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Showbiz Tonight
Bizarre Video from Madonna; Angry Wife Airs her Dirty Laundry on YouTube; He Said/She Said in Rob Lowe`s Nanny-gate
Aired April 16, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hey, did you see this? Madonna`s startling new video where she compares herself to a dog? And a frightening stalker scare for a huge `80s star. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a shocking Hollywood divorce battle like you`ve never seen before, playing out on YouTube.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRISHA WALSH-SMITH, WIFE OF BILL SMITH: I`m an idiot. I am the biggest (EXPLETIVE DELETED) idiot in the world....
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, the furious wife of one of the most powerful men in showbiz goes absolutely ballistic and puts it on YouTube for the whole world to see.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the remarkable and very ugly videotape. And we`ve got to ask, why the heck are people taking their private pain and making it public?
He said/she said. Tonight, as Rob Lowe and his nanny launch wild attacks on each other, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gives Lowe a big heads-up. The hard lessons Lowe can learn from other stars who have gotten caught up in he said/she said sex scandals. Tony and Eva, Kobe Bryant and his wife - it`s a fired-up showbiz special report.
And Lindsay Lohan`s dad, Michael, opening up like you`ve never heard before.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL LOHAN, LINDSAY LOHAN`S FATHER: I want that relationship with my children that they want.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, the headline-making interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(MUSIC)
Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. A.J. is off tonight. And you could call this the night of the startling videotape. Why in the world did Madonna make a video and send it to one of the snarkiest(ph) gossip folks around where she compares herself to a dog? Is she begging him for love? We`ve got Madonna`s jaw-dropping tape coming up.
But first, divorce, by YouTube. The wife of one of the most powerful men in showbiz caught up in a nasty split from him has made a mind-boggling tape of her own. She`s taken her case to the world on YouTube. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the divorce gone wild.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
SMITH: Husband has no grounds for divorce. He`s trying to evict me.
ANDERSON: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there`s no fury like a scorned woman with a video camera and an Internet connection.
SMITH: I`m an idiot. I am the biggest (EXPLETIVE DELETED) idiot in the world.
ALICIA QUARLES, ASSOCIATED PRESS: Clearly, this is a woman pushed to the brink, a woman over the edge.
ANDERSON: This YouTube video by the bitter estranged wife of a New York City Broadway mogul is making international headlines, and has all of American saying, either this woman`s crazy -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are sending me nothing.
ANDERSON: Or, you go, girl.
QUARLES: A lot of women in my office were applauding saying, "No, she`s not deranged. Her husband pushed it too far and she`s had enough."
ANDERSON: The six-minute video features playwright. Trisha Walsh-Smith, wife of Phil Smith, President of Broadway`s largest theater company which staged such musicals as "Cats", "Phantom of the Opera", and "Les Miserables."
In her Park Avenue apartment, Trisha gripes that life with her estranged hubby was miserable and that he is trying to kick her to the curb.
SMITH: Apparently there`s some clause in this pre-nup that he`s going to - simply, he can throw me out in 30 days, but he has to have grounds for divorce. So he has no grounds for a divorce but he`s still trying to throw me out of our apartment in 30 days for no reason. I don`t know why.
QUARLES: She`s saying, "He`s trying to divorce me and there`s no reason." Maybe because you`re acting crazy on YouTube. I don`t know.
ANDERSON: She later goes through the wedding album and trashes his family.
SMITH: He`s a bad, bad, bad person.
ANDERSON: Heavy stuff. But at least she doesn`t make any claims about their sex life.
SMITH: Oh, another thing, we never had sex.
ANDERSON: Oh, no, she didn`t. We`ll spare you the even more intimate details she shares. Kids may be watching. But suffice it to say, it`s pretty vivid, too vivid for Alicia Quarles of the Associated Press.
QUARLES: Unless you`re George Clooney or Brad Pitt, I don`t want to hear about your sex life. Thank you, Trisha, for the visual.
ANDERSON: You won`t believe what Trisha does next.
SMITH: In fact, I will call him now.
ANDERSON: She actually calls her husband`s office and starts blabbing to his poor assistant.
SMITH: Well, turn the video on from YouTube. I don`t know if you know - but you know, but you know Smith and I never had sex. We`re just talking about, you know, the fact that there`s no sex life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE ASSISTANT OF MR. SMITH: OK
SMITH: And he`s trying to throw me out of the apartment.
ANDERSON: As for the husband, he`s trying to take the high road. In a statement, his attorney tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT quote, " He is obviously disappointed that she choose to do this and considers it to be most unfortunate that she did. However, Mr. Smith is a private person and considers this to be a private matter and he is not going to engage with her in the press or respond to what she has said about him in a public forum."
But the entertainment mogul`s dirty laundry has become instant, on- demand entertainment. Thanks to the Mrs.
SMITH: Because I mean really - I`m really schmuck. I could be the biggest schmuck, Darling.
ANDERSON: But it has some asking, is revenge, as this article suggests, a dish best served online?
QUARLES: A lot of people out there are going to say, "She looks crazy." She breaks out a tarot card.
SMITH: Victory.
QUARLES: Starts singing at one point and sliding across the floor.
SMITH: Maybe this time I could be lucky.
QUARLES: Or you could look at it as, "Hey women of the world unite everywhere. Don`t mess with us when it comes to divorces."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to Trisha Walsh-Smith`s attorney for comment but we didn`t receive a response before show time. I guess she`s doing all of her commenting online.
OK. This may be the first time somebody has taken their divorce battle to YouTube. But I have to imagine it won`t be the last.
Joining me from New York is Ashleigh Banfield, host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat." And in Hollywood, Atty. Darren Kavinoky, an attorney with the Kavinoky Law Firm. Darren, Ashleigh, great to see you.
Darren, I want to throw this first one out to you. You`ve been an attorney for a long time. You`ve seen it all. Does anything top this?
ATTY. DARREN KAVINOKY, KAVINOKY LAW FIRM: Well, I think it`s beyond dispute that she had two scoops of crazy in her breakfast cereal that morning. But I`m going to fall a little bit more into the "You Go Girl Camp" than you might expect.
Media access is really hard to come by. And here she is in the midst of a divorce from a rich and powerful, high-profile person. You know, it`s tough to get - it`s tough to get coverage in the "New York Post." And there`s only so many inches of print space that are available on page six. So, you`ve got to give her, at least, some points for creativity that she would go out there and put it on YouTube. And I think we`re going to see more and more of this kind of stuff.
ANDERSON: Oh, boy. She is crafty, getting a lot of exposure with this video. Ashleigh, have you ever seen anything like it?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HOST, "HOLLYWOOD HEAT": That would be a no. And by the way, I will add that she`s not only on YouTube, she`s on CNN. I mean this is what`s so creepy about this whole thing, Brooke. And with all due respect, Darren, I`m not on the "You Go, Girl" category here because I think this is lunacy, especially if she wants to actually win in this case. A judge is going to look at this stuff.
This is not going to go unnoticed by you, me, your audience, and by the judge. Because you can bet your bottom dollar that her husband - who is it? Philip, is very knowledgeable about all of this by now and has probably downloaded the versions and is going to present them in a court of law if it ever gets to that point. And that`s not going to look good.
ANDERSON: Darren, do you agree that this could hurt her case when the divorce case does go to fruition?
KAVINOKY: You know, at first blush, it would seem that it would because it does seem a little bit off centered that somebody would do this. However, she does make some excellent points in her video.
And so here, we hear about the lack of the sex life and there`s some dishonesty going on. It really is a double-edged sword. And you know, it`s not as crazy as it could have been. It certainly could have been much worse.
It really is going to depend on how much of a sense of humor that particular judge has. I could see it working well for her. But it is definitely a dangerous, dangerous move, not something I would recommend for any of my clients. And I`m sure her attorney didn`t recommend that either.
ANDERSON: Oh, yes. And like you said, it may depend on the judge and that person`s sense of humor that day. And you know what really boggles my mind guys, is that it seems that everybody loves to go on the Internet or television and air their dirty laundry. One of the biggest TV hits this year is "Moment of Truth". This is where people take polygraph tests. Marriages are destroyed before our very eyes on this show. Take a look.
(START VIDEO CLIP)
MARK L. WAHLBERG, HOST, "MOMENT OF TRUTH": Since you`ve been married, have you ever had sexual relations with someone other than your husband?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CONTESTANT: I`m going to have to say yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK, Ashleigh, what do you think? Is there no shame anymore?
BANFIELD: No, there is no shame anymore. I don`t even know how to answer that. I was so appalled by that myself. But it seems as though there will always be a philosophical voyeurism and everybody will want to know what`s going on in everyone else`s business.
The problem is when you take to YouTube and you call someone`s assistant to talk about your sex life. You know, there may be an element of defamation there. So, she`d better be very careful that she`s not about to face a whole whoop-ass can of litigation because of this action.
ANDERSON: Oh, I don`t know if I`ve heard you say it quite that way before, Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: Oh, am I allowed to say that? I should have shut-up.
ANDERSON: Hey, Darren, very quickly, you say we may be seeing more of this. It seems to me the World Wide Web is like the wild, wild west now - no boundaries.
KAVINOKY: Yes, Absolutely. I think there`s going to be more and more access. And you know, it`s interesting. On the one hand, it`s great. We`re just in a brave, new world where this is all new, uncharted territory. I think we`re going to have some speed wobbles before we figure out what`s socially acceptable and what isn`t.
ANDERSON: Yes, I agree with you. Darren Kavinoky, Ashleigh Banfield, thank you both.
KAVINOKY: Pleasure.
ANDERSON: Remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We`re always posting new stuff for you to watch at our Web site, that`s CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, you`ve got to see this video that everybody is talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADONNA, ACTRESS/SINGER: Perez, I just want to ask you one thing? Who do you love more? Me or Teddy?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s Madonna in a bizarre new video for Perez Hilton who is one of the biggest Hollywood gossips out there. I don`t get it. Why did she make this video, a video where she compares herself to a dog? I`ve got that next.
All right. The Lohan family has been the subject of a ton of gossip. You got to hear this. Tonight, Lindsay`s dad, Michael, is speaking out like never before about his relationship with his daughter, his ugly fight with their mom, Dina. It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And speaking of ugly, he said/she said. As Rob Lowe and his nanny launch wild attacks on each other, I`ve got the hard lessons Lowe can learn from other stars who have gotten caught up in he said/she said sex scandals. You don`t want to miss this.
So, here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Rob Lowe`s Nanny Scandal: Do you believe she was blackmailing him?" Vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADONNA: I just want to ask you one thing. Who do you love more? Me or teddy?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Did you see this? Madonna`s bizarre video to one of the biggest celebrity bloggers out there, Perez Hilton, begging for his love. This got everybody asking, why on earth did Madonna do this?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Well, we see a lot here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. But tonight, we`re bringing you two videos that boggled our minds.
The first one, we just showed you - a strange Madonna video that`s making the rounds. All right, with a new album about to come out, we`ve got to ask, why did Madonna do something so bizarre? Is she begging for attention? It`s not like she needs it.
And poor Priscilla Presley, getting the boot from "Dancing with the Stars." With millions watching and voting, some are saying it was the cosmetic surgery that got her cut out of the show.
Joining me in Hollywood, Ashlan Gorse, host of "E! News Now", and Carlos Diaz, correspondent for "Extra". Carlos, Ashlan, first I want to take a look at that strange video that Madonna made for celebrity blogger, Perez Hilton. It has become an instant online hit. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADONNA: Perez, I just want to ask you one thing. Who do you love more? Me or teddy? Because I can get down on all fours. I chase balls and I love a biscuit. Make your decision quickly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Wow! This video is bizarre. Teddy, of course, Perez Hilton`s dog. Madonna talking about getting down on all fours, chasing balls like a dog. Carlos, we`re used to seeing Madonna do outrageous stuff. But can you explain this one for me?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": I`m thinking Perez Hilton is going to start dating Madonna, no? The thing is weird is - Madonna spends all these millions of dollars on videos. But this is her biggest video ever and she spent maybe what, a buck fifty on this thing?
ANDERSON: Right.
DIAZ: You know - and as far as the, you know, the nature of this, we`re getting down on all fours in this and that. This is probably the most controversial thing she`s ever done in the last few years, at least. And it`s kind of cool because it`s from the heart, you know. She`s kind of like not scripted with this whole thing. I think it`s great.
ANDERSON: From the heart? What kind of ...
DIAZ: Yes. Come on, she`s wanting - she`s wanting to appease Perez Hilton. And by the way, Madonna is always on the cutting edge and understands the power of the blogger that is Perez Hilton.
ANDERSON: Well, she certainly does. She is very savvy. Ashlan, she`s 49, married with three kids. Why does she need to bother getting exposure in this way? She`s got more top ten hits than Elvis now?
ASHLAN GORSE, HOST, "E! NEWS NOW": I know. When you think of Madonna, though, everything she used to do is always outrageous. It was always crazy and being a child of the early `80s, I remember some of that stuff that she was doing it even way before that.
Now, she hasn`t done anything crazy in a little while. I think that`s why she went kind of with the sexual overtones and just talking about getting down an all fours. It`s classic Madonna. Everybody loves it. We want to see it. Yes, she is a little older now.
But this video, she looks great in it, which is surprising because there is no air brushing on video. And I think it`s really interesting she`s reaching out to the fans and it`s a good old Madonna. And she has fun because Perez Hilton is not the nicest person. He`s definitely taken a lot of stabs at her. And I think that this just shows her personality coming out and she`s OK with it and she can roll off the punches.
ANDERSON: And maybe reaching out to Perez`s fans and a new generation. Carlos, I want to mention this, the first song on her new album "Hard Candy" is "Four Minutes to Save the World." Carlos, what is she trying to save with this 20-second video?
DIAZ: She`s trying to save her 15 minutes, if you will, which has gone on for several years. Now, the thing is though, Madonna is 49. She`s over- the-hill when it comes to Hollywood standards. But she`s doing a video with Justin Timberlake. She`s doing a video for Perez Hilton. She gets it. She knows that in order to stay young and irreverent, you`ve got to do these things. And hey, do you think Perez is ever going to diss her again? Never. Never.
ANDERSON: I`m sure he was thrilled to get this video, and 49 is the new 29 in Hollywood, Carlos. You`ve got to remember that.
DIAZ: Sure. Sure.
ANDERSON: Sure.
DIAZ: Sure.
ANDERSON: Now, I want to move on to another video that you`ve got to check out. Priscilla Presley gets the boot from "Dancing with the Stars." And first, I want to take a look at the elimination last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED HOST: The couple with the lowest combined total and therefore leaving right now. Priscilla and Louie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Carlos, Priscilla doesn`t look fazed about getting kicked off. Her botched cosmetic surgery procedure has been the talk of the season. So, why didn`t America agree with the judges who loved her? She was one of their favorites.
DIAZ: I can`t believe Priscilla didn`t look fazed when she got voted off. Here`s the thing, I`ve done some research as I often do when I`m on the show. And the people that have been voted off are all older.
Follow me on this. Penn Jillette, 53. Steve Gutenberg, 49. Adam Corolla, 43. Priscilla Presley, 62. The younger people are sticking around, which I think, leads to the fact that the voters are going for the younger people. Or there might be a conspiracy.
ANDERSON: Or some age discrimination. I don`t know what I think about that. Ashlan, what do you think? This isn`t the last we`ve heard from Priscilla Presley, is it?
GORSE: Not at all. And when you think about Priscilla Presley, you know, unlike some of the older - other older contestants, Marie Osmond and Jane Seymour, they kind of brought this classic overtone to the show. And a lot of people were fans of them from before and wanted to see them.
But really, I think what people want to see from Priscilla Presley was what she looked like. So after kind of the first show, I think people lost interest when they saw her face. And they saw her one smile and that was pretty much it. So, I think even fans ...
ANDERSON: No. Well, she was an elegant dancer.
GORSE: Yes.
ANDERSON: We wish her the best. I`ll leave it there for now. Ashlan Gorse, Carlos Diaz, good to see you. Thanks.
All right. I cannot believe the nasty allegations flying back and forth in the Rob Lowe nanny-gate scandal - blackmail, sexual assault. It`s completely he said/she said. And somebody`s not telling the truth. Tonight, I`ve got a big heads-up for Rob. The lessons he can learn from other stars who have gotten caught up in he said/she said sex scandals.
A woman accused Eva Longoria`s husband, Tony Parker, of having an affair with her. But it turned out to be a big lie. Then there`s another basketball star - Kobe Bryant. He was accused was of rape, but the charges were dropped. You`ve got to stick around for this. Fired up showbiz special report, he said/she said.
And I`ll tell you, there`s a lot of he said/she said going in the nasty fights between Lindsay Lohan`s mom and dad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL LOHAN: I gave up everything to have a relationship with my kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, Michael Lohan is speaking out like never before. You won`t believe what he`s saying about his relationship with his daughters, his ugly fight with their mom, Dina, as well. It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And I think it was such a bad move that Dr. Phil`s show bailed out a girl accused of beating another teen. Got to hear what Barbara Walters thinks. Next.
( COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson and here are some more stories that are new right now.
A scary fan has pushed Debora Gibson to file a restraining order against him. Deb, who was huge in the `90s - in the 1980s rather, with hits like "Only in My Dreams," and "Shake Your Love," says the guy follows her all over the place, to her concerts and even to her house.
The man, who lives in Spain, says he doesn`t mean Deborah any harm.. But Deb says she feared for her life when he showed up at her house this weekend.
OK. Some sad news to report about Cameron Diaz. TMZ reports that her father died suddenly on Tuesday in California. Fifty-eight-year-old, Emilio Diaz had the flu which turned into pneumonia. Diaz is currently filming her new movie , "My Sister`s Keeper." TMZ adds that production on that film has been shut down.
And The Boss wants Obama to be the boss. Bruce Springsteen is endorsing Democrat Barack Obama for president. On his Web site, Bruce says Barack speaks to the America he`s envisioned in his music for the past 35 years.
You know, I think this Rob Lowe nanny-gate scandal is unbelievable - charges of blackmail, sexual assault. It`s a real he said/she said battle. Tonight I`ve got the hard lessons Lowe can learn from other stars who have gotten caught up in the he said/she said sex scandals of their own. Don`t miss this.
And also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL LOHAN: As soon as I was taken out of the equation and she didn`t have her dad there to try to help her, everything started to fall apart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, Michael Lohan is speaking out like never before. You won`t believe what he`s saying about his relationship with his daughters, his ugly fight with their mom, Dina. It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And "Sex and the City" star, Cynthia Nixon reveals she`s battling breast cancer. But get this, she`s actually been fighting it for the past couple of years. So why did she keep it a secret? Find out her surprising reason. Coming up.
But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Just head over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, click on the "sign up for the newsletter" link at the bottom of the page. We`ll send it straight to you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back after this.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, he said/she said. A war of words is absolutely exploding in the Rob Lowe nanny scandal. He says one thing, she says another. But who`s right?
And what can we all learn from Hollywood`s biggest, baddest he said/she said scandals in the past? Tonight, a showbiz special report, "He Said/She Said."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL LOHAN: I gave up everything to have a relationship with my kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Lindsay Lohan`s dad speaks out. It`s a no-holds-barred interview about Lindsay and the nasty court fight that`s heating up again between her parents. Buckle your seat belts. Tonight, Michael Lohan in the interview you`ll see only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(MUSIC)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. And this is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, a showbiz special report, the ugly he said/she said in the Rob Lowe nanny-gate scandal. Rob is not the first big star to deal with nasty allegations.
All right, he says nanny Jessica Gibson tried to blackmail him for $1.5 million and threatened to release a laundry list of what he calls "false terribles" about him and his wife.
She says she had to deal with years of sexual harassments, alleging Rob groped her, exposed himself and showed her porn.
He says she used drugs while caring for the Lowe children. She says, Rob`s wife, Sheryl, also sexually harassed her and was cruel.
In Hollywood tonight, Attorney Darren Kavinoky, from Miami, founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations, Howard Bragman, and in New York, Host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat", Ashleigh Banfield.
All right gang, this all comes not long after "Desperate Housewives" star, Eva Longoria and her husband, Tony Parker, actually sued the news agency, X17, for reporting that Tony had an fair with a model that began soon after Eva and Tony`s wedding. X17 later apologized saying its story was wrong. Darren, Lowe has also sued here. Is that the right move?
KAVINOKY: Oh, I think it is absolutely the right move. By going on the offensive, he`s now framed issues. So that when the jurors in the court of public opinion are looking at her, they already have certain facts in mind.
For example, he`s already put out there that she worked for him for seven years and left twice, kept coming back. That she wrote these E- mails, thanking him for the opportunity to work there and saying that her leaving had nothing to do with anything going on with Rob. So these kinds of things that are already in the minds of the public are certainly going to be helpful in casting doubt in terms of her story.
ANDERSON: Yes, he seems to have a pretty strong case here. And she says she kept going back to work for him because she need the job, she loved the kids. Ashleigh, is this the best approach for Rob? He launch that preemptive strike and is suing.
BANFIELD: Well, you know, legally speaking, it will be tough. It`s all about the evidence - who has the best evidence? It`s pretty hard to prove you were groped unless somebody witnessed it who`s willing to come forward and say so in a court of law or in a deposition. The rest of it - hey, if Rob has text messages that he kept, that`s pretty strong stuff.
But when it comes to the celebrity aspect of this and Rob`s career, what`s really important for him is that he maintains his lifeblood. He`s got to make sure that us, court of public opinion, likes him after this, or he could be out of a big job.
ANDERSON: Yes, it would be hard for this not to impact the reputations of both parties involved. And getting back to Tony and Eva, before their court victory, I spoke with Eva Longoria-Parker and she defended Tony and their marriage. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVA LONGORIA, ACTRESS: This particular incident was like a little too far and so false that Tony felt like, OK, that`s enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Just like Rob Lowe, Eva and Tony put it out there and made their case before everybody else, before we eventually learned the whole truth. Howard, the PR expert, it seems to me the smart thing to do. What do you think?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Absolutely. As Darren said, you`ve got to fight in the court of law but you`ve got to fight it in the court of public opinion. And the more you can get out from this play offense, the more you can sort of put the suggestions in people`s minds.
And celebrities - they`re popular celebrities like Eva and Tony and like Rob Lowe, have a big advantage. We already know them, we already like them. We`re used to seeing them on TV. We believe they`re credible. So they`re absolutely doing it the right way.
And I think this is an instance where we believe Rob Lowe is telling the truth. I`ve seen this too many times where people go after celebrities with claims that only they can back up.
ANDERSON: Her attorney, I do want to say, Gloria Allred has said that Gibson will not be intimidated by Rob Lowe and his celebrity. And that being said, another dramatic case of he said/she said, involved basketball super star, Kobe Bryant. He was accused by a Colorado hotel worker of raping her in his hotel room.
And just like the Rob Lowe case, the accuser`s credibility was questioned from the beginning. Bryant beat the rap after the woman refused to testify. Ashleigh, is that what Rob needs to do? Keep hammering away at this nanny`s credibility?
BANFIELD: Again, it`s probably good for him in the court of public opinion. But with regard to Kobe, I will always back this. He`s not walking away from that one. His lawyer said the name of the victim in court several times and it got out there in the press.
And I think this victim felt badgered and backed down, so she didn`t go through with the claim. That doesn`t mean not guilty. It just means not tried. Those things got out there.
For Rob, it`s going to be a case of a public relations battle unless there`s some kind of settlement. If there is settlement, you darn well know there will be secrecy all around it.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. And you know, perhaps, the most famous he said/she said sex scandal involved former President Clinton and White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. We will never forget what Bill Clinton said when he publicly addressed allegations that he had sex with Monica.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I did not have sexual relations with that woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Rob Lowe`s denials have been just as strong as President Clinton`s were. Darren, given what we know, is that what you would tell Lowe to do? Deny, deny, deny?
KAVINOKY: Yes, unless, as Ashleigh says, we have some witness to some groping or we have a blue dress with some DNA on it that turns up, you definitely want to deny, deny, deny in a case like this.
And, you know, this is a situation - and I saw the "Today" show interview involving the complaining party. And she had a hard time keeping a straight face during the course of that interview. That`s going to be another uphill battle for her as we engage in this war of public opinion.
She`s got a real battle to climb. And unless we have got some real strong evidence, I don`t know that she`s going to be able to surmount those obstacles.
BANFIELD: Hey, Darren and Brooke, you know what?
ANDERSON: Go ahead.
BANFIELD: Even if she does have a blue dress, she lived in that house and she could have gotten a sample at any time. So pretty tough.
ANDERSON: Yes. Very good point. Darren?
KAVINOKY: It will be interesting to see how those samples might be flying around. I don`t want to know exactly what that sample is before we go down on that path. But ...
BANFIELD: I`m done.
ANDERSON: Yes. A lot of testing to be done in a situation like that, I would think. But you know, one thing all of these cases have in common is that the couples stayed together as a united front. Eva and Tony, Rob Lowe and his wife are - Hillary and Bill Clinton, Kobe Bryant and his wife. Darren, in a court case, does a united front by the husband and wife strengthen their case in the eyes of the jury?
KAVINOKY: Absolutely. It sends a very clear message that the spouse who`s sticking by, believes in their - in the accused spouse and it really sends a message that, hey, this person is good enough for me to stick with. It`s good enough; they`re good enough for you to believe. So I think it`s a very strong message of solidarity and it`s important in cases like this.
ANDERSON: Howard, as the PR guy, the guru, would you advise them to present that united front?
BRAGMAN: Well, absolutely. I mean, that`s - it`s the reality. If you know most of these couples - if you know Rob and Sheryl, they`re a great couple. There`s true love and a wonderful sense of family in their relationship. And they`ve got to support each other. And besides that, a lot of other employees have come out in their defense as you`ve noticed.
ANDERSON: That`s true.
BRAGMAN: So they said ...
ANDERSON: Yes, they`re coming out.
BRAGMAN: ... we never saw anything like this. And I...
ANDERSON: Reportedly defending them.
BRAGMAN: Exactly.
ANDERSON: Howard, I do have to cut you off there. I`m really sorry. We are out of time. But, hey, guys, I appreciate you all being here. Darren Kavinoky, Howard Bragman, Ashleigh Banfield.
BANFIELD: Thanks.
KAVINOKY: Thanks.
BRAGMAN: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Rob Lowe`s Nanny Scandal: Do you believe she was blackmailing him?" Vote, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, here`s the address, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Lindsay Lohan`s dad speaks out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOHAN: As soon as I was taken out of the equation and she didn`t have her dad there to try to help her, everything started to fall apart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s a no-holds-barred interview about Lindsay and the nasty court fight that`s heating up again between her parents. Michael Lohan, coming up in the interview you`ll see only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also, Cynthia Nixon, from "Sex and the City," reveals her secret battle with breast cancer. It turns out, she fought cancer two years ago but didn`t talk about it at the time. I`ll tell you why she kept it a secret until now, coming up.
Also, the fury over Dr. Phil. I think it`s absolutely outrageous that employees from the "Dr. Phil Show" bailed out the alleged ring leader in the teen-beating scandal. But what does Barbara Walters think? She certainly knows a thing or two about getting the big interviews. She weighs in on whether Dr. Phil did the right thing. Coming up...
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, the Lohan family feud. Now, in an interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Lindsay Lohan`s father, Michael Lohan, is opening up like never before about the troubled star and why he`s heading back to divorce court.
Lohan sat down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S, A.J. Hammer to talk about Lindsay and why he`s really worried she`s hanging out with the wrong crowd again.
Michael is also now on the warpath again in his bitter divorce from Dina Lohan. We all thought this was settled for good. But now, Michael has come to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and tells A.J. why he is reopening the fight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LOHAN: There are certain issues that were promised and were supposed to be kept that really affected my kids and my relationship with them that have been breached and I have to live up to. And it`s come to the point now where there`s enough talking, enough misrepresentations and I just have to put it in the hands of my lawyers.
And I want that relationship with my children that they want and they`ve told the therapist they want. But every time it comes to that point, it seems like when their mother and other people are involved, there`s - something gets canceled or, you know, it doesn`t come to be like it should.
HAMMER (on camera): Can you give some other specific examples of what happens? Because the allegations you make are pretty serious. You talk about her defrauding you. You talk about breach of her divorce contract, which I guess is - goes to what you`re saying in terms of promises not kept. What types of things?
LOHAN: Well, I guess that, you know, people will see that when it does go to court if we can`t take care of this before then. But for the most part, I mean, I gave up everything to have a relationship with my kids and to instill a relationship between my parents and my family with the children.
And as late as only a week ago, Dina was on the phone with my mother, telling my mother what a great family I come from and how the kids love my parents and my brothers and sisters and their kids. And she wants the kids to see my side of the family and nothing ever comes to fruition.
Not even - I mean the fact that my father`s dying in the hospital and my mother had a serious car crash, the kids still haven`t seen my parents. I mean, these are their grandparents that have been there for them their whole life. And I think that kids need that sense of stability. They need both their mom and dad and both sides of the family.
HAMMER: So, all that being said - and I can see where you`re coming from, all that -if it`s all true, it makes a great deal of sense. Obviously this is something that can be dealt with and handled privately. But you`re being very public about it. I`m curious as to why? Why in the newspaper, why on television?
LOHAN: I`ll tell you why. Because it seems when we try to do something, you know, amongst ourselves, in private, nothing gets done. But when the public and the media get involved, people are forced to make a decision and may do the right thing. Or sometimes they do the wrong thing.
I`m at a point now where I have no other recourse but to try to instill what`s right with my children by doing it publicly and reach out to them in a more public form.
HAMMER: It`s interesting that you say that though because for most people who don`t have kids who are big Hollywood superstars, that`s not something that would ever even occur to them, you know. They wouldn`t be sitting here with me having this conversation right now.
LOHAN: But don`t forget you asked me to come here and explain what I`m doing.
HAMMER: Sure. Sure. Sure. No - but it`s just, I guess it is such a nontraditional thing to do. And guess just by virtue of the fact, being your daughter`s father, it somewhat makes you a public person.
LOHAN: Well, at the same time, A.J., don`t forget that, you know, sometimes we use the media to send a positive message. And that message can be - don`t be deceitful in what you do. Don`t do things behind the scenes. Portray what the truth is and don`t create a facade where you`re doing one thing in the public eye and doing another thing behind the scenes.
I don`t agree with that. Because that lets my children and other people know that it`s OK to deceive people and get away with it.
HAMMER: In the past, as you know, Lindsay has been quite vocal about yours and Dina`s feuding and how it has affected her in a negative way. So now that this is going on presently, are you at all concerned?
LOHAN: Of course, I am. But at the same time, A.J., let me, you know - I`ll reflect on something I did in the past. When Lindsay had both her mother and father in her life, whether we were together or apart, did you see any of this nonsense going on that you see today?
Lindsay was at the height of her career. You didn`t see any of this partying, you didn`t see her mom out - or maybe you did. But you certainly didn`t see me out with her. And Lindsay was on a - she was on a - she was graduating and doing well in everything she did in life.
But as soon as I was taken out of the equation and she didn`t have her dad there to try to help her and put my foot down in certain areas of her life where I think it needs to be done now, everything started to fall apart. And then when I went back out to Cirque again and I met with Lindsay and we had things back on course again. Then you saw the same people come back into her life and it`s not where it should be.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to Dina Lohan for a comment in response, but she did not respond as of show time.
Michael did have a whole lot more to say about Lindsay`s recovery and whom he thinks needs to get out of her life. And he really opened up to A.J. about what he thinks about Dina`s reality show with Lindsay`s little sister, Ali.
We`ll have all of that for you. That`s Thursday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You don`t want to miss it.
Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive with another guy who knows a thing or two about dealing with the drama of young Hollywood. Britney spears` manager, Larry Rudolph.
Rudolph has been Spear`s manager since she was just thirteen. And after all the drama she`s been through, he tells me, she`s getting ready for possibly one of the biggest comebacks in history.
Rudolph is currently a judge on MTV`s hit reality show, "Rock The Cradle." This is where the kids of famous singers compete against each other ala "American Idol." Rudolph has been criticized for being too tough on the competitors. But he told me, that`s just what the kids need to succeed.
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LARRY RUDOLPH, JUDGE, MTV`S "ROCK THE CRADLE": I`ve been accused of being mean on the show for some of the comments I`ve made. But I don`t see it that way at all. I see it as - my role is to be able to tell you what you need to hear in order to help advance your career. And that`s what you`re here for. If you just want somebody to say yes to you, you don`t need me. You know, you can hire anybody to just be a robot and say yes to you. It`s not going to help you at the end of the day.
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ANDERSON: "Rock The Cradle" airs Thursday night on MTV. Check it out. And don`t miss the rest of my exclusive interview with Larry Rudolph, including what he told me about how Britney Spears is really doing. That`s coming up Friday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
All right, here are some more stories that are new right now.
Sex and the City actress, Cynthia Nixon speaking out for the first time about her secret battle with breast cancer. On "Good Morning America," Nixon revealed that she had a lumpectomy and six and a half weeks of radiation treatment two years ago. Nixon kept her condition a secret and scheduled her surgery for a Sunday because she didn`t want to miss a performance of the off Broadway show she was starring in.
Gwyneth Paltrow is opening up about the postpartum depression that she fought after her second child was born. In an interview with "Vogue" magazine, Paltrow says she didn`t know she had it until after it was over and that she felt really disconnected and pessimistic. But she says the depression is behind her now.
And Jenny Garth has dropped out of a comedy pilot for CBS. And that has people wondering if she might have instead do a stint on the upcoming "Beverly Hills 90210" spin-off. There is speculation that Garth may possibly reprise her role as Kelly Taylor from the original series, which I think would be great. I was a fan.
OK, straight ahead, the Dr. Phil fury. I think it`s absolutely outrageous that employees from the "Dr. Phil Show" bails out the alleged ring leader in the teen-beating scandal.
But what does Barbara Walters think? She certainly knows a thing or two about getting the big interviews. She weighs in on whether Dr. Phil did the right thing. That`s next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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ANDERSON: Thank you Charles. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. All right, tonight, Barbara Walters weighs in on the Dr. Phil scandal. As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been reporting, there is outrage over the fact that employees of the Dr. Phil show bailed out the alleged ring leader in the Florida teen-beating scandal. On "The View," Barbara Walters said that when she left "20/20," one of the things that bothered her was what everybody was doing to get the big interviews. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Now, with Dr. Phil, this is a young woman who has been accused of a crime and he helped to bail her out. That`s when people say, how far do you get to get a get?
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Well, because you`re responsible then for - I mean, what happens when she`s bailed out? What if it goes wrong? You have to assume responsibility -
(CROSS TALK)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS: But why are people surprised that Dr. Phil did it? I mean do people consider him to be like a news program that he`s - is he different than talk shows? Isn`t he a talk show guy?
WALTERS: I don`t think that they`re surprised that he did that. I think they would be surprised if anyone would go to the length of bailing someone out of jail to get the first story.
HASSELBECK: I don`t think he would have the budget for that, right?
(CROSS TALK)
WALTERS: But you know - we know, on this program, we love to have the big guests. But that`s - I mean the best part - the most interesting part of this program, one hopes, is what we do here that other programs don`t do. We don`t pay money and we don`t send people out to, you know - when you want to get a guest, you send a member of your staff out there to practically live with this person to get them to say, "Yes, I will do you, instead of you."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And on Tuesday, we asked you about it in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Dr. Phil Video Controversy: Should he apologize? Eighty-two percent of you say yes. Only 18 percent of you say no.
Here are some of the E-mails that we received. Gail from Kentucky writes, "What a lapse in judgment, helping the perpetrator instead of this poor victim. What were you thinking Dr. Phil? Apologize now!"
Cheri, from California says, "Dr. Phil, again, appears to be grandstanding but giving him the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he wants to help these spoiled amoral delinquents who have no values or conscience." And we do appreciate your E-mails.
That is a wrap for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks so much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s. 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
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