Oprah Book Club Choice a Fake?; Lindsay Lohan Claims She Never Confessed Bulimia; Postage Change Surprises Some
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.</s>BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s only live entertainment news show starts right now.</s>HAMMER (voice-over): On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Oprah`s book club bombshell. She hyped the book "A Million Little Pieces" to millions of readers. Now, shattering allegations the gripping memoir may be a tall tale. Only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the shocking, inside story of the war over "Pieces." Plus, Colin Farrell`s unwanted exposure. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the tape all America will be talking about. He tried to stop a secret sex tape with a Playboy bunny from seeing the light of day. Tonight, how did this dare-devil encounter find it way onto the Net? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the tale of the tape. Julia Roberts` rare appearance. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is there as the new mom steps back into the public eye. We`ll tell you why America is buzzing about America`s sweetheart, what surprises she`s got up her sleeve, and why being Julia seems to mean being unstoppable.</s>TERRENCE HOWARD, ACTOR: Hey, you guys. This is Terrence Howard. And if it happened today, it`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.</s>ANDERSON: Hi there. I`m Brooke Anderson live in Hollywood.</s>HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer live in New York City. Lots to cover tonight, including a war of words that`s erupting between Lindsay Lohan and "Vanity Fair." But we begin first with a simple question. Was Oprah scammed? Tonight there are some shocking allegations that Oprah Winfrey and all of America was hoodwinked by the man who wrote the book everybody is reading right now, "A Million Little Pieces." Tonight, James Frey`s story is being shattered into a million pieces by critics who say he fabricated the book. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas has more from Hollywood -- Sibila.</s>SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., Oprah`s choice of the book made it shoot straight to the top of almost every best-seller list. The book is Frey`s account of his drug and alcohol abuse and his tussles with the law. Tonight, the author is coming under fire because there are shocking allegations his tale may be a tall one. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is all over the controversy that has all of America talking about it.</s>VARGAS (voice-over): His book is a best-seller, second only to Harry Potter. And since Oprah Winfrey picked "A Million Little Pieces" for her book of the month club, James Frey`s memoirs have sold over 3.5 million copies.</s>OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: "A Million Little Pieces" is an experience, and when you finally reluctantly turn the last page, you want to meet the man who lived to tell this tale.</s>VARGAS: It`s a book that Oprah Winfrey can`t get enough of. The latest in her book club, "A Million Little Pieces" has become one of the most popular books of the year.</s>WINFREY: At 23, James has no money, no job, no home and is wanted in three states.</s>VARGAS: It`s a dark tale of addiction to crack cocaine, alcohol and a deep criminal record.</s>WINFREY: At age 10, he was drinking alcohol. By 12, he`s doing drugs. From there, James spends almost every day the same, drunk and high on crack.</s>VARGAS: It`s a story that immediately drew scrutiny when it first hit shelves in 2003. How could such an incredible tale be true? Frey has consistently stood by the book.</s>JAMES FREY, AUTHOR, "A MILLION LITTLE PIECES": I didn`t invent anything. Everything I wrote about happened.</s>VARGAS: That`s what he told Matt Lauer on NBC`s "Today Show" back in 2003, and people believed him. But now, since his fame has skyrocketed from Oprah, that scrutiny has grown more intense. And now, blockbuster revelations by the investigative web site SmokinGun.com.</s>ANDREW GOLDBERG, THESMOKINGGUN.COM: There`s been zero indication from anyone, anywhere, any record, anything, that he is being honest when he says this is my true story. Zero indication. Zero.</s>VARGAS: SmokingGun.com, a web site that specializes in finding documented proof behind big stories, says Frey is fibbing.</s>GOLDBERG: What we found was that his criminal past is, in many ways, puffed up and, in even more ways, fabricated totally. And major portions of the book are just made up.</s>VARGAS: Frey claims in his book that he had warrants for his arrest in three states. Smoking Gun decided to unearth court documents, mug shots and the like and see what they could dig up.</s>GOLDBERG: So then we went back and forth. You know, we talked to police over and over again. Nobody could find any record. There were no court records. That`s when he sort of said to us, "Look, I had my records expunged."</s>VARGAS: At the center of the controversy is an excerpt from the book where Frey, high on crack cocaine, gets in a huge scuffle with police officers, is arrested and does jail time. But SmokingGun.com got the actual police report, and they say that`s not at all what happened.</s>GOLDBERG: He was listed in the report as polite and cooperative.</s>VARGAS: But James Frey says he continues to stand by his book. He says, quote, "In an effort to be consistent with my policy of openness and transparency, I thought I should share it with the people who come to this web site and support me and my work. So let the haters hate. Let the doubters doubt. I stand by my book. And my life. And I won`t dignify this (expletive deleted) with any sort of further response." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hit the streets today to see whether all this controversy betrays the millions of people who have been buying "A Million Little Pieces."</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It would be really upsetting. Like, I saw him interviewed on Oprah and I really liked -- like, he seemed like a nice guy.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Honestly, I don`t think that they`re true. I don`t see how it could have taken years for them to come out if they are true.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s upsetting. I think that the book was that much more powerful, because I thought it was real. But I still think it`s powerful.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he`s right on. I don`t feel betrayed.</s>VARGAS: We reached out to Oprah today. So far, no comment. But Smoking Gun says she`s going to have to talk sometime.</s>GOLDBERG: It`s everywhere. And I don`t think that you can just ignore it if you`re Oprah Winfrey. I think you have to at some point either say, "I`m going to stand behind this book and I trusted this author, and you know, that`s where I`m going to go." Or you`re going to say, "Look, you know, I have doubts now, and we trusted this guy and I feel betrayed, as well."</s>VARGAS: James Frey is scheduled to break his silence tomorrow tonight on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE." And Oprah is scheduled to announce her next selection for her book club this coming Monday. A.J., back to you.</s>HAMMER: Thanks very much, Sibila. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Sibila Vargas in Hollywood.</s>ANDERSON: Tonight, big, breaking news about Lindsay Lohan`s reported confession that she did, in fact, suffer from an eating disorder. Late today, the teen pop and movie star claimed she said no such thing. The information is still coming in. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Adrianna Costa is live with the latest in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom. Adrianna, give us an update.</s>ADRIANNA COSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Brooke. Yes, a messy situation. First of all, let`s take you back to last week and the story that made headlines around the word. Now, Lindsay Lohan did an interview with "Vanity Fair" magazine and talked all about the kinds of rumors that have been swirling around her. The 19-year-old pop and movie star admitted that she did once do drugs and reportedly the reason she got so thin was due to an eating disorder. Now, "Vanity Fair" reported Lindsay admitted she suffered from bulimia but had kicked it now. However, late today, Lindsay lashed out at "Vanity Fair," denying that she had said that she ever had bulimia. In a statement to "Teen People," Lohan said, quote, "The words that I gave to the writer for `Vanity Fair` were misused and misconstrued, and I`m appalled with the way it was done." Lohan had been interviewed by "Vanity Fair" contributing editor Evgenia Peretz, who spoke with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT when the article first came out.</s>EVGENIA PERETZ, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "VANITY FAIR": She started to lose weight when she was in the hospital. She was hospitalized during the filming of "Herbie: Fully Loaded" and she lost about 15 pounds in the hospital. And then, when she got out of the hospital, she really liked the way she looked, and I think she felt OK, well, this is fun to be really thin. But she definitely took it too far and she really talked about how she, you know, didn`t eat so much and certainly had bulimic episodes to the point that it got very scary.</s>COSTA: However, late today, a spokeswoman for Lindsay Lohan told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that she never mentioned bulimia, and "Vanity Fair" tells us it`s sticking by its story and has the whole interview on tape. So this could get a little bit more interesting as the days go on, Brooke.</s>ANDERSON: It certainly looks like it.</s>COSTA: Yes, we`ll keep you posted. Back to you.</s>ANDERSON: All right. Thanks, Adrianna. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Adrianna Costa.</s>HAMMER: Well, whether you want to send a piece of fan mail or just pay a bill, the cost of having something signed, sealed and delivered just got a bit pricier. A stamp for a first class letter, now 39 cents instead of 37. But not everyone is remembering to ante up. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.</s>JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If the postal rate increase caught you by surprise, a measly two-cent stamp featuring a Navajo necklace could save your neck.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got 200 of them.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need 45 cents.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Only eight.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need 10, actually.</s>MOOS: We recall when the even lowlier one cent stamp was married to the 33 cent stamp a few postal increases ago. Not since that match up has there been such a rush on such a puny stamp.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I came here last night, the line was out the door.</s>MOOS: But for those who didn`t stand in line, who didn`t make it to the stamp machine... (on camera) I need 200 two-cent stamps.</s>MOOS (voice-over): We took up our post next to a Manhattan mailbox. (on camera) Hold on, hold on. Did you put the right postage?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.</s>MOOS: Thirty-seven or 39? Oh, you need a stamp. Postage went up today. I`m going to be your good Samaritan. (voice-over) Never has a two-cent gift been received with such appreciation. (on camera) You`ve got the wrong postage. Don`t put that in there.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, so do you have any stamps? Wow. Good thing I ran into you. You`re an angel right here. Thank you.</s>MOOS: I`m a sort of postal angel.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It went up?</s>MOOS: It went up, yes. Just call me the stamp fairy. (voice-over) Sure, charity is cheap for this stamp fairy. Two hundred two-cent stamps cost us a mere four bucks. (on camera) No, that`s not enough. Here, I`m going to give you two cents. I`m with CNN, it`s OK. Don`t be afraid. (voice-over) But many were afraid. (on camera) Hold on, hold on, hold on. OK. It doesn`t -- I didn`t mean to scare you. Careful. Do you have enough postage? (voice-over) Would you mail a letter in a mailbox with a stamp fairy perched atop? (on camera) Wait a minute. It won`t go.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it will.</s>MOOS (voice-over): This desperate woman put two 37-cent stamps on her letter because she lacked the two-cent stamp.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I just did this because it needs to go today.</s>MOOS (on camera): Hold it, sir. Do you have the right postage on there? Do you need that extra two cents?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.</s>MOOS: I can`t even give these things away. (voice-over) Back in 1885, a two-cent stamp alone was all you needed to send a letter. Some were so taken aback by the stamp fairy that they chose to ignore her. (on camera) Ma`am? Are you sure you have the right postage? I`d be happy to give you some. No, but they`re going to send those back to you. (voice-over) She`ll be seeing those envelopes again, marked...</s>ELVIS PRESLEY, MUSICIAN (singing): Return to sender.</s>MOOS: At least Elvis ended up on a stamp worth more than two cents.</s>HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Well, coming up, Colin Farrell is starring in a new video. This happens to be one role he doesn`t want you to see.</s>ANDERSON: And plus, the "Brokeback Mountain" backlash. Critic Gene Shalit has something else to say about "Brokeback Mountain" on the heels of his controversial comments. Plus a Utah theater owner explains why he banned "Brokeback."</s>HAMMER: And...</s>BEN STEIN, ACTOR: Bueller. Bueller.</s>HAMMER: What do Ferris Bueller and Richard Nixon have in common? Well, it`s this guy, Ben Stein. The man who`s famous for taking role has taken on surprising roles of his own. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT talks to Ben Stein, live.</s>ANDERSON: But first, tonight`s "Entertainment Weekly Great American Pop Culture Quiz." On TV`s "Night Court," Judge Harry Stone had a fanatical devotion to what classic crooner? Billy Eckstine, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Junior? Think about it, and we will be right back with your answer.