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Showbiz Tonight
Star Jones Versus Barbara Walters; Madonna Versus Mariah; The Just Zip It Club; Cynthia Nixon Opens Up
Aired May 08, 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: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and now, Alec Baldwin? Is the "30 Rock" star going to run for political office? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And Marie Osmond`s rips into Miley Cyrus` parents over Miley`s half-nude photo scandals. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - in this corner, Star Jones. In that corner, Barbara Walters. Tonight, a startling new nasty fight. Did Star Jones sucker-punch Barbara over Barbara`s affair confession and her explosive revelations about Star`s weight loss? But why is Star speaking out now? And should she just shut up?
In this corner, Madonna. In that corner Mariah Carey. Tonight the Mariah-Madonna smackdown. Tonight, it`s a no-holds-barred battle of the divas as they try to one-up each other. Madonna vacuums. Mariah gets married. Who will be left standing? It`s Madonna. It`s Mariah. And it`s getting wild.
Plus "Sex and the City`s" Cynthia Nixon opens up line never before about her courageous cancer battle and her life with her lesbian partner.
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Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood with "Star Wars: the Attack of the Jones."
HAMMER: That is right, Brooke. Tonight, Star Jones has launched the war attacking Barbara Walters so angrily, so bitterly, I`ve got to tell you, we had to double and triple check today to make sure this thing was really true. That`s how unbelievable it all is. Star is just ripping into her former boss at "The View" nearly two years after she was fired and nearly two years after she publicly vowed to never ever say anything nasty about Barbara.
Well, Barbara`s new book and what she wrote about Star set this whole thing off. And I can tell you, this isn`t over yet.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): More war. For almost two years, the galaxy enjoyed relative peace in the war of words between former "View" allies, Star Jones and Barbara Walters. But a fiery new book from Walters has sparked a blistery response from Jones. Now, peace lies in ruins as the two titans renew their epic feud. "Star wars, Episode 26: Attack of the Jones."
They`re at it again. Star Jones is going after Barbara Walters for the controversial comments Walters makes about her in her new book "Audition."
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Barbara Walters in her autobiography, not revealed that she had had a two-year long affair with a married senator, but she also trash-talked her former "View" co-host Star Jones, saying she left "The View" in a nasty manner.
HAMMER: Star`s response is fierce. She released a statement saying, quote, "It is a sad day when an icon like Barbara Walters, in the sunset of her life, is reduced to publicly branding herself as an adulterer, humiliating an innocent family with accounts of her illicit affair and speaking negatively against me all for the sake of selling a book. It speaks to her true character." Ouch!
Wait just a second. What was it that star said on "LARRY KING LIVE" soon after leaving "The View"?
STAR JONES, FORMER CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I will not denigrate Ms. Walters ever.
HAMMER: Now, Star`s hurling words like "adulterer" at Barbara. Time and a book sure can change everything.
PIAZZA: Star came up with everything she could and she really threw some vitriol at Barbara.
JONES: The show is moving in another direction and I will not be returning as co-host next year.
HAMMER: It`s been almost two years since Star blindsided Walters by abruptly announcing her firing from "The View," a fact Walters had been keeping secret to protect Star. It`s clear that after all this time, the wounds are still fresh for both Jones and her former boss.
(on camera): Is there a standout low for you over the 10 years?
WALTERS: Well, I think that when Star was dismissed by the network, that was very hard.
HAMMER (voice over): When I spoke with Barbara, she repeated some of the criticism she throws at Star in her book.
WALTERS: Star made an enormous contribution to "The View," and things went wrong with Star and the audience lost its faith in her.
HAMMER (on camera): Well, after Star was fired from ABC, she went everywhere to tell her story. And you say in your book that you believe that made her unemployable. Do you think she should have just parted ways and kind of shut up?
WALTERS: She went on the air and said that she had been fired and that I was a liar. I think people understood that maybe that wasn`t the way to behave. And it took her a while to get a job.
HAMMER (voice over): It is true that since leaving "The View" Star Jones has had trouble finding an equally high profile job. And Jo Piazza of the "New York Daily News" says that with her fresh attack on Walters` character, Star might be proving Walters` point.
PIAZZA: She can`t keep her mouth shut once again and she`s not playing nice with the other kids in the sandbox.
HAMMER: But then again, does Star also have a point about Walters revisiting old painful topics for the purpose of selling a book?
PIAZZA: Barbara was the one who reopened the can of worms. So of course, Star had to react.
HAMMER: Star Jones` publicist tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she won`t be saying anything else on this situation. Barbara Walters` people are saying the same thing. But if Jones and Walters` history is any indication, these "Star Wars" will likely have another episode at a time not too far, far away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So, did Star Jones make a huge mistake here? Or is she justified in any way in attacking Barbara Walters?
Joining me to night from Hollywood, entertainment journalist Mary Murphy also an adjunct professor at Annenberg School of the University of Southern California. Also Kim Serafin, senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
Mary, Kim, I think it`s definitely worth taking a look one more time at this full statement from Star Jones. Listen to what she says - this is amazing to me, quote, "It is a sad day when an icon like Barbara Walters, in the sunset of her life, is reduced to publicly branding herself as an adulterer, humiliating an innocent family with accounts of her illicit affair and speaking negatively against me all for the sake of selling a book. It speaks to her true character."
I got to tell you, when I heard that, it kind of made me think of that now-famous line from the movie "Jaws, The Revenge," you remember, "This time it`s personal." Mary Murphy, did Star Jones just get way too personal here?
MARY MURPHY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: She got way too personal, but I loved your galaxy analogy. I kept thinking the force is with Barbara, not with Star. You know, the sad thing is, is that this feud, this cat fight - I sort of want to go meow - really was going on the whole time they were on "The View." And now we`re finally seeing it.
You know, it`s like why didn`t we see this when it was really going on? "The View" is supposed to be about women opening up to each other.
HAMMER: Yes, I think there is a lot of bitterness, residual bitterness after Star rather unceremoniously, or perhaps, ceremoniously left the show.
MURPHY: Right, but I don`t think the bitterness is on Barbara`s part ...
HAMMER: No.
MURPHY: I think all the bitterness on Star`s part.
HAMMER: I would agree with you on that. And of course, when these things happen, and I only wish I got to see Barbara after Star released the statement, but I saw her before that.
So when it happens, you know, we call up a spokesperson for Barbara Walters. They tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, you know, Barbara is not even going to dignify this whole thing with any kind of a comment. As I mentioned, Star`s rep told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she is not going to be making any further comments about this. Kim, what do you think? Should Star not have made this one in the first place?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Oh, she definitely should not have made this comment. You know, to go up against someone like Barbara Walters who is such a professional. But on the other hand, you know, she already did burn bridges with Barbara. And she did probably have to respond since she was mentioned in the book. She didn`t have to get so personal.
She didn`t have to go for the "adulterer" comment. She could have limited her comment just to the things that Barbara said about her. But, you know, this is where Star is in her career right now. I think maybe she just felt she didn`t have an option and she just kind of put it all out there. But to go up against Barbara Walters, you know, what was she thinking?
HAMMER: Yes. So all that taken into account, imagine if you will, for just a moment, that we were to do a poll and asked the question who do you like better, Star Jones or Barbara Walters? I`ve got to say I don`t think it would even be close. Mary, I`m having a hard time understanding exactly what it is that Star hoped to gain by doing this? You know, Kim said maybe she felt like she didn`t have a choice. But look at it. Her show was recently canceled on Tru TV. She`s filed for divorce. Do you think she`s just determined to burn as many bridges as possible?
MURPHY: Well, also I think that she`s doing even what Rev. Wright did, you know, trying to say in the end, "Wait a minute, I have to tell you my side of the story." But why should she call Barbara Walters an adulterer. Barbara Walters already called herself that. There is nothing to gain from this except more hatred. And she is going down in the polls, I`m telling you. She is at zero percent.
HAMMER: Yes, and as you guys have alluded to - and this is where I`m having a hard time understanding. In her statement, Star Jones accused Barbara Walters of speaking negatively about her. I can tell you I have read the book, we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT have checked this thing out, Barbara simply reveals that the ladies of "The View" hated lying and covering up Star`s gastric bypass surgery. Here`s what Barbara told me about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: She was our colleague. We had to protect her. But we all found it very difficult, especially as we were doing so many pieces on diet and so on. And 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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kim Serafin, very quickly - yes or no. Is there any upside to Star in this?
SERAFIN: No, not really. I mean, she made a huge mistake. Again maybe she felt forced she had to do this, but she made a mistake in attacking Barbara Walters. I don`t know what she was thinking.
HAMMER: Kim Serafin, Mary Murphy, I thank you both.
ANDERSON: And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time. We are always posting new stuff for you to watch at our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Among the videos now playing, A.J.`s one-on-one tell-all with Barbara Walters.
HAMMER: Well, I`ve got to say, Barbara Walters may not be perfect, Brooke. But I think the way that Star lashed out at her does not make her look very good at all.
ANDERSON: True, Star is clearly angry, very hurt by Barbara`s comments about her. I`m surprised though - and Kim mentioned this - Star ripped into Barbara for the affair as well, something that didn`t involve her.
HAMMER: Yes. So Brooke, tonight, we`re telling Star to just zip it. And she`s not the only one. Lindsay Lohan`s parents at it again. Oh, I cannot take this. They all need to zip it. That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYNTHIA NIXON, STAR, "SEX AND THE CITY": I got my diagnosis about a year and a half ago. And I certainly didn`t want to, you know, send out a press release.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I get "Sex and the City`s" star Cynthia Nixon to open up like never before about her courageous battle and scary battle with cancer. Plus, the real story behind the success of her lesbian romance. That is on the way.
ANDERSON: Madonna and Mariah Carey. I am big fans of both. But what`s with these two? It looks like they`re really trying to one-up each other these days. Madonna vacuums; Mariah gets married. Will this ever end? Up next, I`ve got the no-holds-barred Madonna-Mariah smackdown.
HAMMER: But first, please vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Mariah Carey`s Quickie Marriage: Will it last?" Go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
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(MUSIC)
ANDERSON: That was Justin Timberlake helping Madonna save the world in four minutes. Madonna has not only saved the world, she`s rocked Mariah Carey`s by knocking her out of the number one album spot.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, it`s a Madonna versus Mariah Carey smackdown. For the very first time, the two divas went head-to-head in a no-holds-barred fight. And Madonna`s new album, "Hard Candy" has dethroned Mariah`s new album, "E=MC2" from the top spot. Madonna may have won round one, but I can tell you, this battle has only just begun.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, entertainment reporter, Marianela, and Michael Yo, host of "Yo on E!" heard on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio. Marianela, Michael, great to see you both.
And granted, Mariah`s album had already been out for a couple weeks, had been number one. But Marianela, are you surprised that Madonna knocked Mariah out?
MARIANELA, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Absolutely not. I mean we`re talking about a woman who has been in the business for 25 years. This is the Queen of Pop. Mariah paved the way for divas like Mariah. I`m not surprised - not one bit.
ANDERSON: Michael Yo, what about you? Are you surprised?
MICHAEL YO, HOST, "YO ON E!": No. Madonna is a legend. I mean, Madonna-Mariah Carey. You know, if you want great singing, you go for Mariah. But if you want an image, a movement, you go with Madonna. I`m not surprised at all she knocked her out of the top spot.
ANDERSON: Are you saying Madonna doesn`t have the same talent that Mariah has?
MARIANELA: When it comes to singing, Mariah`s amazing. But Madonna`s a hit maker. I mean she`s a trendsetter.
ANDERSON: She is an entertainer - both of them. And you know, They both have been getting a lot of publicity lately for two very different reasons. Mariah Carey, of course, officially revealing to "People" magazine her whirlwind romance, her marriage to Nick Cannon. Madonna has turned to the Internet to create buzz. She put herself on YouTube, vacuuming, and then compared to herself to celebrity blogger Perez Hilton`s beloved dog, Teddy. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADONNA, POP STAR: I just want to ask you one thing. Who do you love more, me or Teddy? Because I can get down on all fours. I chase balls. And I love a biscuit. Make your decision. Quickly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Marianela, what do you think works better to sell an album - getting married, being on the cover of "People" magazine or vacuuming on YouTube and comparing yourself to Perez Hilton`s dog.
MARIANELA: You know what? If you`re Madonna, honestly, all you have to do is vacuum on YouTube. I mean Mariah went out, did all this press, "Good Morning, America," "American Idol." And Madonna said, "You know what? I`m just going to vacuum on YouTube." And she still took the number one spot and knocked Mariah off the charts. I mean that`s Madonna.
ANDERSON: Michael, what do you think Madonna has to gain with these YouTube videos? Because she is already very popular, and most likely would have done very well on the charts regardless of a YouTube video.
YO: Well, I had a chance to interview Madonna, I called her a legend. She was like, "I don`t like that word because it makes me sound old." And then, I was like "Bob Marley, Elvis Presley." And then, she was like, "I like the word."
She doesn`t like anything old. So doing TV, that`s old. Everybody does it. She wanted to take it younger. She has the "Like a Virgin" crowd. She wants the Justin Timberlake crowd. She wants the Timberlake crowd. So she wants that younger crowd, that`s why she went to YouTube because that`s where they`re at.
ANDERSON: OK. Appeal to a different generation there. Well, we have put the top diva question to our viewers in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. And we asked this, "Madonna`s New Album, Number One: Do you like Madonna more than Mariah Carey?" 58 percent say yes; 42 percent say no. Marianela, you`re plugged into this world. What do you think? Does it accurately reflect how most people feel?
MARIANELA: Absolutely, because Madonna is very - she`s still edgy. She`s about to turn 50. She`s still edgy. She`s irreverent. I mean, this woman, she has it all. And women look up to her. She`s empowering. She can be a dominatrix one minute and then, you know, write a children book the next minute. She is amazing.
ANDERSON: Constantly changing her image. And we were so flooded with E-mails on this topic including this one from Steve in Massachusetts who writes, quote, "Madonna has proven to have more staying power and continues to reinvent her look and musical style over and over again."
But Dee in Georgia writes, "Mariah is a way better singer than Madonna. Madonna needs to hang up the mic and let the real MC take the floor."
Michael, I personally doubt Madonna is losing any sleep over Mariah Carey. What do you think?
YO: No. Madonna could care less about Mariah Carey. She is a legend. But Mariah is a legend. Two different artists - one can sing very well. One, like I said before, is a movement where she has a huge fan base. And she is never going to go away. She can make albums until she is 75 as long as she looks like she looks right now.
ANDERSON: She looks fantastic. Marianela, very quickly, do you think either is really concerned about what the other is doing?
MARIANELA: Absolutely not. I mean Mariah is, you know, floating in the clouds with Nick Cannon. And Madonna is vacuuming on YouTube like she`s really concerned. She`s got the number one spot. She`s still making it happen.
ANDERSON: I think they should join forces, maybe a new duet album. That could be fierce. Marianela, Michael Yo, thank you both. Good to see you.
MARIANELA: Thank you.
HAMMER: Brooke, you know who else keeps trying to one-up each other? Of course, Barack and Hillary.
ANDERSON: No kidding, A.J. But did I hear this correctly? Will a big actor throw his hat into the political ring?
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke, you did hear correctly. And I`ve got the dramatic details of Alec Baldwin. Yes, really - Alec Baldwin may be running for office. We`ll tell you about it, next.
ANDERSON: And you know, if you are going to get into politics, you`ve got to be able to speak up, right? Well, tonight, I wish these stars would just zip it. Star Jones, lashing out at Barbara Walters. Lindsay Lohan`s parents fighting again. Hey, folks, hush. Be quiet. Callate la boca, por favor! However you want to say it, please zip it. Coming up. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIXON: I got my diagnosis about a year and a half ago. And I certainly didn`t want to, you know, send out a press release.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I go one-on-one with "Sex and the City" star, Cynthia Nixon. I really get her to open up about her dramatic cancer battle and her lesbian romance. This is a can`t-miss interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time. All you have to do is download our podcast. It`s totally free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our Web site - that`s CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also get it on iTunes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Yes we are back. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson, and here are some more stories that are new right now. Is Alec Baldwin heading from "30 Rock" to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? In a revealing interview with "60 minutes" set to air this Sunday, Alec says he might consider running for political office someday.
Baldwin, who just turned 50, says, "There`s other things I want to do besides acting. There`s no age limit on running for office to a degree. It is something I might do one day."
It looks like Hulk Hogan`s son will cop a plea related to his reckless driving charge that nearly killed one of his best friends. TMZ reports Nick Hogan will either plead guilty or no contest on Friday. TMZ also says no deal has been struck with prosecutors and the judge will be able to sentence him as he sees fit. He could face up to five years in prison. Last August, Nick crashed his sports car in Florida. His friend an Iraq War veteran was seriously injured.
A.J., you know, I know that we usually love to hear what the stars have to say. But sometimes, I have to say they go a little bit too far, maybe they should just zip it up.
HAMMER: Oh, yes, Brooke. I could not agree with you more on that.
ANDERSON: Up next, A.J., the stars we want to zip it. Star Jones lashing out at Barbara Walters. Lindsay Lohan`s parents, Dina and Michael, going at it again. Shh, will you?
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIXON: I got my diagnosis about a year and a half ago. And I certainly didn`t want to, you know, send out a press release.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I go one-on-one with "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon. I get her to really open up about her dramatic cancer battle and her lesbian romance. You have got to see this eye-opening interview, and you can see it only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: And Marie Osmond is ripping into Miley Cyrus` parents over Miley`s half-naked photo shoot scandal. I`m kind of surprised Marie spoke out like this. You do not want to miss what she`s got to say. Coming up.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Star Jones goes off on Barbara Walters. Star is using words like "adulterer" and "sunset of her life" to describe her former boss. Why in the world is Star lashing out? And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks - should she just zip it?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIXON: I got my diagnosis about a year and a half ago. And I certainly didn`t want to, you know, send out a press release.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Cynthia Nixon, one-on-one. She really opens up about her battle with breast cancer, her long-time partner and "Sex and the City" the movie that is just making people giddy with anticipation. Tonight Cynthia Nixon in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. Tonight, we have two big stories new right now about celebrities running off at the mouth and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is saying "Just zip it." As a matter of fact, we are creating the official "Just Zip It" club. That`s right.
And the first star inductee, Star Jones, the former host of "The View," attacking her former boss Barbara Walters. And you won`t believe the nasty choice of words she had about Barbara.
And our next inductees, "Zip It Club" VIPs, indeed - the Lohan`s. Lindsay`s father, Michael just won`t zip it about his ex-wife, Dina, especially about the fact that she received an award for being a top mom, which quite frankly even I had a hard time believing.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, entertainment journalist Mary Murphy, who is also an adjunct professor at Annenberg School at USC. Also in Hollywood tonight, senior editor of "In Touch Weekly," Kim Serafin. And here with me in New York, entertainment columnist for "The Village Voice," Michael Musto. Hello, gang.
You know, we`ve been reporting that Star Jones has really taken out what I would affectionately call an aerosol can of butt kicking, if I may, and aimed it squarely at Barbara Walters butt, over her new book "Audition." Now, in the book, Barbara admits to having an affair and she talks about Star`s firing from "The View."
And in a just released statement, Star Jones is saying, quote, "It is a sad day when an icon like Barbara Walters, in the sunset of her life, is reduced to publicly branding herself as an adulterer, humiliating an innocent family with accounts of her illicit affair and speaking negatively against me all for the sake of selling a book. It speaks to her true character."
Michael Musto, I have been waiting to hear what you have to say about this all day. What do you think, should Star Jones just zip it?
MICHAEL MUSTO, ENTERTAINMENT COLUMNIST, "THE VILLAGE VOICE": Absolutely. A.J., this is the woman who walked on the island and said, "I do promote Payless," OK? Normally I don`t trust these tell-all books. They kind of do put in facts or supposed facts that are just designed to sell copies. I still don`t believe Carol Brady dated Greg Brady.
But in this case, Barbara Walters is truthing. Star Jones should have been honest on the show. She shouldn`t have said, "I just ate less cookies. I did a few sit-ups." Either be honest or just evade the subject. You don`t have to address it at all. She`s evaded Al Reynolds` past, which I bet he`s gone back to.
HAMMER: All right. I`m going to leave that one alone. But yes, it does seem to me, and from sitting down with Barbara the other day, that she really is just telling it like it is in this book. Now, Barbara`s spokesperson told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Barbara is not even going to dignify Star`s comments with any kind of a statement. Mary Murphy, Barbara zipping it here. Shouldn`t Star?
MURPHY: You know, in the history of American broadcasting, Barbara Walters will be iconic and someone that women really have been inspired by. And Star Jones is going to be a footnote of self-indulgence. She ought to zip it. She wants five more minutes of fame. Good-bye, we don`t want to hear from her anymore.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, truly think about the legacy that she is leaving. You know, I think Michael Musto effectively just touched on much of that.
Now, I did spend a lot of time with Barbara the other day. We were talking about her book, "Audition." In the book, she does reveal how much the ladies of "The View" really hated lying for Star who was covering up her gastric bypass surgery which, of course, led to her huge weight loss. I want you to watch what Barbara told me about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: When Star had the gastric bypass, at first, she was going to talk about it. Then, she decided not to. 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.
HAMMER: So she owns up to it being a mistake. Barbara claims Star asked her colleagues on "The View" to zip their mouths for her. Kim Serafin, would Star just be doing herself a huge favor right now by zipping it? And I mean zipping it real good?
SERAFIN: Yes. The irony, of course, of this is that when she was supposed to be talking about something, she chose to zip it back then when they wanted her to talk about the gastric bypass surgery. And now, she just can`t stop talking.
So yes, she should have, obviously back then been more open. That`s why people watch "The View," that`s why people love "The View." And that`s why those people are on "The View" because they give their opinion about things. And Star is obviously, as we`re seeing even more now, very opinionated and not one to hold back what she really thinks.
So of course, she should have done that back then. And these days, I think she has probably got nothing to lose. I mean she doesn`t have her show any more, unfortunately. Of course, she`s filed for divorce. So I think she`s probably just putting it out there.
HAMMER: Yes, a lot of people said to me it`s like she`s just grabbing for air. And I just can`t believe this is a good move for her. Now, we have to remember Star did finally own up to having that gastric bypass surgery, oh, just a couple weeks before she launched her now canceled show on what is now Tru TV.
Michael, Star attacking Barbara Walters. Truly one of the most popular women in TV history; as Mary said, a true icon. I mean it just has to be career suicide, doesn`t it?
MUSTO: Yes, this isn`t "Godzilla Versus King Kong." It`s "Godzilla Versus Barbara Walters." I mean you don`t fight Barbara Walters. I`m joking. Nobody here is a monster.
But in any case, yes, Star used this to hype her new show on Tru TV, which used to be Court TV. And that backfired; her show was liposucted. And Al Reynolds was liposucted. She lost 200 pounds there. So what does she have left? Just a bunch of Payless shoes and a stick figure frame - and no career.
HAMMER: I think we have that all wrapped up nice and neat there. So we should move on to our second inductee into our "Just Zip It" club. Lindsay Lohan`s father, Michael, going off on his ex-wife, Dina, for being voted a top mom by a Long Island, New York women`s group. He told the "New York Post," quote, "Are you kidding? Top celebrity mom? Look at her off- screen antics, her lack of morals. I guess they forgot to mention how this top super-mom leaves her kids alone at night, stumbling of Butter (that`s a New York City lounge) at 3:15 a.m. with bloodshot eyes and a read runny nose."
Dina Lohan called the remarks infantile. Mary Murphy, should both of them just zip it?
MURPHY: Are you kidding? I mean yesterday, Lindsay Lohan was all over the news for stealing a coat or borrowing it, so to speak. You wonder why this kid is in so much trouble? You wonder why she is in rehab? I mean when she was in rehab, didn`t they bring the parents in to say to them, "You are destroying your kids? Stop it." No. They go to the "New York Post." What`s wrong with these people? If they were my parents, I`d probably divorce them.
HAMMER: Well, Dina Lohan did respond to Michael`s lack of zipness in kind. This is what she told the "New York Post," quote, "He`s jealous that I got the award. He even called the organizers and tried to talk them out of giving it to me."
Kim Serafin, are either one of them ever going to take the high road here and zip it once and for all? What is your thought?
SERAFIN: I think this is sort of how they seem to operate. I mean they have the media at their disposal. Of course, Dina is doing the reality show. They`re not talking to each other. So the way they get their message out is by telling the media, because then it is all over. They can kind of take their digs through the media, try to gain fans on either side. And this is sort of their M.O.
They`ve lived in the spotlight their whole life. Their daughter Lindsay, of course, is in the spotlight. Ali now is going to become a star.
HAMMER: Yes.
SERAFIN: So I think this is the life that they chose and they can`t expect anything less.
HAMMER: I don`t understand this at all.
SERAFIN: Everyone`s talking about it.
HAMMER: And yes - I mean, this mudslinging in public is going on for quite a while. In fact, just last month, Michael Lohan came to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. When I spoke with him, I`ve got to say, even then, he was on the attack. Now, he didn`t name his ex-wife Dina by name, but definitely implied Dina not setting a good example, not top mom. Watch what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL LOHAN, LINDSAY LOHAN`S FATHER: Don`t be deceitful in what you do. Don`t do things behind the scenes. Portray what the truth is, and don`t create a facade where you are doing one thing in the public eye and doing another thing behind the scenes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Michael Musto, I`ve got 12 seconds for you here. But the ones who are really suffering have to be the kids. Lindsay, younger sister, younger siblings as well.
MUSTO: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Are they not zipping it?
MUSTO: They`re caught as pawns between these two publicity-seeking parents. Michael telling somebody how to be a better parent is like O.J. telling you to be a nicer spouse. It`s absurd.
HAMMER: And we shall leave it there. Michael Musto, Mary Murphy, Kim Serafin, I thank you all for being with us tonight.
And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time. New stuff is being posted for you all the time. Check it out at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos playing right now, my one-on- one, very revealing tell-all with Barbara Walters.
ANDERSON: And A.J., another big tell-all that you got - Cynthia Nixon from "Sex and the City." Hey, what did you think when you sat down with her?
HAMMER: I like Cynthia a lot. She`s a lovely woman, very thoughtful and very candid, because we did talk about everything. The movie of course. We talked about her love life and even her battle with breast cancer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIXON: I got my diagnosis about a year and a half ago. And I certainly didn`t want to, you know, send out a press release.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to say I give her a lot of credit for the way she handled her cancer scare. Just really keeping everything private until the time was right for her. Kudos there.
We also talked about Cynthia`s long-time partner. And that is just ahead in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Also, Marie Osmond is absolutely tearing into Billy Ray Cyrus for his parenting skills. She says the trouble Miley got into over that "Vanity Fair" photo is all his fault. And wait until you hear what else she`s got to say. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Also, Robert Downey, Jr. is tearing up the screen in "Iron Man" right now as we all know, but it was a moment on the couch on "The View" that really spoke to me. Will Robert actually give Tom Cruise a run for his money in the couch high jinks department? Stick around and you will find out.
ANDERSON: And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It is this - "Mariah Carey`s Quickie Marriage: Will it last?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Send us an E-mail at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIRSTIN DAVIS, ACTRESS: I always knew she`d marry Big.
KIM CATTRALL, ACTRESS: You got that after the second breakup?
SARAH JESSICA PARKER, ACTRESS: Yes.
NIXON: After the 15th?
PARKER: Yes. We broke up a lot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The ladies of "Sex and the City" are back in what may quite will be the most anticipated movie of the year. But were the rumors of feuds behind the scenes true?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TVs most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, we bring you shocking secrets from the "Sex and the City" movie from Cynthia Nixon. Now, you might want to put your Cosmo down for this one, because Nixon is telling me all about the movie and about her life as well. Nixon, of course, plays the tell-it-like-it-is attorney, Miranda Hobbs in the movie.
And now, she opens up to me like never before. When I caught up with her, she was very candid about overcoming breast cancer, celebrating her love life and even though those nasty rumors of a feud between her co- stars. I had to know what happened when the cast sat down for the very first time in four years.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Take me back to that first time when you ladies were all in the same room together for the first time in a while. Because I know you had been in touch, but there was that moment - I guess it was the table read when you finally got to be amongst each other.
NIXON: It was amazing the table read. We were all just so excited about the film itself. And then we showed up back at Silver Cup Studios where we had shot for years and had dressing rooms and offices and everything. And we gathered around the same table with the, you know, the view of Manhattan and the Queensboro Bridge right out the window, and we read. And people, you know - as they say, people laughed, people cried.
HAMMER: I have to say it was terrific watching you all on "Oprah" together. It looks like you had a blast doing the show. There was buzz, everybody wondering, "Oh, gosh. They`re going to do `Oprah` together." Because, you know, whether it was perceived or real, there was this notion that there is all this drama going on with the cast of the show. And one of my producers even said, we were watching to see if they were going to sit close to each other on the couch. I mean when you hear stuff like that, what do you think? Does it make you mad hearing that?
NIXON: No. You know, it`s kind of like the weather. I just sort of treat it like the weather. And you know, sometimes it`s raining, sometimes it`s sunny. And you know - but it`s always there. It always seems to be an issue for people. So, you know -
HAMMER: It is what it is?
NIXON: Yes.
HAMMER: Something that I think is particularly wonderful you have been able to talk about recently is the fact that you battled breast cancer a couple years ago. You know, I don`t know if you are setting out to be courageous, but I look at it as a big courageous thing and give you a lot of credit for doing that. Why did you wait to this point to start talking about it?
NIXON: Well, I got my diagnosis about a year and a half ago. And you know I had surgery and then I had radiation and I certainly didn`t want to, you know, send out a press release right then. And I was trying to get through my treatment without having photographers at the hospital and people didn`t know, and that was good.
And then I also wanted to get a little distance from it. You know, I mean when you tell someone that you`ve had cancer, you know, they go into a panic. And the thing that they want to know from you is like, "Are you OK?" And it`s like, well if I just finished my radiation a month ago, I`m OK right now. But like being able to say, I have this cancer removed a year and a half ago and everything looks good, you know. It`s much better to be able to tell people that.
HAMMER: No question. And you`re doing well?
NIXON: I am doing well.
HAMMER: You look great.
NIXON: Thank you.
HAMMER: You look fantastic.
NIXON: Thank you.
HAMMER: One of the things we love doing on our show is highlighting relationships that work. And from watching you on "Oprah" the other day, gushing about your partner, I have to say I think I am sitting in a good situation to ask you that. You know, obviously, being in show business, there is pressure.
NIXON: Right.
HAMMER: Then there is the added media glare if it is a same-sex relationship.
NIXON: Right.
HAMMER: For you guys, what really is the key to making it work, to having such a great relationship and surviving the pressure?
NIXON: I think we really, really prioritize the relationship. And we really make time for it. And you know, I have to say I put a lot of credit for how good our relationship is on my girlfriend. And I just think she is so emotionally smart. And she`s - you know, right now, she`s actually taking a sabbatical from her work because it is like a crazy year and she is the stay-at-home mom, you know, with our kids for this year. And you know, I think that speaks volumes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It certainly does. I like her a lot. "Sex and the City," the movie opens in theaters on May 30th.
ANDERSON: Marie Osmond is slamming Billy Ray Cyrus` parenting skills. Now, Marie knows something about being famous at a young age and she says she got through it because her parents never ever left her alone. She was talking about Billy Ray reportedly stepping out of that now infamous "Vanity Fair" photo shoot where Miley showed her back.
Marie tells "AOL Television" that there`s no way Miley, being a young girl, could say no to somebody like Annie Liebovitz, the photographer. Oh, it`s really not like Marie to lash out about other people`s parenting skills, but she did not hold back.
OK, some really funny moments on "The View" when the co-host interviewed Robert Downy, Jr. They asked him all about his blockbuster hit "Iron Man" and his kids and all of that. But check out what happened after a commercial break when Robert confided in Sherri Shepherd about a dream he had. Take a look.
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": He said I had a dream that I came and I lay down on the couch. And so Elizabeth and I were like, "Well, there is a lot of bosoms here.
(LAUGHTER)
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Take a rest. Take a rest.
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR., ACTOR: Oh, this is great.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": So you`re going - Are you going to the "Time 100?" Because you are one of the "Time 100."
DOWNEY: She`s actually jiggling my breast right now.
(LAUGHTER)
SHEPHERD: When do you get to jiggle the Iron Man`s -
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: Whoopi there was trying to have a regular conversation since she was referring to the "Time 100." Robert Downey, Jr. was named one of this year`s 100 most influential people by "Time" magazine. And you can see some of that influence in "Iron Man." It`s in theaters now.
HAMMER: All right. I hope you are sitting down. Because I got to tell you I had a really hard time believing this myself. It has been 24 years since Cyndi Lauper first burst on to the scene with "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." That is just shocking to me.
Well, now, all these years later, Cyndi is just as dynamic as ever. I sat down with her right here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and she told me why the upcoming summer tour means so much to her. That is coming up next. You don`t want to miss it.
Right now, it`s a look at what`s new at the movies. This is brought to you by YoPlait.
Opening up on Friday, Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher star in "What Happens in Vegas." Diaz and Kutcher play characters who wake up married and then fight over a huge slot machine jackpot.
Also Friday, "Speed Racer." Based on the classic 1960s TV hit, Emile Hirsch from "Into the Wild" stars along with Christina Ricci and Susan Sarandon.
That`s what`s new at the movies, brought to you by YoPlait. YoPlait - it is so good. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, Cyndi Lauper is back with a new album and a new tour. The True Colors Tour debuted last year and it is hitting the road once again this summer. Now, this time around, Cyndi Lauper will be joined by the great B-52s, Rosie O`Donnell and Wanda Sykes also a part of this thing. This tour is going to be kicking off Gay and Lesbian Pride Month on May 31st in Boston.
Well, I sat down with Cyndi and I asked her why it has been important for her to give back to the gay community. She told me it is because she is, in her words, friends and family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYNDI LAUPER, POP STAR: How long can you stand by and watch your friend and family be disenfranchised and not say anything? And the thing is if you believe in equality - I mean, really - it can`t just be for certain people. It has to include everyone. It has to be inclusive. Not just of all races, but all preferences. Everyone has to be together on this. You are either equal or you are not. And if you are not equal and you are singling out certain people then there is no equality.
And that is what I take issue with because I grew up in the civil rights movement. And I saw white people stand next to black people and say, "No, segregation is wrong." And it stays in your head. It was a powerful message. You see Martin Luther King telling you, he has a dream. And you know that all people are created equal. And somehow it doesn`t reflect that way in the law of the land of the land of the free. So somehow, that`s wrong.
So this year I partnered with HRC Center Link, which is a large outreach program for the community, and P-Flag which was started by parents and family. And I think families should stand together. And I think if you want an inclusive society, why, you got to include yourself.
And you vote, I am encouraging people to vote. I`m not telling you how to vote. I`m just telling you how to register to vote because I am a knucklehead couldn`t figure that out myself. I`m registered.
HAMMER (on camera): Congratulations.
LAUPER: I figured out - You could do it online. But if you don`t know what you are doing, information is power.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: She is such a class act. Cyndi Lauper`s new album, "Bring You to the Brink" on sale May 27th. Her True Colors Concert Tour will get underway May 31st. Brooke if you can go see it, if you`ve never seen the B-52s in concert. Man they`re something else and the new album is great, too.
ANDERSON: Check it out.
HAMMER: And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. 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 - that`s 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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