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Showbiz Tonight
Jennifer Hudson`s Tragedy; Elisabeth Hasselbeck Defends Palin On Her Pricey Outfits; Tom Cruise` Revenge on Matt Lauer
Aired October 27, 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, Jennifer Hudson`s unbelievable tragedy. Tonight, shocking new developments after the murder of her mother and brother. Has the body of her seven-year-old missing nephew been found? Is the murder mystery solved?
Plus, from Barack Obama to Hollywood`s biggest stars, the overwhelming emotional coast-to-coast reaction. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the unimaginable Hudson heartache.
Tonight, Tom Cruise`s revenge against Matt Lauer. Who can forget their on-air fight on the "Today" show over psychiatry and depression? Tonight, watch Tom Cruise get in Matt`s face, calling Matt a "glib putz," making fun of his job, and it`s all caught on tape. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Cruise missile aimed at Matt Lauer.
Plus, Elisabeth Hasselbeck hits the road for Sarah Palin. "The View" co-host takes sides in the controversy over Palin`s expensive wardrobe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": This is deliberately sexist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood. And tonight, brand-new and almost unbelievable developments in the Jennifer Hudson family tragedy.
HAMMER: Just a couple of days after Hudson learned that her mother and her brother were murdered comes even more horrific news. Police in Chicago have now confirmed that a body found earlier this morning is in fact the body of Hudson`s seven-year-old nephew, who had been missing since the murders.
For the Oscar winning actress and former "American Idol" contestant, you have to wonder how she`s even comprehending all of this. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the late-breaking developments making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JODY WEIS, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: Today, a family and a community are grieving.
HAMMER (voice over): The family tragedy of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson takes another devastating turn.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE POLICE OFFICER: At approximately 7:00, we were - received a call about a suspicious auto.
HAMMER: Early Monday, Chicago police found the SUV they`d spent an agonizing three days looking for in connection with Friday`s brutal killings of Hudson`s mother and brother and the disappearance of Hudson`s seven-year-old nephew. A child`s body was found inside the SUV. Now authorities are confirming everyone`s greatest fear.
WEIS: We can confirm that the body located inside the vehicle was the body of seven-year-old Julian King.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you everyone from Hudson`s old friends at "American Idol" to her famous fellow Chicago residents is rallying around her in this terrible time.
MIKE WALTERS, "TMZ": This is such, such a horrible situation for her.
HAMMER: It all began Friday, when the bodies of Hudson`s mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson, were found in this Chicago home. They`d been fatally shot. seven-year-old Julian King, who lived in the home, was missing, sending police on a frantic mission to solve the killings and find the boy.
WALTERS: We found out that indeed it was foul play, indeed they were looking for a gentleman, William Balfour. He was the estranged husband of the sister, Julia.
HAMMER: Mike Walters of TMZ tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the tension quickly focused on the boy`s stepfather, William Balfour, who was taken into custody after the killings on a patrol violation.
WALTERS: The gentleman, William Balfour, they have in custody, has also done time for attempted murder involving a carjacking.
HAMMER: Jennifer Hudson was reportedly in Florida promoting her new movie, "The Secret Life of Bees" at the time of the killings. Her sister, Julia, Julian`s mother, recalls how she broke the news of the tragedy to Hudson.
JULIA HUDSON, JENNIFER HUDSON`S SISTER: She was screaming. And she flew in right away. And we`ve been together ever since.
HAMMER: Once in Chicago, Jennifer Hudson identified the victims` bodies and put up a $100,000 reward for her nephew`s return.
WALTERS: Jennifer, obviously, very upset and is there now in the area, dealing with this and her family.
HAMMER: It was a shocking turn of events for Hudson, who lived a dream come true when she won an Oscar for her first movie role in "Dreamgirls."
JENNIFER HUDSON (singing), SINGER AND ACTRESS: I have no doubt that I could love you
HAMMER: At the height of that Oscar buzz, Hudson told me how her family helps her handle her instant fame.
JENNIFER HUDSON: I love the reality check when I get to go home and I have to stand in line like everybody else. And when I go, "So you now do this." And they look at me like, "You go and get it yourself." That keeps me grounded.
HAMMER: And Hudson later told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about her special bond with her mother.
JENNIFER HUDSON: She always said, "You can do anything you put your mind to."
HAMMER: And now, as she deals with this unbelievable tragedy, Hudson is getting an outpouring of well-wishes.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That was heartbreaking.
HAMMER: Barack Obama had his fellow Chicagoan sing the national anthem at the Democratic National Convention the night of his acceptance speech. Obama tells "Extra`s" Mario Lopez, he`s saddened by the news.
OBAMA: We`re really going to have to gather and help her and pray for her and her family during this time.
HAMMER: And Randy Jackson of "American Idol", where Jennifer Hudson first burst onto the national stage as an "Idol" contestant in season three also expressed his condolences. "Paula Abdul and I were just talking about it yesterday and it`s just so sad." Jackson adds, quote, "My god, the world is an ugly place right now."
And now, it looks like Jennifer Hudson will have to put her exploding singing and movie career on hold as she deals with the devastating loss.
WALTERS: To have to come home to this, it has to be really, really horrible for her.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Ever since the news broke that Jennifer Hudson`s mother and brother were murdered, her hometown of Chicago has really rallied around her. And then today, of course, more devastating news.
Joining me tonight in Chicago is Roland Martin, senior analyst on the nationally syndicated radio talk show, "The Tom Joyner Morning Show." Roland is also a CNN political analyst.
All right. I mean, Roland, this is just unfathomable. I can`t imagine what a terrible few days it`s been for Jennifer Hudson and her family. It struck a chord everywhere, but really there in Chicago, hasn`t it?
ROLAND MARTIN, SENIOR ANALYST, "TOM JOYNER MORNING SHOW": Absolutely. Because Jennifer Hudson to me - she is a home girl. She is a native of this city. This is the place where she was born. You know, her first time on television, really, was winning a gospel showcase for Salem Baptist Church here in Chicago. Her mother still lived in the Englewood neighborhood.
You know, for a moment, she went to Kennedy-King College, a community college here. So this city truly loved her. And in fact, I mean, I remember when she won the Oscar, I was a morning host at WBON Radio and we were running promos and running congratulatory ads ahead of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) party and everything.
This city embraced her. And for this to happen is absolutely stunning. And of course, it`s filling up the airwaves. A front page story all over the place. It`s blowing up the blogs. I also write a blog for "Essence.com" and people are commenting on there.
You know, A.J., I went by the home, and there`s this memorial there, all of these teddy bears and flowers and notes and crosses that people have dropped off. And what`s amazing also, the mother`s home is directly across the street from the elementary school.
HAMMER: Oh, wow. It`s just hard to wrap your head around, even when you see the memorials and everything that is taking place right now. And that`s on the south side of Chicago, where Jennifer grew up. It`s where her family home is.
She told Barbara Walters back in 2007, in the "Barbara Walters Special," that her home and going there was the way for her to get grounded, just as everything was booming for her. Watch what they showed on "The View" this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE VIEW": When you go back now to Chicago, where your mother is and your sister, what`s it like for you?
JENNIFER HUDSON: My sister is there. She`s no different than Simon. She`ll tell me like it is whenever it`s needed and that helps keep me grounded. And then my mom, she`s still the same. And they just keep you and your values and things like that and just keep it realistic. And I love that. I love the balance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. And she`s also told me in the past, she loves going home. And going home to Chicago, after becoming such a huge star - Roland, it really meant a lot, not only to Jennifer, but the community as well, didn`t it?
MARTIN: Well, absolutely. Because - I mean, look, here`s a young lady. People were so heartbroken when she lost "American Idol." Then all of a sudden, you go from "American Idol." People thought she should have been one of the finalists. All of a sudden she`s in "Dreamgirls," she wins the Oscar. She wins a Golden Globe the first time she is ever in a movie. I mean, it`s truly a dream girl, dream-like story.
All of a sudden it becomes a nightmare. Her story was the story many young girls would love to have. And all of a sudden, the place you felt was home, the place you felt comfortable.
You know, I would not be surprised with this kind of tragedy, it would be very difficult for her to return back to her native city because of those memories. I mean, losing your mother, losing your brother, losing your nephew. I mean, we don`t even know where this story even ends, A.J., you know, where it goes, you know, what the involvement was, what is the motive, what is behind it.
So it is a truly stunning story. And again, I said there are a lot of people who I just saw walking - regular folks, people walking up, blue- collar, you know, in their uniforms, just got off of work, just shaking their heads and saying, look, here`s a young lady we saw grow up and we`re just stunned to see the fact that she has to go through this kind of pain and has to bear it in many ways, herself, because her sister has her own pain. She`s also carrying this. Difficult thing to deal with.
HAMMER: I mean, forget about the fact for a moment that, you know, she got all of the fame from "American Idol" and was in "Dreamgirls" and won the Oscar. It`s so much bigger than that, Roland. I mean, we`ve been talking about it. I mean, it`s a daughter who lost her mother and her brother and now her nephew.
MARTIN: Let me tell you something. I was at the funeral of Bernie Mac and Mayor Richard Daley was there. And he told a story how just a couple weeks previous to that, how Bernie Mac came in and he wanted to do something about the violence that was taking so many lives in Chicago. Not only in terms of adults, but also young children.
The Chicago public school system, A.J., has lost literally 80 children or so in the past three years to violence, many of them shot and killed. This seven-year-old boy, same thing. And so it`s interesting hearing that and all of a sudden you see it happen to Jennifer. I mean, it brings home to a lot of folks that, look, death can show up, tragedy can show up on any doorstep.
But we have to confront the reality that we live in a nation where people just do senseless crimes and will take somebody`s life at the drop of a hat. We`ve got to deal with that. We`ve got to deal - as an African- American, has to be dealt with and people can`t be silent. Because, A.J., what bothered me in this case, neighbors heard gunshots, but nobody called the police.
HAMMER: Wow. Well, it`s going to be getting an awful lot of attention and giving an awful lot of attention. And I don`t think she`ll be lacking any support there in her hometown of Chicago.
MARTIN: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Unimaginable tragedy, obviously. Our thoughts are going out to Jennifer Hudson and her family. Roland Martin, thanks for being here, man.
MARTIN: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: Obviously, there`s been an outpouring of sympathy for Jennifer Hudson and her family and we would like to hear your thoughts as well.
ANDERSON: That`s right. You can leave a message for Jennifer and her family by calling "Showbiz On Call." The number 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728- 2899. Leave a voicemail. We will play some of your calls for Jennifer right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Moving on, Brooke, the ladies of "The View", we watch them go at it just about every day over this election.
ANDERSON: We do, A.J. And now, Elisabeth Hasselbeck is taking her support for John McCain and Sarah Palin on the road.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Instead of the issues, they are focused, fixated on her wardrobe. But let me tell you, this is deliberately sexist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Elisabeth is not holding back one bit about all the controversy over Palin`s expensive wardrobe. But will this help or hurt the McCain- Palin ticket? A fired-up debate is coming up.
ANDERSON: Well, McCain and Obama, better watch out. Paris Hilton is looking to shake things up. She`s running for president. And she`s got a hilarious, brand-new video to convince you to vote for her. That is coming up.
HAMMER: And Tom Cruise`s revenge against Matt Lauer. Their first on-air battle over psychiatry and depression was just so nasty. Well now, tonight, wait until you see Tom Cruise getting right in Matt`s face and he calls him a "glib putz." Wow.
ANDERSON: That`s got to hurt. All right. We want you to know you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime you want. We are always posting new stuff for you to watch at our website, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Among the videos now playing, inside the "SNL" factor, "SNL`s" impact on the presidential campaign. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Did you see this? The world`s heaviest man got married. Manuel Uribe, who hasn`t left his bed in six years, tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend in Mexico.
At one point, Manuel weighed more than 1,200 pounds. But since 2006, he`s lost more than 500 pounds. Manuel was brought to the wedding on a flat bed truck. And in case you were wondering, Manuel did steer clear of the wedding cake. Good for him. He is determined to stick to his diet.
ANDERSON: And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, more of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s coverage of the funniest campaign ever. We are a week from the election and "Saturday Night Live" continues to make us laugh. On Saturday night, a familiar face was back to play Barack Obama`s wife. Here`s CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Former "SNL" cast member Maya Rudolph is back.
MAYA RUDOLPH, ACTRESS (as Michelle Obama): Shake things up.
FRED ARMISEN, ACTOR (as Barack Obama): With the Barack Obama variety half hour. It`s time to have some fun.
CHO: The fake Obamas and the real ones are leading in the polls.
RUDOLPH: Now, it`s solid. Solid on Barack.
CHO: The whole Democratic gang`s here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our house is a very, very, very fine house
CHO: Obama`s shadow, Bill Clinton.
DARRELL HAMMOND, ACTOR (as Bill Clinton): Don`t you, forget about me. Don`t, don`t, don`t, don`t.
CHO: Let`s not forget Joe Biden.
JASON SUDEIKIS, ACTOR (as Joe Biden): Remember this, if Barack Obama is elected, we will have a crisis. Live from New York, it`s Saturday night!
CHO: "SNL`s" ratings are through the roof.
AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS: All the mavericks in the house, put your hands up.
SETH MEYERS, HEAD WRITER, "SNL": She dressed up like Tina for Halloween, I heard, which I think she`s still doing.
CHO: Will Ferrell reprised his role as George W. Bush.
WILL FERRELL, ACTOR (as George W. Bush): When you`re in the voting booth, before you vote -
CHO: And "SNL," once again, spoofed CNN.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Hey, let`s get right to the mega-map.
CHO: This time John King`s magic wall.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Michigan - I can make it bounce.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I can make Michigan bounce too. We all know that - if that`s OK.
CHO: Everyone`s watching. The stake in this election and in "SNL" couldn`t be higher.
HAMMOND: I am not going to choking tonight. I`m not going to choke on that word. The cost is just too high.
RUDOLPH: Solid on Barack.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I cannot wait to see more. That was CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: We have been getting a ton of calls on the "Showbiz On Call" about this. Our viewers really fired up. Are Tina Fey and "Saturday Night Live" treating Palin unfairly? Well, we heard from Teresa in Indiana that she likes the impersonation.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TERESA, CALLER FROM INDIANA: I think it`s absolutely hilarious and I think that it is so fun to watch and so true to form. I really enjoy the skits and I hope it continues. I want to tell Tina Fey to keep up the good work. She`s doing a great job.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now, we`re also getting plenty of calls saying, "No, way. Tina and "SNL" are going way too far." Listen to Marcia calling from Florida.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MARCIA, CALLER FROM FLORIDA: I definitely think the impersonations of Sarah Palin are way too mean and biased.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Remember, the "Showbiz On Call" phone line`s open 24/7. Tell us what you think about Tina Fey, "SNL", or anything else that is on your mind. Give us a ring, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a message. 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. Check them out at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, "The View`s" Elisabeth Hasselbeck is not holding back at all about her support for Sarah Palin.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. She stands up for Palin on "The View" and Elisabeth is taking her side, literally, over the Palin expensive clothes controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Instead of the issues, they are focused, fixated on her wardrobe. Let me tell you, this is deliberately sexist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hasselbeck on the campaign trail with Palin. But will Elisabeth hitting the road help or hurt the McCain-Palin ticket? A fired up crew is ready to go at this, coming up.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., speaking of fired up, Tom Cruise`s all-out revenge on Matt Lauer. Remember when these two went at it on the "Today" show about psychiatry and depression? Well, you ain`t seen nothing. It`s a brand-new war of words. Tom even calls Matt a "glib putz." Ouch! Straight ahead.
HAMMER: And Jerry Lewis in trouble again for making another gay slur. That is coming up next.
(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.
Jerry Lewis is in trouble again for making another anti-gay comment. Last year, he did it during his annual Labor Day muscular dystrophy telethon. This time, during a news conference in Australia, someone asked him his opinion of cricket, the sport. And Jerry answer with an anti-gay slur. Gay rights groups have asked him to apologize again, but so far, Jerry`s rep says he doesn`t plan to comment.
HAMMER: Amy Poehler totally skipped out on this weekend`s "Saturday Night Live," but I think she had a pretty good reason. She was giving birth. Poehler and her husband Will Arnett welcomed a baby - it`s the first. His name is Archie and I love that he was born on Saturday - Archie weighing in at eight pounds, one ounce. Everyone doing just fine. In fact, during "SNL`s" weekend update, Poehler`s co-anchor Seth Meyers announced the news to a cheering crowd.
ANDERSON: Great, happy news.
And Angelina Jolie is back from a two-day humanitarian trip to Afghanistan. Angelina, who is a U.N. goodwill ambassador, visited poverty- stricken refugees who have returned to the country after fleeing the war. Angelina wants more aid for these families.
HAMMER: Everybody`s helping out, Brooke. Angelina hitting the road helping out in Afghanistan. You have Elisabeth Hasselbeck hitting the road, trying to help out Sarah Palin.
ANDERSON: Yes, Hasselbeck is getting Palin`s back about the controversy over Palin`s expensive clothes. But will "The View" co-host going out on tour help the McCain-Palin ticket? A fired up debate, next.
And also, this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
D.L. HUGHLY, COMEDIAN: Say, for instance, Sarah Palin and McCain doesn`t work. What do you think of her having a black running mate?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, that`s an interesting idea, right? Brand-new to CNN, comedian D.L. Hughley heads to a Palin rally and you have got to hear his wild idea for a 2012 ticket if Palin and McCain don`t get elected. More of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing coverage the funniest campaign ever, coming up.
ANDERSON: And Tom Cruise rips into Matt Lauer again. He even calls him a glib putz and it`s all caught on tape. You do not want to miss that, straight ahead.
But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news and you can do that with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Head over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the "sign up for newsletter" link at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is back right after this.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Instead of the issues, they are focused, fixated on her wardrobe. But let me tell you, this is deliberately sexist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Elisabeth Hasselbeck hits the road for Sarah Palin. Tonight, "The View" co-host is fired up and taking sides in the controversy over Palin`s expensive wardrobe. Now, will joining Palin on the campaign trail help the McCain-Palin ticket? Plus, your "Showbiz On Call" phone calls. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Hasselbeck`s last second Palin clip.
Tom Cruise`s revenge against Matt Lauer. Remember their on-air fight on the "Today" show over psychiatry and depression? Well, tonight, watch Tom call Matt a glib putz to his face. Ouch!
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: Tonight, "The View" co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck is throwing herself right into middle of the raging controversy over Sarah Palin`s expensive wardrobe and sparking a brand-new sexism debate.
Hasselbeck hit the road to campaign for Palin over the weekend and she did not hold back one bit when she spoke at a rally in Florida, calling the controversy over Palin`s designer duds deliberately sexist.
And Hasselbeck did not hold back when she returned to the set of "The View" today to defend the Sarah Palin that she got to spend some time with. We`re also taking your fired-up calls on the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines about the spectacle over Sarah`s wardrobe.
Joining me tonight from Chicago - there he is - Roland Martin, who is a CNN political analyst and Obama supporter. In New York tonight, is Leslie Sanchez. She`s a CNN contributor and Republican analyst.
All right, Roland, Leslie, we know this Palin controversy has been going on and on with Palin getting tons of heat after it was revealed that the Republican National Committee spent $150,000 on clothing for her. I want you both to watch what Hasselbeck had to say about the whole controversy when she introduced Palin in Florida over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: Instead of the issues, they are focused, fixated on her wardrobe. Now, with everything going on in the world, it seems a bit odd. But let me tell you, this is deliberately sexist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. She kind of makes it sound like the only thing that people are focusing on is this wardrobe thing. But that aside, Leslie, off to you first. Is Elisabeth Hasselbeck doing Sarah Palin any favors here?
LESLIE SANCHEZ, CNN REPUBLICAN ANALYST: I think she`s basically saying the truth in the issue. I mean, this is a campaign that is deliberately, on The Democratic side. And I said many in the liberal media have deliberately tried to minimize the effectiveness of this candidate. It`s reduced down to pageantry, pumps, and price tags. And I think, overall, people don`t want to see that. They want to learn about the candidate.
She`s right. This is not a new call to sexism. If you remember, Geraldine Ferraro came out right after Sarah Palin did that interview with John Gibson (sic) on ABC News and said exactly the same thing, that there were a lot of sexism tones. They don`t treat women in this case the same way they treat men.
HAMMER: Roland, what do you think?
MARTIN: This, A.J., is stupid. Leslie, please, will you stop the nonsense. Do you recall, Leslie, when John Edwards spent $400 out of his own campaign for haircuts?
(CROSS TALK)
SANCHEZ: I remember Bill Clinton doing that on the tarmac.
MARTIN: Leslie, your Republican friends, the talk show hosts, the columnists, the bloggers - you guys went on and on and on.
Here`s the real deal. Elisabeth Hasselbeck, sit down and be quiet and go back to "The View." You don`t belong in politics.
SANCHEZ: Wow.
MARTIN: They are continuing the story, A.J. A smart politician would have said, "We should not have used campaign funds to pay for these clothes," end of story. Every time Palin talks about it and Hasselbeck talks about it, they`re keeping the story alive. You never keep the story going. They screwed up.
SANCHEZ: You know, I would never be so bold as to tell a woman to sit down and be quiet about that, Roland.
(CROSS TALK)
MARTIN: She needs to sit down and be quiet, Leslie.
SANCHEZ: You have to be really careful about that statement. But I would say is the truth is, there is a double standard there. She is pointing to the obvious. And I`m less concerned ...
MARTIN: Oh, stop.
SANCHEZ: ... about the price tag if I care at all. I`m less concerned about that - you know, what she`s wearing than somebody like Joe Biden, what he actually said.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Separate from the whole clothing issue - because I think, you know, we`ve certainly beaten that to death. But the idea that Elisabeth Hasselbeck is continuing and is the one talking about this -
MARTIN: That`s the point.
HAMMER: Let me show you what Elisabeth said on "The View" today. She was there with her co-hosts and she talked about spending some time, getting to know Palin over the weekend. Watch how Elisabeth described Sarah and what she says is her sense of style. Roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: She called Jimmy Choos, "Johnny Choos." This is not a fashionista by any means. She does not - she`s not a clothes horse. This isn`t even her property.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So Leslie, more to the point of Elisabeth Hasselbeck speaking out about this stuff, is there a thought at all in your mind that perhaps she`s perpetuating the criticism by keeping the story alive.
LESLIE: In many cases, you do want to move away from the story. What`s interesting here - and I think many in the press have tried to disparage this candidate. They were critical of her as a mother. Could she be a vice presidential candidate and have a child with special needs. Could she do - you know, a lot of questions.
And this is the same tone. There`s a pattern here that you heard with Hillary Clinton. There were questions even about Michelle Obama. This is not unique to Gov. Palin. And I think -
MARTIN: Leslie, you -
SANCHEZ: I think what you see here is a pushback by Republicans who said, "We saw this happen to Hillary Clinton. We`re not going to let it happen to Gov. Palin.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Roland, hang on one second. Hang on one second because I have to play a phone call that we got. I just want to roll this out. We have Gerald from Kentucky calling the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines. He`s got something to say about the whole wardrobe controversy. Play that, Charles.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GERALD, CALLER FROM KENTUCKY: The comments about Sarah Palin`s outfits for $150,000 - it`s ridiculous. I`m sure Barack isn`t wearing suits from JC Penney`s and certainly isn`t getting them from goodwill. I`m sure they`re Armani and just as much as Sarah`s outfit, if not more.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: He`s making a point there, agreeing with Elisabeth Hasselbeck on this, that he thinks it`s sexist. Clearly, Roland - and I have about 20 seconds for you. Elisabeth Hasselbeck is not alone on this.
MARTIN: First of all, he doesn`t know what he`s talking about. Obama is wearing suits made in America, not Armani, that he bought. The real issue here, A.J., is not the fact that she`s wearing expensive clothes. It`s that the campaign used funds to pay for it. If they have used private funds, nobody would have known. And Leslie has never said a word -
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: I`ve got to wrap it up there. I think what we`re going to see over the next week Elisabeth Hasselbeck will continue to defend her candidate -
MARTIN: And she`s going to hurt Palin every time she opens her mouth.
HAMMER: Roland Martin, Leslie Sanchez, thank you both.
SANCHEZ: Strong women are admired in America.
MARTIN: I can live with this now.
HAMMER: All right, guys.
ANDERSON: OK. Sarah Palin may be getting a big kick from Elisabeth Hasselbeck, but Paris Hilton`s run for fake president is heading into overdrive. Paris took a little time out from the hard work of looking for a new BFF to shoot a super-sexy campaign video with help from "WhiteHouseMedia.com(ph).
The bikini-clad Paris who is running on what I can only imagine is the party girl ticket, took her stump speech to a club music beat. But seeing is really believing. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHORUS: Paris for president.
PARIS HILTON, ACTRESS: At the Palms chilling with a Martini.
CHORUS: Paris for president.
HILTON: Your commander in bikini. When they tell you about my policy to stop the players hating on the USA. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) You can ride in the motorcade in a hybrid pink Escalade!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey! Paris for President.
HILTON: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) old cliche.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Paris for president.
HILTON: You can get married if you`re straight or you`re gay. If you`re going to put lipstick on a pig, make sure that it matches her skin ton. You can trust me with my finger on the button (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CHORUS: Hey! Paris for president.
HILTON: America should put me in charge.
CHORUS: Paris for President.
HILTON: Look at Bush, it can`t be that hard. Simon Cowell - he might be a little mean. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Then I`ll paint the White House pink (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in Maui.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The White House in Maui - now, that`s hot. Not really.
HAMMER: I`m frightened.
All right. Brooke, I never thought that I would see the day that Tom Cruise would get his ultimate revenge on Matt Lauer.
Yes, we all remember the now-infamous "Today" show interview Matt did with Tom Cruise. Well, guess who showed up as a surprise guest at a roast of Matt Lauer, Tom Cruise. And you`ve got to hear what Tom said to Matt right to his face. It was caught on tape. You`ve got to see this, next.
And here`s something else you`ve just got to see.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUGHLY: Say, for instance that Sarah and McCain doesn`t work. What do you think of her having a black running mate?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, that`s comedian D.L. Hughley at a Sarah Palin rally, asking the questions that need to be asked. And I could not believe some of the answers he got. It made me cringe. That is next.
HAMMER: All right. That`s a bit of a thriller, but how`s this for a thriller? Look at that. And it wasn`t just in this shot. I mean, we had people in dozens of countries dancing to Michael Jackson`s "Thriller." It was a chiller. But why, oh, why, was this going down? We`re going to tell you when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT comes back in a flash.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: You don`t even - you`re glib. You don`t even know what Ritalin is. If you start talking about chemical imbalance, you have to evaluate and read the research papers on how they came up with these theories, Matt, OK? That`s what I`ve done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Who can forget that infamous "Today" show interview when Tom Cruise duked it out with Matt Lauer? And tonight, Tom Cruise strikes back.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, Tom`s revenge. Celebrities roasted Matt Lauer big-time this weekend, but the biggest roast of all came from his old friend, or nemesis, Tom Cruise, who made a surprise appearance and let it rip. No topic was off-limits, not even that uncomfortable interview from three years ago.
Joining me tonight in New York, Ben Widdicombe, who is the editor-at- large for "Star" magazine. And tonight, in Hollywood, Mary Murphy, who is a contributing editor for the "L.A. Times" magazine.
All right, Ben, Mary. Besides Cruise, among those who roasted Matt Lauer over the weekend were "Today" show colleagues, Al Roker, Meredith Vieira - even former co-worker Katie Couric took part. But none of those compared to when Tom Cruise took the stage as a surprise guest. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUISE: You see, I have this hectic life, jumping from international movie sets to amazing parties. But you on the other hand, I mean, you found happiness doing the same thing every day, just sitting on a couch, interviewing the car from "Knight Rider."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ben, Cruise was hysterical. Does this signify that maybe once and for all there are no hard feelings between these two?
BEN WIDDICOMBE, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "STAR" MAGAZINE: I think it was certainly very gracious of Tom to come to the roast. He was, after all, one of the most famous people on the planet and it looked great for Matt that he was there. Although I have to say, some of those lines had an edge to them. Was it all in fun, probably? I would say, probably in fun-ish.
ANDERSON: Well, a roast is supposed to be edgy, Ben. I think it was great to see it. It was pretty awesome he did show up, as you said. And of course, Cruise could not help bringing up that infamous interview where he went off on Matt. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUISE: Believe it or not, Matt and I are friends. And I know some of you might find that surprising, considering that, you know, we had that little thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, they had that little thing. But Tom could not resist this zinger saying, quote, "I can`t believe I flew all the way out here. Lose my number, you glib putz." Mary, Tom was very funny. There`s this. There`s also his comedic turn in "Tropic Thunder" over this summer. Is Tom trying to say, "Hey, I can have fun too. I may not always be the serious guy that you might think I am."
MARY MURPHY, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "L.A. TIMES" MAGAZINE: Tom hit it out of the ballpark. Really, in front of the east coast media elite, he mended all fences with this. And you know, Tom Cruise has always been funny, since his first, you know, movie, "Risky Business." And I think it`s just great he has redone his image. He`s brought himself back to Tom Cruise, superstar, fun guy, and a friend of Matt. And we all love that.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb couldn`t stop talking about Matt`s roast on "Today." They revealed some pretty interesting details about the whole thing including the fact that Matt Lauer actually got in the last jab as Tom Cruise snuck out of the roast early. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HODA KOTB, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": When Tom was leaving - "Don`t. Go look, we`ve got to see (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We even got a booster seat for you. Everything was on. I mean, it was great.
KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: It was very smart of Tom Cruise to do that.
KOTB: Yes.
GIFFORD: And apparently, he`s coming back on. Everybody`s made nice.
KOTB: Everybody`s made nice.
GIFFORD: Got to love the peacemakers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ben, what do you think? Are you surprised to hear that after all this time, Tom Cruise and Matt Lauer have made amends?
WIDDICOMBE: I`m not surprised. I think the original fuss over the little confrontation they had was blown out of proportion because Tom is so famous. But you know, I have to wonder, because Al Roker got in a jibe too. He said the reason Tom had to leave early was because his spaceship was leaving. So maybe Tom`s feud with the "Today" show isn`t quite over yet.
ANDERSON: Well, you know, his public perception has taken hits in recent years. I think it was a step in the right direction, mending those fences with Cruise, at least a bit, I mean, with Lauer and also the "Today" show. Ben Widdicombe, Mary Murphy, we`ll leave it there for now. Thanks.
HAMMER: All right. Let us let the laughs continue. You want more proof that this is, as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has declared, the funniest campaign ever. From "Saturday Night Live" to Sarah Silverman`s "The Great Schlep" video, you know, it has been hilarious.
And now, comedian D.L. Hughley is getting in on the action on his new show on CNN called "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News." D.L. goes where no comedian has gone before - a Sarah Palin rally. And he learns a thing or two about her supporters and even comes up with the dream team ticket for the 2012 presidential race. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUGHLEY (on camera): We are here for the Sarah Palin rally. Now, I normally would like to go some place called a rally, particularly in the south. But I`m here because Sarah is running for vice president and she is galvanizing an entire base. So we are coming to see what`s got everybody so excited.
(voice over): Governor Palin arrived and electrified the crowd.
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m hear to ask you, are you ready to help us carry this state to victory?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
HUGHLEY: But the polls have said she might not prevail this time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sarah Palin.
HUGHLEY (on camera): With an eye toward 2012, what do you think of her having a black running mate?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who, Palin?
HUGHLEY: Say, for instance, Sarah Palin and McCain doesn`t work, what do you think of her having a black running mate?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Um, well -
HUGHLEY: Would you consider somebody who`s an outsider?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It depends on who her running mate is.
HUGHLEY: What do you think of me for vice president with Sarah Palin in 2012?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t want know who you are.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know who he really is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I know who you are.
HUGHLEY (voice over): I was getting some resistance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ll pass.
HUGHLEY: But I knew my platform would change hearts and minds.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you believe in cutting taxes?
HUGHLEY (on camera): Absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You would cut our taxes?
HUGHLEY: Absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Abortion - how are you on abortion?
HUGHLEY: I would never have one.
We look different, Sarah and I, but if you dig deeper, you can see we have a lot of similarities.
I come from small-town America. It`s Compton, California. That`s a small town, too. Compton is far away from D.C., too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s true.
HUGHLEY: She likes gun, I like guns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love guns.
HUGHLEY: I own guns.
Sarah Palin ran the state police in Alaska. I run from the State Police in Los Angeles.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She has a record.
HUGHLEY: I have a record.
(voice over): Now that people knew me, they were getting psyched about our chances for 2012.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you guys would rock. How about you?
HUGHLEY: You`re my brother.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got it.
HUGHLEY: Palin, Hughley, 2012. Palin, Hughley, 2012. I thought you mean it.
Palin, Hughley, 2012!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Palin, Hughley, 2012.
HUGHLEY: Come on, give it to me. Palin, Hughley, 2012.
CROWD: USA! USA!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And there`s plenty more where that came from. Make sure you check out "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News" Saturday nights, 10:00 Eastern on CNN.
ANDERSON: So how is this for a real thriller? What in the world would possess thousands of people in dozens of cities to all dance to Michael Jackson`s "Thriller?" Hey, there`s no counting for good taste. You`ve got to check this out when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT comes right back. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you, Charles "The Zombie" Wegman(ph). Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
You know, there are plenty of freaky people in Hollywood on any given day of the week. But this past weekend, the freaks, the zombies, and all of the other creatures of the night were out to celebrate a dance.
Did you see this? Cute guys in L.A. were part of this global simultaneous dance to Michael Jackson`s "Thriller." Yes, they joined people in over 90 cities around the world. What they were trying to do was set the world record for the most people dancing to "Thriller."
And they may have gotten their wish. Organizers think about 4,000 joined in, beating last year`s record of just over 1,700 people. All of this is to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Thriller," of course, the breakthrough video directed by John Landis. And you`ve got to admit it, you know you did that dance in your living room. In fact, I know, you`re doing it right now, aren`t you?
ANDERSON: OK. From a "Thriller" to a thrilling honor for some CNN viewers. We are very proud to announce the winners of CNN`s first annual I-Report film festival. We got more than 100 entries from all over the country. So drum roll, please. Here are the winners.
I-Report film festival grand jury winner is called "The 13th amendment." It`s by Michael Dennis. The documentary short follows as 90- year-old great, great grandmother on her track to vote for Barack Obama in the 2008 Pennsylvania primary. The film`s title refers to the amendment giving African-American`s the right to vote.
The grand jury prize was decided by a panel of film and entertainment professionals. And the I-report Film Festival audience award winner is called "Electoral College" by two college juniors. The comedy short explores what would happen if presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain were assigned to the same dorm room at college.
The audience award was decided by viewers in an online vote at I- report.com. And you can check out the winning videos and others at ireport.com/filmfestival.
HAMMER: Yes. I`m looking at them over the weekend. Really, really cool. W
Well, Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Tina Fey: Is her Sarah Palin impersonation too mean?" And there`s a vote of "don`t thinks so" by and large. Fifteen percent said yes; 85 percent said no, not too mean.
Here are some of the E-mails. One from Dan in Ohio who writes, "Frankly, the word isn`t mean, it`s disrespectful not just to Gov. Palin, but to our country."
Gene from Florida writing, "`SNL` is by no means mean. After all, the good skits use words directly out of the mouth of Sarah Palin.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Don`t forget, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
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