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Showbiz Tonight
Octofeuds and Octospies; Women Over 40 Who Rock; A Star`s Incredible Weight Loss
Aired March 25, 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 - octofeuds and octospies? The octomom nurse feud explodes. Tonight, the brand-new nasty war between the octuplet mom and the free nurses she just fired spills over to Dr. Phil`s show again. Tonight, the octomom`s spy accusations, wild kidnapping claims. So, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask - has the octomom drama become the most absurd reality show ever?
She is a huge star. She is nearly 50. And she`s got a brand-new, slamming bikini body. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the amazing revelations about who she is, and how she did it.
Plus, when news anchors dance during the commercials, caught on tape.
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.
And could there be octospies lurking at every turn? Well, tonight, the star of the real-life octomom show, namely the octomom herself, is making a brand-new and incredible claim even as just this afternoon, Dr. Phil found himself smack back in the middle of the brand-new octofeud.
All of this making big news right now. A day after octuplet mother Nadya Suleman fired the free trained around-the-clock nurses that were brought in to help her out, the octomom now claims one of the reasons she told them to get lost was she believed they were spying on her.
Then, late this afternoon, the head of the nurses group, Angels in Waiting, popped up on the Dr. Phil show to tell their side of the story about why they feel they were kicked out of the octohouse.
But wait, there`s more. As if that weren`t enough, soon after the Dr. Phil show aired, the famed attorney caught smack in the middle of this whole thing, held a dramatic late-day news conference.
So now, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this latest episode of the incomparable octoshow.
With us tonight in New York is Lauren Lake, who is an attorney. Also in New York, Ashleigh Banfield, who is an anchor for the legal network "In Session."
So let`s dig into this, because Nadya said one of the main reasons that the whole thing fell apart was because she felt ostracized. She felt excluded from the care of her own babies and she felt that the nurses that were provided from Angels in Waiting were actually spying on her. Now, listen to what she told "Radar Online" about the whole thing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NADYA SULEMAN, OCTUPLET MOTHER: Every time I`d go near the nursery, they`d stop talking when I entered. I felt as though I couldn`t adjust. I couldn`t become (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in this new home, in my home. I felt this as though they completely took over my home. And the nursery took over the babies. They were almost obsessive with the babies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So octomom then went on to say that they were waiting for her to mess up and they were even in fact setting her up to fail. Lauren Lake, off to you first. If that was really what was going on, can we blame the octomom for cutting the nurses loose?
LAUREN LAKE, ATTORNEY: No. If they were just bringing in negative energy, and like she said spying on her, waiting on her to mess up, not being supportive, then it is natural for her to feel uncomfortable.
And who wants to feel uncomfortable in their own home? I just have a hard time believing since it has pretty much been established that this young girl is a couple sandwiches short of a picnic, that she really gave them enough time to really help her.
I really can`t give her the benefit of the doubt yet. I`m trying. My defense attorney head is trying. But I just can`t.
HAMMER: But as long as there is an effort there, Lauren, we appreciate that.
LAKE: Thank you.
HAMMER: And so does octomom. But on "Dr. Phil" today, wow the feast continued. Angels in Waiting nurses were there. And they fired right back. They said Nadya wasn`t as involved as she should have been and she was to blame for the whole thing falling apart.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE NURSE: How can I talk to Nadya when she won`t - she is up in her bedroom reading 200 letters versus coming down feeding her babies? Nadya only fed her babies - the only requested time that Nadya didn`t - that I didn`t have to go track down Nadya and say, "Hey, why don`t we do this feeding," was when a film crew was in her house.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Gloria Allred said that on the "Today" show this morning. She said she didn`t spend a whole lot of time around the babies if the cameras weren`t rolling. That was a trained nurse with some serious accusations there. Two very different sides of the story, Ashleigh. Who are you siding with?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR, "IN SESSION": You know, I loathe when take sides. But I do have to say in this particular case, I am so troubled by what I have seen from this extraordinarily irrational woman for starters.
A mother of six, with no job, living with her parents having a seventh baby. That should set the course for what kind of person she is to start with.
And then we see a lot of really uncomfortable exchanges with her mother. She`s extremely disrespectful, somewhat narcissistic. I have to go with Lauren on this one. She does not deserve the benefit of the doubt.
And I think she certainly didn`t give this enough time. And these are trained nurses. They`re supposed to be reporting what they see. The whole thing is just not good for Nadya.
HAMMER: Yes. They`re legally bound to report something if they feel that the children`s safety is at all at risk. Well, wait until you hear this. Late today, Gloria held a press conference and she revealed even more chilly allegations about what was going on in the octomom`s house.
In fact, listen to what Gloria says happened amid all that chaos when the first two octuplets arrived home in the presence of Linda West Comforti who is the head of Angels in Waiting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY: At one point, Linda West Comforti tried to rescue one of the babies in the garage and remove the infant from the car seat after the paparazzi swarmed the car. And a loud noise which sounded like a gunshot had gone off.
Instead of being permitted to rescue the infant, and being thanked for putting herself in peril to rescue infant, she was told to get out of the shot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Some more serious, serious charges here, Lauren. It almost sounds to me like perhaps they`re building a case against the octomom to show, you know, that her babies are far from her first priority, certainly less important than all the media attention.
LAKE: I mean, do they have to build a case? Hasn`t the case already been laid out? I mean, this is getting absolutely ridiculous. As a person that makes TV, and I know Ashleigh and you too, A.J., can relate, you know the shot is important, but it`s not more important than the baby. Let`s get real here. Let`s get real here.
HAMMER: We can all agree about that. And are you ready for some more hot TV - fireworks, in fact? Nadya Suleman`s attorney right there on Dr. Phil, called out Gloria Allred today saying that it was Gloria who was the fame- seeker in all this drama. Let`s look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF CZECH, NADYA SULEMAN`S ATTORNEY: You started this whole thing negatively. And really, as a result of your negativism, as a result of your complaints, as a result of your hogging the media, trying to get in the limelight, quite frankly - quite, frankly, Gloria, you are the reason AIW didn`t succeed in this situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So Suleman`s attorney referring to the three complaints there that the nurses from Angels in Waiting filed with CPS when the babies, they felt, were at risk, which they`re required to do. Octomom and her lawyer may really feel that way about Gloria Allred, Ashleigh, I don`t really see at all what this has to do with what is best for the kids.
BANFIELD: You nailed it. That`s exactly what this is about. It`s not about Gloria Allred. She may have her critics and octomom might be one of them. This is what eventually is going to play out with regard to the best interests of those children.
And keep in mind, it doesn`t matter how many nannies she is bringing into this game. There is still a watchful eye of Child Protective Services here. There have been complaints filed. They are absolutely mandated to continue an investigation. So she is going to be watched.
And if she brings in people who are not capable of doing the job that is deemed acceptable, she can still lose those kids.
HAMMER: Well, that`s good to know. And I think a lot of people are relieved to hear that tonight. Now, octomom is not without her defenders. We`re hearing a lot of them calling in to "Showbiz on Call." We`re hearing both sides, in fact.
This call I want to play to you - it`s Sandra in Michigan who says that she supports octomom`s decision to get rid of the free nurses. Let`s listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SANDRA, CALLER FROM MICHIGAN: I believe that it is probably a good thing that she fired Angels in Waiting. They probably came in her house and tried to take over and wouldn`t let her be a mother.
So I really think that it`s better that she fired them and that she gets somebody that she is able to hire. I think that is a very good idea.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, thank you, Sandra. And Nadya hired her own nannies trained by the hospital. By all accounts, she is moving on. Even Dr. Phil says he is moving on even though he`s disappointed.
Lauren, 10 seconds - should we have some faith that the situation is what it needs to be, or should we be very worried about the kids?
LAKE: I think we need to be very worried about the children and keep an eye out. But I do believe she that needs some peace so that she can try to figure out how she is going to be a mother.
HAMMER: No, kidding. Calm the chaos. Lauren Lake, Ashleigh Banfield, thanks so much.
And coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the wild on-camera feuds, the 911 calls, those bizarre daily video diaries. Has the octomom`s life truly become the most absurd reality show ever? We`re going to break down the surprising turns in this endless drama.
And of course, for a complete coverage of all the octomom drama, head to the Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Now, I want to turn it over to you. Here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Octomom`s Life: Has it become the most absurd reality show ever?" You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can always E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: All right. You`ve got to take a look at this brand-new picture. Check out this big star`s slamming new bikini body. Now, she is nearly 50 years old. You`ve got stick around so I can tell you who it is and how she did it. It is a fascinating inspirational story, coming up.
And speaking of people who are in shape - Michelle Obama. She also, of course, is an inspiration to women everywhere. Well, tonight, I`ve got some big news about the first lady. Is she pregnant?
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At WGN in Chicago, the weekend anchors do this in the first commercial break of every show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight at 11:00, news, sports, weather, and the curly shuffle? Yes. The amazing side-splitting news anchors dancing during commercials. And yes, it`s all caught on tape. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Florida officials re-examining Anna Nicole Smith`s death, could lead to new inquiry. Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Jim Carrey set to star in "Three Stooges" movie. Jim Carrey already making plans to gain 40 pounds - he`s going to play "Curley."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Did you see this? This is pretty cool. It`s a preschool pool shark. Yes, just when other kids are learning how to walk, 2-year-old Keith O`Dell, Jr., who you see here from Upstate New York, can run the table. His first words could very well have been eight ball, corner pocket.
Keith`s pint-sized pool skills do run in the family, though. His mom and dad`s first date was at a pool hall. And they have been playing pool with him since he was born.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And tonight, it`s a Showbiz special report, the top 10 women over 40 who rock.
Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has teamed up with the fabulous "More" magazine to name the top 10 women over 40 who are still rocking out on the stage as if they were still in their 20s.
I`m talking legends like Tina Turner who still sells out stadiums around the world. Sheryl Crow - she`s 47. She looks amazing and is going strong.
Tonight, it is our exclusive look at the top 10 women over 40 who can still rock out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
(voice over): Legendary singer Tina Turner sings about being simply the best. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Tina is just one of the best rockers over 40 who are fabulous.
LESLEY JANE SEYMOUR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "MORE" MAGAZINE: Tina Turner is 69. I`m calling her the grandmother of rock.
HAMMER: The grandmother of rock who has plenty of company in the over 40 category. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine are teaming up to reveal the queens of rock over 40 who still keep rolling like Tina.
KATRINA SZISH, CELEBRITY JOURNALIST: Those legs, that hair, those miniskirts, that voice - the whole package is incredible.
HAMMER: You can say that again. And Tina even told Oprah being a senior has its fringe benefits.
TINA TURNER, SINGER: My senior life is so much better than when I was young. I am - the wisdom, the way I sing, my attitude towards things.
HAMMER: Hi, attitude. Meet Madonna, our next rocker over 40 who just gets better and better with age. At the age of 50, she`s got "Four Minutes" and Justin Timberlake on her side.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: With hits like "Four Minutes," the master of attention-getting still knows how to keep people guessing.
SEYMOUR: She`s going to keep reinventing herself, changing who she is, always having a new boyfriend, always having a new look, always surprising you.
HAMMER: So it`s no surprise her concerts still sell out.
SEYMOUR: This last "Sticky and Sweet" tour actually was the highest grossing tour of 2008, $105 million.
HAMMER: That is a lot of do, re, mi. And also rocking it for millions of fans worldwide is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine`s next woman rocker over 40, Fleetwood Mac frontwoman, Stevie Nicks, who is 60 and still rocking it by a landslide like she did on "Ellen."
(MUSIC PLAYING)
SEYMOUR: I still want to be her. I still want her clothes. I still want her hair. I think we are all like that with her. She`s like a sister.
HAMMER: A sister of rock who has company in this over 40 category of rock `n rollers, like Melissa Etheridge.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
SEYMOUR: Still rocking it out. She`s doing a great job. And I think she is actually at her prime right now.
HAMMER: Indeed she is. Etheridge is not just a rocker. She`s a survivor who battled breast cancer and at the 2005 Grammy Awards, shared her message of hope with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
MELISSA ETHERIDGE, SINGER: Chemotherapy is horrible. And I know there should be people out there right now laying in bed on chemotherapy. And I`m just here to tell you, yes, it sucks. But you know what? You get better and the hair grows back.
HAMMER: And stronger than ever, Sheryl Crow still sings the theme song for women of all ages.
(MUSIC)
SZISH: Sheryl Crow has this amazing sort of bohemian quality that makes you forget that she is actually 47 years old. Here lyrics are always upbeat. They`re always happy. They`re always smart and very insightful. Whatever they are, they really appeal to all age groups.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Kylie Minogue, we are out of our minds with the notion you`ve already turned 40.
SZISH: Kylie Minogue, no matter what her age, will always have this sort of pixie-like sex appeal.
HAMMER: Which is why SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine induct her into our beautiful world of over 40 rockers.
SEYMOUR: Now, I think you will see her keep going for another, you know, 20-something years. So hear, hear for 20 more years, to all the gals in this fabulous, over 40 set, keep on rocking it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
All right. Here is the rest of the list of the top 10 women over 40 who rock. We have Bonnie Raitt, who is 59; Patti Smith, 62; Patti Labelle is 64; and Chrissie Hynde, who is 57.
The complete list of fabulous rockers is in the new issue of "More" magazine. It`s on newsstands everywhere.
The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines - they are still going octocrazy over the octomom. In fact, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT operators all tell me they each want to have eight kids so they can get all the publicity, too.
We got this call into "Showbiz on Call," from Linda in California.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LINDA, CALLER FROM CALIFORNIA: Octomom is turning Angels in Waiting away because she doesn`t want to be watched and told what she is doing with her children. She`s probably being criticized for shopping sprees rather than staying home with her children. She would rather someone care for her children while she lies in front of the camera and shops.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Linda, thank you very much for your call. We also heard from Emily calling into "Showbiz on Call" from North Carolina.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
EMILY, CALLER FROM NORTH CAROLINA: People act like these babies belong to the world, but they don`t. These children belong to Nadya. They don`t belong to the women coming on the news media. They don`t belong to the world; they belong to Nadya.
And as far as Angels in Waiting - if they come in her home and try to take over and boss her around and tell her what is what in her home about her children, I would fire them, too.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Emily, thank you for your call. You can call "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about this or anything else. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines open all the time - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ.
Well, all of this octochaos just doesn`t stop. In fact, today, it`s the octomom`s brand-new feud with the baby nurses she just fired. The octomom`s spy accusations, wild kidnapping claims, the bizarre daily videos.
Tonight, I have got to ask, has the octomom drama become the most absurd reality show ever?
And I want you to take a look at this picture. She`s a huge star. She`s in the early 50s, got this brand-new, slamming bikini body. You know who it is? Here`s a clue, she lost one pound at a time, huh? Stick around. You will find out who we are talking about.
Also tonight. Dolly Parton working a lot longer than 9:00 to 5:00 to set the record straight on reports that she may be gay. Dolly in her own words, coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Bob Barker to tape guest appearance on "The Price is Right," the show he hosted for 35 years. Star Jones launches blog on her 47th birthday called "Positively Star."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Here are some more stories that making news right now.
Well, tonight, Dolly Parton is setting the record straight on all the reports that she is gay. In a brand-new interview with AARP magazine, Dolly admits that she and her childhood friend Judy Ogle are really close. In fact, they have been friends since the third grade.
But that is as far as it goes. Here is what Dolly says about Ogle who is now her personal assistant, "We are absolutely totally honest, open and comfortable with each other. We have been accused of being lovers. We do love each other. But we have never been like that."
Now, Dolly has been married to the same man for more than 40 years. He is happy to stay at home while Dolly tours. In fact, she even credits the length of her marriage to not spending every single second with each other.
Now, this is not the first time that dolly has had to shoot down lesbian reports. Listen to what she told CNN`s Larry King.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You also have a lot of gay fans. You`ve even dealt with gay rumors yourself. What is your appeal, do you think, to the gay community?
DOLLY PARTON, SINGER: Well, I think the gay people have always liked me because I have always been myself. I`m not intimidated by how people perceive me. I don`t judge nor criticize people. I think that is another reason. They at least know that I`m sympathetic.
I think all people have the right to be who they are. We are all God`s children. And God should be the one to judge, not other people. So I have a lot of gay friends, lesbian friends. I work with a lot of people.
I am not gay - I have been accused of that. But I have been happily married for 42 years to the same man. And he is not the least bit, you know, threatened by the fact that I may be gay. And you know, I have a lot of friends. But I love everybody. It doesn`t matter to me -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And we love Dolly. Well, tonight, I can tell you, there is a brand-new movie in the works about Bill and Hillary Clinton. And there are some big stars attached to this thing.
Our friends over at HBO are working on it, though it is not green lit yet. It`s all about the former president and his wife who, of course, is now secretary of state. It is called "The Special Relationship," the relationship between Clinton and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Dennis Quaid is all set to play Bill Clinton. Julianne Moore is Hillary and Michael Sheen is Tony Blair. Michael was, of course, David Frost in the fabulous "Frost/Nixon."
Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what is coming up bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
The octomom-nanny feud. The bizarre videos. The chaos, all the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) we`ve seen - Yiddish. Has the octomom`s life become the most bizarre reality show ever?
The nearly 50-year-old star who struggled with her weight now has a slamming bikini body. We will reveal who it is, coming up.
And we`re also revealing this. Is Michelle Obama pregnant? You have got to hear what she tells Oprah Winfrey. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: AOL Television names "The Sopranos" as the best dram of all time. AOL`s best dramas: "ER" - #5; "The Wire" - #4; "Lost" - #3; "NYPD BLUE" - #2)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the octomom`s brand-new feud with the baby nurses. The shocking daily videos, the nonstop chaos. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask - has the octomom`s life become the most absurd reality ever?
She`s a huge star. She`s nearly 50, and she`s got a brand-new slamming bikini body. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, with the amazing revelations about who she is, and how she did it.
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.
Tonight, the octoreality show. If it seems like the day-to-day often wacky developments in the story of the octuplet mother resembles the most absurd reality show ever, well, you are not imagining things.
Just today, we heard about the octomom`s claims she was being spied on by the nurses that were brought in to help her. Dr. Phil put on another fireworks-filled octoshow about the octomom and just like the TV show "24," all of this played out in one day with a slightly different name to this show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Previously on "14."
SULEMAN: I tend to be too trusting, almost naive. And my babies are not medically fragile at all.
GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY: Our focus is and always has been on the 14 children. If their concerns are not met and if they have legal grounds to do so, then Children Services should remove the infants to foster homes.
SULEMAN: Well, my mother - we don`t get along at all.
ANGELA SULEMAN, MOTHER OF NADYA SULEMAN: I will never come back, lady. I will tell you that.
SULEMAN: You need to calm down. This is Isaiah, Maliah and Noah and Nariah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let us see the babies, Nadya.
HAMMER (voice-over): OK. So it`s not as gripping as "24." And the octomom side show we call "14," the incredible story of Nadya Suleman`s wild quest to raise her 14 kids, is not the traditional TV drama.
SULEMAN: My name is Nadya Suleman. This is my life on RadarOnline.com. But with her frequent video blogs on RadarOnline.com, the almost daily paparazzi mob scene, not to mention her appearances on "The Dr. Phil Show - "
SULEMAN: I only care about the welfare of these kids.
HAMMER: Nadya Suleman has single-handedly turned her life into an ultra- reality-based show.
JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: There is an actual narrative unfolding as we watch her with the kids.
HAMMER: Entertainment journalist Jo Piazza tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she`s addicted to the Nadya 14 drama.
PIAZZA: I can get these updates on my iPhone. So I`ll just be sitting in a cab, sitting in traffic, I will be like, "I need some Nadya."
SULEMAN: Every day that passes by, their faces would be much (INAUDIBLE).
HAMMER: Like any good TV show, there is lots of conflict on Nadya`s "14."
A. SULEMAN: I will never come back, lady.
HAMMER: On her "Radar Online" video update, Suleman and her mother, Angela, have had more than their share of spats.
SULEMAN: Why are you always so angry?
A. SULEMAN: No, I am not angry. I`m saying they have no blankets.
SULEMAN: Calm down.
PIAZZA: She becomes a 16-year-old girl when she fights with her mom.
HAMMER: And as we see in shows like "Dancing With The Stars" -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Denise and Max.
HAMMER: And "Survivor" -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Six persons voted of "Survivor" -
HAMMER: It is not a good reality show until someone gets kicked out. In octomom`s "14" drama, the outcasts are Angels in Waiting, a nonprofit group of nurses that was giving Suleman free child care.
SULEMAN: I was on the verge of calling the police and filing a restraining order against them.
HAMMER: Suleman explains to "Radar" why she fired the volunteer nurses. She accused them of spying on her and reporting to child welfare officials.
SULEMAN: I thought they completely took over my home and the nursery. Took over the babies. They became almost obsessive with the babies.
HAMMER: Spying nurses? Gosh, Nadya, even Jack Bauer isn`t that paranoid.
PIAZZA: It`s just increasing the level of drama so much more, and the fact that she thinks people are spying on her now.
HAMMER: Gloria Allred, Angels in Waiting`s attorney, disagrees with Suleman`s claims on the "Today" show.
ALLRED: Nadya, unfortunately, is taking things out of context and I think she knows that.
HAMMER: An epic battle that`s made for TV -
PIAZZA: It`s Gloria versus the octomom. Could you have a better battle?
HAMMER: And there`s plenty of drama to come.
PIAZZA: I think that there are so many questions that we are not going to get sick of it for a while. We still don`t know who the dad is. The daddy thing - she could postpone until season two. It`s going to be the cliffhanger for season one.
HAMMER: And it`s this kind of drama that will keep people tuned in to Nadya "14."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So, is the octomom`s life just playing out like the most absurd reality show ever?
Joining me tonight in New York is Lauren Lake. She`s an attorney and author of the book, "Girl, Let Me Tell You." And joining me in New York is Ashleigh Banfield, who is an anchor for the legal network "In Session."
I mean, look at what we have here. You`ve got your drama. You`ve got the chaos. You certainly have the best cast of characters around. You couldn`t script this any better.
Lauren, is the octomom`s life really becoming the most absurd reality show ever?
LAKE: The most absurd. And what I`m scared about is that it`s not even a real reality show yet. And I`m fearful that it is going to be.
HAMMER: Yes, yes. We`ve got to watch out for that because there`s been a lot of talk, a lot of rumors, a lot of speculation. And would it really surprise any of us? The drama, by the way, in the octomom reality show - it was taken up a notch today.
Gloria Allred who, of course, is the attorney for volunteer nurse group, who the octomom kicked out. Well, she went on a tear on the "Today" show. You`ve got to watch as she explains how the octomom versus Angels in Waiting war came about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLRED: Then a nanny came on to the property, without showing any identification - the nanny herself, indicated to our nurse, that the baby could be abducted. She could have walked out with the baby in her purse. And Linda, the nurse, tried to talk to Nadya about that and say, "Look we need security here for these babies." And yet, instead of providing security she puts in her own Jacuzzi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Her own Jacuzzi. Babies in purses. I`ve got to say, this sounds like one of those roommate fight scenes that you see on "The Real World." Ashleigh, what do you think? Has the octomom`s life just become the most absurd reality show ever?
BANFIELD: Yes. I think she is a character that is devolving, sadly. And while it is all sort of circus atmosphere and great for consumption, the reality is that nobody really knows what kind of care those little babies are getting.
And I think four more still need to be added to the mix. So what I find really sort of tragic in all of this is that she let something slip out. She said, "I didn`t need those Angels in Waiting nannies because Kaiser is providing me everything I need."
And that makes me wonder, well, who is footing that bill? Because if Kaiser is footing it, and they`ve got to go to the taxpayer to get it covered, then you and I are footing it ultimately.
HAMMER: Yes. And truth is, from what we understand, Kaiser is not providing with everything she needs. She`s hired her own private nurses. Kaiser sent out their nurses to train the nannies or the nurses that octomom has brought in. So, yes. There`s a little bit of confusion. But you know, that just adds -
BANFIELD: She`s very inconsistent, and that`s scary too.
HAMMER: That adds to the drama. That adds to the story line and the arc of this whole thing. And of course, in any good reality show, you got your good guy and you have your villain. And there are so many characters to choose from here. Lauren, who do you think is the villain in this whole octodrama?
LAKE: For me, it`s still Nadya. But I`ll tell you what. Everybody else`s claws are coming out, too. We`re about to have octovillains as well as an octomom. I think we all need to take it down a notch and start thinking about these kids, and leave this woman some room. Let her try to be a mother at least.
HAMMER: Yes. And do you see that happening?
LAKE: I`m - to be honest with you, I`m just not that optimistic.
HAMMER: Well, a lot up people were very critical of octomom for firing the nursing group. It`s really hard to understand why she would have done it. But in her latest video blog that she posted today, Suleman explains her side of the story, why she felt it was necessary to fire these nurses because they were a threat to her babies. Let`s look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SULEMAN: She was saying that they`re going to be abducted. And if they most likely will be abducted - that, I believe, is just an opinion. But it did scare me and it made me feel almost nauseous when she said that because she harped on it on her way out. She opened her purse and said, "Look, one of the babies will fit just perfectly in my purse." And I almost threw up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She almost threw up. Actually, Ashleigh, back to something you said earlier. I had to say in today`s installment of that reality or video blog. She comes across as more calm and serene than she ever has before. And the makeup looks fantastic, too.
Do you think maybe her character is evolving, not devolving as you said earlier?
BANFIELD: I think, actually, money can be very calming. I don`t know if that is what is calming her. But she is frighteningly irrational. And I don`t care what kind of face she is putting out on the blog today.
We have witnessed some of the dissertation that she has had with her mother. It is extremely disrespectful if she needs the help of her family, the same people who have been footing the bill for her up until now.
She is not doing a good job of getting it. And again, there are 14 kids in need here. She needs every set of hands she can get. And I`m not getting that from her. I`m not getting that she realizes she needs help from real people.
HAMMER: Not getting it either. And that reality show will continue. We will be watching. Lauren Lake, Ashleigh Banfield, I thank you both.
All right. There is absolutely nothing absurd about the remarkable transformation one big-time Hollywood star has pulled off in a big way. Wait until we unmask the beloved former child star, who is now rocking this tiny bikini. Tonight, the amazing reveal and what she did to look like this at nearly 50 years old.
We will also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS (voice over): At WGN in Chicago, the weekend anchors do this in the first commercial break of every show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: News anchors unplugged. It is the hilarious tradition the two anchors share. And it has been top secret until now. Dancing with the anchors caught on tape.
Plus, what about those crazy rumors that Michelle Obama is pregnant? Well, find out what she is telling Oprah Winfrey. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Tom Hanks to play vintage action figure hero Major Matt Mason. Sho-West names Rachel McAdams female star of the year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: A former child star is now 48 years old, strips down to a tiny bikini to show off her fabulous new figure on this the cover of the new issue of "People" magazine. Her remarkable transformation, coming up.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Did you se this? Tonight, dancing with the anchors. Yes, have you ever wondered what your favorite news anchors are doing during all those commercial breaks?
You know, some are reading up on their stories. Others are checking their makeup. Generally not must-see TV until now, that is.
Two Chicago anchors are becoming famous on YouTube for their outrageous and totally hysterical commercial break dances. You have got to see why these two just can`t keep still in their anchor chairs. Here is CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS (voice over): If you think listening to the news is depressing, imagine delivering it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The burning building -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three patrons were stabbed -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An undercover drug operation -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The cockpit`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE) coordinates.
MOOS: Give us a break. A commercial break. There is a name for this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What anchors do during commercial breaks.
MOOS: Well, maybe not all anchors. At WGN in Chicago, the weekend anchors do this in the first commercial break of every show. It started a decade or so ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were so tickled to hear our name, we went -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We (UNINTELLIGIBLE) pointing -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are watching WGN News at 9:00.
MOOS: This used to be something only the crew got to see. But then it landed on YouTube.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa!
MOOS: They have between two and two-and-a-half minutes until the commercial break ends.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Getting close.
MOOS: And moves range from.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Travolta.
MOOS: To the Dick Cheney. Hold it.
(on camera): That was the famous flying move based on a national incident when (INAUDIBLE) caught on camera when he thought he was off camera.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see the flies moving around I started reaching for it.
MOOS (voice over): Sure, there have been dancing weathermen on YouTube - even dancing Iraqi anchormen. And one of WGN`s own reporters couldn`t keep still.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ll do my thing. I`ll be right back. I`ve got to wrap this up.
MOOS: But this takes choreography.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She would try to go with me and poke my eyes out.
MOOS: Borrowed from "The Three Stooges." But don`t call these "two stooges."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I try to add moves. She won`t let me add any moves.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ask him what his move was, please?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to do the sassy bump.
MOOS (voice over): So next commercial, when you take a bathroom break, remember these two breaking into their routines working it right done to the last second.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 10 second. Coming down to a voiceover!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We made it.
MOOS: Back to the world of mayhem and destruction.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three, two, one.
MOOS: Two anchors who aren`t quite anchored to the desk.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: All right. For the record, that is not what I am doing during the breaks. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well tonight, "People" magazine`s sexy bikini cover. The question is, who is it? Now, can we roll the famous theme song from the TV this young woman who started?
OK. She is a former child star, and she is now rocking the cover of the brand-new issue of "People" magazine showing off her sexy body after a stunning weight loss. You hear the music. You know what show that is from.
"One Day at a Time," of course. And yes, we are talking about the beautiful, 48-year-old Valerie Bertinelli. After years of body issues and struggle with her weight, she is now slim, fab and she`s in a bikini. She is a Hollywood A-lister now. But you know, it wasn`t that easy getting there.
Joining me tonight in New York is David Caplan, senior editor for "People" magazine.
David, Valerie Bertinelli`s goal was to get back in her bikini body by her 49th birthday. Mission accomplished! It`s incredible. Look at Bertinelli`s before and after photo here. In just two years, the 5`2" bombshell went from 170 pounds to an amazing 123 pounds. David, how did she do it?
DAVID CAPLAN, SENIOR EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, first, she started off focusing on portion control. She was on Jenny Craig for about nine months. And at the same time, she was also exercising. She said she walked 10,000 steps a day and that lasted about nine months. That`s a lot of stepping.
Then, in December, she increased her really effort to lose additional weight. She hired a personal trainer and cut her calorie intake. So her calorie intake went from 1,700 calories a day to 1,200 calories a day. She cut out salt out of her diet.
She also said that she sort of cut out a sort of - she would splurge on a champagne every now and then. She cut out champagne. And her workout with the trainer consisted of 60 minute workouts about four to five times a week that involved strength training like pushups and curls as well as running on a treadmill for a while.
HAMMER: Man, talk about a laser focus. Now, of course, we all know and love Valerie Bertinelli from her role as Barbara Cooper on "One Day at a Time." And she says her life was just consumed by body issues.
And even when she was a teen, she was going on these constant crash diets. In fact, it was a lifelong struggle until just a few years ago which is when, as she tells me, she really hit rock bottom. Let`s listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VALERIE BERTINELLI, ACTRESS: When I did see my image, I just - who is that? I didn`t recognize her any longer. "Who is that ugly, old fat woman?" is exactly what I remember saying out loud. I was in a room by myself. And that was a good starting point for me to say, "I can`t. I`m not going to live this way any longer."
HAMMER: All right. David, is it just me or do you think as well that she is looking better now than she was when she was on "One Day at a Time."
CAPLAN: Yes. She looks much better now. She doesn`t have the baby fat. She`s toned. She`s looking good. So she looks better now. And she`s near 50 as opposed to when she was in her 20s.
HAMMER: I have to think that this is a huge inspiration for women everywhere, isn`t it?
CAPLAN: Oh, absolutely. In fact, you know, when you see stories like this, this is what inspires women like we even show in "People." We have started issues, "Half Their Size," regular women losing weight. When they see someone like Valerie Bertinelli who`s very relatable, it inspires them as well to lose weight.
HAMMER: Well, she made the commitment to Jenny Craig to lose this weight. And she made the commitment to herself. And she did it in the spotlight, which to me is just unbelievable. That has to be an incredible amount of pressure.
CAPLAN: You know, it`s a lot of pressure because everyone`s watching. And in Hollywood, we`re always looking at weight battles and weight gains. And she even tells "People" that, in fact, at the height of her weight gain in about 2007, she was avoiding being in public often. You didn`t (UNINTELLIGIBLE). There were very few photographs of her.
HAMMER: I mean, wow. Just inspirational. Good for you, Valerie. David Caplan, we thank you.
CAPLAN: Thank you.
HAMMER: And you can read all about Valerie Bertinelli`s extraordinary weight loss story in "People" magazine on newsstands, Friday.
Tonight, what Michelle Obama is telling Oprah Winfrey about all of those pregnancy rumors. Is the first family growing? Are the reports true? It`s baby bump watch, White House edition. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Tivo to offer movies for sale or rent from Blockbuster`s massive collection. Nickelodeon asks kids to unplug games and gadgets for a minute on Earth Day.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, is the first family growing? You know, there have been all sorts of rumors floating around that Michelle Obama is pregnant. And that`s been going on ever since the Obamas moved into the White House. So is she expecting? The first lady tells Oprah Winfrey she`s not.
In a brand-new interview in "O" magazine, Michelle Obama also jokes that she was actually kind of offended that people thought she was pregnant because she works so hard on her abs in the gym.
Well, speaking of abs, did you see this? 43-year-old and supermodel and mother of two, Cindy Crawford, is baring all in nothing more than her trademark mole and bubbles. Yes, Cindy takes it all off. This is in April`s "Allure" magazine.
And she comes clean about her anti-aging regimen. How does the supermodel stay this sexy after nearly 30 years as a cover girl? Well, Cindy says she uses a day cream. She uses a night cream. She does microdermabrasion and she protects the skin on her hands, neck and chest from the sun.
Yes, I`m thinking all of that, plus hitting the genetic lottery doesn`t really hurt either.
Well, on Tuesday, we asked to you vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. This was it - Octomom`s Fame: Is it hurting her kids?" Look at these results. Completely one-sided - 91 percent of you said yes; nine percent no.
Some of the E-mails we got including Erica in Texas writing, "I`m absolutely floored that the octomom is using her children as pawns to gain publicity and wealth."
We also heard Mitzi in Louisiana. Mitzi writes, "I think that the fame is not hurting the kids. In fact, if it wasn`t for all of the `fame` as you call it, these kids wouldn`t have a home."
And the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines have just been on fire, too. A lot of people calling in about the octomom`s fame game, like Lou from Texas.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LOU, CALLER FROM TEXAS: Somebody legal needs to get into octomom`s home. If she has gotten rid of the professional people that take care of preemies and thinks that she`s going to find a nanny with that experience, that is not a good choice.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Lou. Charlotte in Tennessee also dialed up "Showbiz on Call."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CHARLOTTE, CALLER FROM TENNESSEE: I think the octomom didn`t need kids. She just needed like, rag dolls or baby dolls because I think she just wanted to play mommy. Although she may love children, she can`t support or do anything to take care of them in any manner they should be.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Charlotte. Remember, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines open all the time at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. Leave us a voicemail. We`re playing your calls here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern on HLN.
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