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Showbiz Tonight
Is Jay Leno the Big Villain?; New Jon and Kate Bombshells; Heidi Montag`s Ten Plastic Surgeries; Is Miley Cyrus Engaged?
Aired January 15, 2010 - 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: Big news breaking right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - s Jay Leno the big villain? Tonight, the Conan-Leno fight takes a super- nasty turn today. Jay conks Conan. Conan jabs Jay.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONAN O`BRIEN, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH CONAN O`BRIEN": You can do anything you want in life unless Jay Leno wants to do it, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, Rosie`s new Leno slam.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, TELEVISION AND RADIO PERSONALITY: I just thought he was a selfish guy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But is Jay really the bad guy here? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, team Conan, team Leno, whose side are you on?
Brand-new Jon and Kate bombshells today. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals surprising details about Kate`s new TV show. The real story behind Jon`s new girlfriend and Kate`s do disaster. Does Kate really hate her new hair?
And the explosive Hollywood reaction to Heidi Montag`s 10 - count them - 10 plastic surgeries. Tonight, Heidi`s "Hills" co-star is speaking out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: 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 tonight from Hollywood.
HAMMER: Tonight, Leno, the villain? I have got to tell you this whole "Tonight Show" debacle is just getting nastier than I ever imagine it could get, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And A.J., the hits keep on coming. We`ve got Jay Leno and Conan O`Brien trading unbelievable jabs with each other and they`re even taking on the bigwigs at their own network.
And then, as if a battle among the titans of late night TV isn`t shocking enough, enter Rosie O`Donnell with the mother of all lashings aimed squarely at Jay Leno himself. Her words, "Shame on you, Jay." So has Leno become the bad guy in this mess?
No matter who`s side you`re on, there`s no doubt this "Tonight Show" showdown has made for big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE JAY LENO SHOW": Ever order anything off the TV?
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": Like NBC ordered your show off TV?
LENO: Yes. No, no -
ANDERSON (voice-over): Leno, is finding out the hard way the only thing worse than being mocked is being mocked on your own show. During a segment on last night`s "Jay Leno Show" on NBC, ABC`s late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel repeatedly went after Leno for taking back "The Tonight Show" from Conan O`Brien.
LENO: What`s the best prank you ever pulled?
KIMMEL: I think the best prank I ever pulled was I told a guy that five years from now, I`m going to give me my show. And then, when the five years came, I gave it to him and then took it back almost instantly.
LENO: Wow.
ANDERSON: Kimmel is not alone in his Leno bashing. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you ever since NBC announced that it`s ending Jay`s primetime show and planning to move him back to "The Tonight Show," squeezing out current host Conan O`Brien, it`s been open season on Jay.
O`DONNELL: It just seems like classless, in my opinion.
ANDERSON: In her interview with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, an angry Rosie O`Donnell is bashing Jay`s moves.
O`DONNELL: I`m hoping that he reconsiders, but I don`t think he will.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Our good friend, Ricky Gervais, will be hosting the Golden Globes if Jay lets him.
ANDERSON: David Letterman who had his own "Tonight Show" battle with Leno in the early `90s, is now gleefully roasting his formal rival.
LETTERMAN: Jay just loves to be the center of attention. As a matter of fact, did you take the harbor tour today? Here`s what I`m talking about. Take a look at this. See, there he is.
ANDERSON: And of course, Conan is also going after Leno.
O`BRIEN: Hosting "The Tonight Show" has been a fulfillment of a lifelong dream for me. And I just want to say to the kids out there watching, you can do anything you want in life. Yes, unless Jay Leno wants to do it, too.
ANDERSON: The Leno hate has even gone online. On Facebook, a pro-Conan fan page called Team Coco calls Leno the un-funniest host on TV. The site has thousands of fans already. As Howard Stern said this morning on his Sirius XM radio show -
HOWARD STERN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Everybody hates Jay now.
ANDERSON: Of all of Jay bashing going on right now, perhaps the harshest perpetrator has been Rosie O`Donnell.
O`DONNELL: To hold on so pathetically, so desperately and to think that you have the right to do that in a franchise that`s been on for 60 years to a guy like Conan who, for 17 years, worked for that company - I don`t know, man. I think he`s got balls and not in a good way.
ANDERSON: Comedienne Jessica Kirson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT people are flocking to Conan`s side because they see him as the underdog in the late show wars.
JESSICA KIRSON, COMEDIENNE: I think that people really think that Leno has made a ton of money. He`s had, you know, a show that he should kind of, you know, back down and say, "No. I`m going to let Conan keep his time slot."
ANDERSON: And Jessica has her own take on the Leno-Conan war and how it should be settled.
KIRSON: This is about ego and about, you know, size to be honest with you. I think they should measure them and whoever the biggest should get the time slot.
ANDERSON: Jessica is probably talking about audience size. But it`s clear as long as the talk show wars wage on, everyone will not only take sides -
KIMMEL: You`ve got $800 million, for god`s sakes, leave our shows alone.
ANDERSON: They`ll take shots at Leno.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: All right. Everybody clearly having a lot of fun there. But is Jay Leno the villain in this late night disaster?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Jerry Penacoli, who is a correspondent for "Extra." Also tonight in Hollywood is Kim Serafin who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
Let`s begin with Rosie O`Donnell. Wow, what scathing words she had for Jay Leno on her radio show this morning. You`ve got to listen to why she says Leno is a villain.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
O`DONNELL: To hold on so pathetically and so desperately and to think that you have a right to do that in a franchise on for 60 years to a guy like Conan, who for 17 years worked, for that company. I don`t know, man - I think he`s got balls and not in a good way.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: And I`ve got to say I do think that Leno, to extent he has any say in this, should leave Conan alone at 11:35. But Jerry, are you with Rosie on this? Is Jay the big villain in the late night battle?
JERRY PENACOLI, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Well, I was with Rosie last night, actually, and the always opinionated Rosie O`Donnell obviously thinks Jay is the villain.
I think he`s more of a - I mean, there`s a backlash here, obviously. I think he`s a fall guy at this point and the ratings for both Jay`s show at 10:000 and "The Tonight Show with Conan" at 11:35 are proving that.
Since this late show debacle has occurred, Jay`s numbers are pretty average. They`re pretty flat. They haven`t spiked up. Conan`s numbers, on the other hand - 70 percent increase - 70 percent.
HAMMER: Yes.
PENACOLI: That`s a lot in the last three days. So I think that tells the story right there.
HAMMER: I think it really shows people are obviously interested in what`s going on. And now, maybe, people will gravitate towards Conan even more that they`ve been checking him out.
Obviously, Rosie O`Donnell has Jay squarely in her crosshairs. In fact, Rosie`s spokesperson confirmed today to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Rosie is canceling her appearance on "The Jay Leno Show" at the end of the month.
Kim, do you think Rosie is speaking for a lot of people when she says Leno is the bad guy here?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": No, I don`t think so. You know, obviously, Rosie also has a personal issue with Jay. She blogged about how she had been approached back in `90s to fill in, to kind of be the Joan - like Carson to his Jay - to Jay, rather.
And she said that Jay rejected this kind of scenario. So she has some issues. But I think a lot of people see Jay as the nice guy. This is not who he is. He`s a guy who spends his weekends going to comedy clubs and working really hard and worked himself from the ground up, who has been with NBC for a really long time.
So I think there are young people who are very vocal, obviously. But I think Jay has people in his corner. He will have an audience when he comes back to 11:35.
HAMMER: You know, Jerry, we`re seeing a lot of - even Jay Leno starting to make fun of himself, a lot of self-effacing humor, which is all well and good, I think, to a point.
But now, I`m starting to think that Jay is actually starting to make himself look kind of bad and at some point, it`s going to damage his own brand. I mean, what do you think about that? Is it time to let off on himself of what`s happened here?
PENACOLI: Well, I mean, Jay Leno is a comedian, first and foremost, obviously. So he`s got to make light of this whole thing. Otherwise - you know, that`s his job. And if it means poking fun at himself or poking fun at his network and certainly Conan is doing the same thing, this is what`s - you know, this is what`s happening.
And I think it`s healthy. They are getting a lot of frustration, whatever - tension off their chest. But you know, there`s speculation out there and, of course, NBC is denying this at this point.
But there`s speculation that the deal is already done, that Jay Leno is, in fact, coming back to "The Tonight Show" for the full hour at 11:35, which would of course free up Conan to go to Fox without any contractual restriction to keep Conan off of another network, because, usually, there`s a lot of, you know, contractual - you know -
HAMMER: Can you even imagine the legal mess that`s going on right now? All right. Quick vote. Jerry, first to you - team Jay, team Conan? I`m forcing you to choose.
PENACOLI: You are - I`m not an idiot. I have to interview both of these people.
HAMMER: Oh, boy.
PENACOLI: So I`m going to stay right in the middle, but -
HAMMER: Right. Then, I`ll refer to Kim Serafin. I have to get Kim`s vote.
SERAFIN: Oh, no, no. Don`t go to me. They are both great and I think they are both victims in this. Obviously, NBC is the enemy. NBC is the one that made the decision. Jay didn`t want to leave "The Tonight Show." He didn`t want to go to 10:00.
HAMMER: Yes.
SERAFIN: This is the sort of circumstance -
PENACOLI: Kim, I don`t think they are victims, guys.
HAMMER: I`ve got to wrap it up, Jerry -
PENACOLI: I think they are both winners. They are both winners.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Here`s what think. I think (UNINTELLIGIBLE) really come out on top. It`s going to be Conan. Jerry Penacoli, Kim Serafin, thanks, guys. I do appreciate it.
But let me turn it over to you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Late Night Mess: Whose team are you on? Team Conan? Team Leno?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., don`t forget about these two teams - team "I love Kate`s new hair and team "Oh my. What has she done?" There are brand-new Jon and Kate Gosselin bombshells today like Kate`s do disaster? Does Kate herself really hate her new do?
Also, we`re revealing surprising details about Kate`s new TV show. And the real story behind Jon`s new girlfriend.
And it`s Friday - that means it`s time for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to name the most provocative celebrity of the week. Lots of people doing very controversial things this week.
And the unbelievable brand-new fallout today over Heidi Montag`s startling confession that she`s addicted to plastic surgery at the age of just 23. Scary. Tonight, one of the "Hills" co-stars is speaking out. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: George Clooney organizing Haiti relief telethon airing January 22 on Networks including CNN. Conan O`Brien gets offer to appear on FX`s "Sons of Anarchy."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": They came up to me in a bar, in a skirt, if I would be interested in going out with you.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Why not?
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: It is the outfit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, to me, the outfit - not so much. For men, skirts? Clothing store, H and M, is including men`s skirts. I`m going to call them "mirks." Why not? It`s going to be part of their spring 2010 line.
Let me tell you, kilts they are not. But maybe I`m going to have to wear one of these things on the show. Brooke, I`m thinking that would be a true SHOWBIZ shocker right there. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -
ANDERSON: I`d love to see that.
HAMMER: I may do it. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And tonight, Heidi has a plastic surgery shocker.
ANDERSON: A shocker is right, A.J. Today "People" magazine hits newsstands. And on the cover, "Hills" star Heidi Montag is nearly unrecognizable. She revealed that she is addicted to plastic surgery.
And get this - the latest transformation took 10 plastic surgery procedures all in one day. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the fallout from Heidi`s surgeries has already started.
Joining me tonight in New York is Megan Alexander who is a correspondent for "Inside Edition." Also in New York tonight is Countess Luann de Lesseps. She is the star of "Real Housewives of New York City" and the author of this book, "Class with the Countess: How to Live with Elegance and Flair."
Welcome, ladies. You know, when Heidi Montag decided to go under the knife - and she didn`t just decide to go in for a tweak of the nose. She went in for a total body overhaul.
Let`s take a look. Among her 10 procedures were another breast enlargement, a nose job and a chin reduction. And now, Heidi`s reality show co-star, Audrina Patridge, is speaking out in what might be the biggest understatement of the year, calling the surgeries a little much.
Let`s remember Heidi is only 23 years old. I think this is just sad. Megan, even Heidi`s friends are saying too much. What kind of message is this sending?
MEGAN ALEXANDER, CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": You know, Brooke, this is such an important conversation. Ninety-two percent of young women - they want to change something about their appearance. They say something`s wrong.
And so, where does that standard come from, that you need to change to look like something else? And why did Heidi feel she needed to so drastically change her appearance?
It reminds me of the story of Cindy Crawford. When she first began modeling, she said there was a lot of pressure for her to remove her mole so that she would look like all the other models. She felt that pressure and that - what some called an imperfection ended up being her defining characteristic.
So young ladies out there, something that you think is different and maybe ugly really is unique and you could be your defining characteristic.
COUNTESS LUANN DELESSEPS, AUTHOR, "CLASS WITH THE COUNTESS": That makes you interesting.
ALEXANDER: Right. We don`t want to look like everybody else.
DELESSEPS: That`s what makes you interesting. That, you know, sets you apart.
ANDERSON: It makes you unique and -
DELESSEPS: Exactly. And I can`t believe that the doctor, first of all, would say look at her at 23 years old and not say, "You know what? Maybe you should wait a little while longer until you`re sure about these things."
It`s a very young age to start doing all of these procedures.
ANDERSON: Yes. No kidding.
DELESSEPS: And it`s scary that nobody, you know, says to her, "Look, you should wait. These are way too many things to do at once." And it`s risky. I mean, there`s a lot of botched surgeries going on and even death.
ANDERSON: It seems pretty dangerous and she was beautiful before. And now, she`s beginning to look plastic. I mean, is that becoming the new normal, plastic? You know, make the madness stop, for crying out loud.
And as we know, Heidi did not miss the opportunity to document her procedures for the camera. In a behind-the-scenes video on "People.com," Heidi explains her reasons for doing the surgeries. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEIDI MONTAG, REALITY TV STAR, "THE HILLS": It`s my body. I need to feel comfortable as a woman, as a person. It sounds crazy, but once you get a certain size boob, you always want bigger. Bigger is better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Heidi sounds - she says bigger is better. Heidi sounds like she`s willing to go to any extreme for attention. Countess, at what point does her behavior become too outrageous for people to keep paying attention?
DELESSEPS: I think it`s outrageous. With what`s going on in the world, I think she should give money to Haiti and stop looking at her belly button. I mean, the problem is, she`s focusing too much on her image instead of focusing on the inside and looking for the inner beauty. That is what I think is missing in this poor girl`s life.
ANDERSON: It`s really sad. And she may alienate some of her fans. It is just overkill. And she is certainly on a slippery slope with this - just 23 years old. Megan Alexander, Countess Luann deLesseps, thank you both for being here.
HAMMER: You know, Brooke, there is some serious nipping and tucking going on over "American Idol." Of course, I`m talking about Simon Cowell leaving the show.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. And some of our viewers aren`t happy about the shakeup at all.
HAMMER: Yes. And that includes Charlotte in Vancouver, Canada. She called in to say a Simon-less "Idol" will be a snooze fest.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CHARLOTTE, CALLER FROM CANADA: I think without Simon, the show will be nothing. He was entertaining. The way he insulted people was 100 percent hilarious. I think Ellen is going to be a big bore. And Paula was a great team with Simon, and without these two together, especially Simon, the show will just be nothing.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charlotte. But Freda from Arkansas thinks a Simon- less "Idol" sounds sweet.
FREDA, CALLER FROM ARKANSAS: I am too glad that Simon will be going from the show. He is the only reason I don`t watch the show. He`s just entirely too rude. And there`s no call for all of that. And I think Ellen would do excellent.
HAMMER: Well, I do too. Freda, thanks for your call. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about this or anything else at all.
ANDERSON: The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are always open. Write this number down - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Leave a message. We`ll play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: All right. I know a couple of people looking for a job. Maybe one of these two can replace Simon. I`m talking about Jon and Kate Gosselin.
Brand-new bombshells about these two today. The surprising details about Kate`s new TV show. We also have the real story behind Jon`s new girlfriend and Kate`s do disaster. Does Kate really hate her new hair? Come on.
Also, tonight, hey, it`s Friday - that means it`s time for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to name the most provocative celebrity of the week. You must stick around for this.
And no one has really seen or heard from Tiger Woods since the whole cheating scandal broke. But tonight, one of his best friends has spoken with him. Does he think Tiger can make a comeback? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Here comes the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Madonna donates $250,000 for Haiti earthquake relief, urges fans to donate, too. Adam Lambert releases new music video called "What Do You Want From Me?"
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, one of Tiger Woods` good friends says Tiger will be back. Tennis star, Roger Federer, actually has spoken with Tiger who`s pretty much gone into hiding since the whole cheating scandal broke, although there is that report from "People" magazine is in sex rehab right now.
In an interview with French newspaper, "L`Equipe," Federer says that he supports Tiger and that the November car accident and all the alleged affair stuff are really taking their toll on him. No big surprise there. Roger does add that Tiger needs calm but he`ll come back with a strong golf game.
ANDERSON: Tonight, Heidi Klum says she doesn`t look at other men except her husband, Seal. In a brand-new interview and photo-shoot for "In Style" magazine, the gorgeous supermodel and "Project Runaway" host reveals that she absolutely doesn`t flirt with anyone else.
Heidi says, quote, "I don`t flirt. It`s disrespectful to your husband. I would never do that. I`m very devoted and he`s the same."
Now Heidi and Seal take their commitment super-seriously. In fact, they hold an annual wedding ceremony and renew their vows. Heidi says that when they do this, they are still for a minute and stare into one another`s eyes.
Very powerful and very romantic. Read more in the February issue of "In Style" magazine on sale right now.
HAMMER: Well, I`ve just checked our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page. The posts are still coming in about the debate over these photos. These are pictures of plus-sized models in "V" magazine and the explosive claim that glamorizing overweight women is a big mistake. And we`re getting hundreds of post about this on our wall.
Terry B. writes, "What is dangerous showing off these girls skinny who are skinny as rails. We have a society that thinks you are fat if you`re above a size eight or so. Very screwed up. It is time to push women who look like real women."
But Andy D. thinks the photo spread say bad idea, "It`s a mistake if girls see this a lot in magazines. Then, they are going to think it`s OK to be fat. People like seeing girls in shape and being healthy."
Trenise M. loves the pictures, "I think it`s great. I don`t have a tummy but I have boobs for days and hips that follow. This lets girls know that you don`t have to starve to be pretty or be a model."
You can write to us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Sign up at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: Now, here are the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Brand-new Jon and Kate bombshells. Tonight, does Kate really hate her new do? Plus the real story behind Jon`s new girlfriend.
OMG, OMG! Seventeen-year-old Miley Cyrus engaged? The SHOWBIZ truth squad checking this out.
And it`s Friday, time to name the most provocative celebrity of the week. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Here comes the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." These are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Reba McEntire`s "Consider Me Gone" is the number one country song for the fourth straight week. "Golden Girls" star Rue McClanahan suffers minor stroke.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, brand-new Jon and Kate bombshells - shocking details out today about Kate`s new reality show and Jon`s new girlfriend. Plus, does Kate really hate her new look?
It`s the end of an absolutely blockbuster week. But which star pushed the most buttons this week? So many to choose from. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week.
And is Miley Cyrus really planning to tie the knot? Hey, she`s only 17 years old. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets to the bottom of the Miley engagement rumors.
Plus, more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: 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. Tonight, Jon and Kate breaking news.
HAMMER: That is right, Brooke. There is more breaking news than you can shake a stick at, I tell you. TLC is confirming the mom of eight, Kate clean slate, is indeed starring in her very own TV show. What she`ll be doing in that show - that`s very much up in the air at this point.
But have no fear, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a laundry list of things that Kate can do. Speaking of do, Kate`s do, that is. There are brand-new spanking reports out today and they are spanking that Kate hairs her new hair extensions. What? She spent 20 hours on the new do. Could she be considering another drastic change?
And speaking of change, Jon Gosselin has been changing up the girlfriends like he changes his well - he`s got a new girlfriend. OK. We have the brand-new details you don`t want to miss.
With me tonight in New York is Megan Alexander who is a correspondent for "Inside Edition." Also, right here with me in New York, Countess Luann deLesseps, the star of "Real Housewives of New York City" and author of this fine book, "Class with the Countess: How to Live with Elegance and Flair."
All right, guys. I want to begin with Kate`s new TLC show. A spokesperson from the network tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they are developing new show for Kate. Now, countess, I`m thinking with all of the drama that has been surrounding Kate and a lot of it not so good, she may be setting herself up for a spectacular failure here. What do you think?
DELESSEPS: I think that people are really going to be curious as to what she does next, how she`s going to reinvent herself after all of this media buzz that she`s gotten and everything that`s gone on between her and Jon. And I think people really want to see how she`s going to pick herself up.
HAMMER: So kind of like no matter what, they are tuning in. They`ve got to check her out.
DELESSEPS: I think they`re going to be tuning in and they`re going to check her out. It seems that she`s gotten a lot of - even in her hair. So -
HAMMER: Yes. Well, that`s true. And we really have no idea what exactly she`s going to do. In fact, the network is keeping completely hush on the details of Kate`s new show. Megan, what do you think? No matter what, are people going to tune in to see what Kate is doing, at least at first?
ALEXANDER: At first they will. And I think it completely depends which direction the show goes. There have been a lot of rumors about what direction it`s going to head. A.J., her original appeal was her role as wife and mother to eight kids and how she interacted in that situation. I think she needs to stay the course on that and not go Hollywood on us. I don`t think it`s going to work.
HAMMER: I want to get to that in just a moment. But I think most importantly, she needs to do something and keep the kids out of the mix. That`s my thought on that. If history is any indication, then we will be seeing a whole lot of Kate before her new TV show fires up.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been scanning the universe. Truly, we have the equipment to do this. We wanted to see what else is out there. One fantastic idea where we would see her a whole lot more of Kate, a lot of people are saying, that Kate should pose for "Playboy."
Countess, what do you think? Would that be too much or maybe that is exactly what could shake up her image beyond anybody`s wildest imagination?
DELESSEPS: I think there`s other ways of making money. She`s a mother of eight children.
HAMMER: I`m not even saying for the money, though.
DELESSEPS: Right -
HAMMER: I`m saying to put herself out there in a completely different way.
DELESSEPS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) her image. I think that it`s interesting if she would do something like that. I don`t know if I would do something like that, being a mother. I don`t know if that`s the image I would want to have.
HAMMER: Oh, you guys come from two completely different worlds. And I can see that you might definitely not do something like that. And Kate -
DELESSEPS: No. You know -
HAMMER: You know, they would want her to if she said, "I would do it."
DELESSEPS: Yes, I think people are willing to watch her do anything.
HAMMER: Yes, that`s kind of it.
DELESSEPS: And that, you know, is something I`m not willing to do, but maybe Kate is.
HAMMER: Well, here is something else. There are people who are suggesting that Kate should star in a dating reality show. Megan, I don`t know about you - I think that`s such a bad idea that it`s actually perfect. What do you make of that?
ALEXANDER: First of all, complete thumb`s down on "Playboy." No way - you`re a mother of eight. Be a good role model. You do not need to take off your clothes. Plenty of other options.
The only way the dating scenario could work, A.J., is if she took it down to the level of what`s it like to be in a broken family to deal with your kids meeting your new boyfriend. There`s a lot of families in America that deal with the situation. So if they really kept it on a real level, maybe it could work.
I think that would be interesting to see how the kids respond. I don`t know if they want to go that direction. That`s my take.
HAMMER: All right. Let me give you another.
DELESSEPS: But going on "Playboy" and, you know - and dating, I mean, what does that say to the children? You know, unless somebody is serious in your life, right, why would you want to bring somebody around in your life that`s not a serious person that`s there, that`s going to stay?
HAMMER: You bring up a good point because ...
DELESSEPS: They need to be serious.
HAMMER: ... I think one thing that has been lacking has been consistency in this woman`s life.
DELESSEPS: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Now, that`s what she needs. Let me ask you this you are a very fashionable woman, Countess.
DELESSEPS: Thank you.
HAMMER: You know, she has this new do. Kate spent all that time getting this new do done, do you think that she needs to do a complete makeover as a lot of people have suggested - you know, new hair, new clothes, the whole nine?
DELESSEPS: Well, I think the long hair definitely looks better than the hair she had before if you ask me.
HAMMER: OK.
DELESSEPS: And they are extensions. She can always take them out if she doesn`t like them. So what`s the big deal? I think she could definitely use a clothes makeover. I mean, I wrote a book on style and simple and elegant is the way to go. You accessorize, but I think that she could definitely step it up a notch when it comes to her wardrobe.
HAMMER: Well, I think Kate will be pleased to hear you like her new hair because there is a brand-new report today. In the new issue of "Us Weekly" magazine, Kate actually hates her new hair extensions. According to this report, Kate thinks her hair looks over-processed and damaged.
And kids reportedly laughed at her. Her kids saw her for the first time and they laughed. Megan, do you think she`s being too hard on herself here?
ALEXANDER: Well, I think anytime you try a new hairstyle we`re really tough on ourselves. It takes a while to get used to it. So don`t change it right away. Stick it out and see - but you know, that`s a temporary fix maybe for some other problems going on, too.
The appearance - changing your appearance can only go so far. So it`s something to think about.
DELESSEPS: You have to feel good about who you are within yourself.
HAMMER: No question about it.
DELESSEPS: You know, whatever makes her happy, take them off.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s move on now to Jon`s new girlfriend, because we have breaking news today. "People.com" reporting brand-new details about Jon Gosselin`s new girlfriend.
Her name is Morgan Christie. Jon met Morgan while on a snowboarding vacation in Park City, Utah. Christie has family there. Morgan is 25, reportedly plans to apply to law school. And she comes from a very wealthy family.
Brooke Anderson, my friend, out to you. My thought when I first saw that he has a new girlfriend, so obviously, they are considering it a relationship. This woman has probably been living under a rock for at least the past year if she`s dating this guy.
ANDERSON: Maybe so. Maybe she`s been living in a cave, doesn`t realize just how toxic Jon Gosselin has become. But A.J., she will find out soon enough if he hasn`t made changes for the better.
I think she really needs to guard her feelings very carefully, because he has proven to be the love-them-and-leave-them type, unfortunately.
HAMMER: What do you think, Megan? I mean, for somebody to get involved with this man, knowing full well what`s been going on in his life because it certainly has been hard to avoid for the past year. Do you think you would just have to be nuts?
ALEXANDER: I`m right with Brooke on this one. I think she needs to be very careful. I think fame is very deceptive. And if she thinks jumping in pictures with Jon is going to be exciting, you know, it hasn`t worked out well for a lot of people. Let`s check back in six months and see if they are still together. It needs to stand the test of time if it`s true love.
HAMMER: All right -
DELESSEPS: I think she needs to really sit this one out and think twice about going out with Jon Gosselin. She needs to sit it out and he needs to sit it out.
HAMMER: Let me ask you about that because - you know, I`m certainly no relationship expert or maybe I`m becoming one because this is what I talk about and I see what happens when people don`t take breaks when they`re so scrutinized in the public eye and have so many difficulties. Do you think Jon - he is certainly entitled to go out there and have fun. But in terms of relationships, people he calls as girlfriend - he needs to put a kibosh on that for a little while
DELESSEPS: Exactly, you know, moving in with somebody, calling it a relationship. You know, he needs to give himself time to heal, you know, from his breakup and give time for his family to heal. You know, give time to time.
HAMMER: Yes, Megan. Are you with the countess on that?
ALEXANDER: Completely. Absolutely. Heal and deal with the family, yes. Absolutely.
HAMMER: All right. Well, let`s hope Jon can keep things quiet for a while. And let`s hope - Megan, as you suggested, that our friend Kate Gosselin does not go to Hollywood on us. And then I think maybe we she can have success with whatever this new venture is going to be.
Megan Alexander, Countess Luann deLesseps, I appreciate you both being here. Thanks.
ANDERSON: A.J., what an amazing week it has been. But which star was the most controversial, the most the most incendiary this week? Stay right where you are because tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is naming the most provocative celebrity of the week.
Is Miley Cyrus really planning to tie the knot? She`s only 17. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets to the bottom of the Miley engagement rumors.
And Lady Gaga cancels a show after she collapses. I`ll tell you what brought Gaga down and what her record label told us just today. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
HAMMER: It`s time Now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." These are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: ABC considering "The View" as possible replacement for "Oprah." Twilight`s "New Moon" DVD out March 20 with behind-the-scenes documentary.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week. So is it Jay Leno, who`s jumping ship from his 10:00 p.m. show disaster and heading back to late night? Is it Conan O`Brien, who has been ripping NBC executives apart after the plan to bump his show back a half hour for Jay`s new late night gig?
Or perhaps, is it Simon Cowell for dropping the bombshell news that he`s quitting "American Idol."
Welcome back, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, it`s the extraordinary announcements that will change television as we know it forever, Brooke.
ANDERSON: I know, A.J. You`ve got Jay, Conan and Simon, all making a good case here. Buy who will SHOWBIZ TONIGHT name as the most provocative celebrity of the week.
With me now in Hollywood is Jerry Penacoli. He`s a correspondent for "Extra." Also in Hollywood tonight is Kim Serafin. She`s a senior editor of "In Touch Weekly."
Jerry, Kim, good to see you. And hey, this week`s most provocative nominees were - they were no-brainers. But when it came to naming a winner, it wasn`t a slam dunk.
Jay started the week as a victim but ends it as a villain, looking like the meanie, really, who pulled the rug out from under Conan.
Then there`s Conan relentlessly skewering his NBC bosses every single night after refusing to be bumped back a half hour to make room for Jay.
But you can`t forget Simon, who said this new season of "Idol" will be his last. Jerry, who`s your pick?
PENACOLI: Well, my pick, hands down, is Simon Cowell. I mean, the guy gave up, what, $140 million to leave "Idol." However, the man is a winner hands down because the "X Factor", when he brings that show to Fox - that thing is going to be watched by probably even more people than "American Idol." So Simon - he`s got it in my book.
ANDERSON: And he said it was not about the money, not about finances. He just wanted to do something new creatively. Well, I`ve got to tell you the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook fans overwhelmingly voted for Conan. But we did get a hair-raising honorable mention, too.
Brian A. writes, "Conan all the way. He`s been really great slamming NBC for being rude idiots."
Sharon P. says, "I`m not a huge fan of Conan but he gets the top spot for getting the shaft."
And Vanessa C. cast her vote saying, "Kate Gosselin and that ugly hairstyle."
All right. I think any other week Kate and her new hair extensions would get one provocative nomination each. But Kim, who got your vote this week?
SERAFIN: You know, this is a tough one because, definitely, Jay and Conan both going after their bosses. Conan - he even this week said he might even do a porn film. So yes, Conan would definitely be up there.
But I`m going to agree with Jerry, definitely Simon Cowell. Look, Conan replaced Jay and Jay is now going to replace Conan. They will continue on in late night.
But Simon - there really is no replacement for him. Here`s one guy who can basically cause a demise of a billion dollar franchise, a TV show gets 30 million viewers a week that has produced Grammy Award-winning singers. And yet, Simon leaves and it might all be done. So I`m going to say Simon all the way.
ANDERSON: Many people do feel that Simon is the heart and souls "American Idol" and without him, the show is doomed. So after much debate, though, and some hair-pulling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week and it is -
Conan O`Brien. I want to bring in A.J. Hammer now, because it was a really fired up debate today in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT morning meeting. A.J., why did Conan get your vote?
HAMMER: Well, first, I can tell you why Simon did not get my vote. I am one of people who thinks that as big a part of "American Idol" as Simon is, "American Idol" is bigger than Simon. The show will get past this. Conan got my vote because ...
PENACOLI: Wow.
HAMMER: ... here`s a guy - here`s a guy who told his employer of a couple of decades that they are destroying one of longest running franchises in television history. And I think that takes a lot of guts, a lot of gumption and I give him credit for it. And I thought it was a pretty provocative thing to do, more provocative than Simon did.
ANDERSON: Yes. He`s made some pretty brave statements. Jerry, you were reacting there to what A.J. was saying -
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Are you not seeing our logic?
PENACOLI: No, no, no. I just respectfully disagree with A.J., because I think that "American Idol," while it is an entity and it is talent-driven, I think Simon Cowell made "American Idol." He`s the reason why most people watched.
You know, time will tell with whoever takes his place, which, of course, everyone is saying Simon Cowell is irreplaceable. But depending on, you know, what happens next season and what the lineup of judges is, that will determine what the viewership is going to be like for "American Idol."
But one thing is for sure, Simon Cowell leaving "American Idol" and starting up his own American version of the "X Factor" - people will watch that show, particularly if he teams up with Paula Abdul again.
HAMMER: Jerry, I`m calling you after the show and making a wager on this.
PENACOLI: OK.
ANDERSON: You two are going to have a friendly bet going. Well, you know, Simon has said that it has been an emotional decision for him. And you can also tell that it`s been really bittersweet for Conan.
Kim, I have to ask you a question. Should Conan knock it off with the NBC bashing before he goes from provocative to pain in the butt, even though I think he`s been pretty brilliant, pretty hysterical?
SERAFIN: He`s been hysterical and he should keep going because it`s helping his ratings. He`s getting the best ratings now than he has since he`s been on air. I think people love this.
And again, how often do people get to go on TV every night and skewer their boss and skewer people they think maybe did them wrong. So I think Conan should definitely go with it. He`s getting a lot of fans. He`s getting a lot of younger viewers on with him. There are Facebook pages supporting him. He should continue doing this.
ANDERSON: Yes. "Team Coco" - they call themselves. He`s milking this debacle for all its worth. Jerry Penacoli, Kim Serafin, thanks, guys.
HAMMER: Hey, tonight, Miley Cyrus is tying the knot? Not. There were rumors that Miley got engaged to Australian actor Liam Hemsworth after a Web site showed Miley with a ring on her finger.
So today, we asked Miley`s rep, could it true? Is Miley engaged? She told us no. It`s a big sigh of relief on that one. Remember, Miley is just 17 years old; Liam only 19 himself.
Lady Gaga performed live on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" today, the day after she canceled the show in Indiana because she collapsed and she passed out. Her record label tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it was because of exhaustion and dehydration. And Gaga`s doctor wants her to rest for a few days.
ANDERSON: Tonight, CNN`s own Anderson Cooper on Oprah. Anderson is reporting from the devastating scene in Haiti after the earthquake. And he was right there for an amazing rescue that really touched Oprah`s heart. We`ll show you what Anderson said on Oprah`s show today. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Musical based on President Obama set to open in Germany. CBS green- lights second seasons for "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "The Good Wife."
HAMMER: It is time now for "Making It Work," where we take a look at how famous couples stay strong in the spotlight.
Tonight, what better example than the great Gloria and Emilio Estefan? They`ve been married for an incredible 32 years and have two amazing children.
Now, Emilio has a spectacular new book out. It`s called "The Rhythm of Success." It`s about how he, as an immigrant, made his own American dream and how you can, too.
And of course when I sat down with the great Emilio, I had to ask him about the key to his marriage success.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMILIO ESTEFAN, HUSBAND OF GLORIA ESTEFAN: We married when we were in love. And we`re still in love. It`s incredible. And besides that, I think the respect. We`ve got dreams at the same time. We grew up together, you know, achieve - became very successful.
And of course, all over the world. I became successful as a producer. I think it`s respect and communication. I always tell new marriages, be sure before you go to sleep. Talk to your spouse and tell them anything you want to tell them, be sure you tell them. And have open communication - that`s extremely important.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Emilio Estefan`s new book is a must-read particularly in these uncertain times. "The Rhythm of Success" is in stores right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: That`s director Charlie Wegman(ph) right there. Tonight, CNN`s Anderson Cooper on "Oprah" today with an unbelievable report on the absolutely devastating earthquake in Haiti.
Anderson was right there in the middle of the chaos that is Haiti after the earthquake. And he was right there for an amazing rescue, one that really moved Oprah. Take a look at this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": You were there on the scene where they pulled the 13-year-old girl, you know, out of the rubble. And that really - that was an awesome moment where we all got to see where the girl had been trapped and suddenly, they were able, with their bare hands, to lift up all of that concrete and get her out.
Do you think - or is there a feeling that there are people still alive, trapped in a lot of the rubble?
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think there`s no doubt that there are people still trapped alive. I mean, you can last for about three days without water. This is day three, so it is a critical time. I mean, minutes count in this situation.
We`re seeing more international rescue personnel. And there`s nothing - that sight when you see an international relief worker, search and rescue teams - I mean, it`s an extraordinary sight for the people of Haiti to see that. Because their own government, you know, has for generations failed them.
And there is essentially no government here that people can rely on in any real capacity. So it`s up to the international community and the United States to send in relief. And we are starting to see that. It`s in the pipeline.
But there are people still buried under rubble. We saw people being rescued yesterday. That little girl you talked about - her name is Bea(ph), 13 years old. I mean, what is so remarkable here is that the heroes right now for the last three days have been the Haitian people who have banded together, have neighbors helping neighbors.
And family members literally, as you say, digging through the rubble with their bare hands. They don`t have shoes on their feet. They`re there for hours and hours and hours. Bea(ph) was trapped for 18 hours. She was pulled out alive because her family members didn`t give up.
And everybody on the street just stopped and applauded. Yet, four of her family members lay dead on the street. And four others were still dead probably inside the building. So there are people left alive, but the clock is ticking. It is a desperate situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A lot of much-need generosity right now. Oprah`s Angel Network has donated $1 million for the Red Cross in their Haitian relief effort. And stars from Oprah to Madonna are all urging people to donate whatever they can.
ANDERSON: On Thursday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Just moments ago, we got those final results. "Who should replace Simon on `American Idol?`" Ten percent of you say Ryan Seacrest. Thirty-three percent of you say Elton John. Unfortunately, though, Elton`s rep says the rumors that he could be joining the show just aren`t true. And the majority of you, 57 percent, say nobody should replace Simon.
Here are some emails we received. Jenn from North Carolina, "If Ryan replaces Simon, the question turns to who will replace Ryan? He has tough shoes to fill, too."
Val from Calgary writes, "No Simon, no show. Don`t even waste the time, money or film trying to do the show without him."
HAMMER: That`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Thank you very much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And don`t forget, 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.
END
