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Showbiz Tonight
Ali Lohan`s Porn Mix-up; Outrage Over Paris, Britney and Obama Connection; Britney`s Dad`s Conservatorship Extended; Wedding Bells for Jamie Lynn Spears?; Biggest Reality Show Scandals
Aired July 31, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: The most outrageous, most controversial, biggest reality show scandals ever. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And why Jessica Simpson says she feels like America`s most wanted. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Lohan`s shocking mistake. Lindsay Lohan`s 14- year-old sister auditions for a movie director, then finds out the guy has a porn-filled past. How in the world did that happen? And does it just go to show that parents should keep their kids out of reality shows? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a big controversy over the harsh reality of kids and reality TV.
Paris, Britney and Obama. Brand new outrage over a McCain ad that compares Barack Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Why did McCain choose them?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL YO, HOST, "YO ON E!": I feel like this is a bad episode of "The Hills."
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, could Britney and Paris really influence who will win the White House?
Plus, big breaking Britney Spears court news. And is Britney`s teenage sister going from being a mommy to a wife? Tonight, will there be wedding bells for Jamie Lynn?
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood. And what do Paris Hilton, Paula Abdul and Marie Osmond have in common? Some of the biggest reality show shockers ever. We`ve got it coming up.
HAMMER: And now, you can also add to that list the Lohans` big mistake. Tonight Lindsay Lohan`s mom is getting slammed for not knowing that her 14- year-old sister was auditioning for someone with a list of pornography movies to his credit. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, this is now reigniting a fierce debate whether kids should be in reality shows in the first place. It is all making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DINA LOHAN, MOTHER OF LINDSAY AND ALI LOHAN: She`s only 14, and she doesn`t know if these people are going to judge her because she`s Lindsay`s little sister or because she`s a talented actor. And that alone is stressful.
HAMMER (voice over): From the very beginning, Lindsay Lohan`s mom, Dina, made it crystal clear that her reality show, "Living Lohan" on E! was created specifically to jumpstart 14-year-old Ali`s big Hollywood career.
ALI LOHAN, LINDSAY LOHAN`S SISTER: When am I meeting the director and what do I have to do?
HAMMER: In fact, when I sat down with Dina and Ali just as the reality show was making its debut, Dina told me that she wasn`t worried about the scrutiny that comes with the cameras.
D. LOHAN: It is scary. And it could be dangerous, you know, but we`ll let you judge. You be the judge of us.
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, judgment day has arrived. Dina sparked serious outrage after it was revealed that Ali auditioned for a B horror movie. And the kicker - the film`s producer is a legendary porn director.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Now that Ali`s career is seriously getting a bit of a boost, probably from some places that Dina wouldn`t like, she`s not happy. In fact, she`s furious.
HAMMER: Just when you think it can`t get any worse, the controversial casting call was caught on tape on Lohan`s own reality show.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, Ali.
D. LOHAN: This is my director.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you?
D. LOHAN: And Peter Davy, my producer.
PIAZZA: We see Ali taking a meeting with a director for a remake of the `80s horror classic "The Troll," a very quality movie.
HAMMER: In a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Dina Lohan explains the porn mix-up saying, quote, "Ali was auditioning for a role in the upcoming film, `Troll.` She obviously had no idea about Davy`s past. If she did know, she never would have auditioned for him."
PIAZZA: Dina doesn`t place any blame on herself. She says Ali didn`t know. Ali had no idea. It`s really not Ali`s job as a 14-year-old and as the client to know these things. Dina`s her mom. Dina`s her manager. Dina should have done research into this role and into this guy and she should have known.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Dina`s admission that she didn`t know didn`t exactly help in her case.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Oh, mom is shocked. Mom/manager is shocked. How did that happen? Well, you`re the manager, mom. This wasn`t a secret meeting. This was videotaped and put on your show. You should have known. Can you say Google? I don`t understand what`s going on here.
HAMMER: And neither does family therapist Shannon Fox from "MomLogic.com."
SHANNON FOX, FAMILY THERAPIST, "MOMLOGIC.COM": I mean, if all the mothers in Hollywood, she should have known more than anybody else. She`s been through it already with Lindsay. She`s seen what Hollywood to girls. She should know more than anybody else.
HAMMER: And it`s anybody`s guess why Dina thought having Ali star in a reality show was a good idea in the first place.
PIAZZA: We have learned time and time again that exposing your kids in a reality show is a bad idea.
HAMMER: Pamela Anderson agrees. Anderson says she won`t show her kids in her new reality show. She told Whoopi Goldberg on "The View" that for her, it`s about protecting her two boys.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I want to say one of the things that these guys know that - I love this when celebrities have reality shows, but don`t include their children. Can I just tip my dreads to you and say -
PAMELA ANDERSON, REALITY SHOW STAR: Thank you.
GOLDBERG: I love that we hear them but we don`t see them. And I love that.
P. ANDERSON: I`m very protective.
HAMMER: Protective and perhaps not willing to put her children in a spotlight that can be so cruel, unlike other Hollywood moms who may see reality TV as the only road to fame.
D. LOHAN: I think we have no other option.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So the bottom line is this - should Dina Lohan take responsibility and doesn`t this just show that putting kids in reality shows is not a great idea?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." Also in Hollywood tonight, family therapist Dr. Shannon Fox of "MomLogic.com."
All right. Jane, Shannon, Dina says she did not know about this director`s, shall I say, "porny past," but Ali`s manager and mother, I`m thinking, Jane, that`s her job to know.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely, A.J. It`s her job to know if, in fact, she really is the manager. But what occurs to me - remember, this is reality TV. This isn`t reality. It strikes me, and I`ve known a lot of theatrical managers, it`s very boring, very dull work. It involves research, paperwork, phone calls. And this is just my guess, Dina isn`t really her daughter`s manager. She is playing the part of her daughter`s manager on television and leaving all the nasty little details to someone else. And that someone else might actually like all this controversy because, obviously, it could boost ratings. So I don`t think she`s being totally honest about all this. And I think she should come clean. Does she do all the real detail work that a manager does? I want to know.
HAMMER: Yes. Even if she`s not the manager, she`s still the mother. I mean, you bear some responsibility there for a child of her age. And let`s not forget, all of this is being documented on their reality show. We`re seeing everything, the good and the bad and the ugly. And here`s what`s now happening as a result of this. Ali is now the target of all the blogs and the tabloids. They`re making fun of her. They`re watching her every move and commenting.
Shannon, she`s just 14 years old. I think she`s being put in a terrible position by doing this show.
FOX: I agree with you, A.J. No teenager should have to go through adolescence in front of an audience. Being a teenager is difficult enough as it is. Also, child stars should be known for the roles that they play or the music that they play, their persona up on stage. It`s a very important distinction between the roles that they play and the life that they have at home. And teenagers need that separation in order to develop well.
HAMMER: No question about that. The Lohan show, by the way, debuted side by side with Denise`s Richards new reality show called "It`s Complicated." And you may remember Denise got an awful lot of heat for letting her two young girls appear on the show, one only four years old, the other only three years old. You`ve got to listen to how Denise tried to justify having the kids on when I spoke with her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DENISE RICHARDS, REALITY SHOW STAR: I don`t want to shield my kids. I don`t to want live like that. I don`t want them to live like a hermit. I don`t want them to be afraid of paparazzi. My kids live with me. I`m doing a reality show at my house. They`re there, and we`re filming real life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Jane, take that at face value for me. When you hear that, does it make sense? Her kids are part of her life as a mom, so why not have them on the show?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Not really. Why doesn`t she want to shield her kids? Isn`t that what a mother lioness does, shield her cubs, protect her cubs? You know, I don`t know what her motives are and I don`t want to cast aspersions on her but I do know that since the beginning of show business, there have been stage mothers and stage fathers who have taken advantage of their kids and turned them into commodities.
That`s why we have something like the Coogan Law named after the child star Jackie Coogan who was exploited and ripped off by people who said that they love this little boy who group up into a man who had no money. I think AFTRA - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists needs to take a look at this whole genre of reality television and create some tough new rules for how kids are involved. And rule number one should be, no porn directors involved with kids.
HAMMER: You think? Right there at the top there? Well, somebody who`s already seen the rules apparently right there on the flipside of everything - we`re talking about Pam Anderson. Her new reality show is making its debut this weekend. And as we`ve been hearing, she`s being very vocal about not letting her kids appear. I want to play for you what she told Matt Lauer on the "Today" show. Charles, roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
P. ANDERSON: I said the only way I would do this is my children would not be around. She`s being vocal about not if you won`t go into - (UNINTELLIGIBLE) obviously, my children are not allowed to be shown. They`re around, but you never see their faces and you never really get to focus in on them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to say, I never thought I`d see Pam Anderson as a big role model. But Shannon, I like what she`s saying. Is that a good message to be sending out here?
FOX: I think it`s a great message, but I don`t know, A.J. I think Pamela Anderson should be more concerned with protecting her children about the movies that she`s done in the past and her actions on camera than she should be protecting them from being on camera themselves.
HAMMER: What particular film role would you be talking about? Something, perhaps, involving her ex, Tommy Lee? I can imagine. I`ve got to end it there, folks. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Shannon Fox, thank you for being here tonight.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., there is big Britney Spears news tonight.
HAMMER: Yes. We`re finally finding out if her dad is going to stay in charge of her estate.
ANDERSON: That`s right. And that`s not all, A.J. Britney has found herself in the middle of the presidential election. Tonight, there`s brand new outrage over a McCain ad comparing Obama to Britney and Paris. That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEX SCHWARTZ, COMEDIAN: I feel like the Corey Clark-Paula Abdul scandal undermined my faith in "American Idol." Because like, what?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I remember that. We had Corey Clark on the show after he said he had an affair with Paula - a true low point in my life. But that`s just the beginning. Coming up - SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counting down the most outrageous, the most shocking reality show scandals ever.
ANDERSON: And talk about shocking. Check out this cat. Yep, it`s really a fat cat. 44 pounds, as a matter of fact. That`s a lot of feline flab. But don`t feel too sorry for the guy. He`s laughing up lots of attention on TV. That`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You certainly don`t want to miss this.
HAMMER: That is enormous.
Well, remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video any time. We`re always putting up new stuff for you to check out. It`s right there on our Web site. Put your URL browser to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos that are playing right now, "The New Bush Movie," a big heated debate over Oliver Stone`s controversial take on the life of President Bush. We are coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, big Britney Spears news although we`re not so sure she`s going to be happy about it. A judge today ordered that her father continue to run her life until the end of the year, extending his conservatorship.
And in the other Spears family drama, Britney`s 17-year-old kid sister, Jamie Lynn is reportedly getting married just months after she gave birth. Could this be double trouble for daddy Spears?
With me tonight in Hollywood, Ken Baker, executive news editor for "E!". Also with me tonight in Hollywood, Judge Penny Brown Reynolds of the brand-new, upcoming show "Family Court with Judge Penny". Welcome to you both.
And I want to begin with this conservatorship ruling. Britney`s dad was put in charge of her money and her life six months ago after Britney came out of the psych ward. And there`s no doubt it has made a tremendous difference. Ken Baker, is there any doubt that the judge today did the right thing?
KEN BAKER, EXECUTIVE NEWS DIRECTOR, "E!": Well, by all appearances, the commissioner in this case did the right thing because Britney has been on the right track. I mean, since February when her father came in, took over control of everything, there has been nothing but improvement. You literally could graph every aspect of her life, professionally, personally, her health and it would just be a perfect climb with the graph. And I think for that reason, it`s a good thing.
Now, the only downside that I see to this for Britney is that she really wants shared custody eventually with her kids. Right now, she just has visitation. And we`ve been told here at "E!" by all of our experts and the sources we talked to that as long as she`s under conservatorship, no court in their right mind is going to give her any sort of custodial arrangement with her kids. Because if she can`t be in charge of her own personal affairs, she certainly isn`t going to be looked as being able to be in charge of her own kids.
ANDERSON: Well, speaking of that custody battle, she and Kevin Federline did iron out a few things recently, though she still, as you say, just has visitation. But I have to say, she is looking better than ever now, like the Britney that we once knew.
Judge Penny, why do you think the judge didn`t give her control over her own life again?
JUDGE PENNY BROWN-REYNOLDS, HOST, "FAMILY COURT WITH JUDGE PENNY": Well, Brooke, one of the things that a judge is going to look at - she had an incredible spiral down. And what you have to do many times is have baby steps to get where you need to be. It`s my understanding that the judge said that she reluctantly agreed to this. And so, one thing you had was her voluntarily agreeing that she needed more time. She`s on the right track, but any judge is going to sit back and want it to be a reasonable progression of her doing better. And so -
ANDERSON: But what does she need to do, Judge Penny? What should Britney do, going forward, to have control of her own life, to impress the judge enough?
REYNOLDS: Brooke, that`s a good question. What I believe she would have to do, especially for me as a judge, is act reasonable, is to have more of a normal life, the Britney we used to know. Not outrageous behavior. She needs to keep on track, continue to be able to go and visit her children, not participate in any kind of outrageous behavior. As time goes on, she`s taking baby steps. And I think, inevitably, if she stays on the right track, it`s going to be - there will come a time when she can take back her personal affairs.
ANDERSON: Yes, I think that conservatorship is the best thing that has happened to her, and I agree with the judge`s decision. I`m happy about it. Why mess up a good thing?
And turning now to some more Spears family drama today. Some say this is a great thing. "OK!" magazine reporting that Britney`s 17-year-old kid sister, Jamie Lynn, who just had a baby, is going to be marrying her 19- year-old boyfriend.
Ken, do you think it`s a great thing or does she need to take a little bit more time to grow up before she takes that important step?
BAKER: I mean, obviously having two parents raising a child is often going to be preferable to one. But yes, she is very young. Like you said, she`s just 17 years old. But she has been put in a very unenviable position where she has this child with her boyfriend and she`s being forced to grow up very quickly. Of course, someone who`s, you know, twice her age would say, "Hey, take your time. Don`t rush into marriage." But you can certainly see why her instincts would be to provide a family environment and have that structure there.
I think the big question is, is Jamie Lynne Spears really ever going to be able to pull out of this? Pull out of Mississippi and Louisiana and get back here to Hollywood, get back to work? I think that`s the really big question mark. And I think right now, it`s clear the fact that she`s reportedly looking into getting married, her priorities are not back here in Hollywood. They are there with her family. And it`s probably for the best, actually.
ANDERSON: Yes. And that`s reassuring. Judge Penny, you`ve seen a lot of fractured families. Do you think this is a good idea? Very quickly.
REYNOLDS: Well, I actually agree with Ken. I believe that they need to make their priorities themselves. If they have the family support, if they love each other, anything is possible. But I believe worrying about careers right now is the last thing they need to be worried about. And they need to put themselves and that child first more than anything else.
ANDERSON: Yes. Keep the best interest of that child at heart. Ken Baker, Judge Penny Reynolds, thank you both.
And remember, "Family Court with Judge Penny" debuts in the fall. You can check your local listings for time.
HAMMER: Wait, Brooke, there`s more, because Britney has found herself yet in the middle of another controversy.
ANDERSON: Oh yes, she has, in the middle of the presidential election, A.J. Tonight, there is brand new outrage over a John McCain ad that compares Barack Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. So why did McCain pick these two out of all the celebrities in the world? That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARTZ: I think we love reality show scandals so much because we feel like we really know these people. We spend so much time with them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, I think that makes sense. Seems to be true. We think we know the people on reality TV. Well, how we love to see them fall. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counts down the most outrageous and most shocking reality show scandals ever.
ANDERSON: And Jessica Simpson says she feels like America`s most wanted, and I don`t mean that in a good way. Is Jess really being persecuted and ripped apart? I`ll tell you what she said, next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Now, I want to remind you once again, CNN is searching for heroes, ordinary people having an extraordinary impact around the world. Every one of this year`s heroes will be selected from viewer nominations. But your time is running out. You only have until August 1st to nominate your favorite hero. Do that by going to CNN.com/heroes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charles. And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Here now are some more stories that are new right now.
Jessica Simpson says she feels like America`s most wanted. In the September issue of "Elle" magazine, Jessica says that people are out to get her, but she won`t be discouraged. Here`s what she says, quote, "So many people want to bring me down, and I can`t wait to prove them wrong. If they believe what they read about me, they automatically persecute and torment me."
An A-Rod update here for you. His divorce court papers showing Alex Rodriguez saying he wants his pre-nup enforced and he wants the accusations that he cheated on his wife Cynthia removed from the records. Cynthia is asking for the couple`s $12-million house and for alimony and child support.
And "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling is putting out a new book. She`s going to be publishing "The Book of Wizard Fairytales." It will come out in December. And she says that she`s going to be donating an expected $8 million in proceeds to her children`s charity. I think she`s got all the money she needs. That`s nice to see.
ANDERSON: That is very nice, A.J. Hey, did you ever think that you would be talking about Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Barack Obama in the same sentence?
HAMMER: No. But of course, Brooke, these are the times we live in, aren`t they?
ANDERSON: Oh, I guess so. Tonight, A.J., there is brand-new outrage over a new John McCain ad comparing Barack Obama to Britney and Paris. I have to ask, why would he choose these two out of all the celebrities in the world? And will it backfire? That`s coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARTZ: I feel like the Corey Clark-Paula Abdul scandal undermined my faith in "American Idol." It`s like, what?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Icky. Remember when Corey claimed he had an affair with Abdul? That`s just the beginning. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counting down the most outrageous, most shocking reality show scandals ever.
ANDERSON: And look out. Here`s comes a fat cat. Seriously, look at this guy - 44 pounds of feline fun. What else do you need to know? Stay tuned for a really fat cat. Straight ahead.
HAMMER: You can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by checking out the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Get it by heading over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, brand-new outrage over Britney Spears and Paris Hilton in an ad attacking Barack Obama. Why did John McCain choose these two stars to put in his TV ad? And could Paris and Britney really affect the outcome of the election?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARTZ: I feel like the Corey Clark-Paula Abdul scandal undermined my faith in "American Idol" because it`s like, what?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The steamy sex stunners, fierce fights, bizarre breakups. It`s a showbiz special report, "The Most Shocking Reality Show Scandals Ever."
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, the big question, if John McCain becomes president, will he have to send Britney Spears and Paris Hilton thank-you cards? Yes, both Britney and Paris - they were smack in the middle of the battle for White House because of the way Republican candidate John McCain used Britney and Paris in an attack ad on Barack Obama. And now, the very first response from Paris Hilton.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell, investigative journalist and author of this fine book, "Secrets Can Be Murder." Also tonight in Hollywood, Ken Baker, executive news editor for "E!".
Jane, Ken - OK, now that I`ve gotten that out of the way, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT of course all over this story when it first broke on Wednesday about the McCain ad because, well, quite frankly, it was just plain ridiculous. Britney and Paris thrown into the middle of the presidential race. I can`t even believe I`ve been saying it and I can`t believe how much this whole thing exploded today. It was all because of this McCain ad. Charles, do the honors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FEMALE VOICE OVER: He`s the biggest celebrity in the world. But is he ready to lead? With gas prices soaring, Barack Obama says no to offshore drilling, and says he`ll raise taxes on electricity. Higher taxes, more foreign oil. That`s the real Obama.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m John McCain and I approve this message.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Jane Velez-Mitchell, let me begin with you. Are you like me? Maybe you just find it kind of mind-boggling that Britney and Paris are now part of the battle for White House?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s so shocking. First of all, John McCain should not be comparing Obama to any actors whatsoever, but especially not Britney Spears. That is so over the top. Let`s remember, Britney Spears is a woman who was rushed on a stretcher into a psych ward and committed for several days until her father was given conservatorship over her affairs because she was deemed to be incompetent of taking care of herself. And that`s the person that McCain is comparing Obama to? That is absolutely outrageous.
It would be one thing if he were comparing him to colorful politicians like Howard Dean or Dennis Kucinich. But to compare a serious presidential candidate to somebody who had a breakdown is just mind-boggling to me.
HAMMER: Yes. Ken Baker, you`ve been out there in Hollywood for a long time. Hollywood and Washington have always made odd bedfellows but they`ve been involved before. Despite whoever you support, this is just nuts, isn`t it?
BAKER: Yes. It is pretty shocking that he would use those two, because look, the people who have been out there, at least these celebrated Hollywood personality types, have been out there supporting Obama are actually Oprah - Tom Hanks has a whole video on YouTube right now. You can check out if you support him. Scarlett Johansson has been on the stump for him. And Paris and Britney have nothing do with him. But at the same time, it`s interesting to see McCain doing this because he talks about Obama being a celebrity.
Well, if you go back to 1980, Ronald Reagan was actually - he was a celebrity.
HAMMER: Yes.
BAKER: He was from Hollywood. He was an actor. And, you know, it`s debatable. Everyone kept their opinion but he did serve two terms. He was the president, and I think that a lot of times - You know, right now, our governor in California was a celebrity and he`s doing the job. So I think it was kind of strange. It was out of left field. If he really wants to tie him to - look, all is fair in war and politics.
HAMMER: Sure.
BAKER: And I think that if he really wanted to make a fair juxtaposition and a fair comparison, he would have brought up Oprah. He would have brought up Tom Hanks. He would have brought up these people who have actually publicly aligned themselves with Obama.
HAMMER: Yes. I`ve just been terribly misguided all through this whole thing. And obviously, everybody has been talking about this including, of course, the ladies at "The View." You`ve got to watch what Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd had to say about all this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I could go with that ad if it wasn`t Paris Hilton and Britney Spears in it. I think that`s very, very high school. You know, take those out. Take those two women out. You`ve got two people with a record, who are known for being typically dumb. You`re going to compare them to Obama? So I`m not getting what you say you got from it.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": In terms of the celebrity magazine aspect, if he`s - he`s comparing it to "Us Weekly" world which Barack Obama has turned to to inject himself in going on "Access Hollywood" and being in these magazines.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Elisabeth Hasselbeck, you know I love you. I still think this is just indefensible. You know, as we`ve been pointing out, these are not just any two random celebrities. McCain is comparing Obama to, very specifically Paris and Britney, who are very specifically known for being shallow, superficial train wrecks.
Jane Velez-Mitchell, it does seem there`s a reason McCain chose these celebrities and didn`t compare Obama to real A-list stars like Will Smith or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh yes, A.J. To me, it kind of reeks of desperation of the McCain camp and I`m not talking politics here. I`m simply talking about the fact that clearly Obama has become a huge star and the opposition doesn`t know quite how to deal with it. They can`t compete on that level. So they`re becoming increasingly desperate as they realize that the standard tactics they use are just not working against Obama because he has the star power, which we saw when he went to Europe, especially, particularly in Germany.
And you know, these campaigns are wild beasts. They can turn on a dime. Remember Dukakis putting on the helmet and getting into the tank, or another candidate shedding a tear at the wrong time. This could be a colossal misstep and I`m starting to wonder if this is one of those moments that`s taking on a life of its own and could really, really hurt McCain badly.
I love how it`s playing out. Because just after the ad come out, Obama`s camp released a statement saying of McCain and used these words, "Oops, he did it again." And Paris and Britney still on Obama`s mind today. He responded to the ad when he was out there on the campaign trail in Iowa. You`ve got to see this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You`d think that we`d be having a serious debate. But so far, all we`ve been hearing about is Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. I mean, I do have to ask my opponent, is that the best you can come up with?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, that`s pretty good. So that`s what Obama had to say. Of course, we wanted to know what Britney and Paris think about all this going on? A spokesperson for Paris Hilton told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Miss Hilton was neither asked, nor did she give permission, for the use of her likeness in the ad, and has no further comment." Probably didn`t even know who McCain was before.
Britney`s camp - well, I`m going to spare you the blah, blah, blah, pretty much said the same thing. Ken, we know Britney and Paris live and breathe for publicity. I`d have to think they`re loving this.
BAKER: I`ve never heard the word politics even uttered by either of their mouths the whole time I followed them. But what`s interesting is maybe John McCain doesn`t even know what his own daughter is doing. We just saw his own daughter hanging out with Heidi Montag, here just down the street from our studios here at "E!" Heidi Montag, the star of "The Hills" on MTV. I mean, I don`t know how much more vapid or shallow you can get than that. And his own daughter is doing that. So it just seems so bizarre that he`d come out with this.
HAMMER: All right. Are you ready for icing on the cake here? Listen to this - we learned today Paris`s parents, you know, Rick and Kathy Hilton of the Hilton family, they`ve contributed $4600 to McCain`s campaign. And look at how he repays them. Jane, what do you think? Should he - they demand their money back from McCain?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: They absolutely should demand their money back, although, you know, they like publicity too. All those Hiltons love publicity so they may be loving this in several generations. But I have to say this is a generational battle and I think Obama has taken this ball and run with it and used it as a pop culture reference to show the McCains are out of touch. It occurs to me - I don`t even know if McCain`s people knew about Britney`s back story with being hospitalized in a psych ward. They may not have researched that carefully.
HAMMER: Yes. You know, they don`t do background checks, after all, when presidential politics are involved, do they? Jane Velez-Mitchell, Ken Baker, thank you for being here tonight.
And let me turn this over to you, what do you think? It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Paris and Britney in a McCain Ad: Will it backfire on him? Let us know what you think, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E- mail address - if you`ve got more to say, well send us a note at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Well, A.J., I`ve got to say that this whole McCain, Britney, Paris, Barack thing feels like it could be right out of a reality TV show.
HAMMER: Yes. You think? Those shows obviously, Brooke, we know, have a lot of scandals, too.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARTZ: I really love reality show scandals so much. We feel like we really know these people. We spend so much time with them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Steamy, sex stunners, fierce fights, bizarre breakups. You do not want to miss my revealing showbiz special report, "The Most Shocking Reality Show Scandals Ever."
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, I`ve got another one you just might want to add to that list. The latest bachelor is, well, a bachelor again and he`s caught up in a nasty fight with his ex over their engagement ring. This is one big rock. So who should get that thing? That is coming up next.
ANDERSON: Oh, A.J. It sounds like the claws are out which is a perfect segue to this story about a 44-pound cat. It even has its own publicist. You`ve got to see this, straight ahead.
HAMMER: That is one big cat. Well, be sure to check out the free, ever- changing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast. Where can you find it? It`s right on our Web site CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also use iTunes to download it. Just do a little search in that search box for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
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ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. OK, so the most recent bachelor from ABC`s reality show Matt Grant has broken up with his fiancee, Shayne Lamas, the daughter of actor Lorenzo Lamas. Big shocker there, right? The reality show romance that failed.
So now, they are fighting over the 2.8 carat $65,000 ring. Shayne tells "People" magazine she wants to keep it, claiming Matt said that was fine. He says, that`s completely untrue, but is willing to auction it off and donate proceeds to charity.
Now, just so you know, I popped into the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT law library and found out nowadays the woman usually has to give back the ring if the guy asks. But since ABC paid for it here, who really knows?
And I`ve got to say that "Bachelor" reality show scandal just a blip on the radar when compared to the ones I`ve got tonight, from sex to fighting and everything else in between. I mean, you can`t write this stuff that happens on some of these shows. So here`s my special report, "The Most Shocking Reality Show Scandal Ever."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice over): The shocking ...
RYAN SEACREST, HOST, "AMERICAN IDOL": We`re going to say goodbye to Michael Johns.
ANDERSON: ... the dramatic, the absolutely ludicrous ...
PAULA ABDUL, "HEY PAULA": I`m just trying to tell a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) story.
ANDERSON: ... what would our favorite reality shows be without the scandals?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I wanted to get back together with you, would you leave your husband?
ANDERSON: It seems like the bigger the scandal, the higher the ratings. So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask, why do Americans love reality TV with a side of scandal?
SCHWARTZ: I think we love reality show scandals so much because we feel like we really know these people.
WILLIAM KECK, "USA TODAY" CELEBRITY REPORTER: Let`s face it, reality shows wouldn`t be reality shows without the scandals.
ANDERSON: From the squeaky clean to the downright dirty, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down the top five most shocking reality scandals ever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE ANCHOR: What is up with you and Nicole?
PARIS HILTON, ACTRESS: You know, I don`t really want to talk about it. But I just hope that she`s happy and healthy.
ANDERSON: At number five, it`s the reality rumble that nearly killed Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie`s only known careers. In 2005, the best friends became enemies - frenemies.
SCHWARTZ: Without Paris and Nicole being super best friends, there really could be no "Simple Life."
KECK: The rumors that were out there were - one of them was that Nicole had screened Paris` sex video for her friends. Other rumors were that Paris was jealous that Nicole had become even more famous than her. But we`ll never know until one of them tells.
ANDERSON: Oh, the drama. But rumors don`t even compare to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S fourth most shocking reality scandal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sara Evans and her partner Tony Dovolani.
ANDERSON: It was the unbelievable bombshell that shook the squeaky-clean dance floor of "Dancing With the Stars." Country singer Sara Evans` nasty divorce involving an alleged sex scandal right in the middle of the show`s third season.
SARA EVANS, SINGER: ... my husband. And I`m worried about his family.
SCHWARTZ: She could have quietly gotten divorced and been all upset at her husband and not quit "Dancing With the Stars." But, no, she not only had to quit, but she had to make a huge stink about it.
EVANS: I just needed to, you know, take care of my children.
SCHWARTZ: Sara Evans claims that her husband looked at porn on their home computer and their television and that he had naked photos of himself in various states of arousal.
ANDERSON: Even though her ex-husband denied all of that, Sara Evans moved on, surviving the scandal and even getting remarried. But reality scandals don`t always make nice. Just look at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S reality scandal number three.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The winner of the first "Survivor" competition is Rich.
ANDERSON: Richard Hatch is perhaps the most famously sinister contestant "Survivor" has ever had. He won a million dollars on "Survivor Borneo" but couldn`t survive Survivor IRS.
KECK: We watched Richard Hatch have these brilliant, scheming tactics to win the million dollars. And the fact that he didn`t declare that, that he tried to cover those earnings, was the saddest joke of all. And 51 months in prison I think he got. Not a survivor.
RICHARD HATCH, "SURVIVOR": Hey, I just won. Awesome.
SCHWARTZ: I feel like "Survivor," the prisoner edition, is a lot scarier than "Survivor" in Micronesia somewhere. But if he`s playing it, I bet he`s winning.
ANDERSON: Now, if you thought that was a rude awakening, take a look at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S second most shocking reality scandal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since you`ve been married, have you ever had sexual relations with someone other than your husband?
LAUREN CLERI, "MOMENT OF TRUTH": I`m going to have to say yes.
ANDERSON: It was the stunning moment of truth that made headlines across the country. Lauren Cleri wanted $200,000 so badly, she put her marriage on the line. Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you she and her husband are split.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you believe I`m the man you should be married to?
CLERI: I`m going to be honest and say yes.
KECK: This woman systematically went through these answers that were more and more damaging to her marriage, and the husband keeps on sitting there and saying, "Come on, give it to me." And we were watching this woman sell her marriage for money.
SCHWARTZ: The best part about it is that she went down when they asked her if she thought that she was a good person, and she said yes. But she was lying to herself.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That answer is false.
ANDERSON: Oh, if only the lie detector could tell us the truth about SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S number one most shocking reality scandal ever. It`s the alleged affair between Paula Abdul and Corey Clark.
COREY Clark, FMR. "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: She`s saying I`m a liar, I`m an opportunist and I engage in illegal activities. She just had sex with somebody.
SCHWARTZ: I feel like the Corey Clark-Paula Abdul scandal undermined my faith in "American Idol," because, like, what?
KECK: All of a sudden, America`s little princess, Paula Abdul, was being portrayed as a potential female Svengali, and it threatened to bring down the show for a little while.
ANDERSON: But Paula denies everything.
ABDUL: Corey, that was beautiful.
SCHWARTZ: Like, have you seen this guy? Corey Clark is like the human personification of MC Skat Kat. And that is the only reason I could think of them possibly having an affair.
ANDERSON: So it goes to show, the more unreal the story, the more we love reality scandals.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That is some pretty shocking stuff, but I know there will be plenty more to come because Hollywood is cranking out more reality shows and we`re going to be watching.
HAMMER: Yes, we will. Brooke, I`ll bet you a little meow mix that someone is working on a reality show for a 44-pound cat, the one everybody`s talking about. Wow! Look at that! Yes, I said 44 pounds. You`ve got to see this.
Here`s the thing though. Nobody knows whether it`s a he or a she. So Regis and Kelly are coming to the rescue. You can say it`s their pet project. That`s next.
But first, here`s a look at what`s new at the movies this week brought to you by YoPlait`s YoPlus yogurt. Try it for 10 days and feel the difference.
Brendan Fraser is back for more scary stuff in the "The Mummy: The tomb of the Dragon Emperor." Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer and Dennis Hopper star in "Swing Vote." Kevin`s vote will decide the presidential election. And "The Office`s" Rainn Wilson is a washed up rock star who tries to revive his career by joining his nephew`s high school band in "The Rocker."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Well, tonight, I want to introduce you to the newest, hottest star out there, bigger than Britney Spears, bigger than Brad Pitt. Meet the fat cat.
Everybody is talking about this tubby tabby who weighs in - are you ready for this? At 44 pounds. She is believed to be the fattest living kitty out there. The cat was found wandering the streets of New Jersey homeless. The owner lost her home and couldn`t afford to take care of the cat anymore, but the animal shelter scooped her up.
Now, everybody was calling her Princess Chunk, but her real name is Powder. And when "Live with Regis and Kelly" got the first interview with Powder, no joke, they sent a press release about it and they were in "fur" a big surprise. Take a look at what happened when they brought a vet on set.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
REGIS PHILBIN, CO-HOST, "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": They`re not going to hurt the cat.
KELLY RIPA, CO-HOST, "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": I see nipples. Does that mean something?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Boys have them.
RIPA: Careful, Doctor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s what I said.
PHILBIN: I didn`t see anything. What did you see?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Doctor?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s like us.
PHILBIN: It`s a boy?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s a boy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, she`s a he. Now, the vet says that a gym membership may not be the answer here. Powder could have a thyroid problem. The next step is to find Powder a perfect home and I hear the phones at the Camden County Animal Shelter are ringing off the hooks.
HAMMER: I`m glad that`s solved. Now, on Wednesday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Miley Cyrus: Is it time to end "Hannah Montana"? And it was pretty surprising here with 71 percent of you saying yes while 29 percent of you said no.
Let me read a couple of the E-mails we got here. Melody from New Jersey writes, "If Miley feels that, creatively, it`s time to move on from `Hannah Montana,` she has every right to do so. Let`s just hope she doesn`t become the next Britney Spears." I think everybody can agree with that.
We also heard from Allicky in Ohio, all fired up about this. "No! She`s my BFF (best friend forever) and my RMFL (role model for life). She owes it to her fans to stay "Hannah Montana" forever." I`ll be sure to pass that message along.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Hey, remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11s. 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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