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Showbiz Tonight
Ellen DeGeneres Announces Wedding Plans; Team Jolie Versus Team Aniston; Jolie Announces Twins
Aired May 16, 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: My no-holds-barred interview with Lindsay Lohan`s mom, Dina. Is she really doing a reality show with her teen daughter to help her own career? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And I`m Brooke Anderson at the Cannes Film Festival talking with Angelina Jolie about her big twin baby surprise. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Ellen`s gay marriage surprise. Tonight, Ellen DeGeneres shocks the world, revealing she`s going to marry her girlfriend, Portia de Rossi.
ELLEN DEGENERES, TALK SHOW HOST: I am getting married.
HAMMER: Tonight, is this a risky move? Could it damage her career? And will other same-sex stars now follow Ellen`s dramatic lead?
Tonight, Britney Spears and Mel Gibson go on vacation together to Costa Rica. Are you kidding me?
Out of rehab, Lindsay Lohan now in a brand new music video all about doing coke and I`m not talking about soda. Are you kidding me?
Plus, team Jolie versus team Aniston. Why the Angelina/Jennifer love or hate fest may not be over yet. Whose side are you on? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is taking the gloves off.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson at the Cannes Film Festival where I am speaking with Angelina Jolie about her revelation that she and Brad Pitt are having twins. What Angelina told me is coming up.
HAMMER: Brooke, we`re looking forward to that and we will see you in just a bit. But first, yep, Ellen is getting married to her girlfriend, Portia de Rossi. Ellen DeGeneres dropped an absolutely bombshell on her show Friday, just a day after the California Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. Ellen wasted no time telling the world that she and Portia are heading to the altar. And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal that Ellen may have just triggered a same-sex marriage domino affect in Hollywood.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEGENERES: A California Supreme Court overturned a ban on gay marriage.
HAMMER (voice over): You got to hand it to Ellen DeGeneres; she is one comedian with great timing. Before the ink was even dry on a California Supreme Court ruling that struck down the state`s ban on gay marriage, Ellen didn`t waste a minute issuing her own decree on her daytime talk show.
DEGENERES: I would like to say, right now, for the first time I am announcing I`m getting married.
HAMMER: As a wave of applause greeted Ellen`s shocking announcement, she followed up with an even more shocking one.
DEGENERES: Thank you, I`ll tell you who the lucky guy is soon.
HAMMER: OK, she was kidding about that one. The lucky woman is her girlfriend of four years, actress Portia de Rossi, who was in the audience at Ellen`s announcement.
DEGENERES: It`s something that I`ve, of course, we`ve wanted to do and we wanted to be legal, and we`re just very, very excited.
HAMMER: A still excited Ellen said in a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: "I can`t wait to get married. We all deserve the same rights and I believe that someday we`ll look back on this and not allowing gays to marry will seem as absurd as not allowing women to vote. P.S. I`m registered at Crate & Barrel."
Careful, Ellen, product placement for weddings doesn`t exactly go well for daytime TV stars, if you know what I`m saying.
Still, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Ellen`s wedding announcement is big news.
JO PIAZZA, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: It`s amazing that we are seeing something like this. That the host of a very popular daytime talk show can come out on air and say, I am marrying my long-time partner who happens to be a woman, and oh, my gosh, it`s legal now.
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, now that the door has been opened for day marriages in California, will other famous gay couples follow Ellen and Portia through it? Hey, maybe now Jimmy Kimmel can finally make an honest man out of Ben Affleck, although Affleck`s wife may have something to say about it.
PIAZZA: I think that over the next few months we`re defiantly going to see a lot of gay celebrities finally tying the knot.
HAMMER: In all seriousness, Jo Piazza of the "New York Daily News," tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she`s watching to see what Rosie O`Donnell does. Rosie married her long-time partner, Kelli Carpenter, in San Francisco when that city briefly legalized gay marriages in 2004.
PIAZZA: That marriage was made void, so now there`s the possibility that they could go to California and get married again. Maybe they could have a double ceremony with Ellen and Portia.
HAMMER: Regardless of who follows suit, Ellen`s on-air wedding announcement once again puts her front and center of a major gay rights issue, a familiar place for her ever since she came out in 1997.
PIAZZA: It was a huge, huge deal for Ellen to come out in "Time" magazine, for her character to come out on the show. I mean, this is something the public had never seen before. After Ellen came out, she didn`t have to hide her sexuality anymore. We saw her out publicly with Anne Heche, when that broke up we saw the beginnings of her relationship with Portia de Rossi.
HAMMER: Since they first got together in 2004, Ellen and Portia have been one of Hollywood`s most stable and long-lasting relationships. Ellen has said in interviews that she would marry Portia if it were legal.
DEGENERES: I would like to represent every gay couple out there.
HAMMER: But last September, the couple told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they don`t see themselves as poster children for gay couples.
DEGENERES: We don`t even think about it. We have an amazing relationship and we`re fortunate whether it`s a straight relationship or a gay relationship, that`s what`s important.
HAMMER: Now that California State Supreme Court has ruled, both sides of the gay marriage issue appear ready to fight. And with stars like Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi looking to marry, it looks like this battle line will run through Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And true to form, you can be sure that Ellen will continue to be among those on the front lines of that battle.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, the founder of 15 Minutes Public Relations, Howard Bragman. In New York, tonight, investigative journalist and author of the fine book, "Secrets can be Murder," coming to paperback soon, Jane Velez-Mitchell.
Howard, Jane, first I have to say, I`m really happy for Ellen and Portia. Second, I have to say, wow, what a difference a decade makes. You know, we just heard there was a huge controversy when Ellen`s character came out on her sitcom in 1997. The show was canceled not too long after that happened and now she gets a round of applause and a standing-o on her show announces she`s marrying her girlfriend.
Jane, what Ellen is doing, absolutely terrific, but do you think there`s any risk here?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: I really don`t, A.J. Yes, there was backlash when she initially came out over a decade ago, but the world was a different place and she was different. She`s a much bigger star right now, she`s a superstar, she`s got this wildly successful talk show and she hosted the Academy Awards. It doesn`t get bigger than that. And it`s natural for her to do this. She is a natural pioneer on this issue. She is a leader on this issue. In fact, her show, where she came out gay, was one of the reasons the floodgates opened. Now look, 10 years later, the studio audience -- which is composed of Middle America, that`s not Hollywood, that`s people traveling to Hollywood from Middle America, giving her a standing ovation for her decision.
HAMMER: You`ve got to love it. Really, really a pioneer and she should be really proud of what she`s doing.
Howard Bragman, I know, throughout your career, you have guided your clients through the difficulty of coming out, as far as this concerned and announcing that she`s going to be getting married, do you think Ellen handled this just right?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Oh, it was perfect, A.J. To do it in her own studio in front of people who love her. But what`s really interesting is, you know, Ellen is very private about her private life, she doesn`t talk about Portia much, she doesn`t bring up gay and lesbian issues on the air very often. So, it`s a real moment for her and I want to say congratulations to Ellen and Portia, wonderful ladies, wonderful couple and I hope I`m invited to the wedding.
HAMMER: You have to -- I have to agree with you on that, because it`s really, really interesting that this is something she doesn`t wear on her sleeve on her show. She just does her show as Ellen, she does not bring her personal life out there. I think that`s a real important point that you make.
And I mentioned the domino effect earlier. I`d have to think this is going to encourage other famous same-sex couples, and of course the not- so famous to get out there and tie the knot. Now, "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon is another star who`s been very candid about her relationship with her same-sex partner, in fact, she told a London newspaper that marriage is "something my girlfriend is interested in." Well, listen to what Cynthia had to say when I sat down with her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYNTHIA NIXON, ACTRESS: I think we really, we really prioritize the relationship and we really make time for it and, you know, I have to say I put a lot of credit for how good our relationship is on my girlfriend.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, Jane, it seems pretty obvious, but what do you think? Can we expect that other same-sex couples in Hollywood, like Portia and Cynthia Nixon, will actually be walking down the aisle soon? Because it is still a pretty bold move despite this court ruling?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, I think it`s going to encourage it and it should. Let`s face it, Ellen and Portia make a gorgeous couple. It`s sexy, it`s beautiful and it`s cool, as California goes, so goes the nation. And as Hollywood goes, so goes California, so it`s really about the stars taking something that the average person might be a little nervous about and making it cool, making it OK, no stigma attached.
So, when same-sex couples, around the world, see this gorgeous couple saying, we`re going to the altar, it gives them confidence. Any shame or embarrassment they may have to tell their families, we`re going to get married, disappears and they can really see Ellen proud and with no hesitation, making this announcement. It`s a real incredible role model at work.
HAMMER: Yes, so certainly it can be very validating for nonfamous same-sex couples, as I think you`re implying, there. But Howard, what do you think in terms of actual Hollywood same-sex couples, particularly those who may not even be out yet?
BRAGMAN: Well, I don`t think that somebody`s going to come out in order to get married. But, there`s a lot of people who are out, it`s a different time. There`s dozens of people in TV and music and as long as Ellen can do it, I want to say right here on national TV, my partner and I are going to get married this year, we decided last night.
VELEZ-MITCHELL Woo! Congratulations.
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, making the big announcement, right here. Congratulations, Howard, we`re all very happy for you. I think I speak for everybody here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
VELEZ-MITCHELL Are we invited?
HAMMER: I hope we`re innovated.
BRAGMAN: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Well, just listen to where you register, Howard. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Howard Bragman, I thank you both. Wow, big news here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And now we`d love to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day: Ellen`s gay marriage, are you happy for her? I know I am. You can vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight, e-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well we are certainly all happy for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. They, of course, are now having twins. And I got to say, more than the movies, Angelina`s pregnancy is all the talk of the Cannes Film Festival. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson is right there in France with Angelina. She gets her to reveal why she kept her pregnancy so hush-hush. And are people really upset that all this baby talk is overshadowing --what`s Angie`s movie? Oh yeah, "Kung Fu Panda." That`s coming up.
Also, there`s team Jolie versus team Aniston. We`ve got a revealing look at the battle that has gone on and on ever since Brad Pitt broke up with Jennifer Aniston and shacked up with Angelina. Whose side are you on?
Also, the outrageous stories that have me saying, "are you kidding me?" Listen to this, Britney Spears and Mel Gibson have gone on vacation together to Costa Rica? Yeah, that`s right, Britt, her dad, Mel, his wife, what?
And then there`s this, Miss DUI, Miss Signed Out of Rehab, Lindsay Lohan in a brand new music video that`s all about doing coke, and I`m not talking about doing soda pop. Yes, cocaine. Are you kidding me? That`s coming up.
And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime you like. Check it out, because we`re posting new stuff for you all the time at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Among the videos now playing, what Mariah Carey is now saying about her surprise wedding?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT you`re watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, team Jolie versus team Aniston. And first up, it`s team Angelina. A glowing Jolie parades down the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, right there on Brad Pitt`s arm, super pregnant with their twins.
Next up, team Aniston. His ex-wife, Jennifer photographed frolicking in a Miami pool with her new boyfriend, singer John Mayer. Yeah, some three years after Pitt and Aniston revealed that they were getting divorced, people are still upset and they are still taking sides.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Kim Serafin, senior editor for "In Touch Weekly," and in New York, there she is, VH1 correspondent, Janell Snowden.
You ladies know, you still can`t pick up a celebrity magazine these days without seeing both Angelina and Jennifer, both on the covers. Now, the team Angelina versus team Aniston camps are still battling it out for the hearts and minds of fans. Kim Serafin, why do you think people are still taking sides?
KIM SERAFIN, IN TOUGH WEEKLY: Well, it`s interesting because the two of them, obviously both attached to Brad Pitt, but in so many ways they`re also polar opposites. I mean, Jennifer Aniston, as you know, kind of leads a very private life. We really don`t know much about her, yet we watched her on "Friends" for years. And even now, I mean, any time of day, I could turn on the TV on some channel and find a re-run of "Friends," probably anywhere in the world.
And then you have this contrast of Angelina Jolie, who we saw in so many different stages of her life. And now it`s sort of come full circle from this woman who use to wear vial of Billy Bob blood around her neck to, you know, the consummate mother who`s now having her fifth and -- will have a fifth and sixth child with Brad Pitt. And they`re sort of this international couple and they go to New Orleans to draw attention to that and they`re at the Cannes Film Festival, this international couple, and so, I just think, you know, it all ties back to the Brad Pitt, the very public break-up, the fact that they are usually the first lead story on entertainment shows, on the cover of "In Touch," every other magazine, and you know, we`re just fascinated with them, with their lives, they`re beautiful, they`re the Hollywood and they were both attached to Brad Pitt, so I think that means something.
HAMMER: All right, well this perceived battle, you know, it`s really been going on since day one when Angelina and Brad first revealed they were a couple, after they made that movie, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," people right then and there were snapping up the team Aniston and the team Jolie t-shirts. What do you think, Janell? Things really haven`t changed that much since then, have they?
JANELL SNOWDEN, VH1 CORRESPONDENT: No, not at all. It`s like any chance we get, we want to pit them up against one another. I don`t think we`re going to be satisfied until we see them like duke it out on some kind of pay-per-view battle or something. I don`t think people are going to give it a rest until then. And so because, hopefully that never happens, I think we`re pretty much stuck with team Aniston and team Brangelina forever.
HAMMER: Headlines in any battle, even if it`s perceived, are pretty important. And while the headlines in Aniston`s life involves yet another new man, John Mayer, the headline for Angelina is her revelation that she`s having twins with Jennifer`s ex-husband. Now, let`s take a look at how her "Kung Fu Panda" co-star Jack Black forced Angie to reveal that on the "Today" show. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK BLACK, ACTOR: You`re going to have as many as the Brady bunch when you have this, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, is that confirmed? Is it two?
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: Yeah, yeah, we`ve confirmed that already.
BLACK: Oh man, I`m glad I didn`t do it.
JOLIE: Well, Jack just confirmed it, actually.
BLACK: Is that true?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Twins.
JOLIE: Yeah, you did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, Kim, you know the Jolie-Pitt fans were cheering when they heard that news. Score one for team Jolie. I mean, how can you hate a pregnant woman carrying twins? Come on?
SERAFIN: Oh, definitely. And she was so good natured about it, because even though there had been reports out there that they were having twins, she hadn`t really confirmed it and she could have kind of played it and been shy about it, but she went along with it and kind of made a joke about it. And now, at the Cannes Film Festival, has been talking about it and talking about maybe having the kids in France and maybe there`s more, you know, coming on the way that she`d have in another country. So, certainly we`re fascinated with this. We want to see them have lots and lots of kids and she looked stunning walking down that carpet.
HAMMER: I want to see them have a dozen more kids. Really, I don`t know what they would do to get them all around, but I`m sure they have the money to figure that out. Now, I want to be clear about something. Nobody is saying that we actually think Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston truly dislike each other, although if you think about it, Aniston might well have good reason to.
What do you think Janell, is this more about their fans battling it out or do you actually think Jennifer might have some animosity for Angelina and still some love for Brad?
SNOWDEN: Oh, I think that Jennifer has moved on. I think that she`s been though a few relationships since Brad, now, and I just think she`s a big person. I think she`s got a good support base behind her best friend, Courtney, from the show, "Friends," she`s got so many people who have rallied in her corner. And I really don`t think it`s healthy for her to still hold that animosity. I`m sure she will never really be best friend with Angelina, but at the same time, I don`t think it really serves her or Angelina well to hold a grudge.
HAMMER: Well, I just want to say this here now, I`m playing for both of their teams.
SNOWDEN: Me too.
HAMMER: Janell Snowden, Kim Serafin, thanks for joining us, tonight.
All right, I got to tell you, I definitely think this is a bizarre team: Britney Spears and Mel Gibson. They`re on vacation, together. Are you kidding me? Yeah, you heard right. They`re hanging out in Costa Rica probably on some beach somewhere. I have got to look into this and I will, coming up.
And another outrageous story that has got me saying, "are you kidding me?" Lindsay Lohan on a mission to improve her post-dui, post-rehab image. So, what does she do? Puts herself in a new mudic video that`s all about people doing coke, as in cocaine. Duh. Are you kidding me?
Also Hilton, could it be? Has she found her soul mate? Is she getting married? And if so, will she wear white at her wedding? Maybe some prison orange, I`m thinking. Maybe you should stick around to find out. That is next. Also this:
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson at the Cannes Film Festival with Angelina Jolie and her co-stars, Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman, all talking to me about Angie`s big surprise that she and Brad Pitt are having twins. Wait until you hear what they told me, coming up.
HAMMER: Looking forward to that, Brooke.
And now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime. Just download our podcast. It`s free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our Web site, which is cnn.com/showbiztonight. And you can also download it on iTunes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thanks Charles, and welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Here are some more stories that are new, right now. So are Jessica Simpson and Dallas Cowboy`s quarterback, Tony Romo still a couple? You know, there are a bunch of reports that say they`ve broken up. Their rep says, no way. But supposedly, Tony got tired of all the press and paparazzi and all of Jessica`s talk about getting married and having kids. Guess this cowboy doesn`t want to be lassoed yet.
Speaking of weddings, Paris Hilton says she`s thinking of marriage. Paris tells "People" magazine that her boyfriend of just three months, Good Charlotte guitarist, Benji Madden, wants to get hitched. Paris adds that they are a perfect match and hate being apart.
Carmen Electra`s former husband, for a minute, Dennis Rodman, has been charged with spousal abuse. Police say Rodman beat up his girlfriend at a California hotel in April. Dennis` people say he had too much to drink when he got into a fight with her, and get this, the two are still dating.
Well, Britney Spears and Mel Gibson aren`t dating, obviously, but they are traveling together. Yeah, I`m serious. They`re on some warm, sunny beach somewhere, actually in Costa Rica. Maybe they`re working on their tans, maybe taking a swim. All right, the point is, are you kidding me? These two on a vacation?
And I think this is absolutely ridiculous. Lindsay Lohan, who really needs to be focusing on cleaning up her life, focusing on a comeback, is in a new music video which is all about snorting cocaine. The stories that have got me all fired up saying, "are you kidding me?" -- coming up. Also, this:
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson at the Cannes Film Festival with Angelina Jolie and her co-stars Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman, all talking to me about Angie`s big surprise that she and Brad Pitt are having twins. Wait until you hear what they told me, coming up.
HAMMER: Brooke Anderson, we are really looking forward to that, coming up. And also on the way, my revealing chat with Lindsay Lohan`s mom, Dina. You know, she`s putting Lindsay`s little sister Ali in this reality show, so I just had to ask her is this actually a ploy for her, Dina, to become famous. It`s the explosive interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and we are coming right back.
(NEWSBREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Are you kidding me?" Britney Spears goes on vacation with Mel Gibson? Lindsay Lohan goes to rehab three times and follows it up with a music video for a song about drugs? What was she thinking?
Tonight, the stories that made us say, "Are you kidding me?"
ALI LOHAN, LINDSAY LOHAN`S SISTER: The main point is she`s not some freak mom who`s a backstage mom. She`s just like any other mother in America who is helping their kids fulfill their dreams in life.
HAMMER: Dina and Ali Lohan speak out. I sat down with them to find out why Dina decided to put Lindsay`s little sister in reality show, and I asked her point blank, is it Dina who`s looking for fame? It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
And tonight, two outrageous stories that are really making us say, "Are You Kidding Me?"
Britney Spears and Mel Gibson are vacationing in Costa Rica together. I can`t believe I just said that. Britney Spears and Mel Gibson vacationing in Costa Rica together. "Are You Kidding Me?" And three-time rehab alum Lindsay Lohan is now featured in a brand-new music video that seems to glorify using cocaine in clubs. Can you say, "Very bad idea?" "Are You Kidding Me?"
Back with us again tonight in New York, VH1 News host Janell Snowden, and once again from Hollywood Tonight, founder of Fifteen Minutes PR, Howard Bragman, and host of "Yo on E!"
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Yo!
HAMMER: On XM and Sirius Satellite radio Michael Yo. They`re very excited to have you here tonight, Michael. And you, too, Janelle and Howard.
And I swear I am not making this up. This is real. Britney Spears and Mel Gibson hopped on a private jet to Mel`s home in Costa Rica along with Mel`s wife and Britney`s dad. Is the visual coming into your mind? Just the -- of this happening.
Janelle, what do you think they`re doing? Are they throwing back virgin pina coladas and swapping out old drinking stories at Club Mel?
JANELL SNOWDEN, HOST, VH1 NEWS: Yes, I think that and I think he`s also trying to get her to sign a contract to star in the "Passion of the Christ II." No.
HAMMER: Yes.
SNOWDEN: I don`t really know what they`re doing. But I actually think it`s a great thing that Mel`s reached out to Britney. I mean, obviously, he`s been through his own share of troubles. And maybe they can relate over those. And the fact that he`s there with his wife and that she`s there with her father makes it a little less scandalous.
That`s really not often that we get to see stars reaching out to one another. It`s kind of like, you know, they might see each other at events and say, oh yes, give me a call, have your people call my people, let`s do lunch sort of thing. But he`s really serious. He reached out to her a long time ago and said, "I`d like to help her." And he`s making good on that promise.
So yey, Mel.
HAMMER: The truth is they have both been through the wringer despite the fact that they`re generations apart, so I suppose there is some relatability there.
Michael Yo, what do you think? We`ve heard that Mel and his wife are trying to help get Brit back on track. What do you think Mel`s lethal weapon is here?
MICHAEL YO, HOST, YO ON E!: You know what, I don`t know about his lethal weapon. But I do know -- I live in L.A. and the roads are safe for this weekend. That`s what I`m excited about. She`s not going to be in a car so nobody`s going to get in an accident. She`s not going to bump into anybody.
That`s the big story out of all this. It`s not Mel taking Britney on an island to Costa Rica. It`s the roads are safe in L.A. finally for a weekend.
HAMMER: Yes, Mel is not on the PCH either.
Howard Bragman, shed some serious light on this. What is the real deal here? What do you think is going on?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Well, I talked to somebody on Mel`s team today and actually Mel did reach out to Britney and he -- as we know, he slayed his own demons along the way and he wanted to help. And they`ve developed a friendship. They`ve been seen out to dinner in L.A. and this is just an extension of that.
And besides, she wasn`t invited to the Osmond`s family reunion.
HARRIS: Yes.
BRAGMAN: So this is got to be a lot more fun than that, doesn`t it?
HAMMER: Nothing else to do there. You know -- yes, on the surface, it definitely does seem ridiculous and that`s still what I`m kind of thinking ever since I first heard about this trip.
But Janelle, do you think "Mad Max" is exactly what Brit Brit really needs?
SNOWDEN: I think it can`t hurt. You know at this point, Britney needs all the help the she can get. And if Mel is the person to give it to her then I`m not mad at him. Let her go there. Let her see if she can be rehabilitated, you know, maybe under the Costa Rican sun. She`s got her father there to make sure that she doesn`t fall off the wagon. She`s got Mel there, the kind of keeper within the range as well.
So who knows? Stranger things have happened for sure.
HAMMER: Britney, we just have this appeal please. Wear a sunblock.
Now let`s move on to another story that also has us saying, "Are You Kidding Me? Lindsay Lohan starring in a new music video with Pharrell Williams. That`s not the big news, my friends. The big news is the video that the thrice rehabbed Lindsay is in. It`s called "Everybody Nose." That`s N-O-S-E. And the video, which is now all over the Internet, is all about women getting coked up in a club.
What the heck is Lindsay thinking?
Michael Yo, come on, given how Lindsay desperately needs to change her image, is this really just one of the stupidest thing she`s ever done?
YO: Yes, this is probably -- well, I wouldn`t say that. Running into a tree was pretty bad and then going into a police station with cocaine in your pocket was the second dumbest thing.
Yes, this is the third dumbest thing she could have done. I don`t understand what`s going on with Lindsay Lohan. Maybe she should ask, like her parents for -- oh, wait a minute, she can`t do that either because they`re not a good inspiration. I just think she needs some guidance right now.
Lindsay Lohan, get it together. You do not need to be in this Pharrell video seriously.
HAMMER: Yes, this is big on the dumb list. And as I mentioned, this video is all over the Internet and, of course, the bloggers are having a field day with this one. And I want to read to you what one of them wrote, quote, "Memo to Lindsay Lohan`s publicist: in trying to get your client past her dreaded `Coke Pants` days, did you think having her cameo in N.E.R.D.`s `Everyone Nose" was really the best idea?"
Now, Howard Bragman, I want to go to you on this because, obviously, not every star is lucky enough to have you as their publicist. But can you please tell me, is there a publicist on the planet earth or, for that matter, the entire galaxy and Milky Way, who would say, yes, this is a pretty good idea?
BRAGMAN: Well, I think the publicist for the Colombian drug cartel is having a good day today. He`s happy. There`s a little celebrity association there.
HAMMER: That`s not your dig, Howard, right? Just to be clear.
BRAGMAN: No. They`re not my client.
HAMMER: OK. Want to make sure there`s no conflict of interest here.
BRAGMAN: No, no. They`re not my client. This is about as stupid as you can get. You know how stupid it is, A.J.? We`re talking about how cool Britney looks going on vacation with Mel Gibson. That`s how stupid this is. OK?
HAMMER: Wow. And I`m wondering how it all came together. Do you think the conversation kind of went down like, "Yes, Lindsay, video that glorifies coke, great idea? Never mind that arresting -- nobody will put two and two together."
Well, guess what, here we are.
Michael Yo, who the heck in Lindsay`s camp actually approved this thing, do you think?
YO: I -- you know what, I don`t know who approved it. I know it wasn`t the parents. I don`t know who`s guiding Lindsay Lohan. But Mel Gibson, you need to bring that plane right back here right now and pick up Lindsay Lohan and take her to Costa Rica, too.
HAMMER: Somebody mentioned the idea that she needs guidance. And I think that`s a big part of the problem here. Lindsay doesn`t have anybody around her making good decisions at this point or maybe everybody is just in denial. And speaking of which, I just happened to sit down with Lindsay`s mom, Dina, and it seemed like she was totally oblivious to the drama that really has become Lindsay`s life.
Watch this. It`s pretty impressive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DINA LOHAN, LINDSAY LOHAN`S MOTHER: Lindsay`s on a fine path. But you`re believing what you read, which is kind of.
HAMMER: I`m sorry, but she was -- she did her jail. She was in rehab.
D. LOHAN: OK. I`ll.
HAMMER: . and she`s had difficulties. You do acknowledge that, right?
D. LOHAN: You know -- but regardless whether you`re in Hollywood or not, you`re going to stumble and fall and get up.
A. LOHAN: Nobody`s perfect.
D. LOHAN: You know we all have.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Let me be clear about what happened there. I had said, "You know, your daughter was in jail and in rehab." And she said something to the effect that, you know, well, don`t believe everything you read. Hello? You know, we have the mug shot. And I will have more from my interview with Dina Lohan coming up a little later in the show talking about the real reasons that she`s doing her new reality show, which I think is a silly idea.
Janelle, is mom as clueless as her daughter Lindsay when it comes to making decisions? It seems pretty apparent to me.
SNOWDEN: It certainly seems so. Like Michael said, I don`t know who`s advising Lindsay these days. I can`t imagine that any publicist in her right mind -- or his or her right mind would have agreed to have her star in that video. Lindsay probably just went in thinking it was something cool to do. It`s with Pharrell. He`s one of the hottest super producers and stars out here now. And not to mention he`s, like, you know, super cute.
So who knows what was going on behind the scenes there? Not saying anything. But I`m just saying, you know, if I`m a girl and Pharrell invites me to a video, I`m going to have a hard time saying no. So I don`t blame Lindsay in that regard.
But at the same time, has anyone reported that Lindsay has a record contract with Motown Records and she`s working on a new album? So it really wasn`t that surprising to me given the decisions she`s made in the past to then see her make this cameo. Maybe she got some kind of discounted producer rate because I hear Pharrell is working on her new album.
HAMMER: Well, I have a great idea and maybe you guys will try and then agree with me on this. Do you think Lindsay should fly to Costa Rica to join up with Britney and Mel and maybe put things back together?
Michael Yo, would you like to be there for a trip like that or be just fly on the wall there?
YO: Oh, yes. I love -- I would love to be a fly on the wall and maybe Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears can make an album together. Who knows? It could be fun.
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, would you say that`s the way she should be going right about now?
BRAGMAN: You know, Michael and I are going to get on a plane and go to Costa Rica. We`re going to take Lindsay with us tonight and just have a really good time with our Virgin coladas -- no, this is just bizarre. OK, A.J.? We joke, but this is so stupid.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRAGMAN: I mean there`s not even words to describe how bad this is. You try and avoid late-night jokes. And instead, she set herself up right to Leno.
HAMMER: Setting them up. (INAUDIBLE) them right there. Got to end it there.
BRAGMAN: Leno should send her flowers.
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, Janell Snowden, and Michael Yo, I thank you all.
And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime with new stuff being posted all the time at CNN.com/showbiztonight. Among the videos playing right now, Mariah Carey and what she`s now saying about her surprise wedding.
Well, Brad Pitt and Angelina`s big baby news. We are going to the Cannes Film Festival in France to talk about it. That`s where our very own Brooke Anderson has the scoop.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson at the Cannes Film Festival with Angelina Jolie and her co-stars, Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman, all talking to me about Angie`s big surprise that she and Brad Pitt are having twins. Wait until you hear what they told me, coming up.
HAMMER: Can`t wait to see it. Brooke has all the inside dish from Cannes and we`re going to France to find out what the buzz is about. We will do that next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also, yes, you don`t want to miss this, my revealing chat with Dina Lohan. She`s putting Lindsay`s little sister in a reality show. And I got to tell you, I wasn`t going to and I didn`t hold back when I sat down with her. I asked Dina flat-out if the show was more of a way for her, Dina, to get famous. Her answer coming up.
And even before the news of the twins, Brad and Angelina have had to deal with so much attention, you know, the kind of stuff that has smashed other Hollywood relationships to smithereens. So I want to know, how do Brad and Angie manage to make the relationship work? Brad tells us in his own words. That is still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Ellen`s gay marriage, are you happy for her? Keep voting, CNN.com/showbiz tonight, or e-mail us at showbiztonight@CNN.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Saturday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT this weekend, Marilyn Monroe wannabes. Young stars trying desperately to be the next Marilyn, even getting naked. A special report at 11:00 p.m. Easter and Pacific.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you ready?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was born ready.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Believe it or not, "Kung Fu Panda" is the film getting the most buzz at the Cannes Film Festival. And that would be thanks to its very pregnant star, Angelina Jolie.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, yes, Angelina, baby mania. Ever since the news broke that Angelina Jolie is pregnant with twins, the Cannes festival cannot stop buzzing about the big news.
Our own Brooke Anderson joins us now from Cannes, France, where she`s been covering all of the big Brad and Angelina baby news -- Brooke?
ANDERSON: A.J., Angelina Jolie is the talk of the Cannes Film Festival but not because of the film she`s here to promote. Now everybody here is in a dither after her "Kung Fu Panda" co-star Jack black let the news slip that she is expecting twins.
Now I caught up with Angelina at the after-party for the film`s premier Thursday night. She and Brad were the first to arrive and I asked Angelina why she kept the news of her twins secret for so long.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: It seems like any woman. You just -- you -- we want to wait until you feel that you`re past a certain time in your pregnancy.
ANDERSON (voice over): Further down the carpet, she claims she was happy she can now be open about her pregnancy. I kind of wonder if she`s just being nice so Jack Black doesn`t feel terrible about the whole thing. Listen to what jack told me about accidentally letting the cat out of the bag.
JACK BLACK, ACTOR: I felt bad. But you know, I only knew what everybody knew because I read it in, like, "The Enquirer" or something. And I thought it was common knowledge. I think everyone`s making a big deal out of nothing.
ANDERSON: Now they`re co-star Dustin Hoffman is really incredulous that Angelina`s news is the center of attention.
DUSTIN HOFFMAN, ACTOR: She`s just pregnant. That`s all. It`s as simple as that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So Brooke, is there any concern that the focus has been on Angelina`s twins instead of the movies?
ANDERSON: No, there`s really not that concern, A.J., because, if anything, the buzz about the news of her twins is really bringing more exposure and more publicity to the films that she`s promoting. And speaking of that, she`s also here at the Cannes Film Festival to taut the movie "Changeling" from Clinton Eastwood.
So expect to see and hear more from Angelina over the next few days and we will, of course, bring that you. Back over to you.
HAMMER: Brooke, (speaking in foreign language) and keep watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for all the latest headlines from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson right there at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
Well, Lindsay Lohan`s mom Dina is fighting back against criticism that her upcoming new reality show with her 14-year-old daughter Ali has more to do with her getting famous and not her kid.
This show is called "Living Lohan" and Dina has really gotten slammed for doing it, especially given how many people are saying Lindsay`s downfall had so much to do with being so famous at such a young age.
I spoke with both Ali and Dina and take a look at what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (on camera): Dina, you said that "Living Lohan" is a lot about setting the records straight so let`s set the record straight on something. There are those who have said that this is more about you being on TV and using your kid`s fame for your own gain. What do you say to people who say that?
D. LOHAN: Well, first of all, the word fame, you know, my daughters are talented and you know, Lindsay`s a talented actor and that`s her craft. Ali loves the business as well. So it`s not about fame. It`s just about protection as a parent. And I think Ali has already been ridiculed before she`s even out there. And I think just to show her, you know, in what she does and who we really are.
And they say -- they are saying I`m that person and I`m completely opposite. And when you watch this show, you`ll see that.
A. LOHAN: The main point is she`s not some freak mom who`s a backstage mom. She`s just like any other mother in America who is helping their kids fulfill their dreams in life.
She`s not a freak mom who`s backstage and does all this stuff. She`s just regular mom at home taking my little brother to soccer, helping me with my music and everything.
D. LOHAN: 6:30, I have to pick them up.
(CROSSTALK)
D. LOHAN: I`m a soccer mom and a designated driver today to five little boys.
HAMMER: It will be refreshing for people to see that. I think that`s important. In the end, what is it that you most hope, Ali, to get out of doing the show, "Living Lohan"?
A. LOHAN: Like I said, just for people to see that I love singing and acting. And I just really love doing it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: "Living Lohan" makes its debut on Memorial Day weekend on E!
Well, Star Jones is presiding over the bad girls. Yes, Star is hosting a reunion of Oxygen Networks "Bad Girls Club." Now if you haven`t seen this show, it throws seven self-proclaimed bad girls into a mansion together and, of course, chaos ensued.
This is Star`s first gig since her own talk show got canceled and she announced her divorce. Now things got pretty heated during the "Bad Girls" reunion taping when one bad girl accused another of being a, quote, "cheeseburger away" from being obese.
Now take a look at how Star came to the rescue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STAR JONES, HOST: If I punched every (EXPLETIVE DELETED) who called me fat, it would be dead (EXPLETIVE DELETED) all up and down the house. OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And that`s why I got out of control and I (INAUDIBLE) on anybody, but it just got there.
JONES: Lord, help me, I do pray. Well, we took the last commercial break, as you can imagine, to calm the situation down because it had gotten a little heated and all the ladies agreed that, although we had some unfinished business, we were going to conduct ourselves in a way that represented exactly who we are and who we want to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And you can see Star Jones hosting "The Bad Girls Club Season Two Reunion" Tuesday on Oxygen.
Well, of course, the big news from the Cannes Film Festival this year, as our own Brooke Anderson has reported, Brad and Angelina confirming they are expecting twins. They`re not married but you know, Brad and Angie have, to me, what looks to be one of the strongest families in Hollywood. How do they make their relationship work?
Brad in his own words coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And you can check out SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime. Download our free podcast over there on our Web site, which is CNN.com/showbiztonight, or you can also download it on iTunes by typing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT into the search box.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It is time now for "Making It Work." This is where we take a look at couples who manage to build strong relationships despite the glare of Hollywood.
Tonight, what better example really than Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Of course, they have just confirmed that they`re expecting twins, adding to a family that is arguably the most famous in the world.
Brad Pitt was on "LARRY KING LIVE" in New Orleans talking about his "Make It Right" campaign to rebuild the Ninth Ward there. And Larry asked him how he and Angelina make their family life work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: The biggest problem when both parents are successful in the same field?
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: I`m sure that, I`m sure that`s a weight on kids.
KING: Must have problems.
PITT: But hopefully, we -- you know, I`ll probably be have worn out my welcome by the time they`re old enough to really realize it. And it won`t be that important or overshadowing.
KING: How about effect on life, though, your own life and.
PITT: How so?
KING: . and Angelina`s life? She gets a film offer to do a film in Paris. You`ve got a film offered to do a film in Brazil?
PITT: Oh we.
KING: More children?
PITT: Yes, we take.
KING: She likes her script. You like her script.
PITT: No, we just -- we keep the brood together. That`s a law of ours. So we`ll take turns and make sure we get time off in between for everyone.
KING: How about the attention afforded your children, good or bad?
PITT: Truthfully, I worry about that. I`m very concerned about that. Call out my kids by names and shove cameras in their faces and I really believe there should be laws against that. I mean my kids believe that anytime you go outside the house, there`s just a wall of photographers and people that take your pictures.
That is their view of the world. And I worry about the affect it`ll have on them. But we`ll do our best.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Great job despite all the pressure they face with the twins on the way. By the way, Brad and Angelina`s bunch will be made up of six, count them six, kids.
Well, on Thursday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day asking, Brad and Angelina having twins, will their relationship last? Most of you think so. Sixty percent of you anyway saying yes, 40 percent saying no.
Among the e-mails we received we heard from Karen in California who writes, "Why don`t they get married? It`s disgusting. Those poor kids."
On the other side, we heard from Eileen of Maryland who writes, "I am cynical about most relationships, but I honestly feel that they have a deep love, respect and purpose in being together."
Well, 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. Easter, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" coming up next.
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