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Showbiz Tonight
Jessica Alba Mad Over "Playboy" Cover; Middle America Out of Touch with Oscars; Report Shows Shocking Trends in Children`s Programming
Aired March 02, 2006 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Alba`s anger. Jessica Alba on the cover of "Playboy." Tonight, why Alba doesn`t want to be there, why she`s threatening a lawsuit and what "Playboy" is saying. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the naked truth.
Tonight, rock star Kid Rock speaks out about that startling sex tape he`s in.
KID ROCK, MUSICIAN: I`m embarrassed about the company I`m going to be in now.
HAMMER: Rock rolling with the punches over a graphic sex tape that shows him performing in a very different way. Kid Rock, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
The Oscars and the heartland.
JAKE GYLLENHAAL, ACTOR: I wish I knew how to quit you.
HAMMER: The most acclaimed films of the year, and the people who haven`t seen them.
ANDERSON: Has anybody seen "Brokeback Mountain"?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes to the middle of America to find out how the Oscar contenders are playing in middle America.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY, ACTRESS: Hello I`m Keira Knightley, and if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hello, I`m Brooke Anderson live in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer live in New York City.
Tonight, one of Hollywood`s sexiest and beautiful stars is on the war path because she is on the cover of "Playboy" magazine.
ANDERSON: That`s right. We`re talking about Jessica Alba, who cannot believe "Playboy" put her on the cover, because she never posed for the magazine, knew nothing about it and says "Playboy" better do about it or else.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is with me here live in Hollywood tonight.
Sibila, it`s getting pretty ugly out there, isn`t it?
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pretty ugly indeed. Today Jessica Alba demanded that "Playboy" magazine pull its March issue from its newsstands. She says she never agreed to be on the cover.
So why is she making such a stink when she`s not even naked on the magazine? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes looking for answers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): She`s sultry, she`s sexy and she twirls a mean lasso. But Jessica Alba is also mad as hell over this. She`s on the cover of this month`s "Playboy" magazine, and she tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she never agreed to it.
"Playboy" chose her to front their 25 sexiest celebrities issue, naming Alba the sex star of the year. Makes you think she`ll probably take it all off, right? Wrong.
NICKI GOSTIN, "NEWSWEEK": She didn`t pose for "Playboy." She`s not, you know, appearing topless in the magazine. So she has a right to be upset.
VARGAS: We found out her image on the cover of "Playboy" is taken from a promotion photo for her latest movie, "Into the Blue."
GOSTIN: Jessica Alba`s lawyer, Brian Wolf, contends in a document that was released on Smoking Gun, that they wanted Jessica Alba to pose for the cover of "Playboy." She declined. They then went to Sony Pictures and got some photos, promotional photos from the movie "Into the Blue." They told Sony Pictures that they were using it for an inside story about the 25 sexiest celebrities. But boom, it`s on the cover.
VARGAS: Alba`s lawyer took immediate action and is threatening to sue.
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: What Alba`s lawyer is saying is, look, if Jessica Alba intended to be on the cover of "Playboy," she would have cut a huge deal. She could have commanded multi millions of dollars to do so. And for this to end up, without Jessica Alba negotiating for it, is wrong legally. It violates the copyright laws.
VARGAS: But it`s not just about money or copyright laws; it`s about Alba`s reputation. A letter from her lawyer to "Playboy" magazine said the cover caused, quote, "immeasurable harm to Ms. Alba`s reputation and career."
GOSTIN: I think she`s always sort of had that sweet image. I mean, she`s got -- she`s sexy but she`s not naughty.
VARGAS: Well, maybe a little naughty, in her role as a stripper with a heart of gold in "Sin City."
In her latest movie, "Into the Blue," Alba looks pretty comfortable in that bikini. She looked fantastic in "Fantastic Four," well, when she wasn`t invisible. And we all remember her leather clad days on TV`s "Dark Angel."
She`s certainly making a good living off her curves and her sex appeal. So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask, doth the lady protest too much?
LEVIN: You can be seductive on screen, and you can wear scantily clad outfits and you can -- you can really act sexy up to a point on screen. But that doesn`t mean you`re fair game for people to say, "You know what? She poses naked." And she`s saying there`s a huge difference between the two, and the line has been crossed by putting her on the cover of "Playboy."
VARGAS: But "Playboy" magazine tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT plenty of celebrities have appeared on their cover without giving up the goods, so to speak, including Claudia Schiffer and Brooke Shields.
When it comes to appearances, perhaps Alba should listen to her own words, uttered to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about what it`s like to be that beautiful, that famous and so in demand.
JESSICA ALBA, ACTRESS: I feel like if there`s too much weight and too much effort on your appearance, it`s just -- it`s wasted. It`s wasted on something that is going to go away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And TMZ`s Harvey Levin tells us Alba`s stance is a valid one that could hold up in court. He says if she can get a jury to agree with her, it could open the door to a huge damage claim. And of course, all this controversy probably isn`t hurting "Playboy`s" magazine sales.
A.J., back to you.
HAMMER: But it also seems, Sibila, that if "Playboy" didn`t think they could get away with it, they probably wouldn`t have done it.
VARGAS: Nope. They`re kind of smart.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas. Thanks very much.
Well, Paul McCartney and his wife, Heather mills McCartney, are currently in Canada. They are there to protest the annual seal hunt. McCartney and his wife are long-time animal rights activists, and they call the annual hunt brutal. McCartney says that even though residents have hunted seals for hundreds of years, that doesn`t make it right.
The couple caused quite a stir when they arrived, greeting fans at a small airport in Canada. Some of the fans who showed up to greet McCartney were just thrilled to see the former Beatle close up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He looks great. I thought he was going to be a lot older. But he looks just like I remember in the `70s growing up listening to him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought it was great to see him, because he`s a legend and he`s, like, really great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Some people happy to see him, but some of the locals not fans of what McCartney is trying to do up there. The annual seal hunt brought local fishermen $14 million last year, which they say their families badly need during their winter off-season.
ANDERSON: It is time now for more of our special weeklong "Road to the Oscars" coverage. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hits the road and heads to America`s heartland to find out, does middle America really care about the Academy Awards? You`ll be surprised at what we find out. So much so, that it might have Hollywood saying, "We`re not in Kansas, anymore."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Far from the blitz and glamour of Hollywood lies Lebanon, Kansas. Population 250 people, median age, 52. A place where three houses recently sold for a grand total of $11,000 on eBay.
(on camera) Many have asked the question, is Hollywood out of touch with middle America? What better place to fine out than the middle of America. This is the geographic center of the continental United States in Lebanon, Kansas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Out here, at least in rural America, where they say it`s the Bible Belt, we`re still looking for movies that have creative substance and a story line.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Randy Moss is a Lebanon transplant from the Boston area. He, along with other Lebanon residents, including the ladies of the Methodist church bell choir, aren`t exactly thrilled with the films the Oscars are honoring.
(on camera) Has anybody seen "Brokeback Mountain"?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
ANDERSON: Anybody want to see it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re just not interested in all the sex and scandal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s just not my style of life.
GYLLENHAAL: I wish I knew how to quit you.
ANDERSON: What kind of movies do you want Hollywood to make?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How about "Sound of Music" and some of those?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right, right.
ANDERSON (voice-over): We stopped by the Lebanon hot spot, Lidell`s Market (ph), where one local told us Hollywood just can`t relate to a farming way of life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They never been back in here to know what it`s like to actually have to make a living doing this.
ANDERSON: The closest theater is 12 miles away in Smith Center, Kansas, one movie theater, one film shown per week, and none of the movies nominated for best picture have played here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a large senior citizen base. So we get a lot of movies for that, and our children`s pictures do real well.
ANDERSON (on camera): So say you put "Brokeback Mountain" on the screen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel it would not play very well. Wouldn`t be profitable for us.
ANDERSON: Dave Karger, a senior writer for "Entertainment Weekly," says profits aren`t the driving force behind the Academy Awards.
DAVE KARGER, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": They`re about recognizing the five best movies not the five most profitable movies of the year.
ANDERSON: Here in the middle of America, in Lebanon, the Oscars are as far from their minds as they seem to be from the minds of those in Hollywood.
(on camera) Does anyone plan to watch the Academy Awards?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the Oscars are for the people in California. I don`t think anybody else really cares.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why waste your time? Come to bell choir practice.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And by the way, currently playing at the Center Theater in Smith Center, Kansas, the thriller, "When a Stranger Calls." A.J., prior to that, it was "Big Momma`s House 2." Prior to that, it was "Hookwinked," and "Pink Panther" is now on the way.
So even if the folks in Lebanon wanted to see the Oscar-nominated movies, they`d have to drive an hour or so to do it, and many told me they just don`t have the time.
HAMMER: And I noticed they only have to pay 4 bucks a pop at their theater. Did you run into anybody who had any interest in seeing, let`s say, "Brokeback Mountain"?
ANDERSON: I didn`t run into a single person who had seen "Brokeback Mountain." But one lady did tell me that she would be willing to see it if it did come to the theater, which that is not very likely, so she would have to drive.
And I do want to say that this is not indicative of all middle America.
HAMMER: Right.
ANDERSON: It is just one town I visited that is smack dab in the middle of America.
HAMMER: All right. And of course, "Brokeback Mountain" is sure to have a big night on Sunday night. Oscar night coming, and of course, we`re going to be right there, live on the red carpet before the show. So please be sure to join me, Brooke Anderson and Sibila Vargas for a special Oscar edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It happens this Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN Headline News. Then at 6 p.m. Eastern, I encourage you to flip on over to CNN, where our live coverage continues with "Hollywood`s Gold Rush." Once again, me, Brooke and Sibila bringing you all the action, live from the red carpet. Please be there with us.
ANDERSON: Next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, do you know what your kids are watching on TV? A sweeping report that may surprise you about the messages your kids are getting.
Also coming up...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KID ROCK: I`m embarrassed about the company that I`m going to be in now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kid Rock rolls with the punches. He speaks out about the startling sex tape he`s in. That`s on the way.
ANDERSON: And he`s the Susan Lucci of the Oscars: 17 nominations, 17 losses. Will the 18th time be the charm for sound engineer Kevin O`Connell? We`ll find out Sunday, and Kevin joins us live tonight, and that is coming up very soon.
All right. First, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz." How many Oscars did the movie "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" win? Five, seven, nine or eleven? Think about it. We will be right back with your answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: So again, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz." How many Oscars did the movie "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" take home? Five, seven, nine or eleven? in 2003, the third installment in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy took home 11 Oscars, tying "Ben Hur" and "Titanic" for the most ever won by a film. The answer is "D."
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We are TV`s only live entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer.
Sex, violence and a blatant disregard for authority, all things you just wouldn`t be surprised to find in your average primetime programming on television. But would it shock you to know that`s also what`s going on in kids programming these days? Well, that`s what the watchdog group, the Parents Television Council, found. They released a report today that has a lot of people talking. Melissa Caldwell is the senior director of programs for the PTC, joining us live from Washington, D.C.
Nice to see you, Melissa.
MELISSA CALDWELL, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS, PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL: Thanks.
HAMMER: So in this report, a lot of numbers, a lot of statistics. Can you boil it down for me? If you were writing a front-page newspaper article about this study, what would the shocking headline be?
CALDWELL: Well, what we found that shocked even us was that there`s almost twice as much violence in programming intended for young viewers as there is during primetime, which is pretty -- pretty shocking when you consider that many parents, I think, have assumed right along that, because the program is intended to be viewed by young viewers, it must be OK.
But the study, I think, is going to be very eye-opening for a lot of parents and cause them to -- to take a second look at the shows that the children are watching.
HAMMER: And to find these percentages, you looked at a lot of TV, 443.5 hours of children`s programming. A lot of bad stuff in there. One of the examples, you cite 3,488 instances of violence. That`s an average of more than seven incidents per hour of children`s programming. Of all of those violent instances, give me an example of the wildest and really worst thing that you saw, the most shocking thing you saw.
CALDWELL: Well, you know, it`s -- it`s not like comparing it to primetime TV. So you`re not going to see, like, a lot of blood and gore and grisly stuff. But what we are seeing in a lot of today`s children`s programming is very dark and sinister violence.
For example, there is an episode of "Teen Titans," which is a very popular cartoon for children, in which a man`s soul is spirited away, is stolen. And there`s also a lot of sort of anime-influence cartoons out there these days that include sword play and martial arts style fighting. You know, so it`s not like Bugs Bunny cartoons, where Elmer Fudd is chasing down the rabbit with a shotgun. I mean, this is really sort of dark and scary stuff that kids are watching.
HAMMER: Well, let me ask you about that. You mentioned the Bugs Bunny. You know, I always think of the cartoons we grew up on. Certainly had some violence in it. Who can forget Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, the anvil falls out the sky, hits the coyote and little birds are chirping around the head. Some would say we had that violent stuff that we were watching growing up. We`re doing fine. So what do you say to people who make that comparison? Is that not right?
CALDWELL: Well, the violence that we`re seeing today really isn`t like that at all. As I said, it`s very dark and very sinister in many cases. It`s also far more frequent than it was when we were growing up.
And the other difference, of course, is that it`s much more realistic, and the research indicates the more realistic the violence portrayed, the more likely it is to be imitated by children.
And the effects of exposure to this kind of violence are immediate and also lasting. In the short term you can see children behaving more aggressively because of watching media violence. But in the long run studies have shown that children who are exposed to a lot of violence as children grow up to be more aggressive as adults.
HAMMER: OK. And certainly parents should be taking a look at this, because ultimately, their responsibility.
Melissa Caldwell from the PTC, thank you very much for joining us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
CALDWELL: Thanks.
HAMMER: Well, now we want to hear from you on this subject. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. We`re asking, violence in cartoons. Is it really that bad for kids? What do you think? Let us know: CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us with more of your thoughts, ShowbizTonight@CNN.com, and we`ll talk about what you have to say later in the show.
ANDERSON: Nick Lachey is speaking out about the breakup of his marriage to Jessica Simpson. In his first interview since the split, Lachey tells "Teen People" magazine that he doesn`t want people to feel sorry for him and that he has a great life. He also says that, although clearly this isn`t the right time, he can`t wait to have kids.
And when asked if he had any regrets, he said in hindsight he would have made different decisions and sacrificed a bit of fame, but all you can do is learn and move on.
Lachey is currently working on a new CD, which is set to come out in May. And for more about Nick Lachey, pick up a copy of "Teen People" magazine, on newsstands tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Well, all week long, Regis and Kelly have been broadcasting their show live from Los Angeles. They`ve been doing it live every day. Regis actually got the chance to go behind the scenes of the hit crime drama "CSI" while he was there. Here`s how it went.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Action.
And cut. Here we go. New sizes. Print that, please.
REGIS PHILBIN, CO-HOST, ABC`S "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": Couple more takes and we got it. Go back to 8 millimeter. Just trying to be part of a team here, that`s all.
Cut. We`re getting close. We`re getting close. Couple more takes we`ll nail this son of a gun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Should we print that one though?
PHILBIN: Yes, print it anyway.
ROBERT DAVID HALL, ACTOR: I`m Robert David Hall of "CSI", and I`ve been called in to do a very quick autopsy on my lunch break.
PHILBIN: Hello!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They call this guy Regis.
PHILBIN: Hey, buddy, how you doing? Another Regis to be found.
What tricks me is that I see feet here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Part of this is...
PHILBIN: Yes, yes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Regis, you know, they`re doing it all as a big comedy bit. Do you think at any point the director just kind of wanted to pop him?
ANDERSON: Get out of here, Regis? No, he was probably taking it all in stride. Regis looked like he was really eating it up. And Robert David Hall, we`ve had him on the show before. Great guy.
HAMMER: And Regis will never be the last one to say he doesn`t love being on TV.
ANDERSON: You`re right.
OK. Demi Moore`s fashion -- pardon, fashion flashback. We`ll take a look at Demi`s many transformations, coming up next in "Thursday InStyle."
HAMMER: Plus Kid Rock speaks out about his brand new album. He also talks about his sex tape, the one that shows him performing in a very different way, coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: And, how many curse words does it take to make an Oscar- nominated movie? Well, that depends. We`ll tally up the swears in this year`s field of contenders, still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Time now for your consideration, a look of some of this year`s Oscar nominees. Tonight, the best supporting actress category is what we`re taking a look at.
Amy Adams is up for "Junebug." She plays a small-town girl who is entranced by her sophisticated sister-in- law. It`s Amy`s first nomination. She`s also been in a few episodes of the NBC comedy, "The Office."
Well, this is the second nod for Catherine Keener. In "Capote," she`s writer Harper Lee, friend to author Truman Capote, played by fellow nominee Philip Seymour Hoffman. Back in 1999, Keener was nominated for best supporting actress for "Being John Malkovich."
Frances McDormand, also nominated for best supporting actress in "North Country." She plays a mine employee battling sexual harassment and a crippling illness. McDormand won for "Fargo" back in 1996.
Rachel Weisz in "The Constant Gardener." She`s an activist investigating an international pharmaceutical company. This is her first nomination.
And "Brokeback Mountain`s" Michelle Williams. She plays a cowboy`s wife who learns that her husband is gay.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Time now for "Thursday InStyle." Tonight Demi Moore`s fashion flashback. We take you through time from Demi`s buzz cut in 1996 to her retro-glam looks of today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE ZUCKERMAN, "INSTYLE" MAGAZINE: The whole purpose of "Fashion flashback" is that it sort of maps the evolution of an actress` style. We thought there would be no better candidate for our March issue than Demi Moore. She`s evolved so dramatically over the years.
In 1996, at the premiere of "Striptease," Demi showed up with all of her hair shaved off. It was a brilliant marketing strategy, because what it did was it not only garnered a lot, a lot of attention for the premiere of "Striptease," but then everybody started buzzing about the fact that she shaved her hair for her role in "G.I. Jane."
What`s interesting about all of Demi Moore`s appearances during the sort of 2003 period is that this was the moment that she was thrust back into the spotlight, that she sort of re-entered Hollywood, promoted the heck out of "Charlie`s Angels: Full Throttle." In June of 2003 she showed up in a fabulous Misoni (ph) minidress, this classic Misoni (ph) knit that they`re known for. It`s very vibrant and colorful.
She sort of adapted with the changing fashions of the time. She`s left a few of the shinier and more metallic fabrics behind in favor of some retro glamour and toned it done a little bit. She`s cut her hair slightly.
She`s wearing a Roland Mouret gown in February 2005. Mouret cuts very close to the body. It`s almost like an 1950s-esque secretary type of getup, and Demi just looks stunning in it. She`s settling in, and it certainly agrees with her, based on how she`s been looking.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And for more about Demi Moore`s fashion transformation, pick up a copy of "InStyle" magazine. It is on newsstands now.
HAMMER: Which is the best bleeping Oscar contender this year? Well, we are counting curse words in the most acclaimed movies of the year, coming up.
Also, the Susan Lucci of the Oscars, Kevin O`Connell, joins us live for comment.
ANDERSON: Plus, Carol Burnett is coming back to television. We`ll tell you which top-rated show is about to have a drop-in from the comedy legend, coming up.
HAMMER: And Kid Rock speaks out about his new album and about the sex tape that shows him performing in a very different way. That`s coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York City.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And you`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Are you getting ready for my big "Showbiz Sitdown" with rock star Kid Rock?
ANDERSON: I`m getting ready.
HAMMER: Yes, well, prepare yourself. Now, he`s just released an amazing new live album, but he`s getting an awful lot of attention these days for a sex tape that he appears on. He`s the first to admit it: That`s him in the tape.
He`s trying to keep it from being released into the public, but not for the reasons you might thing. He`s embarrassed by the tape, again not for the reasons you might think. Kid and I get into that in just a few minutes.
ANDERSON: OK, A.J.
And also, we are counting the curse words in the top Oscar contenders. And you may be surprised at how many expletives there are. We add them up coming up.
And also, the Susan Lucci of the Oscars. He`s been nominated 17 times, and he`s lost 17 times. Will Sunday finally be Kevin O`Connell`s lucky day, with his 18th Oscar nomination? Kevin joins us live in just a couple of minutes.
HAMMER: This is going to be Kevin`s year.
But first, let us get into tonight`s "Hot Headlines." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas joining us live once again from Hollywood.
Hi, Sibila.
VARGAS: Hi, A.J.
Well, tonight, Carol Burnett is coming to Wisteria Lane. ABC says the comedy legend will guest star on "Desperate Housewives." Burnett will play the role of Eleanor Mason, Bree Van De Kamp`s cold stepmother. Burnett`s episode is schedule to air in April.
To more TV casting news, Rob Lowe is coming back to "The West Wing." Lowe will reprise his role as senior political official Sam Seaborne. Other people coming back to "The West Wing": Mary-Louise Parker, Marlee Matlin, and Timothy Busfield. The NBC show about the White House has five more episodes before it goes off the air for good after seven seasons.
And Dave Chappelle may never return to his Comedy Central show. The comedian tells the "Dayton Daily News" that, if the network airs material shot before he abruptly left the series last May, he may not come back. Comedy Central tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it plans to run the episodes in July.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines." Back to you.
HAMMER: Thanks very much, Sibila. All right, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas live in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." A new study out that claims there`s more violence on TV aimed at young children than adults. What do you think? Violence in cartoons: Is it really that bad for kids?
Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. And write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your thoughts are coming up a little bit later.
HAMMER: Well, from violence in cartoons to bad words in movies. The Oscars, of course, have not been handed out just yet, but attention all of you fans of the movie "Crash," some good news tonight and some bad news for you, as well.
The good news first: Your movie has already won an award. The bad news: Well, "Crash" is kind of cursed. Here comes CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prepare to wash Oscar`s mouth out with soap. The winner for most curse words in a film nominated for best picture goes to "Crash."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get the (bleep) out of the car!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give me the keys!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, OK, OK, OK.
MOOS (on camera): Sorry. It`s too much for you.
(voice-over): Every year, FamilyMediaGuide.com counts the number of profanities in each of the best picture nominees, even the mildest profanities...
DAVID KINNEY, CEO, FAMILYMEDIAGUIDE.COM: Damn does count. "Jesus Christ" or "Oh, God" is a vain use of the lord`s name.
MOOS: No wonder the film "Crash"...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He doesn`t drink. He`s a Buddhist, for Christ`s sake.
MOOS: ... racked up 182 profanities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why the (bleep) did you do that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at the way your crazy (bleep) drives, then ask me that again.
MOOS: Second place among the five nominees went to "Brokeback Mountain."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, maybe not.
MOOS (on camera): I don`t remember much swearing in "Brokeback." Anal sex, but not wearing.
(voice-over): Actually, "Brokeback" contained 92 profanities, though some were so mild they were easy to miss.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hell...
MOOS: The naughty words...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get the (bleep) out of my...
MOOS: ... are counted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, you get the (bleep) out!
MOOS: ... by people called data capture specialists sitting in cubicles wearing headsets or taking notes in darkened movie theaters. The best picture nominee with the fewest profanities...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cut that out!
MOOS: ... was "Capote" with only five. "Good Night, and Good Luck" had six, though it had 67 incidents of smoking. Family Media Guide is a nonpartisan, for-profit business that counts all kind of things.
KINNEY: Ever since Howard Stern went onto Sirius Radio, we`ve had to create 24 new rules for words that we had never heard.
MOOS: As for the most profanity-laced best picture ever, that honor goes to "Platoon."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man, what are you talking (bleep) for, man? Hey, Junior, ever smoke any (bleep)?
MOOS: The Oscars will feature some sanitized singing. One of the best nominees is "It`s Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from the film "Hustle and Flow." But it will have to flow without the f-word.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): It`s (bleep) up where I live.
MOOS: And though the Academy and ABC have asked the rappers to ditch the f-word, the n-word and the b-word that rhymes with witch can stay. And for those 182 profanities in "Crash" 99 of them consist of the f-word in a movie that runs 100 minutes.
(on camera): So one f-word per minute?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Per minute.
MOOS (voice-over): We actually heard four in six seconds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep your hands on top of your head, ma`am.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You keep your (bleep) hands off me. You (bleep) (bleep) pig!
MOOS: Oscar or no Oscar, "Crash" wins best bleeping picture.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s quite obnoxious.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was a squeaky clean Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Jeanne also happens to tell us that, of all of the profanity in this year`s best picture films, it`s actually down from last year`s nominees -- you may remember "Million Dollar Baby" and "Ray" among them -- it`s down by about 30 percent.
ANDERSON: You know, our next guest could probably argue that there`s an Oscar curse of a different sort. You see, he`s been nominated for best achievement in sound mixing a whopping 17 times without a single win. Now, with his 18th nod for "Memoirs of a Geisha," he`s broken the record for Oscar`s most nominated non-winner.
So come Sunday night, will the 18th time be a charm? We certainly hope so. Kevin O`Connell joins us live now from Hollywood.
Hi, Kevin.
KEVIN O`CONNELL, SETS RECORD FOR MOST OSCAR NOMINATIONS WITHOUT WINNING: Hi, Brooke, how are you?
ANDERSON: Doing well, thank you. And you`re doing well, another Oscar nomination. Now, you have been nominated for an Oscar almost every year since 1984 for films such as "Top Gun," "Terms of Endearment," "Twister." What do you think? Is the 18th nomination finally going to be the one?
O`CONNELL: Well, I certainly hope so. I think "Memoirs of a Geisha" was a great soundtrack. And, you know, I wish that being nominated for an Oscar the odds went up as the years went on, but they don`t. It`s sort of like the lottery; you buy a ticket each week, and every time you go over again.
ANDERSON: Well, what do you think about being called the Susan Lucci of the Oscars?
O`CONNELL: You know, I`ll tell you. Susan Lucci is a great actress, and she was nominated by her peers several times. And, ultimately, they gave her the award, so if they want to compare me to Susan Lucci, I think that`s great. I really like Susan Lucci.
ANDERSON: Not bad company to be in. And I want to talk about two of the films that won the sound mixing Oscar in the past, "Dancing with Wolves" and "Glory." Kevin, is it true that you actually had the opportunity to work on those movies but passed?
O`CONNELL: Well, actually, it`s not true that I passed. When I was working back at Warner Hollywood back in the `80s, I was working with a great team. And what happened was I wanted to go on to be a dialogue mixer, because at the time I was an effects mixer. So what I did is I decided to opt to leave the crew and go off and pursue dialogue mixing. Well, that crew that I was with that year did "Glory," and they ended up winning the Oscar for "Glory."
ANDERSON: Oh, what luck, right?
O`CONNELL: Well, yes.
ANDERSON: And I know that you have had to have prepared an acceptance speech at some point over all these years for the Oscars. Do you even bother to rewrite the thing or do you just tuck it away and say, "I`ll bring it back next year"?
O`CONNELL: Well, honestly, I have. Over the years, I`ve written speeches. And I`ve kept it in my pocket. This year, I`m not writing anything. If I win, I`m just going to go up there and fly by the seat of my pants.
ANDERSON: Are you nervous when they call out your category?
O`CONNELL: I can`t even tell you what it`s like. I literally am sitting there with my heart beating a million miles a minute. My temperature must be 250 degrees. I can`t really hear anything in the theater. I`m holding my wife, Heather`s, hand. I`m clenching it so hard she`s turning blue in the face. Yes, I`d say I`m a little nervous.
ANDERSON: So you need a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from your brow, probably.
O`CONNELL: You bet.
ANDERSON: And I heard you have a spot carved out for that illusive trophy. Is that right?
O`CONNELL: Well, let me just clear the air on that right now. Years ago, my contractor, a great guy named Mike Pearson (ph), was building my fireplace. And I was nominated for the film "Armageddon." And Mike said to me -- I came home one night, and I looked, and there was this niche carved out in the fireplace. I said, "What`s that?" He goes, "That`s where you`re going to put your statue someday." So that`s the story behind the niche for the Oscar.
ANDERSON: OK, so it was his idea. Well, at least you have a place for it. Kevin O`Connell, good luck on Sunday. We wish you the best. Thanks for being here.
O`CONNELL: Thanks, Brooke. Thanks for having me.
ANDERSON: Of course. And he`s working on "The Da Vinci Code," which comes out soon. It could be another big one for him.
OK, remember, we are going to be right there live on the red carpet before the Oscars. So be sure to join me, A.J. Hammer, and Sibila Vargas, for a special Oscar edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That`s this Sunday, 5:30 p.m. Eastern, CNN Headline News.
Then move on over to CNN, 6:00 p.m. Eastern. Our live coverage continues with "Hollywood`s Gold Rush." Again, that`s with me, A.J. and Sibila bringing you all the action, and we do hope you`ll join us.
HAMMER: Coming up, a revealing interview with Kid Rock.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KID ROCK, MUSICIAN: I might not have been exactly sober at the time.
HAMMER: I understand. I understand. It`s rock and roll.
ROCK: It`s rock and roll man. I`m not making any excuses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The rock star speaks out about that explicit sex tape making the rounds on the Internet. I go one on one with Kid Rock in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That is next.
ANDERSON: Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodie Foster team up for a new fast-paced crime drama. We`ve got your first look at the movie in tonight`s "Showbiz Showcase."
HAMMER: First, time for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Birthday Shoutout." We give fans a chance to wish their favorite stars a happy birthday. And tonight, we`re sending one out to rock star Jon Bon Jovi. He`s celebrating number 44 today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, I`m Cabo Nanvilson (ph) from Toronto, shopping in New York, just wanting to wish Jon Bon Jovi, like, the best birthday ever! You`re so gorgeous, totally delish, and hot. Happy birthday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer, live in New York City. This is TV`s only live entertainment news show.
Tonight, my revealing chat with Kid Rock. Now, it you`ll remember, there is this shocking video that`s floating around the Internet that shows Kid Rock and former Creed singer Scott Stapp engaged in explicit sex acts with strippers. Now, even we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got a hold of this tape, for professional reasons, of course.
The two have sued to stop the tale of the tape. And I had the chance to sit down with Kid Rock so he could set the record straight about the tape, and talk about what he thinks of "American Idol." And he explained why he is truly qualified to put out a great live album.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROCK: We`ve been playing a long time for a lot of people. And we started out in the trenches, you know, touring this country with minivans and U-Hauls trailers for a lot of years, and cut our teeth, and got scars, and got feel. And I think that`s what you have to do.
You know, to me, you can`t make an "American Idol." You can`t fish a kid out of a mall or come in and audition and they`re a superstar. They might be able to sing, and you can go get a songwriter to write them a good song, and show someone how to shake their booty in a video, but at the end of the day, it`s not raw, it`s not real, it`s not rock and roll, you know?
HAMMER: Well, can you give credit, at least, to somebody, like, say, Kelly Clarkson, who seems to have transcended -- you know, it certainly was her avenue into success, getting on "American Idol." But, I mean, she clearly has got the chops. She can sing. And she wrote...
(CROSSTALK)
ROCK: Oh, she`s got chops. She can sing. There`s no doubt about it. But there`s a million kids that can sing, you know, that don`t look like that, that sing in church on Sunday, they got to drive, too, that, you know, write their own songs, produce their own stuff, you know?
And I just think, by doing that, that we`re not letting people, you know, really work for what they have. You know, we, you know -- do not pass go; do not collect $200, you know? Just send them straight there.
HAMMER: You`re 18 years old. You`re living in the Detroit area. "American Idol" is coming through your town. "This may be my shot." Would you at least get online?
ROCK: Maybe so. That`s why I don`t have any fault with, like, Kelly Clarkson or any of the kids on that show. More power to them. Go get the money. I`m down for that, you know?
But it`s the powers that be. And then on top of it, I guarantee you - - I haven`t seen a contract, but I guarantee you that there`s a lot of people in those kids` pockets, from "American Idol" on down. I guarantee they don`t let them keep every penny that comes in, like you would if you started your own career and did you stuff.
HAMMER: Yes, absolutely.
ROCK: So it`s got its ups and downs. You know what? I really don`t care, to be honest for you.
HAMMER: You`re doing just fine.
(LAUGHTER)
You are embroiled in this legal battle...
ROCK: Yes.
HAMMER: ... with this sex tape, that allegedly...
ROCK: Yes.
HAMMER: ... well, not allegedly. We`ve seen the tape that you and Scott Stapp...
ROCK: Oh, I`m in it.
HAMMER: ... and a couple of ladies are in from 1999, I guess. And you`re trying to keep it from getting out there.
ROCK: No, no, I don`t care if it gets out there. I just want to own it.
HAMMER: Well, that`s -- so let me ask you. Is it about having control over this thing?
ROCK: Yes, look, if someone like -- I hate to bring Sheryl into this, but me and Sheryl Crow recorded a song together. I can`t put that song out without her permission...
HAMMER: Absolutely.
ROCK: ... without paying her, without having some rights to it. If that tape comes out, there`s money involved, the girl`s in it, she gets some money, too.
I`m not into tapes, first of all, if I could just speak my piece. Videotape is not my thing. That`s why there is none on me. This was that Scott kid`s tape, you know?
But I`ll tell you what. I`ve gotten more flack, not over this tape, but, you know, having this sexual thing. I don`t think there`s any revelation of what Kid Rock might or might not have done after a rock and roll show. But, man, people are pissed that I was hanging out with Scott Stapp.
HAMMER: So as far as being on the tape and the tape being out there, you`re not embarrassed by it?
ROCK: No.
HAMMER: It`s just, if it`s going to be out there...
ROCK: You know what I`m embarrassed about?
HAMMER: ... you want a piece of it?
ROCK: I`m embarrassed about the company that I`m going to be in now.
HAMMER: Because it`s Scott Stapp?
ROCK: No, just not even that, with all the other people that put out these tapes, like...
(CROSSTALK)
ROCK: I`m the last person, if you check my track record, that goes along with something that`s going on in the mainstream. It seems to be very popular today to be a celebrity and tape yourself having sex.
HAMMER: Sure, sure.
ROCK: Well, I`m not into that. I don`t do it. Obviously, six years ago in Florida, I was having a little too much fun.
HAMMER: So that begs the question, whatever was going on, having too much fun. But you`re a guy in the public eye. These tapes, as you mentioned, they`ve been out there before. So you`re in a room doing whatever. Somebody breaks out a video camera, what`s the deal though? Don`t you want to say, "You know what, don`t turn that on"?
ROCK: No, no. He came in the room with his camera, and I`m standing there. And these girls are with me. And he`s kind of got this camera. I`m going, "Dude, what`s with the camera or something?" And he`s like, "Oh, no, no, it`s just mine. It`s mine." Whatever. Whatever. I might not have been exactly sober at the time.
HAMMER: I understand. I understand. It`s rock and roll.
ROCK: It`s rock and roll, man. I`m not making any excuses. I was there. I was involved. I have a lot of fun, all right? Now, do I really want to put the tape out? No, I don`t really want the tape to come out. If it comes out, do I care? No, I really don`t care.
HAMMER: Just getting a piece of the action.
ROCK: Thought I`ve got to say, impeccable timing though, with my record coming out. You know? If it`s going to come out, perfect timing.
HAMMER: Hey, man...
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And, yes, that album, called "Live Trucker," really did just arrive in stores this week. As for the Scott Stapp guy, the other guy in the sex video, well, he says that the tape was actually put out there by someone who is trying to sabotage his new solo career, because it was a tape that had belonged to Scott Stapp and was stolen.
And, Brooke, I should point out fans of Gretchen Wilson may want to grab this Kid Rock album, because you know the song, "Picture," that he recorded in the studio with Sheryl Crow a couple years ago?
ANDERSON: With Sheryl Crow, yes.
HAMMER: He does the live version on this album with Gretchen Wilson. She did that on stage with him before anybody knew who she was, so it`s kind of cool to sort of flash back.
ANDERSON: All right. Well, A.J., I kind of want to go back to the sex tape. He said he was -- I was shocked -- he was more embarrassed about hanging out with Stapp than being in the tape.
HAMMER: That`s what he said. They were friends that were working together at the time, but now I guess that`s not the case. And that is giving him a lot of flack from a lot of people.
ANDERSON: I`m sure it`s a difficult situation for everybody involved. All right. Thanks, A.J.
OK, moving on, in tonight`s "Showbiz Showcase," your first look at Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington`s new thrilled. It`s called "Inside Man." The movie stars Washington as a cop trying to negotiate a hostage situation when a bank robbery goes bad.
Clive Owen plays bad guy. Jodie Foster is in the picture, too, and Spike Lee directs. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLIVE OWEN, ACTOR: My name is Dalton Russell. Pay strict attention to what I say, because I choose my words carefully and I never repeat myself. Recently, I planned and set in motion events to execute the perfect bank robbery.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody get down on the floor now!
OWEN: Why? Because I can.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you the hostage negotiator?
DENZEL WASHINGTON, ACTOR: That`s right. Detective Frazier, this is Detective Mitchell. What do you got?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put on one of these suits and these masks.
WASHINGTON: We got to step back and look at this thing from a distance. Things are not what they appear to be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back off!
WASHINGTON: One jumbo jet with full gas tank and pilots at JFK parked in the runway. We give you until 9:00 p.m. to do this, then we`ll kill one hostage every hour. Until I talk to them, they get nothing. Not even a cup of coffee.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get those people off the street.
JODIE FOSTER, ACTRESS: Your honor, you know about this hostage situation?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What`s it to do with you?
FOSTER: Well, I need to be assured that certain interests are protected.
WASHINGTON: Everybody stay calm, OK?
OWEN: Don`t I sound calm to you?
WASHINGTON: Yes, you do.
FOSTER: Look, detective, there are matters at stake here that are a little bit above your pay grade.
WASHINGTON: Why don`t you tell them there to raise my pay grade to the right level and problem solved?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If this goes down well, they`re going to dump this whole mess in your lap.
ANNOUNCER: This spring...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They`re near the front door.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`ve got to be crazy to go in there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like a fox.
ANNOUNCER: ... Denzel Washington...
WASHINGTON: Whoever heard of bank robbers escaping on the plane with 50 hostages? I think they`re stalling. Why? I don`t know.
ANNOUNCER: ... Clive Owen...
OWEN: When I said that I planned the perfect bank robbery, I meant precisely that.
ANNOUNCER: ... and Jodie Foster...
FOSTER: I can change your entire program, so the sooner that you stop being my problem, the better off you`ll be.
WASHINGTON: They heard everything we said. They bugged us. Keep your men back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You planned every inch of this thing right from the start. You got everybody marching to your beat, including me. And I`m through buying it.
WASHINGTON: What are you doing? Come on. This ain`t no bank robbery.
ANNOUNCER: "Inside Man."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Stellar cast. Looks solid. All right, "Inside Man" hits theaters this spring.
HAMMER: Well, tonight we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." We`ve been asking: Violence in cartoons: Is it really that bad for kids?
Well, here`s the vote so far: 69 percent of you say yes; 31 percent of you say no. Among the e-mails we received, we hear from Jacqueline. She lives in Canada and writes, "Violence is everywhere in the world, so it`s up to parents to censor what their children watch."
We also heard from Janice in Kentucky who says, "Today`s cartoons not that bad. Cartoons also promote teamwork, friendship, loyalty and honor."
Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: It is time to see what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT as we get into the weekend tomorrow. Here`s your "Showbiz Marquee."
Our road to Oscar coverage continues tomorrow. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson live on the red carpet with the last-minute preparations and a look at why this year`s choices are some of the most controversial ever. The gutsy Oscars, tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, "Brokeback" jokes, they`re all over the Internet. So we`re going to take a look at some of the funniest online, the parodies of the best film nominee, like "Brokeback to the Future" or the "Empire Breaks Back." That`s tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Thanks for watching, everyone. And stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
END
