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Showbiz Tonight
Jessica Simpson Considers Adoption; Britney Spears Statue at Center of Abortion Debate; WB Edits Out Sex Scenes from "The Bedford Diaries";
Aired March 29, 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, HOST: Renowned psychic joins us live. And has Generation X refused to grow up?
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, an uproar over a sculpture of Britney Spears, naked and giving birth. Tonight, the outrageous sculpture that has set off a firestorm of controversy in the abortion debate. Is it art? Or is it activism? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
A Simpson surprise. Jessica reveals she may adopt a child, even though she`s getting divorced. Tonight, how Simpson may be following in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie, Sharon Stone and Meg Ryan. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, are single Hollywood moms setting a good example?
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, COMEDIAN: Hey, I`m Whoopi. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Really.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer live in New York City.
So just when we thought we thought we had heard everything, we wake up today and we hear the latest news about Jessica Simpson. Her divorce battle with Nick Lachey? No, it`s not what I`m talking about. Another new boyfriend, perhaps? Nope. She`s planning on adopting a child. That`s it.
She`s getting rid of a husband and maybe getting a baby. But hang on just one second, because we did a little digging around and we discovered that adoption is very hot in Hollywood, so we started wondering what the heck is going on here?
CNN`s Deborah Feyerick joins me live now with some answers -- Deb.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Answers I have, A.J. Well, if Jessica Simpson does decide to adopt, she`s going to have plenty of company among Hollywood starlets. The question is, are adopted babies the newest celebrity accessory? And do stars have an easier time adopting than the average person. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the adoption answers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK (voice-over): Jessica Simpson may soon go from boots to baby booties. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned the newly single star is looking at adopting a child.
J.D. HEYMAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Jessica Simpson has said that she`s interested in adopting a child, probably from Mexico where she does charity work.
FEYERICK: Simpson`s publicist tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Jessica and her family have anonymously contributed money to orphanages for several years. It is true that Jessica is exploring options to further help these children in need."
RICARDO CHAVIRA, ACTOR: No adoption agency is going to touch us now.
FEYERICK: On "Desperate Housewives", Eva Longoria`s character, Gabrielle, is desperate to adopt, just as long as the mom`s pretty enough.
CHAVIRA: Oh, my God. Are you trying to say that you don`t want Fiona`s (ph) baby because she`s plain?
EVA LONGORIA, ACTRESS: Plain I can handle. Carlos, since that woman has walked into our house, the clock has stopped working.
FEYERICK: In real life Hollywood, lots of stars are adopting. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking what`s with the adopted baby boom?
HEYMAN: Hollywood is filled with adoptive parents. This isn`t anything new. Meg Ryan, Steven Spielberg, Sharon Stone, Tom Cruise, these are all adoptive parents. They`ve all got loving families. And they`ve all had children in a nontraditional way, but they`ve gone and made very happy nuclear families.
FEYERICK: Currently, the reigning queen of adopters is Angelina Jolie. She adopted a Cambodian boy, Maddox, in 2002. And just last year she and later Brad Pitt adopted an Ethiopian girl, Zahara.
Rapper and actress Chris "Ludacris" Bridges tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he`s giving props to Brangelina for their international adoption.
CHRIS "LUDACRIS" BRIDGES, RAPPER/ACTOR: They`re leading by example. People need to lead by example.
HEYMAN: People are very impressed by what she`s done, how she`s used her celebrity to help other people. So it`s not surprising that people like Jessica Simpson and others have been inspired to maybe take similar actions.
FEYERICK: "Sopranos" star Edie Falco adopted her son, Anderson, in 2004. Falco told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s A.J. Hammer what it was like to become an adoptive mom.
HAMMER: Did motherhood come naturally to you?
EDIE FALCO, ACTRESS: You know, much to my surprise, actually.
HAMMER: Really?
FALCO: Well, you know we`re sort of hard-wired for it. You know what I mean? And after I read all the books and talked to all the people, I realized, oh wait a second, I know what I`m doing. You know, you kind of get out of the way, and it happens very naturally.
FEYERICK: It may seem that adopting a child in Hollywood is as easy as taking an agent. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT had to ask, do stars have a leg up when it comes to the difficult process of adoption?
DAVID RADIS, ATTORNEY: They don`t get any shortcuts on that process.
FEYERICK: Los Angeles attorney David Radis has helped numerous celebrities adopt. He says the rich and famous may be able to afford high- priced help, but they also face big adoption hurdles.
RADIS: The perception is that it`s easier because everybody hears about them because news shows such as yours are profiling celebrities or public figures. Nobody profiles the average family living in Topeka that waits six to eight to nine months before they adopt.
FEYERICK: With all the speculation, questions and chatter about Hollywood adoptions, in the end it`s really about finding happy homes for children who need them.
HEYMAN: It`s not an easy process. And you really have to commend anybody who`s going to reach out in this way and open their hearts and their homes to some other child around the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK: And of course, adoptions aren`t just a trend in Hollywood. All told, about 50,000 children are adopted in the U.S. each year, another are adopted 20,000 abroad. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be there to tell you if Jessica Simpson decides to add to that number.
HAMMER: Deb, the trend will definitely continue. Thanks so much for that report. CNN`s Deborah Feyerick joining us live for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now we want to hear from you on the topic. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Single Hollywood moms: are they setting a good example? If you`d like to vote, hop online. CNN.com/ShowbizTonight is the web address. You can also e-mail us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`ll get into your e-mails a bit later in the show.
Well, tonight, a statue of a nude, pregnant Britney Spears is about to be unveiled. And the image of Spears in a birthing position, lying on a bear-skin rug, called "Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston" -- you`re seeing it right here, a bit of it blurred out for television purposes -- is raising some eyebrows and it`s causing a bit of controversy.
Anti-abortion groups are using the statue as a focal point for their crusade against abortion, although the artist says it`s just a new take on the term "pro-life."
The statue goes on display on April 7, at the Capla Kesting Fine Art Gallery in Brooklyn. Joining me here in New York is gallery co-director, David Kesting.
David, thank you very much for being here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
DAVID KESTING, CO-DIRECTOR, CAPLA KESTING FINE ART GALLERY: Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: I spoke to Dan Edwards, the artist, the sculptor who did the Britney Spears sculpture that we`re talking about a couple of hours ago. And I had to ask him why he would use Britney Spears as the image of wholesome motherhood. And let`s take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIEL EDWARDS, ARTIST: Well, I`m not sure that pro-life is all about being wholesome or about being motherhood. It`s about giving birth, primarily, something that she did do. And it was also a birth and pregnancy that everybody was quite taken with. So that was my initial attraction.
HAMMER: It does seem, though, I guess by use of the term pro-life in the title that the anti-abortion movement has actually latched onto this. I`m getting the sense this is not something you independently encouraged?
EDWARDS: Correct. I did -- well, I did invite Manhattan Right to Life to offer some support materials. And that was essentially to contrast their imagery with mine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, so the sculptor, who art is also featured right here. This is a bust that he did. He does do other sorts of art.
But he said that he`s not taking a stance on the abortion debate. However, the term pro-life is in the title of this work that you guys are displaying, and he is allowing anti-abortion groups to hand out pamphlets about what their cause is. So do you agree that he`s not looking to make a statement here?
KESTING: I don`t necessarily think -- I don`t really agree with he`s letting anti-abortion groups hand out materials at the gallery.
HAMMER: He -- he said in my interview with him that he is. So are you saying he isn`t?
KESTING: There are support materials for the piece at the gallery.
HAMMER: For the piece, but are there support materials being handed out by anti-abortion groups?
KESTING: No, not at the gallery.
HAMMER: So if he is saying that, he is...
KESTING: I think that might be taken a little bit out of context. There is some material from the right-to-life foundation next to the sculpture and on what the sculpture means.
HAMMER: OK, but do you agree that he -- he is saying he`s not making a statement here. It`s pretty strong using the term pro-life in the title of the piece. So what`s your take?
KESTING: I think that this -- this seems to be a lot -- very kindred to the controversy that`s going on with the piece. It seems like a lot of pro-life advocates are a little upset at the piece, that it displays Britney Spears, that Britney is the subject matter of it and is giving birth in what seems a very seductive or sexual way.
And I think that some right-to-life advocates have tried to distance themselves from the piece, as such, whereas some pro-choice advocates have -- shave been upset about the piece because it is in its title, and supposedly in its nature, a pro-life work.
HAMMER: Well, let me ask you this. You guys are displaying the piece. What`s your take on what it`s all about?
KESTING: I personally think that it`s an amazing work of art. I`m very happy that it`s getting as much attention as it does. I think that Dan Edwards is an amazing artist. And you can tell from the work of the piece, from the work that we have right here, that he has a very uncanny knowledge of the human form and the human figure, and his ability to render that in three-dimension is unparalleled.
HAMMER: So in the case of Britney Spears and whether or not people it`s make a statement, people will have to go see the piece and really make the call for themselves?
KESTING: Yes. And I think that that controversy helps play up to the avant garde aspect of it, you know, the fact that pro-life is trying to distance themselves from it and the pro-choice people are trying to ridicule the piece. And there`s another section, a selective Caesarean section.
HAMMER: OK. I`m not going to get into that on this part of the debate. I think we`ve covered it all, and I`m out of time. But David, thank you very much for sharing your thoughts on it.
KESTING: Thank you very much for having me.
HAMMER: Good luck with the display.
It is called "Monument to Pro-life: The Birth of Sean Preston". It`s going to be on display April 7 to the 23rd at the Capla Kesting Fine Art Gallery in Brooklyn.
Well, imagine for a moment the fattest cat you`ve ever seen. All right, you got that image in your head? No lie, I`m about to show you an even fatter one. That`s coming up next.
Plus, a controversy over what`s too hot for TV. A new show called "The Bedford Diaries" hasn`t even aired yet. Already the censors are hard at work. We`ll look into what all the fuss is about. And one of the stars will join me live, coming up in just a bit.
Also ahead...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The person who died.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first name of the person who died, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Charles? Charles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got goosebumps.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Renowned psychic Char Margolis gets that reaction a lot, even from celebrities. She`s joining me live, coming up on the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
First, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Counter-culture guru Timothy Leary is the godfather of which "Reality Bites" star? Was it Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo or Ben Stiller? I`m coming right back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is not too hot for TV, but we have a controversial new show that may be. Go, A.J. Dissolve.
HAMMER: Mike, he was cueing me and you were still talking, Charles. I`m sorry about that. I`ll never interrupt you again.
Once again, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Counter-culture guru Timothy Leary is the godfather of which "Reality Bites" star? Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo or Ben Stiller? "A," Winona Ryder, your answer.
And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We are TV`s only live entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer.
All right, I have to show a piece of videotape today that came in and had us all here around the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT offices pretty amazed. Look at this guy! It`s our "hey, did you see this?" video of the night. This is Sam. He`s a 10-year old tabby. How much do you think he weighs? Forty- five pounds. Paul Webster of Smyrna, Georgia, adopted Sam when he was just a little kitten. Back then, he could fit into a coffee mug. Now he looks like he could eat the whole cup. He`s shocked if he could fit (ph).
Well, tonight there`s a sex controversy surrounding a brand new show. The show hasn`t even aired yet. It`s called the "Bedford Diaries." It makes its premiere tonight on the WB. There`s a battle going on between the show`s producers and network executives over what`s too hot for television.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is live in Hollywood with all the latest on this -- Sibila.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That`s right, A.J. With the Federal Communications Commission handing down record penalties to several broadcasters last week, some network executives are concerned that they may be next. So it`s no surprise that they want to scale things back a bit. And that`s got the producers of one new series up in arms.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Think back to your last sexual encounter.
VARGAS: This is a scene from the new WB series, "The Bedford Diaries", a drama centered on the lives on students in a college sex education class. When the show debuts Wednesday night, audiences won`t be seeing this version.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did it make you feel?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Responsive.
VARGAS: What they will see is an episode that was edited by network censors in an effort to avoid possible action by the FCC.
TOM FONTANA, CO-CREATOR, "THE BEDFORD DIARIES": It`s the first time that I thought, "Oh, my God, television is now in serious moral trouble."
VARGAS: Tom Fontana is the creator and co-executive producer of "The Bedford Diaries" and says even though the show `s premiere had been screened and approved by the WB standards department, it was back to the drawing board.
FONTANA: The network wanted me to go back to reedit parts of episodes that they had already signed off on. And my instant reaction was no.
VARGAS: The request to change the episode came just last Thursday after the FCC imposed a record fine against CBS of $3.6 million for a 2004 episode of "Without a Trace" that featured a scene depicting a teen sex orgy.
The commission also upheld its fine of $550,000 against the network for Janet Jackson`s now infamous Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction. The intent was to send a clear message that indecency will not be tolerated in primetime.
When Fontana refused to remove the shots in question, the network took it upon themselves to make that change, explaining, "We have always been mindful of the FCC`s indecency rules. While we believe that the previous uncut version of `The Bedford Diaries` is in keeping with those rules, out of an abundance of caution, we decided to make some additional minor changes to the premiere episode."
FONTANA: This whole thing is about being negative and being afraid.
CHRISTOPHER LISOTTA, "TELEVISION WEEK": People can complain about it as much as they want, but the reality is they have to exist in the world that the FCC is setting up for them.
VARGAS: Christopher Lisotta is a senior writer with "Television Week" magazine.
LISOTTA: The fact that they`re becoming more aggressive about their oversight is something that the networks and studios are going to have to deal with, at least in the short-term and probably for the long-term.
VARGAS: In an unusual move, the WB has posted and is streaming the original version of "The Bedford Diaries" on its web site with these scenes intact, allowing viewers to see the episode as intended by the show`s creators.
And while Fontana understands the network`s decision to change the episode, he believes the impact has yet to be felt.
FONTANA: If this isn`t a sign post that says this is potentially the way we`re going to go, then I don`t know what is. I mean, it should scare everybody in the business.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And Tom Fontana and the rest of the crew have yet to see just how the WB changed "The Bedford Diaries". They`ll all find out tonight with the rest of us when the show premieres.
It`s going to be a little unnerving, A.J.
HAMMER: Well, we showed the kissing scene right there on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Sibila. But let`s move on with this topic. That`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas joining us from Hollywood. We want to know what one of the stars of "The Bedford Diaries" thinks about all this controversy. He`s joining me live from Hollywood for a "SHOWBIZ Newsmaker" interview. Penn Badgley, he plays Owen in the series.
Penn, thanks for being with us.
PENN BADGLEY, ACTOR: Thank you for having me.
HAMMER: Look at all this controversy that you`re now involved with. I`m curious. When you guys were out shooting the show, were you at all thinking, anywhere in your head, there is no way they`re going to let this on TV? Or that didn`t even cross your minds?
BADGLEY: No. See, that`s the thing. It was a surprise, because when we were doing it, you know, we handled it responsibly. We did handle it responsibly. Nothing, we believe, was indecent. And it was something that just came as a real surprise and bewilderment to us, because you know, it was an intelligent, responsible, show.
I mean, there are a lot of shows where, you know, you can see David Caruso poking at a rotting corpse, or something like that, and that`s not deemed indecent. But you know, you show us teens and young adults having sex, but you show it in a responsible manner, you know, a way that deals with it realistically, because it is -- I hate to be so cliche -- but it`s a fact of life.
HAMMER: Sure.
BADGLEY: I mean, it just -- it just really surprises me that I have to defend a show this way. But I am glad to do it.
HAMMER: I`m curious what your other castmates think. You know, with all this buzz surrounding this controversy right at the launch of your show, and I`m sure you`ve been in touch with your classmates about this, do they all think this is pretty ridiculous?
BADGLEY: Yes. Yes. I mean, I was just talking to Corri, one of the girls who -- she`s the girl who masturbates in the opening sequence of the show. And of course, you know, masturbation is just regular, normal. But we were talking about it, and it`s really -- like it`s something that was so out of our heads that, like, it was just so unexpected. All of us, you know, we felt that it was decent. I mean, the whole debate here is decency or indecency. And we thought it was decent, you know. So...
HAMMER: Your executive producer, Tom Fontana pointed out in that piece we just ran that, you know, it`s a little scary. And we`ve seen the on-scene kiss between two women before. We saw it on "The OC". We`ve seen it on "Friends". So as an actor are you a little afraid that things are getting a little too watered down?
BADGLEY: Yes. NO, I definitely am. I mean, the thing is that I have no animosity towards the network. I mean, they`ve been great to us. You know, while we were shooting there was a lot of pull and tug as far as how much they wanted to push the envelope, you know. They wanted to see -- see how far we would go and we would see how far we could go, and then of course, we`d bring it back. But at the end of the day we always felt we were dealing with it responsibly and intelligently. And it was -- you know, it was decent.
HAMMER: Yes. And I`m sure you`re going to be sitting at your television like the rest of your audience to see exactly how they dealt with it tonight, Penn.
BADGLEY: Yes.
HAMMER: I`ve got to run.
BADGLEY: Yes.
HAMMER: Thank you very much for joining us, Penn Badgley.
BADGLEY: Thank you for having me.
HAMMER: And you can see what all the fuss is about when the show, "The Bedford Diaries", makes its premiere on the WB, which happens to be owned by the same company as CNN Headline News. And that will be tonight.
Well, people in their 30s and 40s dressing like they`re in their 20s, listening to indie bands, refusing the 9 to 5 life. Still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we`re going to look into why Generation X is refusing to grow up.
Plus, Julia Roberts makes her Broadway debut and tomatoes fly. But don`t worry, it`s not exactly what you`re thinking. I`ll explain.
Also ahead, get ready to enter the Stratus-sphere. Wrestling champion Trish Status joining me live, the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first Prince is king of the Billboard 200. This week`s numbers just out. Prince`s new album, "3121", featuring the single "Black Sweat", in at No. 1. This marks Prince`s very first No. 1 debut. Kind of hard to believe. That`s on the Billboard 200. Prince`s reign bumped Disney`s teenybopper "High School Musical" to No. 2. From across the pond, James Blunt`s release, "Back to Bedlam" slipped one notch to No. 3. Barry Manilow`s "The Greatest Songs of the `50s" rebounds to No. 4 this week. And rounding out the top five, Ne-Yo`s "In My Words" (sic).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dissolve music. Roll the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Coming up tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Sharon Stone is back, still looking fantastic, I might add. "Basic Instinct 2" getting set to open. She tells me why she locked herself in the bathroom for a few hours and she came out a changed woman. My interview with Sharon Stone, coming up tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, Ray Romano has a little theory. He says when it comes to dancing, we guys have it easy; these days, anyway. Take a look, from "The Late Show" with David Letterman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAY ROMANO, COMEDIAN: I have a question. I know there`s some young people here. Just what has dancing become? Because no -- I`m going to stand. Can I stand?
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, CBS`S "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Please do.
ROMANO: I want to show you something. Is this -- if you`re in your 20`s, whatever. If you go to dance clubs. Is this dancing today? Because I saw couples dancing. The guy, he`s got to stand like this. He`s dancing. This guy`s dancing right now.
LETTERMAN: That`s dancing.
ROMANO: Because the girl is doing this here. Yes.
LETTERMAN: Wow! The girl is doing that?
ROMANO: The girl is doing that. Is that dancing? Because if it is, then I got screwed.
LETTERMAN: Yes.
ROMANO: I`ll tell you right now. A guy could meet -- I could meet a woman in a club if this was dancing. I`ve to meet a woman, hey, where are you from?
LETTERMAN: You don`t want to go through that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Times have simply changed. Ray`s on to something there. You just got to stand still. At least some of the guys that you see in the clubs.
Well, once upon a time, it was just Peter Pan who refused to grow up. Now, it`s an entire cultural phenomenon. We`re going to look into how some 30-somethings and 40-somethings are staying forever young. That`s coming up next.
Plus, renowned psychic Char Margolis has made a living making uncanny predictions for everyone from Larry King to Kelly Ripa. She`ll join us live, coming up.
And six-time champion wrestler Trish Status also joining us live. The WWE Wrestling Raw star just ahead, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We are TV`s only live entertainment news show. It is 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York City.
Still to come in the next half hour, psychic Char Margolis, she is good at what she does. And now she has a brand-new television show. She`s going to join me out here on the set. I`m going to try to get her to explain how she knows what she knows, coming up in just a few moments.
Also tonight, have you noticed that it seems to be -- it used to be, that as you were getting older, your tastes would change in music, and in clothing, and how in generally how you would conduct yourself? Well, that seems to be changing, and there`s a trend towards remaining forever young- ish. We`ll explain that phenomenon coming up in just a few minutes, as well.
But first, we`re going to get into tonight`s "Hot Headlines." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas joining me live once again from Hollywood -- Sibila?
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, A.J.
Well, "Pretty Woman" Julia Roberts makes her New York City Broadway debut with a little surprise on stage and swarming fans off stage. The actress signed autographs after last night`s preview performance of "Three Days of Rain." Now, during the show, a plastic tomato prop went astray causing Roberts to bust out laughing, but all`s well that ends well.
What`s new, pussycat? Well, knighthood, for one. You may now call him Sir Tom Jones. The 65-year-old crooner was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. The son of a Welsh coal miner, Jones says receiving the honor was just tremendous.
Jessica Simpson is considering adopting a baby. The singer`s publicist tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT nothing`s finalized, but the 25-year-old is weighing her options. Simpson and her family have donated money to a Mexican orphanage for years.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines." A.J., back to you.
HAMMER: All right, Sibila, thanks very much. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.
And if she does adopt a child, that would put Jessica Simpson in the ranks of single Hollywood moms. We`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Single Hollywood moms: Are they setting a good example?
Keep voting by going to CNN.com/showbiztonight or write to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails a bit later in the show.
Well, she says she`s just an ordinary person with an extraordinary talent, yet psychic Char Margolis has shocked some of the biggest names in show business, including CNN`s own Larry King -- it takes a lot to shock him -- talk show host Dr. Phil, Kelly Ripa among those names. Well, now Char has her own brand-new reality show called "Psychic at Large."
Joining me live her in New York for a "Psychic Sitdown," Char Margolis. A pleasure to have you here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
CHAR MARGOLIS, "PSYCHIC AT LARGE": It`s a pleasure to meet you, and I`m thrilled to be here. But I don`t think I have an extraordinary gift; my friends think I do.
HAMMER: Well, we think it`s pretty extraordinary. And let`s start off with a prime example. I mentioned Kelly Ripa. Six years ago, you made this big revelation. You announced some news on "Live with Regis and Kelly" that only Kelly actually knew about. Let`s watch what happened that day on "Regis and Kelly."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARGOLIS: ... she`s going to watch over you when this new baby comes. And it`s soon. It`s not far away.
(CROSSTALK)
REGIS PHILBIN, HOST, "REGIS AND KELLY": Excuse me. Are you expecting?
MARGOLIS: Am I...
PHILBIN: Is that a yes?
MARGOLIS: Uh-oh.
KELLY RIPA, HOST, "REGIS AND KELLY": I haven`t told my boss yet.
PHILBIN: Are you kidding me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, Kelly had not announced to anybody, Regis, no one, her boss, as she mentioned, that she was pregnant. How does that happen? Does a signal come to you? Or are you getting it just from outer space?
MARGOLIS: Actually, what happens is, I feel people`s energy. And my mind goes blank, which isn`t hard for me to do. But anyway...
HAMMER: Welcome to the club.
MARGOLIS: I felt an energy around her. It was her grandmother, Esther, and she was holding a baby. And I said, "Are you pregnant?" And she said, "Gasp." And Regis said, "Kelly, are you not telling us?" And you saw it, so...
HAMMER: And does it happen right there on the spot or is it something that happened as you were walking onto the set?
MARGOLIS: No, it happens in the moment when I read for someone. I don`t even think about it ahead of time. It`s too draining. It`s tiring to do what I do. I can only do so many readings in a day.
HAMMER: Well, that`s what we`re going to see on your new Sci-Fi Channel show. It`s actually casual encounters with people, and you`re giving them these readings right on the spot. And I understand you were hanging out in New York City at Central Park today, and you actually had one of these encounters where something weird happened.
MARGOLIS: Right. I met a man who rode the bicycles, and I got a ride from him, because my feet were killing me. And I picked up on his mother, Mary, who`s diseased. And I knew she committed suicide. And, I mean, it`s a man that I just met today, so her spirit was with him, wanting to let him know that she was all right.
HAMMER: And he confirmed all of this for you?
MARGOLIS: Yes, yes. We have it on tape.
HAMMER: Just unbelievable. We`ll look forward to seeing that on the show.
MARGOLIS: Thank you.
HAMMER: Of course, now, I`m personally believer in this stuff.
MARGOLIS: Well, good.
HAMMER: I love it. And it`s interesting to me. There are a lot of people out there who say, to use a friend`s term, she`s a whack-a-doo or people -- this can`t go on. There`s no science to back any of this up. Is it frustrating to you?
MARGOLIS: Well, first of all, quantum physics is working on finding where energy goes. E equals MC-squared. Energy has to go somewhere.
And we feel that there`s a spirit world, that that energy goes somewhere, and that we still see our loved ones again on the other side, because love is that bridge that connects us.
But also, I like skeptics. I read for skeptics on my show. I research skeptics. I want to know why they think the way they think. Are all atheists skeptics, because they have no belief system?
HAMMER: So what do you say to them? What do you say to people who don`t quite get it or believe in what it is that you do?
MARGOLIS: I think it`s fine. People have a right to believe what they want. Personally, I`d rather be friends with a skeptic who is kind and compassionate and a good person than somebody who believes in this stuff and rips people off. You know, there`s good and bad in every profession.
HAMMER: Well, sure, and I guess we`re all too familiar with that role, the person who`s just trying to take advantage of somebody, whether it be those 900 numbers or whatever the case.
MARGOLIS: Right, or but -- look at, there`s other professions that take advantage of people. I mean, there are priests who have taken advantage of people. There are doctors who have taken advantage of people. I mean, come on. There are good and bad in everything. It`s like that -- life has balance. There`s a ying-yang in everything.
HAMMER: One of the things you alluded to when we were talking about the guy you ran into in Central Park was a loved one of his who had passed on was communicating with you.
MARGOLIS: Right.
HAMMER: That is something that is a gift that you say that you have. Here is my question about that, if you communicate with the dead. What happens when we die, Char?
MARGOLIS: Well, I believe that our physical body, of course, goes away, but we have an ethereal body which is our spirit body. And that, when we pass over, we judge ourselves in what you may call God`s eyes or that universal consciousness.
But I what I do is not a religion. I mean, everyone has the gift of intuition, and everybody makes choices in life. And it depends on the choices we make in life as to what neighborhood we go over to over there.
I mean, but, you know, it doesn`t matter if you believe in Allah, or God, or Christ, or if you`re Catholic, it doesn`t matter. It matters more of who we are as human beings, that we love one another, that we`re compassionate, that we care about each other.
HAMMER: All important qualities. Char, thank so much. It was so great having you here to talk about this stuff.
MARGOLIS: Thank you. Thank you. I hope you watch the show tonight.
HAMMER: And you can catch Char Margolis in "Psychic At Large" tonight on the Sci-Fi Channel.
Well, if you are yearning for those bygone days of your youth, you`re probably not the only one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It makes me feel like I used to be, you know? I`m still 20 in my head.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now there`s a whole generation living life as if they were forever young-ish. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates why nobody wants to be an adult anymore, live. Peter Pan, anyone?
Plus, WWE superstar Trish Stratus live for knockout kicks and aerobic feats and gearing up for Wrestlemania this weekend. What it`s like to kick some serious butt, WWE diva champion, Trish Stratus, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Time now for a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Birthday Shoutout." This is where we give fans the opportunity to wish their favorite stars a happy birthday. Tonight, we`re sending one out to a member of the Monty Python troupe, Eric Idle. He is celebrating his 63rd birthday today.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, my name is Elsa. I`d like to wish happy birthday to Eric Idle. And I love "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." Have a great birthday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We are TV`s only live entertainment news show. I am A.J. Hammer in New York City.
Tonight, there`s a whole new generation of people living life just like they`re fresh out of college. But in reality, it`s been quite a few years since their university days.
"New York" magazine calls them "grups" or "gruppies." They`re 30- somethings or 40-somethings acting and dressing more like 20-somethings. So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hit the streets to see if we could find any real-life grups who just don`t want to grow up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (voice-over): iPod, check, canvas knapsack, check, trendy clothes, check, lots of free time on their hands, check. We`re not talking about college kids. We`re talking about a whole new generation of people that are taking the country by storm.
It`s a generation of 30-somethings who won`t grow up. They`re living life as if they`re still in their twenties. "New York" magazine has defined them as gruppies. So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny D`Attoma hit the streets today to see if she could find any of them.
Our first potential gruppy wasn`t too sure if she was indeed a gruppy, so we asked her some important questions.
JENNY D`ATTOMA, CNN SHOWBIZ TONIGHT PRODUCER: So what kind of gruppy tendencies do you already see that you have?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t know what official gruppy...
D`ATTOMA: What kind of music -- what kind of music do you listen to?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m an indie rock kind of person.
D`ATTOMA: There you go. You are on your way to being a gruppy.
HAMMER: Great, one happy gruppy in progress. So we moved on to someone else who we thought was a real-life gruppy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I go to gym everyday. And do you put moisturizers, and, you know, do you buy good jeans, just do all those things to stay young.
HAMMER: So far, so good.
D`ATTOMA: Has anyone ever said you act too immature, you don`t act your age?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. No, I always act mature.
HAMMER: Hmm, he might not be a gruppy, but we pressed on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What`s a gruppy?
D`ATTOMA: It`s a new term.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What does it mean?
D`ATTOMA: It means someone who doesn`t act their age.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh that? No, no.
HAMMER: Well, maybe he`s just pretending he`s not a gruppy. We asked him some more pointed questions.
D`ATTOMA: Do you work full time?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
D`ATTOMA: You do?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes, yes.
D`ATTOMA: I don`t know if you`re a gruppy then.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I`m not a gruppy. I work full time. I have my own business. I have people I tell what to do.
HAMMER: OK, so he`s not a gruppy. But we did find someone, a 20- something, in fact, who was familiar with this new generation, and he freely admitted that he`s right on target.
D`ATTOMA: Do you see yourself being a gruppy at some point?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Totally. I`m out track. I`m a beginner grup, number two.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Joining me live here in New York to talk about this whole new generation of gruppies, Adam Sternbergh. He`s a senior editor for "New York" magazine. He just wrote the article, "Why Nobody Wants to be an Adult Anymore."
Great article, Adam. Thanks for being with us.
ADAM STERNBERGH, SENIOR EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Thank you.
HAMMER: So is there anything wrong with a 30-something or a 40- something acting younger than their age?
STERNBERGH: I don`t think there is fundamentally. I mean, there`s always been something distasteful about the idea of older people who can`t let go of their youth, sort of lingering too long, being that 40-year-old guy at the edge of the rock concert.
But what I found interesting about these people in the article is that they want to hold onto the best parts of being young, the sort of passion and the love of music, stuff like that, but they`re also not afraid to take on the responsibilities of being an adult.
HAMMER: And there are certain characteristics that you point out in the article, love of music among them. What are some of the specific things that you found that you came across that people do to sort of defy their actual age?
STERNBERGH: Well, one of the things, certainly, there`s a whole new dress code for people in their 30s and 40s. I mean, I think a generation before ours, you graduated college and you got a suit to go out for your first job interview. Now, I mean, I know a lot of guys who are 30, 40, who don`t even a suit.
What they do wear is expensive designer jeans, rock t-shirts. It`s all the kind of stuff they used to wear when they were 22, but they`re just going to keep on wearing it.
HAMMER: Yes, because it used to seem that, as people would get older, they almost felt obligated to change their dress style, and, you know, maybe buy that full-length raincoat that they never would have otherwise worn. But that`s not happening as much anymore, is it?
STERNBERGH: No. And I think, as this generation gets old, I think what they`re discovering is, you know, no one`s really forcing them to grow up, so they`re sort of thinking, "Well, as long as no one`s going to force us to do it, we`ll just keep pushing this and pushing this, 40, even 50, and just keep living life as if we`re young."
HAMMER: One of the lines that caught my eye in your piece, you say that this is about passion and the fear of losing it, this whole idea of staying young. Can you explain exactly what you mean by that line?
STERNBERGH: Sure. You know, there are certain elements of this that can seen sort of absurd, you know, the really expensive ripped jeans and, you know, trying to stay on top of pop music and stuff like that.
But at the heart of it, what I found was really it was about people who care a lot about certain things in their lives, whether it`s, you know, the career that they`re pursuing or the music they love and things like that. And they just don`t feel like they have to let that stuff go just because they have kids or because they hit a certain age.
They feel like, "Hey, I`m going to hold on to those things and just see what happens."
HAMMER: And it seems like it`s a whole cultural shift that`s been going for many years now. Look at Madonna. She`s in her 40s, looks amazing, defies her age. The Rolling Stones, you know, Mick Jagger, 62 years old, still touring the world. Age defying just a part of life now?
STERNBERGH: Sure. I mean, I think the pop cultural icons we have are certainly setting the tone. If you think of movie stars, from Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, Tom Cruise, I mean, these are all guys in their 40s, yet they dress like they`re sort of stuck in this kind of perpetual 26-year-old age.
You know, George Clooney stands out, because he`s the one guy who wears a suit. You know, it`s ridiculous to think of Cary Grant wearing a t-shirt and ripped jeans. But now our pop culture icons, you know, they project this image, we see it, and we aspire to it.
HAMMER: Well, it`s a fascinating read, Adam. Thanks for sharing it with us.
STERNBERGH: Thank you.
HAMMER: Adam Sternbergh, it`s the new issue of "New York" magazine, which you`ll find on newsstands now with the entire article.
Well, one of the things that keeps women`s wrestling champion Trish Stratus young is a weekly smackdown on the WWE`s "Monday Night Raw." And we do mean smack. Look at some of this footage. It`s unbelievable.
The former fitness model and premed student is the reigning champ of the WWE`s divas. And this weekend, she`s going to put her golden belt up for grabs in Wrestlemania 22. She`ll probably tell me nobody`s taking it away from her.
Welcome, Trish. Nice to have you here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
TRISH STRATUS, REIGNING WWE WOMEN`S CHAMPION: Thank you. Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: Looking at some of that footage we were just rolling as I was introducing you here, that`s got to hurt.
STRATUS: Ouch. Ouch.
HAMMER: Come on.
STRATUS: No, not at all. I mean, it might hurt for some, but some people...
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Oh, yes, right. No, come on, a couple of bruises covered up by make-up maybe?
STRATUS: Oh, you can see that? Yes. Yes. I`m always -- I`ve got some war wounds to show, for sure, yes.
HAMMER: I`m always curious, if I`m watching these shows, how you know what`s coming. Do you see it? Is it in the script? They say, "This is going to happen then"? Do you work it out in rehearsal? Are there actually signs that you guys give each other before you`re about, you know, to get clotheslined or whatever it is?
STRATUS: What you see in the ring -- you know, I like to say it`s like we`re telling a story, two wrestlers telling a story.
HAMMER: Sure.
STRATUS: And each sort of person has a sort of repertoire, a set of moves that they`re kind of known for.
HAMMER: And you are certainly well-known for your moves that others have been trying to rip off, but more about that later.
STRATUS: And so it kind of turns into a dance, kind of. We kind of - - like, she does her part; I do my part. And it turns into the dance, which is a little, you know, violent and hurts sometimes...
HAMMER: I was going to say...
STRATUS: ... but it has a beautiful story.
HAMMER: Occasionally. A beautiful story, along with an elbow in the jaw every now and then.
STRATUS: Right. And usually, you know, the great ending is usually me getting my hand raised, you know, things like that.
HAMMER: So here you are, sitting on my couch. You are the female WWE champion. Is this something that you were fantasizing about as a kid? I know you had a different path that were originally on. But when you were a kid, was there some sense that this might happen in your life? Were you wrestling with your friends?
STRATUS: You know, I kind of grew up as a tomboy. And I was kind of always trying to be a part of the boys, with my cousins growing up.
But I mean, I don`t think there was really -- I don`t think many women or young girls kind of grew up thinking, "I want to be a wrestler," because there weren`t really many women in the industry, certainly not doing what we`re doing now.
HAMMER: Right.
STRATUS: I mean, there was Ms. Elizabeth and there was ballets at the time. But, I mean, I just I fell into it. And I was actually premed. And when that sort of didn`t develop, and I said, "Mom, I`m not going to be a doctor, I`m going to be a wrestler instead"...
HAMMER: Mom must have been thrilled.
STRATUS: The family was happy. They accepted it.
HAMMER: Yes, right. Tell me they didn`t.
STRATUS: They were happy.
HAMMER: Very supportive of what you wanted to do?
STRATUS: Very supportive of what I wanted to do, yes. Plus, the university went on strike at the time, so that`s why...
(CROSSTALK)
STRATUS: ... while this is happening, go ahead. But, you know, you go back to school later.
HAMMER: Well, you mentioned it was predominantly male-dominated.
STRATUS: Right.
HAMMER: It really still is.
STRATUS: Oh, yes.
HAMMER: And there`s, of course, you know, a big male machismo that goes along with this. Despite the fact that no guy I know, at least my crew in this room, would stand to mess with you, is it difficult still being in this predominantly male business?
STRATUS: Oh, I think so, yes. I mean, on a couple of different notes, because, from fan perspective, they kind of -- they have been trained to look at us as ballets or eye-candy sort of things. And over the last couple of years, we`ve kind of, like, grown into this role where we`ve become more active.
And the fans have really kind of caught on. And the neat thing is, is like they`ve caught onto the point where now even our female demographic has increased. We`ve got more kids watching that are women and girls, and they`re looking up to us as role models who are like strong, powerful women. It`s really empowering to be in that position.
And it`s just a neat time for us right now, because we have more women than ever that are wrestling. And we have characters and storylines developing, you know, just for the women, so...
HAMMER: But what about the work environment with the actual other male wrestlers or the male employees of the WWE?
STRATUS: We`re kind of just one of the boys, you know? It`s like we`re one, big family.
HAMMER: So that`s really it, it`s still -- you know, you mentioned you were kind of a tomboy growing up. It`s still sort of falls into that mode?
STRATUS: Totally, absolutely, yes. And, you know, we`re all kind of like -- we have the same goals. We`re going out there to entertain the crowd every single week. And we`re on the same tough road schedule, 250 days a year sometimes.
And we`re away from our friends and family. And we get it, so we`re all in that same thing. We can relate to each other, and that`s why it becomes this great family environment.
HAMMER: Well, Wrestlemania 22, we`re going to see it all happening this coming weekend. Have you seen the script yet? Do you know what`s going to happen?
STRATUS: No, is that it right there?
HAMMER: So when will you find out what`s going to happen?
STRATUS: Actually, we`ll just sort of -- it`ll unfold before your very eyes.
HAMMER: It`ll magically unfold right before our very eyes.
STRATUS: Yes, yes.
HAMMER: Well, Trish, it was a pleasure...
STRATUS: I`ll tell you one thing: It`s definitely going to be entertaining. I mean, when we go out there, our main goal is to entertain the fans.
HAMMER: And always a few surprises.
STRATUS: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Trish Stratus, thanks for joining us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
STRATUS: Thank you.
HAMMER: And once again, you can catch Wrestlemania 22 this Sunday. It`s live on Pay-Per-View.
Well, throughout our show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." We`re asking: Single Hollywood moms: Are they setting a good example?
Here`s the vote so far. Not a lot of you people think so: 30 percent of you say yes; 70 percent of you say no.
A bunch of e-mails have come in, including one from Ashley in Oregon. She writes, "Stars in Hollywood only adopt kids for more media attention. They know that the media would be all over it." Pretty strong line to take.
We also heard from Jessica in California who writes, "It is always a great thing when someone takes in a child. Celebrity moms are no different."
If you`d like, keep voting by going to the CNN.com/showbiztonight. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Time to see what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow. Here comes your "Showbiz Marquee."
And tomorrow, you probably heard the buzz. Sharon Stone is back and sexier than ever in "Basic Instinct 2." Why she locked herself in the bathroom and emerged a different woman. She is having the time of her life. In fact, she told me one of the best years of her life. That`s tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also tomorrow, "Just for Kicks" executive producer Whoopi Goldberg on empowering girls, body image, and speaking your mind. Whoopi Goldberg, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That`s tomorrow.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York City. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
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