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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT
German Government Officials Want to Ban Tom Cruise`s Religion; A Look into Anna Nicole Smith`s Unsolved Mysteries; Year`s Biggest Celebrity Meltdowns
Aired December 11, 2007 - 23:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Jeopardy host Alex Trebek suffers a heart attack. And we`ve got the latest on his condition. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And Paris Hilton finally does some charity and rescues a Willy Wonka Oompa-Loompa? I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a Tom Cruise Scientology shocker. Tonight, who wants to ban Tom`s religion? Why they think Scientology is dangerous, even unconstitutional. Plus, is he trying to convert Posh Spice and her husband David Beckham?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VICTORIA BECKHAM, FAMOUSLY KNOWN AS "POSH SPICE": Tom has his religion that he`s very passionate about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Posh sets the record straight once and for all. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the explosive brand new Cruise church controversy.
"The Biggest Celebrity Meltdowns of the Year". Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the stars who cried -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": I just want the family to have the dog. It`s not their fault.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Caved -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEATHER MILLS, PAUL MCCARTNEY`S EX-WIFE: I`ve had worst press than a pedophile or a murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And shaved? Why did these celebrities totally lose it? And are their reputations ruined forever? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the year`s biggest celebrity meltdowns.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood. And could it be? Did former supermodel Janice Dickinson really mean it when she called Tyra Banks fat? Wait till you see what Janice told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`ve got that coming up.
HAMMER: Yes, wait, indeed. But first tonight, another big Tom Cruise controversy. This is one so big, an entire foreign government is involved. No, it`s not some kind of script from a "Mission: Impossible" film. This is about Cruise`s devotion to the controversial Church of Scientology, a church that some of the most powerful people in the German government want to shut down.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): Tom Cruise has so many reasons to be welcomed with open arms into Germany. I mean, he`s shooting a movie there called "Valkyrie," if that`s anything.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: Anything is a dangerous word, Lieutenant.
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HAMMER: OK. But not only that, he`s playing the role of a major real life German icon, a beloved anti-Nazi war hero who attempted a daring assassination of Adolf Hitler.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUISE: We have to kill him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But the unfortunate heart of the matter is that Germany is not happy with Tom Cruise. And no, Tom, it`s not a laughing matter. Germany is launching a full scale attack on Scientology and Tom Cruise is in the crosshairs.
TYLER GRAY, SENIOR EDITOR, "RADAR" MAGAZINE: There is a bit of a frenzy going on in Germany right now. And it`s all tied to Tom Cruise.
HAMMER: Things really started sizzling this summer when Cruise first started shooting "Valkyrie" in Germany. Cruise wanted to part of the movie on the actual location where his character was executed. German officials said no way. And you won`t believe the tough words they used when they described Cruise.
HAMMER: Here`s one official`s words, "It would not be a good signal if an ambassador of this psycho sect that has extremist character and no concern for basic human rights shoots a movie in a place like that." Wow. A psycho sect. Harsh. But now, Germany is taking it a step further.
GRAY: They declared it unconstitutional, Scientology. What they did not do was declare a ban on Scientology.
HAMMER: But that`s exactly what they want to do next. They`re asking their version of the FBI to launch an investigation into Scientologists in Germany. They say the religion is dangerously similar to Nazi brainwashing tactics.
Not only that, take a look at the front page of Germany`s largest newspaper. It reads, "How dangerous is the Cruise cult?" Now, it seems Cruise`s continued presence in Germany is only heating up the Scientology debate.
GRAY: He`s the biggest face of Scientology, this huge star, mega star out there doing a film. And one would presume practicing if not pushing Scientology, then yes, it`s going to be a giant press story.
HAMMER: It`s not the first time Cruise turned his religion into a giant press story.
CRUISE: Matt, you don`t even - you`re glib.
HAMMER: Who can forget his appearance on the "Today" show defending the Scientologist belief that psychiatry isn`t real science.
CRUISE: You don`t even know what Ritalin is. If you start talking about chemical imbalance, you have to evaluate and read the research papers on how they came up with these theories, Matt.
GREY: Tom Cruise can be really confrontational. When you back him in the corner, of course, he`s going to rear his head and strike at somebody who is attacking him. But for the most part, you know, he`s definitely there to be good face, the positive face.
HAMMER: But Cruise isn`t just popular with the masses, he`s beloved, adored by celebrities themselves. And they`re sticking up for him right now, big time. And now Victoria Beckham, "Posh Spice," one of the biggest stars in the world, is putting to rest rumors Tom Cruise, one of her dear friends, is trying to convert her and her superstar husband, David Beckham. She set the record straight on "LARRY KING LIVE."
BECKHAM: Tom has his religion that he`s very passionate about. I don`t know anything about Scientology at all. He`s never tried to talk to us about that. He does his thing, we do our thing.
HAMMER: Mega star Will Smith also defended Cruise. He told "Extra," quote, "Tom is one of the greatest spirits that I met. He dedicates himself to making the world better. And just because our beliefs are different, does that mean we`re not allowed to be friends? Does that mean I need to take out my bible and club him with it?" It seems like all the big celebrities have his back. That`s something, right? Wrong.
GREY: It is not just that he`s is really liked - that Tom Cruise is really liked by other celebrities. They need him. This is a man who is a major power player. And that`s part of the reasons why he`s the head of this quasi-religion. I mean, yes, Victoria Beckham, you want a Spice Girl getting your back on this one?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: As we mentioned, Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham and her husband David have become close friends of Tom and Katie since moving to America. But what else is life like these days for the couple that has become affectionately known as Tomkat?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Ken Baker, editorial director of "UsMagazine.com," and CNN entertainment correspondent and my colleague, Kareen Wynter. Kareen, Ken, great to see you both.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And hey, you know, we know that Katie has also become devoted to Scientology. Ken, how much of an influence do you think it plays into their life as a couple and into how they raise their little baby Suri?
KEN BAKER: Well, Scientology has a real daily impact on how they raise their kids. At "Us Weekly," we did a story earlier this year where we detailed anyone who cares for the children is somehow related to Scientology. So they`re definitely bringing up the kids in a Scientology environment. They do go to school that gives Scientology training. So they`re definitely being brought up and raised as Scientologists.
Now, outside of that, it is unclear just how much Katie herself is committed to it. We know that Katie has said that she studies it and she`s a supporter of it, but we don`t think that she`s taken it to the extent that Tom Cruise has.
But let me make a quick point about Germany. Germany is coming after Scientology. And I think like, first of all, they need to deal with their bad discos and their cheesy pop music. I think like, they`re coming after Scientology? I mean, it`s almost bigotry for them to do this and I think it is really heavy handed.
ANDERSON: All right. They have other things they should be thinking about, according to you, Ken Baker, thank you for that. And you know, I think you were also referring to Tom`s adopted children just now from his first marriage to Nicole Kidman, 14-year-old Isabella and 12-year-old Conner. They do live at the Cruise compound. They are practicing Scientologists. Kareen, this has made them all a really tight-knit family, hasn`t it?
WYNTER: Oh, absolutely. They`re as close as it gets. Nicole comes to L.A. occasionally to see the children, but for the most part they spend a lot of their time - most of their time with Tom and Katie. And I really do think that Katie has embraced her new maternal role with her own daughter, Suri and with, again, Isabella and Conner.
Ken, I don`t know if you agree with me on this. I may be going out a little bit on a limb here. This may be a stretch, but you know, we see Katie on the lavish red carpet at premieres and exquisite parties. But you know, I wouldn`t be surprised if during the day she spends a lot of her time in the kitchen baking cookies and planning slumber parties, if you will, with other parents in the neighborhood.
ANDERSON: She`s has stepped into that role of mother seamlessly, it seems. We`ve seen Katie go through such an incredible transformation since she met Tom. But Ken, it`s not just about Scientology with her, is it, as Kareen mentioned.
BAKER: Now, don`t forget, it has just been two years - a little over two years since Katie Holmes met Tom Cruise. She`s already been married and has a kid and she`s totally transformed her life.
Her life before Tom doesn`t exist. It is like it has almost been wiped out. She doesn`t hang out with the friends she used to hang out. She doesn`t dress the same, she doesn`t look the same. She`s completely done a total life transformation.
And if you listen to her, it`s for the better. Her friends are Tom`s friends. She has totally gotten herself into Tom`s world. And I think that you can make a judgment of that, but by most accounts Katie is a happier person now than she was a couple years ago. And, you know, who are you to argue with that?
ANDERSON: And speaking of their friends, we know that they have some very powerful Hollywood friends. We just saw Tom in Los Angeles here to support his good friend Will Smith as he was honored with a spot on the Hollywood walk of fame in front of the Chinese Theater. And just last night, Spice Girl Victoria Beckham boasted to Larry King about what great people Tom and Katie are. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BECKHAM: They`re really wonderful people, and they`re such good parents. They`ve been incredibly supportive to both myself and David. And they`re just really good friends, you know. Our kids get along with their kids. And they`re just great. They made our move a lot easier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You know, we only hear praise from Tom and Katie`s friends. Kareen, very quickly, do you think the couple is maybe a little misunderstood from the public at times?
WYNTER: I think they are, because, Brooke, they lead such private lives. We`re forced to maybe read in a little too much in what we see in the tabs and the pictures that are snapped up. But I think they are misunderstood, as Posh said.
ANDERSON: You know, sometimes people do rush are to judgment. Kareen Wynter, Ken Baker, we will leave it there. Thank you both.
BAKER: Thanks.
HAMMER: Now we`d like to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Tom Cruise, do you care that he`s a Scientologist?" Let us know at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Our e-mail address is showbiztonight@CNN.com, if you have more to say which you can send to us from your desktop or your laptop or even your Blackberry or cell phone. We want to hear from you, whatever you want to tell us.
ANDERSON: A.J., some really frightening news tonight. I can tell you that one of the most beloved TV people out there, "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek,, has suffered a heart attack. I`ve got the latest on his condition, coming up next.
HAMMER: And Brooke, it was truly one of the most tragic things that I have seen, that mysterious death of Anna Nicole Smith`s son, Daniel, which many people think ultimately led to her death. Well, tonight, more than a year later, we now officially know what killed Daniel. But I, like so many other people, have so many more questions, so I`ll be investigating this, next. Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: I`ve had worst press than a pedophile or a murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: They cried, they caved, they even, um, shaved. I mean, what is wrong with these people? I want to know why these stars totally lost it, and can they ever bounce back? Coming up, I`ve got the showbiz special report that you just can`t miss, "The Biggest Celebrity Meltdowns of the Year."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that "Jeopardy" star Alex Trebek has suffered a heart attack.
A show spokesperson said it was a minor one and happened while Trebek was at home in Los Angeles. He`s resting comfortable in an L.A. Hospital right now. No word yet on when he will be released. Trebek, who is 67, is expected to resume taping "Jeopardy" in January. He`s hosted the show since 1984.
HAMMER: Of course, we wish him a speedy recovery. Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is investigating Anna Nicole Smith`s unsolved mysteries. Believe it or not, the inquest into the death of Anna Nicole Smith`s son Daniel has finally just begun in the Bahamas where now more than a year since he died. And remember the dramatic raids on the homes of two doctors who allegedly prescribed drugs to Anna Nicole? Whatever happened with that?
Joining me tonight, Gloria Allred who is a victim`s rights attorney. Also tonight in New York, defense attorney and TV host Lauren Lake.
Gloria, Lauren, let us begin with Daniel. This Bahamian government official, a pathologist, just now testified at the inquest that Daniel definitely died from a lethal combination of drugs. This is basically confirming something that a private investigator found a long time ago. Gloria, why are they still investigating this?
GLORIA ALLRED, VICTIM`S RIGHTS LAWYER: Well, they`re investigating it, A.J. because this is a young man, and why did he die? There were mysterious circumstances. Was it drugs? You do not expect a young person to be dying of natural causes. So what was the reason? Apparently, it was drugs, but who administered the drugs and why?
HAMMER: And the reason now, Gloria, that this is going on or has taken so long for them to even get to this point?
ALLRED: Well, just as - sometimes they take a long time and sometimes it never happens at all. So, apparently, they are gathering the evidence. And we`ll have to wait and see what the outcome is.
HAMMER: Yes, and obviously, a lot of speculation has been hurled about in the course of this thing now that we`re - what, 14 months after he died. What do you think, Lauren? Would it be far-fetched to think that in the end, somebody might actually be charged with a crime here?
LAUREN LAKE, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: No, I don`t think it is far-fetched at all. And I think people need to beware. I think that there`s a larger issue here, which is why this case is so interesting, is that this whole prescription drug thing with doctors prescribing drugs to young people, to a young man as young as him. We want to know why. We want to know what happened.
And I`ll tell you what`s taking so long. Probably, it is because it got overshadowed by Anna Nicole`s death. And what`s unfortunate is that her celebrity overshadowed her son`s own death, and that`s the scary thing. But now, they`re back on track and they`re looking into the doctors and they`re looking into the whole situation.
I think it`s important for us to note that this is a young man whose life was just as valuable as any celebrity`s and we do need to take due care in investigating this case to make sure there was no wrongdoing.
HAMMER: There`s no question about that. I want to talk about the doctors that you`re talking about. We all remember there was that huge raid back in October on the homes of Anna Nicole`s two doctors who had prescribed her drugs in past. In fact, one of those doctors allegedly prescribed the drugs that in fact led to Smith`s overdose. Let`s listen to what California Attorney General Jerry Brown said at the time of the raids.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERRY BROWN, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: To date, agents have reviewed over 100,000 computer images, files, patient profiles, and pharmacy logs. They`ve also interviewed witnesses both in this country and abroad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Gloria Allred, we`ve heard very little since then, and it was such a big deal when it happened. Should we be reading anything into how much time has passed?
ALLRED: Absolutely not, because again, often it takes a while. There are many, many computer files to be reviewed, as the attorney general has just indicated. And actually during the pendency of the investigation, it`s wise that prosecutors do not make statements about it. Because they don`t want to be later accused of prejudicing the rights of any defendant who may end up being prosecuted.
HAMMER: I do need to point out that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to the California Attorney General`s Office to see if there was any update. As of show time, we didn`t get any response. So, Lauren, is that basically it? Is that just the wheels of justice turning and they`re just trying to be as careful as possible making sure all the T`s are crossed and I`s are dotted?
LAKE: They have to, A.J., because the truth is that when you go accusing someone of negligence, if you accuse a doctor of prescribing something wrongfully, there could potentially be wrongful death suits. There could be so many issues, criminal negligence. You have to be very, very careful. So I`m glad they`re taking their time, but I am most happy that they`re continuing the investigation -
HAMMER: Yes.
LAKE: Because it is important.
HAMMER: Real quickly, Larry Birkhead has come up again because he`s been reportedly telling his friends that the reason he wasn`t on Barbara Walters` "Top Ten Most Fascinating Show" was because they didn`t have enough time for him. In fact, listen to what he told the "New York Daily News." He said, "It was said that `20/20` could dedicate a longer amount of time to my story and that show would take longer than the time set aside for each nominee featured in the `Top Ten Show.`"
Gloria, this is a guy who I think would be well advised to just kind of lay low, don`t you think, instead of trying to hog publicity at this time?
ALLRED: Well, Larry has become a celebrity by virtue of his relationship with Anna Nicole and the fact that he has a baby with her and has fought to be the legal father of this child. And so, he is now a celebrity. He is a person who is of great interest to the public. And of course, he recognizes that, having been a celebrity photographer himself.
HAMMER: I`ve got to wrap it up there. Seems like he loves the spotlight, though. Lauren Lake and Gloria Allred, thanks so much.
LAKE: Thank you, A.J.
ALLRED: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., something a little more fun now. You are a big fan of "Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory," those oompa-loompas?
HAMMER: Who doesn`t love an oompa-loompa, Brooke?
ANDERSON: I love the oompa-loompa. But tonight, I can tell you that Paris Hilton - yes, that`s Paris - actually came to the rescue of an oompa- loompa. I know there`s some joke in there somewhere. I`ve got this totally bizarre story, next. Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANICE DICKINSON, SUPERMODEL: Tyra clearly claims that she`s fat and she puts herself on the cover of magazines.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ah, Janice Dickinson. She never holds back. But this time, a lot of people, count me among them, really think she went way too far by calling Tyra Banks fat. So many people so furious about this. So tonight, I`m pushing Janice on the issue, one-on-one, to set the record straight. That is coming up.
ANDERSON: And A.J., they cried, they caved, they even shaved. I mean, why did these celebrities totally lose it? And are their reputations ruined forever? Tonight, I`ve got a fired up SHOWBIZ TONIGHT report. The year`s biggest celebrity meltdowns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. OK, so tonight, I can finally tell you after all that charity talk once she got out of jail, Paris Hilton is finally helping out.
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ANDERSON: You`ve got to love those oompa-loompas from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," right? And guess what? Paris saved a real-life oompa- loompa. OK, here`s what I`m trying to tell you. Paris was at a nightclub this weekend. Big shocker there, right? She was at a nightclub in Miami.
Things got pushy and shovey(ph) and Robin Sherwood, an oompa-loompa performer at the party, got pinned up against the stage and badly cut his leg. It turns out this guy is a friend of Paris` and she was very concerned.
Mr. Sherwood tells us, quote, "Paris is a saint and a goddess. When I was injured, she came to my rescue and she was yelling at people to call paramedics to get me help as soon as possible. So there you have it. Paris Hilton not exactly earning her golden ticket, but it`s a start.
HAMMER: I take everything back I`ve ever said about paris Hilton. A saint and a goddess.
All right, Brooke. A former supermodel and reality TV star, Janice Dickinson, started something with Tyra Banks. She called her fat on national television. Did she mean it? Well, I`m going to find out exactly what she was thinking because tonight Janice is right here with me. And I`m demanding she set the record straight on this. That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: A.J., Tyra Banks is not the only one under attack. The Olsen twins, Mary Kate and Ashley, also being ripped tonight. I`m totally stunned. I mean, what would get someone to call them "Hairy Kate and Trashley, the Trollsen twins?" Talk about double trouble. Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: I`ve had worst press than a pedophile or a murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Heather Mills crying. Ellen caving. Britney, uh, shaving. I mean, what is wrong with these people? I want to know why these stars totally lost it, and can they ever bounce back? Next, I`ve got the showbiz special report that you just can`t miss, "The Biggest Celebrity Meltdowns of the Year." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will return after this. Stay with us.
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HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "The Biggest Celebrity Meltdowns of the Year."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: I`ve had worst press than a pedophile or a murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, Heather Mills, just what would we do without you? But, you know, that`s just the beginning. We`ve got the weepiest, the creepiest, the most over-the-top "Celebrity Meltdowns of the Year."
Janice Dickinson, unplugged. Well, I guess she`s kind of always unplugged, but wait until you hear this. She stopped by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and she kind of tried to set the record straight about calling Tyra Banks fat. I promise you, I did not let her get off easy on this one. Tonight, Janice Dickinson in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, a showbiz special report, "The Biggest Meltdowns of the Year." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has for you the cream of the crop when it comes to stars` biggest meltdown moments this year for all the world to see.
Tonight in Hollywood, Ken Baker, editorial director for "UsMagazine.com." Also in Hollywood, Howard Bragman, founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. And in New York, Maggie Gallant, founder of Spotlight Communications. Ken, Howard, Maggie, thank you all for joining us.
And you know, we have to start with the meltdown that just keeps on melting. Britney Spears shaving her head in February in between rehab stays. Well, here we are ten months later, Britney still wearing wigs, bad weaves, doing crazier things in public. Howard, is this the longest continuous meltdown you`ve ever seen?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, PUBLICIST AND FOUNDER OF FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: You know, Brooke, she`s the Energizer Bunny of meltdowns, isn`t she? She keeps going and going and professionally -
ANDERSON: Sadly, it`s true.
BRAGMAN: It`s true. And I handle a lot of clients who have transgressions and have little crises in their life. But this one - every week, every month we`re seeing new stuff. I mean, it`s unbelievable. I can`t imagine cleaning up this mess. It is like shoveling after the elephant in the circus. It`s truly, truly of gargantuan proportions that she has created.
ANDERSON: A big task. And Maggie, what do you think? Is this meltdown just going to continue right on into 2008?
MAGGIE GALLANT, FOUNDER, "SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS": Well, I think that most people are thinking it is going to continue and with her complicated relationship with the paparazzi. She courts them, she hates them. They`re chronicling every detail of this meltdown. So there`s nothing about this meltdown that we haven`t seen over and over again.
ANDERSON: Ken, call me crazy, but when I see all of this erratic behavior, it kind of makes me think that Britney actually enjoys all of this - the controversy, the attention she gets. Do you think that she even cares - that she even wants to turn it around for herself?
BAKER: Well, I`m not going to call you crazy because Britney makes all of us look sane, OK? So I think that at the end of the day, Britney - she definitely was not a train wreck this year. I know this may come as a surprise to many people. She was not a train wreck. She was a total derailment, OK? And she tumbled down the ravine and there was a big lake and she fell into the lake. She`s just trying to get herself out of the water now.
But I tell you what; I think the court-ordered drug and alcohol testing that was put in place within the last few weeks has scared her into being sober. That court-ordered mandate that she takes two random drug and alcohol tests is what saved her and is probably, I predict, is what`s going to make 2008 a more sane year for Britney Spears.
ANDERSON: Yes, hopefully she can turn it around. Now I want to move on to talk show host Ellen DeGeneres` doggy drama. (dogs barking) There you have it, OK, on our talk show. Ellen adopted Iggy the dog and then gave it away to her makeup artist who has two children. Then the adoption agency took the doggy away. And then on her own show, the crying meltdown we will never forget. Play it again, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: I was trying to do a good thing. Because I did it wrong, those people went and took that dog out of their home and took it away from those kids. And I feel totally responsible for it, and I`m so sorry. And I`m begging them to give that dog back to that family. I just want the family to have the dog. It`s not their fault. It`s my fault. I shouldn`t have given the dog away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It was the cry that sold a thousand boxes of Kleenex. Maggie, you know, we normally grab the tissue watching Ellen because we`re laughing uncontrollably, but not this time. Do you think we are all so shocked by this because we`re used to Ellen making us laugh?
GALLANT: Whenever you see a comedian show a more serious side of themselves, it makes us notice immediately. And her crying wasn`t just a misty soap opera type of cry, this was like a Charlie Brown wailing kind of cry. And I think that at first we wanted to know who died. This was really upsetting for anybody. And I think anybody who had a dog could understand the heartache that she felt, but this was traumatizing for us even to watch.
ANDERSON: It certainly was. Ken, you know, with this doggy drama, Ellen really stepped in it, didn`t she?
BAKER: Yes, you know, you might say that she was left with poop on her face, because look, she started this fight. She went to the airwaves and thought that she could probably bully the adoption agency into giving that pet back.
Well guess what? It didn`t happen. In fact, the pet adoption agency fought back, and they exposed that she had broken the rules and they were just following procedure. And it ended up being a really, really bad thing for Ellen to the point where she took a couple days off of work. She went into hiding. She ended up coming back and she refuses to talk about it ever again. It was just a total disaster for her.
ANDERSON: She did address it on her show and she did it in a funny way, which was nice to see she recovered in that way. But another one of this year`s biggest meltdowns I want to move to now is Heather Mills` tearful description of the press she`s gotten since her split with Paul McCartney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: I`ve had worst press than a pedophile or a murder. And I do nothing but charity for 20 years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, we probably played that sound bite oh about 2,523 times. Now, we finally understand what she was saying, Maggie.
GALLANT: Well, actually, speaking of the dogs with Ellen DeGeneres, I think dogs all over this country immediately could hear what she was saying she was so high pitched. It took us humans a little while to figure out what she was saying.
ANDERSON: It certainly did. And Howard, what do you think? Did she basically squander away any of the good press she did get when she competed on "Dancing With The Stars"?
BRAGMAN: When I heard she was going to do "Dancing," I thought she`s finally getting it. She`s realizing she has to be human. She has to chip away at her reputation. She`s going to reintroduce herself to the American people. What a smart girl. She really must be listening to her handlers and her advisers.
And then all of a sudden we hear she`s not listening to her handlers. In fact, they have fired her as a client and she`s out on the magical whining tour of the world. Yes, she blew it. It`s over. Forget "Dancing with the Stars." She`s going downhill and it`s a long way to get back.
And again, she needs to be quiet and let the court take its time and decide how this divorce is going to resolve itself. And that`s her only chance. But even then, I don`t think it`s going to be pretty for her.
ANDERSON: Sometimes it`s just best to be quiet. And of course, who could forget the biggest meltdown on national TV shared by two co-hosts of "The View," Rosie O`Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck back in May. Rosie was mad at Elizabeth for not coming to her defense after comments Rosie made about the war in Iraq. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, FORMER CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I have told you I support the troops.
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I have done the same for you.
O`DONNELL: I asked you if you believed what the Republican pundits were saying.
HASSELBECK: Did I say yes?
O`DONNELL: You said nothing and that`s cowardly.
HASSELBECK: No, no, no.
O`DONNELL: You said nothing.
HASSELBECK: Do not call me a coward. Because number one, I sit here every single day -
O`DONNELL: So do I.
HASSELBECK: Open my heart and tell people exactly what I believe.
O`DONNELL: So do I, Elizabeth.
HASSELBECK: Do not call me a coward, Rosie. (CROSS TALK) It was not cowardice, it was honest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Maggie, doesn`t that kind of make you a little nostalgic for those exciting days on "The View"? Don`t you miss it?
GALLANT: It sure does. But, you know, I won`t call this a meltdown as much as I would a showdown. What`s so much fun about watching Rosie is she doesn`t care what anybody thinks about her, and that`s what`s so refreshing. But ever since she even left "The View," we can still hear about her rantings and her ravings on her blog, so she hasn`t stopped. This is who she is, and we all loved watching. It was ratings` gold for "The View."
ANDERSON: Yes, here we are, talking about it, but Ken, very quickly, I`ve got to ask, do you think that Rosie even cares? Does she give a darn?
BAKER: You know what? It doesn`t look like she cares at all. Personally, I think she likes to vent. She likes to get it out there. It has been her shtick. It has worked for her.
But professionally, guess what? She`s unemployed. She had a deal with MSNBC that fell out of place. I don`t know what happened with that. She claims that she talked too much and they got mad at her. The last blog I read on "Rosie.com" was that she was completely happy just sitting in her bedroom and blogging with a video camera. And I think that very well may be where she ends up because she`s just been professionally suicidal.
We`ll have to wait and see where she pops up next. One thing`s for sure, she will always speak her mind. Howard Bragman, Ken Baker, Maggie Gallant, thank you all for joining us.
BAKER: Thank you.
BRAGMAN: Thanks, Brooke.
GALLANT: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, Hilary Swank is speaking out about the man in her life and her pill popping habit. Don`t start getting all worried about Hilary. I`m talking about vitamins here. But check this out. In an interview with "W" magazine, Hillary admits she takes nearly 45 vitamins a day. And she says the most important ones are in something called a "Longevity Pack" that`s marketed by Dr. Oz - you know him from Oprah. Hilary says Oz changed her life.
And speaking of life changing, two years after her breakup from Chad Lowe, Hilary is dating her former agent John Campese(ph). They were first spotted together last summer. Now, Hilary recently left New York and she bought a house in Los Angeles where John happens to live. So it looks like this may be getting serious.
Hillary told "W" magazine, quote, "Of course I`m in love or I wouldn`t be in this relationship for as long as I`ve been. He`s a great guy." For more fun facts on Hilary Swank, grab a copy of "W" magazine on newsstands, December 25th.
ANDERSON: Hey, the Olsen twins are taking a beating. Who do you think has set up a web site calling them "Hairy Kate and Trashley, the Trollsen Twins." I`m going to tell you who`s attacking the twins and why. Next. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICKINSON: Tyra clearly claims that she`s fat and she puts herself on the cover of magazines.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The one and only Janice Dickinson versus Tyra Banks. Janice tries to set the record straight about calling Tyra fat. I did not let her off easy on this. That is coming up in the not-to-be-missed interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: And former Miss U.S.A. Shanna Moakler is getting back into pageants but this time, as a judge of a mother-daughter pageant competition. And just our luck, it was all caught on tape for a reality show. Shanna tells me how she liked being on the other side of judging, straight ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. All right, attention Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. If you are watching right now, you may want to look away for a minute because there`s a new campaign against you, against the Olsen twins. And it`s kind of clever but also kind of mean.
And guess who it comes from? PETA, that`s right; People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is attacking the twins for wearing fur. PETA calling them "Hairy Kate and Trashley" referring to them as the "Trollsen Twins," and even says, quote, "No one would argue that Mary Kate and Ashley could use some meat on their bones but the last thing they need is hair on their backs." They`ve started a web site targeting the twins and made has an ad that will run in magazines. Ouch.
HAMMER: Yikes. Well, the Olsen twins are not the only ones catching heat tonight. Let`s call this an episode of "Janice Said What?" Former model and reality TV star Janice Dickinson is trying to set the record straight about why she called Tyra Banks fat. Yes, she called Tyra fat. And this all started when Janice spoke out about the controversy over Jennifer Love Hewitt and the nasty comments that were made about Hewitt`s body.
Well then, Janice dropped the F-bomb on Tyra. Now, she`s coming to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to do her best to set the record straight. It didn`t necessarily go so well. I started off by asking her about what she really thought about the Hewitt controversy in the first place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICKINSON: Whoever said that, his hands should be sealed in cement never to take a photograph again. This is a nice girl, who is not an emaciated model, who is not an emaciated drug-addicted, addled celebrity who is getting thrown in and out of rehab. This is a nice girl whose choices in films have been nice.
She was photographed midday. Anyone looks like rocky raccoon because you see that the camera will make dark circles. It is an unflattering light at 12:00. Just don`t go to the beach at 12:00 everybody. Do not go to the beach at 12:00. It is unsafe anyway.
So they`re saying that she is fat, and it is making her pissed off. I flippantly said something about the dear lady, Ms. Banks, who gave me my break on television. I said, "You know what? She`s not fat. She`s a normal girl. Tyra clearly claims that she`s fat and she puts herself on the cover of magazines." I want to apologize to Ms. Banks, you`re not fat.
HAMMER: OK. Hold on a second, Janice. Because what you said did get a lot of people ruffled.
DICKINSON: So then you have the Paris Hiltons. Of course, it`s going to -
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Just to give you some context -
DICKINSON: Didn`t mean it.
HAMMER: These comments came on the "Today" show when you were sitting down with Al Roker.
DICKINSON: He was fat! He was fat and he lost it.
HAMMER: He has taken certain measures to lose weight. Let`s take a look at what you said and then we`ll talk about it.
DICKINSON: That may be unhealthy for the heart.
HAMMER: Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICKINSON: You want to see someone who`s fat. I`m sorry, Tyra Banks is fat. This girl is not fat. She`s - it`s at 12:00 day.
AL ROKER, WEATHER ANCHOR, THE "TODAY" SHOW: But wait, wait, wait. Why would you say Tyra Banks is fat?
DICKINSON: Well, she is.
ROKER: I`m sure Tyra Banks - I would never.
(CROSS TALK)
DICKINSON: No, I`m kidding. I love Ms. Banks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right.
DICKINSON: I said, "I`m kidding."
HAMMER: You said you were kidding, but a lot of people out there writing you weren`t kidding. I heard you on the radio say, she`s fat again.
DICKINSON: It`s a fat zero. I want to take the issue away from the size zero and pull it away from Miss Jennifer Love Hewitt. She`s a sensitive girl. Tyra`s tough as nails. She`s my friend. She calls me a witch. We work together.
HAMMER: That`s why. And we know that you guys have known each other for a long time now. But the truth is, Janice, and here`s where I think it gets very dangerous and I want to know if you agree with me. When you call somebody like Tyra Banks fat, even if it`s in jest - she is a beautiful woman who, by a lot of American standards, is nowhere near being fat. So people hear you call somebody like Tyra Banks fat and they`re thinking, "Oh, my god, then what about me?" Do you understand?
DICKINSON: Hang on. I want to set the record straight. We`re friends. We banter with each other. On her talk show she there`s three kinds of witches, the good witch, the bad witch, and then there`s Janice Dickinson. It`s kind of a friendly thing. I sat on her show for seven episodes. Sitting next to her, I was paid to have negative comments about the models. So there was the good witch and the bad witch. I was paid to be the Simon Cowell.
HAMMER: I understand all that.
DICKINSON: She knows who I am. And if I (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I apologize.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: She knows. And you know what? But I don`t think she`s the one we even need to worry about here. I think we need to worry about the Americans sitting in front of their television seeing somebody like Tyra Banks being called fat the same way we saw Jennifer Love Hewitt being called fat. Then they say about themselves, "Oh my god, if they`re fat, what about me?" That`s the danger.
DICKINSON: OK. I can answer because I`m a writer. I wrote a book called "Everything About Me Is Fake and I`m Perfect," which depicts the ugly side of modeling. And what I wrote in several chapters, with this book Harper Collins, read it in print was that the camera, as you know, puts on ten pounds. And the camera digitally enhances and there`s lots of beautiful lighting in these CNN studios.
I don`t look like this without 14 pounds of makeup and 17 fake extension hair. And, you know, it`s a kind of thing where I write about body image. Look, if I`m going to be walking around and I have to watch my P`s and Q`s, no one will watch television. I did not specifically want to hurt anyone or anyone watching. I`m an expert at this issue. I do not walk around to try to hurt the public.
In fact, I think the people tune in to watch me because I tell the truth. I don`t edit and I tell the truth. Sometimes, if it`s painful in the big bad world of drugs, alcohol, predators, fat, zero, punctuality and put some money in the bank.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, I tried. I really tried. You can see more of Janice on the third season of "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" airing Tuesday nights on Oxygen.
ANDERSON: Great effort, A.J. Great effort. OK. We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It is this, "Tom Cruise: do you care that he`s a Scientologist? Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Do it from your desktop, your laptop, even your Blackberry or your cellphone. We want to hear whatever you want to tell us.
So Shanna Moakler knows a thing or two about beauty pageants and about reality shows. Remember "Meet the Barkers?" Now, two of her areas of expertise are coming together. She`s starring on a reality show about a mother-daughter beauty pageant.
Shanna tells why the show is bound to be everyone`s favorite new guilty pleasure, next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Former Miss U.S.A. Shanna Moakler is putting a new twist on the pageant world. She`s a judge on the new reality show called "Crowned, The Mother of All Pageants." Mother and daughter teams live together and compete against one another for $100,000. Shanna stopped by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and I asked her if the competition got nasty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHANNA MOAKLER, FORMER MISS U.S.A. AND BEAUTY PAGEANT JUDGE: One of the coolest things about this show, this competition, is seeing the relationships of the mothers and the daughters. And you really see the mothers get possessive over their daughters and the daughters always stick up for their mothers. But more than anything, you see some teens - where some finish each other`s sentences. And they`re so close. Some even look like sisters.
And then you see some that don`t look anything at all alike. They`ll candidly say we never really even liked each other. We`ve just never connected as mother and daughter. We`re doing this to get to know one another and to do something fun together. And so you really see some interesting relationships.
ANDERSON: OK. That`s the friendly side of it.
MOAKLER: Yes.
ANDERSON: Was there any animosity between the teens, the competitiveness there?
MOAKLER: Well, they do live in a house together. So there definitely is some drama. And I tell everybody it`s reality TV. It is supposed to be fun. It is entertainment. We`re not trying to save the planet here. But there`s definitely some serious drama. And I keep saying this because I really believe it, it`s going to be your favorite guilty pleasure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. "Crowned" debuts Wednesday night on the CW.
HAMMER: Well, on Monday, we told you about Oprah Winfrey hitting the campaign trail with Barack Obama. It`s the first time Oprah has actually campaigned for any presidential candidate. And we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we wanted to know, "Oprah campaigns for Obama: Will she influence your vote?"
Look at how the voting went. Only nine percent of you said yes. Ninety-one percent of you said no. Some of the e-mails we got included one from Dawn in Ohio who writes, "Because of her, I will take another look at Obama`s policies."
We also got one from Dan in California who writes, "The mere thought that people of America can be so easily hypnotized by a media icon when it comes to the future of our country is shameful."
Time now to see what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Wednesday, I`d like you to fasten your seat belt because we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT are counting down to our pick for the most controversial celebrity of 2007. So many to pick from this year, so the scientists in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT lab have been doing their logarithms and their algorithms for weeks to come up with their formula for who was the wildest, the most shocking, the most controversial celebrity of 2007. We`ll take you through everything that our finalists did to put themselves in the running Wednesday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. No slim ticket there.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next. Take care.
END
