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Showbiz Tonight
Owen Wilson Possibly in Hospital For Suicide Attempt; Britney Investigated For Abuse
Aired August 28, 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: A shocking investigation. Is Britney Spears neglecting her children? I`m AJ Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: Major controversy over a reality program that lets kids fend for themselves. No parents or teachers. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Owen Wilson, brand new details about his mysterious trip to the hospital. Was it really a suicide attempt? Are the reports of Owen`s struggle with depression true? And what happens now to Owen`s career as one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with all the latest on Owen Wilson.
Zac Effron takes on the world. From "High School Musical" to the cover of every magazine out there, this young actor is on fire. Can he keep going without getting burned? Will Zac be able to avoid the pitfalls of getting so famous so young? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the inside story of Zac`s super sonic rise to fame.
Hello. I`m AJ Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Hi there everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The Britney/K-Fed war continues, but the question tonight, why isn`t Britney fighting back? The shocking answers in just a moment.
HAMMER: First, tonight brand new answers in the sad, sad story of actor Owen Wilson. You know the movies "Wedding Crashers," "The Royal Tennenbams," "Meet The Parents." We`ve laughed at all of them, and we are all still shocked to hear about his mysterious hospitalization over the weekend. The big question still is, why?
ANDERSON: That`s right, AJ. And tonight, as a wall of silence builds up around Wilson`s famous family and friends, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you more on the question on everybody`s minds, did one of the most beloved film stars try to kill himself?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The 38-year-old star is still at Cedar Sinai Medical Center in L.A.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The "National Enquirer" reported that Wilson tried to commit suicide.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rumors flying, did he try to kill himself?
ANDERSON (voice-over): Hollywood is still reeling from the shock of hearing reports that Owen Wilson, one of film world`s premier funny men, may have tried to kill himself at his home over the weekend.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Hollywood is full of troubled stars, but when you have someone like Owen Wilson, who is this comic actor, who seemingly he has his entire life together, go and try to kill themselves, that`s a huge story.
ANDERSON: Owen Wilson has been hospitalized here at Cedar-Sinai Hospital since Sunday. Except for a statement asking the media for privacy, neither Owen, his family, nor his representatives are talking about what exactly brought him here.
TMZ cameras caught film star Samuel L. Jackson on the way into the hospital. He was in no mood to talk about Owen Wilson.
SAMUEL L. JACKSON, ACTOR: Everybody is sorry. Why are you guys here?
HAMMER: Owen Wilson`s brothers, actor Luke and Andrew, have also been seen at the hospital. And while those close to Owen Wilson are not responding to any talk of a suicide attempt, entertainment reporters tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT their silence is speaking volumes.
JULIA ALLISON, "STAR MAGAZINE": They did not deny the allegations that he had attempted to commit suicide, and in the world of celebrity a non-denial is almost the same thing as a confirmation.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can give you the facts. New details are painting a disturbing picture of what happened at Owen Wilson`s southern California home that Sunday afternoon. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has for you this Santa Monica police log. It includes the 911 call placed from Wilson`s home shortly after noon Sunday. It clearly lists the reason for the call as, quote, attempt suicide. It doesn`t say who made the call.
(on camera): But this sad story isn`t just about yet another troubled Hollywood figure. Owen Wilson is one of, if not the most, reliably bankable comedy talents out there. And now amid concern for Owen Wilson, the person, there are questions about what this all means for Owen Wilson, the movie star.
OWEN WILSON, ACTOR: I don`t know what red seven means.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Including his smash hit "The Wedding Crashers," Owen Wilson`s films have earned more than a billion dollars at the box office, and he has more on the way.
WILSON: I guess we came on a spiritual journey.
ANDERSON: The "Dargeling (ph) Limited" opens in late September.
WILSON: I`m Drill Bit Taylor.
ANDERSON: Comedy "Drill Bit Taylor" is due next march. Plus, Wilson has been filming a movie with Jack Black, and he is due to star in another with Jennifer Aniston.
ALLISON: His character has so far been the cool slacker.
ANDERSON: "Star Magazine`s" Julia Allison tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Owen Wilson`s troubles may affect how movie goers view him in films.
ALLISON: Adding this dimension to his persona may be really confusing to movie audiences.
PIAZZA: We`ve seen a lot of comic actors battling both depression and drug use.
ANDERSON: But Jo Piazza of the "New York Daily News" points out the sad fact that movie goers are used to seeing troubled comedians on screen.
PIAZZA: We all watched both John Belushi and Chris Farley self- destruct, and I don`t think that has changed the way that people look back at their old comic movies.
ANDERSON: The major studios aren`t saying much about how Owen Wilson`s problems will affect his upcoming movies. Right now, for once, Hollywood is focussing on something truly important, the hope that Owen Wilson will make a fast and complete recovery.
ALLISON: People have a lot of compassion for him. They really love him, and they want to see him do really well. Most people`s prayers are going out to him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Cedars Sinai Medical Center also doesn`t have a lot to say about Owen Wilson, other than that he is in good condition.
HAMMER: This tragic Owen Wilson story certainly raises a lot of questions tonight, including whether an incident like this could actually wreck the career of such a high-profile, well-beloved star. Joining me tonight clinical psychologist Dr. Judy Kuriansky, in Hollywood editorial director of "US Weekly," Ken Baker.
Ken, Judy, it`s good to see you both. We know this to be a fact, the unfortunate truth is words like depression, attempted suicide, and mental illness carry a stigma. I hate that they do, but they do. Ken, how could what`s happening with Owen Wilson, who obviously is an A list star, whose bankability is as a comedic actor -- how could what`s going on with him impact his career?
KEN BAKER, "US WEEKLY": I think as long as he gets healthy and rehabilitates himself, it won`t affect his career that much. This is not a Lindsay Lohan situation, where Lindsay Lohan was on multiple films, where she was late, where she was misbehaving, where the producers were getting angry at her and issuing releases to the press saying this girl is out of control.
Owen has a great reputation in Hollywood. His movies do successful. He is known as a talented actor. He also has pulled dramatic side to his comedic role. So everyone is saying he is comedic, he is a funny man, but Hollywood is able to separate the personal from the professional. And I think he will emerge from this just fine.
HAMMER: I hope so. Having the good reputation in Hollywood certainly does help. On the opportunities I`ve had to spend some time with Owen Wilson, he certainly is a nice, seemingly grounded guy.
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: A.J., it could help his career too. Because there are so many millions of men and women in America who are watching his films who feel that depression, that his becoming the poster boy for depression and even potentially a suicide attempt could make people even like him more, and feel empathic and say he is just like me. I understand that.
HAMMER: I`m starting to hear that from a lot of people who have been talking to me about the story. Dr. Judy, we know it`s something we have seen before. A lot of comedians who are funny on stage or actors who are brilliant on screen, yet, we learn they are suffering in silence. Really, Dr. Judy, so much humor does come from dark places, doesn`t it?
KURIANSKY: It does, A.J. And from a psychological point of view, actually, humor and jokes release anxiety, fear, and depression. And that actually happens chemically in the brain for a period of time that the chemicals that flow, the hormones that flow, the adrenaline that flows can all calm your mood or even boost you up for a period of time. Then underneath is all that upset, the depression and sadness, the worry about your career, even as Owen, potentially, as the rumors go, the hurt from a lost love and feeling unloved, that rises to the surface.
HAMMER: We`ve heard this before. In fact, a couple of hours ago I had the opportunity to sit down with George Lopez. I want you to listen to what he told me about being a star whose comedy comes from a dark place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE LOPEZ, ACTOR: There`s a lot of time that people are left to their own -- to themselves. There is a lot of down time, and there is a lot of false pumping people up with confidence that`s really not there. You are great. This is going to do good. You look great. You look perfect. Your hair is right. Then when you are alone, you are just -- you deflate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Dr. Judy, you alluded to this a moment ago. Even if they`re using their comedy to escape the darkness, some stars hear they`re so great, believe the hype, and at the end of the day, what was used as medicine doesn`t really fix anything.
KURIANSKY: Absolutely. If you don`t believe it inside, then that`s going to be a problem. There are three selves we have; the real self, the social self, and the ideal self. And when they`re not all fitting together, like they`re not in these cases when the funny man and woman feel their depression, then you really are going to disintegrate.
HAMMER: Jim Carey gave a very candid interview to "60 Minutes" back in 2004. I want to read to you a quote from that interview. He said, there are peaks and valleys. But they`re all kind of carved and smoothed out. It feels like a low level of despair you live in. You are not getting any answers, but you`re living OK and you can smile at the office, you know. But it`s a low level of despair.
Ken Baker, we were talking about how perhaps this could help what`s going on with Owen Wilson, could actually help his career or help people love him even more. Did Jim Carey`s candor about depression turn out to be a good career move?
BAKER: Jim Carey has been very open about the darkness in his life, and he has been the highest paid comedy film actor in Hollywood for years, actually. And, in fact, going back to before he was even famous he struggled with a lot of downtime. He was homeless for a while. He has been very open. That never held him back.
I should also point out that within the last year Robin Williams, considered one of the funniest guys in Hollywood, was reportedly in rehab, and has talked about that. Talked about that experience. We`re going back to comedians in Hollywood for a long time, going back to John Belushi, Chris Farley. This is not something new, funny men struggling with their dark side.
HAMMER: Talking about it certainly seems to be part of the healing. Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Ken Baker, I thank you both for being with us tonight.
ANDERSON: So many stars have bravely come forward to talk about their battles with depression, and we are just getting started. From Hale Barry`s suicide attempt to Brooke Shields` post-partum depression, we`re delving deeper into the dark side of Hollywood. Coming up in a SHOWBIZ special report, stars and depression. That`s at 30 minutes past the hour.
HAMMER: How about this question, is Britney Spears neglecting her kids? A shocking investigation is underway, but is there any merit to it, or is it just the latest chapter in what is truly a nasty custody battle. And if so, why the heck isn`t Brit fighting back? I want to know. That`s coming up.
Also, some perspective on out of control young Hollywood from one of the hottest stars out there right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZAC EFRON, ACTOR: What they deal with on a daily basis with paparazzi, it`s literally out of control.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Zac Efron has rocketed to fame with the amazing success of "High School Musical." He seems so squeaky clean, so talented, but can he stay on top, and stay out of trouble? I hope so. We are looking into that still ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight the dramatic battle for Britney`s babies. As Britney Spears` ex-husband Kevin Federline is pulling out all the stops in the custody battle by roping in any and all of her confidantes. Britney is reportedly under investigation for allegations that she`s mistreating her kids. So while K-Fed arms himself with all this lethal legal ammunition, is it time for Britney to fire back, or would it now be too little too late?
Joining me tonight in New York Susan Moss, matrimonial attorney with the law firm Chemtob, Moss, Foreman and Talbert, and, also tonight in Hollywood Howard Bragman, publicist and founder of 15 Minutes Public Relations. Susan, Howard, I know you both have been watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, so you know what`s been going on. K-Fed`s legal team has been launching what really seems like this all-out attack.
In fact, TMZ is reporting that they are dangling the word abuse. Susan, I got to tell you, that`s pretty obviously bad, but while K-Fed`s side is going all out, why is it that we`re not hearing anything from Britney`s camp?
SUSAN MOSS, CHEMTOB, MOSS, FOREMAN, TALBERT: Well, my guess is that Britney is not doing a very good job of helping her lawyers. As we like to say to our clients, help me help you. And, unfortunately, she`s dropping the ball. That probably explains a good deal of it.
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, Britney Spears has people like you to help her help the lawyers, so -- and as you know, with your job being to manage the image of celebs who are in these types of situations and give them sound advice, is it possible -- I`m just wondering this in my office this afternoon -- is it possible that somebody is actually advising Britney not to make her side of this nasty battle so public, like Kevin is doing?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, 15 MINUTES PR: All right, well, there`s two parts to it. The first is I don`t think she does have personal PR representation right now. All along, I thought if she did have personal reputation, she`s probably not the type of client who is really going to listen. That being said, I think she`s making the right decision PR-wise. Every time one of these accusations gets thrown out, it goes out into the ether. It means they`re on the web, and they`re on TMZ certainly, but you don`t see many mainstream publications, newspapers picking them up.
I often advise my clients just let it be. There`s been so many that - - it`s like Britney did this, we`re thinking Britney did this, and here`s what happened with the dog and the kid and the safety belt and the high chair. There`s so many incidents, they all sort of muddle. So, actually, I think for a change she`s doing the right PR thing, which is just shutting up right now.
HAMMER: I think that`s interesting that you say that, but in terms of PR, you are the guru. Susan, let me take exactly what Howard is saying, put it in a legal perspective, as far as Britney is concerned. Is it the right decision? Should Britney and her team be as aggressive as K-Fed`s team is being right now, because they are all we`re hearing about.
MOSS: Well, Howard is exactly right. What really needs to happen is Britney needs to be on the down low. She needs to do a better disappearing act than Hopper. And she has to come back and reinvent herself. But chances are she`s not going to do that since she`s heading off to Vegas now and is going to work a full night shift opening up a new night club down there.
She`s doing everything wrong, and K-Dad is not going to have to worry because Britney is making his case for him.
HAMMER: So if she`s laying low, I can understand how that might help her. But Howard, help me out with this idea. We always wind up coming back to talking about Britney`s image. Now, let`s say she is the perfect mom. We certainly don`t know it by what we see, so let me ask you this, would it be in her best interest to put that image of her out there aggressively, being a great mom? How about some paparazzi shots of her playing with her kids in the park instead of pictures of her hitting the clubs. Would that be a good move for her?
BRAGMAN: I don`t think it`s a good move because, number one, I don`t think it`s authentic. Number two, as soon as you do that, you are going to get accused of using the kids in the divorce battle, and it`s going to come back, and it`s going to bite her in the butt.
HAMMER: Is that what usually happens, Howard, because people use the media all the time to further their -- what they`re going for.
BRAGMAN: A.J., it`s about what feels right and what feels authentic. If every afternoon Britney went to the park with her kids, it would feel perfectly natural. If all of a sudden five years later we take the kids to the park once and all the paparazzi are following, it`s going to feel very artificial. And I think the cynical world we live in, people aren`t going buy it.
HAMMER: I`m with you on that. She`s got a week now until her next court date. Susan Moss, give me the bullet points of what Britney`s battle plan should be right now. What does she absolutely need to do to make this happen for her?
MOSS: Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa. She`s got to really just change the entire image. She`s got to admit her erratic behavior, explain a reason, and put together a plan of why it will not happen again. I can tell you right now her divorce lawyer is probably pulling out her hair about what`s going on. Unfortunately, it`s just going to make her look like Britney.
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, is it too late for her to be playing PR catchup before her court date next week?
BRAGMAN: I think it`s a little late for PR catchup. We always talk about the court of law and the court of public opinion. She`s got to go to the court of law. She`s got to look right. She`s got to be composed, and if she goes and has to testify, what I want to hear is I`m not a perfect mother, but I love my children more than anything. I make sacrifices for them. I will do anything for their safety. A few tears always helps.
HAMMER: Yes. And hiring the right people always helps, and it sounds like she needs help. Maybe she should call Susan Moss and Howard Bragman. Thank you very much for joining us tonight, guys.
MOSS: Thank you.
HAMMER: We want to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Britney Spears, should she lose her kids? Let us know what you think by voting at CNN.com/SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Our email address is SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com.
ANDERSON: Britney may be going through a very rough patch right now, but she is certainly not the only star to face trying times.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We all go through ups and downs. None of us are, you know, immune to it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: From Hale Barry`s suicide attempt to Brooke Shields` post- partum depression, so many stars have fought and won and helped others by talking openly about it. That`s coming up in a SHOWBIZ special report, stars and depression.
HAMMER: Also, Zac Efron takes on the world, from "High School Musical" to the cover of basically every magazine out there. This young actor is 100 percent on fire. Can he keep going without getting burned? That is coming up.
ANDERSON: Let`s hope so. If you haven`t seen this on the Internet yet, you can`t miss it. A Miss Teen USA contestant absolutely melts down during the interview portion of the pageant. It`s you truly unbelievable what she said, and now she`s getting a chance to redeem herself. That is next coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. A teen beauty queen got a chance to redeem herself today. At the Miss Teen USA pageant, Miss South Carolina, Lauren Upton, absolutely mangled the interview portion. You just have to hear this for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Recent polls have shown one-fifth of Americans can`t locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don`t have maps, and I believe that our education, like such as in South Africa and the Iraq, everywhere like -- such as, and I believe that they should -- our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. -- or should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh the rambling, poor girl. Lauren`s answer has become an Internet sensation, and on "The Today Show" she said that she was overwhelmed and didn`t really understand the question. And she got a chance to do her answer over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on our map. I don`t know anyone else who doesn`t, and if the statistics are correct, I believe that there should be more emphasis on geography in our education so people will learn how to read maps better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Good for you, Lauren. By the way, Lauren`s answer didn`t hurt her that much during the pageant. She actually finished third runner up.
HAMMER: Wow. Good for her. Well, a new reality show is already under fire for, listen to this, they let a group of kids fend for themselves for 40 days in the desert, no parents, no teachers. Did the kids really drink bleach and get hurt like some are claiming? And here`s what I want to know, what the heck were the parents thinking in the first place? That is coming up. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKE SHIELDS, ACTRESS: It`s a dark place where everywhere I turned there was just more darkness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Brooke Shields opens up about her painful struggle with post-partum depression. I think it was so brave how she came forward in the hopes of helping others. And she`s not the only star to do so. Coming up next, we`ve got a SHOWBIZ special report, stars and depression, you don`t want to miss this. Stay with us.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: "Stars and Depression": Tonight, as new startling reports about Owen Wilson`s possible suicide attempt and battle with depression come out, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates stars dealing with their demons.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HALLE BARRY, ATCRESS: We all go through ups ask downs, and none of us are, you know, immune to it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Some of the biggest stars are speaking out about something that has often kept been kept hush-hush in Hollywood. Emotional struggles with mental illness. Tonight a SHOWBIZ special report on "Stars and Depression".
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Now we have a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, "Stars and Depression".
HAMMER: We are slowly learning more details about Owen Wilson and his sad brush with death this weekend as reports surface about his shocking suicide attempt and his reported history with depression.
ANDERSON: A.J., Owen is not alone. Tonight we look at the growing number of stars who have battled depression and the brave few who are opening up about their struggles with mental illness.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Funny man Owen Wilson hospitalized after an apparent suicide attempt.
MIKE FLEEMAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: A little bit after noon paramedics, fire department, police responded to Owen Wilson`s house and took him to the hospital.
ANDERSON: As family and friends worry about the handsome actor, reports are surfacing about what may have led such a successful and beloved celebrity to reportedly try and take his own life.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Publicly, I don`t think anyone has gotten a sense that Owen has been battling depression, but we`re hearing now from sources that he has been privately battling it for several months.
ANDERSON: Depression, it`s something millions of Americans struggle with, but in Hollywood, where the private lives of celebrities are quite public, depression has remained hidden, not talked about. That is starting to change.
BARRY: We`re all human, and we`re all trying to get this life right.
ANDERSON: She`s beautiful. She`s successful; and would seem to have it all. Halle Barry is yet another A-list celebrity to come clean about her battle with depression.
BARRY: We all go through ups and downs, and none of us are, you know, immune to it.
ANDERSON: Halle opened up to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT talking about her suicide attempt after her marriage to baseball star David Justice fell apart in 1997.
BARRY: I`m not ashamed of anything that`s happened in my past. I`m not ashamed of exposing it. It does make me human. And it connects me in a real way to other people, and that`s part of what this business is all about.
JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: As a psychologist, I think it is really courageous and exceptionally helpful for the entire public if a star like Halle Barry comes out and says, "I`ve been depressed." And for all the stars who have said, "I felt like killing myself." It makes those millions of people who have had those thoughts, or who have even tried to do something, feel I`m not the only one, there is hope.
ANDERSON: If anybody knows the torture of depression, it`s Marie Osmond.
SINGERS: You`ve got the best of my love, whoa, whoa --
ANDERSON: Marie stole our hearts in 1976 when she starred in "The Donny & Marie Show," but behind her beautiful smile and glamorous life, Marie says there was pain.
MARIE OSMOND, SINGER, ACTRESS: I wore myself out trying to put on the smile. I would go home and fall apart. I would sob on my way home from work every day.
ANDERSON: Marie says she suffered sexual abuse as a child and had anorexia as a teen. Then as an adult she got the horrible news that her husband Brian had a brain tumor. Her struggles didn`t end there. In 2001 Marie told Larry King about her battle with postpartum depression.
OSMOND: This is supposed to be the most happy time of your life. This is what the world tells you. You`re dying inside. You know, this is the thing that`s so difficult about having postpartum depression.
ANDERSON: Just like Marie, Brooke Shields a also suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of her first baby.
BROOKE SHIELDS, SUPER MODEL: I was in this sort of dark place where everywhere I turned, there was just more darkness.
ANDERSON: Brooke tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that antidepressants helped her, and now she`s helping other women with her book, "Down Came The Rain."
SHIELDS: I felt the need to a least not just stand on any kind of a soapbox, but just say, listen, this is my story.
ANDERSON: Hollywood psychologist Doctor Robert Butterworth says celebrities like Brooke Shields help remove the stigma surrounding mental illness.
DR. ROBERT BUTTERWORTH, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: It made people think that there`s something that you can get, and you can do something about it.
ANDERSON: Even former teen pop star Mandy Moore revealed that she has had to deal with bouts of depression, telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that at age 22 she found herself depressed for apparently no reason.
MANDY MOORE, SINGER: I`m a pretty glass-half-full sort of girl, but everybody has their ups and downs, and the last year has been -- has been a bit of a big year for me.
BUTTERWORTH: Show business is a really tough business, and you not just judged on your ability to read a script, but you`re judged on how you look, how you get across to other people. And, you know for some people it`s just too much psychologically.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Other celebrities who have come out and admitted to being depressed, "Scrubs" star Zach Graff and former "View" co-host Rosie O`Donnell. Doctors say when stars talk about mental illness it not only takes away shame and humiliation, but it gives others the courage to face their problem.
HAMMER: Well, Rosie O`Donnell is gone from "The View". Whoopi Goldberg has taken her place. And tonight, I can finally tell you who the first guest will be on the season premier. May I have a drum roll, please? Pretty good. Danny Devito will be the first guest. One of my favorite guys if the business.
You may remember last time Danny was on that show, well, it sure was interesting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANNY DEVITO, ACTOR: Gag, gag, gag, wub, wub, wub, wub.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: He was the first to tell everybody, Danny had done a little too much good, good, good, lemon cellos (ph), so he said, with his buddy George Clooney. But you know it worked out for him, talk about making lemonade out of lemons. He now has his own line of lemon cello liqueur. Which I have yet to sample.
This, by the way, your first look at the new "View". Everybody looks so happy here. Remember, so did Rosie this time last year. The new season of "The View" premiers September 4th.
ANDERSON: OK, so it`s back to school time. And, boy, these kids that I`m about to tell you about, I bet they would have the most shocking things to say about what I did on my vacation. Tonight the outrage over "Kid Nation" is growing. It`s the CBS reality show where kids, ages eight to 15, are dumped in the wilderness for 40 days and left to fend for themselves. It has many asking what in the world were CBS and their parents thinking?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have wanted to go home for a long time now, and --
ANDERSON: Fourteen-year-old D.K. is one of 40 children, ages eight to 15, who were placed in a New Mexico desert for 40 days this past spring for the upcoming CBS reality series "Kid Nation."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s hard. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These kids, they make their own meals on wood- burning stoves. They do their own laundry. They have their own economy. They run their own stores.
ANDERSON: While CBS on its web site says the participants will cope with regular childhood emotions and situations, including homesickness, the show is embroiled in an adult-size controversy regarding the kids living and working conditions.
The attorney general of New Mexico is investigating whether child labor laws were violated and whether the children were put in potentially harmful situations.
PHIL SISNEROS, DIR. COMM., NEW MEXICO, AGO: We can find out from the records whether or not there were -- there is evidence of the allegations, I believe, were that some of the children were put in danger.
ANDERSON: Santa Fe Sheriff Greg Selano (ph) reads from two angry letters which prompted his investigation into the allegations. One from a participant`s mother who says her daughter was burned by hot cooking grease, and the other, unsigned, included these claims.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four children drank bleach. A girl was burned in her face with grease. A girl vomited repeatedly. A teenager urinated in the canteen of a younger boy. Condoms were placed over microphones, given to minors, purportedly to protect microphones from the rain.
ANDERSON: "Kid Nation" producers have described the show as a social experiment.
TOM FORMAN, EXEC. PRODUCER, "KID NATION": We just tried to take a giant step back, and shoot, and see what happened next.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I am really missing is my brother.
ANDERSON: While we aren`t hearing from outraged parents, they signed a confidentiality clause that carries a penalty of up to $5 million. CBS says the series was filmed within all applicable laws. Furthermore, parents signed a 22-page waiver acknowledging the risks involved, including injury, or even death.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop threatening us, Taylor.
ANDERSON: CBS defends the conditions telling CNN, quote, "What was extraordinary about `Kid Nation` of the behind the scenes support structure, which included on site paramedics, a pediatrician, and animal safety expert, and a child psychologist. These kids were in good hands and under good care with procedures and safety structures that arguably rival or surpass any school or camp in the country."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is like the last straw for me.
ANDERSON: Summer camp or child labor nightmare? "Kid Nation" is scheduled to premier mid-September.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People will be like, whoa!, when they see this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: OK, since production wrapped on "Kid Nation", New Mexico labor laws broadened. They changed them. And AFTRA, the America Federation of Television and Radio Artists is investigating, too. Tonight, "The Hollywood Reporter" has called for the show to be cancelled even before it airs. But CBS is moving ahead, and they`re even accepting applications for "Kid Nation II" on their web site.
HAMMER: I don`t get how anybody could send their kids to something like that.
Well, let`s move on. "High School Musical", super popular, of course, with kids of all ages. You know, the biggest break-out star, a guy by the name of Zac Efron. Someone who I think has so much potential. But the big question, particularly in light of what`s going on in Hollywood right now, will he be able to stay out of trouble?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZAC EFRON, ACTOR/SINGER, "HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL": What they deal with on a daily basis with paparazzi is literally -- it`s out of control.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight I`ve got to ask the tough question. Will this instant stardom spell trouble for young Zac? How can he possibly avoid the path of the Hollywood baddies like Lindsay, Britney, Paris? That`s next.
ANDERSON: A.J., Scott Baoi, big child star himself. Girls everywhere loved him during "Happy Days". But he has had problems staying in his relationships. Tonight, though, is Scott finally settling down. I`ll be shocked. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Brooke, a personal question for you, you ever gotten so fired up, so mad, you just wanted to smash a bunch of dishes?
ANDERSON: Sure, I have, but, you know, fortunately, I have never done it.
HAMMER: Nothing gets out the aggression like a good plate smashing. There`s actually a restaurant that wants you to break your plates. What the heck are we talking about? We will tell you next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
It`s time now for a story that made us say "That`s ridiculous!"
I want to you check out this restaurant in Beijing. You can stop in for a nice meal and after chowing down on some steamy food, can you let off some steam by chucking your plate against a wall. That`s right. This place wants you to bash your bowls, ditch your dishes. I guess you can imagine those painted people are your boss, or mother-in-law, although I love my mother-in-law, personally.
But I don`t know what these people are so angry about. I mean, China owns so much of the U.S. debt, a ton of the outsourced manufacturing jobs, right, Lou Dobbs told me to include that little tidbit.
Anyway, folks, a Greek wedding this ain`t, so to this plate-smashing restaurant, I got to say, "That`s ridiculous!"
HAMMER: Come on, Brooke, everybody is angry.
Well, "High School Musical" star Zac Efron probably not angry, probably not smashing plates because is he too busy smashing records. Thanks to the two movies and their hit soundtracks, Efron is certainly the hottest star in Hollywood right now. Even overshadowing the likes of tabloid favorites Lindsay and Britney.
Now there`s word Efron may reprise Kevin Bacon`s role in the remake of the `80s hit "Footloose." But what`s really in store for Hollywood`s newest golden boy? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked Zac directly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZAC EFRON, ACTOR/SINGER: Truthfully, I don`t know. There`s a lot of different projects that I`m trying to get involved with at this point. And it`s all about finding that next fun character and someone I can really relate to, someone that I would want to play. So it could be a lot of characters.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, whatever Efron decides to do next, fans will definitely be watching and hoping for another hit. But the question is this type of instant super stardom a recipe for trouble? What does Efron have to do right now to make sure he stays on the right side of Hollywood`s celebrity circus? And it is a circus. Joining me tonight in New York, Susan Shoals, editor-in-chief of "CosmoGirl!" magazine, in Hollywood tonight Ari Karpel, the senior editor for "Entertainment Weekly."
Ari, Susan, I`m having you on here because I have met Zac before. I like this guy. I worry about him. And that`s why we`re doing this.
Ari, I want to start with you, because you wrote about Zac in the latest issue of "Entertainment Weekly." Tell us, and tell him, what does Zac have to do to avoid the pitfalls of fame, so he can continue on this great road he is on.
ARI KARPEL, SR. EDITOR, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": I think he needs to slow down and really be careful about his choices. He needs to surround himself with wise, experienced people who really understand the business. And he needs to be mature beyond his 19 years to understand that he must resist the temptation of the fast paycheck for roles that will only appeal to his teenage fan base.
He really needs to take a look at what Leonardo DeCaprio did way back when, when he chose to do "What`s Eating Gilbert Grape" which lead to his first Oscar nomination. Instead of just taking the big paydays for larger roles, he needs to find and audition for some smaller roles that will establish him as a good actor.
HAMMER: I do have to tell you that I got the impression when I met Zac, and this is already going back about a year and a half, that maturity is on his side. He is aware of the circus that goes on. In fact, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked Zac what he thought of all the insanity that is surrounding the latest tabloid targets, like Lindsay Lohan these days. Listen to what he told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EFRON: I don`t think it`s their fault. I think it`s an accumulation of things. You know, what they deal with on a daily basis with paparazzi is literally -- it`s out of control, and I think a lot of people lose perspective. And, you know, I can guarantee that Lindsay is very aware that people are following her literally tailing her all day long. It`s just not pleasant.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I like where he is at right now, guys. He has kind of got a clean slate. His image is as clean cut as they come, but we all know if he makes one mistake, or, Susan, tell us, should he be bracing himself for the same kind of media storm that surrounds people like Lindsay and Britney?
SUSAN SCHULZ, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "COSMOGIRL!": He should only brace himself for it if he does something crazy like they`ve been doing. And Zac, really, he does not strike me as the type of guy that will make these bad decisions. He doesn`t strike me as a partying type at all. He comes from a really good family. He just has his head on his shoulders.
I met him a few weeks ago myself, and what a nice guy, and he just seems to have more of a real like strong character. And I just don`t think is he going to go down that road. I think is he trying to be smart about the next roles that he takes. I think he doesn`t want to be yet another, you know, bit of tabloid fodder, and I think that he does want to go on to become a good actor. And if you saw him in "Hairspray" even though that`s still a musical role, it was a little different than his role as Troy. And I think that showed he does have a little bit of range that he`s starting to show people. I`m excited to see what he might choose next, aside from "High School Musical" or from "Footloose."
HAMMER: Sure. Well, tabloid fodder, will happen anyway, and the closest thing you`ve seen to that is his relationship with his "High School Musical" co-star Vanessa Hudgens. People are already so fascinated with this teenager, wondering if their relationship is real. It amazes me that people are so obsessed with these teenage love lives.
Ari, the high interest they`re seeing right now in their personal lives certainly foreshadowing what`s to come.
KARPEL: Potentially, but I think if he is smart and, again, resists the temptation of the L.A. clubs that really cater to these young actors and that really cater to the tabloid magazines that pray on the young actors, he will be fine. Like Susan says, he has a good head on his shoulders. I think he is going in the right direction.
HAMMER: His "High School Musical" co-stars keep telling us how close they are all to each other, and we asked Chris Warren Jr. about his friendship with Zac. Here`s what told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS WARREN, JR., ACTOR/SINGER: Oh, my God, me and Zac Efron don`t even talk. I`m -- Zac is like -- he is like a normal guy. Now he is like this huge star, but, I mean, we`re really good friends. He is like a normal guy. And everybody wants there to be drama like he is something bad, but he is just an awesome dude.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What I worry about is every time somebody hits it big, the sharks are circling. If there is no drama, have the expectations been set too high? I got about 15 seconds.
SCHULZ: You know what, we`ll see what happens. Zac is a good guy. He is so good looking, that it`s kind of fun to see what he will do. I do hope that he makes some good choices in his career. I don`t think that we`re going to see a train wreck with Zac.
HAMMER: Good. No train wrecks, Zac. We wish him the best. Ari Karpel, from "Entertainment Weekly" and Susan Schulz from "CosmoGirl!" I appreciate you both being with us tonight.
SCHULZ: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Yesterday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this: Summer scandal, is young Hollywood out of control? Very one-sided. Look at this, only 96 percent of you say yes. That means only 4 percent of you say no, young Hollywood is not out of control. Here are some of the emails that we received.
Fabiola writes, "I think young Hollywood has always been wild, but never this highly publicized."
Great point.
Glenda from Kentucky thinks, "I don`t think the young actors are any more out of control than some of the other young people in the world. They are just on TV every time they turn around."
That`s right. They are in the spotlight, a lot of pressure. We appreciate your emails. Keep them coming.
Well, is it the summer of love for Scott Baio? I mean, he`s cute, he has dated some of the most beautiful women in the world, like -- the list is endless -- Pam Anderson, Heather Locklear, to name a couple. How did he end up 45 and single? Tonight he could be off the market once and for all. Did Chachi really find his new Joannie? That`s coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
This was something I just didn`t get. Scott Baio, you know, Chachi from "Happy Days", "Charles In Charge", has dated some of the hottest women in the world -- Pam Anderson, Heather Locklear, Denise Richards -- but he suddenly found himself single at 45. VH-1 made a reality show out of it. Tonight, though, he may be walking down the aisle, and that`s not the only surprise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT BAIO, ACTOR: I am ready to get married.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So am I. Guess what? We`re going to have a baby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Whoohoo! Got to love reality TV, right? That was this week`s season finale. OK. So when I recently sat down with Scott, when the show got started, I wanted to know why is it so tough to keep a Hollywood relationship together some.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BAOI: It`s very, very difficult, because there are big egos involved and for me I -- for some reason I always gravitated toward these actresses, and I learned not that long ago that I just can`t do that. I mean, it`s not that my ego is so big. I really don`t have an ego. It`s just that it`s tough to compete with show business.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, I hope it works out for Scott and his pregnant, soon-to-be wife, Renee. And, guess what, we`ll be able to see it all play out on TV because the show has been renewed for the fall.
All right. We`ve been asking you to vote on our question of the day. It is this. Britney Spears, should she lose custody of her kids? Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. And write to us, Showbiztonight@cnn.com. We will read some of your emails and some of your thoughts tomorrow.
HAMMER: Still a little emotional that Scott Baio is going to have a baby, get married.
Let`s see what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tomorrow young Hollywood speaks out on -- young Hollywood . The good guys and gals, Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes, "High School Musical" Vanessa Hudgens, with some very good advice for the bad young stars. You know who they are. Bad is out. Good is in.
Also tomorrow, bob Saget, hey, don`t let the reserve Danny Tanner, "Full House" thing full you. Bob has a lot to say about young Hollywood. Remember, this guy watched Mary Kate and Ashley Olson grow up before his very own eyes. And he doesn`t hold back. Bob Saget joining us tomorrow.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Have a great night everybody. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood . This guy, "Glenn Beck", is coming up next right after the latest headlines from CNN "Headline News." Take care.
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