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Showbiz Tonight
Was the DNC Too Hollywood?; Rosario Dawson on Voto Latino; P. Diddy`s Gas Pain; Lindsay Lohan`s Word War with Her Dad; Casting the Presidential Election Movie; Steven Spielberg`s Tribute to War Veterans; Jennifer Lopez on Being a Mother
Aired August 28, 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: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, so much hype, so many stars. But did the Democratic National Convention go too Hollywood? And could it backfire on Barack?
Plus the Britney Spears connection to his acceptance speech. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Hollywood convention heat.
Casting the presidential election movie. Who should play the Obamas, who should play the McCains. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a presidential casting call.
Plus, Diddy`s gas pain. Tonight, the remarkable video of the fabulously wealthy Sean Diddy Combs going off about not being able to afford fuel for his private plane. And having to fly commercial. Oh, the indignity. Are you kidding me? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood on a historic night, the night Barack Obama formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination.
Well, Hollywood`s biggest stars are right there in Denver as Barack Obama is now the first African-American to become the presidential nominee of a major party in America. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there`s a lot of grumbling that the star power could all actually backfire on Barack. It`s the big story making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): It`s an epic event with an A-list cast of thousands. Big- time filmmakers and top-notch music. And a big-time stage that resembled a rock concert, or in this case, a Ba-rock concert. Are we talking a sweeping Hollywood epic? Close. We`re talking about the Democratic National Convention.`
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": It`s just really so much like a Hollywood production.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Barack Obama and the Democrats pulled out the big guns for their convention bringing all the glitz and glamour and production value of Hollywood.
SERAFIN: The Democratic convention almost seems more like it`s the Oscars than a convention.
TOM HANKS (voice over): Today`s soldiers walk in the footsteps of all those who went before.
HAMMER: You can`t say big Hollywood production without saying Spielberg. The big-time director put together a stirring tribute to veterans that was narrated by Tom Hanks and shown at the convention Wednesday night.
HANKS: They`re at the height of their youth and promise and they choose to answer a timeless call.
HAMMER: A major dose of cinematic star power for what`s supposed to be a dry political event, right?
SERAFIN: It`s got to be a pretty big thing for Steven Spielberg to get involved.
HAMMER: Yes, it was a big thing. And in the run-up to Obama`s acceptance speech, he had a big-time opening act. The convention lined up musical appearances from Melissa Ethridge, Sheryl Crow, John Legend, and Will I-Am.
But the biggest thing about the convention was the stage set up at Denver`s Invesco field for Obama`s acceptance speech. It was reportedly designed by the same guy who designed the stage for a Britney Spears concert tour. Fortunately, Obama didn`t employ Britney`s costume designer.
Even before Obama took the stage, Republicans and some in the media started ridiculing it as an obnoxious ego trip. Democrats cried hypocrisy, saying the stage where President Bush gave his last convention speech wasn`t too shabby either.
But despite all the sniping, both Republicans and Democrats can certainly agree that conventions need to be TV-friendly, because, well, let`s face it, they are on TV.
SERAFIN: At the end of the day, it`s television and you want people to watch and you have to keep it entertaining. So it is going to be a big spectacle on both sides of the aisle.
HAMMER: And as John McCain and the Republicans get ready for their convention in Minnesota, TV viewers can rest assured that will also be a show fit for Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: As we`ve been saying, so many stars at the DNC including "Sin City" star Rosario Dawson. She`s actually taken a lot of time off her very busy schedule particularly for this presidential election, but not specifically to support Barack Obama or even John McCain. She`s pushing people to vote with "Voto Latino." It`s a nonpartisan group that she co- founded and she`s taking her message to both conventions. So when I caught up with her, I had to ask does she even care which candidate people vote for?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSARIO DAWSON, ACTRESS: Well, of course, obviously, as a citizen I absolutely care. But I think it`s not my duty to tell people who to vote for. I think what`s really important is that we don`t have the numbers showing up. When you have women that are 51 percent of the population but they`re not showing up and you have the youth vote that are not showing up. And I think it`s more important how I was raised that my voice matters, and I think I want to use whatever influence I have to let everyone know that their voice matters and that their silence should not ring louder than their vote.
HAMMER: And I`ve got to say you`re doing this in a very funny way. The spoofs on telenovelas that you`ve done as PSAs urging people to get out there and vote are really terrific and very funny. You`ve got Wilmer Valderrama to work with you on one of them.
I`ve got a little time here. I don`t suppose you`d mind if I showed that to people, would you?
DAWSON: No. He`s directed them as well, so please.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera): There`s nothing that you can tell me that will change the way that I feel.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Did you know he did not register to vote?
DAWSON: But it`s so easy.
WILMER VALDERRAMA, ACTOR: I never really thought that voting ever mattered.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: No!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I just think that`s terrific. What kind of reaction have you gotten to these PSAs?
DAWSON: It`s been tremendous. You know, we`re a small organization. We don`t have a lot of money, and we know that Latinos are on the Internet, so we figure why not? We can save costs, use whatever money we do have for programs that we think are really important initiative-wise and have the message be viral because that`s so much of what voter registration is about.
It`s not about us forcing people to register to vote. It`s about us communicating as a community and saying this is important. So if we put out a viral message out there, it could work. And it doesn`t have to be something that`s heavy-handed. It could be something that`s really fun.
HAMMER: Well, I`ve got to ask you about your celebrity involvement. You said that it is important for you to use your celebrity to help effect change. And I noticed in your mission statement for "Voto Latino," it says you use celebrity voices for change. Now, as you may know, Kid Rock got a firestorm started when he essentially said that celebrities should keep their nose out of politics. I`ve got to tell you, I don`t particularly agree with him myself. I imagine you don`t either.
DAWSON: To some degree, I understand. I think what he more specifically is talking about are people necessarily kind of going really strongly overboard and going, "Because you like my TV show, you should vote the way I vote." Now, to some degree, I kind of agree personally. That`s why I don`t use my celebrity to kind of champion any one individual. I think it`s about mobilizing people in the entire political process.
Because it`s just this campaign. It`s about the next one and the next one and the next one. Now, if these different celebrities are not going to won`t be there all through the year and every year and not just every four years, then I can understand how their influence can sometimes be a little distracting.
HAMMER: Well, as I`m sure you`ve heard, there`s been quite a bit of criticism of all these celebrities converging on Denver to support Barack Obama as if it`s a bad thing. Why do you think so many people are saying that all the celebrity involvement could potentially backfire on Barack Obama?
DAWSON: Well, you know what? I think what`s really important about it is that it`s not people just sort of being attracted to what`s hot right now. And so I think when people aren`t really educated on the actual initiatives and the issues and what we`re here to be discussing, it takes away from the importance of what`s happening right now.
And that`s why I think it`s really important to be very careful about how you approach something like this. They haven`t had a convention here in 100 years. This is really important to Denver, and if you`re going to be cramping up the streets, be it because you really care and you`re an involved citizen that`s enthusiastic about the political process, not just one person that you like so much. It really has got to be larger than that.
HAMMER: Well, if you take a look around at all of the celebrities who are speaking their minds about politics and who they support these days, it does seem that so many more celebrities are endorsing or getting behind Barack Obama than John McCain. Why do you think that is?
DAWSON: Well, I think, you know, people tend to vote for who they look like, and not necessarily actually physically but you know, who they seem like. So you`ll have young voters voting for the younger candidate. So I think that`s what we`re really seeing. People vote for people they think really have their issues at heart, so that`s what I think is really - you know, Hollywood is very young, and that`s where I think that really kind of, you know, boils down to. But you`ve got - I`m going to be at the RNC in Minneapolis next week, and there are going to be a lot of celebrities there as well.
HAMMER: Well, Rosario, best of luck with "Voto Latino." And I do appreciate you taking the time to speak with us at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
DAWSON: Thank you.
HAMMER: Thanks a lot.
DAWSON: Absolutely. Thank you.
HAMMER: And for more on Rosario Dawson`s get-out-to-vote group, head on over to the Web site, "VotoLatino.org."
And now, we`d like to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Celebrity Endorsements: Do they help presidential candidates?" What do you think? Let us know at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., I know one of the biggest issues in this presidential election is gas prices.
HAMMER: Yes, obviously, Brooke, it`s affecting everybody. But you`ve got to hear this remarkable rant from our friend Sean Diddy Combs, obviously one of the richest guys around about his pain at the pump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN DIDDY COMBS, RAP ARTIST: I want to give a shout-out to all my Saudi Arabian brothers and sisters, and all my brothers and sisters at (UNINTELLIGIBLE), please send me some oil for my jet. I would truly appreciate it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Diddy, I love you. You may have lost your mind. Diddy`s gas pains. He`s going off about not being able to afford to fill up his private jet, and having to fly commercial. Are you kidding me? That`s next.
ANDERSON: And it`s all-out war again between Lindsay Lohan and her dad, Michael. Lindsay is furious about what he`s been saying about her good friend, Samantha Ronson. Tonight, Lindsay is laying down a serious challenge to her dad, and we`ve got that, next.
HAMMER: And our continuing coverage of the Democratic National Convention, "Hollywood Votes." Are you ready for it? We are casting the presidential election movie. Who should play the Obamas? Who should play the McCains? You think about it and see if it matches up with the showbiz casting call, which is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COMBS: Can you believe this? I`m actually flying commercial. That`s how high gas prices are, OK? I feel you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Poor Diddy - Sean Diddy, Puff Daddy, whatever - Combs goes off on a rant about having to fly commercial airlines because fuel for private plane costs too much. Oh, the pain!
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, two celebrity rants that are making news right now. First up, Sean Diddy Combs has gas pains. He`s complaining in a YouTube video that he`s had to resort to flying commercial airlines because his private jet is too expensive to fuel.
And Lindsay Lohan is ripping into her dad on her MySpace blog for his public comments about her attached-at-the-hip buddy Samantha Ronson.
With me tonight from New York, April Woodard, senior correspondent for "Inside Edition." Also in New York, Dawn Yanek, editor-at-large for "Life and Style Weekly."
April, Dawn, I`ve got to tell you, I never thought that I would see the day when Diddy - perish the thought - would start flying commercial and apparently neither did he. Take a look at what he had to say about his personal gas crisis in this YouTube video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COMBS: As you know, I do own my own jet, but I`ve been having to fly back and forth to L.A. pursuing my acting career, OK? Now, if I`m flying back and forth like twice in a month, that`s like $250,000 roundtrip. This is proof that gas prices are too high, OK? We need to do something about this or tell whoever the next president is we need to bring gas prices down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, brother. This is just too much for me. Dawn, should we feel sorry for Diddy? Should we perhaps take up a collection? I mean, how bad is the economy if even Diddy has to fly commercial?
DAWN YANEK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": I know. It`s crazy. You know, when our uber-rich celebrities are American royalty, really - when they have to ground their private jets and start flying commercial with the common people, you know the economy is in a really, really bad state.
ANDERSON: You know, so many people are suffering, losing their homes, barely able to fuel up a car to get to work, trying to make ends meet. He`s talking about his private jet. It`s just asinine, but it does seem from the video that he was kidding maybe just a little.
But still, with so many Americans having a really difficult time right now with the state of this economy, April, I`m guessing he`s not going to get a lot of sympathy, is he?
APRIL WOODARD, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": Oh no, there would be no Diddy pity either from the - I just think, you know, Diddy can`t fly his planes, we can`t drive our cars. It`s all relative, really.
ANDERSON: Yes. And the point he`s trying to make, that gas prices are out of control, is a good one. But the way he chose to make it - just terrible. I mean, who can relate to that? My goodness gracious.
All right. I need to move on. I could go on and on about this.
But also new right now, ladies, Lindsay Lohan telling her dad to just zip it. Her dad Michael had accused her friend and constant companion Samantha Ronson of using Lindsay. Well, on Lindsay`s blog she slams her dad for talking to the press about her relationship writing, quote, "If you have something to say to me, say it to my face."
And she also writes this, "He has become a public embarrassment and a bully - to my family, my coworkers, my friends and a girl that means the world to me (it`s obvious who that is). He has no idea what is going on in my life because I have chosen not to involve him in it - his recent attack on my life and my loved ones is simply for an addiction that he has - fame."
And I want to mention any misspellings there are not ours. Those are Lindsay`s. Dawn, though, is it remarkable that she is airing their dirty laundry like this?
YANEK: It is pretty amazing, because of course, that`s exactly what she`s slamming him for. But that said, you know, even though Lindsay is getting healthier and she`s getting better, and she`s staying out of the public spotlight in a negative way. You know, she`s still not known for her fantastic choices.
And you get the sense she was just so angry that she had to say something. But of course, what she didn`t realize was this was just adding fuel to the fire. And you know Michael Lohan is going to come back with yet another response. This is such a vicious cycle.
ANDERSON: Yes. They just can`t help themselves. And regardless of who is right here, it`s just messed up. And April, isn`t it strange that like Dawn says, Lindsay is speaking out about her dad by going public - by going public herself on her Internet blog?
WOODARD: Exactly. They`ve had problems for the longest time. They supposedly had gotten back together, but apparently, I guess, the separation has continued. And you know, reportedly, I`ve spoken to Michael Lohan before. Reportedly, he`s a born-again Christian. He`s concerned about this friend DJ Ronson writing a tell-all book. He`s afraid she`s sliding her alcohol under the table allegedly and it may just be a case of, you know, the daddy is trying to worry about his daughter. Who knows if it`s daddy-knows-best here in this case.
ANDERSON: Yes. Maybe he is just being a concerned father. And by the way, Samantha Ronson responded in her book that there is not now and never will be a tell-all written by her.
But between Lindsay attacking her father in public, her father talking about her private affairs in public, Lindsay`s mom being slammed for putting her 14-year-old child on a reality show and plus their very public and bitter divorce. Dawn, does it blow your mind how dysfunctional this has all become? It`s sad.
YANEK: In a word, yes. I mean, just when you think it can`t get crazier, it does. But I really think what these people need is a parenting manual - How to Deal you`re your Celebrity Son(sic)." And I think Michael Lohan additionally needs Communication 101, a manual for that. Because if you have a problem with your daughter, with somebody in your life, don`t go talking to the rest of the world about it. Talk to the person that you`re worried about. It`s just common sense.
ANDERSON: Celebrity Parenting 101. Good idea, Dawn. Dawn Yanek, April Woodard, we`ll leave it there for now. Thank you both. We appreciate it.
YANEK: Thank you.
WOODARD: Thank you.
HAMMER: Brooke, I`ve got to tell you, all this back and forth between Lindsay and her dad kind of feels like some bad Hollywood movie, doesn`t it?
ANDERSON: It does, A.J. And I really hope they can work things out.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, I`m casting the presidential election movie. There`s so many stars out there at the Democratic National Convention, so SHOWBIZ TONIGHT playing casting directors. Who should play the Obamas, the McCains, even Bill and Hillary? That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER LOPEZ, ACTRESS AND SINGER: My whole world changed when I became a mother. You know, it`s almost like you become a mother to every child in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jennifer Lopez is at the DNC talking about the importance of voting, and she`s also opening up about being a mommy. You`ve got to hear what she says. We`ve got it coming up.
HAMMER: And if you think Michael Phelps is like the Energizer Bunny in the pool, wait until you hear what he`s up to now out of the pool. Is he launching a TV career? You`ll find out, next.
Now, make sure you check out the free ever-changing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast. You`ll find it by going to our Web site CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also get it on iTunes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM DALY, ACTOR: Barack Obama is talking about something that we haven`t heard in a long time. He`s talking about things like hope. He`s talking about imagining a better future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Hey, did you see this? It`s the food fighting you won`t get out of your high school cafeteria for. It`s La Tomatina, the annual tomato throwing party in Spain. Nobody knows how this messy thing got started, but it`s been going on for 60 years or so. I`d love to try that at the CNN cafeteria. Now, we`ll put some tomatoes.
Well, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer with more stories new right now.
Record-breaking Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps will host the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live." It`s going to happen on September 13th. Great pick. Phelps is also going to present at the MTV Video Music Awards next month.
And Kate Moss - of course, she`s the one who started out that whole waif-look thing. She`s getting supersized. The British Museum in London is going to display a gold statue of the supermodel. The artist says it is the largest gold statue built since ancient Egypt and it weighs about 100 pounds. Wow.
ANDERSON: A.J., you know, I don`t know if Kate Moss would make the cast of our presidential election movie, but there are plenty of other stars that we`re considering. Tonight, we`re playing casting director. Who should play the Obamas? Who should play the McCains, even Bill and Hillary? The showbiz presidential election movie, coming up.
And Steven Spielberg`s short film about America`s veterans was so moving at the Democratic National Convention. So tonight, we are showing you the entire emotional movie.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOPEZ: My whole world changed when I became a mother. You know, it`s almost like you become a mother to every child in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jennifer Lopez, just one of the many stars at the Democratic National Convention out in Denver. Not only does she open up to us about voting, she reveals some very personal things about how motherhood has changed her. You definitely don`t want to miss this. It is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Hollywood Votes," casting the presidential election movie. Who should play the Obamas? Who should play the McCains? Come on, you`ve thought about it. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the presidential casting call.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANKS (voice over): Today`s soldiers walk in the footsteps of all those who went before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: An amazing tribute to America`s veterans. Tonight, Steven Spielberg`s emotional film that moves everyone at the Democratic National Convention. The entire movie, coming up. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is casting the presidential election movie. You know somebody is going to be making a movie about all the characters in this historic battle between Barack Obama and John McCain. So we are casting the movie even before it begins shooting. Now, think how you would cast this particular movie, and we`ll see if you agree with our particular choices.
Let us now kick off our casting call with our casting experts tonight. In New York, April Woodard who is senior correspondent for "Inside Edition." From Hollywood tonight, and Tanika Ray, correspondent for "Extra."
All right. April, Tanika, we`ve got to begin with the Obamas. The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff has been working feverishly all day. In fact, we stayed here through the night trying to come up with exactly the right people to play these roles. We came up with Will "I Can Do Anything" Smith as Barack Obama, pairing him with the lovely Regina King has Michelle. We think a very convincing Obama couple there. If you caught this MTV interview that he did for his movie, Hancock, Will Smith said he thinks he would make the perfect Obama because of his ears.
April, starting with you, do the ears have it?
WOODARD: The ears have it, A.J. Absolutely. I think that Will Smith`s ears tell it all. Plus, he`s a great actor. And I love Regina King, but I`m not sure she`s not the right height. So I would suggest Aisha Tyler - remember, the black girl from "Friends?"
TANIKA RAY, "EXTRA" CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
HAMMER: Oh, yes.
WOODARD: She`s six feet tall. I think she would be the perfect Michelle Obama.
HAMMER: OK. A lot of people - you know, the Regina King character or casting got a lot of votes. You know, she gave that very feisty performance in Jerry Maguire, f course, playing Cuba Gooding Jr.`s wife.
Tanika, what do you think? Regina a good Michelle or - I`m going to throw one out there. I have come up with Halle Berry on my own.
RAY: Oh, well, yes. Halle Berry can always rock it. But you know what? Will Smith, of course. He has the ears and more importantly, he has the charm. And I think he`s a hands-down vote for playing Obama.
But I think for Michelle, I would rather go in the direction of maybe a Gabrielle Union.
RAY: Oh.
HAMMER: Oh.
I think that they rocked it so much in "Bad Boys," and I think I`d love to see them again in a more regal air. I think it would be fantastic.
HAMMER: I`m just curious to see how many times in the course of the segment we`ll all go, "Oh."
RAY: Oh.
WOODARD: Oh.
HAMMER: Let me throw this one out at you and see how you respond. Denzel Washington? Oh.
RAY: Always a winner.
WOODARD: Yes.
HAMMER: Actress Kerry Washington. By the way, those two are not related. What do you think, April? Perhaps Denzel even better playing Barack than Will Smith?
WOODARD: Two beautiful people. Denzel is gorgeous.
RAY: Yes.
WOODARD: Kerry is gorgeous. But I`m still partial to Will because I just think that he`s got the smile. He`s got the ears. He`s got the talent. Like Tanika said, he has the charm. And I love Kerry Washington, too, but I`m still pulling for my girl Aisha.
HAMMER: We`ve got to move on to some other castings here because Bill and Hillary Clinton obviously a big part of this story. A pretty convincing clip was dug out - actually, I believe it showed up just before Hillary spoke the other night of Amy Poehler playing Hillary Clinton on "Saturday Night Live." Look at that. So we paired her up with Will Ferrell ...
RAY: Perfect.
HAMMER: ... yes - as Bill Clinton. Tanika, are you laughing or crying at this?
RAY: And laughing all the way to their bank accounts. I think that`s perfect. I really do. I think you can`t get much better than that.
But when it comes to politicians, I mean, to do a serious, dramatic movie is OK, but you`re going to make the big bucks at the box office making fun of everything they`ve done in the White House. So I think that`s the way to go.
HAMMER: OK. But we did look at it from the dramatic side, too. And a lot of people thought the idea of John Travolta might be good because he actually played Bill in the movie "Primary Colors" and we think that paired with Meryl Streep. So should we go, April, perhaps with a proven cinematic Hill and Bill?
WOODARD: Well, I`m just so for the comedy because there`s so many things to laugh at.
RAY: Yes.
WOODARD: Bill and Hillary - I just think that, you know, I would go for the comedy. I would go see a comedy about Bill and Hillary.
HAMMER: Wouldn`t it be something to see them having a tomato fight with the Obamas? I don`t know where I came up with that idea.
(CROSS TALK)
Watch the show and you`ll understand. The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff also argued all day over who could possibly play John McCain and his lovely wife Cindy. Well, a lot of people with the idea of Richard Dreyfus and Sharon Stone. Tanika, what do you think?
RAY: Yawn. I`m bored. I`m bored. I`d like to spice it up a little bit. I`m thinking about Zsa Zsa Gabor`s husband, that Prinz von Anhalt - whatever his name. And for Cindy, I would go more with one of those chicks from the Rock of Love. That is a winner to me.
HAMMER: I`ve got to say I`ve sat down with Richard Dreyfus before. I`m pretty familiar with his politics. I don`t even he`d consider playing the role of John McCain unless they backed a truckful of money to his bank or something like that.
Now, some years ago there were reports floating around that Warren Beatty was thinking about running for office. Remember those? Of course, that would have been for him on the Democratic ticket. April, what do you think, perhaps Warren and - wait for it - Nicolette Sheridan? Maybe would they make a more convincing McCain couple?
WOODARD: If I had to pick out of the four, I would definitely go with Richard Dreyfus and Sharon Stone.
RAY: Really?
WOODARD: Richard because there`s going to be controversy because he`s a Democrat. He`s at the convention right now. And you know, what is it going to take for him to play it? What`s his interpretation of McCain?
In addition, when I look at Cindy McCain, I see a beautiful woman with perfectly coifed hair, every suit, every piece of her is in perfect shape. She`s sexy. She`s classy. And Sharon Stone makes me think, "What`s behind that suit?"
HAMMER: Yes. Well, look at this picture, though. I mean, if you see that - I don`t know. I thought it was pretty good casting. Tanika, what are we missing here with this casting?
RAY: Humor? I just think it`s boring. I think if you`re going to do a political movie, you have to spice it up. You have to take it to the next level. I mean, nobody wants to go see - We have a reality show playing out in front of us every day watching television, waiting for this election to happen. I just think if you take it too seriously and too dry, it just people are going to be uninterested.
I think Richard Dreyfus is a brilliant actor. I think Sharon Stone is great. I just don`t know if they would do the best performance. I think that will be - OK, maybe documentary. Maybe four people will see it. But if you really want people to go to the movie theater, you`ve got to take it to the next level.
HAMMER: April, I`m going to put you on the spot here.
WOODARD: Yes?
HAMMER: Chelsea Clinton.
WOODARD: Oh. You didn`t even give me a chance to think about that. Tanika and I have to talk.
HAMMER: Jump in, Tanika.
RAY: Hi, April.
WOODARD: Hi, Tanika.
HAMMER: OK.
WOODARD: That`s a tough one.
HAMMER: I`ll tell you what. You guys think about it.
WOODARD: One of the Olsen twins.
HAMMER: Send me an E-mail. Yes, and perhaps Mary-Kate Olsen as Chelsea Clinton.
RAY: What about Amber from the "Traveling Sisterhood?"
HAMMER: What about that?
WOODARD: Yes.
RAY: Yes, she`d be good.
HAMMER: All right. Tanika and April, I appreciate you being here tonight.
WOODARD: Thanks. Bye.
RAY: Bye, April.
WOODARD: See you, Tanika.
ANDERSON: All right. We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Celebrity Endorsements: Do they help presidential candidates?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us - the address, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: You know, Brooke, the stars aren`t just talking about who they support. They are taking action themselves.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. Steven Spielberg, for one, actually produced a heart-wrenching film paying tribute to U.S. Troops.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANKS: They lay down their lives for the land and the dream that is America.
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ANDERSON: Straight ahead, Spielberg`s emotional tribute to the troops. We will be playing the mini-film in its entirety. You do not want to miss that.
HAMMER: Also, Jennifer Lopez is right there at the convention as well. But, you know, she`s got a lot more than politics on her mind. She`s opening up about motherhood and how children of her own have just changed her life. It`s J. Lo in her own words, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime you want. We are always posting new stuff for you to watch at our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Among the videos now playing, will Britney Spears perform at the Video Music Awards, and if she doesn`t, is she making a big mistake?
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And wait until you see what we are about to show you. One of the most emotional moments at the Democratic National Convention literally came straight out of Hollywood - a moving tribute to America`s military veterans played during the convention Wednesday night.
It was directed by none other than Hollywood heavyweight Steven Spielberg. The film narrated by Tom Hanks will bring tears to your eyes. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the heart-wrenching film in its entirety.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANKS: They come from every corner of the country with everything they look forward to - school, career, love, family. They`re at the height of their youth and promise and they choose to answer a timeless call.
JOHN PLUME, SOLDIER: I started thinking about what was I going to do with my life? I knew part of it was going to be to be part of the military.
MELISSA EPSTEIN MILLS, USMC 2002-2006: I wanted to participate in all the training. I wanted to know what it meant to be a Marine.
J.D. HENDERSON, U.S. ARMY: I enlisted because I felt that`s something that would make me a better citizen.
BALDWIN YEN, U.S. ARMY 1998-2006: Valentine`s Day - they told us our unit was being alerted and that we were deploying to Iraq. So I called my girlfriend. She was at work. She broke down crying.
JEREMY BENNETT, USMC: They kind of built it up like it was going to be a simple peace-keeping mission, win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, you know. We`re going to build schools and help out in the hospitals. When we got there, it turned into a fight.
M. MILLS: Anytime you went outside the wire, there was the chance something could happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were getting hit by ambushes, car bombs, suicide bombers. We lost 34 Marines over there. Guys that you`re working with every day, you`re reading those letters from home, sharing their mom`s cookies and stuff. And it hurts to see those guys go.
YEN: Eight soldiers have been killed by IED. There`s a standardized ceremony of the rifle stood up front with the boots and helmet. There`s a connection because especially in the field, you`re wearing - you`re wearing - you`re wearing the exact same gear.
HENDERSON: Some of those guys do it for 18 months, come home for less than a year and go do it again and then come home and then they go do it again.
HANKS: Today`s soldiers walk in the footsteps of all those who went before them in Iraq and Afghanistan. The line stretches back over history`s horizon, to the jungles in Vietnam, the mountains of Korea, the beaches or (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and Iwo Jima.
CHARLES A. GRAVES, U.S. ARMY: I had 38 men that I had to account for. We became the same as brothers, you know, or even closer than brothers.
YEN: When I tell people I`m an Iraq vet, they ask, "Were you afraid?" I`m like, "I remember there were two times that I was afraid. But I kept a diary and I go back to the diary and every entry is like I was afraid. I hate being afraid. I can`t wait to go home. So I`ve been afraid."
TERRON SIMS, U.S. ARMY: My dad told me once when I was at West Point, he says there`s nothing wrong for a man to fear but there`s something wrong with a man allowing fear to control his actions.
HANKS: Today`s troops face any fear with the kind of strength that only a truly diverse military can marshal., one that embraces heroes from every corner.
JOHN RAMOS, U.S. ARMY 1976-1979: It was a relief when I wore a uniform, that, "Guess what? I was a soldier of the United States Army." And it didn`t matter what color I was.
JANINE DAVIDSON, US AIR FORCE, 1988-1998: When I was in the Air Force, when not a lot of women flew airplanes, people would say, "What do you do here?" And I would say, "I fly airlines." And they would go, "You fly them?" And I`d say, "Yes." And they`d say, "But you actually fly them?"
HENDERSON: When I was an infantry officer, I was responsible for the lives of American soldiers. I wasn`t given millions dollars worth of equipment. I was given Americans, and it was my responsibility to make sure they all got home.
HANKS: After traveling so far and enduring so much, what is it like to feel a mother`s hug, a husband`s kiss, a child`s cheek again?
M. MILLS: I think back in the old days you would travel on a ship and you would have some time to decompress on your way transitioning out of a combat zone back into civilian life. Here, you know, one day you`re in Iraq, the next day you`re in Kuwait and the next day you`re in California.
JASON S. MILLS, USMC 1999-2004: I remember going into a really big bookstore, and everything looked so colorful, all these books. And everybody there shopping for the books looked so calm. And I remember thinking, "You guys have no idea what is going on on the other side of the planet right now."
BENNETT: It`s good to be home, but it`s hard, you know. It`s hard to transition. Every loud noise for a second is an explosion. It`s hard to talk to people about it, because you`re used to being so damn tough, and all of a sudden, you know, you`ve got all these stuff on your mind. You want to let it out, but you just can`t.
ARTIE GUERRERO, U.S. ARMY: I came back from Vietnam as a disabled vet. Families have to take care of us in wheelchairs. They have to help us get from the wheelchair to the bed. All the things that the public - general public doesn`t see - our families have to help us, our wives, our mothers and our fathers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) lost their eyes, lost hands, lost legs. The fight doesn`t stop over there. They`re here and they`re fighting to get healthy.
J. MILLS: If we determine whatever is happening in Iraq is so important that we need to send troops there to fight and die on our behalves, then we need to make sure that when they come back, we do everything within our power to take care of them.
STEPHANIE STONE, U.S. NAVY 20-YEAR VETERAN: Their families have a heck of a lot at risk as well. When I see the blue stars or the gold stars, that signifies a mother or a father who has a child in the war. Gold stars signify - the gold stars signify a loss - so a death of a child.
HANKS: We ask these men and women to turn themselves from civilians into soldiers. Then we ask them to go from warriors overnight to being colleagues, friends and parents again. Two monumental challenges, and yet generation after generation, they do it. They lay down their lives for the land and the dream that is America. A dream that is high on their shoulders and one that is on ours. No matter how different we appear from one another, we are there for one another. One nation, one people living in freedom. Freedom that is won and protected by these ordinary, extraordinary Americans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Just extremely touching, A.J. And it was really nice that the spotlight was put on veterans. All war veterans deserve the utmost respect sacrificing so much for this country. They`re true heroes.
HAMMER: Yes. No question about how touching and such a sign of the times, Brooke. I mean, think about it. You know, the convergence of Hollywood and politics. It is just undeniable, one of the most prolific filmmakers of our time, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks in there. It`s really amazing, what`s going on.
And moving on now, Steven Spielberg, one of dozens celebrities making an appearance at the convention. Jennifer Lopez is also in Denver. She`s got more than politics on her mind. She is opening up about being a new mom.
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LOPEZ: My whole world changed when I became a mother. You know, it`s almost like you become mother to every child in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jennifer Lopez speaks out on kids, and how her twins have inspired her to take on a brand-new project. That`s straight ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first, here`s a look at what`s new at the movies this week brought to you by Multi-Grain Cheerios Cereal - because it`s good.
Don Cheadle plays a U.S. Special Operations officer suspected of terrorist ties in the thriller, "Traitor." Vin Diesel plays a veteran- turned-mercenary in "Babylon A.D." And Carmen Electra and Kim Kardashian going for laughs in the parody "Disaster Movie."
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, Jennifer Lopez opens up about motherhood. Lopez and her husband, singer Marc Anthony, are the proud parents of six-month-old twins Max and Emmy. Since becoming a new mother, Lopez has taken on a tall order. She`s preparing for a triathlon and she`s also planning to launch her own children`s foundation.
Lopez is one of dozens of celebrities at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. She was there to honor Children`s Defense Fund pioneer Marion Wright Edelman. Lopez opened up to CNN about being a mom, and how having children of her own has changed her perspective on life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOPEZ: My whole world changed when I became a mother. You know, it`s almost like you become a mother to every child in the world. That`s how you feel because you know what it is to have a baby in your arms, to care for that baby and to want it to have all of the best things in life. And that`s what it comes down to.
You want them to have the best health care. You want them to have a great world to grow up in. You want them to have every opportunity that they can possibly have. And when you start looking at the world and saying, "Wait a minute, there`s holes here. There`s things that they can really use improvement. How can I do that? What can I do?" And that`s kind of what spawned the kind of urgency for me.
And my sister, who`s pregnant as well right now and about to give birth to her first child, this week, actually, to really want to do it now and not wait anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now, Lopez is working with her sister, Linda, to launch their new children`s foundation soon. But she said she encourages all people to get involved in any way they can in these types of issues. And A.J., she encourages everybody to vote to make a difference.
HAMMER: And congratulations though my old friend Linda Lopez, too. That`s terrific.
ANDERSON: Absolutely.
HAMMER: I did not know she was expecting. That`s how out of touch we are.
That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Thanks so much for watching.
Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
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