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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT

Images of Police Beating Prevail on Airwaves; Olivia Newton-John Opens Up About Missing Beau; California Law Makes Renting Violent Games to Minors a Crime

Aired October 10, 2005 - 19:00:00   ET

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


BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a brutal beating caught on tape, and a TV producer caught in the middle of it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the shocking video.

HAMMER (voice-over): Also, Olivia`s heartache. For the first time since her boyfriend mysteriously disappeared, Olivia Newton-John breaks her silence.

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN, SINGER/ACTRESS: It`s very hard for me to talk about.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has her emotional interview.

ANDERSON: And a stunning accusation. Did the paparazzi hit a child to take a picture of Reese Witherspoon? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets to the bottom of the story in tonight`s "Legal Lowdown."

ERIC MCCORMACK, ACTOR: Hey, I`m Eric McCormack, and if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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

ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson.

HAMMER: Tonight, the video all of America is talking about, New Orleans cops, caught on tape, beating a man bloody. Frame by frame, the disturbing images are playing nonstop on TVs around the nation and around the world.

ANDERSON: That`s right. And minutes ago, CNN learned this videotape is getting the federal justice -- Justice Department involved. It couldn`t come at a worse time for a city trying to come back.

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

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke and A.J., to many Americans, the images that have been playing out on their TV screens have been shocking. The camera, of course, never blinked, but how the media uses the tape speaks volumes.

And fair warnings to families with children tonight, many of the video -- much of the video, rather, is rather gruesome to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: It`s almost unbearable to watch. Caught on tape, New Orleans police officers repeatedly punching a 64-year-old man accused of public drunkenness. At least two news crews were there to witness and tape the beating, including CNN, who filmed this gruesome video, the aftermath, showing the victim covered in blood.

The other crew, from the Associated Press, became part of the story when an officer pushed the crew`s producer and pinned him against a car. In an expletive filled tirade, the cop yelled for the producer to go home, saying he`s been in New Orleans for the last six weeks just trying to keep himself alive.

New Orleans Police Chief Warren Riley watched the video with CNN. He said while it doesn`t show everything, the officers used more force than necessary.

WARREN RILEY, ACTING NEW ORLEANS POLICE CHIEF: A few bad cops. It happens everywhere.

HAFFENREFFER: But in a city ravaged by the destruction of Katrina, this couldn`t have come at a worse time. Today, he made his rounds on TV, doing damage control and answering to the media.

RILEY: We will take decisive action once we gather all of the facts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest.

HAFFENREFFER: The video has been the top story for many networks today, playing repeatedly. Darman says this could be a dangerous thing.

JONATHAN DARMAN, "NEWSWEEK": We have to be very careful about the images that we`re conveying about law enforcement in general. If people think the only thing that cops do in New Orleans is beat people up, that`s really not -- journalists aren`t living up to their professional duty.

HAFFENREFFER: But it isn`t the first time police brutality has been caught on tape. In 1991, America watched in horror as video of Rodney King being beating by police was played repeatedly. It sent shock waves through the nation and caused massive riots in Los Angeles. And the media played a definitive roll.

DARMAN: The media`s coverage of that really set into effect a series of events in motion that had drastic consequences in Los Angeles.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please do not resist them.

HAFFENREFFER: In 2002, with onlookers gasping in disbelief, a 16- year-old was handcuffed, lifted by his feet, and slammed onto the roof of a police car.

That same year in Oklahoma City, two police officers were caught on tape doing this, hitting a man repeatedly with their batons. Authorities contend the cops used necessary force to subdue the suspect.

In 2003 in Cincinnati, authorities say they were using their night sticks in self-defense after a 350-pound man attacked them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get your hands behind your back.

HAFFENREFFER: That man later died. But because the man had heart disease and was high on cocaine and PCP, the cops were not held responsible.

And while it may seem easy to pass judgment, Darman says we may not be getting the entire story from those videotapes.

DARMAN: The problem here is we`re not seeing what it is that necessarily has provoked these police officers. We`re not -- we don`t often have the audio there. We can`t hear what they`re hearing. We don`t really know what`s going on inside their heads that`s making them so agitated.

HAFFENREFFER: The images of police brutality playing out on our TV screens also hearken to a much darker time in America.

DARMAN: The most graphic and horrifying images of police brutality that we`ve seen go back to the civil rights movement. And so it`s making this video so powerful. People can see a video of black civilians still getting beaten up by white police officers, and we really have to question how far we`ve come.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: And in late breaking news, a civil rights investigation has been opened by the Justice Department and the FBI.

Those three New Orleans officers pleaded not guilty today to battery charges. These are pictures of them appearing before a judge to make their pleas. They were released on bond soon afterwards. The trial is set for January. They`ve been suspended from duty and are upset about the way the situation has been handled. A spokesperson for the police department says they thought their actions were justified given the circumstances -- Brooke.

ANDERSON: David, these images, of course, cause shock, debate, and concern among citizens. Thank you for that story. We appreciate it.

HAMMER: Well, tonight, Olivia Newton-John is breaking her silence. She hasn`t spoken since her boyfriend of nine years went missing over three months ago. But now, she`s ready to talk.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is live in Hollywood now with that story -- Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, A.J., Olivia Newton-John said today that she thought she would never sing again after her long-time boyfriend went missing this summer, but she`s singing and speaking out on the strange mystery that has gotten colder and colder and shows surprising strength in the face of it all.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS (voice-over): Emotional lyrics sung this morning by Olivia Newton-John on "Good Morning America."

(MUSIC)

VARGAS: Newton-John is taking those words to heart. Her missing boyfriend, 48-year-old Patrick McDermott, who dated Newton-John for nine years, hasn`t been seen since June 30, when he left on an overnight fishing trip from this San Pedro, California, marina.

The former "Grease" star became emotional, telling Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America" she still has hope.

NEWTON-JOHN: It`s a really painful topic. And it`s still under investigation. And I`m just -- I love him very much, and as you can imagine, this is an incredibly hard thing to go through.

VARGAS: As Newton-John promotes her new CD, "Stronger than Before," she`s speaking about the matter for the very first time. She says the songs on the album, penned before McDermott`s disappearance, are about recovering from loss.

This morning on "The View," she said, in a way, promoting the new album has been therapeutic.

NEWTON-JOHN: I was just kind of frozen. And you know, life, you have to move forward a little bit. It was one of the reasons that I decided to sing again. I didn`t think I was going to sing again, and I had to move forward.

VARGAS: But the investigation into what happened hasn`t moved forward. The mystery is now over three months old. McDermott hasn`t been seen since the fishing boat returned to port on July 1. His backpack and personal effects were found on the boat, and his car was found in this parking lot at the marina.

NEWTON-JOHN: A lot of speculation, but we know nothing.

VARGAS: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spoke with Scott Eccleston (ph) of the U.S. Coast Guard today. They`re handling the case, and they told us, "There`s nothing new, really. Investigators are finding anything any leads that they have." On that, "We haven`t gotten leads on anything we can report."

Looks like a cold case. No leads from family members, including an ex-wife and young son.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: And the singer has dealt with her fair share of lost. In 1992, her father died of liver cancer, and at the very same time, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Newton-John is donating $2 to the Susan Coleman Breast Cancer Foundation for every copy of the CD sold. She`s selling the CD from Hallmark.

A.J., back to you.

HAMMER: Nice thing to be doing. Thanks very much. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas, live in Hollywood.

ANDERSON: Well, tonight, Madonna has got some rabbis saying, "Oh, vey."

According to the Israeli newspaper "Marib," a song on her upcoming album isn`t sitting well with some Jewish leaders. The paper reports the track, called "Isaac," is about 16th century Kabbalah scholar Yitzhak Luria. And some rabbis say that Jewish law forbids making money off his name.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT called Madonna`s people. They said, "The rabbis have not heard the song as there are no advances available. They may have heard about the title and come to an incorrect conclusion."

Madonna has been practicing Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, for a few years. Her new album, "Confessions on the Dance Floor," drops on November 15.

HAMMER: Well, there has been yet another incident involving Reese Witherspoon and the paparazzi. We`re going to have all the latest on that drama at Disneyland in tonight`s "Legal Lowdown," which is coming up.

ANDERSON: Plus, a battle is brewing involving video games and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Who`s got more muscle? Find out up next in the "SHOWBIZ Showdown."

HAMMER: And how the "Sex and the City" girls inspired a married guy to write a book about breakups. Well, the author of the best seller, "He`s Just Not That Into You," is live with the new book, coming up next.

ANDERSON: Now, for our tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In the 1960s sitcom "Hazel," what was the name of the family that Shirley Booth, who as the maid Hazel, ruled with an iron fist? Was it the Johnsons, the Baxters, the Smiths or the Stones? We`ll be right back with your answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Now tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." In the 1960s sitcom "Hazel," what was the name of the family that Shirley Booth, who as the maid Hazel, ruled with an iron fist? The Johnsons, the Baxters, the Smiths or the Stones? The answer is B, the Baxters.

HAMMER: Welcome back to showbiz tonight. I`m A.J. Hammer.

Tonight a "SHOWBIZ Showdown." The subject of violence is about to lead to an all-out war with a $10 billion a year industry at steak.

On Friday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that prohibits selling or renting extremely violent games to minors. Illinois and Michigan already have similar laws. And a federal law is in the works.

The video game industry says it`s being singled out unfairly and is promising to fight these laws in court.

Joining us live now from San Francisco is California assembly speaker pro tem Leland Yee. He authored that video game bill. And live here in New York, Rob Bernstein, the deputy editor of "Sync" magazine. I want to thank you both for joining us, gentlemen.

Assemblyman, let me start with you. Why don`t you run it down for us? Why is this law necessary?

LELAND YEE, SPEAKER PRO TEMP, CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE: Well, we have found that many youngsters are coming into stores and able to purchase these ultra violent video games when, in fact, the voluntary system says that there should not be buying these games. Retailers should not be selling them.

In addition to that, there is substantial scientific and anecdotal data that suggests that watching and playing these ultra violent videogames increases the propensity of violence among young people. And so for all of those reasons, we felt that this was an important piece of legislation.

HAMMER: Rob Bernstein from "Sync" magazine, it`s being done for a good reason. There is, as Assemblyman Yee said, a preponderance of evidence out there that they`re not a good thing for young kids. So why is the bill a bad thing?

ROB BERNSTEIN, "SYNC" MAGAZINE: First, I`ll challenge that. Actually, the most recent study from the University of Illinois counters that. I think -- I think the few proponents of these laws are very selective in the studies that they look at.

This university -- by Dmitri Williams, who`s an expert in video gaming, said there`s actually no correlation. There`s no proven correlation. So I think a lot of the press has been going to these very selectively-picked studies. So it really is no proof, from what I`ve seen.

But I think what`s really interesting to note is that 83 percent of all of the video games that are purchased in Best Buy and other stores like this are purchased with the consent of adults, not by the kids. So really, what we have here is a law in search of a problem which really doesn`t exist. Seventeen percent of the kids are purchasing it, and it`s not proven that they`re purchasing M-rated games to begin with.

So what I think the problem is that parents really aren`t aware of what the M-rated system means. And they need to be educated. I`m not blaming parents. I just think it`s a tricky system. And like the R-rated system with the MPAA, they need to understated that M-rated means mature. It`s for adults only.

HAMMER: And Mr. Yee, why go after video games? Why not the movie industry, which is self-regulated?

YEE: Well, part of the problem is that these ultra violent video games, literally, there are thousands and thousands of hours of playing before you can get to some of the most atrocious behavior.

Now, parents, many of them don`t have the kind of sophistication to get at that level of atrocious behavior. And so after awhile, when you kind of go through a couple minutes, you don`t see the killing, the maiming, the burning, the slaughtering of individuals.

I want to counter Rob`s statistics. A Federal Trade Commission study in 2004 found that nearly 70 percent of those youngsters who go in -- underage youngster who go into a retail store, they found that they could buy these M-rated video games.

In a sort of consensus study of the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, all concluded that there is a preponderance of evidence.

The opposition constantly are saying there`s no cause and effect statements. They do agree that there`s a high correlation of playing these games and, in fact, causing that violence to happen.

And in cigarettes, we don`t have cause and effect statement. But it`s a public health concern.

HAMMER: You know what, Mr. Yee, let me jump in and let Rob get a last word in, because I have just 30 seconds left. How do you respond to that?

BERNSTEIN: Yes, well, again, the statistic that I pointed out is that 83 percent of all the actual sales have been purchased by parents giving their consent.

This stat he`s saying is that 70 percent is saying that in this study, the 70 percent of the -- and we don`t know exactly how the study was conducted -- were able to purchase those games.

I find it pretty amazing to think that a 7- or 8-year-old is wandering around, unattended, in Best Buy with $40, $50, $60, $70 in their pocket, purchasing M-rated games.

Again, there`s a perfectly good system in place right now. And I think, again, this is a law in search of a problem which really doesn`t exist. Parents need to be informed. They need help in making these decision. But this is just, again, heavy handed politics.

And I wonder if Governor Schwarzenegger would be willing to put these stickers on "Terminator 2" and "Predator" and the many violent hours of movies that he has out there in California right now.

HAMMER: Rob, I`ve got to wrap you up there.

BERNSTEIN: Sure.

HAMMER: And the opposition will continue, and the battle will rage on. I appreciate you both for joining us. Assemblyman Leland Yee and Rob Bernstein of "Sync" magazine.

Now, we want to hear from you on this subject of debate. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Violent video games: should states ban the sale of them to minors? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can send us more e-mail on the subject: ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your thoughts later in the show.

ANDERSON: We`re going to lighten things up a bit. He used to work on the hit show, "Sex and the City," but then writer Greg Behrendt broke a chord with single women everywhere with his best selling book, "He`s Just Not That Into You." Well, he`s still trying to get single women to stop dating Mr. Wrong and to move on, move on, move on. The talk of the town is about his new book. "It`s Called a Breakup Because It`s Broken: A Smart Girl`s Breakup Buddy." It`s in stores now. And Greg Behrendt is here live with us now.

Greg, nice to see you.

GREG BEHRENDT, AUTHOR, "IT`S CALLED A BREAKUP BECAUSE IT`S BROKEN": Very nice to see you, too.

ANDERSON: All right. You`re a guy, obviously. What do you know about women, Greg?

BEHRENDT: You know, I know as much as the next guy. I think that`s sort of what`s good about these books. Is that, like, it`s not coming from the point of view of an expert or somebody he thinks he knows better. It`s just somebody who`s been around women and who`s giving sort of a guy`s perspective on things.

ANDERSON: I see. And everyone remembers "He`s Just Not That Into You." Sold millions of copies. This one, "It`s Called a Breakup Because it`s Broken." It`s about moving on, how to handle it, what not to do.

You see everything in black and white, so to speak, but we women, sometimes it`s gray. "Well, maybe he meant this or this or this. But how is it so clear cut?

BEHRENDT: I just think it`s a matter of, like, looking at any situation in your life and figuring out why -- how to get through it with as much expediency as you possibly can.

And a breakup was probably the most significant thing that happened to me in my life. It changed me for better. And so I wanted to put that in the book. My wife wanted to put this in the book and give that to people, so that you don`t labor on those things for so long with so much hope, you know, waiting for someone to come around when they`ve already clearly moved along, you know?

ANDERSON: And funny how friends can recognize it: "Oh, you`ve got to break up with him." But why is it sometimes, and you say this, that people in a relationship can`t see it?

BEHRENDT: Because they just have hope. You know what I mean? And also, I don`t think that they realize something else is going to come along. They don`t know that, you know, "Something else good could come along. I don`t have to stay with this person who likes me half."

ANDERSON: Half.

BEHRENDT: Half, you know?

ANDERSON: And you worked on "Sex and the City." Everyone remembers the breakup via the Post-It note.

BEHRENDT: Right.

ANDERSON: Tell us better ones you`ve heard.

BEHRENDT: Well, text messaging is a big deal now. There`s a lot of, like, "Hey, I`m gone." Boom. And then that`s it.

ANDERSON: That`s terrible.

BEHRENDT: You know, idol hands are the devil`s text messengers.

Yes, there`s just been sort of like, you know, that kind of thing where just kind of people fade out. I mean, the worst ones are when there`s no closure. And I think that`s sort of what our books have sort of helped do, is give women closure, able be, "OK, that`s what that was. Now I can process that and move on."

ANDERSON: Break up by Blackberry?

BEHRENDT: People break up by Blackberry.

ANDERSON: No, no, no.

BEHRENDT: Yes.

ANDERSON: That`s terrible. Post breakup, what should women not do? And on the cover here, there`s a pint of ice cream. I know digging into ice cream is probably on your list.

BEHRENDT: Well, we say -- we like to say, he`s not at the bottom of that pint of ice cream.

But you know, the thing that you don`t want to do is you don`t want to stay engaged. So the first thing that we say to do is to get away from that person as quickly as possible. Start, like, a 60-day what we call he talks or she talks. And get away from them as soon as possible so you can start the healing. Because when you stay engaged with someone, when you keep trying to be friends with them, it`s sort of hard to separate, you know what I mean? So give yourself, like, a period of time to move away.

ANDERSON: I see. But Greg, that ice cream, that comfort food tastes good while trying to get away.

BEHRENDT: That`s true.

ANDERSON: All right. Thank you so much for being here. We appreciate it, Greg Behrendt.

And you can find "It`s Called a Breakup Because it`s Broken: The Smart Girl`s Breakup Buddy." It`s in bookstores now.

And coming up, Boy George gets busted then bails. New developments in the mysterious case of the former Culture Club star in the "Legal Lowdown." That`s still to come.

HAMMER: Plus, busting the bad guys who cheat the government out of billions of dollars. Going after the unbelievable, real-life cases of medical fraud. That`s still to come.

ANDERSON: And, the guy who shook his bon-bon is back to shake things up with a new album and a long-awaited return from Fiona Apple, all in the "SHOWBIZ Guide to New Music," coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Time now for the "SHOWBIZ Guide," where throughout the week we help you decide where to best spend your dollars on movies, music, DVDs and more. Tonight, "People`s Picks and Pans," talking about new music.

Joining us live here in New York, "People" magazine`s senior writer, Anne Marie Cruz.

It`s nice to see you, Anne Marie. Thanks for dropping by.

ANNE MARIE CRUZ, SENIOR WRITER, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Hey, A.J.

HAMMER: Let`s talk about Ricky Martin. He made a big splash seven years ago and then people kind of got a little too much of him. He`s got his brand new album, "Life." He`s supposed to be on our program a little later this week. What do you think?

CRUZ: Well, you know, he`s come back with a rally different sound from the five years since his last English language album. He traveled the world, because he got really bored of all the overwhelming success and ended up picking up a lot of influences from the Middle East and he traveled to Tibet. So there`s hip hop influences and world beat, as well as Jamaica raga on this album. It`s very different.

HAMMER: And he says -- he says the lyrics are very honest. Does that come through in listening to the album?

CRUZ: Yes. You can tell that he`s trying to be a little more vulnerable and a little less hip swiveling and swaggering on this album.

HAMMER: OK. And that one`s in stores tomorrow.

Let`s talk about Franz Ferdinand. Of course, they had their huge hit last year, "Take Me Out." This is your critics` pick this week.

CRUZ: Yes, it`s our critics` choice, and rightly so, because they`re not going to be any kind of one-hit wonder on "Hit Me Baby One More Time." Because they followed up "Take Me Out" with another infectious dance rock number called, "Do You Want To?" But this time, they come out with a bigger sound. So on top of being their usual brainy, hyperkinetic selves, they even venture into some Beatlesque ballads like "Stay Together" and "Eleanor, Put Your Boots On."

HAMMER: OK. And this is "You Could Have It So Much Better." It`s in stores now.

And real quickly, Fiona Apple, the title, an extraordinary album, nine years ago. It`s been six years since her last album. How is "Extraordinary Machine"?

CRUZ: You know, it`s definitely worth the wait. It`s almost criminal that it was six years. And even if you`re not a diehard fan that send foam apples to Sony to protest the fact that the album didn`t come out in 2003, it`s definitely worth the wait. She`s still got the amazingly clever, biting lyrics and a sultry voice, which everybody loves to hear.

HAMMER: And when you say it`s criminal it`s been so long, that was no pun intended from her first big hit, I`m sure.

"People" magazine`s movie -- music critic, Anne Marie Cruz. I`ll get it right. Thank you very much for joining us. And of course, for more picks and pans, grab "People" magazine, on newsstands now.

ANDERSON: Well, a good news, really bad news day for the creators of "Wallace and Grommit," up next.

HAMMER: Plus, what one paparazzo allegedly did to a child to snap a picture of Reese Witherspoon. He could wind up behind bars. That and more in tonight`s "Legal Lowdown," live.

ANDERSON: And, they may not be as sexy as cases you see on "CSI" or "Law & Order," but medical fraud ruins lives and costs you billions. A look at the emotional and painful stories. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" is back right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in one minute. Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts, with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

In Pakistan, rescuers are frantically searching for survivors in the rubble of Saturday`s earthquake. The death toll now tops 30,000 in Pakistan alone. And aftershocks continue to rattle the region.

Federal civil rights authorities are launching an investigation into the New Orleans police officers who were taped beating a 64-year-old suspect. The officers pleaded not guilty and are out on bond, but have been suspended from duty. The incident happened this weekend in the French Quarter.

Areas from North Carolina to Maine are getting hammered by a series of massive rainstorms that are blamed for ten deaths. The storms have forced hundreds of people from their homes, knocked out power, and flooded roads. Unfortunately, residents can expect even more rain over the next few days.

And in Colorado, snow the real problem. An early winter storm has dumped more than 20 inches of snow on some parts of the state, forcing some schools to cancel classes. Shelters were set up for stranded travelers after several accidents closed a busy interstate.

That is the news for now. I`m Thomas Roberts. Back for more of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

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

ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. You`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.

Tonight, A.J., in just a few minutes, we`ll have the "Legal Lowdown" with Harvey Levin. Reese Witherspoon, another run in with the paparazzi. Last month, she and a friend and their kids were at a Disney theme park. A paparazzo allegedly pushed a couple of the kids out of the way to get to Reese, take photos.

Well, this paparazzo, this photographer, has spent time in jail in the past. And we`ll ask if this can put him behind bars again, if this situation.

Also, Boy George fled the country after being released from jail on cocaine charges after he was released from jail...

(CROSSTALK)

HAMMER: What`s up with that?

ANDERSON: What`s up with that? We`ll ask Harvey Levin, coming up.

HAMMER: Also, we all know, when crimes are committed, who goes in to investigate? The crime scene investigators. What about medical fraud? For instance, what about when doctors are practicing medicine without a license? Who handles that? The medical fraud investigators. There`s a new show all about that, which fires up tonight. We will speak with a real-life medical fraud investigator, coming up in just a few.

ANDERSON: Pretty scary stuff.

HAMMER: All of that and more is on the way.

But first, let`s get to tonight`s "Hot Headlines." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas joining us live once again from Hollywood -- Sibila?

VARGAS: Thanks, A.J.

Well, tonight, Olivia Newton-John breaks her silence. Today, told Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America" that she`s praying for her boyfriend`s safe return. Patrick McDermott hasn`t been seen since a fishing trip on July 30th when the boat came back to port. His bag, wallet, and passport were there, but he wasn`t. She`s been promoting her latest album to fund breast cancer research.

Two days after Oprah offered a $100,000 reward to catch wanted child molesters, two of them have been caught. The second one was caught Thursday when a Minnesota woman watching the show led the FBI to one of its most-wanted fugitives. Oprah plans on doing a live show about her campaign to nab child molesters tomorrow.

Britney`s battered bra is off eBay again. Writing on her web site that she was concerned that people would confuse the jewel-encrusted bra for, her words, "something that it`s not," Britney removed it from an eBay- hosted charity auction. At one point this weekend, it was going for close to $50,000.

Well, "Vogue" editor Anna Wintour is the latest target of anti-fur activists. French anti-fur activists hit her in the face with a tofu cream pie as she left a fashion show in central Paris. She was dressed in a fur- trimmed black jacket. It was the second such attack this year on Wintour.

And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines."

A.J., back to you in New York.

HAMMER: All I could thing is, I really like tofu cream pies.

ANDERSON: I wonder if it`s...

(CROSSTALK)

HAMMER: Sibila Vargas, thanks very much for joining us from Hollywood.

Well, we have been asking you to vote tonight on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the day." California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill banning the sale of violent video games to kids. Violent video games: Should states ban their sale to minors, is our question?

You can continue to vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight. And also write us with more of your thoughts at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`re going to read some of your e-mails at 55 past the hour.

ANDERSON: Tonight, a dramatic video journal that takes you right into the depths of battle and the fog of war. A CNN reporter, producer and cameraman put their lives on the line daily to bring the story of the war back home. From the Al-Anbar province of Iraq, here is CNN`s Jennifer Eccleston for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It`s day 10 of our embed. And producer Arwa Damon, photographer Gabe Ramirez (ph), and I find ourselves running through the middle of what Marines call "IED Alley."

(on-screen): They think there`s an IED buried where, in the actual pavement or...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, it`s in the rubble over there.

ECCLESTON: In that rubble?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.

ECCLESTON: So you`re going to put some C-4?

In every town we went to, Marines detonated and exploded these IEDs along the very same road where we had just walked minutes before. I have to say, at that stage, it did bring a question to mind of, what am I doing here? Why are we doing this?

And then we look at each other, and we shrug it off and laugh a little, and move on.

(voice-over): It`s my fifth trip to Iraq since the American invasion. After so many close calls, I`m beginning to wonder if the odds will inevitably work against us.

It almost happened a few days ago. This simple triggering device, made of household items rigged to an artillery shell, nearly killed Arwa. Our vehicle is totaled. My heart stopped.

ARWA DAMON, CNN PRODUCER: And it was extremely frustrated to have had such a near-death experience, to have seen the orange flames jump up in front of the vehicle, to hear the detonation and not have it on camera. So the first thought in my head when I saw you was, "Damn! I didn`t have night scope on the camera. I missed the shot," which might seem completely and totally absurd to anyone else.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, we`re taking incoming rockets. That was close.

ECCLESTON (voice-over): Insurgent gunfire and rockets had us trapped on this roof in eastern Karabola for over an hour.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yankee-four, Yankee-six, what`s going on? Roger. Anybody know what that machine gun fire was?

ECCLESTON: The tension in the air was suffocating. We needed to find a way to tape the action that we could hear in other areas but we could not see.

So when Captain Conlin Carrabine (ph) made the decision to fire a tank round into a suspected insurgent hideout, we scrambled to get that shot. But what came out of the dust was traumatic, surreal, young women, young children with their hands up in the air in submission, their faces caked with dust and blood, wailing, crying, some in a state of shock.

ECCLESTON: Why do we run to danger instead of doing what normal people do, run away? This is a story that has value. This is a story that needs to be sold. And that`s what we do; we`re storytellers.

We bring people a slice of life, a slice of reality. And is it worth getting blown up? That`s something that I think about all the time. Probably not. But until such time, I think there`s -- this is important. There is value to what we do. So that`s why I keep doing it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: That job takes a lot of courage. That was CNN`s Jennifer Eccleston reporting for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

HAMMER: Well, it should have been a happy day for movie stars Wallace and Gromit but, instead, today was truly a tragic one. An early-morning fire destroyed the English warehouse where props, sets and models of the clay-animated inventor and his cheese-loving dog were stored.

Items from past productions, including the Oscar-winning "Creature Comforts," were lost. The first came just after the news broke that "Wallace and Gromit`s Curse of the Were-Rabbit" topped the box office. The duo`s first full-length film pulled in $16 million.

ANDERSON: Well, Wallace and Gromit were able to beat out some pretty big players at the movies, including Jodi Foster, Cameron Diaz, and Al Pacino. Final figures just out this afternoon.

Foster`s "Flightplan" dropped to number two, with $10.7 million. Cameron Diaz and Toni Collete`s "In Her Shoes" opened in third with $10 million. "Two for the Money" came in forth. The Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey sports gambling flick took in $8.7 million. And "The Gospel" rounds out the top five, taking in $7.5 million in limited release.

HAMMER: Next, Boy George gets charged, then charges right out of the country. And what a photographer allegedly did to a kid to get pictures of Reese Witherspoon. All that`s coming up in the "Legal Lowdown" next.

ANDERSON: Plus, crime-fighters like no other, medical fraud investigators. See how they are saving lives and saving billions of dollars, live next.

HAMMER: Also, Usher helping out hurricane victims. Find out which big-named stars also made a surprise visit to join the cause, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Fake cures for cancer, killer doctors, botched plastic surgeries. You would expect to see those kinds of stories on a melodramatic TV drama. But tonight, they are shocking real-life cases being profiled on a new show on the Discovery Health Channel called "Medical Fraud Investigators."

One case features a doctor who, for years, went from state to state killing patients. Let`s have a quick look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUCE SACKMAN, MEDICAL FRAUD INVESTIGATOR: Serial killers just don`t take a vacation. They just don`t stop because they`ve transferred to a new hospital and said to themselves, "You know, from now on, I`m not going to enjoy killing anymore." That doesn`t happen.

All over the world, Swango had escaped prosecution for killing people. There was no way that we were going to allow him to escape killing veterans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Joining us live to talk about the show is the man you just saw, Bruce Sackman. He`s a real-life medical fraud investigator who helped catch that homicidal doctor.

Bruce, thanks a lot for joining us tonight.

SACKMAN: Thank you very much for having me.

HAMMER: When we see stories like that, they`re usually on news magazine shows like "Dateline," and they get huge ratings, or the forensic shows that so many people -- the dramas that so many people tune into also get huge ratings. What do you think the appeal is?

SACKMAN: Well, I think the appeal is, first of all, that we`re all potential victims of medical fraud. Americans spend $1.7 trillion on health care. And if you want to know what percentage of that is fraud, well, even the minimal amount of money that I`ve seen, from all the stats, was $100 million a day.

HAMMER: Wow.

SACKMAN: So that means you could be a victim of fraud and I could be a victim of fraud. And because it effects us all personally, it`s a very important topic.

HAMMER: And of course, beyond the money, there`s the actual peoples` lives at stake, like the case that you worked on, this doctor going from hospital to hospital killing people. How do you go about investigating a case like that?

SACKMAN: Well, it`s very interesting. You know, actually, if you think about it, if you were searching for a profession that you wanted to have to kill somebody, what profession might you choose?

Well, some serial killers have actually masqueraded themselves as police officers. Why? Because a police officer has the legal power of life and death over an individual.

Well, what other profession can you think of that has that legal power of life and death over an individual? Well, somebody in the medical field, as well.

HAMMER: Sure.

SACKMAN: I mean, what profession allows you to go into a ward at 3:00 in the morning, and there`s no one there, and take a curtain, and put that curtain around you and the victim, and kill that victim, and nobody is there?

A hospital, unfortunately, can be a very good killing field for someone who is inclined to do that. Now, obviously, the overwhelming majority of health care professionals are honest, hard-working, dedicated people. But unfortunately, we found a very, very small percentage of these people who are intent on intentionally killing patients. And Dr. Swango was one of them.

HAMMER: And you guys got him, as we will see on the show.

SACKMAN: OK.

HAMMER: And that particular episode`s going to be airing on October 31st.

SACKMAN: It is, indeed.

HAMMER: And Bruce Sackman, we appreciate you joining us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

SACKMAN: Thank you very much for having me. I appreciate it.

HAMMER: "Medical Fraud Investigators" airs Mondays, including tonight, on the Discovery Health Channel.

ANDERSON: Interesting stuff.

All right. Time now for the "Legal Lowdown," a look at what`s going on in the world of entertainment legal news. On the docket tonight, another dramatic paparazzi confrontation for actress Reese Witherspoon. This time, a paparazzi allegedly got physical with kids to get to Reese.

And singer Boy George flees the country just hours after he was released from jail after being charged with cocaine possession and calling 911 with a false report.

Joining us live from Glendale, California, Harvey Levin, managing editor of the soon-to-be launched entertainment news site TMZ.com.

Harvey, great to see you.

HARVEY LEVIN, MANAGING EDITOR, TMZ.COM: Hi, Brooke.

ANDERSON: Hi there.

All right. Let`s begin with Reese Witherspoon. She and a friend were at a theme park with their kids last month. A photographer allegedly shoved Reese`s friend`s children out of the way to get to Reese. Apparently, this paparazzo, Todd Wallace, has a record, Harvey, has served jail time in the past. Could he be sent back behind bars for this?

LEVIN: Oh, absolutely. I mean, he`s being charged with assault and battery. And that`s serious stuff. And he does have a criminal record, four years in prison for burglary. So that will count against him, but he could go to jail for a couple of years, if these charges stick and the judge eventually throws the book at him, if he`s found guilty.

ANDERSON: And especially, kids are involved here.

LEVIN: Yes, and there`s -- she has a friend, Reese has a friend, who was with her. And the friend`s 5-year-old child was there, as well. And what the cops are saying, and what the prosecutor is saying, is that this paparazzi whacked the kid with a camera to get to her and also roughed up the mother, as well. So this is pretty serious stuff.

ANDERSON: Absolutely. Well, Reese has told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in the past about her disdain for the tactics used by the paparazzi. She`s taken legal action before. Do she, her friends, the park employees involved, do they enough evidence, enough grounds to possibly file lawsuits? I`m sure there are plenty of witnesses.

LEVIN: Yes, listen, assault and battery is not just a criminal offense, it subjects the person who does it to a civil lawsuit. And my guess is, she`s going to wait and see if this guy is convicted, because if he`s convicted, it`s a slam dunk she`ll win any kind of a civil case.

My guess is, she wants to teach people a lesson here, so I`m guessing that a civil lawsuit is down the pike here.

ANDERSON: And, Harvey, what about that California law that`s supposed to stop this, supposed to paparazzi a lesson, so to speak? Will it make a difference in a case like this, going into effect in January, right?

LEVIN: Yes, it goes into effect in January. It would have an impact in this case, Brooke. But you got to remember: Will it stop people from doing it?

You have to add it up. How much damages is a paparazzi going to have to pay if they cross the line? How much money are they going to make if they can sell a picture to a big magazine or a television show? So it almost becomes an issue of economics for the paparazzi...

ANDERSON: The photographers weighing their options.

LEVIN: Weighing their options. And unless it becomes prohibitively expensive, I don`t think you`re going to stop them from doing what they`re doing.

ANDERSON: Not good news for the celebrities. And we`re hearing that some stars are hiring a security firm to take pictures of the paparazzi chasing them. Is this a good idea?

LEVIN: Oh, I think it`s a great idea. And, as a matter of fact, I talked to the security company today. They won`t tell me who their celebrity client list is, but the buzz I`m hearing is that it may well be that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are among them.

What these companies are doing is they`re just documenting what the paparazzi do. They`re turning a camera on the paparazzi, taking pictures when the paparazzi are on the hunt. And if they cross the line -- and there`s documentation of it with a picture -- then the celebrity can use it in court, if they end up going after them.

ANDERSON: So they`ll have that evidence then.

OK, now, Harvey, to singer Boy George. He fled the country, left the country hours after he was released from jail on a cocaine charge. Was it a good idea for him to skip town like that? He`s got a court date coming up in December.

LEVIN: Yes, I mean, I don`t think he`s pulling a Roman Polanski, Brooke.

(LAUGHTER)

I mean, he -- you know, the guy sobbed like a baby outside of the court. And as long as he comes back and meets the court date, there shouldn`t be any kind of a problem.

But, you know, again, this one is unbelievable, that he actually called the police himself to report a burglary. The police come, and they see cocaine all over the place.

Now, I know his lawyers say it was just a little bit of cocaine, but I have a police source at NYPD who is telling me that not only was it more than a little bit, but there was a woman there who said, oh, yes, yes, yes, there`s some more stuff over there, too.

ANDERSON: Oh, wow. And no burglar in sight, apparently.

And very quickly, if convicted, could he be presented from working in the U.S. going forward?

LEVIN: You know, my understanding is that this is not that kind of felony that could bar him, but it could certainly be taken into account. And there is discretion that immigration officials have. It`s not going to help him any.

ANDERSON: All right, Harvey Levin of TMZ.com, as always, thank you for your insight.

LEVIN: See you, Brooke.

HAMMER: Tonight, Usher is helping the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The R&B superstar hit the stage for a benefit concert project called Project Restart. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT cameras were right there as Usher performed for thousands of hurricane evacuees, as well as his fans.

Some of his pals, like Alicia Keys and surprise guest James Brown, joined him. Five thousand evacuees who were relocated to Atlanta were invited to attend for free. Money from other ticket sales will go toward housing for those who were left homeless by the hurricanes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

USHER, MUSICIAN: This show, or this performance, is not necessarily all about the big, big, big, big performance. It`s more or less about the love, and excitement, and restart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Usher`s New Look Foundation will help place 1,000 families in homes in 13 states.

ANDERSON: Great job for Usher.

All right. Ashlee Simpson returns to "SNL" after her lip-synching fiasco. Who could forget that? How did it go this time? That`s coming up.

And there`s still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Violent video games: Should states ban their sale to minors?

Vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails live, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

It`s Ashlee Simpson`s triumphant return to "SNL." And this time, she sang for real. It`s true. Simpson returned to the "Saturday Night Live" stage for the first time since she was caught lip-synching on the show last year.

She sang the very-appropriately titled "Catch Me When I Fall," which she said she wrote just after that embarrassing incident. That was a success, but, in tonight`s "Laughter Dark," we thought that Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz made a bigger splash with their rendition of "Baby Got Back" during the "Weekend Update" segment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Now, Horatio, you actually abandoned a snake in the Everglades, didn`t you?

HORATIO SANZ, ACTOR, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Yes, Amy, my anaconda.

POEHLER: Wow, your anaconda? Is it dangerous?

SANZ: Well, if memory serves, my anaconda don`t want none unless it`s got buns, hon.

POEHLER: I can do side-bends or sit-ups.

SANZ: But please don`t move that butt.

POEHLER: They toss it, and they use it, and I pull up quick to retrieve it.

SANZ: So, ladies...

POEHLER: Yes!

SANZ: Ladies...

POEHLER: Yes!

SANZ: If you in my Mercedes...

POEHLER: Hell, yes! Shake it, shake it. Shake that healthy butt.

(LAUGHTER)

POEHLER: Little in the middle but she got much back!

Keep your snakes out of the Everglades, everybody.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Oh, sorry. All right. We`ll get serious now.

HAMMER: It was animal kingdom in the Ed Sullivan Theater. Animal expert Jack Hanna normally shows us how to better appreciate the animals of the world, but on "The Late Show," he had Dave and Paul running for cover, kind of like me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK HANNA, ANIMAL EXPERT: Look at that stinger. Look at that stinger.

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW": Well, I don`t want to look at the damn stinger.

HANNA: Now, look at the wings.

LETTERMAN: Yes, I`ve never seen speed like that, Jack.

HANNA: They`re all she`s got!

(LAUGHTER)

Well, look at it, Dave.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

HANNA: That`s something. That is something.

(APPLAUSE)

(LAUGHTER)

LETTERMAN: ... open casket.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Running for cover.

All right. Well, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Violent video games: Should states ban their sale to minors?

The vote so far: 78 percent say, yes, they should ban their sale to minors; 22 percent of you say, no, they shouldn`t.

And we`ve gotten some e-mails. Kevin from Georgia writes, "No. It is the parents` job to monitor what their kids watch or play, not the state."

And Jared from Texas writes, "If the current rules of violent video games were enforced, then the problem with minors playing them would be reduced."

Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. We do appreciate your e-mails.

Are you a gamer?

(CROSSTALK)

HAMMER: No, I`m not. But the parents, the law, who`s more important? But the images are certainly graphic and violent.

ANDERSON: They are.

HAMMER: No question about that.

That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.

ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.

END

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