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Showbiz Tonight
John Mark Karr and the Media; `The Hill`
Aired August 22, 2006 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: The story of 9/11 told in a whole new way.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And your first look at Jennifer Garner`s new movie.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, it`s a full-fledged media circus in the JonBenet Ramsey case.
Tonight, what`s behind the fascination with the suspect -- his every move, his every statement? Why can`t we turn away? Plus, is all the coverage affecting the case?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
Sexy at 60. Cher, Sylvester Stallone, Diane Keaton, the list goes on and on. Hot stars turning 60 and still shining.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes a look at how 60 is the new 40, and asks, does age matter in Hollywood anymore?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Brooke, I`ve got to say, it was so odd today seeing national news networks and local stations fixated on a major legal event that took only a few seconds, but, of course, that is how it goes in the latest twist in the fascinating saga of John Mark Karr, the man who says he was with 6-year-old JonBenet the night she died.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been keeping you up to date on the media circus that surrounded this bizarre case. And tonight we`re seeing that both sides in the case appear to be using that media circus to their own end.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
He may be the most talkative murder suspect we`ve seen in ages. But at his extradition hearing in California with cameras rolling and cable news networks providing live coverage, John Mark Karr had surprisingly little to say.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Karr, I`m holding up a waiver of extradition. Do you see that?
JOHN MARK KARR, SUSPECT: Yes, Your Honor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you read and understand the form?.
KARR: Yes, Your Honor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you understand that by signing this form your agreeing to be extradited to Colorado?
KARR: Yes, Your Honor.
ANDERSON: And, yes, that brief 10-second exchange provoked hours -- hours and more hours of news coverage.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Karr officially waived his right to challenge extradition.
MICHAEL OKWU, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: The big news, of course, that he is going to be leaving Los Angeles.
ANDERSON: And so it goes, as the media remains obsessed with the chatty John Mark Karr.
LISA BLOOM, COURT TV ANCHOR: John Karr enjoys talking about John Karr.
ANDERSON: It all started with Karr`s shocking admission that we all saw on our television.
KARR: I love JonBenet and she died accidentally.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you an innocent man?
KARR: No.
ANDERSON: And now his attorneys are going on TV to say that we should ignore what their client said on TV.
JAMIE HARMON, ATTORNEY, KARR ADVISER: There are things that have come through the media, but we have really no idea what the context of those comments was.
ANDERSON: And as this bizarre saga grows more and more bizarre, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that, not only has this case impacted media coverage, the heavy media coverage may be impacting this case.
CRAIG SILVERMAN, FMR. DENVER PROSECUTOR: I`ve seen countless cases where media exposure leads to witnesses and evidence and truth.
ANDERSON: Colorado talk show host and former prosecutor Craig Silverman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that authorities might be using the media and Karr`s willingness to talk to the media to give their case the boots it`s been missing for 10 years.
SILVERMAN: Loose lips sink ships. It`s clear to me the government wants to sink John Mark Karr`s ship.
ANDERSON: Silverman says all you have to do is look at Karr`s VIP flight from Thailand to the U.S., where he got first class treatment without handcuffs as the media roamed the aisles and Karr`s law enforcement escort looked on.
SILVERMAN: They have studied the psychological profile of John Mark Karr. They determined very strategically that it would be best to treat him in a nice way, let him drink alcohol, perhaps he would say some things that would be helpful.
Right now he is the best witness for the prosecution. He is making incriminating statements. And it appears he wants to take responsibility for the killing.
ANDERSON: Of course, this wouldn`t be the first time that the media became the story in the JonBenet Ramsey case, which became a year-long media sensation after the little girl was found killed in her parents` Colorado home in 1996. Then district attorney, Alex Hunter, is said to have tried to enlist the help of tabloid reporters in the investigation.
BLOOM: This is a kind of dance between the media and the police and the district attorney`s office that`s been going on for 10 years, and now it`s all just erupted again.
ANDERSON: And it was Karr`s reported e-mail exchange with the producers of the documentary on the JonBenet Ramsey case, University of Colorado professor Michael Tracey, that led authorities to Karr in the first place. Ironically, Tracey just went on the "LARRY KING LIVE" show asking the media to cool it on the Karr coverage.
PROF. MICHAEL TRACEY, CORRESPONDED WITH JOHN KARR: The proper thing to do would be for the media to talk to their society to back off.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that backing off is the last thing the media are going to do when it comes to this case and the talkative suspect.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Karr`s legal team is taking issue with the way he is being portrayed in the media. One attorney says Karr is not "mentally unstable, attention-seeking, mentally unwell." She says Karr is intelligent, articulate, and engaging, although she acknowledges that he "marches to the beat of a different drummer."
HAMMER: A different drummer indeed.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT finding out what America thinks.
Joining us in Chicago, radio talk show host Roland Martin. Here in New York is national radio talk show host Steve Malzberg.
Hi, guys.
STEVE MALZBERG, NATIONAL RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Hi. How are you?
ROLAND MARTIN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: How you doing?
HAMMER: I`m great.
Let`s get into this here. Americans just love the true crime stories. Of course they are the best-selling books, the number one genre of drama on TV. Not surprisingly, the coverage of this particular guy, who is a little odd at appearances, has been constant.
Roland, why are your listeners saying they are actually captivated by this chapter of the story? Is it John Mark Karr himself, or is it now the fact that this JonBenet story is just a part of American culture.
MARTIN: Well, it`s a part of American culture because we in the media are, in essence, forcing this whole issue down folks` throats. It is everywhere. And so we experienced this 10 years ago when there was widespread coverage of this case. Now, all of a sudden, all of those, I say, demons have decided to come back everywhere.
It`s in print, it`s online, it`s television. And so we`re operating on very few details but maximum coverage.
HAMMER: What are you hearing, Steve, from your listeners in terms of why they are so interested in this? Because, the fact is, the machine does feed itself to an extent, but people are genuinely interested. It has all the elements of a really great story.
MALZBERG: Well, I think what grabbed the folks in the beginning was the confession, because you never see that. Even in a low-level case, you hardly ever see a confession. Here the guy, in one of the biggest unsolved crimes of the century -- or the past century -- confessed. But, having said that, I think now most people that call me from around the country are kind of fed up with the media and kind of fed up with the media coverage of this story.
The media has convicted him. The media has made this into the hugest story in the world, when we have real serious things going on.
And I`ve got to say that there`s -- you know, the one aspect of this case that could go a long way in seeing if this guy is just a phony or not is when -- does his wife remember for sure, was she with him -- was he with her Christmas of -- and on the day that JonBenet was murdered? That should be very easy to find out.
Where is the media staking her out? Where is the media going after her lawyer? Where`s the media tracking down records, plane records, whatever? I mean, that would answer -- for all we know, this guy is a kook, a dedicated kook, but a kook.
HAMMER: And we`re playing right into his hands.
Roland, you know, when the story broke, on to something that Steve just said, and the guy -- we just saw the footage of Mark Karr coming out to the cameras -- confessing to being there when JonBenet died, saying it was an accident, and a lot of people were saying done deal at that point. Do your listeners feel that he was convicted in the media?
MARTIN: Well, not necessarily. First of all, it`s a national reaction when somebody confesses to a crime for folks to automatically jump to, OK, he is the guy, case closed.
HAMMER: Yes.
MARTIN: But then all of a sudden, we got into, well, did he actually confess? What did he say?
Is he actually a kook? Is he a nut? Is he trying to get attention himself by saying he killed her?
He could -- for all -- for all of us to know, he could be lying. And all of a sudden, we have invested all this time and energy and coverage into it only to find out he`s a fraud.
MALZBERG: And look, it`s all about ratings. It`s about ratings in radio, it`s about ratings in TV. I know that the TV ratings have gone through the roof for shows that lead with this, that cover this, that do it `round the clock on the cable networks, and that`s why they are doing it.
But, again, the D.A. in Colorado, when she held her press conference last week, what did she say? Be careful. Don`t jump to conclusions. He`s innocent until proven guilty.
That`s not how a D.A. who thinks they have the goods on somebody acts. She should say, "We`re excited to get him back here, we may finally have resolution." That would be saying he did it, but that would be hinting that they think he did it. She didn`t even say that.
I predict the media is going to be talking about this, their explanation of how they convicted him and covered this for weeks, and it`s going to fall apart and they are going to look foolish.
MARTIN: A.J. -- A.J...
HAMMER: Yes?
MARTIN: Here is a great example. Last week, we had the prosecutors in England coming out and stating how many people were charged with the -- with the foiled terror attack.
HAMMER: Right.
MARTIN: The prosecutor was extremely sedate and said, "innocent until proven guilty."
HAMMER: Yes.
MARTIN: The difference is, we haven`t seen these terror suspects paraded through the media. What`s making this thing go is, you know, when the guy was overseas, they were sitting there filming him, filming him on the airplane. And so the international media has been covering this a little bit different than the way we cover, and so that has simply amplified this story to a whole different level.
HAMMER: And it will continue to unfold.
Gentlemen, we`ll end it there.
Roland Martin, in Chicago, Steve Malzberg, here in New York, I appreciate you joining us tonight.
MALZBERG: You`re welcome.
MARTIN: Thank you.
ANDERSON: It`s the story of 9/11 told a whole new way. Coming up, we`re talking to the comic book artist who turned that dark day into a graphic novel, and not everybody likes the idea.
HAMMER: Jennifer Garner is back on the big screen in "Catch and Release". It looks like a real tear-jerker. We`re going to have your very first look coming up in the "Showbiz Showcase".
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Young people looking at these stars can look at them as models and say, "When I get to be that age, I`m going to look like that."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Sexy at 60. Hot stars turning 60 and still shining brightly. We`re going to look into stars` longevity and how they manage to look so good at 60.
That`s coming up.
But first, we want to hear from you about it. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day".
Sixty is the new 40: Does age matter anymore in Hollywood?
Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Send us an e-mail. There`s the address, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
It`s time now for a story that made us say, "That`s ridiculous!"
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: "That`s ridiculous!"
HAMMER: And for this we`re going to take you to southern California and the very first surfing competition for dogs. Roll that tape.
Twenty-nine canines competed for the title of top dog in this particular event. It was a fund-raiser for the animal advocates known as PAWS.
Look at that guy go! The competitors were scored in three areas: time on the board, confidence, and, of course, their style.
That guy has lots of style -- or gal. I`m not sure.
The winner was a two-and-a-half-year-old Jack Russell Terrier named Zoey.
Now, I`ve got to tell you something, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Tell me, A.J.
HAMMER: I`m a big fan of PAWS. I think they do tremendous work. But putting the dogs on the surfboards out there seems a little counterproductive to the cause. I don`t know.
ANDERSON: It`s -- the dogs seemed like they were having a good time. There was something for every dog, though. If they don`t surf, there was a furry fashion show, pedicures, and also pet psychic sessions.
But we say, Fido hanging ten, now "That`s ridiculous!"
Moving now to tonight`s "Showbiz Showcase," "Catch and Release," starring Jennifer Garner, it`s a romantic comedy about a woman trying to rebuild her life after the unexpected death of her husband.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "CATCH AND RELEASE")
JENNIFER GARNER, ACTRESS: He was six-two, sandy blonde hair, green eyes. And I loved him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there anything I can do to help?
GARNER: OK. Thank -- thank you for coming.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, great (ph).
GARNER: I never understood why he was friends with you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) anything, a car, a house?
GARNER: No, I`m in a rental, which I can`t afford by myself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We could totally use a blender.
Please don`t.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She`d be more comfortable in bed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The only way she`d be more comfortable is if you shot her with a track gun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is totally your fault.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) with this big account?
GARNER: What big account?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I bet you he was just waiting to go spring it on him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We said for richer or for poorer. We`re the former!
GARNER: Excuse me. I`m looking for someone who knows Grady Douglas (ph).
You know her don`t you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She`s just the mother of his kids.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s unfortunate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nice dress.
GARNER: I never got a chance to wear it. It`s a girl thing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything in here is a chi (ph) blocker. You can`t emotionally process things if your chi (ph) is congested. So tonight I`m going to make the most cleansing dinner.
GARNER: You know what Grady (ph) never knew about me? Is that I steal library books. Also, I can put my whole fist in my mouth. You don`t want to see it. It`s a little Traci Lords.
Also, made it with a girl once. Ha!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I owe you an apology.
GARNER: Just one?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
GARNER: Yes. If it hadn`t been for you, that would have been one great day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your colors are coming back, and your aura is like a dusty...
GARNER: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Catch and Release".
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Steph (ph) and Mike (ph) are one. There falls no shadow where there shines no sun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who`s that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know, but it was an excellent quote on the Red Zinger box.
(END AUDIO CLIP, "CATCH AND RELEASE")
ANDERSON: "Catch and Release" hits theaters this winter.
HAMMER: Well, now on to a fascinating new reality show that gives viewers an unprecedented look behind the scenes of Capitol Hill and into the lives of Congressman Robert Wexler of Florida and his four young staff members.
It`s called "The Hill," and it shows us how things really get done in D.C. It makes it premiere tomorrow on the Sundance Channel.
And we have the congressman joining us from Washington, D.C.
Hello, Congressman.
REP. ROBERT WEXLER (D), FLORIDA: Hi. How are you?
HAMMER: I`m terrific. Thank you very much for being with us.
WEXLER: Good. My pleasure.
HAMMER: This reality show certainly shows a lot. The cameras basically followed your every move from the 2004 election season straight through the end of last year.
Now, you`re a busy politician, you`re out there trying to effect change for your constituents. Why in the world would you let the cameras inside?
WEXLER: Well, I think it`s a documentary series which highlights the role that young people, whether they are in Republican offices or Democratic offices, there are thousands of people in their 20s and 30s that work on Capitol Hill. And they`re idealistic, they bring a lot of energy, they`re great patriots, they`re trying to help their country in the context of their ideologies. And the House of Representative is largely a mystery to most Americans. And I thought this would be an opportunity to unlock that mystery so more and more Americans can see actually how the Congress works.
HAMMER: My question, though, is, did anybody in Washington kind of pull you aside and say, "Hey, maybe you`ve got better things to do than have these cameras following you around"?
WEXLER: Well, I didn`t change anything that I was doing. I was just going about my job and doing what I would ordinarily do. And, for the most part, the cameras followed around the staff, and I was involved to the extent I was a part of the story line or was involved with the staff.
We went about our business as we always do, which is, quite frankly, I think, the appeal of the show because it`s nothing scripted. It`s not staged. It just is accurate, I think, a fairly honest reflection of how Congress works and my particular office and the people in it.
HAMMER: You mentioned the word "documentary". It definitely feels more like that than what we`re used to from reality shows. And one of the things that it so compelling about it is the fact that we do see everything.
Among what we see, your openly gay chief of staff`s relationship with his partner, who also works for you. And that begs the question for me, are you at all concerned that some of your colleagues in Congress and people back home in Florida may not want to see so much about what goes on behind the scenes?
WEXLER: Well, I think it`s a very fair and honest portrayal of what happens in the office. I think what they will see is very serious-minded people.
They will see good senses of humor as well. They will see how policy is made and how positions are taken. They will see that, I think, there is a very serious amount of work that goes into both reacting to constituent concerns and plotting out political strategy.
You know, there will be people that find it very attractive and there will certainly be some criticism. That`s fair. Certainly many of my colleagues said to me, "Wexler, you`ve got to be crazy for opening yourself up to this," but I think the value of showing people how Congress works is worth the risk.
HAMMER: Yes, I would agree with you on that. And you mentioned criticism and the possibility of that happening.
I have to ask you real quick, you`re a good guy. I like what you do. I like what you stand for. One of the things, though, that caused you a little backlash was an appearance that you made, as you know, on another television show where the host kind of duped you into saying, "I enjoy cocaine because it`s fun to do." It was clearly a joke.
Real quickly, do you kind of wish you never did that particular appearance?
WEXLER: No. It was a joke. It`s on the comedy station. People -- I think most people take it in that context.
And I think, even though the world is a very serious and, at times, very scary place right now, members of Congress, every once in a while, can enjoy a sense of humor and be part of a joke. I don`t think there is anything wrong with that, and I was happy to participate.
HAMMER: Congressman Wexler, thanks so much for joining us. I appreciate it.
WEXLER: Thank you.
HAMMER: "The Hill" premieres tomorrow on the Sundance Channel.
ANDERSON: Paris Hilton`s debut CD is in stores today. And we`re getting a review from Hilton herself. Paris indulges in a little self- review next.
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In fact, I think you could say that 60 is the new 40.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Sexy at 60. Hot stars turning the big 6-0 and -- right. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes a look at how 60 is the new 40 and asks, does age even matter in Hollywood anymore?
ANDERSON: Plus, CNN`s Christiane Amanpour gets unprecedented access to Osama bin Laden.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Paris Hilton`s debut CD is in stores now. I know you`ve been waiting on this one. And get this, she is already working on another one.
Hilton`s CD, "Paris," hits stores today, featuring the single "Stars Are Blind". The first review is in, but it happens to be from Hilton herself.
She tells us "Blender" magazine that she loves the album. "I, like, cry, when I listen to it, it`s so good." Paris is working with a choreographer and a voice coach and is getting ready to go on tour
HAMMER: It`s the story of 9/11 told in a whole new way. Coming up next, the comic book artist who turned that dark day into a controversial graphic novel.
ANDERSON: Plus, Sheryl Crow opens up about when she first found out she had breast cancer. That`s coming up in her own words.
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Young people looking at these stars can look at them as models and say, "When I get to be that age, I`m going to look like that."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Sexy at 60. Hot stars turning 60 and still shining bright.
Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes a look at how 60 is the new 40 and asks, does age matter in Hollywood anymore?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
A.J., tonight we ask the question: Does age matter in Hollywood anymore? Some stars are proving that older is definitely oh-so-much better. Take Diane Keaton, Cher, Sylvester Stallone. We ask the question: Is 60 the new 40? Coming up.
HAMMER: Also Brooke, tomorrow night on CNN, a great special: Christiane Amanpour is going to be bringing us never-before-heard-of access to Osama bin Laden`s friends and family, basically giving us a real inside look at the man who is the world`s most dangerous criminal. But to do that, of course, she had to deal with some pretty shady characters.
ANDERSON: Right.
HAMMER.and go to some pretty dangerous places.
ANDERSON: Put herself at risk.
HAMMER: Exactly. And coming up, we`re going to give you an inside look at how she got what she got for this special.
But first tonight, the five-year anniversary of 9/11 just three weeks away now. And there`s a new controversy brewing: after the release of the 9/11 Commission`s report about that horrific day, a nearly 600-page read, comic-book veterans Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon decided that a graphic illustration would help people better understand the overlapping timelines, the difficult names and languages that are used within the report. But some victims` families are labeling the book "insensitive."
The illustrator of "The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Illustration," Ernie Colon, joining me here in New York.
And in Hollywood, the book`s writer, Sid Jacobson.
I appreciate you both being with - being with us tonight. Hard to get through.
OK. Sid, let - let me ask you this: the 9/11 Commission`s report certainly not an easy read, as I mentioned. It`s a big, fat book. And - and it`s - it`s not an easy read, not simply because of the subject matter. But it`s the legalese.
Now, you know, I picked up your book, "The 9/11 Report," with its illustrations and graphic representations, and I couldn`t put it down. Not what I would expect from the creator of "Richie Rich," but is that exactly the point?
SID JACOBSON, WRITER, "THE 9/11 REPORT": The point is that -- to make it understandable, to make it accessible. And that`s what we tried to do, and hopefully succeeded.
HAMMER: Because you really do put it in everyday language, Ernie. I mean, it - between the - the - obviously, the pictures, and - and just the language not being so intensely legal.
ERNIE COLON, ILLUSTRATOR, "THE 9/11 REPORT": I don`t think the legality was so much a point of objection here. It was mostly that there was so many facts to consider and to absorb. By the time - I tried reading it, and by the time I got to Page 60, I had forgotten what I had read on Page.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: It`s terribly complicated.
COLON: Very complex, a lot of Arabic names. A lot of events, places, times, whereas Sid`s idea of putting in a timeline where you can see at a glance what events happened at the same time as other events happened.
HAMMER: And obviously we`re dealing with a very emotional issue. No surprise that there`s a little bit of controversy here.
Sid, you know, when we had movies like "Flight 93" and "World Trade Center" coming out, a lot of people were saying, It`s too soon. Why was this the right time to do this type of illustrated book? Because a lot of people feel, you know, with the - the pictures that were included in it, that - that maybe it was a little too soon, or it just felt inappropriate.
JACOBSON: Well, I think it`s important to have the information out as soon as possible. I mean, it took Ernie and myself well over a year to do this. And I - I - I`m surprised, actually. I think hopefully - I think we`re both surprised that there is any kind of a controversy. I mean, basically, it`s - what we are doing simply in this is to translate, in words and pictures, what was said in the 9/11 report. We don`t take a step further in what is there on the page.
HAMMER: Yes. I guess what - what may have thrown a lot of people is just the type of a visual adaptation. Because it does look more like comic books than - than really any - anything else that we`re perhaps used to seeing. And a lot of people have suggested that perhaps it`s over the top.
And - and I want to throw out - I believe we have a still of this - of the - the sounds of the planes hitting the World Trade Center. "Rumble" and - and "Blam!" There we have it right there on the screen.
Obviously, you didn`t feel it was over the top, Ernie. Why the real need to have that in there?
COLON: Because that`s part of the language of my craft. It would be like you going on the air not having sound, or making a film, a movie, without sound. It doesn`t make any sense. Part and parcel of a movie is music, sound, acting, make believe. My craft has to do with presenting graphic illustrations of scripts and events.
HAMMER: And I know you`re a New Yorker. Was there anything that perhaps was too difficult for you to illustrate and include in this book?
COLON: I think a lot of what I illustrated was very difficult for me. But especially difficult was the searching 9/11 and finding photographs of events that I hadn`t seen before.
HAMMER: Anything you left out?
COLON: I tried to leave out as much violence as possible. But you can`t tell the story without showing some violence.
HAMMER: And Sid, I understand you have a sequel in the works?
JACOBSON: Yes. Ernie and I are working on a book that at the moment is basically titled "After 9/11." And what it does is to follow the - the war against terrorism in all its parts, to the point of - to the point of finishing the book.
HAMMER: Right.
JACOBSON: And hopefully the end of the war.
HAMMER: Hopefully the end of the war very soon. We`ll look forward to that.
Sid Jacobson, Ernie Colon, I appreciate you joining us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
You can get your own copy of "The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation" in bookstores now.
ANDERSON: Well, despite a worldwide hunt to take down Osama bin Laden, he still hasn`t been caught. And not much is really known about him.
CNN`s chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour got never- before-heard-of access to bin Laden`s friends and family for a very-special look at the world`s most dangerous man, and actually learned following in the footsteps of bin Laden could get you killed.
Here`s your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLIFF HACKEL, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/EDITOR: The planning of this program made it such that we had to go to 10 countries on - on - on four different continents.
KEN SHIFFMAN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: The Middle East, Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates.
HACKEL: There was a great deal of preparation for our program. I would say several months of preproduction before we shot one frame.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I`m Christiane Amanpour in Peshawar, Pakistan, the birthplace of bin Laden`s terrorist organization, al-Qaida.
SHIFFMAN: We had a pretty large security contingent. We had one day where a bomb went off in Kabul, and it was maybe a mile and a half where - from where some of our group was working. I get back to the hotel with - to find out that there`s another bomb somewhere and the bullet (ph) hasn`t gotten off yet, according to intelligence.
AMANPOUR: I can`t see well. (INAUDIBLE)
SHIFFMAN: The first time I was in Afghanistan was three years ago. This time, what struck me as very different was there was a lot more restriction on where I could go. The security people that were with us wouldn`t let us go here or there. They said, No, it`s not safe.
HACKEL: Afghanistan was a dangerous place. It`s a war zone. It had up to a dozen people who were heavily armed, protecting us at all times.
SHIFFMAN: When we got in one of the vehicles, I laid back - I sit back, and all of a sudden, I feel the seats harden. And I turn around, and it`s a flap (ph) jacket and a bulletproof vest on my seat, protecting me from behind. And as I`m looking back, I realize there`s a guy in the back of the SUV hanging out - one leg hanging out, you know, with a big, you know, semiautomatic. And you realize, you know, this is serious.
SHIFFMAN: I think one of the more interesting interviews we did was in Switzerland with the widow of a suicide bomber. During the course of the interview, she mentioned that she really had a hatred for Americans. She was saying how much she loved Osama and she would kill for him. And I was thinking, It could be us that she wanted to kill.
MALIKE EL AROUD, WIDOW, AL-QUAEDA SUICIDE BOMBER (through translator): When you hear his voice, it makes you want to stand up right away and leave and join him.
HACKEL: What we wanted to do was interview people who have meant him, who can add a third dimension, who can really fill out the portrait of - of this - of this man in - in terms of not only who he was as a young person, but how he changed. How do you become this terrorist, this, you know, most wanted.
JAMAL KHALIFA, BIN LADEN`S BROTHER-IN-LAW: Osama always got (INAUDIBLE), all the time. His father was his model role (ph).
BRIAN RYFIELD-SHAYLER, BIN LADEN`S ENGLISHG TEACHER: He didn`t show any particular signs of being a - a leader amongst man.
KHALID BATARFI, BIN LADEN`S CHILDHOOD FRIEND: He never talked about American people in - in a nasty war.
HACKEL: Our show is important because Osama bin Laden hasn`t been seen in five years. But people who relax and think he`s not important anymore really do that at their own peril. He`s still one of the most dangerous men on the planet.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: It`s an exclusive, fascinating special that you don`t want to miss. Christiane Amanpour`s two-hour documentary, "CNN PRESENTS: In the Footsteps of Bin Laden" airs tomorrow on CNN.
HAMMER: A reminder that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now on seven nights a week. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show is Monday through Friday and Saturday and Sunday. So join us for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, not only during the week, but on the weekends too, at 11 p.m. Eastern. That of course is 8 Pacific.
Coming up, there`s controversy over a 13-year-old, 6-foot-8, 250-pound player, and why some say he shouldn`t play ball. "That`s Ridiculous!" and that`s coming up next.
We`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHEREEN REMEZ, AARP: In fact, I think you could say that 60 is the new 40.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Dolly Parton and Diane Keaton - even President Bush and Bill Clinton - they`re all 60, and they`re all looking good. So is 60 the new 40? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks: Does age matter in Hollywood anymore?
HAMMER: And Sheryl Crow opening up about her courageous battle with breast cancer. We`ve got your first look at her revealing interview, coming up next.
ANDERSON: First, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "Which one of these singers was not part of the first Lilith Fair music tour?" Liz Phair, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Osborne or Sheryl Crow?
Think about it. We`re coming right back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand by your break, Master. In 3, 2 - roll your break. Effect to black.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand by, Brooke, in 3-2 - dissolve 7. Go Brooke, (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: And here we are again with tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "Which one of these singers was not part of the first Lilith Fair music tour?" Liz Phair, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Osborne or Sheryl Crow? The answer is A, Liz Phair.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Tuesday night. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show is on.
And it`s time now for another story that made us say "That`s Ridiculous!" I`d like you to meet Aaron Durley. He is certainly one big Little Leaguer. Take a look at this guy: 6-foot-8, weighing in at 256 pounds. He`s only 13 years old. Now Aaron plays first base for the Transatlantic team. These are a group of kids who are sons of American employees of a Saudi Arabian oil company, and his dad`s actually the coach of the team, and is actually one inch shorter than his son.
Now dad says his big son doesn`t have a big ego. But we`ve been reading reports of people saying he shouldn`t be playing ball, and that it`s unfair to the other players.
And I got to tell you, Brooke, when I read something like that, it boils my blood. It has to be difficult enough being that age and that size without having that poured on top.
ANDERSON: Yes. I say that those people who don`t want him to play, they must be jealous. They`re - the just think that he`s going to have an unfair advantage, possibly.
But, you know, everybody has different talents, A.J. If this guy is meant to dominate in sports, he should feel free to pursue his interests.
Aaron, don`t worry about what anybody says, because those people who say you shouldn`t play, "That`s Ridiculous!"
OK, now we`ve got an all-star team in a league of their own. We`re talking Cher, Diane Keaton, Sylvester Stallone, even President Bush and former President Clinton. They`re all 60 this year, and from the looks of it, they`re still pretty hot.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): There`s an exclusive club heating up the Hollywood scene, and its members come from all walks of life. They are singers, models, actors and politicians.
Yes, even the president is in on this one. They`re all proving getting older really means getting better.
REMEZ: I think you could say that 60 is the new 40.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that people over 60 are happier than ever. Not only that, their appeal goes far beyond people their own age. A new AARP study proves it.
REMEZ: Young people looking at these stars can look at them as models and say, When I get to be that age, I`m going to look like that. I`m going to be that active, and I`m going to have hopes and dreams the way they do. And I`m going to work.
ANDERSON: Diane Keaton is one actress who`s joining the 60 club, and she`s hotter than ever. Keaton just landed the L`Oreal Paris beauty campaign.
DIANE KEATON, ACTRESS: I believe in aging authentically.
ANDERSON: From beautiful to rugged, 60 is what you make it.
SYLVESTER STALLONE: You knocked Tim (ph) down. Why don`t you try knocking me down?
ANDERSON: Sylvester Stallone is adding spunk to 60. He even announced Rocky Balboa himself is making a comeback. But can Rocky Balboa really fight at 60? Ask a guy who`s ready to challenge him tin ring.
DAX SHEPARD, COMEDIAN: No, I think Stallone bringing back Rocky at 60 is - is not the new 50 or the new 40. It`s the new "take a nap while the movie`s playing."
(LAUGHTER)
SHEPARD: It`s new movie Ambien. If Sly`s watching, obviously, I`m prepared to go to battle with you.
ANDERSON: Chill out, Dax. You`re not speaking for us. Hollywood is now embracing getting older more than ever before.
PAULA ABDUL, JUDGE, "AMERICAN IDOL": Talent has no prejudice against age.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The truth is is that, if you got it, you got it.
ANDERSON: And they`ve definitely got it: Cher, Suzanne Somers, Sally Field, Susan Lucci.
REGIS PHILBIN, ENTERTAINER: Woah! Naomi Judd is on fire!
ANDERSON: Naomi Judd is hot, and turning 60 isn`t cooling her down. Judd just premiered a brand new talk show on the Hallmark Channel called "Naomi`s New Morning." And her hallmark good looks aren`t escaping fans or R&B diva Patti LaBelle.
PATTI LABELLE, SINGER: You know, and you`re such a sweet mother.
(CROSSTALK)
LABELLE: Looking as young as your daughters.
NAOMI JUDD, ENTERTAINER: Well, thank you. I`m 60.
LABELLE: You`re 60?
ANDERSON: Judd is celebrating 60 with her friend and fellow country legend Dolly Parton. Parton says it`s all about enjoying life.
DOLLY PARTON, SINGER: You may be 60. I`m sexy.
(CROSSTALK)
PARTON: Because they say, What does it feel like to be 60? I said, Well, I don`t mind being it, but I don`t like hearing it.
ANDERSON: Club 60 is full of talent, and now it`s getting richer, too. Donald Trump is another one of its new members.
DONALD TRUMP, "THE APPRENTICE": I think that people today, when you see them at 60 and 70, it`s not like a long time ago. And I don`t exactly know; maybe it`s the food, maybe it`s the lifestyle, maybe it`s something. But certainly 60 year olds and 70 year olds - and I`m going to say that anyway, because it`s good for me. But the fact is, people just look better.
ANDERSON: And this idea is spreading well beyond Hollywood.
REMEZ: We found in our study that people really are looking forward to the future with a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of ideas and hopes and dreams. They want to stay engaged in society, and they want to stay working. Eighty percent of them tell us that they`d like to stay working, not just for the money - and they need that - but also for the engagement, the chance to give back to society, the chance to have something to look forward to every single day.
ANDERSON: So we want to hear what you think about all this. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "60 is the New 40: Does age matter anymore in Hollywood?" Keep voting, cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write us: showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to read some of your e-mails tomorrow.
HAMMER: Well 40-something singer Sheryl Crow looks great herself - so maybe 40 is the new 20. Well, Sheryl is speaking out about her battle with breast cancer these days. In the matter of just a couple of weeks, Crow`s engagement to Tour De France champion Lance Armstrong ended, and she got the devastating news that she had early-stage breast cancer.
In an interview with CNN`s Larry King on "LARRY KING LIVE," Crow opened up about that scary day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: How did they tell you? What did they tell you? You have cancer?
SHERYL CROW, SINGER: Well, I think - God, you know, it`s a little bit of a blur. But she - when she came in, she said it`s - it`s not what I hoped. And I knew that at the moment that it was.
KING: Not what I hoped.
CROW: Yes. It was not - it`s not what we (INAUDIBLE). She said, And I`m - I`m - I`m as surprised as you are. But she - and then she said, But this is treatable.
KING: We hear about Stage 3, Stage 4.
CROW: Right.
KING: Stage 1.
(CROSSTALK)
CROW: Stage 1 is very early. Yes. And, you know, it`s funny because I immediately started becoming known as a cancer survivor. And I`ve known so many cancer survivors who have really fought for their lives and have been - you know, in their - in the test studies. And - I mean, clearly Lance is one of those people, and some amazing people along the way.
And for me, I - initially I was a bit reticent to even come out and talk about it. But I think my story is, at least for women in - who are of my age bracket and younger, I think my story is salvatory in the fact that prevented - prevention is really the best cure. And if you`re not getting your mammogram, if you don`t know your family history, take responsibility.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It is an inspiring story. You can catch the rest of Sheryl`s interview tomorrow on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE" at a special time, 8 p.m. Eastern.
ANDERSON: Here`s a guy who constantly get up and perform for one of the toughest crowds out there. If he messes up, the whole word is going to see it. That guy is the leader of the free world, President Bush. And even as Bush`s poll numbers are down, he`s not afraid to try a little stand up.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He`s coming.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two-minute warning.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: About two minute warning.
MOOS: Two minutes until the jokes start. One of the president`s favorite weapons to deflect and disarm is humor, which is why seersucker was the star at Monday`s presidential press conference.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By the way, seersucker is coming back. I hope everybody gets it.
KEN HERMAN, COX NEWSPAPER: Well, I think he insulted my suit no less than three times, but who`s counting
BUSH: Yes, Herman.
MOOS: Ken Herman has reported on President Bush for more than a dozen years. He`s used to the Bush brand of humor.
BUSH: Let me finish my question, please. His hand`s going up and I`m not -- I`m kind of getting old and, you know, just getting into my peroration, look it up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Peroration.
MOOS (on camera): Peroration, the concluding part of a discourse.
(voice-over): But even in the beginning part of his discourse ...
BUSH: Helen. What`s so funny about me saying Helen?
MOOS: There was a little ripple in the room because the president stopped calling on Helen Thomas for a couple of years.
BUSH: Let me finish.
MOOS: And when he had finished...
BUSH: It`s kind of like dancing together, isn`t it?
MOOS: Though Helen later joked, "I don`t waltz with this man."
BUSH: Stretch. Who are you working for, Stretch?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "The Washington Examiner."
BUSH: Oh good, I`m glad you found work.
MOOS: Actually, Stretch`s full nickname is Super Stretch, since he`s 6-foot-7. There`s also Little Stretch and Plain Old Stretch. Sometimes the president stretches his luck.
BUSH: Peter, are you going to ask that question with those shades on?
PETER WALLSTEN, "LOS ANGELES TIMES": I can take them off if you want.
BUSH: No, I`m interested in the shade look, seriously.
WALLSTEN: All right, I`ll keep it then.
MOOS: Turns out "Los Angeles Time`s" reporter Peter Wallsten has an eye disease. The president later called him to apologize.
Monday`s Q&A took place in the new temporary press briefing room. The old one is being remodeled. Reporters fear they`ll never get back inside the actual White House.
QUESTION: Are we coming back?
QUESTION: Ever?
BUSH: Absolutely you`re coming back. You`re coming back to the bosom of the White House.
MOOS: But being bosom buddies doesn`t guarantee the question asked will be a softball. The president talked about 9/11 and Iraq. In the same breath, Ken "Seersucker" Herman interjected.
BUSH: What did Iraq have to do with that?
HERMAN: The attack on the World Trade Center.
BUSH: Nothing.
MOOS: Another media bloodsucker disguised in seersucker.
HERMAN: If I can make the leader of the free world happy with what I`m wearing, so be it.
BUSH: Ridiculous-looking outfit.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on seven nights a week. We are bringing TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekends. So please join us, won`t you? And tell a friend and a neighbor. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on Saturday and Sunday and each every night at 11 p.m. Eastern, 8 Pacific.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Tuesday night is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Last night we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day" about JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect John Mark Karr: "JonBenet Suspect: Are the media treating him fairly?" Seventy-three percent of you say "yes"; 27 percent of you say "no."
Here`s an e-mail. Jill from Ohio says, "The media are treating him unfairly. It`s not fair to document every single step and breath you make."
HAMMER: Time now to find out what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. For that, we go to the "SHOWBIZ Marquee."
Tomorrow, Lindsay, Paris, other young stars and their steamy sex stories. Do we really need to know this stuff? And what kind of a message is it sending to the fans? Young and talking sex, tomorrow.
Also, the musical makes a big comeback. First, "High School Musical." Now "Cheetah Girls 2." We`re going to ask the star of that show, Raven Symone, why song-and-dance movies are so popular again with people of all ages. Raven Symone tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I am Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Have a great night, everyone. Glenn Beck is coming up next. That`s right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News. Keep it right here.
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