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Showbiz Tonight
Brad Pitt Speaks Out; Jude Law Arrested
Aired September 05, 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: Jude law arrested. I`m A.J. Hammer.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ANCHOR: And Brad Pitt speaks out about Angelina and the kids, turning 40 and Paris Hilton. I`m Brooke Anderson. We are in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, an explosive new battle in the never ending Anna Nicole Smith saga. Absolutely stunning new allegations about Larry Birkhead and Howard K. Stern. Lawsuits being threatened. And baby Dannielynn caught in the middle once again. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the outrageous new claims that have sparked an all-out war.
Tonight, a SHOWBIZ special report, why stars are so lonely. Why are some of the most famous people in the world, who seem to have it all, so lonely? Tonight, from Anna Nicole, to Britney Spears to Lindsay Lohan, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT looks beyond all the money, the fame, the glamour to find out why at the end of the day so many stars are so lonely.
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson. Happy to be with you. Tonight, we have some incredible confessions from Brad Pitt on everything from aging to Angelina Jolie and Brad is even slamming Paris Hilton. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: But first tonight, it is war again in the never ending Anna Nicole Smith story. Tonight, there are sensational, almost unbelievable, claims about the two men who seem to be the worst of enemies as they fought for Anna Nicole`s affection and her baby, And this I can tell you for sure; this is not going away any time soon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Wild accusations and salacious details were always a part of Anna Nicole Smith`s world. And even now, more than a half year after her death, they still are.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shocking scandalous new claims that he and Howard K. Stern were caught in intimate compromising position.
HAMMER: The buzz is about a controversial new book called "Blond Ambition," the untold story behind Anna Nicole Smith`s death. It claims that Howard K. Stern and Larry Birkhead, the two men who fought tooth and name to be named the father of Anna Nicole Smith`s daughter, were secret lovers. The book was written by former TV journalist Rita Cosby, and on "Larry King Live" Birkhead said he and Stern, his former adversary, will be heading to court as allies, claiming the allegations in this book are absolutely false.
LARRY BIRKHEAD, FATHER OF DANNIELYNN: I`ve instructed my attorney to sue.
HAMMER: Stern`s lawyer pledged to aggressively pursue legal action if warranted. So, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the Anna Nicole Smith saga is again part soap opera, part legal drama. In a fiery appearance on Larry King Live, Birkhead, whose DNA proved he was the father of Anna Nicole Smith`s baby Dannielynn, pulled no punches when guest host Harvey Levin of TMZ.com asked him about Cosby`s book.
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Rita Cosby says she has a witness and possibly two people to say that you and Howard K. Stern were caught in a compromising, intimate position and that this is on videotape.
BIRKHEAD: That`s totally false and it`s defamatory. It`s false. It`s pure fiction. What you have here in this book is the ax grinder`s club. It`s a bunch of people who are currently in litigation with myself, with Howard Stern or the estate, and these people are all Rita Cosby`s credible sources.
HAMMER: Rita Cosby is defending herself. In a video statement to TMZ.com, aired on Larry King Live, she says there is a steamy videotape of Stern and Birkhead that proves her claim.
RITA COSBY, AUTHOR: I have not seen the videotape. But I will say that we have enough corroborating people who say that they have. We know people who clearly have been told there`s a videotape that exists and have talked to people who have seen the videotape.
HAMMER: Birkhead pounced on that.
BIRKHEAD: There`s no video. I challenge Rita Cosby, before she put it in a book, she should have went out and watched the video herself, you know, as the author of this smut. And she didn`t do that.
HAMMER: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that Birkhead and Stern are not just incensed about the book`s claims of an affair, Rita Cosby`s book claims that Stern and Birkhead made a secret deal after Anna Nicole Smith`s burial. TMZ.com`s Harry Levin asked Birkhead about it on Larry King Live last night.
LEVIN: Cosby says in the book essentially that you brokered a deal for the Dannielynn, that you basically said to Howard, look, I will cut you in on the back end here and you`ll get, you know -- you will administer the estate. In return, give me the baby.
BIRKHEAD: That`s absolutely false. There`s no side deals. There was no side deal to get custody. Technically if Rita Cosby checked out anything, she would know I`m still fighting for custody in the Bahamas. I have temporary custody of my daughter.
HAMMER: Ron Rale, a friend of Stern`s and the attorney for Anna Nicole`s estate, also said claims that Stern made a secret deal are ludicrous.
RON RALE, ATTORNEY: Howard is not a beneficiary. He can`t give Larry half of something. Dannielynn is going to be the beneficiary. It is Anna`s children. It is a big joke to fool the public. The public should be insulted that people are saying these kinds of statements.
HAMMER: In her statement to TMZ.com, Rita Cosby is sticking by the book.
COSBY: If you read my book and look at what these people are saying on record, they feel both of these guys are cahoots, that they into it for fame.
HAMMER: So there you have it, the newest, twisted chapter in the Anna Nicole Smith saga. And like so much of what has proceed it, it`s likely to play out in a courtroom near you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Cosby`s book, "Blond Ambition, the Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith`s Death," is out now. At last check, it was number 14 on Amazon.com. People are buying it.
Well, tonight, Hollywood`s war with the paparazzi has exploded again, and one of the biggest movie stars in the world has been arrested. Police say Jude Law is accused of hitting a photographer just outside his home in London, although it`s not clear tonight what might have set him off. A spokesperson for Jude tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he denies the allegations.
One of Britney Spears` bodyguards is also in trouble, just charged with battery for allegedly attacking a photographer he was trying to keep away from Britney and her two kids when they were in Vegas last month. You add to that Brad Pitt now coming out swinging about whether the paparazzi could be putting his kids in danger. So here`s what we want to know: are the kids of stars fair game or should they be left alone?
Joining us tonight in New York, "OK! Magazine" senior editor Courtney Hazlett, and attorney and BET talk show host Ryan Smith. Courtney, Ryan, I appreciate you both being here tonight. And I want to start off by reading you some of these explosive comments that I mentioned coming from Brad Pitt. This is from an interview with "Details Magazine."
Here`s what Brad says, quote, "it`s not going to keep our kids caged in. The only thing that frightens me today is something happening to my kids or something happening to Angie or something I don`t want them to see or feel, any kind of threat. But man, when photographers cross the line, you know if it happened to one of your kids, it`s hard not to want to take them down."
Ryan, let me start with you. Does Brad have a point? Should the children of stars simply be left alone, no exceptions whatsoever?
RYAN SMITH, BET: He has a great point. You know why? The kids of stars didn`t ask for this kind of attention. A lot of what happened with Britney recently, that bodyguard going off, had a lot to do with one of the cameramen bumping the child and making the child cry. And a lot of what photographers are doing is they are edging out these children in order to get whatever shot they want to get and that`s just wrong.
These children are young. They`re scared when people come rushing up to their parents or to them. And they are not fair game for this kind of thing. They didn`t ask for this kind of environment. They just want to be kids and they should be left alone.
HAMMER: You know that sense of invasion that the stars already feel is only heightened when there are small kids around. I spoke with Brad`s partner Angelina Jolie about this very thing. Here`s what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: There`s no reason that somebody has to be, you know, this close to a kid`s face, because it scares kids and it psychologically affects them. I personally would like to be able to take my kids out. I`m not walking them down a red carpet. We are just going out. We are not asking for press.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Courtney, you work at "OK! Magazine," lots of photos with the stars and their kids right there in your magazine, just like the other magazines. Do you ever have a problem with that or when the stars are out in public with their kids, is that fair game?
COURTNEY HAZLETT, "OK! MAGAZINE": In some senses, it is fair game. Ryan makes a fantastic point. They did not sign up for this. At the same point of time, you`re in a public place. It stands to reason a photograph will be taken. Recently in New York City Brad Pitt did tell the paparazzi, listen guys, you really work hard. I understand that. You have a job but can you use a long lens when you`re photographing the kids?
I think that was a really interesting point that he made. He understands that there`s some sort of mutual respect that has to take place. Brad and Angelina don`t taunt the paparazzi. In return, I do think they respect their kids more than some celebrities who do seem to egg on these photographers.
HAMMER: But we do see the feathers get ruffled and occasionally we see these scuffles and those famous pictures in the past of stars grabbing the cameras.
SMITH: Right.
HAMMER: I mentioned Britney Spears` bodyguard. He is now facing charges. Ryan, I have a feeling, personally, that a lot of people may sympathize with the guy if he, in fact, was just trying to keep the kids protected which is his job.
SMITH: Well, I think you are right. If he is just trying to keep the kids protected, I think he was in the right. But I talked to a lot of bodyguards about this and a lot of bodyguards will tell you that there are certain ways to keep dangerous forces away from your client without shoving, pushing or punching the photographer or the interloper who is trying to get to you.
So the real question here is how did he do his job? Did he do his job to try to hurt someone? Or did he really just try to shield the kids? You can get the kids and your client out of the way. But the question is, is he doing something after that? Is he punching somebody? Is he pushing somebody? That`s wrong.
HAZLETT: Ryan, I totally agree with you. But in the case of this Britney Spears incident, so many celebrities go to great pains to take back entrances and go through parking garages and stay as out of the public as possible when going into a public place. Britney Spears in Las Vegas going into a hotel or a club when she sees that there`s tons of paparazzi trailing her and waiting outside for her; I think in this instance you probably have to lean toward the side of the bodyguard.
HAMMER: You`re asking for trouble there. I don`t know. I can never advocate violence.
HAZLETT: I`m not advocating violence.
HAMMER: But there`s always another way. Let me ask you quickly, Courtney, when you pick your pictures for the magazine, how do you know that the line wasn`t crossed in obtaining those pictures?
HAZLETT: It is pretty obvious most of the time. If you have a grainy photo that shows a kid in a private setting, such as, you know, a swimming pool or something like that, and you know that it wasn`t sanctioned by the celebrity or their representatives, it`s just -- doesn`t seem like the right thing to do to publish that.
On the other hand, if they`re walking down the street and going into a restaurant --
HAMMER: Yes.
HAZLETT: -- seems like a clear, solid shot and you say to the publicist, we`ll use this, it is fair game.
HAMMER: Hopefully people will just calm down and get along like Brad Pitt manages to with the paparazzi. Courtney, Ryan, thank you for being with us tonight.
Now we want to hear from you for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day -- paparazzi, should the kids of stars be off limits? Let us know by going to CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT. Our email address, if you have more to say, is SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com.
ANDERSON: You know, A.J., Brad Pitt isn`t just sounding off about the paparazzi and his kids. He has also had some really stunning things to say about Paris Hilton and what drew him to Angelina. That`s next. We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You spent all of your life scaling this mountain to get to the height of your career and you look around and there`s no one you can relate to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So why is it that so many stars are so lonely? These people who look like they have it all, talking about the fame and the money and the success; why isn`t that enough at the end of the day? That`s what I want to know and that`s coming up in a SHOWBIZ special report, why stars are so lonely.
ANDERSON: Here we go. A bunch of people caught on tape with their pants down. As it turns out, it happens a lot more often than you would think. We have a hilarious and pixelated look at what happens when the pants come off and the cameras keep on rolling. That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. Tonight, Brad Pitt`s incredible confessions. Brad Pitt is opening up like never before. He`s talking about his kids, about his life with Angelina Jolie and yes, you`ve got to love this, he`s even taking a swipe or two at Paris Hilton. What has the world come to?
Brad`s very candid interview is in "Details Magazine," which is on news stands now. And joining me tonight from New York is Greg Williams, who is the executive editor of "Details Magazine," and from Los Angeles tonight, TV Guide Channel`s Daphne Brogdon.
All right, Greg, you sat down with Brad Pitt in Prague, where he, Angelina Jolie and their kids have been staying. You know, many still consider this guy the sexiest man alive. But when talking about turning 40, he talks very openly about getting older. You know, he is 43 now. He said he actually liked turning 40, but quote, "one thing sucks, your face kind of goes. Your body`s not quite working the same. But you earned it. You earned that, things falling apart."
Greg, does it surprise you like it surprised me that Brad Pitt -- Brad Pitt battles with the self conscious part of getting older?
GREG WILLIAMS, "DETAILS MAGAZINE": Well, I really don`t think he has a great deal to worry about. You only have to look at the photos in the current issue to see he`s doing pretty well for a 43-year-old guy. What we are talking about is a guy who may be in his 20s in the early part of the career. He really traded on his looks because, you know, it was a major part of his image.
Now he has been through a lot in life. He has obviously been through a major kind of career transition. He`s been through a marriage. He`s got a new relationship. He`s got four kids. So really he`s just talking about growing up and how that affects him.
ANDERSON: Aging in more ways than one, really. Daphne, what do you think? Does he have anything to worry about? He still looks pretty good to me.
DAPHNE BROGDON, TV GUIDE: Yes, I don`t think he does because now his baby face, he has some crow`s feet. Let me tell you, crow`s feet, it`s a new black.
ANDERSON: It`s pretty sexy.
BROGDON: Yes, I think it makes him look better. When he had the little round features, to me, he wasn`t as hot. Now he looks a little more accessible with that little leathery skin.
ANDERSON: Good point. Let`s talk a little bit about now about his philanthropic, his charitable work. Without question, Angelina`s charity work has influenced him. Greg he told you, this, quote, "I see what`s going on in the world and I see, like, Bono, getting in there, rolling up his sleeves and getting dirts and taking shots for it. But man, he`s doing something. It`s something that brought Angie and I together certainly. She is absolute evidence for me of someone facilitating changes for the better."
We have seen Brad Pitt pretty much transform over the past few years. Greg, what do you think sparked that light bulb moment for him? Was it really all Angelina or was he just unfilled in some ways?
WILLIAMS: You know, I think it was a whole combination of events. I think that he got to a certain stage in his life where he was very comfortable. He could have cruised. And he realized there was a lot more to be done in the world. I think meeting Angelina was a major force. He has talked about going to the World Economic Forum. He`s talked about going to the Clinton Global Initiative.
I think there were a number of things that he realized were important in the world. And he could just sit back. He could just have a nice, easy life. But actually what he decided to do was to engage with the world, to learn about the world and to try to have some impact on it and make changes.
ANDERSON: Yes, it`s really admirable. He also talks about wanting even more children with Angelina. Daphne, what do you think is driving them to keep expanding their brood?
BROGDON: Well, you know, if they -- I think it`s because the ones they have biologically and the ones they adopt, they`re all beautiful children. So they`re probably like let`s make a beautiful little world altogether. You know? He kind of says that in the article. He wants the world to look like what his breakfast table looks like.
Of course, it is easy when you have endless amounts of nannies, bodyguards and private jets. Wouldn`t that be nice for all of us?
ANDERSON: Right, they do have the financial means for it. You are right, the kids, everyone is beautiful in that family and they seem like genuinely selfless, loving parents. Greg, I want to quickly ask you about what Brad Pitt said about Paris Hilton. He called her quest for fame blissfully oblivious. He said that he shut off the TV when he saw reports of her getting out of jail.
Greg, he just stopped short of saying something mean. Did you get the sense that he was biting his tongue there?
WILLIAMS: No, I really didn`t. I think that the quote really was very much -- we were talking about the agenda of the news media and how the very important things in the world maybe -- I mean, some issues he is very involved with, like Darfur, with the regeneration, for instance, of neighborhoods in New Orleans that really haven`t got a lot attention. He`s concerned about these things, and I think he`s very frustrated sometimes about the news media and their lack of focus on these things and their focus maybe on the trivial.
So he said he hadn`t watched any TV for a long while and he came back. He turned on the TV and what did he see, Paris Hilton. And he felt a little bit down beat about that.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, they`re doing a lot of things to help change the world for the better. And that is certainly commendable.
WILLIAMS: Sure.
ANDERSON: Greg Williams, executive editor of "Details Magazine," and Daphne Brogdon of TV Guide Channel, thank you both.
WILLIAMS: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, there have been all sorts of claims about Britney Spears` mothering skills. I`ve got to tell you, a lot of these claims I thought were pretty out there.
ANDERSON: I like that.
HAMMER: Tonight, we have important new information about what child welfare officials are planning in her case. That is coming up.
We`ll also have this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They don`t say that it`s lonely at the top for nothing. It is true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Why are so many stars so lonely? These are people who look like they have it all, fame, money, success. Why isn`t that enough at the end of the day? We`ve got that coming up in a SHOWBIZ special report, why stars are so lonely.
HAMMER: And deja vu. Oh, got something caught in my throat there. It only took Whoopi Goldberg one day to stir up controversy as a co-host. Although, realistically, I think people were looking to go after her. Well, coming up next, we`re going to tell you what she said about Michael Vick that had people going nuts. And then we`re going to play for you what she said about today to set the record straight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Here we are; it is only Whoopi Goldberg`s second day on "The View." Already, she is putting out fires. On her first day as co-host, something that Whoopi said about Michael Vick`s dog fighting case made people go crazy. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, "THE VIEW": From his background, this is not an unusual thing for where he comes from. It is like cock fighting.
BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": That part of the country.
GOLDBERG: Yes, it`s like cock fighting in Puerto Rico. There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of the country.
JOY BEHAR, "THE VIEW": What part of the country is this?
GOLDBERG: He`s from the south, the deep south.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I was right there on the set with Whoopi after yesterday`s show. I asked her about it, and she told me that she is in no way defending what Vick did. I thought that was pretty apparent. But she does thinks it is important to try to put things in context to see where problems come from.
Well, the blogs and the New York City newspapers went absolutely nuts. So today Whoopi addressed the controversy on "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLDBERG: I repeated several times that I wasn`t condoning it. It`s horrible. Somehow, and I don`t know how this happened, if you read the papers today, I`m eating dogs. I`m swinging them by the tail.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Almost like they were chomping at the bit to go after her. Whoopi went on to say she loves animals and, once again, for the record, she said she was not in any way condoning what Michael Vick did.
ANDERSON: Had to set the record straight. A.J., sometimes it seems like celebrities have it all, fame, money, success. Why do stars like Britney and Lindsay seem to have a hard time making real connections with people? That`s next in SHOWBIZ special report, why stars are so lonely.
HAMMER: Plus, we have got a Katie Couric report card. You know, check your calendar, it`s been a year now since she started anchoring the "CBS Evening News." How is she doing? Was it a huge mistake for her to leave the "Today Show?" We are looking into that coming up.
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here`s this guy. His pants are down to his ankles. And it is like, oh, do I zoom in? Do I zoom out? Do I just hold the shot?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A true dilemma for a cameraman. What do you do when someone`s pants fall down? In most cases, as you will see, you end up laughing. Coming up, what happens when the pants come down and the cameras keep rolling.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Why Are Stars So Lonely?!?". You know, they have fame and fortune. So why are some of the biggest stars out there so lonely?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOLA OGUNNAIKE, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: You spent all of your life scaling this mountain to get to the height of your career and you look around and there`s no one you can relate to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
From Britney to Lindsay, even the late Anna Nicole, tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT looks beyond the glitz and glamour to find out why stars are so lonely. It is a SHOWBIZ special report.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, a SHOWBIZ special report, lonely in Hollywood. You are not going to believe this but in my years of covering Hollywood, and its biggest celebrities, some of the biggest stars in the world say that Hollywood can be a very lonely place. Think about it, when you`re a star, you have looks, money, fame, the world practically at your feet but when everybody wants a piece of you, whom do you trust? It`s a world where reality and the smoke and mirrors of Hollywood collide.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FEMALE SINGER: She`s so lucky she`s a star but she cries, cries, cries in her lonely heart --
ANDERSON (voice over): It`s the fantasy of fame. A star, young, rich and beautiful seemingly perfect, but as Britney Spears sings in her song "Lucky", fame isn`t all that it`s cracked up to be.
FEMALE SINGER: If there`s nothing missing in my life then why do these tears come at night --
ANDERSON: The glitz, the glamour, the worldwide adoration, all a dream come true but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you when the red carpet is rolled up, and the lights go down, Hollywood can be the loneliest place in the world.
OGUNNAIKE: They don`t say it`s lonely at the top for nothing. It is true.
ANDERSON: CNN "American Morning" Entertainment Correspondent Lola Ogunnaike says success often comes with a price.
OGUNNAIKE: You spend all of your life scaling this mountain to get to the height of your career and you look around and there`s no one you can relate to.
ANDERSON: Take pop princess Britney Spears. She`s gone from Mickey Mouse Club darling to mega pop star, but cavorting with strangers and assistants on the cover of major magazines.
ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOLOGIST: It is kind of clear that Britney is a lonely person right now. Divorced her second husband, pushed her mother away. She seems to be surrounded by a bunch of yes people. I think Britney is a nice girl who having a very strong reaction to her world.
ANDERSON: Doctor Robi Ludwig, psychotherapist, and host of DSN`s "Without Prejudice", says one reason Britney could be lonely is because she became too famous, too soon.
LUDWIG: If we were looking at any other adolescent they were somehow rejecting the parents, and getting crazy in college, we wouldn`t think anything of it. Because Britney is a very successful pop artist, we somehow expect something different from her. You really become a product. You`re not a person.
ANNA NICOLE SMITH, LATE MODEL: I just wanted to say to Britney Spears -- if you see this for some oddball reason, because I look at your stuff too -- and you want to be friends, I would so much love to hang out with you.
ANDERSON: That`s Anna Nicole Smith in a 2006 web video asking Britney spears to be her friend. In life, Anna`s rise to fame from small- town girl to buxom "Playboy Playmate of the Year" caught the attention of millions.
SMITH: This is my dream come true.
ANDERSON: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, her red carpet bliss masked a self-proclaimed lonely existence.
LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR, LARRY KING LIVE: You think it`s sort of like a cloud that hangs over you.
SMITH: Yes. A dark one. A very --
KING: A dark one?
ANDERSON: In 2002, on "Larry King Live," Anna talked about her isolated world.
KING: Everyone assumes someone like you, who looks like you, is never alone.
SMITH: Are you kidding me?
KING: Never alone.
SMITH: I have been alone since my husband died.
LUDWIG: Fame seems to be a panacea for loneliness. It seems to offer success and connections. On the contrary, it is an illusion. In some cases, people seek a high profile and then begin to destroy themselves in an attempt to show their parents look what you did to me. This is why I`m such a mess. And they`re making a point. Unfortunately, it happens sometimes at their own expense.
ANDERSON: What about Lindsay Lohan? The child star of "The Parent Trap" began working at the age of three, and since then had the world at her feet. But today Lindsay admits her life is a mess, addicted, driving drunk, facing endless legal troubles and seemingly without anyone to set her straight. In a recent interview, Lohan told "Nylon" magazine, quote, "It`s hard in L.A. not to go out, it gets lonely. Being an actress is lonely, and I never want to be alone. I hate sleeping alone."
OGUNNAIKE: If Lindsay Lohan had people around her that really cared, chances are she wouldn`t be in this much trouble. They wouldn`t let her drive drunk, they wouldn`t let her get photographed drunk.
LUDWIG: God helps the celebrity in Hollywood, which is a very tough town without having the go-to people. This is what happens. People turn to comfort, they self medicate. And they have a bunch of people around them who are yes people. There`s a huge difference between having an entourage around you and having good, close friends.
MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGING: Just leave me alone!
ANDERSON: That`s a lonely Michael Jackson in his music video telling everyone to leave him alone. Jackson thrilled the world with "Thriller" and became the undisputed king of pop, but once the popularity fizzled in the `90s and his legal problems began, Michael was in his own world.
OGUNNAIKE: When you reach that type of pinnacle, it is hard to have people around you that you can relate to.
ANDERSON: And in this rare interview with CNN, that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dug up, Jackson told everyone his life depended on his audience.
JACKSON: I feel every soul that`s out there. It goes right through my body. I feel their spirit.
LUDWIG: It`s really interesting because, you know, we hear, but the world loves them. The world loves them. But at the end of the day, who are you calling when you`re depressed? Who`s the supportive person helping you to feel better? It is not the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Perhaps, but the world is interested. I can tell you when entertainment magazines put stories about stars and their loneliness on the covers, sales spike.
HAMMER: Well, Owen Wilson`s tragic apparent suicide attempt has a lot of people shocked and wondering, how can a guy that everyone likes, is so successful be depressed, or even lonely? I mean, you look at his films, "Wedding Crashers", "You, Me, and Dupree", all hysterical. Tonight, I`ll get your very "First Look" at another of Owen`s movie, another very funny one, it`s called, "Drill Bit Taylor". Here`s your SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "First Look".
(BEGIN MOVIE TRAILER)
ANNOUNCER: Are you looking for a bodyguard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I work for the hardest gangsters in the world, T Lolo, Chinobi. I used to work for Tupac, even though he dead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m Israeli military secret service.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m going to beat their ass right here, right now.
ANNOUNCER: Look no further.
OWEN WILSON, ACTOR: I`m Drill Bit Taylor. As a bodyguard I protected three vice presidents, Bobby Brown and Sylvester Stallone. Not quite as tough as he looks.
What do you guys need protection from?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just a high school bully.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boom, boom, boom. Help me!
WILSON: You know what this is? It`s a wing and you are under it; all three of you. Right there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is very disturbing.
WILSON: Using my expertise at stealthy and covert ops, I`ll infiltrate the school.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Teacher`s lounge, it`s right over there.
WILSON: What do you teach?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: English.
WILSON: My native tongue.
WILSON: It isn`t all oriental martial arts. Sometimes you give a little Mexican judo, as in, "ju-do-know who you`re dealing with, Holmes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need to learn how to take a punch. Let me go first.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten being the hardest, how hard do you want it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten, in the back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (screaming): Aah!
WILSON: I get a kick out of these kids.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You really getting into this teacher thing here, huh?
WILSON: As long as you have a coffee cup in your hand, nobody says anything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cut!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, fellow teacher.
ANNOUNCER: This spring --
WILSON: Stop hassling these kids.
Oh! Aah! Oh, that didn`t work at all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am sick of your garbage. It`s going to end now.
ANNOUNCER: From the guys that is brought you "Knocked Up," and "Superbad."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Morning sunshine. Oh! Since when did you start sleeping naked?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t like elastic squeezing on my --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That guy`s my teacher.
ANNOUNCER: Owen Wilson.
WLSON: I really like it here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re doing a great job.
WILSON: Scram. Scram (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have never meant anyone as great as you. I`m really always just attracted to such jerk bad guys, some bum, some lying pig.
WILSON: Stop it. You are starting to rant a little bit.
ANNOUNCER: Drill Bit Taylor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Remember what Drill Bit taught us? Mind over pain.
(END MOVIE TRAILER)
HAMMER: Drill Bit Taylor, is out in March of 2008, and it looks like another funny Owen Wilson movie.
ANDERSON: Yeah, he is so talented. I just hope he makes a swift recovery from the problems he is going through right now.
OK, allegations out there that Britney Spears` boys aren`t eating well and having dental problems; startling stuff. Coming up, are child welfare officials about to step in?
HAMMER: Brooke, the Katie Couric hosting the "CBS Evening News" thing? Well, it`s been a total bomb. Some are shocked, others are saying, well, I told you so. Coming up next we have a revealing look at Katie Couric one year later.
Also this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s this guy with the pants down to the ankles. And it is like, oh, do I zoom in? Do I zoom out? Do I just hold the shot?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Next, the people who are the definitely butt of jokes in their office. Caught on camera, caught with the pants down. Buckle up for a lot of laughs. We have got that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson.
All right, so at big events, baseball games, concerts, put your hands up in the air, sometimes hoping you`ll get on TV, right? Well, putting your hands up not a big deal, but when the pants fall down, for the whole world to see, well, that`s whole `nother ball game. Here`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): You`re one of four kayakers stuck under a bridge in rushing water. What do you need?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m going to send a rope and a life jacket.
MOOS: Yes, well, in addition to the rope and life jacket, how about some pants? Here`s the view through the eyes of the photographer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I look and here`s this guy, pants down to his ankles and it is like, oh. Do I zoom in, out, just hold the shut?
MOOS: Bob Stella (ph) decided to hold the shot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Grab on to me!
MOOS: What a shot it, was of Dennis Riley, who says that though he lost the swim suit --
DENNIS RILEY, RESCUDED KAYAKER: Geeze. Kept on the hat and my sunglasses.
MOOS: Riley joins a distinguished roster of men who have publicly lost their pants, and who lose them over and over, being replayed on YouTube. Not only did this wannabe matador have his pants gored, he had to watch the bull crowned with his undies.
Here`s a cricket player losing the pants. And a baseball player, who nevertheless manages to throw the ball with his pants around his ankles.
Even women occasionally lose their bottoms, in this case, in midair on a trapeze. From a trapeze to an elevator, "Naked Trio Rescued from UK Lift".
And then there are all of those naked burglars. This guy danced the hoola naked to distract the clerk so his buddy could steal beer. And this guy admitted he had too much to drink.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know what I did was wrong.
MOOS: He got nabbed crawling naked around a tobacco shop in Omaha. Forget bottoms, this woman lost her top trying to grab money out of a cash register. A few minutes later, she came back asking for her top back.
As for Riley, he got the swim suit back within seconds of reaching dry land, he was tugging at it and covering, playing down the exposure.
RILEY: Well, thankfully, it wasn`t much to see because I was in some pretty cold water.
MOOS: The cameraman showed his video to the rescuers, who howled with laughter, as their captain gave Riley a hand.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had to push this guy up and there`s nowhere else to push him except, you know where.
MOOS (on camera): So what kind of jokes were they making?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you know, be careful when you shake the captain`s hand.
MOOS: If you`re really lucky your pants can almost break your fall. Firemen didn`t just rescue this guy from the flames, they rescued him from exposing his flaming red underwear.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Jeanne "Moon" -- uh, I mean Moos, for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Very good.
Tonight, Katie Couric one year later. It is a year to the day since Couric made history by becoming the first woman to solo anchor a network evening newscast. In terms of the ratings, it`s been all downhill since she made her debut. Tonight, Katie is in Iraq. She even snagged an interview with President Bush, but a lot of people wondering if it`s all just a publicity stunt, and importantly, is it too little too late.
Joining me tonight, from Hollywood, "TV Guide" consulting editor, Mary Murphy and investigative journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell.
It`s good to see you both, Mary and Jane.
I checked my daily planner when I got up this morning, and noticed, here we are, it`s a year to the date since she started. As we all know, it`s never been a secret that Katie`s ratings are basically in the toilet.
Mary Murphy, let me start with you. Do you think Katie could have ever imagined that she would go from being number one in the morning to dead last at night?
MARY MURPHY, "TV GUIDE": I think she could well have imagined that it would be a really roller coaster ride. All you have to do is look back at the history of network anchors and see in the beginning it is stuff sledding. This is not like you are on the air and you are a hit. I think she could imagine it.
I also wonder, I mean, could she imagine being in Iraq interviewing the president of the United States? That is a pretty good gig.
HAMMER: Yeah, yeah, it is for her. At one time, of course, she said that she probably wouldn`t end up going over there, which begs the question why she is over there now. More on that in a moment.
Jane Velez-Mitchell, we all know that old cliche, you get one chance to make a first impression. The first impression of Katie was really not that terrific at CBS. Largely because they changed the show and they made it soft. Instead of, as a lot of people have suggested, staying with her type of a personality. Now as we said, she is in Iraq for a continued effort to turn all that around. Separate from whether or not it`s a publicity stunt, is it too little to late?
JANE VALEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Absolutely not, A.J., Katie Couric is a first. Any time a woman breaks a major cultural barrier, she will go through an enormous hazing ritual. It happened to Barbara Walters with the last laugh. It happened to Ellen Degeneres. She is having the last laugh. I believe Katie Couric will have the last laugh. She is a proven ratings grabber. She did it year after year at "The Today Show". Then she comes over to the "CBS Evening News". And it goes in the toilet. I don`t blame her. I blame the venue.
They tried to jazz up the show. And you know, what it was like a bunch of librarians putting on a Las Vegas show. It didn`t work. It was gimmicky. This is much better.
HAMMER: I`m with you on this. I want get your take, Mary, because one of the thing that has always bothered me about how Katie has sort of been described or treated by a lot of people in talking about the show`s failure, everybody`s quick to point all the fingers right at her, largely because she`s making $15 million a year for this gig.
But, hey, look, a lot of people work on an evening newscast. There are a lot of people behind this project. Is it fair to really blame Katie for the show`s failure?
MURPHY: Absolutely not fair to blame Katie for the show`s failure. I mean, the show went through a transition. They thought, of course, they could reinvent the news and they couldn`t reinvent the news. They have now gone back to a harder news.
And I think it is really amazing. I was watching her interviews from Fallujah and watching her interviews, when she talked about going and meeting the real people and seeing how they lived. And I was fascinated by it. The timing was right. She is absolutely not the person to blame, and you can see that they are turning it around.
HAMMER: Well, you say they could se it but we`re not seeing the evidence yet in the ratings, Mary.
MURPHY: But we are seeing the evidence on the air. That is where it really counts.
HAMMER: Yes.
MURPHY: When you start to see it on the air, you will start to see it in the ratings. And you have to remember that this was Labor Day weekend.
HAMMER: True.
MURPHY: People are not watching the nightly news on Labor Day weekend.
HAMMER: That is something fair to point out, viewer ship very slow to change particularly with the network newscast.
Jane, let me ask you, you know, Katie was in a cushy gig before she jumped a little beyond herself to take this gig. Do you think she goes to sleep at night asking herself, what the heck have I done? I should have never have left "The Today Show".
VELEZ-MITCHELL: She has actually expressed in interviews that she`s done just, that but the mark of extraordinarily successful people is when the going gets tough, they power through. She is not just the anchor but the managing editor. She needs to seize the reins. I think there`s a lot of people internally, in the organization, that rooting for her to fail because of her $15 million salary. She needs to get rid of those people. She needs to get a loyal team in place, who will protect her, and she needs to get out there more in the field and show what she`s really good at.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: I would like to see that happen. I have to wrap it up there because I`m out of time, guys. Mary Murphy from "TV Guide", investigative journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, author of "Secrets Can Be Murder". I thank you both.
It has also been a tough year for Britney Spears. Even questions raised about how she`s taking care of her kids. And now authorities decided whether or not to act on these explosive we claims. That`s coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
It looks like Britney Spears is off the hook. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Britney Spears has been cleared of shocking child neglect claims. Britney`s high-powered lawyer, Lara Wasser (ph), tells "People" magazine that Los Angeles County will not, quote, "pursue any action".
Now, TMZ is reporting that three separate anonymous complaints filed the week of July 2nd, accusing Britney of some serious stuff, including that the two young sons were eating poorly and had poor dental hygiene. There were also claims that the Brit`s kitchen cabinets weren`t baby proofed, so the kids could potentially get a hold of poisonous cleaners and that sort of thing.
Britney and her ex, Kevin Federline, are locked in a nasty custody battle over her two-year-old, Sean Preston, and their one-year-old Jaden James. They have a bunch of court hearings coming up. K-Fed is going for more custody.
All right, yesterday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Do you hear that music? Britney Spears new song, "Gimme More" is out. Is it her last chance for a come back? Most of you, look at this, think it is, 71 percent of you say yes. And 29 percent of you say no. Here are some of the e-mails.
Julie from Iowa writes: "Of course, this isn`t her last chance for a comeback. She needs to get back down to earth and become a good mother before some song, first and foremost!"
And Antonio from California thinks: "I believe Britney does have a chance for a comeback. The new single is exceptional and the response has been great so far!"
HAMMER: It is that time of the program to look at what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tomorrow, crime and punishment in Hollywood and beyond. With "America`s Most Wanted" host John Walsh. Can you believe it? His show is heading into the 21st season of catching the bad guys. John Walsh joining us right here tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show, that`s us, reveals TV`s most provocative new shows. There are a lot of controversial, over the top series that are premiering on prime time this fall. They have got the gossip, the money, the sex, the scandal. Which ones will make it, Brooke?
ANDERSON: They have it all.
HAMMER: That`s what we`re looking into tomorrow night right here. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson. Thanks so much for watching. Have a great night, everybody. "Glenn Beck" is coming up next, right after the latest headlines from CNN "Headline News".
END
