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Showbiz Tonight
Bob Woodruff Shocked ABC Coworkers with a Surprise Visit to the Newsroom; Musical Anchor Chairs will Over Soon; Have Some Ads Gone too far?; Taylor Hicks, on for "People" Magazine`s Hottest Bachelors; Winner of the Grilled Cheese Sandwich Eating Contest; Kevin Bacon on his New movie "Lover Boy" and His Family
Aired June 14, 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: Online privacy and the personal information on the web about the stars and you. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And a look at the hottest bachelors in Hollywood. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Bob Woodruff`s triumphant return. The wounded former ABC anchor makes a surprise trip to the newsroom for the first time since he was nearly killed while covering the war in Iraq. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes you inside the emotional visit.
Shocking ads from car safety to anti-smoking campaigns. We`re taking a look at a wave of ads that once you see them are hard to forget.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing will ever be the same again.
Are these disturbing images an effective way of making a point or shock value that crosses the line? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there, I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Brooke, a TV newsman is making news himself in a very emotional and a very triumphant way. It`s really quite amazing.
ANDERSON: It is A.J. You remember ABC news anchor, Bob Woodruff was really close to being killed in an explosion while covering the war in Iraq. Well, he`s making unbelievable progress from his devastating injures. So much so, he shocked everyone by making a surprise visit to the network newsroom, a newsroom that`s seen turmoil you only read about. But, you`ll want to see this, how it all took a break for Bob.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB WOODRUFF, ABC NEWS ANCHOR: Man, it`s good to be here.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Who says cynical, hard bitten journalists can`t show emotion? There was plenty of it on display at ABC headquarters in New York, where ABC News anchor, Bob Woodruff, paid a visit, his first since he was nearly killed by an explosion in Iraq, this January.
WOODRUFF: Woke up in this hospital, and I looked up, and I just thought about you guys. And I thought about everything that I wanted badly to come back to.
Anderson: Media critic Howard Kurtz tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that it was an emotional day.
HOWARD KURTZ, MEDIA CRITIC: I was in the ABC newsroom the day that Bob Woodruff left on that ill-fated trip to Iraq. And it was very emotional when he came back. I talked to all sorts of people who were just so moved to see their friend and colleague be able to talk and chat and joke and come back to the newsroom that he loves.
ANDERSON: It was hard to imagine that, just a few short months ago, Woodruff was fighting for his life. This past January, while on assignment in Iraq, an explosive device blew up near the military vehicle Woodruff was riding in. He suffered injures to his skull and began what has been described as a slow, painful recovery. The going has been hard at ABC News ever since anchor Peter Jennings died of lung cancer last August. I was there last December when the co-anchor team of Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas were named Jenning`s official replacement.
(on camera): How are you feeling?
ELIZABETH VARGAS, ABC "WORLD NEWS TONIGHT" CO-ANCHOR: Thrilled, honored, overwhelmed, but mostly honored. This is a great honor.
WOODRUFF: I was very nervous when I came in this morning. But we talked to "World News" and the staff down there, and I have to say, it was like being amongst family.
ANDERSON: But then came Bob Woodruff`s injury earlier this year. And the day after that, Vargas announced that she was pregnant. She was later replaced, permanently, in the "World News Tonight" chair by Charles Gibson, a move that angered women`s group.
Joe Hagen who profiled ABC News in this week`s "New York" magazine, challenges ABC`s official line that Vargas stepped aside voluntarily.
JOE Hagan, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: She was not happy about it, contrary to some of the things that they`re saying publicly.
ANDERSON: And ABC News reportedly endured a struggle among some of its biggest names for that coveted anchor job, "World News Tonight" as lost more than 900, 000 viewers in the months since Jenning`s death. But now that Gibson is in place, the good news for TV news fans is that the game of musical anchor chairs will soon be over.
KURTZ: In September we`re going to see the major league play offs of the anchor wars. Katie Couric, the big X factor, how many people can she draw to the "CBS Evening News?" Brian Williams, can he hold his lead on top at "NBC Nightly News?" And Charlie Gibson, a very comfortable presence for a lot of people, but hardly a fresh face, taking over at ABC. Each network news division now has its best team on the field, and it will be very a tough competition for all of them.
ANDERSON: As for when Bob Woodruff will rejoin the TV news game, no one is making guesses. But in light of what he`s been through, TV gurus say the more impordant (SIC) story now is not just the TV news horserace, but a more human one.
HAGAN: It`s somebody who is determined to come back from some terrible tragedy, it reminds me of anything like, you know, Lance Armstrong, gets cancer, beats it, and then goes on to be this world champion, you know, bicycler. And I think that a story that people can relate to, and think because they want to imbue it with their own optimism. They want to see him succeed. I think anybody would.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And the news ratings out today, ABC "World News Tonight" was in its normal spot in second place. It has 7.1 million viewers behind "NBC Nightly News`" 7.8 million.
HAMMER: Well, Woodruff was, of course, injured while covering the war in Iraq. And now, a mission to help keep U.S. troops safe over there is getting some major star power. Cher is going to Capitol Hill tomorrow to ask for better helmet lining for the troops. Cher`s going to speak to a House Armed Services Subcommittee along with the founder of Operation Helmet, which is a nonprofit group that gives troops helmet upgrade kits. Cher has donated more than 130,000 to that group over the past two years. Operation Helmet has given more than 8,000 kits to troops.
Well, it certainly is one thing for TV shows to cause outrage, but TV commercials? Well, that is indeed the case of a slew of new ads that some say have just gone too far. Linda Kaplin Thaler is a branding expert with the advertising entertainment firm, the Kaplin Thaler Group.
Linda, let`s get right to these ads that are just pushing people`s buttons. This very first one I want to show is put out by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It`s encouraging moms to breastfeed after their children are born. But it is pretty shocking. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)
ANNOUNCER: Recent stories show that babies who are breastfed are less likely to develop ear infection, repertory illnesses, and diarrhea. Babies were born to be breastfed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I get what they`re going for, but are they kidding? I mean, hasn`t this really gone too far? A lot of moms are outraged over this.
LINDA KAPLIN, THALER KAPLIN THALER GROUP: OK, first of all, I`m a mom and I`m outraged. Because, I don`t think the government -- they are in our wallets, they`re in our gas tanks, they don`t have to be in our blouse now. OK, this is just absolutely irresponsible and they should take it off the air. And I predict that it`ll be taken off the air within a month, absolutely.
HAMMER: It just has gone too far despite the fact it is trying to make a point as all advertising...
KAPLIN: Well, what`s the point? If you haven`t breastfed your child, you`re just going to feel really guilty and you`re going to have a stressed out mother who`s going to be a worse mother because of it. And, if you have, OK, so now you feel gratified that you may have done the right thing. This is not a choice that the government should be making. They should not be advertising on the air. It`s very offensive. Every woman that I`ve spoken to has -- and I`ve had women in my office crying -- crying about this ad. It is totally irresponsible and should be absolutely taken off the air.
HAMMER: Well, I`m a guy and I`m offended. Well, let`s get on to another ad that`s actually grossing a lot of people out. This one is put out by the New York City Department of Health, it`s been running locally here in New York where we are. It`s an anti-smoking campaign and it is graphic. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was 39 when I got throat cancer from smoking cigarettes. I almost died. Now there is a permanent hole in my throat. Nothing will ever be the same again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I am not a smoker, but that would definitely keep me from smoking. However, if I`m sitting at home eating dinner, I don`t know if I want to see that. It certainly, again, makes its point, but does it cross a line?
KAPLIN: You know what; it crosses the line in a good way. When you have to really make a bang to get noticed because people are TiVoing you out and muting you out, but you look at that ad and you are transfixed, you have to watch it. And, if I was about -- somebody, a teenager thinking about whether to smoke or not, hands down, that would convince me not to. And not only that, the proof is in the pudding because the Department of Health has had 15,000 more calls than last year after that ad has run. It is absolutely an effective -- it`s an effective grossout, if you will.
HAMMER: OK, but can doing a grossout sometimes backfire because of a backlash?
KAPLIN: I don`t think so. I mean, I think somebody who`s watching that, they can decide to turn off the TV and they don`t have to watch it if they don`t want to. But it is going to have an effect on somebody. If you remember the old advertising for anti-drug advertising, well, this is your brain on drugs, it was an egg, and then the egg was fried. And they went, you can`t do that on TV. You know what? It stopped a lot of kids from taking drugs.
HAMMER: It did, but truth be told, that`s a lot tamer than watching this, but this is actually reality and we`re actually seeing what can truly happen.
KAPLIN: Absolutely, the ante`s up, now. You have to be much more outrageous than before.
HAMMER: Well, let`s move on to something that is not a public announcement. It`s an outrageous ad from a car manufacturer and it certainly grabs people`s attention. Take a look at this from Volkswagen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wasn`t crying, OK?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean seriously man, I don`t know why.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: As I mentioned, not a PSA, grabs you by the neck, basically. Are they going to sell cars with an ad like that?
KAPLIN: You know what? That ad is a smash in every sense of the word.
HAMMER: Really?
KAPLIN: Yes. Volkswagen, what happened, right after that ad started running, is, they have had an increase in 20 percent in sales.
HAMMER: You`re kidding?
KAPLIN: There you go. And 30 percent or even up to maybe even 40 percent of people are more prone now to want to buy that brand than before. So it is absolutely having an impact.
HAMMER: That`s interesting because car -- you don`t necessarily think Volkswagen, that`s the car I`m going to look at for its safety and I guess that`s what they`re trying to sell.
KAPLIN: That`s right. Well, that`s what -- Volvo is all about safety and they`re trying to usurp that territory and I think they did a great job and you have to shock people into it. And I think that`s one of those ads that just grabs you and you go, oh, my god, and then you go, maybe I should look into buying that car.
HAMMER: Interesting to see if this opens up the floodgates for more shocking ads. Linda Kaplin Thaler, always a pleasure to have your insight. Thank you.
KAPLIN: Thank you.
ANDERSON: We`ve got some exciting news to share with you, so spread the word to your friends, your family, your colleagues, 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. Eastern, 8:00 Pacific.
HAMMER: It is a family affair for Kevin Bacon`s new movie. What was it like for him to direct his wife and kids and star alongside them? We`re going to find out next in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Plus, it is good to be Taylor Hicks. First he wins "American idol," now he`s on the cover of "People" magazine`s "Hottest Bachelor" issue. We`re going to tell you who else made the list, coming up. We`ll also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
We are very stupid in this country. This is spoon feeding criminals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A shocking look at the personal details that anyone can find out online about the stars and about you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates online privacy, coming up.
ANDERSON: First tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" "Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In "Forrest Gump" what rival football team does Forrest`s Alabama squad play against? Was it Georgia, Miami, Atlanta, or Tennessee? Hang tight; we`ll be right back with your answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charlie. So, again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" "Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In "Forrest Gump" what rival football team does Forrest`s Alabama squad play against? Georgia, Miami, Atlanta, or Tennessee? The answer is "D," Tennessee.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It is time now for stories that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous." From the wonderful world of competive eating, ladies and gentlemen, we have a new world record holder in the grilled cheese category. I believe it deserves a round of applause tonight. Check this guy out. Mr. Joey Chestnut has set a new record in Las Vegas. He ate 47 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes -- 47. Which happens to be 11 more than the old record. But, Brooke, that is not a contest for the lactose intolerant.
ANDERSON: No, it`s not. And that`s more than four sandwiches per minute. That`s pretty darned crazy. The A.J., the big dog, so to speak, of all eating contests happens next month, that big 5th of July hot dog eating completion.
HAMMER: Yes, the big wiener eating contest that`s going to be taking place for the holiday weekend.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)
HAMMER: We say, Brooke, a grilled cheese eating world record, "That`s Ridiculous."
ANDERSON: Now, "That`s Ridiculous."
HAMMER: Yeah, that`s cheesy and that`s that. Well, you know, when some people think grilled cheese, they think Bacon. When you think Kevin Bacon, you might think "Foot Loose" or "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon." I`m sorry I had to travel that road. But, now, think director Kevin Bacon. His new movie`s called "Lover Boy" and it stars his wife Kyra Sedgwick, and pretty much the rest of his family. It`s the story of a very overprotective mother whose nurturing of her son borders on obsession. I sat down with Kevin to talk about the movie and how he protects his own family.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Your wife, Kyra Sedgwick, incredibly powerful in this role, an incredibly powerful film, and something that a lot of parents can relate to because her character is overprotective to an extreme, not wanting to let any outside influences affect her child in any way. But, overprotectiveness, something -- and you as a dad, I`m sure, can relate to and all parent`s, really can relate to.
KEVIN BACON, ACTOR/DIRECTOR: Sure. I mean, I think that one of the hardest things to learn as a parent is that balance between holding on too tight and pushing your kid out the door too soon. And I think it`s something that you kind of deal with, you know, we have teenagers now, so it`s -- it comes up again and again and again. And this is the story of a woman who is a great mother, is a magical kind of mother in a lot of ways, but is ultimately a very unbalanced person and really does not have the ability to let the kids spread their wings and fly.
HAMMER: She does seem well intended, as all parents are, but it has gotten more difficult over time, you know, 50 years ago they weren`t dealing with child predators, for instance, in the way they are now, something you dealt with, actually in your film "The Woodsman." And now with the internet and all of that, I imagine -- is that something you concern yourself with as a dad? Have you sat down with the kids and.
BACON: Oh, yeah.
HAMMER: ...talk about their internet habits?
BACON: Of course. I think you really have to be. I mean, it`s the only responsible thing to do as a parent. You know, I mean, in the old days you had the -- just the sex talk and then eventually, as society evolved, we had to have the drug talk, too, you know. But nowadays you definitely have to discuss the internet and you have to discuss the possibility of people wanting to harm you. And that`s -- it`s hard. It`s a hard moment to do it. And it`s a hard thing as a parent to live with those possibilities, but it`s just the reality.
HAMMER: Part of the deal. One of the things I love about this film, and I`m sure everybody`s talking to you about the fact that it is a big family affair. Your wife Kyra Sedgwick and I were talking about this last week. You got a bunch of Sedgwick`s, you got some Bacons in it, you even got the family dog acting in it.
BACON: Yeah.
HAMMER: And Sosi and Travis, your two teenage kids, who -- and this is something Kyra and I spoke about, the fact that it`s well-known you had not wanted them to get into acting. You made that very clear early on, had a change of heart for this film. What were the reasons that you opposed them getting into your profession?
BACON: Well, it`s, I mean, I feel like whatever they want to do when they are adults is what they want to do. But when you`re a kid, it`s more a question of, you know, I don`t want them, you know -- I just don`t want them working and I want them to go to school and be focused on school and their friends and to have some kind of like a normal life. And I don`t think that being a child actor is necessarily the most normal of lives.
HAMMER: Do you get the sense they caught the bug doing this.
BACON: No. I got the sense that they got it out of their system.
HAMMER: Oh good, that must make you happy.
BACON: Well, you know, again, if they become actors I`ll support them in whatever they want to do. But I think that, you know, at this point I want them just to enjoy their childhood.
HAMMER: Well, your wife gets some great press for "The Closer," you know, record breaking numbers in its first week of the season. And she talked about with me the idea that, you know, she`s out there in L.A. working on this, and you`re essentially a stay at home dad. She said you don`t like being called Mr. Mom, so I won`t do that.
BACON: Thank you.
HAMMER: But, when you`re not working you`re the primary caregiver.
BACON: Yes.
HAMMER: What do you think the one thing she told us is that you do better than her in terms of taking care of the kids?
BACON: I couldn`t -- don`t know.
HAMMER: Shall we see what she said?
BACON: Yeah, let`s.
HAMMER: Let`s take a look. Here`s your wife.
KYRA SEDGWICK, ACTRESS: He`s a really good cook.
HAMMER: What`s Kevin`s specialty.
SEDGWICK: Gosh, anything grilled.
HAMMER: She says you`re a really good cook. You`re better than her. True?
BACON: I`d say that`s true. Yeah, the difference between -- I think we`re -- to me, you know, I`m not a good cook. I`m just like, I throw it in a pot and you know, hopefully.
HAMMER: Or on the grill, she said.
BACON: Or on the grill. I throw things on the grill and that`s fine. The difference between me and her is that when I cook, I don`t get really stressed out. She really wigs out when she`s cooking, because she wants so -- like everything else in her life, she wants it to be perfect.
HAMMER: Perfection, right?
BACON: Yeah. And, you know, and if it`s not, she just, you know, goes ballistic.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: "Lover Boys," one of the best films I`ve seen this year. You can see Kevin and his family in the film when it opens on Friday in limited release in New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, it will be in other select cities beginning June 30.
ANDERSON: "American Idol`s" Taylor Hicks is on the cover of "People" magazine`s "Hottest Bachelors" issue. And coming up, we`re going to have a look at some of the other hottest bachelors in Hollywood. But first, we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Taylor Hicks: Is he your bachelor of the year? Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight or send us an e-mail to this address, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: Big exciting news starting this weekend, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on seven nights a week. That is right. We are bringing you TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekends. Beginning June 17 make sure you tune in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 p.m. Pacific.
ANDERSON: Jerry Lewis, recovering from a heart attack. Daryl Hannah out of jail. We`ll update you on both stars coming up in "Hot Headlines."
HAMMER: Plus, "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks, a new honor, the cover boy for "People" magazine`s "Hottest Bachelor" issue. We`re going to tell you who else made the list, coming up. We`ll also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody should not have information telling exactly where to come and murder me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A shocking look at the personal details that anyone can find out online about the stars and about you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates online privacy. That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tomorrow, Hollywood`s most powerful people. We have the "Forbes" "Celebrity 100 List." So, who are the kings and queens of tinseltown? Tom? Oprah? Brad? Jen? Angelina? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT shows you which stars have the most pull. That`s tomorrow.
HAMMER: Grammy winning R&B singer Usher is in the Gulf Coast region rolling up his sleeves and helping clean up areas that are still a wreck after Hurricane Katrina. In New Orleans, he helped clean up a school that has been closed since the hurricane. He said it was just devastating to see New Orleans in the state it`s in. and he said he is hoping to motivate other people to get involved and help out. Usher also has a group project called "Project Restart" which is to help families on the Gulf Coast find housing.
ANDERSON: Wonderful. They haven`t been forgotten nearly a year later and they shouldn`t be.
OK, we have some exciting news to share with you. Starting with weekend, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT airs seven nights a week. That`s right. We`re 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 a.m. Eastern, 8:00 Pacific.
HAMMER: So, who are the hottest bachelors in Hollywood? Well, we have the list. See if you agree with it. Coming up.
ANDERSON: Plus, it`s the Oscars of the internet, the Webby Awards. We`re going to tell you whey Prince won a Lifetime Achievement Award for his website, next.
We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are very stupid in this country. Very stupid. This is spoon-feeding criminals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A shocking look at the personal details that anyone can find out online. You can go online and find out these details about that stars, people can also find out these details about you. And it should have you worried. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates online privacy. That`s coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, for Wednesday night, coming right back.
(NEWSBREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a Wednesday night. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I am A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I am Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
A.J., they`re sexy and they`re, most importantly, available, right? "People" magazine is out with its annual "Hottest Bachelors" issue. We`re going to tell you who graces the cover; you might be surprised.
And also, what makes these singles so attractive? It`s about more than just appearance, of course.
HAMMER: All right. Also on the way, the Webby Awards. Nothing having anything to do with Spiderman. They`re actually kind of like the Oscars of the Internet, Brooke. The cool thing about this particular award show is the acceptance speeches have to be five words or less. And it was such a cool show even a prince showed up. We`re going to take you to the Webbys coming up in just a couple minutes.
ANDERSON: Refreshing those speeches didn`t drag on and on and on.
But first, what if with just a few clicks of your mouse you could find some very personal information about a total stranger online? We`re talking Social Security numbers, addresses and much more. It`s even happened to some big-time celebrities, and definitely something that`s got us worried around here.
Now the scary thing is, there may not be much you can do to protect yourself. Here`s CNN`s Drew Griffin for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BJ OSTERGREN, "THE VIRGINIA WATCHDOG": Let`s see if anyone else`s is there.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What this woman knows about you - or more accurately, could know about you - is frightening.
OSTERGREN: Yes, it is so easy, it is quick, and - and let me show you.
GRIFFIN: BJ Ostergren, also known as the Virginia Watchdog, is infuriated about how easy it is for her to find your name, Social Security number, date of birth and even your signature.
OSTERGREN: Look, here`s a Bank of American learn (ph) number.
GRIFFIN: Anything anyone would need to steal your identity, right online, and put there by the government.
OSTERGREN: This is another divorce I printed out this morning. The father was in the Air Force, and there`s his Social Security.
GRIFFIN (on camera): He would die if he knew this.
OSTERGREN: They have no clue.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): How did it happen? Ostergren says there was a big push in the last decade to push the access of government records into the 21st century, a paperless society - everything accessible at your fingertips via the Internet. Including government records, historically kept inside courthouses, inside clerks` offices, behind government counters.
Now many of those government records, across the country, can all be accessed by BJ Ostergren right here in the crowded office of her rural Virginia home.
OSTERGREN: But are they public records? Yes, they`re public. But there is a huge difference from driving to the courthouse and looking at it right here. Would I drive there to look at this and go through the record? No. Would I have driven to Miami-Dade to get Jeb Bush`s? No.
GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: This meeting was a very productive one.
GRIFFIN: Did she say Jeb Bush? Yes, the president`s brother. To prove her point she has drawn on celebrity-style identity hunts. The governor of Florida`s Social Security number, posted along with other Floridians.
OSTERGREN: I sat right at this very computer and got that record off the Florida Web site.
GRIFFIN: Jeb Bush has since had his Social blacked out, but plenty of records in Florida are still there for taking.
OSTERGREN: Well, let`s see. Here is Brevard County.
GRIFFIN: With information like your Social Security number, your signature, even your date of birth, a thief can pretend he`s you. And it could cost you dearly.
OSTERGREN: Oh, you could get bank loans. You could get fake papers. You could come into this country using this man`s information. You could have - look, document fraud is a big thing. Mortgage fraud is a huge thing.
GRIFFIN (on camera): She can access almost any record on anyone anywhere, even perfect strangers here in New York City - many who would be shocked to learn that a retired woman in rural Virginia can learn so much about them from Web sites provided by the government that she could easily steal their identity.
(voice-over): Upon searching further, we also found talk show host Kelly Ripa and her husband.
OSTERGREN: Yes, and with their home addresses. They own, apparently, two places.
GRIFFRIN: Ostergren made exposing this electronic privacy gap her mission four years ago, when a concerned stranger warned her that her personal information was about to go online. Now she wants everyone to be warned.
She has set up a Web site to lobby governments and financial institutions to stop posting this information. And she now takes the time to call strangers herself and let them know the risks.
OSTERGREN: It infuriates me no end. But what can I do? I - I just think that people should see what I`m showing you. And people should see, you know, what - you wanted to see Colin Powell`s.
GRIFFIN: On a Virginia Web site she found the former secretary of state`s Social Security number, his wife`s, their Virginia address, even signatures.
OSTERGREN: Yes, and you can get that record. And on the first page of that document - here it is right here - you can see Page 1 with his home address here.
GRIFFIN: We decided to check for ourselves. Ostergren suggested we look at Phoenix, Arizona - Maricopa County. Per capita, it has the highest rate of identity-theft fraud in the country. Sitting at a computer in Atlanta, we were a bit taken back when we went to the Maricopa County Recorder`s Office Web site and found just about every document you could imagine, and personal information that you would never want others to get.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And his Social Security number right there.
GRIFFIN: So we physically went to the Maricopa County`s Recorder`s Office, and ran into a local resident, Phyllis Montgomery (ph), who was shocked when we showed her all of her personal information.
(on camera): A little surprising?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very surprising. Very scary. Very scary, because this is private information. Everybody should not have information (INAUDIBLE) exactly where to come and murder me or pick me up or.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): The Recorder`s Office here posts a sign warning people their information will be made available on the Internet.
But available where? And who is the warning for?
Using the Internet, we randomly looked up Michael Russo (ph), who lives in Phoenix. He has never used a computer and doesn`t remember ever being in the Recorder`s Office.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your privacy - lose your privacy. That was (INAUDIBLE) they come out with these computers.
GRIFFIN: Michael Russo ripped up our copies of his personal documents right in front of us. But we can easily print out another copy right on the county Web site.
Recorder Helen Purcell says she is working with the state of Arizona to figure out how to cleanse the records, like blackening out Social Security numbers. But she admits that in their rush to post the information online, they did not realize how easy they were making it for criminals intent on committing fraud.
UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: Maybe at the outset of that, all of these things weren`t thought about.
GRIFFIN: BJ Ostergren, the Virginia Watchdog.
OSTERGREN: There it is.
GRIFFIN: .couldn`t agree more. The question now, she says, what if anything is anyone going to do about it?
OSTERGREN: We are very stupid in this country, very stupid. This is spin (ph) feeding criminals.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That`s pretty frightening. That was CNN`s Drew Griffin for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: It`s time now for tonight`s "HOT HEADLINES." For that we fly out to Hollywood for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas.
Hi, Sibila.
VARGAS: Hi, A.J.
Well, Darryl Hannah went from a tree to jail to home. The "Splash" star was one of about 40 people arrested during a protest in Los Angeles. Hannah climbed up a tree as part of an effort to save a community garden. Now the owner of the land wants to put a warehouse there instead, and that`s not making her too happy. And as people tell us, she`s out of the slammer now.
Well, tonight Jerry Lewis is recovering from a heart attack that he called - quote - "a mild one." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned that the 80- year-old comedian had the heart attack on Sunday, but he`s doing great now and is expected to be released from a San Diego hospital early next week. Lewis was scheduled to perform in Las Vegas for the first time in more than five years next month, but is soon to be canceled (ph). We wish him the best.
And Nielsen Media wants to know what you watch, how you watch and where you watch everything. The company that gives the weekly TV ratings says that it`s creating a system that can track - keep track of what you`re listening to, watching on iPods, cell phones, video game players and everything else in between. That`s in the works. They`ll start testing out in the fall. But it sounds a little like big brother`s watching and listening to me.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines," A.J.
HAMMER: I don`t know. It kind of makes perfect sense to me. They got to know so the ratings can come in and be properly calculated, Sibila. It`s all very scientific.
VARGAS: Great, but they`re going to know everything. They`re - they`ll know everything though.
HAMMER: Well, not too much, I hope.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas, thanks for joining us from Hollywood.
ANDERSON: All right. We know sometimes award shows can be painful to watch. Yes, even we admit it. But bad comedy routines, endless speeches and thank you`s.
Well, at the Webbys, the Oscars of the point-and-click crowd - the Internet - you have no choice but to keep it to the point. And that even applies if you are one of the biggest music stars of all time.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDET (voice-over): One thing you can count on at the Webbys.
(NOISE)
MOOS: You can count on one hand the number of words in every acceptance speech.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happiest moment of my evening.
MOOS: Five words - that`s the limit, whether you`re nationalgeographic.com.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: More than just bare breast.
MOOS: Or Arianna Huffington winning "Best Political Blog" for her Huffington Post.
HUFFINGTON POST, BLOGGER: Darlings, make blogs, not war.
MOOS: But even five words.
(MUSIC)
MOOS: .more than you usually get out of Prince.
PRINCE, ENTERTAINER: Everything you think is true.
MOOS: Prince won a lifetime achievement award for using his Web site to distribute his music.
Another lifetime achievement award went to Dr. Robert Khan. The co- inventor of the Internet gave his speech in binary computer code.
It was hard to compete with Al Gore`s speech from last year.
AL GORE, FMR. VICE PRESIDENT: Please don`t recount this vote.
MOOS: The winners tend to agonize over choosing a pithy phrase. At the Huffington Post, readers weighed in on suggestions.
"I`m not Zsa Zsa Gabor" had a nice ring to it.
HUFFINGTON: I`m like "I`m not Zsa Zsa Gabor." I like that. "It`s all Greek to me."
MOOS (on camera): That was a good one.
HUFFINGTON: Do you like that one?
MOOS: Because that`s right - you`re Greek.
HUFFINGTON: Yes.
MOOS (voice-over): There was nothing Greek about this guy`s marriage proposal. Dave Garr won a Webby for creating daveloveselizabeth.com to propose to the woman who is now his wife.
DAVE GARR, WWW.DAVELOVESELIZABETH.COM: So I want her to go up and say.
ELIZABETH GARR, WWW.DAVELOVESELIZABETH.COM: You had me at www.
MOOS: Instead he went up.
D. GARR: I proposed, Elizabeth said.
AUDIENCE: Yes!
MOOS: Dave got booed for ceding the five-word limit.
(BOOS)
MOOS: A site called Cute Overload, featuring nothing but cute animal pictures, won a Webby.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not bad for posting kitten.
MOOS: "Cats and Rats" is the most loved and hated part of the Web site. It features a combo of just that.
No one objected after Prince`s five-word speech. But when he sang a few more words.
(SINGING)
MOOS: But whatever you do, don`t try this with your PC.
(SMASHING GUITAR)
MOOS: Or your Webby.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: CNN`s Jeanne Moos reporting. Thanks. That`s backwards.
By the way, this was the 10th anniversary of the Webbys, and the selection committee includes David Bowie and "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening.
A.J., five more words for everybody: watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT every day.
HAMMER: Well done. Congratulations.
Well, we know it is the season of beach and barbecues. But, you know, after you`re playing outside on a weekend, we want you to come inside and hang out with us. Starting this Saturday, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s going to be on seven nights a week. That`s right; we are bringing TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekends. It all begins June 17. Make sure you tune and tell all your friends: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday at 11 p.m. 8 Pacific.
ANDERSON: Coming up, if you just love to head on down the highway, we`ve got a great job for you. But we still think it`s ridiculous. That`s next.
HAMMER: Plus, they`re sexy and single: "People" magazine`s out with its annual "Bachelors" issues. See if your favorite hot hunk has made the cut. That`s coming up next.
ANDERSON: And Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock are doing something they haven`t done in more than a decade, and it`s got a lot of people talking. What is it? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there and we`ll have that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Music under go, Camera 3, stand by, A.J. Pre-set 4, open his mic, dissolve 4, go.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I am A.J. Hammer in New York. It`s time now for another story that just made us say "That`s Ridiculous!"
And this one`s for you if you`re a recent college grad, or maybe you`re thinking about a career change. Some very interesting jobs are out there waiting.
For example, recruiters are actually paying up to $11 an hour for people to sit in a truck on the highway. That`s it. Just sit. It seems that these trucking companies want to use those express lanes to save time. And, you know, you need more than one person to do that. You got have a couple people in the truck, at least. I guess they heard that the blow-up doll idea doesn`t quite work.
Now Brooke, there`s another great opportunity out there for those who may be interested in something a little different: a gross-stunt coordinator. This is somebody who produces those special stomach-churning exhibitions we see on the reality shows. Very special skills involved there.
ANDERSON: Yes, what kind of skills are you learning with these jobs?
Also, A.J., dog-food testers, horse dentists, and jellyfish farmers. So a lot of unusual jobs out there. But we say, $11 an hour to just sit a truck on the highway? Now, "That`s Ridiculous!"
But A.J., something that women everywhere find anything but ridiculous is "People" magazine`s "Bachelors of the Year" issue. So ladies, grab a pen and a paper because it`s time for these gorgeous to show us how they are sexy and very single.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): He is the most recent bachelor. He is going through a very public divorce. There`s the Oscar nominee that can cook, and the Oscar winner who can belt out a tune. They are "People"`s bachelors of 2006.
There are some from our past that now find themselves, well, taken. But have no fear: here are some very enticing fallbacks.
Pitt may be off the market, but Lindsay Lohan`s costar in "Just My Luck," Chris Pine, isn`t.
CHRIS PINE, ACTOR: Is it just me, or did I just get lucky?
ANDERSON: We all know Tom Cruise has found his special someone. But Brandon Routh has the potential to be - well, the Superman of bachelors.
Some bachelors are so hot, like Fantastic Four`s Chris Evans, they sizzle.
Some are so easy on the eyes and so idolized millions took time out of their day to vote.
And then there are your real-life folk: those who have graced your TV, and those who can rescue you out of any real-life situation, like these real-life heroes: fighting fires, fighting wars and fighting to rescue those in need.
So ladies, take your pick.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And joining me from New York with more on "People"`s hottest bachelors of 2006 is "People"`s senior editor, Julie Dam.
Julie, good to see you.
JULIE DAM, "PEOPLE" SENIOR EDITOR: Thanks for having me.
ANDERSON: OK, is what you`re telling us true - that broken hearts really make the best bachelors? I - you put Matthew McConaughey on the list. We know that he and Penelope Cruz just recently broke up.
DAM: Right.
ANDERSON: What is it about this guy that people just cannot resist?
DAM: Well, you know, he is our reigning "Sexiest Man Alive." And he`s - you know, he is a good guy from - from Texas. He likes to - you know, he knows how to kick back. His idea of fun is kind of hanging out, drinking a few beers, driving around in his truck. You know, he`s just - he`s kind of a man`s man, I have to say.
ANDERSON: He is. And that Southern drawl is pretty darn adorable.
DAM: Exactly.
ANDERSON: OK, Nick Lachey also on the list - a recent bachelor himself. Now I listened to the lyrics of his recent song "What`s Left of Me," and he sounds genuinely wounded. Why would you want to date someone who`s wounded? It`s dangerous territory when - when people are on the rebound sometimes, Julie.
DAM: Well, yes. But there`s also something irresistible about somebody who needs to be nursed back, you know what I mean?
ANDERSON: And also those biceps don`t hurt at all.
DAM: Exactly.
ANDERSON: .with Nick, either.
DAM: OK, Taylor Hicks is on the cover of "People" magazine, and he`s got quite a spread in the issue as well. We at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT were debating him. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," in fact. But we were debating his new status as "People" magazine`s hottest bachelor.
What do you know about the "American Idol" winner that maybe our audience just doesn`t know?
DAM: You know, he talks about how he may have come off kind of goofy on air. But he`s not like that in person at all. He is, like, a really a nice guy; he has a sense of humor. You know - and did you know he`s 6 foot - 6 foot 1? He`s like.
ANDERSON: Pretty tall.
DAM: .a tall, nice-looking guy in person.
ANDERSON: Pretty imposing.
DAM: Yes. And, you know, he`s the only "American Idol" this season who needed a bodyguard, because his fans were so avid.
ANDERSON: He has a lot of fans. All right. Continue.
DAM: Absolutely. Absolutely.
And, you know, he kind of likes a - a normal girl who likes him for him. In fact, he locked eyes with a girl on an airplane recently and says, you know, if you`re that mystery woman, write in and - and maybe you can hook up with - with Taylor Hicks.
ANDERSON: And they locked eyes. That`s pretty Southern.
OK, now the alternative angle is always great: the oldies, but the goodies. Well, they`re not really old. But Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, also Johnny Depp - they`re no longer bachelors. But now we have Brandon Routh, T.R. Knight - they`re on your list.
I mean, what do these guys have that can really hold a candle to Pitt and company?
DAM: Well, for instance - you know, since Brad taken, there is Chris Pine, who was in a movie with Lindsay Lohan recently. And he`s got the same buzz-cut hair and beautiful eyes. So - and he`s single, you know? He`s available.
With Brandon Routh, he`s - you know, he`s sort of the action hero like Tom Cruise. But one good thing: he`s 6 foot 3. So, how about a more strapping guy than Tom?
So these are the up-and-coming guys who, you know, are on the market and are totally available.
ANDERSON: Well, thanks for letting us in on all of them. Julie Dam of "People" magazine, always fun to talk about this issue. We appreciate it.
DAM: Thanks.
ANDERSON: You can pick up "People" magazine featuring the Bachelors of 2006 on Friday.
HAMMER: So what do you think about that cover guy, "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks? It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "Taylor Hicks: Is he your bachelor of the year?" Please let us know by getting on line to cnn.com/showbiztonight, or e-mailing us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Last night we told you about the growing celebrity trend, stars hiring male nannies, or mannies, to take care of their kids, including Britney Spears. So we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "Britney Spears` manny: would you hire a male nanny?" Sixty-two percent of you said yes you would; 38 percent of you said no, you wouldn`t.
OK, believe it or not, it`s been about 12 years since (AUDIO GAP) Sandra Bullock teamed up in "Speed." Remember that movie? Bullock had to keep the bus going over 50 miles per hour. Otherwise, boom. The pair is now starring together for the first time since "Speed" in the upcoming romantic drama "The Lake House."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there as Keanu and Sandra walked the red carpet for the world premiere in Hollywood. "The Lake House" opens this Friday.
HAMMER: Very exciting news to share with you. Staring this weekend, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT airs seven nights a week. That`s right; we are bringing TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekend. So make sure you tune in. Starting June 17, tell all your friends about it. Tell the family. Tell the kids. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on Saturday and Sunday nights at 11 p.m. Eastern. That`s 8 p.m. Pacific.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a Wednesday night coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: "People" magazine has picked "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks as one of its hottest bachelors of the year. So we`ve been asking to vote on tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Taylor Hicks: Is he your bachelor of the year?" Keep voting: cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us: showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to read some of your e-mails tomorrow.
HAMMER: Let`s find out what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow. Here comes your "SHOWBIZ Marquee."
And tomorrow, it`s Hollywood`s powerful: we`ve got the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. Who are the kings and queens of Tinseltown? Tom? Oprah? Brad? Jen? Angelina? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tells you which stars have the most pull tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, what`s it like to hang out with and interview some of the biggest stars in the world? Talking about Brad Pitt, Madonna, Ben Affleck? Jancee Dunn gets paid to do it for "Rolling Stone." It`s a nice gig, and she tells us all about it tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Have a great night. Stay tuned for more from CNN Headline News.
END
