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Showbiz Tonight
`Family Guy` and Terror; Stars and Addiction; `Holy Hollywood`; Interview With Actor Stephen Baldwin
Aired October 02, 2006 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Robin Williams opens up about his latest stint in rehab.
And your first look at the film that`s blowing the lid off the Catholic Church sex scandal.
I`m Brooke Anderson. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a startling coincidence -- or not. On the same day the chilling new video of the 9/11 hijackers comes out, an outrageous over-the-top episode of "Family Guy" hits very close to home.
SETH MACFARLANE, ACTOR, "FAMILY GUY": This is a message to all American infidels. Prepare to die in a sea of holy fire.
ANDERSON: Tonight, an amazing case of art imitating life as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the creator of "Family Guy`s" surprising personal link to 9/11 and how it may have led to the "Family Guy"-Osama bin Laden connection.
Holy Hollywood! SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a revealing look at how god is everywhere -- in music, in movies, even on baseball fields. What`s going on here?
ALICE COOPER, MUSICIAN: I still do a full-out Alice Cooper show. It`s just the fact that I don`t think that that interferes really with my Christianity.
ANDERSON: Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, the holy alliance between religion and entertainment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. Hammer has the night off.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the story you won`t see anywhere else. And it involves, of all things, the over-the-top FOX animated comedy, "Family Guy", the most wanted man in the world, Osama bin Laden, and the terrorists thugs working for him when they attacked on September 11th. What`s more, it may make you laugh.
Tonight, only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice over): On news channels we saw this chilling sight, a video showing two of the 9/11 hijackers a year and a half before the attacks, laughing and smiling as they make a videotaped martyrdom message.
MACFARLANE, "FAMILY GUY": This is a message to all American infidels.
ANDERSON: And on the same day on FOX, we saw this funny, or depending on your point of view, tasteless sight. The man responsible for the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden, laughing as he makes his videotaped message.
MACFARLANE, "FAMILY GUY": You will be punished for your decadent ways on the first day of Radaman. Wait, -- wait a minute, did I just say -- what did I say, Radaman? Radaman?
Ram -- Ramadan. Radaman, what is that? Maybe Dennis Radaman is going to punish you with his crazy hair. No.
ANDERSON: TV audiences saw them both on the same day, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you these two videos and their nearly simultaneous TV appearances are a shocking coincidence that highlights the sensitivity and the mixed emotions behind 9/11.
BOB THOMPSON, SYRACUSE UNIV. POP CULTURE PROFESSOR: It is really pushing the limits of taste.
ANDERSON: The "Family Guy" Osama bin Laden sequence was actually a rerun of an episode that first aired last November. It shows Osama bin Laden cracking up as he tries take after take of the "death to America" tape the al Qaeda leader is now notorious for releasing from time to time.
MACFARLANE, "FAMILY GUY": Yes, look who is snickering over there, Mr., "I can`t do a suicide bombing because I`m sick." He had a -- he had a note...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "FAMILY GUY": He got you.
MACFARLANE, "FAMILY GUY": He had a note from his doctor. He brought a note from his doctor. This is a suicide bombing.
THOMPSON: It plays like a "death to America" tape bloopers reel, something you would see Dick Clark introduce.
ANDERSON: Earlier in the day the world got a look at this real hijacker tape which was obtained by the British "Sunday Times". It shows a smiling Ziad Jarrah, a hijacker aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania, and Mohammed Atta, the ringleader of the 9/11 attacks.
THOMPSON: This juxtapositioning of the breaking news of real terrorists laughing about horrible things that they are going to do with an animated cartoon on prime time showing people doing the same thing, of course, is a really weird collision of worlds.
ANDERSON: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you about another weird collision of worlds, the shocking link between Atta and the creator of the "Family Guy". In that "Family Guy" sequence, Osama bin Laden is voiced by the show`s creator, Seth MacFarlane. It turns out back on September 11, 2001, he was scheduled to be on the very American Airlines flight that Mohammed Atta, who we see in the tape, flew into the north tower of the World Trade Center, but McFarlane missed that flight.
Pop culture expert Bob Thompson shows SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it`s no surprise the creator of the "Family Guy" would make light of such a horrifying near- death experience.
THOMPSON: One of the ways that we deal with tragedy and horrible things and all the rest of it is to, in fact, make fun of it, especially if that fun, especially if those jokes are aimed directly at whatever is responsible.
MACFARLANE, "FAMILY GUY": Look, look, the rubber chicken. You know? I should do, like, the whole tape with this in my hand. Death to Americans!
Let him do it.
ANDERSON: In less than a month after the five-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the shocking juxtaposition we just saw can serve as a reminder of the complex power of comedy even when it involves something as horrific as September 11th.
THOMPSON: I think some of what goes on in comedy is helping us frame the complex issues of terrorism and the current war we`re in sometimes in a way that`s better than journalists are managing to do it.
MACFARLANE, "FAMILY GUY": And now prepare to die.
ANDERSON: And in the end, as his Baby Stewie character, "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane makes sure that justice is done.
MACFARLANE, "FAMILY GUY": And don`t ever let me catch you guys in (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: FOX had no comment on the "Family Guy" episode. But a spokesperson for the show tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "This is a bad coincidence. This wasn`t on purpose. No connection at all. Airing the episode has been on the books for awhile."
For the very first time we are now hearing from Robin Williams, himself, speaking out about his battle with alcoholism. After being sober for 20 years, Williams started drinking again and decided to check into rehab back in August.
He sat down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jeremy Webber, and in true Williams fashion found the humor in going public with his private struggle, coincidentally around the same time Mel Gibson was arrested for DUI.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN WILLIAMS, ACTOR: I admit it. I`m out. I went public, and it was shortly after Mel. So it helped to have Mel first, you know.
JEREMY WEBBER, PRODUCER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: Was he...
WILLIAMS: No, he wasn`t an inspiration. I was actually in rehab when he got arrested, so it was like, whew.
WEBBER: Took a little of the pressure off?
WILLIAMS: Just a little. Yes, a little of the pressure off. It was, you know -- yes, it was, like, OK.
So -- but, you know, it`s the idea of, you know, you go through it, you -- footsteps and body lengths. You fall down, you get back up again and get back in the race. And it`s -- I want to just thank all the people who were supportive.
I also want to thank god -- you`re the man. And also know that it`s good to be back, and back and working. And, yes, it`s public. There is no way to hide it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And you can see Robin Williams starring in "Man of the Year," about a comedian who was elected president. That`s in theaters October 13th.
Well, here we go again with George Michael. He`s been arrested on drug charges again. Police found him in London slumped over his car and charged him with suspicion of possessing marijuana.
George Michael, Robert Downey, Jr., Mel Gibson, the list goes on and on and on, and here`s what we`re asking tonight. Why do so many celebrities have a hard time staying straight?
With us in Hollywood, celebrity entertainment reporter Jane Velez- Mitchell.
Hey, Jane.
JANE VELEZ MITCHELL, CELEBRITY ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Hey, Brooke.
ANDERSON: All right, Jane, obviously we all know that stars aren`t alone in struggling with addiction and with alcoholism. But does it -- does being famous make it harder?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Well, it`s hard for anybody to stay sober over an extended period of time. All you get is a daily reprieve. And addiction is cunning, baffling and powerful, and it kind of sits on your shoulder and tells you you`re OK and whispers in your ear, go ahead, you can have a drink. And it`s very, very hard to stay perfect 365 days a year.
People do slip. I absolutely commend Robin Williams for taking a preemptive strike. He saw what happened with Mel Gibson.
ANDERSON: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It was a wake-up call for him. He said, I don`t want a scandal. Let me take action now.
ANDERSON: Well, as we just heard him say, part jokingly, he is taking the self-deprecating approach that Mel Gibson inspired him to check into rehab after he fell off the wagon after 20 years of sobriety.
So, is there sort of that Mel Gibson factor that you were just talking about? Get out ahead of the problem before you do have a meltdown?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely. And it`s very interesting that all the people we`re talking about are middle-aged men. And they are dealing with the stress of stardom. And it get harder and harder to stay on top of the game.
I mean, these are middle-aged guys. George Michael, 43, doing a European tour. He has been in the game since the `80s. So all of that stress is an additional stress that the average person doesn`t face.
ANDERSON: Right. And the stars have all the same character traits that you and I do. You know, isn`t that right? But the difference is -- and you can take somebody like Kate Moss or Mel Gibson -- when they go down, Jane, they go down publicly.
How much harder is that?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Of course. If Joe Smith down the block falls into the bushes, he embarrasses himself in front of his neighbors. Mel Gibson gets a DUI, and Nick Nolte gets a DUI, it`s headlines around the world.
So that`s additional pressure. And sometimes, you know, people should just go into rehab and stay quiet. But sometimes it is an opportunity for a star to be really honest.
I interviewed Nick Nolte after he got his infamous DUI and he walked in a Malibu court. He always stopped graciously and talked, and really used it to spread the word and said, hey, this was an intervention by the California Highway Patrol. I needed help. I got it. The message is, don`t drink and drive.
And I really had to admire his honesty and his...
ANDERSON: You were inspired by him, right?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I was inspired by him, because he was so honest and he was real about it. And Robin Williams, the same thing.
I mean, the main thing is, nobody`s perfect. People do slip. And, as Robin Williams said, just get up on the horse and keep riding along.
ANDERSON: That`s right. Hopefully all those battling addiction can find inspiration somewhere and get back on track.
Jane Velez-Mitchell, as always, thanks so much.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, "Holy Hollywood". Next we`re taking a look at what happens when you mix fame with religion. From Madonna to Mel Gibson, to John Travolta, how religion plays a role in the stars` lives.
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had sexual urges towards a 9-year-old. Is that cause to remove him from ministry?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A chilling documentary. The true story of the most notorious pedophile priest in the Catholic Church sex scandal.
We have your first look at "Deliver Us From Evil" coming up.
Plus, a story that made us say, "That`s ridiculous!" Golfers on one course in Montana are getting outfoxed -- literally.
That`s next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. Hammer has the night off.
Well, it`s that time again for a story that made us all say...
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: "That`s ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: I`ve always wanted to do that. All right.
Golfers are used to dealing with sand traps and water traps, we all know. But at a course in Montana there is a four-legged hazard on the fairway. Take a look at this.
At the Canyon River Golf Course in Missoula there is a fox that`s stealing golf balls and hiding them. There he goes right there.
He managed to get three balls away from one foursome, then trotted along the golf cart following them to the next hole. The course has even instituted a rule that you get a free drop with no penalty if the fox steals your ball.
A fox on the fairway? Now, "That`s ridiculous!"
Now turning to our special series, "Holy Hollywood," we`re taking a look at how religion is showing up everywhere, from music, to movies, to even baseball fields. And we`re talking to the biggest stars about the role religion has played in their lives and careers. We wanted to know what happens when stars mix fame with religion.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went out looking for answers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice over): Madonna and Kabbalah. Tom Cruise and Scientology. Mel Gibson and Catholicism.
From the Kabbalah red-stringed bracelet, to Hebrew-inscribed charms, to crosses of all kinds, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has noticed that Hollywood`s biggest stars are more willing than ever to put their religion on display. But do they worry that turning on their spiritual side will turn off their fans?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked Scientologist John Travolta and his wife Kelly Preston.
JOHN TRAVOLTA, ACTOR: After 31 years of being a Scientologist, I don`t think so.
KELLY PRESTON, ACTRESS: Absolutely not. And it just helps you in every way of your life. I mean, Scientology rocks! It really does.
TRAVOLTA: It works.
PRESTON: It works.
ANDERSON: Travolta and Preston have never been shy about talking about their religion.
TRAVOLTA: There is not a person that has used it correctly that it hasn`t helped enormously.
PRESTON: It just helps you spiritually, it helps you in daily life.
ANDERSON: Fellow Scientologist Tom Cruise not only preaches his beliefs, but does so in a no-holds-barred sometimes explosive way.
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I`ve never agreed with psychiatry -- ever.
ANDERSON: Cruise ignited a firestorm a year ago in that now infamous interview with the "Today" show`s Matt Lauer when he spewed the Scientology line against psychiatry and the use of mood-altering medication.
MATT LAUER, HOST, "TODAY": Do you examine the possibility that these things do work for some people? That, yes, there are abuses, and, yes, maybe they have gone too far in certain areas. Maybe there are too many kids on Ritalin. Maybe electric shock...
CRUISE: Too many kids on Ritalin? Matt...
LAUER: I`m just saying, but aren`t there examples where it works?
CRUISE: Matt, Matt, Matt, you don`t even -- you`re glib. You don`t even know what Ritalin is.
MADONNA, SINGER (SINGING): Like a virgin touched for the very first time.
ANDERSON: Madonna has always pushed the religious envelope in her performances, but it`s her conversion from wayward Catholic to strict Kabbalist that makes headlines. And it hasn`t hurt her bottom line. Her 2006 "Confessions" tour sold out in North America.
COOPER: I grew up in a church. I grew up with my dad being a pastor. I had a great relationship with my dad and my granddad and the church.
ANDERSON: Even the outrageous rock star Alice Cooper is putting his religion out there these days -- and his money. Through his nonprofit foundation, he`s building a $3 million teen center at a Christian university.
COOPER: I still do a full-out Alice Cooper show. It`s just the fact that I don`t think that that interferes really with my Christianity.
ANDERSON: Mel Gibson`s "The Passion of the Christ" not only caused controversy, but, again, brought attention to his staunch Catholicism, which includes the rejection of the Vatican reforms of the early 1960s. These days Gibson is no doubt leaning on his religious beliefs for comfort as he tries to recover from his very public drunk driving arrest and anti- Semitic tirade.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Stephen Baldwin used to be one of Hollywood`s biggest bad boys until god came calling. Now he`s a Born-Again Christian and he has written a book about being saved.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S A.J. Hammer sat down with Baldwin to talk about how Christianity changed his life.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Well, talk about a changed guy. Look at you; here you are, having this kind of a conversation with me.
STEPHEN BALDWIN, ACTOR: Sure.
HAMMER: There was a time when your life was not like this. In fact, I used to see you out in the clubs here in New York City.
BALDWIN: I don`t know what you`re talking about.
HAMMER: You were partying at the Playboy Mansion. You were written about in the gossip columns all the time.
BALDWIN: Absolutely.
HAMMER: You were a bad boy in Hollywood.
So when you told people in your life, whether in the Hollywood scene or in your family, that you have found God and this was your calling and -- and this was your approach to life now, did they look at you and say, Are you kidding me?
BALDWIN: Well, to begin with, yes. I think that, you know, the, are- you-kidding-me thing was - was the first reaction.
But, you know, for me, my experience has been very personal. It really started with my wife. You know, my - my wife got saved so to speak about six years ago. And one year later, I followed -- all of this having been something that was told to us - told to both myself and -- and my wife -- 13 years ago by a cleaning woman that we had working at our house, if you can believe that. It sounds kind of crazy.
But I wrote "The Unusual Suspect" because I wanted to express the experience I`m having in my faith in a new, kind of funky, cool, radical way. Because the whole born again thing, it really has gotten a bad rap in the last 30 years.
HAMMER: Well, I think it probably scares some people. Just the -- just the -- just hearing that term.
BALDWIN: And it -- well, and it should, simply because there have been people that have been part of that movement in the last 30 years that have been kind of crazy.
And, you know, recently somebody said to me, like, What is this whole born again thing? And I said, you know, Are you ready? And they said, Yes. I said, Simply being born again means just having a spiritual rebirth, you know?
HAMMER: So it wasn`t so much about - because you often hear about people being reborn after they have hit rock bottom, after they have had -- whether it was a run-in with drugs, or -- or perhaps their life was spiraling out of control.
That was not the case as -- as far as I know with you.
BALDWIN: No. People often ask me, What was your road-to-Damascus experience, so to speak?
HAMMER: Yes.
BALDWIN: And there was - there was nothing. For me, there was a slow progression. My wife came to faith; I was able to witness that transformation firsthand. It wasn`t that dorky, cheesy Christian thing that you hear a lot about. It was very relevant, very tangible. And - and my ability firsthand to witness her conversion and see her really become different, and - and - and it was very positive.
And you have to remember, I was with her already for 10 years. So...
HAMMER: Right.
BALDWIN: So I was very close to her; she was my best friend. So to witness all this - and then, a lot of friends and family after my conversion said to me, The way you express yourself about your faith is really so much fun, you ought to consider writing a book.
HAMMER: And there you did.
BALDWIN: So I did.
HAMMER: So when you look back though, do you have a -- you certainly have a different perspective now on - on the life that you once led that you don`t lead anymore, in terms of that Hollywood bad-boy image we all knew (ph).
Do you look back on some stuff now and say, Yes, I can`t believe I did that? Is there anything in particular that jumps out to you that you - you maybe feel ashamed about, or that you -- you`d like to...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: You know, I`ll -- I`ll say this: there are some things that I look back upon that, knowing what I know now, and - and based on what I believe now, or certainly if I could -- if I could change things, I would.
But, you know, that was God`s plan. And for me, everything`s happened exactly as it should so I would come to a place of decision at some point that would change my life forever, in a very positive way.
I got to tell you this: the -- the -- the best reaction I`ve been getting to the book so far, is people are saying to me, Stephen, the book`s a blast. I laughed a lot. And I feel like when I`m reading the book, I`m just sitting in a room having a conversation with you.
HAMMER: Well, that - that - that`s the truth. And no matter what your faith, your belief or what you`re into or not into, it`s a fun read.
BALDWIN: That`s exactly the hope.
HAMMER: Stephen Baldwin, it`s good to see you, man. Thanks for...
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: ... being here. I appreciate it.
And Stephen`s new book is called "The Unusual Suspect:
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And now we want to hear what you think about it. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day."
Holy Hollywood: Should there be more religious-themed entertainment?
Go to cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us -- there`s the address -- showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Another chapter in Michael Jackson`s legal battle over custody of his kids. We`re going to tell you the latest coming up.
Plus, our series, "Holy Hollywood" continues. Ahead, Jesus rocks. We`ll take you to a music festival that`s kind of a religious Woodstock and take a look at the growing money-making machine of Christian rock.
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want them to walk out of the movie theater, not only having seen a well-told story, but moved emotionally and moved spiritually.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The little movies that could with god on its side. We`ll show you a movie-making miracle produced by a church picked up by a Hollywood heavy-hitter.
Sit tight. That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Tomorrow, the movie that blows the lid off of how Queen Elizabeth reacted after the death of Princess Diana. Helen Mirren`s performance as the queen is getting rave reviews. She`s here tomorrow in the interview you will see right here only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Michael Jackson has reached a settlement with his ex-wife. Debbie Rowe`s attorney says the former couple has reached an agreement in their legal battle over custody and visitation rights for their two children. No one is disclosing the terms of the agreement, but spokesmen for both Jackson and Rowe say their clients are pleased.
Rosie O`Donnell goes on a rant. She is comparing the scandal over Congressman Mark Foley`s alleged inappropriate e-mails to the Catholic Church sex scandal. Rosie in her own words coming up.
Plus, the little movie that could with god on its side. We`ll show you a movie-making miracle produced by a church picked up by a Hollywood heavy-hitter.
That`s coming up.
We`ll also have this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jesus loves you, whether you love him or not!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: ... Jesus rocks. We`re going to take to you a music festival that`s kind of a religious Woodstock and take a look at the growing, money-making machine of Christian rock. Our special series, "Holy Hollywood," continues on this Monday night coming up next.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. Hammer has the night off. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
OK, coming up, we`re going to have a chilling, very disturbing documentary about the most notorious pedophile in the history of the Catholic Church and his victims. We`re going to take a look straight ahead.
Also, God and the gridiron are coming together, and Hollywood is loving it. We`ll explain in just a minute.
But first, thousands of young adults camped out at a five-day music fest. Sound familiar? Well, this one`s got tattoos, piercings and Jesus. It`s the Cornerstone Festival, blending rock and religion. Is it a perfect mix or just a song and dance?
Here`s CNN`s Tom Foreman for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are coming from all over America: kids in Jesus shirts with crosses around their necks, fish in their bumpers, and in the middle of summer, in the middle of nowhere, they are coming together.
This is Cornerstone, a five-day music festival unlike any other.
(MUSIC)
FOREMAN: For young Christians, it is Woodstock, Ozzfest and Lollapalooza rolled into one, where the testimonials...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jesus loves you, whether you love him or not.
FOREMAN...and the tattoos all say the same thing: Jesus rocks.
BETHANY LEE, CORNERSTONE VOLUNTEER: I think our biggest year, we had 25,000 people come to the fair (ph).
FOREMAN: But Bethany Lee, a longtime fan and now volunteer, assures me the moment I arrive, this is not a typical church crowd. It`s full of hippies, punks, Goths, rockers and ravers.
LEE: We try to get it out there that it doesn`t matter what you look like, what color your hair is, how many tattoos and piercings you have. Christianity isn`t about that. It`s about, Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe he`s the son of God? Do you believe he came and he died for you and he rose again?
And that`s it.
FOREMAN: A simple idea, yet it has spawned a revolution in Christian rock, which is now selling around 50 million discs a year. That`s right, 50 million - ahead of jazz, new age, classical -- with the creative chaos of Cornerstone right in the middle.
LEE: Hey, John.
FOREMAN: John Herrin is one of the festival`s founders.
JOHN HERRIN, FESTIVAL ORGANIZER: I think if you go to the typical Christian music festival, as soon as you walk in the door, you know the adults are in charge. And I think if you walk into the door at Cornerstone, I hope the first thing you think is that maybe nobody`s in charge.
(MUSIC)
FOREMAN: Staunchly conservative critics also suggest it seems nobody is very Christian here, either. It is often difficult to find or at least to hear any reference to God or Jesus in songs at Cornerstone. And many musicians want it that way.
HERRIN: I don`t think they would really categorize themselves as Christian bands. They`re really just bands that are made up of Christians. And not all the bands, necessarily - maybe not all the members are Christians.
FOREMAN: So while you get mashed in the mosh pit, you won`t be beaten with the Bible. Certainly not by some of the groups enjoying mainstream success, like Under Oath.
(SINGING)
CHAD CARTER, MUSICIAN: Here people accept different styles of life (ph) for music. There isn`t secular groups. There isn`t, Well, we just like this music, so your music sucks. Everyone here just gets along. They don`t check your religious status when you get the door.
CHRISTOPHER NEU, MUSICIAN: They don`t - they don`t make sure you got a license to preach.
FOREMAN: It works because kids and parents both buy into it.
Barry Socia is Catholic, and he drove a thousand miles to bring his son Lucas to hear his favorite bands.
LUCAS SOCIA, MUSIC FAN: I was surprised that a lot of them were Christian. I never pay attention to their lyrics that much.
BARRY SOCIA, PARENT: I think anything that keeps children interested, especially in a multimedia age that we have today - you know, anything that kind of keeps their interest and keeps them exploring and keeping an open mind is good.
(MUSIC)
FOREMAN: This music that talks about relationships, social issues, morality, but doesn`t get too preachy, is so popular, everyone seems to be developing an act, right on the roadside.
LEE: These are just nobody bands - just people who love coming to the fest and want to share their music.
FOREMAN (on camera): So they bring a generator and their instruments...
LEE: They bring a generator. They bring (INAUDIBLE)
FOREMAN: And this happens.
(CROSSTALK)
LEE: ...all their own instruments.
FOREMAN (voice-over): But is this really heaven`s work -- this business of writing ambiguous lyrics that might be about God or a girl or just a friend.
(SINGING)
FOREMAN: Or is this all a song and dance? Cornerstone is undeniably bringing new faces. But traditional Christians wonder: in (ph) these young people, will faith remain when the music ends?
(SINGING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Tom Foreman for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Religious fervor doesn`t just apply to music, though. It`s become a driving force in the movie industry, with studios backing faith-based films. Fox took the cue and created an entire division, called Fox Faith, focusing on Christian-infused films.
A look at some of the faith-based (ph) movies coming out from various studios now.
"Conversations With God," based on the series of books by Neale Donald Walsch. The movie tells the story of Walsch`s own journey out of the depths of despair, and the questions he asked God when he was at his lowest point.
"Jesus Camp," a documentary about a North Dakota Bible camp that recruits and indoctrinates born-again Christian children to become soldiers in God`s army. The children are taught how to take America back for Christ.
In tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Showcase," "Deliver From Evil." It`s a disturbing documentary about Father Oliver O`Grady, the most notorious pedophile in the history of the modern Catholic Church. This Northern California violated dozens of faithful Catholic families for more than two decades.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Today, two American women came to the Vatican, hoping to deliver a letter to the new pope.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m going to put in direct language they`ll understand.
ZAHN: The guards wouldn`t let them in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His name was Father O`Grady.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was the closest thing to God that we knew.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is going to be the most confession of my life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My last memory of Father is severe pain before I black out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you feel aroused when you see children in underwear? I said, Yes. I want children who are naked, let`s say (ph)? Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had sexual urges towards a 9-year-old. Is that cause to remove him from ministry?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mahoney (ph) said he knew that you were being abused, but you were a girl.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My hand went down and I grabbed up her (ph) night dress.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Had you been a boy, that would have been obscene.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the aspects in being successful in the church is that you create the good image.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The thing he had to do then to avoid scandal was to move O`Grady to an outlying parish.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was a danger to them. But I would have been a danger to others as well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I have to ask them (ph), Did he catch when you were a little girl?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He just says, Yes. And I - the whole world collapsed.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They knew children were being victimized, and they did nothing except ensure that law enforcement would not find out.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They squelched the report, and they carried on as normal.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think that somebody should have told the cops that O`Grady had been previously accused?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Repeat that, please.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has so many victims I don`t think you can keep track. I think it`s in the hundreds.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am battling to regain my life back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ve encountered deception, perjury, denial and deceit at the highest levels of the Catholic Church.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think if a child were raped, that would be somebody that you would forget?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Object. Instruct the witness not to answer.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Very shocking, and so sad.
"Deliver Us From Evil" hits theaters October 13.
And the film was a hot topic with the ladies of "The View." Rosie O`Donnell brought us "Deliver US From Evil" in a conversation that began about former Florida Congressman Mark Foley. The disgraced ex-Congressman just checked himself into rehab after the alleged e-mail scandal involving underage interns. O`Donnell compared the issue to the scandal in the Catholic Church.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, "THE VIEW": There`s an amazing documentary called "Deliver Us From Evil" that`s about to come out in October about the Catholic Church. Because the thing about this - this one leader - this Mark Foley, is apparently there were, like, seven or eight other congresspeople who knew that he was doing this to a variety of young boys who worked there for him as an intern. And no one turned him in because there was fear of losing the congressional seat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, if that`s true, that`s unfortunate. And that is really sad.
O`DONNELL: And it`s the same thing that happened in the Catholic Church, when pedophile priests were moved from parish to parish, because the Catholic Church was afraid of lawsuits.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Foley stated he is an alcoholic and is seeking treatment of the disease, and for what he calls "behavioral problems."
Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, scratching the surface with the world`s longest fingernails. And you won`t believe their ridiculous upkeep.
Plus, it`s the little movie that could. How God and the gridiron came together in "Facing the Giants," and why Hollywood is latching on to the feel-good, feel-God film.
Stay with us. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Master, stand by to your break. Roll your break, and effect black.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Music under, stand by, Brooke. Open her mike, pre- set Camera 1. Dissolve, go.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charles (ph).
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson. A.J. Hammer has the night off.
Well, it`s that time again - for another story that made us say...
CROWD: "That`s Ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: And this story could also double as...
CROWD: That`s disgusting!
ANDERSON: That`s disgusting. You guys are good. I`m going to have to take you back to L.A. with me.
OK, take a look at the longest fingernails in the world. Sixty-five- year-old Lee Redmond is now the Guinness record holder, with nail lengths totaling - get this - 24 feet, 7 inches. Redmond began growing her fingernails 27 years ago. All right, listen, she cleans with a toothbrush, treats them daily with warm olive oil and nail hardener.
Redmond can only sleep on her side with her nails hanging off the edge of the bed. That can`t be comfortable.
As for the other pressing question, she says using the little girl`s room is a delicate task.
The world`s longest fingernails - now "That`s Ridiculous!" And gross.
Taking another look now at holy Hollywood, one of those movies in the faith-based genre, "Facing the Giants," is about to face the Hollywood giants. Call it the little movie that could. It began with a pint-sized budget and a biblical-proportioned theme that with God, anything is possible.
CNN`s Rusty Dorman (ph) - Dornin reports for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Coach Grant Taylor just can`t get a break...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE). If he only had a few seconds more to build a football...
DORNIN: Six losing seasons; his star player transferred to another school; his wife facing the threat of infertility. And his car won`t start.
The film "Facing the Giants" has action-packed drama, humor, and all the trappings of a typical Hollywood yarn, except one thing: God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that football is just one of the tools we use to honor God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you think God does care about football?
DORNIN: This film was produced by a church: Sherwood Baptist Church in the rural town of Albany, Georgia -- the brainchild of church members and brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, who read a survey claiming movies and TV were more influential on American culture than church.
ALEX KENDRICK, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: We thought, if that`s where the people are, if that`s what`s gaining a lot of influence, then let`s try that route.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE), and he can`t take it from there. It`s too far.
DORNIN: Alex Kendrick plays Coach Taylor. He and 500 church volunteers did everything, from lighting to costumes. It took six weeks on a budget of $100,000 -- an amateur project except for the camerawork.
KENDRICK: We want people to walk out of the movie not only having seen a well-told story, but moved emotionally and moved spiritually.
DORNIN: They hope to turn the film into a DVD, as they did an earlier religious film, "Flywheel," and show it in churches around the country.
But a funny thing happened on the way to opening night: they got a call.
KENDRICK: This is Provident Music Group, and we`ve gotten into the motion picture business, because our parent company is Sony. And we want to help you distribute this movie. And I about fell out of my charm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we`re going to give you our bust.
DORNIN: No sex, no violence - it must be rated "G," right? Filmmakers were surprised the movie was bumped up to "PG" because of the religious theme.
KENDRICK: You express your faith in this movie, and some people may find that offensive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we`re going to have change your whole kicking philosophy.
DORNIN: In the film, Bailey Cave plays David, the team kicker who has no faith in his own ability. In reality, Cave says the movie production was an act of faith.
BAILEY CAVE, ACTOR: It took a church coming together, and honestly just unifying and trusting God.
DORNIN: A theme the film`s producers hope will touch the hearts and souls of moviegoers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Rusty Dornin for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
"Facing the Giants" opens in select theaters tonight.
OK, what do baseballs and Bibles have in common? Turns out they have a lot to do with one another in a few baseball stadiums across the country.
CNN`s faith-and-values correspondent Delia Gallagher is here for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with more - Delia.
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN FAITH AND VALUES CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, religion at the sports arena is becoming a big trend. In some stadiums in the country, biblical bobbleheads, free Bibles and a crash course in Christianity are all becoming part of the ballpark experience.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GALLAGHER (voice-over): John Smoltz has helped win a World Series and earned a Cy Young Award in 18 years playing baseball for the Atlanta Braves.
But on this day, he`s pitching for another team -- one with a much more powerful lineup.
JOHN SMOLTZ, ATLANTA BRAVES PITCHER: Only God can change and - and - and rip you of some of the things you`re holding on to, and he did that for me in baseball.
GALLAGHER: Welcome to Faith Night, a new phenomenon bringing Christianity to the ballpark.
SMOLTZ: Don`t take my words for the gospel or what it should be. Take it as something to prompt you to - to - to think deeper.
GALLAGHER: Free Bibles, Christian bands, biblical bobbleheads and player testimonials are all provided to fans by the marketing company Third Coast Sports, which so far has been in 27 minor league ballparks across the country.
BRENT HIGH, PRESIDENT, THIRD COAST SPORTS: Teams market to demographics and cycographics (ph) every day of the week. And this is just, in business terms, another demographic.
GALLAGHER: And now, they`ve hit the Major Leagues.
DEREK SCHILLER, BRAVES VP, SALES AND MARKETING: I`ve been told that there are some 5,400 churches within a 75-mile radius. So that, obviously, makes a lot of sense for the Atlanta Braves.
GALLAGHER: Derek Shiller estimates a 10 percent increase over average attendance on the Braves three faith nights this year -- the first Major League team to stage such an event. The Arizona Diamondbacks also have done it, and the Florida Marlins plan to next year.
HIGH: We are very close to having deals with teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, and obviously we`re already in Major League Baseball. I don`t see this slowing down.
GALLAGHER: Still, not everyone is a fan.
THE REV. MARK BOZZUTI-JONES ST. BARTHOLOMEW`S CHURCH: I am against any kind of fellowship that then becomes exclusive, a kind of fellowship where a Jewish person won`t feel welcome, a Muslim person, or somebody who doesn`t believe in God.
GALLAGHER: Third Coast Sports says faith nights are not hostile to nonbelievers, and no one is forced to participate.
HIGH: We will never throw a Bible in your face as you come in the turnstile.
BOZZUTI-JONES: I`m a Christian, and I`m very much for, you know, promoting Christianity. But the time and the place have to be right. It shouldn`t be a marketing tool. Definitely shouldn`t be a marketing tool.
GALLAGHER: But some fans don`t mind baseball being used to market religion.
RODNEY JOHNSON, MOBILE BAY BEARS FAN: We can display our faith at the ballgame and, you know, and -- and maybe people from being around us will be able to attend the events and -and start - and find a church that, you know, maybe they`ve been looking for.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GALLAGHER: And Brooke, if you want proof that faith nights are taking off, consider this: they even have on in the City of Sin, Las Vegas. If it can work there, it can work anywhere.
ANDERSON: It sounds possible, absolutely, Delia.
Delia Gallagher, CNN`s faith-and-values correspondent for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Holy Hollywood: Should there be more religious-themed entertainment?"
Here`s some of the e-mails we`ve received so far.
Kevin from Ohio writes, "There should be more religious-themed movies and entertainment like there should be more religious-themed politicians."
Debra from Florida says, "Why are people so afraid of religion? They don`t have to buy into everything they see."
We appreciate your e-mails. OK, again, tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Holy Hollywood: Should there be more religious- themed entertainment?" Keep on voting: cnn.com/showbiztonight. Keep on writing: showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`re going to read some more of your e- mails tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We want to remind you that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now on seven nights a week. That`s right; TV`s most provocative entertainment news show is now on the weekends, too. Be sure to check us out, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Saturday and Sunday and each and every night, 11 p.m. Eastern, 8 Pacific.
Last week, you heard actor Dustin Diamond tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he didn`t approve of the release of a sex tape he made. Well, this may be bad news for Screech: that tape might soon be accessible with just the click of a mouse. The sports-book Web site betus.com claims to be the frontrunner in a bidding war over the X-rated tape.
Diamond told us he made the tape awhile ago to show his friend, not to show the world. But this Web site actually says it`s in talks with Diamond`s reps to acquire and distribute the tape. Betus.com says it`s planning to offer the video free of charge to regular customers, and for $29.95 for non-members. And who would want to buy it? Oh well.
On Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Sex Tapes: Do they actually help a celebrity`s career?" Here`s how you voted: 49 percent of you said "yes"; 51 percent of you said "no." Pretty close vote there.
Time to see what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Let`s see that "SHOWBIZ Marquee."
Tomorrow, the movie that blows the lid off how Queen Elizabeth may have reacted right after Princess Diana`s death. We sit down with actress Helen Mirren in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And she is fabulous.
Also, "Lost"`s Dominic Monahan is found right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Will his character Charlie clean up his ways? We`re going to ask Dominic what Season 3 of the hit show has in store for fans, just in time for the premiere. It is a very successful show, and that`s tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Thanks so much for watching. Have a great night, everyone. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
Stay tuned; Glenn Beck is coming up next, right after the headlines from CNN Headline News. Keep it here.
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