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Showbiz Tonight
Oprah Winfrey Under Fire for not Allowing Sarah Palin on Her Show; Elisabeth Hasselbeck Dissing Michelle Obama; Daytime TV and the Race for the White House; Britney Spears` Remarkable VMA Night; Virginity Controversies Involving the Jonas Brothers and Madonna; Patrick Swayze`s Surprise Appearance at a Cancer Fundraiser
Aired September 08, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Oprah-Elisabeth smackdown. Tonight, the outrage over Oprah`s message to Sarah Palin, "Not on my couch, you don`t." But is it wrong for Oprah to ban Palin from her show?
Plus, the story SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first broke, "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck going off on Michelle Obama. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the big-time daytime smackdown.
Britney`s remarkable VMA night. Britney Spears polite. Britney Spears, well-behaved. And Britney looking stunning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: My fans, this is for you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, how Britney went from disaster to darling at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Plus, Madonna dedicates "Like a Virgin" to the pope? The Jonas Brothers attacked for keeping their virginity. Tonight, the explosive Hollywood battle over religion and sex. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood where tonight, there`s absolute amazement at how Britney Spears has gone from being a train wreck to more like a gleaming Mercedes Benz. That is coming up.
But first, the Oprah-Elisabeth smackdown. Tonight, both Oprah Winfrey and "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck are smack in the middle of two explosive controversies involving Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first broke the story of Hasselbeck`s remarkable claims about Barack Obama`s wife. And today, Oprah Winfrey`s decision not to have Palin on her show for now ignited passionate debates from coast to coast. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you all the latest developments making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): If you think the presidential candidates are taking heat, you should see what these two are going through.
ALICIA QUARLES, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: These daytime TV divas are both in political controversies.
ANDERSON: Oprah Winfrey is daytime TV`s biggest Barack backer.
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": I believe that change has already come, California.
ANDERSON: While "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck is John McCain`s daytime darling.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Cindy McCain, we`re going all the way.
ANDERSON: And now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, both of them are finding themselves in big-time political controversies. Oprah for allegedly dissing Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and Hasselbeck for allegedly dissing Barack Obama`s wife, Michelle.
The Oprah controversy began with an item on "DrudgeReport.com." It claims that Oprah has sparked a civil war within her staff by refusing to have Sarah Palin on her show.
QUARLES: "Drudge" is basically saying that Oprah wouldn`t have Palin on the show because she`s a huge Obama supporter.
ANDERSON: Oprah quickly denied the "Drudge" report saying, quote, "There has been absolutely no discussion about having Sarah Palin on my show. At the beginning of this presidential campaign when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates. I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over."
QUARLES: She`s hard-core for Barack. And she actually had him on the show a couple of times before he announced his run for presidency. She has not had Barack on since he announced his bid just like she hasn`t had McCain on or Hillary Clinton on or Biden on. And of course, she won`t have Palin on.
ANDERSON: Still, the controversy exploded. It even got a mention on "Meet the Press".
TOM BROKAW, NBC ANCHORMAN: Oprah did come out for Barack Obama, did have him on this show. Do you think that some people will see that as an elitist position?
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D-DE), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No, I don`t think so. I mean, think it`s - well, I don`t know. That`s for voters to decide.
ANDERSON: Angry viewers are flocking to Oprah`s Web site to accuse her of bias. Some point out that Obama`s former rival, Hillary Clinton, was never on Oprah`s show either.
QUARLES: A lot of people saying that she`s a hypocrite. This show is geared toward women, women`s rights. Why aren`t having these two trailblazing women on your show?
ANDERSON: And in a story SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first broke, "The View`s" resident Republican, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, is also in the hot seat for comments she made about two former "View" guests. Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama.
HASSELBECK: And I met Cindy six months ago, when she came to co-host on "The View."
ANDERSON: Hasselbeck hosted a luncheon honoring Mrs. McCain at last week`s Republican National Convention and she used the occasion to take a veiled shot at Michelle Obama.
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be. And unlike another wife of a political candidate who shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch. That`s because she has nothing to hide.
ANDERSON: And media insiders tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Hasselbeck broke a cardinal rule - don`t diss your guests behind their back.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: As a publicist, this really disturbs me because I`ve always believed with "The View" and other talk shows, I can have behind-the-scenes discussions about the shape of the interview and that cover has been blown. So I think she`s done a lot of damage to the show.
QUARLES: I think Barbara Walters is probably shaking her head in shock that Elisabeth Hasselbeck said that.
ANDERSON: "View" co-hosts that displease Barbara Walters tend to be ex- "View" co-hosts. But "The View" has no comment on Hasselbeck`s comments.
Experts are saying the women`s vote may very well decide this close election. So these two daytime TV giants with their predominantly female viewers are getting almost as much attention as the candidates, but they`re also getting the same scrutiny as well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So does Oprah have an obligation to have Sarah Palin on her show or should everybody let Oprah be Oprah?
With me tonight from New York, Roland Martin who is a CNN political analyst. And also in New York, Ashleigh Banfield, Tru TV host and anchor of "Banfield and Ford in Session."
OK. Look, everybody knows that Oprah has endorsed Barack Obama, has even campaigned for him. But she`s not a journalist and really has no obligation to have Palin on her show. Or, Roland, does she?
ROLAND MARTIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: No, she has no obligation. And this story is an utter fraud to create exactly what you`re seeing. Oprah has consistently said that she was not going to have any candidates on her show. Sen. Barack Obama, the last time he was on was before he was announcing he was running for president. I believe it was in August of 2006. After he announced, Oprah made it clear she wasn`t having anybody. Biden hasn`t been on. Obama, McCain, Palin, Clinton wasn`t on. None of the Democratic or Republican nominees.
So this is a false story. And for Tom Brokaw to go on "Meet the Press" and mention that and not even say the fact that Oprah was clear on that, I thought was bad journalism on his part. And people should stop running with this ridiculous "Drudge" story which utter nonsense.
ANDERSON: Roland, you`re right. It would be different if Oprah had had on Obama and Biden or if she planned to have them on leading up to the election. But we can`t lose sight of the fact that Palin is a woman who is already making history, the first woman ever on the Republican ticket.
On Oprah`s own community message board on her Web site, a lot of women are saying for that reason that she should have Palin on her show. Ashleigh, do you buy that? Do you agree?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR, "BANFIELD AND FORD IN SESSION": Well, I love trailblazing women, let me tell you. And I am still waiting to see Nancy Pelosi as a guest on Oprah. She`s the third most powerful woman right now in the government. And I called her office and they said absolutely, categorically, no, she has never been on the show. Shall I mention Sandra Day O`Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg? How many of these women do we have to talk about?
Honestly, I think maybe the bigger issue might be were Sarah Palin a bigger deal earlier on, meaning did we know her, say, two weeks ago, she might have been a guest on "Oprah." I know she`s the governor of Alaska but there are 655,000 viewers, people who live there, which is roughly the equivalent of Winnipeg where I grew up. So maybe she wasn`t a big enough deal to be on Oprah before. And now, Oprah has set the rules. No candidates. So, I get it.
MARTIN: Ashleigh, also, let`s talk about this. Arizona, female governor, Connecticut, female governor. Washington state ...
BANFIELD: Yes, it goes on and on.
MARTIN: ... Kansas - you`ve got like, seven or eight female governors.
BANFIELD: Condoleezza Rice.
(CROSS TALK)
MARTIN: This is a nonsensical story and again, the moment I heard about this story, Brooke, I predicted this was going to happen. I said, wait a minute, this is all an attempt to get Republican women all upset, create this mass confusion, Oprah`s dissing Palin, when Oprah was so clear from the outset, "No candidates on my show." So I`m kind of figuring out what`s the big deal.
ANDERSON: Yes, and you know, if she had Palin on her show, it would open the floodgates. Then she would have to give the other candidates equal time on her show, in effect, making her show - turning it into a platform for the politicians, exactly what she has vowed not to do. So, you guys are right.
And you know, I want to move now to another big daytime talker in the middle of controversy in this election. It`s "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck. As you just saw, Hasselbeck claimed among other things that when Michelle Obama came on "The View," she presented a list of topics that were off limits.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, viewers all fired up about this, called into our "Showbiz On Call" phone lines. Listen to what Diane in Macon, Georgia, had to say.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DIANE, CALLER FROM MACON, GEORGIA: I think that she made a comment that was not even necessary. And it made me lose respect for "The View" itself because we all know that she`s a Republican and who she`s for. But to go and put down another candidate`s wife, she should have been building up her candidate and not putting down somebody else`s candidate that had already been on that show.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ashleigh, very quickly, do you think Diane has a point? Michelle Obama was her guest on the show and she should apologize?
BANFIELD: Yes. And I think this one`s a no-brainer. The tone, I think, of Elisabeth Hasselbeck`s comment was unsettling. And I think this is a lesson to Elisabeth, too. The cameras are always rolling. That was a luncheon that the cameras were rolling. She may have thought she was giving a speech to her folks, but it backfired.
ANDERSON: Yes, people are always watching.
MARTIN: Well, Brooke, as somebody who interviewed Michelle Obama, we had conversations back and forth just like with Sen. John McCain, that`s what happens with politicians. You don`t bring out what took place behind closed doors in the public. That is absolutely wrong - Democratic, Republican, it doesn`t matter.
ANDERSON: It is a matter of respect as well. Roland Martin, Ashleigh Banfield, we`ll leave it there for now. Thanks for your insights.
MARTIN: Thanks a lot.
BANFIELD: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And we do want to know that we did reach out to the Obama camp for comment on Hasselbeck`s remarks, but as of show time, had not received a response.
All right. You can also call me and let me know what you think about the Oprah-Sarah Palin controversy or anything else. It`s our new "Showbiz on Call." Dial me up 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. That`s 1-888-728-2899. Leave a voice mail and I`ll play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now, we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Oprah Winfrey: Should she invite Sarah Palin on her show? Vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, I think Oprah might want to book the brand-new Britney Spears on her show. Britney had a remarkable night at the MTV Video Music Awards. She was well- behaved. She looked stunning - a huge change from last year. So how did she go from a total mess to marvelous? That`s next.
OK. No Britney-kissing-Madonna at these VMAs but I can tell you Madonna is caught up in another sex controversy. Why has she dedicated a performance of "Like a Virgin" to the pope?
And another shocker involving the squeaky clean Jonas Brothers. Why are these huge Disney stars being attacked for keeping their virginity? The Hollywood sex and religion battles, new right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE PRESENTER: And the winner is - Britney Spears, "Piece of Me."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE PRESENTER: Britney Spears, "Piece of me".
PARIS HILTON, SINGER AND ACTRESS: Britney Spears!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The amazing Britney Spears. Wow! Britney`s big night at the MTV Video Music Awards just one year after her amazing mess at the same show.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, what a difference a year makes. Britney`s gone from spectacle to spectacular. Britney walked out on stage Sunday night to open the VMAs and was greeted by a standing ovation. Talk about a 180. Compare that to her train wreck performance of "Give Me More" last year. This time, Britney was beaming and she looked absolutely stunning.
In Hollywood tonight, Michael Yo. He`s the host of "Yo on E!" which airs on both Sirius and XM Satellite Radio. Also in Hollywood, Laura Saltman. She`s a correspondent for "AccessHollywood.com."
Michael, Laura, great to se you. And I think we`re all in agreement here that Britney looked beautiful and sounded like her old self. Take a look as she accepted one of her three awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPEARS: I first want to thank God, first and foremost, for just blessing me like this, my beautiful family, my two beautiful boys for inspiring me every day. And my fans, this is for you, thank you so much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Laura, what do you think? Did she just knock it out of the park Sunday night?
LAURA SALTMAN, CORRESPONDENT, "ACCESSHOLLYWOOD.COM": I think they should change the name of this awards show from the Video Music Awards to the Britney Music Awards. It was Britney`s night. She looked beautiful, I thought. Her dresses were really pretty - both dresses were really pretty. My only disappointment is I really did want to see her perform rather than the Jonah Hill skit at the beginning. Because I looked at that Christina Aguilera performance that she did later. That was amazing. That`s what I wanted to see Britney do.
ANDERSON: Yes. Maybe she`s not quite ready, though.
SALTMAN: Yes.
ANDERSON: But she did look great and she sounded great. And besides looking amazing, Britney won every category she was nominated in. She really stole the show, best female video, best pop video, video of the year. She beat out the likes of Mariah Carey, Rihanna, The Pussy Cat Dolls, all for the same song, "Piece of Me."
Michael Yo, how ironic that she would win for a song, "Piece of Me" whose words were all about her year in hell?
MICHAEL YO, HOST, "YO ON E!": Yes, it was. It`s all about the paparazzi. It`s all about the media attacking her and questioning her fans. But it all works out in the end. I was just so nervous for Britney Spears. All she did was accept awards but I was like, "Please don`t trip over the steps when you go up there." Or on the cart with Russell Brand at the end of the show, "Don`t fall off." I didn`t want anything to go wrong with Britney Spears. But she pulled it off. Way to go, girl.
ANDERSON: Yes. I was nervous, too, Michael. I have to admit. I was thinking, "Oh, please, Britney, be OK, sound OK. We want you to do well."
And, you know, given that a year ago, Britney was really melting down. Paris Hilton was just out of jail. Laura, how incredible was it Sunday night when Britney got on stage to accept one of her awards and it was Paris Hilton presenting her that award?
SALTMAN: Well, I think it`s interesting, because obviously we forgive and forget things. I mean, Paris Hilton, she went to jail. She`s got so many knocks in her life. Yet, there she is, presenting an award and people still want to know every move that she makes. And Britney`s had a tough year and she came back out. She looked amazing. So we all forgive and forget in this town.
ANDERSON: Yes. And to see Paris with Britney on stage, it kind of signaled to me that maybe they`re both growing up. They`re both maturing and possibly turning their lives around. And even before Britney got on that stage, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there on the red carpet speaking to all the stars about Britney. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SETH GREEN, ACTOR: Everyone has sort of adopted her and kind of hoped that she will get better. Nobody wants to see her in drama. No one wants to see her in pain. They just want to see her smiling, happy, pretty and dancing. And that`s it.
T.I., RAPPER: I think that Britney`s a phenomenal talent, man. She`s an outstanding performer. And people still care about what Britney does and how she does it. So, you know, the world will be watching.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Michael Yo, do you think everybody was feeling the same way, just cheering her on, rooting for her, because we all do love a great comeback story?
YO: Absolutely. I mean, you saw last year`s performance, absolutely horrible. Every artist there wanted her to win. And I guarantee you, all the awards she won, you`re not going to get one argument out of any artist that were in the same category. Everybody`s pulling for her. And hopefully, when she comes out with her brand-new CD towards the beginning of next year in the first quarter, it will blow up and she`ll be performing once again, and she`ll open up the VMAs. I`m saying it, she`s going to open up the VMAs next year.
ANDERSON: I hope so. I hope the best is yet to come. Laura, could this signal really this year`s VMAs, 10 seconds, a turning point maybe for Britney Spears?
SALTMAN: Absolutely. If she stays on track, continues to look good, continues to sound good, I think we`re going to see an amazing Britney in the next six months or so.
ANDERSON: Yes. Continue to work hard and prioritize. We are cheering for you. Michael Yo, Laura Saltman, thank you both. Good to see you.
YO: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And you guys, I`m really surprised by how much the daytime talk shows are getting caught up in this battle for the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be, and unlike another wife of a political candidate who shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Just listen to "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck go off on Barack Obama`s wife, Michelle. Then you`ve got Michelle on "Ellen." Even Oprah being ripped for not having Sarah Palin on her show. I`m telling you, forget "Meet the Press." The candidates need to meet the sofa on daytime TV to win this election. The fierce talk show battlegrounds, coming up.
OK. I know Madonna just loves to shake things up, be controversial. So this time, she dedicates her song "Like a Virgin" to the pope. Unbelievable.
And Patrick Swayze`s surprising emotional TV appearance. You do not want to miss this. Patrick on his battle with pancreatic cancer. .
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, "Different Strokes" star Gary Coleman is accused of hitting a fan with his truck. Gary, who, of course, played Arnold on the `80s show is accused of hitting the guy`s foot in a Utah bowling alley parking lot.
Police say Gary and the man named Colt Rushton were arguing over photos Colt was taking of Gary and his wife while they were bowling. Gary apparently didn`t want the pictures taken but Colt wouldn`t give up and followed Gary outside. Then, Gary allegedly backed up his truck and hit Colt and another car. Now, police say it isn`t clear if Gary hit the guy on purpose. But an eyewitness who didn`t want to be identified says Coleman wasn`t looking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE EYE WITNESS: He wasn`t looking backwards and he wasn`t looking forwards. You know, if he was looking forwards, he wouldn`t have run him over. If he was looking backwards, he wouldn`t have hit the car.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: No one was ticketed. The police tell the "Salt Lake Tribune" there are, quote, "indications that alcohol may have played a part in all this." Colt was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.
I have to say I am pretty stunned by just how much daytime talk shows and their hosts have been dragged into this very tight presidential race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be, and unlike another wife of a political candidate who shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck going off on Barack Obama`s wife, Michelle. Then you`ve got Michelle on "Ellen." Even an Oprah controversy about not having VP pick Sarah Palin on during the election. The fierce talk show battleground, straight ahead.
Well, Madonna is caught up in another raging battle again. I know she loves to stir things up and this time, she dedicates her song "Like a Virgin" to the pope. Uh-oh. That is straight ahead.
And other stars caught up in a stunning sex and religion controversy, the Jonas Brothers. Yes, I`m talking about those squeaky-clean Disney singers. Why are they being attacked for keeping their virginity? That`s coming up. Stay with us.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be, and unlike another wife of a political candidate who shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the talk show election battleground. "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck goes off on Michelle Obama. The controversy over Oprah Winfrey refusing to interview Sarah Palin during the election. Forget "Meet the Press." Do the candidates need to meet the sofa to win the election? It`s the big-time daytime election smackdown.
The explosive Hollywood battles over religion and sex. Madonna dedicates "Like a Virgin" to the pope? The Jonas Brothers attacked for keeping their virginity. It`s a fired-up debate over stars, religion and sex. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
Tonight, the new battleground for the White House, the daytime talk shows. "Oprah," "Ellen," "The View." And tonight, brand-new controversies in a big-time daytime smackdown.
The co-host of "The View," Elisabeth Hasselbeck slamming Michelle Obama at a luncheon for Cindy McCain. And Oprah`s boycott is brewing over her decision not to have vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on her show. And Ellen kicks off her new season with Michelle Obama.
(VIDEO OF ELLEN DEGENERES AND MICHELLE OBAMA DANCING)
She`s got some moves. With me from New York tonight - somebody else has got some moves - CNN political analyst Roland Martin. Also in New York, Ashleigh Banfield. She`s the host of Tru TV`s "Banfield and Ford in Session." And in Hollywood, Howard Bragman. He`s the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations.
All right, gang. I want to start with a story that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first broke - those controversial comments by Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Now, these comments were made at a luncheon during the Republican National Convention. Take a look at what Hasselbeck said about the difference between when Cindy McCain came on "The View" and when Michelle Obama came on "The View." Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be, and unlike another wife of a political candidate who shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch. (MURMURS FROM THE AUDIENCE) No. That`s because she has nothing to hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ouch! Roland, is this just a classic example of how now even daytime TV has become involved in this explosive race?
MARTIN: Well, you`ve got to understand, when you have somebody like Elisabeth Hasselbeck who gets her information from Sean "Little Bowl of Hate" Hannity, that`s what you would expect, OK? That`s what you`re dealing with. I mean, the reality is all candidates, always - and even the spouses want to find out what we`re talking about, what are we covering.
Look, I`ve even put in interview requests with Sen. John McCain campaign. And you of course want to know, what`s the show? What`s the topic? What are covering? That`s what folks - look. Elisabeth Hasselbeck - she simply drives it up with "hatorade" all day long. So it`s no surprise she would take a shot at Michelle Obama. Look at some of the crazy comments she`s made on the show.
ANDERSON: Ashleigh, what do you think? Is this really indicative of how daytime TV is getting more and more involved in this race?
BANFIELD: I don`t know. I sort of felt that way since 2000. I mean, are we all forgetting Rosie O`Donnell and how political she was during her tenure at "The View" as well? I honestly truly believe more of the fighting is going on on Comedy Central. I think they`re doing a better job of doing great satire and involving all sorts of different stories and hypocrisy. And I think also cable news has it pretty much sewn up as well. So while some might be dabbling in daytime, I don`t think decisions are going to be made there.
ANDERSON: OK. Well, a lot of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers reached out to us and demanded that Elisabeth be reprimanded by "The View" for what she said. The calls came in to our "Showbiz on Call" line. Listen to what Deborah from Georgia had to say.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DEBORAH, CALLER FROM GEORGIA: I have wanted to have Elisabeth removed from "The View" for years now. Her comments about Michelle Obama at the Republican convention were unheard of. Please fire Elizabeth. I am going to start a protest.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Deborah is going to start a protest. She wants her to be fired. Howard, do you think Elisabeth should be fired for, you know, really kind of breaking an unwritten rule in TV talk shows, talking publicly about what goes on backstage with the guests?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC REALTIONS: Brooke, I really am not a big fan of Elisabeth, as you know. But this is sort of a first offense and, no, she shouldn`t be fired. She shouldn`t be shot. Wait, did I say that?
What should happen is, behind the scenes, they should give her the dignity that she didn`t give Michelle Obama and they should reprimand her behind the scenes with dignity and with discretion. And that`s what they should do and hopefully she learns from it. She`s not going anywhere. They love her right wing, firebrand style on "The View" because she`s a good complement to Joy and Whoopi there. So she`s not going anywhere right now. But she should get a little talking to.
MARTIN: And Brooke, here`s the problem here. We all interview people all the time and the reality is, you do keep what`s behind closed doors behind closed doors. I mean, we came out and said, when so-and-so came in grumpy or so-and-so cussed out a staffer or they were upset. We all could sit here in public for analysis, put that on blogs if you`re thinking on those lines.
But there is an unwritten rule what you do behind closed doors on these shows, it stays behind closed doors. Now, how about if Whoopi or Sherri or someone else says, "Well, you know what? Cindy McCain came in and was rude to our entire staff." How would Elisabeth feel if that`s the story as well?
And so, yes, she might want to keep it under wraps. But again, we`re not surprised by it because their political views have come out in the open. It was no surprise she would take a shot like that.
ANDERSON: Yes. They are very open about their political feelings. And they certainly do mix it up because they all differ in how they feel about the candidates and Republicans and Democrats.
And, you guys, I do want to move on to Oprah Winfrey. She`s actually facing a boycott by some of her fans for refusing to have vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on her show while the presidential race is going on.
After the story first broke about Oprah`s decision, she released a statement saying, quote, "There has been absolutely no discussion about having Sarah Palin on my show. I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over."
As we know, Oprah, of course, a long-time supporter of Barack Obama. But Roland, even though she`s not a journalist, does Oprah have an obligation to put Sarah Palin on her daytime TV couch?
MARTIN: No. Not only that, we have an obligation to also be completely truthful. This story is an absolute fraud. Let me tell you something, the story initially ran on the "Drudge Report," an insider says. Here`s the problem with that. August of 2007, Oprah said consistently, "I will not have any candidates on my show." Sen. Barack Obama, whom she has endorsed, has not been on her show before (sic) he announced. He has not been on the show since he got in the campaign. Even Tom Brokaw on "Meet the Press" yesterday fell for this nonsense when he brought it up to Sen. Joe Biden. It`s been out there.
This is a fraudulent story to do exactly what you see - create the controversy as if Oprah is denying Sarah Palin. She said she wouldn`t have any candidates. This is a fraud story.
ANDERSON: Right. Yes, Oprah has said she does not want her show to be used as a stage for the politicians. And you know, it`s not like she has Sen. Joe Biden booked for the show next week or anything.
MARTIN: That`s right.
ANDERSON: But regardless, "Oprah.com" has received 4,000 comments on its message board about this from many angry viewers.
Ashleigh, white women are Oprah`s biggest fan base, some of them really upset. Should Oprah be concerned about a backlash?
BANFIELD: Oprah`s bulletproof. (LAUGHTER) I`m sorry. Oprah can say orange is green and everybody might be frustrated at first, but, you know, she`s like Baskin and Robbins. If they introduce one flavor people don`t like, they`re not going to walk out of the store. She`s just got too much to offer.
And you know, Roland`s right in this whole thing. She didn`t offer Obama a presidential platform, and so she`s not offering McCain one either. Not talking about Palin at this point and Biden.
ANDERSON: Right.
BANFIELD: Let`s forget - there`s the once-removed element here that a lot of people is sort of forgetting about.
ANDERSON: Yes. You`re right about that, you guys. So Oprah, we`ll put that aside for now.
I do want to now to Ellen DeGeneres. She has had both candidates for president on her show. And on Monday, she kicked off her new season with a dance-off challenge between Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES" SHOW: And now, I have to have him back on so that he can -
MICHELLE OBAMA, SEN. BARACK OBAMA`S WIFE: You know, this will get him back on. He`s very competitive.
DEGENERES: Really? Great.
M. OBAMA: He`s probably going to practice.
DEGENERES: Yes. That would be great. I would like him to practice and come back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Howard, 10 seconds, should all the talk shows just maybe stick to this, getting candidates to show their fun side, leave some of the serious politics out?
BRAGMAN: I don`t think you can separate them. The fun side is serious politics in this day and age. This is how people make their decisions. And between now and the two months until the election, you`re going to see a lot of candidates on a lot of talk shows doing a lot of crazy things, trying to humanize themselves, be fun. And it`s so nice to see that dimension of the candidates.
MARTIN: I agree.
ANDERSON: Yes. Appeal to difference audiences. Roland Martin, Ashleigh Banfield, Howard Bragman, thank you all for your insight. We appreciate it.
MARTIN: Thanks a lot.
BANFIELD: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And we do want you to know that we did reach out to the Obama campaign for a comment on the remarks by Elisabeth Hasselbeck about Michelle Obama but as of show time, we have not received a response.
And now, we want to hear from you about this. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Oprah Winfrey: Should she have Sarah Palin on her show?" Keep voting, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
And there`s a new way to get in touch with us. Now, you can give us a buzz and let us know what you think about Oprah or anything else that`s on your mind. Call us, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. That`s 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voice mail and we`ll play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tonight, there are two big controversies over virginity. First, Madonna`s outrageous virginity message to the pope. What did she do in concert to spark a firestorm this time? Plus, the Jonas Brothers mocked for their vow to stay celibate. What? Some stars fighting mad over this one.
And Patrick Swayze`s surprise appearance at a cancer benefit moves the audience to its feet. I have what he said about his battle with cancer. Patrick Swayze in his own words, still ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JORDIN SPARKS, SINGER AND "AMERICAN IDOL WINNER": All right. I just have one thing to say about promise rings - it`s not bad to wear a promise ring because not everybody, a guy or a girl, wants to be a slut.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You tell them, Jordin Sparks. I think that`s terrific. Jordin defending the Jonas Brothers after the host of the MTV Video Music Awards ridiculed them for their virginity promises.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, the Jonas Brothers virginity controversy - one of two big stories new right now that are rocking the music world. The Jonas Brothers may be feeling like the targets of a cheap shot, this after MTV Video Music Awards host Russell Brand poked fun at them for their promise rings. But now, besides Jordin Sparks, even Paris Hilton is coming to their virgin defense.
Also tonight, Madonna targeting the pope. Madonna in concert dedicating her song "Like a Virgin" to the pope, stirring up brand-new controversy on her "Sweet and Sticky" tour. Two controversies that we know and we`re going to talk about them.
Michael Yo, host of "Yo on E!" heard on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio. We know he can handle it, and he joins me from Hollywood. Also in Hollywood, Laura Saltman, correspondent for "AccessHollywood.com."
All right. Guys, as we know - I want to begin with the Jonas Brothers. As we know, they are famous for wearing promise rings, purity rings, signifying that they are saving themselves until marriage. I want you to watch Russell Brand`s joke - or I guess he thought it was a joke.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSSELL BRAND, HOST OF THE MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS: Each of the Jonas Brothers does wear a tiny ring as a mark of their commitment to God. I`d take it a little bit more seriously if they wore it on their (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Michael, cheap shot or really bad joke?
YO: You know what? Instead of attacking the Jonas Brothers, he should have worked more on his hosting skills because he was absolutely awful last night on the MTV VMAs.
ANDERSON: I agree.
YO: But seriously, it`s like the Jonas Brothers are going around saying they want to be virgins until they get married. They wear purity rings. And that`s not a bad thing. That`s actually good. We`re always talking about the negative side of Hollywood, what young people do. They`re actually trying to do something good. But every comedian does this. Chris Rock did it against R. Kelly, played those jokes about him. Sarah Silverman last year with Britney Spears. So this is normal for comedians to do.
ANDERSON: But it`s no comparison.
YO: Yes.
ANDERSON: The Jonas Brothers are a role model for millions of young kids.
YO: I know.
ANDERSON: You know, it`s commendable what they`re doing. I think they could teach Russell Brand a thing or two about self-respect and self- control. And obviously, guys, somebody got to Russell Brand pretty quickly after he said what he said because he apologized for it.
Laura, I would have to imagine there were a lot of upset parents watching when they heard him ridicule the Jonas Brothers.
SALTMAN: Absolutely. I mean, the Jonas Brothers - they come from that Disney Channel world. That`s where they came from and that`s their fans and those are the parents, too. So I can only imagine - but, you know, the funny thing about Russell Brand is he apologized. But then he really didn`t - he continued to make a joke about it. And I totally agree with Michael - he did a terrible job of hosting. We will not be seeing back here. But we`ll be seeing Britney. We won`t be seeing Russell Brand.
ANDERSON: Yes. I think that may be his one and only shot at hosting the VMAs.
SALTMAN: Yes.
ANDERSON: You know, the Jonas Brothers are really good kids. And listen to this, guys, of all people to come to their defense, listen to this, it`s Paris "sex tape" Hilton telling "UsMagazine.com," quote, "I don`t pick on them. That`s something cool for a kid to keep, so don`t pick on them for that."
Michael, if even Paris is criticizing Russell Brand for what he said, that`s pretty bad, isn`t it?
YO: Yes, Paris was put on the map with the sex tape and she`s saying, "Look, if they want to keep their virginity, that`s cool." I think it`s very cool for Paris Hilton to step up and say something like that. And then, of course, Jordin Sparks, too. I mean, this is good. This is good like Hollywood embracing good, you know, instead of bad.
ANDERSON: Exactly.
YO: Yes.
ANDERSON: Yes. I applaud Paris for saying that and the Jonas Brothers and Jordin Sparks for standing up for what they believe in and not caving in to pressures to do otherwise.
All right. Another story making news right now, so Madonna is in concert over the weekend in Rome, and at the concert, she dedicates her song, "Like a Virgin," to none other than the pope. You`ve got to see this. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADONNA, POP STAR: I dedicate this song to the pope because (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I am a child of God.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Here we go again with Madonna trying to provoke the Catholic Church. You know, in the past, she has staged a mock crucifixion. The Vatican also condemned her for her song and video "Like a Prayer."
Laura, is this just the same old, same old with Madonna?
SALTMAN: Absolutely. But you know what`s so interesting, Brooke, is we never hear her doing anything against Kabbalah, which, as we know, is her religion that she does now. And there`s never been that problem. It`s only against the Catholic Church that she continues to do these things.
ANDERSON: Yes. But Michael, what do you think? Does Madonna need to just hang up the religious, the Catholic controversy shtick? Because I think it`s old, not to mention offensive and insulting. Should she just say adios to that? She doesn`t need it to keep her fans, to keep her people buying her music.
YO: You know, when I interviewed Madonna, the thing she says, "I do what I want to do." I mean, that`s her thing. Controversy - it`s Madonna. She`s always around it and she always does it. For me, to not hear a story about Madonna is shocking for me. For her to say something like that is like, "Oh, that`s normal Madonna just doing her thing. No, it`s Madonna. Yes.
ANDERSON: It is. But I don`t know. It just feels tired. She`s talented. She doesn`t need it, in my opinion. We`ll leave it there for now, guys. Michael Yo, Laura Saltman, thank you both.
SALTMAN: Thanks, Brooke.
YO: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Hey, did you see this? You`ve heard of surfer dudes. But what about surfer dogs? Talk about dog days of summer. These pups got their surf on over the weekend with a little help from their human friends. That`s right. Fido and Fifi put on their best swim wear and barked up some waves. Come on, that`s not something you see every day. I`m not sure they really wanted to be there, but at the end of the day, they raised money for an animal center. Sounds like a doggone good idea to me. Woof. Glad that story is over. They were cute, though.
OK. A surprise appearance at a cancer telethon brought the audience to their feet. Straight ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Patrick Swayze`s standout showing at a historic television event. Swayze talks about his battle with pancreatic cancer. Hear Patrick Swayze in his own words. That`s coming up next.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: And now, please welcome Patrick Swayze.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Actor Patrick Swayze brings the celebrity-filled audience to its feet in an unprecedented televised fundraiser for cancer research.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, Patrick Swayze`s inspirational appearance at the "Stand Up for Cancer" telethon. Swayze has been battling pancreatic cancer. In fact, just a few months ago, reports said his condition was very grave. But Friday night, Swayze wowed the star-studded audience looking strong. He spoke about his hope for a cancer-free future.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK SWAYZE, ACTOR AND CANCER PATIENT: I keep dreaming of a future, a future with a long and healthy life, a life not lived in the shadow of cancer but in the light. I dream that everyone diagnosed will be fortunate enough to have hope, that every human being lost to cancer isn`t gone but is standing with us here tonight. I see a future where all scientists come together in a unified agenda and share their research and their brilliance.
I dream that the word "cure" will no longer be followed by the words, "It`s impossible." We can do anything, but the longer we do nothing, more people will die. Together, we can make the world where cancer no longer means living with fear, without hope, or worse.
Tonight I stand here, another individual living with cancer who asks that we not wait any longer. And I ask only one thing of you. Will you stand up with me? Will you stand up to cancer?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, it`s so great to see him. And Swayze was one of many stars there. Sheryl Crow, Jennifer Aniston and Halle Berry, along with presidential nominees John McCain and Barack Obama also participated. Rival network news anchors Katie Couric, Charles Gibson and Brian Williams served as co-emcees. ABC, NBC and CBS simultaneously broadcast the show which raised more than $100 million.
On Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Sarah Palin on Celebrity Magazine Covers: Will it help John McCain get elected? Twenty-seven percent of you say yes; 73 percent say no.
The E-mails we received - May from Tennessee says, "Sarah Palin can be on any magazine cover she pleases and it won`t win votes. Americans are smarter than that."
Mary from Ohio writes, "Due to the negativity of the magazines, it may help John McCain get elected."
Thank you so much for watching. That`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next. Take care.
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