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Showbiz Tonight
One-on-One Interview with Lynne Spears; Fabulous Over 40; Katie Couric Meets Sarah Palin; Lindsay Lohan Caught in the Middle of the Obama- McCain War of Words; Alec Baldwin`s Suicidal Confession
Aired September 17, 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: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Britney`s mom tells all on camera for the very first time. Tonight, the dramatic, no-holds-barred, one-on-one interview with Lynne Spears - Britney`s breakdown, Jamie Lynn`s pregnancy. And does she think she failed as a mom? Tonight, you will hear Lynne Spears in her own words, totally unplugged.
Fabulous over 40. Tonight, an exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event. The remarkable women on TV who make over 40 look fabulous.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKE SHIELDS, ACTRESS: I feel like I`m finally, believe it or not, coming into my own physically and emotionally, and it`s taken a while.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: They`re gorgeous. They`re an inspiration. And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine team up to reveal the top 10 list that will be making headlines everywhere.
Plus, when Katie meets Sarah. Katie Couric lands the next big Sarah Palin interview. But is Katie in a no-win situation? TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(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 tonight, the presidential race is getting even more ridiculous. Tonight, Lindsay Lohan, of all people, is smack in the middle of a brand-new and explosive war of wards between Barack Obama and John McCain. The bizarre new developments coming up.
HAMMER: But first, Britney`s mom tells all on camera for the very first time. Britney Spears` mother sat down today for a dramatic interview that covered everything - and I do mean everything - from Britney`s meltdown to the startling way her teenage daughter revealed she was pregnant and more. This is must-see TV that is making headlines around the world tonight. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the latest developments making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LYNNE SPEARS, BRITNEY SPEARS` MOTHER: I think when you mix extreme heightened celebrity-hood and being when you have heartache - I think the mixture is just not healthy.
HAMMER (voice over): Now, it`s Lynne Spears` turn in the spotlight. She talked to the "Today" show`s Meredith Vieira and Al Roker about her new memoir, "Through the Storm." It tells the story of how she raised her famous and sometimes troubled daughters, Britney Spears and Jamie Lynn Spears.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": She wants to answer these critics who say, "Oh, my gosh, you must be the worst mother on the planet. Look at the two daughters that you`ve raised."
L. SPEARS: What was I to do? Persuade my child not to go out to her and not to seek her dreams?
HAMMER: And she does set the record straight, addressing criticism that she was a pushy stage mom.
L. SPEARS: Britney pushed me.
HAMMER: Talking about Britney`s rapid career rise and shocking fall.
L. SPEARS: We had no control over anything that was happening.
HAMMER: And revealing her reaction to Jamie Lynn`s pregnancy.
L. SPEARS: I was in shock. I took a lot of the blame.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you it was dramatic stuff.
PIAZZA: I think that more than even selling the book, she just wants to set the record straight.
HAMMER: Nothing prepared the Spears family for the superstardom Britney achieved when she first hit it big with "Baby, One More Time." But Lynne Spears tells "Today" it was Britney`s racy "Rolling Stone" cover that made her feel that Britney`s fast-track career may have been moving a little too fast.
L. SPEARS: She was a beginner. She was just coming on the scene. We didn`t have models to go by. We had no one that could tell us what we were supposed to be doing.
HAMMER: Still, she says fame seduced the whole family.
MEREDITH VIEIRA, CO-HOST, "TODAY" SHOW: Were you sucked into it?
L. SPEARS: You know what? I think it was more of an excitement at first. Look at the trips that, you know, she gets to go on and look at all the wonderful things that she`s exposed to and all the wonderful people that she gets to meet. There was that honeymoon period where it looked like she could do no wrong. And then - then there`s that ugly side of fame that turns and we weren`t ready for that either.
HAMMER: And we all know how ugly things got. A quickie marriage, another marriage to Kevin Federline, two kids, a bitter divorce, a shaved head, rehab and meltdowns that landed Brit in the hospital twice.
L. SPEARS: It was so crazy at that time. I don`t think anybody was even trying to straighten things with all that`s going on. We were just trying to do what we could do at that moment, at that time.
JAMIE LYNN SPEARS, ACTRESS: I had to go to boarding school.
HAMMER: Meanwhile, Brit`s little sister, Jamie Lynn, was enjoying her own success as the star of the Nickelodeon show, "Zoey 101," that is until her shocking announcement that she was pregnant at 16. Lynne told Meredith Vieira how Jamie Lynn broke the news to her.
L. SPEARS: She handed me this note and said that she was pregnant and, "Everything was going to be OK, Mom," that you know, she and Casey were going to raise this baby.
VIEIRA: Were you furious?
L. SPEARS: I was in shock. I just keep saying - I think I was just truly in shock and then I started to cry. And then she started consoling me at that point.
HAMMER: Now, Jamie Lynn is the mother of a baby girl. And now that Britney`s dad and Lynne`s ex-husband, Jamie, is handling Britney`s affairs, Lynne says her oldest daughter is on the verge of a major comeback.
L. SPEARS: Britney`s fine. Britney is headed to the top once again. And I have no fears about Britney.
HAMMER: And hopefully, the Spears family has had all the drama they`re going to have.
AL ROKER, CO-HOST, "TODAY" SHOW: Would you say you`ve made it through the storm?
L. SPEARS: Oh, yes. We`re through the storm and we`re looking at the sunshine right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So will the Spears family continue to see clear skies ahead? Or will Lynne`s tell-all book send them back into a tailspin?
Well, with me tonight in New York, "VH1 News" host, Janelle Snowden. In Hollywood tonight, Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations.
All right. We know there was a lot of anticipation over this particular interview, given how Lynne Spears has really taken so much heat for writing this tell-all book. Howard, you have to send your clients into these kinds of tough interviews all the time. How do you think she did?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Well, I have to go on record to say the idea of her writing this book turns my stomach. I mean, Lynne Spears doing a book on mothering is Ava Braun doing a kosher cookbook. It really belongs on the shelf like that. It`s just - this is a revolting idea.
And guess what, A.J.? She committed the ultimate sin in our business. It`s a dull book and it was a dull interview. No revelations, very defensive and this book isn`t going anywhere. It`s got no legs.
HAMMER: And she didn`t make you feel any better about the fact that she wrote it given the reasons she gave?
BRAGMAN: I didn`t buy any of the reasons that she wrote it. She wrote it for money. She talked about how she wasn`t there for Britney. She has Jamie Lynn with a new baby and she`s out touring when this daughter and her grandchild need her right now. She`s already screwed up one kid really bad. A second kid`s on the way. Pay attention to your children.
HAMMER: Janelle, as somebody who covers celebrity culture, how do you think the interview went for Lynne?
JANELLE SNOWDEN, "VH1 NEWS" HOST: First, let me just say, Howard, tell him how you really feel.
I actually thought that this interview could work in her favor. I mean, she mentions that the book was never supposed to have been about motherhood. That when it started out, it was a book of poetry, believe it or not, and that as the year progressed and Britney had her turmoil and Jamie Lynn became pregnant, then, obviously, she figured people didn`t really want to hear poetry from her. And it sort of had to become a tell- all.
Granted, you know, you can never really expect tell-alls to be tell- all these days especially now when people are trying to mend fences, as I think is the case with Lynne and her daughters. So, I mean, sure, people are going to say it`s a plea for money. And I`m sure that at the end of the day that factored into the decision because Britney is just sort of getting back on top of her career. Jamie Lynn is now, you know, taking some time to be a mother. And maybe they don`t have the money given their kids to support her. So she`s trying to make a way for herself and something (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for it. But others might say, you know, "Job well done." I don`t think, Howard, we`re one of them.
HAMMER: Well, as - I don`t think so. As we just saw, Lynne really did open up on the "Today" show about Britney`s struggles that was an important part of the interview and of the book, and also talking about Jamie Lynn`s pregnancy. I`ve got to tell you, at least when talking about that, she came across as sincere when she said that she doubted herself as a mother. I mean, who`s going to lie about that? Listen again to what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
L. SPEARS: As a mother, I mean, don`t we always blame ourselves? I mean, we`re the first one that`s going to take the blame. And we never get the credit, but you know, we always question ourselves and say, "What did I do?" I took a lot of the blame. I took all the blame.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Howard, separate from how you feel about the fact she wrote the book, did Lynne win any sympathy points for coming off as a mother who struggles just like any other out there with some added problems?
BRAGMAN: I think there were sympathetic moments, but I think the bigger concept is, as she said time and time again, she wasn`t there. At one point she said she wanted to climb over the fence at The Summit, which is the gated community where her daughter lives.
HAMMER: Right.
BRAGMAN: How can you write a tell-all book when you weren`t there? She wasn`t there. And I think that`s the theme of the book and it`s the theme of her relationship with Jamie Lynn now. She was -
HAMMER: I`ve got to get to a phone call, Howard, that I really must play, because we`ve been talking about this. A lot of people criticizing Lynne writing this tell-all book in the first place, now that Britney`s getting back on her feet. Listen to what our fired-up caller, Diana in Michigan, thinks about the book.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DIANA, CALLER FROM MICHIGAN: Britney Spears - hasn`t she had enough exposure already, let alone to have her own mother putting out a book about her daughter and her family? It seems to me she`s not doing it for her daughter. It`s a little more self-serving than that. That`s not what moms do.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So, Janelle, a lot of people have claimed as we`ve been talking about that, you know, all Lynne Spears was doing is trying to cash in on her daughter`s celebrity. Did this interview do anything to change that image?
SNOWDEN: I think it did. There were some sympathetic moments within it. And you know, mothering doesn`t come with a rulebook for anybody. Certainly Lynne has had some hard times. I don`t know that people will ever be in agreement with her having written the book. But hey, it`s out there now, so I guess the key is just seeing what becomes of their relationship with her daughters. And maybe there`s a lesson that can be learned. Maybe it can be a how-not-to book for other moms.
HAMMER: Yes. But I`m not going to - Howard has reviewed it. Nobody`s going to read it.
Janelle Snowden, Howard Bragman, thanks for being here.
ANDERSON: A.J., that Lynne Spears interview, pretty explosive.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. And I`m betting there may very well be some fireworks between Katie Couric and Sarah Palin in their big upcoming interview.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. Katie has landed the next big interview with the Republican VP pick. But is Katie in a no-win situation? If she goes too soft on Sarah, she`ll be slammed. She goes too hard on her, same thing. The fantastic face-off of two groundbreaking women next.
Also this
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sally Field definitely must have some painting that`s aging somewhere in her house because it is not showing up on her face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Sally field does look terrific. Tonight, I`ve got an exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event. The remarkable women on TV who make over 40 look fabulous. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine are teaming up to reveal the list that will be making headlines everywhere. You don`t want to miss it. Straight ahead.
HAMMER: And Alec Baldwin`s dramatic new suicide confessions. Wow! What nearly pushed him over the edge? That is still to come. .
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, did you see this? It`s the world`s shortest man hanging out with the woman with the world`s longest legs. He Ping-Ping(ph) of China is just under 2 1/2 feet tall. Russia`s Svetlana Pankrtova`s legs are nearly 52 inches long. These two got together in London to promote the release of the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Fasten your seat belts, everybody. New right now, "CBS Evening News" anchor, Katie Couric, has just nabbed the next big interview with Sarah Palin.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Terry Anzur who is a talent coach and was a TV news anchor. And tonight in New York, celebrity publicist and founder of the Britto Agency, Marvet Britto.
Ladies, this is really going to be extraordinary. I think we can agree on that. You`ve got two feisty women who have broken through that glass ceiling. Katie Couric, the first female solo network evening news anchor. Sarah Palin, potentially the first female vice president of the United States.
Terry, will Katie - what do you think? Will she have to really amp up the hard questions so that she`s not criticized for lobbying softballs or being sympathetic?
TERRY ANZUR, FORMER TV NEWS ANCHOR: OK. Brooke, first of all, this isn`t really just an interview. It`s more like a sleepover. She`s going to spend two days on the campaign trail with McCain and Palin. And she comes in with a built-in advantage that Charlie Gibson didn`t have. Like Sarah Palin, Katie Couric is a working mom. And instead of it coming across as the older man grilling the younger woman in very professorial fashion, Katie can establish common ground. They`re both working moms talking about politics.
And I would advise Katie to ignore people who tell her to go for the "gotcha," that she should use that equal platform to explore the really legitimate differences between Sarah Palin and her politics and the women who might otherwise have supported Hillary Clinton. And that would be the way for Katie Couric to really win in this situation.
ANDERSON: Oh, that`s good advice. And we actually do have a hint at how Katie will roll in her Palin interview. I`ve got to show you Katie`s interview with Cindy McCain just a couple of weeks ago. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATIE COURIC, "CBS EVENING NEWS" ANCHOR: Do you believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned?
CINDY MCCAIN, WIFE OF JOHN MCCAIN: No.
COURIC: No?
C. MCCAIN: No.
COURIC: Why not? Your husband does.
C. MCCAIN: No. I don`t think he does.
COURIC: He believes it should be overturned. That`s what he told and that it should go to the state.
C. MCCAIN: Well, in that respect. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Yes, I understand what you`re saying.
COURIC: So you do believe it should be overturned or shouldn`t be overturned?
C. MCCAIN: I believe it`s a state issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Marvet, she grilled Cindy McCain. So should Palin brace herself here?
MARVET BRITTO, FOUNDER, BRITTO AGENCY: She should absolutely brace yourself. Katie did not climb to the top of the journalistic mountain by being a softy. So it doesn`t matter if she lives with her for two days or sleeps over. She`s going to expose and ask some really tough questions. So Palin needs to, you know, really be ready. She might let her guard down by thinking that, "Katie is just like me. She`s a mother like me."
But at the end of the day, she`s a journalist and she`s there to do a job and she`s going to deliver that job. Americans have some questions that we want answered as it pertains to Palin and whether she`s really credible and ready to be the next vice president of this great country. And Katie will get to the root of it.
ANDERSON: And it is crucial - that`s right. And it is crucial for Palin to be well-informed and ready for anything because she did take a lot of heat after that Charlie Gibson interview. And as we know, there has been much speculation that Katie`s job isn`t really that secure because of dismal ratings.
Terry, image wise, is this a make-or-break interview for Katie? It`s not just Sarah Palin here who`s going to be scrutinized.
ANZUR: Well, the reality is that Katie Couric`s evening newscast, despite the fact that she is a respected and excellent journalist, she is in third place. And just having Sarah Palin on her show is going to bring in a huge audience that will get another chance to sample Katie Couric and maybe become fans again of the "CBS Evening News." So for Katie, this really is a make-or-break moment. And if she comes across as mean or out to get somebody, I think it will hurt more than it will help.
ANDERSON: And you know, Katie has, in the past, spoken out about sexism in the media. Marvet, is it too far-fetched to think maybe, you know, her sensitivity to sexism could make her sympathetic during this interview with Palin?
BRITTO: I don`t think it`s going to make her sympathetic at all. I think she knows the job that she has to do and she`s going to ask those questions. She doesn`t have to, you know, grill her.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BRITTO: But she`s going to get to the root of what every American really wants to know. So I don`t think it`s an issue of her being too soft. If anything, I think she`s going to be tougher because she knows that all eyes are on her regardless of her ratings.
ANDERSON: Bottom line, both women need to be on their "A" game and well- prepared. I can`t wait to watch. Terry Anzur and Marvet Britto, thank you both.
And we have been getting a ton of calls in our "Showbiz On Call" voicemail box about Sarah Palin and that funny but very controversial "Saturday Night Live" skit. Here`s Jennifer from Iowa, calling to say that spoof was even the talk of church the next day.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JENNIFER, CALLER FROM IOWA: Impersonation was very funny. It was very light-hearted. It`s good to be a little bit light-hearted in such serious issues sometimes. And I believe that everyone at church agreed so, too. Because after church, that was the topic of conversation, was the skit on "Saturday Night Live."
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, everyone out there, give me a call, let us know what you think about spoofing Sarah Palin or anything else that`s on your mind. It`s "Showbiz On Call." Dial 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. That`s 1-888-7228-2899. Leave us a voicemail. We`ll play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that "SNL" skit is also the focus of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. "SNL`s" Spoof of Sarah Palin: Was it sexist?" Vote,CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. The E-mail address, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, crazy as it sounds, Hollywood obviously is playing a big role in this election.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J., it will be interesting to see if it affects the way people vote.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, Lindsay Lohan has now been dragged into a nasty war of words between John McCain and Barack Obama. Are you kidding me? Is Lindsay about to become part of Barack`s campaign? Find out if Obama says yes, she can.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sally Field definitely must have some painting that`s aging somewhere in her house because it is not showing up on her face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Sally Field does look amazing. And tonight, I`ve got an exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event, the remarkable women on TV who make over 40 look fabulous. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine are teaming up to reveal the list that will be making headlines everywhere.
Also, we`re right there as Shia LaBeouf makes his first red carpet appearance since his scary car crash. How`s he doing now? Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Here are some more stories new right now.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the premiere of Shia LaBeouf`s movie "Eagle Eye" in Hollywood. It`s the first red carpet Shia`s walked since his scary car accident back in July where he really messed up his left hand. The crash broke two of his fingers, but Shia tells us he`s doing OK now and is happy that it wasn`t worse.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHIA LABEOUF, ACTOR: It`s feeling great. It`s good, yes. It could have been a whole different thing and I`m very grateful and happy to be back to work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You know, they actually had to rewrite "Transformers 2" - that`s the movie Shia is currently working on - because of his injury. But "People" magazine reports it`s only a minor script change.
HAMMER: Now, Brooke, I know that everybody is still talking about that very funny and controversial "Saturday Night Live" Sarah Palin skit. You know, Amy Poehler was in it, too. She`s been playing Hillary Clinton on the show. But tonight, I can tell you, Hillary is going bye-bye. Well, Amy is, anyway. Amy tells "Men`s Vogue" that she`s going to leave "SNL" sometime after the November presidential election. So unfortunately, we may not be seeing stuff like this anymore -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TINA FEY, ACTRESS (as Sarah Palin): What`s the difference ...
AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS (as Hillary Clinton): Lipstick.
FEY: ... between a hockey mom and a pit bull?
POEHLER: Lipstick.
FEY: Lipstick.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, after leaving "SNL," Poehler is going to be working on her documentary with the producers of NBC`s "The Office." And, oh yes, I should point out, she`s also going to be having her first baby.
Well, you know, I`m thinking "SNL," Brooke, might have to work Lindsay Lohan into their political sketches now.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. That is because she`s been dragged into this nasty battle between Barack Obama and John McCain. There are brand-new developments involving Lindsay and the campaign that are so absolutely ridiculous it is unbelievable. And that`s coming up.
And also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sally Field definitely must have some painting that`s aging somewhere in her house because it is not showing up on her face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, I`ve got an exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event. The remarkable women on TV who make over 40 look fabulous. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine are teaming up to reveal the list that will be making headlines everywhere.
HAMMER: Also, wait until you hear about Alec Baldwin`s dramatic suicide confessions. Why he says he`s seriously considered killing himself.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sally Field definitely must have some painting that`s aging somewhere in her house because it is not showing up on her face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, fabulous and over 40. Tonight, an exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event - the remarkable women on TV who make over 40 look fabulous. They`re beautiful, they`re an inspiration. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine team up to reveal the list that will be making headlines everywhere.
Lindsay Lohan dragged into the nasty presidential race again. Tonight, Barack Obama and John McCain trade shocking new words over Lindsay. Plus new reports that Lindsay wants to help Barack reach out to young voters. But will Obama say, yes, she can?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 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. Tonight, it`s a "SHOWBIZ" special event - "Over 40 and Fabulous." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has teamed up with "More" magazine to name the top 10 women on television who are making over 40 look fabulous. Stars like Felicity Huffman, Sally Field and Brooke Shields are talking Hollywood by storm and making all those stereotypes about aging disappear into thin air. Here`s your very first exclusive look at some of the top ten in women who make over 40 look fabulous.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): In Hollywood, the women of TV are really proving that age is just a number.
SALLY FIELD, ACTRESS: Holly, you being here at my husband`s graveside - that`s an imposition.
ANDERSON: It`s true. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you women over 40 are now dominating TV. From 61-year-old Sally Field on ABC`s "Brothers and Sisters" -
FIELD: You sharing a taco with your daughter I can live with.
ANDERSON: To 43-year-old "Lipstick Jungle" star Brooke Shields.
SHIELDS: I don`t know. I`m just (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Today, I dropped Taylor off in his kindergarten class.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: And?
SHIELDS: He`s in first grade.
ANDERSON: These women are proving you certainly can have it all even if they are over 40. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is teaming up with "More" magazine to name the top 10 women on TV who make over 40 look fabulous.
LESLEY JANE SEYMOUR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "MORE" MAGAZINE: If you`re over 40, you`re having shows actually crafted for you.
ANDERSON: Lesley Jane Seymour, who`s editor-in-chief of "More" magazine tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT her readers are cheering over the fabulous over 40 set.
SEYMOUR: Let`s face it. You know, at a certain point in your life, you`re not going to be able to get to the movies all the time. We`re all incredibly busy. TV is a lot easier to deal with. And it`s wonderful to check in on a weekly basis and not have to wait, you know, six months or a year to see people you really relate to.
ANDERSON: And women are relating to one of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine`s top 10 picks, Brooke Shields. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT broke the news to Brooke at the season premiere party for "Lipstick Jungle" and Brooke tells us she is ecstatic.
SHIELDS: I`m just honored to even still be around. I feel like I`m finally, believe it or not, coming into my own physically and emotionally. And it`s taken a while but I`m thankful for the honor.
ANDERSON: Shields, who`s been in the business since she was just a baby, is now juggling two babies and a successful TV career. And her "Lipstick Jungle" co-star Kim Raver, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Brooke is just fabulous.
KIM RAVER, ACTRESS: She`s incredibly intelligent. She`s so funny. She`s one of the most generous women I know.
ANDERSON: Seventy-year-old, legendary actress Mary Tyler Moore tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she`s been a fan of Brooke`s for years.
MARY TYLER MOORE, ACTRESS: She`s so good. She makes her comedy so real. It`s down to earth.
SEYMOUR: She`s balancing everything in her home life and doing the exact same thing on TV. So it really hits home.
ANDERSON: And Brooke has plenty of company. Also smashing right through the ridiculous aging stereotype in Hollywood is Emmy Award winning actress Sally Field who is 61 and also on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT-"More" magazine top ten list of women on TV making over 40 look fabulous.
SEYMOUR: I would say that Sally Field definitely must have some painting that`s aging somewhere in her house because it is not showing up on her face.
ANDERSON: And another face proving older is better, 43-year-old Kyra Sedgwick who plays Deputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson in "The Closer."
KYRA SEDGWICK, ACTRESS: You listen to that crap and you`re more (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ANDERSON: Kyra knows a thing or two about staying power.
JESSICA WEINER, SELF ESTEEM EXPERT: She turns in practically an Oscar- winning performance every single time. And more so than that, she`s just bad ass.
JULIA CAMPBELL, ACTRESS (AS MURIEL): Lynette -
FELICITY HUFFMAN, ACTRESS (AS LYNETTE SCAVO): Muriel, how are you doing?
ANDERSON: Forty-five-year-old Felicity Huffman is doing just fine, thank you. And also makes the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT-"More" magazine top 19 list, playing the harried housewife Lynette Scavo on "Desperate Housewives".
HUFFMAN: What`s up?
CAMPBELL: You look good.
SEYMOUR: Felicity Huffman is amazing because, you know, she`s the typical frazzled housewife.
ANDERSON: And Huffman who was featured on the cover of "More" September issue is honest about her real-life juggles as a mom with two kids.
SEYMOUR: In her real life, she will tell you that, you know, children aren`t everything for her. She needs to have a job and a career.
ANDERSON: A running theme for this fabulous over 40 set. Even Oscar- winning 50-year-old star Holly Hunter who became a first-time mom to twins when she was 47, is proof that women over 40 can be that fabulous. Hunter plays a smoking, binge-drinking, sexually charged Oklahoma City police detective on her hit show "Saving Grace." And did we mention she can throw quite a punch?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Now, so far, you`ve only seen half of the top 10 women on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT-"more" magazine list - Felicity Huffman, Kyra Sedgwick, Holly Hunter, also Brooke Shields and Sally Field. Well, also fabulous and over 40, 45-year-old, "Ugly Betty" star, Vanessa Williams, 57-year-old "Samantha Who" star Jean smart, 44-year-old "Raising the Bar" Gloria Reuben, 61-year-old "Damages" star Glenn Close and 52-year-old "Desperate Housewives" star Dana Delaney.
And with us right now in New York, "More" magazine`s editor-in-chief, Lesley Jane Seymour. Lesley, great to see you.
And first, I want to take a look at how Brooke Shields reacted when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT broke the news to her that we had chosen her for this list.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHIELDS: Oh, I`m just honored to even still be around. I feel like I`m finally, believe it or not, coming into my own physically, emotionally and it`s taken a while. But I`m thankful for the honor. That was spray tan. You can`t go wrong.
ANDERSON: Yes, spray tans give you that glow. They don`t hurt. And we know that Brooke, every day for her is a juggling act. She has two small children along with this big career. Lesley, do you think it`s those personal experiences that help women like Brooke make over 40 look fabulous?
SEYMOUR: I think that`s what I hear from every single woman over 40 is that they`re coming into their own now and it`s because of the experiences you have with life and your family and your career. And you just feel so much more confident and happy. I mean, isn`t it fascinating to hear someone like her who we`ve grown up with? Is like the most beautiful girl in the class finally saying to you, "You know, I never felt that great."
ANDERSON: Right.
SEYMOUR: So it`s kind of interesting.
ANDERSON: And grateful for where she is now.
SEYMOUR: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: And if there`s anybody who has continually made over 40 look fabulous, it`s the legendary Mary Tyler Moore who told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that regular women relate to actresses who are proud of their age. Listen -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOORE: There are a lot of regular women also and they watch and they - I think they`re (UNINTELLIGIBLE) they seem people like Brooke. Who`d really think she`s over 40? And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) admit she`s 70.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Lesley, very, very quickly. We sure have come a long way, haven`t we, since Mary Tyler Moore`s first big hit TV show in the `70s. She did make it after all, didn`t she?
SEYMOUR: Amazingly so. I grew up with her. It`s incredible - 70 years old and still going at it. Unbelievable.
ANDERSON: It is great they are all still working it out. And we applaud them. Lesley Jane Seymour, editor-in-chief of "More" magazine, thank you so much. Good to see you.
SEYMOUR: Good to be here.
ANDERSON: And for more of the exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine special event, the top 10 women on television who are making over 40 look fabulous, pick up a copy of "More" magazine. It`s on newsstands right now.
HAMMER: All right. Moving on, Brooke, you know times are strange when Lindsay Lohan, of all people, gets dragged into the presidential race.
ANDERSON: Yes. it`s hard to believe. What does Lindsay have to do with the race for the White House?
HAMMER: Well, coming up, find out why John McCain and Barack Obama are trading insults over Lindsay Lohan? You`ve got to stick around to hear this one.
ANDERSON: Plus Alec Baldwin`s shocking revelation. Alec reveals he was on the brink of suicide. The dramatic story, still ahead.
HAMMER: And Ryan O`Neal arrested with his youngest son. What in the world is going on here? The O`Neal family certainly has been through the wringer in the past. We`ll find out what happened, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now, be sure to check out the free, ever-changing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast which you`ll find on our Web site. Just head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or download it on iTunes. Just do a little search for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
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HAMMER: Tonight, Michelle Obama has just been named one of "People" magazine`s top 10 best-dressed women of the year. "People" says her classic, confident style puts her in the company of A-list stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Sarah Jessica Parker, even Charlize Theron.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, we are on Obama star patrol, complete with a brand-new development that made me say, "Are you kidding me?"
Well, tonight, Lindsay Lohan is the latest star to get caught up in the middle of an election war of words. Days after Lindsay ranted about Sarah Palin on her blog, she reportedly offered to help out the Obama campaign. That reportedly ignited a ridiculous war of words today between Barack Obama`s camp and John McCain`s folks. I think they have enough to talk about already, don`t they?
With me tonight in Hollywood, Terry Anzur, she`s a TV talent coach and TV news anchor. And with me in New York, Marvet Britto, celebrity publicist and founder of the Britto Agency.
All right. Marvet and Terry, the surreal world of politics continues now. We remember just days ago when Lindsay Lohan was slamming Sarah Palin on her blog, writing, quote, "I really cannot bite my tongue anymore when it comes to Sarah Palin. Is it a sin to be gay? Should it be a sin to be straight? Or to use birth control? Or to have sex before marriage? Is our country so divided that the Republican`s best hope is a narrow-minded, media-obsessed homophobe?" Sarah Palin being referred to by Lindsay Lohan there.
Well then, the "Chicago Sun Times" just reported that the Obama camp actually turned down Lindsay Lohan`s offer to work for their campaign. Terry, if this, in fact, is the case, is that a good move on behalf of the Obama campaign?
ANZUR: It was the right move for Obama`s campaign to say, "Thanks, but no thanks." And this is only because everybody`s pulling for Lindsay Lohan to really come through her battle with addiction and get back to focusing on her career. It`s really not the right time for her to be on the national political stage.
HAMMER: All right. So offer to help made, offer reportedly rescinded. And you think that would be the end of that, right? Well, not so much. Today, McCain`s camp actually took time to release a statement that used Lindsay`s name as part of an attack on Obama. And they told the gossip Web site TMZ that, "Maybe Lilo is just too upstanding for Barack Obama."
Is this even necessary, Marvet? Don`t they have better things to do than invoke Lindsay Lohan`s name in a political fight? I mean, the polls are neck and neck here and they`re talking about Lindsay.
BRITTO: One would think he would be more concerned that everyone`s is paying attention to Sarah Palin as opposed to him when he is the candidate. But importantly, he`s majoring on the minors. He`s paying more attention to Barack Obama supporters than his own. I think John McCain needs to focus on the economy, the state that this country has found itself in, and really focus on the political landscape and the political process and that really needs immediate attention. I think it`s ridiculous for him to focus on anything other than that.
HAMMER: Wouldn`t it be something if all of the candidates put a moratorium on talking about anything other than the issues?
BRITTO: Absolutely.
HAMMER: That`s not going to happen. Today, Lindsay`s spokesperson even told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Lindsay has been invited to attend Obama`s events in the past. And they said, quote, "I wouldn`t think that his camp would want to alienate anyone who could offer support and get people to vote."
Now, Terry, you said you think it makes sense that Obama and his campaign distanced themselves from Lindsay given all she`s been through. But don`t you think it is a good idea for her to get out there and help get young people out to vote?
ANZUR: Well, I think Obama`s campaign has energized young people tremendously as has Palin energized the young vote on the conservative side. So of course, all sides are going to be looking for any support they can get. Is Lindsay Lohan welcome to go out and campaign for the candidate of her choice? Sure. But to elevate her to the level of a national campaign spokesman, I think Obama`s people made the right move here.
HAMMER: All right. Well, Obama may want nothing to do with Lindsay Lohan. Barbra Streisand, that is another story. Of course, she`s always been very politically active. She performed at an Obama fundraiser just last night. Did very well, too. Raised about $9 million.
Marvet, is it now right that Obama`s has actually faced backlash over his celebrity hobnobbing or continues to face that even with the Barbra Streisand show now that Sarah Palin is really the newest celebrity on the block? I mean, shouldn`t it be just a non-issue?
BRITTO: It really should be a non-issue. Obama and his campaign cannot be the gatekeepers say out of what celebrities say on their blogs, say out of their mouths. He can`t police that. So I think the best thing for us to do is again, focus on the issues. These are non-solicited, you know, endorsements. These are what celebrities are doing of their own volition.
Now, the fundraiser was planned. So it was a planned fundraiser. So it`s different when you have people coming together under the auspices of raising funds for your candidate. But what Barbra says, what Lindsay does on their own volition can`t be policed by Barack Obama or anyone else for that matter.
HAMMER: I am right there with you.
BRITTO: They have free will.
HAMMER: Absolutely. Barbra and Lindsay Lohan just two stars who have now viciously attacked McCain and Palin on their blogs. I`m not talking light stuff here. I have to wonder if all of this could backfire, though. That has been a concern of some of our callers who have been burning up the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines. We got one phone call from Glenn in Iowa. I want to play it for you. Roll that.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GLENN, CALLER FROM IOWA: I was calling just to encourage all you celebrities out there who are so self-important to keep criticizing Sarah Palin and John McCain because the more you do it, the more popular they both become. Good job.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. See. What do you think, Terry? Do you agree with Glenn that all this Palin-bashing going on could actually backfire if a celebrity is bashing Palin? Would that actually cause somebody to vote for the other side? I don`t know about that.
ANZUR: I see a huge potential for backlash here, and here`s why. If you have Obama out on the campaign trail saying he cares about the little guy, then he comes out here to California and he`s not talking about the working men and women of California. He`s hanging out with whoever can afford $28,000 a ticket to go to a fundraiser.
HAMMER: Well, but that`s a fundraiser, Terry. Fundraisers have to happen. And if it`s a showbiz person doing it of their own volition
(CROSS TALK)
ANZUR: But Obama doesn`t have a high ground here. He doesn`t. He didn`t accept public campaign financing limits. And he`s coming out here to drain California for money just like the Republican does.
HAMMER: All I`m saying is I don`t think a candidate can be criticized for having celebrities do fundraisers and for attending those fundraisers.
I want to play another call. Barbara from New Jersey who called in to the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines to say thank you to the stars for voicing their opinions on her behalf.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BARBARA. CALLER FROM NEW JERSEY: I think it`s absolutely wonderful. Nobody would listen to what I have to say. But they might listen to what they have to say.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Marvet, 20 seconds for you. Does Barbara have a point? Stars are just publicly saying what a lot of Americans are feeling?
BRITTO: She absolutely has a point, and stars are actually - they`re speaking from a place of substance and thought. They`re raising issues and concerns about Sarah Palin that if I raised them, maybe, you know, it wouldn`t necessarily spark water-cooler conversation the next morning. But when celebrities say it like Matt Damon being on the Internet saying his concerns about Sarah Palin, people are talking about that and that`s what it`s sparking and that`s not backlash. That`s fact.
HAMMER: Got to end it there. Terry Anzur, Marvet Britto, I thank you both.
ANDERSON: As we mentioned, now there is a new way for you to get in touch with us.
HAMMER: Yes, as you`ve heard, you can give us a buzz. Tell us what you think about Hollywood and politics or really anything else that`s on your mind. The number to dial is 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. That`s 1-888-728-2899. All you have to do is leave us a voicemail like those callers you just heard. And we will be playing some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well we have been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. And this is it - "`SNL` Spoof of Sarah Palin: Was it sexist?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Alec Baldwin talks candidly about his suicidal moment. What was it that nearly drove Baldwin over the edge? The dramatic revelations in Baldwin`s new book, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, this is unbelievable. Alec Baldwin`s suicidal moment. Actor Alec Baldwin revealed he actually contemplated suicide right after the release of that infamous voicemail rant last year.
In the voicemail, Baldwin was heard screaming at his then-11-year-old daughter Ireland calling her a rude, thoughtless little pig. Baldwin was in a bitter custody battle with his ex, Kim Basinger, at that time and he later apologized. And now, he is sharing his dramatic new details about just how deeply that incident affected him.
In his new book, he writes, quote, "Driving up the Taconic Parkway, heading to an inn in the Berkshire Mountains, I began to think what little town I would repair to in order to commit suicide. What semi-remote Massachusetts State Park could I hike deep into and overdose there? When I returned to New York, the thought of jumping off the window of my apartment was with me every night for weeks."
Baldwin did go on to say that it was his love for his daughter that set him straight. His book, "A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce" comes out on September 23rd.
ANDERSON: Actor Ryan O`Neal and his youngest son Redmond have both been arrested on suspicion of drug possession. A Los Angeles County sheriff spokesperson says authorities went to the home Ryan O`Neal shares with his 23-year-old son Redmond for a routine check on the younger O`Neal who is on probation from prior drug-possession charges.
Police arrested both men after deputies apparently found drugs on both of them. They will remain in custody on $10,000 bail and could be charged with felony possession of narcotics.
Redmond`s mother is actress Farrah Fawcett and his half-sister is Tatum O`Neal who was also recently arrested for trying to buy drugs. She took a plea deal and is not expected to serve time in jail. About the arrest, Tatum said, "Addiction, if untreated, can lead to jail, institutions and death. I love them both and I am sorry to hear about this."
HAMMER: On Tuesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day which was, "Stars Slamming Sarah Palin: Will It Backfire?" Pretty even mix here, 47 percent said yes; 53 percent no.
Some of the E-mails we got include one from Art in Arizona who writes, "Hollywood celebrities have a duty to present themselves as public role models and speak out on such controversial topics."
Lynne from California writes, "Sure, actors can say what they want, but what`s the hatefulness all about? I`m getting tired of `Holier-Than- Thou-Wood.`"
HAMMER: Well, thank for your creativity. And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Don`t forget, 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 "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
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