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Showbiz Tonight
David Hasselhoff`s French Maid Connection; Britney`s Dad in Charge; Jamie Lynn Spears Thinks About Going to College; `American Idol` Might Be Revamped; The Stunning Transformation of J. Lo
Aired February 26, 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: A David Hasselhoff divorce shocker. His bizarre connection to a French maid. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And A.J., the unbelievable transformation of new mom, Jennifer Lopez. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, big news in two big blockbuster Britney battles. First, dramatic developments in Britney Spears custody fight. Britney sees her kids again. But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks the tough question - is that a good idea right now? Also, Britney`s dad makes another explosive move in the court battle over control of Britney`s life and fortune.
Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the surprising connections between Britney Spears and "American Idol." And, an "Idol" shocker. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovers the stunning changes to the show that could turn the whole competition upside down.
A SHOWBIZ TONIGHT rehab report card. Lindsay, Eva, Amy. Their emotional battles. Just how are they really doing now that they`re out of rehab? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
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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 tonight from Hollywood, where the battle between David Hasselhoff and Pamela Bach just got exotic. The Hoff is getting things from the African room. What? Who`s got an African room? You are not going to believe what`s in that room, straight ahead.
HAMMER: But first tonight, dramatic new Britney Spears` developments in the fight for her and her kids. I can now tell you that Britney has seen her two boys not once but twice in the past several days and that can be a sign that her ex Kevin Federline wants to work with her regarding custody. But tonight Britney`s dad is taking a blockbuster new step to keep control of his daughter. Yes, that battle - it`s still an all-out war.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): Things are looking up in Britney`s land.
KATIE DARYL, TMZ TV: Britney Spears finally got to see her boys.
HAMMER: Yes, for the first time since police wheeled Britney from her home and to a hospital for a psych evaluation, January 3rd, the pop star`s been reunited with her little Sean Preston and Jayden James. Smile, boys. Mama`s back. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Britney and the boys hung out at least twice since last weekend. It`s all because of a deal worked out between her ex Kevin Federline and her court-appointed conservators led by her dad, Jamie Spears.
MARK VINCENT KAPLAN, KEVIN FEDERLINE`S ATTORNEY: It`s gotten to a point where everything could be comfortable.
HAMMER: Kevin Federline`s attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan tells TMZ that K- Fed`s cool with Britney seeing their kids again.
KAPLAN: Kevin is happy that it`s gotten to the point where she can go forward and participate in the lives of these children.
HAMMER: But these were not mommy and me, and me, too, play dates. After all, this is Britney we`re talking about.
DARYL: There were rules involved.
HAMMER: TMZ`s Katie Daryl tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Britney`s face time with the tots came with some strings attached.
DARYL: She did get to see them at her home but daddy Jamie Spears had to be present. A psychiatrist had to be present, as well, just to kind of monitor the situation.
HAMMER: But still, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Britney`s reunion with her kids shows just how far she`s come since her dad took over as conservator even though he doesn`t talk much to the media.
JAMIE SPEARS, BRITNEY SPEARS` FATHER: Let me give you a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) clue. I don`t have no (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
HAMMER: Despite Mr. Spears` modesty, it`s been like weeks since we`ve seen Britney do anything weird, foolish or down right dangerous.
DARYL: Things are so much better in Britney Land. Are you kidding me?
HAMMER: But because we`re still in Britney Land, there is some drama on the horizon. A big court fight between Britney`s dad, co-conservator of Britney and her estate and an attorney who claims he was hired by Britney to fight her dad in federal court.
DARYL: If you remember, an attorney from New York and Washington, D.C. had filed this court case basically saying that the Britney Spears` case had to be taken out of the California system and brought to the federal court because her rights were being violated.
HAMMER: The attorney who claims he works for Britney is a New York- Washington based attorney named Jon Eardley. He`s kind of keeping a low profile, so we`ll show him this way. Anyway, TMZ`s Katie Daryl tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT there`s a potential problem with Eardley`s claim that he`s representing Britney.
DARYL: Britney`s not allowed to hire attorneys.
HAMMER: And now, Jamie is asking the court to put an end to Eardley`s legal maneuvers and to reimburse Spears for the $40,000 he says he`s spent in this dispute. Good gosh, it`s always one court case after another with Brit, isn`t it?
DARYL: One minute we`re seeing Britney going through a divorce. Then see her going to court over hit and run accidents. Then it`s with the kids. Now it`s with attorneys who may or may not have been hired by her. Britney is always in court.
HAMMER: But while Britney hasn`t managed to calm her legal drama, at least she`s making strides in her personal struggles because when you`re talking about Britney`s struggles, it is the small victories that have the biggest impact.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And we applaud the small victories but I still have to ask, who the heck is in control here? Joining me tonight from Hollywood, executive news editor for "E!" Ken Baker. Also investigative journalist and author of this fine book, "Secrets Can Be Murder," the lovely Jane Velez-Mitchell.
All right, guys. Let me tell you what I think is going on here. Her dad Jamie clearly doing everything that he can to get Britney on track, obviously, going to tremendous lengths to arrange these visits with the kids. His control of Britney`s estate is going to end in a couple of weeks, Jane. Do you think that the court should keep him in control seeing these things seem to be going so well for her right now?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: A.J., I hear what you are saying. Things are better. The paparazzi circus has left town. She is seeing her kids which is great for her kids and great for her. She is even going to dance classes and doing routines.
But the question is, if she`s able to do all that, is she truly incompetent? Because that is the criteria for having a conservatorship placed over you. Not are you immature, are you flaky, do you have bad friends, are you a drama queen. It`s are you incompetent that you can`t bathe yourself, dress yourself, feed yourself and provide for shelter.
So she is obviously arguing that she is fit. She is apparently tried to hire a couple of attorneys to make that argument. I do hope she at least gets a chance to have her day in court and argue her position. Otherwise, we live in a Kafka-esque world where anybody can accuse somebody of being incompetent, and they don`t get a chance to prove their case.
HAMMER: Well, somebody who seems to be wanting to make that argument for her and a guy who seems to be kind of a fly in the ointment of the workings of this whole thing, a man who claims to be Britney`s lawyer as we mentioned and claims that her civil rights are being violated under Jamie`s control.
Now, this is already caused Jamie Spears something in the neighborhood of $40,000 as it`s been reported to battle this attorney and his claims in court. Ken Baker, it seems to me Jamie has better things to worry about than fighting a case that basically no one says holds any water.
KEN BAKER, EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR, "E!": Well, it does seem as if this case will go away. This dispute that her civil rights have been violated because guess what? The civil rights were sort of court order violated in a way with the conservatorship saying she couldn`t hire an attorney which is a basic right we all have. So it does seem that this claim is sketchy.
But what is important is I talked to Mark Vincent Kaplan, K-Fed`s attorney, on Saturday and he told me, "Look, she wouldn`t be seeing the kids right now, doing this limited visitation if it weren`t for Jamie Spears. OK. So he said flat out that`s what it was all about. The court agreed and I think that Britney from what I`m told has no bigger interest than to be with those kids right now.
So, I think that of course a conservatorship is not going to last forever as Jane said. They can`t keep it forever. She seems to be doing better. The circus has left town. But I think what it`s going to come down to is what is going to happen when the conservatorship ends.
Luckily, Jamie Spears has put into place some management, some financial advisors, gotten rid of some of the old people, as Mark Vincent Kaplan said, cleaned house. So I think she is set up to get a lot better advice, a lot better financial advice, particularly once the conservatorship ends.
HAMMER: And all these points that you raise, Ken, the management structure being put in place, the paparazzi circus leaving town, and the fact she is getting to see her kids; all things that we`ve been talking about on this show that we have been hoping for. But, Jane, let`s step back for a second, talking about the visitation with the kids. You know, we`re all for it, but being mommy right now - is it what she needs to get herself better or is it too much too soon with everything else?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think it`s perfect because it is the carrot that`s being dangled. Here are your kids. They need you. They want you. You love them. If you want to have any kind of a consistent, long-term visitation relationship with these kids, you have got to get your act together. I think that, more than the conservatorship - although that put it in place for her to come in contact with her kids. More than anything, that`s really what`s got to get through to her. If you want to be a mommy, you`ve got to get your act together.
HAMMER: But imagine the scene. You know, they`re supervised visits as we said. Britney`s psychiatrist along for the ride. They`re something like three hours long. Ken, quickly, is the common wisdom here, you know, because the kids have been really at the heart of this whole thing that is better for the kids to see something and all of this going on than nothing at all?
BAKER: At this point, the experts say, yes, better for her to see those kids. Now, six weeks ago, when she was sitting in a hospital bed and was in lockdown, no, probably not a good idea for the kids to see her in that state. But things have stabilized. The situation has normalized and if you see these pictures that were taken of her yesterday with the visitation, it just looks right to see a mother holding a child and guess who`s right there?
HAMMER: Yes.
BAKER: Jamie Spears.
HAMMER: Well, that is good to see. And I don`t want to be proven wrong but looks like we`re on a positive trajectory here. Ken Baker, Jane Velez- Mitchell, thanks a lot. I want you, guys, to stick around because I`m going to bring you back in just a bit. We have some big news about Britney`s little sister, Jamie Lynn, coming up.
ANDERSON: A.J., I`m glad to see that Britney Spears` life is kind of under control now. Things have been much calmer. So, what about Lindsay Lohan? After she went into rehab, she said she would change her life. But has she? And what about the other stars - Eva Mendes, Amy Winehouse? Tonight, how have they done after rehab? It`s the controversial SHOWBIZ TONIGHT rehab report card, next.
HAMMER: Brooke, going through rehab, hard enough. You know, it isn`t easier when you are a star. All right. New right now, there`s some Spears` family drama to talk about. As I said, Britney`s little is, Jamie Lynn, now she`s 16, pregnant and could be very close to making a big decision about her future.
Also, a David Hasselhoff divorce shocker. You have got to hear this. Tonight, his bizarre connection to a French maid. Oh-la-la. You heard me right.
And "American Idol." Lots of people love this show, but it is showing some cracks. The ratings are down. And now, stunning talk there will be big changes that could turn the competition upside down. Don`t go anywhere. Our fire up coast-to-coast panel coming up to talk about all that.
But first, we want to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "`American Idol` loses viewers: Is it time to change the show?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
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ANDERSON: Amy Winehouse`s amazing Grammy-award winning song "Rehab" is about her real-life battle with addiction. And it`s a battle she is still fighting today.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, stars on a bumpy road to recovery. It`s a rehab report card. I cannot believe the growing list of stars who have gone in and out of rehab, from Lindsay Lohan to Amy Winehouse to Eva Mendes. But are they doing what it takes to stay clean?
Lindsay finished the treatment last October but has she been able to resist the temptation of the party scene? As Amy Winehouse finishes her outpatient treatment, will she be able to stay on the straight and narrow? And Eva Mendes has been spotted out on the town. Shouldn`t she be lying low for a while?
Helping us hand out the grades tonight, in New York, Cooper Lawrence, psychology expert and syndicated radio host. And in Hollywood tonight, Howard Bragman, founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. Cooper, Howard, great to see you both.
And I have to tell you, we were very encouraged when Lindsay extended her stay in rehab. But, you know, when she got out, we were pulling for her but now, we`re seeing that she`s still on the party scene. Cooper, we cannot speculate about whether or not she is staying sober but this type of behavior can`t be good for progress.
COOPER LAWRENCE, PSYCHOLOGY EXPERT: Well, let`s hope she is staying sober. The idea is that she`s shouldn`t be out on the party scene because there`s too many triggers there, too many people around her and they influence her in a bad way. A lot of people, when they first come out of rehab, they feel strong at first. But it`s really easy to fall back into old pattern.
And it`s hard to avoid that if you`re actually physically in the same environment where you were when you were partying and still being around the same people. It takes a strong person to completely change your perspective and change who you are inside in such a short period of time to be able to go out to a club and not be tempted.
ANDERSON: Good point. So don`t even have to face those temptations. Stay away from them. Howard, you know, she`s already considered a liability. I can`t imagine that studios are lining up to hire her or are they?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Well, you`re absolutely right. The big studios and their corporate bosses and their publicly traded companies don`t need this grief right now. But some of the smaller film companies, they`re are saying, hey, if we put Lindsay in, we get a lot of attention. But that`s a double-edged sword too.
We saw that she chose, a couple of weeks ago, to do the famous nude cover of "New York" magazine. Guess what? Can anybody name the movie she did it for? All we remember is this 21-year-old girl looked like she was 36, aligned herself with a star really on her death bed literally and really made the wrong choice.
You know, the multi-million dollar studio offers are not lining up. But I really want to be hopeful for her because she`s made a couple of good moves. I`ve seen her out looking clean, sober and beautiful. And I hope she gets it back together. I really do.
ANDERSON: Yes, me too.
BRAGMAN: She is a great talent.
ANDERSON: She certainly is. We`re all hopeful for her. And let`s take a look at our Lindsay Lohan report card here. She completed treatment. Checked. She hasn`t stopped partying. No dice there. And she doesn`t seem to be focusing on her work right now. Cooper, really quickly, how do you rate her progress?
LAWRENCE: Oh, I think, you know, after all that rehab, I think we can give her a B minus. Not an A yet but let`s give her a B minus.
ANDERSON: Well, she`s on her way to that A, hopefully. All right. Moving now to Amy Winehouse. We saw glimpses of a cleaned up Amy at the Grammys, but she`s still supposed to be finishing her outpatient treatment. Howard, she is a rock star after all. So, does it actually help her image, possibly her music career that she does seem to be living the crazy rock star life?
BRAGMAN: You know, Brooke, as you pointed out, the rules are different in rock. She had a wonderful, wonderful performance at the Grammys. There was a lot of buzz on her coming into the U.S. And guess what? She just announced that she`s launching a clothing line, too, based on her exquisite fashion sense which I`m sure all of us - all of the people we know will be wearing soon.
LAWRENCE: I can`t wait to get my first Amy Winehouse piece of clothing.
ANDERSON: Who is she trying to entice with her choices of attire? I`m wondering. And let`s take a look at our Amy Winehouse report card where she stands. Is she still getting treatment? Not so sure about that. Is she still partying? The verdict`s still out and she is definitely focusing on work. We do know that. Checked. Cooper, what`s her outlook?
LAWRENCE: Well, the fact that she`s focusing on work is huge, Brooke. Because a lot of people - it`s work that gets them into the recovery process. It gives them self esteem. It`s something they could focus on. You know, for some people, the work is what drove them to the drinking and the drugs. For Amy Winehouse, she`s somebody that the work is really the best solution for her. It`s going to make her feel good about herself and it`s something that makes her who she is and that`s really what she needs right now.
ANDERSON: Yes. And you could tell she was enjoying herself at the Grammys. All right. Good for Amy Winehouse. Moving now quickly to Eva Mendes. She was in and out of rehab pretty quickly it seems. Now, she`s been seen out and about. She was even a presenter at the Independent Spirit Awards. Howard, what do you think? Too much too soon?
BRAGMAN: You know, I think her team just wants to put her back out there and sort of pretend she was never in rehab. It wasn`t - didn`t get the same kind of attention that some of these other actors did. And I think she is back on track and hopefully she will stay clean. As any of us know, rehab and addiction is a lifelong battle that these people have to address. And so, it looks like she`s in a good space right now. I thought she looked great at the appearance and I hope it continues for her. I really do.
ANDERSON: As do I. Howard, very quickly, how would you grade her progress?
BRAGMAN: I`m giving her an A minus. I`m an easy grader, though.
ANDERSON: You are easy.
LAWRENCE: I wish you were my professor.
ANDERSON: All right. We will leave it there. Howard Bragman, Cooper Lawrence, thank you both.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, I`ve got to tell you. If I had to give Britney Spears` family a grade, I`m thinking B minus. They`re making some progress, doing their best to keep her out of the spotlight and treat her mental illness. Well, tonight, Britney`s dad makes another explosive court move to stay in control of her life.
Plus Brit`s pregnant teen sister, Jamie Lynn, close to an extraordinary decision that could change her life.
ANDERSON: A.J., listen to this. Tonight, surprising connection between Britney Spears and some "American Idol" finalists. But "Idol`s" ratings are down and there`s talk of huge changes in the show. You got to hear what they might do. That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER LOPEZ, SINGER: I can`t even describe (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I can`t wait. I keep thinking my whole family`s in there. The album is finished. The single is doing good. I`m on cloud nine right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I totally remember when Jennifer Lopez was huge - top records, big movies. But now, she`s traded all that in for family life. She just gave birth to twins. It is incredible how much she`s changed. Tonight, I`m investigating the startling transformation of Jennifer Lopez, straight ahead.
HAMMER: And now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time at all by downloading our podcast which is totally free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on the website CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes by typing "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. I guess I wouldn`t fit in the Nano. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, coming right back.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And here are some more stories that are new right now. A scare for supermodel Naomi Campbell. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that she was hospitalized in Brazil. A doctor says she came to Brazil to treat a condition but he couldn`t reveal what. Naomi`s people tell us she had a small cyst removed and is now resting.
Well, "Saturday Night Live`s" picked Fred Armisen to play Barack Obama. But tonight, I can tell you Barack himself actually prefers Will Smith. In an interview with "Entertainment Tonight," Obama said Smith would be a great choice if a movie about his life was ever made. Why? Well, one reason, Barack thinks he and Will have the same ears.
And a big surprise for Hillary Clinton courtesy of Ellen DeGeneres. During a fundraiser Monday in Washington, Ellen popped up via satellite. They talked about some serious political stuff but Ellen also asked Hillary if she would ban litter as president.
HAMMER: Well, I`ve got to say, things have not been all that glittery for Jamie Lynn Spears. She was on the verge of superstardom especially as her sister Britney was spiraling out of the control. And then the 16-year-old "Zoey 101" star shocked everyone when she said she`s pregnant. Well, new right now, I can tell you Jamie Lynn is very close to making a dramatic decision that could change her entire life.
Also, a David Hasselhoff divorce shocker. Wait until you hear this. Tonight, his bizarre connection to a French maid. Yes, you heard me right.
And "American Idol." I love the show but it is showing some cracks. Ratings are down and now there`s stunning talk that there will be big changes, changes that could turn the competition upside down.
ANDERSON: A.J., Jennifer Lopez`s life has been turned upside down but in a totally great way. She just gave birth to twins. I`m so happy for her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOPEZ: I can`t even describe the way I feel right now. And I keep thinking my whole family is in there. The album is finished. The single is doing good. I`m on cloud nine right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was J. Lo when she was everywhere - TV, music, movies. But now, she`s traded all that craziness in for a quieter family life. I want to know, how has she done it? Tonight, I`m investigating the amazing transformation of Jennifer Lopez. You don`t want to miss it.
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HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Spears family drama - dramatic new developments in the court fight over who controls Britney and her money. Plus, a big milestone for her pregnant little sister, Jamie Lynn Spears. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with all the latest twists and turns in the Spears family drama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOPEZ: I can`t even describe the way I feel right now. And I keep thinking my whole family is in there. The album is finished. The single is doing good. I`m on cloud nine right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The transformation of Jennifer Lopez from fly girl to tabloid target to superstar and new mom of twins. Jennifer Lopez has reinvented herself time and time again. But how does she do it. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the transformation of Jennifer Lopez.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 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 live from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, three big stories that are new right now that we have just got to talk about. Tonight, big Spears family drama. Jamie Lynn is 16 and pregnant as we know. Here`s the news tonight. She`s thinking about college.
Meanwhile, Jamie and Britney`s dad is busy battling an attorney who says he`s worried about Britney`s civil rights. And get this, the attorney has already cost the Spears family $40,000.
Also new tonight, the bitter divorce battle between David Hasselhoff and Pamela Bach just got a little exotic. Listen to this - a judge has just given the Hoff the green light to go into his family home to retrieve some special items from his African room. I`m not making this up.
Also new tonight - is "American Idol" getting ready for a massive makeover? You know, ratings are slipping. The question is, is the show in trouble?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." Also in Hollywood, Ken Baker, executive news editor for "E!" And in New York tonight, Janelle Snowden, the red carpet correspondent for VH1 News and that is the red carpet correspondent, apparently.
Hi, gang. It`s good to see you all. Let`s talk about Jamie Lynn Spears. "People" magazine now confirming that the pregnant 16-year-old has successfully passed her GED, so we applaud her on that. It`s always a good thing to hear. She`s already thinking about going to college. Ken, she`s got a lot going on - the baby, her Nickelodeon show, "Zoey 101" which has not officially been cancelled, and now college. I`m all for somebody getting a higher education. There are those who would say she can`t handle it all right now.
BAKER: Well, I think she, you know, obviously failed in being a role model by getting pregnant but she now has an opportunity to be a role model about once you do make that mistake, and you are pregnant, you are 16, what do you do with that? And I think it`s very positive that she`s saying, you know, I`m going to go to college and I want to be able to be educated and to have security, and then education and experience to provide for my baby, perhaps.
I think it`s like really great. And also, she is looking to stay close to home. I read reports she plans to go into Louisiana State University. And so, I think that she`s planning to stay local and I think we should all support her in that. It`s a really smart thing. I mean hey, maybe staying out of Hollywood is probably the smartest thing for her to do.
HAMMER: I think there`s no question about that. There`s a little cynical piece inside of me, Ken. And I can`t believe these words are coming out of my mouth, that hopes this isn`t crafted by a publicist or some publicity guru. Because obviously, she`s gotten a lot of bad press for being 16 and pregnant when she is viewed as being a role model for some of the kids. What do you think, Jane? Is this something regardless of it came about that can turn that image around for her?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely. I totally agree with Ken, A.J. It sends a terrible message to be so famous and to be pregnant at 16. That being said, it doesn`t mean she has to throw the rest of her life away. I think it`s great that she`s getting the GED. I hope she goes on to college.
But don`t gloss over the challenges she will face because that will also send a terrible message to teenagers, hey, you can do it all. It`s going to be easy. It is not going to be easy. Of course, it is going to be easier for her than a lot of other teens because she is no ordinary teen. There have been reports she may make a million bucks just selling the baby pictures. So she really is an exception to just about every rule.
HAMMER: Well, it`s a good thing and we do applaud the move. And stay with me, Jane, because here`s a little confusion I`m having on the Britney front, who, of course, having her own drama that continues every day. Her dad Jamie battling this attorney who is claiming Britney`s civil rights have been violated. The attorney says that Britney hired him. And now this is costing the Spears` family a reported $40,000, just a lot of money so they can fight this guy. Jane, can`t somebody just put a stop to all of this back and forth so Britney can simply continue to get the help she needs?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, no, A.J. And I don`t think the back and forth is so terrible. Let`s face it, she makes about $700,000 a month, so $40,000 is pocket change to her. And apparently, she`s the one who has been reaching out to this lawyer to try to argue that she shouldn`t be under her father`s thumb.
The bottom line is nobody can help Britney but Britney. Even as this conservatorship remains in place, she is not cooperating with it. She is acting like a hostage. So whenever it is lifted, she may go back to that old behavior and then some, because she would harbor a resentment and be extraordinarily defiant. The ultimate solution is for her to realize that if she wants to be with her kids and wants to have any kind of a normal life, she`s got to surrender to the powers that be, the psychiatrists, the medicines, the whole nine yards and grow up.
HAMMER: Let`s move on. New right now, some crazy details in the bitter Hasselhoff divorce. David Hasselhoff has been given permission by a judge to enter the family home to reclaim some items from, get this, his African room. Now, right in my hand, I hold the legal papers, the legal documents the superior court filed. And here are some of the things that he wants back according to this filing. His dolphin, his green elephant, his ivory tusk, his elephant foot and two elephant stools. Janelle Snowden, who knew he was an African art-o-phile? This is just weird to me.
JANELLE SNOWDEN, RED CARPET CORRESPONDENT, VH1 NEWS: Yes. It would be even weirder than parenthesis to those two stools that says, "great for parties," in the document. Not only that, but can we talk about the French maid? I want to know, what is that? Is that a costume? Is it an actual maid? Like what are we talking about?
HAMMER: I know the guy to give us that answer, I hope. Ken Baker, you have been in the Hoff`s African room, haven`t you? What is the French maid thing? That`s not an African artifact as far as I know.
BAKER: Actually, last summer, I had the privilege and the honor to be in David Hasselhoff`s home here in the San Fernando Valley here in Los Angeles. And I can tell you, yes, he does have an African room there. But I can`t confirm the French maid. I have no idea what that`s about. But what I can tell you is that I was surprised that in the filing, he wasn`t asking to get the library of "Baywatch" VHS tapes that I saw in his study. That was shocking. I thought that those would -
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: He has to have a DVD collection somewhere, you know, in the storage facility, I imagine. Now, it sounds to me -
SNOWDEN: Can I just say that Ken, I`m glad that you can`t confirm the maid. I`m so happy that you can`t confirm what that is.
HAMMER: Good news tonight. Jane, help me out with this. It sounds like they`re divying up their assets. So could be this a good sign, the light at the end of the tunnel that maybe, thank goodness, this the bitter divorce battle is coming to a close?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s hope so, A.J. Well, first of all, I hope when he gets that elephant tusk, he gives it back to the elephant to whom it belongs, or at least to a charity to stop the decimation of African elephants. I mean that`s just horrible stuff. But yes. This is one of the ugliest divorces in Hollywood history. I mean we all remember the infamous videotape of David Hasselhoff drunk and eating the hamburger; the charges and the counter charges. It`s messy. It`s ugly. It`s vicious. And I think for all of our sakes, I hope it`s almost over.
HAMMER: Yes. Indeed. Also new right now, "American Idol," the biggest show in America. It`s showing some signs of aging. They`re on a ratings slide. They`ve lost some viewers - about 4 million viewers. Normally, that would be frightening, but you know, 35 million people still tuning in. Janelle, real quickly, do they really need to turn this thing upside down and do a major makeover?
SNOWDEN: I mean it`s all relative. When you think about the fact that what you just said is so true. They have still 35 million viewers. Most networks would kill for those kinds of ratings. So I just think that, you know, while, yes, they might even do some things to make it a little less stale, if you will. They`re still not hurting. Let`s just be real. I mean, 35 million viewers is still impressive.
HAMMER: Nothing to cry about. Janelle Snowden, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Ken Baker, thanks for being here tonight.
ANDERSON: OK. Have I got a scoop for you. Britney Spears, "American Idol" connection. That`s right. Believe it or not, some of the finalists on "American Idol" may have to thank Britney for their own rights to fame. She even dated one of them. Britney`s startling "American Idol" connection coming up. You don`t want to miss it.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOPEZ: I can`t even describe the way I feel right now. And I keep thinking my whole family is in there. The album is finished. The single is doing good. I`m on cloud nine right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The transformation of Jennifer Lopez from fly girl to tabloid target to superstar and now, new mom of twins. Jennifer Lopez has reinvented herself time and time again but how does she do it? You do not want to miss the transformation of Jennifer Lopez. That`s coming up next here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Stay with us.
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ANDERSON: All right. I can hardly believe the transformation of Jennifer Lopez and this video barely scratches the surface of her amazing rise to fame.
And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Jennifer Lopez is reportedly out of the hospital and back at home enjoying her twin babies with husband Marc Anthony. She gave birth to them over the weekend and even before the birth, a bidding war ensued for the first pictures of them. With reports saying Marc and Jennifer have been offered between $4 million and $6 million for the first photo. So how did J. Lo from the Bronx become such a superstar and how have the high profile relationships helped her become an icon? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over) Jennifer Lopez isn`t a manufactured star. She worked her way to the forefront of Hollywood`s A-list by starting out in the background. And it all began here as a background fly girl on the TV show "In Living Color" back in 1990.
DAVID CAPLAN, "PEOPLE.COM": That really launched her career. People noticed that she was great dancer. She had a lot of charisma.
ANDERSON: Charisma, she honed, growing up in the tough city streets of the Bronx. That charisma and drive would carry this fly girl through her past to the top but first it meant paying dues. Like in superstar Janet Jackson`s 1993 music video for "That`s The Way Love Goes." That`s Jennifer there dancing her little heart out. But it was here, this part, landing the starring role as murdered Tejano superstar Selena, where people took notice.
CAPLAN: When everyone saw this film, they were like, whoa. Not only is this girl a great dancer, we saw it from the fly girl days, a great singer, performer but she can act.
ANDERSON: A bona fide Hollywood triple thread in the making. She could dance, sing and act. And she also had one more thing that people noticed in Hollywood, a full figured body that she was proud of.
CAPLAN: She was sort of bucking the trend of what was considered beautiful at that time in Hollywood. She was not some rail thin blond girl. She was curvy. She had a great figure and a lot of people found that refreshing, not just Hollywood but the audiences who went to go her movies.
ANDERSON: The roles kept coming in. "Anaconda" with actor Jon Voigt -
LOPEZ: I just want to talk to you.
ANDERSON: "U-Turn" with Sean Penn -
LOPEZ: I thought you were a phoenix.
ANDERSON: Big box office movies but not what critics liked. It was her role in the George Clooney film "Out of Sight" that got her the critical acclaim she needed to make that big step for transforming into a major Hollywood star.
LOPEZ: Let`s get out of here.
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: Yes.
CAPLAN: People were like, wow, this girl can really act.
ANDERSON: Her film career was now on the rise and also taking off, her music career. The girl who traveled from the Bronx to music auditions in New York City on the number 6 subway train paid tribute to her past releasing the first album "On The 6" in 1999. She was singing about love and Lopez was loving the spotlight.
LOPEZ: I can`t even describe the way I feel right now. And I keep thinking my whole family is in there. The album is finished. The single is doing good. I`m on cloud nine right now.
ANDERSON: Lopez may have had her head in the clouds that night but her focus on transforming into a superstar was crystal clear. And it wasn`t just the work on screen or in the music studio that was transforming Lopez into a superstar either. She was also a smart business woman.
CAPLAN: There`s a clothing collection. There`s fragrance. Because she shows she has all these fans and they all want a piece of Jennifer.
ANDERSON: And the piece her fans wanted most was that of her personal life. And it was her link to rap music mogul Sean P. Diddy Combs that created the first media frenzy.
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Jennifer Lopez`s hook-up with P. Diddy is actually quite interesting because they have that similarity in both of them being very smart business people. He also came from humble roots as she did and has become mega business person besides the mega star.
ANDERSON: Business smarts and the two seemed to embrace all that attention they received as a famous Hollywood couple.
SEAN P. DIDDY COMBS, MUSIC MOGUL: We`re here to celebrate. We`re here to just have a good time.
CAPLAN: She really embraced to a certain degree the public fascination with her romantic life. She took to the red carpet at tons of events with Diddy. She`s always very gracious. She did interviews. She spoke about the relationship.
ANDERSON: But the relationship hit the skids. Lopez and combs were at a New York City nightclub when gun fire erupted between Combs` entourage and another group. Combs and Lopez raced out of the club with their entourage but were stopped by the police blocks away. A stolen gun was found in the front seat of their car. The story made headlines but not the good kind for a girl who was trying to transform herself into a major Hollywood force.
CAPLAN: That really showed that Jennifer was getting herself mixed up in a guy who may be was not the best for her career.
ANDERSON: Lopez and Combs broke up. J. Lo laid low and took a couple of years to work on her music and film careers. When she came back, her second album "J. Lo" debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. And in that same week, her movie, "The Wedding Planner," hit number one at the box office making her the first actress and singer to have a film and an album at number one in the same week.
Jennifer`s transformation into a superstar hit high speed. J. Lo was transforming into a major Hollywood force. And it was her next high profile relationship with Oscar-winning actor Ben Affleck with the potential to transform her into a Hollywood icon. It was the Hollywood relationship of the ages, the Liz Taylor-Richard Burton romance of our time.
KURIANSKY: The union with Ben Affleck basically put Jennifer Lopez on the map by becoming a name like that. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck started the union of names in big lights, the Bennifer.
CAPLAN: Jennifer and Ben had this really storybook-type of romance that was great fodder for the tabloids.
ANDERSON: It`s true. There was her exquisite pink diamond engagement ring and the much-hyped "Dateline" interview about the love and the upcoming grand wedding. Ben even starred in Lopez` video for her song "Jenny From the Block," a case of art imitating their real lives. But J. Lo defended it at every turn.
LOPEZ: We are not trying to do anything except be two people in love. I mean, we`re not trying to do anything. We are just being ourselves.
ANDERSON: But something happened. And whether it was all the tabloid talk or not, all that publicity took a heavy toll on their relationship.
CAPLAN: There were helicopters hovering over the site where they were supposed to get married. And Ben and Jennifer decided no, let call the wedding off. There`s just too much interest here.
ANDERSON: Lopez was the big star. She set out to transform herself into. But it was evident that her personal life had suffered as a result. But Dr. Judy Kuriansky tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she thinks Lopez learned something from her Bennifer experience, something she has applied in her eventual marriage to another Latino star singer, Marc Anthony.
KURIANSKY: From a psychological point of view, what I think happened with Ben Affleck is that that was like a big fantasy. And that kind of attraction with Ben Affleck that Jennifer Lopez had symbolizes what we call the exotic is erotic. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck couldn`t have been more different in every way and I think she realized that exotic is erotic didn`t work and that what mostly worked for her was that birds of a feather fly together.
ANDERSON: So it`s no surprise to Dr. Judy that Jennifer Lopez has kept pretty quiet about her marriage to Marc because maybe, just maybe, Jennifer Lopez has found the right balance to transforming into that superstar and keeping her personal life personal.
KURIANSKY: When you find who you are, and you act out in your life and in your career, and in your marriage, what is really comfortable for you and what feels right, then everything shines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Now, just before Lopez gave birth, she announced she was taking some time off to be a mother. By the way, no word yet on baby names.
HAMMER: Boy, I can`t wait. Have I got a scoop for you. Britney Spears` "American Idol" connection. That`s right. Believe it or not, some of the finalists on "American Idol" may have to thank Britney for their own rise to fame. She even dated one of them. Britney`s startling "American Idol" connection coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, thanks, Charles. And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, Britney Spears` "American Idol" connection. Britney`s own singing career may have seen better days but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal she has a personal connection to some of the up and coming contestants.
Let`s start with this guy, Robby Carrico. He used to be in a boy band called, "Boys and Girls United" that opened for Britney during her 1999 tour. And it gets better. "U.S.A. Today" reports Britney and Robby actually dated casually for a few months.
Then we have Kristy Lee Cook. Back in 2001 when Kristy was 17, she was the first artist signed to Britney Spears` productions. She was released from the development deal a year later.
Finally, Kady Malloy, her Britney connection, a little more casual. Kady sang Britney`s song, "I`m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" in her "American Idol" audition.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, Valerie Bertinelli opening up like never before about her marriage to Eddie Van Halen and drug use in her past. Now, of course, we all remember Valerie from "One Day at a Time." She`s been America`s sweetheart for a long time now.
Well, she has this great tell-all book out. She`s very candid in it. It`s called "Losing It and Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time." I asked her about something that she`s been very candid about, experimenting with drugs with her "One Day at a Time" co-star Mackenzie Philips and her then-husband.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VALERIE BERTINELLI, STAR, "ONE DAY AT A TIME": I`ve done some drugs with Mac, not that it was her fault. We were just, you know, experimenting. And then I was with a man who didn`t do drugs at all, so I didn`t do any. And then I met Ed and I started doing them again.
HAMMER: And one of the stories you tell us when you`re going and signing the paperwork with the priest and you both have cocaine on you.
BERTINELLI: I know.
HAMMER: That`s a bad sign.
BERTINELLI: Yes. What part of this tells you that you can get married.
HAMMER: That`s not a good sign. Yes. What`s the deal?
BERTINELLI: These are two people that don`t know how to actually enter into a marriage so they shouldn`t be doing it. But we did anyway.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, she is absolutely glowing and that is just the beginning. Valerie really opened up to me about why her marriage to Eddie Van Halen broke up. We talked about her struggle with body image and all those rumors that were floating around about some feud she was having with Kirstie Alley. You won`t want to miss it. Tune in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on Wednesday for my interview with Valerie Bertinelli that you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer back in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS," coming up next.
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