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Showbiz Tonight
Outrage Over Photos Making Fun of Jennifer Love Hewitt; Dennis Quaid`s Newborn Twin Nightmare
Aired December 05, 2007 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Outrage over photos making fun of Jennifer Love Hewitt. Why has this struck such a chord? I`m A.J. Hammer.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And there`s something really fishy about the Miss Puerto Rico pepper spray scandal. I`m Brooke Anderson. We are in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Dennis Quaid`s newborn twin nightmare. Brand new late-breaking details about the health of the twins after they got an accidental overdose that nearly killed them.
Plus, the drastic and controversial action Dennis Quaid is taking so no one else has to go through the nightmare he has been living through.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.D. HEYMAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: This is the mix-up that could have literally happened to anyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates Dennis Quaid`s newborn nightmare.
Britney`s big kid trouble. Tonight, shocking new details about why investigators are worried about Britney taking care of her own children. Are the kids really in danger? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks the controversial question, is it time for Britney to lose her kids permanently?
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson. And I want you to take a look at the cover of the new issue of "People" magazine that`s about to come out because it says it all, "Jennifer Love Hewitt: Stop Calling Me Fat." The outrage over the story that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first told you about Tuesday night absolutely exploded today, and we`ve got that coming up.
HAMMER: But first, the startling new developments in Dennis Quaid`s twin nightmare. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that his newborn twins are now finally back home after nearly dying in the hospital that was supposed to make them better. And tonight, Quaid is going after the maker of a drug that almost led to the deaths of the babies that he and his wife worked so hard to have.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Dennis Quaid`s nightmare appears to be over. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you he and his wife Kimberly finally have their newborn twins at home after they nearly died in a hospital after getting an accidental overdose.
HEYMAN: "People" has been told by Quaid`s attorney that the kids are doing great, that they are out of the woods. They seem to be happy and healthy and there don`t seem to be any long-lasting effects from their ordeal, which is obviously very good news.
HAMMER: But even though the twins are resting comfortably, their parents are doing no such thing. The Quaids turning their heartbreak into action.
SUSAN LOGGANS, QUAID FAMILY ATTORNEY: The Quaids are concerned that if one more child is placed in this situation today, tomorrow, or next week, the same result might occur.
HAMMER: Appearing on NBC`s "Today" show, the Quaids` attorney insisted they plan on suing the makers of heparin, that`s the anti-blood-clotting product the Quaids` twins were mistakenly given too much of at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
LOGGANS: This lawsuit is all about the Quaids valiantly trying to make sure that no other child suffers.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the road to parenthood for the Quaids has been filled with heartache even before this latest medical nightmare.
HEYMAN: This was an amazing journey for them, and then to have this happen, really one unfortunate mishap after another, was just absolutely grueling.
HAMMER: J.D. Heyman of "People" magazine tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that the Quaids suffered five devastating miscarriages since they were married in 2004. They then turned to a surrogate to fulfill their dream of parenthood.
HEYMAN: Certainly, these are two people who really wanted children and really did everything in their power to have them.
HAMMER: The Quaid twins, Thomas Boone and Zo% Grace, were born November 8th. A week later, they developed a staph infection that sent them to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where a horrible mistake occurred.
HEYMAN: They were both hooked up to IVs, which were flushed with the anticoagulant drug heparin.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that for babies, the normal heparin dosage is 10 units per milliliter. But the Quaid twins, along with another baby in the hospital, were mistakenly given 10,000 units, 1,000 times the normal dosage.
HEYMAN: An infant who gets this massive adult dose could die.
HAMMER: That, sadly, is true. An accidental heparin overdose recently killed three babies in an Indiana hospital. The Quaid twins themselves were in serious danger.
HEYMAN: This is a problem that is incredibly relatable. This is the kind of mixup that literally could have happened to anyone. Clearly, this is every parent`s nightmare.
HAMMER: Now that the twins are safe and sound, the Quaids are taking action.
HEYMAN: The Quaids suing the manufacturer of heparin, Baxter Health Care Corporation, for $50,000 because they say that Baxter does not adequately label the different dosages for heparin.
HAMMER: Baxter says it did repackage the label and sent out warnings. The company is also suggesting that mishaps like what happened to the Quaids are the fault of hospital workers. But get this, the Quaids are not suing the hospital where their twins got the overdose.
HEYMAN: Clearly, it`s not about money. Dennis Quaid is a very wealthy man. They`re very, very upset and they`ve been through a terrible ordeal.
HAMMER: Now, that ordeal is over, and the new parents have twins that are said to be doing well. But along with the work that normally comes with being a new parent, the Quaids want to take on another task, making sure that no one else has to go through the hell they did.
HEYMAN: The Quaids have said that they really believe that although their kids are out of the woods and things are OK, this is something that must be addressed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has announced some procedural changes to make sure that cases like the Quaids don`t ever happen again. And the hospital has suspended all employees who were involved with this incident.
ANDERSON: Now, on to Britney Spears` kids trouble. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you brand new court documents, just released, reveal that Britney is still being investigated for allegations of child abuse. And they show the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services is concerned for the welfare of her kids if they are left in Britney`s care. That is scary.
With us tonight in New York, Lauren Lake, defense attorney, and TV host. Also tonight in Miami, Judge Alex Ferrer of TV`s "Judge Alex." Welcome Lauren. Welcome Judge Alex.
JUDGE ALEX FERRER, HOST, "JUDGE ALEX": Thank you, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And first, I want to read a quote from the court papers about the Child Welfare official`s investigation. Here it is, quote, "Based on its investigation to date, it should be noted that DCFS has concerns of its own regarding the safety and welfare of the children if the children are left in the mother`s care."
Judge Alex, those are strong words. Now, granted, no specific details were released, but what could they possibly be looking for here?
FERRER: Well, they could be looking at a whole host of things. Remember, we have all the allegations of Britney using drugs while she`s around the children and, of course, her running red lights while the children are in the car. I think, actually, fear of terrorism has now been surpassed by fear of sharing the road with Britney in most American`s minds.
There are a lot of things it could be. But you have to also recognize that in most divorces - not most, but many divorces each sides makes allegations against the other. That`s one of the most despicable parts of a custody battle.
But here, for the Department Of Children And Family to just stand up in front of a judge and say we have a legitimate concern for the welfare and safety of these children while they`re in the mother`s care, nothing will make a judge`s ears perk up more than those. Because no judge wants to be the one that failed to heed the warning, god forbid something happens to the children.
ANDERSON: Lauren, is it unusual for the court to release documents like this? I know in this case the DCFS did request those files to be unsealed. Is that typical?
LAUREN LAKE, DEFENSE ATTORNEY AND TV HOST: Well, the court is always going to look for the best interest of the child. The court doesn`t readily release documents. However, what I find most interesting here is I`m going to do something that`s very rare. I`m going to actually defend Britney for a minute.
These records - this information could also serve to possibly help her case in some way if, in fact, it`s contrary to what some of the referrals have been saying. Because you have to note here, some of the referrals, some of the information that DCFS may be getting may turn out to be false.
There`s a lot of people that have a lot of claims about what she and Kevin have been doing. But they`ve got to get all the information to see if that is, in fact, true. But I think the court, of course, is acting in the best interest of those children as the judge said, in making sure, "Hey, we don`t need this to fall on our dime if something really is going on here."
ANDERSON: And that`s the responsibility of the DCFS to look into all those allegations. Judge Alex, you were trying to jump in there. Do you agree?
FERRER: Well, I absolutely do agree. We don`t know what the papers show. But, as I said, it`s unusual for DCFS to get up there and say we express a legitimate and serious concern. And they do announce that they are involved in multiple investigations of allegations of abuse and neglect.
Some of them, frankly, come from the K-Fed side, but some of them may be boyfriend - I`m sorry - the former bodyguard`s allegations and allegations of other people. Time will tell, but it`s certainly - when you think that things couldn`t get worse for Britney, it certainly looks like they`re getting worse.
ANDERSON: And speaking of that former bodyguard, Judge Alex, Tony Barretto filed a declaration in this custody battle. And on "LARRY KING LIVE," he talked with "Access Hollywood`s" Tony Potts about whether he thought she was a risk to her kids. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY POTT, CORRESPONDENT, "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD": Any instances when you were with her that she put her life in danger - her kids` life in danger?
TONY BARRETTO, BRITNEY SPEARS` FORMER BODYGUARD: I think she does that daily. I think that`s apparent to the media, the public, and hopefully to the court as well. I mean, her behavior is just so strange and unpredictable that we don`t ever know what`s going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Lauren, what do you think? Do you think that what he said could have played a part in this investigation?
LAKE: Absolutely. All the information that DCFS is obtaining is playing a part in this investigation. The problem is that these are just his claims. It has to be thoroughly investigated based upon all the facts involved, and that is what we`re waiting to see right now. This guy has got issues of his own, so we have to see if he is credible or not.
ANDERSON: Judge Alex, we know that Kevin has temporary primary custody of these children. Do you think - and Britney has visitation rights, but do you think, going forward, that it is possible she could lose these kids altogether?
FERRER: That`s difficult. I mean, yes. Anything is possible. If we looked at a year ago and you said a year ago, is it possible for K-Fed to get custody of the children, I think most people would say no way. But over the years, she`s certainly changed that around, and now it`s basically custody - primary custody is his to lose.
Courts don`t like to take children away from their mothers, or the fathers. They will bend over backwards to keep the relationship, and by custody I mean any visitation at all. They`ll bend over backwards to keep the relationship alive. She would have to do a heck of a lot to be barred from seeing her children.
What I see is, if anything, custody, primary custody, would be with K- Fed, and she would have visitation that might actually be supervised if she cannot shake whatever problem she`s under, whether it be a drug habit or whatever.
ANDERSON: What a terrible contentious situation. Two small kids tucked in the middle as well. Judge Alex Ferrer, Lauren Lake, thank you both.
LAKE: Thank you.
FERRER: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, Brit`s behavior bugging a lot of people. Here`s something that`s really been bugging me. Did Miss Puerto Rico make up that whole pepper spray thing? There are more new questions tonight, and now there`s yet another beauty pageant scandal that has ended in someone`s crown being taken away. Oh my!
So, what are we doing? We`re rolling up our sleeves and icing down our hives and take a good hard look at the ugly side of beauty pageants. You won`t want to miss it, next. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: A lot of the attraction before I came out was the fame, the life style.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The transformation of Brad Pitt. It is hard to believe that that was a very starry-eyed Brad way back when. So, how did he make the leap from that to one of the biggest stars in the world? Coming up.
HAMMER: Well, stop using air quotes for one. Have you seen the blogs lately? I have to tell you I find it so disgusting, these nasty comments people are making about these pictures of Jennifer Love Hewitt in a bikini. Really hateful things.
But, you know, one thing is for sure, this particular story has really touched a nerve. But why? Other stars have said it`s time to stop the body image madness before. This one has exploded. You don`t want to miss it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE ANCHOR: Did you lie about being sabotaged in that pageant?
INGRID MARIE RIVERA, MISS PUERTO RICO 2007: No, not at all. Not at all. Absolutely not. I wouldn`t jeopardize my participation or the dream to become Miss Puerto Rico Universe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That was Miss Puerto Rico standing by her story that she was sabotaged at the Miss Puerto Rico Universe pageant.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, the ugly side of beauty. There`s Miss Puerto Rico claiming that somebody put something in her clothes and her makeup that made her break out in hives. And now this, an accounting error in the Miss California U.S.A. pageant led to the wrong woman being crowned. What the heck is going on here?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood "Extra" correspondent Carlos Diaz. Also in Hollywood tonight, Kim Serafin, senior editor of "In Touch Weekly."
Kim, Carlos, I`ve got to say I do feel badly for Christina Silva because she was crowned Miss California. And then, some accounting error was discovered, and that changed the results forcing her to have to return her crown, which went to the runner-up. Carlos, let me start with you. The last time we saw a recount of votes well, we got a president - president. Is this ridiculous?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": It is ridiculous. But let me just kind of break it down for you. What the pageant officials are saying is that there was an accounting error, and it was a reversal of the votes. OK.
Now, follow me on this. So that means that the person who won should be number five in the top five and the person is number five should have won, but it doesn`t make sense because Miss Barstow was number three. So how does that work, exactly?
HAMMER: And she`s the one that took the crown over is what you`re saying.
DIAZ: Exactly.
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: So, how is it the person in the middle wins the competition when the votes are kind of recounted? I don`t understand that.
HAMMER: The ugly side of beauty. My head now hurts, and I would like an aspirin brought to the set, please. Christine Silva, the one who lost the crown, spoke to "CNN AMERICAN MORNING" co-anchor Kiran Chetry. And she relayed this ridiculous conversation she had with the pageant state director when she found out why the recount happened in the first place. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINA SILVA, FORMER MISS CALIFORNIA: When I had asked him after bawling and crying, I said what prompted you to go back and look at the ballots? And he said, you know what, when you were called the winner, there was a lot of booing, Christina. And in my gut I had to go back to find out the real winner.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So what do you think, Kim? Is there something that says, "In the event of booing, please recount the votes"? I mean, what does that have to do with anything?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR OF "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I know. Man, I mean, that just changes every reality competition. I mean, it just changes the rules right there. Yes, as Carlos was saying, there are definitely a lot of strange things here. First of all, there were just five celebrity judges, so it seems odd that, you know, five people they had to recount this several times. I mean, it`s not like we`re dealing with 200,000 different votes that we`re trying to tabulate. Who knows what went on?
She certainly has acted very professionally. Of course, she has hired a lawyer who is going to look into it and see what her legal options are. But I guess, in the conversation she had with the pageant director, they had said you know, "We think it would be in your best interest to give up the crown." And so she did that to try to maintain her professionalism, and she certainly has. Look, I don`t envy either girl. I`d put both girls in a very difficult position.
HAMMER: Yes.
SERAFIN: And they both certainly handled it very well, maybe based on their pageant training or just maybe based on being both responsible women. But it`s a horrible situation for each one of them.
DIAZ: But keep in mind, though - Let me tell you a little bit about a controversy in here real quick for you. Miss Barstow, the woman who was just named Miss California, she`s been in pageants all her life. This is the first time that Miss Los Angeles has ever been in a pageant. So maybe there`s like, you know, "Well, she`s a first timer. She`s not going to mind the crown being taken away from her," kind of a thing.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, that would be absolutely ridiculous. But it`s crazy there are two examples of the ugly side of beauty that we`re talking about here in the course of less than a month. We, of course, have my good friend Miss Puerto Rico, Ingrid Marie Rivera, sticking by her sabotage story, even though we just learned that investigators found no red pepper spray in her stuff. She insisted again today that she really was itchy. Well, Kim, I am sitting here scratching my head myself. Do you believe her?
SERAFIN: You know, she said that she did feel itchy. There were reports that people did see her a little bit red and swollen backstage. Of course, other people are questioning why she looked so composed the whole time, why we didn`t really see any of this onstage.
Now, the police superintendent did say, you know, "I don`t think there`s any indication that she was involved and if it was some sort of publicity stunt, then maybe it was someone else. Maybe it was an outside force." They`ve only tested now for pepper spray. They haven`t tested for any other chemicals.
HAMMER: Well, they better get right on that, because we need to get to the bottom of this. I`ve got to wrap it up because we`re out of time. Kim Serafin, Carlos Diaz, I`m very itchy myself over the whole thing.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke, excellent having you here in New York City. A big event coming up, an extraordinary time. It`s going to be on Thursday, December 6th, "CNN HEROES." It`s going to be right here in New York City.
ANDERSON: It certainly is, A.J. CNN is paying tribute to the world`s real heroes, ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things. You and I will be there live. It all gets started 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HEADLINE NEWS with a special live edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And then, of course, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, you`re going to make sure to turn over to CNN for "HEROES, AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE," hosted by Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour.
ANDERSON: Some people are calling Jennifer Love Hewitt a hero herself for standing up to all the mean comments about those photos of her in a bikini. One thing is for sure, the story has really touched a nerve. Why? Other stars have said it`s time to stop the body image madness, but this one has just exploded. We have a fired up panel ready to go. That`s at 30 minutes past the hour.
HAMMER: Also, we`ve got something amazing to show you tonight, the transformation of Brad Pitt. I mean, wait until you see the video that we dug up, one of Brad`s first big TV interviews. I`m telling you what, you are barely going to recognize this guy. The question is how did Brad Pitt go from starry-eyed kid to one of the biggest stars in the world? That is still ahead. We will also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I understand you had some funny moments during the show that we`re going get to see. Can you give us a little hint?
BARBARA WALTERS, TV TALK SHOW HOST: It has to do with a Christmas present in a box.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I`ve got to be honest with you. I never thought I would be discussing that particular "Saturday Night Live" sketch with Barbara Walters, Justin Timberlake, and his - you know, what`s in a box. They made her list of the ten most fascinating people of 2007. She tells me why, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Barbara Walters is profiling her 10 most fascinating people of the year. Quite a list. Katherine Heigl is on it, along with Don Imus, Victoria and David Beckham, and the man who is credited with bringing sexy back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: That`s what everybody says, Justin Timberlake is bringing sexy back. Where did it go?
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, SINGER: I`m asked that question a lot.
WALTERS: And the answer is?
TIMBERLAKE: I have no earthly idea.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, I sat down with Barbara, and I had to ask her how she thinks Justin has turned out so successful when his former girlfriend and fellow Mouseketeer, Britney Spears, has, well, gone in a different direction?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: Justin Timberlake is very close to his mother and for many years she was his manager. And I think that she had that parental guidance that Britney didn`t have. He certainly had relationships since then, and he talked to us about the number one relationship now, Jessica Beal. He seems to be crazy about her.
HAMMER: I understand you had some funny moments during the show that we`re going to get to see. Can you give us a little hint?
WALTERS: It has to do with a Christmas present in a box. If I describe it to you further, neither you nor I will be on the air, but he does talk about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. To hear exactly what Justin said about that famous SNL sketch, tune into ABC on Thursday night at 10:00 for Barbara Walters ten most fascinating people of 2007.
ANDERSON: The outrage has exploded over those photos of Jennifer Love Hewitt in a bikini. This story has really touched a nerve, but why? We`ve got a fired up panel ready to go, next. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PITT: Call out my kids by name and shove cameras in their faces. And I really believe there should laws against that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brad Pitt speaking out about the paparazzi. Brad was not always so sure of himself, though. We found one of his first big TV interviews. You almost can`t recognize him. The transformation of Brad Pitt, coming up.
ANDERSON: And Jenna phones home. Ellen convinces Jenna Bush to pick up the phone and call her dad. What was the president doing? That`s next.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Jennifer Love Hewitt body image backlash. Tonight, more outrage over the shocking attack of the "Ghost Whisper" star`s figure. The former "Party of Five" star is furious saying, "I`m no party of thighs." But why has J-Love`s speaking out against Hollywood`s obsession with body image struck such a chord? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the heated debate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PITT: A lot of the attraction before I came out was the fame, the lifestyle.
HAMMER: Hold on a second. That guy looks really familiar. Is that really Brad Pitt? Yes, that`s him. Well, tonight, I`ve got an absolutely fascinating look at how Brad has changed from shy guy to dashing dad, someone who does so much charity work. You have got to see this, the startling transformation of Brad Pitt.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is demanding, stop the weight madness. Jennifer Love Hewitt`s anger over nasty comments made about her body has sparked tremendous outrage. Photos of her in a bikini were splashed across the Internet with shockingly mean comments about her weight. Well, J Love didn`t waste time. She snapped back, but why has her story struck such a chord with people?
Joining us tonight from New York, plus size model Emme, author of "What Are You Hungry For?" Also, celebrity publicist Howard Bragman, founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations, and celebrity stylist Nicole Brewer. Emme, Howard, Nicole, welcome to all of you.
And I have to say we have been flooded with e-mails over this story, and now we are seeing it everywhere. It has exploded. It`s even the cover of the upcoming "People" magazine that we got our hands on today. It`s Jennifer Love Hewitt, a photo of her in the bikini, and the headline says it all. "Stop calling me fat!" Emme, why do you think her story has triggered such a huge response?
EMME ARONSON, PLUS SIZE MODEL: We can feel her pain. We, as a nation, are feeling so poorly about how we look at every turn, every billboard, every show, every media extension, And I think that it`s under a hyper focus, and I really feel that a lot of women are just sick and tired of the scrutiny.
ANDERSON: Yes. Scrutinized so incredibly harshly, it`s ridiculous. And I want to take a look now at what Jennifer Love Hewitt wrote on her blog, quote - I love this, "I`ve sat by in silence for a long time now about the way women`s bodies are constantly scrutinized. To set the record straight, I`m not upset for me, but for all of the girls out there that are struggling with their body image."
ARONSON: Good for her.
ANDERSON: Yes, good for her. "A size 2 is not fat. Nor will it ever be. And being a size zero doesn`t make you beautiful.""
She went on to say "To all girls with butts, bobs, hips, and a waist, put on a bikini. Put it on and stay strong." Howard, I applaud her as do so many others. As a publicist, if she were your client, would you say she did the right thing here by speaking out, by defending herself?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: Well, as a plus sized publicist, what I want to say I`ve known Jennifer for 20 years, and she`s lived a pretty flawless, wonderful, professional life. And she has this right to speak out, and good for her. She`s a beautiful, wonderful person.
The reason she gets these big contracts with companies like Hanes and other huge things is people relate to her. She`s very beautiful, but she`s also real and accessible. She`s not some created model that`s been done in a surgery room or a surgical center in Beverly Hills.
She`s real. She`s genuine. I say you go, girl. You stand up for what you are and what you fought for 20 years. And I think almost everybody is on her side in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. She`s grounded. She`s very approachable. And, by the way, Howard, you look fantastic.
BRAGMAN: It`s the stripes, OK? It`s the vertical stripes.
ANDERSON: They`re very flattering. And you know, we know that Jennifer isn`t the first celebrity to speak out like this. So, Nicole, here`s what I am wondering. Why do you think this, in particular, has made such an impact?
NICOLE BREWER: Well, I think because it`s absolutely ridiculous. It`s one thing to really just talk about women, you know, and scrutinize their bodies. But, you know, if we start criticizing someone who is a size two, then when is it really going to end?
ANDERSON: Exactly. And you know, even the ladies of "The View," including Barbara Walters, have been talking about this. And today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked Barbara Walters why she thinks this has struck such a chord now. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: I think we have a great deal of concern, though, in this country right now about weight - people who are overweight, people who are underweight. I mean, when I was interviewing Posh Spice, she`s the skinniest thing I have seen. And I said would you even take a piece of cake? No, never.
I think this kind of extremism is something that has touched a chord and people are very worried about it. They don`t want to see these kinds of examples.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Emme, Barbara makes a really great point there, doesn`t she?
ARONSON: I think she does. And I think that the pressure not only on us as everyday people and people also, the entertainers in the industry are feeling the pressure. They don`t want to have their cellulite put on a huge screen in Times Square.
They are put under the pressure, also, from their own back - with the backgrounds of the directors saying you must be thin, you must be thin, you must be thin. So, I think that entertainers are getting double whammies right here.
I think we need to just take a moment, take a cleansing breath per se and to really reflect as to what is healthy and be able to talk the talk and walk the walk around the boardroom tables before we approve a photo that is going to be put into millions of homes. Before we do different stories or having a certain actresses going on to the screen when they`re clearly unhealthy. We need to take responsibility for those people who are making decisions to put healthy images, diversified, whether it`s skin color as well as body shape.
ANDERSON: Great point. And as I mentioned, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been flooded with e-mails over this story, like this one.
Louise from Iowa writes, "Good grief! Jennifer is a beautiful woman! Who in their right mind would say that she is fat? They are a bunch of idiot and need to see pictures of anorexics. It`s a sick disease that starts with not only parents, but what is seen on TV and read in magazines." Howard, who really is to blame here?
BRAGMAN: You know, we have to understand - we in the industry have to understand the messages we send to our clients. If my client is getting work, then they look just fine. And the images we see in magazines so often, we know they`re created images. They`re done after work, after the photo session in the studio with air brushing. That is not what people really look like.
We have flaws. We have dimples. We have moles. We are not perfect. People really - it`s a balance. You don`t want to be a slob, but you have to be true and authentic to yourself. And very few people look really good really scrawny and anorexic. It`s just not a good look.
ANDERSON: Nicole, I want you to weigh in very quickly before we have to end.
BREWER: Yes, I think the point is whatever happened to love the skin you are in. Embrace your curves. Celebrate your curves.
ANDERSON: Right, Nicole.
BREWER: I mean, the whole point is we want to look good in our clothes. We want to look sexy and feel good. And, you know, there are healthy women out there who look absolutely fabulous. And women out there, you can look just like them. You can look fabulous. You can feel fabulous, and you don`t have to be a size zero.
I work with petite celebrities and plus size celebrities, and all of them are embracing who they are. And just as Hollywood finally starts accepting all these beautiful women, then we want to break them down? What`s that about? Stop the negativity. I think that`s the point.
ANDERSON: I know. Yes, it`s despicable. All right. Nicole Brewer, Emme, Howard Bragman, thanks to all of you.
ARONSON: Thank you.
BREWER: Thank you.
BRAGMAN: Thanks, Brooke.
HAMMER: So here`s what I think about all of this with Jennifer Love Hewitt. She is beautiful, she is talented and should not change one thing about herself.
All right, speaking of changes -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PITT: They call out my kids by name and shove cameras in their faces. And I really believe there should be laws against that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brad Pitt - man, what a transformation this guy has gone through. I`ve got to tell you, I really admire him. He is a great actor. He`s a great dad, always doing a lot of charity work. But you`ve got to see how he got there. I have the startling transformations of Brad Pitt, not to be missed, coming up next.
ANDERSON: A.J., I think Brad Pitt really is such a great doting dad, and, you know, Jenna Bush wanted to call her dad right in the middle of taping "Ellen." I thought this was really funny. I`m sure it`s not always easy for the president to come to the phone. You`ve got to stick around for this. Coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PITT: They call out my kids by name and shove cameras in their faces. And I really believe there should be laws against that. I mean, my kids believe that any time you go outside the house, there`s a wall of photographers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is crazy. That was Brad Pitt telling CNN`s Larry King about the nonstop shocking paparazzi crush he and his family have to deal with.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. All right. So what exactly has happened to Brad Pitt? I mean, think about it. He was the shy, young guy from Missouri.
And now he is a mega star, a father, devoted to charity. He is a great guy, but, you know, I got to ask, how did he do it? Well, right here, right now I`ve got the startling transformation of Brad Pitt.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): It is the lost interview that only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can bring you. One of Brad Pitt`s very first TV interviews when his career was just taking off. The year, 1988. The show? Our predecessor "SHOWBIZ TODAY" on CNN.
PITT: A lot of the attraction before I came out was the fame, the lifestyle.
HAMMER: And Pitt found the fame he was looking for after leaving Springfield, Missouri, with big dreams.
PITT: I`m Randy. Nice to meet you, sir.
HAMMER: It was a role on the hot TV series "Dallas" where he played actress Shalane McCall`s a love interest, Randy. And a photo shoot that they did together on the set arranged by Shalane`s then-manager Phil Lobel(ph), that would send Brad off into super stardom orbit. Lobel tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what happened.
PHIL LOBEL, BRAD PITT`S FORMER MANAGER: I retooled the original plans for the photo shoot, which was going to be around Shalane. And we did a photo of Brad and Shalane sitting on the couch, getting ready to do their first scene together, and it was that very first photo that ended up in "People" magazine. The famous photo - he was Randy from "Dallas." Who knew?
HAMMER: Who knew is right. In fact, no one, including Brad himself, could imagine how big and famous he would one day become. Just listen to him describe his first day on that "Dallas" set.
PITT: I`ve got to admit, I was like this, ah, ah, ah. I used to watch these people. I`m still a little star struck to be honest. You know, I just watched six months ago. I was sitting home in Missouri watching these people on TV.
HAMMER: And now, the world watches him and Angelina Jolie, obsessively. But just how did Brad Pitt get to where he is today? How did he go from "Dallas" to the desired drifter in the 1991 film "Thelma and Louise" -
PITT: Ladies, Gentlemen, let`s do (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: To the award-winning actor and humanitarian he is today?
MIKE FLEEMAN, WEST COAST EDITOR, "PEOPLE": Very early in his career, Brad Pitt tried to prove to people that he wasn`t just a pretty boy.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that Pitt took on a variety of roles to prove he was not just a pretty boy.
PITT: I`ll be fine.
HAMMER: Including Paul, the rebellious journalist in Robert Redford`s 1992 film "A River Runs Through It." And then, there was in 1994 Golden Globe nominated turn in "Legends of the Fall."
PITT: You say that again, and we`re not brothers.
HAMMER: Where he played the son of an army colonel who moves his family into the wilds of Montana. One year later, in 1995, Brad Pitt would receive an Oscar nomination for his dramatic turn in the movie "Twelve Monkeys."
PITT: I wasn`t expecting that. No. This, no. No.
HAMMER: A role he would win a Golden Globe for, marking the beginning of his transformation to super star. But Pitt remained humble about his super stardom even in 1997, two years after his Golden Globe win.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TV HOST: You went from being an actor trying to get a job to a superstar.
PITT: Oh, I don`t know. I don`t know when that clicked. I don`t know.
HAMMER: But something else was clicking for Pitt, and that was all those cameras clicking away. The media`s fascination with his personal life grew. His engagement to Gwyneth Paltrow, who met on the set of their movie "Seven," made them a tabloid target.
In fact, in that same year, 1997, after "Playgirl" magazine published photos of him and Paltrow, Pitt sued accusing the photographer of trespassing. Pitt would later joke that it wasn`t just his face the photographer was after.
PITT: Not just (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Members of my anatomy.
HAMMER: Pitt and Paltrow would become engaged, but that ended. And then the following year, 1998, he met "Friends" actress Jennifer Aniston. Two years later, Pitt and Aniston got married in Malibu, their ceremony shielded from the prying eyes of the paparazzi. They became Hollywood`s most famous and most watched couple, the focus of stories filled with both fact and fiction.
PITT: We`ve been in it for long enough to not take it so seriously, and it`s usually always inaccurate. And now we have more of a laugh from it when we do pay attention to it.
HAMMER: But, sadly, the marriage did end in January 2005. They announced their split, and the rumors of a relationship with Angelina Jolie, who we met on the set of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" reached a fever pitch.
PITT: Do you think the story is going to have a happy ending?
ANGELINA JOLIE, GIRLFRIEND OF BRAD PITT: Happy endings are stories that haven`t finished yet.
HAMMER: At first they denied rumors they were a couple. Angelina adopted her daughter Zahara, an AIDS orphan from Ethiopia. And soon after, it was Brad who filed the papers to jointly adopt Zahara and Jolie`s son Maddox. Another transformation of Brad Pitt as father and humanitarian.
JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Angelina, as his love partner, paved the way for him to really step into that role of being the humanitarian. She showed him how to do this.
HAMMER: And together Pitt and Jolie shined a light on so many countries in need. - in Haiti, when they announced they were expecting baby Shiloh; in Namibia, where they went to have baby Shiloh.
PITT: I would just like to thank the people of Namibia. They have been so gracious and made our stay here very special.
HAMMER: In Vietnam, where they adopted baby Pax and once more when they set down roots in the New Orleans French quarter. And Brad took to his new home in the hurricane-devastated New Orleans in more ways than one. He shot his next movie there, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
PITT: It`s a really good film.
HAMMER: And he has put his love of architecture to work for a good cause, building much need new homes.
KURIANSKY: He has his own project with the Clinton Global Initiative in the "Make It Right" project to build affordable green homes.
HAMMER: And Pitt has put his money where his mouth is, pledging $5 million of his own money to help rebuild New Orleans.
FLEEMAN: He was never poor. He never struggled, but there was always this sort of charitable side to him. And I think it was when he hooked up with Angelina Jolie that he was able to tap into that and really fulfill himself in his charitable work and see the world as more than just making films and being a movie star.
HAMMER: But being a movie star, coupled with the media`s fascination with him and his family, has gotten to Pitt. In an interview with CNN`s Larry King, Pitt says the paparazzi are out of control when it comes to his children.
PITT: They call out my kids by name and shove cameras in their faces. And I really believe there should be laws against that. I mean, my kids believe that any time you go outside the house, there`s just a wall of photographers and people that take your picture. That is their view of the world. I - I worry about the effect it will have on them, but we`ll do our best.
HAMMER: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Pitt`s transformation includes something else, a keen sense to turn all that crazy media attention to something good whenever he can.
FLEEMAN: Brad has leveraged his personal life to do good. You realize that people are going to report and show pictures of him and get into his personal life, so why not use his personal life to try to do some good?
HAMMER: And Brad, the father and humanitarian, tells Larry King he is happiest when his important work meshes with his family life.
PITT: We`re up here as soon as the sun comes up, and to go home and have dinner with your kids, I can`t explain the fulfillment of that, but it is everything.
HAMMER: And along with Angelina Jolie, the Brad Pitt we know today might not even recognize the Brad Pitt he once was back on that day in 1988.
PITT: I`m still a little star struck, to be honest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. So, you know, parents usually say you don`t call enough. But what happens if your parents happen to be President Bush and First Lady Laura? What would they do if you surprised them with a phone call? Well, that`s what Jenna Bush did right during a taping of "Ellen." You`ve got to see this, next.
HAMMER: First, time for a look at what is new at the movies this week, brought to you by Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. In theaters, Friday, Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig in the fantasy adventure "The Golden Compass." The movie is based on Philip Pullman`s best-selling novel, the first story in "His Dark Materials Trilogy."
Also, opening Friday, Keira Knightley in "Atonement," a drama set against the backdrop of World War II. And there`s already Oscar buzz for John Cusack in "Grace is Gone." It will be in theaters on Friday as well. Cusack stars as a young father whose wife has been killed in Iraq. And that is what`s new at the movies this week.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A really great moment on "Ellen" today, when Ellen DeGeneres asked one of her guests to call her parents.
No big deal, right? What if I tell you the guest was Jenna Bush, and the parents, of course, are the president and the first lady, and she got them on the phone. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNA BUSH, DAUGHTER OF GEORGE W. BUSH: Hi, mom.
LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: Hey. I`m not watching you because you`re just taping right now.
J. BUSH: Yes, but what are you doing then?
L. BUSH: I`m just sitting here with daddy.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": Oh, hey. I wanted to say hi to daddy.
J. BUSH: Daddy would -
(APPLAUSE)
J. BUSH: Dad. Mom. Dad.
GEORGE W. BUSH, U.S. PRESIDENT: Hey.
DEGENERES: There he is.
J. BUSH: OK. Bye, mom.
DEGENERES: No, wait.
J. BUSH: I love you.
G. BUSH: Where are you going?
J. BUSH: I`m not going anywhere. Hi, dad.
G. BUSH: I love you.
DEGENERES: Hello, President Bush. How are you?
J. BUSH: This is "Ellen DeGeneres Show."
G. BUSH: Well, that`s great.
DEGENERES: Hey. How are you doing?
(APPLAUSE)
G. BUSH: I`m doing great, Ellen. How is my little girl doing?
DEGENERES: Oh, she`s great. She`s scared she was going to get in trouble because I just said, "Is it easy to just pick up the phone and call your dad any time?" She said yes, and I said, "OK. "Well then, let`s call him." Now she`s scared she`s not going to get any Christmas presents.
J. BUSH: Dad?
G. BUSH: Yes, baby?
J. BUSH: Are you mad?
G. BUSH: No, not at all. It`s great to talk to you.
DEGENERES: See?
G. BUSH: Glad to talk to Ellen.
DEGENERES: Look, we`re showing a picture of you holding your daughters when they were just born. That`s beautiful.
J. BUSH: The best day of your life. Remember, dad?
(LAUGHTER)
DEGENERES: All right. Well, we just wanted to say Merry Christmas, and we thought you would want to say Merry Christmas to our audience.
G. BUSH: I do want to say Merry Christmas to your audience and I want to tell my little girl I love her.
J. BUSH: I love you, too, Dad. I love you, Dad.
DEGENERES: Bye.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, so cute.
HAMMER: Cute, but a little weird, right? Just a little weird. All right.
HAMMER: Are you as excited for this as I am?
ANDERSON: I am, yes.
HAMMER: We`re all getting very fired up for a terrific event on Thursday, honoring ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things. It`s CNN heroes. It`s an all-star tribute coming to you from the American Museum Of Natural History right here in New York City. Of course, Brooke, you and I will be there live.
ANDERSON: We certainly will, indeed, A.J. It`s going to be an amazing, very special night. It all gets started 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HEADLINE NEWS with a special live edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And then at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, HEROES, AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE right there on CNN, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour. It`s going to be an amazing evening, to be sure. That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer.
And I`m Brooke Anderson. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next. Take care.
END
