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Showbiz Tonight
Hollywood Breakups
Aired August 15, 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, CO-HOST: Prosecutors are keeping an eye on Madonna. We`ll tell you why.
Plus, why Hollywood bad boys are more popular than ever.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the summer of splitsville. Charlie and Denise, Paul and Heather, Hilary and Chad. And now the latest shocker, Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson.
Tonight, is it really harder for stars to stay together? And can lessons learned from their breakups save your marriage?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
Tonight, sex and music. Are teenagers having sex sooner because of the music they are listening to?
Tonight, the shocking new study that has parents surprised and scared.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you actually download and read it word for word, it`s shocking.
HAMMER: Tonight, the startling link between raunchy lyrics and teenage sex.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And the summer hits about the splits just keep on coming. It`s really gotten to the point that we`re starting to wonder if there is something in the water in Hollywood that`s breaking up all these marriages.
The latest shocking news that Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson are separating, just the latest breakup making this the summer of splits. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is here to tell you that there are lessons to be learned from these breakups that can help any couple, even if you`re not in Hollywood.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Prince is getting a divorce.
Supermodel Christie Brinkley and her fourth husband, Peter Cook, have accept berated.
Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro are "amicably separating."
(voice over): Forget summer of love. This has been the summer of separation. It seems that not a day goes by when we`re not talking about another celebrity coupling who is splitting up. It`s gotten to the point where one almost needs a ticker to keep track.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Swank, a two-time Oscar winner, is revealing for the very first time why she is getting divorced from Chad Lowe.
HAMMER: Now we have another celebrity split, actress Kate Hudson and rocker husband Chris Robinson.
J.D. HEYMAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson, who have been married for six years, have announced that they are speculating.
HAMMER: The split surprised Hollywood. Hudson, Oscar-nominated actress and daughter of Goldie Hawn, and Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes first got married in 2001. Hudson, a lifelong fan of her husband`s band, once told CNN she didn`t even know who Robinson was when they first met.
KATE HUDSON, ACTRESS: When I met him the first time I didn`t know it was him. And then when he told me, I went, "Oh, my god, I am the biggest fan."
HAMMER: And while the couple, who have a 2-year-old son, were not exactly the most boring couple in Hollywood, "People" magazine`s J.D. Heyman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they appeared to be one of the most stable.
HEYMAN: As untraditional as they seemed as a couple, they also seemed to be very, very happy as a couple. And, you know, maybe they -- he had long hair, they joked about whether marriage to one person could really work, but they seemed to be making it work. They had a very traditional -- sort of Ozzie and Harriet kind of relationship in the end. It`s too bad it didn`t work.
HAMMER: And then there is this. For the first time we`re hearing about a Hollywood divorce that was kept secret for a year.
BRAD GARRETT, ACTOR: I was thinking, with that nose, you`re going to need an open casket.
HAMMER: Brad Garrett, who once played the put-upon older brother on "Everybody Loves Raymond," tells "USA Today" that he has been secretly divorced from Jill Diven, his wife of seven years, since last year.
In 1998, he shocked his "Raymond" cast mates and Jill herself when he proposed to her from the set of his sitcom.
GARRETT: With all the miracles you`ve given me in my life, none of it would be complete if I couldn`t spend all of my days with you.
HAMMER: But even with that public proposal, the couple decided to do keep their divorce private.
HEYMAN: They had kept it quiet for the sake of their children and because they wanted to keep this a private family matter.
HAMMER: And then there`s this. Denise Richards is speaking out about the end of her three-year marriage to Charlie Sheen. She tells "Harper`s Bazaar" magazine, "The dynamic of Charlie and me just didn`t work. We are two very different individuals. But when I met him, I really fell in love with him." She goes on to say, "We weren`t married for very long, and thank god we were able to end it now instead of spending 10 years together being unhappy."
HILARY BLACK, "TANGO" MAGAZINE: It`s difficult in a Hollywood marriage.
HAMMER: Hilary Black, of the relationship magazine "Tango," tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that celebrity marriages face stresses that other couples couldn`t possibly comprehend.
BLACK: Well, I think there is a lot of pressure in Hollywood when you`re in a fishbowl and your relationship is constantly being analyzed by the press. You`re bound to have a lot of cracks in what could have started off as a very strong foundation. Celebrities who want to have successful marriages have to go into the marriage expecting these things to happen.
HAMMER: But developmental psychologist Cooper Lawrence tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that communication is the key.
COOPER LAWRENCE, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST: I think you`ve got to all along be talking about this, even if it means going to a couple`s therapist. You`ve got to decide ahead of time, how are we going to parent, how are we going to handle the downs and the ups? Which are extremes -- not like everyone else. There are extreme ups and extreme downs. And I think if you go into it with a plan ahead of time, there is no reason why you can`t have a good marriage.
HAMMER: Good advice for all couples, celebrities included.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Joining me tonight, two psychologists for the price of one. Dr. Ian Kerner, author of "She Comes First," and Dr. Robi Ludwig, host of the TLC show, "One Week to Save Your Marriage."
I welcome you both. Nice to see you.
ROBI LUDWIG, HOST, "ONE WEEK TO SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE": Thank you.
HAMMER: All right. So let`s talk about Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson first, because this is a couple that, even by Hollywood standards, seemed stable, they seemed to be keeping it real, quet it didn`t work out, as we now know.
Is that basically, Robbie, things aren`t always what they seem?
LUDWIG: Well, and also things can start off really well at the beginning and be really strong at the beginning, and then because of the various professional pulls, it makes it difficult. When you have a child, you have all these new challenges. And I think, too, when you`re very young, the reasons that you make a decision when you`re very young entering into a marriage, it sometimes can make it hard to last the distance.
HAMMER: Yes, I think...
LUDWIG: But I was very sad because I was pulling for them.
HAMMER: I think everybody was. And that is something that everybody can relate to. Certainly, when you get into a relationship initially, you know a person much differently six, seven years down the road.
In the case of, say, Chad Lowe and Hilary Swank, talk about professional aspects.
IAN KERNER, AUTHOR, "SHE COMES FIRST": Yes, well, I think that`s really a case of, A, being in the public spotlight, and being in the same industry with each other. That`s bound to create, you know, competitive issues, feelings of inferiority.
I think you also -- whenever this is a reversal in terms of the gender roles, in the case of Hilary Swank being more successful than Chad, I think that`s going to make it all the tougher. I think being in the same business is awfully hard to manage, especially in the public spotlight.
HAMMER: And that competition was something that a lot of people reported was probably at least a contributing factor to why they ended up splitting up.
KERNER: Yes.
HAMMER: You know? But that is something that obviously people don`t deal with only in Hollywood. That`s in real life as well.
KERNER: You know, absolutely. In the case with all of us -- I mean, even with Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson, I mean, you know, most divorces of first-time marriages happen within the first five to seven years because it`s in that period that you are navigating so many obstacles, you know...
LUDWIG: It`s really true.
KERNER: ... from navigating from infatuation to compatibility, to having a first -- your first child, where you`re no longer able to put your marriage first and really have to put someone else first.
LUDWIG: And also, in Hollywood, you know, it`s happening all around. So basically you don`t have any role models for really strong marriages.
You`re in an environment where breaking up is the norm. And so it doesn`t feel as odd. Being happily married really is a tool and a skill, and also you need to put yourself in an environment with other people where you can learn, you know, how to be in a good relationship and stay that way.
HAMMER: And perhaps be in an environment where you`re not on television all the time. I know your show puts the spotlight on couples.
LUDWIG: Yes.
HAMMER: Well, you look at all the couples who have been in the spotlight because of shows they`ve chosen to get involved with. Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra did a reality show. That didn`t work out. Of course it`s easy to look at Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey. That added publicity cannot help.
LUDWIG: I`m sure it doesn`t when you have to deal with people criticizing you and how does that impact your self esteem, and then do you have a strong enough bond and relationship in order to tolerate that? But I think in a lot of these cases, once the rose-colored glasses come off, they don`t know how to deal with basically the fundamentals of being in a relationship.
It`s not all about having good sex and looking into your partner`s eyes and seeing future children. I wish it was, but it`s not.
KERNER: And in the case of the media, you really have to protect your relationship from the media. I mean, look, Heather Mills, Paul McCartney, basically blaming the media for tearing them apart. Well, they chose to unfold their relationship on international TV.
HAMMER: Sure.
KERNER: You really have to put your relationship first and protect it.
HAMMER: So perhaps couples outside of Hollywood don`t have to deal with that, at least in terms of media attention, but there are levels of attention with the schools and the PTA.
KERNER: Absolutely.
HAMMER: But it`s interesting. You mention the rose-colored glasses coming off. And, you know, like any marriage, whether it`s in Hollywood or out, the fizzle can eventually go away. You would think somebody involved with Carmen Electra, they are going to break up with her? Somebody involved with Christie Brinkley, that`s not going to work out?
But how do you keep the sizzle alive and not let it fizzle?
LUDWIG: You -- basically, it has to be a goal. And you have to recognize that -- that your feelings state is going to wax and wane, and that loving somebody in the right way is making a choice. And it`s a behavior.
So if you do little things in your relationship that basically says, I care, I`m thinking of you, I`m empathizing with you, that`s a way to keep the sizzle alive. You make it a goal. You treat each other well and realize that being madly in love every second of the day is not going to happen and doesn`t mean that you need to get divorced.
KERNER: On the other hand, I would say that, you know, it`s a fact of life that relationships do get kind of boring. They get routine. They get predictable. They get trustworthy.
And you need all of that to maintain a daily bond, but you also have to create a place for putting yourself first as a couple, for maintaining excitement, for being sexy, for creating anticipation. I think so many of us just get overwhelmed by the banality and the routine of it.
HAMMER: Obviously. Yes, so...
LUDWIG: Got to shake it up, baby.
HAMMER: We`re going to end it there. But it`s true, even if you`re not a creative type from Hollywood, be creative in the relationship.
Dr. Ian Kerner, author of "She Comes First," Dr. Robi Ludwig from the TLC show "One Week to Save Your Marriage," I appreciate you joining us tonight.
LUDWIG: Thank you.
KERNER: Thank you.
HAMMER: And still to come, Denise Richards has more to say about her split with Charlie Sheen and what really happened with Heather Locklear and Richie Sambora.
But now we would like to turn it over to you and find out what you think about all of this.
For our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," we`re asking, Hollywood breakups: Is it harder for star tos stay together?
Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight or e-mail us more of what you have to say at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
A reminder that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now on seven nights a week. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show can now be found on your weekends. So join us Monday through Friday and Saturday and Sunday for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, at 11:00 Eastern, 8:00 Pacific.
Well, German authorities say they are going to be keeping tabs on Madonna this weekend. I`ll tell you why coming up next.
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you actually download and read it word for word, it`s shocking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Are teenagers having sex sooner because of the music they are listening to? Coming up, the shocking new study that has parents really scared.
Plus, the bad boys of Hollywood. Coming up, why sometimes bad is good. We are looking into what it is about bad boys that make them so popular in Hollywood and beyond.
Right now it`s time for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" "Great American Pop Culture Quiz".
The legendary Stan Lee created which of the following superhero franchises? Was it "X-Men," "The Fantastic Four," "Spider-Man," or all of the above?
We`re coming right back with the answer. And Stan Lee himself will be joining us next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Time now for a story that made us say "That`s ridiculous!" And we can always count on Ms. Paris Hilton for material. In fact, she inspired this whole segment to begin with.
Her album is available today on AOL Music.
(MUSIC)
Ah, good stuff. As Paris is promoting the album, some interesting details are coming to light about her personal life.
In "British GQ" magazine, Paris says she is going to be single and celibate for the next year. Now, Paris sat down with CNN and said, yes, it is true she wants to concentrate on her career. So no sex.
The magazine also quoted her as saying that she has only slept with two men. Well, she told us that she never said that, and that in reality it has been "a few."
Crunching numbers over the newly-celibate Paris Hilton sex life? "That`s ridiculous!"
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: "That`s ridiculous!"
HAMMER: It sure is.
Once again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" "Great American Pop Culture Quiz".
The legendary Stan Lee created which of the following superhero franchises? Was it "X-Men"? Was it "The Fantastic Four," "Spider-Man," or all of the above? You got to know the answer is D, all of the above.
And let`s not forget about "The Incredible Hulk," "Daredevil," "Iron Man," among countless others. Stan Lee has created comic book characters for over 45 years. And now he has given everybody a chance to be a superhero in his new Sci Fi Channel reality show, "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?"
Joining me from Hollywood, Stan Lee.
A pleasure to welcome you to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Mr. Lee.
STAN LEE, : Hi. Great to be here.
HAMMER: So, Stan, I`ve always wanted to get your very unique perspective on this, because we all love superheroes, whether it`s "Spider-Man," whether it`s "The Incredible Hulk," "The Fantastic Four." But you`re in a very unique position to tell us why we love them so much.
LEE: Oh, I don`t know. I think we all admire anybody who can do things that we can`t do, who are better than we are, bigger and bolder than we are. Remember, when we were kids, we all loved fairytales. Well, as you get older, you can`t read fairytales anymore, but superhero stories are really the closest thing to them.
HAMMER: They truly are adult fairytales. And as we`re watching "Spider- Man" right now on our screen, we have seen so many of your creations come to life on film over the years. I have to imagine it was a pretty wild experience the first time you ever saw one of your superheroes on the big screen.
Take me back to the first time you saw one of them come to life.
LEE: Well, the first time I wasn`t all that happy. It was a cheapy (ph) production of "Captain America," although I didn`t create "Captain America," but it was one of our Marvel characters. But the first time I saw a really good one, when "Spider-man" was done, and when the "X-Men" were done, and done the way they should be done, with the great script and great special effects and great actors and directors, I can`t tell you what a thrill that was.
HAMMER: Because it has to have been, you know, a little unnerving as the process of putting these films together was unfolding. This is something that you had poured your heart and soul and your life into.
Can you tell me which superhero that has made it to film really best captured what that original concept of that character was for you?
LEE: Well, I think "Spider-Man" is probably the best example, because "Spider-Man" on screen was very much the way he was in the comic book. It was the same feeling of any regular fellow who could be you, who happened to get a super power. But, even with it, he still had the same problems, the same hang-ups and neuroses and trials and tribulations as any average man. And that`s what I think really makes him so empathetic and makes an audience relate to him.
HAMMER: And it really -- in addition to being rewarding for the audiences that flock to see the movies, it has to be very rewarding for you to have seen your character captured the way you wanted to.
Now, I know there is a second "Hulk" film that`s currently in pre- production, due out in 2008. Can you tell us what to expect from that?
LEE: No, I really can`t. I`m not that involved with the productions themselves. I`m lucky. I get a cameo in just about every one of them, and obviously that`s the main reason people go to see the movie.
HAMMER: Obviously.
LEE: But, beyond that, we have the greatest directors and screenwriters and producers, and they don`t even need me to butt in.
HAMMER: Well, I do love the idea for your new show. It`s called "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?" It`s regular people bringing you ideas for a new superhero. The winner gets immortalized in a comic book, a dream come true. They get their own Sci Fi Channel movie.
You`ve got a couple of characters that I love the names of, Major Victory, Fat Mama, Feedback. Of the characters you have on your show, share with me a couple of their powers and abilities.
LEE: Well, Feedback gets his powers from video machines and electricity that`s in the area. Fat Mama said she gets her power from eating doughnuts. I`m not sure I agree with that, but, I mean, I have to go along with what she says.
And they all have made up their own little stories. But the nice thing about it, every one of them really have the right spirit and the right intent and the right personality. And it`s been so much fun working on this show. None of them, of course, can run faster than a speeding train or leap over a mountain.
HAMMER: Of course.
LEE: But they have the other qualities: dependability, courage, perseverance, all of that. And it makes for a lot of fun when we do the series.
HAMMER: It is a lot of fun. It is a lot of fun to watch. But really, Stan, I have to disagree with you. Who among us doesn`t get our power from doughnuts?
Stan Lee, thanks for joining us. I appreciate it.
LEE: Great being here.
HAMMER: You can catch "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?" Thursday nights on the Sci Fi Channel.
It`s time now to get into tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
A crew just returned from a highly-guarded top-secret film shoot in Pakistan for the upcoming movie about journalist Daniel Pearl, who was abducted and killed in Pakistan back in 2002. Actor and writer Dan Futterman is playing the role, with Angelina Jolie co-starring, but until now the casting of Futterman was kept a secret because of security concerns.
"The Washington Post" says everyone involved was sworn to secrecy because the director and crew were hoping to be perceived as a documentary or a news crew. The film, called "A Mighty Heart," is scheduled for release next year. Brad Pitt`s production company is producing the film.
Prosecutors in Germany say they are going to be keeping tabs on Madonna this weekend. That`s because Madonna is performing in Germany. And prosecutors say they are going to be watching just in case she repeats her stunt of wearing a crown of thorns on a mirrored cross.
German authorities say that could be an insult to religious beliefs, but they also say the show could be covered by laws protecting artistic freedom.
Drew Barrymore says she is ready to start a family. Barrymore is 31, and she tells "InStyle" magazine that she feels the beginnings of the biological clock ticking away. She says whether she has children or adopts, she would love to have a family.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
Bad boys in Hollywood and beyond.
Coming up, we`re taking a look at the allure of Mr. Wrong.
Plus, Denise Richards opens up about her split from Charlie Sheen and what really happened between her, Heather Locklear and Richie Sambora.
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a relationship here between what teens are listening to go and their sexual behavior.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Are teenagers having sex sooner because of the music they are listening to? Coming up, the shocking new study that has parents scared.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tomorrow, so, which stars are sizzling hot? Well, we`ve got the results of the "InStyle" magazine 2006 sexy poll. Did your favorites make it? Who are the surprise winners?
You will find out tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
I`m A.J. Hammer.
So, a humor magazine called "Cracked" back on newsstands today after going a redesign. And we just have to show you the cover. Take a look at this.
Recognize that guy? A doctored photo of Tom Cruise`s head on Steve Carell`s body. And headline "Asking the 44-Year-Old Virgin." This, of course, is a parody of Carell`s hit movie "The 40-Year-Old Virgin."
"Cracked" magazine has been around for 48 years, but they went on hiatus for the last year and a half, getting a bit of a makeover. The magazine costs $3.99 and is on newsstands everywhere.
Well, the bad boys of Hollywood, from Nicholson, to Sheen, to Farrell, they are so popular.
Coming up, we`re going to look into what it is about bad boys that make them so wildly popular in Hollywood and beyond.
Plus, what`s in a name? Samuel L. Jackson tells us why his new movie "Snakes on a Plane" count be called anything else. That`s coming up in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Plus, we`ll have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you actually download and read it word for word, it`s shocking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Raunchy lyrics. Can they actually make teenagers have sex sooner? A new study that has parents scared.
That is coming up.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Still to come tonight, a phenomenon in Hollywood and beyond. Let me throw a couple names out at you: Colin Farrell, Charlie Sheen, Jack Nicholson. Those are certainly just a few of Hollywood`s bad boys. These are the kind of guys that some women should stay away from, so some say. But apparently some women just can`t resist. In fact, they flock to them. But why? We will look into Hollywood bad boys coming up in just a few minutes.
Also, the most talked-about movie that nobody has seen: "Snakes on a Plane" opens up this week. Now with a title like "Snakes on a Plane," how can you possibly miss? Well, that`s exactly what Samuel L. Jackson though. The movie studio had different ideas. Find out how Sam reacted when they tried to change the name. Let me tell you, he was not quiet about it. And he will tell us in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first tonight, have you ever listened to the lyrics of some of the most popular songs that are out there today? They can get downright raunchy, even filthy. Well now there`s a controversial new report out that says those songs could actually lead to sex.
CNN national correspondent Sumi Das joins us from Washington for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Sumi.
SUMI DAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A.J, we`re talking teen sex. And research shows that the younger a teen is when they begin to have sex, the more likely they are to regret it later on. And that`s just one of the reasons why the authors of this report their new study is so important.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAS (voice-over): They`re hardly fans. But thanks to their kids, Shirley and Michael O`Driscoll hear a lot of hip hop. But are they listening? We gave them lyrics to two of their kids` favorite songs, "Candy Shop" by 50 Cent, and "I`m in Love With a Stripper" by T-Pain.
(SINGING)
DAS: Shirley says lyrics like "Soon as I come through the door she gets a coil on my zipper" is like it`s a race - who can get undressed quicker - are simply scary.
SHIRLEY O`DRISCOLL, MOTHER OF TEENAGERS: When you actually download and read it word for word, it - it`s shocking.
DAS: Twelve-year-old Kelsey isn`t completely clued in.
KELSEY O`DRISCOLL, SAYS SHE ONLY UNDERSTANDS CURSES: We understand, like, what the curse words are. But we don`t understand anything else.
DAS: But could the music be sinking in?
(on camera): A study by the RAND Corporation finds that teens who listen to any music that portrays women as sexual objects and men as sexually insatiable are almost twice as likely to initiate sexual activity earlier than teens who don`t.
STEVE MARTINO, RAND CORPORATION: There is a relationship here between what teens are listening to and - and their sexual behavior, applies equally to boys and girls, to whites and - and non-whites alike.
DAS (voice-over): Pop idol Christina Aguilera says when she sings "I want to give you a little taste of the sugar below my waist," it`s not to be taken seriously. She says parents should be more involved with their children.
CHRISTINA AGUILERA, SINGER: Talk to your kids about sex. Make it an open subject. Put it out there so that they`re not exploring and doing things on their own.
DAS: The RAND Corporation agrees; censorship is not the answer.
MARTINO: Unless, you know, you`re going to keep your - your child locked up in their room until they`re, you know, 20 years old or so, you`re not going to keep them from hearing this kind of music. That`s why parents need to be speaking with their kids.
DAS: It`s a conversation parents may dread. But it`s better than letting the music speak for itself.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DAS: To really get a handle on the meaning of these lyrics, parents may need to do a little research. There`s a lot of slang in today`s music.
Take, for example, the word "twerk." Sounds harmless enough, right? But look it up and you`ll discover that it means to dance and move in - let`s just say a sexually provocative way - A.J.
HAMMER: Did you say "twerk"?
DAS: Twerk.
HAMMER: T-W-E-R-K?
DAS: E-R-K, correct. I hadn`t heard of it before.
HAMMER: Making notes. Me neither.
CNN`s Sumi Das in Washington, thanks for joining us for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, there certainly have been some nasty words between Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen. We`ve been reading that they`ve actually settled their divorce. No other details on the exact terms or who`s getting the two kids. But Denise is talking. She`s hinting at what life was like with the "Two and a Half Men" star, and what led her to file for divorce and a restraining order.
In the September issue of "Harper`s Bazaar," she says, "Like everyone else, I had heard about his past. I had never done drugs, never been around a prostitute, never known any porn stars. He told me that was in the past, and I believed him."
Richards also talks about the very touchy rumors of her stealing her best friend`s guy, swiping Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora away from Heather Locklear while the two were going through a divorce, too. "I would never, ever pursue my girlfriend`s soon-to-be ex-husband. My friendship with Heather had ended. It ended before Richie and I were together. If I was still friends with Heather, I wouldn`t have crossed that line."
Read more of the revealing Denise Richards interview in the September issue of "Harper`s Bazaar," on newsstands August 22.
Well, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Hollywood Breakups: Is it harder for stars to stay together?" Go to cnn.com/showbiztonight if you`d like to vote. Or write to us at showbiztonight@cnn.com, and we`ll check out some of your e-mails tomorrow.
Samuel L. Jackson plays an FBI agent trying to keep a planeload of passengers together in his brand-new movie "Snakes on a Plane." It`s just fun to say it. "Snakes on a Plane." The movie, being kept super secret, is going to be in theaters finally on Friday.
Now I sat down with Jackson, who not only made sure the movie title stayed the same, but he also told me something he does to stay in touch with fans that you might not expect from a superstar.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Sam, it`s nice to see you.
SAMUEL L. JACKSON, ACTOR: Thank you.
HAMMER: "Snakes on a Plane." It`s just fun to say, isn`t it?
JACKSON: Yes.
HAMMER: And really, is it as simple as, you heard the title, I got to do a movie called "Snakes on a Plane."
JACKSON: Read it in the trades along with (INAUDIBLE), who was supposed to direct it. And I e-mailed him to see what it was. He told me. It was like, Uh, I`m in. Can I be in it?
HAMMER: The catchiness of the name alone though.
JACKSON: That was it, yes.
HAMMER: .it just sucked you in.
JACKSON: Yes. Immediately.
HAMMER: Your agents, happy about the choice?
JACKSON: They are now.
HAMMER: Yes, I imagine they are. It`s gotten a little bit of buzz.
JACKSON: Yes, they had some issues at - at first, trying to figure out, Do you really want to do - I mean, we haven`t seen the script, we don`t know what it is. (INAUDIBLE), it doesn`t matter. It`s - you know, if it`s what I think it is, it`s going to be fine.
HAMMER: It`s called "Snakes on a Plane."
JACKSON: Yes. What could be wrong with that?
HAMMER: But you show up to shoot, and all of a sudden the title is "Pacific Air 121" or something like that.
JACKSON: Yes, "Pacific Flight 121," yes.
HAMMER: You were not happy about that, from everything I understand.
Tell me how that conversation with the studio execs went.
JACKSON: Well, I didn`t have a conversation with them. I started talking to the producers who were there, and they started talking about, Well, you know, we`re not sure we want to give away too much about the film - which you do, actually. You had pretty good success with two films that told people everything about what they wanted to see. You know, "Freddy Versus Jason"; "Alien Versus Predator." "Snakes on a Plane." Let`s get back to business.
And they didn`t know if they were going to do. So we started sneaking things into the (INAUDIBLE) about, you know, them changing the title and how people felt. How you feel about that? Every now and then, you can do stuff and nobody knows who you are.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Isn`t that nice, you got a little control? But you were actually out there yourself, in interviews.
(CROSSTALK)
JACKSON: .I`m - I`m - I`m, you know, chatting and then I did it out loud. You know, I`m not afraid to say things out loud. I actually said it on Conan O`Brien one night, they were trying to change the name of the movie. That`s when kind of all hell broke loose.
HAMMER: So backing up a second, you were actually on the Internet yourself?
JACKSON: True.
HAMMER: Doing stuff?
JACKSON: Yes.
HAMMER: You would just go into the chatrooms, onto the blogs?
JACKSON: Yes.
HAMMER: Do you have a blog that nobody realizes is actually you?
JACKSON: Yes.
HAMMER: You do.
JACKSON: Yes, of course.
HAMMER: Will you reveal to us right now.
JACKSON: No.
HAMMER: .what the name of that is?
JACKSON: Oh, heck no. I - I go on lots and lots of Web sites. I`ll (INAUDIBLE) conversations with.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: So you are out there.
JACKSON: I`ve had conversations with lots of people about my career and what`s wrong with it, and what`s right with it, so.
HAMMER: Really?
JACKSON: Yes.
HAMMER: So if you see something written about yourself from some obscure person just writing an entry on a blog, do you actually - will you respond to that anonymously ever?
JACKSON: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes.
HAMMER: Get into it with them?
JACKSON: Yes. I`ll pretend I`m a fan of Samuel L. Jackson`s and - and - and get on them about it. You know, Why are you saying about them? You know, he`s done da da da da (ph). Well, you know, he - he`s only done, like, three movies that are really good. And what they are? And then I`ll go, Well, what about this? And what about this? What about this? What about this? And they`ll go, Well, OK, those were OK.
All right. Well, maybe you`re right. And I hear he`s a very nice guy to work with. (INAUDIBLE)
HAMMER: That`s great. You can control your reputation on your (INAUDIBLE)
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: (INAUDIBLE) the Internet.
JACKSON: I try.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So if you`re out there writing stuff about Samuel L. Jackson, be careful what you say. He could be watching.
And coming up tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, I`ll have Part 2 of my interview with Sam Jackson. So make sure you tune in to hear what he did to get the rating of the movie changed. Part 2 of my interview with "Snakes on a Plane" star Samuel L. Jackson tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Which can now be seen seven nights a week, by the way. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show has arrived on your weekends. No snakes whatsoever. Be sure to tune into SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday, 11 p.m. Eastern, 8 Pacific, as well as Monday through Friday.
So what do Snow White, the Three Stooges and the U.S. Supreme Court have in common? It`s not going to make our grade school teachers very happen. "That`s Ridiculous!," and that`s next.
Also, one girl and two very different guys trying to get her: Billy Bob Thornton and that dorky guy from "Napoleon Dynamite." Who will win her over? Find out in tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Showcase."
We`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILARY BLACK, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "TANGO" MAGAZINE: They`re charming. They`re charismatic. They`re - they`re never boring.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: They`re well known. They`re naughty. But women can`t keep their hands off of them. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates Hollywood bad boys. Why do so many think they have the right stuff, when they know they`re so wrong.
That`s next.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let`s get Hammer to desk with tracking (ph) for the next block. And roll your break, effect.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go 3. Stand by, A.J. Pre-set Camera 2. Open his mike. Dissolve 2, hit it.
HAMMER: I don`t believe he called me Hammer a little earlier.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
It`s time now for another story that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous!" And this one is not going to make our high school social studies teachers happy. It`s going to make them grumpy.
Now according to a new Zogby poll, three-quarters of Americans can correctly two of Snow White`s Seven Dwarves, while only 25 percent can name out of nine U.S. Supreme Court judges. And this one certainly isn`t more encouraging: 73 percent of those polled can name Moe, Larry and Curly, the Three Stooges, but only about 40 percent can recite the three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial. No, n`yuck, n`yuck, n`yuck (ph) here. This sorry state of civics is just yuck. And "That`s Ridiculous!"
From bad knowledge to bad boys now, take Colin Farrell and Jack Nicholson, a couple of Hollywood bad boys who are just as popular on screen as they are with the ladies. But what is about them that keeps the females flocking to them? Well, we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did a little digging around to find out why women love misbehaving males, and fall for Mr. Wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Ah, bad boys. From Jack Nicholson to Colin Farrell to Charlie Sheen..
(CHEERING)
HAMMER: ..they`re rugged, handsome, confident.
COLIN FARRELL, ACTOR: Thank you, sweetheart.
HAMMER: They`re oh-so-irresistible. But also, oh-so-unattainable.
BLACK: They really do make us feel so good. Why is it? Well, because they`re handsome. They`re elusive. You know, we have this inability to possess them, and I think that for a lot of women, that`s the whole mystique.
HAMMER: Pop princess Britney Spears knows the mystique; she fell for a bad boy in a big way. She ditched her bubblegum image with squeaky- clean Justin Timberlake for not-so-squeaky clean Kevin Federline - a smoker, a slacker and a fledging rapper.
BLACK: Kevin Federline is a bad boy who attained a status after he tasted fame. It affected his personality and made him into this alpha male, would-be rock star.
HAMMER: Let`s face it: Mr. Wrong is nothing new. He`s been right for years now. Just go back and take a look at the classic Hollywood bad boy, Warren Beatty. Beatty`s been connected to a galaxy of beautiful women, from Joan Collins to Bridget Bardot. A real love-em-and-leave-em kind of guy, a bad boy who many thought would never settle down.
But wouldn`t you know, it just took the right woman? Enter Annette Benning.
BLACK: Warren Beatty was a bad boy for his entire life. And then when it came time for him to settle down, he picked a powerful, confident, acclaimed actress in her own right who was exquisitely beautiful and, you know, she captured him. It was, I think, heartening for a lot of women to see that someone like Warren Beatty could be tamed.
HAMMER: Beatty could be tamed, but most bad boys can`t. Why is that? What is it about these guys?
BLACK: They`re charming. They`re charismatic. They`re never boring. I mean, who can resist - who can resist somebody who is just focused on you, focused on making you for that moment the center of the universe? I think that it`s often why Bill Clinton has been described as being such a ladykiller, because when he`s talking to you, you`re the only person in the whole world. And I think he`s kind of the ultimate bad boy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: The question is, Is it time to break the habit? If you like them naughty, shouldn`t you be going for someone a little more nice instead?
Hilary Black is the editor in chief of the relationship magazine "Tango," joining me now in New York.
It`s a pleasure to welcome you here.
BLACK: Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: So you were filling us in a little bit in a story about the - the Hollywood bad boys, and bad boys in general.
Really, what is it about these guys? It is the thrill of the chase?
BLACK: I think that really what it is, is that a lot of these alpha males have these classic qualities: power, authority, masculinity, self- confidence. And women from all walks of life are attracted to these kinds of things.
I think that the secret is that a woman thinks she can be the one to tame him.
HAMMER: And that`s what the women think about Colin Farrell and why he has this big reputation as a Hollywood bad boy? He sort of personifies the Hollywood bad boy makeup.
But he`s even said he`s cleaning up his act. Isn`t that going to hurt his reputation a little bit, Hilary?
BLACK: Well, ironically, I don`t think so at all. I think that the women who watch him ride motorcycles and drink and smoke and, you know, have a great body, look at him and think, Here is Colin Farrell and he is vulnerable, and I could be the one to help him. So rather than it be off- putting, I think that the real answer here is that, by showing a kind of a weaker side of himself, I think that his fans will flock to him even more.
HAMMER: They could tame him, they could star in his next online video.
BLACK: Mm-hmm.
HAMMER: Well, let`s take about a couple like Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Michael Douglas certainly had a reputation. Before he met Catherine, he was going around doing whatever it was that he was doing. He was a Hollywood bad boy.
BLACK: Yes.
HAMMER: Does it show though that, you know, men like Michael can be tamed with age?
BLACK: Well, I don`t really think that bad boys can ever really be tamed. But what I think that happens as bad boys get older is that they tend to settle on a prime example of a woman who was the kind of person who they dated in their youth. So that`s why you often see these Hollywood power couples where the man is very powerful and the woman is young and beautiful, and in many cases powerful in her own right.
I think that often these bad boys are attracted to the very qualities that make themselves bad.
HAMMER: All right. Well then that leads us to perhaps the - the women who are at home watching, saying, Yes, my guy is kind of like Jack Nicholson or Colin Farrell.
Can you lay on us the three reasons that - that - that you would know you`re with a Holly - a bad boy, whether you`re in Hollywood with them or not. I guess you`d know if you were in Hollywood.
BLACK: Well, I think there are many more than three reasons. But I`ll try to limit it to three.
One way you can tell that you`re with a bad boy is when he is flirty with other women in your presence. That`s a sure number one sign.
HAMMER: OK.
BLACK: Another way that you can tell is if he`s cocky or arrogant or egotistical, commands a room, not focused on you.
And the third, and most important reason in my book, is when he doesn`t call. If somebody doesn`t check in, if he is inattentive to you, if he says he`s - doesn`t call when he`s going to be late, doesn`t call at all. In fact, doesn`t call three times a day - then I`m - you can be pretty convinced that that bad boy is not going to be totally focused on you.
HAMMER: And you can keep coming back for more.
Real quickly, can you ever have success, even if you`re not Annette Benning or Catherine Zeta-Jones, with a bad boy?
BLACK: Well, I think if you keep a really open mind and you can expect to be disappointed sometimes, I think it`s important to again possess the power, the confidence, the very traits that make the bad boy bad. I think that many men like this are attracted to those very traits that they see in themselves.
HAMMER: I think you`re just looking for trouble.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Hilary Black, "Tango" magazine, thank you very much for joining us.
BLACK: Thank you.
HAMMER: And you can catch "Tango"`s bad boy quiz and take it in the new issue, which is on newsstands now.
Well, in tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Showcase," "School for Scoundrels," starring "Napoleon Dynamite"`s Jon Heder and Billy Bob Thornton. Now, Heder plays a shy guy who just can`t seem to land the ladies. So he signs up for a secret confidence-building class to impress the girl of his dreams. The professor`s odd ideas seem to work, but bad things start to happen when Teach tries to take the same girl.
Check out your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(DOORBELL RINGING)
JON HEDER, ACTOR: Hi.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey.
HEDER: I was - I was just wondering, um.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) What`s wrong?
Michael! (ph)
ANNOUNCER: The one thing Roger never learned.
HEDER: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s in the (INAUDIBLE)
ANNOUNCER: .was how to be a man.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
(CROSSTALK)
HEDER: Here, let me pay for you to take it, OK?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What else you got?
ANNOUNCER: But this fall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know this guy. He runs this guy. It was made for guys like you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When entering this building, you will talk to no one.
ANNOUNCER: .there is a teacher.
BILLY BOB THORNTON, ACTOR: How many of your retards own a self-help book?
ANNOUNCER: .who helps the passive.
THORNTON: That`s your first problem: you can`t yourself self because yourself sucks.
ANNOUNCER: ..get aggressive.
THORNTON: It is time to kill or be killed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) to maintain a minimum distance (INAUDIBLE)
Ow!
(SCREAMING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) shot me.
THORNTON: Why did you sign up for this class? Amanda.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I really like her hair.
THORNTON: Wrong answer!
OK, let`s review.
GROUP: Never compliment the girl.
THORNTON: Who`s next?
GROUP: Be dangerous. It`s cool.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Know what you say? That when you boil lobsters you can actually hear them scream.
THORNTON: (INAUDIBLE) a nice young man.
ANNOUNCER: Now.
THORNTON: You can roll the dice.
HEDER: Maybe one day I`ll teach the class.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE), he is extremely competitive.
ANNOUNCER: .the master who taught him everything has just become.
THORNTON: Game on, Roger.
ANNOUNCER: .his toughest competition.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want your company.
HEDER: Is this your dad?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What? No.
THORNTON: Watch your ass, Roger.
HEDER: Goodness.
(SCREAMING)
ANNOUNCER: From the director of "Road School" (ph).
(SCREAMING)
ANNOUNCER: Billy Bob Thornton.
THORNTON: You don`t want me to take the gloves off, Roger.
ANNOUNCER: Jon Heder.
HEDER: (INAUDIBLE)
ANNOUNCER: With Ben Stiller.
BEN STILLER, ACTOR: Why`s everybody got to be so freakin stupid these days?
HEDER: What`s going on?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We know you broke in. Look at this.
HEDER: I would never do this. I know these guys. They`re not tough.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, buddy. Come on.
THORNTON: That`s paranoid behavior. I`ve seen it a million times.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Check it out.
(SCREAMING)
ANNOUNCER: "School for Scoundrels."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: "School for Scoundrels" hits theaters next month.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Last night, we showed you how all of Britney Spears` recent slipups and this shocking videotape could cost her her career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRITNEY SPEARS, SINGER: (INAUDIBLE) this, I feel like I`ve been missing out.
KEVIN FEDERLINE, ENTERTAINER: Missing out on what?
SPEARS: On life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yikes. So we asked you to chime in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Britney Spears: Can she ever make a comeback?"
Pretty one-sided: 30 percent of you saying yes she can, 70 percent of you saying, No way.
Among the e-mails we got, we heard from Tornu in Illinois who says, "It`s crazy that people will even doubt that she`s not going to have a comeback." I believe that`s a double negative. "She is the biggest pop star and always will be!"
But Lyn from Washington state wants Britney to go bye bye: "I don`t want Britney Spears to do that comeback thing, because her married life is making too many headlines."
Let`s find out what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Here is your "SHOWBIZ Marquee."
So which stars are sizzling hot this summer? Well, we`ve got the result of the "In Style" magazine 2006 sexy poll. Did your favorites make it? Who are the surprise winners? You`ll find out tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, more of my "SHOWBIZ Sitdown" with "Snakes on a Plane" star Samuel L. Jackson. Tonight, you heard how he reacted when they wanted to change the name of the movie. Well tomorrow, how he changed what was in the movie.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you very much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Glenn Beck coming up next, right after the latest from CNN Headline News.
END
