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Showbiz Tonight
Nanny`s Lawyer Wants Videotaped Depositions from the Lowes; Trouble in Paradise for Katie and Tom?; YouTube Divorce Lady Speaks on TV; Oprah, the Cult Leader?
Aired April 21, 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: A question for the polygamy wives to put it delicately, what`s up with their hair? Their surprising answer. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, is their marriage in trouble?
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the YouTube divorce lady speaks. You`ve seen the video, the wife of one of the most powerful men in the entertainment industry, going off on her husband for all to see on YouTube.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRICIA WALSH-SMITH, ANGRY WIFE: I`m an idiot. I`m the biggest (EXPLETIVE DELETED) idiot in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now the woman everyone is talking about in her very first TV interview. And if you thought the video is wild, wait until you hear what she`s saying now.
Tonight, is Oprah starting a cult? A whacked-out video attacks Oprah Winfrey saying she is anti-Christian and starting her own church. Say what?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you heard about the largest church in the world?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Oprah cult controversy that will leave your head spinning.
Plus, is Lindsay Lohan setting herself up for another disaster? Tonight, the disturbing reports about what Lindsay`s been doing late at night.
(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 tonight, the big Tom and Katie question - what`s the deal with their marriage?
HAMMER: Yes. Brooke, you would think it`s the national pastime, the never-ending speculation about whether the marriage of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes is a-OK or if it`s in deep trouble. But should everyone just leave Tom and Katie alone already? We`ve got a fired-up panel digging into that, coming up.
ANDERSON: But first, divorce by YouTube. Today, for the very first time, we got to hear directly from the woman who made the video seen around the world trashing her husband, one of the most powerful people in showbiz. And unlike Heather Mills, she did not claim she was being treated worse than a pedophile or murderer. But I have to tell you that if she and Paul McCartney`s ex ever did hook up, I`m betting they`d become fast friends.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Husband has no grounds for divorce. He`s trying to evict me.
ANDERSON (voice over): She`s the most infamous scorned woman in the world.
SMITH: I worshipped the ground that man walked on.
ANDERSON: And now, on "Good Morning, America," British playwright, Tricia Walsh-Smith is speaking out for the very first time about her wildly popular YouTube video where she bashes her soon-to-be ex-husband, Broadway theater operator Philip Smith.
SMITH: I wanted attention to my plight, basically it means a life or death situation.
ANDERSON: Well, if it`s attention Tricia wanted, she certainly got it. Her video has been viewed a whopping two million times. As computer users all over the country watched her complain that her husband`s trying to kick her out of his swanky New York City apartment, she also talked about their sex life.
SMITH: Oh, another thing, we never had sex.
ANDERSON: And called up his office to vent to his assistant.
SMITH: Just talking about, you know, the fact that there`s no sex life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE ASSISTANT OF PHILIP SMITH: OK.
SMITH: And he`s trying to throw me out of the apartment.
CHRISTOPHER CUOMO, HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": Why go this way? So assaultive, so obvious, so extreme?
SMITH: What was I going to do? Go live in the park?
ANDERSON: On "Good Morning, America," Walsh-Smith gave a simple reason for her public rant - she`s desperate.
SMITH: I did nothing wrong to him. I didn`t have an affair. Why? Why would he throw me out with no money? I`m hurt. And nobody cares. So I knew that I had to get attention. This is my survival and I know that to get attention, you are sensational and funny. But you know what? It`s either me or him.
ANDERSON: An English-born spurned wife wages a public campaign against her wealthy, soon-to-be ex. Sound familiar, anyone?
HEATHER MILLS, EX-WIFE OF PAUL MCCARTNEY: I`ve had worst press than a pedophile or a murder.
ANDERSON: Heather Mills did a lot of public Beatle-bashing during her divorce from Paul McCartney. It didn`t help her public image. Relationship and communications expert Lillian Glass tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT people generally don`t like public ex-dissing campaigns.
LILLIAN GLASS, RELATIONSHIP AND COMMUNICATIONS EXPERT: It makes you dislike the person. It makes you really think, "Boy, now I know why they got a divorce."
ANDERSON: If Tricia Smith is acting like Heather Mills, her soon-to- be ex husband is channeling his inner Paul McCartney by refusing to go tit for tat with his ex.
Philip Smith`s lawyer tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "The more press Ms. Walsh-Smith does, the more convinced Mr. Smith becomes that his decision not to respond in kind is the wisest and most dignified way to approach this situation."
And the scariest part of the "Good Morning, America" interview? The prospect of a sequel.
CUOMO: Any more of these videos coming?
SMITH: Oh, I don`t know. Everybody wants to know what happens next and whether mean, bad husbands do the right thing.
ANDERSON: Of course, some would say that the right thing in this case is divorcing with dignity, but that`s the concept that apparently has gone down the tubes - or in this case, down the YouTube.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: In the "Good Morning America" interview, Walsh-Smith denies that her YouTube video was a stunt to pressure her husband in the divorce proceedings.
HAMMER: Tonight, another videotape surprise for Rob Lowe. Please get your mind out of the gutter. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal that the lawyer for the nanny accusing Lowe of sexually harassing and assaulting her wants Lowe to tell all on videotape. That means even the most intimate details of Lowe`s personal life could forever be caught on tape. Wait a second, didn`t that happen to Rob Lowe once before?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Gloria Allred, who is the attorney for the ex-nanny, Jessica Gibson. Gloria, it`s always good to see you.
GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY FOR JESSICA GIBSON: You, too.
HAMMER: As we know, the nanny is suing Lowe and he is suing her claiming she tried to blackmail him which she denied. You, Gloria, are now demanding as her attorney that Rob Lowe and his wife show up next month for a videotaped deposition. What`s the deal, Gloria? Why videotape?
ALLRED: Right and we are suing both Rob Lowe and his wife. We are alleging sexual harassment, sexual battery, sexual assault, retaliation against her because she protested the sexual harassment and that she was in - then had the lawsuit filed against her before she could get to the courthouse.
But in any event, we want to take his deposition under oath and hers and have it videotaped in case they are unavailable for the trial. And we do intend to ask a lot of tough questions, a lot of far-ranging questions, some questions that might not be comfortable for them. But anything in order to get to relevant evidence or any evidence that might lead us to relevant evidence.
HAMMER: So Gloria, I have to imagine since you`re going down that road looking for videotape from Rob Lowe and his wife, I`d have to assume you`d be OK with the nanny, Jessica Gibson, also being videotaped and telling what she claims, as you say, that Lowe propositioned and sexually harassed her during those seven years that she worked for him, correct?
ALLRED: Well, they haven`t made that request yet, so we`ll wait until they make that request. In fact, they have not even noticed her deposition yet. We get, as a matter of law, to take theirs first. That`s what we intend to do as well as taking the deposition of other witness as well.
We`re coming on strong on this litigation and we are - we have asked them, requested that they produce numerous documents, anything that might support their position. He`s going to have to answer and she`ll have to answer questions - written questions called interrogatories. And we want to get to the truth of this matter and we think we know what that truth is.
HAMMER: Well, Gloria, I`m glad you`re here today because I`ve been wanting to ask you about something since it happened last week. I`ve got to tell you that a lot of people have been saying that when Jessica appeared along with you on the "Today" show last week, she didn`t make a great impression. People were saying she was smirking. She looked like she had something to hide. Let`s watch first how that played out, and then I want to ask you about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEREDITH VIEIRA, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: Jessica, did you at any time attempt to blackmail the Lowes.
JESSICA GIBSON, FORMER NANNY OF THE LOWES: Not at all.
VIEIRA: Did you ever demand any money from this family?
ALLRED: Let me just say that I`ve reviewed, Meredith, all of these allegations and I find that they are absolutely without merit.
VIEIRA: Jessica, are you saying then you did not write these E-mails in which you said your leaving had nothing to do with the Lowes?
ALLRED: You know, we`re going to talk about that in the lawsuit.
HAMMER: Gloria, I`ve got to tell you, it was a little uncomfortable and I have to ask, in retrospect, do you feel it was at all a mistake to put her out there like that, essentially having her clam up?
ALLRED: No, not at all. As a matter of fact, what happened was the Friday before, and before Rob Lowe and his attorney knew that I would be representing Jessica, their attorney went on television and trashed her. And so we felt that we wanted to respond because they had trashed her on the "Today" show so we were going to respond on the "Today" show and also help to explain the lawsuit which we filed the day before.
We explained at the "Today" show that she would not be answering most questions but she would appear. And of course, she`s not an actress. She`s just a nanny who was earning $18 an hour and she was very nervous and that was being taped at 4:00 in the morning, I might add, here on the west coast. So I think she did her very best. I think she`s a very sympathetic person.
No, she`s not a scripted, smooth actor like Rob Lowe. But I can tell you, when we sit Rob Lowe down for his deposition, I don`t think he`s going to end up being quite as smooth as he has been.
HAMMER: Well, I have to say that Rob Lowe probably would be worried about a videotaped deposition getting out. Gloria, just tell me yes or no, would you rather he settle the case before it even gets to the point of doing the deposition?
ALLRED: Well, we`re always open to discussions and settlement as all lawyers know who have dealt with us for the last 32 years.
HAMMER: OK.
ALLRED: But we`ll have to see. We`re interested in litigating this case if it doesn`t settle.
HAMMER: I`ve got to end it there. Gloria Allred, I thank you very much.
Now, we`ve repeatedly invited Rob Lowe`s attorneys to appear here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. They have declined. They did, however, issue a statement that reads in part, "An investigation of dozens of present and former employees has failed to find one single person to verify her allegations. The allegations in the complaint are simply untrue.
All right. Brook, could this possibly be true? Is Oprah starting a cult?
ANDERSON: You know, I`ve always said, A.J., there`s a fine line between a book club and a cult.
HAMMER: Yes, just a little bit.
ANDERSON: I`m kidding. Just kidding.
HAMMER: Wait until you see this. A whacked-out video attacks Oprah saying she`s anti-Christian and she`s starting her own church. Say what? I`ve got to tell you, this is making my head spin. That is coming up.
ANDERSON: Also, big Britney and Lindsay news tonight. Is Britney coming back to "How I Met Your Mother"? I think she did a terrific job and the ratings went through the roof. But can she pull it off again?
Plus disturbing reports about Lindsay Lohan, out in the clubs at all hours over the weekend. I`ve got to wonder, is she heading for disaster again? That`s next.
HAMMER: Also, are Tom and Katie kaput? You know, this is a story I see in the tabloids almost every week, it seems. And it really got me thinking, why are we so obsessed with the state of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes` marriage? Should they just be left alone? I`m getting into that, still to come.
And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We are posting new stuff for you to watch all the time at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRITNEY SPEARS, ACTRESS/POP STAR: Can we have sex on it and then go shopping?
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, ACTOR: I like you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: She`s back - or at least she`s reportedly coming back to the CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother."
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
And tonight, we`ve got two big stories that are new right now. First, Britney Spears is reportedly set to do another episode of "How I Met Your Mother," but is that a good or a bad thing.
Also tonight, there are disturbing reports about the way Lindsay Lohan was seen partying over the weekend. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking the question, is Lindsay heading toward disaster again?
In Hollywood tonight, CNN entertainment correspondent, Kareen Wynter. Also in Hollywood tonight, Ken Baker, executive news editor for "E!" Ken, Kareen, great to see you both.
I want to start with Lindsay Lohan. She`s reportedly been out clubbing a lot lately. "People.com" reporting that she spent a very late night partying Saturday with her deejay friend, Samantha Ronson in a New York City club. And for someone still relatively fresh out of rehab, her behavior seems very worrisome. Ken, is this another train wreck waiting to happen?
BAKER: Well, most of the rehab experts that I talk to, particularly celebrity rehab experts say it`s a slippery slope. Once they start going out, they`re around the scene. They are around people who are drinking, doing other things and just around the partying environment. It`s very difficult for someone in recovery to stay sober.
And while we have seen is just little by little Lindsay going out more. It started off last fall where she wouldn`t go anywhere. And if she was somewhere, she was drinking water. But she would rarely go out at night, certainly wouldn`t go out to the club. `
And over the last few weeks, we`ve seen more and more. Her going out into hot spots where there is a lot of drinking going. And finally this weekend, there is a confirmed sighting of her actually drinking alcohol. Now, we did see her drinking champagne, of course, around New Year`s, and that was disturbing for a lot of people. But she seemed to really go low profile for a few months and we didn`t see any of it.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BAKER: But now, we`re seeing it again, and I think it`s disturbing.
ANDERSON: Oh yes, it is. It would probably just be better - all the interventionists say - to just to avoid the temptations entirely. Don`t even put yourself out there like that. And I`ve got to tell you that her dad - Lindsay Lohan`s dad, a recovering alcoholic, told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in an exclusive interview that he`s also concerned about all the clubbing Lindsay is doing. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL LOHAN, LINDSAY LOHAN`S FATHER: When you`re 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`re with them and you`re participating in what they`re doing, is that the right atmosphere?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. Kareen, should we be as worried as much as her father and as much as so many others are?
Oh, absolutely. And Michael Lohan has a definite cause for concern here. You look at Lindsay Lohan and she seems to be a woman who is so down and out, clearly not in a good place. And the photos that we see in the tabloids, Brooke - the photos that we see on those celebrity Web sites, she just looks so down and out.
She isn`t in a good place right now. And it could be the fact that, you know, the people she has around her. Her father seems to be concerned over this new deejay friend. And so, I believe she needs some sort of intervention right now, whether it`s from some sort of medical expert or her parents. She just keeps going on that downward slide.
ANDERSON: Yes. Hopefully, somebody will step in and help her get back on track. And I do want to move now to our next story that is new right now. Britney Spears reportedly set to return to the CBS sit-com "How I Met Your Mother." When she appeared last month, the show had a spike in the ratings. Ken, do you think there will be as much fascination this time, or will people say, "Oh, Britney`s on TV again"?
BAKER: Well, I mean, obviously, like you said, the ratings did go up. There`s about a million viewers more than the average actually that watched that episode that she was on. And I think that it is a ratings-driven industry, obviously.
It remains to be seen. People did react well to it. They wanted to see it. But don`t forget, it was heavily promoted, not only in their marketing from the network but all of us talking about it for about a week or two leading up to it. And so that was just free advertising. And you know what? They`ll probably get it again. Let`s face it. We`re already talking about it and she hasn`t even shot it yet.
ANDERSON: Yes, we are leading up to it. We`re already giving it more exposure. And you know, recently - you know, with all the attention she gets, recently "Vanity Fair" magazine wrote a very serious piece and they asked the question, is Britney Spears America`s most important cultural figure?
Well, we asked the same thing to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers in our question of the day. Thirteen percent said yes while a whopping 87 percent said no. And Heather from Oregon was in the minority, saying, "Yes, Britney Spears is one of our most important figures. Will she make an awesome comeback? Of course she will. Why? Because everyone wants to see her bounce back."
Kareen, 10 seconds. Do you agree that everybody does want to see this comeback?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Oh, absolutely. There are some out there who missed the head-shaving incidents and wardrobe malfunctions. But hey, she has a lot of fans and they want to see her back on top. So they`re rooting for her.
ANDERSON: She`s got a lot of potential still. Kareen Wynter, Ken Baker, we will leave it there for now. Thank you both.
And by the way, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to Lindsay Lohan spokeswoman for a comment, but she would not confirm nor deny the report of Lindsay drinking alcohol.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, on that subject, we want to hear from our viewers for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Sound off on this - "Lindsay Lohan`s Late-Night Clubbing: Is she setting herself up for disaster again?" Go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight to vote or E-mail us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. I know you`ve seen this video of the woman. It`s all over YouTube where she`s airing her dirty divorce laundry.
ANDERSON: Yes, you know, it`s pretty wild, A.J. She even talks about their sex life or lack thereof.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: We`re doing a video for YouTube. I don`t know if you know, but you know, Philip and I never had sex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow - just wow. Believe it or not, the video actually wasn`t enough. This woman is speaking out even more in her very first TV interview. Did you see this? That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: Also, are Tom and Katie kaput? It`s a story I see in the tabloids almost every week and it got me thinking, why are we so obsessed with the state of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes`s marriage? Should they just be left alone? We`re getting into that, still to come.
HAMMER: And like everyone, I am completely fascinated by the story of the polygamy scandal. But I`ve got to admit, I have been wondering something about the wives. And with all due respect, I want to know what`s up with their hair? I`m not the only one who wants to know the deal. Meredith Vieira asked them about it. I`ve got to say the moment - it was pretty awkward, to say the least. We will show you that to you, coming up in just a bit. You won`t want to miss that.
And now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime by downloading our totally free podcast. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our Web site - that is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes. Just type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Here are some more stories that are new right now.
It was a real scare for Sandra Bullock and her husband, Jesse James. They were in a head of on car crash with a drunk driver. Now, they were riding in an SUV in Massachusetts when a station wagon crossed the center line and hit them head on.
Look at that. Real frightening. But thankfully, nobody was hurt. But vehicles were totaled. The driver of the station wagon had a blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit. Wow. He will be arraigned on Tuesday.
"American Idol" winner, Jordin Sparks, has dropped out of her tour with Alicia Keys temporarily to deal with some ongoing vocal problems. Now, there are some reports floating around that her vocal cords could have permanent damage. But her label rep is saying that that is not true. Jordin is expected to rejoin the tour in May, which is good news.
And here`s some sad news. The Aston Martin being used in the latest James Bond movie ended up in a lake in Northern Italy. Producers say the car was being driven to set in heavy rain when the driver lost control and it plunged into the lake. The driver was reportedly shaken but not stirred.
ANDERSON: Oh, glad he`s OK. Not stirred.
All right, A.J., what do you think of this woman who is getting a divorce and airing all of her dirty laundry on YouTube?
HAMMER: I think it`s about as fascinating to watch as an Aston Martin crashing into a lake. I mean, it`s riveting, Brooke.
ANDERSON: It is pretty unbelievable, A.J. You`re right. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: I`m an idiot. I`m the biggest (EXPLETIVE DELETED) idiot in the world. So I`m in New York and I`m fighting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Apparently, that video wasn`t enough. She is speaking out even more in her first TV interview. Did you see this? That is coming up.
HAMMER: Well, here`s a story I see almost every week. Tom and Katie, kaput, really got me thinking. Why are we so obsessed with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes` marriage? That`s on the way.
ANDERSON: And I`m fascinated by the story of the polygamy scandal but I`ve been wondering something about the wives. What`s up with their hair? Meredith Vieira actually asked them about it. And I`ve got to say, the moment was awkward to say the least. We`ll show it to you, coming up.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, did you see this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: We`re doing a video for YouTube. I don`t know if you know, but, you know, Philip and I never had sex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The wife of one of the most powerful men in the entertainment industry going off on her husband for all to see on YouTube. Well, now, the woman everyone is talking about in her very first TV interview. And if you thought the video was wild, wait until you hear what she`s saying now.
Are Tom and Katie kaput? You know, it`s a story that shows up in the tabloid almost every week. So why are we so obsessed with the fate of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes`s marriage? And should they just be left alone?
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: All right. Tonight, two huge stories that are blazing hot on YouTube and just have us asking, did you see this?
First off, Oprah Winfrey, cult leader? Yes, that`s what she`s being called in a startling video. More than five million people have logged on to see this Oprah-bashing video. I`ve got to say the claims - they are pretty wild.
And the divorce by YouTube video began, as we now know, as an Internet sensation. Now, it`s bubbled over to morning TV. For the very first time, we`re hearing from Tricia Walsh-Smith. She took her case to "Good Morning, America" today. And get this, she says there may be actually be a follow- up to her now infamous divorce by YouTube video.
Joining me tonight here in New York, VH1 red carpet correspondent Janelle Snowden. Also in New York, host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat," Ashleigh Banfield. In Hollywood tonight, host of Current TV`s "Infomania," Conor Knighton.
Gang, I want to start off with this "Oprah is a cult" video. I`ve got to tell you, at least it happened to me and I think it will happen to you. Your head is going to spin here. This was made by a woman named Carrington Steele(ph). Carrington Steele(ph) is claiming Oprah is against Christianity because Oprah is busy promoting Eckhart Tolle`s bestseller, "A New Earth," which promotes a different perspective on spirituality. You`ve got to watch Steele`s video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE ANNOUNCER: Have you heard about the largest church in the world? The first service was March 3rd, 2008 with an attendance of over 300,000. The attendance is now over two million, and they conducted the first ever mass trance on March 17, 2008. Have you heard of this church or maybe its leader?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. We know Oprah`s been called a lot of things, but a cult leader who leads a mass trance? Janelle Snowden, are you like me feeling this way over the top?
JANELLE SNOWDEN, VH1 RED CARPET CORRESPONDENT: To say the least. I mean, seriously, am I the only person who thinks lately that YouTube should be regulated? I`m all for freedom of speech, until like certain videos that hit the Web briefly and I`m like, come on. I mean good luck trying to convince Americans, many of whom believe that Oprah is a religion in and of herself, not to go with her. I mean to say that she`s not promoting Christianity when she said she was brought up Baptist. It`s just outrageous. And I mean - what are we? Are we stupid, like don`t go with Oprah by my book? Stop it.
HAMMER: Conor Knighton, please sound off.
CONOR KNIGHTON, HOST OF CURRENT TV`S "INFOMANIA": She`s crazy. Carrington Steele - you have to remember she`s selling a book. At the end of that video, after all these claims, it`s you know, what can you do for more? Well, buy "Don`t Drink the Kool Aid" for $13.95 in paperback.
And so I totally think Oprah does have a ton of influence. It is absolutely worth keeping an eye on what she`s promoting and endorsing from, you know, a self-help to presidential candidates. But I don`t know if Carrington Steele(ph), which is a great name, by the way, is the person to take this from.
HAMMER: Wasn`t that a television show with Pierce Brosnan? Gosh, it was something else entirely. You know, true, Conor, you make a very good point that Oprah has this huge influence on everything that she promotes.
Ashleigh Banfield, let me throw it out to you. Do you think Oprah could really cause people to drop Christianity? I mean Oprah is certainly powerful. Christianity has been around for more than 2,000 years when I last checked.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HOST, "HOLLYWOOD HEAT": Yes, when I last checked, too. And I think that Carrington Steele was a "Dynasty" character. But you know something? She is powerful. You can ask everybody who markets products to the Oprah`s "Favorite Things" show, just how powerful she is.
But the last time I checked on the strength of Christianity versus pop culture, a very popular book that came out, didn`t have that big of an effect. You know what I`m talking about - "Da Vinci Code." It didn`t have a lot of effect on people dropping their religion because of the claims it made. It ruffled a lot of feathers, but in the end, Christianity is still there. And the pope did a real good job in New York.
HAMMER: Yes. I think that was pretty clear throughout the weekend. Conor pointed out the rub in this whole thing is the fact is that Carrington Steele wants you to buy her book, not Oprah`s book or the one Oprah`s promoting by Eckhart Tolle. In fact, we have that clip. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE ANNOUNCER: What can we do? Spread the word and tell others to open their eyes. Author Carrington Steele uncovers the truth in a new book, "Don`t Drink the Kool Aid." Available at "CSteeleOnline.com."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And there I am, promoting it. So, Janelle, does this sound fishy to you? "Down with Oprah, up with my book."
SNOWDEN: Not only does it sound fishy, but it smells fishy. It smells like opportunism, like, I can`t even say at its best. Seemingly at its worst, if you ask me. Good luck. Good luck trying to convince people not to go with Oprah.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s move on now to the woman whose rant on YouTube was heard around the world. The woman is named Tricia Walsh-Smith. And she promoted this very personal assault. Many people have seen it by now. It was an assault on her Broadway mogul husband claiming he was a cheater. He was trying to put her out on the street. Well, today, right there on "Good Morning, America," Walsh-Smith gave her very first TV interview since that tape was released. And she talks about what pushed her to the brink. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: I worshipped the ground that man walked on. I did nothing wrong to him. I didn`t have an affair. Why would he throw me out with no money? I`m hurt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is very reminiscent of something to me - Oh, is this possibly one of those Heather Mills moments, you know? And Conor, you can sound off on this. The more you talk, the bigger the hole you dig for yourself. So really please, just shut up already?
KNIGHTON: Yes, totally. I mean if she was looking for sympathy with the initial YouTube video, you`d really just have to look down at some of the 8,000 comments that people left to know that she really didn`t get it. You know, a lot of it - the money-grubbing thumbs a lot. Gold-digging - a lot of those terms. A lot of terms I can`t say on TV popped up on there. So whatever she was trying to achieve, I can`t imagine it`s worked out for her.
HAMMER: Janelle Snowden, would you agree this is probably not the path you should be taking right about now?
SNOWDEN: Not if she wants to get that eventual alimony. I don`t think so. And it also reminds me of an old "Sex and the City" episode. All the "Sex in the City" fans I`m sure will relate when Samantha`s boyfriend cheated on her and she went and wall-papered his neighborhood with "He cheated on me" signs. I mean this is like straight out of a made for TV movie or something.
HAMMER: Well, it might be a good idea for her to be quiet and let the case play out. I think we`ve covered that. But if Tricia has her way, you know, this divorce could actually become a YouTube soap opera for the all the world to tune into on a regular basis. Listen now to what she told "Good Morning, America" about the possibility of doing yet another YouTube video. \
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SMITH: I did it for survival. I mean, but you know, everybody wants to know what happens next and whether me and my husband will do the right thing. But I want to ask is why is my husband doing this? Why is he trying to throw me out after nine years when I loved him?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You know, I watched the video and this is something I`ve been wanting to comment on for some time. The video as it`s shot in what looks like her kitchen. There`s a cheap little TV. If she comes from this wealthy family, what`s going on with the cheap TV? I`m off topic here. Ashleigh, how many episodes of a soap opera like this would you be tuning into?
BANFIELD: Well, I`m going to hold out until she says the words, "I`ve been treated worse than a pedophile."
HAMMER: Or a murderer.
BANFIELD: Because that`s very Heather Mills. But you know what? She might have a point. Look, she`s a bit of a little personish(ph). You got messed out of a good deal and YouTube is the way that little people win. So you know what? You`ve got to love it, you got to hate it. But in the end, it`s your only voice if you don`t have a TV show.
HAMMER: I guess so. Janelle, would you be locking in a season pass on your digital video recorder for something like this. I mean, come on.
SNOWDEN: I think I`ll pass. I don`t think you`ll be catching me watching that. I`m all for female empowerment and I don`t agree that men should cheat. But I don`t think I need to see this.
HAMMER: Maybe we`ve seen the last of her. I tend to doubt it. Philip Smith, by the way, who`s Tricia`s estranged husband - he`s remained quiet during the whole public spectacle. His attorney did issue this statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "The more press Ms. Walsh-Smith does, the more convinced Mr. Smith becomes that his decision not to respond in kind is the wisest and most dignified way to approach this situation."
I cannot wait to see what happens next. Janelle Snowden, Ashleigh Banfield, Conor Knighton, thank you all for being here tonight.
ANDERSON: A.J., can you imagine what would happen if a major celebrity, say, Katie Holmes decided to divorce Tom Cruise and made a YouTube video just like the one we just saw?
HAMMER: You know, Brooke, that isn`t really any more wild than any of the stories we`ve been hearing about them, right? I mean it seems truly not a day goes by where I`m not doing some outrageous story that`s predicting the end of Tom and Katie`s marriage, the doom, the gloom.
And that got me thinking, why does there seem to be such an obsession with the state of their marriage? And hey, should they really just be left alone already? Well, we`ve got some fired up guests ready to dig into that, coming up next.
And I will point out I mean no disrespect to the ladies of that polygamist sect in Texas, but what`s the deal with those hair-dos? I`m not the only one wondering about that. Wait until you see the really awkward moments when no less than Meredith Vieira asked the ladies straight out about that hair this morning.
ANDERSON: And another morning TV moment today that everybody is talking about, "Good Morning, America" host Robin Roberts making a dramatic announcement about what she`s going to do as she battles cancer, seeing here what Robin said that made us all teary-eyed. That`s when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT comes right back.
HAMMER: And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We are always posting new stuff for you to watch. It`s at our Web site at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson.
All right. You know, it seems that a day does not go by where I don`t hear some ridiculous story predicting the end of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes`s marriage. They`ve been married nearly two years, just celebrated daughter Suri`s second birthday in Hollywood over the weekend. And yet, it seems every tabloid magazine is predicting the end of their marriage. Why the obsession and the bad wishes?
Joining me now in New York, Cooper Lawrence, psychology expert and syndicated radio host and author of "The Cult of Perfection." And in Hollywood, Ken Baker, executive news editor for "E!" Guys, here is just the latest example that I`m talking about - the cover story of the new "In Touch," pronouncing that Tom and Katie`s marriage is over. Cooper, explain this to me. Why is it that so many almost seem to wish for it to fail?
COOPER LAWRENCE, PSYCHOLOGY EXPERT: Because we don`t get them, because they`re not like every other couple - every other Hollywood couple. The Scientology thing really puts us off. It`s different. We don`t understand it so we just want it to go away because it makes us uncomfortable.
Plus, there`s all these rumors that she`s being controlled and we have these feelings for her. And "In Touch" is a good example because they show pictures of her when she was younger and smiling and happy. And the pictures they show with her and Tom, she looks miserable and like a robot. So it almost plays into those fears that we have that there`s something sinister going on here.
ANDERSON: Ken, do you buy what Cooper`s selling here?
BAKER: Well, it`s funny you`ve mentioned the one cover from last week, but I can probably show you about 10 over the last year and a half that they`ve been married where the covers are saying they were either done or just about close to being done.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BAKER: Ever since they got together - Ever since they got together, everyone has been saying that, "Oh, it`s doomed to fail." And I think it`s for a few reasons. Number one is that when they started, it was so over- the-top that people didn`t know whether to trust Tom. They were very suspicious of it from the beginning. Secondly, as Cooper mentioned, I think there`s a lot of suspicion around Tom in general - the Scientology mystique and just his professional mystique. He`s always been very secretive and doesn`t let a lot of people inside. And so I think from the beginning, people were really suspicious and I think it just carries on until today.
And it may not have anything to do with reality. Look, the two probably woke up together this morning, are doing work, whatever they`re doing. They have a child and they`re living their lives.
ANDERSON: Do you think they have a good laugh about all of this, Ken, that they don`t worry about it, that oh, it`s just funny to them?
BAKER: I don`t think it`s funny to them. I think they probably have had to learn to live with it and deal with it. But Tom has come after people who have made outrageous allegations, some false serious (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the press. Tom does pay attention to this stuff. And I bet it does bug him, but I think that just to live and survive, they have to, at a certain point, just ignore it.
ANDERSON: Yes. Pick their battles, I guess. He doesn`t take a lot of this stuff lying down like you say though. And I do understand that you both mentioned Scientology. I do understand there are some questions regarding their religion from people who don`t know much about it.
But Cooper, while I can understand your theory that maybe people aren`t buying the relationship, they certainly are buying the magazines that feature these doom-and-gloom scenarios for their marriage. So how do you explain that?
LAWRENCE: Well, Brooke, there`s two things going on. One thing is called - Well, I won`t give you all those psychological terms, but I will tell you that it makes us feel better about ourselves to see that people that think they`re better than us, they`re making more money than we are, have this fabulous lives and they`re miserable.
So it makes us go, "Oh, thank goodness because I thought being fabulous and rich was where it`s at." But clearly, it`s not so fabulous because, look. It`s over, they`re miserable. We see these pictures and they just -we like when they`re portrayed as being not so fabulous and a little bit negative because it makes us feel better about ourselves and better about our own lives, that we don`t have to work so hard. Because, you know, our little shoddy lives are fantastic. We`re happy at least.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, Ryan Phillippe has just opened up about the pressures of fame and how the anxiety damaged, as he says, his relationship and marriage with Reese Witherspoon.
He`s telling Britain`s "The Times" magazine, quote - listen to this, "I fooled myself into believing it would be easier than it was. To have people speculating constantly about the state of your relationship, casting aspersions and telling lies, it took more of a toll than I was immediately aware of."
Boy, Ken, this is something that maybe Tom and Katie can also identify with. What do you think?
BAKER: Well, I think it`s hard enough for celebrities have all the attention on them. It`s very unnatural. It makes you very - overly self- aware. And I think I`ve seen it really people`s lives for a negative way. When you add a couple into the mix and there`s two people together, I think it can be really toxic. There`s too much attention, too much questioning.
And I`ve seen celebrity couples time and time again. They will change their lives. They will change how they live in order to please people, in order to show that they`re together. And it really starts creeping into the relationship in a real way. And it`s not just about image and the press. And I think it can be really destructive.
But what he`s not mentioning there is the fact that a lot of those stories that were in the press about Ryan and Reese were true, that they were having trouble in their marriage. Those things were true and he`s not saying that. He`s not admitting that in the interview.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, before Katie married Tom, I think the press pretty much left her alone. And now, it`s headline after headline. It`s she`s too thin or she`s trying to emulate her best friend, Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham or that she`s not happy because Tom is too controlling. Cooper, why so much speculation about her happiness?
LAWRENCE: Because we see her being controlled. That`s the perception. So we personalize it. We think, if I was in this position, how would I behave? Well, she should be ecstatic. She`s with this amazing movie star. She has everything she could possibly want, in our perception. So why would she be unhappy. Why would we be seeing pictures of her looking, you know, less than great and happy all the time?
So we like to speculate. There must be something going on. There must be something wrong. And maybe it`s because she`s being controlled. Maybe those rumors are actually true.
ANDERSON: Well, who knows? I think it`s their right to keep their relationship private. Everyone doesn`t have to know every single thing about these celebrities and their relationship. People disagree with me, though. Ken Baker, Cooper Lawrence, thank you both.
LAWRENCE: Thanks, Brooke.
BAKERS: Thanks.
HAMMER: All right. Here`s something that a lot of people also don`t understand. And I mean no disrespect to the ladies of that polygamist sect in Texas. It is the story that is obviously still riveting Americans. But what`s the deal with those hair-dos? I`m not the only one in America wondering that question. Meredith Vieira actually asked them about it on NBC`s "Today" show. And I have to say the moment was awkward to say the least.
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VIEIRA: So much has been said and written about just the physical appearance of the women in the community, particularly the garb and the way you all wear your hair. Can you explain the significance?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I didn`t hear the question. It was something about our hair.
VIEIRA: Yes, so much has been written about not just - your physical appearance, the clothing that the women in particular wear and the style of your hair. Can you explain the significance of that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There`s no significance. It`s just a choice. It just keeps it out of our face so we can see.
VIEIRA: So everybody wears their hair in similar ways and the dresses similar, just for no particular reason?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, it`s just a choice thing. We just like to have long hair and we like to keep it done up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That didn`t go we, did it? Did you notice the men in the background, by the way? I took notice of the fact it`s really the first time any male members of the sect have appeared on national television. You will find nobody there admitting to any of the things we`ve seen on HBO`s "Big Love" right there, Brooke.
ANDERSON: No.
HAMMER: They sidestepped any questions about multiple wives in the course of that interview.
ANDERSON: Yes, they did. And you know, while that was going on at the "Today" show, an even more dramatic moment was happening on "Good Morning, America," A.J. I`ve got to tell you, I reached for a tissue this morning when "Good Morning, America" host Robin Roberts made a dramatic announcement about what she`s going to do as she battles cancer. It was so touching. What Robin revealed that will be an inspiration to women everywhere, that`s next.
And talk about inspiration to women. Wow. Young race car driver Danica Patrick has kicked some royal butt, including the guy who made women swoon on "Dancing with the Stars." It`s Danica on Danica when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT comes right back.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Well, "Good Morning, America" anchor Robin Roberts has been courageously battling breast cancer for the past six months. And I`ve got to tell you what she did today on the program was truly inspiring.
Viewers have been with Robin every step of the way as she went for radiation treatment that made all of her hair fall out. She shaved her head and has been wearing a wig on the air, but this morning, with India Arie`s "I am not My Hair" playing in the background, all things changed.
ROBIN ROBERTS, CO-HOST, "GOOD MORNING, AMERICA": I am not my hair. I am a soul that lies within and that`s it. No more wig. That`s it. I can do it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did you decide to do it? Was there a particular reason?
ROBERTS: I was finally strong enough. Fear keeps us from doing the things that we all want to do. And I realized that there was a part of me that was holding on desperately to the old Robin, holding on desperately to how I looked before cancer. And that`s not how I look anymore. And that`s fine. That`s why - so my faith, survivors, people really showing me that it`s OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: She calls it her way of taking control over the cancer and I can`t think of any better way to inspire. Robin, we love you.
HAMMER: Wow. That`s amazing, good for you, Robin.
Brooke, did you see this other story of inspiration? This one courtesy of Danica Patrick. Over the weekend, she made it into the record books by becoming the first woman ever to win an Indy car race over the weekend, really an emotional scene in Montage, Japan. We`re gong to see her mom giving her a big hug. A long time coming this win. But on "Good Morning, America," the 26-year-old told Robin Roberts she got caught up in the moment.
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DANICA PATRICK, FIRST FEMALE INDY CAR RACE WINNER: I felt like such a woos(ph). I`m like I couldn`t believe I was crying. I tried to stay in the car for a little bit and like I can`t just sit in the car. I had to get out of the seat. They were like, take the helmet off. So - I didn`t want to do that either. But I figured, you know, this is sports, right? This is raw emotion. And what better time to let it out and, you know, be myself?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And who did she beat? None other than Helio Castroneves. Of course, you may know him better from "Dancing with the Stars." He won on there, but I think he might very well be OK, Brooke, with having come in second this time around. Just think (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you very much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next. Keep it right here. Take care.
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