Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
Brinkley`s Bitter Battle; Madonna`s Long, Hot Summer; Choosing Mr. Wrong; Jamie Lynn Spears` Baby Story
Aired July 09, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Your very first look at Jamie Lynn Spears` baby pictures.
Plus, things get heated on "The View" about her being a teenage mom.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And Barack Obama`s shocking TV interview which he now says was a mistake.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, stunning developments in the Christie Brinkley dirty divorce battle. Tonight, is there a jaw-dropping deal in the works? Will this thing finally be settled once and for all? Plus, the unbelievable testimony about the mental state of Christie and her ex, Peter Cook.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT covering all the late-breaking, dramatic twists and turns.
Also, Christie Brinkley`s romance regrets. Drew Barrymore single again. Halle Berry swears off marriage. They`re beautiful, talented, and oh so rich. So why have they had so many problems when it comes to romance?
SHOWBIZ investigates choosing Mr. Wrong.
Plus, Madonna`s long, hot, scandal-filled summer. The shocking A-Rod divorce, reports that her own marriage is on the rocks, her own brother about to release an explosive tell-all book. Can Madonna make it through all this?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 from Hollywood.
And tonight, both Christie Brinkley and her soon-to-be ex-husband may have finally gotten the wake-up call they really need.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. A week after what everyone agrees may be the nastiness, dirtiest, public celebrity divorce trial ever, there was big buzz in court today that both Brinkley and Cook were ready to raise the white flag and settle this whole mess out of court. And in an extraordinary showdown, both of their attorneys went on TV for a face-off that, at times, seemed as nasty as the trial itself.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the big Brinkley bashing making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice over): If you had any doubt that the divorce between Christie Brinkley and her husband, Peter Cook, was getting as nasty as a divorce can possibly get, you could have just asked their lawyers.
NORMAN SHERESKY, ATTORNEY FOR PETER COOK: It`s about as vicious a case as I have ever seen.
BOB COHEN, ATTORNEY FOR CHRISTIE BRINKLEY: This is, I agree with Norman, the most difficult custody case that I`ve ever tried.
HAMMER: Brinkley and Cook`s attorneys both appeared on "LARRY KING LIVE." And even though they each talked to Larry separately, neither could resist the chance to take ugly shots on behalf of their clients.
COHEN: He hit on a woman who was barely out of high school. There is nobody that`s more unfit to be a custodial parent in the courts today that I know than Peter.
SHERESKY: Peter did something bad and she wants nothing but payback. She`s a scorned woman wanting revenge. It`s a sad, sad situation.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S message to A-Rod and Cynthia, pay close attention. If you`re not careful in your divorce, this could be your future.
JEN GARCIA, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Definitely some dirty laundry has been aired, and it`s certainly nothing that puts either in a great light.
HAMMER: The Larry King attorney-on-attorney smackdown came hours after a court-appointed psychiatrist testified at the Long Island trial.
GARCIA: While he does say that Cook is a great father, he did characterize him not in the best light at all.
HAMMER: Jen Garcia covered the trial for the new issue of "People" magazine. She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, with all the testimony about Cook`s affair with a teenager and his expensive Internet porn habit, the shrink doesn`t think Cook should have the kids.
GARCIA: Dr. Steven Herman (ph), absolutely, without a doubt, testified that Christie Brinkley should be given sole custody of both the children. He dubbed Cook a narcissist and said that while most people need a little feeding of their egos and a little bit of stroking, Cook has an insatiable appetite for it.
HAMMER: But the psychiatrist didn`t spare Brinkley. He says the model, who`s been married and divorced four times now, needs counseling to address her anger at Peter and her taste in men.
GARCIA: Herman (ph) felt that she needed to speak to someone kind of to vent and get rid of some of that anger he felt that she did have, but also that she should examine some of her past choices.
HAMMER: On "LARRY KING LIVE," Cook`s attorney tried to make the best of the psychiatrist`s testimony.
SHERESKY: You`re leaving out most of what he said. He said that this guy is a terrific father, and always has been a father, that this guy is almost a model for a terrific father and that he should have a lot of access.
HAMMER: And Sheresky agreed that Brinkley needs counseling.
SHERESKY: She can`t get rid of her anger. She will not co-parent with him. She won`t tell him about what`s going on in the children`s lives.
She sends him the nastiest e-mails. She`s told the children about his affair. She is the epitome of a bad mother.
HAMMER: As you might imagine, Brinkley`s attorney wasn`t ready to hand out any Father of the Year awards to Cook.
COHEN: What he did on that Internet, interactive sex with women, is so shameful. And then started a long romance with an 18-year-old, running all over Long Island and Brooklyn looking for her. All the while, he was supposed to be such a great father.
HAMMER: Then Brinkley`s attorney made a stunning proposal. On live TV, he tried to get his counterpart to agree to stop going on TV.
COHEN: I`ve made an offer to Norman. He`s still on the line. I`ll continue that offer.
This case should be tried in the courtroom, it shouldn`t be tried all over the media. It shouldn`t be tried with statements. Let`s keep our attention in the courtroom and let`s try the case.
HAMMER: So with all this painful back-and-forth between spouses and between attorneys, it`s clear that this model`s divorce has been anything but a model divorce.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So with all that said, would it just be best for both sides to settle this thing and put everyone out of their misery? I mean, come on.
Joining me tonight in New York, Sunny Hostin, CNN legal analyst for "AMERICAN MORNING." In Hollywood tonight, "Extra" co-host Dayna Devon.
Sunny, Dayna, good to see you both.
Christie Brinkley left the courtroom today saying she was praying for a settlement. She even puts her hands together and says, "I am praying for this thing to settle."
What do you think, Sunny? Who has the most to gain from a settlement at this point, Christie Brinkley or Peter Cook?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, any settlement for Peter Cook is a win for him. Let`s face it.
There was a prenup. He challenged that prenup. And that`s why they`re in court in the first place.
So, any settlement is going to be a win for him. But he comes out of this pretty damaged goods, by all accounts. I mean, his psychiatrist has basically said he`s narcissistic. We know he had an affair with an 18- year-old, we know he had interactive sex on the Web.
I can`t even say it it`s so odd. That, you know, he comes out really, really badly, and much more so than she does. I think really any settlement for him is a gift at this point.
HAMMER: A gift. And also to the fact that there will be no more mud slung in his direction...
HOSTIN: Exactly.
HAMMER: ... at least in the courtroom. I don`t know if it`s going to stop from elsewhere.
What do you think, Dayna? Perhaps Christie Brinkley had some kind of a revelation, because maybe even she never believed how dirty and sordid and nasty this whole thing would start getting. And maybe she started thinking, you know, I`ve got to figure a way out of this.
DAYNA DEVON, "EXTRA" CO-HOST: Well, you know, I actually think she`s always wanted a settlement. For the last two years I think she`s wanted a settlement. And actually, some new information.
Speaking of settlements today, they actually did have settlement talks this morning. They broke down and they later went back into trial. But apparently there is some smoking gun information that`s been uncovered by two twin private investigators that were hired by Brinkley`s legal team.
And apparently this information is so sensational, it did force them into talks. So stay tuned for that. That actually may bring a close to some of this trial soon.
HAMMER: Yes, we`re going to have to wait and see if any of that unfolds. We have nothing official on that yet. But even the attorneys for both Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook agree that this is the nastiest divorce case they`ve ever seen, which is something you don`t hear very often, particularly in a very public trial.
I want you to watch what both these attorneys told Larry King on his show Tuesday night.
Roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERESKY: I`ve tried as many child custody cases as any lawyer in New York. It`s just vicious and it`s unnecessary.
COHEN: This is a vicious case. This is, I agree with Norman, the most difficult custody case that I`ve ever tried.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What do you think, Sunny? A lot of people are saying, you know, Brinkley led her desire to get revenge on Cook with his cheating with his then-18-year-old employee cloud her adjustment. Is that what you think happened here with Christie? She was thinking revenge would be a dish best served in a courtroom?
HOSTIN: I don`t think so at all. I think, again, there was a prenup here. He challenged it. She was trying to settle this case, avoid court, but she did play a game of chicken. And I really think it was a brilliant move.
She basically said to him, listen, you`re taking me to trial, it`s not going to be private. I`m going to air all of this in front of everyone. I`ve made some mistakes, but you`ve made a lot of mistakes, and everyone is going to hear about it.
Listen, these kids grew up in the public eye anyway. They`re the children of Christie Brinkley. And so my guess is that she spoke to them, they`re able to handle it.
And this is all his fault. And imagine how she feels. Fourth marriage going down the tubes because your husband had a horrible affair.
HAMMER: Sure.
HOSTIN: You know, it`s his fault. That`s the bottom line.
HAMMER: Well, all that said, I`m guessing the last thing Christie probably expected was a court-appointed psychiatrist would say openly in court, on the record, she needs to get therapy, and so does Cook. Not to mention, of course, Cook being portrayed in court as a narcissistic adulter with a porn obsession and all of that.
Dayna Devon, back to you. Who do you think really took the biggest hit in their battle over custody of the young kids?
DEVON: Oh, well, Cook, for sure. I mean, it doesn`t get much worse than this.
I mean, you know, doing these things on the Internet, interactive sex, I mean, come on. It just doesn`t get much worse than that this.
I mean, he`s -- you know, Diana Bianchi is not much older than his kids. So, obviously he took the biggest hit.
HAMMER: Yes.
DEVON: You know, in some ways, I think she actually -- she looks like a fighter. She really, you know, used the system. She really made this work for her. She didn`t portray herself as a victim.
HAMMER: I agree with you on that, Dayna.
DEVON: So in some ways, I think she came out as very cunning.
HAMMER: Got to jump in right there.
Sunny Hostin, Dayna Devon, thank you both for being here tonight. I appreciate it.
Now over to you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Christie Brinkley`s dirty divorce trial: Should they settle it out of court?
Vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight or e-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., I know that we have seen some nasty Hollywood divorces around here, but boy is this one ugly.
HAMMER: Couldn`t agree with you more, Brooke. Even the attorneys think this is getting nasty. And they are, too.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERESKY: And she just wants revenge. She`s a scorned woman wanting revenge. It`s a sad, sad situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, no question about that.
Coming up, a fired-up panel, they`re going to do some of their own judging on this dirty divorce case. Who should win? Who will get the kids? Will they settle?
The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT divorce court is in session coming up.
ANDERSON: Well, I want to know, will Madonna end up in divorce court? Reports that her marriage is a mess, the A-Rod scandal, her own brother about to come out with a shocking tell-all book. It`s going to be a long, hot summer for Madonna. Can she survive? Next.
And you`ve got to stick around. I`ve got your very first look at Jamie Lynn Spears` baby pictures that are causing controversy over at "The View."
That`s straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Madonna singing about saving the world in her hit "Four Minutes." But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, with a summer full of scandals, who`s going to save Madonna?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, Madonna`s long, hot summer has only just begun. And it could be getting worse.
She is still trying to convince everyone that she had nothing to do with the break-up of New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez`s marriage. At the same time, she is battling reports that her own marriage is on the rocks and she and Guy Ritchie are headed to divorce court themselves. She`s battling those rumors.
If that isn`t enough Madonna drama, next week her own brother is about to release an explosive tell-all book about his sister.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Howard Bragman, founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. And in New York, VH1 news host Janell Snowden.
Janell, Howard, good to see you both.
And to me, you guys, it seems that for Madonna, it`s like one incoming missile after another aimed right at her. But she has counterattacked, denying that she had anything to do with A-Rod`s marriage breaking up and denying that she`s getting a divorce of her own -- both denials actually in the same statement.
Howard, was that the best counterpunch and strategy?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Absolutely. The best thing is to come out, make one statement, shut your mouth. And Madonna has to focus on the big three things in her life, which is her family and her children, her career and her spirituality. And if she keeps her eyes on those three prizes, she`s going to do just fine through these troubled times.
ANDERSON: Howard, is that what you tell your clients, come out with one statement and shut your mouth?
BRAGMAN: You know, unless this thing gets so big that she has to address something, absolutely. The more you talk, the more you add fuel to the fire, Brooke.
So, yes, one statement. And when you saw her statement earlier this week, it was almost a litany of things that she chose to address.
There were five or six different points. She did it very methodically, very professionally. Now it`s time to zip it up and focus on the other things.
ANDERSON: Stay a little bit quiet.
Well, you know, she is focusing on a huge upcoming world tour for her new album "Hard Candy."
Janell, do you think that had Madonna is thinking, oy, just what I needed, or, hey, just what I need this time, some publicity and attention?
JANELL SNOWDEN, VH1 NEWS HOST: Actually, I think she`s thinking, give me a drink, or lots of them. It sounds like she could use them.
Madonna, honey, call me. We`ll go have drinks.
I mean, seriously, even for an attention-starved celebrity like Madonna, even this is too much. I mean, she`s got kids now, and I think first and foremost, she`s concerned about how this is all going to affect them.
Certainly no one wants to hear that their mother is a home-wrecker, and just like they don`t want to hear that, you know, their mom did whatever God-forsaken thing her brother is going to come out and say that she did. But if there`s anybody that can rebound from all this, it`s definitely the Material Girl, Madonna.
ANDERSON: And I`m sure Madonna appreciates your offer to lend an ear to her.
Howard, what do you think? Are we being too cynical here? Or do you think one long, hot summer in the headlines could lead to one sweet concert tour, even if it`s unintentional on her part?
BRAGMAN: Brooke, we`re being cynical if we think this was all orchestrated by Madonna to sell tickets to her tour. For the last 25 to 30 years, Madonna`s never had trouble selling tickets to any of her shows. And in fact, one of the great entertainment highlights of our time is going to a Madonna concert.
So, with or without the controversy, the show will do fine. But to think this is the Machiavellian reason behind all these problems, that would be the cynical approach, and I`m not that cynical, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Yes. I can`t imagine that she`s orchestrating all of this for publicity.
But wait, guys. It is not over yet. Her brother, who used to be so very close to her during her biggest years, is about to release a tell-all book. Now, so far, Madonna herself hasn`t said one word about it.
Janell, there are already reports about some really salacious details in this book. Would Madonna do herself a favor here by just ignoring her brother and this book?
SNOWDEN: I mean, I think what Howard said is right. If she wants to come out and make one statement just saying that, you know, for whatever reason, my brother has this vendetta against me, and it`s sad to see that he has to stoop to these levels, then maybe that`s the way to go. But aside from that, if she just ignores it, I think we all will, too.
I said it before and I`ll say it again. I mean, unless he comes out and says that she murdered someone, I think we`ll get over it.
ANDERSON: Howard, very quickly, 10 seconds, should Madonna not comment on the book and its contents, or would you advise her otherwise?
BRAGMAN: She should shut her mouth unless it becomes such a big point that she finally feels the need to address it. But she`s only going to help fuel the controversy and sell the book if she chooses the need to comment.
So, again, Madonna, keep your mouth shut for a little while and focus on the tour.
ANDERSON: Howard Bragman, Janell Snowden, thank you both for your insight.
HAMMER: You know, Brooke, think about it, it`s truly unbelievable. You`ve got these two big divorce shockers -- of course the Madonna and A-Rod mess, and then of course the Christie Brinkley divorce. They`re happening at the same time. Amazing.
ANDERSON: It is, A.J. It`s really amazing.
Summer is usually pretty quiet here in Hollywood. But not this year. Even Christie`s lawyers are fanning the flames.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: This case is where it is today because Peter has asked for custody of these kids. There is nobody that`s more unfit to be a custodial parent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ouch!
Coming up, we`re doing our own judging of this dirty divorce battle. Who should win? Who should get the kids?
The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT divorce court is in session.
And I just don`t get it. Christie Brinkley, so beautiful, so successful, but why can`t she just pick the right guy?
Drew Barrymore just broke up again. Halle Berry swears off marriage. Straight ahead, a revealing look at the stars who keep choosing Mr. Wrong.
HAMMER: And you have got to hear this, what Barack Obama says he will never do again on TV, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
I`m A.J. Hammer.
Tonight, Barack Obama`s shocking admission. Our friends over at "Access Hollywood" got an exclusive interview with the Democratic presidential candidate with his wife and kids. It was Barack`s daughter Malia`s birthday over July 4th weekend. And Access` Maria Menounos got Obama to open up about their family life and what all this has been like for his daughters.
Well, there`s been a backlash against Obama for doing this interview, because he has insisted he was going to keep his family out of the spotlight. And tonight he tells The Today Show`s Matt Lauer the interview was a bad idea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We got carried away in the moment. We were having a birthday party, and everybody was laughing, and suddenly this thing cropped up. And I didn`t catch it quickly enough. And I was surprised by the attention it received as well.
MATT LAUER, "THE TODAY SHOW": So if you had to do it over again?
OBAMA: We wouldn`t do it again, and we won`t be doing it again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: By the way, "Access" says the interview just kind of fell into their lap. They weren`t pressuring Obama at all to do the thing. So there you go.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J., I think Barack has run a pretty good campaign so far. So we`ll see.
All right. Now back to the land of nasty Hollywood splits.
Tonight, judging Christie Brinkley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERESKY: She just wants revenge. She`s a scorned woman wanting revenge. It`s a sad, sad situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Wow! Even the lawyers are letting loose in this dirty divorce battle, but who will win? Who will get the kids?
Next, we`ve got a fired-up bunch coming up. The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT divorce court is in session.
HAMMER: You know, Brooke, I don`t get it. Christie is obviously beautiful, she`s successful. But why is it that she can`t pick the right guy? The same thing for Drew Barrymore. Even Halle Berry is swearing off marriage.
A revealing look at the stars who keep choosing Mr. Wrong.
ANDERSON: I`ve also got your very first look at Jamie Lynn Spears` baby pictures. And you don`t want to miss the ladies of "The View" going at it about Jamie Lynn being a teenage mom.
HAMMER: Remember, you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Subscribe today. Go to cnn.com/showbiztonight, click on that "Sign Up For Newsletter" link. It`s right there at the bottom of the page. And we`ll zip it off to you.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COHEN: I`ve made an offer to Norman, and he`s still on the line. I`ll continue that offer. This case should be tried in a courtroom. It shouldn`t be tried all over the media.
HAMMER (voice over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, judging the ugly Christie Brinkley divorce battle. Tonight, we`ve got a fired-up panel who are giving their no-holds-barred ruling, who should win? Will they settle?
The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT divorce court is in session.
Choosing Mr. Wrong. Christie Brinkley`s romance regrets. Drew Barrymore`s single again. Halle Berry swears off marriage.
They`re hot, talented and successful, so why have they had so many problems when it comes to love? SHOWBIZ investigates choosing Mr. Wrong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 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, I hope you`re ready, because tonight., judging the out-of- control, over-the-top Christie Brinkley divorce trial. SHOWBIZ divorce court is now in session.
I couldn`t afford a gavel.
Well, first, the big headlines that are making news right now.
Attorneys for Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook put that trial on hold for several hours today as they reportedly worked on a deal to settle this whole mess, including who gets custody of these kids. The stunning turn of events came just one day after more explosive testimony on the witness stand by a psychiatrist who says Brinkley and Cook both need some time on the shrink`s couch.
And in an exclusive interview on "LARRY KING LIVE," lawyers from both sides say they have come to at least one agreement -- this is the most vicious trial they have ever seen.
Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the best legal team on television on the Brinkley/Cook divorce drama.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, the Emmy Award-winning show "Christina`s Court," host, Judge Christina Perez. Here in New York, investigative journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, also the author of "Secrets Can Be Murder," now available in paperback. And also here in New York, legal analyst for CNN`s AMERICAN MORNING," Sunny Hostin.
Good to welcome you all here tonight. And I want to begin with this attorney smackdown -- this was better than any reality TV -- on "LARRY KING LIVE." Just extraordinary.
A big face-off when we had lawyers for both sides saying they`d love to settle this whole thing behind closed doors and not in the court of public opinion. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERESKY: It`s about as vicious as any case I`ve tried, and I guess I`ve tried as many child custody cases as any lawyer in New York. It`s just vicious and it`s unnecessary. And like all the rest, Larry, it`s sad. It`s just sad.
COHEN: This is, I agree with Norman, the most difficult custody case that I`ve ever tried. I`ve made an offer to Norman. He`s still on the line. I`ll continue that offer. This case should be tried in the courtroom. It shouldn`t be tried all over the media.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yet, there they were, all over the media. Funny that.
All right. So with the porn, the affairs, with Christie accusing Cook of manhandling their kids, Jane, I`m starting with you. I want you to be the judge here. I`ll give you your gown later.
Do you think everyone woke up this morning and kind of said, enough, this whole thing has just gone too far?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: A.J., they`re finally coming to their senses, they`re finally getting real. Unfortunately, it`s too late. The damage has already been done.
Although, who knows what other skeletons are in the closet? I mean, if you masturbate in front of a Web cam, chances are there`s some other bad behavior, even worse, lurking somewhere.
I think both of these people went into this completely naive, sort of subconsciously wanting the attention, writing a script of themselves as to how it was going to be like, how they were going to play a role. Almost like this was a TV show.
Then the reality hit them, like boxers getting into a ring and getting slugged and not knowing what hit them. So now they`re waking up to the fact that they`re both bloodied. He comes off as a total cad creep, she`s coming off kind of as a self-righteous goody two shoes, and everybody`s wondering why would they put their kids through this?
HAMMER: Yes, Jane, I`m right there with you. I think this got way messier than either of them could have anticipated.
Judge Christina, over to you. What`s your verdict? Reality check time for everybody?
JUDGE CHRISTINA PEREZ, "CHRISTINA`S COURT": Definitely. There`s a reason why my mother says (SPEAKING IN SPANISH), you wash your dirty clothes at home. Sometimes it`s just best to be quiet.
There is no way that airing all of this would make public opinion somehow sway what`s going to happen in the courtroom. And I think that was the biggest mistake that both of these parties made. It was very sad.
HAMMER: Very, very sad.
I want to check in with our legal expert, Sunny Hostin. We had this court- appointed psychiatrist calling Peter Cook a narcissist whose ego led him to cheat on his wife and perform sex acts on the Internet.
So, Sonny, what`s your judgment here? I mean, based on that testimony, would a settlement, should it happen at this time, likely be bad news for Cook?
HOSTIN: You know, I`ve got to disagree with everyone. I think this was a masterful move by Christie Brinkley.
The bottom line is what people are forgetting is that he signed a prenup and then went back on it and challenged it. And that`s why they`re in court. She had no other choice, and she played a game of chicken with him and basically said to him, listen, if you want to challenge this prenup, not only an I going to take you to trial, I`m going to air your dirty laundry out for everyone.
HAMMER: Yes, but hold on. Sunny...
HOSTIN: And so I think any settlement is too good for him.
HAMMER: ... you don`t think this just got way messier than she could have thought, though? I mean, that`s where I think it really could have backfired.
HOSTIN: I don`t think so. I don`t think so.
I think she knew exactly what she was going to say. I think we all knew what the allegations were. His mistress that he had an affair with, this 18-year-old, was out there in the public giving her story and selling her story.
We knew that she was going to come out of this smelling like a rose. I really think she did. And I think any settlement that he gets is too good. He doesn`t want custody of the children. This is about money.
HAMMER: Yes. I just see this as such a huge emotional toll on top of something that has already taken a huge emotional toll.
And you know, it isn`t just Cook who`s taken the beating in this now very public trial, because the psychiatrist testified that Brinkley needs to let go of some of her rage that she has for her husband and she needs to get some therapy on her own so she can, as the psychiatrist put it, try to pick better men. I mean, she did have four failed marriages, after all.
So, Jane, what`s your judgment on what we were just talking about there? Is this worth it for Christie?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I don`t think so. She`s definitely taken some hits. I think we all instinctively know that water finds its own level, and that when a messy divorce like this happens, it`s rarely, if ever, totally the fault of one spouse.
The shrink very specifically said she needs to go into therapy, too, to which she replied, well, I don`t know if I`m a huge fan of psychotherapy, but I`ll do it for the kids. To me, that`s a warning flag.
That means, I don`t want to work on myself and I`m willing to fly blind, which is while she`s flown through four failed marriages. She is suffering from being unself aware and living on the surface, which is why she was married to a man she had no idea who this person was. She was living with a total stranger.
HAMMER: Judge Christina, over to you. I mean, you`ve seen so many cases from the bench. From your vantage point, was Christie`s calculated risk of taking this whole thing public a good bet, or do you see that it maybe kind of backfired on her?
PEREZ: It was horrible. It backfired for two reasons. And I think, you know, her decision to come out in public and his decision is horrible, because they`re putting themselves first, they`re putting these children last. And the fact that she came out public, her decision to come out public with a lot more of these details, is going to have just as much a detrimental effects as his actions, number one.
And number two, what is she trying to prove, that she`s perfect? She`s human. Everybody makes mistakes. So...
HAMMER: All the more reason for everybody to just shut the heck up, if you ask me, yes.
PEREZ: ... I don`t get it. Exactly. I don`t feel sorry for her.
HAMMER: Well, during Larry King`s exclusive interview with Peter Cook`s attorney, Larry asked, point-blank, is the whole thing about Peter getting custody of the kids? I want you to watch what he said. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERESKY: You know, custody is a funny word. I don`t know that Peter wants custody, as a word. He wants a lot of access to his kids. He wants his wife to stop bad-mouthing him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I get the bad-mouthing part.
But Sunny Hostin, can you translate the other part for me? He`s kind of saying that he`s OK with Cook just getting some seeing of the kids and Christie getting the kids? I mean, what the heck was that?
HOSTIN: That`s exactly what it was, A.J. That`s exactly what it was. It`s not about the custody of the children. It`s about money here.
I think that, you know, he married her. She loved him. And he disappointed her.
He cheated on her with an 18-year-old that worked for him. He did all these terrible things. What did she do to deserve this? And now on top of it, he`s going back on the prenup, he`s challenging it, but he doesn`t even want custody of the kids. This is about money for him, I think it always has been.
HAMMER: Judge Christina, you`ve got to boil it down for us. If the case ended right now, from everything you`ve heard, you were sitting on that bench, what would your custody ruling be?
PEREZ: My custody -- I`d probably give her primary custody. But quite honestly, I don`t see anything that would prevent me from seeing his kids. But she would probably have primary custody.
HAMMER: So you would let that Peter Cook kind of be around to some degree?
PEREZ: Well, you know, quite honestly, there -- I`m not saying he`s the best guy. He`s a bad guy. I mean, of course, we`ve seen what he`s done, we`ve seen his pornography, his tendencies.
But is there something that would prevent me from having him ever see his children? No. There`s nothing in the record that would prevent me.
HAMMER: All right. Fair enough.
Thank you for judging the Brinkley trial.
Judge Christina Perez, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Sunny Hostin, I appreciate it.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." It is this: Christie Brinkley`s dirty divorce trial: Should they just setting it out of court? Let us know, cnn.com/showbiztonight. The e- mail address is showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., you know, Christie has had a pretty bad track record for choosing men. This is her fourth divorce.
HAMMER: Yes, which is kind of hard to believe, because you look at her, and she seems to have it all together, Brooke.
ANDERSON: On the surface she does. And Christie Brinkley not the only one, A.J. You`ve got Drew Barrymore, who`s newly single. Halle Berry, who`s sworn off marriage.
What is up with all these beautiful, talented stars choosing Mr. Wrong time and time again?
We`re looking for some answers ahead.
HAMMER: Well, Cher has certainly had her share of troubles in the romance department. So, did she really run off to Vegas and marry a Hells Angel?
Still ahead, Cher sets the record straight.
ANDERSON: And Jamie Lynn Spears is showing off her new baby girl. Check out the first photos of Britney Spears` new niece. I`ve got to tell you, the story had the ladies of "The View" fired up.
Hear what they had to say coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Do you know what`s extremely cool? That the fact is you can now watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time simply by downloading our podcast.
Is it still free, Jay?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
HAMMER: Still free. You`ll find it at cnn.com/showbiztonight.
You can also download it on iTunes, if that`s your method. Type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box.
And now playing, it`s my exclusive interview with Boy George. Find out what`s going on with him.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HALLE BERRY, ACTRESS: There are some things that we do try to keep personal. You know, we do try to live a very normal life that`s away from all the, you know, lights, camera, action, and we try to find some sense of normalcy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Halle Berry, who suffered one failed relationship after another, talking to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about finally making it work with her boyfriend, Gabriel Aubrey, who`s also the father of her child.
So, why are some of the most beautiful stars in the world so unlucky in love?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, choosing Mr. Wrong. Christie Brinkley can tell you all about it. She`s now in a very ugly divorce trial with Peter Cook, husband number four.
So are women like Christie and serial daters like Drew Barrymore, who`s now going through another break-up, and Jessica Simpson, just unlucky in love, or is there something else going on here?
Joining me tonight from New York is Dr. Judy Kuriansky, clinical psychologist and author of "The Complete Idiot`s Guide to a Healthy Relationship." Also in New York, Cooper Lawrence, relationship expert and author of "The Cult of Celebrity."
Cooper, Dr. Judy, a psychiatrist in the Brinkley divorce trial just testified that based on his observations of and his conversations with the family, Christie should be awarded full custody of the kids, but that what she really needs to do is examine her poor choice of male partners, that she needs therapy.
Dr. Judy, she`s been married four times, including once to Billy Joel. Why do you think she keeps striking out?
DR. JUDY KURIANKSY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, I think that it`s certainly true that she needs to examine her own choices. The Mr. Wrongs are usually the guys who are full of themselves, the narcissists, the rich and famous guys who have very little to give to the woman and are consumed with themselves.
And Christie needs to really open her eyes about her choices. Look, she married Taubman, and I remember those days, way back when she was in an accident -- in a skiing accident with him, said she had Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome because it was a traumatic time. And she married him anyway.
She didn`t listen to people saying, this is not the right choice. And the same thing happened with Peter Cook. She needed to open her eyes to who this guy really was. That`s a little too idealistic, and I think that`s what`s Christie`s problem.
ANDERSON: Sometimes blinded by love, maybe. And you mentioned narcissism. The psychiatrist did say that Peter Cook is a narcissist.
Cooper, is Christie just repeating a negative pattern in the type of man that she`s choosing, or like countless other women, is she simply unlucky in love?
COOPER LAWRENCE, RELATIONSHIP EXPERT: No. I mean, I think to say unlucky in love, that gives over the power of your own responsibility of relationships to just, you know, happenstance.
I think we`re all in charge of our relationships, who we choose to bring into our lives, especially when we have children. So we have to make very distinct choices.
I think her choices, like Dr. Judy was saying, have been terrible. So, until she stops and examines why she`s attracting men to her that has been damaging to her, she`s going to continue the pattern.
ANDERSON: As we mentioned, the court-appointed psychiatrist said that Christie needs therapy to get to the heart of her choices in men. Christie said on the stand that she is not a fan of psychotherapy, but that she`s willing to do what it takes to get sole custody of her kids.
This whole story really had the ladies of "The View" fired up, particularly Joy Behar, who was just furious to hear that Christie wasn`t so keen on seeing a shrink. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, "THE VIEW": I was reading today that she said that she`s -- supposedly she has to go into psychotherapy -- "I`m not a fan of psychotherapy." Hello?
Christie, you know, you are attracted to narcissistic men. You need to find out what that`s about, and not necessarily in the newspapers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: There it is, narcissism again. So, is Christie doomed to a lifetime of heartbreak, or, Dr. Judy, is there something she can do to change this unfortunate pattern?
KURIANSKY: It would be perfect for Christie. She needs to see why she has those love criteria that do draw her to those men.
And many times it`s because they are exciting. She wants that excitement, even though she has it in her own life.
Many times these women do not have high self-esteem even though she`s gorgeous and she`s successful and she`s so rich, and it`s her $30 million house. And so she really has to take a look at her background. I`m very much in favor of that.
What happened in her childhood? I really want to know, what happened in Christie`s childhood and with her father that she didn`t get the attention that she needed?
She wasn`t told she was really beautiful, she didn`t really believe those things. She projects it onto these men now, and that`s what ends up making her unhappy. And I think if she were in therapy, then truly, Brooke, she would be able to solve this problem and she would find a better nice guy for her.
ANDERSON: And I do want to move to also in the news right now, Drew Barrymore breaking up with her boyfriend of the year, Justin Long. That`s just another in a long line of men, including two ex-husbands that Drew has been involved with.
Cooper, here we have another example of someone who is beautiful, who is successful. What is she doing wrong?
LAWRENCE: Well, we accept the fact that Drew Barrymore just doesn`t do long-term relationships. And a lot of it has to do with the way relationships were modeled to her as a child.
She didn`t have good role models for what a good, healthy relationship looks like. So, you were talking about a kid who grew up in the world of celebrity, she grew up with people around her telling her how great and fabulous she was.
She didn`t have to make a real connection with anybody. And when she did, it wasn`t as substantive as she might have wanted it to be. So, I think the role modeling is a big key for her.
ANDERSON: Good point. Good point.
Well, we hope all of these women eventually find their true loves and soul mates.
Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Cooper Lawrence, thank you both.
HAMMER: Well, here are some other stories that are new right now.
Angelina Jolie will be out of sight until she gives birth to her twins. So, if you see hospital photos of her, they`re probably not real. OK?
The French hospital where Jolie is being monitored until the delivery says it`s placed these special coverings on the windows of Jolie`s room. That`s to keep the paparazzi from taking pictures of her or her partner, Brad Pitt. So hospital reps are saying on Wednesday that photos claiming to show Jolie and Pitt in the hospital, they are fakes.
Well, Cher is setting the record straight on reports that she had a quickie Vegas wedding to a 38-year-old Hell`s Angel. Her rep tells people.com those reports are not true. And for the record, Cher isn`t even in Vegas right now.
Her Vegas show is on hiatus. She will be back on stage in August.
Well, the hooker at the center of the Eliot Spitzer sex scandal may be headed to Hollywood. Ashley Dupree, seen here in photos obtained exclusively by "US Weekly," is reportedly shopping an idea for a reality show.
Oh, goodie. These reports say one idea Dupree is considering, a dating show. Smart move.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to Dupree`s attorney. He did not respond as of show time.
ANDERSON: Britney Spears` baby sister is showing off her new baby girl. Coming up, the first photo of Jamie Lynn Spears` new baby, and the fired up debate over it on "The View." You won`t want to miss that, next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time. New stuff being posted all the time at cnn.com/showbiztonight. Among the videos playing right now, the Madonna/A-Rod divorce mess.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, Britney Spears` baby sister is showing off her new baby. Jamie Lynn Spears and her baby girl, Maddie Briann are the cover girls on the latest issue of "OK!" magazine.
Jamie Lynn told "OK!" that she had the perfect pregnancy and that her family, including big sis, Britney, were by her side for the birth last month. She said, "It was such a big day of being able to have your sister there, your whole family there, meant a lot. Everybody flew in to celebrate."
Jamie Lynn`s story sparked some serious controversy. After all, she got pregnant at 16, when she was the star of Nickelodeon`s tween show, "Zoey 101." Now that the baby is here, it`s still a touchy subject. Especially if you ask the ladies of "The View."
Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, "THE VIEW": It`s not like she did it and everyone went, "Oh, good!" I`m sure Jamie Lynn`s mother said, "Are you out of your mind?"
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m sure.
GOLDBERG: "Have you lost your.." -- but once the child, or the young person makes that decision, if you love your child, you have got to support them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are I would like to see though is also to the other side. Not just the, oh, this is so wonderful, the baby. Because I think a lot of young girls think it`s just this little fantasy.
GOLDBERG: That`s not the reality.
BEHAR: When you have a baby at that age, you haven`t got a clue of what you are doing. Let us just be real here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are women who are 40, 50, 30, who have kids who don`t have a clue what they are doing. I don`t think age necessarily determines it. It`s who is around and you who can help her raise this child at this point in her life.
GOLDBERG: There you are.
BEHAR: What, Britney is going ho to help her?
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Everybody pretty opinionated about this story.
Now, there are reports that Jamie Lynn made big bucks for appearing in "OK!" magazine with Maddie. "OK!" says it does not comment on the terms of deals with celebrities.
HAMMER: Well, on Tuesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," which was this" Madonna/A-Rod claims: Is emotional cheating worse than sexual cheating?
I was a little surprised to see a pretty even split here, with 45 percent of you saying yes, 55 percent of you saying no.
A bunch of e-mails came in from our faithful viewers.
Stephanie from Michigan writes, "Sex is something you may be able to get past, but it`s worse when you make vows and let someone else know your innermost feelings more than your husband or wife."
But Darlene in New York writes, "They are equally horrible. You either give your body or your heart someone other than who you promised it to. Not nice."
And everybody can agree with that, Brooke.
Well, that is going to do it. That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We appreciate your watching.
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11s: 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
END
