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Showbiz Tonight
Madonna`s Divorce Deal; Star Confessions Tour Showdown; The Nanny versus The Kennedy
Aired December 16, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Madonna`s remarkable $76 million divorce deal. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the brand-new unbelievable details of Madonna`s split settlement with Guy Ritchie. But does Guy deserve the $76 million?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HOST, "BANFIELD AND FORD": It does sort of trump Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, is this the most expensive star divorce ever? And what happens to Madonna and Guy`s kids? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the Madonna divorce deal.
The star confessions tour showdown. Tonight, Tom Cruise versus Jennifer Aniston, both revealing things we`ve never heard or seen before, both trying to pump up their image. But is it working? And who`s doing a better job? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT debates the take-no-prisoners confession tour showdown.
Plus, it`s the wild showdown between the Kennedy and the Nanny. Fran Drescher battling Caroline Kennedy to replace Hillary Clinton. Tonight, Fran speaks out for the first time.
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.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood.
And tonight, marriage pays for Madonna`s soon-to-be ex-husband.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. The numbers are truly incredible. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that Madonna has agreed to give Guy Ritchie at least $76 million to end their nearly 8-year-old marriage. And that number could go even higher. So who`s getting the better deal here, Madonna or Guy Ritchie? And is this the biggest star divorce payout ever?
And what`s going to happen to their kids? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the late-breaking developments and we are breaking down the divorce deal making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): It`s settled - well, almost. Madonna is parting ways with her ex, Guy Ritchie. And she`s also parting with a big old chunk of change. Guy is getting between $76 million and $92 million as part of the divorce agreement.
BANFIELD: If you look at what Madonna made just last year, it was about $40 million. So $76 million plus, plus isn`t that big a deal.
HAMMER: Yes, especially considering the Material Girl is reportedly worth more than $500 million.
BANFIELD: I think it`s remarkable in the lack of drama. And I give them high, high kudos for keeping this quiet and keeping it neat. They have three children between them who do not need to be pulled through an ugly mess like Heather Mills and Paul McCartney.
HAMMER: Mills got $49 million from McCartney after their breathtakingly dramatic divorce.
HEATHER MILLS, EX-WIFE OF PAUL MCCARTNEY: I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murderer.
HAMMER: Stack that next to Steven Spielberg`s divorce settlement. He paid his ex $100 million. Neil Diamond forked over $140 million, and Michael Jordan who paid a whopping $168 million to his ex, Juanita. So all in all, Guy Ritchie`s payout wasn`t too shabby. His $76 million plus divorce settlement includes the couple`s British country home and their west London pub, the Punch Bowl.
MADONNA, POP STAR: What do I like about living in England? Well, him, for one.
HAMMER: Well, the days of Madonna and Guy are kaput and so are her days in England. She`s getting out of Dodge and will most likely settle down right here in New York City. No word yet on what she`ll do with the British accent.
BANFIELD: I don`t know. As far as New York goes - New York is Madonna`s playground. This is where she made it big. I`ve been wondering whether she just misses New York or whether she wants to be closer to A-Rod. There`s so much speculation that they`re having a relationship.
HAMMER: This summer, there were rampant reports that Madonna and New York Yankees` star Alex Rodriguez were an item, reports they both denied. But just a few months later in October, Madonna and Guy Ritchie announced they were calling it quits.
It was nearly eight years ago when Madonna and Guy first married in a fairy tale wedding in the English countryside.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Was it right away?
MADONNA: Love at first sight.
KING: No. Media - heavy attraction.
MADONNA: Major chemistry, yes.
HAMMER: It was evident Madonna was willing to do whatever it took to be closer to Guy. She told CNN`s Larry King their courtship was not easy.
KING: How soon after that were you married?
MADONNA: Gosh. Two years after that?
KING: So you were together for a long time?
MADONNA: Well, it was a long-distance relationship for a long time because he lived in England and I lived in America. So for a year, the long- distance angst. A very high phone bill and a lot of trips back and forth on the Concorde from New York to London and vice versa.
HAMMER: And now, that distance, once a deterrent for their budding romance, could be the next great obstacle in settling their divorce.
BANFIELD: There`s a custody issue, of course, with the two children that she shares with Guy Ritchie. He probably wants to stay in London. She wants to be in New York. There`s a solid seven-hour travel on airplane ride between them. So it`s not going to be an easy situation for these two kids going forward.
HAMMER: Not only do they have to deal with the custody issue, they`re still waiting for their divorce to be finalized, which should be sometime in January.
Until then, Madonna is selling out performances all over the world on her "Sticky and Sweet Tour" and Guy is plugging away at another movie. In spite of the troubles Madonna and Guy had in marriage, it looks like the two are pretty good together when it comes to divorce.
BANFIELD: They`re acting pretty maturely about all of this, trying to get it neatly sewn up in a fairly expeditious way. Thank god for that. What`s nice is that it`s over with, it`s done with. No drama.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, Madonna`s publicist has confirmed the settlement payout, but Guy Ritchie`s camp tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, no comment. So when all is said and done, who`s getting the better deal here, Madonna or Guy Ritchie?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, famed celebrity attorney, Gloria Allred. Also in Hollywood, Jerry Penacoli who`s a correspondent for "Extra."
So let`s assume, gang, that Guy Ritchie gets the $76 million for their eight years of marriage. I want to do a little Madonna math and break that down for you. It comes out to $9.5 million for every year that Guy was married to Madonna. Breaking it down even more, Guy made $792,000 for every month they were married. That breaks down to $26,000 per day. Gloria Allred, you`ve been in this business for a while. Who do you think is getting the best deal here, Guy or Madonna?
GLORIA ALLRED, CELEBRITY ATTORNEY: Well, A.J., I guess Christmas came early for Guy Ritchie. Santa is, in fact, a woman, and Santa`s name is Madonna. But, really, I think if both settled and apparently they did, both must think that it`s a fair settlement given the law and given the facts.
HAMMER: That is the truth that obviously it is something that they had to agree on mutually. Madonna could have walked away from the table. But Madonna paying out a lot of money, Guy getting a lot of money. Jerry, who do you think is getting the better deal in this situation?
JERRY PENACOLI, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": You know, from the very beginning, Guy had said he didn`t really want a cent of Madonna`s money. He`s worth about $35 million without her money. So I think she probably figures, "You know what? Let`s just get this done. Let`s get this over with." We`re going to give him something and I think that`s another reason why Madonna`s publicist came out with this.
Because it`s very unusual for Liz Rosenberg to speak publicly about Madonna`s personal life. So the fact that she announced these figures that he`s getting at least $76 million upwards to perhaps $92 million, it just shows that it`s like, boom, done, everybody`s happy, let`s move on.
HAMMER: Yes, that is an interesting point that you raise about Madonna`s publicist talking out. And this is before, I should point out, the divorce is even finalized. She`s speaking out and saying, "This is what we`re paying."
So I have to wonder what the heck is going on there. Gloria, what do you think Madonna`s strategy is behind letting those numbers go public and again, before the divorce is even finalized?
ALLRED: Well, A.J., I have to believe that if, in fact, the publicist for Madonna made that public, that that was also agreed to by both parties. Generally, such settlements would be totally confidential. But maybe both decided rather than engage in rumor and speculation, they would both agree that the amount would be stated.
HAMMER: Is that what you think she has to gain by this, avoiding rumor and speculation? Because we know in the past, sometimes we hear what numbers are in divorce settlements. Sometimes we don`t.
But what really is the benefit for Madonna? She usually doesn`t care if people want to speculate. They speculate all they want about her.
ALLRED: It`s hard to say what`s in her mind, but obviously this is something that was agreed to. I don`t think she`s trying to get back at Guy Ritchie. I don`t think he would allow that, because after all, they still have to agree about the issue of custody of the children.
HAMMER: Jerry Penacoli, I know you`ve been covering -
(CROSS TALK)
Go ahead, Jerry.
PENACOLI: No, I was just going to say I think it`s a preemptive strike on Madonna`s part. Because there will be a lot of curiosity about the settlement. And so I think she`s just saying, "Look, let`s just lay the cards out on the table. This is what I`m paying him. This is it." Again, boom, done.
HAMMER: So Jerry, you said earlier that Guy Ritchie had made it pretty plain that he didn`t want anything out of the deal. Why do you think, then - I mean, really take into consideration the fact that this is an awful lot of money. Why do you think a number so extravagant was arrived at?
PENACOLI: Well, I think, look, they have made it very clear that they are going to share custody of Rocco and of the adopted child, David. So this is going to be, you know, obviously as - hopefully as clean a custody battle as possible, maybe not as clean as the financial end of it.
But I think they`re looking to make this as cut and dry as possible. So I think Madonna wants to make sure that Guy has what he needs to pick up his end of the deal in terms of caring for these children.
HAMMER: Sure. And to that point -
ALLRED: And A.J., this may not be extravagant - this may not be an extravagant amount, given the fact that they were married for almost eight years, given the assets that she has that were acquired during the marriage, given the law in the U.K.
HAMMER: Gloria, real quickly, though - you know, as Jerry was saying, this has gone pretty smoothly. They`re hoping the same for the custody battle. Usually, when the financial part goes smoothly, does that bode well for the custody part or does it not really make any difference?
ALLRED: Not necessarily and sometimes children are used as pawns in order to get more money. Hopefully, that didn`t happen here. But it is going to be difficult. Hopefully, they`re going to share custody if that`s best.
And you know, seven hours is not as long as some people have to travel to see their children in the United States.
HAMMER: Sure.
ALLRED: Hopefully, they can work it out.
HAMMER: Well, judging by what`s happened here, that information will probably be made public as well, once they reach a settlement there.
Gloria Allred, Jerry Penacoli, I appreciate you both being here.
And now, I want to turn it over to you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Madonna`s Divorce Settlement: Does Guy Ritchie deserve $76 million plus?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., it seems that Tom Cruise and Jennifer Aniston are really getting a lot of things off their chest these days.
HAMMER: Yes, that`s right, Brooke. Tom is opening up about his regrets. Jennifer Aniston, posing nude in "GQ."
ANDERSON: That`s right. Tonight, the star confessions tour showdown. Tom versus Jennifer, both revealing things we`ve never heard before. Both trying to pump up their image. But is it working and who`s doing a better job?
HAMMER: Also, the wild showdown between the Kennedy and the Nanny. Thank you very much, Fran Drescher. Fran is battling Caroline Kennedy to take over Hillary Clinton`s Senate seat. And tonight, Fran speaking out for the very first time.
Also, if the shoe fit, well, throw it -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s very graceful. I try (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes, that was a very good dodge all right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dodging and weaving - I mean, he has done that through his whole administration but we`ve never actually seen it filmed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s the shoe toss that everybody`s talking about. President Bush nearly getting slammed by flying shoes. Well, tonight, we discovered an amazing connection between the Bush shoe toss and Austin Powers.
HAMMER: And now, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT news ticker. More stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Dennis Quaid settles babies` drug overdose with hospital for $750,000. Police investigating assault claim against Sharon Osbourne. "Rock of Love" contestant says Osbourne pulled out her hair during taping.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You`re in our shot.
AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS: You`re in our shot. OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: More brand-new outrage tonight over the "Saturday Night Live" skit making fun of the blind governor of New York.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, more new outrage over the "Saturday Night Live" skit where Fred Armisen ripped into New York Governor David Paterson making fun of him for being blind. From coast to coast, people are just fired-up over this.
Now, tonight, groups for the blind are speaking out. Here`s CNN`s Deborah Feyerick for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRED ARMISEN, ACTOR (as David Paterson): It`s bad out there. If you don`t believe me, take a look at this graph that I got here. Now, it shows that unemployment in 2008 -
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Governor, it`s upside down.
ARMISEN: You bet it is.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The Saturday Night Live parody covers all bases - the New York governor`s extramarital affairs, his drug use years ago, even his accidental rise after a prostitution scandal knocked out his predecessor.
AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS: Governor Paterson, you`re in our shot.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You`re in our shot.
(CROSS TALK)
FEYERICK: The skit got lots of laughs. But Governor David Paterson, who is legally blind, says the comedians crossed the line making fun of his disability.
GOVERNOR DAVID PATERSON, (D) NEW YORK: I`m afraid that kind of third-grade depictions of individuals and the way they look and the way they move add to that negative environment.
FEYERICK: A negative environment, Paterson says, in which 63 percent of people with disabilities can`t find work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, you want to stick the cup underneath there.
FEYERICK: At the Helen Keller School for the Blind in Brooklyn, attended by Paterson, former U.S. Air Force pilot Ranson Rhoden was angered by the "SNL" skit, saying even though he can`t see, he still got his computer doctorate and parachutes as a hobby.
RANSON RHODEN, JOB TRAINEE, HELEN KELLER SERVICES FOR THE BLIND: The fact when you`re disabled, it`s not right, because they`re thinking everyone blind is stupid.
FEYERICK: "Saturday Night Live" is off this week, and told CNN no one was available to comment. Frank Primeggia, who runs the school, says those kinds of stereotypes hurt everyone with disabilities.
FRANK PRIMEGGIA, COORDINATOR, HELEN KELLER SERVICES FOR THE BLIND: This has now created a more difficult environment for us, placing someone in the work environment.
FEYERICK (on camera): Do you think Gov. Paterson is fair game as a politician?
PRIMEGGIA: Yes, most definitely. But just because of what he says, not because of his physical handicap.
FEYERICK: Though everything for "Saturday Night Live," it seems, is fair game.
ACTOR: They don`t have to be blind. I need someone with like, a gamey arm, or maybe the giant gums with the tiny teeth.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HAMMER: Deborah Feyerick for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
All right, Brooke. The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have just been ringing nonstop, a lot of people calling in about this "SNL" blind governor controversy.
ANDERSON: You`re right, A.J. And almost all of the calls we got actually defended "SNL." Annie from New York called in and can relate to the governor, but had this to say. Listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ANNIE, CALLER FROM NEW YORK: I`m actually blind and I think it`s hilarious. Like, I do stuff like that all the time. Like, it`s a joke. If you can`t take a joke, then - I don`t know, you need to just get over it. Me and my friends say stuff like that all the time. You make fun of people - so you know, you make fun of them for that, too.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot for your call, Annie. You can call us at "Showbiz On Call" so you can let us know what you think about this or anything else that`s on your mind.
ANDERSON: Yes. Please do. The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are always open. Give us a ring - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1-888-728-2899. Simply leave a voicemail. We will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And listen to this - your calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now online at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
HAMMER: All right. Brooke, you know, Tom Cruise, to the best of my knowledge - I could be wrong, but to the best of my knowledge, he has not yet called into the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines to confess anything, yet.
ANDERSON: That is true, A.J. But I know Tom is really opening up now about his regrets and so much more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I`ve got to tell you - I mean, this is who I am, you know. And it`s something that - it`s been really nice to come clean about these things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jennifer Aniston is baring everything, too - I mean, literally posing nude. So tonight, we`re setting up the star confessions tour showdown - Tom versus Jennifer, both trying to pump up their images. But is it working? That`s straight ahead.
HAMMER: Also, one of the big bosses on "American Idol" finally sets the record straight. Did the show put Paula Abdul in danger by purposely allowing a fan obsessed with her to audition for "Idol?" That`s next.
ANDERSON: And everybody`s talking about this guy who threw his shoes at President Bush. Tonight, I can tell you we`ve discovered an amazing connection to this in "Austin Powers." Groovy!
And now, the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Ex-boyfriend of actress Anne Hathaway will repay $3.6 million to people he ripped off in scam. Court document filed by Peter Falk`s daughter: "Columbo" star has Alzheimer`s. Coldplay`s "Viva la Vida" is the bestselling album on iTunes in 2008.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA ABDUL, JUDGE, "AMERICAN IDOL": I explained to them through shaking that I did not feel comfortable, "Please don`t let her come into the room. This is not a normal fan."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul on Barbara Walters` radio show making shocking claims that an obsessed fan who apparently committed suicide in front of Paula`s house was purposely put on "Idol."
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson with some more stories making news right now. Tonight, one of the executive producers of "American Idol" is speaking out for the first time and completely shooting down Paula Abdul`s bombshell claims that producers knew an obsessed fan was a threat but still put her in front of Paula during auditions to make dramatic TV.
Paula has said that the fan who apparently killed herself near Paula`s house stalked her for years. But listen to what executive producer Ken Warwick told reporters during her conference call about "Idol`s" new season, quote, "I knew the fan was a fan, an ardent fan, and if I thought anyone was dangerous for whatever reason, I wouldn`t let them in. I was in the room, and I can absolutely put my hand on my heart and say I didn`t know about the fan`s stalking history. There`s no way in a million years I would put someone dangerous in front of someone else because it`s good TV."
Warwick also added that Paula is staying put on the show, even though they`re bringing on a fourth judge.
HAMMER: And did you see this? Welcome to Rio, Madonna. Madonna takes a fall right in the middle of her concert in Rio de Janeiro. Ouch! I don`t know - maybe she was thinking about that $76 million check that`s she`s got to cut and hand over to Guy Ritchie as part of her divorce settlement. But even after the fall, Madonna, as she is wont to do, just kept on rocking.
ANDERSON: Of course she did. And A.J., you know, I think it`s fair to say that Tom Cruise`s popularity took a spill after the couch-jumping and the battle with Matt Lauer over psychiatry.
HAMMER: Maybe so, Brooke. But I think Tom now gets it. He confessed to me that he definitely has some regrets. And you know, Jennifer Aniston also speaking out about some very personal stuff, calling Angelina Jolie un-cool, even taking her clothes off in "GQ" magazine. Coming up next, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT star confessions tour showdown. It is Tom versus Jennifer, who`s doing a better job with their image? We`ll get into that, next.
ANDERSON: And check out this showdown - it`s the Nanny versus the Kennedy. Fran Drescher is battling Caroline Kennedy for Hillary Clinton`s Senate seat. Tonight, Fran is speaking out for the first time. Also, the shocking shoe toss that everyone can`t get enough of.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s very graceful.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes. That was a pretty good dodge, all right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dodging and weaving? I mean, he has done that through his whole administration, but we`ve never actually seen it filmed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: President Bush gets shoes thrown at his head. And new tonight, I can tell you we`ve uncovered an amazing connection tying this shoe-slinging to "Austin Powers." That`s on the way.
You can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by subscribing to the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. You can do that at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I`m going to tell you. I mean, this is who I am, you know. And it`s something that - it`s been really nice to be able to communicate about these things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, it`s Tom Cruise versus Jennifer Aniston. They`re both spilling their guts and coming clean about past controversies. But will all of this TMI help or hurt? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Cruise versus Aniston confession tour showdown.
Look who`s throwing shoes at the president now. From Austin Powers to The Three Stooges, the Iraqi shoe-throwing incident with the president goes Hollywood.
And TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 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, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the Tom Cruise-Jennifer Aniston confession tours. Both Cruise and Aniston are telling all and they`re working really hard to put their biggest controversies behind them. But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, who is doing a better job at it?
Tom who is hoping to cruise his way to the top of the box office when "Valkyrie" hits theaters on Christmas Day - he`s been confessing his sins about everything, including jumping on Oprah`s couch.
But wait - Jennifer Aniston`s confession tour includes her now-famous dig at Angelina Jolie and in those nearly nude photos in "GQ" magazine, and it could be the winning formula for an even bigger opening day for her film, "Marley and Me."
So who will be victorious after all is said and done? Who`s doing the best at shedding their past, Tom Cruise or Jennifer Aniston?
Joining me tonight for this very fiery debate from Hollywood, Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations and the author of this fine book, "Where`s My Fifteen Minutes?" In New York is April Woodard who is a senior correspondent for "Inside Edition." And also in New York tonight, Ben Widdicombe, editor-at-large for "Star" magazine.
Guys, let`s begin with Tom Cruise`s biggest confession so far. It`s got to be sitting down with Matt Lauer for the very first time since their infamous on-air blow-up three years ago. Watch this confession from Tom Cruise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUISE: Actually, after looking at it, I really thought, you know, it`s not what I had intended. I thought - in looking at myself, I thought, man, that came across as arrogant - you know, I felt about myself. And that`s one of those things you go, "OK, I could have absolutely handled that better."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. I look at that and I see contrition at its finest. Ben Widdicombe, off to you first. What do you think? A victorious moment for Tom on his confession tour?
BEN WIDDICOMBE, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "STAR" MAGAZINE: I think that was a PR victory for Tom because he`s been able in a bit of a PR hole for the last few years. The problem with Tom, I think, is he has been the king of Hollywood and he lost touch with his audience. People did perceive him as arrogant. And for him to say, "You know, maybe I could have handled that better," it shows a side of humility to Tom that we haven`t really seen before. And I think that that will help his audience connect with him.
HAMMER: April, what do you think? A victorious moment in getting Tom, perhaps, back in touch with his audience as Ben claims, well, maybe he wasn`t so much in touch?
APRIL WOODARD, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": Absolutely. I mean, we love Tom Cruise because of who he is on the silver screen, not necessarily all of his views. And I think what he was saying is that he came off a little self-righteous and a little preachy and that`s not what he intended to do. So I think he is victorious and I think he did it with his shirt on.
HAMMER: And he has been working hard at it and yes, staying fully clothed. You bring up somebody who may have been shirtless. Oh, Jennifer Aniston, could it be? Let`s compare Tom Cruise`s confession to Jen`s. She confessed to "Vogue" magazine, saying she thought Angelina Jolie was un- cool. And when Aniston went on "Oprah," Oprah asked Jen to clarify her comments. Watch what she told Oprah.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER ANISTON, ACTRESS: He asked me a question and I basically just answered it as honestly as I could. You know, I don`t go there. You know what I mean? It`s 100 years old.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, what do you think? Does Jennifer get points for putting her past behind and moving on?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Jennifer gets points for walking the tightrope, and that is answering the question everybody wanted to know the answer to without appearing bitter. And that`s the hardest part - is not to look bitter. Enough time had passed, she did it with class. And I say bravo, Jennifer, you did a great job with that.
HAMMER: Yes, I agree with you. And not to be outdone here, Tom Cruise has been very open, as we said, about confessing his sins. And when I sat down with Tom, he really opened up about opening up. Watch what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUISE: There`s the reality of something, you know, and then there`s the perception of something. And I think that it`s been a relief to be able to talk about stuff - yes, absolutely. I mean, for me, I wanted to talk about things. This is who I am, you know. And it`s something that - it`s been really nice to be able to communicate about those things and discuss it openly - very much so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. He was really excited about the idea he`s getting all this stuff off his chest. Tom went on to tell he`s genuinely relieved - feeling true relief - that he is putting all this out there. So Ben, does this confession win Tom Cruise points?
WIDDICOMBE: You know, I think it does. It`s tricky. It`s harder for Tom to acknowledge that there`s the public relations image aspect of him and then there`s the personal aspect of him. It`s also hard when, you know, he talks about opening up and then doesn`t necessarily tell you what he`s opening up about. But I think it`s interesting he acknowledged that with that PR show because he`s really suffered from not showing his real self in the last few years.
HAMMER: April, a few moments ago, alluded to one of our confessors not keeping their shirt on. So let`s get there. Let`s talk about the nearly- nude photos of Jennifer Aniston in this "GQ" magazine. Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers have been sounding off nonstop, so many calls coming in to "Showbiz On Call." And I want you to listen to what Lee had to say about these photos. Listen to Lee.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LEE, CALLER: What in the world was she thinking to go nude on that magazine? She totally has changed her image for the worse.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: And not everybody down with this. Howard Bragman, what about you? Do you agree with Lee that one semi-naked photo shoot can change Jennifer`s image permanently and perhaps not in a good way? Was this a mistake on the confession tour?
BRAGMAN: No, quite the contrary. It was a really smart move. You know, for an actor, their body is their fortune. And for a woman of a certain age, Jennifer looked remarkable. It was tasteful pictures. They were "seminude" is the operative word here. They were in a classy magazine.
And I think they helped her career. I think when casting people in Hollywood look, they go, "Wow. She looks great, let`s use Jennifer." And I think she did herself a service here.
HAMMER: Well, we have one caller from Ontario who agrees completely with you, Howard. Kim saying that Jennifer should flaunt what she`s got.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KIM, CALLER FROM ONTARIO: Jennifer Aniston is absolutely beautiful. She should be flaunting her beauty. She doesn`t look 40 years old. Go, Jen. I love her. She`s a fantastic actress. And she needs to just be out there as much the next person.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. April, off to you - do you agree with Kim? And for that matter, Howard Bragman, does Jennifer win points for flaunting what she has?
WOODARD: I think Jennifer is a beautiful woman and she just showed that right on the cover of "GQ." I think she`s gorgeous, especially being 40 and having a body like that and she looks good in a tie.
HAMMER: Let me play one more call for you that came in to "Showbiz On Call." It is Mary from Georgia. Listen to this -
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MARY, CALLER FROM GEORGIA: Tom Cruise is just really real. And I never saw any problem with him expressing himself. We always talk about people being real and keeping it real. And I think, you know, Tom jumping on the couch was just his enthusiasm. It was unfortunate what he said on the "Today" show last year about postpartum depression and medication used for it - that was unfortunate. But we talk about somebody being honest and being real, that`s always been Tom Cruise and I appreciate him for that.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I think Mary makes a great point there. Thanks for your call, Mary. All right, guys, break it down. In the end, who is doing a better job on their confession tour to change people`s minds, Jen or Tom? Ben Widdicombe, off to you first.
WIDDICOMBE: I think Tom had the bigger problem and that he`s done the best so far. I mean, he`s really coming from behind. And if he wants to sell "Valkyrie" he has to show more of himself, which is doing a great job of.
HAMMER: All right. Howard Bragman, would you agree?
BRAGMAN: Yes, I think Ben`s right. But you know, ultimately, I want to see how both the movies open. And that`s going to be the ultimate judge on how well they did. It`s going to be at the box office.
HAMMER: I like them both. April Woodard, sound off. Who`s the winner here in the confessions tour?
WOODARD: Well, with all of the evidence that`s been presented, I also have to say I shared a moment with him on the red carpet. He stopped a camera from hitting me in the head. So I`m going with the "Top Gun".
HAMMER: Hey, look, he`s going to be your protector and your savior there. Well, you`ve got to go with Cruise. I understand completely. All right. I appreciate you guys being here tonight and helping us Judge. Howard Bragman, April Woodard, Ben Widdicombe, thanks as always.
ANDERSON: So A.J., it looks like Tom and Jen are facing their controversies head-on.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. They are not ducking from anyone. But if they did, they could certainly learn a thing or two from our president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s very graceful. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a very good dodge, all right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dodging and weaving - I mean, he has done that through his whole administration but we`ve never actually seen it filmed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The totally non-lame duck by President Bush as shoes are tossed at his head. Now, wait until you see the hilarious parodies, the mash-ups and the Bush-Austin Powers connection. You don`t want to miss it. Did I say miss? .
ANDERSON: You did. That was pretty good. Plus, is Fran Drescher taking on a Kennedy? The Nanny speaks out about wanting to replace Hillary Clinton as senator of New York. But can Hollywood star power beat out the glamorous Camelot.
HAMMER: And Kate Winslet is steaming up the big screen with Leonardo DiCaprio in her brand-new movie, and she did it all with her husband right there watching. How does this help her marriage? Kate tells me all, still ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Tim McGraw says rumors untrue about running for governor of Tennessee in 2010. George Clooney, Tom Hanks, among others to reject SAG strike vote. Holly Hunter, Martin Sheen among stars who stand by walk out if there is no SAG deal.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Look out!
MIKE MYERS, ACTOR (as Austin Powers): Who threw the shoe, honestly? You fight like a woman?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Austin Powers got socked by a shoe in that classic movie moment, a moment that`s now being compared to the presidential shoe-throwing incident. Maybe the international man of mystery should have consulted the leader of the free world who dodged not one, but two shoes.
Yes, baby. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
I`m telling you, people just can`t get enough of that shoe showdown between the president and an Iraqi journalist. Now, shoe parodies and video mash-ups are flying around the Internet faster than you can say lame duck. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The weapons of mass destruction finally surfaced as we in the press couldn`t get enough.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nearly bushwhacked in Baghdad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Talk about reinventing ducking cover.
MOOS: Duck was all over the covers of newspapers. There were good puns -
REGIS PHILBIN, CO-HOST, "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": Shoe-icide attack -
MOOS: Ones we had to struggle to get, turns out shoe-nibomber is playoff of the Unabomber. At Dino`s Shoe Repair, President Bush`s image got polished.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought he was adept and he was very agile.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s very graceful. I didn`t know he had it in him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes. That was a very good dodge, all right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dodging and weaving - I mean, he has done that through his whole administration, but we`ve never actually seen it filmed.
MOOS: Critics loved seeing it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would have liked to have done it myself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he threw one for the world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He deserves it.
MOOS: Good thing it wasn`t a female shoe-icide bomber.
(on camera): This would be a perfect shoe to throw at someone -
(voice over) The first movie clip everyone thought of -
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Look out!
MOOS: Was "Austin Powers."
MYERS: Who threw the shoe?
MOOS: Next thing you know, on YouTube, the Austin Powers-George Bush hybrids bloomed.
MYERS: Who threw the shoe, honestly? You fight like a woman.
MOOS: Instead of shoes, Saddam Hussein`s head was thrown. The three stooges were edited into the act. In no time at all, there was a Bush shoe target purse. Even the official George W. Bush shoe throw game, try to hit the president with a shoe. Would you dare toss these shoes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They`re expensive. I wouldn`t throw them.
MOOS (on camera): And that was the Secret Service. They say don`t like the reaction.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were having cigarettes and coffee.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you let someone throw two shoes at the president?
MOOS (voice over): As for where the now-famous shoes should end up -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think they should be impeached along with Bush.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They`d probably be going to like the Smithsonian or something.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know how you can bronze baby shoes - like bronze them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Auction them off to raise money for the car industry.
MOOS: Actually, they`re being held as evidence. It could have been worse if the Iraqi had done what this minor league manager did. No, not shake his shoe. Say "You stink." An armpit offensive.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Gosh. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Well, I don`t think any shoes will be flying, but there is a brand-new battle that could be brewing for Hillary Clinton`s New York Senate seat. Fran Drescher, star of the `90s hit show "The Nanny" says she has got what it takes to go from Hollywood to The Hill.
Drescher is a Queens, New York native. She has been an outspoken woman`s health advocate since battling uterine cancer, and she is a diplomatic envoy. But why would Drescher, better known really for her laugh than lawmaking, want to go to the Senate? And why now? Well, that`s exactly what CNN`s Larry King asked her in his exclusive interview. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DRESCHER: Well, you know, I feel like I`ve - I`ve moved away from the acting career anyway. I mean, I dapple in it and I do things that only interest me. But I`m finding that all roads lead to Rome. And nowadays, Rome is Capitol Hill.
And I enjoy the Senate. And I like working with senators. And I feel like that branch is more bipartisan. And I`ve actually been encouraged by senior senators on both sides of the party lines to pursue this - that I would make an excellent senator.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The next senator will be chosen by the governor of New York. And although Drescher is lobbying for the job, there`s no word that she`s officially under consideration. But I have to admit, Fran Drescher would make watching C-Span a whole lot more interesting.
ANDERSON: Yes, no kidding. So we`ve got the Nanny in one corner. And in the other corner of this would-be Senate battle, a member of American royalty.
Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the former president and part of the glamorous legacy of Camelot is being considered to take the Senate seat her Uncle Robert once held. We all now and loved the image of Caroline as a young girl in the White House. But who is the woman who would be senator? Here`s CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Yes, she`s the daughter of John F. Kennedy, and a member of the Kennedy dynasty. But does that make Caroline Kennedy qualified to be senator?
HANK SHEINKOPF, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Does she have name recognition? So does Jennifer Lopez.
KAYE: Hank Sheinkopf, who worked for Bill Clinton`s re-election campaign, says the New York Senate seat is not about name recognition.
SHEINKOPF: A Senate seat is not a legacy place. We have not had a Kennedy elected to office from New York State since 1964, and a lot of people would like to keep it that way.
KAYE: Caroline Kennedy`s uncle, Robert Kennedy, served in the New York Senate until he was assassinated.
SHEINKOPF: The issue here isn`t about white collar people. It`s about blue collar people in places like western New York and Long Island, who are looking for economic relief and someone who will fight for them. Thus far, Caroline Kennedy doesn`t have a record for fighting for anyone.
KAYE: The 51-year-old lawyer has co-authored books on the Bill of Rights and has been a champion of education reform and public schools. Her leadership roles are limited mainly to the arts. She hosts the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington and serves as honorary chairwoman of the American Ballet. Her supporters have not been as outspoken as her detractors, but there are many.
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK CITY: She certainly has a lot of experience. Her whole family has been dedicated to public service.
LARRY SABATO, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: She is clearly a intelligent and capable and interesting woman. The minus is that she doesn`t have any political experience in the traditional sense. I mean, she has not served in the House of Representative or the state legislature, but she has been involved at least on the periphery.
KAYE: Is the periphery enough when others high-profile candidates are under consideration? Like Kennedy`s ex-cousin-in-law New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo? Kerry Kennedy is Caroline`s cousin, and Cuomo`s ex- wife.
KERRY KENNEDY, COUSIN OF CAROLINE KENNEDY: She doesn`t care about fame, she doesn`t care about money, she doesn`t care about power, what she really cares about is public service.
KAYE: Kennedy has yet to say publicly she wants the job. She has never enjoyed the spotlight, but threw herself into it when she endorsed Barack Obama.
CAROLINE KENNEDY, DAUGHTER OF JOHN F. KENNEDY: Senator Obama offers the change we need.
KAYE (on camera): One thing that may play in Caroline Kennedy`s favor is her ability to raise cash, and lots of it. All of that charity fundraising may payoff. She would have to run in 2010 for the last two years of the term, then again in 2012 for a new term. She`d need about $40 million for that.
(voice over): If Kennedy does become New York`s next senator, it will be a major political event.
SABATO: Look, it is the return of Camelot. You can see it already. We have already been talking about Obamalot and now we would have Camelot joined with Obamalot.
KAYE: And that is a lot.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And that was CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Well, Kate Winslet is steaming up the big screen with Leonardo DiCaprio in her brand-new movie, and she did it all with her husband there and watching the steamy love scenes. But could that be the key to Kate`s marital bliss? Get your mind out of the gutter. Wait until you hear the G-rated details as Kate told them to me coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now the showbiz news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom, making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Halle Berry and Tyler Perry to host 40th NAACP Image Awards in February. "Grey`s Anatomy" alum Isaiah Washington now citizen of Sierra Leone, keeps U.S. citizenship.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Time now for "Making It Work." This is where we focus on Hollywood couples who are balancing the pressures of the spotlight with their relationships.
Tonight, Kate Winslet. Now, Winslet has been married to director Sam Mendes for five years. They have a son together and Kate has a daughter Mia from a previous marriage.
But the couple have another baby of sorts. Winslet and Mendes teamed up for the very first time on the new movie, "Revolutionary Road." And while promoting the movie, Winslet told me working together helps big time in making it work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE WINSLET, ACTRESS: You know, the truth is - it is just a real juggle. And you just have to be very organized about things. You know, we have a routine at home. We take it in turns to work with working "Revolutionary Road" together being the exception.
But we are lucky enough to be in the position where we can turn around to producers and say, "You know what? We really want to make this happen. Help us out a little bit. Can we wait until the kids are on summer vacation and let`s just shoot it all then."
And luckily, with "Revolutionary Road," that was what we were able to do. So literally, the kids broke out for summer break. Following day, we were first day of shooting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, part of the shooting, Winslet had a couple steamy love scenes with Leonardo DiCaprio in the new movie, and they`re all directed by her husband. And there may be a big payoff with them making it work on screen and off. There`s major Oscar buzz going on for "Revolutionary Road" and for Kate Winslet`s other new film "The Reader."
ANDERSON: On Monday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, it was this - "Tom Cruise Opening Up: Do you like him better now?"
And the results of our unscientific poll - only 26 percent of you say yes; 74 percent of you say no.
Some of the E-mails we received - Kim from Canada says, "Tom Cruise is a movie star in the truest sense of the word. I like him more than I did a few years ago. Katie has had a good effect on him."
And Darlene from New York says, "I do not like Tom Cruise better because he is opening up. He is trying to do damage control, but it is not working."
And we do appreciate your E-mails. Keep them coming.
HAMMER: I was surprised by the results of the poll. I`ve got to tell you, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Me, too.
HAMMER: I have always liked Tom Cruise. But after spending time with him this past weekend, I do like him even better now. Never seen him so candid and open.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. 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, 11:00 a.m. Pacific, and also in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
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