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Showbiz Tonight
Continued Outrage Over O.J. Simpson Book and TV Show; Tomkat Wedding Approaches; Italy Full of Hollywood A-List; Startling New Details About Death Of Model Who Starved Herself to Death; Alexa Ray Joel Launches Music Career
Aired November 17, 2006 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: Brand new reaction to the tragic death of an anorexic model. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley`s daughter speaks out on her mom`s ugly divorce battle. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the O.J. outrage gets even more outrageous. Wait until you hear the so-called justification for Simpson`s book and TV special, explaining how he would have killed his ex-wife and Ron Goldman, if he did it. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the unbelievable claim and you`re not going to believe what we found out about what O.J. will be saying.
T-minus one day an counting. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is in Italy where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes will say I do. We are not only there with the wedding details, but only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to fill you in on a possible TomKat prenup. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with some advice for Tom about signing on the dotted line before walking down the aisle.
Friday night is on. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Welcome to the weekend, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood and we will be in Italy tonight for the star studded spectacular wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be taking you there in just a few minutes for what is about to become the wedding of the year.
HAMMER: But first tonight, if you thought the O.J. Simpson confession TV show was outrageous, wait until you hear what the creator is saying to try to justify it. We could hardly believe it ourselves and it`s even sparked more outrage.
We also have startling new inside information about what O.J. is going to say about how he might have killed his ex-wife Nicole and her friend, if he had done it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: This is an absolute outrage. Judith Regan should be ashamed of herself that she has to stoop this way to get money.
HAMMER (voice-over): Publishing giant Judith Regan is publishing O.J.`s book, called "If I Did It," where the ex-murder defendant details how he would have killed his ex-wife, Nicole Simpson, and Ron Goldman. Regan also conducts the interview that Fox TV is airing later this month.
JUDITH REGAN, REGANBOOKS: You wrote, I have never seen so much blood in my life.
O.J. SIMPSON, FORMER PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL STAR: I don`t think any two people could be murdered without everyone being covered in blood.
HAMMER: Now, the woman at the center of this storm has made a shocking revelation. She claims it was her own experience as a battered wife that led her to do business with a man many believe got away with murder. Regan says, she was beaten by her ex-husband and that her dealings with O.J., who, for the record, she believes did kill his ex-wife, was her way of getting closure in her own personal experience.
She writes, quote, I made the decision to publish this book and to sit face to face with the killer because I wanted him and the men who broke my heart and your hearts to tell the through, to confess their sins, to do penance, and to amend their lives.
And about her soon to be televised sit-down with O.J. Regan writes, quote, The men who lied and cheated and beat me, they were all there in the room, and though it might sound a little strange, Nicole and Ron were in my heart. And for them I wanted him to confess his sins, to do penance and to amend his life. Amen.
As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT found out, Regan`s rationale isn`t exactly making her a hero of the anti-domestic violence movement.
CHERYL O`DONNELL, NAT`L NETWORK TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Domestic violence advocates all across the country are appalled that this book is being released and that Fox is broadcasting this so-called two part special.
HAMMER: Sheryl O`Donnell of the National Network to End Domestic Violence tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she sympathizes with Regan, but feels her work with O.J. is doing much more harm than good.
O`DONNELL: We have received many, many calls from all over the country, from other survivors of domestic violence, who have been re- traumatized from the impending release of this book and the two part special.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT now has for you a chilling account of what O.J. reportedly says about the murders.
DAVID PEREL, NATIONAL ENQUIRER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: The chilling detail that he goes in, in the TV interview, and also the book manuscript, which, of course, we`re intimately familiar with, leaves no doubt that this man is, indeed, the murderer.
HAMMER: The "National Enquirer" broke the story of O.J.`s new book and TV deal. It`s editor-in-chief told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what his paper has learned about O.J.`s chilling and allegedly hypothetical account of what could have happened the night Nicole Brown and Goldman died outside of Nicole`s home.
PEREL: The scenario he describes is one where he goes over to Nicole`s house, only to scare her, he writes. Once he gets there, he says, Ron Goldman comes through the gate and O.J. is standing there with his accomplice and the accomplice is holding the knife. O.J. writes that he got angry at Goldman and thought Goldman was having an affair with Nicole. According to what the Enquirer has learned about the manuscript, Nicole takes a swing at O.J., misses, somehow falls down, gets knocked out and O.J. grabs the knife from his accomplice, he writes, attacks Goldman and basically then talks about how the rest is a blur.
HAMMER: And while O.J. is saying that`s how it might have happened, if he committed the murders, for many, including Nicole Brown Simpson in this "New York Daily News" cartoon, there is no if.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: But, as you might have guessed, a number of bookstores are refusing to carry Simpson`s book when it releases later this month, but Borders and Barnes And Noble both tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they will be selling the book. Meanwhile attorneys for Ron Goldman`s family confirm to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that the family does plan to go after Simpson`s proceeds from the book deal. You may remember, they won a 33.5 million dollar judgment against O.J. He`s failed to pay it. And the O.J. outrage is certainly the talk of the country today and the talk of talk radio.
Joining me from Philadelphia, talk radio host Dom Giordano of 1210 WPHT and from Baltimore, Ed Norris, of the Ed Norris Show on WHFS. Guys, good to see you, thanks for being here.
ED NORRIS, THE ED NORRIS SHOW, WHFS BALTIMORE: Hey, thanks, A.J., very much.
DOM GIORDANO, 1210 WPHT PHILADELPHIA: Thanks for having us.
HAMMER: So, at the center of this justification from Judith Regan, as we`ve heard guys, for publishing this book, doing this TV special, is that pursuit of closure for the abuse that she has suffered. Now, we certainly sympathize for whatever it is that she went through, but Dom does any of that, in any way, make this at all OK?
GIORDANO: No, in fact, it exacerbates it. Judith Regan and also Fox TV, A.J. for doing this and putting it on. My listeners are equally outraged with them and the problem they have with O.J. is this guy won`t go away. They have kind of forgotten about him a little bit, but he is back in our face and he has these enablers. And I`m very surprised that she would do this, because this is a high powered, big time publisher to engage in this type of stuff.
HAMMER: Yes, I`m so happy for her that she`s getting closure for something she may have suffered through, but she`s basically enabling this guy to get paid to indulge his narcissism and that`s nuts. I don`t think there`s anything cool about that. Ed, I know it`s been a hot button issue on talk radio the last couple of days, has anyone, at all, called in to your program and said this is a good thing?
NORRIS: Very rare; it was the rare caller. The outrage was unbelievable. People calling in -- I had to hit the dump button more than once this week. People were spitting mad and it was the rare -- the usual person supported was the nut bag who believes O.J. didn`t do it. It was -- one guy called in. It was the Japanese Mafia. But 99 percent of the callers believed he did it and that it was outrageous he was going to profit from this.
HAMMERS: And what type of things are they saying about their outrage towards this special and what Judith Regan`s got going on here?
NORRIS: Basically, you know, outrageous that he`s going to make money, outrageous that we`re still talking about this after 12 years. And, of course, the Judith Regan angle is just another -- it`s more outrage on top of it, but basically the fact the O.J. won`t go away and why we`re still talking about it and people are really, really angry that he may profit from this.
HAMMER: And nobody should be surprised, the media has just been lashing out directly at Judith Regan. Dom, she is justifying that saying, well, you know, this is no different than Katie Couric interviewed O.J., from when Barbara Walters interviewed the Menendez Brothers, when "60 Minutes" talked to Timothy McVeigh. I`m sorry, Dom, isn`t this apples and oranges here?
GIORDANO: Yes, I think it is apples and oranges because it`s not the type of growing that you would expect from that and, A.J., an interesting thing. I asked my listeners who really don`t like this stuff, they`re outraged. Would they watch it though? And about a third said they would. That tells me about two thirds of them are going to watch it. I think this will have a pretty big audience, at least for the first 15, 20 minutes or so of this whole thing. As outraged as people are, they can`t seem to get away from this.
HAMMER: It is interesting because you bring up the fact that you expect it is going to have a big tune-in factor. I want to bring up our poll from yesterday. For our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day we asked people if they were going to watch. Look at this, 92 percent of those who responded said they won`t. Still, huge curiosity here. And, additionally now with all this publicity, it`s certainly just going to pile on top of that. But Ed, you know, we have covered Judith Regan. We have covered O.J. Simpson. Nobody`s really surprised that he`s involved himself with something like this, but shouldn`t the Fox network just be ashamed?
NORRIS: I don`t know, on one hand, people are quick to say yes. But frankly, I have a little different stance with this. If someone can extract a confession from O.J. Simpson, good. I think it`s about time, after 12 years, we put this to bed and you put the debate to bed about the fact that he, you know, bears any innocence at all. I think if someone can get this man to confess on video, in a book, I`m happy for it, because this has been a disgrace for a decade.
HAMMER: Well sure -- you come from a big police background. You were running the show in a couple of cities in different places, so will police officers and law enforcement officials really be watching very closely and if he says something that only the killer would know, is there anything that can even be done with that?
NORRIS: Well, let me tell you what they`re going to be watching. Police officers know -- there`s one thing in this country that you can be sure of, if a police officer is found innocent in a state court, you can bet your bottom dollar the federal government will jump on to it with both feet, Rodney King.
In a case like this, O.J. Simpson, if he confesses on television after being acquitted in a state court, somebody better take a look at this now. I don`t think this is over.
(CROSS TALK)
GIORDANO: What this may reopen is the whole money thing. That outrages my people just as much. How is this guys living a pretty good life when he owes 33.5 million dollars?
HAMMER: Yes, I hope they are able to get a piece of what`s going on here. Dom Giordano, Ed Norris, I appreciate you being with us.
GIORDANO: Thanks very much.
NORRIS: Thanks for having us.
ANDERSON: And now we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. O.J.`s TV show confession, will you watch? Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Send us an e-mail, ShowbizTonight@CNN.com 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 web-cam, send us a piece of your mind via video e-mail. It`s really easy. head to our Web site, CNN.com.ShowbizTonight and you can learn how to do it. Keep them short and sweet, 30 seconds or less, then watch for your video e-mails right here, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: I want you to think about this during our break here. What do you get when a dog and cat find romance together? This is a story that definitely made us say, that`s ridiculous. You will not want to miss it, coming up next. We`ve also go this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALESSIO VINCI, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Details of the wedding are a closely guarded secret, but many here speculate that the couple will reach the castle through this tunnel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Some single, something new, something borrowed, a tunnel, it could only be the TomKat wedding. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is in Italy, where it`s a tonight happen, coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, new reaction to the tragic death of an anorexic fashion model. Coming up, what her modeling agency has to say.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Friday`s night. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Time now for a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous.
Well, you know, this week has been all about TomKat, but tonight we have got a story about a truly bizarre union, dog cat. Take a look at this. In Brazil, a teenager says her cat had sex with a dog and gave birth to this. A litter of well, I don`t know exactly what you would call them, dats or cogs, cogs, dats? What would they sound like? I have no idea.
Apparently a scientist is going to do some chromosome testing to see if this unlikely litter is in fact legit. We still we say the idea of a cat and dog starting a family together, now that`s ridiculous.
ANDERSON: We are less than 24 hours away from the big TomKat wedding in Bracciano, Italy. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there. The small town just north of Rome is busting at the seams with photographers and celebrities, who are pouring in to attend what`s shaping up to be one of the glitziest weddings of year.
Joining me now from Bracciano Italy is CNN`s Alessio Vinci. Alessio, a lot excitement where you are.
VINCI: That is correct Brooke. Rome may be the eternal city but Bracciano is the place to be or is it? There is still no official confirmation the castle here behind me is actually the location where the two will get married. However, VIPs from Hollywood have arrived here en masse. The latest arrivals include Will Smith and international football star David Beckham with his wife. No sign yet though of another big friend of Tom Cruise, John Travolta, who was supposed to fly his own 707 in to Rome earlier today, carrying even more VIPs from Hollywood.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VINCI (voice-over): The shocked paparazzi and fans in Rome have been waiting for days. Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and daughter Suri making their first public appearance on Thursday night, walking inside one of Rome`s best known restaurants.
FRANCESCA LUDI, RESTAURANT OWNER: Lots of different kinds of past we are serving tonight for him and ravioli with truffles. So he like, so he will eat truffles. And there are artichokes that he loves too.
VINCI: Until then the only sightings were this night shot of Hollywood`s hottest couple and a few seconds of the movie star in a hotel lobby.
In the meanwhile, there is frenzy in Bracciano, the small town north of Rome, where the two are expected to marry on Saturday in this 15th century castle. The world`s media have taken this usually sleepy place by storm and locals are cashing in. Windows overlooking the castle are being rented out for thousands of dollars, as journalists wander in search of juicy details.
ALLAN HALL, STAR MAGAZINE REPORTER: We`re also talking to people like the caterers, like the people supplying the flowers. We know that there are going to be 6,000 scented candles of coffee and rose.
VINCI (on camera): Details of the wedding are a closely guarded secret, but many here speculate that the couple will reach the castle through this tunnel. At the end of it hoards of journalists will be waiting for them on this side before the couple will disappear beyond this gate, off limits to anyone without an invitation.
(voice-over): There will be a lot of people disappointed here if all this was a rouse to keep reporters away from the actual wedding location, starting with Bracciano`s shop keepers, each trying to outdo the other with their window dressing skills.
It`s a great event for us, she says. We have seen a lot of weddings, but this one really shakes us up.
Nearby, Tom Cruise`s recent biography is a best seller here and on prominent display in the local bookstore. And across the street, the manager of a clothing store selling American casual ware hopes the wedding will also bring good business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The most important window that we make is the Top Gun window, if you see. And we sell a lot of pilot jackets like Maverick in the Top Gun films.
VINCI: And, of course, this being Italy, food is playing a prominent role. The restaurant across from the castle main entrance is already booked out for Saturday. The chef will prepare a special dish, the Tom and Katie Risotto, with mushrooms and truffles served in a parmesan basket.
But despite all the niceties, there is one thing Hollywood`s maverick won`t be having his way. A request to close the air space above the castle to keep paparazzi`s helicopters away has been turned down.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VINCI: And speaking of food, one Italian newspaper here is reporting that actually Tom Cruise is on a diet and, therefore, the suit that was provided by Italian designer Georgio Armani may not fit tomorrow and we therefore he has to watch what he is eating tonight. Brooke, back to you.
ANDERSON: I`m sure he could probably get a backup suit sent really quickly. Now, Alessio, you said in the piece that Tom and Katie were not granted a no fly zone over the castle. So, are you seeing any helicopter activity? Do you expect that there will be some activity in the next few hours?
VINCI: Yes, we have seen helicopters earlier today and also in the last few days. We do know that several news agencies and photographers have hired those helicopters for thousands of dollars a day. So we do expect that there will be some pictures. We also hear, though, that there might be some sheets put up in an area where -- through which then the photographers, even on a helicopter, will not be able to take any photographs.
We also understand, though, that the couple will release pictures for the media, but we are not being able to confirm that here on the ground.
ANDERSON: Wow, we know they did not invite everybody to the actual ceremony. Oprah has even said that she didn`t receive an invitation. Can you estimate how many guests they did invite, they are expecting?
VINCI: Well, I`ve seen a number anywhere between 150 and 300. I was mentioning earlier the fact that John Travolta has not shown up yet and he was supposed to bring in at least seventy guests, VIP guests, from Hollywood. He hasn`t shown up yet. We don`t know whether he is arriving tomorrow or not.
As far as the guests from here, we understand there aren`t many Italians. As a matter of fact, the only one on the list so far that we know of, or at least that has been reported here by the media, is that Andrea Bocelli, the tenor, will be singing the Ava Maria during the ceremony and we also understand that the mayor of Rome, Patrizia Riccioni, but the mayor Rome, a big movie buff, has been invited, but that`s about it as far as the Italian guests are concerned.
ANDERSON: Wow, Bocelli singing at the ceremony. That will be beautiful. What about their honey moon? Have you heard any details? Will they be staying in Italy?
VINCI: I don`t think so. I heard that Scientology is actually organizing a trip for them somewhere far away from Italy. So, I don`t think they will be spending more time here past Sunday, I guess.
ANDERSON: All right. Alessio Vinci from Bracciano Italy for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.
And don`t go away because we will have more on TomKat as our TomKat countdown continues. At 40 minutes past the hour, we will take a look at Hollywood prenups. What would a prenup involving Hollywood`s biggest actor look like and what should Tom Cruise make sure is included to protect all of his assets?
And on Monday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, be sure to tune in for our coverage of the TomKat wedding in Italy. Alessio Vinci will be joining us again to give us all the little details about the wedding of the year.
Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley`s daughter speaks out about her mom`s ugly divorce. Alexa Ray Joel coming up in the interview you`ll see only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Plus, the stars of "Grey`s Anatomy" speak out about reports of a fight on the set. We are making a house call right to the set, and that is coming up. We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I sure hope that this will be the red flag that makes agents step up and say, you know what? I see that you`re having a problem. I will not accept bookings for you if you don`t get some sort of help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The tragic death of an anorexic model. Coming up, startling new details about the death that has rocked the fashion industry.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Stars of the number one show on television gathered for their first TV interview together today with, who else, Oprah Winfrey. Oprah was right there on the set with Dr. McDreamy and the rest of the cast of "Grey`s Anatomy." One topic that was bound to come up, reports about an on-set fight between Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey. Well, they didn`t get too specific about exactly what went down, but both stars say everything is fine now and that what you might have heard was exaggerated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISAIAH WASHINGTON, GREY`S ANATOMY: I lost my cool, but it wasn`t coming out of a place of animus for Patrick or T.R. or anyone. It was coming out of a place of trying to stay focused about the work.
PATRICK DEMPSEY, GREY`S ANATOMY: I think what happens is we needed to just be open and to be able to communicate and not let things build up. and I think we have come to that point, where we`re like, OK, it`s much freer to communicate with each other and we`re more relaxed with each other because of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The other guys in the cast agreed to say it`s like a big family, so there are bound to be disagreements.
Well Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley`s daughter is going to be here to speak out about her mom`s ugly divorce. Alexa Ray Joel in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Plus, should Tom Cruise and -- Should Tom Cruise have Katie Holmes sign on the dotted line before she walks down the aisle? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a little prenup advice. We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I sure hope that this will be the red flag that makes agents step up and say, you know what? I see that you`re having a problem. I will not accept bookings for you if you don`t get some sort of help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The tragic death of an anorexic model. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with startling new details about the death that has rocked the fashion industry.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I am Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Brooke, have you heard? Big wedding tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Oh, a big wedding? Really?
HAMMER: TomKat.
ANDERSON: I hadn`t heard about that.
HAMMER: TomKat tying the knot. In fact, I can`t wait `til it`s over, so I`ll get to stop saying TomKat. I`ll probably have to say it on Monday.
Anyway...
ANDERSON: Oh, you will.
HAMMER: ...two huge stars, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes -- you imagine -- got to imagine there`s a big prenup involved. What might that prenup contain? We`re going to get into that in just a few minutes.
ANDERSON: Yes, we will.
Also, A.J., Alexa Ray Joel, the daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley. She`s really making a name for herself in music. She`s extremely talented. She`s going to join us in just a few minutes to tell us about her songs. And also, we`re going to find out about the anger she felt over her stepdad`s betrayal.
HAMMER: Yes, and her new CD, "Sketches," is really, really cool.
And first tonight, the "SHOWBIZ Weight Watch" continues. It is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s ongoing coverage of Hollywood`s obsession with body image.
Tonight, only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can bring you the startling new details about the death of a top model who literally starved herself to death. I got to tell you, it`s an absolutely chilling story, because it really shows exactly how much the obsession with being thin can have deadly consequences.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): People, for God`s sake, look out for your children. Open your eyes, so that you don`t lose them as I lost Ana.
HAMMER (voice-over): Ana Carolina Reston`s mother, tearful and emotional, just days after the death of her 21-year-old daughter from anorexia. At foot-7 inches, Reston weighed just 88 pounds when she died. That`s the average weight of a 12 year old.
And now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the new and startling details about what led up to her death. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that Reston was dropped from a Mexican modeling agency who preferred to curvy women because she was too thin.
Then she went to Japan, but was sent home after her agency worried she could be seriously ill. Reston`s mother says that`s when she knew something was terribly wrong.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): She would say, Mother, don`t be mad at me. I don`t want to eat. The food won`t go down.
HAMMER: And it wasn`t just anorexia. Family members now say Reston also suffered from bulimia, and would throw up what she did eat, which most of the time was just an apple and a tomato.
Even Reston knew she had a problem, telling a Brazilian newspaper -- quote -- "There were times I felt fat. I had a distorted image of myself."
What happened to Reston is again shining a harsh light on the fashion industry for using models who are too thin.
ROSHUMBA WILLIAMS, MODEL: I sure hope that this will be the red flag that makes agents step up and say, You know what? I see that you`re having a problem, maybe an eating disorder`s developing. I will not accept bookings for you if you don`t get some sort of help.
HAMMER: Help is clearly what Reston needed. In fact, her Brazilian modeling agency, L`Equipe, pleaded with her to get treatment. L`Equipe tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: "We don`t force our professionals to be very thin. The most important thing now is to understand why such a marvelous girl as Carolina went through a tragedy like this."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, Reston`s mother is urging parents of other young models to pay very close attention to their children`s weight and health. She told her local newspaper, "No money is worth all of this."
ANDERSON: The parents of these young models are just one piece of the pie. To be a model today, you have to have more than just the perfect figure. It takes a supportive team around you and a savvy head on your shoulders to avoid the same tragic fate as Carolina Reston.
And who better to know the ins and outs of this extremely competitive field than somebody who`s living the dream right now? With me tonight in Hollywood is model Eva Marcille, the Season 3 winner of "America`s Next Top Model," and the host of the BETJ`s new show "My Model Looks Better Than Your Model."
Welcome, Eva.
EVA MARCILLE, "MY MODEL LOOKS BETTER THAN YOUR MODEL": Thank you very much.
ANDERSON: You know, we just heard the disturbing -- really disturbing details surrounding the death of model Carolina Reston from complications of anorexia.
You have been in the modeling business for some time now. Do you see the pressures that Carolina must have felt being a part of that industry?
MARCILLE: I definitely see the pressures of maintaining the standard of the industry. No -- no question about it.
It`s really sad, honestly, because grown women, 20-plus, are expected to be the size of a 12-year-old. And it`s sad, because the average girl, that`s not their body build. It`s not how they`re naturally built.
So it`s extremely sad.
ANDERSON: Have you felt the pressure ever yourself so much that you`ve developed an issue, or no?
MARCILLE: I`m definitely felt the pressure of maintaining a certain side. However, I can say I`m fortunate enough to be naturally thin. However, your average model is even thinner than I am. And if I was not naturally thin, I wouldn`t do this job.
ANDERSON: It`s not a problem for you, thankfully. Obviously a lot of people do struggle with this.
Can you share with us some of what you`ve seen in terms of models feeling that pressure, and -- and making themselves go crazy because of it?
MARCILLE: Yes, it`s sad.
You know, the average girls at my personal agency -- you know, they eat Certs and drink coffee for their daily meal. And it`s extremely sad.
But it`s the images that are on television. The things that are out there that says that this is what a model looks like. And it`s sad, because if you compare it to maybe 10, 15, even 20 years ago, models didn`t look like that. Our icons, Marilyn Monroe, she was a curvy woman. It depicted reality.
But now, our media...
ANDERSON: Yes. Curves were in.
MARCILLE: Yes. And now we`re no longer depicting reality. It`s very much those smoke and mirrors.
ANDERSON: Eating Certs and drinking coffee. I don`t know how people function on that.
You know, who do you believe is responsible for models like Carolina falling through the cracks? Because, you know, there has to be some support for a model struggling with these issues.
Is it the modeling agency? Is it her agent? Who is it?
MARCILLE: It`s every -- the blame falls on anybody that works with Carolina. If it`s her agency, her family, her friends, her management. It`s everybody`s responsibility. She has enough pressure on her to maintain a certain physique and to look a certain way and to exude a certain image.
And so it`s the jobs of the agencies and the other people that are working for her to make sure that she remains healthy. And I know there`s a clause in every contract that`s signed with an agency and a model that you can`t usually get between four and eight pounds larger, or four and eight pounds smaller than you are when you sign your contract.
And...
ANDERSON: So the pressures are extremely high.
I do -- before we run of time, Eva, I do want to get to your new show very quickly, "My Model Looks Better Than Your Model." It`s the battle royale of wardrobe stylists.
MARCILLE: Definitely.
ANDERSON: Where stylists are dressing models to compete to dress you for a magazine photo shoot.
I want to ask you -- obviously, you are very beautiful, naturally. But we know that a lot of airbrushing, computer enhancing goes on with magazine photos. Are these creating unrealistic expectations, do you think, for people who see these images and think, I can`t look like that?
MARCILLE: No, I don`t think they`re unreal expectations. I think it sells a great product.
That`s why we`re in the market of advertising. And so you get a foundation, you put it on, and you look beautiful. And it helps sell that foundation.
I love companies like Dove that take your realistic, everyday woman and put them in underwear and have them sell soap. I think it`s absolutely amazing.
ANDERSON: Yes, Dove has a great message, absolutely.
MARCILLE: Yes, they do.
ANDERSON: Eva Marcille, thank you so much for joining us tonight. We really appreciate it.
MARCILLE: Thanks for having me.
ANDERSON: Of course.
And you can catch, "My Model Is Better Than Your Model" on BETJ. Just check your local listings.
HAMMER: A crazy contest to buy one of the hottest products of the year sends someone to the hospital. "That`s Ridiculous!" and that`s next.
ANDERSON: And the TomKat wedding countdown. We know you kids love each other, but just in case, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has some very important pre- wedding, prenup advice. So listen up.
Plus we`ve also got this:
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(SINGING)
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HAMMER: What could she be singing about there? Alexa Ray Joel, Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley`s daughter. She`s all grown up, launching her own music career, got a great new CD out. We`re also going to talk to her about her mother`s ugly divorce battle and how she feels about that, coming up next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (voice-over): Tired of celebs stealing the spotlight? Well, we want to hear from you. So send your opinions on video to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight for details, and watch, and you could see your video e-mail on the most provocative entertainment news show on television.
It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, every night, at 11 p.m. Eastern, right here on...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
It`s Friday night. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Time now for another story that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous!"
Watch this tape. These people certainly didn`t play nice. They were trying to buy a PlayStation. See, a Wisconsin Wal-Mart put 10 chairs outside its store and held a race, the idea being the first 10 to get to the chairs got to buy one of the 10 new PlayStation systems. Right off the top doesn`t seem like such a good idea. In fact, one guy actually hit his head on a pole and had to be sent to the hospital.
Well, this brought up some bad memories of that Cabbage Patch craze that went on back in the 1980s. Yes, our stage manager Dave (ph) was there for that. And that got really ugly at the stores. Guess some things just don`t change.
But pushing and shoving for a PlayStation? "That`s Ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: Now back to our coverage of the TomKat countdown. All this week, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been covering the buildup to the Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes wedding like no other entertainment news show.
And tomorrow`s the day they are expected to finally get married in Italy. But here`s what we want to know: what`s up with the prenup? We haven`t heard whether there is one, but we can tell you this: Tom would be out of his mind not have one.
Joining us from New York is celebrity divorce attorney Susan Moss.
Hi, Susan.
SUSAN MOSS, CELEBRITY DIVORCE ATTORNEY: Hi, how are you?
ANDERSON: Doing well, thank you.
I want to be clear about this. Just so no one`s confused, this is one wealthy guy. He was ranked No. 1 on Forbes` "Most Powerful" celebrity list. Last year alone, Forbes estimated he made $67 million.
MOSS: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Last year alone.
MOSS: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: If you were his lawyer, what would you tell him to do?
MOSS: Well, first of all, a prenup -- or in this case, a postnup, is an absolute must. And the key word is "comprehensive." He needs a document that`s going to cover what`s going to happen to the property that he not only had prior to the marriage, but after the marriage. He needs to deal with spousal support.
And the most important part of this prenup is what Britney apparently forgotten, which is a confidentiality clause. He needs to make sure that in the event that there`s a dissolution of the marriage, that Katie can`t go on a road show, going from station to station, telling about the details of this marriage. Because my guess, she`s going to learn a lot more than he -- that he just jumps on a bunch of couches.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, that reminds of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, when you talk about that. Those two did not have a prenup. Heather Mills could get hundreds of millions of dollars. And word is, you know, she may have some dirt on Paul.
So should Tom be careful? Is that kind of a warning sign to him that he better be careful as well?
MOSS: You know, Sir Paul really hit the nail on the head. Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I`m 64? Apparently, the answer is no. And when you have an age difference like you do for Tom and Katie, that`s something he really has to be aware of. Because there are going to be a lot of zeroes with a big fat number in front of it as a settlement if he doesn`t get all his ducks in line right now.
ANDERSON: Get his ducks in a row right now.
Well, I want to talk about Katie Holmes. Because really, what can she expect if they do get divorced down the road? We hope they don`t.
But what does she deserve? They do have a child together now.
MOSS: Well, she`s been thrown into a lifestyle that could be nothing less than extravagant. They were able to take over a 15th century castle without even batting an eye. And that`s just for starters.
If -- in the event that they get divorced, she would of course want to continue this lifestyle. And that costs a lot of money.
You know, people are looking at these couple, and they start to call them, "matrimonial impossible." It is really everybody`s guess that this is not going to be for the long term. And Katie needs to make sure that she had a good lawyer negotiating the prenup so that at the end, she`s not left back as a pauper, as compared her -- compared to Tom.
ANDERSON: Compared -- and compared to her lifestyle, like you mentioned, that she`s experiencing right now.
You mentioned Britney Spears and Kevin Federline. They did not have the confidentiality clause, you say. But Britney basically did have an iron-clad prenup in other regards.
But now, you know, Kevin may be trying to make money other ways. They`re both asking for sole custody of the kids. What can Tom learn from that?
MOSS: Well, Kevin`s going to probably be very successful, because he has a lot of information, and people are dying to know what that information is. He may even have the sex tapes that are -- that have come up as well.
What is going to be the lesson of that couple is that, you know, certainly when they sign the divorce papers, they`ll be a confidentiality agreement. The confidentiality agreement should have been signed in the pre- or the postnup. Because that would have saved Britney not only a lot of embarrassment, but at the end of the day, a lot of dollars.
ANDERSON: Yes, and a lot of heartache.
OK. We hope, of course, Tom and Katie are happy and don`t have to get a divorce. But you`re right, it never hurts to be prepared.
Susan Moss, thank you so much.
MOSS: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, from Suri`s famous parents now to the offspring of another pair of extraordinarily famous parents: the Piano Man Billy Joel and supermodel Christie Brinkley.
Alexa Ray Joel all grown up, and launching a music career of her own. She`s released her solo debut to rave reviews. It is called "Sketches." You`re looking at it right now.
And now you`re looking at Alexa Ray Joel, joining me in New York.
It`s a pleasure to meet you. So good to have you here.
ALEXA RAY JOEL, SINGER: Nice to meet you, too. Thank you.
HAMMER: So I mentioned who your parents are, arguably two of the most famous people in the world.
JOEL: Right.
HAMMER: They`re household names, really, throughout this entire planet.
JOEL: Right.
HAMMER: When you`re trying to launch your own career and establish your own identity, you basically have two choices, as I see it: you can either run away from it, or you can embrace it, because you know people like myself are going to sit here and talk to you about that.
JOEL: Right.
HAMMER: And it seems like you`ve found a pretty comfortable groove with it.
JOEL: Yes, I have. I mean, the way I see it, is there`s so many advantages that come with growing up with my parents. And they`re just -- they`ve always been such a wonderful influence on me. And I would never try to deny that, you know?
HAMMER: And growing up with the famous parents, as you say, has certain advantages.
But I imagine there`s got to be a down side. There has to be...
JOEL: Yes.
HAMMER: ...parts of it that aren`t all easy. What have you encountered growing up that maybe made it less-than-easy at times?
JOEL: You know, it`s kind of hard. I mean, you know, when I was younger, I didn`t really understand why -- you know, I didn`t know what paparazzi was.
HAMMER: Sure.
JOEL: And I used to kind of cry and -- you know, it`s kind of scary when there`s just a bunch of -- you know, I used to think of them as, like, these big bugs. Like, these big cameras just flashing in your face. It`s kind of intimidating.
But -- no, you just kind of get used to it, you know? And every now and then, it`s kind of annoying when -- you know, being called "the Piano Girl" and...
HAMMER: I`m sure.
JOEL: You know, guys in high school used to tease me. Like, oh, that Italian girl.
HAMMER: Sure.
JOEL: That kind of stuff is kind of embarrassing. But, you know, it comes with it. And there`s so many advantages, it`s really, really not that bad.
HAMMER: What`s your biggest perk, then?
JOEL: The biggest perk....
HAMMER: Other than the fact that you can call your dad up and sing him a song and say, Dad, what you think of this?
JOEL: Yes, well, that`s great.
Just the advice that I`m able to get from both of my parents.
HAMMER: Yes, I imagine with dealing with the paparazzi, you probably...
JOEL: Yes.
HAMMER: Because now you`re going to be encountering that a bit yourself.
JOEL: Yes. No, I mean, I`m definitely used to dealing with the press. You know, and suddenly this year, as my career has kind of taken off, you know, I`ve had to be in positions that I think normally people that hadn`t grown up with parents like mine would be kind of scared and not know how to deal with those situations. And because -- since I was very young, I`ve seen my parents deal with interviews and, you know, red-carpet interviews, and they`re just such professionals and so poised in front of the camera, that, you know, I -- that`s a huge, huge perk.
HAMMER: Yes, and sometimes, as you know, and as we certainly have seen with your mom over the past year, some of the press not all easy.
And I want to ask -- I want to ask you about one particular song on "Sketches," which by the way, is getting rave reviews. Your live shows get great reviews.
JOEL: Right.
HAMMER: I`m looking forward to seeing one of those.
JOEL: Thank you.
HAMMER: Track number two, "Now It`s Gone." Let`s talk about this, shall we, Alexa?
JOEL: OK.
HAMMER: I`m going to read to you one of your lyrics, because it pretty clearly deals with the anger that you experienced...
JOEL: Yes.
HAMMER: ... when your stepdad, Peter Cook, cheated on your mom...
JOEL: Right.
HAMMER: ... Christie Brinkley, with an 18-year-old. God, I can`t even imagine what that was like.
In the song you sing, "And for the one`s I love, I never said a word. Tried to please, wouldn`t fight. Still, I knew I was right."
JOEL: Right.
HAMMER: Sounds like you kind of had this guy`s number.
JOEL: Yes. You know, it`s hard when you do see something going on and, you know, other people don`t really recognize it. And you kind of have to let people find out for themselves.
And, you know, being young and being only 17 and 16 -- you know, you feel kind of helpless in situations like that. And, you know, it`s definitely hard. But, I mean, my mom is so strong, and she`s just so good at dealing with challenges like this. And she just rises above it with such grace and strength. And I know that she`ll get through it. But for me, that was my way of getting through it.
HAMMER: Got to get it out there.
JOEL: Yes.
HAMMER: Got to get it out of your system.
How is she doing now?
JOEL: She`s doing great. Yes, she`s really, really -- I`m just really proud of her. And she`s proud of me. And, you know, I`m actually doing a show soon. I`m doing a performance that`ll be honoring her in the Hamptons. And, you know, I mean, it`s just -- she`s come out so strong. You know, she really has.
HAMMER: That`s really good to hear.
Quickly, before we go -- and I`ve always thought your dad, Billy Joel, the kind of melodies. I was so happy to see that you basically think, of course, he`s the kind of melodies.
JOEL: He is the king of melody.
HAMMER: Your favorite -- your favorite Billy Joel song.
You have five seconds.
JOEL: "Lullaby." "Lullaby." You know that one?
HAMMER: "Lullaby." Least favorite? No, I won`t put you on spot with that, unless you really got one that stands out.
JOEL: Least favorite?
HAMMER: "Uptown Girl"?
JOEL: I`d have to say "Uptown Girl" just because I don`t want to be called Uptown Girl.
HAMMER: Fine, I won`t call you Uptown Girl.
Alexa Ray Joel, it`s a pleasure to meet you. Thanks so much for coming in.
JOEL: Nice to meet you, too. Thank you.
HAMMER: I appreciate it.
Alexa`s new album is called "Sketches." You`ll find it on sale right now at alexarayjoel.com.
ANDERSON: We have gotten a ton of fired-up e-mails so far to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "O.J.`s TV Show Confession: Will you watch?" We`re going to read some of them next.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (voice-over): Tired of celebs stealing the spotlight? Well, we want to hear from you. So send your opinions on video to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight for details, and watch, and you could see your video e-mail on the most provocative entertainment news show on television.
It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, every night, at 11 p.m. Eastern, right here on Headline News Prime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," outrage over O.J. Simpson`s shocking book and TV show, where he talks about how he would have murdered his ex-wife and her friend if he had done it.
So, "O.J.`s TV Show Confession: Will you watch?" A huge response. Now only 8 percent of you say yes, you will watch; 92 percent of you say, no, you won`t.
Here are some of the e-mails that we received:
Janice from Florida writes, "This O.J. Simpson fiasco is appalling. I am calling for a total boycott of Fox TV."
But Nathan from Pennsylvania is going to tune in: "I will watch because I think it will be interesting. He should give some of the money to the family."
Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, and send us your e-mails to ShowbizTonight@CNN.com.
And remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. So just take a look into your video camera or your webcam, and send us a piece of your piece of mind via video e-mail. It`s really easy; head to our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, and you can learn how to do it.
Remember me to keep them short and sweet, 30 seconds or less. Then watch for your video e-mails, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Have a happy rest of your Friday night. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Have a great night.
Glenn Beck is coming up next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News.
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