Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
Michael Richards Apologizes Again on Jesse Jackson`s Radio Show; Why is Britney Spears Hanging Out With Paris Hilton?
Aired November 27, 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: Will Britney Spears be spending Christmas with Madonna? the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And another stunning star split, Pam Anderson and Kid Rock file for divorce after only four months of marriage. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a Seinfeld star`s stunning new emotional apology for his disgusting racial rant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSE JACKSON, ACTIVIST: Do you consider yourself a racist?
MICHAEL RICHARDS, ACTOR: No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Michael Richards speaks exclusively to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: What`s your next step?
RICHARDS: Personal work, deep personal work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Dramatic new developments in the case of Richards` rage, as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT also investigates the best and worst celebrity apologies ever.
Britney, you`ve got a problem. Why the soon to be divorced mommy is hanging out and letting it all hang out with Paris Hilton. We got to say, not really the best move, Brit. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, will Brit`s outrageous partying with her brand new best friend Paris be toxic to her comeback?
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And in just a moment, we will be getting to the most outrageous, ridiculous and baffling new friendship in Hollywood, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. No, we`re not kidding.
HAMMER: Brooke, it is bizarre. But first tonight, who ever could have imagined that Kramer, who we knew and loved and laughed at on Seinfeld, would ultimately be responsible for uniting the nation`s biggest black leaders in absolute outrage. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has dramatic new developments in the anger over Michael Richards` racial rant.
ANDERSON: A.J., I was the only reporter who exclusively interviewed Richards face to face after he went on Jesse Jackson`s radio show, again begging to be forgiven. But today Jackson and others made it clear, crystal clear, that Kramer has got a long way to go.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): The Michael Richards contrition tour rolls into a radio studio for a nationally broadcast sit down with the nation`s most prominent civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson.
JACKSON: Do you consider yourself a racist?
RICHARDS: No, I think anger can go to a place that makes people hate with all kinds of race.
ANDERSON: A little more than a week after the former Seinfeld star`s racist rant in a Los Angeles comedy club, Michael Richards is taking to the airways once again to apologize. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was the only camera allowed at Richards and Jackson`s explosive chat.
RICHARDS: I am deeply sorry for this.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was the only show to find out if Richards earned Jackson`s forgiveness.
JACKSON: (INAUDIBLE) meltdown, and it was painful and traumatic.
ANDERSON: And I exclusively talked to Richards about what he is doing next to ease the pain that his hateful words caused.
RICHARDS: Personal work, deep personal work.
ANDERSON (on camera): Richards came here to Premiere Radio Network to sit face to face with Reverend Jesse Jackson on his nationally syndicated radio show, Keep Hope Alive, to personally ask for forgiveness from the African American community.
(voice-over): Jackson wasted no time asking Richards what could have possibly been going through his mind the night he unleashed a string of N- words at the Laugh Factory.
JACKSON: It was not the first time you had -- it had come out. I`m trying to get to what drove it.
RICHARDS: Well, it was the first time for me it came out in that -- it`s the first time for me, to talk to an African American like that. That`s the first time for me.
JACKSON: Have you said this before?
RICHARDS: No. No. No. No. No. That`s why I`m shattered by it, the way this came through me was like a freight train.
ANDERSON: And after the show Richards exclusively told me what he`s doing to deal with the ugly side we saw on stage that night.
(on camera): What`s your next step?
RICHARDS: Personal work, deep personal work.
ANDERSON: As in therapy?
RICHARDS: Yes, to get to the depths of my -- of anger, the issues of anger.
ANDERSON: Have you seen someone or are you going to see someone?
RICHARDS: Yes. I`m seeing someone now.
ANDERSON (voice-over): SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that the fallout from Richards` comment has given birth to a larger movement to end the casual use of the N-word in popular entertainment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To the N-word we say, just say, no. Just say, no.
ANDERSON: Richards talked about its prevalence.
RICHARDS: Yes, the language is everywhere. It`s in the vernacular. I mean young white kids who listen to rap music or watch comics on cable shows, who are introduced with the N-word, this is a very funny N, and that`s how the introduction comes.
ANDERSON: And after the interview Jackson told me that the pain caused by Richards` rant is further proof that the N-word has got to go.
JACKSON: One thing that come out of this is challenging all artists and media to stop broadcasting the word (EXPLETIVE DELETED) because it`s hate language and it`s divisive and painful to people.
ANDERSON: Still, it was Richards` offensive rant that got the ball rolling. And through his apology, he says he hopes something good can come out of his mistake.
RICHARDS: I`m sorry. I`m very, very sorry to the African American community. I can say that I`m happy this has all come about, because it`s out in the open, and I`ve been a conduit to something that I think is quite meaningful, and the work begins outside and the work begins inside.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Today owners of the Laugh Factory, the comedy club where the Richards incident happened, made their own suggestions on how Richards can make amends. They say for every time Richards used the N-word, he should donate half a million dollars to under privileged kids. Not a bad idea.
HAMMER: I think that might be wishful thinking, but it is a nice idea. And of course Brooke, we just saw some of your exclusive interview with Richards. Now, you were set to be the only reporter who was allowed to actually sit there in the studio with Jesse Jackson and Michael Richards, so you could videotape the show as it was playing out. It didn`t quite work out that way, as I know, but I`m curious what exactly happened?
ANDERSON: Well, I was the only reporter allowed to sit in and watch how it all progressed. But in terms of our cameras, we were asked to film the interview, the actual radio interview, A.J., and as Michael Richards arrived, he saw the cameras and right before the show he became extremely agitated and uncomfortable with the presence of the cameras, so much so that he wouldn`t even enter the studio. So literally 60 seconds before the show went live, we were told the cameras were no longer permitted. We had to pull the cameras. Everyone then had to get into their places. So it was very chaotic and overall the atmosphere was extremely tense and serious, as you can imagine.
HAMMER: Yes, a lot of pressure going on there for Michael Richards and I imagine Jesse Jackson and his people as well, interesting.
ANDERSON: Absolutely and coming up, we`re going to have more of my revealing exclusive interview with Michael Richards, including him setting the record straight. Was he really invited back to the Laugh Factory to apologize for his disgusting racist rant? He tells me all about it. That`s at 30 past the hour. And clearly, Michael Richards is on a public relations blitz to repair the damage done after his disgusting racist rant, but how is his tour of contrition playing out?
With us tonight from Chicago, talk radio host of WVON AM`s "the Roland S. Martin Show," Roland Martin. Hi Roland.
ROLAND S. MARTIN, WVON "THE ROLAND S. MARTIN SHOW": How you doing?
ANDERSON: Doing well, thank you. Now what did you think of Richards` apology on Jesse Jackson`s radio show?
MARTIN: Well, in many ways it was the same apology we heard on David Letterman, in terms of his feelings about it, how it came rushing out. Certainly I have some other questions, because when he was asked as to whether or not he had ever said that before, he said never to an African American. Then Reverend Jackson really did not follow up with the kind of questioning I felt was needed, because the bottom line is, for him to say the things that he said, surely they had to be in the recesses of his mind, in his body, in his spirit, because you don`t just say those kind of things in the way he did, as if you have never articulated those words before.
ANDERSON: Yes, and would he have gone on this contrition tour had that cell phone video not come out. That`s one of my questions as well.
MARTIN: He would have. He would have. He would have because, again, you still have word of mouth, but it is different having a video.
ANDERSON: OK, yes, it is different when you have the video. I got to tell you, Roland, so much has been made today about the use of the N-word. Jesse Jackson and others in the press conferences today have called for the elimination of the N-word completely. Comic Paul Mooney, who has used the N-word in the past in his acts, told me he is never going to use it again. But this isn`t just about Michael Richards. Doesn`t the entertainment industry in general, comedians, the music industry, hip-hop songs, bear some responsibility for allowing it to be used casually, Roland, and allowing it to be, in a sense, tolerated?
MARTIN: Well, first and foremost, they do hold a significant amount of responsibility because it is allowed. At the same time the television executives, they can mandate what is allowed. I was watching Comedy Central one night, and I saw them bleep out all the curse words. But when the N-word was used, it wasn`t bleeped out.
That clearly was a decision made by a television executive. But here`s the other issue that needs to be dealt with, and that is many of the African Americans who were on that stage, you know, I have had personal conversations with several of those individuals and I`ve heard them use the N-word. And so, it also starts with the individual. At the "Chicago Defender," where I`m executive editor/general manage we dealt with this on our cover story, where we said, is it time for African Americans to stop using the N-word? And so individuals bear responsibility.
They should stop justifying and explaining away and saying, well, it`s OK among one another, but then if you say it, it`s not. No, when you put it in music, in television, and on film, then you`re opening it up to a variety of people. And all of a sudden you`re saying, well, it`s OK for me but not for you.
ANDERSON: Yes, if you`re going to talk the talk, you got to walk the walk.
MARTIN: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: And one the other things that came out today, Roland, Jesse Jackson calling for a boycott of the DVD get of season seven of Seinfeld that was just released last week. Now, granted we all know that what Michael Richards said, what he did was horrific. But, you know, Jerry, George, Elaine had nothing to do with this. Is this taking it a little too far?
MARTIN: Well, first of all, as to how you can determine what goes too far, that is a way to assure -- you can say boycott, but people are going to do that any way. They were offended by what Michael Richards said. They`re not going to buy that. Other people have already articulated that. The bottom line is, he has apologized. And so, really, what more can you do to make amends, other than apologize, say you`re going to get better and then you move on. So, I`m not -- I never watched Seinfeld anyway, because they don`t have any black folks on the show. So that`s just my thing, but again --
ANDERSON: So you weren`t going to buy that DVD anyway.
MARTIN: I didn`t see many brothers or sisters on Seinfeld, so I mean, that was just my thing there. I`m not going to sit here and say boycott the DVD, you`re right. Other folks had nothing to do with it. But I do think, though, that we have to confront the reality that all too often we justify the use of this word. People have said it is a term of endearment, when it is not. Either it is a hateful word or it is not. And so it must be removed from folks` vocabulary. And, again, people should not just say remove it from music -- also remove it from their individual vocabulary.
ANDERSON: Well said Roland Martin in Chicago. Thanks so much for joining us.
MARTIN: Thanks, Brooke.
HAMMER: Well, besides Michael Richards, a lot of stars have had a lot of explaining to do for the outrageous things that they have said and done. We are talking about Hugh Grant, Mel Gibson, and more, of course, but can we really forgive and forget? The very best in celebrity apologies and the very worst coming up at 34 past the hour.
ANDERSON: Another shocking star split. Pam Anderson and Kid Rock are getting divorced after just about four months of marriage? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has all the stunning details.
HAMMER: Also, bad news buddies. Why soon to be divorced mommy Britney Spears is hanging out and letting it all hang out with Paris Hilton. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, will Brit`s outrageous friendship be toxic to her comeback? We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (voice-over): It has been one eventful trip for Brangelina, from alleged death threats by al Qaeda, due to the political nature of the film, to scuffles, to being mobbed by the media.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Outrage over Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie`s India visit, but do people in India really care about these superstars being there? We`re going to have that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It`s time now for a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous.
You know, before Britney Spears was married, a mommy, divorced, there was a more innocent Brit. She was writing junior high school book reports like this one on Greek mythology. Take a look at this, you can actually bring this home. A little piece of Britney`s homework into your home. That`s right. For the not so low price of about 500 to 700 hundred dollars you can put in a bid with Christies. Brit has donated this little piece of work. All the proceeds are going to be going to her charity foundation. That at least a good idea, but we would like to report that bidding on this book report, that`s ridiculous!
Certainly buying Britney`s homework ridiculous. Her new found friendship with Paris Hilton even more ridiculous. It is definitely the talk of the town today, Britney Spears partying with Paris until all hours of the night. These guys have been inseparable ever since Brit filed for divorce from Kevin Federline.
Harvey Levin, the managing editor of TMZ.com, joining men now from Glendale, California. We`re going to talk about whether these two are really BFFs. best friends forever. Harvey, it`s nice to see you. You know, I saw this story unfolding, and all I could think is, it spells train wreck with a capital T. How in the world did this happen?
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Well, it`s pretty amazing. Look, my theory is that Britney Spears has been bottled up for two and a half years now. She has said that she feels like she has been pregnant for that long and she has been living with this slacker, you know, in her marble prison in Malibu. And then suddenly she is free. And look, I think, you know, she was a party girl, A.J., and I think who better to party with in Hollywood than Paris Hilton? Paris realized that, and they just became instantly inseparable.
HAMMER: But you don`t think there is more to it Harvey? Because, you know, when you go out on the town -- I mean, you don`t know this from your own personal experience of going out with her -- but you`ve been out there with your crew, taking the pictures. If you go out with Paris Hilton, you will be photographed, and basically it also seems that since she announced her divorce, she has been starved for any kind of publicity. That begs the question, is this just one giant publicity stunt?
LEVIN: I mean, I don`t think it is a publicity stunt. I mean, I think some vanity is involved in this, A.J. If you think about it, I mean, Britney was over weight for a long time and now she has whipped herself into shape, and I think she is kind of sick of being the punching bag, where everybody said, oh, she used to be so hot, she is not hot anymore. People were saying that. And I think she is showing off. I mean, I think she wants to just flaunt it. And Paris Hilton is the perfect person to do that with. I mean, her publicist Elito Mintz, Paris` publicist, told us today that Britney looks at Paris as kind of a role model right now.
HAMMER: Wow.
LEVIN: And that`s kind of what she is aspiring to. So, you know, I think she is into partying. I think she felt kind of pent up.
HAMMER: It could kind of backfire on her, though. I mean, talk about being a punching bag for lots of issues over the past couple of years, the parenting skills, the two failed marriages, there really has been no music or movie hits to speak of and people just haven`t been taking her very seriously. Is this really a good move if she wants to help boost her image, or it`s not about that and she just doesn`t care?
LEVIN: I agree with you partly and disagree with you partly. I agree with you in the sense that there is a custody battle going on. She had such good P.R. going on for her, because everybody was saying look, you know, she seems to be a mom who is really trying. She is with the kids a lot, and this doesn`t help her, being out at, you know, 5:00 in the morning on Thanksgiving day. That`s on the one hand.
On the other hands, A.J., it seems to me that people want celebrities living on the edge. It makes them more interesting. That`s why Whitney Houston is so interesting, Mariah Carey. And I think if Britney Spears comes out with a really good CD, you know, given that she is right on the edge of that cliff, I think she is going to have a huge comeback.
HAMMER: It will be interesting to see, in addition to that aspect of it, if it has any impact on this custody battle, because it won`t be lost on a judge that she is out until 5:00 in the morning partying.
I want to move on while we have got about 30 seconds left, Harvey, because I`ve got to ask you about this. Big story breaking today, four months after having a bunch of wedding ceremonies, celebrating their love and the romance, Pam Anderson, Kid Rock, what`s the story?
LEVIN: Well, I can tell you this, they literally had a race to the courthouse this morning. That Kid Rock`s process server was there when the courthouse doors opened and five minutes after that he filed his papers. Pam Anderson came 27 minutes later. Her process server did. She filed dueling divorce papers. And now there is a move, who is going to get served with legal paper first. Because whoever gets served first is on the receiving end of this divorce. So there is this little drama being played out in Malibu right now.
HAMMER: And I thought it was forever. Harvey Levin from TMZ.com. Thanks so much, Harvey.
LEVIN: By A.J.
ANDERSON: And now we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, Britney parties with Paris. Is Paris Hilton a bad ? We know you`ve got an opinion on this. So vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. Send us an e-mail. Here`s the address, SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com. Don`t forget, 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 web cam, send us a piece of your mind via video e-mail. Super easy, head to our website, 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: Well, we got to wonder, will Britney Spears leave Paris for London? The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad investigates whether Brit will actually be spending Christmas with Madonna. We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARDS: The leadership has opened up the healing. And for that I`m grateful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Michael Richards` stunning new apology over his racist rant. Tonight Michael Richards speaks with me exclusively and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT also investigates the best and worst celebrity apologies ever.
HAMMER: And a walk down the aisle of disaster. Coming up the hysterical new series that shows everything that could possibly go wrong on your wedding day, and more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tomorrow stars stripping down on film. From Hale Barre to Diane Lane to Diane Keaton, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, does getting nude on camera help or hurt a star`s career? It`s a SPECIAL REPORT on tomorrow`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Well, daytime soaps are known for shocking us with all kinds of crazy things, dream sequences, bringing characters back from the dead, the list goes on and on. So someone getting a sex change, I guess that`s not really out there, right? ABC`s "All My Children" is introducing a trans-gender character, a guy who wants to be a woman. His name is Zarf, a flamboyant rock star. The plot thickens, as they say, when Zarf kisses Bianca, a lesbian. ABC says it`s the first show with a male to female switch. Catch all the drama beginning this Thursday.
HAMMER: So will Britney Spears be spending Christmas with madonna? The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case. We`ll have the answers coming up. We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It has been one eventful trip for Brangelina, from alleged death threats by al Qaeda, due to the political nature of the film, to scuffles, to being mobbed by the media.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Outrage over Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie`s India visit. But do people in India really care they`re there? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there in India, coming up.
HAMMER: Michael Richards` stunning new apology over his racist rant. Tonight Michael Richards speaks exclusively with Brooke Anderson. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT also investigate the best and the worst celebrity apologies ever. We`ll be right back.
(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. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
A.J., Kelly Ripa and Rosie O`Donnell had it out - a heated argument on live television - because Rosie called Kelly "homophobic," and then of course Kelly defended herself. It was all over something that Kelly said to Clay Aiken.
Well, now, Barbara Walters is jumping into the middle of the whole thing, and we`re going to show you how, coming up.
HAMMER: And I think we`re going to finally get to put an end to that particular debacle that`s going on.
Also, Brooke, I don`t know about you, but for many millions of Americans, "ER" one of the favorite and most beloved shows on television. I`ve loved it for the 13 years it`s been on. Over the past eight years particularly because of Maura Tierney, who plays Abby Lockhart.
ANDERSON: She`s great. Yes.
HAMMER: Now - now Dr. Abby Lockhart. What a character, what an actress, and she is here. I`m very excited to have her on the program, coming up. It`ll be the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: That`s right.
But first, it appeared last night that Britney Spears and her soon-to- be ex-husband Kevin Federline bumped into each other, and Britney was not thrilled about it at all.
You got to check out this Jimmy Kimmel skit from the American Music Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS HOST: There he was, Kevin Federline, everyone. He is now being sealed tightly in this crate. Don`t worry; the crate - the crate is soundproof. We will not be able to hear him sing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Harsh, but kind of funny, right?
Well, the K-Fed look-alike got packed up, shipped out and then dumped into the ocean. And he was a "no-hit wonder."
Well, just after that, Britney popped onto the stage - a surprise visit to present the award for Best Soul R&B Artist. Boy, a little bit awkward there.
Kimmel says he went through with it because Brit and K-Fed have a great sense of humor. Well, we can tell you that apparently - that apparently is not the case. Because we`re hearing that Britney is peeved - big time, furious at the K-Fed skit.
So, how furious?
Well, with us tonight from Glendale, California, our good friend Harvey Levin, the managing editor of TMZ.com, which broke the news about Britney.
Now, Harvey, I used the word "peeved." But apparently that doesn`t begin to describe how upset Britney was, right?
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Yes, they were furious, and she particularly. I - I am told that the word that was used at one point was "inconsolable," just in terms of her anger at this. She kind of felt set up.
And they wanted this West Coast feed stopped, and the network would not do it.
ANDERSON: OK, she felt set up.
You - you know, her divorce from Kevin Federline seems to have gotten angry. It`s a bit bitter.
So why do you think she would be so upset by this?
LEVIN: I think it has to do with the kids. I mean, we broke a story yesterday that basically, they came together; he really wanted to see the kids while she was out there. So they were trying to make some kind of private arrangements. And it was the first kind of glimmer of a truce in this. And - you know, it made it look like she was kind of putting her stamp on this kind of Kevin-bashing skit on national TV. And she just did not want that.
ANDERSON: Yes.
Well, let`s move on now to those rumors that there is a sex tape of Britney and Kevin that Kevin has - the rumors Kevin has it. And it was reported that Kevin was planning to use it as a negotiating chip in their divorce settlement.
I want to take a listen now to what Kevin Federline`s attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, told - told us at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK VINCENT KAPLAN, FEDERLINE`S ATTORNEY: I want to put this issue to rest once and for all. There is not a sex video of Kevin and Britney in existence. It goes without saying that the stories of Kevin attempting to sell such a video are patently false. And anyone reports that they have information of such activities by Kevin is either lying or repeating and reporting the lie of someone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You know, the attorney pretty adamant there. And Harvey, we know that if - if a tape did exist, you guys would probably get your hands on it.
Do you buy this?
(LAUGHTER)
LEVIN: Now that isn`t necessarily true. Well, maybe it`s true.
ANDERSON: You know it is.
LEVIN: Look, I`ll tell you this: Britney also is saying there is no sex tape, and they have been saying this for awhile. I mean, there has been a press report out there for some time now that it exists. They`ve always said it didn`t.
And I think what - what Mark Vincent Kaplan is basically saying is, we`ll sue you if you perpetuate this lie.
ANDERSON: Well, if there is in fact no tape, what kind of negotiating power do you think K-Fed has in the divorce? Because Britney had what everybody`s calling an iron-clad prenup.
LEVIN: Well, look, she`s a party girl. And she partied with him. And there are probably things she did that she doesn`t necessarily want out in public. And I think, you know, he`ll argue, Look, you know, there - there are - this is about custody and about your fitness, and there are going to be things I`m going to bring out. However if we settle this thing, maybe, you know, we can resolve it.
So my guess is it`s going to cost her some money. He`ll end up with visitation, she`ll get custody, and that will be the end of it.
ANDERSON: We will wait to see how it all shakes out.
All right. Harvey Levin, managing editor of the entertainment news Web site TMZ.com, thanks so much.
LEVIN: Have a good Thanksgiving.
ANDERSON: You too.
Stand-up comic and actor Michael Richards` rant has sent shockwaves through Hollywood. Many people are shaking their heads in obvious disbelief.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went straight to the stars to find out how this rant changed their view of the once-beloved sitcom star.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL RICHARDS, ACTOR: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) (INAUDIBLE) (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my God.
RICHARDS: (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oooh. Oooh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The tirade was all the buzz at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles. Many stars told us the fact that Richards was caught on tape makes this controversy very tough to overcome.
Their reactions varied. But they were all shocked that Richards used the n-word at all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISAIAH WASHINGTON, ACTOR: A man who used it is - has to deal with his own karma. That man has to deal with his own emotions. That man has to be able to come to some kind of concession in his own soul for whatever happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE, SINGER/ACTRESS: I know that there`s still obviously certain people that have hatred. But I don`t really try to focus on that. I try to focus on the positivity and just pray that the negative people can wake up one day and see that we`re all the same.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMIE FOXX, COMEDIAN/ACTOR/SINGER: And I made some comments about it just as a comic. Like, yo, I would have - I would have whooped him on site. But at the same time, it`s sad to see a person build such a career like that, and then have it torn down because of some things that he was going - going through. Because everybody loves his character. And eventually, I`m sure some type of way he`ll come back in. But it`s sad to see it come out so ugly - so ugly like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN MCKNIGHT, SINGER: What I`d like to believe - that this was an isolated incident. But, you know, being African-American or black, whatever we call ourselves these days, you kind of tend to think that if people can go that far, that it`s - that there may be something.
So hopefully I - I - I hope he can get together, and, you know, maybe make some amends on that front. But, you know, maybe some of us will look at him a little differently now. I don`t know. I don`t know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Other stars had much harsher words for Richards. Still, many of them said only time will tell as to whether Richards can heal the scars this incident has created.
HAMMER: Well, it`s time now for Claygate, Day 5. As the story just keeps getting wilder, I would still like to call this, hopefully, "The Final Chapter."
This, of course, all started Friday, when Clay Aiken, filling in for Regis Philbin on "Live With Regis and Kelly," put his hand over Kelly Ripa`s mouth to stop her from speaking. Well, Ripa was not pleased. She said she didn`t know where his hand had been, and so on.
And - well, take a look at what happened when Clay and Tori - Tori Spelling, that is, introduced a performance at the American Music Awards last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLAY AIKEN, SINGER: Our next performer has played with such greats as B.B. King, Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy. He`s a pop artist with the soul of a.
TORI SPELLING, ACTRESS: And I`ll tell you where that hand`s been later.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK.
The other big part of this story is happening over at "The View," when yesterday Rosie O`Donnell accused Kelly Ripa of homophobia. Kelly called in to defend herself, rightly so. Got pretty heated along the way. Barbara Walters was off yesterday.
But take a look at how Barbara opened the show today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": Rosie O`Donnell is one of the kindest, most sensitive people I know. And so is our friend Kelly Ripa. And Rosie and Kelly talked yesterday after the show. Rosie and Clay Aiken have talked, and all is well with the world. And all is well with them.
So let`s move on. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Nice going, Barbara.
Ripa has said that Clay`s hand-over-mouth routine was disrespectful - a major no-no, especially during cold-and-flu season. I couldn`t agree with you more, Kelly.
Now we just want to take a moment to show you something we found today. This is a screen capture on a Kelly Ripa fan site from a show last February. It seems that Kelly may have a bit of trouble keeping her hand to herself as well. But, you know, it probably wasn`t after she shook everybody`s hand in the audience. So let`s just declare that over.
Moving on now, what`s in a name? Well, plenty, if you`re one of the unfortunate kids whose parents decided to name you after a sneaker. That`s next.
ANDERSON: Plus, pardon my turkey. The annual turkey pardon at the White House is serving up plenty of comedy on the side. We`re going to have that, and also this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALICIA SILVERSTONE, ACTRESS: I think women in general are always going - whether you`re an actor or not, there`s always going to be pressure. And part of it is the images that we`re seeing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A very non-clueless Alicia Silverstone on body image in Hollywood. How she has made peace with the pressure to be thin. That`s coming up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand by to your break. Roll your break, and effect black.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
It`s time now for yet another story that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous!"
All right. Baby names like Matthew, Robert, Amanda, Jennifer - those are pretty common, right? Well, there`s actually a new survey from findmypast.com that says that names like Tiger and Madonna are pretty popular these days. Other ones like Snoop - of course, after rapper Snoop Dogg. But even Reebok and Adidas - yes, just like the sneakers. Those are popping up on birth certificates everywhere.
You know, I can deal with Madonna, maybe even Tiger. But naming your kids after shoes? Now "That`s Ridiculous!"
We even have other crazy-names news tonight. Hard to believe, but this is a time-honored Thanksgiving tradition we all know about: the pardoning of a turkey at the White House. There`s also an online vote where you get to name the lucky turkey.
Watch closely. Here`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It`s time to play "name that turkey." Every year, it`s the same routine, except for the year the turkey pecked at the president.
But even if the bird attacks, it gets pardoned. Unlike millions of others, it will survive.
And while we`re pardoning the turkey, pardon the jokes.
DAVID LETTERMAN, TALK SHOW HOST: President Bush will pardon the turkey, and today Dick Cheney spent all day torturing it.
MOOS: The vice president is the butt of many a tortured turkey joke on the Web.
And speaking of turkeys, after the comedian who played Kramer yelled at an African-American heckler saying, "we would have had you upside down with a fork up your expletive," this showed up on "The Huffington Post."
There`s a new flock of turkey commercials this year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Honey! The turkey`s thawed.
MOOS: This one is for a frozen turkey you can just pop in the oven.
The Web ads are exaggerations of things real customers have done. For instance, this one is based on the story of a lady who dropped her turkey on the floor, but ate it anyway.
As for the national turkey and the alternate that serves as a backup, every year there`s a naming contest on the White House Web site. Click on your favorite.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Flyer and Fryer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I like Plymouth and Rock.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Corn and Copio.
MOOS (on camera): Copia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uh-huh.
MOOS: Cornucopia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. I don`t really care.
MOOS (voice-over): No leftovers for him.
The leading choice in our survey...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ben and Franklin.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ben and Franklin.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like Ben and Franklin. Reminds me of money.
MOOS: But if they allowed write-ins...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would name the turkey Bush and Cheney. And I - - then I wouldn`t give them a pardon.
MOOS: Whatever their names are, United is flying them first class from Washington to L.A. to be the honorary grand marshals in Disneyland`s Thanksgiving parade. The two cages will take up four seats in first class. Sure beats the way most turkeys are treated. The White House turkeys get to thrive, not just survive.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Happy birthday to you. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
A quick update from the SHOWIBZ TONIGHT Thanksgiving Desk - apparently we have a Thanksgiving Desk. The winning names for the pardoned turkey and alternate are, in fact, in. And they are, in act, Flyer and Fryer. How good.
ANDERSON: And now more of the "SHOWBIZ Weight Watch." Nobody covers body image in Hollywood like SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And tonight, we have some surprisingly candid and insightful comments on the topic from one of Hollywood`s hottest stars. We`ll never forget her as Cher from "Clueless," Alicia Silverstone.
I caught up with Alicia as she was promoting her new Hallmark Hall of Fame movie "Candles on Bay Street." In it, she plays a single mom in Maine.
I asked her how she handles Hollywood`s obsession with weight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Today, we`re seeing more and more actresses wasting away before our very eyes.
Do you feel a pressure? Obviously, you`re very beautiful and slender. But you`re not emaciated like we see so many people.
But do you feel a certain pressure?
SILVERSTONE: Well, there`s always what I called my "work weight."
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: I have that, too.
SILVERSTONE: Yes, you have your work weight, and then your normal - because, you know, you can`t be an - it would be very unhealthy to think that if you`re, you know, a pound over your work weight, that that`s not healthy.
ANDERSON: Right. That`s ridiculous.
SILVERSTONE: But, you know, if you got to fit in a costume, then you got to fit in a costume.
So there`s a whole sort of - I think I have a healthy idea of what`s going on. I think women in general are always going - whether you`re an actor or not, there`s always going to be pressure. And part of it is the images that we`re seeing, the people on TV, the - the - the magazines, whatever. It`s all encouraging you to be a certain way.
But I`ve come - you know, I`ve come to peace with, as long as I`m eating really healthy - you know, I`m a - I`m a (INAUDIBLE) vegan most of the time, on - on my good time. And I - you know, that`s really, for me, a spiritual decision, a physical decision. It does - it`s good for all my being.
And so if that keeps me looking great, well then, I don`t think there`s anything wrong with looking great.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And you can see Alicia Silverstone in "Candles on Bay Street" Sunday on CBS.
HAMMER: Well, "ER" fans know Maura Tierney as Dr. Abby Lockhart on the show. Maura`s character struggles with the demands of motherhood and career.
But "ER," which is now in its 13th amazing season, is certainly not struggling. In fact, it`s one of the few consistent hits on TV.
Maura Tierney joining me here in New York.
It`s so nice to meet you.
MAURA TIERNEY, ACTRESS: So nice to meet you.
HAMMER: I`m a huge fan of the show. I`ve been watching it all the while, and I think this season in particular has really taken off.
I have to ask you - because you`ve been there for eight years now, eight seasons, right?
TIERNEY: (INAUDIBLE)
HAMMER: Playing a nurse, and now a doctor. And we know that fans are always confusing the actors and the characters. So I have to believe people come up to you all the time, saying (ph), Well, can you help me out? I got a little pain in my shoulder. And what can I do about that?
Does that - does that go on? Maybe not in that accent.
(LAUGHTER)
TIERNEY: They do it in a Russian accent.
No, I - they don`t do it that much. I`m a little more guilty of doing that than other people. Like, if someone says, I have a headache or I have a pain in my shoulder, I`ll be like, Well, where does it hurt? And how does it feel? And can you move it? Like, I think I can somehow diagnose what`s wrong with them.
So I`m more guilty of that than.
HAMMER: Well, they send you home with the medical journals. You know the lingo.
TIERNEY: I know I can say the lingo.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Will you give me a little lingo? Come on, rattle something off. We`re - we`re in the ER right now.
TIERNEY: I can say the lab tests we have to order - CBC, Chem 7 - wait, CBC, Chem 7, Lipase (ph), FFTs, Tibancross 4 (ph) - Calcium.
HAMMER: You`re off for the holidays, Maura. You don`t need worry about that right now.
As I mentioned, the show`s been on for 13 seasons right now.
TIERNEY: Middle medium steinam (ph).
HAMMER: OK.
TIERNEY: Perichidosis (ph) (INAUDIBLE)
HAMMER: If any of them come up in the course of the interview, you just.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: This season, as I mentioned though is - I - I think the show got a real shot in the arm, no pun intended. John Stamos, a great addition to the program.
He was actually here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT not that long ago, and we were talking about him being a single guy and working on the show. And the fact that the women all over the set are doing their best to set him up on dates.
Are you - do you have a hand in that all? Are you guilty of - of trying to hook up John?
TIERNEY: No.
HAMMER: Not doing that?
TIERNEY: No, I`m not trying to hook up John.
HAMMER: OK.
TIERNEY: Or anybody. It`s John in - I`d love him to be happy. But with a nice girl.
But I don`t really - no.
HAMMER: Not your thing to be fixing people.
TIERNEY: Not my thing. I don`t - I don`t have enough confidence. I would be - because don`t you think that would be scary?
HAMMER: Oh, yes.
TIERNEY: Hooking up two people you know.
(CROSSTALK)
TIERNEY: Yes, and I`m very irresponsible. So.
HAMMER: Well, tomorrow night, you - on - on the program we`ll see that you have a great deal of responsibility in terms of the fact that you are at the center of the episode. It`s Thanksgiving night; you`re on your way from dinner, and you come up across this accident, a very tragic accident.
You know, we`re always hearing how doctors in real life suffer because they have to deal with tragedies with constantly. I have to believe - especially because of how realistic the character is and the show is - that it does - it does affect you in some way, dealing with these - these storylines, and how realistic they are, despite the fact that it`s on a set.
Am I wrong?
TIERNEY: Yes. Well, you know, it`s right and wrong.
I mean, I - sometimes, what - what can affect you sometimes is sort of like at the beginning of the year, and the end of last season, Goran and I, you know, is having a baby, and the baby was sick. And, you know, there was several episodes where the baby was dying. And that stuff is a little hard to do everyday, because you just have to be sad all the time, all day, in every scene.
But you would be surprised as to how much humor there is in the rumor, even when one of the patients is dying.
HAMMER: You got to keep it light.
TIERNEY: We got to keep it light. So - and we manage to do that. Sometimes we really have to tense up, because it`s, like, you know.
(CROSSTALK)
TIERNEY: Do your crying monologue. But we have good times.
HAMMER: We`ll - we`ll look forward to seeing that episode tomorrow night. But we`ll look forward to seeing a lighter side of you tomorrow, hanging out with Al Roker at the Thanksgiving parade.
I - I appreciate you stopping by.
TIERNEY: Sure. Thank you.
HAMMER: Once again, you can catch Maura in "ER" tomorrow night on NBC.
ANDERSON: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." And it is this: "Kramer`s Racist Rant: Do you buy Michael Richards` apology?"
The vote so far: 34 percent of you say yes; 66 percent of you say no.
Here`s some of the e-mails we received:
Rose from Florida writes, "If you are trouble not a racist, those words wouldn`t even be in your vocabulary."
Dolly from Ontario, Canada, says, "Watching that apology made me feel sick to my stomach. I hope that his career suffers for this."
Keep voting, and sit tight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Kramer`s Racist Rant: Do you buy Michael Richards` apology?"
Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. And write to us; here`s the address: showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Also, head to our Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight, rather, to learn how to send us a video e-mail. Remember, the videos have to be 30 seconds or less. Keep them short and sweet. Then watch for them, right here, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, tomorrow.
Love is in the air. It`s a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: "Romance in Hollywood." Stars in love, stars breaking up, stars marrying too young, stars fighting love on the set. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special, "Romance in Hollywood."
Happy Thanksgiving. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Happy Turkey Day, everybody. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Glenn Beck is coming up next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News.
END
