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Showbiz Tonight
Rosie O`Donnell`s Stunning Announcement on `The View`; Alec Baldwin Says He Wants to Leave `30 Rock` and the Country; Will Dannielynn Smith Leave Bahamas With Larry Birkhead?
Aired April 25, 2007 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNNHN CO-HOST: Alec Baldwin says he wants to leave "30 Rock" and the country. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNNHN CO-HOST: And a big day in the Bahamas. Will Dannielynn be coming home with Larry Birkhead? I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
ANDERSON: On "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," Rosie`s bombshell. Rosie O`Donnell`s stunning announcement: she`s leaving "The View." Tonight, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" with the inside story of why Rosie is leaving. Did Donald Trump have anything to do with it?
Tonight we go one-on-one with the Donald in the explosive interview you will see only on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
Here come the beautiful people without makeup. Tonight, "People" magazine`s most beautiful people. Why the does some of Hollywood`s biggest stars let themselves be photographed wearing no makeup? "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" with the stunning photos.
Plus, who`s the fairest of them all? The "People" magazine cover girl revealed tonight.
Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. A.J. has the night off.
Tonight, Alec Baldwin drops a bombshell. The breaking developments coming up in a few minutes.
ANDERSON: But first, Rosie stunned everyone today, announcing on "The View" that she`s leaving "The View." Rosie`s shocker came after nearly a year after non-stop over-the-top controversy, including a vicious feud with Donald Trump.
You`re going to be hearing plenty from Trump himself throughout this show. I went one-on-one with The Donald soon after Rosie`s announcement. If you think he has anything nice to say about Rosie, forget about it.
Tonight, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" brings you the complete coverage of Rosie`s startling revelation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Next year, I`m not going to be on "The View."
ANDERSON: Rosie O`Donnell is bidding adieu to "The View." To a stunned live audience, she announced on the show that she and ABC have failed to agree on a deal to keep her on the show beyond her one-year commitment.
O`DONNELL: They wanted me three years. I wanted one year. And then they were like, "OK, well, what if we like to" -- I was like -- and it just didn`t work. And that`s showbiz.
ANDERSON: The surprise announcement had everyone talking. The reaction from conservatives and other Rosie bashers? The reaction of her fans and her ratings-loving bosses was more like -- yes, Rosie`s Bush bashing.
O`DONNELL: Say the word "impeach".
ANDERSON: Her co-host clashing.
O`DONNELL: Well, let`s talk instead of yell.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m not yelling.
O`DONNELL: That sounded a little yelly.
ANDERSON: And her Trump trashing have made her one of the most controversial figures on television. The list of people Rosie has criticized, insulted and downright ticked off during her stint on "The View" is long and distinguished. And her co-hosts joked about how her partner will react to her exit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ll tell you who`s really sad.
O`DONNELL: Who?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump. He is on a ledge right now saying, "How am I going to resuscitate "The Apprentice" now?"
ANDERSON: The Donald wasn`t on a ledge. He was in L.A., where he couldn`t wait to gloat to "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" about Rosie`s departure.
DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MOGUL: I wasn`t surprised. I`ve been predicting this for a long time. I believe ABC wanted her out.
ANDERSON: Is the Donald right? Was Rosie fired? "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" brings you the inside scoop.
(on camera): Here at ABC studios in Manhattan, Rosie`s announcement hit like a ton of bricks, especially for the audience member, some of whom lined up here with no idea they were about to witness a major media event.
I spoke to some of them to get their behind-the-scenes view on what happened on "The View."
You were in there for the big announcement. What did you think? Were you shocked?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes, I was, and disappointed that she`s going to be leaving because I like Rosie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re very disappointed. Whether you like Rosie or not, she`s helped the ratings and made the show much more interesting.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Rosie clearly had an impact on "The View." The show`s ratings went up nearly 15 percent during her stormy tenure.
MARY MURPHY, CONSULTING EDITOR, "TV GUIDE": No matter what she said, if the other women were annoyed, all they had to do is look at the Neilson ratings and be happy again.
ANDERSON: Why in the world would she leave? Celebrity news site tmz.com first wrote the story of Rosie`s departure. Its managing editor tells what led to today`s stunning announcement.
HARVEY LEVIN, MANAGING EDITOR, TMZ.COM: Officially, they`re saying that Rosie and "The View" couldn`t come to terms contractually. What I`m hearing is she just didn`t want to do it anymore. She wanted to move on. And my guess is she`s going to have her own talk show again in the next year.
ANDERSON: And what about Trump`s assertion that Rosie just got too hot for ABC? Levin tells "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" it just ain`t so.
LEVIN: ABC did not push Rosie O`Donnell away. She resuscitated that show. And there`s just no way that they would walk away from the goose who laid the golden egg.
ANDERSON: Both Rosie and ABC are calling this a friendly breakup.
O`DONNELL: They`re not kicking me out, don`t worry. It`s OK.
ANDERSON: Rosie says, after her departure this June, she`ll return occasionally to guest host.
O`DONNELL: It`s not sad because I`ve loved it here. And I love you guys. And I`m not going away. I`m just not going to be here every day. All right?
ANDERSON: And whether you love or hate her, you have to admit, without Rosie, everyday TV will soon get a whole lot quieter. Yes, it will.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And Donald Trump had lots more to say about Rosie leaving "The View." The guy really went off. Coming up at 31 minutes past the hour, my explosive interview with Donald. You do not want to miss that, I promise that. OK, from the Donald to right here in the "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" newsroom, today`s stunning announcement on "The View" has got everybody buzzing about what`s really behind Rosie O`Donnell`s departure.
With me tonight, from Hollywood, Mary Murphy, contributing editor for "TV Guide," and who you just saw, and Jill Dobson, editor-at-large for "Star" magazine.
Mary, Jim, welcome to you both.
JILL DOBSON, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "STAR" MAGAZINE: Thank you.
MURPHY: Good to be here.
ANDERSON: All right, Mary, what do you think? Was Rosie pushed out or did she jump ship?
MURPHY: I think she probably jumped ship. But the truth is, I hear behind the scenes, there may have been a power struggle. She didn`t want more money. She wanted more power.
And also remember that "FX" creator, Ryan Murphy of the "Nip/Tuck" show has wanted Rosie to do her own TV series based on a character he created for her this year. I think Rosie is definitely moving on and will be missed.
ANDERSON: She had quite a successful stint on "Nip/Tuck."
Jill, what do you think? Pushed out or jumped ship?
DOBSON: I think jumped ship. I`m a little surprised it was such a friendly breakup, as you mentioned in your report. There seemed to be a lot of behind-the-scenes tension the whole year.
But now, at this point, it`s just that Rosie wants to do her own thing. She can ask for as much money as she wants. And if ABC wasn`t going to cough up enough, she says, "Hey, you know what? I have all the opportunities in the world, or I can stay home and spend time with my children and go on the cruises." So she just decided this wasn`t the right fit for her anymore.
ANDERSON: Well, Rosie got into so many controversies in her very short time, eight months on "The View." But perhaps nothing topped her feud with Donald Trump.
Soon after Rosie`s announcement, I did speak with the Donald. Listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Rosie is a person who`s very self-destructive. I know Rosie very well, probably better than she knows herself. Rosie is a self- destructive loser. And ultimately, ABC got tired of it and they said, "Rosie, you`re fired."
ANDERSON: You`ll see my complete interview with Trump at 31 past the hour.
But Mary, let me ask you this. At one point Trump seemed to be taking credit for helping push Rosie out. Do you think he influenced this at all or do you think it was an outrageous statement he made?
MURPHY: I think in his own mind, he influenced it. And you will never change him. But the truth is the ratings were so enormous and people wanted to tune in. And it could be a death knell for the show without Rosie. So I don`t think it was Donald Trump.
I think, in fact, Donald Trump helped Rosie`s career. And he`ll probably be pretty sad that he doesn`t have Rosie to kick around anymore.
ANDERSON: And Barbara Walters, unfortunately, she got caught in the middle of the whole feud Rosie had with Trump. Trump claimed that Barbara couldn`t stand Rosie. Well, today Barbara said she will miss Rosie that she`s sad.
Jill, do you believe her?
DOBSON: I think Barbara definitely wants to avoid a scandal right now. She tried to make it very clear that she`ll miss Rosie. She also emphasized that she had nothing to do with Rosie leaving the show and that she wasn`t part of the contract negotiation.
I think Barbara and the other co-hosts are breathing a little sigh of relief right now that they won`t have to react to Rosie`s inflammatory statements and be questioned all the time by the media about all these different feuds that Rosie`s gotten herself involved in.
But on the other hand, they reached their highest rating ever in ten years of being on the show right in the middle of the feud with Donald Trump. So there`s some reason to want to have her around.
ANDERSON: And I definitely think she made everyone raise their game.
Mary, what do you think? Barbara was clear about the fact -- she said, I had nothing to do with these negotiations." But do you think she had any influence this at all? And do you think she might be glad to see Rosie go, in part?
MURPHY: I don`t think Barbara`s as glad to see Rosie go. And I thought Rosie`s tribute to Rosie today was wonderful. Because Barbara deserves that kind of tribute. No, I think Barbara was true. She didn`t have anything to do -- she wishes she were there. She wants "The View" to go on. And Rosie will be a big loss, for Barbara as well as "The View."
ANDERSON: It will be interesting to see what she does in the future. And there has been speculation that Rosie could leave, could get her own syndicated show after this.
On her show in the `90s, "The Rosie O`Donnell Show," she was known as the queen of nice. But now she`s sometimes known as the queen of nasty.
Jill, would this new Rosie succeed with her own show?
DOBSON: Yes, definitely. As we`ve talk about, "The View" got the highest ratings ever with Rosie there. And she does better when she has her own format. She`s not so good at playing with others in terms of having co-hosts. But she`s great when she`s a host by herself. And on her show "Rosie," she would get up to six million viewers. And "The View," at their peak, got about 4.3 million. So on her own, she can bring the people in, even if she`s the queen of tasty rather than the queen of nice.
ANDERSON: We will leave it right there.
"Star" Magazine`s Jill Dobson, Mary Murphy, from "TV Guide," thanks to you both.
VARGAS: Interesting insight. But now we want to hear from you. It`s our "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" question of the day. Rosie leaving "The View," is she too controversial? Go to cnn.com/showbiztonight. Send us e-mail at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
You can now stay on top of the latest and most provocative entertainment news stories. Find out what we`re working on by signing up for the "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" newsletter. Go to our website, cnn.com/showbiztonight, and look on the left-hand side of the page where it says newsletter. Click to sign up and we`ll e-mail you the "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" newsletter every day.
ANDERSON: Sibila, it was a crazy day over at "The View." Right after the live show, Alec Baldwin, of all people, showed up. That show that he appears in won`t air until Friday. But I was standing right outside the studio. You`re not going to believe what the audience members told me he said. There were numerous bombshells in that interview and that`s next.
VARGAS: And is Dannielynn coming home with her dad? A judge in the Bahamas makes a ruling. I`ll tell you what`s in store for Larry Birkhead coming up.
We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FEMALE: It was just nice for them to be free, to let the readers see them as they are. No smoke, no mirrors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I think this is a really gutsy move. Some of the most beautiful stars in the world with no makeup. It`s a new twist on "People" magazine`s most beautiful issue.
Plus, we`re going to tell you who made the cover, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. What a day over at "The View." First, during the live broadcast, Rosie announced she is leaving the show.
And then they taped Friday`s show and the guest was none other than Alec Baldwin. I was right there outside the studio and people who were in the audience gave me the scoop.
They said during the taping that Baldwin says he wants out of his contract with NBC where he stars on "30 Rock." And that he couldn`t care less if he ever does TV again. And that he wants to leave the country.
He also apologized, again, for his behavior toward his daughter in that now infamous voice-mail message. And he says he plans on becoming an advocate for alienated fathers.
Here`s what some of the audience member told me.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE AUDIENCE MEMBER: He basically was just talking about how men have no rights when they`re going through a divorce. And he`s just going through a hard time right now. And he basically announced that he`s -- he wants to leave his show if NBC lets him out of his contract.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBER: He said he has big plans for his future. He wants to get out of the show. He`s hoping that they let him out of the show.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: One other thing Baldwin said during the show, that he was only doing one interview, because of his friendship with Rosie O`Donnell. We called Baldwin`s reps. They are not commenting.
But we got this statement from NBC. A spokesman told us, quote, "Alec Baldwin remains an important part of `30 Rock.` We look forward to having him continue his role in the show."
So could Baldwin be gone from NBC? And how does all of this play out in the already bitter custody battle he faces with his ex-wife Kim Basinger?
With me tonight, from Los Angeles, Investigative Journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, who`s also the author of this book, "Secrets Can Be Murder," due out this summer. And with me, from New York, host of Court TV`s "Hollywood Heat," Ashleigh Banfield.
Ashleigh, Jane, good to see you both.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST & AUTHOR: Hey, Brooke.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HOST, "HOLLYWOOD HEAT": Hi, Brooke.
ANDERSON: OK. It seems to me there`s a much bigger picture here than just Baldwin possibly leaving "30 Rock." There are a lot of people who are peeved at him, including people who once called themselves fans.
Ashliegh, should Alec be worried his career might be in trouble here?
BANFIELD: I don`t think so. Only because this is one of the most successful shows this year on NBC. And it`s been reviewed for next years. He is a key character, along with Tina Faye, on this program.
And when you see the statement from NBC, it sounds pretty black and white to me. I have some experience with NBC contracts. Just because you want out of them doesn`t mean you get out of them.
ANDERSON: They`re pretty much one way, right?
BANFIELD: And I was worth nothing. But he`s worth a lot of money and he`s very, very popular.
ANDERSON: Yes, you make a good point. He really had a career resurgence because of that show.
And, Jane, some of the people who saw the interview with Baldwin today told me that he wants out so that he can devote more time to his family. But what do you think? Could this be a P.R. move on his part, saying, "Hey look at me. I am a family guy?"
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Brooke, if it is a P.R. move, it`s a very bad one. I think right now, he feels very emotional and very persecuted. And he`s kind of throwing up his hands.
But I don`t think he should take any drastic action. He shouldn`t quit the show. He certainly shouldn`t leave the country if he`s trying to establish a relationship with his daughter here in the United States. That makes no sense.
ANDERSON: Yes. I didn`t get that. Yes, that makes no sense.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And on top of that, he shouldn`t pursue litigation regarding who leaked this voice mail. That`s water under the bridge. All that`s going to do is continually remind people of this voice mail that he wants the world to forget.
Look, he made a terrible mistake. We`re all human. We`ve all made mistakes. He`s apologized. We have to put this in context. This has been a very ugly long-running battle. Their divorce was finalized back in 2002.
This has only gotten uglier and uglier. And both sides have made mistakes. Kim is facing contempt charges that could possibly land her in jail.
ANDERSON: Yes, it`s really, really bitter. The next showdown between Baldwin and Kim, is set for next Friday, May 4th.
If the judge sees that Baldwin is willing to sacrifice his career potentially for his daughter, Ashleigh, could that play in his favor?
BANFIELD: I`m not so sure. I think what Jane said is right. This is acted out rashly. Because the entire media that surrounds him is overwhelming. He severed his relationship with his agents, CAA, today. So he`s really sort of going off the deep end.
Let me say this though. I will differ from Jane here. Alec going after Kim with litigation with regard to who leaked this might actually play in his favor. Because if it`s proven that Kim leaked it, then she`s the bad guy according to the judge because whoever put this out there is damaging to the child. And family court is all about what`s in the best interest of the child.
It ain`t good that Alec Baldwin spoke that way on the phone. But if Kim Basinger leaked it, that`s bad, too. And she could suffer consequences with regard to custodial rights.
ANDERSON: Right. If she leaked it, that means she`s no angel either.
Jane, what do you think? Could they get a judge who looks at both of them and says, "No way, I don`t want this kid with either of you? You`re both possibly potentially negatively impacting her?"
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Listen, they both have to realize, this is an embarrassment for both of them.
Ironically, I`m involved in some of the same organizations that they`re involved in. I know that both of these people are good people with good hearts who care about issues. They have gotten involved in this horrible quicksand of a very, very bitter custody battle. They say there`s no mess you can`t clean up.
Honestly, I think if they both took a deep breath, they could realize they`ve hit bottom on this ugliness. And they could go to court at this next court hearing and Alec Baldwin could say, "Look, I`ve made mistakes. I`m willing to do whatever it takes. Kim`s right. I need psychological help. I am a bully. I`m going to go to anger workshops. I`m going to do whatever it takes to show my daughter I love her." And I think that would score a lot of points.
ANDERSON: You`re saying they need to act like adults?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, thank you Brooke.
ANDERSON: Well, Ashleigh, very quickly, do you think Alec should be worried going into court next week? His visitation rights have been temporarily suspended already.
BANFIELD: Yes, I think he should be worried. Listen, we`ve all heard that tape. And there`s nothing uglier than that kind of language and that kind of tone used towards an 11-year-old child. I think it`s a good lesson for everybody.
But let me say this, family court is the ugliest court and this is not the only story like it.
ANDERSON: Ashleigh Banfield, Jane Velez-Mitchell, as always, thank you both for your insight.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you, Brooke.
BANFIELD: Thank you, Brooke.
VARGAS: Well, Brooke, we have much more coming up on the Baldwin front, including Alec`s last major interview about the divorce battle. And what his brother Stephen has to say about all this whole mess.
"The Baldwin Brothers: In their Own Words," coming up at 47 minutes past the hour.
We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Rosie is a very self-destructive person. Rosie`s basically a loser. I believe ABC wanted her out. And they wanted her out badly and fast.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Can you imagine Donald Trump not holding back about Rosie leaving "The View?" He really didn`t pull any punches. My complete, explosive interview with The Donald is straight ahead.
VARGAS: And a major development in the Bahamas. Will Dannielynn Smith be coming home with her dad, Larry Birkhead? I`ll tell you what`s up next on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Tomorrow, Regis is back. It`s the day Kelly Rippa and all the fans have been waiting for, Regis Philbin`s first day back at work after his heart surgery. And I`m right there on the set. Regis Philbin, tomorrow, in the interview you`ll see only on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
VARGAS: Tonight, a major development in the custody case over Anna Nichol Smith and Larry Birkhead`s baby, Dannielynn. Dannielynn may soon be coming to her new home in the United States with her new dad.
In the Bahamas today, a judge cleared the way for Birkhead to bring his baby home with one condition. He has to bring her back in June for a full custody hearing. This is according to tmz.com. It says Anna Nicole`s mother, Virgie Arthur, objected and may appeal. But sources tell TMZ it may be too late. And Birkhead wants to leave within the next few days. We`ll certainly keep you posted on this.
ANDERSON: Other famous baby news tonight, the newest member of the Jolie-Pitt family is getting the same last name as his brothers and sisters. Angelina Jolie has filed papers in Los Angeles to change the name of her adoptive son to Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt. The petition says that Jolie wants to change the three-year-old`s name so it includes, quote, "the last name of her partner, Brad Pitt." Jolie went to Vietnam last month to adopt Pax from an orphanage in Ho Chi Min City.
All right, Sibila, you hear about Sheryl Crow, right, saying that everybody should use just one square of toilet paper?
VARGAS: Right.
ANDERSON: Can`t be easy to do that. I could tell she was kidding. But not everybody took it that way. And now she has become the butt of jokes, so to speak. That`s coming up.
VARGAS: Also, I think this is a really gutsy move, the most beautiful stars in the world with no makeup. It`s a new twist on "People" magazine`s "Most Beautiful" issue. And we`ll tell you who made the cover, coming up.
We`ve also got this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Rosie is a very self-destructive person. She`s basically a loser. I believe ABC wanted her out. And they wanted her out badly and fast.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He`s such a guy, isn`t he? Donald Trump never holds back. And he tells me what he thinks about Rosie O`Donnell leaving "The View." And, boy, he really lets loose. You do not want to miss this.
"SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," for a Wednesday night, is coming straight back. Stay with us.
VIRGINIA CHA, CNN HEADLINES NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, I`m Virginia Cha. Here`s your "Headline Prime" news break.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continues to face new questions about why the U.S. went to war with Iraq. A House committee has subpoenaed Rice to testify about what she knew of claims that Iraq tried to get uranium from Niger. It was a key part of the administration`s case for invading Iraq. And it was discredited two months into the war.
Clean up is underway in Eagle Pass, Texas, where seven people are dead following a powerful tornado. The same storm killed three others across the Rio Grande in Piadra Negras (ph), Mexico. At least 120 people are hurt. Some mobile homes are totally missing. Authorities are working to clear damage so residents can return to homes left standing. And hundreds are staying in shelters.
And Rosie O`Donnell is saying good-bye to "The View" after just one season of big ratings and big controversies, like her long-running feud with Donald Trump. She`ll leave the show in June but says she`ll be back for specials.
Thanks for watching. I`m Virginia Cha.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
ANDERSON: Sibila, I don`t know about you, but I really look forward to this every year. It`s "People" magazine`s "50 Most Beautiful" issue. And what`s really interesting this time around, some of Hollywood`s biggest star let themselves be photographed without any makeup whatsoever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIE JORDAN, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: It was just nice for them to be free, to let the readers see them as they are. No smoke, no mirrors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, that`s a pretty huge deal for these celebrities. I`ve got that coming up.
VARGAS: Wow, Brooke. Really no makeup?
ANDERSON: Yes.
VARGAS: I got to see that though. I got to see it to believe it.
ANDERSON: We`ll show it to you in just a minute.
VARGAS: All right. That`s OK.
So this whole Alec Baldwin-Kim Basinger-and-their daughter mess - well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has Alec`s brother Stephen speaking out for the first time about Alec`s shocking voicemail tirade. We also have Alec`s last big interview before all this happened. What he said about his daughter, and what his ex said will shock you.
ANDERSON: But first, more on the story everybody`s talking about: Rosie O`Donnell`s shocking announcement that she`s leaving "The View" in June. Rosie`s boss and co-host Barbara Walters says she`s sad about it, but also say it was Rosie`s choice; she wasn`t being shown the door by ABC.
But not everybody feels the same way as Barbara. Donald Trump has been duking it out with Rosie for months now. I spoke with Trump right after Rosie announced her departure, and let`s just say he`s not going to miss seeing her on TV everyday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. Your first reaction, Donald, when you heard the news that Rosie was leaving.
DONALD TRUMP, ENTREPRENEUR: Well, I wasn`t surprised. I`ve been predicting this for a long time.
Rosie is a very self-destructive person. Rosie`s basically a loser. I believe ABC wanted her out and they wanted her out badly and fast. She made statements the other day at the Waldorf-Astoria that were absolutely outrageous. The way she grabbed her crotch and said things that were just terrible - I mean, she`s a slob. Everybody knows it, and they wanted her out.
And the one that wanted her out the most was Barbara Walters.
ANDERSON: You`re referring to earlier this week at the Waldorf- Astoria, the Matrix Awards, which honored women in communication. Yes, she made some remarks that did offend some and were controversial.
So obviously, Donald, you and Rosie haven`t made your peace?
TRUMP: Well, no, we`re not going to make peace. Why would I want to make peace with her?
I mean, she`s a slob. She`s a person I know very well. And she`s, you know, not a person that I want to make peace with. Why would I do that?
ANDERSON: OK, well, your - your - your criticism, your comments today just as blistering as they have been in the past. You`ve been unrelenting in your criticism.
Do you think your comments have had anything to do with Rosie deciding to leave?
TRUMP: Well, I mean, it`s possible. You`d have to ask her. Of course, she`s not going to give you a straight answer.
But you have to understand; her ratings were really good when she and I were going at it in January. Since then, her ratings have been falling precipitously. They`ve really been coming down quickly.
Now, Rosie`s always been that way. Her last show was thrown off for ratings. And the fact is, her ratings turned out to be bad because people get tired of Rosie. They get tired of listening to her.
So, you know, if you`re looking from a ratings standpoint, from a lot of other standpoints, I think ABC just made the decision, `We don`t want to put up this abusive person.` She abused Barbara Walters. She made Barbara Walters into a lapdog. She made Barbara Walters look like a jerk.
Barbara probably lied. Look at Barbara today; she said, `I had no idea what they were negotiating with Rosie.` Who would really believe that? It`s Barbara`s show, and she had no idea. Does anybody really believe it?
And the problem for "The View" is you have a person like Joy Behar, who`s a fourth-rate talent. She`s got no talent. And, you know, they`re going to have to do something very quickly to fill the void of Rosie. Because at least Rosie brought something to the show. She brought some controversy; she brought something.
But, you know, if you`re going to rely on people like Joy Behar, that show as it was was going to go down the tubes, and is going down the tubes.
ANDERSON: You`ve said in the past that Barbara Walters told you that, in effect, she regretted hiring Rosie, something that Barbara has denied. But today, she said she`s sad about seeing Rosie leave, and that she`s going to miss her.
Do you believe her?
TRUMP: I don`t believe Barbara at all. Barbara never denied what she said to me originally, which tells you what that meant. And I don`t believe Barbara at all.
To think that Barbara had absolutely nothing to do with this is nonsense. She said it was made by people at ABC daytime. Who really believes that? She had nothing to do with it - total nonsense. Barbara is very happy to be rid of Rosie.
ANDERSON: Now that Rosie is gone, if you were invited to appear on the show, Donald, which I suspect may happen in the future, would you now do it?
TRUMP: I`d always consider it, but probably unlikely.
ANDERSON: Probably unlikely. OK.
But looking back on the year for Rosie, the feud with you - with you, the off-color joke about Chinese-Americans, calling Kelly Ripa homophobic - the little squabbles here and there with Elisabeth Hasselbeck - do you think that the controversy just became too much?
TRUMP: Well, saying the United States blew up the World Trade Center, I`d say that`s pretty bad also, isn`t it?
Rosie is a person who is very self-destructive. I know Rosie very well. Probably better that she knows herself. Rosie is a self-destructive loser, and ultimately, ABC got tired of it, and they said, `Rosie, you`re fired.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: He never minced his word.
Well, Rosie`s only been with "The View" for a year now. She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the reason she`s leaving is simple; she says that she and ABC just could not reach an agreement for a new contract. She says the network wanted her for three more years, that only she wanted to stick around for one.
VARGAS: Well, this is the subject of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Rosie Leaving `The View`: Is she too controversial?"
Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Well, the Rosie stuff is what everybody is talking about. But what everybody wants to see are the gorgeous pictures in "People" magazine`s annual "Most Beautiful People" issue.
And one part in particular has the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom all abuzz: 10 very brave, very famous faces agreed to be shot with - get this - no makeup.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Usually seen red-carpet ready, these courageous super ladies are proving just how comfortable they are in their own skin by shooting their "People" "Most Beautiful" spreads without a stitch of makeup. The photos are coming up.
JORDAN: It was nice for them to be free, to let the viewers see them as they are. No smoke, no mirrors.
ANDERSON: And one of these beautiful ladies` fresh faces has made it onto the cover of "People"`s "World`s Most Beautiful" issue. It`s the natural beauty of Miss Drew Barrymore.
JORDAN: Drew Barrymore has been on the list four times, but this is the first year as our cover girl. There`s no one more fitting or deserving.
ANDERSON: More on who made it on to "People"`s "Most Beautiful" issue with no makeup in just a minute.
But first, let`s take a look at what beautiful is in 2007, according to "People" magazine.
Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. There are the not-so-ugly Bettys.
AMERICA FERRERA, ACTRESS: I should be grateful that I got my break.
ANDERSON: .the curves we find "Irreplaceable," and the Victoria`s Secret who define healthy - healthy modeling.
(MUSIC)
ANDERSON: Now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is ready to reveal to you three more of the lovely ladies who were photographed without an ounce of makeup. Former "OC" star Rachel Bilson, actress Anne Hathaway, and "American Idol" runner- up, Miss Katharine McPhee.
Julia Roberts and Halle Berry hold Oscar-winning titles, and now break the "People" magazine record for being considered most beautiful a well- deserved 11 times each.
There are the beautiful do-gooders, like the education philanthropist Oprah Winfrey, the global-warming guru Leonardo DiCaprio, and the women`s rights activist Nicole Kidman.
JORDAN: Looking at beauty inside and out, these celebrities really give back.
ANDERSON: There`s outdoorsy beautiful like Matthew McConaughey, and the beaming beautiful mother in Jennifer Garner.
JORDAN: Helen Mirren makes the list at 61.
ANDERSON: Proving beauty has no age limit.
JORDAN: She credits her beauty to never having smoked, and says that when she looks in the mirror, the lines - it`s all about being happy.
ANDERSON: While the queen probably had just a little powder during her shoot, "Desperate Housewives" Eva Longoria and singing sensation Rhianna are another two of the women who struck poses for "People"`s "World`s Most Beautiful" list without absolutely no makeup.
Tina Fey knows how to bring impish beauty to "Must-See TV"`s "30 Rock."
TINA FEY, ACTRESS: Oh, boy. I really should have been at that meeting.
ANDERSON: The comedy and good looks continue with "The Office" girl Jenna Fisher.
JENNA FISHER, ACTRESS: Probably just wear this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really? OK.
JORDAN: Laila Ali has definitely come to the forefront of celebrity, and ultimately deserves to be in this issue.
ANDERSON: Laila, daughter of the greatest, Muhammad Ali, is a champion boxer herself, and a fan favorite on ABC`s "Dancing With the Stars."
Now let`s get back to the no-makeup reveal with TV`s Rashida Jones, who told "People" magazine all she needs is a smile to look beautiful, and the picture-perfect Rosario Dawson.
Get ready to dance, because the glamorous Fergie and the ain`t-no- other-man Aguilera are also embracing curves and beauty for "People" magazine.
And last, but certainly not least, we have not one, not two, but three Jessicas that represent the natural beauty and talent of young Hollywood right now. Take a look at Jessica Simpson, Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel - all au natural.
JORDAN: And of course, Jessica Biel. She admits that it`s very vulnerable being out there without, you know, the - the lights and - and the makeup. But ultimately, everyone always tells her that she looks better without.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT couldn`t agree more.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Those pictures just stunning. And you can grab "People"`s "Most Beautiful" issue on newsstands this Friday.
VARGAS: Well, something I think that`s really ugly, the Alec-Baldwin- Kim-Basinger-their-daughter-voicemail mess. Next, Alec`s brother, Stephen, speaking out for the first time about the outrage. We`ve also got Alec himself talking about his ex and Ireland; what he says will definitely shock you. So you want to stick around for that.
And we`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Have you heard about Sheryl Crow and her one square of toilet paper?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it`s horrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Sheryl Crow, toilet paper - one square? What? Uh huh. Well, I can`t believe it. But next, the bowl full of anger and controversy about the bathroom.
VARGAS: Pretty crazy, Brooke.
From the potty to "Potter." Oh, you`re going to have to blame the writes for that one. I`ve got your very first peek at the brand-new "Harry Potter" movie. And it`s really great. Stick around for that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.
Sheryl Crow is - well, eating crow after sparking a worldwide controversy over, of all things, toilet paper. You heard me right. When the sultry suggested that we use one square while doing our business, a lot of people got flushed with rage.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is a story that kept unrolling and unrolling. A toilet paper tale that stretched around the world, from Australia to London.
Singer and environmental activist Sheryl Crow had everyone crowing about her proposed limitation to save trees.
GLENN BECK, CNN HEADLINE NEWS HOST: And I`m not kidding, America, one square of toilet paper per sitting.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: One square.
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": One square of toilet paper. Thank you. I`m not going to be shaking hands anymore.
MOOS: Rush Limbaugh`s listener`s rushed to experiment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It rolls up to the size of a penny. I don`t know what the heck you`re supposed to do with it. You can`t blow your nose, you can`t do anything with it. This is utterly -- insanity.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Now wait, did you try the four-ply or were you using the cheaper two-ply?
MOOS: The right-wing blogs papered with postings too crude to show. "Give me Charmin or give me death," was one of the more charming ones.
(on camera): Have you heard about Sheryl Crow and her one square of toilet paper?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s horrible.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s an ugly thought, though, isn`t it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Too smelly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not very sanitary.
MOOS: Have you heard that it`s a joke?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, no, I thought she was dead serious. I still think she`s serious.
MOOS (voice-over): But according to Sheryl Crow`s blog, the toilet paper thing, it was a joke. But being ridiculed hasn`t been fun for Sheryl Crow and her activist partner, Laurie David, producer of "An Inconvenient Truth."
(on camera): They`re calling the media up, saying, `This was a joke, don`t make this sound like it`s not a joke,` like they`re mad at the press.
(voice-over): The whole thing started when Sheryl Crow blogged: "I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting. Now, I don`t want to rob any law-abiding American of his or her God-given rights, but I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except of course on those pesky occasions where two to three could be required."
ROSIE O`DONNELL, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": One little thing? Has she seen my ass?
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: On Monday, Rosie didn`t seem to think it was a joke. Though by Tuesday...
O`DONNELL: It was joke. She doesn`t really think that, people.
LIMBAUGH: The only thing you`re going to be attracting in the next couple of days is flies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My guess would be Sheryl Crow looks to me like a woman that would use one square.
MOOS: Maybe Sheryl was inspired by the famous "Seinfeld" scene since fellow activist Laurie David is the wife of "Seinfeld"`s co- creator.
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS, ACTOR: Three squares? You can`t spare three squares?
JAMI GERTZ, ACTOR: No. I don`t have a square to spare. I can`t spare a square.
MOOS: Spare us from being "ply-ed" with anymore square talk.
LOUIS-DREYFUS: Well, is it two-ply? Because if it`s two-ply, I`ll take one ply.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: One square. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos with some bathroom humor for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Well as I told you earlier, Alec Baldwin will be on "The View" Friday to address the outrage over his angry voicemail ran towards his daughter. Some people think Alec should lose the right to see Ireland; others say while what he did was terrible, they blame Alec`s ex, Kim, for keeping him away from his daughter, as he alleges.
Well, I decided to do some digging, and I found this explosive interview with Alec Baldwin from just a few months back. He was on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE." And what he had to say about his daughter, the daughter he called the "rude, thoughtless little pig" on that startling voicemail, and Kim Basinger - he calls "her a thoughtless pain in the butt." On the tape, he used another choice word.
But what he said about them, absolutely fascinating.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: What kind of father are you?
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: Well, I think I`m like a lot of men I know. I`m kind of a slave to my daughter whenever my daughter`s around.
KING: Tell me about it.
A. BALDWIN: Yes. I mean, when my daughter`s around, I just.
KING: She owns you.
A. BALDWIN: Yes, I mean, I just do whatever she tells me to do.
A deal I have with her - we`ll go to the store - I mean, I joke with her. I say - we`ll go to the store, and she`ll want to go buy things. And she`s not greedy. You know, she`s not gluttonous in any way. She`s a very reasonable kid. She`s a great person. My ex-wife was somebody who was funny and she was fun and she was - and she liked to have fun.
(CROSSTALK)
A. BALDWIN: And I - and I - yes, and she wasn`t - yes, I mean, that`s what people tell me, you know what I mean? They tell me she was pretty. And - and she was a lot of fun to be with. And she was a great, great person.
And then all of a sudden, I think we just wanted to live different lives.
KING: Is she a good mother?
A. BALDWIN: Oh, I think she`s a great mother. Yes, she`s a good mom.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. Totally different tone, right?
Now last night, Alec`s brother Stephen was on "LARRY KING." And while he didn`t really want to say much, Stephen did come to his brother`s defense.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN BALDWIN, ACTOR: What I think is really kind of cool is that a lot of people have been connecting with me and talking with me about how much they love my brother and what a funny guy he is and what a good guy he is, and how often - it`s - it`s not uncommon that - that anyone in life can - can lost their cool with their kids. So you don`t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that he made a bad choice. I mean, that`s obvious.
But people in every walk of life around the world make similar ones every single day. Unfortunately, this has taken on the tone that it has. And it`s been blown into the proportion that it has.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: By the way, Stephen also says his brother`s temper is a lot better than it used to be, and that his rant was just him getting caught on a really bad day.
VARGAS: Well, yesterday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": "Alec Baldwin`s Voicemail Rant: Was Kim Basinger behind his release?"
Pretty startling results: 82 percent say "yes, Kim was behind its release"; 18 percent of you say, "no, she wasn`t."
Here`s a couple e-mails we got.
It looks like Sherry from Maine thinks it was Kim`s doing: "I think it was quite obvious. I can`t think of any other way the voicemail could have been released."
But Diane from Oklahoma says, "It was Alec and Kim`s daughter. I would bet money that Ireland leaked the tape. She easily could have mailed it to TMZ.com."
ANDERSON: All right. I`m really excited about this one: the brand new Harry Potter movie just around the corner. Yep. And this time, aside from fighting the bad guys, it seems that Mr. Harry Potter is dealing with lots of growing up issues. Yes, even wizards can become rebellious teenagers, too.
We have your first look at the brand new - yes, I said it - the brand- new Harry Potter movie coming up next. Stay with us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) master, roll your break. And effect black, Ray (ph), now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VARGAS: Well, tonight I got your first look at the latest Harry Potter flick: "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." In this fifth film in the series, hero Harry is in his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Take a look at this:
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
"HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX" TRAILER
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is scheduled to hit theaters July 13.
ANDERSON: I`m sure it will be a big summer blockbuster, Sibila.
All right. That is a wrap for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks so much for watching. Have a great night, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
VARGAS: And I`m Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. See you tomorrow.
"GLENN BECK" is next, right after the latest headlines from CNN Headline News.
END
