Skip to main content
Search
Services


 

Return to Transcripts main page

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT

The Power of Oprah; The Pope Wears Prada?; AMA`s to Be Awarded Tonight; Sony Sued Over Spyware; Garth Brooks Discusses New Box Set

Aired November 22, 2005 - 19:00:00   ET

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


A.J. HAMMER, HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, she`s one of America`s favorite things. Tonight the awesome power of Oprah Winfrey. She tells us what to read, how to decorate, who to prosecute, and people listen. But could she also help pick the next president of the United States? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tests the waters.

The devil wears Prada and so does the pope. The pontiff`s penchant for red shoes, his new papal tailor, and Hollywood shades have Vatican watchers taking a closer look. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT looks at whether Pope Benedict is turning into a fashion icon.

Also tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT music extravaganza. We`re live on the red carpet at the American Music Awards, as Mariah takes on Kelly Clarkson, and 50 Cent challenges Will Smith. Plus one-on-one with both Garth Brooks and Usher, in the interviews you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

USHER, SINGER: How are you doing? I`m Usher. And if it happened today, it`s most certainly on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, live in New York.

Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report the power of Oprah. We all know when Oprah Winfrey talks, people listen. Her book club has changed the face of the publishing world. And tonight, rumblings about what would happen if Oprah decided to change the face of the political world -- all the way to the White House. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has every angle covered.

Our David Haffenreffer live tonight with the story you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- David.

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., she`s a successful woman. We all know that. In the past year she`s made other $225 million and hosts the most-watched daytime talk show in America. Some say she`s the most powerful woman in Hollywood.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Oprah Winfrey. "Forbes" magazine says she`s powerful, all right. They ranked her this year`s most powerful celebrity in the world.

Sure, she`s worth a billion dollars, but it goes further than that. When Oprah talks, people listen.

LOLA OGUNNAIKE, "NEW YORK TIMES": She`s able to move commerce. She`s able to move the culture, and she`s able to tug at American women and men`s heartstrings.

HAFFENREFFER: Recently she helped the FBI find their most wanted child molesters.

OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: I`m going to change, with your help, the laws in this country, state by state by state by state.

HAFFENREFFER: Forty-eight hours later, two pedophiles were behind bars. In September, Oprah announced her latest book club read, "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. Within a few days they had sold 85,000 copies of the book.

OGUNNAIKE: If you`re a no-name author and she decides that she loves your book and she puts it in her book club, you are going to be on the best sellers list.

HAFFENREFFER (on camera): The examples of Oprah`s influence are endless. Now we`ve got to raise the question, why is Oprah so influential?

OGUNNAIKE: People trust her opinion. People believe in her taste, and they know that she is not going to B.S. them. If she believes in something and she likes something, she`s going to go all-out for that thing or that person.

HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Not only trustworthy, she`s likable. She`s got all the qualities you want in a close girlfriend: generosity...

WINFREY: You get a car, you get a car, you get a car!

HAFFENREFFER: ... compassion.

WINFREY: It was the first book you read at 40 years old?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

WINFREY: I can weep for you.

HAFFENREFFER: Inspirational.

WINFREY: You know what I believe? I believe you can come up out of that storm and you can have a better life. I believe that. So keep your strength.

HAFFENREFFER: And let`s face it, she asks the questions we want to know.

WINFREY: You know I don`t believe all the crap I read, but I have to ask you, you know, "People" said that you and Vince were straight making out.

JENNIFER ANISTON, ACTRESS: Oh, Oprah.

HAFFENREFFER: And she`s constantly reinventing herself. The latest venture, Broadway. Come December she`ll spend millions of her own money to bring "The Color Purple" to the stage.

(on camera) It is here at this theater that Oprah Winfrey will debut her first Broadway production, and it is here at this theater that Oprah Winfrey just across the street that Oprah Winfrey will bury the hatchet with an old rival, David Letterman.

(voice-over) The queen the daytime hasn`t been on the king of late night`s show in 16 years, because she`s reportedly tired of being the butt of his fat jokes. But on December 1, she`ll be there, and Letterman is thrilled.

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, CBS`S "LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Things between myself and Oprah for a long time were not good at all.

PAUL SHAFFER, MUSICIAN: Why was that exactly?

LETTERMAN: It`s very simple. We found out through reliable sources that Oprah hated me.

HAFFENREFFER: We doubt that. Her list of friends is enviable. Nelson Mandela, the ever enthusiastic Tom Cruise, even Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there when Hillary Rodham Clinton presented Oprah with an international Emmy Award. And that`s when Oprah dropped this little bomb.

WINFREY: I hope you do us the privilege and run for office. Thank you. President of the United States.

HAFFENREFFER: Hillary for president? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT decided to ask the experts, what would happen if Oprah backed Hillary for president?

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: She would be instantly creating some enemies. A lot of Republicans would immediately become critical of her, and she might lose some fans.

HAFFENREFFER: Right now she has about 30 million viewers a week, mostly women, household influencers, and a target demographic in a presidential race.

SCHNEIDER: She could very likely influence some people, because she has that image of being above and beyond politics, of being a spokesperson for a lot of women in this country.

HAFFENREFFER: And a spokesperson she is. America has loved her for 20 years. No doubt they`ll love her for at least another 20 more.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you. Thank you so much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: And we sense the love for Oprah is real. And if we haven`t given you enough proof of Oprah`s influence on America, check out what Gwyneth Paltrow said today on Oprah`s show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GWYNETH PALTROW, ACTRESS: I wish you would run for president, and I would vote for you and so would everybody else. We love you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAFFENREFFER: A lot of excitement there, of course. And we`ll have to wait and see who runs for what, of course, in the next election.

HAMMER: It would be really interesting, David, to see if she, in fact, puts her name behind somebody and does make a difference in the next election. We appreciate your report tonight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer.

And now, of course, we want to know what you think about all of this. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. The power of Oprah: do her opinions influence you? If you`d like to vote, we`d like to hear from you. CNN.com/ShowbizTonight is the web address. Our e-mail address is ShowbizTonight@CNN.com, and we`re going to read some of you what have to say later on in the show.

Well, tonight there`s all kinds of hype in Hollywood over, of all things, the pope. Both ABC and CBS will soon be facing off with dueling movies about the life of Pope John Paul II. ABC`s version features Thomas Kretschmann as the late pope. And Jon Voight stars in CBS`s take on the pope`s life on Sunday, December 4. ABC`s movie will be shown a few days before, on Thursday, December 1st.

And all this is happening as Pope John Paul`s successor is getting an awful lot of attention for being sort of a fashion icon. That`s right, a fashion icon.

Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Never has papal footwear had this kind of scrutiny.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They look fairly pricey and upscale.

MOOS: If, according to a recent bestseller, the devil wears Prada, why not the pope?

(on camera) The pope wears Prada.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let me see that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The pope wears Prada. I don`t wear Prada.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my.

MOOS (voice-over): And it`s not just the shoes.

(on camera) I think they`re supposed to be Gucci.

(voice-over) Gucci sunglasses?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Holy mackerel.

MOOS: The operative word is "holy" but some who report on religion don`t buy it.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN FAITH AND VALUES CORRESPONDENT: What I`m saying is if he does wear Prada, he doesn`t know he`s wearing Prada. He doesn`t know what kind of glasses he has on. He can probably barely find his glasses, probably.

MOOS: CNN`s faith and values correspondent says Pope Benedict is a 78-year-old intellectual. He`s reading scholarly books, not Italian "Vogue."

Nevertheless, from European newspapers to a Catholic publication to "Newsweek," Pope Benedict`s fashion sense is under the microscope. We haven`t seen this much interest in red shoes since Dorothy tapped hers together.

JUDY GARLAND, ACTRESS: There`s no place like home.

MOOS: And there are no shoes like Prada.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what they say about those.

MOOS (on camera): What?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Angels don`t wear red shoes.

MOOS (voice-over): Well, actually, it`s...

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SINGER (singing): You know that angels want to wear my red shoes.

MOOS: We couldn`t quite nail down whether Pope Benedict`s shoes are absolutely, positively Prada. The company couldn`t confirm it.

Other Vatican fashion rumors, likewise unconfirmed, have it that the pope is neglecting the tailor shop that`s made papal garments for over 200 years in favor of his own personal tailor.

There were stories of a fashion faux pas when the new pope made his debut.

GALLAGHER: His cassock was about that high, you know. The hemline of the cassock was that high from his ankles?

MOOS: Normally it`s down here, instead of up there.

There`s also talk about his handsome personal assistant wearing pricey shoes from Tod`s.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And they call him the pope`s George Clooney.

MOOS: Next then you know, they`ll say that`s Fendi fur that the pope used on his microphones.

We`re pretty sure the souls the pope wants to save aren`t on the bottom of Prada shoes.

(on camera) They say he`s a real intellectual and the last thing on his mind would be designers, except for maybe intelligent design. So...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Nothing wrong with dressing up and looking good. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Well, right now in Los Angeles, the biggest names in music are starting to arrive for tonight`s American Music Awards, people like Kenny Chesney, Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw, the Rolling Stones, all performing tonight.

And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show on television live on the red carpet. That is where our Sibila Vargas is right now, just outside of L.A.`s Shrine Auditorium.

Sibila, I hear music in the air out there.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There`s a lot of music in the air. And I know you`re probably a little jealous, because I know how much you love your music. But this place is just bustling with excitement. It`s heating up as the stars start making their way down the red carpet.

Now, the AMA`s are probably one of the most popular awards shows on TV. Unlike the Grammys that are determined by the music -- music industry experts, this is an awards show that`s sort of like a People`s Choice awards; it`s determined by the people.

Ultimately, the winners are selected through a survey of 20,000 music listeners. So as you can imagine, it`s quite an honor. And so it`s a little bit more laid back than the Grammys. It`s a great vibe. It`s produced by Dick Clark. So of course, there`s going to be a lot of fun. And as soon as the stars start making their way down the red carpet, I`m going to be speaking to some of them. And of course, we`re going to be bringing you some of those highlights -- A.J.

HAMMER: Sibila, you talk to all those people. You check out their clothes and we`ll talk to you a little bit later on in the show.

VARGAS: OK.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas, reporting live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Well, tonight, a stunning lawsuit in the music world and why some of your favorite CDs could also cause some big damage to your PC. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to tell you what you can do to make sure your computer is safe.

And he`s got friends in low places, but Garth Brooks is living the highlife. The country star on his marriage and life as a stay at home dad in an interview you`ll see only here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Plus R&B superstar, head of a record label, co-owner of an NBA team. I`m talking about the unstoppable, unbelievable Usher. He`s now adding the starring movie role to his credits. A "SHOWBIZ Sitdown" coming up with Usher.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Tonight, a major showdown pitting the world`s second-largest record label against the country`s second-largest state. Sony BMG has been selling CDs that could put your computer and your privacy at risk. CD`s featuring more that 50 artists, including Celine Dion, Neil Diamond, Cyndi Lauper, are affected.

Texas is now suing Sony BMG, and they aren`t the only ones who are fighting mad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER (voice-over): Could the new Cyndi Lauper CD make your computer vulnerable to online spies and hackers? Music fans are hacked off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was miffed big time.

HAMMER: Recent CDs by Sony BMG included anti-piracy technology called XCP. If you put a CD with the XCP technology into your computer, a hidden program was automatically installed that kept you from copying the CD multiple times.

The problem is the program could slow down your computer and cause even more problems if you try to remove it. Even worse, security experts now say XCP can leave your computer vulnerable to hackers.

GREG ABBOTT, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Don`t mess with Texas computers.

HAMMER: Now Texas is messing with Sony. It`s filed a lawsuit. Texas attorney general Greg Abbott tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Sony may have used XCP to spy on consumers` listening and web surfing habits.

ABBOTT: This is spyware. This is a violation of the Anti-Spyware Act in the state of Texas, and we want to make sure that Sony BMG and anybody else who`s thinking about doing this, stops this kind of illegal conduct.

HAMMER: Sony BMG denies the spyware charges and is recalling the affected CDs. Still, it`s clear Sony hit a sour note with music fans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All I think about is listening to music that you enjoy, and then the fact that it can hurt your computer is a little scary.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: And the suit extends well beyond Texas. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a consumer activist group which is based in California, has also filed a suit against Sony out there in California.

Kurt Opsahl is the staff attorney with the EFF and joins us now live from San Francisco for a "SHOWBIZ Newsmaker" interview.

I appreciate you being with us, Kurt. I have to tell you, I saw this story. It made my blood boil. This makes me so mad. How in the world could any company have software that installs itself on your computer without your permission? How is this possible?

KURT OPSAHL, STAFF ATTORNEY, ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION: Well, the short answer, it`s not. It shouldn`t be. We believe that Sony`s actions have violated California law. Now Texas is showing that they`re violating Texas law, and Sony needs to be held accountable.

HAMMER: Can you give me a sense of the scope of this? I took a look at your website, and I looked at some of the artists and the labels that you named. First of all, this does go beyond Sony, correct? And how many artists and CDs are we talking about in reality here?

OPSAHL: Well, for the XCP software they`ve identified 50 or so titles. There`s also the Sunncomm MediaMax software, which is part of our suit, and that has many more titles, potentially hundreds. In grand total, 24 million CDs have problems.

HAMMER: Man. So there`s a good reason to be angry about this. Fortunately, there are things that consumers can do. And we have a couple of tips about exactly what they can do if they bought CDs that may be affected by this software.

Quite honestly if you haven`t installed CD on your computer yet, don`t. Just play it on your regular CD player. It`s not going to affect anything on your regular stereo. And if you have installed the CD, people should run antivirus software.

I`m big into the digital downloads. I use iTunes all the time. What about that? Is that affected in any way with this software, self- installing software?

OPSAHL: We haven`t heard any problems with digital downloads from iTunes. So people could still listen to this music by going to an alternate source.

HAMMER: And should companies have the right -- after all they`re trying to protect their interests -- so if there`s full disclosure, should they have the right to have this kind of software exist as long as the user is signing off on it?

OPSAHL: It`s important to keep in mind that the restrictions placed by these CDs are stopping you from doing things that you`re allowed to do under the law. In their zeal to prevent copyright infringement, they`ve gone beyond the copyright law and they`re trying to stop you from doing things which you might otherwise be allowed to do.

HAMMER: Well, hopefully -- hopefully -- I`m sorry. I`ve got to interrupt. We`re out of time here. But hopefully, the efforts that your group is making and others in the lawsuits will get this problem nipped in the bud.

Kurt Opsahl, attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Thank you for joining us tonight.

OPSAHL: Thank you.

HAMMER: And we should let you know, as well, that we asked Sony BMG for a comment. We have not yet heard from them.

Well, tonight, in a "SHOWBIZ Sitdown," country music`s Garth Brooks. This week, Brooks is going to be releasing a limited edition boxed set, five years after retiring from country music.

Now I had the chance to talk with Brooks, and I wanted to know how he has been handling his absence from the spotlight, time he took off so he could be a stay at home dad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARTH BROOK, COUNTRY MUSIC STAR: It was the best decision that I`ve ever made. I feel very lucky, and I thank God and I thank the people for allowing me at that age -- I was 39 at that time, I`m 43 now -- of getting that gift to watch your children grow up. You know at the soccer fields, it`s the grandparents that say they missed their children growing up because they were working so much, which I totally understand. So I`m kind of, like, getting to live a grandparent`s life with my own children right now, which again, it was probably the greatest gift I could get.

HAMMER: The fact that you did retire sort of flies in the face of convention that you and I are sitting here having a little chat. Are we just getting a little borrowed time from your private life right now? Could you set the record straight? What`s the story?

BROOKS: That`s perfect, A.J. That`s a great way to -- that`s a great way to describe it. I promise you, I was minding my own business on our farm there north of Tulsa when -- a year ago when Wal-Mart called and said, "We`d like to bring some music to the people that-- your stuff still might interest and you still drive your kids to school."

And I said, "Good luck, because I couldn`t figure out how to do it. That`s why I retired."

And they said, "Can they look in the vault?"

And when they said that, all of a sudden, it came very clear what they were wanting to do. And they went in and got these past recordings and assembled them. And I`ve got to tell you, if you don`t take it egotistically, I`m extremely proud of these songs, have been ever since the day we cut them, and now finally there`s an opportunity for them to see the light.

HAMMER: That`s got to feel really good.

But I also know for you, you`re the kind of performer who truly feeds off of the energy of the crowds when you`re out there hard-core touring, which you did for years. And I know you get a different kind energy from the kids and the family now, but you`ve got to miss it.

BROOKS: Yes, you`re dead right on it. And it`s funny how the kids go to bed every night between 9 and 9:30. Well, that`s exactly the time where, for the last 20 years of your life, that`s when show time started, was between 9 and 9:30. So it`s funny how the house is at its quietest right about the time you`re ready to kick up and go on it again.

So sure, sure, I miss it to death. I wouldn`t trade the world for what I`ve got right now. With that said, every night between 9 and 9:30 I`m ready to go again.

HAMMER: Well, Johnny Cash, as you well know, had a love affair and married his sweetheart, country music star June Carter. You`re sort of walking that same line with Trisha Yearwood, your fiance. You proposed to her, Garth, in front of 7,000 people. What was going through your mind at the time? Did you set it up in advance? Did you know that she was going to say yes?

BROOKS: I can tell what was on my mind, but I probably can`t say it. I thought, "My God, I`m dead," but there was no turning back. Her parents were with us. My dad was with me, and we had to go for it.

HAMMER: Had to have been some nerves running through your system at that time.

BROOKS: Yes. Well, the first thing she did was grab her mouth and start shaking her head, and I thought, "I am a dead man right here in front of all these people." And I was lucky that she said yes, and now just -- we`re trying to get married in the house that we`re building right now, so when the contractor says that house is ready to have a wedding in, then hopefully going to make -- going to make her come through with her word that she would marry me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Well, he may be retired, but it`s good to have Garth back. And the "Garth Brooks Limited Edition Boxed Set" is going to go on sale Friday, exclusively at Wal-Mart stores.

Well, coming up, Usher tells us how his starring movie role may lead to parts alongside Hollywood A-listers in an interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

And then, a little "Seinfeld" in your stocking this Christmas? Up next, new DVDs from the hilarious sitcom and the glue that keeps the cast together in real life.

And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles. We`re going to take you to the red carpet roll-out where music`s biggest stars are gearing up for the show.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back. I`m A.J. Hammer.

And just in time for Festivus, more "Seinfeld" on DVD. Tonight, seasons 5 and 6, when the show really was at its peak of its popularity, are now out on DVD. The sets include the side-splitting episodes like "The Fusilli Jerry," "The Face Painter," and "The Opposite."

Jerry Seinfeld told "The Today Show" the sitcom had irresistible comedic energy and that the close bond among cast members is still strong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JERRY SEINFELD, COMEDIAN: Michael Richards just came over to my house out in Long Island. We spent the weekend together.

KATIE COURIC, CO-HOST, NBC`S "THE TODAY SHOW": Seriously?

SEINFELD: Yes.

COURIC: Fun. How about -- how about...

SEINFELD: Larry I just saw in Las Vegas, Larry David. Yes, it`s nice. Usually, success breeds envy and resentment, but we`ve stayed good friends.

(END VIDEO CLIP0

HAMMER: This past weekend, Jerry Seinfeld was the first recipient of a new award called "The Comedian," celebrating his contribution to the art of comedy.

Well, the long-awaited pictures of Britney`s baby on the way. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a first look.

Plus Usher`s caught up in Hollywood with a new romantic comedy. He`s going to tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what he`s got in the mix in the interview you`ll only see on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

And taking home the trophy: Mariah, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, who`s going to win? We are live at the American Music Awards in Hollywood.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SUSAN HENDRICKS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues in one minute. Hi, everyone. I`m Susan Hendricks with your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

A large plume of smoke is rising out of Mount St. Helens. The volcano became active last year for the first time since 1986. You may remember the volcano erupted back in 1980. That was the most deadly and economically destructive volcanic eruption in American history.

Shia, Sunni and Kurdish leaders in Iraq are calling for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country. The announcement came after a conference in Cairo. President Bush has rejected calls for a timetable, saying that would send insurgents the wrong message.

And at the White House, two Thanksgiving turkeys are heading to Disneyland rather than a one-way trip to someone`s Thanksgiving table. President Bush pardoned the national Thanksgiving turkey and an alternate bird. The gobblers will be honorary grand marshals at Disneyland`s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

And that is the news for now. I`m Susan Hendricks. We return you now to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 31 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer live in New York. And you`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.

The American Music Awards are about to get under way in Los Angeles. We are live on the red carpet. We`ll talk to some of the stars who are making their way down that carpet in just a moment.

Also, actress Lainie Kazan is going to be joining us live. You know her from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Now she has a new movie coming to TNT called "The Engagement Ring." Are you sensing a wedding theme here? We`ll talk to her about marriages in Hollywood, among other things, coming up in a few moments.

But first, let`s get to tonight`s "Hot Headlines" with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer joining us once again live -- David?

HAFFENREFFER: Well, tonight, A.J., a sign of the times and a big victory for iTunes. iTunes is now the seventh-largest music retailer in the United States, beating out stores like Tower Records, Borders and Sam Goody. The list comes from a group that surveys music downloads and record sales. The mighty Wal-Mart is number one.

Angelina Jolie is a new citizen of Cambodia. Jolie has received a Cambodian passport, which she can use when she visits the homeland of her 4-year-old son, Maddox. A spokesman says Jolie was thrilled to receive citizenship there. Jolie also has a 9-month-old daughter whom she adopted from Ethiopia earlier this year.

And some poems that Bob Dylan wrote in college have fetched a pretty penny at auction. An anonymous collector paid $78,000 for 16 pages of poems, written in pencil when Dylan was a student at the University of Minnesota back in 1960. Christie`s auction house says the poems cover Dylan`s relationships with various women and his desire to stop smoking.

And that`s a look at your "Hot Headlines" for tonight. A.J., back to you.

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

Well, the red carpet is starting to get red-hot at the American Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. So let`s go back there live where Sibila Vargas is hanging out, and I understand with a good friend of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT right now.

VARGAS: Oh, yes, absolutely. I told you that things would heat up, right? Well, I`m here, of course, although the stars are coming down the red carpet. But it`s getting hot right now with Rob Thomas.

How are you?

ROB THOMAS, MUSICIAN: Hello, how are you doing?

VARGAS: I`m doing great. Now, you`ve got a nomination. How do you feel tonight?

THOMAS: I feel great. You know, it`s so funny. I was laughing earlier, because I really -- for the entire day of yesterday of rehearsal, I forgot that I was nominated, because I was so amped about just being able to perform. And I`m doing this like a nice, kind of quiet acoustic number. And I was really excited about.

And on the way out, somebody was like, "Hey, you know, good luck with the award." And I got all nervous. I was like, "Oh my god. That`s right. I might lose something today."

VARGAS: You know, that`s what people say, that this awards show, because it`s by the people, you know, that they select you guys, it`s a little bit more laid-back. Tell me about that.

THOMAS: Yes. And it also means that if I lose, I really do suck, you know what I mean? I really do.

No, it really is like -- I come here and it really is about getting to see a lot of friends that I don`t get a chance to see, except when you come to these awards shows, because we`re all so busy traveling to different parts of the country, you know? So it really is like a reunion of sorts.

VARGAS: Well, I know you`ve done some different things with your music. What`s the journey been like for you this year?

THOMAS: This has been really about finding confidence in myself, you know, about kind of taking the same job I`ve been doing for 10 years, and shaking it up a little, and doing it differently with new musicians, and a different style, and trying to make sure that I`m not just one thing, you know, musically, and I`m trying to find out that I`m not. So I`m liking it.

VARGAS: I see you smiling, Marisol. How unbelievably proud of your husband are you?

MARISOL MALDONADO, MODEL: Oh my goodness. I could not be prouder. I just knew he had it in him.

VARGAS: What`s it like being with a musician? Does he sing to you?

(CROSSTALK)

THOMAS: She`s like, "Shut up." I`m like, "Honey, wake up. Listen to my song."

MALDONADO: We`ll be in the middle of a movie, "Hold on. Hold on, baby, pause." And he starts writing.

VARGAS: What are some of your musical inspirations?

THOMAS: For me, it`s always been songwriters, Willie Nelson, you know, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, people that were -- you know, I was a radio-head growing up, so all those people, the songwriters that I grew up with on the radio were all the people that kind of inspired me to want to write.

VARGAS: You`re so much about collaboration these days. Who would you love to do a duet with?

THOMAS: Anybody. All my people are over 50. Anybody over 50, I`m in, like all the people I grew up with, you know? Because I still want to work with Tom Petty, and Peter Gabriel, and Paul Simon, you know, and all these people, so I`m pretty much down with anybody.

VARGAS: Well, have a great time out there. Nice meeting you both. Take care.

All right. Bye.

A.J., let`s go back to you at the studio. It looks like a fun time out here, for sure.

HAMMER: And please turn around and tell Marisol I said she looks lovely.

VARGAS: Oh, OK.

A.J. says you look lovely, the host of our show.

THOMAS: He`s lovely, too.

HAMMER: Thanks very much, Sibila Vargas, live in Los Angeles.

Well, it`s time now for another "Showbiz Sitdown." Tonight, R&B superstar Usher. Superstar almost an understatement here. His album, "Confessions," which featured huge hits like "Yeah!" and "Caught Up," sold 15 million copies; it won three Grammies.

Now at 27 years of age, usher heads up a record label. He co-owns the NBA`s Cleveland Cavaliers and manages several charities. Tomorrow, Usher debuts in his very first starring role on the big screen. It`s in the romantic comedy, "In the Mix."

I spoke with Usher about how he keeps it all together without getting caught up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Well, Usher, it`s certainly always been an understatement to say you`re a busy man. May I run down the list for you here?

You got this new movie out. You`ve got the new DVD set out. You`ve got to keep your eye on the Cleveland Cavaliers. You`ve got your record label. This poster, not the one that`s sitting behind you, but this poster I`m running into everywhere around New York City, has these disembodied people grabbing at you from all angles.

USHER, MUSICIAN: Everyone wants a piece of the action.

HAMMER: Kind of symbolic of your life, isn`t it?

USHER: Everybody wants a piece of the action, man.

HAMMER: And does it ever get to be too much, that everybody is grabbing at you from all spots at all times?

USHER: Not yet. But definitely moving in that direction, and I hope that I can manage it all, man.

HAMMER: But you have the ability to say no?

USHER: I do. I do. And I definitely, you know, been known for saying yes and at being successful.

HAMMER: Why, yes, you have, with a little help from Lil` Jon.

In this movie, you get involved with a mobster family, Chazz Palminteri playing the father in this family, and you get involved with his daughter. You run in some pretty big circles, Usher. There`s a lot of money and power rolling around, people you hang with.

Have you had any run-ins with the mob? Has it ever happened in your life?

USHER: Well, you never know who it is, you know, to be honest with you. They`re very, very under the register.

But it is realistic in certain cases. A lot of the people who were apart of the writing crews were actually a product of it. The writer herself, specifically, she was in there, or others who had been in and experienced it.

HAMMER: Well, you`ve got "In the Mix" coming out for the holiday weekend, but it`s been reported that you`ve been in talks with everybody from Tom Cruise to Denzel to Morgan Freeman. Can you set the record straight on that? What`s happening? How did this all start to bubble up to the surface?

USHER: Well, yes, there has been conversations with several major actors, as I`ve been attempting to associate myself with major products, major projects. And, you know, Chazz Palminteri being one that endorsed and is a part of this project.

I`m executive producer in this one, but also leading in it. But, you know, I like to be hands-on with everything that I do. I like to be creatively involved in it from the beginning.

HAMMER: And to that end, you`ve got your hand in so many different things, as I mentioned, from your record label to being a part-owner of an NBA franchise. Do you have a master plan? Do you actually have, you know, the idea of world domination in your head? What`s really motivating you?

USHER: I`m not going to say world domination. I`d say world entertainment. But, you know, as an actor, as a label head, as an executive, having seen so much as an artist, I`ve now assessed what, you know, may possibly be good for artists, understanding how to recognize artists and then help to nurture their talent.

HAMMER: And also getting involved with charity and your New Look Foundation, doing so many things for disadvantaged youth. What is the reason, the motivation, for that particular charity for you? Why did you decide to get behind...

(CROSSTALK)

USHER: The motivation overall is to be positive as possible and utilize, you know, what I`ve received and the sacrifice -- out of the all the sacrifices that I`ve made to get where I am, to take this and make more positive out of it.

I may be motivating our next Barack Obama. I may be motivating our next Malcolm X, our next Martin Luther King, our next JFK, our next Oprah Winfrey. You never know.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Usher`s new movie, "In the Mix," opens in theaters tomorrow. And the movie`s soundtrack, on Usher`s record label, which feature`s one Usher song, is out in stores today.

Well, she has dressed many famous women for their wedding days, but how does Vera Wang kick back at home in her downtime? We`re going to find out, coming up in "Tuesday InStyle."

Plus, the one and only Lainie Kazan is here live, coming up in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. She has some news about an engagement ring.

And your first look at Britney`s baby pictures. We`re going to show you Baby Sean and find out how the Federline`s are spending Thanksgiving. That`s coming up.

First, time to take a look at what`s new on DVD. New in stores today: Stephen Spielberg`s "The War of the Worlds," starring Tom Cruise. You can either get a single DVD or you can get the two-disc set that has a whole bunch of extras, including interviews with Spielberg.

Also out, "The Polar Express," the performance-capture animated film starring Tom Hanks. The two-disc set has a deleted song sequence and background on how Hanks created his different roles.

And the original "King Kong" is out on DVD. That`s just a few weeks before the remake`s going to hit theaters. The 1933 classic is available in a regular set or a collector`s edition that includes the sequel of "Son of Kong."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: You`re looking at a live picture of a wet Columbus Circle in New York City, where preparations are currently under way for the big Thanksgiving parade, just two days from now.

And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.

Tonight, "People" magazine`s exclusive pictures of Britney Spears` baby. We`ve got your first look. Eleven-week-old baby Sean is featured on the cover of "People" magazine, along with mom, Britney, and dad, Kevin Federline. Inside the magazine, Britney says the Spears and Federlines are gathering at their Malibu home for a traditional Thanksgiving. She says they`ll probably going to watch that Thanksgiving parade and spend the afternoon feasting on her favorite southern-style Thanksgiving dishes.

For more about Britney and her new baby, grab your copy of "People" magazine on newsstands now.

Well, it`s another "Showbiz Sitdown" right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Lainie Kazan is joining us. She`s been entertaining audiences for years. She launched her career as Barbra Streisand`s understudy back in the 1960s in the Broadway production of "Funny Girl." She`s been on a roll ever since.

Of course, recently we all saw her as Toula`s mom in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." And on Monday, Lainie is going to return to the tube in a TNT special called "The Engagement Ring."

Lainie Kazan, it`s a pleasure to have you here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

LAINIE KAZAN, ACTRESS: It`s a pleasure to be here, A.J.

HAMMER: So a lot of wedding themes going on, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," "The Engagement Ring." I`m coming to you right now looking for your assessment as to why people get married.

KAZAN: Why people get married. I think they get married for love. They get married because it`s their duty.

HAMMER: Right.

KAZAN: They get married out of guilt.

HAMMER: Certainly, that happens.

KAZAN: And at gunpoint.

HAMMER: I imagine that happens, as well.

(LAUGHTER)

KAZAN: I mean, you know, sometimes they have to get married.

HAMMER: So you have some good thoughts on the subject of marriage, I believe.

KAZAN: Yes, I have all right thoughts on it, you know?

HAMMER: You know, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we like to go to the experts. And right now, we`re going to consider you our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wedding- marriage-relationship expert. What do you want to call...

KAZAN: Oh, my god.

HAMMER: I want to make sure I get this right. We have a special little book that we`ve prepared. We want to flip through a couple of pages. It`s called "Has a Nice Ring to It."

KAZAN: Oh, I like that.

HAMMER: Isn`t that funny?

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

HAMMER: Right here, on page number one, Zsa Zsa Gabor, who I understand is a friend of yours, she`s been married eight times. So you certainly can`t talk marriage in Hollywood without Zsa Zsa.

KAZAN: Do you know that I was very friendly with her. When I first came out to California, she was like -- she adopted me. And I used to ask her all the time, "Zsa Zsa, why do you get married all the time? You`ve been married eight times." She said, "Dah-ling, I love veddings."

HAMMER: Everybody`s got their reasons. All right.

KAZAN: But she was very romantic about it.

HAMMER: But let`s flip the next page and see if you feel romance here. Certainly, a romantic engagement in Paris for Tom and Katie.

KAZAN: The best. I don`t know what I feel about it. I don`t trust it. I just don`t trust it.

HAMMER: OK. Well, what aspect of it don`t you trust?

KAZAN: The whole thing.

(LAUGHTER)

HAMMER: None of it makes sense to you?

KAZAN: No, none of it makes -- it makes sense, but I think it`s very kind of manipulative.

HAMMER: OK.

KAZAN: I just -- that`s my gut feeling about it.

HAMMER: Well, let`s move on then to...

KAZAN: Sorry about that.

HAMMER: ... a couple we were just speaking about. We have here Britney Spears and Kevin Federline who just had a baby, but she bought her own engagement ring, which, to me, sends up a red flag, but we`re asking you, the expert, Lainie Kazan.

KAZAN: I bought my own engagement ring, too.

HAMMER: OK. How`s that work out for you?

KAZAN: OK. It worked out OK. You know, I think she`s a nice girl. And I think that she`s confused, and I feel sorry for her. My heart goes out to her. And I think that they`re trying.

HAMMER: Why do you feel sorry for her?

KAZAN: I don`t know. I just feel that the media and the press is just so overwhelming in her life.

HAMMER: It can be a tough gig.

KAZAN: Yes, I think so.

HAMMER: All right, really quickly, I want to get to a couple that makes people feel good, I think, because they`ve been together almost 30 years, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.

KAZAN: The best. They are the best people. I worked for them in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." She produced -- Rita produced "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."

HAMMER: That`s right.

KAZAN: And Tom is probably one of the nicest people I`ve ever known.

HAMMER: Well, let`s talk about "The Engagement Ring." It`s going to be airing Monday on TNT. Two families coming together. It`s a beautiful story of love and triumph, all because of this wedding ring, this engagement ring, that was lost in the mail for 40 years. I feel tears coming on.

KAZAN: Well, you know, it`s about this woman -- me -- even though Patricia Heaton is the star of the movie...

HAMMER: Who everybody knows from "Everybody Loves Raymond."

KAZAN: Yes. And Tony Lo Bianco plays my love interest. And a wonderful actor from Canada named Chuck Shamata and Vincent Spano is in it.

And it`s about these two people who live on adjoining vineyards in Napa. And they`re in love from the time they`re just children, you can see. But it`s very volatile, very passionate little affair there.

And they hit each other, and they, you know, poke each other, and they kiss. And when they get to be about 17 or 18, he proposes to her. And that`s Tony Lo Bianca.

And she says yes. And then he goes off to war. He goes off to the Korean War. And she never hears from him again.

And what happens is that he wins an engagement ring in a poker game, and he sends this engagement ring to her. And somehow, it gets earthed into -- there`s an earthquake in Napa, and it gets put behind a piece of furniture, and she never receives it until 40 years later.

HAMMER: And this is a catalyst -- and this is what eventually brings the families together.

KAZAN: ... family together. And it`s delicious, it`s warm, it`s funny. It`s a pleasure to be in it. I delighted in the experience.

HAMMER: Well, we`ll look forward to seeing that on Monday. And we appreciate you joining us on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s a pleasure to meet you, Lainie Kazan.

KAZAN: Thank you. It`s my pleasure. Thank you. Thank you so much.

HAMMER: It is time now for "Tuesday InStyle." Vera Wang is a master of design. She makes everything from her famous wedding gowns to women`s sportswear and jewelry. But what may be her greatest masterpiece is the home that she designed for her father 30 years ago. Here`s your inside look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAL RUBENSTEIN, FASHION DIRECTOR: Vera is a designer that so many American women know, cherish, love. I mean, she`s been there for many of their most important days.

The interior of the house is almost subordinate to the exterior of the house. What`s wonderful about the structure is two elements: One, all of the stone that you see in the house was quarried from the property itself. The idea of keeping this house as natural and as integral with the surroundings as possible.

And also, in keeping with that, 70 percent of each house is made of glass. It was very important that Vera say that, when you were inside this house, you were also constantly aware of the outside of this house, of being in this beautiful park, I mean, this personal park that they own.

So, consequently, nothing inside the house really distracts you from looking outside.

VERA WANG, FASHION DESIGNER: This house was a house I designed when I was 21. So I think very much the architectural concept of this home and my own aesthetic were very firmly established even that far back.

The fact that this house has stood the test of time, some 30-plus years, really it`s a tribute to thinking of it as pavilions and more an un- traditional sense, but as a Japanese teahouse.

This particular house, it really is all about the kitchen, and about the informality, and the Zen feeling of the entire house. So the kitchen is about a certain simplicity but a certain warmth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: To read more about Vera Wang`s home, just pick up your copy of "InStyle" magazine. You`ll find it on newsstands now.

And there`s still some time for you to chime in on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." We`re asking, the power of Oprah: Do her opinions influence you? You can vote by going to CNN.com/showbiztonight. Or you can write to us. Showbiztonight@CNN.com is our e-mail address. We`re going to read some of your e-mails live, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, where, throughout the show, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." We appreciate you sounding off on the power of Oprah: Do her opinions influence you?

So far tonight, here`s how the vote has been going: Only 20 percent of you say, yes, her opinions do have an influence on you. So 80 percent of you are saying no.

We`ve gotten a bunch of e-mails on the subject, including one from B.L. in Texas who writes: "Oprah Winfrey is very entertaining. She may know showbiz, but I don`t feel that she knows politics."

We also heard from Larry, who wrote in from South Carolina, "I would back her up on possible presidents, as long as I believe in the causes of the candidate."

If you would like to, you can continue to vote by going to the web site. It is CNN.com/showbiztonight.

Now, as we do every night here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, time to take a look at what`s playing tomorrow. For that, we go to our Marquee Guy, who has your "Showbiz Marquee."

MARQUEE GUY: Tomorrow, it`s "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood. What has Miss Underwood been up to since the contest was over? We`ll find out, when Carrie Underwood comes to us for the interview you will see live, only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. When? Tomorrow.

Also tomorrow, which girl? It`s "That Girl," the fabulous Marlo Thomas. We`re hitting a high note with Marlo when she`s live, where? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. When? Tomorrow.

This is the Marquee Guy. I`ll be back tomorrow. And as I always say, free to be, you and Marquee.

HAMMER: That`s right. Thank you very much, Marquee Guy. And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.

END

Search
© 2007 Cable News Network.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map.
Offsite Icon External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pipeline Icon Pay service with live and archived video. Learn more
Radio News Icon Download audio news  |  RSS Feed Add RSS headlines