Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
Clay Says He`s Gay; Alec Baldwin Wants Out of "30 Rock?"; Sarah Palin-Lynne Spears Controversy; Lindsay Lohan on Her Relationship With Samantha Ronson; Ellen DeGeneres` Fight Against Proposition 8
Aired September 24, 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, Clay comes out. After years of speculation, Clay Aiken reveals that he is gay.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON, ONLINE GOSSIP COLUMNIST: Clay Aiken`s homosexuality was one of the worst-kept secrets in Hollywood.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, why did he decide to do this now? And how will his fans react? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the inside story of Clay coming out.
The brand-new Sarah Palin/Britney Spears controversy. Tonight, Britney`s mom explosive words about Palin`s pregnant daughter. Why Lynne Spears is upset over the way her pregnant teen daughter, Jamie Lynn, was treated compared to Sarah Palin`s pregnant teen daughter, Bristol. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the fired-up debate.
Plus, Lindsay Lohan speaking out about her relationship with her long- time friend, Samantha Ronson. What Lindsay reveals and her personal attack on her own father.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood.
And Tonight, the guessing game is over. Yes, Clay is gay.
HAMMER: That`s right. After years of speculation and rumors, Clay Aiken is now telling all. Yes, he`s gay and, no, he doesn`t mind that the whole world knows. But this is not just another star coming out story. The Born-Again Christian is worshipped by fans everywhere who have long refused to believe the buzz that Clay was gay ever since his days back on "American Idol."
And Aiken just became the father of a child with a surrogate mother. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is getting to the bottom of this blockbuster story making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(voice over): So much for Hollywood`s biggest open secret. After years of rumors, denial and no comments to ABC -
CLAY AIKEN, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: I don`t understand why it`s any of your business.
HAMMER: Former "American Idol" contestant, Clay Aiken, is finally revealing that he`s gay in the new issue of "People" magazine. A bombshell revelation that surprised absolutely no one.
MARC MALKIN, "E! NEWS ONLINE": When I heard that Clay was coming out of the closet, it was a big, "No, duh."
PEREZ HILTON: I was pleasantly surprised that Clay came out publicly, finally.
HAMMER: So why is Clay coming out now? His newborn son, Parker Foster Aiken, who was conceived by in vitro fertilization with a friend. Aiken tells "People," quote, "It was the first decision I made as a father. I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn`t raised that way, and I`m not going to raise a child to do that."
HAMMER: Almost from the first time he wowed fans on "American Idol" in 2003, gossip pages started speculating about his sexual orientation. In an interview with "Rolling Stone" magazine, Aiken flat-out denied he was gay.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Do you respond by saying "no"?
AIKEN: I`ve responded in every way I can.
HAMMER: And by the time he appeared on "LARRY KING LIVE" in 2006, Aiken was simply saying he`s not going to talk about it.
KING: I can just say, "You know what? Forget it, I`m not going to deal with it anymore."
HAMMER: Still the rumors persisted.
PEREZ HILTON: Clay Aiken`s homosexuality was one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood.
HAMMER: Online blogger Perez Hilton has been gossiping about Aiken for years now, even started referring to Aiken as "Gayken." Perez tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Aiken`s denials and no comments did nothing to end the rumors.
PEREZ HILTON: By denying it repeatedly and refusing to talk about it, Clay probably made his homosexuality a bigger deal than it is.
HAMMER: Some are worried about the effect those rumors would have on Aiken`s legion of fans.
MALKIN: They`re somehow thinking of him as a sex symbol. They think he`s dreamy. Clay knew that if he came out as a gay guy, he was going to get backlash, that he was going to quote, unquote "disappoint his fans."
HAMMER: In fact, some fans were so disappointed by the rumors, they filed a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission accusing Aiken`s record company of marketing the singer in a manner they called false and deceitful. And amid all the chatter, Aiken still refused to come out.
MALKIN: He may have denied it once or twice, but, again, you know, I think I can speak for most gay people. At one point in our lives, we do deny that we`re gay.
HAMMER: Now, Aiken`s stopped denying it. He tells "People" he came out to his family years ago and they`re now OK with it. As for his fans, Aiken tells "People," quote, "I`ve never intended to lie to anybody at all. The fans, if they leave, they leave. But if they leave, I don`t want them to leave hating me."
MALKIN: It`s almost a no-win situation. There are people who are going to criticize him for taking so long and there are people who will criticize him for being in the closet so long.
PEREZ HILTON: There are those that are upset with Clay coming out and they feel that they were lied to by him.
HAMMER: But the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is applauding Aiken`s decision. GLAAD tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "We congratulate Clay for making this decision and for setting an example for others and his family." Perez Hilton tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he agrees.
PEREZ HILTON: Now is the perfect time for him. Clay has nothing to lose now. He doesn`t have an album coming out. He`s not on a TV show. I applaud him for making the bold and brave choice to be honest. I think he`s going to be a lot happier now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, there are so many questions about Clay`s revelations. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is looking for answers.
With me tonight in Hollywood, Howard Bragman. He is the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. And here in New York tonight, April Woodard. She is the senior correspondent for "Inside Edition."
I want to get right to some of Clay`s biggest revelations, including addressing really what we`ve all been asking today, why now? Well, Clay reveals he came out because of his newborn son and not because of the years of speculation and all of the rumors.
Howard, that said, I`d have to think that after all of these years, this is a huge relief for Clay Aiken.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: It`s got to be, A.J. You know, I`m the publicist. Most publicists keep their clients in the closet. For years, I`ve been the guy people come to when they want to come out of the closet. And to a person, every person that`s ever come out of the closet with me has said, "I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders." So he`s got to be feeling great about now. The sky is not falling in. Things are well. He`s happy and he`s living an honest life. And there`s a lot of value in that and a lot self-fulfillment.
HAMMER: April, I`d have to imagine you`re right there with Howard. The upside to Clay right now has to be far greater than any downside, which we`ll talk about in a moment.
WOODARD: Right. And definitely, I think that he, you know, needed the time that he needed to decide what he was going to do. At one point, he was just getting it from left and right, "Are you gay? Are you gay?" And he wasn`t ready. And now he`s ready to come out. He`s got his beautiful baby boy, Parker, and he`s comfortable in his own skin, so to speak.
HAMMER: I want to talk about something else that Clay also reveals in "People" magazine, that he first came out privately when he was on "American Idol." Clay says he actually told fellow contestant Kimberley Locke because he finally felt comfortable with himself when he was out there in Hollywood to do the show.
Howard, you know, as you mentioned, this is something you`ve done with stars for years, helping them come out of the closet. You also help craft images and his image since "Idol" has really been carefully crafted and protected. So you think that Clay Aiken must have lived in fear that coming out would really destroy everything he`d worked so hard for?
BRAGMAN: You know, it`s not just a celebrity thing. Almost every person lives in fear that their life will be destroyed if they come out of the closet. There`s a lot of societal pressures. We have a whole administration here against gay rights, against gay marriage. There`s a lot of reasons to be fearful.
But most of those fears are proved irrational when you come out and realize the people that love you are still there for you and the people that care about you are still there for you. So it`s great not to live in that fear anymore. It`s the biggest benefit that comes with coming out.
HAMMER: Of course, Clay lost "American Idol" back in 2003 but he was absolutely a fan favorite that season. Some of his biggest fans, as we all know, mostly older women, some calling themselves Clay-mates. April, how much of that do you think played into Clay waiting until now, until, you know, his career was more established?
WOODARD: Perhaps it played a little part. I mean, if you remember in 2006, there were some fans who decided they wanted to file suit against his record company. There were nine of them. Only nine and you think about all of the fans that he has.
I mean, my mom is, you know, a southern woman in Virginia. She still likes Clay. So you know, I don`t think it really matters to most of the people that have been long-time favorites of Clay Aiken.
HAMMER: Well, let`s look at another revelation that Clay gave to "People" magazine. He did say that he is worried about losing fans. He is coming back on Broadway in "Spamalot" through January.
Howard, how about a reality check from somebody who has been through this with clients who have gone through the same thing? Do you think Clay Aiken has anything to worry about?
BRAGMAN: The net, net is he`s going to get millions of new fans. He`s going to be on the cover of magazines like he`s never been before. He`s going to get honors. He`s going to get awards and it`s going to take his career to another level and a more honest level. And he`s going to say, "Why did I wait so long to do this?"
HAMMER: You know, one thing that I think adds to perhaps the reason for waiting so long - Clay is a southern Baptist. Another one of his big revelation, Clay says he considers himself a Born-Again Christian.
April, realistically, how much backlash do you think Clay is actually going to face from his more conservative fans who may have harder time with this kind of news?
WOODARD: Well, I mean, there are definitely going to be some people in the south where he lives that aren`t going to agree with it and some of the Christians are not going to agree with his lifestyle and even having a child out of wedlock.
But you know, it`s not a popularity contest. You can`t please everybody. And he has so many fans that supported him going back on Broadway that I think he`s going to overcome this.
HAMMER: You can`t please everybody. Well said. Howard Bragman, April Woodard, I do thank you both for being here. And you can pick up the brand-new issue of "People" magazine. That`s the cover. And it will be on newsstands this Friday.
Now, We want to hear from you. This is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. What do you think? "Clay Aiken Reveals He`s Gay: Is the timing right?" You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E- mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., Alec Baldwin is now really opening up about problems in his personal life.
HAMMER: Yes, he is, Brooke. But, you know, he definitely sounded OK when he just won that Emmy for NBC`s "30 Rock."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: It was a total shock to me. I`m really glad the show won and me winning it was a total miracle. That`s a miracle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes. So that`s Alec right after winning best actor in a comedy. But you`ve got to hear what he said today on "The View." And listen, most bosses wouldn`t be too happy to hear employees saying these kinds of things. So is Alec trying to get fired? Next.
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you. It seems like every day there is a brand- new Hollywood controversy involving Sarah Palin. Well, tonight, it`s Britney Spears` mom`s explosive words about Palin`s pregnant daughter? That is coming up.
Also new right now, Lindsay Lohan is opening up about her relationship with her gal pal, Samantha Ronson. And I`ve got to tell you, Lindsay goes off on her father about it. And you`ve got to hear that, coming up.
ANDERSON: I want you to make a note of this. You can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime, always posting new stuff for you to watch at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Among the videos now playing, the Sarah Palin "SNL" outrage. Did a "Saturday Night Live" skit about Palin`s husband that joked about incest go too far?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
A. BALDWIN: It was a total shock to me. I`m really glad the show won and me winning it was a total miracle. That`s a miracle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, just days after Alec Baldwin told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that his Emmy win for "30 Rock" was a miracle, Alec goes on "The View" and says he wants off the show. What the heck is going on here?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, is Alec Baldwin trying to get fired? Alec today told the ladies of "The View" that he`s between "30 Rock" and a hard place. Fresh off his Emmy win for his role on the hit show, Alec is suggesting he wants out.
Joining me in New York, Ben Widdicombe. He`s the editor-at-large for "Star" magazine. Also in New York, Marvet Britto. She`s a celebrity publicist and the founder of the Britto Agency.
Ben, Marvet, the last time Alec was on "The View," we know, was right after the fallout from the ugly voicemail that he left for his daughter. During that appearance he said he wanted off "30 Rock" because he`d become a tabloid target.
Well, you would think maybe after his Emmy win this weekend, he`d be feeling pretty good about his job. But watch what happens when Barbara Walters asked him if he still felt the same way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
A. BALDWIN: I think it was Michelle Pfeiffer who had the great line when she said, you know, "The acting is free. The life of the actor is what you have to pay me for." And when people scrutinize you and say all these things about you - a lot of it is untrue -
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE VIEW": But you`re not giving up acting?
A. BALDWIN: I can`t. I have a contract with NBC. I don`t want to get sued.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ben, what do you think? Is he trying to get fired?
BEN WIDDICOMBE, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "STAR" MAGAZINE: I think cry us a river, Alec Baldwin. He`s just won an Emmy. He`s enjoying this fantastic late career comeback. NBC is giving him a suitcase full of money to be in this big show, "30 Rock." And all he`s doing is complaining.
You know what? Alec is just talking about himself. I don`t think he`s really trying to get fired. I think that if he were serious about leaving, he either (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for the next season. Or you know, he`s a big powerful actor. He could renegotiate his contract. I think it`s wind-bagging and that he`s very happy where he is.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, his appearance on "The View" today came on his heels with his interview with "20/20" when he told Diane Sawyer that because he`s a tabloid target, he is done with show business. Watch this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
A. BALDWIN: I can`t wait to get out of this business. I pray every day for the time when I`m done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Now, on "The View," he was kind of half-joking, it seems. But there with "20/20," he seemed very serious.
Marvet, does it all seem to be a calculated ploy by Alec, a plan to keep pushing until he`s let out of the contract?
MARVET BRITTO, FOUNDER, THE BRITTO AGENCY: Look, I don`t think Alec is trying to be let out of his contract. I think there`s a clear difference between a celebrity and an actor. He`s a true thespian and he wants to focus on his work and not on his private life.
So I think what he`s really, you know, displaying is his frustration for how he`s being thrust in the media limelight on behalf of his personal life. He really wants focus on the work and he doesn`t want to be judged on what goes on in his private life between he, his wife and his child.
ANDERSON: Yes, it`s definitely challenging for him having that attention placed on his private life. And we know that the new season of "30 Rock" is about to premiere. It`s won numerous Emmys.
Ben, are people going to watch the show now and look at Alec and think, "Oh, he really doesn`t want to be there," and could that hurt interest in the show?
WIDDICOMBE: It will not hurt the show one little bit. Here, we are talking about Alec Baldwin and "30 Rock." You know, I think that he really is the Shannen Doherty of "Grumpy Old Men." You know, and his antics just make people more interested. They want to know what`s going on behind the scenes. They want to talk about Alec Baldwin. And all this sort of stuff brings more viewers to the show. So short of having a catfight with Rachel Dratch, I think anything Alec Baldwin does will just bring more attention to his projects.
ANDERSON: Oh, you know, he`s a valuable part of that show. He`s very funny, really nails that character. I`m sure the network doesn`t want him to go anywhere anytime soon.
OK. Ben Widdicombe, Marvet Britto, we will leave it there for now. Thank you both. Good to see you.
And it will be interesting to see if "The View" has an affect on Alec Baldwin`s career. And on Tuesday, we asked you whether the show will influence the election.
Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day was - "The Ladies of `The View`: Will they influence your vote in the election?
Very one-sided here. Nearly all of you - 96 percent say, no. Barbara, Joy, Whoopi, Sherri and Elisabeth aren`t going to make a difference to you in the voting booth.
HAMMER: Well, we`ve been getting a bunch of fired-up phone calls coming into the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines about this. I want to play for you Betty who is calling from Bermuda. And Betty thinks "The View" is must-see TV for voters.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BETTY, CALLER FROM BERMUDA: I think it`s important for shows like "The View" to be asking the hard-hitting question. "The View" seems to make the candidates act more themselves so we get a proper picture of their reaction while on the spot rather than a planned press conference.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, we have the other side of that, too, coming from Susan who`s calling from Hawaii. And she changes the channel when "The View" talks politics.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SUSAN, CALLER FROM HAWAII: I think anybody who is influenced by the women on "The View" should have their voter registration cards revoked. Aloha.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: And aloha to you. And remember, you can always give us a call to tell us anything that`s on your mind with "Showbiz On Call." Just call this number, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Please leave us a voicemail because we want to play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And Brooke, there are a lot of people who aren`t surprised by Clay Aiken admitting that he`s gay. But a lot of people do think it`s a terrifically brave move for him.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. It really is, because we really don`t know how his fans are going to react. And in fact, Clay said in his "People" magazine interview, he doesn`t know how they`re going to react.
HAMMER: And that is exactly, Brooke, one of the questions we are trying to answer on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Why did Clay Aiken choose to come out now? You don`t want to miss this, coming up.
ANDERSON: And also new right now, another Sarah Palin Hollywood controversy. I cannot believe what Lynne Spears, Britney Spears` mother, is saying about Palin`s pregnant teenage daughter, Bristol. You don`t want to miss that.
HAMMER: Definitely not. Also Lindsay Lohan opening up like never before about her relationship with the woman that she always seems to be with, Samantha Ronson. And why Lindsay is also ripping into her dad, Michael Lohan, about this? That`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, I`m calling in the SHOWBIZ truth squad to check out the reports that Hulk Hogan`s son Nick is getting out of jail early.
Now, there are these stories floating around that say Nick, who is serving an eight-month sentence for reckless driving, is going to be sprung on October 21st. That`s about three months before he`s supposed to get out.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that`s true. But Nick was always scheduled to be released on that date based on credits for working and good behavior. Now, if Nick does something bad between now and then, it could change. Nick, of course, was locked up because of a horrible accident which severely injured one of his best friends, John Graziano.
ANDERSON: Here are some more stories that are new right now. Hey, if you`ve got about $8 million laying around, you can buy Britney Spears` house. Brit`s asking $7.9 million for her six-bedroom, six-bathroom Beverly Hills, California home. We think this is the house and it looks pretty sweet. The listing says it`s an exquisite, gated Italian Renaissance-inspired villa. There`s talk that Brit wants to move out of Hollywood about an hour in Newark. Not a bad idea, but I hope she doesn`t mind seating in more tracks.
HAMMER: Well, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are also on the move there, heading to Berlin. "People" magazine reports the entire Brangelina posse, including their six kids have bid adieu to their French home, and they`re saying, "Guten tag" to Germany. They`re expected to stay through the fall. Brad is shooting a World War II movie with Quentin Tarantino called "Inglorious Bastards" there.
All right. So Clay Aiken comes out and admits he`s gay. Not the most shocking story ever. But here`s what we want to know - why did he decide to do this now? And will Clay`s fans, many of whom are pretty conservative, be very unhappy about this? So many Clay questions, I`m digging for answers, coming up next.
ANDERSON: Also new right now, Lindsay Lohan is speaking out like never before about her gal pal, the woman she always seems to be hanging out with, Samantha Ronson. And you`ve got to hear how Lindsay is tearing into her dad about her relationship with Sam. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Also, yet another Sarah Palin Hollywood controversy. What Britney Spears` mom says about Palin`s pregnant teenage daughter. That is coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Clay`s gay. Tonight, after so much speculation, "American Idol" star Clay Aiken reveals that he is gay. But why did he decide to come out now? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the inside story of Clay coming out.
The brand-new Sarah Palin-Britney Spears controversy. Tonight, Britney`s mom`s explosive words about Palin`s pregnant daughter. Why Lynne Spears is upset over the way her pregnant teen daughter, Jamie Lynn, was treated compared to Sarah Palin`s pregnant teen daughter, Bristol.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
HAMMER: Tonight, Hollywood and the great gay debate. Three huge brand-new stories today including Clay Aiken`s bombshell confession, including, yes, he`s gay. Clay Aiken reveals to "People" magazine he is gay and reveals why he`s decided to come out.
Also now right now, Lindsay Lohan raises eyebrows as she talks about her relationship with Samantha Ronson on a radio show. And then she viciously rips into her father for slamming Sam.
And Ellen DeGeneres today declares war against the fight in California to make gay marriage illegal again. If that happens, it could make her marriage to Portia de Rossi null and void.
And we have got a fired-up panel coast to coast tonight, ready to hash this out. In Hollywood tonight, Howard Bragman who`s the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. And in New York tonight, Ashleigh Banfield, Tru TV host and co-anchor of "Banfield and Ford: Courtside." Also in New York, it`s April Woodard who is a senior correspondent for "Inside Edition."
Gang, I appreciate you all being here. I want to start off with Clay Aiken. Big news of the day. After years of speculation, Clay has finally now revealed to "People" magazine, as you see here, that he is in fact gay.
Howard, are you surprised that Clay Aiken is coming out now?
BRAGMAN: A.J., Stevie Wonder could see that Clay Aiken was gay. It`s hardly the surprise of the century. But what I am is proud of him. I`m proud that he`s come to a place in his life that he can accept this, has dealt with it with his family, dealt with it personally. And he`s ready to share an honest life with his public. And I think he`s going to be a happy guy because of it. So you have my applause, Clay. Good for you.
HAMMER: And as I mentioned, this is something people have been talking about for a long time, obviously. In fact, CNN`s Larry King interviewed Clay all the way back in October of 2006 when all the reports and speculation were happening that Clay was gay. Now, I want you to watch what happened when Larry pressed Clay about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AIKEN: I don`t understand why people care. I mean, I kind of think, "You know what? You do what you do. I`ll do what I do." Everybody does what they do. I hope that I`m here to sing and be successful and do it well enough that people want to hear me. And that`s kind of what I want to do, you know.
KING: But you`re smart enough to know that people do care. The obvious question would be, why not just - it isn`t going to affect your career one iota no matter what you are. Why not just put it away?
AIKEN: Because you know what? I`ve found - because I responded before, and what I found is that people are going to think what they want to think anyway.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Well, we can respect the reason he`s doing it now. Clay says he`s doing it because he`s just become a father. That happened through in vitro; he did that with a friend. And he doesn`t want to live a lie. He wants to set a good example for his son.
Ashleigh Banfield, over to you. Do you think his mostly conservative fans are going to be comfortable with this?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, TRU TV HOST: You know, I think times are changing pretty darn quickly when it comes to that. Gay is hip and don`t forget shows like "Will & Grace" and Portia and Ellen`s celebration on the cover of "People" magazine, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) magazines. People still are consuming this kind of thing whether they want to buy into it or have the government recognize it is a whole different thing. But this is no longer the age of Liberace. Liberace could never come out and don`t we all know what happened there.
HAMMER: Well, this is all true. But also, let`s keep in mind, Ashleigh, you know, Clay has a fan base that really is largely Christian women. He certainly has many fans of all types but a lot of Christian women. He had a child out of wedlock. He`s now revealed now that he`s gay.
April, what do you think? Do you think this will make a difference to those fans or do you think even those fans are going to be so progressive here in the `08?
WOODARD: I mean, coming from the south myself, I know that there`s a group of people, southern Christian people, who are just going to not accept this at all. But, you know, he has so many fans worldwide. I think overall, people will be happy and they`ll say, "You know, we`re glad that you came out. We knew it anyway. But we`re glad you`ve decide to, you know, share this with you(sic). And we love you because you`re a great singer and you`re passionate about your art."
HAMMER: Yes. Hopefully people can look at all that and - let`s move on, and move on to the next story that`s making news right now. Lindsay Lohan talks about her relationship with Samantha Ronson and slams her father. Samantha Ronson went on the Love Line radio show. At one point, she hands the phone over to Lindsay. You`ve got to listen to what happened next.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
STRYKER: You and Samantha have been going out for how long now? Like two years, one year? Five months? Two months?
LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: A long, very long time.
STRYKER: Well, good. I hope you guys stay together. You are a very lovely-looking couple.
LOHAN: Thank you very much.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Very clever, Stryker. All right. Howard Bragman, really, talk like that just adds fuel to all the wild speculation about the nature of their relationship, doesn`t it?
BRAGMAN: I don`t think it`s such wild speculation at this point. I certainly haven`t heard any denials. Certainly, the way they`ve lived their lives and the way they spend time together. But I think she`s just doing it in her own pace and her own time. I don`t think she`s screaming it from the rooftops but I don`t hear any denials. So I think what I would recommend is, Lindsay, do it in your own time and in your own way.
HAMMER: Yes. I agree with you, Howard. That has been the subject of much discussion here in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom. And that`s what I think is going on there.
What do you think, Ashleigh? Why such an obsession, though, about knowing everything about Lindsay and Samantha`s relationship?
BANFIELD: Oh, I think people want to know about girls who kiss. Come on. There`s a huge song out there now, "I Kissed A Girl and I Liked It." And it`s doing really well.
You know, I`ve got to be honest with you. I don`t know whether Lindsay thinks she`s getting mileage out of this. I`m not sure if that`s the issue so she`s just letting it ride. Or whether Lindsay just doesn`t like us. She`s probably had enough of us. We had been in her life for quite some time and it hasn`t really turned out well for her. So maybe she doesn`t think she owes us anything, certainly doesn`t need to come out to us and give us a nice, big, fat announcement.
HAMMER: Yes. There`s a piece of me feels like none of this is really intentional. And as Howard said, she`s just living her life. Lindsay, at the same time, has now come out swinging again against her father, Michael. He made some comments about Samantha Ronson in this E-mail he sent to gossip Web site "X17 Online." In that E-mail, Michael reportedly called Samantha, quote, "dark, hideous and a disgusting representation of humanity." Nice.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed that Lindsay fired back an E-mail to the "New York Post." And this is what Lindsay says in her E-mail, quote, "My father obviously needs to be on medication to control his moods. He is out of line and his words show how much anger he has, and it`s dangerous and scary as it reminds me of how treated my mother and I, my whole childhood."
HAMMER: Back at you Howard Bragman. What do you make of all this? I mean, besides Michael clearly needing to zip it, what does Lindsay have to do right now?
BRAGMAN: Well, you know, It`s really interesting. Smart parents know this. They don`t like the person their child is dating, you shut up about it. You don`t criticize them. You`re only going to bring them closer together.
Again, Lindsay needs to live her life. And she seems to be a lot calmer with Sam than she does when her father`s around, I want to say. She`s really been under control and very professional. So you just go on living your life, Lindsay. Your father is not here to help you at this point, unfortunately.
HAMMER: Yes. Really, what a change for her over the last year.
All right. Let`s move on to another story making news right now. Ellen DeGeneres asking her fans to vote "no" to Proposition 8 in California. That`s the proposition on the ballot this November that would make gay marriage illegal again.
April, do you think Ellen is truly worried this thing could pass?
WOODARD: Absolutely, because it`s confusing. Everyone knows many politicians will say, "OK. This legislation is to cure world hunger," and at the end it will say something about, "And coffee and tea are banned for the entire world." And people are not able to see that it`s as confusing as it is. And what Ellen is saying this legislation may make you think you`re in support of families but it`s actually against gay marriage.
HAMMER: A lot of straight stars chipping in here to fight this proposition. Steven Spielberg and Brad Pitt each donating $100,000.
Ashleigh, what do you think? More stars and they follow suit to fight for this and fight for Ellen to keep gay marriage rights in place?
BANFIELD: I think it`s a popular cause and if it does pass, there is another recourse. And Ellen and Portia could be the complainants listed on the case that goes all the way up to the Supreme Court in California. So it isn`t over until it`s over.
HAMMER: Well, I (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in front of the Supreme Court. However, I hope it never comes to that for them. Howard Bragman, Ashleigh Banfield, April Woodard, thanks for being here tonight.
Now, let me turn it over to you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Clay Aiken Reveals He`s Gay: Is the timing right?" What do you think?
Let us now at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail us more of your thoughts at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., Britney Spears` mother not pulling any punches these days.
HAMMER: Oh, no. Lynne Spears has been on a mission, Brooke, to set the record straight. But now, she`s even taken on Sarah Palin. Yes.
Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Britney`s mom`s controversial comments about Palin`s pregnant teen daughter.
ANDERSON: Also, the power of "The View." The ABC talk show seems like it`s taken a spot on the presidential campaign trail. But it looks like a lot of you aren`t too happy about that. Our "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been flooded. We will have your opinions, straight ahead.
HAMMER: Also, are you watching "Dancing With The Stars" as it`s firing up the new season? There`s a brand-new "Dancing With The Stars" scandal. Has one of the contestants actually tried to bribe the judges? I mean, how in the world would they mambo out of this one? That story is still ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now, I want you to keep in mind, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We`re always posting new stuff for you to check out all the time. You should bookmark our Web site, visit it every day - CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
And among the videos playing right now that you can go and check out online, the Sarah Palin "SNL" outrage. Did a "Saturday Night Live" skit on Palin`s husband that joked about incest go too far?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LYNNE SPEARS, MOTHER OF BRITNEY SPEARS: At this point, I knew, oh, my gosh, this is not a joke.
MEREDITH VIEIRA, HOST, "THE TODAY SHOW": Were you furious?
L. SPEARS: I was in shock. I just kept saying - I think I was just truly in shock and then I started to cry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s Britney`s mom, Lynne Spears, on the "Today" show describing her reaction the news that her 17-year-old daughter, Jamie Lynn, was pregnant. And wait until you hear the brand-new shocking comments she`s making about another teen mother-to-be, Sarah Palin`s daughter, Bristol.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, Lynne Spears is kicking up a brand-new controversy for what she`s saying about the pregnancy of Palin`s pregnant daughter. Momma Spears is wondering how come Jamie Lynn got so much heat when she got pregnant at 16. But Bristol Palin is being treated with kid gloves.
Also new right now, will the ladies of "The View" actually influence your vote in the presidential election? We`re taking your fired-up phone calls in the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines.
With me tonight from New York, Ben Widdicombe, who`s the editor-at- large for "Star" magazine. Also in New York, Marvet Britto who is a celebrity publicist.
Hey, you two, you know, Jamie Lynn Spears got a lot of heat last year when she got pregnant at 16. Bristol Palin got pregnant at 17.
In a brand-new interview with "Newsweek," Lynne Spears talks about how the Palin pregnancy has been treated in the press, quote, "It`s a totally different reaction. It`s as if Sarah Palin became celebrated. I mean, the mother, Palin was celebrated for this. Every woman in the world has applauded her strength and her convictions. And poor little old Jamie Lynn - you saw how she was crucified. Everybody did, firsthand. I just feel like it`s been a very hypocritical situation."
Ben, does Lynne Spears have a point? Was Jamie Lynn`s pregnancy judged more harshly than Bristol Palin`s?
WIDDICOMBE: I think there`s definitely been a double standard between those two girls. And there are two reasons for that - one is because people already had a lot of opinions about the Spears family. And I think a lot of their emotions about Britney`s messy life was really transferred to her younger sister when she had her difficulty, when she was pregnant.
The second reason, I think, is that, remember, Jamie Lynn was actually a public figure. She was the star of her own hit Nickelodeon show, whereas Bristol Palin is actually a private citizen. She`s not a public figure.
And I think the difference between those two responses was crystallized by "The Daily Show" when they showed Bill O`Reilly`s two different reactions to the news. When Jamie Lynn was pregnant, he went on the air and he called the Spears parents pinheads. He said it was their fault. When Bristol Palin was discovered to be pregnant, he said, well, you know, as long as the baby`s not going to be a burden on the welfare system and the parents are looking after it, he supports the decision. So really, there are a lot of other judgments that are being put on these two girls.
ANDERSON: Well, Ben, your second point is really the main difference between these two. To me, Jamie Lynn was a famous TV star and a role model for millions of young girls when she got pregnant.
On the other hand, Bristol Palin didn`t ask for the spotlight on her private life. Marvet, that said, is the complaint by Lynne Spears legitimate?
BRITTO: It`s absolutely legitimate. Bristol Palin is still the daughter of a politician. Since when did that become living a private life? It`s the same exact thing, unwed teenage pregnancy. She should have been judged just as harshly.
The only difference is the media`s, you know, glorification of what she did. They really did glorify it. Bill O`Reilly was so hypocritical for saying it was different. It was no different. It was the same, exact thing.
ANDERSON: Well, but Marvet, Jamie Lynn chose to do the work that she did. Bristol Palin did not choose the limelight.
BRITTO: But her mother chose to be a politician. And by virtue of that, nor did the Bush twins. They didn`t choose to have people follow them in night clubs. But photographers do. So, you know, any person who`s one degree away from someone in the spotlight needs to know at that point that their privacy is no longer.
ANDERSON: Yes. Kind of comes with the territory. And I do want to say that Lynne Spears allowed her daughter, Jamie Lynn, to appear on the cover of "OK!" magazine when she was pregnant. And "OK!" also published her first baby pictures.
So Ben, Lynne Spears says Jamie Lynn was, quote, "crucified." But then, she`s putting Jamie Lynn out there. Explain this to me.
WIDDICOMBE: Well, I believe Lynne Spears` explanation of why she did that. Because there`s huge public interest in Jamie Lynn Spears and her baby, Maddie. And when you handle that pressure-cooker paparazzi interest, the only way to let some of the steam out is to release some photographs. Had they gone the other way, had they chosen to be super private, Jamie Lynn would probably still be surrounded by paparazzi, you know, waiting for her outside her front gate. So it is a way to release the pressure. And so I think it was a no-win situation. In a way, she`s going to get criticized all the way. But I support what they did.
ANDERSON: You`re right, no-win situation. Hasn`t been not easy for anyone, I`m sure.
I want to move on to another heated story right now. The ladies of "The View" and their possible influence on the presidential race. We asked in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "The Ladies of `The View`: Will they influence your vote in the election?" An overwhelming 96 percent said no; four percent did say yes. And our "Showbiz On Call" lines have been lighting up nonstop since we asked the question. Listen to this call that we got from Carol in Pennsylvania.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CAROL, CALLER FROM PENNSYLVANIA: Now, I absolutely believe that the ladies of "The View" will influence my vote and other votes in this way - that they are able to ask the tough questions that help us make a more informed decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Marvet, do you think the ladies of "The View" have an important role to play in this election?
BRITTO: Absolutely. Just like Oprah has an audience, the daytime audience, so does "The View." The women represent a smorgasbord of cultures which is reflective of this country. So they`re absolutely pulling on the heartstrings of the women and just Americans in general who follow that show. So they`re absolutely going to play a large role. Barbara Walters is a seasoned journalist that`s asking the right questions. And you will see that their opinions will weigh heavily on the upcoming election.
ANDERSON: Well, very quickly, not everybody agreed. Belinda in Ohio - listen to what she says.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BELINDA, CALLER FROM OHIO: I`m just amazed that the American people would watch a show like "The View" or any other talk show and would decide to pick a president or any official by watching a talk show. Totally ridiculous.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ben, do you agree, that - you know, 10 seconds - are people giving too much credit to talk shows?
WIDDICOMBE: I don`t think anyone is tuning to "The View" to decide who they`re going to vote for based on what any of the individual women say. But as journalists, their role is to ask the right questions of the candidates and to tease them out on the issues.
I mean, the viewers will make their own decisions based on what the candidates say according to their own values and morals. So I think that`s their role as journalists.
ANDERSON: Yes. Hopefully, everyone will make informed decisions. Ben Widdicombe, Marvet Britto, thank you both.
And listen to this, there is a new way for you to get in touch with us.
HAMMER: Yes, and it`s so easy. All you have to do is give us a buzz and let loose with what is on your mind. Call this number - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. That`s 1-888-728-2899. Leave a voicemail after the beep, please. And we`ll play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
All right, did you see this? A bribery scandal on "Dancing With The Stars." I`ve got to tell you, this season started off with a bang. First, you have one of its stars, cursing up a storm during the show`s live premiere. And now this? The dramatic "Dancing" details, coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Did you see this? A "Dancing With The Stars" contestant bribes the judges? What in reality show heaven is going on?
I mean, first, you`ve got 82-year-old actress-comedian, Cloris Leachman cursing up a storm during Monday night`s live premiere. You know, she really gave the judges an earful over those low scores she got. Well, lucky thing the censor was ready and bleeped out her choice words. Cloris did survive the first round of cuts and got the chance to dance again. This time, she did a version of the mambo that, well, most haven`t seen before. And after bringing the in-studio audience to its feet, Cloris made a shocking confession. You`ve got to watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLORIS LEACHMAN, ACTRESS: Well, I bribed the judges. So it doesn`t, we don`t have to waste the time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE JUDGE: A ten spot.
LEACHMAN: I gave them $10 each for a chance. It`s fair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE JUDGE: Let`s se what $10 buys.
LEACHMAN: For a 10.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE JUDGE: Oh, is that what it is for?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE JUDGE: I thought it was for (UNINTELLIGIBLE) services rendered.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We thought it was Glenn`s services rendered. Carrie Anne -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE JUDGE: I`m going to give back the bribe so that everybody knows it`s all fair. Glenn?
(CROSS TALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE JUDGE: Give it back, Glenn.
LEACHMAN: I know they don`t give you very much money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to say I am hoping Cloris sticks around for a while. I`m betting ABC does too.
ANDERSON: Yes. Good for ratings.
Hey, on Tuesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "The Ladies of `The View`: Will they influence your vote in the election?" Only four percent of you say yes. A whopping 96 percent say no.
Here are some of the E-mails we got. Michael from Texas writes, "It is beyond ludicrous to think that `The View` should be taken seriously or even considered as an influence."
Nancy from Illinois says, "Give people credit for today`s reality versus Hollywood fantasy. Quite frankly, I don`t have time to care about what these women think."
Ann from Louisiana writes, "Seeing the ladies of `The View` on your show tonight reminds me why I don`t watch it. They give women a bad rep."
A.J., some people offended by the question.
HAMMER: Maybe Cloris Leachman should give them some money.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Don`t forget you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
END
