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Showbiz Tonight
New Twists in the Investigation into Michael Jackson`s Death; The Other Side of Debbie Rowe; Jon Gosselin Fights Back; Is Tony Romo Dissing Jessica Simpson?
Aired July 15, 2009 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, GUEST HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, startling new twists in the investigation into Michael Jackson`s death. Tonight, for the very first time, the coroner speaks out about Michael`s doctors. Are police any closer to figuring out what killed Michael?
Plus, bombshell new revelations from one of M.J.`s security guards. Did Michael really reveal to him that he had a drug addiction?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK SCHAFFEL, FRIEND OF DEBBIE ROWE: Debbie is a very caring, wonderful, warm person. She was a friend of Michael`s for over 30 years. She is the mother of two of his children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Tonight, the dramatic new details about Debbie Rowe`s relationship with Michael Jackson. Plus, late-breaking developments in the battle for Michael`s kids. Could Blanket`s mom come forward and fight for custody? And will all the Jackson kids have to speak in open court?
And Jon fights back. "Jon & Kate`s" just-separated Jon speaks out about dating the 22-year-old daughter of Kate`s plastic surgeon. But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, is it true love or is it all just a publicity stunt?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Hello, everybody. I`m Ashleigh Banfield in New York. A.J. Hammer has the night off tonight.
And tonight, brand-new explosive bombshells in the investigation into Michael Jackson`s death. Are investigators closing in on what killed the King of Pop? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the late-breaking developments.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you exclusively that there was a secret meeting between the doctor who was with Michael Jackson when he died and the Los Angeles Police Department. It happened the very week of Michael`s death. What happened and why it was a secret - I`ve got the stunning details.
And a second Jackson doctor gets a visit from the Los Angeles Coroner`s Office. It`s the same doctor Michael visited just days before his death.
Also tonight, Michael`s brother and Michael`s former bodyguard are out with new claims that Michael was addicted to drugs. Tonight, Tito Jackson`s stunning revelations that the Jackson family once confronted Michael in an intervention. So why did Michael shut them out?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Pat Lalama who is an investigative journalist. And in New York, Jane Velez-Mitchell, who is the host of "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL," which you can see every night right here, 7:00 p.m. on HLN.
All right, guys. I`ve got to start with the breaking news exclusive to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Just moments ago, I got off the phone with sources close to this investigation. And listen to this - these sources are telling me that Dr. Conrad Murray, the doctor who was right there when Jackson died, was interrogated by the LAPD for 3 1/2 hours just two days after Jackson died.
And not only that, it was at a secret location. And now, that location has been confirmed as a Los Angeles hotel. Jane, how big a deal is this?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Well, I think it`s very significant. And I have to say it raises a big question. Did Dr. Murray have his own attorney present during that interrogation? For his sake, I certainly hope he did.
BANFIELD: Jane, I got that late-breaking news, too. He was seated beside one of his attorneys. There may have been others in that room as well, but definitely, one of his attorneys that represents him now and the LAPD members.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, actually, that makes sense because there were reports immediately following Michael Jackson`s death that Dr. Conrad Murray had kind of gone off the radar screen and disappeared and reemerged all lawyered-up.
Perhaps, that secret meeting is the reason why. And I can think of many questions if I were a detective I`d want to ask him. Number one, why, if in fact the reports are true that there was all this surgical level medical equipment at Michael Jackson`s house including canisters of oxygen and IV drips and Propofol, Diprivan - the surgical knockout drug - what was the reason for that and was Dr. Conrad Murray administering that?
BANFIELD: Well, I`ll tell you there had to be a whole lot of information being passed because it was 3 1/2 hours long. Pat, why do you think the LAPD wanted to keep this meeting under wraps?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Why wouldn`t they? It`s because of us. I mean, clearly, this was sensitive material. It was just shortly after the death of Michael Jackson. This man was already being touted in the media as someone who could be under great amounts of suspicion. His actions seemed suspicious.
In my history covering the LAPD, of course - to take him to a secret place, get the cameras out of the way, make sure he`s got his lawyers there so it can`t come back and haunt you later and get the information they need. The LAPD clearly doing the job they`re supposed to do.
BANFIELD: I`ll tell you, even when a lawyer`s present, you can still get yourself into a buck-load of trouble. I do want to tell you that their offices say no subpoenas, no search warrants have been served on Dr. Murray to this point.
Now, this is all coming the day after the investigator from the Los Angeles`s Coroner`s Office paid a visit to a second Jackson doctor, Dr. Arnie Klein, who was Jackson`s dermatologist. And get this, this was the same doctor Michael that visited the week of his death.
But what was the coroner looking for? Here`s what the assistant chief coroner had to say outside of Dr. Klein`s office in Beverly Hills.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: How many medical records have you been able to get?
DR. ED WINTER, ASSISTANT CHIEF CORONER: Dr. Klein has cooperated with us extensively and that`s all I can say.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Is Dr. Klein the only doctor under investigation? How many doctors are you looking at?
WINTER: We`re not investigating the doctors. We`re investigating Mr. Michael Jackson`s death. And we`re contacting all of his doctors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: How many doctors have you spoken to?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Was any medication (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
WINTER: No, no, we`re not here for medication or whatever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Hard to hear that, but he did say they`re not investigating the doctors but they`re investigating Jackson`s death at this point. Jane, why is he making that distinction?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, whether you`re a cop or a coroner, it`s a heck of a lot easier to get information out of somebody like a doctor if you`re nice. If you create an adversarial relationship from the get-go, that doctor goes into fear, gets lawyered-up and says, "I`m not going to give anything unless I have to."
So if you`re civil and you say they`re cooperating, it`s kind of a self- fulfilling prophecy, maybe they will. And I want to get back to Dr. Conrad Murray for a second. They did seize a car, reportedly, that was connected to Dr. Conrad Murray immediately following Jackson`s death that was at Jackson`s L.A. mansion.
BANFIELD: All right. Another brand-new bombshell in the investigation here that Michael Jackson`s death, of course, is just being covered, blanketed by press here. But new claims by a former Jackson bodyguard who says that Michael was definitely - definitely addicted to prescription drugs. CNN`s Randi Kaye spoke to the bodyguard. And on "Anderson Cooper 360," she details what he had to say. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He worked for Jackson from 2001 until 2004. And he told me, quote, "Jackson and I spoke of his addiction and how hard he was working and how he was trying to do everything in his power to avoid having a need to be on drugs."
He said Jackson was taking lots of prescription medicines and that he, quote, "didn`t like the way it made him feel." He says that`s what Michael Jackson told him. He also told me that Jackson had serious trouble sleeping. He said he had a, quote, "constant beat in his head."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Couldn`t get the beat out of his head. This is not the first time that I`ve been hearing Michael Jackson was an insomniac. Remember, the nurse who came out to say that Jackson desperately wanted Diprivan to help him sleep because he just couldn`t get any on his own. Pat, does this just add fuel to the fire?
LALAMA: It does. But I have to tell you, Ashleigh, the people who probably know for a fact that Michael Jackson used drugs, had a problem with drugs, all those people could probably line up and wrap around Neverland. The issue is, now everyone`s coming forward.
I do understand when a person is an addict, you build the walls, you try to hide. You try to deny it. You don`t want anyone to help you. You pretend that there`s no issue.
But the fact is, it`s a little bit insidious to me that now everyone`s marching forward saying, "Oh, he told me," or "I suspected" or "I saw." You know what? This man needed severe - severely needed help and somebody dropped the ball along the way.
BANFIELD: I think a whole bunch of people may have dropped the ball on this one, too. It`s not just the security guard, by the way, speaking out about Michael`s drug addiction problems.
Before he died, Michael`s own brother, Tito Jackson, says that Michael was so addicted that the family staged an intervention.
Take a look at what he reportedly told London`s "Daily Mirror," quote, "We bust right into the house and he was surprised to see us to say the least. We kept asking him if it was true what we had heard that he was using drugs. He kept denying it. He said we were overreacting. And after that occasion, we tried many times, but his team of people just shut us out. They would let us close. The literally shut us out. I don`t know if they`re just doing their job or if they were part of some kind of conspiracy," end quote.
OK. So you`ve got the security guard. You`ve got La Toya Jackson alleging that Jackson`s drug abuse and the intervention all happened. And now, you`ve got Tito with a very same story. Jane, how much weight can we give to these stories considering they now kind of corroborated and considering we still have so many unanswered questions?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, one thing I`ve found covering Michael Jackson over the years, it`s extremely hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to this superstar because his own behavior was so eccentric and bizarre it raised the bar and really opened the door for us to believe anything that anybody says about Michael Jackson.
And that`s part of the tragedy of his life, really. Now, as far as all these stories, well, first we heard that Janet Jackson tried to do an intervention with the family but the security guards kept her out. Now, we`re hearing, oh, they did a military-style bust through the gates of Neverland and went in.
It seems like there are flourishes being added to this story. This is exactly what we heard with the molestation trial where every time you heard a story, it became more sordid.
BANFIELD: Right.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So again, I don`t know where fiction ends and fact begins.
BANFIELD: OK. I`ve got a couple of seconds left and I want to get Pat in on this. Toxicology report expected Friday, but now saying Monday, anyway, within a week. Do you think that will be the end of it, Pat?
LALAMA: Oh, heavens, no. Of course, it depends on the coroner`s ruling. No, away we go right after that. Right, Jane?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
BANFIELD: Can I make the booking now? Can you guys come around again? Pat Lalama, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thank you both. .
All right. Tonight, Michael Jackson`s ex-wife as you have never seen her before.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEBBIE ROWE, MICHAEL JACKSON`S EX-WIFE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
SCHAFFEL: Debbie`s a very caring, wonderful, warm person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Tonight, one of Debbie Rowe`s closest friends speaks out. What was Debbie`s relationship with Michael really like? Dramatic new details.
Plus, late-breaking developments in the battle for Michael`s kids. Could Blanket`s biological mom come forward and fight for custody? And will all of the Jackson kids have to speak in open court?
Also tonight, Jon fights back. Jon and Kate`s just-separated Jon speaks out about dating the 22-year-old daughter of Kate`s plastic surgeon. But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, is it true love or is it just a publicity stunt?
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Have you ever had any mishaps texting while walking?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I stepped in dog poo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: This is no LOL matter. The unbelievable story of a girl who fell down a manhole while texting - OMG. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Michael Jackson has sold more than 2.3 million albums since his death. Cover art for Whitney Houston`s new album, "I Look to You," out 9/1, is revealed.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BANFIELD: Wow. Did you see this? Motocross star Robbie Maddison jumped London`s Thames River in the wee hours of the morning. He did a no-hands back flip on his bike from one part of the famous tower bridge to the other with big old gaps in between.
Besides getting on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, why would a guy do such a crazy, crazy thing? To promote a Red Bull motocross tournament. And I don`t think any amount of Red Bull would get me to try that.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, everyone. I`m Ashleigh Banfield, in for A.J. Hammer.
Well, back-flipping over dangerous bridges - that`s pretty hard-core and only a few people would dare do that. But you know something? There is something just as dangerous that many of us do every day and we don`t even think twice about it. I`m talking about text-walking - texting on your phone while walking on the street. I`ll admit it. I have done it, in Manhattan, no less - not smart. But just ask the girl who fell into a manhole while text-walking.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice-over): It`s one of those stories that almost sounds like a joke.
(on camera): Did you hear about the girl that fell into a manhole ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.
MOOS: ... while texting?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.
MOOS (voice-over): This 15-year-old from Staten Island fell six feet into this manhole.
ALEXA LONGUEIRA, FELL INTO A MANHOLE WHILE TEXTING: There was no warning of a big open hole.
KIM LONGUEIRA, MOTHER OF ALEXA LONGUEIRA: How could my kid fall down a manhole?
MOOS: Well, for one thing, workers left the manhole open, her mom says, while they went to get safety cones. But the daughter was also checking out a text message on a friend`s cell phone.
Folks heard texting was involved. Insults like "idiot moron" started to fly. People posted joke text messages. This one translates to, "Oh my god. Be right back. I landed in sewer. Talk to you later once I`m out of here."
People who themselves text while walking shouldn`t throw stones.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I tripped over a cone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had a tree branch - it snapped the tree branch like that.
MOOS (on camera): I run into these.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A pole? We call this a pole.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I`ve walked into the middle of, like, dog leashes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I ran into a bicyclist two days ago.
MOOS (voice-over): How about a motorcyclist texting while driving on an expressway? In the age when texting occurs at 12,000 feet while freefalling, not to mention while falling asleep, someone coined this term -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The techno-sexual.
MOOS: In a mock public service announcement from the Web site Gizmodo. We all have our excuses -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was checking a date.
MOOS (on camera): I read. I go through it and I delete E-mails.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m `embarrassed by my texting. There should be a black line over it.
MOOS: Delete?
(voice-over): In London, a service street was outfitted with padding to protect preoccupied texters, though it seemed a little staged. It turns out this was a stunt involving a phone directory company. At the rate we`re going, maybe we could use a little sonar in our cell phones, as demonstrated by this Hungarian research group -
(on camera): Have you ever had any mishaps texting while walking?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I stepped in dog poo.
MOOS (voice-over): At least she didn`t end getting banged up in a manhole with four inches of sewage. LOL - it isn`t.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BANFIELD: And that was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. There is no slowdown in the amount of "Showbiz on Call" phone calls, E-mails, Facebook comments from you about Michael Jackson.
We got a call into "Showbiz on Call" from Kathy in Pennsylvania. She thinks everyone is ignoring Michael`s wishes when it comes to custody of his kids.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KATHY, CALLER FROM PENNSYLVANIA: What I don`t understand, Michael Jackson has a will and I thought wills are supposed to be carried out. And they are not going by his wishes if they are bringing Joe and Debbie Rowe into the whole situation. You`re told to get a will, but nobody is going by what Michael Jackson wanted. And I think that`s a disgrace.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Thank you, Kathy. And as you know, Michael left his father, Joe, out of his will. But the law says you can`t just leave your kids to someone like you would a car or a house or money.
So over to Facebook now, where Amanda V. gives her thoughts on Joe, Debbie Rowe and the kids, writing this, "I believe Debbie Rowe is in this for money. She never wanted anything to do with the kids before. If she was worried about Joe, then why didn`t she have a problem with it when the kids would be around him before?"
And Maria M. writes this on her Facebook wall, "I think that Debbie should step aside. But if Joe Jackson is thinking of making those kids into the `Jackson 3,` I`m going to be sick! He should go away, too."
BANFIELD: If you haven`t already done so, and why not, join up on Facebook. Sign up at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. It`s easy to do. And you can always call us, too, at "Showbiz on Call" about Michael Jackson or anything else that`s on your mind. Call us at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728- 2899.
And I`ve got to tell you we`re also getting a whole lot of calls into "Showbiz on Call." We`ve got E-mails, Facebook comments all about this brand-new Jon and Kate shocker. Jon`s got a new girlfriend, the 22-year- old daughter of Kate`s plastic surgeon. Tonight, for the first time, Jon is speaking out about his new relationship. But we`ve got to ask, is it really true love or is it just one big publicity stunt?
We`ll also have this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
SCHAFFEL: Debbie`s a very caring, wonderful, warm person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Tonight, one of Debbie Rowe`s best friends opens up with unbelievable new details about Michael Jackson`s ex-wife and the mother of two of his kids. Plus, will Blanket`s mom step forward and fight for custody?
And Tony Romo just dumped Jessica Simpson, in fact, the night before her birthday, ouch! But is he going one step further and dissing her again? Somebody throw a penalty flag here. 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: Courtney Cox and husband David Arquette to star in fourth "Scream" movie. Hugh Jackman to star in "Avon Man," a movie where a guy sells Avon cosmetics.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BANFIELD: President Obama throws out the first pitch at the Major League Baseball all-star game in St. Louis on Tuesday night. It wasn`t quite a strike. But the lefty didn`t bounce it in front of home plate either.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Ashleigh Banfield, in for A.J. Hammer.
Barack Obama has become the first president to throw out the first pitch during the all-star game since Gerald Ford did it back in 1976.
And let me tell you, from experience, it is a lot harder than it looks. The distance from the pitcher`s mound to home plate is about 60 feet. You`ll notice President Obama sporting a Chicago White Sox jacket. So when he went into the play-by-play booth during the game, Fox`s Tim McCarver and Joe Buck just had to ask, what`s with the jacket?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: Listen, everybody knows I`m a White Sox fan and my wife thinks I look cute in this jacket. So, you know, between those two things, why not?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPORTSCASTER: Why not?
OBAMA: Why not?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: That`s all that matters. The president added he doesn`t hate the Cubs, Chicago`s other team, but just doesn`t root for them. You know how it goes.
Also tonight, Forbes.com is out with its very first list of the most influential women in media. No shocker here - Oprah is at the top of the list. Women were picked based on press mentions, audience, earnings and social media in order to determine what their influence overall was.
And some surprises - right below Oprah are, number two, "Good Morning America" host Diane Sawyer, ahead of her ABC buddy, Barbara Walters, third. On "The View" today, actually, the ladies gave themselves a pat on the back. But was Whoopi being cynical? Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": "Forbes.com" just came out with its most influential women in media list. Barbara Walters is number three.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
"The View" co-hosts come in at number 11.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
So does that round out to number 14 for you, since you`re also a "View" co- host and one of the most influential women? And who are they, by the way?
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Everybody knows everybody.
(CROSS TALK)
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Congratulations to all of you.
(CROSS TALK)
GOLDBERG: Everybody and their momma is on this list. Any woman who has had more than a week on television is on this list. And we congratulate them all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: I`m not, Whoopi. What are you talking about? OK. Here we are, rounding out the top five, Ellen DeGeneres and Tyra Banks as well.
Jon and Kate have been pretty influential. Everyone`s still talking about them.
And now the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Jon Gosselin is speaking out about his 22-year-old girlfriend. But is it true love or just one big publicity stunt?
Brand-new developments in the battle over Michael Jackson`s kids. Will Blanket`s biological mom come forward and demand custody?
Tony Romo dumped Jessica Simpson on the night before her birthday, no less. But is he already dumping on her again? 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: Kathy Griffin will host Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which air 9/12. Miley Cyrus to play a teenage fairy in a new movie called "Wings.")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
SCHAFFEL: Debbie`s a very caring, wonderful, warm person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, startling new revelations about the real Debbie Rowe as a mom, as a friend.
Plus, inside the lives of Michael Jackson`s three young kids - intimate details about their lives with their dad and how they`re doing since his death.
Jon fights back. Tonight, "Jon & Kate`s" just-separated Jon is speaking out about his new girlfriend, the 22-year-old daughter of Kate`s plastic surgeon. But is this true love or just a publicity stunt?
And tonight, just days after dumping Jessica Simpson, is Tony Romo dissing her again?
Plus more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Ashleigh Banfield, in for A.J. Hammer.
Tonight, an uncertain future for Michael Jackson`s kids. It`s just one of the brand-new breaking developments in the Michael Jackson drama.
Breaking tonight, brand-new insight into the kids and what their life was like with their father, Michael. In a brand-new interview just uncovered by ABC News, you will hear Michael Jackson talk about being a dad to his three kids.
Also, brand new tonight, revelations about Debbie Rowe. Wait until you hear what one of her very good friends has to say about Michael Jackson`s ex-wife and the mother of his two older kids. I can tell you, it is a side of Rowe we have not seen out in public. And the wild card - the custody card.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM MORET, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": I`ll tell you the wild card - we don`t know where the biological mom is for Blanket. So everyone`s holding their breath thinking -
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Where did Blanket appear from?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: What about Blanket`s biological mom? How could she affect the custody of all three of Michael Jackson`s children?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Pat Lalama, who is an investigative journalist. And in New York, Carolina Bermudez who is the senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
All right. Ladies, I want to begin with the brand-new insight into Michael Jackson, the dad. In a just-released interview from August of 2008 with ABC News, Michael Jackson talks candidly about how much he loves being a father and the great lengths that he went to, to give those kids the normal childhood that he never had. Listen to this -
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MICHAEL JACKSON, POP STAR: I love composing and the whole thing, so - but I`m also raising my children and enjoying it and teaching them to ride bicycles and how to read. I love it. I`m letting them enjoy their childhood as much as possible. I really do. I let them go to the arcade and get out and see and go to the movies and do things. So I think that comes naturally, you know. I want them to get to do the things I didn`t get to do.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BANFIELD: We saw Michael Jackson`s only daughter, Paris, break down at the memorial service for her father. And now, add this insight from Michael Jackson on being a father. And I can`t help but think, did we really know the real Michael Jackson these past few years? Pat, what do you think?
LALAMA: He was a complicated person on so many different levels. And I have to tell you, for all the nefarious allegations, for all his strangeness, his alleged bizarre actions, I personally believe that separate from that, this man loved and adored his children.
I think that and performing were the only two things that filled up a great big hole in his soul. I think he was a tragically scarred person and these children gave him something to live for.
BANFIELD: Well, as we learn more about Michael, the dad, it certainly seems to conflict with the more controversial side of Michael Jackson that we`ve been seeing in the last few years. Carolina, do you think these brand-new revelations might just change the way people see Michael?
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I think so. Nobody ever got a chance to look inside his world. And so even lost tapes like this can give us a little bit of insight into how he was as a father.
We heard Paris when she spoke so highly of him and said that he was the best father that she`s ever had. And we just don`t know. We didn`t get a peek into his life as much as we would have liked to. So now, when we hear things like this, it only adds to what she said at his funeral or at his memorial.
BANFIELD: Well, as the revelations about Michael Jackson`s personal life continue to unfold, we`re learning more about someone else, the biological of Michael Jackson`s two oldest kids, Debbie Rowe.
And I can tell you that it is a side of Rowe that we haven`t heard about. In a brand-new interview with CNN`s Larry King, Mark Schaffel, a long-time friend of Debbie Rowe, says Debbie is getting a bad rap for no good reason. Watch this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHAFFEL: Debbie is a very caring, wonderful, warm person. I mean she`s a very humble person. People, you know, don`t give her credit that she was a friend of Michael`s for over 30 years. She is the mother of two of his children. She was married to Michael. You know, when Michael passed away, she was grieving like everybody else. And, you know, reporters and paparazzi were all up in her face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: This hasn`t exactly been easy for Debbie Rowe. Look at this video of Debbie just days after Michael died. She`s losing her cool with reporters who were chasing her. There`s certainly two sides to every story, Carolina. But is she being vilified unfairly?
BERMUDEZ: I don`t think so. I think her past behavior and some of the decisions she`s made in the past have made her a questionable person right now, just coming back out and trying to claim custody of these children. A lot of people are thinking maybe she is in it for the money.
I think in the long run, what is best for the children, what the best interest - how they`re going to grow up is really what should be the main concern. And I`m not quite sure if Debbie has that in mind.
BANFIELD: Well, Schaffel also tells Larry King that Debbie doesn`t seek out the limelight, doesn`t shop on Rodeo Drive, that just lives quietly on her ranch with her horses. So Pat, is it fair that Debbie Rowe is being painted as this uncaring mother? She and Michael agreed to custody years ago and she`s been out of the picture for years, too.
LALAMA: You know what, I can see it both ways. I think there are aspects of her that, let`s say, are not exactly user-friendly, particularly with the paparazzi. Perhaps what she needs is a publicist to help her deal in these sorts of scenarios where she`s not happy.
She may, in fact, have great qualities. I can`t say that I know. But I don`t think she comes off right. She comes off angry and defensive and like she`s going to beat the living daylights out of you.
BERMUDEZ: Yes, I`ll say.
LALAMA: That may or may not be true but the thing is she might need some help.
BERMUDEZ: But how will she be with the kids?
(CROSS TALK)
BANFIELD: Yes. Of course, the speculation over the custody of Michael Jackson`s kids is continuing as well. And we`ve got a brand-new custody wild card, Blanket`s biological mother. She has not come forward. We don`t know who she is.
But Judge Larry Seidlin, who is a former circuit court judge in Florida and, you might remember, presided over the custody case of Anna Nicole Smith`s body. Well, he is weighing in on this case now, too. Judge Seidlin told CNN`s Larry King the person he thinks will win custody of the three kids is not Debbie Rowe nor is it Blanket`s mother. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDGE LARRY SEIDLIN, FORMER CIRCUIT JUDGE: Well, at this point, the strongest case is for Michael Jackson`s mother to receive the children, to be the guardian of the children. And Debbie Rowe`s position is weaker because in the past, she`s shown a pattern of being - given a sum of money to walk away from raising those children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Well, Pat, do you think it`s really that cut and dry?
LALAMA: It`s not that cut and dry, but I think he makes a good point. You know, judges look at, again - we talk about it all the time - the best interest of the children. But they also look at what do they know?
In some cases, it doesn`t matter where the biology lines are. It has to do with what do these children know? Who do they know to be their figures - the important role models in their lives?
And they seem to be very comfortable with their cousins and their aunts and uncles and with their grandmother. And so be it, right now, I agree with Judge Seidlin that it looks like it`s probably the way it will go.
BANFIELD: So Pat, 20 seconds left. Given that we`re going to have to know what they think, does that mean they`re going to have to speak in open court - those kids?
LALAMA: Oh, they would never be force today speak in open court. No, no, no. The judges will protect those children any way possible. They`ll get the information they need, but privately.
BANFIELD: Best interest of the children. It is what we hear over and over again. Pat Lalama, Carolina Bermudez, thank you both.
Tonight, the shocking revelations just keep on coming. Reality TV star Jon Gosselin has got bombshells of his own. Jon`s going on the record for the first time about his 22-year-old girlfriend. He`s dishing about falling in love. Plus, his brand-new life minus Kate.
And newly single Tony Romo has got some confessions of his own.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONO ROMO, DALLAS COWBOYS QUARTERBACK: I also endorse Interscope Records, Eminem`s label. It came to me a while back and said, "Do you mind if Eminem throws you and your girlfriend under the bus?" I said, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Are you kidding me? A hilarious new spoof that Jessica just might want to avoid, steer clear of it. But you just got to see it.
And I`ve got three words - David Beckham, undies. Do I need to say anything more? David reveals all about stripping down for Armani and for Matt Lauer. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Robert Redford marries longtime girlfriend in intimate ceremony in Germany. Jerry Seinfeld named top-earning comedian, raking in $85 million last year.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BANFIELD: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Ashleigh Banfield, in for A.J. Hammer.
Jon Gosselin from "Jon & Kate Plus 8" is back in the headlines for dating a much younger family friend, less than a month after he and Kate called it quits.
And tonight, Jon is speaking out. In a defiant new interview with "People" magazine, the newly single father of eight has a simple message, "I`m dating again. Get over it."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER LAWRENCE, PSYCHOLOGIST: I think the age difference really speaks to how mature or immature Jon must be for sure.
BEN WIDDICOMBE, CELEBRITY EDITOR, "STYLELIST.COM": There`s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Listen, there is no such thing as a pre-nup with a non-compete clause.
BANFIELD: Plenty of people have plenty to say about Jon Gosselin stepping out with his new girlfriend so soon after he and Kate announced their divorce on "Jon & Kate Plus 8."
JON GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR, "JON & KATE PLUS EIGHT": I have a new chapter in my life.
BANFIELD: New, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Jon is finally speaking out about his new chapter and new girlfriend in the brand-new issue of "People."
DAVID CAPLAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: He`s not apologetic and he`s not really making any excuses for it either.
BANFIELD: Jon Gosselin made a major splash when he was snapped partying in the south of France with his new 22-year-old girlfriend, Hailey Glassman. Making things even more controversial, Hailey just happens to be the daughter of the plastic surgeon who gave his wife, Kate, a tummy tuck, after she gave birth to their famous sextuplets.
CAPLAN: Jon says that he`s known Hailey for several years as a family friend and really just recently did their relationship escalate into dating.
BANFIELD: Gosselin tells "People," quote, "It`s nice to be with someone who I can confide in and trust and who accepts me for who I am."
CAPLAN: Very happy with his new girlfriend and he really doesn`t have any qualms about dating somebody new.
BANFIELD: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you this TMZ video of Jon arriving back in the U.S. His girlfriend wasn`t there, but paparazzi photographers were. And they asked him about the controversy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you think this is like if the kids see this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) so soon out with the girlfriend?
J. GOSSELIN: I`m not allowed to discuss it. I don`t want to get in trouble from anyone.
BANFIELD: Jon tells "People" magazine, quote, "I know that my decision to appear publicly with Hailey this weekend will be scrutinized. But I hope that people can see I`m a regular guy who is going through a very difficult time in life and wants to move forward."
CAPLAN: Jon really cares for this woman. And he really does look like a new person with Hailey.
BANFIELD: So the big question - are Jon`s eight kids about to get a new stepmother?
CAPLAN: As for the engagement rumors, not true and not happening any time soon.
BANFIELD: But with new episodes of Jon`s show scheduled to air in a few weeks, life on "Jon & Kate Plus 8" just got a whole lot more interesting because of Jon`s new plus one.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So there you have it. Jon is speaking out for the first time about his life minus Kate. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know, is Jon really in love or is this all a big publicity stunt?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Carlos Diaz, who is a correspondent for "Extra." And with me in New York is Marvet Britto. She is a celebrity publicist who runs the Britto Agency.
All right. Guys, I`ve got to go back to Jon`s own words about him stepping out publicly with his new 22-year-old girlfriend. Jon tells "People" magazine, quote, "I know that my decision to appear publicly with Hailey this weekend will be scrutinized, but I hope that people can see I`m a regular guy who is going through a very difficult time in my life and wants to move forward."
Jon is making no apologies for his new relationship. Carlos, does he have anything to be sorry about?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": I want to say this one man to another, Jon, you are an idiot, all right.
BANFIELD: Are you couching it here, Carlos?
DIAZ: I can`t be more - Jon, dude, just me and you talking, no one else, all right?
BANFIELD: Mano a mano -
DIAZ: Yes. Dude, what are you thinking? All right. Go down to Saint Tropez, take long walks on the beach. Let the photos get you in that light. Have every woman in America feel sorry for you.
And then, discreetly, not in public - if you`re going to hook up, do so. Great. No big deal. But do it somewhere in a hotel room so that your kids can`t see the pictures plastered on every magazine in the U.S.
BANFIELD: Yes. I`m with you there, because you know what? They are old enough to see this stuff and make sense of it. Jon is saying he`s a regular guy on the dating scene. But he is, as you said, a reality TV star whose bread-and-butter was made on a family show.
So Marvet, you are a big-time celebrity publicist. Would you be advising Jon to go public with this new hot girlfriend? Or is this just bad for his family-guy image?
MARVET BRITTO, FOUNDER, THE BRITTO AGENCY: You know, this is really bad for Jon`s image overall. My issue is that the statement where he said he chose to appear - appear, as if it was an appearance.
You know, the best relationships are those that are kept private. Just like Carlos said, it`s no issue with him dating and moving on. But the best relationships, the meaningful relationships that matter, are kept private, particularly when you`re breaking away from a very public divorce.
BANFIELD: Well, ever since Jon was photographed with his new girlfriend in the French Riviera, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall has been bombarded with comments.
Tami D. has been Jon`s fan in the past. But she says everything`s changed now since seeing him stepping out with a new girl. She says, "I`ve been a huge fan of `Jon & Kate Plus 8` since its inception. I`ve also been one of Jon`s biggest supporters. Now? He`s just a plain idiot. Who wants to watch the show now?"
But Katrina S. feels that Jon has every right to be out dating. She writes on her wall, "Jon may be a slime ball, but they are getting divorced, so in my opinion, he can do what he wants to."
When the Jon and Kate drama first started, there were a lot of people on Jon`s side. And Carlos, I`m not so sure, but do you think maybe the tables are turning?
DIAZ: He Nay-palmed his fan base. He didn`t just explode it. He didn`t implode it either. He just atom-bombed them. I mean, no woman who ever felt that Jon, felt sorry for Jon because of Kate put him through, is going to be on Jon`s side now.
And right now, Kate is doing the best thing she can. She`s laying low. She`s being a mom as she`s doing.
BANFIELD: Marvet, real quick. Five seconds left, literally. Is this a big P.R. stunt or not?
BRITTO: I think it is. And I think it`s the perfect set-up for the next season of the show, absolutely.
BANFIELD: All right. Carlos Diaz, Marvet Britto, great to have you both. Thanks so much.
You know, we have been asking you to vote in on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - Jon Gosselin`s 22-Year-Old Girlfriend: Is it too soon for him to be dating?" You can keep on voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, too, at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Tonight, why Tony Romo may be dissing Jessica Simpson again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMO: I also endorse Interscope Records, Eminem`s label. They came to me a little while back and said, "Do you mind if Eminem throws you and your girlfriend under the bus?" I said, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Oh, Tony. Say it isn`t so. Throwing your red-hot Jessica under the bus? Are you trying to one-up Jon Gosselin here or what? Don`t move a muscle. You`ve got to see what this is all about.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: "Harry Potter" scores biggest midnight box office opening ever: $22.2 million. Renee Zellweger to star in third "Bridget Jones" movie.)
Tonight, getting naked with David Beckham. I`ve been waiting for this one. OK, not exactly. But as you know, David is the most famous soccer player in the world, ditching his clothes for Armani. It`s planted him firmly on top of Hollywood`s A-list.
David and his wife, Victoria, a.k.a. Posh Spice are the faces of Armani`s racy new underwear ads. And the "Today" show`s Matt Lauer gets to the bottom of that experience.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: Victoria obviously looking beautiful. What`s it like to pose for these things? Do you just kind of put yourself in another place and get through it?
DAVID BECKHAM, SOCCER STAR: Yes, I personally have to. Because, you know, I`m a soccer player at the end of the day. And you know, to do something like that was a great experience. To work with Armani is incredible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: David, on behalf of women everywhere, especially here on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff. Thank you very much. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.
And David stripped down again, by the way, right after his live interview with Matt Lauer, giving the "Today" co-host a gift to remember.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUER: David Beckham was here in the last half hour. I admired his suit. He came down in jeans and gave me the suit off his back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow. Are you going to wear it?
LAUER: I`m selling it on eBay.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
So what`s he wearing now? Is it hot in here or is it just me? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BANFIELD: Who could forget Eminem`s brutal attack on Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo on his new video, "We Made You?" Well, is the newly-single Tony getting the last laugh, but at Jessica`s expense?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, everybody. Tony Romo just dumped longtime love, Jessica Simpson, in fact, one day before her 29th birthday. And that pretty much put him in the running for jerk of the year.
But is Tony now pouring salt in Jessica`s wounds by poking fun at her and making nice at her nemesis Eminem? Leave it to the good folks at "FunnyOrDie.com" to make this hilarious match made in - well, just watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMO: Hi, I`m Tony Romo. You may have seen me in such places as your local market in a tabloid. Or on a football field on a random Sunday.
You know, one of the great things about being a professional quarterback is I get to be the spokesman for some terrific companies - like Starter.
That`s just the beginning. In fact, I endorse over 50,000 different products, everything from arch supports, to ball-peen hammers. Products like Wittens(ph) brake pads/panty liners. Is it a brake pad? Is it a panty liner? No, it`s both.
And then there`s Viper Nanny, Fareek`s(ph) brand goat-flavored soda. And who could forget GMX protein pickles. I can - I don`t endorse them anymore.
I also endorse Interscope Records, Eminem`s label. They came to me a little while back and said, "Do you mind if Eminem throws you and your girlfriend under the bus?" I said, no, go ahead. Anything for an endorsement opportunity.
I know it seems like a lot, but I stand behind every single product that I endorse, kind of. Well, I do stand behind starter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Is it just me, or are you thinking this isn`t going to help any plans for a Jess and Tony reunion?
All right. Tuesday - we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Michael Jackson`s Kids: Should Debbie Rowe give up her parental rights for money?" 43 percent of you said yes; 57 percent of you said no.
And here are some of the E-mails we got. Chelsea from Canada writes, "Yes! Debbie Rowe should give up parental rights for money. She was never part of their childhood."
And Henry from Arizona writes, "I hope she does the right thing and gives those kids a chance to be normal, happy and cared for by people who love them just as their father did."
That`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, everyone. I`m Ashleigh Banfield, in for A.J. Hammer. Remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern on HLN.
END
