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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT

Showbiz Tonight for August 24, 2005, CNNHN

Aired August 24, 2005 - 19:00:00   ET

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


BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson in Los Angeles.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: And I`m Karyn Bryant in New York, live. And TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, is Robertson retreating? Televangelist Pat Robertson`s first public comments since calling for the assassination of Venezuela`s president. Tonight, is he backing down? Could the plug be pulled on his show? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the latest on the outrage.

ANDERSON (voice-over): Also, Olivia`s heartache. The mystery deepens about Olivia Newton John`s missing boyfriend. Tonight, new disturbing questions: did he fake his own death? Was it a suicide? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes looking for answers.

BRYANT: Plus, tired of going to the movie theatre because of the prices, the commercials and the inconsiderate idiots? Tonight, we reveal how to bring the movie theatre to you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the hottest home theater equipment, no matter what your budget. It`s our special series, "Movie Theater Madness."

ROBERTA FLACK, SINGER: Hi, it`s Roberta Flack. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Hello, I`m Brooke Anderson, live in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer`s off tonight.

BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant, live in New York.

Tonight, Pat Robertson is on the retreat. TV`s leading evangelist rocked the nation Monday when he called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Tonight, stunning new developments. He has repented.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer is here live with the latest. What`s going on?

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And this caught a lot of people off guard, I think. The backlash to Robertson`s comments have been overwhelming. As a religious leader and founder of the Christian Coalition which touts a membership of about two million, many say his apology, long overdue.

But will it be enough? And will it impact the viewership of the program, "The 700 Club"?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(NO AUDIO)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: Of course, we will try to get that for you in just a moment.

The FCC has reported several complaints about the comments by Pat Robertson, about the assassination of the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez. We`ll have more on that for you later on in the program.

But just like that so-called wardrobe malfunction that took place for Janet Jackson during the 2004 Super Bowl. They would not disclose just how many complaints came in. We understand we do have that package ready for you. Here it is now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAT ROBERTSON, HOST, "THE 700 CLUB": August is a slow news day. But it seem like the whole world is talking about my comments about Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez.

HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): You better believe they are. Backlash over Robertson`s comments that Chavez should be assassinated have created a firestorm around Pat Robertson, including today on his own show.

THOR HALVORSSEN, PRESIDENT, HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION: I think that it`s very important to also note that your comments were about assassination.

HAFFENREFFER: And when a human rights activist spoke up during an interview, Robertson backpedaled.

ROBERTSON: I didn`t say assassination. I said our Special Forces should, quote, "take him out." And take him out can be a number of things including kidnapping. There are a number of ways to take out a dictator from power besides killing him. I was misinterpreted by the A.P., but that happens all the time.

HAFFENREFFER: So let`s just rewind and revisit his comments from Monday, on-air, unedited.

ROBERTSON: I don`t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we`re trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it. It`s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war.

HAFFENREFFER: And just hours ago Robertson e-mailed CNN with this apology, quote, "Is it right to call for assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement. I spoke in frustration that we should accommodate the man who thinks the U.S. is out to kill him."

This apology comes after striking a deep nerve with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s viewers. Since our report last night, hundreds of e-mails have flooded our inbox, for and against the man who wields power in television evangelism.

ROBERT BIANCO, TV CRITIC, "USA TODAY": Just judging it from a television controversy, it`s a day too late. If you have decided that your comments were being misinterpreted as a call for murder, it seems to me that, you know, you want to get that out the next day and not wait two days to say it.

HAFFENREFFER: But the network that airs "The 700 Club" didn`t wait. Late last night, ABC Family issued a statement, saying quote, "ABC Family strongly rejects the views expressed by Pat Robertson"

BIANCO: Clearly there is backlash against Robertson and his comments. Where you don`t hear back, as I would expect, is from viewers of "The 700 Club" themselves. So I doubt that the controversy will touch the show directly.

HAFFENREFFER: With an average viewership of over 800,000 people, "The 700 Club" has a devout following.

ROBERTSON: I`ve prayed for healing. I pray for miracles.

HAFFENREFFER: And anyone praying for his cancellation may need a miracle themselves. ABC Family is contractually obligated to run "The 700 Club." But it could hurt the network in the end.

BIANCO: What the controversy has done is remind people who are not in line with Robertson`s beliefs that is airing nightly on a channel that calls itself a family channel. And there are families in America that may decide they don`t want that particular brand of family entertainment in their home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: The story will definitely continue to be the lightning rod of talk shows and talk radio. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will, of course, be following it.

BRYANT: Thank you very much, David Haffenreffer.

ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT received hundreds of e-mails from viewers about whether Robertson was out of line. Well, now that he has apologized, we want to hear from you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Pat Robertson apologizes: are you satisfied? Vote at CNN.com/SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And send us e-mail at ShowbizTonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your thoughts later on in the show.

BRYANT: Now turning to the latest developments tonight in the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Newton-John`s boyfriend, Patrick McDermott. Theories of why he disappeared were swirling today. Was it murder, suicide? Could it even have been a fake death? The clues are few, and the things we do know just don`t seem to add up.

Well, joining us live to talk about the latest in the case, from Los Angeles, Christine Spiteri, correspondent for the Channel 9 News Network in Olivia`s home country of Australia.

And we also have another guest that may be joining us. We`ll get to her in a minute.

But Christine, bring us up to case. Patrick has been missing now for almost two months. Can you give a little back story and give us the latest developments on the case today?

CHRISTINE SPITERI, CHANNEL 9, AUSTRALIA: Well, in terms of new developments what we are learning today is a whole lot more about Patrick McDermott, about his life and relationships and the lead up to his disappearance.

Now of course, we know that he declared himself bankrupt a couple of years ago. And he is behind at the moment in his alimony payments of $800 a month. But in the new court documents that we received today, it was relating to a custody battle with his ex-wife, Yvette Nipar, who is an actress. And she doesn`t paint a very pretty picture of Patrick.

She describes him as hostile and abusive. She says he has anger management problems, and she questioned his parenting ability.

Now, we know that when Patrick was on the fishing boat, the other passengers who spoke to him said he was talking about his financial problems. He was talking about the problems that he did have with his ex- wife, Yvette. I think he wanted more access to his 15-year-old son, Chance.

And so, I think all of this is giving investigators, I guess, a bit more into his state of mind when he went missing.

Now, in terms of the Coast Guard, who are conducting this investigation, they are playing it all very close to their chests. They`re not saying very much at all.

They say that, since this story became public only a few days ago, that they have been receiving calls from the public. But they`re not telling us what they`re being told. They`re only saying that they are chasing up new leads at the moment -- Karyn.

BRYANT: Well, and certainly, if we can draw comparisons to the Natalee Holloway case -- you`re a member of the media. The Natalee Holloway case has gotten a ton of coverage. And yet still, nothing has been resolved. This is the type of thing where, for days now, people have seen Patrick`s picture around and still no leads.

What do you make of this? Is this going to turn into a long drawn-out case?

SPITERI: Well, it already has been a long drawn-out case, hasn`t it? It`s already been two months. So I think investigators obviously have some fairly sensitive information that they believe wise not to be made public at this moment.

What they`re not telling us, of course, is about the money trail, whether Patrick McDermott is, in fact, drawing on his bank accounts, whether he had some money put aside that he may be able to have access to. That`s what we don`t know.

And if we had that information, I guess we would be a little bit more easily coming to a conclusion at this time. But certainly, this has gone on for a long time, and it could go on for a long time to come.

But now that there are photos of him out there, the media coverage has been huge. It has been global. You would think that, if anyone had seen him, they would start contacting police at this time.

BRYANT: Right, now, Olivia and Patrick have had a nine-year relationship. They have homes in Los Angeles. Olivia spends a lot of time in Australia, as well. Tell us about the reaction down there in her home country.

SPITERI: It`s been a huge reaction back home. Olivia is still very much an Australian. She`s well loved. She`s had such a brilliant and long-lasting career. So many of us have grown up with her. I mean, it`s kind of hard to believe that her career has already spanned 35 years.

But she`s always been such a down-to-earth person. And you know, in a lot of ways, she hasn`t had a completely charmed life. Of course, she is a superstar. She`s had a very successful career. She`s made a lot of money. But she`s certainly had her battles, as well.

Of course, we know that she`s suffered breast cancer. She`s had a marriage breakdown. She`s had business troubles, where her business went bankrupt. So, you know, she`s handled all of those situations with such dignity and grace.

I think she`s even more admired in Australia for the way that she`s handled it. And when, back at home, people learn that she`s having another battle, their hearts really go out to her. There`s enormous and overwhelming support for her at this time.

BRYANT: All right, Christine Spiteri of Network 9, Australia, live from Hollywood. Thank you for joining us.

SPITERI: Thank, Karyn.

BRYANT: Well, another person connected to the music industry goes missing. Tonight, another puzzling mystery that may have ties to David Bowie, Carly Simon and Queen Latifah. That`s next.

ANDERSON: Also, a big legal win today for Justin Timberlake. Find out how this `N Sync star has got a well-known newspaper out of sync, next.

BRYANT: And from Wisteria Lane to Madison Avenue, big time advertisers think desperate times call for "Desperate" measures. Why the "Desperate Housewives" are heading from the screen to store shelves everywhere.

ANDERSON: Now, for tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Which one of these singers was not part of the first Lilith Fair music tour? Was it Liz Phair, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Osborne, or Sheryl Crow? We`ll be right back with the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: So, again, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." Which one of these singers was not part of the first Lilith Fair music tour? Was it Liz Phair, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Osborne, or Sheryl Crow? The first Lilith Fair, featuring all female acts, happened in 1997. But it did not include, A, Liz Phair, who by the way, has a brand new album coming out this October.

BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Karyn Bryant.

Tonight, Justin Timberlake tames a tabloid. Today in a London court, the tabloid, "In The News of the World" -- sorry, this tabloid is called "The News of the World," they apologized for printing a false story about the `N Sync star, which claimed he cheated on his girlfriend, Cameron Diaz.

The British paper also agreed to, quote, "substantial undisclosed damages." It bought the made-up story in 2004 from model Lucy Clarkson, the woman who claimed she had the fling with him.

Timberlake says he`ll donate the damages to charity.

So, what does this mean for other celebrities who are fed up with the tabloids? Well, that`s coming up in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Legal Lowdown," a little later.

ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been reporting extensively on the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Newton-John`s boyfriend. Now tonight, another missing person, another mystery with ties to the music world.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas is live in Hollywood with the very latest.

Hi, Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Brooke. We have been closely following the story of a music producer who just vanished. We`ve been talking to authorities all day, and we`ve learned startling details of this mystery, which involves a chase, some dogs, and a dark weekend morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS (voice-over): A panicked cell phone call placed near dawn. A man in distress, and then, nothing. Christian Julian Irwin has not been heard from since. He`s a 48-year-old Grammy nominated music producer who goes by Chris Julian in the music world and was nominated for three Grammies.

He`s said to have worked with such artists as Queen Latifah, Carly Simon, David Bowie and Vanessa Williams.

Authorities tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he has not been heard from around 3:30 on Sunday, when he fled his home and placed a frantic call to a friend.

RAY PEAVY, LOS ANGELES COUNTY HOMICIDE BUREAU: He made a cell phone call to a friend saying, "Hey, I need help. Basically, I`m in trouble."

Caused his friend to get out of bed, drive down to where he told him he was. He said he was at a local gas station, within walking distance, basically, from his home.

So his friend got in his car, drove down to see if he could help him. And when he got there, he wasn`t there.

VARGAS: Irwin`s last known location was here, South Topanga Canyon Boulevard, a mountainous region located in the northwest part of Los Angeles County. His friend looked around for 15 to 20 minutes after arriving on site.

Later, another call.

PEAVY: About 4:30, you`ve got another phone call, again on the cell phone, saying, "I`m being chased. I`m near a stream. There`s dogs chasing me. There`s" -- and all of a sudden, the phone, I think he said something, maybe about the money. And the phone went dead. And, that was the last he was heard from.

VARGAS: Irwin was said to be involved in a Nigerian Internet scheme and to have just received a check for $50,000, which authorities say he apparently sent back. Authorities are still checking to see how that fits into the case, but they say something was not right.

PEAVY: He was extremely panicked. It apparently caused a family, or the family and friends to believe that some harm has come to him. He`s not been found, not been heard of since.

Our search and rescue team was called out that day, Sunday, began a search and looked in a stream and found his glasses, his eyeglasses. But he, himself has not been seen or heard from. This is something that would cause anyone to believe that foul play may have occurred.

VARGAS: Authorities have put out this missing person`s bulletin, hoping for anyone to come forward.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: Captain Peavy told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they have hired a team of homicide detectives, but for now it`s still being considered a missing persons case.

Irwin`s family has flown in from all over to lend their support. Family and authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Los Angeles sheriff`s homicide bureau, missing persons division.

Back to you, Brooke.

ANDERSON: Thank, Sibila. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas.

Well, all this week, our series, "Movie Theater Madness," has been looking at what bugs you at the movies. And we`ve been asking you to send your thoughts. Here are just a few of the many e-mails we received.

A viewer named Aram doesn`t mince words. He writes, "The main problem are the stupid, idiotic, clueless, insensitive, and generally moronic people who refuse to sit quietly so the paying public can enjoy the film."

Tell us how you really feel, Aram.

Isaac from North Carolina writes, "Another reason I never go to the theaters is the filth. Most of them are dirty and the floors are gooey with drinks, food and paper. They must literally clean up their act."

Glen from Toronto says, "I don`t go to the movies as much anymore because I am tired of hearing about $20 million paychecks for actors. This is ridiculous."

Well, we`ll have more of your e-mails later on in the show.

And coming up, our series, "Movie Theater Madness," continues. If you want to avoid the cell phones and the talking, we`re going to show you how to turn your living room into a home theater on a budget.

BRYANT: Tonight in "The Show`s Biz," ABC`s hit show, "Desperate Housewives" returns for its second season September 25. But you won`t have to wait a month to see the show`s cast in action.

Starting this Monday, Marcia Cross and Nicollette Sheridan will appear in this 7Up Plus commercial. "Desperate Housewives" is not only a big hit for ABC, but it`s a huge hit for marketers, as well.

Joining us to explain why, Stuart Elliott, advertising columnist from "The New York Times" and author of today`s article, "Housewives is a Big Hit on Madison Ave., Too."

Thanks for joining us, Stuart.

Now, we mentioned that Nicollette and Marcia are participating in ads. Are the rest of them busy in advertising, as well?

STUART ELLIOTT, ADVERTISING COLUMNIST, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Every one of the other women is appearing in at least one advertising campaign. And the demand for the cast is so big that even some of the men are being wooed by Madison Avenue now, also.

BRYANT: And I would imagine it`s probably beauty products, that type of thing that would go so well for them.

ELLIOTT: It`s a range of products. Nicollette Sheridan is doing ads for a jeweler, in addition to this 7up product that`s aimed at women.

Felicity Hoffman and Marcia Cross are doing a charity, a pro-bono campaign for a shoe, a benefit that sells shoes to raise money for breast cancer research.

And Eva Longoria does L`Oreal advertising for their shampoos and also did a Diet Pepsi commercial for the Super Bowl.

BRYANT: All right, not bad. Now, I can imagine because the show is so popular. It`s the No. 1 show for women, I believe. Is that why marketers want to get in on the band wagon?

ELLIOTT: Yes, it`s very much a reactive kind of business, is advertising. They wait and see which celebrities, which stars are resonating with the public before, in this case, they go out and ask them to be in ad campaigns.

And this is something that`s done all the time. The cast of "Seinfeld," the cast of "Friends," the cast of "Sex in the City," all asked to do these advertising campaigns based on the popularity of their shows.

BRYANT: It just seemed surprising to me with this one because it`s only been one season. I worry they also have calendars and books and games and DVDs. You know, I watched the show, Stuart, but sometimes I think, enough already. Enough with the house wives. Are they worried at all about overexposure?

ELLIOTT: ABC is definitely trying to take it slow. And to do this on a basis where they want this to last for the long term. This is always the risk that you run when you`re an advertiser and you try to jump aboard a moving band wagon.

The question is, are you taking advantage of the popularity of something that`s going to last for a long time? Or is it something that`s only going to be a flash in the pan?

I guess, obviously, everybody who`s involved with this believes that this show has some -- has some legs.

BRYANT: And last quick question. I`ve definitely seen the words "desperate" and "housewives" in ads for things that are for neither the show. Nor do they feature these women. People are really jumping on this, as well, just this phrase.

ELLIOTT: Yes, it`s become sort of almost of a catch phrase. And a lot of people have figured out that they don`t have to pay anybody any money to use the words "desperate" or "housewives" or some variation on that to try to ride the coattails.

BRYANT: All right. Well, there we have it. Thank you, Stuart Elliott from "The New York Times." Thanks for joining us.

ELLIOTT: Thank you.

ANDERSON: A brand-new performance from "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood. And Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers take a long-awaited island trip. That`s coming up.

BRYANT: Plus, a controversial new videogame that encourages kids who are beaten up, to do the beating up. Why some say "Bully" could incite violence.

ANDERSON: And, Justin Timberlake`s big win today got one tabloid singing, "Cry Me a River." So how will it affect the relationship between celebrities and the tabloids that write about them? Find out in the "Legal Lowdown."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Tonight, we`ve got "American Idol" Carrie Underwood`s brand new Nashville performance. Here`s her duet of "Does He Love You" with country star Jamie O`Neal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Oh, they`ve got pipes, don`t they? That song is part of CMT`s 100 greatest duets.

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton also reunited for the first time in nearly 20 years to sing "Islands in the Stream." That 1983 hit is County Music Television`s No. 1 duet.

You can see the entire special, "CMT`s 100 Greatest Duets," on September 17.

BRYANT: First, they shook things up with "Grand Theft Auto." Now the makers of that videogame are causing controversy once again. We`ll tell you about their new game, next.

ANDERSON: Also, some say the mom of Michael Jackson`s accuser hurt the criminal trial. Now her actions could affect a civil trial. We`ll have the latest developments, in the "Legal Lowdown."

BRYANT: And, widescreen pictures, earth-shattering surround sound without leaving your couch. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT shows you why you don`t need to go to the theater to go to the movies. It`s our "Movie Theater Madness."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

The U.S. military has just announced it will send 1,500 more troops to Iraq before October. Additional forces will help provide security before Iraqis vote on the October 15th referendum on a proposed constitution.

A commission appointed by the president in Congress is rejecting Pentagon plans to close down two large Navy bases in New England. Many communities, though, are reeling after the commission agreed to close or shrink hundreds of Army and Navy facilities from coast to coast.

In Florida, residents are once again taking the painstaking steps of preparing for a very powerful storm. Tropical Storm Katrina is strengthening over the central Bahamas. And a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch are posted along the southeastern Florida coast.

And Hawaii is setting a ceiling on gas prices. The new law doesn`t put a cap on retail prices, but the hope is that retail prices will fall in turn. Hawaii has the highest gas prices in the country at $2.84 a gallon.

That is the news for now. Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts. Back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

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

ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, filling in for A.J. Hammer. You`re watching TV`s only live entertainment news show.

BRYANT: Well, still to come this half-hour, we`re going to be talking about this new game called "Bully." The people who make "Grand Theft Auto" have got a new game that some people are saying -- they`re kind of comparing it to Columbine. It`s a racy game, Brooke, and we`re going to talk about that.

ANDERSON: Oh, bullying is such a serious issue, Karyn. Could escalate into so much more. I`ll be interested to see that report.

And also, as part of our "Movie Theater Madness" series, we`ve been reading our viewer`s frustrated e-mails throughout the show. They`re extremely upset with the movie-going experience. But we`ve got something that could appease the furious film-going audience.

And we`re going to show you how you can have your very own movie theater, so to speak, with all the gadgets, all the cool stuff, at your very own home and on whatever your budget. All that and more is coming up.

But first, Karyn, let`s get tonight`s "Hot Headlines." And for that, we got to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas right here in Hollywood.

Hi, Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Brooke.

Tonight, it`s another celebrity victory against the tabloids. A British tabloid today agreed to pay undisclosed damages to Justin Timberlake for running a false story that he was having an affair with a woman who sold the fake story to the paper. The tabloid apologized in court today. Timberlake says he will donate the settlement to charity.

Authorities say they`re chasing new leads in the search for Olivia Newton-John`s missing boyfriend because of all the news coverage of the case. In addition to U.S. coverage, the story has gotten a lot of attention in the singer`s native Australia. Patrick McDermott vanished June 30th on a fishing expedition off the California coast. The Coast Guard is investigating, but says, despite new leads, they`re no closer to solving the case.

And tonight, Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson says he`s sorry. After two days of controversy surrounding his comments on "The 700 Club" suggesting the United States should assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Robertson issued a written statement late this afternoon.

He said, quote, "Is it right to call for an assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement."

And those are tonight`s "Hot Headlines" from Hollywood.

Brooke, back to you.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Sibila. And that leads us to, again, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Pot Robertson apologizes: Are you satisfied? Keep voting at CNN.com/Showbiztonight. Write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. Your e-mails are coming up at 54 past the hour.

BRYANT: Tonight, a new controversy over a video game just out called "Bully." Now, some say it essentially teaches kids Revenge 101. And they`re calling the game a Columbine simulator.

CNN`s Lisa Sylvester has the story for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The game is called "Bully." The kid who is bullied becomes the bully, taunting, beating up fellow students, and intimidating teachers. "Bully" is made by Rockstar Games, the same company behind the controversial game "Grand Theft Auto."

JACK THOMPSON, VIDEOGAME ACTIVIST: What you are in effect doing is rehearsing your physical revenge and violence against those whom you have been victimized by, and then you, like Klebold and Harris in Columbine, become the ultimate bully.

SYLVESTER: In 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris killed 12 classmates and a teacher at Columbine High before committing suicide. Activist Jack Thompson calls "Bully" a Columbine simulator.

He has filed a lawsuit to prevent retailers from distributing the game, scheduled to be released October 5th. Studies have shown that violent video games increase aggressive behavior in teens. The American Psychological Association last week called for greater oversight of the industry.

JEFF MCINTYRE, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION: Children no longer are just passive witnesses to violence that may happen in the media. But now they`re actually becoming involved in the scenarios, being rewarded.

SYLVESTER: Rockstar in his statement said, "Some of our critics are only promoting stereotypes about video games and spreading rumors about something they haven`t seen. `Bully` is still a work in progress. When it`s released, we hope that people will form their own opinions."

Those who oppose the game hope that day will never come. "Bully" is expected to be rated "M" for mature audiences, but because the video game industry is self-regulated, there is little that can be done to keep a retailer from selling any violent video game to a minor.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRYANT: That was CNN`s Lisa Sylvester reporting for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

ANDERSON: Tonight, more of your outrage about movie theaters. We`ve been asking you to send us your thoughts on what drives you crazy at the movies. That`s part of our special series this week, "Movie Theater Madness." Here are a few more of your e-mails.

Allison from Massachusetts writes, "Nothing cheapens the theater-going experience more than a commercial for a car, a drink, or a pimple cream, shown seven stories high."

James from California says, "I miss the days when ushers patrolled the theater and kicked rowdy patrons out. In this day and age, the audience would probably beat the poor, minimum-wage-earning usher to a pulp."

James, let`s hope that never happens.

All right, Mark from Florida sums it all up. "Commercials annoy me. High school kids who can`t shut up for two hours annoy me. Cellphones annoy me. Huge prices for popcorn annoy me. And the increase in ticket prices for all of the above is the most annoying."

Karyn, a lot of annoyed folks out there. But you`ve got something now that could help their situation, right?

BRYANT: Yes, that`s right. Mark in Florida, listen up, because enough of you have gotten annoyed. Mark is really over the top. You`ve gotten annoyed once too often.

And for part three of our "Movie Theater Madness" series, we`re going to look at the best way to avoid crying babies, loud talkers, and 20 minutes of commercials in the movie theater. Just make your own theater at home.

And once again, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer is here live to explain how people are doing just that.

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN HEADLINE NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Unless, of course, you`ve got that crying baby at home, right?

The numbers seem undeniable. Box office revenue is down, but DVD sales and rentals are up dramatically, and so are sales of high-tech speakers, TVs, and all the gadgets that people use to watch those DVDs.

Home theater systems can rival anything you see at the multiplex. And the best part is, you don`t have to spend an arm and a leg to get one.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Fed-up moviegoers are taking their money and their patience and going home. Home theater systems are booming. A third of U.S. households now have them. And installations are expected to go up another 15 percent this year, all as more people try to recreate the big screen movie experience without the hassles of the multiplex.

But you might be afraid that putting together your own home theater can also be a hassle, an expensive one. Not so.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can go anywhere from $250 to $1,000. But it`s really not that expensive anymore.

HAFFENREFFER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went looking for the ins and outs of putting together a home theater system, no matter what the budget. You can spend little money, some money, and lots of money. Let`s start first with little money.

(on-screen): So you don`t have to be super rich to be able to afford a home theater system?

ROBERT BROWN, SAMSUNG EXPERIENCE: Your first step is add the sound and that theater in a box and put $250 to $1,000 into what you already own in a television or whether you do it all at once, television and the theater in a box. You`ve got many ways of gradually or just jumping right in.

HAFFENREFFER: Theater in a box is what?

BROWN: Theater in a box is how we talk about the 5.1 surround sound speakers, and it`s just all in a box.

HAFFENREFFER: All in a box?

BROWN: All in a box. Just open it up, follow the manual. Again, everything is color-coded and easy to use. And it`s easy to set up.

HAFFENREFFER: And what does the set-up look like?

BROWN: 5.1 surround sound. And where get five points from is the speaker to your left and to my right, there are two rear speakers, and then we have a subwoofer, and then we have a center speaker.

You`ve got the white HT-P1200. It`s going to retail for about $1,000.

HAFFENREFFER: We should make it clear that, for $1,000, you`re not also getting the television set.

BROWN: That is correct. This is a 50-inch plasma that is going to retail for about $5,000.

HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): $6,000 for a TV and speakers? We decided to take a look at a setup that cost less than a used car.

(on-screen): The slightly more affordable area here for people who want to get involved in home theater. What are we looking at here?

BROWN: Sure. Well, we`re looking at the P38. And it comes in two versions. The first version, and the cheapest model, is going to be $250. It`s going to give you, again, the five speakers, two front, two back, the center speaker, and the subwoofer.

Now, for slightly more money, $350, we can go with wireless back to front. So instead of having to worry about putting wires into your carpet or under your floor, we give you a device kind of like Bluetooth, which alloys the DVD player to talk to the back speakers wirelessly. The wireless goes left to right. So the wire goes left to right, but not front to back.

HAFFENREFFER: That way you don`t have to run them between the two.

BROWN: Correct. Under the floor, ripping up carpet and flooring.

HAFFENREFFER: And again, I need to ask about the television set, because that`s not part of that price that we were talking about.

BROWN: That`s correct. That`s a 26-inch LCD. It`s probably going to run and retail for about $1,800.

HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): Home theater set-ups are getting even simpler and cheaper. And if you do it right, you`ll think you`re sitting right in the audience of a movie theater. They`re literally bringing home the issue, and you don`t have to be a tech genius to figure it out.

BROWN: It`s so easy to use. I mean, everything comes color-coded. It`s very easy to plug it into your own life, whatever you have at your own house. And voila, you`ve got your home theater.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAFFENREFFER: Voila, theaters in a box. Those bundled speakers and audio gear people connect to their TVs to set up instant home theaters are a booming business these days unto them themselves. In the last survey, the NPD Group said some 2.7 million theater in a box systems were sold in a recent 12-month period. That year before, the number was 2.3 million. So things are beginning to surge.

BRYANT: You have to a flat screen?

HAFFENREFFER: I do.

BRYANT: Me too. Don`t you love it?

HAFFENREFFER: It`s on a wall. It`s beautiful.

BRYANT: I can never go back. Thank you very much, David Haffenreffer.

And tomorrow, we`ll wrap up our series on "Movie Theater Madness" by talking about the ways to stop the madness. And of course, we do want to know what you think, so please send an e-mail to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com.

Well, in the midst of the Pat Robertson controversy, Jimmy Kimmel has found an alternative televangelist to turn into. You`ll definitely want to stick around for tonight`s "Laughter Dark."

ANDERSON: Plus, we`ve been reporting on Justin Timberlake`s victory against a newspaper that claimed he was cheating on Cameron Diaz. We`ll find out what it means for other stars who want to take on the tabloids. That`s coming up in the "Legal Lowdown."

BRYANT: And 17 years old, two albums, now a greatest hits collection? OK. Well, that is what Hilary Duff is selling. We`re going to tell you how many people are buying. That`s next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Time now for the "Legal Lowdown." And we`re tackling three stories.

The news today that Justin Timberlake won a libel suit against a British newspaper that claimed he was cheating on his girlfriend, Cameron Diaz.

Also tonight, the mom of Michael Jackson`s accuser charged with welfare fraud. How could this impact any civil lawsuit she may file against Jackson?

Plus, the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Newton-John`s boyfriend and the investigation into solving that mystery.

Well, joining us tonight from Glendale, California, "Celebrity Justice`s" Harvey Levin, who`s also an attorney.

Harvey, welcome to you. I want to start with Justin Timberlake, who won this lawsuit against a tabloid, which printed the story saying he was cheating on Diaz. Well, just recently, Diaz also won a libel lawsuit against a British tabloid.

Are these victories going to, in a way, scare the tabloids into -- how about this, Harvey -- printing accurate stories?

HARVEY LEVIN, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": I don`t think they will ever scare them into not pushing the line the way they do. But I think, when the tabloids print things that really have no basis in fact, they`re learning now that there`s a cadre of lawyers, especially in America, but in England, as well, that will attack.

And when they attack, if these tabloids can`t stand up to it -- and in England, it`s a lot easier for the stars to win these cases, because the tabloids have to prove that it`s true. In the United States, the star has to prove it`s not true.

Easier in England. And I think that they`re starting to open their eyes and say, "You know, we better not be reckless anymore, because it`s going to cost us."

ANDERSON: Absolutely, there are consequences. And Timberlake is donating the money he won in this lawsuit to charity. By the way, do we know how much money he won?

LEVIN: You know, it`s an undisclosed amount, Brooke. And in England, the awards are typically a lot less than in the United States. If you get a $300,000 award, that`s a big one in England. Now, he settled, so my guess is it`s something less than that. But the figures are a lot less than you`d see in the U.S.

ANDERSON: Well, good for him donating to charity. Maybe it will encourage other celebrities in situations like this to do the same.

We`ve got to move on now to the mother of Michael Jackson`s accuser. She`s been charged with welfare fraud. Harvey, she`s in a bit of a credibility crisis, isn`t she?

LEVIN: Yes, a bit is a little bit of an understatement. I mean, she is really, really in trouble here. I mean, there are five felony counts against her. She could go to prison for five years.

Pretty ironic, Michael Jackson is free and she could end up going. You know, this is something that is real serious stuff, especially in California. And this woman essentially, allegedly, lied to the welfare authorities when she got welfare back in 2001. She didn`t declare that she got $150,000 from JC Penney`s in a civil settlement and that could cost her, her freedom.

ANDERSON: Do you think Jackson`s team helped engineer this in any way, because it is ironic?

LEVIN: Well, you know, I did some checking on that last night. And I can tell you that the best private investigator I`ve ever met, Scott Ross, who was Jackson`s private investigator, he`s the one who turned it up.

And I can tell you, now I know that that stuff was eventually turned over to the L.A. county D.A. So it looks to me like Jackson`s people did have something to do with it, but they didn`t have any control over it. It`s the D.A. who makes that decision. And I think it was staring the D.A. in the face, and they had to pull the trigger on it.

ANDERSON: Wow, interesting. And she faces arrest, the prosecutor says, if she doesn`t surrender by September 7th. We`ll see what happens with that.

And now to the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Newton-John`s boyfriend. The family filed a missing person`s report. Harvey, how does that process work? And what does a report like that put into action, in terms of an investigation?

LEVIN: Well, what it does is, if somebody files a missing person`s report and the police take it seriously, they can basically enter it into a nationwide system. So if somebody files the report in Los Angeles, and then that person, the missing person, shows up in New York, they get a traffic ticket, or somehow they get picked up on the radar, obviously, the authorities then get flagged and there can be some resolution.

So the idea is to throw the net -- to cast it as wide as you possibly can. This is a case where the Coast Guard and the LAPD are jointly looking, because there`s some suspicion here, obviously. His personal items were found in his car. It`s just an odd, odd situation. So this is more than just a missing person`s report they`re actively investigating.

ANDERSON: A lot of unanswered questions. Harvey, thanks so much for being here and sharing your insight. We appreciate it.

LEVIN: My pleasure.

ANDERSON: "Celebrity Justice`s" Harvey Levin.

BRYANT: He may be out of the anchor chair, but tonight, news hound Tom Brokaw is sniffing around one of the biggest stories of all time, the Watergate scandal, for a new documentary called "Tom Brokaw Reports: Deep Throat, The Full Story."

Now, he teamed up with his old mentor, "The Washington Post`s" Bob Woodward. Woodward and Carl Bernstein became famous for breaking the story wide open, thanks to Deep Throat. And Woodward recalls his source`s elaborate ground rules for their meetings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM BROKAW, FORMER HOST, "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS" (voice-over): If Woodward wanted a meeting, he needed to move a flower pot with a red flag on the balcony of his apartment. If Deep Throat wanted to meet, he would draw a clock on page 20 of "The New York Times" delivered each day to Woodward`s apartment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRYANT: Deep Throat recently revealed himself as Mark Felt, who was second in command at the FBI. And here`s a secret from Brokaw. He says that, when he covered the Watergate story as NBC`s White House correspondent, he turned to Woodward for help. His documentary airs tonight on the Sundance Channel.

ANDERSON: Well, it`s time to get your fix on the late-night laughs you may have missed in "Laughter Dark." With the recent controversy with televangelist Pat Robertson, Jimmy Kimmel provides an alternative for all those looking for a new preacher on TV. This is on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": It`s the tradition. Maybe I`m old-fashioned, but, for my money, if you want to know how to be a TV preacher, go no further than the Reverend Kerney Thomas. This guy knows how it`s supposed to be done.

REV. KERNEY THOMAS, TELEVANGELIST: God is healing you right now. And God`s healing you. I think this is the camera I`m on right now. God`s healing you right now. Glory to God. God`s healing you. I`m touching you right now. God`s healing you. I curse every sickness. I curse every disease. I curse every infirmity. Be healed now!

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: There was a little (INAUDIBLE) action there, Karyn, between the screaming.

(CROSSTALK)

BRYANT: Brooke, I`m sending it to you, baby.

ANDERSON: That`s a good impression. I can feel it, Karyn. I can.

BRYANT: Yes, there`s the love.

ANDERSON: All right. And tonight, comedian Howie Mandel on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" -- Karyn?

BRYANT: All right, good stuff.

Well, there is still time for you to sound off in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Pat Robertson apologizes: Are you satisfied? You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight or write us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails live, next.

ANDERSON: Hilary Duff is "Most Wanted" on this week`s Billboard 200 album chart just out today. After releasing just two previous albums -- two albums -- she`s out with a greatest hits album called "Most Wanted," featuring the new tracks, "Wake Up," which is number one with 208,000 copies sold.

Here are the rest of the top albums. Country star Brad Paisley has his best-selling week ever, with "Time Well Wasted" in at number two. Mariah Carey`s "The Emancipation of Mimi," is hanging in there at number three, followed by "Now! That`s What I Call Music 19," the compilation. And 311`s "Don`t Tread on Me" debuts at number five.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRYANT: A new bundle of joy for the star of the 1980s sitcom "Punky Brewster." Today, Soleil Moon Frye gave birth to a baby girl in Los Angeles, according to "People" magazine. She and her husband, Jason Goldberg, named the baby Poet Sienna Rose Goldberg. Poet is a healthy seven pounds, 13 ounces. We hear mom and baby are doing just fine.

ANDERSON: Congratulations to them.

Well, we`ve been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Question of the Day." Pat Robertson apologizes: Are you satisfied?

Well, so far, 20 percent of you say yes, you`re satisfied with his apology; 80 percent say no way, you`re not.

And we`ve received some e-mails, of course. James from Illinois writes, "How could we possibly be satisfied with Pat Robertson`s apology? Two days later is way too late to actually be showing remorse."

And Michael writes, "I think his apology is acceptable for the offense. America and the media has forgiven much more for much less."

Keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.

Well, for a head`s up on tomorrow`s show, we go now to the "Showbiz Marquee" guy. Take it away.

MARQUEE GUY: Tomorrow, Martha Stewart, she`s cooking, baby. From house arrest to two new TV shows, it`s a good thing. Martha sits down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, tomorrow.

Also tomorrow, we have another ace up our sleeve. It`s "Celebrity Poker`s" Phil Gordon. When it comes to stars playing cards, this guy is the king. He joins our club here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And when would that be? Tomorrow!

This is the Marquee Guy, playing with a full deck, trying not to be too much of a joker, but it ain`t easy keeping a poker face. Shall I go on?

ANDERSON: All right. And that`s a wrap for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.

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

END

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