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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT

Showbiz Tonight for August 17, 2005, CNNHN

Aired August 17, 2005 - 19:00:00   ET

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


KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: I`m Karyn Bryant.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a White House thriller 20 years in the making. It involves Michael Jackson, Ronald Reagan and controversial Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals why Roberts told Michael Jackson to beat it.

BRYANT (voice-over): Also...

(MUSIC)

BRYANT: ... Eric Clapton`s back home with his first album in nearly five years. And he only talks to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, a rare and exclusive interview with a legendary musician.

HAMMER: And we pity the fool that doesn`t watch this interview, Mr. T live. He kicked some serious butt on "The A-Team." Well, tonight, he`ll tell us something that`ll knock your socks off, or on. Mr. T, live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

RACHEL MCADAMS, ACTRESS: I`m Rachel McAdams. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Hello. I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer.

Tonight, the most unlikely story we have heard in awhile. This includes Michael Jackson, Ronald Reagan, and yes, Supreme Court nominee John Roberts.

BRYANT: Now that is Jackson, Reagan and Roberts. I think the only one missing is Bubbles the chimp. Strange days indeed.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer is here live with the story -- David.

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Interesting story find guys, Karyn and A.J.

It was back in 1984 that the paths of a young lawyer, John Roberts, and pop legend Michael Jackson crossed paths. And now for the first time, we`re learning the details from thousands of pages of memos that came out of the Reagan administration that have just been released.

While the two never met directly, Roberts` blunt, sometimes snarky letters about Jackson speak volumes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): The year was 1984, and Michael Jackson was on top of the world. Jackson was invincible.

JOE LEVY, "ROLLING STONE" MAGAZINE: Nominated for 12 Grammy awards for "Thriller," won eight of them. That was a big deal. He was also well on his way to selling the 27 million copies of "Thriller," making it one of the biggest selling albums in the United States.

Let`s not forget that in 1984 Michael also -- wow, he burned himself. He signed that big contract with Pepsi to make an advertisement. A pyrotechnic effect went wrong and Michael landed in the hospital.

He also went on tour with his brothers, the Victory Tour, the Jackson Victory Tour.

HAFFENREFFER: In 1984, Ronald Reagan was in the White House. He was a president as popular in politics as Michael Jackson was in the pop world.

LEVY: In May of 1984, Michael Jackson did actually get a presidential award from Ronald Reagan. The award was for a PSA that Michael Jackson did to keep the kids away from the drunk driving.

RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: At this stage of his career when it would seem he`s achieved everything a musical performer could hope for.

LEVY: President Reagan praised Michael`s work on behalf of the children of the world, ominous words that would come back to haunt all of us 20 years later.

REAGAN: And a part of Reagan`s administration, a 29-year-old White House lawyer named John Roberts. Twenty-two years later, he would be named Supreme Court nominee by George W. Bush.

But it was back in 1984 that the paths of Robert and Jacko crossed. And only a month after Reagan awarded Jackson for his PSA, Jackson`s publicist wanted more and wrote the White House, asking for a letter of thanks from Reagan for his work. That letter made its way to Roberts` desk.

DANA MILBANK, "WASHINGTON POST": He worked for the counsel to the president. There`s a bunch of young lawyers who do this. But there`s a lot of junk that passes through the counsel`s office, as well, that just has to get a legal blessing.

HAFFENREFFER: But Roberts was not impressed. He wrote, quote, "I see no need to have the president send a letter to Mr. Jackson, simply because Mr. Jackson`s public relations firm has requested one."

MILBANK: Then, again, three months later, Michael Jackson`s publicist, again, asked for another form of a thank you, this because the singer was coming to Washington and giving away 400 free tickets to needy youngsters. And again, Roberts was quite agitated about this.

HAFFENREFFER: Roberts told Jackson to beat it. He wrote, quote, "I hate to sound like one of Mr. Jackson`s records, constantly repeating the same refrain, but I recommend that we not approve this letter."

LEVY: You don`t get the impression that he`s much of a fan. In fact, he specifically says that the people in the White House seem obsequious towards Michael Jackson and his handlers, which is a fancy word for, "They seem to be kissing his (expletive deleted."

HAFFENREFFER: And perhaps in Roberts` most memorable quote about Jacko, he wrote, "In today`s `Post` there were already reports that some youngsters were turning away from Mr. Jackson in favor of a newcomer who goes by the name Prince and is apparently planning a Washington concert. Will he receive a presidential letter?"

MILBANK: Certainly, if a Michael Jackson case were to come before the Supreme Court, I believe the King of Pop would be in some trouble. He seems to have it in for Jacko.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: Of course, Roberts does has to first make it to the Supreme Court. His confirmation hearings will kick off on Capitol Hill September 6 -- A.J.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer. Thanks very much, David.

And coming up in just a bit, "Celebrity Justice" attorney Harvey Levin is going to join us. He has the scoop on some new allegations that have been leveled against Michael Jackson. We`ll have that coming up in the "Legal Lowdown" -- Karyn.

BRYANT: Tonight two of the biggest music stars in the world, Eminem and Madonna, are battling health problems that could put their legendary careers on hold. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has complete coverage from New York to London.

In just a moment, new developments on Madonna`s terrible horse riding accident, but first we talk about Eminem and his startling announcement that he`s canceling his European tour because of mysterious health issues.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT (voice-over): Eminem is exhausted, so much so that he`s canceled the rest of a highly successful summer tour, giving his fans yet another reason to ask what`s going on with one of hip-hop`s biggest superstars?

ERIK PARKER, "VIBE" MAGAZINE: He may do lots of crazy things, Eminem, but canceling work is not one of them. So it`s definitely something to stand back and say, "Wow, what`s going on here?"

BRYANT: Em may owe an "I`m sorry" to fans for scrapping the 10-city European tour that was scheduled to begin in two weeks. In a brief statement released last night, Em`s record label said, quote, "Eminem is currently being treated for exhaustion, complicated by other medical issues."

The press release does not say what those other medical issues are or if Em is in the hospital.

DENISE QUAN, CNN`S "POP LIFE": He just finished up the North American leg of his tour on Friday, the Anger Management Free Tour with 50 Cent, which did really, really well, but they were only on the road for five weeks. And you would think that he wouldn`t be that tired.

BRYANT: Eminem`s sizzling career has been enough to drive anyone to exhaustion. He spent much of it under attack for his raw lyrics. But his four albums, including last year`s smash, "Encore," have sold more than 30 million copies in the U.S. alone.

He`s been very busy as a music mogul, mentoring super star rappers like 50 Cent. Plus, he spent most of this summer denying rumors he`s planning to retire, like he did here with MTV.

EMINEM, RAP PERFORMER: I keep hearing that rumor. I don`t know where it`s coming from. But, you know, when I announce my retirement, I will let everyone know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If he retires, he`s going to see me so much, he`s going to be sick of me.

BRYANT: Maybe so, but could this latest news mean that the Eminem show is winding down?

PARKER: He`s been a successful artist. He`s toured. He`s made huge selling albums. And now he seems to be moving on towards this mentor phase. Maybe this exhaustion has some roots in the fact that he might just be tired of doing so much touring. Maybe he is ready to move on to another phase of his career. We don`t necessarily know just yet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Turning now to the latest on Madonna. As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been reporting, she broke her hand and collarbone and fractured three ribs after being thrown from a horse yesterday at her English countryside manor. Now, Madonna may be down, but how long will she be out?

Joining us from London is "People" magazine`s London bureau chief, Bryan Alexander. And Bryan, can you please fill us in on the latest on her situation?

BRYAN ALEXANDER, LONDON BUREAU CHIEF, "PEOPLE": Well, as you know, Madonna was just discharged from the hospital last night. She`s home. She`s resting. And really, she`s on day one on the road to recovery. She sounds like she`s in good spirits. She wants to get back and get moving again.

BRYANT: And I did hear the fact that she does so much yoga may have actually benefited her in how she was able to break her fall, and certainly her hand was hurt. But it definitely could have been worse?

ALEXANDER: Yes, much worse. I mean, actually, the key thing to remember, any time you come off a horse it`s going to be a very dangerous situation. And all things considered, I think she considers herself a very lucky woman today.

She`s in great shape. She does so much exercise. She watches what she eats. And that`s really not only going to help her fall but also help her on the road to recovery.

BRYANT: And Bryan, how will this affect her record release that is due this November, a dance record?

ALEXANDER: Yes, I know. That`s going to be tough. I really think all bets are off. I mean, it`s too early to really tell how long the recovery is going to take, but clearly with these kinds of injuries and with this kind of music, you`re going to have to expect some pretty serious delays.

BRYANT: Which is unfortunately, because I`m sure that the record company is kind of counting on that money for that quarter.

But she can heal up. What about the long term prospects. She`s supposed to be touring again next year. What do you think about that?

ALEXANDER: I mean, you can never really count Madonna out. I mean, she`s got a will of steel. She is a very restless person. She`s going to want to recover and recover fully. I mean, I think we can talk about, in the short term, Madonna not doing so great but in the longer term, there`s going to be absolutely no problem. She`s going to be back and better than ever.

BRYANT: OK. Well, thanks for the update, Bryan. Thank you for keeping us posted. Bryan Alexander of "People" magazine.

And you can pick up the latest copy of "People" magazine on newsstands Friday.

HAMMER: It`s wonderful tonight, because we`ve got an exclusive interview with the legendary rock icon, Eric Clapton. And he`s doing something that he`s never done before. Clapton`s coming up.

BRYANT: Plus, how 007 was 86`ed. New details on how Pierce Brosnan found out he wasn`t going to be James Bond any more.

HAMMER: And who knew him as B.A. Baracus on "The A-Team," Clubber Lang in "Rocky III." And of course, who could forget all that jewelry and that Mohawk? , Mr. T is coming up live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Now tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Antonio Romero and Rafael Ruiz were the duo responsible for what astonishingly pervasive cultural phenomenon? The Electric Slide, The Macarena, Slap Bracelets or Gak? It`s just fun to say. We`re coming straight back with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: And tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Antonio Romero and Rafael Ruiz were the duo responsible for what cultural phenomenon? You can probably tell by the music, it was b, the Macarena.

BRYANT: And now on to the good music. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you a rare and exclusive interview with a legendary musician, rock legend Eric Clapton. He spoke today with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson, who is live right now in Hollywood.

Brooke, nice day on the job, huh?

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Karyn, a tough day at the office. I`ve got to tell you.

Well, Clapton has been through so many hardships, suffered so much in the past and now at age 60 he told me he is an incredibly happy person, that he`s in a good spot. He has three daughters with his wife Melia, whom he married in 2002. His youngest girl is 6 months old, and Clapton tells me his new album, "Back Home," is all about family.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

ANDERSON: "Back Home," your first new album of new, original material in, what, five years, deeply personal for you, isn`t it?

ERIC CLAPTON, MUSICIAN: It`s a statement of fact, really, about where I`ve come to in my life and having a new family and a wife that I adore and great kids. And you know, it`s really about that.

I was writing and trying to think of how to kind of -- how to be ambivalent, but there`s no way. You know, I mean, I`ve never been able to write a story about someone else. I admire writers who make up stories, who write stories, you know? But I can only talk about my own experience.

So it had to be -- and in that way it had to be a feel-good album, really.

(MUSIC)

ANDERSON: The first track on the album, "So Tired," I was giggling as I was listening to the words.

CLAPTON: This is the first time, really, that I`ve been fully involved in raising a family. I mean, it`s kind of -- I`m a late starter and I love it. And -- but it is, like that song talks about, it`s hard work. And it -- but it`s always funny. It`s always funny.

ANDERSON: Changing diapers, teething.

CLAPTON: Well, I did that. I`ve kind of -- I`ve been excused that recently, so...

(MUSIC)

ANDERSON: And one line in the song, "Thank God their mother is a natural."

CLAPTON: My wife comes from a very large Midwestern family, and that`s unusual because I came -- I was an only child. So this has been a new experience for me, too, getting used to having that many people around.

(MUSIC)

ANDERSON: A lot of musicians say song writing is therapeutic for them. Do you find that?

CLAPTON: I came from a place where it wasn`t OK to have vulnerable feelings, you know? It was like I grew up with a shell around me. And to break that down and to be able to openly declare the way I feel about the woman I`m married to, and my kids, is a great thing, because then I have nothing to hide.

ANDERSON: Didn`t you say a few years ago, "No more touring. I`m going to stop that, retiring from touring?"

CLAPTON: I find an excuse to quit about every two years, sometimes every year. You get to the end of the tour and you say good-bye to everybody. And you make -- I`ve even made speeches.

ANDERSON: Wrap it up neatly.

CLAPTON: Just everything, you know, and give presents and say we`re never going to see you again. And then six months later you think, "Oh, man, God I`d love to get," you know -- because there`s something for me about playing with great musicians. It`s such a joy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Clapton also told me that he is planning his tour for next year very carefully around the schedule of his children. He says when he`s away from them he misses them terribly and is working to find a way to combine fatherhood with his busy career.

Now tomorrow night we`ll bring you the second part of our exclusive interview. Eric Clapton tells us his view on politics, and the paparazzi and some of the losses he`s faced in life -- Karyn.

BRYANT: Thank you very much, Brooke Anderson, live in Hollywood.

Well, 007, her majesty no longer needs your service. Pierce Brosnan tells "Entertainment Weekly" he was fired over the phone. And to me, that`s one step above a Post-It note. But he says he`s grateful to have had the role, even though he never felt like he owned it.

No word yet on who will replace Brosnan as Bond. Some of the names in contention, "E.R`s" Goran Visnic and actor Gerard Butler.

HAMMER: OK, I got to say it, I pity the fool that doesn`t stay seated for this next "SHOWBIZ Sitdown." He have none other than the iconic Mr. T with us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

It`s been nearly 20 years since "The A-Team" was originally on TV. There`s an "A-Team" movie currently in the works. And Mr. T joins us live here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Excellent to meet you and have you here, man.

MR. T, ENTERTAINER: Thank you, brother.

HAMMER: Appreciate it. I got to ask about the outfit. You`re all dudded up and patriotic.

MR. T: I am patriotic, man. I`ll tell you, I love America, yes, sir. I come into New York. I should wear this here, because this is the way I honor New York for what happened, you know, a couple of years ago.

HAMMER: And we appreciate that. Everybody probably wants to know, and I don`t know if you`ll take it off. The Mohawk. Do you still have it?

MR. T: It`s real, brother. It`s till cooking. It`s still cooking, baby. I keep it up a little bit, yes, yes, yes. You know, because they want to see that. They want to see that it`s still there, you know? That`s all part of my makeup. My hair and the gold, you know?

HAMMER: You`ve got the gold.

MR. T: But most importantly, even though I wear the gold, I have a golden heart, you know, because I do a lot of thing for the less fortunate kids and all that. I`m tough and tender.

HAMMER: And people love you. And they have throughout the ages. And I imagine you can`t -- particularly when you`re here in New York, walk down the streets without hearing "Mr. T, Mr. T" wherever you go.

MR. T: And I love them. And I go respond to them, hug them, sign autographs, kiss babies, all that stuff, you know? Sort of like the politician, but I`m more sincere.

HAMMER: Yes, I imagine you are. And I`ve always wanted to know, and it seems obvious, your last name begins with the letter "T," but when did people start calling you "Mr. T"? And why did that stick?

MR. T: Well, I self-ordained myself Mr. T. You know, let me -- I don`t want to get heavy with it, but I need to tell you why, you know? As a black man growing up in a white society, I watched my father being called boy. I watched my brother, who`d come back from Vietnam, the Marines, in Chicago, being called boy.

So I questioned the fact, what does a black man have to do before he`s given a respect as a man. So when I became 18 years old, old enough to vote, old enough to drink, old enough to go to the army and fight and die for my country, I said, "I`m old enough to be called a man." So I self- ordained myself Mr. T. So the first word out of everybody`s mouth would be "Mister." That`s the sound of respect my father didn`t get.

HAMMER: Well, done.

MR. T: Yes.

HAMMER: I know it was more interesting than just, you know, your initial.

MR. T: I`m deep. I`m deep.

HAMMER: All right. Listen, let`s lighten it up right now.

MR. T: Definitely, brother.

HAMMER: I would love to do a little SHOWBIZ TONIGHT pop quiz with you.

MR. T: I`m ready, man. I`m ready. As me anything.

HAMMER: It`s real easy. We don`t mess around here. OK, ready for question No. 1?

MR. T: Yes, I`m ready.

HAMMER: Of course, on "The A-Team," you paid B.A. Baracus.

MR. T: B.A. Baracus.

HAMMER: What does the "B.A." stand for?

MR. T: Bad Attitude.

HAMMER: That is correct. Moving on to question No. 2. Please finish this -- we`re great with the sound effects here -- it`s one of two that we have.

MR. T: OK.

HAMMER: Finish this famous line from "Rocky III": "I don`t hate Balboa."

MR. T: "But I pity the fool, and I will destroy any man who tries to take what I got."

HAMMER: We got an extra line there. I need another ding.

Thank you. And finally, finish this -- Colonel Hannibal Smith`s signature line, from "The A-Team": "I love it when..."

MR. T: "A plan comes together."

HAMMER: Yes, that is correct.

All right. We are CNN. I`ve got to get serious for a moment.

MR. T: Yes, yes.

HAMMER: Can we roll this footage? I need to know what`s going on. We don`t know if you were aware the cameras were rolling when this took place.

MR. T: OK.

HAMMER: Apparently -- do we have this footage from the baseball game? You`re pelting the crowd with socks. Can you explain what was going on?

MR. T: Yes, I`m glad you brought it up. See, Haines came out with a Double Tough Sock Day, so they had the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox and they called me to the ceremonial pitch. So I was putting on a pair of Haines Double Tough Socks. They call them double tough because the toes is reinforced and heels are reinforced.

See, most of the time you get a pair of socks, the big toe come out after a couple of times you play a basketball game.

HAMMER: I got you.

MR. T: And the heel come out, you know? So they called me to promote the sock called double tough. You know, who are you going to get to promote a sock they call Double Tough? You ain`t going to get Pee Wee Herman, you know what I mean? You call Mr. T.

HAMMER: No. You get a guy who was a bodyguard for Muhammad Ali.

MR. T: Definitely. Definitely.

HAMMER: Mr. T...

MR. T: Thank you, brother.

HAMMER: ... nice to have you on.

MR. T: Thank you, man.

HAMMER: All right.

BRYANT: Good stuff.

Well, "The A-Team" was one of many shows from the `80s that still has a place in our hearts. So we`re asking our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day: TV shows: were they better in the `80s? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And you can send e-mail to us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails later on in the show.

HAMMER: Yes, we do love the `80s. And still ahead, the guy who created not only "The A-Team" and a good friend of Mr. T, but he also created everything from "The Rockford Files" to "Hunter," "Silk Stalkings." He`s going to join us live.

BRYANT: Remember "Battle of the Network Stars" in the `80s, one of the cheesiest shows ever? Well, it is back with the biggest reality stars from "Survivor," "The Apprentice" and "Average Joe." And they`re here, live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

HAMMER: Plus Britney`s baby bash. We`ve got the exclusive photos of her baby shower on the way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Britney Spears` baby is due any minute now, and "People" magazine has the first photos from her baby shower. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has them for you right now.

Britney invited 19 of her closest friends to the Moroccan inspired feast and included her mom and sister, Jamie Lynn. A bamboo tent was set up in Britney`s front yard, which was filled with rose petals. Even a tarot card reader was there. The reader didn`t say when the baby would come or if it`s a girl or a boy.

But Britney got here -- got to see some of her gifts, which were a wrought iron bassinet from her mom, a car seat and a baby bath tub, all gender neutral, of course.

And you can see more of Britney`s baby shower pictures in "People" magazine, which hits news stands Friday.

HAMMER: So, you remember Mario Vazquez? Of course, you remember his name. He was the "American Idol" contestant who quit the show. Well, tonight, we know what he`s up to. We`re going to share it with you, coming up next.

BRYANT: Plus, back in the day stars like Tony Danza, Scott Baio and Farrah Fawcett competed in "The Battle of the Network Stars." Today, it`s reality stars like Richard Hatch, Adam Mesh and Heidi from "The Apprentice." They`re going to join us live to talk about their new show.

HAMMER: I just checked it out back in the green room. Richard Hatch, fully clothed.

More on the Michael Jackson White House thriller. How something said about Michael 20 years ago could actually change today`s Supreme Court. What`s that all about? We`ll get it, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in the "Legal Lowdown."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOPHIA CHOI, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in just a minute, but first, I`m Sophia Choi with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

Well, it is the first day of forcible evacuations from Gaza and the West Bank. Unarmed Israeli soldiers and police are going door-to-door ordering people to leave. Some remaining holdouts are being forcibly taken from their homes, schools and synagogues.

A disturbing report out of London about the shooting of an innocent man police thought was a terrorist. The Brazilian man was shot seven times in the head last month on a London subway car. But British television network, ITV, says the man was not wearing a heavy coat, nor did he try to run from police, as officials previously claimed.

The city with three rivers has a fourth today in Pittsburgh. A water main break has flooded a major downtown thoroughfare. Some places report two feet of water in the streets.

That`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi. Now back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant. You`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.

Still to come on the program, see, back in 1984, Supreme Court nominee John Roberts was working for President Reagan. And he is apparently not a fan of Michael Jackson, wasn`t back then. I`m not sure if he still is right now. Had some very terse words for him in some memos. We`re going to get "Celebrity Justice`s" Harvey Levin in here to dish about it.

HAMMER: It all seems a little strange to me.

BRYANT: A little odd.

HAMMER: And back in the `70s, there was the battle of the network stars. You remember, big TV stars in relay races, tug of war, things like that. Now it`s "Battle of the Network Reality TV Stars" or "Battle of the" -- I`m going to figure it out before we get to the segment, and we`re going to talk to some of the reality shows in just a few minutes.

BRYANT: All of that and more is coming up.

But first, let`s head to Hollywood to get tonight`s "Hot Headlines." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson joins us live once again.

Hey there, Brooke.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Karen and A.J.

Well, Eminem has canceled his European tour. His management tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it`s because of exhaustion and other medical issues, but no specifics. The tour was set to begin next month. Eminem wrapped up the American side of his Anger Management tour last week.

Not so good news for Steven Cojocaru, the red carpet guru. He says he`s in desperate search for kidney. The kidney that a friend of his donated had to be removed earlier this summer. That`s because it got infected with a virus.

He may have lost a kidney, but not his sense of humor. He says he`s looking to build up his fall wardrobe ahead of being on the red carpet for the MTV Video Music Awards. I look forward to seeing him there.

And another September 11th movie is in the works. "Flight 93" begins production October 1st and will chronicle what happened aboard Flight 93. It will be directed by the same guy who directed the "Bourne Supremacy." This is controversial. Universal becomes the third major studio to touch on a topic Hollywood tried to avoid.

And those are the "Hot Headlines" from Hollywood. Karyn, back to you in New York.

BRYANT: All right. Thank you very much, Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.

Now, you guys remember Mario Vazquez who suddenly quit "American Idol" last year? Well, wouldn`t you know it, he`s being managed by the same team behind Clay Aiken. Not only that, word is tonight that he signed a lucrative deal with legendary record executive Clive Davis and Davis` J Records.

Now, sources tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Vazquez is already in the studio recording tracks for an album set to release early next year.

HAMMER: Well, we got problems back here in the pit already, Karyn. Tonight, get ready for what might be the biggest reality show battle ever. And we do mean battle.

You remember that `70s television program, "Battle of the Network Stars." Now comes "Battle of the Network Reality Stars," premiering tonight on Bravo. You know the faces, you know the names. And they`re here live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Richard Hatch, of course, the very first winner of the very first season of "Survivor." Heidi Bressler appeared on the very first season of "The Apprentice." And who can forget "Average Joe," Adam Mesh. Already, as I said, we have issues going on.

Is there a possibility -- are you over here, Duffy, to give me a close-up of this?

So Richard already is smacking -- I don`t want to say smacking Heidi around, because that will come across round -- broke her bracelet.

RICHARD HATCH, "BATTLE OF THE NETWORK REALITY STARS": No, it was the other way around.

HEIDI BRESSLER, "BATTLE OF THE NETWORK REALITY STARS": It was the other way around.

HAMMER: Oh, you were hitting Richard?

BRESSLER: I was hitting Richard. And I broke my bracelet hitting him, because he`s so big.

HAMMER: So obviously, there was some tension maybe held over from the "Battle of the Network Reality TV Stars." A couple of questions for each of you.

And, Richard, first of all -- and I`ve got to ask this. I`m sure everybody`s been asking you this throughout, talking about this show -- you remain clothed through the entire shooting of this program?

HATCH: I plead the Fifth.

HAMMER: People will have to tune in and see, to see if you`re pixilated or not?

HATCH: Absolutely. You know, we`re all naked under our clothes. And sometimes things happen.

HAMMER: And to be clear, Richard, of course, was naked predominantly throughout that season of the "Survivor" show. Now, did Richard get sort of special treatment? Was he treated with any kind of reverence, like the big celebrity on campus? Because he won a million bucks...

BRESSLER: Oh, please, no, get out of here, please. But actually, I got to learn from Richard. I got to learn a lot from him.

HAMMER: Really? Like, what`s one thing you learned from Richard Hatch?

BRESSLER: How to be really be sneaky in this game, and observe people, and create alliances. And don`t say anything, because you did teach me.

HATCH: No, "Battle of the Network Stars" was a little different. It was the `70s. "Battle of the Network Reality Stars" tonight has 17 different competitions, but also behind-the-scenes stuff. Us reality people have a lot going on behind the scenes, and so they incorporated into the show.

HAMMER: Were you finding the sneakiness and the back stabbing -- did it suck you in, Adam, did it just pull you in?

ADAM MESH, "BATTLE OF THE NETWORK REALITY STARS": You know, as it got later in the game, it definitely did, because people are so sneaky that you don`t realize that they`re like into the game. They`d be like, "Oh, I don`t really care about this thing," and then behind your back will be like...

HATCH: Some of them don`t realize.

MESH: You know, Richard impressed me. I see why he won "Survivor." He was skilled at everything.

HAMMER: Because I imagine the idea -- at first, it seems like, "Oh, yes, we`ll put a bunch of reality TV stars, no names and faces, on television doing these sporting events." But you guys really all have reputations of wanting to win.

BRESSLER: Yes. And the thing is, you can`t imagine. You really are going to have to watch the show, because you can`t imagine the drama that unfolds. It`s nuts.

HATCH: And it`s more than the physical challenges. There are lots of physical challenges, but there`s also this teams that might get voted off. There`s all kinds of crazy things that happen.

BRESSLER: Alliances...

(CROSSTALK)

HAMMER: Now, Heidi, you gained a little reputation yourself there on the "Apprentice" as maybe being a little bossy, maybe, you know, showing yourself as the one in control all the time. Did you have to knock some heads around...

(CROSSTALK)

BRESSLER: Don`t need to comment on this. All I can say is, watch it. You might be surprised on my personality.

HATCH: Look, she`s brash, but she`s got a good heart. And she`s smart. And that`s rare in these shows.

BRESSLER: Thank you, I am.

MESH: I think you`ve got to give the producers a lot of credit, because you go in there. I feel like all 32 people have the mindset, "I`m not going to get sucked into the drama and just going to play the sports." And everyone gets sucked into the drama. So, you know, they are creative in bringing it out, even for the experienced people.

HAMMER: And you, Mr. Average Joe, actually rumors floating around that you get quite intense. Are you a very competitive person?

MESH: Yes, I`m ultra-competitive.

HATCH: He`s seriously competitive.

BRESSLER: There are some funny moments of him, though.

MESH: It`s different competing, like, for sports than a girl. Like, I`m not competitive if 30 guys line up to go for a girl, but if there`s sports and prizes, yes. I`m as competitive as they come.

HATCH: Well, watch the big, fat, gay guy and him do it with...

(CROSSTALK)

MESH: Yes, we joust tonight.

HATCH: You watch.

BRESSLER: Watch me, too. I`m so good at it.

(LAUGHTER)

HAMMER: ... and Adam Mesh from "Average Joe." All right. I`m curious, I have to admit.

So, now that the reality television shows you each appeared on all behind you, give me the biggest lesson you learned being a part of that genre.

HATCH: You know, I didn`t learn a lot from the show itself. I feel great about coming into it, knowing who I am. And the biggest thing I could say to anybody, doing reality, know who you are before you get to the show.

BRESSLER: I would say just be humble, be aggressive, you know, go after what you want, and do not think that you`re going to be the next Tom Cruise or Julia Roberts.

HAMMER: OK, Adam?

MESH: I would probably just say keep your parents off the show as much as possible. If it`s just you, you`re fine. Once you bring your mom in, you know...

HAMMER: I think that would work out. Now, are you guys going to play nice? We`re going to send you back to the green room to hang out.

Heidi, I`m going to give you your bracelet. This is busted, by the way.

BRESSLER: You know what? And you also -- if you do not want to watch it on TV, you can go to Times Square. They`re playing it tonight at 9:00 p.m. on Bravo on the big jumbotron, so check it out.

HATCH: A.J., we`ll go play, but I don`t know about nice. Thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

HAMMER: Heidi Bressler, Adam Mesh, thank you for joining us. We appreciate it. The very first episode of the five episodes of "Battle of the Network Reality Stars" will premiere tonight on Bravo.

Well, here is a reality check for you. Will Michael Jackson have an impact on Supreme Court rulings? Sounds kind of weird. We`re going to figure out what that`s all about in the "Legal Lowdown," coming up next.

BRYANT: Plus, we had Mr. T on earlier. And next, we`ll have the creator of the "A Team," "Greatest American Hero," and a whole bunch of other hit `70s and `80s shows, Steven J. Cannell, live next.

HAMMER: And Kirstie Alley is really happy about her new weight loss, so is Jay Leno. So much so that he feels the earth move under his feet. See what we mean, coming up in "Laughter Dark."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Time now for the "Legal Lowdown."

Tonight, more on Supreme Court nominee John Roberts and Michael Jackson. Now, as we reported earlier on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, recently released White House documents showed Roberts had some harsh words against Michael Jackson. A White House lawyer at the time, Roberts advised President Reagan against writing a letter of praise for Jackson, which had been requested by the singer`s publicist.

Joining us live from Hollywood with the "Legal Lowdown" is "Celebrity Justice`s" Harvey Levin. Harvey is also an attorney.

Harvey, I love this one. And I have to refresh people. I want to read this quote, so we can dish about this. Roberts says, "I find the obsequious attitude of some members of the White House staff towards Mr. Jackson`s attendance and the fawning posture they would have the president of the United States adopt more than a little embarrassing."

What is your take on Roberts in this situation?

HARVEY LEVIN, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": Well, I mean, I think it`s fabulous. I mea, I do. I think it`s really remarkable that somebody 29 years old would have the cohones -- and really, he did -- to stand up to the whole White House staff.

It`s not even so much Reagan, but you have the whole White House bureaucracy fawning over Michael Jackson. And this guy`s saying, "You know what? This is wrong. I mean, you shouldn`t be doing this. We shouldn`t be using the government for this."

And what it kind of tells me -- and I know this sounds kind like you`re making a big point out of a trivial matter -- but it`s not really trivial. This is his -- he is own man. And it may be that this is kind of a mirror into who John Roberts is and how he would act as a Supreme Court justice.

But it doesn`t seem like John Roberts goes along with the crowd just because of convention. He seems to really think about what`s right and what`s wrong, and he follows his own path. And I think that makes him more predictable than we ever thought -- more unpredictable than we ever thought.

BRYANT: Yes, well, we`re talking about -- this was back in 1984. Michael Jackson`s playing some concerts in Washington, D.C. And he basically wants a pat-on-the-back letter from the president of the United States.

You know, like you said, this is some major cohones. Does this speak to how we can expect Roberts to act now? Is he going to be this brazen, this bold all the time?

LEVIN: I mean, I don`t think you get less bold with age. I mean, if he`s 29 years old and is willing to stand up the way he did -- really, and if you think about it, Michael Jackson was just at the height of his fame back then, and a lot of people just wanted his company.

And John Roberts was basically saying to all of these people, "You`re wrong, you`re out of line, you shouldn`t be doing this, you shouldn`t be doing it with the government." And I really do think it shows that this is kind of an independent guy.

And everybody who thinks they know what John Roberts will do on the Supreme Court, they may think about that again, because I think he is an unpredictable human being.

BRYANT: Michael Jackson hit with a $10,000 fine today. He`s in more trouble for something from years ago. Can you tell us?

LEVIN: Well, somebody is saying that he was sexually assaulted by Michael Jackson a long time ago, and the guy forgot about it, and he had his memory resurrected as a result of the most recent allegation.

But Jackson and his lawyer didn`t show up for a couple of court hearings, and the judge said, "You know what? I`m slapping you with a $10,000 fine." They`re trying to argue it was a clerical error. The judge did not buy it.

But I have to tell you: Michael Jackson has a rich history of being a no-show in court, and it could get mighty expensive if he continues to do it.

BRYANT: All right. Well, Harvey, that does it for us tonight. I`m drafting a letter to you right now to thank you for your participation.

LEVIN: Oh, you`re one of those.

(LAUGHTER)

BRYANT: Harvey Levin, thanks for joining us.

LEVIN: I`m one of those.

BRYANT: Yes, exactly. Have a good one.

HAMMER: In another "Showbiz Sit-down", Stephen J. Cannell. If you`re thinking, "I know that name, I`m not quite sure where from," well, take a look at this.

There it is, remember that guy? And he hasn`t aged a bit. That`s the man who gave us such television greats as "The Rockford Files," "Hunter," "The A Team," "The Greatest American Hero," among many others. But he`s also a best-selling author of 10 novels. And his latest work of fiction, "Cold Hit," draws from some very serious issues that affect us today.

Joining us live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Stephen J. Cannell, it`s a pleasure to meet you and have you here.

STEPHEN J. CANNELL, CREATOR, "GREATEST AMERICAN HERO": It`s so good to be here.

HAMMER: And that animation, your logo that`s at the end, first of all, how old is that?

CANNELL: Well, you know, I kept updating it...

HAMMER: Oh, you updated the image.

CANNELL: ... but the one that you just showed is probably about 15 years old.

HAMMER: And do people, when you`re walking down the street, say, "Aren`t you the guy from the thing with the thing?"

CANNELL: Or they say "Sit, Ubu, sit," because Gary Goldberg`s, you know, end credit was also very memorable, and so people kind of get them confused.

HAMMER: Very well. And were you actually typing anything there?

CANNELL: Nothing. It`s gibberish. It`s as fast as I could make it look like I could go, you know?

HAMMER: So Mr. T on the program just a short time ago.

CANNELL: Can you believe it? Can you believe it?

HAMMER: Of course, you created "The A Team." We were happy to reunite you guys, but as you told me backstage, you guys actually have stayed in touch.

CANNELL: Yes, we had lunch together a few months back. So, yes, he`s a great guy.

HAMMER: He`s like a walking party, that guy.

CANNELL: Isn`t he?

(LAUGHTER)

HAMMER: Do you have a favorite memory of him on the set?

CANNELL: My favorite memory of T was right after we signed to do the show. And this was actually before the show had actually been on the air. And we had all gone out to lunch together, and the whole cast.

And we were walking out of the restaurant. And T was sort of leading us. And all of a sudden, there were three cars coming down the street, and they just went into complete lock, you know, the brakes just -- laid rubber all down. They had people yelling, "Mr. T, Mr. T.!" And I thought, "Oh boy, I got a hit on my hands," because, you know, I had him in the show.

HAMMER: And now you`re going to take that hit and turn it into a movie. Can you give us the status? I`m having a hard time finding information. I figured I`ll go right to the source.

CANNELL: It`s in development. And we`re in -- we`ve got a first- draft screenplay in. And it`s good. And we`re working on, you know, notes for the second draft. And hopefully, within a short period of time, we`ll get the thing in front of the camera.

HAMMER: Give us some, like, hints on casting favorites? Do you have a short list for who would play Bosco Baracus?

CANNELL: Well, you know, it`s pretty hard to beat Mr. T, you know, but you know, we`ll see. It`s...

HAMMER: It`s too early in the game for that.

CANNELL: I mean, you know, we`re at a point where, you know, where we`re still just trying to work on the script.

HAMMER: A lot of television shows have been remade into movies with mixed success of the years, recently, of course, "Dukes of Hazzard." We had "Bewitched." Not blockbusters. They did OK their first weekend, and then they didn`t do so great. So what can you do with a show like the "A Team" to sort of transcend that, because you`re a prolific writer, and we expect great things from you?

CANNELL: Well, I think -- thanks for putting the pressure on, A.J...

(LAUGHTER)

But, you know, I think the answer to it is, you know, you just have to make the picture as well as you can possibly make it. And you know, when these have been done well, they have done pretty good business.

"The Fugitive" was a great movie with Harrison Ford, and that did good business. And I think "Maverick" did really good business with Mel Gibson playing Maverick. So, you know, I think if you stay true to the initial idea and don`t go way off into the weeds, which I think is where they make the mistake -- you know, if you look at "Wild, Wild West," they had mechanical spiders in it and stuff...

HAMMER: Right, right.

CANNELL: So I think, you know, as long as you do sort of what the show was -- you can re-hang it, and change it, but you can`t just destroy it.

HAMMER: Well, we love it when a plan comes together.

CANNELL: I do, too.

HAMMER: And I have to talk to you about this book. I can`t wait to start reading it. I just got my copy today. It deals with some issues that we are dealing with today.

It`s a murder mystery, but there`s -- let me see if I get this right - - a guy from Homeland Security who sort of undermines the investigation of the murder, invoking the Patriot Act. And it really calls into question if our rights as citizens are in jeopardy because of the Homeland Security and Patriot Act?

Is this a statement that you`re trying to make?

CANNELL: Well, you know, it was interesting. I started to research the counterterrorism bureau of the LAPD. And I went down there, and I kind of hung out for a while. And one of the things that I found out was that the Patriot Act did give law enforcement a lot of expanded power, so I thought, "OK, I`ll research it."

So I tried to read the act. It`s impossible to read, because it was written by politicians. And nobody could tell me what they liked or disliked about it. They all had opinions, but they couldn`t tell me specifically what it was.

So I had a law professor explain it to me. And what it really comes down to is that the new U.S. Patriot Act, in conjunction with FISA, which is the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which was actually passed in 1978, those two acts together pretty much erase the Fourth Amendment, which is your protection against illegal search and seizure.

HAMMER: So, basically, as it happens in this book, things can be squashed. And there`s no recourse, because the Patriot Act, the Homeland Security, it`s all...

CANNELL: That`s right. And the FISA court, which is a star chamber court of judges that keeps no record, so you can`t go in there and find out why they`ve granted a warrant against you. And there`s just a lot of things that, when you add them all together, you know, create this problem.

So what I did was I wrote a story where my central character, an LAPD sergeant, homicide sergeant, ends up running afoul of this Homeland Security chief, who is corrupt, and he uses these new powers against my Shane Scully. And it`s a good way to demonstrate what could happen to any of us if we get targeted incorrectly.

HAMMER: Calls a lot of real issues into question. And we appreciate you talking about it with us here tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

CANNELL: Thanks, A.J.

HAMMER: All right, Stephen J. Cannell. Sorry, I`ve been saying it wrong my whole life. I figured I`d do it...

CANNELL: As everybody else.

HAMMER: Stephen`s book, "Cold Hit," is on bookshelves now -- Karyn?

BRYANT: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." TV shows: Were they better in the `80s? Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. You can write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your e-mails are coming up in just a couple minutes.

HAMMER: Kirstie Alley jumps for joy, but Jay Leno brings her back down to earth. See what we mean in tonight`s "Laughter Dark." It`s coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

With a show called "Fat Actress," Kirstie Alley has proven she`s not afraid to address issues about her weight. Apparently, neither are the writers at the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. Take a look at this in "Laughter Dark."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Hey, have you seen Kirstie Alley lately?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

LENO: She looks great. She lost 45 pounds. She looks great. She`s doing a new ad for Jenny -- but you know, she still has a way to go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really?

LENO: You don`t want to just stay on this. She still has a way to go. Did you see her new add?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I haven`t seen it, man.

LENO: Take a look.

KIRSTIE ALLEY, ACTRESS: Oh, Jenny, your program is way more fun than when I did it years ago. (INAUDIBLE) Your food is so yummy. I have boundless energy. Oh, yes, have you called Jenny, yet? Call her. It`s fun.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Such a fine line between funny and mean. Well, we have been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." TV shows: Were they better in the `80s?

Sixty-nine percent of you say yes, they were; 31 percent of you say no, they weren`t.

Let`s see what some of you had to say. Scott from California writes, "It wasn`t an event to watch shows like `Dynasty` and `The Golden Girls.` People stayed home so they wouldn`t miss them." Oh, it was an event. I got that wrong.

And Zuzu from Georgia writes, "Heck, yes, they were. I pity the fool who disagrees."

You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight tonight. At first I said it was better.

HAMMER: Was better, OK.

Time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.

BRYANT: Let`s take a look at the "Showbiz Marquee." Marquee Guy, take it away.

MARQUEE GUY: Tomorrow, smile, you`re on Howie camera. Comedian Howie Mandel goes undercover and blends comedy with reality. What will we uncover? Find out tomorrow, when Howie Mandel is live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Also tomorrow, who will be the next Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, or Carrie Underwood. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is in San Francisco for the tryouts of the fifth season of "American Idol." But will your heart break? Will you be heart broken if you try out? We have the answers.

Find out tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is the Marquee Guy today. And I left my heart in San Francisco.

BRYANT: That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.

END

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