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Showbiz Tonight
Too Much Terror?; Publicist-Media War
Aired August 10, 2006 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Mel Gibson`s shocking anti-Semitic rant turns into a political battle.
I`m A.J. Hammer.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And Marilyn Monroe reincarnated? Total nonsense or could it actually be real?
I`m Brooke Anderson.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, terror alert.
MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: British authorities have arrested 21 individuals.
HAMMER: Tonight, painful reminders of September 11th in real life, on TV, and at the movies.
NICOLAS CAGE, ACTOR, "WORLD TRADE CENTER": We`ve got to evacuate the tower.
Who`s coming?
Step forward.
HAMMER: As Oliver Stone`s World Trade Center opens nationwide, is today`s terror news bad news for the film?
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know, do all these 9/11 movies and TV shows put you on edge?
Spinning the truth? They insist Jen and Vince are getting married. Her people say, no way.
Tonight, the every day dish and deny battle between Hollywood publicists and the media. Who`s right? Who`s wrong? And why do we let them get away with it?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with this star-studded war of words.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson.
Will time ever heal the wounds of September 11th? Just as Oliver Stone`s movie "World Trade Center" opens this week comes another grim reminder of 9/11 to raise our terror anxiety. The news today that a major terrorist plot has been busted. You can hardly get away from it on TV today, and it all can sometimes seem like too much.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD O`BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The plan was to blow up flights that were headed for the United States.
ANDERSON (voice over): The world woke up to some chilling news on their television, the startling news of a foiled terror plot that had become dangerously close to becoming an international tragedy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Had this plot been carried out, the loss of life to innocent civilians would have been on an unprecedented scale.
ANDERSON: And you could not turn on a television without getting every single horrifying detail of the foiled attack on British planes heading for the U.S.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This news has complete coverage of the airline terror plot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Information from those arrests convinced British investigators to act immediately.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This would dramatically change American travel.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Al Qaeda has become franchised, if you will, around the world.
BOB THOMPSON, POP CULTURE PROFESSOR, SYRACUSE UNIV.: Whenever one of these stories breaks, of course, you are made skittish all over again.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that this is one of those eerie cases when life and art collide in an uncomfortable way. The news of what could have been the biggest terror attack since 9/11 came just one day after a major movie about that tragedy hit theaters.
CAGE, "WORLD TRADE CENTER": We`ve got to evacuate the tower.
ANDERSON: Oliver Stone`s "World Trade Center" is what some are calling a disturbing and realistic story about the events of September 11th. And even if you didn`t plan on reliving one of the worst days in U.S. history at the movies, good luck avoiding "World Trade Center." Commercials for the movie are everywhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "World Trade Center," rated PG 13.
ANDERSON (on camera): It used to be that one came here to the movies to escape from the stress and fears of the real world. But now as the film "World Trade Center" hits theaters while terror plots unfolds in the real world, it almost seems that there`s no escaping at all from the horrors of terrorism.
(voice over): Not only do we have major motion pictures on terrorism like "World Trade Center" and "United 93" earlier this year...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "UNITED 93": We have a plane headed toward the capital.
ANDERSON: ... you see terrorism for trade on TV shows like "24."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "24": Was Air Force One just hit?
ANDERSON: And now real-life terror plots dissected over and over again on TV.
BROOKS: We`re still experimenting with different mixes of this peroxide-based explosive.
ANDERSON: With terrorism fears, terrorism plots, and terrorism talk all over the place, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wanted to know from people who are watching this, is this too much terrorism for us to handle?
(on camera): How does it make you feel permanently about terrorism?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does scare me. Actually, I try not to think about it. Ignorance is bliss. You know?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I turn it on, and it`s just everywhere.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It makes you feel useless, and also, it makes you feel as if hopeless, there`s nothing you can do.
DR. GAIL SALTZ, PSYCHIATRIST: Terrorism is terrifying.
ANDERSON: Psychiatrist Gail Saltz tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that people still traumatized by 9/11 might want to be careful what they expose themselves to.
SALTZ: If you`re an anxious type of person, this kind of thing gets to you -- you probably do know who you are -- then you really best stay away from this kind of thing. Maybe you have to read your news and not watch your news, or you have to watch it once and not watch it over and over again. And maybe this isn`t the movie for you.
THOMPSON: September 11th, terrorism, all of these things are in the air of our culture.
ANDERSON (voice over): Pop culture professor Robert Thompson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that you can put all of this terrorism talk in perspective if you remember that it`s just a sign of the times.
THOMPSON: That means movies are going to be coming out. It means news stories are going to be coming out. This is one of the major themes of 21st century American life, like civil rights and the Cold War in Vietnam were the major themes of the later part of the 20th century. All kinds of things are going to constantly be surrounding us that deal with the theme of terrorism because it is the theme of America.
ANDERSON: And the theme of terrorism looks like one we will have to deal with for a while to come.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Even with real-life terrorism on the news, there may still be an appetite for 9/11 movies. According to boxofficemojo.com, the new film "World Trade Center" has made $4 million after one day.
Coming up in a bit, Oliver Stone and Nicolas Cage tell us why it is important for us to remember 9/11.
We were the only entertainment news show Cage spoke with. That revealing interview a little later on.
HAMMER: So, is all this terror on TV and at the movies just too much to take?
Linda Stasi is a TV writer at "The New York Post," and Tom Roston is a senior editor at "Premiere" magazine.
Both joining me here in New York.
I appreciate you joining us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
So, Linda, you have been quite outspoken about terror on TV and in the movies, particularly as it relates to 9/11. You are basically saying to Hollywood, we don`t need any reenactments.
What basically is at issue for you with 9/11-themed movies?
LINDA STASI, TV WRITER, "THE NEW YORK POST": Well, I mean, for all of us reporters who lived through 9/11, who were here and saw, I mean, they did things like cancel the Emmy Awards in Hollywood because they thought Osama bin Laden couldn`t wait to come and attack them. And I don`t really care for people making money on 9/11 with scripted dramas.
No. There`s enough really good, solid documentaries.
I spent yesterday with a bunch of iron workers who are in this documentary called "Metal of Honor." Those are heroes. I don`t want to see actors pretending to be heroes, no.
Don`t make money on it. Go away. Go back to Hollywood. Do what you do best. And leave us alone.
That`s how I feel about it.
HAMMER: And there is no denying -- there`s no denying that New Yorkers like you and I have a certain sensitivity that perhaps the rest of the country doesn`t when it comes to September 11th.
And Tom, we can`t ignore the coincidence of today`s news of the terror plot just as the movie "World Trade Center" is opening up nationwide. That`s -- that`s hard to ignore.
Do you think that is going to perhaps keep people away from the movie? Maybe people feeling a little too sensitive about the topic right now?
TOM ROSTON, SR. EDITOR, "PREMIERE" MAGAZINE: I think New Yorkers are not going to be affected by it because New Yorkers pretty much know how they feel about this movie, about 9/11, and their reactions are our reactions, are in place.
Now, as far as my experience going across the country, is that the further you get away from Ground Zero, the more people forget and it touches fewer people. And I think a lot of people have forgotten what happened in 9/11, or they let it go away. And a lot of people`s attention and energy has been, I think, drawn to the war against Iraq. And this movie, I think, brings it back to what actually happened to human lives on 9/11.
HAMMER: Well, what do you think as it pertains first to this particular movie, Linda?
STASI: Well, I think that there are so many documentaries coming up now that actually talk to the real people who were there. As it pertains to 9/11, it`s very interesting that it would come out at the same time that this terror plot comes out.
I don`t think that`s happened since Chernobyl, when "The China Syndrome" came out at the same time. People were saying, "What, is this some kind of publicity stunt?"
I just find the whole thing distasteful to me. I don`t want people making money on this. I just don`t.
ROSTON: That sounds like an Oliver Stone conspiracy. I mean...
HAMMER: And that is a hard pill to swallow. But I have to say, and to Tom`s point a moment ago, when "United 93" was being released and I had to go see it for work, I went as a New Yorker. I went kicking and screaming. I didn`t want to see the movie. When I saw it and had a little space from having seen it, I was happy to have been reminded about things that I believe we have become complacent about.
Do you think that is a possible upside to a movie like this? And your newspaper gave it a glowing review and said it was sensitively handled.
STASI: I know. I know. I know everybody says it`s sensitively handled.
I can`t get the past the fact that it`s Hollywood and they are glamorizing. You know, and they`re -- and I understand it was done with taste.
It`s just, there`s so many real people out there and real documentaries about what really happened. I don`t need to see it in a scripted movie, and I don`t want to. And that might be close-minded to me.
And I agree with you, there was an -- I think it was an A&E movie which preceded "United 93" which was almost exactly the same movie. And I watched it kicking and screaming. It was very good. I just -- I just have no interest in the money-making aspect of this.
HAMMER: Well, real quickly -- and I have less than 30 seconds, Tom -- what about that? What -- is it OK for the movie studios and people to be making a movie off of what was a tragedy? It`s happened, you know, as long as movie-making has been going on.
ROSTON: Yes. I mean, I`m skeptical as anyone about someone making money off this -- this travesty. But story telling is important. You know, that`s why -- that`s why we have art.
We understand the world better through story telling and through art. And I think for me watching this movie gave me a better, more emotional response to something that happened five years ago, and I really appreciated it.
ANDERSON: Tom Roston and Linda Stasi, I really appreciate you being with us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
STASI: Thank you.
HAMMER: And that brings us to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day."
We want to hear from you on this: Reliving 9/11: Do the movies and TV shows make you anxious?
Get on line to vote at cnn.com/SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Got more to say? Please, send us e-mail at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: And Hollywood is reacting to the terror arrests today. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with actor Laurence Fishburne while promoting his upcoming movie "Fences" (ph).
Here`s what he had to say about today`s shocking news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURENCE FISHBURNE, ACTOR: We live in the post-9/11 world. This is the world we live in. This is the world that a lot of people in other parts and other countries of the world have been living in this kind of world for 35 years. And we have now joined that part of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Indeed, we have. And it`s a reminder, as President Bush said today, that we do live in a dangerous world.
All right.
Coming up, why "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell is steaming mad. This time he doesn`t want us to see dogs in heat.
Now, it`s not what you think. We`re going to explain.
HAMMER: Please do.
Also, a celebrity magazine says Jen and Vince are engaged. Her people say no way. Tonight, the everyday dish and deny battle between Hollywood publicists and the media.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with this star-studded war of words.
We`ve also got this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hers was a different twist. She said she had lived as Marilyn Monroe, for god`s sake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Marilyn Monroe reincarnated.
Tonight, a stunning claim that Marilyn Monroe is back in the body of a nightclub singer from Toronto. Yes, you can certainly call that provocative.
We`ll put this startling suggestion to the test.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Thursday night.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show is on.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And it`s time now for a little story that made us say, "That`s ridiculous!"
Now, we`ve all heard stories of hookups and breakups by text message. But what about getting fired? Well, that`s actually what happened to a 21- year-old U.K. woman. She took a sick day and then she turned on her cell phone and found out she was canned. Now, the company said it simply tried to reach her and wanted to spare her the embarrassment of coming to work and doing the deed there.
So, Brooke Anderson, I`m texting you right now. "Have you checked your text today?"
ANDERSON: You know, no, I haven`t. And I don`t think I want to after this story, A.J.
This is really ridiculous. And the company says it doesn`t usually fire employees by text message, but they just say they tried to reach her numerous times and couldn`t. So this is how they did it.
But we still say firing by a text...
HAMMER: "LOL."
ANDERSON: That`s right. No "LOL" here. "That`s ridiculous!"
Now, on to a war of words of a different source. It`s the one taking place between "US Weekly" magazine and one of the most powerful publicists in Hollywood.
"US" is reporting that Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn are engaged, a story the magazine stands by even though Aniston`s publicist, Stephen Huvane, says it`s absolutely untrue.
"US" isn`t backing down, though. On its Web site, they`ve posted a list of stories they claim Huvane denied and then those stories turned out to be true. It`s really getting ugly.
Joining me now from Hollywood, publicist Howard Bragman, founder of Fifteen Minutes PR. And here with me in New York, publicist Marvet Britto, founder of The Britto Agency.
Thank you both for being here.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PR: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: All right, Marvet, I will begin with you. You have represented the likes of celebrities like Mariah Carey. Let`s say -- this is hypothetical, of course -- the magazine calls you and says, "Hey, we have heard such and such about your client." They are going on a source, they say.
Say that you know it is indeed true. What do you do? Do you deny that it`s true?
MARVET BRITTO, FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, THE BRITTO AGENCY: You don`t deny that it`s true. It`s better just to tell the truth in order to preserve your character and integrity as a publicist. All you have as a publicist is your credibility.
ANDERSON: So it`s an ethical choice?
BRITTO: Absolutely. Absolutely. So, it`s better to tell the truth and then try to navigate the way that the information is exposed to the public.
ANDERSON: Or we get the "no comment" a lot.
BRITTO: Yes, but the "no comment" is typically -- there`s always a comment. Either it`s -- you know, it`s true or it`s not. There`s no...
ANDERSON: So the "no comment" typically means it`s true.
BRITTO: It`s true, absolutely.
ANDERSON: OK.
Well, Howard, are there times in this business where not necessarily you or Marvet, but another publicist may have no choice but to deny something? Say it`s something that could be very, very damaging, even though the publicist knows it`s true and simply hopes it never comes out?
BRAGMAN: Well, first of all, we`re retained by our clients, not the media outlets. And our first loyalty is really to our clients. And so we have denied things, but I think the few times that I`ve had to do it, it`s been a really good reason.
I think of one, I had a client who had a health issue and one of the tabloids had gotten his records from the hospital and knew the results of his test before his doctor called him. And, you know, he had some issues to discuss with his family, and, of course, we had to deny it. He had the right to talk to his family in the way he wanted to before he read it in the paper.
ANDERSON: Of course. Yes, that seems like a special case.
So you are saying, though, that when your -- when your client says, "Hey, tell them it`s not true," even though it is, you have loyalty to that client. You have to do what the client says?
BRAGMAN: The publicist and the client relationship is a very close one. You spend a lot of time together, and you do have to -- ultimately, you have to listen to your client or decide not to work with that client, but you really want to encourage the client, you don`t want to be seen as a liar or it hurts your credibility and it ultimately hurts your client, too. And you`re not going to get back at the media the next time you need to go in and tell the truth about something. Nobody`s going to believe you.
So you`ve got to be careful.
ANDERSON: Good point.
You know, the battle between "US" magazine and Jennifer Aniston`s publicist, Marvet, is getting really ugly. And "US" magazine took extraordinary steps to where they printed on the Web site stories that they claim Huvane denied, Jennifer Aniston`s publicist denied, and then ultimately they turned out to be true.
BRITTO: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Have you ever seen a celebrity magazine go after a high- powered publicist like this?
BRITTO: Well, they`re going after him because of his track record. Obviously, they were able to look back at the history that he`s had with them and said, you know, nine out of nine times he`s told us that it wasn`t true it absolutely was true. So their lawyers are probably banking on the fact that he`s not credible. And they can take the chance that, you know, look at the odds and look at his track record.
So it absolutely determines your reputation, whereas if you were a publicist who was credible and known for telling the truth, chances are they wouldn`t run with a story because they`d likely be deemed as, you know, liars and not a credible publication for taking, you know, such a risky chance. That`s a very risky chance.
But, you know, with him, it`s almost like, who`s going to ever trust him? Who`s going to ever believe him? All you have in this business is your word and is your credibility.
ANDERSON: And you want to seem reliable to everybody.
BRITTO: Absolutely. You need to preserve that.
ANDERSON: Exactly.
BRITTO: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Now, Howard, let`s talk about this Mel Gibson mess for a second. OK, he gets busted, the story leaks.
BRAGMAN: OK.
ANDERSON: But it took several days to really come out with a statement about what actually happened during his DUI arrest. This is in huge contrast to what Robin Williams did. He controlled the news, issued the statement early, and just headed it off early, said, hey, I`m going into rehab after being sober for 20 years. I`ve had a relapse.
You know, today that story has all but gone away.
Did the Mel Gibson fiasco change the way the game is played?
BRAGMAN: I don`t think it did at all. I think you have to look at the differences between Mel Gibson and Robin Williams.
I mean, Robin is a beloved figure. Every group loves him in the world because he`s always stood for the underdog. And he did it right.
He went into rehab, put out a statement, and then he was done. And he didn`t disparage anybody on his way into rehab. He wasn`t caught in a moment. He actually caught himself before he had a driving incident or another incident that might have prompted a little more media attention. So it was handled in the best way possible for a bad situation.
ANDERSON: Yes, it was. And we shall see what happens going forward with this "US" magazine feud that is happening right now.
Marvet Britto, Howard Bragman, thank you both so much.
HAMMER: A reminder that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now on seven nights a week. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show can now be found on your weekends.
So please join us, won`t you, for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT not only Monday through Friday, but Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 Pacific.
ANDERSON: All right.
Matthew McConaughey, used car salesman? Someone had the chance to get this sexy star out of their dreams and into his car. Find out how, next.
HAMMER: Also, ready for this? Marilyn Monroe, reincarnated. That`s right.
Tonight, a stunning claim that Marilyn Monroe is back in the body of a nightclub singer from Toronto. Can`t wait to see that.
Plus, we`ve got this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON COWELL, "AMERICAN IDOL": Maybe some people are surprised that I like animals, but there`s a bit of a difference between telling someone who`s a useless singer, "You`re a useless singer" to drowning a puppy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Why is "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell so angry? It`s not because Paula Abdul kissed him again. A surprising side of Simon you haven`t seen.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tomorrow, celebrity cheaters watch out, because Vinnie Parko might be spying on you. This PI tracks down adulterers, and it`s all caught on tape. Vinnie Parko, Private Eye, tomorrow.
ANDERSON: So, how much would you be willing to pay to buy a used car from one of "People" magazine`s sexiest men alive? No, that`s not a trick question or a setup to a bad joke.
Take a look at this. Someone just bought Matthew McConaughey`s 1971 Corvette Stingray convertible on eBay -- there`s Matthew -- and it`s all for a good cause.
McConaughey auctioned off the classic car to raise money for Oprah Winfrey`s Angel Network which helps people still recovering from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Seventy-two bids came in, and the winner, whose name hasn`t been revealed, will pay $61,600.
HAMMER: Bongo drums not included.
Well, today`s terror alert brings back painful 9/11 memories.
Coming up, we are going to chat with Oliver Stone and Nicolas Cage about their controversial new movie about that terrible day, "World Trade Center."
ANDERSON: Also, why is "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell so angry? He`s asking, "Who let the dogs out?" But it`s not what you think.
We`ll explain coming up.
We also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hers was a different twist. She said she had lived as Marilyn Monroe, for god`s sake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is Marilyn back? We`ll tell you on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Brooke, let me ask you something: do you miss Simon Cowell?
ANDERSON: Ah. I mean, maybe sometimes.
HAMMER: It`s been a couple of months since "American Idol"`s been on the air. It`ll be awhile before it returns.
Well, Simon Cowell is back, and he`s doing something nice...
ANDERSON: Yes, he is.
HAMMER...which might surprise a few people. We will show you exactly what he`s doing. You will not want to miss it. In just a few.
ANDERSON: That`s right. We`ll have that coming up.
And also, A.J., a truly unbelievable claim that Marilyn Monroe has been reincarnated as a nightclub singer in Toronto.
HAMMER: Why not?
ANDERSON: We`ll give you a second (INAUDIBLE) that one. We will talk to the woman who claims she is Marilyn back from the dead, coming up.
HAMMER: Can`t wait.
ANDERSON: But first, Oliver Stone`s new 9/11 movie "World Trade Center" just opened yesterday. And with the world on high alert because of a scary terrorist plot to blow up planes, you got to ask: Will be able to stomach the harsh reality of the film.
Star Nicolas Cage and Oliver Stone have said all along they knew they had to treat the subject matter with sensitivity.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT produce Jenny D`attoma sat down with them, and she`s here with more.
Jenny, they really opened up to you, didn`t they?
JENNY D`ATTOMA, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT PRODUCER: They certainly did, Brooke.
Actor Nick Cage decided against talking to every other entertainment news show except SHOWBIZ TONIGHT because of the nature of the film. And when I sat down with him and director Oliver Stone, it became very clear to me how much this film means to both of them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OLIVER STONE, DIRECTOR: It`s a 9/11 film that is detailed, accurate, based on true events and real participants who survived. It`s an amazing story, never been told. Never seen a story like it. The rescue itself is so improbable. And the lives are - have never been quite treated like this. So it`s all different.
I don`t think the director is - is the issue. If you like him, great. If you don`t, the film is better than the director.
NICOLAS CAGE, ACTOR: It was important, I think, to all of us to try to - to honor their story and to not bend it.
D`ATTOMA: Do you ever think that there will be a time when you can do a politically charged film about 9/11?
STONE: There`s no reason not to. I - I don`t want to be scared of anything in my life. Hopefully, I can move fearlessly into the next thing. I don`t think, perhaps, right now I would.
I`m very happy with this. This is my "Platoon," so to speak. It`s Ground Zero. There might be a follow-up, but not quite yet.
D`ATTOMA: Now I read somewhere that you were concerned about doing interviews for this - for this movie with entertainment shows because of the subject matter.
Is that true?
CAGE: It is, and that I don`t - I - I view the film as storytelling which depicts history. And I`m respectful of these people`s stories, and I do not see this as an opportunity to go on other shows that are entertainment-based to - to sort of sell it. I - I`m more about news show right now and about trying to treat this in - in the right fashion.
D`ATTOMA: Having done the film, having played this character, has it changed you?
CAGE: Absolutely. I - I had the most amazing experience I`ve ever had on any film.
When I was shooting the final scenes, and Oliver brought in the actual men, Scott Fox and Scott Strauss was helpful. And I would - I would - I would - I could hear their voices and the way they were touching me and how important it was them - to then to re-enact the memory, recall what they had actually been through to save John`s life. And it was like an electric current that went right through me. I though, Wow, there really are angels. These people are above and beyond. Their - their - their - their spirit is - is - is - is - is an incredibly powerful force to feel. And - and I would - it changed my life. Absolutely.
D`ATTOMA: What do you say to those people who don`t want to see this film?
STONE: What do you say?
CAGE: Don`t go. I mean, you know, it`s - it`s your right to go or not go.
I think that there is a lot of people who - young people who want answers, who want to see what - what was what experience like? I - you know, they - it was very traumatizing to view those events on television. I think the movie provides a healing mechanism. I think it`s - it - it provides answers (INAUDIBLE)
STONE: Well, it lets you see what`s going on inside. It`s very subjective. You don`t see the - the planes hit the towers. You see the buildings fall from the way John and Will experienced it. It was just terrifying.
But they make it, and they`re - you see - you live through them. And that`s the only way - that`s the only opening to the movie. How else do you start?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Now Jenny, you and I both saw the film, and coming from Oliver Stone, you know, I kind of expected a political movie. But it`s very unpolitical, I - I found it to be more of a - a tribute.
And you were exactly there, at the site, on the day of the September 11 attacks. How did watching the movie make you feel?
D`ATTOMA: You know, you relive that moment. It was a horrible day in our history. But at the end of the day, that movie is a story of survival, of those Port Authority police officers. And I - it`s - it`s a bit of an uplifting feeling at the end of the film, which I didn`t expect.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Hope (INAUDIBLE) the despair.
D`ATTOMA: Definitely. Yes.
ANDERSON: It`s - it`s a story of the human nature, I found. That - that people will step up to help others in times of need. And that is uplifting. Don`t you agree?
D`ATTOMA: Yes. (INAUDIBLE)
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny D`attoma, thanks so much. We appreciate it.
D`ATTOMA: Thank you. Great interview.
Maggie Gyllenhaal also stars in "World Trade Center." She places Allison Jimeno, the wife of one of the Port Authority police officers trapped beneath the rubble of the Twin Towers. Last year, she got a lot of people angry when she said - quote - "America has done reprehensible things and is responsible in some way for 9/11."
But with this emotional role, Maggie tells her thoughts have changed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL, ACTRESS: I think it has, yes. It was such a huge catastrophe that it was hard to keep in my mind as one thing almost. It was hard to really feel. And - and I think it has been used by all sorts of people to further different political agendas.
So that was also in my mind, too, as we began it - how do you avoid that and - and that - you know, it`s just all over the place. So actually playing it, and remembering that day and reliving that day as an individual, it did almost allow me to digest it in a way that I hadn`t been able to digest it before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Maggie also says she made sure that the real Allison Jimeno was OK with her playing the part.
HAMMER: Another slap in the face tonight for Mel Gibson. And how might have Mel`s alcoholism actually influenced Robin Williams? Those are just a couple of tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
With us tonight from Glendale, California, our friend Harvey Levin, the managing editor from TMZ.com.
Hello, Harvey.
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Hi, A.J.
HAMMER: All right. So the Mel Gibson effect, if I may it call that, seems to be unstoppable; not going away anytime soon. The latest story, a Republican state senator, Tom McClintock - he`s running for lieutenant governor - he`s decided to stop using a campaign-fundraising letter tied to Mel Gibson. Understandable, politicians would want to distance - distance themselves from this guy.
What happened here?
LEVIN: Well, I think McClintock is basically hedging his bets here.
Gibson wrote a letter say that he thinks he`s an extraordinary guy, that he ordinarily doesn`t support politicians, but he`s supporting him. It was being used as a fundraising letter. McClintock doesn`t want to use that letter because he`s afraid of the backlash.
What I find interesting, A.J., is from my vantage point, I`m not sure that Mel Gibson would hurt Tom McClintock, based on the comments that I`ve been seeing on TMZ and in other places. There are - there`s a lot of support still for Gibson.
HAMMER: And based on the surveys we`ve done here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, more of the same.
But the interesting thing about this story, of course, the Democrats now have to get involved. We have California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres who`s saying, If this guy McClintock really wants to put his money where his mouth is, so to speak, he should basically return all the money raised by that letter - which, you know, I find hard to be even realistic.
LEVIN: Well, that`s just - that all transcends - that transcends what`s going on with Mel Gibson. And that just has to do with California politics, which is zany to begin with.
HAMMER: Then let`s move on to another story tonight, and - and if I may use the Mel Gibson effect, possibly at work here again, Robin Williams...
LEVIN: Yes.
HAMMER: ...in another "Hot Headline," he dropped a bombshell on his fans. He`s entered rehab for alcohol addiction, something he`s dealt with before.
So do you think he came out and stayed ahead of this story because of what happened with Mel?
LEVIN: Well, I - you know, I think Mel Gibson helped. But, you know, I - it`s interesting in Hollywood - I mean, there`s - there`s traditionally been a lot of shame put on alcoholism. And I think, if anything, Hollywood is ahead of the curve. And they`re realizing, Hey, this is an addiction.
And Robin Williams has dealt with it before. He was successful dealing with it, and is unsuccessful now. And rather than trying to hide in shame, and he`s coming out and I - I don`t think it`s so much about Mel Gibson as it is the feeling in Hollywood that you shouldn`t hide from something like it`s a crime...
HAMMER: Sure.
LEVIN: ...when really what it is is an addiction.
HAMMER: And it really does, however, bring to mind - you know, obviously, and we`ve spoken with celebrities about what happened to Mel Gibson - you know they`re paying attention.
So, you know, I`ve slapped that label, the Mel Gibson effect on it, possibly not far from the truth, that people are paying attention and watching and say, Hey, I`d better really be a little more careful about things that I get involved with.
LEVIN: Yes, you know, I think you`re right on that. And I think the other way of looking at it is, You can kind of slip in under the radar because Mel Gibson is getting so much attention that everything else pales by comparison.
HAMMER: And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
Harvey Levin, managing editor of TMZ.com. Thanks as always, Harvey.
LEVIN: Bye, A.J.
ANDERSON: The Muppets go gonzo. Coming up, Kermit, Miss Piggy and company like you`ve never seen them before - or heard of them before. "That`s Ridiculous," and that`s next.
HAMMER: Also, why is "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell so angry? Maybe because somebody stole one of his black T-shirts. No, actually, it`s stranger than you might imagine.
We`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ADRIAN FINKELSTEIN, PSYCHIATRIST: Hers was a different twist. She said she had lived as Marilyn Monroe. (INAUDIBLE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Marilyn Monroe reincarnated? Tonight, a stunning claim that Marilyn Monroe is back. And get this - in the body of a nightclub singer from Toronto. We`re going to put this startling suggestion to the test. That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
And it`s time now for another story that quite frankly made us say "That`s Ridiculous!"
It`s time to play the music. It`s time to light up the lights. It`s time for - an X-rated "Muppet Show" tonight? You heard me right.
But say it ain`t so, Kermit. The creator of the Muppets and "Sesame Street" is putting on a show that`s for grown-ups only. The improv performance is happening at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. The Muppets apparently going to be doing the show during the day, and then these naughty ones at night. Apparently those - as those cranky old judges, Statler and Waldorf would say in the balcony booth, "We can`t watch this!"
Isn`t that what they said? "We can`t watch this."
ANDERSON: Yes, something like that.
You know, the director of this show is the son of Jim Henson. And he said that his dad would love something like this...
HAMMER: He`d be proud of his son`s...
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Yes, he said his dad had a sweet side, but he also had a very naughty side. So, who knows?
But a raunchy "Muppet Show"? We say, "That`s Ridiculous!"
OK, what if we told you that Marilyn Monroe is alive and well and living in Toronto? Well, you don`t buy it probably. Or do you?
OK, let`s try this: Marilyn Monroe has been reincarnated and living in Toronto. That is the remarkable claim by a doctor who has just written a book about it called, "Marilyn Monroe Returns: The Healing of the Soul."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Marilyn Monroe is a Hollywood legend. And more than 40 years after her death, she`s still one of the most imitated stars in the world.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with some examples:
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: You`ve got Madonna.
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: There`s Christina Aguilera.
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: And Anna Nicole Smith, just to name a few.
They may have tried to duplicate Marilyn`s look, but they can`t top this. It seems Marilyn Monroe may actually be alive again.
FINKELSTEIN: Hers are a different. She said she had lived as Marilyn Monroe.
ANDERSON: If you ask psychiatrist Dr. Adrian Finkelstein, he`ll tell you Marilyn Monroe has been reincarnated as a nightclub singer from Toronto named Sherrie Laird.
SHERRIE LAIRD, BELIVES SHE`S MONROE REINCARNATED: I was like, I don`t understand why I feel like I am this person.
ANDERSON: Sherrie Laird tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she always knew she lived another life before. But it wasn`t until she connected with Dr. Finkelstein that she became convinced that she has been reincarnated as Marilyn Monroe.
LAIRD: I was older when I found out about her, but I was very young when I started feeling about a past life.
ANDERSON: Finkelstein says he questioned Laird under hypnosis for eight years and is convinced that Laird is the real deal.
FINKELSTEIN: I`ve been trained as a - a psychiatrist to assess human behavior and to recognize somebody that`s a fake from somebody that`s genuine. And the way Sherrie came across to me the first when she approached me in 1998, it was, like, a trouble psyche seeking relief not notoriety.
ANDERSON: Sherrie Laird even claims she remembers details about Marilyn Monroe`s rumored affairs with John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert Kennedy.
LAIRD: I`ve seen the political things, and I`ve seen who talked more about politic things. And I`ve seen who was better in bed.
ANDERSON: Sound hard to believe? Decide for yourself.
Check out some of the recorded sessions when Laird is under hypnosis.
FINKELSTEIN: When did you first meet John F. Kennedy?
LAIRD: August 1954.
FINKELSTEIN: Were the two of you ever lovers, and if so, when did you first have sex with him?
LAIRD: It`s a car - someone`s driving.
FINKELSTEIN: Does it happen in 1954 or later?
LAIRD: Later,
FINKELSTEIN: When was the last time you saw John Kennedy?
LAIRD: First week of June.
FINKELSTEIN: What year?
LAIRD: 1962.
(CRYING)
LAIRD: Oh God. No, no...
FINKELSTEIN: What`s happening?
LAIRD: No...
ANDERSON: Laird says she was even surprised by her emotional outburst.
LAIRD: I felt like I was going - going to die. And I - that "Help me, Help Me" that I was screaming - general impression was, Help me, save me, because she`s going to kill me, you know what I mean? Like I felt like, Save Sherrie, because I`m going to die here.
ANDERSON: That, the doctor says, is just more proof that Laird really is Marilyn Monroe reincarnated.
FINKELSTEIN: In that particular situation, she really, really was so convincing with her pain, with her crying....
ANDERSON: Still unresolved, the mystery surrounding Marilyn Monroe`s death in 1962. It seems Laird may have the answer.
FINKELSTEIN: Was the overdose an accident? Were you murdered?
LAIRD: Not murdered.
ANDERSON: Neither Laird nor the doctor says they`re out to prove their story. They say it`s all about healing broken souls.
LAIRD: It`s just a case to start bringing attention to reincarnation. The message is so much bigger than Marilyn Monroe, who was just a woman.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And you can read the whole story in Dr. Finkelstein`s book, "Marilyn Monroe Returns: The Healing of the Soul."
HAMMER: But people obviously are going up to them and saying, You`re crazy. This is not possible.
ANDERSON: Right. And I asked about that. I said, You know what? A lot of people are probably going to say, You`re totally nuts. What do you say to that?
They said, Hey, we really don`t care. They say know reincarnation is real. And A.J., they are sticking to their story, no matter what.
HAMMER: Well, then let`s move now from crazy to angry, Brooke.
Prickly "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell -- you`re not (ph) really seem the type to like fuzzy, cuddly animals. But guess what? He does. And in a new public service announcement for PETA - the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - Simon is steaming mad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIMON COWELL, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: I`m Simon Cowell for PETA. Far be it for me to be critical, but I find it really appalling that this year, thousands of dogs will die of heat stroke inside parked cars. Their people thought that little errand would only take a minute, or it wasn`t that hot. But delays happen, and temperatures inside a car quickly rise in summer, even with the windows cracked.
Never, ever leave your dog inside a parked car. Your dog idolizes you. In warm weather, keep him safe at home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I am right there with him. And if you`re an "AI" hopeful, Simon says that he`s more sympathetic to contestant if they were animal lovers. So if you`re going to be a contestant, you may just want to teach your pet poodle or pussycat to sing along.
ANDERSON: It`s time now for "The SHOWBIZ Guide." And tonight, in "People"`s "Picks and Pans," controversy, drama and inspiration in the new movies this weekend. We`re talking about Oliver Stone`s "World Trade Center," starring Nicolas Cage; Robin Williams in the thriller "The Night Listener"; and a dance film from Disney called "Step Up."
Joining me now is "People" magazine film critic Leah Rozen.
Leah, always good to see you.
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGZINE: The same, Brooke.
ANDERSON: OK, we were talking offset earlier, and I think with "World Trade Center," it`s going to be one of those rare times when you and I disagree on a film.
I loved it.
ROZEN: I didn`t love it. I think it`s a good film.
I think the real controversy in this film is how uncontroversial it is when you know that Oliver Stone directed. The surprise here is how restrained, how conventional the movie is. And in some ways, that may be my problem, that it`s just so conventional.
It is the story...
ANDERSON: Yes, I expected a political film from him.
ROZEN: Yes, and it`s not.
ANDERSON: And it`s not.
ROZEN: It`s completely apolitical. It`s essentially - it`s two Port Authority cops who got stuck as the building came down and ended up getting rescued. I mean, they`re two of the few happy stories out of 9/11.
They - but they - basically the film keeps flashing back. As they`re stuck under this rubble, waiting, hoping to be rescued, it keeps flashing back to their lives. In many ways, it`s a fairly - you know, seeing this kind of movie before.
So, yes, it`s a moving. But I didn`t feel like there was resonance. It doesn`t stay with you.
ANDERSON: It`s difficult to watch, but I found it incredibly powerful and inspirational.
OK, we do have to move on though, Leah. Let`s go to "The Night Listener" now. This is Robin Williams, Toni Collette, Sandra Oh.
I have to say, we haven`t heard much about this one.
ROZEN: Well, it`s sort of a thinking-man`s thriller. The scares are subdued. He is a radio talk show host who gets a call from a young boy who`s an author, and he sort of builds a friendship with the boy on the telephone, and then begins to doubts his identity.
But the movie - it`s just, it`s curiously enervating. It becomes sort of - as it goes along, it sort of sucks you and what`s going on on the screen of energy.
Terrific performances, but they can`t make it shine.
ANDERSON: Saps you of energy. OK. We`ll leave it at that.
And moving now to "Step Up." This looks like a modern-day "Fame" or "Dirty Dancing" to me. You may want to get out of your seat...
(CROSSTALK)
ROZEN: You got it exactly. This is a teenage dance romance. If you`re over 20, you`ve already seen this film so many times before. But for 16 year olds, 15 year olds, it`s all new again. And the male lead, a guy named Channing Tatum, he`s kind of cute.
ANDERSON: Pretty darn cute. OK, Leah Rozen, as always, thank you so much...
ROZEN: You`re welcome.
ANDERSON: ...for your reviews.
And for more "Picks and Pans," you can pick up a copy of "People" magazine. It is on newsstands now.
HAMMER: As you are making your weekend plans, remember SHOWBIZ TONIGHT now on seven nights a week. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show has arrived on your weekends. Join us Monday through Friday as well as Saturday and Sunday night for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at 11 p.m. Eastern. That is 8 Pacific.
ANDERSON: First, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." "What show holds the record for the most consecutive years at No. 1 in the ratings?" "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "The Cosby Show," "I Love Lucy," or "All in the Family"?
Think about....
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Here we are again with tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." "What show holds the record for the most consecutive years at No. 1 in the ratings?" The answer is D, "All in the Family."
A frightening terror plot foiled today, just as Oliver Stone`s "World Trade Center" hits theaters. We`ve been asking you to vote on tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Reliving 9/11: Do the movies and TV shows make you anxious?"
Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write us: showbiztonight@cnn.com. We will read some of your e-mails tomorrow.
HAMMER: Here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, with your "SHOWBIZ Marquee."
Tomorrow, celebrity cheaters, watch out, because Vinnie Parko might be spying on you. This PI tracks down adulterers. It`s all caught on tape. And Vinnie Parko joins us tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, Rick Springfield stops by. He`s on "General Hospital" and he`s touring the country. Rick Springfield tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson. Thanks so much for watching. Glenn Beck is next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News. Keep it right here.
END
