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Showbiz Tonight
Oprah`s Star-Studded Weight Loss Summit; David Banda`s Emotional Reunion with His Father; Michelle Obama in Europe; Chris Brown`s Photo Faux Pas
Aired April 01, 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, CO-HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Oprah`s remarkable star- studded weight loss summit. Tonight, big stars reveal brand-new revelations about their weight loss struggles to Oprah. Tonight, Valerie Bertinelli`s bikini body-breaking point, Marie Osmond`s weight wake-up call, and Star Jones` shame about her weight battle.
But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask - are these stars` success stories setting up other women to fail?
Tonight, Madonna`s emotional adoption reunion. The very first pictures of the reunion of Madonna`s adopted son David and his biological father. The heartbreaking moment when David didn`t even recognize his own father. Could this reunion help or hurt Madonna`s controversial attempt to adopt another child in Malawi?
Plus, live from Michelle in Europe. Tonight, the frenzy over the first lady`s first trip to Europe as she meets the queen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What the queen really likes is authentic women.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: 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 from Hollywood. And tonight, the absolutely remarkable Oprah Winfrey weight summit.
HAMMER: And what we saw today was indeed remarkable. In a brand-new show, seen nationwide this afternoon, Oprah Winfrey brought together, in one place, at one time, the stars whose names have really become synonymous with a never-ending, mostly frustrating battle to lose weight and keep it off. This was a no-holds-barred, weight and diet tell-all. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal that the Oprah weight summit is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALERIE BERTINELLI, ACTRESS: My entire life, weight has always been an issue because our industry makes it an issue.
HAMMER: Today, on the "Oprah Winfrey Show," an emotional superstar weight loss summit. Valerie Bertinelli -
BERTINELLI: This is the longest I`ve ever kept weight off.
HAMMER: Marie Osmond -
MARIE OSMOND, SINGER AND ACTRESS: I tried everything from diet pills to starving myself to bulimia. You name it, I tried it.
HAMMER: And Star Jones -
STAR JONES, TV PERSONALITY: As I got bigger and bigger, the mail turned nastier.
HAMMER: All opened up to Oprah about their heartbreaking, dramatic and very public battles with weight.
OSMOND: I heard two producers come up and say, "You know, the family is amazing. How do we get rid of the fat sister?"
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Valerie, come on out here.
HAMMER: Former sitcom star Valerie Bertinelli is making headlines for her new sizzling hot bikini body, the result of the 47 pounds she lost as spokeswoman for Jenny Craig.
BERTINELLI: I haven`t worn one of these in almost 30 years.
HAMMER: On today`s Oprah, a fully-dressed Bertinelli said even though the weight is off, the pressure is on.
WINFREY: Living your life and losing weight in public, do you feel a certain pressure?
BERTINELLI: The pressure is to keep it up. But I think this is a body that is totally attainable.
HAMMER: Marie Osmond, a Nutrisystem spokeswoman who has lost 45 pounds, told Oprah she has been struggling with weight her entire life, even as teen variety show star in the 1970s.
OSMOND: I started dieting at age 10. By the time I was 14, we did the pilot for "Donnie and Marie Variety Show," I was down to about 110 pounds. I was feeling really thin. Shortly after that, I was taken out into a parking lot by producers and told that if I didn`t lose more weight that the show would be canceled. And so I went from 110 pounds down to 93 pounds, which was absolutely stupid.
HAMMER: Marie Osmond told Oprah she started gaining weight after having her first kid, eventually topping out at 165 pounds. That continued until an emotional intervention by her eight kids encouraged her to get healthy.
OSMOND: I did it because my - sorry. My oldest boy, and he was 23 at the time. He said, "All of us got together, mom, and we love you. And we want you to be around for our kids and your grand kids. At the rate you are going mom, you are not going to."
HAMMER: And today, Star Jones opened up like never before about the gastric bypass surgery she had co-hosting "The View."
JONES: When I first started on television, I was between 210 and 220.
WINFREY: Yes.
JONES: By the time I had the gastric bypass, I was 307.
HAMMER: At that time, Jones refused to tell the public she had gastric bypass.
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE VIEW": We had to then lie on the set every day because she said it was portion control and Pilates.
HAMMER: On an earlier episode of "Oprah," "View" co-host Barbara Walters said Star`s refusal to come clean about her gastric bypass helped lead to her getting booted off "The View.".
WALTERS: Little by little, the audience was uncomfortable. They didn`t relate to her anymore.
JONES: I am so sorry that I placed a burden on my colleagues. I never asked them to lie.
HAMMER: But on today`s "Oprah," Star Jones finally admits that her refusal to talk honestly about her weight loss did cost her some fans.
JONES: People who loved me, and I knew they loved me and had my best interests at heart, would say, "Star, it`s not a bad thing. You can admit it." And I couldn`t. I just put my head in the sand. That`s when I think I did in pushing people away. I think it`s obvious that they`d be pushed away also. But it wasn`t - I didn`t need to hide. And I really felt I did. I was ashamed.
HAMMER: Three famous women, each one showing us that trying to lose weight in the public eye can be a very big burden.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: A big burden and a big aha moment. I am betting most women can relate to hearing these famous women talk about their darkest weight loss moments.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Jessica Wiener, a self-esteem expert and author of the wonderful book, "Life Doesn`t Begin Five Pounds from Now." Tonight, in New York, Shaun Robinson, correspondent for "Access Hollywood" and author of the brand-new, fascinating book about celebrity women that will inspire you to believe in yourself. It`s called, "Exactly as I Am."
Jessica, Shaun, to me, today`s Oprah show was really a powerful look into the struggles of three celebrity women, talking very honestly about their battles with weight loss.
Shaun, how important is it to hear these stars tell their very real struggles about something that so many women can relate to?
SHAUN ROBINSON, AUTHOR, "EXACTLY AS I AM": Right. Brooke, I think it is extraordinarily important especially the process in which you lose that weight. As Star Jones had mentioned that she lost some fans because she had not been honest about her weight loss. And I think that is what people are waiting to hear.
They want to know that it is not some magic pill. It`s not something that you don`t have to work at. And I think that is the danger. In talking with so many teen girls for the project that I just worked on, girls think they can just, you know, binge and purge to lose weight and there are no ramifications.
The thing is you have to be honest with people about how you lose the weight and what happens when you l/lose the weight in unhealthy ways.
ANDERSON: Yes, you have to be very forthcoming about it. And I want to talk about Valerie Bertinelli because she was extremely candid. She swore she would never get into a bikini again. But lo and behold, here she is two years later, nearly 50 pound lighter, strutting her stuff today on "Oprah." But she tells Oprah it is a constant day-to-day battle. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERTINELLI: I am still kind of - wow, is this really happening? Am I going to be able to do this?
WINFREY: Have you gotten a completely new wardrobe yet? You`ve done that?
BERTINELLI: Well, I still have a lot of clothes in my closet I really shouldn`t have.
WINFREY: Yes. Why?
BERTINELLI: Yes - why?
WINFREY: Yes.
BERTINELLI: Yes. I want to say just in case, but I don`t think so because I really think I got it conquered this time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Valerie seems a little bit nervous that she might gain the weight back. But Jessica Wiener, is it a big deal if she does gain it back? That did happen to Oprah.
JESSICA WIENER, AUTHOR, "LIFE DOESN`T BEGIN FIVE POUNDS FROM NOW": Yes, well it happens to any woman who diets. We are going to ebb and we are going to flow a little bit. And listen, if you have ever been on a diet and you gained that weight back, it is devastating. And when you`re a person doing it publicly and a spokesperson for a brand, you do have extra pressure on you. Then let`s say sort of a Jane housewife who`s working on her health over a long period of time without the cameras fixed on her.
I think the real message when you pull away from this Brooke - these are three famous women but they are three women. And they are three women who, if you listen to their stories from the time they were little, have been struggling with their weight. And that what makes them relatable to every single woman in this country.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. A lot of people can identify with what they have been through. OK. I want to move now to Marie Osmond who lost an incredible 45 pounds on Nutrisystem. Marie told Oprah the emotional story of when she hit rock bottom and decided to take control and decided to lose that weight. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OSMOND: I realized that I was at my rock bottom and I needed to do something. My mother on her deathbed, she said to me, "Marie, don`t do what I did." Can you imagine the last words your mother gave you? She said, "I am trapped in the shell of a body. I am only 79 years old."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Shaun, how critical is it to hear a woman like Marie Osmond talking about hitting rock bottom?
ROBINSON: It`s extraordinarily important, once again. You know, I think that with many of the teen girls that I talk to when they watch these media stories about people losing weight and gaining weight back is that they need to know the ramifications of what happens when you are doing something in an unhealthy way.
You know, I talk to some teen girls who said there was a girl who was anorexic in their school. And even though they kind of shunned her, they didn`t want her to be part of their crowd, they wanted tips from her on how to be skinny.
That`s what these girls, young girls, are facing today in school. And so, we have to be very, very honest with them about what happens when you don`t do things, when you don`t lose weight in a healthy way. And also send the messages that the goal is not to be a certain weight. The goal is to be healthy.
ANDERSON: Right.
ROBINSON: And that could be a range in weight and sizes.
ANDERSON: Be healthy. Feel good about yourself. I know it was not easy for these high profile women to share things so private in such a public manner. But I think it sends a wonderful message. Jessica Wiener, Shaun Robinson, good to see you. Thanks.
And you can pick up Shaun`s new book, "Exactly as I Am" in bookstores everywhere.
And now, we want to hear from you on this. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Valerie Bertinelli on `Oprah`: Does her weight loss story inspire you?" Vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
And this is a fired up debate coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Oprah`s weight summit - are all these star weight loss success stories inspiring or are they just setting women up for failure? That`s at about 30 past the hour.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. As we move on, these pictures of Madonna`s emotional adoption reunion are really something.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. They are really dramatic.
HAMMER: And tonight, we`ve got your very first look at the reunion of Madonna`s adopted son David and his biological father. So tonight, this is what we are asking - will this reunion help or will it hurt Madonna`s controversial attempts to adopt another child from Malawi? Coming up.
ANDERSON: And I think this is absolutely shocking. Why is Chris Brown posing with a women`s basketball team on the very same college campus where an all out anti-domestic violence campaign is going on? That is a big, big oops. Plus, Natalie Cole`s dramatic new warning to Rihanna.
And this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KYLE WYGLE, ARRESTED FOR DUI: It was just an accident. I mean, a little minor accident.
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyle Wygle was cited by Newark, Ohio, police for drunken driving on a bar stool.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A guy gets arrested for drunk driving on a motorized bar stool. You have got to see this. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
ANDERSON: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: "The Simpsons" - Bart, Homer, Lisa and Marge - will be on new U.S. postage stamps. Reports: Former "Grey`s Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington evicted from L.A. home.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Did you se this? President Obama meets the queen of England. Queen Elizabeth, meet the president of the United States. Now if you think Obama and the queen look, well, a little stiff. You are right. But they`re supposed to be. That`s because these are wax figures. The Obama figure revealed for the very first time at the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London.
Now, the Obamas are on their very first trip to Europe since the election. And there is an all-out frenzy over their visit.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Today, the Obamas met the real queen, not the wax Queen Elizabeth. Thousands came out to cheer them on. Michelle wore an elegant black-and- white dress and this is just the beginning. I can tell you that there will be Michelle frenzy at every European stop.
Here is CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): America`s fascination with the first lady has been well documented. But across the pond, Michelle Obama is a brand-new star. The headlines say it all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She is so stylish and she is a good right-hand woman to have for Barack Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We think she looks so good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For her age.
CHO: As America`s first lady embarks on her first trip to Europe, the world is watching the royal family of the United States.
ALLAN LICHTMAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: How the royal family, and not just the head of government, is received is very important for perception back here at home.
CHO: Most of all, the first lady. Insiders say the queen and America`s queen bee will be fast friends.
TINA BROWN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "THE DAILY BEAST": The queen really likes the authentic women. She likes women who are strong, who are unpretentious and who are into their families. She will love the fact that Michelle Obama was filmed, you know, digging her vegetable garden. That is very queen- like.
CHO: When France`s first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy met the queen, she curtsied and London went mad for her. On this leg of the trip, Mrs. Sarkozy is a no-show.
BROWN: I think she recognizes that next to Michelle, she is going to be badly compared.
CHO: And don`t forget, the French first lady is a former supermodel. In 1961, Jacqueline Kennedy wowed French President Charles De Gaulle with her flawless French and impeccable style.
LICHTMAN: So much so that Kennedy said at one point, "I am a man who is accompanying Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris."
CHO: So could this glamorous first lady do the same to her husband? Our own Wolf Blitzer says no.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "SITUATION ROOM": They`re ga-ga over Michelle Obama, but they`re also ga-ga over Barack Obama. So I don`t think he has to worry at all about the first lady overshadowing him. In fact, knowing that their relationship is as strong as this, he wouldn`t be upset about that at all. He loves this woman very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Yes, he does. That was CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And although Michelle Obama will be closely watched, the eyes of the world are also on the president who has some very serious things to deal with, A.J.
HAMMER: Yes he does, Brooke. And you know SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers are dealing with serious things too. Very fired up about Madonna trying to adopt another African child. In fact, our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT online call operators going borderline bonkers with calls they`re getting about Madonna. Some think Madonna should have adopted in the U.S. Get it, "Borderline?" Huh?
ANDERSON: I get it, A.J. We`ve got a call into "Showbiz on Call," from Becky in Illinois.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BECKY, CALLER FROM ILLINOIS: I feel that Madonna should adopt here in our country where there are thousands of kids that have no parents. And we, the people here, are the ones that made her popular, made her rich, and everything else. And I think it`s kind of snotty for her to say it is none of our business. She wouldn`t be where she is at or have what she has if it wasn`t just for us normal people.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Becky. We also heard from Gail, calling into "Showbiz on Call" from Canada.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GAIL, CALLER FROM CANADA: I personally know many couples that have adopted outside of the United States who are just regular, ordinary people. And they don`t get the flak that these superstars are getting. So, it`s not just the superstars who are adopting outside the country. There are millions of children who need happy homes. And we should just be grateful that every child gets - these children get to go to a happy home.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you for that, Gail. Call us at "Showbiz on Call." Let us know what you think about this or anything else that is on your mind.
HAMMER: "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time. Here`s the number - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that is 1-888-728-2899.
ANDERSON: A.J., there is a raging Oprah debate going on right now.
HAMMER: Raging, Brooke. And it`s all about the whole weight loss summit that she did today which was terrific. Oprah had on Valerie Bertinelli, Marie Osmond, even Star Jones. They all talked about their dramatic successful weight loss stories. But here is what we are asking - are these stars inspiring others or are they just setting up women to fail. The fired-up debate is coming up.
ANDERSON: Also, this absolutely unbelievable big-time oops. Why is Chris Brown posing with the women`s basketball team at a college that`s in the middle of an all-out campaign against domestic violence? Plus, Natalie Cole`s brand-new warning to Rihanna.
HAMMER: And the very first pictures of the reunion of Madonna`s adopted son David and his biological father. Will the reunion help or hurt Madonna`s controversial attempts to adopt another child in Malawi. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Steve Martin to make Grand Ole Opry debut on May 30th. New X- Men movie, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," leaked online.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And now, your first look at Justin Timberlake`s explosive new MTV reality show. You have got to see this. The thing is called "The Phone." And on it, contestants compete for $50,000. Let me tell you, it looks nothing like a TV show. It`s like a heart-stopping movie. Check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(PHONE RINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m really scared.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three months ago you signed up for a mysterious game. This is it. If you want a chance to win $50,000, press one. The game starts now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What the hell just happened?
(PHONE RINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow, that looks cool. "The Phone" premieres on MTV April 21st.
ANDERSON: That looks a little frightening. OK. Tonight, I`ve also got your very first look at Britney Spear`s brand-new sexy ad. Britney shows off her toned body in an ad for Candie`s clothes and shoes. The ads will appear online and in magazines.
Listen to what Britney has to say about doing the ad, "I had so much fun shooting the Candie`s for Kohl`s campaign. My favorite setup was against a gigantic wall of pink cotton candy. I got to wear the cutest clothes."
OK, and now to end the suspense. Here is the ad.
(VIDEO CLIP OF CANDIE`S ADVERTISEMENT)
ANDERSON: Britney looks great - hopefully, healthy.
HAMMER: Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
The great Oprah weight debate. Today, she gets big stars to open up about their weight loss success. But are their stories setting up women to fail?
The very first pictures of the reunion of Madonna`s adopted son David and his biological father.
And what`s going on here? Why is Chris Brown posing with a women`s basketball team at a college campaigning against domestic violence? Plus, Natalie Cole`s brand-new warning for Rihanna. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
ANDERSON: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Bill Cosby to get U.S.`s top comedy honor: Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Morgan Freeman teaming up with the Science Channel to make series on space exploration.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the great Oprah weight debate. Stars tell Oprah their amazing diet secrets. But are they setting up other women for failure?
Snap shot, Chris Brown. The star accused of beating Rihanna poses with the women`s basketball team at a college that is waging a war on domestic violence.
And snapshot, Madonna in Malawi. Madonna`s adopted son meets his real father but has no idea who he is. Will this help or hurt Madonna`s brand- new controversial adoption battle?
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.
And tonight, Oprah`s weight summit. In a brand-new show seen nationwide this afternoon, some of Hollywood`s biggest stars opened up to Oprah Winfrey about their battle to lose weight and keep it off.
You`ve seen "One Day at a Time" star Valerie Bertinelli`s dramatic new body after losing nearly 50 pounds from the Jenny Craig diet. Marie Osmond, who has battled weight her whole life, opens up about her astounding weight loss on the Nutrisystem plan.
And after denying the reports about how she lost weight, former "View" co-star, Star Jones fesses up to Oprah about her gastric bypass surgery.
But as amazing as the stories are and they truly are, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask - are they setting up women for failure?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Jessica Wiener, who is a self-esteem expert and author of the fabulous book, "Life Doesn`t Begin Five Pounds from Now." And tonight, in New York, Shaun Robinson, correspondent for "Access Hollywood" and author of the brand-new fascinating book about celebrity advice to women about improving their self-esteem. It is called "Exactly as I Am. Welcome, Jessica. Welcome, Shaun.
And you know, we have seen Valerie Bertinelli`s amazing body on the cover of "People" magazine. And on Oprah, she showed it off in a bikini once again. I want you to watch what she said when Oprah asked her if she thinks her story has inspired other women. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERTINELLI: If my weight loss has done anything, it`s encouraging other women to take care of themselves too. And that is a complete honor. If I can help anybody else out there feel better about themselves, then that`s all I need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: As incredible as her story is, and it is, Jessica, do you think though that many women out there are saying, "Hey, Valerie lost nearly 50 pounds, not only from exercise but also as a result of being on Jenny Craig and team of personal trainers with her every step of the way. And there is no way that I will have that kind of help."
WIENER: Well, Brooke, I think that Valerie`s story is actually really inspiring to women. But you are right. She did have trainers and she does have a chef. And she was able to go on a program that you have to pay for.
But I think what is interesting about Valerie`s story that we have to track is the length of time that she has maintained her weight loss. Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem - all the diets are just that. They`re diet plans. But when a woman is ready to really lose weight and change her life, then I think it really sticks. So it looks to me like Valerie was really also ready to change her life.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. It was not a rapid weight loss or a quick fix. It took her nearly a year with some good old-fashioned hard work and exercise. And she also told Oprah today that she feels pressure to keep the weight off now, now that she has really told the world about it. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERTINELLI: The pressure is to keep it up. But I think this is a body that is totally attainable. This is the weight I was when Wolfy was in kindergarten. I mean, look, I`ve got hips. I`ve got, you know, a little muffin top on the back. Anybody can have that body. Do enough sit ups. I made a decision every day. I am going to work out today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh. She has got a slamming body now. Shaun Robinson, in your new book, "Exactly as I Am," stars like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Janet Jackson have all shared with you their experiences that have not only set them back, but also pushed them forward.
So when women hear Valerie talking about the pressure to keep the weight off and how hard it is some days to get motivated, will they find comfort in that? Or will it just reinforce their discouragement in a way?
ROBINSON: Well, Brooke, it really depends. My book is targeted towards teen girls. And when they see images like Valerie Bertinelli on television, the message really has to be to them - just because Valerie is this particular size doesn`t mean you have to be that particular size.
I think one of the things we, in the media, have to be very careful of is showing just one type - one body type. And that`s the problem that many girls face with their own self-esteem. They see the images on television, in movies and film, on the magazine covers.
And they`re saying, "Look, I`ve got to be a size two and not anything over that. Or else, I am not valuable at all." So that`s the message that needs to be sent.
ANDERSON: Yes. Everybody does need to be really careful about that. And I want to mention that Valerie`s weight is considered healthy for her height.
And now, let`s move on, ladies, to Marie Osmond`s inspiring weight loss story. On "Oprah" today, Marie told Oprah that she chose the Nutrisystem weight loss plan because of the heart disease that runs in her family. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OSMOND: Heart disease is terrible my family and I was showing every sign of it.
WINFREY: Really? Like what?
OSMOND: Well, I just - well, you know, I couldn`t breathe. I remember I was out getting ready for a Christmas tour and I couldn`t cross the stage without panting. My knees were hurting. But mostly, it was that heart issue. And as I studied all the diets that were out there, Nutrisystem was heart-healthy. It was sensible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Jessica, do you think women at home watching this are saying, "Oh, yes. Diet plan. How many of those have I been on?" And besides, really, who can afford that right now? People are doing a lot of belt tightening?
WIENER: Yes, they are doing a lot of belt-tightening. But I have to say, Brooke, I think the majority of the women watching this program and watching Oprah`s program have all been on a diet before. And anybody - any of us out there who have dieted before knows that if it was just as simple as eating less and moving more, everybody would be doing it.
The point here is that weight is such a dynamic issue for women. It`s complicated. It`s about their identity and their relationships and their past history. And it is important to focus on how health. And I`m glad Marie Osmond is focusing on it. And we all should.
But it`s going to look different. As Shaun said, we all have different body types. We`re all going to have a different path towards health. And I think every woman out there who has dieted and failed and lived off to tell about is looking for that balance and serenity.
ANDERSON: That`s true. Shaun, what do you think? Do you think women might be a little skeptical of these messages and these diet plans?
ROBINSON: Well, if they aren`t by now, they definitely should be. You know, it`s not like, you know, one result is going to be - you know, the same result for all women. And, once again, you know, I really, really want few get the message out, especially to teen girls who are battling eating disorders and the like, that it is not just one image of beauty.
We can`t keep saying that, you know, one image and one body type is beautiful. We have to start showing this array of body types, skin colors, hair textures et cetera. And so I think that women, you know, are slowly getting the message that the challenge is getting girls before it is instilled in them that they have to be, you know, a negative zero to be cute.
ANDERSON: For those who are younger and very impressionable, I agree. And now, let`s move to Star Jones. Bombshell confession about her gastric bypass surgery and why she refused to acknowledge it while she hosted "The View." Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: I was ashamed that I couldn`t control my weight, that I was an addict, for all practical purposes, that I had never stuck to a real diet, that I never stuck to a real exercise program. And I was confronted by my doctor. And the doctor said, "If you don`t make changes, you will die."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jessica, that feeling of shame. When women hear Star Jones open up like this, will that inspire them to maybe be more truthful to themselves or just reinforce their own shame?
WIENER: I must be getting a very, very nice in my old age, Brooke. Because I was really critical of Star when she was clearly hiding the fact that she did something pretty obvious about her body. But I do feel like honesty is the best policy.
I`m actually pretty surprised that she is being this candid. I think her ego has been knocked down quite a bit. And I think that that happens when you are an addict and you`re hiding things. So I try to say that, not in a lot of judgment about her. I think we can learn from her. I think any woman out there, whether you`re a size 2 or a size 22 has a complicated relationship with your body.
ANDERSON: Absolutely.
WIENER: She was a public figure. And she was, you know, at a moment, lying about what is going on. And now, she is truthful and I hope that gives her solace.
ANDERSON: And you know, you`re right. Their honesty proves that they`re human and people can identify with that, people can relate. I think it`s wonderful. They are real people. Jessica Wiener, Shaun Robinson, thank you both.
ROBINSON: Thank you.
WIENER: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And you can pick up Shaun`s new book, "Exactly as I Am." It`s in bookstores everywhere.
We have been asking you to vote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Valerie Bertinelli on `Oprah`: Does her weight loss story inspire you?" Keep voting, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: So Brooke, have you seen these brand-new photos of Madonna`s adopted son David, the big reuniting with his biological father?
ANDERSON: I have, A.J. And that must have been such an emotional moment.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, imagine it. It was really an unbelievably dramatic sight. But is this moment going to help or hurt Madonna`s attempt to adopt again in Malawi? Coming up, we`re going to show you this dramatic reunion.
Also, why is Chris Brown posing for a picture with the college women`s basketball team during their Domestic Violence Awareness Week? Talk about a bad idea. We`ll show you the photo.
And we`ve also got this -
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WYGLE: It was just an accident. A little minor accident.
MOOS: Kyle Wygle was cited by Newark, Ohio police for drunken driving on a bar stool."
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HAMMER: Is there such a thing, bar-stooling under the influence? Well, there is now. The true story of a guy who was charged with drunk driving on a bar stool. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
ANDERSON: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Octomom`s car vandalized outside her home. Wanda Sykes scores late-night talk show Saturdays on Fox.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, Madonna`s adoption drama, the dramatic reunion between Madonna`s adopted son and his biological father in Malawi.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the very first pictures and the behind-the-scenes details from the intimate meeting that has been a year in the making. It is a touching scene. But is this going to help or hurt Madonna`s brand-new controversial struggle that is going on right now to adopt another child in Malawi?
Well, with me from New York is Amy Palmer, who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." And also in New York Ben Widdicombe - he is the celebrity editor of StyleList.com.
All right. Let`s get right to these pictures. I want to show them to you. They are the very first pictures of Madonna taking her 3-year-old son David Banda to meet his biological father.
Madonna brought David home from an orphanage in Malawi two years ago. Both David and his father, I`ve got to say, look very happy in these pictures. And it truly has to have been an incredible emotional moment, think about it.
But Ben, do you think she should have done this sooner and not necessarily have waited until, you know, she just happened to be in Malawi to adopt another child?
BEN WIDDICOMBE, CELEBRITY EDITOR, STYLELIST.COM: Madonna is really in a tight place here. If she introduces David to his father, she runs the risk of being criticized for destabilizing her own family. And if she doesn`t introduce him, she will be criticized for that. So she is in a tough place.
I think that ultimately, she`s done the right thing. She can`t ignore the fact that David has a biological father. Certainly, the British press has been desperately trying to track down any living relatives of David to quote them and possibly embarrass Madonna. So it may be a little belated, but I think she`s done the right thing.
HAMMER: Yes. It`s definitely tricky and complicated situation. I want you to listen to how David`s father described the joyful reunion. Here is what he told reporters, quote, "I was very happy to see him. He asked me who I was."
Now, let`s remember, David lived in an orphanage and left Malawi when he was just over a year old. Amy, should we all look at this as being sad that David never got to meet his father again before this? Or did Madonna do the right thing by waiting until now, in your mind?
AMY PALMER, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": You know, I think there is no question that Madonna did the right thing. She is providing David with an education that you and I can only dream of, especially people from Malawi. They don`t have a life that David is having.
So this is actually a positive thing. She is keeping David connected to his Malawi roots. And that, overall, is something that is good for Malawi because she is keeping that country in the spotlight.
HAMMER: Yes. Education, life expectancy much greater outside of Malawi, and of course, general quality of life. And just like in her latest attempt to adopt a child over there, let`s not forget, Madonna did take a lot of heat when she was trying to adopt David two years ago.
But listen to the words of encouragement that David`s father gave to Madonna back then, and this was just weeks after he had signed those preliminary adoption papers.
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FATHER OF DAVID BANDA: Madonna, whatever is happening, maybe it is because you are famous. That`s why all these things are happening. Please be strong and don`t give up the fight. My David will be a good son to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I remember feeling a lot of relief when we first saw the clip back then. Ben, are you with me, that some of the emotion that we see in these brand-new pictures is probably because David`s father truly is convinced Madonna is not only being a good mom, but really giving him a better life?
WIDDICOMBE: Well, it must be very hard for his father. Because let`s face it, in a perfect world, David would be raised by his own father. But his father made the decision. He couldn`t care for David. He put him up for adoption. And given that those were the circumstances, it`s not terrible that Madonna, this famous gazillionaire, came in and raised David.
And given that David now is beginning to have a relationship with his biological father, as he grows into his own birthright, it is unlikely that he`s going to leave his biological dad to rot in a hut in Malawi. So there could be a silver, if not golden, lining for his father in this whole situation.
HAMMER: Yes. Surely interesting to think about that. Madonna has been very busy over there in Malawi. Over the past week, she`s been seen introducing the 3-year-old girl that she now wants to adopt to her family. A judge is expected to rule on that adoption on Friday.
Amy Palmer, do you think Madonna, making an effort here to have this reunion, will actually help her with this new adoption? Or do you think it might hurt her or maybe just make no difference at all?
PALMER: You know, it is hard to say. But what I will say is that seeing these pictures is only positive. People get to see that Madonna is connecting David to his roots. So they think that she will do the same with Mercy.
She is not saying, "I am taking these children back to America and you are never going to see them again." What she is saying is, "Let me have the children. Let me raise them in a wonderful environment. Look, look how healthy David is. I`ll do the same for Mercy, and I`ll bring them back. And they could actually help to enrich the country of Malawi."
ANDERSON: Yes. I, for one, think that this emotional visit and the pictures we are getting to see may actually help to quiet some of the criticism that we have been seeing and remind people that Madonna is indeed doing a good thing here. A lot of people don`t seem to have that in their thoughts.
Amy Palmer, Ben Widdicombe, thank you both.
ANDERSON: OK. Did you see this? Tonight, busted on a bar stool. You heard me right. A man in Ohio was cited for being intoxicated while operating a vehicle which turned out to be a motorized bar stool. Now we have heard of getting drunk while sitting on a bar stool. But to get a ticket for riding one. Well, that`s new.
Here is CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
MOOS (voice-over): Sort of raises the bar on bar stools, motorized bar stools. Proudly posted on YouTube, but not so proud is this guy.
WYGLE: It was just an accident. I mean, a little minor accident.
MOOS: Kyle Wygle was cited by Newark, Ohio police for drunken driving on a bar stool. Neighbors saw him go by.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought, "Gee, that`s strange."
MOOS: And then he wiped out, told the arriving officer, "I wrecked my bar stool." Asked how many beers he had, he answered more like 15, according to the police report.
That`s more than this guy, another Ohio man, busted few years ago for operating a vehicle under the influence - his lawnmower.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What can I say? I mean, it`s ridiculous -
MOOS: An Ohio police say you can get cited for operating any type of vehicle while intoxicated, even a bike if you are on public property. And this was at least his fourth DUI.
One of the most famous drunken driving lawn mower arrests wasn`t even real. Everyone thought it was when it was first posted online a couple of years back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My wife told me if I didn`t get her another beer, she`s going to stab me in the face.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you don`t need to be drinking. And then you littered on top of that.
MOOS: Yes, it`s funnier if you think it`s real and sometimes it is. As for those motorized bar stools, we suggest no tipping.
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ANDERSON: Oh, how odd. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Coming up, a truly unbelievable story. Why is Chris Brown posing for a photo with a women`s basketball team at a college that is campaigning against domestic violence? Plus, Natalie Cole`s brand-new warning for Rihanna. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
HAMMER: Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: John Stamos to star in Broadway`s "Bye, Bye Birdie" in fall 2009. "Guiding Light" canceled after 72 years.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. Tonight, why is Chris Brown posing for pictures with a woman`s basketball team right in the middle of the college`s domestic violence awareness week? Unbelievable.
Check out these photos from TMZ.com showing Brown playing hoops at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. The school is in the middle of the white ribbon campaign, which promotes domestic violence awareness.
If all of that weren`t bad enough, Brown mugged for these photos with the women`s basketball team. Everybody knows Brown was arrested earlier this year for allegedly beating up Rihanna. Who the heck is advising this guy?
Also tonight, Natalie Cole`s shocking new shocking warning for Rihanna. Cole is a former victim of domestic violence. And while promoting her new album, "Still Unforgettable," she told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that she hopes Rihanna and Chris have learned an important lesson.
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NATALIE COLE, SINGER: I think it`s a sad situation that these two people - they are all so young. And I think that I`m kind enough to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I`m just hoping that they will learn now about what it is to be in a relationship, what love is really about and what it`s not about.
And what it`s about and it`s not about anybody putting their hands on you ever, period. That`s it. Over. You know, and that`s something they haven`t learned yet, so I hope they will.
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ANDERSON: Cole hopes young people will empower themselves so the same thing doesn`t happen to them.
HAMMER: Tuesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this - "Madonna`s New Adoption: Is the criticism of her unfair?" Forty-six percent of you said yes; 54 percent said no.
We`ve got an E-mail from Karen in New York who says, "Madonna is doing a wonderful thing for a child. It doesn`t matter where the child is being adopted from."
The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are also all fired up. June called into Showbiz on Call from Texas.
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JUNE, CALLER FROM TEXAS: I think she has every right to adopt in whatever country that she chooses to. The babies in the country she`s adopting from don`t have the privileges that we do in America. And so therefore, if she wants to help one of those individuals, it`s her money. You go, Madonna.
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HAMMER: Thank you, June. Call us at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about this or anything else that`s on your mind. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all day, open all night 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. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Don`t forget you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern right here on HLN. Take care.
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