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Showbiz Tonight
Paris` Promises; Will Britney Finally Get to See Her Kids?; `Dog The Bounty Hunter` Back in Production
Aired February 19, 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, CO-HOST: Another dramatic Britney Spears court hearing. Will she finally get to see her kids? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And remember Duane "Dog" Chapman`s disgusting racial rant? Well, I`ve got some shocking news. He`s coming back to TV. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Paris` promises. Remember all those things Paris Hilton said she was going to do after she got out of jail?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARIS HILTON, ACTRESS: I want to help raise money for kids and for breast cancer and multiple sclerosis.
HAMMER: Yes, Paris. We`ll drink to that. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT blows the lid off Paris` promises. Helping kids, the sick, the disabled, women in jail. So what happened? Tonight, showbiz investigates Paris` promises.
Tonight, naked ambitions in Hollywood. Lindsay Lohan`s just released eye-popping nude pictures, posing as Marilyn Monroe. A stripped Scarlett. An uncovered Keira. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know, can taking off your clothes unravel your career? Or is it good to be a bare naked lady?
And a startling controversy over crocodile hunter Steve Irwin`s young son getting bit by a snake and his mother`s surprising reaction.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming you tonight from Hollywood. And a brand new ferocious battle broke out in court today over whether Britney Spears should be allowed to see her kids. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the late-breaking developments in just a moment.
HAMMER: But first, tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigation - Paris` promises. It was nearly eight months ago that Paris Hilton got out of jail and went on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE" for her very first interview. Now, she made some very big promises that made it seem her party girl days were just about over and she was ready to save the world.
Yes. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that unless Paris has become some kind of undercover charity giving secret agent, Paris` promises seem to be broken promises. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": All right. We`re going to see a new Paris Hilton.
HILTON: Yes.
HAMMER (voice over): Paris, she is a-changing. Or is she? Soon after she finished her jail stint for a DUI-related offense, Paris Hilton went on "LARRY KING LIVE" and swore, swore that she was a different person.
KING: You think it changed you?
HILTON: Yes, definitely. I have a new outlook on life.
HAMMER: The petty, red carpet-ready party girl was gone, she said. Replaced by a Paris that doesn`t party as much -
HILTON: I`m frankly sick of it.
HAMMER: Does more charity work -
HILTON: I can raise awareness for so many great causes. I want to help raise money for kids and for breast cancer and multiple sclerosis.
HAMMER: And is a role model for girls.
HILTON: I want to be a good role model for these girls.
HAMMER: Now, seven months later, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is taking a long, hard look at Paris and is presenting this Paris promises report card, to see if Paris is keeping her promise to change. Here`s a hint. It isn`t pretty. The first category, her promise to do less partying.
HILTON: It`s fun but it`s not going to be the main stay of my life anymore.
HAMMER: Well, if it is not the main stay, she could have fooled us.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Simply, Paris has not gotten all of her partying out of her system one bit.
HILTON: Listen up, Las Vegas.
HAMMER: Paris just celebrated her birthday in Vegas in a very ritzy bash where she performed with the Pussycat Dolls.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: The one, the only, Paris Hilton.
HAMMER: Complete with stripper-ific lingerie and dominatrix gear. How`s that role model thing going, Paris?
KATIE DARYL, "TMZ TV": What kind of model? Are we talking about a lingerie role model?
HAMMER: Katie Daryl of "TMZ TV" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Paris Hilton is still very much a part of the party scene.
DARYL: We`ve seen her, you know, dancing around on curtains, practically falling over. We are back to the old Paris.
HAMMER: So when it comes to the report card on her partying promise, Paris gets a failing grade.
DARYL: Tell me the charity that Paris Hilton`s working for in lingerie crawling around on her hands and knees in Las Vegas and I will donate to them.
HAMMER: Speaking about the charity work, how`s she doing with that? She told Larry King she`d especially like to work with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to atone for her repeated alcohol-related driving offenses.
HILTON: Yes. I`d love to work with them.
HAMMER: But MADD tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "We haven`t prompted any communication with Paris Hilton and we haven`t heard from her either." After her jail stint, Paris also announced plans to travel to the African nation of Rwanda to help with relief efforts there. That trip`s been postponed, and no one knows when it`s been rescheduled.
PIAZZA: Maybe it is that Rwanda doesn`t actually want Paris Hilton`s help.
HAMMER: Not that Paris hasn`t done any charity work. She posed nude painted in gold in this ad for a sparkling wine whose proceeds go to drought relief.
PIAZZA: Her one skill that she has, to help others, is really to take her clothes off. So we can`t exactly fault her for doing that.
HAMMER: Oh, yes, we can. Since taking off her clothes isn`t exactly a special occasion for Paris, she gets a failing grade for her charity promise, as well.
And finally, the most important promise Paris made -that her drunk driving days are over.
HILTON: I`ll never make that mistake again.
HAMMER: We`re glad to say Paris appears to be keeping that promise.
PIAZZA: Paris has at least kept off the roads after she`s been partying. She hasn`t been driving drunk.
HAMMER: But unfortunately, overall, Paris Hilton`s efforts, like some of her clothing choices, have been lacking.
PIAZZA: She seems to be the exact same Paris Hilton at 27 that she was at 26. That she was at 17. I`ve seen no personal growth in Paris` behavior whatsoever.
HAMMER: But it`s good to know that in this topsy-turvy world, some things will remain the same as Bogey(ph) says in "Casablanca" -
HUMPHREY BOGART, ACTOR: We`ll always have Paris.
HAMMER: Here`s looking at you, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Now, to be fair, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did repeatedly reach out Paris Hilton`s representatives. We wanted specific responses to the points that we raised. Here`s what we heard.
(SOUND EFFECTS, CRICKETS)
HAMMER: Yes. The sound of crickets. Absolutely nothing. No response at all. And we`re not staying quiet about this, Paris. Coming up, a fired-up panel tearing into this as our investigation into Paris` broken promises continues. That will be at 30 past the hour.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has breaking Britney Spears news as she battles for her babies. A court ruled today that Britney still cannot visit her sons, Sean and Jayden, even though Kevin Federline reportedly was ready to let her see them. Problem is, the attorneys couldn`t agree on a plan.
Joining us tonight from New York, host of "In Session," Lisa Bloom. And in Hollywood, Atty. Darren Kavinoky. Good to see you, Lisa and Darren.
LISA BLOOM, HOST OF "IN SESSION": Thank you.
ATTY. DARREN KAVINOKY: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: First of all, Britney has not seen her kids for about six weeks now during which time she`s been in a psych ward twice. TMZ reporting that the hold-up here seems to be how she is to be supervised when she does see the children. Lisa, she`s been acting relatively normal for the past couple of weeks. Is it time for Britney to get a second chance?
BLOOM: I think it is. I always want to see parents succeed, especially mothers of little kids. But she does have to be supervised. The court has already found she was a frequent, habitual user of substances, drugs and alcohol. She`s been in the psych ward. So she`s a woman with problems. She`s not cured yet. She does need to be supervised and I can understand that being a sticking point but the attorneys should get in there, work it out for the sake of those kids because six weeks without Mama at that age is way too much.
HAMMER: Atty. Darren Kavinoky, from a legal standpoint, what are the reasons she shouldn`t have visitation right in your opinion?
KAVINOKY: Well, legally, she should be able to see her kids. This case illustrates perfectly that the ability to procreate and have children is no guarantee whatsoever that people know how to behave and be good parents afterwards. You know, when you strip away what Britney wants and what Kevin wants, there are kids here and in any child custody battle, the interests of the children should be paramount. The kids are what matters here and they`re the ones who suffer because they`ve gone so many weeks without seeing mommy and that the real tragedy in this thing.
ANDERSON: Yes. They should always be the first priority no matter what happens. And in another development today, Britney got a new lawyer. Celebrity defense attorney Stacy Phillips who has also represented Bobby Brown in his divorce from Whitney Houston. As we know, the attorneys kind of being forced on her because Britney`s not allowed at this point to make her own decisions that under the conservatorship. Lisa, any reason to hope that Britney will finally start cooperating with her attorney?
BLOOM: No, I see no reason at all. Let`s take a step back. When a client churns through attorneys and churns through business managers like Britney has, that`s a sign of a serious problem. I mean, anybody can have a problem with a lawyer. You fire that lawyer, you hire another one.
That`s not a big deal but she`s been going through one after another and you read their statements when they go, "We`ve had a difference of opinion. We can`t work with her." We know what that means. Britney is a mess. She doesn`t follow her attorneys` advice, that`s why she has no access to her kids today. Britney, if you`re watching, pay attention. Follow the advice of your lawyer and you can see your kids again.
ANDERSON: Yes. Obviously, she`s very difficult to work with. Darren, nobody can force someone to cooperate with an attorney. This new lawyer - she`s got her hands full, doesn`t she?
KAVINOKY: Oh, she absolutely does and as you pointed out, Brooke, she being thrust upon Britney because her folks hired her because they`ve got that conservatorship in place. So we can also look forward to more delays if and when that conservatorship is dissolved and Britney regains the ability to hire yet another lawyer.
And, remember, from the lawyer`s perspective, you can`t go into a case and just have a glib understanding about the facts. You really need to roll up your sleeves and the devil is in the details as they say. You really need to know that case backwards and forwards.
So, when a new lawyer gets brought in, there has to be delay, so that new lawyer can get up to speed. When that conservatorship is gone and she hires another lawyer, as she likely will - I mean she`s already showed that she loves to rebel against her parents - we can look forward to even more delays in this case dragging out even longer.
ANDERSON: And I have lost count of the number of lawyers she has had. And as I mentioned, she hasn`t been behaving badly over the past couple of weeks. Lisa, what else does she need to do to prove that she`s a good mother, that she`s turned a corner and can responsibly spend time with those kids?
BLOOM: Well, she hasn`t been behaving badly publicly. She`s been keeping a low profile. We don`t know what`s going on behind closed doors. What she needs to do is comply with every court order, cross every T, dot every I, show up for all the drug tests, submit to the drug tests. I mean that`s very important. Submit to everything that the court required of her. Look like a responsible citizen. Don`t go out partying every night with the pink hair and no underwear. That would be a good start.
ANDERSON: Show that you`re serious about getting those kids back and being a responsible person, as you say. Lisa Bloom, Darren Kavinoky, we will leave it there. Thank you both.
BLOOM: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, I know Britney Spears has posed semi-naked before. I don`t think it hurt her career. But what about the other stars? Look at Lindsay Lohan taking it all off in her eye-popping Marilyn Monroe-like nude pictures. You have Scarlett Johansson stripping. Keira Knightley going uncovered. Here`s what I want to know - can taking off your clothes unravel your career? A revealing and I do mean revealing look at the stars` naked ambitions, next.
ANDERSON: And this is absolutely fascinating, the "Dancing With The Stars" contestants have just been announced, and one of them is deaf. How is that going to work? Straight ahead.
And startling news about Steve Irwin`s young son. He gets bitten by a snake. That`s only half of it. I can`t believe his mother`s reaction. You`ve got to hear what she says, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Lindsay Lohan. Keira Knightley. The biggest stars have all exposed the most private asset that they have, publicly. But tonight, I`ve got to ask, has it hurt their bottom line?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, I bring you naked ambition. Lindsay Lohan just shocked us all this week with a "New York" magazine spread recreating Marilyn Monroe`s famous and very naked "Last Sitting."
But she`s not alone in posing nude. I`m also talking about Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes. I think you get the picture here. But we`ve got to ask, does stripping down for the cameras actually jump start their careers or is it just some tired old publicity stunt?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations, Howard Bragman and co-host of "Extra," Dana Devon. Howard, Dana, I appreciate you all being here tonight.
I want to start off by taking a look once because - well, I`m just forced to - of the Lindsay Lohan`s sex kitten photo shoot in "New York" magazine, copping the same poses as her idol Marilyn Monroe. Now, this is one of the first big public projects that Lindsay Lohan has done since rehab. Dana Devon, over to you, do you think it will actually boost her career to a whole new level or is it really just a cry for attention?
DANA DEVON, CO-HOST, "EXTRA": Well, I definitely don`t think it`s going to boost her career to a whole new level. Lindsay, obviously, has been in rehab three times. She`s having a lot of trouble getting movie projects right now because insurance companies don`t really want to sign on, given she`s a little bit unstable right now.
And also, we`re hearing that Lindsay is still out at night and still even possibly drinking. So a lot of people are kind of scared to put their money where their mouth is concerning Lindsay. Will this elevate her in the eyes of people? No, but it`s definitely got people talking and that`s usually the point of most of these nude photos.
HAMMER: Yes, but given what you are saying about her alleged behavior, if she`s still going out the clubs, this also could just really play more into her party girl image and that obviously wouldn`t be a very good thing.
I do want to move on to what I think is an incredibly sexy photo of Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson. This was on the cover of "Vanity Fair" back in 2006. I must say it is smoking hot. Now, let`s not forget both of these starlets had huge movies that they were promoting right around the same time. We get the fact that sex sells. Howard Bragman, you work in PR. You know that very well. But how does posing nude help promote a movie? And I should point out our executive producer David Levine wanted me to ask you if I should do my next SHOWBIZ TONIGHT promo in the buff.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Absolutely. I think you should move to nude news on the Internet and be there. And that will get people talking.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRAGMAN: I don`t know. Well, we`ll reserve that. But what I want to say is you have to understand there`s ten or 15 movies that open every week. And just getting on a magazine cover anymore isn`t enough. The question is, if you`re on that cover, are they going to talk about you?
And so, I think that these Scarlett-Keira shot was kind of tasteful and kind of promoted the movie. And I think it probably did what was intended to do. Lindsay - people talking about the nude pictures but they`re not talking about the movie. In fact, most people don`t even know she has a movie. So Keira and Scarlett, they win. Lindsay, not so much. I don`t think it`s going to do what she wants it to do for her.
HAMMER: Yes. I think that exactly goes to the point Dana was just making about the amount of times people are talking about these people because of what they have done, not necessarily the project they`re involved with.
Paris Hilton - well, let me bring her up. Obviously, another one, you know, who has done this before. And who would have thought that infamous sex tape would have actually given her such a boost in the spotlight? In fact, well, we all know it worked so well that she posed nude again. This time around, she did it on purpose, however, and look at that shot. I mean, just the thing of something - I don`t exactly know what. But it`s selling canned Italian champagne. Dana, let me be honest here. We all pretty much know what Paris looks like now nude.
DEVON: Yes.
HAMMER: Isn`t there a time when it just gets to be overkill?
DEVON: I personally think so. But you know what? Look at Pam Anderson. How many times was she in "Playboy?" And she`s done relatively well in her career. So, yes, I definitely think it gets to be overkill. But you know what? We`re living in a different time and age right now. Kim Kardashian did a porn tape and look at her now. She has a reality show. So we`re rewarding these young actresses for putting themselves out there nude. And I`m still shocked by it actually. I mean what do you tell my daughter that`s 2 1/2 years old. How do you deal with this? But yes, I think it could be too much and I think we`re drawing a line right now.
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, I`ve got ten seconds. What do you think?
BRAGMAN: I think that we have to understand that it`s just not the same stigma it used to be and you should do it smart and you should do it tastefully. And just about every actor that`s done theater taken their clothes off to no bad avail. So it works in the right cases.
HAMMER: When in good taste. Dana Devon, Howard Bragman, I thank you both.
DEVON: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, I know and as I mentioned Paris Hilton not shy about getting naked. Of course, you remember her hit porn video I mentioned, "One Night in Paris." But what about her promise to give up her wild ways?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: I`m frankly sick of it. You know, I`ve been going out for a long time now. And yes, it`s fun, but it`s not going to be the main stay of my life anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got one word for that - right. Paris, take a look at this. A new video of Paris half naked in a champagne glass, celebrating her birthday. Well, that`s one broken promise. What about helping kids, the sick, the disabled? Tonight, I am blowing the lid off of Paris` post-jail promises.
ANDERSON: This startling new Steve Irwin controversy is unbelievable. Irwin`s young son gets bitten by a snake but what`s even more shocking is how the little boy`s mom Terri reacts. You`ve got to hear what she has to say about this, straight ahead.
HAMMER: Also, "Dancing With The Stars." They picked the new contestants and one of them is deaf. I`ve got to tell you, I think it`s a bold idea. But how is that going to play out? It`s new right now and it`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Here are some more stories that are new right now. Well, I`ve got to say I was pretty shocked to hear about this star split. Pop star Pink and her husband motocross racer Carey Hart are separating after two years of marriage. Pink met Hart at the X Games in 2001. She proposed to him four years later. Now, Pink`s rep says the decision to break up was mutual and their friendship has never been stronger.
Well, I bet when Sharon Stone is saying about the war in Iraq is going to get some people really fired up. In a blockbuster interview with the Arab "Al-Hayat" newspaper, she says that is that the September 11th attacks should not have been used as a reason to launch the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And I guess Martha Stewart thinks Emeril is a really good thing. She is buying most of Chef Emeril Lagasse`s empire, his cookbooks, his TV shows, kitchen products for $50 million. It sounds like a good idea on paper, but you know, there could be too many cooks in the kitchen, and you know what they say about that.
Well, I think Paris Hilton has definitely cooked up some story. She promised to do all sorts of things, charity work after she got out of jail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: By doing my sentence and doing my time, I served as a good example and I want to continue to do so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Paris, you`re not setting a really good example by wiggling around half naked in a champagne glass. Tonight, I`m investigating Paris` promises.
ANDERSON: All right. I`m a big fan of "Dancing With The Stars," and I think it`s really great how they get all kinds of stars to really showcase diversity. Well, they`ve just announced their new group and in a bold move, one of the contestants is deaf. So how will that work? We`ve got it straight ahead.
And hey, remember Duane "Dog" Chapman`s disgusting racial rant where he kept using the "N" word? Well, tonight, I`ve got some stunning news. Dog, The Bounty Hunter, will soon be back on TV. Oh, yes. People are really fired up about that. It`s new right now and it`s coming up.
HAMMER: I know you`re watching me right now thinking, "How can I stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news?" Well, you can do it with our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. All you have to do is head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the "sign up for newsletter" link. It`s right there at the bottom of the page. We will E-mail that baby to you everyday. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, showbiz investigates Paris` promises.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: I`m frankly sick of it. You know, I`ve been going out for a long time now. And, yes, it`s fun but it`s not going to be the main stay of my lifetime anymore.
HAMMER: Yes, OK. When she got out of jail, Paris Hilton made so many promises about what her new life was going to be like. I could be wrong but I don`t remember dancing in a Martini glass being one of those promises. But has she kept any of them? Tonight, showbiz investigates Paris` promises.
Just announced, the new round of contestants for "Dancing With The Stars." One of them, one of my favorite actresses, a deaf actress. So, I have to wonder, how exactly is that going to work? Plus, there could be some controversy about the stars that are dancing this time around.
(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.
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing investigation of Paris` promises. You know, it was nearly eight months ago that a weepy Paris Hilton sat down with CNN`s Larry King to talk about all the good she was going to do after she got out of jail. And, boy, did she make some big promises including helping kids, the sick, even the disabled. And women in jail were supposed to be getting a helping hand from dear old Paris Hilton.
So, what happened? That was Paris in Vegas that you are looking at right now, celebrating her 27th birthday as the partying continued with the promises remaining unfulfilled.
Our fired-up coast-to-coast panel is ready to go. I`ve got your one- way ticket to Paris right here, guys. In New York, Maggie Gallant, founder of Spotlight Communications. Also in New York, Lisa Bloom, host of "In Session." And in Hollywood tonight, Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations.
Let`s get right to it, gang. When Paris sat down with Larry King, one of the things she said she wanted to do is charity work. She made a pretty good deal out of it. So let`s listen now to what Paris told Larry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: That`s something I was actually thinking a lot about in jail. Because I feel like, you know, being in the spotlight, I have a platform where I can raise awareness for so many great causes and just do so much with this instead of, you know, superficial things like going out. I want to help raise money for kids and for breast cancer and multiple sclerosis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, can you help me out here? Do you know something that we don`t know about Paris doing some kind of secret undercover charity work?
BRAGMAN: You know, A.J., you can`t swing a dead cat in this town without hitting the red carpet at a charity event.
HAMMER: That`s right.
BRAGMAN: If she`s not showing up, she`s just not trying. The star of her caliber has to get 10, 20 invites a week. Get off your ass, Paris, and show up somewhere, OK? And I`m really tired of her mouth and talking the talk and not walking the walk.
HAMMER: Yes. It`s - you know, it is an easy enough thing to do. Maggie Gallant, you`re a big image expert. Looking back now, it seems to me that Paris` dug herself an even deeper hole in terms of furthering her image as being totally disingenuous.
MAGGIE GALLANT, FOUNDER, SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS: It`s so true. Like Howard said, it`s so easy for a celebrity to raise awareness. Many celebrities even say that`s one of their favorite parts of being a celebrity. In addition to being able to choose your roles a little bit more carefully, you get to raise awareness about causes close to your heart. But let`s be honest. When she was talking to Larry King, do you think anyone was really that, you know, waiting for her to change the planet? I don`t think so.
HAMMER: I don`t know. I was kind of waiting. I wanted to see Paris change our world. I just had it in the back of my head maybe that was a possibility.
Now, in terms of things that are dear to her heart, well something that became dear to her heart, let`s not forget the reason Paris went to jail in the first place. It was stemming from a DUI arrest. And after Paris got out of jail, among the things she told Larry King, she wanted to work with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. A noble thought.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: I`d love to work with them. And I think by doing my sentence and doing my time, I have served as a good example and want to continue to do so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, it definitely seems like another promise broken. In fact, I`ve got to tell you, we`ve had more communication with Mothers Against Drunk Driving than Paris has. Now, they released a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and listen to what they said, quote, "We haven`t prompted any communication with Paris Hilton and we haven`t heard from her either." Lisa Bloom, yet another example of a broken promise that I have to believe would have been easy to keep, perhaps not as easy as going out partying.
BLOOM: It would have, although maybe her image people felt it would remind everybody of the drunk driving and they want to move on. But there are so many other causes she could have supported, as she said - children, various illnesses like breast cancer. There are so many things out there.
And you know, what a gift most of us think it would be to be born into a family of great wealth and we would have so many choices as to the kinds of foundations and great works that we could do in the world. She is not availing herself of any of them. Maybe she`s doing it privately, giving money. We don`t know. But she`s not doing it publicly and as she said, she has a platform. She is a role model whether we like it or not. She could do so much just by showing up and smiling at events. And it`s really sad that she`s not doing it.
HAMMER: Yes. We are looking at her smiling at an event. Not right now. Not a charity event. And just before that, we saw dancing in the champagne glass or Martini glass - again, not a charity event - well, for her own personal charity.
Now, that leads to what seems to be another one of her broken promises - her partying ways behind her. Don`t think that happened. Well, let`s listen to what she told Larry King nearly eight months ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: I`ve realized there`s a lot more important things in life and there`s a lot more things to do. And I`m frankly sick of it. You know, I`ve been going out for a long time now. And yes, it`s fun, but it`s not going to be the mainstay of my life anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: No, it`s not, is it? All right. With all due credit to the great sportscaster Warner Wolf, let`s go to the videotape here - we`re rolling the video, yes. That`s Paris, not going out anymore. Oh, maybe she is. Her 27th birthday - that`s where she is, in Vegas. That was over the weekend at the Pussycat Dolls Lounge having a lot of fun in a giant Martini glass and in a bra - yet another example of her going out.
And you know, this is not a one off here, Howard. We`ve seen her out and about carrying on. It seems if you to change your party girl ways and image, you shouldn`t be dancing in a Martini glass. Maybe it`s just me.
BRAGMAN: Nobody expected that she wouldn`t go to parties. But just do a little something. Donate that bra to a charity and auction it off. This is a tarnished brand, A.J. A brand has to be something more than just partying. And you`ve got more people in the panel today than saw her last movie.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRAGMAN: She needs to pay attention to her career right now and this isn`t helping it.
HAMMER: Yes.
BLOOM: You know, A.J., I think maybe like her clothing, her heart is three sizes too small. That`s the problem.
HAMMER: I think you are on to something there, Lisa. I wanted to move on to another promise that Paris has not kept, and this is helping women in jail. Let`s watch her on "LARRY KING LIVE."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: I want to help set up a place where these women can get themselves back on their feet, a place with food, shelter and clothing and programs; kind of a transitional home. I know I can make a difference and hopefully stop this vicious circle of these people going in and out of jail.
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HAMMER: Yes. She`s reading from her journal there. She was - she had notes. She had a whole plan all worked out on how she was going to help them with great detail. And it did sound, of all the things she said - it sounded kind of genuine. Maggie, do you think that she, you know, really meant it at that time and then just didn`t follow through?
GALLANT: Well, that was the part of her plan that actually had the most specific information about what she was going to do. Everything else was like, yes, breast cancer, homeless people. This actually has more specific action steps to it so I think more people thought that she would actually do this. But I think that was less of a letter and more of, like, note cards for her to read off of to seem - you know, and probably the title of the flash card was like, "seem authentic."
HAMMER: Well, you know, it`s funny. Probably at the top of the page in her journal, she said, "This is what you will do on "LARRY KING LIVE" when you take that big first after-jail interview." Let me just throw this quickly around here. Lisa Bloom- and Maggie, you alluded to this earlier. In the end, should we be at all surprised?
BLOOM: No. I mean she`s over-promised and under-delivered. She is what she is. She`s made no effort to change. She is not a role model for anyone and I think that`s sad.
HAMMER: All right. Well, I do have to end it there. I think I know how the rest of you feel. Lisa Bloom, Maggie Gallant, Howard Bragman, I appreciate you being with us tonight. Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did repeatedly reach out to Paris Hilton`s reps for specific responses to all of these points that is we raised. Once again, as I mentioned earlier, here`s what we heard back from them.
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HAMMER: The sound of crickets. Nothing. No response at all. We tried.
ANDERSON: All right. Tonight, two big stories about two big TV shows. First, hot off the press is the new round of contestants for "Dancing With The Stars," and one of them is a deaf actress whom I love. But how exactly is that going to work? And hey, there could be some controversy about the stars that are dancing this time around. We`ll get into that, next.
And that`s not the only controversy coming to TV. Duane "Dog" Chapman is coming back. His show is going back into production for the very first time since that tape surfaced of Chapman making racial slurs. Is it too soon or is all forgiven? Lot`s of very fiery opinions on that. We are getting into it next.
And how do you feel about a four-year-old boy getting bitten by a snake? Get this. Terri Irwin says her little boy is proud of it. I think the whole thing sounds kind of disturbing. Terri explains it in her own words. So see what you think about it. Coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Stay with us.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here he goes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. All right. Yes!
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HAMMER: Wow. Did you see that? That was "Good Morning America" host Chris Cuomo jumping from the roof of the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. This was a stunt to help Chris conquer his fear of heights. Cuomo and a stunt coordinator used cables to fall 400 feet from the roof. I don`t know they didn`t wash the windows on the way down. But afterward, Chris said he had never felt anything like it before. He was happy he did it, and he was glad it was over.
ANDERSON: Oh, yes. Glad he got through that without having a heart attack. He was scared out of his mind.
ANDERSON: OK. Tonight now, two big stories new right now about two big TV shows. "Dancing With The Stars" has revealed their brand new cast and it includes 62-year-old Priscilla Presley and Oscar winning actress Marlee Matlin who will be the first hearing-impaired contestant on the show.
Also new right now, the dog is back. A & E has decided to put "Dog The Bounty Hunter" back into production. But is it forgive and forget? With us tonight in New York, Ben Widdecombe. He writes the "Gate Crasher" column for the "New York Daily News." Also with us tonight here in Hollywood, CNN entertainment correspondent Kareen Wynter. Kareen, Ben, I do want to start with "Dancing With The Stars." Marlee Matlin named as a contestant. Ben, now, Marlee can partially hear sounds. But this will still be quite a challenge for her, won`t it?
BEN WIDDECOMBE, COLUMNIST, "GATE CRASHER": I think it will be a big challenge for her. She likens her limited hearing to being in the shower with the door closed and a stereo on very low in the next room, so she can hear a little bit. But she also said that she`ll be able to interpret the music through the way her partner moves. So I think she will do great.
ANDERSON: Kareen, clearly it`s going to be fascinating to watch her compete. This is a woman who can do anything she puts her mind to, isn`t it?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Oh, absolutely. She is a seasoned actress as we all know, Brooke. But, you know, you look at what she is able to accomplish on the big screen and, hey, this is only television, right? This should be a piece of cake for her.
But what`s also interesting - the viewers, people who may be hearing impaired out there. She`s proving that you can overcome the odds and even, you know, dance to music and feel it. And don`t count her out just yet. I know a lot of people were apprehensive, wondering if this is going to work. But another contestant, Heather Mills, with her prosthetic leg and look at how great she did. It`s also about charming your way, not just with the viewers and audience but the judges. And so if they make that connection, hey, you could see her each week after another.
ANDERSON: You possibly could. She could go on and take the title. Her determination is absolutely inspirational. And some of the other contestants named - Adam Carolla, Kristi Yamaguchi, Monica Seles and Priscilla Presley. Now, a lot has been made about the fact that Priscilla Presley is 62 years old. Kareen, I want to go with you with this. You know, George Hamilton was 68 when he did the show and nobody said anything about that. Is there a double standard here?
WYNTER: OK. Can I just say? Absolutely bugs me. Of course there is, Brooke. And if anyone tells you that there isn`t, hey, they`re lying. Look at her. She is hot. Hot, hot, hot. We can all just wish that you know, we`re going to look that good when we`re her age. But also, the fact that she was married to Elvis. This is really in her blood. I`m sure she picked up so many dance moves, you know, back in the day. I think that, also, she is another shocker and really, really strut her stuff on the dance floor and prove that, you know, she is entitled to be there as well as the next person.
ANDERSON: Well, clearly, "Dancing With The Stars" is great for people wanting to revive their careers. A good example of that is Marie Osmond. Now, she`s now coming out with a new talk show. Ben, I would have to imagine that some of the contestants like Priscilla Presley hoping to do the same here.
WIDDECOMBE: Well, Priscilla will always to me be Jenna Wade on "Dallas." But I don`t know. Maybe she can get another "Naked Gun" movie out of it.
ANDERSON: Kareen, what do you think?
WYNTER: Oh my gosh. That is absolutely so funny, what he said. You know, I don`t know. You look at these shows. "Dancing With The Stars" and why it`s so hugely popular, Brooke, and it`s really the diversity here.
And if we were watching people who are professionals, one season after another and, you know, we would be bored. But Master P - he was a rapper couldn`t put one leg in front of the other. The athletes who are so, so awkward and it`s what makes the show so fun, so interesting and it`s really why people tune in.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. It`s one of the most popular shows out there. And I want to move now to another story that is new right now. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed that "Dog The Bounty Hunter" will go back into production after the show was suspended indefinitely. Now, Duane "Dog" Chapman, you may remember, was taped in a shocking racist phone conversation with his son about his son`s black girlfriend. Kareen, Dog Chapman begged for forgiveness. Do you think the public will watch him, take him back with open arms?
WYNTER: I think they should. I think this is someone who made a terrible mistake, Brooke, OK? That`s out there. It`s already been reported. And now, it`s perhaps time to forgive him and have him move on. He`s tried to make amends. He`s apologized until this poor guy is blue in the face. And who are we to really judge? The viewers are going to be the ultimate judge.
So sure, bring the show back on air. But, you know, will those ratings still be as hot and popular as they were before? The viewers are going to decide whether or not it`s still picks up where it left off or if it`s a sinker.
ANDERSON: Yes, the ratings were hot. It was A & E`s most popular show. Ben, bottom line, very quickly, this was a business decision, wasn`t it?
WIDDECOMBE: Well, that`s right. And I think his remarks will hurt him in the U.S. But you have to remember, this show goes to 20 countries in the international market. And foreigners don`t really read the American press. They don`t understand what`s going on here. So it won`t hurt it with them and I think it will still be a huge money maker for them overseas.
ANDERSON: Ben Widdecombe, Kareen Wynter, we will leave it there. Thank you both.
HAMMER: Well, Avril Lavigne has been known to talk some trash about Britney Spears in the past. But now, Avril is sticking up for Britney. In "Maxim" magazine, Avril says that she made negative comments about Britney, that she chalks up to being young and not realizing that every interview she did would be around forever. Now, older and wiser - Avril at the ripe old age of 23 - she says that she feels sorry for Britney.
Avril says, quote, "No one else has it as hard as Britney. I feel bad for her. How does she even think with all those flashbulbs? When I`m being followed, everything`s thrown off. They run red lights. They cause accidents. She can`t even walk to her car. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) stalkers."
For more with Avril Lavigne, pick up a copy of "Maxim" magazine. It is on newsstands now.
Well, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Britney Spears custody hearing: Should she now be allowed to visit her children?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. If you want to E-mail us, the address, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: All right. I don`t think most parents would be thrilled if their four-year-old child got bitten by a snake. But most parents aren`t Terri Irwin, the wife of the late crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin. It sounds kind of disturbing that Terri says her little boy was proud to get his first bite. Terri explains it in her own words. See if you buy that next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. . See if you buy that next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Well, my favorite portion of the program because they`re going to put me inside that iPod again. You just watch. There I am. You can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time you`d like by downloading the totally free podcast. You just have to go to our website, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, which you should visit all the time. Or you can download it on iTunes by typing "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box and we will download it for you every day. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
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Bindi Irwin`s little brother has had his first snakebite and he and his mom, crocodile hunter Steve Irwin`s widow Terri, are really proud of it. I think it`s safe to say most moms wouldn`t be too happy about their four-year-old son getting bit by a snake.
But hey, the Irwins not your typical family. If you remember, little Robert Irwin made headlines when he was just a month old when -look at this - when his dad Steve Irwin held him in one arm while he was feeding a crocodile with the other. At that time, the public went nuts but Steve and Terri said it was no big deal.
And it looks like Terri has the same feeling about the snakebite. At an event at a New York toy store to promote Bindi Irwin dolls, Terri said four-year-old Robert loves snakes and was proud to get bitten.
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TERRI IRWIN, STEVE IRWIN`S WIDOW: Robert`s cousin had baby boa constrictors and he picked one of them up and it bit him on the finger. And he was so proud to have copped his first hit. And then, he said, "I hope it wasn`t venomous." So I assured Robert that I wouldn`t actually let him play with venomous snakes.
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ANDERSON: So cute, and it turns out Bindi was even younger when she got her first bite.
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IRWIN: His sister got her first bite when she was 18 months old and we were letting baby snakes go. And she was singing to it, "Rock a bye baby," and it bit her on the nose. So she said, "Oh, I`m sorry," and she kissed it, so it bit her on the lip. So I said, "Bindi, put the snake down."
ANDERSON: To each their own, A.J."
HAMMER: As the old saying, "It`s only fun until somebody gets bit by a snake," or when somebody gets bit by a snake. Or a boa. I don`t know.
On Monday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, asking, "Britney Spears` parents in control: Is she on the road to recovery?" Forty-two percent of you think so; 58 percent of you said no, not yet.
Here are some of the E-mails that we got. One from Bridget from Minnesota who writes, "I think Britney is manipulating her parents until they think she`s doing OK and then she`ll go back to her old ways."
Her also heard from Alissa in South Dakota who writes, "Her parents already ran her life once and apparently they didn`t do a very good job the first time around."
Alison in California writes, "It seems like her dad is showing her tough love. He`s getting rid of all the toxic people in her life."
We appreciate you writing in. Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" coming up next. Keep it here.
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