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Showbiz Tonight
Nick Hogan`s Trial; Did Star Jones Commit a Career Suicide?; Stars With Less-Than-Famous Partners; Matt Lauer on Tom Cruise; Marie Osmond Versus Billy Ray Cyrus
Aired May 09, 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: Absolutely stunning testimony in the dramatic trial of Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick, for the car crash that nearly killed his best friend. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show Starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, has Star Jones committed career suicide? Tonight, Star under attack for her stunning attack on Barbara Walters. Star calling Barbara an adulterer saying that she`s in the sunset of her life. Tonight, is Star just defending herself or shooting herself in the foot? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the great debate, has Star made a very stupid mistake?
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is breaking news about whether Tom Cruise and Matt Lauer could face off again on the "Today" show. Just days after Cruise went back to Oprah`s couch, wait until you hear from Matt tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: I would love to sit down with Tom again.
HAMMER: But will it happen? Tonight, what Matt revealed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about a possible Cruise-Lauer face-off, round two.
Plus Marie versus Miley`s dad. Why is Marie Osmond attacking Billy Ray Cyrus? Tonight, "When Osmonds Attack."
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. And this was just an unbelievably dramatic day in court as Hulk Hogan`s teenage son was sentenced for the terrible car crash that nearly killed his best friend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTIN CARSON, JOHN GRAZIANO`S SISTER: His state of life is worse than death. If my brother would have died physically, we could have at least grieved and remembered him in our hearts. Instead we wake each day to see a living, breathing, open casket funeral replayed over and over again like a nightmare.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The emotional words from the courtroom and the judge`s verdict, all coming right up.
But first, tonight, has Star exploded? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal the dramatic aftershocks of Star Jones` war of words with Barbara Walters. Star`s personal smackdown of Barbara is not winning her any friends in high places. And a lot of people are wondering whether Star is now kicking herself in the butt for smacking down one of the most beloved icons in TV history. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking whether Star Jones has committed career suicide.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over) As the old "Saturday Night Live" spoof of "The View" used to point out, Star Jones is a lawyer.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Now, legally speaking, I am the weakest link to this program.
HAMMER: But the real Star Jones just might want to consider going back to law because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, with Star`s latest throw- down with Barbara Walters and her long history of high-profile embarrassments, has Star Jones finally torched her TV career for good?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": To go up against Barbara Walters, what was she thinking?
HAMMER: As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has revealed, Star and Barbara have clashed enough times to fill a George Lucas movie series.
SERAFIN: It`s "Star Wars, Episode III: The Co-Hosts Strike Back."
HAMMER: "Star Wars Episode XXVI: Attack of the Jones." The attack of the Jones came because of Barbara Walters` new autobiography "Audition." In her interview with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Walters talked to me about what she wrote about Star and the trouble Jones caused while she was on "The View." There was the gastric bypass surgery Star kept secret from viewers.
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": We all found it very difficult, especially since we were doing so many pieces on diet. And we didn`t tell the truth about her.
HAMMER: And the way she left the show.
WALTERS: She went on the air and said that she`d been fired and that I was a liar.
HAMMER: Now Star has hit back, hard.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": She can`t keep her mouth shut once again and she`s not playing nice with other kids in the sandbox.
HAMMER: In a statement, Star slams Barbara for dissing her. And for good measure, she tweaks Walters for the affair Barbara admits she had with married U.S. Senator Edward Brooke in the 1970s.
PIAZZA: She really threw some vitriol at Barbara. In her statement, Star says, says, quote, "It is a sad day when an icon like Barbara Walters, in the sunset of her life, is reduced to publicly branding herself as an adulterer, humiliating an innocent family with accounts of her illicit affair and speaking negatively against me all for the sake of selling a book. It speaks to her true character."
Whoa! That was nasty. Time for a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT penalty flag as our two referees review Barbara`s Barbara bash. Kim Serafin of "In Touch Weekly" says Star`s comment was unnecessary roughness.
SERAFIN: She didn`t have to get so personal. She didn`t have to go for the adulterer comment. She could have limited her comment just to the things that Barbara said about her.
HAMMER: But our other referee, Jo Piazza of the "New York Daily News" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it may have been a clean hit.
PIAZZA: Barbara was the one who reopened the can of worms, so of course, Star had to react.
HAMMER: No matter the call, it is true that locking horns with a TV icon like Barbara Walters has never helped Star in the past.
STAR JONES, FORMER HOST, "THE VIEW": The show is moving in another direction, and I will not be returning as co-host next year.
HAMMER: In 2006, Jones blindsided Walters by announcing on live TV she was being let go from "The View," a fact Walters said she had been hiding to protect Star`s reputation.
Walters has told me that Star`s less-than-graceful exit from "The View" may have hurt her career.
WALTERS: I think people understood that maybe that wasn`t the way to behave. And it took her a while to get a job.
JONES: I stand here welcoming you to my last show.
HAMMER: Star`s next TV show on Tru TV was canceled after failing to attract much of an audience. Now, entertainment reporter Mary Murphy tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Star`s latest diatribe may be a fatal blow.
MARY MURPHY, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: There is nothing to gain from this except more hatred and she`s going down in the polls. I`m telling you, she`s at zero percent.
HAMMER: Whether or not Star`s Barbara bashing will permanently kill Star`s career is an open question. But it`s clear that striking out at a beloved TV icon is not going to win her any popularity contests.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So really, is there any good that could come out of this for Star Jones or is she cooked?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Howard Bragman, founder of Fifteen Minutes PR who is also representing Al Reynolds in his divorce from Star Jones. In New York tonight, is Maggie Gallant the founder of Spotlight Communications.
So Maggie, let me start off with you. What do you think? Has Star not only shot herself in the foot, but in her ankle, her kneecap, her thigh - I could continue?
MAGGIE GALLANT, FOUNDER, SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS: Everywhere, A.J. But this began when she lied to her audience about the gastric bypass. When you are a talk show host, what you have, beyond charisma and personality, is your authenticity. And Barbara said it best, people stopped believing her. So if people don`t believe you, don`t go on the attack with Barbara Walters. Don`t be tempted to have to get the last word. Sometimes, less is more.
HAMMER: Yes, I agree, less is more, and in this case, good advice for Star Jones. Howard Bragman, what do you think? With the smackdown against Barbara Walters, at least in terms of Star Jones` career, is there any good that could actually come out of this thing for Star?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Actually, you know, let Star Jones be Star Jones. Star Jones has never been a shrinking violet. Barbara was naive if she thought she was going to write about Star in this book and Star wasn`t going to respond. And we`ve always liked Star Jones because she`s outrageous, she`s outspoken, she`s intelligent. And I like her for those reasons.
HAMMER: Yes, but Howard, who`s going to hire her? Because knowing that she has this tendency to perhaps be a little irresponsible with not being a shrinking violet. You have to have a balance there, don`t you?
BRAGMAN: You do need a balance. But you know what? A lot of TV stations are looking for a person with a point of view. And lord knows, Star Jones has a point of view and she will end up successful again, I tell you. She is a smart woman.
HAMMER: All right.
BRAGMAN: If somebody wants her, she cuts through a lot of clutter out there, A.J.
HAMMER: I just think this adds to all the Louis Vuitton baggage that some people perceive to come along with her. That`s all.
Let me get to another point for you Howard, because I mentioned that you represent Al Reynolds in his divorce with Star. Do you, in anyway, see this latest controversy having any affect in the divorce proceedings?
BRAGMAN: None at all. My job for Al Reynolds is to separate him from Star Jones and start to define him as a person, as a brand. And you`re going to see that unfold over the next couple of weeks. We have some interesting things planned. But he`s got to be Al because people don`t really know what Al is, what he`s about and he`s really an interesting, charming, intelligent guy who`s got something to talk about out there. And you`re going to see that unfold.
HAMMER: Well, hopefully you will guide him to be careful of what he says when it`s being televised. I mentioned -
BRAGMAN: We`re not going after Star Jones, I can tell you that.
HAMMER: Well, let me tell you something. I mentioned that Star`s TV show was canceled. You`ve got the divorce and now, you have the smackdown with Barbara Walters. Lest we forget what Star Jones told Larry King after she was booted from "The View." Watch this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: I will not, no matter what anybody does or tries to beg me to do, I will not denigrate Ms. Walters ever. It`s not who I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Maggie, have at it. I mean talk about saying something that comes back to haunt you. Star just seems to be continuing to exercise bad judgment.
GALLANT: I`ll tell you, A.J., the worst part of what she said wasn`t what she said before about not wanting to insult Barbara Walters or stoop down to her level. It was the word "ever." That locks you in. When you say, "I would never do something. I`m never going to do it," that`s really when people hold you to it. And with the Internet, it`s being replayed over and over again. And again, it`s that credibility issue for Star.
HAMMER: You say it on TV, you say it on tape, we will have it forever. You heard a few minutes ago, Barbara Walters telling me that after Star left "The View," she burned some bridges and as a result became pretty much unemployable in TV at the time. Watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: I think people understood that maybe that wasn`t the way to behave. And it took her a while to get a job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Howard, you believe in Star. Tell me what you think she needs to do here to move on. Do you think she needs to disappear for a while? Do you think she needs to reinvent herself? I`m going to guess you`ll say no to that.
BRAGMAN: I think Star Jones needs to sit with her very capable publicist and decide her future. I`ve my hands full with Al Reynolds right now and a few other issues. And I`m going to stick to what I have. And she should go back and huddle with her team. And I wish her the best.
HAMMER: Well, best of luck to Star. Let`s see what comes out of this for her. Maggie Gallant, Howard Bragman, thanks for being here tonight.
Now, we`d like to turn it over to you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Star Jones` Attack on Barbara Walters: Did she commit career suicide?" Let us know what you think. Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or tell us more at showbiztonight@CNN.com.
Well, moving on, Marie Osmond just absolutely tearing into Billy Ray Cyrus for his parenting skills. She says all that trouble that Miley got into for that "Vanity Fair" photo, it`s all Billy Ray`s fault. Wait until you hear what else she has to say. I`ve got to tell you, she really went off on the guy. That is coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK HOGAN, SON OF HULK HOGAN: I know for a fact I`ve apologized to the Grazianos but I won`t say that I will never, ever be able to say I`m sorry enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s been an unbelievable day of testimony in the trial of Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick. He`s on trial for that car crash that almost killed his best friend. Well, the whole family was right there in the courtroom. It was incredibly emotional. You don`t want to miss that. That is on the way.
Also Mariah Carey`s marriage to Nick Cannon. It got me thinking, what is with these really famous women hooking up with, well, you know, that dude? You know, the dude, the one whose name we can never remember? Coming up, I`m investigating what is a Hollywood trend, that super famous woman with that no-name dude.
Remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We`re posting new stuff for you to check out all the time on our Web site. Just surf on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Among the videos that are playing right now, one you absolutely have to check out, it`s my very revealing one-on- one tell-all with Barbara Walters.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(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. Tonight, the startling Mariah Carey marriage. Mariah has gone and done what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you more and more of Hollywood`s most beautiful and famous women seem to be doing, big-name Stars pledging their undying love to relatively no-name dudes.
Joining me tonight in New York, Dr Judy Kuriansky, clinical psychologist and author of "The Complete Idiot`s Guide to a Healthy Relationship." In Miami tonight, there is Steve Santagati of "AskSteveSantagati.com."
All right, Judy and Steve. Mariah married this guy, Nick Cannon, and let`s be real for a moment. We all know that he has his own show on MTV. But compared to Mariah, I mean let`s face it, the guy`s barely a celebrity. Steve, let me kick it off with you. I`d have to imagine that like other stars, there is some comfort for Mariah in not at all feeling threatened by her husband`s star power.
STEVE SANTAGATI, "ASKSTEVESANTAGATI.COM": Yes, I think there`s two things. It`s like any relationship, A.J. There`s pros and cons. On one side, it`s good because there`s not too really famous people in the relationship, so that guy won`t be that much more obtrusive with the press and the paparazzi and whatnot.
The other side of it is the finance thing. Mariah`s a lot richer than him. So I could see Nick saying, " Yes, let`s go hang out at the Nouveau Lounge in L.A., for example. Order whatever you want." Because she`s used to a certain lifestyle, she`s orders up all this stuff and then he gets the bill. That`s hard because she`s always going to be richer than him. And I think the financial thing will affect the relationship ultimately.
HAMMER: It will be - I suppose it will be tough on both sides there.
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: I don`t know. I disagree with that.
SANTAGATI: Of course you do.
KURIANSKY: I think when somebody - Well, yes. When the woman has - Mariah`s got all the money. There`s no question about it. She pays and she gets the power. And that will end up being able to work for them.
SANTAGATI: Women don`t want that in a relationship.
HAMMER: Hold on a second. Let me ...
KURIANSKY: Oh, you`re wrong. No, no, no, Steve. That`s wrong.
HAMMER: Let me get to the heart of what`s going on here, though. And Dr. Judy, without getting into the brain and which side is functioning here, you could probably give us some insight. Because Mariah`s not the first one. There`s kind of a trend going on.
KURIANSKY: Right.
HAMMER: I mean, look at, you know, one of Hollywood`s hottest actresses, Jessica Alba, super hot. She`s expecting her first child with her boyfriend producer Cash Warren. Now, obviously, Jessica could have gotten any guy she wanted. And not that there`s a rule she has to be with a star, but she chooses this unknown dude. So what do you think the attraction is here?
KURIANSKY: I think the attraction for Jessica Alba with Cash Warren is that he pursues her and pursued her and hopefully will keep pursuing her because that`s what women want. So then, you don`t have to be rich or famous. You just have to adore her and put her on a pedestal just like Mariah is feeling that Nick Cannon is doing for her.
Now, Jessica wanted older guys for a long time. She thought they were mature. So Cash Warren just has to be sure that he`s mature enough for her.
HAMMER: Well, Steve, maybe there`s an upside then. This perhaps - and tell me what you think. Does it give hope to regular Joes, regular dudes around the world, that they, too, could land someone as smoking hot as Jessica Alba?
SANTAGATI: Well, I think two things, A.J. First of all - yes, if you`re in their world. But you can`t just, Dr. Judy, pursue someone because I don`t think Jessica Alba had a problem with men pursuing her. If you`re in their world and you can show that you`re confident beyond their fame and you stardom and financial abilities, then yes, you can date.
It`s just men and women at the end of the day. I`m still a guy, she`s still a girl. If he looks at her like that, he`s going to "get in there," quote, unquote. And I do think he has to adore - I don`t know about the pedestal thing, just high enough to see under her skirt.
HAMMER: Well, we know this list continues with stars like Halle Berry, I mean super-famous super-beautiful, super-wealthy, big A-list sta. Just had a baby girl with her fiance, model Gabriel Aubrey.
SANTAGATI: All right.
HAMMER: I love Halle Berry but I look at him, and I`m like, who?
SANTAGATI: I know.
HAMMER: Maybe seen him in a couple of ads. Good-looking guy, certainly not a household name. So, Dr. Judy, Halle has this string of very public heartbreaks with very famous men. Is this kind of a relationship exactly what she needs because of that history?
KURIANSKY: I think so. And Halle has even said, and I was on a program with her where she was talking about her being depressed to the point of suicide when her first relationship with David Justice broke up. Then - you know, then, she had the rock star, Eric Benet who turned out to have a sex addiction, so that really didn`t bring her back really to suicide, but at least she was really devastated and had sworn off guys and said, "I can be on my own."
So a guy comes along here. I think the key is with her tall, blond, handsome model boyfriend and fiance and father to her child is now - also that he is French-Canadian, you see. Now, there`s something about the cultural issue.
SANTAGATI: Oh my god!
KURIANSKY: You`re going to hate this Steve, but it`s true. Guys from another culture - and I love American men. I was married to one for a very long time before he passed away. And the point is that when guys come from another culture, they don`t look at women the same way, they don`t evaluate them the same way. And they ...
SANTAGATI: Oh, really?
KURIANSKY: Yes.
HAMMER: That`s a segment for a whole other time, Dr. Judy. We`re going to leave it there.
KURIANSKY: Yes, and I think -
HAMMER: Steve Santagati, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, thank you, guys.
KURIANSKY: I`m going to stay, scratching my head.
HAMMER: OK. You do that, Steve.
Well, moving on now. Marie Osmond absolutely tearing into Billy Ray Cyrus for his parenting skills. She says the trouble that Miley got into over this whole "Vanity Fair" photo, all his fault. Wait until you hear what else she has to say. I`ve got to tell you, she went off on him. That is coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDWARD GRAZIANO, JOHN GRAZIANO`S FATHER: What Al-Qaeda could not do to my son, Nick Bollea did in a matter of minutes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Stunning testimony in the trial of Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick over the car crash that nearly killed his best friend. I was just riveted to this today. It was such emotion in the courtroom. That unbelievable story is coming up.
And could Tom Cruise and Matt Lauer actually face off once again on the "Today" show? You remember the first time around, this thing got pretty, pretty ugly. I was cringing when I was watching it. And now, Matt Lauer is telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT whether he`d welcome Tom back. That is on the way.
HAMMER: Now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime. Just download our totally free podcast. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our Web site, which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes by typing "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into that little search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, Alec Baldwin says he`s ready to be a politician. Baldwin tells "60 Minutes" that it has been a long-time dream of his to become an elected official and that he`s actually thinking about pursuing that dream. Yes, he says that he`d be ready to face the public and all the press partly because he`s already been under so much scrutiny over his divorce and custody battle with Kim Basinger.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the New York event, celebrating "Time" magazine`s 100 Most Influential People. And we asked Martha Stewart and Alex Bass, "30 Rock" executive producer Lorne Michaels, what they thought about Alec running for office. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LORNE MICHAELS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "30 ROCK": Well, I hope he finishes "30 Rock" first and then run. But you never know. We would accommodate. I would be very incredibly supportive. I know him and I like him.
MARTHA STEWART, TV HOST: I don`t know about president, but public office, definitely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Baldwin didn`t say what office he might run for. But a few years ago he did tell "The New York Times" that he might like to be a governor. Let`s wait and see.
Well, it has truly been this unbelievable day of testimony in the trial of Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N. HOGAN: I know for a fact I`ve apologized to the Grazianos, but I want to say that I will never ever be able to say I`m sorry enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Nick is on trial for the car crash that almost killed his best friend. The whole family was there in the courtroom. It was incredibly emotional. This unbelievable story is coming up.
Plus, Marie Osmond is absolutely tearing into Billy Ray Cyrus for his parenting skills. She says all that trouble that Miley got into over that "Vanity Fair" photo, well, it`s all his fault. And wait until you hear what else she has to say. I`ve got to tell you, she really went off on him. That is on the way.
And could Tom Cruise and Matt Lauer actually face off once again on the "Today" show? We all know the first time around - well, it got ugly. I remember cringing while I was watching it. Now, Matt Lauer tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT whether he`d actually welcome Tom back. That is coming up.
But first, you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by checking out our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. If you want this thing, it`s easy to get. Just surf on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight and click on the "sign up for newsletter" link right there at the bottom of the page so we can send it to you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Marie Osmond rips into Miley Cyrus` parents. Yes, Marie went there. But she`s really letting Miley`s folks have it for the half-nude "Vanity Fair" photo scandal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
E. GRAZIANO: What Al-Qaeda could not do to my son, Nick Bollea did in a matter of minutes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A dramatic courtroom showdown involving Hulk Hogan`s son. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the emotional words of the entire Hogan family as they plead for their son. Will Nick Hogan face jail time for nearly killing his best friend in a horrific car wreck? We`ve got the shocking, late-breaking details.
(MUSIC) HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You`re watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, an unbelievably dramatic day in court for Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick, who faced sentencing on a charge of reckless driving for that terrible car crash last August. I mean look at these pictures. It nearly killed his best friend, Iraq War veteran John Graziano, who, at this time, is still semiconscious and will need care for the rest of his life. Take a look at what Graziano`s sister told the judge at the sentencing today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARSON: This state of life is worse than death. If my brother would have died physically, we could have at least grieved and remembered him in our hearts. Instead, we wake each day to see a living, breathing, open casket funeral replayed over and over again like a nightmare.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s just so, so tough to watch. Joining me tonight from the Tru TV studios in New York, Ashleigh Banfield, the host of Tru TV`s "Hollywood Heat." In Hollywood, it`s Darren Kavinoky, attorney with the Kavinoky Law Firm.
Guys, before we get to the judge`s sentence today for Nick Hogan, we really want to give people a sense of how dramatic and emotional this was. It was just unbelievable to watch. Graziano, of course, is an Iraqi War veteran. And I want you to watch his father`s plea to the judge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
E. GRAZIANO: He had an incredible future full of so many opportunities. However, on August 26th, 2007, everything changed because of the senseless, reckless acts of Nick Bollea. What Al-Qaeda could not do to my son, Nick Bollea did in a matter of minutes. He destroyed my son`s future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, it seems to me the judge heard him loud and clear. He gave Nick Bollea, eight months in jail, five years of probation and 500 hours of community service.
Darren Kavinoky, let me start with you. Was the judge too lenient here?
ATTY. DARREN KAVINOKY, KAVINOKY LAW FIRM: Well, as a criminal defense attorney, I`m all about advocating for leniency. And in this case, where you have a defendant who had no criminal history whatsoever - he certainly had a bad driving record but had never been in criminal trouble before. I don`t think the judge was too lenient on him. He`ll do at least six months in jail. Five hundred hours is quite a bit of community service.
Certainly, if there was any aspect of the case that was lenient, it was that the judge withheld adjudication, which means if he successfully completes everything he`s supposed to do as he`s supposed to do it, at the end of the five-year period, he`ll truthfully be able to answer on job applications, licensing applications that he has not suffered a criminal conviction. So that may be a lenient aspect of the case.
HAMMER: Well, and that was the one part of the sentencing that the Graziano family said they were displeased about. As far as the rest of it went, they seemed pretty satisfied. Ashleigh, you cover this stuff every day for Tru TV. What do you make of it?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HOST, "HOLLYWOOD HEAT": Well, actually, I was astounded because I just finished covering in January the sentencing of a teenager who was drag racing, who plowed into the back of a car, killing the homecoming queen who had just been crowned the night before and permanently scarring her best friend in the passenger`s seat because she was caught in a complete inferno. And he was given five years. And he was a teenager and he had a clean record. And he was apologetic and forthcoming at his trial. The guy he was drag racing against got six years. So I think that Mr. Bollea actually did get off a little easier than I had expected.
HAMMER: Do you think that was celebrity coming into play?
BANFIELD: I don`t think so. I think these judges are far too good for that and they`re too smart. I think celebrity gets into all of our heads and we over-think things a lot. But generally speaking, judges know the cases a lot better than we do. And they know a lot more about it than we do. So I think that was a pretty good move on his part. He knows better than we do. But I was surprised anyway.
HAMMER: Well, as I mentioned, there was just tons of emotion in the courtroom today. It was just hard to tear yourself away from watching this. Nick Hogan tried to show his own remorse when he spoke directly to the Graziano family and to the judge. Watch what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N. HOGAN: I know for a fact I`ve apologized to the Grazianos. But I want to say I will never, ever be able to say I`m sorry enough. And I`ll never ever be able to tell John sorry enough times to ever repay what has happened on August 26th. And I do genuinely mean that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: He didn`t seem entirely shaken up as much as the family members did. But I think he does genuinely mean that. You know, Darren, John Graziano was his best friend. A lot of people might say that the pain and remorse Nick is feeling provide that lifetime of guilt. Is that not punishment enough?
KAVINOKY: Well, it certainly is substantial punishment, having to carry that with you for your entire life. And as somebody that represents criminal defendants, I know firsthand that that`s something that has dramatic impact upon them, that for people who have a conscience, who have concern for their fellow person that it`s something that weighs heavily upon them.
What the judge has to consider when he`s imposing sentence is something that`s a little bit different, though. It`s about having appropriate consequences for behavior and about deterring other people that may be considering the same course of conduct. So the idea that a defendant is remorseful is certainly is factor for the judge to consider. But the idea that somebody is so remorseful that they shouldn`t have other punishment really isn`t accurate.
HAMMER: Yes, it comes down to breaking the law and the punishment that fits the crime. Now, I`ve got to talk about this because this stuck out like a sore thumb to me. We mentioned celebrity and whether or not it came into play. It actually did come into play in the courtroom today when Hulk Hogan got up to plead for his son and he claimed that Nick has been treated unfairly because he is the son of a celebrity. Watch what the Hulkster said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HULK HOGAN, WRESTLER: My son has been unfairly attacked by the media simply because of his on-air personality. If that was the case, then everybody that should be yelling and screaming here. You know how Hulk Hogan is within the wrestling ring. But Nick is not the person he`s been asked to be portrayed on TV.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ashleigh Banfield, I need you to help me out on this. I like Hulk Hogan a whole lot. It`s been difficult to watch him going through this whole thing. But was it wrong for Hulk to even bring that up in the courtroom? I can guarantee you that the Graziano family sympathy factor was minus zero at that point.
BANFIELD: Well, maybe yes and maybe no, and here`s why I could fall either way on this one. If sometime during conversations with this judge, if there were discussions in chambers about how Nick had been behaving and that that should weigh into the judge`s decision, then, sure. Then absolutely, Hulk Hogan should say on the record in court, "This shouldn`t come into it. That was play-acting on TV. This is my real son."
However, if Hulk Hogan`s beef is with the media and their portrayal of his son, then the time to say that would have been outside the courthouse where the throng of media was asking for comments, but not on the record in front of this grieving family.
HAMMER: Yes, that was for a press conference, if you ask me. All right, more emotion from Graziano`s mother. No sympathy there. I want you to look at what happened when she spoke to the court.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEBBIE GRAZIANO, JOHN GRAZIANO`S MOTHER: But my son was not alone. My son cannot be the only person with lifelong consequences. That would be a terrible miscarriage of injustice. Speeding, to Nick, is a badge of honor. His drifting license was a badge of honor. The modifications made to his car were a badge of honor. And even this would be a badge of honor unless the punishment shows the world otherwise.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Darren, you mentioned a moment ago, what the judge is really considering is the punishment fitting the crime, the fact that Nick Bollea broke the law. But when a mother, a sister, a father get up there and pour their hearts out in front of the judge, does that influence a judge at all?
KAVINOKY: Well, it`s not supposed to, but let`s not kid ourselves. Judges are flesh-and-blood human beings. It influences defense lawyers who were sitting there. And it should be influencing defendants, those who are accused and who are found guilty or pled guilty to crimes. It`s really, really tough.
And judges are charged with making incredibly tough calls. I`m not known for being incredibly sympathetic towards the judiciary, but I really do have to acknowledge that what they do in making these kinds of decisions is incredibly difficult.
HAMMER: I`ve got to end it there. Darren Kavinoky, Ashleigh Banfield, thank you so much for being a part of this. What a tough thing to watch today.
All right. Moving on now, when Tom Cruise and Matt Lauer went at it on the "Today" show - you remember, Tom called Matt glib? These two were fighting about psychiatry. It was such a nasty fight. A lot of people thought Tom was way out of line. But tonight, I can tell you, these two just might be making up. You might see Tom back on the "Today" show, hopefully not jumping on the coach. You`ve got to hear what Matt told us, coming up next.
I`m really surprised Marie Osmond just ripping into Miley Cyrus` parents. Marie very upset about Miley`s half-nude "Vanity Fair" photo scandal. What`s stunning is that Marie usually has nothing but nice things to say about anybody. Why did she go there? You will find out, next.
And I`ve got to tell you, I think Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, one of the nicest couples in Hollywood. Maybe that`s because they don`t live in Hollywood. Coming up, you don`t want to miss this. I go one-on-one with Sarah to find out the secrets of how they make their marriage work.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, two big Hollywood stories making news right now. Is Tom Cruise heading for another showdown with Matt Lauer?
We all remember Cruise`s shout-down with the "Today" show host. He called Matt "glib" during that heated interview. But now, Matt Lauer is revealing to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT whether he and Cruise might have yet another face-off.
Also new right now, is Marie Osmond slamming Miley Cyrus` parents? Yes, over Miley`s half-naked photo shoot scandal. Marie really giving Miley`s folks a piece of her mind.
Back with me tonight from New York, founder of Spotlight Communications, Maggie Gallant. In Hollywood tonight is the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations, Howard Bragman. Also joining us, senior editor of "In Touch Weekly," Kim Serafin.
Gang, let`s begin with Tom Cruise. You know, in the past week, he finally made nice with Oprah Winfrey, did a great job there, returning to her show nearly three years after that whole couch-jumping fiasco. Now, big buzz that Cruise may also be revisiting Matt Lauer nearly three years after their infamous confrontation on the "Today" show, that, of course, happened over anti-depressants, let me remind you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: Do you examine the possibility that these things do work for some people, that, yes, there are abuses and, yes, maybe they`ve gone too far in certain areas. Maybe there are too many kids on Ritalin. Maybe electric shock is ...
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: Too many kids on Ritalin - Matt -
LAUER: But aren`t there examples where it works?
CRUISE: Matt, Matt. You don`t even - you`re glib. You don`t even know what Ritalin is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I still kind of get chills from watching that and feel bad for Matt Lauer. Matt now telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, by the way, he wants Tom back on the show and he`s never stopped being a fan of Tom Cruise. Watch what Matt had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUER: Sit down with Tom again, and I`ve said that all along. He`s got an open invitation. I like him. I think he`s great. I love him as an actor. And sooner or later, our paths will cross again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Their paths will cross again. Maggie Gallant, Tom Cruise was praised for the way he handled "Oprah." Is it time for Tom to go back to the "Today" show, hang out with Matt Lauer and put that whole mess to rest?
GALLANT: Of course, it is, A.J. You know what I love about this story? This is a living, breathing example of the power of good P.R. Three years ago, Tom Cruise was a runaway train in interviews. His sister was serving as his publicist. He wasn`t tightly managed in interviews. Of course, he trusted his sister, but now he`s got a team behind him that are prepping him for interviews. He`s now a lot more relatable. He`s still one of the biggest actors in this country. And the morning show of the "Today" show, that is the top morning show. Of course, their paths are going to cross again. And now`s the time because he has the team behind him and he`s ready.
HAMMER: Howard Bragman, PR is what you do for a living. I`m guessing you`re feeling the same as Maggie about this.
BRAGMAN: Actually, I respectfully disagree.
GALLANT: Really?
BRAGMAN: You don`t want to apologize too many times. He already addressed the Matt Lauer thing. You know, what he did on "Oprah" was very interesting, A.J., because you rarely go on TV unless you have a product to promote. He had nothing to promote except himself and his image. It was pure damage control.
The first day he went on, he apologized for his mistakes. The second day, it was Tom, you`re an amazing movie star. He wanted to put it behind him. He will not do the same kind of interview with Matt Lauer. He may do an interview. There may be one question, but he`s not going to go back on and do damage control. It would be the wrong thing to do.
HAMMER: That`s really an interesting perspective because it really was all about protecting his brand, going back on "Oprah" -
BRAGMAN: Exactly.
HAMMER: And the whole couch of jumping thing that he experienced with Oprah. That was all about his love for Katie. The "Today" show thing - that was a whole different thing. That was all about Tom`s strong beliefs about psychology and prescription drugs.
So to that end, Kim, what do you think? Bashing psychology, really not that easy to back away from, certainly not as easy as couch-jumping. Tom really would have a challenge there, wouldn`t he?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Sure, because if he did go back on, they could not ignore the subject that came up. I mean Matt would have to sort of ask him about it. He`d have to address it.
But yes, I don`t think we want to sit through a whole other interview about psychology, about drugging, about Ritalin again, because he has already addressed it. He did it on "Oprah." It is because he`s trying to revamp his image. There`s been talk that maybe he`s talking about doing a "Mission Impossible 4." So this might be another reason he`s trying to come back. His movies haven`t done that great lately.
So he would have to address it. I think people would be wanting this to happen. And even Matt had said, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) about this whole thing. He said, you know, it was good television. It`s water under the bridge. But hey, it didn`t really hurt Matt too much.
HAMMER: Good television for Matt. Not so good for Tom Cruise.
SERAFIN: Right.
HAMMER: Now, whether or not this actually comes to fruition, that`s kind of a wait-and-see at this time. But Matt did tell us that he is working on a plan to get Tom Cruise back for an interview. So it may very well happen. So Maggie, let me throw it back to you. Do you now see that perhaps there could be a downside to Tom Cruise doing this?
GALLANT: Well, I think there`s definitely a downside. And he`s obviously going to have to talk about his "glib" comment. But just like he did on "Oprah," he`s going to address it and he`s going to move on. And there`s no rule in saying that a celebrity has to go on just to promote something. He does need to work on his brand, and it did make for great television.
HAMMER: Well, from a past flap to another flap, new right now - Marie Osmond just slamming Miley Cyrus` parents over Miley`s seminude "Vanity Fair" photo shoot. Marie Osmond is putting the blame squarely on 15-year- old Miley`s parents because apparently they left the photo shoot before that controversial shot was taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. Now, Marie, as we all know, a one-time child star herself. And this is what she told "AOL Television," quote, "I can only speak for myself, but her dad stepped out of the photo shoot. My parents never, never left us alone. How do you say no to somebody like Annie Leibovitz when you`re a little girl? If your kids are going to be in that kind of business, then you need to make it your business to be there for them."
Kim Serafin, why do you think Marie Osmond is just so angry and quite frankly, so passionate about this?
SERAFIN: I don`t know if she`s angry about it. But obviously, she can relate to it. She was a child star. So she certainly knows the pressures that someone like Miley Cyrus is going through.
Here`s the thing, A.J. When one celebrity speaks against another celebrity, it typically comes across as pretty judgey. My instinct is telling me the reason why she did this is there`s been rumblings of her getting a talk show. And a talk show host is somebody who speaks out against the topics of the day without the risk of looking like a judgey celebrity. And I think that that`s what she was doing here.
HAMMER: Well, Howard, I need to check in with you on something because you sometimes say you shouldn`t make too much of something. You know, when these pictures came out, Miley issued a statement saying she was embarrassed by the shots. We have not gotten an official statement from Miley`s parents, and people are still talking about this. So Howard, what do you think? Should they just come forward, say something especially with people like Marie Osmond still speaking out against the pictures, put it to rest once and for all?
BRAGMAN: Well, I think Maggie hit the nail on the head there in terms of Marie looking for her own 15 minutes and riding this dead horse at this point. I don`t think it`s turned into a really big deal. I think for the most part, it went away. And guess what? Her parents did leave the set but she had professional representatives on the set.
HAMMER: True.
BRAGMAN: And it wasn`t her parents` job. It was her professional reps` responsibility to say, "No, Annie. This is not going to cut it." So I don`t blame Billy Ray. I don`t blame the parents. And we`ve got to get over this because it`s just not that big a deal.
HAMMER: Then, Howard, let`s end the story right now. Howard Bragman, Kim Serafin, Maggie Gallant, thank you all.
For my money, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, one of the best couples around. You don`t see them splashed all over the tabloids. They are pretty low key. What is the key, what is their secret to making the "Sex and the City" star`s marriage work? There`s a big hint to that title - "Sex and the City." You don`t want to miss that, coming up next.
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HAMMER: Thank you, Charles. Thank you, Jay, for standing me by. And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. It is time now for "Making It Work." This is where we reveal the secrets of how stars are able to make their relationships work. You know, Hollywood hook-ups - they`re never easy.
Well, tonight, Sarah Jessica Parker. She has been married to Matthew Broderick for more than ten years. They have a 5-year-old son together and live here in New York City. And what`s really interesting here, one of the keys to making this "Sex and the City" star`s marriage work is the city.
PARKER: I wouldn`t make any proclamations about, you know, why I have a marriage that, to me, is successful. I would just say that we`ve chosen to live in a city where we are not the most interesting people. You know, this is a city that is about industry and finance and publishing and architecture and the arts and education and academia. And the movie industry fits into it in some small way.
But there are a lot of people of import and interest. And I think that is a conscious choice to live in a place where we`re bumping up against humanity. We run to the market on our own. We take the subway and we integrate into our city and we become a part of the fabric. And I think it`s really been to our benefit and certainly to our son`s.
It doesn`t mean that we are not scrutinized and that we don`t have paparazzi every single day at our house. No, but it`s a city where you can`t live behind a gate. You can`t drive up in a car and be protected. You`ve got to walk out the door and it is what it is. So you reconcile those things and you make the best choices you can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I just love her. It definitely sounds like Sarah and Matthew have been making the right choices. And by the way, the "Sex and the City" movie will be out on May 30th.
Well, on Thursday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Mariah`s Quickie Marriage: Will it last?" Not on optimistic opinion here. Look at that - 90 percent of you say, no with 10 percent of you saying yes. Let me take a look at some of the E-mails. Somebody must have written something nice.
Yes. Robert from Texas does think it`s the real deal, writing, "I dated my wife for less than a month. We`re happily married for 22 years and still in love." Well, good for you.
Debbie from Illinois writes, "I thought Mariah had more brains than to rob the cradle and think it`s going to last. The divorce rate is bad enough with regular people, but to think a `quickie` celebrity marriage is going to last is absolutely ridiculous."
And we thank you for your E-mails and we thank you for watching. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And 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, 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" coming up next.
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