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Showbiz Tonight
Co-Stars Dispel Myth on Heath Ledger`s Death; Al Reynolds Speaks Out; The Brangelina Baby Frenzy; Madonna`s Brother Opens Up; The Funniest Falls
Aired July 15, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST: Madonna`s brother tells me all about his tell-all book about his sister.
And wait until you hear what Cynthia Rodriguez wants from A-Rod and I`m not talking about money.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the heartbreaking drama surrounding Heath Ledger`s last big role in the most anticipated movie of the year. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there with Ledger`s co-stars at the big premiere of "The Dark Knight."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTIAN BALE, ACTOR: This will be a celebration of his talent which was prodigious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the controversy as Ledger`s co- stars go off on all the speculation that Ledger`s role as the Joker may have had something to do with his death.
Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Star Jones` soon-to-be ex- husband breaks his silence. Al Reynolds comes out swinging about rumors that he`s gay. And get this, he says that he didn`t know she was getting their entire wedding sponsored.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL REYNOLDS, STAR JONES` EX-HUSBAND: I wasn`t aware of all the endorsements.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Plus, his revelation about his relationship with Star now. Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Star`s ex speaks out.
Plus, the Brangelina baby frenzy. The unbelievable challenges the world`s most famous family will face now that there are six kids in the Brangelina bunch.
(MUSIC)
Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, broadcasting tonight from Hollywood. And tonight, I`m going one-on-one with Madonna`s brother about his controversial brand-new tell-all book about his sister. It`s the interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first, Heath`s "Dark Night." Just days before the world gets to see Heath Ledger in one of his last roles, his co-stars are furious as suggestions that his intense performance as the Joker in the new Batman movie might have had something to do with his shocking, untimely death. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the big premiere of "The Dark Knight," and tonight, we can now reveal what is making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEATH LEDGER, ACTOR (AS THE JOKER): This town deserves a fair (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and I`m going to give it to them.
ANDERSON: This summer, Heath Ledger`s performance as Batman`s enemy, the Joker, in "The Dark Knight" is the hottest thing going.
LEDGER: It`s not about money. It`s about sending my message.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": I was just blown away by how good Heath Ledger was in this movie. And there`s even Oscar buzz around him.
ANDERSON: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Ledger`s tragic death of an accidental prescription drug overdose soon after finishing the movie has left a dark cloud over "The Dark Knight."
At "The Dark Knight`s" New York City premiere, the movie`s stars talked to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and each was quick to praise Ledger while mourning his passing.
BALE: I refuse to talk about anything about his private life. This will be a celebration his talent which was prodigious.
MICHAEL CAINE, ACTOR WHO PLAYS ALFRED IN "THE DARK KNIGHT": This is his big moment because he`s the most amazing thing in the picture.
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL, ACTRESS WHO PLAYS RACHEL DAWES IN "THE DARK KNIGHT": I feel like it`s terribly sad. I mean he`s so incredible in the movie.
ANDERSON: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Ledger`s "Dark Knight" co- stars are banding together to fight suggestions that Ledger`s dark role as the sadistic Joker may have taken a toll in real life.
PIAZZA: All the actors are just vehemently coming out and saying, "There`s absolutely no way that this role had anything to do with Heath`s death.
ANDERSON: On the "Today" show, Batman himself, Christian Bale, confronted those rumors head on.
BALE: I always find it kind of rude to try to create some kind of a sound bite for such a tragedy, you know?
ANDERSON: Soon after Ledger`s death, gossip pages were full of speculation about his personal troubles and his use of prescription drugs in the final months of his life.
PIAZZA: When they first found him dead in his apartment, there were all these rumors about suicide that lasted for weeks and weeks. Finally, the autopsy report came out. They found it was an accidental prescription drug overdose. But everyone was wondering whether or not he had entered a really dark phase right before his death and people were speculating whether or not that had to do with his dark role as the Joker.
LEDGER: Why don`t we cut you up into little pieces and feed you (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ANDERSON: And while shooting his demanding role in "The Dark Knight" last fall, Ledger told the "New York Times" he`d been taking Ambien because he wasn`t able to sleep. Ledger said, quote, "Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night. I couldn`t stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going."
And even though Ledger said he always got wound up while shooting a movie, that didn`t stop some from suggesting that this particular role had a negative, if not devastating, impact.
PIAZZA: It really is the perfect storm of this kind of role that leads to even more rumors than there already were.
ANDERSON: Now Ledger`s co-stars deny that his performance was getting to him, a point Bale forcefully made on the "Today" show.
BALE: At the end of the day, he was having a wonderful time making this movie. I say he couldn`t have been happier doing it.
ANDERSON: And on "The View," co-star Gary Oldman agreed.
GARY OLDMAN, PLAYS LT. GORDON IN "THE DARK KNIGHT": In between takes, we would sit on a curbside in Chicago and he would laugh and joke and talk about Matilda, his daughter. And he wasn`t this sort of dark energy -
PIAZZA: I don`t think anyone wants to be in a movie that is publicized based on someone having a really horrible death.
ANDERSON: There`s still no escaping the talk about Ledger`s tragic death. But as "The Dark Knight" arrives in theaters and more people get a look at Ledger`s performance, at least people are also talking about what a great talent we`ve lost.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And be sure to tune into SHOWBIZ TONIGHT later this week as our coverage of the big debut of "The Dark Knight" continues. On Thursday, we`re going to have our one-on-one interview with Christian Bale. On Friday, tune in for our interview with Maggie Gyllenhaal. The stars of "The Dark Knight" right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Thursday and Friday. You don`t want to miss it.
OK. Tonight, the Brangelina baby frenzy. Tough questions tonight about how Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are going to be able to handle the two new additions to their life, the twins Jolie just gave birth to in a hospital in Nice, France. They`ve already got four kids under the age of seven at home and they`re about to bring home two newborns. How in the world will they do it?
With me tonight in Hollywood, "Access Hollywood" correspondent Laura Saltman. In New York is syndicated radio host and psychology specialist Cooper Lawrence.
OK. Ladies, Angelina Jolie gave birth to a boy named Knox Leon, a girl, Vivienne Marcheline, bringing the total for the Brangelina bunch to six - count them - six kids.
Laura, we know that Brad and Angelina have the image of being super parents and obviously they have all the resources they need at their fingertips. But I still would have to imagine this is going to be quite a challenge.
LAURA SALTMAN, CORRESPONDENT, "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD": Absolutely. But I think of anybody, these two can do it. Because even though they have the resources at their fingertips, they don`t use them. They are very hands- on. They have amazing careers. They do all their humanitarian efforts and they take care of four kids. If anybody can handle it, I believe they can handle having six kids.
ANDERSON: Hence, why people think they are super parents. And you know, I`ve got to wonder how the addition of the twins will disrupt the lives of the four kids Jolie and Pitt already have who range in age from two to six.
Cooper, so many families face this challenge all the time. Is this going to be tough for the kids making that adjustment?
ANDERSON: Oh, Brooke, you`re asking me this at the perfect time. There`s new research about large families. I don`t know. Maybe the scientists thought, "We`ll wait for Brad and Angelina and then we`ll put this research out there." But here`s what they found. They found that the one effect of having - being from a large family has on your personality is it affects how extroverted you are, how willing you are to go out into the world, make friends, that sort of thing. And your birth order has everything to do with that. That`s the one effect of a large family.
The second thing is they found it has an effect on sleep disorders of children, sleep problems. And it`s all about the parents having to create a really good environment for the kids in order for them to want to sleep. If the environment is you have kids in all different ages, in all different age ranges and they`re sleeping at different times, that can really set off a whole pattern of behavior where kids are just not sleeping at night. So that`s the big issue.
ANDERSON: So work on that rigid sleep schedule. And maybe because they are a large family, these kids will be great communicators. And we know that Brad Pitt has made no secret that they feel the more children, the better. Take a look at what he told Larry King last December.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You want more children?
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: Oh, yes, yes, yes.
KING: Yes?
PITT: Yes, we`re just getting started. We`re fortunate that we have time to give them attention and protect their upbringing. And we`ll know when we should stop. And I see it as such a positive right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Laura, do you think they`re finish after six or was Brad hinting at oh, so many more?
SALTMAN: I think the words Brad spoke, "We are just getting started," says it all right there. They knew they were having twins at that point. They had four children. I don`t think six is enough for them. However, there`s a producer at "Access Hollywood" who always said she wanted eight children. Eight children. Eight children. She recently had twins. Now she wants her twins and that`s it. She`s like, "This is something I had no idea what I was getting into." So you never know. With the twins added on, they might be rethinking what they`re planning on doing in the future.
ANDERSON: So that producer went from eight to two. That`s interesting. We`ll see what happens. And as any couple, of course, can tell you, when you`ve got a lot of kids, there is a lot of pressure and that pressure can put a strain on the relationship between the couple.
Cooper, we know they want a lot of kids. But how could this impact Brad and Angelina`s relationship?
LAWRENCE: Only in a positive way because she`s somebody who`s spoken very openly about the pain of her childhood. And I think for years, she`s been trying to fill that void. She tried with drugs. She tried with cutting, but I think she`s come to realize that the unconditional love of a child and of a family is really her panacea. So I think the more she can surround herself with children and a happy family and the happy environment that she never had, the more adaptive it is for her. So, if anything, she`s doing it for them, but also for herself.
ANDERSON: Laura, 10 seconds. Do you think this could only impact their relationship in a positive way?
SALTMAN: Oh, absolutely. I don`t think these two we`re going to see in 10 years, getting a divorce. I`m going to put that out there right now.
ANDERSON: Hopefully not.
SALTMAN: I think they`re going together for the long run.
ANDERSON: Fingers crossed. I hope so, Laura. Laura Saltman, Cooper Lawrence, thank you both. Good to see you.
And we want to hear from you on this. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Brad and Angelina: Do you consider them role model parents?"
Vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, the address showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Straight ahead, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive with Star Jones` soon-to- be ex-husband.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS: I want people to know that I`m more than just Star Jones` ex- husband. I`m Al Reynolds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Al Reynolds speaks out about rumors that he`s gay and about his relationship with Star now. You don`t want to miss this SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, coming up.
Plus, I am one-on-one with Madonna`s brother. He`s written a tell-all book and I ask him the tough questions - why he chose to write the book, why he`s disappointed by Madonna and whether he`s heard from her since he wrote the book. Steamy stuff - that`s coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And it`s a Brady brawl. A war of words between Carol Brady and her TV son, Peter Brady. I`m going to tell you why Florence Henderson and Christopher Knight are fighting and it`s about a lot more than playing ball in the house. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back. Stay put.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER KNIGHT (AS PETER BRADY): I even have a date with this chick.
FLORENCE HENDERSON (AS CAROL BRADY): Does this chick have a name?
KNIGHT: Oh, I don`t know her name but we rapped at school.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Got to love it. That`s "Brady Bunch" mom Florence Henderson taking an interest in the love life of one of her TV sons. But when it comes to reality, should she just butt out of their personal affairs?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, the "Brady Bunch" mom just one of two big battles that are new right now.
From "Brady Bunch" to Brady brawl. Christopher Knight who played Henderson`s son, Peter Brady, is now at war with her for calling his marriage to top model Adrianne Curry a mistake.
Also new right now, Paris Hilton says she`s sick and tired of being in the gossip pages. Paris, sick of being in the gossip pages? Are you kidding me? Isn`t that right? Enough of food supply?
ANDERSON: Joining me tonight from New York is VH1 news host Janelle Snowden. And in Hollywood, Michael Yo, host of "Yo on E!" heard on XM and Sirius satellite radio. Michael, Janelle, thanks for being here.
I want to start with Christopher "Peter Brady" Knight. This all began when Henderson, who counseled him and Adrianne on their reality show, says that she now thinks they will eventually divorce.
Well, get a load of what knight wrote on his MySpace page, quote, "It hurts me deeply that someone I have loved and respected for so many years; someone that has held an esteemed position in my life, would discuss overtly negative personal opinions about my marriage in a public forum. It is no secret Florence and Adrianne do not see eye to eye, but calling my marriage a sham helps so very little."
Michael Yo, we`ve got a downright Brady brawl. Should Flo butt out?
MICHAEL YO, HOST, "YO ON E!": Yes, Flo needs to butt out. I mean the whole thing about this is it`s all about publicity. All of them do this for publicity. She has a brand-new flick coming out - a brand new movie on the Hallmark Channel coming out. And that`s why she needs as much press as she can get. It`s all about publicity right now for her.
ANDERSON: Well, Florence Henderson is a licensed hypno-therapist if everyone out there didn`t know. And Chris did originally invite her on to his VH1 reality show, "My Fair Brady" before he and Adrianne were married. Take a look at what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HENDERSON: She`s 22 years old. But for both your sakes, she needs to get her own place, because I think if she stays here, you`re doomed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: She said they were doomed. Janelle, I never thought I`d see the day that Mama Brady and Peter Brady fighting. Are you as upset about this as I am?
JANELLE SNOWDEN, VH1 NEWS HOST: I`m not as upset, but hey, I feel your pain, Brooke. I think it`s the classic case like, if you don`t want the chef to spice up your food, maybe don`t invite her into the kitchen. You know, I think that it`s fair to say that Chris and Florence are close off camera. I mean they`ve grown up together practically. So for him to have invited her into the scenario to judge the union, you know, I don`t know if it was the best idea given that she seems to be very opinionated.
But at the same time, as a viewer who watched their union blossom from "Surreal Life" on VH1 on up until the show about them getting married, I think it`s pretty obvious that they do care about each other, because if you don`t care about somebody, why even go through all the drama. And we know we`ve seen that they do endure quite a bit of drama.
I just think, you know, if the reality show - one of her speculations is that the reality show kind of spurred the engagement and the marriage and maybe sped things up. I mean, there`s so many other reality show concepts. Marriage didn`t have to be one of them. I think they genuinely love each other in their own special ways.
ANDERSON: I hope. And you know, it`s just heartbreaking to me, a feud between Brady mom and son. Hopefully, they can work it out.
And you know, it seems that MySpace is the place to be for celebrities who want to vent. Paris Hilton has just posted a brand new blog on her MySpace page blowing her stack over rumors about her in the gossip pages.
Paris writes, quote, "I`m sick of Page Six and other gossip sites printing completely false stories. It`s not fair because these lies then spread like wildfire online and people begin to believe they are true, just because they read the same story on so many different sites."
Let me just say that besides the fact that so many ridiculous stories about Paris are simply based on facts.
Michael Yo, Paris asking not to be in the gossip pages - is she trying to cut off her oxygen? Because she does use them to her advantage at times.
YO: No. Do not bite the hand that feeds you - that`s all I`ve got to say about that. Paris Hilton is a great person. I really think Benji makes her a better person. And after her seeing Nicole have a baby and of course, Joel doing a great job with Nicole and them being very happy, I really think Paris is taking off and saying, "Hey, you know what? I need to grow up."
But please, Paris, don`t bite the hand that feeds you. Because remember why you`re famous - because you`re in magazines, because you`re on red carpets. That`s what got you to where you are today.
ANDERSON: Janelle, 10 seconds - is this the best move for Paris, going straight online to fight the reports online?
SNOWDEN: I think we`re seeing more and more celebrities do this now. So, I mean, yes. She is typically biting the hand that feeds her, but at the same time, you know, she`s got to get her opinion out there somehow and right now, she doesn`t have a show that`s airing yet. So I guess this is the next best thing. Kanye has been doing the same thing. He doesn`t even do interviews anymore. He goes straight to his blog. She goes to MySpace. He goes to his blog. It`s a sign of things to come, I think.
ANDERSON: All right. We will leave it there for now. Janelle Snowden, Michael Yo, thank you both.
And hey, Madonna`s brother tells all. He`s out with a new book about his sister and I am one-on-one with him asking the tough questions. Is he just trying to profit off of Madonna and has he heard from her since he decided to write this tell-owl book? You do not want to miss my revealing chat. That`s coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS: I am not a homosexual. But the thing is, it`s really weird to me and it really is kind of upsetting to me if that`s where people would go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive. Star Jones` soon-to-be ex- husband Al Reynolds opens up like never before - his sexuality, his relationship with Star now. It`s Al in his own words, coming up in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive.
And just when I thought it couldn`t get any more dramatic, A-Rod`s divorce takes another bizarre turn. Wait until you hear what Cynthia Rodriguez is asking for and I don`t mean money. I`ll fill you in next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson. And here are some more stories that are new right now. Another bizarre twist in the A-Rod divorce. TMZ got court documents in which Cynthia Rodriguez is demanding to know if A-Rod hired a private detective to follow her. The documents say she wants any tapes or other evidence with any wiretapping for electronic surveillance he did on her.
Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman are splitsville. This makes me so sad. You may remember Sarah made a hilarious video about dating Matt Damon, and then Jimmy made one about doing the same with Ben Affleck. Bummer.
And Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are taking a different road when it comes to the first photos of their newborn daughter, Sunday Rose. Star baby pictures can go for a fortune, but Nicole`s rep tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she has no plans to sell those photos.
First photos of the Brangelina twins are a different story. They`re reportedly going to go for tens of millions of dollars. Brad and Angelina gave their millions from the Shiloh pictures to charity, which I think is terrific. But I`ve got to ask, are these pictures really worth all that money? We`re getting into that, coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS: I am not a homosexual. But the thing is, it`s really weird to me and it really is kind of upsetting to me that that`s where people would go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive. Star Jones` soon-to-be ex- husband Al Reynolds opens up like never before - his sexuality, his relationship with Star now. It`s Al in his own words, coming up in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive.
And I`m one-on-one with Madonna`s brother. He`s written a tell-all book and I ask him the tough questions. Why he chose to write the book, why he`s disappointed by Madonna and whether he`s heard from her since he wrote the book. Steamy stuff coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news show with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. It`s easy. Just head to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, click on the "sign up for the newsletter" link at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back after this.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS: I want people to know that I`m more than just Star Jones` ex- husband. I`m Al Reynolds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Star Jones` ex Al Reynolds speaks out on camera for the first time. In a carefully orchestrated interview, Reynolds addresses all the scandals from reports that he`s gay to Star`s sponsored wedding. But why is he speaking out now?
And Madonna`s tattletale. Her brother spills his famous sister`s secrets. Hear my explosive interview with Christopher Ciccone. What led to their falling out? And is he betraying his sister`s trust? It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(MUSIC)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. You are watching TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Star Jones` soon-to-be ex- husband, Al Reynolds, is speaking on camera for the first time, this since his marriage to Star imploded. Reynolds released a self-produced interview on YouTube this evening. And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your exclusive first look.
Reynolds is setting the record straight about all the speculation in reports that he is actually gay. Reynolds also makes some really shocking statements about his elaborate wedding with Star and all those controversial sponsorship deals Star made for their big day. And in a startling twist, Reynolds reveals the state of his relationship with Star these days.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Al Reynolds` personal publicist, Howard Bragman. Howard is also the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. Howard, always a pleasure to see you.
BRAGMAN: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And hey, Al is releasing this self-produced video on YouTube to clear the air on everything, including speculation that, in fact, he is actually gay. Let`s take a look at what Al says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS: I am not a homosexual. But the thing is, it`s really weird to me and it really is kind of upsetting to me that that`s where people would go as it relates to my sexuality, because this has affected my professional life. This has affected my personal life. And if anyone knew the damage that it has caused me, they would understand why I`m very aggressive about this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK, he says it`s impacted him. But, Howard, why does he feel the need to speak out about this now, because nobody is really talking about him or about his sexuality?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, AL REYNOLDS` PERSONAL PUBLICIST: You know, people have talked about Al all along. Let me give you a little background. Public relations stands for perception and reality now in world we work in, Brooke. And there`s a certain perception of Al Reynolds and it`s, frankly, the wrong perception out there.
And the reality, if you know Al and you know what he`s done in his life, you know where he comes from, you know where he stands for and where he`s going with his life, is a very different person than that guy who`s been characterized by the media.
So we felt enough time had passed. There was time for him to try and define himself exclusive of Star Jones, while at the same time if we had done this interview and not addressed some of these rumors, not talked about the wedding, it wouldn`t have credibility. So we really owed it to the media to be fair, to answer all these tough questions which I think he did an admirable job of.
ANDERSON: But Howard, do you think there`s the danger that it could backfire and maybe cause some people to think, "Well, I haven`t thought about that before?"
BRAGMAN: You know, I don`t think this is the first time that a rumor about Al`s sexual orientation has come to light. And again, we would have been remiss if we didn`t address it. It`s been something that has been in the blogs, on media. People have talked about it. And to do an honest and thorough interview, we needed to address that topic.
ANDERSON: Star Jones and Al Reynolds, as we know, caused controversy even before they were married. As we know, Star Jones, when she was on "The View," got sponsors and endorsement deals for their wedding, one of the things that eventually led to her being fired. Now, in this self-produced video released on YouTube, Al talks about the endorsement controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS: I wasn`t aware of all the endorsement stuff, I have to be honest with you. A lot of this, when I came into it, I just thought that maybe that`s how it was for celebrities. You know, clearly, as a businessman, if I knew that this was going to affect us and our marriage in any way, I would have never allowed us to participate in the nature that we did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Howard, I know sometimes grooms to be kind of step away of the wedding planning, but how could he have been unaware of what was happening? It was on his wife`s TV show. There were nonstop newspaper headlines about it. How can Al say he wasn`t aware of all the endorsement stuff?
BRAGMAN: I don`t think it`s a matter of being totally unaware. I think it`s being unaware of the bigger picture. But as you said, Brooke, most grooms are passengers in the car that is the wedding planning, and he went along. When your bride says, "This is the way it`s going and this is the way that it`s going to be done," and she`s the celebrity and you`re the civilian at that point, you`re not going to get in a fight with your bride. You`re going to say, she knows best.
And I think that`s the point he was making, not that he was oblivious to what was going on. But he really wasn`t part of the bigger picture and he let her have her day as she planned it.
ANDERSON: Maybe he didn`t know quite the extent of everything. Well, Howard, a lot of people have been curious about what his relationship with Star is like these days. And I`ve got to say, I was a little surprised by what he had to say. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS: It saddens me. But we`re not. We`re cordial. But you know, this is a difficult time for her and it`s a difficult time for me. And it`s actually one of the reasons why I`ve decided that I want to speak. I have to at this point.
Right now, it`s just a little tender. Our relationship is a little tender. And hopefully over time, we can heal a lot of that. And we can become friends again because that`s what really is how we started this relationship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OK, Al also says that he still wears his wedding ring. Howard, is he hoping against hope that somehow he and Star will get back together?
BRAGMAN: No, I don`t believe that`s the case. I think he understands that it`s still over. But at the same time, he still has a lot of love and affection for Star Jones. And there still is a lot of pain and he will take his wedding ring off if and when it`s the appropriate time for him. But that`s one of his last remnants of a very important part of his life that helped shape who he is. So, no, they`re not talking now, but I do think they will be talking again.
ANDERSON: Al has been accused, Howard, before of trying to capitalize on Star Jones` fame. And in this self-produced interview released on YouTube, he addresses that and gives a pretty unexpected answer. Here`s what he had to say. Roll it, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS: The truth is, I`m in the public eye and a lot of people want me to trash my wife. I`m not interested in doing that. But being in the public eye, I definitely want to use this opportunity to help educate and motivate and inspire people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now, Al says he`s going to write a book, a how-to financial book for people who don`t have access to a personal money manager. He also mentioned he has a pre-nup and a confidentiality agreement with Star Jones.
Howard, does that mean that there`s not going to be a hell tell-all from Al Reynolds about what really happened in his relationship with Star?
BRAGMAN: Yes. That`s been one of the great misperceptions after they announced the divorce, that there was going to be a tell-all book by Al Reynolds. There is going to be a book by Al Reynolds, but it`s going to be a how-to financial planning book. He has no interest and no desire to write a tell-all book. He was part of that marriage. He respects the time they spent together. So I`m glad I get the opportunity to clear the air. No tell-alls, Brooke. Sorry.
ANDERSON: OK. He`s going to keep mum about that aspect of his personal life.
BRAGMAN: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: And that`s understandable. In the interview released on YouTube, he speaks at length about who he is, his professional background, personal background. He`s clearly striving here to try to let people know who the real Al is. Howard, why is that so important to him?
BRAGMAN: Because he has to go on with his life. He has to clear the air of the misperceptions that are out there. And from a P.R. point of view, and part of my role, is he has to define himself as something other than Star Jones` ex-husband. He`s Al Reynolds. He was a man of accomplishment before he married Star Jones. I expect even greater things from him after Star Jones.
And that wedding and that marriage is still an important part of his life and that`s why we addressed it in the interview. But it`s only one part of his life. It`s not a complete picture, and that`s what we`re trying to do, is say, "Here`s where I came from. Here`s what happened during the marriage and here`s where I go from here."
ANDERSON: Fair enough. We do wish Al Reynolds the best. Howard Bragman, thank you so much.
BRAGMAN: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Al Reynolds not the only one spilling secrets. Madonna`s brother is giving up the goods on life with his famous sister. But why would he sell out her secrets and what led to their dramatic falling out? Coming up, my explosive one-on-one with Madonna`s brother. It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
I, for one, can`t wait to see the first photos of Angelina Jolie`s twins. But how much is too much to pay for them? Reports say the bidding is as high as $20 million. Outrageous! People are definitely fired up about it. We`ve got your E-mails, still ahead.
And fallen beauties, ouch. We`re going to take you on a hilarious trip through the ugliest spills caught on tape. You don`t want to miss that, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And hey, remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We`re always posting new stuff for you to watch at our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight we`ve got your e-mails still ahead.
And fallen beauties, ouch. We`re going to take you on a hilarious trip through the ugliest spills caught on tape. You don`t want to miss that coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We`re always posting new stuff for you to watch at our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, making news right now, my explosive one-on-one interview with Madonna`s brother. For years, Christopher Ciccone has had a front-row seat for Madonna`s wild ride as one of the biggest stars in the world. But away from the bright lights, their relationship was always rocky. Once close confidants, they`re now in the midst of a major rift.
And Christopher is blowing the lid off their troubled relationship in his new book "Life with My Sister, Madonna" which is in stores. Today, he is doing just that, opening up, telling all in an interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. He answers the question on all of our minds - why did he write this book?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTOPHER CICCONE: I mainly decided to write it for myself and to help redefine myself in the world. We`re talking about the most famous woman in the world. And I was around from the very beginning, for all the private moments, for all the things that you don`t read about in the biographies, the stuff you don`t read in magazines.
And when I got a chance to step back from it and see the big picture, I realized what a great adventure it was and what an incredible journey we had been on and it had to be written. And there was no one else to write it but me.
ANDERSON (on camera): Well, let me ask you this. When you decided you were going to write the book, did you tell Madonna you were planning to do it?
CICCONE: No, I didn`t. For me to do that, that would have had - I would have had to let her in somehow and have some kind of control over it, at which point, it wouldn`t have been from my perspective anymore. And controlling things is what she likes to do. It was best for me to handle this on my own.
In the end, this story isn`t about her. It`s about me, and my life with her. Our lives are completely intertwined so I can`t tell my story without telling hers partly. I mean, she`ll write her own autobiography and that will be her thing. And I don`t regret not involving her at all.
The speculation about what people think or thought this was going to be was totally off. I mean, you know, people expected a bloodbath; they wanted it, I think, on some level. You know, there`s a great deal of blood lust out there. And you know, even though her fans were speculating about the nature of the book in a negative way, it`s not a negative book. And I did not set out to cause her harm.
ANDERSON: Look, Christopher, we know there were a lot of good times between you and Madonna.
CICCONE: There were.
ANDERSON: You served so many different roles throughout the years. You were her clothing dresser, her personal assistant, her interior decorator, her tour director during the height of her career. You were inseparable. What went wrong?
CICCONE: There was no one thing, and I think that`s what you`ll get in the book. There isn`t a big smoke - there`s no dead body buried anywhere. There`s not one big smoking gun. There are many little things. And over time, the little things added up and added up, and, you know, instead of confronting those things when they happened, I chose to just put them in the back of my mind and hold onto them.
ANDERSON: I do want to ask you this, Christopher, knowing what you know now, would you have worked with her for so long and is there anything you would have done differently?
CICCONE: I would have covered my rear a little bit more, you know what I`m saying? I would have - there a few things I would have done differently. But creatively, absolutely not. I mean, you know, the highest point for me - and I talk about it in the book - is the girly show and the opening night in London. And we were perfect together at that moment and the show was great. And it was a great, great moment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: It`s a fascinating interview. And we`ll have more with Christopher Ciccone on his book "Life with My Sister, Madonna" tomorrow. That`s right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Just wait until you hear about why he says he`s disappointed in his sister and what he says is really holding Madonna and Guy Ritchie`s marriage together.
OK. Now, for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Did You See This" video of the day. Another one bit the dust at the Miss Universe pageant over the weekend. Like the Miss USA before her, this year`s Miss USA took a spill during the evening gown portion of the pageant. Neither of the past two Miss USAs has won the Miss Universe crown. But one lesson we did learn is that walking in stilettos while smiling can be harder than it looks. Taking us on a trip down memory lane is CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Who cares if a beauty queen can twirl? What the public calls for is a fall or as Paris Hilton`s Web site put it, "Miss USA Eats It and We Eat It Up." The fall zoomed to number one most popular video, is replayed -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let`s just keep this rolling in a bit of a loop here.
MOOS: Six times in 40 seconds on CNN. The "Today" show played it nine times over a phone interview with Miss USA in which she had this advice for a future contestant who might fall in her footsteps.
CRYSTLE STEWART, MISS USA: I would tell her to put grips on the bottom of her shoes, and wear a short dress, not a long dress.
MOOS: If only last year`s Miss USA had passed on that advice after she fell, at least they both made expert recoveries. Miss USA `08 clapping and Miss USA `07 cocking an eyebrow.
RACHEL SMITH, FORMER MISS USA: I`m tired of talking about it. Who hasn`t tripped?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE Yes.
SMITH: I just happened to do it in front of a billion people. Oops.
MOOS: Rachel Smith had a costume defender on YouTube falling all over her -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If she was my girlfriend, she can fall on my lap all day. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
MOOS: YouTube is a magnet for videos of people falling. This one was billed as probably the funniest fall ever caught on TV. In this one, a guy who preceded the models managed to stomp a hole in the runway. Seconds later, a model fell in.
But holes usually aren`t the culprit. It`s when high heels get caught in a hem. Ask Beyonce. Of course, Kelsey Grammer wasn`t wearing heels when he fell. Sometimes it`s not the beauties themselves who fall but what they wear. A sash, to a skirt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: And gave a new meaning to media exposure.
MOOS: When Carmen Electra went sprawling and a would-be rescuer in heels rushed her aid, even Carmen cracked a smile.
(on camera): Now, there is someone else who has the right to be almost as upset about the latest beauty contestant fall as Miss USA herself, that would be the Miss Universe winner, Miss Venezuela, who ended up second bananas in many a headline. The moral of the story? A fall isn`t necessarily the downfall of a beauty queen. There are worse things than the fall.
CAITLIN UPTON, MISS TEEN USA 2007 CONTESTANT: I personally believe -
ANDERSON: That was Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, I almost fell out when I heard the crazy price tag for the first photos of Angelina Jolie`s twins. The bidding is reportedly as high as $20 million. I personally can`t wait to see the photos, but still, that amount is just ridiculous. The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT mailbox has been flooded with your fired-up E-mails. Your views, next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
There is still a worldwide frenzy over Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie`s newborn twins. And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Brad and Angelina: Do you consider them role models?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers were speaking out about the frenzy to get the first pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie`s twins. The twins are just a few days old, but celebrity magazines are reportedly ready to write a check for up to $20 million for the first baby pictures.
We got an overwhelming response to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, when we asked, "Brangelina Baby Photos: Are they worth $20 million?"
Take a look. Only nine percent say yes. A whopping 91 percent of you say no. So, what`s the deal?
With us tonight, in New York, syndicated radio host and psychology expert, Cooper Lawrence. Also tonight, in Hollywood, Laura Saltman, correspondent for "AccessHollywood.com."
Laura Saltman, I`ll begin with you. Are you surprised the results are so lop-sided?
SALTMAN: Brooke, I`m elated. I`m so happy. This restores my faith in humanity, that people understand that baby photos are inconsequential. Ninety-one percent of you, good for you. This is meaningless.
ANDERSON: Well, Brad and Angelina have said they will donate the money they receive to charity. Take a look at this E-mail we received from Nathan in Tennessee. He says, quote, "$20 million for baby pictures is a bit ridiculous. The money going to charity is awesome, but they are just babies."
Cooper, if all the money goes to charity, is there anything wrong with it?
LAWRENCE: Oh, I say good for them. Get as much as you can and give it to as many charities as possible. These are charities that don`t see that kind of money, right? So however they can get it, they can get it. So I say good for them. I understand why people really don`t care. I really don`t care. But it`s all about the money going to charity, so absolutely.
ANDERSON: Yes. It`s a great thing. $20 million does seem excessive, though. Let`s take a look at another E-mail. Rob from Ontario said, "If somebody is stupid enough to pay $20 million for pictures of their babies, and they donate the money to charity, like they say, then I would say it is worth it."
Laura, do you agree if the money goes to charity, reportedly $20 million, is it worth it?
SALTMAN: Well, look. Of course, any money going to charity is great. But my theory is that if you pay this much for photos, what is it going to do? It`s just going to keep upping this game of everybody wanting to see photos of babies which I think personally is just absolutely, positively ridiculous.
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: Hopefully, it does not create a vicious cycle.
SALTMAN: Yes.
ANDERSON: I do have to end it there, though. Laura Saltman, Cooper Lawrence, thank you both.
And that is a wrap for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks so much for watching. 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.
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