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Showbiz Tonight
Beyonce and Jay-Z Wedding Still a Secret; Bad News for Tom Cruise; Nanny-gate Scandals; Online Celebrity Gossip
Aired April 09, 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: Is Gwyneth Paltrow's to Cold Play's Chris Martin marriage in trouble? I'm A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And a revealing look at what really went down at Beyonce and Jay-Z's wedding. And why are they still not admitting they got married? I'm Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV's most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, more bad news for Tom Cruise. Tonight, why Tom could be in more trouble than ever. What is really going on behind the scenes? Could Tom actually be begging the guy that fired him for his old job back? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Tom Cruise news that could have him singing the blues.
It's bigger than Watergate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD NIXON, FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: I'm not a crook.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It's nanny-gate! Tonight, the biggest, most shocking Hollywood nanny scandals ever. Rob Lowe's startling claim that his nanny is trying to blackmail him for millions. Jude Law having sex with his nanny. Tonight, a revealing showbiz special report, the best nanny-gate scandals ever.
Plus, we are blowing the lid off the secret, explosive world of celebrity gossip. How do they find out this stuff? Showbiz investigates.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I'm A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi, there, everyone. I'm Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood. Tonight, for the very first time, we're learning the incredible and intimate details of Beyonce and Jay-Z's wedding night or at least the wedding night they still won't even acknowledge really happened. What's up with that? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the revealing story behind the mystery, straight ahead.
HAMMER: But first, bad news for Cruise. Whether you love Tom Cruise or hate him, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal brand new developments that should have Cruise concerned. You know, he was once the biggest, most invincible movie star in the world. But now, Tom is getting a reality check and it's not pretty.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: So you think I should quit?
HAMMER (voice over): It may be an old line from the classic Tom Cruise movie, "Top Gun." But from the looks of his career, it might not be a bad idea for Tom Cruise to quit while he's still ahead. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, it's got something to do with all his risky business.
ALICIA QUARLES, ASSOCIATED PRESS: Tom Cruise is definitely having a bad week.
HAMMER: A bad week indeed. It's bad news for Cruise, and it's no laughing matter. His studio shingle, United Artists, may still be hanging in Hollywood since he famously slipped from Paramount Studios and Viacom chief Sumner Redstone some two years ago. But he hasn't had a box office smash yet. Remember his first film with the studio, "Lions for Lambs?" You probably don't because, frankly, it was a bomb. And the DVD release of it this week, not too promising.
QUARLES: "Lions for Lambs" was reportedly made for $35 million, but domestically, only grossed $15 million. It's probably not going to do well with the DVD sales and it didn't do well in the box office.
HAMMER: And Tom's next big project, Valkyrie, a movie about a real- life German icon and anti-Nazi war hero who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
CRUISE: We have to kill Hitler.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that the production of Valkyrie has been plagued.
QUARLES: Apparently the opening scene hasn't been shot.
HAMMER: To make things worse, the movie's release has been delayed.
QUARLES: It's coming out Valentine's Day weekend? I mean are people really going to want to see a movie about Hitler during the romantic weekend of the year?
HAMMER: Remember, this is a movie about an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler.
QUARLES: This is definitely not a popcorn movie.
HAMMER: Tom pushed back the movie from October of this year to February of next year, killing any chance it would have to be an Oscar contender.
QUARLES: That's just a bad time to release this, usually.
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT says all this bad news for Cruise is a crying shame. Because for so long, Tom Cruise was at the top of his game until he parted with Paramount and famously fought with Sumner Redstone.
QUARLES: Sumner Redstone said, "Bye-bye. Your antics are too much. You're not as bankable. You've got to go."
HAMMER: That was almost two years ago. But get this, just last week, they were spotted lunching together in Beverly Hills.
QUARLES: People thought that they were enemies. But if they're breaking bread together, maybe they can reunite for a big screen project.
HAMMER: And with that, we leave you now with a big screen moment in Tom Cruise's illustrious career from a "Few Good Men."
JACK NICHOLSON, ACTOR: You can't handle the truth.
HAMMER: Because, really, all this bad news is a tough truth to handle.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It really would seem that all of this is bad news for Cruise but just how bad? Joining me tonight from Hollywood, CNN entertainment correspondent, Kareen Wynter. Also in Hollywood tonight, Howard Bragman the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations.
Kareen, Howard, this is just mind-boggling to me. I mean here's a guy whose name on a marquis(ph) used to guarantee a buffo(ph) - I just said "buffo"(ph) - box office. But it's true. And now, it's like he can't buy a hit. Howard, what do you think? Should Tom be worried that his buffo(ph) mojo is gonzo?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Well, A.J. there are a lot of things that we should all worry about in the world. Tom Cruise's career isn't one of them. He's worth hundreds of millions in dollars, one of the biggest box office stars of all time. He runs a studio, Unite Artists. Tom Cruise is going to be just fine. He's an actor of a certain age. He's 45 now and he wants to flex his muscle and takes offenses ...
HAMMER: But Howard, doesn't he need to open a movie? I mean doesn't his name need to guarantee success or it's just that it doesn't matter anymore?
BRAGMAN: It really doesn't matter. You get to the point where you've done it all and you want to do new, interesting, different things. It's the same reason that a star like Jim Carey chooses to do something other than comedies. I've done that already. Tom Cruise has done the action thing. He wants to stretch his acting muscles and really try different things. Even if he knows they're risky, he's got a good enough sense of self that he is not that worried.
HAMMER: Well, we mentioned that Paramount and Sumner Redstone fired Tom Cruise because of his wacky behavior. So here's another thing that I don't get. Why would Tom go and meet with Redstone and really in a very public way, obviously so people would know about it? Kareen - I don't know - doesn't it kind of make it look like Tom's begging for a job, perhaps adding to the perception that he's in trouble?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: You know what, A.J.? It does seem a little bit curious, doesn't it? Here you have these two huge Hollywood heavyweights. They're meeting. What are they doing? Shooting the breeze, reminiscing about the past - oh, actually, maybe they are. Maybe they're thinking about joining forces again, perhaps doing business.
You know, since I wasn't a fly on the wall at that meeting, you know, one can only speculate. But of course, Tom's camp - they're not saying anything about this. Redstone has reportedly hinted that they're trying to renew their relationship, that the past is the past. They're moving on. Whatever's going on, I can't wait to see what develops from here.
HAMMER: Yes. But I want to go back now to something that Howard said. Because it seems to me his movies still need to make money for it to make financial sense for people to be involved. His first movie for the new studio, as we mentioned, you know, "Lions for Lambs," a snooze, a flop. His next movie - it's called "Valkyrie," about a World War II Hitler hero. Hardly mass appeal there.
Howard, I have to imagine that somewhere he's kicking himself in the butt thinking, "If I were only making "Mission Impossible 4." I mean, come on. It's got to make money.
BRAGMAN: Let me tell you. Nobody sets out to make a bad movie. "Valkyrie" was one of the great scripts of the year when it was circulated and everybody wanted to be in that movie. Plus, when they attached Brian Singer, who is an amazing director - you know, things happen. And I'm willing to wait until it comes out because I've known Tom and Brian a long time. And these are not men who turn out bad movies too often. So let's give them a chance, A.J.
HAMMER: All right. I'll give him a chance. But I know that Tom's been working on rehabilitating his image. You know, he wants to make himself more likable. So let me toss out a couple of ideas of a few movies I came up with that might help him, you know, perhaps to better his image. What do you think? Should he do "Herbie, Fully Loaded 2" with Lindsay Lohan, perhaps a sequel to "The Dukes of Hazzard" with Jessica Simpson. Maybe Tom should team up with Paris Hilton and make "The Hottie and the Nottie 2?" What do you think, Kareen?
WYNTER: Oh, gosh. You know, that's what I love about you, A.J. Always throughout the really tough questions.
HAMMER: Come on, this is serious.
WYNTER: I'm mulling this over and I can't decide. How about all three? Tom's career really needs a revival now. So A, B and C. How about that?
HAMMER: Howard, I've got ten seconds for you.
BRAGMAN: You know, when they start paying you and I 10 percent, we'll start choosing the movies. But until then, I'm going to let his team worry about it.
HAMMER: All right. So what you're saying - let's not worry about Tom Cruise.
BRAGMAN: Not so much.
HAMMER: He's doing just fine.
BRAGMAN: Exactly.
HAMMER: Kareen Wynter, Howard Bragman, thank you both. And now, I want you to let us know how you feel about Tom. Do you still like him? Are you still a big fan. Go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day or e-mail us at showbiztonight@CNN.com.
Now, also remember, you can now watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time. New stuff posted all the time. It's CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: Tonight, it's nanny-gate. We've got the most shocking Hollywood nanny scandals ever. Rob Lowe claiming his nanny is trying to blackmail him for millions. Or Jude Law having sex with his. You do not want to miss nanny-gate.
All right. Maybe I should call this wedding-gate. You know, Beyonce and Jay-Z supposedly got married last weekend, but they still won't admit it. Why not?
Plus, I've got a revealing look at just what really happened at their wedding. You've got to hear this. Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON, GOSSIP BLOGGER: I have an opportunity to shine the light on celebrities behaving badly and I have the opportunity to shine the light on those who get it right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Perez Hilton, one of the biggest names in celebrity gossip. Tonight, we are blowing the lid of this secret explosive world of star secrets. I mean how do they find this stuff out? That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I'm Brooke Anderson. You are watching TV's most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, for the very first time, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the inside and intimate details on just what went down at Beyonce and Jay-Z's top secret wedding, the wedding, by the way, they still won't publicly admit even happened. The inside story is breaking right now in the new issue of "People" magazine.
And joining me tonight from New York, David Caplan, staff editor for "People" magazine.
David, Beyonce and Jay-Z got married last Friday in New York City and the whole affair has really been shrouded in secrecy. Everybody's been puzzled at how they manage to keep it such a secret. What did "People" manage to find out?
DAVID CAPLAN, STAFF EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, sources tell "People" that this wedding was small, as we know. And a source tells "People" that it was a very beautiful white wedding. Beyonce wore a gorgeous white gown. Jay-Z wore a black tux. And there were 70,000 white orchids sent in from Thailand and they arrived at Jay-Z's penthouse in Tribeca. And a lot of roses were brought there.
And while no songs by Jay-Z - you know, Jay-Z and Beyonce didn't perform at the wedding, but a lot of the guests danced to hip-hop, and Whitney Houston and Jackson 5 songs were played there as well. You know, the celebrity guests included Gwyneth Paltrow and all the Destiny's Child's (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So it was a very small wedding. That's why they managed to keep it a secret.
ANDERSON: I wonder if any Billy Idol was played since it does sound like it was a white wedding. What about a maid of honor or a best man? What exactly can you tell us about what was involved?
CAPLAN: Interestingly enough, they didn't have any specific maid of honor or a best man. They didn't really - That was sort of the untraditional aspect of the wedding, that there were no specified roles, actually.
ANDERSON: OK. Well now, "People" magazine has also learned that there was quite a party there. Jay-Z smoking expensive cigars all night. David, what did you learn about the celebration?
CAPLAN: This was a pretty wild party. So Jay-Z - this party, first of all, went until 5:00 in the morning. Jay-Z was smoking these very expensive cigars throughout the evening and of course, into the early morning. The guests were dancing all night to hip-hop and all these sorts of songs.
Again, you know, Beyonce and Jay didn't perform but they had all these great songs from these people they admire like Whitney Houston, like Jackson 5, all these other great singers. There was - a huge white tent was erected in the penthouse of Jay-Z's Tribeca home. So it was very grand. And you know what? A lot of passers-by on the street definitely smelled a rat and knew something was up and they saw the huge tent and all those candelabras are being delivered on the sidewalk.
ANDERSON: Well, speaking of that. This marriage has got to be the worst kept secret in Hollywood. They still have not publicly confirmed it. To a lot of people, David, that just seems ridiculous. Have you learned anything about why they won't publicly acknowledge it?
CAPLAN: Well, Beyonce and Jay-Z have been really - They've had wedding rumors for months and for years. Particularly this past January, there was sort of a very sort of strong rumor that they were getting married.
And they really wanted to get married on their own terms. They didn't want to answer to the media, to the press to anyone. They wanted to get married when they wanted to do it. And they didn't want this huge spectacle which is pretty refreshing in Hollywood, because a lot of times, some celebrities want the whole world to know that they're getting married.
ANDERSON: Yes, they make a spectacle of themselves. Should other star couples take a cue from Jay-Z and Beyonce and maybe just keep their private lives or personal lives just that - personal?
CAPLAN: Oh, absolutely. There's definitely something to be said by being a little bit more humble, by being a little bit more demure about it. Because when you look at couples like, "OK. They're a bit of a class act," because there's nothing wrong with keeping something secretive. And I think that it's definitely a change.
ANDERSON: Well, I know they are thrilled. Congratulations to them. David Caplan, thanks so much for your insight.
CAPLAN: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, if Beyonce and Jay-Z are thinking of having kids, I've got to say, be careful who you hire as a nanny, guys. Tonight, I've got the biggest, most shocking Hollywood nanny scandals ever. Rob Lowe startling claim that his nanny is trying to blackmail him for millions. Jude Law having sex with his nanny. An explosive showbiz special report.
Also, Rosie O'Donnell certainly no stranger to scandal. She reportedly is working on a new talk show. But do you want to see Rosie on TV? I've got to tell you cannot believe the response we got. I'll have your fired-up E-mails coming up next.
We've also got this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON: I had Nicole Richie come out to me in the coffee shop that I work at sometimes, and comes straight to my face and say, "Hey, call me anorexic to my face."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That guy, Perez Hilton, is one of the biggest names in celebrity gossip. Tonight, I am blowing the lid off this very secret but explosive world. I mean how do they find out this stuff? That is straight ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You don't want to miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSIE O'DONNELL, TV PERSONALITY: The truth is, it was too many calories and I was doing it too often. And I just thought, no more beer. Now, that doesn't mean I don't have a margarita at a Mexican place, because I do.
HAMMER: That's Rosie O'Donnell talking about her beer and margarita drinking on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday. her very first live interview since her shocking exit from "The View" last year.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I'm A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, should the outspoken and controversial Rosie O'Donnell return to TV? Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that our viewers have had enough of her views.
Joining us tonight in New York, Ben Widdecombe, "Daily News" "Gate Crasher" columnist. In Hollywood tonight, entertainment reporter and LXTV anchor, Shira Lazar.
Shira, Ben, we got a huge response when we asked on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Rosie O'Donnell: Do you want to see her back on TV?"
Look at this. In an overwhelming majority, 84 percent said no. Only 16 percent said, yes. Ladies and Gentlemen, America has spoken. Now, Shira, are you at all surprised that so many people have had their fill of Rosie?
SHIRA LAZAR, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: No. I mean on "The View," people had a lot of mixed reviews about her. She was extreme about all her opinions. And now, she comes out that she's bipolar. Yes, that's all we want - another bipolar host out there. You know, bring that to the therapist, not to national TV.
HAMMER: Well, she's spoken openly about some of the difficulties she has had in the past ...
LAZAR: Which is nice. Which is nice.
HAMMER: ... and some of the things that she's dealt with, which have been terrific. But man, we also got a lot of E-mails just flooding our inbox. `
I want to read a couple for you, including one from Lin in Louisiana. Lin writes, "Rosie O'Donnell is just a big mouth bully. People only watch her to see who she demeans next."
We also heard from Denise in Arkansas who had a different view, "I would watch Rosie again. At one hers was the only talk show I watched. She is funny, whereas other hosts bore me."
Well, Ben, it's pretty clear, you know, Rosie is never boring. But, man, she got on a lot of people's nerves over time, didn't she?
BEN WIDDECOMBE, "GATE CRASHER" COLUMNIST: Well, I think there's a bit of a Rosie fatigue out there because she does have such a loud mouth and she does tend to overplay her hand.
But Rosie's appeal is that no matter how boorish you find her, a lot of people want to tune in to see what she's going to say next and see what the next fuss will be about. Will it about Donald Trump? Will it be about Barbara Walters? And "The View's" ratings really reflected that. Because when she was at her wildest and her loudest, "The View's" numbers were at their best.
HAMMER: Yet, for some reason, that flies in the face of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Again, only 14 percent of the people who voted and granted it is not a scientific poll, saying, "Yes, we don't want her back on TV." Shira, why do you think that is?
LAZAR: Because I think people are sick of her. She always has another controversy. She's always trying to get in the headlines. And the fact is, people like hosts that are like America's sweetheart. That's why Kelly Ripa works. And you know what? Rosie is not America's next sweetheart. Tell me that.
HAMMER: Ben, if she came back as the warm and fuzzy Rosie, queen of nice that we used to know, do you think it would work?
WIDDECOMBE: I think she would. I think Rosie is people's guilty pleasure. They may say they don't like her, but they're going to watch on the sly.
HAMMER: All right. Shira Lazar, Ben Widdecombe, I appreciate you both being with us. Thanks.
LAZAR: Thank you.
ANDERSON: A.J., Rosie O'Donnell and controversy go together just like stars' nannies and shocking scandals. Tonight, it's nanny-gate. We've got the most shocking Hollywood nanny scandals ever. Rob Lowe claiming his nanny is trying to blackmail him for millions. Or Jude Law having sex with his. You do not want to miss Nanny-gate, coming up.
I've also go this -
PEREZ HILTON: I have an opportunity to shine the light on celebrities behaving badly and I have opportunities to shine the light on those that get it right.
ANDERSON: Perez Hilton, one of the biggest names in celebrity gossip. Tonight, I'm blowing the lid off this secret explosive world. How do they find out about this stuff?
HAMMER: Brooke, there is some big star gossip that's out there right now that you definitely want to know about. Is Gwyneth Paltrow's marriage to Cold Play's Chris Martin in trouble? Say it isn't so.
And will there be another "High School Musical Movie?" We are sending out the Showbiz Truth Squad to check it all out, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I'm Brooke Anderson and here are some more stories that are new right now.
Tonight, a Hilton family shocker and it's not Paris causing trouble this time. It's her teenage brother Barron. I can tell you Barron has pleaded no contest to drunk-driving charges. He was arrested back in February. Barron will be on probation for three years and reportedly lose his license for a year or two.
Lindsay Lohan is getting sued by a guy who claims he was one of her bodyguards. The guy wants $55,000 in unpaid wages. He says he worked for Lindsay for 19 weeks and didn't get paid. Lindsay's people tell "People" magazine they've never even heard of him.
From Lindsay sue, Harry Potter nude on Broadway. Daniel Radcliffe who stars in all those "Potter" movies will make his great white way debut on September 5th in the show, "Equus." One of the scenes calls for him to take it all off.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, speaking of which, Jude Law got naked with his nanny. That was definitely a big no-no. Not the only shocking nanny story. Rob Lowe says his ex-nanny is trying to blackmail him for millions.
Well, tonight, look out, because I've got the most shocking Hollywood nanny scandals ever. I'm calling it nanny-gate. You definitely don't want to miss it, coming up.
We've also got this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON: I had Nicole Richie come up to me at the coffee shop I work at sometimes and come straight to my face and say, "Hey, call me anorexic to my face."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Perez Hilton, one of the biggest names in celebrity gossip. Tonight, I'm blowing the lid off this secret explosive world. How do they find this stuff out?
HAMMER: Brooke, there is some big star gossip out there right now. Is Gwyneth Paltrow's marriage to Cold Play's Chris Martin is trouble? And will there be another "High School Musical" movie. I know you want to know, so I am sending out the Showbiz Truth Squad to check it all out. That is coming up.
But first, you need to know that you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by checking out our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. All you have to do to get it is head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on that "sign up for newsletter" link. We put it at the bottom of the page. It's easy to find. In that way, we can send it to you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood's nanny-gate. Rob Lowe says his former nanny tried to blackmail him out of more than a million dollars. But you know, that is just the beginning. Why do so many stars have trouble with or affairs with their nannies? Tonight, it's a showbiz special report, the most explosive Hollywood nanny scandals ever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON: I have an opportunity to shine the light on celebrities behaving badly and I have the opportunity to shine the light on those who get it right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The new face of celebrity gossip. How in the world do Perez Hilton and others like him find out the stars' secrets, the stuff they wish would never get out? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is blowing the lid off the secret world of celebrity gossip.
(MUSIC)
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 tonight from Hollywood. This is TV's most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, a showbiz special report. We're blowing the lid off the most shocking Hollywood nanny-gate scandals ever. Of course, Rob Lowe startled us all this week when he filed a lawsuit alleging that one of his nannies was trying to blackmail him for more than a million bucks. But of course, this is not the first Hollywood nanny-gate. We've had lawsuits, affairs, tell-all books - all very scandalicious.
Joining us tonight from Hollywood, "Extra" correspondent Tanika Ray. Also in Hollywood tonight, entertainment reporter and anchor of LXTV, Shira Lazar. And joining me in New York, Ben Widdecombe who writes the "Gate Crasher" column for the "New York Daily News." Nanny-gate panel, I appreciate you all being here tonight.
Rob Lowe's nanny had been with his family on and off for like seven years. He alleges that she was going to go public and claim that they had an intimate relationship and also reveal a laundry list of, as Rob puts it, false terribles. Tanika, let me start with you. This just ranks up there with the most startling nanny betrayals ever, doesn't it?
TANIKA RAY, "EXTRA" CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think they're all pretty even as far as how startling they are. They're all pretty skanky. But let me tell you - you don't want to mess literally with the hand that rocks the cradle. They have a lot of power in the house.
But I have to say, they have so much power indeed that if they don't get something like a vacation or they don't get off for a date, they have so much ammunition to work with. It's dangerous. So really know the people that you hire for a nanny.
And Rob, be careful. He's been in sexcapades before.
HAMMER: Yes.
RAY: So if - I have a feeling that his pretty much reeks of - I don't know, maybe a scam? That if he was doing something wrong, maybe he would have admitted it or dealt with it under the table. But if the fact that he and his wife are coming out publicly, I'm kind of thinking it's all a scam - that nanny. Shame on you.
HAMMER: Yes, it kind of seems like what is the motivation. What exactly going on here? Now, assuming the nanny's claims are not true. Ben, let me ask you this. What do you think the motivation would be to make up stories like this? Is it simply an opportunity, you know, to extort some money here?
WIDDECOMBE: Well, it's quite possible the nanny thought if it's not true that the value of the story just going away with a million and a half dollars and that the risk to Rob Lowe, who, as we remember has been in a scandal before that destroyed his career in the `80s. That maybe he would just pay her to go away. It does seem like a very foolish tactic though, to make up something so awful like this and then throw it out there. And if it is false, she deserves everything that she gets.
HAMMER: You would think you'd be hiring somebody smarter than that to be his nanny, but I don't know. Rob, of course, insists he did not have sex with that woman. However, that is not the case with Jude Law. We all know and remember when Jude Law got caught with his pants down with his kid's nanny. And he owned up to it. So we know that it happened and that ended his engagement to Sienna Miller last year. Shira, having an affair with the woman who you've trusted to look after your children - I mean does it get any worse than that?
LAZAR: No, probably not that counting when you're a celebrity. But it's hard for any child when their parent has an affair. Imagine you're the celebrity's child. The paparazzi is everywhere. It's all over the headlines. Now, that's some therapy that's going to be there in the future for that kid. It's definitely difficult, and it's not the smartest thing. I mean besides having this affair, it's obvious that she could go off and tell anyone about this.
HAMMER: It wasn't great for his image either. In fact, Jude had to go public and he issued an apology after the nanny told all the British tabloids. Listen to what he said, quote, "I am deeply ashamed and upset that I've hurt Sienna. I want to publicly apologize to Sienna and our respective families for the pain that I have caused. There is no defense for my actions which I sincerely regret."
Ben, what do you think? Is it just plain stupid for stars to hook up with - well, I guess that's pretty obvious. It is stupid for the stars to hook up with the help. But it's more stupid, Ben, isn't it, to hire a hot- looking nanny in the first place, because you're just looking for trouble?
WIDDECOMBE: Well, of course. In the Jude Law case, the woman he was cheating on, Sienna Miller, was not the mother of those children. That was Sadie Frost.
But I think in circumstances where one partner cheats on a wife when she's the mother of the children, it's doubly bad because the woman who is scorned not only has this witch of another woman to deal with but her reaction has to be "my children are in this person's care."
I think something very primal kicks in. And it's doubly bad when your partner is cheating on you with someone who's looking after your own flesh and blood.
HAMMER: But back to my original point. Don't hire the hot nanny. I mean it's just - it's a dumb move.
RAY: No.
LAZAR: Forbidden fruit.
HAMMER: We have to talk about Ethan Hawke here, because Ethan Hawke hooked up with his former Nanny. This happened after he split with his now ex-wife Uma Thurman. And he hasn't publicly talked about this relationship at all. Tanika, do you think the reason he's remained silent is because even though his marriage to Uma was long over, it still seems kind of steamy to hook up with the nanny?
RAY: Absolutely. And I have a feeling maybe they were hooking up before he divorced Uma. But there's another side I want to talk about here. The confident, career-minded woman that gets cheated on by her husband who may be a little bit insecure. The thing that these women have in common is they're in the public eye. They're beautiful. And when it comes down to it - are these men, do they really just want a woman who stays at home and takes care of their kids and cooks them dinner? Men, grow up! I kind of have an issue with that.
LAZAR: I'm with you there, Tanika.
RAY: And maybe Ethan couldn't handle the fact his wife was so popular. His wife is getting all the acknowledgment and his career was kind of waning.
HAMMER: Yes. You know they're all good points. Definitely good points. Shira, I want you to weigh in though on the idea that, you know, hooking up with the nanny, just the whole idea of it, doesn't sit well with people. And perhaps that's why if it was a legitimate thing, it's not a good to talk about?
LAZAR: Oh, yes. It's a forbidden fruit. We see movies about it. The guys that go off. The dads then hook up with the babysitter or the nanny. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with someone like Ethan Hawke - I mean he didn't have a good track record. He cheated on Uma before. So that's why a lot of people think even though this is love, that maybe it happened while they were married, it wouldn't be surprising.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: Yes. All right. Well, again, back to the original lesson of this story, don't hire a hot nanny. Tanika Ray ...
RAY: No hot nanny!
HAMMER: ...Ben Widdecombe, Shira Lazar, I thank you all for being with us tonight. And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. New stuff being posted all the time for you to watch on our Web site at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is taking you inside the world of celebrity gossip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON: I had Nicole Richie come up to me in the coffee shop that I work at sometimes and come straight to my face and say, "Hey, call me anorexic to my face."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This is the new face of star gossip. But I wanted to know, how do Perez Hilton and others like him get their hands on all the juicy details that the stars don't want you to know? Straight ahead, we are blowing the lid off the secret world of celebrity gossip.
HAMMER: Also, Paris Hilton, what would we ever do without you? Frankly, you know, I don't even know how I got out of bed in the morning without knowing how Paris' love life was going. Well, good news, I have an update straight from the heiress' mouth. Paris Hilton's are coming up.
ANDERSON: And one of my favorite actresses, Gwyneth Paltrow. She's married to Cold Play front man, Chris Martin, but is that marriage on the rocks? That's the word on the street. And the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV's most provocative entertainment news show. I'm Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, showbiz investigates inside the wild world of celebrity gossip.
Perez Hilton has practically turned online gossip into a national pastime. But how does he do it? And why are people so fascinated that they're logging on to a site and others as if it's there job.
Perez is certainly not the only blogger tracking every move of the stars. There are many racy, controversial and some downright nasty sides that make their bread and butter on celebrity gossip. But how do they get their information and do they go to far? Right here, right now, I'm blowing the lid off the secrets of celebrity gossip.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): Perez Hilton, defamer and gawker. They are the star blog sights that have turned entertainment gossip into an extreme sport where the stakes are high and the rules are hard to define.
PEREZ HILTON: Just shows you that people have an insatiable, almost, appetite for celebrity news.
ANDERSON: And Perez Hilton feeds that appetite around the clock with his take-no-prisoners approach to star gossip. A photo-filled feast marked with biting comments that leaves no one unscathed. Perez tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT people know exactly what they're getting when they go to his site, a raw and often nasty take on what's happening in Hollywood.
PEREZ HILTON: I don't look down upon my readers. My readers are smart. You know, people throw the word power. I don't have any power. I have an opportunity. I have an opportunity to shine the light on celebrities behaving badly. And I have the opportunity to shine the light on those who get it right.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, sci-fi kids live on star scandals. And these days, there's no shortage of them.
PEREZ HILTON: Celebrities love to behave badly.
CAPLAN: A lot of the stories and information you see in them, would never end up in a celebrity news magazine, in a TV show just because the information is too scandalous and it would just ruin an a relationship for an established media outlet. Whereas a blogger can usually get away posting anything they want on a Web site.
ANDERSON: Yes, anything. Stars in often unflattering positions and content that sometimes leads to lawsuits.
PEREZ HILTON: That's sad. You know, I've had people sue me. You know, I've had a lot of things happen. But it's OK. I dish it. I can take it. It would be very hypocritical of me not to be able to.
MATT DAMON, ACTOR: It's like a giant world of like, an unending op-ed page.
ANDERSON: "Bourne Ultimatum" star, Matt Damon, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, he's not a big gossip guy himself. He likes political and sports blogs. But hey, read what you like.
DAMON: That's the great thing about the Internet. You take - you know, you go where your taste steers you.
ANDERSON: Damon's co-star Julia Stiles says she avoids star blogs altogether.
JULIA STILES, ACTRESS: I can't even go there. I have favorite blogger who is not like a gossip blogger. If they insult you, it can only be hurtful. And if they're complimentary - you have to believe the insults too, you know.
PEREZ HILTON: I've had Nicole Richie come up to me in the coffee shop that I work at sometimes, and come straight to me face and say, "Hey, call me anorexic to my face."
You know, I had Tara Reid threaten to throw me in a pool at a party once. I had Jesse Matcalf say that he fantasized about killing me, twice. He repeated it as if I didn't hear him the first time.
ANDERSON: So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know, where does Perez get this stuff?
PEREZ HILTON: You know, thankfully, I have a lot of people in my address book. I know a lot of people. I have a lot of friends. They're everyone, from people that work at studios, people that are publicists, agents, managers, assistants, celebrities themselves, neighbors, dog- walkers, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), bar tenders, waiters, relatives, random readers who happened to take a picture that were at a club and saw something.
ANDERSON: Bloggers like Perez have changed the rules of he news game, making the need for immediate information more urgent than ever. And even forcing legitimate news operations to change the way they do business.
CAPLAN: To compete with w blog, a lot of these magazines are adding video components to their Web sites. A lot more webcam aspects because they have to compete with the technological advantage that a lot of these blogs are doing. Some of them are doing a lot more than just posting a story.
ANDERSON: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask, are there any real standards in the blog world?
PEREZ HILTON: The day that Lindsay Lohan was arrested, I must have posted almost 60 times on my Web site. You know, in the wake of that, PerezHilton.com got the highest traffic we've ever had. I had 8.8 million page views in one day. That's kind of crazy.
ANDERSON: Definitely crazy. And as Perez will tell you, there is no downside - well, maybe one.
PEREZ HILTON: The only downside that I can see to celebrity blogs is maybe people are being a little less productive at work. But I love it. And I thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And there's some big news for Perez Hilton tonight. He's proving that man cannot live online alone. The celebrity gossip blogger is getting his own little radio show. I say little because it's only three minutes long. It will air twice a day during the morning and evening drive times in L.A., New York and other big cities. Perez' show starts on May 5th.
HAMMER: Well, you know, when I woke up this morning, my first thought, as it is most mornings, was this - "Gee, I wonder how Paris Hilton's love life is going?"
I know she's on tour with her boyfriend, Benji Madden but is it true love? Is Paris having a good time? Is she really happy? I mean, you know, I need to know these things. Well, lucky for me and for you, I've got the scoop. Paris' confessions coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Also, one of my favorite actresses, Gwyneth Paltrow. She's married to Cold Play front man, Chris Martin, but is that marriage on the rocks? That's the word on the street. And the Showbiz Truth Squad is on the case, coming up.
HAMMER: All right. We're also getting to the bottom of another rumor. Is there actually going to be a "High School Musical 4." I know, "High School Musical 3" is not even out yet. But we need to know these things and we need to know them now. So you need to stay right where you are because we are coming right back.
And we have been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. If you haven't done it yet, you've got to sound off on this: "Tom Cruise: Are you still a big fan?" Continue to vote by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail us your thoughts by sending off a note to ShowbizTonight@CNN.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV's most provocative entertainment news show. I'm A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, we bring you Paris Hilton's confessions. I just have to say, thank goodness for MySpace, so we can keep up to date on everything that Paris is doing. Because without her blog, we wouldn't know that Paris is in love and thinks Canadians are awesome. And I don't even want to imagine such a world.
Paris writes on her blog that she's been on tour with her boyfriend, Benji Madden, whose band, Good Charlotte, has been playing shows in South Africa and in Europe. She took a quick trip to Montreal to launch a shoe line - that's where the Canadian thing came in.
But on her love life, Paris writes, quote, "I've never felt so happy and in love, he's such an amazing guy and life has never been better. It's so much fun going to their shows every night. I now know every song by heart. I love Good Charlotte, they rock!"
Thank you, Paris. You complete me.
ANDERSON: It is time now to call in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad. Now, this is where we set the record straight on the biggest rumors in Hollywood. First tonight, is Gwyneth Paltrow's marriage on the rocks? There are rumors flying all over the place that Gwyneth's marriage to Cold Play front man, Chris Martin, is in trouble.
But Gwyneth tells "British Glamour" magazine that the rumors are ridiculous. She says having a family has made her feel whole and that the reason we don't see them out together a lot is because they want it that way. Gwyneth says they'll never be one of those couples who you see out publicly.
Next up, will there be a "High School Musical 4?" "High School Musical 3" isn't even out yet. It will be in theaters in the fall. But yes, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT truth squad can confirm that there will be a fourth installment of the popular franchise. A Disney executive says writing has already started. So there you have it. The Showbiz Truth Squad setting the record straight once again.
HAMMER: Well, it is time now to open up the TMI files. We have Whoopi Goldberg's revelation about happens when she goes to the bathroom. Yes, there's something I never thought I'd say on a global television network. Whoopi's number one problem in dealing with the public. We will fill you in, coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You definitely don't want to miss that.
Now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime you like. All you have to do is download our podcast so you can see me inside your iPod. You'll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast right there on our Web site which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. It's also up there on iTunes. All you have to do is type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: I was glad you so excited there, Charles. Stars and privacy is a big issue right now. There's this proposed law to keep a safe distance between the paparazzi and stars out there in Los Angeles. And there have been a bunch of cases of stars' medical records being snooped at lately, like George Clooney, Farah Fawcett, Britney Spears - all victims of that. Well, on "The View" today, the co-hosts were talking about whether stars deserve privacy even in the bathroom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Well, I think it's -you know, it's one of those things where people always say, "Well, you knew what you were getting into." Actually, no, I didn't. I did not know that when I go to the bathroom, I have to talk to people while I'm on the can. That was never in any contract that I ever signed up for. I don't want to talk to you when I'm getting ready to flush.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Joan Collins, I think, told the story. She was on the throne.
GOLDBERG: Yes.
She's such a queen as it is, right? And somebody stuck something under the thing and said, "Could you give me an autograph," while she was going to the bathroom.
GOLDBERG: Because people feel like, "I'll never get this opportunity again." Actually, I told that story, too ...
BEHAR: That happened to you, too?
GOLDBERG: ... because it happened to me in Las Vegas. And people feel like, "If I don't do this right now, I'll never get the opportunity." And sometimes people don't realize that you will get the opportunity because eventually I'm going to come out of the bathroom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Let her go to the bathroom in peace, please.
ANDERSON: Yes, all right. On Tuesday, we told you about Rosie O'Donnell's first big interview since leaving "The View." On "Good Morning America," Rosie said she's much calmer than she was during her verbal sparring with Elizabeth Hasselbeck.
Rosie has been blogging and working on a children's book of craft. But we wanted to know if you missed her on the small screen. So we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this - "Rosie O'Donnell: Do you want to see her back on TV?" Only 16 percent of you say yes; 84 percent of you say no. We got some E-mails on this.
Karen from Arizona writes, "It is just tiring to listen to her and to even hear about her rants from others. Please, no Rosie on TV."
But Lisa from Florida says, "I love Rosie. She is just honest and has strong feelings. One of the most generous and genuine stars around."
HAMMER: I've got to tell you, I was a little surprised by how split that was. Well, that's it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you for watching. I'm A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I'm Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Hey, remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "headline NEWS" is next.
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