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Showbiz Tonight
Britney`s Lack of Parenting Skills Exposed; Lane Garrison Sentenced
Aired October 31, 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, CO-HOST: Tonight, a star of one of prime time`s biggest TV shows is sentenced for killing a teenager while driving drunk. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And Denzel Washington gives Russell Crowe advice on keeping his kids out of trouble in Hollywood. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT a Britney Spears custody shocker. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovers startling information about her parenting skills.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIA ALLISON, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "STAR" MAGAZINE: The fact that she doesn`t seem to know how to deal with kids isn`t exactly surprising, but it makes it all the more upsetting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What life is really like for her two young boys when they`re with their mommy. And how safe is Britney`s home for little Sean Preston and Jaden James? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates, Britney Spears as a mommy.
Tonight, "Good Mom, Bad Mom." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals what stars who are pregnant right now can learn from the parenting mistakes other stars have made. J. Lo, Nicole, Halle, listen up because you do not want to end up like other mommy messes. Tonight it`s a must see showbiz special report, "Good Mom, Bad Mom."
Happy Halloween. 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. And tonight, a TV star is going to jail for a long time because of a deadly drunk driving accident. The dramatic day in court coming up.
HAMMER: But first tonight, Britney`s kid crisis. For the first time today we got startling new details about what Britney Spears is like as a parent, and I can tell you it is not a pretty picture. Brand new information came out after a judge refused to give Britney back 50-50 custody of her two sons.
ANDERSON: And on top of that Britney went on the radio today to basically say, "Hey, you all, I`m not that bad." Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is racing to keep up with all the latest developments.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN SEACREST, RADIO SHOW HOST: Do you feel like you`re doing everything you can for your kids?
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: Oh god, yes. Yes.
ANDERSON (voice over): Britney Spears made an early morning call to American idol host Ryan Seacrest`s radio show. You think they would have passed the time talking about the good reviews Britney is getting for her new album, "Black Out." Instead they talked about the bad reviews Britney is getting as a mother.
SEACREST: How do you respond to those who criticize you as a mom?
SPEARS: Like I said, you know, people say what they want, and do what they do. And, you know, it`s sad, you know, how people - how cruel our world can be, but (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I said, "You know, you just got to know in your heart that, you know, you are doing the best that you can and, you know, that`s basically it."
ANDERSON: But Britney`s best may not be good enough in her custody battle with her ex-husband Kevin Federline over their two sons, 2-year-old Sean Preston, and 1-year-old Jaden James. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained some shocking court documents that provide some disturbing and sad inside details about the kind of mom Britney is to her two small boys.
ALLISON: Having an insight into what it is like, actually, in Britney`s home is fairly rare.
ANDERSON: Each word in these documents is more shocking than the last. The report found that Britney`s home still are not child-proofed, Britney`s kids have no real schedule or routine, and that Britney did not seem to fully engage with the children.
ALLISON: The fact that she doesn`t seem to know how to deal with kids isn`t exactly surprising, but it makes it all the more upsetting.
ANDERSON: It`s all in the court`s latest ruling that refused to give Britney back 50-50 custody of her kids, but does allow her two afternoon visits and one overnight visit with them per week.
ALLISON: I don`t see the judge increasing her custody any time soon.
ANDERSON: The ruling cites a report from a court-appointed parenting coach who spent time with Britney and her kids. And the coach wasn`t impressed. She wrote, "The environment at Britney`s house ranged from chaotic to almost somber with little communication at all." The coach noticed that "Ms. Spears rarely engaged with the children in either conversation or play." And the coach added, "It seems that Britney`s choices are dependent more upon what she wants to do rather than what would be more enjoyable for the children."
ALLISON: Britney does what Britney wants to do, and if the kids fit into it, great. If they don`t, ah, she`s going to ignore them.
ANDERSON: Whether it`s her parading her screaming kids in front of a paparazzi mob or her late-night partying without the kids, bring Britney`s mommy mishaps often play out in public. That`s why Julia Allison of "Star" magazine tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she`s not all that shocked by the report.
ALLISON: I don`t think that I`m really surprised by this. It seems to be the Britney that we`re seeing outside in the real world. Well, I guess it`s pretty accurate.
KATHLEEN VAN ANTWERP, CHILD MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT: Britney Spears` two young children are in the most fundamental years of development.
ANDERSON: Child mental health expert Dr. Kathleen van Antwerp tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT there`s reason to be worried about Britney`s mothering habits.
VAN ANTWERP: It`s concerning and alarming because it`s a form of neglect, and a form of neglect has a definite impact on a child`s healthy sense of self and a healthy development.
ANDERSON: The report did have some bright spots. It says there`s no evidence of traditional abuse, and it does acknowledge that, quote, "Britney loves her children and the children are bonded to her." But these disturbing new details may make it harder for Britney to convince anyone that her children are better off with her.
ALLISON: I don`t think that she means badly. I think she just genuinely has no clue that the way she`s mothering her kids isn`t normal.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Now, the court did give Britney limited monitored visitation, but it`s on the condition that she have a regular drug and alcohol test. And she`s also now required to child-proof her home.
HAMMER: All of this new information about Britney and her kids really, really unsettling. Joining me tonight in Hollywood, the managing editor of "UsMagazine.com," Ken Baker. And tonight, in New York, child development expert and syndicated radio host Cooper Lawrence. Ken, Cooper, I appreciate your being here.
Now, this court order is so revealing. It gave us really our first glimpse behind the closed doors of Britney Spears and her parenting coach, a woman by the name of Lisa Hacker speaking up and describing what she says really a grim situation. Let me read to you what she said, "The environment at the house range from chaotic" - her own words - "to almost somber with little communication at all." Cooper Lawrence, what does it tell you about how life is like for those kids? Should we all be concerned here?
COOPER LAWRENCE, CHILD DEVELOPMENT EXPERT: We should be concerned, because it`s not Britney`s word anymore. They brought an expert to give us a glimpse into what that environment is like. And if they think that the child`s environment does not predict the type of development you`re going to see, she`s crazy, which we already sort of have said about her before. But the problem here is children really react to a predictable - they want a predictable environment. They want a parent that`s going to engage with them. They`re not going to reach their development on milestones. That`s how we`re going to see the evidence of her lack of parenting skills coming out.
HAMMER: Ken Baker, really strong evidence here for the judge to not be giving Britney back 50-50 custody at a minimum of her kids right now.
KEN BAKER, MANAGING EDITOR, "USMAGAZINE.COM": Cooper makes some good points, the optimum word being crazy. "Us Weekly" - we just had a report that came out today in our magazine where we said that - we actually did an interview with a former assistant of Britney Spears from just a few months ago. And she said her conclusion after spending three months day by day with Britney Spears and the kids is, quote, "She needs mental help."
Now, this is really serious thing here. And I think that what`s behind all this is not that, oh, Britney is stupid or Britney wants to harm the kids. It appears to me looking at all the evidence and judging by from what this former assistant says is that there`s mental disturbance and there`s reason to think there`s mental disturbance or there`s reason to think there`s mental disturbance. And I think that until that is treated and dealt with, it seems as if she`s never going to get those kids back.
HAMMER: No. This is not the first time of Britney getting some mental help has been thrown around. I have to tell you, what I found even more shocking is that Britney needs to submit evidence now that she`s finally child-proofed her pool area.
Is it not mind boggling that she didn`t do this? You know, people who have pools get their pools kid proofed when they`re pregnant so they can protect their kids. Cooper, do you think it`s just a good thing that the judge didn`t give Britney even 50-50 custody of her kids back?
LAWRENCE: I think it`s akin to child neglect. I mean if she was anybody else, those kids would be taken away from her at this point. And it`s not just the pool. I`m sure there`s a lot of other areas of her house that are not child proofed. And I think for a celebrity who can hire somebody to come do that for them and she never bothered to after, you know, two years. How old is the oldest child? Two years, right? So, it`s about time, right? And she never bothered to do it. To me, that`s akin to neglect.
HAMMER: I have to say, you know, all along we`ve been hoping that she would do the right thing along the way and get it together and we support her in that sense. But it doesn`t seem to be happening. And as you heard a moment ago, the ever unpredictable Britney Spears calling into Ryan Seacrest`s radio show this morning, I want to listen again to what she had to say.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEACREST: Do you feel like you are doing everything you can for your kids?
SPEARS: Oh god, yes. Yes.
SEACREST: And how often will you see them?
SPEARS: Oh, just like all in the court and stuff like that. My lawyers do all that stuff.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: My lawyers do all that stuff. Ken, we`re talking about her kids here. Shouldn`t she be a little more on the details of everything that`s going on with her child custody battle?
BAKER: You know, I`m the first one to call Britney out when she`s acting crazy, OK, and out of control and stupid. But I really have to throw her a bone here and defend her. Here she is on live radio. She was asked the questions specifically that is related to the custody of the kids. The court has ordered for K-Fed, his attorney, Spears and her attorneys, not discuss anything in the order and not discuss the custody case. So I have to come to her defense. Now, of course, it is within the realm of reason.
HAMMER: Ken, do you think that`s why she didn`t speak up about when she`s going to see the kids next? I mean, I`d like to give her the benefit of the doubt, too. But come on.
BAKER: Well, it is within the realm of reason to think that well, maybe Britney doesn`t know how many days she gets, OK? That`s definitely possible. But to throw her a little benefit of the doubt, she`s been ordered not to discuss this case in public.
So I think that was more what that was about, because I heard that whole interview this morning. And what she did was after Ryan asked her those questions about the kids, she left the interview and let her friends who are on this conference call finish the interview. I think she was just uncomfortable and needed to leave.
HAMMER: Well, yes. But that was a little strange. She went and took a shower while this interview was going on live radio. I don`t know. Ken Baker, Cooper Lawrence. Thank you both for being here tonight.
LAWRENCE: Thanks, A.J.
BAKER: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Hey now, we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Britney Spears: Is she unfairly criticized for her parenting? Vote CNN.com/showbiztonight. Send us an e-mail to showbiztonight@cnn.com. Do it from your desk stop, laptop, or even your blackberry or cell phone, whatever you want to tell us.
HAMMER: I want to tell you. As you know, I`m trying to cut her some slack here and she`s just making it really, really difficult. You know, some of that criticism definitely valid. But, you know, you also have to consider the fact that even her little a slip ups are magnified, of course, because the paparazzi is always right there in Britney Spears` face. Now, Britney, of course, is not the only mom who has been ripped in two. Tonight I`ve got some really good advice for the star moms-to-be out there. What they can learn from others` parenting mistakes. It`s a must-see showbiz special report, "Good Mom, Bad Mom," at 30 past the hour. We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DENZEL WASHINGTON, ACTOR: They will say "Yes, Sir" or "No, Sir" and "Yes, Ma`am" or "No, Ma`am." You know, I put my foot in their behind if they act wrong and they know it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Denzel Washington with an old school but, I think, a pretty effective way have keeping his kids in line. Tonight, Denzel has got some stunning advice for Russell Crowe about keeping his kids out of trouble. You will not want to miss that. Coming up.
ANDERSON: And such a tragic story it makes me furious that somebody was killed here. "Prison Break" star Lane Garrison sentenced today for his drunk-driving car crash that killed a teenager. Shouldn`t these stars know better? A disturbing look at stars and their alcohol problems next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANE GARRISON, FORMER STAR OF "PRISON BREAK": All I can say to you is I am so sorry that you lost someone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was former "Prison Break" star Lane Garrison apologizing to the family of a teenager who was killed in his car while he was driving while intoxicated. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, Hollywood`s drinking problem. Late today, Lane Garrison found out his punishment, and it`s a shocker. A judge sentenced him to nearly four years in jail.
Also tonight, we have learned that Lindsay Lohan, fresh out of rehab, has just canceled a controversial appearance at a big New Year`s Eve bash at popular nightclub in Las Vegas. With us tonight in Hollywood, Ken Sealy, lead interventionist on "A&E Intervention," and Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of this book, "Secrets Can Be Murder." Ken, Jane, good to see you both.
It seems to me that a powerful message is being sent here to Hollywood and to anyone else who drinks and drives for that matter by the sentence Lane Garrison got today. It was a really emotional scene. I want you to listen now to what Lane Garrison said in court.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARRISON: To (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and family, how sick of my own behavior I was that night and how sorry I am that their son is never going to come back. And this remorse is genuine. I have felt it every day. I have felt what it`s like to be at prison. I felt what it`s like to be in jail every night.
ANDERSON: Ken, we have seen so many stars get caught drinking and driving. The Lane Garrison case probably is the most tragic. Someone died here. Do you think this will be a wake-up call in Hollywood, or just business as usual?
KEN SEALY, LEAD INTERVENTIONIST, "A&E INTERVENTION": Yes, Brooke. Unfortunately, this is going to be business as usual. And, you know, the sad part about all this is that poor family with that 17-year-old daughter that they lost and loved one, and also that, you know, Lane`s family and friends have noticed his behavior in the past.
You know, when he said to those girls when he was driving - or before he got in the car, you know, "I`m a Texan. I drink - you know, six shots is not a big deal." You know, six shots. He might as well have said, "I`m an alcoholic." You know, the signs were there. And that`s why it`s so important to take the appropriate actions and get him the right help instead of just sitting by the sideline saying, "That will never happen to me because here it is. It happened to him." And Mothers Against Drunk Driving, they say five people a day die this way. Five people a day.
ANDERSON: Innocent - it`s horrific, and an innocent 17-year-old boy, like you mentioned, 17-year-old boy, was killed. Jane, your thoughts? Will it be a wake-up call in any way? What do you think?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: I think it has to be. This wasn`t the absolute maximum sentence that the victim`s family had requested, but it`s hard time. It`s the most time a Hollywood celebrity has been sentenced to in a long, long time. The judge said he wanted to send a message, and he is sending a message.
Let`s face it. These other DUI sentences have been a complete joke. Nicole Richie going behind bars for an hour? That makes a mockery of the justice system. This guy is going to do some hard time.
I think it calls for a cultural sea change in Hollywood. Millionaire movie stars, start using some of your big bucks to hire limo drivers. Let`s change this nonsense once and for all. This is insanity. All these people driving themselves when they are the people who can most afford a limo driver.
ANDERSON: Exactly. And hopefully people will see there are very serious consequences. The worst part about it is someone was killed. But yes, he will serve hard time now.
I want to talk now about Lindsay Lohan. She got into a very bad car accident before finally going to rehab for a couple of months. Fortunately, no one died in that case. She has just announced that she`s bailing on plans to host the New Year`s Eve party at a big Las Vegas nightclub. Ken, do you see this as a big turning point for Lindsay Lohan? And I hope so.
SEALY: Yes, and you know, I do too. I hope would be a turning point. But really, I don`t believe she really got what she need because she got involved in that relationship while she was in treatment, so she`s turning that over to her higher power. She`s turning that into what she`s looking forward to, and that`s not what recovery is about.
You`re not supposed to be in a relationship in your first year or start a relationship in your first year. And being that she did that, it looks like it would be the right thing to do by cancelling the party. But the reality is I really don`t think that`s going to be the answer for her. I think she`s going to have to hit a harder bottom.
ANDERSON: Maybe it`s a small step, though? Jane, what do you think? Ten seconds. Has she learned her lesson a little bit?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I think it`s a good sign because they say the only thing that has to change is everything. She`s not just jaw boning about sobriety. She`s actually making a sacrifice. And I think that that`s certainly better than not making the sacrifice.
ANDERSON: Right. Hopefully there are reasons to be a little bit optimistic. Jane Velez Mitchell, Ken Sealy, thank you both for your insight.
VELEZ MITCHELL: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Brooke, so many people are slamming Britney for being a bad mother. Some of the things that she`s done seem to have been pretty careless or pretty reckless. I mean, it`s hard to ignore that.
ANDERSON: Yes, I wholeheartedly agree. She has made some very poor choices, A.J.
HAMMER: Well, tonight I have got a really provocative showbiz special report. What stars who are pregnant right now, like Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Richie, can learn from the parenting mistakes made by others like Britney or Courtney Love. "Good Mom, Bad Mom" at 30 past the hour. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WASHINGTON: And I took them out there and said to the coaches and I said, "You, ten times harder on him. He gets no breaks. If I hear about another tear or another whimper, I`ll be down here and I`m going to kick his behind in front of everybody."
HAMMER: Denzel Washington, one way he keeps his kids in line. Man, I would stay in line for that. But you won`t believe the parenting advice he has for another huge star, Russell Crowe. That is coming up.
ANDERSON: And, A.J., this really disturbs me. Heather Mills locked in a nasty divorce battle with Paul McCartney has an explosive admission that she`s considered suicide, and she`s blaming the tabloids for her shocking thoughts. We`ve got that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thursday, Paris, Britney, Brad, Angelina. They can`t even sneeze without being swarmed by paparazzi. So, can they ever really have a normal life, or is it tough noogies. They wanted famous, too bad. Showbiz investigates, "Are Stars Prisoners of Fame?" Tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Tonight, some unbelievable words from Paul McCartney`s estranged wife, Heather Mills. She says the nonstop media press and the awful things that are said about her nearly drove her to kill herself. In a revealing interview on a British TV show called "Good Morning Television," Mills got very emotional, lashing out at the tabloids.
Quoting now, "they`ve called me a whore, a gold digger, a fantasist, a liar, the most unbelievably hurtful things. I`ve stayed quiet for my daughter. We`ve had death threats. I`ve been close to suicide. I`ve had worse threats that a pedophile or a murder and I`ve done nothing but charity for 20 years. That`s why I considered killing myself because I thought if I`m dead, she`s - (her 3-year-old daughter Beatrice) she`s safe and she can be with her father."
Mills also denies reports that she`s been offered a huge amount of money to settle her bitter divorce with Paul McCartney. She says she hasn`t been offered a penny. We reached out to Paul McCartney, but he isn`t commenting on all of this. And I`ll tell you if you think our magazines and newspapers here in the United States are tough, the ones in the U.K. are brutal. They might want to back off, A.J.
HAMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I know that Heather obviously wants the best for her daughter. Well, tonight, I`ve got a really provocative showbiz special report about mothers, what stars who are pregnant right now, like Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Richie, can learn from the parenting mistakes made by others like Britney Spears, Courtney Love. "Good Mom, Bad Mom." Coming up next. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WASHINGTON: They really say, "Yes, Sir" or "No, Sir" or "Yes, Ma`am" or "No, Ma`am." You know, I put my foot in their behind if they act wrong, and they know it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Denzel Washington, you know - well, that might be an old school way of doing things. He may be on to something, and Denzel is not stopping there. You won`t believe what the advice he has for Russell Crowe on how Russell should raise his kids. It`s coming up.
HAMMER: And a lot of people waiting for this. First, Sylvester Stallone in another "Rocky" movie, and now is he "Rambo" again. Hey, we`ve got to give him credit. He`s 60 now, but he`s still kicking some butt. And we`ve got your first look coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WASHINGTON: I took them out there and I said to the coaches - I said, "You ten times harder on him. He gets no breaks. If I hear about another tear or another whimper, I`ll be down there and I`ll kick his behind in front of everybody."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ah, Denzel with some good, old-fashioned parenting advice. I`ve got to tell you it doesn`t sound like such a bad plan to me. Tonight, you won`t believe what else Denzel told us. He is dishing on how to be a daddy to Russell Crowe. I hope Russell doesn`t get too mad. It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome become 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. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Tonight it`s a showbiz special report, "Good Mom, Bad Mom." A judge has just refused to give Britney Spears back 50-50 custody of her two kids, criticizing her parenting skills as the reason why.
Well, right now there is definitely a baby boom going on in Hollywood. "People" magazine has just confirmed the worst kept secret in Hollywood, that Jennifer Lopez is expecting. Also with child, 41-year-old Halle Berry. She`s going to be having her first baby. And Nicole Richie is also going to be giving birth for the very first time.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is here to tell you that these mommies-to-be have some good lessons to be learned from some other star moms who have not always been the best parents. With us tonight in New York Dr. Robbie Ludwig, who is the contributing editor for "Cookie" magazine. "VH1 News" correspondent Janell Snowden joining us in New York as well. And David Caplan, staff editor for "People" magazine. Gang, it`s always good to see you all. Appreciate you being here.
And if you look at Britney Spears, it almost seems to me that she`s kind of written the unofficial handbook for how a mother should not behave. You know, the judge in the case called her environment chaotic, that didn`t interact enough with her kids. Janell, let me start with you. What is the biggest lesson that other star mommies-to-be can learn from Britney`s countless mistakes?
JANELL SNOWDEN, "VH1 NEWS" CORRESPONDENT: I think one of the biggest lessons is that although we`re in an era of female empowerment, a lot of young mothers seem to think that just because they`ve had kids, they`re not going to slow down. They`re not going to do anything differently. It`s sort of like, the - you know, I-am-woman-hear-me-roar kind of thing. Don`t worry. Everything is still going to be business as usual, but really - when in fact, it can`t be.
I think when you have kids, you do have to step aside and say, "You know what, their lives are more important than mine right now. So although I might not have gotten all the partying out of my system that I wanted to, things have changed, and I`ll have to act differently as a result." So, one of the biggest lessons again is just to make sure that you are putting your kids` lives first instead of, you know, your social life.
HAMMER: Yes. We`ve seen that as a real stumbling block for a lot of new moms, particularly in Hollywood with all of the other distractions they have going on. We mentioned earlier that "People" magazine has confirmed through designer Roberto Cavalli, perhaps inadvertently, that Jennifer Lopez is, indeed, pregnant. David Caplan, When J. Lo has her child, it seems to me the one thing that she can learn from Britney Spears is don`t tote your baby around with you everywhere you go, right?
DAVID CAPLAN, STAFF EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Absolutely. I mean I think that`s the one thing that we learned from Britney Spears. So when celebrities like Britney - they bring their child out into the spotlight. They walk around with them all over Los Angeles. They`re going to be photographed. And the message that sends to photographers, to the press, and just to people in general is that, "You know what, it`s okay to photograph my baby. I don`t mind having my children in the spotlight."
So if Jennifer Lopez goes against that and doesn`t bring her children into the spotlight and doesn`t walk around with them, that really sends the message to all of us, saying, "You know what, I want to keep my private life separate from my public life."
HAMMER: There`s one piece of shocking news that I`m finding hard to ignore, particularly as we are getting to do this segment from the bitter custody that`s been going on between Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen. Both of them have agreed to put their 2 and 3-year-old kids into therapy. They`re two and three.
Now, we all know that both of them have aired shocking allegations about each other in public. Robbie Ludwig, one lesson that can be learned from all this seems to me to keep your private life private. Because, you know, one day your kids are going to have to deal with it. It`s out there.
DR. ROBBIE LUDWIG, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "COOKIE" MAGAZINE : Absolutely. And this is very challenging for somebody who is in the public eye. How do you actually do that? And I think the key is to be smart about it. If you are angry, don`t use the media and share too much. There`s such a thing as boundaries. And that`s what actually can keep a family who is in crisis healthy.
You have to understand the difference between what`s appropriate publicly and privately and you don`t want to use your kids as props and manipulate them. I love the fact that they have agreed to put their kids in therapy, so if anything is unresolved, they can get to it sooner rather than later. So I think we should applaud them on that.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, I suppose in that sense it`s a good thing. It just seems shocking to me that when you hear that happening to such young kids. I think the greater concern is, you know, everybody has to be aware, particularly those in the public eye, you know, once these things get out in public, it stays there. The Internet is not going away any time soon.
I want to talk about Nicole Richie because, you know, sometimes you can learn from yourself. But it seems that the lessons she can learn about her impending mommy-hood, she can take from her own life battle. She`s had problems with drugs and partying in the past. Janell, what do you think the hard lessons are that Nicole has learned from her own life that she really can apply to being a mom?
SNOWDEN: I think Nicole has been at rock bottom, and it`s certainly not a good place to be. So she`s learned to not repeat her mistakes. And as we`ve seen in the pictures where she`s out with Joel, which is not out partying, she seems to be on the right track.
I think that, you know, unfortunately, we don`t live in a society where it`s like our parents can make our mistakes for us. But, fortunately for Nicole, in case her kids do, you know, assume her addictive personality, then they might be able to just kind of say, "OK. Well, this is how mom dealt with it whereby maybe I`ll deal with mine differently."
I think that she`ll be able to relate and steer them, and it`s not going to be a case of, you know, the fact that she`s holier-than-thou. She`s going to be able to relate and better guide them.
HAMMER: Yes, I think we`re all really pulling for all of these first time mommies and new moms-to-be. It`s "Good Mom, Bad Mom." Another mom who certainly had trouble with her parenting in the public eye, Courtney Love, who has had her fair share of drug problems in the past. All the wild behavior we always saw coming from her, but in the end it really is all about living a normal life. I have a perfect example I want to play to you, guys. I want you to listen to what Denzel Washington told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about parenting. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WASHINGTON: We lead a normal life. You know, I go to their games. I cheer them on. I make sure that, you know, they`re doing well in school. My wife gets up in the morning and makes breakfast. We, you know - And they really say, "Yes, Sir" or "No, Sir" or "Yes, Ma`am" or "No, Ma`am." You know, I put my foot in their behind if they act wrong, and they know it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: In just a couple of minutes from now, we`re going to have more from Denzel about using tough love when parenting. David Caplan, though, doesn`t he really hit the nail right on the head? The key is to live a normal life, which, believe it or not, celebs actually can do to some extent, can`t they?
CAPLAN: Yes. Absolutely. Normalcy is really the key to having a child, a celebrity child, who is really balanced, who gets, and who doesn`t act out when they`re really young. Because you see a lot of young kids in Hollywood, they just act out because there`s no rules, there`s no boundaries, and you don`t have parents who establish this sort of normalcy in the household like Denzel speaks of.
HAMMER: Well, Halle Berry has been very open about her pregnancy. She is glowing about it. When I sat down with Halle, she told me what she`s looking forward to the most in motherhood. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HALLE BERRY: You know, just experiencing what motherhood is all about, unconditional love in my life, to raising the human being that I hope will be someone who adds something wonderful to this world in which we live in, and that`s the biggest challenge I can think of in life right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You didn`t see the cut away shot of me, but I was smiling the whole time. Robbie, let me go to you. There are definitely bigger challenges ahead for Halle. What do you think? Given what Halle is facing, being a mom for the first time at 41, what`s the one thing that other star moms have done wrong that Halle can really learn from?
LUDWIG: Well, it sounds like Halle really understands how important it is to live your life and be ready when you have a child, because then you can focus on them in the way that children really need to be focused on. And she has it right. The goal is really to raise this human being so that they add to the world, to care about them and love them, enjoy them. That`s a good parent. If you can feel fulfilled with yourself, so you can enjoy your child, you`re really off and running and starting in the right direction.
HAMMER: I think that is the perfect way to end this segment. I think we learned a lot. Thank you very much, Dr. Robbie Ludwig -
LUDWIG: Thank you.
HAMMER: Janell Snowden, and David Caplan. I appreciate you all being here tonight.
Well, we`ve been asking you vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, and here it is. Britney Spears: Is she unfairly criticized for her parenting?
We really want to know what you think. So you can continue to vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight. If you`ve got more to say, you can always send us an e-mail about anything at all, showbiztonight@cnn.com. You can do that from your desktop, or do it from laptop, or do it from your blackberry, your cell phone. Whatever you want to use. Just write to us whatever you want to tell us.
ANDERSON: It is Halloween. It`s also A.J.`s birthday. But hey, there are some spooky things going on. And if I didn`t know better, I would think that some witch out there has put a curse on "Dancing with the Stars." First, Marie Osmond faints, and now some more bad news about another star on the show. We`re going to tell you what happened, coming up. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WASHINGTON: They really say, "Yes, Sir" or "No, Sir" or "Yes, Ma`am" or "No, Ma`am." You know, I put my foot in their behind if they act wrong, and they know it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You tell them, Denzel. I wish every parent in Hollywood would listen to what Denzel Washington told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Up next, you have got to hear that tough love advice from Denzel about raising his kids. And if you`re sitting down, you`re going to want to stand up and cheer.
HAMMER: Look at this. I thought I was having an eight track flashback when I saw this for the first time. Sylvester Stallone as Rambo. Yes, brand new "Rambo" movie. You definitely will not want to miss this showbiz first look. It`s coming up in just a moment.
But first, tonight`s showbiz news quiz, and to get into the Halloween spirit. Hey, Charles - he`s our director, can you fire up some spooky music? All right. We`ve got a real treat for you right now. Take a look at this pumpkin picture. It comes to us from Joan Yee(ph), she one of our wonderful production assistants here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. So tonight`s question, who is the celebrity carved out on this pumpkin? Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, Courtney Cox, or Debra Messing. Hmm.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Tomorrow, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood`s children of divorce, the disturbing impact some of Hollywood`s biggest splits is having on the kids, at 11:00 Eastern and Pacific.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: So, again, showbiz news quiz. Who is the celebrity carved out on this pumpkin? Is it Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, Courtney Cox, or Debra Messing? Give me more candy corn. It is "B", Britney Spears. And I bet a lot of people are dressing up like her tonight. Not really a hard costume to make, actually. You just need a funky colored wig, some big sunglasses, a bag of Cheetos. Of course, no driver`s license or singing ability required. Happy Halloween.
HAMMER: Wow, Brooke. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
All right, how about some tough love tonight from Denzel Washington. I could tell you that Britney can certainly learn a thing or two from Denzel who has some tough love advice on how to raise kids right. Denzel, who is starring with Russell Crowe in the new movie, "American Gangster" sat down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer, Jenny D`Attoma, along with Russell Crowe. And you have got to see this, Denzel giving Russell strong advice about keeping his young kids out of trouble.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WASHINGTON: The advice is be who you are and raise your kids. You know? Instill in them the values that you believe in, and who knows what normal is anyway? You know, my father worked three jobs. He was never home because he was working all the time anyway.
So, sometimes, you know - we lead a normal life. You know, I go to their games. I cheer them on. I make sure that they`re doing well in school. My wife gets up in the morning and makes breakfast. They`re - They really say, "Yes, Sir" or "No, Sir" or "Yes, Ma`am" or "No, Ma`am." You know, I put my foot in their behind if they act wrong, and they know it. So, it`s not that complicated.
JENNY D`ATTOMA, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT PRODUCER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) normal life to them.
WASHINGTON: Yes, if you`ve lost a sense of where you are, then they`ll reflect that.
RUSSELL CROWE, ACTOR: What about the thing of privilege? Because I know you didn`t grow up in the environment that you now have, that you built. So what sort of always really worries me is about what`s around him.
WASHINGTON: Yes, it`s tricky. You know, it`s keeping a certain pattern, like I said. My wife gets up, makes the meals. They say their prayers. They go to school. We didn`t traipse them all around the world with me all the time. We decided once they got school age that OK - you know, sit tight.
It`s going to be trickier for you because it`s in Australia, but I would commute Friday night. I`d get off from work. I`d jump on a plane. I`d be home and they get in the bed. I`d go by waking each one of them up and kiss them on the cheek. We`d spend the weekend. Sunday night, we`d put them to bed and I`d jump on the plane and fly back to New York and or whatever red eye back and go straight to the set. They understood, hey, Monday through Friday, dad has got a job to do. Monday through Friday -
D`ATTOMA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
WASHINGTON: And Monday through Friday, they`ve got a job to do. You got to get your grades. You`ve got to do that. Now, what has also worked well for me and in advance for Russell, coming from himself, is athletics. I kept my kids busy. I kept them in sports. So they were tired.
D`ATTOMA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
WASHINGTON: No, it`s true. I think that`s the best thing that I did - I brought to it was keeping them in athletics. Because they got their grades, they did their athletics and they were tired. And they learned all the lessons, hard work, play fair, teamwork.
There are no privileges. You didn`t run. You didn`t do the groundwork, you don`t get to play. Not, "I`m playing anyway because my dad owns the team. You know, if you`re son`s on the team, hey, get out there and kick butt like everybody else. Or not, or sit the bench. You like sitting on the bench. No dad, I don`t like to. Well, do something about it. You know, that`s my attitude and that`s the way I - you know, that`s two cents I was able to bring to them.
And it has paid off. My oldest son`s a professional football player. My daughter, who is a senior - as a senior in high school, was the captain of her basketball team, you know. And she wasn`t a great basketball player, but she was a great defender and hard worker. And she was tough. Now she`s a sophomore at an Ivy League college. You know, my twins are both good athletes and good students.
You know, they`ve got a toughness. My baby boy is 16 now. He didn`t want to play football. I took him to the hood. I put him on the rough team. He was crying. I got down there and said, "Well, you know, your son is in the parking lot crying."
I said, I`m on my way. I`ll be right there. He says, "I got - (UNINTELLIGIBLE) you know, daddy. But Dad, the coaches why are yelling at me." And I say, "First of all put the gear back on and cry. Put my foot - put the gear back on." And I went out there and I took him out there and I said to the coaches - I said, "You, ten times harder on him. He gets no breaks. If I hear about another tear, another or another whimper, I`ll be down here and I`m going to kick his behind in front of everybody."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: You did it, Denzel. I can tell you Russell was paying close attention. That wasn`t hard to see. Now, in their new movie, "American Gangster," Russell plays a cop, Richie(ph) Roberts who tries to bring down heroin kingpin , Frank Richie - Frank Lucas, rather, played by Denzel. Now, this is based on a true story. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny D`Attoma asked Crowe what it was like to meet the real life Richie Roberts?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWE: It`s a great privilege to be able to play somebody who is still around, you know. And, you know, I take that responsibility seriously, and you can never assume what it`s going to be. You sit down and meet that person, and sometimes they`re forthcoming, and sometimes they are very reticent. And Richie initially was very reticent, but he was showing me things without him really knowing he was showing me things, you know.
The first time I met him he borrowed a jacket to make a good impression, and ended up arriving with the jacket and a flat tire and the back panel blown up, because he`d been driving on a flat tire for 30 miles, you know. So, he was intending on making a good impression, but all he did was explain that he is still dysfunctional to a large level.
HAMMER: You can see Russell and Denzel in "American Gangster" when it opens in movie theaters nationwide on Friday.
ANDERSON: It`s Halloween, and A.J.`s birthday. And it seems like someone has placed a curse on Jane Seymour. Seymour missed last night`s "Dancing with the Stars" results show because of food poisoning. She`s not sure how she got it, but she was rushed to the hospital here in L.A. to checked out, and apparently all is fine.
Last week, her house was threatened with being burned by the California wildfire. Her husband stayed behind to fight the fires himself. This follows the death earlier this month of her 92-year-old mother. I have to say she`s been gracefully dealing with all of this with a smile, with an elegance that you just don`t see in Hollywood anymore. Incidentally, Seymour and Tony were not eliminated from the competition. Sabrina Brian(ph) of "Latina Girls" was booted. Maybe Seymour`s luck is changing for the better.
HAMMER: Are you guys in a nostalgic mood?
CREW: Yes.
HAMMER: All right. How about I bring back some memories. Roll it, Charles. Do you remember Sylvester Stallone as Rambo, one guy who really kicked butt, took no prisoners -Hey, wait a second. Hold on. That`s not an old clip. That`s a new "Rambo" movie. Well, yes, it is. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look. That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: And now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time by downloading our podcast. Best of all, it will cost you a cent. It`s totally free. You can find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our web site, CNN.com/SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, or just download it on iTunes. All you have to do is type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" in that little search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back right after this. Stay with us.
HAMMER: Tired of celebs stealing the spotlight. Well, we want to hear from you. So send your opinions on video at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Go to CNN.com/showbiztonight for details and watch. You could your video e-mail on the most provocative entertainment news show on television. It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT every night at 11 p.m. eastern, right here on HEADLINE NEWS PRIME.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: It`s not 1987, but 2007, and Rambo is back. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look. Sylvester Stallone at - get this, 61 years old back as John Rambo. The plot - you don`t need to know the plot. It`s Rambo, and here`s your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALE VOICE OVER: He is a legend of war. A soldier without a country. You know his name. And you know what he is capable of.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I was told it might be possible to rent your boat. We need to get up river.
SYLVESTER STALLONE, ACTOR: Where?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Into Burma.
STALLONE: Burma is a war zone.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) river is our best alternative.
STALLONE: I can`t help you out.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Please. It will help change people`s lives.
STALLONE: Are you bringing any weapons?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Of course not.
STALLONE: You`re not changing anything. What happened?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: No one knows.
STALLONE: I know where you are. What you are made of.
STALLONE: Go! War is in your blood. When you are pushed, it`s as easy as breathing. Live for nothing. Or die for something. Your call.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Rambo hits theaters January 25th of next year. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: What are you wearing?
HAMMER: Happy Halloween. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Happy Halloween, everybody. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. No, it`s cute. Glenn Beck coming up next, that`s right after the latest headlines from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS." Take care. Oh, my word.
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