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Showbiz Tonight
Rob Lowe Nanny Scandal Part 2; Tom Cruise Back on Oprah; Johniston - John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston` Romance; Miley Cyrus` Lost Interview
Aired May 01, 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: Really scary testimony from Uma Thurman in the trial of the man accused of stalking her. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Rosie O`Donnell opens up about how she really feels about Barbara Walters. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
TVs most provocative entertainment news show starts right now. On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Rob Lowe`s brand new nanny nightmare. A second nanny makes absolutely outrageous claims about what it was like in Rob`s house, accusing Rob and his wife of harassing her in shocking ways. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the stunning details that could blow Rob Lowe`s nanny- gate scandal wide open.
Tom Cruise back to Oprah. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learning what Tom talked to Oprah about and bringing you the details even before the show airs. Tom`s childhood, life with Katie Holmes, Scientology and his controversial "Today" show interview attacking Brooke Shields. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Tom Cruise interview that could make everybody forget about the couch jumping.
Plus, Miley Cyrus, the lost interview. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovers the interview with Miley before "Hannah Montana" superstardom, before the photo scandal. It`s the lost one-on-one interview you will see exclusively only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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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 with the very first breaking details of Tom Cruise`s return to Oprah. From the couch jumping to life with Katie, they covered it all. And that is coming up.
But first, Rob Lowe`s new nanny nightmare. A second nanny is now making wild claims about life with the Lowes including sexual claims about the TV star`s wife. Nasty does not even begin to describe what is going on. But are the Lowes targeted unfairly? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the breaking new nanny-gate scandal and the burning question - how low can it go?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): The dirt in Rob Lowe`s nanny case is piling up. Really piling up. Less than a month after the Lowes filed lawsuits against two of their former nannies and an ex-chef, the second nanny Laura Boyce has made a counterclaim against them, a very ugly counterclaim.
KATIE DARYL, TMZ TV: This new lawsuit has gotten really dirty and pretty explicit. The details in this one will make your eyes pop right out of your head.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained the lawsuit filed by ex-nanny Laura Boyce. Katie Daryl of TMZ tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it contains explosive allegations not against Rob Lowe, but his wife, Sheryl Lowe.
DARYL: Sheryl is being accused of talking about her sex life with Rob Lowe. Sheryl is accused of walking around naked in front of the nannies. Sheryl is being accused by the nanny of talking about the nanny`s boyfriend who is a former NBA player and talking about his height and how maybe that would translate into the bedroom.
ANDERSON: It gets worse. The ex-nanny claims Sheryl used the "N" word in a crude reference to the nanny`s then boyfriend and the lawsuit also claims that Sheryl also talked to the nanny about her son`s private parts.
LAURA BOYCE, FORMER NANNY OF THE LOWES: I left because I can no longer take Ms. Lowe`s conduct. It wasn`t me at all.
ANDERSON: At her press conference, an emotional Laura Boyce couldn`t even make it through her own prepared statement.
BOYCE: I can`t believe that she is doing this.
ANDERSON: The Lowes` nanny war began in early April, when Rob Lowe publicly claimed members of his staff were trying to blackmail him. He then sued two ex-nannies including Boyce.
DARYL: The original lawsuit filed Rob Lowe against this nanny said that, you know, she had violated her confidentiality agreement and that she was trying to spread malicious rumors and lies against the Rob Lowe family.
ANDERSON: Now in a blistering statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Sheryl Lowe says that once again, Boyce is lying about the Lowe family. Sheryl says, quote, "The charges against me are lies meant to embarrass and humiliate. I find it deeply offensive the false allegations that I would use racially insensitive comments. These false allegations are made all the more painful because our family has been betrayed by a woman we welcomed into our home and treated like family. We are shocked that she has now chosen to destroy our right to peace, quiet and privacy."
ANDERSON: The other former nanny the Lowes are suing is Jessica Gibson who was recently profiled in "People." She`s accusing Rob Lowe of sexual harassment and she went on the "Today" show with her attorney, Gloria Allred, to talk about her lawsuit against the Lowes.
GLORIA ALLRED, JESSICA GIBSON AND LAURA BOYCE`S ATTORNEY: But she is not going to hide. She is not going to go away. She is going to vigorously assert her claims in this lawsuit.
ANDERSON: Now, Allred is representing both of the Lowes` ex-nannies. In an interview with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, she told A.J. Hammer she plans to make life rough for the Lowes when she deposes them later this month.
ALLRED: What 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.
ANDERSON: But now that the disturbing allegation involving their kids is mentioned in this lawsuit, the Lowes are promising a fight. In her statement, Sheryl says, quote, "To falsely attack my husband is one thing. To attack me is another. But do this to our son reveals not only their lack of character, but how far they are willing to go to play the `lawsuit lotto.`"
DARYL: They`re saying, you know what? This is just an attack at Sheryl, at the family - Rob Lowe`s family.
ANDERSON: It`s clear that before it`s all over, everyone involved in this case will be covered in dirt.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So, who is telling the truth here? And should we feel sorry for Rob Lowe?
Joining me tonight from the Tru-TV studios in New York City, Ashleigh Banfield, host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat." With us tonight in Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder."
Ashleigh, Jane, first, we know it was the nanny, Jessica Gibson versus Rob Lowe. Now, we have the second nanny versus Rob`s wife, Sheryl. Are we just - I don`t know - waiting for the chef to accuse the dog of something here? Jane, is this just the piling on of Rob Lowe?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR: You know, it does feel like piling on. And the bottom line, A.J., is it`s very easy for anyone in the celebrity-obsessed society to really damage a celebrity with a mere accusation. The fact is, back in the `80s, Rob Lowe was involved in a sex scandal that involved videotape which may have made him vulnerable to these kinds of accusations.
But in this case, there is no videotape. We do know not know what went on behind closed doors in the Lowe household. And it`s kind of like a double whammy. One nanny accusing Rob Lowe of sexual harassment; now, the second nanny accusing the wife of making inappropriate comments.
And you know, there is something fishy about this whole story in the sense that when the first nanny was asked point-blank on national television, "Did you ever ask the Lowes for money?" She refused to answer the question. So we are just at the beginning of the scandal, unfortunately. More will be revealed. But let`s be skeptical because it`s easy to make an accusation.
HAMMER: Innocent until proven guilty. Absolutely. Laura Boyce is the nanny we`re talking about. I found her statement at the press conference very powerful. I want to take a listen to that again. Charles, can you roll that, please.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOYCE: I left because I can no longer take Ms. Lowes` conduct. It wasn`t me at all. When I left, they didn`t pay me my paycheck. Oh, my gosh. I was devastated to find out that the Lowes had sued me because she actually called me the week before offering me my job. I can`t believe that she`s doing this to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Well, whatever the truth is behind that, you can`t deny that it is pretty powerful stuff. Lowe`s wife Sheryl calling these accusations sickening. She uses the word "disgusting" and that is because the nanny has now dragged the Lowes` children into this. Ashleigh, I am thinking this has got to be a bad move on the part of the second nanny.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HOST, "HOLLYWOOD HEAT": I don`t know about that. But what I can tell you is that making accusations about sexual harassment like this inside a home environment is a different standard, A.J. It`s a home; it is not an office. Therefore, people do walk around in various states of dress.
And talking about children`s penises when you are looking after those children is not unusual. I did it last week with my pediatrician and with my nanny. So there could be a lot of explanations for this. But I will tell you something, all of those crocodile tears are not going to do anything for a judge, because you can be very scared in front of the press. It`s a different thing in a courtroom.
HAMMER: I hate that she is bringing the kids into it this way, though, I have to say. But to your point, among the allegations being made by this nanny, Laura Boyce, that Rob Lowe`s wife, not Rob himself, walked around naked, made graphic comments and graphic gestures, Jane, whether or not this is true, kind of like Ashleigh is alluding to, I`m betting there are a lot of people who are watching right now, who perhaps have said intimate things in front of their nannies, perhaps have walked around their home naked, thinking, "What`s said and done in my home should stay in my home."
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, A.J., Ashleigh got it absolutely right. This entire scandal is sending a chill through Hollywood because this is no ordinary town. People don`t go to the factory. This is the dream factory. And if they`re not on location or at the studio, they`re working out of their home and they`re surrounded by this entourage, this team of people that`s on their payroll - the nannies, the chefs, the personal trainers, the personal assistants, the managers, on and on and on. People who are employees but feel like family.
Sheryl said it in her statement. We treated her like a member of the family. What you say to a member of the family is not the same thing that you would say to an employee. So there`s all this lack of boundaries and there`s role confusion. And any time you have those two components, what you have is the potential for misunderstandings and hurt feelings.
And that means that when people`s feelings are hurt, they often seek to get even. So this is a very, very scary thing for so many people in Hollywood who get paranoid thinking, "What did I say to the nanny yesterday? What did I say - " You know how you tell your hairdresser everything?
HAMMER: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, it`s the same concept.
HAMMER: Yes, it`s a legitimate concern. And one of the reasons I`m feeling sorry for Rob Lowe at this point is because, whether or not there is any truth to it, this piling on cannot lead to a good perception, in my mind, from the public or who ever is watching.
Ashleigh Banfield, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thank you both.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time you want. We are always posting new stuff for you to watch at our Web site, that`s CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Among the videos now playing, "Bad Dancing With The Stars," the worst celebrity dancers ever.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. Clock is ticking away. The countdown is on to Oprah`s big interview with Tom Cruise.
ANDERSON: Yes. And from what I am hearing, A.J. I think it`s going to be pretty powerful.
HAMMER: I am sure it is. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has now learned some of the very first details of the big topics they covered. I`m talking everything from Tom`s couch jumping to heated interview with Matt Lauer, even Scientology. All that is coming up.
ANDERSON: Also, Jennifer Aniston reportedly got herself a rock star boyfriend, Jennifer and John Mayer. What looks like a romance between them has hit the tabloids. They are everywhere. So I want to know, will Jen find love this time around? And how does John stack up to Jen`s exes, Brad Pitt and Vince Vaughn? That`s coming up.
We`ll also have this -
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MILEY CYRUS, STAR OF "HANNAH MONTANA": Once I got on the stage with him, and I just knew that`s something that I wanted to do. So I really enjoyed it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You cannot miss this. Look what we found. Miley Cyrus there, talking about performing with her dad. Now, I sat down with Miley way back when. I`m talking before "Hannah Montana" even was on the air, before the "Vanity Fair" photo scandal. It is so fascinating watching this now. It is a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive - Miley Cyrus, the lost interview. That is coming up. ` But first we want to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day on "Paula Abdul: Should "American Idol" fire her? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, forget about Brangelina, later for TomKat. Are you ready for Johniston. It is one of the most explosive reported new relationships to hit Hollywood in a long time. Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer. And it is making headlines around the world.
With me tonight in Hollywood, senior editor for "In Touch Weekly," Kim Serafin. And "AccessHollywood.com" correspondent, Laura Saltman. Laura, Kim, you know, there has been talk that they have been a couple for a while. But now, "In Touch Weekly" is revealing photos of Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer looking lovey-dovey in Miami. John is a great guy, Kim, but is he the last person you expected to see with Jennifer Aniston?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I don`t know if he is the last person. I mean, in a lot of ways, they`re very similar. I mean they`re both very independent. They`re both very intelligent. Neither of them really court the media. I mean, yes, John is kind of funny and witty and keeps this rambling blog that he does on his own Web site.
But neither of them are really out there, you know, calling up the press to say, "Hey, come to the ivy to take a photo of me." So I think in that way they do kind of mesh together pretty well. And they`re both kind of relaxed and, you know, don`t seem to take Hollywood so seriously. And I think that`s a great thing. So kind of makes sense.
ANDERSON: Yes, both seem pretty laid back about things. And Laura, as I mentioned, this literally is making headlines around the world. Neither camp has confirmed a relationship here. But why such a fascination with these two?
LAURA SALTMAN, CORRESPONDENT, "ACCESSHOLLYWOOD.COM": Well, I think it`s more of a fascination with her. I mean she is an international superstar. She is our friend. Everybody associates her with her character on "Friends," Rachel Green. We feel like she is our friend.
And we really want her to be happy, because, you know, she`s kind of the jilted lover in the whole Brangelina thing. And we feel bad for her. We want her to be happy and have a great life because we love her so much.
ANDERSON: Well, speaking of that, ever since Jennifer married and then got divorced from Brad Pitt, there has been a nonstop obsession with Jennifer`s love life. Kim, do you agree, is it because of her, making her public breakup with Brad that we are all just pulling for her to be in a loving relationship again? Or is there something else going on with that obsession?
SERAFIN: Well, I think it`s partly - it`s partly because she was married to Brad Pitt who, by many, is considered the sexiest man in the world. Although I kind of disagree with the whole jilted lover thing. I mean I guess maybe she has that reputation out there, but I speak as a very happily single independent female.
And I think she is doing just fine, you know. She`s got a great career. She has done a string of movies. She`s working on a movie now. She seems very happy. She`s got a lot of friends around her. So, yes, Brad and Angelina have this very public, international, you know, jet- setting lifestyle in some ways. But she is doing just fine. So I don`t think there should be any, you know, sympathy for her out there really.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, speaking of Brad Pitt. I want to know how does John Mayer stack up to Brad and some of the other guys that Jen has been in relationships with. Of course, she was married to Brad, until as we said they split, and he was with Angelina Jolie. Jennifer then dated Vince Vaughn, after working on "The Breakup." And back in the early `90s, Jen dated Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows. Laura, how do you think John Mayer stacks up in that list? It`s a diverse group.
SALTMAN: It is a diverse group. And of course, she was also engaged to Tate Donovan at one point.
ANDERSON: True.
SALTMAN: I think it shows that she doesn`t really have a type. There is no Jennifer Aniston type; god, she`s been with so many different types of men, and that`s great for her. I think John Mayer is really, really charming. I have interviewed him so many times. He just makes me laugh. He`s funny. He`s sweet. So I can absolutely see what the attraction is to him.
ANDERSON: Yes, you know, I have interviewed with him, spoken with him many times. And he is always a pleasure to be around. Great conversationalist and he has, in the past, though, been called a serial dater. And here are a few of his past loves. There was a rocky romance with Jessica Simpson, brief fling with Cameron Diaz, and of course, Jennifer Love-Hewitt who was rumored to be inspiration for his hit, "Your Body is a Wonderland." Kim, "In Touch" has made the same observations in this week`s magazine. How does Jen stack up to this group?
SERAFIN: Oh, I think she stacks up just fine. Yes, I think he is known to be a little bit of a player. He has known to be very popular with the ladies. I think she stacks up really well, again. I mean really internationally known. People love her. She is that perfect example of the girl that girls want to be friends with, guys want to date. She is not intimidating. She just seems like every girl out there that you really just enjoy, just a genuine person. So I think she stacks up great.
ANDERSON: Well, I hope that they find happiness and contentment. They look cute together. "In Touch" senior editor, Kim Serafin, Laura Saltman from "AccessHollywood.com," thank you both.
And I want to say congratulations to you, Laura and "Access Hollywood." You guys are celebrating episode number 3,000. Everybody check that out. A special "Access Hollywood" is going to mark a milestone on May 17th and 18th. Check your local listings for the times.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, almost here. You can feel the anticipation. Oprah`s big interview with Tom Cruise.
ANDERSON: It is highly anticipated, A.J. And it sounds like they covered a lot of ground.
HAMMER: Yes, they certainly did. Everything from Scientology to Tom`s couch-jumping. That is coming up. Also, Paula Abdul tries to explain that bizarre mix-up on "American Idol," you know, when she critiqued a song that a contestant never even sang. But I want to know, is it too little, too late?
We will also have this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. CYRUS: It`s been great. I probably wouldn`t be here if it wasn`t for him, after growing up and ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I can assure you of that.
ANDERSON: Yes.
HAMMER: Miley Cyrus, the lost interview. I sat down with Miley right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT way back when before "Hannah Montana" even went on the air; of course, before the photo scandal. So interesting, looking back at that now. You definitely don`t want to miss this SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Miley Cyrus, the lost interview. And that`s coming up.
ANDERSON: And Uma Thurman testifies in the trial of the man accused of stalking her. I have got to tell you, she has a really frightening story to tell about this guy. I really feel for her. That is next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time you`d like. You just have to download our podcast. It`s free. Why not? You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast right there at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also get it on iTunes. We`re coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. And here are some more stories that are new right now.
Uma Thurman testified against the man accused of stalking her, saying she was panicked when he delivered a card to her assistant that showed a picture of an open grave. Jack Jordan came to her trailer when she was shooting a movie in New York. Thurman said the card said, "My hands should be on your body at all times."
Jack Jordan is charged with stalking and harassment. He could get a year in jail if convicted. Dennis Rodman has been arrested for domestic violence at a hotel in Los Angeles. A police statement says Rodman hit a woman, injuring her arms. Rodney posted $50,000 bail. He is due in court on May 22nd.
ANDERSON: And for model Gisele Bundchen, it pays to be pretty. Bundchen topped this year`s list of the world`s top earning models. Listen to this, "Forbes.com" says Gisele made an estimated $35 million over the past 12 months. Heidi Klum at second with $14 million. Followed by Kate Moss and Adriana Lima.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. I hope you`re ready because the countdown is on to Oprah`s big interview at long last with Tom Cruise.
ANDERSON: Yes, and it sounds like it is going to be very insightful, A.J.
HAMMER: I would say undoubtedly. Now, we have the big scoop on some of the big topics that they covered - everything from Tom`s big couch jumping event to life with Katie Holmes and even Scientology. All of that is coming up. We`ll also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. CYRUS: Once I got on the stage with him, and I just knew that`s something that I wanted to do. And so I really enjoyed it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Look at who that it is, it`s Miley Cyrus, and we found it. She is there talking about performing with her dad. Well, I sat down with Miley way back when before "Hannah Montana" even went on the air; of course, before the "Vanity Fair" photo scandal. A SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Miley Cyrus the lost interview, coming up.
And Rosie O`Donnell opens up about what she really thinks of Barbara Walters. I remember not too long ago, Rosie said it was time for Barbara to retire. Ouch. Rosie in her own words, straight ahead. You don`t want to miss that.
HAMMER: But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. You can find our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter link at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
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HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the secrets of Tom Cruise`s return to "Oprah." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you what Tom talked about - the juicy details tonight, even before the show airs. His life with Katie Holmes, his controversial Scientology beliefs and yes, the couch jumping. But I`ve got to ask - is going on "Oprah" again a good move, or risky business?
The Paula Abdul "American Idol" shocker. Paula explains her bizarre behavior, why she reviewed a song that no one even sang. But I don`t know, a lot of people aren`t buying this. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking this question straight up - should "Idol" fire Paula Abdul?
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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 TVs most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, tonight, we have two big stories new that are new right now we have just got to talk about, and we`re talking damage control for two big stars. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned some of what Tom Cruise talked to Oprah Winfrey about on Friday in his return to the scene of the couch jumping crime. But is all this talk, a risky business for Tom?
And "American Idol`s" Ryan Seacrest is slamming all of the astonishment over Paula Abdul`s bizarre judging blunder when she critiqued a performance that never even took place. But is it too little, too late?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. Also in Hollywood tonight, Carlos Diaz correspondent for "Extra." In New York tonight, it`s Maggie Gallant, the founder of Spotlight Communications.
So gang, here we are, nearly three years since Tom Cruise, you know, virtually destroyed his image and Oprah`s couch with that wild interview on "Oprah" that began with his head-over-heels, in love, couch jumping incident. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned Oprah is going there. Tom is not shying away from talking about that whole thing. Carlos, what do you think? Smart move?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": It`s a very smart move. I mean, basically, he has to discuss this. They do the interview in Telluride, Colorado on his couch where I think it`s kind of funny. But he`s not jumping on it. He is sitting down on it. But he`s got to get this out there and say, "You know what? This is what happened. I did it. I am in love. What`s wrong with being in love?" You know, and kind of channel that inner Jerry Maguire that he has in him.
You think about it. As I said, it happened like three years ago. So, we`re still talking about it to this day. Maggie, you think this is something he`s got to talk about to just move past it even?
MAGGIE GALLANT, FOUNDER SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS: I think he does. There are so many rumors out there about Tom Cruise that he`s become this entity that nobody really can relate to anymore. So he needs to address the questions head-on, make a little joke about it, make himself somebody that we can better understand and want to support at the box office which is the bottom line.
HAMMER: I think you`re absolutely right. And I have to say even being three years later, I still enjoy playing the clip. So let`s one more time take a look at Tom`s infamous couch jumping visit to Oprah Winfrey. Roll it, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Listen to me. Let`s focus here. OK. You`ve never had this kind of feeling before? No?
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: No.
WINFREY: Obviously not.
CRUISE: Honestly, I haven`t.
WINFREY: Really?
CRUISE: I`m not going to pretend.
WINFREY: I can see you`re not.
WINFREY: You know Katie once told "17" magazine."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I have appreciated the enthusiasm of the moment on "Oprah." And Oprah asked him what happened. He said he was in love as we saw. Now, he and Katie Holmes - let`s think about this. They have been together for three years. They`re now married. They`ve got their daughter, Suri. So Howard, is Tom`s revenge best served cold at the scene of the crime, him being able to be there and saying, see, "I told you this would last"?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Absolutely. It`s great to go back where the initial, let`s call it a mistake or over-enthusiasm happened. And my insiders tell me it was a very tough interview. Oprah didn`t pull any punches. She asked every question any of us would ever want to know.
And Tom defended himself without being defensive. I can`t wait to see it. And I think a lot of people can`t. It is going to get huge ratings. And I think we` going to see millions of people watching this and we`re going to be talking about this for a long time.
HAMMER: Oh, yes, we will be reporting about it right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Now I do want to move on to an aspect of what we`ve seen in Tom`s past. It wasn`t really all that funny. When Tom sat down with Matt Lauer, and the talk turned to Scientology and use of anti-depressant drugs. And we all remember, Tom criticized Brooke Shields for turning to anti- depressants to help her with her postpartum depression. Let`s watch that again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUISE: I really care about Brooke Shields. And I want to see her do well. And I know that psychiatry is a pseudo-science.
MATT LAUER, HOST, "TODAY" SHOW: Maybe there are too many kids on Ritalin. Maybe electric shock -
CRUISE: Many kids are on Ritalin, Matt.
LAUER: But aren`t there examples where it works?
CRUISE: Matt. Matt, you`re glib. You don`t know what Ritalin is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has also learned Tom is talking about this too with Oprah. Carlos, I`m really curious to see what happens here because this is something that has haunted Tom ever since. I am wondering how he can possibly even explain this away other than to say, "Oops, sorry, I was just kidding," which we know is not going to happen.
DIAZ: Well, this is a tough one, A.J. because he can`t compromise his beliefs. He can`t say, "I was just kidding. What was I thinking? Oh, wow." You know, he has to stick by his beliefs. But he also can`t sit there with Oprah and say, the same things he said in the, in the fashion that he said to Matt Lauer. So there`s got to be a happy medium where he can kind of say, "Hey. You know, this is what I believe. Maybe the manner in which I said it wasn`t the nicest way I should have said it. It is the way I believe." And you know, maybe, just saying, "I should have been a little more tactful in the way that I said it."
HAMMER: Yes. It is the way he believes in Scientology, obviously a huge part of his personality. We also remember there was that very controversial video of Tom, recruiting for the Church of Scientology that leaked on to the Internet not that long ago. We also learned Tom`s going to be talking to Oprah quite a bit about Scientology. This is a real opportunity to demystify his religion, Maggie, as far as I`m concerned. And he kind of has to do it, doesn`t he?
GALLANT: He does. He needs to break it down for us. What is the religion all about? Why are they so against these medications? And I think to Carlos` point, he needs to get us to understand where those kinds of comments came from. He needs to not offend the parents anymore that have their children on Ritalin, and have their kids in therapy and all of these things to help these kind of behavioral issues and get us back to the understanding why he was saying this so he could become relatable.
HAMMER: Tom was so relatable at one time. And yes, this is a real chance for him to become even more likable once again. I hope he pulls it off.
Let`s move now to another story that is involving damage control, new right now. Paula Abdul, really becoming a virtual laughingstock when she critiqued contestant Jason Castro, criticizing, of course, the second song that she said she heard. The problem was Jason had never sung the second song. Now, Ryan Seacrest tried to set the record straight Wednesday on "American Idol." Let`s watch how he did that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN SEACREST, HOST, "AMERICAN IDOL": One thing before we move on - last night the judges were thrown a curveball on the air, which is just part of a live show. But it sparked a lot of gossip about Paula. And I read some of this online this morning and just for the record, the rumors - they`re not true. She is part of our family and we love her.
HAMMER: All right. So according to Ryan, Carlos, Paula not going anywhere, not being fired. Do you think this is the end of this or does Paula still kind of need to dig herself out of the hole?
DIAZ: I am praying to the lord. Please, let this be the end of it, OK? Please. Come on! That`s it. We are done with it, all right? I mean it`s Paula Abdul. It`s what she does. She just goes on the show and says goofy things. That`s what she does. And now we are talking about "American Idol" so that`s good for the show. I just say, hey, it`s over. She messed up. It`s live TV. She`s not going to get fired. Time to move on into the final four.
HAMMER: Howard, I`ve got to go. But "American Idol" is really pleased about what is going on right now, aren`t they?
BRAGMAN: We`ve been talking about it since Tuesday night. They are thrilled, and the ratings were up on Wednesday. You just watch next week. Paula walking the tightrope.
HAMMER: There you go. Howard Bragman, Maggie Gallant, Carlos Diaz, I thank you all as always.
ANDERSON: And before we stop talking about it, we do want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Paula Abdul: Should `American Idol` fire her?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: All right. Brooke, question for you. When Rosie O`Donnell was fired from "The View" or she quit, whichever it was, were you at all surprised that happened?
ANDERSON: Yes, I was actually. She brought a lot of energy, a lot excitement to the show. But at the same time, it is true a lot of people just didn`t like her.
HAMMER: Well tonight, Brooke, Rosie is speaking out like never before about her time on "The View," and even about Barbara Walters. You`ve got to hear this, coming up.
Also coming up. Wow, I love this. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, my revealing lost Miley Cyrus interview. You know, not that long ago, Miley was just an innocent kid on the verge of superstardom. When you see this, I guarantee you, you would never imagine Miley getting caught up in the half-nude photo scandal. That is next. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEBORAH GIBSON, `80S POP STAR: I think people feel like, god forbid I`m not in a magazine one week then my career is over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s former teen star, Deborah Gibson. She`s got some really terrific insight about why she thinks out-of-control stars like Britney Spears are addicted to the attention that they get from the paparazzi. And how she was able to stay out of trouble. We`ve got that, next.
HAMMER: And wait until you see how great she looks.
Remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time. New stuff is being posted all the time for you to watch on our Web site which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos playing right now, you have to check out "Bad Dancing With The Stars," the worst celebrity dancers ever.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And now, my blockbuster exclusive, the lost Miley Cyrus interview. There of course is a huge Miley controversy right now over the shocking half-nude "Vanity Fair" pictures. Should Miley, who`s just 15, have posed for this picture? Will it ruin her career? Will it actually help her career?
Well, you`ve got to take a look at this amazing interview I dug up with Miley and her dad, Billy Ray. It comes from February 2006 here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Miley had just signed on to star in her Disney series "Hannah Montana." And I never could have imagined, when I spoke with her back then, what a worldwide billion dollar phenomenon she would become just two years later.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: You seem very excited, Miley.
M. CYRUS: I am.
BILLY RAY CYRUS, FATHER OF MILEY CYRUS: A.J., it`s great to be with you.
HAMMER: Has she been buzzing all day?
B. CYRUS: She`s been working her tail off. I mean we`ve been in New York for three days now. And it`s just been very exciting. This is her first trip to New York City.
HAMMER: Is this your very first time here? You have lived in Tennessee on a ranch. You`ve now moved to Los Angeles.
M. CYRUS: Yes.
HAMMER: But here you are in New York City. So what are your impressions of our fair town?
M. CYRUS: I like it. It is different. It`s very different than Nashville, but so is L.A. and I just keep going. But I love it.
HAMMER: What`s the strangest thing you saw during your stay in New York? There are some freaks here, you know.
M. CYRUS: Well, mostly just all the buildings. I`ve seen them in movies. They look a lot smaller than they do in person.
B. CYRUS: Pretty big.
M. CYRUS: Yes, they`re really big.
HAMMER: Well, we got you a little gift.
M. CYRUS: Thank you.
HAMMER: You can open up that and a little souvenir to take home from our town. This new show , "Hannah Montana" - we will talk as you are opening. We don`t want to take away from gift opening.
M. CYRUS: Thank you.
HAMMER: I love New York. Little New York love.
B. CYRUS: Awesome. Great.
M. CYRUS: Thank you.
HAMMER: Enjoy that very much. And in the new show, as I said, such a cool premise. You`re playing a pop star. But the only one who knows you are the pop star are your two friends because you have certain costumes that allow you to go and be like one of the world`s biggest pop stars. But then, you are able to sort of keep anonymity and your best friends in school know.
Billy Ray, wouldn`t that be nice? Have you ever kind of wished - you have seen both sides of it. Did you ever kind of wish you could walk off the stage and go about your business and not be the star all the time?
B. CYRUS: I have just always loved making music. You know, and one of the things that the funnest about this show is we tape in front of a live audience. And so it`s the best of both worlds - getting to be with the audience and acting at the same time, and still getting to make some music. And I don`t know if you`ve heard about her singing. She just signed a record deal with Hollywood record.
HAMMER: Congratulations. It`s not a bad deal.
M. CYRUS: Thank you very much.
B. CYRUS: She writes her own songs.
HAMMER: Wow.
B. CYRUS: She is the real deal. She`s got some great music ahead of her, and again, it`s just a lot of fun.
HAMMER: And as I said, this character - you`re playing Hannah Montana, one of the world`s biggest pop stars. Is it somebody you are emulating? Because certainly, the premise is, you know, if Britney Spears was in high school but nobody knew it was Britney Spears, that`s what the deal is. So is there a pop star that you sort of looked up to prepare for this?
M. CYRUS: I kind of thought of Hillary Duff when I was doing this. Because she actually started doing Disney at the same time as I did. And then she went off to music. So I kind of watched her concerts and saw some of the footage that she`s done and kind of took some of her style and used it towards "Hannah."
HAMMER: Now, is this your big debut here?
M. CYRUS: It is.
HAMMER: And we are happy to have you.
M. CYRUS: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: It`s a pleasure to meet you. Billy Ray, always good to see you.
B. CYRUS: Thank you, A.J. You do a good job on the show. Congratulations on your success.
HAMMER: I appreciate that very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, right there, I mean, they couldn`t have been nicer, Brooke. Both of them.
ANDERSON: I know.
HAMMER: Billy Ray and Miley, which is one of the reasons I am really just waiting for this whole photo scandal to blow over, hopefully, sometime soon. But, you can hope for success when you get on TV. They could never have imagined that she would become the superstar she is today.
ANDERSON: Oh no. She and "Hannah Montana" have become a phenomenon. And you could just tell Billy Ray was beaming with pride. He`s so proud of Miley Cyrus. And you know, I can`t wait for the photo scandal to just blow over as well, because she is a sweet, sweet, genuine girl.
HAMMER: And you saw it. We blew the budget there on the coffee mug for Miley.
ANDERSON: Right.
HAMMER: Well, let`s move on to another star that grew up in the spotlight, somebody that I have known for years. Deborah Gibson - Debbie, known back in the `80s, was instantly a huge star when her first album dropped. Well, she has sold more than 16 million albums, thanks to hits back in the `80s like "Shake Your Love," "Only in My Dreams," "Lost in Your Eyes," her first number one.
But more importantly, Deb was able to stay out of trouble. So I had to ask her about her experiences with the paparazzi when she was just a kid singing out on Long Island. And just what has gone wrong with today`s out of control young Hollywood stars like Britney Spears.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: From your perspective, having gone through a lot of that, having hit it so young, and being so successful so young, what do you think happened there?
GIBSON: You know what`s weird, I was actually thinking a lot about this. She`s like, 26 years old. So it`s about 10 years after her big burst of fame. And I remember my moment was 10 years after. It`s actually cooler to be 20 years into it than 10.
Ten years into it is a very odd transitional period. It`s like - I`m still kind of known for this one thing I did, but I`m wanting to transition into something new. And then, just as a woman, I think that that moment in time is an odd transition as well. Not quite, not a girl, not yet a woman.
HAMMER: "I`m not a girl, not yet a woman."
GIBSON: To quote Britney herself. It is an odd moment. And I remember having my fair share of meltdowns at that time. I just didn`t do them in public. I had those meltdowns in private. We all have meltdowns, you know.
And again, I think we are witnessing people becoming addicted to the media, following their every move even if it is a really down moment. I think people feel like, god forbid I am not in a magazine one week then my career is over. I think that is like an addiction in a way. That didn`t exist when I was starting, because, to be honest, those magazines didn`t care about anybody under the age of 25 back then.
HAMMER: Well, yes ...
GIBSON: Now, they follow teenagers around. As if they`re adults.
HAMMER: You look at that and you look at the way the paparazzi latches on to whether it is Britney and that has fortunately waned a bit for Lindsay or Paris or any of them. Are you kind of appalled by what you see? You live out there in Hollywood. I know you go down Robertson Boulevard, not so the paparazzi will see you, but you can go, have lunch at the newsroom or do some shopping. But are you just a little sickened by what you see?
GIBSON: It`s interesting. I mean, yes, on one hand, you`re right, like - look, a lot of celebrities` publicists tip the media off, "Hey, they`re having lunch at the Ivy." Or, "They`re going to the Ivy to break up with their boyfriend," or whatever.
And then, it`s like shock, horror, I`m on the news for breaking up with my boyfriend. You did it at the Ivy, you know. So I think on one hand, celebrities bring it on themselves. On the other hand - I don`t know which came first, the chicken or the egg.
I mean, back in the day, as I call it, we didn`t really give them anything to follow. I mean it was, you know, like me and the new kids at a bowling alley on Long Island, or something like that. There was no story there. There was just (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: Yes. They tried to create that whole Tiffany-Deb Gibson thing.
(CROSS TALK)
GIBSON: They tried. Even that really didn`t get anywhere. So, yes, I didn`t give them anything scandalous to follow. But, they also were not as obsessed back then.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Deborah and other celebrity judges are now picking the next singing sensation online. You can check that out at TotalPopstar.com. If you are just starting out in the business and you want it, you`ve to check out Deborah`s brand new camp for performing arts at CampElectricYouth.com.
ANDERSON: Sounds great. All right. When Rosie O`Donnell left "The View" last year, there were plenty of people that jumped for joy and plenty of people that were upset too. Tonight, Rosie is opening up like never before about her controversial time on the show. You don`t want to miss what she says about Barbara Walters too. That`s next.
HAMMER: But, first, still looking at what`s new at the movies this week brought to you by YoPlait, YoPlus. YoPlus, try it for 10 days; feel the difference.
"Iron Man," Robert Downey, Jr. is a billionaire who`s kidnapped to build this super cool suit of armor and escapes to save the world.
McDreamy`s "Maid of Honor." "Grey`s Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey in love with his best friend, and time is running out for him to tell her before she gets married.
And "Son of Rambo", a comedy about two young boys who decide to make their own "Rambo" movie. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Great to have you with us for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Welcome back. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Tonight, Rosie O`Donnell is opening up like never before about her time on "The View" and Barbara Walters. You probably remember Rosie`s time as co-host on "The View" was, well, kind of rocky. She got pretty good ratings but with plenty of bumps along the way, the Donald Trump stuff, the fights with Elizabeth Hasselbeck. Rosie left the show about a year ago. And in a revealing interview on "Rachel Ray," Rosie is now talking very candidly about her time on "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, FORMER CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I actually had fun. I did up until the last three weeks. But, you know? At first - you know, I made it till the end of May.
RACHEL RAY, HOST, "RACHEL RAY": But I loved it. It was great television.
O`DONNELL: I loved it, too and it was really, you know, sort of a wonderful place where women could exchange intelligent ideas. And it`s the things women talk about at the school, picking up their kids. But what I learned from doing a show like "The View" is it is much better when I`m the boss.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Rosie may be the boss again soon. There is talk that she is getting a new talk show next year. And listen to what she tells Rachel Ray about Barbara Walters, "I have nothing but respect and reverence for her, for Barbara Walters and for who she is. A daytime talk show host, world renowned journalist, she has talked to every world leader before women were not allowed to even dream of doing that. She is a hero. She is a feminist hero whether or not she knows it. Catch more of Rosie on "Rachel Ray" this Friday, May 2nd.
HAMMER: Well, on Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this - "Miley Cyrus: Will her photo scandal actually help her career?" We call this an even split with 46 percent of you saying yes; 54 percent of you saying no.
Let me read a couple E-mails we got. We heard from JKL in South Carolina who says, "The photos will help Miley because she is reaching out to appeal to a different audience."
We also heard from Tara in California who says, "Sure! I think Miley`s photo scandal will help her career right over a cliff! She should have known better even at 15 than to exploit herself like that."
Interesting E-mails, and we do appreciate you all chiming off.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
END
