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Showbiz Tonight
50-Cent Says Oprah Not Black Enough; Oscar Buzz Surrounds Mel Gibson`s New Movie
Aired December 05, 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: Oscar buzz from Mel Gibson, but should his anti-Semitic rant keep him from being considered? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks the biggest stars the burning question, what is up with Britney spears? I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Oprah versus 50 Cent, stunning criticism of one of the most powerful women around. Why one of America`s biggest music stars, 50 Cent, says Oprah is so out of touch, she has essentially become a middle-aged white woman. Tonight the stars weigh in on the debate, Oprah versus 50.
Dying to be thin, the shocking websites that teaches kids the tricks of extreme weight loss. They are called Pro-Ana and tonight for the first time SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the hard numbers to prove just how much they are being used and how much damage they are doing.
ANDERSON: Hi there everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York City. Tonight, are you ready for this, you`re about to see something rare, a star actually publicly criticizing Oprah Winfrey, of all people. One of the biggest music stars out there has some really shocking words against TV`s queen, suggesting that she is out of touch with the every day woman. Something else, they are saying she is not black enough.
ANDERSON: A.J., it is just the latest shot Oprah Winfrey has taken from the world of hip-hop and one of its most influential stars, 50 cent, is throwing strong words Oprah`s way. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only place where some of the biggest names in music are answering his claim that Oprah is out of touch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): 50 Cent`s suggestion that Oprah Winfrey may have lost touch with black viewers is the shot heard around the world.
YOUNG JEEZY, RAPPER: Oh, man. I mean that`s stupid to be messing with people with a lot of money.
ANDERSON: And it has the stars talking about it with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
KATHY GRIFFIN, COMEDIAN: I`ll tell you, my money is on Oprah. I will tell you right now. I don`t care how many times he`s been shot. My money is on Oprah. He is going down. She will take him down like Barbara Walters took down Star, honey.
ANDERSON: We all know how that one turned out. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the question that everyone`s asking, does 50 have a point or is it not nice to mess with mother Oprah? 50 Cent lodged this latest salvo in the war between Oprah and the world of hip-hop. He tells "Elle Magazine" that Oprah "started out with black women`s views but has been catering to middle-aged white American women for so long that she has become one herself." Some of the biggest stars in music, attending the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, stopped to talk to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about 50`s comments.
There weren`t a lot of 50 Cent supporters in the bunch.
NAS, RAPPER: I think it`s a sad case of trying to be popular on 50`s case. You don`t have to make a buffoon of yourself in front of the whole country by trying to disrespect someone we hold so highly up there.
BOYZ II MEN, RAPPER: He`s a cross over act himself. You know what I mean, like, you know, I know he does hard core hip-hop, but he sold 11 million record. And there aren`t 11 million black people that are going to buy those records. He had to cross over somewhere.
GRIFFIN: I think she caters to everybody. I think she is our friend, our neighbor, our sister, our confidant.
CORI MURRAY, "ESSENCE MAGAZINE": I think it`s a little unsubstantiated.
ANDERSON: Corey Murray of "Essence Magazine" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she agrees with the notion that Oprah be longs to all women.
MURRAY: I don`t think it`s the views of the middle-aged white woman. I think it`s the views of abused women, women who have been hurt, women who have been in pain. I think she has been celebrating women who are doing great things. I think she has been representative of what women want.
ANDERSON: Of course, 50 Cent may want to be careful who he picks a fight with. Oprah Winfrey is a powerhouse, worth 1.5 billion dollars. Her show is watched by 49 million people in 122 countries. Rappers, such as Ludacris and Ice Cube, in addition to 50 Cent, have had their issues with Oprah, who some have accused of dissing hip-hop and hip-hop artists.
TODD BOYD, USC CRITICAL STUDIES PROFESSOR: People wonder why Oprah, a black woman, has not embraced hip-hop culture, a culture that emanates from black sensibility.
MURRAY: She makes it very clear that she is a black woman first. She never denies that. She is building a school in South Africa. She gives tons and tons of money to help black youth. To point this finger now at her like oh, she has the views of white America, I think is just untrue.
ANDERSON: She addressed the issue earlier this year in a call to a New York City radio station.
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: I listen to some hip-hop, you know. I`ve been accused of not liking hip-hop, and that`s just not true. I`m opposed to some of the music that offends my sensibilities and that`s when, you know, you`re degrading women and marginalizing women. My point is you don`t have to bitch and homey down in order to make music.
ANDERSON: Still, some rappers tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Oprah has her fans in the hip-hop community.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We love Oprah Winfrey. We love her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Much love to Oprah Winfrey. Hip-hop loves you. Real men love you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Harpo Productions tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Oprah has no further comment.
HAMMER: Well, 50 Cent says that Oprah is out of touch. Good luck trying to find somebody who will actually take the queen of daytime to task. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know is Oprah, in fact, that untouchable?
Joining me in New York syndicated columnist Roland S. Martin, good to have you here on the set with us, Roland.
ROLAND MARTIN, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Glad to be here.
HAMMER: Let`s get right to it, because this is a battle, or at least words that certainly can`t be ignored. You have one of the most influential women in the world and you have one of the most popular hip-hop artists in this country, sort of, with different viewpoints at the moment, I would imagine. I want to read 50 Cent`s quotes to "Elle Magazine" that we heard one more time. He said, "She started out with black women`s views but has been catering to middle-aged white American women for so long that she has become one herself." Now he is not alone in this viewpoint. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went on the web. There are thousands of postings out there that would agree with this. I`m curious your take on it.
MARTIN: Sure, on my radio show on WBON people call in and say the exact same thing, in terms of where she stands and what her views are. But it is a very small minority. Many of these people, frankly, are ignorant as to the things that she has done for African Americans and also really what she is trying to accomplish. The reality is, when you have a show, you are appealing to a mainstream audience. You`re not going to have an all-black show. You know, I am on all-black talk station, so my topics are a lot different than what she does. But also, what`s interesting is here`s a guy who sold drugs that devastated the black community, but here`s who grew up poor in Mississippi, who is trying to help people. And so if there`s anybody who is destroying the black community it`s 50 Cent, who can`t even pronounce it like fifty, you know, can`t even speak English, as opposed to Oprah.
HAMMER: It is interesting to watch this whole thing unfold. And I always -- Whenever people go after Oprah, I just think she is such an easy target because of how popular she is. And can never ignore or get away from all of the amazing things that she does in the world.
MARTIN: Look, she is rich. She has established herself. But anybody who has really understood her story, of being in Baltimore and being told to change her hair, cut your hair, you`re too fat, you`re ugly, a woman who has gone through those things and so she talks about those kind of issues and the whole deal with the weight as well. And so people want to attack her because she is so popular. But that`s the case with anybody. So you can be a politician. You`re great when you`re a small politician. All of a sudden when you become huge, everybody`s trying to attack you because now you`re a big fish.
HAMMER: Let`s take race out of the equation for a second Roland, because she is, after all, a billionaire. And she goes on her television shows these days and she talks about her homes and her books and her radio shows and all the place that she goes, not just to do good, but, you know, she lives well. I mean, she`s a billionaire.
She is really acknowledging that she is not the average American woman anymore, while she is trying to stay in touch with them.
MARTIN: But, you know what, here`s what is interesting, "Ebony Magazine," the number one black magazine since it was founded a number of years ago, 60 plus years ago, they have always shown the large houses and the cars and things along those lines, because they want to present a view of black America that is different from the crap that 50 Cent sings about. And so when she talks about it, people are responding to it. If she also talks about her faith, she also talks about her struggles, and so there is a balance, in terms of the kind of topics she deals with. And so people accept that. So why would we get mad if Oprah talks about her house and then we see pimp my ride, then we see Yo MTV Cribs, take your pick. And so she is talking about it, but so are they.
HAMMER: Before I wrap it up, real quickly, it is very hard, as I mentioned, to find people who would actually speak out against Oprah Winfrey. You just don`t see that happening anywhere. You actually did at one point, and you heard about it right from her. What happened?
MARTIN: Yes, I wrote a column, Johnny Johnson, the founder of the "Ebony Magazine" had died. And so I was critical because she was one of the few black media magnates who did not speak on the importance of him after his death.
HAMMER: Which seemed unusual.
MARTIN: Right, because everybody else did. Man, she called me. She was very hot, upset. I mean, I was calm, cool and collected. I wrote the column with her response. A huge blowup, got e-mails from all across the world. But again, I criticized her within context, in terms of a very specific issue. But yes, she didn`t like it too well.
HAMMER: Roland, I appreciate your insight on this and I am hoping you and Oprah are buddies these days.
MARTIN: Oprah, give Roland a call please.
HAMMER: Thanks for dropping by.
MARTIN: Thanks a bunch.
ANDERSON: And now we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Oprah criticized, has she lost touch with the average person? 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, whatever you want to tell us. So, just take a look into your video camera or your web cam. Send us a piece of your mind by video e-mail. It`s super easy. Head to our website, CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT and we tell you how to do it. Then check out your video e-mails right here, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And Brooke, can you hear that? Everybody in the studio? Do you hear that buzzing sound? It`s not our lights. That`s already Oscar buzz and that`s already happening for Mel Gibson`s Apocalypto, but the question is should his anti-Semitic rant affect his chances at Oscar gold this year? That`s a very hot debate and we`ve got it coming up.
ANDERSON: Also A.J., remember the day when we found out that Reese and Ryan were splitting up? We were all pretty shocked, right? Well tonight we`re taking a look back at the most shocking breakups of 2006. Britney Spears also made that list. Speaking of Britney, we`re also going to have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I do find very strange is that there`s a pack of girls that run around together and we have seen all their vaginas.
HAMMER: OK, believe it or not, that wasn`t the funniest thing we heard when we asked the stars what they think of Britney`s new party image. We`ll get into that next.
ANDERSON: First tonight`s Entertainment Weekly great American pop culture quiz. Warren Beatty`s sister is also an actor. Who is she, Candice Bergen, Diane Lane, Meryl Streep or Shirley Maclaine? think about it. We`re coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: So, again, tonight`s Entertainment Weekly great American pop culture quiz. Warren Beatty`s sister is also an actor. Who is she, Candice Bergen, Diane Lane, Meryl Streep, or Shirley Maclaine? The answer is D, Shirley Maclaine.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Time now for a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous!. OK, when was the last time you wanted to take a giant whiff of a bus stop? I can`t personally recall ever wanting to do that, but in San Francisco some of the bus stops smell like freshly baked cookies. It`s all part of a scheme cooked up by California`s milk board. They put scented adhesives inside bus shelters, thinking that if the bus stop smells cookies, well then people will want some milk. A bus stop that smells like cookies, now that`s ridiculous!
HAMMER: Well, tonight the outrage over the Oscar buzz surrounding Mel Gibson Apocalypto heats up. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that some of the most influential people in Hollywood who have seen this film say, it is, in fact, Oscar worthy. But hang on just a second. What about all those people who said they were done with Mel in the wake of that hate filled anti-Semitic tirade? Do you remember when mad Mel said that the Jews were responsible for all the wars in the world, among other choice words. Well, with us tonight from Hollywood Rabbi Marvin Hier, the founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, with me in New York our good friend "People Magazine`s" film critic Leah Rozen. I appreciate you both being with us tonight.
All right, Leah. You`ve seen the movie. Let`s take the whole Mel Gibson episode and the racial tirade out of the equation for just a second. Does Apacolypto deserve Oscar buzz?
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE MAGAZINE": Yes, it probably does deserve Oscar buzz. I don`t know that it`s guaranteed. It may get an Oscar for foreign language. It is all sort of in this ancient Mayan dialect. My problem with the film, it is this really accomplished visceral film making. I have a big problem with the film, unbelievably violent. But the question here is really, can you separate the art from the artist?
HAMMER: Yes, I want to ask the rabbi about that. Rabbi, I know you are a part of the voting academy. I know you haven`t seen the film and I know you`ve made it very clear that you don`t plan on seeing the film. You are going to get that Oscar screener DVD in the mail for your consideration, but you`re not going to watch it. And I know you can`t comment on its merits. But can you, as Leah said, separate the movie from the moviemaker in this case?
RABBI MARVIN HIER, SIMON WIESENTHAL CTR.: Let me say this. There will be a number of people that may be able to do that. I can`t. I think that his remarks were hurtful. They insulted the Jewish people. They were very anti-Semitic. And he has done nothing since then. There has been a lot of publicity. He was going to make amends. He was going to correct his life. We`ve heard nothing about that since then.
HAMMER: So the campaign that he has been on -- rabbi --
(CROSS TALK)
HIER: I`m not going to watch the movie.
HAMMER: Rabbi, the campaign that he has been on, because he has been reaching out to some leaders in the Jewish community. He has made appearances on some television talk shows ,as well as in a few public places. Simply not enough for you at this point?
HIER: Well, first of all, I think a campaign of going on television - - I think the thing for Mel Gibson, if he were serious about rehabilitation, he would find out what is anti-Semitism, why did the Jews suffer for 20 centuries? He would visit a concentration camp. He would visit the state of Israel. It is not about television interviews. You`re not going to learn much about anti-Semitism from television interviews.
HAMMER: OK, well, it will be interesting to see if we can learn from history though Leah, because, you know, in the past, the academy has forgiven wrongdoings. I think Roman Polanski is the best example. In 1977 he pled guilty to having sex with a minor. He bolted out of the country. And then a couple of years ago he one the academy award for the Pianist.
ROZEN: Now, of course, this was a film about the Holocaust and you know.
HAMMER: But do you think that the deal is here with Apocalypto, maybe it is just too fresh in voters minds?
ROZEN: It may be too fresh in voters` minds. What`s sort of amusing is this is about the collapse of Mayan civilization, incredibly violent, there were certainly wars or battles in the movie, not caused by the Jews, caused by the Mayans. But, I think the question here is whether people decide the film is powerful enough. I think the film is too violent. I think so many people are going to be turned off by the just incredible gore, the non-stop violence in this film.
HAMMER: Rabbi Hier, back to the question of if voters have moved past all the things that Mel said. If, in the end, when the voting happens and Hollywood does show Mel this Oscar love, after all that talk of pulling support away from him after that tirade, do you think it would be very hypocritical of the Hollywood community at that point?
HIER: Well, look, everybody in Hollywood has to make up their own mind. I`m telling you, quite frankly, no intention of seeing the film. I think he has not made any amends. And I`m quite angry at him. I supported -- I voted for him in Braveheart for the Academy Award, but I will not do that again. I don`t intend to see the film.
HAMMER: Leah, do you think some members of that Hollywood community, who perhaps were saying, oh, my goodness, I`ll never support him again, are going to hide in that anonymity of the voting system? Because they don`t have to say who they are.
ROZEN: Some will hide. Some will vote for him. But there are plenty of people for whom he really is on their permanent (INAUDIBLE) list, but he`s not the only one. There are plenty of people who haven`t gotten Oscars in the past just because people hat them.
HAMMER: Hillary Rozen, thanks for your insight. You too Rabbi Marvin Hier. I appreciate you joining us tonight.
ANDERSON: Another big buzzed about story right now is Britney Spears. When she started hanging around with Paris Hilton it was one thing, but then all these photos started popping up of Britney, sans underwear. And that really got people talking. The word on the street was Britney and Paris were even going to co-host the Billboard Music Awards together last night, but neither one of them was even there. That didn`t stop all the big stars from talking about them, though. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there on the red carpet in Las Vegas, asking the stars what they thought of Britney`s new image. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COURTNEY LOVE, SINGER: Say what you will about me, but when my daughter was a year old -- from when she was born to a year, I didn`t go out much, so I can`t really relate. And there is nothing, no judgments against working mothers -- none, none at all. I`m a feminist and I absolutely believe in it. But it is not for me to judge.
GRIFFIN: She has sort of made a new career out of her crappy image. So she has kind of made lemonade out of her lemons and now we`ve seen all of her lemons. And in a way, she can`t do any wrong, you know, because we`re interested if she is looking foxy and has the washboard abs. They were interested if she`s kind of chubby and eating Cheetoes.
DAVE NAVARRO, ACTOR: what I do find very strange is that there is a pack of girls that run around together, and we have seen all of their vaginas.
HOWIE MANDEL, ACTOR: She looks free. Nothing says freedom like going out with no underpants on. K-Fed`s out of the picture. I`ll tell you what. You take the underpants, I`ll keep everything else. I think that`s what happened there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Like we said, Britney and Paris weren`t at the awards, much like Britney`s recent attitude towards underwear, the Billboard Music Awards went on without a host, just a bunch of presenters.
HAMMER: Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, pro-anorexic websites. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s been covering these shocking sites for a while, but tonight there is brand new information about how they are being used and the damage that they are doing to young girls with eating disorders.
ANDERSON: Also, A.J., it was the day the fairy tale died. We were all stunned when we heard Reese and Ryan were breaking up. Well tonight we`re going to take a look back at the most shocking breakups of 2006. We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILARY SWANK, ACTRESS: I guess where money is involved, there is always going to be a place for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Fame isn`t all fun and games, even for an Oscar winner. Hilary Swank opening up about the paparazzi and other downsides of fame. That`s coming up in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tomorrow Mr. Smith comes to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I go one on one with Will Smith, who`s got a lot to say about the debate that has sprung up since Michael Richards racial rant. Plus, he`s got a lot to say about his inspiring new movie. Will Smith tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: An update tonight on Farrah Fawcett`s health. In a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Fawcett`s rep says the former "Charlie`s Angel" star has finished her cancer treatment and is doing very well. A month and a half ago doctors discovered a malignant tumor in her lower intestine. Since then she underwent chemotherapy and radiation and their difficult side effects. Fawcett`s rep says she is doing well following treatment. We certainly do wish her the best.
HAMMER: Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, pro-anorexic websites. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been all over these shocking sites for a while now, and tonight we have some brand new information about all the damage that they are doing to all the young girls who have eating disorders.
ANDERSON: Also, A.J., it was the day the fairy tale died. We were all stunned when we heard Reese and Ryan were splitting up. Tonight we`re going to take a look back at the most shocking breakups of 2006. We`re also going to have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SWANK: It`s not why I got in the business, but it`s one of the wonderful kind of byproducts of what I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Of course that is none other than Academy Award winner Hilary Swank, who is opening up to us about the one thing that really keeps her going, when all the pitfalls of fame are getting to her. You`ll find out exactly what that one thing is, coming up in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`re coming 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.
HAMMER: Brooke, of course, we all know that Hilary Swank shot quickly to fame with her breakout role in the film "Boys Don`t Cry." But, you know, fame comes at a price - often a steep price. Hilary has paid it, and she`ll tell us exactly how. That`s coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Also, A.J., I know you remember when we got the news that Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe were breaking up. It was shocking; it was really said. It was like a fairytale had ended.
HAMMER: I shed a tear.
ANDERSON: In a - you shed a tear; I did as well. Maybe not.
But coming up, we`re going to take a look at the most shocking breakups of the year. That`s straight ahead.
But first, the "SHOWBIZ Weight Watch." This is our ongoing coverage of Hollywood`s obsession with body image. Now we cover this stuff like no other entertainment news show.
Tonight, the shocking Web sites that actually teach people, especially kids and teenagers, how to have an eating disorder. You heard me correctly. They`re called "pro-ana" - pro-anorexia Web sites. And while they`ve been around for awhile now, for the first time, there`s stunning, hard evidence about just how dangerous they are.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): They`re called "pro-ana" for pro-anorexia, or pro-mia for pro-bulimia. They`re scary sites that glamorize eating disorders, and teach kids - some as young as 10 years old - techniques for extreme weight loss.
LYNN GREFE, NATONAL EATING DISORDER ASSOC.: Encouraging people to be ill is really what it is. And it`s like a secret cult. It`s a secret society, and word spreads around.
ANDERSON: Word has absolutely been spreading around. Do a Google search and thousands of these sites pop up - sites that use pictures of celebrities as inspiration for girls looking for desperate measures to be thin.
LEIGH VAN DUSEN, EATING DISORDER TREATEMENT SPECIALIST: If you just type in "anorexic," sometimes these come up. So unfortunately, someone who`s looking for help could come across a pro-ana site. In that vulnerable state, they could easily be swayed into participating in one of these communities, or so-called communities.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you what researchers at Stanford University`s School of Medicine found in their brand-new study. Doctors there scientifically surveyed eating-disorder patients, 96 percent of whom said they visited pro-eating disorder Web sites and learned extreme methods on how to diet, and even where to buy drugs to help them purge food.
Sitcom actress Scarlett Pomers knows these Web sites well. She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she found one of them before she ever developed her potentially deadly battle with anorexia.
SCARLETT POMERS, ACTRESS WHO USED "PRO-ANA" SITES: About a year before I ever developed anything that resembled an eating disorder, I actually stumbled upon one of the Web sites through a very popular blogging site. And I - I was really upset and very disturbed by it.
ANDERSON: But that anger turned to curiosity. And she told me that before she knew it, she was visiting the sites daily.
POMERS: When you have an eating disorder, you tend to isolate yourself very much. And I think that if I wouldn`t have gotten so sick so fast, if I hadn`t learned the different tricks.
ANDERSON: Scarlett - now in remission and working as a spokesperson for the National Eating Disorders Association - prefers not to talk about the tricks she learned.
POMERS: I know that other girls who do have eating disorders, even though they might see someone like me who is in recovery and who is being, you know, more - making healthier choices and living a good life after an eating disorder, they will use the tips for, you know, destructive behavior.
ANDERSON: Destructive behavior is exactly what these sites encourage. Just ask Marna Palmer, whose battle with eating disorder began when she was just 13 years old.
MARNA PALMER, SAYS SHE USED THE WEB TO LEARN ABOUT EATING DISORDERS: I was - laxatives. Spending four hours a day at the gym. At my worst, I was throwing up seven or eight times a day.
ANDERSON: Our cameras caught up with her when she was 22 and on her way to recovery. She tells us that during the height of her illness, she was a regular visit to pro-ana Web sites.
PALMER: The 12- and 13-year-old girls that would come on saying, I`m so fat, please teach me how to be anorexic; teach me how to be bulimic.
ANDERSON: Stanford University found that patients who used the pro- eating disorder sites tend to suffer longer. It also found half the parents surveyed said they were aware of these dangerous sites, but only 28 percent said they had ever discussed them with their children.
POMERS: It`s very upsetting, and it`s - it`s very hard because I think, you know, kids are spending so much time on the Internet and learning all this stuff and have so much access to it, and the parents don`t know.
I think people just really need to kind of take care and watch what their kids are doing, no matter what age they are.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been poring over that same Stanford study, and it says that eating disorders are fueled not only by pro-ana Web sites, but also by images coming out of Hollywood.
So now that we have the hard evidence that there`s a connection, what do we do to fix it?
Jessica Weiner is an advice columnist and author of, "Do I Look Fat in This?"
And Jessica joins us tonight here in Hollywood.
Welcome back, Jessica.
JESSICA WEINER, AUTHOR, "DO I LOOK FAT IN THIS?": Hi, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Hi there.
OK, now, let me read you something that I found really scary, really shocking as part of one study. And it says, "One study of 219 13 to 17- year-olds found that exposure to Seventeen magazine for 15 months increased the negative effect of participants who, at the onset of the study, felt increased pressure to be thin."
Now that is frightening. And Jessica, we`ve seen this; we`ve documented this before. But are you outraged? I know I am, that it took this long to establish the connection, to give us the cold, hard numbers.
WEINER: I think doing the work that I do and seeing millions of girls and women struggling with this issue worldwide, yes, I`m frustrated that it`s taken so long to come out. But I`m also grateful, Brooke, that we`re finally quantifying it and qualifying it for people, so that they understand there is a connection, and there is a link.
You know, social networking for teens right now is huge. And the fact that they are gathering in communities online is not uncommon. But what we`re seeing is this deadly disease - and anorexia and bulimia are diseases. They`re finding a community online -- they`re finding networking online that will impact the users that go and visit that.
ANDERSON: Yes, to encourage these very dangerous habits. It`s truly, truly just scary.
And you know, Jessica, I`ve seen so many Hollywood stars - not just in the tabloids, but in person - and it`s really disconcerting. You know, we`ve seen the downright bony models. As we just heard, these images are used on these Web sites as what they`re calling thin - "thinspiration."
WEINER: Right.
ANDERSON: Is Hollywood to blame more than anything else here?
WEINER: Well, Hollywood is never blameless in this. But I don`t think that that`s where we first need to point the finger.
This is a really complex issue, and when we talk about it, we only have such a short amount of time to really get into something much larger. The point is this: the media impacts the way we see ourselves because that`s the steady diet of imagery that we see everyday. So if we one form of beauty, one color of skin, one sexual orientation, you`re going to take that in as the normalized way to be.
When it comes to women and bodies, this is what we see. We see very skinny - I`m not even just going to - emaciated girls that are normalized. And the truth is, Brooke, you and I both know, you could go to the "thinspiration" sites and look at those images, or you could turn to the cover of a tabloid magazine.
ANDERSON: Right.
WEINER: .and see the same image.
ANDERSON: Yes, not much difference.
And - and speaking of normalizing those images, what`s your challenge to magazine editors out there, Jessica?
WEINER: Well, I have a dual challenge. One is to the magazine editors, and the other is to us, the consumers of those magazines. Because this relationship is very symbiotic. And one doesn`t happen without the other.
To magazine editors, you need to address the diversity in body image, and not just in the circus editorial way, but in a way that really effects change. And that means making some hard decisions. It may mean aligning with different advertisers; it may mean rethinking your copy and your editing and your photographs. But it is worth doing.
And for those of us out there who are purchasing these magazines, you have to go on a media diet. You have to really think about what images you`re letting into your life, how they`re making you feel. And if you don`t feel comfortable with what you`re seeing, you need to speak up to those publishers, or you need to stop buying those materials.
ANDERSON: Take a stand.
Jessica Weiner, as always, it`s great to have you here. Thanks so much.
WEINER: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And Jessica`s book, "Do I Look Fat in This?" is in bookstores now.
HAMMER: Well, fortunately, some stars are putting really good, positive messages out there about their weight.
Jennifer Hudson was an "American Idol" finalist that same season Fantasia won. She`s got a huge movie coming out this Hollywood season called "Dreamgirls," as you know, which also stars Beyonce.
I had the chance to go one-on-one with Jennifer, and I found out that she is really comfortable with her curves.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER HUDSON, ENTERTAINER: It`s about feeling good about yourself, not about who - I mean, if - if - if - if it feels good to be a Size 0, then be that Size 0. Whatever makes you feel good. But don`t do it for somebody else.
I`ve been hearing it all my life, but it`s - it`s nothing wrong. I`m - I`m - I`m satisfied. I like - I like my thickness. I`d rather be thick any day.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That was a refreshing conversation.
I got to tell you, I`m absolutely loving what she had to say. I - I just wish that more stars would do exactly the same thing, and talk about the fact that shapely is super.
And you know what? Right here, right now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT declaring super-skinny is out, curves are in in Hollywood. I hope you`re listening, Hollywood.
We`re going to have much more this Friday in the "SHOWBIZ Weight Watch."
ANDERSON: All right. Up next: how a woman - well, gas - caused her flight to make an emergency landing. "That`s Ridiculous!," and that`s next.
HAMMER: You were going to use a different word, Brooke, weren`t you?
ANDERSON: I changed it.
HAMMER: All right.
Well, we`re also about to air some celebrity dirty laundry. The most shocking star splits of the year - the ones that left us saying, Why oh why?
And we`ve got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILARY SWANK, ACTRESS: I guess where money`s involved, it`s - there`s always going to be a place for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Hilary Swank`s split was splashed all over the place. And that may be one of the reasons why she`s so outspoken about the paparazzi. Hilary Swank in the revealing interview you`ll see right here, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Time now for another story that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous!"
And, you know, this one could very well be the "That`s Ridiculous!" of the year. You guys ready for this?
CROWD: Yes!
HAMMER: Pay attention now. An American Airlines flight made an emergency landing after passengers smelled the odor of struck matches. Everybody got off the plane while it was checked out.
Turns out a woman was lighting matches to mask the smell of her flatulence. I don`t know how better to put that. Don`t laugh, because it not a gas. It`s a big no-no to light matches on a plane.
So we got to say, this is one is a big stinker, and "That`s Ridiculous!"
And Brooke, you are so happy you didn`t have to do that.
ANDERSON: I am. I am happy I didn`t have to read that story. Pretty shocking there, A.J.
These celebrity splits - even more shocking though. I remember the morning we heard that Britney Spears filed for divorce from Kevin Federline. It was on Election Day. The entire SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff screamed in the newsroom. Yes, I think we freaked out the CNN political unit that was sitting right next to us.
By the way, sorry for that, Wolf Blitzer.
But that was just one of the many times this year that our jaws dropped. So what have been the most surprising star splits of the year?
Joining us here in Hollywood is "TV Guide"`s Daphne Brogdon, co-host of "The Fashion Team."
Hi, Daphne.
DAPHNE BROGDON, CO-HOST, "THE FASHION TEAM": Hello, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Hello, there.
OK, we got to start with Britney and Kevin. We found out on election night - yes, some people out there were talking about this more than the election. Sad, but true.
Why does this one make the top of the list? I mean, didn`t we all expect it anyway? Maybe not quite so soon though. She just had their second kid.
BROGDON: Well, exactly. It was always a question - not a question of - of if, but - but when.
But we really shouldn`t be surprised. Because, yes, she had just had her kid, but remember, they got together when his girlfriend was pregnant with their second kid. So obviously, this is not a couple that is really careful about, Oh, we have to sacrifice with the kids. Woo hoo, let`s do what we want.
The other reason though I think it was surprising is she had done the stand-by-your-man Matt Lauer interview, and K-Fed was on his Rap Redemption Tour, where he spoke very sincerely to no less than you, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Right.
BROGDON: .about how committed he was to the relationship.
What we didn`t know was that Britney was committed to putting her boot on his derriere and getting rid of him then.
ANDERSON: Yes, he - he spoke to me just days before, you know, she said, Hey, we`re splitting up. Very surprising at that time.
Next on our split list, Daphne, we`ve got Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe.
You know, they seemed to us to be the storybook marriage. They were married seven years, have two beautiful children together. But it wasn`t really the fairytale we thought it was, huh?
BROGDON: Well, it does seem disappointing, doesn`t it? Because they were the cute, fair-haired couple, and people speak about them, you know, very favorably. And, you know, all I - we really care on "The Fashion Team" is, Do they look good together? And they always looked good together, with the whole family.
And, you know, a lot of people in the tabloids were trying to make hay of the fact that she seemed to almost forget him in her acceptance speech for Best Actress. But she - and then (INAUDIBLE) - we were like, Oh my God, is it going to be like Chad Lowe? But, you know, it happened.
And Ryan is not exactly, you know, waiting tables. He does - he was in "Crash." You know, he has some successful stuff. So I - we - the other shoe hasn`t really dropped on exactly what - what went there. It`s - it`s - it`s surprising; it was disappointing.
ANDERSON: Yes, seemed like the picture-perfect couple. But, you know, looks can be deceiving. And they called that one, the Reese-Ryan breakup, part of the Oscar curse. You know, she won an Oscar, then they split. People have compared that situation to Hilary Swank and Chad Lowe. She won a couple of Oscars, and then soon after, it was all kaput.
But everybody thought Hilary and Chad were a happy couple, too. Seemed to be on the outside, right, Daphne?
BROGDON: Yes, I mean, they were pretty much for - by Hollywood standards, it was a lifetime. I mean, nine years they were married. You know, that - that is a long time. And, of course, it didn`t take one Oscar, it took two Oscars to finally end it.
Now what was kind of surprising, too, was that when they did finally break up, that she was sort of blaming it on his previous substance abuse problem, when - it seemed kind of mean. I mean, if she had just said, You know, look, he was pissed that I dissed him at the Oscars, we all would have been like, Oh, OK, I get that.
And, you know, now she`s with her - her agent. And I don`t think it`s necessarily making her look that good. But it`s - it`s kind of an interesting thing, because even though she won two Oscars, she`d kind of in a way been struggling at the top. So maybe that was a bond for them for - for awhile. But unfortunately, not enough.
ANDERSON: Uh.
Only 10 seconds left - Kate Hudson, Chris Robinson.
BROGDON: Surprising. They seemed like such a groovy, hippie couple together. But she did get married very young. But there it was: Owen Wilson, not a wedding crasher, but a marriage crasher, perhaps.
ANDERSON: Well said, and very quickly in those 10 seconds.
OK, thank you so much, Daphne.
BROGDON: You`re welcome.
ANDERSON: Daphne`s show, "The Fashion Team," airs Tuesday nights on the TV Guide Channel.
HAMMER: Well, after her stunning split from husband Chad Lowe, two- time Oscar-wining actress Hilary Swank is now in a good place. Their marriage and divorce was splashed all over the tabloids, of course, and Swank tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny D`Attoma, who caught up with Swank at a press event for her new movie "Freedom Writers," that all this non-stop scrutiny is the bad side of being famous. And it`s getting harder to deal with by the day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNY D`ATTOMA, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT PRODUCER: Do you realize that this could be another Oscar nomination for you?
SWANK: No.
D`ATTOMA: No? It doesn`t even cross your mind?
SWANK: No. No, I don`t .
D`ATTOMA: I know you don`t take on roles for that reason. You don`t even need to at this point.
SWANK: Yes. Yes, it`s kind of true, huh?
No, I don`t. I - I don`t. I - I don`t think about that. It`s - it`s un - it`s actually kind of strange to even think that I have one, let alone two.
D`ATTOMA: Really?
SWANK: Yes.
D`ATTOMA: It still hasn`t hit you.
SWANK: Yes, I feel - I kind of - I keep thinking that one of these days, you know, someone`s just going to kind of say, How`d you get in? What - what are you - what are you doing here? There`s the door, and you need to leave now. Do you know what I mean?
It`s amazing to me that I get a role of my dream, and do what I love. It`s - it - I wake up every day and I get out of bed and I say, How lucky that I get to go to work, doing what I love? I can`t even call it love.
D`ATTOMA: Can you still get up and walk on - walk outside without being sort of bothered?
SWANK: No. I take the subway.
D`ATTOMA: You still take the subway?
SWANK: Yes, I mean, I - I - I - I don`t change my life just because of that. But yes, I go out, and get recognized and take pictures and sign autographs and, you know, those types of things.
But it`s not going to keep me from going out. You know, I`m - I think it`s great when people come up and say, I saw this movie and it inspired me to, you know - or, your story inspires me, because I came from nothing and I realize I can follow my dream, too. And sort of - that feels great. It - it`s not why I got in the business, but it`s one of the wonderful kind of byproducts of what I do, that I can have that effect on even one person.
Fair enough?
D`ATTOMA: That`s great byproducts (ph) of celebrity, too.
How do you handle all of that, the paparazzi, the constant intrusion on privacy? Or do you feel like you`re not - you`re not intruded?
SWANK: No, I do. I do at times. I think it`s something that`s happened though where I think it`s gotten a lot worse than it`s ever been. And it`s - you know, it`s hard, because the more people buy into the, you know, the reality television and more people buy these magazines, it`s just - it fuels it. You know, it`s not even - you know, the paparazzi are just making money because someone`s paying them a lot of money for these things.
And it`s - you know, I guess where money`s involved, it`s - there`s always going to be a place for it. And you`re just trying to have your life and - and, you know, come and talk about your movie that you love being a part of, that inspired you and - and, you know, it`s - it`s - that becomes a little challenging, because there`s a lot more good than there is bad. And that - that balances it out and weighs it out for you.
D`ATTOMA: And you get to do roles like this.
SWANK: Yes. This movie to me was just so life-changing as an actor, and as a human being for so many reasons.
I think, you know, the kids and then the kids who portrayed the kids are the true heroes, because I think coming from their background and what they experienced in life, it would have been really easy to have been closed off and to - to not let anyone in. And they saw this one person who believed in them, and opened themselves up, and to - to change.
And that`s really inspiring, because it makes you realize that, you know, you can be dealt certain cards. But it`s how you choose to - to play them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: You can catch Hilary Swank in "Freedom Writers" when it theaters on January 12.
ANDERSON: Last night, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Under 21 stars like Lindsay Lohan always seem to be out partying. So, "Underage Stars Drinking: Is it time for the cops to crack down?"
Almost all of you want police to get tough: 95 percent of you say yes, they should crack down; only 5 percent of you say, no, they shouldn`t.
The e-mails:
Jaylin from Minnesota writes, "A star child is no different from any other child. They should not be at clubs at all hours of the night drinking."
But Michael from New York doesn`t see a crackdown happening: "The fact of the matter is that a good percentage of clubgoers are under age. It`s socially accepted by patrons and staff."
Stay with us. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Big music star 50 Cent accusing Oprah of turning her back on her African-American roots. So, "Oprah Criticized: Has she lost touch with the average person?"
Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll read some of your thoughts tomorrow.
HAMMER: And it`s time now to find out what`s coming out tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
I`ll be going one-on-one with Will Smith. He really has a lot to say about all the talk of race that`s sprung up since Michael Richards` racial rant. Will`s also starring in an inspirational film with his son. The movie`s all about a guy who`s homeless and works his way up to millionaire status. That`s tomorrow.
Also, Ali Lohan, Lindsay little sis. She`s working on a career of her own, but we just got to ask her what it`s like to read about her big sister day after day in the tabloids. A revealing interview with Ali Lohan. You`ll see it only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Have a great night, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Glenn Beck is coming up next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News. Stay right here.
END
