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Showbiz Tonight
Britney Rushed to Hospital Again; George Clooney Named an Ambassador for Peace; Brad and Angelina Trespass Scare
Aired January 31, 2008 - 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: An Anna Nicole Smith shocker. Why Howard K. Stern reportedly took pictures of her son`s dead body. And the startling trespass scare for Brad Pitt. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, breaking Britney Spears` news. Britney rushed back to the hospital again. Tonight, the big burning Britney questions - is her life in danger? Has she been mentally ill for a long time?
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any word or any news on Britney?
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HAMMER: Plus, the nasty fight over just who should control her treatment, even her money. Tonight, Britney Spears in crisis. And we`ve got this covered like no other entertainment news show.
The Heath video drama. Tonight, the outrage over the plan by "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" to air a video of Heath Ledger at an apparent drug party and the startling and sudden about face. Plus, new Heath Ledger questions. How did he keep his reported hard party life style so secret for so long? And is his alleged drug use even relevant to his death? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the burning Heath Ledger questions.
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Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City, where the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff has been working around the clock covering Britney Spears` newest and perhaps biggest crisis yet. Britney Spears is back in the hospital tonight, her mental state being questioned. Her parents in a nasty behind the scenes battle regain control of her from her manager. And doctors doing everything possible to save Britney Spears from herself.
Britney was rushed to the hospital late Wednesday night and tonight we are sorting out the facts bringing you the dramatic video and covering the story like no other entertainment news show.
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It only took an army of motorcycle cops, some internal drama and a bizarre week of acting out in the streets of L.A. But Britney Spears is right now where many people say she needs to be, in a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation once again.
KATIE DARYL, "TMZ.TV": It`s finally one of those moments where you go, thank you. At last. It was time. It was time for Britney to get help.
HAMMER: It`s Britney`s second police-assisted hospital trip in a month after a dangerous decline that forced those closest to her to act. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has all the inside details like no other entertainment news show. Did Britney go willingly? What kind of help is she getting? And who`s fighting for the right to decide what`s best for the troubled pop star?
DARYL: There seems to be a battle over Britney.
HAMMER: It almost looked like a presidential motorcade as we see in this TMZ video. A line of police motorcycles and an ambulance pulled up into Britney`s gated community high atop the Hollywood hills for one purpose - to take Britney away.
DARYL: We`re being told that obviously it was the psychiatrist who finally said, you know what? Tonight`s the night. We do think that Britney is a danger to herself.
HAMMER: "TMZ TV`s" Katie Daryl tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the decision was made by a psychiatrist who has been enlisted by, of all people, Britney`s own attorneys.
DARYL: The psychiatrist has been coming to her house, treating her for bipolar disorder. People were saying that when she`s on the medication, she`s sweet. She`s lovely. She`s her old self. But that sometimes Britney then would feel that she was OK. She was cured. She felt good again and would taking the medications.
HAMMER: And things were getting worse. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has brought you every detail of Britney`s bizarre and sometimes dangerous recent behavior. Her erratic driving, a tearful meltdown at the paparazzi.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: I love your hat.
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: Would you please go away?
HAMMER: Plus, multiple reports say that before her hospitalization, Britney hadn`t slept in days. It was all enough to make Britney`s shrink say enough is enough.
DARYL: The psychiatrist went to Britney`s home and just saw that Britney wasn`t in the right state.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes you back to earlier in January when police last showed up at Britney`s house to take her to the hospital for observation. She literally went kicking and screaming as you can see in this video. But this time was much different.
DARYL: It was much calmer. It was calm, cool, collected.
HAMMER: When Britney found out all those cops who were coming to take her to the hospital, Britney who never fails to surprise, reportedly did the most shocking thing of all. She went willingly.
DARYL: It`s nice that Britney maybe agreed to this and saw that it was time. It was time for Britney to get help.
HAMMER: As we see in this video from "Hollywood.tv," police escorted the ambulance that carried Britney away from her home and to the UCLA medical center for a 72-hour stay.
DARYL: Now, this time, she is not forced to take medication. She can refuse this. At that point, the psychiatrists go to the court and try and get a court order to say we need additional time with this patient up to 14 days. And then they can start administering drugs without her permission.
HAMMER: This TMZ video shows Britney`s mother Lynn arriving at the hospital where she had little to say to the paparazzi.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is she OK, Lynn?
LYNN SPEARS, BRITNEY SPEARS` MOTHER: Yes.
HAMMER: Britney`s father Jamie showed up, too, as did so-called manager, Sam Lutfi. And now that Britney is hospitalized, "TMZ TV`s" Katie Daryl tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the parents are battling Lutfi for the right to make decisions about Britney`s well being.
DARYL: Her family, Jamie Spears and Lynn Spears don`t seem to really care for this Sam character that much. There`s question out right now of did Britney ever sign over the right of power of attorney to Sam. And if so - if that`s the case, things will go to court.
HAMMER: But it may turn out that Britney`s decision to go to the hospital willingly may be the best decision anyone has made for her in a long time.
DARYL: Britney seems to realize it is time and that she does need help and seems she`s admitting this. And as everyone knows with most situations, admitting you have a problem is the first step.
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HAMMER: Well, I`ve considered myself an optimist but is it too much to hope we are finally seeing Britney getting the help she so desperately needs. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s coverage of Britney in crisis continues now.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, CNN entertainment correspondent Kareen Wynter who has been covering the story since it broke early this morning. Also in Hollywood tonight, entertainment journalist Ken Baker.
As we just mentioned, this is Britney`s second trip to a psychiatric hospital this month. What a difference a few weeks make. Can we put the shot up, Bret? If you take a look at this, on the left-hand side, we have the chaotic scene during Britney`s first trip to the hospital. On the right hand side is a whole different thing. That was the scene early this morning, a very controlled police motorcade. Kareen like I said, you`ve been covering this, a real dramatic difference. It really seems as though this was much more planned out than last time.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: It was definitely more planned out, A.J. And you know what? You can keep showing that video this morning of the calm scene, organized. Still a bit chaotic but organized chaos, so to speak. Because I was just absolutely disgusted back in January when you saw all the paparazzi and other photographers right up on her. Give this woman a break. Give her the space she needs.
I`m so happy if it`s indeed true what TMZ is reporting that a psychiatrist had to stage an intervention working with local law enforcement saying it has to be different this time around. If that`s indeed the case - what happened, you know, more power to him. Good job for pulling this off. It was great seeing the paparazzi just sitting out there and hanging out at the edge of the curb. Britney needs help. And if it`s going to happen, the paparazzi, all the attention, they have to be at bay to allow her to get the help she needs.
HAMMER: Yes. Clearly a lesson learned. And I have a feeling Dr. Phil will even be staying home this time. And just like last time, Britney is under the so-called 5150 hold. Now, she`s supposed to stay in the hospital under this thing for at least 72 hours. But as we know, last time, she bolted after, you know, just a little while. Ken, what makes us think that things are going to be different this time around?
KEN BAKER, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Well, I think that Britney learned that her getting out early didn`t do her much good. So I would expect that she`s in at least minimum the 72 hours. Because, look. It has been explained to her reportedly that she has to do this in order for her to see her kids again.
Now, just on Monday, she was allowed to speak to her kids. And what`s interesting about that is that that`s been lost in all of the news this week of her running around, buying a new car. Freaking out, crying. What`s been lost is she`s been able to speak to her kids on a regular basis per a court order on Monday and was right after that, that she unraveled. So I think those two things have to be connected in some way. But this is the step that she had to take if she`s ever going to regain some kind of visitation, let alone custody of her two sons.
HAMMER: Yes. And I think having the opportunity to be able to speak with her kids has to play a part in this. So she went to the hospital with a lot more calmness this time around and another big change apparently is how Britney is behaving inside the hospital. "People" magazine reporting she is acting much more comfortable. She`s even apparently joking around. Kareen, why do you think the possible change of attitude here? Perhaps, as Ken says, Britney finally realizes it is time to get some serious help.
WYNTER: Ken, I`m right there with you. I couldn`t agree more. What else do you have if you don`t have your children? And perhaps the fact she heard their voices for the first time after weeks. Remember, she has not seen her children in such a long time since the visitation rights have been stripped.
People are telling her what to do. The commissioner is telling her what to do. The manager is telling her what to do. Her parents and something probably went off in this troubled young woman that clicked and said, "You know what? I have hit rock bottom. I`ve got to get my life together." And let`s hope this is the path that`s going to get her where she needs to go.
HAMMER: Well, there is something going on that can`t be a helpful situation. As we also just heard, there`s this bitter battle going on between Britney`s manager, Sam Lutfi, and her parents over who actually controls Britney. Ken, I don`t know what you`re thinking, but to me, a lose-lose situation here.
BAKER: Well, the family`s argument appears to be, this is a family matter. Mom and dad are going to take over, whereas Sam is saying, "Look, I`m the one who engineered this. I`m the one who`s been the point person with the attorneys talking to them, making sure that she was showing up on time and getting her to see a psychiatrist in the first place.
You know, the last thing that Britney needs is some sort of power struggle here. And don`t forget, Adnan Ghalib, the paparazzo was involved with this. He was in the car with Lynn Spears following the ambulance to the hospital last night. So there`s a lot of players involved in this drama.
HAMMER: People need to be sure to particularly keep their own egos at bay and look out for Britney`s best interest here. Kareen, Ken, don`t go anywhere. Coming up, so many questions going on, including this very, very big one: is Britney`s life actually in danger? And what about this nasty fight over who should control her treatment? We have more to talk about that because remember her fortune is involved here, as well.
Also, what is the real story behind Britney`s mental health? Has she actually been suffering for a while now? You know, we`re all hoping that she`s just able to get the help she needs this time around. It`s our continuing coverage of Britney in crisis. That is coming up.
HAMMER: And here`s something that got me so mad. Now, I don`t think I`ve gone after another entertainment news show before, but what "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" did, totally out of line. Tonight the outrage over their plans to air a video of Heath Ledger at an apparent drug party. We are all fired up about that. You will hear from us on that, next.
And George Clooney gets elected. Yes, you heard me right. I like George, down to earth guy; does a lot of good. Tonight, well he just got picked for a big, big job where he can really make a difference. We`ll tell you all about that, coming up.
And you can make a big difference as well. As you know, we`re just a couple of days away from Super Tuesday, the biggest day of the presidential primary season. But we also want you to get ready for the other Super Tuesday. It is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s very important "Superstar Tuesday."
Now, we are asking you to vote online with a different question about Hollywood`s biggest stars every day. We will reveal and debate the results on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Again, next Tuesday, February 5th, our "Superstar Tuesday."
Here is what we like you to sound off on right now - Who is more likely to have a successful comeback? Whitney Houston or Britney Spears? Give it some thought and cast your vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. The polls - they are open right now. And remember, the results revealed on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Superstar Tuesday" next Tuesday, February 5th.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer. There is big breaking Britney Spears news tonight. She`s back in the hospital once again. Serious and disturbing questions about her mental health. We will get right back to our continuing coverage in just a bit.
But first, tonight, absolute outrage over a controversial video of Heath Ledger. "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" heavily promoted a video of Ledger at a Hollywood party where drugs were allegedly being used. And in an unprecedented and extraordinary move, a major Hollywood publicity firm that represents Ledger sent out a press release which happened to contain the phone numbers and E-mail addresses of senior executives of both shows and the press release totally slammed them.
"ET" and "The Insider" did plan to air the video tonight, but they backed off right after, and they decided to pull it from their shows. But what were they thinking?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist. And in New York tonight, Maggie Gallant, founder of Spotlight Communications. Jane, Maggie, I`m still trying to wrap my head around this one. A lot of people that can`t fathom how "ET" and "The Insider" would ever consider doing this before Heath has even been buried. Jane, let me start with you. Is there anything that could have justified this?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Well, I certainly don`t want to justify it, A.J., but the reasoning goes, hey, this is the business we`re in. Celebrity gossip. Somebody comes to us with a salacious video. If we don`t run it, they go to competition and somebody out there will undoubtedly run it at sometime. That being said, I think it was a wonderful decision for them to pull the video because it really encourages people to jump to unwarranted conclusions about Heath Ledger.
Whereas he was at the Chateau Marmont which is where Jim Belushi overdosed, whereas he was at a drug parting and talking about past drug experimentation. Wherefore he must be a drug addict. And that`s absolutely not the case. A lot of people, even a presidential candidate, have spoken about past drug experimentation. That doesn`t mean they`re addicts doing drugs now. The only thing that counts is what was he doing at the time of his death? We will not know that until the toxicology results are in.
HAMMER: But as far as the video, Jane, and as you point out, it is good thing they pulled it. I don`t think they arrived at that decision on their own, quite frankly. This press release came out. They printed the phone numbers, as I said, of the show`s executive producers. Maggie, you have worked in the publicity business for a long time. Have you ever seen anything like this before, or does it also just show how outraged people were at the highest levels over this in Hollywood?
MAGGIE GALLANT, FOUNDER, SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS: I think it`s very indicative of time we are in, A.J. We`re at a time now where people are taking videos with cell phones. I mean, Hollywood publicists really need to protect their clients and their hands are really tied and this was a press release that issued out of full desperation. These publicists had a personal relationship with their client who, as you said, hasn`t even been buried yet.
And I would argue, Jane, that this isn`t salacious gossip. This was two years ago. This is just mean. And I think that they did a great job by rallying the Hollywood community. Because what you do as a news organization when you allow something like this to go on the air waves, you are jeopardizing the relationships with not only that agency`s full roster of celebrity clients, but other stars out there that say, you know what? I would never want that to happen to me. I won`t participate in upcoming interviews. So you have to be really careful and look at long term how does it help your show. If not, pull the plug like they did.
HAMMER: Yes. Big difference between covering a story and doing something like this which I don`t see anything but salacious. Now, just hours before the press release issued, slamming "ET" and "The Insider," "ET" and "The Insider" were heavily promoting the fact that the video was going to be on the show. This was last night. They were saying this thing was coming up.
Suddenly, they released their own statement. Here`s what that said, quote, "Out of respect for Heath Ledger`s family, `Entertainment Tonight` and `The Insider` have decided not to run the Heath Ledger video which has been circulating in the world media."
Jane, you`ve got to help me out. Could they possibly have done this out of respect or out of embarrassment and the threat of losing potential interview opportunities with other celebrities?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: No. It`s a business decision. They paid approximately $200,000 for this tape, according to published reports. They have to lose that because it`s going to cost them more in the long run if they poison all these relationships with these other famous stars. So obviously, it`s a business decision.
One of the reasons why this is so hurtful is that Heath Ledger was a man who comported himself in public in a very responsible way. And was a tremendous actor who had incredible roles like "Brokeback Mountain" which actually caused a cultural shift. and not an Amy Winehouse or an Anna Nicole Smith that you can just, you know, talk about -
HAMMER: Whole different thing, Jane. I am sorry. I`m out of time. But I don`t want you to go anywhere. Maggie Gallant, I need for you to stay exactly where you are, because we have a lot more to talk about. There are all these reports of Heath`s alleged drug use, but are they even relevant? There`s no word that illegal drugs have anything to do with his death.
And here`s something I`m totally shocked by. We`re hearing all this stuff about Heath being a big party guy, reportedly hanging out with Lindsay Lohan and Mary-Kate Olsen. How was he able to keep his wild ways so quiet? This shocking new questions answered. Coming up.
And tonight, Britney Spears rushed back to the hospital. Is her life in danger? Has she been mentally ill for sometime now? Plus, the nasty fight over just who should control her treatment and her money, of course. You know, I hope they can get her the help she needs this time around. Our continuing coverage of Britney in crisis on the way.
And I want you to listen to this disturbing Anna Nicole Smith shocker. Someone claims Howard K. Stern actually took pictures of her son`s Daniel`s body after he died. You won`t believe why. That`s coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time by downloading our podcast which is totally free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, also download it on iTunes. Type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box.
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HAMMER: Breaking Britney Spears` news. Tonight she is back in the hospital being held for mental evaluation. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing coverage of Britney`s health crisis next.
But first, here`s three big stories happening in Hollywood right now. A startling development in the official inquest into the death of Anna Nicole Smith` son Daniel. The guy fighting Howard K. Stern over ownership of the Bahama`s mansion where he and Anna Nicole Smith lived before she died says Howard took pictures of Daniel`s dead body. G. Ben Thompson testified that Stern said the photos might be worth something some day. Stern`s people say Thompson is lying in retaliation for the fight for the million-dollar mansion.
A man claiming to be a freelance reporter was arrested for trespassing outside of Brad Pitt`s house in Los Angeles. Housekeepers called the cops. When the guy got out of his car, he was allegedly blocking Brad`s driveway and said which house is Brad`s? Neither Brad nor Angelina were home at the time. No word yet if the housekeeper will be pressing chargers.
George Clooney`s got a new job. He stopped by the United Nations in New York on Thursday for a ceremony marking his appointment as a U.N. messenger of peace. He`s just back from Sudan again. George has been doing great work. He`s been very outspoken about ending the devastating war over there. Nice going, George.
Well, it has been a devastating few months for Britney Spears. Her career tanking. Losing her kids. Tonight, she`s rushed back to the hospital and held for mental evaluation. Could her life actually be in danger? And what about the nasty fight that`s going on right now over who`s going to control her treatment and her fortune? Our continuing coverage of Britney Spears in crisis, coming up.
Also tonight, there is outrage over plans to air a video showing Heath Ledger at an alleged drug party. I`ve got to tell you, a lot of people are saying "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" were so wrong and so over the line about this. But is all of this talk about Heath and drugs really even relevant? I mean there`s no real indication that anything illegal actually killed him. I`ve got a very fired up group on this, coming up.
But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Head to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on "sign up for newsletter," and we will send it to you every day.
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HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, burning questions about Britney Spears after her second trip to the hospital in a month. Is Britney`s life in danger? Who`s in control here? Her manager or her parents? And what`s the real story behind Britney`s illness? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets to the bottom of Britney`s dramatic mental health crisis.
Also, so many unanswered questions remain about the death of Heath Ledger and his reported drug use. A stunning about face by "Entertainment Tonight." Under pressure, they decide not to air a two-year-old video of Heath at a party where drugs are allegedly being used. What was behind that decision and are reports about drugs even relevant? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tackles the burning questions in the mysterious death of Heath Ledger.
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Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. And I want to get you up to date on the very latest in Britney Spears` developments tonight. Britney Spears was taken to the hospital by ambulance and police escort early on Thursday. Now, this is her second hospitalization this month.
"People" magazine is reporting that Britney has been seeing a psychiatrist every day but hasn`t slept since Saturday. She is expected to be in the hospital for at least 72 hours. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s coverage of Britney in crisis continues now with the burning questions tonight. Britney is clearly troubled but is it so serious that her life could actually be in danger? And what`s the real story behind the battle between Britney`s parents and her manager to control what`s going on here? And what is the real story behind Britney`s apparent mental illness?
Joining us tonight, our fired up coast to coast panel of experts. In New York, we have Maggie Gallant, the founder of Spotlight Communications. Also in New York tonight, clinical psychologist, Dr. Judy Kuriansky. Joining us from Hollywood, entertainment journalist Ken Baker; investigative journalist and author of this book, "Secrets Can Be Murder," Jane Velez-Mitchell and CNN entertainment correspondent Kareen Wynter who has been up all night covering this story since it broke.
Gang, let`s get to it. It appears Britney`s family and friends hatched this whole plan to get Britney back into the hospital. It came down in a much more organized fashion this time around than last time around. Ken Baker, do you think it was because it had reached the point where they really felt Britney`s life was in danger?
BAKER: I think there was a real danger at the moment. On Tuesday night, Britney went out and bought a new black Mercedes convertible and was driving on a narrow road and was on a cliff side. And she became really scared and panicked because she didn`t know how to - she was afraid she was going to drive off the cliff. She had to have one of the photographers get in the car and drive the car up away from the ledge.
I think that was very scary, OK? You know, there`s a lot of history of car accidents with accidental deaths with celebrities. To me, that was scary and I think that had to play into everything that went down last night. On top of that, it was just a week of unraveling, OK? We had Britney going on - reportedly 120 miles an hour freeway chase with the paparazzi and her boyfriend. So things were really escalating. I think things were bad for a long time but, yes, the last couple of days were just extremely chaotic.
HAMMER: Yes. Hearing all that you`re saying, it is so nice to hear that she is in a safe place right now. Dr. Judy, clinical psychologist, from what you`ve seen, had Britney really reached a life-threatening breaking point?
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: I would have to say so, A.J. And as Ken just described, the driving accidents are one sign that something drastic could happen. There is - when you are in a manic state, like we`re suspecting that she is in, there is a lack of judgment that leads to accidental - driving accidents or overdoses.
And even, if she just happens to swing into a depressive state, which a bipolar disorder can really lead to, there can even be a purposeful attempt at ending her life. So I would say it`s very serious unless she gets long-term treatment now. Not this in-and-out business from before and the proper kind of anti-psychotic medication.
HAMMER: Well, all of that sounds very productive. What seems to me to be so anti-productive is the fact that there`s this apparent battle raging between Britney`s manager and Sam Lutfi - I mean, Britney`s manager is Sam Lutfi, also her friend. And her parents - they seem to be clashing right now with various reports saying that Britney`s parents are in charge of her medical treatment. Others reports saying Britney`s manager, Sam Lutfi, is in charge and Britney`s mom wants to take her back to Louisiana. Kareen, you`ve been out there covering this. Help us sort it all out.
WYNTER: Gosh, I`m going to try because that`s a whole other level of the drama, A.J., as if this young lady needs more drama in the life. Who knows what`s going on between the Spears and Sam character? What I can tell you is that her manager/friend - he is in the picture quite a bit when she has hearings at the courthouse, the ones she does show up for. Who`s right there next to her? Sam. If she is going out, whether to the shopping mall or to get Starbucks, Sam is right there protecting her. And so that really, really speaks volumes.
You see Lynn Spears and daddy Spears into the picture when things escalate. They become so serious as the way they are right now, and that`s very, very telling. Could it be that Britney Spears wants to have nothing to do with her parents, the fact they may not even understand what`s going on?
And also, we don`t know the history behind Sam besides the fact that he claims that he is her manager. What could be going on in that? And it`s really, really unclear. But, again, he`s very instrumental in her life.
HAMMER: Yes. He`s right there all the time but, of course, through all of the talk of Sam, a lot of people see him as being opportunistic. A lot of people have also said that about her parents which, as you point out, the relationship between Britney and her folks has been anything but terrific. Jane Velez-Mitchell, what do you think? Who should be making the decisions here?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The doctor, A.J. I don`t think Sam or the parents should be making the decisions. Sam has been there for a lot of her bad behaviors and he may very well be an enabler. Mom and dad are a day late and a dollar short. They should have been there months ago when her chaos first began erupting. The doctors really need to call the shots here.
It`s becoming increasingly apparent, as Dr. Judy mentioned, that she`s suffering from bipolar. The old-fashioned term for that is manic- depressive. Wild highs, manic highs, then deep, depressive lows. And the only real cure for that is long-term treatment and medication.
As we`ve heard quite often when she`s taking the medication, she feels better as mentally ill people often do. They stop taking their medication as soon as it starts to work. So if she`s let out too early and stops taking her medication and then doesn`t go to therapy, this could be a life or death situation. She needs to stay there with the doctors 24/7 for a long period of time.
HAMMER: Maggie, I want to go to you because you`ve worked around celebrity culture for a long time now. And when you are a big celebrity, it really isn`t so cut and dry when it comes to who makes decisions and who should be making decisions, is it?
GALLANT: No. It`s true, A.J. As a celebrity, one of the most important decisions you can make when you decide to make that jump into Hollywood are who the people that you`re going to allow into your camp. Who`s going to be your manager? Who`s going to be your publicist? Who are the people that are going to help you navigate your way through not only the next business project, but also through the enormous and the enormity of fame itself?
And the problem here is that Britney hasn`t chosen the best people around her, whether it be a manager or somebody who`s handling the press on her behalf, not courting paparazzi like she clearly doesn`t need. She needs to surround herself with the best people. And right now, Jane Velez- Mitchell is right that the doctor needs to be making the choices. This is not a personal or a family issue. This is all about Britney and what Britney needs and only the doctor can know. Not a manager. Not parents. It`s Britney now.
HAMMER: And Maggie, a lot of the behavior you speak of could have everything to do with the apparent mental illness that may be at play here. That has been the subject of so much discussion. And one of the burning questions in the whole thing is whether or not Britney actually suffers from bipolar disease. Dr. Judy, again, let me go to you as a clinical psychologist, is this something that Britney perhaps could have been suffering from for years now?
KURIANSKY: Well, in fact, A.J., there are children who have these mood disorders and swings. It often does show up in your late teens and 20`s. But by the way, there are people who are watching now where manic depression and bipolar disorder, as it`s now called, can happen when you`re 40, when you`re 50, when you`re 60, at any age.
For Britney if she has it, indeed, then this has been her time in this right time. She must have the proper medication. Lithium is a medication given for this, often added with an anti-convulsive called Depakote.
As Jane was saying, the most important thing is that you have to have a patient who`s compliant. And there has been some suggestion that Britney`s gotten some proper medication before. But if you`re not taking it, it`s not going to do any good. And when you`re in a manic phase, you`re having a great time. People don`t want to come down from that high, so Britney has got to stick with it. It`s not just the shrink who`s going to do it. Britney`s got to do it.
HAMMER: And as we reported, it seems as though there is perhaps a greater deal of cooperation taking place in the hospital. Ken Baker, Jane Velez- Mitchell, Kareen Wynter, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Maggie Gallant, stay right where you are. We have another big story that we`ve just got to get to tonight - burning questions about the death of Heath Ledger. We have a lot to go.
"Entertainment Tonight" did a stunning about face. They are not going to be running a video from two years ago where Heath is at a party where drugs are allegedly being used. And that withdrawal of the video after pressure from Hollywood publicists. A lot of questions to talk about tonight.
First, are the reports of Heath alleged drug use even relevant? And is there any way that "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" can even justify running the video? Also, how was his alleged drug use kept a secret for so long? We are getting all of those burning questions on to our discussion panel, coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight, more than a week after Heath Ledger`s death, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there are still big burning questions about his death.
Are reports that Heath`s alleged drug use in the past really relevant right now? And if he was using drugs for so long, how in the world was it kept so under wraps? And what was "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" thinking when they planned to show a video of Heath at a suspected drug party two years ago? Something that has really backfired on them big time.
Back with us again tonight from Hollywood, entertainment journalist Ken Baker, investigative journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, CNN entertainment correspondent Kareen Wynter and here in New York, the founder of Spotlight Communications, Maggie Gallant.
There have been some shocking revelations, gang, in the past day about Heath`s life and his mental state in the months and days that were leading up to his death, including a lot of talk about possible drug use. Now, we`re not going to know until at least Tuesday how he died. But Jane, is talk of past drug use even relevant here?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I don`t think it is, A.J., in the sense that I don`t think the media should be speculating and encouraging other people to speculate. You know, the first rule of journalism is never assume. So much has been made of the fact that they found six different prescription drugs inside Heath Ledger`s apartment when he turned up dead.
But if you think about it, you go through anybody`s home, you might find six different prescription pills throughout the apartment. Some of them are old. Some of them may have been from years ago. So we really - the devil`s in the details and until we know what the toxicology results are, which we won`t know until at least Tuesday, all we can do is guess.
And when you guess at the expense of somebody`s reputation, especially when they`re upstanding actor like Heath Ledger, the potential for doing a lot of damage to his reputation that`s irreparable is very great. And I think we should just err on the side of caution.
HAMMER: I agree, absolutely employ as much sensitivity as possible. Ken Baker, let me toss the same question out to you. Is it something that we should be talking about, his alleged drug use?
BAKER: Well, I have to disagree with Jane. I think it is very relevant because it`s just part of the mounting evidence that it has really come up in the last week or so. OK. You had this big "People" magazine cover story that detailed his cocaine use and his addiction problems and how it destroyed his relationship with the mother of his child. You have this video that`s now coming out.
What does it indicate? It indicates behavior that could lead to someone who`s 28 years old - and we didn`t know of any terminal illnesses he had - dying. I mean that`s a very odd thing to happen. So I think it`s very relevant and that`s the question. Yes, it`s relevant and I think that, you know, if I had to put money on it, those toxicology reports are going to come back and say, yes, there was something in his system that was possibly narcotic.
HAMMER: Well, we are going to very cautiously wait and see around here. And you mentioned this video that actually will not be coming out now, although these things have a way of leaking out at this point. As part of the reports of Heath`s past drug use, there is the video that`s out from two years ago that "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" obtained reportedly at a great deal of expense, apparently showing him at some Hollywood drug party -alleged drug party.
Now, after promoting the heck out of fact that they have this tape, one of Hollywood`s most powerful publicist attacked "ET" and "The Insider" publicly for being so completely insensitive. Now, remember, Heath is not even buried yet. They have now decided - "The Insider" and "ET" not to show the video. Maggie Gallant, is there anything that could have justified showing this tape except for the fact it happens to be the first day of sweeps?
GALLANT: Well, I`ll I tell you the justification for airing this video is that there`s a mad rush to get to the bottom of why Heath Ledger died. Like we talked about that "People" magazine is talking about the drug use, everybody is out there talking about the drug use. People have this insatiable need to know more about why this precious star died so - way too early that everybody wants to know. And I think that was the justification.
But I think when that letter came and "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" realized that the entire community of Hollywood was going to rally behind this firm and say this is where it stops. The buck stops here in terms of what we want to show from the life of Heath Ledger. He`s not even buried yet, but I think that`s where they - you know, that`s where they had to stop.
HAMMER: It really is extraordinary, though, to me that they thought that they could play it. And a lot of people have been speaking out. You`ve got to look at something that Billy Bush - he is a guy that I have a great deal of respect for. He`s the anchor of "ET`s" biggest competitor, "Access Hollywood." And he blogged about the whole controversy, very angrily attacking "ET" and "The Insider" for what they were planning to do.
Listen to what he wrote on his blog. He wrote, quote, "Heath Ledger`s family has not even had the chance to bury their son. We know that he had problems, but this kind of salacious opportunism is poisonous. Ken Baker, let me go to you. What do you think the ramifications are here for "ET"? Because there`s a big difference between reporting on a story and crossing the line like this.
BAKER: Well, let`s put it in some perspective here. "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" are really just established shows that have been around. Actually, "Entertainment Tonight" was the beginning of these kinds of entertainment shows. We may not be sitting here now if it wasn`t for "Entertainment Tonight" starting some, you know, 30 years ago almost now.
So I think you have to put it in perspective. But I will say this. It`s interesting. "Entertainment Tonight" and Dr. Phil - they`re part of the same company, OK? Now, the parallels don`t stop there. Dr. Phil was forced to apologize for making that statement about Britney Spears. OK?
Now, "Entertainment Tonight" didn`t come out and pull the video until they really had a lot of pressure on them. So it just goes to show until entities are given public pressure, they won`t back down. They won`t reverse their decisions and will just stay obstinate. I think, in the end, they made the right decision. So you have to at least give them the credit that they did pull it.
HAMMER: Yes. Whatever their motivation, I think a lot of people are happy this thing is not airing. Now, I mentioned that this tape of alleged drug use is two years old. Now, if indeed, Heath was using drugs for so long, this is another burning question that we`ve had. And Maggie Gallant, I`ll throw this to you first, how does a circle of friends keep something like that a secret for so long? How does it stay so under wraps? It was not well-known if he in fact was doing drugs.
GALLANT: Well this is definitely something we`re not used to seeing - the younger Hollywood set. We typically see them going into the hottest nightclubs, going on to stores on Robertson Boulevard where they know the paparazzi is going to be. Here`s a guy who was all about his craft. That`s what you hear everybody within the industry saying.
Of course, he would go out there and he would do the red carpet interviews because he was promoting his project. But he was a family man. He was an actor. He was a professional. The things that he was doing behind closed doors he actually kept behind closed doors because he wasn`t courting the paparazzi.
There is this dance that we often see with celebrities like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton. They`re letting the paparazzi in. Once you do that, it`s very hard to stop. But Heath drew that line in the sand from the very beginning.
HAMMER: And he drew it well. Well, thank you, guys, for your insight on all these burning questions tonight. Ken Baker, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Kareen Wynter, Maggie Gallant, I do appreciate you being here.
And all over America, particularly here in New York, on a much different subject, something that people can get excited for, everybody`s psyched for the Super Bowl. Now, coming up, we`re going to give you a sneak peek you are not going to want to miss. One of this year`s big Super Bowl commercials starring none other than Justin Timberlake. Stay right where you are. It is coming up next.
First, we have a look at what`s new at the movies this week, brought to you by Progresso Light. Now, if you have a young daughter, I am sure that you know about this one. The 3D Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus "Best of Both Worlds" concert. It`s opening at midnight. It is opening in 684 theaters only. But it`s already dominating online ticket sales.
Opening on Friday, "The Eye," starring Jessica Alba as a woman who undergoes an operation to restore her sight and then starts to have terrifying visions.
And Eva Longoria-Parker stars as a ghost in a romantic comedy, "Over Her Dead Body." And that is what`s new at the movies, brought to you by Progresso Light. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first look we`re giving you a sneak peek at one of this year`s Super Bowl commercials. These things are often more exciting than the game itself.
I have a feeling that the game is going to be exciting this Sunday, guys. Don`t you think?
CREW: Yes!
HAMMER: Pretty excited about it over here. A lot of Giants fans in the room, by the way. Now, Pepsi is bringing sexy back to Super Bowl Sunday calling on Justin Timberlake to give some star power to this year`s ad. And here now, your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: It is not really that funny.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Is it funny?
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, POP STAR: No. It`s childish and immature.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Hey.
(COMMOTION)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Justin?
ANNOUNCER: Every sip gets you closer. Justin Timberlake MP3s.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Hey.
TIMBERLAKE: Hey to you.
ANNOUNCER: HD TVs. Millions of songs from Amazonmp3 and more. Sign up at pepsistuff.com.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I even heard Justin Timberlake actually got a little hurt doing that thing. You can catch that commercial again when Pepsi actually pays a lot of money for it on Sunday with the Patriots are taking on the New York Giants at the Super Bowl.
Well, the countdown is on to Super Tuesday and the presidential primaries next week. Get ready for the other Super Tuesday at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Superstar Tuesday." We`re asking you to vote online on a different question about Hollywood`s biggest stars every day. We`re going to be revealing and debating the results on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT next Tuesday, February 5th, our "Superstar Tuesday."
Here`s the question we need you to vote on - who is more likely to have a successful comeback, Whitney or Britney? Cast your vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. The polls - they`re open right now. The results will be revealed on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Superstar Tuesday." That is next Tuesday, February 5th.
And 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" coming up next.
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