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Showbiz Tonight
Anna Nicole May Submit to Paternity Test; Shocking Details Emerge in Ryan O`Neal Case
Aired February 07, 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: Dramatic new developments in the frightening Ryan O`Neal family feud. Did he really fire his gun in self- defense? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And has Anna Nicole Smith finally agreed to submit her daughter to a paternity test? I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a shocking space story of love and murder? Tonight, why everyone can`t stop talking about the astronaut accused of trying to kill her rival in love. Tonight from the launch pad to Hollywood, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks: why do people get so astro-nuts when they fall in love?
It`s the Britney versus K-Fed image war. In the beginning, he was the good-for-nothing freeloader. Now it`s Britney doing toxic things, pantiless partying anyone. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT steps into the ring and wants to know, who`s really winning the brutal Britney/K-Fed image battle?
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Big developments today in the Ryan O`Neal arrest story. You`ve got to check this video out. This is the pregnant girlfriend of Ryan O`Neal`s son, Griffin, who says she was hurt during the shocking fight between Ryan and Griffin that led to Ryan`s arrest. Her attorney is going to be here in just a few minutes.
HAMMER: But first tonight the unbelievable story that everyone just can`t stop talking about, the diaper-wearing woman astronaut who`s accused of attempted murder. Did I just say diaper-wearing woman astronaut? It seems so strange. The spaced out tale kind of sounds like a ridiculous plot pitch at a Hollywood movie meeting. But the story is all too true, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that from Hollywood to Houston, being crazy in love is something we cannot get enough of.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Oh, how NASA has fallen, from this --
NEIL ARMSTRONG, FIRST MAN ON THE MOON: That`s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
HAMMER: to this --
MILES O`BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The odd, tragic mission of astronaut Lisa Nowak.
HAMMER: A bizarre NASA love triangle has captured the nation`s attention. Astronaut Lisa Nowak, in a reported obsession over fellow astronaut William Oefelein, allegedly drove 900 miles, from Texas to Florida, wearing diapers so she didn`t have to stop, to allegedly attack her rival for Oefelein`s affections, Air Force Captain Colleen Shipman.
AMY ARGETSINGER, "THE WASHINGTON POST": Ladies love astronauts, even lady astronauts, I guess.
HAMMER: She is charged with attempted murder and kidnapping. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, this lady astronaut has lifted off into a media stratosphere of news coverage.
LARRY SUTTON, "PEOPLE MAGAZINE": This would be interesting no matter what the occupation of the people involved. The love triangle is a love triangle. It`s something that gets people talking.
HAMMER: So now we`re seeing newspaper headline writers feast with glee. News shows are updating every new twist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: NASA has released a statement saying it is deeply saddened.
HAMMER: Talk shows, like "Today," are delving into Nowak`s state of mind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When affairs of the heart are involved, people sometimes tap very primitive and primal, unresolved issues in their psyche.
HAMMER: And TV comedians are having a field day.
ROSIE O`DONNELL, "THE VIEW": The woman drives away, wiping her eyes, calling 911. There is a woman in diapers attacking me!
HAMMER: Sure, real life stories of bizarre, obsessed love often make the news, even when they don`t involve Tom Cruise. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, what is it about this particular story that has us so riveted?
ARGETSINGER: What`s different here is that it is involving an astronaut, and also diapers.
HAMMER: Amy Argetsinger of the "Washington Post" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that her readers are obsessed with this sexy space saga.
ARGETSINGER: It is really a very sad story. We shouldn`t be laughing at it, and yet the trench coat, the wig, the diapers -- it`s gotten everyone talking.
HAMMER: In fact, Nowak may be the most love-obsessed astronaut since Jack Nicholson`s character in "Terms of Endearment."
And speaking of movies --
ARGETSINGER: One big question everyone had is, the made for TV movie, who is going to play who?
HAMMER: This astronaut love triangle is almost screaming for the Hollywood treatment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why is it that all the interesting guys are always married?
HAMMER: As "Fatal Attraction" showed us, tales of obsessive love often make for juicy films. After all, you remember Amy Fisher, the Long Island teen who shot the wife of her adult lover Joe Buddafuco (ph).
That story was made into three TV movies. So if we can expect a TV movie based on this NASA triangle, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a suggestion for a title: AstroNuts, A Far-Out Obsession.
And here`s how we`d cast it. For Lisa Nowak we would cast Holly Hunter. Notice the loose resemblance. For the astronaut Oefelein, we like Bill Packston. After all, he has played an astronaut before in "Apollo 13," although there was no romance in that one, we think.
As for Nowak`s alleged target, Colleen Shipman, we would cast Ann Heche, because, well let`s just say, her colorful romantic history would make her a natural fit with this story.
Whether it`s because of the space travelers in diapers, or despite them, the NASA love triangle has earned national attention because, at its core, it is still a time-tested story.
ARGETSINGER: It is a classic saga, the woman who seems to have it all, to be on top of the world, literally in this case, and yet flip out in the name of love.
HAMMER: And flipping out over love is always interesting to watch.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yes, it is just so bizarre. Nowak is free on bond. No more road trips for her for now. She has to wear a little satellite tracking device while she`s awaiting trial.
ANDERSON: Now the latest on the Ryan O`Neal frightening family feud that led to his arrest. Really dramatic new developments today; it was the battle of the lawyers. First it was with Ryan O`Neal`s attorney, claiming it was Ryan`s son Griffin that provoked the brawl that led to Ryan firing off his gun at his California home. Well, he also insists that Ryan was acting in self-defense, not anger, when he fired his gun.
OK, now that`s totally the opposite of what Griffin`s attorney Gloria Allred said at a news conference today. Also there, Griffin`s battered and bruised pregnant girlfriend Joanna Berry, who claims she got hurt during the fight. Allred insists Ryan was not acting in self-defense when he fired the shots.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY FOR GRIFFIN O`NEAL: It is important to note that we vigorously reject any assertion that the injuries suffered by Joanna and Griffin were as a result of Ryan O`Neal`s acting in self- defense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Here with us tonight in Hollywood is attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Griffin O`Neal and his pregnant girlfriend Joanna Berry. Gloria, thanks for being with us tonight.
ALLRED: Thank you for having me.
ANDERSON: OK, look Gloria, there is no doubt, from the dramatic video that we saw today, that Joanna is badly bruised, that she was clearly hurt. But I`ve got to ask you, Griffin is claiming his own father attacked him. Now, his father Ryan is claiming Griffin attacked him. It`s really a case of he said-he said. You obviously represent Griffin. So why should we believe Griffin`s side of the story? Because two drastically different sides here.
ALLRED: Well, actually it`s not just a case of he said-he said. They are not the only two witnesses to what occurred. So I represent Griffin and his pregnant girlfriend, Joanna Berry, who, as you say, was injured, as was Griffin. And we`re looking forward to the truth coming out. And if, in fact, a case is filed by the district attorney -- my understanding is no such decision has yet been made -- then they are prepared to testify in a court of law, and then we`ll see who the jury believes.
ANDERSON: OK, why should we believe their side of the story though, Joanna and Griffin`s, that Ryan was the attacker here?
ALLRED: Well, we`re not asking the public to come to any conclusion. There is a criminal investigation that`s underway and we`ll look forward to the results of that criminal investigation. But since some supporters of Ryan have put out there in the public marketplace of ideas the notion that somehow these injuries were caused by Ryan`s acting in self-defense, we want to have everybody understands that it`s clearly our feeling and our opinion that these injuries were not caused by Mr. Ryan O`Neal`s acting in self-defense.
ANDERSON: Well, you say that you`re not the only attorney who is speaking out today, because Ryan`s attorney also spoke about his side. And he really questioned Griffin`s motives today. I want to take a listen now to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is loopy behavior and it must cause you to question what is Griffin in this for, because of the way he is conducting himself. I`m here simply to make a statement and provide Ryan`s denial of this allegation that he was the aggressor or the attacker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK, now, the attorney claims after Ryan got home from taking Farrah Fawcett out for her 60th birthday, to celebrate her being cancer free, that Griffin was the one, Gloria, who was drinking and came at Ryan with a fire poker. Now, are you basically saying that Ryan`s attorney is a liar?
ALLRED: Well, I`m saying that my clients have fully discussed this matter with law enforcement and will continue to assist with law enforcement. There is only one arrest that`s been made in this case, and that`s of Ryan O`Neal, and I wonder whether Ryan O`Neal himself has fully discussed this matter with law enforcement, or whether he is just letting his attorney do the talking for him.
We`re just here to protect the reputation of our clients and to let people know that we have facts that we believe will support our position and we`ll look forward to those facts coming out at the appropriate time in a court of law, if that is necessary.
ANDERSON: We see Joanna again. How did she get hurt?
ALLRED: Well, clearly these were not self-inflicted wounds. They were wounds and injuries that were incurred at the home. And one day this story will be known. Right now we`re trying to protect the integrity of the case and, therefore, we`re not going to talk about what happened and how it happened, but we just want people to know that they are represented by an attorney.
I don`t know what it is that his attorney means by describing Griffin as having loopy behavior. There is nothing loopy about alleged victims or potential witnesses in a case having an attorney. They have every right to have one. Ryan has one. I don`t know why he is engaging in name-calling. It probably would be a lot better if he would just deal with the facts of the case.
ANDERSON: All right, and we will see how those facts play out. Gloria Allred, as always, thanks so much for taking time with us.
ALLRED: Thank you.
HAMMER: So Brooke, on Sundays a lot of people head to the movies, maybe they even tune into the "Desperate Housewives." You must have your own Sunday ritual, I`m sure.
ANDERSON: Oh, you know, my husband and I like to take our newspapers, take a leisurely walk to our favorite coffee shop, enjoy the day.
HAMMER: Sounds calm, and easy enough. Wait until you hear the naked truth about Christina Aguilera`s little Sunday ritual. I think it`s one that would make any Sunday School teacher or nun hot under the collar. The stars are just like us, aren`t they?
ANDERSON: Oh, I don`t know about that A.J. Also, what`s this? Has Anna Nicole Smith finally agreed to a paternity test for her baby girl? Will this bizarre battle finally go away, coming up.
HAMMER: Also Britney spears and K-Fed aren`t going anywhere any time soon. So, as they get ready to battle for the custody of their kids, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT want to know who is really winning the brutal Britney/K-Fed image battle?
But first, what do you think? It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, Britney versus K-Fed, is Kevin winning the image war? Vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. E-mail us, SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Time now for a story that made us say, that`s ridiculous! All right, you know, ever since Janet Jackson`s wardrobe malfunction, big brother has been watching what airs during the Super Bowl, watching like hawks. Well, that put the kibosh on a new Hannibal Lecter ad.
While it`s true Hannibal Lecter is a scary, flesh-eating serial monster, that`s not why a commercial for the "Hannibal Rising" creep role had to be toned down. Listen to this, it was because the ad had the word terrifying in it, terrifying. The phrase "most terrifying thriller of the new year" was changed to the "year`s most electrifying thriller." Toning down a movie ad about a serial cannibal for using the word terrifying, now that`s ridiculous!
HAMMER: Speaking of terrifying thrillers, let the he said/she said Anna Nicole baby battle continue. Now, at the risk of repeating myself, just when you thought this case couldn`t get any wackier, another twist: Anna Nicole now says she will now submit her daughter to a paternity test, to prove that her attorney/lover Howard K. Stern is really the father of her baby. But, there`s a but, she says she`ll only do if it`s done in the Bahamas, where she and Stern are currently holed up. That`s not all.
With us tonight is the host of Court TV`s Hollywood Heat, Ashleigh Banfield, joining us tonight from the Court TV studios in New York. Hi there Ashleigh.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, COURT TV ANCHOR: Hi A.J.
HAMMER: All right, I just want to warn you, as is want to happen every time I talk about this story, my head may just start spinning around and around. Now Anna Nicole did say in a brand new interview that she would submit her daughter Danni Lynne to a paternity test, if the local Bahamian authorities were asked to do it. Why doesn`t she just, after all, take the stupid test, stop playing games, and get the whole thing over with?
BANFIELD: I don`t know, maybe she has something to hide. That`s my first thought. But then the second thought is, look, she is playing the legal game as best she can. She already had one deadline extended because she said that American authorities couldn`t just show up without work permits in Bahamas and administer a paternity test, and that worked. So this next new deadline is now February 21st, in which the superior judge out of L.A. said, submit or else there will be consequences. You can do it in Miami, you can do it in the Bahamas, but if you don`t do it, I`m subpoenaing you to come to my court, and there will be very serious consequences.
HAMMER: And I will say that Anna Nicole`s attorney, Ron Rail (ph), told me, right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, that she would, in fact, if ordered by the court, submit to the test. I just don`t understand why it won`t happen. I just want to see this finally take place.
BANFIELD: You know, you can say anything to a TV interviewer. Talking to attorneys and judges is a whole other kettle of fish.
HAMMER: Well let`s move on to this other interesting twist. No Anna claims that Larry Birkhead, who claims to be the father and has filed this paternity suit, has signed a confidentiality agreement in the past, saying he wouldn`t talk to anybody about Anna Nicole. Well, it certainly seems like Larry Birkhead is doing a lot of talking. What are you hearing about this agreement?
BANFIELD: Well, if what I`m hearing is true -- and I have to be honest with you, I have not seen the agreement. I know there are some sort of scratched names on it, et cetera, and Larry Birkhead`s not commenting on it, at the advice of his attorneys. But if he did sign an agreement like that 15 months ago, as is the story, she might have been two months pregnant at that time. And this is referring to talking about Anna Nicole and their relationship. Not unusual for a celebrity to ask people in his or her life to sign confidentiality agreements.
HAMMER: Sure.
BANFIELD: But a baby being born, that changes the equation somewhat. Let`s not forget, this isn`t criminal. It`s civil. So it`s just who you can convince on what side. But now that you have the possibility that he could be the father of a baby that she is refusing to submit a paternity test to, he might have a case for talking. And his attorneys may have a very good case for saying he has every right to his first amendment ability to defend himself and try and claim his baby.
HAMMER: And from what I`m hearing, if there in fact is this confidentiality agreement and he does in fact violate it, and is proven to have violated it, it could cost him like ten million bucks. I`m not exactly sure about that.
BANFIELD: This is different though. He`s not out writing a book, or saying something salacious. He`s just saying, I want my baby.
HAMMER: That seems to make perfect sense, if he thinks he is the father. Now Anna has sent Larry Birkhead text messages. We have had that confirmed from Larry Birkhead`s attorney. Apparently Anna is claiming that Larry has sent her baby toys for the baby. It seems to me, the last thing these two should be doing right now, under these circumstances, is communicating.
BANFIELD: You got that right. You should be a lawyer.
HAMMER: No.
BANFIELD: As it turns out, Larry Birkhead actually recorded some conversations already between the two of them. Now, that could be very illegal, because most states require that you have two-party consent to people who are on telephone calls before you publish or broadcast or release those conversations. And the word is that Anna Nicole was unaware that these conversations were being recorded. And they are conversations that happened after the baby was born. The baby is crying in the background, and also alluding to go their relationship. She says, you walked out on me, and they are very telling about what the nature of that relationship was, but we may not be able to see those in court, because they may be illegal.
HAMMER: Ashleigh, I`ve got to wrap it up there. I`m out of time. This will go on and on. We`ll talk more about it some more. Ashleigh Banfield from Court TV, thanks so much.
BANFIELD: By A.J.
ANDERSON: Well, when Mel Gibson went on his anti semitic rant after getting arrested for drunk driving last summer, you couldn`t really find anyone who would dare get his back. But tonight, mad Mel has a friend in actor Robert Downey Junior. Downey Junior tells "W Magazine," what occurred, in my estimation, was that somebody was caught in the act of being an imperfect human being. As for all the Gibson haters in Tinseltown, I really didn`t know that we had eight million morally sound people in this town. Wow, I really didn`t know that."
Mel Gibson says Downey was one of the first people to call and offer his friendship after the rant. Read more in the march issue of "W Magazine."
HAMMER: Brooke, what do you like to do on Sundays?
ANDERSON: Well, lately I`ve been going to some open houses, doing a little house hunting.
HAMMER: Well, if you happen to head over to Christina Aguilera`s house on a Sunday, she will probably answer the door naked.
ANDERSON: Well, you don`t have to worry about me going there, A.J. But anyway, Britney Spears, kind of running around naked herself, and that is really costing her some serious image brownie points. Who is winning the brutal Britney/K-Fed image battle? That`s ahead, plus this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t like the idea of the knee being the largest part of the body. I don`t want to see and count people`s bones.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Why doesn`t the fashion industry just ban super-skinny models from the runway? The surprising reasons, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Sunday, when many of us chill out, take it easy, maybe watch some football, read a book, go to the movies. Well, Christina Aguilera and her husband love Sundays too, but Sundays at the Aguilera house -- lets just say they are kind of bare-boned. Check out the naked truth Christina revealed to Ellen Degeneres.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINA AGUILERA, SINGER: We have something called naked Sundays.
ELLEN DEGENERES, "ELLEN": Excuse me?
AGUILERA: Where my husband and I -- yes.
DEGENERES: Did you say naked Sundays?
AGUILERA: It`s great. It keeps that marriage alive, you know.
DEGENERES: Because it`s already how many years?
AGUILERA: A big whole year, no, no, no.
DEGENERES: A year, you got to keep it alive.
AGUILERA: We just celebrated our first anniversary, and on Sundays we just do everything in the house. We just cozy and lay back. We don`t needing to go anywhere. We`re just with each other and have naked Sundays. We do everything naked.
DEGENERES: You cook naked?
AGUILERA: Yes, cook naked.
DEGENERES: Nothing greasy that could splatter.
AGUILERA: Well, unless you want the grease.
DEGENERES: No, you don`t want the grease. No, it`s hot grease.
(END VIDEO CLIP
ANDERSON: Well, I guess we shouldn`t be too surprised. I mean, this is the woman who has an album called "Stripped," and that song, "Dirty." I bet she has some pretty interesting Sunday pot roast dinners.
HAMMER: See I thought naked Sundays was ice cream without sprinkles, but that`s just me.
ANDERSON: No, it`s not.
HAMMER: So Brooke, you remember when Jessica Simpson filed for divorce from Nick Leche (ph), don`t you?
ANDERSON: Yes, I thought it was very sad.
HAMMER: Well, I have advice for Jessica, if you end a marriage, you can`t really be upset when your ex starts dating, right?
ANDERSON: No, you can`t.
HAMMER: Well, she is. Plus, what spurred her to finally call it quits.
ANDERSON: And another couple driving down that road to splitsville, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know, who`s really winning the brutal Britney/K- Fed image battle? And this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, oh my gosh. No way!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Another California freeway chase that really made police hop to it. The sort of kangaroo who tied up traffic, coming up. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a Wednesday night. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And this is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: So Brooke, how do you think Jessica Simpson really felt when her ex-husband, Nick Lachey, started dating again? He`s got to start dating sooner or later.
ANDERSON: Yes. You know, I don`t think she felt pretty good about that. I don`t think she did.
HAMMER: Also, how does she feel about that reality show that she did that highlighted their marriage? Well, Jessica is speaking out about it. And we`ll have that coming up.
ANDERSON: All right, A.J.
Also, we`re going to turn up the heat on the small screen with TV`s hottest couples. And I`m not talking about the usual suspects. Not McDreamy, not McSteamy - we`ve got the new, best, hottest television couples, straight ahead. Yes.
HAMMER: I`m interested to hear who that`s going to be.
But first tonight, when America`s favorite sweetheart Britney Spears married America`s favorite deadbeat Kevin Federline, lots of people were brokenhearted. But now, there are some of us who are having a little change of heart, as K-Fed is actually looking better and better, and - well, Brit`s looking sadder and sadder.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates who is wining the image war between Britney and K-Fed.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, celebrity publicist Howard Bragman - certainly knows a thing or two about image.
And Teresa Strasser from TV Guide Channel`s "TV Watercooler" also with us.
Thank you for both being here.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: All right, Howard. Let`s.
TERESA STRASSER, "TV WATERCOOLER": Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: .get into this now. Kevin Federline has been getting an awful lot of attention for basically being self-effacing, poking fun at himself - really topped off by that big Super Bowl commercial he did for Nationwide Insurance that was seen by millions over the Super Bowl.
And that`s been getting a lot of positive feedback. Even people at my Super Bowl party said, Yes, that was pretty good.
Has K-Fed seemingly done the impossible and become more likable than Britney at this point?
BRAGMAN: That`s not a real high standard, is it? More likable than Britney?
I - I`m - you know, Kevin`s done a really smart thing. The first rule of PR is when you`re down, make fun of yourself before somebody else has a chance to. And he did it, and the commercial was great. And he got paid for it, too. So it was a really smart PR move, and probably not a bad business move.
HAMMER: Well, Teresa, let`s talk about Britney, who apparently Howard doesn`t think is setting a very high standard. Of course, we did see her during New York`s fashion week. She was walking around really looking less than perfect, which she never, ever used to do.
Of course, there is the pantyless partying. I`ll say that at every possible opportunity. She was out with Paris Hilton on the town.
Has she really done anything good for her image since - since she left K-Fed? It seems to me that she`s clueless and not getting any good advice here.
STRASSER: Yes, I`m going to have to agree with you, A.J.
Here`s the thing: K-Fed got smart and got out of the spotlight. And Britney Spears got weird and got out of her panties.
Now as her BFF`s with Paris Hilton, that was about the worst strategic decision since Hitler invaded Russia. That was a horrible idea. You do not want to hang out with Paris Hilton. It`s almost a week with Paris Hilton is sort of the PR equivalent of three DUIs and one altercation with a tranny.
HAMMER: Yes. And - and she doesn`t have the Howard Bragman, apparently, telling her what to do.
So to - to that point, Howard, Britney Spears walks into your office and says, Howard, I need help. Well, that accent may not exactly be right. But she - she basically comes to you and says, What the heck am I going to do? It looks my soon-to-be-ex Kevin Federline is actually looking better than me.
How would you help me Howard?
BRAGMAN: Yes, I - I would say try something novel: stay home and watch your kids. Sometimes the solution to bad press is not more press, but no press. And I think we`re a little oversaturated, and I would really tell her to stay home for awhile. We don`t want to see her.
And when she does make an appearance - I mean, she should look awesome, and it should really stand for something. And - and not just be out on the town, pantyless, as you like.
HAMMER: Yes. And she needs to - to raise the bar, as I like to say, I think is what - what you meant there.
Now - now Teresa, K-Fed, I - I don`t think it should be lost upon us that this was a guy who left his pregnant girlfriend and daughter for Britney Spears. He was seen as a partier; he was seen as a deadbeat for all those years. And I actually question if the public can really forget all of this.
Do you believe that there can be a new K-Fed, or is it kind of like same old product, but great new look?
STRASSER: I`m going to agree with you.
I don`t think we can ever forgive him for leaving his pregnant baby mama and child. That image is seared into our minds. First impressions are very powerful, and I think all of us first saw him as a parasite who was using Britney Spears as a host organism and sucking off of her celebrity, her fame and her money.
And really, it`s not just the image of him leaving his sad, pregnant wife, but it`s also the sound of his rap. And I don`t know if you heard (INAUDIBLE), but he not only got a bad rap, he gave a bad rap. And I don`t forgive that.
HAMMER: I try to avoid it at all costs.
Real quickly, Howard, I want to talk about how - how this image battle could impact the custody battle. They may be heading to court. You`ve been with celebs in this situation before. Does that public image make a difference as the custody battle plays out?
BRAGMAN: Absolutely. I think the judge is going to look at these two characters and say, `Isn`t there a nice, infertile family in Pequomia (ph) that can raise these children?`
You - you play in the court of public opinion, and you play in the court of law. And they`re inherently intertwined. And - and I think the court of public opinion really affects what the - what the judge is going to think about this case. And I don`t think either of them are helping themselves in their custody battle right now.
HAMMER: And I think we will continue to keep the image scorecard.
Howard Bragman from Fifteen Minutes, Teresa Strasser from TV Guide Channel`s "TV Watercooler," I thank you for joining us.
STRASSER: Thank you.
BRAGMAN: Thanks a lot.
HAMMER: Well, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," asking: "Britney Versus K-Fed: Is Kevin winning the image war?"
Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight, or write to us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll get into those e-mails tomorrow.
And remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show allowing you to express your opinion on video. Let us make you a star. Send us a video e-mail by checking out the Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight.
ANDERSON: Well, despite appearing to be the driving force behind their divorce, Jessica Simpson says splitting from Nick Lachey wasn`t easy. The pop star graces the cover of March`s "Elle" magazine. She tells the mag that after their separation, she was indeed stung when Nick Lachey was photographed with "Laguna Beach" star Kristin Cavallari.
Simpson admits, "Oh, it hurt me. Two or three weeks later - yes, I`d say it kind of hurt me."
Simpson says just before they split, she`d seen the movie "The Notebook," and took the message to heart. She says her decision as about a moment of desperation, and she needed to breathe. Simpson says she`s happy she did "Newlyweds" on MTV, and happy she was married to Nick. The singer Lachey will always be a part of her life, and any future beau will have to understand that.
And speaking of beau, the 26-year-old wouldn`t reveal any details about her presumed relationship with John Mayer, saying she`s been burned in the past by telling too much.
HAMMER: (INAUDIBLE), sounds like she has a healthy attitude about things.
It`s now for "The SHOWBIZ Weight Watch." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT covers Hollywood`s obsession with body image like no other entertainment news show.
Tonight, it`s a familiar site during Fashion Week in New York: rail- thin models on parade. The industry is making no bones about it, and trying to encourage designers to take a stand on runway health requirements. But is it enough?
CNN`s Alina Cho reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They`ve always been thin, but some of the models on the catwalk these days are not just skinny, they`re downright skeletal.
LINDA WELLS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "ALLURE": I see bones. I don`t like the idea of a knee being the largest part of the body. I don`t want to see and count people`s rib bones.
CHO: When this Brazilian model Anna Carolina Reston died last year of complications related to anorexia, she weighed just 88 pounds. It was front-page news, and the fashion industry responded, introducing health requirements for models in parts of Europe.
New York responded, too. No models under 16 on the runway. Models with eating disorders are ordered to get help. And designers are encouraged to feed the models back stage.
The problem is, these are guidelines, and designers are free to do as they please.
At least one designer has resorted to weighing models.
BETSEY JOHNSON, DESIGNER: What we`re looking for here.
CHO: Betsy Johnson says that`s not her style.
JOHNSON: There is a healthier approach, and I think that`s good. But treating the girls like jockeys or sports figures, making them weigh in, oh, I think that`s horrible.
CHO: Many in the industry believe the real issue isn`t weight, but age. With models as young as 13 on the runway, editors say, of course, they`re thin. They`re not fully grown.
Actress Raquel Welch, who at 66 is MAC cosmetics new beauty icon, says she doesn`t fault the models; she blames designers for not making clothes big enough for the average woman.
RAQUEL WELCH, ACTRESS: Nothing fits. You can`t get the zippers up. And you say, well, are they just -- they just don`t want me?
CHO: And the models themselves? They say we should focus less on super skinny and more on obesity.
ANOUCK LEPERE, MODEL: The world, in general, has the opposite problem, I think.
WELLS: Models are never going to be average; they`re models. And so, that alone, they`re going to be thinner and taller and younger than the average American woman. But I still think they should be representatives of health.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Are they or aren`t they? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT calls on the "Truth Squad" to get the bottom of Eminem`s engagement to his ex-wife.
HAMMER: Plus, steaming up the small screen. They are TV`s hottest couple. What makes these love duos work, and why can`t we take our eyes off must-see TV.
We`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSICA HOLMES, KTLA TRAFFIC REPORTER: Hi! Oh my gosh! No way!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s a wild goose chase or - we should say a wild wallaby chase. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will show you what happened when this little guy got loose in the suburbs and stayed one hop ahead of animal control.
First, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "In 1995`s `Apollo 13,` astronaut Ken Mattingly is removed from the mission because he was thought to have measles. Who played him?" Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Tom Hanks or Ed Harris?
Think about it. We`re coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fade up, go Don (ph). Stand by, Brooke. Pre-set 7. Open her mike. Dissolve Hollywood. Go.
ANDERSON: Here we are again with tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "In 1995`s `Apollo 13,` astronaut Ken Mattingly is removed from the mission because he was thought to have measles. Who played him?" Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Tom Hanks or Ed Harris?
The answer is C, Gary Sinise.
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!"
We`ve all seen the good-old police chases on television. They get the viewers every time; everybody can`t tear themselves away.
But what about when the one on the run isn`t your usual suspect? Like, for example, a wallaby. It seems young Walter the wallaby hopped off in the suburbs, spurring a mad dash to net the marsupial.
Here now, CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was another California chopper chase, only in this case...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get this!
MOOS: ... the chase involved a low-speed hop.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my -- what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kangaroo.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A kangaroo!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A kangaroo is on the loose.
MOOS: Live on morning TV, it had one Fontana, California woman dialing 911.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t think they believed me, because the lady said, "That`s a what?"
MOOS: The caller answered "kangaroo," but actually it`s a wallaby.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A what?
MOOS (on camera): A wallaby is to a kangaroo sort of like a pony is to a horse. Sometimes, they even refer to wallabies as "lesser kangaroos."
(voice-over): But there was nothing lesser about this pursuit. Walter the wallaby seemed ready to go quietly as animal control officers closed in. KTLA`s traffic reporter provided the play-by-play.
HOLMES: Hi. Oh my gosh. No way.
MOOS: How many animal-control officers does it take to tame a wallaby?
The hold-the-tail technique prevents the wallaby from springing and kicking, and for a demonstration of why you would want to avoid that, watch what happened at a Cleveland TV station.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is -- I guess I can assume the boxing kangaroo. Oops, wait a minute. This is my husband.
MOOS: Willard doesn`t just kick, he has excruciatingly accurate aim.
Here`s hoping the wallaby packs less of a wallop.
HOLMES: Looks like they got him. Oh, maybe not.
MOOS: Residents say a neighbor was babysitting the wallaby until his real owner could retrieve it.
Reminds us of another traffic reporter`s play-by-play.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, oh, oh.
MOOS: A few years back, when a poodle named Snoopy got away from relatives babysitting him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, oh, oh. Ah!
MOOS: And ended up on a Bronx expressway.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh. Oh. Oh, OK. He`s moving.
MOOS: Snoopy survived with just a bruise. As for Walter...
HOLMES: Oh, no. Bag-over-the-head maneuver.
MOOS: The only thing bruised on him was his dignity.
They carried him off, put him in their truck and took him to a local petting zoo. At least Walter the wallaby didn`t sting like a bee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I`m glad that kangaroo punched those people.
A wallaby on the lam? We still have to say, "That`s Ridiculous!" And that, of course, was the not ridiculous Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Tonight, we have the TV couples that are steaming up your scream. They`re co-workers, surgeons, politicians and so lost in love they can`t even see straight.
So who are they and why can`t we take our eyes off them? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with TV`s hottest couples.
With me in Hollywood is John Henson, host of TV Guide Channel`s "Watch This."
John, thanks for being here.
JOHN HENSON, "WATCH THIS": Thank you so much for having me.
ANDERSON: I want to start with "Grey`s Anatomy." You know, last season we watched for any hint of Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey, Meredith and McDreamy to get it on, which they finally did.
But this year, John, the focus has been switched to another coupe. And this new hookup, Callie and O`Malley - Sarah Rodriguez, T.R. Knight, is refreshing, don`t you think? Why are they one of the hottest couples?
HENSON: McDreamy is so 2006.
These guys have been an item since last season. They - she helped George get over Meredith Grey. They broke up briefly, got back together when George lost his father. Because apparently nothing says "hot monkey love" like a funeral suit.
I think the wonderful thing about this show is - you know, a couple of weeks ago, of course George in the cliffhanger asked Callie to marry him. She said "yes"; they went off to Vegas, got married, making her Callie O`Malley. Sort of tragic.
But they get an A-plus for diversity on this show, of all shows. You have a Hispanic married to a WASP; you have an African-American with an Asian-American. I think it`s really nice to see that kind of diversity on television.
And I - personally, I hope my doctors are having this much sex, because you want them in a good mood if they`re going to have a knife in their hands.
ANDERSON: You - you do want that, John. I totally agree with you there.
And another hot TV couple we want to talk about, the characters played by Calista Flockhart and Rob Lowe on "Brothers and Sisters." You know, these guys are on the brink of that first kiss after - after weeks of anticipation.
Henson, these guys are hot.
HENSON: Everybody is waiting for it.
Kitty and Senator McCallister - Senator McCallister is running for president. Kitty works for him on his campaign. So it`s not exactly appropriate. Lowe signed on for a short guest star, and they`ve extended him through the rest of the season. This is a fantastic move for a show that has a very strong female cast. We`re talking Rachel Griffiths, Sally Field, Calista Flockhart. You add Rob Lowe, who apparently is contractually obligated to play dashing young politicos, it seems like the perfect match.
ANDERSON: It seems that way.
HENSON: Yes, he - they`ve referred to his character - his portrayal as "Kennedyesque." So it seems only appropriate that you throw in an illicit love affair.
And I think the real winner here is Calista Flockhart, because she`s making out with Rob Lowe at work, George - or Harrison Ford at home.
ANDERSON: Harrison Ford, yes. Yes, not a bad life.
HENSON: And apparently it`s physically impossible for her to gain weight.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: OK, next up, Jim and Pam on "The Office."
When are they going to stop teasing us, John, with this whole love triangle with this character played by Rashida Jones. When are they just going to get together already?
HENSON: It - it`s a very interesting situation.
Of course, you know, Jim pined for Pam all last season. They finally - he manned up and kissed her in the episode - final episode of last season. She turned him down, broke off her engagement with Roy. Now Jim was heartbroken; he`s with Karen at the moment.
You know, I think the thing about this that`s so appealing to people is the - the producers and writers have played this really well. This is a very appealing character. It`s because everybody`s had an illicit cubicle flirtation. And these are real people, which is why it took them 28 episodes and an open bar to hook up.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: We have all - those cubicles, we`ve all been there, John.
I do have to wrap it up there, though. You know, parents put the kids to bed before these couples steam up the screen.
John Henson, thanks so much for joining us.
HENSON: Thank you for having me.
ANDERSON: And you can catch John on his show, "Watch This." It airs on the TV Guide Channel.
HAMMER: Time now to call out the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Truth Squad." This is where we get to the bottom of Hollywood`s biggest mysteries and juiciest secrets.
Tonight, they`re together, they`re apart. They`re back together, they`re split up. Of course, I`m talking about rapper Eminem and his twice- ex Kim Mathers.
A British tabloid recently reported that Eminem and Kim are engaged again for what would be the third time. A fellow rapper has told the magazine Eminem can`t live with her, can`t live without her.
Well, we went straight to Eminem`s rep. He tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Marshall and Kim Mathers are definitely not engaged, nor are they back together. Em and Kim first wed in `99, and divorced two years later. Round two lasted less than three months of last year.
ANDERSON: All right. We need another kind of squad to tackle this one. The astronaut accused of attempting to murder another woman in a sordid love triangle. We`re going to - you just can`t make this stuff up, and people just can`t stop talking about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fade up, start your push, Don. Stand by, A.J. Pre-set Camera 2. Open his mike. Dissolve. Go.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Now, just because we just can`t get enough of this story - more now on the out-of-the-world astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak. Of course, Nowak is accused of attempting to murder a woman in an alleged love triangle with another astronaut.
The outrageous story made its way onto "The View" this morning, and leave it to those ladies to really tell it like it is. Of course, they capitalized on one of the story`s oddest details: the fact that Nowak wore diapers on her cross-country drive to allegedly confront the other woman. So she wouldn`t have to stop and use the facilities along the way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, "THE VIEW": That to me was the first sign of (INAUDIBLE)
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
O`DONNELL: Not if you have bladder problems. But if you`re doing it to take a pee because you don`t want to stop.
(CROSSTALK)
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
O`DONNELL: You know, I`m wearing one now, and I`m taking a leak. Because I can`t hold it in during the commercial.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You know, this could set some kind of new trend. We`re sure to see and hear much more on this story in the weeks to come.
ANDERSON: OK, you flooded our inbox with response to our "Question of the Day": "Paris Hilton: Does she have too much influence on America`s young girls?"
Well, so far, pretty one-sided. Seventy-nine percent of you think she does; that means about 21 percent of you think she doesn`t have too much influence.
The e-mails:
Robyn from South Dakota writes, "Paris Hilton is a horrible influence on young, impressionable minds. She is famous because she is who she is."
Jennifer from El Salvador writes, "Kids with strong morals are able to tell that Paris is not the role model they should be following."
HAMMER: Let`s see what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tomorrow, single moms making it in Hollywood. How A-list stars stay in the limelight, juggling their kids and high-profile careers. Is single motherhood no longer a stigma? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT shines the light tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, gold old-fashioned fame just ain`t what it used to be. Now fame is anyone`s game, from those reality show rejects, to YouTube no-talents. Is it 15 minutes or bona fide celebrity?
That`s tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Have a great night, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
"GLENN BECK" is coming up next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News. Take care, everyone.
END
