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Showbiz Tonight
Lawyers Battle in Anna Nicole Paternity Case.; Sylvester Stallone in Trouble With the Law
Aired March 13, 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: Sylvester Stallone in trouble with the law. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
SIBILA VARGAS, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And was there a plot to kidnap Angelina Jolie? I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Anna Nicole Smith baby battle explodes. Tonight, a paternity hearing ends in a remarkable showdown outside court, as lawyers go at each other. And it gets downright nasty. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the war of words you simply have to hear to believe. Plus, Larry Birkhead`s attorney is right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Forget 40 is the new 30 in Hollywood. It`s all about 60. From Helen Mirren to Diane Keaton, 60 is the new sexy. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the sizzling stars who prove age really is only a number.
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
VARGAS: I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. And tonight, the secret diaries of Anna Nicole Smith, up for sale. And we`ve got the guy who is selling them. That`s coming up here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: But first tonight, the unbelievable war of words in the paternity battle over Anna Nicole`s baby. A remarkable scene outside a Los Angeles court today, involving the attorneys in the middle of the battle. One of them, the attorney for Larry Birkhead, who says he is the father. She`s Debra Opri, and she is right here for the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We`ll be speaking with Debra in just a moment. But first SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the explosive scene outside the courtroom today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: The recent burial of Anna Nicole Smith was a somber cease- fire in the bitter public battle over her child, Dannielynn. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that cease-fire is over.
LARRY BIRKHEAD, EX-BOYFRIEND OF ANNA NICOLE: That`s not true. That`s not true.
DEBRA OPRI, LAWYER FOR LARRY BIRKHEAD: All right, put up or shut up. Stop perpetuating a fraud, James.
HAMMER: Oh boy, it is on again. The camp of Anna Nicole Smith`s ex- boyfriend, Larry Birkhead, who claims to be Dannielynn`s father, and the camp of Anna Nicole`s companion, Howard K. Stern, whom the birth certificate lists as the father, met in Los Angeles for a procedural court hearing.
Afterward, away from the judge, but in front of a nationwide live TV audience, Birkhead`s attorney Debra Opri and rMD+BO_rMDNM_Stern`s attorney went after each other.
JAMES NEAVITT, LAWYER FOR HOWARD K. STERN: She can argue whatever she wants.
OPRI: Stop perpetuating a fraud, James.
NEAVITT: There is no fraud. Anna Nicole said that he was the father. My client says he`s the father. That`s all it takes to get presumed fatherhood.
OPRI: All I can tell you is this guy needs another client and this guy needs to go research.
HAMMER: With all the bickering --
OPRI: They can talk and spin and spin and spin all they want.
HAMMER: You would think they`re still in court. It`s no wonder that even the TV anchors treated it as a trial.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is telling you where things stand now. Stern remains in the Bahamas, presumably with Dannielynn. Birkhead is in the United States, trying to force a court, be it in California or even the Bahamas, to force Stern to take the DNA test he`s long resisted.
OPRI: Howard K. Stern`s feet will be held to the fire and we will make sure that if he wants to be the father of Dannielynn, take a test and prove that he`s a father. He can`t hide behind a fake birth certificate.
NEAVITT: These people need to be in the Bahamas. They need to go ask for the orders there and this thing will be over with in October.
HAMMER: Or maybe sooner.
OPRI: I anticipate that Larry will have his daughter within a month.
HAMMER: Birkhead also appears optimistic.
BIRKHEAD: I`ve been putting a nursery together, so I`m smiling.
HAMMER: Still, a lot has to happen if Birkhead is going to put that nursery to use. He needs a paternity ruling from California in order to boost his case in the Bahamas. In the meantime, both sides have to manage a media circus, and Birkhead says there`s one way to end it.
BIRKHEAD: I don`t get up in the morning and say, who can I fight today about this? I`m just doing what I need to do for my daughter. One way to end it. I`m prepared to take the test. I`ve always been prepared to take the test. If everybody wants to take the test and get it over with, we have no problem.
HAMMER: But for now, this case is a big and public problem for everyone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, you just heard some of what Birkhead`s attorney Debra Opri had to say outside the court. She`s got plenty more to tell us tonight. Debra Opri, joining us from Los Angeles. Nice to see you, Debra.
OPRI: Hi, A.J.
HAMMER: Now, I`ve got to say, we`ve seen you manage your outrage in what has been a very emotional and difficult battle. You`ve done it passionately. I`ve got to know what happened today that got you so fired up.
OPRI: I`m going to say it like it is, I have left the press conferences and I`ve heard later on that they`re spinning and spinning and spinning, and this time I told Larry I`m staying and I`m going to respond to them and expose them for what they are. I tried to today in as much of a dignified way as we could. But these characters, Mr. Neavitt and Mr. Rale, they have a lot to be desired.
Another thing that really upset me was when I was last in the Bahamas, Howard K. Stern started an accelerated contact agenda with my client. It was there for the funeral purposes and it accelerated and it did not stop. I have warned my client that I do not want them talking, and Mr. Rale is now suggesting that the attorneys should be out of the way, meaning me.
And as far as I`m concerned, Mr. Rale, Mr. Neavitt and Howard are trying to influence my client to terminate services. And, you know, all I can tell you is that is the most egregious conduct of attorneys and Mr. Howard K. Stern.
HAMMER: And, Debra, I do want to ask you more about those supposed behind closed doors without the attorneys conversations that may or may not be happening. You were very strong in your wording outside the courtroom today. You issued a challenge, basically, saying, put up or shut up.
What do you think would actually make Howard K. Stern all of a sudden say, all right, I`ll do it, I`ll give up the DNA sample?
OPRI: Bottom line is he talks and he talks and he talks and he spins and he holds and dangles the baby out to Larry, and he has put, in my opinion, my client in an emotional state where he doesn`t know where to turn. He wants his child. He wants a DNA test. Why should we make deals with Howard K. Stern and Ron Rale and Neavitt to get a DNA test that`s going to be ordered. It`s already been ordered in California and I have every faith and confidence that the Bahamas will order it.
The bottom line is what Mr. Rale and Mr. Neavitt tells the judge and what he tells the public and what they`re all trying to tell my client are three different things. The truth is the truth. Put up or shut up, Howard K. Stern, take the test, period.
HAMMER: To that end, Debra, last night Howard K. Stern`s attorney, Krista Barth, was here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I asked her what was going on with this possible deal that we`ve been hearing about to end this once and for all. I want you to listen to what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRISTA BARTH, HOWARD K. STERN`S ATTORNEY: Mr. Stern has been, from the inception of all of this, since Anna passed away, looking to resolve all of the issues in an amicable fashion, without the necessity of the court`s intervention. He right now is the only one that`s on that page. That`s what I can tell you now.
HAMMER: So, in other words, you`re suggesting that the Birkhead side of things, they are not coming to play the way you guys are coming to play?
BARTH: I am suggesting that the door is not open to negotiation on any issue from the other side.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So, obviously, Debra, I`m hearing two very different viewpoints here. She`s accusing you essentially of not playing ball. How do you respond?
OPRI: Ms. Krista Barth -- the Krista Barth show is over. She was hired to get a funeral done. She was hired for the release of a body. And just because she wants to be on television and assert herself into discussions that she has nothing to do with -- she`s a Florida attorney who has nothing to do with the paternity action in the Bahamas or in California. But if she wants to remain on television and talking, that`s all it is to me, talk. She has nothing to do with anything other than perhaps making Howard K. Stern happy. So perhaps she can get her bill paid. I don`t know.
HAMMER: To that end, no grounds to what she`s saying?
OPRI: There is absolutely no grounds. We`ve said all along we`re willing to talk and find out when you`re going to do the DNA test, when you`re going to present the baby for that, and when Larry can take his child home, but no strings. And Ms. Krista Barth, frankly, doesn`t know what she`s talking about. She was the new kid on the block. Now she`s the old kid on the block. She should go home with her marbles and start practicing law in Florida, and try to get her bill paid, if it hasn`t already.
HAMMER: Debra, out there at the courthouse today, you said you expected this all to get settled in about a month. Given how long this whole thing has dragged out already, you got to tell me, come on, is this realistic or are you and I going to be sitting here in a month having this conversation?
OPRI: I conferred with our attorneys in the Bahamas and the attorneys were very clear that we have on the 16th a hearing where a doctor will probably be nominated to do the test and the test will be ordered. After that, we anticipate that upon the test results being provided, we get to take home the child, and custody hearings become a moot issue. That`s my understanding. How long does it take? It takes less than a month. That`s what I`m told.
HAMMER: I`ve got to wrap you up there. We hope it all sticks to that timetable so it can get resolved. Debra Opri, thanks so much, as always.
Sibila, there`s some other new developments tonight in the Anna Nicole Smith saga, including Anna`s secret diaries. They`re up for sale on eBay. We have the guy who`s selling them, coming up at 31 minutes past the hour.
VARGAS: Plus, a Rocky day for Sylvester Stallone. There are reports that he`s being charged with a crime in Australia. We`ll tell you what went down, down under. That`s next. We also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Older women are smart, they`re interesting to talk to. They know what they want. They don`t play these silly little girl games.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
In Hollywood, sixty is the new sexy. You heard me right. Coming up, we`ve got the stars that prove that you don`t have to be a spring chicken, to sizzle on the screen. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Tuesday night is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Say it ain`t so. We`ve got some startling news that Rocky star Sylvester Stallone has been charged with bringing a bunch of vials of a banned muscle growth hormone into Australia. Now, this all started last month, when Stallone was promoting Rocky Balboa down under. And tonight, Stallone could face some really serious penalties, including jail time.
Well now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is taking you halfway around the world to bring you the up to the minute details. Let`s get them now from Australia`s national 9 news reporter, Bethany Jensen for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BETHANY JENSEN, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Walking the red carpet last month, Sly Stallone seemed to think his Hollywood charm might make his problem go away.
SYLVESTER STALLONE, ACTOR: I just made a mistake. Customs is just doing their job. It`s just a slight misunderstanding.
JENSEN: But customs pursued and went into for the fight.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep your distance.
JENSEN: When Stallone touched down in Sydney on the 16th of February, for two hours officials questioned and searched the 60-year-old.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A delay, Mr. Stallone?
STALLONE: Yes.
JENSEN: In court today, lawyers revealed what customs found. For his stopover in Australia, the Rocky and Rambo actor allegedly had with 48 vials of human growth hormone, which is prohibited in Australia.
JOHN ORCHARDS, SPORTS PHYSICIAN: It does increase soft tissue mess in the body. So the worst of the side effects are heart and liver damage.
JENSEN: The actor now faces one charge of importing a banned substance.
(on camera): If found guilty, Stallone faces a maximum fine of 22,000 dollars. But on a salary of up to 20 million a film, he should be able to afford it. But it might not be so easy to promote his work in Australia. It will be up to immigration to decide if the actor can ever enter the country again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was Bethany Jensen for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did reach out to Stallone`s people, no comment from them. This case will continue in April.
VARGAS: Tonight, some amazing video of the absolute chaos that erupted after Leonardo Dicaprio and supermodel Bar Refaeli (ph) arrived in Israel. Take a look at this. Wow, as the couple left the Western Wall, they were swarmed by paparazzi, who scuffled with the couple`s bodyguards. Paparazzi say the bodyguards punched them and damaged their equipment. The police investigated and ended up slapping a restraining order on seven paparazzi, barring them from going near the couple for 30 days.
Now Leo`s rep tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that even in Israel, the paparazzi are out of control. Dicaprio and Refaeli have been romantically linked for about a year now. She`s from Israel, and the papers there are said to be obsessed with the relationship of the hometown girl and the Hollywood hunk.
HAMMER: And now more of our continuing coverage of the explosive battle today over Anna Nicole Smith`s baby daughter Dannielynn. After hearing today, the attorneys for Larry Birkhead and Howard K. Stern went at it during a news conference that was carried nationwide. It`s very clear those warm and fuzzy moments during Anna Nicole Smith`s funeral are now officially over and done with.
Joining me tonight from Los Angeles, investigative journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, who is also the author of the soon to be released book "Secrets Can Be Murder." And with us in New York, the host of Court TV`s "Hollywood Heat," Ashleigh Banfield, from Court TV world headquarters.
So today, ladies, Larry Birkhead, who claims he`s the father and that Howard K. Stern isn`t the father, went back to court so he could get a judge to order Stern to give up a DNA sample. Ashleigh did anything happen other than a whole lot of shouting?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, COURT TV ANCHOR: We actually learned something interesting. That is that Larry Birkhead went back to the California judge, that same judge who ordered Anna Nicole Smith to submit the baby for testing in either Florida or the Bahamas. Essentially what Larry Birkhead said was, look, you`ve already ordered Anna Nicole Smith to do it, so why not just order the person who is executing her estate to carry through on that order.
Well, we all know who the executor is, Howard K. Stern. The problem is the judge said, this estate hasn`t been probated yet. I can`t tell you for sure that he is the executor yet. I need to think this through. I need a few more weeks and I need to figure out whether that will be probated, where it will be probated and whether Stern is the right guy to go after.
HAMMER: So, if it`s moving at all along, I`m going to use a big colloquialism, it`s moving like pond water. It`s not difficult to see how vicious it was. There was so much animosity playing in the air outside of that courtroom. Jane, has it become more of a case of posturing than doing what`s actually best for the baby, which is really what we should be concerned with?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: A.J., there is a whole lot of posturing on all sides, but I have to say, at the end of the day, the issue is that Howard K. Stern is still sending lawyers into court to try to prevent DNA testing. That makes me question his intentions about everything involving this entire saga. If you really love this little girl, given all the doubts, wouldn`t you want her to know and grow up knowing that the person claiming to be her dad is really her dad?
To me, it makes me feel that he`s hiding something. And my question is, what is Howard K. Stern hiding?
HAMMER: So he`s being relentless in his defense. Debra Opri truly relentless in her efforts to get something done here. And Ashleigh, particularly in California, why is she just working at it so hard, other than the fact that she`s working in the best interest of her client?
BANFIELD: Yes. She has said that she needs this issue in California to take to the Bahamas to give her weight in the Bahamas. I`m not entirely clear as to why a California issue, given legs, would give her strength in the Bahamas, because Bohemian law actually favors what`s written on the birth certificate. And in the custodial issue, paternity isn`t necessarily one of the leading factors. The welfare of the child is.
HAMMER: So here`s the thing that keeps coming back to me, as long as the welfare of the child is not what`s seemingly being dealt with. There are a lot of people who have suggested that the whole reason Anna Nicole Smith and Howard K. Stern moved down to the Bahamas in the first place was so they could make things as difficult as possible if something like this were to come along. Mission accomplished, Jane?
MITCHELL: Well, actually, I don`t think so. I think in the end they only made things more difficult and even tragic for themselves. You know, there`s a saying in recovery, and that`s called pulling a geographic. When you mess stuff up in location one, you pick up and move to location two and try to start all over again. Unfortunately, you always take yourself with you.
So if you haven`t worked on yourself and you haven`t cleared up those problems, the same dynamics are going to manifest themselves at location two. And that`s precisely what happened here.
HAMMER: So Ashleigh, we saw, as you said earlier, things sort of inching along today. But really, and I have 30 seconds left, is this all just delaying the inevitable? This will happen?
BANFIELD: Some say yes, others say no, others say not sure. I hate to be that way, but here`s what I do know. The Bohemian law does favor the birth certificate, which as I said has Howard K. Stern on it. The big surprise here, some people are saying Howard K. Stern may just submit to this voluntarily. I would like to see that.
HAMMER: Yes, Larry Birkhead`s attorney, Debra Opri, characterizing that birth certificate as a fake. Ashleigh Banfield, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thanks as always for being with us.
Sibila, we have even more shocking Anna Nicole Smith news. Big surprise there. How much would you pay for her secret diaries? Well, they`re up for sale on eBay, so you can buy them along with other stuff she threw out. We have the guy who is selling Anna`s garbage joining us at 31 minutes past the hour. You will not want to miss what he has to say.
VARGAS: No, not at all. Plus, our esteemed colleague, Anderson Cooper, is a man of many talents. Have you ever seen his impersonation of Regis Philbin? We will have that coming up. You won`t want to miss that either. We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: God bless SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for doing this segment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What brought us such blessings from the great Pat Lalama? It`s all because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now declaring 60 is the new sexy. Coming up, we`re going to show you the stars who prove you don`t have to be in your 20s to sizzle both on screen and off. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been reporting Regis Philbin is having heart bypass surgery this week. He announced it yesterday on "Live With Regis and Kelly." He`ll be off the show for about five weeks. Now today, CNN`s own Anderson Cooper was the first to fill in for Regis. And from confetti special effects, to back and forth with Chris rock, we may be biased, but we think Anderson really held his own. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP
KELLY RIPPA, LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY: Anderson`s day job is reporting from war-torn countries. Perhaps we shouldn`t shoot confetti.
CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: Regis, you look good. You lost some weight, Reg. It`s working for you.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I feel good, too.
ROCK: They said Anderson Cooper and I said, is there a flood on the show? Do I need a raincoat? What the hell you doing here, man? You`re the disaster guy.
COOPER: Well, you know, we`ll see how the segment goes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: I`m blushing? Anderson will be followed by a series of fill- ins while Regis recovers, including Howie Mandell, Pat Sajack, and the Donald, Donald Trump.
HAMMER: Nice going Coops. So why do you think anybody at all would want to buy Anna Nicole Smith`s garbage? Well, it turns out she threw out some diaries, among other personal things. Now it`s up for sale on eBay. We have the guy selling Anna`s garbage coming up at 31 minutes past the hour.
VARGAS: Plus, shocking reports on a plan to kidnap Angelina Jolie. Was there really a plot in the works? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case. That`s next. And we also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LALAMA: Older women are smart, they`re interesting to talk to, they know what they want, they don`t play these silly little girl games.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: In Hollywood, 60 is the new sexy. Coming up, the stars that prove that you don`t have to be in your 20s to sizzle on screen and off. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Tuesday night, coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: So Sibila, there have been some reports floating around that originally came from some - oh, shall we say, not-so-reliable sources - that there was a plot to kidnap Angelina Jolie. And you know how when a story like that gets out, it just kind of snowballs.
So the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Truth Squad" is looking into whether or not, in act, Angelina Jolie was at risk of being kidnapped. We`ll get to the bottom of it coming up.
VARGAS: OK, I was definitely shocked when I first heard about it.
But I got to tell you, A.J., this story, the next story, is also one of my favorites: "60 Is the New Sexy." We are declaring that. And if you don`t believe us, you`ve got to see these pictures that are coming up. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a very special report.
HAMMER: All right. We`re looking forward to that.
But first tonight, the secrets of Anna Nicole Smith up for auction tonight on eBay, including her most personal and intimate thoughts from her diaries. The items, including checks, ID cards and more were all taken from her garbage at her Los Angeles home while she was there taping her reality series, "The Anna Nicole Smith."
Investors bought the items, and today, they went up for sale.
Joining me tonight from Houston, Texas, one of those investors, Eric Redding. He`s also the author of "The Great Big Beautiful Doll: The Anna Nicole Smith Story."
Eric, I appreciate you joining us tonight.
ERIC REDDING, AUTHOR, "GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL DOLL": Great. Thank you, A.J.
HAMMER: I know so many people would be fascinating to actually be able to pick up a diary owned by Anna Nicole and read her intimate thoughts right out of there. So I want to talk about one of the things that`s in there.
Because, of course, for years, Anna Nicole Smith was called a "gold digger" for marrying the elderly billionaire J. Howard Marshall. Now in the description of the diaries that`s up there on eBay, here`s that you guys say about it: "Anna seems very consistent in her devotion to J. Howard Marshall in this diary, day after day, week after week, month after month. She expresses nothing but love and devotion to her husband. Is it all a ploy she wanted someone to read and believe, or is this her real feelings?"
Now these are the descriptions you`re giving of that particular part of the diary. So what is she saying there, Eric, that - that might lead us to believe her love for J. Howard Marshall was real?
REDDING: Oh, Anna`s devotion to J. Howard Marshall is real, and - and there`s no doubt about that. But it was more from a grandfather`s standpoint. She wasn`t in love with him like a husband-wife situation at all.
But she did love him. I mean, there`s no doubt. She loved his money, she loved his attention. She - she cared for him very much.
HAMMER: And - and that is all made clear in words written by her in this diary?
REDDING: Yes, absolutely.
HAMMER: So I - I have - I got to ask you something. Because I can certainly understand autographed pictures and books and receipts in Anna Nicole`s garbage. But I was surprised to learn that she would have thrown out her diaries. Who throws out their diaries?
REDDING: You know, I don`t understand that part, either. That`s a little odd.
But Anna was the type that - she didn`t like clutter. So she would do housecleaning. So there`s no telling what happened. She probably threw it all in a bag and said, `That`s it, I`m done.` And she moved on.
HAMMER: It - it was so shocking to hear that. Because here`s a woman who later in life went to some great lengths to try to protect her privacy. It didn`t always work out for her.
REDDING: Right.
HAMMER: Now the last time I went on to the eBay, I saw that the diary is still sitting there at $25,000. And - and you`re estimating that it`s actually worth anywhere between half a million and a million bucks.
Eric, you got to tell me why in the world you think anybody would want to pay that kind of money to own this diary.
REDDING: You know, there`s all kind of people out there, investors and people that are just curiosity seekers. And I - I - I think it`ll sell. There`s no doubt.
HAMMER: But - but.
REDDING: People just want to know. They want to know what - what she was thinking at the time. And her thoughts at that point were very off the hall. So she was an interesting person, and I think people would like to read about it.
HAMMER: And - and it does reveal some thoughts on her mom. Of course, throughout the hearings over Anna Nicole`s body..
REDDING: Right.
HAMMER: .we - we heard her estranged mom, Virgie Arthur, talking about how much she actually cared for her daughter. The description of the diary on eBay suggesting something else.
Here`s what you guys write about that: "Details of Anna`s surprising events with her mother, which drastically contradicts her recent claims of being a good role model for Anna."
So I have to ask you, Eric, as an Anna Nicole expert, what - what do you believe from what you`ve read and what you`ve seen in these diaries, in terms of what that relationship was like?
REDDING: I`ve seen both sides, to be honest.
Anna at some times was very close to her mom, Virgie. And at other times, she hated her and despised her. And unfortunately, when Anna was doing prescription medications and drinking, sometimes she wouldn`t care for her mother or anybody else around her, to - unfortunately.
So the diaries show how Anna thought when she would come home after a night of partying, no doubt, writing at 3 or 4 in the morning.
HAMMER: Well, the crew has taken up a collection - I don`t know if we`re going to scrounge up twenty-five grand, and I don`t know if there`s a "Buy It Now" price, but Eric Redding, I appreciate you joining us from Houston, telling us about the Anna Nicole diaries, up for sale on eBay. Thanks so much.
REDDING: Thank you.
VARGAS: Well, yesterday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Anna Nicole Smith: Has it taught you any life lessons?"
Only 21 percent of you say, "yes, it has"; 79 percent of you say, "no, it hasn`t."
Here are some of the e-mails we got:
Chris from California writes, "Her death has made me look over my will. My son deserves to know who will care for him if I pass before he is of adult age."
And Ed from Pennsylvania writes, "Anna`s death has taught me a very important lesson: life is too short."
HAMMER: It is time now to call out the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Truth Squad." This is where we set the record straight on Hollywood`s biggest mysteries and juiciest rumors.
Tonight, was Angelina Jolie about to be kidnapped and held for a huge ransom? Right, now this comes from the supermarket tabloid "News of the World," so we were pretty skeptical to begin with. But apparently, Jolie told the magazine that officials from a country she wouldn`t name warned her about an elaborate plan by gangsters to kidnap her. They were going to hold for a lot of money, but she escaped at the last minute.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to Angelina`s people, who say - quote - "This information is completely false."
So case closed.
Incidentally, we also heard today that Jolie`s adoption of a three- and-a-year-old orphaned Vietnamese boy is moving along very quickly. She could actually have him in just a few weeks. Brad Pitt and Angelina have three other kids, two of them adopted.
VARGAS: Well, A.J., SHOWBIZ TONIGHT right there at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions. Did you hear about all the controversy?
HAMMER: Oh yeah, and a lot of it surrounding Van Halen last night.
VARGAS: Coming up, a very special message for Eddie Van Halen as he battles substance abuse in rehab.
HAMMER: Also, a former "American Idol" star`s shocking admission about dealing with the pressure to stay skinny. Kimberley Locke`s coming up next in "The SHOWBIZ Weight Watch."
We`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VDIEO CLIP)
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: God bless SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for doing this segment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: Forty the new 20? Nah, we say "60 Is the New Sexy."
Coming up, a look at the older stars that are spicing things up on and off screen. A SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Special Report."
Tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "The doomed flight on ABC`s `Lost` originated from which of these cities?" A, London; B, Sydney; C, Paris; or D, New York.
We`ll be back with the answer. Hold that thought.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sibila, pre-set 7. Open her mike. Dissolve L.A. Go.
VARGAS: Thanks, Charles (ph).
So again, tonight`s "`Entertainment Weekly` Great American Pop Culture Quiz": "The doomed flight on ABC`s `Lost` originated from which of these cities?" A, London; B, Sydney; C, Paris; or D, New York.
Oceanic Flight 815 departed from Sydney, Australia. So the answer is "B."
Well, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.
So you know how they say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Well, we at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT think beauty only gets better with age. Forget about 40 being the new 20. Right here, right now, we`re declaring 60 the new sexy.
So step aside, young Hollywood, as we bring you a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Special Report" about real beauty.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): From Helen Mirren to Goldie Hawn to Diane Keaton, these are silver foxes who (INAUDIBLE) photo frenzies wherever they go. These are women who made SHOWBIZ TONIGHT declare "60 is most definitely the new sexy."
LALAMA: God bless SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for doing this segment.
VARGAS: With all the gorgeous gals over 6-0, who wouldn`t do it?
LOIS JOY JOHNSON, "MORE" MAGAZINE: I think it`s not about being young anymore. I think it`s about feeling confident and having energy and being healthy.
Take a look at Nancy Pelosi, Lauren Hutton. These are very different women - they`re both in their sixties - and they`re both fantastic. So there`s not one way to age right.
VARGAS: Right after taking home a SAG award, a Golden Globe and an Oscar for her performance as a queen, 61-year-old Helen Mirren took top honors as "the world`s sexiest older movie star" in a poll conducted by lovefilm.com.
LALAMA: She`s incredibly magical. She`s sophisticated. She`s elegant. She`s charming and charismatic. There is just this glow about her, there`s just this essence about her, that finally, someone looked and went, `Woah.` And it burst that bubble - it`s like it took that pin of discrimination and sexism and ageism and went, `Pop!`
VARGAS: Radiant and effortlessly chic, Helen Mirren is redefining 60.
Just listen to what she told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT when we asked her if she ever feels pressure to stay thin in Hollywood.
HELEN MIRREN, ACTRESS: You can feel pressure, and then if you`re not up to it - you (INAUDIBLE) American television.
JOHNSON: I think Helen Mirren is incredibly sexy. She has humor, and I think humor is the sexiest thing possible. Far better than having perfect features or flawless skin.
VARGAS: Baby boomer Diane Keaton is proving that beauty comes from the inside out. Also 61 years old, Keaton`s career is in full throttle.
DIANE KEATON, ACTRESS: Happiness is a series of choices. It`s not something that just sort of happens.
VARGAS: Diane`s dazzling in leading roles like this one, in "Because I Said So," about a woman turning 60. And even though Keaton might soon be eligible for the senior discount at movie theaters, that didn`t L`Oreal from signing her as its new spokesmodel.
KEATON: And you know what? We`re worth it.
JOHNSON: Diane Keaton, fantastic role model for women. I think she`s a great match with L`Oreal. She`s believable; she`s authentic. She makes it look like a fantastic thing to be, like, you can`t wait for your next birthday.
VARGAS: Birthdays aren`t a thing for Motown great Gladys Knight, who had no problem revealing her age to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s A.J. Hammer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: May I say how old you are?
GLADYS KNIGHT, SINGER: No. Go ahead.
HAMMER: You`re 62. Do I have that right?
KNIGHT: Yes.
HAMMER: You`re 62 years old, and you look absolutely great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: Gladys isn`t the only one who`s sexy beyond 60. There`s also 60-year-old Sally Field, and 73-year-old Sophia Loren.
LALAMA: Sophia Loren - are you kidding me? She is just beyond belief.
VARGAS: So is Goldie Hawn. At 62, Goldie`s not your average grandmother - in shape and in demand, there`s no question Goldie`s got it going on.
JOHNSON; Goldie Hawn, fabulous woman in her sixties. Looks great, looks better than ever. Very self-confident, very much her own person. Looks fantastic.
VARGAS: So do 63-year-old French beauty Catherine Deneuve, and country giant Naomi Judd, who`s 61. Both women carry an air about them that young Hollywood could only hope for.
LALAMA: Older women are smart, they`re interesting to talk to, they know they want, they don`t play these silly little girl games. You know, and I`m not putting down young women - God love them, it`s their right to play games and flirt and do all those things they do to make men nuts.
But we don`t have to do that.
JOHNSON: We have a lot of role models now in a very positive way who are showing us that aging is fantastic and something to look forward to.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And, of course, it`s not just the women who make 60 look sexy. We got to hand it to the men, too. Rod Stewart joined the 6-0 club last year. There`s also rock and Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, who`s 63. And I`m-doing-another "Indiana Jones" Harrison Ford, who`s 64.
HAMMER: It`s time now for "The SHOWBIZ Weight Watch." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT covers Hollywood`s obsession with body image like no other entertainment news show.
Tonight, Season 2 "American Idol" finalist Kimberley Locke. She "AI," she has released an album did some plus-sized modeling, and now, she`s opening up all about the pressure to stay skinny. Kimberley is a spokesperson for Jenny Craig, and she`s also one of the stars on VH1`s "Celebrity Fit Club."
She also has a new album coming out called, "Based on a True Story."
When I sat down with Kimberley, she told me all about her weight battle and how it began on "American Idol."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIMBERLEY LOCKE, SINGER: It was such a hot topic. And it was like, `When did my weight become the object of attention,` you know? And every interview I did, they talked about it.
And I think it was because, Simon picked on so many of the girls, but he never said anything directly to me about my weight. But he said something to almost every girl. And I think people wondered how I handled it, or what - how I felt about it.
But every - once I was off the show, I was bombarded with those kind of questions. And when I was at home at night alone, I was like - never did it occur to me that I had a weight problem.
HAMMER: So what do you think needs to be done, then, for all of these young women, who look at the magazines and watch TV and watch the movies with people like Nicole Richie and Keira Knightley, who are super skinny and - and that, you know, in the minds of many, not something to aspire to. But they`re saying, `Well, that`s how I want to be.`
Because obviously, you just, you - you`ve paved your own road.
LOCKE: Yes.
I think it`s - it`s important that - I - I tell all my fans, it`s important that you love yourself the way that you are. Right now, in this moment, love yourself. Because you`re not going to change it overnight; you`re not going to wake up in the morning and be 30 pounds lighter. You`re not just not. It - you have to work at it.
So it`s - it`s, like, accept yourself the way you are and have a healthy relationship with your body and a healthy relationship, you know, with yourself mentally about the issue. And then if you want to change it, then go forward from there.
But don`t do it because it`s the Hollywood thing to do.
HAMMER: Exactly. And developing a healthy relationship with food is obviously a part of that.
And people love being along for the ride with you with "Celebrity Fit Club," with Jenny Craig.
What - what do you think the most important thing that maybe - maybe somebody watching right now could learn a lesson that you learned about your relationship with food that sort of has altered your life?
LOCKE: I will tell people, the hardest thing for me - because I learned to love myself at my heavier weight - the hardest thing for me was changing the mind set and wondering what everyone was going to think because I decided to lose weight.
I just tell people, `It is a challenge.` And with "Celebrity Fit Club," it was 100 days, and it was the longest 100 days of my life.
HAMMER: And of course, you`re constantly challenging yourself with your career. "Based on a True Story" is - is the new CD.
LOCKE: New CD.
HAMMER: Everybody is so excited, finally coming out.
And - and there`s a particular song on there that caught my attention, and - and I believed you used the line in the song, "Why do I need enemies when I have friends like you?"
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: And basically talking about the fact that, you know, people who you may have known before you became a success may not have turned out the way you would have hoped in the long run.
Is - is trust - is trust the sort of thing that you have to be willing to give up a little bit when you rise to fame?
LOCKE: Well, I think - I - I`ll say this: I think over so many years, no matter what position you`re in in life, you need to re-evaluate your friends, your circle of friends, and look at why they`re in their life and what the purpose for them being in your life.
Because people - people change, you know, whether it be for good or bad.
HAMMER: Well, thanks so much for coming in.
LOCKE: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: ..and talking to us. I appreciate it.
LOCKE: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I like her.
You can catch Kimberley on "Celebrity Fit Club" on VH-1.
And Kimberley`s new album, "Based on a True Story" will be on sale in May.
VARGAS: Well, tonight, another celebrity has gone to rehab for drug and alcohol problems. Celebrity fashion designer Marc Jacobs has checked himself into rehab. His longtime business partner says Jacobs was sober for seven years, but recently relapsed, and wanted to deal with it right away.
Jacobs certainly not the first celebrity to go into rehab in the past few months. Britney Spears, of course, was in and out of rehab a few times before checking into Promises in Malibu. And Lindsay Lohan has been going to treatment as well.
And then there`s Miss USA Tara Conner right there, who says that her experience at rehab was actually "fun."
It got us wondering if maybe - just maybe - some stars are not taking their treatment seriously.
So now we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." "Stars in Rehab: Do star celebs do it for publicity?"
Go to cnn.com/showbiztonight. Send us e-mail at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
And remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show that lets you express your opinion on video. To send us a video e-mail, go to our Web site, cnn.com/showbiztonight.
HAMMER: Wow, it was a great night last night here in New York City. The annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions - it`s like New Year`s Eve for me. Some amazing bands were on hand. Of course, some amazing performances, as always.
But of course, plenty of controversy can show up at these shows. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there with a very special message for Eddie Van Halen, as he battles substance abuse in rehab.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sound and roll Y. And dissolve sound.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the 22nd annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in New York City. And there was quite a bit of controversy.
The inductees were REM, 70s rock poet Patti Smith, 60s girl group the Ronettes, hip hoppers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and Van Halen. Now Flash and the Five were the first hip hop group to get in. Some had been angry about that, because - well, it`s called the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
But that`s splitting hairs. Hip hop has had a huge influence on all kinds of music, including rock and roll.
And then there`s the whole Van Halen lead singer. Only second lead singer Sammy Hagar and ex-bassist Michael Anthony showed up. Original lead David Lee Roth didn`t. He reportedly wasn`t happy about the song they were going to play to honor the band.
And guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen just checked into rehab; his brother Alex stayed at home to support him. The guys that did make it wished Eddie a speedy recovery, and at the same time, really put things into perspective.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL ANTHONY, ORGINAL BASS PLAYER, VAN HALEN: (INAUDIBLE) I first heard that he - that he wasn`t coming in, you know, it was kind of like, wow, you know? The only thing you want is for everybody to be there. I wish all five of us would have been here.
But, you know, what he`s doing now is hopefully - you know, he`s - he`s doing the right thing, and he`s going to come out a better person, and stronger than before, hopefully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAMMY HAGAR, FORMER LEAD SINGER, VAN HALEN: Somebody`s health and their well-being is much more important than any - any award, any band - it`s like crap. You know, my - you know, my mother died last week; I`m not trying to bring this to the world. But same time Eddie went in - it`s kind of like, all that happened at the same time. And you just go, `Hey, that`s more important than anything.`
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A need to reflect.
HAGAR: Yes, because you go, `Hey, this - this is what it`s - this is the most important thing you have to deal with right now.`
So Eddie`s dealing with a problem. And, like I said, hopefully he`s coming out the other side.
ANTHONY: Hope he comes out 110 percent.
(CROSSTALK)
HAGAR: We`re here man.
ANTHONY: We get our buddy back!
HAGAR: Let`s go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: Van Halen indefinitely postponed its long-awaited reunion tour, partly because of this Eddie stuff.
HAMMER: It is time now to find out what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And tomorrow, "M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E." The mysterious legacy of "Mickey Mouse Club" stars Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling - those guys all doing well. But then, there`s Britney Spears, who`s scurrying in the wrong direction. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, one of the stars of the very popular "Ugly Betty," the lovely Vanessa Williams will join us. It`s a show that embraces women of all shapes and sizes. But is it changing the way women feel about themselves? Vanessa will tell us the kind of reaction she`s been getting when she joins us tomorrow.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. Good night, A.J. Good night, everyone.
"GLENN BECK" is next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News.
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