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Showbiz Tonight
Brangelina Fights Back; Brooke Hogan Takes Back What She Said; Black in Hollywood; Too Sexy Too Soon?; Celebrity Freak-Outs
Aired July 24, 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: Brand-new developments in the assault allegations against "Dark Knight" star Christian Bale. And George Michael speaks out about why women love him so much and how his partner saved his life.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Brad Pitt is fighting mad. New invasive photos send the Brangelina bunch over the edge. Now, Pitt is threatening to sue anyone who publishes photos taken of him and his family in their backyard. Have the paparazzi finally crossed line? Do stars deserve privacy at all even at home? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the inside story of Brangelina fighting back.
Sex, teens and Hollywood. Brand-new controversy over ads for the racy teen show "Gossip Girl" that has parents outraged. Plus, 15-year-old Miley Cyrus starts to make the transition from girl phenomenon to young woman. But is Hollywood pushing her to grow up too fast? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates "Sex, Teens and Hollywood."
Star meltdowns caught on tape. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT presents the most outrageous over the top, the best celebrity freak-outs ever.
(MUSIC)
Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, broadcasting tonight from Hollywood. A.J. Hammer is off.
Tonight, outrage over young stars being pushed to grow up too soon. Miley Cyrus is just 15 years old and already, she`s one of the biggest stars in the country. After a controversy over a racy magazine cover, we want to know, is Hollywood forcing stars like her to grow up too fast?
And what about these scandalous new ads for the hit CW show "Gossip Girl?" The ads show scenes so provocative that critics say they`re way too hot for the teen audience the show targets. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates too sexy to soon.
But first, tonight, some real life Hollywood dramas that are making news right now. Tonight, for the very first time, Brooke Hogan is speaking out like never before, this about allegations her dad, Hulk Hogan, abused her mother Linda.
And Brooke`s little brother Nick is celebrating his 18th birthday behind bars and could be moved from his juvenile jail cell to an adult one. Yikes!
Also new tonight, Brad Pitt is taking no prisoners. He`s peeved at paparazzi who snapped some shots of the family in France.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." From New York, Ben Widdecombe, editor-at-large at "Star" magazine. Also from New York, Michael Musto, entertainment columnist for "The Village Voice."
Jane, Ben, Michael, in an interview with "People" magazine - I`ll begin with this - Brooke Hogan issuing an apology basically to her father Hulk Hogan for making what she now is calling false allegations. Brooke says she signed an affidavit accusing her father of being physically abusive to her mother Linda.
She tells "People" quote, "I did it under significant pressure from my mother. It was only after I learned all the facts that I realized I made a big mistake in signing it."
Wow, this is a bombshell. Jane, are you surprised that she is now saying that basically that never happened?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: No, I`m not surprised at all, Brooke, because I think the Hogans in general have a problem distinguishing between fantasy and reality. We heard that in some of those jailhouse conversations where they seem to be massaging the situation surrounding this horrific car crash.
I think it stems back to professional wrestling. That`s the culture they grew up in, and professional wrestling is not reality. It`s choreographed. Then, they move into reality television, which once again is fake, it`s not real reality. It is choreographed. So at a certain point, the truth is a dead issue, really something to be massaged and manipulated to suit the needs of the moment, and that`s a very bad habit when you`re under this kind of scrutiny. People find out the truth, and then there`s going to be blow back.
ANDERSON: Well, Brooke was clearly confused about something when she signed that affidavit, and now going back on it. She also told "People" magazine, "I love my mother and hope to one day reconcile with her, but using kids as pawns in a divorce is awful. Every day, my mother resorts to this kind of behavior makes it that much harder for us to ever have a relationship again."
Brooke clearly stating that she`s a pawn in what`s shaping up to be a bitter divorce battle. But Ben, by talking about this, isn`t she just inviting more bad press for the family?
BEN WIDDECOMBE, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "STAR" MAGAZINE: Well, this is certainly more bad news for the Hogan family. But she really had no choice because filing a false statement in a court proceeding is against the law. And she would have gotten into even more trouble if she hadn`t spoken out.
What`s interesting for a Hogan was about all this is that Brooke has changed sides. She was on the outs with her dad for a long time around the time there were rumors circulating he might be dating a friend of hers. But now that Linda, who is 50, is dating a 19-year-old boy, Brooke is not talking to her mother. So there`s been a change in tag partners in this particular moment in the saga.
ANDERSON: Well, hopefully Brooke can keep her head on straight and try to remain at least a little bit grounded. And you guys, the Hogan family drama could heat up even more this weekend. Nick Hogan - listen to this - who is serving an eight-month jail sentence as a result of a crash that left his friend, John Graziano in a semi-comatose state, turns 18 years old. And he`s most likely going to be moved from his juvenile jail cell to an adult one. Michael, should Nick be worried?
MICHAEL MUSTO, ENTERTAINMENT COLUMNIST, "THE VILLAGE VOICE": it may not be Paris Hilton`s treatment where you get sent home in a limousine, but at least, he`s now going to get to mix with a more mature, more diverse crowd who might tell him how to survive multiple arrests. And also, he has realized that jail is not some such a teen frat party. Hopefully, he`ll be so busy making new friends he won`t have time to sign any false affidavits.
ANDERSON: The Florida sheriff, of course, is not giving any special treatment to Nick since he`s been serving out his sentence. They even released those taped jailhouse conversations.
Jane, do you think that Nick will be spared going to the adult cell, or do you think the Florida sheriff will just follow the usual protocol as he`s done so far?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you never know for sure, Brooke. As we saw with the Paris Hilton jail fiasco, these sheriffs have a lot of discretion. They have a lot of cards to play. They can use the overcrowding card, the good behavior card and illness card, all sorts of cards. But I think in this case, given the fact there hasn`t been a love fest between the Hogans and the sheriff, they are probably going to follow protocol, in which case I would say to Nick be careful what you wish for. Remember, he was complaining about solitary confinement. Now, he`s going to be in with the tough guys and it`s going to be a growing up experience for him.
ANDERSON: I wonder if they`ll have a cake for his birthday. Happy birthday, Nick.
OK. Moving on to another family drama that`s heating up overseas, Brad Pitt fighting mad about some paparazzi pictures that were snapped outside of his and Angelina`s estate in France. And he`s unleashed his lawyers on media publications calling for a cease and desist on any publishing of those photos.
Ben, is Brad out for blood here? It seems like this guy`s had enough.
WIDDECOMBE: Well, Brad certainly is out for blood. And there are 11 million reasons why he`s taking this seriously. $11 million is the price tag reportedly on first pictures of the twins. And by making them so valuable, what they`ve done is they made it a superheated competition for any images of the family. Obviously, the twins are a jackpot, but there`s huge public interest in just regular scenes of daily life with their growing family. So the $11 million is at stake. If there are pictures that leak out before that of the twins and that`s going to be lost to them, so that`s why Brad is taking this so seriously.
ANDERSON: Well, I`m sure they`re furious about their invasion of privacy. They were at home for crying out loud. But lately, we have seen a friendlier side of Brad and Angelina when it comes to the paparazzi. In the past, you know, they`ve been very patient with photographers. They know that the photographers have a job to do. In fact, Angelina Jolie told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that in public, the kids are fair game but at a safe distance. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: We`re not asking for press. We`re really trying to just live our life. So for that, for, I think, children there should be some kind of law to protect them. And as I said - you know, we`re not saying you`re not allowed to take pictures of them and we understand whatever - we`re public, they`re public. But I think a distance, a distance would be good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Michael, Brad and Angelina obviously understand that this sort of attention, this sort of focus on their lives comes with the territory. Do you think Brad is fighting back because clearly these photos were so intrusive and he`s not just going to take this lying down?
MUSTO: I don`t know. The cynic in me says maybe this is a case of, "How dare you exploit my kids? I want to exploit my kids." And by the way, hopefully, no one will get a shot of them on the way to negotiating meeting at "People" magazine or wherever they are going end up, though Brad and Angelina do give the money to charity - let`s say that much.
ANDERSON: Yes.
MUSTO: But I think Brad does deep down have a right to try to maintain whatever rules of privacy they want or try anyway, as the world converges on them. But I think he`d better watch out for Jennifer Aniston, Brooke, because I hear she just got herself a telephoto lens.
ANDERSON: Oh, brother. You are so funny, Michael.
MUSTO: She wants to mess their deal up.
ANDERSON: I`m sure she`s keeping a safe distance. Well, Brad Pitt`s attorneys have released a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about the warning letters that they sent out saying, quote, "The letters were intended to put those parties on notice of the illegality of the photos and demand that they cease and desist from publishing or otherwise exploiting the photographs."
Jane, you know, some say that these guys chose this line of work, that it comes with the territory, that they don`t deserve any privacy. But does that mean not even at their home?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Look, it`s a delicate balancing act. These superstars want publicity for their movies and their causes and they always want it on their terms and they can`t always get it. That`s why there are laws. In these photographs in question, if in fact, the photographers were trespassing on a private property, that would make it illegal.
As for establishing laws to prevent them from photographing children, I don`t think it`s practical. We don`t live in a world where we have a global court. But I think that the stars should get together and say, "We`ll boycott publications that abuse these kids by sticking cameras in their faces."
ANDERSON: Maybe start right there. OK. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Ben Widdecombe, Michael Musto, thank you all.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Hey guys, it looks like Miley Cyrus` new album is going to be a tremendous hit. It`s her first album that really distances Miley from her "Hannah Montana" character. But here`s what I want to know, is Hollywood forcing Miley to grow up too fast?
At 15, is it time for her to make a Britney-style transformation, or is it just too much too soon? That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRICIA WALSH-SMITH, THE YOUTUBE DIVORCE LADY: The only cruel behavior I`ve ever done to that man is make him have skim milk in his cappuccino.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The YouTube divorce lady is just the beginning. We`ve got a whole slew of star freak-outs caught on tape. Bill O`Reilly goes ballistic. Heather Mills loses it. Paula Abdul goes nuts. Coming up, the most outrageous celebrity freak-outs ever.
And Will Smith is the biggest movie star in the world right now. And it got me thinking does Will`s success mean that African-Americans have closed the race gap in Hollywood, or is there still a long way to go? That`s coming up as I investigate blacks in Hollywood.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL SMITH, ACTOR: You want down? I`m real good at down. I`m real good at down. All right? All right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s Will Smith in the $200 million summer blockbuster, "Hancock." The film solidified Smith`s crown as a box office king. But I`ve got to ask, is it lonely at the top?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight a showbiz special report, black in Hollywood.
Is Hollywood doing enough to diversify movies and television? In a joint effort CNN`s "Black in America" series, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is taking a closer look at Hollywood and its role in this hot button issue.
Will Smith has, of course, wedged a huge crack in Hollywood`s color barrier, but why does it seem like he`s one of very few African-Americans who has truly broken through? Or is his success proof that Hollywood is changing its tune?
With me tonight in Hollywood, Mark Sawyer, assistant professor at UCLA Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Politics. Tonight in Hollywood, Shawn Robinson, correspondent and weekend co-anchor for "Access Hollywood."
Mark, Shawn, great to see you both again. And hey, Will Smith really on top of the world right now, not only with his summer hit "Hancock," but he was also listed in "Forbes" magazine as the top-earning actor in Hollywood. He banked $80 million last year alone.
Mark, I want to begin with you. Do you think his success shows progress in terms of opportunities for African-Americans in Hollywood, or does it really even scratch the surface?
MARK SAWYER, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UCLA CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF RACE, ETHNICITY AND POLITICS: Well, I mean, $80 million is a big scratch.
ANDERSON: That`s true.
SAWYER: It shows that there could be, you know, bankable African-American leads, leading men at least, who can open a film. The Jamie Foxxs of the world, the Denzel Washingtons and, of course, Will Smith. But it remains to be seen whether black actresses can open films like that or whether African-Americans can play, you know, romantic leads together in films that open that big.
ANDERSON: Yes. There`s been a lot of criticism that there aren`t leading major roles for African-American women, that many times their roles are nonexistent or that they are secondary. But do you see a shift in that at all?
SAWYER: It`s shifting, but slowly. You still don`t see the sort of pairings. I think the problem is that people who invest in movies fear if you pair an African-American woman with an African-American man in a film, it becomes a black film and it does appeal to a limited audience.
SHAWN ROBINSON, CORRESPONDENT AND WEEKEND ANCHOR, "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD": Brooke, can I just jump in here?
ANDERSON: Right. The focus - Go ahead, Shawn. Jump in, please.
(CROSS TALK)
ROBINSON: I want to say something. Mark hit the nail on the head. I E- mailed a number of my girl friends who are working black actresses in Hollywood today. And I talked to them about coming on CNN and talking about this particular issue. And I`m telling you my E-mail blew up, and all of them said the exact same thing. First of all, there`s a fear that if you pair an African-American actress with an African-American actor, it`s going to be a black film ...
SAWYER: Exactly.
ROBINSON: ... and that the studio - they are too afraid to do that. But the other thing they said is when you look at movies starring African- American men, Hollywood is not afraid to put that male with a woman who is not of color, who is not African-American. There are not that fear to do that.
But on the flipside of that, they said, "Look, we`re not sitting around, waiting to be cast opposite Will Smith or Denzel Washington or Eddie Murphy, et cetera. Why not Leonardo Di Caprio? Why not Tom Hanks? Why not Brad Pitt? How come we aren`t being considered for leading woman roles opposite men who are not of color?
SAWYER: I think I agree.
ANDERSON: I get your point - the interracial relationship in a different way.
ROBINSON: Right.
ANDERSON: I want to take it to Halle Berry now. Because in 2002, she became the first African-American to win an Oscar for best actress. Mark, is that just unacceptable that we`re talking about first at this point in history? Because to me, it seems ridiculous to think it`s taken this long to acknowledge female African-American talent in Hollywood. Or do you think that is a step in the right direction and it doesn`t matter how long it took?
SAWYER: Well, it matters how long it took, but it is a step in the right direction. What was a step in the wrong direction was doing "Catwoman" next. But you know, she certainly is a very talented actress who`s gotten the recognition that she deserves, but still hasn`t quite been able to break through in terms of opening up a big film, playing that kind of lead or playing very consistent romantic lead, like a Julia Roberts or -
ANDERSON: Yes, a benign romantic comedy. Shawn, very quickly - Angela Bassett actually turned down the role that Halle Berry took in "Monster`s Ball," saying it was stereotypical, she didn`t want to perpetuate that stereotype. But Halle saw it as an opportunity to open doors. Is the power in the choices, or are the quality opportunities just not there?
ROBINSON: Well, you know, I think that all you have to do is look at what we`re seeing on the big screen and on our television shows. The problem is, Brooke, that the situation, especially for black actors, has gotten worse. After the writers` strike, production has gone down. We have so many reality shows now that have taken the place of these scripted shows. So a lot of the opportunities aren`t there for actors of any color.
ANDERSON: Hopefully, Shawn, we will continue to see progress. Mark Sawyer, Shawn Robinson, we`re going to leave it there for now. Thank you both for your insights.
And a programming note. You can catch CNN`s special, "Black in America" on Saturday at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. Eastern, and again on Sunday.
OK. It looks like Miley Cyrus` new album is going to be a huge hit. It`s her first album that distances Miley from her "Hannah Montana" character. But here`s what I want to know - is Hollywood forcing Miley to grow up too fast? At 15, is it time for her to make the transformation or is it just too much too soon?
And it`s the same deal with the new ads for "Gossip Girl." The racy ads have some parents absolutely outraged. Is there any way to protect kids from this kind of stuff, or is it much ado about nothing? That`s straight ahead.
And I`ve got brand-new details for you tonight about Christian Bale`s alleged assault. You don`t want to miss it, still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And here are some more stories that are new right now.
Sienna Miller is suing over photos of her on vacation with Balthazar Getty. Getty is on the TV show "Brothers and Sisters" and is married but separated from his wife. The actress is suing two British newspapers and a photo agency for breach of privacy.
Josh Brolin showed up at a public event for the first time since he was arrested in a bar fight in Louisiana. Brolin was at a movie premiere Tuesday but wouldn`t talk to reporters saying, quote, "Sorry, I`m kind of in a bad predicament now." He and another actor were arrested in a bar fight during filming of the new Oliver Stone movie "W."
And Ethan Hawke and his new wife have welcomed a new baby girl. Clementine Jane Hawke was born on Friday in New York City. The couple were married last month. Hawke has two other children from his marriage to Uma Thurman.
It looks like Miley Cyrus` new album is going to be a huge hit. But here`s what I want to know, is Hollywood forcing Miley to grow up too fast? At 15, is it really time for her to make a transformation?
It`s the same deal with the new ads for "Gossip Girl." The racy ads have some parents absolutely outraged. I`m asking when it comes to teenagers in Hollywood, is it all just too much too soon? Coming up.
And brand new details for you tonight about Christian Bale`s alleged assault. You don`t want to miss that, still to come.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALSH-SMITH: The only cruel behavior I`ve ever done to that man is make him have skim milk in his cappuccino.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The YouTube divorce lady is just the beginning. Star freak-outs caught on tape. Bill O`Reilly goes ballistic. Heather Mills loses it. Paula Abdul goes nuts. Straight ahead, the most outrageous celebrity freak-outs ever. You do not want to miss that.
But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Just head over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight and click on the "sign up for the newsletter" link at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back after this.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, too sexy, too soon? Tonight, a startling new controversy over jaw-dropping ads for a racy show that targets teen viewers. Why parents are outraged over "Gossip Girl." Plus, 15-year-old "Hannah Montana" star, Miley Cyrus, has a new adult-sounding album. Her nearly-nude "Vanity Fair" photos. Is Hollywood pushing Miley to grow up too fast?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALSH-SMITH: The only cruel behavior I`ve ever done to man is make him have skim milk in his cappuccino.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, wacky YouTube divorce lady. Paula Abdul`s bizarre meltdown. Bill O`Reilly`s swear-filled rant. You don`t want to miss SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most outrageous, most over-the-top celebrity freak-outs of all time caught on tape.
(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. A.J. Hammer is off.
Tonight showbiz investigates sex, teens and Hollywood. We all know sex sells, but is Hollywood pushing teens to be too sexy too soon?
Brand new ads for the CW Network`s show "Gossip Girl" are coming out, and OMG, they have done it again with another R-rated campaign. Some parents are outraged. Have they gone too far this time?
And 15-year-old pop icon Miley Cyrus is trying to make the transition from kid phenomenon to young woman on her new album, "breakout." But is Hollywood pushing her to grow up too fast? The nearly nude "Vanity Fair" cover photo could just be the tip of iceberg.
Joining me tonight from Washington, D.C. is Melissa Henson, director of communication and public education for the Parents` Television Council. From New York Allison Becker host of "VH1 Top 20 Countdown." And in Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder."
Ladies, I want to begin with the brand-new "Gossip Girl" ads coming out soon. I want you to take a look at some of these. They show some of the teen characters in blatantly sexual situations. I`ve got to tell you, I was pretty shocked when I saw them. Melissa, are these ads as one of the quotes on the images reads, "every parent`s nightmare?"
MELISSA HENSON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC EDUCATION, PARENTS` TELEVISION COUNCIL: Well, I think certainly the show "Gossip Girl" is every parent`s nightmare. And when it comes to the sexual content and when it comes to messages about drugs and alcohol use among adolescents, these are not messages that parents want their young kids picking up on, and this is not behavior they want their kids to emulate.
The difficulty with ads like this is that it`s hard to avoid. You can change the channel if "Gossip Girl" comes on. You can give your children strict household rules about which programs they can and cannot watch, but you can`t control what they see on billboards. You can`t control what they see at bus stops or on the sides of metro station.
ANDERSON: Yes.
HENSON: So, you know, it`s a lot more difficult to control what your kids are being exposed to when it`s plastered all over the city.
ANDERSON: Yes. It`s nearly impossible really to avoid those images in those advertisements. And we do know that sex sells, and there have been a lot of risque ads out there.
But Allison, what do you think about these "Gossip Girl" ads? Do you see anything wrong with them, or do you think it`s much ado about nothing?
ALLISON BECKER, HOST, "VH1 TOP 20 COUNTDOWN": Well, it`s much ado about a little something something. I think that our culture as Americans, we`re very afraid of sex and we`re kind of told what`s forbidden and that only makes us want it more. I mean, growing up, I was afraid that Jesus was in my bedroom watching me until I was like 24. You know? So I think that we just need to loosen up a little bit. It`s just sex. It`s how we all got here.
ANDERSON: But the show targets - well, CW tells me they target women ages 18 to 34, but ratings show it`s popular with kids much, much younger than that. Allison, do you not see a problem with that?
BECKER: I mean, you know, that comes down to, I think, a home-by-home basis. And you know, if the show weren`t so popular, we wouldn`t be watching it. And I think the real problem here is not the parents and the real problem here is not Hollywood. The real problem here is us, like blame it on me, because I`m watching that show. It`s awesome, and they look great. So until I stop watching it, I`m sorry, you guys are going to have to deal with it.
ANDERSON: So you admit it. Well, I want to read a statement that CW released about the controversial ad campaign, quote, "We wanted to create a provocative, unconventional campaign that resonates with `Gossip Girl`s` sophisticated, media savvy young adult fans. By utilizing creative statements made by third-party sources and outlets, this new campaign speaks directly to our target audience in a way they will appreciate.
Jane, what do you think? Are these ads sending the wrong message, or is this just art imitating the life of real teens who are maybe more sophisticate than we give them credit for?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Brooke, there probably are many sophisticated teens but their sophistication is shaped by the media. So it is a vicious cycle. This is undoubtedly a very clever ad campaign, very brazen, embracing the criticism against it. I think it can also be interpreted as morally wrong, sending a horrible message to young girls.
But I don`t want to engage in selective indignation. There are a lot of things that are being advertised out there that are outrageous. What about all the violence on television. What about the fact that advertisers are selling fattening fast food to kids and teens in the midst of an obesity crisis? Let`s look at all the bad messages being sent to teenagers and do something about it and tell advertisers, "You know, the gig`s up. It`s time for you to behave responsibly like other institutions in this society."
ANDERSON: Well, speaking of more mature images, maybe not to that extent, but Miley Cyrus is another teen out there experiencing some growing pains lately over a sexy image. Her brand-new album, "Breakout," number one on iTunes right now. But she seems to be struggling really with making the transition to young woman. Take a listen to what she had to say on "Good Morning, America" this week about the scandal over her semi-nude cover shoot for "Vanity Fair."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILEY CYRUS, TEEN POP STAR: I think I was just kind of in a stage, you know, where I was just trying, you know, to get things done and you, know, maybe look for an older audience. You know, I was working with a big magazine, just trying to go with what they were trying to say. And I think it was a hard time. Everyone has made a mistake, and anyone that was a 15- year-old, you know, they can say they made mistakes. So I think it`s just normal. I think it does make me more relatable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Miley says it was a mistake and that she was actually just going along with what the magazine wanted her to do. Melissa, does Hollywood pressure teens like Miley to be too sexy too soon?
HENSON: Absolutely. It is not just the young starlets that Hollywood is pressuring to be too sexy too soon. It`s all American teenage girls. If you look at the clothes that are available to them, you know, if you walk into any shopping mall in the country, you`ll see that they`re trying to get girls to wear low-slung pants and they have thong underwear that they`re marketing to high school-age girls and junior high school-age girls. They`ve got t-shirts carrying the playboy bunny logo.
You know, it`s this constant message coming from Hollywood that you have to be sexy to be popular. You have to be sexy to fit in. You have to be sexually active if you want to fit in with your peer group. And it`s so difficult for parents to combat those messages especially when they`re also getting it from some of their favorite teen idols.
ANDERSON: Yes. You know what? I feel for Miley, because she talks about - she says she was going along with what the magazine said. So it`s like she got some pressure, and it is funny, because it seems every time I look around at articles and blogs, it`s talking about how can Miley make the transition into adulthood successfully. And it really makes me shake my head. Allison, Miley is only 15 years old, her whole career in front of her. Why the rush to grow up so fast?
BECKER: Well, I think it is a lot of pressure from the media, although these images in particular didn`t really bother me that much. I don`t think they`re that inappropriate. I think everybody is kind of making a big stink out of it.
I think the images with her dad where she`s looking into his eyes like he`s some boyfriend like they`re kind of straddling each other - I think those are a little more creepy for me. But a shoulder - I don`t know. We`re not living in the 1800s. The shoulder on a 15-year-old - I`m OK with it.
ANDERSON: Some say the pictures with her dad looked incestuous, but they, of course, say they were harmless. Melissa Henson, Allison Becker, Jane Velez-Mitchell, we`re going to leave it there for now. Thank you all.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on this very subject on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Miley Cyrus: Is Hollywood pushing her to grow up too fast?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Like so many people, I am stunned by this Christian Bale arrest for allegedly assaulting his mom and sister. I just don`t get it. Batman busted? Well, for the first time since this "Dark Knight" star was arrested, Bale is speaking out. That`s next.
And I also think this Madonna-Alex Rodriguez mess is so weird, so bizarre. Now Madonna`s ex, Carlos Leon, the father of her daughter Lourdes, is opening up. Is all this having a dramatic affect on Lourdes? How is she coping with the nonstop publicity? That`s coming up next.
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALSH-SMITH: The only cruel behavior I`ve ever done to that man is make him have skim milk in his cappuccino.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The wacky YouTube divorce lady. Paula Abdul`s bizarre meltdown. Bill O`Reilly`s swear-filled rant. You do not want to miss SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most outrageous, most over the top celebrity freak-outs of all time, and they are caught on tape.
All right. I want to remind you that once again, CNN is searching for heroes. These are ordinary people having an extraordinary impact around the world. Every one of this year`s heroes will be selected from your nominations, but you`ve only got until August 1st to nominate your favorite hero. To do that, all you have to do is go to CNN.com/Heroes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming back after this. Stay with us.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, Batman himself, Christian Bale, is speaking out for the first time since his shocking arrest. "The Dark Knight" star - he plays Batman in the movie - was arrested for allegedly assaulting his mother and sister, claims which he denies.
At a press conference for the film in Barcelona, Spain, Bale says, quote, "It`s a deeply personal matter. I would ask you to respect my privacy in the matter." All this controversy, though, isn`t hurting ticket sales after "The Dark Knight" had the biggest weekend opening in Hollywood history. It has become the fastest film to break $200 million at the box office. That train`s not slowing down anytime soon.
OK. Tonight, well, Madonna is caught up in this Alex Rodriguez mess. The father of Madonna`s daughter, Lourdes, says the scandal is not affecting her. Carlos Leon tells "People" magazine that despite all the publicity over this controversy that Madonna allegedly had an affair of the heart with the New York Yankees star, 11-year-old Lourdes is in good shape.
Carlos reveals how Lourdes has been able to stay pretty unaffected by all this. He says, quote, "Look at me and the way I live. I ride my bicycle, I walk. I don`t have a driver. That`s how I keep her grounded. Her mom does a good job, too. She`s not that person that everyone thinks. She`s very laid back and cool."
Now Carlos also doesn`t hold back about what he thinks about Madonna`s alleged relationship with A-Rod. Carlos, adds, "Trust me, that`s a lie. I know for a fact she wouldn`t do that."
Now, just when you thought it was safe to turn on your computer speakers, the wacky YouTube divorce lady is at it again, and you`ve got to hear what she`s ranting about now. Watch this.
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WALSH-SMITH: I will not be bullied, and I repeat I will not be bullied, coerced or anything.
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ANDERSON: This is from a press conference that Tricia Walsh-Smith held claiming victory in her divorce from her ex-husband, Broadway producer Philip J. Smith. Victory? That`s odd, because the judge ruled against her, saying that she was cruel for doing the YouTube videos and she`s also getting kicked out of their apartment. Anyway, Walsh claims she`s not done yet. Make it stop.
And there are plenty other stars whose totally out-of-control meltdowns have been captured on tape. Tonight, it`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, the best freak-outs of all time:
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BILL O`REILLY, FORMER HOST, "INSIDE EDITION": We`ll do it live. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) it.
ANDERSON: Perhaps it was a moment of weakness.
PAULA ABDUL, POP STAR: I can`t do this.
ANDERSON: Or a passionate plea.
WALSH-SMITH: I am being thrown out on the street having done nothing.
ANDERSON: Or maybe just a hard day`s night.
HEATHER MILLS, EX-WIFE OF PAUL MCCARTNEY: I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murderer.
ANDERSON: Whatever the reason, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that uncensored and unleashed moments of pure rage are really fun to watch.
WALSH-SMITH: Shame on you!
ANDERSON: So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the best freak-outs you`ve ever seen. But what is it that makes on-camera outrage so awesome?
BEX SCHWARTZ, COMEDIAN: It`s unbelievably entertaining to watch these outrage videos because it`s great to see people completely lose control and it becomes very cathartic.
ANDERSON: "Cathartic" doesn`t even begin to describe the anger factor in a 20-year-old clip of Bill O`Reilly that surfaced you on YouTube.
O`REILLY: I don`t know what that means to play us out. What does that mean?
That`s a much younger O`Reilly completely flipping out over a screwy script while hosting the entertainment show, "Inside Edition."
O`REILLY: And we will leave you with a - I can`t do it. We`ll do it live.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
O`REILLY: We`ll do it live. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) it.
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": If you watch, he loses it and wraps up and says, "We`ll do it live. We`ll do it live. Coming up next on inside edition - " In 30 seconds, he goes from like crazy to boom. He`s like he`s all contained all of a sudden.
O`REILLY: We`ll do it live. We`ll do it live. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) it.
WALSH-SMITH: How dare you.
ANDERSON: No scripts needed for the woman simply known as YouTube divorce lady. Playwright Tricia Walsh-Smith became the most famous desperate housewife ever when she put her outrage online.
WALSH-SMITH: I`m speaking my truth!
ANDERSON: Smith spouted her truth, dishing the ugly details of her divorce of Broadway mogul Philip Smith.
WALSH-SMITH: I`m the biggest, I think, idiot in the world.
CONOR KNIGHTON, HOST, "INFOMANIA": Basically, Tricia was going through a divorce with her husband who is 25 years older than she is. And so, obviously, when you`re trying to stick it to a 74-year-old man, you make a YouTube video.
WALSH-SMITH: The only cruel behavior I`ve ever done to that man is make him have skim milk in his cappuccino and I did sneak wheat grass one into his freshly-made vegetable juice.
SCHWARTZ: In the midst of all this crazy and divorced - like, tarot cards. You know, nothing says stable like someone who is flipping on tarot cards at the drop of the hat.
WALSH-SMITH: I did my cards today. Guess what I pulled? Tarot!
ANDERSON: It takes more than a psychic reading to predict the unpredictable freak-outs of Paula Abdul.
ABDUL: I`m just trying to tell you a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) story!
ANDERSON: Paula was absolutely outraged on her reality show, "Hey, Paula" when she found out she lost a big gig on the Bratz movie.
SCHWARTZ: She poured her blood and sweat and tears into the Bratz movie. And then, one of her assistants has to audacity to try to tell her to calm down. And she just breaks down because she`s trying to tell a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) story.
ABDUL: You guys, please. I`m trying to tell you a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) story.
SCHWARTZ: It`s really intense. It`s like the Paula Abdul meltdown that you sort of always think is on the brink of happening during "American Idol" but never quite gets there. And then, boom, there it is.
ANDERSON: Just before her divorce from Paul McCartney and winning $50 million in the divorce settlement, Mills went on a worldwide media tour because she was outraged by, well, the media.
KNIGHTON: There`s a point where she claims that she`s been treated worse than murderers and pedophiles, at which point all of the murderers and pedophiles all over the world were like, "No, no, no leave us out of this. You`re on your own."
MILLS: I`ve had worst press than a pedophile or a murder.
ANDERSON: In the end Bill, Trisha, Paula and Heather have all overcome their moments of public rage. Luckily for us, they`re phenomenal freak- outs will never get old, especially if they were all caught on tape.
O`REILLY: Do it live!
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ANDERSON: Pretty shocking stuff there. Well, I know that George Michael has had his share of embarrassing moments. You`ve got that arrest for the lewd act in a public bathroom, his sentence for driving under the influence of drugs. But now, he insists he`s cleaned up his act. Next, this pop star reveals who he credits with saving his life and the secret for keeping so many female fans after all these years.
But first, a look at what`s new at the movies this week brought to you by YoPlait, YoPlus yogurt. Try it 10 days and feel the difference. Mulder and Scully - David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are back in the "X Files: I Want to Believe." The TV show about FBI agents investigating unsolved mysteries ran on FOX from `93 to 2002.
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are step brothers whose single parents get married. These overgrown children do some pretty darn silly things.
And American teen is a documentary which follows around the jock, a popular girl, an artsy girl and a geek during their senior year in a Small Town, Indiana High School.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back after this.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, George Michael is speaking out like never before about why women love him so much and how his partner saved his life. OK. I`ve got to admit, I was a big Wham fan. Who can forget those `80s hits, "Wake Me Up Before You Go- Go"? I remember roller-skating to that song. I even had a tap dancing solo to it.
George Michael, of course, went on to a big solo career with hits like "faith." Now, he`s touring the United States for the very first time in 17 years and revealing some very personal things during a "Good Morning America" interview like how his significant other has helped clean up his act and why women are so attracted to him, even though he is gay.
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GEORGE MICHAEL, POP STAR: What is it about me that women seem to ignore the fact that I`m gay? I think women get the feeling that I understand them and I have grown up with two sisters. You know, I went out with women when I was younger. I do understand them, unfortunately.
Kenny saved my life, I think.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CO-HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": Love can do that?
MICHAEL: Yes, absolutely. I think hope, you know. But also someone to hold you when you absolutely see no point to anything. You know, you are kind of hopping around on one leg, waiting for someone to put the other one, you know. And I felt like that for good eight years or nine years.
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ANDERSON: You know, George has had some trouble with that arrest for a lewd act in a public bathroom, his driving under the influence of drugs sentence. So I`m glad to hear he is doing well. He also added that while he thinks he would be a good father, he doesn`t want kids and he splits time between London and Texas.
All right. On Wednesday, we asked to you vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Christian Bale`s Alleged Assault: Will it hurt the `Dark Knight?`"
Completely one-sided here. Four percent of you say yes; 96 percent say no.
Your E-mails - Cameron from Washington writes, "This scandal will not hurt the movie. It is too fantastic. The allegation from Bale`s family is just a publicity stunt."
And Kelly from New York, "I don`t think it will affect "The Dark Knight" in the least because honestly, no one is going to see it for Christian Bale. They are going to see Heath Ledger. Bale can do just about anything and not affect sales for this movie." Ouch.
We do appreciate your e-mails. Keep them coming.
That`s a wrap for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks so much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson n 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. Take care.
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