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Showbiz Tonight
Paramount-Cruise Split; Karr Jailhouse Talk; Segregated `Survivor`
Aired August 23, 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: Shocking new words from JonBenet murder suspect John Mark Karr, including why he confessed.
Plus, the guy that just might make a movie out of his story.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And both Britney Spears and Paris Hilton banned.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Tom Cruise canned?
Tonight, Hollywood tells Tom, you`re fired. Or is he really? Did Cruise get kicked to the curb because all his Scientology and couch jumping became risky business?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates this stunning war of the words.
Also, segregated "Survivor." Tonight, outrage over the hit reality show`s shocking decision to have people go head to head based on race. Is this a daring idea or just disgusting discrimination?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the "Survivor" showdown.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Brooke, it certainly has been one wacky Wednesday.
ANDERSON: Yes, it has.
HAMMER: First off, stunning new words from JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect John Mark Karr. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has that coming up. You`re not going to believe what he said.
But first tonight, a totally bizarre story that has all of Hollywood asking, was one of the biggest stars in the world just fired or did he quit?
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. It`s really a war of words.
Tom Cruise out at Paramount Pictures. His production deal with the studio abruptly over.
Is this a sign that Cruise`s career is kaput?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR, "JERRY MAGUIRE": I`m not going to do what you all think I`m going to do, which is flip out.
ANDERSON (voice over): In "Jerry Maguire," Tom Cruise`s character did not react too well after his nasty split from his company. And Cruise`s character in "Mission Impossible" took it even worse.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE": I can understand you`re very upset.
CRUISE, "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE": Kittridge, you`ve never seen me very upset.
ANDERSON: Bet you the real Tom Cruise is plenty upset right now. And this explosion in "Mission Impossible" is nothing compared to the real-life blowup we`re seeing in Hollywood as the Paramount movie studio and Tom Cruise part ways following Cruise`s bizarre year of couch-jumping on "Oprah"...
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: The boy is gone.
ANDERSON: ... psychiatry barbing on the "Today" show...
CRUISE: Knowing people who are on Ritalin isn`t enough. You should be a little bit more responsible...
ANDERSON: ... and Katie smooching -- well, everywhere.
A big studio letting its biggest star go? That`s unheard of. It`s as if Warner Brothers and Bugs Bunny split up over behavior that`s, well, goofy. And like in many splits, there is now a big dispute between Tom Cruise and the head of Paramount`s parent company, Viacom chairman, Sumner Redstone, over just who broke up with whom.
LEA GOLDMAN, "FORBES" MAGAZINE: This changes everything in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Let SHOWBIZ TONIGHT get it to you straight. Over the years Cruise and Paramount have made many movies and lots of money together, from "Top Gun"...
CRUISE, "TOP GUN": I`ll get a visual I.D., Cougar (ph). You hook `em.
ANDERSON: ... to the "Mission Impossible" movies, Cruise-Paramount flicks reportedly have grossed more than $2 billion.
GOLDMAN: This guy has delivered better than anyone in modern Hollywood history.
ANDERSON: But that was then. Viacom chief Sumner Redstone is now saying that Cruise`s recent antics have been hurting Paramount`s bottom line to the tune of millions. So the studio is ending its 14-year partnership with Cruise`s production company.
GOLDMAN: What he`s referring to is "Mission Impossible 3," the third in the series which also did the poorest among the others, and it scored over $300 million in box office receipts. That`s very good, but relative to the other two movies in the franchise, not nearly as good.
ANDERSON: Redstone tells "The Wall Street Journal," "As much as we like him personally, we thought it was wrong to renew his deal." Redstone he goes on to say, "His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount."
GOLDMAN: What Redstone is saying is basically is he can`t deliver anymore. He contends that Cruise has lost his box office appeal, people are annoyed with him, they don`t like his personality, his ego anymore, and that that`s reflected in these box office receipts.
ANDERSON: As you might be able to guess, Cruise`s side sees it differently. They say no one was dumped. It`s just that Tom thought renewing the deal with Paramount, which was worth a reported $10 million a year to Cruise and his producing partner, Paula Wagner, just fizzled, possibly over the price tag.
A spokesperson for the company tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Agents for Cruise-Wagner Production Company ceased negotiations with Paramount over a week ago and has since secured independent financing."
Plus, Cruise`s people say the notion that Cruise is now box office poison is laughable. And some agree.
GOLDMAN: Dollars for donuts, this guy is really unbeatable at the box office, even including "Mission Impossible 3." To pin this movie`s performance on Cruise is a little suspect.
ANDERSON: So now Cruise is a man without a studio and the butt of jokes in movies like "Scary Movie 4"...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "SCARY MOVIE 4": I love this woman! I love this woman!
ANDERSON: ... and TV shows like "South Park"...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "SOUTH PARK": You`re not, like, as good as Leonardo DiCaprio, but you`re OK, I guess.
ANDERSON: But let`s not go riding any career obituaries for Cruise just yet. Keep in mind he had his all time top-grossing movie just last year, "War of the Worlds".
CRUISE, "WAR OF THE WORLDS`: We`re leaving this house in 60 seconds.
ANDERSON: And "Forbes" Lea Goldman says Cruise now has a world of options available to him now that he is free from Paramount.
GOLDMAN: It gives Cruise an opportunity to work with other studios, share the wealth, so to speak.
CRUISE, "JERRY MAGUIRE": I`m starting a new company.
ANDERSON: So, like Jerry Maguire did when he lost his job, Cruise can now strike out on his own, financing his own movies without money from Paramount or any other studio. We`re sure Jerry would approve.
CRUISE, "JERRY MAGUIRE": The fish, they`re coming with me.
ANDERSON: But maybe Paramount should lock up its fish tank.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I spoke with Paula Wagner, Tom Cruise`s production partner, earlier tonight, and she tells me it was very unfortunate and shocking for someone like Sumner Redstone to personally attack Tom, a man she says has made about $3 billion for the studio. She also told me that she and Cruise still have a number of projects in development with Paramount and that they will work with Paramount to see those projects through to the end.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s get to the other story that has all of America watching tonight. There are new shocking details about John Mark Karr, the man facing charges of murdering 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey back in 1996.
Now, before he made that VIP trip back to the U.S. that we`ve all seen, he gave a jailhouse interview to police that is absolutely stunning. "People" magazine broke the story. It`s the exclusive on the cover of this week`s issue.
"People" magazine`s Larry Sutton joining me now.
Appreciate you being here.
So you guys got a hold of this interview, things that John Mark Karr told police in Thailand in jail apparently about people who doubt his guilt. I want to read some of what you got here.
LARRY SUTTON, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Sure.
HAMMER: What he said was, "The media is beginning to shut up about me being crazy and all that stuff. This is not a laughing matter. It`s something serious. The world is not laughing as much now."
Now, Larry, I know you have covered crime for decades. Is this guy just basically off the wall?
SUTTON: Well, he could be. You know, he wants -- the big thing for him right now is to convince people that he`s not crazy, that he`s not just making this up. All the evidence points to the contrary, to be honest with you. But the biggest thing on his mind right now is, "I`m not crazy."
HAMMER: Which is really hard to swallow when we see all of the behavior and all the things that are starting to come to the surface.
SUTTON: Well, it is. I mean, he -- we -- our reporter in Thailand spoke with the officers who spoke with him Saturday night right before he left to come back to the United States. And he had a lot on his mind by then.
I think he was kind of shocked by the reception he got in Thailand that he wasn`t thought of -- in fact, I think in his mind he might even see himself as some kind of a hero in the sense of, "I solved the case." Well, "I committed crime, I solved the case."
HAMMER: Disgusting.
Let me read a little bit more of what he said in his statement.
"We all need to put this chapter in place, which is a conclusion, and then start the healing. The healing is what I want to start happening, to heal and feel better about what has happened."
OK, to feel better about what has happened, I`m not even going to get involved with that. But this is basically kind of ridiculous, because he is really sort of dancing around it now it seems.
SUTTON: Well, the whole thing is he has to justify why did he come out finally after 10 years and say this? Why did he say that he called JonBenet Ramsey? And what`s the good spin to it? What`s the good side to it?
Now, if he`s trying to convince himself, as it appears to be, that there is something good that comes out of this, he says, you know, the reason that I came out is because I want JonBenet`s family to know that the murder wasn`t as bad as it was. Well, I`m sorry, a murder is a murder is a murder. Of course it`s going to be horrible. But in his mind, from what he said to the officials in Thailand, he wants people to think, well, you know, maybe it wasn`t as bad.
That`s kind of gruesome.
HAMMER: And it seems that the media and American public may be playing into all of this.
SUTTON: Well, a little bit. I think -- I think the general public out there right now suspects basically every word he says. There is a whole lot of information that we don`t know about him now. When that comes out I think we`re going to find out that perhaps he`s not all he is cracked up to be.
But if you want to go to his frame of mind right now, this is a guy who thinks he`s doing the world a favor by confessing to a crime.
HAMMER: Some people have been a bit critical of the media because the coverage has been nonstop for days and days now.
SUTTON: Sure.
HAMMER: And a lot of people are saying, enough already. The truth is, America is fascinated by this story and they want every nugget of information that`s out there.
Isn`t that right?
SUTTON: That`s absolutely true. I mean, if people were not fascinated with it, they would be turning off their television sets. They wouldn`t be buying the newspapers every day.
It`s a 10-year-old mystery. No one knows what really happened. This is a little bit of insight into it. It is not the final say, but, yes, it`s fascinating. People want to know what the answer is.
HAMMER: They sure do.
Larry Sutton, from "People" Magazine, I appreciate you joining us tonight.
SUTTON: You`re welcome.
HAMMER: And you can see more of "People`s" exclusive on John Mark Karr in "People" magazine. That`s the cover and it will be on newsstands Friday.
ANDERSON: Well, Hollywood types have already jumped all over John Mark Karr`s story. And as awful as the crime was, this suspect`s story has all the makings for a Hollywood movie.
Big-time producer and author of the upcoming -- and upcoming book about the JonBenet case, Larry Garrison, has already bought the rights to Karr`s story from his family. He told us the family didn`t do the deal for the money.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY GARRISON, BOUGHT JOHN MARK KARR`S STORY: He is not profiting from anything. He is not getting any of the money.
First off, I have not paid any money to the family. They asked me to come in and to stop the spin from the press. They asked me to come in and procure a top criminal attorney for them.
They asked me to come in and to make sure that the world knows that they love their brother, that they are behind him 100 percent in spite of anything that has been said and anything that has been done. This is a family that they are victims right now. And they -- if any money is made off of this project, it will go to John Mark Karr`s sons for their college education.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Garrison adds that he hasn`t been in contact with networks yet about doing a film.
HAMMER: Britney Spears and Paris Hilton both banned.
Coming up, where you won`t see and hear them.
We have also got this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSICA SIMPSON, SINGER: Abstinence, that`s something that`s really, really close to me, to my heart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Britney and Paris aren`t shy about their sex lives, but do we really need to hear about their steamy sexcapades? And what message is it sending?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates young Hollywood stars who talk too much sex.
HAMMER: And segregated "Survivor." Tonight, outrage over the hit reality show`s shocking decision to actually have people go head to head based on race.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the "Survivor" showdown.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
It`s time now for a story that made us say, "That`s ridiculous!" And, as a matter of fact, "ridiculous" is not a strong enough word to describe what some idiots in Bombay, India, are doing.
Listen to this.
They`ve opened up a restaurant named after Adolf Hitler. It`s called Hitler`s Cross. The owners did this because they wanted a name that would "stay in people`s minds."
Mission accomplished, I guess.
They even go so far as to have put a swastika in a sign at the door. And get this, they actually want to open up a couple more branches pretty soon. Jewish groups, of course, are absolutely outraged, other groups as well. They have a right to be. But Indian officials don`t really seem to care.
I just hope the place shuts down real soon.
A restaurant named after Hitler? That`s disgusting and "That`s ridiculous!"
Now, are you ready for this? A segregated "Survivor." Shocking news out of CBS today.
The new season of the popular reality show is actually going to split team -- team members up based on race. The show is going to be starting off with four tribes made of black, white, Asian, and Latino contestants in what they are calling a "social experiment." There is outrage.
Joining me tonight in San Francisco, Irene McGee, former MTV "Real World" cast member. And Marc Lamont Hilton from Temple University is joining us from Philadelphia.
So, Irene, you`ve been there. You know all about these social experiments that takes place on reality TV. That`s what "The Real World" is, after all.
CBS even told us that, when this idea was first floated out there in the room, dead silence. A lot of people are saying just shocking.
IRENE MCGEE, FMR. "REAL WORLD" CAST MEMBER: Well, I mean, that`s what made it through their media filter, the dead silence. I`m sure they were just wondering -- the silence was just, "Can we get advertisers still?" That`s all they really care about.
I mean, they want to create a shock and push the envelope. And their -- the only reason they wouldn`t want to do that would be if their advertisers pulled. So I`m sure the silence was, "Do you think Pizza Hut will still advertise?"
HAMMER: So basically it sounds like you`re saying this isn`t a real good idea. And the general consensus among those who don`t think it`s a good idea is that it`s basically further calling attention to stereotypes and perpetuating them.
Is that kind of where you`re going?
MCGEE: Oh, well, the whole concept of "Survivor" in general, the way they traipse into another culture and set up their crews and watch people in somebody else`s land, I mean, that`s where the field is. It`s already based on racism, like the show in and of itself. Beyond that, I think that what they are doing here is obviously showing how -- where their show is going and how the ratings must be.
HAMMER: Well, let`s...
MCGEE: I mean, they are just going for the shock value.
HAMMER: All right. Well, there are those who are saying that. But let`s look at the other side of this.
Marc, you know, a lot of people would say, isn`t it better for racial bias to be out there in the open and exposed instead of sort of tucked away? It certainly remains a huge problem in this country. It`s not getting better.
If people aren`t talking about it, this will obviously get people talking. And, in fact, maybe the story lines will play out that we`ll see people working together and being color blind. I don`t know. That`s wishful thinking, maybe.
MARC LAMONT HILL, ASST. PROFESSOR, TEMPLE UNIV.: It is wishful thinking. And that`s part of the problem.
Much of America`s ideas about race are predicated upon a sense of color blindness. America wants to consistently deny the existence of race, and so much of the indignation that people had about the idea of "Survivor" being divided by race is that no one wants to acknowledge that race or racism exists at all.
So, on that level, I don`t think the show was a problem. But what happens is, when you get issues of representation, when you look at the way "Survivor" has historically represented characters, from Jerbase (ph), to Ramona (ph), Nick (ph), and also what Irene was talking about as far as the colonial gaze, you know, going to exotic lands and traipsing upon people`s cultures, that`s a very negative representation of culture and of race, and that`s what we need to worry about.
MCGEE: Well, and I also feel like that they are separating this. Like, what happens if somebody isn`t black enough for the black team? I mean, how do they do the tryouts for this?
HAMMER: Well, let me tell you about the tryouts for this. Basically, you know, CBS had been criticized because the show was too white. So they went out to cast the show and about 85 percent of the people who applied to be on "Survivor" are in fact white. What they ended up having to do was to go out and actually recruit people for the show.
MCGEE: Yes, I wonder how much...
HAMMER: Which is all pretty strange to me.
HILL: It`s a dangerous thing.
MCGEE: I wonder how much of the crew is white? I mean, if you -- no matter how ethnically diverse you make a cast, if the people interpreting the show and the people editing the show are all white men, you`re still going to have it from the same point of view.
HAMMER: Well, let me -- let me...
HILL: And the people watching this.
MCGEE: Exactly. Exactly.
HAMMER: Guys, hang on one second. I want to read what CBS sent over to us in a statement. They said that they "... fully recognize the controversial nature of the format," but they have "... full confidence in the producers and their ability to produce the program in a responsible manner. `Survivor` is a program that is no stranger to controversy and has always answered its critics on the screen."
So -- so...
MCGEE: They are as confident as their...
HILL: "Survivor" has done nothing.
MCGEE: Yes. They are as confident as their ad dollars. I mean...
HILL: Exactly. And "Survivor" has done nothing.
MCGEE: Right.
HILL: "Survivor" has done nothing in -- since the six years that it`s been on to inspire any type of confidence, unless it will engage in responsible representation...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: We`re going to have to revisit this issue, guys, because there`s a lot to talk about.
MCGEE: But I think...
HAMMER: And I appreciate you both chiming in. I`m afraid we`re out of time.
Marc Lamont Hill, in Philadelphia, Irene McGee in San Francisco, I appreciate your passion.
MCGEE: NoOneIsListening.org.
HAMMER: Thanks for joining us.
HILL: MarcLamontHill.com.
HAMMER: The new season of "Survivor" debuts September 14th.
Plugs are in.
Now we want to hear from you.
For our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." New "Survivor" twist: Is it offensive to divide teams by race?
Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight. E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: So what does late night funny man Conan O`Brien think about this segregated "Survivor" stuff? I caught up with him today at an Emmy`s press day. He is hosting the awards for TV`s best this Sunday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, four different tribes and each tribe...
CONAN O`BRIEN, TALK SHOW HOST: I know you`re kidding, right?
ANDERSON: I`m not kidding. I am being honest with you.
O`BRIEN: That`s great. I think that`s appropriate in this day and age with all the tension and violence and conflict is to have a reality show where people duke it out over race and their religious belief.
ANDERSON: I know.
O`BRIEN: That`s great.
ANDERSON: It`s something that so many people are finding offensive.
O`BRIEN: It`s going to be -- so they just put them in like the Gaza Strip or -- how does this work and who is behind this decision?
ANDERSON: Mark Burnett is the man behind the "Survivor"...
O`BRIEN: He is very powerful, he has a lot of money. So I`m going to defer to his wisdom right now. But yes, the race -- the race riot "Survivor." That`s going to be good TV.
ANDERSON: Yes, you`ve got an Asian-American tribe, an African- American tribe, a white tribe, and a Hispanic tribe, they say. So...
O`BRIEN: Incredible.
ANDERSON: So there you have it.
O`BRIEN: They should have an Irish tribe, too. It really doesn`t do anything. They are just in the corner having Guinness...
ANDERSON: Good idea.
O`BRIEN: ... and, you know...
ANDERSON: You would have that tribe?
O`BRIEN: ... bitterly hating themselves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He`s so funny. And I`m going to have more of my interview with Conan tomorrow.
And the 58th anl Emmys are on NBC this Sunday.
HAMMER: Hollywood tells Tom Cruise, you`re fired. Or did they? Did Cruise get kicked to the curb because of his Scientology and couch jumping?
That`s coming up.
Plus, we`ve got this...
ANDERSON: Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, young stars who talk about their steamy sexcapades. But, come on, are we getting TMI, too much information?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
HAMMER: And speaking of skin, Owen Wilson sees some skin at the British premier of "You, Me and Dupree." Maybe someone thought the film was called, "You, Me and Booby (ph)."
We`ll explain coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, Janet Jackson gave us all an eyeful when she had her little wardrobe malfunction during the 2004 Super Bowl. Owen Wilson just got an eyeful himself during the U.K. premiere of "You, Me and Dupree." Maybe somebody thought the name of the film was "You, Me and Booby."
Well, take a listen and a look at what happened when he was asked if whether someone ever moved in with him and wouldn`t leave, which is the plot of this film.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OWEN WILSON, ACTOR: I have. I had -- my younger brother Luke stayed with me for a year even though he had his own house less than -- yes! Wow! I kind of lost my train of thought with that one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow, indeed.
We don`t know who the woman is, of course, but she was outside a pub, so maybe that had something to do with it.
ANDERSON: Yes. Maybe she had one too many.
Britney Spears and Paris Hilton both banned? Coming up, where you won`t see and hear them.
Plus, we`ve also got this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMPSON: Abstinence, that`s something that`s really, really close to me, to my heart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton aren`t shy about their sex lives, but do we really need to hear all about their steamy sexcapades? And what kind of message is it sending?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates young Hollywood stars talking too much sex.
ANDERSON: And Hollywood tells Tom, you`re fired. Or is he really? Did Cruise get kicked to the curb because all his Scientology and couch jumping became risky business?
That`s up next. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Wednesday night. Thirty minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
A.J., Tom Cruise no longer the top gun at Paramount. Paramount and Tom Cruise`s production company are parting ways. And the head of Viacom, which owns Paramount, is citing Cruise`s recent conduct.
HAMMER: Oh yeah.
ANDERSON. as the reason.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON.that he`s referring to. He came out swinging, strong words. But Cruise`s camp has a totally different version of what actually went down. Coming up, "The Wall Street Journal" reporter Merissa Marr, who broke this story, will join us with her perspective.
HAMMER: I can get what happened; I just don`t get why they`re maligning him in public that way. But that`s just me.
Also still to come, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton have been banned. Yes, Britney banned from one particular place for being naked and pregnant. Paris Hilton`s been banned from another for being too sexual, as if that were possible. I`ll fill you in on what that`s about coming up in a few minutes.
ANDERSON: That`s right.
But first, we all know that the words and sex go hand in hand. But when it comes to young Hollywood, stars who are in their teens and 20s - should a line be drawn? If not for their own sex, well, how about that of the millions of young fans who idolize their every move, on or off the screens.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Everybody knows in Hollywood, sex sells. But some twentysomething starlets are putting it all out there. It`s young celebrities` real-life sex lives.
BRITNEY SPEARS, SINGER: Can you handle it? Can you handle my truth? Can you? I don`t know.
ANDERSON: But should we have to? Twenty-five-year-old Britney Spears went from the squeaky-clean virgin on "The Mickey Mouse Club" to a sexy pop diva overnight.
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: She is now a married woman, the mother of one with another one on the way. And she let fans everywhere know just how she felt about sex with now-hubby Kevin Federline on her reality show, "Chaotic," for all to see and hear.
SPEARS: Our sex is so amazing (ph).
KEVIN FEDERLINE, BRITNEY SPEARS` HUSBAND: (INAUDIBLE)
SPEARS: Ecstasy, ecstasy, ecstasy, ecstasy, ecstasy.
FEDERLINE: Damn.
SPEARS: I`ve had sex three times today.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT says "TMI, Britney. T-M-I - too much information!"
Lindsay Lohan had no problem giving information on her sex life to September`s "Elle" magazine, saying - quote - "I don`t want to put myself in the position where I`m in a monogamous relationship. If I`m going to give my body to someone else, I`d rather them not be with other people. But I want to be able to if I like someone else."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has already claimed the sexual statement "ridiculous." I mean, come on, Lindsay. You`re - what? - 20 years old?
Paris Hilton came on to the celebrity scene in her early 20s with those home sex video made when she was just a teenager. Well, the Hilton heiress is all grown up and on a publicity tour for her first album, self- titled, "Paris."
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: And now, after every morsel of her sex life was publicized in the tabloids, it looks like she`s basically become a nun. Paris told "British GQ" magazine that she`s going to be single and celibate for the next year. The 25-year-old says - quote - "I`m not having sex for a year. I`ve decided. I`ll kiss, but nothing else."
Paris told CNN, Yes, it`s true; she wants to concentrate on her career, so no sex. The magazine also quoted her as sayings he has only slept with two men. Well, she told us, she never said that, and that in reality, it has been - quote - "a few."
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: And then there is the sexy starlet who started out as the spokesperson for abstinence.
JESSICA SIMPSON, SINGER: Abstinence - that`s something that`s really, really close to me, to my heart. It`s just - you know, I would never press it on anybody. It`s just something that I want to give my husband, and it`s something that`s really, really special to me. And hopefully, one day special to him.
ANDERSON: Jessica Simpson stayed true to her heart and her fans.
(SINGING)
ANDERSON.by publicly holding on to her virginity until she married Nick Lachey back in 2002. And that`s when her sex life entered living rooms everywhere.
So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT had to ask: when you go from this to this, what kind of message are you sending to them?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Indeed.
So, why do all of these Hollywood starlets feel the need to talk about sex? Here with me in New York, clinical psychologist Dr. Judy Kuriansky.
Shed some light on this for me, Judy, because obviously sex sells. We know that`s the case. But why the need for all of these starlets to tell us what`s going on beyond closed doors?
JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, it is, first of all, the most interesting subject, is sex, whether you`re doing it or not doing it. And, as we just saw, How many times and with whom and changing beds.
Also, for teenagers, this is a major issue for them. You`re trying to decide who you are as a sexual being. So it`s not so surprising to me - and, you know, we were on the same radio station. You certainly know from my (INAUDIBLE) show that that`s what teenagers want to talk about.
HAMMER: Yes.
KURIANSKY: Are they doing it (INAUDIBLE)? Are you a virgin, or are you promiscuous?
HAMMER: I hear you. But they talk about it among themselves. They talk on the telephone. They talk about it in - in their chats.
KURIANSKY: Yes.
HAMMER: But we`re talking about in public here, pouring it all out.
KURIANSKY: Exactly. And first of all, it`s because we want to hear about it. The people are reading it and watching it and - and it`s of interest.
And I have very mixed feelings about it. In some ways, it`s a bad thing, because if you`re out there talking about your body and how many people you`ve had sex people and what your sex life is like, then it`s encouraging to be promiscuous to teens. But there`s also a good part: that it gives them a reason to talk about it. So I`m very much a fan of young girls being able - and young boys being able to talk about what their feelings are.
Kids have shame about sex.
HAMMER: Right.
KURIANSKY: And so if they can talk about their feelings, and if these young teen celebrities give them a reason to talk about it, that can be helpful.
HAMMER: OK, well backing up to something you said and where you`re concerned - when you have somebody like Lindsay Lohan, adored by millions of - of young women - I mean, young girls in some cases - she`s out there publicly talking about sex with multiple partners.
Can that really be a good thing?
KURIANSKY: Well, that`s what bothers me. And that worries me, because even if they are saying, Well, I wouldn`t do that. It`s still, she`s a role model. And so therefore that`s why some of them lie, because they know that.
But I - I - there`s a game going on here. It`s - you know, it`s a guessing game. It`s, Am I doing it? Am I not doing it? It keeps people talking about them a great deal.
So I think it`s important for young girls to hear what we`re talking about, and say, OK, she can - she can afford to have this in her life. But you should make wiser decisions, really.
HAMMER: We`re - you`re - we`re talking about younger stars, because the fact is, we`re not hearing established stars, by and large, in their 30s, 40s and - and upward, talking about this stuff.
KURIANSKY: Well, right. Because then - you know, a lot of them are becoming mothers. You have, to me one of the - you know, most ultimate of that is Kate Hudson. I mean, she`s the mother of a 2-year-old kid. You certainly don`t want to be hearing her talking about her sex life. And now she has her own marital problems. But, you know, she`s talking about sex particularly.
So I think when you get older, you have different things on your mind. And these girls also are saying things like - Paris Hilton is saying, Well, I don`t have to have sex now, because I`m concentrating on my career. Well, you know, she`s trying to build her career. So this is an excuse for it, too.
But parents should also talk to their teenager daughters.
HAMMER: That`s a (INAUDIBLE)
KURIANSKY .about - yes, it`s very important - about, Well, who are you watching? You think Lindsay Lohan is the coolest thing around because she`s having sex or not having sex? What do you think about it?
This is the way that parents can really help their kids to make wiser decisions about it.
HAMMER: Sure. Flip through the magazines, look at the quote, look at what Paris Hilton is saying, and then have a discussion about it, and say, Don`t take this at face value. Let`s talk about what she`s saying here.
KURIANSKY: Right. And also, major important is to talk about girls` bodies. Girls - young girls have real shame about their bodies. I know that from talking to thousands and thousands of them.
And so when you have Paris Hilton totally being naked like that, then girls are much more sensitive about their bodies. So that`s another thing parents should be talking about related to this. It`s not just about sex; it`s about how you`re using your body in certain ways.
And I think parents should also - should acknowledge their kids for being smart, for being clever, for being helpful, instead of just, She`s hot! You have to start - and girls who are watching should be talking to each other about their other qualities, about saying, God, you know, you - you really communicate well. Or, I like the way you handled that situation. Or - or, didn`t you do well on that test, even? Because brains should matter besides their bodies.
HAMMER: Yes, they should.
There was a time, Dr. Judy, when young stars coming up through the Hollywood system would never talk about this. What happened?
KURIANSKY: Yes, there were. Remember - I mean, now there`s all this hullabaloo about Eva Gardner, who was behind Frank Sinatra`s back having, you know, relationships with women. That was never acceptable.
HAMMER: No.
KURIANSKY: You were not supposed to talk about that, you know?
But now you have, you know, an NSYNC singer who`s really popular talking about being gay. It gives a lot of openness and food for conversation, for talk - that part`s good; the other part`s not.
HAMMER: Dr. Judy Kuriansky, thank you as always.
ANDERSON: And we want to remind you that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now on seven nights a week. That`s right; we`re bringing TV`s most provocative entertainment news show to your weekends. Be sure to check us out; SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday. That`s at 11 p.m. Eastern; 8 Pacific.
Britney Spears, banned. We`ll tell you where Britney is not allowed to appear, next.
HAMMER: Plus, a major Hollywood breakup between Tom Cruise and his studio. Why did the relationship end after 14 years? Well, it kind of depends who you ask. We`re going to sort it out coming up.
We`ll also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: .is the editor of the technology Web site News Wireless.
Hello. Good morning to you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You remember this guy, right? The wrong guy interviewed on the BBC. And he may be getting a lot more screen time. We`re going to explain, coming up.
But first, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "Before he played a city hall official in `Sin City,` actor Alan Ruck appeared in what 80s John Hughes movie?" "Some Kind of Wonderful"; "Pretty in Pink"; "Weird Science"; or "Ferris Bueller`s Day Off"?
Think about it. We`re coming right back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dissolve. Stand by, black. Ready your break, Master. 3, 2 - roll your break. Effect to black.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand by, Brooke. Here we come in 3, 2 - go, Brooke. Dissolve.
ANDERSON: Many things, Ali (ph).
So again, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "Before he played a city hall official in `Sin City,` actor Alan Ruck appeared in what 80s John Hughes movie?" "Some Kind of Wonderful"; "Pretty in Pink"; "Weird Science"; or "Ferris Bueller`s Day Off"?
If you said `D,` you are correct, "Ferris Bueller`s Day Off." He played Ferris` best friend, Cameron.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Time now for another story that made us say.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Very good, guys.
You might remember an incident on the BBC that came to be known as "getting the wrong guy." A guy named Guy - Guy Coma - went to the BBC for an interview. The thing is, he was showing up for a job interview, not an interview on TV. But he was mistaken for an Internet expert, and he was actually put on their air. The look on his face was priceless.
Here it is to refresh your memory.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: .what this all means to the industry and the growth of music online?
Well, Guy Cunny (ph) is the editor of the technology Web site News Wireless.
Hello. Good morning to you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I love that. I could see it over and over.
We have an update on Guy: there might be a movie about him. That`s right; a film company has actually interested in his story, saying, he`s a fun, internationally famous person who`s a good source for movie material. And Guy says, if they want to do a movie - quote - "I don`t mind talking with them."
Brooke, I think this movie with - with basically one little punch line. I don`t know.
ANDERSON: Yes, they might have to do it over and over and over, as it has been played, that clip, over and over on the Internet. He`s become a cult figure, a celebrity in his own right. But some may say, making a movie about the wrong guy - "That`s Ridiculous!"
Well, it`s a huge story in Hollywood today: Tom Cruise and Paramount parting ways after a 14-year business relationship. The head of the company that owns Paramount talks about Cruise`s odd behavior recently. But Cruise`s people are singing a different tune.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): It`s a Hollywood breakup of monumental proportions: Tom Cruise and his longtime producing partner, Paramount Pictures, are splitting up. Their long-term relationship produced mega hits like "Top Gun".
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I`m losing control. I`m losing control. I can`t control it.
ANDERSON: ."Days of Thunder".
CRUISE: This isn`t right here! (ph) What`s he going to think?
ANDERSON: .the "Mission: Impossible" franchise.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can understand you`re very upset.
CRUISE: (INAUDIBLE) you have never seen me very upset.
ANDERSON: .and "War of the Worlds."
CRUISE: Hold on.
ANDERSON: Movies that made more than $1 billion in domestic ticket sales alone.
But the once happy union is coming to an end in a classic he said-he said scenario. In an interview with "The Wall Street Journal," Sumner Redstone, the chairman of Viacom, which owns Paramount Pictures, said - quote - "As much as we like him personally, we thought it was wrong to renew his deal. His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount."
That conduct Redstone is apparently referring to includes a public- relations blitz for Scientology; a bizarre stint on Oprah`s couch, where he professed his love for Katie Holmes.
CRUISE: (INAUDIBLE)
ANDERSON: .and a confrontational interview with the "Today" show`s Matt Lauer, in which he spoke out against taking certain prescription drugs.
CRUISE: Just knowing people who are on Ritalin isn`t enough. You should be a little bit more responsible.
ANDERSON: The Cruise camp disagrees with Redstone`s version of the breakup. A representative for Cruise-Wagner Productions tells CNN it was their decision to part, and they`re setting up another operation financed independently.
Cruise`s business partner, Paula Wagner, tells "The Wall Street Journal" that Cruise`s behavior has not cost Paramount box office receipts. But his last movie, "Mission: Impossible 3," grossed $133 million domestically - a disappointment considering "Mission: Impossible 2" earned $215 million, proving the old Hollywood adage: you`re only as good as your last picture.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Just a quick note: CNN`s calls to Viacom were not returned.
HAMMER: Time now to get into tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
Britney Spears has been banned from Tokyo`s subway system. The Tokyo Metro has refused to let a poster go up of a naked and pregnant Britney Spears from "Harper`s Bazaar" magazine. Now, a Metro official said they thought some of the subway passengers would find it to be - quote - "overly stimulating."
And Britney is not the only one being banned.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARIS HILTON, ENTERTAINER: (SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Censors in India have decided that this video, Paris Hilton`s music video for "Stars Are Blind," just too sexual to be broadcast on TV. The record label even edited the video it sent, and also sent a copy to the censors. But still a no-go on that.
And the cast of "Chicago" is Usher-ing in a whole new era on Broadway. R&B star Usher took the stage last night as Billy Flynn in the musical. That`s the part that Richard Gere played in the movie. The audience cheered wildly when Usher made his entrance. He`s going to play that part for a six-week run.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."
ANDERSON: Earlier, we told you about the new season of "Survivor," which divides the cast into four tribes by race. And we`ve been asking you to vote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "New `Survivor` Twist: Is it offensive to divide teams by race?" Keep voting: cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us: showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails tomorrow.
HAMMER: In tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Showcase," catch a fire, starring Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins. This is a political thriller, and it`s based on the true story of a young oil refinery worker. After being wrongly accused by the South African government, he resorts to solo terrorist acts as a way of fighting back against the regime.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My father always told me, You must find happiness where you can.
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These were bad times in my country. But I had a good job, and a beautiful family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His family, (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh wow! Look at that! (ph)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go! Go!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to ask your husband some questions.
(SCREAMING)
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Twenty-five million blacks; 3 million white people. We`re the ones under attack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I told you a hundred times: I am not a terrorist.
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am talking to you! Release my wife!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You didn`t do it, and (INDAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will make this right. I promise I will make this right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once you decide to fight back, everything is different. You may never see your family again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My family was punished for nothing. So let is be for something now.
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I needed to leave, so one day I could look her in the eyes and say, I tried to change these things.
Are you ready to die?
CROWD: Yes, commander! (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) is coming.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you still want to go (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to go home (ph).
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where is he? Where does he sleep at night?
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Block every road in this (INAUDIBLE)
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You had a good life. Now you`ve thrown it all away.
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mention it (ph), and I speak of their father. And they will say, He was a man who stood up for what was right. A man who said, I must do something now.
What will your children say about you?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: "Catch a Fire" comes to theaters on October 27.
A reminder that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now be seen seven nights a week. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show is on your weekends as well. Be sure to tune in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on Saturday and Sunday at 11 p.m. Eastern. That, of course, is 8 Pacific.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
ANDERSON: But first, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Birthday Shoutout." Now this is where we give fans a chance to wish their favorite stars a very happy birthday.
Tonight, we`re sending it - one out to Dave Chappelle. He`s celebrating his 33rd birthday this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What`s up, Dave? This is Jameson (ph) from Brooklyn. We need you to come back, man. I want to wish you a happy birthday. We need you to come back, come back with another show. Keep doing your thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Last night, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "60 is the New 40: Does age matter anymore in Hollywood?" Fifty-nine percent of you say, "yes"; 41 percent of you say, "No, it doesn`t."
Here`s some of the e-mails we received.
Belinda from Pennsylvania says: "Great! If 60 is the new 40, then I can be 40 for another 20 years without lying about it."
And Shannon from California says: "If 60 is the new 40, why are so many obsessing with looking so much younger than they really are?"
Thank you for your e-mails.
HAMMER: Let`s find out what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, shall we? Here is your "SHOWBIZ Marquee."
Tomorrow, dueling pop divas: Jessica Simpson, Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera, all with albums coming out around the same time. The question is, Who will win the battle for the Billboard charts? It`s diva versus diva tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also tomorrow, we`ve got this guy: Conan O`Brien. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT sits down with Conan as he gets ready to host the Emmys. Conan O`Brien joining us tomorrow in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Have a great night, everybody.
Coming up next is Glenn Beck. Stay tuned right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News.
END
