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Showbiz Tonight
Is Hollywood Ready for a Gay `Idol`? Mills` Money Mill; Britney Spears and Mel Gibson`s Dinner Date; Britney`s Hospital Records Snooped
Aired March 17, 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: The controversial "American Idol" finalist David Hernandez speaks out. Was he really booted because he was a stripper in a gay club? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And the startling ways the "Sex and the City" stars are cashing in. You won`t believe what they are making. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Heather Mills money mill. Tonight, the startling decision in the Paul McCartney-Heather Mills divorce drama. How much did Heather get? Did her whining pay off?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEATHER MILLS, PAUL MCCARTNEY`S EX-WIFE: I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murderer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, the dirty dollar details and the disturbing question - is this really the end of the drama?
Britney Spears` shocking dinner date - with Mel Gibson. Are you kidding me? Britney Spears and Mel Gibson? Do they get together to compare their out-of-control behavior or maybe to see who`s the worst driver?
Plus, Britney`s startling new hospital drama, and other stars in frightening medical scares.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood. And tonight, two big Britney mysteries. Why in the world did Britney Spears meet privately with Mel Gibson at a Russian restaurant? And why did hospital workers snoop on her private medical records in a psych ward? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the late-breaking developments in just a moment.
HAMMER: But first, the Heather Mills money mill. After a long, nasty battle, Heather Mills learned today how much Paul McCartney will have to pay her for the four years they were married and in the end, Heather`s got a lot of cash to count.
ANDERSON: Yes, she does. A judge in London finally settled their very ugly divorce battle but is it really over? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that we may not have yet reached the end of this long and winding road.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over) All great wars, no matter how bitter, eventually end. World War II. The Cold War. "The Simple Life" war. And now, history can close the book on the McCartney versus Mills divorce battle.
MILLS: I`m so glad it`s over.
Heather Mills, the ex-wife of Beatle Paul McCartney waved a victory flag in front of the family court in London after she was awarded a whopping $48.6 million to settle their ugly divorce.
ALICIA QUARLES, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: She was walking away with big bucks.
ANDERSON: In addition, Paul will pay $70,000 a year to care for their four-year-old daughter, Beatrice, and pay for her nannies and school.
MILLS: That was an incredible result in the end to secure mine and my daughter`s future.
ANDERSON: And just think, the last time we saw Heather Mills, she was crying on British TV about all the bad press she was getting.
MILLS: I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murder.
ANDERSON: Yes, well, it`s amazing how a multimillion dollar divorce settlement can cheer someone up.
MILLS: We`re, very, very, very pleased.
QUARLES: Heather, now you have $50 million to wipe your tears with. It`s OK.
ANDERSON: $48.6 million to be exact. It`s hard to wrap your mind around. In our shock, we broke out our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT calculators. That figure comes out to be $34,700 for each day of their nearly four-year marriage or about $1,446 an hour. And it`s enough money for Heather to buy 1,388,500 copies of the "White Album" - if she doesn`t have it already.
Sir Paul was silent as he left the court. Probably adhering to the old rule, if you can`t say anything nice about your ex, don`t say anything at all.
QUARLES: Paul McCartney, at this point, is probably like, "Here, take your 50 million. Get out of my life." He`s probably happy to be done with it.
ANDERSON: This one-time loving couple has been fighting over a settlement almost from the time McCartney filed for divorce in 2006.
Meanwhile, tabloids ripped Heather apart calling her a monster, gold- digger, liar. And those were the nicer headlines.
QUARLES: It`s like, Heather, you don`t mess with a Beatle. Who do you think is going to come out on top? Paul has been beloved for decades upon decades. You`re just the wife on the side.
ANDERSON: But while his wallet gently weeps, don`t feel too sorry for Sir Paul. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, he still has plenty of money left, even though it wasn`t as much as we thought.
QUARLES: Part of his court case - a lot of people were saying that Paul McCartney is worth upwards of $1 billion, but he`s only worth $800 million and I say only in parenthesis.
ANDERSON: But with the main dirty details now over, Heather Mills is bringing words of wisdom to the divorcing masses.
MILLS: Anybody wanting to go through a divorce, try your hardest, man or woman, to settle it immediately.
ANDERSON: Hmm. Maybe she should find a job as a divorce counselor. Then again, she doesn`t need the extra money.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That`s too bad she didn`t take her own advice. Is $50 million now the magic number when you divorce a billionaire? We are certainly going to find out because I`m sure this is not the last of the nasty Mills-McCartney battle.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Atty. Darren Kavinoky and in New York, host of "In Session," Lisa Bloom. Lisa, Darren, I appreciate you being here.
LISA BLOOM, HOST, "IN SESSION": Hello.
HAMMER: I want to look at these settlement numbers once again. Let`s run them down. She`s getting $48.6 million. She was married to Sir Paul for four years. I did the math - it works out to roughly $12 million for each year of marriage. Lisa Bloom, did she get what she deserved?
BLOOM: You know, I read the summary of the British decision. They have a whole different system. It`s based on need. Apparently, she needs that much money. It`s very hard to get by on less than $34,000 a day. I just spent a $100,000 on the last commercial break so I really sympathize.
HAMMER: Yes, I mean, Darren, you know, Lisa Bloom`s got a point. It`s almost a paltry amount.
KAVINOKY: Well, I`m glad you broke down the numbers because I forgot my abacus. But when I look at that break down, and I compare that to another big case in the media, such as disgraced New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, I think Eliot Spitzer`s now a bargain hunter compared to that. I mean look at those numbers. It`s amazing. It really is. So she must have been working hard to make that money somehow behind the scenes.
HAMMER: And just on the heels of that comment, I will just mention the fact that I think it works out to about $1,500, $1,600 an hour that they were married.
But let`s move on. Heather Mills represented herself as we all know. Sir Paul hired Princess Diana`s divorce lawyer. It is worth noting that Princess Di got $32 million compared to Heather getting $48 million several years later, of course. Here`s what Mills said outside the court today. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: No, I don`t regret representing myself. I`m just glad it`s over and I hope this is reported fairly and balanced and -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Are you happy with the -
MILLS: I`m so, so happy with it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So she`s got a big smile on her face and the most common reaction to Heather representing herself all along, including right here, was she was a fool on the hill. Lisa Bloom -
BLOOM: That`s right.
HAMMER: She did get nearly $50 million. Did she prove everyone wrong?
BLOOM: No, she didn`t. Because like anybody who represents themselves, she has a fool for a lawyer. He wanted to give her $30 million. She wanted $250 million. The court gave her $50 million. Much closer to Paul McCartney`s number. Could she have gotten more if she had say Darren Kavinoky or some other fine attorney representing her? Probably she could have.
HAMMER: And let`s keep in mind she also got a lot of heat not just for representing herself, but for not keeping her mouth shut all along, including, of course, the sound bite heard around the world. Oh, let`s play it again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: So upset about this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: I know you`re -
MILLS: I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murderer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Today, no different. Heather right there as we saw rattling and rambling on outside the court. Paul McCartney did a very respectful thing and went home. Now Darren, Heather has not been a fan favorite from the beginning. She got her money. Should she just shut the heck up?
KAVINOKY: Yes. She certainly has not been a fan favorite. And I must tell you, A.J., I represented both pedophiles and murders. And you know what? Any of them would trade place with her in a second.
HAMMER: You think?
KAVINOKY: So yes, I think she should just keep her mouth shut. Take the money and run.
BLOOM: OK, but wait a second. Wait a second. Don`t we want celebrities to talk to the press? Aren`t we part of the press?
I mean, I`ve been in the U.K. a lot over the last year. It is true. It is true. She has gotten worse press than pedophiles and murders. She`s on the front page of the tabloids every day. Some horrendous picture. They`re blasting her, and for what? Because she`s crying in the middle of a divorce? Who doesn`t cry in the middle of a divorce? I do think the coverage of her has been very unfair to her.
KAVINOKY: Well, there`s no question that we want celebrities talking to the press. I mean, that`s lots of fun and what keeps some of us in business, isn`t it? But the truth of the matter is like in the United States, you don`t mess with Texas. In England, you don`t mess with Paul. I mean, the guy`s royalty for god`s sake.
HAMMER: And clearly, you don`t mess with Darren Kavinoky and Lisa Bloom. I appreciate you both being with us tonight.
BLOOM: Thanks.
KAVINOKY: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: All right, guys. And remember, you can get the latest news and video right there, one place, our Web site - CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, because we`re always putting new stuff up there.
ANDERSON: And now, we want to hear from you. It is the "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" question of the day - "McCartney Divorce Decision: Did Heather Mills deserve nearly $50 million. Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us - that address is showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, I know those celebrity divorces can sure be very costly. Just ask Britney Spears. Tonight, we`ve got two huge breaking Britney stories. Who was snooping in on Britney`s medical records and why was Britney having dinner with Mel Gibson? Are you kidding me? That`s coming up at 30 past the hour.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, that is not the only thing that has got us saying - are you kidding me? Listen to this, Dawn Wells, Mary Ann from "Gilligan`s Island," who is busted for marijuana. Well she has now been banned by the Girl Scouts. Yes, and I`m sure there`s a brownie`s joke in there somewhere. That`s coming up. Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM VERRAROS, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL CONTESTANT": When I was on the show back in 2002, I was scared to death about anybody finding out my sexuality.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s first season "American Idol" finalist, Jim Verraros who was gay. Other "Idol" contestants booted soon after they admitted they were gay. Then, there`s this year`s David Hernandez, who was a stripper at a gay nightclub. He`s gone. So I got to ask, coincidence or is there an "Idol" gay controversy here? We`ve got all that, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The overall reaction is obviously disappointment. Because we remain convinced that these doctors contributed to John`s death.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: But the verdict is in tonight. Two doctors have been cleared in the death of John Ritter. His wife, Amy Yasbeck, sued them for millions claiming malpractice in the hospital but a jury disagreed.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, the John Ritter case is not the only Hollywood hospital crisis.
Tonight, the shocking news at that workers at the hospital where Britney was in the psych ward snooped on the personal records and a lot of them are reportedly going to get fired for it.
Also tonight, Dennis Quaid`s startling revelations for the very first time about how a hospital nearly killed his newborn twins with a lethal dose of the wrong drug.
With us tonight in Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of this book, "Secrets Can Be Murder." And tonight, in New York, Carolina Bermudez, senior editor of "In Touch Weekly." Jane, Carolina, welcome.
I do want to start with Britney Spears. As we know, she was sent to the psych ward at the UCLA Medical Center in January. Now, the "L.A. Times" is reporting that as many as 13 employees could be fired and even more disciplined for prying in to Britney`s private records. Jane, I would have to imagine that if I`m Britney Spears, the next time somebody suggests to me to go to the hospital, I might say, "Why? So the people can spy on me?"
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Well, yes. It`s a very good concern, a very real concern, Brooke. And maybe it`s an incentive for Britney to take her meds and see her shrinks and get her act together so she doesn`t have to go to the hospital.
There`s such a leeway for stars to act out and break all the rules. Look how many rules she broke before they finally pulled in the reins. But these doctors and these nurses make one mistake and their lives are ruined because of it.
I actually feel sorry for the medical staff. Twenty-five people whose careers are completely, completely at least harmed - possibly destroyed because of this. And there are certain celebrities that just bring out bad behavior. We saw it with Michael Jackson every time he went to the hospital.
ANDERSON: Yes, but is that an excuse - Jane, is that an excuse for hospital personnel to be perusing the private records when they`re not involved?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s not an excuse, Brooke, but we have to understand that doctors and nurses are people. And there are certain celebrities that just bring out bad behavior and they always create chaos and controversy wherever they go. And a hospital is no exception.
ANDERSON: Carolina, what do you think? Should Britney be worried that any of this information could possibly be sold to the tabloids?
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ: Well, absolutely. It`s no wonder that Britney Spears has a problem trusting people because everybody`s trying to make a dollar off of her.
When you go in for medical care, you should know that you have the privacy as a private citizen, as a celebrity. You are protected under HIPAA, the federal law. Why should it be any different for Britney just because she is a celebrity? I think that hey, if they`re suspended, if they get fired, their curiosity got them there.
ANDERSON: Yes. And you know, to me it is a legitimate concern for any patient wanting their privacy to be protected when they go in for a legitimate health reason.
All right. Another huge hospital crisis we want to talk about tonight. Dennis Quaid`s newborn twins given a massive accidental drug overdose by a hospital. This really was a life and death situation. And now, for the very first time, Quaid and his wife are sharing the heart- wrenching details. Take a listen to what he told "60 Minutes."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DENNIS QUAID, ACTOR: They`re working on Boone`s belly button - would not stop bleeding. And when they were trying to supposedly - clamp it, blood squirted across the room about six feet and landed on the wall. It was blood everywhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. It is incomprehensible what the Quaids went through. But Jane, you know, other families have dealt with similar situations, sadly. But why do you think the Quaids are speaking out now and in such dramatic detail?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Brooke, I think it`s absolutely wonderful. They`re trying to turn this horrible negative into a positive and save other lives. ] One of the reasons I think is that it`s very hard to sue and win for medical malpractice, especially here in California where there are caps of dollar $250,000 on certain types of damages. So it`s almost like it costs you more to sue than it does to win.
And so, what they have done is tried to find another outlet for their frustrations and really save lives in the process. As he mentioned, tens of thousands of people all across the country die every year in hospitals due to mistakes that are totally preventable.
ANDERSON: Yes. It seems like they`re on a crusade. Good for them, trying to protect others. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Carolina Bermudez, thank you both.
ANDERSON: And all right. Remember, for the latest breaking Britney Spears` news and latest video, there is only one place you need to check out - the Britney Drama section of the Web site at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: Hey, Brooke, plenty more of Britney drama coming your way in a bit. Britney Spears, Mel Gibson go to dinner. No punch line here. This is totally wild. Just one of the crazy stories that has got me saying, are you kidding me?
And here`s something I can`t believe. What the "Sex and the City" girls make. I`m not talking from the series or even the upcoming movie. I`m talking endorsement deals. Stick around for that and this as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VERRAROS: Regardless of who we choose to, you know, love, if I can sing well and I can sell my talent to America, shouldn`t that come first and foremost?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s first season "American Idol" finalist, Jim Verraros who was gay. Other contestants booted after they admitted to being gay. I`ve got to ask, coincidence, or can America not handle a gay idol? Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID PATERSON (D), GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK: That I will support the constitution of the United States.
JUDITH KAYE, CHIEF JUDGE: And the constitution of the State of New York.
PATERSON: And the constitution of the State of New York.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s the brand new New York governor, David Paterson getting sworn in on Monday. He, of course, taking over for Eliot Spitzer who, of course, resigned after being linked to a 22-year-old hooker.
Did you see this on "Saturday Night Live?" "SNL" just went to town on the Spitzer sex scandal stuff. They did this really funny bit during "Weekend Update" with Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers called "Really?" Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SETH MEYERS, COMEDIAN: Really Eliot Spitzer? Really? Did you not think prostitution rings get busted? Your job used to be busting prostitution rings. Really. The service you used was called Emperors Club VIP. Really?
You know, as a rule if something has VIP in the title, it`s not for VIPs. If you see a place called the "VIP Nail Salon" in midtown, you will not find Keira Knightley there.
AMY POEHLER, COMEDIAN: And you used a fake name your real home address. Really? That`s like wearing a fake mustache and a t-shirt that says, "I`m wearing a fake mustache." And your fake name was your buddy`s name, and not only that, you picked a buddy whose name sounds made up. George Fox. Really? Why not just go with Captain Super Dong?
MEYERS: Really?
POEHLER: Really.
MEYERS: And you wanted to have sex with hooker but didn`t want to wear a condom? Really?
POEHLER: Really?
MEYERS: That might not be scary if you`re client number one but you were client number nine. Really?
(APPLAUSE)
I don`t know if ninth in line at that deli.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to say, really? Funny stuff there. So the governor`s gone. But I`ve got to say, that prostitute, Kristin - Ashley Alexandra Dupree - whatever her name is, I just hope that Hollywood really gives it a thought before giving her a book deal or a TV show or a movie career. You know, apparently, allegedly, she broke the law, too.
ANDERSON: A.J., nothing alleged about this. Halle Berry had her baby. She has been waiting so long for this moment. And we are so incredibly happy for her. I`ve got all the details coming up next.
HAMMER: You know what, Brooke? That`s a nice, normal happy story. But here`s something that in my opinion, definitely not normal. Britney Spears, Mel Gibson go to dinner together. If you`re waiting for a punch line, not going to get one. What in the world were these two doing together? It`s got me saying, are you kidding me? That is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson and here are some more stories that are new right now. Halle Berry is a mommy. She had a baby girl in L.A. on Sunday. Her rep says that she`s doing great. Dad is male model Gabriel Aubry. It`s the first child for 41-year-old Halle who hasn`t picked a name just yet. Congratulations.
All right. Sticking with the baby stuff, last week Minnie Driver said she is pregnant. But she`s now revealing new details. Will she tell Ellen if it`s a boy or a girl and just how many months along is Minnie?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MINNIE DRIVER, ACTRESS: Four and a bit.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": Four and a bit.
DRIVER: Yes.
DEGENERES: And do you know if it`s a boy or a girl?
DRIVER: No.
DEGENERES: You don`t want to know. You can wait?
DRIVER: No. I feel like it`s one of the last great mysteries of life. I don`t want to know.
DEGENERES: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s not such a bad idea. Minnie still hasn`t said who the baby daddy is.
And Ellen also got Sheryl Crow to dish some secrets about the baby boy she adopted last year. Sheryl says she loves living in Nashville so she can keep her son out of the prying eyes of the paparazzi. Her family also lives there. It`s also helped her dating life. She says Sheryl can date regular guys and again, the tabloids don`t really pick up on it.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, no surprise, the paparazzi were all over this. If I told you that Britney Spears and Mel Gibson had a dinner date, you`d probably think, yes, nice try, A.J. But I can tell you it`s true. What could they possibly have been talking about? Are you kidding me? You have got to stick around for that.
Also this -
VERRAROS: Regardless of who we choose to, you know, love, if I can sing well and I can sell my talent to America, shouldn`t that come first and foremost?
ANDERSON: That`s first season "American Idol" finalist Jim Verraros who was gay. Other contestants booted after they admitted to being gay. So I`ve got to ask, coincidence or can America not handle a gay idol? We`re investigating that controversy straight ahead.
HAMMER: You can stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by checking out our daily "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" newsletter. Just head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the "sign up for newsletter" link right there at the bottom of the page. We`ll send it to you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming straight back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, are you kidding me? Britney Spears sits down to dinner with Mel Gibson? Man, talk about an odd couple. What could possibly be in the works here? Tonight, Britney and Mel together at last, in a story that made me say, are you kidding me?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VERRAROS: When I was on the show back in 2002, I was scared to death about anybody finding out my sexuality.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s Jim from the first season of "American Idol." Has anything changed over the years or do gay contestants still have to hide who they are? Tonight "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" with the provocative question - is America ready for an openly gay idol?
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." It is 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: Hope you`re ready. Tonight, the outrageous stories out there making us say - are you kidding me? Britney Spears goes out on a dinner date with Mel Gibson? I mean, what could these two have been possibly talking about at a Russian restaurant over fillet mignon? Is there possibly "Lethal Weapon 5" in Britney`s future? Are you kidding me?
Poor, poor, Mary Ann. No more Girl Scout cookies for her. Dawn Wells who played Mary Ann on the hit TV show, "Gilligan`s Island," has been canned by the cookie-pushing kids because of her dust-up with the law. Are you kidding me?
HAMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this. Snoop Dogg, the King of Rap, going to be a guest star on the soap opera, "One Life to Live?" Yes, and get this, he`s been a huge fan of the soap for a long time. Are you kidding me?
Man, we`ve got a fired up panel. They are amazing. All ready to talk smack with us tonight. And joining me in New York, Carolina Bermudez, senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." Also in New York, Lisa Bloom, host for Tru TV`s "In Session." And in Hollywood, Michael Yo, host for "E! Radio" on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio. Gang, I appreciate you al being here.
Wow. Did you see this? Over the weekend, Britney Spears getting together with Mel Gibson at a Russian restaurant in Studio City. Now, they we there with a group of people. They shared meal - a little fillet mignon.
But I mean, truly, are you kidding me? What could they possibly have been talking about? In fact, I worked up a little visual of what came to my mind. Look at this. His "Lethal Weapon" costar Danny Glover and Britney - I don`t know, Michael Yo, let me start with you. What do you think? Maybe "Lethal Weapon 5" with Britney Spears? Could that work?
MICHAEL YO, HOST, "E! RADIO": Yes. I think it`s a great idea. I know one thing they weren`t sharing was advice. Now, "Lethal Weapon 5" would be perfect. You have Britney Spears as the sexy, sexy secretary going out there trying to fight crime with the guys. This would be absolutely huge.
HAMMER: Yes. It might not have been a business deal, though. We don`t really know it. And I`m thinking if they weren`t talking business, how do we think the conversation could have gone? I thought of something along the lines of, "Britney, what was the deal with the head shaving thing?" "Oh, I don`t know, Mel. What was up with the drunk, anti-Semitic tirade?" Lisa Bloom, do you think that was even close?
BLOOM: Yes, I think the evening was a big success if nobody is foaming at the mouth and going off on these crazy tirades. If she lost the British accent, he`s lost the anti-Semitism, it`s a win-win. I think it`s the best we can hope for.
HAMMER: Carolina, I don`t know if you had flies on the wall there to report back to you but how do you think it went at that dinner table?
BERMUDEZ: Well, you know, Britney has been keeping some bad company lately. So Mel Gibson is better than Adnan Ghalib or Sam Lutfi. So I`m just happy that she`s going out with some pretty accomplished people. You know, Mel is her neighbor in Malibu, so maybe they were just being neighborly toward each other.
HAMMER: I will consider that your subjective opinion, Carolina. I want to move on to this next story that really had me saying, are you kidding me? Now, we all know Dawn Wells - she played Mary Ann on "Gilligan`s Island" and she was arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana.
She pled guilty to reckless driving instead of a marijuana charge. And now, she was supposed to speak at a Florida fundraiser for the Girl Scouts. She`s been uninvited from that. Michael, I don`t know. Do you think the Girl Scouts were just afraid she might show up with some brownies?
YO: You know, this is a bad move for the Girl Scouts, seriously, because all of her friends obviously love to eat. I`m sure they have the munchies. So as a Girl Scout, I would be very upset. I`d feel like, "This is a woman we need around us because she knows how to sell cookies. Because all her friends are hungry all the time.
HAMMER: Michael Yo said it, not me. Lisa Bloom smell funny to you here?
BLOOM: Well, by the way, she denies anything to do with the marijuana that was apparently in the car. She said she wasn`t convicted of anything. It was somebody else`s marijuana, and that`s all over with. But to me, the most depressing part of the story is that Mary Ann is 69 years old? Are you kidding me? That`s so depressing.
HAMMER: Yes. I guess we need to keep that on the list of reasons why this is such a nutty story. Now, let`s take a step back here for a moment. And Carolina, I`m going to throw this one out to you. Do you think the Girl Scouts are perhaps being unfair to Dawn? I mean she was charged when this all settled with reckless driving - a driving violation. I think they should invite her back after all the smoke clears. You know, it`s just a driving violation. She didn`t kill anybody.
BERMUDEZ: Right. No pun intended there, A.J. Yes, I agree with you - reckless driving, not exactly marijuana possession. So I think they should go back on their decision. It is Mary Ann from "Gilligan`s Island." Who doesn`t want her speaking at the Girl Scouts of America. Come on. I think they really need to reconsider and invite her back.
BLOOM: For a three-hour tour.
HAMMER: What are these, a mint chocolate chips. Those are the good ones, right?
BERMUDEZ: Thin mints. Thin mints. Those are the best.
HAMMER: Thin mints. All right.
BLOOM: Samoas.
HAMMER: And I believe we finally have found on the segment the perfect segue from one story to another. - the next one that made us say are you kidding me? Rapper Snoop Dogg - need I say more about why it`s a good segue? He`s going to make a cameo appearance in the soap opera, "One Life to Live." In fact, he told the ladies of "The View" just how long he`s been a fan of the soap. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SNOOP DOGG, RAPPER: Bob Buchanan - he`s off the hook. I`ve been a fan. When I used to get suspended from school, that`s the only way I could see the stories and I got suspended a lot. So I started to watch the stories.
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": And now, are you going to be a guest?
DOGG: Yes. I`m going to be on the show. They`re going to have me come on in and do what I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`m just waiting for this. Michael Yo, let me start with you. Snoop Dogg - he`s a former admitted pimp. He raps lyrics like, "Drop it like it`s hot." And now on "One Life To Live." Are you kidding me?
YO: No. I think this is great. Remember, ten years ago Snoop Dogg was up for a murder trial. Now, this guy reinvents himself more than Madonna. Seriously, I think guy is doing a phenomenal job. Him on "One Life To Live?" I don`t know. Is her trying to bring street credit to it? We`ll find out. It`s going to be very interesting to see him on the show.
HAMMER: Well, you bring up a good point. Street cred, you know, with snoop going on the soap. Lisa Bloom, what do you think? Should he be worried about losing street cred here?
BLOOM: Yes. I think he should. I think the soaps have changed a lot since I used watched them years ago. I mean is this "One Life To Lizzle"? Snoop Dogg, I mean that is really mind boggling.
YO: We have a hit TV reality show on E! that`s all about his family. He`s lost his street cred.
BLOOM: Oh, boy.
HAMMER: My favorite moment of the day, Lisa Bloom just said "One Life to Lizzle."
BLOOM: I did.
HAMMER: Carolina Bermudez, what do you think? I mean is this a bad move for Snoop? You know the guy.
BERMUDEZ: I do know Snoop very well. And you know, he`s got some acting chops. Didn`t you guys see "Soul Plane?" He`s great. He`s going to do a wonderful job.
HAMMER: Did anybody see "Soul Plane?" I mean, come on.
BERMUDEZ: I have. I have the DVD. No. You know what? He`s a great guy. He`s a big fan. I think he`s going to put a lot into it. It`s going to be an exciting episode to watch.
HAMMER: And we should all be excited because apparently, he`s going to be doing a remix of the opening song of the show. Michael Yo, I mean how should we expect that to go?
YO: You know, it`s going to be good but hopefully Dawn Wells can join in and they can just have some fun. You know? I`m not going to say more about that but I think that would be great both of them on that TV show.
BLOOM: Yes, and A.J., you look. If a former pimp can make good, there`s hope for Eliot Spitzer.
HAMMER: Yes, indeed. All right. We`ll wrap it there. Lisa Bloom, Carolina Bermudez, Michael Yo, I appreciate you all being with us tonight.
BLOOM: Thanks.
ANDERSON: OK. The Paul McCartney-Heather Mills divorce is huge here in the United States. So just imagine what it`s like across the pond. Heather hasn`t exactly been the darling of the British press. So how is Britain reacting now that she`s getting almost $50 million from their beloved Beatle. We are going straight to London to find out. Coming up.
We`ll also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VERRAROS: When I was on the show back in 2002, I was scared to death about anybody finding out my sexuality.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s Jim from the first season of "American Idol." The question is , has anything changed over the years or do gay contestants still have to hide who they are? I want to know, is America ready for an openly gay idol? That is coming up.
ANDERSON: And the "Sex and the City" movie is just weeks away. But wait until you hear how Carrie and company have been cashing in since the TV show ended. I`m talking millions and not just from acting. That`s still to come right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Keep it here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: A lot was made of the fact that you were a male stripper - had been a male stripper working at a club. Do you think that that hurt you?
DAVID HERNANDEZ, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: You know, I don`t know. It`s hard to speculate about that. I mean it`s not a good - You know, I`m off the show now, but there`s a lot of great things to happen in the future. I think that, you know, I`m going to shop a record deal. I`m getting some offers. So, you know, I write my own music. And, I mean, I`m also an actor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s "American Idol" finalist David Hernandez. He has been voted off. And on the "Today Show", he told Meredith Vieira that he likes to think it was because of song selection. But it didn`t escape anyone`s notice that before "Idol," he was a stripper performing lap dances for a mostly male clientele. Scandalicious.
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" wants to know is America ready for a gay "Idol?" Danny Noriega was kicked off the show shortly after a video surfaced where he rapped about being gay. Was it just a coincidence, or does the contestant`s sexuality make a difference in the way America votes for the next "American Idol?"
Here`s CNN`s Kareen Wynter for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: We`ve had African- American Idols. We`ve had Caucasian Idols. We`ve had big ones and blond ones. But is America ready for a different kind of idol?
VERRAROS: When I was on the show back in 2002, I was scared to death about anybody finding out my sexuality because I thought that it would affect votes.
WYNTER: Jim Verraros was in the top ten of "Idol`s" first season. He says others on the show knew he was gay. But he didn`t come out publicly until after being voted off.
Danny Noriega was voted off the show two weeks ago right after a video surfaced on the Internet where he rapped about being gay.
DANNY NORIEGA, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: Now, I don`t give a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) what you have to say. Yes, I`m gay.
WYNTER: Noriega has never come out and said publicly he is gay. And this week, David Hernandez got the fewest votes and the boot. The Arizona native made headlines when it came out he`d once been a stripper in a club that catered to a mostly male clientele.
GEOFF MAYFIELD, "BILLBOARD" MAGAZINE: Someone can have that occupation in that setting and not necessarily be gay.
WYNTER: Fox says they, quote, "do not comment on the personal lives of the contestants." Many "American Idol" fans say Hernandez and Noriega`s final performances were not their best. Hernandez tells CNN he thinks he`s been judged by his singing. As for his personal life, he says, quote, "You want to keep some stuff to yourself."
Clay Aiken, the runner up in Season 2 has dealt with countless questions about his sexual orientation as he told CNN in 2003.
CLAY AIKEN, RUNNER UP IN "AMERICAN IDOL" SEASON 2: Because I`m a mama`s boy and because I`m not sleeping with everybody and on the tabloids and dating X, Y and Z. You know, they make assumptions.
WYNTER: But in 2008, should a performer`s private life be anybody`s business but their own?
VERRAROS: Regardless of who we choose to, you know, love, if I can sing well and I can sell my talent to America, shouldn`t that come first and foremost? It`s the question that, you know, I have.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Kareen Wynter for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Listen to this. Brad Pitt is hanging out with presidents. Yes, you heard me right. Brad is now, not only a Hollywood A-lister, but a member of a very elite club with a former president. We`ve got that coming up.
ANDERSON: And sex sells for Carrie and company. The big "Sex and the City" movie is almost here. But it isn`t like Sarah Jessica Parker and the other stars have been sitting around doing nothing since the TV show ended. Wait until you hear how much money they have made and how they made it. Some real surprises here. You don`t want to miss that. We`ve got it straight ahead.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: I`m just glad it`s over and I hope this is reported fairly and balanced and -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Are you happy with the -
MILLS: I am so, so happy with it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She should be happy. Heather Mills reacting to the news she`s getting almost $50 million in her divorce from Paul McCartney. Now, that includes a lump sum of $33 million added to the current assets of $15.6 million. McCartney and Mills were married for just under four years.
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
It is no secret that Heather Mills is not the most popular person in London to say the least. So how is today`s settlement going over with the folks there?
ANDERSON: With us tonight from London is CNN correspondent Richard Quest for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Richard, great to see you. And hey, $48.6 million for just four years of marriage. Is the feeling there that Heather deserves all of this money or that she robbed Paul blind?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think you have to put this fully in to context, Brooke. Paul McCartney or Sir Paul is the grand old man of British rock music. Pretty much anything he`s ever done has never been criticized. He`s always been regarded as a bastion of society in the music world.
Throw into that of a woman often seen as a gold digger, somebody who was seen as being deeply inappropriate for Sir Paul, and you start to see the sort of scenario we`re talking about.
When Paul`s first wife, Linda, passed away, enormous sympathy for Sir Paul. Then enter Heather Mills and suddenly, the mixture becomes toxic. Now, add in the best part of $50 million, and there will be a large number of people that believe that Ms. Mills was, indeed, nothing more than a gold digger.
ANDERSON: Yes. She had faced that criticism for many years even before they separated. And Heather spoke outside court quite a bit today after the settlement was announced and listen to what she had to say about what the judge finally awarded her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: But all of you that researched know that it was always going to be a figure between $20 million and $30 million. Paul was offering a lot less than that which you`ll see in the judgment and very much last minute. To put me and Beatrice sadly through this has been incredibly sad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. Richard, I have to imagine that as you mentioned, given how much the British public has been siding with Paul, Heather didn`t do herself any favors by blaming Paul for putting her and their four-year-old daughter Beatrice through a living hell.
QUEST: The key point there, Brooke, is the daughter. The daughter and the existence of the daughter made everything different in terms of the settlement. We have heard numbers amount of tens of thousands that Sir Paul would have to pay for his daughter`s school fees.
We`ve heard that Sir Paul likes to fly his daughter in first class several times a year. Now, it is the daughter in many ways that was the meal ticket by which Heather Mills managed to get such a large financial settlement. One suspects without that daughter it would have been a great deal less.
But also, one other thing to remember. The law in Britain changed quite a lot over the last two years. So while maybe a few years ago she wouldn`t have got as much, there will be those in the pub tonight who are basically saying she hit the jackpot. A four-year marriage that got the best part of $10 million to $12 million for each year they were together.
ANDERSON: Oh, boy. Well, this settlement comes after years of contention between the two and maybe they can find some closure now. Richard Quest, thank you so much. We appreciate it.
HAMMER: Well, we have been asking you to vote on the "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" question of the day - "McCartney Divorce Decision: Did Heather Mills deserve nearly $50 million?"
You can keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
So the "Sex and the City" is almost here. A lot of people just counting down the days and marking them off on their calendar. But we`re counting up the dollars. Yes. Just wait until you hear how much money the "Sex and the City" stars have made since the show went off the air.
Wow, I`m talking endorsement deals into the millions. Who do you think raked in more bucks? Kristen Davis or may be Kim Cattrall? I`m crunching the numbers up my abacus and breaking it down for you. Coming up next on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
And now you can watch "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" any time you would like. Just download our podcast. It`s free. Why not? You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast right there on the Web site at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes. Type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box and it will magically appear. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
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HAMMER: Thank you, Charles. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
OK, we all know that sex sells for Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda. You know who I`m talking about, of course - the stars of "Sex and the City." You can be sure they`re going to be cashing in big time when their highly anticipated movie hits theaters on May 30th. `
But you know, it is not like these four actresses have exactly been hurting for cash. Since their TV show went off the air, "Portfolio" magazine is out with an analysis and the millions that they`ve raked in since the show ended through acting work and some major advertising deals.
Listen to this, Sarah Jessica Parker has made the most, a cool $25 million. And that includes endorsements for Garnier and The Gap.
Next, Kim Cattrall - she has hawked for Liz Claiborne perfume, Bacardi Rum and Tetley Tea among others to the tune of $10 million.
Kristen Davis has been doing pretty well. She`s been making those family friendly movies like "The Shaggy Dog" and "Deck the Halls," and doing ads for 7-Up and Maybelline. That adds up to $4.5 million for her.
Cynthia Nixon also did some 7-Up ads and her acting work has included "Warm Springs" and "Tanner on Tanner." Since the show ended, Nixon has made $2.5 million.
ANDERSON: Not too shabby.
Some more stories that are new right now. It`s the Bill and Brad show. Former President Bill Clinton and Brad Pitt teamed up in New Orleans to break ground for the Make It Right project in New Orleans. The project is building 150 homes for New Orleans` residents affected by Hurricane Katrina. Brad himself has contributed $5 million to the project. And the Bush-Clinton Katrina fund has contributed $1 million.
And the star of "The Punisher" may get some punishment of his own after getting busted for DUI. TMZ said Thomas Jane was pulled over for speeding in California and charged with DUI. His arraignment is set for April 9th. Jane is married to Patricia Arquette.
All right. On Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this - "Tyra Banks: Is she the next Oprah?" Only 12 percent of you said yes; 88 percent of you say, no way.
Here are some of the E-mails that we received. Judith, from California, writes, "No offense to Tyra, but I don`t think anyone can take Oprah`s place. She is one of a kind."
Lisa from Alabama says, "Are you insane? Tyra`s show is closer to Jerry Springer than to Oprah!"
We do appreciate your E-mails.
HAMMER: I don`t know. I think Tyra is the next Tyra. She is truly a force in her own right. You know what I`m saying?
ANDERSON: She`s a talent, yes.
HAMMER: Absolutely. Well, that`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And remember, you can always catch "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 Pacific and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next. Take care.
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