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Showbiz Tonight
The SNL-Palin Fallout; The Madonna Divorce Summit; Lance Bass as a Dancer; Nick Hogan, A Free Man; Britney`s Big Comeback
Aired October 21, 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, the shocking "SNL"-Sarah Palin fallout. Tonight, a brand-new, coast-to-coast battle of the stars over Palin`s explosive "Saturday Night Live" appearance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It was so much fun. I would do that again in a heartbeat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, which star who has been one of Palin`s biggest critics is now defending her? Did Palin`s "SNL" visit help or hurt the McCain-Palin ticket?
A SHOWBIZ special event, the "Madonna Divorce Summit." Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings together the best celebrity legal minds out there to settle the Madonna-Guy Ritchie split. Who should get what, the kids, the money? It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event that you just can`t miss, the "Madonna Divorce Summit."
Nick Hogan out of jail. After serving time for nearly killing his friend in a horrific car accident, Hulk Hogan`s son is a free man. Will the Hogans ever recover? SHOWBIZ investigates.
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. And tonight, a SHOWBIZ special event, "Madonna`s Divorce Summit."
Madonna and Guy Ritchie may be splitting up, but they still have one huge hurdle to overcome - divorce court. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has assembled the smartest, most experienced Hollywood legal minds to tackle what could be the biggest celebrity divorce of the year. Who will get the kids? How will they split a reported half a billion dollar fortune?
HAMMER: But first, tonight, the "SNL"-Palin fallout. Who knew that Sarah Palin`s appearance on "Saturday Night Live" would touch off such a firestorm? Now, we have one celebrity camp calling Palin`s headline-making appearance a huge mistake.
But there`s a twist. Outspoken liberal celebrity Alec Baldwin is actually coming to Palin`s defense. The "SNL"-Palin war of words is making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PALIN: Live from New York, it`s Saturday night!
HAMMER (voice over): Sarah Palin`s appearance on "Saturday Night Live" is earning her praise from a "Saturday Night Live" vet who says she was great. But an original "SNL" cast member isn`t exactly falling for her.
CHEVY CHASE, COMEDIAN: Uh-oh, no problem, no problem.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Sarah Palin`s guest spot on "SNL" has everyone talking, including SNL alumnus Chevy Chase and frequent "SNL" host, Alec Baldwin.
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: You know, I`ve hosted the show how many times, Lorne?
LORNE MICHAELS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": 175 times.
HAMMER: In Palin`s "SNL" sketch, Alec Baldwin, one of the most outspoken liberals in Hollywood, had an awkward encounter with the Alaska governor whom he kept mistaking for his "30 Rock" co-star, Tina Fey.
BALDWIN: You can`t let Tina go out there with that woman. She goes against everything we stand for. I mean, good lord, Lorne. They call her - what`s that name they call her? Kara - kara - what do they call her again, Tina?
PALIN: Oh, that would be Caribou Barbie?
BALDWIN: Caribou Barbie.
HAMMER: Now in "The Huffington Post," Baldwin is going after the Palin haters. He writes, quote, "Several people decried `SNL` for giving her a spot on the show. You`re kidding, right? The woman is the vice presidential nominee of one of the two major parties in this country. Don`t put her on `SNL?` With all of her exposure and the Tina Fey performance? What reality are you in?"
AMY ARGETSINGER, "WASHINGTON POST": He`s obviously hearing from people who are feeling very strongly about the election and who are expressing to him that they shouldn`t have had her on. It makes sense that he would want to stand up and say, "Look, get a grip here. It`s a comedy show."
HAMMER: Baldwin also had kind words for Palin, writing, quote, "Palin came on to be a good sport. And she was. She was polite, gracious. More so than some of the famous actors who have come through there, believe me."
HAMMER: While Baldwin is giving thumbs up to Palin`s "SNL" appearance, Chevy Chase isn`t as impressed. He tells "AccessHollywood, quote, "Quite frankly, it`s a big mistake to let her go on. Apparently, she cannot improvise herself out of a paper bag."
Ouch!
ARGETSINGER: I don`t think any candidate that has gone on "Saturday Night Live" has gone on there and improvised.
HAMMER: Amy Argetsinger from "The Washington Post" thinks busting Palin for her improv skills might be harsh, considering her "SNL" appearance was no less scripted than John McCain`s or Barack Obama`s.
ARGETSINGER: Everyone who`s done it has done it with the help and support of some pretty good writers. It`s not a situation where anyone`s going to get out there and risk their neck.
HAMMER: Chase also goes on to bash the McCain-Palin campaign, telling "Access Hollywood," quote, "The management behind McCain`s campaign has been dumb. This has only helped accentuate the problem of his judgment in choosing, in such a cynical way, a candidate like Sarah Palin for vice president. I think the last thing that they would want right about now is to have the rest of America knowing all that, to have her be seen on "SNL." If anything, you just want her to be seen just from a distance."
Double ouch. Chase may not be happy about Palin`s "SNL" appearance, but lots of others were. An estimated 14 million viewers saw her on "Saturday Night Live."
BALDWIN: You want her, our Tina, to go out there and stand there with that horrible woman? What do you have to say for yourself?
MICHAELS: Alec, this is Gov. Palin.
PALIN: Hi, there.
HAMMER: And now, that the laughs have faded, the war of words over Palin seems to be stealing the spotlight.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So is the war of words over Palin just noise or do Baldwin and Chase each have a point?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood Carlos Diaz who`s a correspondent for "Extra." Also in Hollywood is Laura Saltman, correspondent for "AccessHollywood.com."
All right. Guys, as we just heard, Chevy Chase said it was a great, big mistake for Sarah Palin to go on "SNL." Carlos, does Chevy have a point?
CARLOS DIAZ, "EXTRA" CORRESPONDENT: I can`t believe I`m saying this, but yes, Chevy Chase has a point here. It`s ironic that 40 years ago - 40 years ago - Richard Nixon went on "Laugh In" and said, "Sock it to me." He needed that because Richard Nixon was kind of a stick in the mud. He was kind of a dry guy that people wanted to know more about and he needed to loosen up.
Sarah Palin - she doesn`t need to loosen up anymore. We need to know how serious she can be, not how funny she can be.
HAMMER: Yes. A lot of people are saying, "You know, hold off on `SNL` until you do `Meet the Press` or `Face the Nation` or shows like that."
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: And then, shockingly, to a lot of people, on the other side of the story, you have Alec Baldwin who, of course, appeared on "SNL" over the weekend with Palin. He is outraged that "Saturday Night Live" and Sarah Palin are getting criticized so much for her appearance.
And he wrote a very passionate article for "The Huffington Post." He gave Palin a lot of credit for doing the show, even called Palin classy. Laura, Baldwin has openly criticized Palin in the past. So does it surprise you that such an outspoken liberal has come to defend Palin?
LAURA SALTMAN, CORRESPONDENT, "ACCESSHOLLYWOOD.COM": No, actually, not at all. It didn`t surprise because Alec Baldwin is, as we know, one of the most outspoken people. And he once famously said he would leave the country if George W. Bush was elected. Alec is still here, so I guess he`s not a man of his word.
But I just feel like - he wasn`t bashing her in his article for her politics. He was saying she did a good thing by going on "Saturday Night Live." I don`t think that`s wrong. I don`t think somebody who is a liberal person should be upset that she went on "Saturday Night Live." I disagree with Carlos and you, A.J. I think going on there was a great idea for her.
HAMMER: Even prior to doing the, shall we say, important shows like a "Meet the Press?"
SALTMAN: Oh, I mean, I definitely think she should have done that. But then, again, when we saw her with Katie Couric - you know, I don`t think "Meet the Press" is her place right now.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Well, that`s exactly the point though, Laura.
DIAZ: Wait, what are you talking about? How can you say that - wait, how can you say this is a woman a heartbeat away from running this country and "Meet the Press" isn`t her place? I`m sorry. That is one of the dumbest things that`s ever been said on this show. I can`t believe you could say that.
SALTMAN: I`m not saying that. What I`m saying is that she need to go on "Saturday Night Live" because it`s out there in the world. And all anybody`s talking about is this Tina Fey impression. And I feel like if she didn`t go on, it would have been a wrong decision for her. She needed to address it.
But I will say that what she did, I`m not in 100 percent in agreement. I don`t like how she sat there with the Amy Poehler rap and what was said in the rap. But I do think that she needed to do the show. And of course, she needs to do "Meet the Press." I`m saying that it might not be the smartest idea for her based on her past interviews, but of course, she needs to do that show.
HAMMER: OK. All right. Let`s move on, because the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers have been weighing in nonstop on this one. And we asked in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Sarah Palin on `Saturday Night Live`: Did she help her campaign?"
Look at this, 31 percent said yes; 69 percent said no. Also the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Showbiz On Call" phone lines buzzing, overloaded on this very subject. I want you to listen to what Tee from South Carolina had to say about Palin`s appearance on "SNL." Roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TEE, CALLER FROM SOUTH CAROLINA: I don`t think Sarah Palin`s appearance on "SNL" will win over any undecided votes because Americans are smarter than the McCain-Palin ticket believe us to be. Plus, anybody can tell this - she went on there just to show her face, to show herself, because her lines that she spoke - it was only a couple of lines, which were not funny. So I don`t think it`s going to help that campaign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So at least the majority of what we`re hearing here is that Palin didn`t do a darn thing for her campaign by appearing on "Saturday Night Live."
Carlos, realistically, though, did she have any choice but to do the show?
DIAZ: She had a choice not to do the show. I mean, it`s a free country. She could not do it. She didn`t have to go on. You know, she`s probably the one person that should. But let me ask you this question, where`s Barack Obama? I mean, if this show is such a great conduit to get to the people, wouldn`t Barack Obama be on? No, because Barack Obama doesn`t need this show -
HAMMER: Well, Barack Obama`s already appeared on the show.
SALTMAN: There are rumors that he is going to be on this weekend. There are rumors that Barack Obama is coming this weekend.
HAMMER: But we`ll have to wait and see - Let me just ask you, Carlos, to wrap it up. You know, it`s kind of a damned if she does, damned if she doesn`t kind of a thing as far as a lot of people are seeing this.
DIAZ: I think she`d be less damned if she didn`t, that`s what I`m trying to say.
HAMMER: Laura, would you agree with that? Ten seconds -
SALTMAN: I think she had to address that. And by the way, I`m not a supporter of hers, but I do think she had to address what everybody is talking about. So I do think it was a smart idea.
HAMMER: Laura Saltman, Carlos Diaz, I do thank you both for being here tonight.
And we still want to hear from you so please keep on voting, if you haven`t already. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. We need you to sound of on this - "Sarah Palin on `Saturday Night Live`: Did she help her campaign?" You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can always E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., so far we haven`t heard a lot of details about Madonna`s divorce from Guy Ritchie.
HAMMER: Yes. Things right are, Brooke, right now pretty hush-hush about this whole thing. But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to blow the lid off of what could happen. And to do that, we have assembled the best celebrity legal minds in the business right here. It is a very special event - the "Madonna Divorce Summit."
Who`s going to get the kids? Who`s going to get the money? That is coming up.
ANDERSON: Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick Bollea, out of jail after serving time for the car crash that nearly killed his best friend. He is a free man. Will Nick now do a reality show based on his time behind bars? That`s straight ahead.
And also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANCE BASS, SINGER: A lot of the record labels didn`t want me in `N Sync just because of my dancing skills.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A boy band member? A bad dancer? No. Really? Coming up, former `N Sync star Lance Bass opens up about "Dancing With The Stars" and body image pressure as a man in Hollywood. It`s the interview you will see only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BASS: Sometimes people say, "Oh, it`s easy to date in the business because at least they get it and understand where you`re coming from." But then, there`s just more attention and people just want to tear you down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s former boy bander Lance Bass talking about the pressures of being in a relationship while in the spotlight. And wait until you hear what Lance told me about almost getting kicked out of `N Sync. No way.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, my one-on-one revealing interview with Lance Bass. The former `N Sync star is opening up about Hollywood`s obsession with body image and something you don`t hear a lot about - what it`s like to be a guy in Hollywood and the pressure to look a certain way.
Lance is also telling me about showing the world his dance moves on ABC`s "Dancing With The Stars." But he says that strutting his stuff on the dance floor surprisingly doesn`t come easy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BASS: It`s really hard, though. This ballroom dancing is so foreign to me. It`s something that I`ve never attempted so I really did the show because I wanted that challenge. I wanted to see what I could do. I was never considered a dancer at all. So it was something that I really wanted to prove to myself that I could do.
ANDERSON (on camera): So with `N Sync, did you fake your way through some of the dances? How did you make it work, because to us, you seemed like you had rhythm and a natural ability?
BASS: I know. I faked it very well. In fact, you know, when we were trying to get record deals, in 1995, when we got together, we were all friends, you know, singing together. And I didn`t know that we were going to be dancing at all. I`m just a little white kid from Mississippi. And they`re like, "We`re going to choreography now." And I was like, "What? Choreography?"
And in fact, a lot of the record labels that wanted to sign us asked if I could not be in the group because of my dancing skills.
ANDERSON: Stop!
BASS: Yes, a lot of the record labels didn`t want me in `N Sync just because of my dancing skills.
ANDERSON: You showed them.
BASS: I know. Yes. So that`s what I`m trying to prove to a lot of those people that, yes, I have rhythm now.
ANDERSON: Eighty-two-year-old Cloris Leachman - my goodness, she is really the talk of the show. She`s a pretty big inspiration. What impact do you feel she`s made?
BASS: I think she`s great. You know, Cloris is a true comedienne. She`s one of the true Hollywood legends, you know, still around today. She has that slapstick that, you know, a lot of people are missing today. We are always just in stitches when she`s around.
What you see is the tame version of Cloris Leachman. But backstage, she`s always just cracking up and having a good time. And I think she adds something really special to the show.
ANDERSON: One of the professional dancers on the show, Cheryl Burke, has recently received a little criticism for what some people say is weight gain. Lance, I mean, she is thin. She looks fabulous. I don`t see what the fuss is about. Now, Cheryl said that she was hurt by the criticism but she was more concerned about the message it sends to women.
Why do you think there is such a focus on stars and weight?
BASS: It`s crazy, you know. And just recently gossip has been so nuts in entertainment and people love to feel better about themselves by reading that stuff. So when you see all the gorgeous people on television, you know, and to see that some of them have weight problems, sometimes it makes people feel better about themselves. And I think that`s why people are hounding a lot of these celebrities which is crazy.
Because like Cheryl and a lot of these celebrities that have the weight problem, they don`t. I mean, these size 4 girls do not have weight problems. They`re tiny and I don`t see what they`re saying. I mean, I`ve heard that I have a weight problem, and I`m a guy. You know, so for people to say that about me, I`m like, "OK, that`s just nuts."
ANDERSON: Well, I want to ask you about that. I`m sure it`s not as intense for men. But do you feel the pressure to look a certain way?
BASS: As a man, we get off easy. We get off real easy. I mean, you women - you`re always in the magazine showing off exactly what you`re wearing. So yes, we get off a little easy, but you know, we definitely get judged, too. I mean, it`s anything you do, what you say, what you wear, you`re going to get judged, but it`s part of the territory, I guess.
ANDERSON: `N Sync - can we hope for a reunion one day?
BASS: I hope so. You know, it`s so great to see what`s happening in music right now. It feels like a big reunion, like the late `90s with Britney coming back and Christina and even Eminem coming out with a new album. So it would be great to join our fellow musicians from the late `90s and do a reunion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Yes, that would nice. And you can catch Lance on "Dancing With The Stars," Monday and Tuesday on ABC. He is doing really well on the show.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, I`ve got to say, we`re still getting a ton of calls into "Showbiz On Call." Our phone lines about Sarah Palin appearing about "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. She helped the show get record ratings and people haven`t stopped talking about it.
Here`s Thomas calling from Utah who thinks that even if Palin going on "SNL" doesn`t get her many votes, it was still the right move.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
THOMAS, CALLER FROM UTAH: Even if "Saturday Night Live" didn`t help Palin`s bid for the White House, still I think of the honor that she had on being on "Saturday Night Live" with a whole host of wonderful people, cast and crew.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: We want to hear from you, too. And at your convenience, the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are open 24 hours a day. So let us know what`s on your mind about Sarah Palin or anything else at all. You can call us at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. When you hear the beep, leave a voicemail so we can play your call here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to "Showbiz On Call" now also online right on our homepage which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
All right, Brooke, everybody talking about the Madonna-Guy Ritchie divorce.
ANDERSON: Yes. But, A.J., nobody really seems to know if it`s going to be nice and easy or if it`s going to get ugly. So tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is putting together a special event - the "Madonna Divorce Summit." We are assembling the best Hollywood legal minds out there to figure out who will get the kids? How will Madonna`s millions get divided? That is straight ahead.
HAMMER: Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick, out of jail after serving time on a reckless driving charge, his friend nearly killed in a car accident. Will Nick now do a reality show about his jail time? That is coming up.
ANDERSON: And breaking news - a stunning Britney Spears court decision. This is in her trial for driving without a valid license. You`ve got to hear this wild decision. And we`ve got the details, straight ahead. Keep it right here.
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.
HAMMER: Lindsay Lohan is getting sued by three guys. Now, they claim that a drunk Lohan hijacked a car they were passengers in during the summer of 2007. Now, the guys claim their lives were in danger and that Lindsay was driving totally crazy. Eventually, Lindsay was arrested for DUI. Lindsay`s attorney tells us the suit, which is for an unspecified amount of cash is, quote, "beyond frivolous."
ANDERSON: Eminem - remember him? His new tell-all book is out today. It`s called "The Way I Am." It follows the guy born as Marshall Mathers through his difficult childhood, his early jobs and his rise to stardom.
M`s been lying low the past couple of years. But we hear he`s working on a CD called "Relapse" which may be out by the end of this year.
HAMMER: And Beyonce has put on about 15 pounds for a new movie role. She tells "In Style" magazine, not only was it easier than losing weight for her film "Dream Girls," it was pretty darn tasty to pack on the pounds as well. I really like her attitude about this. Beyonce is starting as blues singer Etta James in "Cadillac Records." The film is scheduled to hit theaters in December.
ANDERSON: A.J., what do you think? Do you think this Madonna-Guy Ritchie divorce is going to get ugly?
HAMMER: It remains to be seen, Brooke. But I am definitely hoping this thing is going stay pretty clean. Tonight, however, we are asking the experts. It`s a SHOWBIZ special event not to be missed. We`re getting together some of the best-known Hollywood legal minds for "Madonna Divorce Summit."
Will this thing get nasty? Who`s going to get the money, the kids? All these questions will be answered, coming up next.
ANDERSON: New right now, Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick, out of jail after serving time on a reckless driving charge. His friend nearly killed in a car accident. Will Nick really now do a reality show about his jail time? That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Also new right now, breaking news - a stunning, wild Britney Spears court decision. Could this affect her big comeback? That is coming up next.
But first, you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by being a subscriber to the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Head over to the home page, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, click on the "sign up for newsletter" link at the bottom of the page and we`ll send it to you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event - a "Madonna Divorce Summit." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is convening the best, the smartest, the most experienced legal minds around for a summit on Madonna and Guy Ritchie`s divorce. What`s at stake? How ugly could it get? Tonight, you don`t want to miss this special event. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Madonna Divorce Summit."
Hulk Hogan`s son, a free man. Nick Bollea out of jail after serving five months for the car crash that left his friend severely injured. So what`s next for Nick? Will he really pursue that reality show he and Hulk talked about while he was in jail?
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, I hope you`re ready because tonight, it`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Madonna Divorce Summit."
The marriage between her and Guy Ritchie certainly had a fairy tale beginning in a Scottish castle, but not happily ever after. And what a kingdom they have to divide.
Madonna`s money - together, it was an estimated $525 million. So how much will Guy walk away with and will Madonna lose her millions?
The custody battle, Madonna`s daughter, Lourdes, is from a previous relationship. But you know, she and Guy have two children together, son Rocco and their adopted son from Malawi, David Banda. So who`s going to get the kids?
And there of course is the battle for David already heating up as his biological father in Malawi questions whether he made the right choice by giving up David for adoption.
I now convene SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Madonna Divorce Summit" with the best and brightest legal team in showbiz.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Gloria Allred, who is a renowned celebrity attorney. From Atlanta, Judge Penny of the syndicated show, "Family Court with Judge Penny." And from Hollywood, Neil Hersh, who is a divorce and custody attorney. Gang, I appreciate you being here on this auspicious occasion.
First up on our dock, it`s Madonna`s money. Now, Madonna reportedly has hired Paul McCartney`s attorney, Fiona Shackleton. And Guy and Madonna reportedly have no prenup.
Gloria Allred, starting off with you, as I mentioned, Madonna is worth a reported $500 million. Guy had $35 million of his own before marrying Madonna. How much do you think Guy could actually walk away with here?
GLORIA ALLRED, RENOWNED CELEBRITY ATTORNEY: Well, a substantial amount. But generally, he would not be entitled to separate property that which she had prior to the marriage. But he would be entitled to a substantial share of any marital property they acquired after the marriage. So this can be sticky and not so sweet, A.J.
HAMMER: All right. So you`re saying a substantial amount. Judge Penny, over to you. What doe do we think that amount is going to wind up being? Again, the entire estate worth around $525 million - $535 million.
JUDGE PENNY BROWN REYNOLDS, "FAMILY COURT WITH JUDGE PENNY": Well, it would be in the best interest of the parties to try to come up with arrangements themselves because he stands to gain a great amount of that money. First of all, the court, any court is going to want to look at and assess how much each brought to the marriage and then how much the income grew during the pendency of the marriage and then come up with something that is fair and equal. But that means a whole lot more than $35 million that he may have brought into the marriage.
HAMMER: Yes. A lot of people are wondering if it`s going to be a 50-50 split. How exactly it`s going to be divided. And I`ve got to tell you, the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been ringing nonstop - I mean, they won`t quit, ever since Madonna and Guy Ritchie went public with their split.
I want you to listen to what Marianne from Florida had to say about Guy getting some of Madonna`s millions. .
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MARIANNE, CALLER FROM FLORIDA: Guy Ritchie should only receive what is due to him since he`s been married to Madonna. She was a millionaire when she married him and he should only get a certain percentage, but not half.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Neil, let me go over to you. Marianne making a great point. Madonna, of course, was filthy rich before she ever met Guy Ritchie and we always see the opposite of this. Very often, you know, there will be a relationship that dissolves where the man may have had all of the money first and the woman had substantially less. Why would it be any different in this case?
NEIL HERSH, DIVORCE AND CUSTODY ATTORNEY: It shouldn`t be. This is a gender-neutral world. And to the extent that property was accumulated by the two of them during the marriage, that is their joint property, and if she earned more than he or vice versa, it`s a partnership. And those funds they accumulated during the marriage should, in fact, be divided equally, or as close to equally as they do in the United Kingdom and it should not make a difference as to which gender earned or accumulated more of the money. That isn`t how it should be and I don`t think it will be that way.
HAMMER: I`m not sure if anybody would throw a number at me. I want to hear a number, just for fun. Judge Penny, throw a number. What is Guy going to walk away with here?
REYNOLDS: Oh, if we came in with $35 million, she has about $500 million or $525 million, you can expect perhaps as high as $80 million. You ask me to throw out a figure.
HAMMER: That`s what I wanted.
REYNOLDS: It would just depend on what is fair. But I think - I completely agree, gender has nothing to do with this.
HAMMER: Yes. Absolutely.
REYNOLDS: I think it`s all about fairness.
HAMMER: I`m writing that down, Judge Penny - $80 million, perhaps.
(CROSS TALK)
We will wait and see. I won`t hold you to it.
All right. Let`s move on because next on the docket for the "Madonna Divorce Summit," you know, the very delicate custody battle. Madonna`s daughter, Lourdes, comes from a previous relationship. I imagine Madonna retains full custody there. But you have eight-year-old Rocco and three- year-old David as the couple`s two sons. Rocco is their biological son. David was adopted from Malawi. And we`re going to talk about the adoption ramifications in just a second.
But Gloria Allred, over to you for this. These young kids have very famous parents. And again, their ages really must have something to do with that. How much will al of that complicate the custody decision?
ALLRED: Well, it will complicate it in this way. And by the way, A.J., I believe the old saying that all is not fair in love and war. And to that I would say also in divorce, all is not fair. It may be that Guy Ritchie decides that he is going to use the children as a pawn. And I hope he doesn`t - as a pawn to say to Madonna, "Look, you can`t move away with the children back to New York unless you give me more money, a bigger share of the marital property." It may be that there`s a settlement of the custody and the marital property with that in mind.
HAMMER: That would be hideous if anybody starts using the kids as pawns.
ALLRED: It would be. But it`s possible.
HAMMER: We`ve seen it before. You`re right. All is not fair.
Reports flying around, to your point, Gloria, that Madonna`s been missing New York a whole lot and planning on moving back to New York full time to be here. Presumably, she wants to be here with the kids. It seems to me that a Madonna move is more likely to set off a battle with guy.
Neil, would you counsel Madonna to just stay put in London, particularly for the sake of the kids?
HERSH: No, I wouldn`t. If she wants to move to New York, that is her right, certainly under United States law and I`m sure it`s similar in the United Kingdom. In order to do that, you need court approval or agreement of the other party.
So she will be obligated, in my opinion, to stay in the United Kingdom until she has a hearing and it`s been decided where the children should go.
But it is my view - and I just want to remind everyone the span of time and space between New York and London is much shorter than between Los Angeles and London. And I think it`s very likely that if Madonna asks the court to be able to move with these young children, that they will grant that request and fashion an arrangement so that the children spend substantial time with their father as well in the United Kingdom.
HAMMER: Well, the custody battle hasn`t even begun yet. But I would have imagine that the battle for David could potentially get sticky here. David`s biological father in Malawi speaking out. He reportedly told the British newspaper, "The Sun" that he thinks his son would be better off in Malawi with him now that this couple is splitting up.
Judge Penny, will this divorce affect their adoption of David? I mean, could he realistically be sent back to Malawi?
REYNOLDS: Legally, the biological father really has no say-so. The child was 13 months old. This happened in 2006 when the adoption occurred. They are the legal parents. Now, if they had an arrangement that somehow the biological father would still be involved in the child`s life, that`s fine.
But a legal adoption is a legal adoption. And Madonna and Guy are the parents of this child. And so it`s interesting that the father would say that. But he gave up legal rights because evidently he wanted a better life for the child.
I have watched time and time again with couples coming into my court where you can have two-parent households that provide a good and loving and stable and safe life for a child. So just because a child is going through a divorce with their parents doesn`t mean that it can`t be a stable life for that child.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, I appreciate your insight and I think we have a sense of where all this may be headed. Thank you for participating in our summit tonight. Gloria Allred, Judge Penny and Neil Hersh, I appreciate it.
ANDERSON: Call us at "Showbiz On Call." We want to hear your thoughts about Madonna`s divorce or anything else that`s on your mind.
HAMMER: Yes. The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines always open. They`re waiting for you. Just pick up the phone and dial 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888- 728-2899. You`ll hear our message. You`ll hear the beep. Then leave your voicemail so we can play your call on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now online right on our homepage, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
All right. Moving on now, Brooke, Hulk Hogan`s son is a free man tonight.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. Nick Bollea out of jail after serving five months for causing the car crash that nearly killed his friend. So what happens now? Will he really pursue the reality show that he and Hulk talked about while he was in jail? And what does the victim`s family have to say now? We`re getting into that, next.
HAMMER: Plus, breaking Britney news. You are not going to believe what happened today in Britney`s trial for driving without a license. I mean, I can`t even believe this thing went to trial in the first place. Well, now, wait until you hear how it ended.
ANDERSON: And Brad Paisley arrested? The country star was taken away by cops at an airport, but there is a little more to this story than meets the eye. It`s all caught on tape, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: That`s Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick, walking out of jail for the first time in five months. He may be smiling now, but could there be more troubles ahead for Nick?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, Hulk Hogan`s son is free from jail, and new big Britney drama. Two stories you`ve got to hear new right now.
After two days after jury deliberations, a judge has decided to declare Britney Spears` driver`s license case a mistrial. Are you kidding me?
Also new right now, Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick, became a free man after serving 166 days in jail, that for reckless driving after the car crash that nearly killed his best friend. So will the Hogans be able to pick up the pieces?
With me tonight in Hollywood, Carlos Diaz who is a correspondent for "Extra." Also tonight in Hollywood, Kim Serafin who`s a senior editor with "In Touch Weekly." Carlos, Kim, good to see you.
And I want to start with this Britney Spears driving without a valid license case. It is just mind-boggling to me that it even went to trial, first of all. But even more ridiculous was that the jury was hopelessly deadlocked for the last two days, that now the judge declares it a mistrial.
By the way, Spears will not be retried. The case has been dismissed completely. Prosecutors say they will not pursue it.
Carlos, all that time seemingly wasted. As a taxpayer, are you outraged?
DIAZ: I`m not outraged and let me tell you why. People don`t understand this. Paris Hilton didn`t go to jail because she wasn`t driving with her license. She went to jail because she was on probation.
And what the prosecutors wanted in this case, they wanted to have Britney go on probation, which means if she did anything wrong for the next year, she would be in deep trouble. That`s what her people did not want. That`s why they fought this and they won.
I mean, Brooke, if you were facing the same kind of charges of probation and possible jail time, you`d want to fight it as well.
ANDERSON: True, very true. And by the way, I want to point out she had a valid Louisiana State license, but not a California valid license, so residency issues were involved.
Now, all the court drama aside, ABC has confirmed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Britney will perform on "Good Morning America" in December. And this week, Britney`s new single, "Womanizer" hit number one on "Billboard Top 100." That, if I recall, is the first number one she`s had since "Baby One More Time."
Kim, I`m almost afraid to ask this question, but I`m going to do it. Is this the beginning of Britney`s big comeback?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I feel like I`ve been asked that question before somewhere. I feel like we`re always saying, this is her comeback.
I mean, you know, last year at the MTV VMAs - that was her comeback. That didn`t do too well. Then this year at the VMAs, it was the beginning of her comeback. Now, the song is her official comeback. I almost feel like the cycle of news - it should be the time for, you know, the downfall again before we have another comeback.
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: No, not another downfall, Kim!
SERAFIN: No. I do think this is definitely a comeback for her. She seems to be, you know, on the straight and narrow path. She seems to be focusing on her career. Things personally seem to be better for her these days.
ANDERSON: Yes.
SERAFIN: So I do think this is all great news for her. She even looked better.
ANDERSON: She does.
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: I`m excited for her and for her fans.
All right. In another story new right now, Nick Bollea walked out of jail after serving 166 days for that horrible car crash that nearly killed his best friend, John Graziano. He shared a big hug with his sister, Brooke, as he departed. But the Grazianos are still going after the Hogans with a civil suit. Carlos, it isn`t over yet for Nick, is it?
DIAZ: Not at all. I mean, you have the civil suit that he has to worry about which could be, I mean - you know, he served time, but I mean, if the civil suit goes through, he`s looking at a lot of money coming out of his pocket.
And also he has the court of public opinion. Now, he has to walk the straight and narrow and you know, he has to give up a lifestyle that maybe he once enjoyed. And if he does anything wrong again - I mean, you know, he`s being looked at by the courts right now with his probationary status.
ANDERSON: Yes. Absolutely. And while he served his time - I want to mention - these jailhouse calls between Nick and his dad, Hulk Hogan were made public. People were outraged when they heard what Nick said about his best friend who remained in a semiconscious state. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
HULK HOGAN, REALITY SHOW STAR: Well, I don`t know what type of person John was or what he did to get himself in this situation. I know he was pretty aggressive and used to yell at people and used to do stuff and - but for some reason, man God laid some heavy (EXPLETIVE DELETED) on that kid, man. I don`t know what he was into.
NICK HOGAN, HULK HOGAN`S SON: John was a negative person.
H. HOGAN: He was what?
N. HOGAN: He was a negative person.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right, Nick reportedly wants to visit John in the hospital. But the family tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that they will not let Nick do that after that call. Kim, Nick did his time, but is it enough?
SERAFIN: You know, I don`t think - I think Carlos has a point. I think the court of public opinion is saying, "I don`t know if it`s enough." I mean, yes, he still has five years probation. He still has 500 hours of community service.
But it didn`t sound like he was really sincerely apologetic for this. And this kid, John Graziano, his friend, will need medical care for the rest of his life.
ANDERSON: Yes. It`s terrible.
SERAFIN: And you know, I think that`s going to be a lot to overcome. And you know, all the talk about the reality show was just awful.
ANDERSON: Yes. And the family wants to see that remorse. Terrible, terrible situation for all involved. Carlos Diaz, Kim Serafin, thank you both for your insight.
All right. You`ve probably seen the reality show "Jon and Kate Plus Eight." It`s a bona fide phenomenon. A lot of people love this show which chronicles the ups and downs and household chaos of a couple with eight kids.
But not everybody is a fan. Some are actually questioning whether it should be on the air.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CHILDREN: On this episode of "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" -
ANDERSON (voice over): It`s the top-rated show on the cable network, TLC. "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" revolves around a Pennsylvania family of ten, starring four-year-old sextuplets and eight-year-old twins.
JON GOSSELIN, FATHER: We wanted to do the show because we didn`t have time to film our life.
ANDERSON: The cameras document daily routines, vacations and special events. New episodes air weekly.
Now, in their fourth season, the Gosselins are celebrities featured in major magazines and now promoting a new book, "Multiple Blessings."
But not everyone is pleased with the popularity.
PAUL PETERSEN, FOUNDER, "A MINOR CONSIDERATION": Children need secrets. They need silence. They don`t need to live in a fishbowl.
ANDERSON: Paul Petersen who played Jeff Stone on the "Donna Reed Show" in the `60s founded the group "A Minor Consideration" nearly 20 years ago to provide support to child stars.
Petersen is accusing parents Jon and Kate of taking advantage of their children for commercial gain which he feels could have devastating long- term effects.
PETERSEN: Big money is on the table. When you put your children up for sale, guess what? The rules change. The presence of cameras alters human behavior. It`s true for the adults. We have seen it. You can witness it and it`s all changing the children`s behavior and the consequences are down the road 20 years, maybe.
ANDERSON: Peterson`s perspective on Jon and Kate is shared by posters on various blogs including "Gosselins Without Pity" and "Truth Breeds Hatred." In a TLC web-isode Kate explains their decision to invite cameras into their home.
KATE GOSSELIN, MOTHER: We just wanted people to understand us better.
ANDERSON: The Gosselins who said they will only continue the show as long as the kids are comfortable doing it, declined CNN`s request for an interview. But TLC issued this statement, "Because of the show, the kids and the family have economic security and the luxury of a mom who can stay at home and raise them."
J. GOSSELIN: I will go to the ends of the earth for them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Those kids are adorable. Now Petersen calling for the show to be canceled if the kids are being treated poorly. The Pennsylvania Labor Department tells me they have received no complaints about the series regarding any child labor laws.
HAMMER: Country star, Brad Paisley arrested. Yes, he was taken away by cops at an airport. There is a lot more to the story than meets the eye. We`ve got it all caught on tape, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
I invite you to check out the free SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast. We`re updating that thing all the time. You will find the podcast on our Web site which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can download it on iTunes if you`d like to do it that way. Just type "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" into the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you, Charles. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, country star Brad Paisley arrested. OK, actually he got punked by Jewel. You see, Paisley and Jewel have been on tour together. And he has been playing all kind of pranks on her apparently. But she got him back and good by cooking up this little scheme to have Brad Paisley arrested when his plane landed in Nashville. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have warrants out of Texas and out of Tennessee for you.
BRAD PAISLEY, COUNTRY SINGER: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we`ll get you downtown. We`ll let you get your attorney.
PAISLEY: You`ve got to be kidding me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do I look like I`m kidding, sir?
PAISLEY: You don`t. But I have never done anything wrong in my life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we have some allegations that you have been involved in some serious crimes, and so we have some warrants for you, OK?
PAISLEY: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come over to my car, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Paisley. We have a Ms. Jewel Murray who filed 42 charges against you in the State of Texas and Tennessee for excessive noodling.
PAISLEY: Noodling?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
PAISLEY: On the guitar?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the guitar.
PAISLEY: I understand that. You know what? I am guilty. And when I said I was innocent getting off the plane, you were right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are going to have to spend a little time in jail, I`m afraid, without a guitar.
PAISLEY: I totally get it. I deserve it. Totally deserve it.
This is as good as it gets. This is absolutely as good as it gets. This is the best I have ever been had.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And he said he has never done anything bad in his life. Noodling on the guitar, though, Brad. He didn`t think it was a real arrest, so he says. But he did say Jewel got him good.
ANDERSON: That`s right. And we have been asking you to vote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live": Did she help her campaign?" Let`s take a look at the vote so far - 31 percent of you say yes; 69 percent of you say no.
Here are some of the E-mails. Mark from Arkansas writes, "I think she definitely helped her campaign by going on SNL. She made herself more real to the American people."
Jennifer from Pennsylvania says, "I do not want to see the next potential leader of our country playing it up with the crew of SNL. She lost my vote."
HAMMER: And that is 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.
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