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Showbiz Tonight
Lindsay Lohan Court Dress Mess; Elton John Not Backing Down on Comments About Billy Joel; Khloe Kardashian`s Pain; Will Charlie Sheen Pay His Crew?; Lady Gaga`s Bedroom Secrets; Big Kelsey and Camille Divorce News
Aired February 10, 2011 - 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 today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Lindsay`s court dress mess. A coast-to-coast battle erupts today over Lindsay Lohan`s sexy dress. Could this backfire on her? The SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - was Lindsay`s court dress A-OK or totally inappropriate?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Elton`s not backing down today. Elton John says, "I`m still standing behind what I said about Billy Joel needing serious rehab."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELTON JOHN, MUSICIAN: He may want to punch my face at the moment, but it`s OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So is Elton out of line here or just sending some tough love?
HAMMER: Khloe`s pain. Khloe Kardashian`s speaks out today. Her stunning revelations about being called fat, ugly, even a transvestite.
ANDERSON: And will Charlie pay his crew? Blockbuster report today that Charlie Sheen may pay his "Two and a Half Men" crew while he`s rehabbing. Good move or too little, too late?
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show -
ANDERSON: Starts right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, coming to you from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today - Lindsay`s big mess.
HAMMER: Yes. Mess is the word, Brooke. There`s coast-to-coast outrage today, just a day after Lindsay Lohan sauntered into a Los Angeles courthouse to enter a plea in her felony grand theft case.
Now, Lindsay says she`s not guilty. But even as we await a decision, another explosive battle is brewing, not over the $2,500 necklace that she`s accused of stealing, not over her possible probation violation tied to her 2007 drunk driving conviction, but over that body hugging, little white dress she wore to face the judge.
I`ve got to say I thought Lindsay looked red carpet gorgeous. But the dress has everyone bitterly divided today. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the hot mess over Lindsay`s dress.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) The People of the State of California versus Lindsay Lohan - it`s arguably the most closely-watched legal case going on right now. It has the country`s sharpest legal minds debating it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t think this should be going to a jury trial. She`s being treated exactly like everybody else.
HAMMER (on camera): Oh, good.
(voice-over) But today it`s not the case`s legal merits that have the entire nation obsessed - it`s Lindsay`s dress. The tight, super-short dress Lindsay Lohan wore to court where she was formally charged with felony grand theft was the talk of all of today`s morning shows.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ms. Lohan`s cocktail dress steals the spotlight.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I could see north and south with circles around through that dress.
HAMMER: The dress put Lindsay on the cover of today`s newspapers. It even had famous celebrity attorney Mark Geragos playing fashion critic this morning on the "Today" show.
MARK GERAGOS, ATTORNEY: I counsel my clients who go to a court to dress for court like you`re going to church or temple.
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: I guess neither of us has seen a dress like that in church or a temple.
HAMMER: Some are comparing Lindsay`s dress to the short and sexy get-up Sharon Stone wore in "Basic Instinct." Forget the red carpet. Lindsay Lohan is showing that when it comes to rocking the courtroom, white is the new black.
MARC MALKIN, "E! NEWS": I don`t think it was necessarily intentional.
HAMMER: "E`s" Marc Malkin tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he doesn`t think Lohan intended to get this kind of white hot attention for the courtroom attire.
MALKIN: She probably look at it and said, "You know what? My body looks slamming in this dress."
HAMMER: She may have looked slamming, but it staying out of the slammer that`s Lohan`s big priority now. She faces up to three years in prison if she`s convicted of stealing a necklace from this jewelry store. Lohan is pleading not guilty.
MALKIN: Lindsay is, you know, maintaining this entire time that it was a mistake. She took it from the store thinking it was a loaner.
HAMMER: And today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Lohan is considering making a deal. Her attorney tells CNN, quote, "I believe the case is entirely defensible. Having said that, we will entertain a discussion concerning a plea if it means no jail so that she can move forward with her recovery and her career."
MALKIN: She`s going to do everything in her power and her lawyer`s power to avoid jail time.
HAMMER: And as Lohan tries to avoid jail, she may be taking another cue from Sharon Stone`s "Basic Instinct" character.
SHARON STONE, ACTRESS: Let me take a lie detector test.
HAMMER: TMZ is reporting Lindsay Lohan offered to take a lie detector test to prove her innocence. The prosecutors responded with a stern no.
The judge in the case is also being stern with Lohan. He`s ordered her to stay out of trouble while she`s out on bail or else he`ll lock her up.
JUDGE KEITH SCHWARTZ, LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT: You follow the law just like everybody else. You`re no different than anyone else. So please, don`t push your luck.
MALKIN: At this point, maybe she should just stay home and do nothing.
HAMMER: Lindsay appears to be following that do-nothing advice, sort of. Soon after leaving court, she inexplicably tweeted a photo of her and Kanye West.
Still, as she waits for her next court hearing on February 23rd, the notoriously trouble-prone actress so far appears to be staying out of trouble, save one possible crime of fashion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So did Lindsay really commit a crime of fashion? Is that even her biggest blunder today? You know, there are so many questions today. And we want to know, did Lindsay Lohan get it right or wrong?
And first up, we`ve got to talk about the tidy whitey dress, those black pumps that Lindsay wore to court Wednesday.
Today, wow, people went nuts over this, whipped up in a frenzy, I tell you. Some think, yes, she was actually pretty cute in that dress. Others are saying, way too provocative for arraignment on a felony charge.
Let me bring in California attorney Debra Opri. Now Debra, we had our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT crew saying -
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CREW: Whoa!
HAMMER: When they saw that dress. Do you think Lindsay got it right or wrong?
DEBRA OPRI, ATTORNEY: She got it right. I mean, you have to remember this is Los Angeles. This is Hollywood, the entertainment center. If Lindsay were going to a courtroom in Los Angeles County, she`d dress appropriately, maybe three inches longer on the dress.
However, I thought she was absolutely elegant and she was clean and she was crying innocent. So irrespective of what people say about going to church and a temple, this is California. And she was elegant and she dressed the part. I think she did a great job.
HAMMER: OK. And I believe you left out what we mentioned on this program yesterday - "virginal innocence," I think, is what you said there.
OPRI: Virginal and "I`m innocent."
HAMMER: Not everybody agrees with you. I`m very curious to see what Sunny Hostin, legal contributor on "In Session" on Tru TV has to say. Right or wrong on the dress, Sunny?
SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION" ON TRU TV: So, so wrong. So very, very wrong. I guess California court is different from every other court in the country because I`ve appeared in other courts and I have never seen a defendant, a criminal defendant, dress like that.
I mean, she looked hot. She didn`t look innocent. She looked pretty guilty to me. I mean, these are serious charges. You don`t go to court dressed like that. It`s so very, very wrong.
OPRI: Sure you do.
HAMMER: Yes, but Sunny, Sunny, Lindsay Lohan - maybe she had a club to open afterwards. I`m not sure.
HOSTIN: I guess.
OPRI: It was elegant.
HAMMER: We`ve got to get to the big breaking Lindsay debate today. Lindsay actually sent flowers to the jeweler who is accusing her of stealing that necklace.
Now, deputy D.A. revealed what I thought was just an incredible piece of information that she sent these flowers at Lindsay`s arraignment basically saying the owners of the jewelry store - they were freaked out by the gesture.
You know, maybe Lindsay was just trying to be nice, do the right thing. But Debra Opri, from your experience, sending flowers - right or wrong?
OPRI: I actually think that was a good sincere move. She`s saying, basically -
HOSTIN: What?
OPRI: "Hey, look. I`m very sorry for what I put you through and this is my way of saying `I`m sorry.`" And it shows her to be a sincere person who is sorry for what she did.
And if we`re looking at the demeanor of the parties here, I think she`s taking all the right steps -
HOSTIN: What?
OPRI: In proving she is somebody who made a mistake and not essentially stole something.
HOSTIN: That`s totally crazy. That`s totally crazy.
OPRI: No. You know, you come on out here to our courtrooms and you will find that intent is what you need to prove.
(CROSS TALK)
HOSTIN: Criminal defendants - you will acknowledge that criminal defendants are always advised to stay away from victims.
OPRI: Intent is what you need to prove.
HOSTIN: Criminal defendants are always advised to stay away from victims. Sending flowers, phone calls, E-mails -
OPRI: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) remove something from the store. Sending flowers to say "I`m sorry" -
(CROSS TALK)
HOSTIN: That`s crazy. That`s crazy and creepy.
HAMMER: She should have sent some Krispy Kreme or something. Yes, I think it`s creepy. I think - yes, stay away just seems the logical thing to do.
OPRI: Then, that would be influencing the jury.
HAMMER: Let me get to this next big breaking Lindsay debate today. You`ve got to check this out. I thought this was very odd.
Right after the arraignment, Lindsay tweeted this random photo of her and Kanye West with no caption, no statement, just the photo.
Now, Sunny, we hadn`t heard a peep from her about the arraignment, the charges, anything. Right or wrong to send and tweet this picture so soon after her arraignment? What do you think?
HOSTIN: Wrong yet again. I mean, since when is aligning oneself with Kanye West sort of a good publicity thing? I mean, isn`t he the guy who, like, ripped an award out of, like, America`s country sweetheart`s hands? You don`t do something like that. I mean, it`s so wrong on many longs.
OPRI: Sunny, that`s wrong again. Sunny, you know why you`re wrong? You know why you`re wrong, Sunny?
HOSTIN: Why?
OPRI: Because she is in the entertainment business and taking photo-ops are what are required.
HAMMER: All right. Debra, I`ve got to leave it there. I`ve got to leave it there.
HOSTIN: I don`t buy that.
HAMMER: But here`s the thing, you know. Just lay low, Lindsay. Lay low. Sunny Hostin, Debra Opri, thank you so much.
All right. I definitely think Lindsay Lohan deserves to be a nominee for most provocative celebrity of the week. I mean, after all she`s been through, who do you think it should be?
Here are the nominees, Lindsay for her latest court mess. Christina Aguilera for flubbing "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl. Maybe "Glee`s" Lea Michele causing a whole heap of controversy, which I think was overblown, over her sexy "Cosmo" cover.
Vote right now. Text 45688 SBT1 for Lindsay; SBT2 for Lea; SBT3 for Christina. Standard text message rates apply.
And you can also vote on our Facebook page, ShowbizTonightHLN. We will reveal who we name as the most provocative celebrity of the week and see if you agree with us on Friday.
ANDERSON: Elton John`s been saying some pretty provocative things about his buddy, Billy Joel. He thinks Billy needs some serious rehab. Today, Elton says, "I`m still standing behind what I said."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN: I do love the guy. I mean, I think he`s an American treasure as far as songwriting goes. He`s up there with all of them. He`s going to hate me and he`s not going to be very happy with me. He`s not going to talk to me, but it comes from a place of love. I said it`s tough love.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Elton`s a tough love - a good thing or is Sir Elton John way out of line?
HAMMER: Blockbuster reports that Charlie Sheen may pay his "Two and a Half Men" co-workers while he`s rehabbing. What do you think? Smart move or too little too late?
ANDERSON: From tragedy to triumph. Jennifer Hudson`s emotional new confessions to Oprah today about the murder of her mother, brother and nephew.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": How were you able to get through that time?
JENNIFER HUDSON, ACTRESS AND SINGER: Well, my family. It`s a very emotional subject.
WINFREY: I know.
HUDSON: My baby and God.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jennifer`s emotional revelations to Oprah, next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: This is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Super Bowl performance boosts Black Eyed Peas music sales by 25 percent. Nicki Minaj`s "Pink Friday" is number one on Billboard 200 album chart.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REGIS PHILBIN, CO-HOST, "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": Come on out, mystery guest.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
PHILBIN: Yes! Yes!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s pretty cool. Did you see this? Jerry Seinfeld surprises Regis and Kelly today. And he comes bearing gifts, a mega cupcake. Big stars have been surprising Regis and Kelly all week long in celebration of "Live with Regis and Kelly`s" 10th anniversary. Reg, Kelly, from all of us here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, happy 10 years. We`re very excited for you.
By the way, "Live" has, of course, been on the air since mid-80s. Kathie Lee Gifford co-hosted with Regis when the show first went national.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Brooke Anderson is in Hollywood. Today, Jennifer Hudson`s amazing transformation.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. Jennifer has gone from tragedy to triumph in the last two years. And today, she`s opening up about it all in an interview with Oprah.
Remember, in 2009, Jennifer`s mother, brother and nephew were murdered, turning Jennifer`s life upside down. Well, today, for the first time, Jennifer tells Oprah how she`s been able to cope with those horrific events.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: How were you able to get through that time?
HUDSON: Well, my family. It`s a very emotional subject.
WINFREY: I know.
HUDSON: My baby and God. I hold on to the things that they taught us. My grandmother, my mother, even my brother - I can hear him saying to me, "Jenny, knock it off, like, right now, my mom would be fussing at me, "Why are you always crying? Stop crying."
ANDERSON: Aww. Let`s bring in Sunny Hostin now who is a legal contributor for "In Session" on HLN`s sister network, Tru TV.
Sunny, I really admire Jennifer for having the courage, having the strength to talk about such an unimaginable time. It`s obviously still very raw, still very difficult for her. And I imagine it will be for the rest of her life.
HOSTIN: It will be. I mean, Brooke, having dealt with victims for so many years as a prosecutor, I`ve spoken to many of them. And they always say there really isn`t any sense of closure, but it does get better.
And so what she did, in speaking to Oprah, was really phenomenal, because I think she gave hope to other victims and gave them almost a road map, you know, how to get through something like this. And so it was remarkable on so many levels.
ANDERSON: Yes, how to deal with such an extreme tragedy, such a trial and tribulation. We`ll I`ve got to tell you, when I first saw Jennifer Hudson on "Oprah" today, the first thing that went through my mind was, whoa, look at her. She looks incredible. She looks amazing.
As we know, she`s been working hard to slim down, get in shape. Today, she revealed to Oprah just how much weight she was able to lose. Take a look.
HUDSON: I`ve lost 80 pounds.
WINFREY: Eighty pounds! Does it feel real?
HUDSON: No, not yet. Because, again, it`s a mental thing, like your mind has to catch up. And to me, I`m still the same.
ANDERSON: All right. I want to bring in Shelley Wade now. She`s a radio host for Z100 New York. Shelley, 80 pounds, whoo! I think Jennifer is going to really inspire a lot of people dealing with their own weight loss journeys.
SHELLEY WADE, RADIO HOST, Z100 NEW YORK: Wowza, me being one of them. You know, I, at the end of last year, was lucky enough to work really hard and I lost 17 pounds but I -
ANDERSON: Congratulations.
WADE: Thank you so much. I often think about Jennifer Hudson, though. Whenever I think about my weight loss journey, I think, wow, look at her. She really did it.
ANDERSON: She is really inspiring people who want - you know, want to be healthy and get healthy. And she actually says she cooks her won meals, does not have a personal chef.
WADE: That takes a lot of work.
ANDERSON: Sunny Hostin, Shelley Wade, good to see you, ladies. Thanks.
HAMMER: Brooke, I`m really looking forward to seeing Jennifer Hudson perform at the Grammys this weekend.
ANDERSON: Yes. Me, too, A.J. We`ve teamed up with the Recording Academy, the people behind the Grammys, to reveal the biggest battles at this year`s Grammys.
HAMMER: Like Lady Gaga versus Katy Perry, Eminem versus Jay-Z. Make sure that you watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s great Grammy showdown, Saturday, February 12th, 7:30 p.m. Eastern on CNN.
ANDERSON: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s great Grammy showdown airs again this Sunday, February 13th right before the Grammys, 5:30 p.m. Eastern on HLN.
HAMMER: As we move on, will Charlie Sheen pay his crew? Blockbuster reports today that Charlie Sheen may pay his "Two and a Half Men" crew while he`s rehabbing. Good move or too little, too late?
ANDERSON: Khloe`s pain. Khloe Kardashian speaks out today. Her stunning revelations about being called fat, ugly, even a transvestite.
HAMMER: Pigs may be flying, hell may be freezing over. Are Donald Trump and Rosie O`Donnell now getting along?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PIERS MORGAN, HOST, "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT": Rosie O`Donnell, talking of problems, was being quite complimentary about you today, suggesting that maybe the ice is beginning melt.
DONALD TRUMP, BUSINESS TYCOON: Wow, that`s a big statement. Wow, wow, wow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow, wow, wow is right. Find out if these two are kissing and making up, coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: James Franco returning to ABC`s "General Hospital" again. Adam Lambert gives his opinion about the new "American Idol" judges.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": Steven Tyler is fantastic.
ADAM LAMBERT, SINGER: And I`m a huge fan. So -
DEGENERES: Yes. And he`s the strangest guy. And so it`s fascinating to watch. But he also is - you know, he has good notes and so does Jennifer Lopez.
LAMBERT: Yes. I mean, she`s been working in this industry forever. I mean, she really knows.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: All this week, we`ve been bringing you SHOWBIZ newsmaker interviews with big Oscar nominees. And today, it`s best supporting actor nominee, Jeremy Renner.
Jeremy was great in Ben Affleck`s "The Town," the movie that he`s nominated for. And listen to this - Renner was also up for best actor last year for "The Hurt Locker."
But despite all his success, I want to tell you this guy is really down to earth. He told me he`s thrilled just to be working.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) You`re nominated for "The Town." What is the feeling like?
JEREMY RENNER, ACTOR: It`s been a slow trajectory for the last 20 years. So to me, to be honest, it just feels like, right on. I`m ready. I`m ready to work.
ANDERSON: Did you always know this would be your destiny?
RENNER: Not this. I`ve always known what I wanted to do, what made me happy. And I was lucky enough to be able to do that and find out at a very young age, very young, at 19, and then to continue to do that and get - do what I love to do and sometimes get paid a little bit to do it, you know? It`s pretty awesome.
ANDERSON: What was it like walking that red carpet last year?
RENNER: I had my mom next to me, you know. And that was a pretty amazing experience to share with somebody. And I`m glad to do it with my Mama. And I`m going to do it again this year.
ANDERSON: You`re taking your mom again this year?
RENNER: Yes, yes, yes. You know, it`s not often you get to do that. Experiences like this need to be shared, you know. It`s amazing to do that with someone you love.
ANDERSON: OK, can you finish this line from your movie for me?
RENNER: Probably not, but I`ll try.
ANDERSON: If we get jammed up -
RENNER: We`re holding a court on the streets?
ANDERSON: Nice!
RENNER: But I`m not saying the accent.
ANDERSON: Way to go. How long ago did you film?
RENNER: A year and like four months ago?
ANDERSON: That`s quite a memory.
RENNER: Yes.
ANDERSON: Steel trap you got?
RENNER: Not really, no.
ANDERSON: Just lucked out?
RENNER: Lucked out.
ANDERSON: One more big SHOWBIZ newsmaker Oscar nominee coming your way. And it`s someone Jeremy Renner is going head to head with in the best supporting actor category. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter goes one on one with "The King`s Speech" star, Geoffrey Rush. That`s Friday, right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Well, I finally saw that movie last night, finally. And I know why it`s getting all the accolades. Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Elton is not backing down. Elton John`s shocking new words today about Billy Joel needing rehab. So is Elton out of line here? And wait until you hear what Billy is saying today about Elton.
Lady Gaga`s bedroom secrets. What you can and cannot call her in bed.
Big news today about Kelsey and Camille Grammer`s divorce. So will this stunning development mean big, big bucks for Camille? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, it`s time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Rihanna to kick off her North American tour "Loud" in June. Willow Smith wants Brad Pitt to play Daddy Warbucks in "Annie" remake.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Sir Elton John not backing down today for saying Billy Joel needs serious rehab.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN: I really love the guy. I mean, I think he`s an American treasure as far as songwriting goes. He`s up there with all of them. He`s going to hate me and he`s not going to be very happy and he`s not going to talk to me. But it comes from a place of love. I said it`s tough love.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is Elton John out of line or just trying to give Billy some tough love. And wait until you hear what Billy is saying about Elton today.
ANDERSON: Will Charlie pay his crew? Blockbuster reports today that Charlie Sheen may pay his "Two and a Half Men" crew while he`s rehabbing.
HAMMER: Explosive news about Kelsey and Camille Grammer`s divorce. Could this mean big, big bucks for Camille?
Plus, breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - Lady Gaga`s stunning Madonna revelation and Dr. Dre and Bob Dylan`s big surprise.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today - Elton`s tough love.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. Elton John is still standing behind his stunning "clean up your act" comments that he made about his good friend, Billy Joel.
Well, in a brand-new interview this morning on the "Today" show, Sir Elton John did not hold back at all when he was asked if he felt he was out line in a recent "Rolling Stone" interview when Elton suggested that Joel get into a hardcore rehab fast.
And in more big news breaking today, there are blockbuster reports today that Charlie Sheen may pay his "Two and a Half Men" crew for their lost wages while he`s rehabbing at home. Good move or too little, too late?
With me in New York, Sheryl Lee Ralph. Sheryl`s an actress and she`s the producer of a great new documentary, "Kiss And Tell," which is premiering at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.
From Hollywood, Brandy Kuentzel, who is the winner of "The Apprentice."
I`ve got to begin with Elton John`s brand-new comments today about Billy Joel. In that brand-new interview, Elton told Matt Lauer this morning on the "Today" show that he knows Billy Joel is not too happy with Elton`s public plea. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN: He hates me at the moment and I understand why.
LAUER: Have you spoken privately?
JOHN: No, he sent me a message and he`s not happy. I understand that. You know, I really love the guy. I mean, I think he`s an American treasure as far as songwriting goes. He`s up there with all of them, and from a New York point of view. I`m just concerned.
LAUER: So this comes from a place -
(CROSS TALK)
JOHN: Yes. He`s going to hate me and he`s not going to be very happy. And he`s not going to talk to me, but it comes from a place of love. I said it is tough love. You don`t take your dog to rehab, OK?
You just go in there and you try and, you know, listen. I`m sorry I had to say it, but I`m saying it because I really want Billy to live a long life and be very happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you I have immense respect for Elton John. I totally get where he`s coming from. But Sheryl Lee, do you think that Elton should have said this all to Billy Joel only in private and not during an interview that he gave to "Rolling Stone" magazine?
SHERYL LEE RALPH, ACTRESS AND PRODUCER: Let me tell you something. There is nothing better than great press and this is great press for the both of them. It`s got both of their names spelled correctly. It is all good.
But nothing hurt worse than when your own friend throws you under the bus.
HAMMER: But some people, and Elton himself, are saying, yes, it`s just a case of tough love where, if somebody really does need rehab, this is exactly the way to do it. You do anything you can. Brandy, what do you think? Are you with Sheryl Lee?
BRANDY KUENTZEL, "THE APPRENTICE" WINNER: You know what? I`m with Sheryl. I`ve got to agree with her. This is a situation in which the person that can best deal out the tough love is the person that`s been on the recipient end of this tough love.
You know, Elton John`s been here before. He`s been here, done that. He himself has asked difficult questions of himself when he was going to rehab. He`s trying to encourage his good friend to do the same.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, this is definitely a place very close to Elton John`s heart. He shared with Matt Lauer today, as a matter of fact, exactly what his struggle with addiction was like and what it was like to hear people tell him what to do. Watch how that went.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN: Years ago, when I was using, people tried to tell me. I didn`t talk to them for years. How dare you talk to me like that?
(CROSS TALK)
And I look back and they`re only trying to help. I`m only trying to help. Maybe I should have done it privately. But I`ve been so frustrated over the years of some of the things and I love the guy. And I love everyone around him, his band - everyone.
It`s - you know, it was great fun - Elton John-Billy Joel is a no-brainer. It`s the greatest fun I`ve ever had.
LAUER: Well, you seem like you`re having fun in a lot of areas.
JOHN: Yes, I am. But you know - but I do love him and I want to stress that. And you know, he may want to punch my face in at the moment, but it`s OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So what about that? Elton thinks that Billy may want to punch him in the face right about now. Brooke Anderson, what is Billy Joel saying about all this today?
ANDERSON: Yes, well, in a brand-new statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, A.J., Billy Joel listed his feelings saying, "One, I do not hate Elton John. Two, I do not want to punch him in the face. Three, if he wants to call me, my number is still the same. Four, good luck with the movie."
That`s a pretty direct response to me. But Sheryl Lee, it does not address Elton`s plea that Billy get help. What do you think that means?
RALPH: You know something, it`s very interesting. Elton John, when he had to go to rehab, he talks about tough rehab. He had to clean bathroom floors and things like that.
Maybe he thinks that Billy Joel gets a light rehab. He gets to have lunch with Lindsay Lohan. Elton, next time you go to rehab, you need to get a better rehab place.
ANDERSON: You know, Elton does talk from experience. He know what is it takes to get clean and maybe he has tried to speak with Billy privately, and it hasn`t sunk in. Addicts - if Billy Joel is struggling with that - can sometimes be stubborn.
RALPH: Yes.
ANDERSON: It might have been hard for Elton to get it through that thick skull. Who knows? All right. I do have to move to the brand-new blockbuster reports today that Charlie Sheen may pay his "Two and a Half Men" crew while he is rehabbing.
According to TMZ, Charlie is reportedly upset that Warner Brothers and the show`s creator have not offered to pay for the crew for the down time, so he has made an offer to pay one-third, one-third of the crew`s salaries if Warner Brothers and CBS each pay a third as well.
Brandy, I think this is a great move on Charlie Sheen`s part, build that goodwill with his co-workers, with the crew of "Two and a Half Men". But do you think it`s too little, too late? Or do you agree it`s a good move?
KUENTZEL: You know what, Brooke? I agree. I think it`s a great move. It`s a fantastic move. The bottom line is, it`s never too late to do the right thing.
And in this sea of poor decision making that Charlie Sheen is so clearly swimming in right now, he`s grabbing hold, if you will say, of the proverbial life vest and saying, hey - acknowledging to the public - "I`ve made poor decisions. My poor decisions are now impacting the lives of others. Let me try and do the right thing."
ANDERSON: Finally, he`s doing something right for other people.
KUENTZEL: Yes.
ANDERSON: And Sheryl Lee, it is wonderful that he`s offering to pay, but should he buck up and cover all these costs here, not just a third of the paycheck? Because he`s got the dough. What do you think?
RALPH: Brooke, can you imagine he wants to pay the crew one third? How much money is this man making? My gosh! For most of us, had we made half the mistakes he has made, we wouldn`t have a job.
But he`s making more money than he can pay the crew while he rehabs at home. You go, Charlie. I need your agent.
ANDERSON: A reported $1.8 million an episode, so you`re right, Sheryl Lee. I know. It will make you gasp.
Well, while Charlie continues to make headlines, though, about his own issues, there`s a brand-new report out about his ex-wife, Denise Richards, who seems to be more supportive than ever of Charlie, even since Charlie`s last debacle. A.J., what does this bombshell report say?
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, according to this report, the reason Denise is standing by Charlie Sheen and not publicly berating him like she certainly has in the past in a big way - two reasons really, their two young girls.
According to a report in "The Daily Beast," "Richards` love of her kids and the fact that they are growing up seems to be at the heart of her unwavering tolerance of Sheen."
"She has repeatedly said in interviews that she wants her girls to have a relationship with her father and that she dreads the day they will be old enough to go online and read about Sheen`s history of bad behavior or presumably her own salty attacks."
And I quite frankly think Denise is doing right thing here. Let`s move forward. Now, Charlie is the father of her kids and she does have this duty to protect them. But brandy, isn`t it just wild that Charlie`s one- time worst foe really could turn out now to be his greatest champion?
KUENTZEL: You know what, I think one thing that can be said for Denise Richards is she has learned from the past. And in this instance, you can never blame a mother for wanting to protect her children. And that`s what she is doing in this instance.
I say, you know what? You go, Denise. You keep going what you`re doing, because you`re doing great job. You`re remaining graceful under fire and I salute you.
HAMMER: All right. I salute her, too. I`ve seen both sides of this woman and I`m happy to be seeing this side right now. Brandy Kuentzel, Sheryl Lee Ralph, I thank you both.
HAMMER: Moving on right now to dramatic new details about Kelsey and Camille Grammer`s bitter divorce battle. Really a stunning turn of events today. Will it mean big, big bucks for Camille? That`s next.
ANDERSON: Khloe`s pain today. Khloe Kardashian`s fired-up response today to being called fat, ugly, even a transvestite.
HAMMER: Gaga`s bedroom ground rules. Take note - Lady Gaga reveals the one thing you`d better not call her in bed. It isn`t Alejandro or Fernando. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
This is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Ricky Gervais suggests Will Arnett to replace Steve Carell on "The Office." Lady Gaga tells "Vogue" magazine she is OK with being compared to Madonna.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Brooke Anderson is in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: A.J., there`s big news breaking in "The Buzz Today." Gaga`s bedroom secrets revealed today. Lady Gaga sets the record straight about what you can and can`t call her in the bedroom.
A stunning new development in the split between Kelsey and Camille Grammer. Plus, Khloe Kardashian strikes back. Kim K`s sister has a fired-up message to all the people who criticize her body.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Gaga`s bedroom ground rules. Lady Gaga, real name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, has just opened up about what she wants to be called in person.
In a brand-new interview with Anderson Cooper for "60 Minutes," she is revealing her "who can call me Gaga" ground rules.
ANDERSON COOPER, ANCHOR, "60 MINUTES": What should I call you? I mean, should I call you Lady? Should I call you Gaga? Lady Gaga?
LADY GAGA, POP STAR: No. Call me gaga.
COOPER: Gaga?
LADY GAGA: Yes.
COOPER: Does anyone call you Stefani?
LADY: Yes. Especially in bed.
ANDERSON: The interview airs Sunday right before the Grammys. And brand- new single, "Born This Way," releases Friday.
Kelsey and Camille strike a deal? Kelsey and Camille Grammer`s nasty divorce battle has ended and the pair has come to an agreement on the details. A speedy divorce decree means Kelsey is now free to go ahead with his reported plan to marry his 29-year-old fiancee, Kate Walsh, later this month.
Khloe`s body image bombshell. Khloe Kardashian has just confessed to major insecurities about her weight and is blasting back at critics she thinks have been taunting her about her size.
The Kardashian sisters opened up to U.K.`s "Love Magazine" in a brand-new interview. And Khloe revealed how the insults affect her, saying, quote, "I`m the fat one. I`m the transvestite."
"I have had those mean things said about me at least twice a day for the last five years. It`s horrible, you know, but I can brush that stuff off."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. I really respect Khloe for being able to brush that stuff off, as she says. It`s really a testament to what a strong woman she is. I`ve got to imagine other stars in her position might just crumble when they`re called these names.
And just this weekend - listen to this - "Saturday Night Live" took shots at Khloe in a sketch about her whole family. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Very good. Let`s introduce ourselves, girls.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m Kim, the hot one.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m Kourtney, smart one.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m Khloe. I`m third.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. Right there, you saw it. Even this spoof pits Khloe against her sisters. Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph joins me from New York.
Sheryl Lee, people have probably made comments about you that you might not have enjoyed. It`s happened to all of us, although, really, I don`t know that people could make bad comments about you.
But here`s my question. Do you think that Khloe has been unfairly slammed here? Or does it just come with the territory?
RALPH: You know something, it comes with the territory. Folks sometimes in the business, they build you up just to knock you down. But guess what? She is on TV most of the time, people are tuning in watching her and she is going where? To the bank.
So, honey, you don`t worry about those people. They wish they were you.
ANDERSON: She`s got the Benjamins -
RALPH: Yes, she does.
ANDERSON: To make her feel better about all of it, while it seems like Khloe`s confidence really is not just lip service here. She`s so comfortable in her own skin that she`s totally nude along with her NBA husband Lamar Odom in a new ad for their fragrance. Take a look.
RALPH: Oh, my.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KHLOE KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: Sometimes, the bond between two souls is truly unbreakable.
LAMAR ODOM, NBA BASKETBALL STAR: Unbreakable.
ANNOUNCER: Introducing a one of a kind new sex fragrance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. Khloe`s got this smoking hot ad with her husband. She`s making tons of money as we said. Tru TV`s Sunny Hostin, let me get your take on this. Are you thinking that, you know, Khloe`s getting the last laugh here?
HOSTIN: I don`t know. I`m sort of creeped out by the whole fragrance ad. I`ve got to tell you, it kind of took me back. I mean, she`s kind of on his back and kind of naked. You know, she`s not known as the hot one.
ANDERSON: Too much. Yes, too much.
HOSTIN: She`s known as the third one. But I will say it`s a package deal. I think she`s laughing all the way to the bank. She understands that the only reason she`s famous is because she`s on a reality show. She`s famous for being famous and she`s cashing in on it. So I think more power to her. But the ad?
ANDERSON: Yes.
HOSTIN: Kind of creepy to me.
ANDERSON: Yes. It might be a little bit too much. All right. I`ve got to move now though to big breaking Camille and Kelsey Grammer news. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you they are officially divorced as of today.
Kelsey is now free, free to marry his 29-year-old former mistress in a matter of days. Camille and Kelsey - they still have to work out splitting all their homes, all their millions and millions and millions of dollars.
Camille did not sign a pre-nup and there have been reports that she was asking for $50 million. Sheryl Lee, does this quickie divorce mean that Camille is getting an even sweeter deal than expected?
RALPH: You know, listen, divorce, no matter who it is, no matter how it happens, is never a wonderful thing. But ladies, pre-nup, pre-nup. You make sure you get that man to agree to something while he`s madly in love with you. But they`re getting divorced now, God bless them so we don`t have to hear anymore about this, him and his mistress.
ANDERSON: Sunny, what do you think?
HOSTIN: I`ve got to tell you I think they`ve offered her a sweet deal. The fact that she didn`t have a pre-nup really may be better for her. It may protect her.
For him to even get married without the pre-nup, I thought, was ridiculous because he is the one that has the money. He wanted to get out of the marriage. He got out of the marriage.
And let me tell you, she didn`t let him out of that marriage with a quickie divorce without a big pay day coming her way. So I think divorce is hard but it going to be easy with that money.
ANDERSON: Before she signed that bottom line - yes, before she signed that bottom line, I`m sure she had a big check coming her way. Sheryl Lee Ralph, Sunny Hostin, thanks, ladies.
HAMMER: OK. So we`re about to name the most provocative celebrity of the week. Here are your nominees. Lindsay Lohan for her latest court mess; Christina Aguilera for flubbing "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl; what about "Glee`s" Lea Michele causing a whole heap of controversy over her sexy "Cosmo" cover?
You can vote right now by texting your vote to 45688 - SBT1 for Lindsay; SBT2 for Lea; SBT3 for Christina. Now, keep in mind standard text message rates do apply. You can also vote on our Facebook page - ShowbizTonightHLN there.
We`re going to reveal who we name as the most provocative celebrity of the week and see if you agree with us on Friday.
ANDERSON: Are two really provocative people about to kiss and make up? Rosie O`Donnell, Donald Trump. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MORGAN: Rosie O`Donnell, talking of problems, has been quite complimentary about you today. I`m suggesting maybe the ice is beginning to melt.
TRUMP: Wow, that`s a big statement. Wow, wow, wow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A big statement. What Rosie said about Donald is next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Dr. Dre and Bob Dylan to perform at the Grammys. Kathy Griffin set to star in "Kathy Wants a Tony" on Broadway.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, on Wednesday, we asked to you vote in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. I just received the absolutely astounding final results. We asked - Lindsay Lohan`s grand theft case, does she deserve to be locked up?
And look at how this went. Only 11 percent of you say yes. A whopping 89 percent of you say, no, Lindsay Lohan does not deserve to be locked up.
Well, there is a shocking new development today in the epic battle between Donald Trump and Rosie O`Donnell. You know, Rosie`s feud has been going on longer than the Hatfield and McCoy feud.
But there`s a new sign Rosie`s relationship with the Donald could actually be getting better. Now, check out this exchange Rosie just had with a fan on her blog.
Blogger: "Rosie, did you see Oprah today with the Trump family?
Rosie O`Donnell: "I did and found him likable."
What? But wait, there`s more. The Donald just sat down with CNN`s own Piers Morgan. And you`ve got to see what happened when Piers told Donald what Rosie said about him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Well, I heard she had some very nice things to say. I was shocked.
MORGAN: Now is the time.
TRUMP: I was shocked.
MORGAN: Make it up. Say something nice about her.
TRUMP: I have to read what she had to say, OK?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, I`m here to tell you, if Rosie and Trump can make up, anything is possible.
ANDERSON: Yes, no kidding. All right. From a potential Rosie-Trump truce to Jennifer Aniston`s "Jersey Shore" obsession.
Aniston just revealed on "The View" this morning she`s got a major situation. Jen`s shocking confession - she`s totally obsessed with "The Jersey Shore." Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": And "The Jersey Shore"?
JENNIFER ANISTON, ACTRESS: "The Jersey Shore" - I was sick in Clarksville and I happened to just turn on MTV and I had never seen the show. And I said - I said, "OK, let`s see what this show is about. And it happened to be the very first episode that was over Snook - Snooki, comes into the house. It also happened to be a marathon weekend of it. I couldn`t -
BEHAR: Lucky you.
ANISTON: I didn`t move from my couch. I slept on it. I was there. They were - again, I was just mesmerized.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A.J., I love how she says how did she say it, "Snook - Snooki."
HAMMER: Yes. We both like that. I know a lot of people can relate to Jen`s "Jersey Shore" obsession, of course. And quite, frankly, Brooke, they probably feel validated now because someone as cool as Jen Aniston was willing to admit she digs the show, too.
ANDERSON: Maybe so. And A.J., hey, we`ve got to talk about the Grammy Awards because they`re coming out this weekend. And we are doing very special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Yes. It is going to be so cool. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s great Grammy showdown. We teamed up with the Recording Academy, the folks behind the Grammys, to reveal the biggest battles at this year`s Grammys. Jay-Z versus Eminem. Justin Bieber versus Susan Boyle. Gaga versus Katy Perry. Watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s great Grammy showdown.
ANDERSON: It airs this Saturday, February 12th at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on CNN. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s great Grammy showdown airs again this Sunday, February 13th, right before the Grammys at 5:30 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN.
HAMMER: And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday.
HAMMER: And we`re still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show seven days a week at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.
END
