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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT

New Legal Measures Taken Against Paparazzi; Reporter Gets Restraining Order for Jackson Fan; MJ Makeover: Can He Make a Comeback?

Aired June 10, 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, CO-HOST: Katie on Dave to talk Tom.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: Do Jolie and Pitt make a hit?

I`m Karyn Bryant.

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT (voice-over): Tonight, the paparazzi under fire. A startling new idea to get them out of the faces of the stars, that could put them behind bars. Can it work? Should it be done? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the big picture.

HAMMER (voice-over): Also, what might happen to Michael: his money, his music, his image? We go in-depth. Plus, a revealing look at the King of Pop`s thrilling rise to stardom. How did Michael become Michael?

BRYANT: And, the sweet sounds of Sarah. Sarah McLachlan, on balancing stardom and a family. A "Showbiz Sitdown."

USHER, SINGER: Hey, how are you doing? Listen, I`m Usher. If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. Friday night is on. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and you`re at the top of the show.

BRYANT: I`m Karyn Bryant. You`re watching TV`s only live nightly entertainment news program.

HAMMER: Well, tonight, the paparazzi under fire. They are now Hollywood`s public enemy No. 1.

BRYANT: Police have a new and extreme idea on how to protect celebrities from potentially deadly chases. And, while some photographers will stop at nothing to get that must-have shot, it looks like the stars will now stop at nothing to put those photographers behind bars.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT (voice-over: Authorities are worried about a new, dangerous breed of paparazzi.

PAT LALAMA, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": I call it guerilla warfare. They`re sort of the new celebrity terrorists.

BRYANT: Willing to take potentially deadly risks to get celebrity photographs.

LALAMA: What they`re doing is pinning celebrities in their cars, swarming their cars so that they can`t leave. Ramming their cars, trying to get inside their gated communities.

BRYANT: It`s caused L.A. authorities to consider a new way to combat this aggressive breed, slapping them with felony conspiracy charges.

LALAMA: What LAPD is thinking about in this new investigative unit that they have is, "Hey, a lot of times the paparazzi travel in packs. You see them as groups, you know, marching down the street, running down the street, chasing after a celebrity."

Well, that`s perhaps a conspiracy, because the pack mentality, and acting as a pack mentality, translates into possibly a conspiracy, which means a felony.

BRYANT: And a felony could put some paparazzi shuttered behind bars.

LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: Oh! And guys, be careful of the paparazzi.

BRYANT: Lindsay Lohan jokes about it at the MTV Movie Awards, but she had a real scare when a photographer allegedly ran her off the road.

LOHAN: It sounds bad, and I hope it doesn`t happen again, but I feel good that it happened to me when I wasn`t with my family. And I`m thankful that my friend`s OK. And I can now make a stand, and I can say something for any other actors who might have their kids in the car.

BRYANT: And now, stars are taking a stand, going on the offense.

LALAMA: What`s happening now is that Cameron Diaz, and Reese Witherspoon, and Justin Timberlake, they`re working as a group, to say enough is enough.

When it comes to protecting themselves and their families, they have a right. And I think they`re starting to work together as a coalition now, to get these guys off their backs.

BRYANT: But celebrity attorney Harlan Braun tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he doesn`t agree with the conspiracy charges.

HARLAN BRAUN, CELEBRITY DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You`d create a whole new law of conspiracy to favor celebrities over other people. It would be a very bad idea. Celebrities make millions of dollars becoming famous. And for them to go out in public, they should expect people to be interested in them. The paparazzi are just people trying to make a living.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Conspiracy charges have worked in the past, used against mobsters and even suspected terrorists.

So now we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Controlling the paparazzi: Should there be a law? You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or if you want to tell us more, e-mail us at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com and we will share some of what you had to say later in the show.

HAMMER: Tonight, the big question in the Michael Jackson trial: what`s taking the jury so long to make up their mind? Late today, they wrapped up their first full week of deliberations. And as Michael`s fans wait, watch and worry, one of them took his devotion way too far.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson is live for us now at the Neverland Ranch near Los Olivos, California -- Brooke.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You`re right about that, A.J. One week of deliberations, one week since the case was handed over to the jury last Friday. And again today, no verdict.

Fans are here from all over the world to support Michael Jackson. Big crowds hit the courthouse today. And at times the fans have been antagonistic towards the media.

In fact, Court TV`s Diane Diamond yesterday obtained a temporary restraining order against one of those fans, 18-year-old B.J. Hickman. Hickman is here from Knoxville, Tennessee, to support Michael Jackson.

Now Diamond alleges B.J. was inciting people to attack her. She now has three guards to protect her. Hickman said that he will comply with this order but that he doesn`t think that it`s fair.

Now, Hickman, the same guy last Friday that told my crew and me he was going to pelt us with water balloons. We`re pretty glad we have not seen those water balloons yet.

Many celebrities now speaking out about the Michael Jackson molestation trial. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Josh Groban and Dwight Yoakam last night in L.A., and they told us if they think Michael Jackson can ever make a career comeback if he`s acquitted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DWIGHT YOAKAM, MUSICIAN: Well, I think any time that Michael wants to do anything musically and his focus is his own again, he`ll be able to do monumental things.

JOSH GROBAN, MUSICIAN: In the music business especially, you see people that are accused of things and still come back. You know, it has to do with how they`re able to, you know, move on and get over it and how they`re able to connect with the audience. And if they have -- if they still have the same music ability that they had 20 years ago.

So I don`t know. I`ve always been a huge Michael Jackson fan. And we`ll see what -- we`ll see what he comes up with. We`ll see what happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Music producer Jimmy Jam, who is currently working in the studio with Michael`s sister, Janet, on a new album, told us last night what he thinks -- how he thinks Janet is handling this whole ordeal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY JAM, MUSIC PRODUCER: Obviously, our prayers go out to the families. Really, to everybody involved. Because it`s not a good situation. But it`s one that she`s working her way through. And knowing her, she seems to deal with adversity very well. And the world gets hit records out of it, which is kind of cool.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: This has now become a waiting game for all involved: Jackson, the fans, the lawyers, the media. And with all this time, people are trying to find ways to pass the time.

Reporters hanging out at the courthouse have now developed a weekly poker game. Some of them are working on their karaoke skills. And we`ve heard that some of them are riding mechanical bulls.

Well, here at Neverland we have real bulls in the fields surrounding Neverland. We don`t ride the cattle, but earlier today there was this squirrel -- this is what passes for excitement around here -- squirrel posing on the fence, so photographers took about 20 minutes to snap the perfect photo.

So there you go, the waiting game continues on Monday when the jury resumes deliberations.

Back to you guys.

HAMMER: Man, that`s some big excitement. You got those squirrels walking through Neverland.

ANDERSON: Huge excitement.

HAMMER: Brooke Anderson, thanks for joining us live from Neverland Ranch. And go home and get some rest this weekend. You deserve it.

Well, if Jackson is convicted, he will no doubt go to prison. But what if he`s acquitted? What should he do next? Tonight`s "Showbiz In- Depth," making Michael over.

What about his finances? Michael Jackson is severely in debt. And what about his image? His behavior and looks are widely seen as a bit over-the-top. What about his music career? No hits or concert tours in years.

Joining us live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Tamara Conniff. She`s the executive editor of "Billboard" magazine. We`re also joined by Linda Kaplan Thaler, the CEO of the Kaplan Thaler Group. And Julia Boorstin, who covers the entertainment industry for "Fortune" magazine. Nice to see you all.

And Julia, I want to start with you. Much has been made of Michael`s finances and the amount of debt that he`s in. What kind of financial troubles is he having right now?

JULIA BOORSTIN, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Well, you can put it clearly, that Michael has a cash flow problem. Money is flowing out much faster than it`s coming in. In fact, it`s estimated that he`s spending $20 million to $30 million a year more than he`s making.

He hasn`t had a big hit in years, as you mentioned, hasn`t done a concert tour, which is what`s really profitable for pop stars, and he has these ridiculous spending habits.

It costs $4 million a year just to run Neverland Ranch and keep the zoo up and running. He also is known to stay in hotel rooms that cost $10,000 a night. He buys $10,000 gifts for his friends like Elizabeth Taylor. And he also will buy presents like a house for his family. So he`s got these ridiculous spending habits, and he has no concept of how much things cost or how much he`s spending.

HAMMER: And almost needless to say, the mounting legal bills, I`ve heard numbers around $10 million by the time this is all over.

BOORSTIN: I think 15 -- $12 million to $15 million by the time this trial is over.

HAMMER: All right. Well, he does have some assets. What can Michael do to fix all of this when it`s all over?

BOORSTIN: He does have assets, and they are highly leveraged. One of his assets is the revenue stream, and the value of his own songs. So every time a Michael Jackson song is played on the radio, he gets a little money.

More importantly, he owns a chunk of the Beatles and the Elvis Presley catalog.

HAMMER: Right.

BOORSTIN: So every time a Beatles song is played or an Elvis Presley song is played, he gets a little bit of money, which amounts to $1 million to $2 million a year. That Elvis Presley/Beatles catalog, which he co-owns with Sony, is worth about $1 billion, and he owns about half of it.

HAMMER: OK. So it`s not out of the question he could dig himself out of a financial hole.

Image? Linda, a whole different thing. You`re an image expert. Run down Michael`s image issues right now.

LINDA KAPLAN THALER, CEO, KAPLAN THALER GROUP: Well, it`s like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I mean, there`s really -- he really has to make a very big change in order to correct his image right now.

And part of it, he`s just acting like a little boy. He`s 46 years old. Act like a man, talk like a man, walk like a man.

HAMMER: OK, so exactly that. Get into exactly what he could do to solve those problems. Obviously, acting his own age. Whatever types of things?

THALER: It`s the music, stupid. Get back to doing what you do best. And maybe you shouldn`t be living here. Maybe he needs to live in Europe. Although I wouldn`t be doing an album with the Vienna Boys Choir.

I think -- I think he really has to be careful he does things that are attached to adults, he acts like an adult, cuts his hair, and walks and talks like a 46-year-old man.

HAMMER: And what about the idea of moving away, moving to another country perhaps?

THALER: He`s very well regarded in Europe. They`re not as attached to his personal problems. They love his music. People still love his music. He still sells. So he should go back to doing that and really think about doing some kind of pro bono cause -- not a children`s cause -- that really helps people.

HAMMER: Right. OK, well, you mentioned getting back to the music. So segue right to you, Tamara. That`s your field of expertise.

TAMARA CONNIFF, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "BILLBOARD" MAGAZINE: Absolutely.

HAMMER: As I mentioned he hasn`t had a hit or a big concert tour in years. He can make money doing those things. What are his real music career problems right now, as you see them?

CONNIFF: You know, obviously, I think what`s happened is that his personality and his personal issues have overshadowed his brilliance as an artist. I mean, Michael is one of the most brilliant artists out there.

I mean, since the first accusations and the current trial, I think there`s around a ten-year period that`s passed. His catalog has sold 10 million albums in the United States alone in that period, which is pretty impressive for any artist.

I think in order for him to really reinvent himself, if he is acquitted, you know, he should go on tour with his brothers. And I know there have been some secret talks about that already.

HAMMER: Right. There have been rumblings about that.

CONNIFF: I think that could absolutely happen. I think if he gets out there on stage and really shows what he`s made of, I think that would be a sea change for him. I think it would help.

HAMMER: What about the idea of a Vegas show? That rumor`s been floated around, as well.

CONNIFF: You know, it has been floated around. And honestly, what my sources tell me, Michael does not want to be stuck doing a seven day a week gig in Las Vegas. I mean, that`s just not something that he, I think, at this point in his life would want to commit to.

HAMMER: Well, real quickly, we only have a few seconds left. But if acquitted, is it really realistic that he`ll fix his money issues?

BOORSTIN: Well, he could sell his album and make a lot of money doing that. But the truth is, until he changes his spending habits, he`s never going to dig himself out of that hole.

HAMMER: OK. Julia, Linda, and Tamara, I appreciate you all joining us tonight and going in depth with us. And we`re going to send it over to you, Karyn.

BRYANT: All right. Well, Michael Jackson is in the fight of his life, but what about his early life? Coming up, a special report: a revealing look from The Jackson 5 to "Thriller."

HAMMER: Also, it`s Katie`s turn to talk. Tom Cruise`s newfound love is gushing like never before. Is that even possible? We`ve got an update.

BRYANT: And then that other duo, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, heat up the big screen with "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." But is the movie hot enough to see? The "Showbiz Guide" on new movies, coming up.

HAMMER: Time now for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Ashton Kutcher lost which movie role to Josh Hartnett? Was it "40 Days and 40 Nights," "Hollywood Homicide," "O" or "Pearl Harbor"? We`re coming right back with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz," once again. Ashton Kutcher lost which movie role to Josh Hartnett? "Forty Days and 40 Nights," "Hollywood Homicide," "O" or "Pearl Harbor"? The answer is D. Kutcher did not get the role of Captain Danny Walker in "Pearl Harbor."

BRYANT: Tonight, a revealing look at the mystery that is Michael Jackson. To understand how Michael Jackson got to be who he is today, you have to go back to the early years. Before he was the King of Pop, Jackson was the young prince of Motown.

Tonight, a special "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" report. Here`s CNN`s Paula Zahn for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA ZAHN, HOST, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" (voice-over): This is how we first saw Michael Jackson. A charismatic, precocious pop star singing songs like "I Want You Back" with his brothers, the Jackson 5.

Yet this is the same person, the child who became the biggest star in the world, now on trial facing charges of child molestation.

For more than 30 years, we`ve been fascinated by Michael Jackson. We`ve watched as he`s transformed himself from an African-American boy, to something completely different. He`s arguably one of the most famous men on earth. Yet seems to live in a child-like world of his own.

URI GELLER, JACKSON FRIEND: There is something blocking his mind which makes him one of the children. He has just never grown up.

RABBI SHMULEY BOTEACH, FORMER JACKSON ADVISOR: He would always give me these rational and intelligent explanations as to why his success was directly tied to him choosing to remain a child.

ZAHN: But what is reality, and what is image making? Where does the truth start, and the myth end? To paraphrase his hit song, who does Michael Jackson see when he looks at the man in the mirror?

J. RANDY TARABORRELLI, BIOGRAPHER: There is no star like Michael, no celebrity like Michael, and no person like Michael.

ZAHN: Michael Jackson grew up in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. Their steelworker father, Joe, turned five of his boys into a band with a then 5-year-old Michael out front.

PETER CASTRO, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: He was a symbol for the consummate entertainer. You know, not since Sammy Davis Jr. had someone come along with such a diverse range of talents.

ZAHN: As seen in the video from a documentary produced by Michael Jackson, the group auditioned for Barry Gordy, founder of Motown Records.

(MUSIC)

TARABORRELLI: From the time that most kids were building tree houses, Michael Jackson was building an image. At the age of 10, he was told to say that he was 8. And Michael was happy to play along with that because he understood at a very early age that image making and public relations was very important.

ZAHN: It worked. Jackson 5 exploded onto the top charts. Their first three singles, "I Want You Back," "ABC," and "The Love You Save," all hit No. 1.

But behind the image of the happy family and their rags to riches story, there was something else: incredible hard work, and a father who pushed his children.

TARABORRELLI: When Michael discusses these beatings today he gets very emotional. It`s clear that he hasn`t come to terms with any of that yet.

BOTEACH: On the one hand he would always complain: "My father didn`t love me enough. My father made me into a performance machine. My father was too strict. He was too much of a disciplinarian. He made he rehearse too much. I would see kids on the monkey bars and I would cry, because I couldn`t have a childhood."

ZAHN: Rabbi Shmuley Boteach was a friend and spiritual advisor for Michael Jackson for two years.

BOTEACH: I said, "OK, look at the flip side of that. Because of that, you became a big performer. And maybe even because you were not given enough love as a child you wanted the world`s love. So you worked really hard perfecting your dance moves, and you became a big superstar. Would you trade it in for a normal childhood and give up the celebrity?"

And interestingly, he said to me every time, "No, I wouldn`t do that."

ZAHN: Jackson and his brothers would become pre-teen idols, appearing in commercials and on magazine covers.

However, Jackson`s teenage years were awkward. He suffered from bad acne and was self-conscious about his appearance.

BOTEACH: He did say to me that he was once on an airplane and his father said to him, "You know, your nose isn`t nice," or something like that. And generally, he expressed to me that he was made to feel that he was ugly, that he was not pretty.

ZAHN: By 1977, the Jackson 5 had made a highly publicized split from Motown. And Michael Jackson was ready to spread his wings.

Michael soared with his first solo album, "Off the Wall." Songs like "Don`t Stop Until You Get Enough" and "Rock With You" reached No. 1.

But it would be his next solo album, 1982`s "Thriller," that would transform Michael Jackson from child pop star to the biggest star on earth.

TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Michael was not a phenomenon with Thriller. He was beyond phenomenon. The record flew out of stores. It could not be stopped.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From the iconic look to the moonwalk to the glove, the red jacket, and the zippers and glasses. And the white socks.

TOURE: King of Pop is too small a moniker for him. He was beyond that.

ZAHN: Saying "Beat It" to the competition, for 37 weeks the album sat at No. 1.

Fan clubs, trading cards, Michael dolls. The Michael Jackson craze reached fever pitch. In 1984, Jackson took home seven Grammys. He also raised eyebrows with his red carpet companions, Brooke Shields and Emmanuel Lewis.

TOURE: I don`t think anybody, even like the Iowa housewives, were saying, "Well, you know they`re not sleeping together." And Emmanuel Lewis was right there as the underlining, like this is not sexual at all.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: Once Michael Jackson grew up, his life became increasingly bizarre. It has been a life filled with chimps, oxygen chambers, and the bones of the Elephant Man. Michael Jackson, the bizarre years, coming up in a little bit later in the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

HAMMER: Also, Katie Holmes on "The Late Show." She`s definitely one happy camper. What she said about her boyfriend, Tom Cruise, on the way.

BRYANT: And the McLachlan group. Sarah McLachlan on tour with someone very close with her. Stay tuned to find out who that is. That`s coming up in the "Showbiz Sitdown."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: A beautiful view looking southeast from the CNN headquarters here in New York City. Beautiful view, wouldn`t you say, A.J.?

HAMMER: It`s lovely on a Friday night. It`s been a hot, steamy week here in New York.

BRYANT: It has. Well, it is time to get your laugh on in "Laughter Dark," as we do every night. We bring you the late night laughs you may have missed.

HAMMER: Well, you were watching last night.

BRYANT: I was.

HAMMER: There was no jumping on couches for Tom Cruise`s sweetie, Katie Holmes. But David Letterman did get her to open up a little bit on "The Late Show."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": All right, but let`s talk about the real reason you`re here.

I saw part of that Oprah Winfrey show. What was that like? Was that scary, to be there when that was going on?

KATIE HOLMES, ACTRESS: Are you kidding?

LETTERMAN: Well, you were backstage. And it looked like maybe you were a little apprehensive about coming out. Were you apprehensive?

HOLMES: No, no, no. I was backstage and I was watching, and I was just like, "Oh my God."

LETTERMAN: Yes, yes.

HOLMES: That`s so -- amazing. And then, you know...

LETTERMAN: You`re talking about Oprah?

It`s to early too talk about getting married, isn`t it?

HOLMES: Yes. We have to talk about that.

LETTERMAN: Yes. Have you had a conversation about that?

HOLMES: I`m smiling, aren`t I?

LETTERMAN: I bet you have.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: But Katie wasn`t smiling as much when Dave asked about the age difference between Katie and Tom. She just said it never occurred to her.

HAMMER: Well, will it be revenge of the Smith at the box office? We`ve got to go for it. Brad and Angelina`s action packed "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" opens today, but should you see it? The answer coming up in the "Showbiz Guide."

BRYANT: Plus, how did Michael become Michael? Jackson, the bizarre years. More of our special report just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOPHIA CHOI, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, I`m Sophia Choi. And here`s your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

Florida residents are preparing for the arrival of Arlene, and the Navy is moving several of its ships out of the path. The first major storm of the hurricane season has winds of about 60 miles-an-hour and should make landfall tomorrow. Four major hurricanes hit Florida last year, causing billions of dollars in damages.

A hearing on the Patriot Act ruffled some feathers on Capitol Hill. The Republican chair, James Sensenbrenner, walked out, leaving Democrats shouting into turned-off microphones. Both sides accuse each other of being irresponsible and undemocratic.

Well, it`s considered one of the worst forms of drug addiction. Later tonight, in our special Friday night investigation segment, we`ll hear the hard challenges one man faced over two decades because of meth use. Also, we`ll look at what researchers are learning about the impact meth has on the brain. That`s coming up on "PRIME NEWS TONIGHT."

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

HAMMER: Michael Jackson`s troubled life. Tonight, we`re going behind the headlines with an in-depth look at Jackson`s strange transformation over the years.

BRYANT: And are you hyped out yet on "Mr. And Mrs. Smith"? Well, the movie is finally out, but is it worth checking out? We`ll see, coming up in "People" magazine`s picks and pans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, this is Ritchie Sanborne (ph). If it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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

HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer. Here are tonight`s hot headlines.

BRYANT: It has been a week and still we have no verdict in the Michael Jackson trial. Just a short time ago, the jury went home for the weekend failing to reach a verdict. Deliberations will start up again on Monday.

HAMMER: One outspoken Jackson supporter has been ordered to stay away from Court TV correspondent Diane Dimond. BJ Hickman has been among the crowd outside the courthouse every single day since January heckling prosecutors and journalists alike. Well, Dimond asked for the restraining order, saying Hickman has been harassing her and trying to get people to attack her.

BRYANT: As Michael Jackson grew from child star to international superstar, he made headlines for more than his music.

HAMMER: A few minutes ago in our special "People in the News" report, we took a revealing look at Jackson, the early years. Now, Jackson, the bizarre years.

Once again, CNN`s Paula Zahn for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: When Michael Jackson joined his brothers on stage for their 1984 reunion tour, nothing would be the same. Seemingly soft-spoken Michael was retreating into a world of his own.

JOHN NORRIS, MTV HOST: Michael had begun to exhibit a certain, I think, aloofness and a tendency to kind of withdraw from the world.

ZAHN: By 1985, the pop star`s plastic surgery began to take shape.

TOURE: Every few months, you would see him and you`d go, "Whoa, hey, that`s -- you`re looking weird, dude." But I think it was about `85, `86, I was like, "Wow, he`s not going to be able to get any weirder than this." Then two years later I was like, "I was wrong."

ZAHN: In 1986, a photograph of Michael asleep in an anti-aging chamber rocked the tabloids. In 1987, his interest in the Elephant Man`s bones, Bubbles the chimp, Liz Taylor, and an array of strange disguises set tongues a-wagging.

Jackson`s follow-up to "Thriller," the album simply called "Bad," hit the stores in 1987. The pop star`s eccentric behavior hardly deterred the album`s record-breaking five number ones. "Bad" went on to sell 8 million copies, and Jackson went on to change his image once again. Taking cue from "Bad`s" title, he became a crotch-grabbing tough guy, a far cry from his gentle offstage persona.

And yet, the money kept rolling in. In March 1988, Jackson finalized the purchase of a 2,700-acre ranch. The cost? $28 million.

NORRIS: There`s a reason it`s called Neverland Valley, you know? His fixation on the, "I won`t grow up, I`m a lost boy, I`m Peter Pan."

BOTEACH: He repudiated the adult world. For him, it was a world of betrayal. He`d say to me, "Shmuley, you know why I`m the biggest star? Because I`m so much more creative than others. I`m so much more playful. I experiment more. They don`t. They`re rigid. They`ve calcified. They`ve hardened. They`ve become adults. They`ve grown up."

ZAHN: And with Neverland came the children.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael began to sort of surround himself with young boys. And much to, I remember, the chagrin of people who were working for him.

ZAHN: Three years later, in the fall of 1991, "Dangerous" was released. Long-awaited, the buzz was big. As a result, its lead single, "Black or White," shot to number one. Coincidentally, fans were wondering about Michael`s much lighter skin tone. Was he black or white?

CASTRO: If you believe the fact that he, you know, that has this congenital skin condition and that`s why he`s so white, then fine. But a lot of people think that he has bleached his skin. With Michael Jackson, you never know what the truth is.

ZAHN: Jackson`s strange appearance soon began to overshadow his music. He became more reclusive, retreating further into Neverland where he continued to surround himself with children.

Then, in 1993, disturbing allegations surfaced concerning his association with children. A 13-year-old boy filed a lawsuit accusing the singer of sexual molestation. Jackson denied the accusation on TV. The case was eventually settled for nearly $20 million, and the suit was dropped in 1994. But Jackson`s reputation was seriously damaged.

Less than a year later, Jackson made headlines once again when he married Lisa Marie Presley, the 26-year-old daughter of Elvis.

TOURE: It was quite obvious to all of us from the beginning that it was a sham, that it was a publicity stunt. And it was just kind of disgusting and silly.

ZAHN: The marriage collapsed less than two years after the wedding. Presley filed for divorce in 1996.

But later that year, Jackson sent shockwaves around the world when he remarried. The singer tied the knot with Debbie Rowe, the nurse of his dermatologist.

Rowe gave birth to their son, Prince Michael Jackson, in 1997. The couple divorced in 1999, just a year after they had a baby daughter, Paris Michael Katherine. Jackson was granted full custody of the children.

In 2002, Jackson was front-page news again when he dangled his newborn son, Prince Michael II, from a balcony of a Berlin hotel.

TOURE: He thinks he`s being loved. I mean, you know, it`s sort of like the anti-King Midas. Like, everything he wants to do just gets screwed up.

ZAHN: Just a year later, Jackson was catapulted back into the limelight when he was featured in the Martin Bashir documentary, "Living with Michael Jackson." In the show, 44-year-old Jackson admitted to letting children sleep with him in his bed at Neverland.

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER: It`s not sexual. But we`re going to sleep. I tuck them in. I put little, like, music on, and do a little story time, read a book.

ZAHN: Uri Geller, author and self-proclaimed psychic, became friends with Jackson five years ago. He said he urged the singer to keep children out of his bedroom.

GELLER: Michael Jackson doesn`t listen to anyone. And he`s his own man. I was the only person that had the chutzpah to scream at him and tell him that this business of inviting children to his bedroom is wrong. And Michael just stared at me. He cannot comprehend the severity of such an invitation.

ZAHN: The documentary triggered the bombshell news that pushed the fated pop star back into the spotlight. Just nine months after the show aired, the 13-year-old cancer-patient featured in the documentary accused Jackson of sexual abuse.

Although Jackson denies the abuse allegations, he was arrested and charged with multiple counts of child molestation. Whether Michael Jackson is found guilty or innocent, will we ever know what motivates the man who has transformed himself so many times during the last three decades?

GELLER: No one knows Michael Jackson, really, but Michael Jackson himself. I once asked Michael, here in this house, I looked into his eyes, and I said to him, "Michael, are you lonely?"

And he looked up at me. It was like a 10-second stare. And then he said, "Uri Geller, I`m a very lonely man." And I think that said it all.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: That was CNN`s Paula Zahn for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You can also tune in to "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" this weekend for an in-depth look at the life of Angelina Jolie. "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" airs Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Eastern and Sunday at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.

And you can pick up the latest issue of "People" magazine. It`s on newsstands now.

BRYANT: We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Controlling the paparazzi: Should there be a law? You can keep voting at cnn.com/showbiztonight and send us your e-mails at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We will air some of your feedback at :54 past the hour.

HAMMER: The stars of "Mr. And Mrs. Smith" know a thing or two about the paparazzi. Angelina and Brad`s potential summer blockbuster is out today. But on screen, do they sizzle or fizzle? Find out next.

BRYANT: Plus, balancing a musical life on the road with motherhood. Sarah McLachlan tells us how she does it. That`s coming up in the "Showbiz Sitdown."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLE RICHIE, "THE SIMPLE LIFE": I`m wearing Michael Cortz (ph) tonight. And I knew when I knew that I was coming I wanted to wear him. He`s so classic. He stands out at the same time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: It is time now for the "Showbiz Guide," where throughout the week we help you decide where to spend your dollars on movies, music, DVDs and more.

Tonight, "People" magazine`s picks and pans, new movies out. "Mr. And Mrs. Smith," "The Honeymooners," and "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl." These three films are out.

And joining us live in New York City to talk about them is "People" magazine movie Critic Leah Rozen.

So, Leah, Mr. Pitt, Ms. Jolie. Is it a misfire or a can`t-miss?

LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Probably a little of both, OK? I`m just going to take that middle road but say it`s a fun Saturday night movie. The premise is they`re both hit men, neither knows it. They have this sort of boring suburban marriage, and then they discover their true identities and have contracts on each other.

But there is indeed some real sizzling chemistry between the two of them. The movie is a lot of fun for quite a while, and then it can`t sustain the sort of cleverness and the speed.

BRYANT: Well, it`s directed by Doug Lyman who has done "Bourne Identity," and he`s, you know...

ROZEN: "Go."

BRYANT: ... great films. And he told us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that it`s actually a romantic comedy.

ROZEN: It is. I mean, they are Nick and Nora Charles from "The Thin Man," for sort of a more cynical age. But the movie goes on a little too long. And you go, "All right, wrap it up. Wrap it up."

BRYANT: OK, so, with "The Honeymooners" that`s out now, is the first stop on the bus the video store?

ROZEN: Correct, you are. Yes, this is "The Honeymooners." You know, the original series ran forever in syndication. The nicest thing I can say about this movie version, it`s only 90 minutes.

BRYANT: Ouch.

ROZEN: It just doesn`t have that magic. There`s some fun moments. I`m sure the best jokes are all in the trailer. See the trailer, you`re fine. You can rent it when it comes out.

BRYANT: OK, moving on.

What about "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D"? This is from the same director who brought us the "Spy Kids" films, right?

ROZEN: Robert Rodriguez. This is not a film grownups have to go to, but if you have kids, and they want to go to the movies, and they`ve already been to "Madagascar," take them to "Sharkboy," because 3-D never fails with children.

BRYANT: Is it good?

ROZEN: It`s a fun -- it`s actually, it`s a cute movie. The 3-D stuff is very inventive. Kids are going to like it. It doesn`t transcend the kid audience. It`s not, say, "Shrek" where an adult`s going to be cracking up, as well.

BRYANT: But would it play even if it were not in 3-D? Would it still be a cute movie?

ROZEN: Yes, it would be fine. It`s much more fun in 3-D. It`s, you know, always fun when stuff is hurtling at you.

BRYANT: I wish I could have seen you in the glasses. Now, that would have been worth the price of admission.

ROZEN: Not doing it on the air.

BRYANT: OK, well, thank you, Leah Rozen.

For more picks and pans, you can check out the new issue of "People" magazine on newsstands now.

HAMMER: It`s time now for a "Showbiz Sitdown." Tonight, Sarah McLachlan, the Canadian folk-pop star, has been singing and writing hits since the late-1980s. Before getting set to wrap up her tour this weekend, she`s been busy on the road for a long time. We had the chance to sit down with her to talk about her music, life on the road with daughter, India, and what`s next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: First of all, you look fantastic.

SARAH MCLACHLAN, MUSICIAN: Oh, thank you.

HAMMER: You know, some people get beaten down from being on the road for such a long time. You don`t.

MCLACHLAN: I`m not that old, God.

HAMMER: People half your age look beaten down from being on the road, Sarah.

MCLACHLAN: I slept eight hours last night. It`s one of the...

HAMMER: That would be rare.

MCLACHLAN: ... first good sleeps I`ve had in a while.

HAMMER: That`s rare for somebody out on a concert tour. That`s rare for somebody who`s traveling with a 3-year-old child.

MCLACHLAN: Yes, who doesn`t care about the fact that we don`t get finished until midnight. She`s still up at 7:00, bright and chipper.

HAMMER: There are a lot of artists I`ve met over time who thought it would be a good idea to get out on the road with their young children, and somehow, really couldn`t get it together. It always struck me that you would figure out what the balance was and how to make it work.

MCLACHLAN: Well, you know, it`s a day-to-day thing. Some days I feel like I`m on top of it. Other days I feel like I`m holding on by the skin of my teeth.

You know, there`s sort of a -- and I hate to admit this -- but sort of a constant state of guilt I live in about being on the road. It`s because I -- even though it`s all she knows, and she`s adapted fantastically, and she loves it, and she`s totally precocious, and she`s surrounded by all these loving aunties and uncles who just give into her whatever she wants...

HAMMER: Well, it sounds like India is well taken care of when you guys are out on the road. But what about you? You`ve always been pretty low-maintenance, in terms of things that you need and things that you want. But you`re a professional out on the road touring.

MCLACHLAN: We have a chef that comes out with us on the road, which is really nice. We have just organic food, really well-made.

HAMMER: What are the kind of things, though, that we might find in your backstage rider, you know, other than the case of whiskey I know you need before you go on stage every night? Just kidding. But what`s one of the unusual items that might surprise people?

MCLACHLAN: I just have water and tea.

HAMMER: Really? Some chamomile, as you Canadians say?

MCLACHLAN: It`s about the only thing I -- no, I keep all the junk out of my dressing room. Once in a while, I go in the band dressing room where there`s just a plethora of chocolate everywhere and chips. And I just turn around and walk out again.

HAMMER: "The World of Fire" video. My guess is, knowing you, this is something -- "You know, this is what I`m a going to do." Nobody came to you and said, "Do this."

MCLACHLAN: No, you`re quite wrong, actually. Someone did come to me. Sophie Muller, the director, we had been talking back and forth for a couple months about a concept for the video.

And we were both completely stuck because I didn`t think I should be in it. She didn`t really think I should be in it. I didn`t want it to be this sanctimonious, preachy thing.

And we just kept coming up with nothing. And then she phoned me out of the blue about a month later and said, "You know, I have this really crazy idea about, you know, breaking down the costs of making a video and instead donating all that money to different charities," just to show the perversity of how much -- you know, what we don`t even blink an eye at, say, $5,000 for hair and makeup for a day, which is, you know, often what it costs, but how far that money could go in a third-world country to really making an incredibly impactful difference in a lot of people`s lives.

TNT phoned up and they have a miniseries called "Into the West" that Steven Spielberg was producing. And they wanted to use "World on Fire" for the theme song. But they wanted to talk about changing a few things, like there`s no planes in the 1700s.

So we`ve changed a few lyrics around. And Robbie Robertson, they asked to have him involved. And I thought, "Oh, god, any opportunity to work with him, he`s fantastic."

And so we sent him the rough tracks. And he recorded a bunch of vocals. And Pierre Marchand, my producer, remixed it. And we went and shot a video in California. And I got to hang out with the horse, Sundance, all day, who is very nice, and be out in a field. And it was great.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: "Into the West" premiers tonight on TNT. And you can get her "Afterglow" live CD-DVD set in stores now. Sarah also told me that after the last tour date, which is this Sunday, and the Live 8 show, which happens in two weeks, she`s got nothing on her schedule, except maybe spending some time with the family in one place, doing a little decorating, and perhaps, just perhaps, having another child.

BRYANT: Well, there is still time for you to sound off on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Controlling the paparazzi: Should there be a law? You can vote at cnn.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails live after the break.

HAMMER: But first, time for the "Entertainment Weekly" must-list. Five things you`ve just got to check out this week.

First, E.W. says you`ll get knocked out by Russell Crowe`s performance in "Cinderella Man." Next, you can check out the place where beauty and brains finally meet, at the WB`s "Beauty and the Geek." Then, "Entertainment Weekly says to put on your best pants and travel the theaters to check out "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants."

And while you`re all dressed up, why don`t you go "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC`s Strictly Ballroom-"Idol"-esque show. Finally, you can skate your way into theaters to see that docudrama, "Lords of Dogtown."

There is more on the must list, and you`ll find it all in the latest issue of "Entertainment Weekly" which happens to be on newsstands today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Well, throughout the show, we have been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Controlling the paparazzi: Should there be a law?

Well, here`s how the vote has been going so far this evening. A whopping 93 percent of you say yes, there should definitely be a law. That means only 7 percent of you say, no, there should not be one.

We`ve gotten several e-mails on the question, as well, including one from John in Minnesota, who writes, "If it weren`t for the snaparazzi, they wouldn`t be stars."

We also heard from Marie (ph) in Florida. She says, "There should be a law. The paparazzi needs to be shown that they can`t stalk someone just because they`re famous."

Remember, you can continue to vote. Just get on the World Wide Web, CNN.com/showbiztonight is the address.

BRYANT: Very informative, A.J. Thank you.

It`s time to see what`s playing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT next week. So that means let`s take a look at the showbiz marquee. Take it away, Marquee Guy.

MARQUEE GUY: Oh, baby. It`s the mother of all series, Hollywood moms. It`s a Tinsel Town baby boom. But what does it take to be a famous mom? And how do they stay looking so good? That`s next week on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Also, you`re cordially invited to a bewitching movie premier with Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is hopping on the broom and going to the premier of "Bewitched," live Monday.

This is the Marquee Guy, and I`ve got a million tricks up my sleeve, and I`m going to be practicing them all weekend long starting -- come on A.J. and Karyn say it with me -- tomorrow!

HAMMER: Tomorrow.

BRYANT: Tomorrow.

HAMMER: OK, Marquee Guy. Can I tell you a little secret about the Marquee Guy, a little nickname that he likes to go by? Tabitha.

This is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Enjoy your weekend. I`m A.J. Hammer.

BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.

CHOI: Hello, I`m Sophia Choi. Let`s get to your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."

More bloodshed is being reported in Iraq. Seven U.S. soldiers reportedly were wounded today by a suicide bomber in the city of Mosul. Now, that`s in addition to a report that says five U.S. marines were killed yesterday during fighting near the Syrian border.

Controversy is brewing over a $100 million proposed budget cut for public broadcasting. A top official at NPR, National Public Radio, is blaming the head of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, saying his charges of left-leaning political bias against NPR have helped sway lawmakers to reduce funding.

And some airlines are raising their fares this travel season. Northwest Airlines just boosted its round-trip fares aimed at business travelers by $100. The increase puts Northwest ticket prices above fare caps Delta adopted earlier this year.

That`s the news for now. I`m Sophia Choi.

END


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