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Showbiz Tonight
America Votes on Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie; Developments on the Death of a Paula Abdul Fan; Is Angelina Jolie Quitting Acting?; Cashing In on Barack Obama; Is the Pregnant Man Really a Man?
Aired November 14, 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, with the fight for the White House over, tonight, the next great battle - team Aniston versus team Jolie. Why is everyone so divided over who to support following Jen`s bombshell interview about Brad and Angelina? Tonight, the startling results of a brand-new SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll, and your fired-up calls to "Showbiz On Call." Tonight, America votes on team Aniston versus team Jolie.
Shocking new developments in the death of an obsessed Paula Abdul fan who apparently killed herself near Paula`s home. Disturbing details about what she may have sent Paula before she died and why some in her family are now speaking out.
Tonight, absolute disbelief that the pregnant man is pregnant again, because is he really a man?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can wear a fur coat and crap in the litter box, but that doesn`t make you cat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood with America`s great divide, the split over Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. America has voted and settled the race for the White House. But now, civic duty calls again. And from coast to coast, from small towns to big cities, the votes are still being counted and there are no hanging chads as this great debate rages on. Are you on team Aniston or team Jolie? All this, of course, after Aniston called Jolie un-cool over, you know, that pesky little thing, how she confessed that she had the hots for Brad Pitt while he was still married to Jen. And it`s all making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): Like Democrats versus Republicans, Yankees fans versus Red Sox fans, there`s team Aniston versus team Jolie. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you when it comes to people`s feelings about Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie, who of course, took up with Brad Pitt after he left Aniston, people are as divided as ever.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": People split into these two camps and team Jolie thinks Jennifer Aniston should just get over it. She should move on by now. And team Aniston thinks that Jolie is a crazy, home- wrecking (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
HAMMER: Team Aniston and Jolie are riled up anew this week after Aniston`s recent comments about Jolie appeared in the new issue of "Vogue" magazine. Aniston blasts Jolie for describing recently how she and Pitt got close while they worked together on the film, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." Pitt was still married to Aniston at that time.
PIAZZA: She said Angelina doing that was kind of un-cool. So it`s really the first time that Jen has attacked Angelina and I think that that`s making people kind of rally behind Jen.
HAMMER: They certainly are. After Aniston`s un-cool slam on Jolie, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks you, our viewers, whose team you were on - team Aniston or team Jolie? A whopping 73 percent of you said, Aniston; 27 percent backed Jolie.
PIAZZA: I`m team Aniston.
HAMMER: Even our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT entertainment experts are divided between Aniston fans -
PIAZZA: She`s the kind of girl we want to sit down and have a beer with. And Angelina Jolie`s the kind of girl that we`re never going to be and the kind of girl that`s going to steal your boyfriend.
HAMMER: And Jolie backers.
STEVE SANTAGATI, "BADBOYSFINISHFIRST.COM": After Angelina and Brad hooked up, it`s like they went on and their relationship has grown and their life has grown. But Jennifer kind of like meandered around, picking bad boys that she can`t handle. Nothing really is panning out for her in the relationship area. So I`m staying with Jolie for now.
HAMMER: Funny thing is, aside from the occasional explosive magazine comments, the three parties in this Hollywood triangle don`t seem interested in waging a public feud.
JENNIFER ANISTON, ACTRESS: It`s 100 years old.
HAMMER: On the "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Jennifer Aniston made it clear she`s had enough with all this talk about a feud with Angelina Jolie.
ANISTON: The unfortunate reality is that good news just isn`t as interesting. And I think that, you know, especially at a time when there`s such positivity in the collective of what`s going on, negativity is still what sells.
HAMMER: In fact, everyone involved seems to be moving on with their lives. Jolie and Pitt are raising their growing family while continuing to make movies. Aniston`s moving on with her high-profile relationship with singer, John Mayer. And Aniston has a new movie, "Marley and Me," which happens to open the same day as Brad Pitt`s, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Oprah asked Aniston about her upcoming box office match-up against her ex.
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Will there be a little part of you that wants to beat him at the box office?
ANISTON: Oh, come on. What am I going to say? No, I hope he takes the night, takes all weekend. I mean, you know, we all want our movies to do well. I`d like to do a close. Can we do a tie like we each make this?
WINFREY: Yes.
HAMMER: So if Barack Obama and John McCain can make peace, maybe team Jolie and team Aniston can do the same?
SANTAGATI: Team Jolie - you know, if she can`t get a man the old-fashioned way, she steals them.
PIAZZA: She stole someone`s husband right out from under her nose while they were making a sexy action film. That`s fair.
HAMMER: Or maybe not.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Either way, that big box office showdown I mentioned between Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt, that takes place on Christmas Day. How celebratory - December 25 is when both of their movies, "Marley and Me," and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" both open opposite each other. You`d better believe all eyes are going to be watching that one.
ANDERSON: OK. Tonight, there are brand-new developments in the mysterious and disturbing death of a former "American Idol" contestant who was an obsessed fan of Paula Abdul. It`s making big news right now.
The 30-year-old woman`s body was found near Abdul`s Los Angeles home after what police say is an apparent suicide. Now, her grieving brother is speaking out and pointing fingers at "American Idol." And there are new and creepy reports tonight that Paula received flowers from the woman the week before she died.
Joining me tonight in New York, Ashleigh Banfield, who is the anchor for "Banfield and Ford: In Session." Also tonight in Hollywood, Russell Wetanson, pop culture and legal expert for "PopSquire.com."
Ashleigh, Russell, as we know, the woman tried out twice for "American Idol." And the judges, including Abdul, were not kind to her. We will be showing some of that to you in just a moment.
But now her brother is telling the "New York Post," quote, "Abdul didn`t speak up for her. She let everyone take her down. She said she was `speechless` when she could have said something in her defense."
Ashleigh, we, of course, all understand that the family is grieving in a lot of pain right now. But is it fair to put any of the blame on the "Idol" judges?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR, "BANFIELD AND FORD: IN SESSION": No, it is not. That is their job. They`re hired to do exactly what they`ve been doing. And not only that, all contestants sign release forms that make it very, very clear that they could be subject to ridicule and humiliation.
I think just going a little further than that, the producers are responsible for making sure people with serious mental health issues don`t get past those gates and there could be the issue there.
ANDERSON: Well, I want to take a look at one of the woman`s "Idol" auditions - this one from two years ago. Watch -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE PAULA ABDUL FAN: Rolling, rolling, rolling on a river
PAULA ABDUL, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: Well, speechless. Don`t know what to say.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE PAULA ABDUL FAN: Was that good or bad?
ABDUL: Well, you know - no, it`s not a great thing.
SIMON COWELL, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: It`s not a good thing by being speechless.
ABDUL: This time, no.
RANDY JACKSON, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: No.
COWELL: Randy?
JACKSON: That was terrible. What was that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Hey, Russell, based on what you just saw and what her brother said, could "American Idol" or even Paula Abdul be sued for somehow contributing to this woman`s distress?
RUSSELL WETANSON, POP CULTURE EXPERT, "POPSQUIRE.COM": Probably not. This takes up where Ashleigh was talking about before. Contestants on most reality shows, especially this one, they sign really extensive releases, and that`s likely what would happen here.
But even assuming that weren`t the case, you have to realize this was season five of "American Idol." This contestant, although it`s a very sad situation now, likely knew what she was getting into. If you audition for "American Idol," there`s a very good chance that you will end up embarrassed and ridiculed because that`s what they do on the show at a certain point in the season.
ANDERSON: Ashleigh, what are your thoughts? If the family were to take legal action, would they even have a case?
BANFIELD: Well, it`s not a simple answer but I`ll try to make it simple. Someone had a case in Michigan and they won that case in Michigan after one contestant killed another on the "Jenny Jones Show." And the family of the dead man won $25 million.
And the producers of the show and the distributors were ordered to pay it. On appeal, though, it was turned over. And the Supreme Court in Michigan decided not to take up the case.
So there is precedence in Michigan saying, you`re not going to get anywhere here. But this is California and the circumstances are different. This show aired in front of 30 million of people. The show in Michigan never went to air.
ANDERSON: Good point. That happened in the mid-`90s. Yes, still could be uphill battle though. And today, we got what seemed even more of a sense of how obsessed this woman seemed to be with Abdul. "People.com" reports that Abdul received more than 100 letters, many phone calls, uninvited visits from the woman.
Russell, does it strike you as odd that there was never an issue of a restraining order or that a stop wasn`t put to this action?
WETANSON: Well, by all accounts, Paula Abdul is a very nice, sweet person and she probably was aware of what was going, on but didn`t want to take any criminal steps. And furthermore, under California law, there are anti- stalking statutes. But unless the other person makes a credible threat that places the other person in reasonable fear person for their safety, it`s really not prosecutable under California law. So that may be what was happening here. The acts were not great and they were probably too much but not necessarily criminal.
ANDERSON: OK. Well, after this tragedy, whether the woman`s death was linked to her experiences on "American Idol" or not, Ashleigh, quickly, is this a wake-up call to "Idol" to maybe think about screening contestants for mental health?
BANFIELD: Yes, I think they probably already do. They make it more stringent with these screening processes. But you know what? In the end, you can never really tell.
ANDERSON: Yes. And you can`t be too careful. Ashleigh Banfield, Russell Wetanson, thank you both. Good to see you.
HAMMER: All right. Moving on now, Brooke, a shocking revelation tonight from Angelina Jolie.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. Angelina says that she`s thinking about quitting acting.
HAMMER: Yes, but can we really believe that? Also the shocking results of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll. Are you on team Aniston or are you on team Jolie? Plus, your fired-up calls and E-mails. The great debate coming up.
Also, is the pregnant man really a man?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody`s saying it`s a man who had a baby. Bull shizzle(ph). It`s a woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The pregnant man is pregnant again. He`s really pregnant but is he really a man?
HAMMER: Plus, the SHOWBIZ Obama watch. Tonight, cashing in on Obama - why everything from Obama earrings, to t-shirts, to commemorative coins are big business after the election. That is still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And we are coming right back.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Well, tonight, Rosie O`Donnell is getting ready for a new TV show by making fun of her old enemies, Donald Trump, of course, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Rosie posted a video on her Web site promoting her "Rosie Live Variety Special," and there are mentions of both Donald and Elisabeth. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, COMEDIENNE: Hey, little Sally.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: What`s going to be on Rosie`s new variety show?
O`DONNELL: Oh, little Sally, it`s full of fun stuff. We`ve got singers, dancers, a lot of comedy and music.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Oh, will Rosie tell us a famous billionaire?
O`DONNELL: Oh, little Sally, he`s not a billionaire.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Will she yell at a skinny little Republican?
O`DONNELL: No, little Sally. She did that for almost a year.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Will she sing on key?
O`DONNELL: You never know. Miracles can happen. Miracles can happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "Rosie Live" is going to air on NBC, November 26.
ANDERSON: All right. It is time now for the SHOWBIZ Obama watch. Tonight, cashing in on Obama. And I bet you could actually get an Obama watch these days to wear on your wrist. The president-elect already drumming up big business in merchandise, I`m talking about everything from Obama buttons to t-shirts to commemorative coins. Here`s CNN`s Carol Costello for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That $700 billion bailout isn`t doing much for the economy so far. But Barack Obama`s face sure is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which one is going the fastest?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s four dollars.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cash only. Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anything with Obama`s face on it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ll take that one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which one?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This one that has hope on it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ma`am.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ll take that.
COSTELLO: In New York City`s Union Square vendors who make their Obama T`s, Obama in the House, -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Obama jewelry
COSTELLO: Earrings and buttons made for pennies are cleaning up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was businesslike, you know, in the last week?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amazing. Insane.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is your hottest seller?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The hope button.
COSTELLO: It`s not just New York either. Obama merchandise mania is inescapable.
ANNOUNCER: Get both of these brilliant un-circulated Barack Obama 24 karat gold coins. At $29.95 value, yours for just $9.95.
COSTELLO: According to the "L.A. Times," nine Obama books are in the works. One industry insider calls it "the biggest thing for publishing since Harry Potter." Professional collectors have never seen anything like this. Normally after a candidate is elected interest in paraphernalia disappears. Not this time. And Austin, the Obama store.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it has Obama on it, it will sell.
COSTELLO: He`s not kidding. Those Obama earrings, they are hot, hot, hot.
SARAH, MAKES OBAMA JEWELRY: A lot of people have bought the Obama earrings and I felt bad because I wasn`t donating any of the money. I always wanted to go Peru to Machu Picchu and I think Obama won`t mind if I actually use the money.
COSTELLO: If you think it`s crazy to spend money on this stuff, you`re wrong. Mark Evans is a professional collector. He says creative well made items made by artists or street vendors could be worth their weight in gold some day.
MARK D. EVANS, PROFESSIONAL POLITICAL COLLECTOR: I`m looking for things that are not mass-produced and distributed all over the country. For example when I was in Denver we found buttons that were made by street vendors, artists, and those are the sort of things we look for.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just show that off a little bit. There you go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Carol Costello for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Brooke, you know, we`re getting so many calls to "Showbiz On Call," lots of them have to do with one major issue - team Aniston versus team Jolie.
ANDERSON: Yes. They`ve really been pouring in. A.J. It really has kicked off a firestorm of debate. Jennifer told "Vogue" magazine that the way Angelina spoke about falling in love with Brad during "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" was very un-cool because Jennifer and Brad were still married at the time.
We got a message on "Showbiz On Call" from Jackie who`s definitely on team Jolie.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JACKIE, CALLER: She obviously just needs some news. Leave these couples alone. Brad, Angelina - they seem to very, very well. I love Jolie so much. She has really handled herself like a woman. OK, Jennifer Aniston, move on. You keep dating all these losers, you know. Leave Angelina alone.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. We also heard from Jonathan in New Hampshire. He is definitely on team Aniston.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JONATHAN, CALLER FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE: I`m calling in to just say, being the one that`s been dumped before and had my heart broken, you know what? Plain and simple, Jennifer Aniston went down like a champ. She divorced him and she didn`t really say much about it. So I`m on Jennifer Aniston`s team.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Here`s what you need to do - call us at "Showbiz On Call" to let us know where you stand on the whole team Aniston versus team Jolie debate. Or you can also just call us about anything else that`s on your mind.
ANDERSON: Yes, you can. The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines always open. 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 listen to this, your calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now online. That`s on our homepage CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
And we also want you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie: Whose side are you on?" Vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us at this address showbiztonight@cnn.com.
A.J., there is another really shocking revelation from team Jolie.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. Angelina actually is saying she`s thinking about quitting acting. Will she really do it? We`ve got that coming up and more of your phone calls and the startling results of our team Aniston versus team Jolie poll. That`s all on the way.
ANDERSON: Also, Jennifer Hudson`s message to her fans as she continues to mourn the tragic killings in her family. Plus, why The Gap decided to go ahead with a cheery ad campaign that features Hudson.
Also, is the pregnant man really a man?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Women should not be drinking while they`re pregnant. But I`m a man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: One of the spoofs that has shown up after news that the pregnant man is pregnant again. But is the pregnant man really a man? That`s still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now it`s time for you to vote for your favorite CNN hero. To do it, go to CNN.com/Heroes. See their stories and join Anderson Cooper Thanksgiving night to find out who will be CNN`s hero of the year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Did you see this? A Florida man is selling his home with a rather creative take on those priceless Mastercard specials. The sign outside his house says, "3,400 square foot Lakeview house - $599,000. Helping me get divorced - priceless." Now, some of his neighbors don`t really like that he`s airing his dirty laundry in this way.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. And A.J., speaking of dirty laundry, the Hogan divorce war is another story making news right now.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. Hulk Hogan has apparently sold his trademarks to his best friend - that`s to keep his ex from making money on them. I`m talking everything from the name "Hulkster" to the Hulk Hogan grill and energy drink. That`s according to papers Linda, his ex-wife, filed in court.
Hulk`s lawyer tells TMZ, quote, "There has been no siphoning of money."
ANDERSON: And as Jennifer Hudson continues to mourn the tragic killings of her family members, The Gap is going ahead with an ad campaign that features a cheery picture of her. The Gap says Hudson wanted the campaign to continue.
Meanwhile, Jennifer`s posted a thank you to fans on her MySpace blog. She writes, quote, "I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. My sister and I take great comfort and strength from your love and concern."
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, shifting gears now, there is a shocking revelation tonight from Angelina Jolie.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. Angelina says she`s quitting acting.
HAMMER: Yes. But can we really believe it? Plus, we have the startling results of our poll - are you on team Aniston or team Jolie? That`s coming up, and your fired-up phone calls also on the way.
Plus, is the pregnant man really a man?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody`s saying it`s a man who had a baby. Bull shizzle(ph). It`s a woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now that the pregnant man is pregnant again, the debate heats up. We know he`s really pregnant, but is he really a man? That`s still to come.
HAMMER: And Seal tells me his secrets to a successful marriage to Heidi Klum. You don`t want to miss that, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
You can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Subscribe by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight and clicking on that "sign up for newsletter" link. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, team Aniston versus team Jolie. Tonight, the shocking results of a brand-new SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll. And your fired- up phone calls to "Showbiz On Call."
Plus is Angelina Jolie really quitting acting? Whose side are you on - Jennifer? Angelina? Tonight, America`s big showdown - it`s team Aniston versus team Jolie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody`s saying it`s a man who had a baby. Bull shizzle(ph). It`s a woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The so-called pregnant man breaks the blockbuster news to Barbara Walters that he`s pregnant again. But can we really call this guy a man?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
HAMMER: Well, tonight the Angelina Jolie bombshell we never saw coming. In a brand-new interview, Jolie is claiming she`s going to basically give up acting. Jolie`s claim comes just days after the age-old debate of team Aniston versus team Jolie is reignited after Aniston called Jolie, quote, "un-cool."
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the amazing results of a brand-new poll on the Jolie-Aniston smackdown as well as your fired-up phone calls into the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines.
Joining me tonight in New York is Janell Snowden who hosts "VH1 News." In Hollywood, it`s Russell Wetanson who`s a pop culture and legal expert from the Website "PopSquire.com."
OK. Guys, first what I need to get to and what`s new right now - Angelina Jolie is saying her acting days, they are a-numbered. I want you to Listen to what she told BBC news in a brand-new interview. This is it, quote, "I don`t plan to keep acting very long. I`m ready to do a few things now and fade away and get ready to be a grandma one day."
Angelina Jolie a grandma? Let`s keep in mind now, she`s just 33 years old. Janell, do you buy this at all?
JANELL SNOWDEN, HOST, "VH1 NEWS": I kind of do. I mean, you know, I`m sure she probably feels like, such hard work being beautiful and being beautiful with six kids. I mean, come on, she`s been popping them out these past few years. And not only that, but I don`t even know if she knows where her real home is because she`s constantly jet-setting.
So I can see how she could just be plain old exhausted and maybe that`s where she`s coming from. But, I mean, you know, she`s such a talent and she`s got an Oscar. And maybe she could add another one to that list of credits. But I don`t know - we`ll just have to wait and see.
HAMMER: You mentioned six kids. Let`s remind everybody, six kids under the age of six.
SNOWDEN: Yes.
HAMMER: And apparently she said she wants even more. So Russell, does this make sense to you, the idea that Jolie wants to give up acting?
WETANSON: Let`s hope it makes no sense. No one wants Angelina Jolie to go away. And the truth is with Angelina`s commitment to social, humanitarian and political causes, she might want to think twice about fading away because she builds momentum and brings attention to those causes through her acting and through her place in the public eye.
HAMMER: Well, even if she wants to fade away, one thing I have to point out is that the thing that`s hot as ever is the continuing Angelina Jolie- Jennifer Aniston media war.
For this, I want to fire up the SHOWBIZ news line. On Tuesday, Jennifer made huge news telling "Vogue" magazine Angelina was, quote, "un- cool" for detailing how she fell for Brad while he was still with Jennifer.
Then on Thursday, Jennifer goes on "Oprah," spills more about how she really feels about Brad. On the very same day, we find out about Angelina`s revelations about her plan to quit acting. And finally, Thursday night, Jennifer Aniston shines brightly, I might say, in a highly anticipated episode of "30 Rock." Janell, I`ve got to ask you, who do you give the week to - Team Aniston or team Jolie?
SNOWDEN: If we`re just going by this week, we have to give it to team Aniston because she has garnered more press than Angelina, only from the standpoint that she`s not only done "Oprah," but she`s done "30 Rock." She`s been all over this channel for sure. I mean, she`s kind of won it as far as headlines.
I mean, Angelina has been sort of ancillary because Jennifer is the one who ushered them all in. That said, am I the only one that noticed that "Vogue" chose to put them both in red dresses for their covers?
HAMMER: I believe you are. I believe you`re breaking news right here for anyone else who haven`t been paying that close attention.
JANELL: It`s what I do. Yes.
HAMMER: Russell, what do you think? Quick vote on this - who got the week, team Jolie or team Aniston? They both made news this week.
WETANSON: Well, A.J., no one`s going to changeling my mind. It`s definitely - Angelina is the win. She`s remained silent this week and she still gets all this attention. Team Jolie.
HAMMER: All right. Well, let`s see what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers think because they have been fired up about this. Here`s what we asked online and on air - "Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie: Who`s side are you on?"
Everybody`s taking sides. And look at this. The overwhelming majority - 73 percent voted for team Aniston; 27 percent for team Jolie. I thought it would be a little more split. Janell, are you surprised the vote`s so lopsided?
SNOWDEN: Not hardly. I mean, like I`ve been saying all week, Jennifer Aniston is like everybody`s favorite friend. You know, she`s the girl next door. She`s America`s sweetheart. So naturally, are going to feel for her.
Angelina Jolie is a vixen. She`s beautiful. Now, she`s helping to save the world through all of her various causes. So I don`t think people are as receptive to those yet as they maybe will be in the future once this dies down. For now, I think we`re still sort of weeping for Jennifer even though she doesn`t want us to.
HAMMER: Yes.
SNOWDEN: She wants us to know she`s fine.
HAMMER: Well, people have been expressing their loyalty to one side or the other, not just by E-mail and through our SHOWBIZ question of the day. They`ve also been burning up our "Showbiz On Call" phone lines weighing in on team Aniston versus team Jolie.
We`ve got a call I want to play to you. This is Rosalinda calling from Texas. Listen to Rosalinda.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ROSALINDA, CALLER FROM TEXAS: Aniston`s team, without a doubt. Not Jolie`s team, by far. What Jolie did was completely unacceptable and 100 percent un-cool. It will come back and bite her in the tushy(ph). And remember, don`t do to others what you don`t want done to you.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: I believe she said the word, "tushy(ph)." Russell, do you think that Rosalinda speaks for a lot of women who think Angelina just stole Brad from Jen and now karma is going to bite her in the, as she said, tushy(ph)?
WETANSON: Well, Rosalinda might be speaking for a lot of women, but to the extent karma is involved, it hasn`t done any biting in all these years. Remember, Jen and Brad split years ago and Angelina since then has had many critically-acclaimed and box office hits. So there doesn`t seem to be any karma in a bad way for Angelina.
And remember, Jen and Brad have been so silent about their split that no one really knows when they split. Now, Angelina and Brad may have been connecting on "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," but the relationship when Jen and Brad may have been over well before then.
HAMMER: And to the point of how silent they`ve been, even Jen Aniston said on "Oprah," "You know what? I answered a question that I was asked by a reporter, that`s what`s turned this into news." And from Jen`s standpoint, this is so 100 years ago.
To that end, we did get another call I have to play to you into our "Showbiz On Call" phone lines, somebody who has a little bone to pick with journalists who only seem to bombard Jennifer and Angelina with these intimate questions and they also seem to leave Brad alone.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ANONYMOUS CALLER: Brad Pitt is hardly no longer questioned about his relationship with Jennifer Aniston. But how come Jennifer is constantly plagued in the public view and on tabloids about what she thinks about Jolie and Brad getting together? It`s unfair. I mean, Brad`s no longer questioned on it. Why does Jennifer have to be continuously hounded?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: You know, she may have a valid point. What do you think, Janell? Does it seem a little unfair that nobody seems to be holding Brad accountable here? We have not heard from him on this at all.
SNOWDEN: Of course, it seems unfair. I mean, everybody knows that there`s a double standard when it comes to these sorts of matters. I mean, he has been questioned, but I think his answers have just been so vague that we`ve kind of glossed over them.
He hasn`t given us anything. He hasn`t given us the zinger that Jennifer has, because he probably won`t and he wants to keep peace in his own household. You know, I don`t think that people are going to push it so far with him. Maybe one day, he`ll talk, but if he`s smart, he`ll just keep doing as he`s been doing.
HAMMER: Now, hold on just a second, Janell, because Oprah Winfrey has been known to go there with the tough questions. And now that it`s so topical - are you ready for this? Brad Pitt set to go on "Oprah" on Tuesday. Huh? I think we may hear something.
What do you think, Russell? Maybe the chance to finally put on end once and for all to the whole team Aniston versus team Jolie debate and we`ll get some - I don`t know - some kind of a solid response from Brad on the subject?
WETANSON: Well, it`s certainly his chance to cast his vote. But we`ll see what really happens because, let`s remember, Brad is going to come on. He`s in a pretty terrible spot. It`s either he has to admit that he fell in love with Angelina on the set while he was still married to Jen. So he has to, in some ways, choose sides.
And at the end of the day, Oprah may ask him, team Aniston or team Jolie? And at this point, he`s got to be team Jolie.
HAMMER: You think? I think that would be a quiet dinner at home after saying on the "Oprah Show" team Aniston for Brad Pitt.
All right, guys. Thanks so much. Janell Snowden, Russell Wetanson, I appreciate you being here.
And remember, you, too, can call us at "Showbiz On Call" to let us know what you think about team Aniston, team Jolie or you can always tell us about anything else that`s on your mind. And I mean, Brooke - I mean, anything.
ANDERSON: Anything you want to tell us at all. We are listening. The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are always open. Give us a ring, 1-888-SBT- BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Leave a voicemail. We will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And listen to this, your calls on "Showbiz On Call" are also now online on CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can listen to them there as well.
And we also want you to keep voting on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie: Whose side are you on?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
A.J., you know on "Oprah," Aniston revealed that she is back with John Mayer.
HAMMER: Yes, and I`m happy for her. Brooke, I like Jen, I like John Mayer. And tonight, John Mayer is speaking out about their relationship. You`ve got to hear his personal thoughts about why Jen is so important to him. We`ve got that coming up.
Also the so-called pregnant man is pregnant again. And there are even brand-new spoofs about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Women should not be drinking while they`re pregnant, but I`m a man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: People everywhere are having a pretty good laugh with this. But it`s a serious question. Can we really call the pregnant man a man?
And get this - he just hit Barbara Walters with a bombshell that he`s having another baby. Wow! You`ve got to see this.
HAMMER: And I go one-on-one with the great Seal, the secrets to making his marriage to Heidi Klum work. Plus, the shocking things he has to say about Barack Obama getting elected. That is next.
Also, I`ve got to tell you about CNN Heroes. For the second year in a row, CNN is honoring heroes all over the world. You`ve got to go over to CNN.com/Heroes to see their amazing story, then vote for your favorite. Then you can tune into CNN on Thanksgiving night when CNN`s Anderson Cooper will name the hero of the year. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.
(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: Oh, yes. You can hear the gasps. Barbara Walters breaks the stunning news on "The View" that the so-called pregnant man is expecting another child.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, we`ve got the full story behind Barbara`s shocking revelation on "The View." Barbara`s dramatic interview and special on the life of the pregnant man aired tonight on ABC. The pregnant man used to be a woman but not everybody is convinced that the pregnant man can really be called a man.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Man, oh, man. The pregnant man is pregnant again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Again?
MOOS: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow.
MOOS: Listen to the gasps when Barbara Walters announced it on "The View."
WALTERS: The pregnant man -
MOOS: Pregnant pause -
WALTERS: Is pregnant again.
MOOS: Thomas Beatie, formerly Tracy Beatie, is the subject of a Barbara Walters special. What`s especially hard is knowing what to call him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Remember the pregnant man -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The so-called pregnant man.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He, she -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He, she, it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody`s saying it`s a man who had a baby. Bull shizzle(ph)! It`s a woman.
MOOS: Beatie was born female, but always identified as male, kept his internal reproductive organ so he could have children. He took male hormones and had his breasts removed. Up in CNN`s makeup room, minds were made up. I got complaints about the media calling Beatie a man.
(on camera): You have a beef with the pregnant man. What`s the problem?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where`s the beef? Just kidding. You can wear a fur coat and crap in the litter box, but that doesn`t make you a cat.
MOOS (voice over): Meow. No wonder, Barbara`s special is called, "What is a Man? What is a Woman." Nothing about cats.
THOMAS BEATIE, "PREGNANT MAN": Oh, that feels so weird.
MOOS: Beatie`s wife injected him with donor`s sperm 4-1/2 months after their daughter was born - comes the scoop that Beatie`s pregnant again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know. It`s kind of weird for me, right? What`s going on, man?
BEATIE: I used my female reproductive organs to become a father.
WALTERS: Aren`t you trying to have it both ways?
BEATIE: Well, first of all, what would be wrong with that? I`m not trying to change people`s minds. I`m just asking them to open them.
MOOS: Easier said than done. He`s been the subject of a cutting cartoon depicting befuddled doctors. He`s inspired YouTube spoofs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Women should not be drinking while they`re pregnant. But I`m a man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If a man is going to get a gut, you`re going to do it the old-fashioned way - beer, nachos.
MOOS: Beatie told ABC he`s been reading a picture book to his daughter, "Mr. Seahorse." It`s about how male seahorses carry their offspring until birth.
(on camera, reading from the book, "Mr. Seahorse"): "Mr. Seahorse wiggled and twisted this way and that. At last, the babies tumbled from Mr. Seahorse`s pouch and swam away."
(voice over): A second baby is scheduled to tumble from Mr. Beatie`s pouch in June.
(on camera): Is it a boy, is it a girl? No, not the baby - the one having the baby.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos delivering one strange story for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Let`s shift here, shall we? Now, for more of the SHOWBIZ Obama watch. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has, of course, been covering the biggest stars out there like no other entertainment news show. And I`m talking about President-elect Barack Obama and his family, of course.
Tonight, singer Seal has some absolutely amazing things to say about the Obamas. Seal`s out with this terrific new album. It`s called, "Soul." And let me tell you, Seal got really soulful when I went one-on-one with him and he really opened up to me about Obama getting elected. Watch what he says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAL, SINGER: Look at what America has done. In a post-9/11 America, some seven or eight years after planes were flown into the very symbols of everything that America stands for, American democracy - seven, eight years after a time when there was a lot of finger-pointing, where the very mention of the word "Muslim" evoked such hatred and anger and terror in people.
And now you have - America has a 47-year-old mixed race, African- American by the name of Barack Hussein Obama who will be the next president of the United States of America. God bless America, as far as I`m concerned, because that will never happen in any other country. That only happens in this great country and that is the American dream.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Seal, who is a very thoughtful person, expressing a view a lot of people echo. And people can relate to his views on family, too. Time now for "Making It Work." Now, this is where we find out the secrets of how stars make their relationships work in Hollywood and beyond.
Seal`s been married to supermodel and "Project Runway" Heidi Klum for nearly five years, which in Hollywood years, is much longer. They`ve got three kids, one is from Heidi`s previous relationship.
So with Seal`s singing, Heidi`s TV and modeling, we`ve got to ask, how do they make it work?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (on camera): For you guys, what really is the essential key to making it work?
SEAL: Priorities. I`ve often said it, it`s priorities. You have to prioritize. You know, we have a pyramid in our house. At the top of the pyramid is my wife. So, as far as we are concerned, we are best friends first, lovers and husband and wife - in that order.
And she`s the most important thing in my life. And then we have the children because we have to set an example to the children and so we can`t very well do that if we don`t put each other first.
Then there is health, and then there is work. And with the work comes a whole lot of scheduling. That is something that doesn`t come naturally to a musician. It`s something I have had to learn. It`s something that I have learned from my wife.
And if you ask me what we are doing at this time next year, 2009, I could probably look in the calendar and tell you. So that`s how you keep the balance - a lot of scheduling, but you have to prioritize. There are certain things that come up in my career that would be beneficial to me - the same with Heidi - that we just have to say no to because they interfere with the order of priority.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Seal and his wife - really nice people and a great example for others.
Remember, you can pick up a copy of Seal`s new album, "Soul." It is out now.
I guess Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer did some soul-searching and decided to get back together. I hope it works out. Tonight, John is opening up about why Aniston means so much to him and he`s tackling all those reports that he`s getting his own variety show. Hey, maybe he and Jen can do a Sonny and Cher thing. We`ve got that story, coming up next. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Dating John Mayer or not?
ANISTON: Yes.
WINFREY: Yes.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oprah Winfrey hitting Jennifer Aniston with a ton of personal questions. Jennifer stuns everyone by revealing she is back together with John Mayer. In fact, this is the first time she has ever publicly admitted they were ever seeing each other - yes.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Well, while Jennifer Aniston was spilling her guts to Oprah in Chicago, her guy, John Mayer, for the second time around, was in New York. And he was being very open about Jennifer. They probably got together and said, "You know what? It`s OK."
John was at the annual Keep a Child Alive Black Ball on Thursday night. I want you to listen to what he told "People" magazine about getting back together with Jen Aniston, quote, "It`s really nice to have somebody in life have your back. That girl knows me. So whether I go to bed alone or not, to have somebody who knows you in this world, that`s a really nice thing."
Mayer also opened up about the rumors that he is getting a TV variety show. Listen to this, "I`m going to keep them rumors for the time being. I want everything to be as baked as possible before it comes out of the oven. It would be nice to go back to a form of entertainment that doesn`t involve judging and criticizing. I`d like to entertain people with their phones down. It`s time to watch TV and be entertained by great artists without having to have a say in it."
ANDERSON: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day which is this - "Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie: Whose side are you on?" Seventy-three percent of you say team Aniston; only 27 percent say team Jolie.
The E-mails - Nancy from Minnesota is on team Jolie, "Jennifer should just keep her mouth shut. The more you talk about your personal life, the more people will think you are no different than the other woman."
But Shelley from Arkansas is 100 percent behind Jennifer, "If it had been me, I would have let the whole world know exactly what I thought of that home-wrecking, man-stealing wench!" Ouch!
And remember, you can keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. A.J., I do have to say that I am not really surprised that more people are siding with Aniston because a lot of women can relate to their husbands cheating on them and leaving them for another woman.
HAMMER: I remember one time, Brooke Anderson, you trying to talk to Jen Aniston about what the heck was going on. That didn`t go so well, did it?
ANDERSON: She didn`t want to talk about it, but now, she is.
HAMMER: I`m happy to see her getting it off her chest because I think, clearly, she had the need to do that. So good for you, Jen.
Well, 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 "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
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