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Showbiz Tonight
Whoopi Goldberg Reportedly Snubbed by the Oscars; Europeans Dominate Oscar Night; Britney Spears` Visitation with Her Two Young Boys; Britney`s Finances Dwindling?; Cinderella Stories at the Oscars
Aired February 25, 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: Whoopi Goldberg`s Oscar snub gets everyone riled up on "The View." I`m A.J. Hammer.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And the red carpet Oscar fashion that`s still has everybody talking. I`m Brooke Anderson. We are in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Hollywood`s Gold Rush." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT right there on the red carpet for the Academy Awards, talking to the biggest stars. Plus, all the Oscar highs and lows. The Cinderella stories, the moments you missed, and the ones everyone`s talking about. And can I just say, it was all about "No Country for Old Men" but is this no country for American actors?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON STEWART, HOST, 2008 ACADEMY AWARDS CEREMONY: I just hope that Lou Dobbs isn`t upset? I would hate Lou Dobbs want to build a wall around the Oscars.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, fallout, the fury and the fashion. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is all over Hollywood`s Gold Rush."
Angelina Jolie, the talk of the Oscars, and she wasn`t even there. But what`s this? We have the baby bump pictures everyone is talking about.
Britney, finally sees her kids. After weeks and weeks without them, Britney Spears finally gets a visit with Sean Preston and Jayden James. Is this a sign of better times to come? Plus, is there any way to save the Britney brand or is her image just too tarnished?
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. We are both coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, looks like Hollywood`s still recovering from the Oscars. Of course, you and I were both there. There were some truly amazing moments at the Academy Awards this is year and some jaw-dropping moments, as well.
ANDERSON: There certainly were, A.J. And we`ve got those and also what`s making jaws drop around Hollywood is a shocking report on just how fast Britney Spears` financial empire is possibly crumbling. This comes as she`s had two supervised visits with her two young sons. We`re going to get to the bottom of all of that in a moment.
HAMMER: But first, what is with this year`s Oscars? Not one of the big categories had an American-born winner. I`m talking Javier Bardem, Marion Cotillard, Daniel Day-Lewis, Tilda Swinton. I mean, the Oscars are about as American as apple pie, right? Well, this year was kind of more like high tea and croissants.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
The United States is being invaded. The invaders are a ruthless and gifted force. And they are taking what rightly belongs to us Americans. And this is the beachhead - the Kodak Theater.
ANNOUNCER: The 80th Annual Academy Awards.
HAMMER: We`re talking about the 80th Academy Awards where the unthinkable happens.
AMY ARGETSINGER, "WASHINGTON POST": European - do we count British people as Europeans? Anyway, they ran away with the show.
HAMMER: It`s true. This year, for the first time in recent memory, not a single American won an acting Oscar. Best supporting actress?
MALE PRESENTER: Tilda Swinton.
HAMMER: Went to a Brit. Best supporting actor -
FEMALE PRESENTER: Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men."
HAMMER: Taken by a Spaniard. Best actress -
MALE PRESENTER: Marion Cotillard in "La Vie En Rose."
HAMMER: Won by a French woman and best actor -
FEMALE PRESENTER: Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood."
HAMMER: Another Brit. A clean Oscar sweep for the Europeans. Uncle Sam left empty handed. And shocked Americans were left crying in their Oscar ballots.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": It started in the middle of the awards and it was like, "Wait a minute. There`s no Americans winning any awards." And finally, by the end, you`re like, "Oh my god, are we in London?"
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking - is Oscar being taken over by a European conspiracy? Best actor Daniel Day-Lewis tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Europe`s Oscar sweep is just a coincidence.
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS, ACADEMY AWARD WINNER FOR BEST ACTOR: It`s a phenomenon but I don`t know if it means anything.
HAMMER: But best supporting actress Tilda Swinton tell us she is not making any apologies.
TILDA SWINTON, ACADEMY AWARD WINNER FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Hollywood is built by Europeans and we`ve always been here. And that`s just the deal.
HAMMER: And Oscar host Jon Stewart tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he is worried about the European Oscar sweep.
STEWART: I hope that Lou Dobbs isn`t upset. I would hate see to see Lou Dobbs want to build a wall around the Oscars.
HAMMER: America`s poor showing at the Oscars was a bitter pill for some to swallow.
ARGETSINGER: I think it`s deeply shameful.
HAMMER: Amy Argetsinger of "The Washington Post" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she was especially upset to see Spain`s Javier Bardem win an Oscar for playing a psycho killer.
ARGETSINGER: America is the place where psycho killers were invented. We own psycho killers. Looking back, we should realize the seeds for this were sown 15, 16 years ago when Anthony Hopkins, British, played Hannibal Lecter.
HAMMER: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the sad, harsh truth. Maybe America has only herself to blame for the Europeans drinking our milkshake at Oscar time.
DAY-LEWIS: I want no one else to succeed.
HAMMER: Jo Piazza of the "New York Daily News" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the foreigners simply wanted it more.
PIAZZA: American actors have been very, very busy this year - making babies, going to rehab and drunk driving while European actors have been more focused on their trade.
HAMMER: Still, watching Oscar go overseas is a bitter wound to the national pride. It would be like watching a Japanese team win the World Series or a British team winning the Super Bowl. Heck, they don`t even play the right kind of football over there. And now, actress Anne Hathaway is rallying her fellow Americans.
ANNE HATHAWAY, ACTRESS: Next year, I want to see some American actors up there. Let this be a call to arms, American actors. Come on.
HAMMER: So hopefully, Oscar`s European holiday will only last a year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, it might not be the end of the great American actor but it might be the end of the great American award show. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned that last night`s Oscars may have earned the lowest ratings in 20 years. What was it? The movies, the host, the seemingly random celebrities who were at the show, or perhaps it was all of the above?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, executive news editor for "E!" Ken Baker. Also in Hollywood tonight, entertainment journalist and adjunct professor at the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California, Mary Murphy. Great to see you both.
Preliminary numbers are unbelievable. I was shocked when they came across the wire because quite honestly, I knew they were going to be off, but they were down 21 percent. That is just terrible! Mary, does it surprise you at all?
MARY MURPHY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: It doesn`t surprise me in the least. In fact, I took my own poll this weekend. There were so many people I knew who were in town not for the Oscars but just in town. And I asked a large table of people, "Have you seen any of the movies?" And they said, no. That`s one of the problems. They haven`t seen the movies. The actors who were phenomenal are not really well-known and so people don`t want to tune in. Plus, we have this long after-strike, and I think people just thought, "Well, I`m not even sure who`s going to show up."
HAMMER: And one of the things about the Academy Awards as we all know, it was the 80th Oscars. It`s an institution. The problem with institutions sometimes they have been around a little too long. One of the reasons that our viewers thought it was too low is about to be revealed because we asked SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers if they thought the Oscars were out of touch with moviegoers. Overwhelmingly, 85 percent said yes to 15 percent saying no.
Ken, what do you think? Are they on to something here? I mean, they`re the ones, after all, who are really shelling out the money, their hard-earned bucks, weekend after weekend, for a little escape. And as Mary said, the movies weren`t ones anybody really saw.
KEN BAKER, EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR FOR "E!": Yes, look at the top movies that were nominated - "There Will Be Blood," "No Country for Old Men," "Atonement." These are very serious, very dramatic movies. They were kind of esoteric and didn`t really relate to a mass audience, and so it wasn`t really surprising.
There was no real big blockbuster out there that connected with anyone and I think - like a "Lord of the Rings" in the past or something like that, it just wasn`t` in the show. And on top of that, the show just wasn`t very good. And there`s a lot of reasons perhaps for that, a lot maybe having to do with the writers` strike. But a lot of planning behind schedule and they weren`t able to really put together a decent show. But I think it started with the nominations and they weren`t very good. Now, they tried - now, you said random celebrities. Are you saying that Gary Busey is a random celebrity? Come on.
HAMMER: No. I should take that back. He wasn`t on my list of random celebrities at all. You know, a lot of people always also look to the host because he has to be the glue or she has to be the glue that holds the whole thing together. Jon Stewart, of course, hosting last night. He hosted back in 2006. I like Jon Stewart a lot. I thought the opening monologue was terrific. How do you think, Mary, that he did this time around considering he only had nine days to put together the jokes in the show.
MURPHY: You know, I thought he was so much better. In fact, here`s what I was thinking today. OK. Johnny Carson, number one. Billy Crystal, number two. Bob Hope, three and now, I would put Jon Stewart right in there with that league. He just hit it out of the ballpark last night. Humor - he`s funny. Political humor. He was able to pick up with the moments. And hey, my favorite moment of night was when Jon Stewart brought that wonderful, young girl back to give her acceptance speech. It was her moment of fame and I thought that was great about Jon Stewart as a host and as a man. Forever highlight of the Oscars for me.
HAMMER: Yes. That was a bright point of the night and he can`t be held accountable at all for the ratings failure. They had a bunch of what a lot of people I spoke with thought were these terribly dull montages honoring Oscar`s 80 years throughout the show. One of the most popular former host, Whoopi Goldberg, was shut out of those clips. And leave it, of course, to the ladies of "The View" to call the Academy on. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Did you make them mad?
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Undoubtedly. Undoubtedly. I pissed somebody off again.
SHEPHERD: That`s not right.
GOLDBERG: You know what? I don`t - I don`t know.
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I think you were a great host.
GOLDBERG: Yes.
SHEPHERD: Four times.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I think we should do our own montage of you to make up for it.
GOLDBERG: This makes up for it.
SHEPHERD: We love you. It is not very hard to figure out who hosted Oscars four times.
BEHAR: Right.
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": We love you.
GOLDBERG: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, Whoopi was genuinely emotional there. Ken, what do you think? It cannot have been an oversight. I mean she did it for four years and she made history as the first woman to host the show.
BAKER: I don`t know if it was an oversight but there`s definitely an overreaction. I haven`t seen an over dramatic reaction like that since Ellen wept herself to death over the dog. I mean, come on. It was a maybe an oversight.
But guess what? She was in the show. She was in one of the other dull montages as you say. I think she just kind of overreacted but, I mean, it was good TV and she was really having this emotional moment. I think I was sucked into it. But when I stepped back, I was like, you know, so what? What`s the big deal? They had nine days to put this thing together.
HAMMER: Well, I`m out of time here but I have to fault you, Ken, for accusing "The View" of being overdramatic. I mean that`s almost like redundant. Ken Baker, Mary Murphy, thanks for being with us. I appreciate it.
BAKER: Thank you.
HAMMER: And now, we`d like to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Oscar winners: Did they get it right?" Let us know at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Our E-mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Well, there`s no doubt about it, A.J. There were some real Cinderella stories at the Academy Awards this year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIABLO CODY, ACADEMY AWARD WINNING SCREENWRITER: I always say that it would be a silly movie because nobody would believe it. I have an unbelievable life story.
ANDERSON: Yes, she does. Quite a life story for sure. Diablo Cody was once a stripper; now she`s an Oscar-winning screenwriter. And she`s not the only one. We have the most surprising Oscar Cinderella stories coming up.
HAMMER: And Angelina Jolie. You know, she was the talk of the Oscars but she wasn`t even there. She was out and about over the weekend, though, with a very noticeable baby bump. That is coming up.
ANDERSON: And finally, I`m so happy to be able to say this. Some good news for Britney Spears. After nearly two months, she finally got to visit her children. We are going to tell you how that visit went and why there`s a lot of concern over Britney`s money situation. Still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, you do not want to miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, HOST OF "LARRY KING LIVE": Want more children?
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: Oh yes, yes. Yes.
KING: Yes?
PITT: Yes. We`re just getting started.
KING: Four and just getting -
PITT: We`ll see? We`ll probably crap out somewhere. I don`t know. But yes. We`re not done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Brad Pitt there in December telling Larry King that he`s looking forward to expanding his family with Angelina Jolie. And from the looks of it, they might soon be a party of seven.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Two big stories that are new right now. All eyes were on Brad and Angelina as they sped down the blue carpet at this weekend`s Spirit Awards. Angelina seems to be sporting a baby bump that was hard to miss. And I`ve got the pictures everybody is talking about right there.
Also new tonight, breaking Britney Spears` news. After almost two long months, Britney finally gets to see her sons. Could she be turning the corner?
Joining me in Hollywood, "In Touch Weekly" senior editor Kim Serafin. Also in Hollywood, "Extra" correspondent Jerry Penacoli. Jerry, Kim, good to see you today.
JERRY PENACOLI, "EXTRA" CORRESPONDENT: Nice to see you, too.
ANDERSON: Hey, you know, I was right there at the Oscars on Sunday and I can tell you that even though Brad and Angelina weren`t there, they were a no-show. They were the talk of the night because of the expectant mother theme at Oscars and because of how Angelina looked the day before. Kim, why do you think we`re so fascinated with whether she is pregnant or not? I mean it`s no secret they want to have more kids.
KIM SERAFIN, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Yes. I mean, you mean other than the fact that Brad and Angelina are beautiful and they produce the most beautiful kids? I think we are fascinated because of who they are, because they are so different than your average Hollywood couple. I mean, with her adopting and also the fact they`re out there really using their fame for something good.
And, I just think it`s something they`re kind of a mystery to us. You know, they`re not the kind of people you run into at the local McDonald`s. They`re sort of this - the closest thing we have to Hollywood royalty, I think. They`re so international. And I think it`s just so mysterious and it`s the one thing that makes her like everyone else in a way.
ANDERSON: And speaking of that mystery, they flew past the media, not stopping for any questions. Jerry, why do you think they`re so tightlipped? No hiding it now.
PENACOLI: No. No hiding it now. But I`ve got to tell you something. They`re a classy couple and recently and I think in light of the alleged pregnancy which, of course, now looks like it is in fact happening. They just have been pulling back from the press a lot. And I think that that lends that air of mystery, as well. But in terms of the baby bump, I mean, you are looking at Angelina now, tightlipped, and Brad tightlipped. It`s because I think most women who are in their first trimester don`t want to really spill the beans.
ANDERSON: True.
PENACOLI: You know, they don`t want to tell family. They don`t want to tell friends they`re pregnant until they`re past that sort of safety zone, you know, into the second trimester -
ANDERSON: Well, yes.
PENACOLI: So I think she`s just like everybody else in trying to keep things kind of mum until she knows that everything is OK.
ANDERSON: It looks like she is past that point. Now, it looks like the lump not so much a baby bump anymore. She looks great. And I do want to play you something that Elizabeth Hasselbeck said this morning`s "View." And I think it`s really interesting. It`s about why she thinks they`re keeping mum.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: I feel with the position that they`re in, this may be the safest place in terms of social exposure that that child will be in because they will hunt them down and try to get a photo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Kim, do you agree that this is kind of a pre-emptive strike?
SERAFIN: Well, I mean, no matter what she does, people are going to take photos of her. I mean that is who she is. She is such an international star. And, again, by way of what she does with the U.N. and traveling and her acting and the fact that her and Brad are such a power couple. I mean people are going to take pictures no matter what. So, it sort of seems like they don`t really need to acknowledge or officially say she is pregnant. The rumors have been flying. The reports are out there. It`s sort of seems like -
(CROSS TALK)
PENACOLI: But this is the way for Angelina and Brad to say nonverbally, "OK you guys, yes. We`re pregnant. She wore a form-fitting dress -
ANDERSON: You know what -
PENACOLI: And she said, "OK, it`s it."
ANDERSON: There it is.
PENACOLI: It`s out in the open. There it is, yes. Leave us alone.
ANDERSON: Congratulations to them. They can do what they want. Good for Brad and Angelina. All right now. I do want to move on to the big Britney Spears` news. Finally, after many attempts to regain visitation rights, Britney was able to visit with Sean Preston and Jayden James twice over the past three days.
Jerry, maybe it`s just me, but in the past couple of months, she`s told the dozens of photographers around her. She`s told them about her every want and need. But I never heard or saw her say, "I want to see my kids." So what happened? It wasn`t like the opportunity wasn`t there.
PENACOLI: I`ll tell you what happened. Daddy happened. Daddy came to town and Daddy is setting the girl straight. James Spears is having a tremendous affect on Britney. You see the most recently paparazzi shots? She is in the backseat of the car. She is trying to cover herself with a jacket. You know, they go out to dinner after the first visitation with the children on Saturday. She goes out with her dad and it`s very quiet. It`s not a big hullabaloo. But keep in mind, these visitations are not these warm, fuzzy, you know, days or hours spent. You know? There`s a psychiatrist, there`s a court appointed monitor. The father is there. Kevin Federline`s security rep is there. You know, so she`s having sometime with these kids but it`s not exactly mommy and baby time.
ANDERSON: Yes. Strictly monitored and supervised. Well, hopefully she will continue on the right path. I`m happy to see Jamie Spears is so involved right there. Kim Serafin, Jerry Penacoli, thank you to both.
PENACOLI: My pleasure.
HAMMER: Of course, Brooke, with the good news, there is some bad news. There`s a lot of concern over Britney`s money situation. There are actually some who are saying that she`s being robbed blind literally. Let`s find out why, coming up.
We will also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARION COTILLARD, ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTRESS: I tried to do my best to find her inside me. And but it was not so hard because I really loved her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Marion Cotillard, talking about playing Edith Piaf, such a great moment when she won and that`s just the beginning. Straight ahead, we have the moments you missed, the ones you won`t soon forget and the ones that everybody is talking about.
HAMMER: And of course, it would not be the Academy Awards without dishing on what everybody was wearing. That`s why you tune in anyway. So who was a hit? Who was a miss? We`ve got the good. We`ve got the bad. And we`ve got the ugly Oscar fashions, coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Oscar fashion, still the talk of Hollywood. Celebrities rocked the red carpet and "In Style`s" national correspondent Katrina Szish was right there, giving me her top picks for the night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATRINA SZISH, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, "IN STYLE": Anne Hathaway tops my list as best dressed. What I love is she was simple in the color but the details on the Marchesa dress were stunning - the asymmetrical neckline, the florettes, the draping. It looked absolutely stunning, especially contrasting with her beautiful milky white skin. She was an A plus.
ANDERSON: Yes. She looks fantastic. And someone else getting a lot of buzz - Jessica Alba. She looked beautiful and she`s very visibly pregnant.
SZISH: She sure is. Jessica Alba, of course, one of the three pregnant A- listers here tonight. And she looked stunning as she always does, also wearing Marchesa. Two shout outs for Marchesa. Beautiful burgundy dress, strapless. Big trend of the night, again, with details around the bust line really drawing attention up to her face. Nothing on her neck. Simple earrings. Beautiful hair style. She rocked it.
ANDERSON: Also want to talk about Jennifer Garner, extremely sexy.
SZISH: So nice to see Jennifer Garner back on the red carpet. I know I`ve missed her and she was looking hot in an Oscar de la Renta strapless dress. Beautiful little tendril of hair down coming down the side of her face. And the way the dress fit her body and then flared at the hemline was gorgeous. The necklace was a perfect choice. The necklace is officially back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Officially back, A.J. And hey, one of the great things about this year`s Oscars. There were some real Cinderella stories. Just think, you may not like your job now but if a former stripper can go on to win an Oscar for the best screenplay, there`s hope, right? Coming up, the Oscar dream come true, moments that you will love.
HAMMER: Hope indeed. Also coming up, some big Britney news tonight. We have a lot to get to. Britney Spears reunited with her kids for the first time in nearly two months. Britney got to visit her two young boys. We will tell you how that went.
Also, is Britney`s fortune in danger? Britney`s dad is now in charge but is it too little to late? Wait until you hear what`s been reportedly been going on with Britney`s money.
And was there a Britney burglary? There`s a shocking report of grand theft taking place in Britney`s home. You are not going to want to miss this. We will get you up to date on all of the latest Britney Spears news, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Britney`s big news. New details on Britney Spears` top secret visit with her two sons after two months with no visitation rights. Could Britney finally be on the path to getting back custody?
Plus, is Britney`s fortune dwindling away? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the inside track on Britney`s financial fiasco.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CODY: I always said that it would be a silly movie, because nobody would believe it. I have an unbelievable life story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: From rags to riches. You won`t believe the incredible life stories of some of the biggest winners of the Oscars. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with an exclusive look at their unbelievable Cinderella stories.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Glad to have you here, A.J. And I`m Brooke Anderson. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, there is big Britney news. After nearly two months, Britney Spears finally reunited with her two young boys. Her father and her psychiatrist were reportedly present during the three-hour visit. And in a shocking new report, is Britney`s fortune actually in danger of collapse? Her dad may be in charge of her life now, but could she have done so much damage to her career that there is no way out?
This troubling report says that her family actually had to step in because random people in the life were in charge of the finances. And this news coming on the heels of Britney`s dad Jamie claiming that Britney`s house was looted. Paintings, jewelry and other valuables have reportedly been removed from the pop star`s Beverly Hills home.
Joining me tonight in New York from the Tru TV studio, Ashleigh Banfield, host of "Hollywood Heat." Here in Hollywood, Darren Kavinoky, attorney for the Kavinoky Law Firm. Also in Hollywood tonight, Ken Baker, executive news editor for E!
Great to see you all, gang. Wow, it`s nice to have some good news to report about Britney Spears. She finally got to see her two boys after all this time. Now, this was, as I said, a monitored visit as you heard. And "E! News" had the opportunity to sit down with Mark Vincent Kaplan, that`s Kevin Federline`s attorney. I want you to listen to what Mark says about Britney`s dad, Jamie, being instrumental in this particular visitation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK VINCENT KAPLAN, KEVIN FEDERLINE`S ATTORNEY: Obviously, Jamie, somebody that is reliable, that has the best interests of the petitioner in mind. I think that he, so to speak, cleaned house and got everyone away from her that he didn`t feel were necessarily acting in her best interest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, you know, Kaplan not mincing words at all there. Ken Baker, we`ve talked about this before. This is exactly what they have wanted all along - some stability in Britney`s life and a safe environment for the kids.
BAKER: Yes. And Kaplan minced no words about it. He read Jamie Spears really like he said was instrumental. And what you didn`t hear on that also is that Kaplan also told "E!" that he`s glad Sam Lutfi is out of the picture. He said that you know, Sam Lutfi obviously - he was happy that Sam Lutfi was served that restraining order in order to stay away from Britney. I thought it was a positive thing, but Jamie Spears coming into the picture providing stability and Kaplan told us like unequivocally that this was the reason why they were able to strike this deal, absolutely because of Jamie Spears.
HAMMER: I mean that`s just wild to even talk about when you think about what has transpired in the lives of Jamie Spears and Britney Spears over the past several years. Because, you know, we know Jamie wasn`t a big part of her life for so long. Darren, it`s pretty wild that he is actually turning out to be her savior here, isn`t he?
DARREN KAVINOKY, ATTORNEY, KAVINOKY LAW FIRM: Yes, A.J, although I don`t know if I`m going along with the word "savior." You know, between Britney and her sister, we`ve had more than our fair share of psychiatric hospitalizations and unplanned pregnancies and maybe a shotgun wedding coming up. So "savior" may be a bit strong, but there`s no question that we`re going in the right direction here.
And certainly, Jamie`s involvement signals a return to focusing on what`s really in the best interest of everybody and that`s a best interest of the kids. You know, when you strip away the Kevin Federline bickering with Britney and all of those issues, what really matters here is you have two very young kids and they haven`t seen their mommy until now for nearly two months. So it`s great news for the well being of that family, and specifically those kids, that now they`re going to be back together.
HAMMER: Yes. And it is good to hear maybe "savior" is a strong word, but Jamie is providing a positive influence here. Ashleigh, there has been some skepticism about Jamie`s involvement in Britney`s life ever since he got back involved but it is a good thing.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HOST, "HOLLYWOOD HEAT": Yes. I mean, I`ll second Darren`s motion and I`ll one up you. I`m not sure what his motive is, whether it`s love or money. But one thing he`s been able to accomplish is cutting Britney away from the herd. Whatever the rational of the herd was before, love them or hate them, Britney wasn`t doing well under the care of that herd. So let`s see where we go from here.
HAMMER: So how exactly does Brit`s ex feel about Britney finally getting with the kids? Well, I want you to listen to what Mark Vincent Kaplan told "E! News" about what Kevin is now thinking now that she`s had this first visitation, time with the kids since her time in the psych ward has taken place. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAPLAN: He looks forward to developments in the future whereby the children will have a mother who`s going to participate in their lives. That`s his goal. That`s Mr. Spears` goal. That is her lawyer`s goal. So in that regard, we are all on the same page.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, continuing with this message of positivity, Ken, and things seemingly on the right track, it is looking more and more likely that Britney`s going to get some scheduled visitation with the boys soon on a regular basis.
BAKER: Well, it really is striking. Kumbaya, A.J. Kumbaya. It is just a completely different situation. A piece of cord apparently has been struck. And they are all on the same page suddenly and I think that this is good news.
How many times do we come on the show over the last few months and talk about one disaster after another with Britney Spears. And we`re told by Kaplan that she`s going to be seeing the kids or at least the plan is unless she lands herself in a hospital or some other tragic situation, that she is going to see the kids regularly. And you`re going to be seeing this happening a lot and Saturday was just the first of many visits to come.
HAMMER: Well, I have to move on. Kumbaya is a good word. So I`m going to write that one down, Ken. We need to move on to the shocking report that was on the front page of the newspapers about Britney`s fortune and the questions about it being in serious jeopardy which is wild when you think about the reports she was earning $700,000 a month.
Now, Britney`s dad filed a theft claim, a theft claim. Now, this is a couple of weeks ago saying that some art work and some jewelry were stolen from her home. Ashleigh you know the saying that when you see one cockroach in the kitchen, that means there`s a thousand lurking behind the walls. I mean is this something that`s perhaps one example of something that could be very potentially dangerous and be a huge problem for Britney?
BANFIELD: Well, it is entirely possible there were those cockroaches. I think there were some reports suggesting people were coming in and out of her home. I think a few paparazzi were in and out of there as well. So, yes, I think the fact that they`ve shut things down is probably a good thing, whether they`ll ever recover anything, who knows?
And you`re right. She was up to $750,000 a month in earnings, but she was spending just about the same amount. Now, A.J., before we all think about tag days for Britney, she has a nice reserve of $100 million to her name. So I don`t think we have to be concerned about Britney`s welfare so far. What I am concerned about is who are the people really in her best interest? Is it her father? Is it the others? I think that`s all going to play out.
HAMMER: Yes. It`s good to know she has that sort of cash tucked away hopefully in a safe place. Hopefully she has the right advisors investing that money for her. Because let`s not forget, she hasn`t really had any endorsement deals except for a perfume line any time recently.
She reportedly $4 million for the last album "Blackout." A lot of people are reporting now that she only got $150,000 of all of that. Darren, let`s face it. What brand is going to hire right now as a spokesperson? There`s a serious image problem here.
KAVINOKY: Oh, there sure is. And I hope whoever`s watching the money in her life has not gone to the MC Hammer school of investing. I mean we`ve seen plenty of celebrities take a vast fortune and whittle it away down to nothing.
And, you know, we got a peek into her finances during this divorce case where we learn that she made only $13,000 a month from investments. And, you know, my 6-year-old daughter, I think, could do better than a yield of $13,000 a month when you`ve the money to play with that Britney does.
HAMMER: Yes. No kidding.
KAVINOKY: At the end of the day, we Americans - we love a comeback story and we love to root for the underdog. And frankly, I think that all of this, if Britney makes it into it, could really be the catalyst for some deep and meaningful change. And she could mount the best celebrity comeback story ever.
HAMMER: No question about it. Well, we`re coming from a place of optimism here because we`re starting off with some good news today. Ashleigh Banfield, Ken Baker, Darren Kavinoky, thanks for being with us.
ANDERSON: Well, you might know the winners of the Oscars but I bet you don`t know about much about their actual life stories. And I`ve got to tell you, A.J., I couldn`t believe when I heard the juicy details of some of these stars` lives.
I was there when Marion Cotillard won best actress for her rags-to- riches role as Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose." But there`s really so much more than meets the eye with this beautiful actress. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with exclusive behind the scenes video of Cotillard as you have never seen her before.
And the racy Cinderella story of "Juno" writer, Diablo Cody. A.J., she wasn`t always a writer. Let me put it this way, her last job was clothing optional. We`ll have the details right after the break.
HAMMER: All right. Well, you definitely piqued my curiosity there. I think I know what you`re on to though, Brooke.
And thanks to the writers` strike, it has now been four months since America`s gotten their fix of "Saturday Night Live." All that changed over this past weekend, their first show in so long. A lot of buzz leading up to it, but did anybody actually watch? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the low down, next.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COTILLARD: It is true. There are some angels in this city. Thank you so, so much!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the Academy Awards Sunday night. A stunned Marion Cotillard, winning the Oscar for best actress in a leading role for "La Vie En Rose."
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, the big Oscar winners are basking in the glow of their golden night. But there`s something more that makes their wins extra special.
Marion Cotillard, Javier Bardem, even "Juno" screenwriter, Diablo Cody all won top prizes but they also have some shocking and unbelievable stories that made their winning moments the Cinderella moments of the Oscars.
With me tonight Tom O`Neil, columnist for the Web site "TheEnvelope.com." And tonight, in Washington, Amy Argetsinger, "The Washington Post" "Reliable Source" columnist. Tom, Amy, welcome. And we just showed you that absolutely adorable moment of Marion on stage. But there was another moment backstage just after her win. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asked Cotillard if she would sing an Edith Piaf song that represented her feelings after the Oscar win. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COTTILLARD: Now it would be maybe, wow. Padam.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now, she won an Oscar for lip syncing Edith Piaf`s songs but we know she can sing, too. I know she`s got a great voice. She sang for me at Oscar luncheon, as well. Tom O`Neil, what made her win a Cinderella moment?
TOM O`NEIL, COLUMNIST, "THEENVELOPE.COM": Two factors. One, just like Cinderella, she went from rags to glory. She was a relatively obscure actress on one hand, all of a sudden and then vaulted into the pantheon, that`s, remember, where gods and angels live. And that`s what made her evoking the image, that fantastic, the magical. So great.
The other factor is the fact she was not the frontrunner to win at all. Julie Christie was the heavy favorite. So she came through and it was a surprise Cinderella.
ANDERSON: It certainly was and I have spoken with Marion numerous times and she has always been such a delight. I`m very happy for her. And hey, another big Cinderella moment of the night. Diablo Cody - get this, she was a stripper at one point and she is now an Oscar-winning screenwriter. And she was asked backstage who would write the movie about her life. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You have such an interesting life story and I think everyone has been fascinated with your own life. If your life were made into a movie, who would you want to write the screenplay for it?
CODY: Here`s the thing with that. I always say that it would be a silly movie because nobody would believe it. I have an unbelievable life story. And I think that I would have to write it. I don`t know anybody else that could.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Amy, you can`t make this stuff up. How does this happen in Hollywood?
ARGETSINGER: Well, you don`t want to exaggerate too much but it`s true. She used to be a stripper. She is not exactly from the streets. She is a college graduate, University of Iowa, an aspiring writer, who, while trying to make her break into writing, did take up the work of a stripper for a while, and actually, I think, also worked as a phone sex operator.
Of course, doing this gave her the seeds for writing a book that was pretty successful. And then someone suggested her that she write a screenplay and that really is remarkable. I mean, by Hollywood standards, she really is out of nowhere. Her first screenplay, not only got turned into a movie, which is rare enough, but was a huge hit, won all the big prizes. She won`t have to strip again.
ANDERSON: Wow. Stripper, phone sex operator - and now, an Oscar winner. Like I said, you can`t make it up.
All right. Javier Bardem. Now, he went for best supporting actor in "No Country for Old Men." Really not a surprise that he won but it is a surprise that he`s the first Spanish actor to ever win an Oscar. And not only that, this one really launches him into Hollywood royalty, doesn`t it, Tom?
O`NEIL: It does. You know, just a few years ago, he won a lot of critics` awards for "The Sea Inside," a movie that won best foreign film at the Oscars, and he wasn`t nominated. He was, a few years before that, for "Before Night Falls," but it seemed as if his career was falling. And suddenly, you know, can he keep the dream alive? Can he believe in angels? Well, those angels came to him last night, too. And suddenly, he`s now A- list in every way. He`s not just a serious actor, he`s considered a heart throb by many. So, I think he is a superstar born.
ANDERSON: He certainly is. And he`s self deprecating which I love. He made fun of that terrible hair cut he had to wear in "No Country for Old Men." All right. Another big winner and big Cinderella moment, Tilda Swinton. She was absolutely when she won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in "Michael Clayton." She told me on the carpet that she couldn`t imagine being up on the Oscar stage. Take a look at what she said.
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ANDERSON: You said recently that you`ve never watched the Oscars.
TILDA SWINTON, ACADEMY AWARD WINNER FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: No.
ANDERSON: And that you couldn`t think of anything more terrifying than walking across that Oscar stage. But how is the experience tonight?
SWINTON: You know, it is kind of mellow. I mean, it is just so insane. And I`m getting the hang of this people screaming thing. I mean, as I said the other day, it feels like being in a dog show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Mellow and insane. She couldn`t imagine it but there she was on stage winning the Oscar, and as she put it, the dog show. Amy, wouldn`t you say it is a Cinderella moment for her?
ARGETSINGER: It really is. And you can see the shock on her face when they called her name. She said later that she thought they had called someone else`s name and she is going wow, wow. It is amazing because she - it was a very competitive category and a lot of people thought it would be Cate Blanchett, who of course, is a big favorite of the Academy Award people. Or Ruby Dee, who had never won an Oscar before. Sentimental favorite. Tilda Swinton - this is her first Oscar nomination. She`s better known for obscure, dark, independent films.
ANDERSON: Right.
ARGETSINGER: Had - was not highly favored to win this.
ANDERSON: No, she wasn`t.
ARGETSINGER: But, you know, got up and was very loopy and talked about -
ANDERSON: She was cool.
ARGETSINGER: Yes.
ANDERSON: She took a couple of digs at George. She was a great pleasure to chat with on the carpet, as well. We may be seeing more of her. Amy Argetsinger and Tom O`Neil, thank you so much.
And hey, we have been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It is this - "Oscar winners: Did they get it right?"
Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: Well, what a weekend it was for "Saturday Night Live," finally back after the four-month writers` strike and hit it big in the ratings. It was their highest rated show in more than two years. Former head writer Tina Fey hosted the show along with musical guest Carrie Underwood. And presidential candidate Mike Huckabee made a guest appearance on "Weekend Update." He told Seth Meyers he was banking on the superdelegates to get him the Republican bid.
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GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m afraid that you overlook the all-important superdelegates. Don`t forget about them.
SETH MEYERS, COMEDIAN: Well, I won`t forget about them, superdelegates only in the Democratic primary.
HUCKABEE: Uh, they can`t vote in the Republican primary?
MEYERS: They cannot.
HUCKABEE: Uh-oh. That`s not good news. You know, Seth, I was counting on those superdelegates.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh well. At the "SNL" post party, Huckabee`s wife spilled the beans that the presidential hopeful had always dreamed of being on "Saturday Night Live." Looks like he got what he wished for. There.
All right. Here`s a question. What do you get when you team up Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan? Got an answer? OK. I`ll tell you. You get an animation spectacular called "Kung Fu Panda." That`s what. It`s going to be in theaters this summer, but you get to see it first. You will not want to miss it in the showbiz first look. That is coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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HAMMER: In tonight`s showbiz first look, "Kung Fu Panda." Great cast here - Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan, all voicing this animated film all about a lazy panda who unwittingly becomes the chosen one and has to master martial arts to save his animal kingdom. Here now, your showbiz first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VOICE OVER: In a land of tradition and honor, one Kung fu master -
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Let`s get started.
VOICE OVER: Has trained five of the greatest warriors the world has ever known. But this master`s biggest challenge has just arrived.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I`m coming. Ugh. Aah. Ugh. Stairs. Yes! Hah hah!
VOICE OVER: Jack black.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Go ahead, panda. Show us what you can do.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Um, are they going to watch or should I wait until they get back to work or something?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Just hit it.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Get ready to feel the thunder. What do you think about crazy feet?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I`m a blur. I`m a blur. You never see me.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Would you hit it?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: How`s that? Whoa!
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Are you ready?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I was born ready.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Can I punch through walls? Can I do a back flip?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Focus. Focus.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Huh! That crabby panda is not the warrior.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You just need to believe.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Oh! That was awesome! Let`s go again.
VOICE OVER: This June -
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: When you focus on kung fu, you suck. The way to get through to you is with this. Have a dumpling.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Wah!
VOICE OVER: Dreamworks` "kung fu panda."
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You have done well.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Done well? I have done awesome.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Yes. You have done awesome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: "Kung Fu Panda" will be in theaters on June 6th. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for having me here in Hollywood, Brooke. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: It was a pleasure. And I`m Brooke Anderson. The latest from CNN HEADLINE NEWS coming up next.
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