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Showbiz Tonight
Britney`s Big Bounce Back; The Hollywood Baby Bump; The Star Split Winners and Losers; "The Dark Knight`s" Record-Breaking Box Office
Aired July 21, 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: Jessica Simpson booed on stage. Come on, give her a break. And Britney and K-Fed, Charlie and Denise, even the wacky YouTube divorce lady, the star split winners and losers.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Britney`s big bounce-back. Tonight, despite losing custody of her kids to Kevin Federline, is Britney Spears a big winner? Could this actually be a good thing? Will this lead to a huge comeback?
Plus, what will really happen to Britney when her father`s conservatorship ends. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the latest, dramatic Britney developments.
The Hollywood baby bump. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks the controversial question, why do babies seem to bump up stars` careers? Could the bright, post-baby spotlight actually backfire? And is it right for stars to sell their baby pictures for so much money? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates turning star babies into big bucks.
And "The Dark Knight`s" record-breaking box office. How much has Heath Ledger`s stunning performance contributed to such as a blockbuster opening?
(MUSIC)
Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, broadcasting tonight from Hollywood. A.J. Hammer is off.
Tonight, Hollywood`s baby bump. Angelina Jolie, not the only star whose spotlight is burning brighter than ever after having babies. From Ashlee Simpson to Jessica Alba, stars seem to be getting a career boost after pregnancy. Why is that and is there a downside to making bucks from their babies? It`s a showbiz special report, the Hollywood baby bump.
But first, Britney`s bounce-back. Just days after a surprising move to give up custody of her kids, Britney is looking more and more like a winner. She is stepping out in public looking like a million bucks again. So was giving up custody Britney`s smartest move yet? And what happens after her father`s conservatorship ends and Britney is back to being on her own. Britney`s balancing act is making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): It was a shocking move in perhaps the most dramatic period in Britney`s life, and we`re not talking about Britney being hauled off to the UCLA psych ward back in January. We`re talking about Britney giving up the fight for custody of her two boys.
DARREN KAVINOKY, ATTORNEY, THE KAVINOKY LAW FIRM: It really was an incredibly loving move on Britney`s part, really an acknowledgment that this is what`s in the best interest of those kids right now.
ANDERSON: Sole custody for K-Fed, the news even took him by surprise.
MARK VINCENT KAPLAN, ATTORNEY FOR KEVIN FEDERLINE: This has been a long ordeal and to have that over is something that makes him extremely happy.
ANDERSON: And K-Fed, not the only one smiling. Even Britney seems to be getting to her own happy place. She was spotted at an autism fundraiser hosted by Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carey, looking pretty phenomenal.
KATIE DARYL TMZ.TV: Boy, this girl really knows how to bounce back. On Friday, she came to a settlement with K-Fed over the babies. And then, boom, this weekend, she was at an event supported by Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carey, and she looked fabulous.
ANDERSON: Looking fabulous and perhaps turning this dramatic bump in the road into a recipe for success. She`s reportedly back in the studio, hoping to finish work on her new album by the end of the year.
DARYL: With some of the exact same players that worked on the last album.
ANDERSON: And she had two successful guest appearances on the hit TV show "How I Met Your Mother."
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: Some people yell at me (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I just start crying.
ANDERSON: Add some divine intervention on the beaches of Costa Rica by a fellow Hollywood heavyweight who`s had his own share controversy.
DARYL: She became friends with Mel Gibson, going away on holiday with him.
ANDERSON: And it`s the making of a great feast with Britney getting her just desserts, a comeback for the ages.
KAVINOKY: I think to her credit, she deserves some kudos and our applause at this point.
ANDERSON: Not so fast, because there`s one ingredient in this recipe for success that is due to expire in about two weeks and it could really, well, spoil things.
DARYL: Britney Spears really is the poster child for conservatorships that work.
ANDERSON: Yes. We`re talking about a main ingredient in her recipe for success thus far, Britney`s dad, Jamie, who`s been in charge of keeping Britney in check. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you he`s been doing quite the job since he took over as the conservator of her affairs in January after her first trip to the UCLA psych ward.
DARYL: Since her father stepped in, we`ve seen things really turn around for Britney Spears. She`s gotten more custody of the kids. She`s gotten overnight visits. She`s been working out. She`s out recording for her new album. Everything`s seems to be really turning around for her, and I think we`re going to have to say, "Good job, Daddy Spears."
ANDERSON: But Daddy Spears` J-O-B may be over, that is if the judge doesn`t extend the conservatorship, which is set to expire at the end of the month. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask, could that be a recipe for disaster?
DARYL: We definitely are concerned if the conservatorship is taken away at the end of the month, like it`s scheduled to be. Will she be able to handle things on her own? We hope that she has at least the foundation and the understanding to know she can`t go at it herself and that she has to still keep, you know, speed dial numbers to her parents and those that are surrounding her, the good people, as opposed to the bad people that we saw in the past.
ANDERSON: But everyone loves a great comeback story. And who knows? When you consider how much progress Britney has made, it`s quite possible the pop star can deliver a recipe for success like no other.
KAVINOKY: She could allow this to be the catalyst for some deep and meaningful change. And so I`m rooting for her in that respect.
ANDERSON: And the ones probably rooting the most for Britney`s comeback are the ones closest to her, especially her two sons who only know Britney as "Mom."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed that Britney is hard at work in the recording studio on her next album. She`s also appearing in a taped segment for Madonna`s "Sticky and Sweet" tour.
OK. Tonight - holy box office millions, Batman! It was an opening night record for Batman`s sequel "The Dark Knight." According to Exhibitor Relations, the film brought in more than $158 million. That means it is the highest weekend opening ever, blowing away "Spiderman 3" from 2007. So why is this movie such a hit and how much impact did Heath Ledger`s tragic death have on the film`s box office success?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, "Extra" correspondent Carlos Diaz and Michael Yo, host of "Yo on E!" heard on XM and Sirius. Michael, Carlos, welcome. And you know, "The Dark Knight" able to top "Spiderman 3" and take over that title of the biggest opening weekend of all time. I`ve got to say it again - $158 million. We knew it was going to be huge, but this is incredible. Michael, are you surprised?
MICHAEL YO, HOST, "YO ON E!": You know, I`m not surprised at all. There was so much buzz around this movie, of course, with Heath`s death. And then, it`s all about his performance, though. Every critic that came out of this movie that saw it before it came out was raving about Heath Ledger and his last performance. And I think that`s the reason why people went out. It wasn`t because of his death. It was more of his performance that people wanted to see.
ANDERSON: Yes, his performance - amazing. The movie itself has received stellar reviews from critics. But as Michael said, you know, there was a lot of buzz and curiosity in seeing Heath Ledger in his last complete performance.
Carlos Diaz, how much impact did Heath`s death really have the on the record-breaking outcome? Do you think that is what drove people to the theaters?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": That could have been good for about $20 million. I mean, seriously, there are so many people that were just enthralled with this whole story, not only the movie getting great reviews, but the fact that Heath Ledger gave the performance of his life in one of his last big performances of his life. So I would say that that might have pushed it over the edge as far as the biggest opening weekend ever.
ANDERSON: You know, people were even going to drastic measures to get tickets to see this performance because theaters were selling out. They were going to Craigslist, to eBay. People wanted to see this movie. And you know, even before Heath Ledger`s death, people were talking about his performance as the demented Joker.
And now, there`s even talk of a possible posthumous Oscar nomination. Michael, what do you think? Is it unusual for what most people think of as kind of a summer popcorn movie franchise to be getting Oscar buzz or was Ledger`s role so unforgettable it`s got to be recognized?
YO: I think you hit the nail on the head right there. His performance is so good it has to get a nod. At least Heath Ledger. I don`t know if the movie is that good. When I was watching the movie, it was sort of like when Heath wasn`t on the screen, you got frustrated. You wanted to see more and more of him. I thought the movie was good. I thought Heath was amazing and he definitely should get a nod.
ANDERSON: You know what? You`re not the only person that has said that. When he`s not in a scene, you miss him. And everybody has been saying that this is a very dark, disturbing role. Some have alluded to it having a deep impact on Heath, even gotten as far as saying that somehow it contributed to his death. Well, Batman himself, Christian Bale, passionately addressed that speculation on the "Today" show. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTIAN BALE, ACTOR: The man was a complex man. He is a good man. But you know what? I saw him having nothing but the best time playing the Joker. He enjoyed it.
MATT LAUER, HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: You saw no changes on him?
BALE: No, I didn`t. Listen, he was somebody who immersed himself completely in his role absolutely, as do I. But at the end of the day, he was having a wonderful time making this movie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Between the hype around the film and the Oscar buzz for Heath`s performance, will it be hard to avoid seeing the Joker as Heath`s lasting legacy? Carlos, is that necessarily a bad thing?
DIAZ: Yes. It`s tough. It is tough because I`ve interviewed Heath before and he`s nothing like you would see him in the Joker. Everyone who saw through him know he`s a very quiet, soft-spoken, introspective kind of guy. You know, for this to be his last role, it`s an amazing role that he`s played. It`s an amazing character that he`s developed. But it`s true it might be a negative for people to remember him as that person because Heath Ledger is nothing like the Joker
ANDERSON: No. Definitely not. Well, Michael Yo, before we go, very quickly - do you think "The Dark Knight" will remain strong and number one for weeks to come or will it drop off?
YO: No, absolutely. I see two to three more weeks at number one. It will make about $75 million. Next week, it`s going to be number one. Everybody wants to see this movie two or three times. It`s that good and you want to see Heath over and over and over again.
ANDERSON: Yes. And his co-stars, not too bad either. I don`t want to diminish their performances. They were excellent as well. Carlos Diaz, Michael Yo, we`re going to leave it there for now. Thank you both. Good to see you.
YO: Thank you.
DIAZ: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And now we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "`The Dark Knight` Breaks Records: Did it live up to the hype?" Vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, the address showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, the Britney Spears custody battle went on for a long time. But who really came out on top between Britney and K-Fed, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards? And a shocking decision tonight for that wacky YouTube divorce lady. You`ve got to stick around for this. I`m going to reveal just who really are the winners and losers in Hollywood`s biggest star splits.
All right. Some people say Jessica Simpson isn`t the best actress, the best singer. But listen to this, I think she seems pretty genuine - really sweet. Well, that wasn`t good enough for a big crowd. They totally tore into poor Jessica and booed her and her Daisy Dukes. Ouch! Find out why. That`s next.
And the Hollywood baby bump. I`ve got to ask, why do babies seem to bump up stars` careers? And is it right for stars to sell their baby pictures for so much money? Coming up
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, HOST, ESPY AWARDS: May I? Just let me - I just want to smell it. Yes, smells like $250 million to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s Justin Timberlake giving soccer superstar David Beckham some grief while hosting the ESPY Sports Awards on Sunday.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, new right now, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Simpson stepped on to foreign turf, so to speak, and the results? Well, let`s just say you win some, you lose some.
First, Jessica Simpson was getting laughs but for all the wrong reasons. Wisconsin music fans heckled and booed her when she took the stage for her first-ever country music performance.
Also new right now, J.T. was bringing funny back when he hosted the ESPY Sports Awards getting big laughs for poking fun at athletes, celebrities and himself.
Joining me tonight from New York, Ben Widdecombe, editor-at-large for "Star" magazine. And in Hollywood, senior editor for "In Touch Weekly" Kim Serafin.
Ben, Kim, first of all, rough week for Jessica Simpson. The singer was booed when she took the stage at a music festival in Wisconsin. It was her debut country performance. Now, the heckling may have been harsh. But then, did Jessica Simpson really think that just because she looks cute in Daisy Dukes and made a country music video, that she would automatically be welcomed with open arms?
BEN WIDDECOMBE, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "STAR" MAGAZINE: Well, Jessica really misjudged that crowd. You know, she should have learned her lesson from a little while back when she did the Kennedy Center honors. They were honoring Dolly Parton and she did a number that was so bad she was embarrassed at that time and they actually cut her from the broadcast. So Jessica, I think, has to acknowledge that even her lip synching sister, Ashlee, might have more musical talent in this regard than she has.
ANDERSON: Oh, harsh, Ben. Well, you know, Jessica`s debut single from this country album has done really well so I`m sure she was surprised. And at one point during the performance, she even tried to identify with the tense crowd. She said, quote, "I don`t know what your perception is of Jessica Simpson, or what tabloid you buy, but I just want you to know that I`m just a girl from Texas. I`m just like you. I`m doing what I love and dating a boy."
Kim, for a crowd that is already against you, is it a little naive for Jessica to say, "Hey, I`m just like you"?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Yes, because she`s not just like everyone else. And it is a little naive, although in fairness, I think it was very sincere and I think she does, in a lot of ways, really just think of herself as a girl from Texas. But in fairness, Jessica - her naivete is kind of what made her famous to begin with. That`s kind of what endeared her to everyone. You know, go back to "The Newlyweds" show when she talked about chicken of the sea and being confused about buffalo wings. So maybe, eventually, the naivete will work for her again.
She does really seem to be committed to being a country singer. She apparently also told the crowd she wasn`t going to make a pop album again. So, you know, she`s got to give it a little time. It`s not going to happen overnight, for sure.
ANDERSON: Yes, she`s motivated. She`s a fighter. I`m sure she won`t give up on it that quickly.
SERAFIN: Yes.
ANDERSON: And you know, I bet that maybe she could take a page out of Justin Timberlake`s book. Justin really on his game when he was hosting the ESPYs, even doing a hilarious send-up of Dallas Cowboys` quarterback Tony Romo and of course, his girlfriend, whom we`ve speaking of, Jessica Simpson. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIMBERLAKE (singing): That Jessica, she`s quite a kick. When she shows up, oh, Romo thinks. With my woman there, it`s hard to make a pass. They say I put a curse on you and it`s probably hard to argue too. You forgot what you were supposed to do. Oh, Romo, Romo, like where art thou, Romo? (Yodels)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Justin did not hold back. Ben, do you think that Jessica is plotting her revenge as we speak?
WIDDECOMBE: Well, Jessica, who knew? You know, it`s a pity they gave Jay Leno`s job already to Conan O`Brien because I think Justin could really host his own show there. He was amazing and he has such charm, that`s why he connects with the audience so easily. And I think that he really did a fantastic performance that night. And maybe he has a career if he ever gets sick of being an international mega-star and idol of millions. Maybe he can have his own talk show.
ANDERSON: Yes. He`s multitalented. He certainly can do comedy. Well, he didn`t only make fun of athletes and other celebs. He took aim at himself. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIMBERLAKE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED). OK, that was me. What do you want?
CHORUS (singing): How, how could you do it?
TIMBERLAKE: Well, I didn`t think anybody was watching. It was a wardrobe malfunction.
CHORUS (singing): How, how could you do it?
TIMBERLAKE: It was a wardrobe malfunction. I wanted to be the only dude at the football game to go to second base.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Hey, Kim - 10 seconds. Risky move to refer to that incident or just being edgy and funny?
SERAFIN: No, he`s so good at making fin of himself. He`s good at everything. He should have his own talk show. Please - it wouldn`t surprise me if Justin ran for president one day and solve world hunger. I mean, there`s nothing he can`t do. And by the way, I don`t think they chose him to do this because he, you know, played an athlete in the "Love Guru." The Super Bowl certainly does tie him to the sports world. And again, he knows how to make fun of himself and he is a real sports fan, so he did great.
ANDERSON: Everybody seemed to enjoy it. You`re right. Kim Serafin, Ben Widdecombe, thank you both. And you`ve got to stick around because I`ve got more Justin Timberlake hamming it up at the ESPYs, and wait until you hear what he says about supermodel Giselle Bundchen.
Tough call to pick the winner and loser when it comes to Jessica Simpson`s split with Nick Lachey. But there are definitely winners and losers when it comes to other big Hollywood break-ups. Britney Spears and K-Fed, Charlie and Denise, even the wacky YouTube divorce lady. Tonight, I`m revealing just who really came out on top.
Plus, the Hollywood baby bump. Here`s what I want to know? Why do babies seem to bump up stars` careers? And what about all these stars selling their baby pictures for big bucks? But is it right?
And Katherine Heigl`s boss speaks out. You`ve got to hear what the creator of "Grey`s Anatomy" says about Katherine`s diss of the show. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson and here are some more stories that are new right now. Well, this new "Beverly Hills 90210" spin-off is making me feel old. Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, even the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Joe E. Tata have signed up to reprise their roles, Kelly Taylor, Donna Martin and Nat. And now, I can tell you that Shannen Doherty has also joined the club. She`s going to play Brenda Walsh again.
Dr. Ebert officially leaving the show "At the Movies" that he and the late Jean Siskel started more than 30 years ago. Ebert has been off the show for a couple of years after losing his voice. He`s been battling cancer. Ebert says he`s planning a new gig with his trademark thumbs up.
And "Grey`s Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes says she surprised but does not feel insulted by Katherine Heigl`s apparent diss at the show that made her a star. Heigl took herself out of Emmy contention because she says she wasn`t given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.
OK. It`s still not clear who will come out on top in that whole "Grey`s Anatomy" controversy. But there are definitely some big winners and losers when it comes to star splits. Britney Spears and K-Fed, Charlie and Denise, even the wacky YouTube lady. Tonight, I`m revealing, just who really came out on top.
Plus, the Hollywood baby bump. Here`s what I want to know - why do babies seem to bump up stars` careers? And what about all these stars selling their baby pictures for big bucks? Come on - is that right?
And Miley Cyrus, the next Madonna? Oh, yes, a lot of people are saying that. Talk about some big shoes to fill, though. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going one-on-one with Miley and you don`t want to miss what she thinks about this stunning comparison. That`s coming up.
But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. All you have to do is head over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Just click on the "sign up for newsletter" link at the bottom of the page. Stay right here. We`re coming back after this.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, star splits, winners and losers. When these couples broke up, who came out on top? Whose reputation got trashed and who wound up smelling like a rose? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT whips out the divorce scorecard for star splits winners and losers.
Hollywood`s baby bump. When these stars got pregnant, they got more famous than ever. Can pregnancy really help someone`s career in Hollywood? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, star splits, winners and losers. It`s been a long, hot summer for shocking celebrity divorce cases. And tonight, we take a look at the biggest winners and losers in this high stakes game of divorce, celebrity style. Britney gives up custody of her kids to Kevin Federline. Was it is good move? Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards back in court again - the latest chapter in their bitter custody battle. And the YouTube divorce lady finds out her fate in court. Is all really fair in love, war and the Internet?
With me tonight in Hollywood, Attorney Darren Kavinoky. From New York tonight, Judge Karen Mills Francis star of the brand new show, "Judge Karen." It debuts this fall. Love that. And editor-at-large for "Star" magazine, Ben Widdecombe.
Darren, Karen, and Ben, I want to begin with the biggest celebrity divorce bombshell. Last Friday, Britney Spears handed over all parental duties of her two sons to her ex, Kevin Federline. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there outside court on Friday when K-Fed`s lawyer broke the news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAPLAN: This has been a long ordeal and to have that over is something that makes him extremely happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. Both Britney`s lawyers and Kevin`s lawyers called the decision a good thing and they may be right. Now, Britney was out this weekend at a charity event in Hollywood and I`ve got to tell you, she was looking better than ever.
Darren, even though Britney lost custody, do you think she will come out a winner or a loser in this deal in the long run?
KAVINOKY: Well, over the short run, she`s definitely coming out the winner, acknowledging her limitations and giving those kids to K-Fed was just like Quaker Oats, it was the right thing to do. But over the long run, it may be a different story. Britney is really just a few bad decisions away from another hospital gurney. And she still has the opportunity for a bigger implosion than the entire cast of "Different Strokes" all put together. So I`m optimistic and I`m hopeful for her, but I`m not popping any champagne corks yet.
ANDERSON: OK. Save the champagne for a little while. Judge Karen, do you agree that short term, she`s looking good here. But long term, she may not come out on top?
JUDGE KAREN MILLS FRANCIS: After the decision that`s been reached, as far as the court is concerned, the children are going to come out on top. Divorce is a hard, hard situation for the average child to go through. And what a celebrity`s child has to go through in a divorce is unconscionable. So I think the children are winners here.
ANDERSON: Well, certainly, let`s hope that everyone is putting the kids at the center of their attention and that they are the priority and that they do come out on top. You`re right about that.
Well, Britney and K-Fed`s divorce is over and their custody battle, over right now. But Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards are still duking it out, this over custody of their two young daughters. Denise back in court Monday for what her lawyer calls serious issues regarding Charlie and his behavior with their daughter, although we don`t know what these alleged serious issues are.
Ben, this battle seems to be endless. Are there any winners in this one?
WIDDECOMBE: Well, you know, I think it`s Denise ahead by a nose in this count. Because, really, no one is looking very good in this awful, bitter custody battle. They`re still throwing mud at each other. There`s no question that Charlie Sheen did some really awful things in this marriage. He was allegedly addicted to call girls. He was allegedly addicted to Internet pornography. And he sent Denise some really hurtful and degrading text messages, even when her mother was sick with cancer. So he`s really been a real rat bag.
But on the other hand, Denise has been criticized for putting their two very young daughters, Sam and Lola, in the middle of her profanity- laced reality show where a typical episode my deal with her deciding to do another "Playboy" cover. So the children, I`m sure, are going to look back on this period as an awful moment in their lives. So no one is looking good at this point.
ANDERSON: So you say Denise, at this point, ahead by a nose. So it will be a photo finish, in your opinion, Ben?
WIDDECOMBE: I think it`s very close and I think if Charlie gets up to his old antics, he could really - it`s his race to lose, put it that way.
ANDERSON: OK. And I want to add that Charlie has denied the allegations that Denise has made over the years. And Darren, I`ve got to say that I think the attorneys in this case might be the biggest winners because they`re getting richer by the day. What do you say?
KAVINOKY: Well, I say that`s a great point, Brooke. For an attorney representing either Charlie or Denise, it`s like a full employment act for either one or an annuity that just keeps paying year after year after year. And that means the biggest potential for the big loser in this case is the children. And I would not be at all surprised if those kids were already attached to Season 14 of Dr. Drew`s "Celebrity Rehab." I think there may be trouble down the road for them if this keeps up.
ANDERSON: Let`s certainly hope not. There certainly doesn`t seem to be anything to gain by their parents going back and forth and back and forth.
And I want to move now to another high-profile court case back in court today - the YouTube divorce lady and her Broadway producer husband. Who can forget how Tricia Walsh-Smith shot to fame around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRICIA WALSH-SMITH, YOUTUBE DIVORCE LADY: The only cruel behavior I`ve ever done to that man is to make him have skim milk with his cappuccino, and I did sneak wheat grass once into his freshly made vegetable juice. I loved and adored him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. She may have loved and adored him but she also put out all their dirty laundry for the world to see. And women around the world actually rallied to her defense. And after all of that, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now tell you that Tricia Walsh-Smith only got $750,000 as per her pre- nup from her ex; her ex worth millions and millions.
Judge Karen, Tricia has certainly won a lot of attention over her unusual antics. Is she a winner or a loser here?
MILLS-FRANCIS: Well, you know, I heard her refer to herself as Cinderella, but her antics with her husband started over his relationship with his children. She says that she was consumed by jealousy that he gave his children millions of dollars and he wouldn`t allow her to have $600 shoes. She refers to herself as Cinderella, but I think she`s the evil stepmother.
ANDERSON: Oh, evil stepmother. Well, you know, she not only got less than a million dollars here, she`s also getting the boot from their Park Avenue apartment, has to be out within 30 days. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned that she`s got to leave that lush pad basically immediately.
Darren, the YouTube divorce lady took a huge gamble. And it seems like she`s lost big-time. What do you think?
KAVINOKY: Oh, I think she`s definitely in the loser column here. And anybody that`s known as the YouTube anything - I mean, we know her as the YouTube divorce lady as opposed to her real name, that`s a pretty good sign that you`re a loser. So she - and just because she`s all on TV all the time doesn`t necessarily make her a success either. Remember, Brooke, there was a show on the air a few years ago called "Cop Walk," and I think all those people are in the loser category, too. So the YouTube divorce lady can join them.
ANDERSON: Well, speaking of the YouTube divorce lady, you know, of all these star celebrity splits with her, Charlie and Denise, even Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook - Ben, were you as shocked as I was that the most civilized split seems to be between Britney and K-Fed, winners in the star split sweepstakes?
WIDDECOMBE: Well, certainly that divorce and custody battle ended with a whimper and not a bang. I think (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Britney really did was without cards at tend of the day. I can`t imagine a worse time for her to have her very public breakdown than before the courts were deciding where her kids were going to live. So K-Fed did a smart thing. Who knew that he would actually listen to the advice, and the advice that he was given was stay out of the public spotlight; stay home. And he did that.
ANDERSON: And he did -
WIDDECOMBE: And he (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of himself.
ANDERSON: Yes. And he`s got sole custody now. We`ll leave it there for now, guys. Ben Widdecombe, Darren Kavinoky, Judge Karen Mills-Francis, thank you all for your insights.
MILLS-FRANCIS: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Hey, I have noticed something lately. It seems like the best way for stars to get lots of attention is to sport the Hollywood baby bump. So I wanted to know, why does pregnancy amount to a bump and fame for these Hollywood ladies? I`m looking into that, next.
Also, it`s Miley mania, Miley Cyrus putting out her first non-Hannah Montana album and she`s being called the next Madonna. So how does Miley feel about that comparison? She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, coming up.
And did you see this? I think Justin Timberlake did a stellar job hosting the ESPY Awards. He was hilarious. Just wait until you hear what he said or to be accurate, what he sang about Tom Brady and his supermodel girlfriend, coming up.
And now, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime. All you have to do is download our podcast. It is free. You can find it on our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, or download it on iTunes. Type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" in the search box. We`re back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Angelina Jolie goes home. Jolie and her newborn twins left the French hospital in the wee hours of the night over the weekend, one week after giving birth. Mother and babies are said to be doing well.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, the Hollywood Baby Bump. Angelina`s star is burning brighter than ever, thanks in part to her newborn twin babies. Throngs of paparazzi followed her to France for the birth and now, the first photos of the Jolie-Pitt twins are reportedly going for $11 million.
Now, Jolie`s not the only star whose baby bump is turning into baby bucks. From Ashlee Simpson to Jessica Alba, stars across Hollywood seem to be getting a career boost after getting pregnant. But is there a downside to cashing in on baby?
With me tonight in Hollywood, Howard Bragman, founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. Also tonight, joining me tonight from New York, Dawn Yanek, editor-at-large for "Life and Style" magazine.
Howard, Dawn, I want you to listen to this first. Angelina Jolie jumped from number five to number one on "USA Today`s" celebrity heat index scale simply because she gave birth. Howard, what is happening here? Should we be ranking celebrity popularity on their baby news, like baby box office earnings or something?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: I`ve got to tell you, Brooke, as a crisis PR guy, it sure beats mug shots and sex tapes for me. I`d rather have a baby out there. And I can tell you, these are not subjective measures but these are objective measures. And they`re based on how many issues of magazines they`re sold, how many viewers watch a TV program, and how many searches are down on the Internet. So yes, we should rank them because the public is truly interested in this baby news and that`s why they move so high.
ANDERSON: I love how you can find the silver lining in things, Howard. It definitely does beat a mug shot.
Well, Dawn, you know, back in the day, pregnant young movie stars weren`t as celebrated as they are now, because now, it`s become the big trend. What changed?
DAWN YANEK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "LIFE AND STYLE" MAGAZINE: Oh, a few things we can talk about. I mean, for starters, of course, we are living in a very celebrity-obsessed culture right now. We`re embroiled in these stars` lives for better or for worse. And this is the ultimate way to get really up close and personal, really intimate with them, a way to make us relate to them more and also to live vicariously through them.
And also, something that Howard mentioned, it`s kind of the evolution of celebrity news. We`re with them through the scandals and the heartaches and the break-ups and the romances. Now, we are with them at this next step in their lives. I think we`ve had enough of the DUIs and the drug overdoses. We want something a little bit more warm and fuzzy.
ANDERSON: A little more warm and fuzzy, nothing like a baby to do the trick. Well, you know, you`ve got some young moms in Hollywood who may be weren`t as popular before they were pregnant or perhaps their popularity had waned a little bit. I want you to listen to what Melissa Joan Hart of "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" told us about the attention stars get when they become pregnant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELISSA JOAN HART, ACTRESS: Some people think it`s going to revive their career. I`m a little freaked out by the fact that it has sort of revived mine. I finished "Sabrina" probably four, or almost five years ago now, and you know, nobody cared after, for a little while. And all of a sudden, I had babies, and it`s like - and I don`t know if it makes people feel old that Clarissa and Sabrina had a baby. You know, everyone was like, "Wait, what?" That`s my childhood. That means I`ve grown up, that she`s grown up.
ANDERSON: Melissa said it had been five years since she had gotten that kind of attention, that she`s pregnant, and boom, she`s stalked by the paparazzi.
Howard, what is it about pregnant stars that people just can`t get enough of?
BRAGMAN: You know, Brooke, there`s so many times you get to go to the well. You get to announce you`re pregnant. You get to show off the first baby bump. You get this cute pregnancy clothes. Then, you have the picture when the baby`s born. And then you have the nice shot of the parents strolling with the new baby. So many times, so much coverage and people just lap it up, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And a lot of women, I`m sure, can relate to the same journey, being pregnant and until the time they have their babies, so people can identify. Well, other stars getting attention for their pregnancies include Ashlee Simpson, Jamie Lynn Spears, Nicole Richie, too. Take a look at Jessica on the cover of "OK" magazine. Now, she reportedly got $1.5 million for those photos.
Dawn, sure, it`s a boost for a star`s career, but is it right?
YANEK: You know, I don`t think it`s a question necessarily of it being right or wrong. It just kind of is right now because there is so much attention to it. And thankfully, celebrities are not going out and getting pregnant just to boost their careers, just to make some more money. But it brings attention to a celebrity, so that means their star rises. That means their asking price can rise and also they can bring attention to different causes like Angelina`s gotten.
ANDERSON: That`s true - the charitable causes. But what about those who say this - babies are being treated like commodities?
YANEK: That`s a very good one. We certainly don`t want babies to be commodities or the hot new accessory, though in some way they kind of are in Hollywood right now. But there is also a really sort of empowering message towards women. It`s that women can have it all. They can be moms. They can be career women. They can be sexy at the same time and still have a career. It`s actually a kind of nice message.
ANDERSON: And you know, also they`re preemptively striking out with these photos so the paparazzi don`t hound them. Maybe, you know, watching out for their privacy, but speaking of that, Howard, they are constantly fighting for privacy. Is it sort of speaking out of both sides of their mouths to say on one hand, "Give me more privacy," on the other hand, they`re capitalizing on their private lives? Howard, quickly, how do you make sense of that?
BRAGMAN: One way or another, the picture of that baby is going to get out there. If you sell it to a magazine, whether you keep the money or donate it to a charity, you do it for control. You do it so the paparazzi aren`t hounding you, threatening your security. It`s really about control much more than it`s about the money. So I applaud - plus, you get a much better picture if you get to control it. Come on.
ANDERSON: Very good point. And very quickly - it`s not just star baby photos going for millions. Also star wedding pictures. Take a look at this exclusive photo SHOWBIZ TONIGHT landed. Our friend, Howard Bragman on his recent wedding day. Howard, congratulations.
YANEK: Congratulations.
BRAGMAN: Thanks, Brooke. And that was millions for that picture. Millions.
ANDERSON: Oh yes, it was. Dawn Yanek, Howard Bragman, thank you both. Good to see you.
YANEK: Good to see you.
ANDERSON: OK. Did you see this? Justin Timberlake hosted the ESPY Awards last night and he got laughs for a musical number that mentioned Tom Brady and Giselle and Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE (singing): Tom Brady has a better team of her peak season to defend. How could he possibly lose the game, he`s got the world`s most awesome side in.
That Jessica, she`s quite a chick. When she shows up, old Romo thinks, "With my woman there, it`s hard to make a pass."
They say I put a curse on you. And it`s probably hard to argue to. You forgot what you`re supposed to do. Oh, Romo, Romo, like where art thou, Romo. (yodels) That`s why I love (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He`s hysterical. Justin also made fun of the infamous wardrobe malfunction between him and Janet Jackson during the Super Bowl in 2004. He joked that he wanted to be the only dude at a football game to get to second base.
And an update on that - a federal appeals court has just thrown out the fine against CBS for that wardrobe malfunction.
Well, it is Miley mania. Miley Cyrus is putting out her first non- Hannah Montana album and she`s got some pretty big shoes to fill now that she`s being called the next Madonna. So how does Miley feel about that comparison? She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, coming up next.
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ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Miley Mania is in full swing. Miley Cyrus releasing a new album Tuesday called "Breakout." Listen to this - it is the first record that`s all Miley, and not her enormously popular Disney alter ego, Hanna Montana. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT sat down with Miley and we asked her what it`s like to be making the transition from child star to young woman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILEY CYRUS, POP STAR: It makes me super excited because I feel like it was appropriately titled to be "Breakout." Because as I`ve grown up, so have my fans. And so when they started out 15, now they`re 17 years old. And as I`ve grown up, they`ve, you know, grown up with me. And so I think this is kind of breakout record for my older audience and kind of embracing them. It`s hard but it`s always - keeps people on their toes. Keeps them, you know, wondering. I feel kind of like a mother. It`s like, trying to, you know, let their young one go or whatever, and let them grow up. And I feel like they`re having a hard time with that. As I grow, so do my fans and I think that we can really relate to each other because of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Miley, just 15 years old. Already, she`s being called the next Madonna. That`s what the director of her new video said. Brett Ratner has also worked with Madonna so he knows what he`s talking about. We asked Miley what that feels like, being compared to one of the most famous and successful women in the history of entertainment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYRUS: I mean, it`s pretty inspiring and it`s totally exciting. I think even when people are compared to me, I don`t think you`d ever be, you know, like another artist. Every artist - that`s what makes them artistic is to be completely something new, something different, something you never heard before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: We will have much more of our interview with Miley Cyrus on Tuesday when her new album "Breakout" comes out. It will hit store shelves in. Be sure to tune in for "Miley Mania," Tuesday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You don`t want to miss that.
On Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the question of the day, "`The Dark Knight`: Is it appropriate for young children? Only 14 percent of you say yes. A whopping 86 percent say no.
Some of the e-mails we received. Diane from Washington writes, "I loved the movie but I`m a little curious how the PG-13 rating came to be. Pretty gruesome."
I agree with you, Diane. Curious about that rating. We appreciate your E-mails. Please do keep them coming.
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, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
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