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Showbiz Tonight
Scientology Video; Lohan Details; Dr. Phil`s Apology; Britney`s Obituary
Aired January 18, 2008 - 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: Let me tell you, I wouldn`t wish Lindsay Lohan`s punishment for her two DUI convictions on anyone. You`ve got to hear this. And a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Hannah Montana exclusive. The amazing surprise we`ve got for a very generous, giving young girl. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a new Britney Spears` blockbuster. Tonight, one of the most important news organizations in the world writes a Britney obituary. Why did they make such a disturbing decision?
Plus, Dr. Phil`s shocking flip-flop. What he`s now saying about that controversial post melt down Britney hospital visit. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the breaking Britney news.
The shocking Tom Cruise Scientology tape. Take two. First, it was his stunning thoughts about crime, drugs and changing peoples` lives. Now, tonight, Cruise going off about September 11th, why he`s calling government officials liars. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the Tom Cruise Scientology tapes.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting, tonight and every night from New York City. Brooke Anderson is on assignment at the Sundance Film Festival. We`ll be hearing from Brooke in just a bit. Tonight, you are not going to believe what Lindsay Lohan is going to have to do part of the punishment for her two DUI convictions. If this doesn`t straighten her out for good, nothing will. That is coming up.
But first, tonight, Britney in crisis. I have to tell you, there`s something really unsettling that has been coming out about Britney Spears. Some news from one of the world`s biggest distributors of news which has now revealed it is now preparing an obituary about Britney Spears just in case. And while it`s not uncommon for news organizations to do this, this news is a disturbing and symbolic example of how worried so many people are about Britney Spears.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HOST, TRU TV`S "HOLLYWOOD HEAT": My concern is that she`s the biggest danger to herself.
HAMMER (voice over): The disturbing life of Britney Spears has already landed her in the hospital, in rehab, in the tabloids. It`s caused her to lose custody of her kids, and now it has those around her worrying about her future.
KEN SEELEY, INTERVENTIONIST, A & E`s "INTERVENTION": She`s very, very ill. And if they don`t take this seriously, she`s going to die. We`re going to be attending her funeral like we did with Anna Nicole.
HAMMER: And now, the media are starting to prepare for the worst. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed the Associated Press has started preparing a Britney Spears obituary. "Us" magazine quotes AP`s entertainment editor as saying, "We are not wishing it, but if Britney passed away, it`s easily one of the biggest stories in a long time."
He goes on to say, quote, "Of course, we would never wish any type of misfortune on anybody and hope that we would never have to use it until 50 years from now. But if something were to happen, we would have to be prepared."
Entertainment journalist Ken Baker tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it may be morbid but these pre-made obituaries are not unusual.
KEN BAKER, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Media outlets like the AP have to have these obits ready because when someone does die, they have to turn around these things instantly and so they end up stockpiling them. Usually, it`s for very old people, not for someone who`s 26 years old.
HAMMER: It`s another sure sign of the serious concerns people have about Britney.
GILLIAN SHELDON, SUPERVISING PRODUCER, "TMZ": There is a group of people - family members, other professionals around her who desperately want her to get mental help.
HAMMER: And then, there are the on the road car chase cat-and-mouse games Britney plays with the paparazzi almost every day which Rosie O`Donnell says makes her fear Britney could face the same fate as Princess Di. But Tru TV`s Ashleigh Banfield tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the paparazzi isn`t as much of a danger to Britney as Britney is to herself.
BANFIELD: It`s entirely possible there`s an accident that results from this crash. I`m more concerned about the mental health issues of Britney and whether we`ll be facing headlines about her suicide.
DR. PHIL MCGRAW, TV PSYCHOLOGIST: I do think she is a suicide risk.
HAMMER: Among those worried about Britney, TV psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw, who`s devoted whole episodes of his show to helping Britney.
MCGRAW: Right now, I believe Britney is so out of control she probably couldn`t stop this if she wanted to.
HAMMER: And he`s taking a lot of heat for visiting Britney in the hospital earlier this month after her well-publicized breakdown and police standoff. Now ,SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the very confident TV doctor -
MCGRAW: Do you know how many million people watch this show?
HAMMER: Is about to go on his talk show and do something he hardly ever does. Admit he was wrong. In a major new development, Dr. Phil is now saying he was wrong to release a statement announcing he had visited Spears in the hospital after her breakdown. According to "USA Today," in an episode of the show that airs Monday, Dr. Phil says about the statement, quote, "Was it helpful to the situation? Regrettably, no. I definitely think if I had to do it over again, I probably wouldn`t make any statement at all. Period."
LOU TAYLOR, SPEARS FAMILY SPOKESWOMAN: What`s wrong with Dr. Phil`s statement is that he made a statement.
HAMMER: Right after Dr. Phil released that controversial Britney statement, a spokeswoman for the Spears` family went on the "Today" show and let him have it, accusing Dr. Phil of harming the family`s delicate relationship with the troubled pop star.
TAYLOR: Here you have Britney that needs to have some security, somewhere. I mean, when do you ever rest in that if you`re constantly in fear of being exploited?
HAMMER: Now, Phil is stressing he`s only sorry for the statement and not for visiting Britney, whom he says is in, quote, "dire need of both medical and psychological intervention." And judging by things like Britney`s bizarre breakdown and now the AP`s preemptive obituary, it`s hard to argue.
BAKER: I`m not surprised the AP would have an obit ready for Britney. It really shows just how tragic and precarious her life has become.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Truly, this is all just a reminder of how serious the crisis in Britney`s life has been and still remains.
Joining us tonight from Hollywood, investigative journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, author of the book, "Secrets Can Be Murder." And back with us, entertainment journalist Ken Baker who you just saw in our story.
Ken and Jane, once again, I believe it is worth pointing out that it`s not unusual at all for news organizations to prepare obituaries before anybody has died in the case of stars, in the case of politicians, significant people in the world. But what has gotten so much attention here is that this is for somebody who`s just 26 years old, even as famous as she is. Jane, does it really just serve as a grim reminder of how people think that the worst may happen to Britney Spears?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: You know, A.J., of all the sad episodes we have covered vis a vis Britney Spears, I think this is the saddest, that one of the premier news organizations in the entire world has concluded her behavior is so self-destructive that there`s a very good chance she might die. I certainly hope and pray this is no self-fulfilling prophesy but rather a wake-up call to her.
Look at yourself, the way the rest of the world is looking at you. This is becoming a classic Hollywood tragedy along the lines of "The Day of the Locust" or "Sunset Boulevard" where Norma Desmond, so convinced of her own indestructibility and obsessed with her own fame descends into madness. And as she`s being taken away by the cops, says, "Mr. DeMille, I`m ready for my close-up." Britney Spears is approaching that level of self delusion.
HAMMER: And you reiterated a good point, we are talking about the Associated Press here, not some sleazy tabloid. What do you think, Ken Baker? Again, it is so unusual for somebody who`s only 26 years old to have an obit prepared for them while they`re still alive. So did the news about the obit surprise you?
BAKER: Yes. Well, on the media side of things, I worked for a major magazine about ten years ago. And I remember us preparing obituaries for stars are still alive today, but they had had some troubles, maybe some encounters with drugs or alcohol or they`ve been hospitalized. So it`s actually something that`s really common, but I think it`s just shocking because Britney is so young.
Now, on Britney`s side of things, I think I just have to take a little bit of contrarian(ph) view here. If you really look at Britney through the last two or three days, honestly, she`s looked happy as ever.
I mean she`s been smiling, joking around. She`s enjoying her time with her boyfriend. She`s playing around with the paparazzi. She may or may not be setting up photos. She seems to be maybe in a lot of denial but at least she`s not in the mopey scary sort of mode where there`s an expressionlessness(ph) on her face. I mean compared to that night they wheeled her off to the hospital on a stretcher, she seems to be doing a lot better mentally and I`m not going to diagnose here via "CNN HEADLINE NEWS." But I will say she just appears to be a little bit more stabilized than she was two weeks ago.
HAMMER: No. I think everybody who`s been paying attention to her and the story has noticed the same thing. There certainly has been a great inconsistency in her behavior over the past many months, but we`d much rather see her on this side of the behavior, a little more perhaps even joyful.
But I want to go back to something you were alluding to, Jane, because imagine for a minute that you`re Britney Spears. You flip open the newspaper and you see this story which has become a national news story, the fact that your obit is prepared. Is it too much to hope that she might actually see this as a wake-up call?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I certainly hope that`s precisely what happens. I remember when I interviewed Nick Nolte after his DUI incident. And he said, you know, it was the best thing that ever happened. It was an intervention by the California Highway Patrol and he thanked them.
And in a sense, this could be an intervention by the Associated Press, where when you realize an institution of that power is saying, "Hey, honey, you are in trouble. You could die. We`re going to prepare an obit just in case," if that could give her a moment of clarity.
And that`s what you call hitting bottom. A moment of clarity where you see yourself as others see you and you look in the mirror and you see yourself for who you really are. And you go, "Oh my god, I need help." That`s what every addict, including myself has experienced when they hit bottom.
HAMMER: Well, Dr. Phil trying to help her to that end. And I want to make sure that we get to this. He`s finally releasing a statement or apologizing for releasing the statement after he visited Britney in the hospital after her meltdown a couple of weeks ago. Ken Baker, what took so long for mea culpa to come about?
BAKER: Well, I don`t know what took so long, but it may start with an "E" and end with an "O" and might have the letter "G" in the middle of those two letters. But what`s clear is that at least he has admitted that he made a mistake.
Now, when he did that and came out with a statement just within hours of meeting with Britney at the hospital and it just really came across as tacky, I think that everyone sort of realized, you know, that was a really bad idea. But he didn`t back down. He`s now doing the right thing.
HAMMER: I`ve got to wrap you up there, Ken, we are definitely out of time. I think his intentions were good the whole time and happy to see he is finally at least saying, "This may not have been my best move." Jane Velez-Mitchell, Ken Baker, thank you for being here.
All right, I`ve got more shocking Britney news coming up. Even with all these problems, Britney is going to host a huge party. Unbelievable.
OK. Also, unbelievable, a startling new Tom Cruise Scientology video. First, it was his stunning thoughts about crime, drugs and changing people`s lives. Now, tonight, Cruise is going off about September 11th, calling government officials liars. You cannot miss this, coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILEY CYRUS, STAR OF "HANNAH MONTANA": Hey, Jada, how is it going? It is Miley Cyrus. I was so excited to see you on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your story and what you did for your friend Gabby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I am so happy we`re doing this story and you won`t see it anywhere else. Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, an amazing "Hannah Montana" surprise for a very generous little girl. You won`t believe what she did for a sick classmate. That`s coming up.
And Lindsay Lohan. You know, I think she might be finally turning her life around. At least I hope she is and she`s starting off in a morgue. You`ve got to stick around the find out why she`s hanging around dead people. That`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with another Tom Cruise Scientology shocker. This time, about Tom`s involvement with the aftermath of September 11th.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. All this week, we`ve been hearing about a startling video Tom Cruise made that became part of a recruitment tape for the Church of Scientology.
Now, more from that tape has surfaced and it reveals Cruise`s controversial involvement in trying to help workers who helped clean up after the aftermath of 9/11 and the terrorist attack.
Joining us tonight from Hollywood, CNN entertainment correspondent Kareen Wynter. Also from New York tonight, Ashleigh Banfield, host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat." Kareen, Ashleigh, let me kick this off by showing you a clip from the Scientology tape.
Now, the tape was made back in 2004. It happened at a time when Tom Cruise had received a big humanitarian award from the Church of Scientology. I want you to take a look at a part of their opening ceremony. In it, Tom is speaking out against the health problems associated with the World Trade Center collapse. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR AND SCIENTOLOGIST: The EPA came out and said the air was clean and, of course, Scientologists, you go, that`s a lie. Out point lie. You go, liar. Fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Kareen, pretty bold statement Tom Cruise making there. It has been known that the Church of Scientology has been offering alternative medicine to 9/11 workers who haven`t been getting better. But should we be at all surprised at Tom`s involvement?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Oh no. Every time I listen to that and I watch the videos that surfaced and all the tapes that are out, it`s like you`re on the edge of your seat wondering, what is going on with Tom Cruise?
This isn`t a man and his religion with strong conviction here. It`s Tom Cruise and Scientology on a whole different level, A.J.. And listen to his references when you watch all the tapes that have come out where he says, "With Scientology, we`re the authority here. You`re either in or you`re out." While we don`t share this view, there`s so many critics out there who see this as being cultish and this is really why.
HAMMER: Yes. On the 9/11 thing, it`s so fascinating to me to hear him speaking out like this. Ashleigh Banfield, that`s why I wanted to have you here because you were right down there at ground zero the day that the towers were hit. You covered the story for a long time. You have a firsthand knowledge of what went on there. So, what do you make of Tom`s claims against the government?
BANFIELD: It`s crap. And I don`t mean to be rude but I think it`s rude that he`s suggesting there were no government, you know, there was no government representation. I personally developed a rash down by right arm in about day three of coverage down there and was so concerned about it. I sought medical attention.
I was ushered into a tent whereby no less than a military general had a good look at me along with several other doctors. They asked me very pointed questions about my exposure. They`re very concerned about a chemical attack. It`s absolute garbage that Tom Cruise would suggest there was no one from the government down to help people who have been exposed in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.
HAMMER: Do you think he needs to be called out for having come forward -
BANFIELD: Yes.
HAMMER: Saying what he`s been saying?
BANFIELD: Yes. I`m angry. I think that`s rude. I think it`s irresponsible. I think it makes him look like he is a sycophantic follower of a cult. And I think it`s misleading to a country that`s still stinging from the worst attack on this country by terrorists ever.
HAMMER: Yes. There`s no question about that. It is a wound that will not soon heal. And obviously, this was not the first time that Tom has attached himself to a controversial medical practice. We all remember he spoke out against antidepressants on the "Today" show. Kareen, I cannot imagine that this latest 9/11 controversy can help Tom`s image at all, or can it?
WYNTER: Absolutely not. I agree 100 percent with Ashleigh. It`s not only shocking, but you know, we`re seeing, again, A.J., a side of Tom Cruise that we`re not used to seeing. And you know what? It`s scary. It`s not a favorable light here.
And I don`t know who he has in his camp but he better be working on some serious damage control. And everything we`re talking about, everything that we`re seeing, the public`s seeing. Look at the Internet Web sites, especially the celebrity ones, they`re having a field day with this. And they`re manipulating the tape over and over again.
HAMMER: Well, Ashleigh, why do you think it is that so many of the 9/11 workers are embracing the Church of Scientology here?
BANFIELD: I`m not sure there are that many. I think the Scientology religion would like you to think so. Maybe it`s this, A.J. They might have had some problems getting benefits and accessing pools of money laid out for them afterwards and they`re going for any assistance they can get.
I myself would probably sign up for a few free saunas and vitamins, which is all this assistance really is. This medical center that he set up is really just that and slaved by medical professionals, even Mayor Bloomberg says this is garbage, this kind of assistance; this medical assistance that the Scientologists say will help these poor victims who are suffering from serious ailments.
HAMMER: Well, we`ll see if he remains Teflon when this rolls off him or maybe it creates a backlash for him. Ashleigh Banfield and Kareen Wynter, thanks for being here. Ashleigh, can`t wait to see your new special, "Disorder in the Court," debuting Tuesday on Tru TV. It looks terrific.
BANFIELD: Thank you.
HAMMER: And now we want to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Tom Cruise: Does it bother you that he is a Scientologist?"
Go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. Tell us whatever it is that is on your mind.
Well, I bet I can guess when`s on Lindsay Lohan`s mind. I see dead people. Yes. That`s because Lindsay is working in a morgue. Are you kidding me? Talk about a freaky Friday. But at least she won`t be able to throw a party in jail or in the morgue, rather. Well, then again, you never know with Lindsay. Anyway, why is Lindsay hanging with dead people? We`ll tell you.
Also, it`s not the only story that has me truly scratching my head today. Pam Anderson, is she staying married? Is she getting divorced? What`s the deal here, Pam? Pick one, will you? It`s another unbelievable freaky Friday story coming up. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYRUS: Hey, Jada. How is it going? It is Miley Cyrus. I was so excited the see you on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your story and what you did for your friend, Gabby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I am totally loving this, so excited for this "Hannah Montana" surprise. And you`re only going to see it right here. Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive - you won`t want to miss it, a very special gift for a very, very generous little girl. You won`t believe what she did for a sick classmate. That`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now, you can take us along with you. You can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time at all simply by downloading our podcast. It won`t cost you a cent. Absolutely free.
You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast right on there on the Web site CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. New ones going up all the time. If you`d like, you can download it if you use iTunes by typing "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: All right. Three big stories out of Hollywood right now. Grammy Award winner Beyonce says the Grammys like her hit song are "Irreplaceable." So she is going to perform on the show on February 10th. Well, that means she may have to cross the Writers` Guild picket lines if the strike is still going on. The big question now is, will other stars do the same?
Daniel Baldwin and his wife welcome their first child, daughter Avis Ann(ph) in Los Angeles early Thursday morning. "People" magazine says little Avis was born just before 1:00 a.m. and checked in at 7 pounds, 10 ounces. Baldwin has three other kids. Daniel met his current wife while he was in a Malibu rehab last year. She reportedly was the chef.
And it looks like the LAPD is stepping up against out of control paparazzi after arresting four photographers for reckless driving on Wednesday while chasing Britney Spears. Police are also taking pictures of the paparazzi and using undercover cops at clubs and restaurants. And this all sounds real good. Let`s see if it actually calms things down.
All right. Will working in a morgue calm Lindsay Lohan down and stop her from the out of control hard partying ways? That`s right, I said morgue. As in dead people. Talk about your freaky Friday. You got to stick around to hear why she is doing this. That`s coming up.
And another story that is making for a very freaky Friday. I just don`t understand this at all. Britney Spears, we all know what a disaster she`s been lately. And we all know all the problems she`s having lately. So, can somebody please explain to me why she`s hosting a big party? Anyone? Somebody explain it. That`s coming up. Also this -
CYRUS: Hey, Jada. How is it going? It is Miley Cyrus. I was so excited to see you on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your story and what you did for your friend, Gabby.
HAMMER: I`m so excited about this "Hannah Montana" surprise. You`re going to see it only right here. Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive - very special gift for a very generous little girl. You won`t believe what she did for a sick classmate. Coming up.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Lindsay Lohan`s bizarre punishment. Talk about freaky Friday. You will not believe what Lindsay`s going to have to do as part of the punishment for her DUI convictions. And trust me, where she`s going is a far cry from a movie set.
A "Hannah Montana" miracle. We introduced you to five-year-old Jada here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. She gave up her "Hannah Montana" tickets to make a sick classmate happy. And now, Jada is back and Miley Cyrus herself has a surprise for her. Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive. The "Hannah Montana" story you will not soon forget.
(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. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, the stories new right now that made for one freaky Friday. First, Lindsay Lohan`s going to be seeing dead people. I`m not kidding. Lohan is going to be working at a morgue for real. And as if Britney Spears` week wasn`t freaky enough, "People.com" is reporting that Britney is being paid to host a private party in Beverly Hills. A truly freaky idea.
And Pamela Anderson`s divorce is back on after it was off and on again. What in the world is she thinking?
Joining us from Hollywood, entertainment journalist Ken Baker. Also tonight in Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of the hot book, "Secrets Can Be Murder." And tonight, in New York, investigative journalist Pat Lalama.
All right, gang. Let us start out with Lindsay Lohan. This is fantastic. She is about to see dead people. Now, we`ve learned that as a part of her community service for those two DUI convictions, she`s going to spend two four-hour shifts at a morgue. Ken Baker, what do you think? Is this going to continue to help scare her straight?
BAKER: Well, it can`t hurt. Because just two weeks ago, we saw her sipping champagne on New Year`s Eve and she`s supposed to be in recovery. So I think it can`t hurt for her to see the consequences of people who, you know, don`t take care of themselves.
But obviously - and I don`t think this is being cynical. I just think it`s being realistic. Lindsay has stumbled and, you know, fallen off the wagon many times. And I don`t think going to a morgue is going to cure Lindsay Lohan from getting in trouble.
HAMMER: Well, when you think about it, you know, the consequences for breaking the law, those two DUI convictions, 84 minutes in jail. That was it. What do you think, Jane? Is this a better punishment than being locked up for her? Do you think it teaches her a lesson?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: No, I don`t think it will, A.J. It`s hard to scare Lindsay Lohan. She wasn`t scared by the 84 minutes in jail. She wasn`t scared by rehab. But maybe she would have been scared had she been charged with more serious charges. Because witnesses said it wasn`t a regular DUI, that she allegedly commandeered a vehicle, ran over somebody`s foot. Went on 100 miles per hour chase and yet she wasn`t charged with kidnapping and carjacking. That would have scared her.
HAMMER: Pat Lalama, do you see dead people?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Often I do, A.J. Yes, but that`s another story for another day. Here`s what I say about Lindsay. I say hide the body fluids. She`ll probably try to drink them. Honest to god, I think she`s so out of control. I think she has no desire to stop getting loaded. I think she`ll get loaded whenever she can.
I personally think that all young actors and actresses with their SAG cards should be, you know, a certificate that says they did go through morgue training so hopefully they won`t drink and drive. But with her, I just don`t see her doing anything to improve.
HAMMER: Well, Pat Lalama, since you`re here in New York tonight, I can meet you after the show. We`ll do shots of formaldehyde together.
LALAMA: You got it, man.
HAMMER: All right. You can`t talk about a freaky -
LALAMA: It`s not the `60s anymore, though.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s move on. You can`t talk about a freaky Friday, obviously, without talking about Britney Spears. "People.com" now reporting she has been invited to host a party in Beverly Hills, something called the Scandinavian Style Mansion. It`s a fashion party.
Now, the guy who`s putting on the event also spoke with "E!", and here`s what he said, quote, "No matter what`s happening in her life right now, Britney is still a style icon for women. We are pleased to have her on board."
Ken Baker, a style icon for women. As far as I`m concerned, maybe at one point in her career. But am I missing something here?
BAKER: Well, as a woman - no. Seriously. No. Style icon - he didn`t say a good style icon. He didn`t say it was a positive style icon. He just said, she`s a style icon. But let me put it in perspective here, folks. She`s going to be hosting this party. It`s a fashion party - the Scandinavian Style Mansion in February. It`s a party.
She`s not hosting a 12-step program. We should be happy that she`s at least found some employment, that someone has said, "Look, we want you to come host our event and get the media to come and have a good time." And let`s face it, a party is an appropriate thing for her to be hosting.
HAMMER: I suppose but it`s still a little shocking to me. Jane, why would anybody pay Britney to host their party?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And she doesn`t need money, A.J. She makes more than $700,000 a month. The last thing she needs is to make more money. She needs to be spending that money on therapy. This is more addictive behavior.
Addicts surround themselves with, what they call in 12 steps, lesser companions, people will co-sign your bad behavior and tell you, "You know what? They just took away your kids. What should you do? Yes, go have a party for the Scandinavian Style Mansion. That makes perfect sense."
But she surrounded herself with people who convince her that these idiotic ideas actually do make perfect sense. And she absolutely pushes away anybody who says, "You know, this is a really bad idea."
HAMMER: Yes, and you talk about all the money that she has coming in, $700,000 a month or so. We talked about being paid to party here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT before as one of Hollywood`s worst kept dirty little secrets. What do you think, Pat Lalama? Could it be that Britney is playing us all for a fool, she knows exactly what she`s doing and this is some kind of some master wacky plan? It`s all part of that.
LALAMA: I think it`s a little bit of both. I think she is crazy like a fox and I think she`s also crazy. So I think it`s just hard to tell, you know, sometimes she may be manipulating us and the paparazzi and everybody else.
But you know what? Jane hits it on the head when she talks about, you know, this addictive behavior. Because wasn`t it just last night or the night before at 2:00 in the morning she was shopping. And so everything she`s doing is so compulsive and nutty. And I`ve been pleading, not that she`s listening to me, just stay home and take care of yourself. But she`s just not doing that.
HAMMER: And stay away from the formaldehyde. All right. We have to talk about this because I don`t know if I`m even surprised by it. But it came on freaky Friday - news about Pamela Anderson. Now, she filed for divorce from Rick Salomon and then she called the divorce off and now we hear the divorce is on again.
I don`t know. My head`s been spinning around a little bit about this thing. These guys have been married for a whole four months.
Ken Baker, why does it seem she can`t make up her mind in this whole freaky love match? You know, we should keep in mind here`s the same guy, Rick Salomon, that made that big Paris Hilton sex tape you`ve never seen.
BAKER: Well, yes. Of course, I have never seen that. I`ve heard about it and heard you talk about it, but I`ve never seen it. But what I will say about Pamela Anderson is this - she still has a relationship with Tommy Lee.
You know, that relationship where they have kids and they see each other all the time and they`re considered really good friends, I think that Pamela is never really going to move on and have a healthy relationship until she gets over Tommy. She has said it. She thinks of him as her best friend and I think it gets in the way of all of her relationships.
LALAMA: Ken, she was the one who on "LARRY KING" talking about how he gave her a disease and he`s a bad, abusive father. I just think she is trash on trash. I`m sorry. I don`t buy that at all. She said that she married Rick because it was some sort of a gambling debt she had to pay off. Where`s the love here? I think this woman is duplicitous - yuck. It`s icky.
HAMMER: Jane? Yuck, stinky? Huh?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: No. I happen to like Pamela Anderson. I think she is very involved in some very good causes and it`s a free country. She could marry whoever she wants. This is part of a grand Hollywood tradition that goes way back to Elizabeth Taylor and Zsa Zsa Gabor sort of marriage is a performance art. But I do think she has taken it to a new level and perhaps we should coin a term. How about relationship attention deficit disorder?
HAMMER: There you go. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Ken Baker, and Pat Lalama -
LALAMA: Dr. Jane.
HAMMER: I will see you after the show.
LALAMA: Yes, sir.
HAMMER: Thanks for being here, guys.
Well, I`m so excited about this story. A SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive with Miley Cyrus. You first met five-year-old Jada right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT after she gave her very own "Hannah Montana" concert tickets to a sick classmate. Well, now, Jada getting a surprise from "Hannah Montana" herself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYRUS: Hey, Jada. How`s it going? It is Miley Cyrus. I was so excited to see you on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your story and what you did for your friend, Gabby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Just wait until you hear what Miley offered Jada and her reaction. It is such a great story. You definitely don`t want to miss this, coming up.
Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at Sundance. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson is at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, hanging with the big stars. She`s got all the big stories and coming up, her one-on-one interview with one of the big names behind the festival Robert Redford and Eva Longoria-Parker. She is still newly wed and already has had to deal with some really nasty tabloid rumors about her marriage. So how do Eva and Tony keep it together? Eva tells us coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
First, we have been asking you to vote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Tom Cruise: Does it bother you that he is a Scientologist?"
Let us know what you think at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can E-mail us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Use your desktop, your laptop, your Blackberry, your cellphone - just tell us whatever it is that is on your mind.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, a "Hannah Montana" SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive. Boy, have we got an incredible surprise tonight for one lucky little girl who very selflessly gave away her own sold-out "Hannah Montana" concert tickets to a sick classmate.
Well, tonight, we are bringing you a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive that everybody`s going to be talking about. You definitely will not want to change the channel. Joining me once again, tonight, from Phoenix, Arizona, five-year-old Jada Carlson and her mom, Faith. Faith, Jada, it`s nice to have you back on the program.
FAITH CARLSON, MOTHER OF JADA CARLSON: It`s great to be here.
HAMMER: All right. Now, Jada and Faith, we cannot wait. Everybody`s been abuzz here. We have a very exciting surprise for you. But first, before we do that, let`s take a look one more time at Jada`s story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(voice over): Five-year-old Jada Carlson is a little girl with a very big heart. She gave her much coveted Christmas gift, "Hannah Montana" concert tickets to a girl in the school she didn`t even know, 8-year-old Gabby. Gabby is battling a serious illness and Jada wanted to help however she could.
JADA CARLSON, GAVE HER "HANNAH MONTANA" TICKETS TO A SICK CLASSMATE: In my heart I feel the true meaning was to give it to her.
HAMMER: Remarkably, Jada had never even met Gabby but learned about her just before Christmas when she and her mom went to a fundraiser, raising money to help Gabby`s family pay her medical bills.
F.CARLSON: Jada saw her picture and from that day on, she had her on her thoughts and her heart throughout the whole Christmas break.
HAMMER: When the two girls met for the first time, they became instant friends. And that`s when Jada gave Gabby her very generous gift.
F. CARLSON: As soon as we said that we wanted to give her the two "Hannah Montana" tickets, she looked at her mom and gasped and looked at Jada like, are you telling the truth? It was hard for her to come up with some words to describe that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Jada, I have to tell you. Everybody`s been talking about this. It`s such a great thing that you did. We are not the only ones who think so. So Jada and Faith, I hope you`re prepared. I see you`re sitting down because we have a great big surprise for you. Jada, are you ready?
All right. I see she`s very excited about whatever is about to happen. Now, Miley Cyrus, who you well know plays "Hannah Montana," heard your incredible story. She actually heard it from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Isn`t that amazing, Jada?
F. CARLSON: Wow. Hear that one?
HAMMER: Yes. Jada, you see the little TV right in front of you? I want you to keep an eye on that TV because Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana has a very special message for you. Jada, should I play that tape right now?
J. CARLSON: Yes.
HAMMER: Roll the tape, Charles. Let`s see what happens here.
CYRUS: Hey, Jada. How is it going? It is Miley Cyrus. I was so excited to see you on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your story and what you did for your friend, Gabby. So in return for all the amazing work that you did, you and your friend get to come to my Phoenix show. I really hope you can make it and I can`t wait to meet you, guys. See you all there.
F. CARLSON: Say bye.
HAMMER: I think her face says it all. But Jada, what do you think of that? Pretty nice.
F. CARLSON: What do you think? Huh? How exciting.
HAMMER: Can you believe it, Jada? Hannah Montana herself giving you and Gabby tickets to the sold out concert on Tuesday.
F. CARLSON: What do you say?
HAMMER: She is stunned.
F. CARLSON: She`s shocked.
HAMMER: I can certainly understand. Faith, it really is something. I mean, this touched so many people. And obviously, when Miley heard about the good efforts of Jada, she just wanted to do that. Isn`t that amazing?
F. CARLSON: That`s amazing. That really brings everything full circle for, you know, a selfless deed.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, I think she`s taught everybody a terrific lesson and yes, I can tell, she`s also a little bit stunned. We are seeing a little bit of Miley Cyrus performing right here. But you`re going to get to see her on Tuesday with Gabby. Now, Jada, I`ve got to ask you a question. And you have to answer me now because this is very important. Would you have any interest in quite possibly meeting Miley Cyrus - Hannah Montana?
F. CARLSON: What do you think? Would you want to meet her?
J. CARLSON: Yes.
HAMMER: You think? All right. Well, if you really want to meet her, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has even more good news for you, Jada. Are you ready for this?
F. CARLSON: Are you ready?
J. CARLSON: Yes.
HAMMER: You and Gabby are going to meet Hannah Montana.
F. CARLSON: Oh my goodness. You`re going to meet her.
J. CARLSON: Oh.
F. CARLSON: You`re going the meet her. Holy cow. In real life.
HAMMER: Yes. Listen to this, Jada. She told us that she wanted us to tell you that she`d like to invite you and Gabby to a really big party that`s going to happen before the concert that you`re going to.
F. CARLSON: Holy cow. You`re going to go to a party with her. What do you think? Are you just shocked? Huh? You don`t want to think, do you? You`re going to see her in real life.
HAMMER: I believe she`s learning the meaning of the word "shocked" and "stunned" right about now.
F. CARLSON: She`s going to be jumping on the couch at home when we get out of here.
HAMMER: Jada, I have to ask you and think about this now. You`re going to get to meet - you`re going to get to shake Miley Cyrus` hand. You`re going to get to say hello to her. What do you think you would say to her?
J. CARLSON: Hi.
HAMMER: That`s a good start. Well, I`m sure what she`s going to say to you is thank you very much for being so selfless. I think you learned what the meaning of that word is, too. And obviously, you`ve taught a lot of people as I said a very important lesson. You think Gabby is going to be excited about this?
J. CARLSON: Yes.
F. CARLSON: It is going to be a big surprise, huh? Are you going to start singing? Yes.
HAMMER: Well Faith, you`ve obviously set a very good example for your daughter. She`s learned the importance of giving at a very young age. Is there something here that we can all learn from this?
F. CARLSON: Yes. I would definitely think, take a lesson from a 5-year- old. It was a selfless act, but everybody has an opportunity to help each other out and returns ten times more. You know, it`s such an exciting experience and the experience for Jada and Gabby was way more than compared to the price of the tickets or one night at a concert. It was self giving in itself.
HAMMER: Yes. And you`re learning the meaning of another word, Jada, and that word is "karma." And your mom will explain that to you on your way home. I want to thank you for everything that you`ve done. Have a terrific time at the concert. Have a lot of fun meeting Miley Cyrus. Make sure you think of something good to say to her. Faith and Jada Carlson -
F. CARLSON: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: Thank you so much. Great seeing you.
F. CARLSON: Thank you, guys. Thank you so much.
HAMMER: It`s one of my favorite stories.
All right, just a little north of Phoenix, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at Sundance. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson is once again at the Sundance Film Festival. Also always a good time. All the biggest Hollywood movers and shakers are there - the stars as well, all in Park City, Utah. They`re schmoozing. They`re showcasing their movies and doing some partying as well. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson is right there. Brooke?
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CO-HOST: I`m here at the festival that has launched the careers of Quentin Tarantino, Michael Moore and Kevin Smith. The Sundance Film Festival here in Park City, Utah is the premier festival for showcasing independent film making. Robert Redford has led the charge here for more than 20 years. I was right there as he kicked off the 11-day event with the traditional opening day press conference.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT REDFORD, ACTOR: One of the things that`s interesting about the festival is it`s so eclectic. No one is ever going to get a grip on what`s going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Up for grabs, indeed. A couple of films have already been snapped up for distribution including "The Blacklist," from former "New York Times" film critic, Elvis Mitchell. Redford told me he does expect there are to be more acquisitions this year due to the writers` strike and the halt in Hollywood film production.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REDFORD: Because of the strike, because of the climate, because of the nature of our business right now, that it will be probably something of a buyers` market.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The film that got the festival under way is "In Bruges," starring Colin Farrell as a hit man who takes a break in Bruges, Belgium. Now, this is Colin`s first time at Sundance and he told us he`s thrilled "In Bruges" got the coveted opening night slot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN FARRELL, STAR OF "IN BRUGES": It`s lovely. You know, it means that somebody somewhere who has, you know, - I`m hoping decent taste and saw it and thought it was worthy of opening the festival.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I`ll be sitting down one-on-one with Colin Farrell this weekend. We will bring that to you on Monday. A.J., back to you.
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Brooke. We`ve got so much more from Sundance coming up. Continue to enjoy yourself there, Brooke because they`re through the weekend. And all next week you`re going to see her exclusive interviews right here, nowhere else but on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, Eva Longoria-Parker is still a newlywed, but already she`s had to deal with tabloid rumors about her marriage. So how do she and Tony make it work? Eva tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it`s all about location, location, location. That is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you very much, Charles. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It`s time now for "Making It Work." I love this segment because we take a look at couples who manage to build strong relationships in Hollywood.
Tonight, Tony Parker and Eva Longoria-Parker. Yes, she`s using the name. They`re still in the very early stages of their marriage and they`ve already had to deal with all of these tabloid rumors going around that Tony cheated on Eva, something they have vehemently denied and are even suing over. And Eva says the marriage is so, so strong. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson sat down with Eva and got the secret to their success.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, how do you guys make it work? Because you do have to deal with the constant glare of the spotlight and the paparazzi hounding you go everywhere you go. How do you make it work?
LONGORIA-PARKER: Well, we live in San Antonio, so that helps. There`s no paparazzi there. But when Tony`s here in L.A., he hates it. He`s like, why do they want all these pictures? You know, we`re both really grounded in who we are and that`s just what we do. And that`s just part of the job. You know? But who we are and who we are as a couple is really what defines us.
ANDERSON: Do you want to start a family soon?
LONGORIA-PARKER: Oh, yes, yes. We want to start a family and, you know, stay in San Antonio and just live a normal life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Combine their families - that`s a lot of gifts at the holidays. Eva is one of four siblings. Tony is one of three. So Eva says they do want lots and lots of kids.
You can catch Eva in her new movie, "Over Her Dead Body." It`s in theaters on February 1st. And Eva said, by the way, she`s very excited because this is her very first movie role with her new name in the titles, Eva Longoria-Parker.
Well, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Tom Cruise: Does it bother you that he is a Scientologist?" Let`s take a look at how the votes are going so far. Pretty even split, when you look at it, with 52 percent saying yes,; 48 percent saying no.
Be sure to keep sending us your thoughts. Here are some of the E- mails that we`ve received so far. Christine in Georgia writing, "I enjoy his movies and I think too many people are judging him based only on his religion."
Donna from Minnesota writes, "It bothers me that Tom Cruise pushes his beliefs on others. Scientology is a cult, not a religion."
Jennifer from Texas, "It only bothers me when he goes on and on and preaches like a crazy person, almost like a cult leader."
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. The very latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" coming up next.
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