Cruise, Crowe Pop Up On Late Night

Call it the Last Samurai vs. The Gladiator.

On NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," an ebullient Tom Cruise.

On "The Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS, a contrite Russell Crowe: "I'm extremely sorry for this whole incident and I regret everything that took place."

Last Monday, after his movie, "Cinderella Man," debuted at No. 4, Crowe was arrested in New York City, for allegedly throwing a phone at a hotel clerk.

But Wednesday night, notes The Early Show correspondent Tracy Smith, Crowe was, pardon the expression, eating crow.

"I did something really stupid and don't wish to ever repeat that ever again," he lamented. "I would understand that right at the moment that Nestor (Estrada, the clerk involved) and his family would be under a great deal of pressure. I'd like to apologize to them directly for that as well."

At one point, Crowe poked fun at himself, telling Letterman, "You may be wondering why I haven't called."

In response, Letterman had a little fun at Crowe's expense, kiddingly pulling his desk phone from its socket and walking it offstage.

Meanwhile, Smith points out, Leno was in -- cruise control.

"Somebody said that you had a girlfriend?" Leno joked.

Cruise was there to promote his movie, "War of the Worlds," but lately, he's seemed more interested in proclaiming his love for actress Katie Holmes

While Leno remarked, "A lot of guys are too macho to profess their love," Cruise again did just that: "I like hearing good news and hearing about people when they are happy. She's a terrific lady. A great lady."

He even stood up on the couch, arms in the air, rejoicing, when he was introduced by Leno.

But, Smith observes, despite all that, the question hanging in the air is whether at least some of Cruise's and Crowe's recent behavior is part of calculated campaigns for more publicity for their new films, meaning, the joke would really be on the movie-going public.