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Showbiz Tonight
Who`s Sorry Now?; Interview With Singer Brandy
Aired July 25, 2006 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: An African-American star accuses a major airline of racism.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST: And why Nicolas Cage says SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show he will talk to about his new film, "World Trade Center."
I`m Brooke Anderson.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, they admit they cheated, Christie Brinkley`s husband, Hugh Grant, Kobe Bryant.
KOBE BRYANT, BASKETBALL PLAYER: I`m so sorry.
HAMMER: But is saying "I`m sorry" enough?
Tonight, should cheaters get a second chance? And why in the world would their humiliated spouses even take them back?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates stars, infidelity and the "sorry" factor.
Sex offender TV.
Tonight, the outrageous new cable TV channel that features convicted sex offenders. But, wait a second. Why are some people taking the side of the sex offenders?
Tonight, sex offender TV, a public service or justice out of control?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there. I`m Brooke Anderson.
HAMMER: And I`m A.J. Hammer.
Tonight, the power of "sorry," famous men caught cheating, who then go on to apologize to their wives and the entire world.
ANDERSON: Entire world. And we are seeing that again today, A.J., as Christie Brinkley`s husband, Peter Cook, breaks his silence on his cheating scandal with a very public apology. We`ve seen men in similar situations do the exact same thing, and you would be surprised how often it works.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": Peter Cook is saying, "Take me back."
ANDERSON (voice over): It was the apology heard around the world, or at least around the table at "The View." Supermodel Christie Brinkley`s estranged husband, Peter Cook, is publicly apologizing for reports that he cheated on Brinkley with teenager Diana Bianchi.
Through his attorney, Cook tells "The New York Post," "I love my wife. I have loved her since the day I met her. For a lifetime I`ve tried to prove how much I love her. This is an aberration."
He goes on to say, "I`m sorry. I`m contrite. I`m stupid. Foolish. No excuse."
Cook also pleads for his wife to take him back. But his lawyer says that if Brinkley does divorce him, "She can have whatever she wants."
KATE CAPERTON, "OK!" MAGAZINE: This is really all that he has to offer right now. He said he had made a mistake. He has apologized for it.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that Peter Cook is playing the same card as many other high-profile men in high-profile cheating scandals have successfully played. Apologize loudly, publicly, and, if you can, sincerely.
CAPERTON: Just like if you have a friend who cheated on them, sometimes it`s the same case, but they just say, "Look, I screwed up, I`m human, I`m sorry." Unfortunately, for celebrities, when news gets out, they have to do this in a very public forum.
ANDERSON: Take movie star Jude Law. When he was caught cheating on his fiancee Sienna Miller last summer with his kids` nanny, he went there, "I`m sorry" route, telling the British Press Association, "I just want to say I am deeply ashamed and upset that I`ve hurt Sienna and the people close to us." A year later, a source close to the couple tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Sienna and Jude are, indeed, dating again.
WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that. I can only tell you...
ANDERSON: Then President Bill Clinton showed us the power of sorry back in 1998 when he finally admitted and apologized to the American people about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. He survived impeachment, and he and his wife are still together and possibly planning a return to the White House.
BRYANT: I sit here before you guys embarrassed and ashamed for committing adultery.
ANDERSON: When basketball star Kobe Bryant was charged with sexually assaulting a woman back in 2003, he denied the charges with his wife by his side, but tearfully admitted to having had sex with his accuser.
BRYANT: I love my wife so much. She is so special to me. And shoulder to shoulder we`re going to fight this all the way to the end.
ANDERSON: One apology and one $4 million "I`m sorry" ring later, Kobe and his wife are still together and the charges against him were dropped.
JAY LENO, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": What the hell were you thinking?
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: And Hugh Grant issued one of the most celebrated "My bads" in TV history on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in 1995 after he was caught cavorting with a prostitute in Hollywood. Facing the demise of his career and of his long-time relationship with Elizabeth Hurley, Hugh Grant faced an estimated 18 million "Tonight Show" viewers and accepted responsibility.
HUGH GRANT, ACTOR: I think you know in life pretty much what`s a good thing to do and what`s a bad thing. And I did a bad thing. And there you have it.
ANDERSON: Hugh did save his career and his relationship with Hurley, at least for another five years.
It appears that in celebrity land, just like in real life, an apology can be a first step in working things out after an affair.
CAPERTON: When they`re asking for forgiveness in public, the public is pretty open to that, because they want to see that their favorite actors or favorite singers are happy and healthy and in a great relationship.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Now, the attorney for Peter Cook tells "The New York Post" that at this point Christie Brinkley hasn`t filed for divorce and he hopes she doesn`t.
HAMMER: But doesn`t real love mean never having to say you`re sorry? Should these cheating hearts get a second chance? And, if so, why?
Clinical psychologist Dr. Judy Kuriansky joins me now to help make sense of it all.
So, Dr. Judy, it`s a pleasure to see you.
Peter Cook is sorry. He doesn`t want the marriage to end. OK.
Now, I am no clinical psychologist here, but it seems that cheating speaks of much bigger problems in a relationship. With these very public apologies, is it really enough?
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: The apology is, as you just heard, indeed, the first step. But only the first step, and then has to come admission of what the real problem is.
As you said, A.J., it`s a deep issue. There is a reason. When Peter Cook has an 18-year-old girl who worked in a toy store and then he makes her his assistant, there is a reason.
HAMMER: Yes.
KURIANKSY: And either it has to do with something inside himself, his ego, does he need to be a big star because he`s married to a big star? And so he`s not number one. He`s down there, and we didn`t even know his name before this. And, you know, who talked about Peter Cook? It was all Christie Brinkley.
HAMMER: Sure.
KURIANKSY: So that`s the first thing, what`s his problem? What is his need?
And the second is, what may be going on in the relationship? So, you know, Christie may have a responsibility here, too. And those women are often more willing when they say, you know, I didn`t pay enough attention to my husband, or I didn`t really build him up well enough. Or maybe we didn`t have great sex.
HAMMER: OK. That`s all well and good. Let`s get back to this apology thing for a second, though, because this is what fascinates me.
Obviously it wasn`t enough to repair things for him to simply apologize to Christie. He had to do it in this very public way, which, to me, seems perhaps a bit manipulative, you know, the fact that maybe he`s looking to get the side of the public along with him, a little sympathy.
KURIANKSY: Sympathy will work well for him, you see, because -- and it also works well for Christie, which is, for real people, if you make an apology like that or talk about it openly in front of friends even, it means you have to stick to it. So now Peter Cook is going to have to be an angel of a husband, or else everybody is going to say, well, Christie should leave him and not give him a second channels.
So she benefits as well. He`s going to have to really behave himself.
HAMMER: Sure. You`re setting yourself up.
I mean, look at Kobe Bryant. We were just watching a moment ago.
KURIANKSY: Exactly.
HAMMER: He cheated on his wife, admitted it in public, with her sitting right there next to him. Now, I imagine there are a lot of people out there watching, saying, "Why in the world would these women stand by their cheating man, especially in public?"
KURIANKSY: Well, you know, most women don`t want the relationship to end. And so we really have to support them in saying, that`s OK. I would say definitely give the guy a second chance.
Normally, you know, tigers don`t change their stripes too easily unless you find out what the reason is for his cheating. But then he deserves a second chance. If he strays again and betrays her again, then, I think, you have to really take a look at it.
The recommitment. So first the apology, then the reason, and then recommitment, which is a way of saying, I`m going to make a new promise to you that this is the way our relationship is going to go, I am going to be faithful, and fixing -- the fourth thing is fixing the problem.
And sometimes, it may be sex. You have a guy like Peter Cook, and, you know, Christie Brinkley is like a superstar. And maybe he can`t ask for a certain kind of sex from her that he can get from the assistant.
HAMMER: Yes. I hear what you`re saying.
KURIANKSY: So this is a real issue. And it happens in real relationships, because the guy feels I can have this kind of sex with her and not with my wife. And so, if they fix that and fix the emotional sharing and anything else that may be the problems, then you have a solution.
HAMMER: And he doesn`t screw it up again.
Dr. Judy Kuriansky, always good to see you.
KURIANKSY: That`s a pun.
HAMMER: Thanks very much.
Not intended.
ANDERSON: We want to hear what you think about it now. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day."
Christie Brinkley`s husband apologizes. Should she take him back?
Go to cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us, showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to read your e-mail.
HAMMER: Now you don`t have to go a day without TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT now on seven nights a week. So be sure to watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT all week ago long, including Saturday and Sunday, on at 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 Pacific.
ANDERSON: Sex offender TV, it`s supposed to warn people of convicted sex offenders in their neighborhood. And get this, there are some people who want it of the air. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Also coming up, R&B star Brandy joins us with news about her new show, "America`s Got Talent." You will not want to miss the scoop. That`s just ahead.
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think if you`re talented enough, then your talent should speak for itself and you shouldn`t have to use your physical attributes to promote yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Stars using their bodies to launch new projects. How do they do it? Do their buff bodies overshadow their work?
A SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report is still ahead.
Hang out with us. We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Tuesday night. We are TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Time now for a little story that just made us say "That`s ridiculous!"
Now, when you think of a blonde icon of our time, you probably think of Marilyn Monroe or Madonna. But what about that woman, Paris Hilton? Apparently, Hilton puts herself in that category.
Yes, the famous heiress told Britain`s "Sunday Times," Every decade has an iconic blonde like Marilyn Monroe or Princess Diana, and right now I`m that icon."
Brooke, I`ve got to tell you...
ANDERSON: Oh...
HAMMER: I don`t think "icon" is the word I would apply to Paris Hilton in any context.
ANDERSON: No, it`s not. And, you know, she said something else, A.J. She said, "You know, there is nobody in the world like me."
So she got something right.
HAMMER: She did get something right. But, still, we have to say, Paris Hilton, an icon, now, "That`s ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: "That`s ridiculous!"
HAMMER: All right. Here`s a story that got us talking in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT news room all day long, shocking charges of racism from a sitcom star who has been rumored as a possible replacement for Star Jones Reynolds on "The View."
I`m talking about comedienne-actress Monique, who was on her way from Chicago to New York, where she was scheduled to guest host "The View," when an argument started before the plane took off. Now, her reps confirm reports that Monique was on a United Airlines flight in first class when her assistant, who was seated in coach, tried to store a hairdryer in the first class compartment.
A flight attendant questioned the assistant and that led to an argument. The battle escalated, and Monique was eventually escorted off the flight and rebooked on another one.
She calls it racism. In fact, in a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Monique says, "I have never been so humiliated, embarrassed and treated like a common animal in my life by the employees of United Airlines."
Referring to Monique, with her last name, Imes, United issued this statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. They said, "We regret that Ms. Imes felt in any way that she was not treated with courtesy and respect. We must act in the best interest of all of our customers. It was determined that the best course of action was to accommodate Ms. Imes on a later flight."
ANDERSON: It`s the biggest TV hit of the summer, and Brandy is sitting in the hot seat. Brandy was hand picked by "American Idol`s" Simon Cowell to be one of three judges on NBC`s "America`s Got Talent," and it seems to be a very wise choice.
She`s got a Grammy sitting on her mantel and a cool 25 million albums sold. She`s definitely got talent.
And Brandy joins me now from Hollywood.
Hey, Brandy.
BRANDY, "AMERICA`S GOT TALENT": Hey, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Good to see you. Now, you`re on the biggest hit of the summer.
BRANDY: No.
ANDERSON: Simon Cowell executive producing -- come on, tell tus truth, is he as mean as they say? I think he`s probably just a big teddy bear at heart.
BRANDY: No. Simon is the coolest guy I`ve ever met. He is just honest, and you have to respect him for that. That`s pretty much it.
ANDERSON: A very savvy businessman as well.
BRANDY: Yes, he is.
ANDERSON: Now, when you talk about Simon Cowell, of course, Brandy, you`ve got to talk "American Idol."
BRANDY: You do.
ANDERSON: That show, a ratings juggernaut.
Do you ever feel pressure to meet "Idol`s" gold standard with this one?
BRANDY: Well, of course, because you have, you know, the same producers, you have Simon, and you have the entire setup just like it. But the thing is, is that our show is something totally different than "Idol." But we definitely want the success that "Idol" has, but we try not to look that direction because, you know, that can put you under a lot of pressure. But we`re looking forward to seeing how great we do in the years to come.
ANDERSON: As a judge on the show, there are times on national TV, Brandy, when you have to tell people that they just aren`t very talented, that they stink.
BRANDY: That`s true. That`s true.
ANDERSON: Now, as a performer yourself, I`m sure, you know, the criticism sometimes is tough to take. Do you ever feel badly that you might hurt somebody`s feelings?
BRANDY: Yes, because there is no nice way to say, you know, you`re just not ready, or, you know, you`re not going on to the next round. There is no nice way to say that, because you know that the person is going to take it personal anyway. So, for me, I just try to find the best way I can say and be honest with the person so they won`t walk away feeling discouraged or invalidated in any way.
ANDERSON: I think you do it very constructively. You do it very, very well.
BRANDY: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Now, last year on "American Idol," let`s go back to Simon Cowell, because he got a lot of heat for making fun of people`s weight...
BRANDY: Yes.
ANDERSON: ... which highlighted, really, Hollywood`s obsession with body image, I think.
BRANDY: Right.
ANDERSON: You yourself have admitted to having had an eating disorder in the past. Why do you think body image and eating disorders are such a common problem in Hollywood today?
BRANDY: Well, I think because that`s what`s promoted. Everybody thinks that`s the way you have to look to feel beautiful or to be gorgeous. That`s the way to look. But I don`t believe that`s true.
It`s about how you feel and it`s also about how you look. But if you are feeling bad while you`re looking good, that`s a problem. And so, for me, I had to change my mental thought process and get on the money as far as how I felt.
ANDERSON: How did you do it? Because I`m sure it wasn`t easy.
BRANDY: It wasn`t easy, but I had honest people around me, and I just decided that, you know, I don`t like to feel like this. This is not a good feeling. I`m not in the best shape. I`m not in the best health. I really need to get on my job as far as that, and that`s what I did.
You know, it took a lot of, you know, processes to get to that, but I got there, and I`m good. I`ve got a little weight on me, you know, I`m looking all right. You know.
ANDERSON: You look beautiful.
BRANDY: Thank you.
ANDERSON: You really are a role model, Brandy...
BRANDY: Thank you so much.
ANDERSON: ... to so many young girls. But the same just can`t be said about some other young women out there that are role models to a lot of people. Say, Paris Hilton with her sex tape, Lindsay Lohan with some of the partying.
BRANDY: Yes.
ANDERSON: The Olsens, the boyfriends.
Do you think they have a responsibility and do you feel a pressure to be a role model and to live your life a certain way because people are looking up to you?
BRANDY: I think being in the spotlight is a lot of responsibility. It`s unfortunate that you have to take on that responsibility for everyone else, because you are human and you do live and learn and you make mistakes, but except you`re doing it in the public eye. And then people can judge and, you know, call you things that you might not be or, you know, judge you in different ways that you might not be.
And that`s unfair because we are human and we are going to make mistakes. But, you know, people don`t want you to just be yourself. They want you to do what they want you to do because they are actually living through you. And that`s not fair all the time. But, for me, I try to take as much responsibility as I can.
But it`s hard, because I`m -- I`m a gal, you know. I like to do things at times.
ANDERSON: I`m sure it is difficult, a real challenge.
BRANDY: It is.
ANDERSON: And we recently had Diahann Carroll on the show, changing the subject quickly.
BRANDY: Right.
ANDERSON: And she was the first African-American woman, Brandy, to have a lead role on a television show, which was "Julia," of course.
BRANDY: I know.
ANDERSON: You were also able to have a groundbreaking show. You did the same in "Moesha."
BRANDY: Right.
ANDERSON: But some 30 years after Diahann did that, you know, there is still a long way to go. It`s not very common that a woman of color gets her own TV show.
Does that bother you?
BRANDY: Right. It does, in a sense, because, you know, we are talented. We`re just as beautiful as everybody else. And, you know, we don`t get the chance that everybody gets.
But I think if we continue to work hard and continue to show that we`re talented in any area of show business, then we`ll get our shot. It is just up to us to keep going, keep working hard. And also, for everybody out there with the -- with the key, you know, open up the door, because we`re knocking. It`s just you guys got to open up the door.
ANDERSON: Girl, keep on keeping on. You`re doing great.
BRANDY: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Great to see you, Brandy.
BRANDY: Thank you so much.
ANDERSON: Thanks so much.
BRANDY: You, too.
ANDERSON: You can catch "America`s Got Talent" Wednesday and Thursdays on NBC.
HAMMER: Listen to this. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
Jeopardy champ Ken Jennings lashed out about the show that made him famous. You remember him. He became nationally known after his record run on the hit game show. He actually holds the longest winning streak for the show, raking in more than half a million bucks.
The money doesn`t seem to be buying jeopardy any love from Jennings. Jennings harshly criticized the show on his online blog.
He says, "Does every freaking category have to be some effete left- coast crap nobody has heard of? I mean, wake me up when you come up with something middle America actually cares about."
He goes on to say, "Times have changed since your debut, but when I watch you, it`s the same-old same-old. The same everything as when I first crushed out on you in the fourth grade."
Jennings one 74 games before being defeated.
Well, a TV channel featuring convicted sex offenders is catching some heat. We`re going to tell you the surprising reasons why some people are against the show and some people are for the show. The debate`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLAS CAGE, ACTOR: And I do not see this as an opportunity to go on other shows that are entertainment based to sort of sell it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The reason Nicolas Cage gave us an exclusive interview. Plus, his thoughts on a movie that will bring you to tears. It`s the interview you will see only here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Also ahead, stars and the dramatic lengths they will go to sell their next projects. Losing weight and transform their looks, star power, is it all in the body?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
How do these guys do it? Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT happy to report The Rolling Stones coming back to America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICK JAGGER, ROLLING STONES (SINGING): I can`t get no satisfaction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: They keep going and going. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards say they are going to tour more than a dozen cities starting back in Boston on September 20th.
Now, you`ll remember, Keith Richards underwent brain surgery after falling out of a palm tree in New Zealand. We still haven`t gotten the real story on what happened there, but he`s still going strong.
And Mick, in pure Mick Jagger style, says Keith is "all fine, his head`s better, it`s all there."
ANDERSON: Good to know.
Sex offender TV, it`s supposed to warn people about convicted sex offenders in their neighborhood. Well, get this, some people are against it. That hot debate coming up.
HAMMER: Also, stars using their bodies to launch new projects. Do their newly--buffed bodies overshadow their work? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S special report is on the way.
And we`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAGE: And I do not see this as an opportunity to go on other shows that are entertainment based to sort of sell it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Nicolas Cage and his new film "World Trade Center," it`s the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Keep it here. We`re going to be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I am A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Nice to have you back.
HAMMER: Thank you.
ANDERSON: I am Brooke Anderson, and this is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Well, A.J., we know that the stars work really to keep themselves in shape.
HAMMER: That they do (ph).
ANDERSON: They hire trainers; they hire nutritionists, sometimes chefs to do it. Coming up, how the celebrities use their bodies to either launch their career, get noticed for the first time, or to revive their career. That`s ahead.
HAMMER: It`s amazing, and it`s interesting that sometimes that can overshadow the work.
ANDERSON: That`s right.
HAMMER: Looking forward to that.
Also, Nicolas Cage, Brooke, is talking to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about his new film "World Trade Center." Oliver Stone at the helm of this. He`s only talking to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, no other entertainment news show about it. Why just us? We`ll find out from Nic coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first, what if a sex offender moved into your neighborhood? Wouldn`t you want to know about it? And what if there was a TV program that showed photos, names and addresses of sex offenders? Would that make you feel safer?
Well that`s exactly what`s going on in Binghamton, New York. There`s a controversial new TV show that does just that. And you`d think everybody would be right on board and be going for this show. Well not necessarily.
Joining me tonight from Washington, D.C., Dr. Fred Berlin. He`s an associated professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He thinks posting sex-offender information on TV not necessarily a good idea.
And from Ithaca, New York, Binghamton city councilman Chris Papastrat, who supports putting sex-offender information on TV.
Gentlemen, thank you both for being with us.
DR. FRED BERLIN, ASSOC. PROF. OF PSYCHIATRY: Thank you.
HAMMER: So let me start with you...
CHRIS PAPASTRAT, BINGHAMTON, N.Y., CITY COUNCIL: Hello, A.J.
HAMMER: Let me start with you first, councilman. Just to be clear on exactly who is featured on this show, we`re talking about sex offenders who have already been through the system. They`ve paid their debt to society. As part of what is required, they do register as sex offenders.
Now these are people who are doing what they can, presumably, to make their way back into the community. Now up there in Binghamton, you have a TV show that`s putting their pictures, their names, their addresses right there on the tube for everyone to see. Which, you know, seems like a pretty radical idea.
Why do it?
PAPASTRAT: Well, let me clarify that these are Level III sex offenders. And they`ve been categorized that way by New York State as the most likely to reoffend. And the most violent.
HAMMER: OK. And - and why actually put a show like this on TV?
PAPASTRAT: Well, I think the more aware the public is, the better they can protect themselves and their children.
HAMMER: So Dr. Berlin, you know, this is information that is not just getting out there on a show like this. This is information that is - is available. That`s the purpose of - of the registry with sex offenders. It`s out there on the Web.
Really, this is just an additional form of media. Why don`t you think putting this out on television is a good idea?
BERLIN: Well, we all want the community to be safe. But let me make three very quick points.
First of all, there`s no evidence so far that doing this is making the community safer. That`s the first point.
Secondly, it could inadvertently make it worse. Contrary to the common misperception, most of sex offenders out there are doing well. They`re doing well because they have jobs. They can support their family. They`re not feeling disenfranchised. If we pull the carpet out from under them, that may make matters worse rather than better.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, when we identify offenders, keep in mind that many offenses are within the family, and we`re inadvertently often identifying the victim and causing them further trauma. We`ve been recently been asked by family members of people who are on the registry to start a support group because of the pain and difficulty it`s causing for them.
So these are all reasons to give pause and to try to think it through very carefully.
HAMMER: You know, councilman, it does seem like a legitimate concern. Obviously, when you put information out there, even if it`s already available in other forms - but you`re putting it out there on television now, there is sort of this - there - there could be collateral victims, whether it`s family members of - of the sex offenders who you`re identifying.
What`s the reaction in your community been about this?
PAPASTRAT: Well, I - I respect Dr. Berlin`s opinions. But the - the reaction that we`ve gotten since we put this show - it`s been a week now - has been overwhelmingly positive. The people that have come up there say that there is information on the - on the show that they hadn`t - didn`t know before, and that they were very glad that was available. And we haven`t had - we haven`t had any negative response to it.
BERLIN: Again, I think people probably are going to be glad to get this information. But the question is, how they use it.
Certainly if they are going to be provided with this information, they need some counseling. They need to know what to do about it. If I`m told there`s a dangerous sex offender in my community, the first thing I`m going to do is ask, Do the police have him under surveillance? What are the authorities doing? Perhaps something like putting an ankle bracelet on him might do a lot more than notifying me if I`m not in a position to do anything constructive with that information.
HAMMER: Councilman...
PAPASTRAT: Well, the ankle - the ankle bracelets and all that are things that are being considered at the state level and at the national level now. This is the kind of an idea that`s outside the box. Just to notify people, make them more aware who`s in their community, and not to take any violent action. Certainly that`s not the case that we want ...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: ..so where - so where do you take it? So you`re putting - you`re putting the television show on. You say you`re getting good reaction in the community. I mean, do you see this, you know, as possibly - you know, I don`t know, doing a radio show and somebody reading a list of names? Or, you know, something radical like doing a Podcast and make this information...
PAPASTRAT: Well....
HAMMER: ...just as widely accessible as possible?
PAPASTRAT: Well, now that you mention that, we do have a radio show. And they do mention the sex offenders on the radio show and their names.
But this is a - this is a position that we took that we thought we could - we could - if we could help one child from ever being molested by one of these sexual predators, or a future predators, then we`ve done our job.
BERLIN: Well, my only point is, we all want to help children. We all want to protect the community. But it`s not as simple as it seems, and I just think before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we have to think it through very carefully.
HAMMER: But Dr. Berlin, then let - let me ask you: what`s really so radically different about the way the information is out there?
I`ve been to the Web site where I`ve called up the ZIP code of the neighborhood and I live in, and it gives me all of that information. In fact, it gives me beyond what the television show is giving, with the - the offenders most likely to reoffend.
So what`s the harm of - of putting it out there in just another form of media?
BERLIN: Well, you`re absolutely right, and I`m fully for a registry, because that allows responsible authorities to have access to that, the police, principals who are hiring in schools. But this day and age, particularly because of the Internet, what was originally meant to be a registry gets everybody out there. And I just gave you some examples of how some victims are being further traumatized. I don`t want to ignore that as an - an insignificant issue. We need to consider it.
HAMMER: I think everybody will be paying close attention to the further reaction to the show. And - and how - how it does and what comes of - of it being on the air.
I appreciate you both joining us tonight. Dr. Fred Berlin, Councilman Chris Papastrat, I appreciate you being with us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
PAPASTRAT: Thank you, A.J.
BERLIN: Thank you.
ANDERSON: It`s time now for tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
Christie Brinkley`s husband has reportedly made a desperate plea for forgiveness. Until now he has been quiet about reports that he had an affair with a teenaged woman while he was married to Brinkley. Now through a lawyer, Peter Cook tells "The New York Post" - quote - "I`m sorry. I`m contrite. I`m stupid, foolish, no excuse."
Earlier, Nicolas Cage told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about his new 9/11 movie with Oliver Stone. Well, the actor is switching gears in a big way for his next project. TMZ.com says Cage will play Liberace in a movie about the singer and piano player`s life. Cage will also reportedly produce the film.
One of the lead character`s days are numbered on "Desperate Housewives." The series creator tells "TV Guide" that he`s building up to a huge hostage situation in a supermarket for the third season. That will lead to - and a lead character, then, will be murdered. That storyline starts in November.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
HAMMER: Man, let the betting pool begin on who that`s going to be.
We want to remind you that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now on seven nights a week. That is correct; you heard me right. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show can now be found on your weekends. So join us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT every night of the week, including Saturday and Sunday, 11 p.m. Eastern, 8 Pacific.
ANDERSON: Will there be a sequel to "Superman Returns"? We get the word from the director himself. That`s next.
HAMMER: Plus, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive: Nicolas Cage talks only to us about his new movie with Oliver Stone about September 11. That`s coming up.
We`ll also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET JACKSON, SINGER: I feel that if I can get this off, and that was - that`s 60 pounds. That`s a lot. Then other people can, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Janet Jackson`s body makeover: did you notice it`s coming just as she`s releasing a new album? Coming up, how some stars revive their careers by making over their bodies.
HAMMER: First, let`s get to a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Birthday Shoutout." This is where we give the fans a chance to wish their favorite stars a happy birthday. And tonight, one goes out to Matt LeBlanc, celebrating his 39th today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, I`m Carolyn (ph). I`m from New Hampshire. And I just wanted to wish Matt LeBlanc a happy birthday. I loved you on "Friends." Have a good one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three - stand by, Master. Roll your break. Effect black.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three - stand A.J. by. Three, 2, 1. Dissolve A.J. Go A.J.
HAMMER: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a Tuesday night. We are TV`s most provocative entertainment show. I`m A.J. Hammer to be back in New York.
And it is time now for another that just made us say "That`s Ridiculous!" In fact, this story`s all the buzz today.
A British jockey who was caught headbutting his horse. Now he said he`s very sorry, as he should. But the story has already taken on a life of its own, and the British papers are absolutely having a field day with it.
Here`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine you`re sitting on a horse and the horse is giving you a hard time. In this case, a British horse named City Affair. The horse unseats the jockey, and then things come to a head - butt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh dear.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, look at that.
MOOS: A headbutt with a helmet to the horse`s nose. British papers screamed, "Jockey does a `Zidane."
Remember the World Cup headbutt?
(on camera): But a horse? Jockey Paul O`Neill has already apologized to the public. Not the horse.
(voice-over): "I would like to say the public that I`m very sorry they had to see such a thing. I`ve never done it before and it will never happen again."
JOHN MCCRIRICK, HORSE RACING PUNDIT: The whole industry virtually is saying, So what? Three-quarters of a time a horse (INAUDIBLE) small jockey goes and gives him a little poke (INAUDIBLE), unable to see that the public perception of racing is damaged. This is unacceptable. It`s like whipping horses in a race.
MOOS: The jockey faces a suspension of up to 21 days, while the French soccer star was fined $6,000 and is still the butt of jokes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Miss France. Miss Italy.
(HEADBUTTING NOISE)
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: The press in Britain attributed the horse headbutt to race rage. But at least it wasn`t quite as bad as in, say, "Blazing Saddles."
(PUNCHING SOUND)
MOOS: Or "Conan the Destroyer."
(PUNCHING SOUND)
MOOS: But the only acceptable headbutt is the kind Liz Taylor demonstrated in "National Velvet."
ELIZABETH TAYLOR, ACTRESS: Oh, you`re a pretty one, Pike (ph).
MOOS: The "Velvet" headbutt.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
That`s not cool.
ANDERSON: That`s not cool at all.
HAMMER: Jeez.
ANDERSON: You know, fortunately the horse was not hurt. But I think the horse also deserves an apology from the jockey.
HAMMER: I think the horse should - I think the jockey should be put in a corral where the horse gets to just stampede on - I don`t know what that is.
All right. Moving right along: celebrities. They diet, they exercise and they tell us all about it when it comes time to release a new project. Now you may remember the days when talent got you places in Hollywood. But, you know, today things are very different. And stars are using their newly trained figures to revive their careers, or to get noticed for the very first time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Kate Bosworth surfed on to the Hollywood scene in "Blue Crush."
KATE BOSWORTH, ACTRESS: I did "Blue Crush" when I was 18, and I - I had to change my body dramatically for that.
You know, I think that part of being an actress is that your body`s your tool.
HAMMER: From Janet Jackson...
JACKSON: I hate working out.
HAMMER: ...to Jessica Simpson....
JESSICA SIMPSON, SINGER: I had to get to really get in the tip-top physical shape...
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that celebs everywhere are lifting weights to help lift their careers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think if you`re talented enough, then your talent should speak for itself and you shouldn`t have to use your physical attributes to promote yourself.
HAMMER: Case in point: Janet Jackson.
(SINGING)
HAMMER: Back in the 90s, everyone was looking at her body with the release of her self-titled album "janet." The complete body transformation was evident in "Love Will Never Do."
Take two: in 2006, the pop icon came out of hiding with this eye- popping "Us Weekly" cover back in May, after dropping 60 pounds - and just in time for the publicity rush for her upcoming new album "20 Years Old."
Jackson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she hopes to inspire others.
JACKSON: I feel that if I can get this off, and that was - that`s 60 pounds. That`s a lot. Then other people can, too. And to know that there is hope, especially if you feel hopeless.
SIMPSON: You all ready to order?
HAMMER: Jessica Simpson used her super-sexy, super-toned figure to launch her movie career in "The Dukes of Hazzard," and tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she worked at it.
But here`s what we want to know: Are these built-up bodies trying to hide something?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For some celebrities, you know, like, Jessica Simpson or - they have to use to use their bodies because, obviously, she has no talent.
HAMMER: But before Jessica, there was Demi Moore. Her fabulous physique was the draw for 1996`s "Striptease," followed by "G.I. Jane" a year later. And she still had it six years later in "Charlie`s Angels: Full Throttle."
(SINGING)
HAMMER: Then, there`s Madonna, who started her "Reinvention" tour at the ripe age of 47.
(SINGING)
HAMMER: It used to be her songs, their messages and her outrageous behavior that got our attention. But now it`s Madge and her yoga-inspired figure that steals the show.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madonna has used, you know, a myriad of talents to come and show you, This is who I am. This is who I am, through "Reinvention." One of the ways was her body. She didn`t say, This is my body, therefore I am, like a lot of others, which I`d rather not mention because they know who they are.
HAMMER: So in the end, it`s not just about talent when you have a bod that everyone wants to gawk it. As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you right now...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you got it, you got to flaunt it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And just in case you`re wondering how Janet Jackson lost the incredible 60 pounds, and you`re - you`re - you`re panicking that you`re never going to know. Well have no fear, Ms. Jackson actually tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that she and her trainer are putting out a book and a video on exactly how she dropped the weight.
ANDERSON: Capitalizing on it (INAUDIBLE)
HAMMER: Why not?
ANDERSON: Will "Superman Returns" return again? The movie has earned $178 million in the United States, but that`s still below expectations, especially compared to the $322 million haul of its main rival, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man`s Chest." But when we caught up with "Superman" director Bryan Singer at the Comic-Con convention, he insisted that "Superman" will indeed return.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRYAN SINGER, DIRECTOR: I`m interested in doing a - a sequel to it. So is the studio. We`re interested in doing it at a - ample level. It would probably not be - it would probably not come out until 2009.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: There isn`t any official - there isn`t any official word yet. But word on the street is that Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey would probably reprise their roles in the sequel.
HAMMER: Oliver Stone certainly known for making provocative movies, and his latest, "World Trade Center," certainly no exception. This film tells the story of two Port Authority police officers rescued from the rubble on 9/11. With Stone behind the lens, the question critics are asking is, Is the movie loaded?
Well tonight, he sets the record straight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny Ditoma (ph) sat down with him and with Nicolas Cage, who plays one of the officers in the film.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OLIVER STONE, DIRECTOR: It`s a 9/11 film that is detailed, accurate, based on true events and real participants who survived. It`s an amazing story, never been told. Never seen a story like it. The rescue itself is so improbable. And the lives are - have never been quite treated like this. So it`s all different.
I don`t think the director is - is the issue. If you like him, great. If you don`t, the film is better than the director.
NICOLAS CAGE, ACTOR: It was important, I think, to all of us to try to - to honor their story and to not bend it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you ever think that there will be a time when you can do a politically charged film about 9/11?
STONE: There`s no reason not to. I - I don`t want to be scared of anything in my life. Hopefully, I can move fearlessly into the next thing. I don`t think, perhaps, right now I would. I`m very happy with this. This is my "Platoon" so to speak. It`s Ground Zero. There might be a follow-up, but not quite yet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now I read somewhere that you were concerned about doing interviews for this - for this movie with entertainment shows because of the subject matter.
Is that true?
CAGE: It is, and that I don`t - I - I view the film as storytelling which depicts history. And I`m respectful of these people`s stories, and I do not see this as an opportunity to go on other shows that are entertainment-based to - to sort of sell it. I - I`m more about news show right now and about trying to treat this in - in the right fashion.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Having done the film, having played this character, has it changed you?
CAGE: Absolutely. I - I had the most amazing experience I`ve ever had on any film.
When I was shooting the final scenes, and Oliver brought in the actual men, Scott Fox and Scott Strauss was helpful. And I would - I would - I would - I could hear their voices and the way they were touching me and how important it was them - to then to re-enact the memory, recall what they had actually been through to save John`s life. And it was like an electric current that went right through me. I said, Wow, there really are angels. These people are above and beyond. Their - their - their - their spirit is - is - is - is an incredibly powerful force to feel. And - and I would - it changed my life. Absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you say to those people who don`t want to see this film?
STONE: What do you say?
CAGE: Don`t go. I mean, you know, it`s - it`s your right to go or not go.
I think that there is a lot of people who - young people who want answers, who want to see what - what was what experience like? I - you know, they - it was very traumatizing to view those events on television. I think the movie provides a healing mechanism. I think it`s - it - it provides answers (INAUDIBLE)
STONE: Well, it lets you see what`s going on inside. It`s very subjective. You don`t see the - the planes hit the towers. You see the buildings fall from the way John and Will experienced it. It was just terrifying. But they make it, and they`re - you see - you live through them. And that`s the only way - that`s the only opening to the movie. How else do you start?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Oliver Stone also told us it was good to return to doing working-class movies, and that directing "World Trade Center" was - quote - "a good refresher course in humility."
"World Trade Center" opens up on August 9.
ANDERSON: We know it`s only Tuesday, but we already want to help you make plans for the weekend. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now on seven nights a week. We`re bringing TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekend. Be sure to check us out: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday, 11 p.m. Eastern, 8 Pacific.
HAMMER: So last night we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." The question was, "Hollywood Marriages: Are men threatened by powerful women?" Let`s look at the vote: tilted pretty one- sided. Eighty-three percent of you saying yes, 17 percent of you saying no.
Among the e-mails we received, we heard from Kerri in New Mexico. She writes: "To say men are threatened by powerful women is a sexist stereotype. Men should be given a lot more credit."
We also heard from Mary in California, who wrote us: "There are some men who are threatened by successful women, like Nick Lachey. But there are also men who have enough confidence."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Tuesday night coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pull out (ph) 3. Dissolve. And Dissolve 1. Go.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Brett (ph).
We have been asking you to vote on tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." And it is this: "Christie Brinkley`s Husband Apologizes: Should she take him back?" All right. Let`s hear from you. Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. There`s the e-mail. Write us: showbiztonight@cnn.com. We will read some of those e-mails tomorrow.
HAMMER: As we creep up on Wednesday, time to find out what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT smack in the middle of your week. Here is your "SHOWBIZ Marquee."
Tomorrow, an angelic anniversary: can you believe it has been 30 years since "Charlie`s Angels" hit the television airwaves.
ANDERSON: Can`t believe it.
HAMMER: We`re going to take a look back at the show that spawned a hairstyle craze, and of course a long tradition of running in high heels. That`s tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, an anchorwoman`s personal struggle with an eating disorder. Holly Ames shared her battle with bulimia with her viewers. She`s going to be right here to tell us how she got through it all. That`s coming up tomorrow in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Very courageous.
HAMMER: Have you ever - have you ever run on the beach in high heels?
ANDERSON: I don`t think on the beach, no. But I have run in high heels.
HAMMER: Did they do that in "Charlie`s Angels"?
That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Thanks for watching, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson. Glenn Beck is next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News. Keep it here.
END
