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Showbiz Tonight
Sarah Palin`s "SNL" Debut; Greg Brady`s Side of the Story; Could Madonna Lose Her Adopted Son?
Aired October 20, 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, live from New York, it`s Sarah Palin. Tonight, the great debate over Sarah Palin`s "Saturday Night Live" debut. Was doing "SNL" a great idea or a really big mistake? Tonight, the remarkable response to Sarah on "SNL" that`s also got SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asking, is Sarah Palin the biggest celebrity in America?
Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive - Marcia Brady told us all about almost losing her virginity to her "Brady Bunch" brother, Greg. Well, tonight, Greg Brady is right here. What`s his side of the story? And what about Marcia`s drug and sex confessions? It`s Barry Williams in the exclusive interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Plus, breaking developments in Madonna`s divorce drama. Could she lose her adopted son because of her divorce?
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 tonight from Hollywood. And tonight, did Sarah Palin`s "Saturday Night Live" gamble pay off?
HAMMER: The answer so that question today became, "It depends on who you ask." After weeks of being mimicked and impersonated in devastating fashion by Tina Fey on "SNL," Sarah Palin showed up to try and prove there`s nothing like the real thing.
But did she make a huge mistake by letting the joke be on her, or did she handle it just the way she should have? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the great Palin debate making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMY POEHLER, COMEDIENNE: All the mavericks in the house, put your hands up. All the mavericks in the house, puts your hands up.
HAMMER (voice over): She raised the roof, criticized Tina Fey`s imitation of her.
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I didn`t think it was a realistic depiction of the way my press conferences would have gone.
HAMMER: And she got to utter seven of the best-known words on television.
PALIN: Live from New York, it`s Saturday night.
HAMMER: America is still buzzing over Sarah Palin`s long-awaited appearance on "Saturday Night Live," where the Republican vice presidential candidate stood by during a rant by Alec Baldwin who had trouble telling her apart from Tina Fey.
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: She goes against everything we stand for. I mean, good lord, Lorne. They call her - what`s that thing they call her? Kara - kara - what do they call her again, Tina?
PALIN: That would be Caribou Barbie.
BALDWIN: Caribou Barbie. Thank you, Tina.
HAMMER: Palin got off a zinger of her own.
BALDWIN: Forgive me, but I feel I must say this. You are way hotter in person.
PALIN: Oh, thank you. And I must say your brother Stephen is my favorite Baldwin brother.
HAMMER: Stephen being Alec Baldwin`s Republican-supporting brother.
PALIN: I`ve been thinking it over and I`m not going to do the piece that we rehearsed.
HAMMER: And though Palin let "SNL" star Amy Poehler handle the rapping duties, Palin was more than happy to enjoy the moment that had been a long time coming.
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I think the minute that Tina Fey did that impression -
TINA FEY, COMEDIENNE (AS SARAH PALIN): I can see Russia from my house.
SERAFIN: People said, when is Sarah Palin going to appear on "Saturday Night Live?"
HAMMER: An estimated 14 million people saw Palin`s "SNL," the third highest audience on TV last week. And millions more watched it online. And now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking the biggest question about Palin`s "SNL" debut - with polls showing the McCain-Palin ticket running behind Obama- Biden`s, was Palin`s "SNL" appearance a good move?
Palin definitely won over some fans in New York. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you this video of Palin returning to her hotel early Sunday morning after finishing her "Saturday Night Live" duties.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was it fun being on "Saturday Night Live?"
PALIN: It was so much fun and the cast members were amazing and talented and sharp and very well (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It was a blast.
HAMMER: The so-called media elites liked Sarah Palin`s "SNL" appearance as well. The "New York Times," not exactly a friend of the McCain-Palin campaign, called Palin, quote, "delightful" and praised her quote, "engaging, relaxed performance."
SERAFIN: Politically, there`s absolutely no downside to appearing on "Saturday Night Live."
HAMMER: "In Touch Weekly`s" Kim Serafin, a former political spokesperson, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that a "Saturday Night Live" appearance does have political value.
SERAFIN: You have to be likable. People want to vote for someone that they like. And if you can come across likable by going on a show that`s a comedy sketch show, where people have been making fun of you and then show that you can laugh at that and show that you can be funny as well and look great doing it, it`s a home run for Sarah Palin.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Live from New York, it`s Saturday night.
HAMMER: It`s a lesson Obama and McCain have learned. Both have appeared on "SNL."
MCCAIN: What should we be looking for in our next president? Certainly, someone who is very, very, very old.
HAMMER: Even though Palin killed, so to speak, in her "SNL" debut, no one isn`t expecting it to affect the outcome of the race. But then again, in a close election, you never know.
SERAFIN: If McCain-Palin does pull of a victory even thought they`re down in the polls now, I think perhaps you might be able to attribute some of that to Sarah`s appearance on "Saturday Night Live."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So how did Sarah Palin do? Was the joke on her or did she have the last laugh?
Joining me tonight from New York, Lisa Bloom who is the host of "Lisa Bloom: Open Court," raising the roof, and she`s an "In Session" anchor as well. And from Washington, Jack Burkman, who is a conservative political pundit.
Lisa, let me begin with you. Regardless of where else Sarah Palin should be appearing on television right now, how do you think she did on "Saturday Night Live?"
LISA BLOOM, HOST, "LISA BLOOM: OPEN COURT": My favorite line, "Oh, that`s not a realistic portrayal of my press conference." I mean, how would we know? She hasn`t given a press conference.
HAMMER: Well, it`s true.
BLOOM: I mean, surely, that has to reverberate back on her. And then she makes the joke - she had the audacity to make the joke, "I`m not going to take any questions." Why is this night any different than any other night? She doesn`t answer any questions from the press. She only does scripted performances. In that context, she does reasonably well.
HAMMER: OK. Jack?
JACK BURKMAN, CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL PUNDIT: Well, Lisa is saying, you know, she had compared her to other people who have done this - a person like Hillary Clinton. Sure, Hillary Clinton had more lines. But guess what? She didn`t do as well. It`s not the number of lines. It`s how you come off. Hillary Clinton came off stiff and stilted. I don`t think she came off nearly as well as Sarah Palin.
You know, the reality is, A.J., when you look at this - I mean, I don`t know what Tina Fey`s politics are, maybe she thinks she`s savaging Sarah Palin.
BLOOM: She`s a Democrat.
BURKMAN: Well, OK, she`s a Democrat.
HAMMER: She`s been very vocal about the fact that she`s not only a Sarah Palin fan -
(CROSS TALK)
BURKMAN: The reality is she`s putting probably about $30 million, $50 million, $70 million into the McCain campaign by giving this woman all this exposure, because that`s what it`s worth over a two-month period.
HAMMER: Well, I have to say, Sarah was, obviously, a good sport. Because as we saw in one particular scene, the one with Lorne Michaels staying there and Alec Baldwin walks up and shows Palin - tells Palin what he thinks of her. You`ve got to take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: You are way hotter in person.
PALIN: Why, thank you.
BALDWIN: I mean, seriously. I can`t believe they let her, you know, play you.
PALIN: Oh, thank you. And I must say your brother, Steven, is my favorite Baldwin brother.
BALDWIN: You are a delight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Lisa, despite the fact that Alec was so obviously reading from a cue card, do you think he proclaiming to Sarah that she is hotter in person does anything at all to help her as a vice presidential candidate?
BLOOM: No. I don`t think it helps her. We all agree she`s pretty. Her hair and makeup is good. She`s got a nice smile, and she`s comfortable in front of the camera. After all, she used to be a TV sportscaster back in the day. Now, it`s probably where she`s going to be on November 5th, 2008. But the question that we all have is what does she have going on in her brain? Why hasn`t she done any interview since Katie Couric?
BURKMAN: Well, not exactly, Lisa. You forget Americans love beautiful people. Take Jack Kennedy, take Bill Clinton, take Ronald Reagan.
BLOOM: Take Barack Obama.
BURKMAN: Take Barack Obama. Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed, and then some. Americans love to elect beautiful people. So I`m not so sure that people watching "Saturday Night Live" are going to be so concerned with evaluating her intelligence. Beautiful people, beautiful women sell, and I think she did.
BLOOM: I don`t think they sell for vice president. That`s why her numbers are so far lower than they were after she was first nominated. After she was first nominated, she got the bounce because she was pretty and she gave a good speech at the convention.
BURKMAN: I thought -
BLOOM: But then, when we hear what`s going on in her brain, or lack thereof, the poll numbers are way down.
BURKMAN: I could be mistaken but I remember Lisa Bloom about a decade ago who used to crave a woman on the ticket. So I think -
BLOOM: Not just any woman, my friend. Not just any woman.
HAMMER: Let me move it on. Let me move it on here. We`re not going to debate, you know, past wishes at this point. That`s for another show. At a later part on "Saturday Night Live," there`s another place I want to show you what happened where Sarah Palin is explaining jokingly that she`s not going to do the skit the way it was intended because she doesn`t think it would be a good idea. You know, that whole thing was a part of the gag. But Amy Poehler takes over and does a massive rap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POEHLER: When I say "Obama," you say "Ayers." Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ayers.
POEHLER: Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ayers.
POEHLER: I built me a bridge, it ain`t going nowhere.
CHORUS: Ooh.
POEHLER: McCain and Palin, they`re going to put a nail in the coffin of the media elite.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She likes red meat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You know, I only have 10 seconds for you, Jack. But I want to get your take. She`s sitting there while she`s basically being slammed. To me, it almost comes across like she`s condoning all the jokes being made at her expense. A good idea?
BURKMAN: Well, there`s some negative. I mean, we could go through the show and find five or six things that will reflect on her negatively and/or, A.J., reflect and reinforce some negative things about her. But you know, it`s slapstick, it`s silliness. There`s only so many ways you can do "Saturday Night Live." And already, the positive outweighs the negative.
HANNITY: I`ve got to end it there. Jack Burkman, Lisa Bloom, thank you both.
Now let me turn it over to you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Sarah Palin on `SNL`: Did she help her campaign?" I`d like you to vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, or E-mail us your opinion at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
All right, Brooke. Moving on, there are some brand-new developments in Madonna`s divorce we`ve got to get to.
ANDERSON: That`s right. Could Madonna actually lose her adopted son because of her divorce from Guy Ritchie? Little David Banda`s biological father is speaking out. That`s next.
And also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAUREEN MCCORMICK, ACTRESS: Our hormones were going crazy and we were in his bedroom having a really good time and his parents walked in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So that`s Maureen McCormick telling me how she almost lost her virginity to her Brady brother.
ANDERSON: Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Greg Brady himself, Barry Williams, is right here to tell me his side of the story. That`s coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And Kelly Ripa drops the "s" bomb on live TV. Why did Kelly curse? That`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And tonight, big new developments in Madonna`s divorce drama. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT bringing you what`s new right now.
Tonight, the wild reports that Madonna and Guy Ritchie have worked out their divorce and the money issue is a done deal. But what`s the real story?
Also new tonight, what will be the fate of the child Madonna and Ritchie adopted from Malawi? There are startling reports about what the father of little David Banda is now saying.
Helping us get to the bottom this in Miami, Judge Alex Ferrer of TV`s "Judge Alex." And with us in New York, it`s Jeanine Pirro of TV`s "Judge Jeanine Pirro."
Hi, you two. Thanks for being here. We appreciate it. And you know, depending on which British tabloid you read, Madonna and Guy Ritchie have agreed to a settlement that would give Ritchie anywhere from $35 million to $60 million, their 1,200-acre country estate in England and a London pub that they own.
Judge Jeanine, given that they just announced their divorce last week, does it seem plausible that they could have worked this out so fast?
JEANINE PIRRO, TV`S "JUDGE JEANINE PIRRO": I think you already know the answer to that and it`s absolutely not. You know, this summer, rumors were flying about Madonna`s relationship to A-Rod and he got an immediate divorce. And her brother talks about Kabbalah a lot.
There is no way with money as large as this that the parties made an arrangement, an agreement in six or seven days. The bottom line is they`ve apparently been working on this, although interestingly enough, Brooke Madonna`s spokeswoman has said that they had not really reached an agreement.
ANDERSON: Right.
PIRRO: But I think that as two level-headed people, you know, who I think are going to get to the bottom line and not fight it out in public.
ANDERSON: Well, to that end, Jeanine, Madonna`s spokesperson is saying about the reports that the divorce deal is done, quote - here`s what she`s saying, "I will not be commenting on the various reports regarding the divorce or the settlement which has not been finalized."
Key words here, "not finalized." Judge Alex, would you, too, be shocked if they put this to bed really, really fast?
JUDGE ALEX FERRER, "TV`S JUDGE ALEX": Actually, I wouldn`t be shocked. I`ll tell you this - every divorce doesn`t have to be dragged through the mud. I mean, it`s a little unusual for Hollywood standards. But look at Reese Witherspoon. Even though there were some interesting allegations there for the media, they were able to keep their divorce, for the most part, out of the public eye.
And I think that`s what they`re trying to do here. I think like Jeanine said, they`ve been working on it for a while. But the only thing that I think is going to hold this up is getting the judge`s approval. I think they`ve obviously indicated their interest in keeping this out of the public eye and that`s probably the way to go.
PIRRO: And you know -
ANDERSON: Well, from the outside - go ahead.
PIRRO: Yes. What`s interesting about them is that if you look at their marriage, they`re not like a lot of these celebrities that we`ve seen who are like, you know, bugs to the light. They have kind of maintained a relatively normal marriage. And my sense is that they`re not going to duke it out like Charlie Sheen or Christie Brinkley or you know, some of these other characters, but they will do it in a very fashionable and favorable way to the children.
ANDERSON: Hopefully so. Yes, they`ve really flown under the radar with their marriage thus far. And we`ve been getting tons of calls into our "Showbiz On Call" phone lines on how Madonna and Guy Ritchie should divvy up their $500 million fortune. Laura from New Jersey thinks Ritchie deserves half even though Madonna earned most of the money. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LAURA, CALLER FROM NEW JERSEY: I absolutely believe that Guy Ritchie should get half of Madonna`s money. If the roles were reversed, then she`d be getting half of his money. So, you know, one hand washes the other.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Judge Alex, do you agree with Laura that Guy Ritchie is entitled to half, even though most of that money is Madonna`s?
FERRER: No, that`s not the case. I mean, generally, a judge is going to look at what the parties brought to the marriage. If there are additions to it - for example, if I bring a house to the marriage and then we end up adding an addition to it and it increases the value, then of course, anything that happens during the marriage becomes part of the marital estate. You know, I think that she came in with hundreds of millions and he came in with considerably less, but he`s pretty well-off. He shouldn`t be entitled to half of it just because of that.
ANDERSON: It will be interesting to see how it plays out. And in another new development and adding to the drama, three-year-old David Banda whom Madonna and Guy Ritchie adopted from Malawi two years ago. In a brand-new interview, David`s biological father is quoted as saying, "I`m still a poor farmer with nothing to offer, but maybe he would be better off back with us. I see him in a big, bewildering crowd in the street with people pushing and shoving, and many cameras around, and without a mother and father to hold his hand. I`m feeling bad for him."
Judge Jeanine, any chance an adoption like this could be reversed?
PIRRO: Legally and practically, no. Legally, adoptions are permanent unless something outrageous happens that wasn`t, you know, known to the parties. The bottom line is you want consistency in the child`s life.
But if you remember, Brooke, this is a father who, right after the adoption came out and made a lot of noise about whether or not he really wanted to give his son up. At the end of the day, he`s got no legal leg to stand on.
And secondly, practically, there`s no way he`s going to litigate with Madonna. She keeps the child and she and Ritchie will have, I`m sure, equal custody, if not, you know, generous visitation.
ANDERSON: All right. Well, for the sake of their kid -
FERRER: And they need to be final.
ANDERSON: Very quickly.
FERRER: They need to be final.
ANDERSON: Yes, they do.
FERRER: Adoptions have to be final or people will stop adopting children. They`re not going to want to attach themselves to somebody and then have them snatched away.
ANDERSON: And back and forth, back and forth. You`re right. Too much. For the sake of the kids, hopefully they`ll iron it out with as little drama as possible. Judge Alex, Jeanine Pirro, thank you both. We appreciate your insights.
HAMMER: Well, we want you to call us at "Showbiz On Call" and let us know what you think about Madonna`s divorce or anything else that may be on your mind.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines, always open, 24/7. Call us - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1-888-728-2899. Leave a voicemail. We will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now online on our homepage, that`s CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
HAMMER: So Brooke, not really surprising, everybody`s still talking about Sarah Palin and her big appearance on until "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend.
ANDERSON: It`s true. Even Gov. Palin herself is talking about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PALIN: It was so much fun. I would do that again in a heartbeat. You have to have a sense of humor through all of this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So with all this extra attention, I`ve got to ask, is Sarah Palin now the biggest TV star in America? We are looking into that, coming up.
HAMMER: Also until you see this SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, a Brady bombshell. Now, Marcia Brady - Maureen McCormick - was right here telling me how she almost lost her virginity to her TV brother, Greg Brady.
ANDERSON: Now, Greg himself, Barry Williams, is right here in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive to tell me his side of the story. It`s a Brady bombshell coming up in the interview you will see right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And Faith Hill breaks out the bikini. She poses for her first- ever bikini shoot for a magazine cover. I`m going to tell you why she decided to make what is a very bold move, coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And make sure you check out the free, ever-changing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast. If you`re looking for it, look no further on our homepage CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can also download it on iTunes if that is your preferred method. Just do a search for "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson with some more stories that are making news right now. Ellen DeGeneres is spending a bunch of money urging voters in California not to ban gay marriage. Ellen has bought $100,000 of TV air time for an ad to run between now and the election, asking people to vote against a proposition that would define marriage as between a man and a woman only.
HAMMER: Faith Hill is making 41 look absolutely amazing. Look at her. For the first time ever, she`s posed for a magazine cover in a bikini. Faith tells "Shape" magazine that she started doing Pilates three times a week. And wearing a bikini on a magazine cover is her 41st birthday present to herself. Faith`s bikini shot is the cover of "Shape" magazine sale November 10.
ANDERSON: Mr. Blackwell, who made his famous annual list of the worst- dressed celebrities has died. Richard Blackwell was 86 years old. He died in Los Angeles of complications from an intestinal infection. Blackwell was a former actor and dress designer. He started his "worst dressed" list in the 1960s.
HAMMER: So Brooke, everybody is still talking about Sarah Palin showing up on "Saturday Night Live."
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. So many people watched "SNL" to see how Palin would do. And many more are looking at the clips online. So I`ve got to ask, is Sarah Palin now the biggest TV star in America? That is next.
And also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCORMICK: Our hormones were going crazy. And we were in his bedroom having a really good time and his parents walked in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So that was Maureen McCormick - Marcia Brady - telling me how she almost lost her virginity to her Brady brother.
ANDERSON: And tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Greg Brady himself - Barry Williams - is right here to tell me his side of the story. That is coming up in the interview you will see only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And Kelly Ripa drops the "s" bomb on live television. Why in the world did Kelly curse? I have that freeze, still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
You can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by being a subscriber to the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. If you`d like to subscribe and I think you should, just go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, and click on the "sign up for newsletter" link, and we`ll send it to you every day. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, is Sarah Palin the biggest celebrity out there? Palin gambles big-time by going on "Saturday Night Live" and gets record ratings. So tonight, is the Republican VP pick not only a super star, but the biggest TV star in America? It`s a fired-up Palin debate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCORMICK: Our hormones were going crazy, and we were in his bedroom having a really good time and his parents walked in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Brady Bunch" bombshell exclusive. Maureen "Marcia Brady" McCormick told us about almost losing her virginity to her Brady brother, Barry "Greg Brady" Williams. Tonight, Barry, right here, with his secrets about hooking up with Maureen.
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, Sarah the star? Did Sarah Palin`s appearance on "Saturday Night Live" cement the fact that she is now the biggest TV star in America? She pulled in outrageous ratings.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal that a whopping 14 million people tuned into "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend to watch Sarah Palin. It was "SNL`s" highest rated show in 14 years. That`s amazing. It was also the third highest-rated show on TV for the entire week.
Also amazing and it only landed in the ratings behind the blockbuster hit, "CSI," and "Dancing With The Stars." Well, tonight, it`s the great Sarah Palin debate - is she the biggest TV star in America?
Joining me tonight in New York is Lisa Bloom who is the host of "Lisa Bloom: Open Court" and an "In Session" anchor. And in our nation`s capital, Jack Burkman, who`s a conservative political pundit.
And Lisa, I`m going to begin with you. When you hear those numbers - I mean, astounding numbers - is there any doubt that Sarah Palin is the biggest celebrity in America right now?
BLOOM: Yes, there is a reasonable doubt and I`ll tell you why. People were tuning in because they were hoping to see some kind of a misstep. And what we were really hoping for is to see Tina Fey and Sarah Palin together to see if they`re two different people.
So we discovered that they are two different people, that Sarah Palin can laugh at herself. Good for her. But other than that, this is just a flash in a pan. A month from now, she`s not going to be a big star anymore, A.J.
HAMMER: Yes. But Lisa, she did have people staying with the show. I mean, they did tune in in those record numbers. You really think just to see her gaffe?
BLOOM: Well, they want to see what`s going to happen. What kind of jokes are they going to make about her? How outrageous are they going to be in her presence? We had the moose guy. We`ve got people dressed up like caribou. It was all very funny. But if she came back, I don`t think they`d get those kind of ratings the second time. She`s not a genuine star. She`s no Angelina Jolie.
HAMMER: Well, there are a lot of people saying today she did a pretty good job on "SNL." But I tell you what, they didn`t let up for a minute, as you said, with the Palin jokes right in front of her.
I want to show one particular skit where Palin jokingly decides she`s not going to do a rap that she had rehearsed. Haha. But Amy Poehler takes over very well, I might add with that rap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POEHLER: All the mavericks in the house, put your hands up. All the mavericks in the house, put your hands up. All the plumbers in the house, pull your pants up. All the plumbers in the house pull your pants up.
When I say "Obama," you say "Ayers." Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ayers.
POEHLER: Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ayers.
POEHLER: I built me a bridge, it ain`t going nowhere.
CHORUS: Ooh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, that cemented Amy Poehler for me as a very big star. But Palin was taking a lot of punches through all of that, and she kept on smiling. I mean, Jack Burkman, they were relentless. So has this propelled Sarah, would you say, to new heights of fame and for that matter, the right kind of fame?
BURKMAN: Oh, sure. I mean, I think Lisa`s spinning it even better than Barack Obama could. I don`t think when 17 million or 14 million or whatever it is tune in, they tune in for one reason. They`re interested in and like this person. They aren`t that many people would tune in just to hope for some kind of a mistake.
I mean, it was something like this (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You have positive and negative. But the positives far outweigh the negatives. Yes, I mean, she`s seen as a little bit of a lightweight appearing in these skits. And that sort of thing has the negative effect of reinforcing her as a lightweight.
But it has the overwhelmingly positive effect of presenting her to the whole nation. Keep in mind, A.J., that it`s really your medium. It`s entertainment. It`s Hollywood. Most Americans these days only get their political news from entertainment programming because only a tiny group ever watches the cable news channels.
HAMMER: I laugh every time I hear that. But you know, we all know ...
BLOOM: But it`s true.
HAMMER: ... that it is a bit of the sad truth. But, all right. Lisa, you know, to Jack`s point and also to the fact that I mean - look at those record numbers again. I know we talked about this at the beginning of the segment. But you know, in 14 years, they haven`t had numbers this high. Wouldn`t you say that that kind of proves her star power? I mean, she basically is the one who has reinvigorated "Saturday Night Live" like no other celebrity could, no?
BLOOM: Well, Tina Fey`s done a pretty good job, too. And I think she gets some of the credit. You know what show would really get good ratings if Sarah Palin appeared on it? "Meet The Press." She`s the only one of the four candidates on both sides that has not appeared on "Meet The Press." Let`s see her answer some real questions in the form that`s unscripted. All of America will tune into that. But I don`t think that`s going to happen.
BURKMAN: I do believe this -
HAMMER: I don`t think Jack`s going to argue with that.
BURKMAN: Sure, put her on "Meet The Press."
BLOOM: Sure.
BURKMAN: I mean, she`s busy campaigning. I mean, look, the reality is -
BLOOM: Joe Biden`s been on 42 times.
BURKMAN: This is America`s most beautiful national politician in history. It`s the only beautiful national politician the United States has ever had. What do you want to do if you`re the Republican Party? You want to put her all over television. It`s not hard to make her the biggest political star in the country. And I think you`re right - she`s going beyond that. If she loses - I hope she wins - but if she loses, I think she could be headed for some kind of daytime talk show.
HAMMER: More beautiful than Richard Nixon? Are you kidding me?
BURKMAN: Even prettier than Tricky Dick (ph), yes.
BLOOM: Yes. The problem is this is not a beauty contest. The problem is that we`ve got real issues that need to be dealt with by somebody who`s got more than a pretty smile, who actually has a brain and who can answer questions in an unscripted setting.
BURKMAN: Well, you say that , Lisa. You say that and I wish it were true. But keep in mind, you have 17 million people watching "Saturday Night Live" and 400,000 people somewhere who are watching Dayside Political Cable. So be careful with that argument. It`s a broad - it`s a tough argument.
BLOOM: Yes. But those 17 million aren`t all Palin supporters. You can assume now a lot of people watch "Saturday Night Live" because it`s just plain funny.
HAMMER: Jack, whenever I hear people say that, I don`t think that they`re giving people enough credit, you know, when you`re saying, "Well, this is how people entirely get their entire political news, you know, watching entertainment programs.
I mean, I heard the great Howard Stern say on the radio this morning, you know, Sarah Palin now being on "SNL" is looking more like a beauty pageant contestant and I`m hearing that from a lot of people.
BURKMAN: Well, she has to - you have to go with the flow in a format like that. Keep in mind that is a format for a performer`s performer. It`s an extremely tough format for someone who is not a professional actor.
BLOOM: OK, wait a second.
BURKMAN: This woman is not a professional actor.
BLOOM: Wait a second.
BURKMAN: She not a professional comedian and yet she can step out there -
BLOOM: She had about six lines that were all very short and it`s tightly negotiated between her people and "SNL." In the second sketch, all she did was sit there and smile. And that`s really all that she did. That`s not exactly a tough performance.
BURKMAN: Well, I thought overall, she handled herself as well, if not better than any politician in the last couple of decades who has been on that show.
BLOOM: Hey, how about Hillary Clinton? Remember, she was on with Amy Poehler standing right next to her, making fun of her. I mean, tete a tete, the two were there together.
HAMMER: Hold on a second, guys. I want to get to at least one of our phone calls because the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been going crazy ever since the Palin business started. Now, I want to play this one particular call. Sandy in Arizona - listen to what she had to say.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SANDY, CALLER FROM ARIZONA: I think it shows a great deal of confidence. I think it shows she`s not afraid to confront the jokes.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So to Jack`s point, I mean, it does show that she has a sense of humor. What do you think, Lisa? Should she get some credit perhaps - Sarah Palin - for smiling while being the butt of these jokes?
BLOOM: Absolutely. As I said at the beginning, she`s got a sense of humor. She can laugh at herself. These are good qualities, which is why I think instead of being vice president, she should be Miss Congeniality.
HAMMER: Well, not everybody agrees with that last call. I want to go back to the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines. This is what I want to play for you. This particular caller - and Jack, I want to have you address this - doesn`t buy Palin`s "SNL" appearance one bit. Can we roll that, Charles?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ANONYMOUS CALLER: Unless she can go on "The View," unless she can do interviews with "Meet The Press," unless she can, you know, talk for herself in front of a news conference, you know, "SNL" is just another joke.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jack, this caller is basically saying, you know, perhaps Sarah Palin not looking enough like the vice presidential heavyweight that people need to see at this point, particularly so close to the election.
BURKMAN: Well, again, there`s plus and minus. You reinforce a little bit of that. You reinforce the fact that she is not a heavyweight. She doesn`t have 40 years in Washington like Joe Biden - you run that risk.
But if you`re her strategist, you have to take the overwhelming positive of getting that exposure. She`s beautiful and people like her, so all of that is reinforced. For instance, if I was strategist for George W., and he were running again this time, I wouldn`t think of putting him on "Saturday Night Live" because people don`t like him now the way they did eight years ago.
HAMMER: That`s a good point. I`ve got to cut and end it there, Jack. But I appreciate you both being here tonight - Lisa Bloom, Jack Burman. I thank you both.
And we have been asking you to sound off on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day which is - "Sarah Palin on `Saturday Night Live`: Did she help her campaign?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Well, what did you think about Sarah Palin`s "SNL" visit? Call us at "Showbiz On Call" and let us know what you think about this or anything else that`s on your mind.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. We have the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines standing by 24 hours a day. So call us - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Please leave us a voicemail so we can play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now featured on our homepage, which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: A.J., I bet you were shocked to hear what went on behind the scenes at "The Brady Bunch."
HAMMER: I think everybody is shocked about this, Brooke. When I sat down with Marcia Brady - Maureen McCormick, of course - I couldn`t believe her story about almost losing her virginity to her TV brother, Barry "Greg Brady" Williams.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCORMICK: Our hormones were going crazy and we were in his bedroom having a really good time and his parents walked in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, we`ve got a Brady bombshell exclusive. Barry Williams is right here with his story about hooking up with Maureen. That`s next.
HAMMER: Uh-oh, I`m thinking Regis might want to watch Kelly Ripa`s mouth out with soap. She dropped the "S" bomb live on the air. Is she going to be in big trouble over this, or will everybody "pooh, pooh" the matter. You`ve got to see this, coming up next.
ANDERSON: And Mariah Carey opens up about the big age different between her and husband Nick Cannon. Did she almost not marry him because of it? We`ve got that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCORMICK: Our hormones were going crazy. And we were in his bedroom having a really good time and his parents walked in, thank god. And we didn`t do the deed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was Maureen McCormick who played Marcia Brady on "The Brady Bunch" revealing to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT how things got hot and heavy off camera and how she almost lost her virginity to this guy, her TV brother, co-star, Barry "Greg Brady" Williams. Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Barry is right here with his side of the story.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, it`s the Brady bombshell heard round the world. Sex, drugs, eating disorders and "The Brady Bunch." Maureen McCormick has just released a tell-all book admitting to a cocaine addiction, trading sex for drugs, bulimia and how she nearly lost her virginity to Barry Williams who played her brother, Greg Brady.
So I want to know what Barry has to say about all this. Barry joins me tonight in Hollywood. Barry, good to see you.
BARRY WILLIAMS, ACTOR: Nice to see you, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Now, Maureen really spilled the beans and she says that you and she almost went all the way one night. Gosh, I sound kind of old and traditional saying it that way, but she says she thought, "Oh, my god, this is my brother." Tell us what you remember about that night.
WILLIAMS: Well, what I remember is how hot and bothered I was. I`m very grateful for the way she wrote this. I think she describes it quite accurately. It was nice. There was a lot of chemistry between us from the time we first met, probably not a surprised because being sequestered on a studio, we were really the only people we knew. We didn`t have big outside lives. We spent more time together as Bradys through parts of the year than we did our own families. And needless to say, she was quite - and still is, she`s still got it. She`s very attractive -
ANDERSON: And you know, you`re both attractive, around the same age, could probably relate and you actually have a blog about all things Brady -
WILLIAMS: I do.
ANDERSON: The "GregBradyProject.com," and on it you write that that passionate moment with Maureen, quote, "wasn`t quite far enough for my young passion."
Do you ever regret that you and Maureen didn`t get together for the long haul?
WILLIAMS: No, I don`t. I think it was perfect. I think it was perfect. I think it would have kind of made it messy. And we were dating a couple of years before the show went off the air. And I think the overlay of adding that element would have been kind of confusing and difficult to manage the scenes and that stuff.
One friend of mine said, "Instead of going after Maureen - she`s a beautiful girl so she`s going to have beautiful friends, tap that."
ANDERSON: And did you?
WILLIAMS: Not too much. I did OK on my own.
ANDERSON: Didn`t work that resource. Well, you know, of course, Maureen`s revelation about the two of you is really just the beginning. She also talked about a cocaine addiction, among other things. She said that writing this book was cathartic for her. Listen to this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCORMICK: I don`t have to hide anything that I`ve been through. I don`t have to hide that I did cocaine anymore. I don`t have to hide that I had bulimia. I don`t have to hide that I dealt with - or have dealt with depression for a lot of my adult years. So it feels really good just to get out and to say it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Barry, you`ve remained friends with Maureen over the years. Did you have any idea this stuff was going on, that she was facing so many difficult challenges?
WILLIAMS: Much of the deep, dark secrets that she discusses in the book happened subsequent to "The Brady Bunch" filming. But we were getting together often for variety shows and reunions, and the Brady brides, and the Brady girls get married, and "A Very Brady Christmas." So there was a lot of that.
So, yes, I saw pieces of it and kind of indicators. And I could see the depression and I heard about the bulimia. But nonetheless, there are things that have come out in the past couple of weeks that I had no idea about.
ANDERSON: Did she rely on you and her other co-stars for support along the way?
WILLIAMS: No, this was a pretty inward journey for her. And I think it caused her to withdraw a lot. And it`s hard to reach someone when they`re in that kind of a state. So yes, I was aware. I didn`t feel I could be that helpful. I certainly have always been supportive.
And I`m glad she`s written it this way because she really, really has not held anything back. And if you`re going to clean it up and get it out there, don`t leave any skeletons in the closet and if she has any skeletons after this, I would really be amazed.
ANDERSON: Right. Well, you know, you write on your Web site, speaking about it on your Web site, "TheGregBrady.com," quote, "It is clear to me no matter how well you think you know someone, you can`t. Well, you know, you can`t judge a book by its cover. I mean, there are some shockers in there."
Barry, out of all those surprises, what really stunned you the most?
WILLIAMS: I think it was probably trading sex for drugs. That was like, whoa! I mean, where does that come from? But I think that`s also part of the culture. And I think there`s a kind of a desperation there that was, at that time, you know, pretty much accepted or not abnormal to be doing.
But to me, it means that she was getting desperate, very desperate. And thank goodness for her husband who I call "The Prince." And I think her daughter deserves credit, too. Because her daughter, Natalie, who`s now 19, was one of the people who encouraged her to get this all of her chest, because I can`t imagine what it would be like living a life behind all these secrets and having this image and having people relate to you as one way and you`ve got all this baggage.
ANDERSON: Very therapeutic for her. And I want to ask you this. Just as this book came out, you were actually spending some time with your fellow "Brady Bunch" co-stars for a game show taping. What did they think? What were they saying about all of it?
WILLIAMS: That was the day - what happened was Eve Plumber and Michael Lookinland , Susan Olsen and I got together to support Christopher Knight, who is hosting "Trivial Pursuit: America Plays." That was a day before the book came out. And there has been - there was no information about it to that point. So we didn`t really know what -
ANDERSON: Just speculation -
WILLIAMS: Just speculation. We didn`t know how far she was going to go. We knew it was potentially pretty explosive. But we didn`t know -
ANDERSON: Were you worried that you guys would be included or no?
WILLIAMS: No.
ANDERSON: Just wanted her to be able to help herself?
WILLIAMS: Yes, exactly. I wasn`t worried about anything that she would say about me, although she could have written it very differently. She kind of made me look pretty bad.
ANDERSON: Right. Right. Well, you know, good for her that she`s in a much better place now. Barry Williams, always great to see you.
WILLIAMS: Thank you, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Thanks for coming by.
WILLIAMS: Nice to be here.
ANDERSON: I appreciate it.
HAMMER: All right. Did you see this? Kelly Ripa dropped the "S" bomb on today`s "Live with Regis and Kelly." Now, Reg and Kelly were talking about the Philadelphia Phillies getting into the World Series when the you-know- what hit the fan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLY RIPA, CO-HOST, "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": I`m thinking back to 1980, right? When the Phillies won the World Series that year. I was talking about this the other day. We had a substitute teacher, and there was a rumor that swirled through Burlington Community School that this guy was Mike (EXPLETIVE DELETED) - excuse me. Pardon me.
REGIS PHILBIN, CO-HOST, "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": Get Anderson Cooper on the phone. I can`t take it anymore.
RIPA: Sorry. Mike Schmidt`s twin brother - never mind. The story seems moot now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, poor Kelly. I don`t think Anderson Cooper is going to need to take over for Kelly any time soon. The "S" word slip-up, obviously an accident. I don`t think she`ll be in deep doo-doo over this. Mike Schmidt, by the way, is a Hall of Fame third baseman, considered to be one of the best ever.
ANDERSON: A.J., Mike Schmidt may have been big on the baseball diamond, but you have got to see the jaw-dropping diamond on Mariah Carey`s finger. It`s the biggest engagement ring that I`ve ever seen and you will see it next.
Also, Mariah is opening up about her marriage to Nick Cannon. Did she almost not marry him because of their double-digit age difference? We`ve have that, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you very much, Charles Redmond(ph). Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight Maria Carey is speaking out about her marriage to Nick Cannon and about the big age difference. She`s been very candid about this.
Mariah is opening up to "Good Morning America`s" Diane Sawyer. You`ve got to see this engagement ring that she`s wearing. Take a close look. I am talking crazy, mad, ridiculous bling here.
But Mimi also got pretty personal about the double-digit age difference between her and Nick. You know, Mariah is pushing 40; Nick`s about 12 years younger. So did she ever have second thoughts about marrying a much younger man?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIAH CAREY, SINGER: You know what? I did, but he doesn`t act like it. He`s really very intelligent. He`s very business-minded person, but he`s also - like I said, he`s a lot of fun. So you don`t think about those things, and you know, it is what it is.
I`ve he been with - you could be with someone older, and that could be a disaster or maybe you have to throw that side of it away and don`t think about it. Think about who`s right for you.
DIANE SAWYER, HOST, "GOOD MORNING, AMERICA": Sometimes you just know.
All right. The tackiest possible thing - I have to look at this ring.
CAREY: This is my - this isn`t my actual ring. This is my place holder to get my other one back.
SAWYER: This is your place holder?
CAREY: This is my wedding band.
SAWYER: That is beautiful, too. You have to get the other one back? What happened to it?
CAREY: Just some tweaks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I don`t know if it`s just me. I don`t think "tweak" is a word you can use when you`re talking about a rock like that. AND Nick and Mariah, of course, surprised everybody when they got married this past May.
ANDERSON: On Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of day. It was this - "Sarah Palin: Is Doing "Saturday Night Live" the right thing?" Pretty much split right down the middle. Forty-nine percent of you say yes, 51 percent say no.
Some e-mails. Sterling from California says, "I think she is making a final fling of an effort to gain support that will only end up hurting McCain."
But Harry from New York thinks her appearance "just might swing a few undecided votes in her direction."
We appreciate your E-mails.
HAMMER: And we appreciate your watching. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
END
