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Showbiz Tonight
Five Celebrity Shockers of 2008; The Year`s Most Arresting Mug Shots; SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Wish List; Will Smith Versus Jim Carrey
Aired December 19, 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, HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we are revealing the top five celebrity shockers of the year. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the five unbelievable stories that made us say, "What?"
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALICIA QUARLES, ASSOCIATED PRESS: 2008 was a completely shocking year for entertainment and for celebrities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Was it Jane Fonda using the C-word on live TV? Sarah Palin and Tina Fey? Britney`s jaw-dropping turnaround? Tonight, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT electric company with the top five star shockers that left us speechless.
Also tonight, the top mug shots of the year - the wildest, the wackiest, the scariest and most bizarre. What were these guys thinking? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a no-holds-barred look at the most arresting mug shots of 2008.
Plus an amazing superstar showdown. In this corner, Will Smith; in that corner, Jim Carrey. There can only be one winner, but who will score the knockout?
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.
And tonight, we are pulling no punches and naming the top five star shockers of the year. And, man, what a year it has been. Of course, it began with Britney Spears being hauled off to a psych ward and it`s ending with Britney pulling off what may be the most astonishing star turnaround ever. It was a year that included stars dropping expletive-filled bombs on live TV. And the year that saw "Saturday Night Live" possibly influence who got elected president of the United States. But which are the top five shockers? Find out right now as we reveal the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT list that is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): From Lindsay Lohan`s new relationship to Beyonce starting a whole new online dance craze.
This guy got two million views on YouTube, one of the many and unusual surprising things we saw in 2008. But there are your everyday surprises and then there are your jaw-dropping, eye-popping, shocking shockers.
QUARLES: 2008 was a completely shocking year for entertainment and for celebrities.
HAMMER: Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you 2008 top five shockers. Number five, Jane Fonda saying the C-word on live TV.
QUARLES: It was just shocking like, Ms. Fonda - potty mouth.
HAMMER: It happened back in February on the "Today" show when Fonda was talking to Meredith Vieira about performing in the play "The Vagina Monologues." Oh, you just knew this wasn`t going to end well.
JANE FONDA, ACTRESS: I live in Georgia. OK, I was interested with a monologue called (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
HAMMER: We bleeped it here, but Fonda`s C-bomb wasn`t bleeped when it aired live on the east coast. It`s not every day when a 70-year-old Hollywood icon drops the mother of all naughty words on national television in front of five million people.
QUARLES: She just dropped the C-word so casually, kept right on talking like it was no big deal. You have to wonder, does she use that word a lot?
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s fourth biggest shocker of 2008, the quickie marriage of Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon.
QUARLES: At first I thought they were punking the world.
HAMMER: They certainly were not a likely couple. She`s a multimillion- selling music superstar. Nick - well, he used to have a show on MTV.
QUARLES: Nick Cannon is like D-list. It was just so random. Nobody even knew that Mariah and Nick Cannon were dating.
HAMMER: So it was truly a shock when the world learned that this couple tied the knot in an ocean-side ceremony in the Bahamas on April 30th. No doubt about it, it was the romantic shocker of the year.
QUARLES: Mariah Carey gave a quote saying that she did not have sex with Nick Cannon until they got married. It`s easy to do that when you date someone for just two weeks.
HAMMER: Sadly, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s third biggest shocker of 2008 was a devastating loss - the death of Heath Ledger.
QUARLES: It`s been months later and I still cannot believe that Heath Ledger is dead.
HAMMER: Ledger was the young handsome 28-year-old star of "Brokeback Mountain."
HEATH LEDGER, ACTOR (as The Joker): This town deserves a better class of criminal.
HAMMER: And buzz was already starting to build for his just-completed role as The Joker in "The Dark Knight." So when his body was found in his New York City apartment last January, no one could believe it.
QUARLES: He died of an accidental drug overdose. It`s just so shocking and so sad.
HAMMER: Months later, Ledger`s final completed performance is earning him a ton of raves and posthumous awards, cementing his bittersweet legacy.
QUARLES: This guy was in his 20s. Think about what he could accomplish years and years to come. He`s just gone too soon.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s second biggest shocker of 2008, the celebrity look-alike of the year. When Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, revealed his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the reaction was immediate.
QUARLES: It`s bad for Sarah Palin that she happens to look like one of the most famous comedians in the country.
HAMMER: That would be Tina Fey, the star of "30 Rock." Fey says tons of people noticed the resemblance, including her own family and her former boss at "Saturday Night Live." We all know what happened next.
TINA FEY, ACTRESS (as Sarah Palin): And I can see Russia from my house.
HAMMER: Tina Fey returned to "SNL" to spoof Palin.
QUARLES: Tina Fey impersonating Sarah Palin were the water cooler moments of the election.
HAMMER: And the biggest shocker of 2008? Britney Spears` comeback.
QUARLES: It is amazing that Britney Spears is back on top.
HAMMER: The year began with Britney Spears being carted from her home for a psychiatric evaluation after a year-long career and personal meltdown. After she was released, she was placed under a conservatorship headed by her dad, and things started to change.
QUARLES: Suddenly, you see Britney not running amuck anymore, not dating paparazzi, not flashing her body parts. She got back in the recording studio. She got her children back in her life and she got her life on track.
HAMMER: It all paid off. Britney`s new album, "Circus," debuted at number one. Almost a year after everyone was writing Britney`s career obituary, Britney proved that she`s still a force.
QUARLES: This is America, the land of second chances. We love a comeback story. Britney, you did it in `08.
HAMMER: Proving that in the world of celebrity, anyone can shock. Yes, anyone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
All right, so did we get it shockingly right and what are some of the other big shockers of 2008? And how many times do you think I`m going to say shocking or shocker? Well, get out your abacus because I`m not done yet.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, in a shocking appearance, is Carlos Diaz who is a correspondent with "Extra." Also tonight in New York, Dawn "The Shocker" Yanek, who is an editor-at-large for "Life and Style Weekly" covering their shocking beat.
All right, Dawn, Carlos, let`s get into it. This may be shocking, maybe not. But as you just heard, Britney Spears` quick turnaround and comeback is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s number one most shocking story of the year.
And on her birthday, man, I think we all agreed at the time, she did a great job when she turned 27. She performed live on "Good Morning, America" to kick off the big comeback. Carlos, off to you. Given that Britney began the year, as I said, in a psych ward, did we get it right?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": I think you guys got it wrong. First of, Jane Fonda at number five, not a big deal. I mean, she said the C-word - she said "Carlos" on the air, not a big deal.
Number four, I think Mariah Carey - nothing Mariah Carey does shocks me. I would put Britney at number three, even though, you know, she started the year in a psych yard and now it`s her comeback. Her comeback is not complete just yet.
Number two, I`d have to go with Heath Ledger because of the fact that his movie "The Dark Knight" is now on DVD. We can watch it over and over again.
But I think the number one shocking thing of the year has to be Tina Fey and Sarah Palin. I mean, she helped influence the election. Who`s running our country? That`s the number one shocker to me.
HAMMER: All right. Carlos, you certainly are entitled to your opinion. But I`m going to be referring to you for the reminder of the segment as "Debby Downer," thank you very much. I`m just kidding.
Dawn, you`re certainly never one to hold back with your shocking opinion. Do you think we got it right, Britney the biggest shocker?
DAWN YANEK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Oh, I don`t know about that. I have to say -
HAMMER: Come on, play along.
YANEK: I did love your list. I love the list. But you know what? It would have been more shocking had Britney made this huge comeback without the strict control of her father and all of her handlers. If she had done this on her own, I would say absolutely number one.
You know, I have to say Heath Ledger`s death - very shocking, very sad. But we`ve kind of been down that road also before also with River Phoenix, with Anna Nicole Smith - awful, of course.
But I would have to agree with Carlos. I think the most shocking thing was John McCain picking Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate. It was absolutely insane. I mean, she was a political phenomenon, created into a pop culture phenomenon.
I mean, it was almost like John McCain was giving "Saturday Night Live" material to lambaste his entire campaign. And you know what? She is going to be a pop culture phenomenon in 2009 and beyond. She`s going to be staying with us, for better or for worse.
HAMMER: Yes, for better or for worse, indeed. All right, Carlos, as long as you`re up there on your high horse, let me throw it back at you, then, since you seem to know so well, my friend ...
DIAZ: Yes, I do.
HAMMER: ... out there in Hollywood, in the thick of it out there.
DIAZ: Sure, of course.
HAMMER: You have such a good gauge for these things.
DIAZ: Yes, I do.
HAMMER: What is your other celebrity pick for 2008 shocker of the year?
DIAZ: I`ll give you a hint, A.J. You know, screw it, we`ll do it live. We`ll do it live. I`ll read it, we`ll do it live.
That is it. Bill O`Reilly, baby. "The Inside Edition" thing - that`s the most amazing thing of the year. That video - I`m serious. When I am in the casket, I want them to play that above me. That will be the best thing ever.
HAMMER: Carlos, I could arrange for that some time very, very soon, if you`d like.
DIAZ: I know you, A.J. You want that.
HAMMER: And the thing I should point out that makes it qualify as a shocking, shocking shocker of 2008 is the fact that while this is an old tape, it was revealed to the world here in 2008.
Carlos, I am actually in a giving spirit right now. And because this is a gift that keeps on giving - do we have quick access to this particular piece of tape? Yes. Let us together watch now Bill O`Reilly`s rant, the one that Carlos will be watching from inside his casket. One more time, Charles, roll it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O`REILLY: And we will leave you with a - I can`t do it. We`ll do it live.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
O`REILLY: We`ll do it live. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) it. Do it live. I could go out and write it and we`ll do it live. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) thing sucks!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Carlos, when the segment`s over, I`m going to have you play us out, whatever that means. All right. So Carlos, you`re choosing the revelation about that classical riling meltdown that we learned about this year as the shocker of `08. Dawn, off to you for your pick.
YANEK: Yes. I mean, I`m going with Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston continuing the catfight and more specifically, with Jennifer Aniston calling Angelina Jolie un-cool about talking about the fact that she started her relationship with brad Pitt on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."
Here, we have Jennifer Aniston who`s notoriously private and who has said in the past that she just wants it to all go away and to move on. But yet, here she is talking about it in depth and constantly. This is the catfight that will never end.
HAMMER: Well, you know, it may end. And if they do bury the hatchet in the `09 and do a chick flick together in the next year, maybe that will be next year`s shocking shocker. All right. Dawn Yanek, Carlos Diaz, I thank you both.
DIAZ: Hey, I can`t read that. I`m out of here.
HAMMER: All right, moving on now after we have now revealed the biggest shocking shockers of 2008 and I`ve been waiting all year to say that - shocking shockers. Let me say it again before the show`s over.
Coming up, I`m also revealing the amazing, the spectacular SHOWBIZ TONIGHT holiday wish list for 2009. That`s right. I`m calling out the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT genie. Did you know we have one of these? Yes, I hope the genie will grant these, who should find love, who should find peace and who should cut it out with those ridiculous baby names, for Pete`s sake. Get it? For Pete`s sake. You don`t want to miss this, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT 2009 star wish list.
And it`s Will Smith versus Jim Carrey, going head to head in a showdown. Only one can come out on top. Who will?
We also have the wildest, the wackiest, the most outrageous mug shots of the year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From the guy photographed without his teeth and with them - to the fellow whose metallic grill caught the light like a twinkling star -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hey, these are the pictures that should never get on a Facebook. You know what I`m saying. The most arresting mug shots of `08.
And now the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now -
(CAPTION READS: Jermaine Dupri writes on his blog: Girlfriend Janet Jackson is not pregnant. Angie Harmon gives birth to third daughter, Emery Hope Sehorn.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, is there a code red at "General Hospital?" Will "Guiding Light" burn out? Has "The Fat Lady" sung for soap operas? You know, soaps are taking a bath right now because of what`s going on with our economy.
So is your favorite daytime diva or dashing dude about to get fired? Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice over): There`s no shortage of drama when it comes to daytime soaps, but now there`s plenty of it unfolding off the set.
SUSAN LUCCI, ACTRESS: I`m so afraid.
WYNTER: Long-running soap operas like ABC`s "All My Children" and NBC`s "Days of Our Lives" are being hit with a double economic whammy. Ratings are down. Advertisers are cutting back.
LYNN LEAHEY, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, "SOAP OPERA DIGEST": It`s been very difficult because much of the advertising is car dealers and that advertising is dried up right now.
WYNTER: "Soap Opera Digest" editorial director Lynn Leahey says tough financial times have forced networks to slash salaries even for seasoned soap stars like Susan Lucci. Some veteran actors have been released from their contracts, but Leahey says it`s not just slumping ratings driving the cuts.
Local automotive dealers, traditionally the meat and potatoes of daytime TV advertising dollars are spending significantly less, some nothing at all.
STEVEN MCCLINTOCK, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND MEDIA, L.A. CAR GUY: You`ve got everybody a little bit in a panic mode right now.
WYNTER: Steven McClintock with L.A Car Guy says last year the California dealership spent $350,000 on TV advertising.
(on camera): And this year?
MCCLINTOCK: Maybe 100,000. The audience has decreased. We know it. The ratings have changed. We have to weigh what we can afford to spend versus what we`re going to get out of it.
WYNTER (voice-over): McClintock, like many in the automotive industry is keeping an eye on Washington. For now, with the daytime dramas` viewership on the downturn, he`s looking at less costly and more creative ways to reach consumers.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: So keep your opinions to yourself and stay the hell out of my life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter. Well, the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are being flooded - I say flooded with calls, because of not one, but two things that a lot of people are really fired up about. First, the response to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Who is more essential to `American Idol,` Paula Abdul or Simon Cowell?" Here`s Jen calling from New York.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JEN, CALLER FROM NEW YORK: I just almost laughed at your question, who`s more essential to "American Idol," Paula Abdul or Simon Cowell? Is this even a question? I think it`s clear, Simon Cowell is more essential to the show. Not only is he a judge, he has character that people like to watch or don`t like to watch in some cases. Unfortunately, I think that if anyone had to get the ax, it would be Paula.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you for your call, Jen. And we are happy we`re able to give you a laugh. Now, we`re also getting a ton of calls also responding to a call that we got from a viewer who thinks Madonna should give some of her reported $76 million plus divorce settlement with Guy Ritchie to the poor. This is Shannon calling from Alabama.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SHANNON, CALLER FROM ALABAMA: I believe, personally, that these celebrities have worked especially hard, a lot of them worked hard to get where they are. I don`t think they`re obligated to do anything they don`t want to do with their money. They`re just like normal people except for they make millions. And a lot of these celebrities do already donate to charities.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you, Shannon. Here`s Charles on that same topic.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CHARLES, CALLER: I think it`s ridiculous how they can complain about money here and there, when there are people in this country just completely struggling.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: And remember, you, too, can call us at "Showbiz On Call" so you can let us know what you think about this or anything else at all. The "Showbiz On Call" phone lines are always open and here`s the number - 1- 888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Call the number, leave a voicemail. We would love to play your call right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, I`ve got to tell you with the way the "Showbiz On Call" phone lines have been ringing this year, I am personally going to wish for more interns to answer our phones in 2009. That`s at the top of my personal SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wish list.
Now, coming up, I`ve got the stupendous, the spectacular SHOWBIZ TONIGHT star wish list for next year. Who should make love? Who should make peace? And who should keep their clothes on? We`ve got all of that coming up.
And Tom Cruise reveals his secret birthday surprise for Katie Holmes to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I left early this morning. That was hard. I had a bunch of surprises for her throughout the day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You have got to hear what Tom planned for his wife`s 30th birthday. He let us in on his top secret plans. You`ll find out how that all worked out, coming up next.
And it`s Will Smith taking on Jim Carrey. We`re talking a huge showdown between two of the biggest stars in the world. They are going head to head and only one can be the winner. That is coming up.
And now, the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now -
(CAPTION READS: Tom Cruise`s 13-year-old son makes film debut today. Connor Cruise makes his debut appearance in Will Smith`s "Seven Pounds.")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Here are some more stories that are making news right now.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned that Paris Hilton`s house was burglarized. According the Los Angeles Police Department, a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and gloves forced his way through the front door of Paris` Sherman Oaks, California home, trashed the joint and stole stuff.
Paris was not home at the time. "The L.A. Times" reports that $2 million in jewelry and other things were taken.
And tonight, Tom Cruise reveals his secret birthday surprise for wife, Katie Holmes, to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Now, we caught up with Tom at the L.A. premiere of his brand-new movie "Valkyrie" and he filled us in on his big plans for Katie for her 30th birthday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUISE: I set it up with Lithgow and the cast and they`re going to come out on stage and whole audience will then sing "happy birthday" to her. That should be happening. I`m waiting for the bevy. I think when I get to the end here, I`m going to be getting my phone calls and you know, hear how that went. I`m excited about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Katie is currently in New York. She`s starring on Broadway in "All My Sons." Tom set it up with co-star John Lithgow to present her with a birthday cake during the show`s curtain call and have the audience sing her "happy birthday." "People" magazine says Katie brought her 2-year-old daughter, Suri, right there on stage to sing along, too.
And a nasty Broadway surprise involving "Entourage" star, Jeremy Piven. Piven has suddenly left the Broadway show he was starring in called "Speed the Plow." Piven`s doctor said he collapsed on Monday at home causing him to miss Tuesday`s performance. That doctor says Piven is suffering from a high level of mercury, possibly from eating too much sushi and urged him to quit the show to get better.
Producers have replaced Piven with two actors, one of them being William H. Macy. But playwright David Mamet thinks that all this mercury- sushi talk seems fishy. He tells "Daily Variety" that apparently is leaving showbiz to pursue a career as a thermometer. I think everybody should just hug it out.
And I think all that hugging it out could actually work wonders for Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie in 2009. Am I on to something here? I mean, that is just one of the many wishes that I`ve got for big stars next year. Who should make love? Who should make peace? And who should stop with these weird and wacky baby names?
How about Matthew or Melissa or something simple like that? It`s the 2009 SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Hollywood wish list revealed, coming up next.
I`ve got to tell you I wish that Will Smith and Jim Carrey could both be big winners at their dramatic new showdown but they can`t be. It`s Will versus Jim going head to head in a brand-new battle. That is also coming up.
Also, the most outrageous mug shots of the year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a cow.
MOOS: Scaring kids?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Scaring, running around the neighborhood blocking traffic, drunk at the time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Dressed as a cow. Hey, we are milking this for a whole lot. You`ve got to see the rest of these, the wackiest, the strangest, the scariest mug shots of 2008. They are utterly ridiculous.
But first, you can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by subscribing to the daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Just head over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the "sign up for newsletter" link. It`s right there at the bottom of the page. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the SHOWBIZ wish list. From Britney Spears to Jennifer Aniston to Angelina Jolie, what do you think they absolutely must do next year? We`ve got our own ideas. So buckle up as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the SHOWBIZ wish list.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: From a guy photographed without his teeth and with them, to the fellow whose metallic grill caught the light like a twinkling star -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, the best mug shots of the year. We`re talking the good, the bad and the downright most bizarre photos we`ve ever seen. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the most arresting mug shots of 2008.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
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.
Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the SHOWBIZ wish list for 2009. Yes, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has grand hopes and big aspirations for Hollywood`s biggest stars. So who do we hope will find love, make peace and get a grip?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Carlos Diaz who is a correspondent for "Extra." Tonight in New York is Dawn Yanek who is an editor-at-large for "Life and Style Weekly." Also tonight in New York is Michael Musto who is the entertainment columnist for the "Village Voice."
Gang, we must begin with our first item on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT celebrity wish list. Please, I beg of you, no more wacky celebrity kid names. I mean, looking back at what has happened this year, and it happens year after year, so many stars giving kids unusual names after they`re born.
Let`s look at this year. Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz having Bronx Mowgli. Nicole Kidman named her daughter Sunday Rose. Jessica Alba named her little girl, Honor. And let us not forget Nicole Ritchie`s 11-month- old daughter Harlow.
Carlos, off to you first. Do you share our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wish for 2009, or are you digging the name (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? What`s up?
DIAZ: No, I hate these names. Bronx Mowgli Wentz - the kid`s initials are BMW. I can`t have that. And then you have Sunday Rose Urban Kidman, "Sunday" is a day, "Rose" is a flower, "Urban" is a place. And "kid" and "man" are different places in a guy`s life. These don`t make any sense whatsoever. And what`s the other one, Honor? Well, I`d be honored, too, if I was Jessica Alba`s kid, so that will make sense. Anyway, I don`t know -
HAMMER: Carlos Diaz, going deep, ladies and gentlemen. Dawn Yanek, off to you. Are you OK with these names?
YANEK: I don`t know if I`m OK with them. I mean, luckily, they`re attached to some of the cutest kids on the planet, and that kind of makes it OK.
And also, they won`t be made fun of on the playground as much because they`ll all be in the same graduating class. But that said, I think that these celebrities have definitely jumped the shark, so to speak, when it comes to these names. I think they should go with things like Michael, John, Sally and Jane. I mean, that would be different, unique and I think they would save thousands on therapy in the long run.
HAMMER: So Dawn, you don`t think Plaxico is making a big comeback in `09.
YANEK: I don`t think so. But I do have to give a shout out - Zuma Nestor Rock, also a crazy one of 2008.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: Ah, yes. Ah, yes. All right. Let`s move past that and on to our next item on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wish list. We have the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT genie working hard at this. This is what we want in 2009, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT begging no more teen star nudity scandals.
We saw "High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens` little scandal with those topless photos all over the Internet. And then, we have 15-year-old Miley Cyrus causing a huge uproar - she did those Lolita-style photos in "Vanity Fair." Always seems to be the Disney girls, doesn`t it?
Michael Musto, is it asking too much to ask these teen girls to keep their clothes on at least in public?
MICHAEL MUSTO, ENTERTAINMENT COLUMNIST, "THE VILLAGE VOICE": I don`t think so. I don`t want to see anybody nude, A.J. I know these celebrities` bodies better than my own and I`m really sick of it. And then worse is they pretend to be appalled like, "How did that happen? How did those pictures happen? I was tricked." No, you weren`t. You posed for them.
And you know what? It`s actually OK. But I think just to mix things up, they should keep a hefty bag in the closet, those basic black clothes with all accessories. By the way, my name is Michael, not Afghanistan or Fuzzball. I think it`s a great name.
HAMMER: All right. We learned something new about you, Michael. You don`t own a mirror, I guess. I don`t know.
Moving on now to our next item on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wish list for 2009. Here`s the deal - SHOWBIZ TONIGHT would like dearly for Madonna and New York Yankee star Alex Rodriguez to come out as a couple. Of course, there`s been lots of rumors that the two are an item. Both have vehemently denied it. I`m not even suggesting that they are currently a romantic couple.
But now that Madonna`s divorce is almost final, Carlos Diaz, does it not seem like a good idea for these two to just, you know, get together, do a little "Vogue," make some beautiful music together, so to speak?
DIAZ: Please, this story has everything, by the way. It spans two countries. It has a director, a singer, an athlete. It has religion with Kabbalah. And ever since Alex Rodriguez came out and said, "We`re just friends," he proves he`s a better actor than Madonna.
HAMMER: He doesn`t have the name Plaxico, though.
DIAZ: That`s true. What is it with you and Plaxico?
HAMMER: I don`t know. I`m just - you know, I`m thinking Plaxico Hammer - maybe not. Dawn Yanek, what do you think Madonna and A-Rod will be `09, as we move in the last year of the Ox? Will this be their year?
YANEK: Well, I think it would certainly make all of our jobs easier in 2009. We could start speculating about whether or not they`re going to have a baby, whether they`re going to adopt a baby, what their steamy rendezvous are all about.
But who am I kidding? We`re probably going to be talking about that anyway.
HAMMER: Earlier tonight, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we were having an interesting conversation when we were revealing our most shocking shockers. And it got me to thinking about what I`d like to reveal next. It`s our next item on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wish list for 2009.
Here`s the deal. We would like Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie to star together in a chick flick. I think it`s genius. Michael Musto, I`m hoping you do. Because really, Michael, why can`t these two intelligent, beautiful women just bury the hatchet, make some kind of a blockbuster out of it? You know we`d be talking about it right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
MUSTO: Great idea, A.J. They could bury the hatchet in my back. I`ll volunteer my back. But look, I don`t even think they hate each other that much. I mean, the harshest thing Jennifer said was Angelina is not cool. Oh, she needs a reverse anger management. Let it out, Jennifer. They should get a buddy film going. Jennifer just did one with a dog. Do one with a human. How about a remake of "Thelma and Louise" where they drive around the country adopting babies? But don`t drive off -
HAMMER: Stay on the road. Read between the lines.
Dawn Yanek, what do you think? Great idea - Angelina, Jennifer? Jennolie? Angeliston? I don`t know what we would call them, but the best chick flick ever?
YANEK: I think it could possibly be the best chick flick ever. But you know what I think might be even better? An action adventure movie with the two of them, kind of ala "Wanted" or "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," so those two could really get their aggression out, work out their issues.
HAMMER: Yes.
YANEK: You know it would get nasty. Angelina Jolie - she looks like she might fight dirty and I think Jennifer Aniston would rise to the challenge.
HAMMER: And maybe - I see Carlos is thinking maybe they could use water balloons instead of guns. I don`t know.
DIAZ: I like the way you`re going with this.
HAMMER: Next item on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wish list for 2009 - we would like Britney Spears to find a good man. I mean, think about it. She`s had two bad marriages. She had a hellish year last year. And now, well, she`s really earnestly trying hard to rebuild her whole life.
In her MTV documentary, "Britney for the Record," she lamented how hard it is for her to date. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: And I feel like the paparazzi has taken my whole cool slang away from me, like going out and doing stuff and like, seeing a guy and hanging out. The way I used to live, I was a pretty cool chick, you know, and I`m not really that way anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Carlos, I think you`re like me. You have really enjoyed watching Britney Spears get it back together this past year.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: So do you think she`s now in a place, in all seriousness, to have a relationship and some real love in her life?
DIAZ: No, not at all. No way. Listen, she`s about to go on a world tour, so the only person she could hook up with is one of her back-up dancers and that didn`t work out last time, all right? There`s only one person that`s perfect for Britney Spears, and his name is Carlos Diaz. I will volunteer to be her - I don`t know - pseudo-boyfriend for the year. I`ll make your grits every morning. I will sacrifice myself, A.J., for the good of society.
HAMMER: Carlos, you`re a good man. Let it never be said you`re not. What do you think, Michael Musto, because, you know, looking back and you`ve been covering Britney, well, basically, since she was a child. You know -
MUSTO: Two years ago.
HAMMER: Don`t you think she`s made some bad choices but we really would like to see her find true love this year? Are you with us?
MUSTO: Absolutely. And you know what? The choices are reversing and she`s hot again. That`s what I`m afraid of, A.J. She`s going to attract, you know, parasites and users like what`s-his-name. Let`s not mention him. She`s going to get another womanizer -
HAMMER: You`re not talking about Carlos Diaz?
(CROSS TALK)
MUSTO: You see, that`s it. But you know what? She needs a good guy who`s not afraid of two kids, chunkee cheese and bald head. And she deserves it - pop princess deserves a prince charming to sweep her off her feet.
HAMMER: What a nice bow to put on top of that (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Thank you very much. Michael Musto, Carlos Diaz, Dawn Yanek, I appreciate you all being here tonight.
All right. I know one thing that none of those stars are wishing for in the New Year - a trip to the big house. Oh, let me guess. You know, there`s no hair and makeup for those all-important mug shots.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: Scaring kids?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, scaring, running around the neighborhood, blocking traffic, drunk at the time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Did I just hear right, a cow scaring kids? And the cow got arrested and had to pose for a mug shot? Yes. Up next, the good, the bad and the really ugly. Best of the worst mug shots of the year.
And it`s Will Smith versus Jim Carrey. Two of the biggest movie stars in the world going head to head in a showdown that can only have one winner. What that`s all about, coming up next.
Also, Jennifer Aniston gets honest about aging in Hollywood and what she really has to say about those nearly naked pictures in "GQ" and the proposition she got to do it all again. It`s Jen`s brand-new interview coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now, the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now -
(CAPTION READS: Majel Roddenberry, widow of "Star Trek" creator, Gene, dies at 76. W. Mark Felt, former spy and informant known as "Deep Throat" in the Watergate scandal, dies at 95.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
All right. Paris Hilton has one, so does Frank Sinatra. We`re talking about mug shots. But did you see this? It`s the best of the worst mug shots of the year. I`m talking about some wild stuff from a cross- dressing accused crook to an alleged robber dressed as a comic book character. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s taking a look back at some of the best mug shots of 2008. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice over): Should all acquaintance be forgot, the least we can do is acquaint you with the top mug shots of 2008, from the guy photographed without his teeth and with them, to the fellow who`s metallic grill caught the light like a twinkling star, the man with the handlebar mustache -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s very Salvador Dali -
MOOS: And who better to make the picks than the "Smoking Gun" Web site -
(on camera): Got to hand it to the guys at "The Smoking Gun." They have to sift through over 100,000 mug shots a year.
(voice over): At number 19, we have The Joker. He went to the movie, "The Dark Knight," dressed as the Heath Ledger character -
LEDGER: Kill the Batman.
MOOS: Then got arrested for stealing Batman posters. This guy was out on Halloween.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dressed up as a prisoner and arrested, smoking some marijuana with his friends in a parking lot.
MOOS: Sad to say -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was not a banner year for celebrity mug shots. No, there were no Nick Noltes this year.
MOOS: So we`ll have to settle for Andy Dick, arrested for pulling a teenager`s top down. He pled guilty to battery.
(on camera): Number 10 -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See, this is nice, because he`s all made up for the arrest.
MOOS (voice over) : This guy was arrested after placing an ad, offering a cross-dresser in short, tight miniskirt. Number 8 is a father-son tattooed duo.
Then there was this guy with before and after tattoos. This dad was arrested after an accident.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was drunk, had about 15 beers and asked his little kid to drive the van.
MOOS: This compilation of 15 people arrested over the year wearing Obama gear was awarded the top spot. We preferred the guy with Obama-Biden carved into his hair. All he did was play his music too loud.
Our favorite mug shot came in at number two. Though she did number one on the neighbor`s porch -
(on camera): Dressed as a cow scaring kids.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dressed as a cow.
MOOS: Scaring kids?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, scaring, running around the neighborhood, blocking traffic. Drunk at the time.
MOOS (voice over): Meanwhile, in north Baltimore, Ohio, the police department has decorated its Christmas tree with sex offender photos hoping they`ll get more attention than if they were stuck on a bulletin board.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing says Christmas like sex offenders hanging from a tree.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yes. They may or may not be guilty of the charges brought against them. But I`m thinking that they all should be pretty glad that bad judgment is not a crime. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, tonight, it is the head-to-head battle of two box office kings - Will Smith versus Jim Carrey. So who`s going to win the weekend`s box office smackdown? Can the undisputed box office champ, Will Smith, pull off another KO with his drama "Seven Pounds?" Or will Jim Carrey, who is back to his comic roots, come out with it with "Yes Man?"
I`ve got the lowdown from "People" magazine film critic Leah Rosen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (on camera): Let`s begin with the current reigning king of the box office, Will Smith. This actually looks pretty good for one of Will Smith`s dramatic roles, "Seven Pounds." What do you think?
LEAH ROZEN, FILM CRITIC: No, I`m giving this a big, big no.
HAMMER: Oh, no.
ROZEN: Now, you know, this is one of those films I think critics are all going to just - we are holding our noses at this one. Audiences may love it and sometimes there is that divide.
HAMMER: Yes, there is.
ROZEN: I can`t say too much about what this movie is about because it`s really one of those movies you want to go into the theater not knowing much. What I`m going to say is, at some point, every major star feels they need to make a movie where they just save humanity.
(CROSS TALK)
You know, they just - but not in a big action thriller way. They truly save humanity.
HAMMER: OK.
ROZEN: And this is kind of one of those movies. Now, maybe you love that. But I`ve got to say, I just thought it kind of reeked. It`s just a misfire. You just sort of go as it becomes clear and clear what the movie. You`re just going why, why, why? Because it`s good people trying hard, doing their best but oi.
HAMMER: Wow. Leah, we appreciate your candid - what? Will Smith`s on the phone for you apparently. We`ll get to that in just a moment.
All right. How about "Yes Man?" This is Jim Carrey seemingly - if you look at the trailer and if you look at the commercials, doing what he does best.
ROZEN: Yes - no. It`s Jim Carrey trying to get back to sort of the Jim Carrey that everyone knows and loves because he really hasn`t had a big hit since 2003. So he`s trying here. A lot of it`s funny. Is it great? No. If you`ve seen the ads for the film, you know where it`s going and you get those laughs.
I would caution anyone though into taking kids who are too young. My 9-year-old nephew hot to see this film - he will not be going. There`s one scene, this kind of sex scene with an old lady, that you know -
HAMMER: That pretty much eliminates a certain audience.
ROZEN: You don`t want to have to explain what`s going on there. That said, you know, Carrey does what he does, elastic. And it`s really helped - Zooey Daschanel is the ingenue here. And she`s always won.
HAMMER: Leah Rozen, we thank you as always. You`re always fun.
ROZEN: Thank you.
HAMMER: And sounds like "Yes Man" is the winner. For more "Picks and Pans," pick up a copy of "People" magazine. The new edition on newsstands right now.
And it is time right now for "Making It Work." As we just heard, he plays a "Yes Man" on screen. But there`s one big thing Jim Carrey is saying "no" to in real life and that is the idea of marriage to his long- time love, Jenny McCarthy.
Jim and Jenny have been dating for three years and they`re raising Jenny`s son from her first marriage. Jim has been married twice before. And right now, neither of them are really in a rush to take the plunge again.
But as Jim told CNN`s Larry King, being happily unmarried is what makes their relationship work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM CARREY, ACTOR: I love Jenny very much. And you know, we have a great relationship. And we`ve both been married a couple of times. And you know, the kind of common feeling out there is this kind of human need to, like, kind of close things, you know, to have closure on things and to characterize them and put them on a shelf, OK, they`re married now, we can deal with that.
But I like it the way it is and I think she likes it the way it is, you know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jenny credits Jim with helping her big time with the other man in her life, her 6-year-old son, Evan who is autistic. Jim tells "People" magazine he scored huge points with Evan earlier this year when Evan figured out that Jim was the real voice behind Horton in the film version of Dr. Seuss` "Horton Hears a Who." I can`t even imagine what story time at home is like with Jim Carrey. Wow.
Well, Jennifer Aniston is looking, if I dare say, hotter than ever in her new nude magazine cover photos. But is she really that comfortable when it comes to aging in Hollywood? Wait until you hear Jennifer revealing her secrets in a brand-new interview which is coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now, it is off to the showbiz news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Singer Fergie and Josh Duhamel set wedding date for January 10th. U2`s new album, "No Line on the Horizon" due in stores March 3rd.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Jennifer Aniston gets honest about aging. Of course, we know now Jennifer looks absolutely fantastic wearing nothing more than a tie on that cover of the new "GQ" magazine. The racy cover shots and these inside photos have men everywhere going wild.
In a brand new interview, Aniston says at 39, she feels like she is just starting to live. Jennifer really opened up about feeling better about herself now than she did in her 20s this morning on CBS` "The Early Show." Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRY SMITH, HOST, "THE EARLY SHOW": I get this sense, having read all of the magazine articles looking at pictures of you, it`s like, this is your - this is Jennifer Aniston time?
JENNIFER ANISTON, ACTRESS: It`s a good time.
H. SMITH: Is that what it is? Yes?
ANISTON: It`s my time. I feel just really - I mean, I just feel like - you know, every woman that has ever said or man that`s said it just gets better. I kind of just agree.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And since Jennifer is looking so good these days, well Harry Smith had an idea for Jennifer`s next racy cover shoot. Look at this.
H. SMITH: And I also have a present for you.
ANISTON: What is it?
H. SMITH: You can try it with a bow tie.
ANISTON: Oh, wait a minute. I don`t know about that, people. Think we may have to get to some yoga positions for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Are you working on that mental picture right now, Jen in nothing but a bow tie?
Well, one person who might actually get to see that in person her on- again, off-again boyfriend John Mayer. Jen and John are huge targets for the tabloids and Jen says she`s got a unique way to handle it all. She says that she just pretends like those stories are actually about someone else. And if that doesn`t work, Jennifer says it also helps to just walk briskly past those pesky newsstands.
Well, on Thursday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day which was this - "`American Idol` Judges: Who is more essential to the show, Paula Abdul or Simon Cowell?"
Look at how this went. Very one-sided - nine percent voted for Paula; 91 percent for Simon. Here are some of the E-mails.
We got one from Martha in California writing, "I don`t believe Paula Abdul is essential for `American Idol,` but it wouldn`t be the same without Simon and Ryan."
Carolyn from Michigan writes, "I think Paula and Simon are both essential to the success of `Idol," as well as Randy. They just seem to all fit together."
And Betty from New Jersey writes, "Paula provides the perfect balance to the two other judges who can sometimes be brutally honest or unfairly harsh."
We thank you for your E-mails and we thank you for watching. That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
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