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Showbiz Tonight
Peter the Cheater; Is Sarah Palin Going to be on SNL?; Jamie Lynn Not Getting Married Soon; Jennifer Lopez` Depression Confession; Paris Hilton`s New Gag
Aired October 08, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Peter the cheater. Christie Brinkley`s ex-husband reveals the almost unbelievable reason he cheated on Christie with a teenager. Tonight, Barbara Walters` devastating interview with Peter Cook. And you`re not going to believe how Peter justifies cheating on Christie. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Peter Cook cheating claim that will make your head spin.
Live from New York, it`s Sarah Palin. The brand-new buzz that Palin is going to do "Saturday Night Live." But tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, would that really be such a good idea?
Plus, Jennifer Lopez`s depression confession. Tonight, why did J. Lo reveal she basically had a nervous breakdown. And would she consider sending her kids to Scientology school? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the remarkable inside story of the interview J. Lo didn`t want anyone to know about.
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. And tonight, the campaign video that could truly shake up the presidential race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARIS HILTON, ACTRESS: My fellow Americans, as you know, I`m running for president and have sought out the advice of an expert.
MARTIN M. SHEEN, ACTOR: I don`t usually go to this kind of party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Martin Sheen, the running mate of Paris Hilton? The fake president from "The West Wing" running with the woman who created a TV show to find a new fake best friend? It`s the "Funny or Die" video that will make you die laughing or perhaps crying. And that is coming up.
But first, why Christie Brinkley`s ex-husband says he cheated on her. Well, tonight, for the very first time Peter Cook is confessing why he cheated on one of the most beautiful women in the world with an 18-year-old young woman he hired. Cook`s claim comes in a brand-new interview with Barbara Walters and not only is there absolute outrage over his excuse but Cook`s goose might really be cooked for opening his big mouth.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the latest developments making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): There was Richard Nixon.
RICHARD NIXON, FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: I`m not a crook.
HAMMER: And the elephant man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m not an animal.
HAMMER: Now, Christie Brinkley`s ex-husband will go down in history with his own defiant declaration.
PETER COOK, CHRISTIE BRINKLEY`S HUSBAND: I`m not the scumbag pervert that I`ve been painted to be.
HAMMER: In an interview with "20/20`s" Barbara Walters, Brinkley`s ex Peter Cook is finally explaining why he cheated on the supermodel with a 18-year-old girl he hired, an affair that kicked off one of the nastiest public divorces ever.
BARBARA WALTERS, ANCHOR, "20/20": In 2004, you had a great marriage. And in 2005 you start an affair with this young woman. Why?
COOK: I was seeking a connection I could not find in my own marriage.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this is one confession that isn`t winning Cook any converts.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": I can`t feel sorry for this guy.
HAMMER: Brinkley married Cook in 1996. He was her fourth husband.
PIAZZA: They really seemed like the picture perfect marriage until it came out that he had been cheating on her with an 18-year-old who worked in a toy shop. Christie and Peter had what might be one of the messiest divorces in recent history this summer. Very public trial and all of these really dirty things came out about Peter including his $3,000-a-month porn habit.
HAMMER: In his interview with Barbara Walters, Cook whined about the difficulty of about Mr. Christie Brinkley.
COOK: My world became her world. It had to be that way. I think I just suddenly realized when I was getting attention from someone else that this is something that was missing in my life.
WALTERS: What did you want?
COOK: I wanted a little acknowledgement, a little attention. A little thank you every now and then for my efforts for the amount of time I took to care for her and my family.
HAMMER: So basically, Cook is saying all this could have been avoided with a simple thank you note. Some are skeptical.
PIAZZA: I can`t believe that Barbara Walters was able to keep a straight face while she was talking to him. He came out like a child, being like, "Oh, my gosh, my ego wasn`t stroked enough. Of course I had to sleep with an 18-year-old."
HAMMER: Zero sympathy there. But certainly, a psychology expert like Cooper Lawrence can give us a reason to feel sorry for Cook, right?
COOPER LAWRENCE, PSYCHOLOGY EXPERT: Either he`s dumber than we think he is, or he thinks we`re dumb.
HAMMER: Apparently not. But Cooper Lawrence tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Cooks complaint is a familiar one. When you do have a man who is extremely powerful and he ends up pairing with a woman who is equally as powerful, it does do something to their ego.
LAWRENCE: I think for a lot of men, there`s something in between I`m feeling insecure and where is a 19-year-old. I think it`s OK to sit down with your wife and have a conversation with her or sit down with a therapist.
HAMMER: Christie Brinkley is pretty steamed about her ex`s sudden chattiness. Her attorney tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "It is a measure of Peter Cook`s character that he has breached the confidentiality agreement that is in the divorce settlement and has sought to present this distorted one-sided view of his marriage."
Still, Cook tells Barbara Walters he hopes his talking will help heal the rift with his ex-wife.
COOK: What I hope comes of it is that she goes back and remembers that I am that person that she wrote the poems about, that she raved about magazine articles. I am that person today that I was then.
LAWRENCE: Here`s the poem she`s going to write to him, "Roses are red, violets are blue. I`m really happy I divorced you.
HAMMER: In other words, maybe Pete shouldn`t hold his breath for that thank you note.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So what in the world was Peter Cook thinking? Did he really expect people to be sympathetic?
Well, joining me tonight in Hollywood is Lisa Bloom who is host of her shown, "Lisa Bloom: Open Court" and an "In Session" anchor. Also tonight in Hollywood, Carlos Diaz who is a correspondent for "Extra."
And I`m glad you`re both here tonight because I need your help getting this straight. Peter Cook cheated on his supermodel wife with an 18-year- old teenager. He paid her $300,000 to stay quiet.
Plus, there`s that small matter of him spending $3,000 a month on porn which is something that was revealed in court. Lisa, could you explain it to me? How could he possibly expect people to listen to his side of the story sympathetically?
LISA BLOOM, HOST, "LISA BLOOM: OPEN COURT": Yes, it`s a little bit like the Menendez brothers would killed their parents and then wanted sympathy because they`re orphans. I mean, is she really supposed to write him a thank you note, "Thank you for living off of my income and my property and my mansion. Thank you for spending $3,000 a month on porn. Thank you for running around with a teenager and completely humiliating me." I mean, come on. This guy is out of his mind.
HAMMER: Yes. In the words of Artie Lange, wah. Peter Cook said he did this interview with Barbara Walters because he wanted to tell his side of the story. He wanted to clear his name. Carlos Diaz, do you think Peter Cook should just have kept his mouth shut?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Can you imagine that production meeting where they`re talking about story ideas with Barbara Walters and they go, "We`ll get Peter Cook." And Barbara - "No, he`ll never talk." He wants to talk?" I mean, that`s the most amazing thing that he actually did talk and he should have kept his mouth shut. The only thing I can think that he was thinking was, "You know what? it can`t get much worse. I mean, I can`t be more of a scumbag. So I tried to just clear my name." It didn`t work, Peter.
HAMMER: Yes. And the reaction is already starting when Barbara Walters played some of this "20/20" interview with Peter Cook on "The View" you could see the jaws hitting the floor. I want to take another look at how Peter Cook justified cheating on Christie Brinkley with his 18-year-old assistant. Roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOK: I was seeking a connection I could not find in my own marriage.
WALTERS: What did you want?
COOK: I wanted a little acknowledgement, a little attention. A little thank you every now and then for my efforts for the amount of time I took to care for her and my family, for the wealth I was building, just the tremendous amount of work I was putting into my family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Lisa Bloom, could you give it to me straight, not just as a woman but human being. What is your reaction when you hear this?
BLOOM: Aren`t they the same thing?
HAMMER: I mean, basically he`s blaming this on Brinkley.
BLOOM: Exactly. You know, blaming the victim never goes well in court. And it`s even less effective in the court of public opinion. He married every man`s dream, a rich, beautiful, lovely woman involved in public service, a terrific mother and he`s crying because she didn`t pay enough attention to him. Gee, I wonder why she didn`t pay more attention to him. Look at the kind of guy he turned out to be.
HAMMER: Yes, you said it never goes over well in the court of public opinion. It`s very clear already that not a lot of people are buying Cook`s excuse for this cheating. Can we put up the "New York Daily News?" Look at this headline here, "It`s Christie`s fault That I Cheated on Her." That was pretty much the sentiment of the ladies of "The View." You know, they were just - I don`t know - reacting with great dismay. You`ve got to watch the reaction after they heard Peter Cook`s excuse.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Look at the faces of all the women in the audience.
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Oh, come on, guys. He just wanted a little thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Carlos Diaz, let`s make the potential mistake of trying to look at it through Peter Cook`s eyes, shall we ...
BLOOM: Be careful.
HAMMER: ... for just a moment? Are there men out there who are looking at Peter Cook, looking at what he told Barbara Walters about why he cheated on Christie Brinkley who can just totally relate to him?
DIAZ: Yes, they`re called insecure men, all right? I mean this guy is a joke. What he said was a joke. You know, as you said earlier, he should have communicated. And A.J., you know this, as guys, whenever you break up with a girl, you always say, "You know, it was my fault. I really - I need to work on this. I need to work on that."
You work on the sympathy vote. That`s how you get the next girl. Now, Peter will never get another woman as long as he lives.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, maybe not a very bright one. Lisa Bloom, what do you think? I mean, are there guys out there who are saying, "Yes, I get it. Yes, Peter, go?"
BLOOM: No. I don`t think there`s a single guy like that out there. I like men and I`m not going to degrade them all and put them in a category with Peter Cook. Look, he didn`t just have an affair. He had an affair with a teenager. I mean he paid her $300,000 and paid $3,000 a month for porn. I mean, this is over the top, well beyond a typical affair which we might be able to understand if it wasn`t Christie Brinkley. I mean, come on, look at that woman. She`s absolutely gorgeous.
HAMMER: Yes. He said he knew what he was doing by doing this interview. He had a specific goal in mind. He wants to heal the rift with Christie Brinkley. Peter, don`t think that`s going to get accomplished in this case.
Lisa Bloom, Carlos Diaz, thanks you all for shedding some light on this problem on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
All right. We want to hear from you from our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. This is what we`re asking tonight - "Sarah Palin: Would going on `Saturday Night Live` be a good idea?" You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. If you have more to say, our E-mail address is this: showbiz tonight@cnn.com.
Well, Paris Hilton has turned herself back into the campaign. Thank goodness. It`s true. She`s back with this brand-new campaign spoof. It`s actually quite hilarious. You will definitely want to stick around to see it for yourself. It is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Plus, big news for Britney Spears and her little sister Jamie Lynn. Coming up, I`ll be telling you why Britney is about to go on trial and whether teen mom Jamie Lynn is planning on getting married any time soon.
And Jennifer Lopez`s startling confessions that she had a nervous breakdown and would consider sending her kids to Scientology school. I`ve got the inside story of the interview J. Lo didn`t want anyone to know about and that is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, from Britney to her kid sister there are big Spears family dramas that are new right now.
Seventeen-year-old Jamie Lynn has just revealed she won`t be marrying the father of her 4-month-old baby any time soon. For the very first time, the daddy is responding to stories claiming that he cheated on Jamie Lynn.
Also, new right now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you big sis Britney just learned she will definitely have to go on trial for driving without a valid license.
Joining me in New York, Joe Levy, who is the editor-in-chief for "Blender" magazine. Also in New York tonight, celebrity publicist Marvet Britto.
Guys, I want to start off with Jamie Lynn Spears. Right there on the cover of the new "OK!" magazine, and in a revealing interview, she`s now back-tracking on what were previous plans to marry Casey Aldridge, that`s her fiance and father of their baby. Now, just months ago, they were planning a wedding. Joe Levy, are you surprised at this change of heart here?
JOE LEVY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "BLENDER" MAGAZINE: Am I surprised that a 17- year-old has changed her mind about getting married? Let me think it over.
No. You know, she says she`s in love. They`re engaged. They`re happy. They`re taking their time. And, you know, that`s a change of pace for them, as well, taking their time. So how can we argue with this? It`s not a terrible thing to actually consider this kind of decision carefully.
HAMMER: Yes. And I appreciate your careful contemplation on that issue itself. You`ve got to hear what Jamie Lynn`s fiance told "OK!" magazine about getting married at a young age. Let me read this, quote, "Some people think that you should just get married if you have a baby and you`re young. I think you should try it out and see."
What do you think, Marvet? Smart thing to do? She`s only 17. He`s 19. Why rush?
MARVET BRITTO, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: Considering she would be really be joining the failed marriage club - her parents are no longer together and her sister is not married to her husband any longer. So I can`t imagine that she`s rushing to make that same mistake. Not that she would be, but she should focus on being a parent. She`s a new mother. And I think that you know, she doesn`t have the best examples around her. So it`s very smart for her to take her time about marriage.
HAMMER: Yes. And to make things even more difficult for the both of them, the tabloids have been rife with stories for months now that Casey Aldridge cheated on Jamie Lynn. And both of them are speaking out about this for the first time.
In fact, the headline on the cover of "OK!" is "I`m Not a Cheater." Bigger picture here Joe Levy, what do you think? Should 17-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears even be doing these kind of cover stories? I thinking, you know, lay low. Raise your child.
LEVY: You know, there are all sorts of things that Jamie Lynn shouldn`t be doing at this age. And I think this cover story is really the least of our worries. Look, in that this is part and parcel of the whole celebrity hustle that may have pushed her into adulthood a little too early, yes, maybe she should lay low.
But this is a carefully scrubbed, very positive story in which she wants to set the record straight and say, "Hey, I love my guy. We`re not getting married. But we`re taking our time. It`s not that bad."
HAMMER: And you know, it`s Marvet Britto`s job to do things like this and put them together. But Marvet, would you guide a client in this kind of a situation to do stories like this?
BRITTO: I think she`s really just trying to set the record straight because there are all these assumptions being made. She doesn`t want to get married so the natural thing for folks to do, they would assume that he`s cheating. He`s probably not cheating. They really have just decided. They looked around and surveyed the landscape and it didn`t look so great.
So I think they really want to focus on raising their child and just work at being together which is really more important than a piece of paper at this point
HAMMER: That`s fair enough. And let`s get into something else that is new right now. Jamie Lynn`s big sis, Britney Spears just learning that a judge has ruled she does have to go on trial this week for driving without a valid license. She got nailed after a car accident a year ago. Joe, quickly, we know the mayhem that follows Britney when she goes to a courthouse. Is the whole idea of this trial just ridiculous, insane even?
LEVY: I don`t think I would go as far as insane. A little bit silly, maybe ridiculous, yes. I guess we want people to know that if you`re a celebrity, you can`t get away without a driver`s license. You need a driver`s license if you`re going to drive.
Britney has got a bad record when it comes just to showing up to court. The last thing I`d like to see is more trouble and more of a circus around Britney Spears. It`s time for her to put out a record and get on to the whole singing thing.
HAMMER: Well, let the bedlam begin before any of that happens at the courthouse. Joe Levy, Marvet Britto, thank you for being here tonight.
Well, I`ve got to tell you the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines will not stop ringing with people calling in to defend Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Campaign season has really seen a whole lot of fireworks at the co-host table on "The View." And Elisabeth is usually the odd woman out politically anyway. We heard from Jake in Ohio. Now, Jake says there should be a little more balance on the show.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JAKE, CALLER FROM OHIO: I`m more liberal but they should have more like two liberal people and two conservative people and Barbara Walters in the middle. I don`t feel like one person totally picked on and stuff.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: And we`re hearing a lot of that. We also heard from Theresa who lives in Kentucky. Theresa says she didn`t like how the other co-hosts are ganging up on Elisabeth.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TERESA, CALLER FROM KENTUCKY: I just think that it`s horrible the way that the girls on "The View" treat Elisabeth. They all are allowed to express their opinions. But every time Elisabeth goes to say hers, she`s cut off immediately or screamed at. And it`s not fair.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, thank you for your call, Theresa. And you, too, can call us at "Showbiz On Call" so you can let us know about what you think about this or anything else that`s maybe on your mind.
The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines always open. This is the number, 1- 888-SBT-BUZZ. Numerically, that`s 1-888-728-2899. Please call the number, leave a voicemail so we can play your call here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And your calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now online on our homepage, which is, of course, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, there`s been a lot of buzz about Sarah Palin`s possibly showing up on "Saturday Night Live." Palin herself has even talked about whether she`d want to do that. But here`s what I want to know. Would that really be such a great idea? I will be looking into that, coming up.
And talk about politics making for strange bed fellows. Jessica Alba`s effort to get people to register to vote has actually sparked somewhat of an S & M frenzy. I am not kidding you about this. You`ve got to stick around for what is truly a wild story, and that is still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also, Jennifer Lopez` startling confessions that she had a nervous breakdown and would consider sending her kids to Scientology school. Well, I`ve got the inside story of the interview J. Lo didn`t want anyone to know about, and that is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Here are some more stories that are new right now.
Queen Latifah says she doesn`t care if people think she`s gay. She`s not going to talk about her personal life. Latifah has never discussed her relationships and she tells the "New York Times" she`s not about to start now.
There has been lots of speculation that Latifah is gay and had a supposed romance with a female trainer. Well, Latifah says, quote, "Assume whatever you want. You do it anyway."
The Lifetime Movie Network has started work on a movie about Natalee Holloway who disappeared while on a trip to Aruba. Preproduction on the film has started. It`s based on the book by Natalee`s mother.
HAMMER: And the Foo Fighters are angry that the John McCain campaign has been using one of its songs. The Foo Fighters song, "My Hero," has been used as a theme song at rallies without permission from the band.
Well, in a statement, the Foo Fighters say, "It`s frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people shows such little respect for creativity and intellectual property." Then says they hope the McCain campaign does the right thing, stops using the song and starts asking artists` permission.
Now, the Foo Fighters may want out of the campaign. But Paris Hilton, oh, yes, she has fought her way back into it. That`s right. The Paris for president movement has a new shot in the arm. Paris is back with a brand- new spoof of her campaign that you have to see for yourself. And that is coming up.
And who knew that Jessica Alba`s effort to get people to register to vote to set off an S & M frenzy? Yes, definitely, I`m not kidding here. You don`t want to miss this crazy story. I`ve got that coming up.
And Jennifer Lopez` startling confessions that she had a nervous breakdown and would consider sending her kids to Scientology school. You definitely want to hang out for this. I`ve got the inside story of the interview that J. Lo didn`t want anyone to know about. And that is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first, please keep in mind you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by being a subscriber to the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. You want do that? Well, fine. Just head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the "sign up for newsletter" link right at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - did you see this? Paris Hilton turns the presidential campaign on its ear again. Her hilarious brand-new campaign spoof plugging her run for president. Find out how Paris` fake campaign is actually getting a huge boost from some very real big stars.
J. Lo`s depression confession. Her revelations about having a nervous breakdown and selling photos of her twins. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the truth about why the interview wasn`t ever supposed to be released. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT 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.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now declare for absolute certain we are witnessing, my friends, the most absurd presidential campaign ever. Three big stories making news right now including Paris Hilton running for president.
Yes, Paris strikes again. In a new campaign ad Paris Hilton declares she is launching her own fake presidential campaign with some help from TV`s favorite fake president, Martin Sheen.
There`s also been brand-new buzz building that Sarah Palin is going to spoof her "Saturday Night Live" spoofer Tina Fey on "Saturday Night Live." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is setting the record straight about that.
Jessica Alba did her part to help get the young vote out with her provocative ad. But we`re betting that she had no idea the ad would now be sparking an S & M craze.
Joining me now to hash all of this absurdity out from Hollywood, it`s Lisa Bloom who`s the host of "Lisa Bloom: Open Court." Also in Hollywood tonight, there`s Carlos Diaz; he`s the correspondent for "Extra." And in New York, entertainment reporter, Chris Booker.
All right. Let`s get this thing fired up with Paris Hilton declaring her presidency, doing it this time around under the watchful eye of Martin Sheen. Now, the Paris campaign video is going up today on "FunnyOrDie.com." Gang, we have got to watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: My fellow Americans, as you know, I`m running for president and I`ve sought out the advice of an expert.
M. SHEEN: I don`t usually go to this kind of party.
HILTON: It`s actually a pre-party for the party I`m throwing for the after party.
M. SHEEN: I don`t know what that means.
HILTON: Sorry to drag you into the kitchen, but I need a quiet place to seek the advice of one of our greatest fake presidents.
M. SHEEN: During my fake presidency, the kitchen was always my favorite spot to solve the great fake issues of our time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I love Martin Sheen. I think he gives her some credibility. Carlos, you know, we`ve joked around a lot about Paris and the whole presidential race. But do you think Paris Hilton has actually become relevant in this presidential election at this point?
DIAZ: Well, she`s running on the first class ticket which is going to be nice but this obviously is the craziest debate we`ve ever seen until 2012.
But let`s not forget who started this fight. Paris Hilton didn`t go online running for president. John McCain brought Paris Hilton into this fight and she`s just responding like any good heiress would.
HAMMER: And I think - Lisa can correct me if I`m wrong -perhaps making even a little bit of a difference with people.
BLOOM: Maybe, although that crazy hair and makeup is probably not going to get her to the White House. But boy, do I miss President Bartlett. President Bartlett, we need you. It`s not too late to get on some ticket somewhere.
HAMMER: Of course, that was Martin Sheen`s "West Wing" character and yes, one of the greatest fake presidents ever. But wait, we`ve got to play more of this ad. I want you to watch as Paris now declares a policy stance. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: I plan to bring an fake balance approach to these very problems. For example, "fo-po."
M. SHEEN: What is "fo-po?"
HILTON: "Foreign policy," silly.
M. SHEEN: Of course, BF, I should have known that one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, the old fo-po. Booker, over to you. Does this Paris ad just confirm this presidential campaign will go down in history as the most absurd one ever?
CHRIS BOOKER, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Oh, A.J. You just hit the nail on the head. You know, you never go to the comedy well twice and she did that. The first one was funny. This one, come on. You just kind of lost me on this one.
HAMMER: Oh, come on, man. It`s got Martin Sheen in it. Give us a break.
BOOKER: Yes, I know. You got stars and everything, but I`m not buying it. It was funny the first time. Step away from the good bit.
HAMMER: I don`t know. For me, and I`m the first person to say something not so nice about Paris Hilton. She`s actually warming my heart over with this whole thing.
BOOKER: Whoa!
HAMMER: Let`s move on now to the Sarah Palin buzz going on. The idea that she might be planning to spoof her spoofer Tina Fey on "Saturday Night Live" on one of the specials they`re doing on Thursday night. Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is happy to set the record straight about this right now because a source tells us this thing isn`t happening.
Now, it`s not going to happen on Thursday, doesn`t mean it won`t happen at all. So that said, Carlos, let me go back to you. Do you think Palin should go on "SNL" at some point?
DIAZ: You know, I really don`t. I`m a big fan of great TV. I mean, speaking politically, no, she shouldn`t. Speaking from an entertainment standpoint, yes, she should. But as I said many times, she should stop worrying about "Saturday Night Live" TV and start worrying about Sunday morning live TV and talk about the issues rather than trying to be funny.
HAMMER: Yes. And you know, the funny thing is they`re debating this somewhere within the McCain-Palin camp right now, trying to figure out what the right move here would be. And I have to tell you the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been going nuts over all of Tina Fey`s impersonations. A lot of people sounding off on that when she goes on "SNL." Everybody`s talking about it. Listen to what Lynnie said. Lynnie calling from California. And let`s play that.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LYNNIE, CALLER FROM CALIFORNIA: I think Tina Fey`s example of Sarah Palin rocks. And I love it and I`m a Sarah Palin fan. I just think that it`s so funny and I`m sick to death of how boring "Saturday Night Live" has gotten and this just brings it right alive. So go, Tina Fey. Go, Sarah Palin.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, so there you go. Lynnie, a fan of Sarah Palin and the fan of the skits. And you know, there are a lot of people out there who, like Lynnie, are loving these skits on "SNL" and also like Sarah Palin. Lisa Bloom, do you think it would be a good point at this point for Palin to do "SNL," or could it backfire big time on her?
BLOOM: Well, it does hurt my brain a little bit to think of Palin playing Fey playing Palin. It reminds of those old Shakespearian comedies where a male actor is dressed up a woman who then dresses up as a man. I mean, at some point, the parody has got to stop, and Palin has got to be an actual person, doesn`t she?
HAMMER: Yes, I guess she does. You know, Palin has done one thing on the campaign trail as we`ve noticed that she started talking about this and proving she has a sense of humor about the whole thing, about being spoofed. I want you to watch what she said at a rally regarding Tina Fey`s spoof of her interview with Katie Couric. Can you roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In response to critics after that interview, what I should have told them was, "I was just trying to keep Tina Fey in business. Just giving her more information.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Job security for "SNL" characters.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Isn`t that magnanimous of her? Booker, back over to you, obviously she gets the joke. What do you think? Should she do "SNL?"
BOOKER: Well, we, as a country - I mean, seriously, she has to sit and wonder if she should do "SNL." I don`t know who she is as a candidate yet. I don`t care about her funny side. I need to know who she is. I don`t think "SNL" is going to get us to that. Enough goofing. Let`s get serious and let`s put that aside for now.
HAMMER: The problem is, I think they have gotten serious. All right. Let us now move on to our next story making news right now. And we`re filing this under the superbly absurd category. Jessica Alba with these provocative new ad she`s done where she`s bound and gagged and trying to get people out to vote.
Now, TMZ is actually reporting this - I love this - that people started showing up at an S & M shop, probably more than one that sells the bondage tape. They`re showing up. They got Jessica Alba`s ad in hand and they`re asking, "Do you, guys, sell this tape here? I`d like to buy it."
Carlos, I`m guessing this is not what Alba or the group, Declare Yourself, had in mind when they put this ad together.
DIAZ: Well, A.J., you can`t prove that I showed up at any of these stores, all right? I want you - there is no photographic evidence. But yes, Jessica is like, "No, don`t go there. Go to the polls. Go to vote. Don`t go to these - go here." And, yes, the funny thing is, you know, she goes to all this trouble and people take her at the base of, "Oh, bondage, let me go to a bondage store." No, no. Go vote.
HAMMER: To answer Booker`s question earlier, this is where we`re at as a nation. And Lisa Bloom, back over to you, can that bring that home for me? Does this further confirm that this is the most absurd campaign ever?
BLOOM: Yes, and talk about missing the point entirely, the point is not to get involved in S & M. Hello, people. It`s a metaphor. Get out there and vote. That`s what she`s trying to say. I`m a little surprised that people would miss that.
HAMMER: Otherwise, there would have been a little caption at the bottom of the picture ...
BOOKER: It`s hot.
HAMMER: ... "S & M tape available at a local S & M shop near you."
BLOOM: It`s not hot.
HAMMER: Lisa Bloom, Carlos Diaz, Chris Booker, thanks for being here, guys.
HAMMER: All right. We also want you to call "Showbiz On Call" so you can let us know what you think about Paris Hilton, Sarah Palin or anything else that may be on your mind. We`ll listen.
The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are always open. This is the number, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. You call the number. You leave us a voicemail and we`ll play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now your calls to "Showbiz On Call" also online. Just go to our home page to hear them, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, Jennifer Lopez has a secret that got out. She basically had a nervous breakdown. Wow. That secret and more just revealed in an explosive interview J. Lo did then regretted and then tried to keep under wraps.
Well, coming up next, I`m unwrapping and revealing the remarkable story behind the secret that got out. And we`ll also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The award for most annoying repetition goes to an overfriendly John McCain.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends, my friends, at the end of the day, my friends.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I get the point. John McCain thinks you`re his friends. In just a moment, the debate awards. The most annoying moments and the lamest jokes.
And the joke is on Paris Hilton or is it? You got to stick around and watch the rest of the video that I just showed you with Paris Hilton running for president with Martin Sheen`s help. It`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and we are coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, Jennifer Lopez`s shocking confessions and the shocking interview that she didn`t want anybody to know about.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first brought you the exclusive interview posted on "TheDailyBeast.com" with Jennifer admitting to a nervous breakdown and confessing she sold pictures of her twins to "People" magazine for the multimillion dollar paycheck.
But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal the remarkable story of how J. Lo`s secret almost never came out.
With me tonight in New York is Joe levy who is the editor-in-chief of "Blender" magazine. Also in New York, it`s Marvet Britto who is a celebrity publicist and founder of the Britto Agency.
And I want to begin with what Jennifer Lopez a well-known celebrity profiler named Kevin Sessums about having what she called a nervous breakdown when she was shooting a movie back in 2002. Do you remember the film "Enough" that she did?
She said, quote, "There was a time when I was very overworked and doing music and movies and so many things. I was suffering from a lack of sleep and I did have a kind of nervous breakdown. I was like, I don`t want to move. I don`t want to talk. I don`t want to do anything."
Marvet, let me start with you. You`re a publicist. It`s your job to make clients look good and know what they say and tell them what they need to say. And I remember you repped Mariah Carey during what were her darkest hours. Do you think J. Lo had the right to demand that this interview not get out even though she did say the things that she said?
BRITTO: She definitely had the right to demand that it not get out. But she gave an on-the-record interview. And this is a woman who is typically quite private about everything that goes on in her life. You typically only learn surface things about Jennifer Lopez.
So this writer knew he had something when she shared and revealed very intimate details of what went on in her life. And I think he had the right to print it. You know, she said it. If she didn`t want it shared, she should have never, you know, given him the interview or given him the details within the context of the interview.
HAMMER: Joe Levy, as an editor-in-chief of a major magazine, what do you make of that?
LEVY: Well, you know, I`m happy to hear Marvet say that he did have a right to print it. She did give this record on the interview - or was interviewed on the record, rather.
And you know, she has the perfect right ask a magazine not to print in the same way she has the perfect right to run for president. She may not be elected president. She also may not get her wish. The magazine, in this case, did kill the interview. He`s found another place to print it but she shouldn`t be shocked if she says things on the record that someone is going to print them.
HAMMER: Yes. And she still did wind up in this major fashion magazine because after they killed the interview, they did what was really a much more celebrity-friendly piece on her - on Jennifer Lopez. And that`s when the writer, the guy, Kevin Sessums went looking for someplace else to run this story and he did find a home for it at Tina Brown`s brand-new Web site which posted it this week.
So Marvet, you`re basically saying that the writer was well within his right to make this public even knowing how strongly Jennifer felt about this.
BRITTO: Absolutely. You know, if she didn`t want it written, she shouldn`t have shared it. And you know, I`m from the school of thought that you should be honest and truthful with journalists. And you know, the media will be - your public, your fans will be more receptive to you if you are sharing your journey and it`s a truthful journey.
I don`t think they want, you know, to be told fabricated stories about their favorite fans (sic). They want to have the connectivity. And again, Jennifer Lopez is known for her style and known for her - you know, her films.
But you never learn too much about Jennifer`s personal life. So this writer knew he had something and he was absolutely within his boundaries to share it.
HAMMER: Well, after the article was posted, Jennifer`s reps released a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I want to read what they said, quote, "Obviously, we`re very disappointed that this writer went ahead and did this. She did not do any interview for this Web site," referring of course, to "TheDailyBeast.com" where it eventually appeared.
Joe, what`s your take on J. Lo`s statement, being the editor-in-chief of "Blender" magazine?
LEVY: Well, you know, it`s true she didn`t do this interview for this Web site. And yet, she did not have any right or any control over the material once she let it out of her mouth.
You know, she`s well known as a perfectionist. This is a moment where she doesn`t seem perfect. She seems human. I actually think this is a moment where fans might like her even more. And yet, it`s not the image that she`s carefully crafted over all these years.
I`m not surprised she`s disappointed but again, Kevin Sessums, the writer in question, had her on tape saying these things. So the original magazine that decided it didn`t want to run it. He has the right and ability at that point to see if anybody else does.
HAMMER: So, celebrities, learn your lesson here. You say it on the record, it`s going to get out there. Joe Levy, Marvet Britto, thanks for being here, guys.
Now, the debate awards. You know, these days politicians are providing more entertainment than the stars themselves. I mean, think about it. Sarah Palin alone has generated record ratings for some TV shows. But tonight, it`s the guys at the top of the presidential tickets that is giving us something to chuckle about. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice over): Before starting, the debate moderator got rid of his gum leaving us to chew over a debate that one Internet wag described as being like watching small claims court.
The award for most annoying repetition goes to an over-friendly John McCain.
MCCAIN: My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends, at the end of the day, my friend.
MOOS: The award for best smile ...
MCCAIN: Remarkable.
MOOS: ... while being attacked ...
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What Sen. McCain doesn`t mention is he`s been there 26 of them.
MOOS: ... goes to Barack Obama.
MCCAIN: He will still not admit that he was wrong about the strategy of the surge in Iraq.
MOOS: Best conjuring up of a mental image goes to Sen. McCain -
MCCAIN: Nailing down Sen. Obama`s various tax proposals is like nailing Jell-o to the wall.
MOOS: Nailing the pronunciation of Pakistan earns Sen. Obama the award for sounding either most worldly or most elite.
OBAMA: nobody calls for the invasion of Pakistan. If Pakistan is unable or unwilling -
MOOS: Since Sen. Obama didn`t really attempt any jokes, Sen. McCain, by default, wins the lamest joke award for this remark while discussing what health insurance might or might not cover.
MCCAIN: You know, like hair transplants. I might need one of those myself. But the point is -
MOOS: The award for the most casual debate watching attire goes to Gov. Sarah Palin. She showed up in jeans at a restaurant in North Carolina. She sipped on a soft drink, watched her blackberry and joshed around. During the debate she took notes and laughed heartily
And our next winner, moderator Tom Brokaw takes the award for pushing around two would-be presidents.
TOM BROKAW, DEBATE MODERATOR: And you are in the way of my script there.
MOOS: The award for weirdest weighing off to call your opponent by name goes to Sen. McCain -
MCCAIN: You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one.
MOOS: Though that one didn`t seem to mind, the two candidates will have to share the award for most macho campaign promise.
OBAMA: We will kill Bin Laden. We will crush Al-Qaeda.
MCCAIN: I`ll get Osama Bin Laden, my friends.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Unbelievable.
All right, imagine this. Paris Hilton, participating in a presidential debate. Yes, Paris Hilton for president? Well, coming up next, you have got to see the whole brand-new campaign ad that Paris Hilton just released with Martin Sheen as her running mate. And now, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT executive producer Dave Levin (ph) would like me to say - SHOWBIZ TONIGHT back in a jiffy.
Now, keep in mind you can watch, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time. Simply download our podcast. It`s absolutely free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast right there on our Web site. It`s CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Did you see this? Paris Hilton at it again with a hilarious new political spoof. The first one took a jab at John McCain for using her in one of his ads. Well, now, she is running for fake president. And she is getting some help from some really big stars.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HILTON: My fellow Americans, as you know, I`m running for president and I sought out the advice of an expert. Sorry to drag you into the kitchen, but I need a quiet place to seek the advice of one of our greatest fake presidents.
M. SHEEN: During my fake presidency, the kitchen was always my favorite spot to solve the great fake issues of our time.
HILTON: Running for fake president is a little daunting.
M. SHEEN: I`ve got to tell you, though, Paris, you know being a fake president is a lot harder today than it was when I was a fake president. My fake administration started before the country took some hits. It was the go-go `90s when people invested in a Web site that sold dog food because a puppet to do it.
HILTON: Nowadays, sound bites, not sound policy, determine our country`s course. I plan to bring a fake balanced approach to these problems. For example, fo-po.
M. SHEEN: What is fo-po?
HILTON Foreign policy, silly.
M. SHEEN: Of course, BF, should have known that one.
HILTON: If you are looking for victory in Iraq, haven`t we already found it? Iraq has a democratic government asking us to leave. It seems we have done our job and we should bring our troops home safely.
M. SHEEN: Loves it and makes perfect sense. But what about the economy?
HILTON: Well, this is the biggest Depression since "The Notebook." How about helping the people who are losing their homes? Maybe lowering inflated interest rates so it`s not impossible for them to pay their mortgage, although it`s not as much money for the banks. It`s better than no money at all. Just ask MC Hammer.
M. SHEEN: OK. I will. You know what, kid? I`ve got to tell you. If I were you, I wouldn`t worry about a thing. You are going to make a great fake president.
HILTON: Thanks.
CHARLIE M. SHEEN, ACTOR: You guys, you are missing it. Rock lobster. Dad, what are you doing here?
M. SHEEN: Well, I`m giving some fake advice to the next fake president.
C. SHEEN: Oh, I will make sure to fake vote for you.
M. SHEEN: That`s my boy.
HILTON: Loves it.
C. SHEEN: All right. I`m going to go get in the hot tub.
HILTON: America was at its best when it was on NBC.
M. SHEEN: Wait until it`s on MTV. Peace all.
HILTON: Peace out.
M. SHEEN: Peace out, kid.
HILTON: Bye, sexy. See you at the fake inauguration, (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: You know, Paris Hilton came up with all of those great ideas herself. Now, that video was made by FunnyOrDie.com.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Please keep in mind you can always watch, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. And one in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS," coming up next.
END
