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Showbiz Tonight
Celebrity Sex Tapes, Some `Leaked` For Profit And Publicity. Jon Bon Jovi On The Latest, Most-Reflective And Personal Album Yet, Putting A Difficult Past Behind Them; Paris Hilton to Cash in on Post-Jail Interview; Could the Next "View" Host be A Man?
Aired June 21, 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: Kelly Clarkson speaks out about her surprising struggle with bulimia. And could the next co-host of "The View" be a man? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, is Paris Hilton going to cash in big time for her jail time? Tonight, a startling report that Paris is going to get an unbelievable amount of money for her first post jail interview. But should Paris be allowed to profit?
Plus, why her neighbors are furious about what will happen when she comes home.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with new outrage over Paris` countdown to freedom.
Plus, celebrity sex tapes. It`s what put Paris on the map. And she`s not alone. Tonight, a revealing look, and we do mean revealing, at why stars strip down for the cameras.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Celebrities with brains do not let video cameras role while they are having sex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Paris, Pam, even Screech. Tonight, why sex tapes can actually be good for a career. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovers the naked truth about celebrity sex tapes.
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight, can a gay man do for "The View" what no host has done before? That story is coming up. But first tonight, the countdown to freedom for Paris Hilton. With now just three days to go before Paris leaves jail, there is an unbelievable report tonight that Paris could be laughing all the way to the bank.
I can also tell you that her neighbors are not laughing. They are furious because Paris mania is about to break out all over again.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): The countdown to freedom continues for Paris, who is on the tail end of a 23-day jail sentence for driving on a suspended license. Now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that when Paris leaves the jail doors behind for good, she may be landing in a whole pile of cash. The "New York Post" is reporting that NBC has nabbed the first post jail interview for Paris for a cool one million dollars.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has done the leg work and we can tell you it`s the interview that every network wants. Rival news organizations tell us they weren`t even in the running because NBC bought -- yes, they are using the word bought -- the interview.
JILL DOBSON, "STAR MAGAZINE": Everyone wants to hear from Paris and find out what it`s really like for someone like Paris Hilton to be in jail.
HAMMER: The "New York Post" reports the interview would be appear on "The Today Show," and would be conducted Meredith Vieira. Matt Lauer reportedly lost out on the chance because Paris thought he`s been too, quote, disparaging in the past. What ever gave her that idea?
LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Why is Paris Hilton a story?
MATT LAUER, "THE TODAY SHOW": I ask myself that question a lot.
KING: Me too.
HAMMER: If true, this news would be a big blow to ABC, which used to be considered the front runner for Paris Hilton`s first post jail interview.
BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": She said I`m not the same person I was.
HAMMER: After all, it was ABC`s "The View`s" Barbara Walters whom Paris gave her emotional first in jail interview to. Barbara is close friends with Hilton`s mother Kathy. And in discussions on "The View," Walters wasn`t shy about slapping down co-host Joy Behar whenever she took a shot at the younger Hilton.
WALTERS: God, she says has released me.
JOY BEHAR, "THE VIEW": But the judge hasn`t.
WALTER: I don`t think that the judge is in charge of her spirit or her soul.
HAMMER: Poor Barbara. All that and she reportedly loses that big scoop to Vieira, her former colleague on "The View." Kind of a big blow for Barbara, especially after the whole Rosie fiasco.
RAMIN SETOODEH, "NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE": Her remaining friends are now Elizabeth and Joy Behar, as long as they don`t scoop her next.
HAMMER: News shows like Today proudly insist they do not pay for interviews. But Jill Dobson of "Star Magazine" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT there are ways around that.
DOBSON: Lately there seems to be a slippery slope where people might pay for photo rights and pay for written materials and other things. And somehow it seems like more and more people seem to be getting paid for interviews, even though most news agencies take a very strong stance against it.
HAMMER: And a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT source at another news organization tells us when they made a bid for these Paris materials, they were rejected, that NBC`s offer was in a different galaxy. But no matter who gets Hilton`s post jail interview, or how much they pay, it would be well worth it.
SETOODEH: The Paris Hilton post jail interview will be a tremendous get. It will get lots of views. It will be talked about. It will be picked up. It will be quoted. It will be water cooler conversation.
HAMMER: The Paris interview would definitely be a ratings smash, if you go by how much fan mail she is receiving.
DOBSON: She`s gotten a reported 5,000 letters so far during her time in jail.
HAMMER: And she`s reportedly writing back. "E News" online got its hands on one handwritten response Paris sent to an adoring fan. She writes, quote, the letters I am receiving really do put a smile on my face as I sit here in my cell sad and alone. Again, thank you so much and may god bless you and your family.
She has had a rough couple of weeks, so SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will excuse her for misspelling receiving. But there`s one group not sharing in the Paris love right now. Her neighbors in her Hollywood Hills neighborhood weren`t to pleased with this mob scene we have seen outside Hilton`s house lately. And they are not too excited about the inevitable mob scene when Paris gets out.
DOBSON: Officials in L.A. have reportedly gotten more than 50 calls from angry neighbors, who are tired of all the press and paparazzi that are clogging their city streets.
HAMMER: PerezHilton.com posted a letter neighbors are circulating among themselves. It reads, quote, "Since the arrival of Paris Hilton to our neighborhood, we have seen the quality of our life deteriorate." Ouch.
Let`s hope her neighbors in jail are nicer to her.
But even if she doesn`t have the loving arms of her neighbors to return to, she will likely find a mountain of cash and a curious nation waiting for her once she leaves the slammer.
DOBSON: She will find ways to profit, and when she makes appearances at clubs, she will get paid even more now, because people will want to see how or if jail has changed Paris.
HAMMER: Such is the charmed life of Paris Hilton.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did try to get a statement -- a comment from both NBC and Paris` spokesman. They have yet to respond. Let`s say that Paris Hilton does get a million bucks and makes money from her work doing nothing in jail, something she`s used to doing, nothing, would there be anything wrong with that?
Joining me tonight in New York, David Caplan of VH-1`s PageSizzler.com and Maggie Gallant, founder of Spotlight Communications. Hello to you both. David, let me start with you. What do you think? Is it OK for Paris Hilton to profit from this time of doing nothing in jail?
DAVID CAPLAN, VH-1: Absolutely not. What she needs to do if she is going to get a million dollars is donate it to a charity. She`s spoken about while she`s been incarcerated how she wants to get involved with charity work, help others. She should do it. I think the best charity she should do is something like inmate rights, prison rights. That would be really giving back, and it would show people that she actually has changed.
HAMMER: I`ve got to say I agree with you completely. And, in fact, I would demand, if she gets this money, not that my opinion may matter to her, that she does donate it to charity. But Maggie, you know, after all, a lot of people will say, no matter what you think of Paris Hilton, we do live in America. Capitalism alive and well. So do you think she could profit and is entitled to profit from her experience?
MAGGIE GALLANT, FOUNDER SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS: The truth is a lot of celebrities feel very strongly that their experiences, they are out there, they are having to suffer the invasion of privacy. But we all know that Miss Paris loves that invasion of privacy. I absolutely agree that money needs to be donated if she, in fact, does want to build credibility amongst her fan base and the moms of her fan base as well.
I think that`s another reason why she might have chosen "The Today Show" and to be interviewed by Meredith Vieira.
HAMMER: It`s going to really be interesting to see how this plays out and, in fact, if anybody owns up to the fact that money is changing hands here. Now, we all remember, of course, Paris saying she`s planning on dropping the whole dumb act when she comes out of prison. I don`t know if she`s already done in the course of her jail time. I do want to remind you of another thing she told Barbara Walters from jail. David mentioned charity. And she said she wants to become more charitable. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: She said she would like to help, perhaps in the field of breast cancer. Her grandmother had breast cancer. Or multiple sclerosis. Her father`s mother suffered from that disease. And she said that she thought that she might get toy companies to build a kind of Paris Hilton play house for children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A play house for children, referring to perhaps a place for her to help sick children. David, you said it would be a good idea for her to give the money to charity. I say she has to give the money to charity. I`m demanding it. What do you think? Has she kind of boxed herself in, in that she really does have to actually do it?
CAPLAN: Absolutely. She has to be a person of her words right now. She spent so much time saying how she wants to be involved with charity work. She`s changed. She`s found god. She`s a completely different person. She has to prove it. If she gets a million dollars and she keeps it, she will look like a complete hypocrite.
HAMMER: But what if she doesn`t do all she said she is going to do really? Maggie, what does she stand to lose if she comes out of jail, goes back on her word, goes back to living the whole lifestyle that basically ended her up in in the first place. Really, What has she got to lose?
GALLANT: It`s a good point. She doesn`t have a lot to lose. The joke, I`m hot, has been playing over and over again. She actually has really great comedic timing. And, as we`ve talked about, she understands the art of the sound byte. She understands how to get press. But she has said to Barbara Walters -- she has said that she wants to change. If she doesn`t, she could end up becoming a joke. But she will continue to get the attention.
HAMMER: I`m sorry, did you say could end up becoming a joke? All right, I`m not going to travel down that road right now. As if there is not enough controversy already swirling around, with the possibility she could make a million bucks from giving her first jailhouse interview, Paris`s neighbors are filing complaints because of all of the chaos that Paris has brought to their neighborhood. Who can forget this absolutely nutty season scene the day that she was hauled back to jail. David, what do you think? How should Paris respond to this? What would be the right thing for her to do?
CAPLAN: I think the perfect thing for Paris to do would be to invite all of her neighbors who are disgruntled, who can`t stand her, invite them over for a little party when she gets back to say I`m sorry, I apologize. It`s very in keeping with Paris` style. And she should write a letter to them saying she apologizes. And, of course, I bet that letter will be leaked to TMZ.com and she will look great.
HAMMER: But probably, Maggie, and you might agree, the best thing for her to do would be to keep it off the radar and out of the media, if possible, and have a little tea party like David suggested.
GALLANT: But I think, in terms of her neighbors, she`s going to want that on the record. I think that absolutely writing them a hand written note is a great idea. In this electronic age, we forget about the power of a hand written note. I think she should do that to her neighbors, and invite them. And if that gets leaked, she looks like a nice neighbor and people might want to move onto her street.
HAMMER: Yes, or maybe not. David Caplan of VH-1`s PageSizzler.com, Maggie Gallant of Spotlight Communications, thank you both for being here tonight.
Now, we would like to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we`re asking you to answer tonight, Paris Hilton, is it OK for her to profit from her jail time? You can keep voting at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. You can also write to us at SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com. And you can vote on the question of the day by sending off a cell phone text message. Punch in 45688. If you want to vote yes, just write SHOWBIZ yes. If you want to vote no, write SHOWBIZ no. The number again to text your message to, 45688.
You know, sometimes, like right now, I just kind of sit back and think about the good old days when nobody even really knew who Paris Hilton was. And then came the sex tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD BRAGMAN, 15 MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Celebrities with brains do not let video cameras roll while they are having sex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well said Howard Bragman, PR guru. Coming up, we are going to be taking a look at how Paris and some other stars have let cameras into the boudoir, and how, in some cases, really, it was the best thing that could have happened to their careers. It`s a SHOWBIZ special report.
Also, Kelly Clarkson, somebody I really admire. She`s a terrific singer, as we all know. And she`s been a great role model for positive body image over the last couple of years that she`s been in the spotlight. I was absolutely shocked to find out she used to be bulimic. Kelly is talking for the very first time about her eating disorder, why it started and how she stopped.
And next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, could the next co-host of "The View" be a man? Maybe it`s not such a bad idea. I`m going to tell you who`s in the running coming up next. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIO CANTONE, COMEDIAN: You know, honestly, if they ever did -- which they never would. And I don`t blame them. It should be a woman. I don`t know if I -- it would probably be a hard thing to say no to, but --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is that guy, Mario Cantone, one of two gay men in the running to replace Rosie O`Donnell on "The View," and become the show`s first male co-host? Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You know ever since Rosie`s bitter at "The View" everyone has been wondering which lady might join the ladies as their new co-host.
Tonight, there just might be a few good men to fill Rosie`s shoes, and we`re not talking about just any men. People.com is reporting two leader contenders to fill the job include Mario Cantone and "The Tonight Show`s" Ross the Intern. With me tonight in Hollywood from People.com is Mike Fleeman, site`s west coast editor, and in New York, our friend Lola Oguinnaike, entertainment correspondent for CNN`s "American Morning," and someone who has actually been on the hot seat as a co-host on "The View."
Mike and Lola, it`s good to see you both. Mike, let me begin with you. Do you really think there is any chance it could wind up being either of these two guys?
MIKE FLEEMAN, PEOPLE.COM: I think those two have as good a chance as anybody else who has been mentioned to date. I think they are in the running as much as Whoopy, as much as Kathy Griffin. It`s going to come down, really, to how they do next month when they have guest hosting gigs. That will be their auditions.
HAMMER: So it is a possibility, but is it a good idea. Lola, you have been there, as I mentioned. You have done that as a co-host on the view, guest filling in. Will putting a man -- a gay man alongside Barbara Walters and Joy Behar and Elizabeth Hasselbeck actually work out, do you think?
LOLA OGUINNAIKE, CNN`S "AMERICAN MORNING": It`s a gimmick and I think will work for a few weeks, maybe even a month. But then I think it will get old. I mean, do we really want to hear Ross the Intern weigh in on mammograms and self-examinations and periods and things like that? We don`t want to hear that from Ross the Intern. And do I want to hear Ross the Intern talk about the war on Iraq, frankly? No. Oh, my god, I can`t believe the war is over. I don`t want to see him duke it out with Elizabeth, no.
HAMMER: That was a pretty good impression too.
OGUINNAIKE: Yes, hands and eyes, hands and eyes. No, I don`t see that working.
HAMMER: So it probably would work, certainly in the short-term, as you said, for publicity. Maybe long term not so much. In the nine months that Rosie was on, the big story was the fact that the ratings continued to spike big time with all the controversy and everything that was swirling around. So obviously "The View" is under a lot of pressure now to keep that momentum going.
Mike, what do you think? If they decided to go this route, would they be taking a big risk? Is it kind of a mistake?
FLEEMAN: They have to take a chance, because this is the critical seat. This is the host who kind of stirs things up and keeps everybody off their feet. Who would have thought that Rosie O`Donnell was on the short list as an Iraqi war pundit, yet her statements got great ratings on the show. So I don`t think they are taking a huge risk with either one of these gentlemen. If anything, you could maybe say they are the safe choice because they are so different.
HAMMER: Of course, they are sort of going against the very foundation on which the show was built. Because, let`s not forget, this was a show which, from the beginning ten years ago, was all about five women with distinct points of view, something that Barbara Walters points out in the show`s open.
Lola, this is a women`s chat club. That`s what the show is. You sort of alluded to this before, in terms of the subject matter. So do you think women in the audience might actually be turned off by the idea of a man suddenly getting into the club and invading that mix?
OGUINNAIKE: I think they will actually be turned off. Like I said before, I think it will be cute for a while, but eventually I think they will grow bored and they will say, look, this is a women`s club. We are here to discuss women`s issue. Yes, we may want a man`s -- a gay man`s opinion every once in a while, but we don`t want him weighing in on our issues every day. I think women will quickly grow tired of a Mario Cantone telling them that they need to lose a few pounds or their hair doesn`t look right. We don`t need a man`s view about "The View." We need a woman`s view.
HAMMER: He will certainly be funny. But what I think makes this really interesting is that Ross the Intern is actually being talked about to work with Rosie O`Donnell on a new show that she might be developing. Let`s take a look at what Ross recently told me about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSS MATTHEWS, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Rosie is such an inspiration to me. She`s part of why I`m doing this, you know. And she inspires me on a daily basis. And to work with her, in any capacity, would be a thrill and a joy, you know. And speaking of "The View."
HAMMER: So it might happen. Just say it might happen.
MATTHEWS: It might happen. You never know. And if it did, I would be freaked out of my mind happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, I love Ross. But if you kind of close your eyes and just listen to the voice, I don`t know. Mike, I`d like you to give Ross some advice here from somebody who`s been working in the entertainment field for a while. Would he be better off working with Rosie or actually filling Rosie`s chair on "The View?" What do you think?
FLEEMAN: Oh, I think turning down "The View" would be a very, very hard thing to do. This is, you know, an amazing opportunity. What the heck, why not give it a try?
HAMMER: Yes, I think it is an amazing opportunity. And I think it will be very interesting to watch as it unfolds through the summer, when each of these guys gets to sit in that chair. And I certainly think it will garner quite a bit of publicity. Mike Fleeman, Lola Oguinnaike, thank you very much. "People Magazine" on news stands right now. And you can watch Lola`s entertainment reports every morning on CNN`s "American Morning."
Well, I`ve got to tell you, Kelly Clarkson, somebody I really admire, a terrific singer. She`s been a great role model for positive body image. I was shocked to find out she used to be bulimic. I had no idea. Kelly is talking for the very first time about when it started and how she stopped. We will get into that coming up. Also this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that the sex tape catapulted her in a way no one could have ever imagined.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, long before she went to jail, it`s what put Paris Hilton on the map, a sex tape. And she is not the only one. Coming up, a SHOWBIZ special report on celebrity sex tapes.
Also, my one on one with one of my favorite guys in the music biz, Jon Bon Jovi. Lots to talk about, the band, his wife, even politics. You know, he`s been involved with that game before. Who is John endorsing in the next presidential campaign? Find out still ahead in the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well tonight in the SHOWBIZ Weight Watch, a shocking admission from Kelly Clarkson that she once suffered from bulimia. Now, this happened long before she won the first season of "American Idol." It was actually when she was back in high school. Clarkson opens up about her struggle with the eating disorder in an upcoming issue of "Cosmo Girl."
She says it all started when had she auditioned for a part in a play in high school and didn`t get it. She said the girl who got the part wasn`t the best singer, but was the most attractive. So, for the next six months, she became bulimic in an attempt to lose some weight.
This is what she says what happened next, quote, "One of my guy friends caught on to it and I just felt so ashamed and embarrassed. I literally went cold turkey and snapped out of it."
Kelly vows to be more positive about her body. These days she says she`s definitely thicker than most people in the industry, but not in real life. And Kelly says that she thinks it`s good for people to see stars who are a normal weight. Kelly, I like you even more today. For more with Kelly Clarkson, pick up a copy of "Cosmo Girl." It will be on news stands July 3rd.
I could not believe it when I heard that Isaiah Washington reportedly said "Gray`s Anatomy" reportedly fired the wrong guy. Of course, he`s the one who got fired. I`m going to tell you why he says T.R. Knight should have been the one that got fired in that whole mess. That`s coming up. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAGMAN: Celebrities with brains do not let video cameras roll while they are having sex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, that really seems to make sense. If only Paris Hilton had listened all those years ago. Although we probably wouldn`t know who she is. Coming up, we are going to be taking a look at how Paris and a bunch of other stars have indeed let cameras into their bedroom and how in some cases, you know what, it turned out to be the best possible thing that happened to their career. It`s a shows SHOWBIZ special report.
And the Sopranos spoof that everybody is still talking about. I think this was very clever, very funny, but was it actually better than the Sopranos finale itself? We are going to be analyzing it line by line coming up. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right back.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the naked truth about celebrity sex tapes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: I think that the sex tape catapulted her in a way no one could have ever imagined.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Who could forget that "One Night in Paris"? Tonight, a revealing look at why stars take it all off for the camera. Paris Hilton, Pam Anderson, even "Saved By The Bell`s" Screech. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates can celebrity porn tapes actually help careers?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for Thursday night. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Paris Hilton is known for doing a lot of bad and nasty things, including the violating probation problem that has landed her in jail. But perhaps nothing is as nasty as that best-selling sex tape she made, "One Night in Paris". Of course, Paris is not the only celebrity to get caught with her pants down, so to speak. So I really want to know, is it really a bad thing, or can celebrity sex tapes actually help a career? It`s a showbiz special report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You look gorgeous.
HAMMER: This is the tape that not only put Paris Hilton on the map, but catapulted her from socialite to superstar. This tape with then boyfriend Rick Solomon will probably go down as the biggest movie of her career.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: I think that the sex tape catapulted her in a way no one could have ever imagined. I think that tape 20, 30, 40 years ago would have clearly ended somebody`s career, and instead it made her one of the biggest stars in the world.
HAMMER: Paris, and her billionaire family, originally tried to stop the footage from being released but then later agreed to take a cut of the sales.
DAVID CAPLAN, VH-1 CORRESPONDENT: Paris decided to share the profits with Rick Solomon basically because the video couldn`t be stopped and she really had the mentality that if this video is going to be out, of me, at my most discrete moment, I better get a cut in it. And that`s the simple answer.
BRAGMAN: In this day and age, you can`t stop something from getting out. You can`t put it back in once it`s out on the Internet.
HAMMER: No one knows that better than "Baywatch" beauty Pam Anderson and her then-husband Motley Crew drummer, Tommy Lee. Their 1998 honeymoon footage took the web by storm, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you it remains one of the most downloaded celebrity videos ever.
Even though the couple wanted to suppress the tape, it only ups their celebrity ante. The truth is times have changed and so have attitudes. Actor Rob Lowe`s career came to a screeching halt after videotape emerged showing him having sex with two young women back in 1988. One of the girls turned out to be only 16 years old.
CAPLAN: Rob Lowe`s career took a nose dive. He had problems getting projects plus he went to rehab for sex addiction and alcohol.
BRAGMAN: When the Rob Lowe tape came out, we weren`t as quote/unquote "liberated" as we are now. I think it really did hurt his career. He really had to do some resurrection to get beyond that point in his career, and to his credit he did a really good job of that.
HAMMER: Flash forward to today. This 45-minute tape SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained, shot on a tour bus in 1999, gives us a glimpse into the private lives of rock stars and groupies. You probably recognize Kid Rock. The other guy is Scott Stapp, the former front man of the Christian rock band, Creed. Kid rock told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the video was Scott`s idea.
KID ROCK, ROCK MUSICIAN: He came in there with his camera. And I`m standing there, these girls are with me and they`re kinda like, what`s with the camera or something. And he`s like, oh, no, no, it`s just mine. And I`m like whatever, whatever. I might not have been exactly sober at the time.
HAMMER: I understand. I understand. It`s rock and roll.
ROCK: It`s rock and roll, man. I`m not making any excuses. I was there. I was involved. I had a lot of fun. All right? Do I want to put the tape out? No, I really don`t want the tape to come out. It comes out. Do I care? No, I really don`t care.
HAMMER: Just getting a piece of the action.
ROCK: I will say, say impeccable timing, though, with my record coming out. If it`s going to come out, perfect timing.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that not every sex tape is a guaranteed money maker. Just look at the bedroom bomb starting former figure Tonya Harding and her now ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, the same guy that conspired to club Nancy Kerrigan.
HAMMER: A la Pam and Tommy, the couple filmed themselves on their honeymoon. But unlike Pam and Tommy, they then leaked the footage to the Internet and packaged its sale.
CAPLAN: Why? Because this girl was hungry for publicity. She was desperate. And when a celebrity is desperate for attention, what do they do? Seriously a sex tape lands on the Internet.
BRAGMAN: Tonya Harding didn`t have the goods in terms of being a sexpot in somebody that we all wanted to see, number one. And, number two, we didn`t feel like it was kind of quote/unquote "leaked". We felt like it was something very contrived, very controlled. People have a really good antenna for that. If they think they are seeing something they are not supposed to see, that`s exciting. If they are seeing something that was created and produced with them in mind, not so exciting.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s bath time.
HAMMER: Dustin Diamond is still mum about whether he had anything to do with this sex tape`s release. The former "Saved By The Bell" star, still known as Screech more than a decade after the TV show went off the air, told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he was livid when he found out footage with him, and two women, had made its way online.
DUSTIN DIAMOND, FMR. ACTOR: I`m going to see to it that you are shut down. I`m not like other celebrities. I`m going to fight this tooth and nail.
HAMMER: Well, the fighting didn`t last long. Heavily in debt and with a flagging career, Screech ended up authorizing the sale of the tape a few months later.
BRAGMAN: I read recently an interview by a male star and he said the only reason you would videotape sex is if you want somebody to see it. And if you want it to get out on the Internet. I think there`s some truth to that. Celebrities with brains do not let video cameras roll while they are having sex.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, Hollywood bad boy Collin Farrell also found himself in the center of a steamy sex-tape scandal. He ended up suing his ex- girlfriend, a "Playboy" playmate, when she tried to release some of their footage. Well, the two ended up settling out of court, that tape faded off into the sunset.
Some really, really explosive words coming from former "Gray`s Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington. Tonight, he says they fired the wrong guy. Isaiah who played Dr. Preston Burke on the hit ABC show was fired earlier this month. He, of course, was rocked by that story that he is an anti-gay slur during an on set fight with co-star Patrick Dempsey.
Now Washington tells "The Houston Chronicle" that it was other co- star T.R. Knight who stirred up the notion that the slur was targeted at him, T.R.
Knight, who later admitted that he was gay, also said that everyone on the set heard the slur. Washington emphatically denies that, saying, quote, "That`s a lie. I used a word during a disagreement with Patrick. I apologized for that. We shook hands and went back to work."
"I did everything they told me to do, including not saying anything and then they didn`t renew my contract. That`s not fair." Because of all this Isaiah says it should have been Knight who was fired, not him. We called ABC. ABC had no comment.
Jon Bon Jovi, unquestionably one of my favorite people in the music business. I`m going one on one with him. All about young Hollywood, the band, and Richie Sambora`s recent relationship and alcohol problems. Jon Bon Jovi opening up to me in a very candid interview with him, coming up next.
We`ve also got this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Just as rabid fans analyzed every frame of "The Sopranos" finale, we decided to analyze every line of the Clinton spoof.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I love this thing. Bill and Hillary`s standup of "The Sopranos" finale. I thought it was really funny. Really well done. But just like "The Sopranos", their version is taking a hit. I`ve got that fired up controversy coming up next.
And "The Munsters", one of my classic TV shows. But, of course, I know being a slightly intelligent human being, it`s all make believe. That wasn`t real. That`s not the case for some thieves who tried to steal Herman Munster`s, Munster car. I`ll explain coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
First, Paris Hilton is making money off of her sex tape. But what about money from time in the slammer? Talk today that NBC might actually pay $1 million for the first-post jail interview with Paris.
So, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we want to know: Paris Hilton, is it ok for her to profit from a time in jail? You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight. E- mail us at Showbiztonight@cnn.com. And if you`re a texting type of person, you can vote on the question of the day by zipping us a text on your cell phone, 45688, vote yes by writing showbiz yes, vote no by writing showbiz no. The number again, 45688.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON BON JOVI, ROCK MUSICIAN: I found it to be cathartic for Ritchie, you know, for him to get those demons off his chest once and for all. Hopefully with it all behind us now, we`ll get back to, you know, business as usual.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`m going one on one with Jon Bon Jovi. He is opening up about young Hollywood, his music and how his buddy, and band member, Richie Sambora is dealing with his relationship and alcohol problems.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. That`s coming up in just a couple of minutes.
But first, OK, so by now you probably heard about the Bill and Hillary Clinton spoof on "The Sopranos" finale`s final scene. I actually think they did a pretty good job. Just like the ending of "The Sopranos" it created all kinds of controversy, so has the Clinton cut. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Move over Carmella and Tony. Meet Bill and Hillary Soprano.
Talk about a hit, the Clinton`s "Sopranos" spoof made for almost the same front page in rival tabloids. "The Daily News" rated it as four bullet holes. The Clinton spoof almost got better reviews than "The Sopranos" finale.
Haven`t we seen this guy somewhere? He`s the one giving Bill and Hillary the evil eye.
(On camera): Wasn`t like a paid kind of gig?
VINCENT CURATOLA, PLAYED JOHNNY SACK: No, absolutely not.
MOOS: It was out of the goodness of your heart?
CURATOLA: I`m a $100,000 a day, I don`t think they`d pay that.
MOOS (voice over): Johnny Sack, real name Vincent Curatola, was a New York mob boss on "The Sopranos". He died on "The Sopranos" but survived the Clinton spoof. A spoof designed to announce the winner of Hillary`s campaign song contest.
(On camera): Just as rabid fans analyzed every frame of "The Sopranos" finale, we decided to analyze every line of the Clinton spoof.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What looks good tonight?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know.
BILL CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Anything look good?
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They have some great choices.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I went a head and ordered something for the table.
SINGER: Don`t stop believing
H. CLINTON: I ordered for the table.
B. CLINTON: No onion rings?
MOOS (on camera): And then there were the parallel, parallel parking scenes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mick`s coming separately.
H. CLINTON: Where`s Chelsea?
B. CLINTON: Parallel parking.
MOOS (voice over): They shot the spoof with the diner still open for business.
CURATOLA: I want to say it was about three takes, each angle. They were really prepared. Hillary and Bill knew they were acting and they came in actor-ready.
MOOS: As for the ending, the announcement of the winning campaign song.
H. CLINTON: Ready?
MOOS: You had to go to Hillary`s website to hear -- Celine Dion`s "You and I" got the most votes. Though many online comments were cruel: "Who can listen to Celine Dion for 500 days? Kill me, kill me now."
But the real killer, a song was originally performed by Canadian Celine Dion for Air Canada. One poster, commented, "Leave it to Hillary to outsource even her own theme song."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So America, get up here.
MOOS: And if Hillary wants to become president, she better not accidentally play the French version of "You and I."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
By the way, this is an amazing stat: "Don`t Stop Believing" that Journey song, that was used in "The Sopranos" finale; listen to this, according to "Billboard" magazine, the 1981 hit, hot again. It jumped in sales 371 percent this week. It rocketed all way to number 21 on the hot digital songs chart. Just amazing.
Time now for my revealing one-on-one interview with Jon Bon Jovi. For more than 20 years, Bon Jovi, the band, has managed to keep themselves out of the tabloids. Well, that changed this year. Guitarist Richie Sambora splashed all over the place as his long-time marriage to Heather Locklear ended in divorce. Then it was his super scandalous romance with her friend, Denise Richards, all over the place.
Things got even worse when Richie`s father died. And then he had to check into detox to deal with a drinking problem. Instead of letting the heartache get to them, Jon Bon Jovi told the band that they should write "Lost Highway" possibly their most personal album to date.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JON BON JOVI: With this record, I had no intention of going in the studio, mind you, last August when we got off the road. Here I am mid- September down in Nashville with a notebook and a pen, because I realized that all we had to do was internalize to find subject matter.
I watched what Ritchie was going through all through the last tour, and I watched what Dave was going through. We have been through everything together. Now we are getting to that place where death is knocking on people`s doors, and divorces are knocking on the door. You know, in a man`s 20s and 30s he`s looking to build a legacy, and in your 40s on you`re looking to leave one.
And this is all part of that life story. You know, things come, and things go. It was obvious to me that this was the record to write. And I found it to be cathartic for Richie for him to get those demons off his chest once and for all, and hopefully with it all behind us now, we will get back to, you know, business as usual.
HAMMER: Imagine for Richie Sambora, the cleansing process has to be huge. You know, having gone through so many private things in the public eye. From his divorce from Heather Locklear, from his relationship with Denise Richards and now, most recently, time spent in treatment for detox.
You have said to me, in the past, that you don`t allow those things to distract from the business of the band, but how do you really maintain the focus on the work when the noise is so loud from the outside?
JOVI: You close the doors. You kick each other in the rear end, and then you open the doors, and you go out there with the best face on. We had situations that were thrust in front of us at times that we didn`t need or want them, but you have to deal with them.
But the strength of an organization like ours that`s been together for as long as we have is that we are there to support each other through the good and the bad. And it doesn`t change your love for somebody. You just have to help them through it.
I personally haven`t had to deal with the loss of a parent yet nor have I had to deal with a divorce, so I can only be supportive, as an outsider looking in.
HAMMER: He looks terrific. How is he doing?
JOVI: He`s fine. He`s going to be great. Look, he knows it`s one day at a time right now, but the way I equate is it`s that of a method actor who puts on a role and then he carries that weight throughout the entire process of making the movie. And the day it`s over he takes off that costume and throws it off the cliff.
This time he took all of that that he had to deal with through life`s issues, got to the place where we recorded the record and he`s taken off the uniform, thrown it off the cliff -- and then I shot it in the back of the head, so there`s not sequel. You know? It`s not coming back. He`s going to be just fine.
HAMMER: His headlines coming at a time when so many stars, particularly young Hollywood stars, are making headlines; particularly for going into treatment facilities. And the tabloid attention is at a fever pitch like never before. Could you imagine what your life would have been like 25 years ago when you were first becoming rich and famous if the tabloid attention then was what it is now.
JOVI: It would probably be similar. One thing -- and you`ve known me long enough -- is we have never played that game. And we would have left Hollywood in a minute. To me a lot of those who are getting that kind of attention, A, shouldn`t be looking for it, and the media shouldn`t be feeding it -- with both parties are guilty.
And being from a place that doesn`t have that kind of media attention allows you to be a normal person. And being in New Jersey, for instance, where there`s not that paparazzi hanging out in the bushes looking to get you in trouble, or those clubs inviting the underage young starlet in to drink, doesn`t really exist. So it`s a different set of circumstances that have fed each other, and allowed this to happen.
HAMMER: Back in 2000 you were very active in the campaign for Al Gore, 2004, John Kerry. Curious if you have any plans coming up in the election that seems to have started so soon this time around?
JOVI: It has. I have no plans. But I imagine that I will get involved eventually. I`m going to be open-minded to anyone and everyone out there. And I mean that. You know, I think that the world is really ready for a change, and needs one. Just for our future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Jon also told me he is doing his part to focus on the environment. He just bought a hybrid car, because every little bit helps. Bon Jovi`s latest album, "Lost Highway" is terrific. It`s in stores now.
I love "The Munsters". One of my favorite classic TV shows. But tonight some knuckleheads tried to get away with a monster-size monster credit card theft.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
It`s time now for a story that made us say "That`s Ridiculous". We certainly have heard of pets getting credit cards, even dead people. But how about stealing credit info from a made up TV family. It`s true. Thieves in an underground chat room for stolen credit card numbers and data were selling some stuff about Herman Munster. Of course, the dad from the `60s TV sitcom.
Apparently, they didn`t realize "The Munsters" weren`t real. That did not stop them from offering up Herman`s personal details, like the Munster`s home address of 1313 Mockingbird Lane. A made up MasterCard number, even his birth date, which they pegged at August 15th, 1964. When you think about it, that`s about the time the show first hit the airwaves. As for this monster size Munster card stupidity, "That`s ridiculous!"
Well, yesterday we asked to you vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here` what we were asking: Nicole Richie`s second DUI, if convicted, should she go to jail? Overwhelming response, look at this, 93 percent of you say yes, she should go to jail. Only 7 percent of you saying, no, she shouldn`t. Lot of e-mails came in, too.
We heard from Julie in Iowa, "Nicole Richie, yes she needs to go to jail, just like the rest of the world would have to."
And Andrea from Florida writes, "Since this is her second DUI, I believe that Nicole should go to jail and serve more time than Paris. She has the means to hire a driver, instead of putting innocent people`s lives in danger. She did the crime so now she should do the time!"
I`m sure more than a hand slap on the desk there (ph).
It is the portion of the program where we look at what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, tomorrow, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report. Look out, it`s the release of the party girl. You heard me right. Paris Hilton is going to get ready to step out of jail. Lindsay Lohan is perhaps getting ready to get out of rehab. So we`re asking will these ladies actually be able to bounce back from all of that?
Plus, we have some very important advice for all young out of control Hollywood. That`s coming up tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, this lady, one of my favorite people in the business. "Three`s Company" star Suzanne Somers. Have a lot to talk to her about. Hollywood`s obsession with body image. Got to love Suzanne Somers Thigh Master. We will also talk to her about ageing in Hollywood, and so much more when Suzanne Somers joins me tomorrow night.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
This guy`s coming up next right after the latest from CNN "Headline News." Have a great one.
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