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Showbiz Tonight
First-Ever Joint Broadcast Interview with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie after the Birth; A Shocking Decision in the R. Kelly Child Porn Case; The Man Who Convicted of Raping Kelly McGillis Makes a Stunning Admission; Why are People Obsessed with Celebrity Babies?; Meredith Vieira`s Farewell to "The View"; Sean Connery was Honored with the Life Achievement Award
Aired June 09, 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: An R. Kelly porn case shocker. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And is Tom Cruise coming to a car racetrack near you? I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, celebrity obsession. Can`t get enough of Brad and Angelina? Does J-Lo shift you into high gear? Or maybe you go gaga over Hollywood babies? Then you might be more than just star struck. It could be a sickness. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a revealing look at celebrity obsession syndrome.
Plus, a bittersweet fairwell.
(on camera): Meredith Vieira saying goodbye and we are here on the set. Wave goodbye.
MEREDITH VIEIRA, "THE VIEW": I`m A.J. Hammer.
HAMMER (voice-over): The laughter.
VIEIRA: But I will be wearing underewear on the "Today" show.
HAMMER: The tears. And one big goodbye kiss or two. As Meredith leaves midday for "Today." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there for the very emotional view adieu.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there, I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: A.J. Hammer in New York. Brooke, definitely the star scoop of the week. Quite possibly the biggest celebrity interview of the year, so far.
ANDERSON: Quite possibly, A.J. And today we have for you the first-ever joint broadcast interview with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Now, this just hours after their daughter`s picture was released to the media, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has that interview for you. Sibila Vargas joins us from Hollywood with more on that.
Sibila, some very lucky reporters, huh?
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: You can say that again, Brooke. And say what you want about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Brooke, they know how to express their gratitude. They`ve given the celebrity scoop of the year, their first joint interview as a couple to, of all places, a Namibia TV network. Now, the African nation of Namibia protected Pitt and Jolie from the paparazzi during their recent birth of their baby daughter. And this ultra-excusive interview is the star couple`s way of saying thanks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: Brad.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTOR: Nice to meet you.
VARGAS: Talk about an unnecessary introduction. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were all smiles as they sat down for their first ever broadcast interview together and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings it to you.
JOLIE: Thank you to everyone in Namibia for allowing us this time in your country.
VARGAS: This big celebrity interview, the get of the week, was conducted in Namibian town of Swakopmund, where the local`s helped the Jolie-Pitt family guard their privacy while they had their new daughter. And now Pitt and Jolie are expressing their thanks to Namibia.
PITT: Just like to thank the people of Namibia, they`ve been so graceful to us and made our stay here very special.
VARGAS: Angelina Jolie talked about why they chose to have their baby in the African country.
JOLIE: Well, I had been here years before on a film and loved the country and loved the people here, and when we were -- we found out we were pregnant and thinking about where we would want to go, we thought we wanted to find a place that was -- a beautiful place that our other children would enjoy and we knew that this had so many wonderful sights and also the things to do here for them, things that we want to show them, places we wanted to -- spend time with them. They have. They`ve had an amazing adventure and have many friends here. Our son has friends here now. So, that was why, and then also, we just loved this part of the world. Our other daughter was born in Africa, and so this is a special continent for us.
VARGAS: Reports are swirling that the new and expanded Jolie-Pitt family is about to leave Africa, and Jolie says the first thing she plans to do is resume her humanitarian work as the goodwill ambassador for the U.N. high commissioner for refugees.
JOLIE: June 20th is Refugee Day, and absolutely, I will be -- I celebrate it every year, and say celebrate because it is, I think, refugees are -- it is a very difficult thing to be, and it`s this tough thing, but I celebrate refugees because they are the strongest people I`ve ever met.
VARGAS: Pitt and Jolie made it clear they`re leaving Africa with good memories.
PITT: We`ve had an incredible time with our family exploring the country, and a truly peaceful birth of our daughter, and that we are eternally grateful for it, and we will certainly be back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And Angelina Jolie also talked about her and Pitt`s $300,000 donation to two state hospitals in Namibia. She says they wanted to be a practical donation so that doctors could have what they need, and as you know, Pitt and Jolie plan to donate the millions of dollars they got from selling their baby daughter`s pictures to charity. So you got to appreciate that, Brooke. I mean, they put their money where their mouth is.
ANDERSON: I don`t know if any baby photo is worth that much money, but, hey, if somebody wants to pay it, Sibila, it`s refreshing to see it go to a good cause.
VARGAS: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: OK. Sibila Vargas, thanks so much.
HAMMER: Well, Brad and Angelina`s baby just the newest newborn in the star baby craze. In a "People" magazine special edition, "Babies of the Year." They`re taking a look back at the small bundles of joy that have really become quite the big deal over the past 12 months. Joining me here in New York to talk about all this baby obsession. Galina Espinoza senior editor at "People" magazine.
Now, Galina, I get that people are obsessed with celebrities, and everybody loves a baby, but people have gone nuts over celebrity babies. Why is there such an obsession?
GALINA ESPINOZA, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, I think you hit on it exactly. It`s that combination of two things that we love to talk about. These are people who we have followed every aspect of their lives. I mean, we see celebrities doing everything from shopping to dating to partying, and so the baby is just another milestone in their lives that we want to be a part of.
HAMMER: And people love to watch every aspect of how mommy and baby interact. Let`s talk about some of the babies you talk about in this issue, of course, Britney Spears making a lot of news. Now, I personally think she kind of has been getting a bad rap because not every mom has to raise their kid in the spotlight, in the public. Every new mom makes mistakes. And that`s what`s happening here.
ESPINOZA: Certainly the sense we`re starting to get from our readers is people want everyone to just back off of Britney. They say, look, she`s a new mom, she`s trying her best, she`s learning as she goes. It`s hard when every single move you make is scrutinized. Everyone makes mistakes, it`s just that Brett any makes hers in public.
HAMMER: And then you can be someone like Brooke Shields who gets scrutinized by none other than Tom Cruise, of course, making a big deal over her battle with postpartum depression and the use of anti-depressants. And now she`s had yet another child and everything seems to be going fine with baby Greer, doesn`t it?
ESPINOZA: Yes, and she has certainly earned a lot of fans, women who are really proud of her for speaking up about a topic, postpartum depression, that so often goes ignored, and she`s been opened about her struggle. Fortunately, this time around with her second daughter, Greer, she says things are going great. She had talked to her doctor about possibly going on medication to combat postpartum depression, she hasn`t needed it.
HAMMER: Now we are seeing this madness swirling around baby Shiloh, but we finally got the pictures. You know we didn`t have to wait all that long to see little baby Shiloh.
ESPINOZA: And she`s pretty cute, right?
HAMMER: She is pretty cute. She has mom`s lips, she`s got the blue eyes, which I`m told blue stays if that`s the eye color.
ESPINOZA: And blonde hair.
HAMMER: And now we are waiting on Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes` baby. We haven`t seen that picture yet. Now that the baby Shiloh pictures are out there, are people equally obsessed with seeing the child of Tom and Katie?
ESPINOZA: I think that once the furor over the Shiloh pictures dies down, people are going to be waiting for the next one eagerly, and Tom and Katie`s baby, we have not seen yet. That`s a very conscious decision on their part. They really want to perfectly figure out a strategy for unveiling their daughter, presenting her to the world.
HAMMER: Not always easy being the child of a celebrity, as we`re constantly hearing, and sometimes those babies come back in the news as they grow a little older. Of course, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards have had a nasty divorce battle going on, they have a nasty custody battle over their kids. Isn`t it a travesty when the kids are thrown into the spotlight in such a public way and it`s really unavoidable?
ESPINOZA: Absolutely. In fact, Charlie`s dad, Martin Sheen, told "People" magazine that he really wishes the two of them would keep in mind that it is their children who are going to suffer if they let things go too public. So, that`s another thing celebrities have to worry about is how do they behave not only with their families, but in the public eye.
HAMMER: Can celebrity babies ever expect to grow up and be normal kids?
ESPINOZA: I think we`ve seen a few of them turn out normal. So far Bruce Willis and Demi Moore`s kids seem to be having pretty healthy teenage lives, so I do think it`s possible. But certainly poor Shiloh, you got to feel for her because that kid is going to be scrutinized every step along the way.
HAMMER: And people will continue to be obsessed. Galina Espinoza, thank you very much for joing us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That`s "People" magazine`s special edition called "Babies of the Year." It can be found on newsstands now.
And coming up at 31 minutes past the hour, we`ll be talking about celebrity obsession. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a revealing look at a real sickness that`s called Celebrity Worship Syndrome.
ANDERSON: OK, a shocking decision in the R. Kelly child porn case. And the guy who was convicted of raping "Top Gun" star Kelly McGill is makes a stunning admission. That`s coming up in the "Legal Lowdown," next. Plus, we`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VIEIRA: I have been crying for two months, you know. After a while, there just aren`t -- I`m so overwhelmed and I`m -- but yet, I`m so happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I was right there on the set as Meredith Vieira says adieu to "The View." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes you behind the scenes of nine years of memories including a very special kiss to -- oh, my God. Two kisses, perhaps.
ANDERSON: Woo! Look at that kiss! OK, and how something very important to Tom Cruise could be coming to a racetrack near you. Hmm, that`s coming up.
But first, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly`s Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Who did not appear on "Baywatch" in that red one piece? Nicole Eggert, Brande Roderick, Kelly Slater, or Gina Gershon. We`re going to be right back with your answer, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charlie. So again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly`s Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Who did not appear on "Baywatch?" Was it Nicole Eggert, Brande Roderick, Kelly Slater, or Gina Gershon?
The answer is, D, Gina Gershon.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Friday night finally here, and we are TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It is time now for a story just made us say "That`s Ridiculous." We`re about to take you deep undercover to catch the bad guys using one bad girl. Well, sort of. Check her out. That is officer "Delicious," that`s his code name. You see, she really a he. Did you know that guys? You had no idea, did you? That`s a cop dressed in drag who is dishing out tickets to people running red lights at a busy West Palm Beach, Florida intersection. Now, "Delicious," which you can call her "Delicious," she loves it, says he, or she, is catching a lot of drivers, even claiming to have written 74 tickets in one the 90-minute span, all the while wearing heels. We say though, Policeman in pumps, "That`s ridiculous," fascinating, but ridiculous. Can you imagine, Brooke, you run a red light, and she walks over to you and says, "Ma`am, you just ran that red light. Here`s a ticket."
ANDERSON: I know. You know, "Delicious" really makes things a drag for the drivers, huh, A.J.? Ha, ha.
HAMMER: I`ll let you slide because it`s the weekend.
ANDERSON: That`s right, over the past few months, an undercover officer has also posed, A.J., as everything from a utility pole repairman to an eccentric homeless man. So, quite distracting, in my opinion, though.
OK, moving from that shocking story to courtroom shockers. A judge will let the R. Kelly sex tape be shown in open court, and in public. And there`s a stunning follow-up to the case of the convicted rapist who brutally attacked actress Kelly McGillis years ago. Investigative journalist Pat Lalama is giving us the "Legal Lowdown." She joins us now, here in Hollywood.
Hey, pat.
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Hey Brooke, how are you doing?
ANDERSON: I`m doing well. Thank you. Now, first of all, a judge in Chicago is allowing prosecutors to show this R. Kelly sex tape, the one with the underaged girl, the alleged R. Kelly sex tape. Now, he said -- the judge said that this is, quote, "The crux and the lynch pin of this entire case." What`s going on here? Not only the jury will see this, but the public as well?
LALAMA: Well, I think this judge made an astute decision, and here`s why. He`s going to be very careful. You don`t want to appear like are you trying to inflame, and you certainly don`t want to cause any more pain to the alleged victim. However, in this case the judge is absolutely right. This is the case, Brooke. Without this, there is no case. So, the audience, whether it be the jury or the American public, or whomever else is entitled to see what the government has against R. Kelly. The woman is now 21, she`s not going to testify. I do believe he made the right decision in this case. Without this, you`re just going to get up and say, hey, I think it was him on the tape, but I can`t show it to you. People have to see this tape to understand what the evidence is.
ANDERSON: Right, it makes sense. It makes sense. You say the girl, who is allegedly in the tape, is now about 21 years old.
LALAMA: Right, right.
ANDERSON: Is she going to have to watch this tape at any point, do you know?
LALAMA: I can`t see why if she doesn`t have to testify. I`m certain that they`ve discussed all aspects of this case with her. They apparently feel like they don`t need it. They don`t need her to be on the stand. So, she doesn`t have to relive it, at least. But, you know what, it is going to be hard. I mean, let`s face it, Brooke, we`ve talked about it a few days ago with, you know, Kelly McGillis, you don`t forget the pain, it`s always hard, but if justice can be served as a result of this, my hats off it her for being brave and letting it go.
ANDERSON: And it`s a start. And as you mentioned, we sat here a few days ago talking about that other disturbing case. The man on trial, again, the man who was convicted years ago of raping Kelly McGillis. She, of course, starred in "Top Gun" and played a prosecutor in the movie "The Accused." Now, there is an update in this case. Police officers testified that this man told them, quote, "I haven`t raped anyone in three years." Good for him. I mean, Pat, what was he expecting, a pat on the back here?
LALAMA: Well, you know what, they always say, Brooke, I mean, there`s not too many criminals who get the Pulitzer Prize or, you know, a lot of awards for intelligence, particularly this guy. This is why lawyers always say don`t open your mouth when you are arrested. What he did.
ANDERSON: Right. Didn`t they tell him, everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law?
LALAMA: They absolutely did. In that interview with the police -- with the investigating officer, he said well, you know, I haven`t raped -- I think it was I haven`t raped nobody, what is is? Three and a half years. You know, so, he thinks -- I mean, the guy almost seems pschociopaththic. I mean, I don`t know, and I`m not saying I know for sure, and I`m certainly not a doctor. But look, I mean, he also told the judge he`s praying for her, and he`s a case against the city, so there you go. You know, takes all kinds.
ANDERSON: Well there you go, not the sharpest knife in the kitchen. Pat Lalama, we are going to have to leave it there. Investigative journalist, Pat Lalama in Hollywood. Thanks so much.
LALAMA: My pleasure.
ANDERSON: Well, the "Today" show is her tomorrow. Meredith Vieira said goodbye to "The View" today, and her sendoff was not al touchy-feely or heartwarming, it was an on-air roast. OK, it was a little touchy-feely as you`re about to see, and I was right there on the set of "The View" to catch all the action.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It`s Meredith`s turn to be the goodbye girl.
VIEIRA: This is it. This is my farewell tribute. Katie Couric gets a sendoff fit for a queen. What do I get? A few lousy film clips?
HAMMER: Instead of a tearful farewell to "The View" there were lots of laughs at the roast for Meredith Vieira.
BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": We just hope that given your drinking habits that you`ll be able to tell "Today" from tomorrow.
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there on the set right there from start to finish. Let me tell you, there`s no ego for the woman who will fill Katie Couric`s shoes on the "Today" show. Meredith invited us right in, even letting her cameras roll while she rehearsed her goodbye speech in curlers.
But, seriously, after nine years and more than 2,000 shows, this episode came at the end of a very emotional week for Meredith who told me she`s been gearing up for this since April.
(on camera): You`re doing a good job of holding back the tears.
VIEIRA: Well, I`ve been crying for two months, you know, after a while, there just aren`t -- I mean, I`m so overwhelmed, and I`m -- but yet, I`m so happy. Today, because it was a roast. You know, if it had been a sappy tribute, then it would be weird, but the fact that they roasted me and basically humiliated me in front of millions of people was a good thing, you know, I enjoyed that. And it makes it -- it just reminds me, this place is about fun and joy and all of that, so I don`t really want to cry. I just want to celebrate that I had nine years here, nine wonderful years.
HAMMER: And the biggest thing that you`re a little nervous about?
VIEIRA: I`m anxious -- I have tremendous fear of failure and fear of success, both of them, so I -- I just want to do the best job I can, and I haven`t been in news in a while. I don`t want to -- they said they hired me for who I am, and I don`t suddenly want to put on the news person or whatever. I want to just kind of remember that when I start out, just be yourself, be yourself and you`ll be fine.
HAMMER (voice-over): And now a summer of rest and relaxation for Meredith, a chance to spend time with her husband and kids before filling some big shoes in the fall.
(on camera): Are you OK with the new schedule? She`s going to be waking you up every morning?
RICHARD COHEN, MEREDITH VIEIRA`S HUSBAND: No, no, no. I`m going to be waking her up. I get up at 4:00.
HAMMER (voice-over): hey, with a husband like that, you can bet Meredith won`t be missing her pre-dawn wakeup calls for the "Today" show. But, before moving on to her next adventure, Meredith had to look back. The folks at "The View" chose Meredith`s more humorous moments.
VIEIRA (SINGING): Take me out to the ballgame.
And welcome to "The View!"
HAMMER: And no roast is complete without something wild and whacky. Leave it to Joy Behar to come up with something good. In fact, Joy was just filled with love. She even planted one on me.
(on camera): Another unexpected moment with Joy Behar.
VIEIRA: I can`t believe she kissed you. I thought she loved me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: A.J., you looked really caught off guard there. How was it?
HAMMER: I was totally caught off guard. I will say, and Meredith agreed, her leps are soft and supple. But then I talked to -- I mean, look at that. She -- I didn`t see that coming. I asked Barbara Walters, I said are you connected with human resources here at ABC because I want to lodge a complaint. It was pretty funny.
ANDERSON: Like we say at CNN, green light, red light, that would have been a red light? Are you going out to dinner this weekend maybe?
HAMMER: I don`t think we will be doing that. Anyway, Meredith Vieira is going to be heading to NBC and the "Today" show in September. Rosie O`Donnell, everybody looking forward to here taking over for Vieira on "The View," and she will be starting in September.
Now we want to get to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day, and hear what you think of all this. Meredith Vieira leaves: Will you still watch "The View?" Got to cnn.com/showbiztonight, email us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. I love you, Joy.
ANDERSON: OK, will Tom Cruise be cruising over to NASCAR? Tonight how his belief in scienceology could be coming to a racetrack near you. That`s coming up. Plus, we`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It us to be Brad Pitt, but we`re done with him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you done with him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re very upset with him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Can`t get enough of Brad and Angelina? Does J-Lo shift you into high gear? You could actually have a sickness. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a revealing look at Celebrity Worship Syndrome.
ANDERSON: And Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, and George Lucas all in one big old room together, but it wasn`t exactly an "Indiana Jones" reunion. Find out why these powerhouses all got together. That`s next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Coming up on Monday celebrity mommies, Britney Spears, and other famous moms learning the ropes of motherhood right there in the spotlight. We`re going to look into how celebrity mommies fair under all that scrutiny. That`s Monday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Sean Connery has received one of the biggest awards in Hollywood. Connery was honored with the American Film Institute`s annual Life Achievement Award in L.A. Harrison Ford, Andy Garcia, Mike Myers, and other big stars all showed up to pay tribute to the legendary actor. Now, I caught up with director George Lucas at the event. He worked with Connery and Ford on "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." I asked Lucas for his thoughts on Connery`s success.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE LUCAS, DIRECTOR: Well, he`s probably one of the best actors working today in any medium, whether it be stage or theater -- I mean theater or movies. He`s extremely professional, extremely talented, great guy to work with and has a lot of strength on the screen. He`s a very powerful figure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now, Lucas himself is a past recipient of AFI`s Life Achievement Award along with Orson Wells, Alfred Hitchcock, Jack Nicholson, and Merrill Streep. Good company to be in.
HAMMER: So, which celebrity will putting on her dancing shoes and might be heading over to "Dancing with the Stars?" You`re going to find out next in tonight`s "Hot Headlines." We`ve also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It us to be Brad Pitt, but we`re done with him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you done with him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re very upset with him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Can`t get enough of Brad and Angelina? Does J-Lo shift you into high gear? You could actually have a sickness. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a revealing look at Celebrity Worship Syndrome.
HAMMER: And will Tom Cruise be cruising over to NASCAR? Tonight, how is his belief in scienceology possibly coming to a racetrack near you? That`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(NEWSBREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a Friday night. Thirty minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Welcome to the weekend. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
A.J., soon we might see a few couches at the racetrack -- the car racetrack, and maybe a little bit of Tom Cruise couch -jumping. It`s possible.
HAMMER: Really?
ANDERSON: Who knows? His religion, scientology, is coming to NASCAR, and we`re going to explain it coming up.
HAMMER: Looking forward to that.
Also, of course, the summer movie season is on. Some big highly anticipated releases coming out this weekend. "Cars" among them, the animated film. Also, "The Prairie Home Companion" movie. But how are they? Worth your money? We`ll find out when we get the reviews coming up in just a couple of moments.
But first, tonight do you remember this song? You`re my obsession. Talking about obsessions of the celebrity kind here, whether it`s baby news, maybe a breakup, maybe a reunion or a bust-up. When a celebrity makes news, their fans listen, they read, they scan for all of the little details, looking online, checking out the blogs. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been obsessing about this all week. We`re going to speak with a couple of experts on the topic, Dr. Drew Pinsky and Dr. Judy Kuriansky in just a moment.
But first, let`s hit the streets to investigate your celebrity obsessions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Fans obsessing about celebrities is nothing new. Just look at the covers of all these tabloid magazines. What is it about Brad Pitt`s eyes? Why does the Material Mom still matter to even middle- aged men? How come Britney Spears` baby belly is getting just as much attention as her eye-popping days on stage? And how is it that gazillionaire Donald Trump can still make women go ga-ga?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT isn`t waxing poetic about some passing fad. In fact, we sent SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny Ditomo (ph) to Madame Tussaud`s Wax Museum to find some celeb-obsessed fans.
Now, Lindsay Lohan doesn`t make this guy`s cut. But megastar Madonna still makes his day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, Madonna, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who couldn`t, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. I just like to see her in concert, you know?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly. I don`t have any tickets, I`m sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, man.
HAMMER: And Jennifer Lopez may have launched the big-bottom craze years ago, but that hasn`t stopped this guy from being, well, a little obsessed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have the deep, dark celebrity obsession that you could share with us?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Jennifer Lopez.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, you said that without missing a beat.
What is it about her that you are so obsessed about?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know. The music, the movies. I don`t know what it is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The butt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s probably it.
HAMMER: Even George Lucas, who directed the biggest movie ever, "Star Wars," says history is full of obsessed fans.
GEORGE LUCAS, DIRECTOR: It`s always been like that. If you go back in history, you know it`s always been that way.
HAMMER: You got that right, George. Check out these guys.
And maybe it`s not just the stardom fans are obsessed with, but the big bucks. Like, maybe a billionaire.
Take Donald Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he`s shareable.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His money is, that`s for sure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh he`s got enough.
HAMMER: And if you think what celebs do every minute behind closed doors doesn`t turn an obsessed fan into a non-fan - well, think again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It used to be Brad Pitt, but we`re (ph) done with him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you done with him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I`m very upset with him. It`s all about Matthew McConaughey now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh.
Will you ever be able to forgive Brad Pitt?
UNIDENTIFIE FEMALE: Probably not. No, we`ve moved on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So what`s the deal? Where does this insatiable appetite for all this celebrity come from?
Well, joining us from Hollywood, Dr. Drew Pinksy.
And with me here in New York, Dr. Judy Kuriansky.
Thank you both for being with us. Drew, nice to see you.
Judy, I have been interviewing celebrities for over 20 years.
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: You have.
HAMMER: I`ve been at this game for awhile. I understand that there is this celebrity obsession. But honestly, I`ve never quite understood why. Why do we all want to know everything there is to know about Brad and Angelina, Tom and Katie, Kevin and Britney?
KURIANSKY: Because we all want to be rich, famous and beautiful, and they have it.
There`s an interesting twist to it though that I think is very important psychologically. And that is that many times they have the same problems that we do, but it`s good to know that because you can empathize with Jennifer Aniston. She`s won, really, in the popularity contest over Angelina because people feel sorry for (INAUDIBLE).
So if - if she could be rejected like that - and Heather Locklear - if she could be dumped by Richie Sambora, and he runs off with Denise Richards, then my life isn`t so horrible.
HAMMER: Yes, it can make us feel a little bit better about .
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KURIANSKY: Exactly. That`s why.
HAMMER: Dr. Drew, I mean it - Dr. Drew, is it - is it a little bit about just living vicariously through someone else?
DR. DREW PINKSY, HOST "LOVELINE": Sure. I mean, when identifying with a bigger-than-life character, it makes you feel better about yourself. You know, it really becomes a problem (INAUDIBLE) - obsession really means it`s something distressing. And not only do people get obsessed, but they can become delusional about these relationships, they can begin stalking and they become quite dangerous.
So really you have to assess whether or not this is something affecting your life, the substituting of real relationships. Or is it just sort of a hobby you do to amuse yourself, to sort of arouse yourself and feel good in the moment.
HAMMER: And when it really does start to affect your life, there`s - there`s now actually a variety of clinical terms that are applied to it, including celebrity worship syndrome. Basically, your fantasy world and your reality world are colliding.
So Judy, when it is crossing that line. Like, what is so wrong with wanting to be just like J.Lo?
KURIANSKY: Well, I - see - I - this could be controversial, but I don`t think there`s anything wrong with it. You can use that as an inspiration for you to say, you know what? I could do something to make myself look that gorgeous. I could feel about myself - this is what I always advise to people - and Drew have done similar kinds of shows over these years, and interviewed celebrities, too.
So I always say to people, know what J.Lo feels like. Feel what your star feels like, and go around the world feeling that way inside yourself, which is that, I`m neat (ph), I deserve this. Feel good about yourself. And I think that`s good.
It`s gotten worse, though, because "American Idol" shows you could be anybody and you could be a star overnight. And people log onto the Internet, they look on their iPods (INAUDIBLE). You can, you know, use your cell phone and tune into celebrities` lives all the time. So therefore, it`s more accessible, and that has escalated celebrity worship.
HAMMER: OK. But you have also accentuated some of the positives of that.
And Drew - I mean, it - there is this syndrome that is out there, which - which does sound a little extreme, but it does really exist.
PINKSY: Yes. It`s been studied quite a bit lately, in fact. And really, the way to know you`re in trouble is if there`s anything about your sense of the relationship with that bigger-than-life other that is disconnected from reality. Do you believe that they know you from afar? Do you believe there`s some sort of romantic attraction? Do you believe that if you were to actually to meet them, there would be some sort of relationship that pre-existing.
And, by the same token, if those relationships are substituting for things in your real life, that is the point at which it`s a sign of a psychiatric syndrome.
HAMMER: And in addition to those ways, it can manifest itself in other ways. I mean, I - we`ve all seen these shows, or heard about the shows where people want to have plastic surgery to look like their favorite celebrity.
KURIANSKY: Right. Now that it takes a little bit too far, because actually people have said Michael Jackson wanted to look like Diana Ross, and that that`s exactly what - you know, what he said about (INAUDIBLE)
HAMMER: Mission not accomplished.
KURIANSKY: Right. And people have been stalked - I`ve been stalked myself, too. And people, you know, develop this sense of being close to you.
So, I think Drew`s totally right; that there is, in fact, that line where you lose control of the difference between reality and fantasy. But I think since you`ve the word "celebrity worship," and it can go into what we call erotomania, which is another phrase for it - eroto meaning "about love," and that it`s, you know, manic about love - is that, turn that celebrity worship into worshipping yourself.
HAMMER: But before you can do that, Drew, can it lead to depression if it gets out of control?
PINKSY: Well, I`m not so sure it`s been documented to lead to depression so much as to be associated with syndromes like bipolar manic depressing, where people go into hypomanic stage and they start having crazy beliefs about the people they`re very obsessed with.
So, yes - and by the same token, very often the people in terms of profiling the kind of person that truly becomes obsessed, they can often be very, very lonely people.
KURIANSKY: I would agree with that. I mean, I think there`s definitely small group that are lonely, that do get depressed, that do get out of control. They stalk, you know, David Letterman and then the woman goes to his house and thinks he`s in love with her. And there`s no question that that`s a problem.
But I think if you`re going to, you know, watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, you`re going to read the "Star" magazines and "People" magazines that you had around before, use them positively to say, This is another aspect of life. How can I be this way? I admire this. They`re just like me. I think people feel good about - Britney Spears is dropping her baby, it makes people feel, Oh my God, well she`s so real. And then they - all their emotions get worked up.
I think it`s a way of talking about yourself. When you talk about a celebrity to your friends, it`s a way of talking about yourselves. So if you`re going to be discussing, Oh, she dropped her baby, she`s not a good mother, then - then you turn it around and say, Can I be a good mother?
PINKSY: Right. Right. And A.J. if I could.
HAMMER: Yes, real quickly, Drew. I have - we`re running out of.
PINKSY: Real quick - I just - I just actually completed the first study on celebrities that`s ever been published. It`s going to come out in a couple months. I think you`ll be surprised to be find out celebrities are not quite exactly like us. They come to their celebrity with a certain amount of baggage.
HAMMER: And that`s going to be interesting to talk about, because we - we definitely have seen a lot of celebrities who come from really bad places.
I got to wrap it up there, Judy.
KURIANSKY: Absolutely.
HAMMER: I`m out of time. Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Dr. Drew Pinsky, always a pleasure to see you both. I appreciate you being with us. And you can see Dr. Drew on the Discovery Health Network in late July.
ANDERSON: It`s time now for tonight`s "Hot Headlines." For that, we go to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas. She joins us again from Hollywood - Sibila.
VARGAS: Thanks, Brooke.
Well, the Dixie Chicks are not ready to make nice. And in some cities, people don`t seem to ready to see them play.
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VARGAS: The Chicks` album sales are soaring, but their Accidents and Accusations tour is reportedly somewhat up in the air. "Billboard" magazine says that shows in some cities like Houston, Memphis and Indianapolis are up in the air. The group says on its Web site that reports of cancellations are false. "Billboard" says the tour will probably have to be at least reorganized somewhat, and expect an announcement next week.
Well, Vivica Fox is getting ready to lace up her dancing shoes. The "Kill Bill" star has reportedly signed on to appear in the next season of "Dancing With the Stars." That`s right. The hit reality show is scheduled to return in mid-September.
And after nearly nine years and more than 2,000 shows, Meredith Vieira has said goodbye to "The View." The show sent her off with a roast, including guest appearances from Kelsey Grammer and Joan Rivers. Vieira starts on the "Today" show in September.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines," Brooke, back to you.
ANDERSON: And September is when Rosie starts on "The View." Sibila Vargas, thanks so much.
And that leads us again to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": Meredith Vieira leaves, will you still watch "The View"? Keep voting, cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us. Here`s the address: showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to read some of your e-mails on Mondays.
HAMMER: Well, just when you thought reality television had scraped the bottom of the barrel, here comes the cats. We`re going to tell you what`s up coming up in "That`s Ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: Plus, scientology is already a driving force in many celebrities` lives. Now it`s getting into NASCAR. What? We`re going to explain coming up.
We`ll also have this:
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HAMMER: The animated "Cars" zooms into theaters this weekend, featuring Owen Wilson and a cast of other famous voices. But should you race off to see it? Find out next, in "Picks and Pans."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three, and stand by to break, master. Roll in (ph) and fade black.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Speaking about provocative, listen to this: It`s another story that just made us say, "That`s Ridiculous!" Be prepared now to see some cat fights on reality TV. No, really, I`m not kidding. There`s this new reality show for Animal Planet; it`s going to feature 10 cats living in a house competing for a job with Meow Mix cat food. Does it get better than this?
"Meow Mix House" is the name of the show. Of course it is. And it`s meant to be a kind of tongue-in-cheek situation. But wait, there`s more. We got an actual press release for the launch party about the show. The launch-party release says that reality stars from shows like "The Bachelor," "Survivor," "The Apprentice" and "Joe Millionaire" all showing up for this thing.
Now "That`s Ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: A.J., what is the world coming to? Human reality stars, animal reality stars - what will that conversation be like, I wonder?
HAMMER: I - I don`t know. But as the cats get eliminated, are they going to show up, like, on our show or on the "Today" show to talk about, or meow about it?
ANDERSON: Maybe - you can bet there won`t be any steak knives in that house, right, A.J.? OK.
Moving now to the controversial church of scientology, it`s putting its message on the fast track, literally. Scientology, which includes Tom Cruise among its most famous members, is now putting its stamp on a NASCAR team.
Driver Kenton Gray will attempt to ignite his potential, as scientologists say, in this race car on the NASCAR track. We did hear the car`s sponsor publishes scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard`s bestseller "Dianetics."
And joining us tonight from Los Angeles are the owner of the car, Grant Cardone, and Mark McKinstry of Bridge Publications, the publisher of the "Dianetics" book.
Thank you both for joining us. We appreciate it.
GRANT CARDONE, FREEDOM MOTORSPORTS: Thank you very much.
MARK MCKINSTRY, BRIDGE PUBLICATIONS: Thank you.
ANDERSON: All right. Mark, I`m going to begin with you.
NASCAR nation is huge, as we all know. And we`ve seen for detergents, for drugs, for beer. But we don`t typically see religion on the racetrack.
What`s going on here?
MCKINSTRY: Well, we`ve been involved in sports marketing, really, for 20 years - a variety of different sports. And Kent actually raced for us in 2001; he`s a motorcycle racer. We had a "Dianetics" motorcycle-racing team. He`s always had a dream to be in NASCAR, and he approached us with the idea. And we jumped at it.
You know, we have a - a bestselling book, and we feel that NASCAR is a great market for us.
ANDERSON: Now Grant, you`re a scientologist, correct?
CARDON: That`s - that`s right.
ANDERSON: What do you say to those people who criticize and say, Hey, NASCAR and scientology just shouldn`t mix?
CARDONE: Well, I have personally never heard anybody say that they don`t mix. I hear NASCAR and the people in racing and the league that we`re in right now interested and excited. I mean, we have negotiations right now going on with a major racing team that`s interested in a partnership with us. So.
ANDERSON: Well, then let me ask you this. OK, I understand - but let me ask you this - I.
CARDONE: Right.
ANDERSON: Some people may say you`re prosthelytizing here. A hypothetical, a parent takes a kid to the racetrack to see a racecar competition, and then sees "Dianetics," scientology, an ad, and then asks a question that the parents may think their kid`s not ready for.
I - what do you say to that? Is there not a problem, or a conflict of interest there?
CARDONE: This is the best-selling self-help book in the world. I speak to thousands and thousands of people every year about improving their business, improving their sales. People are interested in the mind. They`re interested in how they can improve their life. "Dianetics" is a way for a person to improve their mind and not react in life, not react in their marriage, not react in business. To really create the kind of life they want.
So this is a great alignment for us. One, we`re running a business - Freedom Motorsports cars to win races - and number two, "Dianetics" is our sponsor. And that book helps people. It helped me in my life at 26 years old.
ANDERSON: And help people at a racetrack?
CARDONE: It can introduce the - the book itself to people at a racetrack, just like any other product.
ANDERSON: I see.
CARDONE: .is introduced.
ANDERSON: OK.
CARDONE: ...introduced at - at the track.
ANDERSON: OK, I understand it.
And Mark, Tom Cruise, obviously, one of the most famous scientologists out there. He`s dabbled in race car driving. Can we expect to see him at the track, maybe supporting the team? Even behind the wheel himself? You never know with Tom.
MCKINSTRY: Well we have a driver, Kenton Gray. And he`s obviously welcome to come to the track. But right now, Kent`s our driver, that`s our team. And our whole purpose here is to introduce people to "Dianetics," let them see the tools that it has. They can use it for themselves.
ANDERSON: Grant, first race coming up in a few weeks.
CARDONE: Right.
ANDERSON: How`s the team looking?
CARDONE: We look good. We look good. We`re excited; we`re very excited. We appreciate you guys taking the time to interview us. And - look - we want to get you T-shirts and hats and get you on the team.
ANDERSON: All right. Well thanks so much for the offer. Mark McKinstry from Bridge Publications, Grant Cardone from Freedom Motorsports, thank you both for being here and sharing this with us. We appreciate it.
And the "Dianetics" car will be in its first race on June 22.
HAMMER: The weekend is here, finally. Time to check out "The Showbiz Guide." And tonight, for "People Picks and Pans" new movies, we`re talking about the animated film "Cars"; "A Prairie Home Companion"; and the documentary "The Heart of the Game." They`re all in theaters today.
And joining me here in New York to go through all of them, Leah Rozen, film critic for "People" magazine.
Let`s talk about one of these films that when the summer-movies previews were all being released, everybody was saying, "Cars," that`s going to be one of this summer`s big hits, an animated flicks.
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: And I`m guessing it will be.
This is from the folks at Pixar - "Toy Story," "The Incredibles," "Finding Nemo" - they know what they`re doing. Kids like these movies, adults like these movies, and it`s set with racing cars. So, you know, NASCAR dads are going to go.
It`s a lot of fun. "Cars" is a lot of fun. It`s very satisfying. It`s basically better than pretty much any other movie out there.
HAMMER: Really?
ROZEN: That said, it`s not quite up to that Pixar standard.
HAMMER: Uh-oh.
ROZEN: It doesn`t really have the emotional heft that, say, "Finding Nemo" did. And part of that problem is the cars themselves. Cars - all the characters are cars. And, you know, cars just don`t anthropomorphize as well as, say, animals or toys. They - windshields are not that expressive, A.J.
HAMMER: Anthropomorphize - our word of the day, Leah.
OK, well then let`s move on to another highly anticipated film, "Prairie Home Companion," all-start cast with Meryl Streep, Lindsay Lohan, Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson - how great is it?
ROZEN: It`s a lot of fun if you`re a fan of Garrison Keillor`s "Prairie Home Companion" radio show. I am. I thoroughly enjoyed the film. I had a smile on my face the whole time.
It`s a whisp of a movie, though. I think if you`re someone who doesn`t like the radio show, you`re just going to be sitting there going, Huh?
HAMMER: Oh really?
ROZEN: When is something going to happen?
So I would issue that advisory before telling you to go.
HAMMER: And finally this week, a documentary is opening up. It`s "The Heart of the Game." It`s about a basketball team against all kinds of odds, and Ludacris is the narrator on this.
ROZEN: He is. It`s a girls` basketball team in Seattle.
I love this film. I loved "The Heart of the Game." Documentary - you`re following this incredibly competitive girls` basketball team with this inspiring coach. You`re watching particularly one player overcome this sort of amazing odds. It does everything a documentary is supposed to do. You have a great compelling story, terrifically vivid characters, and it`s all real.
HAMMER: And the Ludacris narration adds to it?
ROZEN: Yes, he`s got a nice-sounding voice.
HAMMER: All right. Very good. Leah Rozen, we thank you, as always.
And as always, for more "Picks and Pans," grab your copy of "People" magazine. You`ll find it on newsstands now.
ANDERSON: Last night, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": Brangelina baby photos: will you pay to see them?
Look at this; very one-sided. 6 percent of you said yes, 94 percent of you said no.
Some of the e-mails we received:
Robyn from Maine writes: "My gosh, it`s just a baby. I didn`t this kind of publicity when I carried and delivered twins."
Aminata from Washington writes - and please forgive me if I mispronounced your name: "I`d buy the pictures because the money is going to her humanitarian efforts. Besides, I love both of them."
Thank you so much for your e-mails.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right back.
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ANDERSON: It`s time for the "Entertainment Weekly `Must List.`" Now here are five things "EW" says you have to check out this week:
First, make sure to catch the World Cup 2006. It`s kicking off in Germany.
Next, check out the Season 1 DVD of National Geographic Channel`s reality show "The Dog Whistler," as Cesar Millan works his impressive magic on troubled canines.
Then, pick up a copy of "But Enough About Me" by Jancee Dunn. It`s a hilarious memoir of her life as a writer for "Rolling Stone" magazine.
"EW" also says to watch the return of FOX`s culinary boot camp show "Hell`s Kitchen"
And finally, "EW" says to check out Matthew Sweet`s two-disc re- release of his album "Girlfriend."
For more on the "Must List," pick up your copy of "Entertainment Weekly." It`s on newsstands now.
HAMMER: Let`s take a look at what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Monday. Here`s your "SHOWBIZ Marquee":
And on Monday, celebrity mommies Britney Spears and other famous moms learning the ropes of motherhood in the spotlight. It`s got to be tough. We`re going to look into how celebrity mommies fare under all the scrutiny Monday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also Monday, Rosie Perez`s very personal documentary about being Puerto Rican. Jimmy Smits narrates the moving look at what it means to be from Puerto Rico. Rosie Perez and Jimmy Smits join us Monday in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Have a festive weekend. I am A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Thanks for watching everybody. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Keep it here for more from CNN Headline News.
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