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Showbiz Tonight
David Letterman`s Extortion War; Carrie Prejean-Donald Trump Smackdown; Jon Gosselin`s Funny Video; Fergie`s Bisexual Confessions
Aired November 11, 2009 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Right now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Dave`s extortion war. Brand-new shocking revelations today about the guy accused of trying to blackmail David Letterman. On the "Today" show, Meredith Vieira asks his lawyer, are you kidding me?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEREDITH VIEIRA, CO-HOST, "TODAY" SHOW: Are you concerned that a lot of people out there listening to this are going to say, "Give me a break?"
HAMMER: Tonight, is the excuse for what was done to Letterman just absolutely ridiculous?
Tonight, the Carrie Prejean-Donald Trump smackdown. The Donald strikes back today at the beauty queen`s startling claims about him. But is she just plain out of her mind to take on the Donald?
Tonight, Jon Gosselin`s incredible "Funny or Die" video. Can Jon turn back time and right his wrongs?
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TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
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Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood.
And tonight, Dave`s extortion war. There are absolutely outrageous brand-new claims and excuses tonight by the guy accused of trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman, excuses so over the top that today, some people were saying they were right up there with "my dog ate my homework."
And it was all out war on TV this morning as attorneys for both the suspect and Letterman made their cases which also made for big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERALD SHARGEL, HALDERMAN`S LAWYER: This was not extortion. It was not blackmail.
ANDERSON: Say that again?
SHARGEL: This was not extortion. It was not blackmail.
ANDERSON: Today, the attorney for David Letterman`s alleged blackmailer hit the morning shows and repeatedly denied his client trying to extort money from David Letterman.
SHARGEL: This is a transaction where Joe Halderman into possession of certain intellectual property. He had a First Amendment right to sell that property.
ANDERSON: He says that Robert Halderman was simply trying to sell Letterman a screenplay for $2 million at 6:00 in the morning. No big whoop. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, "Seriously? Are you kidding me?"
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If this was not extortion, what was it?
SHARGEL: It was a commercial transaction. It may not have been an ordinary commercial transaction, but my argument is that it`s a transaction that was permitted by law.
ANDERSON: Let`s face it. It was a hard sell. This morning, "Today" show anchor Meredith Vieira asked the question a lot of us were thinking.
MEREDITH VIEIRA, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: Are you concerned that a lot of people out there, listening to this, are going to say, "Give me a break?"
RUSSELL WETANSON, LAWYER: This defense by Halderman`s lawyer is absolutely ridiculous. Come on. If you are selling a script, there are ways to sell a script in this business. It sounds like foul play and illegal behavior.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE DAVID LETTERMAN SHOW": This was the word I actually used. That`s a little hinky.
ANDERSON: David Letterman revealed that hinky alleged blackmail plot on his show in October. He told his audience that this guy, Robert Halderman, tried to sell him a screenplay describing the lurid details of an affair Letterman was having with a woman who worked for him, a woman who also happened to be Halderman`s longtime live-in girlfriend.
LETTERMAN: I don`t usually receive packages at 6:00 in the morning in the back of my car. There is a letter in the package and it says that, "I know that you do some terrible, terrible things."
ANDERSON: Letterman took the letter to authorities and Halderman was arrested. But Halderman says he`s innocent and he wants the case dismissed. Letterman`s lawyer said today on "Good Morning America" and the "Today" show that these new claims of innocence are a bunch of bunk.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was not a legitimate transaction. Who negotiates a business transaction at 6:00 in the morning in the shadows of somebody`s apartment building who says, "Your world is about to collapse"?
ANDERSON: But Halderman`s lawyer said 6:00 a.m. is a perfectly fine time to make this kind of proposal.
SHARGEL: You keep going back to 6:00 in the morning as if somehow the - you have to make the request during normal business hours? I don`t get it.
WETANSON: He told Letteman, "I have embarrassing material." He asked for money and then he gets a check for $2 million. A check. This seems like an open-and-shut case.
ANDERSON: If the case goes to trial, which it looks like it will, part of Halderman`s defense will be to show Letterman created a hostile work environment by sleeping with female employees.
SHARGEL: It`s relevant because it increases the value of intellectual property. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brought in a lawyer of our own and ran the whole thing by him.
WETANSON: Whether David Letterman slept with people in his workplace and created a hostile environment is irrelevant. The real issue here is whether extortion was committed and whether David Letterman is the victim of that extortion plot.
ANDERSON: So what happens now? It looks like this case will go to trial. And once again, David Letterman will be dragged into a very public and potentially very embarrassing situation. The question is, will a judge buy the argument the defense is selling?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So let`s get to the burning question - was Letterman blackmailed or was this just like a stupid pet trick?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Hyla, who is an entertainment journalist from "5DollarPrep.com." Also tonight in New York, Carolina Bermudez, who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
Now, a judge will not be deciding on whether or not this case is going to be dismissed until January. But between now and then, I`m thinking the attorney for the suspect would do himself and his client a huge favor by not going on TV like he did this morning, making these ridiculous claims. Hyla, are you with me?
HYLA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST, "5DOLLARPREP.COM": Not 100 percent. I mean, the guy kind of admitted guilt on behalf of Halderman, his attorney, by saying, "Yes, you know, most of the public does probably believe that this is just a bunch of malarkey."
You can kind of hear in his words and his tone that he was saying that. But he doesn`t have to convince any of these people. He just has to convince one judge. That`s it. Just one person he has to try and convince. And you know what? Lawyers -
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": If he wants to have a legitimate argument, he can`t go on morning shows and admit that this is a bit suspect, what his client did. I mean, this was not a legitimate business transaction.
HAMMER: Well, hold on a second, Carolina. Don`t get ahead of me here because, you know, I have been in the biz for a long time. And I don`t know about you - I don`t know about you, but if I was thinking of pitching a screenplay about David Letterman`s sexual misbehaviors, I would certainly drive it over to Letterman`s house, perhaps include, you know, some private photos and diaries, demand $2 million.
I don`t know. Maybe drop it in his car first thing in the morning at 6:00 a.m. Now, after all, Halderman`s attorney said today that`s the way it`s done. Here`s what he said on "Good Morning America."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HALDERMAN: He knew Letterman`s driver. He gave the package to the driver. He didn`t break into the car. I don`t quite know why people are focusing on that. Would it have been better if he sent it Federal Express? Was there a requirement of the law that you send it Federal Express?
By the way, you keep going back to 6:00 in the morning. Is there somehow - you have to make the request during normal business hours? I mean, I don`t get it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. And quite frankly, I don`t get it either. Who, in their right mind, takes business proposals to people during normal business hours anyway? What a crazy idea. All right. Carolina, I mean, the whole thing is just nuts, isn`t it?
BERMUDEZ: This is crazy, A.J. Come on. This guy is trying to weasel his way out of something right now. Here`s the thing. I`ve never seen a screenplay with a pay-me-or-else clause. That`s something that needs to be - everybody saw that he went and cashed a $2 million check.
What does that tell you? He had incriminating pictures of David Letterman. I mean, this was set up as a blackmail plot.
HAMMER: Yes.
BERMUDEZ: I don`t think - it`s an open-and-shut case as far as I`m concerned.
HYLA: It`s open-and-shut - it`s open-and-shut in the court of public opinion. But law - is he going to be able to get off on some kind of technicality?
BERMUDEZ: This guy (INAUDIBLE) CBS. He knows how the industry works. He knows there are proper procedures. There are ways to get your ideas read by the people that you want to buy your script.
But this is not the way to do it, sneaking around at 6:00, giving it to someone`s driver. It`s very sneaky, very suspect. I don`t believe this guy.
HYLA: Listen, all I know is watching the lawyer on television - lawyers are kind of like the vampires on "True Blood." They can glamorize you just for a moment. I was kind of - glamorize it?
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: That`s his job, Hyla. That`s what he`s supposed to do. Now, this lawyer, Halderman`s attorney, has filed a motion to dismiss the whole extortion case claiming that Letterman was guilty of sexually harassing his employees.
And this is what I don`t understand. In fact, Letterman`s attorney is asking what a lot of people are asking, what does it have to do with extortion?
Now, Hyla, keep it in mind that the woman who Letterman was having an affair with was Halderman`s ex-girlfriend. It does seem to a lot of people this was simply a case of revenge.
HYLA: No, absolutely. I think bringing up the sexual harassment stuff - yes. It probably doesn`t hold a lot in court. But I think it`s going to make Letterman think twice. OK, do I want to drag this out? Because this sounds like they are ready to go to battle. And if we go to court, oh my God. So much more is going to be revealed.
So maybe this might entice Letterman to say, "OK. I`m going to either drop this or try and do a settlement on the side." I think that`s why Halderman`s lawyers are doing this on television.
HAMMER: Yes. And I think that was Halderman`s point the whole time. I don`t know for certain, but that`s how I see it. I`ve got to get to this next story also making big news today - Carrie Prejean versus Donald Trump.
Now, Prejean accuses the Donald of dividing up Miss California USA contestants by their looks and humiliating them. Well, the Donald has struck back big time. Listen to what he told "Extra."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, OWNER OF THE MISS USA FRANCHISE: Carrie should be ashamed of herself. I would never, ever go so far as to say, "You go over here and you go over there."
HAMMER: Wow. What a fight this is turning out to be. And I`m thinking for one, Carrie Prejean in way over her head, Hyla, Carolina Bermudez, stay where you are because we have got the beauty versus the Donald. That hot debate is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now, over to you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here`s what we need to know - "Carrie Prejean Versus Donald Trump: Is the former beauty queen in over her head?" Here`s where you vote CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Here is where you E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Is Jon Gosselin cleaning up his act? Check out this new video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR, "JON & KATE PLUS 8": I just want to go back to the normal, simple life like I used to have.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Can Jon really turn back time and right his wrongs? I have the outrageous new video.
Plus, fresh out of high heels and a stripper claiming she had an affair with Josh Duhamel, his wife Fergie is admitting has been tempted to cheat with other women.
Also this.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It`s been a banner year for people getting run over and then having a close call run over and over again on TV.
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ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ caught on tape. Life-and-death cliffhangers you have to see to believe.
HAMMER: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Michael Jackson`s funeral cost nearly $1 million; sister Janet fronted $50,000. Andy Warhol`s "Thriller"-era portrait of Jackson sells for $812,500.
You are watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. And keep on watching the bottom of your screen for more nonstop, compelling and provocative news from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s been a long two weeks. I have seen my friends here and there and talked to them. And well, I have been to school so I`ve had teachers come out and I`ve had to do the homework at home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Did you see this? A girl who can`t stop sneezing. It started a couple of weeks ago when 12-year-old Lauren Johnson from Virginia was recovering from a cold. Since then, achoos have been happening all the time like 10 times or more per minute.
Doctors can`t seem to figure out what`s wrong with Lauren. So this morning on the "Today" show, Dr. Nancy Snyderman said it could be some sort of involuntary tic. We do wish Lauren well.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, caught on tape, people cheating death. This is absolutely incredible. By now, you have probably seen the shocking video of the woman in Boston who fell on to train tracks and survived with only a few scratches.
Amazingly, there have been a lot of people in the past year or so who have been caught on tape nearly being killed. And they all involve trains. Here`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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MOOS (voice-over): It gives every commuter the willies. Who hasn`t contemplated their own demise while waiting for a train?
Only in this case, woman said she was drunk trying to stamp out a cigarette and lost her balance and fell to the tracks at the Boston subway, looking up to see the headlights of an oncoming train. This is what the crane operator saw - people frantically waving.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Obviously, telling me, slow the train down. Then, as I was approaching, the lady pokes her head up. And I`m like, oh my god. Someone`s in the pit. So I just did in an emergency exactly what I was supposed to do.
Moos: In the knick of time, the train came to a stop.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: After the fact she comes up from (INAUDIBLE) and I`m like, "Oh, my god! That was scary."
MOOS: Then folks held her back up onto the platform, unhurt.
(on camera): It has been a banner year for people getting run over and then having a close call run over and over again on TV.
(voice-over): There was the Israeli woman who apparently tried to commit suicide by lying down on the tracks. Ten seconds later she got up and staggered off. Then, there was the runaway baby stroller in Australia with a 6-month-old boy inside.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a moment that I thought I should jump.
MOOS: The mother told the "Today" show about finding her son beneath the train.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As we were approaching towards the train, I could hear him crying. I was relieved by the feeling that my boy is alive.
MOOS: Again, unhurt. Wouldn`t it be nice if we were all as agile as Neo of "The Matrix?" Even Neo didn`t have to contend with a train hitting truck (INAUDIBLE). This man in Turkey lost his hat, but not his life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I cannot remember anything about the accident. I thought I was sleeping. But when I woke up, I was not on my bed. I was on the ground.
MOOS: Dudley Do-right used to ride to the rescue. Who needs Do-right when they do all right on their own.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Life is really beautiful.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: The woman who nearly lost life in Boston - she told the Boston TV station that she`s incredibly thankful the train operator was alert and stopped the train before it hit her. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines - they have been ringing off the hook, I tell you, with people calling in about Carrie Prejean`s solo sex tape confession.
ANDERSON: We`re got a call in to "Showbiz on Call" from Linda in New York. She says we should give Carrie a break.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: She made a mistake. It was a tape between her and her boyfriend. She was 17. This is now, that was then. She is not perfect.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you for your call, Linda.
HAMMER: Well, we also heard from Casey calling in to "Showbiz on Call" from Washington who has, shall we say, a somewhat different opinion about Carrie`s situation.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I don`t know why we are still talking about this idiot. She got fired. Her 15 minutes of fame are up. She is obviously not the brightest bulb on the tree.
And when are people going to learn to stop making sex tapes? Obviously, they don`t end up good for anybody. It`s a no-brainer, people.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, thank you for calling, Casey. Remember, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time.
ANDERSON: Call us at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1-888-728-2899.
HAMMER: All right. Hold on just one second. Is this right? Carrie Prejean is now taking on Donald Trump?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TRUMP: Carrie should be ashamed of herself. She is trying to sell a book. I can`t imagine too many people would be interested in it.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Carrie disses the Donald with startling claims about how he runs his beauty pageant. She says he separates Miss USA contestants by looks. The Donald fights back and slams Carrie. Seriously, Carrie taking on the Donald? Are you just out of your mind?
Also making big news today, stunning new developments surrounding reported J. Lo sex tape. So will Jennifer Lopez`s ex really be able to release this video?
Also, this outrageous new Jon Gosselin video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. GOSSELIN: People always say, "Jon, you can`t go back. But I am going to go back. I`m going to learn from my mistakes. I`m going to move forward and be the righteous person that I can be."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jon, it sounds to me like a pretty good move, but do you mean it? You have got to see this. Everybody is talking about it today. But will it help Jon`s image?
It`s time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: People`s Choice Awards: Pitt and Aniston nominated for favorite move actor and actress. People`s Choice Awards: Miley Cyrus, Ashton Kutcher compete for fave Web celeb.
You are watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. Right now, keep on watching the bottom of your screen for more nonstop, compelling and provocative news from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Tonight, John Travolta speaks out in an emotional brand-new interview. Travolta was on "Ellen" today. Now, the first thing he did was thanked his fans for their support since the tragic death of his teenage son, Jett.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN TRAVOLTA, ACTOR: One moment to thank each and every one of you throughout this country and throughout the world for all your support and all your love for our family.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": A lot of love.
TRAVOLTA: I feel it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now, John was also there to promote his new movie, "Old Dogs." His wife, Kelly Preston, costars and his daughter Ella Bleu makes her film debut. Ella joined her dad on "Ellen" today for her first TV interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: It`s hard to watch yourself. Did you find like you were looking at yourself going, "Is that how I talk" and stuff like that?
ELLA BLEU TRAVOLTA, DAUGHTER OF JOHN TRAVOLTA: Well, kind of, but it was really fun to see me. I was like, "Yes!" Not only just my parents, but me up there, too.
DEGENERES: Yes. I know, that`s pretty cool. I don`t know how many other people could say they`ve worked with their mom and dad in a movie. You have two big movie stars. And do you know how cool your dad is? Do you realize how cool he is?
E. TRAVOLTA: Always.
DEGENERES: Really?
E. TRAVOLTA: Yes.
DEGENERES: That`s fantastic that you know that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So sweet. You can see Ella Bleu costarring with her parents in "Old Dogs," in theaters November 25th.
HAMMER: It`s all about sex tapes on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page. People do have plenty to say today about the sex tape that J. Lo`s ex- husband is threatening to release and the solo sex tape Carrie Prejean made for her boyfriend when she was 17.
Now, Loretta T. wrote in and she sees a big difference between the two. She writes, "J. Lo should sue, but the other chick is using her sex tape for publicity."
Michelle S. says everyone just needs to keep it in the bedroom. She writes, "I think people need to keep their sex lives - solo, together, whatever - to themselves. I`m sick of hearing about it."
Now, I want to hear it from you. You can sign up for our Facebook and Twitter pages at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
And now, the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
The beauty versus the Donald - a war of words for the ages. Is Carrie Prejean out of her mind to be going up against Trump?
Plus, is Jon Gosselin trying to clean up his image?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. GOSSELIN: People always say to me, "Jon, you can`t go back. But I am going to go back. I`m going to learn from my mistakes. I`m going to move forward and be the righteous person that I can be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jon`s outrageous new video. Can he really turn back time and make everything better?
Plus, fresh on the heels of a stripper claiming she had an affair with Josh Duhamel, his wife, Fergie, admits she has been tempted to cheat with other women.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Jon Voight says he has reconciled with his daughter, Angelina Jolie. Denzel Washington returning to Broadway in August Wilson`s "Fences."
HAMMER: You are watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. And keep on watching the bottom of your screen for more nonstop, compelling and provocative news from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TRUMP: Carrie should be ashamed of herself. She is trying to sell a book. I can`t imagine too many people would be interested in it.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the nasty, brand-new fight today between the beauty and the Donald. Carrie Prejean makes startling claims about Donald Trump. So the Donald slams Carrie.
But tonight, I`ve got to ask, is Carrie out of her mind to take on Trump?
Explosive developments in the J. Lo reported sex tape shocker. Tonight, will Jennifer Lopez` ex be able to release a steamy tape of her?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. GOSSELIN: I just want to go back to the normal, simple like I used to have.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hey, Jon. Dude, what`s with the Cher song? Tonight, Jon Gosselin`s Outrageous new video. Will this help him turn back time and fix his image?
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 is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you tonight from Hollywood. And tonight, the beauty versus the Donald. An all out war of words has broken out between Donald Trump and conservative former beauty queen, Carrie Prejean.
Trump is taking no prisoners today, blasting Carrie Prejean for her claims about how he runs his beauty pageants. Carrie claims the Donald singled out some of the beauty queens and humiliated them. Watch what she told Barbara Walters on "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Donald Trump separated.
(CROSSTALK)
Who says he did this?
PREJEAN: He said, "California, step forward. Who do you think is the most beautiful girl on the stage?" I had to say Alabama.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: But the Donald is fighting back. And you are not going to believe what he has to say about Carrie Prejean. It`s a war of words like no other.
HAMMER: With us tonight from Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, who is a correspondent for "Extra." In New York, Whitney Casey is an entertainment journalist and author of "The Man Plan."
All right. So Donald Trump`s attack on Carrie Prejean came the same day that she publicly acknowledged that, yes, she made a sex tape of herself.
Carrie is out promoting a new book and claims that Donald Trump actually took time out to single out the prettiest women in the beauty pageant, picking and choosing who is hot and who is not.
Well, today, the Donald is fighting back. He gave a brand-new interview to "Extra." And Donald slams Carrie`s claims. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TRUMP: Carrie should be ashamed of herself. I would never, ever go so far as to say, "You go over here and you go over there."
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Carlos, what Donald said - you guys are actually making some pretty big headlines today. Just how mad is he?
DIAZ: You know, I always want to talk to him and I expected him to be a lot madder. I`ve heard him a lot madder, you know, ala Rosie O`Donnell. But the thing is, he was very careful with his words to defend himself and use terms like, "She should be ashamed of herself."
But he never attacked Carrie Prejean specifically. He just was defending himself as far as separating the women on stage which was her allegation. But by the way, it`s a beauty contest. Eventually, they`re going to be separated on stage by some kind of beauty, you know.
HAMMER: Yes. Let me hear some more of this. Let me read to you what else the Donald tells "Extra." He said, "Certainly I would never do a thing like that because it would be too hurtful. I don`t stand ones that are less attractive to one side and the beautiful ones on the other side. It was total nonsense. It was fiction in her imagination. I don`t know how she came up with an idea like that. She should not have written that in the book."
Now, Donald Trump goes on to say to "Extra," "She is trying to sell the book. She`s doing the best she can. I can`t imagine too many people would be interested in it, but you never know what sells these days."
Whitney, what do you think? Is Carrie Prejean pretty much just plain crazy for taking on Donald Trump? Nobody takes on Donald Trump like that and gets away with it after all.
WHITNEY CASEY, AUTHOR, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Yes. I`m going to go with the K.O. First, she jumped into the ring with Perez Hilton. And you know, he`s a lightweight. Now, she is jumping into the ring with the Muhammad Ali of media. Yes, she`s crazy. I`m going with the K.O. I am usually a blond sympathizer for obvious reasons, but it`s a K.O. right there.
HAMMER: All right. Now, Carlos, you and I have been dealing with Donald Trump for quite a long time.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: We`ve seen him in other battles before. Whether or not the person taking him on even right, and in Carrie`s case, she thinks she`s right. He says she`s not. But is she just out of her mind for taking him on.
DIAZ: Well, you know, staying with that analogy, she`s a lightweight, you know. And so, you know, I think, you know, when you have a heavyweight like Donald Trump and a lightweight steps into the ring, you just say to yourself, "OK. What are you going do to me?" It`s like, "Any one of your punches is not going to hurt me."
As far as Donald Trump maybe, you know, suing her for what she said, only if she stays around for a while which I don`t see happening.
HAMMER: Well, it`s interesting because when Carrie was on "The View," Barbara Walters said right, too, "You know, Donald Trump is thinking of suing you for what you said."
Brooke Anderson, let me bring you back in here. Do you think that Donald would actually go through with suing her, you know, as Carlos said, if she sticks around? Or is it kind of a scare tactic? He does kind of speak loudly sometimes.
ANDERSON: He does, but I don`t think Donald Trump is afraid to be litigious, A.J. And listen, this is a man who supported and who defended Carrie Prejean numerous times, sat by her side in interviews and sang her praises when not many people were.
So I`m shocked that she said these things about him in her book. But at the same time, she does have to sell the book. And what better way to do that to get attention than a public feud with Donald Trump.
HAMMER: Yes. You know, as you were saying, we are looking at the image of Donald Trump and Carrie Prejean arm-in-arm at the press conference where Donald was saying, "I`m not going to fire her."
ANDERSON: Yes.
HAMMER: And now, it`s something entirely different. Paula Shugart is the president of Miss Universe and she is also really blasting Carrie Prejean. She gave a brand-new interview to Joy Behar on her show right here on HLN, "THE JOY BEHAR SHOW." Watch it every night. Now, Shugart really laid into Carrie for her claims about Trump. You`ve got to see what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA SHUGART, PRESIDENT, MISS UNIVERSE: Mr. Trump, who bent over backwards and defended her even when she was caught in lie after lie. She just totally lied and really did not tell the truth about things behind the scenes in the pageant.
She put it more in a way to make herself look good. But honestly, if you want to sell a book, if you put Donald Trump`s name into it, then that`s the best way to. And I think that that`s why I`m here. But just say, enough already. This was not about her answer. It was about the fact that she was absolutely impossible to work with when we tried to make things - make it work.
JOY BEHAR, HOST, "THE JOY BEHAR SHOW": At the pageant?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Paula does make a great point that we`ve been making right here. You want to sell a book, well, hey, start a fight with Donald Trump.
Whitney, let me ask you. Do you think the whole thing could backfire on Carrie? Because, yes, she is getting all this attention right now. Hey, here we are talking about it. We`re mentioning her book and the fact that it`s out, but all that really is just going to fade away, isn`t it?
CASEY: Well, from one author to another, no, it`s probably not going to backfire. But one of the blonds that`s going to win is not going to be her. It`s going to be Ivanka Trump, because she`s on the list right now. She`s going to be the blond at the top of the list for selling books and it`s not going to be Carrie Prejean if Donald Trump has anything to do with it.
And furthermore, it`s not this that`s going to sell books. It`s not Trump. It`s that sex tape that`s going to sell books. And I think that there`s a small coincidence that that just happened to come out the week that she is on the book tour.
HAMMER: Yes.
CASEY: I think we all are looking into that a little bit.
HAMMER: Yes. I know you`re not the first to suggest that. And of course, Carrie Prejean has had to be on the defense about that solo sex tape that she stars in.
Now, for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, here`s what we asked - "Carrie Prejean`s Sex Tape Confession: Has she lost credibility?" And take a look at the results - 81 percent. I mean, it`s totally one-sided. Eighty-one percent said yes; only 19 percent said no.
Now, Carlos, regardless of whether or not you felt she had credibility to begin with, I`m thinking you look at a result like that and it doesn`t say a whole lot for Carrie`s future in her career, does it?
DIAZ: Let me ask you this question, all right?
HAMMER: Please.
DIAZ: There was a Miss Los Angeles scandal last year with the Miss California and Miss Los Angeles contestants being messed up as far as the voting went. And then a few years ago, you had Miss USA with the alleged drug use and partying.
Do you remember any of those girls` names at all? See, that`s what happens. What happens is we - as a society, we have a short memory. And six months from now, Carrie Prejean will be a distant memory.
HAMMER: Yes. What do you think about that, Whitney? Six months from now, will we even be discussing Carrie Prejean unless, of course, she is picking another fight with Donald Trump?
CASEY: No, unless there is another sex tape. All I know is that my paperback comes out in January so I better get busy in the bedroom.
HAMMER: Better get busy in the bedroom. You`d better kick up some dirt with Donald Trump. See where that can take you. Now, Carlos and I will tell you from experience it probably means we`ll either be on the phone or sitting across the desk from him, asking him, "Why did you say that about Whitney?" in your case.
DIAZ: I want to buy her book. I want to buy her book.
CASEY: Hey, hey!
HAMMER: Whitney Casey, Carlos Diaz, thanks, guys. I appreciate it.
All right. We have been asking you to vote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Tonight - "Carrie Prejean Versus Donald Trump: Is the former beauty queen in over her head?" This is where you vote, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. If you have more to say, I want to see those thoughts. Do E-mail it to us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: A.J., I could not believe my eyes when I saw this brand-new Jon Gosselin video today. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. GOSSELIN: I just want to go back to the normal, simple life like I used to have.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, that`s really Jon. Hey, what`s with the Cher song, man? You have it got to see this thing. It`s pretty funny. But will it help Jon`s image?
Also, making big news today, brand-new developments surrounding the Jennifer Lopez reported sex tape. Will J. Lo`s ex be able to release it?
And Fergie`s bisexual confession. You know how Fergie`s husband, Josh Duhamel, has been accused of cheating on her with a stripper. Well, tonight, Fergie is opening up about how she has thoughts about cheating with other women.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Simon Cowell, Donald Trump, Charlie Sheen among TV`s best-paid men. Cowell earns $75 million, Trump $50 million, Sheen $21 million.
HAMMER: You are watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. And right now, I want you to keep on watching the bottom of your screen for more nonstop, compelling and provocative news from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ANDERSON: Tonight, you have got to see the absolutely hilarious brand-new "Funny or Die" video starring real Jon Gosselin. And it just might change everyone`s opinion of him forever.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson n Hollywood with A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, Jon`s big laugh. After months of being a laughingstock from everything from dating three women at the same time to living it up in the Hamptons with Michael Lohan, tonight, Jon Gosselin today became the center of a hilarious "Funny or Die" video about his outrageous drama-filled life.
But why is he doing this now? Is it more fact than fiction? We will get to those burning questions in a moment. But first, Jon`s big laugh. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. GOSSELIN: For the past few months, I have been looking back and thinking, "This is not me. This is not what I want to do." You know, I just want to go back to the normal, simple life like I used to have.
I just try - I`m going to try, try, try. People always say to me, "Jon, you can`t go back." But I am going to go back. I`m going to learn from my mistakes. I`m going to move forward and be the righteous person that I can be.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
I`m sorry, Bikini VJ (ph). The party`s over.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will never forget you, Jon Gosselin.
J. GOSSELIN: Seriously?
(MUSIC PLAYING)
You will have to take my name off the list forever.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not like this.
J. GOSSELIN: Please. Please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are breaking my heart here. Come on!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We hear Jon Gosselin might be in there. Cool. Tell him I said goodbye.
J. GOSSELIN: Later, buddy. People always say, "Jon, you can`t go back." But at least, I`m going to try.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Now, after watching that, I`m wondering why in the world is Jon Gosselin making fun of himself and giving us more to goof on him about?
Here with me Hollywood is Hyla, who is an entertainment journalist with "5DollarPrep.com." And in New York tonight is Carolina Bermudez. She`s a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
Hyla, you first. This was really the best move for Jon?
HYLA: A huge move for Jon. This was great. Listen, this is a breaking news alert, OK? Exclusive on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Jon Gosselin is here to stay. You know, we keep thinking of Jon (INAUDIBLE).
BERMUDEZ: No.
HYLA: The TLC show is gone. When is it going to be over with Jon Gosselin? He just came back with a vengeance. He`s making fun of himself. This is the best PR tactical move you could ever make. You know who else goes to "FunnyOrDie.com?"
BERMUDEZ: I`m sorry, Hyla - I`m sorry.
HYLA: Will Ferrell does. Natalie Portman does.
BERMUDEZ: We`re not laughing with Jon Gosselin. We are laughing at him after this clip. I`m sorry. It will take a lot more than him dishing the hair gel and the pop out vodka for me to actually think that this guy is legit. Seriously, this is so sad.
J. GOSSELIN: Who do you talk about more? Who is on the cover of your magazine more? Who`s inside your magazine? Who`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT? Jon Gosselin is everywhere. He manipulates us to talk about him. And now, he is making fun of himself (INAUDIBLE) himself to people.
BERMUDEZ: Well, he needs to be filling out job applications and not doing spoof videos. I mean, the guy is going to be unemployed in a couple of months. I would think that he would be spending his time doing something a little bit better for his future.
HYLA: You don`t think he`s going to get a show anytime soon? We all know he`s going to be back on reality television (INAUDIBLE) own PR.
BERMUDEZ: Not if TLC has their way.
ANDERSON: I hope not. And Carolina, I`m with you. You know, because what makes it so funny is that we`re all wishing that Jon Gosselin would simmer down, dump the hair gel, go back to his normal life for the sake of his eight young beautiful kids.
So Carolina, are you with me that although the spoof is hilarious, you kind of hope it`s true?
BERMUDEZ: I do. I sincerely hope it`s true. I really think that Jon needs a wake up call. And maybe the reactions from this video will finally give him the kick in the butt that he needs to go out there and start really getting his family back together.
ANDERSON: Yes. Give him some motivation. Well, Kate Gosselin, his ex, also recently showed that she`s got a funny bone, taking a swipe at her own infamy in a sketch on "The Jay Leno Show." Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kate. Hey, Kate. I was supposed to go shopping. What did you buy?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where`s your plus eight, Kate?
KATE GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR, "JON & KATE PLUS 8": Seriously, I am exhausted. Leave me alone and stop taking pictures.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A couple more, Kate. A couple more. Just a couple more.
K. GOSSELIN: Hey, what did mommy just say?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?
K. GOSSELIN: I asked to you stop taking pictures and you continued.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are not your kids, ma`am.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We are not part of your plus eight.
K. GOSSELIN: Don`t talk back to your mother.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Hyla, I`ve got to ask, who`s got the better comic chops, Jon or Kate?
HYLA: Well, you know, I`m going to give it to Jon Gosselin on this one. Because this is just a small, little "Funny or Die" cook, and it`s hilarious. Kate Gosselin had the entire Jay Leno writing staff behind her on that one. So I`m going to give the edge to Jon.
ANDERSON: Giving the edge to Jon right now. OK. I do want to move now to explosive new developments in the J. Lo sex tape shocker. A huge victory for Jennifer Lopez. A judge has just extended a temporary restraining order preventing her first husband, Ojani Noa, from releasing an intimate sex tape of her. Carolina, quickly, is she out of the woods yet?
BERMUDEZ: Not yet. These two have been battling back and fourth for years now. There is something that Ojani has on J. Lo and she doesn`t want anybody else to know. So I don`t think this is the last that we`re going to see of this case.
ANDERSON: Oh, Ojani Noa needs to drop it and stop trying to live off his ex for goodness` sake.
BERMUDEZ: Yes.
ANDERSON: Hyla, Carolina Bermudez, good to see you both. Thanks.
HAMMER: All right. So Josh Duhamel has really come under fire. He has been accused of cheating on his beautiful wife, Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas, of course - cheating on her with a stripper.
Well, tonight, I can tell you Fergie has thoughts of cheating herself, but thoughts of cheating with other women. It`s Fergie in her own words about being bisexual.
Now, it`s time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom, and they are making news right now.
TEXT: Steven Tyler denies rumors that he is leaving Aerosmith. TV viewing at all-time high: Average person watches almost five hours per day.
HAMMER: You are watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT right here on HLN. And right now, you`ve got to keep on watching the bottom of your screen because we are bringing you more nonstop, compelling and provocative news from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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HAMMER: Did you see this? A company advertising billboard space in New Zealand is using Paris Hilton as the poster girl as the concept of vacant. Now, I, for one, think that`s pretty clever and pretty funny.
Oddly, Paris Hilton doesn`t seem to share my sense of humor. Her manager says that the company can expect to hear from lawyers because they are using her image without her permission. And I say they are party poopers.
Well, Fergie is bisexual. The tabloids are screaming. The headlines - Fergie has an impulse to cheat with other women. Fergie`s response? No duh.
Fergie and her husband, Josh Duhamel, are current tabloid fodder because of the stripper who claims she had an affair with Josh which he denies.
But now, they`ve latched on to the story that Fergie is bisexual. Well, as it turns out, she admitted this long before the stripper scandal, Fergie telling "The Advocate" that she`s talked about it four or five years ago.
She says, quote, "I think women are beautiful. I`ve had a lot of fun with women, and I`m not ashamed of it. The problem is that I also love a well-endowed man. But just because I enjoy women doesn`t mean I`m allowed to have affairs in my relationship. I learned through talking with my therapist that is still cheating even if it`s with girls, so there is a rule there."
ANDERSON: Ashley Judd has won the Fourth Annual Hollywood Hero Award. Stars including Morgan Freeman, Debra Messing and Mandy Moore showed up to see Ashley get the award in Beverly Hills.
The honor goes to a celebrity humanitarian. Since 2002, Judd has been an advocate for an HIV education and prevention program called Youth AIDS.
At the Hollywood Hero event, Ashley told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about her own hero.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASHLEY JUDD, ACTRESS: My grandmother. My grandmother. I have a lot of love to give which is why I do the work that I do. And people that I see around the world who, in spite of incredible poverty, are fantastically resilient and themselves have so much love to give.
Those are the people who really inspire me. And I am very inspired by my classmates at the university. They have incredibly diverse backgrounds. They`re working because they literally believe we can eradicate poverty and change the world`s intractable problems into sustainable solutions. And so I find that belief very heroic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And once again this year, CNN has its all-star tribute to heroes on Thanksgiving night. And remember to vote for CNN`s Hero of the Year, at CNN.com/Heroes.
HAMMER: So on Thursday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. And just moments ago, on this sheet of paper, I was handed the final results. "Carrie Prejean Sex Tape Confession: Has she lost credibility?" And the results, totally one sided here - 81 percent of you said yes; 19 percent no.
Here are some of the E-mails we got. Lee from Tennessee writing, "Carrie Prejean never had any credibility to begin with. She is just a pageant queen, not the president."
Eric from California writes, "Teenagers do all sorts of things that they later regret in life, as is the case with Carrie Prejean."
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. 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. Take care.
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