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Showbiz Tonight
The Sex and the City Secrets; Britney`s Day in Court; Uma Thurman`s Stalker Convicted; Barbara Walters Spills the Beans
Aired May 07, 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: I get Sarah Jessica Parker to reveal startling secrets from the new "Sex and the City" movie. Plus, she`s opening up to me like never before about her marriage. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And stunning news, the verdict is in for the Uma Thurman stalker trial. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Britney Spears` brand-new court showdown. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there as Britney shows up for a dramatic face-off with Kevin Federline over their kids. Is Britney`s recent good behavior good enough to get them back? What are psychologists now revealing about her mental state? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the late-breaking details of Britney`s big showdown.
Barbara Walters` dramatic confessions, startling admissions about "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I never thought "The View" was going to make it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The affair that could have destroyed her career.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: I cannot be seeing you in secret. You`re married.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And her painful struggle to gain respect as a woman in television. Tonight, it`s no-holds-barred as I go one-on-one with Barbara in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And Dina Lohan, a top mom? Why in the world has Lindsay`s mom been named one of the best moms around?
(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 with a very big and very dramatic day for Britney Spears as she showed up in court to fight to regain custody of her kids. Here`s what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you right now.
For the very first time, Britney and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, sat through an entire court hearing together in the fight over custody of their two young children, two-year-old Sean Preston and one-year-old Jayden James. At the end of the day, the judge said Britney could visit her kids more often, but Britney didn`t get custody back. The judge said Federline will still keep full custody of their two boys, which were taken away from Britney after a long stretch of bizarre behavior that eventually landed her in a Los Angeles psych ward.
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has put together a fired-up group to take us all through this late-breaking story.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." Also in Hollywood tonight, Darren Kavinoky, attorney for the Kavinoky Law Firm. In New York tonight, it`s Janelle Snowden, red carpet correspondent for VH1 News.
And gang, I think you would all agree that it was really something to see something as simple as Britney showing up to court on time, sitting in on an entire court hearing, and really behaving herself.
Jane, let me start with you. This is a big change from before and it follows three months of good behavior by Britney. But does Britney really still have a lot more to prove before she deserves getting her kids back?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Well, A.J., the answer is yes. She has a whole lot more to prove, specifically that she could do this when she`s in charge of her own life. Right now, dad`s the puppeteer. He`s got the conservatorship over her, which he got when she lost it and went into the psych ward. So he`s the one making sure that she shows up on time and is appropriately dressed and stays out of the limelight.
But will she do this when the conservatorship is lifted and she`s back in charge of her own life? Or will she regress and go back to her old habits of partying too much and hanging out with the paparazzi? That`s the big question and we don`t have the answer to it yet.
HAMMER: Darren, would you agree there`s still a lot more to prove, albeit that she`s been on this great trajectory and we really like the trend that we`ve been seeing?
ATTY. DARREN KAVINOKY, KAVINOKY LAW FIRM: Just because her mode of transportation today was a White Range Rover and not a hospital gurney doesn`t mean that we`re ready to give those kids back to her yet. She`s still a lot closer to "One Flew over the Cuckoo`s Nest" than she is to the "Brady Bunch." It`s only been three months since her last forced psychiatric hospitalization.
So everybody`s going to be very guarded about giving Britney back too much. And as Jane correctly points out, there is still her father who looms large because of that conservatorship. Britney doesn`t even have the legal capacity to enter into contracts. So before we`re going to trust her with the kids, we need to see a lot more progress.
HAMMER: Yes. Pardon the expression, baby steps seems to be exactly what the commissioner is doing in this case in moving things forward, Because one thing that did happen on the upside for Britney today, more visitation with her kids. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, of course, was right there outside of the courthouse in Los Angeles as Kevin Federline`s attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, spoke to reporters. Watch what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK VINCENT KAPLAN, KEVIN FEDERLINE`S ATTORNEY: The order that was in place has remained in place with the exception that there has been some graduated expansion of time. And other than that, nothing has been changed with respect to the ongoing order.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Mark Vincent Kaplan basically giving us the facts, not jumping up and down or anything. But a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer was right there in the courthouse and told me Britney appeared to be all smiles as she left the courthouse today.
Janelle, let me ask you. You`ve got to think, despite the smiles, she`s got to be disappointed here. I mean she is being and really trying so hard to be on her best behavior.
JANELLE SNOWDEN, RED CARPET CORRESPONDENT, VH1 NEWS: She is, but like you said, baby steps. I think that Britney`s people should rightfully be in her corner and they should be encouraging her that this is a positive step. I think we have to be positive and encourage her rather than wait for her to do something else that`s tragic so we can say, "Oh, something else to report on."
Let`s just encourage her for the progress she has made and hopefully the people in her corner, like I said, are doing the same thing. Still, yes, she has got to be disappointed because no mother wants to have their custody of their children taken away. But at the same time, I think this has got to serve as some type of, you know, like a gold star, like, "OK, Britney, good work. Keep up the good work."
HAMMER: Yes. Sure. I just think there`s this reality that is suddenly becoming more and more apparent to her obviously going into this, realizing, "I better get this right this time." And I want to bring up these photos now. We`re looking at these. This is Britney today sitting in her car. And look at her - calm, cool, collected. Think about this now.
This is really a stark contrast since the last time we saw Britney show up to court. It was a totally different scene. She got swarmed by the paparazzi and she got freaked out when that happened. We all remember that. In fact, I believe we have that video to roll for you. Charles?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STARS: I want to get in the car. I want to get in the car. Stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It was really something seeing such a different scene today. Back then, she never set foot in the court. Today, she entered through the garage, she arrived quietly. She looked pretty good, too. Jane, do you think Britney has finally realized it is truly do or die at this point?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I think she has. She`s been through a lot of trauma, A.J. And that is a tremendous growth experience and I believe she is growing up. In her defense, I think she suffered from a fundamental confusion. She was living this super disciplined life of a superstar dancer and performer and she decided to revolt and have fun and have kids at the very same time.
And that just was a bad idea, because those two things don`t mix. You can run around and party all night when you`re single, but you can`t do it and have kids at the same time. And I think she`s finally seeing that that fundamental premise that she operated on - "I can have a great time, run around, partying all night and having two kids," it just doesn`t work.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, we all witnessed that spinning out of control, all those bizarre incidents where her behavior was just, well, sort of indescribable, more than we can really count. And that`s when Britney lost custody of the kids. All supposedly this was taking place because of a mental illness. That has not officially been confirmed.
But, Darren, tell me what you think it`s going to take to convince the judge that Britney is not going to have a relapse here, because that`s looming large.
KAVINOKY: Well, I think "relapse" is the right word. Because my understanding is that it`s not just mental illness but there`s also a strong substance abuse component. And that`s something that needs to be addressed. There are many fine treatment centers that specialize in what`s called dual diagnosis where people have issues that are more than just mental health and more than just substance abuse.
And so getting some kind of formal treatment would certainly be to her benefit. The passage of time is, of course, her greatest ally and just being able to show up in court and not cause an outburst. That`s just getting your foot in the door. I mean that`s the basic stuff we expect from anybody.
So, as Whitney Houston sang, those children are our future. So we need to be careful to protect what`s in their best interest and to make sure that we`re not putting them at some kind of risk. Just not getting into an outburst doesn`t mean she`s not still engaging in risky conduct. So we`ve got to be careful of that.
HAMMER: No question, and everybody, of course, really has the kids` best interest in mind. She did check into that psych ward twice between January and February. She had a standoff with police that we all remember, that wild footage outside of her home until she was finally taken in for treatment. Well, then, as we were talking about, her father took over the business. Everything really has been going well since. It`s been nice to watch.
Janelle, let me throw this to you. I`d have to think, moving forward, nobody really will want to change the status quo now because, you know, if it isn`t broke, don`t fix it.
SNOWDEN: Absolutely not. I think that it`s a wonderful thing what her father has done. And if he can continue to do this and hopefully he can get her back to the Britney we all once knew and loved, then maybe can have some sort of sense of normalcy as abnormal it might be to the rest of us. I think certainly if things keep going like they have been going, we should all be cheering for her and hoping that she soon gets her kids back at least to share custody.
HAMMER: At a minimum, we are seeing all steps in the right direction. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Darren Kavinoky, Janelle Snowden, thank you all.
ANDERSON: And now, we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Britney Spears` Custody Hearing: Should she get her kids back?" Vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: Brooke, I know, like you, we`ve always admired Barbara Walters as a journalist. I have to tell you, I was just shocked to hear her admit to an affair.
ANDERSON: You know, I agree with you, A.J. I think a lot of people see her as Mother Barbara. She`s highly respected. A lot of people thought she would never do anything like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (on camera): It was scandalous.
WALTERS: It would have been scandalous.
HAMMER: How much did that scare you to? Did that aspect of it scare you?
WALTERS: It scared me enough so that I said, "You know, I cannot be seeing you in secret."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Coming up, it`s my explosive, one-on-one, no-holds-barred interview with Barbara Walters. Her dramatic confessions about her affair, "The View" and her painful struggle to gain respect as a woman in TV. You have got to see this.
Also, I`ve got a revealing chat with Sarah Jessica Parker. I get her to spill secrets about the "Sex and the City" movie that you haven`t heard anywhere else. Plus, she`s opening up like never before to me about her marriage to Matthew Broderick.
ANDERSON: A.J., I know Sarah`s a terrific mom, but Dina Lohan? Tonight, I can tell you, Lindsay Lohan`s mom has been honored as a top mom. Are you kidding me? We`re all fired up over this. Coming up.
HAMMER: Remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. New stuff being posted all the time for you to check out at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos playing right now, a showbiz exclusive - "Miley Cyrus, The Lost Interview. We`re coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH JESSICA PARKER, "SEX AND THE CITY" STAR: After years of living in the city, I assumed that if my friends and I ever got our fairy tale ending, that would be the end of the story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, millions of "Sex and the City" fans are getting their fairy tale ending because the new movie is about to hit theaters.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And now, I bring you startling "Sex and the City" secrets from none other than Carrie Bradshaw herself, Sarah Jessica Parker. I sat down with Sarah for a revealing interview. And like the "Sex and the City" ladies at one of their brunches, we had a lot to talk about. No brioche in sight anywhere. But we needed to talk about all of those reports of a feud between her and her co-star, Kim Cattrall, and what was it really like to step back into Carrie`s Manolo Blahnik shoes after all these years?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I think a lot of fans and maybe a lot of people and perhaps those of you among the cast didn`t think that this day would actually ever come. There was drama. There was whatever there was. And I imagine sitting down for the first time in that room together for the table read which was, from my understanding, the first time you all actually were in the same room, regardless of how much in touch - Look, you`re lighting up just hearing about that. So tell me a little bit about that moment.
PARKER: It was the kind of a reunion that is very, very special because you really want to be there. It`s not the reunion where you`re forced by your parents to meet your aunts and uncles that you see rarely. You know, it`s the reunion that you want.
HAMMER: Well, I think we, as fans and viewers, actually got a sense of what that feeling was like when we saw you all together on "Oprah." Because the energy - I hate using this word - palpable, but it was. And I have to say and you may or may not be aware of this, we`re talking about the perceived drama around this whole project. We`re sitting there watching the TV wondering, are they going to sit near each other? Why are they putting Chris in the middle? This is what was going out there. When you hear that, does it make you mad?
PARKER: It`s not that I`m mad. I expect better from people, you know. I think it`s really beneath me to keep defending myself. I love Kim, and I wanted her to be in this movie. We couldn`t have done it without her. We couldn`t have done it without Kristin and we couldn`t have done it without Cynthia, nor could we have done it without Chris.
It`s far more interesting for me to talk about my affection for this cast than to start to deny of sad, old, beaten tale.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Well-said. Well, Sarah Jessica Parker and I didn`t just talk about "Sex and the City." She also opened up to me about something that she rarely talks about, her 11-year marriage to actor Matthew Broderick, one of the few celebrity marriage success stories.
So I had to ask Sarah Jessica Parker the big question that everybody wants answered. How do Carrie Bradshaw and Ferris Bueller make it work under the glare of fame and the spotlight? Here`s a little hint to her answer, it helps to be in a New York state of mind.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: One of the things I`ve always admired about you and Matthew, and I think a lot of people do, is how you`ve managed your private life while being in the glare of the spotlight. One of the main reasons you guys are able to make it work is because you don`t talk about your private lives ...
PARKER: Correct.
HAMMER: ... which is great and I applaud that. That said, is there something you can tell me about what it is about your relationship that enables you to make it work separate from that?
PARKER: I wouldn`t make any proclamations about, you know, why I have a marriage that, to me, is successful. I would just say that we`ve chosen to live in a city where we are not the most interesting people. I think that is a conscious choice to live in a place where we`re bumping up against humanity. We run to the market on our own. We take the subway and we integrate into our city and we become a part of the fabric. And I think it`s really been to our benefit and certainly to our son.
It doesn`t mean that we are not scrutinized and that we don`t have paparazzi every single day at our house. No, but it`s a city where you can`t live behind a gate. You can`t drive up in a car and be protected. You`ve got to walk out the door and it is what it is. So you reconcile those things and you make the best choices you can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And you should know this - Sarah Jessica Parker is as cool as you think she is. The "Sex and the City" movie opens on May 30th.
ANDERSON: Well, Robin Williams is going through a painful split right now. His wife of 19 years filed for divorce in March citing irreconcilable differences. But here`s something you definitely don`t see that much in Hollywood -a celebrity divorce that isn`t nasty or ugly.
On "Ellen" Robin revealed that it`s going pretty smoothly and of course, in true Robin Williams style, he got a laugh out of it, too.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": I`ll ask, how are things at home?
ROBIN WILLIAMS, ACTOR: Things are OK. I mean, I`m in the middle of a divorce, but we`re trying to kind of do it the way we got married - with love. And I think it`s been kind of - I`m lucky, you know. Someone like Marcia - we`ve got amazing kids and I think it`s not a slash-and-burn. You know, a lot of times, divorce could be like circumcision with a weed- whacker.
But I think, with her, it`s been great. And there are penalties for early withdrawal, as we find out. Or depositing in another account, but you have to be very careful. But the idea that it`s going with love, I think it`s important. It`s been, for me, like, gracias, you know, a good thing.
DEGENERES: Good, I`m happy. I`m happy that you`re happy, and that`s the way to do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Other folks should take a lesson from Robin and his wife. And they have two teenaged children. This is Williams` second marriage. Now, he suffered an alcoholism relapse a couple of years back but is doing OK now.
HAMMER: Brooke, there certainly have been a lot of scary celebrity stalker stories that you and I have covered. I`ve got to say the Uma Thurman one as creeped me out the most.
ANDERSON: Yes. A.J., what this guy is accused of doing I wouldn`t wish on anybody. It`s absolutely frightening. But I am happy to say that there is some good news for Uma tonight. I`ve got the dramatic developments of her stalker trial coming up.
And also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Did you think for a moment that maybe this isn`t going to fly?
WALTERS: I never thought "The View" was going to make it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Barbara Walters, like you`ve never heard her before. Now, I`ve interviewed Barbara many times in the past. But I`ve got to tell you, I was sitting there just blown away with how much that she revealed this time around about "The View," her shocking affair with a U.S. senator which really could have destroyed her career. You can`t miss this and it is coming up.
ANDERSON: And tonight, I can tell you, Lindsay Lohan`s mom, Dina, has been named a top mom. Are you kidding me? Let`s see. Dina admits to partying with Lindsay who has been in and out of jail. Dina`s doing a reality show with her younger daughter and on and on and on. This has got us fired up and we`ve got it straight ahead.
HAMMER: Now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime by downloading our free podcast. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on the Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also get it on iTunes. Type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. Playing right now, a revealing look at the new generation of young women going head-to-head with the A-listers who dominated the fame game first - "The `It` Girl Smackdown." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson and here are some more stories that are new right now. Will Tom Cruise be back for "Mission Impossible IV?" Now, Cruise`s boss, Sumner Redstone, fired him a couple of years back. Redstone oversees Paramount Pictures which does the "Mission Impossible" films. Redstone got rid of Tom after the "Oprah" couch-jumping, the fights with Matt Lauer and Brooke Shields. Well tonight, I can tell you these frenemies may have patched things up.
Listen to this. Redstone says, "I consider Tom Cruise a great actor and a good friend. And if Paramount decides to move ahead with him, I will not object."
All right. And tonight, I can also tell you that Heath Ledger dolls are selling out everywhere. Heath plays The Joker in the upcoming Batman film "The Dark Knight." Mattel`s Joker doll is modeled on Heath`s character. And because of his tragic death, some people are buying lots of these dolls as collector`s items. They cost about $10 at the stores. But on EBay, they`re going for a whole lot more.
HAMMER: So Brooke, we`ve been talking about this. I`ve got to say, it really looks like Britney Spears has turned things around. Her family`s with her. She`s not partying. She`s getting the treatment she needs.
ANDERSON: Yes, it all does sound very promising, A.J. She seems to really have some stability in her life right now.
HAMMER: Well tonight, there are stunning new Britney Spears developments. She was in court today, battling for custody of her kids. And we will have the explosive decision, coming up next.
ANDERSON: And A.J., Britney`s not the only mama drama going on. There`s Dina Lohan. Take a listen to this. Tonight, Dina is being honored as one of the best moms around. That`s right. One of her daughters has been in and out of jail. The other she`s putting on a reality TV show. So, yes, I`m a little baffled by this top mom idea. We`re fired up about this, next.
And also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It was scandalous.
WALTERS: It would have been scandalous.
HAMMER: How much did that scare you? Did that aspect of it scare you?
WALTERS: It scared me enough so that I said, "You know, I cannot be seeing you in secret."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You will not want to miss this. Coming up, it`s my explosive one-on-one, no-holds-barred interview with the great Barbara Walters. Her dramatic confessions about her affair, "The View" and her painful struggle to gain respect as a woman in television. You`ve got to see this and it`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Britney`s big day in court. Britney Spears shows up for her child custody hearing. Also there, Kevin Federline. Can Britney possibly get her kids back? And is this the beginning of a whole new Britney? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the late- breaking developments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It was scandalous.
WALTERS: It would have been scandalous.
HAMMER: How much did that scare you? Did that aspect of it scare you?
WALTERS: It scared me enough so that I said, "You know, I cannot be seeing you in secret."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Barbara Walters opens up to me about her secret affair with a married senator. She says it could have ruined her career and his. I`m one-on-one with Barbara Walters in the revealing interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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.
A big day for Britney Spears in court. Let`s get you up to date on the very latest developments. Britney Spears and Kevin Federline faced off in court for a custody hearing today. Yes, she actually showed up this time and she was even on time.
It looks like Britney`s good behavior lately may be paying off. The judge is expanding her visitation rights with Sean Preston and Jayden James. But for now, Kevin Federline keeps custody of the kids.
The Britney drama, though, is just one of two big mama dramas today. Get this - I`m not making it up - Lindsay Lohan`s mother, Dina, is being honored with a very special award naming her one of the top moms of the year. Top moms? You know, the Dina with the daughter who`s been in and out of rehab, to jail and who knows what else? More on that in a moment. But we begin with Britney.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." In New York, Janelle Snowden, red carpet correspondent for VH1 News. And also in New York, Ashleigh Banfield, host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat."
Ladies, welcome. Let`s talk Britney. She is getting more visitation time with her sons, but Kevin Federline retains full custody. Now Britney really has made a lot of progress, it seems, over the past three months. Jane, what do you think? Does Britney deserve to get her kids back full time or is the judge doing the right thing here - gradually letting her see them more and more?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Brooke, I think the judge got it exactly right. Let`s remember, the most important thing is not what`s best for Britney or Kevin. It`s what is best for these two young boys. And I think seeing their mom in baby steps, incrementally more and more over time is precisely right.
Remember, her behavior radically improved only after her dad took control of her life through a conservatorship. That means that in the eyes of the law, she is still considered incompetent, incapable of caring for herself. So you can`t give complete access to somebody who`s incompetent to their kids. It just can`t be done. She has to be supervised at this point when she`s with the kids.
ANDERSON: Janelle, do you agree that the judge made the right decision here?
SNOWDEN: I absolutely agree. I think that Jane`s right and no judge is going to give full custody to a woman that is still in the care of her own father. So I think that once Britney`s father decides that he can sort of let go of those reins, then we`ll start to see maybe some gradual progress and maybe the kids will eventually end up back in her arms. But not until then will it be a smart idea.
ANDERSON: But you know, some experts say a lot of Britney`s troubles - the head-shaving, the umbrella incident, among other odd behaviors - seem to have stemmed from mental illness. While her behavior seems to have stabilized, seems to be under control now, there is no guarantee that she won`t have a relapse. Ashleigh, doesn`t that have to weigh on the mind of a judge determining custody in a case like this?
BANFIELD: Oh, sure. But all of the things weigh on these judges. Not just Britney`s case - all of those issues. Because they all, you know, reflect children`s best needs. And in this respect, this judge will look at two things - pattern of good conduct and the passage of time. We`ve had a bit of a passage of time without any terrible ordeals.
But you do have to show good conduct. It`s not enough just to not be bad. You do have to show the good conduct and I think she`s on her way to showing that. They dole these things out in baby steps normally. That is normal for every case. And hopefully down the road, she`ll be able to build up enough baby steps to see her children overnight.
ANDERSON: Yes, and speaking of normal behavior, you know, with every other court hearing, it`s been abnormal. She has shown up either late or displayed questionable behavior. This is the first time that she really seemed to have it together.
Jane, I would have to think that maybe she realized she did need to make a good impression on the judge this time, or it could be game over. What do you think?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, yes. This is do or die, Brooke. If you remember way back in January when she had the meltdown, refused to hand over one of her children after visitation and was put in the psych ward, she was robbed of any visitation with her sons for a time. That had to be very scary and a wake-up call and she doesn`t want to ever go back there.
And this is classic behavior modification. She`s gotten rid of the bad influences around her. I dare say anybody would be crazy and erratic surrounded by the paparazzi and bad influences that may have been even drugging her. So now the paparazzi fog has lifted, so to speak, and she can be more rational.
ANDERSON: Yes, and Federline`s attorney said they are happy with the agreement and that they are pleased to see that she has stabilized.
All right. We want to move now to our next mama drama - Lindsay Lohan`s mother, Dina. We were all shaking our heads in disbelief when we saw that a Long Island, New York mothering group called "Mingling Moms" just named Dina a top mom. OK, between all of Lindsay`s troubles and all of the heat that Dina has taken for putting her other daughter, 14-year-old Ali, in a reality show with her, Jane, this just defies logic. I don`t get it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you know, it`s our crazy upside down world that we live in, Brooke, where fame trumps everything else. And it is wild. If you exploit your kids as a stage mother, you are named mother of the year in today`s society and the people putting on this award even admitted, "Well, we just want to honor mom whose kids are famous." So it really reflects society`s value - fame trumps everything and we really need to look at that as a culture.
ANDERSON: Janelle, do you agree that this is absolutely ridiculous or as "Mingling Moms" says as it defends its choice, that Dina deserves credit for sticking by her kids and for, as they say, being a dedicated mother through all the ups and downs?
SNOWDEN: Well, once you bear a child, you have no choice but to stick by them. You brought them into this world. And as Bill Cosby famously used to say, you can take them out. So, I think that, you know, it definitely speaks to what we are valuing as a society.
But I don`t know. I mean maybe they`re just thinking that in the sense she`s catapulted her daughter to that level of fame and not every mother who`s tried has done that. Maybe she`s successful in that right. But again, it does call into question what we really value.
ANDERSON: You know, "Mingling Moms" is honoring mothers from Long Island, as you have said, who have raised celebrities. Also included in their list, Carol Baldwin, mother of Alec Baldwin who has been a tireless champion of cancer victims. Ashleigh, doesn`t it kind of reinforce even more that people - the fact that they`re in disbelief that Dina is in the same category, being compared to philanthropist Carol Baldwin here?
BANFIELD: Yes, and I think if - look, I`m too offended by this whole thing. It`s just a kind of a fun little thing. But if I were the fellow honoree, I`d be pretty peeved. Like, Howard Stern`s mom was honored and Billy Joel`s mom, Natalie Portman`s mom, Kevin Connelly`s mom, and all these people are extraordinarily successful and has done great things. It just diminishes I think their awards and maybe the ceremony itself, but it`s not really offending me. And I`m not so sure that too many of your very smart viewers out there are going to assume for a moment that because Dina got this award, she`s worthy of it.
ANDERSON: Well, Dina said, quote - she told "Newsday," "I think they understand that I`m a mom just like any other mom." Jane, ten seconds, should we give her a break?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, first of all, she is not a mom like any other mom.
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She`s putting her younger daughter on a reality show with herself.
ANDERSON: You`re right. We`ve got to leave it there. Jane Velez- Mitchell, Janelle Snowden and Ashleigh Banfield, thank you all.
HAMMER: Well, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Britney Spears` Custody Hearing: Should she get her kids back?" Continue to vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E- mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., tonight, there is a dramatic ruling in the trial of the man accused of stalking Uma Thurman.
HAMMER: Yes, we`ve both been following this testimony, Brooke. I`ve got to say, it really creeps me out. And Uma said this guy actually wrote her letters and was showing up at her house. Really scary stuff.
ANDERSON: Yes. Very frightening. Now, the man said he never meant to scare Uma. But what did the jury think? I`ve got the stunning verdict coming up. You don`t want to miss that.
And also this -
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HAMMER: Did you think for a moment that maybe this isn`t going to fly?
WALTERS: I never thought "The View" was going to make it.
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HAMMER: Hard to believe after all these years, but, yes, Barbara Walters actually had her doubts about "The View." She really opens up to me about that and the secret affair that she says could have ruined two careers. I am one-on-one with Barbara Walters, coming up.
ANDERSON: And I was stunned to hear reports that Mariah Carey got married to Nick Cannon after knowing him only a few weeks. Now, we`ve got your very first look at the music video that was reportedly the start of their whirlwind romance. That`s still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We are posting new stuff all the time for you to watch at our Web site, which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos now playing - you don`t want to miss seeing this. It`s a showbiz exclusive, "Miley Cyrus, The Lost Interview." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
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WALTERS: Did I think it was going to succeed then? No. Nor did the network. While we were on the air, they were trying out other shows.
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HAMMER: And they said it would never last. Barbara Walters opens up like never before, telling me about the troubled start for ABC`s "The View." Let me tell you, Barbara did not hold back.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, it`s a very revealing interview with news legend Barbara Walters. Of course, Barbara is known for making stars open up about their lives. And now, the legendary journalist is the one spilling the secrets.
In her explosive new tell-all called "Audition," Barbara writes about her three failed marriages, the once-rocky relationship with her daughter and one very scandalous affair. Yes, I said affair.
Thirty-five years ago, Barbara Walters got caught up in a torrid affair with married senator Ed Brook. Now, this was also an interracial affair, which, you know, back in those days, was almost unheard of and it almost cost them both their careers. Well, I spoke with Barbara one-on-one about that affair, about why she thought she was a total failure and about why "The View" almost didn`t make it.
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WALTERS: Well, it wasn`t just that he was an African-American. He was also married. So this was a relationship that we kept secret. Now, today, it would not have ruined our careers. I mean there are many mixed marriages and they`re pretty much accepted as they should be. I put it in the book not because I thought, "Oh, this is sensational and it will sell books," but because it was a very important part of my life, because it was something that had such an effect.
And I wanted to show the difference also in the times, in the way we look at things and so it was important. It took several years of our lives. And I have some guilt about it, not just about the relationship. But about what I think some damage that was done.
HAMMER: That was something back then, sad as it may be to think about now. It was scandalous.
WALTERS: It would have been scandalous.
HAMMER: How much did that scare you? Did that aspect of it scare you?
WALTERS: It scared me enough so that I said, "You know, I cannot be seeing you in secret. You`re married and we must break this off." And I knew at the time that had it come out, it might very well have ruined both of our careers.
HAMMER: So tell me about the moment where, in your mind, you said - or to him you said, this ends now?
WALTERS: There wasn`t a moment. I think there was a time of saying, "We can`t do this anymore. We cannot keep the secret. We just have to say good-bye." He was a brilliant senator and the most charming, charismatic man. So when I look back on it, in spite of the secrecy, I also back on it with a smile.
HAMMER: And as this was going on, this was at a time when you were on your way to transitioning to become the first female co-anchor of a network evening newscast over at ABC News, and that in and of itself was very controversial. So many people were opposed to the idea of you taking that job simply because you were a woman. Does it boggle your mind looking back?
WALTERS: Well, when I left NBC, and they were not very nice about it, and I came to ABC to be the first female co-anchor of a network news program, I had a partner, Harry Reasoner(ph), who did not want me. And I was a terrible failure. I thought my career was over. I mean I say this to people today, any of you who have failed, I mean you have to work your way back. I did, turned out to be the best thing that happened to me.
But I was a terrible failure. And in part, how dare I, a woman, think that I could take this traditional role of a man. It was a very, very tough time. Professionally, probably the worst time in my life.
HAMMER: And here we are now -
WALTERS: And here we are now. I mean one of the things that saved me was doing specials, which everybody said, "Who`s going to watch specials? No movie star is going to do an interview with you." And I`ve been doing them now for over 30 years. It`s the specials that saved my career.
HAMMER: So you say that "Audition," the book, accomplishes among many things, giving perspective now, then seeing how things have changed. But here we are 30 years later, and you and I talked about this before. Arguably what was happening to you back then was happening to Katie Couric. There are people who have had it in for her since day one when she took over at CBS because she`s a woman. Does that make you angry?
WALTERS: First of all, Katie is not working with a partner who hates her. So that makes it both more and less difficult for her. She`s on her own, but she doesn`t have to put up with somebody who really doesn`t want her there.
And I`ve talked to Katie. Katie`s going to be fine. Katie`s a wonderful talent. But it`s a very painful time and there are reflections in what happened to me. I don`t know what promises were made to Katie. I don`t know what it was that she expected to happen. But I can see the similarities. And I certainly understand what she must be going through. Katie`s going to be just fine.
HAMMER: Seeing as what you`ve been through in your career, 10 years ago, you set out to get a group of women together to do the first-ever strongly opinion-based, passionate daytime talk show with all women. Did you think for a moment that maybe this isn`t going to fly?
WALTERS: I never thought "The View" was going to make it. And my main job was on "20/20" which is why I didn`t want to write "The View." I did it then and now, two days a week. And the network came to us and said, "Do you have any ideas?" And I said, "I have this idea for a show - different generations, different women. I mean, not the most brilliant idea. It`s the chemistry all these years that has made this show. We go into our 12th year. This is, by the way, one of the happiest years we`ve had.
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HAMMER: Well, this may be one of the happiest years on "The View." But, you know, it hasn`t always been that way. Coming up on Wednesday, much more of my one-on-one interview with Barbara Walters. And wait until you hear about Barbara has to say about her relationship with Rosie O`Donnell after that now-infamous feud with Donald Trump. And that`s not all. Barbara tells me about the two big secrets that she had to keep to protect Star Jones.
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WALTERS: We didn`t tell the truth about her. We felt we had to acknowledge her wishes. I don`t know what else we could have done at that time and probably it was a mistake.
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HAMMER: Check out more of my one-on-one with Barbara Walters, Wednesday in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And Wednesday night, you can also see Barbara`s interview with the great Charlie Gibson on ABC all about her autobiography, "Audition."
ANDERSON: A dramatic end to the trial of the man accused of stalking Uma Thurman. Jack Jordan has been convicted of stalking and harassing Thurman for more than two years. He faces up to a year in jail. Thurman testified that she was completely freaked out by Jordan when he showed up at her house and on a movie set and sent her a bunch of really creepy love letters. Twenty of those letters Jordan sent while he was locked up at a mental institution. He also admitted that he told Thurman`s family that he would kill himself if he couldn`t meet her.
All right. I was stunned to hear reports that Mariah Carey got married to Nick Cannon after knowing him only a few weeks. Now, we have your very first look at the music video that was reportedly the start of their whirlwind romance. We also asked you if you think this marriage is a big mistake. And boy, did we hear from you. That`s next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime at all. All you have to do is download our podcast. It`s totally free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast right there on our Web site at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also get it on iTunes. Type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Now, your very first look at Mariah Carey`s brand-new video with her hubby, actor Nick Cannon. Now, these two still haven`t confirmed their marriage officially. But I don`t think there`s anybody out there who doesn`t think they`re married.? So should we really be surprised that all of a sudden, poof, there`s a new music video of them together?
Take a look at "Bye-Bye" and say hello to Mr.and Mrs. Cannon
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MARIAH CAREY, SINGER (sung): I remember when you used to tuck me in at night. With the teddy bear you gave me. That I held so tight. I thought you were so strong. You`d make it through whatever. It`s so hard to accept the fact you`re gone forever.
I never knew I could hurt like this, and everyday life goes on. I wish I could talk to you for a while miss you but I try not to cry as time goes by.
And it`s true that you`ve reached a better place. Still I`d give the world to see your face. And be right here next to you but it`s like you`re gone too soon. Now the hardest thing to do is say -
Bye bye, Bye bye, bye bye, bye bye.
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ANDERSON: Now, "Bye bye" is actually a tribute to those who have died. Among others, Mariah offers Luciano Pavarotti and Luther Vandross in the song.
HAMMER: All right. Well, Monday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day about Mariah - "Mariah Carey`s Quickie Marriage: Did she make a big mistake?" Yes - 83 percent of you say yes; 17 percent of you say, no.
Here`s some of the E-mails we got. We heard from Cecil in Nevada who writes, "I`m happy for Mariah and Nick. She is beautiful, and I think she found a man that truly adores her."
Also heard from Tim in California who writes, "To think that she would marry an unknown celebrity she knows for less than month is completely bizarre and unlike her."
Which brings me, Brooke, to my question of the day for you - if someone is an unknown celebrity, are they a celebrity at all? You think about that. I`ll wrap it up. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. 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, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
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