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Showbiz Tonight
Ellen DeGeneres is the New "Idol" Judge; The Real Story Behind George Clooney`s Stripper Guy; Oprah`s Startling Revelations; Oprah`s Upcoming Interview with Whitney Houston; A Politician`s Sex Scandal Caught on Tape
Aired September 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 "American Idol" shocker. Paula Abdul replaced by Ellen DeGeneres. The unbelievable explosive fallout. Is Ellen the right choice? What about did Paula say today after getting the news? And what Randy Jackson revealed to us today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RANDY JACKSON, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: I started laughing. I said, "Yes. Let`s have a good time. What?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the burning Ellen-Paula questions and the bombshell coast-to-coast reaction.
Tonight, Oprah`s startling revelations about trying to get the first interview with Jaycee Dugard, the woman who was kidnapped as a girl and held for 18 years.
And Oprah`s brand-new never-heard-before revelations about her upcoming explosive interview with Whitney Houston.
Plus, the guy who stripped for George Clooney. For the very first time, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exposes the real story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAURO CASCIARI, ITALIAN TV PERSONALITY: Please choose me. George, may I kiss you please?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
And tonight, it`s hello, Ellen, bye-bye Paula. There has been an explosive reaction to the shocking news that Ellen DeGeneres is replacing Paula Abdul on "American Idol."
And I can tell you, from the moment SHOWBIZ TONIGHT sent out a breaking news alert, letting everybody know about Ellen, the frenzy has not stopped for even one second.
There have been so many breaking developments today including the great debate over whether replacing Paula with Ellen is the right move. What did Paula say today about Ellen replacing her? What was her reaction and
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went one-on-one with Randy Jackson today, his first big interview since the Ellen news broke. I`ve got to tell you, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom has got this covered like no other entertainment news show. Because I can tell you that there is no doubt Ellen replacing Paula is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Something big is drowning out President Obama`s remarks on health care. And no, we are not talking about Republican hecklers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOSEPH WILSON (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: You lie!
(BOOING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: No. The president`s new healthcare reform plan is taking a back seat to "American Idol`s" new judge replacement plan - Ellen DeGeneres.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": I am going to be the new judge on "American Idol."
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
HAMMER: Ellen made the announcement today on her daytime talk show. But don`t worry, she says she`ll still keep her day job.
DEGENERES: I`m going to have a day and a night job. That the - the times we are living in, we are all doing that. So -
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the announcement that Ellen is the new "American Idol" judge has the entire country buzzing.
MELANIE BROMLEY, "US WEEKLY": Ellen is important, massively famous. She has her own talk show. She is somebody that is incredibly popular on daytime TV. But nobody was expecting her to be coming to "American Idol."
HAMMER: Today, in New York City, "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he is thrilled by his new colleague.
R. JACKSON: She`s my home girl from Louisiana. We`re both from Louisiana. So the south is going to do it again. That`s right.
HAMMER: Ellen`s "American Idol" judgeship was also the talk of Hollywood. Last night, at premier of the new movie, "White Out," SHOWBIZ TONIGHT broke the Ellen news to the stars.
KATE BECKINSALE, ACTRESS: I just heard it on her show an hour ago and I had no idea. I love Ellen. I think that`s great news. She is smart and funny and warm. I don`t think she`ll be too mean which I always really like. So I think she`ll be great.
KIM KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: That`s amazing. She`s hysterical. That`s a pretty interesting, you know, option, because she`s not in the music business, but she loves to dance.
HAMMER: Ellen, of course, replaces Paula Abdul who quit "American Idol" in a huff over the summer after "American Idol" reportedly failed to give her the pay raise she wanted.
BROMLEY: That`s the theory surrounding and kind of circulating for a long time that her not coming back to "Idol" was a big publicity stunt or that she was holding out for more money.
HAMMER: But "Us Weekly`s" Melanie Bromley tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Ellen`s big announcement closes the door to any possibility that Paula Abdul and "American Idol" will kiss and make up.
BROMLEY: We now know there is no chance that Paula is coming back.
DEGENERES (via telephone): I hope Paula is OK with it. I feel - you know, I don`t want anybody to think I took Paula`s job away.
HAMMER: This morning on Ryan Seacrest`s radio show, Ellen DeGeneres said she was as sad as any other "American Idol" fan when Abdul left. And she had no idea she`d end up replacing Paula.
DEGENERES: I feel like, you know, she was gone and then everybody was looking for somebody else. And I stepped in and I certainly don`t want to be that person that is the evil taking Paula`s job away. I hope to be, you know, that compassionate person because that`s the one thing that Paula did bring is that empathy and that compassion.
HAMMER: Paula`s side - not everyone is psyched about Ellen`s new "Idol" gig. Her lack of a musical background has some critics asking if she is the right person to judge the biggest musical talent search ever.
On her show today, the new "American Idol" judge outlined her judicial philosophy.
DEGENERES (on camera): Hopefully, I`m the people`s point of view, because I`m just like you. I sit at home and I watch it. And I don`t have the technical - I`m not looking at it in a critical way from the music producer`s mind. I`m looking as a person who`s going to buy the music.
HAMMER: And Randy Jackson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he agrees that Ellen can bring something different to the judge`s table.
JACKSON: She`s not like a music expert. But I think, you know, the people sitting at home, the show is really about them, you know what I mean? You know, Simon and I and Kara are all the music experts that you need.
HAMMER: So "American Idol`s" Paula drama is over. Let the Ellen era begin.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
So what do you think? Is the Ellen era going to be a good thing or a bad thing?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood is Carlos Diaz. He is a correspondent for "Extra." Also in Hollywood tonight is Kim Serafin. She is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
So I just think this is terrific. Ellen is obviously a huge music fan. And let`s not forget, she`s hosted the Grammy Awards. And she says she has never missed an episode of "American Idol."
Carlos, are you with me that this is a great move vote for "Idol" and for Ellen?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": This is an amazing move for "American Idol." I know that I`m going to be glued to "American Idol" this season to watch how Ellen does it. In all honesty, name a better star that they could have gotten.
I mean, anyone who is mad at Ellen being on would be mad at anybody. Because really, the only person "American Idol" could have gotten would have been maybe Oprah, you know, and that`s it. Because Ellen can come in and she can speak for the people and she is not going to back down or be intimidated by the other judges.
HAMMER: Yes, and I agree with you completely. But what we are hearing from a lot of people is that just because she loves music and loves "American Idol," does that really make her the right choice to be a judge on "Idol?" Kim, what do you think about that?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": No, that doesn`t, not just loving Idol and loving music. But she also is an Emmy Award-winning talk show host. She is a comedian. She has a huge fan base. She`s really funny and she`s engaging.
And she - as Carlos just pointed out, she will stand up to Simon. She will give it right back to him. And she`ll make the contestants feel great. She`ll fill that gap that Paula had where she was kind of the warmth and the cheerleader for the show. And that`s what Ellen will be.
So when all the other three judges have something negative to say about a performance, Ellen will step in and be the cheerleader and really be there to help out the contestants. And I think that`s what people want to see.
HAMMER: Yes. And let`s not forget, Ellen knows all about the pressures of being on stage in front of thousands of people. She not only does her talk show, but she does comedy shows. And she is a performer and she will bring a lot to the table as far as that aspect of it is concerned.
And one person who obviously she`s going to be working right alongside now is judge Randy Jackson who addressed the issue we are talking about. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tracked down Randy Jackson today in New York City and this is what he told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
R. JACKSON: I think she`s going to bring the voice of the people, you know what I mean? She`s not like a music expert. But I think, you know, the people sitting at home, the show is really about them, you know what I mean? Simon and I and Kara are all the music experts that you need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, we put that against the backdrop of Randy having made no secret of how upset he was after the other resident music expert, Paula, said she was leaving the show. But Carlos, I think Randy has it exactly right, do you agree?
DIAZ: Yes. I mean, it`s not brain surgery. It`s "American Idol." I mean, a kid gets up there and sings and you critique it, you know. And I thought it got a little tedious last year when you went from Randy to Kara to Paula and you`re like, OK. You know, and then you are waiting for Simon to just spice things up. Now, you know, Ellen can be there to spice things up. I think it`s a perfect mix for "American Idol."
HAMMER: Yes. And I think she has the charm and she has the charisma. And she`s got a big heart and such humanity that she will bring to the judges` table.
A lot of people are sounding off on this. A lot of big stars in Hollywood over the moon about Ellen joining "Idol."
Sharon Osbourne telling this to People.com, "I think if they replaced Paula with another singer, Janet Jackson or J. Lo, it would have been too expected. With Ellen, you`ve got someone who knows about entertaining and everything that goes into it which also speaks for the people."
I think Sharon is making a great point. Kim, do you think that fans who threaten to never watch again after Paula left - everybody was saying that. But do you think now maybe they will stick around now that it is Ellen who is, you know, the people`s judge on board?
SERAFIN: Oh, I think for sure. I think there are definitely people that will never watch again because they are true Paula fans. But if they are true "American Idol" fans, they have to know that Ellen is an "American Idol" fan, that she always puts the contestants on the show when they`re kicked off. She`s been talking about "American Idol" for years. So I think if there is anyone that can kind of bridge that gap, it would be Ellen.
HAMMER: OK.
SERAFIN: And again, she`ll be funny. Yes, Paula was funny on the show, sometimes unintentionally funny. But Ellen will kind of fill that space that Paula did, but not being an ex-musician. She`ll kind of bring in a new perspective.
HAMMER: Got it. Got it. So we`re all rah, rah, rah. Obviously, we`re all on board with the fact that they`re doing this. But there is one question that remains. Who will Simon Cowell now mouth off to, now that he doesn`t have Paula to kick around anymore? Because through the years, we have watched the wacky moments like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COWELL: Shut up, Paula. You`re really annoying me now.
PAULA ABDUL, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE": Oh, my god.
COWELL: It`s like being with some precocious child.
ABDUL: I want to change seats.
COWELL: You want to change seats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ah, memories. Yes, I don`t think Simon would dare to go after Ellen the way he did go after Paula. Carlos, you have to agree with me on that, don`t you?
DIAZ: I mean, I`ve interviewed Ellen so many times and she is somebody you cannot - you cannot go toe-to-toe with as far as the smart aleck remarks. She will come right at you.
And I cannot wait for the first time that Simon says something to her and she tops him, because that never happens. No one ever tops Simon in wit. They always try to come right back at him and be meaner than Simon. You don`t do that. And she is not going to do that. She`s going to be wittier and funnier.
HAMMER: Carlos, Kim Serafin, thanks, guys. Stay right there, though, because coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is Paula kicking herself? Tonight, the great debate - you don`t want to miss this. It is coming up at the bottom of the hour.
And now, over to you - here is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Ellen Replaces Paula: Is Ellen the right choice for `American Idol`?" Here`s where you vote, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, the bombshells are just starting out for tonight. Take this, for instance - Oprah Winfrey`s quest to get the first interview with Jaycee Dugard, the woman who was kidnapped as a girl and held captive for 18 years. Just wait until you hear what Oprah has to say. Plus, is she really quitting her show?
Also SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the real story behind the guy who stripped down and asked George Clooney for a kiss. Tonight, I can tell you the back story of that awkward moment.
And a politician`s sex scandal caught on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FMR. ASSEMBLYMAN MICHAEL DUVALL (R-CA): I might get into spanking her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are?
DUVALL: Yes, I like it. Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, yes. The things you can learn when someone thinks his microphone is not on. Wait until you hear the fallout from this one. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - it`s more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom that are making news right now.
TEXT: Susan Boyle to sing on "America`s Got Talent" finale on September 16. Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige deny appearances at Michael Jackson tribute in Vienna.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, caught on tape, the Clooney stripper exposed. So right now, you`ve probably seen this guy who stripped down and wanted to kiss George Clooney. We knew that there had to be a back story to that one. So here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with all of the juicy details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What do George Clooney and tennis star Rafael Nadal have in common? Men out to kiss them.
CASCIARI: I am gay, George. And -
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: Here it comes.
CASCIARI: I think I`m in love with you. George, please take me. Choose me, George. Please. Please choose me. George, may I kiss you, please. Just one kiss.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE NEWS ANCHOR: A male stripper crashed his press conference.
MOOS: "Gay reporter strips to his underwear." Underwear with "George, choose me" scrawled front and back at the Venice Film Festival.
(on camera): Hey, we`ve got news for you. The guy is not gay. It was just a stunt.
(voice-over): Mauro Casciari, an Italian TV personality.
CASCIARI: Por tanto.
MOOS: ... who does things like dress up as a beggar to show how authorities treat beggars outside an Italian church. Only this time, he was undressing.
CLOONEY: You know the tie looks good and it`s just long enough.
MOOS (on camera): Well, you are not really gay though. This was just a shtick. This was just a joke.
CASCIARI: Yes, yes. Just a joke. Yes, yes, yes.
MOOS (voice-over): This one was more along the lines of two guys pretending to make out behind a CNN correspondent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CNN CORRESPONDENT: As the subsidiaries basically wind down.
MOOS: Or Sasha Baron Cohen playing gay fashionista Bruno, dancing suggestively on Conan O`Brien`s desk. This, on the other hand, may actually have been a real fan who got arrested for running on to the court to kiss tennis star Rafael Nadal at the U.S. Open Tuesday night.
RAFAEL NADAL, TENNIS STAR: The guy was really nice. He said, "I love you" and he kissed me.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: Although, George Clooney likewise laughed. He put down a dinner loafer.
CLOONEY: It`s always embarrassing when you take one real swing for the fences and it just falls flat.
MOOS: But the Italian reporter didn`t think the joke fell flat. He thought it was a great success. But only one other outcome could have been better.
CASCIARI: The more it would have made if George would have kissed me in the mouth.
MOOS: Tell that to Clooney`s date.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Well, I`ve got to tell you, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines have been ringing off the hook with people calling in all about Jon and Kate Gosselin.
In fact, the "Showbiz on Call" operators are busier than someone with eight kids fielding all those calls about the way Jon and Kate are speaking out. We`ve got a call in to "Showbiz on Call" from Hollis in Ohio who is on team Jon.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I know Jon is actually foolish, but at least he is telling the truth. And as for Kate, that woman - she`s forever on the go. She is never at home taking care of those kids. She`s not a wife and mother.
She is a mother in front of the TV cameras. She is coming to Cleveland in a couple of days here. She is going to be at the exposition show. She`s going to be hosting "The View" for a couple of days. She`s been on "LARRY KING." That woman is forever on TV. She just wants to be a celebrity.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Thanks a lot, Hollis. We appreciate your call. We also heard from Irene calling in to "Showbiz on Call" from Texas and she says what about the kids?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: The whole reason Jon and Kate started the show was to record the events of their children`s lives. I hope they didn`t get more than they asked for. Please, please do something about the kids. The kids are the ones that are going to pay.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you, Irene. Call us at "Showbiz on Call" to let us know what you think about this or anything at all. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Please leave us a voicemail because we`re playing your calls here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, posting them, too, online right there on our homepage, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, tonight, it is high time that "Weeds" star, Mary Louise Parker, is on the cover of "Fortune" magazine. CNNMoney.com was right there for the photo shoot. Mary Louise says she thinks pot should be legalized because people are going to smoke it anyway.
She`s about to start shooting the 6th season of one of my favorite shows, Showtime`s "Weeds." For more with Mary Louise Parker, go to our "CNNMoney.com." And that issue of "Fortune" hits newsstands Monday.
Well, it is the biggest news to hit "American Idol" perhaps ever. We just learned today Ellen DeGeneres is joining the judge`s table. I`ve got to wonder, is Paula Abdul just kicking herself right now about this? I have the great debate.
And a bombshell from Oprah Winfrey. Could it be true? Is she quitting her show? That would be huge.
And are Rosie O`Donnell and Star Jones really going to team up for a reality show? The SHOWBIZ truth squad is on the case. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
It`s time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Hugh Hefner files for divorce from his second wife, a former Playboy playmate. Documentary is in the works on President Barack Obama`s mother.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Big news. We found out today that "Grey`s Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl is going to be a mom. Heigl has announced that she and her husband Josh Kelley are adopting a baby girl from Korea.
The baby is in Korea right now. She`s a special needs baby who is almost 10 months old and they haven`t met her yet, but she is coming home soon. On "Ellen," Heigl said that the plan to adopt a baby has been in the works for a long time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHERINE HEIGL, ACTRESS: We started talking about adoption even before we were engaged because it`s really important to me. It`s been a big part of my life and my family. My sister Korean and my parents adopted her back in the `70s.
And so I just always knew that that was something I wanted to do. And I made that really clear because not everybody is down with that.
DEGENERES: Yes.
HEIGL: Not everybody, you know, thinks that.
DEGENERES: Right, right.
HEIGL: And I just wanted to make sure that I was marrying a guy or into a guy who understood that that was going to have to happen.
DEGENERES: Right.
HEIGL: And so about a year ago is when we started going, "OK, let`s start the process." And the process is intense, but it`s different, but it isn`t. Do you know what I mean? It`s just as intense I`m sure to have a baby biologically because you are going through the whole physical sort of thing of it. But this is.
DEGENERES: But there is lots.
HEIGL: Yes.
DEGENERES: I mean, I know a little bit about that. There is a lot of questions they make you answer.
HEIGL: We had a - filled out a pamphlet that was about, you know, 40 pages, super, super-detailed - what kind of, you know, people we were, how we expected to raise the baby, what kind of parenting ideas do we have, how were we raise, what we would do the same and what would we do differently. And it was fine because.
DEGENERES: I think everyone should fill that out.
HEIGL: I do, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I just think that`s awesome. Congratulations, Katherine and Josh. That episode of "Ellen" will air on Friday.
Well, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page, all a-Twitter today. Lots of people have been posting about Jon and Kate Gosselin and how sick of them they are.
Stephanie G. writing, "You know, as much as I love the crazy, I am so tired of Jon and Kate. People get divorced every day in private. I wish they would do us a favor and do the same."
Monica H. writing, "They need to think about all those kids they have, because they will get a chance to see how ignorant they have been acting."
Please keep in mind that I would love to hear from you on Facebook. Also follow us on Twitter for breaking entertainment news alerts. Sign up for our Facebook and Twitter pages by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup. This is what we have coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Of course, the blockbuster "American Idol" news, Ellen is in, Paula Abdul is out. So what do you think? Is Paula just kicking herself right about now? We have the debate.
Also, a bombshell from Oprah Winfrey. Could it possibly be true? Is she really quitting her show?
And here`s a question to ponder. Are Star Jones and Rosie O`Donnell really doing a reality show together? I assure you, the SHOWBIZ truth squad is on the case. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Profits from Jay Z`s 9/11 concert will be donated to charity. NetFlix to stream "The Wizard of Oz" free as part of the movie`s 70th anniversary.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Paula`s big regret? Tonight, the bombshell that Ellen DeGeneres is replacing Paula Abdul on "American Idol." Is Paula now crying, "Oh, no? What have I done?"
Plus, big Oprah bombshells. Tonight, Oprah Winfrey reveals if she is quitting her show. And Oprah`s startling revelations about trying to get the first interview with Jaycee Dugard, the woman who was kidnapped as a girl and held for 18 years.
And a shocking big oops caught on tape. The politician saying super raunchy things about his reported two mistresses.
DUVALL: I might get into spanking her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are?
DUVALL: Yes, I like it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does she?
DUVALL: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. He should have clicked the off button on that microphone.
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 A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
Tonight, the Ellen "Idol" shocker. I mean who would have thought of Ellen DeGeneres as the 4th Idol judge?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: Oh, god. I am going to be the new judge on "American Idol."
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: People are excited. It is explosive. It`s unexpected and it is making big news right now.
Ellen DeGeneres made that big announcement official on her show this afternoon that she is, in fact, joining "American Idol."
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask. Is Paula Abdul just freaking out? Does she regret her decision to leave the show?
Also tonight, Ellen versus Simon. He is judgmental and cranky. She`s sweet and witty. Are we about to witness the next great rivalry on "American Idol?" Should Simon be worried?
And tonight, the biggest question of them all - will people actually watch "Idol" with Ellen as the 4th judge? Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page has been blowing up with some very explosive opinions on that.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Carlos Diaz, a correspondent for "Extra." Also tonight in Hollywood, Kim Serafin who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
So the news is out. Ellen, the new Paula. But I am thinking there is one person in particular who may not be really thrilled about today`s announcement - Paula Abdul.
I mean, seriously, Carlos, think about it. If I were her, I think I would really be regretting my decision because this is a huge get for Idol. There is no turning back. Do you think at all that she is wishing she hadn`t left the show?
DIAZ: Completely. I mean, completely in every single way. It`s kind of like when you break up with a girl and you watch the guys that she goes out with and you go, "Oh, I`m better than that. Oh, she` dating who?" And that`s exactly what Paula Abdul has got to be thinking now. They got Ellen?
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: Oh, maybe not a good choice. And if you would have told Paula Abdul eight years that she`d be making $5.4 million a year, she would have taken that as further proof that you cannot base your salary on your coworkers` salary. Base your salary on your happiness.
HAMMER: Yes, yes. I mean - and a great analogy about the boyfriend thing. I mean, I just can`t imagine when she saw that. It`s not like they just hired some, you know, low-budget music start nobody`s heard of.
DIAZ: Right.
HAMMER: Well, guess what Paula`s response to today`s big news was. Yes, you`re hearing it right now - the sound of crickets. The only thing we did here - late today, her publicist finally got back and said that Paula would have no statement. She has moved on.
But Paula did post on Twitter the promo, the commercial, if you will, for her new gig, hosting the return of VH1`s one-night show. It`s only a one-night gig, "Divas Live."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what sort of job do you want.
ABDUL: Something glamorous.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A financial analyst.
ABDUL: Paula never talks about money.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A proctologist?
ABDUL: Please, no more (EXPLETIVE DELETED) apples.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here`s something. VH1 needs a host for "Divas." I`ve got to be upfront about this, though.
ABDUL: What?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I already sent somebody out on - this guy named Ryan Seacrest.
ABDUL: No, this is my gig.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s pretty funny - Ryan Seacrest making a video appearance of sorts in that promo. Kim, even though it obviously appears that Paula`s got Ryan`s stamp of approval, let`s face it. It`s still go to stink a little for Paula to see Ellen, you know, just thrilled taking over this role. Even though Ellen said, "I`m not taking over Paula`s role. I`m just taking the job."
SERAFIN: That`s exactly right. I mean, she had to know, leaving the number one show on TV, that they would get somebody good in there. It wasn`t like when it first started when they got Paula who was, at that point, kind of a has-been pop star.
They weren`t going to go for, you know, a Cindy Lauper. They were obviously going to go for an A-lister. And you saw that with the judges they were bringing to guest judge in these initial auditions, everyone from Joe Jonas to Victoria Beckham to Neil Patrick Harris.
So they were getting some really great people in there. But yes, it`s got to sting a little. But she is obviously moving on.
She`s doing this VH1 "Divas" concert. She has a guest starring role in "Drop Dead Diva." She seems to be going the diva route apparently, you know. And she apparently wants to do a show in Las Vegas which I guess would be diva-esque as well.
HAMMER: Yes. How do you do a show without it being diva-esque? And honestly, we wish Paula all the best. But wow, the reaction has been mixed.
I mean, ever since SHOWBIZ TONIGHT sent out the breaking news alert about Ellen taking over the job, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page has been blowing up over this, people jamming our wall all day long with comments of both support and of outrage over the big decision to bring on Ellen.
Let me read a couple to you. We heard from Jessica W. who brings up what I think is just an excellent point saying about Ellen and Simon potentially butting heads, "Ellen versus Simon? He will be completely upstaged by her intelligence, depth and charisma. Watch out, Simon."
Carlos, what do you think? You know, Ellen, in my opinion, a much bigger star. Should Simon be worried?
DIAZ: He should be worried. In fact, she told the Associated Press late this afternoon that she is not going to back down for Simon when he is being rude. She`s going to say he`s being rude.
And here`s the thing that everyone has tried to do with Simon over the years. They`ve tried to out-Simon Simon. When he`s rude, they try to be ruder to him. She`ll be coy. She`ll be intelligent. She`ll be witty in the way she takes on Simon. And I think Simon may have met his match with Ellen.
HAMMER: Yes. And I think a lot of people look at the two of them and say, well, he is almost a little beneath her, if you know what I`m saying.
Well, today, Ellen did speak out on Ryan Seacrest`s radio show. The "American Idol" host did sound very excited to have Ellen joining up with "Idol." And even he was curious about how Ellen would handle Simon. Listen to what she said.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
RYAN SEACREST, HOST, "AMERICAN IDOL": How would you handle what you just said about Simon and sometimes his acerbic meanness?
DEGENERES: Well, I`ll tell him the same thing I tell him when he was on my show, is that he`s mean. I mean, you can be constructive and you can criticize somebody in a way that`s helpful instead of mean-spirited. So I`ll do the same thing I do when he`s on the show.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kim, do you think we`re looking at the next great "American Idol" rivalry here?
SERAFIN: And that, right there, her comment is exactly why this show is going to be great with her on it, because she will challenge him. She`s not afraid of him. She will stand up to him. She`ll tell him exactly what she thinks. And I think it will bring out a side of Simon also that we don`t normally get to see.
You know, Paula brought out this kind of sweet, flirtatious side of Simon. I think Ellen will bring out another sort of playful side of him. And they`ll go back and forth. I heard Ryan say on his radio show today that he thinks that Ellen will be sitting in Paula`s seat so she`ll be right next to Simon. So they`ll definitely have the back-and-forth.
HAMMER: Let me get to the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines. They have been going berserk today. Not everybody happy about this new gig for Ellen. As a matter of fact, Annette from Texas is raging mad, I tell you.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I just found out that Ellen DeGeneres is going to be the new full- time judge on "American Idol." Oh, please. Big mistake. I mean, let`s get Paula back if we can.
Because what the heck does Ellen know about singing? This is a singing competition. Simon and Randy know things. But Ellen?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So that`s one side that we have been hearing a lot of. But we heard this from Barbara M. who went to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page to defend Ellen`s good name writing, "I love it. This means I will watch "American Idol" again. Good luck, Ellen. Wish you all the best."
Carlos, what do you think? Is this going to make more people like Barbara tune in to watch "American Idol?" Because Ellen is on the show, and let`s face it, the audience has been diminishing.
DIAZ: Yes. And simply ask yourself this question, who is the bigger star, Ellen DeGeneres or Paula Abdul? I think Ellen wins that battle as far as who the bigger star is. Now, I agree, Paula Abdul, from a music standpoint, might have more experience.
But that`s why you have Randy. That`s why you have Kara on there. You have those two to be the music people. You have Simon to be the venom and then you have Ellen to be the comedy. It`s a great mix. The show is better with Ellen.
HAMMER: Comedy - and she`s a huge music fan and gets our vantage point, our viewpoint as the consumer. I agree with you completely. Carlos Diaz, Kim Serafin, thanks, guys.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day on this - "Ellen Replaces Paula: Is Ellen the right choice for `American Idol?`" Please vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us at CNN.com.
Well, Ellen-Paula bombshell has got everybody fired up tonight. But wait until you hear about these Oprah bombshells. Tonight, Oprah speaks. Is she really quitting her show? Hey, say it isn`t so, Oprah.
Also, Oprah is on a mission, a mission to get the very first interview with Jaycee Dugard, the woman who was kidnapped as a child and held captive for 18 years.
Also, Rosie O`Donnell, Star Jones, doing a TV show together? Really? Gas up the SHOWBIZ truth squad mobile. Oh, yes. We`ve got one.
And the politician caught on tape saying some absolutely raunchy things about a woman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUVALL: I might get into spanking her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are?
DUVALL: Yes, I like it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does she?
DUVALL: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Big problem-o because that woman - yes, not his wife. Oh, and neither was the other one he was caught talking about. You just have got to hear this tape. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Trailer for Michael Jackson rehearsal film to premiere on MTV Video Music Awards this Sunday. Oprah`s talk show to air on Sirius XM Satellite Radio, a day after it airs on TV.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. All right. Did you see this? We knew it was bound to happen sooner or later.
So tonight, I bring you the brand-new Jon and Kate TV movie courtesy of Jimmy Kimmel and it stars Kathy Griffin. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHY GRIFFIN, COMEDIENNE: I told you monsters to cram a Poly Pocket(ph) in those pie holes. Mommy`s doing a satellite feed with Regis.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But mom, we`re thirsty.
GRIFFIN: Wa, wa, wa. Here, drink the tears of fame. Bottoms up.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was a wife.
GRIFFIN: Hi, honey. (INAUDIBLE)
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Mrs. Gosselin.
GEORGE TAKEI, ACTOR: Why don`t you grab that light for us, Dear?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And she was a tabloid superstar.
GRIFFIN: That`s right. Look at this mama abs. And look at the tummy tuck scars. Ain`t those (EXPLETIVE DELETED)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kathy Griffin is Kate Gosselin.
GRIFFIN: You don`t love the kids.
TAKEI: Of course I love kids. You have seen my girlfriend?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: George Takei is Jon Gosselin. "Kate is Enough: The Kate Gosselin Story," right after an all-new "Mama MD," only on Lifetime, the place for lady drama.
HAMMER: Oh, I love it. "Kate is Enough" - pretty funny. You`ve got to love Kathy`s reverse mullet. And of course, it`s "Star Trek`s" George Takei as Jon Gosselin. Of course, it`s a big joke. But I bet you an Ed Hardy T-shirt that somebody out there is working on a Jon and Kate movie right now.
And right now, we move on to the Oprah blockbusters breaking today. Oprah`s brand-new bombshells about her talk show and whether or not she is going to end it. Yes, in an interview today with "Good Morning America`s" Diane Sawyer, Winfrey makes some shocking comments on what her plans are for this season.
And another bombshell, Oprah opening up for the very first time today about one of her biggest interviews yet, her no-holds-barred interview with Whitney Houston.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Before we started the interview, I had a private conversation with her, asked her what was her intention, told her what my intention was. She said she wanted to tell her story.
HAMMER: Also from Oprah today, she reveals brand-new details about her quest to get the very first interview with Jaycee Dugard, the woman, of course, who was kidnapped as a child 18 years ago.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Jessica Weiner, who is an author and self-esteem expert. Also from Hollywood is Rachel Zalis, who is a contributing editor for "Life and Style Weekly."
Let us begin with Oprah`s brand-new bombshell confession to "Good Morning America`s" Diane Sawyer this morning about the future of her show when Diane asks her if this will be her last year. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: I have to make that decision by the end of this year and I am literally in thoughtful prayer and consideration about, you know, which road to take, to continue to go ahead or to bring this phase of my career to an end. So you will be hearing about it before the end of the year. I`m going to make that decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. I`ve got to tell you I was pretty surprised by that. She didn`t say the show will definitely continue. Jess Weiner, let me start with you. Do you really think we are going to see the end of the "Oprah" show after this year?
JESSICA WEINER, AUTHOR AND SELF-ESTEEM EXPERT: Oh, my gosh. I`m really torn, A.J., because a part of me really wants to see her if she is going to go out, go out on top. But I also think, listen, Oprah can do anything and she can be anybody she wants to be.
So even if, for some reason, she decided that this was the end of her cycle as a talk show host, I mean I`m certainly going to be voting for President Winfrey at some point in the future or an Ambassador Winfrey. So I think that she`ll always keep guiding cultural conversation no matter what she does.
HAMMER: Yes. And I think her fans will be behind her whatever she does. But Rachel, what do you think about the possibility of Oprah really ending her show in the near future? Can you imagine?
RACHEL ZALIS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": I say no with a big O! I mean, years ago, Oprah was talking about retiring. And then, the book club came along. Ratings were booming. So I think when she said she is praying, she is praying for the same ratings all over again.
You know, miraculously, her contract was re-upped until 2011. She loves being on TV. She loves this platform and deservedly so. This is where she is great. So even though she is, you know, creating her own network, I still think we`re going to continue to see her on her show.
HAMMER: Yes. We`re going to have to wait and see what really happens after this season. We`ll find out.
Oprah`s comments, by the way, about possibly ending her show, came today while she was being interviewed by Diane Sawyer as she was giving Diane her very first look at her highly-anticipated interview with Whitney Houston that`s supposed to air next week.
Watch Whitney describe to Oprah how Whitney`s own mother staged an intervention. This is gripping.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER: She walks in with the sheriffs and she says, "I have a court injunction here. If you are going to do it, you do it my way or we`re just not going to do this at all." She said, "We can go on TV and you`re going to retire and say you`re going to give it up because it`s not worth it."
WINFREY: Your mama came to your house with the sheriffs?
HOUSTON: She said, "If you move, Bobby, they`re going to take you down. Don`t you make one move." And he stood there like he was scared. And she said, "Let`s go." She said, "Let`s do this. I`m not losing you to the world. I`m not losing you to Satan. I`m not doing this. I want my daughter back."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Oprah goes on to describe to Diane that Whitney was put into rehab and there were many family members around that day. Jess, these are the stories we really never hear about from the big stars themselves. Is it a good thing for Whitney to be confessing all this right now?
WEINER: I think it`s a fantastic thing, A.J. And I know that most people might be skeptical because she has her album coming out. I know it`s part of her publicity. But I also think it`s part of her road to redemption and recovery.
As an addict, the most important thing is to tell the truth. And I think you don`t tell the truth any place better than on the "Oprah" show. But I have to give Whitney kudos because I know that there are millions of "Oprah" viewers who are moms who are also struggling with addiction.
And to deal with this now and to deal with it publicly and to talk about the impact Whitney`s addiction might have had on her daughter`s life. That`s a really important element to bring out. I cannot wait to see the rest of the interview.
HAMMER: It sets a great example. And by the way, that album is out and it shot straight to number one. So good for you, Whitney. We`ll see what happens after this interview airs.
Let`s move on to this other brand-new Oprah blockbuster. In a brand- new interview with "The Insider," Oprah opening up about how badly she wants the first interview with Jaycee Dugard, the woman, of course, who was just found after being kidnapped as a child 18 years ago.
Oprah telling "The Insider," "It was the first time I`ve ever called a producer and said, "Are we on this story? Because I want that interview."
Rachel, I think we are looking at a incredibly sensitive story. But I also think that Oprah would probably be the best person to help Jaycee break her silence if she chooses to do so. Are with you me on that?
ZALIS: Absolutely. I mean, first of all, it was really surprising to hear that this was Oprah`s first real effort to get a story. Really surprising to hear that.
But I think if she is going to go on any show - Jaycee - this is the place to do it. Oprah - you know, even with her Erin Andrews interview said she doesn`t even want to watch that videotape like Oprah knows how to do an interview with gloves on, tender, you know, very discreet to make someone more comfortable when she interviewed Elizabeth Smart.
You know, it was one of the most beautiful interviews. And I think that would be the safest place for someone like Jaycee who has been through such an ordeal to go and feel safe and protected.
HAMMER: If she chooses to do so. Thanks so much, Rachel Zalis, Jess Weiner. I appreciate it.
All right. Let`s see here. Having an affair obviously a bad idea. Having two? Well, even worse, right? And talking about it on tape even worse than that. And if you are a politician, well, you get the idea. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUVALL: I might get into spanking her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are?
DUVALL: Yes, I like it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does she?
DUVALL: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: We have got the tape of a politician saying some pretty nasty stuff about his two alleged mistresses. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Natalie Cole performs in L.A. - her first show since successful kidney transplant. "Dancing with the Stars" Karina and Maksim call off their engagement.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, the absolutely jaw-dropping raunchy things said by a California assemblyman about his alleged mistresses caught on tape.
Republican Mike Duvall, who is a pro-family values guy, of course, has now resigned after being heard on tape during a committee meeting bragging about hooking up with not one, but two women. And neither one of them was his wife.
So listen carefully to what he shares with a guy who is sitting next to him. And let me tell you, this is really graphic and I am only playing for you the PG part.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUVALL: So I am getting into spanking her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are?
DUVALL: Yes, I like it. I like spanking her. She goes, "I know you like spanking me." I said, "Yes, that`s because you`re such a bad girl." And so her birthday was Monday. So I was 54 on June 14th, so for a month, she was 19 years younger than me. I said, "Now, you`re getting old, I am going to have to trade you in."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Now, Duvall is denying the affairs, saying his decision to resign is in no way an admission. Here`s what he says, "My offense was engaging in inappropriate storytelling and I regret my language and choice of words." Well, whether he had the affairs or not, the moral of the story is, never assume you aren`t being recorded.
Moving on now, Rosie O`Donnell, Star Jones - are they really doing a reality show together? Really? Well, we`ve got to call out the SHOWBIZ truth squad to check this one out.
There is a report floating around today that the former "View" co- hosts are teaming up to do a new show. Well, we called Rosie`s peeps and they say there is no truth to this.
But wait, there is more. When someone also asked Rosie about "The Star Show" on her Web site, Rosie responded, "No to the show but yes to doing a line of shoes for Payless with star."
Well, of course, the SHOWBIZ truth squad had to check on that, too. It`s a joke. So here you go, no show, no shoes.
On Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Jon and Kate Gosselin: Do you love to hate them?" Thirty-six percent of you said yes; 64 percent no.
Some of the E-mails included this from Liz in Nebraska writing, "The show was cute when it started out seeing these kids, but I am now just sick of it."
Susie from New York adds, "In the beginning, I loved them because they were the most caring, loving parents on TV. Now, I hate them because they have failed to realize they are publicly humiliating all of their children."
Well, that`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and we`re on in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern here on HLN.
END
