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Showbiz Tonight
Tatum O`Neal`s Shocking Arrest; Bitter Party of Four; Nick Hogan Demands to be Freed; Hottest New Star Couples; The `Sex and the City` Phenomenon
Aired June 02, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: A Hogan family shocker. Hulk`s son behind bars for nearly killing his best friend demands to be let out of jail. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And the amazing story of how "Sex and the City" shattered the box office. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Tatum O`Neal`s shocking crack arrest. Did her early rise to fame doom her to a life in train wreck city? And is addiction just impossible to beat in Hollywood? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the dramatic details of Tatum`s new troubles.
Bitter party of four. Explosive new developments in Hollywood`s two ugliest divorces. Even a newly remarried Charlie can`t seem to stop talking while his ex Denise takes their screaming match to reality TV.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DENISE RICHARDS, ACTRESS: Any time he can take me down, he tries to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And Alex makes tongues wag with shocking new comments about his ex. Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, why won`t they all give it a rest and just zip it?
And Johniston, Hudstrong, Gyllenspoon? They are the hottest new star couples, but what the heck could they possibly have in common and which ones will actually last?
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. And tonight, bitter party of four. New developments in two of Hollywood`s most bitter divorces - Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards and Alex Baldwin and Kim Basinger. Why are these couples having such a hard time moving on and keeping their battles out of the press? The dramatic details ahead.
HAMMER: But first, Tatum O`Neal`s shocking drug arrest. Police arrested the Oscar winner for allegedly trying to buy crack cocaine on the streets of New York City. But what really went down?
And why, when it seemed like Tatum had put her troubles behind her, did she apparently take a turn back down the road to train wreck city?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): In a town full of troubled former child stars, Tatum O`Neal was a true original.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Tatum O`Neal was really the first child star disaster. She was way more screwed up way earlier than Britney or Lindsay ever we are.
HAMMER: And now, O`Neal`s self-described recovery from almost a lifetime drug abuse has been dealt a major, major setback. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you these pictures of Tatum O`Neal the day after her embarrassing arrest on cocaine charges in New York City.
Katie Daryl of TMZ tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the 44-year-old actress looked terrible during her arraignment.
KATIE DARYL, TMZ TV: She looked disheveled. She looked clearly under stress. Her shirt was a little disheveled. She just looked like she really had a very terrible night.
HAMMER: That`s an understatement. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you O`Neal was arrested near her New York City home Sunday night after allegedly buying cocaine, as well as crack, from an alleged dealer.
PIAZZA: It`s like she couldn`t make up her mind. Who gets busted for getting crack and cocaine at the same time?
HAMMER: During her arrest, O`Neal reportedly told police she was researching a move role and begged them to let her go. Now, O`Neal has been released without bail facing a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance. It`s the latest chapter in her very long struggle.
TATUM O`NEAL, FORMER CHILD ACTRESS: Daddy, can we go now. I want to get to church and pray for momma.
HAMMER: Tatum was only 10 years old when she appeared in the film "Paper Moon" with her father Ryan O`Neal in 1973. She won an academy award for the performance, becoming the youngest person ever to win an acting Oscar.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": How did the drug thing start?
O`NEAL: Well, I think it probably started back sometime in the `70s.
HAMMER: In a 2004 interview, O`Neal told Larry King that drugs were a part of her life from an early age.
O`NEAL: It was not just around my father, but it was around where I was growing up. I mean, it was - it`s always been around me. I do not blame him. I started from everyone around me.
HAMMER: As her stardom waned in adulthood, O`Neal`s drug problems continued. In the late 1990s, she said her heroin abuse caused her to lose custody of her three children to her ex-husband, tennis star John McEnroe. But recently, O`Neal appeared to have been getting herself together.
PIAZZA: Finally, in 2004, she got clean. She says she`s been clean and sober since then. In fact, she very recently came out and tried to counsel Britney Spears. It seemed like Tatum had been getting her act together. She appeared on an episode of "Sex in the City." She`s been on the TV show "Rescue Me." She seemed like she had been doing a real good job. There had been no indication that anything was going wrong.
KING: Do you ever fear going back?
O`NEAL: Every day, yes. Every single day.
HAMMER: Still, O`Neal recently told Larry King that the pull of drugs was a constant struggle.
O`NEAL: I think it`s sort of always lurking back, that it`s the answer like I can - there`s this answer in my mind that if I go back to that lifestyle, you know, like a - It`s not answer, I can assure you.
HAMMER: Now, although she`s not expected to face any jail time if convicted of her cocaine charge, it appears O`Neal`s struggle with substance abuse may be far from over.
PIAZZA: You can tell that obviously she`s been going through something very difficult, so if this is indeed the first time she slipped up, it`s a really sad story.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Really sad to see. Tatum O`Neal`s people tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that there will be no comment on her arrest at this time. And reps for her ex-husband, John McEnroe also responded with a no comment. O`Neal is due back in court on July 28. And what`s really sad, as we`ve mentioned, it seemed like Tatum O`Neal had put her struggles behind her.
Joining me tonight in New York, syndicated radio host and psychology expert, Cooper Lawrence. In Hollywood tonight, executive news editor for "E!" Ken Baker.
Cooper, Ken, Tatum O`Neal has struggled with addiction for most of her life. Ken what about you? Were you surprised to hear of her arrest?
KEN, EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR FOR "E!": Well, I think when you look at her professional life, it does come as a surprise because we tend to think, "Oh, they are working. Things are going well for them. Why would they go back to feeding that addiction that they have? But I think that that, while it might seem like that on the surface to be her case, I think lurking behind it when you probe deeper, you find that she was troubled all along.
In fact, I talked to someone today who worked with her on "Dancing with the Stars" two years ago, and she was knocked out in the second round. But they said that, you know, even back then, she was unpredictable. She was definitely someone who didn`t seem fully there and could be spaced out sometimes, things like that. And I think that is just shows that no matter how successful celebrity may be professionally and may seem on the surface, there could be some real demons lurking behind that and that clearly seems to be what happened with her.
HAMMER: Yes, it does seem that way. And when I heard the news of the arrest myself, it seemed to come out of left field. But Cooper, same question basically to you. Did it really come out of left field?
COOPER LAWRENCE, SYNDICATED RADIO HOST AND PSYCHOLOGY EXPERT: Not even a little bit. Fist of all, that`s the life of an addict. That`s how addiction works. It`s constantly, as she said on "LARRY KING," lurking somewhere and just one thing, a very stressful situation or a death or something you can`t cope with, just throws you back into it. That`s why most programs are written in a way that they expect you to relapse at some point.
And I think celebrity makes it even worse for a lot of people because they feel they have so much and when they can`t get it together, the guilt makes it even worse and it feeds itself. It`s like a cycle you can`t get out of.
HAMMER: Right. And I should point out we do not know for sure she`s relapsed back into her addiction. We don`t have the full story of exactly why she was allegedly buying the cocaine and the crack for which she was arrested. And those details, I`m sure, will unfold in the near future, but as we just saw, her career had been getting back on track in the past few years. Everything was looking good. She did "Sex and the City." she appeared on "Rescue Me" recently. We saw her on "Dancing with the Stars."
Cooper, back at you one more time, it seemed like she had been doing well at least professionally, but sort of to the point you were just making, when it comes to addiction in Hollywood, career success does not necessarily equal sobriety, does it?
LAWRENCE: Oh, and also, what you described is not success to somebody who once won an Oscar. The expectations on her at a very early age are still there. Plus, she`s come out and said publicly that she`s had some abuse issues. So obviously she hasn`t resolved that.
And the thing is with her what`s so interesting is other celebrities would send an assistant or somebody to go buy the drugs for them. She went herself, which tells me that that`s part of the ritual, the actual going and buying of even though - allegedly if she did. But the actual going and buying and being part of the process from the very beginning is part of the whole ritual of it, which says that it`s probably psychological and more than just your average everyday run-off-the-mill, garden variety addiction.
HAMMER: Yes. And as you mentioned, she won that Oscar when she was 10. She`s been very candid about her struggle with addiction that started shortly after she won that Oscar and it did take her decades to clean up her act and become hirable again, essentially, in Hollywood and working.
So Ken, moving forward, no matter how this case turns out, whatever the reality is, is this going to get in the way of her working, kind of like what we saw with Lindsay Lohan when nobody in Hollywood wanted to put her on their payroll after she got out of rehab?
BAKER: Well, it could in the short term, but long term, I would just use the example of Robert Downey, Jr. About 10 years ago, this is a guy who was in prison serving a sentence. He had been battling with addiction for a very long time, had several arrests, and I think that look what he`s been able to do. He came back. He`s now has the number one movie in the country right now and his success in this comeback is pretty much complete.
But he still will be the first to tell you that he struggles with addiction on a daily basis. And also he`ll be the first to tell you that yes, at first no one wanted to hire him. It was very difficult for him, but he eventually did come back and the same could be true for her. She just obviously has a lot of - apparently has a lot of personal problems she does have to deal with before she can even think about getting back to work.
HAMMER: And as we heard her tell Larry King, it is something, a fear that she deals with every day falling back into it. Ken Baker, Cooper Lawrence, I thank you both for being here tonight.
All right. Moving on now, Brooke, I`ve got to tell you. I just don`t get it. Every time I think that Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards and Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger are done fighting, they go at it again and again.
ANDERSON: I know, I know. Why can`t they just give it a rest, A.J.?
HAMMER: Brooke, that`s one of the great mysteries of the universe. Well, tonight, I`ve got explosive new developments. Denise takes her fight to her new reality TV show. Alec Baldwin has got shocking words about his ex, sex and her lawyers. Why can`t everyone just zip it, please. That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH JESSICA PARKER, ACTRESS: We got very privileged to make the movie so this is beyond, really, our wildest dreams.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Sex sells big time. I knew "Sex and the City" movie was going to do well but I couldn`t have guessed how much it would rock the box office. Tonight, I`ve got a revealing look at how it happened, plus this controversial question - is this a dramatic wake-up call to Hollywood that women over 40 can be super-sexy and make loads of cash? That is straight ahead.
And Johniston, Simpsomo, Gyllenspoon - they are the hottest couples in Hollywood, but I want to know, what do they really have in common and will they last? That`s next. You don`t want to miss it.
ANDERSON: Simpsomo? Who comes up with that stuff? But first, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time because we`re posting new stuff for you to check out all the time. Just go to our Web site at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos you can catch playing right now, "Hogan Backlash: Outrage over recorded jailhouse phone calls to hulk Hogan`s son." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, the most intriguing star couples. They say that when it comes to love, opposites attract and that rule definitely seems to hold true in Hollywood these days, from Johniston and Gyllenspoon to Simpsomo and Hudstrong, are the latest hot celebrity couple mismatches made in heaven?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is "Extra" correspondent Tanika Ray, and in Miami, bad boy Steve Santagati of AskSteveSantagati.com, and author of this book "The Manual."
OK. Tanika, Steve, I wasn`t speaking another language there. Those are just the name combinations, the nicknames that we like to use for these couples.
TANIKA RAY, "EXTRA CORRESPONDENT": I have another one.
ANDERSON: And do I want to start with a pair that`s been making the - what`s the new one?
RAY: Tanikagati. We are the most odd couple ever. Hey, Steve.
ANDERSON: Tanikagati, I like that. I`ll let you sign off like that tonight. And I do want to go back and start with one couple, you know, that`s really been making the tabloid rounds lately, Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer - or Johniston.
RAY: Yes.
ANDERSON: You know, Jen hasn`t found true love since Brad Pitt, while John is a bad boy who`s left a slew of broken hearts in his wake. Steve, can this relationship last, or will Jen be another notch in John`s belt.
STEVE SANTAGATI, ASKSTEVESANTAGATI.COM: She`s a little bit more than a notch, but it will never work.
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: Three or four notches for her basically.
SANTAGATI: Exactly. No matter what I say, no matter what I put in print, no matter what I say on television, Jen does not listen. She likes bad boys but she doesn`t know how to tame them or keep them under control. She`s got to move as far away from bad boys as she can. This will never work. Jen, just stop. Go out with a good guy.
RAY: It`s not like she`s looking to get married. What if she wants to have some fun? John Mayer has obviously proven he`s a fun bad boy.
SANTAGATI: No. That`s fine, Tanika -
ANDERSON: Yes.
SANTAGATI: That`s fine, but it seems to me Jen is, you know, getting older. She`s going to want to settle down and have kids. And it seems like she was really heartbroken after Brad, so I`m assuming that she doesn`t want to just fool around and have a bunch of one-night stands or be a serial monogamist, OK? Other than that, maybe - you know.
RAY: It`s definitely not a one-night stand.
ANDERSON: You seem very, very different. You talk about age. Besides being nine years older than John, Jen is famously press shy while John likes to chat up reporters, even writes a personal blog.
RAY: Yes.
ANDERSON: Tanika, what is the attraction here? Is it a relationship where opposites attract?
RAY: Yes, I think it is, and I think Jen is really intrigued by the fact that he`s so vocal and so non-press shy and talks about his relationships.
SANTAGATI: He`s a singer.
RAY: Look - and he`s a singer.
SANTAGATI: Of course he`s vocal.
RAY: He`s going to sing to her. Maybe even her body is a wonderland, we`ll find out. Here`s the thing, Jen has been with other guys that we`ve all thought didn`t make sense, like Adam Duritz from the Counting Crows. We`re like, huh? Tate Donovan - what? What`s going on? Brad Pitt was the only one that we thought fit with her. But who is to say what her type is? I think she`s a girl that loves creative men, who are a little outside of the fray, and John Mayer is perfectly that.
ANDERSON: Yes, sometimes ...
RAY: I think he`s also super hot with his new hair cut. Come on.
ANDERSON: He is.
RAY: Super el fuego.
ANDERSON: And you know, sometimes relationships are inexplicable. But if there`s a connection, chemistry, why not? All right.
RAY: Exactly.
ANDERSON: Another intriguing couple that has us scratching our heads is Simpsomo - Jessica Simpson. You know, she`s always zoned out when her ex-hubby Nick Lachey watched sports as we saw in the reality show. But now, she`s dating Tony Romo, quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.
RAY: Yes.
ANDERSON: Steve, what`s she thinking here?
SANTAGATI: I don`t think it`s a big surprise. Imagine being Jessica Simpson for two seconds and you can literally turn on the TV and go, "I`ll have that."
RAY: Yes.
SANTAGATI: She`s probably sitting there with Nick looking over at Nick, "You know, that guy looks cute in these football pants there," you know what I mean? She`s looking at their bums and then she`s like, "Well, Nick, bye. Hello, Tony. Yes, I was watching you play so and so."
RAY: Well, Nick - Nick is watching this from the couch.
ANDERSON: And you know, those uniforms -
RAY: Tony is in the game.
ANDERSON: And those uniforms, like you say, Steve, they leave little to the imagination and maybe she`s into "Sports Center" these days, who knows?
SANTAGATI: Apparently.
ANDERSON: Moving on, now. We`re running out of time, guys. Another athlete, Lance Armstrong, has hooked up with his pal Owen Wilson`s ex Kate Hudson to create Hudstrong. OK. Talk about an odd couple, he`s a world class cyclist. She`s a free spirited hippie chick. Steve - no, Tanika, I`ll throw this one to you. What could they possibly have in common besides Owen Wilson?
RAY: Well, she`s perfect for him. I don`t know if you`ve been keeping score but Lance loves blond girls with really nice bodies. Kind of works. She kind of fits in line behind Tori(ph) Birch and the last blonde and the last blonde and the last blond. So they both are really active. They like to be on their bicycles, so it does kind of work. We`ve seen Kate Hudson a lot out there, working outside so I can see the combination. But once they do a triathlon or marathon, he`s going to dump her. So, Kate, enjoy it while it lasts. You know how that works, right, Santagati?
ANDERSON: And as you say, this is one person we know - we know what type of type he likes. That is one person we can say that about.
And last but not least, Gyllenspoon seems to be going strong - Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal. They seem like a great fit, but here`s what I want to know. Steve, Jake has never been married, no children. Reese, at a different stage in her life - divorced mother of two kids. Why does this work?
SANTAGATI: I think that Jake is like watching paint dry sometimes and Reese -
RAY: Don`t be a hater, Santagati.
SANTAGATI: And Reese seems - I`m not a hater. And Reese seems like she`s really a control freak and like she wants order and this is what she`s doing. She`s very good in her professional life and I think that Jake was just willing to come in there and be a support team. And I wonder in that relationship who wears the pants? So maybe that relationship ...
RAY: Reese.
SANTAGATI: ... is not that big of a surprise after all. I don`t know both of them. I love them but you know what I mean.
ANDERSON: I think a lot of us women can have a controlling side. I`d like to call it (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
SANTAGATI: Oh, you do like some of us.
ANDERSON: OK. What are we going to say. Tanikagati -
RAY: Why did you have to get him started?
ANDERSON: Thank you both. Thanks, guys.
SANTAGATI: Thanks, Brooke.
RAY: Bye.
HAMMER: Well, I hope all of those couples make it. We know how ugly that the breakups can be in Hollywood. In fact, there are two couples in particular that immediately come to mind because they are still fighting. I`m talking Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards, Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger. I`ve got explosive new developments about the nastiest splits in Hollywood. But I`ve just got to ask why don`t they just shut up? Bitter party of four, your table is ready. That`s coming up.
And late-breaking news, a stunning move by Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick. He`s behind bars, of course, for nearly killing his friend in a car accident. Tonight, he`s asking to be let out of jail. Unbelievable. You`ve got to hear this, coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (on camera): Is it the end of "Sex and the City"? What`s your gut tell you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, I`ll say this now. I bet the suits are trying to find any way to come up with a "Sex and the City" sequel. It had a tremendous opening weekend, so tonight I`m investigating is this a big-time wakeup call to Hollywood that women over 40 can be sexy and make money? That`s coming up.
HAMMER: But first, we want to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. We want to know - "`Sex and the City` Movie: Was it worth the wait?"
You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight, dramatic late-breaking developments involving Hulk Hogan`s son who is currently serving eight months behind bars for nearly killing his best friend in that horrific car crash. Now, I can tell you that his attorneys have filed a motion stating that Nick is wrongfully being held in isolated lockdown because he`s a, quote, "non-violent, first- time offender with no juvenile record.
Well, his attorneys are actually looking to spring him and place him under house arrest. I`ve got to tell you, I think this is unbelievable because, of course, just last week there was always kinds of outrage when shocking jailhouse recordings of Nick and his parents were released.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
NICK BOLLEA, HULK HOGAN`S SON: I would do anything to get out of this room.
LINDA BOLLEA, NICK BOLLEA`S MOTHER: I know. Imprisoning you by yourself is almost beyond what you deserve, don`t you think?
N. BOLLEA: Yes.
L. BOLLEA: I mean solitary confinement is what they do to, like, what, "triple X" criminals? I mean, you know, it`s like, for a car accident?"
N. BOLLEA: I want to go outside. I just want to breathe fresh air.
(END AUDIO CLIP) N
HAMMER: Well, John Graziano, of course, is the guy who remains in a semi-comatose state that Nick nearly killed. And his family now tells us they are going to fight this motion to get Nick out, quote, "with every fiber of their being." And I`ve got to say, Brooke, I don`t know if Nick should be in solitary confinement or not, but I definitely think he should be behind bars.
ANDERSON: Yes. You know, I completely agree with you, A.J., and they are very lucky that more people didn`t get hurt.
HAMMER: No question about that. All right. Moving on, dramatic new developments tonight in the nastiest Hollywood splits. Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen, Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger. I mean, why can`t they just zip it already? That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARKER: We felt very privileged to make the movie so this is beyond our - really our wildest dreams.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Sex sells big time. I knew the "Sex and the City" movie was going to do well, but I never would have guessed how much it would rock the box office. Is this a dramatic wake-up call to Hollywood that women over 40 can be super sexy and make loads of cash? Coming up.
HAMMER: And Lindsay Lohan`s dramatic emergency room visit. You have got to hear the startling reason why she almost avoided getting treatment.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, bitter party of four. Explosive new developments in Hollywood`s two ugliest divorces. Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards and Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger. And the question SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just has to ask, why won`t they all just give it a rest and zip it?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARKER: We felt very privileged to make the movie so this is beyond our - really, our wildest dreams.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The "Sex and the City" movie is huge. Carrie and company raked in millions in ticket sales. Now, the burning question - will there be a sequel? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is talking sex.
(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.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, bitter party of four. Explosive new developments in Hollywood`s two ugliest divorces, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards and Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger. Charlie Sheen is a newlywed once again, after getting married over the weekend. But his ex, Denise Richards, is still trying to set the record straight about their nasty divorce.
And Alec Baldwin takes a swipe at his ex, Kim Basinger saying some very nasty things all about her in his new book which is about divorce and the court system. Are these ugly battle ever going to end? Tonight it`s a special report, bitter party four.
With me tonight, our party of three beginning with author and syndicated radio host, Cooper Lawrence. From Miami, it`s Steve Santagati of AskSteveSantagati.com. He`s also the author of "The Manual." And from Hollywood, Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations.
All right, gang, the table has been set for our first bitter couple, Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen. Denise going just ballistic on a brand new reality show called "It`s Complicated." Now, on it she completely loses it on this tabloid journalist. Denise feels the writer did her wrong in her coverage of the divorce and in her relationship with Richie Sambora. Watch Denise in action here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: You did a 17-page confession, not about your confessions but you confessed everything that your ex-husband did.
RICHARDS: But I didn`t do a confession to a tabloid. I did a confession to a judge and with my lawyer, and it`s unfortunate that that stuff is not private. Sometimes -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: And you didn`t -
RICHARDS: I`m talking. No, it becomes public record - 17-page document was filed with the court.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Yes.
RICHARDS: So you ask your people who get that information, OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: It`s working really well for you.
RICHARDS: And tipping off the paparazzi, (EXPLETIVE DELETED) ticked off Richie and I. Do your (EXPLETIVE DELETED) homework, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(EXPLETIVE DELETED)
HAMMER: I`m hearing just a little bit of bitterness there. Denise, by the way, defending the court document where she accuses Charlie of several things including being addicted to porn on the Internet. Howard Bragman, do you think Denise Richards really thinks that personally attacking this woman and showing it on her reality show is better than just keeping her mouth shut?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: You know, we have a saying in PR, you don`t go to war with people who buy ink by the barrel, A.J.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRAGMAN: I think it`s a big mistake to attack press. She needs the press to like her. She`s in a battle and this is not what I would call a winning PR strategy right here.
HAMMER: No, I don`t think so at all. And we are now seeing the second of two episodes of Denise`s reality show. And, again, the reality show for her - and this is what she told me - it`s all about setting the record straight about her nasty divorce and when she dated Richie Sambora. Cooper, it seems to me that she`s really just digging herself a much deeper hole rather than painting a better picture of herself, doesn`t it?
LAWRENCE: Yes. She absolutely is. I mean it`s so odd that she would be bragging about this television show she`s doing it because doesn`t make her look good. I mean the thing is she`s been trying this whole situation in the press and she really cares when we think. So you would think she could get on her show and being likable and sweet. And I mean, we`re seeing sides of her that are even more un-likable. So now, we`re more apt to believe Charlie`s side and not hers.
HAMMER: Yes.
LAWRENCE: Yes. It`s working again.
HAMMER: I was really surprised to see that particular scene, that confrontation between she and the reporter, just seemed out of character for what Denise sort of promised from the show and how we would see her in a new light. And also in this episode, more press - Denise gives an interview to "Redbook" magazine. Now, this is an interview that`s featured on newsstands right now.
And once again, Denise seems to shoot herself in the foot. Here`s what the interviewer asks, quote, "Is part of your goal with your reality show to show the world your other side?" Denise`s answer? "This show is a great opportunity for people to see me for who I am. And if they want to say, `She`s still that (EXPLETIVE DELETED) that stole someone`s husband,` then so be it. At least they`ll say, she`s that (EXPLETIVE DELETED) that stole someone`s husband, but she likes dogs and has three pot-bellied pigs."
All right. Steve, I don`t know about you, but the more we hear from Denise Richards, the more bitter she sounds to me.
SANTAGATI: Am the only one that`s not seeing this? She`s showing her true colors. We all know that there is nothing about setting the record straight built into reality television. It`s for one reason only, get ratings, do the most outrageous thing you can. Show off, act like a jerk, look like a train wreck and make people watch you.
We want to watch her because she`s miserable and when she said that to the reporter about leaking those court documents, it was in her mind, I imagine, and the producer`s minds, it was a thing like, "OK. Wait until you get ratings on this." She`s going to be irate. She`s going to have that, quote, unquote, "quintessential reality moment" where she screams. And people are going to be like, "Oh, this is really cool." The bottom line is though she showed who she was and like Howard said, it`s a bad PR move. You`ve got to know whose hand to bite and that definitely wasn`t the one to bite. I think that Charlie Sheen is as bad as he is. I don`t know, I smell a rat here. It`s a female.
HAMMER: Well, you know - that`s a female. Speaking from personal experience. But you know, the truth is if she says she`s setting the record straight about who she really is and this is who she really is, then so be it. I guess we now know.
Not, of course, just Denise who is just whining here in this situation because her ex Charlie Sheen - he just got re-married. So everybody thought that was a sign he was moving on. In fact Denise told me she hoped he would be doing that. Instead, he recently released bitter statements bashing Denise for her recent behavior. Howard, is it too much to hope that now Charlie is re-married, he`ll focus his attention on his new wife on not his ex?
I should say something outrageous. I think Charlie should look to K- Fed as a great example of how to handle a split.
HAMMER: Wow.
BRAGMAN: You know, K-Fed has not trashed his ex-wife, he`s been a great father and, you know, when your opponent is looking at outrageous as Denise is here, all you`ve got to do is shut your mouth, Charlie.
SANTAGATI: Exactly.
BRAGMAN: Behave and you`ll look like a very rational guy compared to her.
HAMMER: We`ve got to move on to our next bitter battle, Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger`s nasty divorce and custody battle which exploded last year. Of course, when Alec left that nasty voice mail for his young daughter, calling her among other things, a rude, thoughtless little pig.
Now, Alec is writing a book, about the family court system. In it, he takes a nasty swipe at Kim. He says, "My ex-wife, Kim Basinger, reaches an almost sexual level of satisfaction when she`s in a room full of high- priced lawyers."
Alec says this book is an attack on the family court system. I know he`s had a really hard time. It`s been difficult to seem him go through it. But, Cooper, doesn`t this quote just point out how bitter Alec still remains?
LAWRENCE: I think that his book should just be that quote. I think that was probably his intention, but he had to put a book around it. I think that was his whole idea, that he can`t come out and snipe at her because they are still battling and this whole thing is still going on. He`s already coming across really un-likable especially after yelling at his young daughter.
But again, you know, publicity, ratings - you know, he`s looking to get back in our good graces.
SANTAGATI: Come on, Coop.
LAWRENCE: What?
SANTAGATI: Come on, Coop. You`re - don`t "what" me like that, I`ll come over there. Listen -
LAWRENCE: I can take it.
SANTAGATI: Listen, I think we`re missing the point here. I don`t know if anybody else is watching television but the courts are really set up for women. I`m not saying men are great. I`m not saying men are innocent but I think that Alec Baldwin`s actions are clear. He`s frustrated by the court system in a lot of ways. If you show any anger in a court situation or towards your wife, are you going to be construed as a bad father, an unfit parent and the courts and the lawyers that are involved as far as -
LAWRENCE: He`s not an angry person at all. Yes, he`s not even a little bit angry. You`re right.
SANTAGATI: Hold on. Hold on. As far as I`m concerned, the lawyers and the judges, if they want to get involved at end of the relationship, then they have to get involved at the beginning of the relationship. And they have to stay there, in the kitchen, in the car, in the in the bedroom, every second. Otherwise, keep your mouths shut, lawyers and judges, and let the people work it out. Or don`t get married at all.
HAMMER: I going to have to actually end it right there. And Howard Bragman, I wanted to get you in, but I`m not going to be able to.
SANTAGATI: Sorry, Howard.
HAMMER: Steve Santagati, Cooper Lawrence, Howard Bragman, I do appreciate you being with us tonight.
Well, Brooke, obviously, a huge weekend for the "Sex and the City" movie.
ANDERSON: A.J., it really was gigantic - more than $55 million in ticket sales. And, you know, I think everybody was surprised by how many women were dying to see this movie. And now, there`s just one question, and, A.J., I know you asked it.
HAMMER: Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera): Is it the end of "Sex and the City"? What`s your gut tell you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Coming up next, we are talking sex. I was one of the handful of guys who actually saw and liked the movie but does this huge opening weekend mean there will be a sequel? And how did Carrie and company pull off the biggest opening ever for an R-rated comedy? That is just ahead.
ANDERSON: Also, Angelina Jolie and her father John Voigt have been estranged for years. I think it`s really sad how strained their relationship has been. But now, there may have been a turning point. We`re going to tell you what Jon`s rep told us about how he and Angelina are doing, straight ahead.
HAMMER: Also, Lindsay Lohan rushed to the emergency room. Now originally, her rep said that she was going to the hospital to visit a friend. But now we`re finding out the truth behind her trip to the ER. You won`t want to miss that. It is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And remember you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time. We`re posting new stuff for you to check out all the time on our Web site, which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Among the videos that are playing right now, "Hogan Backlash: Outrage over recorded jailhouse phone calls to hulk Hogan`s son."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS NOTH, ACTOR: Should we get you a diamond?
PARKER: No. Just give me a really big closet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: "Sex and the City" is back in a big way. The movie broke box office records making more than $55 million in just three days.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, the power of sex. "Sex and the City" movie did exactly what it set out to do and then some proving once and for all that women rule.
The movie created arguably the biggest box office social event of the year. I mean, fans pulled out all the stops and true sex fashion. Some even dressed like the cast and many more plan to see it with huge groups of friends. Now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask how did they do it and can they phenomenon keep the fire burning for a sequel?
With us tonight from Hollywood "extra" correspondent Tanika Ray. Also in Hollywood, Kim Serafin, senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." Kim, Tanika, welcome to you, both.
And we`re hearing stories that women were showing up at the movie theaters dressed to the nines with cosmos in hand. I`ve got to ask, Tanika, why the mania because it really has been mania?
RAY: Well, you`re asking the right person. I`ve been predicting this since the show went off the air, I said - and I actually take a partial credit for the movie coming out. I`ve been begging and praying really, really hard and I told SJP five years ago, please make a move. Everybody wants this. It`s the only thing out there for us. We, women, have nothing else that really speaks to us on such a visceral level. So I knew this move was going to be huge. Actually, I`m surprised it didn`t make $100 million but this is thing. Women, see, have to get a baby-sitter, get their husbands and distract them with a baseball or football game. So I understand why the numbers are 55. I really do think it`s going to get higher and higher because I am going to go see it again tonight.
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I think a lot of people are going to see it two or three times.
ANDERSON: Did you go with a Cosmo in hand? Did you go with a Cosmo in hand, Miss Tanika Ray?
RAY: It was a press screening and a flask in my purse.
ANDERSON: You are so funny. Well, I`m glad you enjoyed yourself. And you know, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Sarah Jessica Parker at the MTV Movie Awards and found out what she thought of the movie`s box office success. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARKER: We feel lucky. We never dreamed of this. We felt very privileged to make the movie, so this is beyond our - really, our wildest dreams.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, they are overjoyed by the success. But should anyone really be surprised here because this was, as Tanika mentioned, a successful sitcom with millions of fans? Kim, wouldn`t it make sense that it would do this well at the theaters?
SERAFIN: Definitely. I`m with Tanika. I always knew it`s going to be a huge success. But it`s true when you read, I think, the "Variety" article today, it says, film executives and studio executives were mystified by this $55 million performance because there were a lot of predictions. Oh, men are not going to see it. Oh, it`s only the rabid fan base that`s going to go see it.
I knew this would be a cultural hit. I mean if you think about how many things - you just talked about cosmos. How many things became popular because of this series?
RAY: Yes.
SERAFIN: There are probably people who hadn`t been to New York, couldn`t wait to get there because they wanted to try Magnolia Bakery, you know, when they were visiting a Magnolia Bakery cupcake. Or go to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) or new with Manolos because of "Sex in the City."
I mean the brands that this show sort of started and the things like cosmos. I mean if I knew this would be a huge success because even if you watched "Sex and the City" you knew what a Manolo Blahnik was because you heard about the girls wearing them on "Sex and the City."
RAY: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Right. It really established a lot of trends but nobody did predict this massive success, a moderate success, really, because it was truly beyond imagination.
RAY: Brooke -
ANDERSON: And a few critics had said that - yes, a few critics, Tanika, that this was all hype, no substance. But Tanika, do you think they are eating their words right now?
RAY: Yes.
ANDERSON: Or will the hype of the first weekend fade a little bit?
RAY: No. Here`s the deal. I saw the move a month ago and everyone kept saying, come on, was it that good? Like, it was fantastic. All these reviews coming out, one star out of five. They are all called haters and I happen to think they are all men who are bitter. Because they all - you know, yes, "Indy" making all this money. but this is a movie that speaks to women. And we are a powerful bunch with lots of money to spend at the movie theater.
So it`s a big wake-up call for the studio heads out there. They made $55 million, more than any other chick flick ever. They need to pay attention that. We`re here waiting to see some great movies that speak to us. So make some more, please.
ANDERSON: Well, and you know, there is a bit of a women rule factor to this story. You know, what is it about these women? They are all over 40. They are hugely successful. Kim, do you think this is a wake-up call to the Hollywood big wigs that leading women can be sexy and successful at over 40 and well beyond? Very quickly.
SERAFIN: I think so, yes, but I think they have to be careful not to rush out and just make some movie with any women over 40 ...
ANDERSON: True.
SERAFIN: ... when they had all those "Friends" spin-offs, all those sitcoms about, you know, young people living in Manhattan, sharing an apartment and they all did horrible. So I think they have to be these identifiable characters like Carrie, like Miranda ...
ANDERSON: I agree.
SERAFIN: ... like people that we love and know.
ANDERSON: Yes. And you know, the big question on everybody`s mind now is will there be a sequel and we asked Sarah Jessica Parker and listen to what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARKER: My gut tells me it`s up to you and your colleagues and the critics and the people who show up. We haven`t thought about the future. I mean, doing this was more than we could ever have asked for, so anything beyond that is real kind of out of our hands.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tanika, you think - 10 seconds -it should be automatic that they will make a sequel?
RAY: Absolutely and I`ve been asking them this since the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a month ago. And I said I made them all commit to me verbally that they would all do it and they`re all in. So I think we`re going to have a sequel, two, three, four, five, six, seven. I`ll be there with cosmos in hand.
ANDERSON: All because of you. Thank you, Dear. Tanika Ray and Kim Serafin, good to see you both.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "`Sex and the City` Movie: Was it worth the wait?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: Here are some more stories that are new right now. Kelsey Grammer had a heart attack. Now, his rep tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Grammer suffered a mild heart attack on Saturday. He is now resting in a hospital in Hawaii. He should be released early this week.
Angelina Jolie and her dad may be on the road to mending their relationship. Australia`s "Sydney Morning Herald" quotes Angelina as shying she and her father Jon Voigt have spoken recently and are trying to get to know each other again after years of estrangement. Well, we talked to Voigt`s rep who tells us he and Angelina are back in touch in a very loving way, and Jon has never felt better.
And Lindsay Lohan makes a trip to the emergency room because of an asthma attack. Now, Dina Lohan tells "People" magazine that Lindsay was actually afraid to go to the hospital with her friend Samantha Ronson, because she knew the tabloids would write about it.
Dina says it`s really sad when your mother can`t even take you to the hospital without the paparazzi making up some stories.
ANDERSON: There was something in the air at the MTV Movie Awards, but was it really marijuana smoke? Seth Rogan and James Franco really stirred things up when they pulled out a bag of what looked like weed live on stage. But there`s more to this story than meets eye. I`ve got a scoop for you, next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT by downloading our podcast. The podcast won`t cost you a penny, it`s free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our Web site. Just surf on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes by typing "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Well, there was a bit of a joint effort at the MTV Movie Awards that has some people thinking MTV made a big mistake. I`m talking about Seth Rogan and James Franco presenting the award for Best Summer Movie So Far. Now Rogan and Franco play stoners in the upcoming movie "Pineapple Express" and there was kind of a theme to their presentation. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES FRANCO, ACTOR: MTV said only two potheads like us would be crazy enough to present such a ridiculous award.
SETH ROGEN, ACTOR: But in reality, we`re not potheads at all. We don`t even smoke weed in real life.
FRANCO: Exactly, like on the set of "Pineapple Express." We didn`t actually smoke weed. It was all fake weed.
ROGEN: It was, like this big huge bag of weed right here. This is not weed.
FRANCO: This huge fatty joint right here isn`t actually a huge fatty joint.
ROGEN: No, and this lighter is not a real lighter.
(CHEERS)
And we`re not really smoking a big joint from this big bag of fake weed on live television right this second.
(CHEERS)
FRANCO: And this isn`t really good.
(AUDIO BREAK)
ROGEN: It`s not really, really good weed all. It`s totally fake.
FRANCO: So kids don`t really smoke fake weed like this.
ROGEN: And here are the nominees for Best Summer Movies So Far.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You might have noticed the cameras pulled away as soon as they started smoking whatever it was in that bag. Back stage, Franco said MTV wrote the whole bit and even gave them the fake joint. And then there was a last-minute change of heart about whether it was appropriate and that`s why the cameras went wide. He says he thinks it kind of killed the joke.
By the way, "Iron Man" won for Best Summer Movie So Far and "Iron Man`s" star Robert Downey, Jr. thanks the guys for their intoxicating introduction.
HAMMER: Yes, a little ironic there, Brooke.
That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York and Brooke, it`s great to have you back.
ANDERSON: Thanks. It`s great to be back, A.J. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
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