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Showbiz Tonight
The Hogan Family Ordeal; Kim Cattrall and `Sex and the City` Movie; Stars Saying Sorry; David Archuleta Banned from "Idol"
Aired May 12, 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 go one-on-one with "Sex and the City`s" Samantha, Kim Cattrall, about all that talk of fighting on their new movie. And nearly 2,000 people naked in a soccer stadium? That`s ridiculous. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Hogan family meltdown. Tonight, Hulk Hogan`s teenage son locked up this jail for nearly killing his best friend in a car crash. Plus, Hulk and his wife fighting in divorce court. Their wildly successful reality show perhaps gone for good. How did one of the most beloved showbiz families wind up totally spiraling out of control.
Tonight, we`re so sorry -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK BOLLEA, HULK HOGAN`S SON: I`ll never ever be able to say I`m sorry enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hulk`s son begging for forgiveness. Dennis Farina just apologizing for trying to board a plane with a loaded again. Plus, Alec Baldwin saying he`s sorry again, for calling his young daughter a thoughtless little pig. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking should we really forgive any of this?
Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, all showing up on TV comedies. Drastic move to save their careers, or too little too late?
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. And right now, I can tell you, the son of Hulk Hogan is sitting in jail. And I`m asking, how did it ever come to this? Tonight, the Hogan family meltdown.
You know, they were once one of the most beloved, buttoned-up reality show families. They could do no wrong. Well, now Hulk`s son, Nick, is locked up for nearly killing his best friend in a car crash. The Hulkster and his wife in a divorce battle. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned today that the Hogan`s wildly successful reality show, "Hogan Knows Best," is done for good. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, where did it all go wrong?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): It`s a question all of America is asking. How did Hulk Hogan`s famous family go from beloved reality show family to this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE JUDGE: I`m going to impose eight months in the Pinellas County jail.
HAMMER: Watching oldest son, Nick get sentenced jail for this street racing accident that gravely injured his best friend, John Graziano.
KATIE DARYL, TMZ TV: And he could have had up to five years in jail but he got off pretty easily with only eight months. It`s a big sentence, though, nonetheless for someone who`s 17 years old.
HAMMER: Before the sentencing, we heard heartbreaking words from the Hogans, one of the rare appearances by Hulk and his wife Linda since announcing their split. They pleaded before the court on their son`s behalf.
HULK HOGAN, SON SENTENCED TO EIGHT MONTHS IN JAIL: I know it`s not easy for Nick having to fall into the shadow of being a celebrity`s son or actually being part of a celebrity family.
LINDA BOLLEA, HULK HOGAN`S WIFE: I know my son never meant to hurt his best friend. Nick will live with this for the rest of his life.
BROOKE BOLLEA, HULK HOGAN`S DAUGHTER: I`ve been heartbroken over seeing one of the people who I`ve loved the most injured, and see my brother Nick saddened by every minute because he misses his best friend.
HAMMER: Nick addressed the court as well.
N. BOLLEA: I would like to apologize to the Grazianos and also my family.
HAMMER: Now, Nick sits in a Florida jail cell. It`s just the latest hardship in the shocking fall of Hulk`s family who now has to deal with a public divorce, more legal action and infighting.
DARYL: This family`s gone through a lot.
HAMMER: It`s a far cry from when we first met this family on the popular reality show, "Hogan Knows Best." Back then, their biggest problem was Hulk`s constant meddling in daughter Brooke`s dating life.
B. BOLLEA: I`m on the phone.
HOGAN: Who you`re talking with?
B. BOLLEA: Jerry.
HOGAN: Jerry (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
B. BOLLEA: Bye.
HAMMER: And they seemed like the typical family when they stopped by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to promote the show.
HOGAN: There`s real Hogan emotion. Real Hogan, you know, aggressiveness sometimes. There`s a lot of love.
HAMMER: Now, they`re dealing with troubles that would tear apart almost any family. Months after Nick`s devastating crash, Linda filed for divorce from Hulk Hogan.
DARYL: The divorce with the Hulk family has gotten a little bit nasty, definitely coming down to the Hulk`s fighting over money.
HAMMER: The split has led to angry words between members of the family, both in court documents and online. Not only that, Hulk Hogan and his wife are being sued by attorneys for John Graziano who`s going to need medical care for the rest of his life as a result of the accident. The Grazianos grieving family took aim at the Hogans after Nick`s sentencing.
GEORGE TRAGOS, GRAZIANO ATTORNEY: Somebody`s got to teach Nick a lesson and we`re hoping that he learns from what the judge did, because he didn`t learn it from his parents.
HAMMER: But as Nick was led away from court to begin his jail term as his anguished family looked on, there was a hopeful sight. Even with all their problems and personal fights, the entire family was there together, side-by-side, supporting one of their own.
HOGAN: The whole family, especially myself, and everyone in my family will never give up on John. And we ask everyone else, please do not give up on Nick.
HAMMER: Another sign that even with all the public troubles, a famous family is still a family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So are the Hogans destined to be remembered as an American tragedy?
Joining me tonight in New York is Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." In Hollywood tonight, correspondent for "Extra," Carlos Diaz. Jane, Carlos, I appreciate you both being here.
You know, it was just a year ago that really the seemingly model Hogan family was still shooting scenes for their hit VH1 show, "Hogan Knows Best." Jane, Hulk`s son arrested, getting divorced, their show gone, does it just amaze you how the Hogans have fallen so far and so fast?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR: Well, yes and no, A.J. Yes, in that Hulk Hogan`s been around for so long. He began professional wrestling in the late `70s before he was even known as Hulk Hogan. Went on to worldwide fame, cover of magazines, in his own movies. And like that, his whole world starts to unravel because of a series of very, very bad decisions, and it`s a cautionary tale. One really bad series of decisions can destroy your life. And that is letting a kid who has a history of reckless driving, a long history of reckless driving, drink and get behind the wheel of a car and speed off. And that decision will haunt his family the rest of their lives.
HAMMER: Yes, and it is not because they`re a celebrity family. It just proves the point that people always bring up, this is what happens in life. Things just happen that you never expect. But Carlos, could you have ever imagined that a year ago this beloved Hogan family would have a total meltdown like this?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": This is a total meltdown, A.J. I mean from every angle of it, I mean you have the divorce. You have Hulk being seen out now with women that are Brooke`s age. You have Nick going to jail. And then Brooke`s career, you know, is kind of up in the air right now, as far as her singing career goes. Maybe the show that she has now coming out of VH1 will help revive that. But from every angle, there`s nothing about this family right now that is right.
HAMMER: You would have to believe - speaking of the VH1 show - that she`s going to be doing - that the "Hogan Knows Best" show with the entire family had at least something to do with putting a strain on the Hogan marriage and their family and the whole dynamic there. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned, as Carlos just mentioned, Brooke getting this spin-off. It`s called "Brooke Knows Best."
Now, Jane, when you take a look at what`s happened to their family and that their pain has been so public, it seems to me, doing another show, not such a great idea.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s an awful idea. And when are these people going to learn? They just saw what happened with their family and they yet allowed their daughter to proceed and have her own reality show. Knowing the track record of families and people who are in reality shows and fame is just so seductive that they can`t let go of it even when they see their entire world fall apart. It is absolutely astounding to me.
HAMMER: It blows me mind. Carlos, I`d love to get your take on this. You would think that the Hogans learned the lesson that putting your family and your personal life on TV can have just terrible consequences.
DIAZ: Apparently, they didn`t learn that lesson. And can you imagine the amount of pressure on Brooke Hogan now. Not only is she trying to revive her own career with the show. She is, for all intents and purposes, trying to revive her entire family, because now, this is the only conduit that the family has to the public. So what she does on this show and how she acts on this show is basically the way the Hogan family is going to be perceived by the public.
HAMMER: No question about that. And of course, Hulk Hogan and I keep going back to this, always this beloved icon, if you will, in pop culture history. I have met him a few times, always just found him to be the nicest, most charming guy. He`s still very much in the public eye. He`s still the host of TV`s "American Gladiators."
Jane, what do you think? Could all this drama swirling around them right now, permanently damage his reputation and really potentially ruin his career?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, frankly, he`s a nice guy, I`m sure. But I don`t know how much his reputation can even be damaged. Let`s face it. He comes from the world of professional wrestling. That is a carnival, honky- tonk world where there are storylines and you never know what`s real and what isn`t real. It`s not like he`s a road scholar who won a Nobel Peace Prize and all this is happening to him.
But I think that he does need to reinvent himself, take that bandana off. Why was he wearing that in court? I found that personally offensive. Cut the mutton chops. Take off the sunglasses and get real. Get rid of that persona. That persona is kaput.
HAMMER: Listen to you go, Jane Velez-Mitchell. I mean that is some solid advice for Hulk Hogan. Perhaps, he is paying attention right now. Let`s look at the bottom line, here and Carlos, I`ll go to you for this. Do you expect that the Hogans are down for the count or do you think that they can actually bounce back from all this drama? Is that even possible?
DIAZ: I think it is possible for them to bounce back. I think what Jane said is perfect about Hulk Hogan. The guy`s been around for decades. So he`s got the reputation. And when you do meet him, he makes you feel like a million bucks. So I think he can bounce back. It`s up in the air as to whether Brooke can revive her career. That show on VH1 is going to be a big test for her. And then with Nick, when he comes out of prison, if he goes on "Oprah," talks about his experience -
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Does the whole mea culpa.
(CROSS TALK)
Yes, I`ve got to wrap you there.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: Carlos Diaz, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thank you both.
Remember you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. New stuff all the time at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Playing right now, "Mariah Carey`s Quickie Marriage, Will it Last?"
What is that saying, Love means never having to say you`re sorry," right? Well, I don`t know if Alec Baldwin`s daughter would agree with that. You remember him calling her a rude, thoughtless little pig? Well, he`s apologizing again and now there`s Dennis Farina, just accused of trying to bring a loaded gun on a plane. He`s saying sorry a thousand times over. What are these stars thinking? Tonight, I`m asking, should we forgive them? That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM CATTRALL, "SEX AND THE CITY" STAR: I think it made us mad at the beginning, and then we just kind of went, "It`s the nature of the beast."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "Sex and the City`s" Kim Cattrall like you`ve never heard her before, setting the record straight on all those rumors about fighting on the movie set. Plus, she doesn`t hold back one bit about being a sexy older actress. You`ve got stick around for my interview that you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, I`ve got to tell you, I think it`s great that Britney and Lindsay are trying to turn their lives around, but how are they doing it? I don`t know. Tonight, is TV the new rehab? Britney, Lindsay, Paris, going on TV comedies. A drastic move to save their careers, but is it too little too late? That is coming up.
And now, we`d like to hear from you on that subject. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Lindsay and Britney: Will appearing in sit-coms save their careers?" You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, ACTOR: I am done with this whole being-awesome thing. Now, I`m all about farmer`s markets and day hikes and matching khaki cargo shorts. Isn`t that right, sweetie?
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: That`s right. And girlfriends are lame, unless they`re me. I miss you, Ted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She did it again. Britney Spears makes her return to the CBS sitcom, "How I Met Your Mother."
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is TV the new rehab? Now, stay with me. Are the bad girls of young Hollywood who were down and seemingly out, now turning to TV as the last salvation?
I mean think about it. Britney Spears returned for a second appearance tonight as the ditzy receptionist on "How I Met Your Mother." There`s already big buzz that a third is actually on the way. And this Thursday, Lindsay Lohan guest stars on the season finale of "Ugly Betty." And she has reportedly signed up to do a total of six episodes. And yes, even Paris Hilton showed up this season in an episode of "May Name is Earl." But the acting - well, not really a stretch because she played herself.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations in a fantastic green, V-neck, Howard Bragman and "AccessHollywood.com" correspondent, Laura Saltman. I won`t comment on your wardrobe, but also a V-neck. Thanks for playing along.
All right, guys, when Britney first appeared on the show "How I Met Your Mother," we know what happened. The show got huge ratings, the highest ever in its history. Britney, for the most part, getting great reviews for doing it. Howard, I`m going to start off with you. What do you think? Is TV the new rehab for Britney? Is this exactly what the therapist ordered?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: It is, A.J. If you`re Britney Spears, the question is how do I look normal? Well, you go to work, you act like a normal person, you get some laughs, you make a little fun of yourself. So yes, it`s a really good place for her to be because let me tell you. Britney looking normal doesn`t run in the tabloids. It doesn`t run on the tabloid TV shows. You won`t see those photos around. So how else do you get it out there that, "I`m ready to work and I`ve calmed down my life?" And she`s telling us how.
HAMMER: Well, Howard, let me show you something that really drives home the point that you`re making. Charles, can you put up the split screen here. Look at that. I mean come on. On the left, there`s Britney a little over a year ago during a head-shaving meltdown and in Howard`s words, "not looking normal." On the right, Britney looking normal on "How I Met Your Mother." Yes, it`s her old self. What do you think, Laura Saltman? Is this makeup and wardrobe or is TV, as Howard says, the new rehab for Britney in fact?
LAURA SALTMAN, CORRESPONDENT, "ACCESSHOLLYWOOD.COM": Well, of course it`s makeup and wardrobe. Hey, I wish, you know, if I had people around me, I`d look hot every time I went out. Of course it`s makeup and wardrobe for her. I really do think it`s great for her, though. And it`s also good, unlike Paris Hilton who played herself that she`s going on and she`s playing a character. She`s not playing herself. Because if did play herself, I`m afraid of what that actually might be. So her being - I mean - and you know what? She`s not the best actress in the world, but the character she plays is sort of odd in herself. So I think it really, really works for her.
HAMMER: Well, I`ve got to tell you, whatever is going on with Britney and whatever her motivation for doing the show, I think it`s beyond just the hair and the makeup.
And Lindsay Lohan, of course, knows all about rehab - sadly the hard kind for her. Her movies over the last few years - think about it - have flopped. Her career is in serious question. Now, "Mean Girls" was one of Lindsay`s biggest movies. And in "Ugly Betty" she plays a mean girl, Betty`s mean former classmate. Howard Bragman, back at you. Is TV the new rehab for Lindsay or in her case, is it too little too late?
BRAGMAN: No, I think it`s a good thing for Lindsay. Lindsay has a different set of problems. As you said, she`s made some choices that she probably shouldn`t have made in films. There has been some questions about her insurability, so she can just get back to work, show up a few times, play a likable character. If you don`t like the character, you can like the acting and say, "Hey, I`m cleaning it up. I`m ready to work." That`s a good thing for her, and I`m glad to see she`s getting back on her feet.
HAMMER: Yes, Nice to be able to see her with some level of consistency as we`re starting to see with Britney Spears. Laura, what do you think, though? Because I think there are people in Hollywood who have written her off already.
SALTMAN: Yes. With Lindsay, I`m not so sure about it. First of all, because she`s only going to be in this one episode as the season finale and then we won`t see her again. It`s really going to depend on what happens to her over the summer and what she`s doing, how it`s going to come across. I don`t know if it`s the greatest thing for Lindsay because she really now is a film actress. So to me, this is a step down. It`s a little different from Britney Spears. I think it`s a step down for her.
HAMMER: Well, let me put this to you another way because this is something that I`ve been thinking about. Both Lindsay and Britney have really become so, you know, entrenched in our minds for who they are in terms of their wild behavior, all the paparazzi pictures we`re so accustomed to seeing every day.
So Howard, you have experience as a PR guy doing this. Even though they may want TV as the new rehab, is there a danger that people are going to look at their TV and go, "Oh, there`s Britney. There`s Lindsey," and not see them as the characters they`re playing?
BRAGMAN: In the industry, A.J., we call this stunt casting and we kind of wink at the audience and everybody`s in on the joke. We`re asking them to go on some light-hearted sitcoms. This is not the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, OK? So I think it`s just fine in that sense. We know a lot of the TV actors really well, and we still buy them in their roles if we like the way they act. So this will be OK.
HAMMER: Howard, you`re right. It`s not Shakespeare here. Howard Bragman, Laura Saltman, I thank you for being here tonight.
And remember, for the latest-breaking Britney news and video, you check out the Britney Drama Section of our Web site. We`re always posting new stuff for you to check out there. It`s CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, I know Britney and Lindsay have certainly asked for forgiveness from their fans. Tonight, some of the other most outrageous star apologies ever and they`re happening right now. Dennis Farina, saying he`s sorry for trying to board a plane with a loaded gun. Yes, that`s not good. Alec Baldwin saying he`s sorry again for calling his young daughter a thoughtless little pig. But as these stars keep saying, "We`re sorry," I`ve got to ask, should we forgive them? That is coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATTRALL: I totally do. And I want to stick as much (EXPLETIVE DELETED) as I can for as long as I can. I
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, I think Kim Cattrall looks absolutely amazing. You know, she`s in her 50s and she is fantastic. Tonight, I`m going one-on-one with Kim for a no-holds-barred interview. You can hear what she thinks about being a sexy older actress.
Plus, she takes on all those rumors about the fighting that people were saying was going on on the "Sex and the City" movie set. You don`t want to miss this. It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and it`s coming up.
And nearly 2,000 people naked in a soccer stadium. No, this is not a scene out of the new "Sex and the City" movie. What`s the goal here? Get it? I can tell you, it is totally ridiculous. And I`ll explain all, coming up.
Now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime. Just download our podcast, which is free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our Web site. Just surf on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or if you use iTunes, that`s OK. Type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Here are some stories that are new right now.
Big TV news tonight, one of the grandfathers of reality TV is coming back with a bang, literally. I can tell you that comedy central is bringing back the `70s hit, "The Gong Show." It`s going to be hosted by comedian Dave Attell and it will feature people doing all sorts of wacky things. And if the judges don`t like what they see, they bang a gong, the contestants get kicked off. Look for it on July 17th.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Hey, you guys!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, I`m regressing already. Also being given a new jolt of life, one of my favorite shows from what I was growing up "The Electric Company." PBS is going to air a brand new version the show that taught millions of us how to read with those catchy songs. Now, this is going to be out in 2009.
The original "Electric Company" starred Morgan Freeman, Joan Rivers, Bill Cosby and Rita Moreno.
And Jennie Garth has signed on to join the CW`s "Beverly Hills 90210" spin-off. She will be playing Kelly Taylor again. This time, she`ll be a guidance counselor at her alma mater West Beverly Hills High.
I hear that some other original "90210" stars are actually trying to get parts on that new show. I love the fact that they make no apologies for "90210." It was what it was and we loved it.
Now, tonight., some stars are making plenty of apologies for their outrageous behavior. Dennis Farina accused of trying to carry a loaded gun onto a plane. Alec Baldwin calling his daughter a rude, thoughtless little pig. Stars begging for forgiveness. I`m all fired up about this. That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATTRALL: I think it made us mad at the beginning. And then we just kind of went, "It`s the nature of the beast."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "Sex and the City`s" Kim Cattrall like you`ve never heard her before, setting the record straight on all these rumors about fighting on the movie set.
Plus, she does not hold back to me one bit about being a sexy older actress. It is the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And what do you get when you put 2,000 naked people into a stadium? I`ll tell you this - you get a lot of naked people. You do not want to miss this and it is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, some of the most outrageous star apologies ever. Dennis Farina saying he`s sorry for trying to board a plane with a loaded gun. Alec Baldwin saying he`s sorry again for calling his daughter a rude, thoughtless little pig. But as these stars keep saying, "We`re sorry," I`ve got to ask, should we forgive them?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATTRALL: I think it made us mad at the beginning and then we just kind of went, "It`s the nature of the beast."
HAMMER: Tonight, I go one-on-one with "Sex and the City`s" Samantha, Kim Cattrall. She sets the record straight about all those rumors about fighting on the set of the movie. Plus, she does not hold back about being a sexy older star. It`s my revealing interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(MUSIC)
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. You`re watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, sorry, so very sorry. Three stories, new right now. Big stars who got in big trouble but now they`re saying, "We`re so sorry." Alec Baldwin saying he`s sorry once again for calling his young daughter a rude, thoughtless little pig in really what has to be the most famous voicemail rant in history. And now, Baldwin is telling "60 Minutes," yes, sorry again.
TV cop Dennis Farina says he`s so sorry after getting busted by the real cops trying to take a gun onto a flight. I know he only plays a cop on TV. But come on, Dennis. And just wait until you hear what Dennis says he`ll do as punishment for the next few days.
And the 17-year-old son of Hulk Hogan is also sorry and gives an emotional apology just before being sentenced to eight months in jail for that terrible car crash last year, the one that nearly killed his best friend.
Back with me tonight from Hollywood, founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations, Howard Bragman. Also, investigative journalist Jane Velez- Mitchell and "Extra" correspondent Carlos Diaz. Hello, gang.
Let us begin with Alec Baldwin. We all know it was the voicemail rant heard around the world. Alec Baldwin - man, just berating his young daughter in a way that was downright cruel. And in the message he says, in part, quote, "You are a rude, thoughtless little pig. I don`t give a damn that you`re 12 years old or that you`re 11 years old. You have humiliated me for the last time."
Well now, here we are a year later. Take a look at Baldwin`s apology Sunday night on "60 Minutes."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MORLEY SAFER, HOST, "60 MINUTES": Did you ever lose your temper with your kids?
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: Yes, but nothing like that.
SAFER: As appalling as what you said, maybe even more appalling is that it was released by someone?
BALDWIN: Listen, you use words like "appalled," and you have, if I may say so, pretty judgmental tone of me. I think, as truly sorry as I am that that happened to me, it only illustrates how difficult this process has become for many, many people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Carlos Diaz, let me begin with you. Here we are, as I said, about a year later. Is it just time to cut Alec a break? He has been asked about this many times. Did he really need to apologize again?
DIAZ: I don`t think he did, and for everyone who`s going to be mad at me for saying, "Hey, cut Alec a break," think about this, we forgot about it. And there`s an 11 or 12-year-old girl involved in this. And now, she`s having to relive this all over again. I think we should cut him a break. I think we should move on because of the fact that we do have a little girl involved in this. And let her begin to lead her life. And Alec makes a great point, what parent hasn`t lost their temper with their child? It`s what parents do at times.
HAMMER: And I love Morley Safer - the great journalist Morley Safer. But he truly seems to get indignant with Alec, basically saying, "Alec, what you did was awful." What do you think, Howard Bragman? Has Alec said I`m sorry enough?
BRAGMAN: You know, He said "I`m sorry" once too many times. We`ve seen a lot of apologies lately. And he even talked about he has a book coming out later this year. I don`t know what in the hell he was doing on "60 Minutes" apologizing last night. Keep your ammo dry and save it for later this year when your book comes out. At least, sell a book. What are you doing there pushing nothing at this point?
HAMMER: Yes, it was basically just a profile piece. And of course, he knew they were going to go there. Now, Alec was not being totally contrite. He`s still blaming his behavior on his nasty divorce, which is certainly his right.
Jane Velez-Mitchell, what do you think? Is there anything, even after all this time, that can excuse what Alec did no matter how many times he says "I`m sorry"?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: A.J., I agree with your other guests. Enough already on this one. He`s been apologizing for a year and trying to put it in the context of what he was doing through, which was a very long and ugly and drawn-out custody battle and he felt he was suffering from parental alienation. Somebody was poisoning his kid against him and he exploded in frustration.
But at the heart of it, it`s because he wants to be with the child and he felt he couldn`t be with the child. So that`s a guy who loves his kid. I`ve met Alec Baldwin several times. I can tell you he`s a man with a big heart. He cares about a lot of causes from the environment to the arts to animal rights. He does so many good things. Let`s put this in the context of his greater life which is filled with accomplishments.
HAMMER: Well, then, let`s put this exactly where it belongs for him. I`ll take care of that right now.
We`ll move on to another big star, by the way, who`s also saying he`s sorry big-time. This is just amazing to me. "Law & Order" star Dennis Farina says he`s so sorry. Over the weekend, Farina who played a cop on "Law & Order" tried to board a plane at L.A.X. - Los Angeles International Airport with a loaded gun in his bag. Farina claims he forgot he had it. He got arrested anyway.
Gang, I love this statement that he has issued. It is a classic. He says, "It is my own stupidity to find myself in this embarrassing situation. I don`t put the blame on anyone else but myself. I want to apologize to my friends, family and business associates. I`ll be spending the next few days kicking my own (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
Howard Bragman, over to you. This has got to be one of the best apologies ever.
BRAGMAN: This is a textbook apology. He didn`t blame anyone else but himself. He didn`t equivocate. He didn`t give you excuses. He said, "I`m a dumb ass." He owned it. Let`s go on.
HAMMER: And I`m going to guess his publicist didn`t write that for him. I`m just saying.
BRAGMAN: Sounds really personal, though, isn`t it?
HAMMER: What do you think, Carlos? I mean here`s the idea I have, when anyone does something really dumb in Hollywood, should this become the new official statement? They say, "I`ll be spending the next few days kicking my own (EXPLETIVE DELETED)?" It is very effective.
DIAZ: A.J., I love it. That`s a great suggestion, although I think it`s kind of star specific. Because if Miley Cyrus would have said two weeks ago, "I`ll be kicking my own (EXPLETIVE DELETED)," Disney wouldn`t have liked it.
HAMMER: Not at all.
DIAZ: So that`s not a good thing for her. But for Dennis, who`s an ex-cop, yes, he can say those things.
HAMMER: Well, apology aside, getting real for a moment, Dennis is in some real trouble. He not only forgot that his gun was in the bag, he also forgot to register the weapon - there I am, doing the air quotes. Jane, should the court cut him some slack? For once, a celebrity is fully owning up to a crime and not sidestepping things?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I don`t think they should cut him any slack. What choice did he have, A.J., but to admit it? They found the loaded gun in his carry-on baggage. What was he going to say? I turned around and somebody dropped it in my bag while I was at Starbucks at the airport? So he really didn`t have any other alternative. And as Carlos pointed out, this is an ex-cop who should know better. I don`t totally buy the idea of "I forgot." You forget nail clippers. Don`t forget a loaded gun.
HAMMER: Now, let me get quickly to another big story making news right now. Hulk Hogan`s son, of course, Nick, now serving eight months in jail for that car accident last year that left his best friend in a coma. And just before sentencing on Friday, Nick made this emotional apology to his best friend`s family. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N. BOLLEA: I know for a fact I`ve apologized to the Grazianos. But I want to say I will never, ever be able to say I`m sorry enough. And I`ll never, ever be able to tell John enough times to ever repay what has ever happened on August 26th. And I do genuinely mean that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: John Graziano was an ex-best friend. You know, this kid is going to be feeling a lifetime of guilt. Howard, is this an apology we should accept?
BRAGMAN: Absolutely. This was a public apology of an apology he`s made privately many times, part of his catharsis, part of his healing. But it`s a wound he will never get over. It`s just a horrible tragedy in every way. And I think we know he got a very tough sentence. And we can do nothing but feel bad for the whole situation.
HAMMER: We`re going to leave that right there. Howard Bragman, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Carlos Diaz, thank you all for being here tonight.
Well, let me tell you now about one person who is definitely not sorry, "Sex and the City" star Kim Cattrall. I asked her if she`s the kind of person who kicks butt and takes names.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATTRALL: I totally do and I want to kick as much (EXPLETIVE DELETED) as I can for as long as I can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Get out of her way. We know her and love her as Samantha on "Sex and the City." And now, she is revealing to me the real story behind all those rumors that she was not kicking butt but being a pain in the butt and feuding with other "Sex and the City" ladies. Wait until you hear what Kim Cattrall told me and you will in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And get a load of this. What more can I say? 2,000 people naked in a soccer stadium. But why? Oh, why? It`s the story that made me say, "That`s ridiculous."
Ridiculous - kind of like Heather Mills in her divorce battle with Paul McCartney. The Mills-McCartney fight back in court today and, again, we ask why, oh, why? I`ll tell you why when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT comes right back.
And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We are posting new stuff for you to check out all the time. Surf over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight to check it out. Among the videos playing right now, "Mariah Carey`s Whirlwind Marriage, Will It Last?"
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYNTHIA NIXON, "SEX AND THE CITY" STAR: How often do you guys -
SARAH JESSICA PARKER, "SEX AND THE CITY" STAR: Color?
NIXON: Thank you.
CATTRALL: Well, I can`t color enough. I could color all day every day if I had my way. I would use every crayon in my Bach(ph).
PARKER: We get it. You love to color.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Maybe not actually talking about coloring. That was Kim Cattrall, otherwise known as Sex Stuff Samantha from the hit TV show, "Sex and the City" in the most highly anticipated movie of the year.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight, I am talking sex secrets with the one and only Kim Cattrall. She and her "Sex and the City" cast mates are seen right here working the red carpet Monday in London for the premiere of their highly anticipated movie.
I went one-on-one with the lovely actress, who, of course, plays sex- crazed Samantha Jones. And she really set the record straight on all those rumors about fighting on the set between her and Sarah Jessica Parker. All those reports that were floating around about her cooking and the bop with her much younger boyfriend. And what it was really like to finally get this movie made.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CATTRALL: I think it`s taken what we did in half an hour and just kind of exploded in such a wonderful way. And it was a little nerve- racking, especially the first couple of days of shooting because - the anticipation. And I don`t know if the anticipation would have been there if we had gone directly from a TV show to a movie. So I think things happen for a reason.
HAMMER (on camera): Take me back to the table read, which was, from my understanding, the first time the cast, even though you may have been in touch over the past few years, were actually together in one room. What was racing through your mind then?
CATTRALL: Oh, it was so - first of all, it`s like family. You know, you have like your family-family and then you have like your friend-family. And then you have your work family.
So it was like we were all going on some kind of retreat for the afternoon and there was this great script that we were going to read. And there was lunch in the other room and chocolates. So it was very celebratory. It was like all fun week, you know. It was really very supportive and wonderful. And people laughed and people cried. And it was a great day.
HAMMER: I don`t have to tell you the press always looking for a story, making up drama along the way. Whether there was drama or not, I don`t know. So you guys appear on "Oprah," which, by the way, was terrific.
CATTRALL: Oh, thank you.
HAMMER: It just looked like you guys had the time of your life. But I have to tell you, one of my producers said - she was sitting there, wondering, Are they going to stay close to each other. Oh, look they`re putting Chris Noth in the middle of everybody. When you hear stuff like that, does it make you mad? I mean, what do you think?
CATTRALL: Yes. You know, I think it made us mad at the beginning. And then we just kind of went, "It`s the nature of the beast." You know, if there`s no news, people want to make news. And in some way, that`s kind of a backhanded compliment. They just can`t get enough. So we`ll just keep making movies.
HAMMER: Well, I have to say I hear from a lot of actresses I sit down with that there are not a lot of great juicy, sexy roles as you get older in Hollywood. Look at you, you`re defying that notion and you have been with this particular character. Do you feel kind of a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) about that?
CATTRALL: I totally do. And I want to kick as much (EXPLETIVE DELETED) as I can for as long as I can. It`s really wonderful to not just play this character but to have a character that exists at this age, who`s not lying about her age, who still looks great, feels great and is sexy as hell. I`m not talking about me. I`m talking about Samantha.
HAMMER: No, no. But the truth is, you know, as someone who gets cast in those roles, it is, we know, a little unusual. And I think there`s a double standard in Hollywood as far as it applies to women getting older and men getting older?
CATTRALL: I think there`s always been that. I mean you see a man in his 60s and his leading lady is in her middle 20s. And you say, well, you know, fine. But I think that that`s changing. And I think that in "Sex and the City," we`ve been part of that change and I`m very proud of that.
HAMMER: Well, I have to say, Kim, I did not walk in here with a single cooking naked question, not going to talk about that. But -
CATTRALL: I don`t know where that came from.
HAMMER: I love that.
CATTRALL: I mean can you imagine cooking in the nude? I mean the hot oil from the pan would just kill you. You know, that`s not sexy.
But obviously, you know, a lot of people buzzing about the fact you`re dating this guy who`s 23 years your junior. And I guess he`s a chef and I guess that`s where the hot oil comes in and the cooking naked. But seriously, when you step back from it, do you wonder what all the fuss is about or do you love all the fuss?
CATTRALL: I think a little bit of both. I think it`s funny and it`s titillating to me to read stuff about yourself that`s so completely off the mark. But you have to have a sense of humor about it. I mean you look at the world and how complicated it is and you look at that as a piece of fluff.
HAMMER: Is this the end of "Sex and the City"?
CATTRALL: Well, never say never. That`s what I`ve learned about this show. I remember when we did the pilot and we had to wait six months to get picked up. And then, when the show got picked up again, it was only for 12 episodes and then it was sort of 18 episodes. And then it was 90 and then 22 and then nothing, and then the movie. So you know, if this follows us for the rest of our lives, for the rest of our careers, hey, that`s great. I have no complaints. Great roles, great writing, wonderful fashion. You just get to be a girl. You get to have fun. And girls, they want to have fun.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And she is so much fun. And the wait has been long enough. You can finally catch "Sex and the City" in the theaters on May 30th.
Well, Kim Cattrall, certainly no stranger to nudity. But she probably didn`t hear about this particular chance to bear it all. This is a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous!
Hey, they remembered how to do that. Picture this. Nearly 2,000 people volunteered -yes, they volunteered to au naturale in the name of art. All right, maybe that`s subjective. But check this out. The shoot happened at a soccer stadium in Austria. Photographer Spencer Tunick gathered the not-so-shy bunch to take some artistic shots, as he says, in the spirit of sports. Right. OK.
He says he chose Austria because of its beautiful mountains? He added one very important point, if he tried anything like this in the United States, he`d get arrested. But come on, naked people, taking pictures in the spirit of sports - now, that`s ridiculous.
Other stories happening, new right now, Paul McCartney, one step closer to finalizing his divorce from Heather Mills. A judge has granted the exes a preliminary divorce decree that could become final in six weeks and a day, if no one objects. My guess is there will be no objections to all this. It`s been a nasty split. Of course, Mills won over $47 million to settle the battle against McCartney. And of course, Paul McCartney, not really worse for the wear. His fortune still estimated at $880 million.
Call it the late-night shuffle. NBC is crowning its newest late night host. Former "Saturday Night Live" funny man, Jimmy Fallon was officially named the replacement for Conan O`Brien, as host of "Late Night." Now, the swap is expected to happen early next year. Of course, O`Brien is not going into any kind of comic retirement. He`ll be filling Jay Leno`s seat on "The Tonight Show." That switch is set for September 2009.
Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears have been keeping busy and this time with their careers, which is always good to report. Lindsay is appearing on ABC`s "Ugly Betty." Britney on CBS` "How I Met Your Mother." And that brings us to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Lindsay and Britney: Will appearing in sit-coms save their careers?" You can keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Coming up next, could the career of an "American Idol" favorite be doomed because he`s got a father who needs to take a chill pill? New drama on "American Idol." A father of a possible winner getting a spanking for sticking his nose in places he shouldn`t be poking around. All right, not an actual spanking, but pretty darn close. Oh, daddy dearest, when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Charles, thank you very much. We`re back with the F block. And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Looks like there`s some real drama happening behind the scenes over there at "American Idol," this time, believe it or not, it had nothing to do with Paula Abdul.
Word is that the father of "American Idol" finalist, David Archuleta, has been banned from rehearsals. Producers told Jeff Archuleta that he can no longer join his 17-year-old son David as he prepares for the show. A source told the Associated Press that daddy Archuleta insisted on changing the lyrics of one of David`s recent performances. Now, despite producers warning him not to do that, he did it anyway. David performed it the way his father suggested and well, the lyric change cost the show big bucks. Now, the ban has "Idol" watchers everywhere buzzing, especially the ladies of "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I work on a different sitcom with kids whose parents are crazy. You know, they will get in there and tell the director what to do and they will get on their kids. And there`s so much pressure with these parents who want to be in the spotlight themselves.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Is there anything to the fact that David`s dad is a musician, knows the ins and outs and how rough the business can be and wants to make sure that his kid, while he`s going up this ladder, doesn`t have to deal with certain things, knowing also that his voice is better with -that he has a better groove, more relaxed when he does this. So I don`t know. But the adding of lyrics, here`s how they should handle this. If it costs "American Idol" more money when they do that, then it should be the father`s responsibility to pay for it.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Just let the process take its course and stop pushing it so much.
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I think it`s fine to represent your child and to be there to advocate for them. He`s the younger competitor in "American Idol." You need a parental advocate and someone there who`s taking care of you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, everybody`s saying David`s going to win, no matter what. Friends have spoken out to defend Jeff Archuleta, some telling "People.com" he`s just a good dad, trying to protect his son. David Archuleta is the youngest "Idol" competitor this season.
Well, on Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Star Jones` Attack on Barbara Walters: Did she commit career suicide?" Most of you said, yes, 72 percent against 28 percent.
Here`s some of the E-mails we got. Self-described "loyal viewer," writes, "Star Jones out of both sides of her mouth. What else does that? Maybe a snake? She did herself big damage."
Katy from Iowa disagrees, writing, "While I never found Jones appealing, I don`t think she was out of line at all for firing back at Walters."
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. 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 coming up next. Have a great night.
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