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Showbiz Tonight
Isaiah Washington in Therapy; Inside View of Fashion Industry
Aired January 25, 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: A frightening on-set accident for Nicole Kidman. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
SIBILA VARGAS, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And the SHOWBIZ Weight Watch, the startling secrets of what models really do off the runway. I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, stars hooked on rehab. Isaiah Washington`s treatment for his anti-gay slurs.
Michael Richards` therapy for his racial rant.
Mel Gibson`s anti-semitic tirade.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the controversial question, do these stars have real problems, or are they just using rehab to save their careers?
A star`s horrific accident, and a tragic death. R&B singer Brandy in a car crash. A mother is killed. Tonight, will the "Moesha" star be charged with man slaughter? And could she face jail time? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
VARGAS: Hello everyone, I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Nicole Kidman hurt in a car crash. We`re going to have the very latest on what went wrong on a movie set. But first, Isaiah Washington in rehab, not for drugs or alcohol, but for behaving like an insensitive jerk? Yes, the "Grey`s Anatomy" star says he`s getting counseling in the wake of the anti-gay slur he used in reference to a gay co-star. But is it a refuge from the media?
VARGAS: So to calm the firestorm he`s getting counseling, and Washington and ABC are making sure you know about it. It`s just the latest example that celebrities seek rehab for anything, be it insensitivity or just plain stupidity, anything that threatens their careers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): The doctors of "Grey`s Anatomy" can cure just about anything, including removing a tree out of a teenager. But can one of its doctors get professional help to remove his foot from his mouth?
ISAIAH WASHINGTON, "GREY`S ANATOMY": No, I did not call T.R. a faggot.
VARGAS: That`s "Grey`s Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington using that anti-gay slur for what` reportedly the second time in reference to his gay cast mate, T.R. Knight. Now Washington is going to a time-honored weapon to counter the ensuing outrage he received from a cast mate on "Access Hollywood."
KATHERINE HEIGL, "GREY`S ANATOMY": I`m going to be real honest right now. He needs to just not speak in public.
VARGAS: -- and the gay and lesbian community.
NEIL GIULIANO, GLAD: We are very outraged and very disappointed and very upset.
VARGAS: And what`s Isaiah`s new weapon? Counseling. Washington has entered what "USA Today" describes as a, quote, an in-patient facility for psychological counseling.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it seems a little odd.
VARGAS: In a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Washington says, quote, "I regard this as a necessary step toward understanding why I did what I did and making sure it never happens again."
Wait a minute, we know there is rehab for drug and alcohol abuse. There`s anger management, as alleged assistant beater Naomi Campbell can tell you. But the way Washington and Mel Gibson and Michael Richards before him publicly sought therapy for what to foot in the mouth disease, that`s a relatively new celebrity phenomenon.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking the experts, is this really rehab or refuge from bad press. Addiction and treatment expert Dr. Eric Braverman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it is possible that someone like Washington could really need treatment.
DR. ERIC BRAVERMAN, AUTHOR, "YOUNGER YOU": I`m used to having a somewhat sympathetic view, that given enough time and chance, almost every human being is going to need some help with their brain and mind throughout life.
VARGAS: But still, you can`t blame one for being cynical about the way celebs jump into rehab almost immediately after we catch them saying or doing something stupid. And sometimes they don`t jump to rehab, they are pushed.
Say, for instance, Miss USA Tara Conner, who almost lost her crown after a story surfaced about her hard partying and under-aged drinking. Remember Donald Trump made a big public show of getting her help.
DONALD TRUMP, "THE APPRENTICE": She`s agreed to go into rehab.
VARGAS: OK, but when Tara got up to speak, well, let`s just she had a little issue with step one of those famous 12 steps, admit you have a problem.
TARA CONNER, MISS USA: I wouldn`t say that I`m an alcoholic. I think that would be pushing the envelope.
I mean, anytime that anyone gives you free anything, let`s talk about therapy, or let`s talk about any kind of rehab.
VARGAS: Tara`s handlers quickly took back the mic, but Tara`s telling little moment of honesty indicated that her entry into therapy demonstrated less of a personal commitment to change and more of a business commitment to saving her crown.
JOE LEVY, "ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE": She doesn`t feel that she has a problem. She feels that she got caught doing something she was contractually barred from doing. She is not going to get over her problem that way. She will retain her crown, and this is an issue anytime a celebrity is going to go for help for another reason than getting help, and it does happen.
VARGAS: We could be seeing that with Isaiah Washington. With headlines suggesting his anti-gay comments have ABC thinking about firing him from "Grey`s Anatomy," bold action was needed. And nothing says bold like counseling.
LEVY: My suspicion is that this is something that he had to do. There are millions of dollars at stake here. This is one of the highest rated shows on television. This is a flagship show for ABC and they are not going to let this go lightly.
VARGAS: But if Washington`s counseling really does allow him to get to the bottom of whatever it was that let him to keep using that offensive word, we`ll all have to rethink our celebrity cynicism, or maybe we can just get counseling for it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: Hollywood`s rehab addiction is a topic that`s, well, addictive. So at 30 past the hour we will talk to some experts and see if Isaiah Washington is serious about fixing things or if this all this counseling talk is just plastic surgery for his image.
HAMMER: And now we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we`re asking: Isaiah Washington in treatment, is he doing it to hide from bad publicity? Let us know what you think at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. If you`ve got more to say, gosh darn it, we want to hear. E-mail us at SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com.
And you can also vote on our question of the day if you want to zip us a text message on your cell phone. 45688 is the number. If you want to vote yes, just write SHOWBIZ YES. If you want to vote no, write SHOWBIZ NO. Once again, the text number is 45688.
VARGAS: Now onto a frightening story involving Nicole Kidman. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned the actress was in a scary car crash on the set of her new movie, "The Invasion." It happened early this morning in downtown Los Angeles, when something happened with a stunt car. We also hear Kidman wasn`t hurt. She went to the hospital, but was released a short time later.
No other actors were involved. Two crew members had minor injuries. Kidman was due back on the set today. "The Invasion" is based on the film, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," and also stars Daniel Craig. It`s set to come out this August.
HAMMER: Well another celebrity involved in a car crash, this time with a tragic and deadly outcome. Singer and television star Brandy was in a horrific, multiple-vehicle accident, and another driver was killed. The police say in the report that Brandy was driving about 65 miles an hour on the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles and failed to slow down in time to avoid hitting the car in front of her, which caused a chain reaction involving two other vehicles.
Joining me tonight from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin, managing editor of the entertainment news website TMZ.com. Harvey, this is such a tragic story. Usually when accidents happen, you`re pretty much supposed to keep to yourself, in terms of whose fault it may or may not have been. Has Brandy at all said that the accident was, in fact, her fault?
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Well, yes. We actually talked yesterday with somebody who happened to be right behind her when the collision occurred, and this person tells me that she was basically, you know, repeating, it was my fault, I`m sorry, it was my fault. And he actually advised her not to say anything, but she was extremely upset and just kept saying it over and over.
HAMMER: I can`t even imagine how freaked out she must have been, anybody getting in a car accident, particularly with deadly consequences. And, of course, as is always raised in these cases, was there any evidence at all of drugs or alcohol playing any kind of a role in the accident?
LEVIN: As far as we know, absolutely not. I`ve talked to the cops, the CHP. They tell me no evidence at all. She was not arrested. She wasn`t charged with anything, and, as far as they know, absolutely not.
HAMMER: Now, if I`m not mistaken, speed limit on the 405 is 55, right? I don`t think it`s 65. I`m not sure exactly where she was.
LEVIN: Right.
HAMMER: And the question then comes into play, could Brandy actually be facing any jail time here? Are there any charges that could be levied against her?
LEVIN: No charges have been filed yet. What I`m told is what happened here is that she was going around 65 miles an hour and traffic in front of her just came to a halt, and she didn`t stop. And I`m told that`s when the collision occurred. Now, they are looking right now to determine if there were mechanical problems with any of the vehicles. If there weren`t and somebody died, merely by being negligent, the city attorney could file misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charges against her, and if they decide it`s reckless, it could even be more serious than that. But that hasn`t happened yet.
HAMMER: But if that does happen and if it is reckless, does that possibly mean jail time is involved?
LEVIN: It could, absolutely. That doesn`t necessarily mean it will. But it absolutely -- if you remember, Rebecca Gayhard -- and remember Rebecca Gayhard had a similar thing happen a couple of years ago, and they did file against her, but she got probation.
HAMMER: Let`s listen quickly to a copy that we obtained of a 911 call that was placed immediately after the accident. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 911.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, there`s just been a massive car accident on the 405.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s two vehicles. I think there`s fatalities, or injuries, big time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, east 405, right before Ventura Boulevard. It`s a bad accident. If you are going north, it`s right before Ventura Boulevard, bad. It just happened just now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many people were injured?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know. I don`t know how many people were in the car, but the air bags were off. I think one of them rolled.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK now, Harvey, this accident took place on December 30. I`m a little surprised that here we are almost a month later and we are just hearing about it now. Why is that?
LEVIN: Well, the CHP really does not issue press releases on accidents, and frankly, nobody knew about it. We got a tip and called the CHP and they were very cooperative with us and gave us all the information. But that`s how we broke the story. I mean, we literally got a tip called over, and it was almost like we kind of expected somebody would eventually call.
HAMMER: As I said, just a tragic set of circumstances. Harvey Levin, as always, thanks for joining us from TMZ.com.
LEVIN: Sure A.J.
VARGAS: A.J., you`ve heard all kinds of horror stories about what models do when they`re off the cat walk right?
HAMMER: Yes, not everybody, but we`ve heard allegations of drug use, eating paper instead of food. It`s crazy.
VARGAS: Pretty scary stuff. Well next, we are going to blow the lid off these shocking secrets. We`ve also got this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When there are sex scenes in the film, you could almost expect that something is going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Which celebrity may have had an on-set romance that turned into a torrid affair off-set? Tonight, is there something about making a movie, or a show, together that can lead to love?
VARGAS: And meet A.J. -- no, not our A.J. -- A.J., the parakeet. He just might be the guy that you want on your golf or basketball team. We`ll explain next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It`s time now for a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous.
Meet A.J. That`s right. That guy is A.J., just like me. A.j. is a parakeet that putts and plays basketball. And get this, he`s even got his own website in MySpace page. What bird doesn`t though.
Now, if you think you`ve seen A.J. before, you`re right, the bird. Well, you`re right, because he used to perform on "The Tonight`s Show" with Johnny Carson. A.J. was actually a gift from Johnny himself.
So, even though I feel a special bond with this bird. After all, he is my name buddy. Come on, a bird named A.J. that plays golf? That`s ridiculous.
VARGAS: Now, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Weight Watch. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT covers Hollywood`s obsession with body image like no other entertainment news show. Tonight, one huge fashion city says bloody no, we`re not banning skinny models, while some big-shots meet to talk about the problem. But will anything come of it?
First, despite Milan and Madrid banning super-skinny models from their runways, London`s Fashion Week isn`t going that route. The British Fashion Council says a ban would be, quote, neither desirable nor enforceable. but they`ve asked designers to only use healthy models. New York and Paris have also poo-pooed the ban.
OK, so no London ban. But the influential fashion federations of France, Italy, the UK and the U.S. did get together to discuss the dangerous messages these rail-thin models are sending. No word as to what came out of that meeting, but the French fashion chief says that we need to keep on educating about eating disorders.
HAMMER: Meetings, regulations, guidelines, bans. Will any of this really put weight on those super skinny models? Well, nobody knows the industry better than someone who spent a year, day in and day out with the designers and models. Imogen Edwards-Jones is blowing the lid off of the fashion industry with shocking secrets of what really goes on off the runway in this brand new book. It`s called "Fashion Babylon: Looking Up the Skirts of the World`s Most Famous Glamorous Industry."
Imogen is joining us from London. Good to be with you. Thanks for joining us.
IMOGEN EDWARDS-JONES, AUTHOR, "FASHION BABYLON": Good evening. How are you?
I am well. So Imogen, this problem of these ridiculously skinny models on runways and these pictures of them showing up everywhere in ads, it`s clearly out of control. We`ve established that. Some in the fashion industry, as I mentioned, they are setting guidelines, restrictions, having these meetings about it, but the question is will any of all of that really make any kind of a difference?
In my opinion, absolutely not one iota, no. I think what people are not remembering is that the fashion business is that, just a business. And I think they will -- I mean, first of all they will (INAUDIBLE) lip service to the models and lip service to the whole thing. And I just can`t imagine the idea that women and designers will be sitting back stage saying to girls, is your body mass index 18 or below? If it`s below 18, get off my cat walk.
I think what they will be doing is saying, do you fit into my clothes? Are you attractive? yes. Then get down my cat walk.
HAMMER: Yes, that does seem like it is the sad reality. And, of course, everybody has got something to say about. Fashion industry big shots aren`t being shy with any of their opinions about banning the super skinny models. I want you to listen to what the queen of fashion Anna Wintour told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNA WINTOUR, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "VOGUE MAGAZINE": I think there are a certain girls that are naturally thin and naturally healthy and maybe there are others that might have some eating problems, but I think for us as an industry, I think certainly we need to be aware and to support any young girls that might have issues, but it totally does not make any sense and is completely unenforceable to dictate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, and with all due respect to the lovely Miss Wintour, I still have a hard time understanding, business or not, why the fashion industry is so reluctant to take any kind of responsibility here.
JONES: Well, I mean, who is responsible? I mean, is it the designers who are responsible? Are they the people, because they are choosing the thin girls, or is it us, the consumer, that`s responsible, because fashion is all about aspiration and no one particularly aspires to be a size 18 or a size 20. So I don`t understand who you could call up in front of the court, in front of your jury. I mean, is it us or is it the fashion industry? I mean, we are each feeding each other, like a little feeding frenzy of delight, and the girls, who were at the sharp end, are these very thin girls, these models.
The weird thing that I find in the whole industry -- sorry to interrupt you -- is that it is the girls who are super thin and the girls who are keeling over the cat walk and falling off the cat walk aren`t the girls who last very long. I mean, the girls who are naturally thin are the girls who have some sort of longevity in this business.
HAMMER: The feeding frenzy, sort of an ironic choice of words, and I only have a short amount of time. I know that you have seen it all when it comes to the models, how they live and behave. Really quickly, what`s one of the most shocking things you have ever seen to make them stay super skinny? And I just have a few seconds here.
JONES: OK, what I find extraordinary is all they do is they eat sweets all day long every day. They eat hamburgers and full fat cokes. They basically survive on sugar and alcohol.
HAMMER: I appreciate you sharing your stories with us tonight. It`s a good read too. Imogen Edward-Jones I love having you on the program. Her new book "Fashion Babylon: Looking up the Skirts of the World`s Most Glamorous Industry" is going to be in bookstores in February.
Well, if you happen to be a fan of the "American Idol," you know there are some pretty, well, let`s just say questionable auditions in that show. Coming up, a guy who just totally went over the top guy and wouldn`t take no.
VARGAS: And also, A.J., you know that really popular six degrees of Kevin Bacon game, where any star can be traced back to him? Well, tonight, Kevin is using that same concept to help some really great charities. We`ve also got this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When there are sex scenes in the film, you can almost expect that something is going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Which celebrity may have had an on-set romance that turned into a torrid affair off-screen? Well tonight, is there something that goes on when they are making a movie or a TV show together that can eventually lead to love? We will get into that on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: Another big night for "American Idol." Thirty three million people tuned in. The New York auditions brought out some really good singers, and plenty of, let`s just say, interesting people. Take listen to this outspoken contestant Ian Benardo from the Bronx.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
SIMON COWELL, "AMERICAN IDOL": It`s just rubbish.
IAN BERNARDO, "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: That`s British for garbage? Like, what is that? Rubbish, who uses that word.
(CROSS TALK)
COWELL: Do it outside.
BERNARDO: Who are you?
COWELL: Do it outside?
BERNARDO: Do it outside? Do you even have a working Visa to be here?
COWELL: Ian, I am bored of you. They are bored of you.
BERNARDO: No, as a tax paying American in my country, I want to see your working visa. I`d don`t think you`re legally --
COWELL: Ian, I`m bored now.
BERNARDO: I`m bored with you. I don`t think it`s fair that you are treating me like this.
COWELL: Mike, take Mr. Boring out.
BERNARDO: Mr. Boring out, who are you? Oh, I`ve had it with this one. This is the most ridiculous thing ever. My face should be right here and you have the audacity to -- I`m getting ousted by security because I`m such a threat. You`re not even an American and you`re in my country and you`re going to tell me what an "American Idol" is.
COWELL: Bye.
BERNARDO: (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: Okie Dokie there. Well, our super-sleuth editorial producer Amy Shulman (ph) was able to track down Ian. So we`re going to add to his 15 minutes of fame. Coming up, he`ll be right here with us. You`re going to want to stick around for that on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: You know that really popular six degrees of Kevin Bacon game, where any star can be traced back to him? Tonight, Kevin is using it to help charities.
VARGAS: And which celebrities may have had an on-set romance that turned into a torrid affair off set? Tonight, is there something about making a movie or a show together that can lead to love?
HAMMER: Plus, Isaiah Washington in therapy for his anti-gay slurs, Michael Richards racial rant, Mel Gibson`s anti-semitic tirade. Do these stars have real problems, or are they simply using counseling to save their careers?
(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: Tonight, "Rehab as Redemption." The fallout from "Grey`s Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington`s anti-gay slur just keeps on coming. After a public apology and meetings with gay-rights group, Washington is now taking the rehab route. He is just the latest star seeking treatment after public rants. Mel Gibson and his comments about Jews, Michael Richards and his tirade against blacks - all of it has us here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asking, Do these stars have real problems, or are they simply using rehab as a refuge to save their careers?
With me tonight from Minneapolis, addiction-treatment expert and author of the book, "Broken: My Story of Addiction and Redemption," William C. Moyers.
And from Hollywood, celebrity publicist Howard Bragman of 15 Minutes Public Relations. He is a PR crisis-management expert.
Gentlemen, I appreciate you both being here tonight.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, 15 MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Thanks, A.J.
WILLIAM C. MOYERS, AUTHOR, "BROKEN: MY STORY OF ADDICTION AND REDEMPTION": Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: So Howard, we certainly have to give credit to any celebrity who is seeking out treatment for all the right reasons.
Now you`ve told me right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that when you yourself sends one of your clients off to rehab, it`s for real; it is for the right reasons.
But I got to tell you, When - when we saw that Isaiah Washington was seeking out treatment, we all kind of went, Are you - are you kidding me? I mean, for an anti-gay slur? This has got to be a PR move, right?
BRAGMAN: Well, you`re - first of all, we don`t know if he went of his own accord, or if - if the network said, You got to get away, get some quiet time. So I - I mean, I want to give people the benefit of the doubt until we`re proven otherwise.
I mean, I can teach him how to talk the talk, but they`re the ones who have to walk the walk.
HAMMER: Yes, but even the network said, Isaiah, you got to go to treatment for this, that is really for good spin and - and good press and just trying to put a - you know, a better face on this thing, isn`t it?
BRAGMAN: Well, what it does is a couple things.
First of all, it buys you time. They - theoretically, the press is going to respect the time and - and not going to be hounding him to talk when he`s in rehab.
The second thing it does, it - it says, I have a cathartic moment. I`ve looked inward; I`ve realized I have a problem. And then what you`re going to see after he comes out of rehab is the mandatory Diane Sawyer interview.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRAGMAN: .where he says, I - I`m a new guy.
HAMMER: William, what do you think? Somebody who`s been on both sides of treatment. Does - does it seem to you that a lot of these stars, or at least some of them, are using treatment so they can hide from that public scrutiny and - and - and have that buffer?
MOYERS: Well, A.J., there certainly is a lot of attention these days to the fact that public figures are running off, if you will, to get help and - and treatment. But, you know, treatment is a place where people should be able to accept responsibility and face the consequences, not run from them. Because in the end, the reality is that treatment does work for people who need help. But people have to be willing to accept the help, and listen to what they`re told in treatment.
HAMMER: I want to get a reality check, though, Howard, on - on exactly how often this may happen for the wrong reasons. And with all of the stars that you have dealt with - and I know you deal with them all the time, and you`ve been doing it for years, have any of them ever come to you, when they were in the middle of some massive crisis, `Hey, you know what? I should go into treatment so I can insulate myself form the media`?
BRAGMAN: Sadly, it doesn`t happen that often - that often. Actually, some celebrities are actually people, and like most people, when they - you know, they don`t really seek to help themselves until they hit a wall in most cases. And that`s just human nature, that they`re in denial in a lot of cases.
So that`s a very rare occurrence that somebody - that - the Keith Urban route we`ll call it. It`s very rare that somebody does it of their own accord.
HAMMER: And the - the problem that I find with - with - virtually every week, you know, we`re reporting on the fact that some celeb has gone into rehab. And - and we`re talking about Isaiah going in for using an anti-gay slur. And who knows who - who sent him there.
But with celebs going into rehab for the wrong reasons, William - you know, I think, unfortunately, the idea of seeking treatment can kind of get watered down and become somewhat of a joke.
MOYERS: That`s exactly right, A.J. And the sad irony in America is that a lot of people who really want to go to treatment, a lot of people who need to go to treatment, and they can`t access that treatment, either because their insurance won`t pay for it, or because there are no beds available, or because they don`t have the finances themselves.
And so what - I`m a - what I`m worried about is that a lot of people out there that your viewers are having the sense that, you know - wow, any body can go to treatment whenever they want, whenever they want to avoid the consequences. But the reality is, I know in my little (INAUDIBLE) Foundation, is that more often than not, treatment is the exception rather than the rule.
HAMMER: Yes.
Howard, real quickly now, restore my faith. You mentioned Keith Urban. This is different. I want you to tell me that there are celebs, a lot of them, who really need help, and they go into a rehab without a press release, without anybody really knowing about it. True?
BRAGMAN: There are a lot of celebrities who have quietly gone into rehab and not used it as a - a vehicle to get to the next professionally. So that is true. True.
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, I got to wrap it there. Thank you though.
BRAGMAN: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: .for restoring my faith somewhat.
William Moyers, I appreciate you joining us as well.
MOYERS: Thank you.
HAMMER: William Moyers` book - it`s called "Broken: My Story of Addiction and Redemption." You`ll find it on sale now.
And all this leads us to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Here`s what we`re asking tonight: "Isaiah Washington in Treatment: Is it hiding from bad publicity?"
Go to cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. Your e-mails tomorrow.
You can also vote by sending a text message to 45688. Vote yes by writing, "SHOWBIZ Yes." Vote no by writing, "SHOWBIZ No." The number again, 45688.
VARGAS: You know the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? Let`s use Isaiah Washington as an example. He was in "Bullworth" with Oliver Platt, who was in "Flatliners" with Kevin Bacon. That was an easy one.
Well, Kevin Bacon himself is turning the game into a way to connect people in a charitable way. At the Sundance Film Festival, he told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT all about it.
Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kevin Bacon: movie star, celebrity - one of the dozens who have made their way to Park City, Utah, for the Sundance Film Festival.
(on camera): Nice to see you, Kevin.
ANDERSON (voice-over): But surprisingly, Bacon isn`t here promoting a movie. He`s here to launch his first online venture, appropriately called sixdegrees.org, for a good cause.
KEVIN BACON, ACTOR: It`s just an idea, "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon," and - and six degrees in general. Six degrees of separation - you know, the fact that we`re all connected.
ANDERSON: Bacon is now embracing that idea, which started as a lighthearted game where any actor in Hollywood could be linked to Bacon through film roles within six steps. Now, he`s changing the rules.
BACON: I know that I wanted it to be charity-based, and I knew that I wanted it to involve this idea of connectivity of all of us as human beings.
ANDERSON: Bacon`s Web site links people to his famous pals, and their causes, such as longtime friend and actor Bradley Whitford.
BRADLEY WHITFORD, ACTOR: Any thing that spreads that out into mainstream (INAUDIBLE), so that, you know, charities, you know, really become part of people`s lives I think is great.
ANDERSON: Bacon spent the first few days at Sundance trying to enlist the help of even more celebs.
BACON: I try to make it as easy as possible for celebrities. I say, `You don`t need to show up. You don`t need to send me a dime. You don`t need to sing a song. You don`t need to, you know, give me any thing.`
ANDERSON: Jessica Simpson, Cheryl Hines and Kanye West are just a few of the celebrities already signed on, with more joining every day.
PAUL RUDD, ACTOR: I saw him earlier today and was talking about this - you know, the organization. And there`s a - the Project ALS is a - I`m - going to go on that Web site.
ANDERSON: Bacon`s vision for sixdegrees.org goes far beyond the Hollywood community. For him, it`s a way to connect people in need with any one who is willing to lend a hand.
BACON: I also want a place where people can become celebrities for their own causes. Regular people can say, `Well, that`s great that, you know, Will Ferrell, and, you know, Nicole Kidman and Kanye West do this kind of thing.` But this is something that I - I really care about, and this kind of idea of social networking with a social conscience.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson from Sundance.
And our weeklong coverage of "SHOWBIZ at Sundance" wraps up tomorrow. Jared Leto will tell us what it was like playing John Lennon`s killed, Mark David Chapman, in the film "Chapter 27," which is debuting at the festival.
HAMMER: Well, Sibila, it`s another Hollywood marriage down the tubes. I can`t believe it. We`re going to tell you which TV star is saying, `I don`t.` That`s next.
VARGAS: That`s right.
And there`s words that some on-set romance may have been at play. So we`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: When there are sex scenes in the film, you could almost expect that some thing is going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: "Love on the Set." Why stars just can`t seem to keep their hands off each other when they`re working together.
HAMMER: And when is a jackpot a jacknot? A retired guy wins and loses a whole bunch of money in a blink of an eye. It is a heartbreaking story of casinos in the computer age. That`s coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go Camera 3, music under. Stand by, Sibila. Track seven. Dissolve Hollywood now. Go.
VARGAS: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Time now for another story that made us say - help me, Brit (ph) - "That`s Ridiculous!" There`s only two of us here, OK?
Well any one doubts that the casino always wins, check this out. A man playing a slot machine in Pennsylvania when it lit up and told him that he had won $102,000. But then, casino officials told Stephen Wilkinson (ph), a retired carpenter, that it was - get this - an error in the casino`s computerized communications system. So no dough for Mr. Wilkinson.
To add insult to injury, they offered two comp tickets to the buffet to make up for the mix-up. Easy come, easy go. I don`t think so. And "That`s Ridiculous!"
HAMMER: And speaking of easy come, easy go, another Hollywood marriage has gone to the scrap heap. Anne Heche and her husband, a movie cameraman, have split after five years of marriage. The couple have a 4- year-old son.
Now back in September, Anne stopped by the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT studios, and she told that she and her husband decided that she would work - she stars in the TV series "Men in Trees" - and he would run the household. And she had a theory about marriage and career. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNE HECHE, ACTRESS: Partly what happens in - in my opinion, is when two people have two different jobs and they go away to work and they work all day and they come home, they`re basically, you know, in a way, strangers to one another.
If they`d had their whole day, they`ve been working in the lives of the other people that they`ve been with, and to readjust to that moment when you come together at night, or at the end of the week, or at the end of a few weeks after some one`s been traveling and been away, you have to relearn each other. And I think it`s hard. I think it`s hard to have two careers, in any marriage, no matter where you are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, didn`t quite work out, did it?
Now, there are reports that Heche`s "Men in Trees" co-star James Tupper may have been a factor in the split. He separated from his wife back in November. But neither star`s publicist will confirm any of that.
This Anne Heche story just got us thinking about "Love on the Set." Why is it that so many celebrities mix business with pleasure? Why does filming a movie mean falling in love?
So tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Special Report" on why co-stars just can`t keep their hands off each other.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): From Ben and Jen, to Vince and Jen, to Brad and Angelina, the on-set romance is a time-honored Hollywood tradition. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is here to tell you, that tradition is alive and well.
KURIANSKY: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are the poster couple for falling in love on set.
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: Come on, honey. Come to daddy.
HAMMER: You could almost see the sparks fly when Brad and Angelina co-starred as husband and wife in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."
KURIANSKY: When there are sex scenes in the films, you could almost expect that some thing is going to happen. People want to see the chemistry on the screen.
HAMMER: And people did. That movie sent the rumor mill spinning -- especially since Brad was still married to Jennifer Aniston when he shot those steamy scenes with Angie.
KURIANSKY: But Brad Pitt falling for Angelina Jolie was not just about being on set and being lovers. She was also his ticket to doing something important in the world. The fact that she`s a U.N. ambassador and traveling all over the place -- he wanted to do that. So there was a bigger package for him.
HAMMER: Angelina`s not the only actress who mixes business with pleasure. Jennifer Garner met her first husband, Scott Foley, on the set of "Felicity." Then came boyfriend and "Alias" co-star Michael Vartan. And then came Ben Affleck, who she met when they co-starred in "Daredevil."
JENNIFER GARNER, ACTRESS: Nice to meet you.
HAMMER: Now Ben and Jen are married, with a kid.
KURIANSKY: There are so many elements that add to the possibility of falling in love on the set. Indeed, you`re isolated; you`re spending an enormous amount of time with one another and you`re separated from your own home life.
HAMMER: Before that Ben and Jen, there was this Ben and Jen. Jennifer Lopez and Ben fell for each other on the set of "Gigli." That movie flopped, and eventually so did the romance.
JENNIFER LOPEZ, ENTERTAINER: You`re not my type. Good night.
KURIANSKY: The bubble that`s created on set when you`re in that romance can certainly burst and be over when you go back to your own lives, and when you`re distracted or when you`re on the next movie set.
HAMMER: Maybe that`s what happened to Julia Roberts, who hooked up with a long list of leading men, including Liam Neeson, Dylan McDermott, Kiefer Sutherland, Lyle Lovett and Matthew Perry.
She`s now married to cameraman Danny Moder. And get this: she met him -- where else? -- on the set of "The Mexican."
With all this canoodling between co-stars, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, there is a way to keep famous relationships safe.
KURIANSKY: One way is to have a life that is away from Hollywood. So you have someone like Julia Roberts who`s now living in another state, happily married to Danny Moder, raising her kids.
Goldie Hawn has that, too. She has a house in Utah.
HAMMER: Speaking of Goldie Hawn, guess where she met Kurt Russell, who`s she been with for 24 years? On the set of their 1982 movie "Swing Shift."
Goldie`s daughter Kate Hudson may have learned a thing or two from mom. "People" magazine reports Kate, who`s split from Chris Robinson, is quietly stepping out with her "You, Me and Dupree" co-star Owen Wilson, although the two deny a relationship.
KURIANSKY: In the long run, if somebody is going to fall for their co-star, and leave you for somebody else, you need to just say, `You know what? There was nothing that I could to stop that from happening.`
HAMMER: And as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has shown you, it is something that happens plenty in Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: As we told you earlier, Wednesday night was another amazing ratings night for Fox and "American Idol." Thirty-three million tuned in to see two hours of New York auditions. And like all "Idol" auditions, there was the good, the bad, the ugly and the interesting.
One of those interesting people was Ian Benardo from the Bronx. He got so out of hand with Simon he had to be escorted out by security guards.
Ian joining me in New York tonight.
Thank you for coming in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Ian.
IAN BENARDO, "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: No problem. It`s a pleasure to be here.
HAMMER: It was sort of wild seeing you on the show last night.
We just saw you being kicked out. But let`s see what led up to that moment of you being kicked out. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENARDO: (SINGING)
(CROSSTALK)
BENARDO: Who are you?
SIMON COWELL, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: Do it outside. I don`t want to hear you any more.
BENARDO: (INAUDIBLE)
COWELL: I am bored of you. They`re bored of you.
BENARDO: No, as a tax-paying American in my country, I want to see your working visa, because I don`t think you`re legally allowed to be here.
COWELL: Ian - Ian, I`m bored now.
BENARDO: I don`t care. I`m bored with you. I don`t think it`s fair that you`re critiquing me like this.
COWELL: Mike, take Mr. Boring out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ian, Ian, out of control.
OK, now you said right before you did before you did your singing audition of Laura Branigan`s classic "Gloria," that you`re not going to stop until you`re a household name. Hey, you`re on your way.
BENARDO: I know. And you know what? I`m going to tell you the truth, A.J.: I`m really excited about all of this. I - I see myself as going even further and further. And that`s why I did all this.
I`ve really realized that "American Idol" is something that they`re looking for publicity. Anyone - everyone knows it. Every body watches "American Idol." And my dream is really to get my name out there, and be in the entertainment industry.
HAMMER: Well, Randy Jackson said to you after your little singing audition, his - his first question was, Are you for real?
I got to ask you the same question, because you weren`t happen with him when - when he said that. But did you really go in there saying, I could be the next American Idol? Or was that really just a show you were putting on?
BENARDO: I`m going to - I`ll be honest with you.
HAMMER: Please.
BENARDO: You know, I - I - I walked in there, and I thought to myself, It`s a possibility I`ll make it to Hollywood, because they`re - maybe I`m - maybe the producers are looking for something new this season. They`ve - they`ve drawled out the same crap for six season.
HAMMER: Yes, but they`ve - they`ve turned out some big-time stars out of the show, who all can sing. I mean, that`s what - Randy - they said to other people who were auditioning last night, It is a singing competition.
BENARDO: You know what?
HAMMER: (INAUDIBLE) - and no disrespect intended, but do you think you can sing?
BENARDO: No, I never said I could sing. What I said was that I am a singer, which means that I do electronic - I have a lot of electronic music. I have a CD that`s out now.
So I do do a lot of things. And I think it`s only fair to give me a chance at doing other things.
I`ll be honest with you: the entire audition process, it was a lot of fun. The producers are very nice. Simon is an angry person. He`s just angry. He didn`t know.
HAMMER: Well, you looked like you were upset with how they - they reacted to you. But you have to have expected that, right?
BENARDO: No. You know what? Paula - I really like Paula, you know? I understand. She was in - you know, she`s in a phase, a daze, whatever you want to say. She was kind of not there.
And Randy Jackson was just entertained. And Carol Vayer Sager (ph) was - was a carcass. She was dead. She didn`t, like, move a muscle or any thing.
HAMMER: But were you really shocked that they reacted the way they did?
BENARDO: Simon Cowell I did, because I thought that he could take criticism better. He obviously cannot take criticism. He`s so used to dealing with people who are special-needs or anything that can`t defend themselves. And finally he meets someone who can defend - and he cannot - he could not handle it.
HAMMER: Well, I`m out of time, Ian. But I wish you the best of luck with whatever you pursue. It was a great little moment in TV last night on "American Idol."
BENARDO: I - I hope to be a TV television talk show host and have my CD out.
HAMMER: Best of luck to you with that.
BENARDO: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: Ian Benardo, I appreciate you being with us.
Well, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, it is the battle of "American Idol" rejects. Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson probably don`t feel too badly about not winning idol. They`re No. 1 and No. 2 on the album chart tonight. Who`s on top? We`ll tell you, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fade up music under, Go 3. Stand by, A.J. Open his mike. Dissolve 2. Go.
HAMMER: Gnarls Wegmann (ph), I thank you.
And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, proof that losing "American Idol," not the end of the world. On the Billboard album chart, it is the battle of the "Idol" rejects.
In this corner, Chris Daughtry`s debut album, called "Daughtry."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Daughtry was No. 1 on the national sales chart this week, selling 65,000 copies. Now, the album has sold almost 1.3 million copies since its release in November.
But wait - another "Idol" castoff is also on the charts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ah yes, Jennifer Hudson and the rest of the "Dreamgirls" cast coming in at No. 2. Get this: the "Dreamgirls" soundtrack sold just 134 fewer copies than Daughtry`s album. Billboard says it`s the slimmest margin ever between the No. 1 and the No. 2 best-selling albums.
VARGAS: And yesterday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Anna Nicole Smith Paternity Test: Do you believe Larry Birkhead is the father?"
Sixty-eight percent of you say yes; 32 percent of you say no.
Here are some of the e-mails we got:
Kerri from Maryland writes, "If Anna was so sure that Birkhead was not the father, she would have not been putting up such a fight about having a paternity test."
George from Michigan writes, "She is the type to say anything to look good to the public. So that`s why I think he`s not the father of the child."
HAMMER: And can you guys feel the excitement? Friday just about here. Let`s see what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, as we get into the weekend.
You could sound more excited about it being Friday, by the way.
Tomorrow, starting over and looking for love. Look at all the single guys in Hollywood right now. I mean, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Phillippe. They`re both suddenly single. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has some good advice for the most eligible bachelors in Hollywood on exactly how they can find Ms. Right. That`s tomorrow.
Also coming up tomorrow, this guy, as SHOWBIZ continues "SHOWBIZ at Sundance." It`s our coverage of the Sundance Film Festival wrapping up, and we`re going one-on-one with Jared Leto. Now Jared plays John Lennon`s killer, Mark David Chapman, in the new movie "Chapter 27." He underwent a major physical transformation to play the role. He`ll tell us about when Jared Leto joins us tomorrow in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas. Good night, A.J. Good night, every one.
"GLENN BECK" is next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News.
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