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Showbiz Tonight
Tiger Roars!; Oprah for President?; The Shrinking Critic
Aired September 20, 2006 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: An entire nation comes to a standstill and a world watches as stars come out to say goodbye to "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin.
And the amazing story of how a "Grey`s Anatomy" star is helping a troubled kid with a criminal past.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Tiger roars.
Tonight, Tiger Woods outraged over porn pictures. Are they of his wife?
TIGER WOODS, GOLFER: It`s hard to be very diplomatic about this when you`ve got so much emotion involved.
HAMMER: How this golf great has come out swinging and what he`s threatening to do.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates this bear-it-all battle.
Is Clay gay?
Tonight, "American Idol" superstar Clay Aiken finally talks about all those rumors of being gay. And get ready for another shocker. The drugs he`s taking, and why.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets all the revealing answers from Aiken.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, something you hardly ever see, an angry and emotional Tiger Woods. The target of his anger? The media and one magazine`s cheap and unfunny shot that included fake nude photos of Tiger`s wife, former model Elin Nordegren. Photos we can`t even show you.
Today on television sets all over the world we saw an angry Tiger roar.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): Tiger Woods normally let`s his golf clubs do the talking. But the world`s most famous golfer is lashing out at the media about jaw-dropping photos of his wife, former model Elin Nordegren, making their way around the world.
WOODS: It`s hard to be very diplomatic about this when you`ve got so much emotion involved when -- and my wife is involved like this.
HAMMER: The thing is, the nude photos are fake. And as Tiger roars in defense of his wife, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you we`re seeing something we hardly ever see from the cool-as ice-superstar -- emotion.
NICKI GOSTIN, "NEWSWEEK": He`s very private. So for him to sort of speak publicly about this is clearly a big deal, and clearly he is really bothered by it and very hurt by it.
HAMMER: The story be begins here in Ireland, where Tiger Woods is playing in the Ryder Cup. But Tiger is getting a rude welcome.
We see here on the front page of the "Irish Daily Star" the story that has Tiger fuming. A tabloid called "The Dubliner" reprinted fake nude photos from the Web of a woman purported to be Tiger`s wife. The face on the pictures is Elin, but the nude body is not.
To make matters worse, "The Dubliner" wrote, "Most American golfers are married to women who cannot keep their clothes on in public. Is it too much to ask that they leave them at home for the Ryder Cup? Consider the evidence. Tiger Woods` wife can be found in a variety of sweaty poses on porn sites."
So before stepping foot on the golf course, Tiger teed off.
WOODS: My wife, yes, she has been a model prior, and she did do some bikini photos. But to link her to porn Web sites and the such is unacceptable.
GOSTIN: That`s what Tiger is really upset about because it`s clearly not her.
HAMMER: "Newsweek`s" Nicki Gostin tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that for years celebrities have had to deal with Web site posting fake porno photos of stars.
GOSTIN: It`s so easy now where you just digitally put someone`s face or head, or you change the photo. I mean, it is so easy now with Photoshop to manipulate photos.
HAMMER: "The Dubliner" claims the whole thing was meant to be a joke -- a joke. It says, "The publisher and staff at `The Dubliner` acknowledge that the satirical article was inappropriate and wish to sincerely apologize to Tiger Woods, his wife, Elin Nordegren, and other Ryder Cup players and their families for any offense they may have taken to it."
But it`s clear Tiger has taken plenty of offense.
WOODS: You do things for the people you love and you care about. My father got ridiculed for years for certain things, and I always stood up for my father. My mother, the same way.
HAMMER: Now, more than ever, Tiger may find it hard not to take his family seriously. His father, coach, and best friend, Earl Woods, died recently.
GOSTIN: Tiger Woods has sort of always had this career of being very even- keeled and not really showing a lot of emotion. I think sort of the last couple of years, with his father being sick and then passing away, we have seen him cry about that publicly.
HAMMER: This summer, when Tiger won his first tournament since his father`s death in May, we watched this normally controlled star break down in his wife`s arms. Now, judging by the way he`s defending his wife from a cheap media shot, we`re seeing the more human side of a superstar who obviously has something he values more than golf.
WOODS: My wife is an extension of me and we`re in it together. We are a team. And we do things as a team. And I care about her with all my heart.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, the publications that ran those photos have now heard Tiger`s roar. Pretty soon they may actually hear the roar of Tiger`s attorneys. Woods` agent tells The Associated Press he is debating whether or not to sue.
For the record, the Ryder Cup starts on Friday.
Tonight, the White House says President Oprah Winfrey will travel to the U.N. I just wanted to see what that actually would sound like if that came out of my mouth. That`s because there is a movement afoot to have Oprah Winfrey run for president of the United States.
You heard me right. It`s not a joke. And this is the man behind that movement, Patrick Crowe, joining me from Kansas City tonight.
Hello, Patrick.
PATRICK CROWE, AUTHOR, "OPRAH FOR PRESIDENT": Hello.
HAMMER: So how do you plan on doing this? Because we`re not talking about somebody like Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and getting her into the White House. We`re talking about Oprah Winfrey.
What`s your plan here?
CROWE: Well, the plan is that she would be a superb president, that she has the qualifications, she is more business successful than Ross Perot was, her name is more recognized than Arnold Schwarzenegger. She has the fierce determination that led her to take on the Texas cattlemen when they sued her. She cleaned their clocks.
She has the heart of gold, the Angel Network. Look what she`s done for Katrina. The woman is an ideal person to serve as president of this country.
HAMMER: And I guess what you need to do is convince enough people of that so your grassroots movement can take off. But, I`ve got to wonder, Patrick, why do you really want to have her do this? Because it sounds to me like she has no desire to run for any office. I think she has made that pretty clear.
What`s it going to take for her to realize this is a good idea? When is that light bulb going to go off in Oprah`s head?
CROWE: It will take a presidential "ah-ha" moment. She has often referred to her "ah-ha" moments. She had one with the child molesters, meaning she didn`t really crave seeking the desire to go after them, but god spoke to her and told her to do it.
She was herself a victim. She calls that an "ah-ha" movement and she did it. And she has given away $100,000 to each of the people who have caught one of these convicted guys who jump bail.
Now, if she has that same kind of "ah-ha" moment about running for president, she will say to herself, "I really didn`t want to do this, but I have heard the call and I will do it."
HAMMER: Well, I guess you need her to have that "ah-ha" moment, but you also need some money, you also need people on your side, you need Oprah on your side. I know that you`ve already shelled out about $75,000 of your own money.
But let`s make it very clear. Oprah`s high-powered lawyers have asked you to stop putting her picture and her name on your Web site and your 800 number. But even a threat of legal action against you is not stopping you, Patrick?
CROWE: Well, I see no reason in the political scheme of things that one isn`t free to ask a person to run for president. Most people that I tell about this think she would be flattered, just like almost anybody would. But further, they go on to say, in the very beginning, most folks who are asked say, oh, no, it would seem immodest to do this. But once the groundswell reaches a certain point, we think she`ll have the "ah-ha" moment and she will run.
And, if she runs, you put together her 26 million raving fans...
HAMMER: Yes, and I guess then you would have your full-fledged grassroots moment, wouldn`t you?
CROWE: ... and you`ve got a fan base that...
HAMMER: Yes. Yes, that can`t be argued with.
Patrick, we`re going to have to leave it there. I appreciate you joining us tonight.
Patrick Crowe in Kansas City.
Good luck, man.
Now we want to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." We`re asking it -- Oprah Winfrey: Should she run for president, fulfill Patrick`s dreams?
Let us know. Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight or e-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
So how far would you go to get back 20 bucks that you lost? Find out the ridiculous thing one guy actually did, risking his life.
That`s coming up next.
Also, is Clay gay?
Tonight, "American Idol" superstar Clay Aiken finally talks about all those rumors of being gay.
And get ready for another shocker -- the drugs he is taking and why.
That`s coming up.
Plus, an emotional goodbye to "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin. Celebrities and families are there. The world watches as the entire country comes together and is at a standstill paying its respects to Steve Irwin.
We`ve got that next.
First, here`s tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz."
Who was that voice of Charlie on the TV series "Charlie`s Angels"? Was it Tom Selleck, Bruce Boxleitner? Was it Michael Landon? Maybe it was John Forsythe.
Think about it. We`re coming straight back with the answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Once again tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Who was that voice of Charlie on the TV series "Charlie`s Angels"? Was it Tom Selleck, Bruce Boxleitner? Was it Michael Landon? Or was it John Forsythe?
Well, you never saw him, but you heard him on the speakerphone. The answer is D, John Forsythe.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Wednesday night. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
It`s time now for a little story that made us say, "That`s ridiculous!"
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: "That`s ridiculous!"
HAMMER: When is 20 bucks worth a 50-foot fall? Well, apparently when you`re broke.
According to one guy in Florida, he was counting money on a bridge. Suddenly a gust of wind blue a $20 bill into the river below. So into the river this guy in Florida went to chase it, jumping 50 feet into the rushing waters.
Would you do that? Well, this guy then swam another 100 yards just to fish out that $20 bill. Fortunately, a Florida fish and wildlife officer fished that guy out.
All this for 20 bucks? "That`s ridiculous!"
Well, we`ve been telling you about the shocking decision that has rocked the fashion world. Madrid`s Fashion Week banning super-skinny models because they give off an unhealthy vibe. It certainly is a start of a lot of great dialogue, and we`re hoping that some other shows in Milan and Paris and New York will actually think bit, or at least talk about it.
But we did want to check in with you on this very controversial topic, controversy on the catwalk. So we hit the street for some "SHOWBIZ Street Talk".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t really think that`s very fair, because if you want to be skinny and model, then have at it. I mean, if, you know, larger women want to model as well, I`d say go for it, but I don`t think you should ban that just because someone is skinny. I think that`s discrimination.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, the ban idea is certainly spreading, and now it looks like top Israeli retail companies have agreed not to use too-thin models in their ads, and an actual law could be coming soon as well.
Now we move from the battle over whether super-skinny models should be putting on weight to the battle that millions face every day -- how to shed the pounds.
Jami Bernard, certainly one of the most famous movie critics out there. And after topping the scales at 230 pounds, she set out to lose a whole bunch of weight, and she wrote about her ups and downs for everybody to read in a newspaper column called "The Incredible Shrinking Critic." Her new book shares the same name.
Jami Bernard, nice to see you here in New York.
JAMI BERNARD, FILM CRITIC WHO LOST 75 POUNDS: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: And you do look terrific.
BERNARD: Well, thank you.
HAMMER: And things started out for you, as I mentioned, when you got on the scale one day and the number 230 came across it. Did you even believe that was real?
BERNARD: No, because inside I always felt like I was 17, and I was a thin child and a skinny teenager. And in my 20s I looked great. So inside I was thinking, I`m fine.
And then I see 230 on the scale. Is that me? I couldn`t believe it. It was like a terrible disconnect.
HAMMER: And it`s probably something a lot of people go through, it just kind of happens. It kind of creeps up on you.
BERNARD: It does creep up on you. And there is a wonderful word called "denial" that my family is very skilled in. And it`s like, I knew I was overweight, and yet I didn`t until that day when I saw...
HAMMER: Well, you brought along some pictures. And I would like to put them up.
If we can throw those up, Charles.
I mean, look at that. There you go. Those are the fat pants that you shed.
BERNARD: The fat pants.
HAMMER: When you see that picture -- let`s flip up another one. When you see these, what runs through your mind? I mean, there you are at what weight?
BERNARD: Oh, that was near 230. That was close to the top.
You know, I -- it`s a shock to see how fat I got, but I just -- I feel a little sad for myself because I don`t know what was going on inside me, and that`s why I wrote the book. I had to look into myself to find out, why did I get fat?
And, you know, I found -- and I think this probably applies to many people who get fat -- somewhere inside you want to be fat. It`s crazy, but it`s like fat will protect me. It doesn`t, but...
HAMMER: Well, perhaps people who have been through it, they can certainly relate to it.
BERNARD: Yes.
HAMMER: You lost the weight. You look terrific. You look healthy.
BERNARD: Thank you.
HAMMER: And you look...
BERNARD: I`m very healthy. I feel great. I exercise all the time.
HAMMER: But you didn`t do it through a fad diet.
BERNARD: No.
HAMMER: So I think everybody is looking at you and hearing this story, and perhaps they are in a similar situation thinking, how the heck did you do it?
BERNARD: Well, you know, I had tried die diets and they just don`t work. And I decided to change my life very slowly. I started with, "I have to stop eating a whole pint of ice cream. I`m just going to switch to sorbet." You know, "It`s better for me."
So I made very little changes slowly. I began to lose weight, about a pound a week. Because this wasn`t a diet. This was a new way of living.
HAMMER: It`s a lifestyle change.
BERNARD: It`s a lifestyle change.
HAMMER: And that`s -- that`s what we hear most often. Richard Simmons has sat right where you`re sitting and said exactly the same thing.
BERNARD: That`s right.
HAMMER: So, as a film critic -- and I`ve been reading your movie reviews for years -- you`ve seen hundreds and hundreds of Hollywood stars.
BERNARD: Oh, yes.
HAMMER: And Hollywood does put out that all too impossible to attain super-skinny image in some of the actresses that we see coming out, some of the guys coming out. Do the skinny women that we see in those images create an impossible standard? And does it actually create guilt? I mean, you got to watch them every day going to these movies.
BERNARD: And you`ve met them in person, as I have. In person they are even thinner. It`s unbelievable. They look like sticks, because, you know, the camera adds weight.
So I think that people in this culture do look up to actors and stars, and they want to look like them. And that`s a little bit unhealthy. But, you know, now that they are banning those really skinny women from the runways, I mean, maybe I have a chance now.
HAMMER: Maybe Hollywood is next.
BERNARD: Yes. Yes.
HAMMER: But did you actually ever feel guilt when you would see these films and you were like, oh, my goodness, I can`t possibly look this way if they all look that way?
BERNARD: No, I didn`t. No. I accepted being fat. I just didn`t want to be that fat.
I mean, I`m still overweight and I could lose some more, but I feel good. I feel sexy.
HAMMER: And you should feel good because you look terrific. And I appreciate you sharing your story with us.
BERNARD: Thank you.
HAMMER: Jami Bernard, thank you very much.
Once again, the book is called "The Incredible Shrinking Critic." It`s in bookstores now.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is growing, though. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show is now on your weekends. It`s a healthy think growth.
Be sure to tune in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday, each and every night, as well, at 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 Pacific.
An entire nation stood still to say goodbye to "The Crocodile Hunter." Millions turned and tuned in to the public memorial service for Steve Irwin. The heartfelt event was held at the Irwin-owned Australia zoo in Queensland that was broadcast live all over the country and here in the United States as well.
The service featured taped statements from Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Justin Timberlake. But the speaker that really attracted the most attention was Irwin`s 8-year-old daughter Bindi, who had the audience cheering when she spoke about her late father in a way that only a child can.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BINDI IRWIN, STEVE IRWIN`S DAUGHTER: My daddy was my hero. He was always there when I needed him. He listened to me and taught me so many things. But most of all, he was fun.
I know that daddy had an important job. He was working to change the world so everyone would love wildlife like he did.
He built a hospital to help animals, and he bought lots of land to give animals a safe place to live. He took me and my brother and my mom with him all the time. We filmed together, caught crocodiles together, and loved being in the bush together.
I don`t want daddy`s passion to ever end. I want to help engagerd wildlife just like he did.
I had the best daddy in the whole world, and I will miss him every day. When I see a crocodile, I will always think of him. And I know that daddy made this zoo so everyone could come and learn to love all the animals.
Daddy made this place his whole life. Now it`s our plan to help daddy.
Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Eight years old. Got to make you smile.
Steve Irwin died September 4th when the barb from a stingray pierced his chest while he was filming a TV show on the Great Barrier Reef.
Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, actress Cameron Diaz and her boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, are involved in a fight. The shocking scuffle that got police called to the scene is on the way.
Also, is Clay gay?
Tonight, "American Idol" superstar Clay Aiken finally talks about all those rumors of being gay. And get ready for another shocker, the drugs he`s taking and why. That is still to come.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tomorrow Anne Heche stars as a relationship coach in the new series, "Men in Trees." We`re going to talk to her about her new role and her own relationships. That`s coming up tomorrow in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
It is time now for tonight`s "Hot Headlines".
More developments in the mysterious and tragic death of Anna Nicole Smith`s 20 year-old son, Daniel. Officials say they will cancel a plan to probe into the cause of Daniel`s death if tests show that he died of natural causes. The pathologist hired by Anna Nicole to perform a second autopsy says Daniel was taking antidepressants when he died, but there is no evidence of a suicidal overdose.
Cameron Diaz says the paparazzi tried to hit her and her boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, with his car in Hollywood. "People" magazine reports that Diaz claims the guy was hiding out in the bushes. He jumped out and tried to take a picture of them.
Well, after she and Justin chased him, Diaz said he tried to run them down. The photographer counters and says he was attacked and was just trying to drive away. Well, late today, Cameron`s attorney told us the increasingly aggressive conduct of the paparazzi continues to be a matter of grave concern.
And bounty hunter and reality star Duane "Dog" Chapman says he would do it all over again. Despite facing extradition from the U.S. and jail time in Mexico, where bounty hunting is illegal, Chapman says he wouldn`t change a thing. He could face six months to four years in a Mexican prison for bringing Max Factor cosmetics heir Andrew Luster back. Luster was later convicted of raping three women.
Now, I want you to take a listen to what happened when U.S. marshals raided Chapman`s home in Hawaii to arrest him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then the guys who came to the door, they didn`t, but the ones who went around back.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They had all the stuff. Because I locked the door real quick. I`m like "Linda (ph), get your clothes on. Here they come!"
And he is like, "Oh, no!"
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they said, "Hey, I`m sorry. I know you guys do the same thing I do, but I`ve got to do my job."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Dog on the other side of the law.
And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines".
Coming up, the amazing story of how a "Grey`s Anatomy" star is helping a troubled kid with a criminal past. There`s also a surprising twist. They`re actually related. That`s on the way.
Also, is Clay gay? Tonight, "American Idol" superstar Clay Aiken finally talking about all those rumors of being gay.
We`ve also got this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELMO: Give Elmo a break, please!
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Give us a break, please!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Elmo says ouch! OK. Even though Elmo can be kind of annoying, we still think he is kind of cute!
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Oh!
HAMMER: Yes. Now he`s getting a makeover.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look at the new and improved Elmo.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: "Hollywood and Body Image." 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.
A.J., you know, everybody sees the pictures - the images of the super- skinny celebrities.
HAMMER: Sure.
ANDERSON: Well, the speculation then follows that these waifish stars have eating disorders. Coming up - coming up, we find out why the rumors are so rampant, how they could affect the celebrity`s reputation, and how they should respond.
HAMMER: Now Brooke, when you`re talking about the waifish stars, we`re usually talking about the women. For some reason, there`s this terrible double standard: women have to stay impossibly thin. For men, a little flab`s OK.
Is it all right for the men in Hollywood to be flabulous, as we say?
ANDERSON: Of course.
HAMMER: We`ll investigate, coming up in just a moment.
But first tonight, I have to tell you that when we saw a recent picture of Anna Kournikova, our jaws dropped. The reason: because of how much weight she`s dropped. It really does seem to be the newest sport in Hollywood: speculation on who`s too thin, why they`re so thin. And everybody`s wondering if they have an eating disorder.
So here`s what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know: has all this guessing and obsessing gone too far?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: (voice-over): Remember Anna Kournikova, the tennis-playing hottie who was as famous for her bod as her backhand?
Well, now people have saying she`s gone from curvy to skinny -- too skinny. This is her at a recent tennis event. Her bone-thin frame is a stark contrast to the muscular form she displayed on the tennis courts, and on the red carpet during her tennis-playing heyday.
Anna writes in "Elle" magazine - quote -- "I`m naturally long, lean and lanky. When I was playing tennis on the professional circuit, my body completely changed. Now almost three years have passed since I was on the court full time, and my body has changed again."
Kournikova may be naturally skinny, but that didn`t stop "The New York Post" from posting a headline jokingly calling her "Anna-Rexic." In fact, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has noticed that, be it a tennis star like Anna Kournikova, or a film star, like Keira Knightley .
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY, ACTRESS: I`m here to find the man I love.
HAMMER: Almost every thin star in Hollywood eventually has to swat down talk of an eating disorder.
"CosmoGirl!" editor-in-chief Susan Schultz says that`s just not fair.
SUSAN SCHULTZ, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "COSMOGIRL!": If they look a little fat in a picture, everybody goes crazy. And if they look skinny in a picture, everybody says they`re anorexic. If every top actress in Hollywood has an eating disorder - that`s just ridiculous.
HAMMER: Despite a record-breaking opening for her movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man`s Chest," Keira Knightley still has to respond to inquiries that she has anorexia.
KNIGHTLEY: They went, How does it feel to be always called anorexic? I had no idea that I was. I don`t have it. I`m very sure I don`t have it.
SCHULTZ: Whether it`s Keira or the other ones that are accused of having an eating disorder, it really diverts attention from this woman`s accomplishments and it`s completely wrong and unfair.
HAMMER: Scarlet Johansson agrees. She bristled when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked her about Keira Knightley`s situation.
JENNY D`ATTOMA, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT PRODUCER: She had to come on the defense saying, No, I`m not too thin. You know, No, I don`t have an eating disorder.
SCARLETT JOHANSSON, ACTRESS: Well, I mean, whatever. I - it`s like, what can you do? Like, you`re -- I mean, it`s difficult to say because on one hand you have somebody, you know, like yourself, and, you know, from the media saying, what do you think of this and blah blah. And at the same time, like, you feed into it because this is what the media reports.
D`ATTOMA: Right.
JOHANSSON: I`m sure on, you know, the same show that this, you know, person is asking me, How do you deal with it, they`re also reporting on Keira Knightley`s, you know, supposed eating disorder or whatever. And, you know, you can`t play both sides of the game. It doesn`t work like that.
HAMMER: Yes, it is true: Hollywood is full of super-thin stars, some of whom, like Mary-Kate Olsen, really have dealt with an eating disorder. But what about those who really may be naturally thin?
TERI HATCHER, ACTRESS: This is insane.
HAMMER: Even "Desperate Housewives" star Teri Hatcher, who`s thin but not exactly waifish, has had to knock down anorexia rumors, circulated by the tabloids.
Keira Knightley says she sees why people are so quick to associate eating disorders with Hollywood.
KNIGHTLEY: It`s normally high-achieving young women that suffer from it. So, I guess, control - sort of control freaks. So, I mean, it`s - it`s understandable why you`d associate that with - with sort of high- achieving people in - in a - in the film industry as well. And - and I`m not saying that there aren`t people that suffer from it, because I`m sure that there are. I`m not one of them.
HAMMER: Still, the anorexic-or-not speculation continues. And stars like Anna Kournikova and Keira Knightley are learning that you can be thin, but you do so at the risk of your reputation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So the question is: How should stars respond to the endless rumors about whether or not they have an eating disorder?
I had the chance to sit down with Susan Schultz, the editor in chief of "CosmoGirl!" magazine. I asked her why rumors are rampant around skinny stars like Keira Knightley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCHULTZ: Everybody -- it seems like they`ll just jump on you.
I think it`s more about, you know, What`s the story today? You know, what`s juicy to say? Keira shows up at the premiere, she looks a little thin, could she have an eating disorder? You know, everybody starts to say, Oh, could she? I mean, people start to talk. It`s juicy gossip, and gossip is something that people, of course, have a total - a real appetite for.
So it`s really more about that than it really is about these poor actresses who are constantly accused of, you know, whether they`re too fat, too thin. I mean, they can`t get a break.
HAMMER: It is possible for people to be naturally thin.
SCHULTZ: Absolutely.
HAMMER: And you look at what we saw with Anna Kournikova in this photo today.
In fact, Charles (ph), can you throw that photo?
We have a before-and-after photo. There is her when she was, you know, in -- in her heyday on the tennis court. She is very different than she looks now.
SCHULTZ: Right. Well, the thing is though, when you`re an athlete, you`re muscular, because, you know, you`re eating more, because you need the carbs, you need the energy. You`re working out all the time; you`ve got bigger muscles. And, you know, she`s just slimmed down. And as she was saying, it just -- your body does change.
HAMMER: But it - but in her case, you have to admit, it was pretty dramatic. And you can understand. You look at that photo and - let`s put that up one more time -- because it is such a change, you can understand.
SCHULTZ: What year was the other one, though? Because it - could she -- was she a teenager then? Because you do lose a lot of your baby fat in those five years. You just -- it happens. It happened to me.
HAMMER: OK. Well, the before picture is the one on the left side of the screen. And - and the one where she`s actually playing tennis is the after shot.
SCHULTZ: OK.
HAMMER: But - but.
SCHULTZ: OK.
HAMMER: You know, it is dramatic enough that it can certainly raise some eyebrows.
SCHULTZ: Yes. I mean, it definitely -- everybody is always going to question, OK, Well, what`s going on?
But I think that, you know, with Anna and with Keira - I mean, these are really confident girls. You know, they`ve always been, you know, completely out in the media. They`ve never been the type to kind of hide behind anything. They show their bodies off.
You know, a lot of times when you`re anorexic, you do layer on the clothing to hide it. And they`ve never been like that. So why would they suddenly be accused of being anorexic? They`ve got nothing to hide; they`re perfectly confident. So it`s really unfair that, you know, all of their other accomplishments are being overshadowed by this silly conversation that everybody seems to be having over, you know, what they`re eating.
HAMMER: You`ve been hearing from your readers about.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
HAMMER: .this very subject. What have they been telling you?
SCHULTZ: Well, you know, because with all of the debate over eating disorders in Hollywood and everything, you know, it - it`s all about, you know, Are you too thin? And there`s thin girls who write in and they say - they say, I`m naturally thin. How can I gain weight? Because people are accusing me of being anorexic and it`s really hurtful.
I mean, it`s - it`s really sad, because girls at that age - you know, no matter what size they are, they feel insecure. It`s just something you kind of go through at that age. And for them -- now, they love Keira. They really look up to her; they feel that she`s somebody they can relate to.
And now to kind of have her, you know, her ability to be a role model to be compromised, when she`s done nothing really to ask for that.
HAMMER: Yes.
SCHULTZ: .it`s - it`s tricky. You know, and it couldn`t - it`s very confusing to the girls.
HAMMER: And when a star does come out and say they do have an eating disorder, I also see that as possibly being very confusing. On the one hand, it sheds light on - on an issue.
SCHULTZ: Right.
HAMMER: .that, you know, somebody might recognize in themselves. On the other hand, you may have somebody saying, you know what? She looks pretty good, and that`s how she got that way?
SCHULTZ: Well, that`s a problem, too. And you know, it`s always the -- everybody says, the camera adds 10 pounds. And, you know, these women are photographed constantly. And so they tend to slim down a little bit to look better in photographs.
And it doesn`t mean they have an eating disorder. And yet, that does send an odd message to girls about, How do you look your best? You know, its everybody gives so many - so much attention to women when they lose weight - you know, it sends a message of, do something like this, you`ll get attention, whether it`s a good or bad thing you`re doing. So.
HAMMER: It`s - it`s good to have the dialogue. It can backfire.
Susan Schultz, thanks for joining us. I really appreciate it.
SCHULTZ: Thanks, A.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And we`d like to hear from you. For our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," we`re asking, "Thin Stars: Do they make you feel fat?" Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Or e-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Singer Britney Spears isn`t immune to body-image issues. Even though she was willing to pose nude while pregnant on the cover of "Harper`s Bazaar," she says it wasn`t easy to stay positive about her looks.
In the article, Britney says during pregnancy - quote - "You don`t feel the most beautiful all the time." And while she felt empowered by carrying a baby, she was - quote - "unprepared and paranoid." She went on to say, "It was weird for me at first, because of who I am. Wherever you go, they expect you to look a certain way. I`m not supposed to be this big huge pregnant superstar."
Janet Jackson`s dramatic weight loss: how did she lose 60 pounds? That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Also, actress Uma Thurman opens up to me about she copes with insecurity. It`s an interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN O`KEEFE, AUTHOR, "THE AVERAGE AMERICAN": I truly believe that this is the century of the average American, and that Hollywood is just starting to catch up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Find out why it`s OK for celebrity men to be both flabby and fabulous. That`s ahead on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: "Hollywood and Body Image." I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Uma Thurman is an Oscar-nominated actress who can open a movie at the top of the box office. And not only is she talented, but she`s also graced the covers of hundreds of magazines because of her beauty.
But when I sat down with her recently, I found out that Uma shares a whole lot with most women, because even she battles body-image issues.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: You seem so comfortable in your own skin. And I don`t know if it was always that way.
THURMAN: No, I - I wasn`t always comfortable in my own skin. But, you know, I think that - I think that - you know, I try to take care of myself. And I try to keep it together. It`s part of what I do.
But I`m also sort of feeling - trying to be forgiving about it all. Do you know what I mean? Like, you just can`t - you know, you`re not going to stay the same. You`re going to change, and everybody`s aging. It`s a unilateral issue. And, you know, it`s just - I don`t know. I - I can get kind of insecure, like, if I put on a lot of weight or something, you know? But I just - I - I try to even then not be to - to, like, killed over it. Do you know what I mean? Like you just - it`s - it`s - it`s easy to feel embarrassed when you feel like people will comment if you`re fat or this or that or the other. And I think that makes a lot of people in my line of work extremely self conscious. And I certainly know that when I feel insecure about something, you do feel (INAUDIBLE).
HAMMER: Well what you say though to young actors, or even to just people watching? You know, young kids, they`re dealing with it everyday. And you have figured out a way, it seems quite clear, to - to sort of come to terms with it.
THURMAN: Well, you`ll grow out of the acne, but you`re going to grow into the wrinkles.
You know, I mean, it`s just - I don`t know. I haven`t come to terms with anything. I mean, life is an ever-evolving process, and - as we all know. Duh.
But, you know, it`s like - I don`t know. Life beats you up enough. I - I mean, I`ve always been accused of being really hard on myself. And - and so I guess, you know, you got to take it easy, you know? And let down, like, the belt, and try to stop whacking yourself. There`s nothing you can do about it.
You know, you can do something about a lot of things that will - will make your life better. But you can`t necessarily do something about some things that are natural to you. You just got to do what you can.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well on to the flip side here. What if we told you that flabby is fabulous for the fellas? That`s right; SHOWBIZ TONIGHT actually has the proof that from New York to Hollywood to Middle America, more in the middle is in. And if that whole buff-body thing is something you`re concerned, well say bye-bye to that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL FERRELL, ACTOR: Hey honey!
HAMMER (voice-over): OK, listen up: that right there, gentlemen, is now sexy in Hollywood.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is here to tell you: chiseled, buff bodies are out. And let`s see, How do we say this? Man flab is in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man flab is in?
HAMMER: Yep, it`s in. Trust us. From real life to show business.
JACK BLACK, ACTOR: Keep up if you can.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.
HAMMER: .men with more in the middle are making a comeback.
That`s right. Just listen to this guy. He`s the author of "The Average American."
O`KEEFE: The average American wants to see an average-bodied person on the big screen without a doubt, because they see men that are trim, and they think that those men are spending too much time in the gym, not enough time with their female mates. And women don`t want guys that are weighing less than they are.
BLACK: Big dudes.
HAMMER: Love handles are taking hold in Hollywood.
Just look at this summer`s blockbusters. You`ve got Jack Black in "Nacho Libre"; Tom Hanks in "The Da Vinci Code"; and Vince Vaughn in "The Break-Up."
VINCE VAUGHN, ACTOR: I don`t have any idea what`s happening.
HAMMER: What do they have in common? A leading man with a little more, well, substance.
O`KEEFE: And that`s part of the Vince Vaughn attractiveness, is that he`s a guy who looks like can go - go out and have a good time, have a few beers, have a few burgers. But not go crazy. Not to obesity land. Love the Bond guy.
HAMMER: OK, he loves him. But do you?
We sent out SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Kerri Hill (ph) to find out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You didn`t know man flab is in?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I didn`t know that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, are you happy about it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not particularly, no.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re won over by a couple extra pounds?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. It`s nice to have a little flab, a little cushioness to sleep on. It`s always nice to see somebody and say, Hey, you know what? I could - I could get that, you know?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Man flab is in. What does that do for you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s really gross.
HAMMER: OK, so it looks like the jury`s still out on this one. But let us tell you: there is a certain security that comes with someone who`s carrying a few extra pounds.
O`KEEFE: There`s a certain security and a - and a certain level of caring that - that comes with this person that is average, and that has a little bit of a midsection. It`s that that person isn`t spending enough time - is spending too - isn`t spending too much time in the gym, isn`t spending too much time worrying about themselves.
HAMMER: Yes, just take it from this guy. He just finished a hot dog when we caught up with him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got to have a little extra meat. You got to have something to hold onto, you know what I mean? You can`t be all skin and bones. I think that stuff - yes, that`s old.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don`t want him to have a flatter stomach than us.
O`KEEFE: I truly believe that this is the century of the average American, and that Hollywood is just starting to catch up. I mean, you could say it`s shaping up to be the true century of the average man. Literally shaping as far as the midsection in Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And of course, if it`s a trend, Hollywood eventually catches on.
I sent down with author Kevin O`Keefe to chat more about our growing obsession with flabby celebrities.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Let`s talk about a guy like Vince Vaughn. He`s 36 years old, which apparently is the average age of American men.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: I wasn`t aware of that.
O`KEEFE: .all Americans.
HAMMER: Of all Americans. OK. He`s from the Midwest. He`s got, shall we say, a little extra meat on the bones.
O`KEEFE: Mm-hmm.
HAMMER: Is the fact that he is kind of obtainable at least in appearance, is that - is that what the appeal is here?
O`KEEFE: That`s a great word, obtainable. But it`s also the balance that he has in his life.
There`s this projection among people that are a few extra pounds right here that there`s a balance in their life, that they`re not spending half the day in the gym. Women are attracted to guys who have balance. That means they have time for family and friends and community. That`s attractive.
And also, America is ready for realness. You know, we`ve gone from a sitcomland where friends - the "Friends" episodes, where these apartments where these young professionals - they certainly can`t afford these apartments. But yet, we go to "Everybody Loves Raymond" - OK, a sports writer can afford that type of a house, and he probably has that type of a wife and kids.
But now we want more realness. And to have realness, you need to look like an average American. You need to have a few extra pounds.
HAMMER: And is that basically the deal? Because, you know, you look around America, America by and large, as we`re seeing, is flabulous. You know, Main Street America, they`re more flabulous than not.
Why has it taken Hollywood so long to catch on?
O`KEEFEE: Hollywood is always - you know, a bit back there in catching up. It`s because they`re - the decisionmakers are in the cities.
Now right now, we just passed a major milestone: most Americans now not only live in the suburbs, but work in the suburbs. But the decisonmakers are in places like Beverly Hills and New York City. They - it takes awhile for them to realize what`s going on in the country. And they need to get more of a suburbia mindset on how they make their decisions.
HAMMER: But obviously - and one of the things that kind of kills me about this whole thing is the double standard that just jumps right out.
You know, for women, not so accepted. You know, we see the flabulous men. But the question is, will we ever get to that point where it will be acceptable for our women in Hollywood to be more flabulous than not? I can`t believe I`m using this word over and over, but it - it works.
O`KEEFE: Right. And when you say flab, we`re not talking too much.
HAMMER: No. No. And - and to be clear on that, we`re talking about an unhealthy lifestyle.
O`KEEFE: Not at all.
HAMMER: We`re just - we`re just - we`re talking about people who necessarily, you know, are not eating salads all day and working out at the gym for two hours a day.
O`KEEFE: Right. The average American is actually of - of healthy weight. Has some body fat there, but is actually still in the healthy zone. The average male is 5`9 and a half, 190. So I - yes, I don`t want to give the impression that we`re talking enormous fat here.
But the reason that Americans are so attracted to somebody that has a little bit of the fat - again, it just keeps going back to realness. It`s that simple.
HAMMER: When do you think that we`re going to see it more coming from the women..
O`KEEFE: The women - it`s just, again - it`s there already. Middle America understands what they`re attracted to. But Hollywood`s not giving it to them.
Unfortunately, A.J., I think it`s going to probably take something extreme, like a death. It`s going to take a Karen Carpenter situation, which happened back in 1983. Some young actress is going to have to die of anorexia. And when that happens, we`ll see a change in Hollywood decision- making.
HAMMER: Because it would seem to me, and - and I honestly can`t recall a time when somebody has put this out there. But if some studio or some filmmaker would go out on a limb and cast the more flabulous women in a big feature role, then people would identify with that, and then it would sort of lead the way.
O`KEEFE: Absolutely. They need to get their heads out of the sand.
The polls are all showing the same thing: we want average people, not only in movies and television, but in advertising.
Leo Burnett (ph) Advertising did an - a great poll last year. And most men - over 70 percent - said there needs to be more average-looking guy in ads. I think ads don`t relate to the average American.
Hollywood needs to wake the hell up.
HAMMER: Yes, because they do eventually - you know, if they can get on board with it, realize, Hey, that`s actually what people do want to see.
So -- so my question Kevin now is, can we officially declare a menaissance here? Is metrosexual - metrosexuality out the door, and flabulosity officially in?
O`KEEFE: Yes, we`re now into a retrosexual land, back before there was metrosexuals.
And again, because metro means city, and most Americans are now in the suburbs and working in the suburbs as well. So let`s start having a suburbia mindset in Hollywood, and then things will change. And let`s do that before there`s a death in Hollywood.
HAMMER: That would be very nice to be able to make it all happen before it comes to that.
Kevin O`Keefe, thank you very much. I appreciate you being with us.
O`KEEFE: Thanks, A.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: We`re going to talk Janet Jackson. Now she loses 60 pounds to promote her new album. Coming up, find out how you can learn exactly how Jackson dropped the weight.
This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: "Hollywood and Body Image." I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
Janet Jackson is opening up about her dramatic weight loss. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Adrianna Costa caught up with Jackson in Atlanta, who was promoting her album, titled "20 Years Old." Miss Janet spoke candidly about the weight loss that`s gotten just as much attention as the new album. She says there`s really no secret.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET JACKSON, SINGER: I had help. I had a wonderful nutritionist and a wonderful trainer. Nutritionist David Allen (ph) and my trainer, Tony Martinez (ph). And David, we speak - he pages me everyday. We work very closely. And when I got halfway to my goal, then that`s when Tony came along. And we worked really hard at it.
Usually, a lot of people say, Well, it`s - if I can do it, you can do it. But really, because I`m - I hate working out. I - and I feel that if I can get this off and that was - that`s 60 pounds. That`s a lot. Then other people can, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jackson says she will soon put out a book and a video to share her workout routine with her fans.
HAMMER: This has been a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on Hollywood and body image. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I am Brooke Anderson. Glenn Beck is next. But first, stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
END
