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Showbiz Tonight

Julia Robert`s Run-in With Paparazzi in New York; Pamela Anderson`s Failed Divorce; Hollywood`s Ugliest Divorces

Aired December 18, 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: The dirtiest divorces of the year. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And Kate Hudson speaks out about the men in her life. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative news entertainment news show starts right now.

HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Julia Roberts` war with the paparazzi caught on tape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIA ROBERTS, ACTRESS: Is anybody hearing my voice? I`m expecting you guys to leave now.

HAMMER (voice over): Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the dramatic video of Julia hounded on the streets of New York.

ROBERTS: Watch the baby. You just bumped into two carriages.

HAMMER: A random stranger trying to come to Julia`s stranger.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please leave her the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) alone.

HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Julia Roberts` war and the tough question, do stars deserve any privacy at all when they`re out in public?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Are you kidding me? Pam Anderson has a fight with her husband of two months and files for divorce.

Are you kidding me? Jessica Simpson shows up to cheer on her quarterback boyfriend and gets blamed for the Dallas Cowboys losing the game. Are you kidding me? And have you seen Michael Jackson lately? Yikes. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the brand new stories that made us say, "Are you kidding me?"

(MUSIC)

Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.

ANDERSON: Hi, there, everyone, I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood. And tonight, there are so many stories that are making us say, "Are you kidding me?" First, there`s Pamela Anderson`s on and off again divorce. What is going on with her? And then, there`s a very scary looking Michael Jackson. Wait until you see that picture. It is all coming up.

HAMMER: But first tonight, Brooke, Julia Roberts` war. Just days before her new movie, "Charlie Wilson`s War" opens up, Julia finds herself in a war of her own with the paparazzi, and it is all caught on tape. Julia has absolutely had it with being followed everywhere she goes. And as you are about to see, she is not the least bit shy about letting everyone know exactly how she feels.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Is everybody happy? Everybody got what they need?

HAMMER (voice over): This is a polite, calm Julia Roberts talking to the paparazzi in this TMZ video. But wait, a little later, this is a steamed, seething Julia Roberts being not so nice.

HAMMER: You people embarrass yourselves. That`s what you do.

HAMMER: She is America`s sweetheart. But don`t make her angry. You wouldn`t like her when she is angry.

KATIE DARYL, "TMZ TV": Julia Roberts getting a little ticked off at the paparazzi.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the inside story of this can`t-miss video. We`ll tell you what made pretty woman turn into pretty-ticked-off woman in this wild smack down between the star, the paparazzi and the invisible sidewalk vigilante who comes to Julia`s rescue.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leave her the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) alone!

HAMMER: Our story takes place in New York City, where every day, millions and millions of people walk the streets freely. Except, of course, for the biggest female movie star on the planet.

ROBERTS: Just make sure everybody gets what they need so we can all go on with our day, right?

HAMMER: As she steps out of her New York home, Julia tries to make a deal with the paparazzi. Get your pics and leave me the heck alone.

ROBERTS: Is everybody happy? Everybody got what they need?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any special plans for the holidays?

ROBERTS: Because I`m expecting you all to leave now, right?

HAMMER: And in case you didn`t catch her before -

ROBERTS: Is anybody hearing my voice? I`m expecting you guys to leave now, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

DARYL: Julia Roberts then gave them the shot and thought that they were done, and unfortunately, they weren`t. And I think that`s what really pushed her buttons, was the second day.

HAMMER: The next day, we see Julia out and about and this time, it`s open season on her. The scrum is so intense that the paparazzi almost collide with some baby carriages and that sets off Julia, a mother of three.

ROBERTS: Watch the babies, guys. Watch the babies. You just bumped into two carriages.

HAMMER: And in an only-in-New York moment, listen as various passers-by start taking Julia`s side, telling the paparazzi to back off the movie star.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leave her alone!

HAMMER (voice over): But the photographers ignore them. That is, until one guy gets in their faces.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? What did you say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE PAPARAZZO: We don`t want any problems.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don`t want no problem? Leave her alone! Leave her the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) alone! Take my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) picture.

HAMMER: All goes to show you that rich, powerful and internationally famous movie stars are one thing. But don`t mess with a New Yorker. A grateful Julia even gives the chivalrous fellow a pat on the back.

DARYL: I love this guy.

HAMMER: "TMZ TV`s" Katie Darryl tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Julia recently had another run-in with the paparazzi while she was in L.A.

DARYL: She was picking up her children at school in Los Angeles where a videographer was chasing and kind of following the incident. And she was behind her him in her vehicle honking the horn. And finally, he pulls over and she walks up the car window and starts scolding him about coming to her children`s school and tells him to turn of the video camera.

HAMMER: And as Julia`s New York encounter with the paparazzi comes to end, she makes the contempt for the profession very clear.

ROBERTS: You people embarrass yourselves. That`s what you do.

HAMMER: And get this. One photographer actually apologizes for the whole mess.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE PHOTOGRAPHER: Sorry about all of that.

HAMMER: That was polite of him. But TMZ`s Katie Daryl says the photographers didn`t do anything wrong.

DARYL: She was on a public sidewalk going to a, you know, public ATM and we were traveling a safe distance from her. We are just doing our job.

HAMMER: Maybe so, but as we`ve seen, when an A-list star squares off against the paparazzi, fireworks can ensue.

ROBERTS: You peopler embarrass yourselves. That`s what you do.

HAMMER: And America`s sweetheart doesn`t stay sweet for very long.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(on camera): It is a question we often ask, are the paparazzi crossing the line or should Julia Roberts and the rest of Hollywood`s big stars just suck it up and deal with what`s basically the price of fame.

Joining me tonight in New York, Court TV anchor, Lisa Bloom. From Hollywood tonight, celebrity publicist, Howard Bragman. The founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. He has certainly dealt with the paparazzi quite a bit in his history. And Lisa Bloom, I appreciate you being here as well.

And it is worth making the point one more time, that Julia Roberts was on a public sidewalk. Now, I absolutely adore Julia Roberts. I hate seeing her harassed like this. But Lisa, you know, come on. Is she kidding herself to think she can go out in public in New York City of all places and would be left alone?

LISA BLOOM, ANCHOR, COURT TV: You know, there are so many magazines and television shows and Web sites that are just hungry for this kind of video. And, look, celebrities seek out a life of fame and fortune. And part of the reason she`s so rich is because she has a public that loves her and wants to see pictures of her.

I don`t see anything in the video that`s harassing. The photographers are keeping a safe distance away from her. If they`re bumping into baby carriages, that`s a bad thing. But otherwise, I don`t see anybody getting hurt or doing anything wrong.

What I don`t like is the idea of them harassing her kids which apparently happened recently, taking photos of the kids flashing even flashbulbs in her kids` faces. That should be completely off limits. But Julia Roberts, I`m sorry. She could live in a gated community. She could have security. I`m not crying a lot of tears for her.

HAMMER: Yes, I do want to talk more about the kids in just a moment. But, Howard, I want your take on this, particularly as a publicist who works with some huge stars. You know, we saw Julia trying to make a little deal with the paparazzi there, basically saying, you know, get the shots you need and move on. But was she foolish to really think that they would actually leave her alone?

HOWARD BRAGMAN, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: Yes. She was a little naive. You can`t make a deal with the devil. I remember the cinematic masterpiece "Animal House." When they borrowed the car and it came back all trashed, and let me paraphrase here, "You messed up, you trusted us."

So, yes, I think she messed up. She trusted paparazzi. She didn`t get it in writing. And while it`s probably not really moral to chase somebody with kids, it is certainly legal at this point and that`s the issue.

HAMMER: Well, of course, Julia Roberts is not only the star who battles this constant attention. We are here talking about it quite often. And Brad Pitt says that he worries about protecting his kids from the cameras. I want you to listen to what Brad told CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRAD PITT, ACTOR: I`m very concerned about that. They call out my kids by name and shove cameras in their faces. I really believe there should be laws against that. I mean, my kids believe that any time you go outside the house, there`s just a wall of photographers and people that take your picture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: You know, Lisa, I have the same conversation with Brad`s partner Angelina Jolie expressing the same concern. So where should the line be drawn? Should kids of stars be off limits even if they`re out with their very famous parents in public?

BLOOM: I think they should. They didn`t sign up for this life. They`re children; they`re born into it. And they need a somewhat normal life if there`s any hope of them having a healthy and successful adulthood. Take pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie all you want when they`re out in public, but leave the kids out of it. I don`t see what possible argument there is for harassing children.

HAMMER: Yes. And it is a little frightening as we saw in that video a moment ago where there are baby carriages out on the street and paparazzi who - Yes, they maybe just trying to do their job. But, man, you know, look out for (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

(CROSS TALK)

BLOOM: Absolutely. A lot of people are out on the street in New York - old people, little babies, a lot of people.

HAMMER: There is one Oscar-winning star who definitely agrees with what Brad Pitt is saying and what Angelina Jolie has said. I`m talking about Whoopi Goldberg, the host of "The View." And she says that when it comes to approaching stars, there are some boundaries. Watch what Whoopi says.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": What I`m saying is it`s fine to speak to people. It is fine to see them. But if you see that they`re doing something or with their families, don`t be mad at them for saying I can`t do it right now. But people do come in and say, "Well, I`m never going to see you again." But that`s - "I`m never going to have my time with this person again." You know, it is a give and take. Celebrity is a give and take.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Howard Bragman, you`ve been out there walking the streets with big stars and restaurants with big star clients and friends of yours. So what do you say to people or fans who think, "Hey, you know, this star owes me because I bought tickets to see their movies?"

BRAGMAN: I`m saying what Whoopi says. Have a little class. Look for your moment. When somebody is in the middle with a mouthful of food, maybe not so much. If you see a chance to say hello, and say, say something appropriate, like, "I really love your work. I love your message," as opposed to one of my clients someone smacked her on the arm and goes, "I touched somebody famous," and she was ready to smack them back at this point. So be little sensitive. Be a little classy and I think you`ll get a good reception from the stars.

HAMMER: Yes. It`s really interesting and I have seen this and Lisa, I`m sure you have as well, where people sort of just lose all composure and don`t really know how to act. So there`s no accounting for peoples` behaviors when big stars are involved sometimes.

BLOOM: I think most people are lovely when they approach a celebrity or somebody they see on TV. They`re lovely. Whoopi Goldberg is Whoopi Goldberg because of her fans.

HAMMER: Exactly right. Lisa Bloom, Howard Bragman, thanks for talking with us tonight. Appreciate it.

BLOOM: Thanks.

BRAGMAN: Thanks.

So now, we want to hear what you think about it. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Stars out in public: Should the paparazzi leave them alone? Vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Send us an e-mail at showbiztonight@cnn.com. Do it from your desktop, your laptop, even your Blackberry or your cellphone. Tell us whatever is on your mind.

HAMMER: OK. Have you seen the new picture of Michael Jackson? I`ve got to tell you, I had just one thing to say when I saw it - are you kidding me? A truly bizarre look even for Michael Jackson. And that is just the beginning. Wait until you hear the other star stories that made us say, "Are you kidding me?" We`ll get into that at 30 minutes past the hour. We`ll also have this -

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEATHER MILLS, PAUL MCCARTNEY`S EX-WIFE: I can sell my story right now. I`m trying to protect Paul and our daughter. I`m trying and I`m being pushed to the edge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And Paul McCartney and Heather Mills weren`t the only star couple that pushed us to the edge this year with their knock-down, drag-out divorce battles. Straight ahead, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets down and dirty with the dirtiest divorces of the year.

HAMMER: And holy sequel Batman! Man, I can`t wait for this movie. I can tell you, I do not think it will disappoint all of the "Batman" fans out there. We`ve got your very first look at the "Dark Knight." That is still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You definitely will not want to miss it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MILLS: I can sell my story right now. I`m trying to protect Paul and our daughter. I am trying and I`m being pushed to the edge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: That was Heather Mills spilling her guts on a British television morning show about her dirty divorce drama with Paul McCartney. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You`re watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson.

Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is tackling the dirtiest divorces in Hollywood this year, all the mud slinging, the name calling. But hold on. There is hope. We have some solid advice for divorce stars who want to clean up their act in 2008.

With us tonight in New York, Dr. Robi Ludwig, psychotherapist and contributing editor for "Cookie Magazine." And in Hollywood, Ken Baker, editorial director of "UsMagazine.com." Dr. Robi and Ken, we`ve got to kick this one off with, you know, what we think is by far the dirtiest divorce battle of 2007, Heather Mills and Paul McCartney. This thing has been fiercer than a boxing match. Forget about the highlights here. Ken, what was the lowlight?

KEN BAKER, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, "USMAGAZINE.COM": Well, without a doubt, the lowlight was when Heather Mills went and made her desperate plea on television to have the media lay off of her and to try to sway public opinion in her favor. It was so desperate. It was so pathetic and it was such a failure that it was absolutely the low point that she felt like she had to go out there and really just on her knees beg people to say, "Hey, don`t look at me as a bad person. I`m not, I`m really not a bad person." And it was really over the top and it was definitely the lowlight.

ANDERSON: It completely backfired and, you know, look, there really is no hope at this point that these two can reconcile and get back to together. But Robi, how can Heather clean up her act in 2008, change her approach, have some dignity?

ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: I think she really needs to be purposeful here and the way to do that is think about her daughter. And really what`s healthy for her daughter is to say nice or neutral things about her ex, and for them to find a way to somehow forge a relationship that is about the child.

But if she cannot use the media as a way to feel better about herself, she`s going to be lot better off because that`s not what the media is for. They`re going to excite the mud slinging that`s going on already.

ANDERSON: Yes. Find a different way to approach the situation.

LUDWIG: Yes, very different.

ANDERSON: And I want to move now to Charlie Sheen. Yes. Charlie Sheen, you know, the star of the biggest comedy on television right now, "Two and a Half Men." His ex-wife, of course, is Denise Richards. Ken, they were already divorced when the year began. But the mudslinging never stopped. There are so many lowlights I hardly know where to begin. But what was the lowest point?

BAKER: Well, this fall, they both issued basically dueling statements accusing each other of various things. She was accusing him of being some sort of a sex addict and was dangerous around the children and didn`t want him to have any visits with the children that were unsupervised. He sort of fired back. He was insinuating that she was nuts and off her rocker. And that was really the low point when the two were just bashing it out because there was no high road that anyone was taking. It was all low road gutter and which is very, very ugly.

ANDERSON: And you know when I look at this situation with these two, it seems that it`s a lost cause. And it`s a real shame to me that they have two small daughters who are caught in the middle of this. Robi, how can they move forward in a more positive way in 2008?

LUDWIG: You know what? It`s never a lost cause. You have to remember this is a couple that decided to put their children in therapy. I think they need to start remembering what it is that they once liked about one another. And even though they`re no longer with a marital relationship with each other, they can have and will have a relationship. So it`s up to them to decide, hey, what`s going to make my life easier? If I somehow find good things about my ex, wish them well. Otherwise you`re bringing old baggage into the new life and that doesn`t make anyone happier.

ANDERSON: Yes, that`s great advice. Well, then of course, you`ve got Kevin Federline and Britney Spears, their divorce. Both of their attorneys were back in court today, wrangling over child custody. I lost track over how many times they`ve been in court this year fighting. Ken, what has been their lowlight?

BAKER: Well, for me, the lowlight was when Britney had the kids taken out of her custody. That`s every mother`s nightmare. It was absolutely a sad point. It was really I think for Britney a low point, and really, let`s face it, a low point for those kids and that family.

You know, I think what needs to happen for Britney to learn from that and it seems as though she has. And if you notice, she`s not getting drunk and partying in public like she used to. And she seems to have learned from that low point.

And it`s hard to say, you know, that she is climbing back but she actually is. She has made some progress but she had to hit rock bottom with those kids being taken away from her before she started to act in a more parental fashion.

ANDERSON: Well, Dr. Robi, what is your advice for Britney? Because a lot of people say she needs some serious help.

LUDWIG: Well, I think everybody agrees that Britney needs to get sober. She needs to get help. She probably needs to not be working for a good full year so she can clear her head. But the bottom line is she needs to learn how to make a healthier choice in a spouse who has good character and who can work well with her and not just on sexuality.

ANDERSON: Well, thank you both for your advice -

BAKER: Well, actually, if I can just say, she was lucky that she had K- Fed. K-Fed has been the one holding the fort down taking care of the kids.

ANDERSON: He does seem to have been the rock here in this divorce drama. No one would have believed that a year ago.

BAKER: Absolutely.

ANDERSON: But here we are. Ken Baker, Dr. Robi Ludwig, we`ll leave it there. Thank you both for joining us.

LUDWIG: Thank you.

BAKER: Thank you.

HAMMER: Well, Kate Hudson speaking out about the men in her life, opening up about her ex-husband Chris Robinson and what their relationship is like now. And, the question on everybody`s mind, what about Owen Wilson? Kate, in her own words, coming up next. We will also have this -

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Is anybody hearing my voice? I`m expecting you guys to leave now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: I really feel for Julia Roberts. She was absolutely hounded on the streets of New York City as the paparazzi refused to leave her alone, even banging into baby strollers. But she was out in public, so it begs the question - do stars ever deserve privacy? That is coming up.

HAMMER: And I`ve got to tell you, I had just one thing to say when I saw the new pictures of Michael Jackson that surfaced - "Are you kidding me?" Man, it is a bizarre look even for Michael Jackson. And that`s, you know, pretty tough to do. It`s also just the beginning. Wait until you hear the other star stories that made us say, "Are you kidding me?" We`ll get into all that at 30 minutes past the hour here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Wednesday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Crime and Punishment." What a year it`s been for celebrities. Think about it. Britney lost custody of her kids. Lindsay and Nicole had their blink-and-you`d-miss-them prison terms while Paris spent three weeks behind bars. Did the punishments fit the crimes? A SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report "Crime and Punishment," Wednesday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

ANDERSON: Kate Hudson is opening up about the men in her life and has a great new photo shoot with her number one guy. That would be her 4-year- old son Ryder. In a new issue of "Vogue" magazine, he is her partner in some really cute photos.

Now, in the article, Kate says divorcing Ryder`s father Chris Robinson of the "Black Crows" was the most difficult thing she has ever done in her life. She says after they had Ryder, she and Chris looked at each other and just realized something was kind of off and she didn`t want Ryder to suffer. Kate says Ryder is a very happy boy and that she and Chris actually helped each other through the divorce and still talk several times a day.

When it comes to the end of her relationship with Owen Wilson, Kate says many things are better left unsaid. She said that Owen is a lovely person and loves him dearly and wishes him health and everything he wants in life. For more with Kate Hudson, pick up a copy of "Vogue" magazine. It`s on newsstands now in New York and L.A. and nationally, December 24th.

HAMMER: All right. Have you seen the newest pictures of Michael Jackson? I got to say, are you kidding me? Truly a bizarre look even for Michael Jackson. And wait until you hear the other star stories that is made us say, "Are you kidding me?" That is coming up next. we`ll also have this -

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Is anybody hearing my voice? I`m expecting you guys to leave now.

ANDERSON: Julia Roberts hounded on the streets of New York City as the paparazzi refused to leave her alone. They were even banging into baby strollers. But she was out in public on the sidewalk, so it begs the question, do stars ever deserve privacy? We`ve got that story straight ahead.

HAMMER: And holy sequel, Batman. I`ve got to tell you, I cannot wait for this movie. And Batman fans, I can tell you, you will not be disappointed. Wait until you get your very first look at "The Dark Knight." That is still to come and you don`t want to miss it on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(NEWS BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, are you kidding me? Michael Jackson, not exactly the most normal guy around, but what is with the bandages on his face? Or how about Pam Anderson married for just a couple of months and files for divorce, again? New right now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the stories that have us saying, "Are you kidding me?"

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Is anybody hearing my voice? I`m expecting you guys to leave now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: The pretty woman`s ugly battle. Tonight, we`ve got the entire dramatic video of Julia Roberts` nasty fight with the paparazzi. They just wouldn`t leave her alone. Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking the tough questions - are stars prisoners of their own fame or should they just deal with it?

(MUSIC)

Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.

ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment TV news show.

HAMMER: Well, tonight, Brooke, there are some really big stories out there that are so outrageous, all I can say is, "Are you kidding me?" Man, I`ve been waiting all day for that. We paid big bucks for that effect.

First up, let`s talk about Michael Jackson. Get a load of this. He is looking absolutely stranger than I have ever seen him. And for Michael, well, hey, not an easy thing to do.

And then there`s a group of feisty bloggers who are actually blaming Jessica Simpson for the Dallas Cowboys losing a big game. I mean, what the heck is that about?

And, as if that`s not enough, Pamela Anderson decides to divorce Rick Salomon, her hubby of two months but then, oh no, never mind. False alarm. She changed her mind.

Seriously, don`t you just want to join in with me and say, "Are you kidding me?" Now particularly, that boing effect - I really think that takes it over the top.

Joining me tonight, once again, in New York, Court TV anchor, Lisa Bloom. In Hollywood tonight, "UsMagazine.com`s" editorial director, Ken Baker. And E! Online`s "Watch with Kristin" columnist, Kristin Dos Santos.

Gang, all right. We have a lot to get to here. And first up, we`ve got to talk about Michael Jackson. I was a huge Michael Jackson fan back in the day, but then I saw this photo in the newspapers today that made us say, "Are you kidding me?" Let`s take look at now.

Michael Jackson at a bookstore in Las Vegas with his two kids, the bandages all over his face, big scarf on his head. Ken Baker, I just got to ask, doesn`t Jacko know by now when he goes out in public like this, people are going to talk?

BAKER: A.J., give him a break. The guy cut himself shaving and he had to bandage himself.

HAMMER: Right.

BLOOM: Sure.

BAKER: Get off his back. Can anyone just leave him alone? No, look at it. Michael Jackson obviously loves attention. I don`t think he intended to be photographed there. But do you remember about 10 or 15 years ago, there were those bizarre photographs of him in a hyperbaric chamber on the cover of the "National Enquirer?" There`s rumors he actually staged all that for attention.

So, you know, the fact is that he loves to get attention. I don`t think in this case he wanted us to see him with the bizarre bandages all over his face. At least I hope not. That would just be too weird.

BAKER: Yes. Just splash a little -

KRISTIN DOS SANTOS, COLUMNIST, "WATCH WITH KRISTIN": I think he absolutely wanted us to see him. I mean, why would you go and spend three hours in Barnes and Noble if you`re Michael Jackson without thinking that you`re going to raise paparazzi attention? This is a huge cry for attention and possibly help, but clearly, he is an attention whore.

BLOOM: And A.J., I`ve got a theory if I can just chime in quickly.

HAMMER: Please.

BLOOM: I don`t think you can get plastic surgery on the skin around your mouth. I`ve never heard of that. I think, maybe, he was punched in the face by some angry teenage boy.

HAMMER: Why, yes. Let`s not even - let`s not travel down that road now, Lisa.

BLOOM: It`s just a theory. It`s just a theory.

BAKER: That`s a little old.

HAMMER: Coming from the legal world, you should know better than that. And I have to say that Michael Jackson`s spokesperson quoted is saying - people wondered about a medical procedure. As far as the spokesperson knows, no medical procedures lately and they had no idea what was up with the bandages. So really, the whole thing is kind of fishy.

Perhaps even more strange than the photo, the fact that two of the kids here are named Prince Michael I and Prince Michael II, also known as Blanket, of course. And he still takes them out in public with their faces covered. What do you think, Kristin? Would it be an understatement to say that Jacko is not your traditional dad?

DOS SANTOS: Oh, come on now. We should nominate him for Father of the Year. This is just a Norman Rockwell-esque picture, don`t you think? Now, obviously, I mean these kids are in some very serious hot water. And I think that they should be taken away from him. If Britney Spears, you know, can have her kids taken away for showing her hoohah, and he`s running around with his face like that, those kids should definitely be taken away. Give them to K-Fed.

ANDERSON: All right. Yes, K-Fed is here to save the day in 2007. Who knew? I want to move on to our next big story that made all of us here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT say, "Are you kidding me?"

This one really blows my mind. Now look this. On the left-side of your screen, the lovely Jessica Simpson, pretty in pink in her jersey out there at a Dallas Cowboys game. For the very first time, she`s actually there, publicly supporting her boyfriend, Cowboys` quarterback Tommy Romo, and that`s all well and fine. But what`s outrageous is the fact of die- hard Cowboy fans who are saying now that Tony screwed up the game because Jessica was there. Ken, granted Tony had a terrible game, but is it really fair to blame Jessica for the Cowboys` loss? I mean, come on.

BAKER: No, it`s not. But, you know, he did have his worst game of the season. He had a 22 pass rating. He usually has over 100.

OK, but guess what? His hand was busted up. He couldn`t even squeeze the football. It`s his hand`s fault. It had nothing to do with Jessica Simpson. He is a professional. He knows how to perform.

I just don`t think it had anything to do with Jessica Simpson. And actually, I`m going to defend her. I`m the first one to say, "Jessica, leave him alone. Don`t ruin his career." But guess what? The guy couldn`t grip the football. So all the bloggers out there blaming Jessica, stop it. They`re wrong.

HAMMER: I don`t think the big pouty lips were causing that big of a distraction. Now, "People" magazine is reporting that some die-hard fans were actually heckling Romo, saying things like, you know, "Worry about the game and not your girlfriend." Now, Lisa Bloom, really not fair, is it?

BLOOM: You know, women get blamed for everything ever since Yoko Ono got blamed for the break-up of the Beatles. And that was Jessica Simpson`s fault that a football player plays badly. I guess we are responsible for the recent snowstorms in the northeast, too. I mean, come on, come on. This guy`s is responsible for his own game.

HAMMER: Hold on a second Lisa Bloom. This is just in, you are responsible for the bandages of Michael Jackson`s face. Didn`t realize that. All right.

BLOOM: I didn`t do it.

HAMMER: All right. Another story that we have to get to, and maybe you`re to blame for this, as well, made all of us say, "Are you kidding me?" Just gets better and better each time even though it`s the same thing.

Pamela Anderson, our favorite pin-up declared that she was fed up with her two-month marriage to Rick Salomon. She actually filed for divorce. They got in some kind of a little tiff and said, "Ah, divorced."

Wait. Never mind. Things cooled down apparently because days later, she said, no divorce. The two were spotted shopping together. What do you think, Kristin, just another example of a stable Hollywood marriage here?

DOS SANTOS: Well, I think this is really just a picture of Hollywood love. The two of them obviously were very well-known for their sex tapes and she actually told Ellen back in September that the way that they started their romantic relationship was that she was paying off a gambling debt to him with sexual favors. So, you know, I think young love is just beautiful.

HAMMER: Well, I think, you know, we talk about how the foundation of a marriage depending on how it starts. It can often determine how things will go in a future. So, let me for a moment, if you`ll indulge me, put this in perspective for you. As we know, it is the third marriage for both of Pamela and Rick.

And to give you an idea of how these two roll, they were married in Las Vegas as we know, during an hour and a half break that Anderson had between, you know, sets on her magic show skit. So, what do you think, Ken Baker? Do these guys have any sense of reality whatsoever?

BAKER: What are you saying, A.J.? That women can`t work? Is that what you`re saying? Can`t work and get married on the work breaks? Lisa? Come on. Join me in here.

BLOOM: Yes, nice - Look, it`s the holiday season. I myself am very busy. I had to do my cards. I had to do my shopping. I had to get married. I had to go to a party. I had to get divorced and had to have three kids. I did that all today.

HAMMER: Nice.

BAKER: But honestly, A.J., here`s the real story. Besides the fact that Pam is totally out of her mind, she is still mentally married to Tommy Lee. All the sources I have ever talked to who know Pam and know all about that dynamic with Tommy say that he really controls a lot that she does. The reason why these marriages still aren`t working for her - Kid Rock and Rick Salomon, whatever - is not because they`re bad marriages which they are. It`s really because she still is really connected to Tommy and a prediction for `08, she and Tommy are going to get back together. They are going to get married again.

HAMMER: Well, I have to say, Ken Baker, I don`t think they`re just close friends that know about the dynamic between Tommy and Pam. I think it`s everybody who has seen that very infamous tape.

BAKER: Touche!

BLOOM: I don`t know what you`re talking about. I really don`t.

HAMMER: I haven`t seen it myself. I have just heard of it. I`m aware of it. All right, gang. Well, thank you very much. And is it possible before we go - Charles, I`m sorry to put you on the spot here. Can we see it just one more time? Because it`s the last chance we get to say, "Are you kidding me?" Ken Baker and Lisa Bloom and Kristin Dos Santos. I appreciate it.

BLOOM: Thank you

DOS SANTOS: Happy holiday.

BAKER: Thanks.

HAMMER: All right. You know what else has me saying, are you kidding me? The paparazzi who just wouldn`t leave Julia Roberts alone. Look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Is anybody hearing my voice? I`m expecting you guys to leave now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: I mean she let them do the thing, you know, do their job, take their pictures. But then they came back, even bumping into baby carriages just so they could follow her everywhere. I`ve got to tell you. It makes me angry. I can only imagine how Julia feels about it. Coming up, I`ve got the entire the dramatic video you`ve got to see.

ANDERSON: A.J., I hear you on that, but here`s a tough question for you. Should stars just deal with this? I mean, don`t they know this comes with the territory? Or on the other hand, are they prisoners of their own fame? I`ve got a very revealing showbiz special report coming up.

And hey, I`m really psyched for this one. I know the boss is, too. Executive producer Dave Levine couldn`t contain himself in the morning meeting. I have the first look at the new Batman film, "The Dark Knight," next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, the pretty woman`s ugly war. As we told you earlier, there is shocking video out showing Julia Roberts being hounded by the paparazzi on the streets of New York City.

Now, she politely posed and then she asked that they go away. But they came back the very next day, followed her everywhere, and that really set her off. You`ve got to see this. We`ve got the entire tape now courtesy of friends over at TMZ, and it`s got me really annoyed at these photographers. So, take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Just make sure everybody gets what they need so we can all go on with our day, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE PAPARAZZO: Just one more down here. Sorry.

ROBERTS: Is everybody happy? Everybody got what they need?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE PAPARAZZO: Any plans for the holidays?

ROBERTS: I`m expecting you all to leave now, right? Is anybody hearing my voice? I`m expecting you guys to leave now. Right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE PAPARAZZO: Wow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE PAPARAZZO: That`s nuts.

ROBERTS: Watch the babies, guys. Watch the babies. You just bumped into two carriages.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Leave her alone!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leave her alone!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? What did you say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE PAPARAZZO: We don`t want any problems.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don`t want no problem? Leave her alone! Leave her the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) alone! Take my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) picture, punk!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She don`t need that. She don`t need that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don`t be a hero. Don`t be a hero. Don`t be hamming too hero.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you laughing at?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don`t be a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) hero.

ROBERTS: You people embarrass yourselves. That`s what you do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Julia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Julia. I appreciate it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE PAPARAZZO: Have a good holiday. Sorry about all that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, Julia Roberts isn`t the only movie star fighting for her privacy. Now, our showbiz special report "Prisoners of Fame." Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan are also so famous that they are practically prisoners of their own fame. Paparazzi surround them everywhere they go. But tonight, should we feel sorry for them or is this just the price they have to pay for superstar status? (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WENTWORTH MILLER, ACTOR: We`ve got a problem.

ANDERSON (voice over): On Fox`s "Prison Break," Wentworth Miller`s character goes to extremes to free his wrongly convicted brother. Talk about drama. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, for some stars, there`s no escape from their own prison, a prison built on their own fame. Britney Spears. Lindsay Lohan. Angelina and Brad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: A couple of the guys were doing the stakeout at Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt`s House in Malibu.

MAGGIE GALLANT, PUBLIC RELATIONS GURU: What makes them prisoners of fame is they can`t go anywhere. Not a single move they make is not chronicled on camera.

ANDERSON: Public relations guru Maggie Gallant tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the jail doors in the prison of fame are getting tougher to breakout of.

GALLANT: We are seeing examples of extreme fame where celebrities become the prey. They are being hunted by the paparazzi. And when your children can`t leave a particular area, when they can`t leave their school, when you can`t - are not free to grab a cup of coffee, you are a prisoner because the price for these photos is at an all-time high.

ANDERSON: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt know all too well about being hunted. Wherever they travel around the world, and they do a lot of that, the paparazzi are always hot on their trail. Jolie tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the constant swarm of photographers made working on her film "A Mighty Heart" particularly tough.

ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: It was hardest for Brad. He was there with the kids and taking care of the kids. And they were very limited on where they could go. And it`s hard to be stuck in a tiny little place with three children and trying to entertain them for two months while mom is working. So it was difficult, and for that it made me sad when I`d see my kids kind of trapped. And I`ve been wanting them to just be able to go for walks and go meet people and do things. And it was impossible there.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, POP STAR: If you live in Los Angeles and you are traveling around Hollywood, you can expect to have your picture taken at some point.

ANDERSON: Justin Timberlake is another star who knows what it`s like to be a prisoner of his own fame. Justin tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the paparazzi, who are almost like prison guards, sometimes go too far.

TIMBERLAKE: My thing is when things are muttered or yelled at or you feel like your space is encroached upon for the sake of getting a picture of you looking uncomfortable, that`s when I feel like it`s overstepped the lines.

ANDERSON: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that some feel the stars should just quit their belly aching. Radio talk show host and former child star Danny Bonaduce tells us stars who complain about the intense spotlight need to just shut up.

DANNY BONADUCE, FORMER CHILD STAR: Everybody has every right to any part of me, or them that they want, because I sold myself to you. I do it on purpose. If you want to come up on me and ask me anything, say anything you want, you have that right because I sold myself to you and you bought and I`m grateful.

ANDERSON: Bonaduce may be grateful, but what about stars like Lindsay Lohan who couldn`t even go to rehab without prying long lenses trying to get a glimpse of her? Or Britney Spears who can`t go anywhere without her paparazzi prison guards following her? But some stars actually get addicted to the prison they are in. Dr. Drew Pinsky has done extensive research on celebrities and fame.

DR. DREW PINSKY, HOST, VH1`S "CELEBRITY REHAB": It somehow rules them and runs out of control. I think it`s more of an issue of them being almost addicted to it. There`s people crawling into their lives, crawling into their personal lives, and it`s uncomfortable. It`s very uncomfortable for them. Yet, still, they tend to flirt with it and tend to miss it when it`s not there.

ANDERSON: Still, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, stars like Britney could do a thing or two to escape their prison.

GALLANT: Celebrities can avoid by being a prisoners of fame by, number one, not going to hot spots where paparazzi are camped out every day. Number two, don`t do a reality show. Once you invite the cameras into your home to chronicle your every move, they are going to want to continue to do so. Number three, wear underwear.

PINSKY: There is no doubt in my mind that the superstars of this world could develop a normal life. But you, as the individual, must make that the priority. Not going around saving the world, not being bigger than life. Not flirting with the paparazzi but quietly living a normal, simple life.

ANDERSON: A normal, simple life - the key that could become their get out of jail free card.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Not just the stars who have to deal with being prisoners. Will Batman make the Joker a prisoner, put him back behind bars?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Why so serious?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Where is he?

HAMMER (voice over): Let me tell you, this is no laughing matter. The Joker is really angry. Will Batman save Gotham city? Your first look at "The Dark Knight," coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. I`m very excited about this because tonight I`ve got your showbiz first look at "The Dark Knight." This is the new Batman movie starring Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine and Heath Ledger. Quite a cast. Batman battles the Joker and I`ve got to tell you, it`s no laughing matter. The Joker is doing some really deadly stuff.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEATH LEDGER, ACTOR: Change things. Forever. There`s no going back. See, to them, you`re just a freak. Like me.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: What have we got?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Nothing. No name. No other alias. Clothing is custom. Nothing in his pockets but knives and lint.

LEDGER: Evening, commissioner. Why so serious? Where is he?

CHRISTIAN BALE, ACTOR: People are dying. What would you have me do?

MICHAEL CAINE: Endure. You can be the albatross. You can make the choice that no one else will face. The right choice. Gotham needs you.

LEDGER: A little fight in you. I like that. You`re going to love me.

CAINE: Now, that`s more like it, Mr. Wayne.

LEDGER: It`s all part of the plan. Come on! Hit me!

HAMMER: No question about it. This one has plenty of pow, sock and zam. "The Dark Knight" swoops into theaters next summer.

ANDERSON: On Monday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Will Smith: Is he the biggest movie star in the world?" Twenty-three percent of you say yes; 77 percent of you say no.

Here`s an e-mail. April from Nevada thinks, "Will Smith may not be the biggest Hollywood actor out there, but he certainly is a man that many can respect."

HAMMER: Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.

ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" coming up next. Keep it here. Take care.

END