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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT

Showbiz Tonight for August 18, 2005, CNNHN

Aired August 18, 2005 - 19:00:00   ET

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


A.J. HAMMER, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: I`m A.J. Hammer.
KARYN BRYANT, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: And I`m Karyn Bryant. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the face of the antiwar movement, grieving mother Cindy Sheehan, camping outside President Bush`s ranch. Now, Hollywood races to her side to force the president to meet with her. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the stars for Cindy.

HAMMER (voice-over): He plays a terrorist on the big screen so often, his young daughter thinks that he may really be a terrorist. Tonight, is Hollywood typecasting Arabs as the villain du jour? How one actor`s career feeds the image and helps him fight it.

BRYANT: Desperate for a dream. As auditions begin for the next season of "American Idol," SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, at what price? Tonight, the inside story on why trying to be an "American Idol" isn`t all glitz and glamour.

MR. T, ACTOR: Hey, I`m Mr. T. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. Tonight, celebrities rush to the side of the woman many are calling the Rosa Parks of the antiwar movement.

HAMMER: Of course, we`re talking about Cindy Sheehan, a grieving mother whose son was killed in the Iraq war, who has stirred many with her vigil against the war and is now getting Hollywood involved. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer joins us live with more.

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN HEADLINE NEWS CORRESPONDENT: A.J. and Karyn, in the 12 days that Cindy Sheehan has been camping out in front of President Bush`s ranch, the media have been paying very close attention. In that time, she`s been mentioned in TV news broadcasts more than 20,000 times. And many have listened to her message, as tens of thousands of supporters took part in vigils across America, including celebrities. It`s literally a cause celebre.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): It`s her deep sense of grief that speaks volumes to many Americans.

CINDY SHEEHAN, SON DIED IN IRAQ: I`ll never get to see him again. I`ll never get to hear his voice again.

HAFFENREFFER: She mourns the loss of her 24-year-old son who was killed in the Iraq war.

SHEEHAN: This is about flesh and blood.

HAFFENREFFER: Last night outside President Bush`s ranch in Crawford, Texas, she held vigil, just as she`s been doing for nearly two weeks. She`s being called the Rosa Parks of the antiwar movement.

SHEEHAN: This is what we`re here for. We don`t want to see any more of these coming home to their families.

HAFFENREFFER: She wants President Bush to withdraw troops from Iraq.

And around the country last night, similar vigils in Washington, North Carolina, Tennessee, more than 1,600 vigils organized from coast to coast, inspired by Sheehan.

PATRICK ROGERS, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: People who are against that war have found in Cindy a figurehead, a grieving mother, someone that they can organize around.

HAFFENREFFER: And in Los Angeles, another vigil, horns honking their support, and celebrities lined up with their own messages of support for Cindy.

RICHARD DREYFUSS, SUPPORTS CINDY SHEEHAN: Her courage is enormous. And I think that she allows people to begin to focus their opposition to what has been going on for the past couple of years.

ED BEGLEY, JR., SUPPORTS CINDY SHEEHAN: I just want to turn out support of Cindy Sheehan, you know, who lost her son. It`s tragic, and she`s in a lot of pain, and we to show our solidarity for her.

ED ASNER, SUPPORTS CINDY SHEEHAN: You are so simple, direct, honest, marvelous. And no one has walked the line the way you have. No one has surrendered so much of her personal life.

HAFFENREFFER: And it is her personal life that is now in shambles.

ROGERS: The story of Cindy Sheehan is much more than the story of one mother in grief. It`s also a family completely in crisis. Her husband has filed for divorce. He has said that he and their three surviving children, because they have three college-aged kids.

For them, it`s like they`ve lost their son, their brother, and now they`ve lost their mom.

HAFFENREFFER: There are also many Americans who are against Cindy`s antiwar movement, saying she`s anti-patriotic, unsupportive of the troops, and then there`s all that media attention.

ROGERS: It`s become more about Cindy, "Look at me here in front of the cameras." She has already met with President Bush once. She wants to meet again. Some people aren`t that sympathetic with that.

HAFFENREFFER: And while President Bush is sympathetic to her plight, he has made no move to meet with her. But for thousands of Americans, Cindy Sheehan is a symbol of America`s antiwar movement.

JOSH LUCAS, SUPPORTS CINDY SHEEHAN: Cindy Sheehan has become basically the Rosa Parks of the antiwar movement, in a sense. She`s reignited it and put it out there in a way that, I think, hopefully there will be a profound build in terms of how many people no longer support this war. It takes, you know, a mother to start that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues to follow this story. Cindy Sheehan is on her way back home now. Her mother had a stroke today. Sheehan will temporarily tend to her. She told reporters that, if she can, she`ll be back. The crowds and celebrities remain -- Karyn?

BRYANT: Thank you very much, David Haffenreffer.

Well, what David just reported got us thinking, and now we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Celebrity protesters: Do they make a difference? You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight. You can send e-mails to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll put some of those e-mails on the air later in the show.

HAMMER: Tonight, a look at Hollywood, terrorism, and the actors chosen to play terrorists. Some Arab-American actors are fed up having to play terrorist du jour. They say they`ve had enough of playing the bad guy. And they say they`re betraying who they are, their people, and that`s all for the sake of achieving their own personal dream.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas joins us now from Hollywood with one such story -- Sibila?

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That`s right, A.J. As you know, in Hollywood action films these days, the bad guys are usually terrorists, more likely they`re Arab. That`s not an image that fits too well with many Arab-Americans. I sat down with one Hollywood tough guy who`s trying to change all of that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS (voice-over): Sayed Badreya loves his adopted country...

SAYED BADREYA, ACTOR: America. I love America.

VARGAS: ... his children...

BADREYA: I`m lucky. Very lucky.

VARGAS: ... and the Duke.

BADREYA: I watch John Wayne when I grow up.

VARGAS: The Egyptian-born actor is a big fan of the USA, but onscreen he couldn`t be more anti-American. Because of his Arabic looks, Hollywood most often casts him in the role of a terrorist.

That`s him in "The Insider" and "True Lies." He`s a Muslim hijacker in "Executive Decision." He`s played terrorists so often it made an impression on his young daughter.

BADREYA: The teacher ask my daughter, what your father do for a living? And you know, he asked all the kids. And someone said, "My father is a doctor." "My father is an engineer." And he came to Julia. And she said, "My father hijack airplane," which all the movie I am in, I`m having a gun and I`m hijacking an airplane.

VARGAS: During the Cold War, Hollywood cast Russians as villains, as in "Rocky IV." It was Nazis during World War II. Think of "Casablanca." With terrorism constantly in the news, Hollywood`s villains of the moment are Arabs.

But well before terrorism became a national concern, Hollywood depicted Arabs negatively. Consider "Raiders of the Lost Ark," or the Sheikh from the silent era.

JACK SHAHEEN, AUTHOR, "REEL BAD ARABS": The Arab-Muslim stereotype is as solid as a prehistoric rock. It has not bent. It has been there decades before 9/11, and it persists today.

VARGAS: Badreya prepares for his latest audition. The role? An Arab who plots to kill the president.

(on-screen): And here again, you`re playing a terrorist.

BADREYA: My conscience is saying, "Hey, big guy, you`re doing the wrong thing."

VARGAS (voice-over): Badreya says he doesn`t mind playing terrorists, but he`d like to improve the image of Arabs by playing some good guys, too.

He`s developing a feature film cause "American East," which he says will offer a more balanced view of Arab-Americans. It will star Badreya`s friend, Tony Shalhoub, which is of Lebanese descent.

TONY SHALHOUB, ACTOR, "MONK": A lot of these constant negative, you know, images, negative portrayals are not helping. You know, we`re trying to offset that.

VARGAS: Shalhoub and Badreya have started a program to fund movies by Arab-American filmmakers. Badreya recently starred in a student film by an Iraqi-American director playing the kind of three-dimensional Arab character rarely seen in Hollywood films.

BADREYA: So here, I don`t have to say, "I kill you," or "In the name of God." I get real emotional. I cry, a big Arabic man. You know, this is good.

VARGAS: He worked on that film for free. But to feed his family and to bankroll movies that would improve the image of Arab-Americans, Badreya needs a paying job. That may mean playing another Arab terrorist in a Hollywood movie, something he knows would harm the image of people like him.

(on-screen): Do you ever feel like you`re sort of, you know, selling your soul to the devil?

BADREYA: All of the time. All of the time, but you know something? To make my movie, I can deal with the devil. To tell my story, I can deal with the devil. I can lie, and (INAUDIBLE) as he does it to me. It`s life. It`s America.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: Even though Sayed has taken on two more terrorist roles since our interview, he`s still hopeful and looking for those good guy roles. He also told me that his "American East" project just got financed and preproduction begins in September.

A.J.?

HAMMER: Sibila Vargas, see you in Hollywood. Thanks very much.

Well, tonight, real-life drama on the set of the soap opera "Guiding Light." An accident today led some of the show`s stars to get in quarantine. Firefighters and hazmat crews had to rush to the soap opera`s Manhattan studios after a dangerous chemical spill.

The emergency room set was being dressed for a dramatic, tear-jerker scene between Tammy and an unconscious Sandy, when a wall-mounted blood pressure device cracked, which spilled poisonous mercury. At least six cast members were quarantined, including Tom Pelphrey, who plays Jonathan. The E.R. set is off limits now until the mercury level is retested tomorrow.

BRYANT: And "Guiding Light" wasn`t the only hazardous set. Coming up, an accident during a shooting of "Desperate Housewives" and one of the housewives was rushed to the hospital. We`ll tell you what happened.

HAMMER: "American Idol" hopefuls line up the streets of San Francisco, vying for a shot at fame. Coming up next, the surprising story about what really happens when you try to get on that show.

BRYANT: Plus hip-hop, homosexuality, and why Kanye West is speaking out. Kanye, on gay-bashing and more, a little later on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Now time for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" great American pop culture quiz.

Why did the Cartoon Network air the same episode of "Screwy Squirrel" for a continuous 12 hours? Was it a bet that was lost? It was a technical glitch? To protest the senselessness? Or it was an April Fool`s prank?

We will be right back with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: Once again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly" great American pop culture quiz. Why did the Cartoon Network same air the same episode of "Screwy Squirrel" for a continuous 12 hours? A, a bet was lost. B, it was a technical glitch. C, to protest senseless, it was an April Fool`s prank.

Well, the answer is d. It was a prank.

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.

Tonight, another onset accident. Desperate housewife Eva Longoria is recovering now after being rushed to the hospital. The actress, who, of course, plays conniving adulteress Gabrielle Solis, was struck in the head by a pole. It happened while she was shooting a jail scene on location in Pasadena, California. Longoria suffered a bump on the head. She was treated and released from a nearby hospital. And she`s expected to be back at work as scheduled.

BRYANT: Warm up those vocal cords and get in line. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes you to the auditions for "American Idol 5." "Idol" hopefuls camped out outside the Cow Palace Theatre in San Francisco today, hoping for a chance to face Simon, Paula and Randy. Prospective contestants are asked to prepare one song, a capella, so it is all about the voice, without the help of musical accompaniment.

So what better way to pass time in line than to practice?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I ain`t no holla back girl! I ain`t no holla back girl!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Summertime and the living is easy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: "American Idol 5" continues auditions in Austin, Boston, Memphis, Denver and Chicago.

So, what can the "Idol" hopefuls expect from the show? And is "Idol" fame a blessing or a curse? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is getting some answers for you. We turn to Elysa Gardner from "USA Today," who joins live tonight here in New York.

So, Elysa, what are they really signing up for when they get in line and hope to get on this show?

ELYSA GARDNER, "USA TODAY": Well, we just did a story at "USA Today" about "American Idol" and these auditions coming up. And there tends to be a feeling among some in the music industry, particularly musicians that I`ve spoken with, that "Idol" and the trends the music industry reflects is less about the making of new stars and more about the sustaining of older star-makers.

In other words, sometimes the people behind the scenes tend to have a little more to gain, may exert a little more control. If you think about the stars of "American Idol," you really think about Simon Cowell, the other judges, and Simon Fuller behind the scenes, and other producers and businessmen who basically are involved with the making of these albums, once the kids win.

BRYANT: Well, Mario Vasquez dropped out of the last one. Recently we heard he signed deal with J Records. There was talks that the contracts are so binding that this is a reason people might want to be a little bit wary.

GARDNER: Yes. I`m not a lawyer, and I don`t want to hear from any after the show. So I shouldn`t and I can`t really comment on the contracts.

But I did speak to a couple of lawyers who said that, because the entertainment company, Simon Fuller`s entertainment company, there are several different arms of it, licensing, recording, management, that they are all sort of interrelated, that that could present a conflict of interest.

Now, according to 19 Entertainment, this is not the case. They allow autonomy. But the debate goes on. You know, it depends on who you talk to, I guess.

BRYANT: Well, one of the elements of the show is they say, "Lisa, you got the gig. You`re going to Hollywood." So walk us through -- what`s a day like in Hollywood once they get there?

GARDNER: Oh, god. Well, from what I`ve heard from talking to a couple of producers and musicians, it`s tough. But, you know, in all fairness, it`s tough when you`re getting started out in show business for any kid.

And it`s a really grueling schedule these kids are on, but, you know, they know that when they sign up, and I would imagine that`s part of the excitement.

BRYANT: I would think so. And so you think, out of any of the winners, do you think any of them regret having done the show?

GARDNER: Oh, gosh. I don`t know. I have to say, I found it interesting that I couldn`t get any of the winners or runners-up to talk to me for the article. So there is a stigma attached to "Idol," but, you know, if you can`t transcend that, like many feel that Kelly Clarkson is now on her way to possibly doing that.

BRYANT: Then it`s not so bad. Clay Aiken`s doing pretty well for himself, too, and he didn`t even win.

GARDNER: Yes, he`s not doing bad.

BRYANT: Well, thank you, Elysa Gardner, for joining us from "USA Today."

GARDNER: Thanks for having me.

HAMMER: Well, it is time now for Thursday "InStyle." And tonight, we`re taking a look at the looks that make this fall fashionable. And I know what I`m talking about. From billowing skirts to empire waists, September "InStyle" has fashion covered.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAL RUBENSTEIN, "INSTYLE" MAGAZINE: Everybody has daydreams about how they sort of dress themselves. And usually, in that daydream, you know, the woman is standing on the promontory, and the wind is sort of whistling, you know, through her hair, and the dress is billowing behind her.

Well, this is the dress that she would wear. There`s a great sense of fantasy about billowy clothes. One of the things, also, that billowy clothes reminds you of is that sort of `60s, a little bit sort of hippie, you know, free love, free (INAUDIBLE) and the Sandra Bullock tunic top has just sort of perfectly encapsulates that.

We say, "Don`t be afraid of the dark." Except for several seasons now, all of the clothes have been sort of happy, hippie colors. They`re great, but I think it`s almost like get eating too much strawberry ice cream.

And so for fall, the colors have gotten darker, much more related to gemstones, great deep sapphires and cleric red, or even garnet, and just great, deep emerald green.

You take an actress like Kristen Scott Thomas. Here`s a woman who walks in like the camera belongs on her.

Women spend a ridiculous amount of money on bags. The sky seems to be the limit, probably for the reason that, whether you`re a size 6 or a size 16, every woman can love, covet and the own the same bag. Also, I think bags and great accessories really do define outfits. And the bag, I think, is the most visible accessory that a woman can carry.

You don`t have to make a bag work. That`s the -- all you have to do is carry the bag. It`s kind of like a faultless accessory.

The royal highness, we`re going for this regal bearing for this fall. And the empire gown brings all of the attention up. It doesn`t define the waist. It doesn`t really define the hips. It`s all about the breasts, so you better be confident about your breasts.

But in the ability for all that fabric to flow, that sort of great sort of cascading effect. Sarah Jessica Parker is a very uniquely beautiful woman. You take somebody who looks this unique, and you put them in almost like fairytale kind of gown.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: For more on the new fall looks, grab your copy of "InStyle" magazine on newsstands now. So it`s "empire" waists?

BRYANT: It`s "empire" waist.

HAMMER: It`s not on "empire" waist?

BRYANT: It`s not an "empire" waist. Nice try.

Well, coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we`ve got your guide to online music. Exclusive access to the tunes and how you can catch an animated band on tour.

HAMMER: We`ll deal with that in a moment. Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s exclusive interview with Eric Clapton. Why the legendary rocker is fascinated by addiction and paranoid about politicians.

BRYANT: Also, new trouble for Michael Jackson, including another sex- focused lawsuit. Is the King of Pop in trouble again? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the answers in tonight`s "Legal Lowdown." That`s still to come.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s time now for "The Showbiz Guide." Throughout the week, of course, we help you decide where to spend your hard-earned dollars on movies, DVDs, music and more.

Tonight, online music. Joining us here live in New York, editor of Billboard.com, Barry Jeckell.

So, Barry, I appreciate you stopping by.

BARRY JECKELL, EDITOR, BILLBOARD.COM: No problem.

HAMMER: Bon Jovi`s going to have a big fall season. They`re releasing their brand new CD "Have a Nice Day" on September 20th. I imagine they`re going to do it with a big online presence.

JECKELL: They are. Actually, the day before they`re going to have a -- they`re going to be the first band or artist of any kind to play the new Nokia Theater Times Square. It`s a brand new theater built, regutted, and completely refit in Times Square in New York. It`s going to be broadcast live on AOL.com. It`s also going to be broadcast live to movie theaters across the country, as well as on XM Satellite.

HAMMER: And this is a band that has also embraced new technology. So good for them. And of course, AOL subscribers will be able to check that out.

JECKELL: Subscribers will, but also AOL.com is bringing a lot of this content out to everyone. So just about anybody can see it.

HAMMER: OK. So once again, that is AOL.com. Let`s talk about Rob Thomas. He`s also on tour this fall. And fans can actually get hooked up online. Where do they go?

JECKELL: Right. VH-1 is sponsoring his tour. His fall tour is going to kick off in October. And you can go to his -- not to his web site, but to vh1.com today and tomorrow only and buy tickets there before they go on sale to the general public.

HAMMER: OK. So it`s kind of like what they do with the fan clubs for a lot of artists on their web sites. That`s where you can your tickets first. In this case, they`re going through VH-1.

JECKELL: They`re going through VH-1, because VH-1 is the sponsor of the tour. It`s a big presence. They`re going to do a lot with them this time out.

HAMMER: All right, let`s talk about the group Gorillaz. These guys remain one of the most downloaded bands on iTunes. Some people unfamiliar with them. They`re basically a virtual band. You don`t see the actual members.

When you see their videos, you see these guys, the animated guys. And they`re going on tour in a virtual hotel. Can you explain what this is about, because it sounds cool?

JECKELL: The band is a cartoon creation. They were created Damon Albarn, of the band Blur, and Jamie Hewlett, who created the "Tank Girl" series.

And what`s going on, instead of taking this band out on tour, they previously toured behind a screen, that you can just see a silhouette of the band playing. This time, their virtual community, habbohotel.com, is going to host them. And you`re going to actually be able to -- while you interact -- these virtual people are going to interact with this virtual band.

HAMMER: OK. So once again, it`s habbohotel.com, h-a-b-b-o. It`s a cool web site. Checked it out today.

Barry Jeckell from Billboard.com, thank you for joining us.

JECKELL: Thanks for having me.

HAMMER: Appreciate it.

BRYANT: Still coming your way tonight, Kanye West, gay-bashing, and his high school torment. Startling comments about homosexuality from one of the world`s biggest rap stars, and we`ve got them, next.

HAMMER: Pretty woman Julia Roberts just got bumped up to dream girl. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your first look at Julia`s first on-camera gig since giving birth, and it happens to be with Dave Matthews.

BRYANT: Plus, it is "Candid Camera" meeting "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Crouching comedian Hidden Howie playing pranks on an unsuspecting public. Funnyman Howie Mandel joins us live for a "Showbiz Sit-down."

(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, the families of victims murdered by the BTK Killer are speaking out after today`s verdict. Dennis Rader was given 10 consecutive life sentences and won`t be eligible for parole until he`s 100. One of victims called Rader a "walking cesspool."

The mother who lost a son in Iraq and began protesting at President Bush`s Texas ranch 12 days ago is leaving for a while. Cindy Sheehan`s mother apparently suffered a stroke, so she left Camp Casey to be with her.

And we are getting news now about the condition of Coretta Scott King, widow of the late Martin Luther King, Jr., and the news isn`t so good. Doctors in Atlanta say Mrs. King has suffered a major stroke and a minor heart attack, but they say they`re optimistic she can recover, although she is currently not able to speak.

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

BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 31 minutes past the hour, I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: And I`m A.J. Hammer. You are watching TV`s only live entertainment news show. Tonight, we`re going to be getting into the "Legal Lowdown" about Michael Jackson, still in the news.

Of course, we thought it was all behind him when the child molestation trial was over. People are still coming after him left and right. Plus, he has mounting legal bills. Can he pay for them? We`re going to talk about that in just a bit.

BRYANT: And we`re also going to talk to Eric Clapton. Brooke Anderson spoke with Eric Clapton. You know, some musicians talk to everybody all the time. He`s really pretty quiet, and this is a very rare and exclusive interview. He`s going to talk about addiction and also why he doesn`t trust politicians. That`s Eric Clapton, coming up.

HAMMER: It is certainly a rare interview indeed. All that`s on the way. But first, we`re going to get up to speed on tonight`s "Hot Headlines" with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer -- David?

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN HEADLINE NEWS CORRESPONDENT: A.J. and Karyn.

Tonight, the BTK Killer has been sentenced, and the casting for the TV movie is already underway. This afternoon in Kansas, Dennis Rader was sentenced to 10 consecutive life terms for murders he confessed to from 1974 to 1991.

And according to "The Hollywood Reporter," CBS has cast Michael Michele from "ER" fame in a TV movie about the Bind, Torture, Kill serial killer, that is scheduled to air in the fall.

Antiwar protestor Cindy Sheehan may be leaving, but celebs are still supporting her. Stars showed up at a vigil in Los Angeles last night. They were lending support to Sheehan who lost a son in the war in Iraq. Sheehan has camped out in front of President Bush`s ranch in Crawford, Texas, for 12 days now, but is leaving to tend to her mother who suffered a stroke. She hopes to return soon.

And tonight, Margot Kidder is a U.S. citizen, and she says she`s supporting Cindy Sheehan. The actress, who played Lois Lane in the "Superman" movies, was naturalized today in Butte, Montana. Kidder says she wanted to be a U.S. citizen so she can oppose the war in Iraq and not being risked being deported to her native Canada.

And those are your "Hot Headlines" -- A.J.?

HAMMER: All right, David, thanks very much. That last story leads us to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day," which we`ve been asking you to vote on. Celebrity protesters: Do they make a difference?

You want to sound off? Please do. Go to CNN.com/showbiztonight. Got something more to say? We want your e-mail, as well. Our address is showbiztonight@CNN.com. We will share some of what you have to say at 54 past the hour.

BRYANT: Tonight, Kanye West has some very strong words for the hip- hop community: Stop gay-bashing. The rapper, who won a Grammy for his debut album, "The College Dropout," says he wants America to stop discriminating against homosexuals.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KANYE WEST, GRAMMY-WINNING HIP-HOP ARTIST: Everybody in hip-hop discriminates against gay people. To me, like, that`s one of the standards of hip-hop, is it, "Yo, you fag, you`re gay." Matter of fact, the exact opposite word of hip-hop, I think, is gay.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Well, West also says that he was made fun of in high school, because he mimicked some physical characteristics of his mother, like putting hands on his hip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEST: Everybody in high school be like, "Yo, you`re acting like a fag. You acting like, dog, you gay?" And I used to deal with that when I was in high school. And what happened is, it made me kind of like homophobic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: It`s good to hear that kind of honesty. And you can hear more from Kanye on "All Eyes on Kanye West," which airs tonight on MTV.

HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you part two of our rare and exclusive interview with rock legend Eric Clapton. Clapton, known for his hits like "Layla" and "Wonderful Tonight," sat down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, and he opened up about the losses that he`s suffered, drug addiction, and his distrust of politicians.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You`ve dealt with a lot, from childhood on. You`ve lost a lot of great friends. How has that shaped your music and who you are as a person?

ERIC CLAPTON, MUSICIAN: Well, to a certain extent, it`s made me a little callous. I`ve been saying good-bye to musicians all my life. In the early days when I didn`t understand the nature of life, I would get very angry and bitter and, you know, and then make it about me.

And of course, it isn`t like that. It`s just the nature of our existence, is the -- it`s a constant saying good-bye to people.

ANDERSON: You have opened crossroads, the Crossroads Center in Antigua, drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. A lot of musicians go through trying times and overcome, but they don`t all open rehabilitation facilities.

CLAPTON: I`ve always wanted to give something back. And I kind of -- I`m interested in the whole phenomenon, too. I mean, addiction is almost as interesting to me as an issue as music is.

I mean, I find it very fascinating, the common traits that you find in people that suffer from one addiction or another. You know, there are a lot of things that we all -- and it is kind of like a disease.

ANDERSON: A lot of celebrities are bothered by certain things, like the paparazzi. Is there anything that bothers you about the position you`re in?

CLAPTON: I think people with cameras can be very disrespectful. I find, you know, when I come out of the elevator in a hotel, generally speaking, people try to get in before you get out. They don`t let -- I mean, that`s about the same as someone pointing a camera at you without asking you.

I just think it`s -- I mean, when you work on that level of civility, once that starts to erode, everything else goes very quickly.

ANDERSON: A lot of people who, you know, are in public positions do speak out on politics and their feelings, but you...

CLAPTON: God bless him, I love Bob Geldof. But if I was going to be like Bob, if I was going to try and -- I`d have to give everything else up.

For me, that`s my nature. I can`t try and balance the two. I`m not really very political, I must admit. I find it all very confusing. I don`t trust any politicians at all. I think there are always agendas that we`re not made aware of. I think there are people behind the scenes.

ANDERSON: Cream, you guys reunited in May. How did it feel, and why did you guys want to do that?

CLAPTON: The question that kept nagging me was, if you don`t do it now, when will you be able to do it, because we`re not going to live forever? We enjoyed it, you know, and it worked. And people were entertained. They came and had a good time.

We`ll probably do it again. In fact, we`re planning to do it again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Clapton actually said he hopes the next Cream reunion happens sometime this fall, which would be one heck of a show to see. His brand- new solo album is called "Back Home." It`s going to drop on August 30th. Clapton told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that the disc is all about his new family and the positive place he has found in his life and in his heart.

BRYANT: Michael Jackson`s new legal troubles. And how will he pay for the trial he just won? That is coming up in "The Legal Lowdown," and that`s live.

HAMMER: Plus, comedian Howie Mandel`s life imitating art, or maybe it`s the other way around? Well, he`s happy to tell you about it. It`s his new show. But we`ll tell you why he won`t shake his hand. Howie Mandel, live, coming up next.

And from "Pretty Woman" to "Dreamgirl," Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts` returns to the screen. We`ve got your first look in our "Showbiz Showcase."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Time now for "The Legal Lowdown." Tonight, Michael Jackson, the latest allegations against him, and how he`s going to pay his mounting legal bills. As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been reporting, Jackson was slapped with a $10,000 fine for not appearing in a New Orleans court to face new charges of sexual assault.

The accuser says Jackson assaulted him in a limo at the World`s Fair back in 1984. But the King of Pop`s troubles don`t stop there. He`s still got plenty of legal bills to write checks for from that last trial. Joining us live from Hollywood to help us sort it all out in "Legal Lowdown," investigative journalist, Pat Lalama.

Let`s talk about this first case, or the latest one against him, Pat. This is something that`s being alleged to have happened 21 years ago. Where`s this going, and what can we expect in the coming weeks?

PAT LALAMA, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": Well, you know, it`s hard to tell. I think it behooves any good journalist or any good lawyer to really dissect facts here.

On the one hand, I would never undermine the legitimacy of the repressed memory issue. I think people do suddenly remember traumatizing events of their lives.

However, you know, there`s a lot of people who say, "Well, let me see if I can get my 15 minutes, and get in there, and go after Mr. M.J. and see what I can get."

So at first, I`m a little skeptical, but I won`t denounce it as not true. But what I think we need to tell the world, my dear, is that don`t you know that the Constitution was amended to say that Michael Jackson is above the law? He doesn`t have to show up for these things, don`t you know?

In his mind, he`s above the law. And my feeling is that, after he beat the molestation charges, what`s a little piddly subpoena to show up in court? He doesn`t care. Don`t let him fool you. It wasn`t a clerical error. He just doesn`t care. And what are they going to do to him? You know, as far as he`s concerned, he`s more invincible than ever.

HAMMER: Well, they slapped him with a little fine. And you bring up a very good point.

You know, a lot of people, regardless of what we may think happened in the last case, a lot of people go after Michael Jackson all of the time. Let`s take a quick look at what Jackson family attorney Brian Oxman said on the "NANCY GRACE" program last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN OXMAN, JACKSON FAMILY ATTORNEY: He`s an incredible phenomena. The result of that is, is that he`s attracted a lot of litigation and a lot of lawsuits during his career. And people, well, just as Jimmy Durante used to say, "Everybody wants to get into the act."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: So, basically, they have to deal with weeding through all of these people who are going after him. Let`s talk about the money issue, because he still has all these bills stacked up from the last trial.

Can you shed some light for us on how he gets billed? Do the bills just show up Tom Mesereau`s desk, and Tom sends them to Michael Jackson`s home? I mean, how does it all work out? And how much do you think he owes?

LALAMA: He leaves them at the guard gate and says, "Please have him send me a check." No, I think this is what happens. I mean, clearly, Thomas Mesereau is a phenomenal lawyer and needs no publicity, and you know that. I mean, the guy is just amazing. I have lots of respect for him.

Having said that, I think a lot of times in these big, big criminal cases there`s a certain quid pro quo. "Look, Michael, you know, I can help you, but what you`re going to do for me is make me globally famous," and that`s what`s happened.

I`m not saying that Thomas Mesereau has forgiven the entire debt, but I`ll bet you dollars to doughnuts that there`s a little bit, "Well, I`ll kind of turn the other way right now because I`m basking in the glory of having won this. Everybody knows my name."

And I`m not saying Thomas is the kind of guy who needs that attention -- he`s not -- but let`s just face it. Who doesn`t know his name now? And I think a lot of big criminal defense attorneys, even not so big, are happy to maybe do a little exchange, "I`ll help you, and I`m going to get the publicity."

HAMMER: Yes, exactly.

LALAMA: But can I tell you very quickly, the last meeting that was held amongst all his managers, financial advisers, gurus, whomever else, I counted 23 different people. These are high-priced managers.

(CROSSTALK)

HAMMER: Yes. Regardless of what Thomas Mesereau is doing, Michael`s got a lot of bills to settle.

LALAMA: He`s got a lot of debt, and he`s not very cash-happy right now.

HAMMER: No, he`s not. We`re going to have to wrap it up there, Pat. I`m sorry, we`re out of time right now.

LALAMA: OK, no problem.

HAMMER: We appreciate you helping us out today. Investigative journalist Pat Lalama from Hollywood. Thanks a lot -- Karyn?

BRYANT: Well, this just in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Eminem is in rehab. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just confirmed that the rapper is being treated for dependency on sleeping medication. Eminem`s record company, Interscope, says he`s under doctor`s care. No word on how long he`ll be there.

Earlier this week, Eminem did cancel his European tour because of exhaustion and, quote, "other medical issues." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will, of course, continue to follow the story and bring you any updates.

Moving on to something a little different. Tonight, in a "Showbiz Sitdown," Howie Mandel. Years ago, he cracked us up on "Make Me Laugh," and then proved he had acting chops as Dr. Wayne Fiscus on the Emmy award- winning drama hit, "Saint Elsewhere." And now he`s taking his goofball comedy to a new Bravo show.

Is it OK to call it goofball? It`s kind of fun.

HOWIE MANDEL, COMEDIAN: Sure.

BRYANT: Taking it to Bravo television in a new show called, "Hidden Howie: The Private Life of a Public Nuisance." Joining us live now, the public nuisance, Howie Mandel.

Thank you for coming tonight.

MANDEL: Oh, it`s my pleasure. It`s great to be here. I`m a goofball. It`s premiering tonight at 11:00 on Bravo.

BRYANT: OK.

MANDEL: And it`s my real life, you know that?

BRYANT: That`s what I wanted to talk about. Set us up, because...

MANDEL: That`s what I wanted to talk about.

BRYANT: Isn`t that cool that you`re here? I love that.

MANDEL: It`s so amazing. I do these hidden camera pieces that you may have seen on the "Tonight Show" and "Regis." But I do them all of the time. I`m a little obsessive and compulsive about things.

I have these glasses with a camera in them, and I go annoy people from coast to coast. And sometimes you see them on TV, but you don`t see the results. People always say, "Did that guy get mad?"

Well, there are restraining orders. There`s embarrassment. I have family. And I thought, that would be a great idea for a show.

So my family, my son`s actually in it. You see the hidden camera. The people are real. They don`t know that they`re part of a sitcom. And you see the results.

BRYANT: All right. Well, actually, and we want to take a look at a clip -- and this is the case where you went into a store and said you were looking for a doll because you wanted to raise your son to be gay?

MANDEL: I had bought, in real life -- this is a true story -- I bought my son something. He had something. And my friends said that you shouldn`t buy that, because it could make him gay, which I thought was ridiculous, but a great idea. It inspired me for a piece to do for the "Tonight Show." So I went into a toy store to try to buy -- this is a real person. She doesn`t know that it`s a hidden camera. Watch this. I tried to buy a doll.

BRYANT: All right. Let`s check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANDEL: Oh, no problem. I have a 15-year-old son, and I`m looking for dolls that would be appropriate for him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

MANDEL: We`re trying to do, my wife and I, is we`re trying to raise him gay. You know, he`s not gay now, but I want to give him a doll that would make him gay.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Now, what I find amazing is that people go along with this stuff.

MANDEL: You know, if you`d let that play, she does help me. And apparently there is a doll, if you out there -- and this is great that we`re on CNN, to inform people -- if you have a child that you would like to raise gay, there is a doll for that.

Who knew? Who knew? So people are helpful. But there`s always -- and it`s also funny, because it also shows the trouble that I get into and how it affects my wife. My wife in the show is played by Julie Warner, who isn`t actually my wife. But everyone else is real. She`s a fine actress.

BRYANT: So tell me about this restraining order.

MANDEL: I can`t talk about where it`s from, but I did -- I`ll give you an example of one of the things that I did. Not too long ago, I`m playing Vegas, and I thought it would be funny to be the men`s room attendant, because I find that an awkward job to begin with. And I can`t even shake hands, let alone work a men`s room.

BRYANT: Oh, by the way, I brought you a wipey.

MANDEL: I don`t want to touch it.

BRYANT: Are you sure?

MANDEL: Yes, anyway...

BRYANT: You won`t even touch the wipey?

MANDEL: No, I have to bring my own. But the point is, I`m in the men`s room, and I`m wearing the glasses. They don`t know it`s me. And I have the red vest on. And I have towels. And I had my 12-year-old little girl with me with a plate of muffins.

BRYANT: Oh.

MANDEL: Yes, that`s what people said when they came in, to see the bathroom attendant with a little girl. And I explained, "It`s bring-your- daughter-to-work day," which I thought was funny, but my wife didn`t, so the tape`s not in.

But tonight at 11:00, see the shenanigans that ensue. "Hidden Howie: The Private Life of a Public Nuisance."

BRYANT: All right, now I want to talk about this quickly, the fact that you won`t take a wipey. You really do have OCD, is that true?

MANDEL: I have a real case of OCD. I really do. And I just -- I have an issue with my hands. I can hug. Do you want a hug?

BRYANT: I`ll take a hug.

MANDEL: I`ll hug, but I can`t shake hands.

BRYANT: Thank you.

MANDEL: Yes, finish the -- go ahead. I`m not letting go.

BRYANT: OK. We`re going to wrap it up, Howie. Thank you for coming, and good luck with the show.

MANDEL: My pleasure.

BRYANT: Yes. It`s called "Hidden Howie: The Private Life of a Public Nuisance" on Bravo. It`s on Mondays, but you can catch it tonight, as well -- A.J.?

HAMMER: I`ll hold the door open for you on your way out there.

MANDEL: Thanks for having me.

HAMMER: Well, in tonight`s "Showbiz Showcase," Julia Roberts returns to the screen as Dave Matthews` "Dreamgirl." Roberts is the star of Matthews` brand-new video, "Dreamgirl." This is her first filmed role since she gave birth to her twins last year. And here`s your first look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Big surprise there, she looks fantastic. Roberts shot the video earlier this summer in New York City. The single for the song will be out next week.

BRYANT: Well, Dove`s recent real women ads for a firming cream are generating a lot of buzz. Here`s one of the ads. Now, as you can see, as I hug, Dove decides to use everyday, non-model types in their campaign. Well, last night on "Late Night with Conan O`Brien," Conan explained why he feels this ad is unethical.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONAN O`BRIEN, HOST, "LATE NIGHT": Others hate it, saying they don`t want to see a 12-foot billboard of a chunky woman in her underwear. They`re mad about it.

Personally, I despise these ads, not because of the women`s weight. I just think these ads are sexist, because I know a lot of guys who could use firming cream. Am I right, ladies? I think I`m on to something.

You know, where are the ads for the guys? Where are their ads? Tonight, we`re going to actually take a step. We`re going to correct this gender gap. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you now the Dove men.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Ah, that`s great.

HAMMER: Here`s your wipey back.

BRYANT: Thank you.

HAMMER: It`s time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." It has to do with celebrities supporting antiwar protestor Cindy Sheehan, who, of course, has been camped outside of President Bush`s Texas ranch until today. Celebrity protestors: Do they make a difference?

Vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight. Write us to at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`re going to read some of your e-mails live, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Celebrity protesters: Do they make a difference?

The vote so far, pretty one-sided: 20 percent of you say yes, they do; 80 percent of you say no, they don`t.

And we`ve gotten e-mails. Kathy from Montana writes, "Quite the opposite. As their protesting has often backfired on them, personally, Jane Fonda and Sean Penn, not to name names."

And Joe from California writes, "Celebs can change the outcome of votes, but half the time they do not know what they`re talking about." You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.

HAMMER: It is time now to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.

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

MARQUEE GUY: Tomorrow, they`re the cases that stunned America, O.J., Laci Peterson, JonBenet Ramsey, Michael Jackson. Why do these cases captivate and shock us? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates true crime stories, tomorrow.

Also tomorrow, Bill Maher, not shy about being politically incorrect. A standup guy, also tomorrow. And this the Marquee Guy, and I`m a standup guy, too.

BRYANT: That`s 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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