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Showbiz Tonight
Jennifer Aniston`s Confession Tour; Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie; Developments in the Death of Paula Abdul`s Fan; The Obama Watch
Aired November 13, 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 Jennifer Aniston confession tour. Tonight, Jennifer`s latest stop, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," what she told Oprah about Angelina Jolie snagging her ex-husband, Brad Pitt. Tonight, does Jen really think what Angelina did was un-cool?
Plus, two, four, six, eight, who do you appreciate? Team Aniston. Team Jolie. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a great debate. Whose side are you on?
Dramatic new developments in the shocking death of a Paula Abdul fan. Tonight, why did the former "American Idol" contestant apparently kill herself? Was she really obsessed with Paula?
The SHOWBIZ Obama watch. Tonight, the White House doghouse. The amazing battle over who will become the first family`s first dog.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT-ELECT: A lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, the brand-new fascinating inside story of how Michelle Obama plans to make the White House a home.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood with the Jennifer Aniston confession tour.
HAMMER: Yes. Brooke, what`s a confession tour without a stop on "The Oprah Winfrey Show?" Jennifer Aniston poured her out to Oprah telling her all about the ghost of Angelina Jolie that still seems to haunt her.
For the very first time since her bombshell confessions about how she really feels about Angelina hooking up with her ex, Brad Pitt, Jen sat down on Oprah`s couch to set the record straight about what she said and how she feels. And it is now reigniting the great debate over team Aniston versus team Jolie. It`s all making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Come on out here, Jen. Come on, girl.
(CHEERS)
HAMMER (voice over): Jennifer Aniston had two jobs when she appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," promote her upcoming film, "Marley and Me," and explain that whole "taking down the woman who took her ex-husband" thing.
WINFREY: We were all talking about you being on the cover.
HAMMER: Oprah and everyone else is talking about "Vogue`s" explosive cover story which features a fiery Aniston quote, "What Angelina did was very un- cool," Angelina being Angelina Jolie, the companion of Brad Pitt, Aniston`s ex-husband.
Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Aniston is explaining what she really meant.
WINFREY: What you said was what Angelina did was un-cool.
ANISTON: I didn`t say that exactly. You know what? That was unfortunately so not in "Vogue" in my opinion. But you know, the cover line does not even - it does not reflect the cover.
HAMMER: Aniston insists she didn`t intend to launch a public feud with Jolie.
WINFREY: Is this out of context? You did say, "What Angelina did was very un-cool." You did say that. You just didn`t expect it to be on the cover?
ANISTON: Well, no. He asked me a question and I basically just answered it as honestly as I could. You know, I don`t go there, you know what I mean? It`s 100 years old for christ`s sake.
HAMMER: It may be 100 years old, but Aniston`s Jolie slam has launched 1,000 headlines and reignited the tabloid-friendly battle-over-Brad that turned into one of the juiciest Hollywood breakups in recent memory.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": You have Jennifer Aniston, the all- American girl. You know, she`s like the high school cheerleader. And then you have Angelina Jolie, the beautiful high school bad girl, the rebel. And she stole the cheerleader`s boyfriend, the quarterback. People love this story because they can relate to it.
HAMMER: Angelina Jolie earned Aniston`s un-cool remark by talking about how she and Brad Pitt got close while filming "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" in 2004.
PIAZZA: Angelina gave this interview to the "New York Times" where she says, you know, "It`s not often kids can watch a movie where their parents fell in love," meaning "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," where Brad and Jen were still very much married.
HAMMER: In a "Vogue" article last year, Jolie said she and Pitt were clicking so much Jolie couldn`t wait to get to work. In the new "Vogue," Aniston responds to that saying that Jolie, quote, "That stuff about how she couldn`t wait to get to work every day, that was really un-cool."
PIAZZA: In her interview, Jennifer Aniston said, "All right. You know what? Angelina Jolie spilled a little too many details in that article. I don`t want to hear about stuff I didn`t know about the breakup of my marriage. So thanks for telling the world, Angelina. That was really un- cool."
HAMMER: So now on Oprah, not only is Aniston downplaying her Jolie comments, she`s reiterating she has nothing but love for her ex.
WINFREY: You actually said that you were proud of Brad and his family.
ANISTON: I am, yes. I am. He`s done some amazing things in the last couple years. So I just think - I think he`s doing great.
HAMMER: And while she`s at it, Aniston is also clearing up all the tabloid reports about her love life.
WINFREY: Dating John Mayer or not?
ANISTON: Yes.
WINFREY: Yes.
HAMMER: And what about those pregnancy reports we keep seeing in the tabloids?
WINFREY: Pregnant or not?
ANISTON: No.
HAMMER: In fact, Aniston has a problem with that ongoing tabloid narrative that paints her either as a scorned victim who still can`t get over Brad, or a lonely starlet who can`t find love. She tells Oprah the opposite is true.
ANISTON: I live a very charmed life, and like I said, I`ve been unbelievably lucky in love. It just might not look the way it`s supposed to look at this point.
HAMMER: So the moral is, don`t feel sorry for Jennifer Aniston. But just to be safe, don`t cross her either or she may go after you in print.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So why is Jennifer being so open now about everything? What`s the deal with her confession tour? And why are we still so obsessed? With me here in New York is Janell Snowden is here. She`s the host of "VH1 News." And in Miami tonight is Steve Santagati of the Web site, "BadBoysFinishFirst.com."
All right. It`s worth taking another look at what Jennifer told Oprah today about why she called Jolie un-cool, and why now? Watch this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: Is this out context? You did say what Angelina did was very un- cool? You did say that. You just didn`t expect it to be on the cover?
ANISTON: Well, no. You don`t expect - he asked me a question and I basically just answered it as honestly as I could. You know, I don`t go there, you know what I mean?
WINFREY: Yes. Yes.
ANISTON: It`s 100 years old for christ`s sake.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: People applauding there. Jen says it`s 100 years old but she did answer the question very directly even though obviously she could have refused. It was her choice. Steve, it seems to me she did have some need to get this off her chest.
SANTAGATI: You know, I think that when you have certain feelings about something and someone asks you a question, even if you suppress it, it`s still going to come out.
Again, Jennifer - it`s not her first interview. And she also - "Vogue" is a huge thing for a celebrity, no matter how famous you are, to get on the cover and to be doing an interview. And so you want to play ball with those guys. So I think she was probably a little bit more open about doing that kind of thing.
And you know what? It`s like - I`m sure she can always go back to, "Well, I`m Jennifer Aniston. But at the same time, you know, all of us that are successful love to win. And in this case she didn`t win. It was a weird situation. The bad girl won in that thing. And you know, I don`t know - I just think she could have avoided the question if she really wanted to -
HAMMER: Well, yes. She`s obviously well-seasoned at the game of PR.
SANTAGATI: Yes. Exactly.
HAMMER: She knows how this all works. Janell, why do you think she waited so long? Or do you think she said, "You know what? Finally, I`m going to take this opportunity." Or perhaps, as Steve suggests, it just kind of came out?
JANELL SNOWDEN, HOST, "VH1 NEWS": Yes. I think it just kind of came out. I mean, like I said before, she didn`t go into the interview with the agenda of attacking Angelina Jolie. And if you read the whole article, it`s not about Angelina Jolie. That mention of her is very minute toward the end of the article. But of course, that`s where it gets blown up, because that`s what we all want to know about because she hadn`t commented it.
SNOWDEN: So maybe if she had said something earlier -
SANTAGATI: It sells magazines -
SNOWDEN: Yes. It sells magazines, obviously. So maybe if she commented on it earlier, we wouldn`t be making as big of a deal about it. But then again, it`s Jennifer Aniston. We make a big deal out of everything she does. We make a big of what she eats, how she`s wearing her hair. I mean, do you remember the Rachel haircut?
SANTAGATI: You do, not me.
HAMMER: Well, you know, it also just reinforces how obsessed people still are with the idea of these two top stars going through what they went through - I should say, three top stars, but we`re talking about just Jolie and Aniston.
Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers - I don`t tell you, but they`re just fired-up about this. We did ask in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day on the air and online - "Jennifer Aniston Slams Angelina Jolie: Should she have spoken out?"
Look at that, 70 percent yes, 30 percent no. People think it was a good idea. Steve, why do you think so many people are glad Jennifer is speaking out? Is it simply on a need to know?
SANTAGATI: We want to see that she`s human. We want to see that, you know, she feels anger and she gets mad. Because she`s kind of like, pretty much even-keel in the press a lot of times. She doesn`t really come out and say things like this.
But I think she`s like, "You know what? It`s so long ago, and I`m going to say something. Who cares? What do they do to me now? Maybe no one thinks about it. Maybe no one cares about it? Well, she was wrong, because people still think about it. And I think the women that came into SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and said, you know, definitely she should say something. It`s because they can empathize with her. It`s that simple.
HAMMER: But I wonder what Brad Pitt thinks about it? Janell, what do you think? I mean, how do you think he`s feeling about Jennifer finally speaking out? Because you know, he`s well aware that this is going on right now.
SNOWDEN: Of course he is. I`m sure he`s not completely happy about it, but I mean, that`s life. If he - you know, I`ve heard reports that he called her and supposedly voiced some complaint. And if he did do that, I think we can file that under the, "oh no, he didn`t" file.
SANTAGATI: Exactly. Oh no, he didn`t. How could he call up and complain? "You know, honey, I did cheat on you and left you for another woman. But you really - you`ve got to keep your mouth shut about. That sucks."
HAMMER: Steve, try to answer this in 15 seconds. But why do you think we haven`t heard Brad telling his side of the story yet?
SANTAGATI: Number one, guys get over things really quickly. We talk about it for a week - it`s gone. The other thing is, he`s Brad Pitt and we`re not. He doesn`t care. He thinks, "What are you going to do? I`m Brad."
HAMMER: He`s Brad and we`re not. True words have never been spoken by you, Steve. Thanks for joining us tonight. Steve Santagati, Janell Snowden, I appreciate it.
And I`d like you guys to hang around. We`re not done yet. All of this has reignited what has truly been a great debate: team Aniston versus team Jolie. The question is, whose side are you on? You`ll want a ringside seat for that. It is coming up at 30 minutes past the hour.
Now, we`d like to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we need you to sound off on - "Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie: Whose side are you on?" You can vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E- mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., I`ve got another team for you. How about team Palin? There`s still a ton of Sarah Palin fans out there who would love to see her on television.
HAMMER: And Brooke, she`s been on a lot of television, making the rounds, doing "LARRY KING," the "Today" show.
ANDERSON: But A.J., is Sarah Palin getting a role on ABC`s "Desperate Housewives?" We are sending the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT truth squad out to find out if Palin is going from Wasilla to Wisteria Lane.
HAMMER: Also tonight, dramatic new developments in the shocking death of a Paula Abdul fan. Why did the former "American Idol" contestant apparently kill herself? And was she really obsessed with Paula? We`ve got that next.
ANDERSON: And remember the pregnant man who recently gave birth? Well, you`ve got to hear the bombshell this guy just dropped on Barbara Walters. Stick around for this. You don`t want to miss it, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE "AMERICAN IDOL CONTESTANT" (singing): We`re rolling, rolling, rolling on a river
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, the mystery surrounding a former "American Idol" contestant and one of the Paula Abdul`s biggest fans. Did she commit suicide?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, getting to the bottom of the apparent suicide of the woman who dreamed of being an "American Idol." A troubled young woman infatuated with "Idol" judge Paula Abdul apparently took her own life. And in a shocking twist, police discovered the young woman`s body in a car just doors down from Abdul`s home.
Joining me tonight in New York, Ashleigh Banfield who`s the anchor of "Banfield and Ford: In Session." And also in New York, Lola Ogunnaike who is the entertainment correspondent for CNN`s "American Morning."
Now, Ashleigh, Lola, police say the young woman in question was more than just a fan of Paula Abdul`s. They say that she was obsessed with her. Ashleigh, do we have any indication that anyone could have seen this coming?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR, "BANFIELD AND FORD: IN SESSION": I think her family actually could have seen it coming. They had already reached out suggesting that since she`d been gone for somewhere over 24 hours, I think they were concerned she was going to do this.
They also had knowledge, according to at least one source, that she had done this before. That she`d OD`ed in the vicinity of Paula`s house before, but she didn`t die that time. So I think anyone was going to see it coming. Certainly not the show producers, but definitely her family.
ANDERSON: The woman was not only obsessed with Abdul, she did try out for "American Idol" twice. And the judges, when she tried out, including Paula weren`t kind. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: Rolling rolling, rolling on a river
PAULA ABDUL, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: Well, I`m speechless. Don`t know what to say.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: Was it good or bad?
ABDUL: Well, you know, it`s not a great thing.
SIMON COWELL, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: It`s not a good thing by being speechless.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: This time, no.
RANDY JACKSON, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: No.
COWELL: Randy?
JACKSON: That was terrible. What was that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And then Simon went on to make fun of her braces. They were brutal, but people have come to expect that from "American Idol." Lola, knowing what we know now - it makes it that much tougher to watch though, doesn`t it?
LOLA OGUNNAIKE, ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT, "AMERICAN MORNING": It actually does. I mean, you watch "American Idol" and yes, get a kick out of people who think they sound good in the shower getting up there and singing in front of the world. And you hope that they are just a bit delusional but not actually certifiably crazy.
And to know this woman had true issues just makes it much more painful to watch. I mean, again, this show is supposed to be fun and lighthearted. It`s not supposed to be, you know, watching and making fun of people who are truly troubled.
ANDERSON: Right. And of course, they obviously had no idea that someone was this troubled. And a big part of "American Idol," like I said, is giving the contestants a hard time about their performances.
Ashleigh, while nobody is suggesting the show bears any blame whatsoever, is it too far-fetched to think that maybe they`ll be even more careful in the future about whom they choose and how they`re treated.
BANFIELD: Possibly, but probably not. Because part of the show`s allure is the crazies who come out and perform. I think perhaps what they might be more careful of as they have been already is the liability waivers that I`m sure these contestants have to sign. Not to say that they`re absolutely bullet proof, but I think they`ll probably go over these. And I`m not suggesting for anyone suing at this point, but you know what? It`s a possibility.
ANDERSON: Do you think it would be a possibility that there would be legal action?
BANFIELD: Heck, yes. Oh, yes. I`ve seen it before. Jenny Jones was sued. Her entire show was sued after one of the people appearing killed the other person who appeared. He was sentenced to prison. The family of the dead man sued for $50 million. They were awarded $25 million.
On appeal, they lost. It`s not precedent setting, but it`s precedent setting in another state. So while it`s unlikely that it would be easy to sue the show owners, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) et cetera. It`s not totally impossible.
ANDERSON: Yes. And at this point, I do want to point out the family hasn`t indicated that they would be taking any legal action. We do have to end it there. But Ashleigh Banfield and Lola Ogunnaike, thank you both for your insight.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. Moving on, our "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been ringing off the hook. I mean, I actually had to turn the ringer down on the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines because everybody has been calling us about Jennifer Aniston speaking out for the first time about Angelina Jolie`s relationship with Brad Pitt.
ANDERSON: They have, A.J. And people are really divided into two camps here - Team Aniston and team Jolie. Listen to Margot(ph) calling from Ohio who is an Aniston fan.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MARGOT (ph), CALLER FROM OHIO: For her to just be coming out, I thought it was great. She carried herself like a lady. I think that everyone treated her wrong.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, I`ve got to tell you, we also heard from Leeann who called in from Wisconsin who thinks Aniston just needs to move on.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LEANN, CALLER FROM WISCONSIN: You don`t see Angelina Jolie going out, slamming Jennifer Aniston. It`s been, what, four years. Jennifer Aniston needs to get over it. I mean, you know, it`s something that happens.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, what do you think? Remember, you can call us at "Showbiz On Call" to let us know what you think. Aniston versus Jolie, or really anything else that`s on your mind. Call the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines, which are always open and available to you at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. That`s 1- 888-728-2899. Call the number. Leave a voicemail. We`re playing your calls here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now online at our homepage, that is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: Well, A.J., I do give Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt credit. They`re rearing six kids and they seem to be very devoted parents.
HAMMER: Doing a great job at it. It seems, Brooke, I don`t know how they juggle it all. But there is one thing, you know, Brad has not done. He`s not yet gotten himself pregnant.
ANDERSON: Funny, A.J. Well, tonight, I can tell you, the pregnant guy - remember him? He gave birth not long ago. Well, tonight he`s dropping a bombshell on Barbara Walters. And you have got to hear this.
HAMMER: Whose side are you on? Team Aniston or team Jolie? Well, you know Jen is on the confession tour where she really reveals what she really thinks of Angelina. Grab your phone fingers for this fired-up debate, Aniston versus Jolie.
Also, the amazing battle of who will become the first family`s first dog.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John McCain and Barack Obama doggy chew toys, perfect for the White House pet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Which pooch will get to move into the White House doghouse? It`s the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Obama watch, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. And here are some more stories that are making news right now.
HAMMER: Well we`re calling up the SHOWBIZ truth squad. We need to get to the bottom of this one.
All right. So Sarah Palin has really been making the rounds on TV. She did the "Today" show. She did CNN`s "The Situation Room" with Wolf Blitzer. She was on with Larry King on "LARRY KING LIVE."
But listen to this - will Palin go from Wasilla, Alaska to Wisteria Lane? You know, "The New York Post" is reporting that "Desperate Housewives" creator Mark Cherry wants to put Palin in the season finale of this ABC show.
Well, we called ABC. They tell us, "Sorry, this hockey mom is not going to be joining the other moms on `Desperate Housewives.`" So the story is not true.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., how about this one? Will John Mayer be getting his own show? TMZ is reporting that the singer will host a weekly variety show on CBS. And they`re going to try and get it on the air in the first quarter of 2009. It will have music, sketches, think Carol Burnett with a splash of Sonny and Cher.
Now, we reached out to CBS and Mayer, and neither of them were talking. No comment.
Hey, A.J., speaking of shows, I don`t think Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie will be starring in one together anytime soon.
HAMMER: Yes. I don`t think that would work, Brooke, especially after Aniston`s choice words for Jolie, right?
ANDERSON: Yes. And tonight, everybody is taking sides, A.J., team Aniston and team Angelina Jolie. Jennifer coming out swinging for the first time against Angelina. This is fired-up debate and we`ve got it, next.
HAMMER: You know, there has been a big debate ever since the pregnant man got pregnant and gave birth. Tonight, he is dropping another bombshell on Barbara Walters. We have got that coming up.
Also, the battle over who will become the first family`s first dog.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: John McCain and Barack Obama doggy chew toys. Perfect for the White House pets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Which pooch gets to move to the White House doghouse? It`s the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Obama watch, and that`s coming up.
ANDERSON: But first, stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news, and you can do that with our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Just head to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, click on the "sign up for newsletter" link. It`s at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming back right after this. Hang tight.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, team Aniston versus team Jolie. Jennifer Aniston tells Oprah what she really things about Brangelina. But whose side are you on? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT presents the great debate - team Aniston versus team Jolie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: John McCain and Barack Obama doggy chew toys. Perfect for the White House pet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The search for the top dog at the White House. President-elect Obama promised his girls a puppy, setting off first dog mania. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on Obama watch.
TV`s most provocative 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 team Aniston versus team Jolie. Yes. Jennifer Aniston went on Oprah today following her blockbuster remark about Angelina Jolie hooking up with Brad Pitt, calling what she did "un-cool."
Well, tonight, we are tackling a great American debate. What team are you rooting for - Team Jolie or team Aniston?
Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with continuing coverage of the Jennifer Aniston confession tour. First, "Vogue" magazine; now, Oprah, what she really thinks about Angelina Jolie and her ex, Brad Pitt.
Joining me tonight from Miami is Steve Santagati from the Web site "BadBoysFinishFirst.com." And tonight, in New York is Janell Snowden, who`s a host for "VH1 News."
All right. Janell, Steve, we`ve got two teams. You can only root for one. Steve, we went all out here. I`m going to start with you - team Aniston or team Jolie?
SANTAGATI: Team Jolie. You know, if she can`t get a man the old-fashioned way, she steals them. So it worked. On a serious note, A.J., you know, after Angelina and Brad hooked up, it`s like they went on and their relationship has grown. And their life has grown and certainly, their family has grown. The U.N. - the Pitt-Jolie U.N. got started.
HAMMER: Yes.
SANTAGATI: But Jennifer has kind of like meandered around picking bad boys that she can`t handle and stuff. Nothing really is panning out for her in the relationship area. So I`m going to stay with Jolie for now. Now.
HAMMER: Despite the fact you say, "Bad boys finish first."
SANTAGATI: Thank you.
HAMMER: What about you, Janelle - team Aniston or team Jolie?
SNOWDEN: You know, when this went down a few years ago and they first got divorced and we knew the reason, I was on team Aniston naturally. But now, I`m on team happy. I want everybody to be happy.
SANTAGATI: Oh, god!
HAMMER: Did you see that in our $100 sound effect? I mean, come on.
SNOWDEN: Here`s where I`m coming from. If Jennifer Aniston is truly as happy as she wants us to believe she is, judging by the article where she`s saying she can handle bad boys, and she`s just (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to have fun with them, then I`m happy for her.
And if the Brangelina clan is happy with, you know, their new family and everything else they`re trying to accomplish with saving the world, then I`m happy for them, too.
SANTAGATI: Oh, my -
SNOWDEN: If they`re happy, then I`m elated.
SANTAGATI: I`m going to join team slap.
SNOWDEN: I`ve got one for you, Steve.
HAMMER: The truth is, Janell, Steve, it does seem that everybody has an opinion on where they stand ...
SANTAGATI: They do.
HAMMER: ... whether it`s team Jolie, team Aniston, or in this case, team happy. We`re just going to push that one to the side.
But Steve, why do you think, after all these years - because we`re talking several years at this point, why so many people remain so divided over who they support?
SANTAGATI: I think because two things. A, is most women have been cheated on at some point in their life or had their man, quote, unquote, "seemingly stolen from them." So they`re going to, you know, empathize with Jennifer.
At the other side of the coin, they look at like, Angelina Jolie as a strong, empowered woman going out, taking the man that she wants and creating this family with him. So you see that as well.
Also, it depends on who`s more popular in the press that week. But yes, I think that, you know, people that side with Jennifer are because they`ve been there. They understand what that`s like to be cheated on and to lose your guy and stuff like that. I think that they look at her like we`re talking the other day about her being the girl next door. So they kind of feel for her.
HAMMER: Well, to the point of, you know, people, women may have had their men taken away from them. That brings up the fact that this all got started after the release this week of Jennifer`s big tell-all interview in "Vogue" magazine.
SANTAGATI: Right.
HAMMER: Jennifer Aniston quoted right on the cover as calling Jolie, quote, "un-cool" for revealing also in "Vogue" that she basically had the hots for Brad when he was still married to Jen. And they were working on "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." Well, Oprah asked Jen about the "Vogue" cover story. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: Is this out of context? You did say, "What Angelina did was very un-cool." You did say that. You just didn`t expect it to be on the cover.
ANISTON: Well, no. You don`t expect - He asked me a question and I basically answered it as honestly as I could. You know, I don`t go there, you know what I mean?
WINFREY: Yes. Yes.
ANISTON: It`s 100 years old for christ`s sake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She didn`t go there. She`s out there promoting her new movie. She`s still being bombarded with personal questions about Angelina and Brad.
What do you think, Janelle? It almost seems as if she`s just as famous for her acting career as she is for being the dissed lover of Brad Pitt. Is she ever going to live this down?
SNOWDEN: Sadly, I think I agree with you. I mean, we can`t seem to push that to the side. It is 100 years old, as she`s saying. I don`t know if she`s going to ever live it down until she proves to us she`s conventionally happy.
And she might not have that in her cards. I mean, she says in the article that she wants to get married. No, she doesn`t say she wants to get married. She says that she wants to have kids and she said that she will find a man. And right now, she`s just having fun and each of the people that she`s dated has been there for a reason.
So I just think that, you know, until she proves to us that she fits into our box of whatever happiness is supposed to be, then no, she`s not going to live it down.
HAMMER: Steve, do you see that happening?
SANTAGATI: No. I think that - look, Jennifer got into a situation where she said something on the record. It`s not her first interview, guys. She`s been around for 100 years, and she could have answered that question any way she wanted.
As a matter of fact, she could have answered that question, like by saying to "Vogue," "I don`t want to talk about that. Let`s move on. It`s done. It`s water under the bridge." But she didn`t.
SNOWDEN: But she would have alienated herself from us. Then we would have felt like, "OK, she`s not being real. Keep it real. You`ve got to be upset about this. She`s never talked about it.
SANTAGATI: Keep it real?
SNOWDEN: Keep it real.
SANTAGATI: Janell - OK. Let`s keep it real. Then she should have screamed and yelled when it first happened and said, "Angelina Jolie, that lousy woman. I can`t believe she did that. I can`t believe she seduced my man," even though Brad is a lot responsible for this, more than the both of them.
SNOWDEN: It was at the time, and she probably didn`t know how she felt -
SANTAGATI: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) at the time? How would you have reacted?
SNOWDEN: Because she had to process her emotions. Privately, I`m sure I would have said a few nasty things. But publicly, I probably wouldn`t have.
SANTAGATI: Janell. Janell.
SNOWDEN: Steve. Steve.
SANTAGATI: Someone seduces my girlfriend, I don`t wait a week. I come after them then and on the spot. If I`m a celebrity, I use this wonderful microphone.
HAMMER: Well, to this point, and because I think Steve - I think you`re not alone. I think I was a little surprised a lot of people were surprised that Jennifer did wait so long to speak out so, you know, articulately about this.
Look at what we asked in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Jennifer Aniston Slams Angelina Jolie: Should she have spoken out?"
Well, 70 percent of you said yes. Only 30 percent said no.
SANTAGATI: Right.
HAMMER: And the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines - I`m not lying when I say, they were going berserk.
SANTAGATI: Right.
HAMMER: I want to play a call of Jonello in Texas. This is what Jonello had to say about the whole thing. Clearly, Jonello on team Aniston.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JONELLO, CALLER FROM TEXAS: She should have spoke out. She should have spoke out years ago when this happened. And maybe then, she would have been able to carry on with her life instead of just punch and go, punch and go.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Janelle, you really don`t think that Jennifer should have spoken out sooner because she was processing everything still, is what you`re surmising?
SNOWDEN: No, I`m just saying that, you know, everything happens for a reason, for whatever reason she chose to keep quiet and not saying anything. And I think people were also forbidden from asking her about it. I remember doing a couple of red carpets with her and the publicist came through and they were like, "If you dare." So everyone just didn`t go there. And now that, you know, some time has passed, I think people feel a little safer to approach it. And maybe that`s why she just said something now. Who knows?
HAMMER: Well, Steve, let met ask you something because you brought up Brad Pitt. And despite all the drama, it turns out that Jennifer still has nothing but love and good things and praise for Brad Pitt. Does that surprise you to hear that?
SANTAGATI: No. Yes and no. It`s weird that she wouldn`t direct some of her attention to the guy. But I think Jennifer, at the end of the day, celebrity or not, famous, rich or not - women tend to blame the other woman for infidelity sometimes.
`And I think that, you know, she maybe wants to keep a good relationship with Brad. I don`t know. Maybe she feels like someday she`ll win him back. That`s kind of a crazy thing. You know, Brad never talked about this for a long time either, because that`s a guy thing. We get over it in a week. And women want to talk about it and over-think it for 100 years, 100 years.
HAMMER: All right, 100 years.
(CROSS TALK)
We`re going to leave it right there. Janell Snowden, Steve Santagati, please kiss and make up. Nice to see you both.
Well, WE`VE been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. There`s still time - "Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie: Whose side are you on?"
Let us know. CNN.com/ShowbizTonight is where you vote. Or you can always E-mail us your thoughts at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
We also want you to call us at "Showbiz On Call" and let us know what you think about team Aniston versus team Jolie or anything else that is on your mind.
HAMMER: I can hear the phone ringing right now, as if I didn`t turn the ringer down a bit. "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are open at 1-888-SBT- BUZZ. That`s 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voicemail. We`re playing your calls here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also, your calls to "Showbiz On Call" now online on our home page, which you have bookmarked, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
All right, Brooke. Tonight, we are on SHOWBIZ Obama watch.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. Two great stories to tell you about starting with Michelle Obama`s big decorating project. We`ve got a fascinating inside look at how the new first lady will turn the White House into the family home.
Plus, the search for a dog for the Obamas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: John McCain and Barack Obama doggy chew toys. Perfect for the White House pet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Who will be the top dog at the White House? President-elect Obama promised his girls a puppy, and that set off first dog mania. That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: And remember the pregnant man? Tonight, there`s more big news about Thomas Beatie, the transgender who made headlines giving birth to a baby girl over the summer. Now, he has dropped an absolute bombshell on Barbara Walters. That`s straight ahead on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You do not want to miss that.
HAMMER: It is time to vote for your favorite CNN hero. Just go to CNN.com/Heroes to see their stories. Then you`ve got to vote and join Anderson Cooper Thanksgiving night to find out who will be CNN`s hero of the year. Vote now at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Did you see this? Just check out this sweet dog. This is Faith who was born with only her two hind legs. Her owner who is in Oklahoma rescued her five years ago. As you can see, now she can walk just fine. Her owner says she chases squirrels, swims - everything that a four-legged dog can do.
And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Hey, as long as we`re talking about dogs, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on Obama watch with the search for the first dog. President-elect Obama has promised a puppy for Sasha and Malia, and that has set off first dog mania. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice over): Just when you thought the campaign was over -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
MOOS: The canine candidates for first dog are barking, and the lame duck Barney is surly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing?
MOOS: Owners are practically auditioning their dogs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s a Border Collie. He watches the border real good.
MOOS: Even pointing out similarities between the president-elect -
B. OBAMA: A lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me.
MOOS: And Shadow the Border Collie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s black white and brown.
MOOS: They`re making videos, showcasing doggie skills. They`re sending photos captioned, "Please pick me." "Did you say White House?" "Bullies for Obama." All lobbying for their breed. From Bichon Frise in high heels to the Irish wolf hounds, gigantic enough for Sasha and Malia to ride. There`s even a nominee for "secretary of the fence." Everybody is making suggestions.
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": Today, President Clinton tells him, "The Oval Office is the great place for a husky female."
MOOS: Now, Bill Maher joked about accusations Barack Obama`s enemies might have made.
BILL MAHER, HOST, "REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER": How do we know this isn`t a dog that pals around with terriers.
MOOS: As in any campaign, there are dirty tricks being played with dogs on both sides lifting their legs. And there are countless polls - what breed? The Obamas get a purebred or rescue?
Obama already had a strong doggy base. There`s even a dog with the unfortunate name, Herpe, trained to supposedly speak Obama`s name.
Folks are suggesting names for the first dog, and there`s a clear favorite.
(on camera): Here, Maverick. Come here, Maverick. Here boy.
The John McCain and Barack Obama doggy chew toys, perfect for the White House pets.
(voice over): From as far away as Peru came a suggestion of a hypo- allergenic breed called the Peruvian hairless. But why insist on a first dog? Why not a first llama, the Obama llama? Wouldn`t she look cute on the White House lawn as her owner? And for a less labor-intensive pet, may we suggest the one making the rounds on the Internet."
MOOS: The White House must have a piano. And popcorn.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: No hamsters were harmed in the making of that video.
Well, next in line in the SHOWBIZ Obama watch, the big move. You know, it is a busy time for Michelle Obama. Not only does she have to get the whole puppy situation squared away, she also has a very big decorating project to think about. Here`s CNN`s Carol Costello for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO (voice-over): Imagine you are Michelle Obama, about to decorate the White House. Your personal style, one for the history books. Talk about pressure.
JACQUELINE KENNEDY, FORMER FIRST LADY: It was where we lived when we first came here.
COSTELLO: Jacqueline Kennedy, anyone?
KENNEDY: The most famous one of course is the Lincoln bed.
COSTELLO: Arguably, Mrs. Kennedy had impeccable taste. But even Letitia Baldrige, Kennedy`s social secretary says Mrs. Obama should relax, although that trip with Mrs. Bush throughout the White House must have been intense.
LETITIA BALDRIGE, JACQUELINE KENNEDY`S SOCIAL SECRETARY: I would imagine she would be awestruck. I mean, anyone is. But to be the new first lady walking into the White House for the first time, I mean it`s imaginable.
COSTELLO: Sources tell me Michelle Obama is feeling the heat but not about decorating. Her worry comes in making the White House a home for her daughters who cannot wait to move in.
SASHA OBAMA, DAUGHTER OF BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA: It will be very cool.
MALIA OBAMA, DAUGHTER OF BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA: I think my most excitement about it is that I get to redecorate my room. I enjoy decorating.
COSTELLO: Can a 10-year-old really do that? To a bedroom that once belonged to Caroline or John-John? Yes, she can.
CARL ANTHONY, HISTORIAN, "FIRST LADY LIBRARY": Even though it is a historic house, it`s also a living house. It`s a home.
COSTELLO: In the next few weeks, the Obama girls and their mom will receive a large book filled with the pictures of all the furniture available in the White House collection. Or they can bring their own furniture to Washington. Mrs. Obama already plans to bring the girl`s favorite toys and family photos. And yes, Malia can plaster her bedroom with pictures of her favorite cure rock star Nick Jonas all over the wall. Hey, she won`t be the first.
ANTHONY: I do know Lucy Baines Johnson loved the Beatles.
COSTELLO: And yes, Michelle Obama can redecorate the second floor family living quarters however she wishes. If she wants to bring in Oprah`s fave interior designer to help, she can do that too.
Baldrige does have a bit of advice for her though.
BALDRIGE: She should relax and just say I`m going to take my time without making these decisions. Leave me alone, let me decide by myself. She has got a lot of taste. She can make it herself.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, as Carol pointed out, Mrs. Obama can decorate the private rooms where the family will live any way she wants. But any changes to the public rooms have to be approved by the White House usher to make sure the changes fit in with the historic look of the White House.
That was CNN`s Carol Costello for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: It is time now for making it work. Now, this is where we look at famous couples who manage to build strong relationships in the spotlight. Tonight, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. Nicole and Keith are married and have a beautiful four-month-old daughter, Sunday Rose.
Nicole found out she was pregnant while she was making her new movie, "Australia." She told Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning, America" that now, despite both of their really busy schedules, she and Keith have a pact never to be apart for more than a week at a time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLE KIDMAN, ACTRESS: You just say, `This is a priority,` and marriage is our priority. And so, if something fits into that, great. And if it doesn`t, then I have no trouble saying no. And it`s that simple.
You just say this is a priority. Our marriage is our priority. So something fits into that, great. If it doesn`t, then I have no trouble saying no. Fits into that. If it doesn`t. I have no@ trouble saying no. It is that simple.
DIANE SAWYER, HOST, "GOOD MORNING, AMERICA": Clarity, huh?
KIDMAN: Yes. You know, I touch wood when I say this. But I want a life that is about family. And I`m not willing to jeopardize that in any way. So, that is my commitment, you know. And it is not that I don`t have in my blood still running through me passion for my work. I would love to be able to have the chance to do - I mean, this film, "Australia" is so important to me because my marriage had to accommodate it as well.
You know, Keith flew back and forth. And we really tried to make it work so that I could make this film and he still could do his tour. And this is really important to me, this film. I wanted this. I wanted to make it. It is part of my voice in terms of my life. It says something.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You can see Nicole Kidman in "Australia." It will be on theaters November 25th.
HAMMER: All right. You remember the pregnant man? Well, tonight, there`s more big news about Thomas Beatie, the transgender who made headlines by giving birth to a baby girl over the summer.
Now, he has dropped an absolute bombshell on Barbara Walters. That is coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You don`t want to miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE VIEW": Thomas Beatie, the pregnant man is pregnant again. The baby will be born in June.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s Barbara Walters announcing to a shocked audience on "The View" the pregnant man is pregnant again.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. You just heard the gasps from the audience on "The View." It is true the pregnant man is expecting his second child.
Thomas Beatie, transgender, gave birth to a girl, Susan, back in June and he dropped a bombshell on Barbara Walters. He tells her he is pregnant again while she interviewed him and his wife for an ABC special.
Today, on "The View," we got to see part of the interview. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS BEATIE, "THE PREGNANT MAN": We`re just an ordinary normal family. Nothing really different about that.
WALTERS: Was she a good baby?
NANCY BEATIE, THOMAS BEATIE`S WIFE: She is a great baby.
T. BEATIE: She is really happy all day long.
WALTERS: What are you going to tell Susan and when?
T. BEATIE: Well, we`re going to tell her that we love her dearly. And that her mother wasn`t able to carry her, but daddy was.
WALTERS: What happens when people make fun of her?
T. BEATIE: That`s never a good reason not to have a family. People get teased. Children get teased for all reasons. If you have two mommies or red hair, it doesn`t matter. We will just have to raise her with enough strength and resilience in order to withstand anything the world throws at her.
WALTERS: Have you thought, Nancy, of when you`re going to tell your child?
N. BEATIE: I think we`ll wait until she seems ready.
T. BEATIE: I told her yesterday.
N. BEATIE: I did tell her yesterday.
WALTERS: Really?
N. BEATIE: I tell her every day.
WALTERS: What did you tell her?
N. BEATIE: I said, "Daddy had you. He had you and I`m your mommy. And that is your daddy." She didn`t understand yet.
T. BEATIE: That didn`t faze her though.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You can see "What is a man? What is a Woman? Journey of a Pregnant Man" Friday on ABC.
HAMMER: Well, on Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this - "Jennifer Aniston Slams Angelina Jolie: Should she have spoken out?" Seventy percent of you said yes; 30 percent of you said no.
Here are some of the E-mails we got. One from Carrie in Louisiana. Carrie writes, "After the things Angelina Jolie has been saying, Jennifer has every right to speak her mind."
Listen to Sara, writing in from Florida, "Jen is again using Brad and Angie to gain the spotlight. Her movie career is not going well and she needs attention."
Well, as always we appreciate you expressing your opinion. And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We appreciate you 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 "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next. Take care.
END
