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Showbiz Tonight
Why was Hulk`s Son Arrested?; Britney`s Very Bad Day
Aired November 07, 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, HOST: "Hollywood at War." The biggest stars now taking sides in the writers strike. And Tom Cruise, the senator? What Cruise really thinks about running for political office. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hulk Hogan`s heartache. Nick, Hulk`s only son, arrested in connection with a tragic car crash. Nick`s best friend clinging to life. Tonight, why was Hulk`s son arrested? Was drinking involved? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the horrible Hogan crash that turned terribly criminal.
Tonight Britney`s very bad day. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a startling news about Britney`s just released comeback album. Britney crushed. Plus, Britney`s divorce drama. Bad news from a judge that is really going to cost her. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the late-breaking developments and a look inside the Britney crystal ball.
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City, and right now Hollywood is at war. There are dramatic new developments in the writers strike as Hollywood`s biggest stars speak out to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, taking sides and TV`s biggest shows are shutting down. The latest is coming up.
(MUSIC)
Hello, A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. And right now, Hollywood is at war. There are dramatic new developments in the writers` strike as Hollywood`s biggest stars speak out to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT taking sides, and TV`s biggest shows are shutting down. The latest is coming up.
But first, tonight, Hulk Hogan`s heartache. We`ve got shocking news today that Hulk Hogan`s son has been arrested following yet another tragic car crash involving a young Hollywood star. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is all over the breaking developments, including the question of whether alcohol may have had something to do with the tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): They`re one of the quirkiest reality show families on TV.
HULK HOGAN, WRESTLER: When will the house be done?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t know, and I don`t care.
HAMMER: Wrestler Hulk Hogan, his wife, and teenagers Brooke and Nick have become one of cable`s most famous families because of their reality show.
H. HOGAN: Hogan knows best.
HAMMER: But now, a tragic reality has hit this reality show family. Hogan`s fun-loving 17-year-old son, Nick, faces some serious charges from this devastating accident that left his friend in a coma for the past two months.
DAVID CAPLAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Nick is in a lot of trouble right now.
HAMMER: Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Nick has been charged with reckless driving, involving serious bodily injury and using a motor vehicle in commission of a felony. And while no one is saying Nick was drunk, cops say the teenager did have alcohol in his system. So he is also being charged with driving under 21 with a blood alcohol content of .02.
CAPLAN: This must be taking a horrible toll on the Hogan family.
HAMMER: David Caplan of "People" magazine tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it`s a devastating period for one of America`s favorite families.
CAPLAN: They are a close-knit family. They obviously care for each other. He is in a lot of hot water.
HAMMER: Just one look at the wreckage, and you can`t help but be amazed no one was killed. Police say Nick was street racing on a Florida highway when things went horribly wrong.
CAPLAN: In August, Nick was driving his Toyota Supra with his friend. And the car careened off a four-lane highway in downtown Clearwater. And then it hit a median and then hit a 25 foot tall palm tree.
HAMMER: Nick suffered minor injuries. He was wearing a seat belt. His friend, John Graziano, a 22-year-old marine who had just come back from serving in Iraq, was not.
CAPLAN: He remains in the hospital, and, in fact, the parents are saying he is going to require life-long care at a hospital or some sort of facility. Plus, he can only sometimes blink his eyes open or shut.
NICK HOGAN, HULK HOGAN`S SON: That`s, like, Nick Hogan right there, just stirring the pot.
HAMMER: On the Hogan family`s reality show, we see Nick as the rebellious car buff.
N. HOGAN: I like to piss people off.
HAMMER: And during his many appearances on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hulk never missed a chance to brag about his son.
H. HOGAN: My son has always messed with cars and motors and he wanted to start driving. Nick now has been signed by Mopar. He is the youngest pro driver ever.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Congratulations.
HAMMER: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Nick`s need for speed has gotten him in trouble before. Florida state troopers say back in September of 2006, they stopped Nick on this highway twice on the same night. The same night for driving 100 miles an hour. Nick got a ticket, but we`re told there was never a court date held. Almost a year later, this accident has changed two lives forever.
CAPLAN: Unfortunately, Nick`s accident is really not that much of an anomaly. We`ve seen it from so many stars, particularly young Hollywood stars, who really show a disrespect for the rules of the road.
LANE GARRISON, ACTOR: This remorse is genuine.
HAMMER: Just last month, "Prison Break" actor Lane Garrison was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for a drunk-driving crash that killed a teenager last December. Some stars know better than others how painful that must be.
LIEF GARRETT, ACTOR/SINGER: I think I carried a burden about that for a long time.
HAMMER: I recently talked to former teen heart throb Leif Garret. In 1979, he got into a DUI crash that paralyzed a friend of his. Garrett tells me the courts today are much tougher on these kinds of celebrity cases.
GARRETT: I think a lot of times now, such people are being made examples of, unfortunately.
HAMMER: And that doesn`t bode well for Nick Hogan. He is being prosecuted as an adult for the crash.
CAPLAN: You can really see that right now, Nick is completely being supported by his dad and by his mom.
HAMMER: In a statement, the Hogan family says, "We are confident that the evidence will demonstrate that this was an accident. We ask all who follow these events to keep an open mind as to the facts until they have been ultimately determined."
CAPLAN: These people really care for each other, and right now, you know, they`re all there for Nick supporting him.
HAMMER: So a famous family faces a legal nightmare while a less famous family waits for the recovery of a loved one. A high price to pay for life in the fast lane.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I got to tell you, this whole tragic story just makes me sick. When is everyone, let alone young Hollywood, going to wake up and stop all of the recklessness?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood is Jane Velez-mitchell, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." Also in Hollywood tonight, Ken Seeley, the lead interventionist from A & E show, "Intervention." Ken, Jane, I appreciate you both being here.
So here we are. It`s November of 2007. It seems this whole year has been packed with stories of young star after young star driving drunk. I mean, can I spend this entire hour running down the list, but I don`t have time. Ken, we`ve seen people arrested, killed, yet, it continues. What is it going to take for young stars it wake up?
KEN SEELEY, LEAD INTERVENTIONIST, "INTERVENTION": You know, A.J., I think the only thing that this is going to change is in the law gets more aggressive. Yes, I like what Leif said that the law is much more aggressive than it was in the past.
But it needs to be more aggressive and make people serve hard time for these types of accidents so they realize when they get behind a wheel, it is a privilege, not something to take granted of and go ahead and take the chance in killing somebody. It`s just not acceptable anymore.
HAMMER: But it even seems to me knowing that the law is tough isn`t going to stop you when you get behind the wheel, right, Jane?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Absolutely. A.J., all young people feel they`re immortal. But when they`re part of a famous family, I think they have this tremendous sense of entitlement and a total lack of boundaries, especially, when you think about it, if you are part of a reality show with your family. It`s kind of like all the world is a stage.
Maybe in this case all the world is a race track. This young man didn`t know where the race track ended and the street began. He has had a series of speeding tickets, some clocked allegedly at over 100 miles an hour.
And it seems the worst part about this is that there`s a lack of accountability. They`re pointing the finger at the passenger who is in a coma saying, "Oh, he didn`t wear a seat belt, and that`s part of the problem," when they should be looking at the issue of reckless driving and drag racing.
HAMMER: You know, you bring up a good point there, Jane. You use the word immortality. Ken, I want to talk a little bit about that because drunk driving, obviously, a problem everywhere, not just in Hollywood. Something you deal with all the time in your line of work.
But is the problem specifically in Hollywood with the fact that, you know, you are already dealing with big egos and this sense of immortality or invincibility. You add alcohol to the mix, and good judgment goes completely out the window.
SEELEY: Yes, that`s exactly what happens. You know, they think that they`re above the law. They think that it`s not going to happen to them. But the reality is I`m glad it is happening to them because we`re able to see that it`s not only them. Like you said, all Americans across this whole country are suffering from the same thing. People they say - Mothers Against Drunk Drivers five people a day die this way through somebody driving under the influence.
But it takes people like this to show them that, you know, there is accountability. You are going to have to pay the price and the consequence if you do do this. And I think that`s the only thing that`s going to raise people`s alert to say "Enough is enough and I`m not willing to do that, and I`m going to hire a driver tonight before I go out and drink."
HAMMER: Well, right on target with accountability. We just heard that "Prison Break" actor Lane Garrison`s drunk driving accident last year killed a teenage passenger. Let`s hear, again, what Lane told the courts on his day of sentencing this past August. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARRISON: I have relived that night every day, and I think about the bad decisions I made that evening. And all I can say to you is I am so sorry that you lost someone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Lane now locked up in a prison cell for 40 months. A moment ago, Ken, you were talking about making the laws tougher. Jane, let me go to you. Will the courts make an example out of celebs who drive drunk make a difference?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I hope so, A.J., but the fact is that we are seeing example after example, and they don`t seem to be learning the very simple lesson of hire a driver. As tragic as all of this is that it brings tears to your eyes, so many lives destroyed, there is such a simple solution.
These Hollywood stars simply have to get away from being behind the wheel and hire a driver. Why they can`t seem to get that in their thick skulls, I don`t know, except in Nick Hogan`s case, he was a race driver. His whole identity is tied in with driving cars.
HAMMER: But I agree with you on, you know, why they can`t hire a driver? It seems to make so much sense. The one thing that I`m always hearing from celebrities is they`re so afraid for their privacy and stories getting out that they don`t want getting out. That`s a big problem in Hollywood. You know, you have been there for a long time.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right. I mean, they don`t want anybody to see what they`re doing in the back of the limo is what it boils down to.
HAMMER: Well, hopefully, people can get it through their thick skulls before they get behind the wheel after having something to drink that it just is an absolutely stupid and hideous thing to do. Ken Seeley, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thanks for joining us.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks, A.J.
SEELEY: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: Well, Britney Spears is going through a drama of her own tonight. Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Britney`s very bad day. I feel like I`ve said that before. From her comeback calamity to her divorce drama, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the latest developments and a look into Britney`s crystal ball. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVA LONGORIA, ACTRESS: I care about people losing their homes. And I care about, you know, my hair and makeup artist who can`t make their ends meet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria taking a stand with some tears in the writers` strike that has shut down Hollywood`s biggest shows. You are not going to believe the way some picketers reacted to her. But she`s not the only one. I was shocked to see stars joining and crossing the picket lines. It`s Hollywood at war, coming up.
Also, Tom Cruise. For senate? Well, he plays a senator in his latest film, but could he actually be considering running for office in real life? Wait until you hear what Tom told us about just that. Just ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time at all by downloading our absolutely free podcast. That`s right. It won`t cost you one red cent. You`ll find SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes. Just "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Tonight, Britney`s very bad day, again. And I believe I`ve said this before. Just when we thought things couldn`t get any worse for Britney, she gets a one-two punch. First she is ordered by a judge to pay her ex- husband Kevin Federline $120,000 to cover his legal fees.
And then today her new album "Blackout" was denied, denied, denied the number one spot on the "Billboard Album Chart" because of a last minute change in "Billboard`s" rules.
With me tonight from Hollywood, Ken Baker, editorial director of "UsMagazine.com." In New York "Court TV" anchor Lisa Bloom. Ken, Lisa, thank you for joining us tonight. And let me just put this bluntly right at the top here. Britney got screwed.
Her album "Blackout" was supposed to debut at number one. We said it was on target to be number one. Then there was a last second rule change by "Billboard" magazine, the place that does the chart. It put her album at number two behind the Eagles who have been around for, like, four decades. She needed debut at number one in so many ways and so badly. Ken Baker, when she heard this news, she must have just freaked out, wouldn`t you think?
KEN BAKER, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, "USMAGAZINE.COM": Well, I guess you know you are in a bad place musically as a pop star when a band that hasn`t had a hit since 1979 beats you.
LISA BLOOM, ANCHOR, "COURT TV": Hey, I like the eagles.
BAKER: Hey, I love them too. But let`s face it, you know, "Hotel California" was, like, 30 years ago.
BLOOM: Still a great song.
BAKER: Now (UNINTELLIGIBLE) saying is that the fact that she sold under 300,000 copies in her debut week. Number one, number two, just look at the raw data. Under 300,000 copies. For comparison now, Carrie Underwood, just a few weeks ago came out with an album and is t sold over half a million.
Now, the big difference - I don`t think it`s just that people love Carrie Underwood more than Britney Spears, though that probably is true to an extent. A big part of it is Carrie Underwood was everywhere promoting that album. She could give interviews. She could appear and perform live without falling down and stumbling around. So Britney was not screwed here, A.J. She screwed herself.
HAMMER: Yes. I would agree with you on that, and The Eagles, to be clear, sold over 700,000 copies of their album. And it was only being sold in one particular chain of stores. Yes, it wasn`t a good day for Britney as far as that was concerned.
And as if getting bumped from number one wasn`t bad enough for her, well, it`s going to be a little hit for Britney`s wallet. I`m finding this hard to believe. A judge has actually ordered her to pay $120,000 in legal fees that were run up by her ex-hubby Kevin Federline. Now, Lisa, I realize that this guy doesn`t have a job, according to the court documents. But has the world gone mad?
BLOOM: Well, first of all, she`s been the sugar mama in this relationship from the very beginning. He has not been earning any money. He has been on her dole, and she`s like the welfare state. She`s been paying him $20,000 a month in alimony, and all along, she`s been paying his legal fees. Every time he goes into court to try to get more custody or to try to say anything bad about her, she gets socked with the bill. That`s how it is when one spouse makes more than the other spouse.
But I think it`s particularly offensive here because the court never tells K-Fed to get a job. And that sometimes does happen. Apparently that`s not happening here, even though he is an able-bodied young, healthy guy. Why doesn`t he just get a job?
HAMMER: Yes. That`s a good point. Let me ask you something. Is sugar mama - is that legal terminology?
BLOOM: Yes, it is. By the way, on the Eagles, take it easy, as they would say.
BAKER: Lisa. Lisa -
HAMMER: You know, are we really going to cry crocodile tears because she`s number two? Maybe she`s really happy about being number two. I just came back from Europe. I heard "Gimme More" all over the place. I`m sure she`s making a lot of money from this album whether it`s number one or number two.
HAMMER: I`m sure she is, but she was expecting it to be number one and she needed that to happen. Ken, go ahead.
BAKER: Well, as you see, Lisa, aren`t you playing a double standard? I mean, is it because he is a guy that you are saying, "Oh, well, he shouldn`t have to get money from her? He should make his own living."
BLOOM: I think any able-bodied adult should get out there and get a job unless they`re the full-time caretaker for little children. I don`t think he is the full time caretaker for these children. They have nannies. And he hasn`t been working since they`ve been together. I mean according to court filings, he made $7,000 last year. This is not a guy who would get up and go.
HAMMER: But then what about the point - Ken, maybe you have insight into this. You know, he needs to be looking good for the court if he does want sole custody of their two kids. Is being a moocher going to get him sole custody?
BAKER: Well, I think that clearly what he is reporting is that he only made $7,000 last year after all is said and done with business expenses. Yes, that`s pretty horrendous, OK? Like, we can all agree on that.
Now, as far as Britney getting the court fees or having to pay him all his legal fees, that`s just the way it goes. A guy or girl, it doesn`t matter. That is just the ruling that the court makes on that case. But the issue is this. Kevin, yes, he does need to make a living.
Most of that income that he did have before he wrote it all off as business expenses was a Taco Bell ad that he did. He really - or was it a Taco Bell ad? Sorry, it was an insurance ad. But he point being, yes, he should get out there and start working. But, obviously, he has had a lot of the distractions. To his defense, he has worked. He did a couple of episodes on "One Tree Hill."
BLOOM: You know what? Britney`s got a lot of distractions too. And she is putting out an album that`s number two.
BAKER: I think your distraction is like -
BLOOM: She gets no credit. She gets no credit for the breadwinner.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: We are number two. Hey, we are number two. I got to go, guys. Thanks so much for joining us, Ken Baker and Lisa Bloom.
BLOOM: Thanks.
HAMMER: All right. Well, Britney is a mess now. But, you know, when she first came out on the scene and had number one albums, it was a whole different story. And she`s not the only one either. You remember Britney, Whitney, and Michael Jackson before they became star train wrecks? Well, we do. It`s a showbiz special report, "The Way They Were." That`s coming up at 44 past the hour.
And Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes out on the town, and Tom is talking to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. He plays a senator in his new movie, but would he possibly consider running for office in real life? You are going to hear what Tom told us in just a bit. We`ll also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALLY FIELD, ACTRESS: We missed them. We want them back. We can`t continue without them. And you know, we`re one show, but all of these shows will stop. The industry will come to a halt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s "Hollywood at War." The writers strike has shut down the biggest shows on TV and now huge stars are starting to take sides. You`re not going to believe who is joining the picket lines and which stars are actually crossing them. That is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now we would like to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we`re asking. Hollywood on strike: Do you feel sorry for the writers? We`d love your feedback. You can vote by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
You can e-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. You can do that from desktop, maybe your laptop, your Blackberry, your cell phone. Whatever device you use, let us know what you think. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thursday. "Love, Drugs, and Fame." Lindsay Lohan met her new boyfriend in rehab. Amy Winehouse and her husband won`t go to rehab. Is any of this a good idea? Can you get clean or stay clean when your better half is also your drinking buddy, or worse? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates "Love, Drugs, and Fame," Thursday.
Tom Cruise, the comeback kid. You know, it`s kind of hard to believe the 180 degree turn that he has taken. If you think about it, this guy went from superstar to super controversial and now it seems that he is back on top.
Cruise and his wife, actress Katie Holmes, lit up New York City last night. The two walked the red carpet arm in arm at the Museum Of Moving Image gala. It was an event honoring Cruise for his achievements in film. Holmes stood by smiling while Cruise talked to the media about the honor.
And when asked about his latest film, "Lions for Lambs," which is directed by Robert Redford, Cruise said that he was thrilled to work along side Redford and the legendary actress Meryl Streep. In the film Tom plays a slick senator who dreams of running for president, but would Tom Cruise, the actor, consider becoming Tom cruise, the candidate?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: They do what they do. And playing this character, I certainly have greater understanding of what it is they`re up against, and, also, their particular viewpoints and I do what I do. I love making movies. This is - as I said, this is a dream for me. It`s an honor for me being here today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "Lions for Lambs" opens up nationwide on Friday. So, could Michael Jackson actually be launching his own comeback 25 years after "Thriller?" Just ahead, the controversial king of pop in his very first photo shoot in years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEX WAGNER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "FADER MAGAZINE": Michael Jackson, when he was at his most popular, was less an artist and more sort of a worldwide phenomenon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And man, he was phenomenal back then. We wanted to remember the good times, way before the star train wreck express came to town. Remember Michael, Whitney, and Britney before all the controversy? It`s a showbiz special report you won`t want to miss, "The Way They Were."
Also coming up, "Hollywood at War." Writers on the picket lines. Well, Hollywood`s biggest shows are shutting down, and now the stars of their shows are taking sides. Let me tell you, it is getting ugly. The story straight ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Hollywood at War." The writers` strike is on, and some major stars are joining the picket lines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LONGORIA: I care about people losing their homes. And I care about, you know, my hair and makeup artist who can`t make their ends meet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So who`s taking sides? What shows are being affected? And how long is this darn thing going to drag on? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates "Hollywood at War."
Plus, the way they were. Remember when Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston were on top because of their music? What in the world happened? Let`s moon walk down memory lane. Tonight a showbiz special report, "The Way They Were."
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. Tonight Hollywood is at war. The TV shows you know and love are shutting down as a nasty writers` strike rages on in Hollywood and in New York City. Some of Hollywood`s top celebrities, from Eva Longoria to Jay Leno to Steve Carrel are being forced to take sides, and this is guest nasty.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know how long is the strike going to go on, and when will we get to watch our favorite TV shows again? Joining me tonight two industry insiders who know. In New York, founder of 15 minutes PR Howard Bragman. In Hollywood tonight, senior editor of "In Touch Weekly" Kim Serafin. Howard, Kim, appreciate you being here.
We`ve been monitoring these picket lines. And let me tell you, it`s getting pretty messy out there. On Tuesday, we had "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria daring to cross the picket line. And she was given a verbal smack down, and she was totally in tears over the whole ordeal. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LONGORIA: I care about people losing their homes. And I care about, you know, my hair and makeup artist who can`t make their ends meet if they don`t have a paycheck. So I hope that a resolution is soon to come.
HAMMER: Well, she fought, then she spoke out. The writers weren`t convinced. Even had actresses Julia Louis Dreyfus in one of the sites criticizing Eva Longoria. Howard, let me start with you. It seems really like these stars are put between a rock and a hard place when it comes to publicly taking sides here.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, 15 MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: It is, and it`s really that simple. I mean, on the one hand, they certainly empathize with the writers in the issues they`re fighting over, which used to be most of the income came from first run TV, first run films. But now much of the income is the Internet, DVDs, and they want their share of it.
In fact, this summer, the Screen Actors Guild has to confront the same issues. On the other hand, stars are empathetic toward their makeup people, their dressers, their set dressers, other people who are not making money if the stars walk.
Plus, add to that they have a contractual obligation. If they walk off, they could necessarily have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for shutting down a TV show. So it`s not a pretty situation.
HAMMER: No. I mean, the financial implications here are unbelievable. And if this thing goes on into 2008, we`re going to be talking into the hundreds of millions, if not a billion dollars or more. Julia Louis Dreyfus, was out there, as we saw, marching on the picket line. Her new show, "The New Adventures Of Old Christine" - well, her not-so new show, just one on the list.
Let me read down some of these shows that are affected by this. "Two And A Half Men" "Grey`s Anatomy" "Desperate Housewives," "The Office" - it goes on. The list is getting long and longer. Kim Serafin, should I be panicked here? Should I be bracing myself to not see fresh episodes of my favorite scripted shows for a long time to come?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Well, a lot of shows have enough episodes to get them through until January. It`s in January when you are really going to start seeing the effects. For example, "Desperate Housewives" is shutting down. "The Office" shut down. A lot of shows are shutting down production this week.
So while you`ll get new episodes now, it`s the new year that you`re going to start seeing the slowdown. You`re going to see a lot more reality shows. A lot of the networks have stockpiled a lot of reality shows, game shows. Of course, if you are an "American Idol" fan, that`s not going to be affected, "Dancing with the Stars," "Survivor." Reality shows not affected at all.
But if you`re one of the people that were looking forward to an uninterrupted season of "Lost" or "24," that`s why they started those shows in January, you are not going to get it, probably, because they had to stop production. So, yes, you should be aware that a lot of your shows are going to stop midseason and you might not know what happens.
And of course, this is even worse for a lot of the new shows on air that are just starting to get a footing, maybe were sort of on the fence whether they were going to get picked up for a whole season. You might never see any of those again once they finish out some of the remaining episodes.
HAMMER: Well, sure, if they`re just starting to get publicity and some momentum going, this really could hurt them in the long run. I mean, as we said, the repercussions of this thing are really hard to even boil down. A lot of people are wondering what`s going to happen to some of the daytime shows.
Ellen DeGeneres surprising most people by crossing the picket line. She said, you know what the show must go on. She did honor her writers by not doing a monologue. That`s the thing that the writers do. Some people are criticizing her to be sure.
On the flip side of Ellen, you have Jay Leno, who is not only supporting the strike. He is actually bringing the picketers donuts every day. Let`s watch Jay in action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST "TONIGHT WITH JAY LENO": I`m a writer. I have always been a writer. See how un-funny I am now. They`re not giving me anything. I`m a dead man.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: You won`t cross the picket line to do the show?
LENO: Well, I`ll cross the picket line to give donuts. But I`m not crossing the picket line. No. No. Look. See, who all gather around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Howard, a strike like this really can make favorites of certain celebs, can`t it?
BRAGMAN: It really can. And, you know, your heart has to go out to people. And Jay Leno started out as a writer, and he is really taking the position, "I`m going to be with the writer." Ellen, Eva Longoria - they`re sort of stuck in the middle, and, unfortunately, nobody is happy with the decisions they make.
And there are times when they would be better off just not saying anything, frankly. Because what if they say one thing, the writers will be mad if they do the show. If they don`t do the show, then the makeup people in their studios and contractual obligations are all upset. So, they can`t win. And you`ve got to understand that this is a no-win situation for anyone. The fans don`t like it. The stars don`t like it. And I hope we can get a resolution because we need to get these shows back on the air.
We`re not just going to lose the TV shows. People drift away not from the shows, but they drift away from TV. They`re going to go to video games or going to go to movies. And the whole industry is going to suffer.
One of my favorite shows, I don`t want to see it interrupted, is "Brothers and Sisters." One of my favorite actresses Sally Field right there walking the line. Let`s listen to what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FIELD: Well, I`m here because we are working. These are my brothers, my sons, my boys. We are working without our writers. We`re working on the script that they wrote before they walked out, before they had to walk out. We miss them. We want them back. We can`t continue without them. You know, we`re one show, but all of these shows will stop. The industry will come to a halt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Just a terrible thing all around. And it`s really hard to take sides. Clearly, some of the actors and actresses out there are panicked. Kim Serafin, Howard Bragman, I appreciate you guys being with us tonight.
BRAGMAN: Thanks, A.J.
SERAFIN: Thanks.
HAMMER: All right. So some of your favorite shows are stopping production, but have no fear. There`s a lighter side to the writers` strike. And, of course, it comes from CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The writers are on strike. The writers are on strike. If they`re writers, how come they don`t come up with wittier signs than the ones saying "on strike"? When you`ve got "writer" written on your back, you`d better do better than run of the mill chants better suited to steelworkers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE WRITER: What do we want?
WRITERS: Contract.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE WRITER: When do we want it?
WRITERS: Now.
MOOS: You`re not going to win an Emmy for writing with that, or this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE WRITER: We want what?
WRITERS: Fair share.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE WRITER: We want what?
WRITERS: Fair share.
MOOS: Even striking writers themselves have expressed embarrassment. Blogs, one on "The Huffington Post," "What`s with our signage? Our signs were awfully boring."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE WRITER: Don`t forget the sign choreography. When I say "union," you say "power." Union -
WRITERS: Power.
MOOS: Talk about writers block. At least some managed to work in the tools of the trade.
WRITERS: Pencils down all around. Hollywood`s a union town. Hey, hey, ho, ho, management can`t write this show.
MOOS: Picketers in New York used an inflatable rat with bloody claws to symbolize management. Online, an apparently unemployed writer looked on the bright side.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE WRITER: I`m no longer a bum. Not allowed to work. Idea pops in my head? No.
MOOS: Some half naked writer to face-painted fan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s only so much reality TV we`re going to take before we want the next episode of "Grey`s Anatomy."
MOOS: Actually, there are still three episodes of "Grey`s Anatomy" in the can. It`s the late night talk shows.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE AT NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": This could be your last look at me and Paul.
MOOS: That first had to say good-bye last week. Did anybody notice?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, no, no. I don`t know. I don`t care, and I don`t watch Letterman and Leno. No.
MOOS: As a parting joke, Leno promised a new show that requires no writing aimed at male viewers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOICE OVER: Coming to NBC. Explosions! Nothing but explosions! No stupid writing! Just explosions!
MOOS: So Leno went out with a bang and now all those late night comedy shows are reruns.
(on camera): What do you do when you realize it`s a rerun?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Turn it off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s supposed to be inane. You know, when I go home, I really want to see some comedy.
MOOS (voice over): Well, you`re going to have to live without any new stupid pet tricks. One performed by Pepe who can pinpoint a certain finger. Pepe doesn`t need a writer.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Right on, Jeanne. All right. Michael Jackson has certainly been around for a long time, but we haven`t seen him for a while. He has nailed down his first interview and cover for the "American" magazine in nearly 10 years. And he certainly has a lot to say about the state of music today, something I found very interesting. You definitely won`t want to miss it. That`s coming up. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WAGNER: Michael Jackson, when he was at his most popular, was less an artist and more sort of a worldwide phenomenon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Oh how the times have changed, and you know, it`s not just Michael Jackson who has fallen from grace. Britney and Whitney used to be on the top of the world too. So, what in the world happened? That is coming up in a showbiz special report, "The Way They Were."
And some sad news for the Osmond family. Donny and Marie`s father, George Osmond, has died. Marie is with the family in Utah right now. But is she going to return to compete on "Dancing with the Stars?" I`ll have the answer is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. A startling look at what happens when star couples are both into drugs. "Love, Drugs and Fame" at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Well, take a look at this. Look who is back on the cover of a magazine 25 years after the "Thriller" album. Michael Jackson doing his first U.S. Magazine interview and cover story in ten years, doing a video right now for the photo shoot for the cover of the December issue of "Ebony" magazine."
In this interview, Michael says that he`s enjoying traveling with his kids. He says there was always a tug in the back of his head to raise children, and he is enjoying it very much. Michael also takes some shots at the current music scene. He says there`s way too much cookie cutter stuff out there right now.
In the article he says, "I don`t think people are being as experimental and innovative enough. I know people can easily say, well, we don`t have the Michael Jackson budget. Wrong, you can be so creative with almost nothing." For more with Michael Jackson, pick up a copy of "Ebony" magazine on newsstands, November 12th.
Twenty five years after "Thriller," Michael Jackson has certainly gone through some tough times in his personal life. But, you know, he is not the only huge star that has gone from pop phenomenon to phenomenal train wreck.
Tonight, in a showbiz special report, we take a look back on the way they were. Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears. Massive pop stars who have all gone from the stars America loved to the stars America loved to watch as they became train wrecks. So tonight, in a show biz special report, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes a look back to remember the way they were.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER (voice over): Ah, the memories. Remember Michael Jackson`s moonwalk? How about Whitney`s heavenly voice and Britney`s brilliant pop sounds? It`s like Barbra Streisand sang in "The Way We Were," memories of the greatest entertainers in the world still live in the corners of our minds.
They are the biggest stars the world has ever seen. Their careers have become prisoners to their personal demons.
Rehab, trials and addiction have put a different spin on their lives and none of it good. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, the golden era of these super-sized stars will never be tarnished.
MICHAEL JACKSON, POP STAR: I am totally innocent of any wrongdoing.
HAMMER: It has been a tough couple of years for Michael Jackson. From being accused of child molestation in 1993, dangling a baby from a window in 2002, to facing more child molestation charges in 2005. Everyone watched as the king of pop became the king of bizarre. But remember when we just couldn`t get enough of Michael?
(MUSIC)
Before he was the center of controversy, Michael Jackson was the undisputed king of pop.
WAGNER: Michael Jackson, when he was at his most popular, was less an artist and more sort of a worldwide phenomenon.
HAMMER: Alex Wagner, editor-in-chief of "Fader Magazine" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Jackson`s music career was nothing short of genius.
(MUSIC)
WAGNER: I think Michael was the first in the, you know, true pop kings. This is someone that has sold a total of 3 billion albums worldwide. So it`s basically everybody and their mother in every country in the world was listening to him.
HAMMER: And, of course, there was "Thriller."
(MUSIC)
Still touted by "Billboard" magazine as the single biggest selling album of all time. With Michael, it wasn`t just the music.
WAGNER: He had dance moves. I mean, nobody had a floor show like Michael Jackson.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Oh, boy, Britney Spears, between the panty-less partying, the head shaving, the rehab and the custody battles, it`s easy to forget Britney was once a superstar.
(MUSIC)
No matter how crazy people think Britney might be, you can`t deny that for more than a decade she`s been a pop phenomenon, 83 million albums sold worldwide. A superstar by the age of 19.
WAGNER: Britney, you know, back in the day, was someone we loved watching grow up. She was young. She was kind of this teenybopper with pigtails.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: "Hit Me Baby One More Time" made her a sensation and, oops, the hits came coming, again -
(MUSIC) She told CNN in 1999 the success even caught her by surprise.
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: I just wanted my song to be in the top 40.
(MUSIC)
WAGNER: Britney`s is someone whose, you know, personal crises may have eclipsed her musical career, but fundamentally has a team around her and understands music and pop hooks in a way that we`ll never escape or anything.
WHITNEY HOUSTON, POP STAR: Crack is whack.
HAMMER: A moment in pop culture history, Whitney Houston being interviewed by "Prime Time Live`s" Diane Sawyer about her reported drug use. Just one example of Whitney`s bumpy ride in the spotlight.
HOUSTON: Damn, damn. Lord, I just want to be a real person.
HAMMER: Substance abuse, rehab, divorce - all turned the American sweetheart into tabloid fodder. Some blame her ex-husband bad boy Bobby Brown, her co-star in the reality show "Being Bobby Brown."
BOBBY BROWN, HOUSTON`S HUSBAND: I`ve been to jail before. That`s American.
HOUSTON: Kiss my ass!
HAMMER: But we remember the time before her life spun out of control when everybody wanted to dance with somebody named Whitney.
(MUSIC)
WAGNER (voice over): Whitney came on to the scene and was an angel
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: That song from Whitney`s film, "The Bodyguard" marked her pinnacle. She`s still the only artist in history to have seven consecutive number one hits. She holds the title of being the first female artist to enter the billboard 200 at number one, "The Bodyguard" soundtrack in top ten biggest selling albums of all time.
WAGNER: If you look at the early tapes of Whitney Houston, there`s something that`s just glowing, this poise and this dignity. And, you know, there really actually isn`t anyone like her now.
HAMMER: And if they had a chance to do it all again, tell me, could they, would they?
WAGNER: They all had something fundamentally that none of us have and I think, you know, the American public wants that again. So they just need to realize that for themselves.
HOUSTON: Makes you feel kind of old, huh? Hah, but I`m not done yet. Believe me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, Britney Spears really did know a good pop song, and apparently she still does. Her new album opened up at number two on the "Billboard" 200. It sold 290,000 copies in its first week.
Well, there`s sad news about the Osmond family. Donny and Marie`s father George Osmond has died. Marie is now with her family, but will she continue competing on "dancing with the stars?" I`m going to have the answer coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We are coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well Marie Osmond isn`t ready to stop dancing with the stars even as she and her family deal with the death of her father. George Osmond died Tuesday at age 90 at his home in Provo, Utah. ABC says Marie will continue competing on "Dancing with the Stars" even though she understandably wasn`t there on Tuesday night. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BERGERON, CO-HOST, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": This morning Marie received the sad news that her father had passed away, so she is spending today with her family.
SAMANTHA FEMALE CO-HOST, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": We can reveal, though, that having combined the judge`s scores with your votes from last night, Marie and Jonathan are safe to dance again next week.
BERGERON: As we mentioned at the start of the show this morning, Marie Osmond received some tragic news. Samantha is back stage right now with her dance partner, Jonathan Roberts. Samantha.
SAMANTHA, CO-HOST: Of course, we are all very sorry to hear about Marie`s dad, and you`ve spoken to her. How is she?
JONATHAN: Marie is going to be fine. She`s with her family right now. And it`s going to be a rough week, but we`re going to be back. And when I talked to her earlier, she just said that, you know, she called her dad that afternoon and told him that our quick step was dedicated to him. And we know he watched it, and it was a good way to say good-bye.
SAMANTHA: Very nice. So please let her know that our thoughts are with her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Aside from "Dancing with the Stars," Marie and other family members, including her brother, Donny, are also set to appear on "Oprah Winfrey Show" on Friday.
Well, Tuesday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we wanted to know. Dog Chapman apologizes: Should he be forgiven for his racial rant? Here`s how it went. Sixty-four of you said yes, the forgiving audience. Thirty-six percent of you say no.
Among the e-mails we received, we heard from Caroleena in Michigan. Carolina writes, "I think he should be forgiven. He has probably learned his lesson to choose his words even when talking to his family."
We also heard from Joy in California. Joy writes, "I don`t think he`s truly sorry for saying the "N" word. He just regrets getting caught saying it and being exposed."
Time now to take a look at what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thursday, "Love, Drugs, and Fame." So Lindsay Lohan met her new boyfriend in rehab. Amy Winehouse and her husband won`t go to rehab. Is any of this a good idea? Can you get clean or stay clean when your better half is also your drinking buddy, or worse? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates drugs and fame on Thursday.
Also Thursday, it`s deja vu all over again with O.J. Simpson in court. A hearing starts Thursday over the alleged armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers. Is O.J. doomed? Will he go to jail for this? O.J. Simpson in court, Thursday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next.
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