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Showbiz Tonight
Chris Brown Arraigned; Octu-Mom 911 Drama; Reese Witherspoon Talks About Her Divorce; Melissa Speaks Out About Getting Dumped
Aired March 05, 2009 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Chris Brown charged with assault. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the latest. What`s next for Brown? Will Rihanna cooperate in the case? Will there be a plea deal? Plus, disturbing new details about Chris Brown`s alleged attack on Rihanna. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the fast-moving developments as Chris Brown is charged.
Octu-mom, 911. Tonight, the just-revealed startling calls the octuplet mom made to 911 when she thought one of her kids was missing. Do the calls show Nadya Suleman can`t handle all her kids, or was her frantic reaction normal? It`s a fired up SHOWBIZ TONIGHT debate.
And Reese Witherspoon`s emotional new revelations about her divorce, why she feels totally humiliated.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. And tonight, unbelievable new developments in the alleged attack on Rihanna. Late today, Chris Brown was formally charged.
HAMMER: Brooke, this is a huge and dramatic turn tonight in the alleged assault case. Brown was forced to show up in court this afternoon and is now charged with two felonies for allegedly attacking his superstar girlfriend, Rihanna.
ANDERSON: A.J., this story is changing by the minute. Here are the brand- new breaking details making news right now.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Chris Brown has been charged with felony assault and making criminal threats.
In another bombshell discovery, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained the disturbing minute-by-minute details of what happened the night Brown allegedly attacked Rihanna. And let me tell you that you will get chills when you hear what Brown allegedly did.
Rihanna has not made any comment about the very serious charges and possible jail time Brown now faces. But her father is quoted as saying, "He can`t feel the pain she felt." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is all over this startling and still developing story tonight and we`ve got it covered for you.
With me now from New York, Lisa Bloom. She`s an anchor for the legal network "In Session." Carolina Bermudez is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." And in New York tonight is Jane Velez-Mitchell. She`s the host of "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell," seen weeknights 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN.
OK, ladies. I have to tell you, it made me sick to my stomach to read the disturbing details just released of how violently Brown allegedly attacked Rihanna the night before the Grammies. We will share that with you in a minute.
But first, two felony charges. Jane, Chris Brown is 19 years old and one of the biggest singing stars in the world. And now, he is in some serious trouble, isn`t he?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Oh, he is indeed. He could go to jail for several years. This is serious business and I agree with you, Brooke. This was shocking. This was not a momentary lapse. This was a pummeling - the eye, the cheek, a biting.
I mean, it`s absolutely incomprehensible. And the thing is, cops have got the goods. This is not a he-said, she-said. There`s blood, photos of blood in the Lamborghini. There was blood on her clothing and there`s her own description. So even if Rihanna doesn`t cooperate, they`ve got the goods to nail him.
HAMMER: Yes, alleged head locks, alleged choking. I mean, it is just mind-blowing. Lisa, should Chris Brown really be scared out of his mind right now?
LISA BLOOM, ANCHOR, "IN SESSION": He absolutely should. He`s facing four years and eight months behind bars if he`s convicted of both. And let me tell you, I don`t think the L.A. district attorney is going to give him any kind of a plea deal, not with Rihanna`s photograph having been already produced and the outrage that the public has about this case. He`s going to have to serve some time behind bars, even if he pleads. Yes, he should be very concerned.
ANDERSON: Yes. And we`re talking about state prison here where most violent offenders go. We`re not talking about county jail. We`ve got to share some of the chilling details of Chris Brown`s alleged attack on Rihanna.
An affidavit just released today reveals the fight started after Rihanna read a text message from Brown`s ex-girlfriend. He allegedly got enraged.
Rihanna faked calling her assistant and Brown allegedly said this, quote, "`You just did the stupidest thing ever. Now, I`m really going to kill you!` Brown resumed punching Robyn F., Rihanna`s real name. She interlocked her fingers behind her head, brought her elbows forward to protect her face. She then bent over at the waist, placing her elbows and face near her lap in an attempt to protect her face and head from the barrage of punches being levied upon her by Brown.
Brown continued to punch Robyn F. on her left arm and hand causing her to suffer contusion on her left tricep. That was approximately two inches in diameter, numerous contusions on her left hand."
And this is just some of it. It keeps going and going. Carolina, keeping in mind Brown has not been convicted, what went through your head when you heard these new details released today?
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Well, I was shocked and I was frightened and concerned. Allegedly, this is not the first altercation that they`ve had within their relationship. And that just tells us something about a cycle being established here. And unfortunately for Rihanna, everybody is watching right now. And this is such a private, painful thing. And just listening to that description, it really makes me ill. It makes me sick to my stomach.
ANDERSON: Yes. Jane, what did you think? I was immediately just appalled, could not believe what I was seeing - what I was reading.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The first thing I thought of is, why is Rihanna going back to this guy as has been publicly reported? It`s absolutely outrageous. I think it`s also dangerous for her to go back at this point. And also, it sends a terrible message to her young fans.
And I believe it could hurt her career to go back to him at this point. I mean, this is a gorgeous, talented - one of the most talented women out there. Why does she need to do this? I don`t get it.
ANDERSON: Yes, there are reports that they have reconciled. But I do want to say that the representatives for Chris Brown and Rihanna - they have not confirmed nor denied that they have reunited.
And now, I want you to think about this. We`re now hearing these shocking details, and we all remember that gruesome picture of a woman believed to be Rihanna which was leaked to TMZ.
Lisa, there`s been speculation that Rihanna might not testify against Chris Brown. With this kind of suspected evidence, would that even matter at this point?
BLOOM: Yes, it would matter very much. My opinion after looking at this very closely today and reviewing the law in California and at the U.S. Supreme court level is, without her testimony, there is not going to be a case. The DAs cannot bring in her prior statements to the police if she does not testify.
That would be hearsay and the Supreme Court has said that can`t be done in a domestic violence case. Also, there`s a new law in California that says that the prosecutors cannot imprison domestic violence survivors who choose not to testify. It`s like sexual assault of children victims. So without her, there is no case.
OK, so just to be clear, these - in the search warrant affidavit, this is based on what Rihanna told police that that cannot be brought forward, right?
BLOOM: She must testify, right.
ANDERSON: OK. All right. Thank you for making that clear.
OK, Carolina, what are you thinking here? Are you thinking that Rihanna`s millions of fans are saying, "Girl, you better testify against him or you`re just out of your mind"?
BERMUDEZ: That`s not all they`re saying, Brooke. I think they`re overwhelmingly disappointed. There`s no reason why Rihanna should be with him. She`s not financially dependent on him. They don`t have any children together. She has resources that no other battered woman in this country has at her disposal.
I think that a lot of people are wondering why she`s being so strong and why she`s sticking by him at a time like this and she needs to think about herself.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Well, I`ve got to tell you, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines have not stopped with calls from viewers saying that Rihanna needs to put Chris Brown through the ringer. Listen to what Kimberly from Maryland said when she called in to "Showbiz on Call."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KIMBERLY, CALLER FROM MARYLAND: I think if they do stay together, I do believe she should, even if she cares about him, stand up and make him go through the court process to show that she will not put up with this. And I think if he cares about her, then he would stand up and say, "Hey, look, it was a mistake. And, you know, we`re trying to get through this."
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK, Jane, Kimberly basically saying Rihanna should make him sweat. And I`m guessing you don`t disagree here.
VELEZ-MITCHELL I agree entirely. Make him sweat. To do anything less is to totally enable him. And remember, the studies show that unless this person gets serious counseling, psychological help, goes to anger management, he is likely to repeat this behavior.
Now, I do understand that Chris Brown is going to anger management classes. That is a good thing. But I also hear, according to published reports, that he`s going at the behest of his PR guru.
So we have to find out - is he really contrite? Does he want to change? That`s the heart of the matter. If he doesn`t want to change, then there is no change.
ANDERSON: You know what? We are going to have more from this disturbing affidavit later on in the show. So I want everybody to tune in for that.
But Lisa, very quickly, is there any way in the world that Chris Brown will want to let this go to trial and have the gruesome details become even more of a public spectacle?
BLOOM: He may want to go to trial if he`s reconciled to Rihanna and he`s got her promise that she`s not going to testify against him. I think he`s got a lot of tricks up his sleeve. He`s hired prominent attorney Mark Geragos who knows his way around a high-profile courtroom. Without Rihanna, there is no case.
He may be claiming self-defense, and that means all the evidence of violence in the car, all of the people who overheard something only know that there was a violent incident. If he says she came after him, he was defending himself and she doesn`t testify, he`s going to prevail at trial.
ANDERSON: OK. Lisa Bloom, Carolina Bermudez, Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of HLN`s "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell, Thank you all. We appreciate it.
And Chris Brown appeared in court today and waived his right to a speedy trial. He`s due back before a judge on April 6th.
HAMMER: Wow, Brooke. Such a fast-moving story. And coming up, we`ve got more of the startling new details of what Brown allegedly did to Rihanna.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. And if true, if you think what we just told you was terrible, wait until you hear these details.
HAMMER: Yes. They are really graphic and really violent. How Brown allegedly beat Rihanna and even allegedly threatened to kill her. That is coming up.
ANDERSON: Also, explosive new octu-mom developments - octu-mom 911, the just-revealed disturbing calls the octuplet mom made to 911 when she thought one of her kids was missing. Do the calls show Nadya Suleman can`t handle all of her kids or was her frantic reaction normal? It`s a fired up SHOWBIZ TONIGHT debate.
And this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL JACKSON, POP STAR: This is it. I mean, this the final - this is the final curtain call.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Michael Jackson`s brand-new earth-shattering announcement in London, today. And don`t move because we are taking you to London, coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
ANDERSON: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Robin Williams postpones comedy tour to undergo heart surgery. Brad Pitt meets House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to discuss his New Orleans charity.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. JACKSON: This is it. I mean, this is really it. This is the final - this is the final curtain call.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Michael Jackson`s huge live announcement in London. He is taking to the stage again. But will people buy tickets? Can he become the king of pop once again?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, Michael`s big return. Yes, the one-time king of pop came face to face with his fans today to announce his big return to the stage for at least 10 performances at London`s O2 arena starting in July. Listen to what Jackson said today about his return.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. JACKSON: These will be my final show performances in London. This will be it. This is it. When I say this is it, it really means this is it. I love you so much, really, from the bottom of my heart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, we`re taking out from the bottom of Michael`s heart to London where the big announcement took place. CNN correspondent Atika Shubert tells me people were really excited.
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are really thrilled. I mean, there are hundreds of fans here wearing Michael Jackson`s T-shirts and jackets. There were a few impersonators in the audience, a sign that said "We love you, Michael, for all time."
It was amazing. It wasn`t just people who remembered him from the days of Jackson 5. There were teenagers here. I talked to one 6-year-old fan who did a little "Thriller" dance for us. One teenager said, you know, "He`s kind of scary but he`s also kind of cool." And that probably shows that he can pull in an audience over with these series of concerts over the summer.
HAMMER: It`s going to be interesting to see what happens. And as you know, Atika, any time Michael Jackson shows up anywhere, everybody wonders what`s he going to look like this time?
And I`ve got to say, I thought he looked pretty good and I thought he sounded very confident despite the fact that he didn`t have a lot to say.
Did you get the sense that people now that really believe Michael Jackson is 50 years old can pull off the huge Jackson production that we`ve come to expect?
SHUBERT: You know, for his fans, he`s timeless. But there are a lot of questions, especially about his health. There were reports he was in a wheelchair recently. So he didn`t ask his promoters, you know, is he going to be able to stand up to the rigors of a full performance of a full concert.
They say yes, no doubt, that he took a physical that insurance companies made him do and that he passed with flying colors. So they say he`ll be able to perform all those old favorites and all those dance moves without a problem.
HAMMER: OK. So that`s a good thing to hear. The health situation is where it should be. But I`ve got to ask you this, Atika, despite all of the hype, all of the excitement that we saw there, are you at all hearing any skepticism? I mean, let`s not forget this is a guy who has had a lot of public issues and problems in the past and has had some pretty big deals fall through as well.
SHUBERT: He has. And there has been a huge debt hanging over him. So a lot of cynics say maybe he`s just doing this for the money. What we know from his promoters is that they had planned for a series of concerts and that Michael Jackson has agreed to this first part of the series here in London. So that, they say, is a guarantee that he will be performing here in London starting on July 8.
HAMMER: All right. So I`ve got to ask you this - as we saw, the concert series is being called "This Is It," Michael Jackson himself said during his few words that this will in fact be his curtain call. Atika, are we buying that? Is this it for Michael Jackson on stage?
SHUBERT: You know, he was very cryptic. He said this was his final curtain call. But you know, when we talked to his promoter, he said well, the reason he said that is because he agreed to the first part of the series and that there was actually more concerts that they were hoping he would do later on. But they`re still in negotiations about that. So it doesn`t seem like this is the absolute last chance to see Michael Jackson live, but then again, you never know.
HAMMER: It did seem like he kind of left the door open a little bit. CNN`s Atika Shubert for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in London. Thank you so much for joining us.
So Brooke, we have been getting a ton of calls in to the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines about the breaking Chris Brown and Rihanna news. Chris Brown, of course, now charged with two felonies including assault.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. We`ve got a call in to "Showbiz on Call" from U.J. in TEXAS.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
U.J., CALLER FROM TEXAS: Rihanna is a role model. She`s held herself out as a role model. Celebrities cannot pick and choose when they can hold themselves as a role model. They enjoy the benefits of being a role model when they are used by companies to market their products.
So Rihanna can`t come back now and say she`s not a role model. She`s a role model every time she puts herself out there as a Covergirl or any other marketing tool.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thanks for that, U.J. We also heard from Naomi calling in to "Showbiz on Call."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
NAOMI, CALLER: I think it`s up to Rihanna and Chris if they go back together. I mean, it`s their life and we just have to wish them the best.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Thanks a lot, Naomi. You`ve got something on your mind you want to say about this? Well, please call us at "Showbiz on Call" to let us know what you think.
ANDERSON: That`s right. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open 24/7. Give us a ring, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899.
A.J., breaking news, Chris Brown charged in the alleged attack against Rihanna. Tonight, more brand-new details about just how brutal Brown allegedly was.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. These details are truly sickening, I`ve got to say.
ANDERSON: They are. They are. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the court documents that describe what allegedly happened that night. They`re really graphic. That is coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, octu-mom 911 - the just revealed disturbing call the octuplet mom made to 911 when she thought one of her kids was missing. Do the calls show Nadya Suleman can`t handle all of her kids? Or was her frantic reaction normal. A fired up SHOWBIZ TONIGHT debate.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARRACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It`s hard for me to move around out there sometimes. So I`ve got to bring the world to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, yes. President Obama bringing the world to him for serious business and some big-time parties. The amazing story of how the White House has become the party house. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
HAMMER: Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Former Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to play benefit concert in New York City. FOX`s "Osbournes: Reloaded" variety show to premier on March 31st.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Tonight, a big surprise for President Obama`s daughters. No puppy yet, but they got a brand-new swing set. Barack and Michelle secretly placed it on the White House grounds while Sasha and Malia were at school. The swing set is in sight of the Oval Office so the president can keep an eye on his girls.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
And now the "SHOWBIZ Obama Watch." Well, maybe Sasha and Malia can invite some friends over for a swing set party. Their parents definitely know how to party.
Here`s CNN`s Erica Hill for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Change has come to Washington. And this change doesn`t shy away from a good party.
B. OBAMA: This is a pretty big house, so we get lonely. And it`s hard for me to move around out there sometimes so I`ve got to bring the world to me.
HILL: In just six weeks, the Obamas have hosted everyone from school kids to Stevie Wonder. And they`re just getting started.
CYNTHIA GORDY, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, "ESSENCE" MAGAZINE: From day one, the president and first lady have adopted a sort of open door policy for the White House. I mean, literally on the first day, their first day in the White House, they had an open house for hundreds of regular citizens.
HILL: The Obamas have pledged their White House will be a more inclusive, open one.
MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: Walk around, touch some stuff. Just don`t break anything.
HILL: Making White House social secretary Desiree Rogers a very busy and popular woman.
DESIREE ROGERS, WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY: They`ve been great sports at all these events and really, you know, have extended themselves to make people feel welcome.
HILL: Among those events a concert for nearly 200 D.C. school children to commemorate Black History Month. An award ceremony and tribute for Stevie Wonder, one of the Obamas` favorite singers.
And at the dinner they hosted for the nation`s governors, as if Earth, Wind, and Fire wasn`t enough, the Obamas had the chairs taken away after dinner, forcing people to mingle and maybe even dance.
ROGERS: I think that our focus is really on making certain that everything we do is really reflective of them, as opposed to looking backwards. I think we`re going to make this one our own.
AMY ARGETSINGER, "THE WASHINGTON POST" COLUMNIST: To have this youthful vibe, the kids are younger. They`re younger. Their friends are younger. Their friends are more diverse. You`re going to have the potential for a lot of pretty good parties.
HILL: And America will be watching.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN`s Erica Hill for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And now, the SHOWBIZ line-up. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Octu-mom 911 - the just revealed disturbing calls the octuplet mom made to 911 when she thought one of her kids was missing.
Breaking news tonight, Chris Brown charged in the alleged attack on Rihanna. We`ve got more horrific new details of that alleged beating.
And Reese Witherspoon`s brand-new revelations about her divorce. Why she feels totally humiliated. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Taylor Swift nominated for best album by Academy of Country Music Awards. Eminem to release two album this year. He hasn`t put out an album in five years.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
NADYA SULEMAN, OCTUPLET MOTHER: Oh, god. Oh, god. I`m going to kill myself. I want to kill myself. Oh, god. I`m going to kill myself. Oh, god, I`m going to kill myself. I`m going to kill myself.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, octu-mom 911, the unbelievable 911 call that the octu-mom made when she thought one of her kids was missing. Does it show she can`t handle all of her kids?
A bombshell in the Chris Brown-Rihanna drama. Chris Brown is charged for his alleged attack on Rihanna as disturbing, explosive new details emerge about what may have happened that night.
Plus, more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
Right now, octu-mom Nadya Suleman making news again, this time with a situation any mother would find horrifying.
HAMMER: Yes. That`s right, Brooke. A 911 recording of a terrified Suleman calling police when one of her kids went missing, has been making the rounds on TV and on the Internet. It did all turn out to be a false alarm.
But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this tape has many people alarmed once again about Suleman and the fate of the 14 small children she`s raising.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
N. SULEMAN: This isn`t happening. This isn`t happening.
HAMMER (voice over): It`s a disturbing call that calls up all kinds of disturbing questions about octuplet mom Nadya Suleman. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained the 911 call of frantic Suleman placed to the Whittier, California Police Department last October while she was pregnant with her now-famous octuplets. The emergency - one of her then six children was missing.
911 OPERATOR: 911 emergency.
N. SULEMAN: Help me.
911 OPERATOR: Hi, what`s going on?
N. SULEMAN: Help me. My son is missing. I`m going crazy. I`m going crazy.
911 OPERATOR: OK. What address are you at?
HAMMER: The boy in question was 5-year-old J.J., Joshua Jacob, seen here in this footage from Suleman`s interview with "Dateline."
911 OPERATOR: Where was he the last time you saw him?
N. SULEMAN: An hour ago.
911 OPERATOR: I know. But where was he? Ma`am, where was he?
N. SULEMAN: I don`t know. Outside.
911 OPERATOR: He was outside?
N. SULEMAN: Outside. Outside. I`m going to die. I`m going to die. Oh god, help me.
HAMMER: And when Suleman gets even more hysterical, the call takes a disturbing turn.
N. SULEMAN: Please God, help me. Please God help me. What if he ... What if someone came in the car ... some stranger.
Oh, god. Oh, god. I`m going to kill myself. Oh, god. I want to kill myself. Oh god, I`m going to kill myself. Oh, god. I`m going to kill myself. I`m going to kill myself.
911 OPERATOR: OK. Don`t say that in front of your other child, OK? Keep yourself under control for your other child. He doesn`t need to hear that, OK?
HAMMER: Fortunately, it was a false alarm. During the call, little J.J. returned home. Apparently, he had slipped out of the house to follow his grandmother on a walk.
CHILD: What, Mommy?
N. SULEMAN: He went on a walk.
911 OPERATOR: What?
N. SULEMAN: He went on a walk and he came back by himself.
911 OPERATOR: OK. So he`s back?
N. SULEMAN: (INAUDIBLE)
911 OPERATOR: So he ... he just walked back up to the house?
N. SULEMAN: (INAUDIBLE)
HAMMER: In an interview with "Radar Online," Suleman acknowledges she may have overreacted. But she says that`s what being pregnant with eight babies will do to you.
N. SULEMAN: I was pregnant, hormonal and my son was missing in my mind. So I was - I actually got sick. I was so upset. I was so worried. And I was pregnant. Now, you multiply the hormones of one pregnancy times eight.
HAMMER: But this 911 call wasn`t exactly an isolated incident. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned that police were called to Suleman`s home a number of times in a 14-month period. None were serious but a number of them had to do with her kids.
N. SULEMAN: Please, God, help me. Please, God, help me.
HAMMER: And this missing child scare has renewed concerns about this unemployed single mom who expects to bring her octuplets home from the hospital any day now.
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ: I mean, when you kind of strip away the drama, what you get is a woman just overwhelmed that she`s taking care of six kids at that time. And what it does is it underscores the difficulty of keeping track of eight kids, much less 14.
HAMMER: Still, in her interview with "Radar Online," Suleman dismisses such concerns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When people hear this, do you understand why some people may question your ability to handle six kids, let alone 14?
N. SULEMAN: No, no. I just completely think that`s unrelated.
HAMMER: So even though Suleman`s missing child scare had a happy ending, the fear that this world famous mother of 14 might be in over her head remains very real.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So could this just revealed frantic 911 call that Nadya Suleman made be used as proof that octu-mom is in no way capable of handling all 14 kids? Or did Suleman react like any other mother would if their child was missing? It is our fired-up debate tonight.
Joining me tonight in New York is Lisa Bloom who is an anchor for the legal network, "In Session." Also in New York is attorney Midwin Charles.
This call truly disturbing regardless of what you think of the octu- mom. I do want to listen again to a part of the call to 911 that I think is perhaps the most dramatic. Let`s roll that.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
N. SULEMAN: Yes. Please, God, help me. Please, God, help me. What if he ... what if someone came in the car ... some stranger ... Oh, god. Oh, god. I`m going to kill myself. Oh, god. I want to kill myself. Oh god, I`m going to kill myself. Oh, god. I`m going to kill myself. I`m going to kill myself.
911 OPERATOR: OK. Don`t say that in front of your other child, OK? Keep yourself under control for your other child. He doesn`t need to hear that, OK?
CHILD: What, Mommy?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. All right, clearly she`s panicked. And you know what? If your child goes missing, obviously you might just freak out, even if the best thing to do at a time like that is to remain calm.
Lisa, wasn`t she acting like any other mother would if their child was missing or is this something more to you?
BLOOM: No. First of all, most of us don`t wait an hour after our 5-year- old is missing before we call 911. I mean, for most of us, that would just be a few minutes. You would look around. You`d ask everybody in the family, maybe in the neighborhood. If you still can`t get a hold of the kid, you pick up the phone and call 911.
And never, under circumstances, is it appropriate to say around young children, "I`m going to kill myself," much less say it repeatedly. You know, she`s the only parent these little kids have. And for her to be saying that over and over again is terribly traumatic to them. So much so that a complete stranger, the 911 operator finally has to tell her, "Look, you just can`t say that around your children."
HAMMER: Midwin, do you agree that, you know, the fact that she was so freaked out because a child was missing and she was severely panicked doesn`t in any way justify how she was acting on that call?
MIDWIN CHARLES, ATTORNEY: I don`t agree with that at all. I mean, this woman`s child was missing. What was she supposed to do, stick to some sort of script? I mean, your child is missing. The last thing you`re going to do is think rationally. She`s emotional and she can`t find her child. There is no reason why she should be sticking to some sort of preordained speech that everyone thinks she should say.
HAMMER: Well, Suleman herself did respond to this 911 call being made public. On her video diary for RadarOnline.com, Nadya says blame that big reaction on the hormones. Watch this again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N. SULEMAN: If I were not pregnant, I know I don`t react like that. And I remember that that pregnancy affected me more. And I was just more worried about the kids than usual, I think. You know, I just was really afraid that they never could leave my sight. If they`re on the front, I`m on the front. And I do have to say that when the police got - they arrived, they told me that they would have done the same exact thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And I imagine by doing the same thing, they meant they would have called 911 if a kid went missing. But she`s basically admitting that she overreacted there.
Lisa, let me put this to you as a mother, as someone who knows about the hormones and has been through that experience, does her explanation change the way you feel about this?
BLOOM: Absolutely not. Of course, you have surging hormones when you`re pregnant. But when you already have children, you have to be responsible for them. And there`s just no excuse.
And by the way, she didn`t get pregnant, you know, just sort of accidentally out of the blue. She went to the doctor and had six embryos implanted, two of which split so that she had the octuplets.
If she was not capable of handling her existing children, plus another pregnancy, she shouldn`t have had that pregnancy brought on. You know, she`s just irresponsible and can`t control her children.
And I`m sorry. When you`re a mother and you have little kids, crises happen practically every day. A kid sticks his finger in the light socket. A kid puts his had on top of the hot stove. A kid goes around the block without telling you. You`ve got to be able to maintain your composure and act accordingly and protect your kids.
HAMMER: And that`s exactly the point that is bringing a lot of people to say, if she is so frantic as a mom of six, how in the world is she going to handle being a mom of 14? So Midwin, back to you. Given what we`ve heard, is that at all a fair argument, do you think?
CHARLES: I fail to see how this phone call serves as an indictment of this woman`s inability to take care of her children. She was upset. She was nervous because her child was missing. I mean, it doesn`t get more scarier than that.
Can she take care of 14 children? Who knows? I don`t know a single mother who can. Has she exhibited behavior to show she has psychological problems? Yes. Has she been irresponsible having six embryos implanted after she already had six children? Yes.
But the phone call, in and of itself, does not necessarily mean she cannot take care of her children.
HAMMER: Got to leave it there. Lisa Bloom, Midwin Charles, I do appreciate you being here tonight.
BLOOM: Thank you.
CHARLES: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., it has been a bombshell day in the Chris Brown- Rihanna drama.
HAMMER: Wow, Brooke. You are not kidding. Brown, of course, has now been charged with two felonies in his alleged attack on Rihanna, and there are absolutely sickening new details about what may have happened on that night. We have got it next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Also, Reese Witherspoon is speaking out about something a lot of women can relate to - why she felt so humiliated and isolated after her divorce. Reese opens up about the darkest times and how she`s doing now with her new boyfriend, Jake Gyllenhaal.
HAMMER: And the most famous scorned woman in America is speaking out. I`m talking about Melissa, the woman who was dumped by the bachelor on national television. Melissa is letting loose. Wait until you hear how she feels about him and the woman that he left her for. You are watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
ANDERSON: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino sue watchmaker over using images in ad campaign. Bernie Madoff-like storyline coming to "Gossip Girl.")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charles. Hi, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Right now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing coverage of the Chris Brown bombshell today. Brown is facing two felony counts for allegedly beating up his girlfriend, superstar singer Rihanna. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained brand-new, absolutely chilling details of what may have happened the night Chris Brown allegedly assaulted Rihanna.
Police saying Rihanna told them Brown bit, choked, and even threatened to kill her. Brown was formally arraigned late this afternoon. The big question - could he go to prison and for how long?
Joining me tonight in New York, Carolina Bermudez who is a senior editor with "In Touch Weekly." Also joining me tonight in New York, Midwin Charles who is an attorney.
OK, Carolina, Midwin, I have in my hands the assault affidavit filed today with the L.A. superior court. And to say that this is chilling would be an understatement.
Police say Rihanna told them it began when she discovered a three-page text message on Brown`s cell phone from his old girlfriend.
Among the headlines from the affidavit, Brown allegedly shoved Rihanna`s head against the window of the car, punching her left eye and face, causing Rihanna`s mouth to fill with blood, splattering blood inside the car.
The affidavit says Brown threatened to kill Rihanna after she faked a conversation with her assistant on the phone saying that the cops should be called. Brown allegedly put Rihanna in a head lock, biting her ear and fingers while she tried to defend herself.
Midwin, the details - astonishing, to say the least. And the details came from Rihanna. You`re the attorney. From what you`ve heard so far, is there no way out for Brown or is there?
CHARLES: I mean, it`s going to be an uphill battle for him. I mean, you have heard testimony. Even if she decides not to testify, the police officer who took her statement could come in and say, not necessarily what she said, because then that would be hearsay.
But he could testify to what she looked like, what she - how she appeared before him. It`s definitely going to be an uphill battle for him. That`s for sure.
ANDERSON: So, OK. This is not admissible though in court, her words on this affidavit, unless, you know, she testifies and says these things.
CHARLES: That`s right, because then it would be hearsay. Correct.
ANDERSON: OK. Interesting. All right. And there`s more from the affidavit describing Rihanna`s fight with Brown. Quote, "She reached up with her left hand and began attempting to gouge his eyes in an attempt to free herself. While Brown continued to punch her, she turned around and placed her back against the passenger door. She brought her knees to her chest, placed her feet against Brown`s body and began pushing him away.
Carolina, if all of this did, indeed, happen, can Chris Brown ever be forgiven?
BERMUDEZ: Can he be forgiven? Gosh, that`s a really tough question. I think that the details are so vivid and horrific in this account, that if this did happen, it`s going to take a lot of spin control.
It`s going to take a lot of PR. It`s going to take a whole lot to get Chris Brown`s squeaky clean image back. And I think a lot of people are very disappointed in his actions.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BERMUDEZ: And also there hasn`t really been a sense of remorse lately. I don`t think that jet skiing in Miami is exactly the best thing to have your photos taken right before you`re being arraigned. So I think it`s going to be a little while before we see Chris Brown back on the charts or, you know, even on our TV screens.
ANDERSON: You know, here`s more. I want to read more of what Rihanna claimed was said during the assault in the affidavit. It says that as Brown was punching Rihanna`s face, he said, quote, "I`m going to beat the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of you when we get home! You wait and see!"
Midwin, this is a serious threat and charge, isn`t it?
CHARLES: It`s very, very serious. And one of those tricky things is here you`re playing with a lot of rules of evidence as to whether that statement would come in. I mean, he is a party here and, most likely, it would come in. But since it came from Rihanna, that`s what you would call double hearsay.
But this is so traumatizing and disturbing. And one has to really ask the question whether this has happened before.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Is there a pattern to this? Well, when Rihanna called her assistant only to get a recording, she did fake a conversation, telling her assistant to have the police waiting at home when she arrived to which Brown allegedly said, "You just did the stupidest thing ever. Now, I`m really going to kill you."
Carolina, threatening to kill Rihanna. How can any of his fans ever look at him the same way again?
BERMUDEZ: It`s going to be really difficult, Brooke. And I`m just going to go out on a limb here and tell you that I think a lot of Rihanna`s fans are having a really hard time with her decision to not say anything at this point, not as of press time today when he was in court.
And I think that it`s really - it`s skewing their fans. I think that this behavior and these accounts and the details of everything that happened - it`s really scary. It`s scary to think that this couple, who everybody thought before would never, ever tread this territory, are going through this and it`s playing out for everyone to see.
ANDERSON: Yes, they had such a wholesome image. It is - it`s very, very disturbing and very detailed, this affidavit. Oh, my goodness. OK. Carolina Bermudez, Midwin Charles, we will leave it there for now. Thank you both.
And Chris Brown appeared in court today and waived his right to a speedy trial. He`s due back before a judge on April 6th.
HAMMER: Tonight, Reese Witherspoon is speaking out about her painful divorce from Ryan Philippe. Reese says going through the divorce was very humiliating and very isolating. Reese and Ryan were married for seven years until they split up back in 2006. They have two children together.
And in the April issue of "Elle" magazine, Reese says the divorce was devastating. She says, quote, "When people get in your face and say, "This will pass," you think, "Are they crazy?" I`m never going to feel any better than I feel right this minute and nothing is ever going to make sense again. And I still have moments where I`m like, "Nothing`s ever going to make sense again. But if it`s not painful, maybe it wasn`t the right decision to marry to begin with. Those are the appropriate emotions."
Reese is now dating and Jake Gyllenhaal. She tells "Elle" that Jake is fabulous and really a fantastic guy.
ANDERSON: I`m glad to hear that she`s happy now.
All right. Moving now to the most famous scorned woman in America and she is speaking out. You know Melissa, her fiance, the bachelor, dumped her on national TV. Well, now, Melissa is talking about she really feels about that and the fact that he left her for another contestant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
HAMMER: Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Beatles version of "Rock Band" video game will be available in September. "E! Online": Holly Madison to replace injured Jewel in "Dancing with the Stars.")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Did you see this? Wow, look at that. Tattoo Barbie. Mattel is coming out with a brand-new Barbie doll that got some parents just riled up. Totally styled and tattooed, Barbie comes with a set of tattoo stickers.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, Madonna has been voted the worst-dressed celebrity of 2009 by PETA, the animal rights group. PETA says that when you see Madonna in fur, you realize why nobody has copied her style since 1984.
The say, quote, "We know that she`s on the prowl for a young cub but someone needs to tell Madge that wearing fur does not make you a cougar."
Other stars who were the target of PETA`s poisoned pan for wearing fur - Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kanye West and Elizabeth Hurley.
ANDERSON: Tonight, the woman who was dumped by her fiance on national television is speaking out. Everybody is talking about the blockbuster ending of "The Bachelor" where Jason dumped Melissa and decided to try for a second chance with another contestant, Molly.
Ellen DeGeneres asked Melissa the question that`s been on a lot of people`s minds. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": So have you heard from him? You said, "Don`t get in touch with me."
MELISSA, "THE BACHELOR" FIANCEE: Yes.
DEGENERES: Because the one thing is, you knew that he probably was going to break up with you on the air but you didn`t know Molly. And you had asked him if there was something going on and he said to you no.
MELISSA: And that`s where my feelings of betrayal came in. I knew - and you know - and not after the final rose. I wasn`t getting dumped. We already had ended the relationship and that was mutual.
And I had repeatedly asked him, you know, "Is Molly involved in anything?" And when they moved up the taping of that after the final rose, I was going, "Why didn`t we move the taping up? You know, what`s going on?"
And I asked Jason - I said, "Am I going to be blindsided by anything? Is there anything you want to tell me?" And he said, "No. Gosh, no." The second I went out on the stage, he goes, "Well, P.S., it is Molly." And I went, "(EXPLETIVE DELETED)."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, it wasn`t all bad news for Melissa. She told Ellen she is seeing someone and he has been very supportive.
HAMMER: On Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Octu-Mom Video Diary: Is she exploiting her kids?" A totally one-sided vote. Look at that - 96 percent of you say yes, four percent say no."
We`ve got a bunch of E-mails, including one from Jeffrey in Florida who writes, "Obviously, she should not have any kids and I think she is just trying to get sponsors to help pay for her stupidity."
Jewel from Louisiana writes, "If the media would turn their back and not give her coverage, she would get what she deserves. Nothing."
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Don`t forget you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 Eastern right here on HLN. Take care.
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