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Showbiz Tonight
Oprah`s Weight Struggles; Latest on Jett Travolta`s Death
Aired January 07, 2009 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST (voice over): Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Saving Oprah Winfrey. Tonight after Oprah`s incredibly frank and emotional 200-pound weight confession, her personal trainer reveals his no holds barred battle plan to get Oprah back on track.
BOB GREENE, OPRAH WINFREY`S PHYSICAL TRAINER: If she`s stressed, if she`s bored, if something is bothering her, or she`s happy, food is a coping mechanism.
ANDERSON: Tonight, can Oprah be saved?
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, do you have sympathy for Oprah?
Patrick Swayze`s battle to save his life.
Tonight, for the very first time, Patrick`s powerful brand-new revelation about his fears. How his battle with pancreatic cancer has changed him and why he is still smoking.
Tonight, the emotional and revealing Patrick Swayze interview you have to hear for yourself.
Plus -- wait until you hear what Brad Pitt is now saying about whether Angelina Jolie is a home wrecker. Did Brad and Angelina have an affair while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you tonight from Hollywood. And tonight, the latest developments in the story of the tragic death of John Travolta`s son including Lisa Marie Presley`s powerful words of support for Travolta and Presley`s fury and outrage at those who have been using the tragedy to attack the church of scientology.
That is coming up.
But, first, Patrick Swayze`s brave battle. Tonight, the nation watched as the beloved actor spoke out for the first time about his fight to stay alive and beat the cancer that could take his life.
In a dramatic emotional and tear-jerking interview with Barbara Walters that aired tonight, Swayze told all about his fears, his anger and his hopes of beating the cancer. A fight that even he acknowledges may be a losing battle.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that what Patrick Swayze revealed to the world tonight is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK SWAYZE, ACTOR: Am I dying? Am I giving up? Am I on my deathbed? Am I saying good-bye to people? No way.
ANDERSON: That`s a defiant and emotional Patrick Swayze in his first TV interview since he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year.
Swayze tells ABC`s Barbara Walters all the tabloid reports that already had him dead and buried infuriate him.
SWAYZE: I have the meanness and the passion to say to hell with you. Watch me. You watch what I pull off.
ANDERSON: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, in his interview with Walters, the former "Dirty Dancing" star did not dance away from the difficult questions.
BARBARA WALTERS, ABC NEWS: Are you scared?
SWAYZE: I will be so either truthful or stupid as to say no. But then I immediately when I say that I have to say yes, I am.
KIM SERAFIN, IN TOUCH WEEKLY: One minute he is saying he`s going to beat this thing. The next minute he`s saying he`s scared and he`s nervous, as anyone would be.
He really, really opened up and showed exactly how he was living.
ANDERSON: Swayze has already defied the odds. Having survived this long against a disease that kills most of its victims within six months. He tells Walters he isn`t letting his illness slow him down.
SWAYZE: If I leave this earth I want to leave this earth just knowing I`ve tried to give something back and tried to do something worthwhile with myself. And that keeps me going. That gets me up in the morning.
ANDERSON: He`s filming a new TV show, A&E`s "The Beast," and in keeping with the tough guy image he cultivated in his action movies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you enjoy pain?
SWAYZE: Pain don`t hurt.
ANDERSON: Swayze told Walters that he did not take painkillers while working even though he was undergoing grueling chemotherapy on the weekends.
SWAYZE: When you`re shooting you can`t do drugs. I can`t do Hydrocodone or Vicodin or these kinds of things to take the edge off of it because it takes the edge off your brain. And in five months, I missed a day and a half of work because I had the sniffles.
ANDERSON: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Swayze is revealing something perhaps even more surprising than his demanding work schedule. The fact that even while fighting cancer he is still smoking.
SWAYZE: I will go so far as to say probably smoking has something to do with my pancreatic cancer.
ANDERSON: Swayze says quitting just isn`t a priority for him right now.
SWAYZE: Will stopping smoking now stop anything, change anything? No. But when it looks like I may live longer than five minutes I will drop cigarettes like a hot potato.
ANDERSON: Joining Swayze in the interview, his wife Lisa Niemi.
SERAFIN: They`ve been married for 33 years. They`ve known each other 36 years. They met when they were really young. It`s so atypical to what you normally hear about in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: And the couple tells Walters their rock solid marriage is helping them get through this tough time.
SWAYZE: Part of me says I couldn`t have made it through without her. But of course the other part of me says I could have. But not nearly as elegantly as I have.
WALTERS: Have you faced the prospect of life without him?
LISA NIEMI, PATRICK SWAYZE`S WIFE: That is a really hard question. Very difficult.
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, THE VIEW: How do you sit there, Barbara, and not just break down?
ANDERSON: On "The View" Walters admitted her talk with Swayze whom she first interviewed 20 years ago got to her.
WALTERS: I get choked up myself.
SERAFIN: Barbara Walters who has interviewed everyone at every stage of their lives even she is getting motional about this. That tells you the reaction that people had to what Patrick is dealing with, how he`s dealing with it, and how beloved he is.
We are all rooting for Patrick in this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Swayze also tells Barbara Walters for him living another five years would be, quote, "wishful thinking." He does expect to live at least another two years. He reportedly responded well to his first round of chemotherapy and he recently began another round.
Now on to the late-breaking developments in the Travolta tragedy and the death of John Travolta`s 16-year-old son.
Tonight, Lisa Marie Presley is outraged over suggestions that the Travoltas` belief in scientology may have affected the care of their son before he died. Wait until you hear what she`s saying.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned today that a memorial service has been set. We have the details about how the Travoltas will pay tribute to their son.
Joining me tonight in New York, Ashleigh Banfield, who`s an anchor for "In Session." And tonight in Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, who`s a correspondent for "Extra."
Ashleigh, Carlos, let`s start with Lisa Marie Presley. Lisa Marie says that rumors that the Travolta family did not give Jett his seizure medication because of their belief in scientology are just plain untrue.
In a passionate blog posted on her MySpace page, she says, quote, "Whatever medical or physical condition Jett had I can tell you firsthand that his parents were on a tireless never-ending quest to get and provide him with the absolute best care anyone could ever ask for and need. I am not writing this to preach my beliefs. I am here to protect my friends."
Carlos, is Lisa Marie drawing attention to something that, frankly, most people had stopped talking about? Or is this OK? Does she have every right to defend her friends?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": She has every right to defend her friend in this situation. I am not a scientologist. But I can completely see where she`s coming from because there -- and it wasn`t dying down. It wasn`t.
I mean there -- the whispers were growing that, well, maybe, you know, Jett had passed away because he wasn`t given the proper medication, because John and Kelly are scientologists.
I think that what Lisa Marie Presley did was heroic and it was -- the time was completely right because there had not been anyone who stepped up to defend John and Kelly and their religious beliefs.
And when talking about religion there is not more -- there`s not a more hot topic out there than religion.
ANDERSON: Yes, and she wasn`t afraid to be that person to publicly step in and be specific in her defense of them. And also on her blog, Lisa Marie accuses some in the media of sensationalizing the Travolta`s personal tragedy.
Quote, "Let`s not use the tragic death of a child to facilitate your insatiable need to attack and destroy scientology, shall we? John and Kelly have done nothing but spend their lives and their time helping others making people happy and making people`s lives better. Please let this family grieve in peace."
Ashleigh, you know, Carlos said it had not died down. But for the most part, you know, I think the media has been pretty respectful.
Does she have a point here?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR, IN SESSION: Yes and no. I don`t personally think that the mainstream media has been attacking scientology or trying to destroy scientology. But, you know, Brooke, any time a religion has a controversial tenet attached to it, it is fair to ask questions.
I know that the Jehovah`s Witnesses have been questioned regularly for their controversial views on blood transfusions. It is fair especially when the life of a child is -- is at risk.
It`s not fair to speculate what the kind of illnesses that this child had or -- or what the kind of treatments the Travoltas were giving him. That`s not fair. But it is fair to question.
In the end, though, we have laws that -- protect these children and no one has deemed anything about the Travoltas` life to be anything other than legitimate.
ANDERSON: Yes. And you know, their lawyer said that Jett was always spectacularly supervised.
OK. In another development, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned the details about Jett Travolta`s memorial service. John Travolta`s rep tells us, quote, "There will be a small private memorial service in honor of Jett Travolta for family and close friends in Ocala on Thursday."
Carlos, what do we know about the plans for the memorial service at this time?
DIAZ: It will be a small memorial. We heard rumors that the likes of Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley will be there. We heard that Oprah was invited but she`s out of the country and cannot attend.
And one thing to keep in mind, this is not the kind of house where you`re going to have cars pulling up and, you know, that kind of scene. This is a house that you can fly a plane right into.
You basically fly, hit the runway and then you pull right into John Travolta`s house. So I mean it -- there is a way to have this memorial as private as can be with as many stars being there as possible.
ANDERSON: Yes, and you mentioned Oprah. She, of course, called and gave her condolences to the family as well.
Ashleigh Banfield, Carlos Diaz, thank you both for your information and insight. We appreciate it.
And you don`t want to miss this. Coming up, we go inside the Travolta family with Kelly Preston`s lost interview where she talked about her kids and family. You don`t want to miss it.
Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, saving Oprah Winfrey. Oprah`s personal trainer speaks out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREENE: There`s only one thing that will stop her and that`s Oprah. Every day she needs to wake up and commit to the things that add vitality and health to her life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This comes after Oprah`s emotional and revealing weight confession. She says her life is totally out of balance and that`s why she weighs 200 pounds.
Weight concerns are something we can all relate to. So what can Oprah do to get back on track? That`s coming up.
Plus Brad Pitt speaks out about whether Angelina Jolie is a home wrecker. So did he and Angie really start an affair while he was still married to Jen? You don`t want to miss what Brad has to say about that coming up.
And he`s back. It`s a brand-new gig for Joe the Plumber. Bet you thought his 15 minutes were up. But he`s got a new job that`s got nothing to do with plumbing. And we`ve got it. Still to come.
And now, the "Showbiz News Ticker." More stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
For the first time since Jennifer Aniston called Angelina Jolie "uncool," Brad Pitt is telling his side of the story.
In a brand-new interview Pitt is setting the record straight on whether or not he had an affair with Angelina while he was still married to Jennifer.
Joining me tonight in New York is Dawn Yanek, who is an editor at large for "Life & Style" magazine, joining me tonight in Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, who`s a correspondent for "Extra."
All right, Dawn, all right, Carlos, the background to this, as we know, is Angelina first saying that she couldn`t wait to get to the set while she and Brad Pitt were filming "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
Brad was still married at the time, leaving Jennifer to recently call Jolie "uncool" for saying that.
Well now it`s Brad`s turn telling "W" magazine, quote, "What people don`t understand is that we filmed `Mr. And Mrs. Smith` for a year. We were still filming after Jen and I split up. Even then it doesn`t mean that there was a dastardly affair. There wasn`t."
Carlos, what do you think? Does this settle it one and for all? Are you convinced?
DIAZ: I hope. I hope.
ANDERSON: Me, too.
(LAUGHTER)
DIAZ: I mean, we`ve been -- I mean this is not new, by the way.
ANDERSON: Years.
DIAZ: We knew this. We knew this because they shot the first part of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and then he went off and shot another movie, and then they came back and started shooting more of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." And if I`m at work, OK, and I -- say I`m married and I work with a bunch of people and one of them is a really attractive person, I`m like, oh, she`s attractive. But I`m married, I don`t do anything.
And then, and then, I get divorced and, like, six months later we hook up. She`s not a home wrecker, you know? I mean I got divorced. I can date this person now.
See what I`m saying?
ANDERSON: That`s true. You know, and -- like you say it`s been a long time since all this happened. But, but what`s interesting is that Brad also says "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" will mean something to his kids.
Angelina has also said that she can`t wait for their kids to see the movie because that`s where their parents fell in love.
So, Dawn, I have to ask, don`t comments like that just fuel the fire?
DAWN YANEK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, LIFE & STYLE: Oh, absolutely. And you know what even if they`re setting the record straight or defending themselves or just gushing about how happy they are, and it somehow relates to this love triangle that went on, the media will pick up on it. And that is the thing that will make the biggest, biggest headlines.
ANDERSON: Yes, it`s like, you know what, let`s all just drop it. Stop talking about it, but.
(LAUGHTER)
YANEK: But love to talk about it.
ANDERSON: That`s true, that`s true.
DIAZ: We`re asking the questions.
ANDERSON: People do love to hear about it and talk about it. Go ahead, Carlos.
DIAZ: We`re asking the question. We`re asking the questions. They`re answering -- Brad didn`t walk into an interview with "W" and go, all right, let me set the record straight about Jen and Ange.
No, he was asked a question and he answered it.
ANDERSON: You`re right.
DIAZ: If we stop asking they`ll stop talking about it.
ANDERSON: Back to the "W" magazine interview. How does Brad feel about Aniston calling Jolie "uncool." He tells "W," quote, "I think she got dragged into that one. And then there`s a second round to all of that, Angie versus Jen. It`s so created."
Carlos, are you surprised that he`s defending Jen?
DIAZ: Not a t all because Brad Pitt is cool. He`s cool. OK? That`s what cool guys do. Cool guys go, hey, listen, and they defend their exes. OK? That`s A, a cool move. B, why would -- why would he be mad at Jen in this situation? Why would he have any ill-will towards Jen?
He`s with Angelina. He`s happy. So he should want to be happy for everyone so, no, I`m not surprised at all that he`s got great word for Jen.
ANDERSON: Yes, me either. And he`s trying to be a gentleman about all of it at this time.
Dawn, what will it take for what Jen has called the Bermuda triangle to finally come to an end?
(LAUGHTER)
YANEK: You know, I think Jen needs to have some babies and really fast to put this whole thing behind her. I think that will level the playing field. But I don`t know, come to think of it, it didn`t -- it kind of loosened up Nicole Kidman`s tongue so it may not do that.
Probably the only thing that will end this is if another uber-famous salacious love triangle kind of takes their place.
ANDERSON: OK.
YANEK: And everybody`s interested (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: Well, you know what, I`m sure that will happen. We`ll wait and see what it is.
Dawn Yanek, Carlos Diaz, good to see you. Thanks.
YANEK: You, too.
DIAZ: Thank you.
ANDERSON: All right. We`re still getting so many calls to the SHOWBIZ "On Call" phone lines about the Travolta tragedy. It`s really an overwhelming response the way people want to express their sympathy for John Travolta and his family.
We`ll start with a call from Toni in California.
TONI, CALLING FROM CALIFORNIA: I am a big fan of John Travolta. He is my favorite actor. I was shocked when I heard about his son`s death. His heart must be shattered in a million pieces. My heart and my prayers go out to him and his family. I am so, so sorry for their loss.
ANDERSON: Thank you for that, Toni.
We also heard from Nonnie, who said she can identify with the Travoltas` struggle.
NONNIE, CALLER: I`m so sorry about John Travolta`s son Jett. I have a special needs child. She has seizures and I know what they`re going through. And I`m really sorry.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Nonnie. The SHOWBIZ "On Call" phone lines are always open if you`d look to call in. 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. 1-888-728-2899. Leave a message. We will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to SHOWBIZ "On Call" are also now online on our home page, that`s CNN.com/SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, more about the Travolta family tragedy.
Tonight, brand-new information from those closest to the Travolta family about how they`re dealing with the loss of Jett.
Plus SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovers the lost Kelly Preston interview where she speaks about how much her family means to her. That is still to come.
Also, saving Oprah Winfrey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. MEHMET OZ, OPRAH WINFREY`S MEDICAL ADVISER: For her, obesity became an excuse that she could hide behind. Oprah took it one step deeper, she had -- she hid behind her hormones.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oprah says she`s up to 200 pounds and it`s because her life is out of balance. Lots of people can identify with that. Now Dr. Oz and Oprah`s trainer speak out about what she can do to get back on track. That is straight ahead.
And Joe the Plumber, war correspondent? I bet you thought this guy`s 15 minutes were up. Well, you thought wrong. I`ll tell you about Joe`s new gig still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLENN CLOSE, ACTRESS: Our biggest hope is that people will know what they have, what he has in front of him, and the huge, almost impossible task of putting things right, and that we will understand and -- continue our support.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Check this out. What a photo-op. President-elect Barack Obama was at the White House today for a lunch with President Bush and former presidents, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
And in the SHOWBIZ "Obama Watch" tonight, the one thing that all of the former presidents have in common is how fast they aged while in office.
Can we expect the young-looking Obama to also start aging fast?
Here is CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Barack Obama is about to become leader of the free world. But that job comes with a hefty price.
DR. MICHAEL ROIZEN, CHIEF WELLNESS OFFICER, CLEVELAND CLINIC: The typical person who lives one year ages one year. The typical president ages two years for every year they`re in office.
CHO: Two years for every year as president?
Dr. Michael Roizen, best-selling author, has studied the relationship between stress and aging -- particularly in presidents.
ROIZEN: You`re alone and you`re relatively isolated so you don`t see any poker games in the White House. Everything is formal, everything is on the record.
CHO: Take Bill Clinton. Good habit, running. Bad one, fast food. One thing that changed -- the stress. And eight years later, it showed.
Despite 9/11, Roizen says George W. Bush fared well during his first term but made up for it in his second. A troubled war and economy, bad poll numbers have taken a toll. Yet some say gray hair or not, Bush is nothing, if not fit.
DAVID ZINCZENKO, MEN`S HEALTH MAGAZINE: I mean, did you see him dodge that shoe?
CHO: So how will Barack Obama fare? The admitted gym rat is also a foodie, and the cover story of "Men`s Health" magazine.
ZINCZENKO: This is not a broccoli-shunning, pork-rine eating, McDonald`s popping into guy.
CHO: Another point in his favor, besides the basketball, the president- elect is known to be calm. No drama Obama.
ZINCZENKO: He`s better suited than any former president, than any predecessor to -- weather it emotionally and physically.
CHO (on camera): But there`s only so much you can do.
ZINCZENKO: I know, I know.
(LAUGHTER)
ZINCZENKO: And if the worse, and if the worse that happens is your hair goes a little gray, so be it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And I also want to let you know that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right there in Washington for Barack Obama`s presidential inauguration. It`s expected to be the most star-studded one ever.
Showbiz at the inauguration right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Straight ahead, saving Oprah Winfrey. Oprah`s trainer speaks out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREENE: There`s only one thing that will stop her, and that`s Oprah. Every day she needs to wake up and commit to the things that -- that add vitality and health to her life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This is after Oprah`s emotional and revealing weight confession. She says her life is out of balance and that`s why she weighs 200 pounds.
Weight concerns, something we can all relate to. So what can Oprah do to get back on track? Coming up.
Oprah has called her friend John Travolta to express condolences about the death of his son Jett. Now brand-new words from the Travolta family`s closest friends.
Plus SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovers Kelly Preston`s lost interview talking about her family. Coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GREEN: There`s only one thing that will stop her and that`s Oprah. Every day she needs to wake up and commit to the things that add vitality and health to her life.
ANDERSON (voice over): Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, saving Oprah Winfrey.
Tonight, just after Oprah opens up about her emotional and painful 200- pound weight battle, her personal trainer reveals his take-no-prisoners plan to get Oprah back in shape.
But will it work? And we`re asking you, do you have any sympathy for Oprah?
Brand-new details about how the Travoltas are dealing with their tragedy. Will there be a funeral for their 16-year-old son Jett?
Plus, reaction from the family`s friend. And a revealing inside look at the loving Travolta family from Kelly Preston herself.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
Tonight, saving Oprah Winfrey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST: When I was in this moment, I never thought that I would be 40 pounds heavier. This is me at 160 pounds. And I weigh 200 pound right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: After Oprah`s incredibly frank and emotional weight confession, her personal team of gurus, her trainer, her medical adviser and even her spiritual adviser, are now revealing their no holds barred battle plan to get Oprah back on track.
And now that Oprah has put all of her cards out there for everybody to see, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, do you have sympathy for Oprah?
With me tonight in New York is Emme, she`s a model, author and founder of EmmeStyle.com. And in Hollywood is Roshumba Williams. She`s also a model and author of "The Complete Idiot`s Guide to Being a Model."
Emme, Roshumba, thanks for being with us again tonight. And, you know, everybody has been talking about "Oprah`s Show" this week and her unbelievable confessions about her weight gain, her confessions about her eating habits.
Oprah`s trainer of 14 years, Bob Greene, told CNN`s Larry King that he`s not disappointed in her, but says ultimately Oprah will have to save Oprah.
Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREENE: Let`s say she reaches her ideal weight and I guess the question is what`s to stop her from -- there is only one thing that will stop her and that`s Oprah. Every day she needs to wake up and commit to the things that add vitality and health to her life.
And any day she wakes up and decides not to that`s not a good day. So it`s all in her hands.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now, Bob Greene is not saying anything that`s surprising for anybody battling weight. But Roshumba, does he have a point that that the only person who can save Oprah is herself?
ROSHUMBA WILLIAMS, MODEL & AUTHOR: I do agree. I agree 100 percent with Bob Greene.
The thing is with Oprah, it`s not about her weight. The weight is just a symptom. It`s about something that`s much, much deeper. And she has to dig deeper in order to get to that.
And I think it`s great that she`s actually sharing her gurus with us. She has her spiritual guru, of course, Mr. Beckwith, and Bob Greene, her physical trainer, and also Dr. Oz. And she`s doing Oprah`s best life week which I think is amazing.
And the best thing about it is she recognizes that she`s got to take control in order to overcome this and she`s helping us.
ANDERSON: Yes.
WILLIAMS: . do the same at the same time.
ANDERSON: And as you mentioned she does have a team of people helping her.
WILLIAMS: Right.
ANDERSON: Emme, do you agree with Roshumba and agree with Bob Greene that ultimately the responsibility lies with Oprah?
EMME, FOUNDER, EMMESTYLE.COM: It definitely does. I think that a lot of the information that`s going out into the airwaves, and the magazines and the newspapers about this whole issue around Oprah`s rage and disappointment in herself is helpful to a certain degree.
But I believe that a lot of the work that does need to get done is that inner strife -- if someone is really underweight, if some one is really overweight, and you tell them to lose weight or gain weight, they`re still going to be unhappy even at their ideal weight. So you have to get that work done now.
WILLIAMS: That`s a good point that Emme makes. The underweight as well, because often times people focus on the issue of being overweight. But there are a lot of people who suffer with weight issues where they`re underweight and they have eating disorders which, you know.
ANDERSON: Absolutely.
EMME: It`s an epidemic in our country.
ANDERSON: Yes.
EMME: Bipolar.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Yes. It goes both ways certainly. And speaking of that inner strife that you mentioned, Emme, Bob Greene has suggested that Oprah is depressed. Now this is something that she denies.
But Greene also reveals some interesting details about what Oprah may have to face, actually takes on her new weight loss battle plan. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREENE: I like exercises, emotional exercises that identify first the areas of your life that are going well and praise yourself for that. And then look at those areas that aren`t going well and break them down. How are your relationships? Romantic relationships? Your friendships?
Do you like what you do during the day? Your career? Where are the areas that -- that need change and then make a plan to change them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK, Bob Greene is basically saying Oprah, who seems to have it all, needs to take a step back.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
ANDERSON: Take stock of things. Really tackle her issues and then her weight issues.
Emme, does it surprise you at all that he`s kind of putting all of Oprah`s personal baggage out there or is it -- he`s doing it in a way to help the rest of us at the same time?
EMME: Well, I almost feel like there is a lot going on that has nothing to do with the weight to back up what Roshumba has just said. And I almost want the team to back off. I want Oprah to really -- she is doing an incredible service.
But there`s a lot going on here in this world right now especially in America. We are trying to keep our jobs. We are trying to feed our children. We -- do we need to have another weight loss challenge in front of us?
Yes, we want to make ourselves better.
WILLIAMS: That`s where I disagree with Emme. I -- feel that the fact that we have so much stress in our life right now, we need someone like Oprah who`s also going through her own stresses to help guide us through it.
EMME: We`ve done this already with her, Roshumba.
WILLIAMS: But you know what?
EMME: She is our leader in our country.
WILLIAMS: But.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: But life doesn`t end in a 24-hour cycle. Oprah is only 53 years old. She`s got a whole life to live as well as the rest of us.
EMME: So people are trying to.
WILLIAMS: And there are going to be ups and downs and ins and outs and I think Oprah is the perfect person to help guide us through this.
(CROSSTALK)
EMME: I love her.
WILLIAMS: I`m so happy.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Roshumba, you don`t agree with Emme that maybe another challenge could be a little bit too much for people to take right now at this time with this economy and all the hardships people are facing?
WILLIAMS: I don`t see it as a challenge.
EMME: A gentler approach.
WILLIAMS: I see it as a solution. I see it as Oprah saying, you know what, it`s -- you can possibly get overwhelmed by what is going on. But if you have control of yourself and your own personal issues, you can get through this.
EMME: And trust with yourself.
WILLIAMS: And she`s giving us the guide post to get through it. I don`t know if you watch, but I was watching Oprah`s "Best Life Week" yesterday, and she was saying, things you can eat, spiritual things that you can do.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: And these things are positive ways to help us through this crisis. I 100 percent believe that.
ANDERSON: Yes, Emme, it`s all about the approach, right? Emme?
EMME: All about the approach. We don`t need to body bash ourselves any more. It needs to be a more -- we`ve gone through this journey with Oprah. And we have learned not to hurt ourselves or to -- to blame our bodies any longer.
ANDERSON: Right.
EMME: Our minds, body, and spirit are connected. And so if we can be shown a way that`s more gentler and more adult and mature to help us handle and balance what`s going on, and not to try and go for perfection, and to accept that yes, we fluctuate, yes, it is help that we need to go for.
WILLIAMS: I feel that`s what she`s doing. I feel that`s what she`s doing.
ANDERSON: Right. Right. And so many people can identify with that.
And ladies, I do want to say this. We have been asking SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers on air and online, Oprah`s weight battle. Do you have sympathy for her? I mean 35 percent of our viewers said yes. 65 percent said no.
Roshumba, is it surprising to you that so many people do not have sympathy for Oprah?
WILLIAMS: It`s not surprising to me because it shows me that people think that Oprah is super human. And Dr. Oz has said that the most extraordinary thing about Oprah is that she is so ordinary. And she takes her personal issues and she deals with them in a public format because she is a public person. She doesn`t hide from the fact that she had health issues.
EMME: She might need to take a step back.
WILLIAMS: She has weight issues, that she has stress issues.
EMME: Yes.
WILLIAMS: And she is addressing that. She is addressing it in a positive way.
ANDERSON: Ten seconds.
WILLIAMS: Emme, I`ll let you end it.
ANDERSON: Emme, I think that you end it for us. Ten seconds.
EMME: Well, I -- I just want to say that I think that dealing with all of your issues in a public way and being a good friend, someone stepping in, and her girlfriends to go in and say, let`s take a trip, let`s put a hold on all the work.
ANDERSON: Yes.
EMME: . and let`s relax.
WILLIAMS: I don`t agree with that.
ANDERSON: Good advice.
WILLIAMS: I don`t agree with that.
ANDERSON: Take a step back.
WILLIAMS: Work through it, Oprah. I`m with you all the way.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: Disagreement all around. All right.
EMME: Use your money. You`ve earned it.
ANDERSON: We`ll leave it there for now. We will continue this conversation, ladies.
Emme, Roshumba Williams, thank you both.
WILLIAMS: Thanks, too.
EMME: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And now here`s your chance to speak out. What do you think? It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Oprah`s weight battle. Do you have sympathy for her? Vote, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, e-mail ShowbiTonight@CNN.com.
Coming up next, more of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing coverage of the Travolta tragedy. A revealing inside look into the loving Travolta family from Kelly Preston herself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLY PRESTON, ACTRESS: You know, we keep the family together wherever we go. We are always traveling together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Brand-new details about the Travolta family. Plus, how they`re dealing with the shocking and sudden death of their teenaged son Jett.
Also the latest on the funeral arrangements. Reaction from Hollywood and more of your personal thoughts for the Travoltas. Your SHOWBIZ "On Calls," that`s next.
And Joe the Plumber`s 15 minutes of fame are not up yet. You have got to hear about his new job. No more plungers and wrenches for this average Joe. He is trading them in for a video camera and maybe even a bullet- proof vest. Yes.
And now the "Showbiz News Ticker," more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: More stories from the "Showbiz News Ticker" coming right up.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, brand-new details about the Travolta family and how they`re coping with the death of their only son Jett.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned today that the family is holding a very private memorial service Thursday for Jett where they live in Ocala, Florida.
Also new tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Kelly Preston in her own words talking about her family.
And tonight we are getting brand-new insight into how the Travoltas are coping. It`s the cover story of the new issue of "People" magazine hitting newsstands on Friday.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Mike Fleeman, who`s the West Coast editor for People.com.
Mike, good to see you. OK. You were able to talk to some people, Mike, that have been very close to the Travolta family over the years, including the former head of Paramount Studios, Sheri Lansing, who says John`s family is everything to him.
Quote, "John has the biggest heart in the whole world. Everything is about children and family. I really can`t imagine anything worse than this happening."
Mike, what did friends tell "People" magazine about how close this family really was?
MIKE FLEEMAN, WEST COAST EDITOR, PEOPLE.COM: This is everything to John Travolta. He is a very, very loving and attentive father. And this is a hole that is going to be almost impossible for them to fill and almost impossible to overcome.
ANDERSON: Yes, a void for the rest of their lives, I`m sure. And as we mentioned, the Travoltas are preparing for Thursday`s memorial service. Really another painful step in this tragedy.
Mike, from the friends and those close to Travolta that "People" magazine spoke with, did you get a sense of how hard it is going to be?
FLEEMAN: They are going to have to deal with this for the rest of their lives. You know, anybody who has lost a child will tell you that there is nothing more difficult to overcome.
And -- the friends said look, what can we say? There is really nothing we can say. There is nothing we can do. This is something they`re going to have to deal with themselves ultimately.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. It really is indescribable.
And, Mike, in the new issue of "People," "Good Morning America`s" Diane Sawyer, who`s a good friend of the Travoltas, talks about when Jett was born and John`s exuberance over being a dad.
Quote, "I remember John`s complete rapture because he has a playful spirit himself. I think it was a whole new feeling of the floor dropping out from under him with love."
Mike, Diane`s words really drive home once again the point of how hard life is going to be for John without his only son.
FLEEMAN: That charisma, that joy, that light that you see on the screen from John Travolta is very much present in real life. And this is something of a magnitude that he has never had to deal with before.
And to have to go on, to have to go back to work, to have to think about making movies and comedies and all of these sorts of things, nothing like this has ever faced him before.
ANDERSON: Right. It`s going to be unimaginably difficult.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovered an interview that Travolta`s wife Kelly Preston did in 2007 where she talked about keeping the family together and her strong bond with John.
Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESTON: We are always checking in with each other and keep it really honest and fun. And we keep creating it. You know we keep the family together wherever we go. We`re always traveling together. Kids are home- schooled with us.
And we share the same beliefs. We`re both scientologists. So we`ve really got a lot -- a very solid core. And we keep it fun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Let`s not forget, they still have a daughter Ella, who is only 8 years old.
Mike, down the road, for Ella`s sake, they will have to find joy in their lives again, right? They are still a close-knit family?
FLEEMAN: One theme that came out from all the interviews we did is that not only do they have to find joy, that John and Kelly have to find strength. And if there is any sort of vague positive aspect of any of this horrible tragedy is that they have to deal with things if only for the sake of their daughter.
And all of the friends said look, they are close enough. They are loving enough. They will find that strength for Ella`s sake.
ANDERSON: Yes, and for Ella, 8 years old, boy, to lose, to lose a sibling, it`s just got to be terrible for her.
And in the interview that we uncovered we really get a sense about how Kelly and John, despite their fame, worked to keep things in their family as normal as they possibly could.
Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESTON: It is very normal. We do everything. This weekend, I had a bunch of kids over and we did a huge slip-and-slide down the hill and barbecued and swim party. And you know decorating cupcakes. And it`s very normal in extraordinary circumstances.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Mike, from those -- the, you know, close to Travolta and Kelly that "People" magazine spoke with, did you get a sense that he and Kelly will eventually climb their way out of this darkness, extremely positive people, quickly?
FLEEMAN: Yes, they have the emotional support. They have the friends. They have the backing. If anybody can get past this, they will.
ANDERSON: Oh, we wish them well. OK, we`ll leave it there.
Mike Fleeman, thank you. We appreciate it.
And for more you can pick up a copy of the new issue of "People" magazine on newsstands everywhere this Friday.
Well, as I mentioned before the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been flooded with your calls of support for the Travolta family. I want to play some more of your heartfelt words right now. We got a call from Sandra in West Virginia.
SANDRA, CALLING FROM WEST VIRGINIA: I`m very sorry for the loss of your son Jett. He was a beautiful young man. His eyes and smile illuminate the world. Know that when you look at his picture, that Jett is at peace and is not suffering.
John and Kelly, God bless your family. I`m so sorry.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Sandra. And we also heard from Jessica in Texas.
JESSICA, CALLING FROM TEXAS: I`m young, 24, and I experienced a lot of family members passing. And I know that there`s really nothing that can be said to ease the pain in their heart.
And I just want to say, just keep the faith. Everything happens for a reason. God will never leave your side.
ANDERSON: Thank you for that, Jessica.
And call us at "Showbiz On Call." Let us know your thoughts about the Travolta tragedy or anything on your minds. The phone lines, they`re always opened. Call us, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ, 1-888-728-2899.
Just leave a voicemail. We will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And you calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now online on our homepage, that`s CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
OK, when this guy burst on to the scene, we got a lot of calls and e-mails about him. Some of you liked him, some of you couldn`t stand him.
I`m talking about Joe the Plumber. Well, tonight, I can tell you he`s got a brand-new job and he`s not going to be dodging clogs and leaks. He could be dodging bullets. Stick around to hear this, next.
And now more from the "Showbiz News Ticker" stories when the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Time now for some more stories new right now.
OK, Joe the Plumber, remember him? Well, he`s got a new job and it`s got nothing to do with toilets or leaky faucets.
Sam "Joe" Wurzelbacher is actually heading to Israel as a war correspondent for Pajama`s TV, PJTV.com. He`ll spend 10 days in the Middle East covering the fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Joe say he wants to let Israel`s average Joes tell their story.
You`ll remember that Joe got his 15 minutes of fame when he asked Barack Obama about his tax plan on the campaign trail. I guess, those 15 minutes hasn`t run out for Joe just yet.
Levi Johnston, the 18-year-old fiance of Sarah Palin`s daughter, Bristol, has quit his oil field job. The "Anchorage Daily News" says that Levi bailed because there have questions over how he got the electrical apprenticeship without a high school diploma.
An Alaska talk show radio host suggested that Governor Palin may have helped him get the job. Palin has denied it and Levi`s father said it was a simple oversight but advised him to quit.
Levi became a dad when Bristol gave birth to their son Tripp just last month.
And the reaction is pouring in to the news that CNN`s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has been approached by President-elect Barack Obama for the surgeon general post.
I can tell you that Sanjay`s friends and colleague definitely feel "Paging Dr. Gupta" to the White House is a great idea, including the "Today" show`s Dr. Nancy Snyderman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. NANCY SNYDERMAN, "TODAY" SHOW: I happen to think Sanjay`s a great choice. And there`s a (INAUDIBLE) among those of us who are surgeons and happen to do this kind of work for communication. And Sanjay`s not only a gifted surgeon but he -- was a White House fellow so he understands policy.
And he`s a great communicator and we`ve already seen that this administration puts a big price tag on the ability to communicate. Sanjay`s also traveled the world with CNN so he`s had that wonderful gift to people to look back on the country through foreign eyes. And he loves to tell policy. You put all of those things together and in a crisis be able to craft a message.
I think he`s a superb choice.
OZ: I`m absolutely thrilled. I mean I love Sanjay. We`ve been good friends for years. He`s done a wonderful job on CNN teaching America about the important issues in the health field.
He`s served this nation in Washington in the past. He was in Iraq -- actually operated on -- about half a dozen people in Iraq as a neurosurgeon.
I think his selection by President-elect Obama is a very wise one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I think it`s a wise choice, too.
All right. That`s a wrap for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
And don`t forget, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN on the 11s -- 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific and also in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
Take care.
END
