Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
Denise Richards-Charlie Sheen Battle Rages On; Lindsay Lohan`s Parents Addicted to Fame?; Hollywood`s Most Successful May-December Romances; Parrots for Obama
Aired May 21, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Lindsay Lohan`s dad`s desperate attempt at fame. And why does a New York nightclub owner want to buy Lindsay a fur coat? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, back to the battlefield. Tonight, Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen at war again over their ugly, nasty divorce. Brand-new attacks and counterattacks. And tonight, Denise Richards is right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in a no-holds-barred interview. Denise on everything - rumored affairs, the claim that she sent Charlie on E-mail asking for his sperm and that`s just the beginning. It`s the interview you cannot miss. And you`ll see it only here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tonight, romance in Hollywood and why age does not matter. Huge stars with huge age differences. Older men with younger women. Older women with younger men. Tonight, a showbiz special report, Hollywood`s biggest and best May-December romances ever.
Plus, raiders of the lost hair? Why in the world did Harrison Ford get his chest waxed on camera? Here`s a hint. He`s not a 40-year-old virgin.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. Brooke Anderson is on assignment at the Cannes Film Festival.
Well, tonight, it is the interview everybody`s going to be talking about. My explosive one-on-one today with Denise Richards, opening up like never before about her unbelievably bitter battle with her ex-husband, Charlie Sheen, with their two young kids caught right in the middle. That is coming up and it is the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first, the huge brand-new developments today in the fight that seems like it will never end. Now Denise is out promoting her new reality show on "E!" called "It`s Complicated." And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that "complicated" doesn`t even begin to describe what is going on tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): During their epic divorce battle, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards have fought over, well, just about everything.
KIM SERAFIN, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": There is no doubt this is probably one of, if not the most nastiest divorce ever.
HAMMER: They`ve fought over custody of their two small daughters. They`ve fought over Denise`s upcoming new reality show on "E"!
DENISE RICHARDS, ACTRESS: Here, George. Come and see who I`ve dated.
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, you won`t believe what they`re fighting over now.
SERAFIN: Now, they`re fighting over sperm.
HAMMER: Yes, you heard right. And Denise Richards is bringing that battle right here to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
RICHARDS: The fact of the matter is my ex-husband has chosen to do anything he can to discredit me.
SERAFIN: This is just going to get nastier, this divorce. And we`re going to find out a lot of stuff we really didn`t need to know about either of them.
RICHARDS: He said that I wanted his sperm as a donor for a third child.
HAMMER: The Sheen-Richards battle flared up again on Tuesday on "LARRY KING LIVE" where Richards was promoting her new reality show and addressed Sheen`s claims about an E-mail he says Denise sent to Sheen`s new fiancee, Brooke Muller.
SERAFIN: Charlie claims that Denise sent a letter to his fiancee, Brooke, talking about how she wanted to be artificially inseminated with Charlie`s sperm.
HAMMER: Richards tells Larry King she never sent such an E-mail.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": So this is a phony E-mail, do you think, if it exists?
RICHARDS: This is a doctored E-mail.
KING: Doctored E-mail?
RICHARDS: Yes.
HAMMER: Now, Sheen is firing back hard. The morning after the "LARRY KING" interview, Sheen`s people sent SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what Sheen claims is the actual E-mail that Richards allegedly sent to his girlfriend.
In it, Richards allegedly writes, quote, "Charlie and I have very beautiful, healthy children together. I was strictly looking for a sperm donor if it`s any of your business."
SERAFIN: This case gets stranger by the minute.
HAMMER: It gets stranger, along with the alleged E-mails, Sheen sent SHOWBIZ TONIGHT an angry statement accusing Richards of calling him a liar.
It says, quote, "The mere fact that she continues to publicly discuss and harass both Brooke and me three years after our separation, which for the record is longer than the actual length of the marriage, is beyond desperate and speaks volumes."
RICHARDS: Who looks desperate in this situation? I`m here promoting my show.
HAMMER: When Denise Richards stopped by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, I read Sheen`s statement to her. She reacted strongly, to say the least.
RICHARDS: You tell me who looks desperate in this situation - me or Charlie?
HAMMER: So what he`s saying, Denise, are some pretty -
RICHARDS: I`m asking you a question. I`ve not harassed him. I don`t publicly speak about them. I`m here in New York promoting my TV show.
SERAFIN: It`s hard to tell who is telling the truth.
HAMMER: Kim Serafin of "In Touch Weekly" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the Sheen- Richards divorce has reached a new level of nastiness.
SERAFIN: They don`t talk at all. There`s no contact between the two of them. They use the media to kind of fight their battles.
HAMMER: But at what cost?
SERAFIN: It`s sad because you never want to see a family torn apart. There are two kids involved who one day will get older and grow up and read about all of this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, I spent a lot of time speaking with Denise Richards today. And you have just got to hear what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARDS: I don`t want Charlie Sheen`s sperm, period. I don`t want any more of his sperm. I could get it elsewhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, Denise - she`s absolutely furious about Charlie`s claim that she sent Charlie`s girlfriend an E-mail asking Charlie that provide his sperm so she could have another one of his children. Wait until you hear what Denise told me. That is coming up in just a bit in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, the mudslinging in the Charlie Sheen-Denise Richards battle is perhaps one of the most shocking examples of dirty laundry being hung out to dry in public.
And joining me tonight in New York, Ryan Smith, entertainment attorney and BET talk show host. Also in New York, Maggie Gallant, the founder of Spotlight Communications.
So, Maggie, Ryan, we know that the Charlie Sheen-Denise Richards fight has been going on for more than two years. We`ve had court documents linked. We`ve had public accusations. Ryan, let me start with you here. I`d have to think no good could ever come by airing dirty laundry. You`re the attorney. Does it ever make sense to do this?
RYAN SMITH, ENTERTAINMENT ATTORNEY AND BET TALK SHOW HOST: Well, the only time it really makes sense is when you`re trying to force another party to actually do something, like for example to give up custody or trying to get custody from someone. Or in the Heather Mills-Paul McCartney example, a lot of those theatrics were, many people believe, because she wanted to get more money out of him. So the louder she got, the more he wanted her to go away, and more money he potentially paid. So that could be one reason.
And then again, there`s the other reason of, "I`ve got a reality show coming up on Memorial Day weekend and no publicity is bad publicity." That`s another angle to this.
HAMMER: Hold on a second, Ryan, I hear you on that. I`m not going to go along with that if that`s why - I mean this is well beyond a publicity stunt. Come on.
SMITH: Well, the thing is, it`s not so much you plan it as a publicity stunt, but you know that when you go on TV and do interviews that people are going to ask about it. And when people tune into that show, they`re going to be looking for more information. This is a hot topic for America. So I`m not saying she went out there planning to do something, but the idea is no publicity is bad publicity.
HAMMER: OK. Sort of like the collateral effect, you`re saying here.
SMITH: Exactly.
HAMMER: Hey, here we are talking about it and talking about her reality show. All right. And it`s not just Charlie and Denise. This list goes on and on - Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, Paul McCartney and Heather Mills.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEATHER MILLS, EX-WIFE OF PAUL MCCARTNEY: I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And can go on and on with my list. Maggie, from a public relations perspective, because that`s your business, what do you think? Is there ever an upside to the likes of Heather Mills and all these others?
MAGGIE GALLANT, FOUNDER, SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS: Well, there is an upside like Ryan was saying. If you are pitching a show about your life, we need to see her life as really interesting. And through these E-mails, we`re dying to know what`s going on between these two. And that`s really the upside for her. Because now with the proliferation of celebrity reality shows, we need content based on their real lives and not their acting. So now, we want to tune in to see her show.
HAMMER: But I think we can all agree, at least in these cases that we`re talking about, the downside outweighs the upside by a whole heck of a lot. So with that in mind, this is what I don`t get, whether or not you`re talking about Charlie and Denise or Paul and Heather or Alec and Kim, you would think that when other stars see how completely disastrous this can go, how bad it can be, they`d learn a lesson.
But, Ryan, why do you think it still continues to happen over and over again? Is it because, you know, unless you`ve gone through a bitter divorce, you can`t really understand it?
SMITH: That`s a lot of it. You know, emotion gets involved and people can`t stand down. You have to ask yourself, why not hire a lawyer or a public relations expert to come out there and say your words for you or at least defend any claims. But the problem is when it gets emotional and when it`s been emotional for a long time, people can`t let up. They feel like they need to respond directly to set the record straight. And that`s when it all gets tightened. The disastrous effect is, as someone said earlier, the idea the children could grow up and see this and be exposed to all this is terrible. But you can`t see it when you`re caught up in that emotion of it all.
HAMMER: I guess that`s true because what I see happening a lot is these stars just lose control and they feel that they have to react in a very knee-jerk way when something is said about them.
But I am here to report and happy to say all hope, not lost. You have Robin Williams and his wife, right after they recently announced that they were getting divorced actually stated in a court document, a legal document, that they`re going to be, quote, "Cooperative and respectful." Even have Jermaine Jackson in his divorce, just completed, vowing with his wife to protect their kids. So Maggie, doesn`t this just prove you do not have to get down in the dirt?
GALLANT: You absolutely don`t. Less is more. And there is this tendency, you`re emotional, your heart is broken, to want to get the last word in. But that doesn`t make you look any better. And to Ryan`s point, it`s so important; times like this is why you need a PR person, because you`re not going to be thinking with a rational mind. You need someone who has your image and who`s going to have in their mind what is going to have a long- term effect in the press. And that`s why you need to center yourself with the best people around.
HAMMER: Yes, and I think that`s the primary point to keep in mind, next to, hey, look out for the kids. Ryan Smith, Maggie Gallant, thank you both for being here tonight.
And now, I need to turn it over to you. What do you think? Here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Nasty Hollywood Divorces: Should stars keep their dirty laundry private?"
Let me know, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us more of your thoughts at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, wait until you see this. Harrison Ford is doing his own stunts and I am not talking about the new "Indiana Jones" movie. I`m talking about Harrison Ford getting his chest waxed on camera. And this is not the sequel to the "40-year-old virgin" but it`s almost as entertaining. You are going to see the amazing video of Harrison getting the hair ripped right out of his chest. That is coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAPHNE BROGDON, TV HOST AND STANDUP COMIC: For a middle-aged woman to be like, "Really? A 25-year-old guy is into me?" It`s just so wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, so wrong and yet so right somehow. I think age is just a number and these Hollywood couples really seem to agree. Older women with younger men, older men with younger women. Coming up, a showbiz special report, the most successful May-December romances ever.
And I`ve got to tell you I got an earful when I sat down with Dina Lohan and asked her if her new reality show is about Lindsay`s little sister or about her own quest for fame. Now, I hate to tell you this, but Lindsay`s dad is getting in on the fame game, too. You`re not going to believe what he is up to. And that is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We are coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Ow! No, that`s not Harrison Ford taking over Steve Carrel`s hair- raising role in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." But he`s going bare anyway. This happens to be for a good cause.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And you know, you`ve got to give Harrison Ford some credit. The guy, in his 60s, is reprising his famous role in the new "Indiana Jones" movie. But a new public service announcement actually shows Harrison doing something that I personally think is even more daring. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: When rain forests get slashed and burned, it releases tons of carbon into the air we breathe. It changes our climate. It hurts. Every bit of rain forest that gets ripped out over there really hurts us over here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I don`t think he was faking that. So what`s next? Sylvester Stallone is going to get his eyebrows plucked for world peace? Anyway, you can see Harrison and his chest in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" when it hits theaters on Thursday. Now, I think he`s doing a great thing with that PSA.
Well, Lindsay Lohan`s parents, Dina and Michael are not starring in any public service announcements. But lo and behold, they are working hard to become stars in their own right. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT bringing you brand-new developments you are not going to believe.
Lindsay Lohan`s dad has just revealed he`s going to be starring in a new Web series titled "Want to Be Me" where he`s going to play a guardian angel who helps guide a big Hollywood actress. I wonder where he got the idea for that story line.
And then there`s Lindsay`s mom, Dina. She is starring in her own reality show alongside Lindsay Lohan`s little sister, Ali Lohan, and has us asking, are Lindsay`s parents addicted to fame?
Joining me tonight in New York, Cooper Lawrence, psychology expert and syndicated radio host. In Hollywood tonight, Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations.
Cooper, Howard, I think this is pretty unbelievable when you look at what`s going on with these parents. And let me start with you, Cooper. Does it seem to you Lindsay`s parents are addicted to fame?
COOPER LAWRENCE, PSYCHOLOGY EXPERT AND SYNDICATED RADIO HOST: Oh, of course they are. I mean anybody that needs to play out their private drama in a public way, of course, it`s all about fame for them. And these are people that have been very clear about the fact that they need to feel good about themselves based on how we view them. So we watch them on TV and we watch their shows and we like them, then they must be worthy and they must be valuable. And I think it`s kind of pathetic, not just that they`re parents, they`re adults.
HAMMER: "Pathetic" is a very good word to use there and I put a capital "P" on that, Cooper. I did sit down with Dina Lohan and Ali because I wanted to talk to them about the show, "Living Lohan." But I also wanted to ask Dina why she felt it was necessary to do this show when you think of everything this family has already been through. Watch what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DINA LOHAN, MOTHER OF LINDSAY LOHAN: We have no other choice but to let you into our homes and it is scary and it could be dangerous. But we`ll let you judge. You be the judge of us and we can just move on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: We have no other choice - Howard, I`m sorry. Maybe it`s just me, but I think there are other choices.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Yes, I could think of saying "No, thank you" is always a good choice, don`t you think? Is there a 12-step program for celebrities addicted to fame? Because I think Cooper and I need to start the "Institute for Celebrities and Parents of Celebrities Addicted to Fame." It`s really gotten twisted there.
And guess what? They should be investing their time in trying to get their daughter well and healthy because there`s a lot of problems. And you know, I won`t give America too much credit. We like watching train wrecks. But this is not the way to get to a healthy family.
HAMMER: Yes. Just because we watch it doesn`t mean they need to serve it up for us, you know what I`m saying? And it`s like, "Here you go, have some more." I have to tell you, I did ask Dina straight out about all this. I wanted to know if it`s all about her. Watch what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
D. LOHAN: It`s not about fame. It`s just about protection as a parent. And I think Ali has already been ridiculed before she`s even out there. And I think just to show her, you know, in what she does and who we really are, and they are saying I`m that person and I`m completely opposite. And when you watch this show, you`ll see that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So Cooper, I should have played that earlier. Now, that you`ve seen Dina speak, are you convinced that she isn`t doing this reality show because she wants to be famous?
LAWRENCE: Oh well, that`s it. Now, I`m completely convinced. Well, no, of course not. And here`s the sad thing. We don`t even know if Ali really wants to do it. We just assume that she does because her mother is pushing her to the camera and going, "Here. Here`s another child of mine you might want to look at and gawk at." For all we know, she has no interest in doing this, but she just wants to please her parents.
HAMMER: Well, to be clear, she did tell me that she`s really into it. But honestly, I couldn`t tell if that was something she was supposed to say or that`s how she honestly felt. That`s just how I felt sitting with the two of them.
LAWRENCE: There you go.
HAMMER: Well, it`s not just Dina Lohan; it`s Lindsay`s dad, Dina`s ex- husband, Michael. He`s going to be doing this Web series. And in this thing, he`s going to be an angel to help - to guide a Hollywood actress. Howard, come on, this seems to me just another example of another Lohan parent using their own child to fulfill their own fame fantasies.
BRAGMAN: Well, and not only that, he`s already acknowledged that he`s not even talking to Lindsay and Lindsay wishes he would just shut the hell up. And so now, he`s going on and he`s basically mocking his relationship with his daughter. And what he`s doing is building a bigger gap in the relationship. And that`s just plain sad and pathetic.
Plus, for a Web show? You know, at least the mother`s going to make a few thousand dollars during the show. What are you going to make, a quarter, doing this Web show? This is really sad.
HAMMER: I know. The whole thing is pretty transparent. Howard Bragman, Cooper Lawrence, thanks for being here, guys.
LAWRENCE: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: Now, coming up, you won`t want to miss this, my explosive interview with Denise Richards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARDS: I don`t want Charlie Sheen`s sperm, period. I don`t want any more of his sperm. I could get it elsewhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, clearly, she did not hold back. I asked her about her very public battle with Charlie Sheen, that supposed E-mail about the sperm and why she chose to put her kids on a reality show. Nothing here off limits at all. That`s coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also, you know how Lindsay Lohan is being sued for allegedly stealing some woman`s fur coat and wearing it in the photo that just happened to show up in "OK" magazine. Well, somebody feeling sorry for Lindsay. You`re not going to believe the offer she is getting. I`ll tell you this, the fur, it`s flying. I will fill you in next.
And the Hollywood couples that are proving when it comes to romance, age does not matter. Older men with younger women, older women with younger men. Coming up, it`s a showbiz special report, the most successful May-December romances ever.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Here now are some more stories that are new right now. Jessica Alba is a married woman. Jessica and Cash Warren quietly got married on Monday at the Beverly Hills courthouse. Now, a source tells "People" magazine that Jessica looks happy but nervous. They are expecting their first child this summer.
Well, you probably heard about Lindsay Lohan getting sued for allegedly stealing a fur coat at a nightclub after the coat`s owner saw her wearing it in a picture in "OK" magazine. Well now, the owner of a neighboring club says they feel sorry for Lindsay and doesn`t want her to get cold. So he`s offering her a new $11,000 mink coat of her very own.
OK. And Britney Spears` dad quit his catering job so that he could look after his daughter full time. Court papers show that Jamie Spears is now being paid $2,500 a week to be Britney`s conservator and he even got $10,000 in back pay to cover the first month of the conservatorship.
Well, coming up, Denise Richards sat down with me and I had to go there, I had to ask about that E-mail where she supposedly asked Charlie Sheen for his sperm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARDS: I don`t want Charlie Sheen`s sperm, period. I don`t want any more of his sperm. I could get it elsewhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow! From her very public battle with Charlie Sheen to her controversial new reality show, Denise Richards did not hold back and that is coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also, the Hollywood couples that are proving when it comes to romance, age does not matter. I`m talking older men with younger women, older women with younger men. Coming up, it`s a showbiz special report, the most successful May-December romances ever.
Also this -
(BARACK OBAMA`S POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT)
SMOKEY THE PARROT: Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
HAMMER: Polly wants a cracker. The presidential election coming up. I have the political parrot you will not soon forget.
But first, you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. All you have to do is head over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Just click on that "sign up for newsletter" link at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming back after this.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
RICHARDS: I don`t want Charlie Sheen`s sperm, period. I don`t want any more of his sperm. I could get it elsewhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, my explosive one-on-one interview with Denise Richards. We cover it all - her controversial reality show, her very public war of words with Charlie Sheen and that rumored E-mail where she supposedly asked him for his sperm. Tonight, Denise Richards in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
When it comes to Hollywood romance, these stars are proving that age does not matter. Older men with younger women. Older women with younger men. Tonight, a showbiz special report, the most successful May-December romances ever.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: 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.
Tonight, my headline-making interview with Denise Richards. The he- said, she-said back and forth between ex-husband Charlie Sheen and Denise exploded again today over this alleged E-mail that Charlie says she sent asking for his sperm. Yes, this has been one nasty divorce. Denise accusing Charlie of drug use and visiting online porn sites, Charlie accusing Denise of continued harassment and even calling her desperate.
But now Denise says she wants to set the record straight. And she`s putting it all out there in a brand-new reality show on "E!" called "It`s Complicated." Well, I spent a lot of time with Denise today. I`ve got to say that with all that she`s been through, Denise is definitely one tough cookie and she absolutely refuses to back down.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARDS: I felt the timing was right. Ryan Seacrest approached me, who`s producing the show with "E!" And, you know, I`m at a place in my life where I thought it would be something fun, interesting and different. There`s been a lot of negative things written about me. And I think people have a different perception of who I really am. And this is an opportunity to have people to see who I am. And also being a single working mom, to be able to work at home was fantastic and a blessing.
HAMMER (on camera): You`ve talked about how important it was to do the show for setting the record straight. Why is that so important for you?
RICHARDS: It`s not so much setting the record straight. I feel that I`ve had every - literally every negative thing you can imagine written about me and said about me. And, you know, I can`t change different things and change history, and it`s an opportunity for me to - for people to see who I am. And -
HAMMER: As opposed to letting your work speak for itself in terms of the movies you may do or other projects.
RICHARDS: You know, it`s the way the business is now, people are fascinated with celebrities` lives and that`s why we have all the tabloids and magazines. And people can say what they want about reality shows but people watch them. They`re a guilty pleasure.
For me, being a single mom, just having lost my mom, to work at my house was something I wanted to do. I have a three and a four-year-old. I`m never going to get these years back. To do a movie, it, you know, takes me away from home and the hours are very long. And, you know, I`m raising my girls on my own. So it`s something that I wanted to do. And it`s a blessing to be able to work at home.
HAMMER: Well, on the aspect of setting the record straight, let`s have at it, shall we? Here we go.
RICHARDS: Why not?
HAMMER: You and Charlie Sheen were married for less than three years.
RICHARDS: We were married for three years.
HAMMER: Right. So your battle with Charlie has gone on for just about that long. How do you feel about him now? Do you really hate him?
RICHARDS: I feel that Charlie is a stranger to me and that`s very sad. I have two beautiful girls from him. I could run into any ex-boyfriend and there`s that bond and friendship. And it`s devastating that the father of our children - he`s a stranger.
And I wish him the best. I wish him well. And all I care about is our kids. And I hope that one day he and I can get to a place where we can co-parent together and at least have a friendly relationship because this is not healthy for our kids to be this way.
HAMMER: Sadly the battle is not over yet.
RICHARDS: The battle is not over and it`s not ending.
HAMMER: Things are continuing. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained this E-mail that you know about. It`s from Charlie`s camp allegedly sent by you to Brooke Muller who is Charlie`s fiancee, asking about using Charlie`s sperm for another baby; in other words, you asking to use Charlie`s sperm.
RICHARDS: No, I`m very well aware of all this.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Let me read a part of this E-mail, "Charlie and I have very beautiful, healthy children together. I was strictly looking for a sperm donor, if it`s any of your business. This wasn`t to have sex with him, it was him donating. That`s it."
Now, this is only a part of the E-mail, Denise. But you have said that this entire E-mail is doctored. So tell me, what part of it is doctored and who do you think sent it?
RICHARDS: I can`t even see the whole E-mail because they scribbled a lot of it out. I don`t know. The fact of the matter is, my ex-husband has chosen to do anything he can to discredit me. Here I am, in New York, I have two days of press to do to promote my show. And this morning, "Today" show, they got a statement from my ex-husband. Anytime he can take me down, he tries to.
I just want to make a living. I`m raising our two daughters myself. I want to work. I need to work. And he`s trying to take, you know, the thunder away from my moment right now to promote my show. This particular instance, which is a fake E-mail, I don`t care what - it`s ridiculous.
HAMMER: Any idea who sent it?
RICHARDS: I don`t care. I don`t want Charlie Sheen`s sperm, period.
HAMMER: To make that clear -
RICHARDS: I have two beautiful daughters. I don`t want any more of his sperm. I could get it elsewhere, period. Why on earth would I want my ex- husband who I`m in a bitter battle with? I`ve never, ever wanted this to get to the point that it has. It`s devastating. It`s humiliating and it`s very personal and private. There are two very little girls and I am trying to protect my children as a mom, period.
HAMMER: And I have a lot of respect for that and hopefully this is going to set the record straight and people will be forming their opinions through the course of you talking about it. And I appreciate your candor in all of this.
RICHARDS: Thank you.
HAMMER: I do want to read Charlie`s response that he sent about your saying that the E-mail was doctored because I`d like you to respond to it. I want to hear what you say.
This is what Charlie said in his statement, "Her claims that her E- mail has been fabricated or altered in any way to create this story are absurd. The mere fact that she continues to publicly discuss and harass both Brooke and me three years after our separation is beyond desperate and speaks volumes. I will no longer sit back and be egregiously painted as a liar."
So he, in that statement, at one time, accusing you of harassment. He`s calling you desperate, saying you`re calling him a liar. How do you react to that?
RICHARDS: Who looks desperate in this situation? I`m here promoting my show. Who sends the "Today" show a statement and an E-mail like that the day I`m trying to promote my TV show? You tell me who looks desperate in this situation. Charlie released a statement while I`m trying to promote my show and released an E-mail and is accusing me of doing things, when I`m here not to talk about him - I`m being asked questions - but to promote a TV show that I have.
HAMMER: So all of these things that he`s saying, though, if not true, they`re defamatory. Would you actually consider perhaps a legal action, certainly in one way of - if nothing else - of shutting him down?
RICHARDS: I don`t care. I mean, sperm, harassment -
HAMMER: You really want to truly move beyond this.
RICHARDS: Well, yes, and he`s getting married in a few weeks. Plan your wedding. Why are you sitting in front of the television watching my interviews and then coming out with another statement? Move on. Move forward, I have.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Looks like she`s certainly trying to. You can check out Denise`s new reality show. It`s called "It`s Complicated" for a very good reason. And it airs on "E!" this Memorial Day weekend.
Well we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Nasty Hollywood Divorces: Should stars keep their dirty laundry private?"
You can keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Got more to say? Well, then, by all means, send us an E-mail; the address is showbiztonight@cnn.com.
And of course, not all relationships in Hollywood are falling apart. Let`s be real about this. As a matter of fact, older women are devouring younger men these days like it`s nobody`s business.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROGDON: For a middle-aged woman to be like, "Really, a 25-year-old guy is into me?" That`s just wrong.
HAMMER: Oh, come on. There`s nothing wrong with that. I can tell you that it`s not just the older women making it work in Hollywood with younger men, but also older men making it work with much younger women. You definitely will not want to miss this showbiz special report, the best May- December romances ever.
Here`s something else you have got to see -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP OF BARACK OBAMA`S POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT)
SMOKEY THE PARROT: Yes, we can, yes we can.
HAMMER: I`m sorry, that`s just freaky to me. Parrots for Obama. Polly wants Obama? What`s next? Peacocks for McCain? Sea gulls for Hillary? Coming up, the story behind the parrot who`s at the beak of its career. Yes, my executive producer Dave Levin made me say that. Sorry. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
Keep in mind, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. New stuff being posted all the time at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos now playing, "Hollywood`s Most Shocking Affairs."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
And tonight, when it comes to love in Hollywood, does age really even matter? May-December romance is becoming a hot and heavy celebrity trend with more stars falling for younger blood. You can call them cougars, cradle-robbers, whatever you`d like. But are these couples actually on to something? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down the top five most successful May-December romances ever and you`re not going to believe who tops our list. It`s a showbiz special report, age doesn`t matter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): Cradle-robbers, cougars, boy toys, MILFs, the list of cliches for age gap relationships has only gotten longer since the days of "The Graduate."
DUSTIN HOFFMAN, ACTOR: Mrs. Robinson, you`re trying to seduce me.
HAMMER: Now, it`s a Hollywood trend. Younger stars falling for older mates - and these celebrity couples are proving that age is nothing but a number.
SUSAN SARANDON, ACTRESS: I think it`s a great idea.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down Hollywood`s hottest and most successful May-December romances ever.
Kicking off our list at number five, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. You know, with so much couch-jumping to distract us, it`s easy to forget this couple has a 16-year age difference. But no matter, TomKat is still in heat. Meow.
DAPHNE BROGDON, TV HOST AND STANDUP COMIC: Tom Cruise still has this boyish look, you know. So he doesn`t seem to have that gravitas, that older man thing.
DR. LILLIAN GLASS, RELATIONSHIP EXPERT: She was very attracted to him. In fact she even said in the media that he was an idol of hers when she was growing up.
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: That is a great woman.
HAMMER: But the "Dawson`s Creek" cutie had to step up her style to land Hollywood`s top gun or else she`d be flying solo.
BROGDON: She looked much younger when they first started going out with her long hair and her, like, little sort of, you know, casual girl at the mall looks. Now, she`s got the sophisticated "do" and she`s done. She is in couture. She never looks sloppy.
GLASS: She looks a lot older than her years. And so in essence, she`s adapted to him in terms of age-wise. And maybe that`s what`s making the relationship work.
HAMMER: Coming in at number four, Hollywood royalty Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. They had no reservations about getting married in 2000, even though their quarter century age difference could have resulted in a fatal attraction.
BROGDON: He does look so much older than her. But also they both seem to have this thing together of like, "Let`s be really rich and enjoy it."
CATHERINE ZETA-JONES, ACTRESS: We like each other a lot, obviously. That`s always a start, right?
GLASS: They also do things together. They have a lot of shared interests. They play golf together. They`re very, very compatible.
HAMMER: So what`s this couple`s secret to bridging the generation gap?
JONES: We never take each other for granted. And we`re kind and nice and respectful to each other and we have fun.
HAMMER: Earning the number three spot on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s countdown, Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart. They played pop culture icons in different decades but found a love connection across a 22-year span.
CALISTA FLOCKHART, ACTRESS: I decided to give it a try.
BROGDON: Calista definitely seems like she has an older body. Harrison Ford is trying to kind of be like the younger dude, because he`s got that little earring now. And they also look like, even if it`s really 1988, but, you know, he`s trying.
HAMMER: And who knew that Indy would be Jonesing for Ali McBeal`s laid- back charm?
GLASS: If somebody`s low-key and the other person is low-key, oftentimes, they may be very harmonious with one another.
HAMMER: But will it last?
BROGDON: I think that the age difference will eventually make more of an impact when one of them goes into assisted living. Until then, they should probably be fine.
HAMMER: Coming in at number two on our list, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, and that`s no bull - "Bull Durham," that is. This old-school May- December romance started on that movie set in 1988 and has been going strong ever since, 12-year age difference be damned.
SARANDON: That was a hard thing for you to figure out.
BROGDON: I think the forbidden nature of these relationships is a definite turn-on. For a middle aged woman to be like, "Really? A 25-year-old guy is into me. That`s so wrong."
GLASS: They have a lot in common in terms of their political interests, their social interests, their children. So they have a solid bond. So the age difference means absolutely nothing.
BROGDON: You just see them like they`re sitting around with their serious leftist politics, and they`re like, "That`s exactly the right thing." And then they`re like, "Oh, let`s kiss."
HAMMER: And now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal our number one poster couple for May-December romances. There may be 15 years separating them, but when it comes to Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, hotness knows no age.
DEMI MOORE, ACTRESS: Being 20 is not better than being 40 because there`s beautiful things in each place.
BROGDON: I think when Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore saw each other, they were like, "Your check bones need to be with my cheek bones." It was just like a meeting of fabulous skulls.
HAMMER: But if you think it`s just physical attraction that bonds these two together, then you`re being punked.
GLASS: When you look at their body language in photographs, it`s just clear to see they are a couple made in heaven.
HAMMER: Demi is old enough to be his mother, but Ashton took a chance on love with his indecent proposal.
ASHTON KUTCHER, ACTOR: It`s like guys were brought up on that. Like we have to have the career and the car and the house so you can support your family and your wife. When meanwhile, it`s like when is really the right time? Maybe there never will be, and maybe it`s right now.
HAMMER: And that`s romantic advice couples of any age can take to heart.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, age difference of more than ten years doesn`t seem to be getting in the way of love for "Heroes" star, Hayden Panettiere. Eighteen- year-old Hayden is dating her 30-year-old co-star Milo Ventimiglia. But she usually keeps her love life hush-hush.
Besides, you know, Hayden`s not completely off the market. I mean you still might be able to date her, kind of. A date with Hayden is now up for auction to raise money for a "Save the Whales Again" campaign. The auction in eBay includes dinner and drinks for six at Eva Longoria`s new restaurant, Beso.
The winner and five guests will spend the morning with the lovely Hayden on a private whale-watching tour off the coast of Santa Barbara, which sounds pretty cool. If you`re interested, you still have some time. The bidding will run through May 30th.
Well, on Tuesday, we told you about the YouTube divorce lady`s victory in court. You know, the woman who rants online about her divorce will be allowed to stay in her Park Avenue apartment at least until the divorce trial. So we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "YouTube Divorce Lady: Do you have sympathy for her?" Well, no you don`t. Only 11 percent of you said, yes, yet 89 percent of you saying no sympathy.
Here`s some of the E-mails. We got one from Matthew in South Carolina, "She`s just a gold digger who deserves nothing from her ex- husband. She`s had her two minutes of fame. Let`s move on."
Laurie from Virginia writes, "I`m glad she is doing this on the Internet. It shows these men with millions of dollars that the wives deserve half."
Well, thank you, as always, for your E-mails. But I am afraid to think what you`re going to be writing to us after you see this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP OF BARACK OBAMA`S POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT)
SMOKEY THE PARROT: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: No, you`re not hallucinating. A parrot for Barack Obama. Yes. I know a lot of people are saying the whole presidential battle has been for the birds. But come on, this? Coming up next, the parrot who can`t stop talking about Barack Obama. Here`s what I want you to do. Gather grandma, grab the kids, the whole family. Get everybody around the TV set because this is unbelievable. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
But first, I want to let you know you can always watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime. Do it on your schedule, by downloading our podcast which is totally free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, or you can download it on iTunes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Charles is all excited tonight. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
All right. We`ve all seen those YouTube videos where babies are showing their support for Barack Obama. Well, tonight, it is a new political phenomenon. It`s parrots for Obama. Yes, you heard me right. Polly no longer just looking for a cracker. These talking parrots, parrots Obama`s words, "Yes, I can." Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
JEANNE MOOS, CNN REPORTER (voice over): You know when Barack Obama says -
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, we can.
MOOS: And the crowd parrots it?
CROWD: Yes, we can! Yes, we can!
MOOS: Well now -
SMOKEY THE PARROT: Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
MOOS: Even the parrots are parroting it. Oh yes, Smokey can.
SMOKEY THE PARROT: Obama, yes, we can.
MOOS: Can you believe it? Take it from Smokey`s owner who produces commercials in California.
DOUG, OWNER OF SMOKEY THE PARROT (on the phone): It`s funny because Obama will come on and be speaking and he`ll hear Obama. And he`ll go, "Obama, yes, we can, yes, we can."
MOOS: Oh, for the good-old days when parrots said things like -
PARROT: Hello.
MOOS: Or the old standby -
PARROT: Polly want a cracker.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
MOOS: Now it`s Polly want a president?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you going to vote for Barack Obama?
PARROT: Barack Obama.
MOOS: Phoebe(ph) is another Barack Obama supporter. But Hillary has hers, too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you want Hillary to win?
MOOS: Who`s parroting who with all the nodding? But Smokey has the most extensive political vocabulary.
SMOKEY, THE PARROT: Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
MOOS: He`s flying around the web attracting comments like, "Limit that bird`s CNN viewing."
MOOS (on camera): Doug, how do we know that`s really the parrot speaking?
DOUG, OWNER OF SMOKEY THE PARROT (on the phone): Well, I think you can see that it`s him, can`t you?
MOOS: Well, it sort of - I don`t read beaks well. Smokey began squawking Obama slogans around the time that Will.I.am video started making the rounds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP OF BARACK OBAMA`S POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT)
SMOKEY, THE PARROT: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
MOOS (voice over): But for the bird who says, "No I can`t," how about this as a slogan for the parrot who doesn`t care about any of the candidates?
PARROT: Whatever, whatever, whatever.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That`s what I`m thinking about right now. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, that`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Don`t forget, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s. We`re on at 11:00 p.m. Eastern. We`re on at 11:00 a.m. Pacific. And in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. Hang out, because the latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next.
END
