Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
The Ann Coulter Interview; Oprah`s Weight Battle; Lost Obama Photos
Aired January 15, 2009 - 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, a SHOWBIZ exclusive, one on one with conservative lightning rod, Ann Coulter. Tonight, right here, Coulter`s first interview since her explosive on-air confrontation on "The View."
Does she think she dissed Barbara Walters? Was she treated unfairly? Plus, her controversial comments in her new book about celebrities in Hollywood. Tonight, Coulter answers all in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive.
Oprah`s weight battle. Tonight, Wynonna weighs in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYNONNA JUDD, COUNTRY SINGER: And I told Oprah this. I said, "You know, I forgot to put myself on the list." And she literally looked at me like, "Wow."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Wynonna on Oprah, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Plus, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Obama watch. The lost Obama photos. Wait until you see what`s been found.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. And tonight, I`ve got a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, the Coulter controversy. Right here, right now, controversial conservative author Ann Coulter in her first extended interview since that big blowout on "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": We are not attacking you. You wrote something provocative.
ANN COULTER, CONSERVATIVE AUTHOR: I have never heard my book read aloud like you`re reading "Mein Kampf," and I just did.
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Can I just read a section aloud?
COULTER: Yes, read it like you`re reading "Mein Kampf" again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That was just one of the many explosive and headline-making moments on "The View" earlier this week when Coulter faced off with the ladies on "The View." And the trigger point? What Coulter writes about in her brand-new bestselling book, "Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America."
Coulter takes on everything in this thing, from some of the biggest stars in Hollywood to even single moms. We`re going to get into all that tonight with Ann Coulter, including your calls into "Showbiz On Call." Ann, I appreciate you being with me here tonight.
COULTER: Thank you for having me.
HAMMER: So "The View." Wow. Let`s start there because, certainly, a lot of outrageous things were said, I believe, by everybody on that entire panel. Perhaps, though, the most contentious moment came when Barbara Walters was about to read from your book and I want to take a look at what happened there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: Can I just read a section aloud?
COULTER: Yes, read it like you are reading "Mein Kampf" again.
WALTERS: I don`t think I did that.
COULTER: I think you did. You spat out the words when I wasn`t sitting here.
WALTERS: Let me do this. In this case I would look to discuss something current.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And then, the headlines followed. The blogosphere went wild. I assume you get why people were so outraged by what you said to Barbara Walters and how you said it.
COULTER: Not the headlines I saw. And no, I don`t understand. I didn`t realize that this was not someone I wasn`t allowed to respond to. I`d rather not be on TV with someone I`m not supposed to respond to.
But I mean, they just had a segment without me. I was only 20 yards away. I could have been there, in which they, I guess, didn`t like me saying, attack the book but calling it BS and not the initials. I don`t know what you`d call that. But I would say mischaracterizing my book.
But anyway, when Barbara Walters read it - I mean, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) segment from that. I would like to hear her read "Cat in the Hat" of Dr. Seuss - the cat that`s on the hat. I mean, it`s just obvious when you read something and you hate it. And by the way, and when she did that second reading, she did it beautifully. I said, "That`s very nice. You can read my next audio book."
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: But I think, Ann, what people were taking issue with was not the fact that even so much that you talked back to Barbara Walters. That may have been part of it certainly, but the fact that you used Hitler`s "Mein Kampf" as an example. That`s incendiary and to a lot of people, that sort of pushes it beyond the limits of, perhaps, there was a more respectful way to say, "You know what, Barbara? I really didn`t like the way you handled it last time."
COULTER: I think I made the point a lot faster. You`re not allowed to mention "Mein Kampf?" It`s obviously a book we don`t like and words were being spat out. I think the point was made very quickly and colorfully.
HAMMER: So I`m going to guess now it`s all behind us and you`ve seen what has happened. You wouldn`t have handled that any differently?
COULTER: No. No, I like - that was one of my favorite parts.
HAMMER: Anything you would like to say to Barbara Walters at this time?
COULTER: I liked the second reading better.
HAMMER: You did?
COULTER: Yes. That was read the way a book ought to be read. You can read a book to make it very clear, "I hate the author of this book," and that was being done.
HAMMER: Separate from how she may have been reading your book before you were actually sitting there with them on the show, did you go into "The View" perhaps expecting a fight? I mean, this is a panel of mostly liberals.
COULTER: Sure, but I did "The View" for "Treason" as well. And I think most of the people interviewing me this week are liberals.
HAMMER: When you said you did it for "Treason" -
COULTER: Oh, sorry. That was my book, four books back. I did "The View." I was just talking about the book. Sorry.
HAMMER: I thought you were committing -
COULTER: I did it in order to commit treason. No, sorry.
HAMMER: You know, we`re watching this and at times, it really was a frenzy. There was a lot of energy, it seemed. At least we felt it on this side of the TV. You`ll tell me in a moment if you felt it there. At times, you couldn`t really tell exactly what was going on. I want to take a look at another part.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COULTER: As I cite in the book, I am talking about things they have done and said. Barack Obama writes his first book. I think it was his first book - his autobiography, "Dreams from My Father." He identifies with the father who abandoned him.
WALTERS: He praises his mother -
(CROSS TALK)
Can we just move on? We don`t have much time.
COULTER: Well, wait, you guys attack me for it and I can`t respond. Halle Berry at the Academy Awards.
(CROSS TALK)
OK. Just let me answer. Halle Berry -
(CROSS TALK)
GOLDBERG: We are not attacking you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So right there, Whoopi Goldberg is saying they weren`t attacking you. Do you feel that they were attacking you?
COULTER: Well, I was just trying to talk about my book.
HAMMER: But did you feel like you were under attack?
COULTER: Well, I think the book was under attack, especially when I wasn`t there. And it was called BS. I would characterize that as an attack. We can characterize it as something else. But I think I should have been there for that segment, but oh, well -
HAMMER: Well, moving ahead, there was a lot of speculation as to whether you were actually kicked off the show.
COULTER: Oh, I don`t think so. Somebody asked me that, but I didn`t get that -
HAMMER: Well, I think the reason people were speculating this is because of what went down on the show as they were going to break. Let`s watch what Whoopi Goldberg did as she tossed to break.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLDBERG: You can`t take it, can you? You can dish it out, but you can`t take it. We`ll be right back with Ann`s book.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. She said, "We`ll be right back with Ann`s book." So naturally, people thought that. But you`re saying -
COULTER: I think she was just slipping. I think people are making too much of that. I think they ought to concentrate on something I didn`t notice, but someone had asked me about and just heard there, thank you. "You can dish it out, but can`t take it." What would constitute my taking it? I was sitting there. Do I have to say, "OK, I withdraw my book. Everything was wrong. You`ve convinced me." What would be the indicia of taking it? I think it was just fine. I was trying to talk about the book.
HAMMER: All right. So on the record, though, you were not scheduled to be back for another segment?
COULTER: I didn`t - you know, I never know. And to be honest, I`m not even quite sure how many segments I`m going to be on with you.
HAMMER: OK.
COULTER: So I just go out and do what people tell me.
HAMMER: I`ll tell you right now, we`re going to sit here right now. And then, we`re going to come back at the bottom of the hour and we`re going to talk more. But we have more to talk about today because -
And right now, the ladies did talk about you on "The View" today. You name came up once again. They were talking about how Barack Obama actually dined with some of the most influential conservative writers in the country and they did bring you up. Let`s watch what happened there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: It didn`t change our opinion of Ann Coulter when she came here.
GOLDBERG: I don`t know who you`re talking about.
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": It`s very funny. Ann Coulter - back then, she was really very nice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. See, Sherri Shepherd said you were very nice backstage.
COULTER: I don`t think she talked to me backstage. In fact, they wouldn`t even give me makeup.
HAMMER: Really? I`m a makeup girl. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with "The View" girl.
HAMMER: Here`s my question - for whatever reason, they think you were very nice. Can you -
COULTER: I am nice!
HAMMER: But can you return the compliment? Because, again, seeing what we saw on "The View," it seemed and came across as very contentious and very heated.
COULTER: I think I was nice on "The View."
HAMMER: How do you feel about things?
COULTER: I don`t think I have anything to say about that. I don`t think they were very nice about my book and I think they should have me there for the segment when they`re talking about me. And I think it`s an important book when we say that. I mean, these are important ideas I was talking about.
I think it was misconstrued but I believe I straightened that out on the show. This isn`t an attack on single mothers but an attack on the glamorization of single motherhood.
HAMMER: Well, let`s talk some more about that right now.
COULTER: OK.
HAMMER: Because I want to get to some of what you writing about in "Guilty." And certainly, you do talk about some Hollywood celebrities in this book, that`s why you`re here. One of the things that got people fired up is that you write about stars like Halle Berry and Alicia Keys and Barack Obama saying that they are half-black celebrities who insist on representing themselves as simply black.
And I would like to read a quote from your book. You say, quote, "The better to race-bait their way to success. Actress Halle Berry, singer Alicia Keys, and matinee idol Barack Obama were all abandoned by their black fathers and raised by their white mothers. But instead of seeing themselves as half-white, they prefer to see the glass as half-black. They all choose to identify with the fathers who ditched them while insulting the women who struggled to raise them."
HAMMER: And you go on to say that these celebrities are eager to acquire what you call a victim chic. What do you mean about that?
COULTER: Well, the idea, just very quickly, about the book is how everybody wants to be a victim because doors open, awards are given. He who was offended first, wins.
This started - I mean, this is a very peculiar thing. I think throughout history, people, when they lie about themselves, they lie up. They don`t lie down - "I came from a better family that I came from and I went to a better school."
Everybody wants to be black because that was the original authentic victim, as opposed to the ones who follow the fake victims. So I`m going through a lot of that in chapter one.
And the point is here that you have people, celebrities - I`m not trying to read anyone`s minds - coming out and making a very strong public identification with black fathers who abandoned them.
HAMMER: But how can you say, though, Ann, that they`re doing that for personal gain? I think that`s what people are taking issue with.
COULTER: Well, I suppose the point is the pattern, how it`s always done that way and not the other way. I can come up with a different example. And you do have to read it in the flow of the chapter. I`m not saying they don`t even see themselves as black.
But when, you know, your acceptance speech at the Academy Awards is going on and on about the breakthrough for blacks as opposed to just your normal, you know, acceptance - "Thank you," and "Thank my mother," and thank everything else, it is such a strong public identification. And in these three cases I cite, it is people who were abandoned by their black fathers.
HAMMER: But obviously, people, you know, see Halle Berry get up on stage. Let`s not fool ourselves. They do identify her among many other things as a black woman.
COULTER: Sure. But her black father abandoned her. Barack Obama met his black father one time as he describes in that book. And yet, the book is "Dreams from My Father." I don`t know how to make that any clearer.
And Alicia Keys - she is totally bonding with the blacks. That`s about how she`s reading - she`s given all these interviews saying she`s reading Black Panther biographies and how she identifies with them. And the government is trying to keep a strong black man down by instigating wars between various rappers.
Your black father abandoned you when your white Italian-American mother struggled to raise you. To you have this public identification with the father who abandoned you is peculiar.
HAMMER: OK. I`ve got to end it there. I would just say that I think a lot of people may feel they`re not doing it for the benefit of their own careers. That`s what I hear from so many people. Stay right here. Don`t go anywhere. We`re going to be back with Ann in just a bit later in the show. We`ve got much more on her book "Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America." So don`t go anywhere.
And you can call us at "Showbiz On Call" to let us know what you think about our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive with Ann Coulter. Or talk about anything else that`s on your mind. "Showbiz On Call" phone lines always open. The number is 1-888; that`s 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voicemail. We`re playing your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
All right. Much more to come, as I said, in our SHOWBIZ exclusive with Ann Coulter. We`ve already received a lot of fired-up calls into "Showbiz On Call" about Ann on both sides. We`re going to play them for you, coming up.
Plus, you`ll hear the controversial things that Ann has to say about women in Hollywood who adopt babies. That`s on the way in our SHOWBIZ exclusive. And we will also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDD: When I did Oprah and I went on there and I told my story, I got 700,000 E-mails, I think, on her Web site. And I started to realize, I`m a teacher. I`m not a preacher. I`m not here to tell you what to do. I`m here to share my story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wynonna Judd weighs in on Oprah`s weight struggle. Wynonna Judd speaks out to me on Oprah and her own battle with weight in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And in the SHOWBIZ Obama Watch - redecorating the White House as the Obamas get ready to move into their new digs. The guy who is decorating it has a major Hollywood connection.
And now the SHOWBIZ News Ticker - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: CBS close to a deal with John Mayer for a music and a variety TV show. Naomi Campbell reaches undisclosed settlement with former housekeeper who claimed she struck her.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Did you see this? It`s Leg-Obama. Legoland in California is putting together an Obama inauguration scene. This thing is made entirely of Legos. It`s going to be unveiled on Friday. We`re going to give you a sneak peek right now.
The first family and about 500 members of the crowd are ready, but there`s still a lot more to do. Lego Oprah Winfrey will be among the thousands attending the Legoland inauguration. They didn`t ask if Lego A.J. Hammer was out there.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Obama Watch. The star-studded inauguration just a few days away now and the Obamas, of course, are also moving into the White House. And it turns out the decorator that Michelle Obama has chosen to redo their new home has a big-time Hollywood resume.
Here`s CNN`s Erica Hill for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Making a 55,000-square foot mansion feel like a cozy home is no small feat, which is why the incoming first family usually has a little help. The Obama`s choice - California designer Michael Smith.
He`s worked with Steven Spielberg and Michelle Pfeiffer. And according to Michelle Obama, "shares my vision for creating a family- friendly feel to our new home and incorporating some new perspectives." His other strength - harmonizing old and new.
DEBORAH NEEDLEMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "DOMINO": His real skill is in combing antiques and grand houses in big proportions with a sense of modern comfort and livability.
HILL: With two young girls in the White House, comfort will be key. Their rooms are first on the list, something 10-year-old Malia told "Access Hollywood" back in July she was looking forward to - if her dad won the election, of course.
MALIA OBAMA, DAUGHTER OF BARACK OBAMA: I think my most excitement about is that I get to redecorate my room.
HILL: The first family has a budget of $100,000 to redecorate the private quarters which may sound like a lot, but they`ve got 24 rooms to cover.
NEEDLEMAN: I think that both Michael Smith and Mrs. Obama are looking for very clever ways to bring in affordable American design and perhaps repurpose things that are already in the White House archives, and perhaps mix in things from places like Target and Crate and Barrel, especially for the children`s rooms.
HILL: And during a recession, that could go a long way with the American people. It`s also something Smith is known for, mixing periods and even sometimes price points. No one wants to be remembered for a pricey misstep. Mary Todd Lincoln can`t seem to live hers down even after nearly 150 years.
NEEDLEMAN: That Lincoln bed - I can`t remember the cost - but it was an exorbitant amount and President Lincoln was aghast and never slept in it.
HILL: Nancy Reagan created a stir when she bought more than $200,000 worth of china for the White House. Never mind if the dishes were paid for with private funds. It just didn`t look good. So what does look good to the country? A presidential home everyone can be a part of.
JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS, FORMER UNITED STATES FIRST LADY: I don`t think the White House really belongs to one person. It belongs to the people of America.
HILL: Jackie Kennedy ushered in a new era, opening the White House up to the nation on television following an extensive renovation, a tradition that endures and one that will hopefully allow the country to see the final product in the Obama White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I have a feeling it`s going to look pretty good. That was CNN`s Erica Hill for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
I`ve got to let you know SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to be right there in Washington for Barack Obama`s presidential inauguration. This thing should be the most star-studded one ever. It`s SHOWBIZ at the inauguration right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been ringing continuously. A lot of people calling in about how the paparazzi have been just clamoring to get pictures of the Obamas.
And we got a call into "Showbiz On Call." I want to play it to you. From Kristin in Massachusetts who says the Obama daughters - they should be off-limits.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KRISTIN, CALLER FROM MASSACHUSETTS: I think that the press should leave Obama`s children alone. You don`t want to take their innocence away. Obama has been more than giving to the paparazzi and photos don`t exploit the kids.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: And we also heard from Veronica calling into "Showbiz On Call" from Texas.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
VERONICA, CALLER FROM TEXAS: Yes, Barack Obama kids should be off-limits. I think all kids who are in famous families should be off-limits. Just because their parents signed up for it doesn`t mean they did. They didn`t have a choice in the matter. They didn`t come forward and say, "Oh, my parents are famous, so there`s going to crazy people on my face all the time."
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot for your call, Veronica. You can call us at "Showbiz On Call" so you can let us know what you think about this or anything else. "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are open all the time at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1- 888-728-2899. Leave a voicemail. We`re playing your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Coming up, more of our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive with Ann Coulter. You`ve got to stick around and hear what Ann says about single moms in her new book. Plus, we`ll play in some of your calls to "Showbiz On Call."
And also, the lost Obama photos.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At the time he was a lawyer and a writer and I guess if I had been told that he was going to be president of the United States one day, I would have paid more attention.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: In the SHOWBIZ Obama Watch, the lost Obama photos. Wait until you see what has been found. You don`t want to miss this.
And fresh off his Golden Globe win for his role on "The Wrestler," how Mickey Rourke is going to the mat for dogs everywhere.
And now, the SHOWBIZ News Ticker - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you, Charles. Good director. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is once again at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. It`s a big time, and all the biggest Hollywood movers and shakers get out to Sundance.
They`ve got to do a little schmoozing. They`ve got to showcase their movies and of course, make a little time for partying, you know. About 120 films are going to be featured this year and CNN`s Ted Rolands is right there in Park City for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Hey, Ted. TED ROLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, A.J. It is the 25th anniversary of Sundance. And over the next few days from our perch high above Main Street, we`re expecting to see a lot of big names descend on Utah here for the festival.
A lot of folks, though, a lot of big names are going to come in just for a few days and then head to Washington, D.C. to take part in the inauguration and all of that. Because while this is normally the place to be during this week, this year Washington, D.C. is the place to be for the inauguration.
In fact, Sundance is basically shutting down all of its premieres during the inauguration itself. They`ll pick up afterwards. Nobody, obviously, wants to compete with Barack Obama.
Some big names we are expecting - Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan are in a movie together. They`re expected out here. Jim Carey, Chris Rock, Richard Gere also expected to make an appearance out here.
And of course, Sundance, besides a place to watch great movies, is a party. So we are expecting a lot of stars that have absolutely no project at all, but will be making appearances. We`re expecting folks like 50 Cents, Paris Hilton, and all, because after all, Sundance is also a party. A.J.?
HAMMER: It`s always a party, Ted. Appreciate that. CNN`s Ted Rolands for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you very much. And tonight, the animated film "Mary and Max," starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collette is going to open the festival. Don`t forget, Sundance was the place where "March of the Penguins" and "Little Ms. Sunshine" got their start.
It`s going to be interesting to see what happens with the various films this year. And remember to keep tuning into SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`ve got continuing coverage from the Sundance Film Festival.
Well, coming up, more of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive with the always controversial Ann Coulter. You are definitely going to want to stick around, because you`ve got to hear what Ann has to say about single moms in her new book. And we have received a ton of fired up phone calls about Ann and her views coming into "Showbiz On Call." We`ll play some of your calls to "Showbiz On Call" for Ann. You`ll get to hear what she has to say about your comments.
We also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDD: When I did Oprah and I went on there and told my story, I got 700,000 E-mails, I think, on her Web site. And I started to realize, I`m a teacher. I`m not a preacher. I`m not here to tell you what to do. I`m here to share my story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wynonna weighs in on Oprah`s weight struggle. Wynonna Judd opens up to me about Oprah and her own battle with weight. It is the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And in the SHOWBIZ Obama Watch tonight, the lost Obama photos. Wait until you see what has been found. We`ve got them for you. You don`t want to miss it.
But first, I need to remind you, you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news show by subscribing to the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Head to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on that "sign up for newsletter" link right there at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, an explosive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, one on one with controversial conservative author, Ann Coulter. Tonight, the first extensive interview with Ann since the blowup between her and the ladies of "The View." What does Ann really think about single Hollywood moms?
Plus, your fired up calls into "Showbiz On Call" about Ann. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive not to be missed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDD: When I did Oprah and I went on there and I told my story, I got 700,000 E-mails, I think, on her Web site and I started to realize I`m a teacher. I`m not a preacher. I`m not here to tell you what to do. I`m here to share my story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wynonna Judd`s emotional weight battle. Tonight, Wynonna opens up about Oprah Winfrey`s stunning weight confessions. Plus, her own struggle to lose weight. It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
And right now, it`s our continuing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, one on one with controversial conservative author Ann Coulter in her first extended interview since her explosive on-air confrontation with "The View."
Our "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been ringing non-stop about Coulter`s contentious appearance with the ladies on "The View." And wait until you hear your calls. We are getting Coulter`s take on what you`re saying right here.
And wait until you hear what she has to say about single moms in Hollywood. What is her beef with Jessica Alba, Angelina Jolie and Britney Spears? Coulter writes about all this in her brand-new bestselling book, "Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America."
Ann Coulter joining me tonight in New York. Thanks for sticking around, Ann.
COULTER: Thank you for having me.
HAMMER: We have to talk about your appearance on "The View" on Monday. It turned into this fiery war of words between you and all of the ladies sitting up there on the panel.
At times, it was hard to know exactly what was going on. Now, you complained when Barbara Walters was about to read from your book that she previously read from it as if she had been reading from Hitler`s, "Mein Kampf," your words. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: Can I just read a section aloud?
COULTER: Yes. And read it like you are reading "Mein Kampf" again.
WALTERS: I don`t think I did that.
COULTER: I think you did. You spat out the words when I wasn`t sitting there.
WALTERS: Let me do this. That`s because I would look to discuss something current. I read this because I would love to hear your view on Caroline Kennedy`s desires to become a senator.
COULTER: Yes, that was lovely. You could do the audio book.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What happened there? Were you trying to make a joke that kind of just went flat? Because, boy -
COULTER: I liked the joke.
HAMMER: Yes. Nobody else seemed to laugh.
COULTER: It wasn`t a joke. It was a point. I was making a point. The point did not go flat because she read it a lot better the next time.
HAMMER: And the fact that a lot of people said, "You know what? You don`t do that to Barbara Walters."
COULTER: Yes, I think -
HAMMER: "It`s her show. Show a little respect." Do you think it`s preposterous?
COULTER: Yes. What is the point of having that sort of a person as a host if you can`t respond? Yes, Barbara, no Barbara.
HAMMER: Yes. Ann, we know there`s a difference between responding and comparing her reading to Hitler`s "Mein Kampf."
COULTER: I would say it to A.J.
HAMMER: I`d do a lot to get that opportunity.
COULTER: You`ve got to play the first way she read it for people to understand how she was spitting out the words like she was spitting out nails.
HAMMER: Let`s talk about some of what`s in the book. And one point that Whoopi Goldberg circled back in your discussion was what you write in your book about single mothers. And you say they are the cause of many of our biggest problems in society.
COULTER: Right.
HAMMER: Now, keeping in mind that Whoopi and three of the other ladies on "The View" are single moms, I want to look at what happened here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLDBERG: I want to reiterate, nobody was putting down or attacking you -
COULTER: Look, you were claiming that I was -
(CROSS TALK)
GOLDBERG: I listened to you -
COULTER: I was not basing it on personal experience. Halle Berry`s Academy Award acceptance speech went on and on about how she was doing it for the blacks. That is identifying with her black father. I`m talking about what they do and saying in public.
GOLDBERG: You can`t take it, can you? You can dish it out but you can`t take it. We`ll be right back with Ann`s book.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. It seemed to end very abruptly there, "We`ll be right back with Ann`s book." They went to commercial. You had even mentioned, "Oh, they`re wrapping me up here."
What exactly happened when they went to commercial? Did you shake everybody`s hands, "Hello, great to see you. that was nice." Or do you kind of - do you get up, rip your microphone off and walk off stage? What went on?
COULTER: I did not rip my microphone off. I said thank you and went out to see my friends and went home.
HAMMER: And how were they to you at that time? Was it simply a professional, or they`re moving on the next thing -
COULTER: It was moving on to the next thing. It was really -
HAMMER: So it wasn`t - you didn`t feel snubbed in any way?
COULTER: Not off camera. I think what happened on camera speaks for itself.
HAMMER: It was a different thing. All right. Let`s talk more about what you write in your book about single moms in Hollywood.
COULTER: I`d love to get to that.
HAMMER: I would love to read another quote from this book. This one really stuck out to me, quote, "Hollywood actresses have dropped the sex tapes and moved onto single motherhood as a way to promote their careers." And you go on to mention Jessica Alba, Britney Spears, Halle Berry.
I`ve got to ask you - how do you know what their reasons are for becoming single moms?
COULTER: Well, I don`t and I`m not claiming to. I mean, this was all - I don`t know these people. Maybe they`re wonderful single moms. I`m not attacking single moms. I`m attacking the promotion of single motherhood.
Their names show up on Web sites, which I think (UNINTELLIGIBLE) celebrity single moms. And it is sort of a new thing. I mean, it`s not like there weren`t, you know, orphans 20 years ago. But this wasn`t a big Hollywood trend. It is definitely a faddish trend.
HAMMER: What`s wrong with it? What`s wrong.
COULTER: What is wrong with is it is - as I described in this chapter - well, for one thing, illegitimacy rate has gone up by more than 300 percent since 1970. You have the pregnancy tax up in Massachusetts. I think it was in (UNINTELLIGIBLE) teenage girls making a pact that we`re all going to get pregnant. One gets impregnated by a homeless guy. These are the people who are influenced by celebrities and by Hollywood.
HAMMER: So you think there`s a correlation there that there are kids becoming pregnant because they see celebrities with kids?
COULTER: Absolutely. But I mean, something has to explain a more than 300 percent increase. And oh, by the way, you said earlier that, I don`t know, three or four of the women on the show were single mothers. For one thing, I didn`t know that. I didn`t know anything about them.
But moreover, I`m pretty sure if so, I think they were all married at one point. And I do distinguish between being completely unwed and getting pregnant and not giving the child up for adoption. And also, there are volitional acts that go into getting pregnant. Scientists have narrowed it down. Any public school kindergartener can tell you.
And someone who gets a divorce. I mean, divorce is a terrible thing and I praise to the skies people who stay together for the sake of the children. But that is definitely a different situation.
HAMMER: And I want to move on to what you say about celebrities who have adopted children. Because we`ve seen quite a bit of that. You write about it in a book. You cite Sheryl Crow, Callista Flockhart, Meg Ryan, Angelina Jolie.
And here`s what you write, quote, "Apparently, busting up tribal wars to adopt foreign babies has become the latest form of Hollywood autoeroticism."
OK. Do you really think that stars are actually engaging in adopting babies for selfish personal reasons, promoting their careers as opposed to really what it can be a magnanimous thing?
COULTER: That was a great line, by the way. Yes, it has become a trend, as I said before. There have been millions of babies -
HAMMER: But do you know that`s what is going on? I, for one, know Sheryl Crow. I know that she did not adopt a child so she could promote her career.
COULTER: I`m not talking about individuals here. I`m talking about the whole Gestalt of the society, of TV movies, of Hollywood movies. I mean, you have - it`s the whole thing.
And look, these 10 or 15 babies who have been adopted from a tribal war - yes, they`re probably going to do better. But there`s millions left behind and they`re going to be millions more born in this country because most hapless, young teenage girls who think they have the fewest options are apparently being influenced.
HAMMER: I`ve been hearing all this, but this is separate from the point that you suggest that they`re doing it for personal gain. And I need to -
COULTER: I didn`t say personal gain. I said it`s the latest form of Hollywood autoeroticism. It has become the new trend. It used to be sex tapes.
HAMMER: I know you want to hear what our callers are saying. Because the phones have been ringing continuously at "Showbiz On Call" since the thing happened on "The View" on Monday. We`re going to go to Shirley from Canada. And I have to play this one because it was similar to a lot of calls that we got. Can we roll Shirley, please?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SHIRLEY, CALLER FROM CANADA: I don`t know why you would even put Ann Coulter and show her on your show when she`s such a disgrace on "The View." I think she`s one of the rudest women in television and I don`t know why people keep putting her on in your country.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, while you have your detractors, you have a lot of supporters calling in too. I want to be fair about that. Christina from North Carolina thinks you`re great. Listen to her at "Showbiz On Call."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CHRISTINA, CALLER FROM NORTH CAROLINA: I love Ann Coulter. I think she`s fabulous. Yes, she`s rude, but the reason why the world is the way that it is, is because everybody is used to being coddled and spoken to nicely. We need a harsh speaker like Coulter to bring us back to reality.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I`ve got to go. I just have a few seconds. Do you care what people say one way or the other?
COULTER: I definitely prefer the American to the foreigner in those two calls. And I don`t think I`m rude. I try to write in a colorful way even the points you gave tonight that you picked out of many, many quotes. I think they`re amusing quotes and I think the main point is, these are important public policies.
Millions of children are being hurt by being raised without fathers intentionally, year after year. And it`s an important point to get across. My book does it. I`m glad I wrote it in a colorful way.
HAMMER: And we will end it there.
COULTER: Thank you.
HAMMER: Ann Coulter, I do appreciate you being here trying to set the record straight tonight. You can check out Ann Coulter`s brand-new book which is called "Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America." It`s in bookstores everywhere.
Well, coming up, Wynonna Judd speaks out about Oprah Winfrey`s startling weight confession.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDD: When I did Oprah and I went on there and I told my story, I got 700,000 E-mails, I think, on her Web site. And I started to realize, I`m a teacher. I`m not a preacher. I`m not here to tell you what to do. I`m here to share my story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, Wynonna Judd on her own emotional weight battle. This is the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also, the Obamas lost photos. We are digging up the rare, incredible pictures of Barack Obama and his wife before the election, even before he got into politics.
And now, the SHOWBIZ News Ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Howie Mandel back to work after being hospitalized, says his heart is fine. "Gossip Girl" spin-off in the works, focusing on the "Lily" character set in the 1980s.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM HANKS, ACTOR: I`ve got to say, in my lifetime, that we have got to the point now where not only Barack Obama can be president of the United States, but can win handily in the election that gets him there. That means we are in a bold and brave new territory.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tom Hanks telling us he`s very excited for Barack Obama`s inauguration next week. Tom`s going to be in Washington for the inauguration.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And now it`s the SHOWBIZ Obama Watch, our continuing coverage of the first family-to-be.
And tonight, we`ve got the lost Obama photos. But first, I`ve got your first look at Barack Obama`s brand-new official presidential portrait. And I think this is pretty cool. It`s the first time a digital camera has been used to take this picture.
The guy that shot it is Peter Souza, he`s the new White House photographer. And Obama`s picture is going to be hanging in federal offices everywhere.
But you know, before all this president stuff, Barack and Michelle were just a couple of successful lawyers who posed for a book about couples. And tonight, wait until you see this. We`ve uncovered the very rare pictures.
Here now is CNN`s Deborah Feyerick for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Long before they were America`s first couple, some 12 years ago, Barack and Michelle Obama posed for a photographer Mariana Cook who was on a quest to find out about relationships in America for her book, "Couples."
(on camera): This is the camera that you used to shoot the Obamas?
MARIANA COOK, PHOTOGRAPHER: It`s a (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
FEYERICK (voice over): Cook, who has shot the likes playwright Lillian Hellman and former French President Francois Mitterand says she was struck by the low-key couple.
COOK: They talked easily together. There was no tension between them. He is smiling. His face is more open. She`s a little bit more serious.
FEYERICK (on camera): They`re different people?
COOK: They each have their own minds and feelings and they`re very different. And yet, from the body language, you can see how comfortable they are together. She`s leaning into him. She`s resting her hands on his knee. His hands are open and entirely relaxed. They haven`t changed really.
FEYERICK (voice over): Cook says she can`t remember why she chose the Obamas, just that many of the couples were referred by word of mouth.
COOK: At the time he was a lawyer and a writer. And I guess if I had been told he was going to be president of the United States, I would have paid more attention.
FEYERICK: In fact, the Obamas never made it into the book. The more controversial couple whose names surfaced during the 2008 campaign did.
(on camera): Oh, and Bill Ayers - look at that. They made the book.
COOK: They made the book.
FEYERICK: Bill Ayers made the book.
(voice over): The photo, which appears in this week`s "New Yorker" magazine, was accompanied by interviews the photographer did with the couple married four years.
COOK: There`s a strong possibility that Barack will pursue a political career, although it`s unclear.
FEYERICK: Cook has shot more than 400 portraits since the Obama photo shoot, but says something in him stood out even then.
COOK: He really had a vision of what this country needed. There`s a depth to him. You can see it in his eyes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was fascinating, seeing those. That was CNN`s Deborah Feyerick for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
I also want to let you know, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to be right there in Washington for Barack Obama`s presidential inauguration, which is expected to be the most star-studded one ever. It`s SHOWBIZ at the Inauguration. You want to be right with us right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "The Obama Kids: Should they be off limits to the paparazzi?" You can keep voting if you head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail us more of your thoughts at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Tonight, it`s Wynonna Judd unplugged. The outspoken country music star is sounding off about her battle to lose weight. And after years of not wanting to endorse diet plans, well, she`s now the new face of the Alli Weight Loss Program. And wait until you hear her thoughts on Oprah Winfrey`s weight loss battle.
Wynonna says just like Oprah, her personal life was totally out of balance and that caused her to gain weight. And now, just like Oprah, Wynonna is taking control.
Plus, Wynonna shares her personal insight into what she thinks of Oprah`s weight confession. It`s Wynonna Judd in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDD: Being a career woman, I think there`s not a person out there, and you`re included in this. We are all trying to find balance between who we are and what we do. And honestly, we get really defined by what we do to the point where we - and I told Oprah this. I said, "You know what? I forgot to put myself on the list." And she literally looked at me like, "Wow." That`s a line that I`ll take, because we are so busy and we are so looked up to.
And you know what? I don`t want people to look up at me. I want to walk beside them, not in front of them, nor behind them. So for me, I think it`s an issue with every American. I don`t think it`s not just me because I`m famous or Oprah. I think it`s really everybody who works, has a family and tries to have a relationship and a dog and kids and just life.
HAMMER (on camera): With that said, and as we`ve discussed before, when you`re in the spotlight, that can add a whole new set of difficulties or consequences to what you say or do. And I love your approach, I love that you like to walk side by side with people and your fans are your peers.
So I`m curious, Wynonna, as somebody, particularly who has known Oprah Winfrey for as long as you have. And you`ve had these kinds of discussions with her, I`m sure it was difficult decision. Were you shocked as a lot of people were by the fact that she went so public with her weight gain confession?
JUDD: I think it`s really important to be accountable, and I think it`s really important in this business now more than ever. Because we`re all pretty sharp and we know that we`re going to find out the truth any way. And I just want to remind people that to thine own self be true.
You know what? She`s being true to herself. And if that`s who she is - I mean, let`s face it. She`s talking about everything else. And you know what? She has the right to be real, because in this day and age, to me, that`s refreshing.
HAMMER: Well, you and I share the philosophy as we`ve discussed before. It`s never too late to start a brand-new chapter in your life. And you`re doing that now, not just with your music, but also as the brand-new spokesperson for Alli. Why did you decide to do this?
JUDD: Last year, like a lot of Americans, I started to get a reality check. And I literally had a "Come to Jesus" moment when I realized I am so much more than a number on a scale and this is not about the destination. It`s about the journey.
And when I did Oprah and I went on there and I told my story, I got 700,000 E-mails, I think, on her Web site. And I started to realize I`m a teacher. I`m not a preacher. I`m not here to tell you what to do. I`m here to share my story.
And I met with Alli in New York and I really liked their attitude. They have a great Web site. Because oftentimes we feel alone in this world. Even if we`re successful, we feel like we`re walking this wilderness trail. And I love the Web site. And I`m actually discovering a new relationship with whole food.
We are so fast food driven. You know this. In Hollywood, it`s try to get back to your original weight before the big, you know, awards show. I`ve lived that and it`s so confining. And I think Alli has allowed me - plus it`s FDA approved - it`s allowed me to be healthier. Because I`m not exactly where I want to be, but I`m sure as heck not where I was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: As I mentioned in my chat with Wynonna, Alli is not the only project she`s been working very hard on. Wynonna`s got a brand new album coming out called "Sing Chapter 1." It hits stores on February 3rd.
All right. We all know Mickey Rourke is a pretty tough dude. But he definitely has a soft spot for animals. He thanked his dogs when he won his Golden Globe.
And tonight Mickey has gone to the dogs again. You`ve got to see what he`s now doing for dogs all over the world. And I think it`s pretty cool. That`s coming up next.
And now the SHOWBIZ News Ticker - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Run-DMC, Metallica among artists to be inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Little Anthony, Jeff Beck also picked for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICKEY ROURKE, ACTOR: I`d like to thank all my dogs, the ones that are here, the ones that aren`t here anymore. Because sometimes when a man`s alone, that`s all you`ve got - it`s your dog. And they meant the world to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And he was quite serious when he said that. Mickey Rourke thanking his dogs after winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama for "The Wrestler."
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And well, new right now, I can tell you, Mickey is going to the dogs again, channeling his inner Bob Barker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB BARKER, HOST, "THE PRICE IS RIGHT": Please remember, help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Remember how for decades Bob used to say that at the end of "The Price Is Right"? Well, now Mickey Rourke is part of a PETA campaign to get people to spay or neuter their dogs. The ad with Mickey, his Chihuahua, Jaws, says, quote, "Have the cojones to fix your dog. When dogs get knocked up, puppies get put down because there aren`t enough good homes for them." And that, regardless of how it is said, is a good message.
Also new right now, for the very first time, Jeremy Piven is setting the record straight about pulling out of a Broadway show that he was starring in. Jeremy, who plays Ari Gold in HBO`s "Entourage," insists he had to drop out because of mercury poisoning.
But the producers of "Speed the Plow" didn`t buy it. You`ve got to listen to what he told Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America" today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIANE SAWYER, HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": The rap on you is that you`re out at clubs at night, that you`re bored with the show, partying -
JEREMY PIVEN, ACTOR: Let`s be really clear. David Mamet is one of the greatest American playwrights. It is my dream to be on Broadway. I was living my dream. We had brilliant reviews. We were sold out every night. This was the greatest time of my life, Diane.
I would have loved to go out. I couldn`t do it. My body was fighting this mercury toxicity to the point where if I had a glass of red wine, it was too much. I think it makes for a great story, to be honest with you.
SAWYER: Yes, but what about your fellow castmates there? And David Mamet saying that you`re leaving to become a thermometer?
PIVEN: He`s a brilliant playwright, and that`s a great line. You know, it really is. It`s a very funny line. I couldn`t make it through the show. The last thing I ever thought about doing was not completing this run. I`ve never not completed anything in my life. I`m very proud to say that I`ve been a workhorse my entire life. My intention was to finish this thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Piven says his high mercury level was caused by too much fish and possibly Chinese herbs. And by the way, William H. Macy took over Piven`s role on Broadway.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN on the 11:00`s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
END
