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Showbiz Tonight

Michael Vick`s Explosive Interview; Jon and Kate Plus the Cops?; Brad Pitt`s Brand-New Confession About Getting High; Did Paula and La Toya Make It to Dancing With the Stars?; George Clooney Suing Over Topless Photos

Aired August 17, 2009 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CARLOS DIAZ, GUEST HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the dog killer. Tonight disgraced football star Michael Vick`s explosive first interview since going to jail after killing dogs. But why is one of America`s biggest animal rights groups now defending Vick? Tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the fired-up debate, should Michael Vick be forgiven?

Jon and Kate plus the cops? Tonight, police called to Jon and Kate`s home after a nasty fight. Plus, the very first interview with Jon`s young girlfriend, the daughter of Kate`s tummy tuck surgeon. Her jaw-dropping comments and you have got to hear who she is calling cuckoo.

Plus, Brad Pitt`s brand-new confessions about getting high.

TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

Hello, I`m Carlos Diaz in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer has the night off.

Tonight, is it time to forgive dog killer Mike Vick? The former football megastar has just done his first interview since getting out of prison for the horrible things he did to dogs.

And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there were absolutely outrageous claims today over what Vick did say and didn`t say. The one- time $140 million man went on national TV to try to convince everyone he really is sorry.

But tonight, there is an explosive debate over what Michael Vick said and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you it`s making big news right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Michael Vick wants you to know he`s sorry.

JAMES BROWN, CBS SPORTSCASTER: Who do you blame for all of this?

MICHAEL VICK, FORMER FOOTBALL STAR: I blame me.

DIAZ: Very sorry.

BROWN: And the feeling you`re feeling right now is.

VICK: Disgust, pure disgust.

DIAZ: The man who went from being the most famous and highest-paid quarterback in America to being the most infamous dogfighter around made his first major stop at his post-prison image rehab tour with an interview on "60 Minutes."

BROWN: Do you understand why people are outraged?

VICK: I understand why. And I`m going to say it again. It sickens me to my stomach.

DIAZ: It was his first TV interview since he served 18 months for running and bankrolling a dog-fighting ring in Virginia and having a hand in the brutal torture and killing of dogs. It comes just days after the Philadelphia Eagles signed him to a $1.6 million contract.

BROWN: So for the cynics who will say, "You know what? I don`t know - Michael Vick might be more concerned about the fact that his career was hurt than dogs were hurt.

VICK: I mean, football don`t even matter.

ALICIA QUARLES, ASSOCIATED PRESS: It`s a great American tradition to fall from grace. Maybe you do your time, and then you go on national TV and you say, "You know what? I`m sorry."

DIAZ: But this isn`t Paris Hilton apologizing for a DUI or Michaels Phelps apologizing for bong-gate or even Hugh Grant apologizing for seeing a prostitute. No, this is someone who is accused of participating in the maiming and killing of countless dogs.

And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you if you`ve ever asked if there`s anything a celebrity can do that American public won`t forgive, Michael Vick could be your answer.

QUARLES: Oftentimes, the American public says, "You know what? You admitted it, you`re forgiven." Some people say, "You know what? He should never be forgiven for what he did."

DIAZ: There`s no denying that Vick`s fall from grace was astounding.

QUARLES: Michael Vick is an absolutely huge football star. He had his $130 million contract. He was signed with Nike. I mean, he was the face of NFL.

DIAZ: And his crime was horrific.

QUARLES: The allegations were that he was running a dog-fighting ring in one of his homes and that these dogs had been strangled, that they had been electrocuted and they had been drowned once they were proven as not being good fighting dogs. He went to prison for 18 months. He lost his $130 million contract. He lost his Nike endorsement. He had to file for bankruptcy. So his life was really ruined over this.

VICK: I feel so bad about that now. And I know - I didn`t step up. I wasn`t a leader.

DIAZ: In his "60 Minutes" interview, Vick said it wasn`t until those prison doors slammed shut that he realized how wrong he`d been.

VICK: I let myself down. You know, not being out on the football field, being in a prison bed, in a prison bunk, writing letters home - that wasn`t my life. That wasn`t the way that things were supposed to be.

DIAZ: And now Vick`s out of prison practicing with his new team and in what some see as a bizarre alliance, he`s now working with the Humane Society in a campaign against animal abuse.

VICK: I encourage you to love your animals.

DIAZ: But as we always do when celebrities get caught doing something horrible, people are asking a key question - is this real remorse or is Vick doing what publicists and lawyers tell him to do in order to restore his multimillion-dollar celebrity?

BROWN: There seemed to be a real resolve and understanding of why people were so outraged.

DIAZ: James Brown, the CBS sports personality who did the big interview tells CNN`s "American Morning" he believes Vick is sincere.

BROWN: Based on those previous visits, he was very consistent in that and I could tell the difference between when he was talking naturally and extemporaneously versus that which he was being coached in. And it was very serious and sincere from him.

DIAZ: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned late today that an estimated 12 million people watched Vick`s interview. And his return to the spotlight has put the public into three divided teams.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What about consequences for your actions?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about the time he served?

DIAZ: Those who think Vick deserves a second chance -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Believe me, it was totally wrong. But you`ve got to move on. I mean, he did his time.

DIAZ: And those who just hope Vick can help The Eagles win.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he did do some pretty bad things in his last life. But if you`re going to win football games, you`re going to win football games.

DIAZ: So as Vick sets out to test his skills in his football comeback, America`s capacity to forgive a celebrity`s horrific crime is being tested as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Man, whether you`re a sports fan, animal lover or both, this is such an incredibly hot topic. Coming up, the great debate, should we forgive the dog killer?

So what do you think? It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Michael Vick: Should he be forgiven?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can e-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.

All right. Let`s shift gears now. Tonight, Jon and Kate plus the cops. Yes, you heard right. The reality stars has a blowout so big, they had to call the cops in. The Jon and Kate Gosselin drama continues with brand-new explosive details about the bitter fight that left Kate crying. Just wait until you hear what happened.

And Jon`s 22-year-old girlfriend Hailey Glassman is raging. Tonight, her biting, very first interview taking on Jon`s ex-girlfriends and takes on the viewers of Jon`s reality show. Really?

Joining me tonight in New York, Lisa Bernhard, who is an entertainment journalist. Also in New York, Steven Smith, who is a music and pop culture expert.

Guys, I can`t believe this. The bitter fight between Jon and Kate is now seriously raging. The drama began when Kate heard that Jon had hired a sitter to watch the kids that she did not approve of. And then, bam, a big fight. Jon tells "Flash News," quote, "Kate tried to come home yesterday and I wouldn`t let her in the gate. And I guess she called the police. It was a miscommunication."

Steve, miscommunication or not, man, does it just blow your mind that Jon and Kate would get into such a fight like this when they know we`re all watching?

STEVEN SMITH, MUSIC AND POP CULTURE EXPERT: It really does blow my mind. It seriously blows my mind that we all still care about these two buffoons. It was his night to have the kids. We know that. And she came in because she didn`t like the sitter.

So obviously, there`s some serious issues going on with her. She`s been coming on TV a lot lately talking about how she`s emotional. She cries all the time. But I watched the show. And Jon looked to be the one who was just on the receiving end of a lot of verbal abuse, a lot of battering.

So he got sick of it, jammed out. And I do agree with her that it`s not cool that he has his girlfriend stay over. But if it`s his night and she`s trying to barge in - I don`t know - it`s definitely a miscommunication. And I don`t know, maybe a cell phone next time, Kate?

DIAZ: Yes. Steven, I think we care, though, because it is so real-life. We`ve all kind of gone through these like, he-said, she-said battles. Kate wasn`t allowed to go through the gates because of their custody agreement. That`s when she called the cops.

And Jon said Kate turned on the waterworks, saying, quote, "Kate tried to cry it up with the cops and it didn`t work. They said, `You have to leave.` And Kate did without incident."

Now, Lisa, do you think this is kind of outrageous that this drama would become the norm for Jon and Kate?

LISA BERNHARD, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Oh, I think she should have hooked up with one of the cops. I think that would have been better.

No. I just think if you`re an executive at TLC right now, this is just money in the bank. I mean, you`re just saying, "Go on, call the cops. Have them come. Have Hailey speak out."

And by the way, I love all these ancillary parties who say, "I don`t want any publicity, but let me step forward and give my next interview." So it`s just, you know - obviously, they know what they`re doing. Obviously, Kate knows when she calls the cops that it`s going to be yet something else, tabloid fodder the next day that we`re all back on air talking about. It`s just, you know, ratings, ratings. And like I said, they`re loving it at TLC.

DIAZ: Well, Lisa, since you bring it up, I want to move on to the brand- new explosive interview with Jon Gosselin`s 22-year-old girlfriend, Hailey Glassman. Now, Hailey has been dating Jon since May. And in her first interview, she`s telling "E! News" she`s sick and tired of the media attention saying, quote, "I`m not some fame whore. Take my 15 minutes, you can have it back. Please, take it."

OK. Well, Steven, I don`t get this. She says she`s not a fame-monger and then she goes on national television to complain about it? I don`t know, Steven. Explain this to me.

SMITH: Why would she call herself - saying she`s not a fame whore? That`s just like setting it up for all the talk show hosts to knock it out of the park. Well, what kind of whore are you then, Hailey? That`s going to be the obvious joke. Poor thing.

She keeps going on TV. Everyone comes on saying, "I`m tired of the paparazzi. I`m tired of people dissecting my life." Then don`t talk about it. Plenty of people have, you know, dated celebrities, got involved in relationships and not have been in the spotlight and just stayed off camera.

DIAZ: But Lisa, Hailey`s actually blaming the viewers of Jon`s hit TLC reality show for the media frenzy. What do you think about her blaming the viewers saying they have to move on with their lives?

BERNHARD: Oh, that`s a warm and fuzzy PR tactic on her part that had poor coaching there. Don`t go after the viewers. Keep it within the family there in terms of who you`re dating, the ex and all of that. That`s a big mistake.

And I think the viewers have every right now to pounce back and not welcome the not-fame-whore. We would love to give her, her 15 minutes right back if we could.

DIAZ: Yes. Lisa Bernhard, Steven Smith, you guys are great. Thank you so much.

And hey, who knows? Maybe someday we`ll see Jon and Kate on "Dancing with the Stars." I`d like that. Tonight, there`s big "DWTS" news. We`re revealing who`s going to be on the show this season. Did Paula Abdul make the cut? How about Michael Jackson`s sister, La Toya? Did she make it?

And this is wild. I know Brad Pitt`s been talking about all kinds of very personal stuff lately, like, you know, where he and Angelina Jolie like to have sex, all about gay marriage. Well, tonight, Brad Pitt - he is talking about puffing - his shocking new confessions about getting high.

And it`s the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. You know, Woodstock, that mega-concert, one of the most defining moments of the last century?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ve never heard of that actually.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I remember. It was like - wasn`t it really old and there was a bunch of hippies?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: OK. She didn`t think we`re talking Snoopy`s bird friend. Tonight, you`ve got to see what happened when we asked young people about Woodstock. It will make you laugh, or cry or both. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.

TEXT: Paula Abdul no longer in talks to join the cast of ABC`s "Ugly Betty." Jerry Seinfeld to be first guest on Jay Leno`s new prime-time show debuting September 14.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DIAZ: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer has the night off.

Now, tonight, Bob Dylan - who is he again? Last month, someone called the cops in Long Branch, New Jersey, because an elderly man was wandering suspiciously around the neighborhood in the pouring rain. The guy didn`t have any I.D. on him. And when cops asked him who he was, he said, "Bob Dylan."

But the officers didn`t recognize him. So they insisted on taking him back to his tour bus so someone could vouch for him. Dylan was going to play a show with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp. I`ve got to say, people not recognizing who Bob Dylan is - the times, they are definitely a- changing. .

Now, for those of you old enough to recognize who Bob Dylan is and remember the summer of 1969, Woodstock was a one-of-a-kind musical experience that defined a generation. But as we celebrate Woodstock`s 40th anniversary, how much does today`s generation know about it, really? Some really say, Woodstock, what`s that? Seriously, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hits streets and you will not believe the wild stuff we heard.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I actually did learn a little bit of that because I took some, you know, accounting classes in college - oh, Woodstock. I see what you mean now - `69. OK. Now, I know there was a lot of drugs going on in there. Wasn`t it - didn`t people die in it, too?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never heard of that, actually.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I remember. It was like - was it really old and like, there was a bunch of hippies?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Woodstock, one of the biggest events that our parents had in history. A lot of bad stuff, a lot of good stuff, a lot of unity, drugs, rock `n roll, sex.

GRACE SLICK, SINGER, "JEFFERSON AIRPLANE": We had lots of cocaine and alcohol and marijuana and whatever else was going around. And that`s the `60s.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it`s kind of like we know about it, we`ve heard about it, but we`re not exactly - know what happened or what went down. We don`t know much about it. We`ve just heard of it.

BOBBY COLOMBY, BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS: At the time, it was a job. It was another engagement. It was a show that the band was doing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I know that it was a huge, huge party where they had all the famous bands. Thousands of people showed up and got really drunk. And I think they did some other things and they partied all day. And that`s about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know it`s like a concert. I believe it started like in the `70s, maybe even later.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think you actually had to be there to experience it to the full extent. Because if you just look at it online and stuff, I don`t really think you`ll get the whole picture of it.

COLOMBY: I realized it was larger than life in retrospect. We had absolutely no idea this was anything but a large festival. There was no clue that it would become a defining moment in our culture - nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The whole Woodstock-era just really united people of different races, different faiths together. And it was really a powerful movement.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I would probably Google it if I thought about it more.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DIAZ: Well, if you decide to Google Woodstock, one of the things you will find out is the music festival did not take place in Woodstock, New York. It was actually held in a 600-acre dairy farm in nearby Bethel.

Well, the "Showbiz on Call" operators - they`ve got some pretty good memories of what they did during the `60s. But I`m sworn to secrecy. I cannot share it. We are getting a lot of calls into the "Showbiz on Call" newsroom about Brad Pitt speaking out again about gay marriage. Kimberly in Alabama doesn`t mind it.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CALLER: I think Brad Pitt doing all this press - I think it`s just going to make him look even better than he already does. Him and Angelina do a lot for charities and they should be commended for what they do. And you know, it`s not going to stop me for going to see his new movie for what he said about gay marriage. I think it`s his opinion and everyone`s got one.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

DIAZ: Thank you, Kimberly. But May in Georgia doesn`t like Brad speaking out about gay marriage.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CALLER: Brad Pitt has no right to tell us that we have to believe in gay marriage. And we might not have the right to tell people how to live their lives. But God does and he is not God. And what difference will it make if he marries Angelina after all these years? They might as well not marry. Their marriage wouldn`t mean nothing.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

DIAZ: Thanks, May. Call us at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about this or anything else that`s on your mind. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are always open. Call us at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1- 888-728-2899.

So Michael Vick, who spent time in a federal prison for running a vicious and cruel dog-fighting ring, is doing his very first TV interview since getting out. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, should we forgive this guy for what he did? It`s a fired-up debate.

Also tonight, George Clooney is really fired up. This is a guy who is usually cool with the paparazzi. He knows what - it comes with the territory. But he`s so angry about a photog who took topless photos of a 13-year-old girl at his house. So now, he`s suing.

And the squirrel who jumped in front of a couple`s vacation picture - is this shot really legit? The couple speaks. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.

TEXT: Warrant issued for Bobby Brown in connection with back child support payments. "District 9" takes top spot at the box office with $37 million in weekend ticket sales.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DIAZ: Hey, want to spend eternity next to Marilyn Monroe? Well, tonight, here`s your chance. The woman who owns the burial plot right above Marilyn at the Westwood Village Memorial Park in L.A. is putting the space up for sale.

See, the woman`s husband is currently buried there but she needs the cash to help pay off her mortgage. I just checked eBay, and get this - the bidding is over $4.5 million.

Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz. A.J. Hammer has the night off. Happy birthday, Madonna. She turned 51 on Sunday - 51, can you believe that? I feel so old. Madonna got off to a really great birthday start with a great birthday gift before her concert in Warsaw, Poland.

Fans actually held up the start of the show to sing happy birthday to her. Take a listen -

(PEOPLE SINGING)

DIAZ: Pretty nice, right? Well, right after singing "Happy Birthday," the crowd also sang a traditional Polish song called "May You Live 100 Years." Now, I`m thinking with the shape that Madonna`s in, she could hit that mark. Madonna actually she got pretty emotional, too, when she thanked the crowd for its gift. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MADONNA, POP STAR: Birthdays are always a time to think about everything you have to be grateful for. Every time I do a show, and every time I look into your eyes, and every time I see your smiles, you change my life. This is the best birthday present ever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: I think she`s got many more years left in her. OK. Let`s check out the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page, lots of people posting comments about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Now, Brad`s been doing a lot of talking recently. He`s been speaking out about gay marriage, even where he and Angelina have sex. So we asked, are they overexposed?

Madeline E. doesn`t think they are. She says, "Brad does a lot of charity work which I think is awesome. I also like Angelina and all the charity work she does."

But Lily R. is not a Brad fan, "He became overexposed the moment with Angelina Jolie and broke poor Jennifer`s heart."

Wow. Remember, we want to hear from you on Facebook. Also follow us on Twitter for breaking entertainment news alerts. Sign up for our Facebook and Twitter pages at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.

And now, the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Michael Vick`s first TV interview since serving time for running a disgusting dog-fighting ring. Should we forgive this guy?

We`re revealing who is on the new season of "Dancing with the Stars". Now, did Paula Abdul and La Toya Jackson actually make the cut?

Plus, George Clooney is absolutely furious over topless pictures taken of a 13-year-old girl at his house. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.

TEXT: Alyssa Milano weds Hollywood agent David Bugliari at his family`s N.J. estate. Kiss to release new album, "Sonic Boom," exclusively at Wal-Mart, 10/6.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the great debate - is it time to forgive dog-killing quarterback Michael Vick? The explosive new interview. Michael Vick says he is sorry, but should he be forgiven?

Brad Pitt`s confessions about getting high. How much he used to toke and whether he still does. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s joint investigation of Brad Pitt`s pot days.

Furious George. George Clooney is hopping mad over topless photos of a 13-year-old girl. Why he`s taking his fight all the way to court.

Plus more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."

TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Carlos Diaz in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer has the night off.

Tonight, the great debate. Should we forgive the dog killer? We have the explosive brand-new interview with the disgraced NFL quarterback Michael Vick. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the big late-breaking developments.

You see, in his first interview since serving 18 months in prison for running a vicious and deadly dog-fighting ring, Vick tells "60 Minutes" what he did was wrong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICK: It`s wrong, man. I don`t know how many times I`ve got to say it. I mean, it was wrong. I feel tremendous hurt behind what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: But is anyone buying Vick`s apology? Just wait until you hear what life was like for Vick after he stepped into his prison cell, how he cried like a baby. And his brand-new role working with one of the biggest animal rights groups.

Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page is absolutely on fire with your fired-up reaction to what Vick said. Should Vick be forgiven and be given a second chance?

Joining me tonight for our fired-up debate in New York, Jane Velez- Mitchell, host of "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL," seen every night right here at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on HLN. Also in New York, Marvet Britto who is a publicist and a brand strategist.

All right. Jane, in the interview with "60 Minutes," Vick never said the actual words, "I`m sorry." But he did use the words "I`m sorry" in a blog that he posted today. Now, are you buying it?

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Michael Vick is a very hard person to read, Carlos. He has a monotone voice and he`s expressionless. So he would make a great poker player. He probably is.

But it also means THAT we can`t really tell what he`s thinking as he speaks. I have no idea if he is genuinely remorseful for the torture of dogs by participating in a ring that electrocuted, beat, drown and shot dogs and slammed them to the ground.

But now that it`s a done deal that he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, which wouldn`t have been my first choice. I think it sends a dangerous signal. I think we have to wait and see. I think actions speak louder than words.

I was most impressed when I saw him up there speaking to the kids. And if he can actually turn around what he calls this culture that condones this as cool, this horrific torture of animals, then I say yes, he can redeem himself. Everybody is capable of redemption. But it`s too early to tell. Actions speak louder than words.

DIAZ: That`s big of you. I`m surprised, Jane. I didn`t think you`d be in favor of giving him a second chance.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m not. It`s been done. It`s a done deal.

DIAZ: OK. But Marvet, over to you - do you buy that Vick is sorry for what he did?

MARVET BRITTO, PUBLICIST AND BRAND STRATEGIST: I absolutely buy it. And I think once he had a moment to actually reflect on the ramifications of his action, he realized how dangerous and just how bad his actions really were and his influence in allowing it to take place.

I think he showed great remorse. I think his apology was extremely sincere. And like Jane said, it`s hard to read him. Having met Michael Vick years ago at the pro bowl, he definitely has a very genuine warmth about him that he didn`t have years ago when he was a superstar athlete. So I believe his apology and I think the American public will believe and accept his apology.

DIAZ: Well, Marvet, you mentioned influence. And he does have a lot. Let us not forget that Vick was once one of the biggest star quarterbacks in America. He had a $135 million contract. Now, in the bombshell interview with "60 Minutes," Vick admitted he was disgusted with himself because he didn`t put a stop to the dog killing. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICK: When I was in prison - when I was in prison, I was disgusted, you know, because of what I let happen to those animals. I could have put a stop to it. I could have walked away from it.

BROWN: But you didn`t.

VICK: I could have shut the whole operation down.

BROWN: But you didn`t and why not?

VICK: I didn`t.

BROWN: What was keeping you going?

VICK: Not being able to say to certain people around me, "Look, we can`t do this anymore. I`m concerned about my career. I`m concerned about my family."

BROWN: So for the cynics who will say, "You know what? I don`t know. Michael Vick might be more concerned about the fact that his career was hurt than dogs were hurt."

VICK: Football don`t even matter.

BROWN: Losing a $135 million contract doesn`t matter?

VICK: It don`t matter. It don`t matter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: James Brown brought up a great point right there. Jane, do you think that although he denied it, he kind of came across as seeming more really concerned about his career?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, yes, in fact when he was saying, "I thought that dog-fighting was wrong," he added, "I don`t know how many times I have to say it." Guess what, Michael Vick? You have to say it a lot of times to a lot of school kids all around the country if you are going to redeem yourself.

And also, I do not believe when he says he doesn`t care about his football career. Obviously re-signing, signing with the Philadelphia Eagles was paramount in his mind. When he said he doesn`t care about a $135 million contract, I don`t believe that.

But if he wants to prove it, how about putting your money where your mouth is and taking a portion of your contract with the Philadelphia Eagles and giving it to the Humane Society to help end dog-fighting. That would be, to me, the best proof that he really is remorseful.

DIAZ: Yes, but.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Put your money where your mouth is, Michael Vick.

DIAZ: He`s got financial woes like you would not believe. So I think he needs to get his money first right. But that`s actually a great point. Now, Marvet, you`re a publicist. What`s your take on the whole interview? I mean, did he handle the interview well?

BRITTO: I thought he handled the interview well. He said over and over again. And Jane is right - he will have to redeem himself for the rest of his life probably as it relates to this. But he did say many times that he was more concerned with his actions.

He didn`t say he was totally not concerned with his career. He said he wasn`t concerned with it with the money, but he is concerned with redeeming himself. And he was concerned about how he looked - you know, how his family looked, how he looked to the public.

So I think he really didn`t think about his actions. And you know, a lot of the athletes are intoxicated with fame. So they operate carelessly without thinking about their actions. Going to jail allowed him to do that. And I think we should allow him to redeem himself by his actions and not by his words.

DIAZ: Well, Marvet, our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page has been burning up all day long about whether Michael Vick should be forgiven. Take a look at what Jennifer B. writes on our wall, quote, "To be forgiven, you have to be sorry. He`s only sorry he got caught. He is a sick freak."

Some people don`t believe Michael Vick is sorry for what he did. He`s only sorry that he got caught for what he did. Jane, is that going to be Michael Vick`s problem, to turn this whole thing around?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I think part of the problem is this wasn`t a momentary lapse. This was a long-running, very sophisticated, very intricate dog- fighting operation that went on for a long time.

It`s one thing if you have a momentary lapse. It`s another if you run an operation like this on and on and on, day after day, week after week, year after year. So to say that, "Wow, now I think that was all bad," it`s a little harder to swallow than if somebody had done something in the spur of the moment that was wrong, let`s say, done one individual act of cruelty.

This was systematic, institutionalized cruelty. But in his defense, I will say that institutionalized cruelty to animals exists all over this country. And he is not the only person in America who has been cruel to animals. Farm animals are treated horrifically and nobody ever talks about that.

So this is an opportunity for us as America to take a whole new look at this issue of animal cruelty. And I do hope he redeems himself. I don`t want to see him fail. I want to see him succeed and convince kids not to dogfight.

DIAZ: Marvet, were you surprised - we`re running out of time, but are surprised, Marvet, that he made that stunning claim that in jail, when he realized what he had done, that he actually cried in jail?

BRITTO: No. I mean, when you go from being a superstar athlete to jail where you have no privileges and you lose your wonderful life, it is a little alarming. It`s a lot alarming. I`m not surprised he cried.

And Jane raised a great issue. Yes, he did fight dogs and yes, it was an organized operation. But at the same time, there were people who came to see those dogfights. So the bigger issue is, there is cruelty to animals all around this world and we need to really not just harp on Michael Vick but look at the animal cruelty as a whole.

He`s one individual that made a mistake. There are lots of other individuals making the same mistakes. So let`s look at them and not just single out Michael Vick as one athlete who made a mistake. Let`s allow him to say he`s sorry and accept that apology and educate the whole animal cruelty issue as a whole.

DIAZ: Marvet Britto, Jane Velez-Mitchell, you guys are great. Thank you so much as always.

Now, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Michael Vick: Should he be forgiven?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.

Now, tonight, I know someone who is not going to forgive and forget anytime soon. It`s George Clooney. He is absolutely furious over topless photos of a 13-year-old girl and he`s going to court because of it. I have the shocking story.

Plus, Brad Pitt`s confessions about getting high. Brad says he`s used to toking up, but is he still partaking? It`s a joint investigation by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

And the squirrel that`s a total camera hog. This little guy has been an Internet - he`s a total Internet star after jumping into a vacation photo. But is the picture legit? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

I honestly believe that that picture is for real. Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.

TEXT: "Scrubs" star Sarah Chalke is pregnant with her first child due this winter. TNT to cancel Holly Hunter drama "Saving Grace" after end of next season.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DIAZ: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer has the night off. Tonight, the "Dancing with the Stars" cast is revealed. The big announcement came today. But did Paula Abdul and La Toya Jackson make the cut?

Also making news right now, Brad Pitt`s pot confession. In a brand- new interview, Brad opens up about his leafy friend. But is pot in his past or is he still high on life? You have got to see what Brad said.

And the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers speak out about Brad and Angelina. Is Brangelina still the hottest couple in Hollywood or are they so over?

Also brand-new tonight, George Clooney on the attack. George is fighting mad after a 13-year-old girl is photographed topless inside his home in Italy. Now, George tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he`s taking action.

Joining me tonight in New York, Lisa Bernhard, who is an entertainment journalist. Also joining me tonight in New York is Steven Smith, who is a music and pop culture expert.

All right. Guys, let`s begin with ABC announcing today the cast of "Dancing with the Stars." I`ve got the list right here.

Some of the biggest names on the list, actress Melissa Joan Hart, singer Aaron Carter, Donny Osmond, former Republican House majority leader Tom DeLay - what? Singer Macy Gray and reality star Kelly Osbourne.

But two big names are missing from the list - Paula Abdul and La Toya Jackson. After all that talk that Paula was going to bounce back from "Idol" and be dancing with "Dancing with the Stars?" Lisa, are you surprised that she did not make the cut?

BERNHARD: Oh, I`m not so surprised. You know what? She`ll turn up. People still love her. She`s going to be great. It`s going to be fine. She`s going to get another job. ABC is still talking o her. Not worried about Paula at all.

As far as Tom DeLay - he`s the big shocker. A lot of people would say he`s good at dancing around the issues. So maybe he`ll - when the whole thing, but I`m trumped. Thank you. But yes, Paula, not worried.

DIAZ: Leave the bad jokes to me, please. Here`s what I don`t understand. ABC president Steve McPherson was dropping hints in the past week. The Internet was buzzing. Steven, do you think maybe she could still go on the show maybe like as a judge or something?

SMITH: I think she`d make a great judge for that show. I think she`d also make a great host for that show. I mean, Paula`s way too big to be just a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars." I know that sounds shocking.

But I think she would make an awesome contribution. She was a choreographer who became a pop singer. Then, she became a judge on one of the biggest television shows of all time. So I think "Dancing with the Stars" would be a perfect fit for Paula Abdul and then she can go away.

DIAZ: Well, there was a lot of buzz around La Toya Jackson, Michael Jackson`s sister, joining the "Dancing" cast. She was adding to the buzz by talking about how much she wanted to do the show at a press conference last week.

But Lisa, do you think the producers made the right decision by not having her on the show?

BERNHARD: Definitely. You know, she hasn`t had sort of the greatest reputation leading up to this show. And particularly now, I think - with Michael`s death, I think the Jackson family should grieve and mourn and do what they need to do vis-a-vis that. And I think it was a wise move to not have her be part of this show.

DIAZ: Lisa, I completely agree with you on that one. You know, have a little grace as we`re still mourning the passing of Michael Jackson.

Let`s get to another story right now, making big news. Brad Pitt`s pot confessions. Pitt showed up on a brand-new episode of HBO`s "Real Time with Bill Maher." And you`ve got to see what Pitt said when Maher called him out for rolling joints. I said joints, at a Christmas party in the `90s. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL MAHER, HOST, "REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER": You just all night rolled these perfect joints, the most perfect joints I`ve ever seen, like a machine, like a cigarette. It was better than a cigarette.

BRAD PITT, ACTOR: I`m an artist.

MAHER: You are - and now you gave it up. Why did you do that?

PITT: Yes. You know, I`m a dad now. And you want to be alert and - you see my eyes was just glazed over when I said "dad."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: See, Brad Pitt quit smoking pot for the kids. Now, this is just coming out after he revealed that he might have had sex with Angelina Jolie in that grotto. He`s also angered about gay marriage still being illegal. Steven, do you think Brad just doesn`t care what he says anymore because I mean, the guy can do no wrong?

SMITH: I do firmly believe Brad Pitt could do no wrong. In fact, I`d vote for him for president. I love Brad`s honesty. It`s a pleasant change from a lot of things we hear in the press.

And him talking about pot, one hilarious - making Bill Maher squirm, awesome. His stance on gay marriage, I think a lot of us agree with. I think it`s very important. And then, he talks about having sex with Angelina Jolie. Who hasn`t thought about that? My wife`s thought about that.

DIAZ: Several wives have, I can assure you. I`m not sure, though, Brad should be letting his guard down too much. I have to say, it`s not helping him in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll.

We`ve been asking on air and online in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day this - "Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: Are they still the hottest couple in Hollywood?" Take a look at this - 43 percent say, yes. They are still the hottest couple. Fifty-seven percent say, no, they are done.

Lisa, these two are opening up to the world, but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers shutting them down. What`s the deal?

BERNHARD: I am shocked. I would like to know who they would vote as number one there. That surprises me. I agree with everything that`s been said. What a funny moment to see one celebrity who`s watched another celebrity roll a joint.

And I think Brad gets away with it because he gives good face and he also has such a great sense of humor about himself. And you know, there`s such a mystique, I think, about Angelina that I think it`s nice to see another part of that couple kind of just be so everyday and regular. And he doesn`t proselytize. He does it all with humor.

DIAZ: Well, Lisa, I`m going to correct you. They were perfect joints, by the way, OK? They were perfect joints, as Bill put it.

Brad`s good buddy, George Clooney, is also making big news right now. Clooney has just revealed he`s suing a paparazzo who climbed over his wall and photographed he and his girlfriend.

But what outraged Clooney is the photographer also snapped a picture of a 13-year-old girl who was topless while changing clothes in a bedroom of his Italian home.

He tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "We`re suing two magazines and a photographer. I don`t know about the law in the United States. But in Italy, it is illegal for photographers to climb over my wall and to take long lens pictures of a 13-year-old girl in her bedroom. I draw the line of privacy at that."

Wow. Don`t mess with Clooney on that one. Now, we don`t know who the 13-year-old girl is. But Lisa, George has every right to be furious, doesn`t he?

BERNHARD: Oh, yes. That`s bad news, seriously. Inside a window, over a wall, trespassing, you know. And there`s one Italian magazine - I mean, obviously, they`re all over him there, the paparazzi in Italy.

And one magazine I saw publish something like 46 pictures. I mean, as good looking as those two are, it gets a little boring and it gets a lull. But that`s totally invasive. And go for it, he`s got every right to be fighting mad.

DIAZ: Lisa Bernhard, Steven Smith, thank you so much. Now, there`s this squirrel, guys, who is a total camera hog and he`s an Internet star since he jumped into a couple`s vacation photo. But is the picture legit? I can`t stop laughing.

Matt Lauer didn`t think so, but he has changed his mind now. I`ll show you why. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.

TEXT: TV show based on classic `80s film, "St. Elmo`s Fire" in the works. Wayans Brothers working on sequel to their 2004 comedy, "White Chicks."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DIAZ: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz. A.J. Hammer has the night off.

Now, did you see this? This may be the most famous squirrel since Rocky in "Rocky and Bullwinkle." He`s an Internet star after he jumped in front of a camera while a Minnesota couple were on vacation. The "Today" show even put this picture up on the air a little while ago, although Matt Lauer said he thought it might have been photoshopped.

Well, this morning, the couple set the record straight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: I can`t be the only person who`s questioned the authenticity of this, right?

MELISSA BRANDT, WOMAN IN THE PICTURE: Well, you questioned it on national TV. The camera was on timer, but we had a remote.

LAUER: Right.

M. BRANDT: So we had - we snapped a couple of photos of just us. And while we were doing that, a little squirrel came just running all over. And I even said to Jackson - I said, I really hope that he`s friendly, because he`s really getting close.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Matt apologized for doubting the authenticity of the squirrel picture. But now he says he`s a believer.

And you won`t believe this. Guess who`s going to come and guest star on "Family Guy?" Uber-Republicans Rush Limbaugh and Karl Rove have signed on to do the show. Now, creator Seth MacFarlane says "Family Guy" tends to be very liberal, so he thought he would give the other side some face time. And he told "The Hollywood Reporter" all about how Rush would figure into the story line.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SETH MACFARLANE, CREATOR OF "FAMILY GUY": Most of the show`s life has been under the Bush administration and we`ve had a lot to complain and (EXPLETIVE DELETED) about. We`ve had Brian the dog, who is a very liberal character, so he complains about Republicans.

Now that Obama`s won, the Democrats are in power, Brian finds that he is frustrated because he has nothing to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) about and he`s not happy unless he`s the underdog, so to speak. And so he switches parties and kind of gloms on to Rush Limbaugh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: The Rush Limbaugh episode of "Family Guy" is set to air next season.

Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: Are they still the hottest couple in Hollywood?" Forty-three percent of you say yes; 57 percent of you say no.

Here`s some of the E-mails we got. Amy from Florida writes, "Brad and Angelina are uber-celebrities. No other couple past or present can eclipse them in talent, fame, or philanthropy."

Stephanie from Texas writes, "I am so sick of hearing about Brad and Angelina. They can try to do all the good they want, it does not change what either of them has done in the past and does not make them good people."

Well, that`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz in Hollywood. Remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern on HLN.

END