at all even possible for a child of parents with that much scrutiny on them to - to be - quote - unquote - "normal," if there is a normal.
SALTZ: You know, if there is a normal.
Is it possible? Yes. Is it an added difficulty? Yes. So, you know, people have different kinds of vulnerabilities and difficulties. But let me say that if the paparazzi`s watching your every move and judging your parent constantly, then of course it`s going to be more difficult. They`re going to have to do certain things to protect their child, which some celebrities do in order to protect them and have them grow up in a more normal way.
HAMMER: Dr. Gail Saltz, thank you very much for joining us tonight. I appreciate it.
SALTZ: My pleasure.
HAMMER: So we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day" on this very topic: "Celebrity moms: Are they judged too harshly?" What do you think? Let us know at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Or write to us with more of your thoughts at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll read some of those e-mails tomorrow.
ANDERSON: It`s time now for tonight`s "Hot Headlines." For that we go to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas. She joins us again from Hollywood.
Hey, Sibila.
VARGAS: Hey, Brooke.
Well, Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger has been badly hurt in a motorcycle accident. The 24-year-old quarterback likes to ride without a helmet, but we don`t know if he was wearing one. Reports say he broke his jaw and his nose. The crash occurred in downtown Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger led the Steelers to the Super Bowl championship in February.
Well some happier news: Matt Damon is a daddy. Damon and his wife, Luciana Bozan, are the parents of a baby girl. Her name? Isabella. Damon`s publicist says she was born Sunday in a Miami hospital, and that everyone is doing fine. The couple got married last December. Good luck to all (ph).
And even though she wasn`t nominated, Julia Roberts showed up at last night`s 60th annual Tony Awards in New York, and had some pretty nice things to say about her fellow Broadway actors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIA ROBERTS, ACTRESS: I just want to take this opportunity to say that you people are insanely talented people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: Julia starring in "Three Days of Rain," which is closing this weekend. The performance was pretty much trashed by the critics. By the way, the big winners at the Tonys: "The History Boys," "Jersey Boys," and "The Drowsy Chaperone." Ann (ph) LaChanze won best actress in a musical for Oprah`s "The Color Purple."
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
ANDERSON: We had those Jersey Boys on the show. Congratulations to them and all the winners.
OK, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas in Hollywood, thanks so much.
HAMMER: We have some big excitement to report. Tell all of your friends, you will soon be to see SHOWBIZ TONIGHT seven days a week. That`s right. We are bringing TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekends. It will be so much more complete. Starting this Saturday, June 17, make sure you tune in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday at 11 p.m. and 8 p.m. Pacific.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right...
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ANDERSON: Friday was Meredith Vieira`s last day co-hosting "The View." She`s heading over to the - the "Today Show" to take over for Katie Couric, who went over to "The CBS Evening News." So we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Meredith Vieira leaves: Will you still watch `The View`?" Forty percent of you said yes; 60 percent of you said, no, you won`t watch.
Here`s some of the e-mails we got.
Judy from Winnipeg, Canada likes "The View" and thinks: "If the networks aired `The View` in the evenings, they would pick up more viewers with or without Meredith."
But Janice from Arkansas says, "Meredith Vieira is a newscaster. Rosie O`Donnell doesn`t hold a candle her. I no longer will watch this show."
Rosie, by the way, is hopping into Meredith`s spot.
HAMMER: Well, it is time now to see what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow. And for that, we role out our "SHOWBIZ Marquee."
And tomorrow, hookups, makeups and breakups: why are we so obsessed with celebrity romances? These stories sure sell a lot of magazines, but what`s the real reason we just got to know what`s going on behind closed doors? We get into that tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also, "Thinking Triple X." It`s a revealing look at the adult- entertainment industry from one of the best known celebrity photographers out there, a guy named Timothy Greenfield Sanders. His book "Thirty Porn Star Portraits" is now a film. Tomorrow, the naked truth about the porn biz.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Have a great night, everybody. And stay tuned for more from CNN Headline News.
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