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Showbiz Tonight
Britney Spears Divorce!; Best Prenup Stories; Reeve Children Speak
Aired November 07, 2006 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CO-HOST: Britney Spears files for divorce. Complete coverage of the shocking split.
I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CO-HOST: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
ANDERSON: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, an unbelievable story sending shock waves through Hollywood. Britney Spears files for divorce! SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is all over this story, including an interview with Kevin Federline, who told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just last week, that everything was great.
KEVIN FEDERLINE, HUSBAND OF BRITNEY SPEARS: I love her to death.
ANDERSON: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks what happened?
To catch a predator. Tonight, the shocking story of a Texas prosecutor who committed suicide. Was it because of a connection to the "NBC Dateline" series that traps online child sex predators?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He made contact with the decoy over the Internet and attempted to make arrangements to have sex with a 13-year-old.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the startling suicide and the explosive TV show.
VARGAS: Hello, everyone. I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. Hammer is off tonight.
Breaking news tonight. A Britney Spears divorce shocker! SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed that Britney Spears has filed for divorce from Kevin Federline.
And you will not believe with Kevin Federline told us just before the shocking news came out. It is a story that had everyone gasping when it broke this evening.
And we have to give credit where credit is due. Our friends at tmz.com broke the story today. And with us tonight from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin, managing editor of the entertainment news site, tmz.com.
OK, Harvey, only married two years. This is pretty shocking, you have to admit. What did you know?
HARVEY LEVIN, MANAGING EDITOR, TMZ.COM: Well, we`re told that in some ways it`s not shocking, Brooke, in the sense that there were a lot of things going on in this marriage. This was not just one sudden event. This was a string of things -- and this is what the sources are telling us -- that finally led to this.
I think what`s interesting about it is, Britney was on "David Letterman" last night. She looked amazing. And in some ways, this was her coming out party as a single person, clearly. Because when you look at the divorce documents, she listed yesterday as the day of the official separation. And that`s when she appeared on "Letterman." So it is the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. And I have to share something with you and with our audience. Ironically, today when the news broke, we were editing an interview with Kevin Federline, an interview that I just did on Friday. And in that chat, Kevin told me that everything was fine, happy on the home front. He was even wearing his wedding band.
And you got to listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN FEDERLINE, HUSBAND OF BRITNEY SPEARS: You see all the negative stuff, but, I mean, everybody has got to know that, like, behind closed doors everything is, you know, is great. It`s not always what they say it is, you know. I mean, we -- we`re people, too. We`re happy behind closed doors. We play with the kids and run around the house, you know, and we do stuff that normal people do.
But, you know, like I said, you know, the tabloids and the whole media thing is so crazy in Hollywood right now. It`s not just us, it`s everybody`s getting it. Everybody`s going through it. It`s a money market right now is what it is.
ANDERSON: You seem to really take it in stride.
FEDERLINE: Of course. Because I look at it as a business. And they`re using my personal life as their business. You know? So I have to look at it like that. I can`t, I can`t take it personal, I can`t be too serious about it. You know, because -- and especially, like, if they knew if it really got to me, then they would go 10 times as hard because they know they`re going to push my buttons and one day I`m going to break somebody`s neck.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Harvey, as I said, this was Friday. He had to know something was up, right? I find it hard to believe that he wouldn`t know this was coming.
LEVIN: Well, Brooke, all I can say is, what`s hard to believe is sometimes true. And the way I am getting it is that this may be two very different reactions to the marriage. Britney`s reaction and his reaction. And her reaction may not have been that all things were great and he may not have even known that. And I think that`s something worth pursuing.
I think what`s interesting, Brooke, he talks about the kids. Well, in the divorce petition -- and I think this is telling -- she is not asking for joint custody, which is often typical where couples get along. She`s saying she wants sole, legal and physical custody. And she just wants to give him visitation. I think that`s pretty telling.
ANDERSON: Yes, she wants to give him reasonable visitation rights. And this was Britney`s second marriage. The first, we all know, was annulled after just 55 hours.
Britney, as you mentioned, has been working on a comeback. Is part of this that she just had to get Kevin out of her life for image purposes maybe?
LEVIN: I don`t think so. I mean, honestly, I don`t think that`s who she is. I think she really wanted to be married, maybe too much. And I don`t think this is her image coming back. I think there were problems in this marriage and there were problems obviously in the way they interrelated. There were problems brought on with the two children that they had that were so close together.
You know, I think it is pretty interesting that this nanny was spending more time in public with these kids than K-Fed was. And I think when you lump all of that today, it wasn`t any one thing, it was just a lot of stuff.
ANDERSON: You know, as we said, she did appear briefly on "David Letterman" last night. And I want to take a quick look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "DAVID LETTERMAN SHOW": You look wonderful.
BRITNEY SPEARS, SINGER: Well, thank you so much.
LETTERMAN: Thank you very much.
SPEARS: See, I was, I`m in town, and I`m such a huge fan.
LETTERMAN: Oh, that`s very nice of you to say. God bless you. Thank you very much. That means a lot to me.
SPEARS: No, I had to stop by.
LETTERMAN: Oh, that`s very sweet of you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was down the hall, taping her own special. Go ahead.
SPEARS: No, I wasn`t talking about you. I was talking about Will Ferrell.
LETTERMAN: Oh, I see.
SPEARS: Do you know where he is?
LETTERMAN: Well, he`s, he will be over there in the green room.
SPEARS: Oh, OK, bye.
LETTERMAN: Good luck. Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Busy lady, had a baby two months ago, appeared on "David Letterman," filed for divorce the same day.
As you said, it may be a series of events that have led to this divorce. Anything specific that we`re hearing?
LEVIN: No. And as a matter of fact, Brooke, it`s not so much that there was a last straw, you know, which everybody kind of talks about, that something happened that triggered it. Uh-uh. It`s not that. It was a series of things, so I`m told. And it just kind of led to her making this decision.
And I think, again, Kevin Federline`s reaction to the marriage with you guys, where he seems oblivious to it, is pretty telling.
ANDERSON: Her appearance on "Letterman," comes just as he released his new album, "Playing with Fire." And in the interview with me, Kevin acknowledges that, hey, he wouldn`t be getting the kind of attention he is getting were he not Britney Spears` husband. But he didn`t want to be Mr. Britney Spears.
I want to take a listen to what he had to say about that.
LEVIN: Well` he`s not going to be.
ANDERSON: Go ahead.
LEVIN: He just got his wish. He`s not going to be.
ANDERSON: No, he is not.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FEDERLINE: You know, I have to make sure that I establish myself. That way, when people look at us, you know, it`s like, they will start to respect me more, you know, as a man, and especially even my wife. Like, what kind of woman wants a man that`s, like, OK, well, you can be the bread runner and you can do all this stuff, you know. Like no man wants to do that. I want to provide for my family just as much as my family provides for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You know, is K-Fed done? I mean, his album has gotten slammed by critics, Harvey. Tickets for his tour aren`t doing well. Is he done?
LEVIN: Yes. I mean, come on, he is right, he was never the bread runner. And now he is going to have to fight for bread because I think it was all about Britney and Britney`s no more with him.
ANDERSON: Where will we see this go from her? Is it going to get ugly?
LEVIN: Well, I`ll tell you, what`s interesting about this, Brooke, I think very interesting, I don`t know if you remember back when they got married, there was a big, big debate over whether that public ceremony that they had was -- or the private ceremony that became very public -- whether that was a valid ceremony or not because there was talk that there were issues with the prenup and that that`s why they didn`t sign it.
And that big ceremony you had on the sunset strip wasn`t valid.
Well, she lists the date of her marriage, not as that ceremony date, but as this October date where they had some kind of a private union. And I think there is something to that. I mean, what I`m kind of hearing is, there is something to the fact that she is conceding that the original date wasn`t real.
And I have a feeling that when stuff like that happens, it`s not necessarily going to be smooth sailing. So, I think really the ball is in Kevin Federline`s court. There was a prenup. We don`t know whether he`ll challenge it or not. It`s probably going to be ironclad.
I believe Laura Wasser, who is now her lawyer, by the way, I think she drafted that prenup. She is a great celebrity divorce lawyer, so it`s probably ironclad, but you never know what he`s going to contest.
ANDERSON: Yes. Wasser has got a good track record. We shall see what happens from here on out. And we will be covering more of this throughout the show.
Harvey Levin, from tmz.com, as always, thanks so much.
LEVIN: My pleasure, Brooke.
VARGAS: Brad Pitt is coming to the defense of Madonna. We`re going to get at that a little bit later. But first, Pitt also has been on the campaign trail, leading up to this election day.
Stars, including Pitt, have been out campaigning for proposition 87 in California, which supports clean energy sources like wind and solar power to reduce dependence on oil.
And that leads us to tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Stars on the campaign trail: Do they influence how you vote? Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Send us an e-mail at shwbiztonight@cnn.com. And, remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. Just look into your video camera or webcam and send us a piece of your mind by video e-mail. It`s really easy. Head to our Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight to learn just how to do it. All you have to do is click, attach, and send. Remember your videos have got to be 30 seconds or less. Watch for your video e-mails only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Wait until you see how Faith Hill reacted when she lost out to Carrie Underwood at the CMA Awards. But was it an honest reaction or an act of faith?
The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT truth squad is on it, coming up.
VARGAS: Plus, we`re all over the shocking news -- Britney Spears files for divorce from Kevin Federline. Coming up, what this means for the kids and Britney`s fortune.
ANDERSON: And speaking of star divorces, we`re looking at the most outrageous star prenup stories ever. How much did Steven Spielberg`s divorce cost him? And what about the Donald?
That`s coming up. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: The shocking news late today that Britney Spears has filed for divorce from Kevin Federline got our attention for obvious reasons, and we couldn`t help noticing that Britney made it clear that she has a prenup. And reportedly K-Fed may get only $300,000.
And that got us wondering, what are some of the best celebrity prenup stories of all time?
So, as Kanye West sings in a song, "Gold Digger," we want prenup, we`re going to go to Celebrity Journalist Pat Lalama in Hollywood.
Hi Pat.
PAT LALAMA, CELEBRITY JOURNALIST: I just got to tell you, if it wasn`t election day, I`d be home in a coma over Britney and Kevin.
ANDERSON: A log going on today. But here we are, Britney and K-Fed, and this one is really interesting because Britney might get off the hook pretty easily, right? Considering she is worth a reported $300 million.
LALAMA: Well, right. I mean, a lot of times, you know, if you didn`t have a prenup, she`d be paying him, you know, half of every dime she made from the moment they said, I do.
Remember when she married that other guy for about 15 minutes, you know, and everyone was trying to calculate, how many royalties, how much royalty did she make? Just in that 15-minute period, you know. So, yes, this is a pretty good deal.
And think about it, she didn`t even really want to sign that thing. It was reluctance on her part. She wanted to do it all for love. But I think it was the pressure of her mother that made her do it at the last minute.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Right. It turned out to be a really smart move. $300,000. But is it really -- is there anything such as an ironclad prenup? Because Harvey mentioned, you know, it is an ironclad prenup, many people are saying, but what do you think?
LALAMA: Well, It depends on all the circumstances. I mean, if someone feels they signed a prenup under duress, if it is grossly unfair and some judge decides that someone was drunk or there was a gun to their head. There are a lot of reasons why they don`t have to be ironclad. So we`ll have to see.
I mean, all we know is what you`ve reported, and that`s, you know, the $300,000 a year, equal to the half the time of their marriage. But there could be something in there where some judge might say, well, wait a minute, that was in a duress or we don`t really think this was fair. Somebody`s lawyer wasn`t present or whatever. But right now it looks like it could stick. More power to her as far as I`m concerned.
ANDERSON: And K-Fed has gotten used to a lifestyle worth more than $300,000 these days.
LALAMA: How is he going to pay for all those strippers? Sorry. Sorry.
ANDERSON: OK, moving on now, to another headline making prenup. The story of Amy Irving and Steven Spielberg. Their prenup story is Hollywood legend by now. Written on a napkin, Pat? Is that right?
LALAMA: Well, you know, you were just asking me about ironclad prenups. This was a case where clearly written on a napkin? Her lawyer not present? Gee, how many drinks were sitting on that napkin before she signed it? I mean, clearly, that seems to be an abuse, a gross abuse of getting somebody to sign a deal. And so, yes, and in the end she got $100 million, I believe. Thank goodness.
ANDERSON: So the napkin just doesn`t cut it?
LALAMA: Doesn`t work, honey, especially if it gets wet and you`re trying to put it together.
ANDERSON: Can`t even read what it says. The ink is running. And you can`t talk about prenups, of course, without talking about Donald Trump. He knows how to do it right and it do it well. Tell us about his prenup with his first wife, Yvonna (ph).
LALAMA: Well, let`s put it this way. I read somewhere, somebody said today, he clearly had better marriage lawyers than he does hairstylists. Because, you know, he`s had a couple of these things. And Yvonna tried -- she appealed it. She said, wait a minute, you know, I did this and I did that and I helped him do this and that and it shouldn`t be upheld. And they have been upheld twice. And I believe she got a mere $25 million, poor thing. My heart aches for her, but she will be all right.
ANDERSON: A mere $25 million, can you imagine what we could do with $25 million, Pat?
LALAMA: Lord have mercy.
ANDERSON: Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe. Let`s move to that one. And you know, let`s face it, Pat. A lot of people didn`t even think this was a real marriage. But there certainly was a really good prenup here, yes?
LALAMA: Oh, well, and you know, the king of pop knew what he was doing here because if you think about it, Brooke, the whole thing was about him wanting to have children. And we all know Debbie Rowe`s role as the surrogate mom in a sense. She gave up her rights to parenthood and she signed a deal. And that deal was predicated upon one really important thing to Michael Jackson, that she keep her mouth shut.
Now, my understanding is -- well, the term that was thrown around or has been thrown around is $10 million. But let me remind you that during his child molestation case, he stopped paying her for a while and said she has been talking too much. She`s saying things she`s not supposed to be saying. So they had to go back into court and rediscuss it.
So whether it`s a state of the $10 mil, or whether you had to give her a couple more to stay quiet for the next 10 years, who knows. But I`m sure she is not suffering either.
ANDERSON: Very quickly, what a mess with that one. Matt LeBlanc, Melissa McKnight, a prenup, but he actually didn`t get off easy, huh?.
LALAMA: Well, he did a prenup, and she got a flat sum. And then he filed his own papers, poor guy. Must not have very much money. I don`t know. I guess didn`t pay him well on "Friends." But he filed his own divorce papers. In the end he had to have a high-priced attorney kind of tie up the strings. But he is doing the child support thing, and it is a very generous amount, which he`d have to do any way.
ANDERSON: Of course.
LALAMA: And we understand that his ex gets a lump sum, and aside from that, she`s really not getting much more. So that`s a good bye, it`s all over.
ANDERSON: All right, the best prenup stories in Hollywood ever. Pat Lalama in Hollywood. Thanks so much for that.
LALAMA: Take care.
VARGAS: Well, there is no word about whether Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes will have a prenup, but there are reports about where they may be getting married. An Italian newspaper says Tom and Katie will say their I dos in a medieval castle near Rome. The couple announced in October that they would get married on November 18 in Italy. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT called the couple`s reps, but they would not confirm the location.
ANDERSON: Plus, the buzz tonight about Faith Hill`s reaction from the CMA Awards when she lost out to Carrie Underwood for female vocalist of the year.
Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the award for female vocalist of the year goes to...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you open it?
Carrie Underwood!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK, we`re going to slow it down for you now. As you can see, Faith appears to be saying, what?
Well, this blew up on the Internet. The blogs went crazy, and people are debating whether or not she was joking or was really upset.
The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT truth squad went looking for answers, and got this statement from Faith Hill, quote, "The idea that I would act disrespectful towards a fellow musician is unimaginable to me. For this to become a focus of attention given the talent gathered is utterly ridiculous. Carrie is a talented and deserving female vocalist of the year."
We also talked to Carrie Underwood`s publicist, who represents Faith`s husband, Tim McGraw, as well, who told us Faith and Carrie talked on the phone last night and everything is fine.
We`re going to have much more from the CMA awards later on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Country`s biggest stars send their messages to Keith Urban, and Urban, himself, sends a message from rehab.
VARGAS: Coming up, to catch a predator. Tonight, the shocking story of a Texas prosecutor who committed suicide. The connection to the "NBC Dateline" series that catches online sex predators. That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: Plus, we`re all over the shocking news -- Britney Spears files for divorce from Kevin Federline. Coming up, what this means for the kids and Britney`s fortune.
We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Listen, the most important thing is their intentions are right. They are trying to give a kid a home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Madonna gets some major star power behind her adoption from someone who has been there. Why Brad Pitt is defending her. That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: Tomorrow, she calls herself the most downloaded woman on the Internet, Cindy Margolis. She is speaking out about her struggle to get pregnant, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) addiction, and why, at age 40, she has decided to pose for "Playboy." Cindy Margolis, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. has the night off.
Time now for a story that made us say...
UNIDENTIFIED MALES: That`s ridiculous!
ANDERSON: All right, listen up, ladies. If you want your husband to cook and clean, maybe you should give him a kidney. A man in England says he hated cooking, shopping and gardening, but then everything changed. He received a kidney transplant. His wife donated the kidney, and ever since then, he says he is happiest when he is baking and bargain hunting. He says it sounds ridiculous, but he thinks he got some of her personality along with the kidney.
You said it yourself, pal, now that`s ridiculous.
Christopher Reeve and Dana Reeve`s children took the podium at a fundraising event in New York. It was the first time the annual magical evening gala, where the Reeve foundation was held without either Christopher or Dana -- Christopher, who died in 2004, rather; or Dana, who died of lung cancer in March.
Will Matthew and Alexandra Reeve, each, spoke briefly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXANDRA REEVE, DAUGHTER OF CHRISTOPHER AND DANA REEVE: The past two years have been incredibly tough ones for our family. But we have found strength in part just in rallying together to support this mission, which has always been such a part of our lives together as a family.
We grew up sharing dad`s excitement and every step of scientific progress. But we also shared the frustration that change just wasn`t happening fast enough. But now, amazing things are happening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: What an incredible family. The event raised more than $2.5 million for the Christopher Reeve Foundation.
VARGAS: Brad Pitt defending Madonna. We`ll tell you what Brad said about her adoption, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Plus, we`re all over the shocking news. Britney Spears files for divorce from Kevin Federline. Coming up, what this means for the kids and Britney`s fortune.
VARGAS: And to catch a predator. Tonight, the shocking story of a Texas prosecutor who committed suicide. The connection to the "Dateline NBC" series that catches online sex predators. That`s coming up. Stick around.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer has the night off. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
ANDERSON: Another celebrity marriage bites the dust. The shocking, late-breaking news today: Britney Spears filing for divorce from her husband, Kevin Federline. The two were married for two years and a month. They dated for six months before tying the knot - a relatively short courtship - and we got to tell you, this timing is a bit ironic.
We heard just - we heard this just as we were editing my interview with Kevin Federline from Friday. He was in town promoting his new album, and when I asked him about Britney, he told me how much he loved her, how happy they were behind closed doors, and how supportive they were of each other.
Watch for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEVIN FEDERLINE, ENTERTAINER: You see all the negative stuff. But I mean, everybody`s got to know that, like, behind closed doors, everything is - is - you know, is great. It`s not always what they say it is, you know?
I mean, we - we - we`re people, too. We`re - we`re happy behind closed doors. We play with the kids, and run around the house, you know? And - and we do stuff that normal people do.
But, you know, like I said, it - you know, the - the tabloids and the whole media thing is - is so crazy in Hollywood right now, it`s - it`s not just us; it`s everybody`s getting it, everybody`s going through it.
It`s a money market right now, is what it is.
ANDERSON: You seem to really to take it in stride.
FEDERLINE: Of course. Because I look at is as - as a business, and they`re using my personal life as their business. You know, so I have to look at it like that. I can`t - I can`t take it personal. I can`t - I can`t be too serious about it. You know, because - and especially - like, if they knew if it really got to me, then they would go 10 times as hard because they know they`re going to push my buttons, and one day I`m going to break somebody`s neck.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: With me now here in New York is celebrity divorce attorney Bettina Hindin.
Bettina, good to see you. Thanks for coming in.
BETTINA HINDIN, CELEBRITY DIVORCE LAWYER: You`re welcome, Brooke. Good to be here.
ANDERSON: All right.
Now in the divorce proceedings - and I`ve got the papers right here - Britney cites "irreconcilable differences." How many times have we heard that?
But what exactly does it mean?
HINDIN: Well, in California, it could mean anything or everything. She`s just not happy in her relationship; she`s had it. She wants out. And that`s the catch-all in California. It`s a no-fault state, and that`s what they say. And they - she wants - she`s out of here.
ANDERSON: Just not happy. K-Fed-up. Sorry about that.
HINDIN: The marriage was toxic to begin with, if you really want to put a pun.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: OK. All right.
Well, she is asking for legal and physical custody of their two children. And it`s so sad to me - such small children, and a 13 month old, and then - and an 8 week old.
Would you be surprised if Kevin fought that, if he contested part of that?
HINDIN: I think he might contest it for a short period of time, just to see if he can get some money out of her, to be honest with it. Because I understand that there is a lock-tight prenup. But in the end, I think he`s going to just be happy with a level of visitation. He`ll see his children, just as he`s seeing his children from his first relationship. And that`s how things`ll end up.
ANDERSON: Yes. She wants full custody, and giving him reasonable visitation rights.
And you mentioned that iron-clad, tight prenup. And we`re hearing he will get a reported $300,000. Now she`s worth a reported $300 million.
Is there such a thing in California as an iron-clad prenup though?
HINDIN: Well, the prenup is only as good as - as the draft. I mean, it`s only as good as the paper. And we`re dealing with some very high- profile California lawyers, especially the one that Britney has now engaged. I`m sure the agreement dots all its I`s and crosses all its T`s. So I wouldn`t be surprised if Kevin is going to have to lick his wounds with $300,000, and keep the marriage as a very nice memory for the two years or so that it existed.
ANDERSON: You know, a lot of people have cited Britney and have criticized her for incidents with the kids - criticized her ability as a mother. You know, there was the incident with Sean Preston in her lap, in the car, not in the car seat.
Could things like this play into the agreement, and how - the outcome, and the child custody?
HINDIN: Well, the agreement, you cannot provide for custody of a child. I mean, that`s just - won`t be accepted by any court. The court`s going to wash it away.
As far as being a parent, she`s a parent in the limelight. As parents, we all make mistakes. The children don`t come with a handbook, and unfortunately, some of her errors got caught on tape. But in the long run, I think she`s a good parent. She seems to be a loving parent. And she`ll do just fine here.
ANDERSON: Seems to be a good person.
HINDIN: Exactly. Exactly.
ANDERSON: You know, she`s got all this money. She`s got the prenup.
HINDIN: Right.
ANDERSON: You say Kevin might have to just lick his wounds, walk away (INAUDIBLE).
Would it be in his best interest to just settle this thing, and - and leave it alone?
HINDIN: Absolutely. And she might be a little bit more giving financially if he does go away quietly into the sunset. Because of late, he`s really been making a scene of himself. He`s been in Las Vegas; he`s been carrying on at night with his guy friends. And really, he hasn`t been treating her that well in public, no matter what he says to the press.
ANDERSON: You know, he`s got two other children.
HINDIN: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Shar Jackson, yes.
HINDIN: Shar Jackson.
ANDERSON: How does it complicate matters, in - in terms of the legal proceedings, and - and how this shakes out for him?
HINDIN: Well, as far as Britney goes, the two children from the prior marriage are really not going to effect things. As far as Kevin goes, he`s going to have to worry about juggling access to his four children: who`s going to be with him on what days, how often. He`s going to have a little bit of work to do to be a good parent to these four kids.
ANDERSON: Yes, he`s really going to have to look at his calendar, and make sure he - he spends the right time.
HINDIN: Get his priorities straight.
ANDERSON: Exactly. Prioritize. OK.
Bettina Hindin, as always, we appreciate your insight. Thanks for joining us.
HINDIN: You`re very welcome.
ANDERSON: .and stopping by. We appreciate it.
HINDIN: Good to be here.
ANDERSON: Now on to a very disturbing story that includes everything from alleged online child-sex predators and a prominent prosecutor committing suicide, to one of TV`s most controversial TV shows.
The show is "Dateline NBC," which has made it is mission to catch possible sex sickos on the Internet, who allegedly are trying to do disgusting things with kids.
The big question that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking: is "To Catch a Predator" a public service, or has it crossed the line?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get on the ground now.
ANDERSON (voice-over): You may have seen all kinds of shocking and disturbing things on "To Catch a Predator," "Dateline NBC"`s controversial hidden-camera series, where reporter Chris Hansen confronts suspected child predators who think they`re meeting up with youngsters they`ve been chatting with online.
CHRIS HANSEN, NBC CORRESPONDENT: What are you doing here?
ANDERSON: But now the show is witness to something even more shocking: a death.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Police in Texas are investigating the death of a prosecutor.
ANDERSON: NBC`s "Today" show reported the details of the grim story. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the inside details and the heated reaction to what could be the most shocking and controversial thing that`s ever happened to one of TV`s most compelling true-crime shows.
MATTHEW FELLING, CTR. FOR MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS: Whenever something as dire as this happens with a - with a media facet to it, people are always going to ask themselves, what role did the media play?
ANDERSON: The story begins here, at Terrell, Texas, just outside of Dallas. Texas prosecutor Lewis Bill Conradt Jr. fatally shot himself as police stormed in on his home. Police were going to arrest him on charges of soliciting sex online with a minor he allegedly thought was a 13-year- old boy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Police say he chatted graphically about sex, and sent pornographic pictures to the decoy.
ANDERSON: But as we heard on NBC`s "Today" show, the minor Conradt allegedly was chatting with online was actually volunteer with Perverted Justice, a child-advocacy group which, along with "Dateline NBC," was in the area working on the latest edition of "To Catch a Predator."
And get this: a "Dateline NBC" crew was right outside, cameras rolling, during the police raid.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you know who I am?
ANDERSON: Unlike the unsuspected people we see on "To Catch a Predator," Conradt had not shown up in the so-called "hidden camera house" to meet up with the decoy minor, although police believe he was about to.
But this suicide brings up the question: has "To Catch a Predator" gone too far?
(on camera): Here at NBC headquarters at 30 Rock, "Dateline"`s "To Catch a Predator" series is a rare bright spot on the troubled network. Each edition draws anywhere from 8 to 10 million viewers. And as you might expect, NBC is quick to defend the show and its methods.
(voice-over): "To Catch a Predator" host Chris Hansen tells CNN`s Howard Kurtz his series has won praise for its efforts to fight online sex predators.
CHRIS HANSEN, "DATELINE NBC" REPORTER: Much of the response has been from parents saying, Hey, you know, we didn`t think that this would ever happen in our house, to our kid. And - and now we see that, in fact, it can.
ANDERSON: NBC confirms to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it pays Perverted Justice for its consultation with "Dateline," which has led one critic to accuse "Dateline" of checkbook journalism. Another critic has called it "exploitative."
But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, Will the criticism get stronger now that the series was so close to a series?
FELLING: This is one case where "Dateline" really needs to get ahead of the story and make sure that people know that they did not unduly influence this story.
ANDERSON: NBC News is doing just that, insisting it never confronted Conradt, and had absolutely nothing to do with his suicide.
In a statement, the network tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - quote - "There was no contact whatsoever between Condradt and `Dateline` at any point in the investigation."
And there`s one person who critics of "To Catch a Predator" should steer clear of.
MARK KLAAS, CHILD ADVOCATE: I say kudos to NBC, kudos to Perverted Justice, Chris Hansen and "Dateline" for the very good work that they`re doing.
ANDERSON: Mark Klaas founded the Klaas Kids Foundation after his 12- year-old daughter, Polly, was kidnapped and murdered in 1993.
When SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with him, he strongly defended "To Catch a Predator."
KLAAS: This character who committed suicide is nobody`s victim but his own, just as any of these other characters that are going online and actively trying to seek out young boys and young girls for purposes of - of - of face-to-face sexual encounters can ever be considered a victim.
They are the victimizers. They are the criminals, and they deserve everything they get.
ANDERSON: "To Catch a Predator" has been credited with more than 90 arrests. But this suicide may add a disturbing footnote to this TV phenomenon`s record of accomplishments.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And check this out: "The New York Times" reports that in the small town of Murphy, Texas, where "Dateline" has set up the child- predator sting, 22 people have been arrested since last Thursday, with the help of Perverted Justice. That`s 22 people in a town of only 3,100. And more arrests could be coming.
VARGAS: Remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. Just look into your video camera or webcam and send us a piece of your mind via video e-mail. It`s really easy. Head to our Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight to learn just how to do it. All you have to do is click, attach and send.
Remember, you videos have got to be 30 seconds or less. Watch for your video e-mails only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Coming up, the absolutely ridiculous thing that someone was trying to sell on eBay: human bones. Why in the world would they do such a thing? That`s next.
VARGAS: And are we becoming just skin and bones? Tonight, the "SHOWBIZ Weight Watch," our continuing coverage of Hollywood` obsession with body image. If you thought clothing sizes couldn`t get any smaller, you won`t believe this: subzero sizes. That`s right, subzero.
Plus, we`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: Listen, the most important thing is - is - is their intentions are right. They`re trying to give a kid a home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Brad Pitt gets Madonna`s back. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tracks down Brad and gets him to go on the record about the Madonna adoption controversy.
Hang tight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
Time now for another story that made us say.
CROWD: "That`s Ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: Good job. Good job, Skyler (ph).
A woman in Michigan busted by the cops for trying to sell skeletal remains on eBay. Yes, you heard right, folks. The woman claims she got the mummy from a friend that works in demolition. He said he found it in a Detroit school he helped demolish 30 years ago. People who have studied this stuff said the bones are from a young boy dating to about the 19th century.
Make no bones about it: collecting bones to sell on eBay? (INAUDIBLE) "That`s Ridiculous!"
Nicole Kidman is standing by her husband, Keith Urban. He checked into rehab a couple of weeks ago for problems with alcohol. He`s battled that and drugs in the past.
Urban had some great news last night: he won male vocalist of the year, his second in a row at the CMA Awards in Nashville.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the award for Male Vocalist of the Years goes to Keith Urban.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with a whole bunch of celebrities at the CMAs. They had some really emotional, inspirational words for him, as Urban battles his demons.
We`ve got your first look at it now, with some of those special star thoughts, while we watch Urban`s hit, "Once in a Lifetime."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARRIE UNDERWOOD, SINGER: People love him, no matter what. And, yes, I - I`ll - I`ll be out there, buying this album.
DEANA CARTER, SINGER: This is going to be one of his best - his best records ever.
MIRANDA LAMBERT, SINGER: I think he has really faithful fans that love him through whatever, just like he needs to have those kind of people behind him. So I don`t think it`ll - it`ll change anything.
JAMES DENTON, ACTOR: You know, publicity`s publicity, not that that`s obviously what he`s after. But - but maybe more people know about him now, because they`ve heard that story. And he`s so talented, you hear his music, and you buy it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, people want to show him their encouragement, and - and the great step that he`s taken in his life. It`ll - you know what? I - I`m going to go out tomorrow and buy one album.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m sure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Me, too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He might have the biggest day he`s ever had.
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, SINGER/ACTOR: Well, it didn`t hurt Hank Williams. I think Keith will be OK. He`s tough.
MARTINA MCBRIDE, SINGER: I think that his fans love him. We obviously all love him and support him. And - and I think it`s - it`s - I think he`s not going to have any problems with record sales.
DIERKS BENTLEY, SINGER: Keith`s a - is a - a great - a good friend and he`s a great person, man, and one of the nicest guys you`d possibly meet. And I send Keith my love and my thoughts and my prayers tonight, you know? And they`re missing him here, and he`s a great star, and I got his new record today. And it`s fantastic.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Very powerful words there.
Urban`s album, "Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing," is in stores now.
VARGAS: Well, tonight, Brad Pitt, is telling people, Come on, lay off Madonna.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Dad Brad at the premiere of his new movie, "Babel," in Hollywood. Pitt, who recently became a father himself with partner Angelina Jolie, thinks Madonna`s adoption of an African baby boy born into poverty is a good thing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PITT: You know, the most important thing is - is - is their intentions are right. They`re trying to give a - a kid a - a home and an education, who - who probably wouldn`t get that - and good health care.
So I think you got to remember the intentions, and then try to - try to sort out the - and - and then play by the - play by the rules. I know that their - that their - their hearts are in the right place. And - and they`ll know what to do. They`ll - they`ll - there`s no question they would never do - they would not do the right thing.
Good intentions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: Madonna has come under fire while trying to adopt the baby from Malawi, and some human-rights groups have tried to block the adoption, saying she skirted laws because she`s a star.
ANDERSON: Now time for the "SHOWBIZ Weight Watch." It`s our ongoing coverage of Hollywood`s obsession with body image. And we cover this stuff like no other entertainment news show.
Tonight, if you thought designers couldn`t possibly make clothes any smaller, get ready for this: Size 00. Subzero. Smaller than a zero. Yes.
Joining us from Hollywood, Daphne Brogdon, the host of the TV Guide Channel series "The Fashion Team."
And from San Francisco, Jim Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media, a group that keeps an eye on the media for families and kids.
Welcome to you both.
DAPHNE BROGDON, HOST, "THE FASHION TEAM": Thank you.
JIM STEYER, CEO, COMMON SENSE MEDIA: Hi, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Hi there, Jim. I want to start with you.
You know, first, we saw the super-skinny, skeletal models on fashion runways. And now we`re seeing a 00 size. This super-skinny message has moved off the runways, on to the clothes racks.
This is outrageous, isn`t it?
STEYER: It is, Brooke. It really is outrageous. It`s all about glamorizing skinniness and ultra-thinness.
And think about the message that it sends to teenage girls, let alone to women across this country. You know, it is such a bad message to say that skinny is the only way to be, and that there`s never too thin a person. So this is just one more really bad example that says the fashion industry needs a reality check.
ANDERSON: Gosh, no kidding.
Daphne, you`re a new mom, just had a baby a little over a year ago. Congratulations.
BROGDON: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Tell me, how do you feel when you walk into a store, and you see a size 00?
BROGDON: Well, let me tell you, it was discouraging. But I was so happy to actually lose my mommy weight, I got down to a 4. I was, like, Yes! And now I see this, and I`m like, Uhh. Like, I`m deflated.
Now, it gives women yet another, you know, bar that they have to go towards. I mean, I never even thought I would get to a 4, I was so happy. So it`s - it - it`s disappointing.
ANDERSON: Yes, and - and Jim, in defense of the designers, I - you know, I have to say this: they say they have clientele out there who do not fit into a Size 0, and that they`re trying to cater to them.
Some celebrities come to mind, like Nicole Richie, who actually looks like she might be a 00.
So is it really fair to criticize this move? I have to be devil`s advocate?
STEYER: It sure is fair to criticize it. You`re doing a good job as devil`s advocate, Brooke.
But you know what? It is far to criticize it. Because how many people are there who look like Nicole Richie? The only ones who do have serious eating disorders (INAUDIBLE) anorexia.
You know, you have about 10 million in the United States today who have eating disorders. And the No. 1 fear of teenage girls in the U.S. is being too fat. So this is a huge cultural issue.
So if the fashion industry just keeps trotting these messages out, that you can never be too thin, that you`ve got to be skinny, that you`ve got to be a 00, what does that say to the average American woman, who, by the latest "Newsweek" report, averages 155 pounds?
So the messages are terrible, and I actually want to compliment SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for keeping this watch on the weight issue. Because the fashion industry is doing nobody a favor with this, and I can`t believe there are any - there are a lot of women out there who can fit into these clothes anyway.
ANDERSON: Right, and thank you for the compliment. It is really an important issue to us.
And Daphne, is this really helping anybody with this 00? Because, you know, not all sizes are true to size? One designer`s Size 6 isn`t necessarily another designer`s 6. It`s called vanity sizing a lot of time. But.
BROGDON: Yes.
ANDERSON: .should we just let the skinny girls be the Size 1? Make it uniform? We create the sizes?
BROGDON: Well, you know, obviously we live in a - in a free market economy. So every designer, like you - you know, Brooke, has their own gauge for sizes. Like I know - Oh, (INAUDIBLE), I fit just right, usually a 4 or a 6. And maybe somebody else, well, they don`t allow room for the - for the bust or something.
Every woman knows that when they try on a few things. Oh, that`s not going to fit me. So it`s always going to be different. And actually, sometimes they`ve been making sizes a little more generous, which is also disheartening when you get a size down.
So that was smart, I think, because they`re trying to make women feel better. There are a few girls - I`d say they`re mostly under 25 - who can do the - the - the 00 or the - or the subzero. But I think that the market is going to show that this will not last, because there`s not women who can buy it.
ANDERSON: Hopefully, the trend will reverse.
Jim Steyer, Daphne Brogdon, thank you both for joining us.
(CROSSTALK)
VARGAS: So last night we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," Kirstie Alley going on Oprah and showing off her dramatic 75-pound weight loss. Pretty good for a 55 year old, don`t you think?
So "Stars Promoting Weight Loss: Do they create unrealistic expectations?" Seventy-nine percent of you said yes; 21 percent of you say no.
Here`s an e-mail. C.J. from Illinois says, "Of course stars create unrealistic expectations. Who could lose that much weight without a personal trainer, chef and thousands of dollars?"
Stick around. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Big midterm elections today. So we want to know, "Stars on the Campaign Trail: Do they influence how you vote?"
Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us. Here`s the address: showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to read some of your e-mails tomorrow.
And don`t forget SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. So just look into your video camera or your webcam and send us a piece of your mind via video e-mail. Super easy; just head to our Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight, and you can learn how to do it. All you have to do is click, attach and send.
Remember, your videos have to be short and sweet, 30 seconds or less. Then watch for your video e-mails right here, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Time to see what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in the "SHOWBIZ Marquee."
Tomorrow, more on the stunning fallout from the Britney Spears-Kevin Federline divorce shocker. What will happen to their kids? Did Kevin see it coming? Wand we`ve got to ask: will this help or hurt Britney`s career comeback? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is all over this developing story tomorrow.
Thanks for watching, everyone. Have a great night. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
Glenn Beck is coming up next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News. Keep it right here.
END
