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Showbiz Tonight
Stars and Diets; Travolta Tragedy and Scientology Battles
Aired January 08, 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, the Travolta tragedy and the Church of Scientology battles.
Tonight, for the first time, the church goes on the offensive about those wild stories surrounding the death of John Travolta`s 16-year-old son.
What is fact? What is fiction?
Plus, fellow Scientologist Tom Cruise speaks out for the first time about the questions surrounding the tragedy.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the brand-new late-breaking developments.
Tonight, the raging new controversy over star diet endorsements. As Oprah Winfrey reveals her new brand-new waist battle, other stars go public to push weight loss products -- Wynonna Judd, Queen Latifah, Marie Osmond.
But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, do these celebrity endorsements really entire you to lose weight?
Plus, a government bailout for the porn industry?
LARRY FLYNT, PUBLISHER, "HUSTLER" MAGAZINE: I figured why not? You know? They did it for the automobile, they did it for the banks.
ANDERSON: Tonight, it`s the story that`s got us saying, that`s ridiculous.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood.
And tonight, John Travolta`s church, fact versus fiction. This is another terribly painful day for the beloved movie star. Travolta held a private memorial service for his 16-year-old son, Jett, who died suddenly in the Bahamas almost a week ago.
Right after Jett Travolta`s death, wild and, frankly, down right insensitive stories started flying around suggesting that scientology beliefs of Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston, may have negatively impacted how they cared for their son.
Well, tonight, for the very first time, the Church of Scientology is speaking out and so is Travolta`s fellow scientologist, Tom Cruise. And what Cruise and the church are both saying is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: It`s wonderful people and they -- it`s just -- you know, I -- it`s just.
ANDERSON: A clearly broken up Tom Cruise talking on "The View" about his friends, John Travolta and Kelly Preston.
The movie star couple spent Thursday in Ocala, Florida having a private memorial service for their son, Jett. And during a segment of "The View" that will air Friday, it was clear Cruise`s heart was with them.
CRUISE: I met Jett when he was born. I mean, you know, I saw him when he was, I guess, a few months old, and John just adored him. And he -- both of his children and Kelly. So it`s something that, you know, I don`t have the words for it.
ANDERSON: 16-year-old Jett died during a family vacation in the Bahamas last week. But as Travolta and Preston deal with the tragic loss of their son, members of their church are going to bat for them.
Their fellow scientologists, including Cruise, are fighting back against rumors about the church`s teachings and the health problems young Jett suffered during his young life.
JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: The Church of Scientology finally went on the defensive and they had to.
ANDERSON: Barbara Walters asked Cruise about those suggestions that the church discourages followers from seeking medical attention.
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST, THE VIEW: One of the things that was said in your religion, there is not a medication you don`t necessarily take a member of your family or anyone to a doctor. Is that the case?
CRUISE: No, that`s not true. It`s actually -- that`s just not true. It`s actually the opposite, where you, you know, they say, look, get your physical -- you know, get medication, get your physical illnesses handled. It`s the -- it`s actually the exact opposite.
ANDERSON: Cruise is not alone in speaking out.
TOMMY DAVIS, CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SPOKESPERSON: It`s absolutely, absolutely not true.
ANDERSON: On the "Today" show, a scientology spokesperson fought back against suggestions he bluntly called gross.
DAVIS: As far as medical drugs, as far as going to a doctor and dealing with any kind of physical condition or something that might be wrong with somebody -- scientologists go to doctors for sure. It`s the -- you know, it`s a matter of church policy, frankly.
ANDERSON: And Lisa Marie Presley, a scientologist herself, defended the Travoltas in her blog on MySpace writing, quote, "To the few of you out there that this may apply to, let`s not use the tragic death of a child to facilitate your insatiable need to attack and destroy scientology, shall we?"
PIAZZA: People are putting the Church of Scientology under the microscope. They had to come out and say we really don`t have these crazy medical practices.
ANDERSON: An autopsy performed in the Bahamas reportedly blamed Jett`s tragic death on a seizure, which Travolta`s attorney has said Jett suffered from throughout his life. Something else Jett endured throughout his life, endless speculation about his health.
PIAZZA: For years the gossip magazines had been reporting that Jett Travolta possibly had a form of autism. The Travoltas have always shot this down. They`ve always said that no, Jett suffered from a rare disease called Kawasaki syndrome.
Because the Church of Scientology doesn`t deal with psychiatric drugs, when the cause of Jett`s death was a seizure, people were worried that perhaps he hadn`t been given the proper medication.
ANDERSON: But after Jett`s death, Travolta`s attorney revealed Jett that, in fact, did take anti-seizure medication for years until his parents took him off of it with approval from their doctors.
And on "The View" an emotional Tom Cruise stressed that his friends, Travolta and Preston, would have done anything for their kids.
CRUISE: There is a man who is -- both of them doting parents. You know, just wonderful people.
ANDERSON: For the most part, the Travoltas themselves haven`t said much since Jett`s death except that they`re heart broken. For them, Jett`s health issues, just like his memorial service, remain a private family matter.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: So there are the answers from the Church of Scientology, but does this end and why does the church remain such a lightning rod?
Joining me tonight in New York, Marvet Britto, who is a celebrity publicist and founder of the Britto Agency. Also in New York, Lisa Bloom, host of "Lisa Bloom, Open Court" and an anchor for "In Session."
Marvet, Lisa, you know, it was not long after Jett Travolta`s death that the speculation began about a possible link between Travolta`s scientology practices and how they cared for Jett.
Lisa, why do you think that people were so quick to get out there so fast with -- with these speculations and these criticisms without the proper information? Wasn`t that insensitive?
LISA BLOOM, ANCHOR, IN SESSION: I think it was. And we have grieving parents who lost their 16-year-old son. I mean, I can only imagine what kind of heart break that is. On the other hand, it is understandable to ask questions. Scientology is an unusual religion. Most people aren`t familiar with it.
We do know they don`t take psychiatric medication, although we know that they do take medication for physical problems. So the question is, what was the diagnosis of Jett? What medication was he taking? Was he properly being cared for?
I think it`s OK to ask those questions but it has to be done in a sensitive way with recognition that we`ve got a grieving family here.
ANDERSON: Yes, I agree. Do it with respect. And it is OK to question but not OK to speculate and, as I say, criticize without proper information or draw conclusions.
And the -- Travoltas themselves have always been very open about scientology. In fact, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT recently asked them whether they were worried about being so public about their religion.
Watch what they told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN TRAVOLTA, ACTOR: After 31 years of being a scientologist, I don`t think so.
KELLY PRESTON, ACTRESS: Absolutely not. And it just helps you in every way of your life. And scientology rocks. It really does.
TRAVOLTA: It works.
PRESTON: It works.
TRAVOLTA: There`s not a person that -- used it correctly that it hasn`t helped enormously.
PRESTON: Just helps you spiritually, helps you in daily life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Marvet, I would have to imagine that in some way, their strong faith in their religion is -- what`s helping get them through this difficult time that maybe they`re clinging to that right now.
MARVET BRITTO, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: I`m sure they are. But sadly for humans, what we don`t know, we fear. And what we fear, we often hate. And with scientology, you know, we don`t know that much about it. So many take it, many people take it for a cult. There`s so many misconceptions.
And, sadly, Tom Cruise was the biggest, staunchest supporter for scientology at a time when he displayed some very erratic behavior. So many of us attributed that behavior to scientology and to his belief and his support of scientology.
ANDERSON: And -- well, speaking of Tom Cruise, he is perhaps the most famous scientologist in Hollywood and he was really outraged at the suggestion that scientology was in some way connected to Jett`s death.
In a brand-new appearance on "The View" that will air Friday, Barbara Walters got right to the point with him. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: There`s so much misinformation and one of the things that was said, it`s enough to have to bear the grief of losing a child, but one of the things that was said is in your religion, there is not a medication that you don`t necessarily take, a member of your family or anyone to a doctor.
Is that the case?
CRUISE: No, that`s not true. It`s actually -- that`s just not true. It`s actually the opposite where you, you know, they say look, get your physical -- get medication, get your physical illnesses handled.
It`s -- the actually the exact opposite. Look, these people -- I have to tell you, you all know him and you see him and Kelly and they`re -- no one, no one, you know, I -- it`s just horrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Clearly emotional, understandably.
Lisa, quickly, what`s your reaction to what Tom had to say about it?
BLOOM: Well, I think he`s defending his religion. He`s obviously a heartfelt believer and he doesn`t like the fact that somehow the death of this young man, this child really, is being pinned on scientologist.
And there -- as you say, Brooke, there is no evidence to suggest that. There`s just questions swirling around. Look, on the one hand, celebrities choose the public life. They even choose, in this case, to make their religion public.
So it`s understandable that questions are going to arise. On the other hand, when you`re talking about death of a child, I think they have the right.
ANDERSON: Right.
BLOOM: . to have some privacy while they`re grieving.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. We will leave it there for now.
Lisa Bloom, Marvet Britto, thank you both.
All right, switching gears now. One of the big buzz words these days is bailout. And now porn king Larry Flynt wants his.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The porn industry needs a bailout? You`ve got to be kidding me.
FLYNT: I figured why not? You know? They did it for the automobile, they did it for the banks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I got to say, that`s ridiculous. A government bailout for porn? Is he serious? You`ve got to hear this, coming up.
Also, the raging new controversy over star diet endorsements. We`ve got Oprah Winfrey opening up about her weight battles and now all these other stars are going public with their weight issues and pushing diet products - - Wynonna Judd, Queen Latifah, Marie Osmond.
But tonight we`re daring to ask, do these celebrities speaking out and their endorsement really inspire you to lose weight?
And I think Patrick Swayze has been so brave in his fight with pancreatic cancer. Tonight, in his own words, Patrick is revealing how his anger, yes, anger, with the tabloids is helping him in his battle.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." More stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK SWAYZE, ACTOR: I have the meanness and the passion to say the hell with you. Watch me. You watch what I pull off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, more dramatic revelations from Patrick Swayze and his first and very fiery and emotional TV interview since he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you more about Swayze`s brave battle as he opens up about his life and death battle with terminal pancreatic cancer.
In his blunt, emotional interview with Barbara Walters, he told her about his fears, hopes and his outright anger at the tabloids, an anger that is fueling his battle to survive.
Joining me tonight in New York, Mario Lopez, who is the host of "Extra."
Mario, great to have you with us.
MARIO LOPEZ, HOST, "EXTRA": Thank you for having me on. Good to be here.
ANDERSON: Of course. Of course. And you know, Patrick Swayze describes finding out he had pancreatic cancer about a year ago as being in a nightmare that he could not wake up from.
And he says the constant false claims in the tabloids, which reported that he did not have long to live, he says, Mario, that that was downright emotional cruelty. But he tells Barbara Walters it only fuels his will to live. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SWAYZE: I have the meanness and the passion to say the hell with you. Watch me. You watch what I pull off.
All these years I`ve never reacted to them, I`ve never had issues with them. But when they start -- when they start screwing with people I love, and they start screwing with my family, you know, hope is a very, very fragile thing in anyone`s life. And people I love do not need to be having that hope robbed from them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Such sheer anger there, Mario. Patrick`s really out to prove them wrong, isn`t he? By living as long and as fully as he can.
LOPEZ: Well, that`s definitely one thing that he made extremely clear in his interview with Barbara Walters last night. I mean, as a fan, I was angry by the way the tabloids were handling this matter with Patrick Swayze and his family, because no -- it is such a sensitive and serious subject matter.
And to already condemn him to his fate is, I think, is just wrong. And -- it would make anyone upset. Growing up a fan of Swayze, and seeing him in these roles where he`s always the tough guy and so strong and be able to -- deal with something like this, it`s like, wow, really, reality hitting you in the face.
But it was such an emotional and powerful interview last night with Barbara Walters.
ANDERSON: It certainly was. And if one thing was super clear in the interview with Walters, Swayze wants to live as long as possible. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: Write your own tabloid headline.
SWAYZE: Swayze`s kicking it. He`s going to keep kicking it.
WALTERS: Do you visualize an enemy that you`re up there fighting?
SWAYZE: I`m very specific when -- and very explicit when I be laying on a bathroom mat curled up going up you son of a, you`re, you`re not going to beat me. You are not going to beat me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Mario, many people in the spotlight, when they get ill, they fade into the background. They retreat almost. But Patrick front and center in his battle.
Mario, how impressed are you by his courage?
LOPEZ: I`m extremely impressed and much like his characters that he`s played in -- throughout the years, you know, he`s a cowboy. He`s a tough guy. He`s a marine. He`s out there to take this head on.
What`s even more impressive and I find amazing is that while he was actively getting chemo, aggressive chemo, I should say, is that he decided to star in a new A&E series called "The Beast," which I believe premieres next this next week. And those are long, arduous days. 12-hour days. And in the five-month span, he only missed a day and a half work which is impressive when you`re -- when you`re extremely healthy.
So he`s just a tough guy and I think that really does help him out in dealing with this and keeping his mind, obviously, off of it and I`m sure has helped with the therapy but I think it`s something that remains to be seen if he`ll be able to complete yet another season.
ANDERSON: Yes, and you know, Mario, very quickly, he was very emotional, very emotional. He cried during the interview, was open with Barbara and his wife of 33 years about his struggle.
Does that just attest to his strength?
LOPEZ: I believe it attests to his strength. I mean he`s been married 30 some odd years to -- his beautiful wife. I`ve had the pleasure of meeting him and interviewing him. And he`s a great actor and an even better guy.
ANDERSON: He is.
LOPEZ: And you know, just to see him deal with this. You watch last night, you can`t help but get emotional yourself and you just cheer him on and it`s a situation you just want to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
ANDERSON: Yes, we are rooting for him, Mario, as well as everybody else out there dealing with cancer.
"Extra`s" Mario Lopez, good to see you. Thanks.
LOPEZ: Nice to see you, too.
ANDERSON: All right, we`ve been getting a bunch of calls into the "SHOWBIZ On Call" phone lines about Patrick Swayze`s brave battle with pancreatic cancer.
Here`s Marie from Winnipeg, Canada.
MARIE, CALLING FROM CANADA: My heartfelt prayers go out to him and his family because my family is suffering through the same thing. So keep on trucking, Patrick. You entertained us for many years and I hope to see you for many years to come.
ANDERSON: Thank you for that, Marie. And we also heard from Jan in Illinois.
JAN, CALLING FROM ILLINOIS: This is for Patrick Swayze and his wife. I just wanted to let you know that you`re in my prayers and I`m going to pray for a miracle for you all, because I think you have a lot of years left.
ANDERSON: We appreciate your call, Jan.
Call us at "SHOWBIZ On Call," let us know what you think about this or anything else that you`re thinking about. The "SHOWBIZ On Call" phone lines are always open. 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. 1-188-728-2899. Leave a voice mail. We`ll play some of your calls here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to "SHOWBIZ On Call" are also now online at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
OK, so you`ve got Oprah Winfrey opening up about her brand-new 200-pound weight battle and we`ve also got all these stars, Wynonna Judd, Queen Latifah, Marie Osmond, opening up about their weight struggles, too. But they`re also pushing diet products.
So here`s what we`re asking tonight. Do stars opening up and selling weight loss stuff inspire you to lose weight?
Also, an "American Idol" scam. Tonight, why you could be the target of an ugly "Idol" fraud that could wind up in your mailbox.
Also, something so cute, I can almost guarantee it will make you say, ahhh.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If there`s one thing better than watching a baby wake up smiling, it`s watching cute things falling asleep.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Babies, cats, dogs, duck, even bears, all falling asleep, all super cute. Don`t doze off. You do not want to miss this.
And now SHOWBIZ at the Golden Globes. The first big show of the award season is this Sunday, and the stars are speaking out to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
So is best actor nominee Leonardo DiCaprio ready?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEONARDO DICAPRIO, ACTOR: I`m getting as prepared as I can be, you now? I got the suit, I got the suit, and I got my smile.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUEEN LATIFAH, ACTRESS: Can we make the people laugh?
ADAM SANDLER, ACTOR/COMEDIAN: Yes, we can!
QUEEN LATIFAH: Can we make the people laugh?
ROBIN WILLIAMS, ACTOR/COMEDIAN: Yes, we can, baby.
QUEEN LATIFAH: And so the correct answer is?
KID ROCK, SINGER: Yes, we can.
QUEEN LATIFAH: That`s what I`m talking about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Host Queen Latifah helped Adam Sandler, Robin Williams and the Kid Rock get their Obama on at the 35th Annual People`s Choice Awards Wednesday night.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Now more of the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Obama watch.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there on the red carpet at the People`s Choice Awards in Los Angeles. And the stars didn`t hold back about Barack Obama, his upcoming inauguration, and their hope for his presidency.
Take a listen to what they told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIE GARTH, SEES HOPE IN OBAMA PRESIDENCY: I think that he has a lot ahead of him -- a lot of challenges. But any change at this point is so welcome by the American people and everyone is so hopeful. And to see that kind of hope in America`s eyes is really something heartwarming about it. It feels unified.
MARISA TOMEI, THINGS OBAMA WILL UNITE THE COUNTRY: I hope that he`s going to get our economy back on its feet. And I think that, you know, sometimes when you face the biggest challenges that it really brings people together and maybe it will be that -- the country will have a spirit of unitedness.
JEWEL, SAYS OBAMA HAS A LOT ON HIS SHOULDERS: I`m excited. You know the world has high hopes and high expectations. It`s a man with a lot on his shoulders right now.
CARRIE ANN INABA, RESPECTS OBAMA`S BELIEF SYSTEM: I really respect sort of the, the belief system that he`s basing all that he does on. And I think that it`s -- it`s wonderful, because I think he`s reminding all of us that we do have not only a say, but our actions can make a difference.
JORDIN SPARKS, WANTS TO BABYSIT OBAMA`S KIDS: I`m really excited and I really have a positive outlook for 2009. And I`m excited to see what he brings and what he can do for our country. And hey, if you need a babysitter, I am so up for it. Your little girls are so cute.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, they are. You know, I wonder what the White House pays babysitters these days. I bet the Obamas would give Jordan Sparks some pretty cool perks.
I also want to let you know that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right there in Washington with all the stars for Barack Obama`s presidential inauguration.
"SHOWBIZ at the Inauguration" right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Hey, Oprah is going to be at that inauguration. You know, she was so happy when Barack Obama won his battle with John McCain. But Oprah just revealed a brand-new battle of her own. Her 200-pound weight battle.
And now other stars are going public with their weight loss struggles and pushing diet products, Wynonna Judd, Queen Latifah, Marie Osmond. So I want to ask, does their speaking out and selling weight loss products inspire you to lose weight.
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLANDS: The porn industry needs a bailout? You`ve got to be kidding me.
FLYNT: I figured why not? You know? They did it for the automobile, they did it for the banks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Porn king Larry Flynt, asking for a government bailout of the porn industry. That`s ridiculous. Is this guy serious?
And the cute things that fall asleep. Everybody is talking about this. Babies, cats, dogs, even bears, all dozing off. Get ready to say, ahhh.
But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news and you can do that with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Just head to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the sign up for newsletter link. It`s at the bottom of the page.
Stay with us. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice over): Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, stars and diets. From Oprah Winfrey to Queen Latifah to Valerie Bertinelli, do celebrities really influence your own weight loss effort? Or are the stars who hawk diet plans just cashing in?
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates star diet dilemmas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The porn industry needs a bailout? You`ve got to be kidding me?
FLYNT: I figured why not? You know? They did it for the automobile, they did it for the banks.
ANDERSON: Porn king Larry Flynt wants a government bailout. He says the porn business is suffering in this economy and he wants the government to step in.
Now that`s ridiculous.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the story that has everyone talking.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
Tonight, star diet confessions. From Oprah Winfrey to Valerie Bertinelli to Queen Latifah, the brand-new controversy over star weight loss endorsements.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, do they really influence how you diet?
Oprah`s candid 40-pound weight gain confession on her show and in her magazine has launched her brand-new mission to lose weight and get healthy. She`s taking her personal struggle public and wants everyone who, like her, has -- as she says -- fallen off the wagon to jump back on.
But can Oprah really influence people again or does her diet failure turn people off?
And Oprah`s not alone. From Valerie Bertinelli and Marie Osmond, to Queen Latifah and Wynonna Judd, Hollywood stars are shilling for weight loss companies big time. But are they really inspiring people to lose weight or are they all just cashing in?
With me here in Hollywood is Jessica Weiner. She`s an author and self- esteem expert. And in New York tonight is Lisa Bloom, who is an anchor for "In Session."
Jessica, Lisa, great to see you both. And I want to begin with Oprah`s remarkable weight gain confession on her show Monday saying that she now weighs 200 pounds. Her intimate revelation led to one of her highest rated shows in the season.
Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST: I am mad at myself. I am embarrassed. I can`t believe I`m still talking about weight. I can`t believe with all the other things that I know how to do and all the other things that I`m so great at, and, you know, all the other accomplishments, I can`t believe I`m still talking about weight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jessica Weiner, how do you think that confessions like this are going to influence all the people out there who live their lives by Oprah, in a sense, and fight the fight against weight every day?
JESSICA WEINER, AUTHOR & SELF-ESTEEM EXPERT: Well, Brooke, you know, one of the great things about Oprah is that she really does speak for the common woman, even though she`s not so common anymore. So what she`s articulating is the every woman`s approach to her body, which is we`re conflicted, we`re struggling with weight.
And Oprah has been on diet after diet after diet. Every time she loses weight, just like a good dieter, she gets out there and talks about it. We`ve all done it. Anyone who`s lost 10 pounds tells everybody they know how they did it. And then we kind of shirk off in the corner when we gain 20 pounds back.
So what she`s talking about is a common occurrence with women. I think the women who`ve been following Oprah for many years, myself included, appreciate both her candor and her honesty, and are also ourselves pretty fed up with being told every single day what we should be eating, what we should be wearing, what we should be weighing.
And I feel like that`s really what the big cry of the American woman is like right now, which is like enough is enough.
ANDERSON: Well, Lisa, what do you think? How do you think people are going to receive Oprah`s message?
BLOOM: The best thing about Oprah is that she`s always authentic. She`s honest about who she is. She`s honest about her shortcomings. And look, it`s not exactly breaking news that Oprah is overweight. I mean we can all see that with our own two eyes.
But it makes her more vulnerable and more real. We know she makes $260 million a year and she is like us, because has flaws and she has vulnerabilities and she has challenges in her life just like we do.
So I think it was a great move on Oprah`s part to speak openly about it.
ANDERSON: Yes, a lot of people can identify with what she`s going through. And her personal team of gurus, her personal trainer, her medical adviser, even her spiritual adviser, have been everywhere on TV talking about what Oprah and millions of others need to do to finally win their own battles with weight.
And in the process, you know, these guys are selling millions of books and other products, too.
Jessica, it seems like everybody is cashing in as well. But are they also doing some long-term good?
WEINER: Well, I think this is, again, I`m -- conflicted on this topic, Brooke, because the diet and health industry makes billions and billions on a 99 percent failure rate. So there`s no other industry out there that we would allow to keep selling us products over and over again that don`t work.
But, on the other hand, what we`re talking about with her trainers coming out and her gurus coming out, is sometimes pretty good and sound advice for people. So I think this is really a call for every consumer, every viewer out there to really check in with their own health care team, with their own family, with themselves.
Get really truthful with themselves.
ANDERSON: Yes.
WEINER: And decide for themselves what is healthy. We shouldn`t be comparing our bodies to Oprahs or Elle McPhersons or Cindy Crawfords or anybody else`s body.
ANDERSON: Right.
WEINER: This is our body and our health.
BLOOM: Yes, and Brooke, you know, most of us don`t have a team of personal trainer and a nutritionist and an aroma therapist.
WEINER: Right.
(LAUGHTER)
BLOOM: And a dog trainer.
ANDERSON: And a spiritual guru. Yes.
BLOOM: And you know I think that part is a little bit of a turnoff. Look, there`s really no secret to it. You eat less, you exercise more. That`s how you lose weight. And I think these people coming out of the woodwork really does kind of undercut Oprah`s vulnerability on the issue.
ANDERSON: Well, yes, and Jessica, you make a great point. Each of us is different with our body types. We need to each take responsibility for our own health.
WEINER: Yes, we.
ANDERSON: . and not compare it to other people.
And speaking of that team, Lisa, we know that Oprah pays her team of gurus to keep her on track. But Satina called in to our "SHOWBIZ On Call" phone lines to say that`s exactly why she is not influenced by Oprah anymore.
Listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO)
SATINA, CALLING FROM MICHIGAN: First of all, if I had her money, her resources, her personal gurus, her personal trainers, her chefs and everything else, if they were any good at what they were doing, they would not have allowed her to get that big.
Those of us that sit around and don`t have this money that she has, I`m sick of it.
(END AUDIO)
ANDERSON: Satina is sick of it.
Lisa Bloom, does Satina speak for a lot of Oprah fans who are angry because, although they were once influenced by her, they now feel that maybe she has let them down by what she says is her failure?
BLOOM: Well, look, she`s still a human being.
ANDERSON: Right.
BLOOM: . and she`s the master of her own universe. I mean people don`t decide what goes in Oprah`s mouth and how often she exercises, Oprah decides that. So I don`t think you can blame them.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BLOOM: I don`t think you can really be mad at Oprah for being overweight given all the good that she does in the word. She`s a human being, folks. She makes mistakes just like the rest of us.
WEINER: And this is a really sensitive topic for everybody. Look how much we talk about it on this program. Weight is a big issue for everybody out there and especially women. And Hollywood has a way of glamorizing weight and then profiting from it.
And so we really, again, have to get our own reality check. Remember the genealogy in our family. Look at our true exercise and eating habits and leave somebody like Oprah a little bit alone, because this is also her journey and her demon to deal with.
ANDERSON: Exactly. And you know, the weight loss industry is tremendous and Oprah is not the only person on the weight loss bandwagon.
Queen Latifah has just renewed her contract with Jenny Craig. Valerie Bertinelli is also with Jenny Craig. And then there`s Marie Osmond with Nutrisystem. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has also learned Wynonna Judd is going to be a spokesperson for Alli, which is a weight loss drug.
Jessica, do these star endorsements really influence people to run out there, buy these products, what do you think?
WEINER: Unfortunately, yes, they do, because look at how many celebrity spokes people these big companies keep finding. Celebrity spokes people work because, A, we love to follow, as we do here, the ups and downs of every celebrity.
And so, of course, when their bodies get bigger and then they get smaller, people pay attention. People do go out and join these programs and do these diets.
But again, a lot of them fail, including for these celebrities themselves. And right now it`s become a pattern in Hollywood, it`s become a money- making business strategy for an overweight celebrity woman, by the way, more women than men, for an overweight women to go and sort of get her lashings on public television, talk about her weight issues, go on one of these programs, make a bunch of money, and then it becomes her new calling card.
I`d love to see us celebrate women of all sizes and celebrate health in all sizes.
ANDERSON: I do want to specifically mention Wynonna Judd. I want to talk about her for a moment, because as I mentioned, she`s endorsing Alli. But several years ago here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Wynonna told us she didn`t want to cash in on the weight loss business.
Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYNONNA JUDD, DIDN`T WANT TO GET PAID FOR WEIGHT LOSS: You know, when I eat, I do it for emotional reasons, not for fuel. So what I`m trying to do is be real about it, because I got offered all kinds of deals to lose weight. Companies offered me millions of dollars, and I thought, you know what, I really need to do this myself, organically, and it`s a pain in the butt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Lisa, very quickly, do you think when people see this kind of stuff, it just kind of reinforces the perception that many stars may just be cashing in?
BLOOM: Well, they are cashing in. They`re making money off it, but they`re also really exposing themselves to kind of an embarrassing ordeal. Everybody watch me lose weight and if they don`t lose weight, it`s more humiliating.
Look, people connect with -- a Wynonna or an Oprah, and if it helps them lose weight and helps them get healthy in 2009, I say it`s a good thing.
ANDERSON: All about the health. We`ll leave it there for now.
Lisa Bloom, Jessica Weiner, thank you both. Good to see you.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, celebrity diet endorsements, do stars inspire you to lose weight?
Keep voting, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@CNN.com.
All right, straight ahead, why "Hustler" founder Larry Flynt is asking for a government bailout.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLANDS: The porn industry needs a bailout? You`ve got to be kidding me.
FLYNT: I figured why not? You know? They did it for the automobile, they did it for the banks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, apparently, the economy is even hurting the porn industry. But a government bailout? That`s ridiculous.
Also, if you get a letter that looks like it`s from "American Idol," beware. I`ll tell you about a scam that`s going around that`s hitting a sour note with "Idol" producers.
And cute things falling asleep. They`re really cute and they`re really sleepy. Hence, the title, "Cute Things Falling Asleep." This thing sells itself. Come on, honestly, how can you miss this?
And now the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." More stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
T.D. JAKES, REACTING TO NEWS THAT PORN INDUSTRY LOOKING FOR GOVERNMENT BAILOUT: Surely you can`t be serious. You know, I -- think that`s unbelievable and -- totally ridiculous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: One of the most outspoken pastors on TV and radio, Bishop T.D. Jakes finds himself almost speechless on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE" when he hears that the porn industry is asking for a government bailout.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
It is time now for a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous. So get this, the economy is sinking. And now the porn industry is looking for a handout.
Larry Flynt, the publisher of "Hustler" magazine, and "Girls Gone Wild" creator, Joe Francis, issued a press release asking the U.S. government for $5 billion. They say DVD sales and sales of adult magazines are off because of the recession.
But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you not everybody agrees with Larry and Joe.
Here`s CNN`s Ted Rowlands for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS (voice over): "Girls Gone Wide" creator Joe Francis and "Hustler`s" Larry Flynt sent out a press release saying, because sales are down and jobs are at stake, the porn industry needs a government bailout.
(On camera): The porn industry needs a bailout? You`ve got to be kidding me.
FLYNT: I figured why not? You know? They did it for the automobile, they did it for the banks. You got a lot of unhappy people out there. It starts with (INAUDIBLE) from the mind.
ROWLANDS (voice over): Larry Flynt claims his business is off about 25 percent, saying economic woes have apparently affected people`s libido.
Vivid Entertainment, a leader in adult video sales, also tells CNN business is down.
But talk to Vincent Morezes at Odyssey Video in Los Angeles and you get a much different story. He says business is up. Just like it was after 9/11.
VINCENT MOREZES, MANAGER, ODYSSEY VIDEO: I guess during hard times or tragedies, the adult sales and rentals has jumped dramatically. There`s such a huge onslaught of people just buying and renting.
ROWLANDS (on camera): And you`re seeing some of that right now?
MOREZES: I think so, especially with the economy being so bad. It`s just cheaper to just -- cheaper than a girlfriend.
ROWLANDS (voice over): Back to the bailout. Keep in mind, Larry Flynt is the same guy who outed congressman for having alleged affairs during and after the Clinton impeachment hearing. He has a long history of bashing politicians and admits he`s not expecting a bailout.
FLYNT: I`m dead serious about making Congress look stupid. You know? I think the American people should have more to say about those bailouts now that they`re spending their money. These politicians have never handled our money wisely since I`ve been in this world, and I don`t think they`re going to start now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Ted Rowlands for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And while it`s tough to pinpoint exact numbers, adult entertainment is estimated to bring in anywhere from $3 to $13 billion annually.
But I got to tell you honestly, the porn industry asking for a government bailout? Ridiculous.
All right, now some more stories that are new right now. If you get a sweepstakes letter that looks like it`s from "American Idol," don`t fall for it. FOX and the show`s producer say there`s a mail scam going around with letters printed on fake "American Idol" letterhead and signed by the executive producer.
Law enforcement agencies are investigating.
And the plastic surgeon who operated on Kanye West`s mother is going to jail for DUI. Dr. Jan Adams performed surgery on Donda West a day before she died. He`s been sentenced to a year in prison after pleading no contest to a DUI charge from last year.
OK, this next story will have you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. A comedy writer in Los Angeles created a Web site dedicated to cute things falling asleep.
Take a look at those precious little ones nodding off, caught on tape. And the best part about all of this, each video submission gets rated for cuteness and sleepiness.
Ah, it just doesn`t get any cuter than this.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice over): If there`s one thing better than watching a baby wake up smiling, it`s watching cute things falling asleep. Be it a polar bear swimming as it dozes. Or a snoring dog or a sleepy duck.
Videos of a feather flock together at the Web site CuteThingsFallingAsleep.org.
It was dreamed up by this California comedy writer.
NICK MALIS, CREATOR, CUTETHINGSFALLINGASLEEP.ORG We call it the head Bob, because, you know, jerks himself to wake. That`s universally funny.
MOOS: Nick Malis rates each video on a one to five scale, cuteness and sleepiness. He`s yet to give a perfect five for cuteness. But this (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rusty, suffers from snorepilepsy (ph).
MOOS: Scored a five for sleepiness, suddenly keeling over.
MALIS You get extra cuteness points if you actually fall asleep on something.
MOOS: Whether it`s a table or a rung of a chair, even better if your head falls off something. Preferably over and over again.
What you won`t see on the sight are adults humans. No vice president dozing at cabinet meetings or former president at a speech.
MALIS For cuteness, Bill would probably get a three.
MOOS: The Web site favors babies. Parents add their own music.
Since the site is called CuteThingsFallingAsleep, the idea is not to show things already sleeping. But rating kids for cuteness can be touchy.
MALIS I gave a baby a two and then the next day the mother wrote me and said, you know, I think my son is a little cuter than a two.
MOOS (on camera): Now, if you`re having trouble falling asleep, maybe you can pop a couple of Ambien and watch a few minutes of CuteThingsFallingAsleep right before bedtime.
(Voice over): Some creatures like this sleepy sloth are more creepy than cute. The hairless sphinx scored an easily one on the cuteness scale. But any pup that falls asleep in his water bowl deserves kudos, especially when he manages it to do it repeatedly without drowning himself.
And don`t you just hate it when you`re so tired you can`t keep your nose off the table.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Ah. And I think all the babies should be rated five for cuteness every time.
That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And Anne Hathaway, you guys, speaking out about her ex. You know the guy, the one who`s in jail on fraud and money laundering charges. Now Anne is laughing about it. Wait until you hear what she said and in her own words next.
And now the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." More stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charles. And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, Anne Hathaway is speaking out about her former boyfriend who is in jail on fraud and money laundering charges. And she`s actually laughing about it, too.
The subject came up on "Ellen" when Ellen DeGeneres offered to fight Anna`s boyfriend. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "ELLEN": What are you looking for in a guy?
ANNE HATHAWAY, ACTRESS: At this point, I`d just like him to be law abiding, but.
DEGENERES: OK.
(LAUGHTER)
DEGENERES: That opens it up. You know? That`s great. I`ve got this guy for you.
HATHAWAY: 2008 was the year where I learned to have a sense of humor about everything. So.
DEGENERES: Really?
HATHAWAY: Oh, yes, big time. Actually, when -- it was -- you`re leading, of course, to my breakup with my ex. When I found out I had to do a press tour for "Get Smart," and you know, it was very odd. I was in shock and I had to -- I wanted to fulfill my professional commitments and I didn`t have anywhere to go afterwards because the paparazzi were obviously very interested in getting a picture of me, you know, crying.
So I -- went to a friend`s house and she -- and I -- it was really nice. She`s the first woman I could let go and I remember sinking on to her living room floor and she came and she gave me the biggest hug, and my brother was there and everyone was just surrounding me and giving me so much love.
I`m sobbing and I looked up and I just started laughing. I just said, it`s going to make a great opening monologue in "SNL."
(LAUGHTER)
HATHAWAY: And so then, like, two weeks later, I got the call that I was going to be on "SNL." I`m just like, you know what, at that time I`m going to get through it. I`m going to get through it. I`m going to laugh first. No one is going to be able to laugh at me and I`m -- and eventually it`s be something that happened to me. And now it is. And I`m so thrilled.
DEGENERES: Good for you, because it`s not your fault.
HATHAWAY: It`s good.
DEGENERES: Good for you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: She has such a great attitude, doesn`t she? Anne says the whole ordeal she says taught her a lot and that it also brought her closer to her family and made her a better friend in the process.
You can see Anne Hathaway starring with Kate Hudson in "Bride Wars." It opens in theaters Friday.
On Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Oprah`s weight battle, do you have sympathy for her?
Thirty-four percent of you say yes, 66 percent say no. Here are some of the e-mails we received.
Caroline from Florida, "For years we`ve been subjected to her battles with her weight. It`s getting old."
Barbara from New York says, "She is beautiful in every way and if she would accept herself, maybe she could enjoy life a little more and strive for less."
We do appreciate your e-mail. Keep them coming.
And that`s a wrap for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Remember you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN on the 11s, 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific. And in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
Take care.
END
