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Showbiz Tonight
Britney Spears Carried Out of Las Vegas New Years Party; Oprah Opens School in South Africa
Aired January 02, 2007 - 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: Did a superstar celebrity, who has battled long time rumors of drug abuse, finally tie the knot? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
SIBILA VARGAS, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And Kevin Federline, he can`t sing, now he is in the wrestling ring. We`re so sick of it. I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Britney Spears new year`s nightmare. Tonight why one of her biggest fans is fed up with her pantiless partying and the shocking steps he`s taking that could really hurt her comeback. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive. Plus, Britney`s frightening moment that caused jaws to drop as the ball dropped on 2007.
Oprah`s unbelievable 40 million dollar gift. Tonight why Oprah Winfrey spent all that money half a world away. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there at the star-studded premiere of a school. Tonight only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s cameras take you inside the remarkable place that will change so many lives.
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. And Britney Spears is ringing in the new year the same way she went out -- partying and making jaws drop in disbelief. We`ve got a double shocker tonight.
HAMMER: But first tonight, Oprah Winfrey`s 40 million dollar miracle. Oprah today revealed to the world her long time and very expensive dream come true, to help young girls whose lives seemed destined to end in poverty and despair. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is in South Africa tonight with the miracle outside Johannesburg.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Oprah Winfrey reaches 49 million people a day with her talk show, but her greatest impact may be with these 152 girls whose lives she has changed forever.
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: Hi everybody, these are my girls.
HAMMER: One of the most powerful women in the world using her powers for a world of good. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT cameras were there as Oprah Winfrey opened a school in South Africa for disadvantaged girls. The 40 million dollar price tag out of Oprah`s own pockets. Tuition and meals for the girls -- out of Oprah`s own pocket.
In fact, Oprah is picking up the tab for everything, in what she calls the most important thing she has ever done.
WINFREY: This is just the beginning for me.
HAMMER: A number of stars flew around the globe to be at Oprah`s side on this important day, including Mariah Carey, Tina Turner, Spike Lee, and Chris Rock. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show bringing you an inside look at Oprah`s big day in South Africa, a day packed with controversy.
WINFREY: I don`t think I have to appease the white people of this country
HAMMER: And emotion.
WINFREY: I love those girls with every part of my being.
HAMMER: The school started as a promise Oprah made to former South African president Nelson Mandela six years ago. Oprah was horrified at the lives faced by many black girls in South Africa, where teen pregnancy, violence and HIV effect millions. At the opening of her school Oprah said it was her own life of hardship that led her to action.
WINFREY: I know what it`s like to be abused, sexually abused, physically abused, to be confused, to believe that nobody cares about you, to believe that you don`t have a chance in the world, and then to have that all turned around for you.
HAMMER: So Oprah went to work. She approved the design and layout of the 50-acre school, hand picked all the teachers, and personally interviewed the students, even helped design their uniforms. And back in August, in a wonderful talk-show like moment, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there as she made a surprise announcement to a group of girls who thought they were attending an informal meet and greet session.
WINFREY: I brought you all here today to tell you that you will be a part of the very first class of the Oprah Winfrey School.
HAMMER: There has been some criticism from some who say the school is too lavish. And Oprah raised eyebrows when she told "Newsweek" that her work with poor schools in America left her disillusioned. She says that here in the United States, quote, if you ask the kids what they want or need, they will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South Africa, they don`t ask for money or toys. They ask for uniforms so they can go to school.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, at her school`s opening, there was this heated response when a reporter asked Oprah about the racial makeup of the mostly black school.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are you saying to appease the white people of this country about their own schools?
WINFREY: I don`t think I have to appease the white people of this country, first of all. But this school is open to all girls who are disadvantaged -- all girls, all races who are disadvantaged.
HAMMER: Still very little dampened the celebration of this momentous day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s certainly not my daughter, but I feel like a proud mother. Look what she did.
HAMMER: And Oprah feels like a proud mother herself.
WINFREY: For me the responsibility of having them has made me understand for the first time why I really never had children, because my heart has been waiting to be filled by these girls.
This has been the most fulfilling, the most rewarding experience of my life. It has filled me up. So today I stand before you a full woman. My cup runeth over with love for these girls.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And good for her. And as you just heard her say, Oprah is not done. She says that she is already planning a second school, this one for boys.
All right, so when Britney Spears first sang that song, "Oops, I Did it Again," little did she know that line would one day describe her life to a T. Because, yes, oops, Britney has done it again. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just named her the most controversial celebrity of 2006. And now Britney is kicking off the new year with a brand new controversy.
While she was in Las Vegas ringing in 2007, she reportedly passed out at a local nightclub just an hour into the new year. With me tonight from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin, managing editor of the entertainment news website TMZ.com.
Man Harvey, what a way to start the year for Britney Spears. The reports are all over the map, saying that she passed out, that she drank too much. Her spokesperson, of course, saying, she was tired. It was a long day. Britney fell asleep. You always get to the bottom of these things for us. What are you hearing about it?
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: I`m going with door number one, A.J.. I mean, I think that she partied too hard. That`s what I`m hearing from absolutely everybody. And, I think that ultimately, you know, her publicist is trying to do some damage control here.
HAMMER: Is that the deal? I mean, because we do have eye witnesses saying she clearly passed out. She had to be carried out of the club. Is it a matter of doing some huge spin control, particularly as she`s starting up a new year?
LEVIN: Yes. Think about it. It`s like the first day of the year, and then your client is passing out on the floor of a club in Las Vegas? It`s just not a great omen for 2007.
HAMMER: See it`s wild to me. When we put this all in perspective, here was a young woman who was once the most beloved pop star in America, and she was this beautiful young woman coming into her own, we were all along for the ride. Now you have a lot of people really upset with her. Like the guy who was running her biggest fan site, WorldOfBritney.com. I`ll have an exclusive interview with him a bit later. He said he is basically done with her. So is this a road to career suicide that she is on?
LEVIN: I don`t think so. I mean, look, she can have a huge comeback if she comes up with a big CD. She is not -- it is not even so much that she is loved by everybody, but people are interested in her. I look at where people go on my website, they love going to pictures and video of Britney Spears. They are fascinated by her, sometimes because they love her and sometimes because they don`t. But I think she is relevant, and I think she could have an enormous comeback.
HAMMER: But you don`t often here the antics just outweigh the good stuff? There has to be a reason at a foundation like the fact that she puts out good music, why we`re interested in her.
LEVIN: But, you know, think about Mariah Carey. Do you remember how derailed she was when she was really having her trouble and everybody just wrote her off? Look what happened with a hit CD. It turned everything around for her. Britney Spears was really popular and people were rooting for her when she dumped K-Fed. They don`t like the way she acted afterwards. But if she turns this around with some good music, I`m telling you, A.J., she can have a huge comeback.
HAMMER: Yes, I definitely see your point, because we definitely saw it with Mariah Carey. So, who knows, if she can get it together and put out the right album, I guess it will do well for her. It`s just --
LEVIN: By the way, look at Whitney Houston, of all people. I mean, she was an utter train wreck, and now it looks like she could have a big comeback. So America has a very short memory.
HAMMER: Yes, but they`ll never forget the pantiless pictures of her and her being out there partying with Paris Hilton. So, Harvey, I now turn to you, because you`re an expert on these things and we`re here in the new year -- and I wish you happy new year, by the way -- a new years`s resolution for Britney Spears, who said, after her 25th birthday, that we were going to get a new me in the new year. So what would your suggestion be?
LEVIN: Well, the new me has got to be getting into a recording studio and really focusing on the music. It`s all about the music now. At a point she is going to become irrelevant, especially if she comes out with something that`s really lousy. So I think all of the chips now are riding on Britney`s CD.
HAMMER: Yes, I take your point there. Definitely a do or die situation. Harvey Levin, managing editor for TMZ.com, I thank you.
LEVIN: See you, A.J.
HAMMER: And we will have more on this latest Britney Spears controversy, the shocking steps by one of her biggest fans that actually could really hurt her comeback. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT backlash exclusive. We`ll have that at 35 minutes past the hour.
VARGAS: So what do you think? It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, Britney`s new year. Is she blowing any chance for a comeback? 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 lets you express your opinion on video. Look into your video camera or webcam and send us a piece of your mind, via video e-mail, of course. It`s really easy. Head to our website, CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. Learn just how to do it. And then check out your video e-mails only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, while Britney is working on a comeback, her ex just won`t go away. And how we wish he would. Kevin Federline can`s sing. Now he is taking on a champion in the wrestling ring? Oh no.
HAMMER: A couple that everyone has watched just as much as Brit and K-Fed is Kate Moss and her rocker boyfriend. The question is, did they have a secret new years wedding? The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case. We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t believe that you can be that big and then lose that kind of wait in a lifetime, in one lifetime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: The absolutely amazing stories of women who lost half their weight, no pills, no surgery. Their stunning transformation. That`s in the SHOWBIZ --
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. Time now for a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous. Well you`ve probably heard about the story of the tortuous and the hare, but we bet you haven`t heard about the one about the tortuous and the hippo.
Well tonight a new years update on a couple of old pals. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is an odd couple that makes that other odd couple seem bland. Maybe you`ve heard about the baby hippo that fell for an aging tortuous in Kenya.
(on camera): I could see why hippo would think this was a hippo.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Large, round, gray.
MOOS: Hippos do have poor eye sight, but even in hindsight it`s hard to believe that a year later these two are inseparable. And here`s how they got that way. When the tsunami`s waves hit Kenya`s shore, Owen the hippo was separated from his family. He had to be rescued by villagers using shark nets.
They brought him to Heller Park Animal Preserve, where he made a bee line for Mazay (ph) the tortuous, even though the tortuous --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: was hissing and rebuffing.
MOOS: But the hippos glommed onto the tortuous. The tortuous relented and their cozy photos made them a world famous couple. Now Mazay and Owen sleep together. They wallow in the pond together. Owen tends to follow Mazay around like a love sick dog. A two year old hippo and a 130 year old tortuous, their age difference puts even Michael Douglas and Katherine Zeta Jones to shame.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ve seen Mazay put his head into Owen`s mouth, and this is a hippoppotomas that could crunch his head, but he doesn`t. They`re extremely trusting of each other.
MOOS: Doctor Paula Kahumboo (ph) is Heller Park`s expert on the pair. They even munch on the same branch.
Back when they first got famous, a then six year old girl in New York saw pictures of the two and asked her dad if they could write a book. Now Scholastic is publishing it, the Children`s picture book.
CRAIG HATKOFF, CO-AUTHOR, "OWEN AND MAZAY": It`s almost surreal what`s happened between these animals. They are developing their own form of communication, which has really sort of baffled the scientists.
MOOS: We`re not talking the usual snorts and moans. Dr. Kahumboo tells us the hippo and the tortoise now make noises at each other, a high pitched wailing sound.
(on camera): I don`t suppose you could imitate the sound, could you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It sounds a bit like this --
MOOS: Fans get fanatic. This box arrived for the author of the children`s book.
HATKOFF: This is unbelievable.
MOOS: A miniature diorama, created by his mother`s hair dresser.
There are plans for Owen to be introduced to a female hippo named Cleo to teach him hippo behavior, because he`s acting too much like a tortoise. When Owen wants Mazay to move, he nibbles on his foot. Scientists say the amazing thing is that a cold blooded reptile would warm up to a mammal. Slow and steady doesn`t just win the race, it wins the hippo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: Come on, you know, you just want to go, awe, but for this mismatched pair, we`re sticking to, Britney help me out, that`s ridiculous. By the way, that was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Well Jennifer Hudson`s career has unquestionably gone from 0 to 60 over night. She was an American Idol reject, and now she is a Golden Globe nominee. A lot of people aren`t afraid to admit she really stole the show from Beyonce in "Dream Girls." I had the chance to speak with Jennifer about what it`s like to be so much in the public eye, how she deals with her own body image issues, and what she thinks of Britney Spears` pantiless partying.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: People are using your name and the word Oscar in the same sentence. I got to imagine that`s pretty surreal.
JENNIFER HUDSON, "DREAM GIRLS": I can`t even believe that. Oh goodness, just hearing that is like ahh, are you serious. I just wanted the part. And thinking back to last year at this time, it never crossed my mind, ever.
HAMMER: You know, when you`re in the public eye, obviously there`s a certain amount of scrutiny that comes along with that. In fact, I`m sure before you even made it onto American Idol, you probably saw the magazines and watched the TV shows and you were a consumer of that kind of stuff, and now, you know, to an extent, you`re going to be the subject of some of that. Does that scare you a little bit?
HUDSON: Yes, I think that scares me the most. Because I like being just normal. I look going places and walking up the street and talking to regular people. I`ve been a normal person and led a normal life, lord knows how long, and now it`s totally different. It`s a whole new world.
HAMMER: Britney Spears can`t even go out right now without everybody hounding on her for that. She`s just going out, trying to have a good time. Do you think people should just leave her alone and let her do her thing?
HUDSON: You know, I think she just wants a moment to herself. She`s been at it for a long time and she just wanted to enjoy being a normal girl. I don`t see anything wrong with it. I feel her. Everybody else has a right to their off days, but the difference between the rest of the world and celebrities is you`re always on. You`re always working as long as you`ve got that face attached to you.
HAMMER: One thing I`ve really grown to appreciate about you, from some of the press I`ve already seen you do is you seem to have a really healthy attitude about body image.
HUDSON: Thank you.
HAMMER: And how much more important it is to feel good about who you are inside than how you feel outside. That being said, what do you say to the young woman who says, no, I really do need to look good and I`m not going to feel good about myself until I do?
HUDSON: But it`s about feeling good about yourself. I mean, if it feels good to be a size zero, then be that size zero, whatever makes you feel good. But don`t do it for somebody else, just so you can get their attention, just so you can look cute for the day. You don`t want to have to live with that.
HAMMER: It`s just a lot of pressure.
HUDSON: Right. It`s your body. I heard it, but I`m not bothered by pear pressure. I`m content with Jennifer. And it`s how you feel about yourself.
HAMMER: Keep getting that message out though. It`s really important because all the images flying out of Hollywood, and I don`t know if when you were growing up, you were like, oh god, look at all these skinny girls. I`ve got to look a certain way.
HUDSON: I`ve been hearing it all my life, but it`s nothing wrong. I`m satisfied. I like my thickness. I would rather be thick any day.
HAMMER: Well, you look amazing. You look at people who you have the opportunity to work side by side with, from Jamie Foxx to Eddie Murphy, to Danny Glover, to Beyonce, I mean, these are people who have been through it. Is there any one little piece of advice any of them gave you along the course of the way that`s kind of stayed with you?
HUDSON: You know, Beyonce just told me to make sure I take my time and make the right decision. Don`t just rush into anything. And Jamie would tell me to give it 100 percent at all times. Never, never slack off. And no matter if the camera is right before you or across the room, no matter what you do, you always give it 100 percent.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: "Dream Girls" is in theaters now. I have something amazing to play for you, the trailer to the new "Fantastic Four" movie. It had the windows shaking in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT offices. So turn up the base and get ready. Your first look straight ahead. We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who is that person? And even when I look in the mirror now. I`m like, that`s someone else, that`s not me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: The absolutely amazing stories of women who lost half their weight, no pills, no surgery. Their stunning transformation. That`s in the SHOWBIZ Weight Watch.
HAMMER: Well, it just wouldn`t be a new year without a Britney and Kevin Federline controversy, right? K-Fed is in the wrestling ring and we`re K-Fed up with him. And one of Brit`s biggest fans is fed up with her. The shocking steps he`s taking coming up in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: OK, so we love wrestling. We have even had a bunch of wrestlers right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. The WWE is usually an a-list operation, so we don`t know why they keep putting V-lister Kevin Federline into the ring. This week`s Monday Night Raw was so stupid, K-Fed actually took on WWE champion John Cena and there was plenty of trash talking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN FEDERLINE, SINGER: See, I don`t want nothing stopping me from beating your ass.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wait a minute.
FEDERLINE: Well, tonight it`s going to be a no DQ. No disqualification, anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: Oh, come on. This stunt was so silly. K-Fed actually won the match. We say the WWE jumped the shark. That`s the exact moment when the show starts to go downhill. The saying traces back to when Fonzy literally water skied over a shark on "Happy Days." so K-Fed in the wrestling ring? We would like to see this idea body slammed.
HAMMER: We`re done with him. K-Fed`s ex, Britney Spears, in a head lock of controversy of her own. Tonight, why one of her biggest fans is fed up with her pantiless partying and the shocking steps he is taking that could hurt her comeback. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive at 35 past the hour.
VARGAS: And Kate Moss and her rocker boyfriend, did they have a secret new year`s wedding? The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case. We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t believe that you can be that big and then lose that kind of weight in a lifetime, in one lifetime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You saw the picture, the absolutely amazing stories coming up of women who lost half their weight -- no pills, no surgery. Their stunning transformation. That`s just ahead in the SHOWBIZ Weight Watch. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Tuesday night coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 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.
HAMMER: Hasn`t been an easy beginning of the New Year for Britney Spears, Sibila. You know, she`s trying to stage.
VARGAS: Absolutely not.
HAMMER: . a comeback. Every time we`ve heard win an award, she always thanks her fans. Where would she be without them?
Well now as she tries to stage a comeback, she really needs all the support she can get. One of her biggest supporters is pulling the plug. It really could impact her career. We`re going to have our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive coming up in just a few minutes. It`s an amazing story you won`t want to miss.
VARGAS: Can`t wait for that.
And also tonight, if you want to be inspired, you`re going to have to sick around. We have these amazing stories about women who have lost half their weight. I`m telling you, half their weight. It`s pretty incredible. No pills, no surgery. Want to know their secret?
You`d better stick around.
HAMMER: But first tonight.
VARGAS: That`s coming up next.
HAMMER: Sorry.
But first tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive: Oprah in Africa. Today, Oprah Winfrey finally raised the flag for the very first day of school at her private, $40 million all-girls academy just outside Johannesburg, South Africa.
CNN`s Jeff Koinange was the only journalist allowed inside the facility by Oprah. And Jeff joins me now from Johannesburg.
Hey, Jeff.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello there, A.J.
And what a facility it was. Set on 52 acres of land, the building houses 28 buildings. In there, every thing from a library with a fireplace to dormitories to an audio-visual room, a wellness center, tennis courts, a gym - all of that for that $40 million that you mentioned.
It was dream come true for the 152 girls on the ground, and also for Oprah herself. In fact, she says the entire planning of the project has been a long time coming.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KOINANGE (voice-over): Oprah`s been coming to South Africa for the past several years, determined to fulfill a promise she made to former President Nelson Mandela, or Madiba to most here.
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: So I said to Madiba, I would like to build a school, and I would like to commit $10 million. This was five years ago. And he said, Yes.
KOINANGE: And just like that, the two broke ground for a girls` school just outside Johannesburg, and what began as a $10 million project. It`s since grown to $40 million, and counting.
WINFREY: The dream for me was to create a school that I would most want to attend.
So from the very beginning, I saw down with the architects and I said, We have to have a library and a fireplace so that the girls can - it can be a place of learning as well as living for them. We have to have a theater because this is a school for leaders, and in order to be a leader, you have to have a voice. And to have a voice, you need - or - oratation.
So the idea for the school came about by (INAUDIBLE) what I felt could be an honor for the African girls.
KOINANGE: And all this for free: free uniforms, free books, free meals. Every thing is free at Oprah`s school.
WINFREY: Hello.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oprah insisted on personally interviewing all the prospective students from schools around the country. Her requirements were simple: the girls had to have better-than-average grades, and they had to come from underprivileged homes, much like she did.
WINFREY: I look in their faces, I see my own. The girls who came from a background just like my own. I was raised by a grandmother, no running water, no electricity. But yet because of a sense of education and learning, I was able to become who I am. And I wanted to do the same for these girls.
And so I think there`s no better place than Africa. Because the sense of need, the sense of value for education and appreciation for it could not be greater.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOINANGE: And A.J., if you`re wondering how much it`s going to cost to run this school every year - are you ready for this -- $10 million.
HAMMER: That is a - not a - a bit of chump change there.
Of course, Jeff, where Oprah goes, so do the stars, even if it`s halfway around the world.
Who showed up at this star-studded opening?
KOINANGE: The question is, who didn`t show up?
You should have seen the Hollywood`s who`s who who was there on the ground, A.J. Hollywood movie stars, Hollywood music stars. Every one from Tina Turner to Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige to Quincy Jones. All of them to celebrate, in Oprah`s words, "a little history in the making."
HAMMER: Yes, everybody`s feeling good about what Oprah is doing.
But of course, despite all that she`s doing and all the good that`s happening over there, there`s always some criticism that happens. And in this case, there are some critics who are saying the school is a bit too lavish. You have the marble tabletops, you have a beauty salon.
Did - did Oprah respond to that criticism at all, Jeff?
KOINANGE: Yes, she did, indeed. And she says, You know what? I did it my way. I spent the $40 million, and she insists it`s money well spent.
And at the end of the day, she`s not asking anybody for their money. She built it her own way, and she`s going to pay for the whole thing. The kids go for free. And she says - she insists, she`s going to create the leaders of tomorrow, not only for South Africa, but the rest of the continent.
So in a word, Oprah did it her way.
HAMMER: Yes, and good for her. I - I don`t think she has to answer to anybody on this.
Jeff Koinange, thanks for that inside look, and thanks for joining us from Johannesburg tonight.
Well tonight, we have a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive. The No. 1 Britney Spears fan Web site is shutting down. Its creator, Ruben Garay, has worked day and night for six years bringing Brit`s fans together around the world at worldofbritney.com. But now he says, he`s fed up with Spears and her antics.
I spoke exclusively to Garay, and I asked him what got him so upset.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUBEN GARAY, CREATOR, WORLDOFBRITNEY.COM: I don`t think it`s about - it`s so much about being upset. I think it - it has more to do with - with the credibility that Britney has lost, not just now, right now, like in the past few months, but over the years, with fans and industry people. It`s more about, you know, not being able to believe in her as much as I used to do it.
And it`s - it`s taken a toll on - on - on her fans, the Web site and, you know, the entire community.
HAMMER: And in terms of not being able to believe in her, I think everybody who was a fan of Britney`s or is a fan of Britney`s was absolutely shocked when she got together with Kevin Federline.
When she finally filed for divorce from Kevin, were - were you thinking maybe she`s actually turning things around here?
GARAY: Absolutely.
Actually, I was the first one to - to notice that, you know, as soon as she divorced Kevin Federline and she decided to go back with her old manager, Lear Rudolph (ph), I was the first one to, you know, say, Guys, you know, this is a historic moment. Britney`s - Britney just left Kevin Federline; she`s going to go back with her old manager. This is big; this is historic.
And something happened, you know? And - and - and I was really, really rooting for her. But it`s - it`s all about the decisions that she decided to make. And - and that`s - you know, at the end of the - at the end of the day, that`s - that`s her decision. It`s just - it - whatever that happens with her fans is a - or the Web site worldobritney.com, is really a reflection of what`s going on with her at - at the moment.
HAMMER: I mean, it really does seem that there`s some kind of a disconnect here. Because obviously, she cannot exist without her fans. She obviously is well aware of the publicity that she`s been getting. Of course, we naming her the most controversial celebrity of 2006, among - among other things.
Do - do you think, Ruben, that she just has her head in the sand here?
GARAY: You know, that`s a really question.
I - I actually - I thought that the last straw that happened here - because I - I this is something that - that happened recently. There was a contest that worldofbritney.com held about a month ago, or a month and a half ago, where two fans were going to get meet Britney Spears at Kevin Federline`s album-release party.
And, you know, it was a very, very big deal, and - and everybody was really, really excited about it. These two fans flew all the way from Ohio on a maxed-out credit card, you know, to get to meet Britney Spears and Kevin Federline. And we get there, an I was obviously hosting it, and - and she just decided to just not meet with them, and not, you know, honor her commitments. And that was, you know, a total slap in the face, you know, to fans. And it - it - it felt like a shockwave. You know, it - it was felt, you know, throughout the entire community.
And I just - I don`t understand. If she`s going to, you know, be that reckless with her own fans, then whey should we, you know, continue to respect her in that way (ph).
HAMMER: Oh, yes. I mean, it`s - it is a far cry from - from the reputation that she built her career on.
Real quickly; I only have a few seconds left. You`re shutting down the worldofbritney.com. So what do you do next?
GARAY: Well, you know, I`ll still continue reporting news on Britney. I`m actually starting my own celebrity blog with my co-Webmaster, Carolina (ph), that has been helping with worldofbritney.com. And it`s going to be called thatotherblog.com. It`s going to be launching around January 15.
HAMMER: All right. We`ll be looking for it. And good luck with it.
Ruben Garay, thanks for joining us. I appreciate it.
GARAY: Thank you so much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And that leads up to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Britney`s New Year: Is she blowing any chance for a comeback?"
Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. And write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails tomorrow.
Well, is Kate Moss a married woman? The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case.
HAMMER: That`s right. There have been all these rumblings about wedding bells for the two of them. We`ll have that.
And we`ll also have this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIANA SILVA, WENT FROM 310 POUNDS TO 152 POUNDS: I can`t believe that you can be that big and then - and lose that kind of weight and - in a lifetime, in one lifetime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: People who lost half their size without surgery or pills. We`re going to show you the absolutely unbelievable before-and-after photos, and you will find out how they did it.
VARGAS: And it`s the Fantastic Four sequel that had us cheering in the newsroom. Your very first look at "The Rise of the Silver Surfer" coming up in the "SHOWBIZ Showcase."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: .will be on Camera 1 at desk with tracking in the next block.
Roll your break, and effect black.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.
Time now to call in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad, where our crack team of celebrity investigators sets the record straight on Hollywood`s biggest mysteries.
Well tonight, we`re opening a case file on Kate Moss. British newspapers are reporting that the supermodel married her on again, off again boyfriend singer Pete Doherty. Reports said that the couple tied the knot in a symbolic Buddhist ceremony in Thailand on New Year`s Day, and may be planning an official for later this month.
So is Kate Moss really married? Nope. Kate Moss` rep tells the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad - quote - "Contrary to various entirely false report media reports today, there" has been - "not been any kind of marriage ceremony in Thailand."
So she is on holiday. So there you have it. Kate Moss, still single. Still a chance for you, too, A.J.
HAMMER: (INAUDIBLE)
You are not going to believe these next two amazing and inspirational stories in our "SHOWBIZ Weight Watch."
I want you to take a look at this picture. It`s special ed teacher Janene Campbell, who used to weight 371 pounds, and has lost a remarkable 207 pounds.
Now take a look at Tiana Silva. She`s an actress who went from an unhealthy 310 pounds to an active 152 points.
Every year, "People" magazine puts out the "Half Their Size" special issue. They profile truly remarkable stories of people who have managed to lose half their original weight.
I had the chance to sit down with Janene and Tiana, as well as "People" magazine`s senior editor Galina Espinoza.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: When you guys see those before-and-after pictures, which are pretty astounding, and - and something to look at, and I think very inspirational to - to a lot of people, what goes through your head?
SILVA: I can`t believe that you can be that big and then - and lose that kind of weight, in - in a lifetime, in one lifetime.
HAMMER: I mean, half your body weight.
SILVA: Yes, it`s pretty cool. Even for somebody who`s done it, it feels like it`s - it`s out-of-body experience.
HAMMER: Well, when you see that before picture, particularly, what do you think about? Is it like another person:
JANENE CAMPBELL, WENT FROM 371 POUNDS TO 164 POUNDS: Yes. For like -- who is that person? Even (INAUDIBLE) when I look in a mirror now, I`m like, I`m - that`s someone else. That is not me.
So now - I always thought I looked like this on the inside. But now I match. I really do look how I feel. So that`s what great.
HAMMER: And that`s interesting, because a lot of people who have had issues with weight over the years, particularly when they were younger, feel that they always look at themselves as a heavier person. But you always saw the - the skinnier person inside.
CAMPBELL: Right, that`s just waiting to come out. So I always felt like - I was just pregnant, so I`m, like, Oh, you know, I was denial in all those pictures. Oh, whatever. It`s just a little weight.
But then now, I look at those pictures, and I`m like, I can`t believe I let myself go.
HAMMER: That has to - that has to be a good feeling.
Galina, you guys profile so many different people in "People" magazine - hence the name of the - the magazine.
What is it about these two ladies that - that really stuck out at you, that had to do their stories?
GALINA ESPINOZA, SENIOR EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, like everyone else we profile in the issue - and we`ve got more 30 pages of true, half-their-size stories - what really touched us about them was the turning point, the moment when they realized, you know what? I don`t have to be this heavy for my entire life.
Because I think so often we hear, like, you reach a certain age, you reach a certain point, you`ve tried everything, it`s impossible. Well, women like Tiana and Janene proof that it is not impossible.
HAMMER: And Tiana, the - the weight gain started at a young age for you. I know by reading the - the very inspirational story about you, you developed at a very early age. I think somewhere around the age of 10.
SILVA: Yes.
HAMMER: And - and you wanted to hide your curves. What kind of attention were you getting that you didn`t want to get?
SILVA: Grown-ups would come up to me and ask me how old I was. You know, Oh, how old are you? 10?
HAMMER: Grown men?
SILVA: Grown men? Even just 17 years old, that`s a grown man to a 10-year-old. So I`m not used to that; I`m not ready for that. I was not ready to be developed at that age.
I wanted to hide. I wanted to be away from it, and I didn`t want that kind of attention. I felt it was negative, when other people would feel it was positive attention.
HAMMER: Janene, I know for you your dad died when he was 62 years old, of congestive heart failure. He weighted 300 pounds.
You at the time weighed something like 71 pounds more than he did.
CAMPBELL: Yes.
HAMMER: .at that point. So it has to have been a wake-up call, just him passing him away.
But were you yourself afraid you were going to die at that point? Did it become a reality for you?
CAMPBELL: Oh, yes. That year - my father died in 2002, and my mother was in a nursing home in 2004. And I wanted to motivate her to lose weight. And I went to LA Weight Loss. And when I went in the center, I found out I weight 371. And it was, like, OK, I have to do this. Because I weighed more than my father, and my father had been suffering with congestive failure for, like, 10 years. And if I stayed on that path, you know, I would end up the same way.
And they both died young. My mother eventually - she passed away a month after I started the program. And I was like, Oh, I was doing this for my mom. And then I was like, I`ve got to do this for the kids. I want to live to see grandchildren. I want to be there. I need more parents more now as an adult than as a kid. So it`s like, I`ve got to do this.
HAMMER: Yes.
CAMPBELL: .for my children.
HAMMER: And - and for people who don`t have the shock of a wake-up call like that.
CAMPBELL: Yes.
HAMMER: .I hope they hear a story like yours, and it - it can become their wake-up call.
CAMPBELL: Yes.
HAMMER: You are at a healthy weight now. You`re a working actress.
But I speak with so many actors and actresses who constantly feel that unbelievable, really a relentless pressure, to stay skinny and to be skinny.
Now that you are what - you appear to be a very healthy weight. Do you feel that pressure still, because of what you do for a living?
CAMPBELL: Of course. I mean, every - every time I go into a casting, you know, call, they say, Oh, can you lose 20 pounds in three months? Can you do it? Sure, I can do it.
But I was so big, that at my weight now, I`m happy with who I am. So I don`t need to lose that weight. And if they really want someone that much thinner, please try and find it. Because I won`t be healthy if I lose 20 pounds in three months, and now bounce back 50 pounds heavier. I know how the weight process works. And it`s not healthy. It`s not healthy.
HAMMER: See, and I think the images we should be paying attention to are the images like your before-and-after pictures.
But still, we have these images that are constantly bombarding us out of Hollywood - the super-skinny models, the - the super-skinny stars.
Do you feel a pressure because of those images to look a certain way?
CAMPBELL: Oh, yes. Most definitely. You`d think that`s the ideal beauty, and you want to match that. And that`s what your - you know, your goal is.
But for me, it`s really strange - it`s been the opposite. Because in - you know, in my community, big is the big thing. It`s not a big deal to be overweight. So it`s like now, people are, like, criticizing me for being skinny.
And, you know, it`s so important to be healthy, and I have so many people that are - have sickness, that are - they have hypertension, and they`re cool with that, they`re taking medication all the time.
And I`m like, I`m healthy. I`m not on any medication; I don`t have to worry about those things, as long as I continue on the right path.
HAMMER: But it sounds like no question, when you`re flipping through the magazines and you see those skinny women, you`re like, Oh, I got to lose a few more pounds maybe?
CAMPBELL: Yes, and it`s sad, because, you know, like my weight - I`m a Size 10, and then you see someone and they say, 10 is a plus size, or 12 is a plus size. And so you freak out, because you`re like, so does that mean I`m still overweight, because I`m a Size 12, and you see those people, they`re calling someone a Size 12 fat.
So that`s just unfortunate. Yes. And you see it all the time in the media, and it`s scary.
HAMMER: It`s really unfortunate.
CAMPBELL: Yes.
HAMMER: Fortunately, there is some good being done. To toot our horn, I - I think, you know, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we certainly have been covering the weight issue constantly, as you have been "People" magazine, Galina.
ESPINOZA: Yes.
HAMMER: And I`d like to think we`re making a difference, even if it`s in a small way, even if it`s having conversations like these, and - and bringing attention to it.
With the skinny model that has happened, with the backlash against super-skinny stars, do you think there is a change afoot?
ESPINOZA: Oh, absolutely. And I think that if you look at the top- rated show of the new TV season, it`s "Ugly Betty," with America Ferrera playing someone who is decidedly plus-size. And people have really embraced her.
And I think that`s in large part because women are responding to seeing characters on television who they can relate to, and who look like they do. I absolutely think that the idea of having to conform to only type of size is something that women are finally starting to rebel against.
And I think that by hearing stories like these about women who have striven not to be skinny, but to be healthy - and I think that`s important to emphasize. These are not women who wanted to lose 10 pounds to look better in their jeans. These are women who faced serious health consequences if they didn`t change their lives.
And they didn`t look for quick fixes. They both took a long time to lose the weight, and they did the old-fashioned way.
HAMMER: Yes.
ESPINOZA: .with diet and exercise. It`s not the sexiest story to talk about, because it`s a lot of hard work.
HAMMER: Yes, but it`s the story that so many people who are watching right now can relate to, and - and that was one of the things that struck me about the article, is it really wasn`t any quick fix.
And - and I thank you and "People" magazine for all the work that you guys are doing. Janene, Tiana, thank you for being an inspiration I think to so many people, and be willing to put your story out there.
SILVA: Thank you.
CAMPBELL: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Read more about Janene and Tiana, as well as other half- size stories, in "People" magazine. You`ll find it on newsstands now.
Well, the Fantastic Four coming back to save the Earth. You`re going to love our sneak peek at scenes from the sequel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, that is cool.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Your very first look at "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: Well, in tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Showcase," the Fantastic Four are back. It`s the action-packed sequel to the 2005 box office hit. And this time around, the superheroes battle a Silver Surfer.
Here`s your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Johnny.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just bought this tux.
(INAUDIBLE)
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, that is cool.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: Looks pretty cool. "The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," hits theaters this June.
HAMMER: It is time now to find out what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, tomorrow, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Seven for `07." Not a lot of things we want in 2007, but there are the absolute top seven things we want to in the New Year. Stars we want to see say "I do." The comebacks we`re dying to see happen. Even an idea for Oprah Winfrey. Our "Seven for `07" tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. 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 from CNN Headline News.
END
