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Showbiz Tonight
Tyra Banks Fights Back Against Tabloids; Why Isn`t James Brown Buried? Abolishing the `N-word`
Aired January 30, 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: More than a month after James Brown died, why hasn`t his body been buried yet? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe gets naked for the camera. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Tyra Banks getting real about weight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TYRA BANKS, MODEL: I like to eat. I`m not obsessed with working out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight the former supermodel`s very first TV interview about those unflattering tabloid photos, those really mean headlines calling her fat, and how much weight she has really gained. Tonight, a SHOWBIZ Weight Watch special, the truth about Tyra.
Tonight, unmarried in Hollywood. From Cameron to Angelina, even Oprah, why are so many rich, powerful, famous women saying I don`t to marriage.
And it`s not just in Hollywood. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask the question, has marriage become obsolete?
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Hi there everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And what a bizarre story to tell you about tonight, James Brown, still dead of course, but still not buried. What in the world is going on? That`s coming up in just a few minutes.
HAMMER: But first tonight, Tyra`s fat fight. For the very first time former "Sports Illustrated" and "Victoria`s Secret" fashion model Tyra Banks is speaking out on camera about all the attention she`s been getting for gaining weight, and frankly, we actually find it a bit ridiculous that somebody who looks like her has to go on television to defend herself at all.
ANDERSON: You`re so right, A.J. I mean, how many women would give anything to look like the former supermodel, but here she is on the defense by launching what we think is a great offense.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BANKS: It saddens me, because I felt there was such a rejoicing.
ANDERSON (voice-over): It`s something you definitely do not see every day, a ground-breaking supermodel on national TV defending herself against attacks on her appearance.
LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Were those pictures embarrassing to you?
ANDERSON: But that was the scene on "LARRY KING LIVE," as daytime talk show host and ground-breaking former supermodel Tyra Banks fired back at tabloids that are all too happily declaring that she`s gotten fat. On Larry King, Tyra explained how these paparazzi pics of an Australian photo shoot caused a worldwide uproar.
BANKS: But I get back home and I`m getting these messages from people that are telling me like what`s up with these pictures? Like what is that? I just saw you two weeks ago? What`s going on. So I googled myself. Actually, I googled Tyra Fat, Larry.
ANDERSON: And what she got were tons of shocking and upsetting postings labeling her as fat. One tabloid headline played off Tyra`s reality show, "America`s Next Top Model," declaring "America`s Next Top Waddle." So Tyra is firing back in a segment on her talk show, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has it for you. While wearing a one-piece bait bathing suit, she shoots down headlines saying she`s gained 40 pounds.
BANKS: I weigh 160 pounds, so that is ten pounds that I have gained, not 40.
ANDERSON: She`s making it clear, she`s not ashamed of those candid photos.
BANKS: I like to eat. I`m not obsessed with working out. So it wasn`t so much of an embarrassment.
ANDERSON: Instead she says she fears the message those fat cracks are sending to her young fans who also struggle with weight.
BANKS: When they say Tyra, you weigh 30 pounds heavier than those models on the runway right now, and you make me feel beautiful. I look at your body and I feel beautiful. So when the tabloids are saying that that`s ugly, that`s disgusting, it makes me think of my audience.
ANDERSON: Ex-supermodel Janice Dickinson, who used to work with Tyra Banks on "America`s Next Top Model, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Tyra is fanning this weight controversy for one reason --
JANICE DICKINSON, SUPERMODEL: Tyra is doing it on purpose. She wants to be the next Oprah Winfrey.
ANDERSON: We love you Janice, but Tyra would be the first to tell you there`s nothing wrong with being the next Oprah. Plus, this isn`t the first time Tyra`s tackled the issue of weight.
BANKS: Overweight women, who are the target of the last accepted form of discrimination.
ANDERSON: Back in 2005, Tyra donned a fat suit and a disguise for a segment for her talk show. She then hit the streets with a hidden camera to document the indignity, embarrassment and outright discrimination overweight women face ever day.
BANKS: I saw three people turn and laugh right in my face.
ANDERSON: At the time, an emotional Tyra Banks told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas the experience had a profound effect on her.
SIBILA VARGAS, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: You said it was a heartbreaking experience.
BANKS: It will make me tear up. It just was heartbreaking, because it was so in your face. It was so in my face, and I`m like, I couldn`t believe it.
ANDERSON: Now it`s Tyra`s real body that`s subjecting her to scrutiny, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tells you the most shocking thing of all: despite her weight fluctuations and those ridiculous fat headlines, Tyra Banks is not overweight at all. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT crunched the numbers. We found that the weight that got Tyra into the tabloids, 160 pounds, plus her 5`10 frame, give Tyra a body mass index of 23, well within the normal range specified by the CDC.
"Cosmogirls" Susan Schulz tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT this mislabeling of a normal-sized celebrity as fat can have a dangerous effect.
SUSAN SCHULZ, COSMOGIRL: When Tyra`s being bashed, as gorgeous as she is, then young girls think well, if Tyra is fat, then oh my god, what does that mean about me?
ANDERSON: But Tyra tells Larry King she`s trying to turn this negative into a positive.
BANKS: I have women crying their eyes out to me, telling me they want to hurt themselves because of how they look, because they`re getting talked about. So I felt like I needed to say something.
SCHULZ: We`re focusing on her weight instead of her success. It`s just really interesting that everybody always want to put women back in this box of well, how much do you weigh?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: As we mentioned, Tyra has taped a segment of "The Tyra Banks Show" where she addresses the issue of her weight. That airs this Thursday.
HAMMER: It`s Harry Potter as you`ve never seen him before. Daniel Radcliffe is ditching the glasses and the squeaky clean image for a play in London, and check out these promotional photos. The play`s called "Equis" (ph), and Radcliffe is going to naked in it. He is also going to act in a sex scene. Now, judging by these photos, the role is certainly a far cry from Hogwarts. Radcliffe now is 17 after all, and he can`t be Harry Potter forever.
But even the play`s producers were surprised at his transformation. One of the producers said he`s amazed that Daniel has such a six-pack at 17, when some people try for 25 years to get abs like that. The play will be opening in March.
Tonight we have a story, I just have to say is bizarre. Legendary soul singer James Brown has been dead for over a month now, dead but not buried. You heard me right. He`s yet to be buried. There`s even more to this strange story. Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Debra Opri, James Brown`s long-time California attorney and friend of 15 years. I appreciate you being with me Debra. We have to square some things away here.
DEBRA OPRI, JAMES BROWNS` ATTORNEY: OK.
HAMMER: All right, and I want you to keep it simple. You`re the lawyer, not me. It would seem as if all the legal wrangling that is going on around James Brown, which we`ll get into in a second, can go on without him in the ground. Debra, why in the world has James Brown not been buried yet.
OPRI: I`m going to speak for James Brown tonight, because everybody else has attorneys. He would say, get this done. I want the trustees and the family members to sit down at a table and work out their differences. If there`s a problem with available funds, spell out why. If there`s a problem with available funds not being paid for this for a reason, spell out why. The children have control of the body, and the burial, and the trustees have control of the estate. The mausoleum needs to be finalized, approved and paid for, the funeral needs to be paid for. The children and the trustees, I think without the attorneys, better sit down and work out their differences, because James Brown would say, what are y`all doing? Just get this done.
HAMMER: Yes, this is just unbelievable and from the sound of it, it`s basically coming down to what many of these fights come down to, a monetary issue, correct?
OPRI: Well, you know, there`s been a lawsuit filed by the family members, but there is a trust, and I adore the family members, Vinicia (ph), Diana, Ayam (ph) and all the rest, and I adore the trustees. Mr. Brown loved Buddy Dallas, David Cannon (ph) and Judge Al Bradley (ph) and he made them trustees for a reason. If there`s anything going on, just disclose it. If there`s no money available, explain why. Things will be resolved, but bury Mr. Brown. I loved him, and he doesn`t deserve this.
HAMMER: Debra, we had reported that James Brown`s embalmed body was being kept in a climate-controlled room at his estate, all the while it should be buried. Is that still the case so far as you know?
OPRI: No, it doesn`t. His body is now kept at another location, a professional location, and they are even eager to get this resolved. There`s three things we need to do, A.J. We need to get the approval of the funds, get the mausoleum done, and get Mr. Brown interred, and I support the Godfather. I love him.
HAMMER: And as if all of this wasn`t enough, a woman who was Brown`s long-time companion, Tommy Ray Heini (ph), who was making a lot of news after James first died, says that she was married to Brown. They have a five-year-old son together and she says she`s being cut out of his will. I want to ask you a couple questions about this. To your knowledge, were they in fact married?
OPRI: No.
HAMMER: You are saying they were not married?
OPRI: Correct.
HAMMER: And is that James Brown`s son?
OPRI: We don`t know.
HAMMER: And why is she cut out of this will? They were companions for some time.
OPRI: The will was entered into, signed off and put away before the child was born. There are issues with that. It will be worked out, but I urge everyone to sit down at a table, because you have a lot of personalities there and a lot of anger, and I love both sides, but I`m here for Mr. Brown today, and I`m telling all of them, Mr. Brown wants this done.
HAMMER: Well Debra, I appreciate you being with us, not only as an attorney, but also who was friends with James Brown personally, and I hope you will keep us posted on what happens and develops here.
OPRI: OK.
ANDERSON: Paris Hilton wants her dirty videos back, and she`s going to great lengths to get them. We`ll tell you what major steps she is taking straight ahead. We`re also going to have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Being single doesn`t mean being lonely, and being single doesn`t mean, you know, being 60 and having six cats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Smashing stereotypes of the unmarried woman. Angelina, Cameron, Oprah, coming up, a look at why in Hollywood and beyond, more women are saying I don`t when it comes to marriage.
HAMMER: And why is Donald Trump looming over a professional wrestling ring? It`s a story that made is say, that`s ridiculous, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Time now for a story that just made us say, that`s ridiculous. Well the WWE has finally done it. They finally figured out a way to make professional wrestling even more fake. Ta da, just add Donald Trump. That`s right, it was fan appreciation night in Dallas, and there was this whole schtick where WWE chairman gave one fan a poster of himself, blah, blah, blah.
Then comes Donald Trump`s huge head on a huge screen. He was yapping about giving people what they really want, and, of course, some cashed dropped from the ceiling. McMahon pretended like he was all humiliated. The whole thing just made us say, that`s ridiculous.
ANDERSON: Tonight, sensational new developments as we wait to hear whether R&B star Brandy is going to be charged with manslaughter and even go to jail. The California Highway Patrol is recommending she be charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter for a car crash she got into last December that lead to the death of a 38-year-old mother.
It`s now up to the city attorneys to decide whether to file charges, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there today at a news conference held by Los Angeles city attorney Rocky Delgadillo, who basically said, Brandy`s fate lied in their hands. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are you going to do with Brandy? Are you going to file charges?
ROCKY DELGADILLO, L.A. CITY ATTORNEY: All I can say is that we have received a request from the highway patrol, with facts that include that Miss Norwood was driving a vehicle, and that a collision occurred, and subsequently somebody died. So we are going to take it very seriously, and review it as we would review all the case that we get. We get something on the order of about 50 cases a year and we file about half of them. So half of them we do not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK, and if that`s not enough, civil rights leaders today claimed that Brandy is being singled out. With us tonight from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin, managing editor of the entertainment news website TMZ.com. Harvey, how`s it looking? Does it look like she`s going to be charged, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT also just found out that the family of the deceased woman has filed suit against Brandy. What can you tell us?
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Well, they have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Brandy, which, you know, was all but a certainty. We knew that was coming. It was filed today in California, and this was expected and this could be a high-stakes proposition. She was 38-years-old, the victim, and a mother, married, so the stakes could be high in this.
Meanwhile, in terms of the criminal case, you know, there are other cases where a celebrity has been charged with exactly the same thing, Rebecca Gayhard (ph) comes to mind. So she is by no means out of the woods in this case.
ANDERSON: In a case like this, Harvey, even if she is charged and convicted, is this the kind of thing she would go to jail for?
LEVIN: Probably not, especially since it`s a first offense. This was not some kind of evil motive. At worst, she was just inattentive and didn`t see the traffic in front of here was slowing down. So almost certainly she would not got to jail. She could go for up to a year. The judge could also order probation if she were convicted, and my guess is that`s precisely what would happen.
ANDERSON: Well Harvey, here`s something that I don`t get, this tragic accident happened a month ago. Why now, why is all of this happening now, in terms of recommended charges?
LEVIN: Well, you know, we broke this story a week ago, and when we broke it, we talked with officials over at the CHP and they were still conducting mechanical tests on the cars. If her brakes had failed, and there was no negligence, and she just unavoidably collided, there would be no issue, in terms of criminal prosecution. So they first needed to do testing on all four of the cars involved in this crash, and it took some time. Once they did that, they ended up referring it to the city attorney.
ANDERSON: So it`s a matter of the testing, getting that finished. Well Harvey, also there`s this, today civil rights leaders are claiming that Brandy is being unfairly targeted. Why are they saying that, because we just heard the city attorney say that this is treated like any other case?
LEVIN: Well, I mean, it`s ridiculous. I mean, these leaders who held this news conference just want to be on television. It`s a stupid argument. If somebody kills somebody, and if the evidence looks like they were just negligent, that is precisely the definition of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, and there are celebrities and non-celebrities who are prosecuted for this, and it`s just a stupid argument.
ANDERSON: Harvey, Brandy has issued a statement, expressing her condolences, asking for privacy. I have to imagine that this is really difficult for her to go through. She`s never been in trouble before. She`s always pretty low key. She`s not a party girl. Are you hearing anything, beyond a statement, any indication of what she`s going through at this time?
LEVIN: Yes, I mean, I`ve heard she hasn`t been out of her house in six days. And think about it Brooke, have you ever been driving on a freeway, and you didn`t noticed cars of you slowing?
ANDERSON: And the 405, Harvey. You, as well as I, know that it`s a very dangerous interstate. You do have to be super-careful, but yes, it`s easy.
LEVIN: Have you ever slipped.
ANDERSON: Absolutely, everyone has.
LEVIN: Yes, I mean, but for the grace of god.
ANDERSON: Exactly, well no matter how this is resolved, it`s very tragic. A young woman, a young mother was killed in this accident. It`s horrible. Harvey Levin, managing editor of TMZ.com, thanks for joining us.
LEVIN: See you.
HAMMER: Paris Hilton wants her stuff back and she`s going to court to get it. Hilton has filed a federal lawsuit, trying to shut down ParisExposed.com. It`s a website that is selling a glimpse of some of Paris` very personal videos, diaries, even some medical records. Now the lawsuit says that she put all this stuff in storage two years ago and a moving company was supposed to be paying the storage fees. Well apparently that never happened, because when the bill wasn`t paid, all the stuff went up for auction.
Now, according to the lawsuit, two defendants paid, listen to this, about 2,700 bucks for the whole lot. Then they sold it for 10 million dollars to an entrepreneur who made the website. Hilton`s rep says she wants the site shut down, and for all of her stuff to be returned.
ANDERSON: A.J., you have to wonder, has Brad Pitt done something to tick off the Oscar people, because first he got snubbed for "Babel," and now we`re hearing that they`re adding insult to injury.
HAMMER: And we`ll have all of that coming up. We will also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CROSS TALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You think you know a Bridezilla, well wait until you see this bride`s freak out. It`s the YouTube video that had us in stitches today, and that`s coming up.
ANDERSON: And if that doesn`t make you want to stay single, try this on for size. Want to be like Angelina or Oprah, then don`t get married. Coming up, why more women are saying no thanks when it comes to I do.
First we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, unmarried in Hollywood, is marriage obsolete. Vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. Send us an e-mail at SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com. Remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. To do that, go to CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: It`s shaping up to be an insult to injury night for Brad Pitt at the Oscars. Not only did he get snubbed by the Academy for his role in "Babel," listen to this, if "The Departed" wins best pictures, even though he was one of the producers, Pitt won`t be allowed to come on the stage. It turns out Pitt didn`t do enough, by the Academy`s guidelines, to get the title of producer.
HAMMER: There`s a new tiara in town. While a lot of attention certainly has been on fresh out of rehab Miss USA Tara Conner, there`s also a little contest you may remember called the Miss America Pageant. And we have a new winner. We`d like you to reflect on world peace for a moment and check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The new Miss America is Miss Oklahoma, Lauren Nelson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s right, there she is, Miss Oklahoma, Lauren Nelson. Now, I happen to know that`s two years in a row for Oklahoma, and the last time a state won back-to-back titles at the pageant was all the way back in 1960. The new Miss America says it was surreal to have the crown on her head, but that quote, you have to believe in yourself. She plans on promoting protecting children on-line during her year-long reign. That`s just beautiful.
ANDERSON: Get the tissues.
HAMMER: OK, I`ll move on then. Brooke, you know, times are changing with unmarried women now outnumbering the married ones. Some pretty famous faces in the bunch as well.
ANDERSON: Still laughing about your fake tears, A.J. But you`re right, Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Oprah Winfrey, coming up, why more women are saying no thanks when it comes to marriage.
And then some other big names have hit on a formula for success, marry someone who isn`t famous, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon. How stars are finding love outside of Hollywood.
Also this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CROSS TALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You will not want to miss this bride freaking out, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(NEWS BREAK)
(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.
A.J., there are a lot of female celebrities out there who are unmarried and loving it that way. You`ve got Oprah Winfrey, Cameron Diaz, also Angelina Jolie.
HAMMER: Right.
ANDERSON: Coming up, why so many females are saying, `You know, no thanks to marriage.` And it`s not just the stars.
HAMMER: But of course, there are stars who do get married. And we`re - we`re often talking about stars who marry other stars, big relationships, big power couples in Hollywood. We`re always often talking about how they don`t work out.
Well coming up, we`re going to talk about those who marry or get together with non-celebrities. You know, people like Matt Damon, Rob Lowe, Julia Roberts, marrying or getting involved with non-celebrities. And it seems to work. We`ll get into that in just a moment.
ANDERSON: And speaking of marriage and relationships, A.J., you just got to see this YouTube video; everybody`s been talking about it.
Now we all know getting married is both a wonderful and a stressful thing. But check out how crazy this bride-to-be gets. It`s supposedly just about an hour until she walks down the aisle. And to say she`s unhappy with her hair - yes, huge, huge understatement.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I need help!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s wrong? What is wrong?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It looks so bad!
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hate my hair!
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, it doesn`t look that bad. Honestly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It - it looks fine. There`s nothing wrong with it.
(CROSSTALK)
(SCREAMING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: . I know it`s your wedding day. You.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I look so (BLEEP).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh no, it doesn`t look that bad. It honestly doesn`t.
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Ah, I`m laughing because I don`t think it`s real. You know, a lot of the guys here on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff think it`s fake, and I agree, because no bride in her right mind, no matter what the meltdown, would take scissors to her hair an hour before her wedding.
And why were the bridesmaids laughing, still filming, not helping? Hmm? I guess you never though; it can be a very stressful for a lot of brides.
But as far as we know, the groom, A.J., did still walk down that aisle.
HAMMER: OK, Brooke. But - but if it were real - you know, I love how all the bridesmaids are saying, Oh no, it doesn`t look so bad. It looked terrible.
ANDERSON: It looked awful.
HAMMER: It`s awful. Let`s move on then, shall we?
What happens when a star goes crazy for a non-star? Of course, we all love to watch the A-list couples. People like Ben Affleck and Jen Garner, Brad and Angelina. But some of the strongest relationships in Hollywood are the ones where only half the couple is famous. I`m talking about Rob Lowe and Julia Roberts and Matt Damon.
So why do thee marriages work so well? And is it better for a marriage when the couple isn`t competing for fame?
Joining me in New York, development psychologist and syndicated radio host Cooper Lawrence.
Good to see you, Cooper.
COOPER LAWRENCE, DEVELOPMENT PSYCHOLOGIST: My pleasure.
HAMMER: Let`s get right into this with one of my favorite perfect examples for what we`re talking about: Julia Roberts. Because she`s been married to her husband, who is a cameraman, Danny Moder, for about four and a half years. She had her famous flings before - Kiefer Sutherland, Lyle Lovett comes to mind.
But why is this one working where those didn`t work out?
LAWRENCE: Well, yes. She went through a period where she was the celebrity. I mean, she was the - the Britney Spears of her time. She was on every single magazine cover; it got overwhelming for her.
And then she developed. She got a little older, and decided that she wanted to have a family, and give those kids an opportunity to have a real life, not to have cameras in their face every two seconds.
So part of that is not marrying another celebrity - finding somebody who is not going to encourage paparazzi to keep following you.
HAMMER: Yes, it was bad enough just Julia being one of the most famous faces on the planet. Add somebody else to the mix, that would only increase that amount of fame and celebrity.
LAWRENCE: And it`s not a good environment for kids. And I think she`s very family oriented now.
HAMMER: Well, another guy who also had some famous flings, Matt Damon, who`s really settled down. He, of course, had been involved with Winona Ryder and Minnie Driver. Then he marries a Miami bartender, Lucianna Barroso.
They`ve been together for over a year. They have a baby. He`s so happy as a father, he told me recently.
Why do you think that Matt decided to settle down with somebody not in the biz?
LAWRENCE: Well, look at his best friend, Ben. I mean, after Ben Affleck was just absolutely bombarded, I think he saw that lesson.
And he`s a guy that really sees his career - because you`ve heard him in interviews talk about this - he sees his career as he`s going to the coal mines.
HAMMER: Yes.
LAWRENCE: That`s what he does for a living.
HAMMER: Yes, exactly.
LAWRENCE: He`s not thinking, I want to be fabulous and famous.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: And Ben, when he got involved with JLo, it certainly, you know, had every camera pointed in their face all the time.
LAWRENCE: Absolutely. Absolutely. So you know that Matt looked at that and said, `You know what? I don`t look at career that way. I look at, this is what I do. So let me marry somebody who reflects how I feel about myself, which is just a guy who`s working.`
HAMMER: That always made sense to me, because Matt comes across as one of the most grounded guys in showbiz. He really is. I mean, I - I genuinely feel that way.
Rob Lowe, one of our favorite guys here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Now he`s been married to over six - for over 16 years to a makeup artist, Sheryl Berkoff. He has two sons.
Now she`s not a celebrity, but she is in the business; she does understand what goes on and how it all works. So I imagine that has to help.
LAWRENCE: That does help. And remember, you know, he did the sex tape; he was a partier in his day. So he was sort all over the place.
So, you know, it - it stands to reason, When you start to develop your own personality and figure out who you are, the person you choose is going to reflect that.
So he didn`t want to be party guy anymore. He wanted to just be a working actor who had a family. So he found a woman who understood his need to work and be in the business, but who was also willing to settle down and have a normal life and give kids a normal life.
HAMMER: Another couple, been together a long time, celeb-non-celeb, Chris O`Donnell, wife Caroline Fentress. They`ve been together almost 10 years. They have four kids. She`s an elementary school teacher. So she`s totally not in the business, completely removed.
Do you - do you think they work out well because they`re not competing for fame?
LAWRENCE: Absolutely. That`s the hardest thing. Because someone like Chris O`Donnell, where he`s done such huge things, yet he`s not - he`s famous, but he`s not, like, ridiculous famous. So he`s able to keep a little bit of anonymity, and not be with somebody who`s competing against, How famous are you? How famous am I? Are they after us? Is the paparazzi here?
He`s able to, again, be a working actor and have a family.
HAMMER: Well, thank you for giving us some insight into why these celeb-non-celeb marriages work.
Cooper Lawrence, always good to see you.
LAWRENCE: Thank you. You, too.
ANDERSON: A.J., Adam Sandler usually does those comedies, right? "Click"; "The Waterboy"; "The Wedding Singer."
HAMMER: Ah, yes. We don`t see him in a lot of dramatic roles.
ANDERSON: No, we don`t. But now, a role like you`ve never seen him in before. That`s in "The SHOWBIZ Showcase."
HAMMER: Oh, good. Looking forward to that.
And, of course, you remember Michael Richards` disgusting racial rant.
ANDERSON: Ah, how could I forget?
HAMMER: How can we forget?
Coming up, celebrities are actually leading a new effort to get rid of that awful word once and for all.
We`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEN SCHEFFT, AUTHOR, "BETTER SINGLE THAN SORRY": Being single doesn`t mean being lonely. And being single doesn`t mean, you know, being 60 and having six cats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Marriage, marriage. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates why some of the biggest names in Hollywood are a-OK with a table for one. A special look at stars "Unmarried in Hollywood," next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I am Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Now, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Special Report." It seems like for years, women in Hollywood have thrown marriage to the curb. Just think classic A- listers like Katharine Hepburn and Diane Keaton.
Today, we`re seeing more and more stars, like Angelina Jolie and Oprah, not walking down the aisle. And guess what? It`s not just the stars who are going it alone. New research shows that more and more women are choosing to be unmarried, too.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MECHANIZED VOICE: You can find someone to love the you you love.
(CROSSTALK)
MECHANIZED VOICE: Look just fabulous.
ANDERSON (voice-over): "Sex and the City"`s Carrie Bradshaw was perhaps the ultimate single woman: never giving up on finding love, but never settle for Mr. Not-So-Right, either.
But happily unmarried women don`t just exist on television shows or among Hollywood`s single A-list.
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: Hey! See you then.
ANDERSON: Like Oprah Winfrey, Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston.
JENNIFER ANISTON, ACTRESS: Yes, sir.
ANDERSON: Believe it or not, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now tell you there are now more women in the United States who are unmarried than are married.
SCHEFFT: Women have an education now. They`re - they`re - they`re focusing on their careers. They`re focusing on bettering themselves. Versus at, you know, 22, 30 years ago, you were focused on getting a husband, getting a man.
ANDERSON: The numbers tell the story. The U.S. Census Bureau now says that a majority of women - 51 percent - are unmarried. Some in no hurry to get remarried after a divorce, others simply putting off marriage.
DEBRA MESSING, ACTRESS: You know me better than that! The next time I ask you to tell me the truth, you give me the stock best friend response.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, you`re beautiful. You`re going to be a doctor tomorrow. You`re going to be married by the weekend.
ANDERSON: The choice to keep waiting for a Mr. Right, like Grace did on "Will & Grace" no longer a stigma.
Just ask Jen Schefft, who just a few years ago made it her mission to find a husband on not one, but two reality shows.
First, on ABC`s "The Bachelor," where Andrew Firestone picked from a group of 25 women.
SCHEFFT: We dated for about nine months. We broke up. And literally, "The Bachelorette" people called me a month later. I - I was single. I - I didn`t - wasn`t working at that point. I was living with friends. And I just thought, Well, of course, why not? I mean, maybe this was the way I was supposed to meet my future husband.
ANDERSON: Well, she didn`t find a husband on "The Bachelorette," either. But Jen, who wrote a book called, "Better Than Single Than Sorry," tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that`s perfectly fine with her.
SCHEFFT: And my advice for women is don`t settle. Don`t ever settle, and don`t wait for your life to start once you meet a man.
DIANE KEATON, ACTRESS: You got to sleep in the middle of the bed. It`s absolutely not healthy to have the side when no one has the other side.
ANDERSON: Academy Award-winner Diane Keaton describes the art of sleeping single in the romantic comedy "Something`s Got To Give."
In real life, we`ve seen Keaton in some high-profile relationships, with everyone from Woody Allen to Warren Beatty. But none of them led to marriage.
Reese Witherspoon and Angelina Jolie did get married - Reese to Ryan Phillippe and Angelina to Billy Bob Thornton.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: We wouldn`t leave the bedroom.
ANDERSON: Those marriages didn`t work out. And just like many women across the country, these A-listers are choosing not to remarry just yet, or maybe even ever.
SCHEFFT: Angelina doesn`t have to get married. Why would she get married? She`s been through some divorces; Brad has been divorced. I think they both realized, Marriage isn`t necessarily (INAUDIBLE). You can make a great, lasting, committed relationship without actually having a piece of paper.
ANDERSON: And while research shows most women eventually do get married, the difference now: More women are waiting, dating and enjoy life without Prince Charming.
SCHEFFT: Being single doesn`t mean being lonely, and being single doesn`t mean, you know, being 60 and having six cats. You could - I think as a single woman, you need to meet other single women and meet - you know, and continue to stay friends with people that are married and - and just keep your life interesting and keep doing things that make you happy, and not put so much focus on finding a guy, finding a man.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: So what do you think about it? We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "Unmarried in Hollywood: Is marriage obsolete?"
Keep voting, cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us, showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to read some of your e-mails tomorrow.
And remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. So send us a video e-mail. Just go to our Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight.
HAMMER: Now, a pretty unlikely duo team up in tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Showcase": Adam Sandler and "Hotel Rwanda" Oscar nominee Don Cheadle.
Sandler, who usually plays all those goofy roles, is a man who loses his family in the September 11 attacks. After unexpectedly running into his old college roommate, Cheadle, he is finally able to start recovering from his painful loss.
Here is your first look at "Reign Over Me."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
DON CHEADLE, ACTOR: Hey! Hey Charlie! Charlie!
I ran into Charlie Fineman (ph) today.
JADA PINKETT SMITH, ACTRESS: Really? How is he?
CHEADLE: Hey, Charlie. (INAUDIBLE)
ADAM SANDLER, ACTOR: Do we know each other?
CHEADLE: Are you kidding me?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who`s Charlie Fineman, daddy?
CHEADLE: He was my college roommate. I haven`t talked to him in a long time.
SANDLER: We were college roommates?
CHEADLE: Yes, you slept naked most nights. And you were a sleepwalker. It was the worst two years of my life.
(MUSIC)
CHEADLE: He lost his whole family in a plane crash. He lost them.
SANDLER: Charlie Fineman for Dr. Johnson.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don`t have an appointment, sir?
SANDLER: Oh, we`re friends. We were college roommates.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And?
SANDLER: I used to sleep in the nude.
(MUSIC)
CHEADLE: I don`t play guitar, Charlie.
SANDLER: Jonathan, you`re barely a dentist. You pull people`s teeth all day. It don`t matter.
SMITH: You stay out all night. It`s not OK.
CHEADLE: I was stuck in Charlie World. I couldn`t leave.
SANDLER: Come on, Doctor. (INAUDIBLE). Guys have guy hobbies, right? They play poker; they golf.
CHEADLE: What`s going on, Charlie?
SANDLER: Let`s hang out.
CHEADLE: Right now?
SANDLER: Yes, wake up. Come on. What`s (INAUDIBLE). Can you go out? Is he allowed out?
CHEADLE: Don`t do that. Don`t ask my wife permission for me to go out.
SANDLER: You`re right. Can you go out?
(MUSIC)
(CROSSTALK)
CHEADLE: A lot of girls here, Charlie. (INAUDIBLE) after what happened to your family and everything.
SANDLER: Oh, woah, hey, I don`t have a family, John.
CHEADLE: I know you don`t.
SANDLER: Who sent you here?
CHEADLE: He likes you, Ellen (ph). Do you know why? Because you know nothing about his family. So he figures you won`t ask any questions.
SANDLER: I have these things that I don`t like to think about. I can`t do this. I got to put these (INAUDIBLE)
(MUSIC)
CHEADLE: I don`t know how I got to place where I`m not letting you in. But I want to be that guy, baby.
SMITH: (INAUDIBLE), just come home. I love you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s easy to see that this man is going through something very profound.
CHEADLE: Are you going to be all right, Charlie?
SANDLER: I`m here to make it, right?
(MUSIC)
SANDLER: (INAUDIBLE). You remind me of me.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Definitely a different role for Adam Sandler. And he looks a little like Bob Dylan, too.
"Reign Over Me" in theaters March 23.
ANDERSON: Remember "Seinfeld" star Michael Richards` shocking n-word- filled racist rant at a Hollywood comedy club? I`m sure you do. People everywhere were outraged.
Now, celebrities from coast to coast are teaming up with community leaders to get stars, and everyone else for that matter, to clean up their acts and get rid of that awful word right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): The n-word: the term that`s been used to denigrate blacks since the days of slavery. And a growing number of people believe it`s been around far too long.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To the n-word, we say: just say no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just say no.
ANDERSON: From community leaders and politicians to the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, where Michael Richards` angry rant started the latest debate.
LESTER BARRIE, COMEDIAN: This word, if we don`t do something about it and the hurts that are associated with it, will come up again.
ANDERSON: .there is a concerted effort to eliminate the word altogether.
JILL MERRITT, "ABOLISH THE N-WORD" PROJECT FOUNDER: The racism and the prejudice and the use of the word is still alive in its original format. Why do you want to associate yourself with a racist philosophy?
ANDERSON: Jill Merritt and Kovon Flowers created the Web site abolishthenword.com last April. Since then, they say the site has received more than 11 million hits.
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: Set to Nina Simone singing "Strange Fruit," the site depicts horrifying images of violence against blacks, tracing the history of the n-word, and challenges everyone to discontinue its use.
MERRITT: We wanted to do something to educate the youth, to educate the African - African-American youth, and to connect people back to their history.
ANDERSON: The Laugh Factory teamed up with "Abolish the N Word" for events in Los Angeles and New York, where celebrities and politic leaders shared personal stories about their own experiences with the word.
CYNDA WILLIAMS, ACTRESS: I will never forget the time my Caucasian mother, who had been surrounded by black people for most of her adult life, yelled it at my brother. And all of a sudden, everything came to a screeching halt.
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: Merritt and Flowers claim the hip-hop community shares blame for the word`s continued use, as in Kanye West`s megahit "Gold Digger," and that artists should take more responsibility for their lyrics - something rapper YoYo says she did in her upcoming album.
YOYO, RAPPER: It bothered me. I said, `I have to change my lyrics.`
ANDERSON: Teacher Olivia Hilburn and principal Carol Spain embraced the Web site`s mission by starting an "Abolish the `N` Word" Day at their school. But they believe the term shouldn`t be eliminated completely.
OLIVIA HILBURN, TEACHER: It should be used in that context, to talk about the history and to talk about slavery.
CAROL SPAIN, PRINCIPAL: They need to abolish the evil intent by the word, not necessarily the word.
ANDERSON: As efforts continue to abolish the n-word and the meanings behind it, Merritt and Flowers are the first to admit change doesn`t happen overnight.
KOVON FLOWERS, "ABOLISH THE N-WORD" PROJECT FOUNDER: It`s been embedded for a long time. It`s a word that`s not going to just go away right now. We a realist on that. I mean, everything takes time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: The management at Hollywood`s Laugh Factory hits performers with a fine each time they use the n-word, and violators are encouraged to donate the cash to charity.
HAMMER: Coming up, "For your Eyes Only": a bonding experience for Chinese film fans. Actor Daniel Craig needs no license to thrill in Beijing. James Bond tearing down the great wall between east and west, next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) stand by, A.J. Pre-set Camera 2. Open his mike. Dissolve. Go.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
For the first time ever, moviegoers in China will be getting to hear the famous phrase, "Bond. James Bond." on screen. Daniel Craig, co-star Eva Green and director Martin Campbell were in Beijing for the premiere of "Casino Royale." It`s the first Bond film ever to make it into theaters in China.
China has some pretty tough laws on foreign films; only a small number are actually allowed in. But get this: Chinese officials actually did something that even U.K. and U.S. censors wouldn`t do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR, "CASINO ROYALE": I thin China`s opening up. There`s no question about that. And the censors passed it without a cut, which was incredible. They certainly didn`t do that in England, and they certainly didn`t do that in America.
But it was - it was very encouraging. And - I mean, I feel very good about the fact that it`s the first James Bond to be shown, and that I directed it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s good to see some progress being made.
Sony, the film distributor, hired experts to get the Chinese language dubbing just right, so there shouldn`t be much of that weird delay that we always see in Asian movies which are translated into English.
ANDERSON: Yesterday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." New York`s fashion week just around the corner, and the battle over the negative messages rail-thin models send rages on.
So here`s the question: "Super-Skinny Models: Should they be banned from fashion shows?" Very one-sided response. Look at this: 85 percent of you say yes they should of course; 15 percent of you say no they shouldn`t.
Here`s some of the e-mails we received.
Caroljean from Nebraska thinks skinny models should be banned: "I really don`t enjoy being able to count the ribs on the skeletal-like, so- called models. It`s repulsive."
Jen from Arizona says, "Let`s stand up as women of respect, and demand the fashion industry get rid of scarecrows, and bring back the curves." Well said.
HAMMER: Let us now find out what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tomorrow, over 40 and fabulous. They`re sexy and talented women who are gaining a whole new generation of fans. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the hottest stars who may be over 40, but they are definitely not over the Hollywood hill. That`s tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, Joey McIntyre. He of course danced his way into your living room on "Dancing With the Stars." Now, this one-time New Kid on the Block has a brand-new album on the block. Joey McIntyre on the pressures of growing up as a child star, 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 am Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
"GLENN BECK" is coming up next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News. Keep it right here.
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