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Showbiz Tonight

Verdict Watch in Jackson Case Continues; Interview With Tommy Hilfiger

Aired June 09, 2005 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: Michael Jackson in and out of the hospital as we wait for a verdict.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: And Tommy Hilfiger on his new reality show. I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER (voice-over): Russell Crowe eating crow. David Letterman calls him out.

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, LATE SHOW: Do you have trouble controlling your temper?

HAMMER: Tonight, Russell`s remorse. Speaking out about what got him arrested.

BRYANT (voice-over): "Headline Prime`s" own Nancy Grace. She says the justice system`s been hijacked, and she`s got an objection. Nancy Grace tells us all about it, live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

HAMMER: It`s a McMakeover! Ronald McDonald, bye-bye, Big Macs. Now vegetables and snowboarding? Tonight, what the new Ronald is trying to sell your kids.

LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Lindsay Lohan. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Hello, I`m Karyn Bryant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and you`re at the top of the show.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. You`re watching TV`s only live nightly entertainment news program.

BRYANT: Tonight, Russell Crowe is eating humble pie, trying to avoid getting kicked out of the country.

HAMMER: Well, Crowe is apologizing over and over again, after his arrest for a throwing a phone freakout at a New York City hotel.

BRYANT: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer has the latest on Russell`s rage and Russell`s remorse.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LETTERMAN: Say hello to Russell Crowe, everybody.

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Russell Crowe is eating crow.

Walking out appropriately to the song "Telephone Man," Russell Crowe was full of apologies.

LETTERMAN: Now tell me all about this. We see you in the picture, the newspaper, it happened at a hotel, it was 4:00 in the morning, you were trying to call Australia? Is that pretty much what went on there? What was the problem?

RUSSELL CROWE, ACTOR: Well, look, just do know that if you give me the opportunity, I`ll extremely sorry for this whole incident, and I regret everything that took place.

HAFFENREFFER: Crowe was arrested Monday for throwing a phone at a hotel concierge. He lost it when he couldn`t place a call to Australia.

LETTERMAN: Do you have trouble controlling your temper?

CROWE: I have -- yes, I do.

LETTERMAN: Yeah.

HAFFENREFFER: Crowe said he was simply trying to fulfill his basic obligations to his wife. He was trying to call her to let her know he was home, in bed and alone.

CROWE: You know, the time difference is really rough. If I miss out on calling her at that time, then there`s a 20-hour cycle before I can call her again, and she`s going to be wondering that whole time what I`m doing and who I`m with, and she wants to know, and I try and respect that.

LETTERMAN: I understand that. And I would think, in this case, being in prison would probably put her mind at ease.

HAFFENREFFER: If convicted, Crowe could face up to seven years in prison and his visa could be revoked. That could have a major impact on his movie career, since he could be banned from working in the United States.

CROWE: Hopefully at some stage, I`ll be able to, you know, apologize directly to Nestor, but for the moment, he`s not answering his phone.

HAFFENREFFER: His fate lies in the hands of the hotel concierge, this man, Nestor Estrada, who has pressed charges against Crowe. These photos show a bruise on his right cheek. Today the ladies on "The View" had some thoughts on whether Nestor should drop those charges.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would milk Russell Crowe. I would definitely. He hit me in the face with a phone, he`s got cash, he`s (INAUDIBLE).

HAFFENREFFER: But for Crowe, being the gladiator is part of the problem.

CROWE: Obviously, when I react to something, it has a great effect apparently, you know, because you know, it`s the gladiator getting pissed off.

HAFFENREFFER: But the bottom line for Russell Crowe? He feels terrible.

CROWE: This is possibly the most shameful situation I`ve ever got myself in in my life, and I`ve done some pretty dumb things in my life, so to actually make a new number one is spectacularly stupid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Crowe`s next court appearance is set for September 14th.

HAMMER: Well, Russell Crowe may have apologized, but has he done enough damage control? That is the topic of tonight`s "SHOWBIZ In-Depth," and joining us live from New York to talk about it, branding expert Linda Kaplan Thaler, the CEO of the Kaplan Thaler Group; and celebrity publicist Marvet Britto. She`s the founder of the Britto Agency.

OK, ladies, let`s get the report card on Russell Crowe. And Linda, I want to start with you. You know, he has to do some serious damage control here, and the question is, did he do enough and how did he do last night?

LINDA KAPLAN THALER, THE KAPLAN THALER GROUP: Well, he was quite contrite, and I think people empathized with him, because he`s a father and everybody can empathize with being frustrated and not reaching your baby. But to that end, people who have that kind of a temper will do it again and again and again, and I think he needs to get some serious anger management and maybe help other people by leading the way.

HAMMER: What do you think, Margaret? I mean, he seemed really to be humbled by the experience. He was throwing out all the key words, you know, saying, admitting to his temper and all of that. How do you think Russell did last night on Letterman?

MARVET BRITTO, THE BRITTO AGENCY: I think he did amazing. I think he tugged at America`s heart strings. He basically, you know, admitted he made a mistake. You know what I mean? And everyone wants to be loved and respected. And his goal was to call his wife. His goal was to check in with his family. And I think at the end of the day, yes, he made a mistake, but he certainly apologized, and you ended up feeling sympathy for him.

HAMMER: So the question is, though, and Linda, I want to ask you this, how much of it really is planned? Because you both have been involved with crisis management before, and obviously, Russell Crowe, an excellent actor, and he seemed so sincere through the whole thing, but how much of that was scripted last night?

THALER: I think he -- I think he did the right thing. It didn`t feel like it was scripted. But then again, he`s a fabulous actor, so one never knows.

But the point is, what does he do from here? Does he -- you know, he should not really keep bringing it up, because I think the best thing that happened to him is Michael Jackson, and everybody`s going to be now thinking about the verdict that`s going to come out. So I mean, and luckily the public has short memories.

But what can he do in a positive way to help other people? You know, the leading cause of depression for men, the leading manifestation of it is anger and hostility, and, you know, abusing other people. He could really get some help and help others in the process.

HAMMER: Well, let`s work on that theme, Marvet. What would you do if he were your client? You know, how would you further do the damage control with Russell Crowe?

BRITTO: I think he`s already started that process. He admitted that he has -- that he made a mistake. And I think, you know, a lot of folks in his position don`t admit, you know -- most of it is about telling the truth. And that`s what he did. He did it in front of the entire country, said, I made a mistake. So I think in starting there, that`s part of the process, that`s part of the rehabilitation. If he needs more help, you know, he would get more help, he`ll find more help. But I think that, you know, he made a great, you know, great strides by going on national television and saying, I made a mistake, and I think he doesn`t need to talk about it anymore. It`s, you know, we do have short memories, and I think we`re very forgiving when people are honest.

HAMMER: OK, and Linda, I only have time for a quick answer on this, but if he is convicted in the U.S., he may not be able to work here ever again. Can you possibly manage that as the spin doctor?

THALER: Well, first of all, he`ll be able to spend a lot more time with his wife and family, because he`ll be in Australia. And maybe he should start Down Under Production, start an Australian film company.

HAMMER: Exactly, all right. Well, Linda Thaler, Linda Kaplan Thaler of the Kaplan Thaler Group and Marvet Britto, we appreciate your insights tonight and going in-depth with us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

And now at home, we`d like to know what your thoughts are on this. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Russell Crowe apologizes. Should the charges be dropped? You can vote by going to the Web, CNN.com/showbiztonight. Or if you want to tell us more, our e-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to share some of what you have to say later on in the show.

BRYANT: Russell wasn`t the only one lighting up the late-night airwaves. Tom Cruise was on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, and of course his new love, actress Katie Holmes, came up in conversation pretty quickly. Cruise poked a little fun at his now-famous appearance on Oprah, when he jumped with glee on the couch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I start talking about her, things happen, so, you know, yes.

JAY LENO, ACTOR: OK. Well , we can...

CRUISE: Yes, don`t, you know -- don`t, you don`t know to -- she`s -- it`s great. She`s lovely. Really.

LENO: No, well, I saw you on -- I saw you on "Oprah..."

CRUISE: I`m looking at this couch, I`m thinking I don`t know, you know?

LENO: Yes, there you go!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: A Web site is capitalizing on all the attention Tom and Katie are getting by selling t-shirts that say "free Katie." The site says Katie is, quote, "a young, gifted actress held captive by forces we may never understand." The t-shirts are selling for 23 bucks.

HAMMER: See, I predicted last night, that jumping was going to happen.

Well, still ahead, what`s up with the jury at the Michael Jackson trial, and what`s up with Jackson`s health? We will have live coverage.

BRYANT: Also coming up, a "SHOWBIZ Sitdown" with Tommy Hilfiger. He`s mixing and matching it up in a new reality show. We`ll ask him if he`s trumping the Donald.

HAMMER: And Nancy Grace live on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT set. Nancy chimes in on why the criminal justice system needs to be fixed big time, coming up.

Now, time for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" great American pop culture quiz. What was Tobey Maguire`s first career choice? To be an agent, a chef, in advertising, or graphic arts? We are coming right back with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Once again, tonight`s Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz. What was Tobey Maguire`s first career choice? Agent, chef, advertising or graphic arts. The answer is, B, he wanted to be a chef.

BRYAN: Still no verdict in the Jackson trial, but jurors didn`t put that much time into deliberations today. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has live coverage across California to bring you the latest. We begin with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Brooke Anderson, who is live in Los Olivos, California.

Hey there, Brooke.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN HEADLINE NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Karyn.

Day five of jury deliberations and no verdict. Granted, it was not quite half a day of deliberations. The judge allowed the jury to leave at approximately 11:00 this, morning because some members of the jury were attending graduation ceremonies for family members today.

This jury of eight women, four men has logged about 22 hours of deliberations. They will resume those deliberations tomorrow morning.

Another trip to the hospital for Michael Jackson, the third in a week, in fact. Jackson went to the Santa Ynez Cottage Hospital yesterday, it`s about a ten-minute drive to Neverland. Jackson`s spokeswoman, Raymone Bain said this was a basic, routine back treatment. She said it was a follow-up to his visit for the back spasms.

Now, CNN`s Rusty Dornin has been following Jackson`s trips to the hospital as well as his changing physical appearance throughout the trial. Rusty is standing by at the courthouse in Santa Maria now.

Hi there, Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Brooke, Michael Jackson has a long history of accidents, surgeries and visits to the hospital. It has many people are wondering, how sick is the superstar?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): An incredible athlete on stage, offstage, Michael Jackson`s health often seemed fragile. His longest ongoing health issue, says his biographer, has been panic attacks.

RANDI TARABORRELLI, JACKSON BIOGRAPHER: There have been instances when he`s had to perform on stage, and he`s upset about one thing or another, and he would have a panic attack and actually has been hospitalized.

DORNIN: In the `70s, he broke his nose in a dancing accident, which began a series of plastic surgeries. Jackson will only admit to two.

In the `80s, Jackson`s hair caught on fire during a commercial. He was hospitalized and forced to undergo scalp surgery. During that same time, Jackson`s skin began to appear much lighter. He claimed he had a skin condition.

TARABORRELLI: Vitiligo is a true condition. It`s not a made-up Michael Jackson fantasy. He was diagnosed with it back in the 1980s. He does have it. And it is issue in his life.

DORNIN: In 1993, following the previous allegations of sexual abuse, Jackson admitted problems with prescription drugs.

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER: After my tour ended, I remained out of the country, undergoing treatment for a dependency on pain medication.

DORNIN: Then, in `94, he fell off a stage in Germany, injuring his back, a problem that Jackson says plagues him to this day.

During jury selection, Jackson went to the hospital with flu symptoms. Through the rest of the trial, it was his back that sent him to the hospital, twice complaining of debilitating pain.

He even showed up for court in his pajamas. Then he went to the hospital last week, because a family friend thought he looked dehydrated.

TARABORRELLI: It always is a big drama around Michael Jackson. I mean, he`s always dehydrated, or he`s exhausted, or...

DORNIN: So is he sick? Is he really sick?

TARABORRELLI: He is. I could tell you from my own sources in the Jackson family, that he is very sick right now. And has been for quite some time. It is the back. It`s not an exaggeration.

DORNIN: Some close to the superstar say his health always deteriorates when the pressure is on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: And the pressure is definitely on, as the jury tomorrow begins its sixth day of deliberations. They`ll be back here at 8:30 tomorrow morning -- Brooke.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Rusty.

Here at Neverland Ranch, where Jackson is said to be staying while he awaits the verdict, there are about 20, 30 fans behind me now. But earlier today, more fans than we`ve seen here all week, some of them dressed like Michael Jackson, some carrying umbrellas, some singing, dancing to his music.

You know, a lot of these fans have made this their mission. They`ve left their homes, their jobs for awhile to be here to express their devotion to Michael Jackson.

Now, their increased presence here earlier today may indicate that they are hopeful that we will have a verdict sooner rather than later. Karyn, once a verdict is reached the judge will allow Michael Jackson one hour to get to the courthouse. That courthouse 30 miles north of here at Neverland. Jackson, of course, waiting here for that verdict. The jury will resume deliberations again tomorrow morning. Back to you.

BRYANT: All right. Thank you very much, Brooke Anderson, out in front of the Neverland Ranch.

HAMMER: Something old and something new from Britney Spears. We learned today that the pregnant pop star has a new single coming out next week called "Someday I Will Understand." The video for the song will debut on the season finale of her reality show, "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic." The finale will also include footage of the famous couple`s secret wedding. You can check it out Tuesday night on UPN.

BRYANT: Time now for a SHOWBIZ sit down with Tommy Hilfiger. He has built his own, global fashion empire that includes everything from clothing to fragrances and home apparel. Now, Tommy Hilfiger is lending his name to a new reality TV show. Starting tonight, you can see Tommy in his new made for TV outfit called "the Cut." Thanks for joining us, Tommy.

TOMMY HILFIGER, FASHION DESIGNER: Thank you.

BRYANT: So quickly, what is this show about?

HILFIGER: Well, I`m looking for the next great American fashion designer. And it goes way beyond designing clothes. You know, in order to build a lifestyle brand, you have to be able to design advertising stores, design for celebrities, rock stars, rap stars, Hollywood stars. So there`s a lot of glamour in it.

There`s 16 contestants, all vying to win $250,000 salary from me, from my company, to design their own collection, which we`re going to put out in stores. And basically, the challenges are very intense: designing billboards, cars, airplanes, I mean everything. So it goes way beyond just clothing design. I look at their social skills, their vision, their creativity, their business acumen, the whole nine yards.

BRYANT: And what do you make of the comparison to "The Apprentice." It`s a hit show, so to be compared to that is not such a bad thing.

HILFIGER: Listen, I could never be Donald.

BRYANT: Could anybody be Donald?

HILFIGER: I mean, Donald has "The Apprentice," which is amazing. And I think they`ve done a great job. Ours is so different. Ours is very different. It`s much more intense, much younger, hipper, into music, into fashion. And when I say into music and fashion, it`s about fame. Fashion, F is for fashion. A is for art, M is for music, and e is for entertainment. It`s all pop culture, and it`s a totally different show.

BRYANT: Um-hum.

And how much was this in your mind, the idea that, you know, this would help the Tommy Hilfiger brand? Was that any sort of motive for getting into this?

HILFIGER: Well, interestingly enough, I don`t think the public really knows what goes on in the fashion business. The fashion business is very mysterious, in a sense. There are glamorous outtakes about the fashion business, and there`s a lot of nitty gritty inside.

So, I think it gives people the opportunity to look inside the fashion business and actually understand how my business is run, which is a global lifestyle brand. It`s not just about clothes, it`s about much more than that.

BRYANT: Yeah, certainly I think -- you know, people go to the stores, they see the things on the racks and they don`t know the whole process that gets into from step one. I mean, that is a long, arduous process.

HILFIGER: A long process.

BRYANT: Arduous, arduous process.

What would you say, though, about the fashion industry and where it is today, versus maybe five years ago, because it does seem to infiltrate so many other areas of life, of pop culture.

HILFIGER: But, you know I started with $150, 20 pairs of jeans at 18- years-old. So when I started the business, it was totally different. Now it`s much more competitive. There`s much more globalization, and in order to have a multibillion-dollar global brand, you have to do much more than design clothes.

It`s about having great people skills. It`s about having to, you know, deal with celebrities on the red carpet. It`s about having to design stores. I mean, we`re designing private jets on this show. We`re designing automobiles. We`re designing really cool stuff and the challenges are very intense.

BRYANT: And, do you have your catch phrase worked out yet?

HILFIGER: I`ve got the catch phrase.

BRYANT: What is it?

HILFIGER: You`ve got to watch at 8:00 tonight on CBS.

BRYANT: See, cause, I`m thinking, you`re so last season, or -- or maybe even...

HILFIGER: You`re close. You`re getting there.

BRYANT: Am I? Really? Oh, cool. Or, mine is, quality control says you`re a regular, something like that.

HILFIGER: No, no, you`re close.

BRYANT: I`m close, all right. Well, thank you for joining us.

HILFIGER: You`ve got to watch. You`re going to like it.

BRYANT: Tommy Hilfiger. And of course, you can catch "The Cut" tonight on CBS.

HAMMER: Well, still ahead, Ronald McDonald gets a big makeover, but will it work?

Plus, Nancy Grace is here live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to tell us why she thinks the criminal justice system has been hijacked.

Plus, he can turn the world on with his smile. Joining us live, Beach Boy Brian Wilson, whose magnum opus is ready for your living room. Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, where it`s time for "Showbiz Shorts," a look at more stories making news tonight.

A "Simple Life" star wants a not-so-simple wedding. Nicole Richie tells this week`s "People" magazine that she wants elephant rides and swans at her walk down the aisle with fiance DJ AM, also known as Adam Goldstein. Lindsay Lohan and Nicky Hilton will both be bridesmaids. No date has been set yet.

How sweet it was -- the stars were out in Los Angeles last night for "The Honeymooner`s" premiere. Cedric the Entertainer, Gabrielle Union, Regina Hall and Mike Epps all walked the red carpet. "The Honeymooners" is the big-screen take on the popular 1950s TV sitcom which starred Jackie Gleason as bus driver Ralph Kramden and the movie opens this Friday.

HAMMER: Norton!

Well, they`ve been talking all day, and we`ve been listening, and now, as we do every night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the best from today`s talk shows.

On the view, comedian George Lopez spoke out about his recent surgery, after his wife donated a kidney to him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE LOPEZ, COMEDIAN: No, they give you these drugs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, the drugs.

LOPEZ: That`s why I have this. I didn`t have this before.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What?

LOPEZ: This was all steroid-related.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Really?

LOPEZ: That and then the other thing is (WHISTLES), but you can`t see that. I don`t know. I hope it comes back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, you know, of course, the important question is, is your period normal, though?

LOPEZ: Well, since I have a female part of me, I`m still looking for spotting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: I`m sure the ladies continue to have a field day with him.

Well, tomorrow on "The View," Cedric the Entertainer and Gabrielle Union, who we saw walking the red carpet a few minutes ago -- she`s in the new movie, "The Honeymooners."

BRYANT: Still ahead, is Ronald McDonald getting an extreme makeover?

Plus, Why is Lindsay Lohan drinking Shirley Temples? We`ll tell you about that and some of Lindsay`s other indulgences. That`s coming up.

Plus -- good to have family on the set with us -- Nancy Grace is going to join us live to tell us all about her new book and she`s going to talk about whether the Michael Jackson trial is an example of a criminal justice system that needs to be fixed.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOPHIA CHOI, HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, I`m Sophia Choi. And here is your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

President Bush says the threats to Americans justify keeping the controversial USA Patriot Act in intact. All 60 provisions are slated to expire at the end of the year, and the president is calling on Congress now to make the protections permanent. Civil liberties groups say the Patriot Act threatens basic American rights.

A fifth suspect has been arrested in a terrorism probe in Lodi, California. The suspect`s father was detained on Sunday along with another Muslim leader. All three are from Pakistan. Investigators say another father and son may have been involved in an Al Qaeda plot.

And new developments out of Aruba in the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway. Authorities have arrested three more people. They say the men were the last people seen with the Alabama teen when she was spotted leaving a nightclub on May 30th. Two other men remain in custody.

Well, that`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi. Now back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

BRYANT: Tonight, Grace under pressure, Nancy Grace. No one knows the Michael Jackson case better, and she joins us live for some insider`s insight.

HAMMER: And Ronald`s redo. A McDonald`s icon gets a makeover. But will customers think the fast food giant is pulling a fast one?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL FERRELL, ACTOR: Hi, I`m Will Ferrell. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant. Here are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."

A short day today at the Michael Jackson child molestation trial and no verdict. The eight women and four men on the jury deliberated for only two-and-a-half hours today so that they could attend graduation ceremonies. Jackson himself was back in the hospital today for what a spokeswoman said was, quote, "basic routine back treatment."

HAMMER: Russell Crowe says, "I`m sorry." On last night`s "Late Show with David Letterman," the actor apologized for throwing a phone in a New York City hotel. Police say a concierge was hit in the face by it. Crowe was arrested Monday for the incident. At the time, the "Cinderella Man" star was trying to place a call to Australia and it didn`t go through.

BRYANT: And that leads to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Russell Crowe apologizes: Should the charges be dropped? You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight and send your e-mails to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll share some of what you had to say later in the hour.

HAMMER: Well, tonight, in another "Showbiz Sitdown," our own Nancy Grace joining us live. She is one of television`s most respected legal analysts.

BRYANT: She became a prosecutor and a victims` right advocate after her fiance was murdered.

HAMMER: Of course, every night, we get to see her live right here on Headline Prime on her own show, NANCY GRACE.

BRYANT: And now Nancy has a new book. It`s called "Objection!" in which Nancy makes the case that high-priced defense attorneys, celebrity defendants, and 24/7 media have hijacked our criminal justice system.

Joining us now, Nancy Grace. Thank you for coming. Welcome.

NANCY GRACE, CNN HEADLINE NEWS HOST: Thank you for inviting me, friends.

BRYANT: No problem.

HAMMER: It`s nice to have you over here.

GRACE: Now, let`s get down to it.

HAMMER: Let`s get right into it. Because the Michael Jackson case, it`s like the perfect storm, the perfect sort of laboratory example, experiment, of what you talk about in your book, in terms of the high- profile defendant, the defense attorneys, and the 24/7 media. Apply your theories to the Michael case.

GRACE: I certainly will. Thank you, again, for having me on.

I think that what we have seen happen so far in the Jackson trial exemplifies every bad characteristic of our system today. I promise you, if one of you had a court date, and you were late for the second time, you would end up in jail. That`s what happens to most people. It`s called a bond revocation.

And I doubt pretty seriously that either one of you would go outside, and have a dance on top of your SUV, and then have a caravan of love follow you home where you throw a party to celebrate, what, your indictment? I mean, everything has turned into a mockery of the system.

What concerns me more, however, is what has come before the jury. I was very concerned when all of the information regarding the other little boy accusers did not come before that jury.

BRYANT: And obviously, we are a part of the 24/7 media. What do you think about the Scott Peterson case? Because in this case, is your take that this 24-hour coverage is actually shedding some light on a very serious issue in America?

GRACE: You know, you`re right about the Scott Peterson. I took a lot of heat for my coverage of the Laci Peterson case. A lot of media critics stated that I covered it too much and I cared too much about it. Well, I plead guilty to both.

But being a crime victim myself and prosecuting domestic homicides for many years, after all that, guys, I didn`t know that homicide is the number-one cause of death amongst pregnant women in this country. I was stunned. I learned that during the Peterson trial.

And I feel that, whenever we can focus on victims` rights and the victim of a violent crime, why not? I mean, is some story oversees, although it is important, more important than what`s happening right here in our justice system that we pay for?

Take a look at your tax stub, that my father, for one, fought for. What could be more important?

HAMMER: And you`ve spent a lot of your time and good energy getting that message out there and talking about it in the context of that case. Another case that you haven`t been real quiet on, Nancy, the O.J. Simpson trial. In your book, you wrote about Judge Lance Ito, that he went from being a trial judge to a media sponge. Can you elaborate on this?

GRACE: Yes, he really did. Now, my old co-anchor, my first on-air sparring partner, who -- I was so angry at Johnnie Cochran for so long. It took him awhile to figure out he didn`t commit double murder, it was his client.

(LAUGHTER)

Once I got past that, you know, then I actually learned a lot from him. Just watching him enter a room was the lesson. And I learned how he mesmerized a jury. His wife and him very kind to me.

But Simpson shocked everyone. And it put a jolt in our justice system. As far as Lance Ito goes, I talked to Cochran and other people there in the courtroom.

And Ito, for instance, would suddenly call a recess. Both sides would go, "Huh? What?" Nobody wanted a break. Why? He would then send his bailiff into the courtroom, according to Johnnie, and bring whatever celebrity was in the courtroom back to chambers so he could do a little grip-and-grin photo with them. That`s just wrong.

HAMMER: And you and Jonnie, man, I remember watching on -- "Cochran and Grace" was your show on Court TV. And you guys would go at it.

BRYANT: You know, you said this guy could charm a bird out of a tree.

GRACE: I was mean, I was vicious, angry over the Simpson verdict, and the fact that two people practically has their heads chopped off in the front yard and nobody went to jail.

But I`ve got to tell you, I was always so hell-bent on proving the facts and the truth in front of a jury, I didn`t take time to notice what the defense was doing, how charming...

BRYANT: Give an example.

GRACE: ... and loquacious they could be.

BRYANT: How charming was Johnnie?

GRACE: Well, let me just say, I was the nothing in that relationship, OK? I was the sidekick. But in all the years I knew him, he made me feel like I was his equal. I mean, he was the star. There was no doubt about it. But he never made me feel that way.

BRYANT: So last question then, Nancy, what would your prescription be, then, for fixing the judicial system?

GRACE: I`ve great things right off the top of my head. Number one, I would like to see the Victim`s Bill of Rights passed. It`s a political pawn in Congress right now. If you look at the Constitution -- don`t get me wrong, I love the constitution -- but all of the protections are for the defendant, nothing for the victim. They do not have a voice.

Number two, I would like to see lawyers that intentionally twist the rules of evidence and put up a lie knowingly in front of a jury reprimanded. And I`m OK with a little jail time on that.

And third, I can`t stress enough -- it sounds so simple -- but vote in judicial elections. Don`t let the same old political hacks make decisions in cases that affect our lives.

HAMMER: Yes, and a lot of times people just ignore those particular elections.

GRACE: Right on.

HAMMER: Nancy Grace, we`ll see you a little later on Headline Prime.

GRACE: Thank you, friends.

HAMMER: Nice to see you, Nancy.

BRYANT: Thanks for coming.

HAMMER: And of course, you can pick up your own copy of Nancy Grace`s new book "Objection!" at a bookstore near you.

BRYANT: There is a makeover on the way for Mickey D`s spokesclown. Why you might see Ronald McDonald on the ski slopes.

HAMMER: And maybe McDonald`s should hire Lindsay Lohan. One of her guilty pleasures is a Big Mac. We`re going to tell you what her others are, and you might be a little surprised. that`s coming up in "Thursday In-Style."

BRYANT: And we are picking up "Good Vibrations" in our studio. That is because Beach Boy Brian Wilson is here. He joins us live to talk about a documentary nearly 40 years in the making.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Welcome back. It`s time now for the "Show`s Biz," a look at the business of entertainment.

Tonight, McDonald`s new ad campaign. The popular fast food chain known for its Big Macs and fries is trying its best to re-brand itself as more healthy. As part of this image makeover, Mickey Ds is serving up new ads featuring company spokesclown Ronald McDonald promoting an active lifestyle. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Joining us live from Chicago to discuss McDonald`s new strategy is Aaron Barr, a reporter for "Adweek," a weekly magazine that examines the advertising industry.

Thanks for joining us, Aaron. First and foremost, I want to start off. Do you think this is going to help or hurt McDonald`s image and their sales?

AARON BAAR, REPORTER, "ADWEEK": Well, I don`t think it can hurt their image too much. They`ll do what they`re going to do. The question is whether people have already made up their minds about McDonald`s or not, really.

BRYANT: And I guess the jury is still out on that. I guess we`ll see if this campaign is successful. Do you think people are going to buy into it?

BARR: They might. They`ve started to a little bit. You know, McDonald`s has introduced some salads, and they`ve pointed to that as a turnaround for them to be promoting a healthier lifestyle. And it does show that they`re at least listening to consumers about knowing that there`s a problem and that McDonald`s needs to be at least a part of the solution to that problem.

BRYANT: Well, not too long ago, there was a documentary called "Supersize Me," in which Morgan Spurlock ate only McDonald`s three meals a day for 30 days. And there were some pretty serious health problems that he came down with as a result of that. Do you think in any way McDonald`s is reacting to that documentary and the sort of flack that came with it?

BARR: Well, that documentary came out about a year ago, so I don`t think they`re reacting directly to it. I think it`s part of something that they have identified as an issue that they need to be dealing with and are taking steps to do that. This would not be a direct result of that, but I think that they`re interconnected.

BRYANT: So why are they doing it then? I mean, pretty much, people know fast food McDonald`s, burgers and fries. Why do they feel the need to hype the healthy options?

BARR: Well, one, I think they know that there is a problem in this country with overeating and obesity, and they want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. More importantly, they also want to make sure that they give options to as many people as they can. And by sort of introducing salads and some other active lifestyles, it shows that they`re listening to their consumers, that some consumers have raised questions about that, and they`re listening and trying to address that, which I think is their biggest goal.

BRYANT: All right. Well, thank you very much, Aaron Baar of "Adweek."

BARR: Thank you.

HAMMER: It`s time now for another "Showbiz Sitdown," this time with the legendary Brian Wilson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN WILSON, MUSICIAN (singing): Round, round, get around, I get around. I get around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Along with his brothers Dennis and Carl, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine, he founded the Beach Boys. They were responsible for that famous California surf sound with hits like "I Get Around" and "Good Vibrations."

Brian Wilson has just released "Brian Wilson Presents: Smile," a DVD about the 30-plus years it took him to make the album of the same name. Brian Wilson joins us live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Excellent to see you, my friend.

WILSON: Thank you.

HAMMER: So many artists later in their career can say that the work that they`re doing at that point can`t match up to what they did earlier in their career.

WILSON: Right.

HAMMER: You have said this is your best and most advanced work that you`ve ever done.

WILSON: We did, I think, 30 albums. But the "Smile" album is like way better than anything we`ve ever done, way, way better.

HAMMER: Well, "Pet Sounds" is the album that all artists that you talk to say that`s the one that inspired them the most. Would you say this trumps even that?

WILSON: I think so. And I think that "Pet Sounds" was an emotional experience and religious experience, but "Smile" is more a jovial feeling and experience.

HAMMER: And this album took something like 37 years to make. Why the heck did it take so long, Brian?

WILSON: Well, because it was too advanced. We figured we were too ahead of their time, right? And so, you know, so we junked until then, for 38 years, and then we finished it.

HAMMER: Nice to have it done, I`m sure.

WILSON: Yes.

HAMMER: You speak very freely and always have, and you do on the DVD for this album, about that your drug use over the years and about various problems that you may have experienced over the years.

WILSON: Right.

HAMMER: It`s part of the lore of popular music. How are you doing now?

WILSON: I`m touring. I`m going to go on a European tour for 40 days all around Europe. And then I`m going to do the United States U.S. tour. And then we`re going to -- I just finished a Christmas album, I forgot to tell you. I did eight traditional songs, like "O Holy Night," "Deck the halls," and "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," and then I did two originals and two Beach Boys.

HAMMER: And you`re feeling good?

WILSON: Yes.

HAMMER: And we`re going to get some new original Brian Wilson music? That`s excellent to hear.

WILSON: Yes. Yes. Yes.

HAMMER: Your songs, "California Girls," all the Beach Boys songs, "I Get Around," all of them such feel-good songs that we`ve been singing for the 30-plus years that they`ve been around. Do you still feel great when you`re singing those songs?

WILSON: Oh, when I sing those songs, it takes me back to when we were young, and happy, and you know, energetic, and all of that kind of feeling, you know?

HAMMER: And how do you feel when you get on stage in front of tens of thousands?

WILSON: Oh, I`m afraid. I`m very afraid when I go on stage.

HAMMER: I`ve heard you mention that before. Is it something that you`ve always faced?

WILSON: Always been a little bit shy going on stage, yes. And I probably always will.

HAMMER: It never gets passed you?

WILSON: No, I never get past that anxiety that I go through.

HAMMER: Spend any time at the beach?

WILSON: No.

HAMMER: Not at all?

WILSON: No.

HAMMER: When was the last time you were on a surfboard?

WILSON: I never was on the surfboard.

HAMMER: Never at all?

WILSON: No.

HAMMER: You did all of the surfing songs and never on a surfboard. I love it.

(LAUGHTER)

Excellent. Brian Wilson, it`s excellent to see you. And best of luck with this DVD. It`s called "Brian Wilson Presents: Smile." It`s available right now on DVD.

WILSON: Thank you so much.

BRYANT: Well, it is time now for "Thursday In-Style." Tonight, Lindsay Lohan`s guilty pleasures. And for a young woman whose often in the party scene, you might just be surprised of what this actress`s secret cravings really are.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For our June issue of "Guilty Pleasures," we asked Lindsay Lohan, the star of "Herbie: Fully Loaded" to tell us all about her favorite things.

Lindsay Lohan`s favorite midnight slack is a treat called Tasti D- Lite. It`s essentially a softer frozen yogurt that`s low in fat and low in calories. And she found out about it from watching "Sex and the City."

Lindsay Lohan loves to take a touristy trip. She loves to be saturated with the energy in a city, so from Disney World to New York City`s Times Square, those are Lindsay Lohan`s favorite touristy vacations.

When it comes to a fast food fix, Lindsay loves McDonald`s. And instead of going for a Cobb salad or maybe a fry or two, she loves to go for the Big Mac.

Lindsay loves to do karaoke. She loves the famous female standard, "I Will Survive," by Gloria Gaynor. She said it`s very empowering and it`s full of energy.

For a girl who`s really known to party, it`s really surprising that Lindsay Lohan`s favorite cocktail is a Shirley Temple. No alcohol, just a little bit of Grenadine and a lot of Sprite. And she`s had them since she was a little girl, and she felt so cool drinking them.

Lindsay Lohan loves "Sex and the City," and that`s what she watches before she falls to sleep at night. She is addicted to Carrie Bradshaw.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER, "CARRIE BRADSHAW," HBO: It means that, if I really wanted to have a baby, wouldn`t I have tried to have one by now?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She loves the character, and she can really relate to the boy dilemmas that Carrie seems to go through.

Lindsay has a couple of favorite chick flicks. The first one is "Pretty Woman" with Julia Roberts and the second one is "Wild Things," which she says that she likes because it`s kind of cool and bizarre, in a mental sort of way. She said it`s just a really neat movie.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: To read more about Lindsay Lohan`s guilty pleasures, pick up a copy of June`s "In-Style." It`s on newsstands now.

HAMMER: Time now to get your laugh on in "Laughter Dark," as we do every night bringing you the late-night laughs you might have missed. Well, the jury is still out at the Michael Jackson trial, but Michael Jackson jokes are definitely still in over at "The Tonight Show." Here are Jay Leno`s latest jabs at the King of Pop.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LENO: The latest word is that Michael Jackson is broke. Have you heard that? He`s broke, yes. In fact, he`s so broke the nose he`s wearing now is the one that comes with the glasses. That broke. That`s pretty broke.

In fact, did you hear about this? The man who feeds the animals at Neverland Ranch says they are running out of food for the animals.

In fact, we have a live interview with him, Mr. Louis Trombere (ph). He`s at the Neverland Ranch. Can we talk to the guy who feeds the animals? Oh, could I get a word? Excuse me? Excuse me?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: On "The Tonight Show" this evening, inevitably, more Michael Jackson jokes and actors John Leguizamo and Heather Locklear.

BRYANT: There`s still time for you to sound off on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day.

HAMMER: Russell Crowe apologizes: Should the charges be dropped? You can vote by going to the Web site, CNN.com/showbiztonight. Got more to say? Our e-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com

We`re going to read some of your e-mails live, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Russell Crowe apologizes: Should the charges be dropped?

Let`s take a look at how the vote is going so far: 24 percent of you say yes, charges should be dropped; 76 percent of you, however, say no, they should not. And you`ve thank you also been sending e-mails on this question.

Kathy from Montana says, "I think Russell Crowe should face his latest anger situation in court. If he is guilty, he should be given probation."

But Chris (ph), also from Montana, thinks the "the charges should be dropped. If it were anybody else, there wouldn`t be any charges to begin with."

Now, remember, you can continue to vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight.

HAMMER: Seventy-four percent of people want to see Russell Crowe hung out to dry?

BRYANT: I guess so.

HAMMER: All right. Time now to see what`s playing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.

BRYANT: And that means we`re going to take a look at the SHOWBIZ Marquee with the Marquee Guy. Take it away.

MARQUEE GUY: It`s the SHOWBIZ guide to new movies, "Mr. And Mrs. Smith," "Shark Boy and Lava Girl." Should you give Brad and Angelina your money or is the one in 3-D the one to see? Hey, that rhymes. Find out tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Sarah, Sarah, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s brewing in your eyes. Sarah McLachlan pops off the tour bus for us. Hey, that rhymes again. Sarah makes us smile, and she`ll make you, too. Sarah McLachlan tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

This is the Marquee Guy, and when I am smiling, the whole world smiles at me.

BRYANT: That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer, smiling. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.

CHOI: Hi, there, I`m Sophia Choi. And let`s get to your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

Another one of President Bush`s judicial nominees has been approved by the U.S. Senate. Today, lawmakers voted 53-45 to confirm former Alabama Attorney General William Pryor for a seat on the U.S. Appeals Court. Pryor is the third judge to be approved in less than three weeks following last month`s deal on judicial filibusters.

Alan Greenspan has spoken. The federal reserve chair told lawmakers he does not see a big slump in the U.S. economy any time soon, nor does he fear big risk of a so-called housing bubble bursting.

And sex abuse in the priesthood has cost the U.S. Roman Catholic Church more than $1 billion. That`s a figure the Associate Press says dioceses have spent since 1950 on settlements with victims and other expenses. At least $378 million in costs have come in the past three years alone and hundreds of more claims are still pending.

Well, that`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi.

END


Aired June 9, 2005 - 19:00:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: Michael Jackson in and out of the hospital as we wait for a verdict.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: And Tommy Hilfiger on his new reality show. I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER (voice-over): Russell Crowe eating crow. David Letterman calls him out.

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, LATE SHOW: Do you have trouble controlling your temper?

HAMMER: Tonight, Russell`s remorse. Speaking out about what got him arrested.

BRYANT (voice-over): "Headline Prime`s" own Nancy Grace. She says the justice system`s been hijacked, and she`s got an objection. Nancy Grace tells us all about it, live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

HAMMER: It`s a McMakeover! Ronald McDonald, bye-bye, Big Macs. Now vegetables and snowboarding? Tonight, what the new Ronald is trying to sell your kids.

LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: Hi, I`m Lindsay Lohan. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Hello, I`m Karyn Bryant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and you`re at the top of the show.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. You`re watching TV`s only live nightly entertainment news program.

BRYANT: Tonight, Russell Crowe is eating humble pie, trying to avoid getting kicked out of the country.

HAMMER: Well, Crowe is apologizing over and over again, after his arrest for a throwing a phone freakout at a New York City hotel.

BRYANT: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer has the latest on Russell`s rage and Russell`s remorse.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LETTERMAN: Say hello to Russell Crowe, everybody.

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Russell Crowe is eating crow.

Walking out appropriately to the song "Telephone Man," Russell Crowe was full of apologies.

LETTERMAN: Now tell me all about this. We see you in the picture, the newspaper, it happened at a hotel, it was 4:00 in the morning, you were trying to call Australia? Is that pretty much what went on there? What was the problem?

RUSSELL CROWE, ACTOR: Well, look, just do know that if you give me the opportunity, I`ll extremely sorry for this whole incident, and I regret everything that took place.

HAFFENREFFER: Crowe was arrested Monday for throwing a phone at a hotel concierge. He lost it when he couldn`t place a call to Australia.

LETTERMAN: Do you have trouble controlling your temper?

CROWE: I have -- yes, I do.

LETTERMAN: Yeah.

HAFFENREFFER: Crowe said he was simply trying to fulfill his basic obligations to his wife. He was trying to call her to let her know he was home, in bed and alone.

CROWE: You know, the time difference is really rough. If I miss out on calling her at that time, then there`s a 20-hour cycle before I can call her again, and she`s going to be wondering that whole time what I`m doing and who I`m with, and she wants to know, and I try and respect that.

LETTERMAN: I understand that. And I would think, in this case, being in prison would probably put her mind at ease.

HAFFENREFFER: If convicted, Crowe could face up to seven years in prison and his visa could be revoked. That could have a major impact on his movie career, since he could be banned from working in the United States.

CROWE: Hopefully at some stage, I`ll be able to, you know, apologize directly to Nestor, but for the moment, he`s not answering his phone.

HAFFENREFFER: His fate lies in the hands of the hotel concierge, this man, Nestor Estrada, who has pressed charges against Crowe. These photos show a bruise on his right cheek. Today the ladies on "The View" had some thoughts on whether Nestor should drop those charges.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would milk Russell Crowe. I would definitely. He hit me in the face with a phone, he`s got cash, he`s (INAUDIBLE).

HAFFENREFFER: But for Crowe, being the gladiator is part of the problem.

CROWE: Obviously, when I react to something, it has a great effect apparently, you know, because you know, it`s the gladiator getting pissed off.

HAFFENREFFER: But the bottom line for Russell Crowe? He feels terrible.

CROWE: This is possibly the most shameful situation I`ve ever got myself in in my life, and I`ve done some pretty dumb things in my life, so to actually make a new number one is spectacularly stupid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Crowe`s next court appearance is set for September 14th.

HAMMER: Well, Russell Crowe may have apologized, but has he done enough damage control? That is the topic of tonight`s "SHOWBIZ In-Depth," and joining us live from New York to talk about it, branding expert Linda Kaplan Thaler, the CEO of the Kaplan Thaler Group; and celebrity publicist Marvet Britto. She`s the founder of the Britto Agency.

OK, ladies, let`s get the report card on Russell Crowe. And Linda, I want to start with you. You know, he has to do some serious damage control here, and the question is, did he do enough and how did he do last night?

LINDA KAPLAN THALER, THE KAPLAN THALER GROUP: Well, he was quite contrite, and I think people empathized with him, because he`s a father and everybody can empathize with being frustrated and not reaching your baby. But to that end, people who have that kind of a temper will do it again and again and again, and I think he needs to get some serious anger management and maybe help other people by leading the way.

HAMMER: What do you think, Margaret? I mean, he seemed really to be humbled by the experience. He was throwing out all the key words, you know, saying, admitting to his temper and all of that. How do you think Russell did last night on Letterman?

MARVET BRITTO, THE BRITTO AGENCY: I think he did amazing. I think he tugged at America`s heart strings. He basically, you know, admitted he made a mistake. You know what I mean? And everyone wants to be loved and respected. And his goal was to call his wife. His goal was to check in with his family. And I think at the end of the day, yes, he made a mistake, but he certainly apologized, and you ended up feeling sympathy for him.

HAMMER: So the question is, though, and Linda, I want to ask you this, how much of it really is planned? Because you both have been involved with crisis management before, and obviously, Russell Crowe, an excellent actor, and he seemed so sincere through the whole thing, but how much of that was scripted last night?

THALER: I think he -- I think he did the right thing. It didn`t feel like it was scripted. But then again, he`s a fabulous actor, so one never knows.

But the point is, what does he do from here? Does he -- you know, he should not really keep bringing it up, because I think the best thing that happened to him is Michael Jackson, and everybody`s going to be now thinking about the verdict that`s going to come out. So I mean, and luckily the public has short memories.

But what can he do in a positive way to help other people? You know, the leading cause of depression for men, the leading manifestation of it is anger and hostility, and, you know, abusing other people. He could really get some help and help others in the process.

HAMMER: Well, let`s work on that theme, Marvet. What would you do if he were your client? You know, how would you further do the damage control with Russell Crowe?

BRITTO: I think he`s already started that process. He admitted that he has -- that he made a mistake. And I think, you know, a lot of folks in his position don`t admit, you know -- most of it is about telling the truth. And that`s what he did. He did it in front of the entire country, said, I made a mistake. So I think in starting there, that`s part of the process, that`s part of the rehabilitation. If he needs more help, you know, he would get more help, he`ll find more help. But I think that, you know, he made a great, you know, great strides by going on national television and saying, I made a mistake, and I think he doesn`t need to talk about it anymore. It`s, you know, we do have short memories, and I think we`re very forgiving when people are honest.

HAMMER: OK, and Linda, I only have time for a quick answer on this, but if he is convicted in the U.S., he may not be able to work here ever again. Can you possibly manage that as the spin doctor?

THALER: Well, first of all, he`ll be able to spend a lot more time with his wife and family, because he`ll be in Australia. And maybe he should start Down Under Production, start an Australian film company.

HAMMER: Exactly, all right. Well, Linda Thaler, Linda Kaplan Thaler of the Kaplan Thaler Group and Marvet Britto, we appreciate your insights tonight and going in-depth with us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

And now at home, we`d like to know what your thoughts are on this. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Russell Crowe apologizes. Should the charges be dropped? You can vote by going to the Web, CNN.com/showbiztonight. Or if you want to tell us more, our e-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to share some of what you have to say later on in the show.

BRYANT: Russell wasn`t the only one lighting up the late-night airwaves. Tom Cruise was on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, and of course his new love, actress Katie Holmes, came up in conversation pretty quickly. Cruise poked a little fun at his now-famous appearance on Oprah, when he jumped with glee on the couch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I start talking about her, things happen, so, you know, yes.

JAY LENO, ACTOR: OK. Well , we can...

CRUISE: Yes, don`t, you know -- don`t, you don`t know to -- she`s -- it`s great. She`s lovely. Really.

LENO: No, well, I saw you on -- I saw you on "Oprah..."

CRUISE: I`m looking at this couch, I`m thinking I don`t know, you know?

LENO: Yes, there you go!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: A Web site is capitalizing on all the attention Tom and Katie are getting by selling t-shirts that say "free Katie." The site says Katie is, quote, "a young, gifted actress held captive by forces we may never understand." The t-shirts are selling for 23 bucks.

HAMMER: See, I predicted last night, that jumping was going to happen.

Well, still ahead, what`s up with the jury at the Michael Jackson trial, and what`s up with Jackson`s health? We will have live coverage.

BRYANT: Also coming up, a "SHOWBIZ Sitdown" with Tommy Hilfiger. He`s mixing and matching it up in a new reality show. We`ll ask him if he`s trumping the Donald.

HAMMER: And Nancy Grace live on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT set. Nancy chimes in on why the criminal justice system needs to be fixed big time, coming up.

Now, time for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" great American pop culture quiz. What was Tobey Maguire`s first career choice? To be an agent, a chef, in advertising, or graphic arts? We are coming right back with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Once again, tonight`s Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz. What was Tobey Maguire`s first career choice? Agent, chef, advertising or graphic arts. The answer is, B, he wanted to be a chef.

BRYAN: Still no verdict in the Jackson trial, but jurors didn`t put that much time into deliberations today. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has live coverage across California to bring you the latest. We begin with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Brooke Anderson, who is live in Los Olivos, California.

Hey there, Brooke.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN HEADLINE NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Karyn.

Day five of jury deliberations and no verdict. Granted, it was not quite half a day of deliberations. The judge allowed the jury to leave at approximately 11:00 this, morning because some members of the jury were attending graduation ceremonies for family members today.

This jury of eight women, four men has logged about 22 hours of deliberations. They will resume those deliberations tomorrow morning.

Another trip to the hospital for Michael Jackson, the third in a week, in fact. Jackson went to the Santa Ynez Cottage Hospital yesterday, it`s about a ten-minute drive to Neverland. Jackson`s spokeswoman, Raymone Bain said this was a basic, routine back treatment. She said it was a follow-up to his visit for the back spasms.

Now, CNN`s Rusty Dornin has been following Jackson`s trips to the hospital as well as his changing physical appearance throughout the trial. Rusty is standing by at the courthouse in Santa Maria now.

Hi there, Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Brooke, Michael Jackson has a long history of accidents, surgeries and visits to the hospital. It has many people are wondering, how sick is the superstar?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): An incredible athlete on stage, offstage, Michael Jackson`s health often seemed fragile. His longest ongoing health issue, says his biographer, has been panic attacks.

RANDI TARABORRELLI, JACKSON BIOGRAPHER: There have been instances when he`s had to perform on stage, and he`s upset about one thing or another, and he would have a panic attack and actually has been hospitalized.

DORNIN: In the `70s, he broke his nose in a dancing accident, which began a series of plastic surgeries. Jackson will only admit to two.

In the `80s, Jackson`s hair caught on fire during a commercial. He was hospitalized and forced to undergo scalp surgery. During that same time, Jackson`s skin began to appear much lighter. He claimed he had a skin condition.

TARABORRELLI: Vitiligo is a true condition. It`s not a made-up Michael Jackson fantasy. He was diagnosed with it back in the 1980s. He does have it. And it is issue in his life.

DORNIN: In 1993, following the previous allegations of sexual abuse, Jackson admitted problems with prescription drugs.

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER: After my tour ended, I remained out of the country, undergoing treatment for a dependency on pain medication.

DORNIN: Then, in `94, he fell off a stage in Germany, injuring his back, a problem that Jackson says plagues him to this day.

During jury selection, Jackson went to the hospital with flu symptoms. Through the rest of the trial, it was his back that sent him to the hospital, twice complaining of debilitating pain.

He even showed up for court in his pajamas. Then he went to the hospital last week, because a family friend thought he looked dehydrated.

TARABORRELLI: It always is a big drama around Michael Jackson. I mean, he`s always dehydrated, or he`s exhausted, or...

DORNIN: So is he sick? Is he really sick?

TARABORRELLI: He is. I could tell you from my own sources in the Jackson family, that he is very sick right now. And has been for quite some time. It is the back. It`s not an exaggeration.

DORNIN: Some close to the superstar say his health always deteriorates when the pressure is on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: And the pressure is definitely on, as the jury tomorrow begins its sixth day of deliberations. They`ll be back here at 8:30 tomorrow morning -- Brooke.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Rusty.

Here at Neverland Ranch, where Jackson is said to be staying while he awaits the verdict, there are about 20, 30 fans behind me now. But earlier today, more fans than we`ve seen here all week, some of them dressed like Michael Jackson, some carrying umbrellas, some singing, dancing to his music.

You know, a lot of these fans have made this their mission. They`ve left their homes, their jobs for awhile to be here to express their devotion to Michael Jackson.

Now, their increased presence here earlier today may indicate that they are hopeful that we will have a verdict sooner rather than later. Karyn, once a verdict is reached the judge will allow Michael Jackson one hour to get to the courthouse. That courthouse 30 miles north of here at Neverland. Jackson, of course, waiting here for that verdict. The jury will resume deliberations again tomorrow morning. Back to you.

BRYANT: All right. Thank you very much, Brooke Anderson, out in front of the Neverland Ranch.

HAMMER: Something old and something new from Britney Spears. We learned today that the pregnant pop star has a new single coming out next week called "Someday I Will Understand." The video for the song will debut on the season finale of her reality show, "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic." The finale will also include footage of the famous couple`s secret wedding. You can check it out Tuesday night on UPN.

BRYANT: Time now for a SHOWBIZ sit down with Tommy Hilfiger. He has built his own, global fashion empire that includes everything from clothing to fragrances and home apparel. Now, Tommy Hilfiger is lending his name to a new reality TV show. Starting tonight, you can see Tommy in his new made for TV outfit called "the Cut." Thanks for joining us, Tommy.

TOMMY HILFIGER, FASHION DESIGNER: Thank you.

BRYANT: So quickly, what is this show about?

HILFIGER: Well, I`m looking for the next great American fashion designer. And it goes way beyond designing clothes. You know, in order to build a lifestyle brand, you have to be able to design advertising stores, design for celebrities, rock stars, rap stars, Hollywood stars. So there`s a lot of glamour in it.

There`s 16 contestants, all vying to win $250,000 salary from me, from my company, to design their own collection, which we`re going to put out in stores. And basically, the challenges are very intense: designing billboards, cars, airplanes, I mean everything. So it goes way beyond just clothing design. I look at their social skills, their vision, their creativity, their business acumen, the whole nine yards.

BRYANT: And what do you make of the comparison to "The Apprentice." It`s a hit show, so to be compared to that is not such a bad thing.

HILFIGER: Listen, I could never be Donald.

BRYANT: Could anybody be Donald?

HILFIGER: I mean, Donald has "The Apprentice," which is amazing. And I think they`ve done a great job. Ours is so different. Ours is very different. It`s much more intense, much younger, hipper, into music, into fashion. And when I say into music and fashion, it`s about fame. Fashion, F is for fashion. A is for art, M is for music, and e is for entertainment. It`s all pop culture, and it`s a totally different show.

BRYANT: Um-hum.

And how much was this in your mind, the idea that, you know, this would help the Tommy Hilfiger brand? Was that any sort of motive for getting into this?

HILFIGER: Well, interestingly enough, I don`t think the public really knows what goes on in the fashion business. The fashion business is very mysterious, in a sense. There are glamorous outtakes about the fashion business, and there`s a lot of nitty gritty inside.

So, I think it gives people the opportunity to look inside the fashion business and actually understand how my business is run, which is a global lifestyle brand. It`s not just about clothes, it`s about much more than that.

BRYANT: Yeah, certainly I think -- you know, people go to the stores, they see the things on the racks and they don`t know the whole process that gets into from step one. I mean, that is a long, arduous process.

HILFIGER: A long process.

BRYANT: Arduous, arduous process.

What would you say, though, about the fashion industry and where it is today, versus maybe five years ago, because it does seem to infiltrate so many other areas of life, of pop culture.

HILFIGER: But, you know I started with $150, 20 pairs of jeans at 18- years-old. So when I started the business, it was totally different. Now it`s much more competitive. There`s much more globalization, and in order to have a multibillion-dollar global brand, you have to do much more than design clothes.

It`s about having great people skills. It`s about having to, you know, deal with celebrities on the red carpet. It`s about having to design stores. I mean, we`re designing private jets on this show. We`re designing automobiles. We`re designing really cool stuff and the challenges are very intense.

BRYANT: And, do you have your catch phrase worked out yet?

HILFIGER: I`ve got the catch phrase.

BRYANT: What is it?

HILFIGER: You`ve got to watch at 8:00 tonight on CBS.

BRYANT: See, cause, I`m thinking, you`re so last season, or -- or maybe even...

HILFIGER: You`re close. You`re getting there.

BRYANT: Am I? Really? Oh, cool. Or, mine is, quality control says you`re a regular, something like that.

HILFIGER: No, no, you`re close.

BRYANT: I`m close, all right. Well, thank you for joining us.

HILFIGER: You`ve got to watch. You`re going to like it.

BRYANT: Tommy Hilfiger. And of course, you can catch "The Cut" tonight on CBS.

HAMMER: Well, still ahead, Ronald McDonald gets a big makeover, but will it work?

Plus, Nancy Grace is here live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to tell us why she thinks the criminal justice system has been hijacked.

Plus, he can turn the world on with his smile. Joining us live, Beach Boy Brian Wilson, whose magnum opus is ready for your living room. Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, where it`s time for "Showbiz Shorts," a look at more stories making news tonight.

A "Simple Life" star wants a not-so-simple wedding. Nicole Richie tells this week`s "People" magazine that she wants elephant rides and swans at her walk down the aisle with fiance DJ AM, also known as Adam Goldstein. Lindsay Lohan and Nicky Hilton will both be bridesmaids. No date has been set yet.

How sweet it was -- the stars were out in Los Angeles last night for "The Honeymooner`s" premiere. Cedric the Entertainer, Gabrielle Union, Regina Hall and Mike Epps all walked the red carpet. "The Honeymooners" is the big-screen take on the popular 1950s TV sitcom which starred Jackie Gleason as bus driver Ralph Kramden and the movie opens this Friday.

HAMMER: Norton!

Well, they`ve been talking all day, and we`ve been listening, and now, as we do every night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the best from today`s talk shows.

On the view, comedian George Lopez spoke out about his recent surgery, after his wife donated a kidney to him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE LOPEZ, COMEDIAN: No, they give you these drugs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, the drugs.

LOPEZ: That`s why I have this. I didn`t have this before.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What?

LOPEZ: This was all steroid-related.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Really?

LOPEZ: That and then the other thing is (WHISTLES), but you can`t see that. I don`t know. I hope it comes back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, you know, of course, the important question is, is your period normal, though?

LOPEZ: Well, since I have a female part of me, I`m still looking for spotting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: I`m sure the ladies continue to have a field day with him.

Well, tomorrow on "The View," Cedric the Entertainer and Gabrielle Union, who we saw walking the red carpet a few minutes ago -- she`s in the new movie, "The Honeymooners."

BRYANT: Still ahead, is Ronald McDonald getting an extreme makeover?

Plus, Why is Lindsay Lohan drinking Shirley Temples? We`ll tell you about that and some of Lindsay`s other indulgences. That`s coming up.

Plus -- good to have family on the set with us -- Nancy Grace is going to join us live to tell us all about her new book and she`s going to talk about whether the Michael Jackson trial is an example of a criminal justice system that needs to be fixed.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOPHIA CHOI, HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, I`m Sophia Choi. And here is your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

President Bush says the threats to Americans justify keeping the controversial USA Patriot Act in intact. All 60 provisions are slated to expire at the end of the year, and the president is calling on Congress now to make the protections permanent. Civil liberties groups say the Patriot Act threatens basic American rights.

A fifth suspect has been arrested in a terrorism probe in Lodi, California. The suspect`s father was detained on Sunday along with another Muslim leader. All three are from Pakistan. Investigators say another father and son may have been involved in an Al Qaeda plot.

And new developments out of Aruba in the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway. Authorities have arrested three more people. They say the men were the last people seen with the Alabama teen when she was spotted leaving a nightclub on May 30th. Two other men remain in custody.

Well, that`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi. Now back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

BRYANT: Tonight, Grace under pressure, Nancy Grace. No one knows the Michael Jackson case better, and she joins us live for some insider`s insight.

HAMMER: And Ronald`s redo. A McDonald`s icon gets a makeover. But will customers think the fast food giant is pulling a fast one?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL FERRELL, ACTOR: Hi, I`m Will Ferrell. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant. Here are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."

A short day today at the Michael Jackson child molestation trial and no verdict. The eight women and four men on the jury deliberated for only two-and-a-half hours today so that they could attend graduation ceremonies. Jackson himself was back in the hospital today for what a spokeswoman said was, quote, "basic routine back treatment."

HAMMER: Russell Crowe says, "I`m sorry." On last night`s "Late Show with David Letterman," the actor apologized for throwing a phone in a New York City hotel. Police say a concierge was hit in the face by it. Crowe was arrested Monday for the incident. At the time, the "Cinderella Man" star was trying to place a call to Australia and it didn`t go through.

BRYANT: And that leads to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Russell Crowe apologizes: Should the charges be dropped? You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight and send your e-mails to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll share some of what you had to say later in the hour.

HAMMER: Well, tonight, in another "Showbiz Sitdown," our own Nancy Grace joining us live. She is one of television`s most respected legal analysts.

BRYANT: She became a prosecutor and a victims` right advocate after her fiance was murdered.

HAMMER: Of course, every night, we get to see her live right here on Headline Prime on her own show, NANCY GRACE.

BRYANT: And now Nancy has a new book. It`s called "Objection!" in which Nancy makes the case that high-priced defense attorneys, celebrity defendants, and 24/7 media have hijacked our criminal justice system.

Joining us now, Nancy Grace. Thank you for coming. Welcome.

NANCY GRACE, CNN HEADLINE NEWS HOST: Thank you for inviting me, friends.

BRYANT: No problem.

HAMMER: It`s nice to have you over here.

GRACE: Now, let`s get down to it.

HAMMER: Let`s get right into it. Because the Michael Jackson case, it`s like the perfect storm, the perfect sort of laboratory example, experiment, of what you talk about in your book, in terms of the high- profile defendant, the defense attorneys, and the 24/7 media. Apply your theories to the Michael case.

GRACE: I certainly will. Thank you, again, for having me on.

I think that what we have seen happen so far in the Jackson trial exemplifies every bad characteristic of our system today. I promise you, if one of you had a court date, and you were late for the second time, you would end up in jail. That`s what happens to most people. It`s called a bond revocation.

And I doubt pretty seriously that either one of you would go outside, and have a dance on top of your SUV, and then have a caravan of love follow you home where you throw a party to celebrate, what, your indictment? I mean, everything has turned into a mockery of the system.

What concerns me more, however, is what has come before the jury. I was very concerned when all of the information regarding the other little boy accusers did not come before that jury.

BRYANT: And obviously, we are a part of the 24/7 media. What do you think about the Scott Peterson case? Because in this case, is your take that this 24-hour coverage is actually shedding some light on a very serious issue in America?

GRACE: You know, you`re right about the Scott Peterson. I took a lot of heat for my coverage of the Laci Peterson case. A lot of media critics stated that I covered it too much and I cared too much about it. Well, I plead guilty to both.

But being a crime victim myself and prosecuting domestic homicides for many years, after all that, guys, I didn`t know that homicide is the number-one cause of death amongst pregnant women in this country. I was stunned. I learned that during the Peterson trial.

And I feel that, whenever we can focus on victims` rights and the victim of a violent crime, why not? I mean, is some story oversees, although it is important, more important than what`s happening right here in our justice system that we pay for?

Take a look at your tax stub, that my father, for one, fought for. What could be more important?

HAMMER: And you`ve spent a lot of your time and good energy getting that message out there and talking about it in the context of that case. Another case that you haven`t been real quiet on, Nancy, the O.J. Simpson trial. In your book, you wrote about Judge Lance Ito, that he went from being a trial judge to a media sponge. Can you elaborate on this?

GRACE: Yes, he really did. Now, my old co-anchor, my first on-air sparring partner, who -- I was so angry at Johnnie Cochran for so long. It took him awhile to figure out he didn`t commit double murder, it was his client.

(LAUGHTER)

Once I got past that, you know, then I actually learned a lot from him. Just watching him enter a room was the lesson. And I learned how he mesmerized a jury. His wife and him very kind to me.

But Simpson shocked everyone. And it put a jolt in our justice system. As far as Lance Ito goes, I talked to Cochran and other people there in the courtroom.

And Ito, for instance, would suddenly call a recess. Both sides would go, "Huh? What?" Nobody wanted a break. Why? He would then send his bailiff into the courtroom, according to Johnnie, and bring whatever celebrity was in the courtroom back to chambers so he could do a little grip-and-grin photo with them. That`s just wrong.

HAMMER: And you and Jonnie, man, I remember watching on -- "Cochran and Grace" was your show on Court TV. And you guys would go at it.

BRYANT: You know, you said this guy could charm a bird out of a tree.

GRACE: I was mean, I was vicious, angry over the Simpson verdict, and the fact that two people practically has their heads chopped off in the front yard and nobody went to jail.

But I`ve got to tell you, I was always so hell-bent on proving the facts and the truth in front of a jury, I didn`t take time to notice what the defense was doing, how charming...

BRYANT: Give an example.

GRACE: ... and loquacious they could be.

BRYANT: How charming was Johnnie?

GRACE: Well, let me just say, I was the nothing in that relationship, OK? I was the sidekick. But in all the years I knew him, he made me feel like I was his equal. I mean, he was the star. There was no doubt about it. But he never made me feel that way.

BRYANT: So last question then, Nancy, what would your prescription be, then, for fixing the judicial system?

GRACE: I`ve great things right off the top of my head. Number one, I would like to see the Victim`s Bill of Rights passed. It`s a political pawn in Congress right now. If you look at the Constitution -- don`t get me wrong, I love the constitution -- but all of the protections are for the defendant, nothing for the victim. They do not have a voice.

Number two, I would like to see lawyers that intentionally twist the rules of evidence and put up a lie knowingly in front of a jury reprimanded. And I`m OK with a little jail time on that.

And third, I can`t stress enough -- it sounds so simple -- but vote in judicial elections. Don`t let the same old political hacks make decisions in cases that affect our lives.

HAMMER: Yes, and a lot of times people just ignore those particular elections.

GRACE: Right on.

HAMMER: Nancy Grace, we`ll see you a little later on Headline Prime.

GRACE: Thank you, friends.

HAMMER: Nice to see you, Nancy.

BRYANT: Thanks for coming.

HAMMER: And of course, you can pick up your own copy of Nancy Grace`s new book "Objection!" at a bookstore near you.

BRYANT: There is a makeover on the way for Mickey D`s spokesclown. Why you might see Ronald McDonald on the ski slopes.

HAMMER: And maybe McDonald`s should hire Lindsay Lohan. One of her guilty pleasures is a Big Mac. We`re going to tell you what her others are, and you might be a little surprised. that`s coming up in "Thursday In-Style."

BRYANT: And we are picking up "Good Vibrations" in our studio. That is because Beach Boy Brian Wilson is here. He joins us live to talk about a documentary nearly 40 years in the making.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Welcome back. It`s time now for the "Show`s Biz," a look at the business of entertainment.

Tonight, McDonald`s new ad campaign. The popular fast food chain known for its Big Macs and fries is trying its best to re-brand itself as more healthy. As part of this image makeover, Mickey Ds is serving up new ads featuring company spokesclown Ronald McDonald promoting an active lifestyle. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Joining us live from Chicago to discuss McDonald`s new strategy is Aaron Barr, a reporter for "Adweek," a weekly magazine that examines the advertising industry.

Thanks for joining us, Aaron. First and foremost, I want to start off. Do you think this is going to help or hurt McDonald`s image and their sales?

AARON BAAR, REPORTER, "ADWEEK": Well, I don`t think it can hurt their image too much. They`ll do what they`re going to do. The question is whether people have already made up their minds about McDonald`s or not, really.

BRYANT: And I guess the jury is still out on that. I guess we`ll see if this campaign is successful. Do you think people are going to buy into it?

BARR: They might. They`ve started to a little bit. You know, McDonald`s has introduced some salads, and they`ve pointed to that as a turnaround for them to be promoting a healthier lifestyle. And it does show that they`re at least listening to consumers about knowing that there`s a problem and that McDonald`s needs to be at least a part of the solution to that problem.

BRYANT: Well, not too long ago, there was a documentary called "Supersize Me," in which Morgan Spurlock ate only McDonald`s three meals a day for 30 days. And there were some pretty serious health problems that he came down with as a result of that. Do you think in any way McDonald`s is reacting to that documentary and the sort of flack that came with it?

BARR: Well, that documentary came out about a year ago, so I don`t think they`re reacting directly to it. I think it`s part of something that they have identified as an issue that they need to be dealing with and are taking steps to do that. This would not be a direct result of that, but I think that they`re interconnected.

BRYANT: So why are they doing it then? I mean, pretty much, people know fast food McDonald`s, burgers and fries. Why do they feel the need to hype the healthy options?

BARR: Well, one, I think they know that there is a problem in this country with overeating and obesity, and they want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. More importantly, they also want to make sure that they give options to as many people as they can. And by sort of introducing salads and some other active lifestyles, it shows that they`re listening to their consumers, that some consumers have raised questions about that, and they`re listening and trying to address that, which I think is their biggest goal.

BRYANT: All right. Well, thank you very much, Aaron Baar of "Adweek."

BARR: Thank you.

HAMMER: It`s time now for another "Showbiz Sitdown," this time with the legendary Brian Wilson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN WILSON, MUSICIAN (singing): Round, round, get around, I get around. I get around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Along with his brothers Dennis and Carl, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine, he founded the Beach Boys. They were responsible for that famous California surf sound with hits like "I Get Around" and "Good Vibrations."

Brian Wilson has just released "Brian Wilson Presents: Smile," a DVD about the 30-plus years it took him to make the album of the same name. Brian Wilson joins us live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Excellent to see you, my friend.

WILSON: Thank you.

HAMMER: So many artists later in their career can say that the work that they`re doing at that point can`t match up to what they did earlier in their career.

WILSON: Right.

HAMMER: You have said this is your best and most advanced work that you`ve ever done.

WILSON: We did, I think, 30 albums. But the "Smile" album is like way better than anything we`ve ever done, way, way better.

HAMMER: Well, "Pet Sounds" is the album that all artists that you talk to say that`s the one that inspired them the most. Would you say this trumps even that?

WILSON: I think so. And I think that "Pet Sounds" was an emotional experience and religious experience, but "Smile" is more a jovial feeling and experience.

HAMMER: And this album took something like 37 years to make. Why the heck did it take so long, Brian?

WILSON: Well, because it was too advanced. We figured we were too ahead of their time, right? And so, you know, so we junked until then, for 38 years, and then we finished it.

HAMMER: Nice to have it done, I`m sure.

WILSON: Yes.

HAMMER: You speak very freely and always have, and you do on the DVD for this album, about that your drug use over the years and about various problems that you may have experienced over the years.

WILSON: Right.

HAMMER: It`s part of the lore of popular music. How are you doing now?

WILSON: I`m touring. I`m going to go on a European tour for 40 days all around Europe. And then I`m going to do the United States U.S. tour. And then we`re going to -- I just finished a Christmas album, I forgot to tell you. I did eight traditional songs, like "O Holy Night," "Deck the halls," and "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," and then I did two originals and two Beach Boys.

HAMMER: And you`re feeling good?

WILSON: Yes.

HAMMER: And we`re going to get some new original Brian Wilson music? That`s excellent to hear.

WILSON: Yes. Yes. Yes.

HAMMER: Your songs, "California Girls," all the Beach Boys songs, "I Get Around," all of them such feel-good songs that we`ve been singing for the 30-plus years that they`ve been around. Do you still feel great when you`re singing those songs?

WILSON: Oh, when I sing those songs, it takes me back to when we were young, and happy, and you know, energetic, and all of that kind of feeling, you know?

HAMMER: And how do you feel when you get on stage in front of tens of thousands?

WILSON: Oh, I`m afraid. I`m very afraid when I go on stage.

HAMMER: I`ve heard you mention that before. Is it something that you`ve always faced?

WILSON: Always been a little bit shy going on stage, yes. And I probably always will.

HAMMER: It never gets passed you?

WILSON: No, I never get past that anxiety that I go through.

HAMMER: Spend any time at the beach?

WILSON: No.

HAMMER: Not at all?

WILSON: No.

HAMMER: When was the last time you were on a surfboard?

WILSON: I never was on the surfboard.

HAMMER: Never at all?

WILSON: No.

HAMMER: You did all of the surfing songs and never on a surfboard. I love it.

(LAUGHTER)

Excellent. Brian Wilson, it`s excellent to see you. And best of luck with this DVD. It`s called "Brian Wilson Presents: Smile." It`s available right now on DVD.

WILSON: Thank you so much.

BRYANT: Well, it is time now for "Thursday In-Style." Tonight, Lindsay Lohan`s guilty pleasures. And for a young woman whose often in the party scene, you might just be surprised of what this actress`s secret cravings really are.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For our June issue of "Guilty Pleasures," we asked Lindsay Lohan, the star of "Herbie: Fully Loaded" to tell us all about her favorite things.

Lindsay Lohan`s favorite midnight slack is a treat called Tasti D- Lite. It`s essentially a softer frozen yogurt that`s low in fat and low in calories. And she found out about it from watching "Sex and the City."

Lindsay Lohan loves to take a touristy trip. She loves to be saturated with the energy in a city, so from Disney World to New York City`s Times Square, those are Lindsay Lohan`s favorite touristy vacations.

When it comes to a fast food fix, Lindsay loves McDonald`s. And instead of going for a Cobb salad or maybe a fry or two, she loves to go for the Big Mac.

Lindsay loves to do karaoke. She loves the famous female standard, "I Will Survive," by Gloria Gaynor. She said it`s very empowering and it`s full of energy.

For a girl who`s really known to party, it`s really surprising that Lindsay Lohan`s favorite cocktail is a Shirley Temple. No alcohol, just a little bit of Grenadine and a lot of Sprite. And she`s had them since she was a little girl, and she felt so cool drinking them.

Lindsay Lohan loves "Sex and the City," and that`s what she watches before she falls to sleep at night. She is addicted to Carrie Bradshaw.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER, "CARRIE BRADSHAW," HBO: It means that, if I really wanted to have a baby, wouldn`t I have tried to have one by now?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She loves the character, and she can really relate to the boy dilemmas that Carrie seems to go through.

Lindsay has a couple of favorite chick flicks. The first one is "Pretty Woman" with Julia Roberts and the second one is "Wild Things," which she says that she likes because it`s kind of cool and bizarre, in a mental sort of way. She said it`s just a really neat movie.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: To read more about Lindsay Lohan`s guilty pleasures, pick up a copy of June`s "In-Style." It`s on newsstands now.

HAMMER: Time now to get your laugh on in "Laughter Dark," as we do every night bringing you the late-night laughs you might have missed. Well, the jury is still out at the Michael Jackson trial, but Michael Jackson jokes are definitely still in over at "The Tonight Show." Here are Jay Leno`s latest jabs at the King of Pop.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LENO: The latest word is that Michael Jackson is broke. Have you heard that? He`s broke, yes. In fact, he`s so broke the nose he`s wearing now is the one that comes with the glasses. That broke. That`s pretty broke.

In fact, did you hear about this? The man who feeds the animals at Neverland Ranch says they are running out of food for the animals.

In fact, we have a live interview with him, Mr. Louis Trombere (ph). He`s at the Neverland Ranch. Can we talk to the guy who feeds the animals? Oh, could I get a word? Excuse me? Excuse me?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: On "The Tonight Show" this evening, inevitably, more Michael Jackson jokes and actors John Leguizamo and Heather Locklear.

BRYANT: There`s still time for you to sound off on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day.

HAMMER: Russell Crowe apologizes: Should the charges be dropped? You can vote by going to the Web site, CNN.com/showbiztonight. Got more to say? Our e-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com

We`re going to read some of your e-mails live, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Russell Crowe apologizes: Should the charges be dropped?

Let`s take a look at how the vote is going so far: 24 percent of you say yes, charges should be dropped; 76 percent of you, however, say no, they should not. And you`ve thank you also been sending e-mails on this question.

Kathy from Montana says, "I think Russell Crowe should face his latest anger situation in court. If he is guilty, he should be given probation."

But Chris (ph), also from Montana, thinks the "the charges should be dropped. If it were anybody else, there wouldn`t be any charges to begin with."

Now, remember, you can continue to vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight.

HAMMER: Seventy-four percent of people want to see Russell Crowe hung out to dry?

BRYANT: I guess so.

HAMMER: All right. Time now to see what`s playing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.

BRYANT: And that means we`re going to take a look at the SHOWBIZ Marquee with the Marquee Guy. Take it away.

MARQUEE GUY: It`s the SHOWBIZ guide to new movies, "Mr. And Mrs. Smith," "Shark Boy and Lava Girl." Should you give Brad and Angelina your money or is the one in 3-D the one to see? Hey, that rhymes. Find out tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Sarah, Sarah, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s brewing in your eyes. Sarah McLachlan pops off the tour bus for us. Hey, that rhymes again. Sarah makes us smile, and she`ll make you, too. Sarah McLachlan tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

This is the Marquee Guy, and when I am smiling, the whole world smiles at me.

BRYANT: That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer, smiling. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.

CHOI: Hi, there, I`m Sophia Choi. And let`s get to your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

Another one of President Bush`s judicial nominees has been approved by the U.S. Senate. Today, lawmakers voted 53-45 to confirm former Alabama Attorney General William Pryor for a seat on the U.S. Appeals Court. Pryor is the third judge to be approved in less than three weeks following last month`s deal on judicial filibusters.

Alan Greenspan has spoken. The federal reserve chair told lawmakers he does not see a big slump in the U.S. economy any time soon, nor does he fear big risk of a so-called housing bubble bursting.

And sex abuse in the priesthood has cost the U.S. Roman Catholic Church more than $1 billion. That`s a figure the Associate Press says dioceses have spent since 1950 on settlements with victims and other expenses. At least $378 million in costs have come in the past three years alone and hundreds of more claims are still pending.

Well, that`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi.

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