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Showbiz Tonight

More Shocking Britney Controversy; Charlie/Denise Custody Battle Heats Up Again

Aired October 04, 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: "Desperate Housewives" outrage. Why there is worldwide controversy over the show about a plot line about menopause.
And Kid Rock makes a startling claim. He says that his ex-wife, Pam Anderson, lied about having a miscarriage. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.

On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Britney blame game. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is Britney Spears really to blame for the mess she`s in. Or should we be blaming someone else?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, "THE VIEW": Maybe she feels it`s for the best for a while if the kids are with her dad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Tonight, who is responsible for her meltdown? Her parents, Kevin Federline, her so called friends? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a controversial fired up look at the Britney blame game.

Tonight, a custody battle even worse than Britney versus K-Fed. Charlie Sheen versus Denise Richards. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the unbelievable new developments. Horrific ugly new e-mails. Charlie reportedly calling Denise a sad, jobless pig, a horrible mom. Plus, he even takes a disturbing shot at Denise`s cancer-stricken mom.

Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the latest blockbuster nasty words in the Charlie/Denise custody war.

Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. And I want you to get ready to play the Britney blame game. Get out your number two pencil, maybe a piece of paper, so you too can keep track. It is a controversial SHOWBIZ special report, and it is coming up.

But first tonight, we are asking what so many people were asking today; what in the world was Britney thinking? How in the world could she not show up to court when the fate of her children was being decided, and even more remarkably, how could she do what she did even as a judge was deciding whether or not she could get her kids back? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the big Britney questions and explosive new documents from the courtroom.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER (on camera): Check out this mad house. Britney Spears surrounded by paparazzi at a California gas station in this video shot by TMZ.com. As it turns out, filling up at Shell would put Britney in one hell of a PR mess, because while she was tooling around L.A. and checking into swanky Beverly Hills hotels, a court was deciding to continue Kevin Federline`s temporary custody of their two kids, who were taken away from Brit this week. Even though it wasn`t required, K-Fed was in court at the time. Brit not so much.

JULIA ALLISON, "STAR MAGAZINE": At this point the bar is really low with the Britney and Kevin custody battle. Really showing up is about all you have to do. And she didn`t even do that.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now tell you how badly things were going for Britney inside the courtroom while she was on her littler errand run. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained new documents showing that Britney`s visits with her kids must be monitored. The court is reiterating its order that Britney must undergo testing for controlled substances and alcohol, something Britney reportedly has so far failed to do. And she must get individual counseling as well.

Oh, and both parents, Britney included, are required to attend the next court session on October 26th. K-Fed`s lawyer is saying the court got it right.

MARK VINCENT KAPLAN, KEVIN FEDERLINE`S ATTORNEY: Kevin and his counsel felt that the orders were justified and he was pleased with the orders that are in place.

HAMMER: And the sight of Britney publicly running errands while the future of her children was at stake sent the anti-Britney brigades into overdrive.

ALICIA QUARLES, ASSOCIATE PRESS: For every parent out there, for people that were fans, it was shocking that she didn`t take this seriously.

HARVEY LEVIN, MANAGING EDITOR, TMZ.COM: We know that her lawyer urged her to show. She wouldn`t do it.

HAMMER: On "Larry King Live," TMZ.com managing editor Harvey Levin said he couldn`t believe his cameras caught Britney out and about on such an important day. Even Headline Prime host and mommy to be Nancy Grace tore off on Britney.

NANCY GRACE, HEADLINE PRIME ANCHOR: I would let the courthouse fall down around me before I would not show up at a hearing about taking my children away.

QUARLES: Britney`s been making bad decision after bad decision.

HAMMER: Alicia Quarles of the Associated Press told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT we have heard this song before, Britney Spears doing something that hurts her custody chances even though she knows full well that everything she does is photographed and videotaped for the world and the judge to see.

QUARLES: The judge told her to get a license. She drove around with her kids without a valid California driver`s license. She didn`t show up for her court mandatory drug testing. She was out partying with her girlfriends, seen all around town doing everything that she was supposed to be doing, except being a good mother.

LEVIN: She is addicted to the paparazzi. She really is.

HAMMER: TMZ.com`s Harvey Levin said on "Larry King Live," it`s part of Britney`s attention at any cost philosophy, even when the cost is her children.

LEVIN: This woman will circle the block on Robertson to make sure that people see that she is coming. I mean, she`s legendary in this town, legendary for courting cameras. She loves it. It`s how she rolls.

HAMMER: And if that`s how Britney rolls, then she`s worse off than we thought.

ALLISON: Apparently someone hasn`t explained that all press isn`t good press.

HAMMER: But at least one thing is going well for Britney, her new song, Give Me More, is rocketing up the charts. "Billboard Magazine" says it`s now the country`s most downloaded song, making it clear her troubles are not affecting her music.

ALLISON: People always thought that Britney`s music was a guilty pleasure, and now it`s even guiltier. Her music can be popular without her actions being popular.

HAMMER: But even if her music career isn`t quite dead yet, anyone can see that Britney is on a downward spiral. And some say she`s going to have to make a choice.

QUARLES: She`s got to choose. Either she wants to be this extremely public figure or she wants to lay low and be a good mother.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: So what will she choose? It seems like Britney`s actions have already spoken volumes about her state of mind. And as if she doesn`t have enough trouble, she`s now facing an investigation for possible child abuse based on a complaint fired by her former body guard, Tony Barretto. Gloria Allred is the attorney representing Barretto. She joins us tonight from Los Angeles. Also joining us tonight from Hollywood, investigative journalist Pat Lalama.

Gloria, let me begin with you, because Barretto has alleged that Britney`s erratic behavior in the two months that he worked for her did put the kids in danger. Help me understand this, because he`s already given testimony to the family court about that, but now you have gone ahead and filed this case with Child Protective Services. Why would you need to do both? Is it not enough that the court basically already took the kids away from Britney for now?

GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY: No, the reason is, A.J., is that the declaration which Tony Barretto caused to be filed in this case is under seal, and so Child and Family Services does not have access to it. Also, in order for them to institute an investigation, they must have what`s called a Child Abuse Referral filed with them. So we did that, and that now gives them the legal power to conduct an investigation. And that is what is important. And it is my understanding, after we had a two-hour meeting with them the last night, that they are going to open an investigation.

And I say to Britney, cooperate with their investigation, meet with them, and tell them the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

HAMMER: Ultimately all in the best interest of the kids, obviously, who are sadly at the center of this whole thing. All right, Pat, let`s not waste any time talking about the big white elephant in the room here. Britney not showing up in court. I`ve got to ask you about this, because it doesn`t make a lot of sense to me.

Last night on this program, one of my guests suggested maybe that`s what her lawyers advised her, so it wouldn`t add to the circus like atmosphere at court. Then I started thinking about it after the show. And I`m like no, it was stupid. It was irresponsible. And I can`t even believe that she was out running errands and not showing up in court. Has she completely lost her mind?

PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: A.J., of all the celebrities I`ve covered in a lot of years, this is the one whose head I`d really like to explore the most. The only thing I can figure is A, if she`s a substance abuser, as the courts have decided, we all know substance abusers will choose their substances over the things that really matter in life, like family and career. Maybe she just wants to get loaded.

Number two, I have always said she had children when she was a child and is probably not prepared to be a mother. I think this is her global way of saying I can`t deal. Therefore, I`m going to just show everybody, go ahead, take my kids. God help this girl. That`s all I can say.

ALLRED: A.J., I was going to say, if I were her attorney, I would have physically gone to her home and told her that I am taking her down there. And if she wasn`t going with me, I would no longer be her attorney.

LALAMA: Gloria, she doesn`t want to go. She doesn`t want to go. And why would a lawyer even bother to drag her if -- I mean, it`s not in her best interest to go and be resentful about it, do you think?

ALLRED: Well, I`m telling that you she needed to be there. If the court indicated that the court would like to have her there, even though the court did not order it. That`s clear signal that if she doesn`t come, she`s in mucho trouble. She didn`t go. You have to have client control. And if my client doesn`t listen to me about something that`s extremely important to their interests, I`m not going to be their attorney anymore.

HAMMER: Moving beyond that, how do you snap her back into that proper head space, Gloria? Sure, you can leave her, but then she`s basically still screwed, so to speak.

ALLRED: Because I would have made sure she does other things that she needed, whether they were ordered or not. In other words, if she needed to go into rehab, she would need to go there and I would tell her she needs to go there, and she`s got to go by a certain date, again, or I`m not going to be her attorney, because you can`t represent someone who will not help themselves and is working against themselves.

LALAMA: And that`s the problem. That`s probably why Laura Wasser isn`t with her, and I believe there was a second attorney whose name escapes me right now. You know, I`m not a lawyer, you are, Gloria. But you must control your client. And if the client is just giving you signals saying, forget about it, I`m not showing up -- she is saying to the world, i don`t want my kids. I don`t know how much clearer it has to be.

HAMMER: That`s pretty much what it seems to be coming down to, and what appears to be this complete lack of a maternal instinct from not just this but things we have seen before. Guys, we have to wrap it up there. Entertainment journalist Pat Lalama, attorney Gloria Allred, thank you both.

Well now we would like to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. What do you think, Britney Spears, is she trying hard enough to keep her kids? I think I know how this is going to go. You can vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZTONIGHT or e-mail us at SHOWBIZTONIGHT@CNN.com.

Here`s a question that`s going to get a lot of people saying, are you kidding me? Is Britney Spears really to blame for the mess that she`s in? Who is responsible for this major meltdown? Parents? Kevin Federline? Her so called friends? A lot of finger pointing going on, and we are TV`s most provocative entertainment news show, so we have got a very fired up SHOWBIZ special report, the Britney blame game. That`s coming up at 30 past the hour.

There`s a whole bunch of blame being thrown around surrounding a shocking "Desperate Housewives" controversy. One little line in the show about menopause which is causing worldwide anger. I`ve got that coming up.

And speaking of major anger, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards at it again. Man, this is just getting uglier by the day. Charlie reportedly calling Denise a horrible mom. He even takes a disturbing shot at Denise`s cancer-stricken mom. You are going to want to take a shower after you hear this thing. I`ve got that coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: "Spin City" might certainly make a good headline for the nasty custody war between Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards. Tonight, yes, I`m afraid I`ve got to report it gets even uglier. There are reportedly new e-mails that Charlie sent Denise calling her, among other things, a sad jobless pig.

Joining me tonight in New York, Ashleigh Banfield, host of Court TV`s "Hollywood Heat, and in Hollywood tonight, Glenda Hatchett from the "Judge Hatchett Show." Judge Hatchett, Ashleigh Banfield, I appreciate you both being here.

As we know, Charlie and Denise have been fighting it out over visitation rights for their two kids ever since they got divorced. There have been leaks in this case before, but now the "New York Post" is reporting that it`s gotten ahold of some nasty e-mails. One Charlie allegedly sent to Denise reads, quote, you are a pig, a sad, jobless pig, who is sad and talentless, and sad and jobless, and evil, and a bad mom. Go bleep yourself, sad, jobless pig.

Judge Hatchett, I`ve got to ask you -- reportedly, this is part of the court documents filed last week. As a judge, how would you react to seeing an e-mail like that in this case? Would it have any impact?

JUDGE GLENDA HATCHETT, "THE JUDGE HATCHETT SHOW": Well, it would. But I will tell you, A.J., enough is enough. They are grown people. What I would really try to impress upon both of them is that although these children are very young, two and three years old, they will grow up very quickly. It won`t be very long before they will be able to hit a button and see this chronology of filth that has been battered back and forth in this case. And it really is enough.

Would I consider this? Yes, I would consider it. I would consider it as a sense of his tone, his sense of being here, his presence, and really whether he has some stability, and what`s going on next in his life.

HAMMER: Filth is a very good word to use here, Judge Hatchett. There`s another one in another e-mail where Charlie is reportedly quoted as taking a pot shot while referring to her cancer-stricken mother, talking about Denise Richards cancer-stricken mother, which is just out of control for me. Ashleigh, what do you think, is Denise pulling out all the stops at this point to do whatever she can to really portray him as a bad guy?

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, COURT TV ANCHOR: I think if someone referred to me in an e-mail and said "go cry to your bald mom," which is allegedly what the quotation was, it wouldn`t even be considered a minimum stop to pull it out. This is a war. And custody wars, as Glenda Hatchett will attest to, are uglier than murder cases. You do pull out the stops, because you are fighting for the thing that is most precious to you, your children.

Of course they both love the children. They both want the children. But one side and the other side also thinks he or she knows best for what these children need. So I don`t know. I`ve heard upwards of 240 pages have been filed with regard to e-mails, letters, supporting documents. That`s a lot. But you know what, if it exists, you use it. It`s called evidence and it will support your case, hopefully.

HAMMER: Man, but it just seems so juvenile to me. I do need to point out that we did contact Charlie`s representatives and as of show time had not yet heard back from them. Denise has claimed in previous court filings that, among other things, Charlie has exposed himself on the Internet, surfed child porn sites. Charlie has denied all these claims. Judge Hatchett, you said it would be paramount for you to tell them to calm it down for the sake of kids. But really can a judge step in and do that? Can you put out some kind of an order to just shut up and make it a more peaceful situation?

HATCHETT: I wish that were true, A.J., because there would be cases that we could really put the lid on. And the reality is, if there is such bad blood between two people, this will continue. You can`t say there`s going to be a gag order. You can`t talk back and forth between the parties. That`s not realistic. But what I would say to them is that they need to get in some kind of counseling, because, at the end of the day, whether they hate each other`s guts, they are going to be the parents for these two children forever.

They need to figure out how they are going to live in a sense that`s civil toward each other, even though they won`t be married, even though they don`t like each other, obviously. There are precious children caught in between. They need to be focusing in on these children.

HAMMER: So Ashleigh, Denise is obviously pulling out all the stops, as you said. But is she being too aggressive? Is that something that could potentially back fire on her and get in her face, because it just is so nasty and ugly?

HAMMER: I would say it`s too aggressive if you are releasing these documents to the press. But it`s my understanding these are just evidence filing. This is what she`s giving the court in support of her case, which I think is entirely fair. Now, usually you can trace e-mails. And it`s the stupidest thing in the world to write --

HAMMER: Don`t put it on paper if you don`t want it to get out there, which it has gotten out the press. I`ve got to wrap it there, Ashleigh Banfield, Judge Glenda Hatchett. Yes, oh my goodness.

BANFIELD: Thanks, A.J.

HAMMER: Another former Hollywood couple just going at it, tearing each other apart, Kid Rock and Pam Anderson. Tonight, Kid making a blockbuster comment saying Pam lied about having a miscarriage while they were married. That is unbelievable. That`s coming up. Also this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we all fall off the Yellow Brick Road. Trust me, I know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: That`s Tailor "tell it to my heart" Dane (ph), opening up about Britney Spears. Tonight, I`m asking something that may make people want to jump through their TV sets; is Britney Spears really to blame for the mess she`s in? Maybe it`s her parents fault, Kevin Federline`s fault, The Britney blame game, a SHOWBIZ special report. You just can`t miss it at 30 past the hour.

Plenty of blame, finger pointing surrounding a "Desperate Housewives controversy. Coming up next, how one teeny, tiny little line having to do with menopause has created worldwide outrage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Tonight, a "Desperate Housewives" controversy. A scene from the show has really offended some people. In the season premier on Sunday, Terri Hatcher`s character Susan has a medical checkup. The doctors suggest that maybe she`s going through menopause. Well, Susan doesn`t take the news well, as you might well imagine, and the joke that followed really got some people mad. So let`s take a look at what the fuss is all about here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP

TERRI HATCHER, "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES": Before we go any further, can I check those diplomas, because I would like to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: In case you didn`t catch that, she said she wanted to check the diplomas to make sure they weren`t from some med school in the Philippines. Well, needless to say, a lot of viewers called ABC to complain. There is even an online petition that now has more than 30,000 signatures saying that the scene devalued Filipinos that work in health care. And the health secretary of the Philippines says he`s writing the show to let the producers know there is an outrage in his country.

Well, ABC issued this statement, saying, quote, "the producers of "Desperate Housewives" and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offense caused by the brief reference in the season premier. There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines."

Well, maybe Britney Spears should go far, far away, maybe even to the Philippines, so she can help clear out her head. I`ve got to ask this controversial question -- I know it`s going to get a lot of people fire up tonight -- but is Britney Spears really to blame for the mess she`s in? Maybe we should be pointing the finger at her parents, even K-Fed. Coming up next, a revealing SHOWBIZ special report, the Britney blame game. Also this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM ARNOLD, ACTOR: My bottom was bottom. My bottom was no job, fired from "Roseanne," fired from "Roseanne" personally, kicked out of my house, no money, front page of "The Enquirer," all that crap.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Actor/Comedian Tom Arnold; he`s got a startling prediction about Britney and young Hollywood. He says someone is going to die. Plus, he`s opening up like never before about his battle with drugs and alcohol in a bit.

And it looks like another "View" controversy. Tonight, why Whoopi Goldberg wants to make Whoopi with Paul Newman and Newman`s own wife. What`s that about? You will find out in just a minute on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(NEWS BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, who`s to blame for the trouble that Britney Spears is in? You know she`s not the first singer to get fame and fortune at a very young age. Take Taylor Dane, for instance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAYLOR DANE, SINGER: I think we all fall off the yellow brick road, trust me, I know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Britney`s life is out of control, but is it all her fault? Does K-Fed share some of the blame? What about her parents? Maybe we should be pointing the finger at the paparazzi who hound her day and night. Tonight, a SHOWBIZ special report, "The Britney Blame Game".

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. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.

Tonight, it`s a SHOWBIZ special report, "The Britney Blame Game". A Los Angeles judge has just ordered that the kids get to stay with Kevin Federline. That`s not all. She is alienated from her family. She parties just about every night. Her music career, well, quite frankly, it`s not what it used to be.

But is she to blame for all of it? Joining me tonight, in Hollywood, investigative journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." Also in Hollywood, managing editor of USmagazine.com, Ken Baker, and celebrity self-help guru, Hanala Stadner.

Gang, I appreciate you being with me tonight.

You know, I was among the many people -- in fact, everybody I talked to was just stunned to find out that Britney Spears never showed up at court yesterday to fight for her kids. Kevin Federline was there, even though he didn`t have to be, with his lawyers. But I want you to take a look at where Britney was.

Chris, can we roll out this little piece of video, Britney Spears hanging out in her car at a gas station. Her kids and where they wind up at stake in a courtroom, which truly begs the very first question, in our "Britney Blame Game," who is most to blame for Britney not showing up in court? Is it fair to place most of the blame on Brit, herself or, Jane, let me ask you, is some of this really her lawyer`s fault?

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: She`s an adult, A.J. She`s 25 years old. I think the truth is she probably wasn`t ready to look the judge in the eye and say, I`m OK. I`m ready to do everything you ask of me. The truth is that addiction is a very slow and agonizing and drawn-out ordeal. Just because her addiction is playing out on the world stage doesn`t mean it`s going to go any faster.

We have this CSI effect. We want her to solve her addiction before the end of hour show, and it doesn`t work that way. It`s its own clock. It`s its own internal schedule. Only she can say when she`s hit bottom. She can`t walk into that court and say, "I`m ready", when she`s not ready.

HAMMER: Ken Baker, what do you think? Is the only place a finger should be pointing, in this case, in particularly her not showing up in court yesterday -- which still just baffles me! -- just pointing right at her?

KEN BAKER, USMAGAZINE.COM: First of all, she doesn`t listen to anyone, so if her lawyer even did tell her to show up, she wouldn`t just because she would have told her to do it. Now, the other thing, A.J., it was a beautiful day here in L.A., yesterday. Malibu was beautiful. Maybe she wanted to go for a drive. She was on the 101 for a while. She stopped in Van Nuys, bought some gas. It was a beautiful day. She wanted to enjoy it. Why should she be in court fighting for her kids?

HAMMER: Yeah, you`re right.

BAKER: Don`t be so mean.

HAMMER: You know what, I take it all back. I`m just out of control.

I want to show you somebody who knows something about spinning out of control. Singer Taylor Dane, we all remember her, "Tell It To My Heart," a big pop hit in the `80s. She battled drug addiction herself when she was around Britney`s age, and she told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what she thinks is the best way for Britney to get a grip on her life. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANE: Go back to the source. Go back to your family. She`s got a strong family. It always comes down to you and your choices, and getting clear enough so you`re conscious. That`s just a mode to live by. And I think we al fall of the yellow brick road. Trust me, I know. You all get in a lot of danger and a lot of deep (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Yeah, deep -- you know what. Which, of course, brings us to our next "Britney Blame Game," question. Who is to blame for the craziness that surrounds her? Is Britney to blame, in that case, or can we really point the finger at the paparazzi as the real culprit here?

Hanala, what do you think?

HANALA STADNER, CELEBRITY SELF-HELP GURU: I think we all need to blame someone. We need an answer. I know someone who stepped on a rake in his backyard and it hit him in his chest, and he said, Damn it, where is she?

We all want to not accept responsibility, and to see it clearly, because humans hate to be confused. And I think Britney is very confused. It wasn`t so much it was a beautiful day, because I think it got hot in the car. I think she didn`t go into the studio (sic) because she is filled with shame, and with an addict, the more shame you have, the more drugs you need to use. And then you do more things that cause shame, so you have to do more drugs. It`s a hard job being an addict. It was my full-time career.

HAMMER: Well, I have to say, though, as far as the craziness around her, just looking at those pictures there, when you see her out and about. And yet, maybe she brings it on herself, but the number of cameras that are constantly in her face.

What do you think, Jane? Is it something that, you know, they feed off each other, the paparazzi and Britney. And maybe they can equally share in the blame of the craziness that is always circulating around her?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: A.J., there are so many major stars in Hollywood who go about their day not tailed by the paparazzi because they don`t do things like going out without their underwear on. All you have to do, as Britney has reportedly done, is do that once and they will trail you forever in the hopes that you will go out without your underwear yet again.

So, she obviously attracts this like a magnet. I also think we have to look at ourselves and ask ourselves why are we so obsessed with the life of this celebrity? Why are we, as Americans, obsessed with celebrity culture? Is that an addiction that we have? And are we running away from something and trying to escape from something by obsessing about Britney`s life?

HAMMER: Good point there.

STADNER: I have a good thought on that. It`s like we want to know the dirt behind someone we know. And we feel we know these people. And she, I think, her shaving her head and going out without underwear is her way of saying I want to expose myself to you. I am very troubled.

It`s like -- my parents were Holocaust survivors. I couldn`t complain about anything. And celebrities like Britney have the same problem. Who is going to listen to them complain? Who is going to feel sorry for them?

HAMMER: Yeah.

STADNER: But if she shaves her head, it`s like, see, I told you something was wrong.

HAMMER: Yeah, and look where that has landed us today. And Hanala, you also made the point that we do want to find someone to point the finger at, but the hard reality here is Britney doesn`t have a lot of people around her that, number one, are even in her life, or that she can trust at all. Little by little, all these people closest to her have left.

So, this begs the next question in the "Britney Blame Game" tonight. Who has let Britney down the most? We are going to talk about the people in her life? Could it be her ex-body guard, Tony Barretto? He`s made those public allegations that she`s endangered the kids, used narcotics. Maybe her ex-husband Kevin Federline, or maybe even her mother, who has been kind of estranged. Ken Baker?

STADNER: Well, I would -- oh, I`m sorry. I`m not Ken.

I just want to say who wants to hang out with people who are trying to change your life?

HAMMER: What do you think, Ken?

STADNER: Of course she`s not going to be with her mother.

BAKER: I think that her mom has tried valiantly to make an effort to be there for Britney and Britney has shunned her, just like everyone else.

Here`s -- really when you look at it -- a few years ago Britney and Kevin made a reality show. Remember it? It was called, "Chaotic". All right? Britney has continued to make her life more and more chaotic, yet Kevin has pulled back. And has been really the better parent and lived a cleaner lifestyle. He`s made a choice.

Ultimately, Britney has to own up to what she`s done to herself. She has to take responsibility. She`s the one. It`s all contributing factors, but ultimately she has to take blame for what she`s done.

HAMMER: Jane Velez-Mitchell, 10 seconds to wrap it up for me.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, addicts choose lesser companions. They surround themselves with people who are going to challenge them, but who are going to cosign and endorse their bad behavior. And that appears to be what she has done.

HAMMER: Britney, please get the help you need. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Ken Baker, Hanala Stadner, I appreciate you being with us tonight.

BAKER: Thanks, A.J.

STADNER: I`m here for you.

HAMMER: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day": Britney Spears, is she trying hard enough to keep her kids? Keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Also write to us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We are going to read some of your e-mails tomorrow. If you`d like, you can vote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day by zipping off a cell phone text message to 45688. To vote yes, punch in showbiz yes. No, showbiz no.

As it turns out, Britney Spears has more in common that you might possibly imagine with Tom Arnold, of all people. His life truly spiraled out of control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM ARNOLD, ACTOR: My bottom was the bottom. No job, fired from "Roseanne", fired from Roseanne, personally. Kicked out of my house, no money, front page of the "Enquirer", all that crap.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Tom Arnold speaking out like never before about his drug addiction and alcohol addiction, how bad it got. And how he managed to turn things around. Tom also has some very strong advice for Britney, Lindsay and Paris, that`s coming next in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Also, I have to tell you, I was shocked when this crossed my desk today. Did Pam Anderson really lie about having a miscarriage when she was married to Kid Rock? Kid`s talking up a storm about this. We will get into that coming up.

And another controversy for "The View". Yeah, it keeps on going. Does Whoopi really want to make whoopee with Nancy Pelosi? All right, maybe I`m giving this to you a little out of context, so I`ll fill you in on the whole story, just ahead. And you won`t want to miss it.

First, it is time for our SHOWBIZ "News Quiz". I want you to take a look at this video from London. It`s a guy on a bicycle who ends up on the train tracks. What do you think is going on here? Was it a stunt for a movie, a prank for a hidden camera show, an accident, or a marketing stunt? You think about that. I`m coming right back with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: And now for the answer to the quiz. We showed you this video from where a guy on a bicycle ends up on the train tracks. I asked you, what do you think was going on here? Was it, A, a stunt for a movie, B, a prank for a hidden camera show, or, C, and accident, or D, a marketing stunt? No, if you thought it was a marketing stunt, you`re wrong. It was an accident, C. The guy was fine. His bike ended up getting smashed by a train though. Police say that they think he might have been on drugs or drunk and that`s why he fell.

Tonight, the shocking confessions of Tom Arnold. He`s opening up like never before, revealing how bad his drug and alcohol addictions got. How it killed his marriage to Roseanne Barr, and almost killed him. Tom also has some advice for Britney, Lindsay, Paris and Nicole, in this no-holds-barred interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARNOLD: I don`t know Lindsay. Britney was my next-door neighbor for six months, and I know Paris and Nicole, and their families pretty well. And my -- I don`t know what they do or, you know -- I know when I was 25, what I was doing. And so -- but, you know, it can kill you. Somebody`s going to die.

And I also can recognize when somebody as on survival mode, and they feel the world has turned against them. And they are, you know -- and it`s sad. I see at least one of those, probably two, who are in that mode. And I recognize it in myself. Believe me.

The only thing I can tell you for sure is that I`m a drug addict and alcoholic. That I`m capable of being addicted today think that, so, I`m capable of being depressed. And I`m capable of, you know, even in sobriety there`s dark days for everybody.

So anything anybody does, instead of going, wow, that`s you know, somebody gets in a car crash, that`s OK. Or somebody tries to hurt themselves, I always say well, that`s great, good, because that may be the bottom, you know. Because my bottom was bottom -- bottom. My bottom was no job, fired from "Roseanne", fired from Roseanne, personally, kicked out of my house, no money, front page of "The Enquirer", all that crap.

But what I did that helped me, I would recommend this to other people, is I had a picture for some reason when I got in the cab and went to the rehab. This is my second rehab. Believe I talked my way out of my first one. I had a picture of myself when I was four, that`s when my mom left. She really left before that, but four it was official. And I thought maybe for this kid, not for this guy who is the scum bag, who is not worthy, but this kid, I will do it. And so that was the first time I ever considered doing it for myself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An inexperienced journalist, who didn`t know you were famous, before you were clean and sober, my come in and think you were not even clean and sober even at this moment.

ARNOLD: Right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you are, you just have nervous -- like body habits.

ARNOLD: Well, I have ADHD. When I was young I was on the Ritalin. And I think it was a new thing. And my parents, they put it in my food because I didn`t want to take it. Even then I knew I was -- I didn`t want to be calmed down -- like I avoided it. And then as an adult, in the late `80s, I tried it again, and I said after a while, gosh, if I can do this, why can`t I do cocaine, you know?

So since September 10th, `89, I have been clean and sober. Never again, I mean, I wouldn`t be doing the interview here, because I`m not going to do it. I mean, I constantly have to remind myself. I go to meetings. I do this and do that, you know, this year had some surgeries. And little things that, you know, I just got to be honest at all times. Even after almost 18 years. So when people say that about my -- you know, there are things I can take to be less hyper. And when you are like me, it`s things that are the uppers. They haven`t invented the perfect pill to make me normal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

ARNOLD: Yeah, but I`d rather just try to work out hard in the morning because that slows my brain down. Get that cardio. And then if I eat well, and don`t drink too much caffeine and sugar, I usually am pretty good.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Sounds like he`s got a good grip on it. Tom Arnold`s new movie "The Final Season" is in theaters everywhere October 12th.

Well, Whoopi Goldberg raised a little bit of a stir on the view by saying she wanted to "do" everyone from Paul Newman to Nancy Pelosi. Of course, the Internet went crazy over Whoopi`s to do list. But that`s just the beginning of this story. Here comes CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MOOS (voice over): Sometimes to do is a don`t.

(on camera): Whoopi said to Nancy Pelosi, I want to do you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh?

MOOS (voice over): But before the gang on "The View" started speaking about House Speaker Pelosi, there were jokes about Paul Newman.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, "THE VIEW": Oh, I`d do him in a minute.

MOOS: And Paul Newman`s wife.

GOLDBERG: I don`t want Joanne to think I wouldn`t do her. I would probably do her, too.

MOOS: Eventually they got around to Nancy Pelosi`s husband.

BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": Do you want to take a look at Nancy Pelosi`s handsome husband?

(CROSS TALK)

WALTERS: There you go.

GOLDBERG: I feel you eyeing me, that`s cool though.

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: And when Mrs. Pelosi appeared, there was even more of a "to do". Barbara told on Whoopi.

WALTERS: She said do Paul Newman and I think she`d like to do your husband.

MOOS: But Whoopi didn`t leave out the Mrs.

GOLDBERG: I would do her as well, but we should wait on that, because you`re still in office. I don`t want to cause a problem.

MOOS: Speaker Pelosi smiled, Mr. Pelosi chuckled, but on the web, "Oooh!", "Uhg!", "Triple yuck!" "Is there no decorum left in this sad nation?" I don`t think they do decorum on "The View."

(On camera): So do you care?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. She`s funny, Whoopi. That was hysterical. I was laughing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was a joke. Now people can`t say anything without getting in trouble.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was a joke, but I thought it was weird.

MOOS: She said she was going to -- do her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, please! Oh, please! Whoopi please, she was doing everybody yesterday.

MOOS: Which brings us to singer Faith Hill.

WALTERS: Well, also -- we`d all like to do your husband.

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: Hey, they`re not alone. Did you hear about the fan who groped Tim McGraw in the nether regions, while he was performing in Louisiana? Faith Hill scolded the fan. That scolding ricocheted around the web.

FAITH HILL, SINGER: Somebody needs to teach you some class, my friend! You don`t go grabbin` somebody else`s -- very disrespectful!

MOOS: At least no one has accused any of the presidential candidates of grabbing. The question, say something you like about the candidate next to you elicited this response from Senator Joe Biden to Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

SEN. JOE BIDEN, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All right, Dennis, the thing I like best about you is your wife.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Wait a minute. He talked about my wife.

MOOS: Later he talked to your wife, but at least he didn`t use the word "do." All in all, we call this story, much ado about a to-do list.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: I would agree with you, Jeanne Moos, because Whoopi, after all is a comedian. People need to cut her a break. CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

I have to admit, I was quite surprised when I saw this next story earlier today. Did Pam Anderson really lie about having a miscarriage when she was married to Kid Rock?

Kid is talking up a storm about this whole thing, but wait until you hear what Pam had to say about the whole thing. That`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

First, it`s a look at what`s new at the movies brought to you by Bisquick Heart Smart.

Opening up tomorrow, Ben Stiller starring in the remake of the 1972 classic, "The Heartbreak Kid." And in limited release, George Clooney stars as a disillusioned lawyer in "Michael Clayton". Going to wide release, Brad Pitt in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". That`s what`s new at the movies this weekend, brought to you by Bisquick Heart Smart.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Tonight, rocker Kid Rock is opening up about a shocking claim. Something he says helped destroy his four-month marriage to Pam Anderson. He says she lied about having a miscarriage. The explosive allegation is in the new issue of "Rolling Stone" magazine. Kid claims that Pam lied while their marriage was falling apart back in the fall of 2006.

Here`s what he says, quote, "She`s in Vancouver shooting a movie and I have Lakers seats on the floor, and I`m gonna go to the Lakers game with my friend Jesse James and that leads into her saying, `You don`t care about me, blah, blah, blah.`. Well, she finally comes up with this: I just had a miscarriage and you don`t even give an F."

Well, Rock says that he flew up to Vancouver, but when he got there Pam was out partying. So he thinks she just made the whole thing up.

But Pam has fired back, saying, quote, "If he has nothing nice to say about me, then please tell him to stop talking about me."

You can read more of Kid Rock`s shocking interview when this edition of "Rolling Stone" hits newsstands on Friday.

Well, yesterday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we wanted to know. Britney Spears kids, are they better off with Kevin Federline? And 71 percent of you say yes. Not good for Britney, with 29 percent of you saying no.

Among the e-mails we received, we heard from Cindy in California who writes, "Come on now, we all know he`s in it for the money! Plain and simple. Why isn`t he fighting for custody with Shar Jackson?"

We also heard from Michael in North Carolina. Michael writes, "Britney does deserver her kids. I think that once the media allow her to be a normal persona and mother she should be OK."

Well, it`s time now to find out what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

And tomorrow we get into the transformation of K-Fed, his reputation has certainly come a long way. He went from being seen as Britney`s gold- digging hanger on, to rapper wanna be, to doting dad? How in the world did that happen? How did Kevin Federline become a model parent all of a sudden? We`ll get into that tomorrow.

And K-Fed isn`t the only one to get an image makeover. Brad Pitt has certainly also come a long way since he first hit Hollywood. We have one of his very first TV interviews to prove it. The transformation of Brad Pitt coming up tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. "Glenn Beck", coming up next right after the latest from CNN "Headline News". Have a great night.

END