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Showbiz Tonight
Paris Hilton`s Guru; Lindsay Lohan`s Mother and Sister Get Into a Reality Show; Billy Cyrus Allegedly Erased Lindsay Lohan`s Number from Miley`s Cell Phone; Heartbreaking Testimony from John Ritter`s Widow; A Look Into `Celebrity Rehab`; Drugs and Fame
Aired March 04, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST: Heartbreaking testimony from John Ritter`s widow about the last hours before he died. And is Miley Cyrus` dad trying to keep her away from Lindsay Lohan? The SHOWBIZ Truth Squad is on the case. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Paris Hilton`s brand new spiritual guru. Paris said he changed her life. But this guru is really an actor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIA ALLISON, "STAR MAGAZINE": Why is she hanging out with this out-of- work actor posing as a spiritual guide? Maybe the Dalai Lama didn`t return her phone call.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the story of Paris` spiritual guru, who is about as much as yogi as Yogi the Bear.
Hollywood`s bad boys and bad girls and the big bad double standard. Why is it that the guys can get in all sorts of troubles and no one says a word, but the girls don`t get the same treatment? Why do Lindsay, Britney and Amy get such a hard time when Kiefer and Charlie get off scot-free? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates Hollywood`s dirty double standard, and inside the shocking stories of "Celebrity Rehab."
(MUSIC)
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York. A.J. is off tonight. So what is the deal with the bad girls of Hollywood? How come everybody goes crazy over the likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears when they do something terrible? But when the bad boys do something rotten, they seem to get a pass. You will not want to miss this SHOWBIZ special report, coming right up.
But first, Paris and the yogi. No, not Yogi the Bear and not Yogi Berra, but a guy who Paris tried to have us believe was her spiritual adviser. Yes, I know. Paris played the card once before when she claimed to have discovered a passion for the Bible while she was in jail. Well, it turns out that once again it seems Paris doesn`t have a prayer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): It was a sight that shocked the world. "Hollywood.tv" video of Paris Hilton hanging out with what appeared to be some kind of a spiritual guru.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Blessing everybody? Blessing everybody?
ANDERSON: Making startling gestures of generosity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She just handed it to me.
ANDERSON: Kind words the people on the street.
MAXIE SANTILLAN, ACTOR WHO ALLEGEDLY POSED AS PARIS HILTON`S SPIRITUAL GURU: You are beautiful.
PARIS HILTON, ACTRESS: You are beautiful.
ANDERSON: Has the heiress we used to see either partying hard -
PARIS HILTON: What`s up, Las Vegas?
ANDERSON: Or being mean and self absorbed.
PARIS HILTON: She`s a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) hoodlum broke poor (EXPLETIVE DELETED) from like Compton.
ANDERSON: Finally, started to live a higher life of generosity?
PARIS HILTON: Greatest gift is to give.
ANDERSON: And dare we say enlightenment under the watchful eye of her mysterious new guru or yogi? Um, no.
KATIE DARYL, TMZ.TV: This guy, the guru, is an actor.
ANDERSON: Yes, it`s true. This guy is no more of a yogi than Yogi Bear or Yogi Berra. "TMZ.com" outed him as actor Maxie Santillan who`s had bit parts in films like "Pirates of the Carribean."
DARYL: We immediately smelled a rat when we saw Paris Hilton out with this guru. Just didn`t seem her typical style.
ALLISON: Why is she hanging out with this out-of-work actor posing as a spiritual guide? Maybe the Dalai Lama didn`t return her phone call.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the latest on the news that sent the world into spasms of non-surprise and asks are at all disappointed that Paris isn`t seeking enlightenment after all?
ALLISON: Maybe this is all just a ploy to get people to come to Paris Hilton`s new venture, a club called Enlightenment.
ANDERSON: At first glance, it was easy to believe that Paris may have been open to seeking out a more profound existence.
DARYL: It`s Hollywood, so any time we see a celebrity reaching inside to search their spirituality, you know, that isn`t big news. So it`s like, "OK. So Paris Hilton - sure, she`s trying something new.
ANDERSON: When she appeared on "LARRY KING LIVE" after her jail sentence on a DUI-related charge this past summer, Paris said she was now more a spiritual person.
PARIS HILTON: I`ve always had this sense of spirituality but even more so now after being in jail.
SANTILLAN: Best gift to give.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is true. It really is true.
SANTILLAN: Is of yourself.
ANDERSON: Still, when TMZ cameras caught Paris hitting the town with this mysterious stranger, TMZ TV`s Katie Daryl tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it was a strange sight.
DARYL: First, they went to a bookstore and they`re picking up spiritual guidance books and everyone`s wearing Birkenstocks except for Paris Hilton, of course. She`s got size, what, like 11 high-heeled shoes going on in the store. Then they decided to go for dinner and sit outside on a patio, because obviously, that`s the best shot for the paparazzi.
ANDERSON: It was there where we saw this incredible scene. Paris walking over to a complete stranger and giving her a diamond necklace.
PARIS HILTON: He said for me to give this to you. God bless you.
DARYL: You`ve got to spray that necklace down with some Lysol and any antibacterial you can get your hands on because you just don`t know with Paris.
ANDERSON: But now we know the real story. It was only an actor after all. And the question is, why would Paris put one over on us and think this party girl has found some sort of spiritual enlightenment?
ALLISON: I don`t think anyone was convinced that Paris was actually searching for enlightenment.
ANDERSON: Could this have been a stunt for her rumored upcoming reality show or could she be working on a project with this actor who has a varied resume?
DARYL: He`s been in, you know, a lot of movies and television shows including "My Name is Earl."
ANDERSON: And it just so happened, "Entertainment Weekly" is now reporting that Paris will soon have a guest appearance on "My Name is Earl."
DARYL: It could be a big coincidence, but it could be a whole setup.
ANDERSON: Whatever the reason, it just goes to show that whenever we think Paris is going to change for the better, she reminds us, she`ll always be Paris.
DARYL: Every time we think that Paris Hilton is turning over a new leaf, everything seems to be turning up bogus just like this guru so, you know, it`s hard to take her for her word these days.
ANDERSON: And it will stay that way until we see Paris with a real spiritual guru.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, we tried to summon Paris Hilton for a comment on the state of her spiritual enlightenment and on the resume of her alleged fake guru. Unfortunately, as of show time, her people have yet to enlighten with us with a response.
And you know, as if it weren`t bad enough that we`re going to have to deal with yet another Paris Hilton reality show, get a load of this. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has just learned Lindsay Lohan`s mother is getting real, too. Lindsay`s mom, Dina, and little sister, Ali, will star in a new reality show to, get this, help jump start Ali`s singing and acting career. Hey, Dina, Maybe you ought to give pushing your kids into a spotlight a rest.
Correspondent Carlos Diaz and investigative journalist Pat Lalama. Carlos, Pat, great to see you. And hey, with all the public scrutiny, this family has faced, over the years, Dina and Michael Lohan`s public divorce, Lindsay`s trips to rehab - oh, yes, that pesky short trip to jail, Pat, why in the world would Dina thrust the 14-year-old child into the spotlight like this?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: OK. That`s rhetorical question, right?
ANDERSON: Right.
LALAMA: I mean, OK. Let me just put it to you, I`m going to go way out on a limb. This is a really dangerous limb. I`m gong to get all kinds of repercussions because she`s a Hollywood madam of mothers, OK? She`s pimping out her children. I don`t mean sexually, let`s make that clear, OK? No lawyers need to call me. I`m saying it figuratively. This woman in so need of her own sense of fame.
She was the one partying with her daughter Lindsay going out to clubs, allegedly hitting on guys, OK? This woman is desperate. So why not use her children. And her 14-year-old allegedly did some interview talking about how she loves fame and can`t live without it.
You know what I would do? I would turn off the microphone, yank that kid out of the interview room, cancel all potential TV shows and put her in counseling. But no, we get a TV show. Oh, boy.
ANDERSON: I`ll get to what she said in just a moment. But Carlos, I want to hear from you on this. Do you agree with Pat that Dina is desperate for this fame?
CARLOS, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": I wish Pat would come out of her shell. But, yes, it`s absolutely the case because this is an absolute case of not only Dina but Lindsay`s sister Ali also being addicted to fame. And this is not going to be a reality show. They`re talking about how this is going to be, you know, Ali jumpstarting her career. And she`s going to go on auditions.
This is not how real people go on auditions in L.A. No. This is all going to be set up. There are going to be people who are going to be giving her auditions so they can get face time and air time. This is not reality TV. This is staged TV for people who live in Iowa and my home state of Indiana, so they can go, "Oh, look. That`s the way it is in L.A. Because that`s not the way it is in L.A. and there`s not going to be reality TV at all.
ANDERSON: No, it is not real. And speaking of Ali seemingly dying to get famous just like big sis, here`s what she told "Teen Vogue" about fame. Quote, "I want it so bad. So bad you don`t even know. And now, it`s actually happening."
DIAZ: Oh, come on.
ANDERSON: "I`ve already been asked for my autograph, and it`s just a really good feeling to have." Pat, disturbing, right?
LALAMA: I`ve got chills. Very little upsets me that much anymore. I`m so jaded. I am sick to my stomach and you know what? I`m in your makeup room by the way. There wasn`t a person in that makeup room who promotes this. Everyone was sickened by it and encouraging me to say exactly what I feel which is this.
So who wants this? Television producers who know that a train wreck is on the way. They`ll get at least six seasons out of it, because that`s how long it will take for Ali to get into the 12-step program that will carry the show that they want it to. I mean this is absolutely outrageous. I am so depressed.
DIAZ: This is exactly what`s wrong with Hollywood. This is exactly what`s wrong with Hollywood. People wanting to be famous before they have the craft and the skills to get that fame. It`s not about the fame. It is what you do in order to be famous. Everyone wants the instant quick fix. "Oh, I want fame. I want fame." It`s the Paris Hilton world that we live in right now.
ANDERSON: It`s instant celebrity. And you know, reality TV isn`t always good for one`s career. Sometimes, people just fall out and you never hear from them again. Carlos, could this be bad for Ali`s budding career?
DIAZ: This is terrible because nothing ever - I mean, you look at "The Newlyweds," you know, with Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey. Where are their careers right now? You look at "The Osbournes," the hottest show ever on MTV. They`re not doing anything right now. I mean, you know, they tried to do their own talk shows and that all failed.
These reality shows suck the life out of the people that are on them and then they just toss them away because, you know what? There`s somebody else is waiting in line to have a new reality show the minute they`re off the air.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: As soon as the ratings aren`t the best.
LALAMA: Carlos - Carlos, is so right.
ANDERSON: Yes, go ahead.
LALAMA: I`m so sorry. I just want to say, it`s flavor of the month. He`s absolutely right. If Dina were really concerned about nurturing and mentoring her daughter, she would get her into good acting schools, keep her at home and then she`ll have a sustaining career. She`s going to have a dumb, ridiculous reality show and no one is going to take her seriously. So what is Dina doing for her daughter?
ANDERSON: Well, this is good advice from you. Now, Pat, you need to go take a drink of water and take a deep breath. We`ll all talk later. Pat Lalama, Carlos Diaz, thank you both.
All right. Here`s something that got me thinking today. How come when Lindsay or Britney or Amy Winehouse screw up, everybody goes bonkers? But when the bad boys of Hollywood drive drunk or get in all kinds of other trouble, they seem to get treated with kid gloves. Is there a big, bad double standard here? We`ll look into that coming up in a SHOWBIZ special report.
And now we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Hollywood`s Bad Girls: Do the media treat them worse than the bad boys?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Send us an E-mail at showbiztonight@CNN.com.
And stay right where you are because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going inside "Celebrity Rehab."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DREW PINSKY, "CELEBRITY REHAB": It`s like a disease, and right now, the disease is winning. I`m looking at seven people who are dying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
The show is fascinating. Stars going through rehab and it does not always go smoothly to say the least. We`re getting secrets from Celebrity Rehab from Dr. Drew, next in the interview only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also, did Miley Cyrus` dad really erase Lindsay Lohan`s number from his daughter`s cell phone? I can understand why he would want to do that. But is it true? The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case, coming up.
And did you see this? A streaker steals the show at a cricket match but the player who stopped him may actually be the one in trouble. That`s next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGITTE NIELSEN, ACTRESS: Maybe she didn`t have a chance to tell you how much she loved you before she died. It`s the drugs. You know? She didn`t die because she didn`t love you. She died because she was doing drugs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Stars battling addiction and going through rehab on camera. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the explosive inside story of one of the most emotional and dramatic shows on television.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, inside "Celebrity Rehab." VH1 took on a project unlike any other reality show by videotaping the dramatic rehab experiences of nine celebrities battling addiction.
The result? Shocking and disturbing images of withdrawal and a desperate side of these celebrities that we`ve never seen before. And now, the show is heading toward the finale this week. But was it OK to do it all on camera? Tonight, we take you inside that experience with the host of "Celebrity Rehab," Dr. Drew Pinsky who is with us tonight in New York.
Dr. Drew, thanks for being here. And we can`t wait for the finale this Thursday. But I want to ask you, what was the one thing that you saw happen that you could have never imagined or anticipated that still blows your mind?
PINSKY: Well, honestly, what blows my mind is going to sound glib and sort of self-serving but the reality is the way these people threw themselves in the process was inspirational. Their response to treatment was far better than the average for any given nine individuals. And it seems them being motivated to be on TV and being paid to be there helped keep them in the game and motivated them to stay deeply involved in the treatment process.
I was able to work with them on a level far deeper than I normally would with a usual treatment cohort. Usually, if you push too hard on a group of drug addicts, they leave and go use. This group really hung in and, boy, we have a reunion show actually a week from this Thursday where they come back. We filmed it a few days ago and they`re doing - they`re just amazing.
ANDERSON: Oh, that`s fantastic. They really did seem to be so focused on recovery and we saw a number of dramatic moments over the course of the show and I want to play one with actor Jeff Conway, star of "Taxi" and "Grease" as he struggled with the physical affects of withdrawal from drugs and alcohol. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF CONWAY, ACTOR: I see myself breaking that mirror and slicing my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) throat with this. And these glasses - I could break down and slit my wrists with them.
PINSKY: Hey, Buddy. Right here.
CONWAY: I don`t know who I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So disturbing. Dr. Drew, of all the celebrities you had on the show, he really had the toughest time, didn`t he?
PINSKY: Oh, yes. He was the most medically ill, there`s no doubt. But he is not unusual. I have the tell you, I run a drug treatment center in the psychiatric hospital and our average patient today is coming in addicted to multiple opiates and multiple benzodiazepines with chronic pain and trauma survivorship, all of which Jeff had. He was not an unusual case by the standards of what we`re seeing today in addiction treatment. He struggled. He is a dear man and I think all of America continues to pull for him.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. It was heartbreaking just watching him. He really opened up about a challenging childhood.
PINSKY: Challenging? Challenging? Horrible, horrible.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Yes.
PINSKY: You know, the ritualistic abuse. Just awful.
ANDERSON: Just terrible. And I want to ask you about former "American Idol" finalist Jessica Sierra. She struggled with drugs and alcohol after her mother died, after a drug overdose. I want to take a look at a little video diary she made toward the end of her stay at your facility.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSICA SIERRA, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL" FINALIST: I guess my biggest fear is maybe relapsing or getting out there and realizing it`s a lot harder than I expect it to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Yes, it was hard for her. She ended up in jail soon after her treatment.
PINSKY: It`s hard for all of them. And I`ll tell you, she made a commitment. You will see in the graduation episode coming up, that she made a commitment and I`m not going to reveal too much about what she did. But she was very much in the game. She was called back to Florida by the courts. We told them she was fragile. She would likely relapse. She did, in a fugue state - when she has posttraumatic stress, she goes into fugues. She beat up a police officer. She was facing ten years of prison and an enlightened judge, after beating her up pretty good, agreed to commit her to a year of treatment and she is doing great in treatment now.
ANDERSON: Still working with you now.
PINSKY: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: That`s great. But I went to know this, Dr. Drew. Is there anything that would make us believe that this whole thing could have backfired? Were you worried that having the celebrities bare their soul on camera could add to their pressure?
PINSKY: Absolutely. Listen, this took great deal of soul searching and a million different sort of details we had to look through but I tell you what. When we went through this process, there was one person responsible to see to it that these people were not harmed, that they had good treatment and reasonable outcomes and that person was me. I had to carry the entire responsibility.
I was the doctor for these people. I became their doctor. I cared very deeply about them. And I`m happy to say that it worked out. But absolutely, it was very anxiety provoking -
ANDERSON: I`m sure.
PINSKY: And that`s the best thing I can say. And then we didn`t know what it would mean to air it. And so far, the airing of this broadcasting of it has had no ill effect on them.
ANDERSON: You were unflappable, Dr. Drew. It was riveting. You heart out to these patients. Dr. Drew Pinsky, thanks so much for being here. You can catch the season finale of "Celebrity Rehab" this Thursday. And as Dr. Drew said, the cast reunion special, March 13th on VH1.
Of course, drugs not exactly a new phenomenon in Hollywood.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: I became an addict and I got through it. And I went to rehab and I was actually sober, 100 percent sober before I was 19 years old.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I think that`s really unbelievable. Really young stars doing really hard drugs. That`s been going on forever in Hollywood. But is there anything that could stop it? And why do fame and drug use seem to go hand in hand in so many cases? SHOWBIZ investigates stars and drugs, coming up.
Also, something that got me thinking today. How come when Hollywood`s bad girls mess up, everyone goes bananas? But when the bad boys get in all kinds of trouble, it`s not a big deal. I want to know, is there a big, bad double standard here? That`s coming up in a SHOWBIZ special report. You don`t want to miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Absolutely heartbreaking testimony from John Ritter`s widow in the $67-million wrongful death trial against two doctors. Amy Yasbeck sobbed as she described Ritter`s last hours in the hospital. She said Ritter was scared and asked one of the defendants if he could get a second opinion - one of the doctors if he could get a second opinion. But the doctor said there was no time.
Yasbeck said after that, quote, "I leaned down to John`s ear and I said, `I know you`re scared but you have to be brave and do this because these guys know what they`re doing.` And he was brave for all the time I saw him."
Yasbeck said that as Ritter was wheeled down the hall on a gurney, he used sign language to say I love you and she mouthed back the same words. Then he went around the corner and that was the last time she saw him.
ANDERSON: All right. Here`s something that really got me thinking today. How come when Hollywood`s bad girls mess up, everybody goes bananas, but when the bad boys get in all kinds of trouble, it is not a big deal? I want to know is there a big, bad double standard here? That is ahead in the SHOWBIZ special report.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON, BLOGGER: Mixing. I`m going to take some pills and booze and coke and weed and - crazy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Blogger Perez Hilton tells it like it is, but why do fame and drug use seem to go hand in hand? SHOWBIZ investigates stars and drugs straight ahead.
And did Miley Cyrus` dad really erased Lindsay Lohan`s number from his daughter`s cell phone? I can certainly understand why he`d want to keep Miley from becoming BFFs with Lindsay, but is it true? The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad is on the case. Coming up.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood`s bad girls versus bad boys. Tonight, why does it seem when male stars do out of control things, it`s like boys will be boys. But when the ladies lose it, the media goes nuts on them? Is there a ridiculous double standard here? Tonight I`ve got a stunning SHOWBIZ special report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: I became an addict and I got through it. And I went to rehab and I was sober, 100 percent sober, before I was 19 years old.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: `80s teen star Corey Feldman, his difficult emotional battle with drugs. So many stars have lost their careers, their relationships, even their lives because of substance abuse. So why does fame and drug use often go hand in hand? Tonight, SHOWBIZ investigates stars and drugs.
(MUSIC)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from New York. A.J. Hammer is on special assignment in India and the Far East. Not. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, a SHOWBIZ special report, bad girls versus the bad boys. Let`s face it, when it comes to all the media hoopla, the bad girls of Hollywood have it a whole heck of a lot harder than the boys. Think about it. Amy Winehouse, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton scrutinized for their bad, bad behavior. But what about all those Hollywood bad boys? Sure, Kiefer Sutherland, Robert Downey, Jr. and Charlie Sheen got a little ribbing for the bad behavior, but it was nowhere near the grand scale of the ladies. So what gives? Is there a ridiculous double standard here?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Pat Lalama. Also Ashland Gorst(ph), host of "E-News Now." And in New York, public relations consultant, Ken Sunshine.
Pat, Ashland, Ken, first, I want to take a look at a classic example of the Hollywood double standard. Paris Hilton and Kiefer Sutherland, both arrested for DUIs, thrown in jail. Sure, Kiefer did 48 days in jail. Paris only did 23. But I want you to take a look at this. The media frenzy when Paris emerged from jail. I was lucky enough to be there for that. But for Kiefer, nothing. Crickets. Pat, help me understand this. Doesn`t seem fair.
LALAMA: All right. Listen, here`s the story. I`m going to set it straight for you. Paparazzi earn their money from antics, from bad behavior. Now, sure there is somewhat of a double standard because if they can get a shot of a bare breast in there, you know, when someone`s behaving badly, that`s a little extra money, I`m sure.
But here`s the issue. As a feminist, I am saying these women have created this ridiculous side show for themselves. They`re the ones hitting cars with umbrellas, making sex tapes, going out without any underwear. Hijacking SUVs and chasing people through Santa Monica. They`re not acting dignified and it`s repulsive and I think they`re creating their own problems. Largely, they are responsible for what`s happening to themselves.
ANDERSON: You didn`t see that kind of behavior from Kiefer Sutherland.
LALAMA: No, he did not.
ANDERSON: He was cool, calm, collected the entire time.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Ashland, I want to go to you for this. Why does it seem that everybody is more interested in the juicy details of the lives of these wild women and not the wild guys?
GORST: Well, specifically, for Paris Hilton, you have to think she`s beautiful. She`s rich and everybody kind of wants to see her fail. They want to see that there`s a flaw in her personality or flaw in her family. That`s one of the things why Paris got a whole lot more attention than Kiefer Sutherland who just kind of is a great actor and everybody gives him the benefit of the doubt.
Now, the other thing is you have to think it`s like high school, when you hear about the girls always kind of get the slutty names. The guys never get it. It`s just the double standard that everybody has. And that`s because women, especially women that are buying the magazines and watching the television shows, they want to kind of relate to these problems. And they want to see that, you know, people are having troubles just like them and they have all the money in the world and they still can`t overcome them.
ANDERSON: Pat, you seem flabbergasted.
LALAMA: Well, they want to have troubles just like them. That is - I understand the point but I just think it`s a sad statement on our society that, "Oh, gee, this is what daughter is going to ..."
GORST: Oh, I didn`t say (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I`m just saying that`s what it is.
LALAMA: I understand and I think it`s an intelligent point. But what I`m saying is I`m also adding to that that makes it even sadder to me that here are these young women behaving like idiots and then people reading about it and watching it are young women behaving like idiots. And that`s a problem for me.
ANDERSON: All right. Ken Sunshine, I want to get you in there now. You are one of the most influential and powerful celebrity publicists in America. You represent everybody from Leo Di Caprio to Barbra Streisand. Do you have to deal with this double standard and work harder to protect your female clients?
KEN SUNSHINE, PUBLICITY CONSULTANT: Sure. I mean, look, the bottom line is there`s a double standard in everything in society. It is tougher for women and if - I draw the line in a different way, though.
I think anybody that wants to have it, they can get it. If you`re flaunting it, if you want that attention, if you want to turn it on, that`s your privilege. You want to invite the paparazzi into your home. If you want to tip them I`m going to be wearing very little at a club at this time, that`s your privilege. My problem is -
ANDERSON: Privilege.
SUNSHINE: With those who don`t want to flaunt it - I want to have a normal life, that don`t go to those clubs or restaurants or appear at those places where they know they won`t get it. And I think that`s the real tragedy here. Not the people - you know what? All of us enjoy somebody acting stupidly. Now, there`s a difference between acting stupidly and watching somebody having a mental break down publicly. And that`s pretty sad and that`s going on right now.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. You`re right about that, Ken. And that being said, I want to take another look at a glaring double standard in Hollywood. Lindsay Lohan, Robert Downey Jr. Both battled hard core addiction, both in rehab several times. Downey is doing great. Hardly anyone brings up his past. Lindsay - she is the troubled young star followed relentlessly by the paparazzi. Pat Lalama, what gives? Is it just because Lindsay, you know, like you say, easier on the eyes.
LALAMA: Well, I was around for Robert Downey Jr.`s problems and I think it is a different time then. The paparazzi were always, of course, interested in these things. But these days, following a dysfunctional, wayward celebrity around garners a lot more in terms of, you know, money and prestige and, you know, you`re selling your magazines. So think it`s a little bit of that.
Back then it wasn`t as bad. It didn`t seem like to me. And also, keep in mind, I don`t think Robert Downey Jr. was out there flaunting it. Lindsay Lohan is racing down Robertson Avenue causing accidents. Lindsay Lohan is hijacking a SUV and chasing someone recklessly through Santa Monica. Could have put them in grave danger. She is crying out for that attention. That`s why it`s her fault, I believe.
ANDERSON: Ashland, what is your take on this comparison?
GORST: Well, actually, I think that Ken made a really good point by saying someone like Lindsay Lohan did bring the paparazzi into her life at an early age and she wanted the paparazzi and she liked the paparazzi.
Now, it`s when they start getting in trouble they want to push it away. That`s a really hard thing to do. It`s a very slippery slope. Another thing for Lindsay Lohan, she`s so young and she`s beautiful. And of course, she`s going to draw more attention than somebody like Robert Downey, Jr. for good or bad and she put herself between a rock and a hard place. And whatever she does, people are going to follow her. People are going to be there to photograph her. Her youth is working actually against her and I think that`s why she gets much, much more coverage.
ANDERSON: Yes. And like you say, it`s difficult for them to pick and choose when they want the attention. It`s either all or nothing. And one theory out there is that women scrutinized more by the press because, plain and simple, their meltdowns are just more interesting to watch. They`re more emotional, more open which makes for better entertainment. Ken, is that part of the problem here?
SUNSHINE: Yes. I mean, again, like I said before, there is this double standard and women are more interesting having public meltdowns. And we are also in a cycle where there are some prominent, younger attractive women who are in the midst of - who look like train wrecks. And I think it`s really sad and it`s a comment on society and also on the media for somebody that doesn`t want it.
And, look, I don`t profess to know when`s going on with Britney or the people around her. But anybody that`s a normal human being has got to abhor what`s happening to her publicly and the scrutiny of her. That`s different than what`s happening with Paris, for instance.
ANDERSON: Absolutely, it is tragic. And you know, sometimes the fallout does seem interminable when it comes to the female stars. Pat Lalama, Ashland Gorst, Ken Sunshine, we will leave it there for now. Thank you all for being here. We appreciate it.
All right. You`ve got to hear this stunning story about a Hollywood good girl and a bad girl. Did Billy Ray Cyrus break into his daughter Miley`s cell phone and delete Lindsay Lohan`s number? You know, Miley plays squeaky clean Hannah Montana and there`s talk that daddy didn`t like the fact that she and Lindsay exchanged numbers. He could have a point. Lindsay isn`t Mother Teresa. The SHOWBIZ Truth Squad on this, next.
Also this -
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PEREZ HILTON: Mixing. I`m going to take some pills and booze and coke and weed and - crazy.
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ANDERSON: Stars and drugs. So many stars have lost their careers, their relationships, even their lives because of substance abuse. So why does fame and drug use often go hand in hand? Tonight SHOWBIZ investigates stars and drugs.
And did you see this? A new dude streaks across a cricket match. Yes, I said cricket. I wouldn`t have expected that. But here`s the crazy thing. The guy that stopped him may actually be the one to get into trouble. That`s next.
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ANDERSON: Good to see you. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in New York.
Time now to call out the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Truth Squad. Now, this is where we get to the bottom of Hollywood`s biggest mysteries. Tonight, did Billy Ray Cyrus really erase Lindsay Lohan`s number from his daughter Miley`s cell phone?
Here`s what I`m talking about. Miley, who plays super squeaky clean Hannah Montana supposedly met Lindsay at the Grammys and exchanged digits. But then, Miley`s dad, Billy Ray, reportedly went through her phone and erased Lindsay`s number. I guess she is not in her five anymore.
But on Ryan Seacrest`s radio show this Tuesday morning, Billy Ray says that`s not true and that he and Miley love Lindsay. So case closed on that. But listen, I wouldn`t have blamed the guy for doing it. Lindsay`s not exactly the best role model these days, right?
OK? And you know, stars who do drugs, well, they are absolutely terrible role models. But the sad fact is, for Hollywood, substance use and abuse, well, it`s been business as usual for so long.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ investigates this emotional, painful and controversial topic, the ugly truth about stars and drugs.
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(voice over): Fame and fortune are not the only things Nicole Richie and Lindsay Lohan have in common. Both of the 20-something starlets got into serious trouble because of a drug connection. Nicole admits using cocaine, heroin, marijuana and the powerful prescription pill Vicodin. And cops have busted Lindsay twice now for suspicion of cocaine possession.
PEREZ HILTON: Everybody does drugs in Hollywood. Everybody does a lot of drugs in Hollywood.
Perez Hilton has got one of the most popular blogs out there when it comes to the stars and their private lives. He tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Nicole and Lindsay are not alone. Drugs, he says, are simply everywhere in celebrity circles.
PEREZ HILTON: About mixing. I`m going to take some pills and booze and coke and weed and - crazy.
ANDERSON: Crazy, but is drug use in Hollywood really anything new?
ALLISON: Substance abuse is nothing new in Hollywood. It`s been going on forever. Marilyn Monroe. Elvis Presley. Janis Joplin. Jim Morrison, Chris Farley. This is absolutely nothing new.
CYBILL SHEPHERD, ACTRESS: I really think that the drugs were the problem of Elvis Presley.
SHEPHERD: Actress Cybill Shepherd dated Elvis in the 1970s until the pill use put an end to their relationship.
SHEPHERD: I think he was probably using all the time.
Shepherd told CNN`s Larry King the Elvis she got to know in private was much different than the Elvis who performed in front of thousands.
SHEPHERD: The pressure performing as much as he loved it and as brilliant as he was at it, increased the drug use.
ANDERSON: Elvis relied on several different doctors and people in his inner circle to get him drugs. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, even today, decades later, it is pretty much business as usual in Hollywood.
ALLISON: Celebrities are surrounded by enablers. They`re surrounded by people who will do anything to be near them.
ANDERSON: In the early 1990s, Nirvana front man, Kurt Cobain, was called one of the most influential musicians in rock history. But off stage, Cobain was suffering from a lifetime of depression and hiding a massive heroin addiction.
KURT COBAIN, ROCK STAR: As of right now, officially, it is over with.
ANDERSON: Overdoses, detox and rehab didn`t stop him from using. On April 5th, 1994, Kurt Cobain was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Huge amounts of heroin were in his system.
Just one year earlier, drugs took the life of one of Hollywood`s most promising young actors. River Phoenix overdosed on a speedball, a mixture of heroin and cocaine after partying at L.A. hotspot The Viper Room. It killed him. He was just 23 years old.
COREY HAIM, ACTOR: For me, I had to create a regimen. I had to disassociate with many people.
ANDERSON: Corey Haim and his best friend, Corey Feldman, know the pitfalls of being young and famous. They ran in the same circles as River Phoenix and just like Phoenix, developed hard core drug habits. Haim`s habit almost cost him his life. Feldman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he was lucky to catch his problem early on.
FELDMAN: I became an addict and got through it. And I went to rehab and I was actually sober, 100 percent sober, before I was 19 years old. What I went through publicly and got it done and out of the way.
ANDERSON: Comedian Chris farley couldn`t get his habit out of the way.
CHRIS FARLEY, COMEDIAN: Any attention is good, right?
ANDERSON: People noticed his health had deteriorated before he died of a cocaine and morphine overdose in 1997.
Jerry Garcia, front man for the Grateful Dead was fully hooked on heroin, a dependency that would haunt him as his health deteriorated. In 1995, his heart gave out. Grateful Dead guitarist, Bob Weir says he noticed a difference in the band`s drug use as the years went by.
BOB WEIR, GUITARIST, GRATEFUL DEAD: For some reason back in the late `60s, the kind of drugs we were doing were different and the whole drug experience was qualitatively different. It was an adventure. These days, it`s an escape.
ANDERSON: `80s pop sensation, Boy George, knows all about that.
BOY GEORGE, SINGER: It`s about running away. You know? There`s nowhere to hide. I can tell you that.
ANDERSON: Boy George and his band Culture Club were on top of the charts in the `80s. But his battle with drugs broke the band up and by 2005 his cocaine possession arrest followed by a humiliating garbage cleanup sentence had once again put him in the spotlight.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATION: Hollywood is a place of insecurity. And insecurity leads to drugs and addiction.
ALLISON: We already are dealing with people with low self esteem, people who want others to like them. They tend to be addictive personalities. It`s a recipe for substance abuse.
ANDERSON: Steven Tyler can attest to that. As the lead singer of Aerosmith, he had unprecedented access to drugs. He, too, got hooked on heroin but band mates weren`t having him. They asked him to go to rehab. He kicked the habit and is now clean and sober.
STEVEN TYLER: It is real important to take your power back because it`s so easy to give it away.
ANDERSON: Dallas Taylor, the former drummer for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, knows all about that. His heroin addiction cost him his job but luckily not his life.
DALLAS TAYLOR, FORMER DRUMMER, CROSBY, STILLS, NASH AND YOUNG: I`m just really, you know, one of those few lucky ones because my peers are - most of my peers are dead. Jimi Hendrix. I don`t know why I`m alive and they`re not.
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ANDERSON: Dallas Taylor, whom you just saw in the piece, now works as a substance abuse interventionist. He specializes in helping addicted musicians and other entertainers.
All right. Did you see this? Probably not, because cricket isn`t that big of a sport here in the U.S. But streakers, well, they run from sea to shining sea and even down under. Check this out. A nude dude ran on to the field in Brisbane, Australia during a cricket match. One of the players flattened him. I guess that paddle they use could have come in handy, too.
So the streaker was arrested, but get this, the player who swerved the guy could be punished because cricket has a strict code of conduct which bans players from physically assaulting players, officials and spectators. Are you kidding me? Over here, we would have given that player a standing ovation. Put him up on the jumbotron.
All right. I`ve got some more nudity coming up next, if you can believe that. And I`ll be honest. You aren`t going to see anything but what you hear will shock you. Tonight, reports that an "American Idol" finalist used to be a male stripper. I`m talking full frontal here, guys. Lap dances, the whole deal. Another "Idol" controversy. So will this guy get kicked off the show? This very revealing story, next.
And now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time by downloading our podcast. It won`t cost you one cent. You can find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our website CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or you can download it on iTunes. All you have to do is type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" in that little search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back after this.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Here are some more story that are new right now. An "American Idol" strip club shocker. Finalist David Hernandez reportedly used to take it all off at a Phoenix, Arizona, nudey bar called Dick`s Cabaret. The manager says David used to give the mostly male customers lap dances.
The Associated Press says they aren`t going to get rid of David. Now, they dumped 2003 finalist, Frenchie, because she once appeared on an adult website. But then again, they kept Antonella around last season when racy photos of her popped up online.
Kid Rock has pleaded not guilty to a battery charge which came from a fight at an Atlanta Waffle House restaurant. Supposedly, a customer got into an argument with someone in Kid`s posse and then fight broke out. Hence the batter or battery charge. Waffles, batter. OK. That was bad. Sorry.
And a startling health scare for Van Halen guitarist, Eddie Van Halen. We`re told that Eddie is undergoing medical testing now. We`re not sure what it`s for but Eddie has battled cancer and alcohol problems in the past. Four dates in the Van Halen reunion tour have been postponed.
All right. On Monday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this - "Hillary Clinton versus Barack Obama: Do celebrity endorsements matter?" Only 21 percent of you say yes. Seventy-nine percent of you say, no way.
Here`s some of the E-mails we received. Brandon from Arkansas doesn`t think they matter, quote, "Half of them can`t manage their own life or money, so why should I take their advice about voting on the next president?"
And Margaret from Kansas writes, "Sometimes it`s interesting to see who celebs endorse, but it doesn`t affect my choice. Celebs don`t live in the real world that many of us do where we live paycheck to paycheck."
We do appreciate your E-mails. So that is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks so much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11s. 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific. And in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
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