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Showbiz Tonight
Special Edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: Women Who Roar
Aired November 25, 2010 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HLN HOST: Now, on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women who Roar." The amazing women of Hollywood who roar and make us listen. Oprah`s roar. The incredible moments that left us hanging on Oprah`s every word.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": If a man hits you once, he will hit you again.
Should I be worried, because I have heard that you`re going to get your own talk show?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Sarah Palin`s roar, Miley Cyrus, Angelina Jolie. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals their dramatic transformations because of what they said and did.
Women roaring about their weight. Tori, Jewel, Kyra at war with Hollywood`s ridiculous obsession with weight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: They`ve had enough. They`re fed up, so to speak, about everyone scrutinizing every single pound or half pound that they gain or lose.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar," starts right now.
(MUSIC)
A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And this is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar." They`re some of the most famous women in Hollywood and beyond.
It may seem that Angelina Jolie, Miley Cyrus and Sarah Palin don`t have a lot in common, but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is here to reveal the amazing ways they have transformed themselves, made us think differently about them because they are not the least bit shy about putting it all out there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Even in Hollywood, where makeovers are as common as movie sequels, the transformations of Angelina Jolie, Miley Cyrus, and Sarah Palin are nothing short of jaw-dropping.
CAROLINE SCHAEFER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": All three of them have had amazing transformations from when we first saw them.
ANDERSON: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, each of these three women announced their transformations with a roar that said, "I`m changing. Deal with it."
When Angelina Jolie burst onto the Hollywood scene in the mid-`90s, she quickly developed a reputation as a hell-raising wild child, talking openly about her bisexual relationships, and getting creepily cozy with a lip-smacking kiss with her brother at the Academy Awards, wearing a vial of her then-husband Billy Bob Thornton`s blood around her neck.
SCHAEFER: She was at total rebel, very open and honest about her sexual escapades.
ANDERSON: But soon after she adopted her first son, Maddox, in 2002, the transformation of Angelina began.
SCHAEFER: She made it her mission to sort of go-around to different countries. She became a U.N. ambassador.
ANDERSON: Jolie roared about her new U.N. mission. And in her 2005 interview with CNN after receiving an award for her work with the refugees.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: I feel like the person I should be, there. I feel really connected to what really matters.
ANDERSON: And since getting together with Brad Pitt in 2005, she has become the mother of six children. On ABC`s "Nightline," Jolie roared that the new family-oriented Angelina Jolie is here to stay.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you see yourselves growing old together?
JOLIE: Of course. We wouldn`t have six children if we weren`t absolutely sure of that.
SCHAEFER: She definitely has gone from this sort of rebel renegade to being sort of Santa Angelina.
ANDERSON: If you think Jolie`s transformation was extreme, take a look at Miley Cyrus. Let`s go back in time.
HAMMER (on camera): You seem very excited, Miley.
MILEY CYRUS, SINGER AND ACTRESS: I am.
ANDERSON: In 2006, then 13-year-old Miley Cyrus and her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, stopped by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for one of her first-ever big TV interviews. It was to promote their new show, something called "Hannah Montana."
M. CYRUS: I really enjoy it, especially getting to work with them.
ANDERSON: Just a short time later, "Hannah Montana" made Miley one of the biggest teen stars ever.
SCHAEFER: She got to post it on "Hannah Montana" for a couple years, then, done, you know, a "Hannah Montana Grows Up Movie" and then done a "Hannah Montana Has Kids" movie.
ANDERSON: But Miley went the other way, destroying her little-girl image with a roar that said, "I`m not a Disney princess anymore." Her controversial pole dance routine at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards was Miley`s statement that she is growing up.
She later announced she was leaving "Hannah Montana," telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT earlier this year, it was time.
M. CYRUS: I`m excited to move on to new things and new challenges.
ANDERSON: From wholesome teen star to video vixen in under four years.
When it comes to quick transformations, Sarah Palin`s was even faster than Miley`s. It`s been more than two years since the obscure governor of Alaska became a vice presidential candidate.
After losing the 2008 election, Palin roared that she`s not going away.
SCHAEFER: She was ready to move on from politics, at least temporarily.
ANDERSON: Sarah transformed herself into a media juggernaut. Speaking her mind, and publicly mixing it up on TV with her almost son-in- law, Levi Johnston -
LEVI JOHNSTON, EX-FIANCE OF BRISTOL PALIN: I have things that can - you know, that would get her in trouble and could hurt her.
FMR. GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK): He doesn`t have anything on me.
ANDERSON: Writing bestselling books and launching a new reality show on TLC.
SCHAEFER: She knows what to do to make a lot of money and also to get her name out there.
ANDERSON: Three different women. But their transformations had one thing in common. Each woman roared, and made the change on her own terms.
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Not because, oh, a publicist told them to do this or a pollster told them to do something. They`re doing this because they really believe in what they`re doing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Wow. Those were some amazing changes. I still cannot believe how fast Miley Cyrus has grown up and how much Angelina Jolie has changed. To the "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint" - whose transformation worked best? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is rolling out the report cards right now.
Joining me from Hollywood, Tanika Ray, who is an entertainment journalist. Also from Hollywood, Jessica Weiner, who is an author and founder of the Actionist Network.
Ladies, school is in session. Let`s get to the grading. And I`ve got to begin with Miley Cyrus who famously quit her Disney show, "Hannah Montana," made headlines as a result of her pole-dancing at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, and who danced provocatively in the middle of a birdcage for her music video for "Can`t Be Tamed."
I`ve got to say, I feel like her transformation has been really abrupt. So Jess, on a grading system of A through F - F being flunking, absolutely - what do you give Miley? I would give her a C-plus, I think.
JESSICA WEINER, FOUNDER, THE ACTIONIST NETWORK: I gave her a C-plus too.
ANDERSON: Ah.
WEINER: And I`ll tell you why. I think she is experiencing some normal transformations, actually. And I am a self-esteem expert and I care about the well-being of girls and their confidence. And I think she is not being the greatest role model, but she is being a teenager. So I kind of give her the C-plus because I want her to improve.
She`s not making great choices and she seems to be influenced by a lot of other factors. I don`t get a sense that it`s really authentic. I think she is trying to find herself. And I think, unfortunately, she has a very young fan base still that is confused by her transformation.
ANDERSON: Oh, boy. I got a whiplash. The whole thing was so fast. Tanika, Jess and I didn`t give her such a great score. How are you grading Miley`s transformation?
TANIKA RAY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Yes, I`m taking it one step lower, and saying just a regular old C. I think middle of the road is sort of what she has done here with her transformation. The problem is, we have seen this before. We`ve seen Britney do it. We`ve seen Hilary Duff do it.
WEINER: Right.
RAY: There is a small window of opportunity where you can transform from a child star and try to prolong your adult career. And I think she may have missed it by a year or so. But I think you`re right. When you`re a teenager, you`ve got raging hormones.
I think you want to express yourself and you want people to see you as you are today instead of the little girl that people are going to remember you by in "Hannah Montana."
ANDERSON: Yes. And you want things immediately - you want things immediately when you`re young.
RAY: Yes.
ANDERSON: I think if she eased into it, then her fans may be more easily, more quickly able to accept it.
OK. I do have to move now to Angelina Jolie, who transformed herself from a rebel into one devoted mommy. Angelina says that if the kids asked her to marry Brad, she would do it.
And she now confesses that Brad Pitt is the love of her life. And Angelina is getting very picky about her movie roles. She says family comes first. I`ve got to give this girl an A. Jess, how do you grade Angelina?
WEINER: I`m going to be a little tougher on Angelina, even though my caveat is I love her and I think she is an amazing role model for humanitarian efforts. I give her a B, because as a teacher, I want her to - to feel that there is a space for improvement.
ANDERSON: There`s always room for improvement, yes.
WEINER: And I think she would agree with that, actually. And I think Angelina is transformation-embodied. I think that she is growing up. I think she`s handled it as best she can. And most importantly, she takes her fame and she points the spotlight someplace else.
RAY: Yes.
WEINER: And maybe if I`m going to be in a good mood, I`ll give her a B-plus. I`ll give her a B-plus.
ANDERSON: OK, Tanika. Are you giving Angelina a B-plus or, like me, an A?
RAY: No. Jess knows I`m giving her an A for Angelina. Come on. Come on. Here`s the thing. I think yes, she has transformed a lot. But I also think it`s more about evolution. You know, she has taken it, really been in touch with herself each step of the way.
So it hasn`t been shocking for us, if you really have paid attention. It really has been a woman that wanted to rebel and be crazy.
ANDERSON: Yes.
RAY: Then, it was like, "All right. Now, I want a child," and she had one child. And then, it was like, "Well, now I need to pay attention to that child and make that child first."
ANDERSON: Right.
RAY: So it has been a slow progression -
ANDERSON: Yes.
RAY: And has really been rooted in reality for her. And I really applaud her for what she has done.
ANDERSON: It certainly has been real. She is genuinely passionate about that humanitarian work. She is spending millions of her dollars of her money to help other people. So I give the girl an A. And she looks fabulous.
RAY: A - yes.
ANDERSON: I`ve got to move to former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin to Sarah the reality star. You know, she famously quit her office as governor of Alaska, published a bestselling autobiography, signed on for her own reality show. Jess, how do you grade this transformation?
WEINER: All right. I can`t believe I`m even going to say this, but I`m going to give her a D.
ANDERSON: What?
RAY: I`m going to give her a D.
WEINER: I know -
RAY: Yay!
ANDERSON: It`s almost a failure.
WEINER: It is almost a failure. I know what Tanika is going to say, but mine is going be for "delirious," OK? I think she came on the scene like an A. If you were going to grade her entry into our pop culture lexicon, she came in like an A, but she has slowly gone downhill.
And I think the fact that she quit her job to go and make more dough, she is obvious. She`s transparent. WEINER: Yes, I know. I`m harsh.
ANDERSON: Oh, that is harsh and pretty unforgiving. I`m going to give Sarah Palin a B and reserve judgment until she makes her next move, politically or otherwise.
Sarah Palin`s transformation would not be complete, though, without a visit to Oprah`s couch, right? Wait until you see how Oprah roared when Sarah finally sat down with her. Tanika Ray and Jess Weiner, don`t move a muscle.
HAMMER: Oprah`s definitely done plenty of roaring in her career. The incredible moments that left us hanging on Oprah Winfrey`s every word. Oprah on Rihanna being hit by Chris Brown. How Oprah empowered other women in abusive relationships, even Oprah`s unbelievable battle over beef. And yes, Oprah`s dramatic interview with Sarah Palin.
Women roaring about their weight. Tori, Jewel, Kyra, all at war with Hollywood`s ridiculous obsession with their body image.
Also Lady Gaga`s roar.
LADY GAGA, POP STAR: Nobody can compare to Madonna. She`s wonderful. There can never be another. So I have to think of even more ways to annoy and shock everyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I think Lady Gaga is an amazing performer, but are her over the top outfits, the outrageous things she does and says brilliant or is Gaga a big old copy cat? This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," Women Who Roar" on HLN news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: You are looking at Lady Gaga roaring at the paparazzi at a New York Mets game, flipping the bird at them while in her underwear. Now, Gaga does plenty of out-of-control, totally outrageous things almost every day. But is her shtick pure genius or is it just a big copy cat act?
Welcome back to the special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar." I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: A.J., I am a big Gaga fan. She`s really talented. And I know all that wild, crazy behavior is just one of the things that make Gaga, well, Gaga. But there are some people who say that Lady Gaga is a phony, that she`s stealing ideas from other big stars. So is she a big poser or a pop genius? It`s my revealing look at women who roar, gaga over Gaga.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Is Lady Gaga the next queen of pop? She`s been called genius, androgynous and controversial. The lady`s got all of the ingredients to rock it to rock royalty. But is she a musical innovator or an imitator? Gaga says her style has been influenced by a range of pop icons, including Michael Jackson and Madonna.
LADY GAGA, SINGER: I think Madonna`s great. She`s been a wonderful friend and very kind and supportive and amazing.
ANDERSON: But is Gaga`s provocative approach a knock-off of Madonna`s? Take a look at this side-by-side comparison of Madonna`s "Like a Prayer" video to Gaga`s "Alejandro." Naughty nuns, crosses and Catholic Church controversy to spare. Gaga told CNN`s Larry King she doesn`t mind the comparison.
LADY GAGA: No bad comparison to Madonna. She`s wonderful and there can never be another. So I have to think of even more ways to annoy and shock everyone because she`s done everything.
ANDERSON: Music journalist and "Maxim" magazine editor-in-chief, Joe Levy, isn`t surprised by the mirror imagery.
JOE LEVY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "MAXIM": She is our first pop superstar who didn`t just grow up with Madonna but who grew up completely defined, her life completely and absolutely defined by the world Madonna created.
And of course, she`s an inheritor of some of that. What`s interesting about Gaga is, she`s inherited and worked with so many other things. She is a sponge. She soaks it up and she spits it out.
ANDERSON: Shocking videos aren`t the only thing Gaga is spitting out to spark reaction. The lady loves outrageous fashion.
LADY GAGA: Well, some of the things that I wear are obviously created for me by designers or they`re recreations of archives, of things worn in the `70s and in the `80s.
ANDERSON: `70s and `80s ala Elton John? Sir Elton`s crazy style in his early days seems rather similar to Gaga`s over-the-top appearance. David Bowie is another artist Gaga says she admires. Did she borrow her gender-bending looks from Bowie?
LADY GAGA: Listen, I`m trying to push the limits, push the boundaries as much as I can.
ANDERSON: Gaga has also been compared to Fiona Apple. Take a look at her video for "Just Dance" compared to Fiona`s "Criminal." Is this a "Criminal" rip-off or just random?
LEVY: Gaga - what is interesting about her, she`s kind of a blender. I`m not sure she`s had one original idea in her life. What`s interesting is, they all go into her head. She puts it on puree, and it`s kind of a delicious idea smoothie.
ANDERSON: Early in her career, Gaga was compared to Christina Aguilera. But now, critics and fans say that Christina is trying to go gaga with edgy sexuality.
(MUSIC)
LEVY: It`s not that Christina Aguilera is taking from Lady Gaga. It`s that she tends to take from the same thing Lady Gaga takes from. It`s like they`re all eating at the same lunch counter. And behind the lunch counter, serving up delicious hot imagery, would be Madonna.
I don`t care if Christina Aguilera rips off Lady Gaga and if Lady Gaga rips off Madonna as long as everyone is wearing shiny black leather bustiers. I think we all win.
ANDERSON: So perhaps when it comes to pop music, imitation is art. And whether Lady Gaga is an eccentric genius or creative copycat, her fans don`t seem to care.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Yes, those fans definitely don`t seem to care. Lady Gaga has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide and has more than 5 million twitter followers.
HAMMER: Just amazing. Well, Brooke, we posted on Facebook this question, "Who are your favorite roaring women of Hollywood? And what makes you listen when they roar?"
ANDERSON: And the Facebook posts came roaring in. Sharon W. loves a roaring "Twilight" star, "I`d say Kristen Stewart did some roaring. She made some interesting points, too, about paparazzi and about young stars being forced to answer questions about who they are."
Meghan L. says, "Sandra Bullock! She has such class and grace and kicks butt at the box office too."
And John F. offers up a women-who-roar smorgasbord, "Women like Whoopi, Joy Behar, Raquel Welch and, yes, even Khloe Kardashian roars. They`re going to tell you what`s on their minds whether you like it or not."
Hey, Brooke, another big star who roars - the lovely Jennifer Aniston. Let me tell you, she got a lot of people roaring when she said women don`t need men to have babies, or a guy in their lives to be a good mom.
There have been so many incredible moments where Oprah did plenty of roaring. Oprah`s earth-shattering advice to Rihanna, Oprah taking on Sarah Palin. Also this -
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Wow, amazing singing, right? That`s actually Gabourey Sidibe`s mom roaring on her own. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar" on HLN news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar," the women who aren`t afraid to speak up and we listen to them. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And the women who roar also have roaring bank accounts. Check out "Forbes" list of Hollywood`s highest paid actresses from June 2009 to June 2010.
Sarah Jessica Parker with $25 million. Jennifer Aniston made $27 million. Cammie D. - Cameron Diaz and Reese Witherspoon each made $32 million. And the woman whose pocketbook roars the most, the lovely Sandra Bullock. Between the "Proposal" and "The Blind Side," she made $56 million.
Well, Bullock may have roared in the money department, but I`ve really got to hand it to America`s sweetheart for keeping things truly classy when her ex-husband`s cheating scandal first broke and she said nothing.
ANDERSON: All right. Gabby Sidibe`s mom roars. Her name is Alice Tan Ridley, and her daughter is "Precious" star, Gabourey Sidibe.
Alice is a teacher. She started singing in the New York City subways. So she auditioned for NBC`s "America`s Got Talent" and blew everybody away. Watch.
(MUSIC)
ANDERSON: Incredible, right? What a talented family. Gabourey gets the Oscar nomination. Her mom has a set of pipes, doesn`t she? She can sing with the best of them.
HAMMER: And Gabby`s mom still performs in the subways. I think that is pretty cool. All right.
Back over to our Facebook wall. A lot of posts coming in about the women who make you roar. Shay A. has a whole big list, "Susan Sarandon! Jen Aniston! Sandra Bullock! Ellen DeGeneres! Seriously, this woman gets everyone involved in her charity work. And last but not least, Jenny McCarthy."
Cita C. is a Jolie fan, "It`s Angelina Jolie! Her features, family and humanitarian efforts. Her roar is tenacious and echoes throughout the entire universe. She`s the real deal. Salute you, Ms. Angelina Jolie."
Join the debate on Facebook. Go behind the scenes of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and get breaking entertainment news alerts on Twitter. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call," and there`s always E-mail. "SHOWBIZ Connects," CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: And now, the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Oprah is definitely a woman that makes people roar. She`s had such an impact. Her most unbelievable moments that left us hanging on every word, like her explosive interview with Sarah Palin.
Women roaring about their weight - Tori, Jewel, Kyra at war with Hollywood`s ridiculous obsession with weight. And Jennifer Aniston roaring that women don`t need men to have babies and be good moms and people roaring back at her comments. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar," on HLN news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar."
Oprah Winfrey roars. How Oprah found her voice. Her most memorable moments, and how she taught women all over the world to roar.
Women roaring about their weight - Tori, Jewel, Kyra, all at war with Hollywood`s ridiculous obsession with weight.
Salma Hayek-Pinot - she roars and screams when she sees a scary snake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not going to come up here.
SALMA HAYEK-PINOT, ACTRESS: Do something. Somebody do something!
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar." It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Hey, there is no doubt that Oprah Winfrey clawed her way to the top of the heap as the queen of talk.
It has been the era of Oprah. And now that she`s leaving her daily show behind, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is investigating the game-changing Oprah moments that made Oprah roar.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): She`s adored -
WINFREY: You get a car! You get a car!
ANDERSON: Influential -
WINFREY: I`m going to change, with your help, the laws in this country.
ANDERSON: Super-successful and ridiculously rich, topping "Forbes" list of the most powerful celebrities, earning a whopping $315 million last year alone. She is, of course, Oprah. And BET host, April Woodard, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT no one has built a media empire quite like Lady O.
APRIL WOODARD, HOST, BET: She is just phenomenal and really has had an impact on culture. If you take a look at how things were before, pre- Oprah, we didn`t really confront some of our issues, our personal issues. Oprah took on those issues feet first.
ANDERSON: And when Oprah roars, people listen. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that the power of Oprah`s words cannot only pack a punch, they can also stop one.
After Chris Brown was accused of beating up his then-girlfriend, Rihanna, in 2009, Oprah sent a powerful message to any woman thinking about going back to a man who hit her.
WINFREY: If a man hits you once, he will hit you again.
WOODARD: She really opened the doors and said, "It`s OK to confront this issue. It`s OK to talk about it."
ANDERSON: And over the years, Oprah has roared about everything. From Tom Cruise`s head-over-heels display of his love for Katie Holmes -
WINFREY: You`re gone. You are gone.
ANDERSON: To roaring at author James Frye for hoodwinking her and everyone with his made-up autobiography, "A Million Little Pieces."
WINFREY: So do you think you lied or you think you made a mistake?
JAMES FRYE, AUTHOR, "A MILLION LITTLE PIECES": I think probably both.
ANDERSON: Even to Oprah backing Barack Obama for president.
WINFREY: Would you announce on this show?
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: You know, I - I don`t think I could say no to you.
ANDERSON: Oprah`s support for Obama angered some supporters of the women in the 2008 White House race, Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin.
WOODARD: She did (UNINTELLIGIBLE) flak. But you know, she`s fearless. She`s not afraid of dealing of controversy or dealing with criticism. And I think that`s key with Oprah. She also does what Oprah wants to do.
ANDERSON: But eventually, even Sarah Palin came calling to Oprah on her show.
WINFREY: Should I be worried because I have heard that you`re going to get your own talk show?
ANDERSON: And when Oprah roars about a beef she has, it can really stir up trouble. During a 1996 Oprah show focusing on mad cow disease, Texas cattlemen claimed they lost $11 million in sales after Oprah said she`d be steering clear of burgers.
"Entertainment Weekly`s" Lynette Rice tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the mad cow comments got the cattlemen plenty mad.
LYNETTE RICE, SENIOR WRITER, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": There were ranchers that were fearful that these passing comments and the idea that maybe she really riled up her audience to be freaking out was - it sent panic among the cattle ranchers and so, you know, they took her to court.
ANDERSON: But after years of legal battles, Oprah won, and the case was dismissed.
WINFREY: Free speech not only lives. It rocks.
RICE: What she says has extraordinary weight, and that people will listen to her, and if people are fearful of what she`ll say and what she`ll do. If she didn`t feel the extent of her power, then, she certainly felt it afterwards.
ANDERSON: As Oprah enters her final talk show season, talk of her influence is turning to talk of her legacy.
RICE: There are so many great moments, and to have that kind of power, to have that kind of ability to do something that everyone remembers, once Oprah leaves, we won`t see another talk show host last as long as she did.
ANDERSON: And as long as Oprah`s around, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can guarantee that when Oprah roars, people will always listen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Really, just an incredible career. So many years, so many memorable Oprah moments. That brings us to the "SHOWBIZ flashpoint," which Oprah moment defined Oprah as a legend to contend with?
Right now, in Hollywood, is Tanika Ray. She is an entertainment journalist. With me, in New York, is Cooper Lawrence. She is a syndicated radio host and author of "The Cult of Celebrity."
Tanika, to the SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, which Oprah moment defined Oprah for you as a legend to contend with?
TANIKA RAY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Oh, my god. This is the hardest decision ever. There are so many milestones along the way that really speak to her power.
But when it comes down to it, everything was done for the advantage of her show and her brand. The one moment that wasn`t was the Obama moment - excuse me. For her to step out on the ledge, for a personal, sort of passion of hers, to sort of support this man that ended up being the president, is so the pinnacle of her career and so makes her a legend, for many generations and many centuries to come, for sure.
HAMMER: Yes. I think that`s great point and a great example of a moment that defined her. Is that the one for you, Cooper Lawrence?
COOPER LAWRENCE, SYNDICATED RADIO HOST AND AUTHOR: I have two. I think her power was defined by the whole beef industry thing. She said she didn`t like beef and she brought down an industry, I mean, who can do that? So that`s power.
But I think the moment that defines her as a legend is the "you get a car" thing, and here`s why. Because she didn`t do it from up high, like, "I`m Oprah and I`m giving you a car."
She celebrated with them and she was just excited. It was teachers and it was just - there was that moment where you feel like, "God, she`s one of us. She cares." And that`s what made her a legend, because she`s not speaking from up high.
She`s speaking from somebody who really is your friend and really does want to give you a car. And that fact she was able to give cars away -
HAMMER: Yes.
LAWRENCE: I mean, I haven`t gotten a car on this show so -
HAMMER: You don`t need a car. You live in New York City.
RAY: It`s also a tax break. Let`s be real.
HAMMER: Well, I personally think the era of Oprah was also defined in such a major way by what has been - come to have been known as the Oprah effect.
You know, she mentions something on her show, bam, that thing, person or place instantly became the most sought after thing, person or object on the planet.
RAY: Yes.
LAWRENCE: Right.
RAY: Screw E.F. Hutton. When Oprah speaks, we all listen.
HAMMER: That`s true. But of course, that`s all coming to an end with the show coming to a close. Perhaps Mary from Texas dialed up the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines and said Oprah is one of a kind. Listen to Mary.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MARY, CALLER FROM TEXAS: I believe, personally, that I think it`s the end of a great era, that we are not able to replace Oprah with anybody, no matter who it is. Me, personally, I think that that era is gone.
And she was one of the only few people that could reach people in the way she did. And it`s sad to say, but there`s nobody like Oprah, and she will never be replaced.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Mary. Now, Tanika, Oprah is clearly irreplaceable. I think we all agree about that as far as her role on TV.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: But do you think this will also mark the end of Oprah`s uber- influence as well? I don`t think so.
RAY: Come on. You know what I`m going to say, A.J. Absolutely not. You know, it`s a grind for her to shoot that show every single day for as many episodes a year.
And I think she`s realizing, in her later years, you know, "I`d like to relax a little bit more." She`s got her magazine. She`s got her network.
She`s going to be able to infuse her ideology through a bunch of different shows instead of just one. So I do not think she`s going away. I think she`s going to become even stronger.
HAMMER: Yes, I agree. Quickly, Cooper - I think she`s going to make more of a difference. Now, times have changed -
LAWRENCE: No, I disagree because the available audience in cable is minuscule compared to the available audience - I mean, on her show, when she had 23 million people -
HAMMER: She`ll use the Internet and there will be other ways. I do believe you.
RAY: Absolutely.
LAWRENCE: I don`t think people are going to have access to her the way they did and the information. Not everybody has cable.
HAMMER: All right. That`s a good point. Cooper Lawrence, Tanika Ray -
RAY: They do in 2010.
HAMMER: Thank you both, ladies.
ANDERSON: I`ve got move now to the women of Hollywood roaring about their weight. Tori Spelling is speaking out. Jewel, too. They join a long list of celebrities who are at war with Hollywood`s ridiculous obsession with weight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TORI SPELLING, ACTRESS: It hurts to call someone overweight but when you call them underweight, it`s just as horrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jennifer Aniston - she`s a woman who roars. Jen`s incredible controversial declaration - women can be great moms without men.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAYEK-PINOT: Somebody do something!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not going to come up here.
HAYEK-PINOT: No! Get the snake. Somebody do something.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Salma Hayek-Pinot, a woman who does a whole lot more than roar. She totally freaks out when she comes face to fang with a scary snake. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar" on HLN news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar." I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Hollywood`s weight war. Some of Hollywood`s top stars are revealing their most intimate weight secrets, stunning secrets that have left them both frustrated and outraged. From Tori Spelling to Kyra Sedgwick to Jewel, their revelations about their weight war expose an ugly truth in Hollywood - there is still incredible pressure for female stars to be thin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): There`s a revolution brewing in weight-conscious Hollywood. With reality star Tori Spelling revealing on national TV she is sick of being called skinny.
SPELLING: When you call someone underweight, it`s just as horrible.
ANDERSON: And singer Jewel calling on women to handle their weight issues like men do. And actress Kyra Sedgwick is so fed up with weight scrutiny she`s actually thrown out her scale.
JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: They`ve had enough. They are fed up, so to speak, about everyone scrutinizing every single pound or half pound that they gain or lose.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the big news breaking today adds up to Hollywood waging a large-scale weight war.
Tori Spelling started the weight war revolution with a bang, saying she`s actually sick and tired of people calling her skinny.
PIAZZA: Most people would love to be called too thin or say, "Oh, no, she`s just too skinny."
ANDERSON: Tori just explained her frustration on the "Today" show.
SPELLING: You know, they understand that it hurts to be called overweight. But when you call someone underweight, it`s just as horrible. You know, it really knocks down your self-confidence.
ANDERSON: Singer Jewel is making her own headlines today with her no- holds-barred shot at Hollywood`s weight obsession.
In a new interview out today with "Shape" magazine, Jewel says, "We should be more like men, God bless them. They can take their shirts off show their man boobs and they don`t give a hoot."
Entertainment journalist Jo Piazza tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT says, Jewel has a point.
PIAZZA: No one is scrutinizing men`s man-boobs or their baby bumps or their over-enlarged derrieres. If women are more comfortable and women are saying, "back off" the way men do, then maybe the media will start portraying these women as what they are, women that are comfortable and happy with their bodies.
ANDERSON: Jewel is revealing today that her own battle with body image almost took a devastating turn.
JEWEL, SINGER: I wrote a blog and then it was (UNINTELLIGIBLE) about a certain time when I was a little overweight on the road and people were making fun of me saying I was the fat Renee Zellweger. It didn`t make me happy and I didn`t really like looking at myself.
ANDERSON: Jewel tells "Shape," quote, "My feelings were with so hurt by that story, I ended up binging on an entire cake. Afterward, I actually tried to throw it all up, but thankfully, I couldn`t do it."
Fortunately, Jewel tells "Shape" she didn`t go down that unhealthy road.
JEWEL: Being in the entertainment industry at a young age, I saw a lot of bulimics. I saw a lot of anorexics. And there`s a lot of people with bad body image, you know, in my industry. And I struggle with the same thing. I was overweight, but at the same time, I didn`t want anything to do harm to myself.
ANDERSON: Kyra Sedgwick is also making her own shocking revelations about her weight issues.
PIAZZA: Kyra Sedgwick is one of the last women in Hollywood that we would expect to have weight issues.
ANDERSON: In an interview with "More" magazine, the actress says, "Food has never been easy for me.
PIAZZA: She was taping a movie in the `80s where she played a holocaust survivor which caused her weight to go way down.
ANDERSON: About that experience, Sedgwick tells "More" magazine, quote, "I came back from that and it triggered something. I ate everything in sight. My weight went up and then too far down." Then Kyra said she solved her problem in a radical way.
PIAZZA: Finally, she just threw out the scale. She couldn`t deal with it anymore and decided, "I am the weight I am, and people will have to deal with it."
ANDERSON: Sedgwick tells "More" magazine, quote, "I`m so grateful I don`t get on a scale because it`s never going to be the right number."
PIAZZA: Women read these magazines and watch these shows and movies and see pictures of women that look impossibly skinny and impossibly perfect.
ANDERSON: Entertainment journalist Jo Piazza tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she thinks Spelling and Jewel and Sedgwick`s weight wars will have an effect that goes far beyond Hollywood.
PIAZZA: I think reading stories about celebrities that say, "I`m not perfect. "I`ve struggled and I don`t love my body all the time, just like you," will make women more comfortable with their own weight.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
I have to believe that when Hollywood women roar about their weight, other women listen. It is our "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint," when female stars roar about their weight, do women listen?
With me in New York, Marvet Britto, who is a celebrity publicist. And in Hollywood, Jess Weiner, author and founder of the Actionist network.
OK, Jess. To our "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint," what do you think? When female stars roar about their weight, do other women listen?
WEINER: Yes, they do. Not only do other women listen but girl listen, too. And so that`s why we have to be delicate when we have this conversation.
Weight is complex, Brooke. It`s complex for women and girls. It means a lot of things to a lot of different people. But when you put it through the Hollywood lens, we only see one type of beauty.
And even these beauties that we just discussed in this piece, they all have the same struggles. So we have to really look at what`s going on beneath the surface for women out there. And weight is just one component of what they struggle with.
ANDERSON: Right.
WEINER: Control and feeling that they`re in charge of their life.
ANDERSON: Yes, I think it is so refreshing when high-profile women open up about their struggles about their insecurities in this way.
And those ladies aren`t the only women in Hollywood who have roared about their weight. Even Valerie Bertinelli, who has had a history of body image issues, hopes that she helps women and girls every day with her public weight battle. Watch what she told Oprah on her talk show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VALERIE BERTINELLI, ACTRESS: If my weight loss has done anything, it`s encouraging other women to take care of themselves, too. And that is a complete honor. If I can help anybody else feel better about themselves, then that`s all I need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Marvet, to our "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint," when female stars roar about their weight, do women listen?
MARVET BRITTO, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: Absolutely. I think women go on emotional roller coasters with their favorite celebrities. And celebrities do have the ear of the masses, the masses that really seek to emulate the lifestyles, the glamorous lifestyles they see their favorite celebrity living.
So I think when they hear about the pitfalls and the perils of weight - weight loss, weight gain - they do listen and they do try to find ways to adopt their behavior patterns into their own journeys with weight.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. These women`s lives - these stars` lives are not perfect, even though a lot of people perceive them to be that way.
And I`ve got to talk a minute about Kirstie Alley, because I really think that she has a wonderful sense of humor about her weight struggles. And she spoke pretty candidly about it on her A & E reality show, "Kirstie Alley`s Big Life."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIRSTIE ALLEY, ACTRESS: I was thin my whole life until I gained 75 pounds. Then I lost 75 pounds. And then I gained 75 pounds. I hate being fat. I`m not one of those girls that goes, "Oh, I`m loud. I`m proud. You know, I`m large and in charge." I hate it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Jess, she`s brutally honest. But do you think that women appreciate that? She`s confessing even the ugly truths.
WEINER: I think some women appreciate that about Kirstie. And then - as a confidence and self-esteem expert, I watch it with another sensibility which is that I know Kirstie now had gotten caught up making money based on her weight.
And that`s what`s so sad for me when we talk about weight and Hollywood women. They`re so scrutinized but there`s also an industry for you to gain weight, to lose weight. You become famous for your bodies and we don`t put men through that same rigmarole.
ANDERSON: No, we don`t. You`re right.
WEINER: But put women through it. And so when I see Kirstie talking about that, I don`t know that she`s fully - nobody is done with their weight journey. But I know Kirstie is still struggling.
ANDERSON: In a way, though, they`re all relatable and inspirations, I think. Marvet Britto, Jess Weiner, thank you both, ladies.
HAMMER: Moving on to Salma`s scary snake surprise. Salma Hayek comes face to fang with a super slithery snake and this woman did more than roar. She ran for her life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAYEK-PINOT: No!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s OK. It`s OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not going to come up here.
HAYEK-PINOT: Somebody do something!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not going to come up here.
HAYEK-PINOT: Somebody do something!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wait until you hear how Salma sets the record straight about her scary snake story. This is a special edition tonight "Women Who Roar" on HLN news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAYEK-PINOT: No!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s OK. It`s not going to come up here.
HAYEK-PINOT: Somebody do something!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not going to come up here!
HAYEK-PINOT: No!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Salma`s scary snake surprise. Salma Hayek-Pinot, as she`s now known, comes face to fang with a slippery slithery critter. Salma`s more than a woman who roars. She gets out of the way in a flash. And I think she deserves a high five for being able to do so in super high stilettos. Salma Hayek-Pinot`s snake freak-out revelation.
Now, Salma was all set to do an interview with the show "Extra," when things got really scary for her. Salma and her "Grown Ups," Maya Rudolph and Maria Bello, spotted a big old snake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh.
HAYEK-PINOT: No!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s OK. It`s not going to come up here.
HAYEK-PINOT: Somebody do something!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not going to come up here!
HAYEK-PINOT: No!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Salma set the record straight about her scary snake surprise on "Live with Regis and Kelly." Plus, she revealed the hero who saved the day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAYEK-PINOT: It was a five-foot snake that was hissing and the head was up and it goes by really fast. But the really dramatic part about it is that when the snake was, like, came out, we saw it, the 40 people around us, they left. They left.
There were bodyguards, like men, really, big, tough. They ran. And if it hadn`t been for Maya Rudolph`s hairdresser who came with his little hairbrush - shoo, shoo, started pushing the snake away. Once the snake was already out the chair, I don`t know what would have happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, no one was hurt. That snake did not end up as a pair of boots. And speaking of footwear how did Salma get out of the way so fast in those high heels? That, to me, is pretty impressive.
ANDERSON: Yes, it was. OK. I`ve got to move now to Jennifer Aniston who is roaring about men and babies. Jennifer created an intense debate around the world for saying that women don`t need men to have babies.
She said, "Women are realizing it more and more knowing that they don`t have to settle with a man just to have that child. What is amazing is that we do have so many options these days as opposed to our parents` days when you can`t have children because you have waited too long."
Well, her words create a firestorm of controversy right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Hey, I`ve got the utmost respect for single, committed mothers, but I don`t think that is the ideal way to have a child.
But some women just don`t have any other choice. Watch what "Life and Style" magazine`s contributing editor, Rachel Zalis, told me when I asked her if she thinks Jennifer is right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RACHEL ZALIS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": Absolutely. We are not living in the `50s anymore, Brooke. I mean, families are completely redefined. And I think this is part of the reason that we love her. She`s rich. She`s famous. She`s gorgeous and even she can`t find a guy to have a baby with. I mean, this is a problem -
ANDERSON: I don`t think you need to settle for a man to have a baby. But if you can find a good man, do it because being a single parent isn`t easy.
ZALIS: Right. Absolutely. But if you need to, then do it.
ANDERSON: Right.
ZALIS: No reason why if you`re single you cannot have a child.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And the debate is far from over.
HAMMER: Well, that is it for the special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Women Who Roar." I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Take care.
END
