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Showbiz Tonight
Madonna Strikes Back!; Anna Nicole Mystery; The Oscar Curse; No Prenup!; "The View" gets Political;
Aired November 01, 2006 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CO-HOST: Shocking new details in the death of Anna Nicole Smith`s son.
I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CO-HOST: And we`ll be talking with Roseanne Barr and "American Idol" Kellie Pickler.
I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
ANDERSON: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Madonna`s media blitz. Tonight big surprises as Madonna goes on the defense. What we didn`t know about her controversial adoption of an African boy and what she really said to the father of the boy who stole her heart.
Tonight true confessions from Madonna as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, does Madonna really need to explain herself?
Reese and Ryan`s surprising split.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REESE WITHERSPOON, ACTRESS: I`ve been really, really lucky to have such a wonderful family to support me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, brand new details on the shocking breakup of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe`s marriage.
Plus, are Reese and Ryan just the latest victims of the curse of the Oscar?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YVONNE THOMAS, PH.D., LOS ANGELES PSYCHOLOGIST: I`ve seen it too many times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates when a woman hits it big time, can it cause a marriage meltdown?
Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer has the night off.
Tonight, get out of Madonna`s way because she is striking back and doesn`t care who gets in her way.
ANDERSON: Yes, watch out, Sibila. Madonna launched a media blitz today to take on the critics who say she had no business adopting a little boy in Africa the way she did.
But even more than that, Madonna dropped some new bombshell details today about what really happened.
VARGAS: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that it basically comes down to this -- Madonna is sick and tired of being a punching bag and she is not going to take it lying down.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): She has been blasted in the press, attacked on the air waves.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This man should get his son back.
VARGAS: And generally slammed for her adoption of little David Banda from a village in Malawi. And now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that Madonna is striking back in a major media offensive.
MADONNA, SINGER: I expected people to be cynical and say, oh, she is just doing this because she wants attention.
VARGAS: In a powerful new interview, Madonna boldly tells "Today Show" Host Meredith Vieira she`s done nothing wrong and is shocked at the beating she`s taken for what she did.
MADONNA: I didn`t expect to be accused of kidnapping or doing something illegal. I didn`t expect to be demonized.
VARGAS: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the latest on Madonna`s big interview as she reveals for the first time an offer she made to the boy`s father.
MADONNA: I offered that in court when I met him. And he didn`t -- he didn`t want that.
VARGAS: And the reaction to Madonna`s mission to battle the bad press she`s gotten for the adoption.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": For Madonna who usually has so many (UNINTELLIGIBLE), she came off as really human this time.
VARGAS: The criticism began when Madonna adopted 13-month-old orphan David Banda after touring an orphanage in the African nation of Malawi.
In the NBC interview, Madonna describes first meeting little David who she says was very sick at the time and kept saying, who is that baby? And who is that boy? I don`t know. I was drawn to his face, something about him, his eyes. And so I inquired about him, and...
MEREDITH VIEIRA, "TODAY SHOW" HOST: And what did you learn about him?
MADONNA: I found out that his mother had died of AIDS, that he had three brothers and sisters who died also. I heard that they didn`t know the whereabouts of the father.
VARGAS: Madonna eventually did meet the father, who she says agreed to let her adopt David because he couldn`t care for him. Critics have said that Madonna should have just left the child where he was.
CHERYL CARTER-SHOTTS, AMERICANS FOR AFRICAN ADOPTION: If you really wanted to help this child, help him stay with his father.
VARGAS: But for the first time ever, Madonna is now revealing that she offered to do just that.
MADONNA: I said I would be happy to bring him back to your village and help you financially raise him. And he said, no.
VARGAS: Madonna also takes on critics of the adoption, saying she followed the letter of the law.
And she dropped another bombshell, telling Meredith Vieira that race may be behind some of the criticism she is getting.
MADONNA: I think a lot of people have a problem with the fact that I`ve adopted an African child, a child who has a different color skin than I do. You know, I have people say to me on the streets when I`m walking down the street, why did you adopt a black child? You know, I mean...
VIEIRA: Those that come out and say this to you?
MADONNA: Oh, yes. Definitely, yes.
VIEIRA: And what do you say?
MADONNA: I don`t say anything. I don`t dignify their question with a reply.
VARGAS: Now Madonna says little David is bonding with her two other children, Lourdes and Rocco. She says he is starting to exhibit some familiar traits.
MADONNA: He`s got a terrible temper. He is very flirtatious. And he is hysterically funny.
VARGAS: After watching Madonna gush over little David, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that it`s clear the one time material girl is now sounding more like a material mom.
PIAZZA: I thought she was expressing a genuine love for this child. She is in the mode where she is protecting her child and she is coming out to defend him.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: Madonna is not only a rock star, but in the PR world, she is a rock star.
VARGAS: Celebrity Publicist Howard Bragman has weathered his share of celebrity scandals. He tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that we`re seeing why nobody but nobody weathers controversy better than Madonna.
BRAGMAN: Madonna understands when the waters and the tides are starting to shift, and she does something about it. She has an innate sense of self and an innate sense of how to deal with the media.
VARGAS: Bragman says Madonna will no doubt survive this latest controversy.
And let`s face it, in the age of Brangelina, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan, people probably won`t be mad at Madonna for much longer.
PIAZZA: I think it is going to die down pretty soon. I mean, next week Britney Spears is going to go to the Congo and adopt a baby or something and we`re just not going to care about Madonna and David Banda anymore.
VARGAS: Still, we shouldn`t expect Madonna to change her controversy provoking ways.
MADONNA: I`m not going to stop doing what I do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (on camera): And Madonna`s media mission continues. In addition to doing NBC Today and the Oprah Winfrey show last week, she has also done a BBC interview. And Friday morning she is scheduled to visit "Live with Regis and Kelly."
It`s clear that after being knocked around for weeks, Madonna is determined to get out her side of the adoption story.
ANDERSON: Tonight, more shocking and disturbing news in the mysterious death of Anna Nicole Smith`s son, Daniel.
"Court TV" is reporting that up to four -- yes, four more drugs may have played a part in Daniel Smith`s sudden death. Daniel, who was only 20 years old, died in his mother`s hospital room back in September from what was first reported to be a lethal combination of three antidepressants, Zoloft, Lexapro and methadone.
With us tonight, from "Court TV" with the exclusive new details is "Court TV" News Correspondent Michael Bryant.
Thanks for being here, Michael.
MICHAEL BRYANT, "COURT TV" NEWS CORRESPONDENT: You bet, Brooke. How are you doing?
ANDERSON: I`m doing well.
Now, this is really shocking news because first, the independent pathologist hired by Anna Nicole, said that it was a lethal combination of three antidepressants. Just that combination. But now, you`re saying that it`s more than that?
BRYANT: Well, that`s what we`re hearing from sources in the Bahamas. Remember, it`s been almost two months now since his death...
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Oh, I apologize about that. I think we`re having a few technical difficulties.
BRYANT: OK.
ANDERSON: But now you`re saying it is more than...
(CROSSTALK)
BRYANT: Yes, and it`s been almost two months, and you have to wonder why this investigation is continuing. Well, now we`re hearing, it`s because the investigators are trying to figure out exactly where these drugs came from and how they got into Daniel Smith`s body. Did he do it? Did somebody else do it? And the talk now is not that it`s any sort of accident, that it couldn`t be because these drugs total eight times the lethal dose for a human death.
So how could that be accidental? So the question now becomes who had control over these drugs? How did they get to him and in him? And is this suicide? Is it worse, is it murder?
ANDERSON: Well, he died September 10. They didn`t bury him for weeks and weeks. And then he was finally laid to rest. What does this mean? Are they going to exhume his body and start all over again with the investigation?
BRYANT: Well, you know, there is no word of the government trying to exhume the body because I think all the tests were done. And now it`s a matter of evaluating the results.
Of course, Anna Nicole has suggested she might want to exhume his body if she is kicked out of the Bahamas because she would want to take him with her. However, the government says that`s not likely. In that country you can`t just pull a body out of the ground because you decide you changed your mind. It has to have some law enforcement effect, and she is not going to have that.
ANDERSON: Well, you say, you know, how can this possibly be an accident with these new findings. You know, there has been a lot of speculation, people saying something bad must have happened here, something really mysterious. Even Anna Nicole Smith`s own estranged mother says she thinks Daniel was murdered. Is this new report just going to add fuel to the fire?
BRYANT: Well, I think there is no doubt that the folks coming up with those possibilities are certainly going to be buoyed by this kind of information. I don`t know what`s worse, the suicide or a murder. But I think the critical thing here is that if it is not accidental, we need to find out what exactly did happen just to find out for sure how it was handled initially, how it`s resolved, to make sure there is not something being covered up that we should know about.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. And also to the latest, Anna Nicole has recently been hospitalized for pneumonia. She may be evicted from the house she is living in. There is also that paternity lawsuit about who is the father of her new baby girl. Is it Larry Birkhead? Is it Howard K. Stern?
You know, every time I say that this story just can`t get more bizarre, it does. Michael, you have found some fascinating details. Are we just really going to need to brace ourselves for even more developments here?
BRYANT: You know, when I get to the point as you have, where you think, OK, this is odd enough, but we can deal with this, something new comes along. Today it was the exhumation and now we`re hearing stories by Birkhead`s attorney, suggesting they are dying the hair color of the baby to look more like Howard K. Stern`s.
ANDERSON: It`s outrageous.
BRYANT: I mean, it does get so beyond bizarre. It`s hard to believe.
ANDERSON: And just when I think the situation is trying to become semi-normal, we get hit with another bombshell.
Michael Bryant, from "Court TV," thanks so much for your insight. We appreciate you joining us.
BRYANT: You bet.
VARGAS: Well now we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Madonna`s media tour: Did she really need to explain herself? Go to cnn.com/showbiztonight or send us an e-mail at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
And remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. That`s right. Just look into your video camera or webcam and send us a piece of your mind via video e-mail. It`s really easy. Head to our Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight, to learn just how to do it. All you have to do is click, attach, and send. Remember your videos have got to be 30 seconds or less. Watch for your video e-mails only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: "American Idol" Kellie Pickler dishes on live after "Idol." What`s it like going from a small town to living in the spotlight? That`s still ahead.
We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YVONNE THOMAS, PH.D., LOS ANGELES PSYCHOLOGIST: It`s really hard. If you stop feeling like you`re part of the couple, and just part of the entourage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Shocking star splits. Are Reese and Ryan just the latest victims of the curse of the Oscar? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the surprising trend of leading ladies losing love after winning Oscar.
Also tonight, a no holds barred sit down with funny woman Roseanne Barr. We`re going to talk to her about her weight, about surviving controversy. And we`ll ask her why she is not willing to hold her tongue when it comes to just about anything. It`s an interview you`ll see only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charles.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
Time now for a story that made us say -- come on, guys...
UNIDENTIFIED MALES: That`s ridiculous!
ANDERSON: OK, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT normally blows the lid off stories. Well, this time we`re putting the lid down. We`re talking about these new toilet themed restaurants that are making a huge splash across Asia. This one in China offers light meals served in, what else, a toilet shaped bowl.
All right, in Taiwan, the first toilet restaurant became so popular that the owner decided to open a second location just seven months after opening the first.
Popular or not, eating out while on the toilet? Now, that`s ridiculous!
Roseanne Barr is no stranger to controversy. And that`s OK with her. The outspoken comedian has purposely picked the scabs on many a sore topic just to get a reaction and irritate people. Best known for her hit TV show "Roseanne," which ran for nine years, Barr is now set to return to TV and her stand up roots in a brand new HBO special, "Blonde and Bitching." Nothing is off limits, including gay marriage and President Bush.
Roseanne is with us tonight in Hollywood.
Hi Roseanne.
ROSEANNE BARR, COMEDIAN: Hi.
ANDERSON: OK, you know, you starred in one of the most classic sitcoms of all time. It was called "Roseanne," of course. It aired for nine seasons, ended in 1997. And then except for a couple of things here and there, we really haven`t seen you that much. And we`ve missed you, Roseanne. Where have you been?
BARR: Oh, that`s nice. Well, I`ve been home. I`ve been home.
ANDERSON: Been home doing what?
BARR: Yes, working. I`ve been working on things. I made a kids DVD. And I built a Web site. And I do a Internet call-in show every Wednesday night. And if you go to my Web site, roseanneworld.com, you can see all that stuff and see what I`ve been doing.
ANDERSON: Check out what you`ve been up to.
BARR: Yes.
ANDERSON: Well, I have to tell you, you look great.
BARR: Thank you.
ANDERSON: You are turning, what? 54 years old?
BARR: Yes, I am.
ANDERSON: And you talk about aging in your act. What do you think? Is there a double standard in Hollywood where it`s OK for men to age, but not OK for women?
BARR: I don`t -- I don`t think it`s OK for anybody to age in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: It`s unfortunate.
BARR: I mean, the men are having the facelifts, too. But, you know, I just don`t think anybody deals real well with age, period, out here.
But in the real world, I think it`s a different story. And I think a lot of people are aging. In fact, you know, the baby boomers are -- that`s a huge group of people in America, and we`re aging. And, you know, so we`re dealing with it and all the things that come with it.
ANDERSON: In addition to aging, you`ve been very open about talking about your weight. In fact, you had your stomach stapled, but you still say that you maintain a somewhat heavy weight. In fact, you told "Newsweek," quote, "I am still fat and I always will be and I don`t care."
BARR: Yes.
ANDERSON: Roseanne, are you just sick and tired of Hollywood and all the magazines out there putting out the unrealistic images and obsessing about being thin and looking a certain way?
BARR: Yes, I`m just kind of tired of being the victim of what anybody else thinks or the diet industry or any of it. You know, I`m OK, what the hell. I`m never going -- I`m never going to, you know, be thin.
ANDERSON: Do you think more people should just accept how they are, how they look, and be comfortable in their own skin?
BARR: No. I think more people should get as fat as they can and they should start right now. And they should eat as much as they can probably eat because, you know, the food supply is not going to be around for that much longer. So you should get really, really fat to help you make it over the next few years.
ANDERSON: Be fat, be happy, store it up. Well, you mentioned the diet industry. What`s your beef with the diet industry?
BARR: Well, just that it`s a scam, you know, that uses fat people as lab rats and guinea pigs, in cahoots with big drug companies that know that fat people will take anything if you tell them it will make them lose weight.
There is nothing you can`t get fat people to do to lose weight except for stop eating like a hog and do some exercise. That would be extreme.
But, you know, people just, you know, need to find something new to bitch about besides weight.
ANDERSON: Well, you`ve returned to your stand-up comedy roots with your HBO special, as I mentioned, "Blonde and Bitching." And I love the name of it. You take on everything, absolutely everything in your act. Gay rights and gay marriage, for example. What`s your take?
BARR: I say I got a lot of jokes on that subject, but the bottom line is, I don`t even know why gays are pushing to get married. Haven`t they suffered enough? I`m pro-divorce. I think everyone should get a divorce immediately.
(CROSSTALK)
BARR: If all the people who wanted to get divorced would, there would be no one left married.
ANDERSON: Because you`ve had the experience.
BARR: Yes, I`ve had three wonderful divorces. And I couldn`t be happier with any of them.
ANDERSON: Also in your special, Roseanne, you`re pretty brutal about President Bush. You don`t like President Bush and you make that clear. What`s your problem with him?
BARR: Where should I start? You don`t have the time.
ANDERSON: Start wherever you want.
BARR: The same problem that two-thirds of America has with him. You know, it`s only the small minority of 35 percent of Americans like him. And so that means that roughly almost two-thirds of America doesn`t like him. You know, that`s pretty telling. So everybody keeps talking about, you know, talking as if it`s reversed...
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: What`s your main issue?
BARR: My main issue?
ANDERSON: Yes.
BARR: Man, you know -- I think he is bad for America. And I`m a patriot, and I think he is bad for America. And I think, you know, he is bad for working people. He is bad for people who need help. And, you know, he is just bad.
ANDERSON: You know, back in 1990 -- you are a patriot, but back in 1990, you got slammed for the way you sang, "The Star Spangled Banner" at a baseball game.
BARR: Yes.
ANDERSON: You later came out, you apologized. Do you kind of sympathize with what happened to the Dixie Chicks? I mean, it`s two totally different types of incidents. You meant it to be funny. They were making a statement. But you were both called unpatriotic. Do you sympathize with them?
BARR: Yes, I do. I sympathize with them because, you know, this is, you know, they keep talking about how we`re over fighting a war and all this other stuff for freedom, but then when anybody uses it, they don`t like that either. So, you know, this is a free country, despite what extremists say. And you do have the right to voice your opinion, even if it differs with the president. And that`s what`s great about this country and that`s the thing that I would like to be protected -- freedom -- because that is what made America great, not anything else.
ANDERSON: Roseanne Barr, it`s really great to see you. Stay blonde and keep bitching, girl.
BARR: Thank you very much.
ANDERSON: Thanks so much for joining us. Roseanne`s stand up special, "Blonde and Bitching," premieres this Saturday on HBO.
VARGAS: Can`t wait to see that.
Well, she sang her way into the hearts of millions on "American Idol," but now, can former finalist Kellie Pickler top the charts? We`ll talk to her about the pressure to compete after "Idol." That`s coming up in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: A music video with powerful message. Rockers U2 and Green Day band together to give us a fascinating look at what could happen if U.S. troops in Iraq were redeployed elsewhere. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look, coming up.
We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YVONNE THOMAS, PH.D., LOS ANGELES PSYCHOLOGIST: The man can start to feel resentful, jealous, hostile, competitive with his loved one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Could Oscar be to blame for shocking celebrity splits? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates when a woman hits it big time, can it cause a marriage meltdown? That`s still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Tomorrow, Reichen Lehmkuhl is here. Lots to talk about with him. He`s Lance Ash`s boyfriend. He`s written a book about coming out and the military. Oh yeah, and he won season four of "The Amazing Race," one of my favorite reality shows. Reichen joins us tomorrow in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
VARGAS: Grammy-award winning Australian Pop Star Kylie Minogue is returning to the stage for the first time since successfully battling breast cancer. Minogue is literally picking up right where she left off. She is going back to her concert tour in Sidney on November 11. She was forced to end the tour after being diagnosed with breast cancer in May of last year. Since then, Minogue underwent surgery and chemotherapy.
She has made a couple of public appearances this year, even appearing on the catwalk in Milan. Now her label says Minogue is ready to sing again. Minogue started as a soap opera actress in Australia and later became an international pop star, with a 1987 release of "Do the Locomotion."
ANDERSON: The Mel Gibson story, dramatized on prime time TV -- and I talked to Actor Chevy Chase about playing the character based on Gibson. His surprising comments, still to come.
VARGAS: Also, "American Idol" Kellie Pickler dishes on life after "Idol." What it`s like going from the small town to living in the spotlight. That`s still ahead in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YVONNE THOMAS, PH.D., LOS ANGELES PSYCHOLOGIST: It`s really hard if you stop feeling like you`re part of a couple and just part of the entourage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Shocking star splits. This one really shocked and saddened everybody. Are Reese and Ryan just the latest victims of what`s being called the curse of the Oscar?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates a surprising trend, and that`s of leading ladies losing love after winning the Oscar. It`s really interesting. Stay with us for Wednesday night SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Keep it right here.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. And it`s the ladies night here tonight. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
ANDERSON: Sibila, tonight "American Idol`s" Kellie Pickler is going to join us. She was one of the finalists from this season. She has just released her debut solo album. And she`s going to talk to us about going from a small town, serving hamburgers on roller skates, to now living her life in the spotlight.
VARGAS: Can`t wait to hear that. Can`t wait to hear that.
And also tonight, a Showbiz showcase. A controversial new music video from U2 and Green Day, that wonders what would happen if the troops came back to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. It`s very provocative and it`s coming up a little later.
But first, it`s the breakup that has Hollywood reeling. Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, separating. And today we learned new details about the dramatic split.
TMZ.com is reporting that Reese and Ryan do not have a prenup. And now that`s no small matter, given that she earns about $20 million a movie, and he makes about $3 million.
We also learned that today, what might have led to their marriage falling apart -- and we will share that with you in just a moment.
But first, soon after we found out about the Reese-Ryan split, we noticed a pattern. Big-name actresses winning Oscars, followed by their marriages falling apart. Now, is it just us, our imagination or could there really be an Oscar curse? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT decided to investigate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REESE WITHERSPOON, ACTRESS: I`ve been really, really lucky to have such a wonderful family support me and believe in me so much.
VARGAS (voice-over): After seven years of marriage, two children, and an Oscar, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe are calling it quits.
WITHERSPOON: I really feel like that`s the reason I`m here.
VARGAS: It seems to be a common occurrence -- win the coveted statue, thank the man in your life in front of the world, then splitsville.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Life`s too short.
VARGAS: Of the last nine best actress winners, six have ended their relationships with the man they thanked.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you realize that you forgot to thank your husband who was crying in the audience? All the ladies noticed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know. How can you not thank that?
VARGAS: Or didn`t thank on Oscar night.
YVONNE THOMAS, PH.D., LOS ANGELES PSYCHOLOGIST: It`s really hard if you stop feeling like you`re part of the couple and just part of the entourage.
VARGAS: Los Angeles Psychologist and Columnist Yvonne Thomas says many factors can cause couples to separate, but when it comes to extremely successful women, she has noticed a pattern.
THOMAS: I`ve seen it too many times. And it`s very disturbing for the couple. Unfortunately, the man can start to feel resentful, jealous, hostile, competitive with his loved one. These are all very high-profile, very successful women. And I think it is really hard to be known as, if you`re the guy, you know, you`re the partner of this acclaimed woman as Mr. -- my wife.
VARGAS: However, Thomas says it takes more than a best actress statue to ruin a healthy relationship.
THOMAS: What happens with the Oscar situation is that maybe it expedites and it quickens what might have happened.
VARGAS: Thomas says it`s likely feelings of resentment and jealousy were already there.
THOMAS: Whatever cracks are there to begin with, whether you know it or not, under pressure, under stress, even the good stress, will start to come out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (on camera): And just so you don`t think that we`re being too cynical, we want to point out that Susan Sarandon, who won best actress in 1995 for "Dead Man Walking," has what`s seen as one of the most solid relationships in Hollywood with Tim Robins, but they are not married.
ANDERSON: So is the news of Reese and Ryan`s marriage ending really a surprise? Were there signs of trouble before they announced their split? And is there any hope of a reconciliation between the two?
It`s the cover story in the upcoming issue of "People" magazine, which hits newsstands Friday. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the details right now from "People" magazine.
Joining us in Hollywood, "People" magazine`s Julie Jordan.
Julie, good to see you.
JULIE JORDAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Hi Brooke.
ANDERSON: OK, I think everyone was and is still shocked and saddened by the news of Reese and Ryan splitting up. But were there signs of trouble in paradise? Recently, when they went together to the premiere of Ryan`s new movie, "Flags of our Father," a lot of people say there was definitely tension.
JORDAN: Right. Well, in hindsight, yes, now people say that was the catalyst for announcing their separation days later. You know, when you look back at their entire relationship, it`s really hard to judge, because they were very vocal about, you know, accepting counseling into their relationship, that marriage took work. You know, they both were very vocal about their support for one another. Ryan, in terms of Reese`s success, always said how proud he was. So, again the separation has really caught a lot of people off guard. And people are trying to figure out exactly what`s going on.
ANDERSON: Clearly, they were having their trouble. But what was the straw that broke the camel`s back? We have heard so many different reports of Ryan`s relationship with a co-star from a new movie he shot in Austin, Texas?
JORDAN: Right.
ANDERSON: In the new issue, you guys identify her as Australian Actress Abby Cornish. What did you find out?
JORDAN: Well, there is a lot of speculation in terms of the Internet bloggers that there was, indeed, some sort of relationship going on between him and Abby.
But we looked at -- or we at least looked at the circumstances and went back to the site. Supposedly they went to dinner at a restaurant in Texas and had a very cozy dinner. And we talked to the people at the restaurant, who said, yes, they came in, but indeed he was just very gentlemanly, that they just had a good dinner. So there was no real signs of anything that was maybe inappropriate or at least a sign of infidelity.
But, you know, there is always the speculation. And ultimately, something happened to prompt their decision to announce that they are separating.
ANDERSON: As you mentioned, you know, they never made any allusions that their marriage was perfect. In fact in 2002, Reese Witherspoon told "People" magazine, quote, "I`m not interested in the fallacy of the Hollywood relationship: We have perfect children who never cry, we never have problems, we never argue, we`re always best friends. That`s just not true. We`re normal people with normal problems."
I commend her for being so honest. And she said his four years ago. Looking back now, with the benefit of hindsight, was this an early sign that clearly they were having issues?
JORDAN: I think they got married so young. She was 23 when they married. Then, of course, she became a young mother very quickly, with two children. That`s a lot of pressure for anybody, regardless of the fact that they are in the spotlight and they have Hollywood and all the pressures of, you know, their careers at hand. I think it`s just hard to decide exactly was there a problem way back when. When obviously, like I said, they were so vocal about saying we`re going to work at this. We`re going to be happy.
ANDERSON: Right.
JORDAN: They were happy together. And that was ultimately what we all saw. And we can only hope for the best.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. And, you know, Ryan`s mother is Susan. She is absolutely devastated by this breakup, told "People," quote, "Our hearts are broken and our family is in mourning. We are heartbroken and worried - - about the children and everything. This is devastating. We just hope things can work out."
Julie, what`s the sense that you`re getting? Could they possibly work it out or are they done?
JORDAN: It`s so rare in Hollywood that a couple will actually publicly announce that they are splitting up and then get back together. I would say at this point it`s going to be really unlikely that you see these two, you know, reunite in the future. Let`s hope, because you never know. But again, when they take a stance and they let the world know that the marriage is ending, it tends to go in that direction.
ANDERSON: There is always hope, as you say.
JORDAN: Always hope.
ANDERSON: Julie Jordan, from "People" magazine, as always, thanks for being here.
JORDAN: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And you can pick up your copy of "People" magazine. It hits newsstands Friday.
Well, it`s another ripped from the headlines on "Law & Order." On an episode airing this Friday, Chevy Chase plays a character inspired by Mel Gibson`s DUI arrest and anti-Semitic rant. And for the first time, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you some of what Chase`s character says when he is pulled over for DUI on the show. He says this, quote, "Are you a Jew? You`re a Jew, right? I should have known they`d stick me in a room with a Jew cop!" The character goes on to say, I know the law, as good as any Jew cop or Jew lawyer. They think they run the world.
When I spoke with Chevy Chase, he said it wasn`t an easy part to play.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHEVY CHASE, ACTOR: I`ve never been a bigot and I`ve never said certain words so many times in my life as I did in this episode. Whatever loosens your tongue and that comes out, you need education, you need help. It`s a shame. And of course, alcohol is going to make you say things you wouldn`t normally say. So, in a sense, it`s talking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tomorrow you can see my full interview with Chevy Chase, including how he thinks Mel Gibson`s rant will affect Gibson`s career in the long run.
VARGAS: And that leads us again to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Madonna`s media tour: Did she really need to explain herself? Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Send us an e-mail at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
And, remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that let`s you express your opinion on video. That`s right. Just look into your video camera or webcam and send us a piece of your mind that is via video e-mail. It is really easy. Head to our Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight, to learn just how to do it. All you have to do is click, attach and send. That easy. But remember, your videos have got to be 30 seconds or less. Watch for your video e-mails only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: The controversy over Senator John Kerry`s comments keeps up on "The View." Joy and Elisabeth really duke it out. We`ve got that coming up.
VARGAS: Plus, "American Idol`s" Kellie Pickler strikes out on her own with her debut solo album. What is life after idol? Kellie Pickler tells us, coming up, in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But we`ll also have this.
(SINGING)
VARGAS: A controversial new music video from U2 and Green Day, shows what it would have looked like if U.S. troops left Iraq to help after Hurricane Katrina. We have your first look ahead in the Showbiz showcase.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Time now for another story that made us say -- hit it, guys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALES: That`s ridiculous!
ANDERSON: In Edmond, Oklahoma, the mayor thought that stopping drinking was so important, she personally handed out thousands of flyers on the subject. There was just one problem -- the number on the flyers was for a phone sex line. That`s right. Anybody who called to get more information on underage drinking was promised exciting live talk at $2.99 a minute.
The mayor says she has no idea how the mistake happened and she feels sick about it -- understandably. Accidental phone sex advertising by a mayor? Now, that`s ridiculous!
VARGAS: Now, I don`t know if you`re watching, but things got very heated on "The View" this morning when the conversation turned to one of the biggest stories out there leading up to the elections.
The ladies were discussing Senator John Kerry`s comments during a botched speech. He suggested that if you don`t get an education, you end up in Iraq, which, of course, would be offensive to U.S. troops. Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck really got into it over this, and even compared Kerry to Mel Gibson. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, "THE VIEW" CO-HOST: Kerry was like Mel Gibson without the booze yesterday when he said this. OK? Like he is out there saying...
(CROSSTALK)
HASSELBECK: Whether he meant it or not, it`s out there and it hurt a lot of people. It hurt families of troops. It hurt the troops out there. And he should be more responsible. He really should. I just...
JOY BEHAR, "THE VIEW" CO-HOST: He made a mistake. How many botched jokes has Bush made? I have a whole book of...
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: What, are you kidding me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: The Kerry aide says he mangled the speech. It was supposed to be a joke about President Bush`s intellect, but apparently it backfired.
ANDERSON: Well, Kellie Pickler is no stranger to sitting at the table with the ladies of "The View." She co-hosted the show soon after her sixth place finish on "American Idol."
Since then, Pickler`s been plucked from her small town and humble beginnings to record a new album for the country and release her very first solo album before any of the other idols from her season. The CD is called, "Small Town Girl." And Kellie is with me tonight in New York.
Kellie, it`s great to see you.
KELLIE PICKLER, FINISHED SIXTH ON "AMERICAN IDOL" 2006: Thank you for having me.
ANDERSON: Congratulations is in order. I mean, here you are, a year after you tried out for "American Idol," you`ve just released your solo debut album. You went from serving burgers on roller skates to here you are on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Does it ever just make your head spin?
PICKLER: It does. Every day. Yes, it`s crazy to think, you know, last October I auditioned for "American Idol" in Greensboro, North Carolina. And it is amazing how fast my life changed in a year.
ANDERSON: Changed dramatically.
PICKLER: It did. And, you know, it`s amazing. I went from a roller skating waitress at Sonic, roller skating burgers out for a living. And went from that to finally living out my dreams, and being a part of the "American Idol." It`s just -- now I have an album that came out on Halloween. It`s amazing.
ANDERSON: It`s fantastic. Is it what you expected when you dreamed about being a successful singer and being famous?
PICKLER: Yes.
ANDERSON: Is it what you expected at all?
PICKLER: You know, I just -- all I really cared about was, you know, pursuing my dream. I`ve always wanted to be a country singer. And regardless about the fame or -- if I had to play in bars for the rest of my life, that`s what I want to do, you know, sing. It`s nice that...
ANDERSON: That`s your passion?
PICKLER: Yes, yes. So, it`s everything and more that I could have hoped that it had been.
ANDERSON: What`s the best part and the worst part of living your life in the spotlight?
PICKLER: The best part is that for once in my life, you know, for once in my life -- I know I haven`t lived a very long life, but for 20 years, you know, I wouldn`t necessarily say that I was a really depressed person, but, like, I was miserable because I was not doing what I loved, you know. And so, for once in my life, I`m just so happy. And I`m just so content with everything. And I`m just so at peace with everything. And I`m just really happy. So I guess that`s the best thing about everything is that I`m finally happy. And I have a job that I love. I wake up every morning and I can`t wait to go to.
ANDERSON: That`s great to hear. That`s great to hear.
PICKLER: It`s awesome.
ANDERSON: On your album you have a lot of very personal songs. And one of them is called, "I wonder." And it talks about dealing with the absence of your mother your entire life. She abandoned you when you were just 2 years old.
PICKLER: Yes.
ANDERSON: Let`s take a moment to listen to that for a second.
PICKLER: All right.
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: The only thing you ever gave to me at all, these brown eyes. The song brought tears to my eyes the first time I listened to it. It must have been incredibly difficult -- you`re crying right now. I know, it`s hard.
PICKLER: I`m sorry.
ANDERSON: It`s hard. How difficult was it to sing about your mother and what you went through?
PICKLER: It was really hard. I really...
ANDERSON: It`s OK.
PICKLER: I think it`s -- probably, it was definitely the hardest song on the album to record. And I -- it`s sad that I have to sing those words. And it was a hard choice for me to make. But, you know, I think it is just important that, you know, with the fans, you know, that I`m honest with them as much as I am with myself. And I just -- I wanted this album to be about my life. And I`m trying to put a piece of my life into each one of these songs. And yes, that was the hardest song to do. Sorry.
ANDERSON: That`s OK. It`s understandable.
PICKLER: But I think that -- you know, we all have like obstacles that we have to overcome in life. And we can either choose to dwindle down that same path, you know, or we can choose to be a witness for other people that might be going through the same problems.
ANDERSON: That`s a great way to look at it.
PICKLER: You know, if I could -- if this album -- regardless if it sells one copy or 10 million copies, if the one little boy or one little girl that bought this album, if it touches their life, and, you know, lets them know that I`m relatable to them and that it`s OK and it`s not their fault of their -- you know, you don`t choose your parents. You don`t choose your family. And I, you know, I just -- I just want to be a witness for other people that are going through the same problems. And yes, it was really hard to put that on the album. But for once in my life, I`m not ashamed of where I came from. I`m very happy to say, I`m Kellie Pickler. And, you know what I mean? This is me.
ANDERSON: Accept me.
PICKLER: Yes. And everyone knew it from "Idol." You know, that was a big part of the show. And so everyone knew pretty much the basics of my life. And I just felt that was important to reflect on the album. That way, you know, the fans, they invest money in us as artists. You know, they`re the ones that buy our albums and sell out our concerts, and you know, pitch tents in front of "The View" whenever we`re going to be there, you know. Just to see us. And it`s just important that I`m honest with them like I am with myself.
ANDERSON: And I`m sure they appreciate that.
PICKLER: Yes, because, I mean, I just -- I think it`s great when they get to know me more on an intimate, personal level. And you know, I just, it`s really important to me. In this album -- if I can describe it in two words -- I can`t say one, because it`s two words, it`d be an open book of my life. And it really is. And all the songs are very personal to me. From, you know, "Red High Heels" is fun and sassy, to, "I wonder," and "My Angel," the song that I write to my grandmother. And, you know, I`m just, I`m really proud.
ANDERSON: You should be.
PICKLER: It`s a storybook of my life.
ANDERSON: You should be proud. It is very admirable that you`re so open and honest. And I wish we had a tissue.
A tissue anybody? Here we go.
Here`s a tissue right here. Well let me ask you this. You`re good friends with Katharine McPhee...
PICKLER: Yes.
ANDERSON: ...who was also on "American Idol" with you, a fellow finalist. And after "Idol" ended, she revealed that she struggled with bulimia.
PICKLER: yes.
ANDERSON: It was a big surprise to us. Were you as surprised or were you aware of that?
PICKLER: I knew about it because Kat and I were really -- I mean, it was crazy, like the short amount of time that Kat and I knew each other, we bonded like sisters. And honestly, I still look at her like a big sister. I miss her. I haven`t seen her since the tour ended, but we talk. She called me today. She called me yesterday, you know, because the album came out, and just to congratulate me. We are just so happy for each other. We`ve been with each other since the beginning of "Idol." And it`s exciting to watch each other grow. And, you know, I can`t wait to get in line at stores and buy her album. And she has already bought mine.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: You`re supportive of one another.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: She is doing great now?
PICKLER: She is doing great. And, you know, I think that it`s so common these days for...
ANDERSON: Again, it`s so admirable that she is honest.
(CROSSTALK)
PICKLER: And it`s important because, you know, like I`m a witness for people that might grow up without their parents...
ANDERSON: She`s a witness as well.
PICKLER: She`s a witness as well for people that are dealing with eating disorders.
ANDERSON: Well, Kellie Pickler...
PICKLER: It`s so common these days, with guys and women.
ANDERSON: It`s been a joy to talk with you. Thank you so much.
PICKLER: Thank you for having me.
ANDERSON: And her solo debut album, "Small Town Girl," is in stores right now. We`re going to be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: Tonight, on the Showbiz showcase, the collaboration between U2 and Green Day. A song called, "The Saints are Coming." Now, in the video there are scenes showing what might have happened if U.S. troops were redeployed from Iraq to help after Hurricane Katrina. Here`s your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: The song is raising funds for Music Rising, a charity led by U2 Guitarist, The Edge, to replace instruments lost after Hurricane Katrina.
ANDERSON: Thanks for watching, everybody. That is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. has the night off.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. Good night.
Glenn Beck is next, right after the latest headlines from CNN`s "HEADLINE NEWS."
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