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Showbiz Tonight
New Details Emerge in Owen Wilson Suicide Attempt; Star Custody Battles
Aired August 30, 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 new battle over Anna Nicole Smith`s baby. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And do stars deserve any privacy at all? I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a stunning decision by police not to release the 911 call. Why the secrecy? Plus, a SHOWBIZ special report, when stars melt down. From Dave Chappelle to Britney Spears, why do stars who seem to have it all crumble under the pressure. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on why stars melt down.
Tonight, explosive new dirty laundry in three major star custody battles. Britney and K-Fed, Charlie and Denise, Whitney and Bobby, why do stars make their private battles public with the kids caught in the middle? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, when stars fight over their kids, should they keep their dirty laundry to themselves?
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood, where tonight we are asking why the heck don`t stars give their kids some privacy as they get into these knock down drag out embarrassing custody battles. That is coming up.
HAMMER: First, celebrity 911. Tonight we have got huge news about a startling decision by the police not to release the tape of the 911 call they got the night Owen Wilson apparently tried to commit suicide. Why is that such a surprise? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is about to show you and let you hear why. Because, you know, when stars get into trouble, they call the cops and we usually hear it loud and clear.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thirty eight year old star is still at Cedar Sinai Medical Center.
HAMMER (voice-over): With all the coverage of Owen Wilson`s apparent suicide attempt, it seems that every sordid detail of that sad story is open for public consumption.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The "National Enquirer" reported that Wilson had tried to commit suicide.
HAMMER: But there`s one part of the saga that will probably forever remain a mystery, the 911 call placed from Wilson`s home soon after he reportedly slit his wrists.
ALICIA QUARLES, ASSOCIATED PRESS ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: There would have been an extreme interest in hearing the tape for the simple fact this is getting so much publicity already.
HAMMER: But Santa Monica officials are saying forget about it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the Wilson 911 tapes won`t be released. In a statement to news organizations, the city attorney says, quote, the recording appears to be protected by Mr. Wilson`s rights to privacy.
QUARLES: If that tape had been released every outlet would have run it.
HAMMER: Alyssa Quarles from the Associated Press tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that the media would have loved to get their hands on the Wilson 911 tape, especially if it answered some lingering questions about the tragic suicide attempt.
QUARLES: How great would it be to get Luke Wilson on the phone freaking out because he found Owen? Nobody has been able to confirm that it was Luke that made the call. Nobody has been able to confirm there were drugs in his system or there weren`t.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you 911 tapes have become the real- time soundtrack to some of the most tragic and ridiculous --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The party is now traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
HAMMER: -- celebrity stories in recent years. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, do these recordings satisfy our right to know or do they violate the star`s right to privacy in the most vulnerable and heartbreaking moments of their lives. The 1993 death of actor River Phoenix outside this Hollywood club shocked the world. What was even more shocking was the 911 call placed by Rivers` hysterical brother, actor Joaquin Phoenix, who called the paramedics as River lay dying from a drug overdose.
JAOQUIN PHOENIX: I don`t know if he`s breathing. Please, you got to get over here with an ambulance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay on the line with me and calm down a little bit.
PHOENIX: I`m calm. But he`s having seizures.
HAMMER: Who could forget the sheer anguish in Will Shatner`s voice when he called 911 in 1999 after discovering his wife at the bottom of their swimming pool.
WILLIAM SHATNER, ACTOR: She`s at the very deep end.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you can, grab something and get her out of the pool.
HAMMER: Noreen Shatner died that night.
FRANK SESNO, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: It does provide insight. It provides that most dramatic moments of the crisis. The problem is that sometimes also invades people`s privacy.
HAMMER: CNN`s special correspondent and journalism professor Frank Sesno tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, 911 tapes are public record. But as in the Owen Wilson case, officials are very careful about releasing them.
SESNO: Police, first responders and others will make decisions, and they can make decisions as to what they are going to release and what they are not going to release. That can be challenged in a court of law, but it`s murky and it`s a very difficult call.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you over the past few months, 911 tapes have shown us all how unbelievable the antics of some Hollywood starlets have become.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 911 emergency, what are you reporting?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A car on the wrong side of the freeway.
HAMMER: 911 calls alerting the police of a driver going the wrong way down a California freeway led to Nicole Richie`s most recent DUI and a major media spectacle. And Lindsay Lohan`s DUI arrest began with this call from a woman Lohan was allegedly chasing while driving drunk in a borrowed SUV.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my god, sir. They`re following us. We need help.
QUARLES: At that point Lindsay Lohan was out of control, really ridiculous. The story was pretty dramatic and it was kind of funny/sad to hear that call.
HAMMER: The AP`s Alicia Quarles tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT there`s a big difference between those calls and the one made on Owen Wilson`s behalf.
QUARLES: A celebrity has committed a criminal act, where they`re putting you or I in danger, and somebody has made a call, absolutely that should be released. On the flip side of that, if it`s a personal matter, if somebody`s disturbed mentally, if somebody has had a tragedy happen in their family, that`s nobody`s business and doesn`t need to be public matter.
HAMMER: It is only public statement since his apparent suicide attempt, Owen Wilson has asked for privacy while he heals. But with the media camped outside his hospital, the unreleased 911 tapes may be the closest he comes to getting his wish.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So, do we really need to hear the Owen Wilson 911 call or do celebrities like Wilson deserve to have their privacy. The latest issue of "People Magazine," which hits newsstands tomorrow, has fascinating new details of what happened to Wilson. With us tonight from Hollywood, Mike Freeman; he is the West Coast editor of People.com. Also joining us, Jim Moret from "Inside Edition."
Mike, Jim, I appreciate you both being here. We just heard 911 calls are released all the time. But Owen Wilson`s, now we know, was not and is not going to be. Jim, are we comparing apples to oranges here? Or does the public really have a right to hear this call?
JIM MORET, "INSIDE EDITION": I think it depends. This is not a call about a DUI or a crime. This is a call involving a suicide attempt. This is a call involving medical information. As individuals under federal law, we have a right to privacy with respect to our medical information, and more importantly, you know, there is a public interest here. You don`t want people afraid to call 911 because the call may be released.
I think in this case, this was the right decision. I don`t think we have a right, as a matter of course, to hear every 911 call, whether it`s from a celebrity or otherwise.
HAMMER: I agree with you, and I think a lot of people do as well. Yet, it`s important to respect and protect the rights of people. Here`s what I honestly think a lot of people are wondering. And Mike Fleeman, maybe you can help me out with this. Is this a case where because a celebrity is involved, maybe the privacy factor is getting some special treatment. In other words, if it were just some regular person, they would get no special consideration.
MIKE FLEEMAN, "PEOPLE MAGAZINE": I don`t know if it`s so much celebrity as a person with resources. And if Owen Wilson`s family or attorney hasn`t already made it clear that there`s going to be some trouble if they release this 911 tape, I think Santa Monica can anticipate that there will be when they do. So they are going to have to factor that in.
Also, this is, you know, a medical situation. It`s not a criminal situation. That probably went into play too.
HAMMER: We just heard of what some of the Santa Monica city attorney`s office said about not releasing the call. Jim Moret, you alluded to this yourself, and I want to read a little bit more of what they said in their statement, "no person should have to worry about whether placing a call for emergency assistance will automatically make his or her medical request open to public review."
I can`t argue with that. But there is no question, as you and I both know, having done this for a while, if this tape were released, everybody in the media would run with it. Jim, do you think, as Mike alluded to, there could have possibly been some pressure from the Wilson family to keep this quiet, or do you think the officials are genuinely operating with a conscience here?
MORET: Well, the fact that Santa Monica released an official letter tells me a couple things; one, there were a number of requests for this call. And two, there is clearly some information in there that we have not heard yet. It may be potentially damaging information. It`s certainly personal information.
I think Owen Wilson and his family have every right to suspect and to expect that when they call for help -- and this was a call for help. It was a 911 call. You`re talking about somebody who potentially tried to take their life, may have overdosed, may have slashed their wrists. You know what? You want people to be able to call for help and not worry it`s going to be released. I don`t think he`s getting special treatment. I think he`s getting the treatment that any of us can and do expect.
HAMMER: I think you and I both know also it`s pretty common practice among a lot of media outlets to make a call requesting a 911 tape when a celebrity is involved. As a matter of fact, we are going to hear some of that coming up a little later on in the show. Mike, is it not a fair argument though that Owen Wilson is a public figure, and to accurately report the story, we do need to hear the tape, because we do want to get it right.
WILSON: We are in a Catch 22. We don`t know what`s on the tape, so we don`t know, you know, to what degree privacy is violated. We don`t know if there`s anything we can learn from this tape. It`s a delicate balancing act. He has rights to privacy that are not absolute. Public has the right to know but those are not absolute. So I think the city attorney is juggling that and decided to weigh in favor of Owen Wilson.
HAMMER: Jim Moret, only a few seconds here. Why in the heck are we so fascinated with these 911 celebrity tapes?
MORET: We are fascinated with every aspect of celebrity in our culture. I see it from my teenage kids. They want to know and they do know what`s happening to all of their favorite celebrities. I don`t know. It`s a new celebrity culture.
HAMMER: That`s why we`re here. Mike Fleeman, Jim Moret, I appreciate you being with us tonight.
Certainly we were all shocked to hear of Wilson`s apparent suicide attempt. But when you look back, plenty of stars have had their tough times. You know the names, Dave Chappelle, Britney Spears; why do stars who seem to have it all really just seem to crack under the pressure? We will get into that at 30 minutes past the hour in a SHOWBIZ special report, star melt downs.
ANDERSON: Also, brand new developments in three star custody battles, Britney and K-Fed, Bobby and Whitney, and Denise and Charlie, all airing their dirty laundry in public with their kids caught in the middle. It really makes me feel sorry for those kids. We`ve got the story still ahead.
HAMMER: Wait until you hear about this. A brand new battle over Anna Nicole Smith`s baby, Dannielynn. It is unbelievable. We are going to tell you exactly why Larry Birkhead is talking about a lawsuit, and we are talking about a really ugly war of words. That is coming up.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, three of Hollywood`s nastiest star custody battles have exploded again all at the same time. Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards, and Britney and K-Fed. What`s going on and how damaging is this for the poor kids stuck in the middle of their parents` mess.
In Hollywood, celebrity attorney Shawn Chapman Holley, and tonight from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin, managing editor of the entertainment website TMZ.com, and the soon to be seen TMZ on TV. That show, "TMZ on TV," debuts September 10th. Harvey, can`t wait to see the show. Sounds great.
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: We are excited about it. I feel ten months pregnant right now. I want the show on the air.
HAMMER: Got a lot of pressure there, I understand. Well, next Tuesday, September 4th, is the big showdown in court between Britney Spears, Kevin Federline. Right now they have fifty-fifty custody. Federline wants a bigger percentage. K-Fed`s legal team has issued subpoenas left and right to anyone and everyone they can who has had contact with Britney, it seems.
Is K-Fed`s approach just take no prisoners all-out war.
LEVIN: Well, it is all-out war right now. The odd thing about it is he is not asking to basically strip her of custody. We know what he wants. He wants a couple more nights a week, which is basically 70/30 custody. This is not about taking away from her. It`s giving him another 20 percent. And over that, it has really erupted into this craziness.
He doesn`t talk to her anymore. She actually for a while wouldn`t talk to him. Now she wants to talk to him just in terms of the kids, and he will not communicate with her. So it`s pretty much as bad as it gets.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, while he`s pulling out all the big guns, Shawn, Britney`s lawyers are laying low. What do you think; is it time for her team to step up, strike back and fight for those kids?
SHAWN CHAPMAN HOLLEY, CELEBRITY ATTORNEY: I think she`s definitely got to fight for the kids. What the court is looking at is whether or not she is fit or unfit as a parent. What we are looking at in terms of fitness is whether or not there is any sort of emotional or physical abuse or neglect. She`s obviously in the press a lot. Things aren`t looking good for her in the press. And she may have to use the press for her own purposes to show herself being a better mother and showing herself to be the fit parent that she probably can be.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, you have celebrity clients. If she were your client, what would you tell her to do, Shawn?
HOLLEY: I bet you that everybody is telling her to do the same thing, to be a good parent. Whether that be in the public eye or out of the public eye. The question is whether or not she`s listening to what I imagine is good advice that she`s probably getting.
ANDERSON: Harvey, as we all know, Britney has still been carrying on the erratic behavior, the partying. Where do you see all of this going?
LEVIN: What I see is damage to the kids. And that`s not too far away. When two parents are at war, and these kids get a little bit older, it comes home to roost. And we have seen it with a lot of nasty divorces. They don`t have to be famous people. But I think, you know -- I don`t think anybody is real worried about these kids not being taken care of. When you look at her means and the fact she has nannies and people to feed these kids, they`re in a lot better position than a lot of kids in America. The bigger issue is emotional.
ANDERSON: She does have a lot of help with the children in that regard. Speaking of nasty battles, I want to move now to Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston. New documents just out have Bobby claiming that Whitney is keeping him from seeing or talking to their 14-year-old daughter and, Harvey, Whitney`s got full custody at the moment. She`s testified that Bobby, though, is unreliable. Is that reason enough to keep him from seeing his daughter?
LEVIN: Well, no. I mean, to keep a parent from a child does not mean that they have to be -- you don`t have to be a model parent in order to have contact with your kids. Having contact with your kid, that has to be harmful in and of itself in order to deny that right to a parent. So that`s a pretty high burden. I mean, he is saying that he is so on the skids right now that he`s had to live in his car for a time when he was trying to deal with all of this, and he was dealing with lawyers` bills and what not.
So again, this is an odd one because we`ve got pictures of them having dinner together, not too long ago, and then all of a sudden this. So it sounds like this is this whole roller coaster thing where, you know, well, we get along one minute and we hate each other the next.
ANDERSON: Right. It`s very upsetting, the kids stuck in the middle. Also this week, Denise Richards, Charlie Sheen traded very public, very ugly letters and statements between them, as they continue to battle over their little girl, speaking of children stuck in the middle. Shawn, whether it`s Charlie and Denise, Whitney and Bobby, Britney and K-Fed, isn`t it ridiculous that they find it necessary to drag their kids and their battles into the public?
HOLLEY: It`s true. If you went down to the family court right now here in downtown, Los Angeles, you would see these exact same stories, but, of course, there`s not the public watching. When you have got the public watching, when you have got all of this media attention, it really is tragic to see the kids brought into this. In the case of Charlie, those kids are small. So I don`t know how much they are aware of it.
But as Harvey said, later they are going to get a load of all of this.
HAMMER: The impact it could have is completely unfair. Shawn Chapman Holley, Harvey Levin, thank you both for your insights.
HOLLEY: Thank you.
HAMMER: Tonight, a brand new battle brewing over the late Anna Nicole Smith`s baby Dannielynn. This could get ugly. It involves Dannielynn`s dad, Larry Birkhead and "OK! Magazine." Now "OK!" was planning on doing a big story about Dannielynn`s first birthday, but they pulled out because they say they have uncovered explosive new allegations involving Birkhead, Howard K. Stern and Dannielynn.
The magazine won`t say exactly what`s up beyond that, quote, Larry and Howard may have tricked us all, unquote. OK! promises the full story will be in next week`s issue. Birkhead is telling a different kind of story. He tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that "OK! Magazine" is just mad because Dannielynn was on the cover of "US Weekly," and that OK! threatened to do a negative story on him if he cooperated with any other magazine.
"OK! Magazine" denies that. It could get real ugly. Larry says he`s thinking about suing and we, of course, will keep you posted.
We were certainly all shocked to hear about Owen Wilson`s apparent suicide attempt. When you look back, plenty of stars had their dark times from Dave Chappelle, Britney Spears. Why do stars who seem to have it all crack under the pressure? That`s ahead. Also this --
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s not a star in the world that wants to get out of the car and not be recognized.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The paparazzi photographer clearly doesn`t think stars deserve any privacy when they are out in public. I`m not sure I`m buying that. Do you automatically lose any right to privacy when you become a star? We`re looking into it coming up.
HAMMER: And fashion advice from Ashton Kutcher of all people. He is saying something that I think every man should take to heart. That`s coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, fashion advice from Ashton Kutcher. Ashton and Demi Moore always look fabulous together out on the town or on the red carpet. They are one of the most styled coordinated couples in Hollywood. As it turns outs, that`s no accident.
Ashton seems to have spent a lot of time thinking about couples` fashion, judging by an essay he wrote for "Harper`s Bizarre" magazine. He says, when it comes right down to it, men are accessories to women, a little more important than hand bags, but less important than shoes. The key to getting a man to dress better, Ashton says women should take charge. He writes, quote, swing by the men`s store and pick him up a shirt, tie, vest or sweater that works with your palette. If there`s one thing that men hate more than getting dressed, it`s going shopping. Make sure the look isn`t too matchy-matchy. You don`t want to seem like you planned it all out.
For more fashion advice from Ashton Kutcher, pick up a copy of "Harper`s Bazaar Magazine." It is on newsstands now.
HAMMER: Sounds like Ashton is probably a fan of "Desperate Housewives." Last season, "Desperate Housewives" ended with a bunch of cliff hangers. We want to know what`s in store now for the ladies. Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your sneak peek at the brand new season, and it`s coming up.
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ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: There`s no reason that somebody has to be this close to a kid`s face because it scares kids.
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ANDERSON: Very good point from Angelina Jolie. But do stars really deserve any privacy when they are out in public or is it all just part of what they sign up for when they go after fame? We are looking into that, straight ahead.
HAMMER: Another price of fame, from Owen Wilson to Britney Spears, why do stars who really seem to have it all crack under pressure. Coming up next, the SHOWBIZ special report; we`ll be showing you star melt downs.
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HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Stars and Privacy, the fame, the for tune, the glitz and the glamour. Tonight, do stars have the right to be left alone, or should they just stop complaining and deal with it?
E.L. WOODY, PHOTOGRAPHER: There`s not a star in the world that wants to get out of the car and not be recognized by the crowd.
HAMMER: Should the paparazzi go away? Should a star`s every move be splashed across the tabloids? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes right to the stars with a controversial revealing debate. And asks the shocking question, "Do Stars Deserve Privacy?" >
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. Coming to you tonight from Hollywood with TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Tonight, a showbiz special report, star meltdowns. Owen Wilson`s apparent suicide attempt is just the latest startling example of big stars melting down for no apparent reason, or at least it seems that way. So why do stars who have it all seem to fall apart right before our very eyes? With us for tonight`s SHOWBIZ special report from New York David Caplan, senior correspondent for VH-1`s 24Sizzler.com; joining us from San Francisco, co-host of the new upcoming My Network TV show, "Decision House", Tara Fields; and from New York tonight clinical psychologist Judy Kuriansky.
I appreciate you all being with us tonight.
And we know, this is a sad thing that we see over and over again, celebrities at the height of their career, just crumbling. Dr. Judy, let me start with you and let`s begin with Owen Wilson. So many people, including myself shocked to see what happened to him but should we be so shocked?
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Yes, because he was on the way up, not on the way down. Lots of money, successful hits, as opposed to like Angelina Jolie, whose movie when she did Maryanne Pearl was a flop. Women galore, every guy would give his eye teeth for that. So money, riches, everything, you say why then isn`t he happy?
But what happens is when people, like Owen Wilson, seem to have it all. Inside they don`t feel really worthy and they are panicked about is it going to really stop? When you hear that Owen was slicing -- superficially albeit -- his wrist, that shows he`s frustrated inside. He`s got a lot of built-up anger. Some loneliness like nobody really understands who he really is. So that`s what leads to what happened to Owen.
HAMMER: And if that was the case, clearly a cry for help. And, of course, this is something that goes on and on. Before Owen Wilson, one of the biggest stories over the last couple of years was Dave Chappelle`s situation. Here`s a guy who is at the height of his career. He had just signed this contract with 50 million bucks, with Comedy Central. And then in April of 2005 he walked away from it all. He did sit down to explain to CNN`s Anderson Cooper exactly why he walked away.
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DAVE CHAPPELLE, COMEDIAN: I didn`t flee from it. It wasn`t like -- but it wasn`t easy. It wasn`t an easy thing to do. At the time it felt like I just want to survive, like I`m not happy. This is not a good environment for me and I`ve got to get out of here.
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HAMMER: I hear him. But I have to say, a lot of people just can`t get how you can walk away from 50 million bucks. The way Dave Chappelle describes it, it sounds like, as enticing as it seems on the outside. Doctor Tara, being in such a pressure cooker really becomes impossible to deal with.
DR. TARA FIELDS, "DECISION HOUSE": And I have to disagree with Doctor Judy. It actually doesn`t surprise me when a star becomes very successful, and then they start a downward spiral, or actually undo all the success they have had, because often these celebrities get into the business because they have this wound. That actually creates their creativity, their passion, but the pain doesn`t go away.
So then they have this fantasy, some day when I have got that $50 million contract, when I get that Academy Award, I`m going to show that girl in high school who rejected me, I`m going to show those directors who say we have no time for you. They win the Academy Award. They get that juicy contract. And those people are still not calling them. The pain doesn`t go away.
And that wound from childhood is still there, so they say, if it`s not healed now, if the pain doesn`t go away now, what else is there? And then they find ways to self-medicate. Or like with Dave Chappelle, he might be saying, I don`t actually want to walk into that fantasy so maybe I will undo it now. Or maybe it`s a reality check, and he`s saying maybe that`s not what`s going to make me happy so I`m going to put the brakes on it now.
HAMMER: And hopefully, he got in control of his meltdown situation. I want to talk about Ashley Judd. Because it always fascinated me. This is a beautiful woman who as far as we saw was sitting on top of the world with her career, she was happily married and goes off to visit her sister, Wynona in rehab and decides to check herself in so she can deal with her own demons. I want you to hear what we she told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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ASHLEY JUDD, ACTRESS: I call it the curse of the competent woman. I can get a lot done between when I get out of bed, and when I go to bed, but what I realize now is that that human doing is not where my happiness comes from. It`s the quality of my human being, and that`s what my program of recovery has given me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: David Caplan, let me go to you, because you cover celebrities 24/7, does what she is saying sound typical of stars who have these meltdowns, that seem to come out of nowhere?
DAVID CAPLAN, 24SIZZLER.COM: You know, it does really sound familiar. And it is really common with celebrities, because really what she`s saying is that the happiness they get isn`t always derived from their career or for their work. Because these celebrities have to be sort of on all the time and when that sort of stops, it`s like, OK, wait a second, what am I feeling? And it`s a little bit for them to get in touch with the real person. It`s very weird for them. They have to sort of turn themselves off and it`s difficult when they are constantly hounded by the press and so forth.
HAMMER: Fortunately not all stars meltdown. I did want to get the perspective of a guy who I have always really respected in this business. He has held himself together for such a long time now and so many other stars are melting down all around him. I`m talking about Kevin Bacon starring in a new film called "Death Sentence". We asked him why he thought this seems to happen quite a bit.
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KEVIN BACON, ACTOR: I guess to me it has to do with finding something that`s more important to you than your own celebrity, because your celebrity is always going to fade eventually. And you know, you can`t stay super famous for forever. And if you -- you have to find something that means more to you than that.
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HAMMER: Good perspective, not held by every celebrity. Dr. Judy, let me ask you, isn`t it true the higher your star, the greater the need for acceptance and the harder the fall and meltdown can be?
KURIANSKY: That`s exactly true. The higher you raise, the harder it is when it all goes away. Celebrities know that, but everybody who is watching knows that, too. The more you have, whether it`s money or fame or luck or possessions or love, what you think is love, the more, the fear is that you could lose it. And that`s what creates some of the pain.
Kevin Bacon was really smart. He`s got his head on straight. So I agree with you about him.
HAMMER: We all know Britney Spears has to be experiencing some kind of pain. She seems to be like this one-woman ongoing meltdown from the head shaving to the rehab. Basically, nonstop wackiness, Doctor Tara, are all the signs we see from Britney classic examples of what happens when a star not only melts down but it really becomes, as in the case of Britney, sort of a way of life?
FIELDS: Absolutely. We have talked about this before is that there may be an underlying psychiatric illness that`s always been there, a chemical imbalance, and then you add to it two pregnancies in a row, the stress of a bad relationship, not sleeping, drinking. And, as we have talked about before, not having that kind of support system that says, you may not like what I`m about to say or do, but because I genuinely love you, this is how life is going to be if you want me to be in your life, which is getting into the right kind of treatment, not the one that`s popular, or the one that makes you happy in the moment.
HAMMER: So much pressure, and you`ve got to have the right crowd around you. David Caplan, Tara Fields, Judy Kuriansky, thank you all for being with us tonight.
ANDERSON: There`s been all kinds of meltdowns and breakups over at Wisteria Lane. Tonight I`ve got your sneak peek at the new season of "Desperate Housewives." Here`s a recap of how everyone left off last season. Susan and Mike get hitched. Gabby`s wedding may be off. It`s Brie`s daughter who is pregnant, not her, not Brie. And did Eddie hang herself? Got it? Take a look at this. It`s pretty hot.
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ANDERSON: The women look fabulous, and that song? It`s called "Mile In These Shoes" from Jennifer Lopez`s new album. The fourth season of "Desperate Housewives", with Dana Delaney joining the cast, premieres September 30 on NBC.
Well, the stars of "Desperate Housewives", Terry Hatcher, Eva Longoria, Nicolette Sheridan, always in the tabloids. The paparazzi following their every move. I`ve got to ask, is that right?
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ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: There is no reason that somebody has to be this close to a kid`s face, because it scares kids.
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ANDERSON: It`s a really controversial issue. Coming up next, I`m going right to the stars. Should stars just suck up and deal with it, or do stars deserve privacy?
HAMMER: Brook, it is an excellent question, and, in fact, I put it right to Kelly Preston, John Travolta`s wife. It`s got to be tough for them, but you know what, they have made it work. The surprising secrets of how they keep their 16-year marriage fresh, coming up next.
And why is NASA saying, "You`re the one that I want" with a piece of "Star Wars" history. Cheesy little John Travolta, "Grease" reference I shamelessly couldn`t avoid. I cannot believe what this government agency is doing. Your tax dollars hard at work. Our version of "Keeping Them Honest", next.
But first, we have been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Star custody battles, should they keep their feuds private? Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. You`ve got more to say, our e-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com.
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Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s time now for another story that made us say --
UNIDENTIFIED MALES: "That`s Ridiculous!"
HAMMER: I`m not one to hate on "Star Wars". I love the movies. And to mark "Star Wars" 30th anniversary, yeah, it says 30th. NASA is sending Luke`s original light saber into space. Check this out. Storm troopers, Darth Vader, other "Star Wars" favorites, maybe even Darth Nylus (ph), out in full force in Houston. Luke`s weapon is going to hitch a ride with Space Shuttle Discovery in October. Now that`s fine, but NASA flew the saber from California to Houston. They flew it in and then gave it a police escort to make the announcement.
I would say that considering all this talk about astronauts being drunk, stalking each other, and driving in diapers, probably not such a good idea. I am all for taking Luke`s light saber on a cosmic journey into space, but the force is definitely not with you, NASA. A police escort to this saber rattling idea, I`ve got to say, "That`s Ridiculous!"
UNIDENTIFIED MALES: "That`s Ridiculous!"
ANDERSON: Now a question that`s definitely not out of this world. Do stars deserve privacy? Santa Monica police refusing to release the tape of the 911 call made the night of Owen Wilson`s apparent suicide attempt, they cite Wilson`s right to privacy.
While this was a medical emergency, the debate over how much privacy stars deserve has come up many times before, especially when it comes to steal dealing with the paparazzi. So, do stars deserve to be left alone or does the intense spotlight just come with the territory?
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I literally can`t see my feet.
ANDERSON: Paris and Britney coming home from the clubs, swarmed by the paparazzi. All of them looking for the money shot of two of Hollywood `s hottest commodities.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are nice. We did one.
ANDERSON: Paris and Britney are playing coy, but they know just as well as any other star that in Hollywood , anything goes, especially your privacy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over here, Jenny!
ANDERSON: Just ask Jennifer Love Hewitt, who tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT fame and photographers go hand in hand.
JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT, ACTRESS: Without the paparazzi, without the magazines that remind people what time your show is on, and what is happening, then the whole sort of business doesn`t really work.
E.L. WOODY, CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHER: There is not a star in the world that wants to get out of the car and not be recognized by the crowd. Even though they`re not going to pose.
ANDERSON: E.L. Woody is the so-called king of the paparazzi. He`s been in the business for 30 years and knows that if a person wants to become famous -- and stay famous -- they need to give up their right to anonymity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, gorgeous!
WOODY: They need us more than we need them.
ANDERSON: Danny Bonaduce couldn`t agree more. He tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he has no sympathy for stars who demand privacy.
DANNY BONDADUCE, TALK SHOW HOST: I`m entitled to a certain portion of your life. You gave it to me. You sold it to me and I bought.
ANDERSON: Angelina Jolie understands that. She and boyfriend Brad Pitt are arguably the most stalked couple in the world. She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that she can handle the press, but when she is out with her kids, she is entitled to her privacy.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: There are a lot of long lenses now. There is no reason that somebody has to be this close to a kids` face. Because it scares kids. It`s psychologically affects them. Like, I personally would just -- I`d like to take my kids out. Not walking them down a red carpet, we`re just going out. We`re not asking for press.
And as I said, you know we`re not saying you are not allowed to take pictures of them, we understand, whatever. We`re public. They`re public. But, I think a distance, a distance would be good.
ANDERSON: Justin Timberlake probably wouldn`t mind some distance when it comes to the paparazzi. He had a run in with a photographer back in 2004 with his then-girlfriend Cameron Diaz. Still, he tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that if you are famous, and you`re out on the town, you have to expect that when you are in public there is nothing private about it.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, SINGER: If you live in Los Angeles and you are traveling around Hollywood you can expect to have your picture taken at some point. But my thing is when things are -- muttered, yelled at, or -- you feel like your space is encroached upon, for the sake of getting a picture of you -- looking uncomfortable, that`s when I feel like it is overstepped the lines.
ANDERSON: But in the end it all comes down to this: If you are famous, you are going to be noticed. It simply comes with the territory. And as Danny Bonaduce tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, it`s part of your job.
BONADUCE: Everybody has every right to any part of me, or them that they want, because I sold myself to you. I do it on purpose. If you want to come up to me and ask me anything, say anything you want, you have that right, because I sold myself to you, and you bought, and I`m grateful.
ANDERSON: And stars who disagree with Danny, might want to ask themselves how they`d feel if suddenly no one was interested in them anymore and the flashbulbs stopped popping.
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ANDERSON: Now, stars should be warned, the business of following celebrities just keeps growing and growing. E.L. Woody, that paparazzo we showed you in the piece, says these days you will find 40 or 50 photographers following stars around where there used to be only four or five.
HAMMER: Well, Kelly Preston and John Travolta definitely know how hard it is to make their lives private. It`s time now for "Making It Work" SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s look at how stars are making their relationships work in Hollywood and beyond.
Now, Kelly and John, obviously, big stars, always getting asked about Scientology and all the pressures of Hollywood. When I sat down with Kelly to talk about her new movie, "Death Sentence" I just had to ask, how they make their 16-year marriage work.
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KELLY PRESTON, ACTRESS: We`re always checking in with each other and keep it really honest and fun, and we keep creating it. You know we keep the family together wherever we go. We are always traveling together. The kids are home schooled with us and we share the same beliefs. We are both Scientologists. So we really have a very solid core. And we keep it fun. We have date nights. You`ve just got to -- the two of you have got to check in regularly, and keep it creative.
HAMMER: Is there any part of it that you guys find to be the biggest struggle?
PRESTON: I think, you know, everybody has ups and downs, but it`s been pretty -- it`s, a pretty amazing 16 years, I`ve got to say. But we do, we check in with each other constantly and things change and shift and we grow. And, you know, you just got to keep it honest. Got to keep communicating.
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HAMMER: Communication definitely key. By the way, you can check out "Death Sentence" which also stars Kevin Bacon and John Goodman. It opens tomorrow, on Friday.
Just a few miles from I am the U.S. Tennis Open is going on. Roger Federer, Maria Sharpova, they`ve got nothing on George Lopez on the tennis table court. Coming up next, George Lopez tells me why he thinks everyone is about to go crazy for ping-pong. We`re coming right back.
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HAMMER: I really like George Lopez, such a talented, funny, funny guy. George is starring in a new movie called "Balls of Fury." It`s all about this secret and dangerous world of ping-pong. Kind of looks like dodge ball for table tennis. Remember that? No Ben Stiller in this film, but "Balls" has George, Christopher Walken, Aisha Tyler (ph). I had to ask George Lopez this very tough and very important question, when we sat down, will "Balls of Fury" set the ping-pong world on fire?
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HAMMER: So what do you think as a result of this film coming out? Is ping-pong going to experience a huge resurgence?
GEORGE LOPEZ, ACTOR, COMEDIAN: Absolutely, it will. And table tennis will suffer because they don`t serve alcohol in table tennis. That`s when you really care, A.J. When you care about the score, beer pong, up, ping- pong, yes. No paddle, just bouncing a ball into somebody else`s drink, and making them drink it, huge.
HAMMER: I`m looking forward to that.
LOPEZ: You keep score, it`s table tennis. When you drink, it`s ping- pong.
HAMMER: All right, I`ll have to get out frosted mug and have a couple of swats.
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HAMMER: "Balls of Fury". I`m so glad I`ve had to say that over and over now. It`s heading to theaters. In fact, it`s there right now. Just paddle yourself over to your local Cineplex, thank you.
ANDERSON: Oh, boy.
OK, yesterday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this: Katie Couric going to Iraq? Is it a bad idea? 68 percent say yes; 32 percent of you say no, it isn`t a bad idea. Here are a couple of the e-mails we received.
Trish from New York thinks, "Why would she want to put herself in danger? Doesn`t she have young daughters who lost a father?"
Trish, of course, is referring to Katie`s husband, Jay Monahan, who died of colon cancer back in `98.
And Doris from Arkansas, also thinks this is a bad idea. "She has children who have already lost one parent. They don`t need to lose another parent and become orphans."
HAMMER: Time now to find out what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tomorrow, it`s a SHOWBIZ special event, the "Showbiz Weight Watch". A revealing look at stars who keep flip-flopping their weight. Also, a startling and controversial question: Is there a double standard when it comes to men and women with the pressure to keep the pounds off?
Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT makes an explosive demand. We dare Hollywood to change its ways and stop being so obsessed with staying skinny. A provocative and passionate SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event you just can`t miss. The "Showbiz Weight Watch" tomorrow.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Have a great night, everybody. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. "Glenn Beck" coming up next right after the latest headlines from CNN "Headline News".
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