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Showbiz Tonight
Fascination with Polygamy; Should Parents Cash in on Their Famous Kids` Fame?; Who`s the Nanny?; The Lohan Family Feud
Aired April 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: Is it wrong for parents like Dina Lohan and Kathy Hilton to cash in on their kids` stardom. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Will Sam Lutfi get to come back into Britney Spears` life? A brand new ruling on the restraining order.
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, big love, big drama. Tonight, the unbelievable real life polygamy scandal. Men with many wives. Children allegedly forced to have sex. But how does this stack up to the controversial "Big Love" TV series.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are active mothers with our children. They are happy with us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is separating the big love facts from the big love fiction, and asking, why can`t we get enough of this bizarre story?
` Who`s the nanny? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT bringing you brand new never-before-heard details about the nanny in the Rob Lowe he said/she said controversy. Could this blow the case wide open? She says Rob Lowe sexually harassed her. He says she tried to blackmail him for big bucks. But exactly who is this nanny?
Plus, is Lindsay Lohan heading for disaster again? Tonight, her father tells us what he really thinks in the no-holds-barred headline making interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood. And now, even Paris Hilton`s mother is getting into the act. We cannot believe what we learned today about the gig Paris` mother just got. And we`re asking is it wrong for the parents of famous young stars to be cashing in on their kids` fame?
HAMMER: Brooke, it seems to be happening more and more. That is coming up. But first tonight, big love, polygamist style. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a reality check about the polygamy kid and sex scandal in Texas that has everyone fascinated and the big TV series about life in the world of polygamy.
You know, ever since hundreds of children were pulled away from their parents at the polygamous retreat, we`ve all watched in both fascination and disgust. Well tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a big love reality check.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE NEWS ANCHOR: In Texas this morning, hearings into whether 416 children seized from a polygamy compound can go home.
HAMMER (voice over): It`s the story that has America riveted, literally from the time we wake up. All the network morning shows including the "Today" show are all over the story about the polygamist compound in Texas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE NEWS REPORTER: The normally secretive sect has been on a sort of PR campaign in recent days.
HAMMER: But as the Texas courts decide the fate of the more than 400 children seized from the renegade Mormon sect, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, it`s the mothers, many of whom are in polygamist marriages, who are in the spotlight.
BEN WIDDECOMBE, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": It`s fascinating to people that something so out-of-step with mainstream values could have grown up right here in the heartland of this country.
HAMMER: They`re on the cover of "People." A group of them appeared on "LARRY KING LIVE" last night.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You never thought plural marriage was wrong?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, sir, I did not believe that.
HAMMER: The very next morning, the "Today" show was analyzing their appearance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Having them dress alike in this old-fashioned garb and hairdos tends to bond them together and unify them.
HAMMER: And "The View" was making fun of their appearance.
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": This hair do.
MARY MURPHY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: It is shocking to see women who are in another century in clothes and in the way they think.
HAMMER: And with all of the pop culture attention this polygamist case is getting, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you it`s reminding people of one thing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ten more minutes on the meat loaf.
HAMMER: That would be "Big Love," the HBO show about a man, his three wives, and all of their children.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Dinner!
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Here`s the salad.
HAMMER: The polygamist family next door.
WIDDECOMBE: These are actually nice people. They could be your neighbors. And yet, they live this very unorthodox lifestyle.
HAMMER: Each episode of "Big Love" draws about six million viewers, solid numbers for a cable show. Further proof that whether it`s a fictional dramatic series -
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Please bless us all as your loving family.
HAMMER: Or real life news story.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That over there is our sacred place that they have desecrated.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you people are fascinated with polygamy.
MURPHY: It`s a pop cultural phenomenon because we have never been allowed inside this world.
HAMMER: On "Big Love," it is almost comical the way the wives negotiate over the time they get to spend with their shared husband.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Your birthday is the 21st, which is mine, but I`ll give you both the nights.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: We can trade.
HAMMER: But with the abuse allegations and displaced children we are seeing in the Texas case, people are seeing that unlike TV, polygamy can have a disturbing dark side.
WIDDECOMBE: There are allegations that the girls are underage, that they are not there voluntarily, that they`re manipulated by the men in the group.
On the HBO program, those issues may be in the background, but it`s much more sanitized.
HAMMER: Still, back when "Big Love" first premiered in 2006, one cast member told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the show was not interested in glamorizing polygamy.
JEANNE TRIPPLEHORN, "BIG LOVE": I don`t think our show takes any kind of Pollyanna viewpoint about a polygamist family. There are huge compromises. There are shifting of feelings and jealousies and, it`s not easy. But that`s what makes for great drama.
HAMMER: Whether watching "Big Love" lessened the shock of what we are seeing in Texas is open for debate. But it`s clear that whether it is out of curiosity or revulsion, people are glued to this real life drama.
MURPHY: In this case, reality TV is much more interesting than the "Big Love" HBO TV.
ANDERSON: And in fact, this is one reality playing out on TV that is definitely stranger than fiction. But why can`t we stop watching this car wreck?
Joining me tonight in New York Steve Santagati of "AskSteveSantigati.com." Joining me from Hollywood tonight, "E! Online" columnist Kristin Dos Santos. Steve, Kristin, thanks for being here.
And hey, as we just saw, everywhere you turn, CNN, all the news shows, the cover of "People" magazine, we cannot get away from it. Steve, why the captivation? Is it because of the sex factor, multiple wives, kids allegedly sexually abused or is there something else going on here?
STEVE SANTAGATI, "ASKSTEVESANTAGATI.COM": I think it is the cult aspect of this that makes people riveted. Because it is like Laura Ingles meets the "Stepford Wives." You know, it`s a really crazy situation.
And I think that guys, when men - regular people out there in America think of polygamy, especially men, we think OK, six different Hawaiian tropic girls for the week. And Sunday, we take a rest and go fishing.
But that is really not what polygamy is. It is definitely not what is happening on "Big Love" and it`s more like what is happening in this cult. So it`s a very, very scary thing.
And I think we all are fascinated about, what if I could have five different guys, a carpenter to fix things, a stud to fool around with, you know, a businessman to bring home the money, and my brain surgeon to go out to parties with.
But that`s not the real world. That`s just fantasy. And then polygamy now is, it`s a sick, scary - it`s another form of a cult.
ANDERSON: Kristin, what do you think? Why are people so fixated on this?
KRISTIN DOS SANTOS, COLUMNIST, "E! ONLINE": What I think is so fascinating is that when the show "Big Love" came out, people immediately said this is just ridiculous. I mean who would possibly live like that?
I think the ratings will now actually go up because people have seen, you know, close to 40,000 people are expected to be living like this from Canada to Mexico. So now that this has been unearthed and people are actually seeing that there are people living like this, who look like this, who are living the principle.
I mean I think it is really fascinating to people because it`s sort of like discovering, you know a clan of leprechauns or group of UFOs. It`s like, "Oh, my god! They`re really there. They really do exist."
ANDERSON: Yes, they really are alive and well. And well, maybe not well, allegedly. But you know, Steve is part of the reason that we are so stunned, is that for a lot of people, what we are seeing is dramatically different maybe from what we have in mind from the way the women look, from the upswept hair to the long pioneer-like dresses to the way they talk and act?
SANTAGATI: All right. We all see very clearly. You don`t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out. These people have been manipulated. They drank the Kool-Aid, if you will. And there is something very strange going on. You have seen it in all their interviews. They don`t sound like clear, rationally thinking people.
Now, polygamy again - is that part of being a polygamist? I don`t know. I always thought it was just have five nagging wives instead of two or one. I`m kidding. I`m teasing. Go on.
But anyways, I think that we are really seeing now that polygamy and the way it is understood and accepted with the 40,000 people that are allegedly living it is not such a pretty thing especially when it comes to children. You are sickos. You know, what you are doing as an adult is one thing. But you should definitely not be allowed to bring children into the crazy environment.
And you notice how on these other shows - I just listen when they`d be asked, how old does a child have to be before they can get married or have sex? These people would never give a straight answer. And that, my friend, is scary.
ANDERSON: Well, the children who are involved in this custody case - it ranges from babies, mere babies to age 17 years old. And with all the outrageous information coming out of the polygamist ranch in Texas, a bed in a temple reportedly used to consummate marriages, alleged child abuse, the marrying of young girls. Kristin what was the biggest thing that stunned you compared to what a lot of people were picturing, maybe if people had only seen the show "Big Love."
DOS SANTOS: Well, I think, you know, what we have seen on "Big Love" - we`re actually looking at a family who is homed by a guy who grew up on a compound that is very similar to the one in Texas. But he has broken away from that and he is still following the principle.
But these are three adults who seem very clear-headed and very responsible. And they love their family and they love their children. And actually to some degree, it is one of the most wholesome shows on television. They don`t swear. They drink water. You know, you will never see them doing anything really very salacious.
There was one episode about Viagra, and that`s about as racy as the show got. So that, compared with, you know, the child abuse allegations and the sex bed in the temple and all of that. I mean this is much more disturbing and alarming I think than people anticipated. If you had only seen "Big Love," you`d go, "You know what? Maybe it is not actually such a bad way to live. They all share a backyard and their finances. And the girls get a few nights off and have their girl time and have their guy time. But I think that this is much more ...
ANDERSON: Very different.
DOS SANTOS: ... harrowing than people expected.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Very alarming. We`ll leave it there for now. Kristin Dos Santos, Steve Santagati, thank you both for your insights.
SANTAGATI: Thank you.
DOS SANTOS: Thank you.
HAMMER: Coming up, an important question, who`s the nanny? She says Rob Lowe sexually harassed her. He says that she tried to blackmail him for big bucks. I say it`s time to find out who`s telling the truth here. Exactly who is this nanny? I`ve got brand new details that could blow this case wide open. And that`s coming up.
ANDERSON: We want to hear from you. It`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.
All right. Also coming up, parents cashing in on their celebrity kids` success. Kathy Hilton on a soap opera. Dina Lohan on a reality show. I have to wonder, is this OK or a case of bad parenting. That`s still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL LOHAN, LINDSAY LOHAN`S FATHER: I don`t like some of the people in her life. I don`t like what they`re doing. If they did care about Lindsay, would they bring her into an environment they know is bad for her?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is Lindsay Lohan headed for disaster again? I`m really rooting for her. And her father told me what he really thinks about how Lindsay is doing these days. Michael Lohan, still to come. It`s the no-holds-barred, headline-making interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
You can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time. New stuff being posted all the time for you to watch at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Big news about Paris Hilton`s mom - yes, the mother of the daughter whose life is a soap opera is going to be starring in a soap opera herself. Kathy Hilton is going to be guest starring on "Young & The Restless." Oy vey. Now, this got us asking, are too many parents of young stars cashing in on their kids` fame?
Joining me tonight in New York, Ashleigh Banfield the host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat." In Miami there is Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations.
So gang, we know that we had Kathy Hilton first starring in her own reality show "I Want to be a Hilton." Now, Paris Hilton`s mom is going to be playing herself in that upcoming episode of "Young & The Restless." What do you think, Howard Bragman? Any chance at all that Kathy Hilton would have landed either gig had she not been the parent of a famous party girl?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Well, the simple answer is no. But the longer answer is Kathy was a child actress herself. She is the ultimate Mama Rose. Kathy is living her Hollywood fantasies through Paris` life right now.
You may remember Kathy`s famous guest starring appearance on "Family Affair" when she was a kid. But Kathy loves this. She is really living her Hollywood life through Paris. And she`s happy to be on TV. She is great looking. She has a great personality and it`s great stunt cast. Here, look. We`re talking about it, so it`s working.
HAMMER: Yes, I`m sure she is smiling right now and maybe we should just be happy for Kathy Hilton.
BRAGMAN: Exactly.
HAMMER: What do you think, Ashleigh? Anything at all wrong with Kathy Hilton capitalizing off of her daughter`s fame for no reason?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HOST, "HOLLYWOOD HEAT": Well, I just want to be on the record, Howard, that I don`t remember that show.
HAMMER: I`ll chime in, too, on that.
BANFIELD: I`m only what, 28 or something. You know what? Here is the deal. Those girls of hers are adults. I don`t have a big problem with it. They`re all adults. I have a bigger issue when the kiddies are little and can`t make decisions for themselves.
HAMMER: Yes, that makes a lot of sense. I`m right there with you on that. Let`s talk about another star parent, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson`s dad, Joe. Now, this guy has never shy about the way he manages his daughters. But let`s face it, you know, somebody is going to profit off of his kids, Ashleigh. So shouldn`t it be the parents?
BANFIELD: Yes and no. With these two, they`re also adults. But since he is their manager, you start crossing the line there a lot.
And here`s what I am worried about with regard to what he is doing. The amount of time that he takes to push their image speaks volumes about how much their talent does not matter but that their brand does.
And in the end, we all kind of get that. We all get the impression that it doesn`t matter how they sing, it just matters how many photographs they appear in. And I think that`s counterproductive.
HAMMER: I think it`s counterproductive and I think it has created a snowball effect which has led to why there are so many famous-for-nothing stars out there. Speaking of which - well, this actually kind of goes both ways. Lindsay Lohan`s mom, Dina, somebody I had to mention. She`s certainly more famous-for-nothing than her daughter is, because her daughter, of course, has some true talent.
And we have seen Dina throughout Lindsay`s career, you know, walking the red carpets, going to the clubs with her daughter. Now, she is set to star on her own E! reality show, "Living Lohan." That`s also going to feature Lindsay`s 14-year-old sister, Ali. And I already have a problem with that, but that`s another segment.
Howard, what do you think? Should Dina just back off already, and stop using her kids as an excuse to be in the limelight herself? Because it`s kind of sickening to see to me.
BRAGMAN: It`s really kind of gross. And you look at Lindsay`s life and what she`s turned into. And I don`t want that same life for Ali. I want her to go away and be raised by nuns or wolves or someone - anyone who can get her out of Hollywood. It`s not working out well for Lindsay.
And at least in Joe`s case, his daughters have turned out to be relatively nice people. For Lindsay, there`s just too many problems. I wouldn`t want the other kid to turn out like that. As Ashleigh said, she is too young to make her own decision at this point. So Dina`s got to take the responsibility, but she is so addicted to the limelight she just can`t say no.
HAMMER: Yes, and unfortunately you have Ali Lohan, the youngest daughter there in the Lohan family who`s saying, "I want to be a big star just like my big sis." And it just doesn`t seem like the guidance is there, at least not from mom.
I did have a chance to speak with Michael Lohan, her dad, in an exclusive interview with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And he actually had some advice for all the stage parents out there. And I want you to look at what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOHAN: Don`t live your life through your children. Don`t live vicariously through them. And don`t push them to do something that they don`t want to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hey, you know, he knows from what he speaks. Ashleigh, sound advice?
BANFIELD: Yes, it`s one thing to be a stage mom or stage dad and push talent, and it`s another just to push. And I think that is an underlying message he`s giving us.
HAMMER: Howard Bragman?
BRAGMAN: I think that he has to look to himself too. It`s more than just pushing a kid to do what they want to do. Sometimes the kids want to do things they shouldn`t be doing. And a parent should really look and say is this in their best interest?
And I think the Lohans all need to take a much lower profile. I would look to see Lindsay talk about her project. Dina, Michael and Ali - I don`t want to see at all. Just stay home.
HAMMER: Wrapping it up there. Howard Bragman, Ashleigh Banfield. I appreciate you being with us. Thanks so much.
ANDERSON: Straight ahead - who`s the nanny? She says Rob Lowe sexually harassed her. He says she tried to blackmail him for big bucks. And I say it`s time to find out who`s telling the truth. Exactly who is this nanny? I have brand new details that could blow the case wide open, coming up. And also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOHAN: I will never stop. She is my daughter. I love her to death. And that`s my - My prime concern is her health and her well-being.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is Lindsay Lohan heading for disaster again? I am really hoping that`s not the case. Her father told me what he really thinks about how Lindsay is doing these days. Michael Lohan - you won`t want to miss it. Still to come in the no-holds-barred, headline-making interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: And do you remember Sam Lutfi? Yes, he`s the guy who was always hanging around Britney Spears. A lot of people didn`t have a great feeling about this guy. Then Britney`s mother got a restraining order against him. But tonight, there`s a new ruling on that order. Will Sam have to keep away from Britney? That`s next.
HAMMER: Brooke, I know you`ve got an iPod and I know you download the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast. That`s what I want our viewers to know. You can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time at all. Download the podcast. It`s totally free.
You will find our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our Web site. Surf on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes. Just type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Here are some more stories that are new right now.
Sam Lutfi will have to keep on staying away from Britney Spears. A temporary restraining order against Britney`s - well, what is he? A hanger-on I guess. Anyway, that`s been extended. Britney`s mom requested the original restraining order when Britney was in the psych ward. Sam has to stay at least 250 yards from Britney and her houses.
You can`t keep a good TV show down. The Simpsons back on the air in Venezuela. That`s right. Regulators ordered it off the air in the morning saying it wasn`t family friendly. "Bay Watch Hawaii" put in its place. Go figure. But Homer and the gang, they`re back airing in a night time slot.
HAMMER: Also Wayne Brady`s marriage is officially over. The comedian and his wife have been living separately for four years now. But their divorce has just now been finalized. They have a five-year-old daughter together.
ANDERSON: Coming up, who is the nanny? She says Rob Lowe sexually harassed her. He says she tried to blackmail him for big bucks. And I say time to find out who is telling the truth. Exactly who is this nanny? I have brand new details that could blow the case wide open, straight ahead.
`And also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOHAN: I don`t like some of the people in her life. I don`t like what they`re doing. If they really did care about Lindsay, would they bring her into an environment they know is bad for her?
HAMMER: A lot of people wondering - me among them. Is Lindsay Lohan heading for a disaster again? I am hoping she can stay on track. And her father told me what he really thinks about how Lindsay is doing these days. Michael Lohan, still to come in the no-holds-barred, headline-making interview that you`ll see only here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: And a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive. I spoke with Britney Spears` manager, Larry Rudolph. He told me whether Britney is planning a major come back. You`ve got to stick around to hear the answer. That is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: But Brooke, first I need people to know they can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. You want this thing? And I know you do. Just head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on that "sign up for newsletter" link at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back. Do not move.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, just who really is the nanny behind the Rob Lowe nanny-gate sex scandal? Tonight, explosive new details about Jessica Gibson and what it was like for her to work for the Lowes. Plus, as she poses for a controversial new photo shoot, I`ve got to ask, is this really a smart move?
Also, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOHAN: I will never stop. She is my daughter. I love her to death. And that`s my - my prime concern is her health and her well-being.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Lindsay Lohan`s dad, Michael Lohan speaking out like never before about his daughter. Does he really think she is headed for disaster? It is the no-holds-barred exclusive interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you brand new breaking information to help answer the question that has been on all of our minds. Just who is Jessica Gibson, the 24-year-old woman at the center of the Rob Lowe nanny-gate scandal?
The new issue of "People" magazine, out Friday, has revealing, exclusive new details and interviews, giving us a glimpse into the private life of Rob Lowe`s former nanny, including her parents speaking out for the very first time.
Joining me tonight from New York "People" magazine editor David Caplan. Again, in New York, and host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat," Ashleigh Banfield. And in Hollywood tonight, entertainment reporter and anchor for LX-TV, Shira Lazar.
OK, guys. Here`s some of what we know. Jessica Gibson started working for the Lowes when she was just 17 years old. Her father is now claiming Jessica basically stopped eating from the stress of working with the Lowes. And Jessica is posing for pictures in "People" magazine but refuses to be interviewed. David Caplan, why would she even bother to pose if she didn`t want to talk?
DAVID CAPLAN, EDITOR, "PEOPLE": Well, I mean she had - because she`s not somebody who`s out there. She`s basically up until now being a private citizen. So you know, logistically there is not many photos of her. So she appreciates it - wants to at least get her likeness out there. You know, listen, being photographed is a whole different thing than speaking. Even so, when she was on the "Today" show, she was very limited in what she said. So this is really how she wants to release her own information on her own terms.
ANDERSON: Well, speaking of that, just a few days ago, Gibson did appear for the first time in public on the "Today" show as you said, and basically let her lawyer do the talking for her, refused really to answer the questions. Shira, could that make it look like she has something to hide?
SHIRA LAZAR, ANCHOR, LX-TV: Oh, yes.
ANDERSON: Or is that just her legal strategy?
LAZAR: Yes. Where are the body language experts when you really need them? If Gloria Allred was a good lawyer, she would have said to stop smiling when she was asked about the sexual harassment case, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Yes, maybe not such a good time to smile during those serious questions. And Jessica did file a lawsuit this week claiming that the Lowes sexually harassed her. Although the Lowes are claiming in their own lawsuit that she tried to blackmail them.
Jessica`s sister Kelly Gibson tells "People" magazine that Jessica changed dramatically during her time with the Lowes. Listen to this, quote, "She went from being light-hearted to consumed and distracted. I`m glad she stood up for herself. This is devastating for her. Ashleigh, it seems to me we are starting to see the war of the spin control going on here.
BANFIELD: I`ll say. Starting with that first salvo, the big tip-off to "The New York Post" and everybody else that Rob Lowe had discovered a blackmail plot for $1.5 million. I mean I knew this was coming from the headline as did everybody else. But you know, sometimes that`s what happens when the people who are involved and embroiled in civil litigation are public figures.
They try to fight it out in the public. They try to force some kind of settlement. But in the end, Brooke, you know, I know and everybody watching the show knows the evidence is what`s going to speak volumes if we ever get to hear it.
ANDERSON: Exactly. Gloria Allred has said the proof will come out. A lot of people have questioned the nanny`s claims saying, "OK, if Jessica Gibson was sexually harassed during those seven years she kept going back to work for the Lowes, why on earth did she keep going back?" Jessica`s dad tells "People" in his very first interview this, quote, "They were working her ridiculous hours. She did leave, but Jessica is so forgiving they would call and she would go back. She`d say it`s going to be better now. David, are people going to buy that reasoning?
CAPLAN: Not everyone. I mean obviously, a lot of people really were skeptical, rolled their eyes, because those are such outrageous claims. Why would you want to go back to that environment? But she is saying and she`s sticking to that she had this connection to the kids. That was one of the reasons that`s why she wanted to go back and that she thought it would get better. So clearly, a lot of people don`t believe her. Some do.
ANDERSON: Ashleigh, what do you think about that? Because she is adamant that she loved the kids. She needed the job. And here, her dad is saying that when she would go back, she had the mind set that it is going to improve. Things are going to be better. Do you buy it?
BANFIELD: Well, you know, I wasn`t there, so I can`t buy it or not buy it. All I can say is I find it odd that Jessica`s own sister, Jamie, worked for them for a year and never had any complaints. Even their father said that she didn`t have it as bad as Jessie did.
So there weren`t any problems before. And I think with every photograph that`s paid for, being released, a lot of the credibility is eroded from this young woman, rightly or wrongly. But when you pose for a photograph, if the Lowes` attorney can find a paycheck, it isn`t going to look good in front of a judge or jury.
ANDERSON: No. Let`s take another look at that picture of Jessica posing for "People" magazine. She`s posing for "People." She`s hired a high powered celebrity attorney, Gloria Allred.
Shira, I don`t mean to be cynical here, but are we starting to see the beginning of another 15 minutes of fame?
LAZAR: Oh, yes. Maybe TV movie or book deal or good, you know, photo spread. But I don`t think she`s going to be getting any nanny gigs soon in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Most likely not.
BANFIELD: Amen.
ANDERSON: David, you know, speaking of what Shira said, would you be surprised if the offers started coming in for maybe talk shows, reality shows, "Playboy," she wouldn`t be the first?
CAPLAN: Absolutely not. Right now, she`s a hot commodity, so everyone wants a piece of her.
ANDERSON: Now, if she did get some offers, she would have to do some speaking though, right, David?
CAPLAN: I think at that point, yes, she has to speak a little bit more than her interview.
BANFIELD: Not for "Playboy."
LAZAR: Those bills are going to go (UNINTELLIGIBLE) lawyer to talk for her.
ANDERSON: That`s true. That`s true. Not for "Playboy." Keep your mouth shut there.
ANDERSON: Ashleigh, do you think you may see her, maybe capitalizing on this in terms of 15 minutes of fame?
BANFIELD: I mean it is entirely possible. I think the "Today" show thing might have been booked in an effort to just stave off that preemptive strike that the Lowes launched, which was this blackmail claim. So who knows?
I guess it remains to be seen. I was shocked to see the "People" picture, I`ll be honest with you. And I don`t care if she was interviewed or not. I was shocked to see her pose for "People." I don`t think it looks good.
ANDERSON: Shira, were you shocked to see her pose for "People?" magazine. I know a lot of us were.
LAZAR: Oh yes. I mean and she`s like the new celebrity of the week? No, I don`t get how she expects people to take her seriously when she`s putting herself out there in the spotlight. If this really happened, why would she be asking for $1.5 million and getting Gloria Allred to represent her and making this basically into the next big Hollywood story.
ANDERSON: Well, she has been accused by the Lowes of trying to blackmail them ...
LAZAR: That`s true.
ANDERSON: ... for $1.5 million in exchange for keeping quiet about what Rob Lowe calls a laundry list of false terribles. But listen to what Jessica`s mother told "People" magazine. She said, "That`s just absurd to say she tried to extort from the family. She is very compassionate, very caring and honest."
Ashleigh, in an ugly battle in the public like this, how challenging will it be for this not to affect her reputation? Her family believes she is compassionate, caring and honest?
BANFIELD: Well, it`s a good thing she has a family. But the truth of the matter is usually family members will come in on your side of the argument. And when it comes to the Lowes, they`ve got a pretty powerful little couple there as well who are sticking this out and sticking it out together as they`ve been both accused of something in the suit.
So it is really a he/she versus she and her family said story. And I`m going to be honest with you, I don`t think thing is going to go to a courtroom. I think this one will end up being settled, and that you and I and everybody else - we`re not going to get the dirty details. Thank god.
ANDERSON: Yes, her lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages here. David Caplan, very quickly, regardless of what happens, could this impact also Rob Lowe`s reputation or at least the public`s perception of him?
CAPLAN: I think - you know what? I think for now, it actually won`t because he is showing a united front with his wife. He`s being open, at least, in how he`s saying for his details. So it`s not all like the previous sex scandal we had before.
ANDERSON: OK. David Caplan, Ashleigh Banfield, Shira Lazar, we will leave it there. Thanks, guys.
BANFIELD: Thank you.
LAZAR: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And remember, the latest issue of "People" magazine hits newsstands on Friday.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, do me a favor. Tell Ashleigh and Shira to stay put because we are getting so many fired up E-mails to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day asking - "Rob Lowe`s Nanny Scandal: Do you believe she was blackmailing him?"
Coming up, we`re going to go through the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT mailbox. We`re going to read some of your letters and our take-no-prisoners panel is coming straight back with that.
We will also have the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive -
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LOHAN: I don`t like some of the people in her life. I don`t like what they`re doing. If they really did care about Lindsay, would they bring her into an environment they know is bad for her?
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HAMMER: Lindsay Lohan`s dad, Michael, speaking out like never before. He is really fired up about who is daughter is hanging out with these days. Does he really think that she could actually be heading down the road to disaster again? I have got the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: A.J., I`ve got another amazing exclusive. I`m going one-on-one with Britney Spears` manager, Larry Rudolph. I have got to ask him, does he really think Britney can make another big comeback. That`s next.
HAMMER: Brooke, I know you know. I need everybody else to know that you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time. We are always posting new stuff for you to watch at our Web site which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
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HAMMER: Well, I thank you, Charles. And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, the bitter Lohan family feud. Now, in an exclusive interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Lindsay Lohan`s father, Michael, is opening up like never before about the troubled star and why he is so concerned about her right now.
When I sat down with Michael, he revealed some really shocking stuff about the people surrounding Lindsay. Plus, he really tore into the controversy surrounding the reality show that his ex-wife Dina just finished shooting with their other daughter, Lindsay`s 14-year-old sister Ali.
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LOHAN: Is it the right decision to - you know, for her to do a reality TV show? I don`t know. I think, you know, if people have done it before and they have done well with it and managed their lives.
HAMMER: We have also seen a lot of failures as we well know.
LOHAN: And I agree. And I agree.
HAMMER: And we`ve seen some real troubles play out in a very public way, not necessarily as a result of doing the reality show. But you never know because there is all of the collateral publicity that goes along with it that you were never subject to before.
One of the things that has come out in you revisiting your divorce with Dina is that fact that you had pitched a very similar reality show. Did yours not include the kids?
LOHAN: It included the kids. As a matter of fact, it was the same exact concept. It was about Dina being a mother and a manager, managing Lindsay`s career, Ali`s career and me in the background of course, just being a father to my kids. And showing how people could resolve differences when we were going through our divorce in an amicable way.
HAMMER: A lot of people have said whether it`s Dina doing the show or you`re pitching the idea of doing the show, that it`s for the money or you`re exploiting the kids in the process. Do you understand the concern and that ...
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LOHAN: This will come out in court. Let me set the record straight on this.
HAMMER: Please do.
LOHAN: When it was pitched by my attorneys, all three different attorneys, to Dina and her attorneys, my end of the deal was if I was to make anything off of It, it was to put - be put in trust at my own doing for my children.
HAMMER: There has been a lot of concern recently for Lindsay. Because she has been seen out in the clubs hanging out again. She has been seen hanging around with some of the old crowd. Michael, you have been very honest and vocal about being a recovering alcoholic yourself. From everything that we have learned and we talk about it on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT quite a bit, it is not a good idea?
LOHAN: Well, A.J., I think not only for myself but most people know that it`s said that people, places and things have a big part of our life in our recovery. I always surround myself with the right people and I have the most wonderful people in my life now. And that`s why I am able to walk on the walk I am.
I wish Lindsay would do the same. When you are around people that are in the club industry or people that are you know have that lifestyle every single night of the week and you are with them and you`re participating in what they`re doing, is that the right atmosphere?
HAMMER: So where do you believe the disconnect is for her, because she has had to have learned through her recovery process, through being in rehab, that you are not supposed to be doing these things. Where is she not getting it right that she`s continuing to hang out in these places?
LOHAN: Well, we can only say so much and try to point our children in the right direction. I mean - then we come to a point where we have to either put our foot down and risk our relationship with them or just appease them and say, "OK. Do what you want to do."
I am not going to do that. I have continually told Lindsay what I felt about the people around her and I still do. But at the same time I don`t want to bring it to the point where she is going to turn her back from me and say, "Daddy," you know, - well she does say, "I can`t listen to this anymore. You know I know what I`m doing. And don`t be concerned."
HAMMER: But she clearly doesn`t know what she is doing.
LOHAN: Well, I guess ...
HAMMER: And I guess, and - and Michael, we have pointed out that we are happy to have seen you come back into her life and reunited with her when she was in rehab. And I am curious at - where does the dad step in and say - all things being what they are, "This has got to stop?"
LOHAN: It`s already happened. I have told her that. And I have told her attorney, Blair Burke that. And there is only so much I can say and let them know what I know before they have to, you know definitely look within themselves and say "You know what? Maybe he is right."
I can only say and do so much. I will never stop. She is my daughter. I love her to death, and that`s my prime concern is her health and her well being.
HAMMER: What is the level of contact you have with Lindsay these days?
LOHAN I speak to her all the time. I speak to her all the time. We always did. And that was just - you know, that was another thing put out there that was totally untrue. Lindsay and I always connected and we always spoke.
HAMMER: So not to belabor the point, but just to get an understanding of how your relationship works, you talk to her on the phone the same morning that you saw in the paper she was seen out at some club. Do you say something to her?
LOHAN: Of course.
HAMMER: Do you say, "You realize this is a bad idea?" How does she respond?
LOHAN: "I`m OK, Daddy." You know, I don`t see any pictures of her drinking or this and that. When she`s on the phone with me, she always sounds OK. But when ...
HAMMER: It sounds like there is sort of an element of the denial in the fact that this behavior is not a good thing for her.
LOHAN: Well, you know, I am not going to point a finger or accuse her of doing something that I don`t know about. If I was there and I saw it for myself, I would say, "Linds, what are you doing?"
HAMMER: Yes. I`m not talking about necessarily drinking. Nobody is accusing her of that. But as you said, people, places, things.
LOHAN: Yes, I - you know I have said it. I will say it again. I don`t like some of the people in her life. I don`t like what they`re doing. If they really did care about Lindsay would they bring her into an environment they know is bad for her? Would they put her in a position where she was tested and tempted constantly? Of course not.
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HAMMER: I also asked Michael what his advice is for parents out there who have kids who really want to get into show business. He said if the kids want to do it, that`s fine. But if not, don`t force it.
And we asked for Dina Lohan to comment on what Michael told me. She has not responded as of show time.
ANDERSON: Well, right now, I`ve got another SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive with someone who was right there when another young Hollywood star spiraled out of control. I`m talking Britney Spears` former manager, Larry Rudolph.
Larry is back in Britney`s life now. They`ve hooked up again since Britney has chilled out a bit. I have sat down exclusively with Larry who may know her better than anybody else. And I just had to ask, is there another big comeback in the works?
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If she decides that she wants to get back into the recording studio, get back on a stage, and put that all on again. If that`s the life that she wants and she gets back on a stage for instance, think about what that would be. I mean to go see a Britney Spears show with her - you know, back in her prime and doing what she does best. At this point, I can`t imagine a hotter ticket.
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ANDERSON: All right. Sounds like Britney could be up to something soon. By the way, Larry is also judging "Rock the Cradle." It`s like "American Idol" for the kids of big stars and it airs Thursday nights on MTV.
And catch more of my exclusive interview with Larry Rudolph right here Friday. He opens up about what it was like to see Britney go through the head shaving, the painful hospitalization, and everything else. That`s on Friday.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, we have been getting so many fired up responses to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day asking - "Rob Lowe`s Nanny Scandal: Do you believe she was blackmailing him?"
I`ve got to tell you I can`t believe what some of the viewers are saying. You`ve got to stick around because we`re bringing back our fired up coast-to-coast panel and reading some of your E-mails. And we will do that next.
But first, here`s a look at what`s new at the movies this week, brought to you by Yo-Plait, Yo-Plus. Yo-Plus, try it for 10 days and feel the difference.
Al Pacino has only 88 minutes to prevent a murder - his own. That`s "88 Minutes." A guy who`s devastated by his breakup with his girlfriend so he takes a vacation only to find her right there. Forgetting Sarah Marshal. And the guy behind "Super Size Me" - you remember Morgan Spurlock? Well, he goes searching for the most wanted criminal on the planet, "Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?" Hang around because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
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HAMMER: Well, tonight, for the very first time, explosive new details are being uncovered about the 24-year-old woman who`s right there at the center of the Rob Lowe nanny scandal. The he said/she said sex shocker, of course, is all the talk in Hollywood and on the Internet as well.
We have had an overwhelming response to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, you are looking at it - "Rob Lowe`s Nanny Scandal: Do you believe she was blackmailing him?"
Look at those results. Pretty one-sided here; 83 percent of you said yes, 17 percent of you said no. Want to bring back the fired up coast-to- coast panel on this one. In New York, it`s host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat," Ashleigh Banfield. In Hollywood tonight, Shira Lazar, entertainment reporter and anchor for LX-TV. Ashleigh, let me take it to you first. Eighty three versus 17 - are you surprised at how lopsided this was?
BANFIELD: No. I think it is mostly because Rob Lowe got out in advance of the story and launched the preemptive strike with the story that he was about to be blackmailed. Then, oh, lo and behold. Now we are actually getting the full story from the other side.
But I also think - I don`t know, A.J., but Rob Lowe has about 20 years more public relations experience than does this young woman.
HAMMER: Yes he does, and he does it quite well. I want to read to you a couple E-mails, one in particular that pretty much summarizes the sentiment of a lot of our viewers and what they wrote.
We heard from Tom in Mississippi. He writes, "No matter how false the victim sounds, you should always believe them. But asking for money instead of just pressing charges does seem to raise eyebrows."
I want to read one from Christine in Missouri. She tells us, "I saw the interview," and she`s talking about the "Today" show interview, "and it so looks like the nanny doesn`t care about it. She smirks every time her attorney breaks in and skirts around the questions that were asked to the nanny."
Shira, there has been a lot of criticism of exactly how the nanny came off in that interview.
LAZAR: Oh, yes.
HAMMER: Do you think something was a little off during the "Today" show appearance?
LAZAR: Yes, that did it for a lot of people. And Gloria was just holding her hand. And basically, Meredith asking her if she was sexually harassed, and she was smiling. How are people to sympathize with that?
HAMMER: Ashleigh Banfield, are you right there with that? You know, you would think, and Gloria Allred certainly has experience. She might have coached her client to perhaps, you know, stick to a different sort of pattern than she was in terms of her facial expressions and whatnot?
BANFIELD: Yes, if this was an effort - and I`m certainly not going to accuse Gloria or her client of this. But if this was an effort to taint any kind of jury pool or change public opinion or sway it one way or the other, it was a really bad effort. I think she came off looking terrible. She came off looking awkward and embarrassed and she came off looking like she was trying to hide something, because Gloria had to answer her questions.
HAMMER: I didn`t really work out for her. We`re wrapping it there. Ashleigh Banfield, Shira Lazar, I thank you both. And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next. Keep it here.
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