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Showbiz Tonight
Cause of Anna Nicole`s Death to be Revealed at End of Week; No Deal in Paternity Battle
Aired March 05, 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: Why was Nicole Richie rushed to the hospital? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And would you pay more than one hundred dollars for one second with Michael Jackson? Yes, I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, disturbing Anna Nicole mysteries, even after her burial. Tonight, troubling questions about whether her baby is in danger. And what could become of little Dannielynne?
Plus, only one man will tell the world what really killed Anna Nicole Smith. We have him right here tonight, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
The secret is out, the best-selling book and DVD phenomenon that claims you can have anything from a new job to a diamond necklace just by thinking about it. It even has Oprah`s stamp of approval. But is the secret just a sham?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is just new age packaging of century old snake oil.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t have a doubt that it works.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the secret behind "The Secret."
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Hi there everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight we`ve got the man who will be deciding once and for all what really killed Anna Nicole Smith. That`s coming up in just a few minutes.
HAMMER: But first tonight, is Anna Nicole`s baby in danger. Tonight there are disturbing questions about the welfare of baby Dannielynne, from where she is now to where she will be in the future. It`s now three days since her mother`s funeral and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that there is a great mystery about the little girl. And I have to say, it`s just as strange that even now we still don`t know who her father really is.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Anna Nicole Smith has finally been laid to rest. And the morbid fascination with her wild life and mysterious death continues with many understand unanswered questions, like how did she die? But one question rises above all others, what`s going to happen with her little five-month-old daughter, Dannielynne?
JANE VELEZ MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: We can not forget about this little girl.
HAMMER: As Dannielynne is cared for in the Bahamas by her mother`s companion Howard Stern, she remains at the center of a nasty paternity battle and a three-way custody fight. Experts tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they`re worried about her.
COOPER LAWRENCE, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST: That`s really important for her, to sort of find her home and find her parents and people who will guide her.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you up to date on the only innocent victim in this whole ugly Anna Nicole mess, and the dangerous road she faces. And we ask the disturbing question everyone is thinking, but too afraid to ask, has Dannielynne been, or will she be, affected by her mother`s drug use?
For years before her death, Anna Nicole Smith`s wild behavior and spaced-out comments --
ANNA NICOLE SMITH, MODEL/ACTRESS: What are you talking about?
HAMMER -- had fan talk of possible substance abuse. But at those wild recent court hearings that determined where she`d be buried, Anna Nicole`s drug use went from whispered rumor to acknowledged fact.
VIRGIE ARTHUR, MOTHER OF ANNA NICOLE SMITH: The drugs took her over.
HOWARD K. STERN, ANNA NICOLE SMITH`S PARTNER: When she was more stressed out, she would take more medication.
HAMMER: TV audiences sat riveted as Anna`s ex-boyfriend, Larry Birkhead, emotionally testified about how he tried to stop Anna Nicole from taking drugs while she was pregnant with Dannielynne.
LARRY BIRKHEAD, EX-BOYFRIEND OF ANNA NICOLE SMITH: I did everything that I could. While she was pregnant, like I said yesterday, I tried to massage her pains away. I tried to say, why don`t you take something that is over the counter. Please don`t take what`s not recommended. Don`t take double dosage if it`s single dose. You might be high tolerance, but the baby`s not high tolerance, and, you know, it went on and on and on.
HAMMER: The most disturbing display of all came from Anna Nicole herself.
SMITH: (INAUDIBLE)
HAMMER: An unforgettable image, Anna, seen here in this video played in court, wearing heavy clown makeup and appearing heavily impaired. Even more shocking, at the time this tape was made, she was eight months pregnant with Dannielynne.
MITCHELL: There are so many questions about her health. Given that we now purportedly have two videos of Anna Nicole Smith seen late in her pregnancy, quite apparently intoxicated, and there are many experts who say that could have affected the little baby and she might need medical care right now.
HAMMER: Birkhead, who claims that he, and not Stern, is Dannielynne`s father, tells "Bravo TV" that he`s concerned about the girl he calls his daughter.
BIRKHEAD: The doctors say everything`s OK. So, do I worry? I think any parent would worry. If you`re not in control of your own child and know what`s going on daily, you would worry.
KEN SEELEY, "INTERVENTION": I think they`re definitely warranted.
HAMMER: Addition expert Ken Seeley from the A&E show "Intervention" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, people are right to worry about Dannielynne and the dangers her mother`s drug use may pose.
SEELEY: Slower motor development, retardation, addiction herself. All of these things could be what she has to look forward to in her future.
HAMMER: For now though, Dannielynne`s future is crowded with uncertainty. A Bohemian court is about to step into the battle between Birkhead and Stern over which one of them is her father. Anna Nicole`s mother, Virgie Arthur, is fighting both men for custody. And no one can say for certain where or with whom Dannielynne will end up? And experts tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that`s a dangerous situation for any infant to be in.
LAWRENCE: This has long-term implications for how she can attach to other human beings as she gets older.
HAMMER: And considering Dannielynne`s sad family history, a mother and brother she`ll never now, both of whom reportedly battled drug problems, people are hoping that at least she can be saved.
SEELEY: People need to watch and monitor her in the future because her life depends on it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, if there`s one man who can tell us what killed Anna Nicole Smith, it`s Dr. Joshua Perper. Dr. Perper is the Broward County, Florida medical examiner, who`s been investigated her death. He`s here with us tonight to reveal when we might finally know the answer. We`ll be speaking with Dr. Perper in just a few minutes.
But first, what can we expect in the battle over baby Dannielynne? And, if she is in danger, how might that effect the court fight to determine who really is her father? Joining us tonight from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin, managing editor of TMZ.com; from the Court TV Studios in New York, Ashleigh Banfield, host "Hollywood Heat." Good to have you both here.
Harvey, if the autopsy report comes out and it points to drug use, given all that we have heard and all that we know now, would you be shocked?
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Well, the only reason I would be surprised is that Dr. Perper said last week that we are going to be surprised at the autopsy findings and the toxicology findings. And that, to me, says that it may not be drugs, because everybody assumes it is. So I have a feeling, just based on the coy statement Dr. Perper made last week, that it isn`t.
HAMMER: OK, and we`ll be speaking with Dr. Perper and we`ll get his take on that in just a couple of minutes. We`ll find out whatever he`s able to tell us. Ashleigh, if there were drugs involved, given that Stern was right there by her side and supposedly her care-giver, Anna Nicole`s care giver, could he be in danger of losing custody of baby Dannielynne or is he safe as long as he stays put in the Bahamas?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, COURT TV ANCHOR: I don`t think he`s safe in the Bahamas. He`s certainly not safe here. There`s a guardianship hearing, let`s remember, next week and there`s something that they call in the Bahamas the welfare test. Here we call it the best interests of the child. There they say it`s the welfare test, and it all means the same thing: Is this baby OK? Is this baby safe?
And I think we all know from watching that video, where Howard K. Stern is joking about a mushroom trip with a visibly intoxicated eight- month-pregnant Anna Nicole Smith, that perhaps he`s not the best judge of what is good welfare.
HAMMER: And we`re taking a look at that video right now, where she clearly, eight months into her pregnancy, is out of it and Stern is, as you said, joking with her about being on drugs. Harvey, if she were on drugs, could he actually be facing some criminal charges?
LEVIN: Well, I mean, there`s an argument about child endangerment certainly. But I don`t think that really is on the table right now. I think the bigger issue with drugs is whether Howard K. Stern is going to be implicated in the death of Daniel, Anna Nicole`s son, because one witness is going to say at the coroner`s inquest that Howard K. Stern gave Daniel Methadone, which contributed to his death, and then flushed the balance down the toilet after he died. So I think that, frankly, is the bigger issue right now.
HAMMER: And, of course, the main concern, as we`ve been talking about tonight, is little Dannielynne, because with each passing day we grow more and more concerned about her welfare. Ashleigh, I don`t know about you, but I find it simply outrageous that the courts aren`t getting it together. They`re allowing this matter to drag out, it seems. And they`re not fast tracking it. It would seem to me that someone would have the ability to put it on the fast track, if for no other reason than to protect the baby.
BANFIELD: Believe it or not, this is fast tracking in the Bahamas. Things don`t move exactly the same way there that they do here. In fact, if this were playing out here, you could easily have a judge ordering a child into state custody while all of these other issues are ironed out. But there it is a little bit different.
And let`s not also forget, A.J., these were closed hearings last week. So we actually don`t know what was ordered. There could have been a DNA test ordered last week and we`re not aware of it, because we were not invited nor allowed into that hearing.
HAMMER: Another thing that seemed to have been happening behind closed doors was some kind of a negotiation. We were hearing the buzz, Harvey, that Howard and Larry might have been working on some sort of an agreement together to settle this whole thing. I know late today you guys over at TMZ got word from Birkhead`s attorney that that is not the case. Exactly what do you know about that?
LEVIN: Well, we were reporting last week that there were talks and Howard K. Stern was indeed talking last week about having some involvement in Dannielynne`s financial affairs after paternity is established. And I`m pretty sure that that will be in Larry Birkhead`s favor. Now Debra Opri, Larry Birkhead`s lawyer, told us that basically it`s a one-way discussion, that Howard K. Stern raised issues, but they didn`t agree to anything. They didn`t respond to anything. And that they are not going to mix money with paternity.
HAMMER: So, it sounds like, from what you`re saying, Debra Opri wants to keep this strictly within the legal system?
LEVIN: Well, you can negotiate ultimately the DNA issue. She`s willing to negotiate the terms for DNA and the fast tracking of DNA, but not money. At least that`s what she`s saying now.
HAMMER: You know, it seems to me that it would take a miracle for this thing to finally get together. Ashleigh, as you said, there are probably some things going on that we don`t know about. But do you see this getting resolved sometime soon? Do you see that miracle happening? Ashleigh, please tell us.
BANFIELD: I wish that were Harvey`s question. But let me tell you this, some of those rumors from last week, they have actually had their genesis in the fact the parties were ordered together by Richard Milstein. And they were ordered together to talk about funeral arrangements. And Debra Opri is suggesting that it was during those talks of funeral arrangements that Howard K. Stern allegedly made the comments.
And let me quote here, we can resolve everything right now. According to Debra Opri, she says that was not on the table. There will never be a deal. No one will use a child for financial gain. For his part, Ron Rale, the attorney for Howard K. Stern, says none of this is accurate.
HAMMER: Can not wait to find out what is holding this thing up and let`s get it resolved. Harvey Levin, Ashleigh Banfield, thanks so much, and thanks for fielding that question, Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: Thanks A.J.
HAMMER: Does Dannielynne have a shot at a normal life? Is that even possible? What kind of challenges is she going to face the future because of this whole mess? We`ll look into that at 42 past the hour.
ANDERSON: All right, and now we want to hear from you about it. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day: Anna Nicole Smith saga, does the baby belong with Howard K. Stern? Vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. Send us a video e-mail. That`s at SHOWBITONIGHT@CNN.com. And remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. So to send us a video e-mail, just go to our website, CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT.
HAMMER: And Brooke, of course, one of the biggest questions in this whole drama, what really killed Anna Nicole Smith. There`s one doctor who`s going to answer that question. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has him. There he is. He`s coming up. We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A diamond ring, a husband, a new job, ask, believe, you will receive. The author of "The Secret," the latest self help sensation, says it`s that easy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Can you really get anything you want just through positive thinking? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the best-selling self help phenomenon, "The Secret," straight ahead.
HAMMER: And is Michael Jackson really worth more than 100 dollars per second? It`s a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It`s time now for a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous. How much would you pay for a couple of seconds with Michael Jackson? Believe it or not, some fans in Tokyo paid 3,500 dollars for 30 seconds of face time with Jackson.
Now, this took place at an exclusive party, but, of course, fans who couldn`t score tickets were able to show up at the airport to catch a glimpse of Jackson for free. By the way, 3500 for 30 second, I did the math, it works out to about 116 for second. And that`s why I say, that`s ridiculous.
So, you remember when "Gray`s Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington to go to rehab for using an anti-gay slur? Well, it seems just about everyone remembers that incident. Washington, of course, getting into trouble for using the slur, referring to his co-star T.R. Knight. Apparently, conservative columnist Anne Coulter didn`t learn any lessons from that whole mess. Take a look at the moronic and irresponsible thing think Coulter said during her speech in Washington, referring to Isaiah incident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNE COULTER, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards. But it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word faggot. So --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Are you kidding me? Both Democrats and Republicans are criticizing Coulter, well-deservedly, for using that word. Coulter says it was a joke. She put the speech on her website with a comment, quote, I`m so ashamed, I can`t stop laughing.
ANDERSON: OK, now on to the big interview on SHOWBIZTONIGHT we`ve been telling you about, with the man who will tell the world how Anna Nicole Smith really died. For weeks now, Broward County medical examiner Dr. Joshua Perper has been in the middle of this bizarre story, overseeing Anna Nicole`s body during the three-week battle over who would get possession of it.
Dr. Perper`s next revelation, what killed Anna Nicole. With us tonight, from Miami, Broward County medical examiner Dr. Joshua Perper. Dr. Perper, welcome.
DR. JOSHUA PERPER, BROWARD COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER: Thank you.
ANDERSON: OK, you`ve been quoted, Dr. Perper, as saying that we will all be very surprised when we find out what killed Anna Nicole. Why are we going to be surprised? Why did you say that?
PERPER: Well, I said that, first of all, we are going to be ourselves surprised, because this was not a direct road. And as you`re going to see, there were a variety of findings, which came in succession and changed our opinion a number of times. So, the final opinion was -- is going to be formulated after everything is in place. And that`s going to take place at the end of this week, or at the beginning of the next.
ANDERSON: End of this week or the beginning of the next? OK, and I realize you can`t talk specifics here, but there has been speculation, Dr. Perper, that she was very sick, possibly from pneumonia. If in fact that`s determined to be the cause of death, pneumonia, what would be the next step in the investigation?
PERPER: Well, let me tell you first that there were three types of individuals who came to us with suggestions of diagnosis. The general public, which sent us e-mail, with all kinds of diagnoses, from typhoid to cancer. That`s legitimate. They try to help. The second type of people, those are the experts, which rely on her history and the statistical chances of outlook. That`s legitimate.
And then there`s a third kind, which I`m calling them basically the crooks, because they are fraudulent in their statements and they have diagnoses, which they cannot base, or they do not base, on anything. The last thing which was, I thought, absolutely horrific is that someone put on the Internet a forgery of a picture of Anna Nicole Smith in an autopsy bag.
ANDERSON: OK, well, I know you`ve got a lot of factors going on here, Dr. Perper. And with all due respect, without getting too technical here, why, more than three weeks after her death, are we still here awaiting these results? Why does it take so long?
PERPER: Well,`m going to explain this in time, why. As I said before, there were findings which have to be analyzed. There was an extensive toxicology, serology, and microscopics, a variety of tests, which came not at once, but in a sequence, and they have to be evaluated.
ANDERSON: OK, Charles, can we take a look at that tape again of Anna Nicole eight months pregnant in the clown makeup, you know, clearly seeming dazed and out of it, egged on, encouraged by Howard K. Stern. Dr. Perper, does this tape, in any way, raise suspicions that, you know what, there could be more to her death than we originally thought?
PERPER: Let me also mention that sometimes if you see someone exhibiting drug behavior, unless you tell the person, how do you know that`s not history only kind of behavior?
ANDERSON: Okay. Are you --
PERPER: I`m not saying that this is the case. I`m just mentioning to you that before we say that she died of necessarily drug abuse, you have to have some basis.
ANDERSON: I see. All right we are anxiously awaiting those results and your conclusion, which you say we will have later on this week or possibly next week. Dr. Joshua Perper, thanks for joining us with your insight. We appreciate it.
PERPER: You`re very welcome.
HAMMER: Brooke, of course, the one question that keeps coming up, time and time again, what about baby Dannielynne? Lots of challenges in her future. We`ll look into that coming up.
ANDERSON: Also A.J., some more trouble for Nicole Richie. We`re going to tell you why she was taken to a hospital and what her reps are telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about her weight. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A husband, a new job, ask, believe, you will receive. The author of "The Secret," the latest self help sensation says it`s that easy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Can you really get anything you want just through positive thinking? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the best selling self help phenomenon, "The Secret. That is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Between DUI arrests and treatment for her scary thinness, it doesn`t seem like Nicole Richie`s life is getting any simpler. And now we`re getting word that she was hospitalized. Richie was on the set of "The Simple Life," her reality show with Paris Hilton, when she got sick and was treated at a hospital for dehydration. Her reps tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Nicole is doing well now, and that she is gaining weight and focusing on her health.
HAMMER: Fans of the hit series, "The Sopranos," such as myself, eagerly awaiting the final nine episodes of the mob drama, which get under way on April 8th. There is at least one guy, however, who`s ready for it to be over, James Gandolfini, who, of course, stars as Tony Soprano. Gandolfini is featured in this racy cover of "Vanity Fair" magazine.
The magazine talked to him about the sixth and final season of the show. He said it has been a great opportunity, but he`s not afraid of it coming to an end, saying, quote, "I think it`s more than time. Part of the fun of acting is the research, finding out about other people. As much as I have explored this guy, I don`t really know what else to do with him. I`ve been in one place for ten years. That`s enough. It`s time for me to do other things."
You`ll find that issue of "Vanity Fair Magazine" on newsstands March 13th.
ANDERSON: All right A.J., where else but Hollywood can you talk a bunch of trash about Tom Cruise and then turn around and try to be his friend? We`re going to tell you who`s trying to make nice with Tom, straight ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A diamond ring, a husband, a new job, ask, believe, you will receive. The author of "The Secret," the latest self help sensation says it`s that easy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But the question is, is it really that easy? Can you really get anything you want just through positive thinking? I need a better parking space. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the best-selling self help phenomenon, "The Secret." That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: And the one question that keeps coming up in the Anna Nicole Smith drama, what about baby Dannielynne and what she will face in the future? We`re going to investigate that. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Monday night is coming right back. Stay with us.
(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 am Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, and you are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, now that Anna Nicole Smith has finally been laid to rest, a lot of people are very appropriately turning their concern to baby Dannielynn. What does the future hold for her? Because of course, she has lost her mother; it seems as though she`s in a very unstable environment right now.
How will that impact her childhood and her life? We`ll investigate, coming up in just a few minutes.
ANDERSON: Yes, it`s extremely troublesome, A.J.
Also, A.J., a major Hollywood player very publicly ripped into Tom Cruise - publicly trashed him. And now he wants to be friends with him. What does Tom think about that? That story just ahead.
HAMMER: See if Tom wants to play ball.
But first tonight, you`ve obviously heard the expression, "You are what you eat." But what if somebody told you, "You are what you think."
Well, that is exactly the idea behind one of the - one of the hottest success stories in self-help books. The book is called "The Secret," and its DVD and a book currently redefining New Age-old world principle of the power of positive thinking.
But as you`re about to find out, not everybody is buying the secret.
Here`s CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A diamond ring, a husband, a new job -- ask, believe, and you will receive. The author of "The Secret," the latest self-help sensation, says it`s that easy.
RHONDA BYRNE, AUTHOR, "THE SECRET": There is incredible power inside every single human being.
KAYE: Australian television producer Rhonda Byrne has apparently discovered how people can get whatever they want. She says it comes from ancient wisdom, unlocked from history and science. And she`s sharing this secret for a price: 1.5 million DVDs sold.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your wish is my command.
KAYE: A seat on Oprah`s couch, the golden ticket for any author.
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: So our thoughts are the most powerful thing that we have.
KAYE: And a "New York Times" best seller. Not bad for a book Byrne wrote in less than a month.
Wondering what the secret is? It`s the law of attraction. Think of yourself as a magnet. What you attract into your life is what you get. What you believe, good or bad, becomes reality.
This boy in the documentary believes he`s going to get a new bicycle. He does. This woman gets a diamond necklace.
(on camera): In essence, it`s the power of positive thinking, so it`s best, Byrne says, to stay upbeat.
Take a look at these desserts. If the secret holds true, I could eat any one of these and not gain an ounce. That`s because Byrne says it`s not the food that makes us fat, but thinking the food will make us fat that makes us fat. So why not dig in?
(voice-over): It`s no secret Barbara Capozzi is a believer. She`s sure the secret will recharge her love life.
(on camera): Have you closed your eyes and focused and believed that the right man would come your way yet?
BARBARA CAPOZZI, FAN OF "THE SECRET": Yes, I`m working on that now, and actually, I went yesterday to buy a focus board which is where you put up photos of what you really want to come to fruition. And one of the photos I`m going to put up is a ring.
KAYE: An engagement ring?
CAPOZZI: An engagement ring.
KAYE: Don`t you think, though, that if it was this easy, if we could just focus on something or believe in something, it would come our way, that by now we would all be millionaires and maybe have a cure for cancer and who knows what else?
CAPOZZI: I don`t have a doubt that it works.
KAYE (voice-over): Dr. John Norcross calls "The Secret" pseudo- scientific, psychospiritual babble.
DR. JOHN NORCROSS, UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON: This is just New Age packaging of century-old snake oil. It promises an ancient secret, hidden powers and mysterious transformations, if only you buy this product.
BYRNE: I couldn`t believe all the people who knew these...
KAYE: If Norcross is right, the real secret to "The Secret"`s success may not be the power, but the packaging.
SARA NELSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "PUBLISHERS WEEKLY": The title is very smart, very smart. This appeals to something very universal in people. And I think, you know, no one ever went broke overestimating the unhappiness of the American people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now, Rhonda Byrne can`t say when what you believe will happen will actually happen. But one thing is for certain - and I`m all for positive thing - but the whole "Secret" thing not working out for me, at least not tonight. Because I`ve been wishing and wishing for Rhonda Byrne to show up right here.
Jay, is she here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She is here (ph).
HAMMER: Not here. So I`m 0-for-one on the whole "Secrets" thing.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: So does "The Secret" work or not?
Well, joining me tonight from Reno, Nevada, Loral Langemeier. She`s the personal finance strategist for "The Secret."
And from Syracuse, New York, the director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television, Syracuse University professor Bob Thompson.
Welcome to you both.
LORAL LANGEMEIER, PERSONAL FINANCE STRATEGIST FOR "THE SECRET": Welcome.
ROBERT THOMPSON, SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Loral, obvious interest in this. Hugely successful self- help book. You know, we heard 1.5 million DVDs are sold.
But the skeptics have a problem with the fact that the book there`s a science behind all of this, that - that really all it is is the power of positive thinking.
How can this book state there is scientific merit to the message?
LANGEMEIER: There is scientific message.
I mean, if you look at just the law of physics - if you look at the energy. I mean, thoughts become things. I mean, it`s been proven over and over and over in science. And, you know, I`m the financial side of this. And what I notice about people who really focus on debt, focus on what they don`t want in their life, they continue to get it all the time.
And the piece that I think in this whole, you know, set-up, as I was hearing the part of "The Secret" - and I hear it all the time - that most people forget is you have got to move your feet. You have got to be an actionist. It`s not just about sitting back with a skeptical undertone of saying, `I think I want this.`
I mean, wealthy people - right? Because that`s the area I`m in. Wealthy people hang out with wealthy people. We`re on a vibrational energy path that most people don`t even - don`t even understand, because most people are just sitting on the couch.
ANDERSON: So you have to be active.
Well, seeing this video of someone envisioning a bike and then having it, and the diamond necklace and then having it - that could be a little bit misleading.
Bob, what do you think? Do you buy it? Is there a science behind the claims?
THOMPSON: Well, I think part of what the message of this book is, is, as that intro said - it`s the old power of positive thinking repackaged. And I`ve got no problem with that whatsoever.
Where this book does something very, very different is to make this claim that the law of attraction is akin to - oh, the law of gravity, or the first law of thermodynamics - that there is a scientific basis for what`s going on here.
It usurps some of the territory that prayer used to be. But prayer never claimed science. Prayer claimed that it based on religion that was very far away from science, separated entirely. This claims that somehow there is this law that`s been functioning.
But the odd thing was, the gravity function, before Newton described - apparently with "The Secret," you need to buy the book and read it, or watch the DVD to activate this law. So that apparently, just like when you get a credit card, you need to dial a number.
LANGEMEIER: Oh, I don`t - I would disagree you have to do that. This has been out in the universe for decades and centuries.
ANDERSON: Well, Loral, let - let me ask you this. OK, we mentioned it earlier; the book`s premise: you`ll focus. You want it, you feel it, you believe it, you act on it, you get it.
We all wanted author Rhonda Byrne to appear on the show. We thought about it, we focused on it, we envisioned it, it didn`t happen.
When people don`t get what they wish for, what does the book say about that? How - how does it deal with setbacks? Because that is life.
LANGEMEIER: Oh, I think there`s a lot of setbacks. And I - I would go back to their level of thinking about.
Again, I think there`s a skeptical undertone that a lot of people have. And again, my whole expertise in this manner is around money. And what I find out a ton of times, is I wrote a book called "The Millionaire Maker." And everyone says they want to be a millionaire, but how many people just say it, and then casually sit back and want it to appear?
I mean, there`s a piece of action. There`s a - there` a getting your team. There`s some very, very specific that you have to do that will create the result. Like, how many times did Rhonda get called. I mean, how many - right?
I mean, there`s a whole piece.
ANDERSON: Plenty. We`ve been requesting.
(CROSSTALK)
LANGEMEIER: Right? I mean, there`s a whole piece of action that for - that creates the energy, that creates the energy. I mean, in the law of physics, it says - I mean, every action gets an equal reaction.
I mean, it - things - there`s a movie out recently, "What the Bleep Do You Know?" It actually proves some of the scientific data that we`re talking about. So it isn`t just about getting the book and getting the DVD. It - and clearly, it`s a reinforcement of it.
But this has been in the universe for decades, if not centuries.
ANDERSON: Ancient philosophers have been talking, you know, the power of positive thinking.
Now, Bob, the DVD suggests following "The Secret" could cure cancer without chemotherapy, without radiation. Some people think this sends a dangerous message.
Twenty seconds, what do you think?
THOMPSON: Well, that`s the most insidious, would be if someone decides, `Oh, chemotherapy, I`m going to lose my hair. Instead I`ll use `The Secret.``
The problem is, if this is some new law of energy and nuclear physics and cosmology, I guess I would like this book to come from someone who knows their physics. It comes from a really odd place to be describing a pretty complex set of principles.
My - my thinking, though, it`s always, `What happens if somebody knows `The Secret,` sees a woman, wants her to come and sit on his lap`; she knows "The Secret," she wants this creep to simply go away - is this a battle of "The Secret"? What happens when these energies come together?
ANDERSON: Going head-to-head with "The Secret."
Well, Professor Bob Thompson and Loral Langemeier, thanks to you both.
In the end.
LANGEMEIER: Thank you.
ANDERSON: .we`re just going to have to let people decide, eventually, if the "The Secret" does work for them. Thank you.
HAMMER: Brooke, I think a lot of people are doing some positive thinking right now for Anna Nicole Smith`s baby daughter, Dannielynn. She`s just a few months old; a lot of people real worried about her.
ANDERSON: And rightfully so. You know, how will she cope? How will she be affected in the future? It`s really worrisome.
HAMMER: And we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT quite concerned.
Coming up next, we`ll be looking into what might happen to Dannielynn down the road. A revealing look.
ANDERSON: Also A.J. - that`s right. And also, a Hollywood heavyweight who really ripped into Tom Cruise because of his couch-jumping, his Scientology - well, this guy wants to kiss and make up.
HAMMER: Also, he played in a war on TV, but in real life, he is one of the most outspoken opponents of the Iraq War. "M*A*S*H"`s Mike Farrell is right here, coming up next.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, it is one of the Anna Nicole Smith questions so many of us cannot stop thinking: What challenges does Anna Nicole`s little 6-month- old daughter, Dannielynn, now face? A lot of us very worried about her and what she`s going to be experiencing in a very uncertain future.
Joining me here in New York, developmental psychologist and syndicated radio host Cooper Lawrence.
Always a pleasure to have you here, Cooper.
COOPER LAWRENCE, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Thank you.
HAMMER: Let`s talk about little Dannielynn and the fact that she is now 6 months old. She has lost her mother. You know, she`s been shielded from the media quite a bit. But she seems to - to in what must be a very unstable environment right now, with all the buzz going on around here.
What kinds of things is she going through at this moment?
LAWRENCE: Well, the - the main point of instability for her is her first five months of her life, this big blonde face was there all the time, taking care of her - all the pictures of her and Anna Nicole, you see she`s how laughing and smiling and so happy.
She`s probably wondering, `Where`s that big blonde face?`
HAMMER: And there`s a chance that this image will somehow stay with her, even if it`s sort of subconscious, I imagine, as she goes through life.
LAWRENCE: It`s not the image so much; it`s the entire of comfort. The fact that at that point, she felt secure and she felt comforted. So we have to hope that whoever`s caring for her now is giving her that same level of comfort.
HAMMER: And stability of your actual environment has to be support. You know, we`re not exactly sure of where she is right now. All the word is is that she is in the Bahamas with Howard K. Stern.
Inevitably, it seems to me, that is going to change. She`s probably going to wind up with a different caregiver, probably in a different location.
How will that have an impact?
LAWRENCE: Well, the - the three things that the child needs more than anything else is attachment, that`s number one - they need to be able to attach to somebody that they feel secure with.
The second thing is somebody who will give them discipline, who will teach them the ways of the world. And the third is closeness. They need somebody they feel close to, that they can bond with, that later on, will have an impact on them. Because anything that comes up in their lives, it`s an opportunity to say, `OK, I`m close to a parent, I have somebody to go to, my world is safe, my world is OK.`
HAMMER: So where she is now physically though, the fact that she`s in the Bahamas - and, oh, let`s say she winds up moving out to California when paternity is finally decided in this thing. Let`s suppose that happens.
Does that have an impact on somebody so young?
LAWRENCE: No. No.
But the real impact is, who is going to care for and how they`re going to care for. Are they going to give her the kind of life that a child needs? Or is going to be more of this crazy media frenzy, a different face in her environment.
HAMMER: Well, part of that, obviously, shielding her from the media frenzy. And we`ve talked about this before, the fact that the paparazzi are - is an inevitable part of her entire life.
You know, how can she possibly survive that?
LAWRENCE: Well, that`s the reason why she needs the really great role model, the really great environment, the really great closeness to somebody, so she could avoid that, so that doesn`t have as much of an impact on her.
HAMMER: OK, we know quite a bit about Howard K. Stern. We`ve been learning quite a bit about Larry Birkhead. We saw those crazy court hearings and got to hear them in their own words quite a bit.
Give me your take, Cooper: who would be a - better daddy to Dannielynn?
LAWRENCE: The one who`s the biological father. And for her specifically, because later on, you don`t want her to say, `My real dad didn`t love me. Where is he?`
So we want him to step up now, and say, `I`m here, I love you, I`m going to raise her.` It`s going to give her security later on; it`s going to show her a good male - male role model, which every little girl needs.
HAMMER: I tried to get a very specific name out of you, but I guess you`re not going to budge on that one.
All right, Cooper Lawrence.
LAWRENCE: OK, Larry.
HAMMER: Thank you so much for being with us. I appreciate it.
ANDERSON: Another story always in the headlines: the war in Iraq. It`s certainly nothing to laugh about.
But the war has been the setting of many comedies. But none as successful as "M*A*S*H." Do you hear the music?
In 1983, viewers said goodbye to the 4077 Army Surgical Hospital, stationed in Korea. Hawkeye, Hot Lips Hoolihan, Klinger and B.J. Honeycutt. The series finale still is the most-watched episode of any television program eve.
Mike Farrell, who played Honeycutt, continued to pursue his lifelong journey as an activist, and has been one of the most outspoken celebrities against the war in Iraq.
Farrell has just released a new memoir called, "Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist."
And he`s with me tonight in Hollywood.
Hi, Mike. Great to see you.
MIKE FARRELL, ACTOR: Hi, Brooke. Thank you very much.
ANDERSON: Of course.
Now, "M*A*S*H," set during the comedian war, and first went on the air as the Vietnam War was winding down.
What are some of the parallels you see between the stories of - of the harsh realities on "M*A*S*H," and what`s happening today?
FARRELL: Well, sadly, what we see playing out here in the United States is this scandal with regard to the treatment of our returned wounded vets. We have had the - the extraordinary successes in terms of saving the lives of young men and women who have been wounded in action because of the advances made in surgeries and the advances made - some of them in a "M*A*S*H."
But now, sadly, they`re coming home, and the treatment they`re getting at home is not what we had all thought it would be.
ANDERSON: Mike, you`ve always been a very outspoken activist of the war in Iraq. And you`re certainly not the only Hollywood star to speak out about it.
You know, it`s been said that people - some people actually get turned off when Hollywood stars inject themselves like this. Do you buy that?
FARRELL: Well, of course not.
You know, Hollywood stars, such as they are, are citizens, just like everybody else. And the people who get turned off are the people who disagree, and they just like to sort of pick on celebrities because they think it`s an easy target.
ANDERSON: And you do have to know what you`re talking about as well. And some celebrities might not always know.
FARRELL: Well, no, that`s quite true. Sometimes celebrities, so- called, are the people who, you know, put themselves up front when they really don`t know what they`re talking about, and that does us all a disservice. But that`s true if it`s a police office or a homemaker or a teacher or a nurse as well.
ANDERSON: Good point.
Well, people certainly identified with "M*A*S*H." You know, the finale brought in more than 100 million or so viewers.
What do you think made the audience connect to the show so much? Was it the war?
FARRELL: I think not so - I mean, obviously, there was a connection with the Vietnam War, as you suggest. And a lot of people knew about the Korean War.
But I think what it was was the idea that people who had, for whatever reason, chosen to do a job that was a very difficult job, that took them away from their loved one. I think everybody understands being away from home, being away from those they care about, needing to sacrifice something for their country or for their community somehow. And it struck a chord with the people, not only in this country, but around the world in a - in a - in a wonderful away.
I - I must say we get mail. I - my - my experience is that we get - are still beloved by many people around the world for what the show represented to them.
ANDERSON: Yes, quite a classic. And I remember watching the episodes with the older brother. I loved it as well.
And as someone who did see the extraordinary success of "M*A*S*H," and - and you were a part of it, of course, you write in your book about how television has dumbed things down today.
Why do you say that?
FARRELL: Well, I think it`s self-evident. You know, you see all the attention that`s being paid to exploiting the worst kinds of tragedies to the reality - so-called reality television that does nothing but humiliate people.
Instead of doing the kind of things that we did on our show, that - that are still done in some television shows, with - like "The West Wing," for example, or "Grey`s Anatomy," some of the better shows.
But unfortunately, there is too much attention being paid to the kind of stupidity and exploitation that really demeans everybody involved. And I think it does dumb down the audience.
ANDERSON: And - and what do you think about those stars, very quickly, who are stars just for nothing? Famous for being famous, and don`t really put the work in?
FARRELL: It`s - it`s a very sad thing in America that fame in and of itself has become an end ,rather than being famous - becoming attached to somebody that actually does work and works and achieves a success.
ANDERSON: Right.
FARRELL: .and as a result of that achievement, attains fame. Fame really shouldn`t..
ANDERSON: Sorry.
FARRELL: Fame shouldn`t really be the - the end of result, it seems to be.
ANDERSON: That`s - that`s true. Sorry, we`ve got to end it there.
FARRELL: OK, sorry.
ANDERSON: Sorry about that. Mike Farrell, thank you so much.
And his new book, "Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist," in bookstores tomorrow.
HAMMER: You got to stick around for his: a 5-year-old who sings Mar J. Blige; Earth, Wind & Fire - and she`s so good that people all around the world are talking with her, and talking about her.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, you know, this whole YouTube thing - even 5-year-olds are getting their 15 minutes.
Pint-size Nia Frasier (ph) of New York has become a huge Internet star. Her mom started posting videos of Nia singing Mary J. Blige; Earth, Wind & Fire; and Billie Holliday favorites simply so her local relatives could check it out.
But what happened? People around the world started watching. And Nia has become and overnight celebrity.
She`s actually really good. Check out Nia singing Mary J.`s "Enough Cryin."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, as cynical as I am, I even think that`s cute.
Nia actually appeared on the "Today" show, and Blige and Earth, Wind & Fire got wind of her act. Blige loved her so much, in fact, that she put her into a commercial for her album, "Reflections."
And talk about a fantasy: Earth, Wind & Fire has reportedly invited her to perform with them in Las Vegas. Amazing.
ANDERSON: So cute.
OK, a really important Hollywood guy wants to play nice in the sandbox with Tom Cruise again.
So here`s the story: Sumner Redstone, the chairman of Viacom, ripped into Tom last year. He was reportedly furious with Cruise`s crazy couch jumping, the hardcore Scientology stuff. So Viacom`s Paramount Pictures, who worked with Cruise for 14 years, cut ties with him.
Tom`s people struck back, saying the 80-something Sumner was way out of line, and had pretty much lost it.
Well, now, Redstone tells "People" magazine that Cruise is a great actor, and wants to be friends with him again. Isn`t Hollywood funny?
You know, maybe Sumner realized that, as wacky as some people think Tom Cruise is, people still go to see his movie, and it might be good to be his business buddy.
By the way, Tom Cruise told us, "no comment." So maybe no playing in the sandbox yet.
HAMMER: Oh, it would be nice to see them get back together.
Time to see now what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tomorrow, really mad at mommy. The stars who got into brutal battles with their moms. Does fame tear up stars` families? Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, even Anna Nicole Smith. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the downright nastiest mother-daughter relationships.
Also tomorrow, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing coverage of the Anna Nicole Smith saga. The battle over baby Dannielynn`s really heating up. Lots of talk over what might have killed Anna and her son, Daniel. So many unanswered questions. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT looking for answers, tomorrow.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Have a great night, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
"GLENN BECK" coming up next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News.
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