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Showbiz Tonight
Explosive Angelina Jolie Sex Secrets; Britney`s Baby Battle
Aired August 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: Angelina Jolie reveals explosive sex secrets. And a special look inside Lindsay Lohan`s latest reported rehab stay, with startling details of what she`s going through. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, stars who claim they`re exhausted.
But Amy Winehouse is saying yes, yes, yes to being treated for so- called exhaustion. Even Lindsay Lohan has tried it. So tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks the controversial question, are stars who claim they`re being treated for exhaustion really just hiding their out of control behavior? Are they rundown or giving us the run around?
Tonight, new shocking twists in the Britney baby battle with Britney Spears out partying again, Kevin Federline makes a startling move. But is it all about his kids or cash?
Plus, Britney`s disturbing relationship with her mom. As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, are stars` parents to blame for their kids` problems?
Hello. I`m AJ Hammer in New York. And we`ve just got to ask how much should we be blaming the parents of everyone from Britney Spears to Lindsay Lohan for their melt downs? Our special report, mommy, daddy dearest is coming up.
First, tonight, they tried to make her go to rehab, but she said --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no.
HAMMER: I`m not talking about Lindsay here, but singer Amy Winehouse, who is now the latest star claiming she`s getting help because she`s, quote, exhausted. Well, you know what, we`re exhausted.
The entire SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff has been working really hard all day long trying to get to the bottom of this whole exhaustion thing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Yes, we know British pop star Amy Winehouse says no, no, no to rehab, but some are suggesting she may want to reconsider, especially after hearing the reason she`s now giving for canceling some recent concert dates.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Amy`s recording company released a statement saying that she officially had severe exhaustion.
HAMMER: Exhaustion, an insidious disease that seems to strike a disproportionate amount of celebrities everywhere. Is Amy Winehouse the latest to fall victim to this fearsome condition?
PIAZZA: We all know how hard Amy has been partying.
HAMMER: Jo Piazza of the "New York Daily News" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Winehouse`s reputation for hard partying and hard living makes one wonder if she`s suffering from exhaustion or "exhaustion?"
PIAZZA: It seems like exhaustion is the new excuse for partying too hard.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you exhaustion is the excuse du jour used by many celebrities to explain a variety of mysterious hospitalizations, disappearances and addictions.
PIAZZA: I miss the days when food poisoning used to get you out of work.
HAMMER: When Britney Spears passed out at a nightclub, her publicist claims exhaustion. But soon after --
And Britney went. More than once Lindsay Lohan used exhaustion as her excuse of choice for missing work days on the set.
PIAZZA: When she was on the set of "Georgia Rule," she called in sick to work with exhaustion. And the producer, James Robinson, actually called her on it, was like, look, I know you were out late last night. Don`t try to tell me that you`re exhausted.
HAMMER: A short time after Lindsay`s bout with exhaustion --
And Lindsay went, several times this year, in fact.
We`ve seen celebrities from Kate Moss to Colin Ferrell to Eminem all claim exhaustion, only to have their substance abuse issues come to light.
PIAZZA: They all just seem to be so exhausted all the time. It must be really tiring to be them.
HAMMER: Winehouse`s publicist tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that the singer did really cancel her shows because of exhaustion and not because of the drug binge British tabloids are claiming she succumbed to. But it`s getting to the point that whenever you hear a hard-partying celebrity claim exhaustion, you have to wonder, are they pulling a Pinocchio?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Perhaps you haven`t been telling the truth, Pinocchio.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, 15 MINUTES PR: It`s the truth, but not necessarily the whole truth.
HAMMER: Hollywood publicist Howard Bragman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT people in his line of work love the word exhaustion, because it keeps celebrity publicist on the right side of the truth. Sort of.
BRAGMAN: By the time your client is in a hospital having their stomach pumped with an overdose, they probably are exhausted.
HAMMER: Reasoning even Pinocchio would love. But Bragman says that sometimes with celebrities exhaustion really is plain old exhaustion.
BRAGMAN: They have to shoot all night. They have to do stunts, be in uncomfortable positions, and sometimes they are just exhausted.
HAMMER: Yes, but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to point out 70-year-old Morgan Freeman is in every other movie Hollywood makes. You never hear him claiming exhaustion.
And Tony Bennett is 81. He does countless concerts a year. How many of those shows gets canceled because of exhaustion?
PIAZZA: You would think that the younger people would have more stamina than these older celebrities. Yet, somehow Lindsay Lohan is really tired.
HAMMER: So could exhaustion be a cop-out for the rich, the famous, and the hung over?
PIAZZA: Normal people don`t have the luxury of calling into their boss and saying, oh, I`m so exhausted. I`m tired. I`m not going to work today.
HAMMER: So the reality is that if you can sing or act well enough to get famous, you can afford to be exhausted. But the rest of us are left with cheaper remedies, like laying off the hard stuff. Or going to rehab. When all else fails, just getting some sleep.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Tonight dramatic new developments in the Britney Spears custody battle. Here is what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT knows right now. Tomorrow may be the day that she faces off with her ex-husband Kevin Federline in the battle for full custody of their two young boys. And, in a surprising move -- listen to this -- K-Fed`s attorney has served papers to Britney`s cousin and former assistant Allie Simms (ph), who could actually hold the secrets to Britney`s bizarre behavior.
And even during all this drama, Britney has been seen hitting clubs with Allie Simms over the weekend. What is Britney to do now?
With me tonight in New York, criminal defense attorney and TV host Lauren Lake, in Philadelphia, with us tonight, family law attorney Jennifer Brandt. Lauren, Jennifer, thank you both for being here.
This is a beautiful thing, isn`t it? Look at what`s going on. Even as Britney is heading off to court to fight for custody of her precious two young boys, we`re once again seeing her out over the weekend really looking like the Britney of old. She`s half dressed. She`s looking like she was having a really good time.
Lauren, this is not exactly the right motherly image she should be putting across right now, is it?
LAUREN LAKE, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Absolutely not. What is she thinking? I know her lawyer is sitting back going what in the world is this girl doing? This is absolutely the wrong thing to be doing right now in the wrong way. I don`t know if Britney understands the severity of what`s going on, what`s at stake here.
Hello, her children, custody. It`s time for her to be showing her best self, living her best life, not running around acting like a party girl. I don`t get this.
HAMMER: I`m a little dumbfounded. That`s exactly what I think, Lauren. But, Jennifer, let me go to you on this, because you are a family law attorney. This is what you do for a living. So, if a judge sees that Britney is shopping by day, clubbing by night, she`s skinny-dipping after hours, does it really matter? Can she just argue, you know, hey, I`m there with the kids when they need me? Or in her case, in cases like this, is image everything?
JENNIFER BRANDT, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: The truth is, it really doesn`t matter. She might not be doing too well in the court of public opinion right now, but it`s what happened in the trial court that really matters. And what`s most important is that Britney`s lawyers are gearing up for this battle that`s going to happen.
The judge is going to be focussing on what is best for these children. And if Britney is a good mom when she`s with them, that`s what counts. Not --
LAKE: AJ, what also counts is how much she is with them, and that`s going to be relevant in court. And the attorneys are going to have a problem if she`s spending too much time partying and not enough time with the kids. That`s where it does get relevant.
BRANDT: Well, here`s the thing. I mean, they have fifty-fifty custody right now. And how much time is K-Fed available to spend with these children?
LAKE: That wasn`t the question that was posed. The question that was posed is Britney right now spending as much time, and I think that is what we were talking about.
HAMMER: Here`s what I think. You know, we`ve seen in the past where the court of public opinion can certainly bleed over to the court of law. You know, the judge does probably watch TV. I want to give you a perfect example of what I`m talking about here. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- can we put this invitation up, Chris?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained this invitation to the Luxor Hotel`s new nightclub in Vegas called LAX. Now, I also got the press release in my hot little hands about what is I`m sure to be a historic and momentous occasion. Let me read to you from this press release, "LAX Nightclub will open its doors for the first time on Friday, August 31, with the girl everyone wants to party with, Britney Spears. Come party until the early morning hours with Spears.
Invitation to party. Lauren, I`m looking at that thinking it`s an invitation for Kevin Federline to come and get the kids for good.
LAKE: Well, we`re not going to be overly dramatic. It`s not an invitation for that, but what I will say is, as an attorney who has practiced family law -- I will say this, when we`re in a custody battle, the last thing I really need you to be doing is out partying and promoting things and drinking and skinny-dipping. This is a time for us to bare down and get serious and focus on the case.
As an attorney, we need to put our best foot forward at that time. Yes, stars do make appearances. They make appearances to make money. That`s understood. But does she have to do all of this right now? Absolutely not. We want to make sure that public opinion does not transfer over into court, even though it should not. You know, in the great scheme of things --
HAMMER: Well, yes.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Hold on one more second. Let`s put the court of public opinion aside for a moment, because, as I mentioned, what could really prove to be the bombshell is the fact that her cousin and former assistant Allie Simms, who has defended Britney`s parenting in the past -- well, she was served papers related to the custody battle. Jennifer, I have to imagine -- well, this could possibly go both ways. But it really could be K-Fed`s ace in the hole here if she is forced to testify under oath about Britney`s parenting and partying.
BRANDT: It could certainly be, but it also could be a very risky maneuver on the side of K-Fed`s lawyers because we don`t know what she`s going to say, and they don`t know what she`s going to say. She could go in and say, look, I have observed Britney with these children many times, and she`s a fantastic mom. She cares for them. She`s with them all the time. She`s doing a great job.
When we`re talking about 50 percent custody, this is what the court thinks is very important, is that both parties be involved in the lives of these children. That`s the situation right now. Really, what has changed since this has been --
HAMMER: As I said, perhaps as early as tomorrow. I got to end it there. I`m out of time. Jennifer Brandt, I do thank you. Lauren Lake as well, I appreciate you being with us tonight. Personally, I don`t really think Britney is helping herself one bit with her kids by running around and partying. What about Britney`s disturbing relationship with her mother? Are stars` parents to blame for their kids` problems? It is a SHOWBIZ special report not to be missed, mommy, daddy dearest. We`ll get into that at 30 past the hour.
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People may think that the wild child Angelina from before and the humanitarian family woman of now don`t make any sense, but actually they do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Angelina Jolie used to be one of the wildest women in Hollywood. And, man, I can`t belief how much she`s chilled out. A revealing look at her startling transformation coming up. Plus, Angelina is also revealing some shocking sex secrets. What she`s given up since getting together with Brad Pitt is on the way.
And make no bones about it, the cutest doggy wedding I have ever seen. Well, it`s the only doggy wedding I have ever seen. A dog gone good video of the day is going to leave you howling coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m AJ Hammer in New York. Tonight, Angelina Jolie is saying bye-bye to being bi. In a revealing interview with the French magazine "Public," Angelina says, "I have never hidden my bisexuality, but since I`ve been with Brad, I abandoned women. Now there`s no room for that or S&M in my life."
You have to remember she was a wild one. Jolie had a sizzling same sex relationship with model Jenny Shimizu (ph). They met on the set of the 1996 movie "Fox Fire." Jolie is also fighting back. All those rumors of trouble with Brad Pitt, adding, quote, he lets me talk to whomever I want. He has complete blind faith in me.
The tabloids have been reporting for weeks now that there are all kinds of problems in the Brangelina clan. I met Angelina Jolie a couple of times. Let me tell you, shocking people nothing new for her. Playing with knives, wearing vials of blood around her neck. All part of that AJ`s history, definitely not this one.
Now she`s a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. How did that happen? Is she for real? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson can tell you Jolie has done some serious life juggling.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): It`s the picture of perfection, Angelina Jolie with the newest addition to her and Brad Pitt`s growing family, Vietnamese orphan Pax Thien. These pictures are a far cry from her wild days just a few years ago. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been there every step of the way. How did Angelina Jolie go from wild child to humanitarian and mother? A modern day Mother Theresa?
JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: People may think that the wild child Angelina from before and the humanitarian family woman of now don`t make any sense, but actually they do.
ANDERSON: They do? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT still can`t believe Angelina`s transformation. So we are going deep into the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT archives back to the 1990s. She came out of nowhere to win two Golden Globes. Jolie was on the fast track to becoming a big star with a juicy personal life to boot.
KURIANSKY: She was the typical wild child. She did everything in extreme, off the charts. Hanging blood on her neck from Billy Bob, her boyfriend, kissing her brother in a very erotic way.
ANDERSON: Oh, that kiss. Even though she won an Academy Award that year for "Girl Interrupted," that kiss only added fuel to the girl gone wild fire.
JILL DOBSON, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: She said likes to do things with knives. She said she was bisexual. Lots of headlines.
KURIANSKY: When you are young and you have a great deal of energy like Angelina did, you can express it in those wild sexual and drug and acting out ways, and you don`t really have a purpose in life.
ANDERSON: But something happened. After shooting her starring role in "Laura Croft Tomb Raider," she adopted her first son Maddox from a Cambodian orphanage.
DOBSON: When she was in Cambodia, she saw victims of violence there, saw what they were going through, learned about the U.N. program to help refugees and thought this group is helping 20 million people, and I have never even heard of it.
ANDERSON: So Jolie, with the help of the United Nations, set off on her first mission to the war-torn region of Sierra Leon, a visit she describes years later to CNN`s Anderson Cooper as one that transformed her forever.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: Suddenly you see these people who are really fighting something, who are really surviving, who have so much pain, loss, and things that you have no idea.
ANDERSON: Her inner transformation came as her marriage to Billy Bob Thornton broke down. Jolie threw herself into her work with the U.N. and was honored for her work as a humanitarian.
JOLIE: I`m just so happy to be a part of the U.N. and a part of this family of people.
ANDERSON: Jolie continued her travels, Chad in 2004, Thailand, Lebanon, visiting refugee camps at every stop.
DOBSON: The fact that she`s been doing it behind the scenes for several years before we all heard about it really shows that she wasn`t just doing it for the spotlight.
ANDERSON: But the spotlight returned to Angelina`s personal life when Jolie began work on a new film "Mr. And Mrs. Smith." There were whispers she and her co-star Brad Pitt had fallen in love, even though the two didn`t confirm the relationship for months.
As the media swirled around them, she adopted her daughter Zahara, an AIDS orphan from Ethiopia. It was this new Angelina that struck a cord with Pitt, who filed papers to jointly adopt Maddox and Zahara. But it didn`t end there. Angelina turned the world`s attention towards the impoverished African nation of Namibia, where she gave birth to their daughter Shiloh. Now as a mom to a brood of children, her wild and crazy days are behind her.
KURIANSKY: When you are mature, you find the right man. You find the right kind of a goal in life, like helping other people, as she has. Then that energy gets transformed and used in another way. Angelina has found her purpose in life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: The rest of Angelina`s 2007 calendar is still packed. She`s got a bunch of trips coming up all over the world on behalf of her humanitarian efforts.
Well, Angelina Jolie might have put her wild child ways behind her, but Britney, Lindsay, all those young stars, not happening yet. Coming up, a couple of the biggest stars out there really opening up about out of control young Hollywood. Plus, what about the stars` parents?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kids learn what they live, and she`s a really good example of that. So the mom needs to stop asking for reality shows and book deals and step in and save her daughter`s life, because Lindsay is really in trouble.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Lindsay, Britney, are their disturbing relationships with their moms the main reason why they`re so messed up. Tonight we`re asking the controversial question, are stars` parents to blame for their kids` problems. A SHOWBIZ special report, mommy, daddy dearest coming up.
Speaking of messed up, a doggy wedding? Seriously, some people need to get out more, at least come up with a different way to get on TV. The barking bride and groom on the way on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: You know, any time that we head off to a Hollywood party, a red carpet premier, the stars have so much to say about young out of control Hollywood stars. They get very fired up on the subject. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with the stars of the new movie "Death Sentence."
I got to tell you, they didn`t hold back one bit. Kind of interesting. They said we definitely should not forget there are some good girls out there, and all this craziness, all the wild stories, well, it may not really be anything new.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN BACON, ACTOR: Stuff like that when I was coming up too. And you think about maybe it was a little bit more, you know, pushed under the rug, and I think maybe we have a slightly stronger presence in the media about people`s private lives, or at least more and more of an obsession.
KELLY PRESTON, ACTRESS: A lot of kids who are doing amazingly well too, and who are really deciding not to go in that direction, who I applaud tremendously. I mean, it`s -- you can see both sides. It`s -- it can be pretty rough out there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kind of makes you think, right? I have seen some of the clips. "Death Sentence" really looks pretty good and it will be in theaters August 31st.
All right, so there have been all kinds of whispers going around that "Gray`s Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo (ph) is battling an eating disorder. I mean, she is pretty thin, after all. It must be where the rumors started. Well, coming up, Ellen setting the record straight. I also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We think that Britney Spears might have been always close with her mom, but we don`t know that for sure, because we don`t know the kind of resentment that`s built up over the years. Remember, Britney started very young, and she was the one who was supporting her family.
(END VIDEO CLIP):
HAMMER: Britney, Lindsay, are their disturbing relationship with their moms the main reason why they`re so messed up? Tonight, I`m asking the controversial questions, are stars` parents to blame for their kids` problems?
Speaking of messed up, a doggy wedding. Seriously, some people just need to get out more, at least come up with a different way to get on TV. The barking bride and groom coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER LAWRENCE, PSYCHOLOGIST, AUTHOR: Kids learn what they live. And she a really good example of that, so the mom needs to stop asking for reality shows and book deals and step in and save her daughter`s life because Lindsay is really in trouble.
HAMMER: Could Lindsay`s strained relationship with her parents be part of reason why she`s reportedly back in rehab? From Lindsay and her mom and dad, to Angelina and her father, to Britney and her mom. What happens with when stars and their parents just can`t seem to get along? Tonight a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, "Mommy, Daddy Dearest".
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. Tonight Lindsay Lohan`s life in rehab. Now, the 21-year-old is reportedly just about halfway through rehab. And there`s word it`s not one of the la-di-da places either. Will it actually do her a world of good? That is coming up.
First, tonight Lindsay, Britney, are their disturbing relationships with their moms the main reason why she are so messed up? Are star`s "Mommy and Daddy Dearest" to blame for their kids` problems? It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If Lindsay Lohan hasn`t had enough troubles on her hands, life at home for her hasn`t been easy either. Her parents have been at war for years. The battles have been bitter and didn`t stop even on the day Lindsay was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence for the second time. Her father, Michael Lohan, went on "Larry King Live" to throw yet another salvo.
MICHAEL LOHAN, LINDSAY`S FATHER: I love my children, always did and always will.
ANDERSON: The next shot was fired by Lindsay`s sister, Ali, on the record defending mom Dina and slamming dear old dad.
(On camera): Ali Lohan clearly having to take sides here. And I want to take a look at part of the e-mail that she wrote: "My father is telling all lies to people and saying he was such a great dad, and was always there for us. My father was never there for us. My mom was always there supporting us."
(voice over): Talk about a broken family. And Lindsay isn`t the only star in Hollywood whose relationship with dad is on the skids. Just ask superstar Angelina Jolie.
DAVID CAPLAN, VH1`S 24SIZZLER.COM: Angelina has a very rocky relationship with her dad, Jon Voight, and that stems from the fact that he spoke a lot to the press a few years ago, when Angelina Jolie was adopting kids. She did not like that.
ANDERSON: Oh, no. She didn`t. In fact, the two haven`t spoken since, and Jon Voight is very careful when he talks about his estranged daughter these days. Take a listen to what he told me when I interviewed him.
JON VOIGHT, ACTOR: I don`t talk about -- I send my daughter my love and certainly my prayers, and she does a lot of wonderful things on behalf of other people. I`m impressed with that aspect of her life and I always wish her well and with Brad and their child and their children, I wish them well, too.
ANDERSON: Oh, Hollywood family drama. And it`s not just celebrity daughters and their dads who don`t get along. Just ask Britney Spears who is reportedly on the outs with mom, Lynn.
CAPLAN: Britney Spears and her mom, Lynn, were always very close. They did so many things together. They were always out in L.A. together, but once Brittney hit rock bottom, that is when the relationship really became strained.
ANDERSON: Strained? That`s an understatement. Take a look at this picture of Britney reportedly handing her mother walking papers to stay away from her and Britney`s two children. Not a good relationship there. And the question remains was it ever really that good of a relationship?
COOPER LAWRENCE, PSYCHOLOGIST, AUTHOR: We think that Britney Spears might have been always close with her mom, but we don`t know that for sure because we don`t know the kind of resentment that`s built up over the years. Remember, Britney started very young, and she was the one who was supporting her family. It`s really -- there was a lot of anger that`s built within that relationship because you change the parent-child relationship, now, in terms of who is taking care of who. When you add that to the mix, the closeness gets a little muddled.
ANDERSON: And oftentimes too close. Let`s go back to Lindsay Lohan. This time it`s about her mom, Dina, partying along side her celebrity kid.
CAPLAN: The two of them are almost more like sisters than they are mother and daughter. They go out to clubs together, to restaurants together, the same parties. They really socialize a lot together, which is a little bit unconventional for most mother and daughters.
ANDERSON: Yeah. No kidding. Unconventional and according to psychology expert Cooper Lawrence, it`s teaching Lindsay bad habits. Some might even say her troubles of today can be rooted back to her parents.
LAWRENCE: Kids learn what they live, and she`s a really good example of that, so the mom needs to stop asking for reality shows and book deals, and step in and save her daughter`s life because Lindsay is really in trouble.
ANDERSON: And, after all, having a mom that you can look up to and learn all the great mothering skills from is, indeed, a great thing. Just look at how Angelina`s relationship with her late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, helped shape the Oscar-winning actress into mother of the year.
LAWRENCE: What you can tell about Angelina and her mom and their relationship is look at how nurturing Angelina has become. She`s not just a mom. She`s a mom times four, and she`s looking for more kids, so she really gets the mom thing.
ANDERSON: Getting the mom thing down, or having discord with dad, celebrities are no different than everyone else.
CAPLAN: When we look at Hollywood, we always think these people are so different from us and there`s nothing in common, but if you look at these relationships, these celebrities and their parents, and they`re really just like the general population at large.
ANDERSON: And, after all, celebrities, like everyone else, are a product of their parents, whether they like it or not.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, Lindsay Lohan is far, far away from her parents. She is reportedly tucked away in rehab. This is her third stint in rehab in the last year, and for the first time tonight when learning about the reality check Lindsay is getting at this particular rehab center, this is the one that she went to after her DUI and cocaine arrest because Lindsay is in Utah doing some hard rehab time.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Ken Seeley, he`s lead interventionist from A&E`s hit show "Intervention." and Jane Velez- Mitchell, investigative journalist, and author of the book, "Secrets Can Be Murder".
Ken, Jane, it`s good to see you both, and, Ken, I want to start with you because you, after all, are one of the premier rehab experts in the country. You know a lot about this particular facility, the Cirque (ph) in Utah. What I know it costs $30,000 a month. Tell me if we`re hearing this right, that this is the kind of place, despite that $30,000 a month price tag, where Lindsay could actually be doing things like scrubbing toilets and sharing a room with strangers?
KEN SEELEY, INTERVENTIONIST, "INTERVENTION": I love that, A.J. I think that`s so powerful. I remember when Betty Ford went into treatment, and she was put in her room with two roommates, and they said, you know -- she goes don`t you know who I am? And they were, like, well, yes, we do, but that`s the way treatment is done. And that`s what Lindsay needs. She needs the roots and what is necessary to help save her life. No more special treatment.
HAMMER: I`m just trying to pick her with a toothbrush cleaning the toilet bowl if that`s what she`s doing. I`m trying to understand the why -- and, Jane, you have been very open and honest on our show about your own road to recovery. Now, Lindsay has been living out of hotels for the last couple of years between her drinking and partying. You know, with the room service and the housekeeping. How could something like doing house work help her with her addiction?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Well, A.J., it`s absolutely fabulous for her. Cleaning toilets, doing the laundry, scrubbing the floors, it allows a recovering addict and alcoholic -- and a celebrity -- to exercise a muscle they very rarely use, and that muscle is called humility.
Addicts are renowned for being narcissistic and grandiose. When we`re in our disease, we think the rules do not apply to us. The world revolves around us, and that`s what you have to get out of. To get humble is the way to get out of it. There`s a saying. You can either get humble sober, or you can be continually humiliated drunk.
HAMMER: I don`t want to make light of this at all, Jane, so please don`t take this, this way. If I were forced to clean toilets with a toothbrush, it would make me want to have a drink.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, I can see that. But it`s almost a relief. It`s very exhausting being that grandiose and that narcissistic. When you get to give that up and you surrender all of that, and you can become humble and you realize where you are in the world. A piece of it and not the sun that the entire universe revolves around. It`s a tremendous relief. There`s a freedom to it.
HAMMER: Yes, I can imagine. That does make a lot of sense.
Here`s something else I want help understanding, Ken. TMZ reporting that Lindsay did eight days in an intense detox program in L.A. before she headed out to rehab in Utah. I should say that Lindsay`s reps aren`t commenting on this. But, Ken, is it customary to go through that kind of a detox, or does this really indicate that she really needed, for lack of a better term, be cleaned out?
SEELEY: Yes, A.J., I don`t know if I`m believing that. If she went through an eight-day detox, that`s a lot of drugs in her system, and supposedly, that whole time she was sober. So, you know, for one relapse, you don`t need an eight-day detox from -- especially what was found on her possession, is cocaine. You don`t need eight days for that.
So, I`m thinking it is a bunch of BS, to show that, you know, she is doing what she needs to do for the press. I still stand the same. Let the court do their job and mandate two years of drug program. That`s what needs to happen for her. It`s the only thing.
HAMMER: We`ve been talking about the importance was parenting and how that plays a role in these young kids` lives. Lindsey`s parents were just in court, they`ve been trying to finalize this nasty divorce battle.
Listen to what her dad, Michael, had to say when reporters asked her how the kids are doing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL LOHAN, LINDSAY`S FATHER: God has to work on people`s hearts, and finally he worked on the right hearts in this case. You know, it`s not about money. It`s about the kids. I`ve said that all along.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s about the kids. Let`s not forget, dad has been through rehab, he has been to jail. Her mother has her own issues. Jane, tell me what you think. How much of her addiction could be caused from dealing with all the daddy-mama drama she`s had to deal with?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, a lot of it A.J. People drink and take drugs for one basic reason, to escape. And they`re trying to escape internal pain. When your parents are at war with divorce battles an custody battles and protection orders, that`s got to cause tremendous trauma. We have to remember Lindsay is only 21 years old. These are the issues she has to deal with in therapy. She has to puncture this festering pain and get the slate clean. Otherwise, she`s going to be in too much pain to get sober.
HAMMER: Let us hope this is the reality check that she does, indeed, need and that will get her on the straight and narrow path.
Ken Seeley, Jane Velez-Mitchell, I thank you both for joining me tonight.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks, A.J.
SEELEY: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: Well, Hollywood is mourning the death of a giant in the entertainment industry, Merv Griffin. Coming up we`ve got a look at his extraordinary life, including how he wrote the theme song for "Jeopardy" and how long it took and who Merv said was the one and only person he ever interviewed who intimidated him.
Also ahead, you`ve probably seen the tabloid reports, all the snarky stuff that said there is no way "Grey`s Anatomy" star Ellen Pampeo can be so skinny and not have an eating disorder. Well, she has had enough. Coming up, Ellen sets the record straight.
And you`ve heard of grooming a dog, but how about a dog that`s a groom? You`ll get to meet the cutest newlyweds you have ever seen. That is coming up next. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
It is time now for the SHOWBIZ video of the day. And it`s a wedding video tonight. You are cordially invited to the wedding of Shug, a Jack Russell terrier, to Duke, a pug mix. Yes, this blessed event took place in Vermont. Shug`s owner says there is a pre-nup. Any bones that Shug brings into the marriage, you know what -- just look at the cute doggy video.
After the wedding the couple ate a cake made of flour, dog food, and peanut butter. And we hope they have a long and a happy marriage and can look back on this wonderful day whenever things get a little -- ruff! If you know what I`m saying.
Even though he`s just a dog, let us hope that Duke can stay faithful. Hopefully he won`t share Kate Hudson`s mindset about men and fidelity.
Now, last week we told you about some pretty shocking things that Kate said about cheating. She told "Harper`s Bazaar" magazine that as primal beings, men aren`t supposed to be monogamous. She said, she loves that men find it hard to be faithful and women need to spend more time trying to understand that.
So, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Which was, "Monogamy in Hollywood. Is it unrealistic?" Look at this, 36 percent of you say yes; 40 percent of you said, no.
A lot of interesting e-mail came in on the topic. Let me share a few of them with you now. Including one from Devon in Ohio, who says, As a man he is insulted by what Kate writes. He writes: I think I can speak for many among the male community who find monogamy a virtue, as opposed to a chore."
Michelle from Arkansas writes, "Celebrities should take marriage more seriously, or simply not get married. Being a celebrity doesn`t make it right to cheat."
It was a triumphant return on "Good Morning America" today, just 10 days after undergoing breast cancer surgery, co-anchor Robin Roberts was back on the air this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN ROBERTS, CO-ANCHOR, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": Everyone has been so exceedingly kind and generous. I have been -- it`s been lovely being with my family at home, but I couldn`t wait to see my family here, and it just feels good.
DIANE SAWYER, CO-ANCHOR, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": We`re going to be talking about decisions to come back, and not come back to work. And also, other women who had to make these decisions, and some of the challenges of it, and some of the things you don`t think about.
ROBERTS: Because one of the things people asked me when they heard that I was going to have surgery, when are you coming back? When are you coming back? I was, like -- I -- I don`t know. This is totally new territory for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Roberts said after talking to her doctor and getting lots of support from other cancer survivors, she realized she needed to get back to her routine. Doctors say her surgery was very successful. And, of course, we wish her all the best as she continues to recover.
Hollywood is mourning the death of a true legend, and today even the president weighed in with his sympathy. Merv Griffin died yesterday from prostate cancer at the age of 82.
In a statement today, President Bush called Griffin a man of innovation, and energy. Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson, with a look back Merv Griffin`s extraordinary life and career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: With a wide, welcoming grin and a tinkle in his eye, Merv Griffin had an easy demeanor and hearty laugh that was infectious. The epitome of versatility, Griffin was a singer.
MERVE GRIFFIN: Thanks for the memories --
ANDERSON: Bandleader, actor, and media mogul, but he is probably best known as host of "The Merv Griffin Show."
GRIFFIN: If the talks shows were good, at the time, they chronicled even better than the history books the times that we were living in.
ANDERSON: His talk show began in 1962 and ran for nearly a quarter of a century, during which time Griffin interviewed 25,000 guests.
GRIFFIN: There was only one person who ever intimidated me in 23 years of doing the show, and that was Mrs. Rose Kennedy. You knew that she ruled the roost.
ANDERSON: In April 2006 the Griffin`s production company, Merv Griffin Entertainment, released a DVD set featuring his most memorable interviews, including Rose Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and a fresh faced Tom Cruise in 1983.
GRIFFIN: You seem a little shy about all that applause?
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: No. I`m OK.
ANDERSON: Griffin was a native Californian, born in the San Francisco suburb of San Mateo, on July 6, 1925. At 19 he began his singing career on the radio working his way into nightclubs as a solo performer. In 1950 Griffin scored a hit with "I`ve Got A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts", which sold 3 million copies.
GRIFFIN (SINGING): I`ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts --
ANDERSON: Merv Griffin became a household name. In part, because he created two of the most successful game shows in syndication history: "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy" and for writing their theme songs.
ANNOUNCER: This is "Jeopardy!"
GRIFFIN: The "Jeopardy!" theme amazing. I wrote it in about 15 minutes. Just sat there on the piano and wrote this simple little folk song.
ANDERSON: In 1986 Griffin sold "Jeopardy" and "Wheel" to Columbia Pictures Television to $250 million. That same year he was named the richest Hollywood performer in history, on "Forbes" annual list of the 400 wealthiest people in America.
Griffin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1996. I recovered and told CNN in early 2006 he felt great, and hadn`t changed
GRIFFIN: I do everything that I`m not supposed to do. And I don`t do it intentionally. I have just smoked all my life, and I still smoke. I eat too much. And I don`t exercise. I take a taxi to a taxi.
ANDERSON: Over the course of his career, Griffin received 17 Emmy awards, and in 1994 was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. But Griffin measured success not by accolades, but by his ability to make people laugh.
GRIFFIN: I just hope I entertain the most people, and they had fun with it and stuff. And my tombstone will read, "I will not be right back after this message."
ANDERSON: His sense of humor always intact, Merv Griffin was the consummate entertainer.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Truly an un paralleled giant in show business and he`ll be sorely missed. That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson with a look back at Merv Griffin`s extraordinary life.
Well, Ellen Pompeo is sounding off about all those tabloid reports that she has an eating disorder. The "Grey`s Anatomy" star has lots to say, not just about her own anatomy, but what it is about young Hollywood that really makes her mad. Ellen Pompeo, unplugged next.
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HAMMER: Now, "Grey`s Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo is sounding off about everything, from young Hollywood, to the media`s obsession with her weight.
Ellen gets very candid in an interview she did with "Los Angeles Confidential" magazine. She is naturally very thin, she says. She`s only ever fluctuated about two or three pounds in her adult life.
Ellen makes it very clear she does not, I repeat, does not have an eating disorder. And she worries that because of the media young girls who look up to her will think they have to starve themselves to look like her.
One thing Ellen is keeping pretty quiet about is the firing of her "Grey`s Anatomy" co-star Isaiah Washington, after he used an anti-gay slur. Ellen says she thinks everyone is tired of hearing about it. And she wants to move forward.
Ellen is also tired of the national obsession with Paris Hilton and company. She doesn`t mention them by name in the article, but it isn`t too hard to figure out exactly who she`s talking about. She says, quote, "I just think the media should take this country in a different direction. We are so focused on the wrong things. We`re teaching young girls that this is what they should be focusing on, rich and famous girls, who are rich and famous for nothing. What are we doing to this younger generation? It`s not very responsible."
For more with Ellen Pompeo just grab a copy of "Los Angeles Confidential" magazine. You`ll find it on newsstands on Wednesday.
We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of day. Here it is, tonight: Britney still out partying, is she in danger of losing her kids? We want to know what you think, so keep voting cnn.com/showbiz tonight. You can always write to us at show biz tonight@cnm.com. We`ll be reading some of your emails tomorrow.
It is time now to find out what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And tomorrow it is a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report: "Britney in Crises". As Kevin Federline heads to court, possibly trying to get full custody of their kids, the question is could Britney`s own mom actually play a role in her daughter losing custody?
And, of course, we got to talk about Britney`s constant club hopping. Is there possibly any way to explain her strange behavior, and a lot of people are wondering if with all that strange behavior she`s actually ruined her chance to make some kind of a comeback in her career, which we would all like to see happen. That is all coming up tomorrow in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, "Britney in Crises".
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for a Monday night. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
"Glenn Beck" coming up next. Right after the latest from CNN "Headline News". Have a great night.
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