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Showbiz Tonight
Jamie Lynn Announces She`s Pregnant; Is Lynn Spears to Blame for Her Daughters` Mistakes?; Was Britney a Bad Influence on Jamie Lynn?
Aired December 19, 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: It is the stunning Britney Spears news that has sent shock waves all over the world. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: That`s right, A.J. Britney Spears is going to be an aunt. Her teen sister, Jamie Lynn, is pregnant. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a startling Spears pregnancy, but it`s not Britney. It`s her 16-year-old sister Jamie Lynn. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the shocking story behind Britney Spears` baby sister having a baby.
And we are asking the tough questions. Did mommy Spears fail her daughter? Was Britney a bad influence? What is Britney saying about all this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: What do you think about your sister being pregnant?
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: Oh, my god.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Should Jamie Lynn`s hit TV show on squeaky clean Nickelodeon be canceled? And so much more. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is all over this blockbuster story like no other entertainment news show. Britney`s teen sister having a baby.
(BABY CRYING)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you tonight from Hollywood. And tonight we can hardly believe it ourselves. Britney Spears` 16-year-old sister, Jamie Lynn, is pregnant. You know, just when we thought we had heard it all about the Spears family, comes the explosive news that the young star of one of the most squeaky clean shows on television is having a baby.
Now, there are so many questions to ask tonight that we hardly know where to begin. Does Jamie Lynn`s mother bear some of the blame? Was Britney a bad influence on her kid sister? Is Jamie Lynn headed down the same destructive path that Britney has traveled so well, or not so well?
The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff has been digging all day to get the stories you haven`t heard, and we will be bringing them to you throughout this hour. But let`s start from the beginning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIRAN CHETRY, CO-ANCHOR, CNN`S "AMERICAN MORNING": There`s another baby on the way for the Spears family.
ANDERSON (voice over): Jamie Lynn Spears, the 16-year-old child star and Britney Spears` little sister, is having a baby. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the news is as shocking as anything her wilder big sister has done, and that`s saying a lot.
JO PIAZZA, CORRESPONDENT, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Oh, my god. This is a joke.
ALICIA QUARLES, CORRESPONDENT, ASSOCIATED PRESS: I was totally shocked.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has all the inside details of this new bombshell, and Britney`s bizarre reaction.
Oh, yes, she is, Brit. But this is about more than just the kid sister of a notorious hot train wreck.
JAMIE LYNN SPEARS, STAR OF "ZOEY 101": I`m Zoey.
ANDERSON: Jamie Lynn Spears is the star of one of the most popular kid shows on TV, Nickelodeon`s "Zoey 101." And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, her pregnancy is a troubling shock to millions of fans and their parents.
PIAZZA: Jamie Lynn is a star in her own right, and not just a star, but a star on Nickelodeon. Jamie Lynn is a role model to young teenage girls everywhere, and getting pregnant at 16 is a huge deal.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you these pictures of the teenaged father, Jamie Lynn`s long-time boyfriend, Casey Aldridge, whom, by the way, she met at church.
QUARLES: He has reportedly been dating Jamie since she was 13 years old and he was 16 years old.
PIAZZA: That in itself is a little bit creepy that she was allowed to date at age 13. I don`t know if I was allowed to go on dates with boys when I was 13.
ANDERSON: Breaking the news of her pregnancy in the new issue of "OK!" magazine, Jamie Lynn Spears says, quote "I can`t say it was something I was planning to do right now, but now that it`s in my lap and that it`s something I have to deal with, I`m looking forward to being the best mom I can be."
QUARLES: Jamie Lynn is about 12 weeks along in her pregnancy. She said when she first found out she didn`t tell anybody about it for two weeks. She wanted to ingest and really figure out what she was going to do without any outside influences.
ANDERSON: Jamie Lynn tells "OK!" magazine how her mother reacted to the news. The teen says her mom, quote, "was very upset because it wasn`t what she expected at all. A week after, she had time to cope with it and became very supportive." But what about big sis?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: What about your sister being pregnant?
ANDERSON: In this "TMZ" video shot just after the story broke, paparazzi tried to ask Britney about it. Check out her priceless reaction.
B. SPEARS: My sister`s not pregnant.
GILLIAN SHELDON, "TMZ" PUBLICIST: She`s either in some massive serious denial, or she`s trying to protect her sister`s privacy. Who knows?
ANDERSON: TMZ`s Gillian Sheldon tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, when Britney found out about her baby sister`s pregnancy, she didn`t take it well. We spoke to a source close to Britney who could not tell us much, only that she was absolutely frantic over the news.
ANDERSON: Throughout all of Britney`s turmoil, Jamie Lynn has been one of her big sister`s most consistent supporters.
B. SPEARS: This is my sister, Jamie Lynn.
ANDERSON: In an ABC special back in 2003, we see how Britney feels about her talented baby sister following in her foot steps.
B. SPEARS: I just think it`s really important for her right now to stick to being a kid and seeing me and what I go through. I think it`s going to help her a lot.
ANDERSON: These days Jamie Lynn`s show, "Zoey 101," is the most popular show for kids 9 to 14, making her pregnancy a complicated issue.
PIAZZA: They can`t write into the script that she`s pregnant. There can`t be a pregnant 16-year-old on Nickelodeon.
ANDERSON: Nickelodeon tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "We respect Jamie Lynn`s decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation. We know this is a very difficult time for her and her family, and our primary concern right now is for Jamie Lynn`s well being."
QUARLES: Nickelodeon didn`t say we`re absolutely going to bring Jamie Lynn back for the next season. If you read in between the lines, they`re probably scrambling around not knowing what to do when one of the stars of their hit show winds up knocked up.
ANDERSON: Jamie Lynn is telling her young fans not to follow her example, "I definitely don`t think it`s something you should do. It`s better to wait. But I can`t be judgmental because it`s a position I put myself in." And as this major child star prepares to have a child herself, we see that another role model named Spears is in a situation few would want for their kids.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: The next season of "Zoey 101" has already been filmed. We`re just going to have to wait and see if the network pulls it from their schedule. Meanwhile, a book on parenting written by Lynn Spears has been delayed indefinitely.
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, I still cannot believe this news. We have so many questions tonight about what all this means for Jamie Lynn, for her parents, and, of course, her big sister, Britney. So let`s get right into it.
Joining us tonight in Hollywood, Ken Baker, "UsMagazine.com`s" editorial director and investigative journalist Pat Lalama. I don`t know that anybody saw this coming. I don`t think anyone would have necessarily been surprised if the news had broken that Britney was pregnant again. But Jamie Lynn? No way. Ken, were you as shocked as I was?
KEN BAKER, EDITORIAL EDITOR, "USMAGAZINE.COM": I was very shocked. In fact, it sort of reminded me of when Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston broke up. It`s like, is this really happening?
I think everyone that I have talked to - I just talked to someone this morning who actually worked on the daily basis with Jamie Lynn on "Zoey 101" and this person said this is completely out of left field. This is a shocker mostly because we didn`t expect this from her. You expect this from Britney Spears. Not from Jamie Lynn Spears.
HAMMER: Yes. Pat, we cover a lot of stories together that come completely out of left field. This one, I think, was even from a bit further out.
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: A.J., I am so depressed. I need a double-strength eggnog right now. I mean, you`ve ruined the end of my year. You know how I feel about this sort of thing. It is so unexpected. You want so much to believe that there is a semblance of integrity with any young celebrity. Once again, the bar has been lowered and I really am depressed about it.
HAMMER: You know, it`s interesting what immediately transpires. It`s funny. As soon as the Blackberry started going off last night with the breaking news, immediately people started pointing fingers, I notice, and I was reading some of the blogs. Jamie Lynn`s mom accompanied - her mom, Lynn, companied Jamie Lynn on the interview that you are seeing right here, the cover story for "OK!" magazine where the story broke from.
A lot of criticism right now about mom Lynn, about her role as a parent and that she totally failed her - well, both her daughters, but - you know, obviously, specifically Jamie Lynn in this case. Ken, do you think that`s too harsh, or do you think it`s appropriate?
BAKER: Well, I think that pointing blame and assessing blame may not be fair entirely. Now, saying that she has responsibility? Absolutely. She bears a lot of responsibility, but one thing not to forget here is, why is everyone beating up Lynn Spears?
What about Jamie Spears, the father? OK, Jamie Spears is a recovering alcoholic. Where was he throughout all those years when he was suffering through alcoholism and was sort of away from the family? I think that Lynn Spears is always having the finger pointed at her, but there`s two parents in the equation. And I think that he also has to be brought to bear some responsibility.
LALAMA: But, A.J., if I could just throw something in there. Ken makes a great point, but who is the one who puts herself in the limelight? One of the biggest problems with the Spears matriarch is she`s caught up in the celebrity thing too. That`s a huge, huge mistake.
Yes, both parents are responsible, but when you want to get in there with your kids and be rich and famous and put me on TV too, then you create another issue. And that`s not paying attention to your kids.
HAMMER: Absolutely right. A very good point, Pat. I`ve got to tell you, we have to always keep in mind as we`re talking about this, Jamie Lynn is just 16 years old, as advanced as her life may be because of her own fame and her sister and everything that`s gone on in her family. But I`m really troubled about anybody standing in judgment of her at all.
On "The View" today superstar singer Alicia Keys pointed out that Jamie Lynn has absolutely no idea what she`s gotten herself into. Let`s look at what Alicia Keys said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALICIA KEYS, SINGER: It`s difficult to refrain and restrain, but it`s really important. It changes your whole life. It`s a very serious thing.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": It really is. And it`s not, you know - these decisions, even with the kids, once they realize what this really entails. You know, it`s - in hindsight, you go, oh, you know, I shouldn`t have done that, but it`s a tough place to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Pat Lalama, do you feel badly for Jamie Lynn right now?
LALAMA: You know, I do to some degree. Kids make mistakes. Do you remember when you were 16? I mean, I do. If I had to do some things over again, well, would I? But the point of the matter is that she says, "I`m going to go to Louisiana and I`m going to raise this child. And I`m going to give it a normal life." That is a altruistic beautiful idea.
But, A.J., the problem is now that she`s reached fame and fortune, she`s out there, it`s not going to be easy to go back to that other lifestyle, and that`s what I`m concerned with. She has the right idea, and I think in a lot of ways she`s more grounded than her older sister.
But at the same time - what`s that old song, how are you going to keep them down on the farm once they`ve been to Paris? She`s tasted this now. How is she going to go back to Louisiana and say, I`m going to be here with my baby, and all is going to be, like, wonderful. I just don`t see it happening.
BAKER: I have to say just real quick -
HAMMER: Real quick, ken.
BAKER: Unwanted wanted teen pregnancy is a problem that affects everyone, every family. It isn`t just Lynn Spears` family problem.
HAMMER: I`ve got to break in because we`re out of time. It`s a huge problem. It`s actually a growing problem, and perhaps the silver ling here is that there will be some more discussion to hopefully perhaps put a lid on the problem. More coming up. Pat Lalama, Ken Baker, thank you so much.
LALAMA: Thanks.
BAKER: Thank you.
HAMMER: We want to hear from you now on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we`re asking of you, "Jamie Lynn Spears pregnant: Are you shocked?" Go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us at showbiztonight@CNN.com from your desktop or your laptop, your Blackberry, cellphone, whatever you`ve got. Please tell us what is on your mind.
ANDERSON: A.J., I`ll tell you this. So many people thought that Jamie Lynn was last person we`d see get into a mess like this. And I mean, why did Jamie Lynn and her mom go to a magazine to tell their story? Could they possibly have done this for money? We`re going right to the source for the story behind the story you haven`t heard, next.
HAMMER: And you know, Brooke, Jamie Lynn is the star of what is truly one of the most squeaky clean kid shows on television "Zoey 101." But can the show really go on now when the star is about to be a teenage mom? Should "Zoey" be canceled? That`s coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAYDEN PANETTIERE, "HEROES" STAR: It`s people who fed the flame. People who didn`t teach them properly and didn`t teach them love and didn`t teach them how to be smart and how to respect yourself.
ANDERSON: "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere there. I think one of the last good young role models. So who is to blame for this Jamie Lynn shocker? Britney? Their mom? I`ve got a fired-up panel ready to rip into this, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": A 16-year-old who is now a very famous young lady on Nickelodeon, young Jamie Lynn Spears. Now, I believe this is Britney`s sister.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CO-HOST: Yes, Britney`s little sister.
GOLDBERG: Has just announced today that she is pregnant.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Well now, we can`t blame that on Britney.
GOLDBERG: No.
BEHAR: Let`s leave Britney out of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The ladies of "The View" as shocked as everyone else when they heard Britney Spears` kid sister, Jamie Lynn, was pregnant. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the inside story on Jamie Lynn Spears` startling announcement. Jamie Lynn decided to break the news to "OK!" magazine and the cover says it all, "I`m pregnant."
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Ruth Hilton, deputy editor at "OK!" magazine. Ruth, great to see you. I want to start from the beginning. Did the Spears family come to you guys, "OK!" magazine with the story, or did the magazine approach the Spears family?
RUTH HILTON, DEPUTY EDITOR, "OK!" MAGAZINE: Well, I mean, put it this way, "OK magazine" is in touch, you know, with the Spears family and people around the Spears family nearly every day. We`ve had a long history of working together with them. We did Britney`s wedding, as I`m sure you`ll remember. And you know, obviously, this story has to be told, shocking as it is and exciting as it is, I guess.
ANDERSON: Whose idea was it?
HILTON: Well, I think it was, you know, something that grew organically through all the relationships that - between the magazine and the family.
ANDERSON: Well, I have to tell you that when we first heard the rumblings about this, we thought it was a joke, some sort of prank. Ruth, were you just as shocked when the Spears family told you that Jamie Lynn is pregnant?
HILTON: I mean, I was - I was shocked, as I`m sure everyone in the States is shocked. You know, Lynn was shocked. Jamie Lynn was shocked. You know, it`s surprising news. You know, Jamie Lynn herself says in the "OK!" interview, "I was really shocked. I was surprised." But you know, they`re all starting to come to terms with it. They`ve, of course, had a head start on us by a couple of weeks. Now, we`ll all come to terms with it, too.
ANDERSON: Right. Exactly. Give us a little bit of time to get over the shock as well. And what did the Spears family say for the reason that they came to you guys? Because I have to say we were a little bit surprised given the meltdown that Britney had last summer shooting a cover story for you guys that turned out to be really ugly when she had a meltdown, walked out. And you guys were brutally honest in the magazine about what happened, as you should have been. But what was their reason for coming to you with this?
HILTON: Well, I think, you know, when you say honesty, you know, that is probably actually what it is. You know, the bottom line is, you know, we would tell the story honestly. And that is what we`ve done here with Jamie Lynn and with Lynn.
You know, I interviewed them both on Monday. I think we`ve - dramatic and shocking as it is, I think we`ve given a pretty impartial and very balanced interview out there so people can hear it from them, and then make their own judgments.
ANDERSON: You know, another question that everybody is asking and really wants to know, did they get paid for this? You know, "TMZ" is reporting that no money exchanged hands now, but that "OK" magazine will be paying Jamie Lynn $1 million for the first baby pictures. What`s the truth? What is going on here, financially?
HILTON: Well, I mean, obviously it`s fabulous to see the "OK!" name out there everywhere on everything. But I never can discuss, you know, what we`re up to editorially. All I can say is that we`re very, very pleased that the trust was there between both sides to get this out.
You know, obviously, it`s not something you can hide ultimately being pregnant, is it? So it was the right time for her to talk about this, and, you know, we believe we`ve handled it sensitively. And, you know, she has had her chance to speak.
ANDERSON: So is money involved with this interview, or with a back-end deal concerning a photo shoot?
HILTON: Again, I mean, all of this is just speculation. You know, we - you know, we work with and have very, very close relationships with many celebrities, the Spears family included. We will continue to work like that.
ANDERSON: OK. So you`re not going to give us any details about that. I understand. You know, Jamie Lynn`s mother described going with her daughter to her three-month checkup. And, you know, she said she could hardly believe it. But when she saw at the checkup - she said, "Well, I guess that`s what it took for me to really believe it." Very quickly, Ruth, did you get a sense that Lynn Spears is still in shock?
HILTON: I think she is. She said to me, "You know, this is my baby." You know, Jamie Lynn is her baby, and now she`s having a baby of her own. Saying that, you know, she backs her all the way. She really, really does.
ANDERSON: Just 16 years old. OK, Ruth Hilton, as always, thanks very much for joining us.
HILTON: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, so many people are just outraged over this. Personally I`m disappointed because I really thought Jamie Lynn would continue to be such a great young role model for so many young fans.
And there are a lot of questions now. Can you even blame Britney or their mom for this? Is Jamie Lynn going to end up a mess just like her big sister? We are covering this shocking story like no other entertainment news show. Our showbiz special report at 30 past the hour. We will also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PANETTIERE: It`s people who fed the flame. People who - who didn`t teach them properly and didn`t teach them love and didn`t teach them how to be smart and how to respect yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere, one of the last Hollywood good girls. I`ve got to ask, with this Jamie Lynn stuff, who can young fans look up to now? A fired up panel is just waiting to tear into this. We`ve got that coming up.
HAMMER: Eva Longoria`s husband, Tony Parker, fired up about startling allegations that is he had an affair. He is speaking out like never before. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Tonight, Eva Longoria`s husband is finally speaking out and absolutely denying he had an affair. A French model claimed she had sex multiple times with the basketball star. In fact, she says they met at Tony and Eva`s wedding.
But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the San Antonio Spurs guard is out with a strongly worded statement. He denies even meeting her. From his lawyer, "Tony adamantly and unconditionally denies ever having laid eyes on this woman, let alone having an affair with her. The allegations of the supposed affair are entirely false and fabricated. We will pursue all legal remedies against those making such false accusations."
The "Desperate Housewives" star has stood by her man, but a lot of people were wondering if the affair rumor had any truth to it because Tony hadn`t come out with a strong denial until now.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, there is no denying that Britney Spears` sister getting pregnant has rocked Hollywood. I`ve got to tell you, I, like so many other people, totally shocked. A bit disappointed in what`s going on. We have a fired up panel. They are just waiting to tear into this, coming up next. Is Jamie Lynn`s career over? Is her mom to blame? Will her hit TV show be canceled? Don`t go anywhere. You don`t want to miss this coming up next.
ANDERSON: A.J., another huge question on everybody`s mind, and I got to tell you, I`m thinking about this, too. We all know what`s happened to Britney, so will this pregnancy permanently put Jamie Lynn on the train wreck express? Is she going to end up a mess like her sister? Let`s hope not. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PANETTIERE: It`s people who fed the flame. People who didn`t teach them properly and didn`t teach them love and didn`t teach them how to be smart and how to respect yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I love her. That is "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere, truly one of the last of the Hollywood good girls. I`ve got to ask, with all this Jamie Lynn stuff going on, who can young fans look up to now? Our showbiz special report coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
You can stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news stories by signing up for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Just go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, click on "newsletter" on the left-hand side of the page. We`ll e-mail it to you everyday.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a Britney Spears baby stunner, but she`s not the one having the kid. It`s her 16-year-old baby sister, Jamie Lynn. Tonight, the controversial question, will Jamie Lynn turn into a train wreck like her sister? Is Britney to blame? Did their mom fail them both? And do young fans even have role models to look up to anymore?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COREY FELDMAN, FORMER CHILD STAR: It seems like something cute and it seems like something fun. And next thing you know, the kid is famous, and all of a sudden it`s like, well, this is now our mainstay. This is now a cash cow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Former child star Corey Feldman there. Tonight, a showbiz special report on Jamie Lynn Spears` pregnancy, and we have got it covered like no other entertainment news show.
(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 coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
A.J., some major shocking news that still has America asking, is this for real? Oh, but it is. Jamie Lynn Spears, the 16-year-old baby sister of Britney Spears and star of Nickelodeon smash hit "Zoey 101," announced she`s in the family way.
Spears says she is 12 weeks pregnant and that the dad is her 18-year- old boyfriend whom she met in church. Her big sister, Britney, apparently was either in denial or didn`t know about her family troubles. She told a caravan of paparazzi that follow her 24/7 that her baby sister wasn`t pregnant.
HAMMER: Which all leads to our showbiz special report, Spears pregnancy shocker. And we are not holding back. We are asking the tough questions tonight. Was her sister, Britney, a bad influence? Has Lynn Spears failed her daughters? There`s so much more to talk about. We have a very fired up coast-to-coast panel. They are ready to go.
Joining me once again tonight from Hollywood investigative journalist Pat Lalama. Also in Hollywood tonight, editorial director of "UsMagazine.com," Ken Baker. In New York tonight court TV anchor Lisa Bloom, and in New York tonight, Court TV anchor, Lisa Bloom. And in Hollywood "Extra" correspondent Carlos Diaz.
All right, gang. We have so much to cover as I said. The big question, though, that`s on everyone`s mind tonight, is Jamie Lynn Spears about to follow in her big sister`s foot steps? Pat Lalama, does Jamie Lynn have a one-way high speed ticket to train wreck town at this point?
LALAMA: You know, A.J., it doesn`t look good, but I think she has a shot. I like the way she speaks. I like how she presents herself. As I mentioned earlier, she`s altruistic in this idea to go back to Louisiana to raise a child which I don`t think it`s realistic. I think from here on out, she can make good decisions. But, darn, she needs a good support system around her. I just don`t see her falling into the same trap with drugs and alcohol like her sister has.
HAMMER: Ken Baker, do you share the optimism of Pat Lalama there?
BAKER: You know, I actually do because Jamie Lynn Spears has a totally different personality. She has different character. And she has been able to see Britney go through all that pain of abuse and rehab and failed marriages and things.
Of course, she`s made a mistake here. She cannot take that away. But she is a different person. Everyone we talk to across the board says that this was obviously an accident. It was a mistake. She`s trying to take responsibility.
You know, personally it is a major, major obstacle for her. But professionally she can come back, and she can have a career. And she can move forward with her life.
HAMMER: Man, I hope you`re right. And, you know, as I have said before, it`s - we can`t stand in judgment of her. Accidents do happen, obviously. Carlos, you, like me, have been covering the Spears family for a long time right now. What do you think?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": I`m usually in agreement with Pat and Ken, but they`re crazy tonight. She`s done. Listen, Jamie Lynn Spears puts the wow in bow chicka wow wow. Let me tell you right now. She has millions of dollars riding on her on "Zoey 101." All she has to do is stay pure and she doesn`t even do that. It`s called a condom, all right?
If you are going to be that irresponsible and have sex, well, maybe you might want to use protection. I`m sorry. But unless Nickelodeon goes way out on a limb here and actually says we`re going to cover this pregnancy and try to be responsible with it, she is finished.
She has learned nothing from her sister, Britney. Not one thing. Do you think for one second, one second, that Jamie Lynn Spears would have a career if she were not Britney Spears` younger sister? No way.
LALAMA: That doesn`t mean she can have a future.
DIAZ: She has no future.
HAMMER: Lisa Bloom, be the voice of reason here.
LISA BLOOM, COURT TV ANCHOR: Let me respond to that, OK? First of all, it takes two to make a baby. We`re all piling on Jamie Lynn as if she spontaneously is gestating on her own. Almost 50 percent of 16-year-old girls in this country are sexually active. When they`re sexually active with older boys, as she was, they`re more likely to not use contraception and have an unintended pregnancy.
It`s a shame that this happened. There`s no question about it. If Nickelodeon tries to fire her, though, that would be unlawful pregnancy discrimination. She`s protected under the law just like Hunter Tylo was when she was fired from "Melrose Place," sued Aaron Spelling and won $5 million. They cannot fire her for being pregnant. Nor should any woman or girl have to choose between keeping her baby and keeping a job in America.
HAMMER: That`s absolutely true. And let us put ourselves in Jamie Lynn`s shoes for just a second and see if we can get a little perspective on what might be going on. I don`t know. Her big sister, this mega superstar around the planet, who really seems to party all the time, does whatever little whimsy pops into her mind, doesn`t appear to take great care of her kids, all the while making mega money and living large as an impressionable young girl. Jamie Lynn probably really looks up to her sister. Pat Lalama, is Britney a bad influence?
LALAMA: No. You know what? In this case - and I`m not a fly on the wall in their family. But I just don`t think she looked at her sister and said, "Oh, yes, baby. I`m going out and get pregnant." I don`t think it was like that. I think this was a mistake. I think she`s taking it like a woman, actually, and I think it shows.
She is far more grounded than her older sister. I don`t think - you know, you ask the question about parenting. Do you blame the parents? I mean, look, this is an error. It`s not the biggest sin in the world. It doesn`t make me happy that we have, you know, another child out of wedlock, but this can be overcome. She didn`t learn this behavior from her older sister who`s got far bigger problems.
HAMMER: Lisa Bloom.
BLOOM: Yes. I mean, I just think it`s unfair. She`s a 16-year-old girl. She`s doing what a lot of 16-year-old girls are doing, and frankly, what a lot of us on this panel, no matter how sanctimonious we are, what we were doing when we were 16 years old. Sometimes people don`t use birth control. Sometimes birth control fails. If she had chosen have an abortion, I think that would have been a responsible choice.
I support her choice to keep the baby because it`s her choice, it`s her body. And all of the people who are piling on her are the same people who are against birth control, who are against the right to choose, who would want her to keep her baby. Well, she`s making the choice to keep her baby, and those people should be supporting her, not attacking her today.
HAMMER: Lisa Bloom, I`m right there with you. Carlos, I just saw you on the monitor, shaking your head.
DIAZ: Come on. I mean, you can`t sit there and say we were all 16. Yes, we were all 16 at one time. We all made mistakes, but we didn`t get paid to be virginal.
BLOOM: Good point.
DIAZ: I mean, "Zoey 101" - They paid her to have an image. The whole reason she`s makes money is because she`s a cute little - Britney`s sister.
BLOOM: So do all the boys at Nickelodeon - are we going to look at al the boys at Nickelodeon and see if they`re having sex or does this just apply to girls?
DIAZ: All you have to do is stay, and she couldn`t even do that.
BAKER: Carlos. Carlos. She is an actress.
BLOOM: How do you know that`s in the contract.
HAMMER: Ken Baker.
BAKER: OK. She`s an actress. She`s not being paid to be virginal. She`s being paid to perform and to play characters.
DIAZ: She`s being - no.
BAKER: Well, you guys remember Jessica Beal, right, when she was a child actress. She was on "Seventh Heaven," a Christian-themed show and everything. She came out and she said, "Look, I don`t like this. I don`t like trying to be the good girl. I`m going to change my career." And she did it.
And Jamie Lynn Spears can certainly transform herself. She made a mistake in her personal life. She can move on. Why are you sort of - why put her up on the cross for this?
LALAMA: A.J., here`s the other thing. I know this is a mistake, and it`s sad. However, I think it`s a lot less egregious than her older sister picking a guy who has put two kids on the planet that knows isn`t going to be a great relationship -
HAMMER: Pat Lalama, I`m with you on that, and you are making a really good point. I`m out of time for this moment, but there`s a lot more to talk about. Here`s something I really want to know, and you guys need to think on this. And I want people watching to think on this.
Should we really be blaming Lynn Spears, the mom, for what happened to her two daughters? You got one pregnant teen. You got the other out of control train wreck. I want our fired up panel to stick around. We`re going to throw that controversial question right out to them in just a minute. You won`t want to miss that.
ANDERSON: And, A.J., to say that the Nickelodeon channel has a mess on its hands is an understatement. Jamie Lynn is the star of one of its biggest shows, and an idol and role model to millions of tweens and young teens. And she`s expecting a baby at 16 years old. We`ll be asking, can Jamie Lynn`s show and career be saved? Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Now, we match. Yay!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I saw this whole thing earlier. I can guarantee you are going to laugh your head off when you see this. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT bringing you a first look at a movie that`s already getting incredible buzz. Are you ready to "Meet the Spartans?" Be the first on your block to say, "I saw it first on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." It`s coming up.
Tired of celebs stealing the spotlight? Well, we want to hear from you. So send your opinions on videos to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight for details and watch. You could see your video e- mail on the most provocative entertainment news show on television, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, every night at 11:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HEADLINE NEWS PRIME.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. SPEARS: I`ll round up my best side girls and you round up your best side guys and we`ll see who is better at baskets.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD ACTOR: Are you serious?
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD ACTRESS: Zoey.
J. SPEARS: I`m serious.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD ACTOR: Fine.
J. SPEARS: Good.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD ACTOR: Friday?
J. SPEARS: Why not?
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD ACTOR: You`re on.
J. SPEARS: See you here.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD ACTOR: Want to make out?
J. SPEARS: No!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s Britney Spears` kid sister, Jamie Lynn, who stars in the hit Nickelodeon show, "Zoey 101." And as we now know, she did more than just make out.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Our showbiz special report, Spears pregnancy shocker, continues now. So what exactly is this big pregnancy news going to do to Jamie Lynn`s career at Nickelodeon? Will the teen icon continue to be a role model, or a lesson in what not to do?
So let`s bring back our fired up coast-to-coast panel. Joining me tonight in Hollywood investigative journalist Pat Lalama. Also in Hollywood editorial director of "UsMagazine.com," Ken Baker. In New York, Court TV anchor Lisa Bloom, and here in Hollywood as well, "Extra" correspondent, Carlos Diaz.
OK, guys. As we know, Jamie Lynn is a major teenage icon with a hit show on squeaky clean Nickelodeon. The show is called "Zoey 101." Young girls everywhere look up to her. Ken, we`re hearing from Nickelodeon that they are going to finish airing season three and then also season four, which they`ve already filmed. But why didn`t they just pull it offer the air immediately?
BAKER: Well, I think what`s clear here is that they have a very solid following. And I think that even at 16, I mean, the audience - there`s younger viewers. But the tween audience and teen audience, they understand the distinction between someone`s personal life and someone professionally what they`re doing.
And, by the way, she`s not really showing. She`s three months along. The season is going to start very soon. I think that those images of her being pregnant out there in the magazines and on TV shows is not going to really conflict with what`s on the show for a very long time. So it seems like it`s a safe thing to do.
ANDERSON: OK. Well, as I said, you know, they`ve already taped the fourth season as well. And, you know, Nickelodeon has spent a boatload of money on this show and on this young star. Carlos Diaz, how mad must Nickelodeon be right now?
DIAZ: All I can tell you is I went there I think in September to do an interview. And there was a list of restrictions of what I could and could not ask her, like a mile long. And I`m sorry, but you guys are wrong. They are freaking out right now. They`re not going to try - it`s Nickelodeon. You know, they`re not going to try to cover this up. It`s either they`re going to deal with it or dump her. There`s not going to be kind of a middle ground where they try to hide the pregnancy.
Either they`re going to do something that`s never been done before and show a 16-year-old dealing with a pregnancy that was not planned. Or they`re going to get rid of her because it`s all about the image of Nickelodeon and the squeaky clean image that they`re trying to maintain.
LALAMA: Brooke, I`ve got a suggestion that might solve the problem. Because, you know, like Lisa said, you can`t fire her for being pregnant. However, they do have an image that they maintain. You can`t deny that. There`s a specific image that Nickelodeon likes to exude.
Why not do a responsible series about teen pregnancy and use Jamie Lynn -
DIAZ: I agree.
LALAMA: and make it intelligent? How about that?
ANDERSON: After school special -
LALAMA: I want 10 percent if they do it.
ANDERSON: Motivate parents to sit down with their children. Something like that. All right. Good idea.
LALAMA: Yes.
ANDERSON: Why not?
DIAZ: And show how tough it can be.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Yes, exactly. It`s a challenge, and, you know, you can`t take this sort of responsibility lightly. And Lisa Bloom, I want to say that there`s so few young starlets out there who are good, solid role models for young girls. You are a mother. How do you break this kind of news to your kids, or how do you sit down and have that discussion?
BLOOM: Well, I reject the entire premise here that there`s something shameful or horrendous about what she`s done. Because if that`s true, that applies to about half of the 16-year-olds in this country. Was she having unprotected sex? We don`t know. Did birth control fail? We don`t know.
I talk to my kids about birth control. I give them all of the information. You know, Jamie Lynn comes from Louisiana, a state that gives abstinence education primarily. They don`t get educated about birth control, which I think all teens should get.
But you know, to say - this is not the Taliban. To say that a 16- year-old girl got pregnant and her life is over and she`s ruined and she`s a terrible role model, I just reject that premise. I think that`s a shame that in 2007, we`re still trying to humiliate her for something like that.
DIAZ: Then talk to me in six months, or talk to me in a year. Talk to me in two years and see if she has a career. I`m not saying she shouldn`t have a career. I`m just saying that the game that she`s played the last few years is a squeaky clean game, and now that game is over. And if she had established herself in more mature roles, maybe she`s got a shot, but her image right now -
BLOOM: And what I`m saying is that if they fire her, they are looking at a multimillion-dollar lawsuit because it`s illegal for Nickelodeon to fire somebody because they`re pregnant. It`s illegal for anybody else to do that in America.
LALAMA: Why can`t she still have a career? Why does it have to be as a squeaky cleaner? I mean, yes, that may be over, but she`s going to get older. She`s going to be a mother. She still has talent. Why can`t she still have a role in television, Carlos?
ANDERSON: Maybe change her image going forward.
DIAZ: Pat, really -
ANDERSON: If she does want to pursue acting, maybe she can do that. But you guys - I do want to get to this. The publisher - let me step in for one second. The publisher of the book that Jamie Lynn`s mother was writing about raising two celebrity daughters. The publisher has put that on ice and indefinitely postponed the release. Pat, is Lynn Spears to blame here for the troubles her daughters are having?
LALAMA: Any of us who have had a hand in raising children, whether you gave birth or have step kids and love them, you can`t take the blame for everything. There`s a lot of external forces that you just can`t control in this world, and it`s sad but true. You can`t have complete control over everything your children do.
However, I will make - go out on a limb and make the blanket statement that for this woman to be writing books about parenting is contradictory to me. I think she probably - you know, role models are important. I think both she and her husband were probably somewhat to blame. But, again, like Lisa says, this isn`t the greatest sin in the world. It`s unfortunate, but it`s not like she`s out shooting heroin or smoking crack.
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: She didn`t even commit a crime, as her boyfriend very well may have, by the way. As we`ve said, everybody does make mistakes. Ken, I want to get your perspective because you are a parent as well. Do you think Lynn Spears is to blame here? Because she is receiving a lot of credited simple right now.
BAKER: Well, I think that blame is a really harsh word to throw around. Like I said before, it`s a responsibility. She has a responsibility for sure. But you know, a fairer criticism is that Lynn Spears apparently has gotten her daughter paid to give this interview to "OK!" magazine and to do photos and all this kind of stuff. I think a good question to raise is, why is she doing that? Like, is that the right thing to do?
LALAMA: Good point.
BAKER: I think that she could have just come out with it with a statement, but she`s monetizing her pregnancy.
DIAZ: She`s doing it because they owe "OK!" magazine from when Britney went and had that incredibly bad photo shoot earlier this year.
ANDERSON: It is all a fair question - it`s a fair question raise.
BLOOM: A very positive interview, though. Jamie looks good.
ANDERSON: We do have to end it there. Sorry, guys. Pat Lalama, Ken Baker, Lisa Bloom and Carlos Diaz, thank you all.
LALAMA: Thanks.
HAMMER: Well, we`re asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Jamie Lynn Spears pregnant: Are you shocked?" Let us know what you think at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also e-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com from your laptop, or your desktop or Blackberry, or your cellphone. Just tell us what`s on your mind.
ANDERSON: Big sis Britney is back on the big screen. Sort of. That`s right. But let me tell you, it`s not "Crossroads," thank goodness. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your very first look at the new movie that has Britney buzzing, and on the edge. Stay with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`re coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight, we have yet more news to break. Britney makes an appearance in a new movie and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look.
Now, this new movie takes place in ancient Greece and 300 brave Greeks are battling the Persian army made up of hundreds of thousands. Now, wait a second. I`ve heard about this before. Who am I kidding? The people behind "Scary Movie" and "Date Movie" are at it again. This time they`re spoofing "300." Britney, no, not that Britney, is the biggest buzz. Here`s your first look at "Meet the Spartans."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: This is Sparta! Spartans, we vow to stomp the yard.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You got served.
VOICE OVER: Get ready -
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Yes. Now we match. Yay!
VOICE OVER: With the next big epic comedy.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Please.
VOICE OVER: Meet the Spartans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: We`re told that Lindsay Lohan makes an appearance in this, too. I think. "Meet the Spartans" in theaters sometime in 2008.
OK. Tuesday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this, "Stars out in public: Should the paparazzi leave them alone?" Eighty-six of you say yes. Only 14 percent of you say no.
Here`s some of the e-mails that we received. Rob from Texas writes, "That is the price of fame. The actors chose to make multimillions of dollars and to be in the public eye. They should stop whining. Others are less fortunate and would gladly trade with them."
And Aaron from Washington State writes, "I applaud Julia for being a momma bear and standing up to those rats! I mean, haven`t we learned anything from Diana?"
HAMMER: Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next. Keep it here. Take care, everyone.
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