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Showbiz Tonight
Court Orders Anna Nicole Smith Submit To Paternity Test; O`Donnell/Trump Battle Continues to Rage
Aired December 22, 2006 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Christmas list, including what we want from Britney Spears. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
SIBILA VARGAS, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And the fairy tale celebrity couples of 2006. I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Donald-O`Donnell war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, "THE APPRENTICE": Well Rosie`s a loser.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Did Donald trump go too far in his startling interview with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about Rosie O`Donnell?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You know, taking money out of her big fat ass would be probably something that is very easy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, why the Donald and Rosie might both have something to cheer about, and why SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is crowning Trump the king of insults.
Tonight, the jaw dropping Anna Nicole Smith photo album. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your first look at the amazing pictures of Anna Nicole, and the man who insists he is her baby`s daddy. Plus our exclusive interview with a key player in the outrageous paternity battle. You will see it only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
VARGAS: Hi everyone, I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.
HAMMER: Welcome to the big holiday weekend. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York, and get out of the line of fire. It`s war. There is no peace on Earth, sadly, this holiday season. On the battlefield it is pitting Donald Trump`s roaring mouth against the fiery words of Rosie O`Donnell. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, is it possible that Rosie and the Donald can emerge winners when all the smoke clears?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Let`s face it, the cheer are merriment of the holiday season is in danger of being drowned out by the bitter back and forth between Rosie O`Donnell and Donald Trump, who went on an insult tirade when he spoke with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
TRUMP: Well Rosie is a loser. She has always been a loser.
ROSIE O`DONNELL, "THE VIEW": There he is, hair looping, going everyone deserves a second chance.
HAMMER: It`s the big story on TV news.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rosie and the Donald are still going at it. It`s not over.
HAMMER: On CNN`s "AC 360," the courtly Anderson Cooper put the day`s depressing news on hold to grab some snacks and watch the fireworks.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, no he didn`t, did he just say that?
HAMMER: It`s getting to the point where we can`t even watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" without being reminded of Rosie`s Donald dissing or the Rosie bashing Donald did when he talked to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
TRUMP: Well, you know, taking money out of her big fat ass would be probably something that`s very easy.
TRUMP: From a physical standpoint, she looks like hell.
O`DONNELL: Here`s my comment to him.
HAMMER: The feud began the other day when Rosie went on "The View" and blasted Donald Trump for the very public way he refused to fire Miss USA, Tara Conner, for reports of underaged drinking and overeager partying.
O`DONNELL: He annoys me on a multitude of levels. He is the moral authority, left the first, had an affair, left the second wife, had an affair, Had kids both times, but he is the moral compass for 20-year-olds in America. Donald, sit and spin, my friend.
HAMMER: Trump`s response has been to blast Rosie at every chance he gets. When I want to Trump Tower to talk to him personally, he attacked Rosie`s appearance repeatedly.
TRUMP: Rosie is really somebody that -- she`s unattractive in every sense of the word. Inside she`s far worse than she is on the outside.
Rosie is an extremely unattractive person.
HAMMER: He threatened to send some one to steal Rosie`s girlfriend, Kelly Carpenter. He told me he may sue Rosie for saying he had gone bankrupt. So as Trump and Rosie slug it out on the airwaves, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking who is right? Who is wrong? And which one is coming out on top?
Around-the-clock news coverage is seldom a bad thing if you are a TV star. Joe Piazza of the "New York Daily News" says Trump may be fanning the Rosie fires for his own benefit.
JOE PIAZZA, "THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": "The Apprentice" starts again in January, so he could just be drumming up more publicity for the show.
HAMMER: As for Rosie, ever since she joined up as moderator of "The View," she has found herself in hot water over her comments about fellow daytime TV host Kelly Rippa, Oprah Winfrey and even the entire nation of China. Still, ratings for "The View" are up 13 percent over last year. And Rosie`s beef with the Donald can`t hurt.
PIAZZA: Oh, I think Rosie is making "The View" a whole lot more interesting than it was when Star was on there.
HAMMER: Still, when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT took to the streets of New York City, we found that their feud may not be winning Donald and Rosie any new fans.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They`re behaving childish, both of them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They`re both, I think, trying to get in the light of the media.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just think it`s inappropriate, you know, to argue like that in public.
HAMMER: Even those you would think would take Rosie`s side are coming down hard on both parties. While the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance didn`t condone Trump`s comments about Rosie`s weight, the group`s PR chairwoman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Rosie and Donald both need a timeout, as their behavior on several occasions, of late, has been less than intelligent and adult. During this season of peace and goodwill, it saddens me to see two of our country`s notable celebrities acting in such an unseemly way."
Just as Linus remind us in "A Charlie Brown Christmas." And maybe in the spirit of the season, just maybe the Donald and Rosie could bury the hatchet soon. After all, if Lucy and Snoopy can kiss and make up, maybe Donald and Rosie can as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, did you happen to notice just how many insults Trump fired at Rosie? Well, we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did. Don`t go away. Get out you abacus, because we counted them up and strung them together. And we`ll put them altogether for you at 31 minutes past the hour.
And wait until you hear what Rosie blogged about. That is also ahead. So clearly the battle between the Donald and Rosie is far from over. When I spoke to the Donald at his office, I asked him if he definitely was going to go through with his threat to sue Rosie O`Donnell. Here`s what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Well, you know, taking money out of her big fat ass would be probably something that is very easy and we probably will follow through with it, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It doesn`t really sound like he is kidding there. So, will this case actually go all the way to court? Should Rosie, in fact, be shaking in her boots. Joining me tonight in New York, Court TV anchor Lisa Bloom with some perspective on the feud.
LISA BLOOM, COURT TV ANCHOR: And I`m in total shock.
HAMMER: Lisa, this is clearly why you got your law degree.
BLOOM: That`s right, three years of law school for this. To sue somebody over saying, you know, the kind of things that these two are saying, it`s unbelievable, A.J.
HAMMER: Well help me break it down, because Donald has repeatedly said he wants to sue her and told me he wants to get some money out of her big fat ass. What would he be suing for?
BLOOM: First of all, you can`t sue somebody because they`re physically unattractive to you, and his primary complaint against Rosie seems to be that she hasn`t starved herself, dyed her hair and had plastic surgery like most of the women that hang around him, OK.
What she said, though, are two things, potentially, that he could sue her over. One is that he was been bankrupt multiple times, that he got his money from his father and he didn`t earn it. Now, if those statements are factually untrue and has damaged him in his business in some way, he might have a lawsuit.
HAMMER: In theory.
BLOOM: Yes, in theory. He could hire the lawyer. He can pay his lawyers hourly. I`m sure they will be happy to file the suit. Anybody can file the suit. The question is, are you going to win? I mean, that`s a big question, I think, in this case?
HAMMER: Well, I actually asked Donald about that aspect of it. And you know he said himself, and he said, let`s not talk about money, But I am a billionaire, several times over, but let`s not talk about money.
BLOOM: But don`t mention that.
HAMMER: I mean, obviously a guy like him is not suing over the money. He`s just trying to mess with her if he actually brings this through.
BLOOM: It`s ego. I mean, I think that comes across pretty clearly. And by the way, the courts, the judges don`t like the courts to be used because somebody is mad, because somebody has got an ego gripe. This is the kind of case that could be thrown out early on, believe me. I don`t think we`re going to see this go all the way through to trial.
HAMMER: Now I`m thinking, couldn`t he get in some kind of trouble for threatening to go over to Rosie`s house and kidnap Kelly Carpenter, her partner?
BLOOM: Absolutely, and I loved her come back, I couldn`t sleep all night last night with the fear that some guy with a comb-over is going to come and steal my girlfriend. I mean, he really seems to have it in for her. And is he going to use the courts, simply, to have this personal vendetta satisfied, that`s what the judge is going to have to decide.
HAMMER: Well, and if a judge decides that that could happen, imagine what that would sound like. You would have Trump saying, she called me a snake oil salesman. And then you would have Rosie up on the stand saying, he called me fat. I mean, seriously, seriously, Lisa, would a judge even ever entertain this case?
BLOOM: No, I think the judge is going to say, a pox on both of your houses. And by the way, we all in the media have the right to make fun of celebrities. Look what we are doing right now. You can call them fat. You can call them ugly. You say they are a snake oil salesman.
That`s called first amendment freedom of speech. What you can`t do is make up facts and lie and injure somebody in their business. I don`t see any injury to Donald Trump. It looks like he has been having a heyday all week, going on television shows and talking about this.
HAMMER: Now, can you clear one thing up for me, because she said, he went bankrupt. He said, well I never went bankrupt. Isn`t it true one of businesses went bankrupt and because his name is on that business...
BLOOM: Well, because I don`t want to get sued, I don`t want to say Donald Trump is a bankrupt. I don`t know what the facts are. You know, there`s different types of bankruptcy, chapter 7, chapter 11, reorganization, blah, blah, blah. OK, just call him personally bankrupt, maybe some court is going to say that`s personally insulting in a way that`s different than his companies.
HAMMER: Yes, for a guy like Donald Trump I could see it. So, all right, Lisa.
BLOOM: Clearly his business have gone up and down over the years.
HAMMER: If you were to get involved professionally in this case and you were representing either Rosie O`Donnell or Donald Trump, and you had your pick, which side would you want to be on?
BLOOM: I`d pick the Rosie side. He doesn`t have a case against her. Give me a break. He`s got no damages and he`s behaved, I think, far worse than she has. By the way, she actually had a point originally, who was he to be the moral compass for 20-year-olds. What is his point. She`s unattractive. She`s unattractive. She`s overweight. That`s really his only criticism of her.
HAMMER: So 2007 will have us seeing whether or not he will try to get money out of her big fat ass, as he put it.
BLOOM: You said it, not me.
HAMMER: Court TV anchor Lisa Bloom happy holidays, good to see you.
BLOOM: Happy holidays A.J.
VARGAS: Well you guys have been flooding our e-mail with your thoughts on A.J.`s interview with Donald Trump and all the things he said about Rosie. So we just want to share a few of your thoughts.
Carol from Texas writes, "Young women in the beauty pageant world, and in life, generally struggle with body image and self esteem issues. In spewing such hateful comments about Rosie is an incredible slap in the face to what these types of organizations aim to imbue in women and the community in general.
Kristin from Wyoming writes, "Mr. Trump, I thought your hide was thicker than to let a comedian get under your skin. Your personal attacks have shown not only are you no gentlemen, but also that money doesn`t buy you class."
HAMMER: Well, Sibila, believe it or not, we have yet another chapter in the Anna Nicole Smith saga. A dramatic ruling in the quest to find out who her baby daddy is. A SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive interview with one of the main players is coming up next.
VARGAS: And we also have some amazing photos of Anna and the man who says he is the daddy, A.J. Plus, we`re rolling out the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Christmas list and checking it twice. Britney has been naughty. We want her to be nice. Our wish list for the stars, coming up.
HAMMER: And, Anna and Britney`s love lives may not fall into this category, but, believe it or not, there were some great star love stories in 2006. Coming up, the fairy tale couples that we hope will live happily ever after.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. We`re getting into the holiday weekend with another story that made us say, that`s ridiculous. I love this story. I just had to introduce you to a woman in Georgia. Her name is Mary. Look at her, there is Mary in the green sweater with the rest of her family. Their last name, Christmas.
Yes, it`s Mary Christmas, one of six kids in her family. Her sister is named Christie Christmas. Now they say they have heard al the jokes, so don`t even bother coming up with them. So, we are just going to be merry and wish Mary a merry Christmas and a happy new year and leave it at that. So happy new year, Mary Christmas, and that`s ridiculous.
Well tonight a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, following a dramatic ruling in the Anna Nicole Smith who is the daddy case. Anna Nicole`s lover and attorney Howard K. Stern insists he is the father of her newborn daughter, and so does she. But her former lover, Larry Birkhead, says hold on a second, I`m the father.
Now, you are looking at pictures SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained of that couple in happier times. Birkhead says he is the daddy of baby Dannilynne, who was born in a Bahamas hospital, just days before the mysterious death of Anna Nicole`s 20-year-old son, Daniel.
Now a judge ordered Anna Nicole to submit her daughter to a paternity test. This has been a long, drawn out battle, and tonight only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can bring you Birkhead`s attorney, Debra Opri, and more amazing pictures of Birkhead and Anna Nicole. I spoke with Opri earlier this afternoon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So Debra, you have been working on getting this paternity test ordered since October. Finally, at least, the order has come through, but Anna Nicole remains holed up in the Bahamas. What makes you think she will actually submit to this thing?
DEBRA OPRI, ATTORNEY FOR LARRY BIRKHEAD: Because she has to. It`s a court order. And The Easiest way to do -- where`s the camera -- Anna, call Larry, get it done, hun. We`ll come to you. The lab travels. It`ll go right outside your gate, three seconds. Three second, we`re done.
HAMMER: But what if she says no? What do you do?
OPRI: we go into court and we enforce the order. And if she still says no, we go into to court. We get a contempt order. And then Anna, who is still a U.S. citizen, Anna follows that court order or she is in contempt.
HAMMER: This whole thing has been such a wild ride, both from our perspective, just watching it unfold, and I`m sure for you. Has it been really incredibly frustrating?
OPRI: I have been practicing law, and I have to tell you -- I practicing law a long time, and I have to tell you, I will never see the likes of this case, this kind of case again. This case has everything in it. It`s got love, sex, relationship, children, death, lying, running, a father`s rights. I mean, this is going to make law in California for father`s rights. What do I think about this entire case? For my client, it`s been frustrating. For me, it`s the name of the game. That`s what we do.
HAMMER: You have told us that there is no doubt when the paternity test happens, if it happens, and you say it will, that it is going to prove Larry Birkhead is, in fact, the father. We have been looking at pictures of the two of them together in happier times. What do you think Anna Nicole`s motivation is for denying that Birkhead is the father? What has she got to gain from that?
OPRI: I think Anna Nicole Smith has been getting some very bad advice. And very frankly, and going to be blunt about this, her attorney in California goes out there and, frankly, he should go to a new school. He should drop out of the Howard K. Stern school of spin doctoring, or maybe just new batteries for his calculator. His 80 percent statements to the press are off the wall, not supported by anything in the written record. Ron Rail (ph) is wrong, and, you know, frankly, put up or shut up.
HAMMER: And this is the guy that you have to deal with, because, obviously, you can`t pick up the phone and try to get a hold of Anna Nicole yourself.
OPRI: No, she has an attorney in Los Angeles court and he should just be very clear and honest and stop the spin doctoring. We have won. I was hired to get a paternity test. I got the test. Show up. Do it, or else we take another step and we go into court and she gets contempt.
HAMMER: All right, well let`s say, miracle of miracles, I think, as far as you would be concerned, she says, OK, they have ordered me to do this test. I will go do this test. What then?
OPRI: She gets the test. The child submits to the three second test. Larry Birkhead will be determined to be the father. And what happens after that? Larry Birkhead will take the necessary steps to assert his rights as a father, which will include custody and visitation.
HAMMER: And when does this have to happen by?
OPRI: After we are done with the paternity test.
HAMMER: When does the test have to happen?
OPRI: The test will happen as soon as Anna is through tap dancing in the court of appeals. As soon as she is done with little tap dance routine...
HAMMER: So this whole thing can drag on for a...
OPRI: Three months, but the point is, Larry is not going away. I`m not going away. He`s the father. Anna Nicole knows that. Anna Nicole needs to separate herself from the people who are giving her bad advice. And who is ever is telling her, oh, you are going to win, you`re going to win. She is going to have to give a paternity test and she needs to accept that, digest it, regurgitate and answer of, OK, Larry.
HAMMER: And then go ahead with. Debra Opri, thanks, as always.
OPRI: OK.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So we contacted Anna Nicole`s attorney, Ron Rail. This is what he told us, "As you may know, I am reluctant to speak about the substance of anything that has transpired in this confidential paternity proceeding, including specific court rulings. Accordingly, I will not confirm or deny any of the recent rulings. Unfortunately, you have not been informed of several significant rulings in the case, which are adverse to Mr. Birkhead. While I would love to enlighten you, I cannot."
VARGAS: Well, we`ve been getting lots of your thoughts on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s naming Britney Spears as the most controversial celebrity of the year. We`re asking Britney Spears, do you think she is the most controversial celebrity of 2006?
The votes so far, 26 percent of you say yes, 74 percent of you say no. Here are some of the e-mails we got. Howard from Georgia writes, "Britney Spears is doing what young people do, party and have a good time."
Don from Nebraska writes, "where is Britney Spears when we need her to steal the headlines away from Donald Trump and Rosie O`Donnell?" Good point there.
Keep voting and remember SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. 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, and check out your video e-mails, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: You know, Sibila, Britney is not only our most controversial celebrity of the year, she actually also made the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Christmas list.
VARGAS: That`s right. We want her to be a little less naughty and a little more nice. We`ll tell you what else is on our wish list. We`ll also going to get a little lovey-dovey with the fairy tail couples of 2006, the star couples who set our hearts all a-flutter. We will also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Taking money out of her big fat ass would be probably something that is very easy and we probably will follow through with it, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, Donald, he fired so many insults at Rosie, it`s almost hard to keep count. But we did anyway, the bad, the worse and the ugly in Donald`s rant, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: Time now for this week`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Staff Picks. For the last minute gift ideas we are loving all the DVD box sets that out there, especially the Frank Sinatra and U2 box sets. Need music to complete the checklist, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is also loving Snow Patrol`s new album "Eyes Open."
"Chasing Cars" is a breakout hit from the album, but also give a good listen to "Open Your Eyes," a rocking love song. We are obsessed with Discovery Channel`s "Everest Beyond the Limit," to see what these people go through, in terms of physical and emotional endurance, is just incredible.
Also on TV, we wait for each week for the newest episode of ABC`s "What About Brian." We thought once Marjorie left Adam at the alter, after Brian confessed his love for her, that the show would just die. Not so, we love the plot twist. And the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is always either eating or talking about eating, and we have fallen in love with Starbuck`s breakfast sandwiches. Look out Egg McMuffin, you`ve got some serious competition.
And a reminder that you can always find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Staff Picks on our web site at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT.
HAMMER: And Sibila, we have some more picks coming up, our choice for the fairy tale couples of 2006 and why they made us say, ah.
VARGAS: Ah, Right, one couple that definitely doesn`t belong on that list though, A.J., is Donald Trump and Rosie O`Donnell. You know that best.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Taking money out of her big fat ass would be probably something that is very easy and we probably will follow through with it, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: Oh, Donald. He fired so many insults at Rosie, it`s almost too hard to count. But we did it anyway. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: And here is a few that you might not have known about, log versus log? Yes, you heard me correct, because we are talking about the battle of the TV yule logs. Please, make no mistake about it, this is a battle, like Rosie and Donald, that`s heating up. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Friday night, coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, getting into the holiday weekend. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Well tonight, we are picking the fairy tale couples of 2006. I know a couple of you out there are probably saying, No way, Jose, not in Hollywood, there`s too many breakups. But I`m telling you there are. Right, A.J?
HAMMER: Well, I don`t know. Coming off of this year, it`s hard to imagine. So I`m looking forward to that as well.
VARGAS: Also Sibila, I imagine you have a little holiday wish, maybe with a Chia Pet on there, maybe a new Beamer. I don`t know.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: But here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we have put together our very own "Holiday Wish List", with some of the things that we wish big-time celebrities would do in `07, or -- or maybe not do. It`s a list you won`t want to miss. It`s coming up in just a few moments.
But first tonight, the jaw-dropping war of words between Donald Trump and Rosie O`Donnell still has everybody talking.
Now it all started with Rosie`s startling criticism of the Donald, and the way that he handled the Miss USA scandal. She ripped into his hairdo and all while co-hosting "The View" this week.
And when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went directly to Trump himself -- well, he didn`t hold back. In fact, his words were so shocking, we almost lost count of the number of insults he fired at Rosie.
So in honor of the holiday season, we made a list. We`ve checked it twice, and confirmed that Trump was pretty naughty, not nice.
Here now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Trump insult meter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Well, Rosie`s a loser. She`s always been a loser.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Rosie is really somebody that -- she`s unattractive in every sense of the word. From a physical standpoint, she looks like help.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Inside, she`s far worse than she is on the outside.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: But Rosie inherently is a loser.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The fact is that Rosie is a bad person.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Rosie is an extremely unattractive person.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You take at Rosie`s moral compass. I mean, this woman is a disgrace.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Rosie lies.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You know, taking money out of her big, fat ass would be probably something that`s very easy.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: She`s all nervous. You know why? Because somebody hit her right between her big fat eyes.
(BELL RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s -- that`s what I got here, 10.
Rosie has really held back a bit since this battle first started. Donald apparently not.
But you can`t miss Rosie`s subtle reference to Trump on his latest blog. Here`s what she wrote: "Today at Pilates, a beautiful woman my mom`s age told me with watery eyes I was beautiful. There are moments when humanity trumps celebrity. Grace enters 4 all open."
The Donald-Rosie feud was a holiday gift to us because -- well, quite frankly, it`s just one of those stories we love to watch play out. But that`s just one of those many on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wish list. And that gift list includes everybody from Paris Hilton to Britney Spears.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): We know it`s a biggie, but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s very first wish for the holiday season is for Brit to stop behaving badly.
BRITNEY SPEARS, ENTERTAINER: (BURPING).
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT named Britney Spears the most controversial celebrity of 2006. And now, as we approach the New Year, we`re begging Britney to just cool it.
SPEARS: Huh?
HAMMER: That means no more icky husbands like K-Fed. No more paling around and partying with Paris Hilton.
PARIS HILTON, ENTERTAINER: Hi.
HAMMER: And please, Brit, no more pantyless party sprees.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Britney`s new name wasn`t my own.
ANNA DAVID, AUTHOR, "PARTY GIRL": You want to see Britney as clothed as possible. You know, to sort of make up for past transgressions. Maybe, you know, long pants, long-sleeved shirts. Whatever we (ph) can do to not see Britney`s skin and private parts.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s next holiday wish: we would love to "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" become "Mr. and Mrs. Pitt," or "Jolie-Pitt." We actually don`t even care what they call themselves; we just want to see Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie tie the knot.
NICKI GOSTON, "NEWSWEEK" MAGAZINE: The betting will be for this wedding of not just the year, the decade, maybe the century.
HAMMER: And why not? Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie already have experience as husband and wife. Remember these steamy scenes from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"?
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: Come to daddy.
HAMMER: They also already have a beautiful family, and do tons of charity work. Come on, Angelina: all we`re asking is that you take your own advice. Remember what you told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT?
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: If somebody loves somebody and they want to -- to be able to be married, it`s -- I, you know -- I...
HAMMER (on camera): It seems like a no-brainer, doesn`t it?
JOLIE: It does. It really does.
HAMMER (voice-over): Next up on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Holiday Wish List": no more stars driving under the influence. Not only is it a big buzzkill when people like Paris get cuffed on charges of DUI -- it`s just plain stupid.
Just asked Mel Gibson, whose DUI arrest and anti-Semitic rant almost ruined his career.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How you feeling, Paris?
HAMMER: And let`s not forget about Paris "I only had one margarita" Hilton. Police picked up the party princess in September and charged her with DUI.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And of course these matters are nothing to be taken lightly.
HAMMER: Nicole Richie is used to having her picture taken, but not like this. Police arrested her after she failed a sobriety test, getting pulled over for driving the wrong way on a freeway. Police say Richie later fessed up to smoking pot and popping Vicodin before getting behind the wheel.
DAVID: You don`t need to get in trouble not to do it anymore.
HAMMER: Come on, guys. We shouldn`t have to tell you that driving under the influence is irresponsible and dangerous. Plus, don`t you make enough money to take a cab?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT already made the declaration that curvy is in and scary-skinny is out. But hey, we figured it wouldn`t hurt to add healthy, curvy Hollywood stars to our wish list anyway. We are sick of the message that scar-skinny stars like Kate Bosworth and Nicole Richie send to young people. We want more women who are comfy with their curves -- more women like Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez.
DAVID: Absolutely, curvier starlet putting on, like, a size 6 is a size 8.
HAMMER: And finally, on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Holiday Wish List," more celebrity feuds.
(BELL RINGING)
TRUMP: Well, Rosie`s a loser. She`s always been a loser.
(BELL RINGING)
HAMMER: Now some people think celebrity feuds are tacky. But we say, Bring it on! We love to watch stars gone wild.
GOSTON: It`s always fun to celebrities fight.
TRUMP: Taking money out of her big fat ass would be probably something that`s very easy.
HAMMER: The Donald Trump-Rosie O`Donnell gem is just the latest. But 2006 also brought the Paris Hilton nightclub brawl with Shana Moakler, and the Clay Aiken-Kelly Ripa hand-to-mouth showdown.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": It gives us a chance to all remember what it was like to be back in high school.
HAMMER: That`s why we love just about any celebrity feud out there. And we bet, deep down inside, you do, too.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Boy, I really hope there was some good little boys and girls on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff so some of our holiday wishes will actually come true. And I guess we`ll find out this time next year.
VARGAS: Well, this week`s been a big one here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Everybody`s been talking about us naming Britney Spears the most controversial celebrity of the year. And we`ve been asking you if we got it right.
"Britney Spears: Do you think she`s the most controversial celebrity of 2006?" The vote so far: only 25 percent of you say, yes, she is; that means that 75 percent of you say, no, she isn`t the most controversial.
Here`s some of the e-mails we got:
Carolyn from Massachusetts thinks we got it all wrong: "You should have chosen both Michael Richards and Mel Gibson. They both have some issues concerning race."
And Jason from West Virginia writes, "All that she did was go out to clubs like the rest of the 25-year-olds in the world are doing, and I think that is normal."
And remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. 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 and learn just how to do it. Then check out your video e-mails, only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Sibila, I was wondering if there are any movies that you`re dying to see coming out.
VARGAS: Oh my gosh, there are so many of them. I don`t even know where to begin. But I like "The Good Shepherd." That looks good. Good cast there.
HAMMER: "The Good Shepherd" is terrific, and of course this is a huge holiday movie weekend. So you can catch Robert De Niro directing Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon. Beyonce`s also going to be out in "Dreamgirls" this weekend. And of course, we have a 60-year-old Sly Stallone hoping to get in the boxing ring one last time. We`ll have all the reviews so you can make your wise decision, next.
We`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: On December 24, the yule log is back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: A.J., warm and cozy, right? Kind of makes you want to put your hands right up on the TV. Coming up, the battle between competing virtual yule logs that`s got a lot of people -- um, fired up.
HAMMER: Well, these Hollywood sweethearts will probably be snuggling in front of the fireplace, or perhaps the yule log. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT picks the fairy tale couples of 2006.
VARGAS: First, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "Ringo Starr sings lead vocal on which of these classic Beatles songs?" A, "A Day in the Life." B, "I Am the Walrus." C, "Octopus`s Garden." Or D, "Blackbird."
We`ll be right back with the answer. So stick around.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A.J. to desk with tracking for the E-block.
Master, stand by to your break. And effect black.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ...3, fade up music under. Stand by, Sibila. Open her mike. Pre-set 7. Dissolve. Go.
VARGAS: So again, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "Ringo Starr sings lead vocal on which of these classic Beatles songs?" , "A Day in the Life." B, "I Am the Walrus." C, "Octopus`s Garden." Or D, "Blackbird."
The answer is C, "Octopus`s Garden."
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Time now for another story that made us say, "That`s Ridiculous!"
You like the McD`s Dollar Menu? Forget about that. If you want a high-end burger, here`s what I want you to do over this holiday season: hope a flight to Indonesia. That`s because the Four Seasons hotel in Jakarta is selling what it claims to be the most expensive hamburger. It`s a patty that will set you back a pretty penny -- talking about $110 bucks to buy this burger.
It`s made with the finest Japanese Kobe beef. It comes with French foie gras, goose liver and an Asian pear. And apparently, will massage your feet as well.
But we are having a cow over this super-sized sandwich. A hundred ten dollars for a hamburger? "That`s Ridiculous!"
VARGAS: Well, 2006 is almost over, and what a year it`s been for star couples. We`ve seen a lot of relationships hit the celebrity scrap heap: Reese and Ryan, Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson, Britney and K-Fed.
But before we all start singing "love stinks," there were also some star romances that made us feel all warm and fuzzy: the fairy tale couples of the year.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson got the scoop from Daphne Brogdon, the host of TV Guide Channel`s "The Fashion Team."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daphne, first we`ve got Brad and Angelina. You know, they met on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" Now they have a beautiful family, three gorgeous children. A fairy tale couple they seem to be.
But will the fairy tale last? What do you think?
DAPHNE BROGDON, "THE FASHION TEAM": I -- you know, who knows? Because it`s a -- I mean, it`s such a fantasy right now. What kills me is that these guys make having kids look so easy.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BROGDON: And, you know, not just any kids: they`ve got this, you know, gorgeous family of adopted and natural kids.
But, of course, their fantasy is because they -- they`re not tied to a job in a cubicle. They don`t even have a TV show. They can just go, Come on, beautiful multiracial family; let`s see the world. Let`s -- maybe let`s check in with the U.N. and see...
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Yes, they never look harried or frazzled or anything like that, do they?
BROGDON: No. Well, I mean, it helps that they`re, you know, naturally gorgeous. So even when they`re sweating a tank top in Cambodia, you know, it still somehow looks good.
But they really seem to, like, hang out with their kids and genuinely like each other. And I think it went from being, like, that home wrecker, poor Jennifer Aniston, to, Oh, wow, this could be nice. I hope they stay together.
ANDERSON: Yes. Absolutely. And, you`re right, they do seem to love those kids, which is extremely important.
OK, moving on to our next fairy tale couple: Demi and Ashton Kutcher. I mean, what a couple they are. Demi is 16 years old than Ashton. Ashton a stepfather to her three girls with Bruce Willis.
Is that the type of commitment that makes marriages work? Because Ashton really seems to take parenting very seriously.
BROGDON: Well, I think what he can do, and what`s -- why this is such a fantasy couple, is because of Bruce Willis. I mean, anybody -- any of us who have gone through, you know, being part of blended family, know that blended families usually -- it`s about as smooth as strep throat, you know?
And it`s just been amazing how great he`s, like, sure, I love my ex- wife. Fine with her. Yes, be buddies with my kids. So he allows that room for Ashton Kutcher to be like a second dad to them. And that`s a very important part of it. I think that`s -- part is so beautiful.
ANDERSON: Yes, there seems to be no jealousy there.
BROGDON: Yes -- I mean, which is -- which is amazing. And even if it`s put on, good for him. It makes his daughters feel good, and that they can relax and be like, Hey, second dad, you know? We`re cool with you.
And also what`s great about this relationship is that so often, men get divorced, they hook up with some younger girl. Well, Demi shows that, Hey, girls can do it, too. We can -- we like some young, good-looking thing as well.
ANDERSON: That`s right. Demi`s got it going on. And those three girls actually call Ashton MOD -- "My Other Dad." So they`re all very, very close. It`s nice to see.
Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith -- you know, they`re going to be celebrating 10 years of marriage next year. A decade for these guys. They both have great careers. Their son, Jaden, stars with will in "The Pursuit of Happyness" in theaters now.
What is the special something that they have that other failed Hollywood romances just don`t?
BROGDON: Well, other than longevity, which of course is a miracle in Hollywood. I`m telling you, and this is my "Fashion Team" bias -- it`s that they dress together. If you see them at a premiere, it -- you really -- like, they talk to each other about what they`re going to look. Their looks always complement each other.
I just recently named Will Smith my "Best Dressed of the Week."
ANDERSON: Wow.
BROGDON: So I think that there`s important -- I think there`s a real collaborative, team effort there, that they`re not competitive. They want to -- they -- you know, when you -- when you`re in acting classes and stuff, and they always say, Make your partner look good. They really do make their partner look good.
ANDERSON: So coordinate the wardrobe. OK.
BROGDON: Exactly. Inner, the outer -- it`s the same.
ANDERSON: That`s right.
OK, Heidi Klum and singer Seal. They started dating when Heidi was pregnant with her first child, a daughter Laney, from a previous relationship. When Seal considers himself Laney`s dad. I`ve talked to him -- he`s always very proud of little Laney.
Now the couple has had two more sons since then. What makes them the Hollywood "it" couple?
BROGDON: Well, they`re just the cool, incongruent couple. She`s this cool German model, and he`s this kind of funky, scarred-up looking English guy who seems to have, like, a heart of gold. So you wouldn`t have put them together. But at the time same time, you go, Yes, that kind of fit. There`s kind of this cool international artistic thing going on.
And the fact that, you know, he met Heidi -- was so great with her daughter -- you know, with her pregnancy when she was at, you know, kind of a vulnerable time, is very heartwarming. And it`s -- I mean, the first time I ever read that, I`m like, Oh, what a nice guy.
ANDERSON: Oh yes. They always seem very, very happy.
Well, Daphne Brogdon, we will leave it there. Thanks for being here to chat fairy tale couples of 2006. Talk to you later.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: Well, it`s the holiday season, so grab a cup of eggnog, put on your favorite sweater, and gather the family for some singing around the virtual fireplace? Oh Santa, say it ain`t so. Because there`s actually a battle brewing between TV yule logs.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to help sort out this logjam.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Talk about fighting fire with fire. A televised yule log for those who don`t have a real fireplace.
The question is, which fire brings more joy to the world?
In this corner, the original, the WPIX yule log.
JULIE O`NEIL, WPIX PROGRAM DIRECTOR: You have to admit it`s pretty mesmerizing.
MOOS: This blazing yule was dreamed up in 1966 by the general manager of New York City station WPIX.
O`NEIL: The world`s first music video.
MOOS: It had some bizarre touches, like the creepy doll.
O`NEIL: I don`t understand why you would hang a small child over a fireplace.
MOOS: In 1999, the fire spread to the Internet. This log has its own fan Web site.
O`NEIL: Really sucks you in, doesn`t it?
MOOS: But now it`s being sucker punched.
ANNOUNCER: On December 25, the yule log is back.
MOOS: Say it ain`t so, Santa. This yule log`s in high-definition.
JASON PATTON, INHD: We are taking the yule log to a new level.
MOOS: This yule log even crackles. An all-HD network called INHD made what amounts to a designer yule log video.
PATTON: We went to Ron Roy in California. He does mood videos.
MOOS: But it hasn`t blackened the mood of the original yule loggers.
O`NEIL: No one seems to get it right. I mean, honestly, they don`t have the andirons.
PATTON: Theirs is like 30 years old. It`s been the same thing over and over.
MOOS: The original yule log is a six-and-a-half-minute loop. The INHD version is a 45-minute loop, with shots from various angles.
PATTON: Here is your extreme close-up. Don`t -- don`t singe your hair.
MOOS (on camera): Don`t burn yourself.
PATTON: We debuted this on our network in 2003.
MOOS (voice-over): So which log is hotter? Well, if you can find INHD, way up in the nosebleed channels -- it`s a 24-hour log.
ANNOUNCER: Burning all Christmas Day.
O`NEIL: Personally, I think that three hours is enough log.
MOOS (on camera): But you`re the Grinch who stole the yule log.
PATTON: Maybe I stole it, but we made it better.
O`NEIL: I say thank you for trying to imitate the original.
MOOS (voice-over): The folks at WPIX fear that since INHD is geared towards men, the competition`s fire would be bigger.
(on camera): A big log?
O`NEIL: A really big log.
MOOS (voice-over): So how do the logs stack up?
(on camera): It`s about 13 and a half.
Yes, 23.
(voice-over): Ah, but it`s the old flame you never forget.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: That was a warm and toasty CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Time now for "The SHOWBIZ Guide." Tonight, in "People"`s "Picks and Pans," new movies, secrets, dreams and an old favorite for your holiday weekend. Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon join Robert De Niro in "The Good Shepherd"; it`s Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx in "Dreamgirls"; and Sly Stallone strapping on the gloves yet again in "Rocky Balboa."
With me tonight in New York, "People" magazine film critic Leah Rozen.
With so much to talk about as we head into the holidays, Leah, let`s talk about "The Good Shepherd." A superstar director, all-star cast, really fascinating story, really long movie.
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Yes, all those things.
Robert De Niro directed, and it`s a huge leap for him as a director. This is a movie about sort of the early years, the founding and the early years of the CIA. Very complex, intricate plot. You walk out of going, I think I might have to see it again to make sure I can make all the connections.
Now they view it though through the prism of one man, played by Matt Damon, sort of what happens as the CIA becomes entrenched. And he ends up sort of betraying everyone close to him, in order to protect the country, allegedly. Won`t go any farther.
I like this movie. I like it a lot. I think it`s complex. I think it`s thoughtful. I think the story really takes you somewhere, and the end is in many ways devastating. So I would say, good one.
HAMMER: Yes.
ROZEN: A little long, but good one.
HAMMER: I liked it a lot, and if people go with the knowledge that it`s a two and a half hour movie, they`ll be just fine, I think.
Let`s move on to what is sure to be the No. 1 movie this weekend -- it`s getting the biggest hype of any of them -- "Dreamgirls." Adapted from Broadway to the silver screen.
ROZEN: Yes. I wanted to love this one. And I only kind of liked it.
It`s a little uneven. It`s -- Jennifer Hudson is terrific in it as sort of the singer who really has the voice, but maybe doesn`t have the figure to make it. Eddie Murphy -- great comeback by him.
But the story`s just a little trite. It`s one of those sort of showbiz stories, someone`s up, someone`s down. You kind of have seen parts of that before.
And, it also -- the songs just -- songs didn`t slay me. So there`s a lot that`s really good in this. But again, it`s a little long, and there are scenes where you will be looking at your watch.
HAMMER: Real quickly, "Rocky Balboa." Sly Stallone is back for the 132nd time.
ROZEN: Well somewhere in the movie, an announcer says, "Welcome to Rockyland." And you go, Oh yeah, Rocklyland. It`s this place I`ve been visiting for about 30 years now. And you know, I`m kind of comfortable here.
It`s really a very sweet little movie. It`s not a great movie. But it`s kind of a sweet movie, and you sit there and you actually sort of have a fun time.
HAMMER: Oh good. So we`ll leave with a smile on our face.
Leah Rozen, happy holidays to you.
And for you, more "Picks and Pans" are always available in your copy of "People" magazine, on newsstands now.
And as we travel into the holiday weekend, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a Friday night is coming straight back. Don`t go anywhere.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go 3. Music under. Pre-set Camera 2. Open A.J.`s mike. Dissolve. Go.
HAMMER: It is time now to find out what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Let it be known, this weekend, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is taking a stand: we are sick and tired of super-skinny models and actors that send a terrible message to fans. So we are saying, shapely is super, curvy is in, and skinny is out. That`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT this weekend.
And on Monday, a very special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: "Romance in Hollywood." Shocking hookups, surprising splits. Get married at a young age, or happily unmarried. People everywhere imitating big stars at not getting hitched. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates "Romance in Hollywood." That is Christmas Day.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. Good night, everyone.
"GLENN BECK" is next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News.
END
