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Showbiz Tonight
Cybill Shepherd Discusses Skinny Models; David Beckham Coming to Hollywood; Gil Gerard Interview; Terri Irwin Talks About Steve Irwin, Bindi; Jennifer Hudson Interview
Aired January 12, 2007 - 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: The super-popular star couple coming to America that`s got Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie jumping for joy. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And just why are so many Hollywood couples afraid to use the C word, commitment? I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, when celebrities attack each other. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the worst drag out, knock down celebrity fights ever. If you thought that Donald/Rosie battle was nasty, you ain`t seen nothing yet. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT picks the worst star spats.
Superhero, a super weight loss. Tonight, the unbelievable story of TV`s Buck Rogers. How we went from Hollywood heart throb to dangerously obese. Tonight Gil Gerard reveals the drastic steps he took to lose a ton of weight. It`s the unforgettable and emotional interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Welcome to the weekend. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Hi there everybody. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And if you think the Donald Trump/Rosie O`Donnell feud is nasty, wait until you see the worst celebrity feuds ever. That is coming up in just a few minutes.
HAMMER: But first tonight, the Beckhams are coming, the Beckhams are coming! Everybody is excited. In fact Hollywood, the paparazzi in an absolute tizzy today over the news that the world`s most famous soccer player, David Beckham, and his wife, former Spice Girl Victoria "Posh" Beckham, are moving to Hollywood. That`s where David is going to be playing soccer for a boat load of money. And if you think the frenzy that we get to see over Brad and Angelina and Tom and Katie is wild, well, you ain`t seen nothing yet.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Brangelina who? Press shy Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are probably thanking their lucky stars that the world`s most photographed couple are going Hollywood.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Beckhams are made for L.A. And I think L.A. is made for the Beckhams.
HAMMER: The soccer star and the former Spice Girl are already huge and we mean huge stars in Europe. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, even though they are not household names just yet in the states, that will change dramatically once they set up house in Hollywood.
KEN BAKER, "US WEEKLY": David Beckham could walk down the street today in Los Angeles and I would say probably one out of every ten people might recognize him. That`s all going to change. There is no Hollywood power couple left. They`ve all either broken up or gotten old and went to raise babies. They have an opportunity to fill the void and become the next big Hollywood power couple.
ROB CHILTON "OK MAGAZINE": Victoria and David have always used the paparazzi and used the media, you know, to their own benefit, but their very savvy media players.
HAMMER: Knowing how to play the media game has made David and Victoria Beckham two of the most recognizable and marketable celebrities in the world. And now that David has signed up to play soccer for the Los Angeles Galaxy team, a reported 250 million dollar deal, the best is yet to come.
David already makes tens of millions of dollars from endorsements, everyone from Adidas to Pepsi. But even though he`s the one bringing home most of the bacon, she`s the one who`s more of a celebrity, at least in the states.
BAKER: Victoria is much more popular, much more famous to our readers than David Beckham. She`s known for her Spice Girls. She is known as a fashion icon. She`s a focus of the paparazzi.
HAMMER: And the paparazzi will be all over them, just as they chase the likes of Madonna, who thinks it`s terrific the Beckhams are coming to the Hollywood neighborhood.
MADONNA, SINGER: I think it`s great. Why not? I`m a soccer fan.
KATHY GRIFFIN, COMEDIAN: I think it`s time that we got Posh and Becks. Now I don`t know if they`re going to be as big here as they are in England, but I`m ready to take them on. I`m ready for the affairs and anorexia and fighting and nannies and football, which is really soccer, and the fashions.
HAMMER: Victoria is known for her fashion excesses, like this getup she wore to the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, who is one of her best friends.
CHILTON: Victoria having that famous pal in her corner is going to really boost her fame and I think if they continue to be friends and they hang out and they are pictured more and more, then there will be a real story, especially if the whole Scientology thing comes into play.
HAMMER: David says he`s already asked Tom Cruise for advice with the Hollywood paparazzi.
DAVID BECKHAM, SOCCER STAR: Sometimes they do it for about an hour last night and then an hour the night before. He`s a very wise man. He`s a very good friend of mine. He couldn`t speak any higher than what he was saying about L.A. and, you know, that`s going to be a big help for us to have friends actually when we arrive in L.A.
HAMMER: The Beckham name hit Hollywood big time in 2002, the success of the movie "Bend it Like Beckham."
BAKER: There`s a lot of agents in town right now, frothing at the mouth about the idea of wow, he`s in Hollywood now. Let`s book him for movies. Let`s get a TV show.
HAMMER: Simon Fuller, the guy who created "American Idol" and the Spice Girls and Creative Artists Agency, which handles Tom Cruise, negotiated David`s soccer deal.
CHILTON: I think hiring Simon Fuller is a master stroke really, because Simon Fuller knows how to play the PR game, both in America and in Britain. He`s had huge success with the Spice Girls, of course. So, if you want someone to launch you globally, then Simon Fuller is that guy.
HAMMER: And huge is what the Beckhams will be, as Hollywood gets ready to welcome the newest in couple in town.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I figure the Beckhams should be right at home in LA. They are known for big ticket spending sprees. In fact, they told the media that their favorite designer is Dolce and Gabana and their favorite car is a Bentley, and they certainly can afford it.
ANDERSON: Yes, and listen to this A.J., David Beckhams soccer deal to play here in L.A., according to the league, is likely to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and that could put him right up there in Donald Trump territory. So tonight what Trump is really worth. Now remember the main reason why Donald has dissed Rosie O`Donnell so hard is because she said he went bankrupt.
For the record he personally never did, though his public company did file. Now "Business Week Magazine" just got a look at his books and they tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the Donald`s net worth is about 4.1 billion dollars. So yes, not exactly bankrupt.
HAMMER: Well, Donald Trump is certainly not low on funds or publicity, as evidenced by the coverage of his harsh and endless spat with Rosie O`Donnell. This really has been the feud of all celebrity feuds, hasn`t it? But, you know, there have been some other outrageous ones that we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just can`t get enough of.
Joining us now from Hollywood, friend to everybody, she gets along everyone, celebrity journalist Pat Lalama. Hi there Pat.
PAT LALAMA, CELEBRITY JOURNALIST: Hey, happy new year. I`m ready for the dirt and the dredge and all that stuff of 2007. And Welcome Beckhams. We can`t wait.
HAMMER: Let`s get in on here then, because this Donald/Rosie celeb spat has really been this like endless barrage of barbs. It`s not ending any time soon. It`s still going on. Of course it started in December. Rosie throwing the first punch on "The View". Now Pat, we have a lot of feuds to go through here, but this one really does take the cake, doesn`t it?
LALAMA: Well, have you heard about my new book, "The Egos That Ate Manhattan." Seriously, both of them -- I`m just going to flat out say it - - you know, they are both likable in some ways, but they are both bullies. They both instigate. They both know that they are obsessed with this whole thing, and in the beginning I think they had something to gain from it. I mean, who doesn`t love this kind of stuff? You love it. I love it. We all love it, all right.
But, I think the difference now is it`s gotten beyond belief. I think that Rosie is a person who is just a loud mouth who states her opinion, much like myself, but I think Donald is taking it almost to a narcissistic level. I have this image in my head of him in bed at night with his new wife, going not tonight honey, I have to exact revenge on Rosie and I`m just not going to -- I think he`s gone over the top and he better watch it, because this could hurt him.
HAMMER: I think you might be on to something there Pat. And, of course, they dragged Barbara Walters into the whole thing. It just so happens that our next big spat I want to talk about also originated on "The View," Barbara Walters and Star Jones. Now Star basically got fired from "The View," after Barbara had said that she had the job as long as she wanted and then the sparks really started to fly.
LALAMA: Well the sparks flew because, in a way, Star burned Barbara. She sort of had to one-up here by announcing on the show she was leaving, before it was ever formally announced that she was being fired. So it was a bit of an ego thing and those of us who work in front of the camera know that it hurts when someone decides you are not wanted any more. But here`s the deal, I think that Star was very unprofessional, very low class. I think the viewers sort of have a little bit of a yuck factor toward her.
They don`t see her as sincere and I think Barbara definitely won this won. And Star calling up Donald, going, hey, I`m right with you, Buddy. so, it`s kind of on Star. A little bit of class there might help.
HAMMER: Let`s move on to another one and let`s ring that bell, because this one certainly shocked I think just about everyone when it took place. Talking about the famous Tom Cruise and Brooke Shields smack down. Tom, of course, criticizing Brooke for use of anti-depressants when she had post partum depression. Brooke shot back, defending herself. Tom Cruise even called Matt Lauer glib for taking the whole issue.
This wasn`t just between Tom and Brooke though, because it really transcended that, struck a nerve with so many people.
LALAMA: Well, I think Tom has been speaking to the Setons (ph) for too long. I think that`s the Scientology thing. I think that whole force, which is important to him, and I`m not making fun of that, but what I am saying, I think he really lost his mind for a while, in terms how to deal publicly, where is your integrity? I don`t think he had any right to make fun of anyone who seeks help and gets help as a result of post partum. It`s a horrific thing.
And I think what he did to Brooke was really horrible. Now, he did make what I thought was a half hearted apology so OK, but I think it wasn`t all that sincere. I think it was to get him back in the good graces of the public. But then, what really got me is she goes all the way to Italy for the wedding? All right, the both of you, I`m sick of the both of you. So they both get thumbs down on me. I don`t see anything sincere in any of it.
HAMMER: Well, and again, I have to harp back on the Tom Cruise issue, because he did make a lot of people angry, as you also mentioned, because if somebody is seeking help, well then leave them alone. Just incredible spats. Can I ring the bell one more time, just for the pure fun of it?
LALAMA: Let`s hear it.
HAMMER: All right, celebrity journalist Pat Lalama, I am still very much getting along with you and I thank you.
LALAMA: Very good. I love you. See you later.
ANDERSON: A.J., remember Buck Rogers, the TV show?
HAMMER: One of my favorites when I was a kid.
ANDERSON: Who can forget this guy? Well Buck Rogers himself, Gil Gerard, reveals the dramatic steps he took to lose a ton of weight and save his life. We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s painful when the young women walk down that runway, their eyes look dead. They need cheese burgers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Cybill Shepherd knows first hand about Hollywood`s obsession with body image. She used to be a model. Well coming up, whether she thinks there should be ban on those super skinny models.
ANDERSON: And the stars who just can`t say, I do. Just why are so many Hollywood couples afraid to use the C word, commitment? A SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Friday night. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It is time now for a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous?
This one sure did. A Florida woman taking the law into her hands by shedding some light on the matter. You see, Calli Golespi (ph) claims drivers are just speeding down her block. So what did she do? She put up this flashing light to warn them to slow down. That looks straight out of the 1970s disco, doesn`t it?
Police say most of the drivers don`t have a lead foot there and slapped her Calli with a 200 dollar ticket for get this, putting up an illegal traffic sign. So Calli`s light plan, that got burned, that`s ridiculous.
ANDERSON: It`s time now for the SHOWBIZ Weight Watch. Now this is where we cover Hollywood`s obsession with body image like no one else. Tonight, a stunning decision by top U.S. fashion designers. They`re saying that skinny model ban thing, not for us.
The Council of Fashion Designers represents the biggest names in fashion and puts on some of the most fashion shows in U.S.. They tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they are not following the growing trend around the world to ban women who are scary skinny from the runway. Milan and Madrid have done that.
Instead they are offering up recommendations, guide lines they call them, like not hiring girls under 16, and educating the industry about eating disorders.
HAMMER: Someone who dealt with the intense pressure the fashion industry places on models is former model and actress Cybill Shepherd. Now, I had the chance to ask Shepherd, who makes her debut on Showtime`s "The L Word" this Sunday, if there needs to be a ban on super skinny models here in the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CYBILL SHEPHERD, MODEL AND ACTRESS: I think we need to do something to curb this outrageously grotesque emaciated look in the models. I mean, I started as a model a long time ago, and I just happened to fit into this little window of opportunity where women were kind of a normal size and then that was gone and we`re back to the heroin chic and the emaciated. To me it`s painful when the young women walk down that runway, their eyes look dead. They need cheese burgers.
HAMMER: But what do you think happened? Because what was it, 1968, you were model of the year and the standard of beauty then and now is almost diametrically opposed. And it just doesn`t make sense to me. What is appealing about these images that they are sending out? Do you get it?
SHEPHERD: Before I answer that, I would like to say that in 1968 when I won model of the year, you were supposed to be very thin, but then I became -- my big success came in 1970, 1969, really 1969 was when there was a little bit of a window, but it didn`t happen until 1969. I think it`s just a devastating message to send to women and girls.
HAMMER: Of course, this isn`t just coming from the modeling industry, we should be clear about that. It`s also coming from Hollywood and young starlets. You pick up any magazine.
SHEPHERD: Starlets are young, excuse me for --
HAMMER: I`m sorry, was that sort of repetitive, redundant to say young starlets?
SHEPHERD: I guess so, but also, maybe a starlet is skinnier than a star, because they`re less.
HAMMER: Why do you think this is so pervasive, this desire to look this way?
SHEPHERD: I think we`re afraid to look as if we enjoy life and that we eat and that we`re afraid to have any bulges. Where there is a demand, of course, there is always going to be the need filled. So, yes, it`s not the model`s fault, it`s not these young women, but if we did set a different standard, and it goes right to the designers. Are you willing to have curves in your clothes?
Women have curves. And, you know, there are so many things I could do my body and my face to make me look better, but I just don`t know where to begin.
HAMMER: But I look at the women who are on "The L Word" on ShowTime with you now, and congratulations, by the way, being part of what I consider one of the best shows on TV.
SHEPHERD: And premiering this Sunday.
HAMMER: You`re premiere is this Sunday.
SHEPHERD: My debut episode.
HAMMER: Playing a woman who is coming out later in life, some of the best acting talent, I think, on television in this show, but I have to ...
SHEPHERD: Midlife, not later in life, mid life.
HAMMER: I`m sorry. I`m messing up left and right here. I have to imagine Cybill Shepherd shows up on that set and people are just bowing in awe.
SHEPHERD: You are so charming.
HAMMER: Isn`t that what happened?
SHEPHERD: You know, I was very nervous. Yes, they were all so wonderful. I`ll never forget when I went to the first table read and they announced that I was doing the show and everybody applauded. It was a really wonderful -- I was welcomed into the sisterhood. That was just the table reading, when I had to show up and do the part, I was very nervous. I didn`t know anybody.
HAMMER: I have to ask you, because here we are, some more than 20 years after "Moonlighting" first went on the air and people are still buzzing about the possibility that you and Bruce Willis are going to get on the big screen and do a reunion. Can you kind of set the record straight for the reality of that and the possibility that that may actually happen?
SHEPHERD: Well, Glen Gordon Caron, who created "Moonlighting," can`t figure out how to do it. So that means he`s not going to be a part of it. I think that Bruce Willis and I should do something together, even if I`m forced to play his mother.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And, just for the record, I did tell Cybill there`s no way she could ever play Bruce Willis` mother. She`s much too young for that. You can catch Cybill Shepherd`s premiere on "The L Word" this Sunday on ShowTime.
ANDERSON: The unbelievable story of TV`s Buck Roger, A.J. How he went from Hollywood heartthrob to dangerously obese. Gil Gerard reveals the dramatic steps he took to lose a ton of weight and save his life. We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BINDI IRWIN, STEVE IRWIN`S DAUGHTER: Sometimes I have good days and bad days. Sometimes it brings back memories and it`s really nice and some days I just cry straight off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Steve Irwin`s daughter Bindi there. It is just amazing that she`s able to talk so eloquently about her father`s tragic death and how she`s dealing with it. Her emotional interview, along with her mom Terri, that`s coming up.
ANDERSON: And the stars who just can`t say I do. Just why are so many Hollywood couples afraid to use the C word, commitment?
But first, we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, celebrity couples, is marriage no longer a must-do? Vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. Send us an e-mail. Here is the address SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com
And don`t forget, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. Just go to our Web site, CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT, to learn how to do it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: OK, we are fuming here because it looks like Dustin Diamond, Screech from "Saved By The Bell," flat out lied to us and many others about his triple X-rated sex tape. Now back in September, Dustin Diamond was absolutely furious.
That`s because a celebrity porn peddler named David Hans Schmidt, who put out the Colin Farrell and Paris Hilton sex tapes, among others, said he had a triple X rated video of Diamond and was going to sell it. OK, look at how angry Dustin was when he came on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUSTIN DIAMOND, SCREECH: This is definitely not going on with my approval. This is not something that I condone and my lawyers are fighting this David Hans Heimlich Guttenburg Von Smit Jinglehiemer (ph), whatever 18 names this sleezeball has, we`re fighting him right now to make sure that this never sees the light of day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK, well now it looks like he was in on the deal from the start, because Screech tells "Details Magazine" that he contacted Red Light Video, a porn distribution company, to make money off the video, since he knew it was going to get out. Screech, we got to tell you, your "Saved by the Bell" co-star, Principal Belding, he`s not going to save you here. We hope you enjoy your 15 minutes. Then you`re going to go straight to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT detention.
HAMMER: Yes, take that Screech. The unbelievable story of TV`s Buck Rogers. This is amazing. How he went from Hollywood hunky heartthrob to hefty and dangerously obese. Gil Gerard is going to reveal the dramatic steps that he took to save his life, coming up. We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER HUDSON, "DREAM GIRLS": I`ve been hearing it all my life, but it`s nothing wrong. I`m satisfied. I like my thickness. I`d rather be thick any day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON "Dream Girls" breakout star Jennifer Hudson has a lot to say about Hollywood`s obsession with body image. She`s got curves and she`s not afraid to admit it, coming up.
HAMMER: And why is this woman making out with a lion, couldn`t kissing this kitty be a kiss of death? The shocking SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video of the day is coming up. We`ll be right back.
(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: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: People a little weepy out there in Hollywood today, you know, with Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz finally saying, "we are no longer a couple."
ANDERSON: Drying their tears, A.J.
HAMMER: I`m sure they are.
You know, Cameron Diaz in the past has said she has no interest possibly in ever getting married. Not the only celebrity to say that. We`ve had Oprah Winfrey. We`ve had George Clooney say the same thing.
Is there an aversion to marriage by some people in Hollywood? We get to the bottom of it, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Looking forward to that.
Also, A.J., Jennifer Hudson has become a household name practically overnight. You know as well as I do she`s blowing people away with her performance in "Dreamgirls."
HAMMER: Yes.
ANDERSON: Well, coming up, she speaks very candidly about her newfound success, and also her own body-image issues. That`s straight ahead.
But tonight, we have an absolutely amazing story to share with you right now. The story of one of TV`s most beloved heroes who has been to hell and back and is with us tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Who could forget Gil Gerard, who starred in the hit TV show "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" in the early `80s. The perfectly chiseled action hero was also a Hollywood heartthrob. But many years, Gil Gerard`s weight spiraled out of control, until one day he found himself weighing 353 pounds. The more he gained, the sicker he got.
And so he decided to not only have controversial new gastric-bypass procedure, but to let Discovery Health Channel cameras follow him through the procedure for a show called "Action Hero Makeover."
Gil Gerard is with us tonight here in Hollywood.
Gil, great to see you.
GIL GERARD, ACTOR: It`s good to see you.
ANDERSON: Truly, you do look amazing. You have come so far.
How do you feel now?
GERARD: I feel great. I`ve never felt better in my life. It`s just been incredible.
ANDERSON: Yes.
And -- and, you know, it got to the point -- you know, we said people -- you`re a hero to them. You were Buck Rogers. And then you got morbidly obese. It got to the point that you would go to fan conventions, people wouldn`t even recognize.
GERARD: Mm-hmm.
ANDERSON: That had to be difficult. It was very pivotal, wasn`t it, when that would happen?
GERARD: Well, it was -- it was painful when people would say. I would make a joke about it, which is how we usually deal with pain anyway.
But -- yes, when people would come up and I would be sitting at the table to sign their autographs, and then would say, When`s Gil getting here? And I would say, I`m here. And they were just shocked.
But, you know, it`s -- and it -- that wasn`t even the thing that got me going. It was the fact that I was dying, basically. I had -- I had diabetes. I had congestive heart failure. My hips were killing me. My knees were killing me. I was carrying 353 pounds on -- on this body.
I decided I better do some thing about it.
ANDERSON: Well, how did it get to that point? Because like I mentioned earlier, you were the chiseled action hero. And then, it just spiraled out of control.
How did it get to that point?
GERARD: Well, actually I had -- I had spent about 40 years of my life fighting away -- I -- I had been over 300 pounds on two other occasions before this, and had managed to lose the weight through diet and exercise or whatever.
This time, however, it -- nothing I did worked. I just -- you know, I guess because of my age or whatever, it just -- I wasn`t losing the weight. I`d sort of go down and come back up again.
What I found out after the surgery and in looking into -- doing all the research I had to do to write up all the stuff you have to write up before the surgery, I heard about a hormone called ghrelin or ghrelin -- depends on which doctor you talk to, how it`s pronounced -- that basically signals your brain and says, I need more food. And -- and in an -- in an obese person, or a person who is dieting, the amount of ghrelin increases in their stomach.
So no matter you do, you`re fighting your own -- your own body, saying, Feed me, feed me, feed me. And eventually, if you`re on a diet, it doesn`t work, because you end up going back and eating just....
ANDERSON: So you had the -- the controversial procedure.
GERARD: Yes, it wasn`t really -- I don`t know that it`s controversial. I think it was -- it`s just a...
ANDERSON: The mini gastric bypass.
GERARD: The mini gastric bypass, the mini laparoscopic -- you know, actually bypass surgery -- it`s just that it was -- it`s relatively new.
ANDERSON: Right.
GERARD: I think Dr. Relich (ph) has done some thing like 6,000 of these in the last eight years or so.
ANDERSON: Well, afterwards, you lost -- what? -- 150 pounds?
GERARD: Yes.
ANDERSON: Which is just amazing.
Tell me what it was like to go back to the fan conventions, and -- and be your old self again.
GERARD: It was great. It was wonderful. And, you know, the great thing was that no one said, Where`s Gil? So it was -- it was really nice. It was great.
ANDERSON: You didn`t have to explain yourself.
GERARD: No. No. And people were -- you know, I -- what I really like is the fact that people -- fans were very supportive and very happy. My -- my Web site, which is run by a lady in England -- she sent me an e- mail saying that she got 1,000 hits...
ANDERSON: Wow.
GERARD: ...before, like, 6 o`clock in the morning over there, after the -- and the show didn`t air over there. It was from over here that -- that -- and she sent me some -- some snippets of e-mails from the fans who had said how much they liked it, that -- I was -- I get touched by it...
ANDERSON: That`s great. Yes.
GERARD: But, you know, that they were happy that I was healthy and that I wasn`t going to die, which was good.
ANDERSON: Well, here you are. You`re well. And the fans, I`m sure, who are so supportive and who have loved for years, would probably love to see you back on the big screen as Buck Rogers.
GERARD: Well, I don`t know if that`s going to happen. I don`t know that that`s going to happen.
But I would -- I mean, I`ve actually started back working, and -- and -- which is good, and I`ve done a pilot for a series that probably didn`t sell. But -- and I did a movie of the week. So -- you know, I`ve -- since I`ve the weight, I`ve been -- I`ve actually been stabilized for about four months now. I really haven`t -- I`m just happy that I could be (ph).
ANDERSON: And most importantly, you`re -- you`re feeling well...
GERARD: Yes.
ANDERSON: ...and you`re looking well.
Gil Gerard, thanks for joining us.
GERARD: Thank you.
ANDERSON: We appreciate it.
And you can see his unbelievable transformation in the Discovery Health special "Action Hero Makeover." It`s this Saturday on the Discovery Health Channel.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, the widow of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin is opening up about the most difficult moment of her life. Irwin, of course, died in September after a string ray barb pierced his heart.
In an interview with CNN`s Larry King, Terri Irwin talked about that horrible day, and what it was like breaking the news to their daughter, Bindi, and their son, Robert.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TERRI IRWIN, STEVE IRWIN`S WIDOW: I told her straightforward and directly and honestly, as forthright as I could be.
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Did you sit her down or you...
T. IRWIN: She -- I -- she was in the car. She`d run back to the car and I sat down with her and I said that -- that...
KING: What?
T. IRWIN: ... his dad had been -- her dad had been in an accident. And I told her, as I had been told, exactly what happened. And she, as expected, had a lot of tears, and so did I. And it was very difficult then, because we had the next hurdles of getting out of Tasmania on a moment`s notice and getting back up to Queensland.
But telling -- telling Robert was rather eerie. He finally woke up and I told him what had happened.
KING: Did he understand?
T. IRWIN: He asked me again. I told him a second time. And then he spent about half an hour just looking out the window.
He`s got a little pig. He`s got it here with him today, a little piggy, and he just worked Piggy`s ears and looked out the window for about a half an hour. It was really hard for him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well at 8 years old, Bindi Irwin is already following in her dad`s footsteps. She`s starting a wildlife series for the Discovery Kids Network. She also sat across from Larry King. He asked her what it`s like now to see video of her famous father.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KING: Is it hard to look at your dad?
BINDI IRWIN, STEVE IRWIN`S DAUGHTER: Sometimes it is. Sometimes I have good days and bad days. Sometimes it brings back memories and it`s really nice. And some days I just cry straight off.
KING: What did you get from your father?
B. IRWIN: Me?
KING: That you`re happiest about.
B. IRWIN: I got from my father the best kind of loving person.
KING: He brought you love?
B. IRWIN: He brought me love. He brought me love.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It is so hard to believe she`s only 8 years old.
The 26-part series "Bindi the Jungle Girl" is going to air on the Discovery Kids Network later on this year.
ANDERSON: What an amazing child, A.J.
Also, A.J., Justin and Cameron are no more. But even when things were all warm and fuzzy for them, Cameron Diaz said she wasn`t sure she actually believed in marriage.
HAMMER: Yes, and you know what? She`s not alone.
Coming up, we`re asking, when it comes to stars and love, is "I do" no longer a "must do."
We`ll also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER HUDSON, ACTRESS: I`ve been hearing it all my life, but it`s nothing wrong. I`m satisfied. I like -- I like my thickness. I rather be thick any day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: There is so much buzz about this lady -- Jennifer Hudson and her performance in "Dreamgirls." She`s opening up to me about body image and her newfound fame. That is coming up.
ANDERSON: And take a look at this: why is this woman making out with a lion? Come on, how can you turn away from that? It`s the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Video of the Day," next.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And roll your breaks now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Music, and in 3, 2 -- and dissolve. Mic cue, A.J.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Friday night. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
It is time now for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Video of the Day." And it looks like at least one king of the jungle has found his queen.
I want you to check this out. This lion certainly isn`t cowardly when it comes to showing his affection for this lady. Oh my goodness. Now this is at an animal shelter in Colombia. This woman saved the lion from abuse in a traveling circus several years ago. Well, she nursed him back to health, and it really seems like he`s pretty thankful about that.
The woman says Jupiter the lion gives the most sincere hugs she has ever received. And I quite frankly can say the same about my dog. Gives terrific hugs as well.
Well, if only things had worked out that well for Justin and Cameron. As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first told you, Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz have officially called it quits. In a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, they said that the decision was mutual, and that they remain friends.
But were Cameron and Justin marriage-phobic? And just why are so many Hollywood stars so reluctant to make a commitment?
Joining me tonight in New York, clinical psychologist Dr. Judy Kuriansky.
Nice to see you, Dr. Judy.
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Good to be here, A.J.
HAMMER: So I dug up this terrific quote from Cameron Diaz. This is something she said back in 2004 -- they were just a year into their relationship. Cameron was clearly still smitten with Justin.
And here`s what she said: quote -- "I don`t know if I really believe in marriage, either. I don`t know if I would really say that I would spend the rest of my life with some body."
It kind of lets us know how she`s really feeling. A little foretelling, perhaps.
Why does it seem that so many stars have an aversion to marriage? Because it kind of feels that way.
KURIANSKY: And actually, they`re pretty smart about it. Because when you look at it statistically, the odds are against them the marriage is going to work out.
If we in the real world have half the marriages fall apart, when you look at Hollywood, they`re -- they`re 1 in 10 maybe chance they`re going to last a couple of years. And so it`s controversial for me to say, some of them are smart.
You can call they commitment-phobic, but they`re also got some reality-testing in there.
So Cameron`s being upfront about it. To me, that`s also a little bit healthy. It`s not so good she doesn`t want to make a commitment, but she`s honest about it. A lot of the rest of them aren`t.
And, on top of that, Justin Timberlake was saying at one point that marriage would ruin a sex life.
HAMMER: Hmm.
KURIANSKY: And so when you take a look at that, that`s also a little bit realistic. And he was thinking what some couples feel like -- not just the seven-year itch, but after you get married and you have sex for awhile, it gets boring, and then you`re not interested in your partner anymore.
So that figures a lot in it, too. And in Hollywood, the sex has got to be hot. And so you`re -- if the sex wasn`t hot for Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake after awhile, then we`re really in trouble.
HAMMER: And couple that with the fact that Justin Timberlake, you know, is going to be out on the road touring, I`m sure. But...
KURIANSKY: With a sex -- with an album that recalls the life of a lot of sex, I might add.
HAMMER: You know, it`s interesting to hear you say all that, because you really can`t fault honesty.
But -- but I`m sure there are other things that -- that come into play. And you look at the -- the relationships that stars have in Hollywood. You know, you look at Brad and Angelina, you look at Cameron and Justin, Susan Sarandon and -- and Tim Robbins. We`re talking about big stars, big careers -- I got to believe narcissism plays into it here. Because you have to share not only each other, but you have the spotlight to share. And that can be tough.
KURIANSKY: That can be tough when the people are not secure within themselves. Because certainly, if one`s more of a star than the other at a certain point and the bounds shifts, then it can start being jealous and competitive. And that splits it up entirely.
But since you said, A.J. -- you talk about Susan Sarandon, you know, and Tim Robbins, and even Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, those are perfect examples of -- they may be marriage-phobic, but they`re not commitment- phobic, because they`ve been together for a long time. And you don`t really hear about them cheating and running around in the tabloids like you do about so many other couples.
HAMMER: That`s right.
KURIANSKY: So it`s a big difference. When -- some people like -- Goldie says, I don`t need the -- the marriage contract to commit. There`s a big difference.
And you can notice things about commitment phobic people. I mean, all one star has to do is open the tabloids and take a look at -- you know, at whether or not somebody`s been running around with -- relationship after the other one, and saying, Well, you know, this may not be a good bet for me if I want to settle down.
But here`s the thing that`s really interesting: a lot of women out there will say, I need all these men who are commitment-phobic. You know, what`s -- what`s wrong with that. And I can find a guy who will -- will settle down and wants to marry.
I say those women have their own commitment-phobia. And it`s, like, relationships are a mirror. If you`re picking guys who are commitment phobic, it`s your problem, not just theirs.
HAMMER: So you see? It`s not just in Hollywood; it`s in the real- world, too.
KURIANSKY: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Dr. Judy, always good to see you. Have an excellent weekend. Thanks for being with us.
ANDERSON: And that leads us to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Celebrity Couples: Is marriage no longer a must-do?"
Keep voting at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. Write to us: SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com. We`re going to read some of your thoughts tomorrow.
And don`t forget, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. So send us a video e-mail. Go to our Web site, CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT.
HAMMER: Of course, the Golden Globes just days away. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s going to be right there. We`re live on Monday night.
And right now, we are taking a look at one of the best-supporting actress nominees, the lovely Jennifer Hudson, whose career has definitely gone from zero to 60 overnight.
When I sat down with Jennifer, we talked about what it`s like to have this instant fame, how she deals with her own body-image issues, and what she thinks of Britney Spears` pantyless partying.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: People are using your name and the word "Oscar" in the same sentence. I got to imagine that`s pretty surreal.
HUDSON: I can`t even believe that. Oh goodness. Just hearing that is, like, Ah, are you serious?
You know what? I just wanted the part. And thinking back to last year, it`s -- it never crossed my mind. Ever.
HAMMER: You know, when you`re in the public eye, obviously there`s a certain amount of scrutiny that comes along with that. In fact, I`m sure before you even made it on to "American Idol," you probably saw the magazines and watched the TV shows. And you were a consumer of that kind of stuff. And now, you know, to an extent, you`re going to be the subject of -- of some of that.
Does that scare you a little bit?
HUDSON: Yes. Yes, I think that scares me the most. Because I like being just normal. I like going places and -- and walking up the street and talking to regular people.
It`s -- I`ve been a normal person and -- and led a normal life for Lord knows how long. And now it`s totally different. It`s a normal new world.
HAMMER: Britney Spears can`t even go out right now without every body hounding on her for that. She`s just going out, trying to have a good time.
Do you think people should just hear alone and let her do her thing?
HUDSON: You know, I think she just wants a moment to herself. She`s been at it for a long time. And she just wanted to enjoy being a normal girl. I don`t see anything wrong with it. I -- I feel her.
And every body else has a right to their own thing. But the difference between the rest of the world and celebrities is, you`re always on. You`re always working. As long as you got that face attached to you.
HAMMER: One thing I`ve really grown to appreciate about you from some of the -- you do is you seem to have a really healthy attitude about body image and how much more....
HUDSON: Thank you.
HAMMER: ...important it is to feel about who you are inside, than -- than how you feel outside.
That being said, what do you say to the young women who are saying, You know what? I really need to do look good. And -- and I`m not going to feel good about myself until I do.
HUDSON: But it`s about feeling good about yourself, not about who -- I mean, 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 just so you can get this or just so they can take you there (ph). You don`t want to have to live with that.
HAMMER: But there`s a lot of pressure.
HUDSON: Right. But it`s your body.
I`ve been -- heard it. But I don`t -- I`m not bothered by peer pressure. I`m content with Jennifer, and it`s how you feel about yourself.
HAMMER: You have to keep getting that message out there.
HUDSON: Yes.
HAMMER: It`s really important, because all the images flying out of Hollywood, and I don`t know if when you were growing up, you were like, Oh God, look at all these skinny girls; I got to look a certain way.
HUDSON: I`ve been hearing it all my life, but it`s nothing wrong. I`m satisfied. I like my thickness. I rather be thick any day.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Well, you look amazing.
When you look at the people who you had the opportunity to work side by side with, from Jamie Foxx to Eddie Murphy to Danny Glover to Beyonce -- I mean, these are people who have been through it.
HUDSON: Yes.
HAMMER: Is there any one little piece of advice any of them gave you along the course of the way that`s kind of stayed with you?
HUDSON: You know, Beyonce just told me to make sure I make -- take my time and make the right decisions. Don`t just rush -- rush into anything.
And Jamie told me to -- to give it 100 percent at all times. Never -- never slack off, and no matter -- before you cross the room, and no matter what you do. You always give it 100 percent.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Few people who have seen "Dreamgirls" would argue, if she does make the right decisions, she is on her way to superstardom.
Now on Monday, don`t forget to tune into a very special live edition of TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s going to be live at the Golden Globes. We`ve got all the stars. We`ll have the winners, the losers. It will all happen on Monday. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at 11 p.m. Eastern.
ANDERSON: It`s going to be an exciting night.
All right. The new season of "24" gets started this weekend. And guess what? We here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got a sneak peek at the new season. Is it as explosive as you`re hoping? Well, we have that verdict, next.
Stay with us, for a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on this Friday night.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, here we are; it is Friday, so it is time to tell you what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff has been absolutely loving.
Let us get right to this week`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Top 5 staff picks.
This weekend, the new season of "24" officially kicks off on Fox. Now we got little sneak peek at the first couple of hours of these 24 hours, and we got to tell you, you`re going to be blown away and on the age of your couch or wherever you sit, every single second. The new season is literally explosive, and Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer has never been better.
Also on TV, we`re absolutely loving we`re loving "Starveillance" on E!. It is an hilarious new animated show revealing the most outrageous moments in the lives of the biggest stars, inspired by not-so-actual events.
And as cheesy as it sounds, "Armed and Famous" on CBS is also hilarious. It`s Eric "Paunch" Estrada, Jack Osbourne and La Toya "Usually Eat at Spago" Jackson getting Tasered, and demonstrating takedown moves on one another, entrusted with real guns, as they fight crime in Muncie, Indiana.
But the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff doesn`t just watch TV. We`ve also been reading and loving Amy Sedaris` new book, "I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence." It`s kind of like Martha Stewart on acid, or Rachel Ray on bong hits. A hilarious how-to book that teaches you how to be the perfect host.
And finally, we are loving all the flavors of "Lip Balm," that C.O. Bigelow came out with this winter, especially the Vanilla Cola one. I find -- I like that.
A reminder: you can check out the entire SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff picks list any time you like on our Web site, CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Yesterday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." It was this: "The Donald Versus Rosie Feud: Do you think Barbara Walters lied?"
Seventy-one percent of you say yes; only 29 percent of you say no.
Here`s some of the e-mails we received:
Carol from New Hampshire writes, "Barbara has taken the low road and disappointed people. Sad."
D. from Illinois writes, "Ms. Walters` position is to support her show `The View.` It`s unfortunate that she has been drawn into a nasty, bullying fight."
HAMMER: Let`s find out what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
This weekend, listen up, Britney Spears: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went to the biggest stars in Hollywood getting advice for you. The stars` prescription for Brit Saturday and Sunday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And coming up on Monday, I want you to buckle your seat belt, because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s live at the Golden Globes. All the stars, the winners, the losers, the upsets, the surprises. And yes, the fashion. Brooke Anderson right there on the red carpet live, getting reaction from the biggest stars in Hollywood on the Golden Globes, Monday night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Join us this weekend, same time, same place.
"GLENN BECK" coming up next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News.
END
