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Showbiz Tonight
Patrick Swayze`s Cancer Shocker; Jamie Spears` Extended Conservatorship; Jamie Lynn Spears on Primetime TV; Is There Too Much Oprah?
Aired March 06, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST: Robert Downey Jr.`s new role that will have him appearing on screen as a black man. And Britney Spears` pregnant little sister is coming to prime time. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the shocking news that Patrick Swayze has cancer. How is he really doing and what about those reports he may have only weeks to live? Plus, absolute outrage over the "National Enquirer" breaking the news before he told the world.
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ANDERSON (on camera): My first question to you is, how do you defend the "Enquirer`s" decision to go public with such a private matter?
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Tonight, we go one on one with the "Enquirer`s" top guy in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Oprah here. Oprah there. Oprah, Oprah everywhere. A TV show. A book club. A magazine. Now, another TV show. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks - is there such a thing as too much Oprah?
ANDERSON: And breaking Britney news. How long will her dad be in charge of her life? A judge`s startling decision, new right now.
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Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. is off. Tonight, the surprising court decision about Britney Spears` immediate future and let`s just say it would seem that father really does know best. That is coming up.
But first, the startling and disturbing news that Patrick Swayze is battling a very deadly form of cancer. Tonight, there are conflicting reports over how long the "Dirty Dancing" icon has to live and I can tell you there`s absolute outrage over the "National Enquirer" breaking the news about Swayze before he got a chance to tell it to us himself.
In just a moment, you will not want to miss my explosive one-on-one interview with the editor-in-chief of the "National Enquirer" and his defense of what the "Enquirer" did. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with breaking coverage of the Swayze cancer shocker.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE NEWS ANCHOR: Some terrible news to tell you about this morning. Patrick Swayze is battling pancreatic cancer.
ANDERSON (voice over): It`s still so hard to believe. This is the man who thrilled us with his moves in "Dirty Dancing" and haunted us with his heart in "Ghost."
PATRICK SWAYZE, ACTOR: Tell her I love her.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS: He says he loves you.
ANDERSON: And now Patrick Swayze is battling pancreatic cancer. The shock has yet to wear off.
KIM SERAFIN, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": He`s someone that`s larger than life. It just hits you right there when you see something like that.
ANDERSON: On "The View" this morning, Whoopi Goldberg, who won an Oscar co-starring with Swayze in "Ghost" says she owed it all to Swayze who went to bat for her.
GOLDBERG: He said I`m not doing it unless she does it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": And you won an Oscar.
GOLDBERG: And I won an Oscar because of Patrick Swayze. So baby, as always - yes. So we want - we just want you to know, we want you to feel better. We`ll talk soon, I hope.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the latest on Swayze`s battle. The heart felt well wishes that celebrities are sending to him.
JAMES WOODS, ACTOR: Heartbreaking news but I`m hoping it`s a like great story where good things happen.
ANDERSON: And the hard questions some are sending to the "National Enquirer" which broke the news of the ordeal that Swayze and his wife of 32 years had been suffering in private.
SERAFIN: That also makes it even more sad when you hear about this.
ANDERSON: In his most recent big TV appearance, surprising a couple of "Dirty Dancing" fans on "Oprah," the 55-year-old Swayze showed he hasn`t lost a step. But then, this news hit like a punch to the face. The grim "NationalEnquirer.com" headline read "Patrick Swayze Has Five Weeks to Live." CNN`s Sanjay Gupta says those with pancreatic cancer face a hard road ahead.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This is one of those cancers that once you`re diagnosed with it, as you said, the odds are very much not in your favor. People oftentimes don`t live very long.
ANDERSON: But Swayze`s representatives are denying that he is at death`s door. They tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Patrick`s physician, Dr. George Fisher, states Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and appears to be responding well to the treatment thus far. All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic."
His publicist tells "People.com" that Swayze`s undergoing chemotherapy, not radiation and that he hasn`t lost his hair.
SERAFIN: It`s sort of it`s what you expect from Patrick Swayze, a guy that seems like he`s going to fight it.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT talked to some of the biggest Hollywood stars who said they were shocked by the news.
RAY ROMANO, ACTOR: He`s a good guy, a really nice guy. I hear good things about him, so I`m really pulling for him.
SHANNON ELIZABETH, ACTRESS: Patrick, we all love you. Get well soon.
ANDERSON: Ben Widdecombe of the "New York Daily News" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT there had been whispers about Swayze`s health for sometime.
BEN WIDDECOMBE, COLUMNIST, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": We had heard reports from sources that Swayze had been sick and suffering from cancer. When his spokeswoman denied, we didn`t push them any further.
ANDERSON: But then "The National Enquirer" broke the story and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you it`s not the first time the paper has forced celebrities to reveal their battles with cancer before they were ready.
WIDDECOMBE: The "National Enquirer" which broke the story is of course known for paying sources and typically, they are able to get access to hospital records and firsthand accounts because they do pay the people directly.
ANDERSON: It was the "Enquirer" that broke the story of Farrah Fawcett`s cancer and in 2005, Dana Reeve, the widow of "Superman" star Christopher Reeve, felt forced to disclose she had lung cancer after learning the "Enquirer" was about to publish the news. She died the following year.
In those cases and now with Swayze, the "Enquirer" faced criticism that they violated the privacy of these ailing stars but they have their defenders.
WIDDECOMBE: After the "National Enquirer" broke the story, whatever you may think about their methods or their newspaper, they got the story right.
ANDERSON: For now, Swayze says he is continuing his battle as well as his career. His representatives tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Patrick is continuing his normal schedule during this time, which includes working on upcoming projects."
WIDDECOMBE: Patrick Swayze`s shooting a pilot at the moment called, "The Beast" where he plays an FBI agent.
ANDERSON: And in the meantime, the millions of fans he`s earned over the years are wishing him the best.
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ANDERSON: We all wish Swayze the best and, hey, a lot of people are saying the "National Enquirer" should not have revealed that he had cancer before he announced it himself. So why did they do it?
With us tonight is the editor-in-chief of the "National Enquirer," David Perel who joins me now from West Palm Beach, Florida. David, thanks for taking the time to speak with us and my first question to you is, how do you defend the "Enquirer`s" decision to go public with such a private matter?
DAVID PEREL, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER": It`s not something that needs to be defended. It`s just simple journalism. The story had started to leak out. It was going to come out publicly. We even understood there was going to be an announcement. So it`s simply covering a news maker who is a public figure with a shocking and sad story.
ANDERSON: But this is a very sensitive matter. Was there a discussion at the "Enquirer" about whether this was appropriate? Was there even any debate or did everybody say, "Hey, let`s go with this?"
PEREL: There`s always discussion. There`s always debate and there`s always hard, extensive reporting that goes into it. It`s a type of story as we reported it, we hoped it wasn`t true but our information was good. We were able to prove it was true and along the way, we knew it was coming out in only a matter of weeks. So the decision was made.
ANDERSON: Did you take into consideration that it could upset Patrick Swayze and his family? I just want to know, was there any trepidation? Because this is so private and personal.
PEREL: There`s always trepidation but any time a public figure has to endure something like this, it`s news. And unfortunately, that`s what journalists do. They break news, sometimes it`s bad news. It can`t always be good news but in this case, everybody hopes for the best. His statements are hopeful. And there`s no question with him working in the industry, this was not going to remain a secret.
ANDERSON: Listen, David. I understand wanting to break news and wanting to be the first person out of the gates with the story. But you didn`t just break the news; you didn`t break it gently. The headline was, "Patrick Swayze Has Five Weeks to Live."
PEREL: Well, news is news. And that is the nature of it. That is the reality. These are the facts. Every news organization has picked up the story since then. So sometimes you bring people good news. Sometimes you bring them sad news about people they love.
ANDERSON: Have you heard from Swayze`s family since you broke the story, since he wasn`t able to publicly reveal the information on his own terms?
PEREL: We`ve heard the same thing everybody else has heard, the statement that was put out. And let`s not forget that he put out a statement earlier through his publicist after he was spotted at Stanford University Medical Center saying he`d had a procedure up there. So there`s no question the story was going to come out but the "Enquirer," as usual, was able to get the story first.
ANDERSON: Did you, guys, contact Swayze and his family beforehand to let them know that you were about to go public with this information and at least give them the opportunity to do it first or in concert with you?
PEREL: Without revealing too much about workings of the story, the fact is they knew the story was coming out and we just did good, simple, hard reporting. We broke a major exclusive. We wish him the best, just like everybody else.
ANDERSON: Yes, we all do. And you know, the "National Enquirer" story claims, you know, he only has five weeks to live. But Swayze`s spokesperson says that timeframe is absolutely untrue. Where did you get your information and do you still stand by it?
PEREL: Of course, we stand by it and you can see the quality of our information by the fact that our story is correct and has been verified. The fact is pancreatic cancer is the most deadly of all cancers as everyone knows. He`s had three radical chemotherapy treatments in the last month and from what we understand, there has been slight improvement but not what they hoped for and it doesn`t look that good. So while the public statements are optimistic and we hope that`s true, our information, which has been proven to be correct, is different than that.
ANDERSON: David Perel from the "National Enquirer," thanks for taking time with us.
PEREL: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And now we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Patrick Swayze`s cancer: Was it wrong for the `National Enquirer` to disclose it." Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. I know you`ve got some strong opinions on this so send them our way. E- mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
I`ve got some big, breaking Britney Spears news to tell you about tonight. There has been a surprise move by a judge that will have a huge impact on how Britney lives her life for the next couple of months. I`m going to tell you all about it. That is coming up next.
Also, Oprah is everywhere. You know, she`s got a TV show, a magazine, now another TV show. Everything Oprah touches seems to turn to gold. I know, but I do have to ask this question. Is there such a thing as too much Oprah? We`re going to get into that coming up.
And Robert Downey Jr. has a new movie role. He is very talented but I think this one is definitely going to raise some eyebrows. He will appear on screen as a black man. I`m going to fill you in on that still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Keep it right here.
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ANDERSON: Paparazzi pandemonium as Britney tries to exit a store in Hollywood. All of this happening as a judge makes a shocking decision about who should be in control of Britney.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. Tonight, big Britney Spears` news. She might not like it but Britney`s daddy will be keeping her on a short leash for a little longer. In a surprise move, a judge has ruled that Jamie Spears will remain in charge of her estate at least until July.
With us tonight in New York, anchor for "In Session," Lisa Bloom. In Hollywood, Ken Baker, executive news editor for "E!" Lisa, Ken, as we know, Britney`s father, Jamie, put in control of her affairs when she went into a psych ward in late January. Ever since, her out-of-control behavior has virtually stopped. Lisa Bloom, it would seem this latest decision is, again, just what Britney needs.
LISA BLOOM, ANCHOR, "IN SESSION": I think it`s terrific. Clearly, father knows best in this case. We haven`t seen her in the clubs. We haven`t seen her without the underwear. We haven`t seen her shaving her head. She`s been keeping a low profile and it`s just what she needs to do. Hopefully getting well. We don`t know what`s going on behind closed doors. She went and taught a kids` dance class one day. That was well-reviewed. Good for him for coming back into her life and taking care of his little girl even though she`s a grownup.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. It seems she is making progress. But you know, she still does have to deal with the paparazzi. Take a look again at this video from Wednesday. Britney pushing her way through a swarm of paparazzi just to get to her car after a shopping trip.
Ken, I would have to imagine the only ones not happy about all of this is the paparazzi. They used to feed and gorge themselves on Britney 24 hours a day and now at best, they get a light snack every once in a while.
KEN BAKER: Well, the freak show that you showed used to happen multiple times a day. Now, it might happen two or three times a week and most of her visits outside of the house are going down this Millennium Dance Complex in north Hollywood, just a few miles from her house. She`s teaching kids. She`s working on some dance moves.
And she`s really mellow. She`s not going out, causing a spectacle, driving around with her top down just checking into hotels every other night. All the chaos of her life previous to the conservatorship has all but ended and I think that`s why people aren`t really surprised that the judge would go along with this because she really does seem to be going in the right direction.
ANDERSON: You know, this brand new ruling, while it may have seemed to come out of the blue a little bit, we did know that the conservatorship was set to expire next week. A decision had to be made one way or the other. Lisa, do you agree with Ken that the judge just thought, "Hey, she`s doing OK now. Let`s continue this."
BLOOM: Yes. And keep in mind for everybody out there who feels there might be some conspiracy and the parents taking control of her money and god knows what they`re doing. No, the court has control over the conservatorship at all times in this case and every case. And so they can`t be running wild or doing anything crazy behind the scenes. The court has to approve it and it appears that they`re handling the conservatorship in a very responsible way and that`s why the court has approved another four months now. It makes a lot of sense.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Monitoring it very closely. And you know, meantime, there`s still that attorney out there who wants Britney`s case to be sent to the federal court. He claims Britney`s civil rights have been violated with this conservatorship. But Ken Baker, if he really had her best interests at heart, shouldn`t he be looking at the progress she has made and say, "Hey, the girl`s doing well. Leave her alone."
BAKER: Well, a really important part of this story to remember is that the medical records and the testimony of the physicians who have been treating Britney Spears are sealed. We haven`t seen those. We tend to feel like we know everything that`s going on with Britney Spears. We know everything that`s going on in court. But guess what? We don`t.
We don`t know the meat of it. We don`t know what exactly went down in her house that night that they took her to the hospital the first time. We don`t know exactly what led to her going to the hospital the second time when she was put on a 5150 hold.
Clearly, those medical interventions are what`s behind the conservatorship and we don`t really know. And guess what? This guy who`s claiming to be her attorney, well, she can`t make decisions of hiring her own counsel. That is part of the conservatorship.
ANDERSON: True.
BAKER: So the basis of the claim is null and void just on the basis that she has a conservatorship in place.
ANDERSON: Well, Lisa, what do you think about this guy who claims to be her attorney, who claims her civil rights are being violated, who`s still fighting the fight to take it to federal court?
BLOOM: Yes, he`s fighting the fight. I rank that lawsuit up there with the lawsuit against the dry cleaners for $65 million for the pair of lost pants or my all-time favorite, the lawsuit against God for bad weather.
ANDERSON: Right.
BLOOM: This is just not going to succeed. It`s just not. Give it up, give it up.
ANDERSON: Yes, just give it up while you have some shred of dignity maybe. You know, also, I want to mention there is buzz out there that Britney may not be happy, too happy about the dad being in control of her life. Ken, if she were to go to court to fight this, would she have a leg to stand on?
BAKER: Well, you know what? There were early reports at the beginning of the conservatorship that Britney was not happy with it. But recently, what`s everyone is seeing and by all appearances is that she is hanging out with her dad. She`s getting along with her family, so I`m not sure that those reports are true. And in fact, she seems to be very stable and seems to be pretty content with her family being around her right now.
ANDERSON: Oh, it all seems to be a major step in the right direction in healing for everybody involved. Ken Baker, Lisa Bloom, thank you both for your insight.
BLOOM: Thanks.
BAKER: Thanks.
ANDERSON: You can always watch the latest Britney Spears video report. For latest Britney breaking news and latest video, go to the Britney drama section of our Web site any time. You`ll find it at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
OK, the news of Patrick Swayze`s cancer still has me and so many other people shocked. And the way it came out - I have to say, is really ugly. A tabloid broke the news before Swayze had a chance to make the announcement when and how he wanted to. So I have to ask, is there anything that should be off limits in stars` lives? That is still ahead.
Also, Oprah is everywhere. She`s got a TV show, a magazine, now another TV show. Everything she touches seems to turn to gold but I have to ask the question - is there such a thing as too much Oprah? Oprah overload. That`s straight ahead.
Jamie Lynn, coming to prime time. That`s right. Britney`s pregnant little sister expanding the TV horizons beyond "Zoey 101." And wait until you hear what role she is playing. I`m not sure how I feel about this. You can decide for yourself, next.
Now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime by downloading our podcast. Won`t cost you a cent. You can find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, or download it on iTunes. Just type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" in the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back after this.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson and here are some more stories that is are new right now. Robert Downey Jr. has a new movie coming out where he appears onscreen as a black man. In "Tropic Thunder," Downey plays a white actor cast to play a black soldier. Ben Stiller co-wrote and directed the movie which comes out this summer. He says it satirizes over-the-top actors, not African-Americans.
Jamie Lynn Spears also has a new role. She`ll appear in the premier episode of a new ABC sitcom called "Misguided." Britney`s little sis will guest star as a troubled high school student. The show was filmed before Jamie Lynn announced she was pregnant and premiers March 20th.
The wiretapping trial of Private Investigator Anthony Pellicano is starting and has a star studded list of potential witnesses including Sylvester Stallone and Chris Rock. Pellicano is accused of wiretapping phones and bribing police and telephone workers to get confidential information in divorce and other high-profile cases.
OK. The news of Patrick Swayze`s cancer still has me and so many other people shocked. And the way it came out, I have to say, is really ugly. A tabloid broke the news before Swayze had a chance to make the announcement when and how he wanted to. So I have to ask, is there anything that should be off limits to stars` lives? That is still ahead.
Also, are we reaching Oprah overload? She`s got a TV show, a magazine, now another TV show. Everything she touches, of course, seems to turn to gold. But I wonder, is there such a thing as too much Oprah? We`re getting into that, coming up. Also this -
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RAVEN SYMONE, ACTRESS: It`s very unfair that they have to go through the toughest times in their life on camera or on paper when there are people in this world that need a lot more attention.
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ANDERSON: Raven Symone sounds off on all the attention Britney and the other bad girls of Hollywood are getting. I actually think she makes a very wise point. Raven Symone, ahead in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first, hey, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news show with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Just head over the CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the "sign up for the newsletter link" at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back after this.
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ANDERSON: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Patrick Swayze`s shocking cancer battle. Tonight, outrage over how the world found out. Should the "National Enquirer" have broken the story before Patrick had the chance to go public? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks the controversial question - when stars are seriously sick, should the tabloids just keep quiet?
All right. I hope I don`t get struck down by lightning for saying this, but is there such a thing as too much Oprah? Her talk show, her book club, her magazine. Now another TV show. Oprah, we love you, babe. But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, too much Oprah?
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Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. is off. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, the outrage over the "National Enquirer" breaking the news about Patrick Swayze`s pancreatic cancer. Swayze only confirmed that he had cancer after the "Enquirer" posted a big story on its Web site with the scary headline saying he might only have five weeks to live.
Swayze`s own doctor denies he is in such grave danger and that the cancer is confined. With us again tonight from the E! studios in Hollywood, Ken Baker, executive news editor for E! Also in Hollywood, Howard Bragman, founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. And in New York, Maggie Gallant, founder of Spotlight Communications. Ken, Howard, Maggie, welcome.
And as you may have seen earlier tonight, I went one on one with the top guy at the "National Enquirer," editor-in-chief David Perel, and I asked him why the "Enquirer" felt they needed to reveal this before Swayze did it himself. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREL: It`s not something that needs to be defended. It`s just simple journalism. The story had started to leak out. It was going the come out publicly. We even understood there was going to be an announcement. So, it is simply covering a news make maker who is a public figure with a shocking and sad story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Howard Bragman, do you buy the "Enquirer`s" reasoning or do you find what they did, as a lot of people do, despicable?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: I find just about everything the "Enquirer" does despicable. You know, there`s legal and there`s moral here and that`s where they crossed the line. A lot of times and I`ve had it the past. I had a client who got his medical test from the "Enquirer" before he got it from his doctor.
ANDERSON: No.
BRAGMAN: A lot of - oh, yes. It happens. Any publicist can tell you. And it`s not only that they put the story out there, it`s how they are getting it. They`re encouraging people to do illegal acts by paying people off who work in hospitals and sharing your private information, which is purely illegal for these people who work in hospitals.
And a lot of times, this information comes out before the celebrities had a chance to tell their family and their loved ones. And you know, if there`s anything that they have the right to do, it`s tell their own story in their own terms when something like this happens. So it`s just truly regrettable.
ANDERSON: And the fact that there are leaks coming from within the hospitals, just as despicable. Ken Baker, you are a long-time reporter covering Hollywood. Is there anything that can justify telling the world Swayze could be dying of cancer unless he wanted to? Shouldn`t it be his decision?
BAKER: Well, I think in an ideal world. But public figures and Howard is going to tell you this, they give up a lot of privacy and a lot of what a normal person, normal civilian would normally consider something that they want to keep private and should keep private, does not remain private.
And for example, like yesterday, E! News reported the news of the cancer after Swayze`s mom confirmed it to us, Swayze`s rep and Swayze`s physician. That`s when we decided to go with the story. It had been rumored and it had been out there and it had been in the tabloids about it. But we decided to wait until we could confirm it accurately, on the record with people close to him.
ANDERSON: As we did, as well.
BAKER: But I have to say, Brooke, you know, I think that at the end of the day, you have to look at the history of celebrity illnesses that got out against the will of the celebrity itself that end up to be a good thing. Michael Langdon - he didn`t want it out there he had pancreatic cancer. Guess what? He raised a lot of attention and a lot of people end up getting help for it. Magic Johnson, he didn`t want to reveal he had HIV. He ended up doing it and came out to be a very positive thing.
ANDERSON: But Ken, Ken, Ken, shouldn`t they do that on their own terms? People have to deal with devastation like this with themselves and their families first before they come out and say, "I want to be a role model."
BRAGMAN: There`s got to be a line. There`s got to be a line somewhere. And Ken, you`re a human person and I know you and there has to be a line and somebody`s potentially fatal illness is a line crossed by the "Enquirer." You guys waited and CNN waited. But they crossed the line and you have to acknowledge that, Ken.
ANDERSON: Maggie, do you think - Ken, I`ll let you respond in a second. I want to get Maggie in here. Maggie, do you think a line was crossed?
MAGGIE GALLANT, SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS: Absolutely, a line was crossed. And the publicist is in a very unique position as well. A lot of people have been asking me if you were the publicist for Patrick Swayze, how would you deal with this?
And when someone is dealing with a life or death situation, their main focus needs to not be what the press statement is. How are they going to defeat the illness? And having the entire country know about your illness is a lot of pressure and that publicist had an absolute moral obligation to keep that secret private until he was ready and strong enough to face his public and tell his story.
ANDERSON: Ken, I think you`re the lone ranger here. What do you say to all of this?
BAKER: No. Well, the thing is, it`s not that I disagree with what they`re saying. I`m saying is that the story did get out there and other news organizations did pick up on it. The Associated Press ran the story because there was an intense interest in the story. Look at Patrick Swayze. He is someone that people have a sentimental interest in. Fans love him because of "Ghost," because of "Dirty Dancing." And I think there was this intense interest in it.
And I will tell you this, if the publicist didn`t confirm it, the physician didn`t come out with a statement, we probably wouldn`t be talking about it on this show today. It probably would have been something that, oh, it`s a tabloid story and not touched. There are stories that the mainstream media do not touch and this is probably would have been one of them.
ANDERSON: But the point is that they were forced to come out with that statement. And speaking of the fans, Ken, you know, do fans need to be privy to such sensitive information all the time? Fans deal with hardships. Fans deal with medical issues and know that, you know, sometimes they don`t want everyone in on their private suffering.
BAKER: That`s certainly the case, but let`s just hope that maybe there`s a positive lining to all this and that people who are going to the doctor today maybe had pain in their abdomen asked their doctors to check for pancreatic cancer. So maybe there`s some positive to come out of it at least.
ANDERSON: You know, the editor-and-chief of the "National Enquirer" also told me that it`s their job as a news organization to bring people to bring both good news and sometimes bad news and sad news about the people they love. But Howard, isn`t he missing the point? This isn`t about debating whether or not to bring the public good or bad news. It`s having a level of sensitivity in what you do?
BRAGMAN: It is about being human and I think it`s having a level of humanity, even more than sensitivity. The tabloids don`t care what they say. Right, wrong or indifferent because celebrities - it`s very hard for them to sue if something is inaccurate. And they - you know, we just have to consider the source.
And the thing we could do is stop buying these tabloids. Stop giving them credence in the mainstream media and let people have some measure of privacy in their lives. Even public figures deserve some measure of privacy. It`s that simple.
ANDERSON: All right. We will leave it there. I`m sure this discussion will continue. Ken Baker, Howard Bragman, Maggie Gallant. Thank you all so much for joining us.
ANDERSON: All right. I am a big fan of Oprah. I am. She does so much good. But and here comes the but, is there such a thing as too much Oprah? I mean she`s got her talk show, the book club, a magazine, now another TV show. Oh, we love you, but tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is daring to ask - could there, maybe, just be too much Oprah? I`m investigating that, next.
And did you see this? President Bush tap dancing. What`s going on? Is he trying out for "Dancing With The Stars"? Is he channeling Fred Astaire? You`ve got to see this video, and we`ve got it next.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SYMONE: I think it`s very unfair that they have to go through the toughest times in their lives on camera or on paper when there`s people in this world that need a lot more attention.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s one of the biggest, most well-grounded young stars out there. Raven Symone from Disney`s "That`s So Raven." Tonight, she`s opening up like never before about young Hollywood and her terrific attitude about her body. That is straight ahead. You don`t want to miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
All right. Did you see this? Who knew President Bush could dance? Bush is known for being on time but was kept waiting for Republican presidential candidate John McCain who he was all set to endorse at the White House. Maybe McCain`s straight talk express got a flat. Who knows?
But Bush showed off his moves while he waited for McCain to show up. I don`t think he`s planning to try out for "Dancing With The Stars" and I bet the president doesn`t feel like doing any tap dancing around those low poll numbers.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is daring to ask - is there too much Oprah? The just released "Forbes" billionaire list shows Miss O ranked a mere 462nd out of the world`s 946 billionaires, worth $2.5 billion. Poor Oprah, right?
Of course, it all began with her talk show and now the Oprah Winfrey TV network is set to launch next year. Her new primetime show, "Oprah`s Big Give" is out. There is "Oprah" magazine, the Oprah Book Club. She`s got her name on just about everything. But I`ve got to wonder, is there just too much Oprah?
Joining me again tonight here in New York, host of "In Session," Lisa Bloom. And from Hollywood, "Extra" correspondent, Tanika Ray. Tanika, Lisa, great to see you both. Tanika, what do you think? Are we drowning in Oprah? Is it too much already?
TANIKA RAY, "EXTRA" CORRESPONDENT: Well, let me be very clear that I`m a full pledged Oprah-ite and there`s never too much Oprah. Ever!
ANDERSON: Oprah addict, huh?
RAY: Adding perfume and clothing, absolutely. I think she can do no wrong and I think you know what? Not to quote Diddy or anything - I don`t want to embarrass myself, but more money, more problems. That`s what it comes down to.
ANDERSON: Lisa, what do you think? Is there too much Oprah these days?
BLOOM: Well, you know, I have been on the show. I Tivo show. I read the magazine. She tells me to read a book, I read it. Whatever Oprah says to do, I do it. And my life is better. The woman is all about substance. The woman makes $265 million a year. Far be it for me to give her advice.
RAY: Lisa, we`re together on that.
ANDERSON: Yes. You know, I have a lot of respect for the woman. Yes, she is a savvy business woman in so many ways -
RAY: Yes.
ANDERSON: And gives great advice. But you know, it would seem there are signs that Oprah may be spreading herself too thin, maybe getting bitten in the backside by it. There was a huge flap over the book club selection, a memoir by James Frey called, "A Million Little Pieces." It turned out to be made up.
Just this month, another memoir, "Love and Consequences," reviewed and praised in "O" magazine also turned out to be a fake. Tanika, is it a sign that stuff is starting to slip through the cracks? Oprah is known for quality work.
RAY: Right. But you have to remember, Oprah is not the publisher. The publishers didn`t even catch the fact it was a fraud. So we can`t really blame Oprah for the fact that somebody lied about their book being a memoir. I think people now just want to point the fingers and say, "See, see, she`s not perfect. She can`t do everything right." Leave the woman alone. It`s not her fault. She does every else pretty much brilliantly.
ANDERSON: And you know, mistakes do happen as you say.
RAY: Yes.
ANDERSON: And besides all of the other stuff we mentioned earlier, Oprah has her own channel on XM Radio. An Oprah store just opened near her Chicago studio, and obviously, she`s making a lot of cash. Lisa Bloom, anything wrong with that?
BLOOM: No. There`s nothing wrong with it. In fact, she`s such a wonderful role model because she does good and she does well. And you know, may we all succeed at what we love doing and also give back in a tremendous way that Oprah does. And when she makes a mistake and clearly did with James Frey, she has him on the show and rips his head off and then apologizes to all of us for the mistake that she`s made. We all make mistakes. The more you do, you`re going to occasionally misstep but she`s such a terrific role model, I think, in the way that she handles it.
ANDERSON: Yes, you`re right. There is the occasional misstep. She is a risk taker. Tanika, any time you take risks, inevitably -
RAY: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: There`s going to be criticism. There`s going to be a little disappointment, right?
RAY: And there are going to be some times where you actually don`t succeed, and Oprah`s been very honest with the audience about that. She`s a human being. She says, "I slipped and I admit it," and you move on as sort of being part of a human being right now. So, you know, big ups to Oprah on that and I think she is a role model for everything, even the flaws, even the things that she doesn`t do so brilliantly. And you can look at her and say, "That`s how you maybe a not-such-a-good moment, and she`s really good at handling both.
ANDERSON: She certainly is very strong in how she handles criticism. And she even took some heat for backing Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the fight for the Democratic nomination. Lisa, is that part of an Oprah backlash in any way, or will there always just be complainers?
BLOOM: You know, as long as the woman is making $265 million a year, I don`t think she has to worry about backlash and -
ANDERSON: Haters!
BLOOM: And any woman who`s that successful, there`s going to be people who want to tear her down. But on Oprah, they`ve got nothing. They`ve got nothing on the woman.
ANDERSON: They`ve got nothing on Oprah and may her success continue.
RAY: Yes!
ANDERSON: Lisa Bloom, Tanika Ray, thank you both.
RAY: Whoo!
BLOOM: Thank you.
ANDERSON: All right. You know, maybe some people say you can have too much Oprah, but I don`t think you can have too much Will Ferrell. Tonight, your first look at "Step Brothers." Ferrell just can`t get along with his grown-up stepbrother. But then, they realize they have much more in common than they think and a lot of funny stuff happens.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL FERRELL, ACTOR: Hey.
JOHN C. REILLY, ACTOR: Hey.
RICHARD JENKINS, ACTOR: All right, everybody. Sleeping arrangements. Brennan, you are sharing your room with Dale just until the two of you get jobs and you move out.
REILLY: Hey. Are you awake?
FERRELL: Yes.
REILLY: I hate your guts.
FERRELL: As soon as you`re out of shut eye, I`m going to punch you square in the face.
REILLY: This is the one rule of the house. Don`t ever touch my drum set. Don`t touch it!
FERRELL: All right.
REILLY: Did you touch my drum set?
FERRELL: No.
REILLY: Why are you so sweaty?
FERRELL: I was watching "Cops."
MARY STEENBURGEN: I think they`re starting to like each other.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Aah! I`ll kill you!
REILLY: What are you doing?
FERRELL: I`m burying you.
REILLY: I`m alive. I`m alive.
FERRELL: You are waking the neighbors. Shut up!
REILLY: OK. Name your favorite dinosaur.
FERRELL: Velociraptor.
REILLY: Velociraptor. All right. If you were a chick, who`s the one guy you would sleep with?
FERRELL: John Stamos.
REILLY: John Stamos.
FERRELL: What? Did we just become best friends?
REILLY: Yes.
JENKINS: You have one month to find jobs or you`re on your asses?
FERRELL: What?
REILLY: What?
JENKINS: I will arrange interviews and you will go.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Who is this gentleman sitting behind you?
REILLY: Hello, miss lady.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: You can`t -
FERRELL: Shut your mouth.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: You shouldn`t tell the person who`s interviewing you to shut their mouths.
FERRELL: You`re sounding stupid now.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I`m sorry? What did you just say?
FERRELL: You`re just coming off stupid.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Please leave this office.
FERRELL: Do we get any sort of souvenir?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Get out of my office!
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Well, if it isn`t Dale Doback and his little buddy.
REILLY: Just leave me alone, will you?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Shut up, fool.
FERRELL: You should treat me, an adult, with some respect. Aah!
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: So, maybe you don`t go down that way anymore.
REILLY: That`s what we talked about. We`re going the take the long way home.
Can we turn our beds into bunk beds?
FERRELL: It will give us so much extra room to do activities.
REILLY: This is the funnest night ever! Hey. I never asked you, you like guacamole?
FERRELL: Aah! My arm!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: If the movie is as funny as this trailer, it will definitely crack a lot of people up. "Step Brothers" opens July 25th.
Well, I just think Raven Symone is one of the best young role models out there. Tonight, though, Raven is speaking out like never before about the others - young, out of control Hollywood stars.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SYMONE: And I think it`s very unfair that they have to go through the toughest times in their life on camera or on paper when there are people in this world that need a lot more attention.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You`re going to want to hear this. Her surprising comments , plus her absolutely refreshing attitude about body image. That`s next.
But first, I`ve got your weekly look at what`s new at the movies. This is brought to you Pillsbury Crescent Rolls.
Martin Lawrence, Raven Symone, even Donny Osmond hit the road in "College Road Trip." This funny one is a high schooler`s college search meets "National Lampoon`s Vacation."
And speaking schools, get ready to kick it old school. I`m talking 10,000 B.C. in "10,000 B.C." It`s man versus mammoth. "Independence Day`s" Roland Emerich directs.
And a bank robbery goes all wrong in "The Bank Job." Besides lots of cash and jewels, the robbers run off with some shocking secrets. Ooh. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, thanks, Charles. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, one of Hollywood`s biggest young stars who has been such a good role model because she`s stayed out of trouble is speaking out like never before about the young stars who haven`t. Plus, she`s got some really revealing stuff to say about her body image.
I totally remember Raven Symone. She played little Olivia on "The Cosby Show," so cute. Today, she stars on the Disney Channel`s "That`s So Raven." I think she is a great influence and what`s really interesting is that Raven in a way actually feels bad for the Britneys, the Lindsays, the bad girls.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SYMONE: I think it`s very unfair that they have to go through the toughest times in their life on camera or on paper when there are people in this world that need a lot more attention that are going through the same thing but nobody`s helping them and nobody`s scrutinizing them. I think we all need to, like, take a seat back and look at ourselves and say, "Why do we treat them like this when we could actually help them or root better for them?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Smart cookie, that Raven Symone, and she`s also a great role model about her body image. She loves her body, her curves. Listen to what she tells "People" magazine, "My conflict in life is just making sure that I remember that I`m beautiful just the way I am, no matter what size I am. I`m thick and fabulous. I don`t care how many hater sites are out there. I`m absolutely fabulous."
Yes, you are. Raven`s talking about how some bloggers made fun of her weight. It is terrible. But I think it is great that she doesn`t care. Doesn`t let it affect her.
All right. On Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Celebrity Reality Shows: Should stars keep their kids off reality TV?" Totally one sided response here - 94 percent of you say yes. Only six percent of you say no.
The Emails. Eric from California thinks, "Most kids will love the attention. Parents who get their kids involved in reality TV should be praised."
But William from Michigan is fired up, "What the hell is wrong with these so-called mothers of Hollywood? You have to be a sick, soulless (EXPLETIVE DELETED) to exploit your kids for your own gain. But then again, this is Hollywood, home of sick, soulless (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
All right. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. Hey, remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the elevens - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 Pacific and in the morning 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS," coming up next. Take care.
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