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Showbiz Tonight
"The View`s" Power; Meg Ryan on Her Marriage to Dennis Quaid; The Woes of a Sarah Palin Look-Alike; Sarah Palin`s Celebrity Supporters - Where Are They? The Most Shocking Live TV Moments Ever
Aired September 23, 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, move over "Meet the Press." Step aside, "Face the Nation." The ladies of "The View" are taking over. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the remarkable story of the power of the ladies in the presidential battle. How did that happen?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I think that he walked into "The View" thinking it was a chat fest, you know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the incredible story of how Whoopi, Barbara and company are rewriting the rules of lady power.
Tonight, Paula Abdul breaks down. Colin Farrell drops the F-bomb and it all happens live on TV. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the most outrageous, most shocking live TV moments ever.
Plus, Meg`s confessions. Meg Ryan`s explosive, brand-new revelations about why she says she and Dennis Quaid really got divorced. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood with the absolutely remarkable presidential power of the ladies of "The View."
HAMMER: Yes. Today, Barbara Walters sent a very strong message to John McCain`s wife saying, "Sorry, we didn`t mean to diss you." Barbara speaking out about the heat the ladies of "The View" got from Cindy McCain following her appearance on the show with her husband, complaining the ladies picked their bones clean. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal that the power of "The View" in this presidential race has become incredible. It`s the big story making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): As if the 2008 election hasn`t had its share of unexpected players, now, an unexpected talk show has emerged as a new TV hot spot in the presidential race.
BEHAR: I look like an ambulance with a vest.
HAMMER: That`s right, "The View," where the hosts spend much of their time chatting about weight -
BEHAR: Is anybody too skinny for you?
HAMMER: Reality shows -
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": This isn`t "Dancing With The Stars" again.
HAMMER: And other stuff -
BEHAR: People have sex practically on, you know, the first date - or is that just me?
HAMMER: Is now a true blue player in the presidential race. "Face the Nation" and "Meet the Press," time to face the music and meet "The View."
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": They`ve become a real political player this year.
HAMMER: "The View" made headlines this week for finally getting former President Bill Clinton to answer a key question about his wife.
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE VIEW": Did Sen. Clinton really want to be vice president?
BILL CLINTON, FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: Not really, no.
HAMMER: And there`s that John McCain interview.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You`ve got to let me finish.
WALTERS: Oh, sorry.
MCCAIN: You`ve got to let me finish.
HAMMER: The ladies of "The View" made headlines for the grilling they gave McCain about his running mate, Sarah Palin.
WALTERS: She was chosen to reform the government.
MCCAIN: Because that`s what she has done.
WALTERS: Who is she going to reform?
MCCAIN: That`s what she`s done.
WALTERS: Who is - you chose her just to reform?
MCCAIN: The Republican Party, the Democrat Party, even independents. She`ll reform all of Washington.
HAMMER: And his campaign ad against Barack Obama.
BEHAR: We know that those two ads are untrue. They`re lies. And yet you, at the end of it, say "I approve this message." Do you really approve them?
MCCAIN: Actually, they`re not lies.
SERAFIN: I think a lot of people thought that John McCain really didn`t get a fair interview.
HAMMER: It was so rough, ABC News caught McCain`s wife, Cindy, complaining about "The View" interview at a Republican luncheon -
CINDY MCCAIN, WIFE OF SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: In spite of what you see on - in newspapers and on shows like "The View" - I don`t know if any of you saw "The View" yesterday. They picked our bones clean.
WALTERS: There were a lot of people who felt we were very hard on the McCains.
HAMMER: On "The View," Tuesday, Barbara Walters set out to smooth things over with the McCains.
WALTERS: I fervently hope that there are no hard feelings because no matter who wins, this is a great man who`s had a great career.
SERAFIN: I think Barbara Walters wanted to make it clear that they will be equally as tough on Obama. Look, they are trying to be a player in this year`s election. And if she didn`t make that clear, they might not have gotten other candidates on.
HAMMER: Joy Behar confronted the fairness issue on "LARRY KING LIVE" when she was asked about Barack Obama`s less-contentious appearance on "The View" last March. Larry played a clip for Joy.
WALTERS: Just before you came out - maybe we shouldn`t say this, but we thought you were very sexy-looking.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL): Oh, really.
BEHAR: Now, that looks unbalanced. It looks as though we really -
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Looks unbalanced? That was like a swoon job.
BEHAR: Of course. But that was before he was nominated.
KING: Well now, nominated, wrack up Barack.
BEHAR: If he comes on now, we`ll give him a grilling, just like we gave McCain.
HAMMER: Controversies aside, "The View`s" producers tell "The New York Times," they`re deliberately trying to be players in the national political discussion. Barbara Walters has told me that as well.
WALTERS: We reach an enormous audience and we have become a factor.
HAMMER: Whatever the strategy, it`s working. Ratings for the show are up. And with the candidates working hard to win that all-important women`s vote, it looks like the road to the Oval Office runs right through "The View`s" set.
SERAFIN: For any candidate, there are certain stops along the way that you have to make. You ought to do "Meet the Press," and you have to do "Face the Nation." You have to do a cable news interview. But these days, one of the interviews that you have to do is "The View."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So will women decide who to vote for because of what Whoopi, Barbara and all the ladies of "The View" have to say?
Well, with me tonight in Hollywood, Jane Velez-Mitchell. She`s the author of "Secrets Can Be Murder." Also in Hollywood, Pat Lalama, who is an investigative journalist.
All right. Ladies, there is certainly no denying that "The View" is a political force to be reckoned with. There is a reason that the candidates show up and do the show. But Jane, do you think "The View" will actually - possibly influence the way people vote in this election?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Absolutely, A.J., because they`re talking to women, and Wal-Mart moms are the crucial swing voters in this election. That`s what the experts say. Those are precisely the women watching "The View." And thank god for "The View" because these women are talking not just about all the poll numbers and who`s winning today or tomorrow but about the real issues that women care about.
Barbara Walters is one of the best interviews in the history of journalism. And she has a knack for asking the tough questions. Frankly, I would love to see the women of "The View" interview Sarah Palin. I think it would be fair. You don`t know whether Barbara Walters is Democrat or Republican. And you have Elisabeth there to represent the conservative side.
HAMMER: Well, you know, even when they`re just sitting around talking amongst themselves, even if they don`t have a guest that they`re interviewing, it`s meat and potatoes. They are talking about the important issues, not just what Sarah Palin is wearing. What do you think, Pat? Do you think the ladies of "The View" will have any influence on this election?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: I don`t think strategists are sitting around in war rooms saying, "You know, guys and women, we have to win Ohio and we have to do `The View.`" I think it`s interesting because there is that faction of the public, the women that Jane talks about that probably put a lot of stock into what they say.
I personally hope it isn`t the case and here`s why - because no matter how credible Barbara Walters is, it`s still an opinion show. It`s the mainstream media. It`s still leaning way left. I would rather see these women read some books, read some other media, inform themselves in other ways and rely on this show for their information.
HAMMER: Well, but certainly, Pat, you know, I think we can all agree that the nice thing about "The View" and the fact that they`re talking about this stuff is they`re all coming from different backgrounds, different points of view. You know, certainly, nobody can say that each of the hosts are like any other. They`re all their own characters, whether it be Whoopi or Elisabeth or Sherri or Joy or Pat (sic). I`m curious, Jane, who you think - whose voice you think carries the most weight here?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I think Barbara Walters, certainly, because she has the most experience. I just finished reading her book, "Audition." This is a woman who has interviewed every president for - I don`t know how many decades, prime ministers, leaders around the world. And, again, she maintains her neutrality.
And I think it is a balanced show. I don`t think it`s left-leaning, as Pat says, because you have Elisabeth Hasselbeck there to express the conservative view and she`s very, very articulate. So it`s a healthy debate.
You know, the real story of this election is that the mainstream media has dropped the ball and it`s "The View" and it`s Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart and "SNL" and Tina Fey and Bill Maher and all these comedians that are talking about the real issues.
LALAMA: All extremely left. And let me make the point that, yes, Barbara Walters - and being a long-time journalist myself, I have great admiration for her. But when Whoopi Goldberg says to Sen. John McCain, "Well, do I have to worry about slavery being enacted again," or something to that effect - I mean, come on.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s called a joke.
LALAMA: You know what? That`s a matter -
VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s called a joke.
LALAMA: Hold on, Jane, let me finish, please. Prior to Whoopi, you had Rosie O`Donnell saying, "Steel doesn`t melt and, you know, terrorism isn`t as bad as right-wing Christianity." And these are the kinds of seeds that get planted in people`s minds unless they do the further research and find out what the truth says.
(CROSS TALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The media is a total mess, Pat.
HAMMER: Hold on a second. Pat, I have to say the same can be said - we`re talking about "The View" here and the same can be said for Elisabeth Hasselbeck and all of the things that she`s putting out there. Because she`s certainly is coming to the table with a lot of information which may not all be complete.
LALAMA: Absolutely. And I`m telling you across the board, I don`t want people to use talk shows as their - as credential, as (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
HAMMER: It shouldn`t be the only factor.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You have start doing his job and asking these candidates the tough questions, like, "When you decide global warming was actually real?"
HAMMER: We`ve got to end it there. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Pat Lalama, I thank you both.
And now, I want to turn it over to you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we want to know - "The Ladies of `The View`: Will they influence your vote in the election?"
Let us know what you think, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E- mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
You know, we also have a great new way for you to tell us what you think. It`s our "Showbiz On Call" phone lines. They, Brooke, are always open.
ANDERSON: That`s right - 24/7. Call us and tell us what you think about whether "The View" will influence your vote or anything else that`s on your mind. It is "Showbiz On Call."
HAMMER: Here`s the number to call, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that is 1-888-728-2899. You can leave us a voicemail because we want to play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Big news tonight - after years of refusing to answer questions about his personal life, Clay Aiken is finally confirming he is gay. Clay`s on the cover of the new issue of "People" magazine with the giant headline that reads "Yes, I`m Gay." He opened up to the magazine about his emotional decision to come out, saying now that he`s a dad, he can`t raise a child to lie or hide things.
Hey, A.J., I`ve got a feeling we might get some action on the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines about this story. Meg Ryan is speaking out about her divorce.
HAMMER: Yes. You know, she really hadn`t said much about this before about her split from Dennis Quaid, Brooke. I mean, she talked about the cheating allegations, the Russell Crowe factor, really opening up. Meg Ryan`s confessions are coming up.
We`ll also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m not Sarah Palin. They know I`m not Sarah Palin. So to say cutting things to me just because I`m wearing my hair up and a pair of glasses, there`s just something a little strange about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A TV news anchor is catching some heat because she looks like Sarah Palin. Will she change her look? That`s coming up.
Plus, are there any stars who are supporting Palin? And if so, where are they?
HAMMER: And could Dr. Ross, George Clooney, himself, put on the scrubs one more time and head back to "ER" for the final season? Well, producers want it to happen. Bless us, George. I will fill you in coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEG RYAN, ACTRESS: Why are you doing this?
RUSSELL CROWE, ACTOR: You didn`t see a body.
RYAN: Peter is dead! Let me grieve!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, Meg Ryan`s confessions about her affair with Russell Crowe eight years ago that became very public after they shot the movie "Proof of Life."
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, after years of silence, Meg Ryan is finally opening up about everything from her shocking affair with Crowe to her bumpy divorce from Dennis Quaid. Ryan is setting the record straight saying she wasn`t only the one in her marriage having an affair. Meg tells all in the October issue of "In Style" magazine.
And joining me in New York tonight is Katrina Szish who is the national correspondent for "In Style" magazine. Katrina, great to see you.
KATRINA SZISH, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, "IN STYLE" MAGAZINE: Thank you.
ANDERSON: I mean, Meg Ryan not only admitting to her affair with Crowe, but is also making a startling claim about her ex-husband, Dennis Quaid. She tells "In Style," quote, "Dennis was not faithful to me for a long time, and that was very painful. I am not a victim. I was there. I was in that marriage for a really long time."
Katrina, what did Meg tell "In Style" about why she didn`t speak out sooner?
SZISH: Meg confided to "In Style" that at the time her marriage was falling apart, she was feeling very self-protective. She wanted to protect her son, Jack. She was feeling overwhelmed and she really just withdrew. Because as this whole firestorm was going on in the tabloids, she really just wanted to withdraw.
She says now, looking back, she made a mistake in not speaking more specifically about what was really going on in that marriage.
ANDERSON: Yes. Had a little bit of regret there.
SZISH: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: For the longest time, the speculation was that it was Meg`s affair with Russell Crowe that broke up her marriage to Dennis Quaid. But Meg tells "In Style," that`s not so, saying, quote, "I think he took a big hit. But Russell didn`t break up the marriage. He was definitely there at the end, but it wasn`t his fault. I was a mess. I hurt him too in the end."
Katrina, in the interview, Meg really is taking a lot of blame for what happened. And by the way, she looks strong. She looks healthy. She looks beautiful. She doesn`t want pity, does she?
SZISH: No, Meg is a powerhouse. She`s not this sort of cute, bubbly girl that we all sort of think of her as being as she was labeled America`s Sweetheart. But instead, she`s strong. She`s intense. She`s focused. And she said that she`s not a victim. They were both in the marriage, as you said.
And she really takes her own sense of responsibility in things falling apart. But at the same time, she doesn`t want to be portrayed as the good guy or the bad guy. She said both of them were involved. It`s a complicated story.
ANDERSON: She definitely - yes - repeats that. It was a complicated story. And during her affair with Crowe, the tabloids painted her as the cheating wife. But I was surprised to see in this interview that she didn`t seem upset about that, telling "In Style," quote, "My time as a scarlet woman was really interesting. As painful as it was, it was also incredibly liberating. Now, I was utterly free. I didn`t have to care about what people thought. I have gotten to do what I guess I secretly wanted to do. Be totally under the radar and live my life."
Katrina, why did she find it so liberating? Her life completely changed after all that happened, didn`t it?
SZISH: Sure. Meg had been in the spotlight for 20 years. Everybody was assuming that she had a certain personality, that she was the girl next door, that she was really this very conventional type of person. And she said that really wasn`t her. She was really being mislabeled for all these years.
So it finally allowed her to really say, "This is me. This is what I did. This is reality." And to travel for a while, she went to therapy. She said it took a long time to get herself back but she said she finally did.
ANDERSON: She seems like she`s in a really great place now.
SZISH: She is.
ANDERSON: It`s nice to see. Katrina Szish, thank you so much.
SZISH: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Great to see you.
SZISH: You, too.
ANDERSON: And to read Meg Ryan`s entire interview, you can pick up a copy of "In Style" magazine. The October issue is on newsstands Friday.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to Dennis Quaid. He`s not commenting on all of this right now.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been ringing nonstop. People really fired up about something we`ve been talking about a lot on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, when celebrities speak out about the presidential elections.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. Last night, we played a call from one of our viewers who said that all the stars who bash McCain actually make her want to vote for him. Well, that got people riled up. Here`s a call from Kellena from Massachusetts from "Showbiz On Call."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KELLENA, CALLER FROM MASSACHUSETTS: I think that`s very ignorant. Your decision on the next possible president should be something you take a pretty good amount of time to think about. And you shouldn`t be influenced by the opinions of celebrities.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, we also heard from an equally outraged Lee from South Carolina leaving another message on the "Showbiz On Call" phone line. Listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LEE, CALLER FROM SOUTH CAROLINA: I`m so appalled someone would change their vote in reaction to what some celebrity, conservative or liberal, says. It seems very petty and blind. They`re celebrities. The press is going to cover their views. People should get used to this.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The "Showbiz On Call" phone line is always open. So tell us what you think. You can call us at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voicemail and we will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Well, A.J., George Clooney - we know he`s a big-time movie star now. But I think everyone really got to know him on Thursday nights.
HAMMER: Yes. A little show called "ER" is the one that really put him on the map, Brooke.
ANDERSON: That`s right. And now that the final season is coming up, will George head back to "ER"? It`s the burning question. That`s next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Television is so stressful. And I think it gets to a lot of people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: She said it. There is nothing like live TV to set the stage for disaster. I`m talking F-bombs, freak-outs, mess-ups. Straight ahead, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counts down the most shocking live TV moments ever.
HAMMER: And a TV news anchor is catching some heat because she looks like Sarah Palin. Will she change her look? That`s coming up.
Plus are there any stars who are supporting Palin. And if so, where the heck are they?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you, wacky Charles. And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And here are some more stories that are new right now.
Could George Clooney be coming back to "ER"? Well, the producers of the show are hoping to get Clooney back for the upcoming final season. "ER`s" executive producer tells "TV Guide" that they have the storylines all dreamed up for all of the major past characters and they are hoping to get them all back. Clooney has said before that he`s not interested. So I guess we`re going to have to wait and see.
ANDERSON: We`ve got new information about how Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ A.M. Adam Goldstein survived a plane crash in South Carolina. "People" magazine reports Travis and Adam told police they slid down the wing of the plane while they were on fire and tackled each other to put the fires out. Both suffered second and third-degree burns but are expected to make a full recovery.
The pilot and co-pilot died from smoke inhalation and burns when the plane crashed into an embankment at the end of a runway. Two other passengers also died. The cause of the crash hasn`t been officially determined.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. There is a news anchor who`s getting a huge reaction because - well, she looks a lot like someone we`re hearing a lot about these days.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m not Sarah Palin. They know I`m not Sarah Palin. So to say cutting things to me just because I`m wearing my hair up and a pair of glasses, there`s just something a little strange about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So will the anchor change her look?
Plus, are there any stars who are supporting Palin? If so, where are they? That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: Also, there`s nothing like live TV. I know I`ll never forget when Colin Farrell dropped the F-bomb during a live interview with me. And that`s just the beginning. Straight ahead, we have the most shocking live TV moments ever.
HAMMER: And Steven Spielberg throwing himself in the debate over gay marriage. I`m going to tell you what he has in common with Brad Pitt. That is just ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news. Just be a subscriber to our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Easy to do. Go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the "sign up for newsletter" link and we will send it to you every day. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m not Sarah Palin. They know I`m not Sarah Palin. So to say cutting things to me just because I`m wearing my hair up and a pair of glasses, there`s just something a little strange about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, new Sarah Palin Hollywood controversy. Tonight, a TV news anchor under fire for looking like Sarah Palin. Nasty words being thrown around. Will the reporter change her look?
Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT finds stars speaking out for Sarah Palin, but why aren`t there more?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERMUDEZ: Live television is so stressful and I think it gets to a lot of people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Paula Abdul`s "American Idol" screw-up. Ashlee Simpson`s "SNL" nightmare. Even Jane Fonda`s full of dirty words. It`s a SHOWBIZ special report, the most shocking live TV moments of all time.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(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.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is investigating a great mystery. We are going in search of stars publicly supporting Sarah Palin. There has been no shortage of big stars in Hollywood publicly bashing her. So, where are the stars who think Sarah Palin is great? Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, we found some, but not a lot.
Angelina Jolie`s dad, Jon Voight says he`s crazy for Sarah. And big- time producer Jerry Bruckheimer tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, he`s all for Sarah, too. But is it dangerous to be a Sarah supporter in Hollywood?
Joining me from Hollywood tonight, Jane Velez-Mitchell. She`s an investigative journalist and author. And also in Hollywood tonight, Pat Lalama who is also an investigative journalist.
Ladies, I want to begin with Jon Voight. Certainly, not A-list star. But Jon Voight nonetheless spoke with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We talked to him on Emmy night, and he had nothing but love for Sarah Palin. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON VOIGHT, ACTOR: I`m crazy about Sarah Palin. I think she`s a godsend. I mean, she`s so refreshing. She`s a darling person. I mean, she`s one of those people you like immediately and as you get to know her, you have much more reason for the respect you have for her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jane Velez-Mitchell, let me begin with you. Hollywood`s a big place. I`m sure Jon is not alone in his love for Sarah Palin. So where are the other star supporters of Sarah Palin?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s see, A.J., they`re probably wondering where is Sarah Palin? You know, Hollywood stars know better than anyone else what it means when their handlers refuse to let them in front of the media. It means for whatever reason they don`t trust them in front of the media.
And the fact is that she has been sequestered and kept from the media, so that doesn`t inspire confidence. On top of that, she doesn`t jive with Hollywood values. Hollywood is all about environmentalism and this woman is perceived as an enemy of the environment. She`s the one suing to get polar bears off the endangered species list. She`s the one who recently said there`s no connection between human behavior and global warming. So why would anybody in Hollywood favor her?
As far as Jon Voight, you know, maybe he`s not just crazy about Sarah Palin. Maybe he`s just crazy.
HAMMER: All right. I`ll let you say that, Jane. You know, it is true. We have known historically that Hollywood is a liberal-leaning town. But Pat Lalama, I mean, there have to be other Palin supporters out there. We`re just wondering where they are.
LALAMA: First of all, in response to my dear and long-time friend, Jane, and we are good friends, and my god, have we duked it out for years and years, but we`re still intact. We`ve got a concrete wall between us today, so we`re fine.
The fact of the matter, she hasn`t been sequestered. Charlie Gibson, Katie Couric, Sean Hannity - she`s doing interviews, and she`s doing them by herself with no fear of anyone. So having said that, you can have Hollywood.
Hollywood belongs to your crowd. We`re proud of that. Take it away. We don`t want anything to do with celebrities and their political aspirations, their political leanings. The fact of the matter is, the other side that pretends to be this big tent, wide open, lots of opinions, freedom of speech, actually is so full of vitriol for anyone of conservative leaning - and people are afraid to come forward.
Isn`t that just amazing for the freedom of speech crowd, that you can`t say what you feel without fear of losing your job, or being blacklisted or shunned by people in this town. That to me is the ultimate hypocrisy.
HAMMER: Let`s get into that. Because I will tell you, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was able to track down another Sarah Palin star supporter. Jerry Bruckheimer - certainly a big shot in Hollywood, legendary executive producer of the "CSI" franchise, also "Amazing Race." And we spoke with Jerry right after he won his sixth Emmy for the "Amazing Race." Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERRY BRUCKHEIMER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "AMAZING RACE": She`s a real go- getter. She`s done a lot for the state of Alaska. And she`s a fresh face, and so we need fresh faces.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So Jerry Bruckheimer, certainly a long-time Hollywood heavyweight. Jane, to Pat`s point, do you think maybe somebody like Jerry Bruckheimer is able to publicly support Palin because, you know, he doesn`t have as much to lose as, say, someone who`s newer to the business who might secretly be supporting Palin?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, first of all, I`m not shocked that he`s supporting Palin because he has publicly supported President Bush in the past. Now, this is a very, very powerful TV producer. He is considered one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. His nickname is "Mr. Blockbuster." So of course, he can say anything he wants to. And that goes to show people don`t have to be afraid of retribution. There is the powerful man.
(CROSS TALK)
Yes, it`s true. Hey, you had your say, Pat. Now, it`s time for me to have my say. She is not a fresh face. I don`t know what he`s talking about, because she`s surrounded by Bush operatives. So how could somebody who`s surrounded by the people who ran this country for the last eight years be a fresh face?
And I also find it fascinating to see if Jerry Bruckheimer actually agrees with her on some of her more extreme positions like teaching creationism in public schools. This is a smart guy. Somehow I don`t think he believes that the earth began 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. There are plenty of extreme creeds (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ...
LALAMA: That`s not creationism, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... that She has espoused that people need to look at. And I think the idea that she`s just a fresh face or has a great hairdo or cute glasses is not enough.
LALAMA: The fact that this woman has been under the scourge of the left, particularly the two-headed monster, the so-called mainstream media and celebrities, is just astounding to me. I have never seen such petty jealousy, such hysteria -
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Pat, she`s got no (UNINTELLIGIBLE) on all these serious issues.
LALAMA: Oh, my god. Hold on, Jane. Hold on, Jane. My turn, Jane.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Go ahead, Pat. Go ahead.
LALAMA: Jane. OK, the fact of the matter is, when is a vice presidential candidate ever been able to kick up such a dust storm? The left thinks this election belongs to them and they were blindsided by the presence of Sarah Palin, which is why people walk into my office and go, "I hate her. I hate her. I hate her."
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Hold on a second, Pat. I`m going to ask you a yes-or-no question and we`re going to wrap it up. Do you think the supportive celebrities even matters to somebody like Sarah Palin? Five seconds.
LALAMA: I will say, hell no. I just said, hell no. So, hell no.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Celebrities are Americans, too, and they have the right to speak.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Yes. Pat, Jane, you`re Americans, too, and we love you for it.
LALAMA: I love you, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I love you, too, Baby.
HAMMER: Jane Velez-Mitchell, Pat Lalama, it`s big love-fest here.
ANDERSON: Moving from that battle to the won over the Sarah Palin look- alike. So much has been made over how "Saturday Night Live`s" Tina Fey had Palin down to a tee for eyeglasses, the updo.
Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has found another Palin look-alike, way up where the caribou and moose also roam in Maine. But this similar Sarah isn`t laughing.
TV news anchor Cindy Michaels has been criticized for trying to look like the Republican vice president nominee. The thing is, Cindy was doing Sarah before Sarah herself.
Here`s reporter Tony Consiglio from affiliate WVII in Bangor, Maine, for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TONY CONSIGLIO, REPORTER, WVII MAINE: It`s been less than a month since Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was announced as John McCain`s running mate and was thrust into the national spotlight. Since then, FOX Bangor news anchor Cindy Michaels has been seen in a different light.
CINDY MICHAELS, NEWS ANCHOR, FOX-BANGOR: Since the day that McCain announced that Sarah Palin was his running mate, I had friends and family tell me that I look like her. I don`t think I look like her. I think I look like me.
Reporter: she says more than a dozen people have made the comparison which she takes as a compliment. But recently she received several comments -
CONSIGLIO: She says more than a dozen people have made the comparison which she takes as a compliment. But recently, she received several comments not meant to flatter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: You`re so much more interesting and so much nicer than Sarah Palin. We hope you don`t keep that hairdo. You don`t want to be tarred with that same brush. You know, she`s not coming off really well, OK?
CONSIGLIO: Then, she received a voicemail that was even more harsh.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: What is this Kmart version of Sarah Palin? What did you do, lose your little cheap-o glasses?
MICHAELS: I`m not Sarah Palin. They know I`m not Sarah Palin. So to say cutting things to me just because I`m wearing my hair up and a pair of glasses, there`s just something a little strange about that.
CONSIGLIO: Michaels has worn her hair up and her glasses from time to time throughout her life. And now, it`s a look people identify with Palin.
MICHAELS: I think the reason why they may have called me up is because they thought I looked like Sarah Palin. Maybe they don`t believe in her. Maybe they don`t want her as vice president. So, if they wanted to say something to her, maybe they thought, "Well, by saying something to Cindy, it`s kind of like saying something to her," in their minds.
CONSIGLIO: Michaels says she`s never let this criticism of looking like one of the country`s most inspirational women, affect her appearance. She says to look like Palin is an honor.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Yes. One of this year`s hot Halloween costumes might be Sarah Palin. That was reporter Tony Consiglio from affiliate WVII in Bangor, Maine for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Hey, you know, Brooke. I`ve got to tell you, after what Cloris Leachman did with "Dancing With The Stars," she might want to hide behind a Halloween mask. You know what I`m saying?
ANDERSON: A.J., I watched. And she went off on the judges.
HAMMER: Yes. Did she ever go off. That`s actually putting it mildly. Cloris ripped into them. She was swearing. I`m talking about the 82-year- old Oscar winner cursing on live TV. You have got to see this. It`s next. We`ll also have more shocking live TV moments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERMUDEZ: Live television is so stressful and I think it gets to a lot of people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Paula Abdul`s "American Idol" flub, Ashlee Simpson`s "SNL" nightmare, even Jane Fonda`s full of dirty words. Tonight, I`ve got a SHOWBIZ special report, the most shocking live TV moments ever.
HAMMER: And a devastating blow for Sharon Stone. She loses a custody battle over her son but what happened here? I`ve got the very latest coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP OF "DANCING WITH THE STARS")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE JUDGE: Six,
CLORIS LEACHMAN, CONTESTANT: Oh, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE JUDGE: Five.
LEACHMAN: (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE Five.
LEACHMAN: (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hey, did you see - actually hear this? Anybody got a bar of soap? I`ve got to wash Cloris` mouth out with it. She goes off on the judges live right in middle of the season premiere of "Dancing With The Stars." I`m thinking maybe they need to change the name of the show to "Swearing With The Stars." Wouldn`t that be fun?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. I think it`s fair to say 82-year-old Oscar-winner Cloris Leachman wasn`t all that happy with the scores she got. I mean, her fox trot - you know, for my money, not all that bad. But she trotted out words that would leave even a sailor shocked.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP OF "DANCING WITH THE STARS")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE JUDGE: Six,
CLORIS LEACHMAN, CONTESTANT: Oh, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE JUDGE: Five.
LEACHMAN: (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE Five.
LEACHMAN: (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there anything that we`ll have to bleep out. Sixteen out of 30 - But of course, you still need to vote for her if you want -
LEACHMAN: Add up the numbers. It`s so stupid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, at the end of the day, it was all good as "Dancing`s" co- host Tom Bergeron pointed out that you can bet ABC`s censors were dancing up a sweat storm backstage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take it, Tom, take it.
TOM BERGERON, CO-HOST, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": And people wonder why I love live television.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I certainly hope they keep Cloris around for a few more weeks. I think she`s pretty funny. That was a lot of fun.
ANDERSON: I think she`s hilarious, a real spitfire. And, A.J., I feel Tom Bergeron`s pain. I know firsthand what it`s like to do live TV and have somebody swear, like when Colin Farrell slipped in the F-word when I was interviewing him live at the Sundance Film Festival. I was completely embarrassed and flustered.
But you know, there are plenty of others who have done shocking things on live TV. Even stars you totally wouldn`t expect like Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton. Tonight, it`s my SHOWBIZ special report, the most shocking live TV moments ever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Live television can be a shocking ride.
COLIN FARRELL, ACTOR: (EXPLETIVE DELETED). That`s Irish.
ANDERSON: Especially when the unexpected happens, when stars suddenly slip up right before our eyes.
PAULA ABDUL, JUDGE, "AMERICAN IDOL": The second song - I felt like your usual charm left you. It was missing for me. It kind of left me a little empty.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask, what is it about live TV that seems to get even the most polished stars into big trouble?
BERMUDEZ: Live television is so stressful and I think it gets to a lot of people.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there are more shocking live TV moments than we can count. And no one is immune to the danger of live TV. Legendary actress Diane Keaton proved that after dropping the F-bomb during a live interview with veteran TV journalist, Diane Sawyer.
DIANE KEATON, ACTRESS: I`d like to have lips like that. Then I wouldn`t have worked on my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) personality -
BERMUDEZ: She recoiled in horror after Diane Keaton said that. She almost flipped her chair.
ANDERSON: But Sawyer regained her composure and offered Keaton a word of caution from her own mother.
DIANE SAWYER, HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": My mother`s going to work on your personality with soap in your mouth. That`s what she`s going to do.
KEATON: Soap in your mouth. I know. Excuse me. I shouldn`t have said anything like that.
GABE LIEDMAN, COMEDIAN: She (UNINTELLIGIBLE) but she talks like a sailor.
JENNY SLATE, COMEDIAN: Yes.
JANELLE SNOWDEN, HOST, "VH1 NEWS": She`s human. She said the F-word. Everybody does it. Live with it. It was funny.
ANDERSON: A funny formula that repeated itself on NBC`s "Today" show with another acting legend. This time it was Jane Fonda who let her mouth get ahead of her. While promoting "The Vagina Monologues," Fonda suddenly slipped in a tawdry way.
JANE FONDA, ACTRESS: I live in Georgia. I was asked to do a monologue called the (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
ANDERSON: Say what?
FONDA: I was asked to do a monologue called the (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
BERMUDEZ: And Meredith Vieira is so stunned -
SNOWDEN: OK. Hello, Jane, it`s really early. People are still drinking coffee. This one is really great. Probably not the best time to use the C-word. No, I don`t think it`s a good a idea.
SLATE: I think that Jane Fonda`s exercise tapes might have been a lot more successful or at least more useful if she was like, "And stretch out our biceps and point your - see you next Tuesday to the stars.
ANDERSON: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s shocking live TV moments would not be complete without a flub or two from "American Idol`s" Paula Abdul.
ABDUL: The second song -
ANDERSON: It`s not unusual for Paula to come on unglued but even she topped herself this time after critiquing a contestant`s song even though he hadn`t performed it yet.
ABDUL: I felt like your usual charm left you. It was missing for me. It kind of left me a little empty.
BERMUDEZ: It`s typical Paula loopy behavior. You have to wonder what`s in that Coke glass.
SNOWDEN: OK. Hello, earth to Paula. Where were you?
LIEDMAN: She got really far into her little speech ...
SLATE: Oh, yes.
LIEDMAN: ... before anyone was like, "Wait, wait, wait. Paula - "
ANDERSON: And Ashlee Simpson is probably glad she didn`t have to face the "American Idol" judges after her botched performance on "Saturday Night Live."
SLATE: This was very embarrassing.
LIED: Yes. Milli Vanilli had the decency to like, split when they got busted for lip syncing. They were just like, the jig`s up, boom! But she was like, the jig is that bad?
SLATE: She`s like, the jig is literally up. Woopadoopboopboop.
ANDERSON: At least Ashlee knew she was on live TV. New York newswoman Sue Simmons got caught in TV`s worst trap ever. She didn`t realize her mike was on.
SUE SIMMONS, NEW YORK NEWSMAN: What the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) are you doing?
LIEDMAN: What was so funny was that there`s that like, boat on screen when it all went down.
SLATE: Yes.
LIEDMAN: And when I first saw it, I was like, is she like, mad at where the boat is parking in the river, or something?
BERMUDEZ: Sue Simmons is a well-respected broadcaster in New York City. She`s a staple. She`s going on about a story and there`s this random boat that comes up and instead of saying, "Hey, wrong footage, she says -
SIMMONS: What the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) are you doing?
ANDERSON: Colin Farrell thought he knew what he was doing until he accidentally let one slip while talking to me live on CNN.
FARRELL: (EXPLETIVE DELETED). That is Irish.
ANDERSON: Well, at least he said he was sorry.
FARRELL: (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
ANDERSON (on camera): Oh, my goodness!
(voice over): Ah, well. We forgive him. After all, as we`ve seen time and time again, even the most seasoned professionals can get caught off guard on live TV.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And for the record, Colin was a gentleman and apologized quite a few times after we were off the air.
HAMMER: I love that moment. I`m sorry.
Some absolutely shocking news for Sharon Stone. She loses the custody battle over her son. Now, coming up next, I`ve got the details on what happened.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIO CANTONE, ACTOR: He is awesome. Please, I will steal him away from Angelina Jolie and we will get married just to prove a point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. "Sex and the City" star Mario Cantone talking about Brad Pitt. Why does Mario want to steal away Brad from Angelina? What`s going on here? It`s coming up next.
ANDERSON: And be sure to check out the free SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or download it on iTunes. Simply type SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in the search box. We`re back after this. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
Now, the latest on shocking news for Sharon Stone. Tonight, I can tell you Sharon Stone has lost her fight for physical custody of her eight- year-old son Rowan to her ex-husband Phil Bronstein. According to court papers, Bronstein can provide, quote, "a more structured continuity, stable, secure and consistent home for the child."
Rowan is currently living with his dad near San Francisco. And the judge thinks it`s a better idea to keep things that way unless Stone moves to the bay area or Bronstein decides to move. Well, Sharon can still have access to her son. Bronstein and Stone married back in 1998. They adopted Rowan and divorced in 2004.
ANDERSON: Tonight, more stars are standing up for gay marriage and they are pulling out their checkbooks in a big way. I can tell you that Steven Spielberg and wife Kate Capshaw have donated $100,000 to fight a California ban on same-sex marriage. It`s a ballot initiative that people will vote on this November called Proposition 8. Proposition 8 would overturn California`s Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage.
Brad Pitt also gave $100,000 to the same fight last week. And that made "Sex and the City" star Mario Cantone so happy that Angelina Jolie might want to hold on to her man a little tighter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANTONE: Good for him. I love Brad Pitt. Let me tell you something. I MySpaced him one time. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) When he was quoted as saying, "I will get married when everyone else can." I was like, "Good for you. Thank you." He`s awesome. He`s awesome. Please, I will steal him away from Angelina Jolie and we will get married just to prove a point. And then, I`ll give him back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I don`t think Angelina would mind. It`s for a good cause.
All right. On Monday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Miley Cyrus: Is it time for her to leave `Hannah Montana?`" Pretty surprising - 74 percent of you say yes. Only 26 percent say no.
Here are some E-mails we received. Mia from Illinois thinks Miley`s time is up, "I think Miley needs to get out of the Disney thing. She can`t be a true teen. She is under a microscope and everything she does risks her chance of being on the Disney Channel anyway."
But Steve from California doesn`t want to see "Hannah Montana" go, "She should stay because many children love her."
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke, I think it`s fair to say if Miley Cyrus leaves that show, there are going to be a lot of young men and women who will be quite upset about it.
ANDERSON: Young kids, yes.
HAMMER: I don`t think it`s going happen for a while. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is over. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Don`t forget you can watch 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.
END
