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Showbiz Tonight
John Graziano Videos; Jamie Spears, the Daddy; Billy Ray Cyrus Talks about Miley`s Photos; Seal`s Escape from the Paparazzi
Aired June 17, 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: Billy Ray Cyrus speaks out about those racy photos of Miley that got everyone in an uproar. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And Star Trek`s George Takei talks to me about being one of the first people to get a license for gay marriage in California. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Hogan drama caught on tape. Dramatic new heartbreaking hospital video of the victim from Hulk`s son`s car crash. Unbelievable threatening phone calls to Hulk Hogan and his family. Hulk`s jailhouse conversation. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with all the explosive audio and video you have to hear and see for yourself.
Britney Spears` daddy dearest. For the first time, the inside story of what Britney`s father is really doing to help her get her life together. Brand-new Britney revelations in court. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Britney developments making news right now.
Plus, paparazzi mayhem. Tonight, caught on tape, Seal`s daring, jaw- dropping driving to escape the paparazzi gone wild.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood with the dramatic new video of the victim in the Hogan debacle. This video obtained exclusively by the "Nancy Grace" show of John Graziano in the hospital. He is the victim in the car crash that led to Hulk Hogan`s son getting sentenced to eight months in jail. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this is yet another shot fired in the war of the tapes.
HAMMER: The attorneys for the Graziano family released the tape on the same day that startling new voice mail surfaced of someone calling Hulk and his family making just bone-chilling threats against them. Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the breaking new developments making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): They`re the most wrenching images we`ve seen in the saga of Hulk Hogan`s family and the street racing accident that landed his son, Nick, in jail.
NANCY GRACE, HOST, "NANCY GRACE": Tonight, we have been given exclusive home video of the victim, what his life is like.
HAMMER: In this video which debuted on CNN HEADLINE NEWS` "NANCY GRACE," we got the most heartbreaking look yet at John Graziano, Nick Hogan`s friend who was left in a semi-conscious state after that crash almost a year ago.
GRACE: We have pixelated a portion of his injuries because the injuries to his head are so incredibly severe. You are seeing video provided to us about what Graziano`s life is like.
HAMMER: It`s a far cry from the vibrant young Iraq War veteran we saw in photos from before the crash. Now, watching Graziano struggle to perform even the most basic moves in therapy, it`s clear that for Graziano, life will never be the same.
KIM SERAFIN, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Instead of this young 23-year-old guy who is an Iraqi War vet, you see a guy who can`t do anything on his own. You see people in the hospital lifting his legs for him trying to give him exercise, trying to move his legs. You see him not being able to function on his own and it`s hard to watch.
HAMMER: Graziano`s family has not been shy about sharing his pain. At Nick Hogan`s sentencing last month, Graziano`s family vividly described his daily ordeal since the accident.
DEBRA GRAZIANO, JOHN GRAZIANO`S MOTHER: I jump with excitement if he moves his eyes toward me, if he`s able to squeeze my hand, even if he`s able to breathe without a tube.
ED GRAZIANO, JOHN GRAZIANO`S FATHER: He`s being filled with all different kind of medications to keep him alive which is eating away at his mother and I like a cancer.
CHRISTIN CARSON, JOHN GRAZIANO`S SISTER: If my brother would have died physically, we could have at least grieved and remembered him in our hearts. Instead, we wake each day to see a living, breathing, open-casket funeral replayed over and over again like a nightmare.
HAMMER: Just hours before America first saw this heartbreaking video on "NANCY GRACE," a radio show unveiled some disgusting, threatening voicemails that someone left for Hulk Hogan`s family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLER: Your kid`s going to bleed. Your little (EXPLETIVE DELETED) son is going to bleed slow. They`re going to bleed him and torture him slow, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
HAMMER: Police tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT a member of the Graziano family is under investigation for the calls. But the cops aren`t saying which one. So after a day that began with these disturbing messages -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLER: I`m going to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) on you and your family`s grave, Terry.
HAMMER: And ended with these heartbreaking new images, it now appears that advocates for both families may be trying to highlight their own suffering.
SERAFIN: It`s so hard because both families obviously are going through tragedies.
HAMMER: But while a teenager sits in jail humiliated, and two families feud publicly while dealing with their own internal troubles, we`re getting a fresh reminder that there`s only one person who truly is suffering in this sad, sad story.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
It is just heartbreaking to see this all-out war developing between the Hogans and the Grazianos. I have to say, I could never have imagined that the Hogan drama would escalate this way, so imagine how they feel.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Atty. Darren Kavinoky of the Kavinoky Law Firm; and with me in New York, the founder of the Britto Agency, Marvette Britto.
Darren, Marvette, I want to take another look at this exclusive new video obtained by Nancy Grace of John Graziano in the hospital. I mean, look at these pictures. They really show just how devastating the whole situation is. It`s almost difficult to watch. Darren, do you think that is exactly why the Grazianos felt so compelled to release this tape so that really at the end of the day, we can all remember what`s truly at the center of this case? It`s not the Hogans, it`s not fame, it`s not money, but it`s a man who`s seriously injured whose life will never be the same.
ATTY. DARREN KAVINOKY, KAVINOKY LAW FIRM: Absolutely, A.J. If this really is a PR battle, what we`ve now witnessed is the equivalent of a knockout punch, reminiscent of Mike Tyson when he was in his prime. And I hate it to say it because the Hogans seem genetically incapable of taking the high road and remaining quiet. But unless they have video of John Graziano killing puppies or something like that, then they better find a way to zip it and move on.
HAMMER: But when we use terms like PR battle, a lot of people, I think, scratch their heads and kind of wonder, what do you mean a PR battle? There`s a guy lying here in a hospital. So Marvette, PR being your business, do you think it was a good idea for the Grazianos to release these tapes?
MARVETTE BRITTO, FOUNDER, BRITTO AGENCY: Absolutely, because they are fighting the enormous persona that surrounds the Hogans. And they want people to be mindful that their child is truly the victim in this matter. And they want people to remember that, and not be caught in the back-and- forth that seems to be going on between these two families. Of course, they released the tapes, the threatening tapes, but you know, it`s really apples and oranges when you really look at the issue. We want to see them united. It`s really shameful that no one is advising Hulk Hogan and his family to go to that hospital. That`s the footage we want to see. Those are the tape that is we want to hear. We want to hear compassion. We want to see action and not just hear words from Hulk Hogan.
HAMMER: I think this video is putting the brakes on for a lot of people because here we`ve been going and going and going and yes, I think people have lost sight of the fact, there is a man who again - whose life will never, ever be the same. It`s tragic and it is, as I continue to say, near impossible to see this. I mean look at this. This is his existence now. Now, this video, as we`ve seen, was released on the very same day that voicemails of threatening phone calls made to the Hogans were released. Now, those calls were allegedly made by a member of John Graziano`s family. Take a listen to this -
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLER: Your kid`s going to bleed. Your little (EXPLETIVE DELETED) son is going to bleed slow. They`re going to bleed him and torture him slow, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Just chilling. And these threatening phone calls allegedly made by a Graziano family member really put them, the Grazianos, in a negative light. So what do you think, Darren? Perhaps part of the reason they released this video of John was kind of a public relations offensive?
KAVINOKY: Yes, I do. And if they`re smart, they`ll figure out who it was that left that message. They`ll quickly do something that Hulk Hogan hasn`t been able to do, and that`s own up to doing wrong. And of course, they can very easily indicate that the reason that it was done is because of the depth of their loss, that they`re feeling such a loss that they`re - whoever it was that did it, really did something that was irrational and crazy and justify it that way.
But I don`t think we`re ever going to see these people get unified. We`re about ready to go into a civil lawsuit here where people are fighting over money, and there`s not going to be a lovefest that arises out of this situation, as sad as it is. And right now, they`re waging the battle in the minds of the prospective jurors in the personal injury case. So of course it`s really devolved into this PR battle and it`s unfortunate.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, I think unification is wishful thinking all around. Hulk`s son is in jail. He`s been punished for the crash that almost killed John Graziano. And as we`ve been saying, there`s now this trial going on in the court of public opinion between the Hogans and the Grazianos. In the long run, Marvette, is that really helping anyone?
BRITTO: It`s not helping anyone. We`re not interested in seeing these folks bicker when you`re looking at video that`s showing the reality. They`re in a reality show. They`re living - their family - they`re living the reality of seeing their child in this situation every day. We don`t want to see it anymore. We want to see them united.
I don`t think it`s impossible to come together. There`s only so much of this bickering that they can do regardless of the civil lawsuits. This negative energy cannot be helping John in his effort to recover. And certainly, someone should wake up at some point and realize that.
HAMMER: Well, I think - I`m glad to hear that you`re optimistic that they can unite. So you`ve got the videotapes, the audiotapes, the jailhouse tapes. It`s like it`s building to this massive fever pitch. I`m thinking everybody should just zip it for right now. Darren Kavinoky, 15 seconds, do you think that would be the best idea, just cool down and work things out in private?
KAVINOKY: Yes, at this point, if the Grazianos do anything else, it would be an end-zone celebration after spiking the football so they can just move on. And the Hogans don`t seem capable of saying anything that really furthers their interests. So zip it and move on.
HAMMER: Darren Kavinoky, Marvette Britto, I thank you both for being here tonight.
And now, I want to turn it over to you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Hogans Get Threatening Phone Calls: Do you feel sorry for them?" Let us know at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E- mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., it is paparazzi mayhem here in California.
HAMMER: Absolutely, Brooke. Some stars are actually these taking drastic measures to fight back. You`ve got to take a look at what Seal did about this.
(VIDEO CLIP OF SEAL`S ESCAPE FROM THE PAPARAZZI)
ANDERSON: Seal`s wild ride to escape the paparazzi, and it was all caught on tape. You`ve got to stick around to see this, coming up.
Also, I`m very happy to tell you Britney Spears could finally be getting her life together. And could it all be because of her father? For the very first time, we can now reveal what Jamie Spears is actually doing as Britney`s conservator. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: And I`ve got a really unbelievable story you are not going to want to miss about Scott Baio`s nightmare. Scott Baio speaking out about his baby being diagnosed with a potentially fatal disorder just days after being born. That is still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Remember you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We`re always posting new stuff for you to watch. It`s right there on our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Among the videos now playing, the Hogan family drama, our special video section on all the late-breaking developments.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, is Britney Spears finally back on track, thanks to daddy dearest? We`ve got two big developments for you that are new right now.
For the very first time, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the intimate details from new court documents of exactly how Jamie Spears is taking charge of Britney`s life and helping his daughter get back on her feet.
Also new right now, Britney is off the hook, this for allegedly driving over a photographer`s foot while being swarmed by paparazzi last year.
With me tonight in Hollywood, CNN entertainment correspondent Kareen Wynter and in New York, Rob Chilton, features director at "OK" magazine. Rob, Kareen, welcome to you both.
I want to begin with Britney`s dad, Jamie, currently being paid $2,500 a week for overseeing Britney`s affairs under the court ordered conservatorship, and is now asking to be granted back pay for the first month he was taking care of her. Among other things, Jamie reveals in new court documents he`s been helping Britney by running errands and buying groceries, cooking supper, speaking with Britney`s physician, visiting with Britney`s kids, conversing with Britney about her health.
Kareen, given how Jamie was for so long, not a major part of her life, don`t you find it startling how in such a short time, he`s made a tremendous difference?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: It`s absolutely amazing how this young woman, Brooke, has managed to turn her life around in such a short time. I mean it was just early this year we were doing stories after stories about her mental breakdowns, her courtroom drama, the custody battle with her kids. And now look at her, she`s the picture of perfection. OK, maybe not perfection, but she`s definitely getting her life back on track.
ANDERSON: That may be a stretch.
WYNTER: Sorry, I had a brain freeze there. Forgive me. But you know, she`s getting her life back on track and her dad has to be the hardest working father in Hollywood because Britney has a crazy lifestyle. He`s managing to juggle his life as well as hers and keeping it all together. And the paparazzi, they must be angry because it`s probably hard to get those crazy photographs of her as they did before.
ANDERSON: Yes. And it seems that Britney, you know, just needed a little guidance. And Rob, I can remember when Jamie Spears was first put in charge of her life and people said, Jamie Spears? Are you surprised, Rob, of the success he`s had?
ROB CHILTON, FEATURES DIRECTOR, "OK" MAGAZINE: Well, I mean I am. I think everybody is. You know I think people thought there was no saving Britney. But then her dad comes back on the scene and she seems to have turned her life around. She looks better. Her skin is better now. She`s reading self-help book and, you know, she`s talking to Kevin Federline.
And if you think back to January with that crazy hostage situation at her house with her kids, and her being taken out on a gurney, and everybody thought, this is the end. But all of a sudden, it`s now June and she seems to, you know, become a different person.
I remember at "OK" magazine, we used to run a full page story on Britney every week with a new drama. But you know, we haven`t done a big story on Britney - we`ve done big stories, but not as often as that anymore which shows that she has just calmed down her life and she`s definitely getting back on track.
ANDERSON: Slow things down. We know that Jamie basically quit his job as a chef in order to come and take care of his daughter. Kareen, do you see any issue with him getting paid to basically care for his daughter, which is what a parent should do, or is that all justified and the right thing for the court to do?
WYNTER: Well, you know what, I don`t blame Jamie at all here in what he does. I mean, juggling Britney`s career and her life and getting her better - it is an absolute full-time job. I mean there should be probably an army of people doing what he`s doing right now. But again, it goes back to the basics, that she didn`t need an army of psychiatrists. She doesn`t need all these handlers around her and these friends. She needed a little bit of parental guidance and that`s what her dad is there to do. And he shouldn`t be criticized.
Frankly, I think he should be making $250,000 a month, OK. I`m throwing it out there, because, again, it`s insane. We`re looking at from outside the bubble. We can just imagine the pressure he`s under the keep things going and keep her healthy and happy.
ANDERSON: Yes. And saving his daughter`s life is priceless, I agree with you. Well, Britney also just got some other good news. Prosecutors have basically refused to pursue the case where a paparazzo claims that Britney ran over his foot with a car. Officials say that it was the photographer`s own fault. Rob, I want to go to you for this one. Is this sort of symbolic of the end of the paparazzi craziness that has been such a huge part of Britney`s life?
CHILTON: There will never be an end to the paparazzi craziness around Britney Spears. I`m afraid that it`s something she`s going to have to deal with for the rest of her life. Maybe, you know, she got a lucky break with this court ruling about the paparazzo guy`s foot. But you know, maybe that`s a good little warning now to the paparazzi guys to say, "Hey, back off, fellows." Take it easy and get out of the way of a moving car, especially if Britney Spears is driving it.
ANDERSON: Good advice there. Well, hopefully a year from now, Britney Spears will still be on track and we can be having a similar conversation. Kareen Wynter, Rob Chilton, thank you both.
CHILTON: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, I`ve got to tell you, one thing that has really struck me about the whole drama in the Hogan family right now is how much of it has been caught on tape.
ANDERSON: I know what you mean - the jailhouse recording, brand new video of the victim, John Graziano. And let`s not forget, A.J., those threatening phone calls to the Hogans.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLER: Your kid`s going to bleed. Your little (EXPLETIVE DELETED) son is going to bleed slow. They`re going to bleed him and torture him slow, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s just beyond chilling. But here`s what I want to know - in this whole big mess where there doesn`t seem to be a single winner, who is winning the battle for the public? Who are you siding with? That is straight ahead.
And also, Billy Ray Cyrus speaks out about those racy photos of Miley. You know the ones I`m talking about from "Vanity Fair." There was even one that he posed for with Miley. Some people called it incestuous that they looked more like boyfriend and girlfriend than father and daughter. Hear what he`s got to say about that. Still to come.
HAMMER: And a really unbelievable story. Scott Baio`s nightmare, his baby`s health scare. Well now, Scott is speaking out about his baby being diagnosed with a potentially fatal disorder just days after being born. This is an incredible story and I will fill you in on it, coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime by downloading our podcast. It`s absolutely free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast on our Web site, that is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Also get it on iTunes. Do a search for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Here are more stories that are new right now. Scott Baio is speaking out about his baby`s health scare. This is wild. Just a day after he and then-fiancee and now-wife Renee brought their daughter home from the hospital back in November, well, they got the news she had tested positive for a metabolic disorder that can cause seizures, coma and even death. Unbelievable, right?
Well, for the next 10 weeks through Scott`s wedding, the holidays, the honeymoon, the couple worried about their daughter, Bailey. Scott tells "Celebrity Baby Blog," quote, "Every breath that you take, every thought that you have, every moment that you`re conscious, it`s all you`re thinking about. The disease is a constant in your brain. It never leaves you."
Well, listen to this. After 10 weeks, doctors told them Bailey was completely healthy. The results had been a false positive. That is just an unbelievable story.
Here`s another one. Tom Hanks is getting dissed by the Vatican. Yes, Tom and his co-stars in the new "Da Vinci Code" prequel, "Angels and Demons" have been told in no uncertain terms they cannot film in the churches of the Diocese of Rome. The spokesman says the movie, quote, "does not conform to our views."
ANDERSON: A.J., you know, when it comes to the drama in the Hogan family, it seems there are no real winners.
HAMMER: No question, Brooke. It`s just so tragic for everybody involved.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLER: You disrespected the wrong (EXPLETIVE DELETED) person. You big mouth (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Now you and your little (EXPLETIVE DELETED) son are going to cry your way through (EXPLETIVE DELETED) jail.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: From those threatening phone calls to the Hogans to the jailhouse conversations and brand-new heartbreaking video of the victim, John Graziano. This war has gotten ridiculously out of control. Is it time for both sides to just zip it? That`s next.
And also this -
(VIDEO CLIP OF SEAL`S ESCAPE FROM THE PAPARAZZI)
HAMMER: Wow, can you believe that? It`s Seal taking some extreme measures to get the heck away from the paparazzi. Seal`s wild ride caught on tape coming up.
ANDERSON: Also, Billy Ray Cyrus`s very first TV interview about those racy photos of Miley in "Vanity Fair." There was even one that he posed for with Miley that some people said looked more like boyfriend and girlfriend than father and daughter. Wait until you hear what he`s got to say about that. Still to come.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLER: Your kid`s going to bleed. Your little (EXPLETIVE DELETED) son is going to bleed slow. They`re going to bleed him and torture him slow, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the shocking Hulk Hogan PR war, startling threats to the Hogan family caught on tape. Brand-new dramatic hospital video of the victim in Hulk`s son`s car crash. Which side is winning? It`s the ugly Hogan public relations battle.
The paparazzi gone wild. Tonight, you won`t believe what Seal did to get away from the paparazzi. Could Lindsay Lohan`s career be in danger because of them? And even Angelina Jolie`s co-stars can`t believe what she has to go through. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the extreme ways stars are affected by the paparazzi gone wild.
(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, the war of the tapes, dramatic new developments in the Hogan family drama. Tonight, brand-new video of John Graziano, the victim in Nick Hogan`s car crash. The dramatic video obtained exclusively by the "Nancy Grace" show underscores how horrific Graziano`s condition is. The threatening phone calls made to Hulk Hogan and his family are being investigated by Florida police. So far, we know that the calls were made by a member of John Graziano`s family. But police aren`t saying who made the calls. But is anyone winning anything in this war of the tapes?
Joining me tonight in New York, Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. Also, Mavrette Britto of the Britto Agency, and joining me from Hollywood tonight, Darren Kavinoky, attorney for the Kavinoky Law Firm.
Gang, let`s keep in mind all of this is happening as John Graziano still lies in a semi-comatose state. Now, I want you to listen as Nancy Grace, who was the first to air this video exclusively on her show, describes this dramatic new video. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: We have pixelated a portion of his injuries because the injuries to his head are so incredibly severe. You are seeing video provided to us about what Graziano`s life is like.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Howard, let me begin with you. Why do you think the Grazianos released what is such a painful and personal tape?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: You know, it`s sort of a twisted one-upmanship. The Hogan family - and I like Hulk Hogan. I`ve known him a long time and represented him. But there`s a time when everybody just has to shut up and it`s a time to heal. But when the Hogan family doesn`t shut up, they feel like they need to go with the one- upmanship situation. And let me tell you, this tape trumps any Hulk Hogan death threats at this point. It`s a tragic one-upmanship.
HAMMER: Mavrette Britto, PR is also your business. One-upmanship, do you see it that way?
BRITTO: I absolutely see it that way. It`s very - it`s touching and moving for us to actually see the victim in the state from which he`s in. And it`s important for us to keep in mind that this is what the issue is about. It`s really about this victim who really deserves for the families to be united around this tragedy. There should be prayer around this tragedy. There really shouldn`t be a chess game of who`s winning the PR battle. They need to stand united. When are we going to ask the question, "When will we see these two families stand united and come together for the good of the victim?" That`s what we haven`t seen and we really need to see that.
HAMMER: Yes. We need to see that in a big and very bad way. Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can also show you more video of John Graziano that Nancy Grace obtained exclusively. This time, the video is showing what looks like a rehab session. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: I have been on a lot of crash wards and rehab centers to meet with victims. And even now, after all these years, this is how wrenching it is to see what he is going through.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Nancy Grace obviously overcome by John Graziano`s condition there, not difficult to understand why. I`m sure it really doesn`t help the Hogan family in any way for the public to be seeing the Graziano family`s harsh reality. And no matter how bad Nick Hogan`s situation is in jail, Darren, there`s just no comparing his life to John Graziano`s.
KAVINOKY: No, A.J. I`ve got to mark this date on my calendar as the day that I have to publicly admit that I agree with Nancy Grace. And as a defense lawyer, that`s exceptionally hard to do, but she`s really got it right here. There is no comparing their lives. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, as it`s often said, this one could be worth several million dollars.
And assuming that the Grazianos get past the liability and the causation issues, and those are live issues for a jury to decide, Hulk Hogan could get body slammed in his most tender of spots, his wallet. So he better grab his checkbook here.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean I think we`re all feeling it right now. It is just difficult to watch and everybody I know who has seen these tapes has the same very visceral reaction to it. These Graziano tapes, by the way, came out just hours after the Hogans released recordings of these threatening voicemails that they have received and we`ve been talking about.
Now, Florida police have told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they`re investigating the calls. They told us it was an unnamed Graziano family member who made these threatening calls to the Hogan family. I do want you to listen to the threat that was made on Nick Hogan`s life.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLER: Your kid`s going to bleed. Your little (EXPLETIVE DELETED) son is going to bleed slow. They`re going to bleed him and torture him slow, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Not only frightening for Nick Hogan, the tape is also very frightening for Hulk and his family as well. Howard Bragman, do you see this as a PR move, the release of these tapes, and if so, a pretty dumb move at that?
BRAGMAN: Yes, it`s a PR move. But it`s not a good PR move. I mean, first of all, it was pretty stupid to make the threat. But if somebody in my family was injured in the tragic way John Graziano was injured and his family wouldn`t shut up, I might feel the same way. But I would be smart enough to use a pay phone. That might be one issue.
But releasing this tape isn`t going to do anything because Nick Hogan in jail, John Graziano in the rehab center in a semi-coma - there`s no comparison. Just give it up. And as Marvette said, let`s have some community. Let`s have some prayer. Let`s get together for the sake of these two kids so that we can save whatever`s left of the lives of these young men because that`s the real tragedy, these two young lives really, really in desperate situations.
HAMMER: Yes. And I do want to get more into that in just a moment. It`s just been amazing seeing this catalog of tapes in this whole sad saga accumulate. And of course, part of that catalog, the interview that Hulk Hogan did with Larry King. And during the interview, Larry asked Hulk a very pointed question about how he`s handled things. I want you to watch his response. Roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Do you ever feel personally responsible as a father? Do you ever say, "Maybe I could have done something different?"
HULK HOGAN, WRESTLER AND REALITY TV STAR: Yes, I do, Larry. I mean it`s a constant soul-searching mission, you know, for my wife to file for divorce and the marriage to be broken long before that and then the accident happening, the civil case and my son getting put in jail. I just soul- search and figure out what could I have done, you know, through this - it`s just hard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Mavrette, boil it down for me. We`ve sort of alluded to this in different ways throughout this conversation tonight. But should this really be the last that we hear from the Hogans and for that matter, from the Grazianos?
BRITTO: It really should be. There`s so much negative energy surrounding this. It`s hard to think they`re not carrying that into the visiting room when they go to see their son. There has got to be conversations about it. It has to come up. I believe they released the tapes, as we`ve said before, to combat the persona. The Hogans have such a large persona that`s overshadowing the real issue.
And the real issue is, let`s have some positive energy. Let`s have some prayer. Everyone talks about God. Let`s see them unite in prayer around the fact that this kid has a chance possibly to recover. But no one`s talking about that. They`re focusing on - it`s really a tit for tat and it`s shameful. This is really shameful.
HAMMER: No, and that`s no good and as has been very eloquently during this conversation, there should be a sense of community if we`re going to be hearing from them at all. Howard Bragman, Marvette Britto, Darren Kavinoky, thanks for joining us tonight.
Now, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Hogans Get Threatening Phone Calls: Do you feel sorry for them?" Keep voting by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail us your thoughts at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., I know the paparazzi have a job to do, but I really think things have gotten out of hand.
HAMMER: Oh, completely, Brooke. I couldn`t agree with you more.
ANDERSON: Yes. Take a look at this.
(VIDEO CLIP OF SEAL`S ESCAPE FROM THE PAPARAZZI)
I know Seal was getting swarmed by the paparazzi. But I cannot believe what he did, flooring it in reverse like that. You`ve got to see this. The paparazzi gone wild. Could they actually destroy Lindsay Lohan`s career and what will it take for them to leave Brad and Angelina alone? The extreme ways the paparazzi are taking a toll on their prey, next.
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, I was so shocked by those nearly nude Miley Cyrus pictures. Well, tonight for the very first time, at long last, Billy Ray Cyrus is speaking out about the explosive shots of him posing with his daughter.
We will also have this -
ANDERSON: "Star Trek`s" George Takei is beaming up some big-time controversy. Did he purposely leave his "Trek" co-star, William Shatner, off his wedding guest list? Did captain Kirk`s invite get lost in space? Uh-oh.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAL, SINGER: I`m not shaking your hand. Why would I shake your hand? Why would I shake hands with scum?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s a steaming Seal and wife Heidi Klum confronting the paparazzi, calling them scum. And if you thought that was bad, you won`t believe what the paparazzi have pushed him to do now.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, paparazzi gone wild. New right now, three stories you`ve got to see to believe.
Stunning new video of singer Seal, peeling out of a parking lot, trying to escape the paparazzi. You won`t believe what he does after that.
Also new right now, Lindsay Lohan finally back to work on her new film "Labor Pains." But now, the paparazzi are making everybody on the set nuts.
And can Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt ever get the paparazzi off their back? The co-star of Angelina`s brand-new film tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what it was like to be on set with her.
With me tonight in Hollywood, Kareen Wynter, CNN entertainment correspondent. And in New York, Rob Chilton, features director for "OK" magazine.
Rob, Kareen, I`ve got to start with this startling video of Seal from "Hollywood.tv." Heidi Klum`s husband is surrounded by the paparazzi. You see him there, and then he takes off in his car backwards. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP OF SEAL`S ESCAPE FROM THE PAPARAZZI)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love your music.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What kind of music do you have on the CD? Watch out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He really floored it out of there, driving backwards into a crowded intersection. Kareen, we know that Seal has a long history of losing his temper with the paparazzi and he can`t stand them. But was this just too dangerous or did he have every right to get the heck out of there?
WYNTER: It was stupid, Brooke, and dangerous. I`ve seen this video a million times now and it just boggles my mind. OK, let me get it right. Seal`s a celebrity. He lives in Hollywood. You`re going to get your pictures taken, OK? That`s because you`re a celebrity, for crying out loud. This is what happens here when you`re rich and when you`re famous. You don`t like it? You move out of Hollywood.
And it`s dangerous. You see the video right there. We`re looking at it. And he`s just backing up. You never know who you`re going to hit in a situation like this. And then what happens? You go to court, you blame the paparazzi. It`s absolutely stupid. And you need to get used to it when you`re a celebrity. This is what`s expected. He`s entirely wrong here.
Not defending the paparazzi. They`re scum. They do what they need to do. They have their own agenda. But you`re a celebrity, get used to it and act accordingly.
ANDERSON: I do understand how frustrated Seal has to be with the paparazzi. They can be very aggressive. Rob, would you agree with Kareen that, hey, he`s out in public. He`s a celebrity. He`s got to deal?
CHILTON: I would agree completely. I mean it`s crazy behavior, you know. All he had to do was just stand there for a couple of seconds, wave, smile, get in his car and drive calmly out of the parking lot. There was no need for him to do that crazy reverse down the street. It is dangerous as Kareen says.
You know, I think Kareen is completely right. He knows the game. He makes millions and millions of dollars out, selling records and performing concerts. So he has to give a little bit back. And if that means just standing there and delaying his trip in his car by three or four seconds, just so the paparazzi get their shots, they`ll be happy. Seal is happy. He drives out calmly and goes about his business.
ANDERSON: Maybe next time he should just stop, take a deep breath, count to 10 and see if there maybe is a different outcome.
OK, guys. Moving now to Lindsay Lohan. After three stints in rehab and a really bad year, Lindsay is finally back to work on the set of her new film "Labor Pains." But she brought a swarm of paparazzi with her. The producer of the film told "People.com," quote, "Paparazzi are ruining my life. This is the most insane thing I`ve ever seen in my life. They do things that are very, very aggressive. I`m not a producer anymore. I`m a policewoman."
All right. That same producer also said, "We were a little bit reluctant to work with her." Kareen, with Lindsay always surrounded by the paparazzi, she`s almost become a caricature of herself as she tries to star in films, are people going to have a hard time seeing past that?
WYNTER: No way. Sure, the paparazzi may be annoying and the producers have every right to express that hey, they`re trying to get some work done here. But it`s creating so much buzz. We`re talking about Lindsay Lohan again. There was all the speculation a few weeks ago - months ago, even really as Lindsay`s tried to make somewhat of a comeback, Brooke. Does she really have it? Is she washed up?
There were some reports also that, you know, people weren`t paying that much for her pictures anymore. So this is great. You see the paparazzi out. You know her picture is going to show up somewhere. The video is going to show up somewhere, and people are going to actually talk about her project. So it has to be beneficial all around.
ANDERSON: A lot of publicity but a lot of frustration at the same time for those producers. And of course, one of the favorite couples out there for the paparazzi to stalk, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Jolie starring in a new film "Wanted." Take a listen to what her co-star, Thomas Kretschmann told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about how Angelina and Brad handle the paparazzi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS KRETSCHMANN, ACTOR: I admire them, how they handle it, you know, and I wouldn`t be able to. And I think also it`s a decision, if you want to be a movie star or if you want to be an actor. I really want to be an actor. You know, I want to be left alone, if possible, but I was amazed how they deal with it and how much pressure it puts on you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Rob, very quickly, do you find it amazing how they deal with it?
CHILTON: I do. I mean - but it comes with the territory. They are the world`s number one showbiz couple and absolutely can`t help falling in love with. But you know, it just so happens the world`s most gorgeous woman and the world`s most gorgeous man falling in love, getting married and having kids. So they are a great product, you know. If you go to any newsstand any day of the week, you`ll see Brad and Angelina on three or four magazine covers. They sell magazines and so the paparazzi know if they get a good shot of Brad and Angelina ...
ANDERSON: They`ll make money.
CHILTON: ... that pays their bills for that month, you know.
ANDERSON: Yes. Brad and Angelina do manage to remain so calm, amazingly. Rob Chilton, Kareen Wynter, thank you both.
CHILTON: Thanks.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, country star Billy Ray Cyrus who`s no stranger to the paparazzi is speaking out like never before about that photo scandal that rocked his superstar daughter, "Hannah Montana`s" Miley Cyrus. We`re talking about that controversial racy "Vanity Fair" photo shoot.
Remember, in one explosive shot, Miley, who`s only 15, was topless with a blanket wrapped around her. Well, now, her dad says he left before that shot was ever taken. But then there was another photo that really raised some eyebrows. This is the one that showed Miley draped across Billy Ray`s lap. But tonight, Billy Ray is fighting back and telling "Today`s" Meredith Vieira that photo was no big deal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEREDITH VIEIRA, HOST, "TODAY": Was that a mistake, do you think?
BILLY RAY CYRUS, COUNTRY STAR: To make that picture right there?
VIEIRA: Yes.
B. CYRUS: No. I don`t think it`s a - it`s not a mistake to me. You know, if it is to someone else, I`m sorry if I offended somebody. But no, that`s just a daddy that loves his daughter a whole lot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to say, I totally get what he`s saying, but I think in the context of all those pictures, I can understand why people reacted the way they did. Now, I hope, as I`m sure he does, everybody can just move on.
ANDERSON: Yes, me too. All right. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT boldly going where no show has gone before and asking, is there really a battle on the bridge between "Star Trek`s" George Takei and William Shatner?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera): I know at your wedding, you have invited some of your "Star Trek" co-stars to be involved but, George, no William Shatner?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
My explosive interview with Mr. Sulu - why no William Shatner at his wedding, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hi, there. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. "Star Trek`s" Mr. Sulu, George Takei and his partner for more than 21 years, Brad Altman, were among the first to receive a same-sex marriage license, Tuesday, in California. I`m happy for them. Congratulations, guys.
I just got to sit down with George and Brad and I asked them about their upcoming wedding. Some members of the "Star Trek" cast are on the invite list. But will Captain Kirk, William Shatner, make the cut? .
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE TAKEI, "STAR TREK" STAR: We have a list of 3,500 names and believe me, I can assure you, William Shatner is on that list. And as I said, we`re going through the winnowing-out process. So we`ll see how it works out.
ANDERSON: OK. And I know there was tension in the past. But is that still the case or no?
TAKEI: You know, we worked together professionally for all these years. And you know, each one of our road gigs together, they`ve been swimmingly successful. So yes, you know, we have a good professional relationship. And we are going to get our marriage license today.
ANDERSON: Did you ever dream that same-sex relationships, same-sex marriages would be legalized?
TAKEI: We dreamed about it but we knew at that time that it was just a dream. And we are just elated and overjoyed that the California Supreme Court ruled that there is marriage equality. We can get married like anybody else.
ANDERSON: I know it was a few years ago that you openly talked about being gay and your relationship with Brad Altman. What if you had done that 40 years ago, talked about your sexuality? What do you think the reaction would have been when you were starring on "Star Trek" as Mr. Sulu? Do you think it would have killed your career?
TAKEI: Well, I was a young actor. And you know it`s a very competitive arena. When I go out for a role, there are a lot of other people that are competing for it. And the producers will find all sorts of reasons to eliminate you. And in order to build a career, I wanted to minimize all the reasons with which they could keep me from getting cast. And so I was very quiet about it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, George and Brad are not keeping quiet about their big day. They are busy planning a September wedding.
HAMMER: Well, congratulations to both of them.
And that`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
END
