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Showbiz Tonight
The Palins` "Reality Show"; Hogan`s Money Secrets; The Ladies in Politics and Their Sense of Style; Daytime Talk Shows Dragged Into Politics
Aired September 05, 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: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the real-life Sarah Palin reality show - TV cameras following her and her family everywhere. Tonight, what can Palin`s family learn from the likes of reality show families like the Hogans who saw their family crumble under the eye of the camera. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the Sarah Palin reality show.
Plus, the controversy over presidential election styles. Sarah, Cindy, Michelle. Could what they wear actually affect the way people vote? Is it even fair to judge them on their styles? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your fired-up calls.
And Hulk Hogan`s shocking money secret. For the first time, we learn just how rich Hogan really is and how Hulk and his soon-to-be ex-wife Linda are spending their millions on clothes, maid service, even their pets. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood. And tonight, "The View" and Ellen have been dragged into the presidential race and explosive new controversies. And wait until you hear what Elisabeth Hasselbeck has just said about Michelle Obama. Let`s just say you might not want to invite them to the same party, or invite Michelle back to "The View." That`s coming up.
But first, tonight, a Palin reality check, what may turn out to be the most amazing television reality show ever. Tonight, the family of Sarah Palin is facing a whole new reality, cameras in their face wherever they go. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, families on reality shows, under the constant glare of the cameras, have seen the pressures become too much. It`s the big story making news right now.
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(voice over): Now that the conventions have ended and John McCain and Barack Obama are hitting the road, everyone is left talking about the biggest stars in the campaign - Alaska governor and McCain running mate Sarah Palin and her intriguing family.
AMY ARGETSINGER, "THE WASHINGTON POST": She`s like a breakout star.
ANDERSON: The Palins` personal lives are fodder for TV and magazines. Their every move and gesture is scrutinized as their entire lives are playing out on camera. Sound familiar?
KIM SERAFIN, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I think the way that we`re following Sarah Palin and her family is sort of the way that we follow Hollywood celebrities. It`s sort of the way we follow reality shows.
ANDERSON: You had the Osbournes. You had the Hogans. Now, meet the Palins. In all seriousness, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this is one compelling family that`s made for reality TV.
ARGETSINGER: You`ve got five kids all under the age of 20. You`ve got a newborn baby who has special needs. You have a teenage daughter who is, herself, expecting.
SERAFIN: She has a son going off to war, so a lot of people can relate to that. So whether you`re interested in politics or entertainment or the to the tabloid side of it, I think everyone can relate to it and that is why we`re so drawn to her story and to her family.
ANDERSON: In fact, Palin`s pregnant teen daughter, Bristol Palin and her boyfriend Levi Johnston, have just about replaced "The Hills`" Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt as the "it" young couple of the moment.
SERAFIN: A week ago, nobody knew who these people were. But now, we know she`s pregnant and we know they`re getting married. We see them looking like a great, young couple, really like they`re happy together.
ANDERSON: And just like in a reality show, cameras are following the Palins everywhere. Everywhere the Secret Service allows, that is. It`s clear people can`t keep their eyes off them.
SERAFIN: Her family didn`t sign a contract to be on a reality show. They are private citizens. But the fact is, it`s human nature. People want to know about her family. People want to know about the drama that goes on in her family.
ANDERSON: But as we saw with past reality show families like the Hogans and the Osbournes, such family fame can be very hard and sometimes destructive.
LINDA HOGAN, HULK HOGAN`S WIFE AND REALITY TV STAR: I just don`t like you hanging out like that.
ANDERSON: After the run of "Hogan Knows Best," Hulk Hogan`s family became embroiled in divorce and legal troubles. Linda Hogan recently told "People" magazine that her family`s reality show, quote, "disintegrated us, basically." And it`s that same harsh spotlight that has turned to the Palins.
ARGETSINGER: I think it`s going to be an interesting, difficult journey for this family.
ANDERSON: But so far, the Palin family doesn`t seem to be worried. Governor Palin`s sister talked to CNN`s Kyra Phillips about the heavy media glare on the family.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How has this affected your whole family, and how has it affected Sarah?
HEATHER BRUCE, SARAH PALIN`S SISTER: It`s hard to say how it`s affected Sarah personally. She`s a private person with strong convictions. As a family, we just love each other so much and we support each other.
ANDERSON: So now that McCain and Obama, remember them, are back at each other on the campaign trail, we`ll see if the election either drowns out the Palin family reality show or keeps it going for at least four more years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And just like some reality shows, Sarah Palin and her family have become must-see TV.
With me tonight in Hollywood is Jane Velez-Mitchell who is an investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder," now available in paperback. And in New York, Dawn Yanek, who is the editor-at- large for "Life and Style Weekly."
Dawn, Jane, with Palin basically becoming an overnight celebrity and her family really just suddenly being thrust onto that national stage, the cameras are on them 24/7. It`s documenting their every step, documenting what could be potential missteps in the future.
Jane, is it inevitable that the Palin bunch could become a fascinating real-life reality show?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Well, Brooke, I think they`ve already become a reality show of sorts. And that reality show is running on all the channels 24/7. And the show could be called "Who is Sarah Palin?" This is a woman seeking one of the highest offices in the planet and would be, if elected, a heartbeat away from the most powerful position in the world, and we have a lot of questions.
And one of the problems is the media is trying to do in two months what they`ve had years to do with all the other candidates which is media- vet this person. So there are a lot of issues coming up, like this trooper-gate question, whether or not a state official was fired as a result of a family dispute involving the Palins.
ANDERSON: Right.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So we don`t just have a right, we have an obligation to ask these questions. These are not personal attacks. This is what they call journalism.
ANDERSON: Well, and it is intense scrutiny that all of a sudden her family is under the white-hot glare of the spotlight the family isn`t accustomed to. And, you know, as we saw with the Osbournes, with the Hogans, that attention can come along with, you know, living your life on the camera. It has the potential to rip families apart.
Dawn, should the Palins really be on guard against the pressures here?
DAWN YANEK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": Well, it`s definitely one of the perils of fame when your life is looked at through this lens 24/7. That said, the difference, of course, is that Sarah Palin and her family did not sign up for an actual reality show that`s for entertainment for the masses where you have to crazy and compete to get ratings.
But that said, it`s very hard to protect her family when they are growing up in the spotlight. We`re talking about some very young children here. So every misstep, everything that they say is going to be documented. Let`s not forget that this is a completely different era of media coverage, Internet coverage than any other first family we`ve seen.
ANDERSON: Yes. And you`re right, they didn`t sign up for any reality show. And they do seem to be drastically different from any typical reality show family. They seem to be grounded.
And as we just saw, CNN`s Kyra Phillips was in Alaska during the Republican National Convention and she spoke exclusively with Sarah Palin`s sister, Heather, about the family dealing with all the intense attention, including what`s being said about Palin`s pregnant teenage daughter. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRUCE: As a family, we just love each other so much and we support each other. So these private family issues, we`re trying to keep within the family and our opinions to each other are private.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jane, do you get the sense maybe that the people who know Palin are going to put up a protective wall around the family?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I get the sense, Brooke, that they`ve already put a protective wall up around the family, especially the key players. If you take a look at Bristol, Sarah Palin`s daughter who is pregnant, we`ve seen her, we`ve seen her boyfriend, Levi, the father of her child, but we haven`t really gotten to talk to them about how this pregnancy evolved and whose idea it was to get married and why, for example, Levi, on his MySpace page says he doesn`t want kids. There are a lot of answered questions.
ANDERSON: That isn`t anybody`s business what Levi Johnston says on his MySpace page, really.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me put it this way. I think that there are questions - if you have nothing to hide, there should be no reason why you don`t discuss certain things. I think that if Sarah Palin went on "LARRY KING LIVE," for example, and sat there with her family and answered a lot of questions and cleared the record, it would be very refreshing. And especially talking about some of the controversial issues she is proposing, for example teaching creationism in public schools, something I haven`t heard anybody discuss on any network. This is a very controversial position. Have the courage of your convictions. Don`t come off as, "I`m a reformer," when in reality, you have some rather controversial positions that you haven`t had the chance to expand.
ANDERSON: Jane, we know how you feel - Jane, we know how you feel politically. That`s not really what we`re discussing here. The family seems to be close-knit like they can weather the public storm of scrutiny. We`ll leave it there for now. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Dawn Yanek, thank you both so much. We appreciate it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.
YANEK: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And now, we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Sarah Palin on Celebrity Magazine Covers: Will it help McCain get elected?" Vote, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, now I can tell you that daytime talk show hosts have been dragged into this presidential election - Ellen DeGeneres and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
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ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Cindy came into our hair and makeup room fresh as can be and unlike another wife of a political candidate who shall remain nameless, she didn`t come up with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch. No, that`s because she has nothing to hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Wow. I cannot believe Elisabeth said that. Her explosive comments about Michelle Obama. Also, Michelle really opened up to Ellen. That`s straight ahead.
Plus the controversy over presidential election styles. Sarah, Cindy, Michelle - could what they wear actually affect the way people vote? Is it even fair to judge them on their style? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your fired-up calls, coming up.
And tonight, for the first time, I`m revealing just how rich Hulk Hogan and his soon-to-be ex-wife Linda are. Plus the ridiculous amount they spent on clothes, maid service, even their pets. .
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L. HOGAN: I like having lots of houses, just like having them finished.
HULK HOGAN, WRESTLER AND REALITY SHOW STAR: It depends on how you can afford to pay for all these houses, if you want, because I can`t. I`m wrestler. I`m not Tom Cruise, even though I look like him. I don`t make money like him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, come on, Hulk. Are you kidding me? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned exactly how much money Hulk Hogan has and how much he stands to lose in his divorce from wife, Linda.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, we have remarkable new details about how much money the Hulk has. Hulk and his wife, Linda, have been locked in a bitter divorce battle since last year. And now, brand-new court papers reveal how much Hulk is really worth, how much Linda Hogan spends on clothes every single month and the staggering amount the Hogans have spent on legal bills since their lives have spiraled out of control.
With me from New York tonight, Ashleigh Banfield, Tru TV host and anchor of "Banfield and Ford in Session." And here in Hollywood, Darren Kavinoky; he`s an attorney who runs the Kavinoky Law Firm.
Ashleigh, Darren, in these court documents, Linda claims Hulk`s worth $26 million. We were married for 24 years and there`s been no talk of a pre-nup that would exist. People didn`t really do that 24 years ago. Darren, should Hulk be worried here that he could lose a fortune?
ATTY. DARREN KAVINOKY, KAVINOKY LAW FIRM: Well, Brooke, anytime you have a long-term marriage and you don`t have a pre-nup, there`s a risk that you`re going to lose a chunk of money. But what`s an absolute certainty in this case is that everyone is going to lose every shred of dignity that they ever had before this thing is over. I`m not sure they have too much left.
In Linda`s case, she spends more money on clothes than the entire GNP of Tanzania and she looks like something out of a Tim Burton movie. And by the way, I think this is a bit of irony that she`s a self-described homemaker and she spends over $10,000 a month on people to pick up after her like maids and pool boys. And by the way, just because you have a pool boy living in the shed out back doesn`t qualify as pool maintenance. So you`d better be careful on that one.
ANDERSON: Oh, Darren, tell us how you really feel. We`ll get to how much she spends monthly in just a moment. But of course, we know that along with the divorce, the Hogans` teenage son is in jail for a crash that nearly killed his friend. It`s been devastating for both families. And the new court documents reveal the Hogans have spent $126,000 for Nick`s criminal defense team, $80,000 for a crisis public relations firm, over $299,000 on divorce lawyers.
Ashleigh, this really shows how much the once all-American family has crumbled in the past year, doesn`t it?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR, "BANFIELD AND FORD IN SESSION": I think it`s a pretty sad statement when your divorce attorney`s bill is about - I don`t know, a little more than two times your criminal defense bill for your own son. I think that`s a super, super sad statement on this family.
But then, I think everything else that`s happened, too. Look, they made their beds and now they`re lying in it. They came up with a reality program. They`re big super stars, so the scrutiny comes with that. And I think that`s tragic. Nobody likes to see families break apart. I think in this case, the only plus is that the kids are at least not children.
ANDERSON: Yes. They are a little bit older than those who could maybe be impacted severely, negatively, for a long time, hopefully. I do want you to take a look at what the documents say the Hogans spent on education last year. Take a look at this. Zero! Nothing!
I want to compare that to the number of cars that they have. Fourteen cars between the four of them. OK. Both Nick and Brooke are college age now. Nick, we know, is now in jail. Brooke is a reality TV star trying to become a singing star.
Darren, it seems that with all their problems, the kids might be better off getting a college education.
KAVINOKY: Gee, you think? And besides the 14 cars, there`s also another eight-motor bikes and they have more boats than the entire cast of "Water World." So these people, by the way, need to stay away from anything with an engine, as far as I`m concerned, especially after that tragedy involving Nick.
So, yes, a college education is a good idea. But, please, when you go, pick a school that has a great public transportation system so everybody can rest easy knowing you`re off the roads.
ANDERSON: That`s a good point, Darren. I do want to quickly go back to how much these two, Hulk and Linda, spend on clothes every month - fascinating tidbits in this document. For Linda, over $7,000 a month and for Hulk, $102 a month.
Ashleigh, does that show just how much the Hulk might be forced to spend to keep Linda in the lifestyle she is accustomed to? Or do you think maybe she`s in for a rude awakening?
BANFIELD: Well, first of all, I can`t believe you`d defer to me on that considering I wear white after Labor Day. But I will tell you this, the weird thing in this part of this story is that Jim McGreevey and his ex- wife Dina Matos-McGreevey, that former gay governor of New Jersey - that case taught us a really big lesson on whether you should be working for a living when you`re a housewife and you`ve been married to your guy for a while, or whether you should sit back and eat bonbons, because Dina got slammed for having a career. She`s able to work. She`s able to make money, so she doesn`t get much after she splits with the guy.
In this woman`s case, she`s making $650 an episode for that Hogan reality show.
ANDERSON: Reality show, yes.
BANFIELD: But she`s not capable of making a lot of money. She has been married for a quarter of a century.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BANFIELD: She`s probably going to make off like a bandit, but maybe not for long.
ANDERSON: Yes. Maybe a little bit desperate in this case. And like Darren said, it probably won`t be likely that any of them keep a shred of dignity. It is ugly. We`re going to leave it there for now. Ashleigh Banfield, Darren Kavinoky, thank you both.
BANFIELD: Thanks.
KAVINOKY: Thanks, Brooke.
BANFIELD: And I know "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck has said plenty of controversial things before. But you`ve got to hear this about Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be. And unlike another wife of a political candidate whom shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch. No, that`s because she has nothing to hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Wow. Elisabeth`s explosive words coming up. Ellen is getting dragged into this presidential election, too. She gets Michelle Obama to talk about Sarah Palin`s pregnant daughter straight ahead.
Plus, the controversy over presidential election styles. Sarah, Cindy, Michelle - could what they wear actually affect the way people vote? Is it even fair to judge them on their styles? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your fired-up calls, coming up.
And the Jacksons get together for a rare reunion. But did Michael Jackson bother to show up to hang with his brothers? Next.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Well, the Jacksons got together for a reunion. But the most prominent member of the group was missing. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the BMI Urban Awards in L.A. Sister Janet presented her brothers, Michael, Tito, Jackie, Marlon, Jermaine and Randy with a lifetime achievement award.
But Jermaine wasn`t there and neither was Michael. So where was he? When asked, Marlon said he thinks Michael`s in Egypt riding a camel or something. But even with that, the brothers said a full-scale reunion tour could be right around the corner.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARLON JACKSON, THE JACKSON 5: There`s a lot of talk about it, but we don`t want to say about it right now. It`s like a surprise. We`re not allowed to say anything right now about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The Jackson 5, of course, had hits like "ABC" and "I Want You Back." Michael is rumored to be working on his own comeback album and he just turned 50.
And I know Michael Jackson certainly has had his own controversial style. You can`t forget the gloves, right? But what about the style of the women of this election? Sarah Palin, Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama - could what they wear affect the way people vote? I also want to know, is it even fair to judge them on their styles? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your fired-up calls, coming up.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be. And unlike another wife of a political candidate whom shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch. No, that`s because she has nothing to hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Elisabeth Hasselbeck goes off on Michelle Obama, unbelievable. And Elisabeth isn`t the only daytime host getting caught up in the middle of this election. Ellen DeGeneres gets Michelle Obama to really open up. That`s straight ahead.
And tonight, I can tell you the votes are in. In one big election battle, which dog should the Obamas get? That is coming up.
But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. And you can do that by heading to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the "sign up for the newsletter" link at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will return after this. Keep it here.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be. And unlike another wife of a political candidate whom shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch. No, that`s because she has nothing to hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Elisabeth, Oprah and Ellen dragged into the election. Tonight, Elisabeth Hasselbeck`s explosive words about Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama. Plus, Michelle talks to Ellen about Sarah Palin`s pregnant daughter. And Oprah speaks out about having Palin on her show. It`s the ladies of daytime caught up in election controversy.
The controversy over presidential election styles. Sarah Palin, Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama - could what they wear actually affect the way people vote? Is it even fair to judge them on their styles? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your fired-up phone calls. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
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Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Brooke Anderson coming, to you from Hollywood.
Tonight, Sarah Palin`s style is stirring up some controversy. We`ve been absolutely flooded with calls from viewers on our "Showbiz On Call" line. So listen up, because we`re not only going to play some of your voice mails. But right here, right now, we are kicking off our own style challenge with Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama in the mix to decide if their style has anything to do with this election.
Speaking of style, Katrina Szish, national correspondence for "In Style" magazine, is with us tonight in New York. Also from New York, Dawn Yanek, who is the editor-at-large for "Life and Style Weekly." And a fashion force to be reckoned with, Ashleigh Banfield, Tru TV host and anchor of "Banfield and Ford in Session." And she joins me from the Tru TV cameras in New York. All three of you are fashion forces to be reckoned with.
Good to see you. And you, ladies, you know, so much has been made about how Sarah Palin looked on Wednesday night when she accepted the Republican vice presidential combination. People have been talking about everything from her hairstyle to her makeup, even her glasses.
Katrina Szish, is too much being made of this or is this just reality? Women are watching her every move including her fashion choices.
KATRINA SZISH, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, "IN STYLE" MAGAZINE: I think this is reality. The moment that you become a public figure and you`re in the public eye, anything is fair game, whether it`s relevant or not. And Sarah Palin knows this and she`s making it very clear that she`s not up there on the stage and she`s not in the limelight because she wants to be evaluated on her fashion. She clearly downplays that in order to be taken seriously in the political arena. She`s well aware of it. She`s not trying to be a fashion plate nor does she want to be.
ANDERSON: And she certainly has bigger priorities. She`s talked about that. And we always invite our viewers to give their opinions by calling into "Showbiz On Call." And by the way, we will be giving that number to you in just a minute. But right now, I want you to listen to a message left by Caitlin from Colorado about Sarah Palin`s beauty.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CAITLIN, CALLER FROM COLORADO: I think that the problem we have with Sarah Palin is not only because she`s a woman, but also because she`s a beautiful woman. And I think that that can be very intimidating for some men and as well as it can create some jealousy with women. But I think that we could use that actually to our advantage when dealing with foreign leaders. I think she would be an asset.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ashleigh, Sarah Palin has, you know, said she might want to intimidate the guys in Washington. But do you think her beauty is a double-edged sword here?
BANFIELD: Well, I`ll tell you, if we`re talking to Caitlin right now, her beauty is going to get her nowhere with Hezbollah. They wouldn`t even shake my hand when interviewed them.
ANDERSON: Right.
BANFIELD: The Saudis, not so bad. They are royals. They`re pretty good with women leaders. Other Islamic republics, maybe not so much. But you know what? Look, a woman`s a woman. Condi Rice is in Libya right now. I`m sure she`s being treated really well. I don`t think with foreign leaders, it will make a big difference. I think with Americans - we`re obsessed with this crap. I don`t (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it at all.
Ask Katie Couric. Everybody talked about her Manolo Blahniks and her legs instead of her presidential interviews. And I could imagine that it`s extraordinarily frustrating for other women who are in high-place public positions as well.
ANDERSON: Yes, I`m sure it`s maddening. I certainly don`t think their sartorial style should be anybody`s focus.
Dawn, it sounds crazy, but do you think that Sarah should play down her beauty a little bit or should she ramp it up even more? Some are suggesting one, some suggesting the other.
YANEK: I think that Sarah Palin has been playing it really, really well. I think she should just be who she is. She needs to be taken seriously in Washington and she needs to be taken seriously by voters. But that`s what - she also has to be somebody that people relate to. And like it or not, that`s what it`s all about really in the end. It is a bit of personality contest. Yes, it`s about your issues and your stance on them, but it`s also about how people see you.
ANDERSON: You know, Michelle Obama or Cindy McCain could become the next first lady. Katrina, are their looks and styles going to be scrutinized just like Sarah Palin`s?
SZISH: Their looks have already been scrutinized. Everybody is talking about Michelle Obama buying something off the rack and wearing it at "The View," which is of course, very topical today. And then talking about Cindy McCain visiting Oscar de la Renta`s showroom in New York.
But it`s important to remember that these two women have very different styles. And both of them stick to their personal style which what they should do. It would be disingenuous for somebody like Cindy McCain to dress any other way. She`s always had classic style. She`s always been elegant, and that`s something she should stick to. And both women are doing this.
ANDERSON: Yes.
SZISH: They`re really sticking to their personal style, and their personalities are coming through. And therefore, in a way, we are getting to know them as potential first ladies, so it is relevant.
ANDERSON: Yes. They`re expressing themselves through their style and through their fashion. And you know, we know that Cindy McCain is very, very wealthy, worth millions and millions. And not long ago, John McCain was actually criticized for not knowing how many houses he had.
Ashleigh, some have said maybe Cindy needs to tone down the bling because it could create a disconnect with voters, especially in this struggling economy. What do you think about that? Does she need to worry?
BANFIELD: I don`t think she has to worry, but I think there`s something to be said for this. Remember when the first President Bush didn`t know about that grocery scanner and the rest of us just rolled our eyes? I don`t think the McCains are that bad.
But listen, when you say you don`t know how many kitchen tables or houses you have, it isn`t good. And I`ll tell you something, she already has stated onstage at the Republican convention that she comes from humble beginnings and that she and her family have achieved the American dream. Republicans love it when you can get rich. They just don`t love it if you flaunt it.
ANDERSON: Right. She has been adamant that her family has worked for what they have. And right now, I do want to listen to another person who called in to "Showbiz On Call." Take a listen to John from Rhode Island.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JOHN, CALLER FROM RHODE ISLAND: Although I think she`s hot and sexy, I think she`s a distraction to the whole process of what politics are about.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, please. John. I appreciate your call, but I could not disagree more. Dawn, do you find it ridiculous that some think Sarah Palin`s beauty is a distraction from politics? I mean, what do people want, her to look haggard with mismatched shoes? What would people say then?
YANEK: Yes, that`s absolutely crazy. And of course, then she`d be criticized for that because she wasn`t taking care positions seriously enough.
ANDERSON: Exactly.
YANEK: You know, it`s really interesting because that`s actually the first negative thing I`ve heard about Sarah Palin`s appearance. Republicans and Democrats alike have said, you know, she`s a gorgeous woman. She`s young. She`s funky and, you know, agree with her stances or not, but you can`t disagree with that point. I think what she`s going to come under fire more for is her position on the issues, and that`s exactly the way it should be.
ANDERSON: Yes. That`s what she wants people to be talking about, her stance on the issues. Katrina, you know how women are influenced by fashion. You`re an editor for "In Style." Is this too absurd to think about? Some are suggesting that maybe people will be influenced at the voting booth by what Sarah Palin wears. Do you think that`s just crazy talk? I do.
SZISH: It does sound like crazy talk. But I know historically, first ladies have definitely had a hand in kind of reflecting their husband`s political stance or perhaps their party platform by what they`re wearing. Nancy Reagan is an example of one of those things.
So as silly as it may be, what a woman in politics wears is important. We`ve never seen a female vice president in the White House before. So it`s going to be kind of a different road. But unfortunately, people will be looking at what she`s wearing. But if she changes it and tries to be someone who she isn`t, then that will be the problem. If she sticks to what she`s been wearing, sticks to her personal style and doesn`t even worry about the fashion, doesn`t worry about the comments, then she`s going to be just OK.
ANDERSON: Ashleigh, 10 seconds, do you think if she stays with her own personal style and doesn`t listen to all the criticism, she should be fine?
BANFIELD: I`m sorry, I couldn`t hear you. I can`t focus. I was just staring at a picture of Mitt Romney. I can`t think.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: I love it, Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: I think that`s a good enough answer.
ANDERSON: You`re right. I mean, what do people want her to do? Wear a suit and tie for every appearance? My goodness. It is such a talk.
BANFIELD: Being a hottie is not a bad thing, Mrs. Palin.
ANDERSON: That`s right, she`s got the brains. You`re right. Katrina Szish, Dawn Yanek, Ashleigh Banfield, thank you all. We will leave it there for now.
As we mentioned, there is a brand-new way for you to get in touch with us. You can give us a buzz, tell us what you think about Sarah Palin or any showbiz story that`s on your mind. Call us, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1- 888-728-2899. Leave us a voice mail and we will play some of your comments right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It is this - "Sarah Palin on Celebrity Magazine Covers: Will it help John McCain get elected?" Keep voting, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, there`s the address, showbiztonight@cnn.com. We want to hear from you.
The race for the White House has sparked yet another controversy, this time in the world of daytime talk shows.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be, and unlike another wife of a political candidate whom shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch. No, that`s because she has nothing to hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Wow. Can you believe what she just said? "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck goes off on Michelle Obama. Plus, Ellen gets Michelle Obama to open up. Daytime talkers get caught in presidential controversy.
Plus, forget the candidates, who will be chosen as the possible first dog? The fur flies over this heated debate.
And "Grey`s Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl and her real love, husband singer Josh Kelley. I went one-on-one with Josh Kelley for the secret to their success. That`s coming up.
Remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime you want. We`re always posting new stuff at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Sit tight.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, everybody from Oprah Winfrey to Ellen DeGeneres are being dragged into the presidential campaign. And now, wait until you hear what "The View" co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck said about Michelle Obama. It`s truly unbelievable.
With me tonight in Hollywood, Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. And in New York, CNN political analyst, Amy Holmes.
Amy, Howard, great to see you both. And I want to begin tonight with "The View" co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She was the emcee for a luncheon for Cindy McCain on Thursday. And Cindy, of course, has been on "The View" before as has Michelle Obama. So you`ve got to see what Elisabeth says at this luncheon. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Cindy came into our hair and makeup room, fresh as can be, and unlike another wife of a political candidate whom shall remain nameless, she didn`t come with a list of topics that we weren`t allowed to touch. (MURMURS FROM THE AUDIENCE) No, that`s because she has nothing to hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, you can hear the murmur in the room. I`ve got to tell you it doesn`t take a brain surgeon to figure out the nameless person she was referring to was Michelle Obama.
Howard, I would have to imagine that Elisabeth`s boss, Barbara Walters, may not be too happy about this, revealing kind of what goes on behind the scenes at their show.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: You know, I have to tell you, Brooke, a lot of people aren`t too happy about this. As a publicist, this really disturbs me because I`ve always believed with "The View" and other talk shows, I can have behind-the-scenes discussion about the shape of the interview, the topics we`re going to discuss, things we might want to avoid for a different reason.
And that cover`s been blown and that`s just not fair and it doesn`t instill confidence in people like me who negotiate these appearances. So I think she`s done a lot of damage to the show.
ANDERSON: Well, I can say this, Howard, I bet Michelle Obama, who was invited on as a guest co-host of "The View" in the past, is also not going to be too happy that Elisabeth suggested she tried to control what was said and asked and also that maybe Michelle Obama has something to hide. Amy Holmes, what do you think?
AMY HOLMES, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I can certainly see Howard`s point. But I have to say as someone who`s been a guest on "The View" as well that I was encouraged to talk about everything. Let it all hang out and that was the ethos of the show, that this is a place where women connect.
Something I was really surprised by was that "The View" treated Michelle Obama frankly as a celebrity, that celebrities do oftentimes negotiate. They go into these interviews and they will only grant them if they`re allowed to set some ground rules. But when it comes to politicians and public figures who, you know, have to earn the voters` trust, that journalists are - you know, they expect to have free access to ask anything they want, any tough, hard-hitting questions.
And I would imagine that Barbara Walters is none too happy that Elisabeth has revealed that the show did not treat Michelle Obama journalistically and instead treated her as a celebrity.
ANDERSON: Exactly. Yes, journalistically with no pre-assessed conditions. And you`re right. The point of "The View" is for co-hosts to express their opinions from that show politically or otherwise. I do want to note that Cindy and John McCain are scheduled to be on "The View" next Friday. Their daughter scheduled for the show Tuesday.
But Michelle Obama beat them to the daytime couch in a brand-new interview with Ellen DeGeneres. That`s going to air on Monday. Now, in the interview, she tells Ellen she is really proud of her husband that he said the pregnancy of Sarah Palin`s 17-year-old daughter should not be a political matter. Take a look.
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MICHELLE OBAMA, SEN. BARACK OBAMA`S WIFE: That`s one of the reasons why I`m proud of my husband and I love him, because he has been very protective of our kids through this process and his view is that what`s good for my kids is good for everybody`s kids. And I completely agree with him. I know that they care about their kids and we should let them deal with this issue. This shouldn`t be an issue for political discussion. So -
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": I agree. I agree. But let`s talk about her - no, I`m kidding.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So, Howard, what do you think? Are the daytime talk shows the new campaign stomping grounds?
BRAGMAN: Absolutely, Brooke. You know, there`s a phrase we use called the barbecue factor. And that means when we want to invite this candidate or the candidate`s family over to our house, and have a barbecue, sit around the table and just talk to them. And that ability to connect the humanity and the authenticity, these are important factors in people`s decision. So absolutely. The daytime talk shows are where you get to show your humanity and expect to see a lot more interviews like the one we saw on "Ellen."
ANDERSON: Yes. Possibly over the next two months, we will see that. Howard Bragman, Amy Holmes, thank you both for your insight. We appreciate it.
Now the Obamas may expand their family after Election Day with a dog. But which dog could possibly become the first pooch? The American Kennel Club decided to make their decision a little bit easier and narrow down the candidates. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Ah, group hug. All that`s missing is a family dog, a dog the Obamas have promised their daughters, win or lose the election.
M. OBAMA: We talk about this dog every day.
MOOS: Talk about this, the American Kennel Club held its own election. What kind of dog should the Obamas get? Since one of the kids has allergies, the AKC selected five hypoallergenic dogs, ranging from the Bichon Frise to the Chinese Crested. Some 42,000 votes later, we have a winner.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The poodle cinched the nomination.
MOOS: Just barely beating out the Wheaten Terrier.
(on camera): Imagine, White House dinners, you can`t walk around the White House with turkey in your ears.
(voice over): The only thing is, the girls seem to be partial to Beagles. This is one of the ones that they`ve been looking at. Anyway, if Obama wins, can you imagine a poodle sitting around the White House getting pedicure?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For only $19.99.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. The Obamas are only getting one dog. And at last count, "Grey`s Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl has four. But don`t worry, her life hasn`t completely gone to the dogs. She is a newlywed, married to singer Josh Kelley and the two of them seem like a terrific couple. I spoke to Josh and got the scoop on how they make it work despite the intense spotlight. Their secret to making it work, straight ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
It is time now for "Making It Work." This is where we profile star couples who are staying strong despite the pressures of the spotlight.
"Grey`s Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl and her singer husband Josh Kelley are newlyweds. They met in the summer of 2006, got married just last year. Josh`s music actually brought them together. They met when Heigl starred in one of his music videos. That was before Heigl became the huge star that she is today. I sat down with Josh Kelley and I asked him, was it love at first sight?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH KELLEY, SINGER: I would say that if it wasn`t, it was something just as strong as that. Because, you know, we didn`t know each other, but we both knew of each other. And when we got there to make the video, I just - she caught me in her attractor beam. And I don`t know - it was like once we started doing scenes together, you know, we were laughing and cutting up and I think just having a real good time. And we just started calling each other and, you know, fell in love and now we are married.
ANDERSON (on camera): Josh, tell me this. Do you have any pearls of wisdom for those out there trying to make their marriages work? Because I know, especially in Hollywood, with the spotlight continually on you, it can be difficult. How do you and Katherine do it?
KELLEY: Well, you know, you mean you find time to for the things you want in life. And you know, we really want each other. And, you know, another thing is really communicating. We talk a lot. And you know, we`ve had our moments of not-great communication either, but you know, I think we`re both pretty patient people and maybe, you know, hopefully, have wisdom somewhat beyond our years maybe. And as long as we are patient and as long as, you know, we leave egos aside and compromise and talk to each other, you know, it seems to work out great, you know.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Good advice, Katherine and Joshua are celebrating their first anniversary in December. Congratulations. And Josh`s latest album, "Backwoods" is on sale now. Check it out.
Thursday we asked you to vote on our question of the day - "Sarah Palin: Is she now a bigger celebrity than Barack Obama?" Thirty-five percent of you say yes, but 65 percent say no.
Here are some of the E-mails we received. Mike from Missouri writes, "Sarah Palin is the vice presidential candidate. There is a great difference between that and being a celebrity."
And Julia from Virginia says, "If Obama was a celebrity for the Democratic Party, what is the harm in Palin being a celebrity for the Republican Party."
We appreciate your E-mails. Please keep them coming.
And that is a wrap for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank so much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
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