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Showbiz Tonight
The Domino Effect; Is Simon`s Farewell Ellen`s Raw Deal?; Ellen DeGeneres Speaks About First Day on American Idol; Reality Star Heidi Montag Says She`s Addicted to Plastic Surgery; Tila Tequila Releases Interview Today on RadarOnline.com; Jimmy Kimmel Does Jay Leno Parody
Aired January 13, 2010 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST (voice-over): Big news breaking right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Is Ellen "Idol`s" last hope? Tonight the explosive brand-new fallout today from Simon Cowell announcing he`s leaving "Idol". And the great debate today. Will Ellen be the only thing that saves "American Idol" from total disaster?
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST: He announced he`s leaving on my first day. I`m trying not to take it personally.
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, with Simon`s decision to leave, is Ellen being set up to fail?
Did Jon pull off a big bizarre hoax? The dramatic development today over Jon Gosselin claiming his apartment was trashed by his 22-year-old ex. But tonight, do police think he made it all up?
So who`s the celebrity now? Sarah Palin`s unbelievable brand-new celebrity magazine spread. Sarah, Bristol, the Palin family, right there alongside the likes of Brad and Angelina.
Tonight, Did Sarah make an incredibly big mistake?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news shows starts right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City. And tonight, is Ellen "American Idol`s" last hope?
Ellen DeGeneres opened up today on her show for the very first time about her just-completed, very first taping as a judge on "Idol." And even as she did that, a wild, over-the-top great debate broke out today whether over Ellen will be able to pick up where Simon Cowell will eventually leave off.
Because with Simon`s bombshell revelation that this will be his last season on "American Idol," there`s now concern over whether anyone can replace Simon as the ringmaster of the "Idol" circus.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal that this all made for big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: The Ellen era of "American Idol" has begun. Well, sort of.
DEGENERES: We`re taping right now, so I already know who make it`s to Hollywood. And so if you know -- if you have a good bookie, let me know.
HAMMER: On her talk show today, Ellen DeGeneres talked about taping her debut as a judge on "American Idol" in an episode that doesn`t air until next month.
DEGENERES: Last year I watched "American Idol" in my pajamas sitting on my couch, and this year totally different because I actually get to be right there and although we have these late, late nights and they keep going like this, I`m going to have to put my pajamas on. I am.
HAMMER: With Ellen starting work on "Idol" SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you she`s going to have to do a whole lot more than just singers. Like a superhero, saving a victim in distress, Ellen may just have to swoop in to save "American Idol."
RYAN SEACREST, HOST, "AMERICAN IDOL": Season nine starts in Boston.
HAMMER: New ratings just released today show almost 30 million people watched last night`s season premiere of "American Idol," which did not feature Ellen. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Ellen joins "American Idol" as it faces its biggest crisis in years.
Judge Paula Abdul left "Idol" this past summer in a contract dispute.
SIMON COWELL, JUDGE, "AMERICAN IDOL": The singing was just verging on terrible.
HAMMER: And Simon Cowell announced this week he`s leaving "American Idol" after this season to launch an American version of the British talent show "X Factor."
MICHAEL DOUGLAS, ACTOR: I watched "American Idol."
HAMMER: "American Idol" fan Michael Douglas tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he`s not worried about Simon`s departure.
DOUGLAS: He`ll do fine. I`m not worried about old Simon.
REGIS PHILBIN, HOST: I think it`s going to be a big loss.
HAMMER: But Regis and Joy Philbin tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT losing Simon will be an especially huge blow to "American Idol."
JOY PHILBIN, REGIS PHILBIN`S WIFE: I think he`ll be sorely missed.
R. PHILBIN: He`ll be sorely missed, she`s right. He`s great, great asset to that show. He is the show.
HAMMER: "US" magazine`s Erika Souter tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it will be Ellen`s job to fill that void.
ERICKA SOUTER, STAFF WRITER, US WEEKLY: With the absence of Simon and Paula, Ellen will be under tremendous pressure.
HAMMER: Making Ellen`s "American Idol" job harder, the show`s ratings have been steadily declining since its peak in 2005. And the debut album of last year`s "American Idol" winner Chris Allen is struggling on the charts. Both sign that`s "Idol" may be fading as a pop culture juggernaut and Ellen may be "Idol`s" last hope.
SOUTER: She is the big name on the show and people will be looking to her to see if she knows what she`s doing, if she adds anything new. If there`s anything extra that she brings to the judging panel.
HAMMER: What if "American Idol" continues to decline after Ellen joins and Simon leaves? Well, just like cousin Oliver is blamed for killing the Brady Bunch near the end of its run, Ellen could be the one accused of killing "American Idol."
SOUTER: Ellen runs the risk of being cast as the show killer if it does, if "Idol" fall in the ratings.
DEGENERES: Some contestants are good but they`re not great.
HAMMER: On her show today, Ellen talked about what she won`t be bringing to the "American Idol" judge`s table.
DEGENERES: I don`t want to hurt people`s feelings. I don`t like that. I`m not that kind of person because they have a name for a person who likes to hurt people`s feelings. It`s called Simon. And...
HAMMER: All kidding aside, Ellen is about to write a new chapter in "American Idol" history. The only question is whether she`ll be the hero in the story or the villain.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So the question remains, is Ellen "Idol`s" last hope?
And joining me tonight from Hollywood, Kim Serafin is the senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." Also in Hollywood tonight, Carlos Diaz, a correspondent for "Extra."
All right, guys, with Paula gone, Simon leaving after the season -- Carlos, let me throw this to you first. Is Ellen "Idol`s" only hope for survival at this point?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Yes, I mean, basically, because, I mean, no Paula. I mean, well, Seacrest is still there, right?
No, but here`s the thing. I mean you have to also wonder do Ryan Seacrest and Ellen chance the fact that this show could be a sinking ship. You know it`s correlated to they`ve got reputations to protect.
I mean Ryan has got his own entities, his own production company. Ellen`s got her own show. And if this show tanks next season, do they want to be a part of that ruining possibly their reputations?
HAMMER: Yes, I don`t think it would be on them so much, though. I have to say that, although probably more on Ellen than on Ryan. I think she`ll be carrying a lot more of the weight.
The SHOWBIZ ON CALL phone lines have been buzzing nonstop. It seems as though there is not a lot of "Idol" worship going on right now. Everybody has something to say about the future of "American Idol".
Let me get to a call. It`s Lashonda who called in today to say that "Idol" has reached the end of its run.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LASHONDA, CALLER FROM GEORGIA: I think it`s about time for "American Idol" to kind of give it up. People are leaving the show, so why keep going?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks, Lashonda, for the call. Now, Kim, do you agree that even though "Idol" now has Ellen as a judge, it`s not going to be able to survive without the original three -- Simon, Paul and Randy -- sitting all together at the judge`s table?
KIM SERAFIN, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "US WEEKLY": You know, I think Ellen will certainly bring something to the panel. Yes, I was watching the premiere this week like 30 million people were and Simon gave the best line when he said to one of the contestants, you sing like a 3-year-old, you look like Latoya Jackson, and you have a beard, and that`s just weird.
So I think that there`s a lot of people that think Ellen will give those kind of one-liners, but she`s not going to be mean. She`s not going to be Simon in that sense and I think that that is going to bring "Idol" down.
What you remember at the end of the day is what Simon says. The advice that he gave to the contestant is the final word on air and I don`t think it`s going to be that way with Ellen.
HAMMER: Well, let`s talk about that a little bit because today on her show, Ellen did talk about her experience on the first day of taping "Idol". This is the first time that she talked about it. And while she called her new gig amazing, wait until you hear what she considers the hardest part of the job. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: Eliminating people is -- it`s tough because I`m bound to hurt people`s feelings and I don`t want to hurt people`s feelings. I don`t like that, I`m not that kind of person because they have a name for a person who likes to hurt people`s feelings. It`s called Simon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, so right there, I`m only saying being the bad guy is Simon`s job. I guess it`s not in her contract.
Carlos, what do you think? Can Ellen get away with just being funny? Or will she have to, you know, channel her inner mean girl if the show`s going to make it when Simon is out of there?
DIAZ: I thought she could, but after hearing that comment, I mean, if she has a problem with him, she`s going to say on her first critique of "American Idol," that she really doesn`t like being mean. Maybe the responsibility is going to Kara DioGuardi where she`s the one where she has to -- because she -- last year could critique and give it to people straight. I mean she ticked off bikini girl last year.
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: So maybe Kara steps in to the Simon world and they kind of, you know, give her the meanness.
HAMMER: Although, you know, when you think about it and, Kim, I`m curious to get your take on this, Randy Jackson, although -- he`s certainly a ruh-roh kind of guy, he`s a pretty straight shooter, you know, maybe he has that capacity in him if Ellen is not going to pick up the slack and maybe he`ll step up.
SERAFIN: No, it`s true, and both Randy and Kara have the musical expertise from working in the industry that Ellen doesn`t. But you need that final word. As someone -- I watch "American Idol" every season and you usually go through the judges, you hear what everyone has to say, and then you wait to hear what Simon has to say.
That`s the advice the contestants take home.
DIAZ: The worse thing they can do, though, is try to manufacturer that. You know they try to bring somebody in to be the new Simon, that`s going to be a big mistake.
HAMMER: Huge mistake. I mean, we`ve seen all the other reality shows that have fired up and brought in a Simon character and for the most part those haven`t worked out.
Well, after watching last night`s season premier, a lot of people have suggested that Simon seemed -- I don`t know, perhaps a bit more annoyed and agitated than usual. There were even a few times when he walked out of the auditions.
Now Carlos, I was thinking about this. While these shows were taping, even though it wasn`t a done deal, I`m sure he had it in his mind that he was going to be out of there. Do you think Simon has had basically had it?
DIAZ: That`s a great point, A.J. And consider this. Now that the news has broken and that they`re taping shows that they`re going to air in February, what about the contestants that get critiqued by Simon and they now have a come back? They can go, dude, you`re out of here, I don`t care.
HAMMER: Exactly.
DIAZ: I don`t care about your opinion. You`re quitting the show.
HAMMER: I hope they are taking your advice right now on that. Well, you just heard Ellen say that she wouldn`t take it personally that Simon made the sudden decision to leave "Idol" just as she is starting up with the show.
But here`s what I got to wonder. Did Ellen get a raw deal? Is she kind of being set up to fail here?
Kim Serafin, Carlos Diaz, stay right where you are, we`re going to get to that great "Idol" debate in just a moment.
Now I want to hear from you. Here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Question of the Day. Ellen DeGeneres, is she "American Idol`s" last hope? Let us know what you think by voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
We`d love to hear more of your thoughts. So you can e-mail us. The address is showbiztonight@CNN.com
I don`t know how much hope there is for these guys. I want you to get ready now for tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Train Wrecks." The "Hill" star Heidi Montag reveals she`s addicted to plastic surgery.
Let me say that again. Addicted to plastic surgery. She`s 23. I`m thinking she`s been hanging out with Joan Rivers. Just maybe.
Jon`s big bizarre hoax. Jon Gosselin claims his apartment was trashed by his 22-year-old ex, Kelly Glassman. But tonight, do the police think that he made it all up?
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TILA TEQUILA, REALITY STAR/MODEL: I went to checkup on her and I felt like something was wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Reality star Tila Tequila reveals today how she found out about her fiance, Casey Johnson`s death. We will show you her emotional new video.
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. And now the SHOWBIZ news ticker. More stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Brangelina will not attend Golden Globes because Brad Pitt isn`t nominated.
TEXT: PETA pulls ads featuring picture of Michelle Obama which was used without her permission.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: So General Motors is telling Tiger Woods no more free rides for you. Today GM dumped Tiger as a celebrity endorser. He can no longer drive GM vehicles for free. Tiger`s official deal with GM ended back in 2008, but the free car thing had been extended until the end of 2009.
Now AT&T, Accenture and Gilette have all dumped Tiger since he crashed his car, which happened to be a GM-made Cadillac Escalade into a tree, and then of course all that cheating stuff came out. So far Nike and Gatorade are sticking with him.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight we bring you the domino effect. Well, you know, Domino`s Pizza never really been considered gourmet. It certainly was a late-night staple for me back in college. But tonight Domino`s is hoping to change what do you think about it. And to do so Domino`s is taking what I think is a pretty unbelievable step. They are admitting their pies were pretty lousy.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT finding out if the new Domino`s delivers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It may be the weirdest ad campaign ever, Domino`s bashes itself.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Worse excuse for pizza I`ve ever had.
MOOS: It`s either the worst or the best excuse for an ad campaign.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Domino`s pizza crust to me is like cardboard.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The sauce tastes like catsup.
MOOS: Domino`s is dissing their old pizza, the one they`ve been selling us for nearly 50 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There comes a time when you know you`ve got to make a change.
MOOS: Now Domino`s has a new pizza and they say the only thing that`s the same?
RUSSELL WEINER, DOMINO`S CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER: It`s still round.
MOOS: All that stuff about their old pizza tasting like cardboard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean that hits you right in the heart.
MOOS: Which prompted one critic to post, what kills me is why does the guy who`s the head chef in the Domino`s commercial still have a job?
Stephen Colbert reviewed the new pizza.
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE COLBERT REPORT": Is that pizza or did an angel just give birth in my mouth?
MOOS: On noting me (INAUDIBLE) the ad campaign.
COLBERT: Domino`s old pizza`s cheese did not taste good, had no aroma, was not cheese.
MOOS: But now they say.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They got shredded cheese. Cheese. It`s cheese.
MOOS: Imagine saying this about the pizza you`ve been selling forever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Totally void. The flavor.
MOOS: So how is the new stuff?
(On camera): Doesn`t taste like cardboard.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not gourmet pizza, but it`s good pizza.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like the old one better.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Delicious.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kind of like we suck, but now we`re a little bit better. But we still suck. I think. Sorry, but you do suck.
MOOS (voice-over): Hey, don`t tell Honey that. (INAUDIBLE) Domino`s Pizza.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Easy, cowboy.
MOOS: Then Honey likes cardboard.
(On camera): Wait. Where are you going with that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have friends inside. She`s hungry.
MOOS: You don`t want the rest of it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
MOOS: One more bite. You got to have another bite.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh no, thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m kosher.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) because of a piece of pizza.
MOOS (voice-over): Domino`s marketing director says the new ad campaign shows...
WEINER: How much America embraces the truth.
MOOS: Yes. Remember what they said about the old pizza before calling it cardboard. And now the totally new and improved pie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Buttery crust with garlic.
MOOS: Sure had New Yorkers flocking to try it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We improved everything. 40 percent more herbs in the sauce.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Now Domino`s is putting its money where your mouth is. They guarantee you`re going to love their pizza or if not, you get your money back.
Well, Simon Cowell says it wasn`t money that led him to walk away from "American Idol." But here`s what I`m thinking. Our SHOWBIZ ON CALL operators deserve a nice bump in pay, maybe a pizza for all the calls they`re getting in about Simon quitting the show.
We got a call from the SHOWBIZ ON CALL from Leslie in Florida and she doesn`t think that Simon leaving is a big deal at all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LESLIE, CALLER FROM FLORIDA: Simon Cowell will not hurt "American Idol." People don`t like him. We (INAUDIBLE). Whoever replaces him we`ll follow and the show will still be very, very successful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Appreciate your call, Leslie. Jennifer calling in to SHOWBIZ ON CALL from South Carolina is pretty upset about this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER, CALLER FROM SOUTH CAROLINA: I think that it`s very sad that he is leaving "Idol". And I definitely will not be watching without Simon. But I do hope that the "X Factor" that Paula Abdul comes back and they do get back together and I definitely will be checking out "X Factor."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you, Jennifer. I can hear the sadness in your voice.
Call us at SHOWBIZ ON CALL to let us know what you think about this or anything else at all. The SHOWBIZ ON CALL phone lines open all the time at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ, 1-888-728-2899. You can leave us a voice mail so we can play your call here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
All right, today everybody is talking about Simon ditching "Idol" and whether or not Ellen DeGeneres can actually save the show from becoming a total disaster. The other big news breaking tonight is Ellen being set up to fail?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: Simon Cowell just announced that he`s leaving "Idol." This will be his last season. And he announced he`s leaving on my first day. I`m trying not to take it personally.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, I want you to think about this. Paula leaves, Ellen replaces her, then Simon disappears. So is Ellen left holding the bag so to speak? Is she getting the raw deal here? I have got the fired-up debate you won`t want to miss.
And other big news breaking, Sarah Palin`s unbelievable brand-new celebrity magazine spread. I`m talking about Sarah, Bristol, the Palin family as you see right there alongside the likes of Brad and Angelina.
Is Sarah just making a huge mistake here?
Also, the startling super steamy pictures of George Clooney`s new girlfriend. She is definitely really hot. So the question is, why the heck is good-guy George calling her homely? His own girlfriend.
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. Time now for the SHOWBIZ news ticker, these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Police chief in Sarah Jessica Parker snooping case under house arrest.
TEXT: ABC`s "Cougar Town," "Modern Family," "The Middle" all renewed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Wow, check this out, these shots may burn the place down. These super steamy pictures of George Clooney`s new girlfriend, Elisabetta Canalis. The 31-year-old Italian television host is the star of Roberto Cavalli`s new underwear campaign.
George. George and Elisabetta definitely seem to be a good fit. So I`m wondering why is he dissing her looks. Well, Elisabetta tells "People" magazine she finds Clooney absolutely charming -- and quite frankly, who doesn`t -- and she also loves his sense of humor.
Well, she better like it because at the New York Film Critics Circle Award, when George was asked about his absolutely stunning girlfriend, he told "People" magazine, and this is a quote, "She`s homely."
Well, what do you do? Funny, George. Really funny. And if she can put up with that, she`s definitely a keeper.
Big breaking Sarah Palin news today. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Sandy Lee has been on this all day long so let`s get right to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom to see what Sandy`s got.
SANDY LEE, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT PRODUCER: Hey, A.J., I`m racing to the studio right now with the brand-new copy of "In Touch Weekly" with Sarah Palin giving exclusive interview with Bristol and her kids, and the kids are on the cover, right next to Angelina Jolie. So you have to wonder why Sarah Palin is giving an exclusive interview to a big celebrity magazine. Well, we`ve got the big hot debate coming up, I`m bringing this to you right now. See you there.
HAMMER: Excellent, Sandy. Looking forward to it. And as soon as we reveal the startling connections between Kate Gosselin and Sarah Palin, I got to tell you, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall lit up like Times Square on New Year`s Eve.
We asked who do you think will have a better 2010? Well, I just checked the wall. So many fired-up posts coming in like this one from Lee M. who thinks it will be the year of Palin, Sarah, most definitely. Kate is too much into herself and that just never works for you.
Well, Jessica W. is on team Kate. Hopefully Kate will. Kate is trying to raise a family and Sarah is looking for the fastest ride to the White House.
Misty H. says it will be a good year for both of them. They can both kick some butts and take some names if need be. They both have great leadership values.
I want to hear from you on Facebook. You can also follow us on Twitter. That way you get breaking entertainment news alerts. Sign up for our Facebook and Twitter pages simply by going to one place, CNN.com/showbiztonight.
Time now to roll out these SHOWBIZ the lineup. This is what we have firing up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We take you all aboard the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT train wrecks.
Heidi Montag, with a blockbuster revelation. The "Hills" star says she is addicted to plastic surgery. Wow. Addicted to plastic surgery? Hey, at the ripe old age of 23. I mean this is unbelievable.
Also tonight, riding on the SHOWBIZ train wreck express, we have Jon Gosselin in seat 32A. He says his 22-year-old ex trashed his apartment. But the police think the whole thing is one big hoax? Could Jon be in some serious doo-doo?
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: "Precious" nominated for a GLAAD Media Award.
TEXT: Cynthia Nixon to receive special GLAAD Award for promoting equal rights.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: Simon Cowell just announced that he`s leaving "Idol." This will be his last season and he announced he`s leaving on my first day. I`m trying not to take it personally.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Ellen speaks on her first day on "American Idol." Ellen opens up about Simon`s shocking bombshell and a final of debate, is Ellen getting the raw deal signing up for Simon recital.
Tonight Sarah Palin`s unbelievable brand new magazine celebrity spread. Sarah at home revealing intimate secrets but is doing a celebrity magazine a huge mistake?
Heidi Montag startling an eviction confession. The 23-years-old Reality Star reveals today, she`s hooked on plastic surgery and does not want to stop. Plus, more stories breaking from the showbiz news ticker.
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.
And tonight, the great debate. Is Simon`s farewell Ellen`s raw deal? Ellen speaking out today for the first time about her first day on the job at "American Idol." And it`s making a big news breaking. So, with Simon Cowell on his way out, could Ellen be thinking, she`s got a raw deal here? You have to hear what she said on her talk show and late today, we got the ratings from last night`s debut of the new season on "Idol" and they are staggering.
And in more big news breaking today. Sarah Palin and her family on the cover of "In Touch Weekly" right up there next to Angelina Jolie and Charlie Sheen in an exclusive interview as well. What the heck is going on here? That`s why Kim Serafin is here, she`s a Senior Editor at "In Touch Weekly." She`s in Hollywood tonight and also in Hollywood tonight, Carlos Diaz, he`s a Correspondent for "Extra."
All right guys. Let`s begin with Ellen DeGeneres and whether or not she`s getting a raw deal. She just finished taping her first day of Hollywood week for "American Idol." Now, this will air on February. And on her talk show, she really opened up about what her first day was like. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: It`s an amazing time. It`s hard. Now I have to be the person instead of at home -- it`s easy at home to go whatever your opinions are, but to be right there in front, and I have to tell someone they are not going any further. And some contestants are good but they`re not great. And I`m all for being honest, but eliminating people is tough. Because I`m bound to hurt people`s feelings, and I don`t to hurt people`s feelings. I don`t like that. I`m not that kind of person. Because I have a name for a person who likes to hurt people`s feelings, it`s called Simon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, well, Ellen reportedly signed up to do five years for "American Idol." But look what happened, as soon as she gets there the heart and soul of the show Simon says he`s leaving.
Carlos, are you with me that, I mean, I think she got kind of a raw deal here and maybe she`s being set up to fail anyway.
DIAZ: She got jest in the biggest way possible. You know, I mean, because when the heart and souls of "American Idol" is leaving, not only do you have that person leaving, but then people look to you and all these questions about, well, Ellen, could you be out future maybe, can you save the sinking ship? And it`s got to be a situation and she told "Entertainment Weekly", well, if there`s no Simon, there`s no Ellen, if he goes I go. We are going to find out real quick if that was said in jest or she`s serious about that.
HAMMER: Yes, I kind of got the impression, that was said in jest but she did say. What do you think, Kim? A real raw deal here for Ellen with Simon leaving?
Kim Serafin, "In Touch Weekly" Senior Editor: You know, not too raw of a deal. Because actually, she does get to be on this season on "American Idol" with Simon and she obviously loves the show. And I say this as a fan of the show myself. I mean, it`s still a great show. Watching that premiere last night, it`s great to see those inspirational stories, it`s great to see how they edited, it`s great to see that the producers pick the really good people and the really bad people to audition.
But yes, it is Simon at the end of the day. And she will be looked to as a person to kind of pick up that slack. She just said, she is not going to be Simon. She is not going to be mean. Can "Idol" survived with X factor, I mean, sure, "Dancing with the Stars" and "So you think you can Dance."
HAMMER: Yes.
SERAFIN: "The Bachelor" and "Conveyor Belt of Love" are on together. But it`s not going to be the same "American Idol."
HAMMER: You had to mention "Conveyor Belt of Love", didn`t you?
All right. Here`s the thing. Obviously, all of the publicity is not bad thing for "American Idol." The ratings for last night`s season debut of the show came in late this afternoon. "Idol" of course was number one. Nearly 30 million viewers tuned in. Now remember, Ellen was not on the show last night. Simon of course was. So, Carlos, if I`m Ellen, I`m perhaps looking at those numbers as popular as I am and saying, how the heck I`m going to get those kinds of ratings without Simon?
DIAZ: And that`s the thing. I mean, she`s going to get gangbusters numbers this year, I mean, you have a farewell tour and welcome to our party, you know, as far as Simon going and her coming in. But she has to look at the 30 million viewers. I mean, "The Bachelor" pulled in $11 million with that big controversy earlier this week and "American Idol" did three times those numbers. So, it`s getting crazy numbers and it adds to that pressure that Ellen must already be feeling.
HAMMER: Yes, a lot of responsibility there. You have to figure with Simon going and Paula already gone, Ellen coming in, the future of the whole show seems really rest squarely on Ellen`s shoulders. I want you to take a look at these results just in for the question of the day. Let`s put up the question, "American Idol," can it survive without Simon and Paula? Look at this. Only 28 percent say, yes, 72 percent say no. The show cannot survive. Kim, those are some pretty grim numbers there.
SERAFIN: Yes, you know, the show will probably be on a few more seasons but it`s not going to be "American Idol," it`s going to be "America`s Got Talent", it`s not going to be Ellen judging a thing in competition. It`s not going to be the same show that we all kind of know and love. But people tune in. People still want to see singers, they want to see competition, they want to see reality shows, but yes, totally different show. Especially if you have Simon and possibly Paula on another show on the same network.
HAMMER: Well, of course, the success of "Idol" without Simon could very depend on who replaces him. Let`s ponder that for a moment, the possibility that maybe when Simon leaves, he won`t even be replaced, he`ll have Ellen, Randy, and Kara. Carlos, do you think that Ellen could steal this ship alone or is this really a prime opportunity to bring back Brian Dunkleman?
DIAZ: You couldn`t bring back Brian Dunkleman, they can`t afford him. But here`s the thing, I actually think Kara, could fill Simon`s role to a small extent. Because, she can be pretty biting and pretty serious. But, you know, I`ve interviewed Ellen before and she`s very, very funny and very, very nice. But she can be sarcastic at times too. I can see Ellen being kind of sarcastic in her critique of people which could be just this abiding.
HAMMER: Yes, she`ll figure out a way to get her own point across in her own special way. I`m sure.
DIAZ: Right.
HAMMER: All right. Let me move on to another big story. Breaking today, Sarah Palin giving an exclusive interview to a celebrity magazine "In Touch Weekly." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got a whole of the events copy today. We have that cover, you see Sarah, Bristol, the whole Palin family sharing the cover there with Angelina Jolie. And, you know, how can we forget? John McCain kicked off this campaign that would eventually include Palin by making fun of Obama`s celebrity status.
Kim, great get but isn`t it the ultimate irony that Sarah now the big celebrity on the cover of "In Touch Weekly."
SERAFIN: Well, yes, I don`t think anyone doubts that Sarah Palin is a celebrity, I mean, look at the rating she gave to Oprah, look at her book. Look at the fact that anytime her name comes up, people have an opinion about her, people talk about her. And, you know, look at this interview that "In Touch Weekly" with Sarah and Bristol, it`s not necessarily about her presidential aspirations, it`s not about which she`s going to do next, what she`s going to do with talk show, it`s really about her family, it`s about her and Bristol raising their babies, raising Tips and Tricks, that`s what all the photos are of.
It`s about their family. Bristol specially is very open in this interview that she did with "In Touch" talking about the mistake she made, the challenges that she has and really speaking out to her peers. That she`s the one other young girl to make the same mistake she did. So, that kind of interview, she is reaching out to a different audience that maybe wouldn`t watch an interview with Bristol did on CNN for example.
HAMMER: Right. But still, it is a celebrity interview, sort of been the style of celebrity interviews. Carlos, you know, I`m sure you`re with me and offering kudos to Kim and our friends to "In Touch Weekly," but as far Sarah was concern, was doing a celebrity magazine a bad idea for her?
DIAZ: Well, "In Touch Weekly" is the best magazine out there. Kim Serafin, you owe me $20. But here`s I want to say about this, it`s clear that this is totally hypocritical for Sarah Palin to not only do this magazine but have her entire life go in this direction, when her entire campaign with Senator McCain was all about, Obama is a celebrity, we`re real people and she said, I`m a soccer mom. Really? Because, she is no longer a soccer mom, she`s right there on the cover of a major magazine with the biggest female star in the world, Angelina Jolie, she is not that soccer mom, she portrayed herself to be last year.
HAMMER: Well, let me ask you this, Kim Serafin because of course, she`s appearing on the cover of, "In Touch Weekly" just as she made her debut last night. Maybe, we could just look at a little bit of that now on telling you this. She was on fox, her new job as a commentator, she was on with Bill O`Reilly talking about her new job. You know, quickly, it does seem that she is clearly embracing her celebrity.
SERAFIN: Well, I think she is. Because she knows people are drawn to her. And she does say, she wants to get her message out there. She has a message for the country, she has the message for what she wants to do, where she wants the country to go in with direction. She wants the country to go and she realizes people do listen to her. And I think, as you continue to see her as a commentator, she`ll probably give more of an opinion right now. It seems like people just want to interview her because again, she has that star power, that people even if you don`t agree with her politics, you want to hear what she has to say.
HAMMER: There it is. Kim Serafin and Carlos Diaz. Thanks so much, guys. For more of that Sarah Palin cover story. You can pick up the new "In Touch Weekly" on newsstands Friday.
All right. We are going to ask vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, Ellen DeGeneres, is she "American Idol`s" last hope?
That is next. CNN.com/showbiztonight. Also, send us email, HYPERLINK "mailto:showbiztonight@CNN.com" showbiztonight@CNN.com . Well, Ellen may or may not be the last hope for "American Idol," but I`m not so sure there`s any hope for the train wreck that is Jon Gosselin.
Hold on tight for the train wreck edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," Jon`s bizarre hoax. John says, his 22-year-old ex trashed his New York apartment. But tonight, do the cops actually think he made the whole thing up? And could he be in some serious trouble?
Heidi Montag`s plastic surgery obsession, when you hear this, the Reality star, shocking obsession, she had ten operations in one day and she`s only 23. Plus, why she refuses to stop. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TEQUILA: I just went to checkup on her and call the police, you know, I felt like something is wrong.
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HAMMER: Certainly is something. Tonight, Tila Tequila`s heartbreak. It`s Tila in her own words revealing how she found out about the fiance Casey Johnson`s death. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. Now the showbiz news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Newsroom, making news right now.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Heidi Montag`s unbelievable addiction confession. David Copperfield troubles disappear.
And the real magic that keeps the Obama`s happily married. It`s all making big news in the buzz today.
Heidi Montag`s plastic surgery obsession, the 23-year-old Reality TV Star makes shocking revelations in the new issue of "People Magazine." Montag says, she`s quote, "beyond obsessed with plastic surgery," that includes having her breast enlarged, but augmented, chin reduce, nose redone and she claims, she had ten procedures in just one day. Montag says, she`s not done yet.
David Copperfield`s rape case disappears nearly three years after a beauty queen claims Copperfield raped her. Investigators dropped the case. The woman accused magician of attacking her on his private island in the Bahamas. But official say, no evidence was found to support his claim. The woman has also filed a civil suit against Copperfield.
The TV secrets caught the Obama`s. The president and first lady reveal to "People Magazine," that their daughters Sasha and Malia are only allowed to watch TV on weekends and only Nickelodeon and the Disney channel. The one exception, watching football with their dad. The president says, he and Michelle usually watch ESPN SportsCenter in the morning as they work out and that quote, "Michelle actually knows her sports, which is important to our marriage."
And we`ll be getting to that ridiculous story about Heidi Montag`s startling confession about her addiction to plastic surgery in just a moment. But first, did Jon Gosselin pull off a big bizarre hoax?
With me right here in New York, Megan Alexander who is a Correspondent of "Inside Edition." Also, in New York, and Ben Widdicombe who is Entertainment Journalist. So, there`s a report today that police in New York City are looking into whether Jon Gosselin`s claim that his apartment was ransacked by his ex girlfriend Haley Glassman was all just a big hoax.
Now, Megan, I don`t let you but I`m thinking, if it turns out that Jon did make all of this up and it is a big publicity stunt, he`s cooked?
Megan Alexander, Inside Edition correspondent: He`s cooked and I hope his current fling is watching this program right now. This is what you could potentially be getting into. Even if this wasn`t cooked up A.J., there is so much drama in his life to begin with that the story even continues to unravel this way. The guy has some serious issues.
HAMMER: The New York Police Department did tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT late today that the case is still open but late today we heard from Jon`s attorney, he tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, hey, no way, this is no publicity stunt. Among what he is saying, "As you know, Jon Gosselin was the most photographed individual in America last year and the last thing he needs to do is destroy his own property to get a little publicity. Jon has had enough publicity for several lifetimes." I might argue, President Obama was more photographed last year. But Ben, what about you, are you convinced this was not a publicity stunt?
BEN WIDDICOMBE, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Well, absolutely not. I wouldn`t put anything past, anyone connected with Jon Gosselin publicity. If you look at the photograph, it`s really very funny. There`s a big Japanese chef`s knife looks right up, stuck in the table. There`s a Louis Vuitton box and bag from Tiffany, the jeweler, it does look like very suspicious and very staged and certainly as if the knife was not plunged into the note like an act of passion. It does look like a little bit like it was set up in the camera.
HAMMER: All right. We`ll have to wait and see. I guess with the police do their job. Let us move on now to the next celebrity train wreck, Heidi Montag, Former Star of the Hills in a startling cover story of the new issue, "People Magazine" which just coming out. Heidi she confesses, she has a scary addiction to plastic surgery. Let me rundown for a few items that she says, she has done, this is just some of them, breast implants, nose job revision, Botox injection, liposuction, mini brow lift, chin reduction, ten surgeries, all in one day.
Megan, she`s only 23-years-old and as much fun as it is to talk about this. I think, people should be seriously worried about her.
ALEXANDER: You know why this is a serious issue, A.J.? We`ve had this discussion before, 69 percent of young women have some type of body image disorder. What drove Heidi to think she needed to undergo surgery to change her look? I think, there are couples of responses. The fashion industry needs to speak out that those photos are air brushed that people don`t look as good on those magazines that real life and then as society, we need to be praising people more for their brain and their soul that what they look like. It`s an important issue that needs to be discussed.
HAMMER: Yes.
ALEXANDER: Again, like you`ve said, she`s 23.
HAMMER: Well, she`s setting a terrible example as well. Charles, can you cue the fancy graphic for me please, but wait, there`s more. Heidi Montag says, she`s not done yet. That`s the crazy part. Listen to what she tells "People Magazine," and this case has a little in sighting to what Megan asking about, why she should do this, she says, "Nobody ages perfectly, so I plan to keep using surgery to make me as perfect as I can be. Because for me, the surgery is always so rewarding."
Well, Ben, I`m looking at that, and I`m saying, not only is it crazy, but it`s just really sad.
WIDDICOMBE: Well, it`s sending a terrible message to the young women of America. Heidi Montag, let`s face it, was perfectly lovely before she had any of this done. At the age of 23, can have ten producers in a single day. What are the doctors saying? That you can just have as much as you can afford? Why isn`t anyone telling her, you don`t need this stuff, this is a waste of money? And let`s remember that there`s a risk to any surgical procedure. So, if she`s having it done for frivolous reasons to get in the cover of "People Magazine," it`s really not a smart to do and it`s a terrible message.
HAMMER: She is screaming for counsel. Let`s hope that she gets the help that she needs. Because, clearly, I think, when you see this, she does need help.
Let`s move on to the next celebrity reality show train wreck. Tila Tequila, in a brand new interview posted on Radar Online today, Tila breaks down talking about her fianc,e Casey Johnson and when she found out about Casey`s death. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TEQUILA: I just couldn`t -- check up on her and wanted me to call the police. I felt like something is wrong. But I didn`t know for hour. It was chaos, all I wanted to do was see my wife and see what was going on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Certainly Tila has been accused of milking Casey`s death for publicity. She`s known for played up for the cameras. Megan, given all that, everybody mourns differently, should we be cutting her a break here?
ALEXANDER: I think you bring up a good point. We all go through grief differently. The fact that she wants to always to do it publicly though is interesting.
HAMMER: Yes.
ALEXANDER: And in terms of going to social media, she`s always twittering. I think she posted something like 160 tweets since Casey Johnson`s death.
HAMMER: Yes. We find it bizarre, absolutely.
ALEXANDER: But in that sense, she said that she has no friends. And the family of Casey did not invite her to the funeral and so forth. So, she needs to reach out professionally to go through the grief, not do it in front of the camera.
HAMMER: I agree with you 100 percent, Megan Alexander. And Ben Widdicombe. Thanks guys, I appreciate it.
Tonight, Jimmy Kimmel`s scathing but dead-on Jay Leno impression.
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JIMMY KIMMEL, AS JAY LENO: Hello. Hello. My name is Jay Leno. And let it hereby be known that I`m taking over all the shows in "Late Night."
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HAMMER: Jimmy Kimmel jumping chin first into the NBC "Late Night" drama and taking a major swipe at his "Late Night" rivals. The hysterical video everybody is talking about at NBC is cringing. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN HLN.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, AS JAY LENO: Hello. Hello. My name is Jay Leno. Let it hereby be known that I`m taking over all the shows in "Late Night."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Did you see this? It`s a barely recognizable Jimmy Kimmel there as Jay Leno. The plastic chin on with the gray hair, of course.
Adding fuel to the already raging late night firestorm over at NBC. Can you imagine what they`re thinking over there? Tonight, Jimmy`s hilarious scene that has everyone was cracking up, making up everyone. You can tune in to Jimmy Kimmel live on "Late Night." You might have actually thought, you tune in to the wrong show. I was so happy I caught this last night. Jimmy did his entire monologue as Jay Leno.
Let me tell you, the gloves were off. Jimmy did a scathing impression. It was dead on. The folks at NBC were probably cringing, but I got to say it was a nice job by Jimmy. Hysterical. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, AS JAY LENO: Great to be here on ABC. Hey Clido (ph), do you know what ABC stands for?
CLIDO (ph): No, man, I don`t.
KIMMEL: Always bump Conan. Conan O`Brien today announced he is leaving NBC. He released a statement today that said "I won`t participate in the destruction of the "Tonight Show."
Oh, man.
Fortunately though, I will. Burn it down if I have to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: There you go. Jimmy also interviewed all of his guests in his Jay get-up but dropped the impression. I imagine it was distracting to the guests but funny.
All right. Tonight Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie springing into action for the Haitian earthquake victims. The glamorous couples aren`t wasting time any time at all in helping the desperately poor country, now of course, reeling from the catastrophic earthquake.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just got the statement from Pit and Jolie, here`s what they`re saying, "We are devastated from the news from Haiti. We will work closely with our good friend Wyclef Jean to support humanitarian efforts on the island and help those who have been injured and left without homes and shelters."
As you may know, Hip-Hop Star Wyclef Jean is from Haiti. Tonight he`s there and he`s doing all he can for his native country. Now Wyclef is pleading for your help in a very unique I think is an incredibly simple way. This is what he told us in a statement, "I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is. We must act now. Text, Yele, to the number 501501 which will automatically donates $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund."
Now, once you send the text the $5 donation to Wyclef`s Foundation will be charged to your cell phone bill. Wyclef is a good guy, and it`s a really easy way for you to help out.
So, Tuesday, we asked you to vote in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Moments ago, this has ended the final results. The question, "American Idol" -- Can it survive without Simon and Paula? As you see, 28 percent said yes, 72 percent no. E-mails coming in fast and furious including this from Shellee in California writhing, "I think that `American Idol` is established enough to make it without Simon and Paula. I will watch it as long as it is on."
And Nancy from New Jersey writes, "With Simon gone, I really won`t have any reason to watch. It will become just another singing show. Where Simon goes, I will follow."
Well, that`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11 p.m. Eastern Time, Pacific into the morning, 11 p.m. Eastern on HLN.
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