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Showbiz Tonight
The War of the Jones; Sue Simmon`s F-Bomb; Should Brooke Hogan Just Zip It?; Girls Unlucky in Love; Sean Penn Calls Bush Stupid
Aired May 14, 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, HOST: One of the best-known TV anchors says the "F" word live on air. And a guy claims an airline made him sit in the bathroom during his flight. It`s the showbiz buzz. And did Sean Penn really just call President Bush stupid? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "The War of the Jones." Tonight, for the very first time since their shocking split, Star Jones` husband, Al Reynolds, speaks out. His dramatic and fired-up words about his marriage, the media and his sexuality. But should Al and Star just zip it? Is all this back- and-forth about their divorce making things worse?
Plus should Hulk Hogan`s daughter also just zip it? Tonight, Brooke Hogan`s startling brand new rant after her brother is sent to jail for nearly killing his best friend in a horrific car crash.
Plus a great mystery, why can`t some of the most gorgeous stars, including Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Jessica Simpson, find the right guy? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates, unlucky in love.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. Brooke Anderson is on assignment at the Cannes Film Festival in France where Angelina Jolie dropped a bombshell today. What Angelina reveal today the world, coming up.
But first, "The War of the Jones." Tonight Star Jones` husband has heads spinning and tongues wagging over his personal rant about their divorce. Just like Star, Al Reynolds has launched an all-out attack against people saying not-so-nice things about his private life. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that this Reynolds rap is making a lot of noise.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: He was once Mr. Star Jones.
STAR JONES, MEDIA PERSONALITY: Got good taste.
HAMMER: The silent and supportive partner of his famous and controversial wife.
MARC MALKIN, "E! ONLINE" COLUMNIST: There was Star. She was the star and Al was sort of - you know, for lack of a better word, sort of an accessory.
HAMMER: But less than a month after the world learned that Star Jones has filed to end their marriage, her soon-to-be ex-husband Al Reynolds is silent no more. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Al is finally speaking out about his heartbreaking divorce and all the rumors and innuendo about him and his failed marriage.
MALKIN: He wants the world to know who he really is, that he`s not this guy everyone thought he was when he was married to Star.
HAMMER: In a statement on his MySpace page, Reynolds writes, quote, "In my mind, it feels like `Dump on Al Month.` And I`m not having fun yet. I have been called a gigolo, a free-loader, unemployed, a sham and many other things that don`t bear repeating. People on television, radio and the Internet have spoken disparagingly of my life, my sexuality, my career and my integrity."
MIKE FLEEMAN, "PEOPLE.COM": Al Reynolds` MySpace posting sounded like a guy who had to get a lot off his chest.
HAMMER: One thing Al Reynolds is not doing is bashing his ex. He barely mentions Star Jones in his MySpace rant. In fact, like Star, he`s saving his harshest words for the media.
FLEEMAN: Star and Al seem to have found a common enemy.
HAMMER: Mike Fleeman of "People.com" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the couple dealt with relentless gossip throughout their nearly four-year marriage.
FLEEMAN: From the very beginning, the Star and Al relationship was chased by these rumors. And the most consistent one was about his sexuality. People questioned whether or not he was gay or straight or whatever. And they always seemed to have to be fighting off these rumors.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": But how do you react - I know you write about it - to all the publicity about him and the gay issue?
JONES: Please, I don`t deal with it.
HAMMER: In early 2006, Star told Larry King that she and her husband ignore all the press coverage.
JONES: People were just being mean and in all honesty for me to give it any energy is to give it credibility.
HAMMER: But later that same year, the couple`s patience wore thin. Star claimed to sue "The National Inquirer" for a story that Reynolds was gay and had moved out of the couple`s home. Now, in his MySpace statement, Reynolds refuses to address all the gossip about him saying it would be, quote, "silly and futile."
He writes, quote, "I know in my heart that I entered my marriage with love and the best of intentions and leave it with great sadness that it didn`t work.
FLEEMAN: My impression of the statement was a direct response to the rumor and innuendo about his motives for going into this marriage. He said, "Look, I went into this marriage because I was in love."
HAMMER: Reynolds ends his message by writing, quote, "Please don`t try to define me. Don`t try to categorize me. And most of all, don`t label me. Instead, just get to know me. And if you see me, just call me Al."
It may sound like Reynolds is channeling Paul Simon.
PAUL SIMON (sung): Call me out
HAMMER: But "E! Online`s" Marc Malkin tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the Reynolds rant has an even deeper purpose.
MALKIN: He does list his accomplishments, you know, his schooling, his business leadership. Al wants to be taken as someone - seriously. He doesn`t want to be taken as basically an accessory to Star Jones. .
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So what the heck was Al Reynolds thinking when he decided to spill his guts and is this only the beginning of a PR war of the joneses?
Joining us tonight from Hollywood, "E! News" correspondent Jason Kennedy. Here in New York, it`s "VH1 News" host, Janelle Snowden.
Let me kick it off with you, Janelle. It`s fair to say that Al has launched the first nuclear PR strike here. What do you think the point was of him doing this? Is he just trying to gain some public sympathy?
JANELLE SNOWDEN, HOST, "VH1 NEWS": I think public sympathy and attention. Remember, he`s putting out a book. And he mentioned that in his MySpace page, not once, but twice. There`s one subtle mention and there`s one all-out mention. "Hey, look out for my book."
So I think it`s definitely worthy of noting that he is attacking the media and not Star. He`s careful enough to not, you know, disparage her in any way because they are going to go through a divorce proceeding.
And he also knows that Star is a lawyer who`s smart and knows better than to, you know, strike back. So it really would have been futile for him to say anything about her. And let`s just not forget that this guy wants attention. We saw it all through the marriage, and now we`re going to see it with the book.
HAMMER: Yes. But here`s what I don`t get, and this obviously is lost on him. The only statement that Al Reynolds released after the news broke of his divorce was that he was taking the high road. Those were his own words that he was going to keep the whole matter private. So I have to kind of wonder why he would so publicly write things like, quote, "I`ve been called a gigolo, a free-loader, unemployed, a sham, and many other things that don`t bear repeating. People on television, radio and the Internet have spoken disparagingly of my life, my sexuality, my career and my integrity."
Jason, let me go to you. It seems to me this whole thing could really backfire because in my mind what he`s doing is just reminding everybody about all the bad things that have been said about him. You know, if he hadn`t said anything, we wouldn`t be here having this conversation right now.
JASON KENNEDY, "E! NEWS" CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, A.J. You see what`s happening right now. We are talking about it. I kind of forgot about all of those things, not just some, but all of those things that people were saying about him. Now that he`s rehashing that, I`m like, "Oh, yes. There was that story about people calling him a gigolo or people calling this or that." So he really is not doing himself a favor by coming out and talking about all of this right now. But obviously, he`s mad about something and it shows because he decided to not take that high road like he said he was going to do earlier on.
HAMMER: Yes, but there`s a family history here. You know, you think he would have learned a thing or two from some of the mistakes Star made over and over again, when she made her personal life so painfully public. Of course, we all remember Star making a big spectacle of her wedding, that led to her being fired from "The View."
After Star was booted from "The View," she wouldn`t shut up about her bitterness. She got slammed for that. And of course, just recently as we all know, Star is getting slammed again for publicly blasting Barbara Walters, of all people, for the things that Barbara said about Star in her memoir.
Janelle, it really seems to me that Al hasn`t learned from Star`s mistakes and maybe should have.
SNOWDEN: Yes, I don`t think that he even cares to learn about her mistakes. I think that this man is trying to create a career for himself outside of his wife, that`s why you`ve got the book coming out. And this is all just fodder for it. I think in regards to him taking the high road, I really didn`t find much wrong with the way that the MySpace rant was written. I mean it didn`t seem like it was attack against her. So to me, he didn`t really, you know - he didn`t take a low road. He just took a road to publicity, and that`s what we`re seeing now.
HAMMER: Yes, but doing that, when you say you`re not going to be talking about it - I mean, in addition to taking the high road, he did say he was just going to keep quiet.
SNOWDEN: Yes. Well, obviously, I didn`t believe that and I think I was right for seeing that now.
HAMMER: Yes. I think stars need to stop saying that because it`s always coming back to bite them in the butt. Same thing happened to Star Jones.
Now, on his MySpace page, he did plead for people to get to know him. Jason, I would think, and we`re kind of talking about this here - perhaps Al is really worried he`s always going to be known as just Star Jones` husband or now ex-husband.
KENNEDY: Exactly. He specifically addressed that very question and that very concern in the blog saying, "Before I married Star, I was a successful banker." Right now, he`s a professor and he`s trying to get his doctorate. So he made it very clear that he has other projects. He has other ventures going on. And he will not - or he hopes he will not just be Star Jones` ex-husband anymore for the rest of his life.
HAMMER: Well, you know, when this thing was first broken, the news first got out that this split-up was happening, we were all hoping and praying that it would be quiet and that they would stick with their promise to keep things quiet. Now, maybe that`s not going to be the deal.
But looking ahead to when the whole divorce is final and when it`s done, Janelle, who do you think is going to be winning the PR war of the Joneses here? What would your prediction on that be?
SNOWDEN: Oh, don`t mess with Star. I think she`s shown us that she is queen - queen of everything in her world. So I don`t think Al really stands a chance. Good luck with the book, Al. But come on, you`ve got to bow down to the queen.
HAMMER: Jason, what do you think about that? Because she has the tendency to put her foot in her mouth.
KENNEDY: I know it`s always fun to have a disagreement on the show. But I have to agree with you, Janelle, because you don`t mess with Star Jones. The way she puts out a press release or makes a comment like what she had to say about Barbara Walters` ...
HAMMER: Yes.
KENNEDY: ... appearance on "Oprah," calling her character, you know, what she did and saying all those stuff. She`s got a way with words. I`d stay away from her. Al, be careful, my friend.
HAMMER: I`ve got to wrap you there. Jason Kennedy, Janelle Snowden, thank you.
Well now, we`d like to hear from you. What do you think? It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Star Jones` Divorce: Do you feel sympathy for her?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Our E-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com.
I`ve got to say, I would have more sympathy for both of them, Star and Al, if they`d just keep quiet. Why do they keep talking? Should they just zip it? We`ll be getting into that.
And another star that I think should definitely zip it, Hulk Hogan`s daughter, Brooke. Her startling brand-new rant after her brother is sent to jail for nearly killing his best friend in a horrific car crash.
Brooke, this guy is injured for the rest of his life, just zip it.
Well, here`s something I definitely don`t get. Why do some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood - you know, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Jessica Simpson - why do they have the worst luck when it comes to relationship? Why can`t they find the right guy? I`ve got to find out. We`ll be doing that next.
And Angelina Jolie`s shocking family announcements. At this rate, I`m thinking he`s going to need to trade in her minivan for a big bus so she can drive everybody around. You definitely don`t want to miss that. It is coming up.
But first, you need to remember you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime at all, even if it`s the middle of the night. Because new stuff is being posted all the time at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Among the videos playing right now, "Hulk Hogan`s Family Drama."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, big news today about some of the most gorgeous women in Hollywood that got us asking, why are they so unlucky in love? From Kate Hudson, Jessica Simpson to Jennifer Aniston - you know, all divorced and seemingly unable to find Mr. Right. I just don`t get it. Millions of men would just die to be with these women.
Joining me tonight from Miami is Steve Santagati. His Web site is AskSteveSantagati.com. Here in New York - there she is - clinical psychologist Dr. Judy Kuriansky.
All right. Doc, Steve, let`s kick it off with Kate Hudson. "People" magazine now reporting she has broken up once again with Owen Wilson. Now, the last time these guys broke up was just before Owen was admitted to the hospital for that alleged suicide attempt.
Steve Santagati, what do you think? Shouldn`t Kate Hudson have more luck being able to find a great guy just, you know, with the snap of her fingers?
STEVE SANTAGATI, "ASKSTEVESANTAGATI.COM": I`m sure she can get a guy with the snap of her fingers, A.J. But I`m not sure she can get the guy she wants. But you know what? I think she`s starting to come around and she`s starting to realize you know, these guys that are damaged goods that I want to fix, you know, the broken-hearted guy. I think that she`s now going to say, "I want someone a little bit more stable in my life." But I personally feel that her being single is a good thing.
HAMMER: What about how beautiful she is?
SANTAGATI: It doesn`t matter.
HAMMER: I mean that is one commonality with all of these women. Well, I want to ask Dr. Judy about that, because, you know, that can be a little intimidating to some guys.
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, indeed. But still I think the problem with Kate is that she`s got a histrionic personality style, like a T personality. Yes, that`s because a real ...
SANTAGATI: What does that mean?
KURIANSKY: Steve, it means that`s her real personality. She`s like drama queen. She looks very sweet. I adore her, really. But here`s what she once said about Chris Robinson, her ex-husband, and the rock star himself from Black Crows.
SANTAGATI: Black Crows.
KURIANSKY: And she said - yes, and what she said was that, we could be throwing things at each other one minute and then the next minute we`d be flying off to Paris probably to have hot sex. So I think that`s part of what she wants. And it`s the same thing she`s getting with Owen Wilson, which is a push and a pull, a lot of drama. He adores her, wants her and then he can`t make a commitment. And this is always reflected back to the woman.
HAMMER: All right. So we`re not playing matchmaker here on the segment tonight. But basically cool it with the drama and maybe you`ll have more luck, Kate. That`s what it sounds like, at least according to the doctor.
I want to move on to Jessica Simpson, because now, Jessica Simpson Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, also in the news today, broken up. After her divorce from Nick Lachey, you know, it seems like Jess has been dating up a storm but can`t keep anything going. Santagati, do you think that guys are worried - No, hear me out.
SANTAGATI: All right.
HAMMER: They`re afraid they might wind up on a reality show if they date her?
SANTAGATI: If they`re so lucky they`ll end up in her reality show. You know, Jessica, when you look at her, the guys look at her, they`re like, they want to do one thing, all right. And I think that once the guys are with her for a while, you know, he figures Jessica Simpson is just another girl. I think that, yes, they probably do fear that. I wouldn`t want to go out with her and end up on some show.
HAMMER: All right.
I think if Jessica Simpson really wanted to make it work with a guy like Tony Romo, who, by the way, was rumored to be on-and-off with somebody else anyway while he was with her -
SANTAGATI: Aren`t we all?
KURIANSKY: That she has to develop - Steve, you`re bad. Now, you`re living up to your bad boy. That she really has to develop a lot more substance within herself. I mean love her shoes. I own several pairs of them. But she needs to build up a little more sense of being her own person, being a little more worldly and intelligent in that way, as opposed to just being the sex kitten star wearing her Daisy Dukes.
HAMMER: All right. I need to move on from Jessica Simpson. And Steve, I don`t think you own any of her shoes. She and our next unlucky- in-love lady, Jennifer Aniston, have something in common. You know, they both dated John Mayer.
SANTAGATI: Yes. Right.
HAMMER: And there are reports - brand new reports today about Jennifer Aniston and John getting all cozy all over Miami. Jennifer, as we know, has been a serial dater since divorcing Brad Pitt. Do you think that`s part of the problem here, Steve? Jennifer dating another serial dater like John Mayer?
SANTAGATI: Yes. John Mayer is just a bad boy in sheep`s clothing, for starters. And Jennifer - would she stop dating celebrities? Follow Halle Berry. Follow Mariah Carey. They are not dating superstars. Just date regular guys. They`re out there and you`ll be much happier. No one`s going to think you`re an idiot if you date like a carpenter, an artist or something. But they`re going to think that you`re kind of silly if you keep going after bad boys and losing.
HAMMER: Doc?
KURIANSKY: Yes, well, that`s part of it that I agree with. I certainly go for the idea that Jennifer Aniston is not picking well. She is going for trying to compete with Angelina, I think, psychologically.
SANTAGATI: Oh no, come on.
KURIANSKY: Yes.
SANTAGATI: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Please! She`s got better things to worry about. Please.
KURIANSKY: No. She`s still smarting from that, in my view from afar. That`s what`s really bugging her. And she`s looking for somebody who`s going to make her look good, who`s going to adore her body. She`s a little too obsessed with her looks and how she looks, I think, deep down in comparison to that.
HAMMER: Vanity kills.
KURIANSKY: She always insecure about that. She needs to absolutely feel secure about herself. Then she`ll pick a guy who`s solid - a businessman. I would say she needs to go for it.
HAMMER: Got to wrap it there, Dr. Judy.
SANTAGATI: Bye.
HAMMER: All great suggestions, though, for Jen. Steve Santagati, Doc, thank you very much for joining us tonight.
You know, Star Jones hasn`t been too lucky in love. But does that mean the rest of us have to keep hearing about it day after day? I mean, come on. Tonight, for the very first time, her soon-to-be ex-husband Al is speaking out about his marriage to Star, questions about his sexuality. But I`ve got to ask. Should he just zip it?
You know who else should definitely zip it? Hulk Hogan`s daughter, Brooke. Look, I understand she`s upset. Her brother, Nick, has been shipped off to jail. But Brooke, please keep in mind, he nearly killed his best friend. So, please, zip it.
Well, Angelina Jolie unzipped her mouth and revealed a shocking secret. Let me tell you this - she better have a Costco membership for all those diapers she`s going to need to buy. If that`s not a hint for you, I don`t know what is.
We will also have this.
SEAN PENN, ACTOR: It is almost a wrong phrase - the politics of George Bush. It is kind of the inane stupidity and for lack of good, the absolute evil of it.
HAMMER: Wow! I know Sean Penn is not exactly a George Bush fan, but did he really just call the president stupid? Sean, don`t be surprised if the IRS is showing up at your door for a little audit. That is coming up.
And now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime. Just download our podcast. It`s free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast right there at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also get it on iTunes. Just 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 more stories that are new right now. Yes, it`s true. After all of those baby bump pictures and denials, Angelina Jolie is pregnant. Not only that, she`s having twins.
She tells the "Today" show`s Natalie Morales at the Cannes Film Festival in France that she and Brad Pitt are expecting their fifth and sixth children.
Well, another car accident for Britney Spears. She rear-ended an SUV on Tuesday in Beverly Hills. Brit was behind the wheel of her Mercedes. Her bodyguard was with her at the time. The SUV drove back to Britney`s house where everybody apparently exchanged info and no, the police did not get involved this time.
And Madonna taking a page right out of Oprah`s playbook. She is building a multibillion-dollar school for girls in the African country Malawi. Oprah did the same thing in South Africa. And by the way, Malawian officials are expected to approve Madonna`s adoption of a baby boy this week.
All right. So well all know that Star Jones and Al Reynolds are getting divorced. I always thought that was the end of it. But no, these two are not shy about speaking out. Now, Al is revealing some very personal stuff. He`s lashing out at the media. So, I`ve got to say, wouldn`t it just be better if he just kept quiet, you know, just zip it?
Brooke Hogan, Hulk Hogan`s daughter, should also definitely zip it. She`s ranting about her brother Nick being carted off to jail. You know, Brooke, he nearly killed his best friend in a car accident.
We`ve also got this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PENN: It is almost a wrong phrase - the politics of George Bush. It is kind of the inane stupidity and for lack of good, the absolute evil of it.
HAMMER: Oh, no, Sean. He never holds back when it comes to politics. But did he really call President Bush stupid? Such a potty mouth.
Speaking of potty, it`s the story everybody`s talking about. A guy actually forced to sit in the bathroom during his flight. I know airline service is getting worse, but come on. The showbiz buzz, coming up.
But first, you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by checking out our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. You can get it at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. All you have to do is click on that "sign up for newsletter" link, and we`ll send it to you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, should the stars just zip it? Al Reynolds speaking out about his divorce from Star, the media, even questions about his sexuality.
Also Brooke Hogan going on an absolute rant about her brother and the family of the boy Nick nearly killed in a car crash. Are these stars making things worse? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, should they just zip it?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PENN: It is almost a wrong phrase - the politics of George Bush. It is kind of the inane stupidity and for lack of good, the absolute evil of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Sean Penn absolutely goes off on President Bush. Talk about into the wild. Just wait until you hear the wild statements Sean made at the Cannes Film Festival.
(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. Brooke Anderson on assignment at the Cannes Film Festival. You`re watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, two big stories new right now about celebrities just running off at the mouth. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, should they just zip it?
First up tonight, Brooke Hogan, the daughter of Hulk Hogan, is ranting on her MySpace page about her brother, Nick`s, jail sentence for nearly killing his friend in a horrific car crash.
And then there`s Al Reynolds, Star Jones` soon-to-be ex, who first said, he would take the high road about their divorce. He`s now suddenly speaking out, but what happened to his promise to keep quiet?
Joining me tonight in New York, Michael Musto, entertainment columnist for "The Village Voice." Also in New York, it`s Janelle Snowden "VH1 News" host. And in Hollywood tonight, Jason Kennedy, "E! News" correspondent.
Gang, let`s kick it off with Brooke Hogan. What is going on here? We all know her 17-year-old brother Nick was just sentenced to eight months in jail after pleading no contest to those charges of felony, reckless driving for that accident that led to his friend John Graziano`s critical injuries. And now his sister, Brooke Hogan speaking out on her MySpace page.
Let me read to you from this, quote, "I know most of the public thinks my brother is some rich little selfish kid, but no one knows the real sorry and I`m really pissed that the truth didn`t come out from either side. A lot of lies were told in that trial. Believe me. And it wasn`t from us. I know all of the truth and I have back up."
Janelle Snowden, over to you. I would have to imagine the sympathy factor from the Graziano family right about now, zero. Should Brooke Hogan just zip it?
SNOWDEN: Yes, I can see how maybe some members of the family could definitely say she should zip it given that their son is critically injured. But at the same time, I think that Brooke is going through a lot, as is the whole family. You have to remember that. The parents are also going through a divorce and then Nick`s jail sentencing certainly doesn`t help matters. So if this is the only way that she`s venting, is by going to her MySpace page, I don`t really think that we can fault her for that. I mean everybody has to have a release and it just so happens that hers is public. She`s also a reality TV star. So most of her emotions and most of her life is public -
HAMMER: I get what you`re saying and yes, you do need that release. You do need to be able to vent. But I don`t know, it`s such a touchy situation. I don`t think sympathy factor is going to be real high. I mean let`s consider, Nick will get his old life back after serving his eight months in jail. John Graziano, his best friend, an Iraq war veteran - he`s expected to live in this semiconscious comatose state for the rest of his life. Jason, what`s your take on this? Was this post on MySpace a big mistake.
KENNEDY: I think it was. I think she needs to zip it, take the key, throw it away. She`s not helping the situation out by venting publicly. And you know, she put it up and then she took the post back down. Obviously, she knew people were going to be able to find it and they were going to be talking about it.
But I think she`s missing the boat here. She`s saying, "My brother`s a nice boy. He would give some of the shirt off his back." That`s not the point, Brooke. The point is he made a very serious mistake, someone is hurt and he is going to pay the penalty for that. It`s not about him making the right decision or being the right person.
HAMMER: And she may be upset about whatever lies she claims were coming out or what things are not being said. But I`m with you on this, Jason. I don`t think - it`s certainly not the right time or the right place. Brooke, by the way, not the only one that`s speaking out about her brother`s jail sentence. Brooke and Nick`s dad, Hulk Hogan, did it at his sentencing. And this just blew me away that he chose this opportunity. Look at what Hulkster said in the courtroom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HULK HOGAN, REALITY TV STAR: My son has been unfairly attacked by the media simply because of his on-air personality. If that was the case, everybody should be yelling and screaming here like Hulk Hogan would in a wrestling ring. But Nick is not the person that he`s been asked to be portrayed on TV.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Man, I know it`s a tense time for the family. Michael Musto, do you think anyone was even thinking about Nick`s media personality when they saw these pictures of the car crash that left his friend critically injured? I mean do you think the whole family should just zip it?
MICHAEL MUSTO, ENTERTAINMENT COLUMNIST, "THE VILLAGE VOICE": I do think it`s a mess. They should just lock it up with a big plastic bag around all of them. I mean I`m starting to think the other guy in the seat who is brain dead is not the only one who`s brain dead at this point.
Look, on a reality show, you`re supposed to exaggerate and create conflict. But this people parade their dysfunctions around for the American audience to enjoy. Brooke is always yelling at the brother and calling him an idiot. And now they`re all rallying around saying he`s great. Which are we supposed to believe, people?
HAMMER: Yes.
MUSTO: I think a little more tough love is in order.
HAMMER: And sadly, we have become quite used to this kind of behavior. They should use a whole bunch of Reynolds Wrap and just zip the whole thing up.
That gives me my segue to our next story tonight - Al Reynolds, Star Jones` soon-to-be ex speaking out on his MySpace page about his split with Star Jones. Listen to what he`s saying, quote, "I have been called a gigolo, a free-loader, unemployed, a sham and many other things that don`t bear repeating. People on television, radio and the Internet have spoken disparagingly of my life, my sexuality, my career and my integrity."
Now, when Star first revealed that these two were splitting up, Al said through his publicist - these are his words - he was going to take the high road. And he mentioned, once again in his MySpace rant, the same thing. Michael, let me go back to you for this one. Why do you think Al is not just sticking to this original plan to keep it zipped?
MUSTO: I`m just guessing here, but maybe his contract ran out. I mean like Star had a contract with "The View" that ran out. He must have had one with Star, because the second her two shows were off the air, he was out of there. And in fact, towards the end of it, he had his own condo down in Miami. You know what that means. I mean, apparently Al was the one who actually wanted to wear the wedding dress.
HAMMER: All right. Now, this is exactly why Al is ranting. So maybe he shouldn`t be zipping it for people like you.
MUSTO: I`m part of the problem.
HAMMER: Come on. You are a part of the problem.
MUSTO: No, no, no. But look there were some biases built into the media`s treatment of him. Because there`s a dislike of Star Jones, and everybody thought, "What kind of guy would love Star Jones?" Maybe he was a fully rounded person who cared for her. Maybe a straight guy could care for Star Jones. I`m not so sure.
HAMMER: All right. Let me move on to somebody else on this. No doubt the tabloids are going to speculate about what happened and maybe some of what Michael Musto says fuels that fire. Janelle, do you think he should really be commenting on this kind of stuff on his MySpace page? Isn`t he really just feeding the fire by not zipping it in this case?
SNOWDEN: Totally. I mean I think one thing people fail to realize is that when they`re going to a scandal and they don`t want to be talked about, the thing to do is not to say anything, like you`re totally feeding the monster. You`re giving people more ammo. And I mean while he didn`t say anything bad about Star, he does definitely attack the media. And I don`t think the media is going to just sit quietly. I mean obviously we`re not. We`re talking about him right now. So definitely not the move to make if you want to kind of disappear. But I don`t think Al wants to disappear.
HAMMER: Jason Kennedy?
KENNEDY: Yes?
HAMMER: Your take on this. I mean the idea that he has not done the big liplock with this whole situation after saying he was taking the high road. I mean, come on.
KENNEDY: He even says in his blog, "It`s "Dump on Al Month." Something has struck a chord in him, an angry chord at that, and he wanted to make a comment about this because he couldn`t handle it anymore. But he`s rehashing these things. We`re obviously talking about it. If his goal was to make that final comment and hoping that we wouldn`t make any comments after that, mission not accomplished because here we are talking about it right now. So I don`t think he did himself a good deed, if you will.
HAMMER: We call this the big backfire in show business or really in life in general. And if Al does not begin to zip it some time soon, what do think, Michael? Is he just inching his way closer to a public divorce battle? Which I know you may enjoy, but really, it`s going to be yet another one of these ugly situations where this dirty laundry is getting aired out?
MUSTO: By the way, it`s the big backside that he apparently liked at one point. But no, no, no. I actually think Star is going to send him flowers for this. Because he`s not really coming out against her. He`s coming out against the media. And in doing so, he`s kind of presenting their union as a holy one that actually had some credibility. And Star would love to get behind that whole idea.
HAMMER: I think collectively we can all say, "Just zip it. Please just zip it." Michael Musto, Jason Kennedy, Janelle Snowden, thank you for not zipping it so we can talk about them zipping it tonight. I appreciate it.
We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Star Jones` Divorce: Do you feel sympathy for her?" Let us know at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. If you have more to say, our E-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, here`s the superstar that we haven`t heard speaking out yet. May have something to do with the fact that, well, she`s two years old. Suri Cruise, coming up, a rare look at Suri out in public with mom and dad. You`ll want to check your cute-o-meter. Is there a cute-o-meter around here? I think these pictures are just adorable.
And for something completely different, we will also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PENN: It is almost a wrong phrase - the politics of George Bush. It is kind of the inane stupidity and for lack of good, the absolute evil of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Sean Penn absolutely goes of on the president. So why was Sean so fired up at the Cannes Film Festival? He was using words like brainless and heartless to describe our commander-in-chief. You definitely have to stick around to hear this.
Also, you think your last flight was bad? There`s a guy who says an airline made him spend three hours in his seat, and oh, yes, that seat was in the plane`s bathroom, not exactly first class here. We are taking SHOWBIZ TONIGHT into the toilet, coming up.
Remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We`re always posting new stuff for you to watch over on our Web site. Surf over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos that are playing right now, "Hulk Hogan`s Family Drama."
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUE SIMMONS, ANCHOR, WNBC TV: At 11, paying more at the grocer, but getting less. We`ll tell you how to get the most. What the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) are you doing?
HAMMER: Yes. She just said what you think she said. A legendary New York City news anchor dropping the "F" bomb big time, live in primetime.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You`re watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, showbiz big buzz. We`ve got two unbelievable stories that have people buzzing on the Internet and across the country, including a JetBlue passenger forced to sit on a toilet for more than two hours during a packed flight. You know, something stinks around here.
Joining me tonight in New York, entertainment columnist for "The Village Voice," Michael Musto. And in Hollywood, it`s Kim Serafin, senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
Hi, guys. Want to begin with the potty mouth, New York City anchorwoman Sue Simmons who really is a legend in New York on WNBC TV. She was doing, you know, one of those brief news report that is you see when you`re watching your primetime programs. Take a look again at the curse that has caused buzz heard around the world.
SUE SIMMONS, ANCHOR, WNBC TV: At 11, paying more at the grocer, but getting less. We`ll tell you how to get the most. What the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) are you doing?
HAMMER: Wow! All right, Michael Musto. Let me begin with you. You know, for decades, really - three decades, tens of millions of New Yorkers, including you and me, we`ve watched Sue Simmons doing the news every night in New York. How in the world could this woman, such a consummate pro, do something like this?
MUSTO: I don`t know. She is a consummate pro, A.J. And she`s also the longest lasting anchor person, apparently. She`s like the Joan Rivers of news. I know Sue and she`s really terrific. I`m sure she just felt a little too comfortable or she says she thought it was a pre-tape like I`m doing right now, right? I could redo this. Oh, OK. No, it`s not. OK, I`ll just keep going. No, no. Look, Sue is entitled one little boo-boo after all these years. Even Meryl Streep messed up one of the Abba lyrics from "Mama Mia." They did it again.
HAMMER: Yes, 30 years on the air for Sue Simmons. Now, we do know and we should keep this in mind, these news teases during primetime can be truly sensational, things like, deodorant can kill your cat filmed at 11. So Kim, the "F" bomb certainly got our attention in this case. What do you think? Maybe this will spread around the country.
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Yes. I don`t know if this is the attention she really wanted. She certainly has become this YouTube sensation now. And of course, it does happen. I mean, you know, it has happened with many celebrities on morning shows. I mean Diane Keaton on "Good Morning, America" accidentally slipped. Bono very famously slipped during an awards show telecast.
And then there have been those clips of Katie Couric sort of behind the scenes when she didn`t know the mike was on saying things. So I mean, please, you should hear the things I was just saying about you before we went on air.
HAMMER: Oh, thanks a lot. Yes.
SERAFIN: When you`re miked, sometimes you forget about it. And I think, you know, you can give her a pass on this. She didn`t realize - she thought they were pre-taping it apparently.
HAMMER: Yes. The key is when this little thing is on you, you don`t say anything like that. I`m not cutting you any slack but I am going to cut Sue Simmon slack. She did later apologize during their 11:00 newscast. Today, the ladies of "The View" came to her defense. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": She slipped up and said something that was audible to the rest of the folks. And people have lost their minds now. They said, "She should be fired. She should be this. She should be that." But, you know, what happens is you get so comfortable, you turn over and go and you just say it like you were at home.
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": She thought the mike was off, right, I`m assuming.
SHERRI SHEPHERD CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Yes. Yes.
GOLDBERG: I`m sure she did.
HASSELBECK: She thought maybe they cut her mike off. And then she let something out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, she did. Michael, WNBC told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Sue still apologizes, not going to be fired. Some people think she should be canned. What do you think?
MUSTO: Absolutely not. Sue Simmons is my rock, I need her, even if she keeps on cussing. Even if she said Jane Fonda type of stuff. And by the way, of course, Whoopi Goldberg doesn`t find it offensive. By even if she had wardrobe malfunction, I need Sue Simmons to be there.
HAMMER: Isn`t it wild? She has been a local legend here in New York City. Finally, we`re getting big national attention, I don`t think for the reason she had ever hoped.
I want to move on to someone who was canned, forced to sit on the can, if you`ll indulge me in that. It`s another story with big showbiz buzz. Tonight, a New York City man suing JetBlue Airways for more than $2 million because he says he was forced to sit on a toilet for more than two hours during a packed flight from California.
Why? Well, apparently a flight attendant who was catching a ride on that flight found her seat uncomfortable and made him give up his seat for her. Michael, back at you. I`ve got to tell you, I feel bad for this guy. But come on, dude, put up a little resistance.
MUSTO: Yes, I mean, A.J. At least, they could make him go out on the wing, like in the twilight zone. At least, he had access to the bathroom. How many of us even can get near there with the line they usually have.
But I can feel his pain, A.J. I mean turbulence on the toilet is really awful. The next time I have to go to San Diego, I`m going to ride my bike or I`m just going to stay put.
HAMMER: Yes. That`s probably -
MUSTO: I remember when air flying used to be glamorous. Those days are gone.
HAMMER: No. I think, you know, this brings it to a whole different dimension.
MUSTO: You need (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: Well, the guy is speaking out. I want you to take a look at what he briefly said about his experience. Charles, would you roll that?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE JETBLUE PASSENGER WHO HAD TO SIT ON THE PLANE`S TOILET: It was like torture. It was horrible. It was horrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It was horrible, it was horrible. Yes, that makes sense to me. Kim, I`ve heard of the Mile-High Club. Being forced to sit on the toilet, is this just bringing high-flying to a whole new low?
SERAFIN: Yes. I think so. He was apparently flying on some buddy pass. I think it was really a potty pass he was flying on. I fly JetBlue all the time, and my favorite thing about flying is that you get to watch the in-flight entertainment. So I think the worst part was that he didn`t have the TV. And they always bring you around blue potato chips and their fancy ice tea. So I`m wondering today, if they ever came in there and offered him a snack.
HAMMER: I don`t think you`d want snacks in there, no? No, no. I`m going to say no.
JetBlue`s spokesperson did tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT this, "We`re currently investigating the lawsuit and will let the legal process take place. Beyond that, we do not comment on pending litigation as a company policy. Michael, quickly here, the guy`s obviously upset but he is suing for $2 million. Come on, how do you figure out a number like that? Now, if he sat on the toilet for just one hour, would it have been $1 million? I don`t know.
MUSTO: Yes, I think it should be $1 million an hour. Why not? And by the way, if those potato chips had Alestra(ph), then I could understand that he was in the right place.
HAMMER: Yes, exactly. You want to stay put if you`re eating the Alestra(ph) chips. Good advice from Michael Musto and I`ll leave it there. Kim Serafin, I thank you as well.
And now, we`ve got a rare look at Suri Cruise hanging out in public with mom and dad. Take a look at these pictures and just try not to say, aww! Yes, I dare you.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes took Suri to cheer on their friend, David Beckham, at a soccer match. Well, from the looks of these pictures, Suri wasn`t all that thrilled by the action, but, man, is she cute or what? I mean come on, guys. That`s right. Suri, by the way, just celebrated her second birthday last month.
I know Sean Penn isn`t one to hold back when it comes to giving his opinion. But should you really call President Bush brainless and heartless at the Cannes Film Festival? Wait until you hear Sean Penn going off on the president. That`s coming up next SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You definitely don`t want to miss that.
And now, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime so you don`t have to miss us. Just download our podcast. It`s not going to cost you a penny. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes. Just type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, Sean Penn absolutely going off on President Bush.
Sean is at the Cannes Film Festival right now where he`s the head of the jury this year. But a lot of the talk this year is about politics. Sean said this is the most important presidential election of his lifetime. But he saves his most shocking comments for our current president.
So many people in Hollywood seem to be anti-George Bush. So Sean was asked if he thinks there`s actually a link between being a filmmaker and disagreeing with the president`s politics. Listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PENN: It is almost a wrong phrase - the politics of George Bush. It is kind of the inane stupidity and for lack of good, the absolute evil of it. And I think that films are about love and that art is about love and so you have the insight that the brain actually has a purpose in connecting to the heart and when somebody operates without a brain and without a heart they kill hundreds of thousands of people around the world, so it is not something that is hard to disagree with. I am just, it is a shame that we have to bastardize the term politics and attributing it to people like that, because politics again should really be an organization of helping each other
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. I want to remind you, by the way, that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson is right there at the Cannes Film Festival covering all of the controversies there. And the highly anticipated premiere of the new "Indiana Jones" movie. Brooke`s coverage from the Cannes Film Festival begins Thursday right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, Barbara Walters has been everywhere promoting her tell-all book that covers everything from a past affair with a married senator to the feuds on "The View." So Tuesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Barbara Walters` Confessions: Has she damaged her reputation?" Almost an even split here - 43 percent against 57 percent.
We hear from Lonnie in Missouri who writes, I think Barbara Walters telling her story shows she`s a real human being that made her own choices."
We also heard from Ruth in California. Ruth Writes, "How utterly selfish of Barbara Walters to unburden herself at the expense of the feelings of others."
And we thank you for your E-mails. And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you 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 we`re on at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next.
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