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Showbiz Tonight
Lessons Learned From Anna Nicole Smith; Regis Philbin`s Health
Aired March 12, 2007 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: Shocking news, straight from Regis Philbin, about his health, and the amazing story of three stars rescued from a snowy mountains. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, she`s been at the center of the shocking Anna Nicole courtroom battle, the body, the baby. And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going one-on-one with Howard K. Stern`s lawyer, Krista Barth. Will there be a paternity test, is a Larry Birkhead deal in the works? Plus the school of Anna Nicole, life lessons from her tragic death, so surprising they`re now being taught in classes.
Staying a star by staying private, calling all celebrities, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, you can be famous by keeping all your juicy secrets to yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s very easy to be a star and not be a paparazzi darling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Why some do it much better than others. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special investigations of grueling pressure of Hollywood fame.
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York and I can tell you, there are a few people who know better than anyone exactly what Anna Nicole Smith`s former lover and lawyer, Howard K. Stern, is going through right now than the woman we have with us tonight. Stern`s attorney, Krista Barth, she was right there with Stern when a judge finally ruled that Stern would get his wish and Anna Nicole Smith would be buried in the Bahamas.
Tonight, Krista Barth is right here from Riviera Beach, Florida for a revealing interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That is coming up in just a couple of minutes. First tonight, the lessons learned from the life of Anna Nicole. Tonight we can reveal to you,something amazing is happening, something we could have never imagined. Believe it or not, the life and death of Anna Nicole is literally becoming a college textbook case study.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): The nation`s law school, institutes of higher learning, where the brightest young minds in the country study the pressing legal issues of the day, the constitution, free speech and Anna Nicole Smith? Yes, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has this stunning fact. Some of the nation`s law schools are teaching the Anna Nicole Smith case. Law schools at UCLA and the University of Miami have discussed Anna Nicole Smith in classes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m going to Harvard Law School.
HAMMER: Unless you forget that Reese Witherspoon`s "Legally Blond" character was the only blond to raise a ruckus at the esteemed Harvard Law School, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that real Harvard law students will soon be studying the Anna Nicole case as well. Forget about blind lady justice, the new name in law is blond legal Anna.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, COURT TV ANCHOR: I wish when I went to college, we had topics as enticing as Anna Nicole Smith. I might have actually scored better on some of those exams.
HAMMER: Court TV host Ashleigh Banfield tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, she thinks Anna Nicole would be a fun study topic.
BANFIELD: Just imagine, a huge leather bound volume of probate material, trying to cram all that in, when you might just be able to turn on the news instead, and get a little help with your final exam.
HAMMER: And Judge Greg Mathis, who`s seen his share of legal shenanigans on his syndicated TV show "Judge Mathis."
JUDGE GREG MATHIS, TV JUDGE: You about to mess up things with her husband.
HAMMER: He tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he thinks there`s a lot to learn from Anna Nicole.
MATHIS: Students who study this case currently, who are currently in law school, will almost feel like they`re a part of it.
HAMMER: Sure, the life and death of Anna Nicole Smith have treated us to more entertaining legal shenanigans and courtroom drama than Perry Mason and Law and Order put together. Think about it, there was the court fight over where she would be buried, the court fight for paternity and custody of her baby daughter, Dannielynn. And don`t forget that long battle she fought for the estate of her elderly late husband, billionaire J. Howard Marshall. That one went all the way to the U.S Supreme Court.
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: In the end, Anna Nicole Smith will make more case law than Earl Warren.
HAMMER: Well, unlike Anna, former U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren never posed for Playboy, though, we think. Law students aren`t the only ones who can learn something from Anna Nicole Smith. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, we can all benefit from a crash course in the law and Anna Nicole Smith 101. Lesson one, how not to write a will.
JUDGE LARRY SEIDLIN, FAMILY JUDGE: It has its holes in it, like we talked about that balloon. It has plenty of holes in it.
HAMMER: Anna Nicole`s will, written in 2001, is the main reason for this legal mess. Written before the death of her son Daniel and the birth of her baby daughter, the will doesn`t seem to provide a clear living heir. And it didn`t specify where she wanted to be buried. It all left everyone scratching their heads.
SEIDLIN: It`s a piece of paper that`s purported to be a will. That causes me to lose more hair than I already lost.
BANFIELD: It is a lesson to all of us, to make sure you`re careful with the language in your will and hire a lawyer who knows what he`s doing.
HAMMER: Speaking of lawyers, that`s the second topic, bad attorneys, bad results. The relationship Anna Nicole had with Howard K. Stern, who claimed he went from being Anna Nicole`s attorney to becoming her lover, became a central point in the case. And no one would say it made things either.
TV`s Judge Mathis tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT attorneys shouldn`t get too personal.
MATHIS: When you cross the line of becoming a lawyer, providing legal services, to a lover, there`s all types of ways that the lawyer can then influence the client.
HAMMER: And the all-out war over custody of little Dannielynn teaches us a final lesson, name a guardian for your kids. And with all of the unanswered questions regarding Anna Nicole Smith, especially the cause of her and Daniel`s deaths, which have yet to be determined, there could be even more study material for everybody.
BANFIELD: I`m still waiting on what the next chapter will be. Will we be learning about Anna Nicole Smith with regard to a criminal complaint?
HAMMER: Meaning that, as far as Anna Nicole goes, school is still in session.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Joining me tonight, someone who certainly knows the law and is in the thick of the whole Anna Nicole drama, Krista Barth, the attorney for Howard K. Stern, joining me tonight from Riviera Beach, Florida. Thank you so much for being with us Krista.
KRISTA BARTH, LAWYER FOR HOWARD K. STERN: Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: My pleasure. So, I need to know, because we haven`t heard from Howard K. Stern since Anna Nicole`s funeral, what can you tell us about how he`s doing and what he`s been doing?
BARTH: Well, what he`s been doing is attempting to just get through the day like you and I do, only battling on every single, solitary front the vicious rumors and innuendo that are being thrown in our direction every day. So, that`s what he`s doing. He`s trying to address all of the legal issues facing him right now. And unfortunately a lot of this is being litigated in the media.
HAMMER: Let`s see if we can clear some things up, then, because as you said, so many conflicting reports out there related to the whole saga which has become so complex and at times, very strange. So why don`t we play a little game of set the record straight. There are a lot of things I wasn`t to ask you about and you tell me what you can.
I want to start with the stories that Stern and Larry Birkhead, who also claims to be the father of Anna Nicole`s baby, are close to working out some kind of a deal. Is there any truth to that?
BARTH: Well, what I can tell you, that I know for a fact, because I`ve heard it from my client and I can certainly represent this, that Mr. Stern has been, from the inception of all of this, since Anna passed away, looking to resolve all of the issues in an amicable fashion, without the necessity of the court`s intervention. He, right now, is the only one on that page. That`s what I can tell you now.
HAMMER: So, in other words, you`re suggesting that the Birkhead side of things, they`re not coming to play the way you guys are coming to play?
BARTH: I`m suggesting that the door is not open to negotiation on any issue from the other side, so that these things will need to be addressed within the court system.
HAMMER: I want to talk about Dannielynn, because everybody is very concerned about Anna Nicole`s daughter. Reports out there that she`s underweight, reports that she`s underdeveloped. And needless to say, there`s plenty of concern for her health. What can you tell us about these reports?
BARTH: Here`s what I can tell you, that I have been very lucky enough to spend some time with Dannielynn, and that she is beautiful and healthy. She looks just like her mom. She`s in great spirits for a little baby. She`s happy. She`s very interactive. And I`m not a doctor, but I am a mother of three. And it raises no concern for me looking at this child. I understand everybody`s concern. This is an innocent little baby out there. But she`s being so well taken care of by Mrs. Gibson, by Mr. Stern, by his relatives and their friends.
She`s really very loved and it shows. As far as her being underweight, all I can tell you is that my arms are still sore.
HAMMER: OK, I`ll take that as you`re in good shape and the baby is at a good healthy weight. I got to ask you another thing Krista, that I think everybody`s been wondering, if Howard K. Stern really is Dannielynn`s father, as he claims, why won`t he just submit to the DNA test, so this can all be done with?
BARTH: Well, I think that it`s a more complex issue than everybody understands. And remember that DNA testing and the biological determination of whoever the father is, whether it`s Mr. Stern or Mr. Birkhead or someone else, is not completely dispositive of the custody of this child. There are lots of other issues going on here. You have to understand that the night before Anna`s funeral, my client is sufficiently concerned with dealing with issues related to the funeral, while listening to the dissemination of inappropriate accusations by Mr. O`Quinn, Miss Arthur`s attorney, saying that there were seven 10 million dollar policies. This is the kind of stuff that`s happening every day and it`s really directing attention away from the resolution of there issues.
HAMMER: I`m afraid I`m out of time. I think you can agree with us that everybody is eager to see, in as short amount of time as possible, everything getting cleared up and thank you for putting to test some of the conflicting reports out there. Krista Bart, attorney for Howard Stern, I appreciate it.
BARTH: Thank you.
HAMMER: And tonight, there`s another stunning twist, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the shocking tapes of the Bohemian immigration minister leaving weird messages on Anna`s phone. Why he kept calling her over and over again. We`ll play the tapes at 31 past the hour.
And now we`d like to hear from you for our SHOWBIZTONIGHT question for tonight. Here`s what we`re asking tonight: Anna Nicole Smith`s death, has it taught you any life lessons? Get online to vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. If you would like to e-mail us more of your thoughts, please do so at SHOWBIZTONIGH@CNN.com
And remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show where you can express your opinion on video. If you want to send us a video e-mail, go to our website, CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT.
Three stars, one amazing rescue. Coming up next, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the story of who got lost in the snow and a surprising way they got out of it.
Also Regis Philbin`s stunning health crisis. Regis tells us what`s wrong with him and what`s next for him.
We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s very easy to be a star and not be a paparazzi darling, not be the darling of every magazine cover and still be able to do your talent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Staying a star by staying private. Hey, calling all celebrities, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, you can actually be famous by keeping all of your juicy secrets to yourself. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Special Investigation on the grueling pressures of Hollywood fame.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. We`ve got some pretty shocking news today from Regis Philbin. Regis surprised everybody by announcing that he`s got to have triple bypass heart surgery and he`s got to have it done this week.
But of course, in true Regis style, even though it is a serious thing, he made us laugh about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REGIS PHILBON, ACTOR: I got to do it, darn it. I don`t want to do it. Nobody wants to do it, I guess. But they tell me. I had a second opinion. They did all those things. So they`re all in agreement that it should be the bypass. So that`s what I`m going to do.
So I`m going to do it this week and come back when I`m ready. Meantime, you`ll have a ball here. I know this is what you`ve been looking for the last five years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Always keeping us laughing. The 75 years old Regis had angioplasty to unclog an artery in his heart. That was 14 years ago. Today he admitted that he has thought about death.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILBON: It`s inevitable. When you`re on the gurney and they`re rolling you down the corridor, and you know that it`s not always 100 percent. Those thoughts permeated me. And I wish I had been a better person, a better father, a better husband, a better talk show host.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Not possible. He`s going to be off "Live" for at least five weeks. But how concerned should we all be about Regis? Joining me tonight here in New York, dr. Aubrey Galloway from the New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Galloway, I appreciate you taking some time with us tonight.
So, tell me exactly if we should we be concerned about Regis, by virtue of the fact that he`s 75 years old? Is that something that we should be more concerned about, because obviously it`s a serious procedure.
DR. AUBREY GALLOWAY, NYU MEDICAL CENTER: Actually 75 years of age in this day and time is relatively young. Surgery`s been done very, very successfully in people in their 80s or even 90s. So I don`t think at this point that`s a great increased risk for him.
HAMMER: He seems like a pretty fit guy. He seems like a guy who takes care of himself. I`m sure that helps a lot with anybody going into this significant surgery.
GALLOWAY: It certainly does. It seems like he`s very, very fit otherwise, other than his heart disease, and if they protect his heart and get the bypass surgery done, it`s very, very likely that he should do extremely well, not only in the short term but long term.
HAMMER: But it is a traumatic procedure to be certain. And maybe you can give us a sense of exactly the types of things Regis will be undergoing in the days and weeks following the procedure.
GALLOWAY: The biggest thing after the surgery really is to grade yourself back into normal physical activity. He would probably start in some type of rehab program shortly after the surgery. I would say over the next three to four weeks after the surgery, that would be the most important thing. Building his strength back, making sure he can grade into the next level of activities.
And I think establishing a lifestyle that will carry him long term to remain healthy.
HAMMER: But initially, I imagine, he`s bed ridden for several days?
GALLOWAY: In the current time, we actually move people along more quickly. We don`t really keep them in bed, because that sets them back. Within one or two days he`ll be up walking around. And then each step along the way, he`ll do a bit more.
HAMMER: Because here`s a guy who, as we know, doesn`t like to sit still. He`s had quite a career to show for all of that energy. So they`re saying he`ll be back to work in about five weeks. Is that a pretty realistic expectation, because some people need their Regis fix?
GALLOWAY: I wouldn`t doubt it. Four to six weeks is the general time. And, again, an active person, who is motivated to get back, he`ll probably be back.
HAMMER: What types of specific things does he need to be particularly careful about so he does not experience any setbacks, because I`m sure there can be setbacks after such a procedure?
GALLOWAY: I think an active person needs to not overstep their bounds. So the biggest thing would be that at each step, he tries to hold himself back just a little bit, grades himself so he doesn`t have irregular heartbeats and things like that, so that we see that it`s safe for him to go to the next level, and if he does that, he should do well.
HAMMER: Sounds like he`s going to be just fine. Doctor Aubrey Galloway of the NYU Medical Center, I appreciate you joining us tonight. Thank you.
GALLOWAY: Thank you.
HAMMER: There was a really scary ski trip for some stars in Aspen, Colorado. Rob Morrow, Fisher Stevens and Chad Lowe all had to be rescued by ski patrol after they got lost in the snow and fog. Those three ended up with some other skiers who also had gotten lost. One of them had a cell phone and they dialed up some help. Well, it took them three hours to get to the bottom of the mountain.
The stars were in Aspen for a charity ski competition. You remember Stevens from "Short Circuit," among other things. He was Ben in "Short Circuit," that`s the guy who created Number Five, the robot. You`ve seen Lowe recently in 24. He an Hillary Swank are in the process of getting divorced. And of course Rob Morrow said this about the snowy rescue. It ended up being great, because it was a good adventure. By the way, Rob Morrow now starting in CBS`s "Numbers," of course we know him from the show "Northern Exposure." There`s some obvious cheesy snow joke in there. I`m not going to bother with that.
Coming up, the startling Anna Nicole Smith phone calls revealed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHANE SMITH, BOHEMIAN MINISTER: Shane calling, 9:30 here, on the 15th, 16th of December. Call me later.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So bizarre. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the strange messages left by the Bohemian minister of immigration. Why he kept calling Anna over and over and over again.
Also, staying a star by staying private. Calling all celebrities tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, you can be famous by keeping all your juicy secrets to yourself. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Special Investigation of the grueling pressures of Hollywood fame.
And Michael Jackson hanging out with thousands of U.S. troops. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there from Michael`s very rare appearance in Japan.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Michael Jackson might have beat it out of the United States, but he`s now having a thriller of a time in Japan. They can`t stop until they get enough of him over there. All right, enough of that, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there as Michael greeted thousands of cheering U.S. troops at an army base near Tokyo. He thanked them for their service. He even got a rid in a Blackhawk helicopter.
MICHAEL JACKSON, KING OF POP: It was a great experience. I`m honored to be here today with everybody. I appreciate the invitation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What about the Blackhawk and the ride over?
JACKSON: Personally, it was a little intimidated. But once we got up, I liked it very much. They`re a strong machine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Michael Jackson back in the public eye. He`s been in Japan since last Sunday, including one party where guests were paying 3,500 dollars to get one minute of one-on-one time with him. Jackson has lived abroad since being acquitted of child molestation charges back in 2005.
Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the startling Anna Nicole Smith phone calls revealed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIBSON: Shane calling. It`s not 9:30 here, on the 15, 16 of December. Call me later.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the strange messages left by the Bohemian minister of immigration. Why he kept calling Anna Nicole over and over? That`s coming up.
Also, staying a star by staying private. How stars can be famous by keeping all their juicy secrets to themselves. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Special Investigation of the grueling pressures of Hollywood fame on the way.
And Roseanne Barr, one of our favorite funny TV moms, is going to be right here. I`ve got a lot to talk to her about and get her opinion, even Anna Nicole. She`s 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, and this is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Still to come tonight, how is it that some stars manage to stay out of the spotlight, but still stay famous, while others` personal lives are constantly in the tabloids to stay famous? We`ll be investigating that coming up.
Also, the great Roseanne Barr is going to be joining here in the studio in just a couple of minutes. This is a woman who has a tremendous opinion about I would say just about everything. So we`ll get her thoughts on certain things. I actually want to know if she`s into self-help and "The Secret" that everybody`s into these days. Plus, she`s got a very, very funny new television show.
But tonight, it is that time again, right now, yet again unexpected turn in the Anna Nicole Smith case that truly made us say, `Are you kidding me?`
For today`s episode, it`s the bizarre voicemails of Shane Gibson. You remember him; he is the Bahamian immigration minister who had to quit his job after pictures surfaced of him and Anna Nicole Smith in the same bed - her bed. This is the same guy who was accused of pulling strings so she could stay in the Bahamas.
Joining me tonight from Los Angeles, investigate journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell. Jane is also the author of the soon-to-be-released book, "Secrets Can Be Murder."
How are you, Jane?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Hey, A.J.
HAMMER: Man, we got to talk about these phone messages.
Last December, over a two-day period, Gibson called seven times, leaving six messages for Anna Nicole Smith right there on the voicemails. And some of those messages that he left were left after midnight. Seems kind of strange.
Let`s listen to these.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ANNA NICOLE SMITH, ENTERTAINER ..Anna Nicole. Please leave a message.
SHANE GIBSON, BAHAMIAN IMMIGRATION MINISTER: Anna, Shane calling. It`s now Friday the 15th, approximately 10:00 in the night.
(BEEP)
GIBSON: Hi, Shane calling again.
(BEEP)
GIBSON: Shane calling. Sunday the 17th of December, (INAUDIBLE) 11:38 a.m.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Shane calling. Now Shane Gibson, the immigrations minister, nothing formal or official like this.
Now, here`s a guy who said that he never gave her special treatment, Jane. Come on. There`s this, the pictures - what are the chances there was no special treatment in her case?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You know, A.J., there seems to be a running theme throughout this case, that we will all believe anything, that we`re totally gullible, as long as it`s said to us with a straight face.
Nonsense. More than half a dozen phone calls within two days at odd hours of the night indicates the obvious: that this was more than a professional relationship, that he was very interested in her, if not obsessed with her. And of course, this comes on the heels of the infamous photograph of her lying underneath him in an embrace in bed. Yes, they had clothes on. But it`s a sexual photograph.
On top of that, a former nanny who was fired but who was there during the time, said in a sworn document that she was absolutely convinced the two were having an affair, that they would disappear into a room together for hours.
And on top of that, the police in the Bahamas are investigating the possibility of bribery and corruption. Specially, the possibility that he may - and I say may - have been given a very expensive Rolex watch in return for fast-tracking her residency.
HAMMER: Well, and you know what keeps coming back to me, Jane? Through all of this - and as we`re talking about this particular situation - it`s another example of somebody with authority, either literally or figuratively, in bed with Anna Nicole. Last week, it was the doctor who gave Anna Nicole methadone while she was pregnant; now this guy is under official investigation.
Was Anna Nicole simply the kind of a woman who cast some kind of magic voodoo on men? They seem to do anything for her, for any reason.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: In a word, A.J., yes.
She had incredible charisma. That is why she was such a star. That`s why we were all obsessed with her. She was incredibly seductive. She knew how to turn on the charm for men.
Remember, she was a former stripper. So she knew the moves that worked with men. And yes, she could get them to do just about anything. And she did have this pattern of turning relationships that should have been professional into personal relationships when there was something she wanted.
With the doctor, he ended up purportedly, allegedly, prescribing her methadone during her pregnancy. Presumably, that`s something she wanted. With the immigration minister, she wanted residency, and she got it.
HAMMER: Now a lot of people want to see where this case is going to go as it moves forward. Early in the show, I had the chance to speak with Howard K. Stern`s attorney, Krista Barth. Now she told us that as far as those reports that are going on of some closed-door negotiations, they have tried, but it`s Birkhead`s side - Larry Birkhead, of course, who is also claiming to be the father of Dannielynn - Birkhead`s side not open to negotiation, and that it`s going to be up to the courts to decide on all of these issues.
So Jane, after all of this, it sounds like they are, in fact, going back to court.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, I think the talks have broken down. And I think that Larry Birkhead`s side is now feeling more and more confident that they will get their way in court, that the Bahamian courts will, in fact, order the paternity testing of little Dannielynn.
A lot of people had assumed, `Oh, it`s in the Bahamas; Howard K. Stern is on the birth certificate, he lived with the mother, they`re just going to let him have his way.` And a growing number of people, including an international attorney I spoke with, said, `No.` The Bahamian courts will look at all the evidence, will look at the big picture, will look at everything that`s gone on, and will probably order testing on this little girl - DNA testing.
HAMMER: And we`ll probably have more strange, new developments to talk about tomorrow night.
Jane Velez-Mitchell, thank you very much.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: And we`d like to thank TMZ.com for the audiotapes for the Bahamian minister leaving voicemail messages for Anna Nicole in a very informal way.
And we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Anna Nicole Smith`s Death: Has it taught you any life lessons?"
Let us know by voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. You can also write to us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll get into some of your e-mails tomorrow.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show where you can express your opinion on video. You want to send us a video e-mail, go to the Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight.
Tonight, how do some stars keep it all together, while some stars seem to be falling apart at the seams? We`re talking about people like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton - even the late Anna Nicole Smith. All of these stars who can`t seem to be stars without the paparazzi capturing their every move.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did a little digging, and we can tell you, there are many stars who actually managed to keep all that juicy stuff to themselves, while still keeping their A-list status.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): She`s been photographed at her best, and she`s been captured at her worst. Now it appears Britney has hit the wall in both her career and her persona life.
Paris Hilton pulled over for DUI, Nicole Richie nailed for driving the wrong way on a California freeway and Lindsay Lohan attending AA meetings.
Is the price, the pressure of fame?
COOPER LAWRENCE, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST: There`s lots of examples of people who chose to be huge, famous stars, and we don`t know much about them because they keep their lives private.
ANDERSON: Ah, yes, privacy. Some stars say the long for it, but then do crazy things in public that gets everyone`s attention.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT looks no further than the late Anna Nicole Smith.
LAWRENCE: Anna Nicole Smith lived her life in the tabloids. That`s a very, very true statement about her. There`s lots of models that we don`t know that much about, but she chose to take her modeling career into her new path. But look, it brought her fame and fortune and what she was looking for.
ANDERSON: And when Anna Nicole Smith finally found her fame, she found something else. She told Larry King back in May 2002 that despite her fame, she felt a dark cloud hovering over her every move.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Every single day, something happens to me. It`s true.
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Really? Do you think there`s sort of like a cloud.
SMITH: Yes.
KING: .that hangs over you?
SMITH: A dark one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: But despite the dark cloud, Anna Nicole never seemed to shy away from the public eye, even inviting the public within the four walls of her home to announce her pregnancy.
SMITH: I haven`t been taking TrimSpa now because I`m pregnated and I can`t.
ANDERSON: She wasn`t the first star to bring the public into their private domain.
Back to Britney. She set off alarms when she sat down with Matt Lauer for a big "Dateline" interview to talk about the pressures in her life - looking rather vulnerable.
BRITNEY SPEARS, ENTERTAINER: You have to realize that we`re people, and that we need - we just need privacy, and we need our respect. And - and those are things that you have to have as a human.
ANDERSON: So why bring a network newsmagazine into your home? It would seem despite the pressures of fame on her private life, she craved the public life, partying in public places, at times without her panties on - even shaving her head in between visits to rehab centers with cameras clearly outside.
So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask: can a star remain a star without the pressures of making headlines everyday?
LAWRENCE: It`s very easy to be a star and not be a paparazzi darling, not be the darling of every magazine cover, and still be able to do your talent.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can`t really argue with that theory. In fact, we know of at least one young star who gets all the press she wants when she wants it, and it`s Christina Aguilera.
LAWRENCE: Christina Aguilera`s a great example. She`s an amazing singer. She does her thing. And when she wants publicity, she walks the red carpet. Otherwise, we don`t really know what goes on in her life.
ANDERSON: Ain`t that the truth. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, even Jennifer Lopez, who just a few years back was the 24/7 target of tabloid magazines, realized she couldn`t stand the pressure. Yet she did keep her fame by disappearing out of the public eye.
LAWRENCE: Jennifer Lopez made the choice to be very famous, and then made the choice to step back.
ANDERSON: And it`s not limited to A-list celebrities. Reality star Danny Bonaduce has this piece of advice to stars whose fame is fraught with problems: fame is a pressure cooker.
DANNY BONADUCE, ACTOR: I don`t know exactly what Nicole Richie actually does for a living. But I`m telling you this: the clock`s ticking fast on her 15 minutes. And if you think being rich and famous is a good reason to take drugs, wait till you`re 24 and no one cares who you are.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Another star who is keeping herself under wraps these days is Julia Roberts. She went from "Runaway Bride" just a few years ago to stay-at-home mom to twins Phineaus and Hazel. And she her husband, Danny Moder, are now expecting baby number three. Congratulations, guys.
Well, the presidential election may be about to get some real star power. We`re going to tell you which popular TV actor is actually thinking about running for president. That`s still ahead.
Plus, Heather Mills is about to join "Dancing With the Stars." You`re never going to believe what some people are betting is going to happen with her on that show. That`s next.
And get ready for a no-holds-barred chat with the great Roseanne Barr. I`m going to get her take on everything from Britney Spears to the self-help phenomenon "The Secret." Roseanne, right here, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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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.
It`s time now for a little story, guys, that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous!"
Now, you may have heard that Heather Mills has actually joined up with the cast of "Dancing With the Stars." And you may have been surprised to see the commercial where she talks about her artificial leg.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: .when Heather Mills will face the ultimate dancing test.
HEATHER MILLS, ENTERTAINER: My main concerns are keeping my leg on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: .think so. I mean, I love the fact that Heather Mills has a sense of humor about it. That`s all terrific.
But listen to this: there`s a gambling Web site that`s actually taking bets on whether her artificial leg will fall off during the show. Not really very sensitive.
Now, the site is stipulating that the leg has to fall off during a dance routine. It cannot be taken off on purpose, otherwise all bets are off.
Betting on whether Heather Mills` leg will fall off? Now "That`s Ridiculous!" But maybe, you know, she has a sense of humor about it. Maybe it`s OK.
Well, if you want somebody with a strong opinion about just about anything, who will also make you laugh, you`ve come to the right place tonight, because Roseanne Barr is right here. We, of course, all know her as Roseanne, and she`s going to be hosting "Funniest Mom in America" on Nick at Nite.
Roseanne, it is a pleasure to welcome you to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ROSEANNE BARR, ENTERTAINER: Well, thanks. A pleasure to be here.
HAMMER: Loved having you - love having you here.
BARR: I watch your show every night. You know, it`s on just before Nancy Grace.
HAMMER: Well, yes, and you have to - you have to.
BARR: That`s my hour of TV.
HAMMER: Now are you a huge Nancy Grace fan?
BARR: Oh, are you kidding? Of course.
HAMMER: Do you have a Nancy Grace impression that you do?
BARR: Yes, I do. I - I do her accent all the time when I`m watching. I go, "A pinny for your thou-oughts."
HAMMER: Well, thank you fri-end for that.
So Roseanne, there`s so much going on, and, as I said, you - you know, one of the things that I have always adored about you is you don`t hold back. You say what you think. You - you - you put it out there.
BARR: Well, sometimes I do.
HAMMER: Well, let`s - let`s - let`s get it out there about a couple of things.
BARR: Oh, boy.
HAMMER: Because there`s a lot going on right now.
BARR: And what would those things be?
HAMMER: Well, let`s talk about Britney Spears for a moment.
BARR: Oh, that poor girl.
HAMMER: Here - here`s - here`s a young lady who`s been under so much pressure and so much scrutiny - and - and it`s terrible what she`s been enduring right now.
When you see somebody like her, when you see what`s going on specifically with her, do you - do you feel sorry for her?
BARR: Well, I kind do. People - people around me, say, you know, `That`s ridiculous; you should save your pity for people who really need it, like hungry and homeless and stuff like that,` which I think is kind of true.
But also, I think she might have postpartum depression. I was reading that, and I think that that might true. And that`s a real serious thing. So she might need treatment for that.
And I - I think it`s good thing that we`re not making fun of her, and all that kind of stuff.
HAMMER: No, I - I think that`s really important. And I was particularly curious to get your perspective, as somebody who certainly has been through their ups and downs in - in showbiz.
BARR: I had pre-partum depression five times.
HAMMER: So - so based on, you know, what you`ve gone through - I - I don`t think there`s anything wrong with talking about, and - and discussing, you know.
BARR: Well, you just wish people the best, you know, and - and hope they`ll get better, and put on their underwear, and shut up.
HAMMER: And as you know, in the business - and it can be tough sometimes - you know, when you`re on top of your game, and - and when you were at the height of your success, everybody is willing to do whatever, and everybody is - is patting you on the back constantly.
And then when you`re done - and this goes for anybody in Hollywood.
BARR: And the world.
HAMMER: .a - a - a lot of people will - will kick you when you`re down.
BARR: Well, I think that`s just how it is in the world; that`s not just Hollywood.
HAMMER: So how do you - but how do you get through that? How do you get through something like that?
BARR: Well, you have to have a real strong center. And, you know, you have to know what you believe in, and just keep on going. And it`s kind of irrelevant what anybody else thinks about you. It`s none of your business.
HAMMER: Anna Nicole Smith.
BARR: Yes.
HAMMER: Getting - getting a little bit of attention. Here`s somebody.
BARR: Well, she`s dead. I think we should let her rest in peace.
HAMMER: But - but certainly she did deal with fame and - and what happened to her because ..
(CROSSTALK)
BARR: I knew her a little bit, and she - she was just a very sweet woman when I hung around with her, you know? And I remember she was - we were having dinner in New York City, and she had a few hundred too many drinks - but I mean, she really was drinking there. But she - she told me in a real candid moment that she really loved that old man, and that that was the only person in her life that she ever felt love from, and that he took care of her and her son, and that she was going through, like, having all these trials, where they were just tearing her apart, and saying, `Well, you`re a stripper and a slut` and all that.
But she loved that old man.
HAMMER: It`s interesting because.
BARR: I just really want to say that she said that to me, and I - and I always thought, `It`s kind of just sad,` you know?
HAMMER: Well, it`s interesting that you got that candid perspective, because that`s a question so many people obviously.
BARR: That`s what happens when you`re out drinking.
HAMMER: Yes, well - and - and that`s another thing. With her, as everybody always thought, that some - she always had been drinking or doped up because she talked with that very lazy kind of a voice.
But - but she was just a - a sweetheart.
BARR: Well, she probably was taking a lot of drugs and drinking a lot, you know?
HAMMER: So let me ask you.
BARR: And so is Britney and a lot of other people.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, and - and do you - do you feel that so much of that comes from the pressures they`re put under by Hollywood, or do you think that is something that was already a part of who they were?
BARR: Well, I think - I think after - I think that it`s kind of what`s needed to survive that whole culture. I mean, you got to dull yourself out. I mean, who`s going to - you can`t really - you know, you can`t go against your own soul without having to drink and take drugs. I mean, you can`t.
HAMMER: I got to ask you quickly about - because a lot of people turn to self-help - "The Secret," Roseanne. You`ve heard of it. You will it, it will be right there for you.
What do you make of that?
BARR: Well, I think it`s kind of weird. I haven`t really read too much. I`ve read some of it, and heard it before.
But I - I think we have to be real careful to not blame victims. But, like, saying that the people - the survivors of Katrina, maybe they didn`t visualize things well enough, and, you know, maybe they were in poverty and homeless and all kinds of things just cause they didn`t pray hard enough.
I don`t - I don`t think that`s a good thing to say.
HAMMER: Funny.
BARR: But I think, like, if you could focus your mind, and you actually perform the actions that it takes, rather than just sit there and believe and sit there and think - if you actually take the actions, and it helps you take the actions, it`s good.
HAMMER: You got to get on it.
"Funniest Mom in America." OK, the show is back. Being a mom is a tough gig. Is there really anything funny about being a mom, Roseanne? Come on.
BARR: Well, you have to make it funny. That`s how you get through. You`ve got to have a sense of humor if you`re a mom. I think that`s the No. 1 weapon. It`s sometimes all you`ve got.
So, yes, these moms were really, really funny. They - they started with 300 of them, and narrowed it down to six semifinalists. And then the audience picks who the winner is. And - and it was really a cool contest, and it was fun to be part of it.
HAMMER: And - and we`re going to see some great humor, it sounds like.
BARR: There really were some great (INAUDIBLE).
HAMMER: If they - if they can impress you, they`ve got to be pretty good.
BARR: They really did impress me, and I took - I`m taking the six semifinalists to open for me in Las Vegas.
HAMMER: So they can open for your show.
BARR: So that`s cool, being - hanging with moms is cool. I think people need to listen to moms more.
HAMMER: They do.
BARR: On TV and in real life, and at New York, New York casino and hotel.
HAMMER: I`m out of time. "The Funniest Mom in America" kicks off its third season on Nick at Nite in April. And Roseanne`s going to start a six- week stint at New York, New York in Las Vegas, beginning Thursday.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fade up, start your push, Camera 3. Music under. Stand by, A.J. Pre-set 2. Open his mike. Dissolve. Go.
HAMMER: Thank you, Gnarls (ph).
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Get ready now for "Law & Order: Presidential Intent." Actor Fred Thompson says he`s considering a run for the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRED THOMPSON, ACTOR: Why not? Everybody`s got to be somewhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, you know the guy. Thompson plays district attorney Arthur Branch. He says he`s going to decide for sure in the next couple of months whether he should officially join the race.
Now back in 2005, Thompson played the president in the movie "Last Best Chance." But that`s not the only political experience. He actually spent eight years in the Senate before returning to acting back in 2002. He says he thinks people are ready for a chance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMPSON: The American people are deciding what they want. I think they`re looking for maybe something a little different in politics nowadays.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, obviously it wouldn`t be the very first time an actor has run for president. Hello, Ronald Reagan.
For now, Thompson says he`s just going to wait and see what happens.
Well, on Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." And the question was, "Anna Nicole`s Death: Do you think foul play was involved?"
Here`s how the voting ending up: pretty much straight down the middle, with 52 percent of you saying "yes"; 48 percent of you saying "no."
Among the e-mails we received, we heard from Sue in Tennessee. Sue writes, "Howard is guilty of foul play in Anna`s death. He was supplying her with drugs year after year."
And Anne in California writes, "Foul play was not involved. It`s impossible to make a determination on this before the cause of death is revealed."
Well, it is time now to find out what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tomorrow, forget 40 is the new 30; 60 is the new sexy. That`s right; who needs Paris when you have Catherine Deneuve? Heather Mirren, hot. Diane Keaton, divine. Forget the young tabloid stars. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT shows you why 60 is so sexy in Hollywood. We`ll do that tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, the Belushi legacy. Jim Belushi on his hit TV sitcom, his late brother John, and dealing with all the pressures that come with fame. It`s all about Belushi, according to Jim, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And that is tomorrow.
But that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Thanks a lot for watching.
"GLENN BECK" coming up next, right after the very latest from CNN Headline News.
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