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Showbiz Tonight
Special Report, `Celebrity Justice?!`: Nicole Richie Only Serves 82 Minutes In County Jail! Is There Special Treatment In Hollywood?
Aired August 24, 2007 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: A star of "Spiderman," robbed. And your first look at Brad Pitt as the outlaw Jesse James. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, law and order with Lindsay and Nicole. Nicole Richie`s time in jail -- blink, and you would have missed it. So why did Nicole spend 82 minutes -- yup, 82 minutes -- in jail, for her DUI sentence? And why is Lindsay going to spend just one day in jail for her two DUIs?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: By the time news hit that Nicole had checked herself into jail, she was already back out on the streets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Is justice being served? Are Lindsay and Nicole getting special treatment?
Plus, Lindsay`s shocking statement about her life, her addictions, and taking responsibility. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has all the bases covered, in the perfect storm of Lindsay and Nicole`s brushes with the law.
Hi there. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. Hammer has the night off. We`ve got Nicole Richie going into jail for a whopping 82 minutes. We`ve got Lindsay Lohan copping a plea, where she`ll have to go to jail for one day. I can`t figure out which one is more outrageous and can`t figure out which one we should tell you about first.
Let the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT lucky quarter decide. Heads, Lindsay. Tails, Nicole. It is tails, Nicole. All right, I cannot tell you how many people have said, are you kidding me, after hearing Nicole Richie went into jail for 82 minutes. You call this justice, they said? Frankly, it had us wondering, what`s going on here? Is this really justice served or drive- through justice, Hollywood style?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pregnant Hollywood blonde served 82 minutes of a four-day jail sentence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A cup of coffee.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Nicole Richie probably didn`t have time for a cup of coffee. The 82 minutes she spent in jail for driving under the influence was greeted with shock and disbelief on the morning news shows.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nicole Richie served 82 minutes in jail.
ANDERSON: To make things even more ridiculous, the same day of the Richie quickie, Lindsay Lohan learned her penalty for driving drunk twice and getting caught with cocaine both times.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She only has 24 hours in county jail to do.
ANDERSON: One day, if she even serves that much time.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": We should get an office pool going of exactly what part of an hour Lindsay Lohan is going to spend in jail.
ANDERSON: Eighty two minutes, one day. Is it any wonder the cover of the "New York Post" read "Bimbos Behind Bars Briefly." Even the "Today Show`s" Matt Lauer couldn`t help himself.
MATT LAUER, "THE TODAY SHOW": Our show is longer than some of these sentences.
ANDERSON: And when you remember that Paris Hilton`s DUI related offense only her a day in jail before a judge sent her back for more, it seems that Hollywood stars are spending less time in jail for DUI than normal Americans spend in line at the DMV.
PIAZZA: They`re really getting a slap on the wrist. They`re not serving the time that a normal person would serve.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, stars may get 15 minutes of fame, but should their jail sentences for DUI be just as short? Richie`s punishment stemmed from this December arrest, where she admitted to cops she got behind the wheel after smoking marijuana and taking Vicodin.
PIAZZA: Nicole was found driving the wrong way down the Pacific Coast highway. She could have endangered so many people.
ANDERSON: It was Richie`s second DUI. But a deal with prosecutors paved the way for Thursday`s quickie 82-minute jail term, where she never even saw the inside of a jail cell.
PIAZZA: The Los Angeles County Sheriff`s Department says that it`s because the jails are overcrowded. Which is funny, because Nicole Richie doesn`t really take up a whole lot of room.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks how short is 82 minutes. It`s enough time for Nicole Richie to watch three episodes of her now canceled reality show "The Simple Life." And it`s enough time for her to listen to her buddy, Paris Hilton`s album, twice. Both arguably harsher punishments than the one Nicole actually got.
Lindsay Lohan has until January 18th to complete her jail time for her DUI/cocaine case. L.A. prosecutors insist they did nothing out of the ordinary.
DANETTE MEYERS, L.A. DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: No special treatment for Miss Lohan. She got everything everyone else would get.
ANDERSON: Soon after her sentence was announced, Lohan, who is in rehab in Utah, released a very humble statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, saying, quote, it is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable, because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs.
PIAZZA: It`s funny. After months and months of her claiming exhaustion, she finally admits she has a problem with drug and alcohol.
ANDERSON: Even with Lohan`s long overdue admission, some are saying she got off easy. Mothers Against Drunk Driving tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Lohan, quote, should be required to install an interlock on her vehicle to protect society from the possibility of further drunk driving.
And addiction specialist Ken Sealey tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Lohan`s sentence is hardly the wake-up call she needs to get sober once and for all.
KEN SEALEY, A&E`S "INTERVENTION": It`s devastating to give that message that it`s OK to behave in the manner that she has and let her go free.
ANDERSON: Will these light jail sentences be enough to make these famous repeat DUI offenders get their substance abuse issues under control? That would be nice. But we`ve got to say, it would be nicer if they would finally just stop driving under the influence before someone gets killed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: OK, let`s get right to it. With us tonight from Hollywood, two of our favorite guests, investigative journalist Pat Lalama and -- you saw him in the piece -- Ken Sealey, lead interventionist from A&E`s show "Intervention."
Lindsay Lohan sentenced, guys, to one day in jail, one day. Pat, is Lindsay paying for her actions at all?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Brooke, I say I`m demanding a return of the old corporal punishment I used to get in catholic school. She needs a smack on the bottom. This is insanity. The law is the law. We do know she didn`t have enough cocaine to make it a felony. And there is that alleged overcrowding problem. But I`ve got to tell you, from my experience, I don`t think it`s really true in the women`s jail. I think that`s a bunch of baloney.
This is insanity. There`s a quirk in the law, Brooke. Her first DUI, which was very close to her second DUI, was not a conviction, because it was still pending. Because it was still pending, she didn`t technically have a prior. Because she didn`t have a prior, they were allowed to do this to her.
ANDERSON: A technicality. But I want to interrupt you, because, listen, Pat. Lindsay did release a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
LALAMA: Oh, blah, blah, blah.
ANDERSON: "It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable --
LALAMA: Manageable.
ANDERSON: -- "because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs. Recently I relapsed and did things for which I`m ashamed." So obviously you don`t think she`s being genuine, or, as some have said, courageous.
LALAMA: You`re going to get something right out of my buddy Ken over there, who`s going to tell you that came right out of the 12-step playbook. If she`s sincere, god bless her. But that was written for her. I don`t believe she`s serious. I don`t think it`s necessarily her fault. I don`t think she gets it yet. She really hasn`t hit bottom.
ANDERSON: Let me read you both something else Lindsay said, quote, "no matter what I said when I was under the influence on the day I was arrested, I am not blaming anybody else, anyone else for my conduct other than anyone else."
Ken, you have always told me Lindsay needed to take responsibility. Here she is telling us she`s doing that. Are her words a sign that she is sincere or is this just lip service?
SEALEY: Brooke, this is lip service. This is so upsetting. What she`s doing right now, she`s just saying what she needs to say, just like she played the part of going to treatment for the reason, to lessen her consequences with the law. And it worked. It worked. It`s showing people the wrong message.
Recovery is about saving people`s lives. It`s not about playing a card to say that I am going to lessen my legal consequences and not have to do jail time, as she used it for the past and used it for this time. It`s not acceptable, Brooke. It`s very disturbing.
ANDERSON: In addition to her one day behind bars, she will serve three years probation, in addition to that short stint. Now we have seen time and time again, with Lindsay, she goes to rehab or gets in trouble and then she`s out partying again. Pat, is this just a vicious cycle with her or is there some promise here? Will she finally, eventually, act as a mature, responsible person? A role model even?
LALAMA: That`s going to be up to her. Here is the thing about addiction. I mean, some people get it the first one or two times. Other people spend a lifetime struggling. We don`t know yet where she stands in this. What I fear is that with 36 months probation, I think it`s going to be really hard for her to stick with that and, god forbid that she hurts somebody.
You know, Brooke, let`s not forget -- I mean, I`m all for understanding the hazards of addiction and trying to understand that maybe jail isn`t always the best thing for somebody who has a severe problem. This is a woman who chased somebody nearly 100 miles an hour, put -- there were people in her car. That was practically kidnapping. She`s terrorizing this woman. She`s been in two other crashes. Her behavior is so beyond the average DUI situation. I don`t understand why the courts aren`t taking the severe recklessness into consideration.
ANDERSON: You know, you`re talking about chasing and the kidnapping. That`s what the men who say they were with her claim, of course, hasn`t been confirmed. You`re right. If she does these types of things, again, there could be dire consequences. Ken, one interesting note in Lindsay`s sentence is that she has to go to a morgue. She has to look at bodies of victims of drunk drivers.
Do you think that will put the fear of god into her? Has that worked for recovering addicts before her? Will it work for her?
SEALEY: It is a really positive and effective tool that they do use in recovery. But for her, absolutely not. She has not hit bottom. We had a perfect opportunity by bringing in a legal bottom and they destroyed that. They just wiped it away. So, now every other bottom that she`s going to have, she`s going to say to herself, I could get rid of that one.
Why should she quit? Why should she quit? There`s no reason to. She`s OK with everything the way it is in her life right now and she knows she could get out of everything.
ANDERSON: Ken Sealey, Pat Lalama, we have to wrap this up right there. Thank you both for your thoughts on this.
LALAMA: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: What about Nicole Richie`s time in jail? Most movies these days last longer than the time she was locked up. Are 82 minutes enough for Nicole to learn her lesson about driving under the influence, or is it one big joke?
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELISSA ETHERIDGE, ACTRESS: I know because I`ve been there. Because I`ve seen what fame does to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Melissa Etheridge, one of the big stars, speaking out about what`s going on right now with the young Hollywood bad girls. Nicole and Lindsay fought the law, but did the law win? Or are they both getting off too easy? Think about it. They could have killed someone with their irresponsible behavior. We are covering all the angles coming up in a SHOWBIZ special report.
Actress Kirsten Dunst robbed in New York. I`ll tell you what happened and what the thief got coming up. You won`t want to miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLE RICHIE, "THE SIMPLE LIFE": I take responsibility for anything that I`ve done and I`m willing to face whatever consequences come my way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was Nicole Richie telling me she was ready to face the consequences. What were they? A shocking 82 minutes in jail. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. Hours after Lindsay Lohan copped a plea to serve only one day in jail, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT told you first, Nicole Richie checked in and out of jail almost as fast as you could order a happy meal. This was Richie`s second DUI arrest. The last time she admitted to using Vicodin and Marijuana when she drove on the wrong side of the freeway. That was back in December.
So was 82 minutes in jail enough to pay the price of DUI? With us tonight from Indianapolis, attorney Lauren Lake. Also joining us in New York, David Caplan, senior correspondent for VH1`s 24Sizzler.com. Welcome to you both.
All right, I hate to say it, 82 minutes for a DUI, driving on the wrong side of the freeway, endangering lives. Lauren, I know it`s the law. Doesn`t it seem like a slap on the wrist to you?
LAUREN LAKE, ATTORNEY: Brooke, I know it seems like it wasn`t a lot of time, but it was enough under the circumstances. Honestly, I`ve represented clients in DUI cases before. This is not all that unusual. The court is going to look for and also our criminal justice system is looking for people who are a threat to the society. They obviously felt like Nicole was not a threat.
She admitted guilt immediately. Even though the accident was terrible, she didn`t injure anyone and she openly admitted that she had a problem. I think in this instance, the sentence was appropriate.
ANDERSON: You`ve got a point. She is a non-violent offender. Still, even so, a lot of people are looking at this, wondering whether or not she got special treatment. Here is what the L.A. County Sheriff`s Department had to say about that: "the criteria for a female arrestee sentenced to 30 days or less for a non-violent arrest is as follows: the arrestee is booked, screened and usually released within 12 hours." Based on the mandated guidelines and Miss Richie`s 96 hour sentence, she will be treated in the same manner as others with a similar sentence."
David, the fact is that she`s a celebrity. You mean to tell me they didn`t look at the booking form and say, Nicole, go wait with the rest of the others getting booked?
DAVID CAPLAN, 24SIZZLER.COM: No, I absolutely think there was special treatment here. I mean, the fact is sure, it is a law. That`s how the justice system works in Los Angeles County. That doesn`t mean to say that Nicole Richie wasn`t pushed to the front of line, being like, all Right. She can get out early, as opposed to some other non-violent female offenders that were there.
If you look at this in comparison with Paris Hilton and all these others -- Lindsay Lohan -- they`re all getting these short sentences. In the big picture, there is definitely a trend of special treatment of celebrities in Los Angeles.
ANDERSON: I want you both to listen to a very contrite Nicole Richie after she was sentence to jail. This is her on "Good Morning America."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHIE: If I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost a loved one from drunk driving, I would. And, unfortunately, I can`t. But this is my way of paying my dues and taking responsibility and being an adult.
(END VIDEO CLIP
ANDERSON: That`s a very different attitude from her gal pal, Paris Hilton, who literally, when she went to go back to jail, went kicking, screaming, crying. Of course, she violated probation, but Nicole really played ball with the legal system from the get go. Lauren, did that work in her favor here?
LAKE: Absolutely, Brooke. Kudos to her lawyers. They prepared her well. She instantly accepted responsibility. She wasn`t running around, talking about oh, my publicist said that I could drive on marijuana and Vicodin and nothing will happen to me. We didn`t hear that kind of nonsense from Nicole.
We saw her up front taking responsibility for her actions, noting that this could have been a terrible, terrible accident that could have killed someone. Not to mention the fact, we have to also understand in the court of public opinion, Nicole is a very troubled girl. We know she has eating disorders. We`ve watched her be such a troubled young lady. This is unlike what we see in Paris, where people consider her a party girl who has nothing better to do but get in trouble so she can stay on TV.
ANDERSON: I do want to say, there`s been a lot of speculation about her having eating disorders, but she has never said she has an eating disorder. That`s not confirmed.
LAKE: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: The other thing about Nicole, she played ball with the media, publicly accepting responsibility. She got some sympathy. But, David, is all of that squandered, the public sympathy, when people hear she was there for only 82 minutes?
CAPLAN: Absolutely. I think the sympathy she did have definitely gets whittled away. She did a great job in Diane Sawyer interview. She always maintained great poise when photographed. Then, all of a sudden, this short sentence, people go back to being like, wait a second. Were we taken a little bit by all of her antics and her demeanor?
ANDERSON: Lauren, she had the choice. She could go to a county jail, or city jail and picks a jail known to be crowded. She shows up to jail, four months pregnant. What are they going to do? What are they going to say? No, you have to stay, put on the orange suit. Sounds like really savvy lawyering.
LAKE: But, you know what, savvy lawyering, that`s what she paid for and that`s what she got. Let`s not say we can`t be strategic here. Anyone who is in trouble wants their lawyer to be strategic. Let`s not -- we can`t criticize her for that. It is what it is.
ANDERSON: You`re right. She paid for it. She did get a great lawyer and she only spent 82 minutes in jail, four months pregnant. Nicole Richie is on probation.
Lauren Lake, David Caplan, thank you both for your insight.
LAKE: Thank you.
ANDERSON: We want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Nicole Richie`s 82 minutes in jail, did she get off too easy? Vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. Or send us an e-mail at SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com.
And we are just getting started with this. Between Nicole`s blink and you would miss it jail term to Lindsay Lohan`s one day in jail, is this what we`re calling celebrity justice these days? Did the girls get special treatment? We`re covering all the bases coming up at 30 minutes past the hour in a SHOWBIZ special report.
Also, actress Kirsten Dunst robbed in New York. I`m going to tell you exactly what happened and what the thieves got next.
Also, we`ll have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: You want to be like me? Or you want to be me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This looks like it`s going to be so cool. It`s Brad Pitt as the outlaw Jesse James. Sneak peek coming up in the SHOWBIZ first look. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. Kirsten Dunst has been robbed. The actress and star of the "Spiderman" movies was in New York filming scenes for her upcoming movie, "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People." Thieves stole about 25,000 dollars worth of stuff from Kirsten`s room at the posh Sojo Grand (ph) hotel.
They got a 13,000 dollar handbag -- What? That`s an expensive bag. But I digress -- a cell phone, I.D. cards, 2,500 in cash, credit cards, two digital cameras and an iPod. A surveillance camera caught the suspects leaving the hotel. One suspect has been arraigned.
So far police have gotten Kirsten`s credit cards, I.D.s and cell phone back. Where is Spidey when you need him?
I think it safe to say we all feel like we were kind of robbed by Nicole Richie`s jail term. Blink, and you would have missed it. She ended up spending less than 90 minutes in jail for driving under the influence.
Then we have Lindsay Lohan, who is only going to have to serve one day. Is this celebrity justice? We have all the angles covered coming up at 32 -- 30 minutes, rather, past the hour in a SHOWBIZ special report. We also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ETHERIDGE: I know, because I`ve been there. Because I`ve seen what fame does to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Melissa Etheridge, one of the big stars speaking out about what`s going on right now with the young Hollywood bad girls. Nicole and Lindsay fought the law, but did the law win? Or are they both getting off too easy? Think about it. They could have killed someone with their irresponsible behavior. We are covering all those angles coming up in a SHOWBIZ special report. You don`t want to miss it.
Speaking of outlaws, how hot is this? Brad Pitt as the outlaw Jesse James. We have your very first look still to come. You won`t want to miss it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know. I know because I`ve been there, because I`ve seen what fame does to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Stars speak out on young Hollywood. Tonight it`s a special SHOWBIZ report, "Celebrity Justice?!" Nicole, Lindsay, Paris, their bad behavior got them sent to jail. An hour, a day, three weeks behind bars. Has justice been served or has fame earned any of these Hollywood bad girls a free pass? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. is off tonight. You`re watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, a SHOWBIZ special report: "Celebrity Justice?!" We have to ask, what is going on in Hollywood, between the DUI charges, jail sentences, the shock of star and bad behavior has almost worn off. We`re shaking our heads and wondering, is fame getting in the way of true justice?
First, Lindsay Lohan cops a plea deal in her DUI case. She`s set to go to jail for one day. At the same time, Nicole Richie went through L.A. County`s revolving door, spending just over an hour in police custody.
Here is the latest. Lohan pleaded no contest to misdemeanor drunk driving charges and guilty to misdemeanor cocaine charges. She`ll serve a day in jail, 10 days community service and she has to complete a drug treatment program. Nicole Richie checked into jail while hoopla over Lohan`s deal hit the press. She served 82 minutes, count them, of the 90 hours of her jail sentence. Richie never saw the inside of a jail cell, spent the time fingerprinting and having her mug shot taken.
I`ve got a fired up coast-to-coast panel standing by, ready to go nuts on this. Joining me tonight from New York, Doctor Robi Ludwig, psychotherapist and host of GSN`s new TV show "Without Prejudice." In Hollywood , Ken Baker, West Coast executive editor of "US Weekly" magazine, and investigative journalist Pat Lalama, also in Hollywood . In Indianapolis tonight, criminal defense attorney and TV host Lauren Lake.
OK, so, Nicole does 82 minutes in jail, guys. Didn`t even reach her cell. Lindsay Lohan will do one day. Lauren, I understand that jails are overcrowded. But still, this turnstile justice just seems absurd to me. Both of these girls -- the truth is, they could have killed somebody.
LAUREN LAKE, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I know, Brooke. You have to look at it this way. I know it seems a little unbelievable that it`s only over an hour, a little over an hour. But her sentence per her plea agreement was just for about 90 hours and she had served six of them already. I think 96 hours, she served six, and had 90 left. That`s a little over three days. There is no time to have Nicole Richie sitting up in jail for no reason.
Like I said, this is a different case from Paris. This is not a girl that ran around trying to shift blame. She took responsibility. She entered into a plea agreement. You know what she got booked. She got fingerprinted. And is on like three years probation. So, it`s not over.
ANDERSON: Pat, I have a feeling you`re going to disagree with our good friend, Lauren Lake.
(LAUGHTER)
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Lauren, the thing is, it`s hard to disagree, because she makes reasonable, logical points.
ANDERSON: Exactly.
LAKE: Thank you, Pat.
LALAMA: That fit very well with the law. I`m more shoot from the hip. So, here we go.
The point of the matter is that it is outrageous to those of us -- my feeling is because of the absolute, as I mentioned earlier, the recklessness of the entire thing. You know, you`ve got to understand California, Brooke. There`s an element of California in this. First of all, this is the state that has Prop 36, that recognizes that if you`re a non- violent offender, and you`re not dealing drugs, that we should not throw you in jail and deal with it through rehab. I understand that.
But I also think that real true punishment lies in the fear of God. And the fear of God is sitting in jail and going, whoa! This is really tough. And in the end game, I think in the case of Lindsay, in particular, and Paris, these were just kids who don`t get it and have no -- they have like a little bit of attitude about it. Nicole, I put my money on. I think she has the most hope for really understanding her problems and getting straight. This is a state that likes to coddle people, particularly celebrities.
ANDERSON: Nicole does seem to have really matured. You`ve got your money on her. And I think she has changed. But, Ken, just hours before Nicole went to jail, Lindsay was charged with seven misdemeanors. What do you think about this, Nicole? Do you think she said to herself? OK, the media is all over Lindsay right now. This seems like a pretty good time to slip under the radar to avoid attention?
KEN BAKER, WEST COAST EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": It definitely was curious timing, at best. Nothing that Nicole has done has been just random. She made everyone stop and wonder, is she pregnant, for months. What does she do? She went on to "Good Morning America" and dramatically revealed that she was pregnant.
The date that Lindsay was going to be charged for these two incidents had been out there and was public for a very long time. I`m sure there was enough time for Nicole Richie`s attorney to say, hey, you know what? That`s probably going to be a good day to stay out of the media`s eye. I really believe that`s probably what happened.
But let`s just be clear here. Is it celebrity justice that they`re serving so little time? The answer is yes -- and no. The answer is yes, in that they have these high-powered attorneys who know how to work the system, get paid a lot of money to negotiate these plea deals that are very favorable. So, in that sense, it is celebrity justice.
But it`s not celebrity justice that once they`re sentenced, they go in and out. That`s a fault of the system. There`s an overcrowded jail system. "L.A. Times" did a report earlier this year and they showed that most inmates in the L.A. County jail system spend about 10 percent of their actual sentences in jail. So, if you do the math, Nicole Richie did -- actually she did more than 10 percent.
ANDERSON: Sounds like there needs to be more building of jails in L.A. and California.
I want you all to listen to what Melissa Etheridge told us about Nicole and Lindsay. She says she understands what fame can do to a person, because she has been there herself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELISSA ETHERIDGE, SINGER/SONGWRITER: I know because I`ve been there, because I`ve seen what fame does to you. Fame is a drug. Fame, once you get that moment where all those cameras are looking at you, and they know you, and they`re taking pictures of you, and it`s -- it`s a rush. It`s like a drug. And you want that all the time. And you want it everywhere you go, you want to be known, because it`s easy, it makes life easier, for a while.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Melissa went on to tell us that after a while, you begin to realize that fame is all an illusion. Dr. Robi Ludwig, do you think the only way to save themselves is to remove themselves from the spotlight, or does fame just seep -- just get into their heads?
ROBI LUDWIG, GSN`S "WITHOUT PREJUDICE": Well, it seems fame exaggerates what simply is. So, there is an addictive component. Because it can feel very validating. If you`re noticing me, then I exist and I`m important. The problem is, does that then lead to entitlement. Where I`m above rehab, I`m above the law. I`m famous. People treat me like I`m better, so I don`t have to do what everybody else does. That`s a very dangerous idea.
ANDERSON: Pat, what do you think? I heard you wanting to jump in there. Is it a sense of entitlement in a way?
LALAMA: I was just so agreeing with Robi, because look at some of the things that Lindsay has said, alleged to have said, in the car. I`m Lindsay Lohan. I`m a celebrity. I can get away with -- blank. You know, the fact of the matter is that there`s a lot of really well balanced famous people. People who don`t get in trouble. People who take care of their children. People who live by the law.
There`s a lot of insidious problems in these young women`s lives. They don`t have the right mentoring. They have a bunch of yes people around them. They start to believe their own press. And some of them have 12-step issues. And then we have a society, including the court system, that says it`s OK, honey. We`re going to make it OK for you.
I say lay down the law. Give these people some tough punishment and make them learn what personal responsibility is about, fame or no fame.
ANDERSON: It really makes you feel sorry for them. Go ahead, Lauren. Because it seems like a lot of people are failing them.
LAKE: No, no, no. We have to be honest about the role our society plays. We`re a celebrity obsessed culture.
LALAMA: That`s not right. That doesn`t make it right, Lauren.
LAKE: A sense of entitlement -- it`s not about making it right. Let`s keep it real and talk about what it is.
LALAMA: But it needs to change!
LAKE: If we`re in a culture --
ANDERSON: OK. Pat, let Lauren talk.
LAKE: For a DUI, these young girls get this much air time for DUI, there are plenty of people out here that commit DUIs every day. They don`t get this air time, they don`t get this type of attention. Then you want to know why these girls feel a sense of entitlement.
I do commend Nicole. She did take responsibility instantly for her actions. She`s not the first, nor will she be the last that is in that situation we can hate all we want to, but she has the money to pay for lawyers and they did her job.
ANDERSON: We`re not hating here, Lauren.
LALAMA: It`s not hate.
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: It`s not hate. Here`s my thing. If commend these girls, what kind of message is it going to send young people everywhere?
LALAMA: Exactly!
LAKE: The message is that she went to jail. She didn`t serve a lot of time.
ANDERSON: Eighty-two minutes!
LAKE: But she`s on probation, Brooke. If she messes up that probation, just like Paris did, she could be doing 23 days. Just like Paris did.
LALAMA: Lauren, we`re forgetting she already had a heroin problem. She had a heroin problem a couple of years ago. Nobody is even bringing those up.
LAKE: The court pays attention to the facts --
(CROSS TALK)
LALAMA: Pay attention to the fact that she`s addicted.
LAKE: You also have to figure --
ANDERSON: Doctor Robi?
Yes.
LUDWIG: We are covering this story. So, in some way, is that supporting -- it doesn`t matter what they do, whether they`re breaking the law or not, they`re getting talked about. Maybe underneath it all, that`s what they`re really trying to do. You do have to consider the whole system. But I believe when it comes to celebrities, you certainly need tough love here. And I think parents should be using this as a tool to teach their children what not to be.
ANDERSON: That`s a great point. An optimistic way for us all to look at it. You know what I want to know? How Lindsay and Nicole`s punishment compared with Paris Hilton`s three-week jail sentence. Stay right there. Our really passionate panel has a lot more to say about that, as our SHOWBIZ special report continues.
And they aren`t the only ones speaking out. Hollywood`s biggest stars are chiming in. What does Samuel L. Jackson have to say about all this scandal? His comments may surprise you. We`ll have that, next.
Also, this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to be like me, or you want to be me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You won`t want to miss this. Brad Pitt dusts off his spurs to play one of America`s most infamous outlaws. Check out Pitt as Jessie James, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAMUEL L. JACKSON, ACTOR: I`m not sure that anybody whose 20 years old and has access, and the amount of money, that these young people have wouldn`t be in the same situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was Samuel L. Jackson weighing in on Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton. Jackson`s had his own battle with drugs and alcohol. He completed rehab in 1991 and is now clean and sober.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, "Celebrity Justice?!", continues now with my fired up coast-to-coast panel. I do love a good healthy debate on any subject.
Right now, I want to talk about Paris Hilton now. You know, she dealt with the whole DUI thing, too. Granted, she got in trouble this last time for violating probation. She did 23 days at the same county jail that Nicole was whisked right through. Now Lindsay, who was drunk, had cocaine, just going to do one day.
Ken, what do you think? Is Paris ticked off right now?
BAKER: Paris has every reason to think that the book was thrown at her unfairly. Because, you know what? It was. Every expert we talked to said that Paris should not have served any more than four days. Like you said, she had a 23-day sentence. The judge had demanded she serve the full time. Every expert says that was over the top and somewhat ridiculous.
Basically, the judge made an example of Paris Hilton. Now, a lot of people can argue she deserved to be made an example of. But the statistics speak for themselves that she would have only served four days.
Now, getting back to the Lindsay situation, now she`s going to serve, it says, 24 hours. But everyone we`ve talked to said it`s not going to be 24 hours in the same way that four days or three days for Nicole Richie turned out to be 82 minutes. Again, it goes back to the system.
Celebrities have really good lawyers who can work the system for them. So, the discussion is really, this system is messed up. The celebrities, because they have the resources, are able to take advantage of the system.
ANDERSON: You made a really great point earlier. It`s not black and white. As much as we wish it could be.
Lindsay Lohan is in Utah right now, doing her third stint in rehab this year. She relapsed after the other two times she went to treatment. Doctor Robi, is jail, even one day, the right place for her, as she`s struggling with recovery?
LUDWIG: Well, I don`t think that she shouldn`t serve her time because she`s in recovery. I think this should be a message, this is what happens when you`re out of control and using drugs. You basically cross lines that shouldn`t be crossed.
And, hopefully, through this very clear message, hopefully, it can save her life. Because this is a girl that is so self destructive and such a wild child, that she could end up really hurting herself and harming herself. So, the whole system has to be aware of that and take that into consideration when making the recommendation.
ANDERSON: Let`s hope nobody gets hurt. And let`s hope they don`t harm themselves. Predictions from all of you for both girls, give me the newspaper headline. Pat? What do you think is going to happen? Lindsay and Nicole.
LALAMA: I think, Lindsay, God bless her, is going to struggle. I hope she does well. I think she`ll struggle. My money is on Nicole.
ANDERSON: All right. Lauren Lake, what do you say?
LAKE: My bet is definitely on Nicole. She will pull it together. I think she`ll end up being a great mother. She just has to stay focused and stay out of trouble.
ANDERSON: Doctor Robi, what do you say?
LUDWIG: I think Nicole has a good chance because she takes responsibility, has insight and seems to understand the connection between her behavior and what has happened.
LALAMA: Yes.
LUDWIG: Where Lindsay also is born into a family that is also struggling with a lot of addiction issues and it might just be a longer road for her.
ANDERSON: Hopefully, a road that she can take, a road to complete recovery, if possible.
Ken Baker, I think we`ve got you back now. What do you say?
BAKER: I was just saying, Nicole Richie is going to be a mom by January. Her life has already slowed down. So the system has scared her. As for Lindsay, she may relapse, she may not relapse. It`s clear that she is going to complete a rehab program and she`s going to be basically brought to task. And is going to have to prove that she is going to stay healthy.
ANDERSON: We wish them both very well. Thank you to my entire panel. You`re all terrific. Doctor Robi Ludwig, Ken Baker, Pat Lalama and Lauren Lake.
LAKE: Thank you.
LALAMA: Thanks, Brooke.
LUDWIG: Thank you.
ANDERSON: All right, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day: Nicole Richie`s 82 minutes in jail, did she get off too easy? Keep voting. Cnn.com/showbiztonight. Write to us, Showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll read some of your thoughts on Monday.
Tonight, a real outlaw is getting ready for the spotlight this time. Brad Pitt dusts off his spurs to play the infamous criminal Jesse James. His latest film, "The Assassination of Jesse James" by Robert Ford, co- stars Casey Affleck. It opens in one month. But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your "First Look". Check out Brad Pitt as Jesse James.
(BEGIN MOVIE TRAILER)
ANNOUNCER: His children didn`t know how his father made a living or why they so often moved. They didn`t even know his father`s name. He regretted neither his robberies, nor 17 murders that he laid claim to. On September 5, 1881, Jesse James was 34 years old.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can`t believe I`m sitting with none other than Jesse James.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Many a night I stayed up, my eyes open, my mouth open, reading about your escapades.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They`re all lies, you know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is interesting. In many ways, you and I overlap. You`re the youngest of three James boys and I`m the youngest of five Ford boys. You have blue eyes. I have blue eyes. You`re 5`8" tall. I`m 5`8" tall. I honestly believe I`m destined for great things, Mr. James.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You give me signs that make me wonder. Maybe your mind has been changed about me. Can`t figure you out. You want to be like me or you want to be me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Think it`s all made up, don`t you? Think it`s all yarns and newspaper stories.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s just a human being.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at my red hands and my mean face, and I wonder about that man that`s gone so wrong.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ve been a nobody all my life. And I know I`ll only get but this one opportunity and you can bet your life I`m not going to spoil it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Seems to me if you have something to confess, you spit it out now.
(END MOVIE TRAILER)
ANDERSON: "The Assassination of Jesse James" opens in the U.S. September 21st.
Still ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT are today`s out of control stars actually giving comics good material for laughs? You`re not going to believe what comedian and former "Full House" star Bob Saget told me about young Hollywood. His comments coming up next. Stay with us.
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ANDERSON: Tonight, Young Hollywood out of control. From Britney to Paris to Lindsay, they have been at the center of one scandal after another. Everyone is talking about their antics and the jokes are still rolling in. I sat down with comedian and former "Full House" star Bob Saget, and I asked him whether stars like Britney and Paris and Lindsay are good material for laughs or have their stories become just too tragic?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOB SAGET, COMEDIAN: Well, I stopped dating all three of them because it hurt me.
ANDERSON: There`s the answer to my question.
SAGET: I didn`t want to see them hurt anymore, so I stopped dating them.
Yeah, I don`t find that kind of stuff funny. But sometimes it is funny. I`ll watch the hosts of all of our shows at night and I`ll laugh if there`s a good joke. A good joke is a good joke. But I`m not an angry -- I don`t like angry stuff that hurts somebody that`s obviously -- when somebody is blatantly out there, and keeps repeating the same mistakes -- first, obviously, it`s sad. And, second, every tragedy I`ve ever had in my life, we found humor in it. My dad always -- you know if there was a death and we made some weird gallows humor because it helped get us through.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Better to laugh than to cry. Bob also told me his "Full House" cast mates, including John Stamos and the Olsen Twins are very much like family and that strong families help to keep young stars grounded. You can catch Bob Saget in his second HBO stand up comedy special, "Bob Saget: It Ain`t Right" starting tomorrow on HBO.
Yesterday we told you about the big birthday party Larry Birkhead is planning for Baby Dannielynn`s first birthday. And we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, it was this: Dannielynn`s birthday blow out, is she being exploited? Look at this. Majority say yes, 86 percent. Only 14 percent say no. Here are some of the e-mails we received.
Sue from New Jersey writes, "I prayed Larry was not Dannielynn`s father. I knew he`d try to make money off of her."
Donna from North Carolina said, "Dannielynn is a precious little girl who deserves a big birthday bash. Have fun Larry and Dannielynn."
All right it is time to see what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tomorrow, is the tide finally turning? Are the bad girls like Lindsay being eclipsed by the stars of "High School Musical"? The stars of the smash hit sound off to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about Britney, Lindsay and Paris.
On Monday, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special reports, they have fame, they have fortune, so why does it seem Hollywood`s biggest stars are the loneliest people in the world? Yes, money and power doesn`t always lead to happiness. Especially when you`re a big-time celebrity. Why stars are so lonely on Monday.
That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks so much for watching. Have a good weekend. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
"Glenn Beck" is coming up next right after the latest headlines from CNN "Headline News" Take care.
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