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Showbiz Tonight
Will There be Homicide Charges in Death of Anna Nicole Smith?; Donald Versus Rosie
Aired October 15, 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, CO-HOST: Will there be homicide charges in the death of Anna Nicole Smith? I`m A.J. Hammer.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And an emotional admission from Colin Farrell about his 4-year-old son. I`m Brooke Anderson. We`re in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Donald versus Rosie, round - ah, who the heck can keep track anymore? Tonight, the books come out and the gloves come off in the explosive Donald Trump-Rosie O`Donnell feud. And now, the Donald even has Meredith Vieira in his line of fire. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the startlingly new twists, turns, and the very low blows.
Tonight, sex on TV. Really, dirty explicit sex on TV. From "Tell Me You Love Me" to "Californication." You`ve got to wonder, is this prime time or porn time? Tonight, is the sex on TV getting too graphic, or are we all just being prudes? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates sex on TV.
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HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. And tonight sex on TV like you have never seen it before as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the unbelievable and explicit scenes we are seeing now in main stream TV shows. We`ve got that coming up.
HAMMER: But first, Donald versus Rosie, the next round. Tonight, Donald Trump is at it again taking on Rosie in the battle of the books. Both of them out with new books, and that`s not stopping them from having a go at each other either. I have to say this is just always so much fun to watch.
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HAMMER (voice over): One is a wise-cracking rabbit. The other, a millionaire loud mouth. Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd never could resolve their differences.
BUGS BUNNY: What`s up, Doc?
ELMER FUDD: There`s a rabbit down there, and I`m trying to catch him.
HAMMER: And now wise-cracking ex-talk show host Rosie O`Donnell and billionaire loud mouth Donald Trump are also looking like they`re never going to bury the hatchet either in their high-profile long-running feud.
DONALD TRUMP, BILLIONAIRE: She`s just a bad person. I know her very well.
HAMMER (voice over): Trump was on "LARRY KING LIVE" to plug his new book "Think Big and Kick Ass." But he couldn`t resist the urge to kick Rosie again.
TRUMP: Most people think I kicked her ass. You know, she`s a vicious person. She`s not a very bright person.
HAMMER: And Rosie is still throwing hay makers at Trump. In her new book, "Celebrity Detox," she calls Trump creepy, a garden slug, and in an even more creative flourish, a wind-up toy with Tourette`s. You can guess Trump`s reaction.
TRUMP: I don`t think she writes that well.
HAMMER (voice over): And then he goes below the belt, accusing Rosie O`Donnell of being a bad wetting guest.
TRUMP: She came to my wedding. She ate like a pig. And seriously, the wedding cake - it was like missing in action.
HAMMER (voice over): Now, Donald, that`s just wrong.
JO PIAZZA, CORRESPONDENT, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": They are just so nasty to each other. I mean, they`re really hitting below the belt.
HAMMER (voice over): So here we go again. They spent months making headlines bashing each other. Now, as both of their books hit store shelves, it`s Donald versus Rosie, round number - who can keep track anymore? The Rosie versus Donald feud has become so epic it`s been spoofed on Saturday Night Live.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE IMPERSONATOR OF DONALD TRUMP: I`m taking the high road here. Absolutely no questions about Jabba the Rosie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE IMPERSONATOR OF ROSIE O`DONNELL: You make me mad. I will go off with your head.
HAMMER: And WWE wrestlers once took to the ring dressed as Rosie and Trump. Trump won. So it`s easy to forget that the whole thing started here.
ROSIE O`DONNELL: And there he is, hair going over there. Everyone - everyone deserves a second chance.
HAMMER (voice over) With Rosie making fun of Trump for sticking with then Miss USA Tara Conner through her drinking and partying scandal.
O`DONNELL: He annoys me on a multitude of levels.
HAMMER (voice over): The Donald fired back on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
TRUMP: Well, Rosie`s a loser. She`s always been a loser.
HAMMER (voice over): And just about everywhere else.
TRUMP: I learned a long time ago, you hit the bully right between the eyes.
PIAZZA: I think as long as both of them have new projects in the works, they know this is going to get them so much publicity and so much media attention, that they are both just going to keep bringing it up.
HAMMER (voice over): Jo Piazza of the "New York Daily News" says this feud conveniently keeps both stars in the news. Not a bad way to keep the audience from forgetting about you.
PIAZZA: I secretly feel like they might be friends and, you know, they`re just plot this together and secretly having tea parties and she`s fixing his comb-over for him.
HAMMER (voice over): Maybe so, but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Donald Trump and Rosie O`Donnell got rich and successful without going at each other`s throats, so why is it that these alleged grown-ups won`t give it a rest?
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: It keeps both of them energized, having an enemy.
HAMMER (voice over): Psychologist and relationship expert Dr. Judy says she isn`t surprised these two continue to spar.
KURIANSKY: From a psychological point of view, people need the other who they can be angry at and they can get riled up about, and then they can show how smart they are.
HAMMER (voice over): She has a point. Batman needs The Joker, and Trump needs Rosie.
PIAZZA: You`re nobody unless somebody hates you in this business. There is absolutely something about having a nemesis that elevates your game and it elevates your fame.
HAMMER(voice over): And despite the fact that the two say they want this feud to stop -
TRUMP: It`s like a case of the plague.
O`DONNELL: Rosie and Donald are finding that feuding is a hard habit to break.
PIAZZA: It seems like it`s a plague he doesn`t really want to get rid of. It`s like he is not taking his prescription meds to get rid of it.
HAMMER (voice over): And as long as there are books to sell and TV shows to promote, Rosie and The Donald will have each other to kick around for a long, long time. After all, as Bugs and his cohorts proved, a good celebrity feud is always -
ELMER FUDD: I`m hunting rabbits. It`s rabbit season.
HAMMER (voice over): In season.
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HAMMER: Well, Trump`s new book is called "Think Big and Kick Ass," as we reported, and it hits bookstores on Tuesday. Donald is also sounding off about Britney Spears, of course. Wait until you hear what he had to say about Britney`s downward spiral and his very own personal connection to her from years ago. That`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, tonight the Anna Nicole drug shocker. At any moment, the other shoe may drop following the startling news that search warrants were served on two doctors who prescribed drugs to Anna Nicole Smith. One of those doctors prescribed the drugs that were found in Anna Nicole`s hotel room the day she died of an accidental drug overdose.
Joining us tonight from Hollywood, investigative journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, who is the author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." And with us tonight in New York, "Court TV" anchor, Lisa Bloom. Jane, Lisa, it`s always good to see both of you. Now, this Doctor who prescribed the 11 drugs that were found in Anna Nicole`s hotel room was Dr. Christine Erosovich(ph). Her home was searched. Lisa, what do you think? Should she be worried right about now?
LISA BLOOM, "COURT TV" ANCHOR: Well, I think so. She was with Anna Nicole the weekend she died, although she left the day before, and, look, she gave Anna Nicole a large number of pills. Anna Nicole had taken over 600 pills in the months before her death. The state attorney general has said this is an illegal combination of drugs in Anna Nicole`s system. They wouldn`t be searching her home, her office, her computers, her place of work unless they had probable cause to believe that a crime had been committed. So yes, she should be concerned.
HAMMER: Yes, they`re not just trying to make themselves look busy here. I don`t think that`s what`s going on at all. I got to tell you, we were shocked when we heard what California Attorney General Jerry Brown revealed at a news conference about the search warrants. Watch this.
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JERRY BROWN, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: You don`t go to a judge and get a search warrant for somebody`s home, unless you think some rather serious crime has been committed so, that certainly is part of the equation here.
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HAMMER: So obviously, playing into just what Lisa Bloom was just saying. Attorney General Brown wouldn`t even rule out the possibility that homicide charges may be filed. What do you think, Jane? Would you be shocked if that were to come into play here?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, A.J., I would be absolutely shocked if any of these doctors got homicide charges because the medical examiner in Florida ruled Anna Nicole`s death to be an accidental overdose with complications. Remember, there was an abscess in her buttocks because either she or somebody was injecting her with either B12 or human growth hormone that led to an infection, which led to a fever. So this was a very complicated death.
On top of that she was an adult, so the question becomes who put that drug cocktail, all those drugs, literally in her mouth? Nobody was there. That doesn`t mean I don`t think there will be some criminal charges. There could possibly be criminal charges surrounding illegal prescriptions and if that turns out to be the case, there could be some kind of a criminal charge key to negligence.
HAMMER: OK. So maybe if the attorney general is not ruling it out, maybe that`s just protectively because he doesn`t know exactly what they`re going to find at this point, and you know, he has to leave himself open to all possibilities, I guess.
The other doctor`s home was searched, Dr. Sandy Capure(ph). That`s the doctor who prescribed methadone to Anna while she was pregnant, which just was so bizarre to learn to begin with. What do you think, Lisa? What do you think investigators are actually looking for? I mean, we`re talking about eight months now since the death of Anna Nicole Smith.
BLOOM: Well, a couple of things. First of all, the state attorney general has not ruled out that he would look into Daniel`s death as well. And remember, Daniel had methadone in his system when he died, as did Anna Nicole. This is the guy prescribing methadone, which is usually prescribed for narcotics addiction. It doesn`t sound like that`s why it was prescribed for either of these two, so it`s very unusual.
Also was he prescribing drugs for a false name to Anna Nicole? Was he prescribing them to Howard K. Stern, who was then giving them to Anna Nicole? Both of those actions would be illegal.
HAMMER: So some people had suggested, Lisa, that there is some connection between Daniel`s death, which is still somewhat of a mystery, and Anna Nicole`s death. Should we be looking at that as conspiracy theory, or possibly there is something there?
BLOOM: I think we should look at all of that, although the methadone, apparently, in Daniel`s system was by pill, and in Anna`s system was a liquid form of methadone. But these are two healthy, young people, one 20 years old - Daniel, one 39 years old, Anna Nicole, who seemingly just dropped dead under very bizarre circumstances. I think we should be looking closely at it, yes.
HAMMER: And there is a lot of evidence at play here. Investigators so far say they`ve reviewed more than 100,000 computer images and files. They`ve analyzed all kinds of patient profiles in the pharmacy logs and interviewed plenty of witnesses throughout the whole country and overseas. Jane what does that tell you that they`re looking for?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think they`re trying to find out if these doctors were just writing scripts or if they were really doing actual medicine, which is a lot more than just prescribing pills. It involves doing blood tests and doing check-ups and doing all sorts of things surrounding the prescription. I think they`re also trying to find out whether the situation of Anna Nicole Smith is the tip of the iceberg, and maybe there are hundreds, even thousands of other patients around the United States or at least California who are getting this similar massive amount of prescriptions.
HAMMER: What`s your gut tell you, Lisa? Are we going to see some people behind bars when all is said and done, and the dust settles here?
BLOOM: Well, you know, if they were no more than drug pushers with licenses, they should be behind bars. I mean, this is really shameful. Look at how many medications. Look how close they were. Howard K. Stern allegedly was there with Dr. Erosovich(ph) when the search warrants were executed. I mean ...
HAMMER: Oh yes. But Lisa, that`s because he had left the dog there. Come on, didn`t you believe him?
BLOOM: Well that shows that I - Look, I don`t leave my dogs with my Doctor when I go on vacation. It shows a close personal relationship. Something fishy is going on here, A.J.
HAMMER: Lots of jokes flowing through my head. I`m not going to get myself into trouble right now. Lisa Bloom, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thanks for being with us tonight.
BLOOM: Thanks.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks, A.J.
ANDERSON: Colin Ferrell is known as a Hollywood bad boy, right? But he`s setting all of that aside for an emotional and revealing interview about his 4-year-old son, a shocking admission for Colin about his son`s health. We got that coming up. Also this.
MARY MURPHY, SENIOR WRITER, "TV GUIDE": When I`m looking at some of these shows, I say to myself, what is the difference between this show and porn?
HAMMER: Have you seen some of these new shows on television between "Californication" and "Tell Me You Love Me?" You know, it`s not really that easy to tell the difference between prime time and soft core porn. Are these graphic scenes crossing the line? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates sex on TV. Coming up.
ANDERSON: And next, who do you think makes more, David Letterman or Jay Leno? The funniest people in Hollywood are laughing all the way to the bank, and there are some real surprises when it comes to the comedians that rake in the most green. They make how much? It`s we`ve got it next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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MALIN AKERMAN: Well, thank you, soul mate. I`m glad you like it because you`re going to be hearing a lot of it for the next 40 or 50 years.
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ANDERSON: OK, in the driver`s seat, that was the always funny Ben Stiller in the new movie "The Heart Break Kid." welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. And tonight we cannot only reveal how much money Ben Stiller makes, but also the incredible amounts other funny men make that has them laughing all the way to the bank. Forbes.com is out with a fascinating look at the top-earning comedians. With me tonight in New York, Lacey Rose, senior editor of "Forbes.com." Lacey, great to see you.
LACEY ROSE, SENIOR EDITOR OF "FORBES.COM": Thanks for having me.
ANDERSON: I want to start with that guy, Ben Stiller. He is very bankable. We know he is huge, but so is Adam Sandler. So, who do you think earns more? Take a look at this. Ben Stiller made $38 million in the last year that Forbes tracked compared to Sandler`s $30 million. Lacey, both of these guys have hilarious movies.
ROSE: They do.
ANDERSON: Big box office draws. Why does Ben Stiller take the cake?
ROSE: Well, in this case, what he is really benefiting from was the enormous success that was "Night at the Museum." I mean that movie grossed nearly $600 million at the worldwide box office. You know, he got a back end piece of that deal. At that amount it`s really big bucks in this case.
ANDERSON: That`s right. Those back end deals can be extremely lucrative.
ROSE: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: And I have to tell you that it is fascinating when you look at two of the biggest stand-up guys in comedy today, Larry, The Cable Guy, and we`ve got Jeff Foxworthy. So who earns more? Well, it`s Larry, The Cable Guy, $20 million, double Jeff Foxworthy at $10 million. Lacey, we know Foxworthy as the host of the hit TV show "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" He has so much going on - has, for so many years. How come Larry, The Cable Guy beat him?
ROSE: In this case Larry, The Cable Guy was just touring relentlessly. I mean, just one gig after the next. And that really amounts to really big, big amounts of money. I mean, he grossed $21.5 million on tour. He is the highest earning comic on tour, and that`s really what drove that, you know, overall sum to $20 million.
ANDERSON: Larry, The Cable Guy is a riot, as is Jeff Foxworthy.
ROSE: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: And I want to move on to the biggest goof balls, Vince Vaughn, Dane Cook. Who earns more here? Well, Vince Vaughn leaves Dane Cook in the dust. $25 million versus $9 million. Why is that, Lacey?
ROSE: Well, again, it`s a lot of hits. I mean, just one after another. "Dodgeball," "Wedding Crashers," "The Break Up." And these are relatively smaller budget films that do gang busters at the box office, and Vince Vaughn benefits, without a doubt.
ANDERSON: He certainly does. And I want to mention, you know, Dane really utilizes all the avenues available to promote himself. He has had a lot of success on My Space. You may see that salary increase over the next few years.
ROSE: Absolutely, and $9 million is not so shabby.
ANDERSON: No, no, no, no. It`s not too bad. I want to take a look now at the late night show battle. The Late Show`s David Letterman versus the Tonight Show`s Jay Leno. Letterman, $40 million. Leno, $32 million. Lacey, I kind of don`t get this because Leno has been handily beating Letterman in the ratings for years.
ROSE: He has. He has. The difference is that Letterman has a stake in his show, and that`s really what amounts to the extra few million dollars in this case. You are absolutely right. Leno has been doing better, albeit, by not too many viewers, but he does do better in the rate ratings. The difference is that stake in the show.
ANDERSON: Yes. Got about 1.5 million viewers on average per night.
ROSE: Yes.
ANDERSON: I`m curious, Lacey, why are there no women on this list, you know, Sarah Silverman, Cathy Griffin, Roseanne, Rosie, Ellen. So many fantastic ones out there. What`s the deal?
ROSE: Well, I mean, yes. A lot of these women do gang busters on tour. No question about it. But at the end of the day, the men are earning more. You know, standup is not the only arena within the entertainment industry that there`s still this disparity between men and women. You`re seeing the same thing within film. We looked at top earning actors and actresses. Our top earning actress is Nicole Kidman. She earns $29 million over the course of the year. Top earning actor was Ben Stiller - my apologies. It`s Johnny Depp who earned $92 million over the course of the year. So I mean, there`s really still a disparity in a lot of different areas.
ANDERSON: I don`t like to hear that disparity between men and women.
ROSE: I don`t like to hear that. It`s the reality, I guess.
ANDERSON: I guess so. I do want to mention quickly, Jerry Seinfeld, top earning comedian, $60 million. Syndication is so sweet. Lacey Rose, thanks for your insight.
ROSE: Thanks for having me.
ANDERSON: For more of who made the list of the top-earning comedians, just head over to Forbes.com.
HAMMER: Donald Trump goes off on Britney Spears. Wait until you hear what the Donald had to say about Britney`s downward spiral and what he remembers about her performing for him a few years back. That`s coming up. Also, Hollywood gushing about Julia Roberts.
BLAIR UNDERWOOD, ACTOR: The young starlets could learn from her. I mean, she had her little turn too, but, you know, we all do growing up, but she came out on top.
ANDERSON: Julia gets a big honor during a star-studded tribute, and that got us thinking. In today`s culture of tabloids, and bloggers, and paparazzi, would she have become such a big star, and what could the young stars learn from her? A show biz special report, Hollywood for Dummies. Still to come.
HAMMER: And steamy scenes on the small screen with some of the new shows out there, not easy telling the difference between prime time drama and soft core porn, but is it crossing the line? Show biz investigates sex on TV, coming up.
First, we want to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Sex on TV, has it gotten too dirty? Go to CNN.com/showbiztonight or e-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
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HAMMER: Tomorrow ON SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood in crisis. You know, a strike is looming that could shut down some of the biggest TV shows. Which shows would be affected, though? Are some of your favorites actually in danger of going off the air? You won`t want to miss it as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates Hollywood in crisis tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Tonight, a shocking and emotional revelation from Colin Ferrell that his 4-year-old son has a rare form of cerebral palsy. In a revealing and moving interview with a publication from Ireland, called "The Irish Independent," Farrell opens up about his son James. He says James has Angelman`s syndrome which affects his speech and mobility. Colin says he is incredibly blessed to have James in his life and was overjoyed when he recently took his first steps. Colin has joint custody of James with his ex-girlfriend whom he credits for being pro-active in getting James the treatment he needs. Colin also says he never has thought of his son as someone with a disability. He says, quote, "With my son, the only time I`m reminded there is something different about him, that he has some deviation of what is perceived to be normal, is when I see him with other 4-year- olds. Then I go, oh, yeah, and it comes back to me. But from day one I felt that he`s the way he`s meant to be.
HAMMER: Donald Trump goes off on - you thought I was going to say Rosie. No, Britney Spears. Wait until you hear what The Donald had to say about Britney`s downward spiral and what he remembers about her performing for him a few years back. That is coming up.
ANDERSON: Plus, everybody loves Julia. Julia Roberts gets a big honor during a star-studded tribute, and that got us thinking. Hey, in today`s culture of tabloids and bloggers and paparazzi, would she have become such a tremendous star? And what can the young stars learn from her? We`ve got a show biz special report, Hollywood for Dummies, still to come.
MURPHY: When I`m looking at some of these shows, I say to myself, what is the difference between this show and porn?
You said it. "TV Guide`s" Mary Murphy. I mean, have you seen some of the new TV shows between "Californication" and "Tell Me You Love Me." I actually had to check the parental restrictions settings on my cable box, not so easy to tell the difference between prime time and soft core porn these days. Are these graphic scenes crossing the line? SHOWBIZ investigates sex on TV. That`s coming up. We`ll be right back.
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HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Hollywood for Dummies." Tonight, what some of today`s out of control stars can learn from others who stayed out of the tabloids, like Julia Roberts.
UNDERWOOD: Young starlets can learn from her. She had her little turn too, but we all do growing up, but she came out on top.
HAMMER: Blair Underwood has got it right. So pay attention, you, Hollywood wild children. It`s a revealing SHOWBIZ special report, "Hollywood for Dummies."
HAMMER: Sex on TV. It is a really steamy fall TV season because the clothes are falling off everywhere. So tonight we got to ask, are all these super steamy scenes too hot for prime time? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates sex on TV.
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And you`re watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. OK, tonight, we`ve got a showbiz special report, "Hollywood for Dummies." You know, many of today`s young stars could use a handbook to guide them through the temptations, the pit falls of Hollywood, and what better role model than somebody who actually lived it, America`s sweetheart, there she is, Julia Roberts.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there over the weekend as Julia received a 22nd Annual American Cinema Tech awards and a tribute from Hollywood`s biggest stars. And Julia was her usual say-anything self.
JULIA ROBERTS, ACTRESS: Is there a hungry baby in the house? Just come on up.
ANDERSON: Tonight, Julia Roberts, a case book example of how to do things right. She was joking, of course, about breast-feeding other people`s children. With us tonight for our show biz special report, Hollywood for Dummies, we`ve got in-Hollywood Ken Baker, managing editor of UsMagazine.com. Also investigative journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, author of "Secrets Can Be Murder," this book, and founder of "15-Minute Public Relations," celebrity publicist extraordinaire Howard Bragman. Great trio tonight.
All right, Julia Roberts is considered America`s sweetheart, and, yet, you know, when she was younger she wasn`t really squeaky clean, so that brings us to chapter one of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s, "Hollywood for Dummies" book, being young, being wild. Can we forget that Julia was witness a young, impulsive woman, don`t we?
KEN BAKER, MANAGING EDITOR, "USMAGAZINE.COM": Yes. The early 90s were not pretty. They`re sort of akin to the current times of Britney Spears. I mean, she was very impulsive. She had the reputation of being pretty kooky actually. I mean, she hooked up with Kiefer Sutherland. She was married to Lyle Lovett. They got married on a whim and were married for less than two years, very tumultuous. She was always sort of out partying and hopping on stage with him and going on tour.
And I bet that if we had the video-razzi back then, we would have seen - Well, they didn`t have frapuccinos back then, but maybe we`d see her running out with bad hair and bad makeup, or no make up, going to get an Orange Julius, or something like that. So I mean, I think that we did not see Julia Roberts during her crazy times like we see a lot of the stars today in their crazy moments.
ANDERSON: You`re right about that. You know, very impulsive. We do forget. And Denzel Washington presented the American Cinema Tech Award to Julia and talked about watching her grow from a young starlet to America`s sweetheart.
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DENZEL WASHINGTON, ACTOR: I`ve had the pleasure to watch Julia grow up, which is not always an easy thing when you are growing up in the public eye, but she`s come through with confidence and grace and a real sense of who she is. She`s someone who says yes to life.
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ANDERSON: That brings us to chapter two in THE SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Hollywood for Dummies" book, growing up in the public eye. Howard, do you honestly think Julia could have pulled off the title of America`s sweetheart if she had to deal with today`s paparazzi, the bloggers, the constant scrutiny?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: I think the way we live today with the wall that doesn`t exist between public and private is hard, but Julia Roberts has always had a pretty good innate self of sense, pretty good self-confidence. And I think she would have been smart enough to realize what was happening and try not to provoke them.
I mean, let`s not forget, even when it was happening, there was plenty of coverage back then. That`s not to say the intensity is the same as today, but I think she would have adjusted her life, and I don`t think it would have been as bad for her as it is for, say, our friend Britney today.
ANDERSON: Maybe not. Yes, she does seem - Julia does seem to know how to handle the attention. I want to move now to chapter three, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Hollywood for Dummies" book. It`s all about the pressure to nip and tuck. So many women in Hollywood feel the pressure, the intense pressure, to get plastic surgery in order to stay in the game. But listen to what Natalie Portman told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
NATALIE PORTMAN, ACTRESS: Scary skinny or, you know, gotten all sorts of plastic surgery or anything like that. She`s just like fully in herself. Of course, she doesn`t need to because she`s, like, perfect to begin with, but at the same time I think she really maintains herself. She doesn`t have some fancy lifestyle. She`s really just like a down home girl.
ANDERSON: Jane, what do you think? Is it realistic to think that other young women of Hollywood could actually be as comfortable in their own skin as Julia seems to be?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely, Brooke. I think Julia Roberts is an inspiration, not only to young starlets, but to all women. She`s near or at the top of most of these lists - sexiest, prettiest, most powerful. And yet, she`s down to earth, a wife, mother of three young children, because she has a core identity that is not hooked on her fame.
She would probably be very much the same personality if she was living in New Mexico and being a mom, and doing community theater. She`s not buying her own PR. She has not got the diva disease. Ironically, that`s what makes her such an effective actress because the dichotomy of acting is in order to be somebody else, you have to really know who you are, and I think that`s the key to her genius. She really knows who she is.
ANDERSON: Well, let`s talk about that and her being down to earth. That brings us to chapter four in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Hollywood for Dummies book, redefining what celebrity means. If anybody has decided what being a celebrity is, it is Julia Roberts. So let`s review. She doesn`t live in Hollywood. She actually lives with her husband and three kids in New Mexico. You rarely see paparazzi photos of her with the kids. She doesn`t really give that many interviews. So, Ken, I want to know, how in the heck does she pull off such tremendous fame if she doesn`t play ball, really play by any of the rules?
BAKER: Well, she did make a choice to go away and hide out, and going back to when she married Danny Moder in 2002, out at the New Mexico ranch in Taos, she was making a choice just to be away from everyone and there were no pictures of it. We never saw anything about the wedding. And that really set the tone for what really has been the last five years of her life, which has been very personal.
It`s been about being a mom. Her twins are about to be 3 years old. She has a 4-month-old kid now. And she`s really just focused on being a mom and being real. But something interesting to really point out is that not only does she have a place in New Mexico, she still has a place in Los Angeles. She has a place in New York. But what she has done is she`s learned how to pick and choose when she goes public. She`s been able to evade attention, and she`s learned that over the years. And I think, you know, if there`s any message to Britney out there, it`s like, there is hope, you know? Britney is 25. Julia is 39. You can learn a lot between 25 and 39.
ANDERSON: Yes, you can. That`s a lot of time to really bounce back. And you know, this woman averages $20 million a movie. Yet, as you all mentioned, she is a wife. She is a mother. Howard, what do you think? Is she not only a role model to starlets to, say, Britney Spears, but to women in general?
BRAGMAN: You know, the one thing we talk about plastic surgery. You talk about her price. She`s wonderful because she`s comfortable in her own skin, and even her skin with a few wrinkles. You know, she does get $20 million a movie, but she chooses projects a lot differently than a lot of people. She doesn`t feel the pressure that I have to do two movies a year and make this money.
She`ll choose to go off and do Broadway. She`ll do a smaller part in one of the Oceans movies and act with her buddies. So yes, it`s her confidence. It`s her sense of self. Anybody, man or woman, could stand to learn a little lesson from Julia Roberts on how to act and live with dignity, and I think she`s done a wonderful job.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Absolutely. She seems to have her priorities in order. Howard Bragman, Ken Baker and Jane Velez-Mitchell, Great so see you all. Thanks.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.
HAMMER: I think I`m like a lot of people out there who just can`t get over what a mess Britney Spears has become. You know, if you think about it, it wasn`t that long ago that she was this innocent, fresh out of the Mickey Mouse club pop star. Well, that`s exactly how Donald Trump remembers her on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE" tonight. Trump was absolutely shocked at how she`s spiraled out of control.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You know, I knew Britney five years ago when she was hot as a pistol. Of course, I guess you could say she`s hot now. Everybody is talking about her. But she performed for me numerous times at different venues that I owned, and she was the cleanest, nicest, most wonderful - I`ll never forget she went on the stage in Atlantic City and she was with, like a prayer group, and everybody got together. They had a bible in the middle, and they put their hands on the bible. I`m saying, what happened to this person? The 15-year-old and 17-year-old young girls - she was like their idol. I have never seen an image change so much for the bad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The Donald also said he wasn`t a fan of Britney`s ex, Kevin Federline at first, but, listen to this. When K-Fed came out and said that Donald was his all time favorite hero, that changed his mind. Shocker of shockers.
ANDERSON: Yes. OK, on Friday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Britney Spears: should the paparazzi leave her alone? Eighty-four percent of you say yes. Only 16 percent of you say no. And here`s some of the e-mails that we received. Barbara from Pennsylvania writes, "The paparazzi should leave her alone. They are going to cause someone`s death by the way they pursue her. Enough is enough."
But Michelle from Louisiana says, "Conquer the territory. I think if Britney wants to hang out in Target with normal people, then she should have to deal with it."
You know, I bet after Tara Reid got caught with her breast hanging out, A.J., at that party a few years back, she wanted the paparazzi to leave her alone. Tonight, though, Tara is tearing into other party girls. Is she calling them stupid? This is getting really nasty. I`ve got that coming up. We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MURPHY: When I`m looking at some of these shows, I say to myself what is the difference between this show and porn?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I don`t want you to adjust your set because you`re not watching the "Play Boy Channel." No, these are scenes from some of the hottest, steamiest shows on TV. I`m not afraid of seeing a little skin, but I have to ask, have we crossed the line here? Tonight a revealing showbiz investigation, "Sex on TV.".
ANDERSON: A.J., we saw Katherine Heigl having sex on the big screen in "Knocked Up." That was really a hilarious movie. And now, Katherine`s become the bridesmaid who is never a bride. We`ve got that coming up. Stay with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for this Monday night.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates, "Sex on TV." Hollywood is shocking even the most unflappable TV critics with its newest fall shows. And you are going to see some of the most explicit sex scenes ever shown. They may even make you wonder if you accidentally ordered the porno or something, but do these shows go too far or are they just telling it like it is? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates "Sex on TV."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): Love on TV isn`t what it used to be. Remember when Ricky and Lucy raised a few eyebrows on "I Love Lucy," after they pushed their twin beds together?
LUCILLE BALL: Well, good night, baby.
DESI ARNAZ: Good night, sweetheart.
HAMMER (voice over): Scandalous. Years later, even Homer and Marge made us wince when they showed a sexier side of the Simpsons.
MARGE SIMPSON: Let`s make love.
HOMER SIMPSON: Yes. OK.
HAMMER (voice over): But that`s kindergarten stuff compared to what we`re seeing these days.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER (voice over): From HBO`s "Tell Me You Love Me" to Show Time`s "Californication" with David Duchovny going from the X files to the sex files.
DAVID DUCHOVNY: Here`s a thought. Why don`t I do you this time and then we call it even.
HAMMER (voice over): SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask, what`s up with al the explicit sex on TV?
MURPHY: This season, I think cable has pushed the limit of acceptability of sex on television as far as it can possibly go.
HAMMER (voice over): "TV Guide`s" Mary Murphy claims several shows are bordering on obscene. Even though HBO is known for its risque programming, the network may have gone too far with its new series "Tell Me You Love Me" which deals with the explicit sexual relationships of three fictional couples.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE ACTRESS: What`s your sex like?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE ACTOR: Great. It always has been.
HAMMER (voice over): There are raw, uncensored sex scenes that if you stumbled across them, you might even think you hit a porn channel. Scenes so hot, so explicit, we couldn`t even show them to you.
MURPHY: When I`m looking at some of these shows, I say to myself, what is the difference between this show and porn? I look at it two ways. I look at it as a critic and a reporter, and I say is it essential? I don`t think so. Then I look at it as a daughter and a mother, and I pray that neither my mother nor my daughter will ever walk into the room while this is on television.
HAMMER (voice over): Even the ladies of "The View" say all the sex on TV is actually a turn off.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If I`m watching when it`s on, I want to fast forward the sex scenes. I think it interrupts.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Too much for you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Honey, I`d rather watch the food channel at this point. I would. I get turned on by Aina Gartner(ph) when she`s like slapping those souffles together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m out here by myself. I can`t watch this without getting horny, so I -- I mean, seriously. Why are you looking at me crazy like that?
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS: I find is hysterical, because - To me, I don`t watch it because I think do that better.
HAMMER: Well, for better or worse, sex is the storyline of the season. And HBO and Show Time insist that the graphic sex scenes are necessary parts of the stories.
MURPHY: My question is how integral to the storyline is to see, you know, the private parts of men and women more explicitly than I have ever seen them on legitimate cable stations? I don`t think so it`s appropriate at all. I think that the whole ruse of, "It`s appropriate for the character," really means, "We have to do this to get better ratings."
HAMMER (voice over): Well, those shocking sex scenes aren`t hurting ratings for Show Time`s "Californication." Which got picked up for a second season. It`s too hot to show sex scenes that are giving David Duchovny fans a whole new view of him.
DAVID DUCHOVNY: I always wanted to do that.
MURPHY: I`m not really sure we want to see David Duchovny in this role, and I`m not sure we want to see this character on television.
JOSHUA ALSTON, CORRESPONDENT, "NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE": I think "Californication" is a show that has a great central character and I do think that the nudity often works with the plot.
HAMMER (voice over): "Newsweek`s" Joshua Alston tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Californication" and other shows like it are getting slammed for no good reason.
ALSTON: I don`t think television is crossing the line, but I do think that we`re seeing sex being taken further than it`s ever been taken on TV before.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, sis.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have left, like, three messages.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m sorry, I`ve been kind of tied up.
HAMMER (voice over): Even shows like ABC`s new prime time drama "Dirty, Sexy Money" are pushing the limits on network TV. Including one very racy S and M scene.
ALSTON: I think the reason people react the way they do to sex on television is because there`s still a sort of notion that if it`s television, there`s a captive audience. It`s not like a film where you actually have to go choose the film and buy a ticket. People still feel like if it`s on television, I have to watch it or at least I have to flip past it.
MURPHY: The viewers will decide. If this is too much for TV viewers, they will turn on off. They won`t watch the shows. The ratings will die, and they`ll be gone very quickly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What the hell are they doing? Oh, my god. Turn it off!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, so far all that explicit sex is not turning people away from HBO`s "Tell Me You Love Me." The show`s already been picked up for a second season. So, now we want to hear from you. What do you think? For tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, we are asking sex on TV: has it gotten too dirty? You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write to us at showbiztonight@cnn.com, and we`ll be reading some of your e-mails tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Well, tonight it is party girl versus party girl. So get this, Tara Reid, one of Hollywood`s most infamous young, out-of-control stars, is taking a shot at Lindsay and Paris pretty much calling them stupid. Now, Tara insists that she`s gone good, or at least a little less bad. I mean, you can only go up, right, when you get caught with your breast hanging out on the red carpet? Remember, Sean Diddy Combs 35th back in `04?. Anyway, Tara is really opening up about her partying past, literally and figuratively, in a revealing new spread in "FHM Magazine."
Tara says, quote, "You`ll never read a story about me going out and partying when I`m supposed to be working, showing up on sat drunk or missing a day, never. I think the reason I never ended up in as much trouble as Paris or Lindsay Lohan is that I`m not stupid, so I`d never do a lot of the things those girls do. And I`ve always had good friends around me." Oh, it really seems like the claws are coming out on that one. Tara Reid calling them stupid.
All right, Katherine Heigl, a young actress who has kept out of trouble, at least in real life, right, because, let`s see, she was having an affair on "Grey`s Anatomy." She got "Knocked Up" on the big screen. That film was a big hit. Now she`s in love with her boss in a new movie. As long as it`s all make believe. Her funny new film, we`ve got your first look, coming up next. Stay with us.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We`ve got to tell you that Katherine Heigl really taking off from "Grey`s Anatomy," and tonight I`ve got your first look at her new film "27 Dresses." She plays the bridesmaid who has never been a bride, but is that all about to change?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jane, is that you?
KATHERINE HEIGL: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You look so beautiful.
HEIGL: You really think so?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like it was made for you.
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Delightful.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s the bride.
HEIGL: OK. Everybody ready?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here we go. Do you know your name?
HEIGL: Jane.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m Kevin. Why don`t we get you a cab?
HEIGL: That was a really lovely wedding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don`t you think it`s a whole lot of rituals or something. You`ve got about a 50-50 shot to make it out of the gate.
HEIGL: Oh, how very refreshing. A man who doesn`t believe in marriage.
MALE VOICE OVER: Jane was good at taking care of everyone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have been a bridesmaid 27 times?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you do besides work and help people get married.
MALE VOICE OVER: But she never took care of herself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jane!
HEIGL: Yes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you put that breakfast burrito on my desk?
HEIGL: I just thought you might be hungry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s why I love you.
HEIGL: I love you too. Oh! Yes, you`re right. I needed that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: George appreciates me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What good is it being appreciated if no one is naked. Go over there and tell him how you feel.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now. Go. Now.
HEIGL: George, this is my sister, Tess. Tess, this is my George. I didn`t mean it like that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you want to get a drink?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.
HEIGL: Congratulations.
MALE VOICE OVER: Now - 27 dresses.
HEIGL: Strange as it sounds, I have had some really good times in those dresses.
MALE VOICE OVER: A woman whose entire life -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re getting married in three weeks.
HEIGL: Three weeks? She`s going to want me to do everything.
MALE VOICE OVER: Is making other people happy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You went by the flower shop and ordered the favors.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You cannot plan your sister`s wedding to the man you love. I`m going to kick her ...
MALE VOICE OVER: Is about to discover -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have said no to people before?
HEIGL: Many, many times when the situation, never - not once.
MALE VOICE OVER: How to do the same for herself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You would rather focus on other people`s Kodak moments than make memories of your own.
MALE VOICE OVER: From the screen writer of "The Devil Wears Prada."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You could start over. You could say no and you could do what you want. What do you want, Jane?
MALE VOICE OVER: "Knock Up`s" Katherine Heigl -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t understand what you don`t like about him. Sparkling blue eyes, killer grin.
MALE VOICE OVER: James Marsden.
HEIGL: You should admit this whole cynical thing is so you can see mysterious and sexy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you say sexy?
MALE VOICE OVER: "27 Dresses."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It must be so hard to watch your younger sister get married before you.
HEIGL: Yes. But then I remembered that I still get to have hot, hate sex with random strangers and I feel so much better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: "27 Dresses" hits theaters in January.
HAMMER: And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. Thanks so much for watching. Glenn Beck coming up next right after the latest headlines for "HEADLINE NEWS."
END
