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Showbiz Tonight
Paris Jackson`s Pain; How the Stars of "The Watch" are Coping; Glorifying James Holmes?; J. Lo Versus Mariah Carey: Who is the Better "Idol" Judge?
Aired July 24, 2012 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Paris` pain. Michael Jackson`s 14-year-old daughter pleas on Twitter to talk to her grandmother Katherine Jackson.
And that is just the tip of the Jackson drama iceberg tonight - a scuffle between Michael`s relatives, the report of their missing mother and more public battles among themselves.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is all of this over Michael`s millions?
(MUSIC)
Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, the tragedy in Colorado and the furious debate that broke out today over the man accused of going on a murderous rampage in a movie theater of a showing of "The Dark Knight Rises."
But it`s not what you think. The great debate, is he so evil that we shouldn`t even be talking about him and mentioning his name?
But first, tonight, the Jackson family feud that today turned into a fiasco more compelling that a Shakespearean drama or, for that matter, an episode of "Dallas."
Virtual civil war broke ought as members of Michael Jackson`s family went at each other in a feud as wacky as anything Michael ever did when he was alive, with his three kids caught in the middle as well as the Jackson fortune.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PARIS JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON`S DAUGHTER: He`s been the best father you can ever imagine.
HAMMER (voice-over): Back in 2009, at the memorial service for Michael Jackson, the King of Pop`s then 11-year-old daughter, Paris, broke the world`s hearts with her touching words about her dad.
P. JACKSON: I just want to say I love him, so much.
HAMMER: But today, 14-year-old Paris is on the war path, furious that neither she nor her two brothers have seen their grandmother/guardian, Michael`s 82-year-old mother, Katherine, in over a week.
This morning, Paris tweeted, quote, "Nine days and counting. So help me god, I will make whoever did this pay."
ALAN DUKE, EDITOR, CNN WIRE ENTERTAINMENT: That appears to be bitterness. What is going on?
HAMMER: It`s the latest saga in an explosive Jackson family feud, one that`s pitted Michael Jackson`s siblings against Michael`s estate and against representatives for Michael`s mom with Michael`s three young kids caught in the middle.
DUKE: This is like something Shakespeare would write.
HAMMER: Are we watching one of America`s great entertainment families fall apart before our very eyes?
DUKE: Bitterness, there`s plenty of it.
HAMMER: Sadly, this Jackson family feud all began with Michael Jackson`s tragic death in 2009, more specifically, his will, which leaves his fortune to his mother, Katherine, and his three children.
(MUSIC)
Since his death, renewed interest in the King of Pop`s music has brought in hundreds of millions of dollars to Michael`s estate. But Michael`s siblings have a problem with that will.
DUKE: Their biggest problem with the will is they`re not named in it.
HAMMER: Last week, some of Michael`s brothers and sisters released a letter blasting Michael`s will, the people who run the Jackson estate, and Katherine`s own advise advisers.
DUKE: Pretty much everyone who is close to Katherine Jackson, they are accused of mistreating her emotionally and financially.
Then, over the weekend, this feud took a strange turn. Katherine`s nephew filed a missing person`s report with the police saying she disappeared from the California home she and Michael`s children share.
On Sunday, Paris tweeted, "Yes, my grandmother is missing. I haven`t spoken with her in a week. I want her home now."
DUKE: For nine days, they have not been able to talk to their grandmother who is essentially their mother for nine days - unexplained.
HAMMER: So where is Katherine?
DUKE: She is at a location in Arizona.
HAMMER: Jermaine Jackson said Katherine is safe and well with one of his sisters, resting up on doctor`s orders. But that`s not sitting well with Jackson`s kids who say they haven`t talked to her.
DUKE: Paris and Prince are not buying that.
HAMMER: This all comes as TMZ reported claims from sources connected with Michael Jackson`s estate. They accuse Michael`s brothers, Jermaine and Randy, of using their mom to make a grab for Michael`s money.
Jermaine calls the claims false. He recently tweeted, "This is our mother and her health is paramount. We`re not inventing or plotting anything. We`re following doctor`s advice," period.
DUKE: They`re saying it`s not about the money. It`s about Mama.
HAMMER: Whoever it`s about, it`s clear the Jackson family is going through some complicated times, something Michael was all too familiar with. And now, his daughter is learning it, too.
DUKE: She learned a lot of this from her father who was very careful with people to a large degree, building up a wall between him and other members of his family that perhaps at various times he didn`t want to be close to.
That is what we`re apparently starting to see with Paris, figuring out who is with her and who is against her.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And of course, and again, the saddest part of this whole story is that Michael`s kids, Paris, Prince and Blanket, seem to be caught in the middle of another horrible family drama.
With me from New York, Jane Velez-Mitchell, the host of HLN`s "JANE VELEZ- MITCHELL." From Hollywood tonight, Alan Duke, CNN Wire entertainment editor.
So we have the scuffle that breaks out of the Jackson home. There appeared to be a confrontation between Paris and her aunt, Janet.
Alan, help me out here. What the heck is going on? What do you know about Michael`s siblings trying to take his kids out of their home?
DUKE: Well, just as they say, they`re concerned about the mother and have taken her out of the home and to Arizona. They appear to be concerned about the safety of these kids. That`s what they attempted to do yesterday.
But Paris and Prince would have none of it. And you can see from what happened yesterday that they resisted it. But one thing that is really happening out there is Paris, with her Twitter account, is posting these incredible tweets that really put the uncles and aunts in their place and gains the support of a lot of people.
These very dramatic tweets are very similar to the things she made us cry about at the memorial service.
HAMMER: Yes. So powerful, and you really feel her pain. And it`s almost shocking to me, although nothing really surprises us about the Jacksons. But it`s shocking to me that she`s putting this out there so publicly.
Let me read these tweets to you right now. This is one she tweeted, "Nine days and counting. So help me God, I will make whoever did this pay," referring to how long it`s been since she spoke with her grandmother.
Yesterday, she tweeted, eight days and counting, "Something is really off. This isn`t like her at all. I want to talk directly to my grandmother."
Imagine what she`s going through. Now, Katherine Jackson, as we know, has been taking care of Paris and her brothers since Michael`s death. And now, she is literally ripped out of their lives.
Jane, any idea in your mind why the kids would be separated from their grandmother and not even allowed to speak with her? This is (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": A.J., one word - money. Money, money, money, money. They challenge the will. That wasn`t working.
Now, then they accuse Katherine of having a mini-stroke. Well, now, she`s off somewhere. It`s literally divide and conquer. And when she`s somewhere in Arizona, what do the disenfranchised siblings do?
They come and try to physically get the cell phone that Paris has been using as a lifeline to get the truth out about what`s happening. And this Paris was underestimated. She`s 14 going on 40.
HAMMER: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Do not mess with her because she has proved to be a formidable opponent. She knows exactly what`s at stake, billions of dollars, and nobody is going to grab her and convince her to give it away.
HAMMER: You know, they should know better because she`s a Jackson.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
HAMMER: Exactly. Let`s talk about what happened just last week, because five of the Jackson siblings wrote this letter to Michael Jackson`s estate executors demanding that they resign.
And as we talked about in the piece there, Alan, they reportedly claim that Katherine is being mistreated by the executors.
So I`ve got to ask the question I think everybody is thinking about right now and what Jane just said it is all about, and I need to get your take. Is it all about the money and Michael`s estate?
DUKE: It really depends on who you talk to, but I can tell you that people who are close to Katherine Jackson say she`s constantly hounded by relatives for cash.
I mean, distant relatives, not just the close ones. And they think she has a lot of money, and some day, she may. Certainly, the kids will, so it`s also about control of these kids.
But really, long-term, you ought to think about your relationship with the kids. How are they going to view you when they turn 25 and they get that big payday?
HAMMER: Yes, and where is it going to go from here, is the other big question because executors of Michael Jackson`s estate are now seeking this emergency guardianship of the kids. Now, of course, the grandmother is not there.
So Jane, I`ve got to know from your perspective. Do you see that as a good thing or is this something that could happen because I have heard a few different sides of that today?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Katherine is the legal guardian, but she`s 82 and, right now, she`s out of the picture. Is she really in control of her own life?
I think the time has come for somebody else who has not their own interest, but the children`s interests at heart to take control of the situation.
Given the wild developments, now, there`s a couple of people. T.J., a cousin that the kids like. There`s the executors of the will who are entertainment lawyers. Let`s get somebody who is not like running up and grabbing cell phone cameras to be in charge of these kids.
HAMMER: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: These kids are young. They`re minors, but they`re sophisticated. They act like adults, particular Paris. Nobody is fooled.
HAMMER: And my understanding is while their feelings may be taken into consideration, if any of this does come into play as far as an emergency guardianship, they don`t get to make the decision because, as you said, they`re minors.
And as always, with the Jacksons, we`re just going to have to watch how it all unfolds. And I know the drama doesn`t end here. Alan, Jane, thank you both very much.
HAMMER: Moving on to another heartbreaking Hollywood connection to the tragedy in Colorado. Aspiring comedian Caleb Medley clings to life in the very same hospital where his wife gave birth today.
This is an incredible story. Tonight, we`re going to share Caleb`s emotional story and tell you about his brave friends who are rallying to help Caleb, his wife, and their baby boy, Hugo.
And switching gears now to the $18 million woman. Now, according to new reports, that`s what Mariah Carey is getting to sit at the "American Idol" judges` table. Well, this has sparked a major coast-to-coast debate tonight. Is Mariah Carey really worth all them bucks? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Justice for Jennifer. According to CNN`s affiliate in Chicago, William Balfour, the man convicted of murdering three members of Jennifer Hudson`s family, has now been sentenced to three consecutive life terms.
The sentencing took place this afternoon two months after Balfour, the estranged husband of Jennifer`s sister, was found guilty of the killings and burglary.
Balfour`s life sentences are for each of the 2008 murders which ended the lives of Jennifer Hudson`s mother, her brother, and her seven-year-old nephew.
Coming up next, SHOWBIZ on location at "The Watch" premiere. Now, we`re talking to the stars about coping with the tragedy in Colorado and how they dealt with the real life tragedy that affected their film.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: There is an alien invasion happening.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: They`re among us.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: That`s why I founded the neighborhood watch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s Ben Stiller and the gang in "The Watch." It opens on Friday. The highly anticipated summer comedy has had a bumpy road to the silver screen.
That`s because after the tragic shooting of Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman, there was very little funny about a group of overzealous neighborhood watch members.
And as real-life violence collides with Hollywood yet again, after the tragedy in Colorado, SHOWBIZ is on location with the stars of "The Watch" talking about how Hollywood is coping now.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner is in Hollywood with more from "The Watch" red carpet premiere. What did you find out, Nischelle?
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Well, A.J., you know, as with every event in the past week in Hollywood, the people of Aurora weigh heavily on the hearts and minds of many people.
But one person who is uniquely equipped to react to what Warner Brothers had to do at the wake of these shootings is Shawn Levy. He`s the producer of "The Watch."
He just told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about the difficult choice to pull trailers and change the title of "The Watch" days after the Trayvon Martin shooting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHAWN LEVY, PRODUCER, "THE WATCH": When the Trayvon incident happened, who knows what the right thing to do is? You know, there`s no objective authority that tells you, well, this is the way to behave.
At that point, it seemed like the title of our movie was in the news a lot for reasons that had nothing to do with our movie. And so, given that the characters in the movie called themselves "The Watch," it seemed like, let`s change the name.
Let`s distinguish ourselves and underline the distinction that exists between current events and a comedy that is meant for entertainment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: And you know, A.J., there was a subdued tone on the red carpet last night. I think reality star Kendra Wilkinson explained the mood really well. She, along with stars like Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn expressed heart felt messages to those affected by the Colorado massacre.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VINCE VAUGHN, ACTOR: My heart goes out to all those families to be dealing with all that they`re going through. It`s just horrible and I wish them all the best and send them love and good thoughts.
BEN STILLER, ACTOR: It`s a terrible tragedy, and my heart goes out to the families and the friends of the people who are affected.
KENDRA WILKINSON, REALITY TV STAR: Getting ready for this event was a lot different than any other event I have done, you know, putting the dress on, doing my hair.
It just felt like a weight was on my chest. I felt like, should I go to this? I mean, is this right? It just - it almost feels like that guilt, like guilty feelings going to the movie theaters right now.
It`s not that I`m scared. It`s not even like there`s a fear. It`s the - I just feel a little bit guilty about it, you know?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: You know, and A.J., we have confirmed the studio behind "The Dark Knight Rises," Warner Brothers, is working with the governor of Colorado to make a really big donation to support the victims of the Aurora shooting.
Warner Brothers, of course, is a Time Warner company that is the same company that owns HLN. And you know, A.J., what Kendra was saying was interesting, that she felt almost guilty.
But something that the governor of Colorado has been saying since the shooting happens was he doesn`t want people to stop living because that would make the shooter win in the situation, so I thought that was interesting.
HAMMER: Yes. It`s a tough situation for all of the people involved with the film to be involved. And you can`t even imagine what they`re dealing with. And obviously, it pales in comparison to what the families are dealing with.
But it is amazing how far-reaching this is and great to see that the film studio is stepping up to make a huge donation.
TURNER: Yes.
HAMMER: Because you know the film is going to make a huge amount of money. All right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner. Thanks, Nischelle.
We move now to the battle of the reality show divas tonight. Mariah Carey, officially the new queen bee of "American Idol." Her paycheck reportedly eclipsing the one Jennifer Lopez was getting by a whole lot.
I can tell you one question has everyone in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom just fired up tonight - is Mariah really worth $18 million to be a judge on "American Idol"? What do you think? The great debate coming up.
Time now for the buzz list. It`s the Web series edition. Here is what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is buzzing about this week.
We`re charged up about the fascinating Web series on Yahoo by Tom Hanks. It`s called "Electric City." He created the show about nothing.
And now Jerry Seinfeld is back. "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" - that`s the name of Jerry`s new series on Crackle.com. The Web series, "The Silent City," making a whole lot of noise online.
You`ll never look at "The Bachelor" the same way again after you check out Ben Stiller`s Web series, "Burning Love." That`s on Yahoo.
And just like your favorite TV shows, we love the fact "USA Today" now actually lists TV on the Web on its daily TV listings page.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tom`s big move. Well, there are new reports tonight that Tom Cruise is looking for an apartment in New York City. Tom has said to be checking out pricey pads so he can be close to his daughter, Suri, since he split from Katie Holmes.
Now, Tom already owns an apartment here in the city down in the east village, but it`s the one that he once shared with Katie, so you can understand why he doesn`t really want to stay there.
From breathtaking views to holding your breath. Tonight, SHOWBIZ viral video is all about nature`s wrath. A brave tourist lives to tell and show his amazing story about facing off with a glacier and the incredible video has now taken the world by storm.
Here`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He wasn`t exactly as cool as ice, but at least there were no expletives to delete when this happened -
JENS MULLER, CAPTAIN: Oh!
MOOS: Off the coast of Greenland, part of a glacier collapsed, sending a mini-tsunami directly at this motor boat. And what did Jens Muller say?
MULLER: Wow!
MOOS: Just about every five seconds, he said it.
MULLER: Wow!
MOOS: Until the wave hit. The boat was sideways toward the glacier. And when Jens`s uncle saw the wave coming, he gunned it out of there.
MULLER: Wow!
MOOS: No one was hurt: not Jens, not the Australian tourists they were taking sight-seeing.
MULLER: Wow!
MOOS: Lest you think the only language Jens speaks is "Wow" -
MULLER: I`ve never been this close to dying. I`ve never been this close to dying before.
MOOS (on camera): The thing that seemed to impress people was the way the shooter held the camera steady and stayed focused instead of ducking and covering.
(voice-over) But Jens says that`s only because he was looking in his viewfinder.
MULLER (through telephone): You know, the screen is pretty small. And on this screen, the waves looked really, really, really small.
MOOS: Jens, a 23-year-old mechanical engineering student, said the ice was cracking for about four minutes before the collapse. And for some reason -
MULLER: None of us was actually scared.
MOOS: The boat wasn`t damaged until later when they hit a piece of ice under water on their way home that damaged the steering. A relative had to come retrieve them. No wonder someone posted "Is this the prequel to `Titanic`?"
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Iceberg, dead ahead!
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Ice, dead ahead!
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Iceberg, dead ahead!
MULLER: Wow!
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Iceberg, dead ahead, sir!
MOOS: Tsunami ahead, but thankfully, Jens isn`t dead, though "wow" is a victim of overkill.
MULLER: Wow!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yes. Wow is right. So astounding that not only they survived but they shot that amazing video and got to share it with the world. That was Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now, here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s a SHOWBIZ great debate. Should the name of the Colorado massacre suspect never be uttered again? What about his picture? Should it be banned from TV?
Well, next, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the question, does simply saying the name James Holmes glorify the alleged killer`s horrific crime?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, tragedy in Colorado. The big question tonight - does simply saying the name James Holmes glorify the alleged killer`s horrific crime? One victim`s family asks us to forget it forever. So how should the media respond?
Also tonight, the battle of the divas. Why is Mariah Carey reportedly getting $6 million more than J. Lo to be on "American Idol"? SHOWBIZ dares to ask, is Mariah Carey really worth all those extra millions? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. Right now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the tragedy in Colorado and the fiery debate that broke out today over the alleged killer, not what he`s accused of doing, murder a dozen people in cold blood and shooting dozens of other in a showing of "The Dark Knight Rises," but about all of us talking about him.
Some family members of the victims are pleading tonight with the media to stop talking about the killer, saying, "Do not even mention his name."
Take Tom Teves, for example. His 24-year-old son Alex was one of those killed. Watch what he told Anderson Cooper on CNN`s "AC 360."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM TEVES, FATHER OF SHOOTING AURORA VICTIM, ALEXANDER TEVES: I`ll give you a challenge. What we`re going to say is a coward walked into a movie theater and started shooting people. He`s apprehended.
The coward is in jail. He will never see the light of day again. Let`s move on to the victims. Never talk to him again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The SHOWBIZ flashpoint tonight, does simply saying the name James Holmes give the alleged killer the glory he may have been searching for?
With me tonight, actor Stephen Baldwin who was in Colorado over the weekend. Stephen has a new movie coming out called "Loving the Bad Man." It`s a story about forgiveness and redemption. In Hollywood tonight, E`s chief news correspondent, Ken Baker.
Stephen, I want to start with you. You were right there in Colorado just hours after the massacre. And we just got a first close-up look at James Holmes when he was arraigned in court.
Do you think even uttering this guy`s name does give him glory as the victims` family members are suggesting?
STEPHEN BALDWIN, ACTOR: Well, definitely, A.J. I think that more and more when we see these types of complete and total lunatics pop up like this, the less we talk about them and give them any, you know, confirmation of what they did and attention to what they did, you know, for their own crazy purposes.
The less we give them that attention, probably the better because there`s other kooks out there watching this sort of thing, so I agree with that.
HAMMER: Yes, there`s lot to understand and there`s certainly a lot to learn here. There`s been so much passion over the subject.
And the father of victim Alex Teves even went as far as suggesting a complete boycott. I want to watch what we said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
T. TEVES: A lot of the victims feel the same as I. Maybe it`s time for us to rise up, because if you guys don`t do it, maybe we`ll use the Internet and we say you show that, OK, whoever advertises next, we`ll never buy your product. That would do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, first of all, I`ve got to give this guy so much credit for just speaking out.
S. BALDWIN: Wow.
HAMMER: How brave. He just lost his son. This just happened, but it is this kind of passion that really does inspire big change, of course, Ken. What do you think about what he`s saying and what he`s asking?
KEN BAKER, CHIEF NEWS CORRESPONDENT, E!: Well, I mean, first of all, not as someone who`s in the media but just as a human being, my heart goes out to the guy.
I mean, he`s obviously in pain and we should all have sympathy. And our hearts go out to him and all of the family members and the loved ones of these victims.
So I can understand where he`s coming from and the passion he`s speaking from. But I think from a media perspective on this, where do you draw the line?
Should we not report on Saddam Hussein`s atrocities and mention him by name? Should we not mention Moammar Gadhafi by name or anyone evil? Should we not mention Lee Harvey Oswald when JFK was shot?
So I think it`s a slippery slope. I do understand where he`s coming from. No one wants to glorify this guy, but we do want to educate and inform the public.
HAMMER: Yes. And I think that`s a perfect word to use. We`re not on here glorifying him by any stretch. And yes, where do you draw the line?
Also, alongside this debate is the debate over gun control and the gun laws. And Stephen, look, you and I have talked about it before. I know you support having the right to carry a gun.
But I also understand this tragedy has also caused you to think a little bit more about that. Are you changing your mind?
S. BALDWIN: Well, no, A.J. I am a tremendous gun advocate. I believe in the right for any U.S. citizen to be able to protect themselves. I`m obviously on the 50-yard line here as an actor and in my family and all of that, I`m a conservative Christian.
You know, I work in that whole line of work and field and stuff like that. I will say this, A.J. I don`t think, going forward, that it should affect any American citizen that is law-abiding, et cetera, et cetera, to have the right to bear arms and personally protect themselves.
What I said and I want to be very specific about this is it seems to me, you know, after we had Oklahoma City, there was ways through technology if somebody went out and bought 10,000 pounds of fertilizer, somebody knocked on your door and said, "Hey, what are you doing?"
In that respect, this guy bought 6,000 rounds of ammunition. Now, there are people who train people to shoot guns and they`re experts. And in that field of work, you should have the right to buy all the ammunition because you`re trained and qualified and you`re registered to do so.
When this guy bought 6,000 rounds of ammunition six weeks before this massacre, it might have been interesting that if a red flag went off, you know, through his E-mail account or something, somebody could have knocked on his door and said, "Hey, buddy. Is everything OK? Are you doing all right?"
HAMMER: Yes.
S. BALDWIN: This might have been avoided. So in that regard, I believe that maybe things need to be re-evaluated to hopefully avoid these types of situations in the future.
HAMMER: Yes. Listen, I think it always comes back to this when these types of thing happen. You might a terrific point there. And if it starts up some new conversations about how to better approach the situation, then that could only be a good thing.
Now, let`s move from tragedy to some triumph in Colorado tonight. Two of the survivors of the tragedy have become first-time parents to a boy.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner is in Hollywood. Nischelle, I actually automatically smiled when I said that. It`s nice to hear about some good news right now. What have you learned?
TURNER: And it`s nice to have a little bit of a smile on your face when you`re talking about this. It certainly is good news. There is, though, that bittersweet element to this, A.J.
Take a look at this picture. This is Caleb and Katie Medley. They attended the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight" where the shooting happened.
Now, this picture has been posted on a Facebook page dedicated to Caleb as he remains in the hospital. He`s in critical condition from a gunshot wound to the head.
Caleb and Katie have had their world literally turned upside down since the shooting. But finally, they have some good news. Katie delivered their baby boy just this morning.
Now, they named the baby boy Hugo after a character in the TV series "Lost." Both Katie and Hugo are doing just fine, and Caleb`s friends have launched a Web site for Caleb who is an aspiring comic.
And you know what? According to the couple`s friends, making people laugh is what he does best. Look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CALEB MEDLEY, AURORA SHOOTING SURVIVOR: You know, one of those things you set up in the door and you do the pull-ups and sit-ups. Ahhh!
I got mine all set up and I started to do one pull-up and I tore down my ceiling. My landlord was pissed, so my parents kicked me out recently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: Now, A.J., there`s well known comedians including Lonny Love that have posted their support for Caleb. Lonny even posted on her Facebook page.
Now, you know what? The whole world - we are all praying for Caleb Medley and all of the other victims to heal right now, A.J. But yes, it is good to deliver a little bit of good news.
HAMMER: Yes. And it really feels good. I want to go right back to Ken Baker because, Ken, these stories of survival, these positive stories are so amazing, I think, to everyone in light of everything that has happened.
We`re hoping the best for Caleb. And we think that this is what Hollywood should be focusing on, maybe a TV movie, if one does come around, should focus on this and the positive rather than the horrific-ness of it all.
BAKER: Yes. There`s so many heroic acts and, like you said, inspiring stories that have come out of this. There`s much more just inspiring humanity that has come out of this tragedy that I have seen than this one evil person.
So there is that side to it. Let`s not forget there`s a lot of victims still in the hospital, still being treated, and of course, a lot of people still suffering from the mental traumas.
And we do have to focus on the victims and it`s great that there is some positive coming out of this.
HAMMER: Stephen, very quickly, best thing you saw when you were just in Colorado over the weekend of people coming together.
S. BALDWIN: Well, absolutely, A.J. I`m happy to hear people talking about the positive side of it. I`ve got to go there, A.J. You know, the Bible says that God will use the bad things for good.
And I just want to call the nation, please, to be praying for everybody in Aurora because that`s going to be the thing that heals these people faster than anything else.
And yes, there`s always going to be good. There`s always going to be evil. And I just - I can`t wait to see the more and more positive stories that are coming out of this.
HAMMER: And whatever your belief, we can all send positive energy that way.
S. BALDWIN: Absolutely.
HAMMER: All right. Stephen Baldwin, Ken Baker, thank you so much. I appreciate you both being here tonight.
And we take a turn and move on to something completely different. We have the battle of the divas going on - Mariah, J. Lo.
Mariah just landed a reported $18 million deal to be a judge on "American Idol." SHOWBIZ is asking, is she really worth the extra $6 million, more than Jennifer Lopez got?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: That`s Jennifer Lopez rocking out to her dance hit, "On the Floor," but those aren`t moves everyone is talking about tonight.
Instead, it`s "American Idol`s" big move, putting Mariah Carey into J. Lo`s old judge`s seat. "American Idol" is changing the face of its diva power with the addition of Mariah Carey.
But is one superstar singing sensation really any better than the other? Well, tonight, we`ve got the battle of the divas.
Just look at these numbers. Mariah Carey is set to rake in a reported $18 million. That makes her the highest paid judge on any reality TV show, topping Britney spears` $15 million for "X Factor" and J. Lo`s paltry $12 million "Idol" paycheck that she was getting. So we have to ask, is Mariah really worth it?
I want to bring in Janell Snowden, a news correspondent for VH1 who`s with me in New York. In Chicago tonight, it`s Brotha Fred, who`s a morning host on 103.5 Kiss FM in Chicago.
So guys, for me, J. Lo was a great fit for "Idol." I loved her on the show. The fans loved her. The contestants appeared to bond with her. She was very entertaining. But I also totally dig Mariah Carey.
Janell, do you think that Mariah will bring that much more, say $6 million more, worth of value to "American Idol" in the judge`s seat.
Mariah is like divadom at its most delicious level. Seriously, I mean, when you think about like all the divas post-Motown, post-Diana Ross, post-Aretha Franklin, who do you think of?
You think of Mariah Carey, J. Lo, and Beyonce as the top three. Mariah has had 18 number one singles, second only to the Beatles and that`s the most number one singles for any solo artist.
So for no other reason than that, she has more musical credibility. And Mariah is so funny even when she doesn`t mean to be, like, I don`t know if you ever interviewed her.
HAMMER: Oh, yes.
SNOWDEN: Yes. She`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE) from a good side, right?
HAMMER: I have known her for right around 20 years, actually.
SNOWDEN: Yes.
HAMMER: And she can also bring the wacky, which is true.
SNOWDEN: Oh, she`s hilarious.
HAMMER: But it really does come down to Mariah versus J. Lo in who is a better fit for the show. So what we`ve done is stack the two music divas side by side, including some of the numbers that Janell just mentioned.
Look at this - Mariah, her reported net worth, $500 million. J. Lo, half of that at $250 million. A lot of that money is coming from Mariah`s 200 million albums sold worldwide.
Compare that to J. Lo, far behind - 55 million albums. Mariah, a five-time Grammy Award winner. J. Lo, no Grammys. Both are mothers of twins. When you look at Mariah and J. Lo side by side, Brotha Fred, for you, who is the better fit for "American Idol?"
BROTHA FRED, MORNING HOST, 103.5 KISS FM: You know what? This money thing is sort of negligible. Who cares? They all have tons of money anyway. J. Lo is pretty. She`s got the big booty and we all like that. But you mentioned that we`ve got to bring in the mentally unstable in order to boost the ratings.
SNOWDEN: No, don`t say that.
BROTHA FRED: All that bull is mentally unstable. Mariah mentally stable - no, I`m mentally unstable so I can say that. Have you seen her on QVC? Have you seen her peddling her wares? It`s amazing television.
SNOWDEN: I`ve interviewed her many times. She`s awesome. She`s got (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
BROTHA FRED: I have, too. She`s crazy. I can`t wait.
HAMMER: Well, I think about it. Well, first of all, we`re not going to confirm that she`s mentally unstable because she`s not.
SNOWDEN: No, don`t say that.
HAMMER: But the truth is, I think she`s going to bring the value. I think "American Idol" is making a good move. And I think it will bring a lot of people who may have gone away from the show back to the show.
SNOWDEN: Me included. Yes.
HAMMER: And I`ve got to end it there. Janell, Brotha Fred, we`ll talk to you later. Thanks for joining us.
Well, we move on right now to one of the biggest shows on cable TV, "Hardcore Pawn."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What would you actually take for these?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $2,000.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of a sudden, I hear my dad negotiating for some - I don`t know what the hell they are. It looks like a piece of (EXPLETIVE DELETED) that we`re never going to be able to sell.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The goal to own Detroit`s biggest pawnshop. I can tell you they are the family that was born to rock the pawn world and the reality TV world.
Tonight, I`m one-on-one with Les, Seth and Ashley to find out why their show is pure gold. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight`s "Hardcore Pawn." A new first family has taken over reality TV and the world of pawn. That`s right. Pawn - P-A-W-N. That`s what I`m saying. Customers - they are pouring in.
Fans are tuning in to watch the family going head to head, not just with the sellers, but with each other. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My dad brought them back from France. They`re 18th century antique and I`m sure we`re going to make a good profit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you know?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The ornateness of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Good deal for the seller or real steal for the pawn stars? Well, with me tonight, in New York, I`m so pleased to welcome Les Gold, Ashley Broad, and Seth Gold of the hit reality series, "Hardcore Pawn." It airs Tuesday nights on our sister station, Tru TV. It`s great to meet you all.
ASHLEY BROAD, REALITY TV STAR: Thank you for having us.
HAMMER: Pawn stars right here with us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you like that?
HAMMER: And Les, this is, what, third-generation pawnbroker. That`s what you are. And we have a lot of fun watching you on the show, but as you`re there negotiating, doing what you do best, you`ve these two in the background shaking their heads, saying, "Oh, what is he doing now?" But you know, in your heart of heart, you have the instinct when a deal is a deal.
LES GOLD, REALITY TV STAR: There`s no question. I don`t listen to what they have to say. I really don`t care what they have to say.
BROAD: He cares.
L. GOLD: As you see every Tuesday, when I`m buying stuff, because I know it`s profitable.
HAMMER: Well, that`s exactly what you should be doing. And as a result, I think the show is obviously bringing a lot of business into the operation here.
What do you have, like 1,000 customers pouring in each and every day, coming into your shop in Detroit? But it seems to me that everybody has this sad, sad story, just trying to soften you up. Do you instantly have your guard on? Are you buying into the stories?
SETH GOLD, REALITY TV STAR: You know, it`s all about emotion for the seller coming in. They try to pull on our heartstrings and do all these types of things.
But we have to take and look at the business end of it. What are we going to be able to do with the item? You might have a story behind it. You might need to pay some bills.
And I get it. I understand it, but I still have 50 employees. I still need to make sure we have enough money to go around. So it`s one of those things where we take the emotion out of it, strictly a business deal.
HAMMER: But you also know they`re coming in there and sometimes it`s BS, right?
BROAD: We can`t always tell the story in our showcase.
HAMMER: Yes.
BROAD: If they lose the item, I can`t sell the story in the showcase and say, "You know, they left this in the showcase and they needed the money." I can`t think like that.
HAMMER: I`m betting you have a very good ear or sense for nonsense -
L. GOLD: That`s a good bet.
HAMMER: When they`re trying to scam you.
L. GOLD: That`s definitely a good bet. You know, I have been doing this a long time. I`ve heard every story, so I try to keep the emotion out of it. Like Ashley said, you can`t sell emotion in the showcase.
HAMMER: Now, Ashley, here`s the thing though. We see you and your brother kind of going head to head quite a bit. Have you ever said, "You know what? Being in business with the family maybe not such a good move"? Because it does get pretty rough sometimes.
BROAD: We have one goal of making American jewelry successful, but we have two ways of doing it. We do butt heads a lot, but we have two ways of getting to that main goal.
S. GOLD: You know, ultimately, when it comes to family, it`s like the best and worst thing all encompassed into one. You know, no one knows how to jab you like your family, but no one has your back like your family either.
HAMMER: Well, that`s true. And has being on reality TV made you guys closer or has it made things more difficult?
BROAD: Well, you have seen the tears. You have seen the smiles. Judge us for yourself.
L. GOLD: That`s why we`re here sitting, the three of us, and he`s not beating up on her. So yes, we`re getting along.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: All right. Great to meet you guys.
L. GOLD: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: Congratulations on all of your success. Les, Seth and Ashley, the stars of "Hardcore Pawn." Great to have you guys here.
BROAD: Thank you for having us.
HAMMER: Catch it Tuesday nights on Tru TV. Well, we move on right now to Bristol Palin, the new Mama Grizzly? Yes. Tonight, Bristol`s ferocious defense of her three-year-old boy after he apparently drops an F-bomb on TV.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRIPP PALIN, SON OF BRISTOL PALIN: I hate you.
BRISTOL PALIN, REALITY TV STAR: If you say that one more time, you`re going to get soap in your mouth, got it?
T. PALIN: No, I (EXPLETIVE DELETED) hate you.
B. PALIN: I`m doing a terrible job disciplining Tripp.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The brand new controversy about what he said and what that says about Bristol.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, tonight, Sophia Vergara has got a new squeeze, sort of. We`re going to explain why her current beau doesn`t even really care.
Plus, wedding bells for Cybill Shepherd. Brand-new love at 62. And the explosive Bristol Palin controversy. Which F-bomb did her son Tripp drop? That tops "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Bristol the Mama Bear? Well, Bristol Palin is defending her three-year-old son, Tripp, after he dropped an F-bomb on her reality show "Bristol Palin: Life`s a Tripp."
T. PALIN: No, I (EXPLETIVE DELETED) hate you.
HAMMER: Lifetime bleeped the word so viewers couldn`t tell if the toddler used the F-word or an anti-gay slur. Bristol took to her blog to address the backlash, writing, "As I`ve said before, I sometimes struggle to raise Tripp. However, he does not use slurs. I`m not proud of what he did say. Sadly, he used a different F-word." Palin adds she does oppose gay marriage and that the media shouldn`t scrutinize her son for a verbal slip.
Sophia`s new family. Sophia Vergara is about to have a romance with Peter Griffin. "The Modern Family" star has a cameo in an upcoming episode of "Family Guy."
"Entertainment Weekly" reports Sophia will bring some Latin flavor to the cartoon, playing Peter`s saucy fantasy lover when he imagines himself as the hunky star of a telenovela.
Cybill gets engaged. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Cybill Shepherd has found love again. The "Moonlighting" star has just gotten engaged according to a rep. The lucky man is a psychologist Andrei Nikolajevic. This will be the third time down the aisle for the 62-year-old actress.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
As we move on tonight, heroes of the Colorado tragedy. How the moviegoers next door to theater number nine helped saved lives. Drew has that right now.
END
