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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT
Britney Spears Released from Psychiatric Hospital; Cause of Heath Ledger`s Death Finally Known
Aired February 6, 2008 - 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: Breaking news tonight. Britney Spears is out of the hospital. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKEE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And as Britney checks out, shocking news that another star checks into the psych ward. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, shocking, almost unbelievable brand-new details about Britney Spears` life with her manager Sam Lutfi before she was taken to the psych ward. Jaw-dropping claims that he drugged Britney, yelled at Britney, cut Britney`s phone lines, disabled Britney`s car. But wait, there`s more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL HUNDGEN, TMZ.TV: The parents literally think that Sam is the root of evil.
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HAMMER: Tonight, the remarkable story and the burning questions about these explosive new allegations. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the disturbing, heartbreaking Britney news you are not going to believe.
Tonight, at long last, we now know what killed Heath Ledger. The results just in. Was his death accidental? And what was the real reason he was taking a scary amount of painkillers, anti-anxiety medication and sleeping pills? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, with the real reason behind Heath Ledger`s death.
Plus, Dr. Phil`s new trouble; this time, over the Natalee Holloway drama. Why Dr. Phil is going to need a lawyer.
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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 this has been an extraordinary day of two big breaking news stories. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got them covered like no other entertainment news show.
Tonight, the Heath Ledger mystery is finally over. We now know why the 28-year-old superstar actor died so suddenly in his New York City apartment. Our complete coverage of the late-breaking details coming up.
But first, breaking Britney Spears` news. Britney has been released from the psychiatric hospital she was taken to nearly a week ago. We`ll have more on that in just a moment.
But first, what we`re about to tell you may seem so unbelievable, so scary and frankly, so disgusting, you`d think somebody made it all up. It`s the story of Britney`s life with her manager, Sam Lutfi, before she was committed to the psychiatric ward.
ANDERSON: A.J., the claims are absolutely wild and terribly sad and disturbing. They come from Britney Spears` mother and I can tell you that we now definitely understand why a judge ordered Lutfi to stay away from her, her house and her family.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: Hey, where are we going?
SAM LUTFI, BRITNEY SPEARS` SELF-DESCRIBED MANAGER: We`re going to go right.
ANDERSON (voice over): It used to be a common sight. Britney Spears maneuvering through the paparazzi along with her self-described manager, Sam Lutfi.
B. SPEARS: Damn! Why did you park all the way down?
JO PIAZZA, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Those were the good old days for Britney and Sam.
ANDERSON: Now, the good old days are over and a court has ordered Lutfi to stay away from her, thanks to some shocking, absolutely stunning claims from Britney`s parents.
HUNDGEN: The parents think that Sam is the root of evil.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How`s Britney?
ANDERSON: Now for the first time, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the horrifying claims Britney`s parents have made under oath against this mysterious figure in Britney`s life who seemed to come from out of nowhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Sam, what`s going on?
ANDERSON: Claims that Lutfi drugged Britney, cut her phone lines, and that he, quote, "purported to take control of her life, home and finances."
PIAZZA: The whole picture just sounds really scary. It sounds like a man who has taken control of this really weak and vulnerable woman.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained this sworn declaration from Britney`s mother, Lynne Spears. Most of the claims center on the events of January 28th, a wild night for Britney.
PIAZZA: This night in particular, she just seemed completely out of it, more so than usual.
ANDERSON: That night, TMZ cameras caught Britney freaking out after an apparent argument with Lutfi.
B. SPEARS: Would you please go away?
ANDERSON: In her declaration, Lynne says during that fight, she heard that, quote, "Lutfi had told Britney that she was an unfit mother, a piece of trash and a whore.
PIAZZA: That`s not how a good friend talks about you.
ANDERSON: Lynne says when she heard about the argument, she and a friend when to Britney`s home. And when Lutfi found out Britney`s mother was on the way, he had this paparazzo escort Britney out of the house. We see them out together in this "Hollywood.tv" video.
PIAZZA: Lynne says that at one point, the paparazzi just seemed to cower to him, that they were treating him like he was some kind of a general.
ANDERSON: Lynne says when she finally arrived at Britney`s mansion, she didn`t see her daughter but did see how much control Sam Lutfi had over the millionaire superstar.
PIAZZA: It seems like Sam, according to Lynne`s allegations, had this complete strategy of isolating Britney from the rest of the world. Lynne claims that when she got there that night, the cars were disabled. The landlines in the house were cut. There were no phone chargers in the house so Britney couldn`t charge her cell phone unless Sam charged it for her.
ANDERSON: In Lynne Spears` claims in the court documents, there was another frightening admission.
PIAZZA: Sam actually admitted to Lynne at one point, how he was personally medicating Britney. He was crushing up the pills and putting them in her food and drinks so that the majority of the time, Britney had no idea what she was even taking. And Sam, you know the medical expert that he is, also talked to Lynne about getting Britney into a sleep-induced coma so that her psychiatrist could properly treat her.
ANDERSON: In this video, we see Lynne Spears reunited with her daughter later that night as they all went to the drugstore with Sam in tow. In her declaration, Lynne says she didn`t like the way the two interacted.
PIAZZA: He was verbally abusing her, saying if she didn`t take her medications that he was giving her, then she wasn`t going to get to see her children.
ANDERSON: And Lynne says Sam made a shocking threat, allegedly telling Lynne, "If you try to get rid of me, she`ll be dead and I`ll (EXPLETIVE DELETED) on her grave."
HUNDGEN: Just disgusting, you know, statements coming from somebody who supposedly cares about her.
ANDERSON: Now, Lynne Spears` charges have led a California court to take strong actions against Lutfi.
HUNDGEN: A restraining order which basically says Sam has to stay 250 feet away from Britney, from Britney`s house.
ANDERSON: As for Lutfi, we haven`t seen much of him. Now, many of those around Britney are hoping that Sam Lutfi stays out of sight.
PIAZZA: It`s just scary, the idea of this man controlling this poor woman.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: In a statement to "E! News," Lutfi says, quote, "I`m not worried about what Lynne is saying. It`s not true. Their family and their concerns are understandable, but these allegations are not true." "E!" says Lutfi refused to disclose where he was. It`s been reported he`s in hiding possibly to keep from being served that restraining order.
HAMMER: And the story gets wilder and wilder. And now, Britney Spears out of the hospital, released today and frankly, surprising everyone. Joining us in New York tonight, Tru TV anchor, Lisa Bloom. And in Hollywood tonight, investigative journalist and author of the fine book, "Secrets Can Be Murder," Jane Velez-Mitchell.
Jane, Lisa, we have all speculated on this show that it certainly was a possibility that this could happen, Britney leaving the psych ward. But quite honestly, we didn`t see it coming and I`m sitting here thinking that Britney got wind of what`s been happening while she was in that hospital. And maybe, just maybe, she decided she needed to get out before things got too out of control and regain control of what was going on in her life. Jane Velez-Mitchell, does that make sense?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Yes, it does make sense, but none of this makes sense. I mean they just got a conservatorship appointed to handle her affairs a few days ago. And the criteria for that is you`re totally out of it you can`t provide food, shelter, clothing. And now suddenly, voila, she`s well enough to leave the hospital? A doctor decided she no longer poses a danger to herself or others. But I mean, really, how can you go from one extreme to another in just a matter of a few days?
And I certainly hope that her family stays right with her when they let her out, because remember the last time she got let out of the hospital, things got crazy, really crazy. So this is a very risky proposition and I really hope that she gets the help she needs and gets round-the-clock care even though she`s out of the hospital.
HAMMER: And Jane, that conservatorship you mentioned, control of Britney`s affairs, was given to her dad. Now, Lisa, help me understand this. With Britney out of the hospital and with proper reason to be let out of the hospital, could a judge actually give Britney control of her personal and financial affairs once again -
LISA BLOOM, TRU TV ANCHOR: Certainly.
HAMMER: Or does that stay with dad?
BLOOM: A judge certainly could. Her lawyer would have to make an application on her behalf. Here`s the problem. When Britney`s home, everything falls apart. She`s obviously or most likely taking drugs, drinking alcohol, deteriorating. But when she goes into the hospital, she`s on her best behavior because it`s no fun being in a psych ward. And so she`s motivated to get out, motivated to follow the rules, to stay out of the padded room, to stay away from being involuntarily drugged. So she`s probably been behaving herself in the psych ward and taking her medications. She seems like she`s not a danger to herself, a danger to others or gravely disabled. That`s the statute in California. So they had to let her out. The problem is when she goes back at home again, she may deteriorate -
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ANDERSON: The death of Heath Ledger. Tonight, at long last, we know now why the superstar actor died so suddenly. But the mysteries are not over.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative TV entertainment show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Two weeks after the death that shocked Hollywood and the world, the New York City medical examiner revealed how Heath Ledger died. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained the official toxicology report which concludes that Heath died of an accidental overdose of six prescription medications.
Joining us tonight from New York, clinical psychologist Dr. Judy Kuriansky. And in Hollywood, "Extra" correspondent Jerry Penacoli. Dr. Judy, Jerry, I want to show you the list of drugs that Heath had in his system. It is remarkable. The medical examiner found he took two powerful painkillers, Vicodin and Percadan; two sedatives, Xanax and Valium; and two types of sleeping medication. Dr. Judy, it was the combination of the drugs that killed him according to the medical examiner`s office. This, in effect, was a lethal cocktail, wasn`t it?
JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, exactly. Because a lot of people who are watching at home may say well, you know, they take Xanax or they`ve taken a Valium. But taking all of those together, even one of them is enough to put somebody down or to calm their anxiety or to help them get to sleep. But in his situation, he could have taken one, that wasn`t enough. Oh, I`m still not shutting of my brain. Let me take some more. You get really groggy. You don`t know what`s going on. So he takes some more.
And all that of that depresses his central nervous system and depresses his breathing, makes him unconscious so he doesn`t really know what he`s doing. My hypothesis is since we was found lying down, he could have even suffocated, which is what can happen.
ANDERSON: Well, what is not clear is whether all of these drugs were prescribed by the same doctor. And if they were, Dr. Judy, would that be unusual for a doctor to prescribe so many different medications? It`s a large amount.
KURIANSKY: Well, yes, and there are different kinds. And sometimes they`re used for similar things to really calm your anxiety. You can take an anti-anxiety agent or you can take something that`s a sleeping pill and you can try different things.
Sometimes a doctor will say, "OK, you come in for pain, so we`re going to give you a painkiller because your shoulder hurts from bicycling too much." Or your legs hurt, or something. Then you go back again a couple months later and you say, and you know what? I can`t sleep. So, "Oh, well, we`ll give you a sleeping medication." Then you go back and you say, "You know, that sleeping medication didn`t help me. I`m anxious all the time." You get an anti-anxiety agent.
So people keep these things. Heath could have kept these things in his medicine cabinet and just taking them, not one person giving him all of those and certainly not one person saying take all of them at the same time. That would not happen.
ANDERSON: Well, as we know, Heath was distressed about his breakup with Michelle Williams. He missed his daughter Matilda terribly. Playing the role of The Joker in the Batman movie really got to him. Jerry, it would seem to me that he was just trying to numb the pain; literally just trying to get some relief.
JERRY PENACOLI, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Look, Brooke, no one knows the answer to that question except for Heath, God rest his soul, obviously. Not only was he trying to numb his pain, but he was just trying to get some rest. You mentioned these roles. Very, very dark, dark character playing a crazy demoniacal Joker in the new Batman movie, "Dark Knight."
And he also just came off of a role in the Bob Dylan biopic "I`m Not There." Very dark, intense roles. He was complaining to friends and family, we`re told, that he could not sleep. In fact, he was only getting an average of two hours a sleep a night. In fact, "The New York Times" interviewed him and he told "The New York Times" that he was taking - in order to sleep for one hour, get this, he was taking two Ambien. Now, if anybody out there has ever taken an Ambien, it will knock you out for eight to ten hours; at least knock out a normal person eight to tens hours.
ANDERSON: Yes. Serious insomnia. And Jerry, I do want to step in there because we did obtain a statement from Heath`s family in Australia that says in part, quote, "We remain humble as parents and a family among millions of people worldwide who may have suffered the tragic loss of a child. Few can understand the hollow wrenching and enduring agony parents silently suffer when a child predeceases them. Today`s results put an end to speculation, but our son`s beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts." Jerry, very quickly, they are inconsolable, understandably, aren`t they?
PENACOLI: Yes. Absolutely inconsolable. And I think they`re also, as part of that statement - reaching out and putting everyone on notice and saying, go through your medicine chest. Know what you`re taking. Know what you`re ingesting. And make sure that these drugs, which can be lethal if they interact in the improper way, just take responsibility for what you`re putting in your body.
ANDERSON: May it serve as a warning to everyone. Jerry Penacoli, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, thank you both.
OK. Even with the cause of death answered, there are still so many lingering questions about Heath Ledger`s shocking and tragic death. How did he get so many different prescription drugs at the same time and why are federal drug officials getting involved now? We`re getting into the burning questions that remain, coming up.
HAMMER: There are also burning Britney questions tonight, shocking allegations that Britney`s manager, Sam Lutfi, actually manipulated her and controlled her, even drugging her. Could he be brought up on criminal charges? And what happens now that Britney is reportedly out of the hospital? That is coming up.
ANDERSON: And oh, no, Dr. Phil is in trouble again. I found this pretty stunning. This time, it`s in connection with the Natalee Holloway case. And the doctor may need a lawyer. I`m going to tell you why, coming up. You don`t want to miss that. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is headed straight back. Stay with us.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Three big stories making headlines in Hollywood right now. Shocking news about "Designing Women" star, Delta Burke. She has checked herself into a psychiatric hospital. Burke tells TMZ that she`s on five different medications for depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and hording, which is something, she says, is ruining her life. Burke has been in the hospital for about a week now and we wish her all the best.
Police have questioned Amy Winehouse about that video that allegedly shows her smoking crack cocaine. Now, she was not arrested. No charges have been filed yet. As the investigation continues, there`s no word on whether that will affect her attempts to get a visa to come to the United States for this weekend`s Grammy Awards. She is nominated this year for six Grammys.
And Rebecca De Mornay(ph) was sentenced to three years probation after pleading no contest to a drunk driving discharge. She also has to complete a three-month DUI program and pay a few hundred dollars in fines. De Mornay was arrested back in October in Beverly Hills.
ANDERSON: There are so many burning questions about Britney Spears tonight. Shocking allegations that Britney`s manager Sam Lutfi manipulated and controlled her, allegations that he even drugged her. Could he be brought up on criminal charges and could Britney have serious permanent damage? And what happens now that Britney is reportedly out of the hospital? That`s coming up.
Also, we now know what caused Heath Ledger`s tragic death, but you know, there are still so many lingering questions. I want to know how did he get so many different prescription drugs at the same time and why are federal drug officials now getting involved? We get into those burning questions coming up next.
ANDERSON: And look out, Dr. Phil is in trouble again. I found this shocking. This time, it`s in connection with the Natalee Holloway case. And the doctor may need a lawyer. I`m going to tell you why, coming up. You don`t want to miss that.
HAMMER: But first, you can stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news with our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. All you have to do is head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, click on the "sign up for newsletter" link right there at the bottom of the page, and we will send it to you every single day. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
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HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, breaking Britney news. She is out of the hospital and that is just the beginning. Shocking allegations that Britney`s manager, Sam Lutfi, manipulated and controlled her, even going so far as drugging her. Could he be brought up on criminal charges? Could Britney have serious permanent damage? And what happens next with Britney out of the hospital?
Disturbing questions surrounding the tragic death of Heath Ledger. How did he get so many different prescription drugs at the same time? And why are federal drug officials getting involved? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the burning questions.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 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.
Big breaking news tonight. Britney Spears is out of the hospital. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you she slipped out of the hospital without the crazy paparazzi following her. That comes as dramatic new details about the restraining order Britney`s mom, Lynne Spears filed against Britney`s manager, Sam Lutfi, claiming that he drugged Britney and practically took control of every facet of her life.
And we now know more about the declaration that Britney`s dad, Jamie, filed to make a case that he remain in charge of Britney`s estate as a temporary conservator. TMZ reports Britney`s dad says Britney told him her friend and manager Sam Lutfi had wrongfully taken some property of hers, seemingly supporting claims that Lutfi is dangerous to Britney.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s coverage of Britney in crisis continues now with the big burning questions. If Britney indeed did take anti-psychotic drugs without her knowledge under her manager Sam Lutfi, could Britney be seriously damaged? Could Sam Lutfi be brought up on criminal charges if he gave Britney medication without her knowing about it? And what about Britney`s parents, how believable are their claims?
Joining me tonight in New York, clinical psychologist Dr. Judy Kuriansky. Also in New York, Tru TV`s anchor for "In Session," Lisa Bloom. In Hollywood tonight, investigative journalist and author of "Secrets Can Be Murder" Jane Velez-Mitchell. And also in Hollywood tonight, criminal defense attorney Darren Kavinoky. I appreciate you all being here.
And before we get to anything else, let`s get right to our big breaking Britney news, Britney out of the hospital. Jane Velez-Mitchell, we have been hearing that she needs to be in there for at least 14 days. Dr. Judy, who we`ll get to in a moment, has said she needs to be in there a lot longer. It`s not even been a week. Jane, should we be worried?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely, given the track record, given what we`ve seen in the past, we should be very worried and I would like to know what`s the game plan now that she`s out. I certainly hope she doesn`t go back to her house in the Hills with the paparazzi surrounding her and expect to get better, if in fact she has bi-polar disorder which is what reports are - she`s been diagnosed with. That can get noticeably worse under stress and what can be more stressful than having the paparazzi watch your every move? They`ve got to get her out of town. They`ve got to get her to a safe place, perhaps back home in Louisiana where she could recoup in a safe environment and get her head on straight.
HAMMER: And not to mention all the stress surrounding what`s been swirling around as far as her manager Svengali, Sam Lutfi is involved. I want to read to you from the sworn affidavit from Lynne Spears what she said about Sam. This is from Lynne Spears, quote, "Sam told Jackie and me that he grinds up Britney`s pills, which were on the counter and included Risperdal and Seroquel -" pardon my pronunciation. "He told us that he puts them in her food and that was the reason she had been quiet for the last three days (she had been sleeping). He told us that the doctor was treating her. Now he`s trying to get her into a sleep-induced coma, so that they could give her the drugs to heal her brain."
Dr. Judy, help me out here. Am I missing something? Am I to believe a psychiatrist would actually ask Britney`s manager to do this?
KURIANSKY: Well, those two medications that you mentioned, A.J., one is an anti-psychotic that is often given to people who have, by the way, schizophrenia. But that would be for symptoms like hallucinations and delusions and being out of touch with reality. The other one you mentioned is for people who have depressive slumps and also acute manic episodes. And, in fact, that`s what we have been saying that Britney in fact has.
So there is nothing wrong with both those medications. What has to happen is really balancing them and finding out how much of one or the other.
So to have Sam Lutfi in charge of those really sounds wrong. Grinding them up is not a great idea. If they`re given in a certain way, they have to be taken a certain time in a certain kind of - either as a pill. Grinding them up goes too quickly to the brain. This is not what somebody who is supposed to control her should be doing.
And by the way, I don`t think sending her home to her family is a wise idea either, because there needs to be family therapy here. The family has caused the poor girl anxiety. And so the family needs to have family therapy together before they`re all put back together.
HAMMER: It is so all unbelievable. I mean just outrageous the idea that Sam Lutfi may have been asked to grind up pills and put them in the food. I find that horrifying and just something, that is unbelievable. Now, if there were signs all along that this battle has been raging between Sam Lutfi and her parents.
Jane Velez-Mitchell - Lisa Bloom, let me go to you on this. Because as scary as all these allegations appear, if everything in the affidavit is true that Sam was controlling Britney`s mind here it would seem.
BLOOM: Yes. First of all, we have to remember Sam Lutfi denies all of these allegations. There`s going to be a hearing on February 22nd for him to respond to all of these allegations. And then we`ll know really what his position is, all right? So I think that`s the most important thing. If indeed it`s true, he`s committed a number of crimes. He`s in some serious legal hot water and he`s got a lot of problems.
We see this with a lot of celebrities by the way. Anna Nicole Smith, Michael Jackson. All the people around them start fighting with each other and arguing who is responsible. The celebrities themselves usually escape blame for not taking responsibility for their own mental health and for their own lives.
Sam can deny, deny, deny. Meanwhile it is all in a legal document right now. I want to read to you some more from the sworn affidavit from Britney`s mom, quote, "Sam had told Britney that she was an unfit mother, a piece of trash and a whore, that she cares more about Adnan, her current boyfriend, than she cares about her kids, and that she does not deserve her kids."
Darren, let me send this one out to you. If this is true, Sam Lutfi not really sounding like a person who should be medicating Britney Spears or for that matter having control over her affairs, which he seemed to have prior to the conservatorship going to dad.
DARREN KAVINOKY, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Look, if Sam Lutfi said and did these things, he shouldn`t even be allowed to be a friend on her MySpace page, let alone a friend and trusted adviser in real life. And what`s really interesting is that based on the statement that you just read, he may be privy to some facts that could be highly relevant in the child custody dispute that`s currently going on with Kevin Federline. If he knows her to be an unfit parent and actually has facts to support that conclusion, he could find himself in the courtroom not just to answer to the restraining order, but to be a witness in the K-Fed dispute.
HAMMER: Who thought this could blow up anymore than it already has? Just outrageous. I want you all to listen to something that the ladies on "The View" said today on their show about Britney`s tragic situation. Watch this.
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ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I just think anyone who claims to be a friend and who is managing her at this point, you have to be a little - you have to kind of look at it twice and think what`s really going on there?
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, THE VIEW: I feel bad for the kid and I hope she`s doing well. I hope she`s some place that she`s safe where nobody is going to mess with her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Lynne Spears also claims that Britney`s paparazzo boyfriend, Adnan, told her that Sam Lutfi hid her phone chargers and her dogs. Dr. Judy, if this is true, it really gives us insight into why Britney, at least in part, was perhaps acting so wacky.
KURIANSKY: Yes, indeed, because she`s being controlled. But you know what? This guy was probably doing the absolute wrong thing. But somebody has had to take control over her. Unfortunately, between the paparazzo she had around her and her manager, both who were probably trying not only get control of her but her money, which is really outrageous. Someone who is responsible needs to do these things. It`s like a kid, you take away the phone, you take away the things that are really letting them be out of control. So I`m not against that, just against these particular people.
HAMMER: Well, we certainly hope that she`s getting the proper care at this time. It`s hard to imagine how that is possible. Darren Kavinoky,.Jane Velez-Mitchell, Lisa Bloom, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, thank you for being with us tonight.
Now, we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. How do you feel about this? Britney Spears: Do you feel sorry for her? Let us know at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Our E-mail address is showbiztonight@CNN.com.
ANDERSON: So many disturbing questions, not only about Britney. But hey, don`t go anywhere, because I`ve also got questions about the death of Heath Ledger. We learned today why Heath died, an accidental overdose of six painkillers and sleeping pills. But hold on just a second. Why are federal drug officials now getting involved and how did he get such a wide variety of drugs? New mysteries I`m looking into, coming up next.
And wait until I tell you about Dr. Phil`s new troubles, this time over the Natalee Holloway drama. Dr. Phil definitely going to need a lawyer for this one.
And I think that what Hillary Clinton may need is a dance teacher. Hey, I`m not saying she can`t dance, but if she is going to appear with the stars of "Dancing With The Stars," she might want to brush up. Hillary on "Dancing With The Stars"? Are you kidding me? Maybe not. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back. Keep it here.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, more burning questions about two shocking stories that are new right now. Brand-new details into Heath Ledger`s death. The toxicology report revealed today that Heath died of an accidental overdose of six different prescription drugs. And now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned federal drug officials are investigating what happened.
Also new right now, Dr. Phil`s legal troubles because of the Natalee Holloway case. And Dr. Phil could be in big trouble here. We`re joined again by our coast-to-coast panel, investigative journalist Jane Velez- Mitchell; Lisa Bloom, host of Tru TV`s "In Session"; and clinical psychologist, Dr. Judy Kuriansky. A segment for the ladies.
And I do want to start, guys, with the Heath Ledger story. It is so tragic and as we`ve been reporting, the medical examiner found Heath died from a combination of six different prescription drugs, sedatives, painkillers and sleeping pills. We thought, case closed. But then SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned today that the Drug Enforcement Administration is asking questions, investigating this. Lisa, what could they be looking for and could this turn into a criminal investigation?
BLOOM: Well, it sure could. The first question is, were all of these medications legally prescribed to Heath Ledger? His family says they were, but the DEA wants to check that out. Secondly, is the same doctor prescribing all the stuff to him, and if so, was that done negligently? Was that done with malpractice? A doctor should know not to give so many conflicting medications to the same person.
ANDERSON: Jane, your thoughts on the DEA`s inquiry. Could this turn into a criminal investigation?
BLOOM: Well, it could. It reminds me of what happened in the wake of Anna Nicole Smith`s her death where they wanted to look into who prescribed these pills and why, and whether these doctors were operating as glorified or legalized drug pushers and scriptwriters. Or whether it was a case of the victim going to different doctors at different times and unbeknownst to those doctors getting different drugs from different people.
We have a huge crisis in this country with illegal abuse of prescription drugs in the form of self-medication. People take these drugs and then if they don`t work exactly the way they want them to, and they take a little bit more and a little more and it just takes that one extra pill to push you right over the edge.
ANDERSON: We were all shocked to find out exactly how many drugs were in his system, all prescription drugs. Dr. Judy, would it be unusual for one doctor to prescribe so many different pills to one patient and just say, "OK, this isn`t working, let`s try another and another?"
KURIANSKY: Well, certainly that can happen and there`s nothing wrong with saying you`re going to try this or that, especially when people complain, "I`m anxious and I can`t sleep." But in Hollywood, people just - doctors and all kinds of professionals, just indulge people. So this is really a warning to lots of doctors and to patients and to family members and everyone to be very careful about what they have in their medicine cabinet, and what they take to medicate themselves, and what they say or don`t say to the doctor about what their complaints are.
ANDERSON: Yes. You always have to be honest with your doctor about what you are taking and what your problems are. And we all know that Heath was a smart guy. It does seem strange to me that he would combine these pills and not realize the risk. Lisa, given how we know he was distressed after the breakup with Michelle Williams and not seeing his daughter, perhaps we shouldn`t be surprised.
BLOOM: Well, he says, you know, in November, in one of his last interviews, that he was virtually unable to sleep at all, maybe one hour a night as most. He was sleeping pills at that time. So he was probably in a very depressed state, very anxious and relying on doctors and relying unfortunately on those pills to an extent that ultimately became lethal to him. It`s unfortunate he couldn`t find other ways to relieve anxiety and sleeplessness, healthier ways, non-medication ways. And I hope everybody else out there sees this as a danger sign in their own lives of taking too many prescription medications.
ANDERSON: Yes. Jane, very quickly, do we think now this report will finally put to rest speculation that Heath`s death may have had something to do with illegal drugs?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely. I think the time now is to honor his work and to learn from this terrible tragedy. And the fact is, so many people overdose on prescription drugs. They are highly addictive. I mean, Valium, Vicodin, Oxycontin. These drugs create euphoria and they can get people hooked in a second. So the fact is that you can go on the Internet and order a lot of these drugs. This has to be a wakeup call and a cautionary tale. We all have to look at these drugs and say they are just as dangerous as illegal drugs.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. OK. Now on to the next story that is new right now. Britney Spears is not the only big headache for Dr. Phil right now. A judge has just ruled that a defamation lawsuit against him brought by the two brothers, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, who have been questioned in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, can go to trial. The brothers claim Dr. Phil altered clips of an interview they had with an investigator. Lisa, the judge decided not to dismiss this lawsuit. Should Dr. Phil be concerned here?
BLOOM: Well, he should be concerned because now he`s going to face a trial. Add to what we now know about Joren van der Sloot in those videotaped admission that he made where he says Natalee Holloway died in his arms and then he and a 25-year-old man named Daury(ph) disposed of the body. In other words, the Kalpoe brothers had nothing to do with it. That`s another piece of information that`s going to be helpful to them in their case against Dr. Phil.
ANDERSON: Yes, Jane. This judge`s ruling came a day after "20/20" aired that videotape which Lisa is referring to. So do you think that could help the Kalpoe brothers` defamation case here against Dr. Phil and their attorney said, "I`m going to take Dr. Phil down." It sounds like he should be worried.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I don`t know if he`s going to take Dr. Phil down. But I agree with Lisa 100 percent in light of the fact that you have Joran on tape implicating somebody else and not the Kalpoes. Basically, that exonerates the Kalpoes. So I think that does give their claims against Dr. Phil a boost. And you know, Dr. Phil comes from a huge organization of power houses. They face these lawsuits all the time. It could result in a settlement. In other words, the Kalpoes could get some money from it.
ANDERSON: Jane Velez-Mitchell, Lisa Bloom, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, thank you.
HAMMER: All right. I`ve got to tell you about an interview that Janet Jackson just did that was downright shocking, something that we`ve never heard before. She told "Parade" magazine that her dad, Joe Jackson`s extramarital affairs affected her own outlook on love and marriage.
Janet admits she kept her two marriages secret until they ended because, quote, "After two divorces, I thought I was jinxed. Maybe marriage isn`t for me? Maybe it`s my fault it never works. I was always faithful. I always tried to give of myself. I was very loyal, but maybe I`m the problem. I`m to blame."
She went on to say, "It was awful, and I was so tired of being hurt. When it was over, I put shields up to protect myself from being hurt again. I didn`t want to go there anymore."
That`s the way love goes. She now is with record producer Germane Dupree. No signs of an engagement there. And you can read the whole interview on "Parade" magazine in newspapers Sunday.
ANDERSON: Now here`s something I would like to try to let you imagine if you can. Hillary Clinton on "Dancing With The Stars." Now, wouldn`t that be a Super Tuesday? I`m about to reveal an offer that Hillary Clinton got that she might want to consider in case this whole presidential race thing doesn`t work out. Hillary on "Dancing With The Stars"? Are you kidding Me? That`s next.
HAMMER: And now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT any time you`d like by downloading our podcast. It`s totally free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcasts on our website at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can download it on iTunes by "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" in the search box. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. There are a number of big stories in Hollywood that are new right now. Get this, if the producers of the traveling road show of "Dancing With The Stars" have their way, Hillary Clinton, of all people, will be hooking it on their show.
Remember, Clinton said if there was one reality show she could be on, it would be "Dancing With The Stars." So they sent a letter offering her a chance to tango, but not with Barack Obama.
Is J-Lo having twins or not? You know, I have seen countless magazine covers saying she is having twins. But her people are just crazy about keeping it the worst kept secret. Well, that is until now. Jennifer Lopez` dad told a Spanish language TV show that his daughter is expecting twins. And she`s this close to giving birth. The problem is, he spilled the beans on scandal TV. No doubt, proud grandpa is getting a talking to right about now.
Also new right now, "Grey`s Anatomy" star "Eric Dane" reveals that he had skin cancer on his lip. The star, who plays McSteamy on the show tells "OK" magazine he noticed something and went to his dermatologist. Looks like he caught it early and he blames it on years of not wearing sunscreen.
ANDERSON: Also new right now here in Hollywood, there just might be an end to the writers` strike that has crippled the movie and TV industry. The Writer`s Guild is meeting with its members this weekend to brief them on negotiations. But before you scream out "Yay, no more repeats," not so fast. See this? Last year`s "Vanity Fair" party, the party to attend before the Oscars, and that`s for the Oscars. Well, this year`s party is canceled and now there`s a real worry that the Oscars and the red carpet won`t happen in a couple of weeks. When I talked with Oscar producer Gil Cates, he told me, "Don`t worry, there is a plan B."
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GIL CATES, OSCAR PRODUCER: Think about it, we give away 25 awards. Four of the awards are acting. In other words, supporting acting, best actress, supporting actor, best actor. And if indeed those folks don`t show up, those will be the four awards that we`ll have to do in a special way, which I think you`ll enjoy when you see it. But everyone else will be there.
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OK, so he was being a little coy about what plan B really is. But he says he`s not being disingenuous. He tells me his job is to be a quarterback. And if he`s going to be Eli Manning about it, he has 50 different plays. If the Oscars are a go, you can be sure that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right there.
HAMMER: Yes, and my plane ticket is already booked, Brooke. So I look forward to seeing you on the 24th in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Look forward to seeing you too.
HAMMER: That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from CNN "HEADLINE NEWS" is next. Keep it here.
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