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Showbiz Tonight
Wild and Crazy Stories About the Brangelina Twins; Ed McMahon to be Kicked Out of His House?; The Outrage over Nick Bollea and His Parents; Jamie Lynn Spears` Stalker Scare; Kathie Lee Gifford Opens Up on Marriage and Cheating
Aired June 05, 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 stalker scare for a very pregnant Jamie Lynn Spears. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And Kathie Lee Gifford`s shocking statements on marriage and cheating. I`m Brooke Anderson.
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now. On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the absolute frenzy over Angelina Jolie`s pregnancy. A major entertainment show wrongly reports Angelina had her twins. But hold on, where did that come from?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": It`s a lot of egg on their face that they bungled that one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT blows the lid off the wild, crazy and just plain ridiculously wrong stories about the Brangelina twins.
Hogan family fury. The brand new unbelievable outrage over Hulk Hogan`s son in jail for the crash that nearly killed his friend. Tonight the revealing reasons why people are so fired up about this. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates, "Hulk Mania Running Wild."
Plus, the mind-boggling revelation that Ed McMahon is in danger of losing his beloved home. How in the world did that happen?
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Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood with "Hulk Mania Gone Wild," the brand new outrage over the Hogan family jail drama.
And wait until you hear what Kathie Lee Gifford is saying about husbands who cheat on their wives, because I`m betting a lot of women who hear this are definitely going to say are, you kidding me? That`s coming up.
HAMMER: But first, the Brangelina baby frenzy. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now tell you that the obsession with the twins that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are having may have gotten out of control.
There are now brand new developments surrounding two huge stories about Angelina that turned out to be not exactly what we first thought. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the breaking details as we reveal what is making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PIAZZA: These are obviously the most important babies of all time. I mean they`re like babies with a capital B.
HAMMER (voice over): Ever since the word learned that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt would be having twins, it seems that everyone has been tripping over themselves trying to get every single detail of this star couple`s pregnancy.
KATIE DARYL, TMZ TV: It`s the big money. This is a big deal for whoever gets to say, "Boo! We said it first."
HAMMER: But now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the quest for Brangelina baby news has both left "Entertainment Tonight" and "Star" magazine with some serious egg on their faces after their Brangelina baby boo-boos. Jolie, Pitt and their kids reportedly are holed up in this villa in the south of France where Jolie has hinted she plans to give birth in August.
But last Friday morning, "Entertainment Tonight" posted on its Web site a shocking story, that Angelina Jolie had given birth to her twins that day. And that night on the show, "E.T." led with the report.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE NEWS REPORTER: The sources say she was inside the delivery room, tells us yes the babies were born and yes, mother and babies are fine.
HAMMER: One small problem, "E.T.`s" source allegedly was an impostor.
PIAZZA: It was a person claiming to be one of Angelina Jolie`s assistants that was sending around bogus tips.
HAMMER: The Associated Press is now reporting in the hours before Friday night`s broadcast, Jolie`s real assistant repeatedly warned "E.T." of an impostor spreading false information.
But in the statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, an "E.T." spokesperson says, "The first time `Entertainment Tonight` was notified about an alleged impostor was Monday, June 2nd, when an attorney for Angelina Jolie informed us that an individual has been impersonating Ms. Jolie`s assistant.
Jo Piazza of the "New York Daily News" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT many media outlets, including her own, did get a warning alert from Jolie`s people on Friday.
PIAZZA: It said, "Please beware. There`s someone impersonating my client`s assistant, sending out bogus tips about the birth of her twins. Please don`t use any of this information. It`s not true."
HAMMER: "Entertainment Tonight" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they are working to investigate the alleged impostor. A spokesperson says, quote, "`E.T.` would never knowingly go on the air and report a story if we were told that the source was either false or unreliable. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are friends of `Entertainment Tonight.` We wish them and their children well. We are waiting to see how this story plays out."
PIAZZA: I think it`s a lot of egg on their face that they bungled this one.
HAMMER: But there`s plenty of egg to go around. "Star" magazine is taking serious heat for this cover photo of a very pregnant Angelina Jolie on the beach with Brad Pitt.
DARYL: "Star" magazine this week has a photograph on the cover saying that it was just taken recently and Angelina Jolie - she`s collapsed, the babies were in danger.
HAMMER: But TMZ took a closer look at the full uncropped photo and TMZ`s Katie Daryl tells us her colleagues noticed one small problem.
DARYL: It was actually Angelina Jolie not falling down, but getting up and the men were helping her because they`re gentlemen.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you this photo taken moments before the one on "Star`s" cover. As you can see it clearly shows Jolie had been sitting down.
PIAZZA: She`s eight months pregnant. It would be weird if she could stand up on her own.
HAMMER: In the statement, "Star" magazine tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Our story on Angelina`s collapse stands for itself. We clearly say in our story that Angelina collapsed at home, and we caption the picture by saying she was being helped up during a stroll on the beach with Brad, their kids and The Edge."
Still, some are saying, "Star" crossed the line with the cover.
DARYL: "Star" magazine is smart. They know that Brad and Angie stories make big money. But unfortunately, they`re definitely misleading their readers.
HAMMER: It just goes to show you when it comes to the Brangelina baby news sweepstakes, anything goes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I want to let you know that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to Jolie and Pitt`s representatives for a comment on "Star" magazine`s report Jolie had collapsed at home. And as of show time, they have not responded. So has the obsession with the Brangelina babies just gone way too far?
Joining me tonight in New York, Carolina Bermudez, the senior editor of "In Touch Weekly." Also tonight in New York, Maggie Gallant, the founder of Spotlight Communications.
So Maggie, Carolina, we`ve got all this controversy swirling around over both "Entertainment Tonight`s" report about Jolie giving birth and then the "Star" magazine with their controversial cover. I`d have to think with this going on that in the insane competition to report on Jolie`s pregnancy and every little fact, more wild stories are going to be coming out. Maggie, should we be troubled by this?
MAGGIE GALLANT, SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS: Well, what`s really troubling is the pressure that these celebrity weeklies have to get the scoop. There is so much pressure because the biggest stories of the year, any editor will tell you, are weddings and babies. And when you have a megastar like Brad Pitt combined with a megastar of Angelina Jolie, those babies - that`s going to be front page cover story news. And there`s a lot of pressure to get that scoop.
HAMMER: Yes. I think you just hit the nail on the head. Maybe, Carolina, you can elaborate and spell it out for us a little more as to exactly why people are just so obsessed with the Brangelina twins?
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": It`s almost bizarre at this point because they`re not heirs to a throne. These babies are just the children of two Hollywood actors that are pretty hot, and everybody is going bananas over it. It is all about exclusivity. People want to see these children and if they`re as cute as Shiloh. I know there are a lot of men out there that are going to have the countdown clock to their 18th birthday. So people just want to see these babies, and it`s getting pretty crazy.
HAMMER: Not heirs to a throne. You know, I`ve got to tell you, Carolina, I think that people would beg to differ with that statement.
BERMUDEZ: Right. Exactly.
HAMMER: So we know that when Angelina gave birth to her first child with Brad - of course, that`s Shiloh - those first pictures, remember when that frenzy was going on? They reportedly sold for about $4 million. The speculation that is going on now about photos of the twins, the first pictures, they could fetch as much as $15 million. Maggie, I got to tell you, I just think this is nuts!
GALLANT: It is!
HAMMER: Is there anything that can justify this kind of money. It just doesn`t make any sense to me.
GALLANT: Well, the two things that justify this kind of price tag is a huge bump in subscriptions and newsstand purchases. But also, the bragging rights of being able to "We`re the magazine that the celebrities choose to tell their story in." And that means, a great deal to these celebrity publications that have major competition.
HAMMER: And they really see the return on that investment. I mean $15 million - come on.
GALLANT: Well, I think a lot of people too, A.J., are going to look for these pictures because they`ve heard about this huge price tag. They`re not just wanting to see these pictures because of who the babies are but also because this is a picture that`s worth $15 million.
HAMMER: Yes. So basically the hype feeds the hype, I guess.
GALLANT: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Carolina, I know it`s two babies this time. I`ve done the math on this whole thing. But maybe you can explain to me and our viewers how Brangelina went from $4 million to $15 million. Did the stock of Angelina and Brad or Angelina herself actually go up? Or is this really just a sign of how crazy this obsession has become?
BERMUDEZ: It`s definitely a sign. I mean these guys are living their lives just as they would any other day. They`re filming their movies, Angelina`s doing humanitarian projects. They haven`t changed a thing. People are insane about these babies, and it`s all about big business.
Maggie was right on the money - exclusivity, bragging rights. People want to beat first to give you those pictures and that`s also going to help their reputation in the future to get the next messiah baby that`s going to come from another actor.
HAMMER: Well, it`s funny you say they`re just living their lives. Can you imagine for a moment trying to put yourselves in the minds of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, you are just living your lives, whatever that extraordinary life may be like. And all of this is going on around you. Can you just imagine for a moment what that must be like, seeing all the crazy stuff, the bidding war already in progress without the babies being born, all this wild announcements that they have been born. Maggie, there is really nothing that can stop this train, is there?
GALLANT: I don`t really think there is, and it`s definitely not going to happen anytime soon. And in terms of imagining their life, I think that`s part of what feeds this frenzy, is that their lifestyle is so beyond what any of us experience on a daily basis. They choppered in to check out properties in France. I mean, most of us are driving around in the neighborhood. These are people that have nothing to do with us and we`re fascinated by it.
BERMUDEZ: Oh, but come on, Maggie, I`m sorry. Brad Pitt is from Missouri, OK. He is like a Midwestern, hometown boy. He`s just like the rest of us. I really just don`t understand the fascination and the obsession with these two. It`s like, get over it already. Find another target. You know, I just don`t understand it.
HAMMER: I`m here to tell you, Carolina Bermudez, that isn`t going to happen. Carolina, Maggie Gallant, thanks for being here, guys.
Well now, we`d like to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. What do you think -"Angelina Jolie`s Twins: "Would the first photos of them be worth $15 million?" Ponder that, and let us know at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Got more to say? E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., you know, we have been doing this show for a long time now, and nothing has really touched a nerve as much as the Hogan family drama.
HAMMER: No. I have never seen anything like this, Brooke. The E-mails are just pouring in over the story every day.
ANDERSON: Yes they are. So why is it, A.J., that people are so fired up about Hulk Hogan`s son, what he is saying in jail, how he is trying to get a reality show? It`s got people outraged and we`ve got it coming up.
HAMMER: Also this is frightening. This is a stalker scare for Jamie Lynn Spears. You know, she could be having her baby any day now. And now a guy has actually been arrested in Mississippi where she is living. I`ve got to fill you in on the story and I will, coming up.
We will also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let`s face it. He is a normal person. Foreclosures happen to everyone. You just get behind and you just - you know, it`s a snowball effect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Really shocking news that Ed McMahon is in danger of losing his home. Will Ed be clearing his own house soon and have to move? I had to know how this could happen to him. I really think it is so sad. So, I went looking for answers. I am going to show you what I found. You don`t want to miss that, straight ahead.
HAMMER: And you know we appreciate you tuning in, but please remember that you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime you like. We`re posting new stuff for you to check out all the time on our Web site, which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos that are now playing, Hollywood`s most intriguing fascinating romances that are happening right now. We are coming right back.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, the absolutely startling news that Ed McMahon could be kicked out of his beloved home. Yes, Ed McMahon, the 85-year-old one-time side kick to Johnny Carson and TV legend, owes a ton of money on his Beverly Hills home. And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know, how could such a thing happen to Ed McMahon?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED MCMAHON, TV LEGEND: Here`s Johnny!
ANDERSON (voice over): His famous lead-in to Johnny Carson made Ed McMahon a household name. But fame doesn`t make him immune to the mortgage problems plaguing countless Americans. The 85-year-old entertainer who also hosted "Star Search" is fighting possible foreclosure on his posh Beverly Hills home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let`s face it. He is a normal person. Foreclosures happen to everyone. You just get behind and you just - you know, it`s a snowball effect.
ANDERSON: McMahon fell more than $643,000 behind on a $4.8 million loan from Countrywide according to a notice of default filed in March. His publicist wouldn`t talk finances but did tell CNN McMahon broke his neck in a fall a year and a half ago and hasn`t worked since, that the potential loss of his house is due, quote, "A perfect storm of bad events, bad economy, bad housing market and bad health."
McMahon has owned the property since the early `90s. Five years ago, he won a multimillion dollar lawsuit against his home insurance company for the spread of toxic mold throughout the home. The house has been on and off the market for the past two years. The latest listing price, $6.25 million. Beverly Hills mortgage broker, Steven Kosen says McMahon can still save his home.
STEVEN KOSEN, BROKER, THE MORTGAGE HOUSE, INC.: The bank is not going to want the foreclosure to happen. They want their money. And if they can reinstate the account and bring the mortgage current, then it will be as it was.
ANDERSON: Through his publicist, McMahon says, quote, "Many good, hard working Americans are going through the same thing and my heart goes out to them."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So is Ed McMahon just going through what so many Americans are going through right now? Or is there something else going on here?
With us tonight in New York to help us make sense of this crazy story, CNN business correspondent, Stephanie Elam. Stef(ph), good to see you.
Hey, we know that Ed McMahon lives in the neighborhood where Britney Spears and other high profile people have homes. There has been talk he hasn`t been able to sell his house due to a combination of things, the presence of paparazzi, also as I mentioned in the piece, the mold that was found in his house years ago. How much are these problems playing into what is going on here? He`s wanted to unload this thing for a while, it seems.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And you know, Brooke, the thing about this is he has wanted to unload this house before the mortgage crisis really started to get into full swing. So we`re seeing that this is more than that. So it does imply that people are maybe feeling a little sketchy about wanting to move in where you`ve got helicopters flying all the time, people looking over your fence. And the mold issue is also kind of scary. Their dog died, I believe, because of that mold.
ANDERSON: Right.
ELAM: So it does show that there is some issue more than just the fact that he needs to get out of this house.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, so many Americans have no recourse when something like this happens. Stephanie, do you think the bank involved here may say, "Oh, we are going to look really bad if we kick the beloved Ed McMahon out of his house," or is it just simply times are tough for everybody and they don`t care if it`s Ed McMahon?
ELAM: The thing is there are so many people like Ed McMahon that fall into this category. The company behind his mortgage, Country Wide Financial - they had something like a quarter of the mortgages in the country. They then suffered a real big fall, and then they were being bought out by another bank, so that shows you how bad it is. I`ve heard that he is in talks with the bank. A lot of banks do want to talk because they don`t want the house to go through foreclosure because then they`ve got to try to sell it, so that may actually work in his favor.
ANDERSON: Yes. I have been told that he is trying to resolve the situation and keep his home. And you know, there have been a lot of calls and demands that something does need to be done to solve this mortgage crisis in the United States. Is it possible that because this is a celebrity, because it is the beloved Ed McMahon that it could become a rallying cry that he may become a symbol of the crisis in the country and that something positive could come out of this, or is that too much to hope for?
ELAM: Well, I think the thing to take away from this is that, you know, much like brand new babies, people who become wealthy don`t get an instruction manual that tells them how to take care of their money. And this is the case here. It just shows that this could happen to anyone. So if anything could come out of this is that hopefully people will say, "You know what? I really have to be smart with my finances; otherwise, anyone can end up in this situation. That`s the thing I hope everyone takes away.
ANDERSON: Yes. CNN business correspondent Stephanie Elam, thank you so much for helping us sort this one out.
ELAM: Thank you, Brooke.
HAMMER: Brooke, that whole story bums me out. While Ed McMahon may lose his house, you know, Jamie Lynn Spears just bought one near the Mississippi-Louisiana border.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J., and you think that living so far away from L.A. or New York would keep the paparazzi away, but unfortunately, that doesn`t seem to be the case.
HAMMER: No, and that to me is tragic. And right now, one of those photographers has been arrested on stalking charges. I will fill you in on what happened and what the suspect has to say about it. It`s next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Plus brand new outrage over Hulk Hogan`s son Nick. The fury has reached a fever pitch now., and I`ve got to ask why are people so fired up about what is going on between these two families? That`s coming up.
HAMMER: And Kathie Lee Gifford speaks out like never before about marriage and cheating. Obviously, she went through a lot when her husband`s affair was splashed all over the press. So how does she feel about love and fidelity now? Her surprising statements, they`re coming up.
Now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time if you download our podcast which is free. You`ll find our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on the Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also get it on iTunes. Type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. We`re coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Here are some more stories that are new now. A stalker scare for Jamie Lynn Spears. TMZ reports a paparazzo who has been taking pictures of Jamie Lynn has been arrested on stalking charges. He says he was at least a couple hundred feet away at the time, but this was in Mississippi. It wasn`t in L.A., so I`m guessing that the police there not really used to that whole paparazzi scene.
Oprah Winfrey says she is overjoyed that Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee for president. Of course, Oprah campaigned for Obama and she says she is ready to go door to door to keep up the momentum if he wants her to.
And Obama`s wife, Michelle, is getting ready to sit down with the ladies of "The View." Michelle Obama will be a guest host on June 18. The show`s executive producer says they want her to be a guest, but she sent back word that she`d like to host just like Cindy McCain did back in April.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT inbox overthrowing with E-mails about the Hogan family drama.
HAMMER: Yes, it`s wild, Brooke, the amount of E-mails pouring in every single day about this.
ANDERSON: Every single day. So why is it that people are so fired up about Hulk Hogan`s son, what he is saying in jail, how he is trying to get a reality show. It just has people outraged and that`s coming up. And also this -
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KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Viewers like this 64-year- old woman who says she has been swinging for 37 years believes this type of show is long overdue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, you heard right. Swinging - not talking about something you do on the playground here. I`m talking about the swingers` lifestyle which is getting a lot of attention right now, thanks to a very controversial new TV show. You won`t want to miss this, coming up.
ANDERSON: And Kathie Lee Gifford speaks out like never before about marriage and cheating. She went through a lot when her husband`s affair was splashed all over the press. So how does she feel now about love and fidelity? Her surprising statements, straight ahead.
HAMMER: But first, keep in mind you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by checking out our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. It`s easy to get your free subscription; head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, click on the "sign up for newsletter" link right there on the bottom of that Web page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - brand new Hogan family fury. Tonight, the startling reasons there is so much outrage over Hulk Hogan`s son who is in jail for nearly killing his best friend in a car crash. Why has this struck such a chord? Why are so many people so upset with the Hogans - a family everyone loved? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHELL, SWINGER FOR 37 YEARS: CBS has a lot of guts and I am proud of them for doing it.
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HAMMER: Wife-swapping, graphic drug use, 1970s bad haircuts and dancing, and no - it`s not on cable. It is a shocking brand new show on one of the big three networks. Tonight, the stunning controversy over "Swingtown."
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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 TVs most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, tonight the Hogan family fury, the outrage over Hulk Hogan`s son who`s in jail for the car crash that nearly killed his friend. I`ve got to tell you we have been absolutely shocked by the passionate responses that we are getting day after day from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates - "Hulk Mania Running Wild."
What does Hogan celebrity status have to do with it? Why women are so outraged at Linda Hogan`s disgusting comments slamming the mother of the victim. And what does all the outrage have to do with wrestling? We`ve got a fired up panel tonight.
Joining me in New York, Carolina Bermudez, senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." Also in New York, Maggie Gallant, the founder of Spotlight Communications. And in Hollywood tonight, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder," it`s Jane Velez-Mitchell.
And Jane, I want to start with you. Why has this gotten everybody so fired up?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR: Well, it`s fired up because people are outraged that the Hogans are trying to portray themselves as the victims here. There is only one victim, and that is the young man who is lying with brain damage in a hospital bed who will probably never walk again. And the audacity of the Hogans to try to portray themselves as a victim. And they`re digging themselves in deeper now by announcing that they plan to sue the police department that released the tapes. Nobody is ever going to feel sorry for them. This is a losing battle. The Hogans should switch tact as soon as possible because they are doomed if they continue this.
HAMMER: Maggie Gallant, I`ve been doing the show for a while. I`ve never seen anything quite like this. Why has it struck such a chord so deeply?
GALLANT: I don`t think any of us have seen anything like this. I mean here is a kid who has become a celebrity for no apparent reason. And he has a sense of entitlement and this victim attitude that is completely unforgivable. Sympathy is long since forgotten here. And what we are seeing is the true Nick Hogan from jail. And there is no spinning this. Absolutely, none; there`s going to be no sympathy for them.
HAMMER: Well, you have just got to take a look at this. Now, after a judge denied a request from Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick, to get out of jail early, we got more than 51,000 responses when we asked in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Hulk Hogan`s Son: Does he deserve to be released from jail early?" Look at this, a whopping 94 percent said no he doesn`t. Only six percent said yes he does.
And again, that`s coming from more than 51,000 responses. Unbelievable. Carolina, should we, at all, be surprised that this vote was so lopsided?
BERMUDEZ: Not at all. I have to agree with the other ladies on the panel here. Everybody is sick and tired of Nick Hogan`s sense of entitlement. And I feel like the public - they think they got deceived. The Hogans presented themselves as this lovable, normal family, that, you know, they`re just in show business because their dad was and they`re trying to get their daughter`s career off the ground.
And now, people have seen them for what they really are. And like I said before, they come off as being cold, callus, and they`re not the victim. They`re not even thinking about the victim or his family.
HAMMER: And as the stories unfolded one of the many developments that got people so riled up and when we really got to see their true colors - is those jail house conversations that were released between Nick and his dad Hulk Hogan and of course his mother, Linda. And you`ve got to listen to what Hulk and Nick said as they talked about the crash victim, John Graziano. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
HULK HOGAN, REALITY SHOW STAR AND WRESTLER: Well, I don`t know what type of person John was or what he did to get himself in this situation. I know he was pretty aggressive and used to yell at people and used to do stuff and - but for some reason, man, god laid some heavy (EXPLETIVE DELETED) on that kid, man. I don`t what he was into -
NICK BOLLEA, HULK HOGAN`S SON: John was a negative person.
HOGAN: He was what?
N. BOLLEA: He was a negative person.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Talk about seeing true colors. The conversation is really so vile, because here they are talking about somebody who is never going to be the same because of Nick`s actions. And Jane, this is really something that pushed people`s buttons.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It absolutely did. The last thing you want to do is blame the victim, which is precisely what they did which adds insult to injury. Instead, they should be asking themselves, "What is it that is so dysfunctional in our family situation that we made so many errors in judgment that led up to this crash."
Remember this was no mere accident. There was alcohol and speed involved. And this young man was known as a speed demon, so they should be in therapy that when they get out - when he gets out, personal therapy and family therapy. And there is one other thing they should do -apologize, say, "We were temporarily insane when we had those conversations."
HAMMER: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: "We were in shock. We apologize, and we`re going to devote the rest of our lives to crusading against drunk driving, against drag racing and against speeding to make amends for what we have done."
HAMMER: Yes. But even with that, can they ever be forgiven? The question remains, will the Hogans ever, ever be allowed by their fans to move past this? Because they have insulted so many people as a result of what they have done.
And I`ve got to read to you an E-mail to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT from a woman named Cher in Michigan. Listen to what Cher writes, quote, "I will never watch the Hogans again after hearing about the phone conversations. This is another poor little rich kid crying the blues. Nick is now living reality. Do the crime, do the time. I think the sentence is too light. The victim will never recover!" A sentiment shared by so many people.
And Maggie, it goes back to a point you made earlier, and that is very high on our list of why people are so outraged. People are just sick and tired of the sense of entitlement from poor little rich kids.
GALLANT: They do, and the more he complains about his circumstances in the jail, the more it reminds me - people of the circumstances of this poor family of the victim. The more he complains about how he wishes his life was different in jail or he wants some kind of reality show, it only reminds us how horrible the lives of the family has to deal with the rest of their lives.
HAMMER: Yes, and it`s so sad too because so many of us just looked up to Hulk Hogan. And our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers have been sharing their opinions about Hulk, the wrestler.
We were just overloaded with E-mails about this particular subject. One from Lori in Texas. I want to read it to you. She puts it plain and simple, "When I was a young girl watching Hogan in movies, I saw him as a hero in my childhood frame of mind. I am deeply disappointed in him and his family."
Carolina, there is no going back no matter how much apologizing is done. Because it seems to me Hulk is never going to be able to dig himself out of this hole?
BERMUDEZ: Oh, A.J., I`m going to get it for this one. But surprisingly, I do think there is hope for the Hogans. I don`t think for Nick, but definitely for Hulk and his family. Here`s the thing. He needs to give a very sincere apology for what he said. The whole family has to come out and apologize if they ever want to come out in public light again. But Hollywood is a very forgiving town. And you`ve got people that have murdered -
HAMMER: Yes.
BERMUDEZ: They used drugs. They`ll come back and -
HAMMER: I hear you. I hear you.
BERMUDEZ: Yes.
HAMMER: This is huge, though. We`ll see where it goes. Got to end it there. Carolina Bermudez, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Maggie Gallant, thank you all.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., if I told you there`s a new TV series coming out that`s all about wife-swapping and using drugs, you would think it would be on cable. Maybe HBO or Showtime, right?
HAMMER: Yes, definitely on cable. Sure.
ANDERSON: Well, you would be dead wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHELL, SWINGER FOR 37 YEARS: CBS has got a lot of guts, and I am proud of them for doing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s right. This controversial new series is on one of the big three, CBS. The startling stories about what really went down in 1970 suburbia, sex, swinging and drugs. The controversy over "Swingtown," next.
Well, Kathie Lee Gifford is speaking out like never before about her husband`s shocking sex scandal. I`ve heard Kathie Lee talk about this before. But I guarantee you, she has never opened up like this about her affair, her marriage, forgiveness. Stick around for this, next.
HAMMER: And "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" star, Melissa Joan Hart has had it with young stars who are famous for absolutely nothing. She really rips into them. My revealing one-on-one interview that you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming up.
And you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We are always posting new stuff to check out at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos now playing, Hollywood`s most intriguing and fascinating romances happening right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: So in other words, you need me to make you a star.
AL ROKER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: That`s right. That`s what you did for Regis, so I figured you were going to do the same for me.
GIFFORD: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
ROKER: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Kathie Lee Gifford is back on TV on the "Today" show, but she`s also speaking out like never before about the affair her husband had, and whether women should forgive their cheating husband.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I am Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Hey, believe it or not, it was more than a decade ago, that Kathie Lee`s husband, Frank Gifford, was caught red-handed having an affair that ended up plastered on the cover of every tabloid in the country.
But now, in a brand new interview with "Ladies` Home Journal," Kathie Lee is sharing some very intimate details about her marriage and how she got over the whole thing. With me tonight from New York, Janelle Snowden, host of "VH1 News," and clinical psychologist and author of "The Idiot`s Guide to a Healthy Relationship," Dr. Judy Kuriansky.
Janelle, Dr. Judy, we all remember the shock when we heard that Frank Gifford was caught in a hotel room with a flight attendant. Everybody wondered why in the world Kathie Lee just didn`t kick him to the curb, and now we finally know.
Kathie Lee tells "Ladies` Home Journal," quote, "When Frank and I went through it all, my dear friend, the counselor said, `If you can`t forgive your husband, forgive your children`s father.` It changed everything because my children`s father is the finest man I know. He is easy to forgive rather than the one who hurt me personally."
Dr. Judy, a lot of people are going to be saying, "Hey, wait a minute. He broke his wedding vows. She should have left him." What do you think?
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND AUTHOR: Well, Kathie Lee made a smart decision. Really, Brooke, because look what happened. Yes, she was betrayed. Yes, Frank had sex with another woman, but he was so repentant. He begged to come back. He was so willing to prove himself that I`m going to tell you something that nobody else talks about, and that is that some women in these situations get the upper hand.
And when the guy does that, then they make him behave. They have it hanging over his head. And then he always has to prove that he is the good husband, the faithful husband. So, they get a little pay back from something that is very, very painful.
ANDERSON: And you know, what Kathie Lee said kind of reminds me of what Will Smith said recently about divorce. Will said that divorce is not even an option for him and his wife, Jada. Janelle, are you buying this together-no-matter-what theory? Do you agree with Dr. Judy here?
JANELLE SNOWDEN, HOST, "VH1 NEWS": I think that what Dr. Judy says has some merit, but do you always want to have that hanging over your head? And only the woman involved and the couple involved knows what he or she can get past. I think that as far as sticking it out no matter what, I applaud couples that do try to stick it together and adhere to their vows as long as it`s an amicable relationship and the kids don`t suffer.
One of the worst things I think you can do is remain in an abusive or even if it`s emotionally abusive relationship and that`s the example you are setting for the kids. You know, there`s all kinds of scarring that we`ve seen examples of time and time again. And then I don`t think it is worth it. But to each their own. I think that every - only the woman involved knows what she can and cannot handle.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, you`ve got to hear what else Kathie Lee says. Here`s her theory on why powerful men, like former Gov. Eliot Spitzer who got caught with a hooker, cheat on their wife.
Listen to this, "Sex is just a symptom. It`s the way he acts out on a problem that`s already innate, which may be control, power, self-loathing. But what`s fascinating to me is these are all men that have everything to lose. It`s like going to Vegas - it`s a crap shoot and they`re going, `I`m going to win it.`"
Dr. Judy, is Kathie Lee on to something here that some men are just so full of themselves they think they are invincible?
KURIANSKY: Well, that`s definitely one of the reasons. There are actually a number of reasons why men stray and three big ones. One is their personality like Kathie Lee was addressing. So they`re so narcissistic they think they can have it all, and so they go ahead and they think they can get away with it. Or they have a personality need that`s insecure and they need to prove themselves.
The second could be they get drunk. They`re at a situation and they have an affair. They fall into it. The third is that realistically, by the way, there could be problems in the relationship and that`s where the three letter word "sex" that Kathie Lee used can come into play there.
There are situations where the relationship is full of anger for other reasons than or the couple is not having a great sex life. And in that situation, the guy can look for sex elsewhere and the couple has to resolve how they`re going to make their sex life more interesting, less bored, and more fulfilling.
ANDERSON: Very good point. And Kathie Lee also said that the real healing started for her when she stopped focusing so much on herself. All right. Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Janelle Snowden, thank you both for your insights.
HAMMER: Well, obviously, what Kathie Lee`s husband allegedly did was totally wrong. But you know, if this played out on a new controversial CBS show, well, it may have been no big deal.
Yes, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that swinging is back, and I`m not talking about swing dancing. "Swingtown" is bringing 1970s partner- swapping and drug use to network TV. And yes, all this shag carpet shagging is raising a bunch of eyebrows. Here is CNN entertainment correspondent, Kareen Wynter for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: You and Tom have an open marriage?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Well, don`t you?
WYNTER: An orgy, spouse-swapping and illegal drug use. It`s not a movie or a late night cable series. "Swingtown" is a new network prime time show coming straight in your home courtesy of CBS.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Why don`t you take your shoes off, Mom, and join the party?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my gosh.
ALAN POUL, "SWINGTOWN" DIRECTOR: The show is provocative and we love the raised eyebrows, but the fact is for people who watch the show, they come to understand very quickly that the show is about the choices that our characters make.
WYNTER: The show`s creator and executive producer say "Swingtown" was an easy sell to CBS, who put it in a later time slot, but some critics aren`t sold on the series. Set in the 1970s about married suburban couples engaging in drugs and extramarital sex.
(on camera): You don`t like it. Don`t watch. This is in fact a lifestyle for some though.
TIM WINTER, PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL: CBS is normalizing the behavior and I think that`s very unfortunate that CBS would take a show that clearly is intended more for cable television and put it on the public - on the public airwaves, on the broadcast network. This is a network in desperation right now.
WYNTER (voice over): CBS issued a statement that reads in part, "The concern expressed regarding the content of `Swingtown` is from an organization that has not seen the show. We invite viewers to make up their own minds."
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Your wife`s going to kill me.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: My wife is going to love you.
WYNTER: Viewers like this 64-year-old woman, who says she`s been swinging for 37 years, who believes this type of show is long overdue.
SHELL, SWINGER FOR 37 YEARS: CBS has got a lot of guts and I am proud of them for doing it, and I hope that there are more television shows that follow in their footsteps.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was Kareen Wynter for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And just in case you are wondering whether the show is just a ratings stunt for CBS, well the network says it`s doing just fine even without "Swingtown," saying they`re number two behind Fox.
ANDERSON: Well, a lot of today`s stars are famous for their sex lives and, that`s about it. It is really out of control that so many stars are famous for nothing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELISSA JOAN HART, ACTRESS: What I`m mad about right now in Hollywood is that there is not a difference between celebrity and star. I really think that`s what`s missing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" star, Melissa Joan Hart, is all fired up about this. You`ve got to hear what she has to say about young stars and fame today, next.
HAMMER: But first, let`s take a look at what is new at the movies this week brought to you by Yo-Plait, Yo-Plus. Try it for 10 days and feel the difference.
Everybody is kung-fu fighting in "Kung-Fu Panda." And amazing all- star cast here, listen to this - Angelina Jolie, Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu, even that Seth Rogen guy.
Also John C. Reilly - you know him from that "Ballad of Ricky Bobby" movie. And Sean William - of course, Stifler from "American Pie." They`re teaming up in "The Promotion," and in the film, they are two supermarket employees who go head-to-head for the manager job in the new store.
And Adam Sandler is coming back in "You Don`t Mess With the Zohan." Sandler is an Israeli commando who fakes his own death so he can live out his dreams. What`s that? To become a hairstylist. Another one from Judd Apatow here who is behind "Superbad" and "Knocked Up."
Don`t mess with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT because we`re coming up after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And now my revealing one-on-one with "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" star, Melissa Joan Hart. She is speaking out like never before about young stars who are famous for nothing.
Now Melissa actually got her big break on a Nickelodeon series called "Clarissa Explains It All" before she went on to star in "Sabrina," so she actually earned her fame.
Well, Melissa is now a married mom of two boys, and I can tell you, she just doesn`t think a whole lot of today`s young celebrities and how they have earned their star status. She also doesn`t get how star parents like Lindsay Lohan`s mom use their kids for fame.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HART: What I am mad about right now in Hollywood, there is not a difference between celebrity and star, and I really think that`s what`s missing. All of a sudden, we`ve got this new reality - you know, these stars that are just famous for being famous. And it`s like, where did this come from?
You know, I wish that people would really, maybe start being that you are on this amazing network and this great show, that maybe if we separate star and celebrity - and star actually has talent behind it - then you got something different, you know. You don`t just have everybody trying to watch a train wreck.
HAMMER (on camera): The parents are using the kids and what quickly comes to mind, Dina Lohan, Denise Richards. What do you think about that? What do you think about them in particular using their kids?
HART: I think you`ve got to - you know, you`ve got to take it in context, look who it is, that kind of thing. Some people think it is going to revive their career. I`m a little freaked out by the fact that it has sort of revived mine. I finished "Sabrina" probably four, almost five years ago now, and you know, nobody cared after for a little while. Then all of a sudden I had a baby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I like her a lot. Melissa definitely has her head on very straight. And by the way, you`ve got to check out Melissa`s blog all about raising her sons including the challenges of potty training. You`ll find that at "Pullups.com."
ANDERSON: Hey, on Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Hulk Hogan`s Son: Does he deserve to be released from jail early?"
We were swamped with your overwhelming response. Only six percent of you say yes; 94 percent of you say no.
The E-mails - Ryan in Tennessee thinks Nick`s jail sentence is too harsh. Ryan in minority. He writes, "Let Nick Bollea go. John (Nick`s best friend whom he nearly killed) made the choice of getting in the car with Nick and not wearing his seatbelt."
But Valerie from Florida could disagree more, "Let Hogan out of jail when John Graziano walks out of the hospital!"
HAMMER: And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
END
