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Showbiz Tonight
Britney Spears Speaks Out About Recent Partying; Italian Government Cracks Down on Skinny Models
Aired December 07, 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: From Suri to Shiloh to Sean Preston, can kids of starts ever have a normal life? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And is Lindsay Lohan getting help on her image from Al Gore? I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, is the party over for Britney Spears? Tonight, Britney`s dramatic announcement about her wild over the top partying with the likes of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. And why the young mom is now getting slammed for staying out until all hours. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Britney backlash and why she is thanking god for Victory`s Secret.
A war on anorexia. Tonight, dramatic new actions to get sickly skinny models off the runways and into treatment. And only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, should the government regulate the fashion industry?
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everybody. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Well, there`s nothing like a good old celebrity scandal. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has plenty of them to tell you about tonight, including the best ones of the year. That`s coming up in a little while.
HAMMER: But first tonight, is the party over for Britney Spears. Or maybe we should be asking, is the partying over for Britney Spears. You know, after a couple of weeks of over the top, panty-less, Paris Hilton- fueled late nights, Britney today made a startling announcement, acknowledgment that she may have taken this all a bit too far.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): It`s been a wild, controversial period for Britney Spears. And Joe Piazza of the "New York Daily News" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she already has a name for it.
JOE PIAZZA, "THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Panty-gate 2006.
HAMMER: Panty-gate 2006. Britney`s extended partying spree with new gal pals Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, when she has been photographed multiple times without her two children or underwear. It`s gotten Britney all kinds of attention.
Now, for the first time, Britney Spears is responding to the panty- gate controversy. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking is the woman who once defiantly sang --
BRITNEY SPEARS, SINGER: (INAUDIBLE)
HAMMER: -- actually regretting her post breakup partying. And has singer who went from gigantic singing sensation to Paris Hilton`s drinking body permanently damaged her own multi-million dollar empire?
LEA GOLDMAN, "FORBES MAGAZINE": I don`t think you are going to see Britney in any big time endorsement deals for a while.
HAMMER: Exactly a month to the day after she filed for divorce from husband Kevin Federline, Britney posted a message on her website that directly addresses her hard core partying.
Britney writes, "It`s been so long since I`ve been out on the town with friends. It`s also been two years since I have celebrated my birthday. Every move I make at this point has been magnified more than I expected, and I probably did take my new found freedom a little too far.
Joe Piazza of the "New York Daily News" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Britney`s statement is understandable.
PIAZZA: If we were so scrutinized after every break up, we would all look like wild things.
HAMMER: Britney concluder her statement by writing, "thank god for Victoria`s Secret`s new underwear line. I look forward to a new year, new music and a new me."
PIAZZA: Victory Secret is just going to send her boxes and boxes of panties.
HAMMER: But not everyone is impressed.
CHARMAINE YOEST, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: I think it`s a very clever and very craven publicity ploy, and it doesn`t cover over her gross misjudgments.
HAMMER: Charmaine Yoest, mother of five and communications vice president for the Family Research Council says Britney is starting to lose moms like herself.
YOEST: Job description of pop princess in America includes being a role model for young girls and what it looks like today is that Britney is auditioning for porn princess in America. And, you know, that`s not a job that American moms are going to hire her for as a role model for their little girl. It`s really going to end up being a detriment to Britney`s career.
HAMMER: Even Courtney Love, a trouble-prone singer herself, suggested to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that she`s not impressed with Britney`s mothering skills.
COURTNEY LOVE, ACTRESS: Say what you will about me, but when my daughter was a year -- when she was under a year, I didn`t go out much.
HAMMER: So what if Britney is really losing the moms? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is wondering if that would spell trouble for Britney`s business brand.
GOLDMAN: The Britney Spears portfolio includes not just music, but also fashion, perfume, advertising, licensing deals.
HAMMER: Leah Goldman of "Forbes Magazine" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Britney`s multi-million dollar businesses might suffer because of her latest exploits.
GOLDMAN: This latest scandal, with the photographs that are circulating on the Internet, you know, kind of takes it to a new level. It`s just plain gross. And so, you know, parents going in to buy their daughters gifts, I mean, these are not the kind of people that would be at all impressed or want to glorify that image by buying her product.
HAMMER: Still, it may not be completely hopeless for Britney. After all, Britney says herself that the coming year will bring a, quote, new me. That reportedly will include a new album, and Leah Goldman of "Forbes" says that could be how Britney saves herself.
GOLDMAN: On the music side I don`t think Britney Spears needs to worry. For starters, she`s not near completion on the album, so, you know, the public kind of has a short-term memory. By the time the album comes out this might all be old news and there might be new scandals to talk about by then.
HAMMER: And if what she says in her new statement is true, we may see a new Britney in 2007. We can`t wait.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: But let`s keep in mind, life hasn`t been all partying for Britney Spears. Remember, she`s right in the middle of a custody battle for her two sons. Kevin Federline is seeking sole custody and spousal support.
ANDERSON: Tonight, a dramatic new development in the fashion industry`s battle over super skinny models. The Italian government just announced it will compose a national manifesto to rid the cat walks of emaciated models and to fight the spread of anorexia. The government and Italy`s fashion trade organization are hoping agencies, advertisers and the designers themselves will sign on. The announcement comes just after the recent death of Brazilian model Anna Carolina Reston, who suffered from anorexia.
With us tonight in Hollywood is Jessica Weiner, an advice columnist and author of "Do I Look Fat in This." And, in New York, editor in chief of "Cosmogirl Magazine," Susan Schulz. Susan, Jessica, welcome to you both.
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: Hi there. Jessica, I want to start with you, you`ve got to think it`s about time, right? Is there anything here, can you find anything wrong with this idea?
JESSICA WEINER, AUTHOR, "DO I LOOK FAT IN THIS?": I think it`s a small step forward, Brooke, but I really think if the goal is to eradicate eating disorders, focusing specifically on models and the fashion industry is not the way to do it. This is a complex relationship between the fashion industry, between agents and modeling, and models and advertisers and merchandisers. And this is a much bigger conversation.
I appreciate the attempt at the national manifesto. I don`t think it`s as comprehensive as we need to really get to the root of the problem. Emaciated models are not the problem in its entirety. They`re not the focus that we need to laser beam in on. There is something much bigger here that we are missing.
ANDERSON: But maybe a small step in the right direction. Susan, you and "CosmoGirl Magazine" have been one of the leaders really in trying to put a stop to all this nonsense. In fact, just the other day a study came out showing how teenage girls see these super skinny models and try to emulate them, sometimes, Susan, with eating disorders. Is all of this -- is it just a lot of hot air from the fashion industry, or do you think they are really going to step up and get it done?
SUSAN SCHULZ, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "COSMOGIRL": Well, you know what I think what Jess was saying is basically this is a great step, because it gets people to talk about the issue, but is this going to change things? Well, you know what, there`s a lot of talk. And then who knows, next week there`s another news story about Britney and it all goes away and I think that really we have to focus on what is really going on with these girls? Why are the emulating -- you know, why do they want to be so skinny. Why are they looking up to these skinny models as role models, and what can we do to change that, to make them feel better about themselves and to make them understand that you can be a variety of sizes and still be beautiful.
ANDERSON: You`re both right. It`s a much bigger complex issue than just the super skinny models, but Jessica, I`ve go the to ask, you`ve got the Italian government involved. Is it time for the government here in the United States, for Washington to step up. Because, I mean, in New York City they just banned trans-fats. The food police are on a rampage. Is it time to start regulating the fashion industry, saying, listen, you are to skinny. You can`t model. It`s unhealthy, as a step in the right direction.
WEINER: Right, I think again, focusing though on the models and punishing them for not being able to get on the cat walk because of their size is not the thing that the government needs to focus on. I don`t think we are ever going to see the government regulate the fashion industry in our country, but if the government wants to get involved in the eradication of eating disorders, they should try passing the Mental Health Parity Act and the Impact Act, which are two bills in Congress that have been, sort of, sitting dormant for lack of support. That gives proper funding and education.
We need to get parents educated. We need to get these future fashion designers and magazine editors and models and agents -- wee need to get them educated on the issues of eating disorders, and if the government needs to help, they need to provide more funding. That`s where they need to start.
SCHULZ: Right, and they need to start looking at how long the recovery takes when you have an eating disorder, because insurance companies cover, you know, like three weeks worth of coverage. And let me tell you, they are not even tipping the iceberg, these girls, at that point.
ANDERSON: I agree, education is key. And Susan, you are totally in touch with teenagers with your magazine. What are they telling you? What are they writing to you about eating disorders, and how they are influenced by images that they see?
SCHULZ: Well they do talk about seeing skinny models and they say, why do you use skinny models and, in fact, a lot of the skinny models happen to be more in the ads than they do in the editorial, I have to say, but, you know, they do ask about it, but then the other problem is that guess whose jeans are selling the most? It`s the ads with the skinny models. And, you know, I think the public also needs to take back a little bit of the responsibility.
Like, if we really want these companies to change what they are putting out there, then we have got to stop buying into it and stop supporting what we are saying we don`t want to see. And I think there really is a little bit more of stopping the whole pointing the finger at all of the media and start thinking about, well, how can we help the girls and what is it that we need to be doing? And I think we need to vote also with our dollars and not just with our mouth.
ANDERSON: Understood, yes, it`s a complex issue, one that will be a concern, rightfully so, for a very long time to come, I`m sure. Jessica Weiner, Susan Schulz, thanks to you.
HAMMER: Well now we want to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we`re asking, super skinny models, should the government regulate the fashion industry? You can vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. E-mail us at SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com. You can also vote on the question of the day by sending a text message to 45688. I you want to vote yes, write, SHOWBIZ yes, if you want to vote no, write, SHOWBIZ No. Once again, send you test to 45688.
ANDERSON: A.J., you`ve heard the rumors swirling around out there about Rosie O`Donnell. Is Rosie planning to leave the "View?" The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case. And we have the real story coming up at about 31 minutes past the hour.
HAMMER: And Brooke, I know you were right there today as the Grammy nominations were being announced, some big surprises this year. The complete wrap-ups coming up. We will also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Could you imagine being a child and everybody knows everything about you? How could that not affect your personality? How could that not affect your ego?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Can the Shilohs, Suris and Sean Prestons of the world ever have a shot at a normal life? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates famous parents, famous kids, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: 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.
Attention citizens of Munsee (ph), Indiana, Latoya Jackson is in your town and she`s got a gun. Yes, I`m serious. As part of a new reality show called "Armed and Fabulous" --" Armed and Famous," sorry, Latoya and other stars, including Eric Estrada and Jack Osborne have been sworn in as reserve officers of the Munsee police department. That means they are allowed to carry badges and, yes, guns too. Come on, a bunch of D-listers fighting crime in Indiana, now that`s ridiculous.
HAMMER: There has been so much attention paid to Britney`s kids, and not a day goes by when we don`t see Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt with their kids being absolutely swarmed by paparazzi. Imagine how difficult life in the spotlight can be for the children of these mega famous parents. Well, with all of the non-stop public scrutiny SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has just got to ask, can star kids ever be normal?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that following celebrities and their kids has now become a spectator sport. Little ones like Britney and K-Fed`s Sean Preston, Tom and Katie`s Suri, and Brad and Angelina`s Zahara have been seeing flashbulbs since birth.
COOPER LAWRENCE, "THE COOPER LAWRENCE SHOW": Can you imagine being a child and everybody know everything about you. How could that not affect your personality? How could that not affect your ego?
DR. GAIL SALTZ, "ANATOMY OF A SECRET LIFE": You hope that they will be -- They will understand the meaning of what is this constant photography? Does this mean I`m a star? Does this mean I`m special?
HAMMER: Christy Brinkley and Billy Joel`s daughter Alexa Ray has had to live with that, telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she`s had the paparazzi in her face ever since she was a little kid.
ALEXA RAY JOEL, CELEBRITY DAUGHTER: You know, when I was younger, I didn`t really understand why -- you know, I didn`t know what paparazzi was.
HAMMER: But she tolls me having famous parents has its advantages. It`s taught her how to deal with the press now that she`s starting a music career of her own.
JOEL: I`ve seen my parents deal with interviews and red carpet events. And they are just such professionals and so poised in front of the camera, that, you know, that`s a huge perk.
HAMMER: Angelina Jolie knows better than anyone the pressures of being a child famous parent. Her dad is actor John Voigt. The two have been estranged for years. Angelina blames his infidelity for breaking up their family.
LAWRENCE: What we know about John Voigt is not great. So she really, sort of, overcome the odds and yet found a way to become not just a great mom, but of the charity work she`s doing, she`s really becoming an icon of positive living, which is not only a great role model for people who like her as a celebrity, but it`s a great role model for her kids.
HAMMER: For good reasons Angelina can tell you that times have changed. The celebrity obsessed world her kids are growing up in is much different than what she had to deal with.
DAPHNE BROGDON, CO-HOST, TV GUIDE`S "THE FASHION TEAM"L Angelina Jolie is the daughter of an Oscar winning actor, but yet we didn`t see pictures of her riding around on her dad`s shoulders all the time.
HAMMER: And just like Angelina, Gwyneth Paltrow is also a member of the celebrity kids club. Her mom is actress Blithe Danner. Her dad, Bruce, was a big director. And even though Gwyneth grew up with glitz and glam and went on to become very famous herself, she and rock star husband Chris Martin moved out of the spotlight once they had kids.
LAWRENCE: She`s chosen to live a life in the best way possible for her children. It`s no longer about her. That`s the hardest part. If you are a celebrity, it`s forgetting that it`s not about you. I think that`s the problem we`re seeing with Britney Spears, it`s still about her.
HAMMER: Britney has been partying real hard since filing for divorce from Kevin Federline and her antics caught on camera, something her kids are going to have to face some day.
LAWRENCE: We see her. We see what she`s doing and we have seen the pictures and people have them. Now, if we have seen them, don`t you think some day someone is going to show them to her children?
HAMMER: Maybe Britney should sit down with Christian music star Amy Grant, who takes her job as mom very seriously. She and her husband Vince Gil are royalty in Nashville. But despite their fame and fortune, she tells me they make sure to keep their home life traditional.
(on camera): They are pretty much normal kids.
AMY GRANT, SINGER: I will say, I think that they say famous people as being normal.
HAMMER (voice-over): But being normal isn`t always easy, especially when your mom is Madonna or your dad is Michael Jackson, and you`ve known the paparazzi just as long as you`ve known your parents.
SALTZ: So I think the best that they can do is be talking to their child once they are old enough to understand that this doesn`t make you special or terrific. It`s not actually an accomplishment to be on the cover of a magazine. The question is sort of what matters to us in life.
HAMMER: And whether you`re famous or not, what matters in life is family, even if it`s a really famous family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well the experts we spoke with stress the importance of the same sex role model for children. So Britney Spears, if you are in fact listening, you might want to make sure that your little two boys are spending lots of quality time with their dear old dad, Kevin Federline.
ANDERSON: Grammy award nominations out today. I was right there when they were announced, right here in Hollywood. And what`s really interesting this year, two acts that have been around for a while are leading the way. The Red Hot Chili Peppers got six nominations, including best rock album and album of the year. R&B star Mary J. Blige has the most, with eight nominations, including song of the year and best R&B album. She`s had a pretty big week, to say the least, winning a bunch of Billboard Music Awards too.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARY J. BLIGE, SINGER: We put a lot of work into it and we are getting the results of the work we put into it and my fans are happy. I`m happy. I just won nine Billboard Awards. I`ve never in my career received that amount of awards and that -- you know what I`m trying to say.
ANDERSON: I know what you`re saying. It`s a good week for you.
BLIGE: So, it`s just the fact, just the nominations alone just means a lot. You know what I mean? Because that means someone is watching you. And they are saying, she`s not just a chick with problems. She`s an artist.
ANDERSON: You have overcome a lot of problems.
BLIGE: That`s what the breakthrough was about. the breakthrough was about triumph over tragedy and being the victor and not the victim. And ladies, we have done it. We are doing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was country trio Rascal Flats behind Mary J. They also received a Grammy nomination today. Justin Timberlake is also up for album of the year. Cary Underwood and James Blunt up for best new artist. Find out who takes home the statues February 11th.
HAMMER: Alright, here`s a wild question. I never though I`d be asking this, is Lindsay Lohan looking for help with her image from Al Gore of al people? Brooke, such an unlikely pairing? We will get the SHOWBIZ Truth Squad on it, coming up.
ANDERSON: Plus, A.J., from Mel and Michael`s rant to Kristie and Tori`s family problems, what a year it has been for celebrity scandals. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the most shocking star scandals, coming up.
HAMMER: And I needed to find out some more information, so I went right to Barbara Walters` office at ABC today to find out what she has to say about all those rumors that Rosie is leaving the "View." What she told me, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Tomorrow, she calls herself the world`s first supermodel, Janice Dickinson. She`s always outspoken about weight and body issues. And wait until you see how she is celebrating the holidays. Christmas with Janice Dickinson, that`s tomorrow.
HAMMER: So many things that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is all wild about this week. Let`s get right to them, this week`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff picks at the movies. We love little children. Kate Winslet is wonderful in the very thought provoking tail of "Suburban Secrets," including a scene with a pedophile in the swimming pool, definitely creepier than anything from jaws.
In music, you`ve got to get Damien Rice`s new album "9." Rice`s duet with Lisa Hannigan, called "9 Crimes" a powerful combination of their voices, piano and cello. It should come with a box of kleenex.
On TV we are loving a & e`s "Intervention." It shows the unbelievable lengths some people will go to in order to feed their addiction and after getting a free ride to rehab, it is definitely nice to see the ones who come out OK.
We have also fallen in love, all over again, with the "wire" on HBO in demand. The "Wire" delivers a real reality check on inner city kids, crime and the lure of selling drugs.
And finally, we are loving the peace, love the Gap commercials. These ads with rapper Common are catchy and hip. You can check out the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff picks any time by going to the website, CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT.
So is Lindsay Lohan actually looking for help with her image from Al Gore? It seems kind of like a strange pairing to me. The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case, that`s coming up.
ANDERSON: Plus, from Mel and Michael`s rant to Kristie and Tori`s family problems, what a year it has been for celebrity scandals. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the most shocking start scandals coming up.
HAMMER: And I went right to Barbara Walters` office at ABC in New York today to find out what she had to say about all those rumors that Rosie O`Donnell is actually leaving the "View." Could it be true? You will hear what Barbara told me, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I am Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Brooke, here we are. It`s the beginning of December - the time of year when we tend to get reflective.
Now 2006 certainly had no shortage of scandals. But what were, in fact, the most shocking scandals of 2006? We`re going to break them down for you, coming up in just a couple of minutes.
ANDERSON: There have been a number of them. Looking forward to that, A.J.
Also, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the loose on yet another big Hollywood question. And it is this: has Lindsay Lohan reached out to former vice president Al Gore to help her clean up her image?
HAMMER: Huh?
ANDERSON: That would be an interesting pair, wouldn`t it? That is just ahead, A.J.
HAMMER: Yes, want to know if Mr. Gore had anything to say about that.
But first, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is also demanding answers to the question that`s got everybody talking today: Is Rosie O`Donnell already leaving "The View"? Rosie O, who just started in September, apparently made some sort of a comment to the studio audience during a break that she`s been offered a role on the network FX.
Now one report says she`ll be on "Nip/Tuck," one of her favorite shows. Other says that it`s a spin-off of the show. There`s even some talk about fighting among "The View" ladies, that they think Rosie`s taken over the show.
So I want to co-host, Mother Barbara herself - Barbara Walters - so she could set the record straight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": Rosie said today on the program - I`m staying, I`m here. If she does she does do "Nip/Tuck," she can do it on the summer vacation, or perhaps they will do it in New York. It`s - it`s one of her favorite shows. But she said, I`m here. I`m staying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Can`t ask for better than that. Barbara Walters herself giving it to us straight. It`s her show, after all, so we`re happy that she was able to fill us in.
Barbara tells me that how she chose the most fascinating people of 2006 - that`s going to be coming up on Monday.
Now tomorrow`s a big day for Mel Gibson. This is his first movie coming out since his anti-Semitic tirade. It`s called "Apocalypto." It`ll be in theaters finally.
From Mel to Michael Richards, this has certainly been an almost unprecedented year of celebrity scandal. Well tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT deals with the scandals that made our jaws drop.
Celebrity journalist and good friend Pat Lalama joining us tonight from Hollywood.
Hello, Pat.
PAT LALAMA, CELEBRITY JOURNALIST: I love how you call me for the scandal stories.
HAMMER: That`s who you do.
Let`s get rolling with it, with Michael Richards, who kind of hand in hand, one with the other. Of course, the man known as Kramer from "Seinfeld," went on that big racist tirade on stage at L.A. comedy club The Laugh Factory after he was heckled, including repeated use of the "n-word."
The shock value here, Pat, just unbelievable.
LALAMA: It was unbelievable. You know, it`s sort of like the year that celebrities just lost their minds. And - and he can`t even blame alcohol for this one. Claims he`s not a racist. But you know what? Somewhere deep, down inside, I want to check out the childhood to see if that guy used to, like, drown cats. Because there was something really, really horrid and full of rage in what he said.
I hope he gets help. I hope he can recover from this. But I think careerwise it`s going to be a real hard thing to erase, A.J.
HAMMER: Yes, he said anger was at right at the center of it...
LALAMA: Yes.
HAMMER: ...and he`s trying to get some help with that.
Let`s move on, then, to someone else who certainly had every fired up. Mel Gibson was arrested for DUI and it made big headlines because it was discovered that Mel went on this big anti-Semitic rant when he was...
LALAMA: Right.
HAMMER: ...when he was pulled over.
Which - which do you think, Pat, was more scandalous here, the Mel Gibson or Michael Richards situation?
LALAMA: I - I think it was Michael Richards, and I think because, at least in Mel`s case - and I`m not forgiving him - I`m saying there are these, you know, circumstances that any lawyer might want to throw out there in a court. You know, he was way, way under the influence. He already had a certain controversy attached to him because of, you know, his - his past movie, "The Passions" (sic). And, you know, I think - so people weren`t all that - I mean, they were like, Ah, oh my goodness. But it wasn`t like Michael Richards where it just came out of nowhere.
And, you know, remember: you can`t forget the fact the bottom line speaks volumes. He`s still a moneymaker. You mentioned "Apocalypto." He`s still got cache, and I think there`s a little bit of a forgiveness factor, more so - more so - I mean, I hate to say that money can do this, but it can do - more so than Michael Richards.
HAMMER: Yes, and it`ll be really interesting to see if Hollywood has forgiven already, particularly when Oscar consideration times comes around.
LALAMA: Yes.
HAMMER: Let`s move on now to Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook. They got divorced. We`re talking about a guy who was married to one of the most beautiful women in the world. Then the rumors start floating around that Peter allegedly had an affair with his 19-year-old assistant.
Now couples cheat on each all the time, unfortunately. But why did this one strike such a chord, Pat?
LALAMA: This struck such a chord because he was very involved with her - her children from other relationships. He was a really good dad. He was even shopping for toys for the children when he met this little baby girl. And that`s what I`m going to call her.
You know, I told - I told my guy, If you get around to wanting to do this, just go buy a Porsche and a gold chain, OK? I mean, and let`s call it a day.
This was clearly way beyond the life - mid-life crisis. A.J., he was hiding bundles of money throughout the town, and it was her job to go find the money. I mean, Come on, what an insult to Christie. Who knows what their marriage was like. Who knows what she`s like to live with. I don`t know; there`s always problems. But this was way beyond. I mean, he`s trying to say he`s sorry now, but I could never - I mean, I don`t think Christie can ever look back.
HAMMER: Yes, and it`s certainly taken its toll on the people in their lives.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
HAMMER: But let`s move on to the last scandal we have on our list: Tori Spelling`s rift with her family. This one is just sad to me. This family feud went on for awhile, but it really escalated when Aaron Spelling died in June, and apparently Tori was practically cut of the will. This guy is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
LALAMA: Right.
HAMMER: And word was she was cut out all because of the rift that she has with her mom, Candy. Not really a happy family situation here.
LALAMA: A.J., for all those people out there who wish they could live in the spotlight and all the money in Hollywood, this is a prime example that money doesn`t buy happiness and in this case, class.
I mean, are you telling me that this man, who made millions and millions, who was a legend, who changed the face of television - this is his daughter, his only daughter - she wanted a big wedding; Mama didn`t want to spend all the big money on the wedding. This is going to cause this kind of a problem? These people need serious, serious help. It makes me sick. I mean, go get some help. Oh, she`s only going to get a million dollars. I could live off that.
But that`s not the issue.
HAMMER: No.
LALAMA: The issue is that families shouldn`t come apart like this over such frivolous BS, OK? How about that?
HAMMER: Pat - that sounds like Pat. A lot of scandal in 2006. Of course, 2007 just weeks ahead.
Pat Lalama, thanks as always.
LALAMA: My pleasure.
ANDERSON: Yes, Tori Spelling actually having a yard sale - a garage sale this weekend at her home to sell a lot of her belongings. Make of it what you will.
OK, Eddie Murphy, listen up, because Scary Spice is insisting that the baby she`s carrying is yours. Melanie Brown, who used to be in the Spice Girls, is really upset about Eddie Murphy`s startling allegation that the baby she is going to have is not his. She tells "People" magazine there is absolutely no question that Eddie is the father.
Apparently, Eddie thought his girl was partying all the time, because on a Dutch TV show shockingly said that he didn`t know whose child it is until it has a blood test. Obviously, Eddie and Mel aren`t dating anymore. But pay attention, Anna Nicole Smith, because even though she hasn`t been asked, Mel has said she would agree to a paternity test if Eddie asked for one.
HAMMER: Well, Jim Carrey makes a shocking discovery: he might have stumbled upon his own murder. We`ve got your first look at "The Number 23." That is in tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Showcase." That`s coming up next.
ANDERSON: A.J., here`s a weird one: will former Vice President Al Gore help Lindsay Lohan clean up her party-girl image? The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad hits the streets to figure that one out.
HAMMER: Rob Lowe, one of my favorite actors on TV, a guy who`s been in the business for so long. So what kind of advice does Rob have for today`s young stars on how they can stay grounded? Rob`s coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Camera 3 dissolve. Let`s get A.J. to desk with tracking for the next segment.
Effect black now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And it`s time now for yet another story that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous!"
Eh, you know, you make promises, you make bets over the years. Sometimes you say and do certain things - when pigs fly, right? Well, I - I guess you may have to pay up. Listen to this: a Mississippi man has been fined nearly 300 bucks because he tossed a 60-pound pig over the front desk of a Holiday Inn. Now he pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace, but he didn`t give any reason as to exactly why he tossed the pig.
The pig wasn`t hurt, thank goodness, and get this: the guy`s actually accused of throwing another animal at a Hardees restaurant. But he says he`s innocent of that one.
However we say, pitching a porker? "That`s Ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: We are unleashing the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad again to solve Hollywood`s biggest mysteries. This time we`re asking: has Lindsay Lohan reached out to former Vice President Al Gore to help her clean up her image?
That`s right; according to "The New York Post"`s Page Six, La Lohan fired off a rambling e-mail to her friends saying that Gore approached her at an event and offered to help her turn her life around.
Well, we called Al Gore`s people, who say, yes, he and Lindsay did meet, and chatted briefly at the GQ Men of the Year Awards, if you`re keeping score. But nothing on what they talked about.
So, yes, whether or not you think Al Gore invented the Internet, you`re going to have to wait and see if he`s going to re-invent Lindsay Lohan.
HAMMER: That`s all very strange to me.
Rob Lowe has certainly had one of the most enduring careers in Hollywood. He made his mark as one of the most Brat Packers in "St. Elmo`s Fire." He was Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated for his great role on "The West Wing" as Sam Seaborn. And now, Rob is starring in a new TNT special just in time in for the holidays, called " A Perfect Day."
Rob joining us in New York.
It`s good to have you here.
ROB LOWE, ACTOR: Good to see you.
HAMMER: Man, anybody who has dreamt of fame and all that it can be should see this movie. I`m telling you, they should tune in for it.
LOWE: It`s a cautionary tale. That`s for sure.
HAMMER: It certainly is.
Your - your character in "A Perfect Day" is sort of down on his luck, lost his job. Writes a No. 1 bestseller, and very, very quickly shoots to fame and fortune. And then all of the trappings that come along with that play into what happens on - in his life. And he learns that there`s a pretty big price to pay for fame.
In - in your life, what - what do you think the biggest lesson you`ve learned about that price is?
LOWE: Well, you know, everybody`s story and everybody`s path is different. But for me, it was just really important that I have a life of - that meant something to me, outside of show business.
And, you know, in my case, it was - I moved out of Los Angeles. I have a great wife; I have great kids. And I have a life that`s completely outside and has nothing to do with show business. And - and I think that makes you well rounded. Again, and it keeps your grounded, like you`re inferring.
HAMMER: That balance is hard to strike though, particularly when everything`s being thrown at you all the time, and - and - and to - to think, Oh, there`s more to life than all of this?
LOWE: Well, listen, Los Angeles is a company town. You can`t get out of politics in D.C.; you can`t get out of show business in L.A.
HAMMER: Yes.
LOWE: So, I mean, the first step is just getting away from - from that - that scene, as much as I do love L.A.
HAMMER: And for this character in a perfect day, fame as I said - it`s - it`s all new to him.
I mean, you`ve had a few years to - to - to deal with it and - and what`s it been like. You know, and now we look at what goes on in Hollywood. And - and there certainly a lot of hard partying getting our attention these days, with the Britneys and the Lindsays all rolling - running around.
LOWE: Right.
HAMMER: You`re working with young stars all the time. I imagine you have some advice from your experience about how not to get caught up in all the wild (INAUDIBLE)
LOWE: Well, first of all, A.J. let me just say...
HAMMER: Yes?
LOWE: ...how depressing is it when I`m the emanate (INAUDIBLE) in show business?
HAMMER: Well, you`re an icon now.
LOWE: You`re putting me away - I`m like the - like the old actor (INAUDIBLE)
HAMMER: No. No. It`s - you know, you`ve - you`ve - you`ve had a long and enduring career, as I said. So I don`t - you know, I think it`s - I think it`s a compliment, Rob.
LOWE: No, it is. I`m just giving you grief. It`s - I totally take it as a compliment.
And - listen, you know, I - part of the problem is - I think anybody in their 20s, you know, is - is going through a stage in life where they want to get wild and they want to have a good time. And I think everybody probably does it; it`s just tough when you`re doing it in the public eye, you know? And hopefully, you know, you come out the other end of it.
HAMMER: So the key to staying grounded - because it just seems so tough. I mean, you look at what happened to your guy in - in this movie, all of a sudden everybody is giving him everything he wants and the money`s rolling in, and everything that goes along with.
LOWE: I know. And - and particularly with - with my - my character in this movie, it just - he - he - he has to find a way to get back to the things that he loves. And that`s the emotional part.
You know, my wife is my toughest critic. I mean, there`s no pleasing her most of the time. And she cried the entire second half of this movie. And that`s when I knew, OK, we - we may have something here.
HAMMER: Well, and that touched upon the other - the other big note that this movie strikes, is the delicate balance between work, career...
LOWE: Yes.
HAMMER: ...and, you know, everything - and your family.
LOWE: But, you know what? Listen, everybody struggles with - it doesn`t matter...
HAMMER: Oh, sure. It`s not just Hollywood.
LOWE: Yes.
HAMMER: But you - but you yourself have made - what is it? Fifteen years now you`re married?
LOWE: Yes, 16.
HAMMER: Something like that?
LOWE: Yes.
HAMMER: Two - two kids?
LOWE: Two kids.
HAMMER: Two kids. I mean, come on. That`s - that`s virtually unheard of these days.
LOWE: So far, so good, yes.
HAMMER: Yes. Yes.
And this is one of the first movies that was shot in New Orleans after Katrina.
LOWE: Oh, it was...
HAMMER: Give - give me a little sense of the vibe among the crew, and - and the types of things you saw. What - it was a really remarkable thing to be able to do.
LOWE: They were originally going to shoot it in Canada, and there was some talk of New Orleans. And I said, Well, what`s going to be - what - how are we going to decide? Because I`d love it to be New Orleans. And they just said it was a budget issue.
So I was able to give them one price for Canada, and a cut price for New Orleans. And they took me up on the cut price...
HAMMER: Nice.
LOWE: ...and we ended up in New Orleans, which was great. And it was one of the first movies shot after the hurricane. In fact, our first day of shooting was one day to the year of Katrina`s landfall. And as we rolled our first shot, the bells across the city were tolling. And it was a beautiful, beautiful experience to - to be there with those people as they`re rebuilding.
HAMMER: You got "A Perfect Day." You`re now on "Brothers and Sisters," which by the way, is one of my favorite shows that has come on television this season.
Are you staying with the show? You have the whole arc built in there? Come on; what`s going to happen?
LOWE: I - you know, I wish I knew. I`m doing six of them right now.
I love the character. They have big plans for it, and everybody`s sort of discussing if it makes sense for all of us to go beyond the six. But as of right now, it`s - it`s six. And it starts in January.
HAMMER: So you got to feel pretty good heading into the holidays (INAUDIBLE)
LOWE: It`s - it`s a great part. It`s really fun.
HAMMER: Excellent.
Rob, I appreciate you dropping by, man.
LOWE: Thanks, man.
HAMMER: Thanks very much.
LOWE: Good to see you.
HAMMER: And make sure you catch Rob in the TNT special "A Perfect Day." It`ll be airing on December 18.
ANDERSON: In tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Showcase," "The Number 23." It`s a psychological thriller starring Jim Carrey, who comes across a book that seems to be based on his life, but ends with a murder that hasn`t happened yet. Virginia Madsen and former "Boston Legal" star Rhona Mitra are also in it.
Here`s your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM CARREY, ACTOR: It`s brutal buying that (INAUDIBLE)
VIRGINIA MADSEN, ACTRESS: Actually, I`ve had a good long time to flip through it. Why don`t you give it a try?
CARREY: "The Number 23: A Heart-Wrenching Odyssey Into Paranoia, the Most Horrifying Metamorphosis Ever Told."
MADSEN: I`m buying this for you.
CARREY: Chapter 1: All I could think about was the number.
I met you when I was...
MADSEN: Twenty-three.
CARREY: And the day we met was?
MADSEN: September 14.
CARREY: 9/14. Fourteen plus nine is?
MADSEN: Twenty-three.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it all just a coincidence?
CARREY: I don`t know.
So what is 23?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are 23 axioms to Euclid`s geometry. The human body consists of 46 chromosomes -- 23 from each parent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two divided by three?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: .66 - the number of the devil.
CARREY: So is 23 a blessing or a curse?
I was born at 11:12 p.m. Eleven plus 12? Twenty-three.
My birthdate: 2/3. Driver`s license, Social Security numbers - they`re all 23. It`s - it`s imitating my life.
MADSEN: You`re concerned yourself with minutia and you`ve drawn wild conclusions from them.
CARREY: Every twenty-third word of every twenty-third (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I warn you: hell is waiting.
CARREY: The number - what does that mean?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
CARREY: Waco, Texas, and the Oklahoma City bombing both on April 19 (INAUDIBLE)
Four plus 19 is 23.
MADSEN: This is now who you are.
CARREY: The Hiroshima bomb was dropped at 8:15. Eight plus 15 is 23.
Thirteen years of lies! No more!
MADSEN: Don`t do this to us!
(SCREAMING)
CARREY: I killed you.
MADSEN: You would never hurt anyone.
CARREY: How do you know?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: "The Number 23" hits theaters February 27, 2007.
Last night, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." It was this - rapper 50 Cent doing the unthinkable: dissing Oprah, saying she`s lost touch with her African-American roots. So, "Oprah Criticized: Has she lost touch with the average person?"
Looks like most of you agree with 50 Cent: 72 percent of you say yes; only 28 percent of you say no.
We got a ton of e-mails on this. Here are a couple of them:
Lauren from California writes, "For years, she has been out of touch with the average person. She flaunts her wealth and her celebrity friends."
But Lea from Tennessee has got Oprah`s back: "It is sad that people choose to attack Oprah. She uses her money to do so much for others."
We do appreciate your e-mails.
Hang tight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go 3, music under. Stand by, Brooke. Pre-set 7. Open her mike, dissolve. Go.
ANDERSON: Italy taking a huge step towards battling anorexia in the fashion industry. They`re coming up with a set of rules for models ahead of its world-famous Milan runway show.
So we`re asking you: "Super-Skinny Models: Should the government regulate the fashion industry?" Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to read some of your thoughts tomorrow.
And you can also vote on the "The Question of the Day" by sending a text to 45688 - there it is. To vote yes, write "SHOWBIZ Yes." To vote no, write "SHOWBIZ No." Once again, send that text to 45688.
HAMMER: Oh, I`m going to get my cell phone out right now.
But first, I`m going to tell you what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And tomorrow, as we get into the weekend - well, you know what? We`ve just had it with super-skinny models and actors. So tomorrow, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is declaring curvy is the new skinny. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a special look at the stars who are sending the message loud and clear that thin is out and shapely is super. We couldn`t agree more. It`s the "SHOWBIZ Weight Watch," tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, a woman who knows a thing or two about body image: Janice Dickinson, who claims to have been the world`s very first super model. She`s always outspoken about weight and body image, and wait till you hear how she`s celebrating the holidays. Christmas with Janice Dickinson, tomorrow.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot 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. That`s right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News. Keep it right here.
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