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Showbiz Tonight
The Showbiz Tonight Turkey Awards; Michelle Obama`s Impact on the Stereotype on African-American Women; Women Over 40 Who Made Headlines; Barbara Walters` Interview with the Obamas; Is Mariah Carey Really Pregnant?
Aired November 26, 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, just in time for Thanksgiving, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Turkey Awards.
Tonight, the biggest celebrity turkeys of the year. Did the Hogan family make the cut? What about Rosie O`Donnell? And how about the YouTube divorce lady?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRICIA WALSH-SMITH, YOUTUBE DIVORCE LADY: I`m an idiot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, everyone and everything is game as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT presents, the 2008 Turkey Awards.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT also reveals the women over 40 who made the biggest headlines in 2008. It`s a SHOWBIZ special report.
Tonight, the SHOWBIZ Obama watch and the incredible power of Michelle Obama. The remarkable ways the new first lady-to-be is changing everything. Plus, what the Obamas just revealed to Barbara Walters in a blockbuster interview.
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, everybody. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood with the Thanksgiving moments we`ve all been waiting for, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Turkey Awards.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. This is what the holiday is all about. Tonight, we are naming the celebrities who made the biggest boneheaded moves of the year. Let me tell you, it was not easy deciding who would be the big winners or depending on how you look at it, the biggest losers.
Like a Thanksgiving feast, we had a veritable smorgasbord to choose from. So it`s time now to chow down on this SHOWBIZ special report, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Turkey Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): This Thanksgiving, the biggest turkeys aren`t just on your plate. You can find them all over the big world of entertainment and media. So many celebs and non-celebs astounded us with moves so boneheaded -
JOHN MAYER, MUSICIAN: I ended a relationship because there is no lying.
HAMMER: Shameless -
NICK HOGAN, SON OF HULK HOGAN: Will you work on that reality deal?
HAMMER: And just plain wrong -
SMITH: I`m the biggest (EXPLETIVE DELETED) idiot in the world.
HAMMER: They have compelled us to present them with the annual SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Turkey Awards. No offense to actual turkeys.
The first turkey award goes to Rosie O`Donnell for causing yet another needless controversy simply by opening her mouth.
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": She dissed "The View" in a conference call to reporters, said her and the other ladies never got along and ended up pissing off Barbara Walters which is something you don`t want to do. It was a big turkey move on Rosie`s part.
HAMMER: Rosie should learn a rule at many family Thanksgiving gatherings - if you don`t have anything nice to say, don`t say anything at all.
The second SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Turkey Award goes to the YouTube divorce lady, a.k.a., Tricia Walsh-Smith. She tried to get the upper hand in a divorce from her wealthy husband by ranting about him in a colossally bizarre series of YouTube videos.
SMITH: He has no grounds for a divorce but he`s still trying to throw me out of our apartment in 30 days for no reason. I don`t know why.
HAMMER: Millions of people watched her rants on YouTube. Unfortunately for her, the divorce judge was one of them.
PIAZZA: The judge finally ruled against her and said, "You know what? You`re wrong. I`m giving him all the cash and kicking you out of your apartment. So, sorry." She`s kind of a turkey because in the end, she got nothing and made a completely fool out of herself.
HAMMER: The third SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Turkey Award goes to an entire family, the Hogans.
PIAZZA: Individually, they could be turkeys. Collectively, you put the whole Hogan family together and they make up our entire Thanksgiving meal. They`re the stuffing. They`re the cranberry sauce. You even got like, your crazy drunk uncle on the side somewhere.
HAMMER: There`s Nick who was caught on tape apparently trying to capitalize on his prison sentence for a car accident that injured his friend.
N. HOGAN: Will you work on that reality deal for me?
HULK HOGAN, REALITY SHOW STAR: Yes.
N. HOGAN: I want to do it where I`ll make the most money.
HAMMER: Then, Nick`s parents, Hulk and Linda, launched a bitter divorce battle that spiraled into one ridiculous public accusation after another. And Brooke, well -
PIAZZA: Pretty much everything Brooke Hogan does is ridiculous.
HAMMER: And the final SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Turkey Award goes to John Mayer.
MAYER: It`s the most normal thing in the world. There`s no lying, there`s no cheating, there`s no nothing -
HAMMER: The singer earned his spot for his less-than-discreet street corner rant with paparazzi soon after his break-up with Jennifer Aniston. It was captured by TMZ.
MAYER: Jennifer Aniston is the smartest, most sophisticated person I think I`ve ever met. I ended a relationship to be alone because I don`t want to waste somebody`s time.
PIAZZA: You never say it was you who did the dumping. You always say it was mutual. He violated the break-up code by saying that he was the one that dumped Jen.
HAMMER: That definitely earns Mayer a Turkey Award. And wait - this just in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. President Bush who, the day before Thanksgiving, issued his annual presidential turkey pardon -
GEORGE W. BUSH, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: Just to be safe, I will be pardoning a second bird.
HAMMER: Has just issued his second turkey pardon to John Mayer. Why? Because even after his sidewalk rant, Aniston took him back.
PIAZZA: Good for you, John. I`ll bet Jen does like turkey.
HAMMER: All right, John. Because you ended up getting the girl, you`re on turkey probation. But the rest of you guys, happy turkey day.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
All right, so John Mayer gets a presidential pardon for his Turkey Award. Who knew the president was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s number one fan and paying attention on what John Mayer was doing?
Well, we have got more surprises. Joining me tonight from Hollywood is Michael Yo who is a celebrity correspondent for "E!" Also in Hollywood tonight, Kim Serafin. She is the senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." Michael, Kim, happy Thanksgiving to both of you.
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Thanks.
MICHAEL YO, CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT, "E!": Happy Thanksgiving.
HAMMER: Well, thank you. You know, we have been working very hard here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the staff, toiling long hours, working around the clock for a week to come up with this list. In fact, nobody has been home for a week. So we`re really looking forward to the holiday.
Michael, let me ask you. Of all our big winners - we have John Mayer, Rosie O`Donnell, the YouTube divorce lady, the entire Hogan family, which do you choose as the biggest, the juiciest turkey of them all?
YO: Well, I`m going to start with the biggest one. That is Rosie O`Donnell. Every time this woman is elevated in pop culture -
Yes, thank you for the turkey noise. Every time this lady fades off, she has to post a new blog. She has to attack someone like Donald Trump or she has to go after Elisabeth or she has to go after Barbara Walters. I mean, this woman gets on my nerves. And yes, she is the biggest turkey of 2008.
HAMMER: Let`s see what Kim Serafin thinks. We had quite a feast of celebrity turkeys in the past year. Who on the list is tops for you?
SERAFIN: Well, I`m going to say I disagree with the Rosie O`Donnell thing, just in the sense that when she got into this new fight with Barbara Walters, it got her more publicity for her special that she`s doing. So it`s sort of worked out in the end, like it did with John Mayer. I think it`s almost a tie between the YouTube divorce lady because that just made her look crazy.
She got nothing out of that. And then also the Hogans because it was just - you couldn`t write this. If this was a fictional show, people would just say, this doesn`t make any sense. But the fact that it`s a reality show and this really happened to them -
HAMMER: Yes.
SERAFIN: I mean, between Linda, 48 years old dating the 19-year-old who went to school with Brooke and Nick. And Nick being more concerned about making money and the title for his reality show than about his friend who`s in the hospital who is, you know, in a vegetative state for life, the Hogan family probably takes the cake.
HAMMER: And by the way, Kim, that`s real-ality.
SERAFIN: Yes, I`m sorry. I`m sorry -
HAMMER: Hey, can we have a moment? Can we just take a moment, a quick round of applaud for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT graphics department. Some of the finest turkey graphics I`ve ever seen in my life.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Besides the winners, we have some honorable mentions, because like I said, there were a lot to choose from for the 2008 SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Turkey Awards. We have to get right to Peter Cook. Now, Peter -
HAMMER: Thank you - not only admitted to cheating on his wife, Christie Brinkley, of course. But you know, Peter is such a colossal turkey. He actually said he was forced into the arms of his 18-year-old assistant because Christie wasn`t giving him the attention he needed. Michael Yo, is Peter is giant butterball or just an oven-stuffer roaster?
YO: No, he`s disgusting. That`s what he is. I mean, this whole story is just ridiculous. What could this little girl, 18 years old girl, offer him over Christie Brinkley? I do not understand this story. And yes, it`s just a creepy old man story. It really is. It just freaks me out. So he`s definitely a turkey.
HAMMER: All right. We have another honorable mention I must get to for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Turkey Awards. Another newly divorced star, it is Heather Mills.
She got nearly $50 million in her divorce from Paul McCartney. Now, you know me well enough to know I can`t talk about Heather Mills without listening once again to those 10 immortal words. Chris, would you please?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEATHER MILLS, EX-WIFE OF PAUL MCCARTNEY: I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. All right, besides that fine wine, let us not forget that she threw water on Paul McCartney`s attorney in court because she was so freaked out by everything. She also represented herself in the divorce. Kim, if that does not set off the pop-up turkey timer, I don`t know what does.
SERAFIN: Well, you can also add the fact that her publicist actually fired her because she said she was impossible to work with. So when you have your publicist, the person that is supposed to be on your side saying, the one person who`s supposed to be out there defending you, saying - she said Heather thought she was god and that she was impossible to work with and that she had unpaid bills.
You know, all in all, here`s someone that people I think gave a lot of chances to and she pushed away everyone that could have been on her side. So yes, she`s definitely up there.
HAMMER: Michael Yo, before we go because we paid big bucks for our turkey sound effect, we have to get it all the use we possibly can, give me a turkey on your list deserving an honorable mention, one that might have gotten away from our turkey roundup.
YO: Joe Francis, "Girls Gone Wild." He got out of jail. I see him in the clubs. Celebrities like, walk away from this guy. He is the biggest turkey of the year. Jo Francis, ugh! That`s all I`m going to say about him.
HAMMER: Kim, do you have one in five seconds you can give me?
SERAFIN: You know, I was going to say Heidi Montag except in a way, we`re all the turkeys because she makes more money than most of us.
YO: Right.
SERAFIN: In the day she got married, she has outlived her 15 minutes of fame that everyone thought she would have.
HAMMER: Yes.
SERAFIN: She`s going to be the biggest star of all. So maybe we`re all the turkeys.
HAMMER: Well called. Michael Yo, Kim Serafin, again, happy Thanksgiving to both of you.
SERAFIN: Thanks. You, too.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., it is an exciting night here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: That`s right. That was big fun. And now, Brooke, we`re getting set to reveal our picks for the women over 40 who made the biggest headlines in 2008. That`s right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is teaming up with "More" magazine to name the women over 40 who were the biggest newsmakers this year. You`ve got to see who made the cut. A revealing SHOWBIZ special report is on the way.
I have a feeling that Michelle Obama could be on this list.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think what Michelle Obama will be able to do is to show you a different type of African-American woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The power of Michelle Obama. From her personality to even the shade of her skin, we`ve got a fascinating look at how Mrs. Obama could change stereotypes of black women once and for all. That is coming up.
HAMMER: Also, is Mariah Carey pregnant and did she and Nick Cannon really not have sex until their wedding night? Mariah reveals all, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Now the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT news ticker. The stories making news right now -
MTV to host "Be the Change Inaugural Ball" to celebrate youth voter turnout. Carson Daly and his girlfriend are expecting a baby
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. A.J., did you see this? Did you happen to catch Jimmy Kimmel last night?
HAMMER: Yes, I did, Brooke. It`s a little disarming when you`re watching TV and this happens. Jimmy played a clip from our show, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, featuring our blockbuster interview with Paris Hilton. Watch this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!": Paris was on the red carpet at the American Music Awards. They asked about her role in the presidential election and apparently she had one -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP OF SHOWBIZ TONIGHT)
HAMMER (voice over): Last night SHOWBIZ TONIGHT had to ask Paris what she thought her impact was on the historic real campaign. Watch Paris -
PARIS HILTON, ACTRESS: It was such a huge campaign, I know - and the history. And to be involved in it was fun. And you know, I had fun with it. And did some really funny spoof videos and I think raised a lot of awareness for young voters.
(END SHOWBIZ TONIGHT VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: You know, that`s not - that`s doctor`s journalism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. You see, I don`t remember it happening like that. Brooke, is it wrong of me to laugh at that?
ANDERSON: No, it was very funny. But you`re right, I don`t remember it happening like that either. We`re not violent people. Nobody punched Paris and I`m glad that she got a little publicity on "Kimmel."
All right. Moving now to the SHOWBIZ Obama watch. Tonight, the power of Michelle Obama. She hasn`t even moved into the White House yet, but the new first lady is already having a major impact on changing stereotypes of African-American women. Here`s CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A high-powered professional, successful and the wife of the president-elect. Three good reasons why Michelle Obama may change the image of black women.
ALLISON SAMUELS, "NEWSWEEK": When you look at television, we`re either, you know, single mothers with a bunch of children or drug addicts or street walkers.
KAYE: Allison Samuels wrote this article for "Newsweek." She hopes and expects having Michelle Obama in the White House will help put an end to the stereotyping of African-American women, often portrayed as overweight, ignorant and angry.
EDDIE MURPHY, ACTOR: Don`t adjust my seat. That scientifically proves that you were adjusting my seat.
SAMUELS: We still have that negative image of black women being overweight and very loud and rolling their eyes and talking back and having these sassy one-liners all the time. And that`s just not the entire community.
I think what Michelle Obama will be able to do is just show you a different type of African-American woman.
KAYE (on camera): During the campaign, Mrs. Obama was the victim of stereotyping, too. One television network, not this network, referred to her on the screen as Barack Obama`s "baby mama," a slang term often used to describe black women who have children out of wedlock. The network later apologized.
(voice-over): Mrs. Obama is a Harvard-educated lawyer who earned a six- figure salary before leaving her job to help her husband`s campaign. With about 30 percent of African-American children being raised in poverty, that may register with black women.
OLIVIA FISHKIN, NEW YORK RESIDENT: The average African-American woman should take heed and hope that, with hard work and study, that they can also elevate themselves and aspire to become whatever they want to become.
KAYE: What about her skin color? It`s much darker than African- American celebrities like Beyonce or Halle Berry. Samuels says that may send the message black is beautiful.
SAMUELS: In the African-American community, a lot of times beauty is sort of determined by how light you are. And what I love about Michelle is that she`s not that typical look.
KAYE: Michelle Obama`s physique may also light a fire under black women. Federal statistics show four out of five African- American women are overweight or obese. Mrs. Obama works out daily, often before her girls are even awake.
SAMUELS: You don`t necessarily look at a size zero and go, "OK, I can look like that" in fashion magazines. But you have this real- life woman, who`s a mother and a wife, who is making time to sort of work out and look good. And I think all of that is going to play a big role in African-American woman, you know, just sort of taking a step back and saying, "What can I do to be healthy?"
KAYE: So while Mrs. Obama may be focused on becoming mom-in-chief, as she likes to say, her role may be far greater than she will ever know.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Well, as mom-in-chief, Michelle Obama says it is important that her daughters stay grounded when they move into the White House, something the president-elect absolutely agrees with. In an interview that aired tonight, Barbara Walters asked the new first couple how they`re going to make that happen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT-ELECT: I think a lot of that just has to do with making sure that they understand that they`re special to us because we`re their parents. But they`re not special in terms of having to do their homework or having to do chores or -
BARBARA WALTERS, TV PERSONALITY: They`re going to do chores in the White House?
B. OBAMA: Absolutely.
MICHELLE OBAMA, WIFE OF BARACK OBAMA: Yes. That is the first thing I said to some of the staff when I did my visit. Because, of course, they`re like, "Oh, the girls. They`re are so great." And I said, "You know, we`re going to have to set up some boundaries because they`re going to need to be able to make their beds and clean up."
WALTERS: Really?
M. OBAMA: They do that now.
B. OBAMA: They do. They`ve been doing that since they were four years old.
WALTERS: In the White House, they`re going to make up their beds and clean their rooms?
M. OBAMA: That`s going to be one of my goals. You just don`t make their beds. Make mine. But kids are kids. Let them make their own beds. They have to learn these things.
B. OBAMA: Right. The thing that I`m most proud about my kids is that they`re kind, thoughtful kids. And they show everybody respect, everybody they meet. They`re kind and sweet, too, and they`re thoughtful. And if they retain that, the other stuff will take care of itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Barbara said she found the Obamas to be a delightful couple, especially when the president-elect helped Michelle get the lipstick off her teeth, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Oh, nice. Well, A.J., Michelle Obama really is a force of nature.
HAMMER: And she just might be one of our picks for the women over 40 who made headline this is year. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT teams up with "More" magazine to name the women over 40 who are the biggest newsmakers this year. You have got to see who made the cut. It`s a revealing SHOWBIZ special report.
ANDERSON: Also, is Mariah Carey pregnant? And did Mariah Carey wait until her wedding night to get intimate with Nick Cannon? Mariah reveals all, straight ahead.
Also a brand-new delicacy just in time for Thanksgiving.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So six birds and a pig.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And a partridge in a pear tree.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. You may have heard of the tur-duck and the duck-and- chicken stuffed turkey. But tonight, we`re asking, how can you stuff in the turkey before it becomes really foul? Bon appetit. That`s coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC VIDEO OF BRITNEY`S SONG, "CIRCUS")
ANDERSON: Did you se this? A sneak peek at Britney Spears` video for "Circus" - that`s the title track of her new CD. That CD will be out December 2nd. So we`ve got to ask, will Britney be bigger than ever?
HAMMER: Which is exactly the question we are asking. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. So what do you think? We`ve been asking you to vote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Britney Spears` comeback, will she be bigger than ever? The results so far, 34 percent of you say, yes. But majority, 66 percent of you say no.
Here are some of the e-mails we received. Lacy from Texas writes, "I don`t think Britney will be bigger than ever, because a lot of her fan base has gotten tired of her antics."
Mariel from Costa Rica says, "She is already the biggest star on the planet! I mean, who doesn`t know Britney Spears?"
HAMMER: We`ve been getting a ton of calls coming into "Showbiz On Call" from Britney fans. In fact, we`re getting so many calls, a couple of our interns are going to have to work through Thanksgiving dinner, I`m so sorry to report. We did hear from Thomas in Wisconsin who says Brit is here to stay.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
THOMAS, CALLER FROM WISCONSIN: I think that Britney is going to be here forever. She is talented, cool and she`s got personality for the ages. She`s never going to be out of showbiz.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: There. You see, Thomas, a believer. Thanks for your call, Thomas.
ANDERSON: And we also heard from Amber from Vancouver who says she`s glad that Britney has so many people around her to keep her protected.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
AMBER, CALLER FROM VANCOUVER: First of all, Britney Spears needs to be controlled because of all the trouble she was getting herself into. And I think that`s the best thing that`s ever happened to her and it should stay that way.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Amber, we thank you for your call.
ANDERSON: Many thanks for your call, Amber.
HAMMER: I`m sorry, Brooke. Yes, I know we`re both very enthusiastic about thanking Amber because she took the time to call "Showbiz On Call." So why don`t you do the same thing? Let us know what you think about Britney`s comeback or anything else that may be on your mind.
ANDERSON: That`s right. Give us a ring. The number is 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1- 888-728-2899. Simply leave a voicemail and we will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: All right. What do you think, Brooke? Is Britney still going to be making big news, say, 14 years from now?
ANDERSON: You know, it`s possible. You never know what to expect with Britney. But we do know, A.J., which women over 40 made their mark this year. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT teams up with "More" magazine to name the women over 40 who were the biggest newsmakers this year. You have got to see who made the cut. It`s a revealing SHOWBIZ special report.
And we`ll also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (on camera): Headlines were screaming, "Nicole Kidman is leaving acting, she`s quitting the business." You have to set the record straight.
Is Nicole really quitting acting? She gives me the scoop just ahead in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Also another rumor out there, is Mariah Carey pregnant? And did she and Nick Cannon wait until their wedding night to get intimate? She reveals all, coming up.
HAMMER: You can stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Get it over at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. We are coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Mariah Carey reveals brand-new shocking secrets about her marriage. Tonight, did Mariah really wait until she and husband Nick Cannon were married to have sex? And the big question that everyone is asking, is Mariah pregnant?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This has been an incredible year for women over 40 breaking through all kinds of glass ceilings. You see things that have never happened before.
HAMMER: The women over 40 who are the biggest newsmakers of 2008. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT teams up with "More" magazine. Who made the cut? It`s a not-to-be-missed SHOWBIZ special report.
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. Tonight, a SHOWBIZ special report, the women over 40 who made the biggest headlines this year. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has teamed up with the fabulous "More" magazine. And tonight, get ready because we are revealing the famous women over 40 who made the biggest headlines over the past year.
This is absolutely fascinating, from divorce and scandal, to politics and style, they are the women over 40 who rocked the world in `08.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over) History making -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alaska`s governor, Sarah Palin, selection earns a first for women on the GOP side.
ANDERSON: Divorce-making -
HAMMER (voice over): When the day began, we heard the end was near for Madonna and Guy Ritchie.
ANDERSON: They are the over 40 and fabulous women who rocked the world in 2008 with earth-shattering headlines.
LESLEY JANE SEYMOUR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "MORE" MAGAZINE: This has been an incredible year for women over 40 breaking through all kinds of glass ceilings.
ANDERSON: You can say that again. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is teaming up with "More" magazine to name the women over 40 who made the biggest headlines. Let`s hear it for our first headline-maker, newly-single super woman, Madonna.
JANELL SNOWDEN, HOST, "VH1 NEWS": She`s like a freak of nature, that woman.
ANDERSON: A freak of nature because she has such a buff bod at the age of 50, touring the world and still making some outrageous headlines, like this one -
HAMMER (voice over): Madonna is taking serious flak in the press now that the soon-to-be ex-wife baseball star, Alex Rodriguez, is accusing the Material Girl of being the material other woman.
ANDERSON: And this one -
HAMMER: We started hearing the end was near for Madonna and Guy Ritchie.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": We have some breaking news for you. We`ve just learned that Madonna and Guy Ritchie are getting a divorce.
ANDERSON: But don`t cry for Madonna just yet.
SNOWDEN: I hesitate to say poor Madonna because, come on, she`s Madonna after all. She`s going through a divorce.
SEYMOUR: Madonna is the ultimate, you know, age-by-age-by-age chameleon. At 70, she`s going to come out there in the damn fishnet. You know, divorce is the beginning of a new chapter. It`s not the end.
ANDERSON: Divorce definitely did not mean it`s over for Christie Brinkley and her headline-making split and nasty court battle with now ex-husband, Peter Cook.
SEYMOUR: She`s going through this horrific time with her husband and the affair that he had with a woman that was a fraction of her age, she not only held herself with dignity, but she looked like a fox still. So more power to her for that.
She never looked better. She was going through the worst time of her life and yet the way she carried herself and the way she sort of, you know, - she looked like she was on a shoot the whole time.
ANDERSON: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT says, more power to our next headline-maker over 40 who endured not-so-nice headlines, too - France`s first lady, Carla Bruni Sarkozy.
MOOS (voice over): A 15-year-old nude art photo of former model Carla Bruni circulated just as the French president and his new wife began their state visit to Britain.
ANDERSON: Did we mention her scandalous past?
MOOS: She`s been romantically linked in the past to men ranging from Mick Jagger to Donald Trump.
ANDERSON: Yes, this first lady has had to endure some tough headlines. But the singer and former model has also sparked a few fashion trends.
MOOS: She came, she saw, she curtsied and rarely does a curtsy look quite so chic.
ANDERSON: And now ballet flats are back in style thanks to this first lady.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine can also tell you that Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has company in the United States with the soon-to-be first lady, Michelle Obama.
SNOWDEN: My hero, Michelle Obama is amazing.
SEYMOUR: She is it. Women want to follow her.
ANDERSON: And they have been following Michelle Obama`s every move, from what she says -
M. OBAMA: I have to be greeted properly - fist bump, please.
ANDERSON: To how she dresses -
SNOWDEN: Can we talk about her body? Like, not everyone can wear those fabulous sheathe dresses and not have any bulges.
ANDERSON: Even "The View`s" Joy Behar could help but notice.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You have a flair for it, too. And they compare you to Jackie Kennedy.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" can also tell you that Obama was not the only woman making headlines in politics. Hello, Sarah Palin!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: McCain has chosen Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has his running mate.
ANDERSON: A historic moment that also sparked a fashion frenzy.
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The new fashion craze, the latest style hit, means a two-month wait if you live in the U.S.
ANDERSON: And of course the headlines that Sarah made for better or for worse about that $150,000 wardrobe that she wore on the campaign trail.
HAMMER: It`s Sarah Palin`s $150,000 headache.
ANDERSON: And the hilarious impersonations of Palin by Tina Fey on "Saturday Night Live."
TINA FEY, ACTRESS (as Sarah Palin): Also, too, you see, I think a little differently from an insider.
SNOWDEN: Sarah Palin is not finished making headlines, rest assured. I don`t think we`ve seen the last of her.
ANDERSON: We can`t argue with that logic. So here`s to another banner year of women over 40 making headlines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Some more women over 40 who made big headlines in 2008, Mia Farrow, Cynthia Nixon, Hillary Clinton, Dame Helen Mirren and Cindy McCain. For SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine`s complete list of "Women Over 40 Who Made the Biggest Headlines in 2008," you`ve got to pick up the new issue of "More." It is on newsstands right now.
HAMMER: Well, Nicole Kidman is another over 40 celebrity making big headlines. She`s 41 and fabulous. Her personal life is on track with her husband, country star Keith Urban, and their new baby, Sunday Rose.
And right now, Kidman is starring in the epic film "Australia" opening this weekend, directed by Baz Luhrmann. And it co-stars "People" magazine`s sexiest man alive, Hugh Jackman.
I sat down with Nicole and asked her about one headline in particular that really sent shock waves through Hollywood. Watch this -
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera): So here you are in this epic film with Oscar buzz. And I have to tell you, I could not help but see the irony recently when the headlines were screaming, "Nicole Kidman is leaving acting. She`s quitting the business." Can you do me a favor and set -
NICOLE KIDMAN, ACTRESS: Where was that?
HAMMER: I don`t know, but you have to set the record straight for me. What is that talk about? Is there any truth to it? Are you actually thinking about it?
KIDMAN: I said in a press conference that I`m at a place in my life where I`m very at peace with where I am. And if I wasn`t to make another film, I wouldn`t be devastated.
HAMMER: So not so much a conscious thing like you`re leaving the business.
KIDMAN: No. I`m never someone to make broad statements anyway. I sort of just do my thing quietly, come and go quietly, live in Tennessee quietly. I`m trying to just, you know, operate under the radar.
HAMMER: Have you ever had sort of a fantasy job in mind if you didn`t do what you did, if you were actually to take a break from acting? Is there something that you ever could have seen yourself doing?
KIDMAN: I think when you`re born with something in you, it`s almost wrong to say, "I would never do it again." In what capacity would I do it? I don`t know. Does it have to be on the world stage? No. It can be in small ways. It can be writing. It can be working with kids in terms of a theater group - all of those things.
I think your creativity runs through you and morphs into different places and different stages in your life. So that`s probably - I wouldn`t say that I`m not going to acknowledge that I`ve been given this gift to be able to act, and so I would use that. But I just don`t know how big or how small that will happen. At the same time, if I have more kids, that`s beautiful and I would love to be able to get lost in that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP OF "AUSTRALIA")
KIDMAN: Help me. It`s my child!
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I understand what you`re saying. You don`t know (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You must evacuate.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD ACTOR: Don`t let them take me away.
KIDMAN: I will come and find you. Whatever it takes, we`ll be together again. I promise.
(END VIDEO CLIP OF "AUSTRALIA")
HAMMER: Well, here`s one of the things that truly struck me, and this is how we know, Nicole, that you`re very good at what you do. Because your character is called upon to be a caregiver to this young child, and your character doesn`t have a single maternal instinct to her, at least at the beginning. You don`t know what the heck to do with this kid.
And I`m thinking, "I know she`s good, but this is going to be a reach for her." You`re a mother of three kids. I mean, was that a stretch for you?
KIDMAN: Well, I was the mother of two kids when I started the film. And by the end, I was the mother of three kids.
HAMMER: That`s right.
KIDMAN: So I think once I stepped into a character, it starts to live and breathe almost on its own. Once I`ve done sort of the work to place me in the emotional state that I`ve got to be in to play the character, then it starts to live and breathe on its own. It`s more like I`m just sort of along for the ride. I`m inhabited.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: She is just lovely. Well, Nicole Kidman`s film, just one of many movies out there this weekend.
And with the economy as it is me in the emotional state that I`ve got to be in to play the character, then it starts to live and breathe on its own. I`m just along for the ride. I`m inhabited.
HAMMER: She is just lovely. Well, Nicole Kidman`s "Australia" just one of many movies that`s out there this weekend, Brooke.
ANDERSON: That`s right. And you know, with the economy as it is now, we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT don`t want you to waste your money. So coming up, we`ve got some must-see movies, actually, for this Thanksgiving weekend, next.
And speaking of Thanksgiving, is there a brand-new turkey hoax?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: It`s got six birds and a pig.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And a partridge and a pear tree.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Talk about a bizarre bird, six birds stuffed into one bird. And oh, yes. There`s no topping there either. They`re baking, though. You really might end up seeing this on your Thanksgiving table or maybe not. Is this dish for real? That`s next.
ANDERSON: And Mariah Carey`s brand-new marriage secrets in her own words. Is she pregnant? And did she and husband, Nick Cannon, wait until their wedding night to get intimate? That`s straight ahead.
And now the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now -
(CAPTION READS: "People" mag: Rachael Ray says upcoming voice surgery not risky. Sequel for big movie hit "Twilight" is in the works.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the can want-miss, must-see, everybody-will-be-talking-about-it movies that you have got to put on your Thanksgiving weekend to-do list. And to make it even easier for you, we`re giving you one movie for every day of your long weekend. Yes, we work -
Joining me tonight with her holiday picks is Leah Rosen, "People" magazine`s film critic. Happy holidays to you, Leah Rosen.
LEAH ROSEN, FILM CRITIC, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Same to you, A.J.
HAMMER: Let us begin now with a feast of a movie I`ve had the opportunity to see and sit down with the star Nicole Kidman who`s in it along with "People" magazine`s sexiest man alive, Hugh Jackman, "Australia".
ROSEN: Yes. A movie as big as the continent or it wants to be. I should say this is a movie that`s easy to like, harder to love. So I want to qualify that. That said, boy, this offers you a lot for your buck, including a two-hour, 40-something-minute running time. My line is that this is a movie-movie.
Actually, it`s really like at least four movies. It goes on and on and has more stories, some of which are good, some of which feel sort of stereotypical. But clearly, the director, Baz Luhrmann, set out to make movies the way they used to be ...
HAMMER: True.
ROSEN: And yet, through this kind of new visual lens.
HAMMER: Kind of like a "Gone With The Wind" sort of a thing.
ROSEN: "Gone With The Wind," "Out of Africa," "African Queen" - you name it, they`re in there. He stole from them. Hugh Jackman, as always, easy on the eyes, as is Nicole Kidman. A lot there, I don`t know if you`re going to love it.
HAMMER: All right. But they`re blowing things up, there are love stories. It`s filled with all sorts of magic.
ROSEN: And people are talking about it and that`s impossible (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: Excellent. Let`s talk about "Changeling." This is Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, and I know you love this film.
ROSEN: Yes. Directed by Clint Eastwood. And you know, he`s really on a role. This is a fascinating real-life story about a woman whose child disappears. Five months later, they bring back a boy and she goes, "That`s not my kid."
Based on a true life story from the late `20s. And what I like about this film is it just keeps getting broader what it`s about rather than narrowing its story. So "The Changeling" - if you want to really get caught up in events and in a story that just keeps moving and taking unexpected turns, see it.
HAMMER: And I understand, fine acting performances all around.
ROSEN: Yes, Angelina Jolie is, I think, a little sometimes - and it`s not really her fault - too much the big movie star. She can`t help it. You can`t take your eyes off her.
HAMMER: All right. Fun for the whole family. An animated film "Bolt" is out. John Travolta, Miley Cyrus lending their voices.
ROSEN: Yes.
HAMMER: Cute film that I also know you adore.
ROSEN: This is a really clever children`s film. It`s one of those movies kids are going to like. But you, the chaperoning adult, is going to have a terrific time because it is funny.
It`s a dog who`s a superhero on a dog TV show. He gets stuck in real life, has to make a cross-country journey. So it`s a road movie with animals. And it`s a lot of laughs in there.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s talk about role models, because this is a comedy-farce type of a film. You don`t typically love those. And I`m interested to hear you`re making this one of your holiday picks.
ROSEN: Well, this has two things going for it. It has Paul Rudd, who`s always - I mean, he`s really has grown on audiences and I think he`s grown as an actor. Two, this is what I call a smart-dumb comedy. And there should always be place for smart-dumb comedies.
These are two sort of 30-something slacker kind of guys who end up having to serve as big brothers to two sort of troubled young men. And it`s a lot of fun. It has some scenes that are just sort of smarter than they have to be. Worth seeing.
HAMMER: All right. Thank you for lining up our plans for the holiday weekend, Leah. And a happy Bird Day to you.
ROSEN: Same to you, A.J.
HAMMER: And you can always get your picks and pans in "People" magazine. The new issue is going to be on newsstands on Friday.
ANDERSON: OK. So there you have some must-see, non-turkey movies. And you know, I also know there are many different ways to have a Thanksgiving turkey. You`ve got regular, deep fried, my personal favorite. And you`ve even to-furkey - tofu-turkey.
But tonight, I can tell you, there`s a new turkey that could end up on your dinner plate. Beware, though, this bird could be totally bogus. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigating the gobbler with a gobbledygook name.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice-over): Snooty turkeys getting the red carpet treatment, staying at the luxurious Willard Hotel in Washington, being someone else`s meal is the last thing on their minds. Room service? These two get presidential pardons. But pardon us. We`re interested in how many other birds you can stuff in a turkey. You`ve probably heard of turducken.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the tur, this is the duck and this is the en.
MOOS: De-boned chicken and duck stuffed in a turkey.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stick it here.
MOOS: But bone up on this. The latest dish looks more like an eye chart. Even the experts at Lobels, one of New York`s coolest butcher shops, never heard of it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Turgooduccochiqua.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boom lacalacalaca (ph).
MOOS: However you say it, it surfaced on the photo exchange Web site, Flickr, reporting to be a quail inside a Cornish hen, inside a duck, inside a chicken, inside a turkey, inside a goose with bacon between layers, hence the unpronounceable word.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Turgooduccochiqua.
MOOS: Turkey, goose, duck, Cornish hen, chicken, quail. It`s got six birds and a pig.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And a partridge and a pear tree?
MOOS: Thanksgiving myth or actual delicacy? It provoked comments like ooh and monstrosity. The caption said it was cooked 12 hours and that the turkey was inside the goose, but in the photo -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That looks like a turkey to me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Looks like a turkey to me also.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s a turkey.
MOOS (on camera): Then we have a hoax.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have - there`s something wrong somewhere.
MOOS (voice-over): This is starting to feel like a wild goose in a turkey chase. The Lobels butchers also noted you can`t de-bone a quail. There`s too many tiny bones. So it wouldn`t make sense to stuff one of them inside. Though it`s amazing how much fits. The British series River Cottage did what it called a 10-bird roast. Nine birds inside a turkey.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s like trying to close an overstuffed holiday suitcase.
MOOS: The moral of the story - if it doesn`t roll off your tongue...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Turgooduccochiqua -
MOOS: Maybe you shouldn`t put it in your mouth.
(on camera): You know, I`ve got something else we should be putting in there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos with some serious "fowl play" for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Brooke, I`ve got to say that story was really for the birds.
(TURKEY SOUND EFFECT)
All right, no more cheesy bird jokes here. But I do have to ask this - will the stork be making a delivery to Mariah Carey`s house? Coming up, is she pregnant? And did she wait until she and her husband Nick Cannon were married to have sex? You have got to hear Mariah in her own words. You will, next.
ANDERSON: Remember, you do not want to miss "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute." Find out whom you voted as CNN`s Hero of the Year and their amazing stories. Dare to be inspired. Anderson Cooper hosts "CNN Heroes" on Thanksgiving night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern only on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. I`ve got to tell you, Ellen DeGeneres really socked it to Mariah Carey when she was a guest on her show on Wednesday. She asked Mariah point-blank, "Are you pregnant, Mariah." And Ellen wanted to set the record straight. Did Mariah and husband Nick Cannon really wait until they were married to have sex?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": I found out that supposedly you and Nick were not intimate before you got married?
MARIAH CAREY, SINGER: Why did he tell that story?
DEGENERES: I mean, I don`t even know how people know this. But why, did Nick say that or something?
CAREY: Well, he just told people. And I was like -
DEGENERES: That you all weren`t intimate before you got married.
CAREY: We were intimate but we weren`t completely intimate in the biblical sense.
DEGENERES: What do you mean by that, Mariah?
(LAUGHTER)
CAREY: Oh, dear. No, I just - I didn`t want him to let everybody know that. But I never said anything about it. I didn`t say, "Don`t tell people."
DEGENERES: Yes, but it worked out OK.
CAREY: It worked out great.
DEGENERES: Yes. But is that something - how long have you known each other before you decided to get married? Like my question is did you purposely not do that? Did you wait to get married?
CAREY: Yes, we did.
DEGENERES: You did?
CAREY: Yes.
DEGENERES: That`s sweet.
CAREY: Yes.
DEGENERES: That`s really sweet. You don`t have to answer. You don`t have to answer. Let`s just toast with champagne and decide if -
(CROSS TALK)
CAREY: But they`ve been saying that since we - I can have some champagne. It`s just fattening so -
DEGENERES: You can`t have champagne.
CAREY: That`s not champagne, because you can`t have it on -
DEGENERES: Yes, it is.
CAREY: Is it really?
DEGENERES: Yes. You want to taste it?
CAREY: I can`t believe you did this to me, Ellen.
DEGENERES: What? No.
CAREY: Are you trying to just -
DEGENERES: I`m not going to ask you if you`re pregnant.
(CROSS TALK)
(LAUGHTER)
CAREY: You see what Ellen is doing? This is peer pressure.
DEGENERES: No, let`s toast to you not being pregnant. If you are not pregnant, then you shouldn`t -
CAREY: Oh, my goodness. I can`t believe her. Why would we toast to that?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
How about to the future and for both of our futures? Who knows what they hold?
DEGENERES: Who knows? All right. Go ahead.
CAREY: OK. Cheers.
DEGENERES: Cheers.
CAREY: It`s too early for me. I only drink after 3:00 p.m.
DEGENERES: You`re pregnant. You`re pregnant.
CAREY: No, I didn`t say that. No, no, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Very good, Ellen. So is she, or isn`t she? All right. Brooke, I know you want to join me right now in wishing everybody who is watching and the entire staff, hard working people here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT who put this thing on the air every day, a very happy Thanksgiving.
ANDERSON: Happy Thanksgiving. That`s right.
HAMMER: And we`re going to give the interns the day off tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Yes, we will. You were just kidding earlier.
HAMMER: That`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Again, happy Thanksgiving.
The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
END
