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Showbiz Tonight
The Brangelina Truth Squad; Disturbing Brand-New Claims on David Carradine`s Sex Life; Miss California Fired; Barbara Walters, A Temptress?
Aired June 10, 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, the Brangelina Truth Squad. Tonight, the brand-new investigation revealing the truth about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie`s relationship. Are they splitting up? Did Brad get together with ex-wife Jennifer Aniston? And is Angelina really refusing to eat food? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the breaking Brangelina investigation.
Tonight, disturbing brand-new claims about David Carradine`s sex life from one of his ex-wives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When he would tie himself up, was this sexual self- gratification?
GAIL JENSEN, DAVID CARRADINE`S THIRD WIFE: Probably, but I`m not sure of that either. I mean, but yes. OK, you want the honest truth? Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP) v
HAMMER: Tonight, what is the truth? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the late developments in the David Carradine death mystery.
Plus, explosive late-breaking news about Miss California. Donald Trump tells the gay marriage controversial beauty, "You`re fired." What did she do now?
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 tonight, the startling, just out of the blue news today that late today, Donald Trump fired Carrie Prejean, one of the most controversial beauty queens ever. And no, it was not for her stance on gay marriage. The real reason Prejean got the boot and all the late-breaking developments are coming up.
But first, tonight, the Brangelina Truth Squad. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained today an explosive new report on the truth about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. And it is setting the record straight about all the wild stories that are out there. Are Brad and Angie about to split up? Did Brad and his ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, really get together again?
And then there`s all the speculation about Angelina`s diet. Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is here to tell you that what surfaced today is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are at it again. And no, we`re not talking about having kids. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this Hollywood glamour couple is all over the newsstands this week with the wildest headlines we`ve seen in a while.
Angelina`s birthday ends in tears. "Their Plans to Live Apart," reads one. "Brad and Jen`s Secret Hotel Hook-Up," reads another.
MIKE FLEEMAN, "PEOPLE.COM": It`s all doom and gloom in the supermarket checkout line.
HAMMER: Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT answers all the burning Brangelina questions once and for all. Are Brad and Angelina fighting? Is Brad having secret meetings with his famous ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston? And most pressing of all, is Angelina really trying to get skinny with a syrup diet?
Mrs. Smith, meet Mrs. Butterworth. OK, let`s take the rumors one by one. First one, that Pitt and Jolie have had a pair of nasty public arguments lately, one while Pitt visited Angelina while on the set of her new movie, "Salt," and the other reported spat during their dazzling appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in France. We hate to be the ones to break this to you, but -
FLEEMAN: We have found no evidence that Brad and Angelina are anything other than a very happy couple.
HAMMER: The new issue of "People" magazine gives us the real story on Brad and Angelina. "People" magazine`s Mike Fleeman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT all those rumors of fights on the set of Jolie new movie are bogus.
FLEEMAN: Brad Pitt has been visiting the set of "Salt." But we talked to people on the set and it`s been nothing but a nice visit. In fact, far from a blow-up. He showed up with the kids.
HAMMER: And those public fights at the Cannes Film Festival -
FLEEMAN: We talked to people at Cannes. And Brad and Angelina were nothing but a loving couple. All the eyewitnesses who we talked to said they couldn`t have appeared happier.
HAMMER: Secondly, there are more pesky rumors of a Pitt-Jolie-Aniston love triangle that refuse to die. In the latest tabloid report, Brad supposedly visited his ex-wife on the set of her latest movie, "The Baster" while it filmed in New York.
FLEEMAN: We have this denied not just from Brad`s side but also from Jennifer`s side. The event just didn`t happen.
HAMMER: And finally, there`s that syrup diet. Britain`s "The Sun" recently published a wild story claiming that Jolie tried to lose 21 pounds for her new movie. How? By reportedly starving herself on a liquid diet of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and yes, maple syrup. The real story?
FLEEMAN: She has been known to drink a protein shake but will have regular food with that. So there`s absolutely no truth to that.
HAMMER: Of course, celebrity-watchers know by know that Brangelina break- up rumors must be taken with a grain of salt. Ever since they first got together back in 2005, this superstar couple has been on the verge of breaking up, if you believe the wacky tabloid headlines we`ve seen throughout their relationship.
Now, four years, and six children later, nothing`s changed.
FLEEMAN: Brad and Angelina sell. The problem is, there`s a feeling, I suppose, in the tabloid media that you can`t just keep saying they`re happy even if that`s the truth.
HAMMER: And even though Jolie and Pitt`s representatives generally don`t respond to rumors about the couple, "People`s" Mike Fleeman tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they just couldn`t keep quiet about these wacky new headlines.
FLEEMAN: They came to "People" magazine. They said, "Look, we`re going to do what we don`t normally do, and that`s deny the rumors. They issued a statement and said it`s all untrue.
HAMMER: So it looks like as long as Brad and Angelina continue to have babies, make movies and look fabulous, there will always be unbelievable rumors and outlandish headlines about them. But please, let`s just try to keep Mrs. Butterworth out of it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Yes, let`s get into the nitty-gritty about these brand-new revelations about Brad and Angelina.
Also new tonight, the incredible backlash over "American Idol" runner-up, Adam Lambert revealing that, yes, he`s gay. But the backlash - it`s not what you think it might be.
Joining us tonight in New York is Ben Widdicombe, who is a celebrity editor for "StyleList.com." With us tonight from Hollywood, the lovely Tanika Ray, a correspondent for "Extra."
And I want to get into this, especially all these reports that Brad and Angelina are over. They`re done with. Well, this brand-new "People" magazine that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained in advance says Brad and Angelina are denying it flat out.
Tanika, why do you think that they`re even responding to these rumors because they never used to do that?
TANIKA RAY, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Their kids are getting older. You don`t know what their kids are hearing at this point. And they`ve been spending a lot of time in the States lately. So I think that they felt the need to come out and actually say it`s not true for their family.
It just gets so ridiculous. But you know what? I can`t really blame the tabloids. They need to sell magazines. Television shows need ratings and they rate through the roof, baby.
HAMMER: Yes.
RAY: So whenever you can stick a Brangelina story in there, it pays off big.
HAMMER: Yes, it`s a shame they just have to make stuff up all the time. But you make a really good point. They`ve got to watch out for the kids at this point as they get over. And fuelling the fire around Brad and Angelina, all the rumbling that Brad was seen visiting his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston on the set of her movie.
So were Brad and Jen having a secret meeting? Well, "People`s" Brangelina Truth Squad says this is not true. Ben, why do you think it is people constantly want to link Brad back to Aniston? They`ve been over and done with for, what, more than four years at this point?
BEN WIDDICOMBE, CELEBRITY EDITOR, "STYLELIST.COM": Sure. Well, as you know, the tabloid magazine industry is a multimillion-dollar business. And they do focus testing as to who sell magazine covers. And while Brad and Angie are interesting as a couple, if you introduce Jennifer Aniston as the third point of the triangle, people are exponentially more interested in the story which is why you see the tabloid magazines each week trying to shoehorn her back into the narrative, even when maybe it turns out not to be true.
RAY: Downright Shakespearean -
WIDDICOMBE: People will buy the magazine much more if they think Jen`s involved.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, that`s what made this thing perfect storm really for tabloids from the very beginning. Unbelievable.
Also a lot of talk going on about Angelina going on this strict, crazy diet. So is there any truth behind Angelina`s liquid diet? You know, maple syrup and lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Well, the "People" Brangelina Truth Squad says, not true.
Tanika, why do you think it is that such outrageous stories about Angelina even start? I mean, we`re talking about selling magazines, I know. But some of these go off the charts bizarre.
RAY: Yes. Because people need to keep their jobs. This is the time of the year - and I`ve been doing this study now for a while. This is the time of year where celebrities go off on summer vacations and the media and the paparazzi sort of lose sight of what these people are doing.
So this is when they start to sort of make up stories. Maybe it will be true in the future and try to get ahead of the game. Because if they`re starting rumors about Brad and Angelina breaking up and they break up in a year, then they can say, "We were first. We said it would happen a year ago."
So I think it`s just being ahead of the curve and the competition aspect of it all. But it is ridiculous. Now, the maple syrup diet - that`s the master cleanse and Beyonce swears by that. So it isn`t that bad.
(CROSS TALK)
WIDDICOMBE: There`s a lot of women in Hollywood and in fashion on that diet. That`s not that outrageous.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: And the truth is, I`ve heard it`s done with honey and not maple syrup. But that`s just something I`ve heard from somebody.
RAY: Whatever sweetener you need.
HAMMER: All right. Listen, there`s this upcoming piece in "Harper`s Bazaar" magazine that I find really interesting. The magazine reveals that polls have shown that women most identify with Angelina Jolie. And not just that, but they actually want to be like her because Jolie and her life is sort of a version of the ultimate female fantasy life, this according to "Harper`s Bazaar."
That is why we`re asking in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day this - "Angelina Jolie Named Most Admired: Do you agree?" We want to hear from you. You can got to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. The homepage is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And Tanika, I know you go there to vote every day on our question of the day.
RAY: Every day -
HAMMER: I`ll save you the trouble of surfing over there. Let me start with you by asking, how will you vote on this?
RAY: I love Angelina. I think outside the fact that she`s the perfect female fantasy, I think she`s somewhat of a modern-day superhero that we don`t really have in this country. She`s royalty. She`s strong. She`s fierce. She`s independent. But yes, she`s got the hottest guy in the universe. Who doesn`t want to be Angelina Jolie?
HAMMER: OK. But Tanika, most admired?
RAY: Yes, I think so.
HAMMER: OK.
RAY: I mean, if you ask teeny-boppers who are reading the magazines and watching our shows, yes.
HAMMER: All right -
RAY: I mean, some people say Oprah. But I think she`s definitely an icon. She has all these children. She`s giving back. She`s a humanitarian. And I think she`s pretty doe(ph).
HAMMER: Fair enough. Now, on to another big story that is big news right now. The backlash over "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert coming out and confirming that he`s gay. But the powerful reaction to Lambert`s revelation not what you might think it is. Ben Widdicombe, Tanika Ray, stay right where you are because we`re going to get to that next.
And we have also got big breaking news that Donald Trump has fired Miss California, Carrie Prejean. Yes, the controversial anti-gay marriage beauty queen dethroned. But what did she do now? And is Donald Trump just furious after he gave her a second chance?
Also, brand-new disturbing claims about David Carradine`s sex life. His ex-wife tells all about what happened behind closed doors. Did his sex life have anything to do with his death? Late-breaking developments in the David Carradine death mystery. 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: "Judge Judy" passes "Oprah" as top show in daytime for the last week in May. Britney Spears heads to Australia on tour for the first time ever.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, the overwhelming reaction to "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert coming out and revealing that he is gay. Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers are just swamping us with E-mails calling into our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines and they`re writing on the wall on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook fan page. And they`re sending a very clear message.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRED ARMISEN, ACTOR (as Joy Behar): You know, what I always say? You know what I say? Who cares? Just go home and have a glass of Pinot Grigio. Go to bed. So what?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, just like "SNL`s" take on Joy Behar - who cares? So what?
Back with us tonight in New York, Ben Widdicombe, celebrity editor for "StyleList.com." In Hollywood, "Extra" correspondent, Tanika Ray.
So guys, right after Adam Lambert revealed in the brand-new issue of "Rolling Stone" magazine that he`s gay, this is what we asked in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day on air and online - "Adam Lambert Says He Is Gay: Will it affect his career?"
And look at this, an overwhelming 83 percent said no. 17 percent said yes, it will. Tanika, are you at all surprised by this vote?
RAY: Yes, I am actually. You know, we discussed this yesterday. And Michael Yo and I were a little concerned that Middle America wouldn`t be able to accept him if he was openly gay. But I`m proud of America.
HAMMER: Yes.
RAY: I think it`s fantastic. It`s about time that people are, you know, valued for their talents versus all the external stuff. So I think it`s a great thing.
HAMMER: Yes. It would be nice if this was a very scientific poll and this is how things really are. Hey, you never know.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers not just sounding of on the vote but they`re also reacting like crazy on our Facebook page. I want you to take a look at what Heather Swanson, one of our viewers, wrote on our Fan Wall. She wrote, "It will probably help his career. Now, people can feel they know him more personally. I mean, look at Ellen. It hasn`t hurt her career."
Ben, I think Heather has great point, don`t you?
WIDDICOMBE: Listen, the only thing gay people want as a reaction to their sexuality is just ho-hum. If we can just get over it and accept that everyone is equal, the world would be a much better place. Of course -
RAY: Hallelujah!
WIDDICOMBE: The reality is that in this country gay people and straight people don`t have the same rights. So maybe "ho-hum" is a little premature. There are some battles left to fight. But I say good for him and I`m glad that nobody cares.
HAMMER: Yes. And I encourage people to go to our Facebook page and see the level of "ho-hum" because there`s quite a bit of it on there. Really, just what people are writing on the wall, one after the next are saying.
Let me read another. This is Brittany Gomolla. She is writing, quote, "Adam may be gay, but he is an amazing artist and lots of women still think he`s hot. And like many others say, how he wants his life to be should be nobody else`s business."
Brittany, you`ve got it right. Really, Tanika, as we`re saying, nobody else`s business. So what? Who cares?
RAY: He is still hot, I`ve got to tell you. It`s like Freddie Mercury. You want to see his leather pants and work the stage. It still works for me.
HAMMER: Yes. And Ben, wouldn`t you agree that, you know, everybody who`s writing in saying, "What`s the big deal?" People should look to our Facebook page, shouldn`t they?
WIDDICOMBE: Yes, they should. They should go immediately go to the Facebook page and leave a comment.
HAMMER: And Tanika, let`s see how this will translate - you know, his record label says he will have an album coming out this fall. What`s your gut feeling on how this will translate? Is the album going to number one despite all this press that he`s getting this week because he came out?
RAY: You know, I hope so. I mean, I think it`s so unpredictable with these American Idols. There seemingly some artists that they`re like, "Oh, they`re going to sell through the roof." And then, cricket.
HAMMER: Yes.
RAY: They sell hardly anything. So let`s hope that he -
HAMMER: It`s a wait and see.
RAY: Yes, it is a wait and see. I think he has enough, you know, fabulousity to make it happen. So let`s keep our fingers crossed.
WIDDICOMBE: And Susan Boyle showed - I think number two is the new number one in talent concerts.
RAY: There you go.
HAMMER: There you go. Tanika Ray, Ben Widdicombe, thanks, guys. We appreciate it.
Also our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines blowing up with people calling in about Adam Lambert coming out saying he`s gay. Here`s a call into "Showbiz on Call." It`s Lisa in Florida who says Adam`s sexuality makes no difference to her.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LISA, CALLER FROM FLORIDA: I don`t see why his being gay should make any difference to how successful he is. We`re paying to hear him sing. People need to grow up.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks, Lisa. We also heard from Sea Green calling in to "Showbiz on Call" from Florida as well. And she says that when it comes to Adam, it`s all about the talent.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEA GREEN, CALLER FROM FLORIDA: Adam is the greatest talent I have ever seen on television. It`s a crime that he did not win. I don`t care if he`s green, purple, hetero, tranny - I could care less what he is. He is one fabulous, fabulous talent and that should have been the only thing considered.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Sea Green, thanks for your call. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about this or anything else, 24 hours a day at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-88-728-2899.
So tonight, breaking Miss California news, Carrie Prejean fired. The controversial anti-gay marriage beauty queen canned by Donald Trump. What did she do this time? And should Donald will furious because he gave her a second chance?
All right. Did Barbara Walters really strip down to her skivvies just to get a scoop on a story? Barbara setting the record straight. That is coming up.
And so is this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHY GRIFFIN: Yes, big deal. She took a little weekend off. Who cares? You know, have you ever seen Lindsay Lohan? Lindsay Lohan does this four, five times a year. Susan Boyle just did it one time.
HAMMER: OK.
GRIFFIN: I think she should have all the breakdowns and hit records she wants.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You never know what`s going to come out of Kathy Griffin`s mouth. Tonight, I get Kathy`s hilarious take on Susan Boyle and the biggest entertainment headlines in the nation. My interview with Kathy Griffin is straight ahead.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: "American Idol`s Allison Iraheta signs record deal; album due out this fall. ABC`s "Dancing with the Stars" returns for Season 9 on September 21st.)
HAMMER: It is time now for SHOWBIZ birthday shout out. Johnny Depp turned 46 years old this week. It`s hard to believe - Johnny Depp, 46. Well, here now is a SHOWBIZ birthday shout out from Sharon, a huge fan of Johnny Depp.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARON, JOHNNY DEPP`s FAN: Hey, there. Happy birthday, Johnny. I`m Sharon from Redding, Pennsylvania. I love "The Pirates of the Caribbean" and several of your other flicks that I`ve seen and your little guy, enjoy. Enjoy. They grow very fast. Happy birthday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
Tonight, did you see this? A dead man talking. Now, most actors make a living out of playing a living person. But here`s a guy who has actually made a name for himself as the person who dies all the time. What`s it like to get killed off so often?
Here`s CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some actors have a trademark line -
CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR: Go ahead, make my day.
CHO: Others, a trademark scene.
MEG RYAN, ACTRESS: Yes, yes!
CHO: Actor Mike Doyle? His trademark is dying over and over again.
MIKE DOYLE, ACTOR: The first time out I thought, "Oh, interesting. You know, it would be fun to die." And now, when I turn that page, I`m like, "Oh, man. Again?"
CHO: During his decade-long acting career, Doyle says his characters, both in film and TV, have been killed off seven times. Shot.
DOYLE: You`ve got to figure out, you know, how the bullets hit you and, you know, whether you`re going to fall back or fall forward.
CHO: Stabbed -
DOYLE: When you`re stabbed, you just kind of clutch and then drop out of frame.
CHO: Even electrocuted on a fence. Then, there`s the double whammy - shot, then blown up on a boat.
CHO (on camera): What is this?
DOYLE: I don`t know, Alina. I think I`m having a - getting a little bit of a complex here. You know, let the guy live.
CHO (voice-over): His worst performance? Doyle says, hands down, this one - fire-balled on a submarine in the movie "Phantom Below" where he got a little carried away and said this -
DOYLE: I`m so cold. I`m so cold. And when I was watching it, my friends were like, "Oh, my god, they did not write that."
CHO (on camera): They did -
DOYLE: And I was like, "No, they didn`t. I improved it."
CHO (voice-over): So what does mom think about it all?
DOYLE: She`ll call up and say, "Mike - Mom. I know it`s not real, but I just have to call to see if you`re OK."
CHO: He`s more than OK. Doyle is just starting production on a new movie with Nicole Kidman. And guess what? There`s a new ending.
(on camera): So in this latest project, you actually get to live. What is that like?
DOYLE: It`s a new, great, wonderful feeling.
CHO: It`s about time?
DOYLE: It`s about time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I`ve been dying to see that story. That was CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now, the SHOWBIZ lineup, here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Breaking Miss California news - Carrie Prejean fired. What did she do this time and should Donald Trump be furious after giving her a second chance?
Also brand-new details into David Carradine`s sex life. His ex-wife tells all about what happened behind closed doors. Did sex have anything to do with Carradine`s mysterious death?
And did Barbara Walters really strip down for a big Hollywood producer to get to scoop on a big story? Well, Barbara sets the record straight. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, it`s time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: "The Sims 3" video game has sold more than 1.4 million units since release June 2nd. Rosie O`Donnell will return to Broadway in revival of "Babes in Arms.")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, breaking news about controversial Miss California. Carrie Prejean who set off a gay marriage firestorm gets the boot from Donald Trump. What did she do now? We`ve got all the fast- moving developments.
Also breaking developments in the shocking death of David Carradine. Gruesome pictures from the room where he died. Plus, his ex-wife reveals her theory on what really happened that fateful night.
Kathy Griffin unleashed, the D-lister doesn`t mince words. And now, she`s taking swipes at Jon and Kate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: He`s a tool, you know. And I know people think she`s a nightmare and they want to call in and say she`s horrible. He`s a tool. He`s in there rolling his eyes. And you know, it`s Kate plus nine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jon and Kate are not alone. Susan Boyle, Michael Jackson - Kathy`s is going off right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and trust me, no one is safe.
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`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
Tonight, Carrie Prejean fired. Donald Trump has had it with Miss California USA. And very late today, Trump told her, "You`re fired." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT confirmed this shocking late-breaking news that Donald Trump is absolutely over the beauty queen and her diva ways. We`ve uncovered what she did to spark the wrath of the Donald.
Also brand new tonight, disturbing new death photos of David Carradine surface and an unbelievable new interview with Carradine`s third wife who talks about his sex life and why she thinks his death was a case of foul play.
Joining me tonight in New York, Midwin Charles who`s an attorney with the Midwin Charles and Associates law firm in New York. And tonight, in New York is Carolina Bermudez who`s a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
Let us get right to this incredible news. Donald Trump fires Miss California USA Carrie Prejean. This is not because of her controversial opinions against gay marriage. It is not because of those racy topless photos that surfaced.
It turns out she wasn`t honoring her contractual obligations. She wasn`t showing up at events. Donald Trump telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he gave Miss California USA the green light to fire Prejean saying quote, "I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the Miss California USA Organization and I gave her the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, it just doesn`t look like it`s going to happen and I offered Keith (that`s Miss California`s executive director) my full support in making this decision."
Carolina, of to you, this really came out of nowhere. Sounds like Trump was just fed up and he`s the one who stood behind her all this time.
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I think he should be fed up. She`s a flake, A.J. And that`s the whole reason why she got fired. And somewhere, Perez Hilton is cackling in a corner because this is exactly what he wanted.
You know, as Carrie Prejean came out, she was supposed to represent not only the state of California but also the organization. And she was not doing that. I wouldn`t put it past her if she did this on purpose to say, "Hey, you know what? Screw the pageant. I can get all these TV offers. Now, I`m free."
HAMMER: Well, a couple of things - number one, Donald Trump, of course, owns the Miss USA pageant and therefore, that`s why he`s very involved with this. But we`re getting a whole different story from Carrie Prejean`s lawyer. He was completely blindsided and blown away by all of this. He denies she broke any contractual agreements.
Let me tell you what he is telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "This is all kind of a big shock. We`ve been working with Mr. Trump`s office; she`s been doing all the speaking engagements she`s been asked to do. It is not true that she has not been cooperating. Something is going on. The truth is not being told. For people to say that she breached her contract, that she is not doing speaking engagements is false."
Now, Midwin, let me ask this of you. You are the attorney on staff tonight here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Kind of hard to believe that businessman extraordinaire Donald Trump who stood behind her throughout the controversy would actually fire her without cause.
MIDWIN CHARLES, ATTORNEY, MIDWIN CHARLES AND ASSOCIATES: That`s exactly right. And you have to remember, A.J., here that Donald Trump should have fired her. She clearly was in breach of her contract back when she took those nude photos.
But you`re right. There`s no way he`s going to fire her and not be able to point to some place in the contract that she breached. It`s going to be probably something clear-cut and something simple.
What Carrie needs to understand is that being Miss California is a job. You get up every day. You go to work and you do what you are told. This is not a freebie. This is not fun. This is not skating in the park. Get to work.
HAMMER: Well, it can be fun. You know, you do get to do some fun things along the way, but you`ve got to show up. Of course, it was right after the topless photos surfaced of Carrie Prejean in all the way back in May that Donald Trump announced at a news conference that she could keep her crown. Oh, let`s reminisce, shall we?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, OWNER, MISS USA FRANCHISE: They were having some miscommunication with Carrie. And I use the term "miscommunication" somewhat loosely. But they were having miscommunication. The communication problem, I believe, is totally solved. And this is, I think, really very important to understand. They are really getting along very well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, that was then. This is now. My, how things have changed. Carolina, Donald Trump, of course, really stuck his neck out there for Carrie Prejean. You think he`s got a little egg on his face?
BERMUDEZ: He does. And you know what, A.J.? He`s done this in the past before. You know, we saw it with Tara Conner previously. And he does seem to be a very forgiving owner of this whole pageant.
But I think at the end of the day, he looked and he saw how many people were so upset and affected by her not showing up to her speaking engagements or not telling them about the things that she was reportedly doing. So I think now this was the right step for him to take in order to save the pageant.
HAMMER: You know, there are a lot of people cheering about this decision today, some publicly, some privately. A couple of that are absolutely thrilled. Well, Perez Hilton, of course. Perez was the judge who asked Miss California that gay marriage question that started off the whole controversy.
Here`s what he told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT late today. This is his simple quote. He said, "Better late than never." Also thrilled, Miss Malibu, Tami Farrell who`s going to be taking Prejean`s place as Miss California. What do you think, Midwin? This could actually be a good thing for Carrie Prejean. You know, she could do whatever the heck she wants now if she`s responsible.
CHARLES: Well, the whole thing is she`s in the media now. She`s enjoying her 15 minutes. She no longer needs the pageant to do what it is that she needs to do. She`s been embraced by conservatives. She`s been embraced by the Republican Party. Whatever it is that she needs to do, she now is in the pulpit and can do it.
HAMMER: Yes. Let`s move on to another story. This is just incredible and is making big news right now. Brand-new disturbing reports that leaked death photos of David Carradine`s dead body are being shopped today the highest bidder.
Now, Carradine was found dead, as we know, in a Thailand hotel room with rope tied around his neck, and his wrists and his genitals. And word is, not only were these crime scene photos leaked, but now, there are photos of Carradine`s body after the autopsy now being shopped around. This is unbelievable to me.
Midwin, let me go back to you. Carradine`s family obviously has to be appalled by this. Is there anything they can do from a legal standpoint to stop really what is such a horrific invasion of privacy?
CHARLES: Well, it might be difficult because you have to first figure out who has the photographs. It`s very difficult to do that because, yes, there`s a right of privacy here.
But now you`re talking about two different jurisdictions. You`re talking about Thailand. You`re talking about the United States. Before even deciding whether they can have a legal recourse or legal course of action here, you first have to establish who has the photographs. And I don`t think that that`s clear here.
HAMMER: Yes. This is just so sad that somebody would actually do that. I mean, it is subhuman to me. Thai investigators believe he either committed suicide or he died during auto-erotic asphyxiation. I mess it up every time.
Tonight, we have a brand-new interview from "Radar Online." This comes from Carradine`s third wife. Her name is Gail Jensen. And Gail says she believes it was foul play. She doesn`t think he committed suicide. And she claims that Carradine did enjoy tying himself up. And it was a normal part of their 15-year marriage. Take a look at what she says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where did he like to kind of tie himself?
JENSEN: In the bedroom, where else? In front of the fireplace with a gorgeous swimming pool. And then, I`d walk in and say, "Oh, honey, you`ve got to be kidding me."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you ever participate in any of this?
JENSEN: No, no, no. I`d just leave him alone and go take care of my business and bring him food and say, "That`s funny, OK."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And it would always just be the hands, not the neck?
JENSEN: Never, never, never.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Carolina, I know you`ve been looking into this as well. Claims like this - they`ve got to be factoring this into the investigation as they move forward, wouldn`t you imagine?
BERMUDEZ: Absolutely. And you know, despite the fact that she`s saying that maybe there was foul play going on, it`s unconscionable to think that she would even speak to anyone at this point right now.
This is still under investigation. And it`s unethical and it`s exploitation of a deceased human being. It really is kind of sickening. And you know, I was really disappointed in the fact that she would come and speak out about their marriage right now when nobody really knows. Instead of giving her statement to the tabloids, she should have waited and given it to the authorities.
HAMMER: Yes. I`ve got to say, what a case of terrible timing. It will be interesting to see if the authorities do, in fact, end up using these types of things as they move forward trying to figure out exactly what happened to David Carradine. Midwin Charles, Carolina Bermudez, thanks, guys. I appreciate it.
Well, we all know Carrie Prejean`s racy pictures came back to bite her in the butt. But now, is Barbara Walters, of all people, caught up in a sexy scandal of her own? You`d better believe the SHOWBIZ Truth Squad is all over this one.
Wait until you hear about the wild story involving Barbara with a bottle of champagne and wearing little more than her birthday suit.
Plus, Kathy Griffin unleashed. She is going off on reality stores Jon and Kate Gosselin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: He`s a tool. And you know, I know people think she`s a nightmare and they want to call in and say she`s horrible. He`s a tool. He`s in there rolling his eyes. You know, it`s Kate plus nine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yikes. And wait until you hear Kathy dish on Susan Boyle, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. It`s the brand-new SHOWBIZ interview with our favorite celebrity D-lister, coming up next.
And the so-called pregnant man gives birth again. And there`s an all- new fired-up debate about if he`s really a man or a woman.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Child star of "Slumdog Millionaire" gets new home from film producers. Las Vegas star Danny Gans` death ruled accidental because of toxic drug reaction.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Oh, wow. Did you see that? A black bird in San Francisco is attacking people as they walk down the street. Now, some experts say this bird may just be trying to protect its nest. Thankfully, nobody`s been seriously hurt in the attacks. But wow.
This bird actually now has a cult following. People are actually camping out to watch people getting the bird. I`d probably do that.
Tonight, it`s Kathy Griffin unleashed. Kathy is a successful comedienne and a two-time Emmy award-winning reality show star. And now, she has taken brand-new dramatic turn from her show "My Life on the D-List" and becoming a controversial and provocative SHOWBIZ news commentator.
Kathy and I sat down for a candid one-on-one and she dished about all of the latest SHOWBIZ newsmakers. And as you would expect, Kathy did not mince words. I started out by asking her all about the drama with "Jon & Kate Plus 8" and whether Jon and Kate should pull the plug on their show for the sake of their kids. And that was just the beginning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: I don`t care about the kids. I don`t know their names and I don`t think they do either. But they do seem to get a lot of free swag and they`re on like their seventh house now. People just keep giving them houses. And you know, Jon has got the hair plugs which is what it`s all about, being a dad. Because, you know, it`s about the kids.
Did you love it when they sit there on that stained chair? And he`s got the hair plugs going, "I`m here for my kids."
HAMMER (voice-over): Yes.
GRIFFIN: All right. He`s a tool. I know people think she`s a nightmare and they want to call in she`s horrible. He`s a tool, sitting there rolling his eyes. You know, it`s Kate plus nine. That`s what that show is.
HAMMER: OK.
GRIFFIN: And she`s another one. She`s another winner with the tummy tuck and you know - my mother didn`t have a tummy tuck. She has a box of wine and a muumuu and she hides it.
HAMMER: And you did just fine.
GRIFFIN: That`s right.
HAMMER: And you did just fine. OK, let`s talk about Susan Boyle. I know you`re a huge fan of this woman and I`m sure you`re happy that she is doing better. She had a little trouble after the show ended. What do you think we can expect from Susan in the future? Is she going to be bigger than Barbara? I mean, what do you think?
GRIFFIN: I think she`s going to put out a record and I think it will be called a record, because it`s a little old school that way. And I like her. I completely can see why she would have that breakdown, to go from complete obscurity - and you know, give her her cat, for god`s sake. She just wants her cat back.
HAMMER: Yes.
GRIFFIN: And now, they`re putting her up at the door tester, whatever it is, these fancy high fallutin` lifestyles. So I think she really is talented and people love her. But I completely can understand. And the British press is vicious. So I`m sure they just gun for every minute.
HAMMER: It`s different than it is here.
GRIFFIN: Yes. Big deal, she took a little weekend off. Who cares? You know, have you ever seen Lindsay Lohan? Lindsay Lohan does this four, five times a year. Susan Boyle just did it one time.
HAMMER: OK.
GRIFFIN: I think she should have all the breakdowns and hit records she wants.
HAMMER: Two huge superstar comebacks are coming. If you watched SHOWBIZ TONIGHT regularly, you`d know who we`re talking about.
GRIFFIN: Whitney?
HAMMER: Whitney Houston`s dropping a new album. Michael Jackson reportedly going to be on stage. He scheduled some dates. What can we expect? Who is going to come out on top with these massive comebacks of 2009?
GRIFFIN: A.J., don`t toy with me because we`ve just now been through the Britney comeback, which was really her lip syncing through a Klonopin haze during that tour which I enjoyed. I`m not a pharmacist. I don`t know if it was Klonopin. It could have been Xanax.
But I like her very much. It was fun seeing that show. And yet, her eyes were like pinwheels. Now, I think that when Michael Jackson does his tour or 50 shows in England or wherever it is, I don`t know how he`s going to sing since there`s a hole in the middle of his face where there used to be a nose. And you know me - I`m not afraid of the face work, but at least, I still actually have my features.
And the Whitney Houston comeback, we`ve all been waiting. And I will say this, even on that crazy "Being Bobby Brown" show, which I believe was one of the greatest shows in history television.
HAMMER: Sure. Certainly, I could see why you would think that.
GRIFFIN: Of course. Even though Whitney seemed a little - how shall I say it? Cracky at times, allegedly, she still could always sing really well. So I think that that comeback makes sense. And I think Clive Davis is pulling some sort of puppet action where he`s got - you know, he`s pulling the strings there and making sure that she still reels in the big bucks. But we all want to sing Whitney. What about that "Newsweek" cover on "Oprah?"
HAMMER: How about that? What`s your take on that? They`re saying Oprah is doling out some advice, not such great advice to be giving out.
GRIFFIN: OK. I give "Newsweek" 10 days before it`s old. Because -
HAMMER: She can squash them?
GRIFFIN: Yes.
HAMMER: You don`t mess with O.
GRIFFIN: First of all, I don`t think she`s happy with the picture. Not enough airbrushing. I wouldn`t be.
HAMMER: OK.
GRIFFIN: And I think that they will mysteriously go away like "Real Housewives of New Jersey" style where they`re just going to be missing.
HAMMER: Just kind of go out.
GRIFFIN: Yes. And like, they`ll probably end up being a blog within two weeks.
HAMMER: All right.
GRIFFIN: Because you don`t mess with O.
HAMMER: No. Not even "Newsweek." Thanks for being here, Kathy. I really appreciate it.
GRIFFIN: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: Good luck with this season of the show.
GRIFFIN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: The next Emmy Award-winning season of "My Life in the D-List."
GRIFFIN: Oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED) Jon and Kate.
(CROSS TALK)
Yes. They`re so awful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, goodness. You can catch Kathy Griffin, "My Life on the D- List" Mondays, 10:00 p.m. on Bravo.
Well, tonight, the so-called pregnant man gives birth again. Thomas Beatie was born a woman that is transgendered and is legally male. This historic delivery caused a massive coast-to-coast debate about whether or not Beatie really was a pregnant man, which is the way everyone had been describing him.
Well, I can tell you this debate is picking up steam all over again. And the ladies of "The View" had lots of fired-up questions for the mom - or dad of two. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE VIEW": Now, this is the question. If you are legally declared a man by the state - and by the way, we do not know what it says about them on the birth certificate. That`s very murky.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": What about the hospital records.
(CROSS TALK)
HASSELBECK: When you go into the hospital -
WALTERS: He would check that he was the father. But if you are legally determined a man, you have a legal marriage license, you have a social security number that says you are a man, what is -
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": If you have a baby, you`re a woman.
WALTERS: That`s it.
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": And if you want to be a man - if you keep saying you want to be a man (INAUDIBLE) is what I`m saying. If you want to be a man, do it. Go all the way.
GOLDBERG: If you have a baby vaginally, you`re a woman.
SHEPHERD: You are, because -
GOLDBERG: Because no man - you know, it`s one thing to think that you`re feeling about something. But there are certain things you can`t do. And men - men-men cannot have babies. They don`t have the inside -
(CROSS TALK)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You know, there are a lot of gay couples - women - that one is very butch and the other is very feminine - all that stuff. They go through their lives very happily.
GOLDBERG: Sure.
BEHAR: One looks a little masculine and the other doesn`t. One has a baby. And they don`t go on television and tell the world what they`re doing. These people annoy me in that way. Even though you say they`re lovely, why don`t they just do it and be quiet about it? Why do they have to go on TV with that?
(CROSS TALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Barbara Walters sat down with Beatie exclusively on her other show, "20/20," before the birth of his baby girl last year. And she was the first to reveal the birth of Beatie`s second child, which is a little boy.
Well, Barbara Walters herself is making some big headlines. Did she strip down and seduce a Hollywood producer back in the day?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?
HAMMER: I mean, that sounds insane, doesn`t it? It sounds crazy. Well, the SHOWBIZ Truth Squad is setting the record straight on a wild story about Barbara, a bottle of champagne, and nothing more than her in her skivvies. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom that are new right now. Tonight, big Britney Spears romance news. "People.com" reports the pop superstar is dating her agent. Now, there had been rumors linking the two for at least three months, but now, it is official.
And impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich takes another leap toward Hollywood. He`s performing for one night in "Rod Blagojevich Superstar." The show is a Blago parody that comedians have been performing in Chicago`s Second City Comedy Club.
Blago will donate some of the cash he makes that night to Gilda`s Club, a cancer support group founded by Gilda Radner, the late "Saturday Night Live" and Second City performer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, did Barbara Walters use champagne and caviar to seduce a Hollywood bigwig? Well, we`ve got a SHOWBIZ Truth Squad APB out on this one.
Jon Peters, the legendary producer behind "A Star is Born" and "Batman" is reportedly shopping around a steamy tell-all book which includes details of a tryst with Barbara Walters. Believe it or not, this is a story that`s been floating around Hollywood for decades. But is it true?
Well, the SHOWBIZ Truth Squad goes right to the source for this one. This morning on "The View," Barbara gives the juicy details and sets the record straight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: Thirty years ago, I did my very first special at ABC with Jon Peters and Barbra Streisand. They were together then, and it was a fine interview. Fine. Now, he says, evidently, that I invited him alone to my New York apartment for a pre-interview, OK? I plied him with -
(CROSS TALK)
I plied him with champagne and caviar, changed into something comfortable, leaving my bedroom door strategically ajar as I stripped down to my bra and panties.
(SCREAMING)
SHEPHERD: How do you go with you to that? Barbara, I heard you were doing the freaky. How do you play?
(CROSS TALK)
HASSELBECK: What you do you do about this one?
WALTER: Well, I have a choice. I either sue for defamation of character or I say thank you because it`s the sexiest thing that`s ever been said about me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, Barbara. So the SHOWBIZ Truth Squad will take that to mean this story is totally false - case closed.
Well, former President George H.W. Bush turns 85 on Friday, celebrating by skydiving with the Army`s Golden Knights. Now, he celebrated his 75th and his 80th birthday this way. This time, HLN`s own Robin Meade, who of course hosts "Morning Express," is interviewing and then skydiving with the former president. You`re going to see the actual jump on Friday on HLN`s "Morning Express." You won`t want to miss it. And then, the lovely Robin will be right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to tell us all about it.
On Tuesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. We asked, "Adam Lambert Says He`s Gay: Will it affect his career?" Only 17 percent said yes; 83 percent said no.
A lot of E-mails are coming in on this, including one from Brit in West Virginia. Brit writes, "I don`t think Adam`s coming out will affect his career too much. Even though I am a teenage girl, it doesn`t make me feel any different about him."
And Leslie from Alabama writes, "I would say people knew all along. And if his sexuality was a big deal, he wouldn`t have made it to second. Who cares anymore?"
Well, thank you for watching. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s. We`re on at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern on HLN.
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