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Showbiz Tonight
The Real First Family; Paula Abdul`s Private Pain; What Obama can Learn from Spiderman; Time for a Black Bond?; The Best and Worst of "SNL"
Aired November 17, 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 real first family. Tonight, Barack and Michelle Obama reveal their family secrets in an extraordinary TV interview. Life in the White House, will the president- elect still wash the dishes? Is Barack`s mother-in-law moving in with them? And what about the first dog?
Plus, Miley Cyrus reveals to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT whether Obama`s two daughters might appear on "Hannah Montana."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILEY CYRUS, ACTRESS: We said we`d love for them to come visit the set.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Bond. A black bond? As America elects its first black president, is it time for a black James Bond? Tonight, why even 007 himself, Daniel Craig, says it is time. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the black Bond debate.
Plus, Paula Abdul`s private pain. How might the death of an obsessed fan near Paula`s house affect the "American Idol" judge.
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 the amazing Obama family secrets.
Tonight, Barack and Michelle Obama are telling all about life after the election. What their family life might be like in the White House and revealing an incredibly private side of their relationship in their first TV interview since Obama made history when he was elected America`s first black president. The Obamas dropped their guard and opened up about everything, from their married life to Barack Obama`s mother-in-law, to protecting their daughters. This may be the most intimate look yet at the Obamas. And it`s making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): They complement each other.
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT-ELECT: Michelle helps on that. She`s just a sensible person.
ANDERSON: They gush about their children.
B. OBAMA: They have stayed their normal, cheerful, happy, courteous, curious selves.
ANDERSON: They tease each other about housework, or in this case White House work.
B. OBAMA: Sometimes it`s soothing to wash the dishes.
MICHELLE OBAMA, BARACK OBAMA`S WIFE: Since when was it ever soothing for you?
B. OBAMA: You knew when I had to do it.
ANDERSON: And they bicker playfully.
M. OBAMA: You want to go for a walk?
B. OBAMA: I do. I`d love to take you for a walk although it`s cold today.
M. OBAMA: Yes. I wouldn`t go with you.
B. OBAMA: I know.
ANDERSON: Meet the Obamas. OK, this isn`t a new sitcom. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you in President-elect Obama and his wife Michelle`s first post-election interview, the future first couple opened up to "60 Minutes`" Steve Kroft in an unbelievably personal way that was can`t-miss TV.
STEVE KROFT, HOST, "60 MINUTES": You`ve said this put a lot of - you know, the talks involved in politics has put strains in your marriage from time to time.
M. OBAMA: You know, this entire year-and-a-half has brought us closer together as a family.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: At this point, there`s still an appetite to know who are the Obamas and what are they about?
ANDERSON: The Obamas` "60 Minutes" interview covered the heavy topics, financial crises, terrorism, et cetera. But PR guru Howard Bragman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the most intriguing part was the insight we got into the president-elect and his family.
BRAGMAN: He`s trying to build a connection. Even though he was just elected president, people are still getting to know him and his family. I think it has huge emotional benefits for the American people to have a relationship with their president.
ANDERSON: In fact, the couple talked openly about the things that are weighing most heavily on their minds right now - how to raise their daughters, 10-year-old Malia and seven-year-old Sasha - in the White House.
B. OBAMA: That was one of my biggest worries and remains one of my biggest worries. When we think about - you know, Michelle and I have talked about this a lot. How do we just maintain that precious normalcy in our two girls? And you know - because right now, they`re not self-conscious. They don`t have an attitude. And I think one of our highest priorities over the next four years is retaining that.
ANDERSON: The Obamas also addressed the family issue that`s gotten the most attention - the dog they`ve promised their daughters.
KROFT: How are things coming on the dog front?
M. OBAMA: When we settle, get in a routine - we think about late winter, early spring - we`re going to get the dog.
ANDERSON: And just like any good family sitcom, there were mother-in-law jokes aplenty in this "Meet the Obamas" interview, as the couple discussed reports that Michelle Obama`s mother, Marian Robinson, might be moving into the White House to help with the kids.
KROFT: You talked about your mother-in-law. Is she moving in with you?
B. OBAMA: Well, I don`t tell my mother-in-law what to do. But I`m not stupid. That`s why I got elected president, man.
KROFT: So you`ll have a new dog and your mother-in-law moving in.
B. OBAMA: Steve, I`m not going to compare my mother-in-law to a new dog.
ANDERSON: PR guru Howard Bragman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that there is a limit to the TMI most Americans will tolerate from their president.
BRAGMAN: If they`re doing the same interview in two years, we`re going to say, "We`ve had enough. We know who you are."
ANDERSON: But for now, he says America craves all the detail it can get from a family we`ll all be getting to know very well in the coming years.
BRAGMAN: This is a family that`s authentically American, authentically human and authentically love each other and people need to know that right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And life really is going to change big-time for the Obamas` two girls. There have been reports they may even guest star on "Hannah Montana." But what`s the real deal with that?
Well, new right now, Miley Cyrus is clearing the air. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just sat down with Miley and we asked her to set the record straight on the Obama girls possibly appearing on her show.
Also new right now - now, I know this is going to sound a little weird and maybe a little wild, but is there possibly a link between President- elect Obama and Spiderman?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, superhero Carlos Diaz who is a correspondent for "Extra." And in New York tonight, superhero Jami Floyd, an anchor for "In Session." It`s good to see you both on the program.
All right. So these "Hannah Montana" rumors, all that started when Miley`s dad Bill Ray said that the Obama girls were in fact invited to appear on "Hannah Montana" and that they probably would. Well, this rumor was just getting so intense, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT had to go straight to the source.
We caught up with Miley Cyrus. She`s promoting her new film, "Bolt." We had to ask her if the girls would be on her show. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. CYRUS: They`re not, I don`t think, anytime soon. But we said we would love for them to come visit the set. I don`t how that rumor got started. But we were going to ask if they`re going to come visit the set. I know what it`s like, not exactly the same thing, being kind of the shell of your dad. And I would love for them to be able to break out of that and be able to feel like they can come to the set and just hang out as normal girls and maybe, you know, a normal kid with them. I think that would be fun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. That would be fun. All right. So there you have it, finally straight from Hannah Montana. She said no.
Carlos, now, as the Obamas transition into the White House, they have made it clear that they really need to work obviously extra hard at keeping things as normal as possible. So maybe this wouldn`t be such a great idea for the young girls right now.
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": No, this would be terrible. Did you just hear what Miley said? She wants them to break out of their dad`s shadow. No, no, no. You`re just fine in your dad`s shadow. You`re cool. Eight years, stay in the shadow. And then after eight years, you can do whatever the heck you want.
But for now, they need to keep things normal in the White House. He needs to worry about the economy and not what show his daughters need to be on.
HAMMER: But family, obviously, so super-important to the Obamas. And you were watching that "60 Minutes" interview where the Obamas were really wearing their emotions on their sleeves about their girls, talking about the fact they haven`t even yet decided whether or not to send them to public or private school.
So Jami, I`d have to imagine "Hannah Montana," whether or not to appear, not at the top of their list of things to figure out right now?
JAMI FLOYD, ANCHOR, "IN SESSION": No. Not so much. And you know, I love Billy Ray Cyrus. But the "Achy-Breaky Heart" guy - the president of the United States a little different in terms of shadow.
HAMMER: OK.
FLOYD: But look, I`m with you, A.J. They`ve got much bigger, bigger decisions to make in terms of the girls. I actually worked in the Clinton White House and it was a huge task to protect Chelsea Clinton from the media spotlight.
And here you have two adorable little girls and two parents, the Obamas, who have made clear that they want those girls to have private and as normal childhoods as possible. That`s going to be next to impossible, but certainly the first step would not be to go on "Hannah Montana." Maybe Miley Cyrus should think about visiting the White House, not the other way around.
HAMMER: Very good. All right. Well, let`s move then from "Hannah Montana" to Spiderman. Also new right now, the SHOWBIZ Obama watch tonight, Obama-Spiderman connection. There`s a comic enthusiast Web site. It`s called "Newsorama.com," and they`ve come up with the top five things President-elect Obama could learn from Spiderman.
Let me read them to you. Coming in at number five, "In order to get things done, sometimes you have to reach across the superhero aisle." At number four, "The press isn`t your friend." Carlos, this is great advice, isn`t it?
DIAZ: No, it`s not. The press is your friend. It`s a well-known fact that the people of "The Daily Bugle" - they are a bunch of hacks, all right? You can`t trust them, all right? But normally the press are your friend and I want you to know all my bosses at "Extra are nothing like Mr. Jamison of "The Daily Bugle," all right? That`s a fact right there.
HAMMER: All right. We trust you, maybe - OK. Not the best piece of advice. But let`s get back to this list. Because there`s some good stuff on here from "Newsorama," the top five things Obama can learn from Spiderman.
Number three, "Bad things are going to happen. The important thing is how you respond." Can`t argue with that. Number two, "Never lose your sense of humor." Now, Jami, this all makes perfect Spidy sense.
FLOYD: Yes. I`m more of a Batman girl myself because I`m a New Yorker and we`ve got that dark, dreary outlook. But I think Spiderman is probably a better superhero example for our country because we need a hero and we all hope Barack Obama will be that hero.
Look, I think it`s all in good fun and there are always good lessons from what we used to call the comic books. You know, now, they call them graphic novels.
HAMMER: Right.
FLOYD: And these heroes - they have lessons for us all. That`s why they have resonated for decades.
HAMMER: Well, let me just read to you what is the last one on this list. The number one thing that "Newsorama" says Obama can learn from Spiderman, "With great power, there must also come great responsibility."
I personally think perhaps Barack Obama should take this list, print it up, put it in his pocket. Maybe the press is not your friend - you could cross that off, Carlos. Carlos Diaz, Jami Floyd, thank you both.
All right. Let me turn it over to you. Here`s what we know on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "The Obama Kids: Do you think they should they star on `Hannah Montana`?" You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can E-mail us if you have more to say, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., I think so many new Hollywood doors could be opened by Barack Obama being elected the first black president.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. And one of those doors could lead to a black James Bond. Is it time? I mean, the current 007 Daniel Craig thinks it is. So coming up, we`ve got a fired-up black Bond debate.
Also, the best "Saturday Night Live" political spoofs ever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody loved Dana Carvey`s George Bush. Even George Bush himself loved it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You do not want to miss this. It will have you rolling on the floor - Darrel Hammond as Bill Clinton, of course, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report, "Saturday Night Live`s" funniest political spoofs of all time.
Plus, Paula Abdul`s private pain. I`ve got to tell you. I think the story of an obsessed fan found dead right outside Paula`s house is just tragic. So how is Paula doing? How is she taking this? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is investigating that, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Late-breaking news today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that Heather Locklear has been formally charged with one count of driving under the influence of drugs in connection with her September arrest in California. The district attorney says the drugs were prescription medications. Worst case here, Locklear could face up to six months in jail.
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, Paula`s private pain. Paula Abdul was shocked to hear that an obsessed fan apparently killed herself right outside her home.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking how is Paula affected by this tragedy and what could be going on inside her mind and inside her heart?
Joining me tonight in New York, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, who is a clinical psychologist. Welcome Dr. Judy.
First, as we know, this fan was obsessed for years with the "American Idol" judge. The woman tried out, auditioned for "Idol" twice, reportedly was seen Abdul`s house before, drew life-size sketches of her. Dr. Judy, I have to imagine that Paula really has to be going through a whole range of emotions right now.
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: I would agree with you, but there`s no question that she would be because this has been going on for a long time that this woman has been obsessed with her, and has been sending her letters and has been watching over her.
And for Paula, that would lead to feeling tremendously frustrated that there was nothing that she could really do to stop it, that it ended up in this tragedy. And the other emotion I`m sure she`s going through really, Brooke, would be a lot of guilt, even though she couldn`t have stopped it. Still thinking, "What could I ever have done?"
ANDERSON: Yes, she cannot blame herself though I`m sure it is very, very painful. And as we know, Paula is known for being very emotionally open. She`s wept many times before on "American Idol" and has often become emotionally invested in the contestants.
Dr. Judy, given that she seems to be such a naturally sensitive and kind person, could that make it even harder to deal with such a tragedy?
KURIANSKY: Much harder because we know that that`s how Paula is. She has had meltdowns before on the air on TV shows. People have expected even that she would behave that way which would add to some of her pressure. So I`m concerned she`ll go through swings of emotions where she`ll be angry that it happened, then she`ll be sad that it happened. Then she`ll feel guilty and frustrated. And she`s going to need a lot of people around her to calm her down and keep saying what you said before, which is really the key here, Brooke, and that is, it`s not her fault.
ANDERSON: Right.
KURIANSKY: Paula should not think, "Oh, I`m going to quit `Idol.` I`m going to go into seclusion." It is not Paula`s fault that this sad woman did this.
ANDERSON: Well, to that end, Dr. Judy, there were wild rumors going around last week that Paula was even thinking of quitting "American Idol." It turned out not to be true. But do you think now that every time somebody auditions during "Idol" that Paula, who is the sweetest of the judges, that Paula right pull her punches out of fear that, "Hey, I`m not sure how this person will react. There could be instability"?
KURIANSKY: Exactly. And I think that`s very true and that`s going to affect how she behaves because you really, in a sense, can`t predict sometimes when someone is going to go over the edge. The only thing, in the sense that we know, is that if someone has tried suicide before, then they can do it again and that`s obviously what this obsessed fan did.
So there are a couple of signs that she can watch out for. The woman came on the show and immediately said that she was massively obsessed with Paula and was one of her biggest fans. And so you`re right, that`s going to trigger her being concerned about it.
But as long as I think she talks about some of those feelings and people around her watch out for what`s happening, she should not leave the show and change her whole life about it. It`s kind of what goes along with not only being a celebrity but being one who is emotionally labile like Paula is.
ANDERSON: Yes, hopefully, she has a good group of people supporting her and encouraging her.
KURIANSKY: Exactly.
ANDERSON: And also we hope this woman`s family and friends are coping and surviving this tragedy as well. Dr. Judy Kuriansky, thank you so much for your knowledge.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. Shifting gears here, did you hear what happened? We had to put in another power generator. Jennifer Aniston calling Angelina Jolie un-cool has actually set off a war on our "Showbiz On Call" phone lines.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. All circuits beyond busy. Take a listen to Barbara calling from Ohio who is on team Aniston.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BARBARA, CALLER FROM OHIO: I think Jennifer Aniston went through that divorce with a lot of class. She didn`t say anything. And compared to Angelina Jolie`s - well, somewhat questionable past, I think she is the better person. And she didn`t lose that much.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, Joan calling in from California definitely does not agree with that. Listen to her color commentary about Aniston and Jolie.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JOAN, CALLER FROM CALIFORNIA: Aniston is beige and Jolie is a rainbow. There`s a big, big difference between them. And I can see why Brad Pitt woke up and that`s fortunately in time.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, remember, you too, can call us at "Showbiz On Call" so you can let us know what you think about this or anything else that`s on your mind. The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are always available to you at 1- 888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Call the number to leave us a voicemail. We`re playing your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to "Showbiz On Call" also now online right there on our homepage, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: Well, A.J., tonight, there`s big news about the guy caught in the middle of this team Aniston-team Jolie battle. I am talking about Brad Pitt.
HAMMER: Yes. That`s right, Brooke. Just after Aniston pops up on "Oprah`s" couch, well, now it`s Brad`s turn. What is he going to say about all this? Will Oprah grill him about this just like she grilled Jennifer Aniston? This is new right now and we`ve got it coming up.
ANDERSON: Also new right now, with Barack Obama being elected the country`s first African-American president, could he open up Hollywood doors like never before? The current James Bond, Daniel Craig, says so. He thinks the time is right for a black Bond. That debate, coming up.
HAMMER: And another big-time celebrity makes a dramatic move after the gay marriage ban in California passes. She comes out of the closet and we have got her amazing story, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. Hey, A.J., did you see this? Tonight Madonna is pulling one out of the Oprah Winfrey playbook. Madonna now also wants to build a girls` school in Africa. Check out this brand-new video she just posted on her Web site.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADONNA, POP STAR: There are very few girls in Africa in general who are encouraged or allowed to go to secondary schools. So after spending a lot of time there, I realized that one of the ways I could help was to build a girls` school. I would really be grateful if you would get involved and help me in any way that you can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Good for her. Madonna is asking for donations for the school in Malawi - that`s where she adopted baby boy David.
HAMMER: All right. Did you see this, too? Justin Timberlake stole the show on "SNL" over the weekend. He was a surprise guest and was hysterical, especially during one particular skit that he did with musical guest, Beyonce. Now, first, you need to take a look at Beyonce`s brand-new music video for the song, "Single Ladies." This is all going to make sense in a minute.
(VIDEO CLIP FROM BEYONCE KNOWLE`S MUSIC VIDEO, "SINGLE LADIES")
HAMMER: All right. You got the feel for that? Now, get ready to crack up. You`ve got to see how J.T., Andy Sandberg and Bobby Moynihan from "SNL" put on their leotards and mangled Beyonce`s video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE KNOWLES, SINGER: I`m just a little bit confused because this song is called "Single Ladies," so I imagined the dancers would be strong, beautiful women.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Yes, but people are expecting that. I thought instead of beautiful women, we`d use these guys. These guys, right?
KNOWLES: Well, I don`t think that`s a good idea. I`m not really sure about that.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: OK. Let`s make some magic.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: "Single Ladies" video, take two -
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Playback -
(Beyonce dancing with other actors.)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Action.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Actually, maybe that would have been a good idea to begin with. I think somebody definitely should consider giving Justin Timberlake his own show.
All right. Moving on now, I`ll tell you, "SNL," you know, they`ve really been on the money obviously this season, Brooke.
ANDERSON: No kidding, A.J. Their political impersonations, Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin have been so incredibly funny. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is naming the funniest "SNL" political spoofs ever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody loved Dana Carvey`s George Bush. Even George Bush himself loved it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Darrel Hammond as Bill Clinton, too. So many more. You don`t want to miss this, coming up.
HAMMER: And I think Barack Obama is going to open up a lot of doors in Hollywood. Could there be a black James Bond around the corner? The current 007 Daniel Craig thinks so. The heated black Bond debate is coming up.
ANDERSON: And now, Brad Pitt heads to "Oprah." Will she grill him about Jennifer Aniston slamming Angelina Jolie? Coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - now it`s Brad`s turn. Tonight, just after his ex, Jennifer Aniston, goes on "Oprah" to set the record straight about her calling Angelina Jolie un-cool, Brad Pitt heads to Oprah`s couch. Will Oprah grill him about this team Aniston versus team Jolie battle that`s going on right now? And will he come out swinging?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody loved Dana Carvey`s George Bush, even George Bush himself loved it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, a SHOWBIZ special report - the best "Saturday Night Live" spoofs of all time. Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. We`re swearing in the comedian-in-chief.
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, is it time for a black James Bond? The new James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" had a huge opening weekend, grabbing the number one spot. And with America about to get its first black president, Bond himself, Daniel Craig, is saying that the time has come for a black James Bond. But who should that be?
Also new right now, Brad Pitt is going one-on-one with Oprah the week after his ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston`s controversial interview with Oprah about Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
And the mind-boggling results of the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll on the Jolie-Aniston smackdown and of course, your fired-up calls to "Showbiz On Call."
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Carlos Diaz who`s a correspondent for "Extra." And in New York tonight, Jami Floyd who`s an anchor for "In Session." Also joining me in New York is Janell Snowden who is a host for "VH1 News."
And we`ve got to start with this James Bond story. In an interview with the "New York Times," Daniel Craig says that not only might it be the right time for a black Bond, but he even says, quote, "Obama would be the better Bond because, if he`s true to his word, he`d be willing to quite literally look the enemy in the eye and go toe-to-toe with them."
Janell, starting with you, what do you think? Does Daniel Craig have that right? Obama as Bond?
JANELL SNOWDEN, HOST, "VH1 NEWS": I knew I liked this Daniel Craig guy. I knew I liked him. I think he`s on to something. I think, you know, Obama has his hands full with running our country. That`s a task in and of itself. But if we can clone him somehow and give, you know, a more Hollywood version, contrary to what the McCain camp tried to paint him as, the celebrity they said he was before the campaign and during the campaign, then I think we could be on to something. I mean, I think it`s high time that we have a black Bond.
HAMMER: Carlos, are you onboard with Janell and Daniel Craig here?
DIAZ: We tried, but Chris Tucker tried to make "00-Soul," that couldn`t get made. We had Eddie Griffin in "Undercover Brother." That was a great James Bond kind of takeoff. But come on. No one can be better than the original black James Bond, Carl Weathers in "Action Jackson."
(LAUGHTER)
All right. I mean, that`s a classic right there.
HAMMER: What do you think about this idea, Jami?
FLOYD: Well, I don`t think it has to be Barack Obama. As you know, he`s very busy. And there are plenty of other handsome, eligible, tall, dark and yes, African-American actors out there who can play James Bond.
And I said decades ago, we need a black Bond. I don`t understand - when there was this whole controversy about a blond Bond, I thought, what`s the big deal about that? Where`s the black Bond. So I think it`s time and I certainly think the image of James Bond has evolved to allow for a black Bond, a Latino Bond - any kind of Bond. We`re ready. Asian - bring it. Bring it.
HAMMER: Well, Janell, you pointed out that obviously, Barack Obama is going to be just a little bit busy for at least the next four years. So if not Obama, then - I don`t know. Do you have some ideas for us for who would make the great first black James Bond?
SNOWDEN: I`ve got a couple, you know. And I have solicited some bribes to say these. But I`m going to say P. Diddy would make - I think he was born to be the black Bond. I mean, think about it. It has a nice ring. Diddy, P. Diddy.
HAMMER: What do you think about that, Jami.
SNOWDEN: Wait, wait, wait.
HAMMER: Oh, I`m sorry. Do we have more? Do you have another?
SNOWDEN: Yes. I have another. But before that - come on, he already has his own drink. He has his own vodka. So there is a Diddy - it`s lemonade and vodka. He could shake it, he could stir it, he could do whatever he wants with it. I say Diddy, and if not Diddy - if he`s busy, Will Smith because we all know he brings out the people to the box office.
HAMMER: Let me tell you, no matter the color of James Bond`s skin, he`s going to drink a dry martini. That`s how it goes, OK? I`m sorry. Jami, can you weigh in on this?
FLOYD: I sure can. I like the product tie-in. But Bond is rarely a blockbuster Hollywood person like that. It`s usually kind of an unknown secret celebrity. So I go with Idris Elba. If you don`t know who he is, check him out because he`s a beautiful black man and he would be a wonderful Bond. And by the way, he already has the British accent.
My next choice would be, sort of a superstar, so it`s a little bit of a - Don Cheadle who I think would be sort of an unexpected Bond. We know he can do accents brilliantly and he`s terrific in action films. Those are my two top choices.
HAMMER: Carlos, very quickly - hold on, a second.
SNOWDEN: I could say - I was going to say - Diddy paid me. Diddy paid me.
HAMMER: Carlos, what`s wrong with - Don Cheadle. I like it.
DIAZ: That`s all wrong. That`s only one choice for a black James Bond, all right? It`s Terrance Trent Darby.
FLOYD: Oh, I love my man.
DIAZ: Because he`s English and he can sing the theme song. And I`m fairly certain he`s available. So he`s -
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: I don`t know if he`s available. But you can find that out on your own. Let`s move on, shall we? Here`s another story that is new right now. Brad Pitt appearing on "Oprah" Tuesday. This interview now reportedly taped before Jennifer Aniston`s interview last week. That`s where Jen revealed her true feelings about Angelina Jolie hooking up with Brad.
What do you think, Janell? Is it time for Brad to finally tell us how he feels, because we haven`t really heard his side of the story?
SNOWDEN: I don`t think there`s any way that he can dig himself out of this one. I mean, the facts remain what they are. And however he hooked up with her - you know, it`s water under the bridge. He`s with her now. They`ve got a ton of kids. They`re hoping to have some more. So can`t we all just move on and can we just all get along in the words of Rodney King?
HAMMER: Well, Brad did tell Larry King - not Rodney, but Larry King - that his relationship with Angelina began after they filmed "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and he and Jen had already split up. Angelina Jolie later went on to tell "Vogue" that - well, she couldn`t wait to get to the set and her kids would one day hear the story of how their parents fell madly in love on a movie set.
Carlos, does Brad have some explaining to do here?
DIAZ: He does have some explaining to do. The bad thing is they taped this before the Jennifer Aniston thing. So, A.J., you know, sometimes when you tape an interview and news breaks, it`s like, "Can we get them back in for some follow-up questions? That`s the big problem with this situation.
HAMMER: And Brad is like, whew, that one just skated by.
Well, we`ve been asking our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers online and on air - "Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie: Whose side are you on?" Took at these results. A whopping 72 percent voted for Team Aniston; 28 percent for Team Jolie.
And I`ve got to tell you, the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are flooded - literally, they`re flooded. I just swam through to get to them, all about Jennifer`s interview on "Oprah." Listen to what Karen from California had to say about the Aniston-Jolie wars.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KAREN, CALLER FROM CALIFORNIA: Jennifer Aniston needs to stop being so upset with Angelina and to look towards Brad. He`s the one that cheated on her and he`s the one who allowed another woman in his life while he was still married. He should have handled it better. So this really needs to be between Jennifer and Brad, not Jennifer and Angelina.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jami Floyd, what do you think about? If it`s not a sit-down interview with the media, should Brad have a big sit-down with Jen and clear the air once and for all?
FLOYD: You know, what they do in their private lives - and I know these are highly public people and obviously they`re celebrity and their great fame and fortune is tied to the public nature of their lives. So I don`t feel too sorry for them that everyone`s paying attention.
But it is a private matter and as I say to all my girl friends who are going through difficult times like this and they`re not public people - dignity. You have to have some dignity.
It gets back to our earlier segment on the lessons of Spiderman. You can`t control what`s going to happen but you can control your reaction to it. And if you react with dignity, that`s the important thing. I think that`s important for all three of these people, and I feel for all of them.
HAMMER: Jami Floyd, well said and thank you joining us. And also Janell Snowden and Carlos Diaz, I appreciate it, guys. Thank you.
All right. We`d like you to call us at "Showbiz On Call" to let us know what you think about tonight`s stories or anything else that`s on your mind. Call us.
ANDERSON: That`s right. The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are always open. Give us a ring, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Simply leave a voicemail. We will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And your calls to "Showbiz On Call" are also now online at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
A.J., I think team Jolie versus team Aniston is just going to be one of those debates that never, ever goes away.
HAMMER: You`re probably right on that, Brooke. And I`ll tell you about another debate that`s not going to go away, the debate over whether to make gay marriage legal.
In fact, one big star is so fired-up about the gay marriage battle in California, she`s decide today reveal to the world that she, too, is gay. And we will be revealing who that is, coming up.
Plus another great debate over the best "SNL" political spoofs ever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody loved Dana Carvey`s George Bush. Even George Bush himself loved it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And it wasn`t just the Bush imitation. Coming up next, a SHOWBIZ special report you won`t want to miss, the "Saturday Night Live" spoofs we will never forget.
Plus, Lindsay Lohan physically attacked in Paris. This got really nasty and we`re showing you the video, next.
HAMMER: Make sure you check out the free, ever-changing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast which you`ll find on our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download it on iTunes by doing a search for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And we are coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON SUDEIKIS, ACTOR (as Joe Biden): I want to make you a promise, I can be as entertaining as Sarah Palin. I can be sassy. I can be unpredictable and you bet your buttons that Joe Biden can be off message. The only thing I can`t do is wink.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, you thought this week`s "Saturday Night Live" was funny, just wait. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the best and the worst "SNL" political spoofs ever.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, the best "Saturday Night Live" spoofs ever. Of course, everybody`s got their favorite "SNL" political spoof. But which one is the best spoof ever?
From Will Farrell as George W., to of course, Tina Fey`s Sarah Palin, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is calling in the comedians to pick the best and the worst.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): The world went ga-ga over Tina Fey`s Sarah Palin.
TINA FEY, ACTRESS (as Sarah Palin): And now, I`d like to entertain everybody with some fancy pageant walking.
HAMMER: You could say she`s even better than Sarah Palin`s Sarah Palin.
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m not going to take any of your questions.
HAMMER: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, how did Tina`s Sarah stack up to the rest of "Saturday Night Live`s" political spoofs? We`re talking all political spoofs in all of "SNL`s" history. Like will Farrell`s George W.
WILL FERRELL, ACTOR (as George W. Bush): I don`t want to be dividers - we want to be unificators.
HAMMER: Or Dana Carvey`s George H.W.
DANA CARVEY, ACTOR (as George H.W. Bush): I will never raise taxes again and I mean never.
HAMMER: What about Darrell Hammond`s Bill Clinton?
DARRELL HAMMOND, ACTOR (as Bill Clinton): People say, "Man, this party was beat until you got here.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got the experts to cast their votes. Comedian, based on their feedback, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has developed a complex rating system. If it`s great, it gets a thumbs-up. If not, we shoot it down.
Let`s get right to it. Former "SNL" Mike Myers votes on his top pick.
MIKE MYERS, ACTOR: I love Dan Aykroyd`s Jimmy Carter.
DAN AYKROYD, ACTOR: I`ve never flip-flopped on any issue.
HAMMER: But comedian Jeffrey James doesn`t quite agree.
JEFFREY JAMES, COMEDIAN: My least favorite would probably be Dan Aykroyd`s Jimmy Carter.
HAMMER: Yes. We`re with you on that one. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT declares Dan Aykroyd`s Jimmy Carter mediocre. Shoot them down, Tina. Who else you got, Mike?
MYERS: When Dana Carvey used to do George Bush, I always thought I was just talking to George Bush.
CARVEY: Let`s stay the course a thousand points of life.
JAMES: By far, the best one ever, A plus, plus is the 1988 debate between Dana Carvey as George Bush, Sr. and John Lovett as Michael Dukakis.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: You still have 60 seconds left, Mr. Bush.
CARVEY: Let me just sum up, on track, stay the course, 1,000 points of life.
JOHN LOVETT, ACTOR (as Michael Dukakis): I can`t believe I`m losing to this guy.
HAMMER: Comedian Nick Stevens agrees.
NICK STEVENS, COMEDIAN: Everybody loves Dana Carrvey`s George Bush. Even George Bush himself loved it.
CARVEY: I know.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT declares that Dana Carvey`s George Bush impersonation is a great big thumbs-up. What about Slick Willie? Both Phil Hartman and Darrell Hammond impersonated Bill Clinton. Who was better?
STEVENS: Every time Darrell Hammond comes on to the show as Bill Clinton, and looks like so satisfied and smug, the thumb, it`s great.
DARRELL: And I`m not a party wrecker. I love parties. Yesterday I asked somebody, do you party? You can see where my support lies.
JAMES: I always favored Phil Hartman`s Bill Clinton. Hartman played up the fact that he was just always out of control at the time, the just couldn`t help himself.
PHIL HARTMAN, ACTOR (as Bill Clinton): It is other countries too. It is like your McNugget is relief from Great Britain to Somalia. Intercepted by warlords.
HAMMER: So who wins the Bill Clinton impersonation? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT declares a tie, Darrell Hammond and Phil Hartman, thumbs up.
STEVENS: I love Darrell Hammond`s Bill Clinton. As John McCain -
HAMMOND (as John McCain): Reach across party lines, something that pee pants over here would never even consider.
STEVENS: Fred Armisen as Barack Obama didn`t seem as comfortable. .
FRED ARMISEN (as Barack Obama): I met a man many years ago in Chicago. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
STEVENS: It`s not really that funny yet because he hasn`t found that note he wants to make fun of.
HAMMER: Yes. Not the strongest impersonations in "SNL`s" history. Darrell Hammond`s John McCain and Fred Armisen`s Barack Obama - shoot them down, Tina.
What about Chevy Chase back in the `70s and his stumbling, bumbling impersonation of Gerald R. Ford.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States.
STEVENS: Chevy Chase playing Gerald Ford was genius.
CHEVY CHASE, ACTOR (as Gerald Ford): Hello.
JAMES: He just basically used Gerald Ford as a reason to fall down on the set a lot. And yet, it was unbelievably popular.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT declares Chevy a winner, thumbs up. And then there`s Will Farrell.
FERRELL: Strategery.
STEVENS: Will Ferrell`s language that he made up for George W. Bush shows brilliance.
FERRELL: Some people around here, my dad`s friends - they don`t trust me. So I`m asking you, America, to be my buddy. I`m giving you $1,600.
STEVENS: Will Farrell was the best, not because he was the most accurate or the most spot-on. It was the funniest.
HAMMER: Thumbs up for Will Ferrell`s "W." But wait, there`s more.
FERRELL: Hey, C.J., roll that tape.
FEY: We`re going to get her done.
FERRELL: My god, you are folksy.
HAMMER: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin with Will Ferrell as George W., brilliant.
FEY: I`d like to think I`m one-part practice folksy, one part sassy, and a little dash of high school (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
HAMMER: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin - could she go down as one of the best "Saturday Night Live" impersonations ever? You betcha.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, sadly, Tina Fey has, of course, retired her Sarah Palin wig because she says that she`s got to do her day job on NBC`s "30 Rock." So who will take over that coveted role? People are now buzzing about fellow SNLer, Kristin Wiig.
ANDERSON: Who will be fabulous. OK. Lindsay Lohan is attacked in Paris and the fur is flying, literally. Here`s what happened. Lindsay and her constant companion, girl pal Samantha Ronson, were in Paris over the weekend. There were heading into a nightclub where Samantha was to get C.J. Well, just as Lindsay was entering the VIP room nightclub, out of nowhere, a member for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals someone threw a bag of flour at Lindsay because she was wearing fur.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lindsay, hi, welcome to Paris.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The woman struggled with bystanders, called Lindsay a fur hag and then took off into the night. Lindsay and Samantha were rushed inside, but this was nowhere being over.
Listen to this. Now, Samantha Ronson is firing back on her blog on MySpace.com. Here it is, "The girl who threw the flour acted like an animal herself. I take that back. It`s an insult to animals to group her in with them. My dog is far more civilized than that person. I think there are plenty of families that could have used that flour for a meal. Nice job, lady."
Ouch. I guess this is now officially an international incident. And just when we thought U.S.-French relations were getting so much better. Lindsay, please stay on this side of the Atlantic.
HAMMER: Wow. All right. Coming up, we`ve got a big Hollywood star making a bold step, coming out after California`s ban on same-sex marriage passed. We`re going to tell you who it is, why it happened in Las Vegas and why now. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
But it is now time for you to vote for your favorite for your favorite CNN hero at CNN.com/Heroes. You`ve got to go there to see their stories. Vote and join Anderson Cooper Thanksgiving night to find out who will be CNN`s hero of year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charles. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Comedian Wanda Sykes has publicly come out as a lesbian and she says it`s all because of her strong opposition to California`s ban on gay marriage.
It happened in a same-sex marriage rally in Las Vegas over the weekend. It was one of dozens of rallies around the country. Sykes was extremely passionate about this month`s vote in California on Proposition 8, which took away the right for same sex couples to marry.
She said they took the Prop 8 defeat very, very personally, quote, "I felt like I was being attacked, personally attacked. Our community was attacked. I got married October 25th. When my wife and I leave California, I want to have my marriage also recognized in Nevada, in Arizona, all the way to New York. I`m proud to be a black woman, and I`m proud to be gay." Sykes married her partner before the vote on Prop 8.
Meanwhile, another big star is pushing for her relationship to be legally recognized. "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon says she really wants to marry her partner of more than five years.
Nixon told Joy Behar who was the guest host on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE" that she never wanted to get married more than she does right now. And it`s kind of ironic that she can`t. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, GUEST HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You`ve never been married?
CYNTHIA NIXON, ACTRESS: I`ve never been married.
BEHAR: And you had two children that you had with a man, right?
NIXON: Yes, that I was with for many years.
BEHAR: Why didn`t you marry the father of your children when you had the chance to get married?
NIXON: Well, I mean, it`s sort of funny.
BEHAR: Yes.
NIXON: It was like being in the straight world so long. And now, I`ve gone in the topsy-turvy world where everybody wanted me to get married so much, and now, no one will let me get married.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Same-sex marriage is not legal in New York where Nixon lives. But she says she`s confident it will happen soon, and when it does, she`ll get married.
HAMMER: Well, Friday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. And the votes have been coming in nonstop - "Team Aniston Versus Team Jolie: Whose side are you on?"
Look at that - 72 percent of you say team Aniston. Only 28 percent of you are for team Jolie. Want to read a couple E-mails we got. We heard from carol in California. Carol writes, "I love Jennifer. She`s a class act. Angelina is a home wrecker."
Also got one from Gloria in Texas, Gloria writing, "I`m voting for Angelina. She got Brad Pitt and they have a beautiful family. The bad girl wins this time."
We thank you for voting, and thank you for your E-mails. And we thank you for watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember you can always see 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
