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Showbiz Tonight
K-Stew Cheating Scandal Questions; Brand-New Katherine Jackson Chaos; New Diva Dish; Howard Stern`s J. Lo Slam
Aired July 26, 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: First, the shock, now the questions. The Kristen Stewart cheating fiasco spawns a multitude of unanswered questions. Is her career toast? Should R. Pats forgive Kristen or dump her?
And that, of course, is just the tip of the iceberg. Tonight, the SHOWBIZ countdown, K-Stew scandal edition.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. Thank you for watching. And tonight, in the SHOWBIZ countdown, it`s the K-Stew cheating scandal. Brand-new explosive burning questions surface today after "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart publicly confessed to cheating on her longtime boyfriend, Robert Pattinson, with a much older, very married director of her last big movie. We are counting down the top five questions, including, should Robert Pattinson forgive her?
But first, the brand-new Katherine Jackson chaos tonight. Michael Jackson`s 82-year-old mother, Katherine, may be back home tonight after disappearing and igniting an all-out Jackson family civil war.
But while she`s trying to set the record straight about what happened, what she`s saying only seems to be adding to the turmoil today. Watch what she told ABC News in an on-camera statement that only seemed to add to this bizarre story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHERINE JACKSON, MOTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: There are rumors going around about me that I`ve been kidnapped and held against my will.
I`m here today to let everybody know that I`m fine and I`m here with my children and my children would never do a thing like that - hold me against my will. It`s very stupid for people to think that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. There you have it. Katherine Jackson, smacking down all those conspiracy theories that are floating around out there, that she was actually kidnapped by her own kids.
I want to bring in defense attorney, Mark Geragos, who once represented Michael Jackson. That was in his 2005 molestation trial. Mark has co- authored this new book - it`s called "Mistrial."
Also with me tonight, Jackson`s former spiritual adviser, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. It`s always great to see the both of you.
So Rebbie, Janet, Jermaine, even someone representing the spa that Katherine stayed at stood there in solidarity with Katherine Jackson. And while she made some things clear, Mark, to me, I don`t think she set the record straight at all.
MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think what`s going on - you saw a statement. You may have seen a statement from the sheriff`s department, where they thought they were being used.
I think that that`s probably the case. I think that there`s some kind of competing interest, if you will. And so people are trying to use her being outside of the jurisdiction in order to gain custody and things of that nature.
So it`s a horrible situation, you hate to see it, but like a lot of families, when you`ve got somebody who passed away prematurely and you`ve got young kids and there are a lot of money involved.
HAMMER: Yes. A lot -
GERAGOS: It`s what happens when you`ve got -
HAMMER: A lot of money involved, the fame, of course. And let`s not forget what a big family this is. I mean, just to remind people - put up the family tree, if you would, Danny, because you have an enormous number of people and they`re all at play in this situation.
The patriarch and matriarch of the Jackson family right there, Joseph and Katherine. Under them, their children, Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Michael, Randy, and Janet.
And of course, Michael`s kids, right in the middle of all this - Prince Michael, Paris, and Blanket. Clearly, you have a family divided.
Michael`s kids have really been the ones in the middle, telling the world about the feud. So Rabbi Shmuley, what do you think is really going on here?
RABBI SHMULEY BOTEACH, MICHAEL JACKSON`S FORMER SPIRITUAL ADVISER: I really don`t know, but I know what should be going on. Michael entrusted his children to Katherine`s care because he trusted her.
He always told me his mother was a saint. She`s a woman with a deep spiritual core. I don`t think that he had a lot of options, should something happen to him.
And that`s the tragedy. Michael wanted his children to have a normal childhood. This is utterly dysfunctional. This is completely abnormal. This is the kind of childhood that he had, and look at how much it scarred him.
You know, when Michael was alive, he went to extremes to shield his kids from any kind of prying, prurient interest. Here we are on TV, talking about Prince, Paris, and Blanket.
And they`re tweeting - and Michael would never have allowed any of these things. So someone has to be the adult here. Someone has to step forward and say, you know, the man died, and his legacy is not a $500 million fortune.
His legacy, his real treasure was his children. And this is a big, beautiful family, and they once had nothing. Joe Jackson was a steel worker in Gary, Indiana, and they loved each other before the Jackson 5.
And I think they have to rediscover their core values. And it would be nice if a pastor - because they`re a deeply religious family, Jehovah`s Witnesses. It would be nice if someone stepped in to heal the family and ended the factionalism. But Michael`s kids shouldn`t with this.
HAMMER: No, they shouldn`t. And obviously - and I agree with you. There should be some intervention. Sometimes it happens long after these things have played out so publicly.
And of course, this all became public because Katherine went away and Michael`s kids weren`t able to reach her. One thing that Katherine made clear in her statement, though, was that she just wanted to take a break. Let`s watch that.
K. JACKSON: I never leave home without leaving instructions of who to stay there with them, the nanny and all of them. And someone had let go of the cook, the nanny, and also the housekeepers.
I don`t know who did that. They don`t have that power and they shouldn`t have done it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And she says the kids were fine. That`s what she thought, Mark. Yet, the kids weren`t able to get ahold of her. They weren`t able to speak with her, and they pretty clearly didn`t even know where she was.
So let`s step back for a moment. Could it possibly be, hey, maybe Katherine just did need a break from taking care of the kids and the estate and managing everything and that this is all some huge misunderstanding. I don`t see it that way, but -
GERAGOS: Well, look, she is 80-some-odd ears years old.
HAMMER: She`s 82.
GERAGOS: She`s always been very vibrant. And when I knew her and would interact with her, I was always amazed by the amount of energy she had.
But yes, she needs a break. I mean, you know, these are rambunctious kids. You know, I haven`t seen them in years, but I did have interaction with them when they were much younger and they`re incredibly bright and curious, and they`re kids.
And now, they`re teenagers, or you`ve got at least two of them that are teenagers. This is not something that somebody can do 24/7 when you`re in your 80s.
So I understand the need for a break and I agree with Katherine, though. Why somebody is letting go of kind of that support structure that she`s built around these kids, namely the nanny, the cook, and everybody else who the kids kind of see as their intermediate family or their immediate family is beyond me.
HAMMER: Yes. That raises a huge red flag. So you have teenagers, you have social media, and you now have the kids in a position, and at an age where they very much want to set the record straight and let people know what`s going on.
In fact, while Katherine went on and gave that statement, trying to sell her side of the story, or tell her side of the story, you have Michael`s older son, Prince, feeling his need to go on and give his point of view on what really happened while his grandmother was gone.
He tweeted this photo. Let`s put this up, because this tweet - I can`t find it anymore. It doesn`t appear to be online, but shows a series of text messages between him, his aunts, Rebbie and Janet.
And in the message, Prince demands to speak to his grandmother. His aunt Janet, perhaps not knowing that Prince was going to see this, writes, "Don`t let them," or at least that`s how it appears.
Here`s something else that Prince tweeted, "As long as I can remember, my dad repeatedly warned me of certain people and their ways." And Rabbi Shmuley, you and I have spoken about that, Michael`s concerns in the past. What would he say about all this?
BOTEACH: I`m not here to judge the Jackson family, because they`ve been in the public spotlight for half a century. And extreme fame in any extreme circumstance can breed an extreme response.
But what is certainly true is that Michael wasn`t close to his family. He spent two Thanksgivings at our home and I saw how important for him to be with his family.
He loved his mother, that was certain, but he wanted - he felt that he had been scarred by his upbringing and he wanted to raise his children away from it.
And now that he died, they`re back in the mix. And there`s a need for someone to honor his wishes. The way I see it, whenever you have a vacuum, whenever you have a void, bad things can fill it.
The void here is, what is Michael Jackson`s legacy? Like, he died, but what memories are his children supposed to take - what values did he represent? And the only legacy is that there`s a $500 million fortune, and that`s why everyone`s fighting over it.
I mean, Michael never really cared about money. He wasn`t good with money. He mismanaged money. What Michael cared about was (UNINTELLIGIBLE) his fame to the idea that children are precious and parents should prioritize them.
He wanted no one to skip the essential stage of childhood, least of all his own children. We don`t hear any of this. There is no legacy. The legacy is his music, his dance and all this money.
I feel if there were greater emphasis on what he himself wanted his legacy to be, his kids to participate in them. Then we would Prince and Paris doing public events to honor their father`s memory instead of this. This is ridiculous and it`s damaging and it`s not fair to the kids.
HAMMER: It`s not fair. And we can all dream big that someday that will come around to what`s really important. Great to see you guys and get your special insight from people who really know this family. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Mark Geragos, thank you as always.
Moving on now from the King of Pop family drama to the Queen of Soul. You remember that Aretha Franklin was campaigning to be a judge on "American Idol." So how does she feel now that Mariah Carey`s got the gig?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, they have come out and named Mariah Carey as one of the judges.
ARETHA FRANKLIN, SINGER: I saw that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you think about that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You do not want to miss her answer. SHOWBIZ on location with iconic Aretha.
Plus, so many Kristen Stewart scandal questions tonight, but so few answers. Is her career toast? Should Robert Pattinson forgive Kristen or dump her? Nothing`s off limits. Tonight, the SHOWBIZ countdown, K-Stew scandal edition. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: So have your Thursday nights been bleak since Seinfeld left the Thursday NBC lineup nearly 15 years ago? Not that there`s anything wrong with that.
Well, cheer up. Jerry is back. He`s doing stand-up on Thursday nights, which is great news. But here`s the not-so-great news for some. Jerry will only be performing in the five boroughs of New York - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island.
It`s jerry`s tribute to the city he says taught him how to be funny, yada yada yada. Now, the first show is happening on October 4th with the run set until November 8th. Tickets are on sale Monday.
Up next, diva dish. Aretha talking about Mariah.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NICK CANNON, HOST, "AMERICA`S GOT TALENT": Definitely, things are going to get a boost with the show`s ratings. I mean, she`s one of the biggest stars in the world.
And she`s probably one of the most talented, in my opinion. And then, at the same time, to be able to share that personal side that I get to see, I think everybody`s going to fall in love with her even more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s Mariah Carey`s husband, Nick Cannon, offering big-time support for his wife as the newest "American Idol" judge. But is there room for more than one superstar singing sensation at the "Idol`s" judge`s table?
Well, tonight, the queen`s "Idol" mind. SHOWBIZ was on location at L.A.`s Nokia Theater for another great performance from the legendary Aretha Franklin last night.
We caught up with the always candid music icon for a little one-on-one in the dressing room just before she took to the stage and wowed the crowd.
(MUSIC)
I think she just gets better. Just an amazing performance. But we had to ask, with Mariah now in at "Idol," where did that leave the Queen of Soul, who quite frankly made it very clear that she would love to fill one of those coveted judge`s seats.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner spoke with Aretha to find out if she was really ready to take on the next generation of singers and help launch them into superstardom.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: One of the things that your fans love so much about you is that you tell it like it is. Ms. Aretha is real. And I love how you came out recently and said, "You know what, `American Idol,` you all need me."
FRANKLIN: Well, I wasn`t exactly saying that, but I wouldn`t mind being a judge. I think that some of the leading singers should judge singers, you know what I`m saying?
And I just, I see these different shows, from show to show, but I don`t see any of the major names as a singer judging singers. That`s what I was saying.
TURNER: What kind of judge would you be? Nurturing, more bite - like Simon, more to the point? What kind of judge would you be?
FRANKLIN: Well, I think that I would - constructive criticism, if any. If any. Hopefully, you wouldn`t have to say anything. But constructive.
TURNER: Now, they have come out and named Mariah Carey as one of the new judges.
FRANKLIN: I saw that. I saw that.
TURNER: What do you think about that?
FRANKLIN: That`s all right. I like Mariah. She`s a very, very gracious person. And we`ve been friends for a long time. I met her at the Grammys, many years ago, back in the, what was it - well, it wasn`t that many, but it`s back in the Grammys.
She came up and introduced herself to me, very politely, just a very nice person. I liked her. And so I`m happy for her.
TURNER: And she`s going to be making $18 million for one year.
FRANKLIN: You think so?
TURNER: We know so.
FRANKLIN: Do you know that? How do you know that?
TURNER: Well, we have it confirmed through a source very close to us.
FRANKLIN: OK. I was going to say, inside sources. Would that be her husband? He said $100 million.
TURNER: She`s the highest paid judge on television.
FRANKLIN: Yes.
TURNER: That`s going to mean -
FRANKLIN: Well, I would think they would certainly have to compensate her for the loss of her concerts for the year. So those numbers could add up and accumulate.
TURNER: That makes sense.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I love Aretha Franklin. She always is telling it like it is. I`m sure "Idol" fans can`t wait to see if she`s actually there, sitting side by side with Mariah Carey when the new season of "American Idol" begins.
But right now, let me bring in Nischelle Turner from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, with more on her one-on-one with the Queen of Soul.
And Nischelle, it was interesting for me to hear Aretha say she would hope, if she was a judge, she wouldn`t have to say anything.
TURNER: Yes.
HAMMER: So I`m curious how you think she would fit in if she actually got the call to be on "Idol."
TURNER: A.J., if you think Aretha would be on that show and not say anything, we`re both going to bring the crazy, because I think so - she would be fantastic.
I mean, she`s not called the queen for nothing. And she does tell it like it is. Now, if I`m looking at this though just as a viewer, can you imagine this, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, giving the criticism to the next generation of singers?
That`s fantastic, so I think she would be great. But I don`t know if you notice, looking at Aretha, she looks a little trimmer. She`s definitely lost some weight. And you know, she had an operation a while back.
She hasn`t really talked about it, but I decided, you know what, I`m going to ask again. Listen to what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKLIN: I lost 22 or 23 pounds from where I was before the surgery.
TURNER: Have you ever talked about - I mean, I know, because I know you sent out like thanked everybody for praying for you, when you went through. Have you ever really talked about -
FRANKLIN: Actually, well, not in depth. But I`ve left that behind. That is passe for me now.
TURNER: So you`re good?
FRANKLIN: Yes, though I don`t even really look back at that anymore.
TURNER: Your health is good? You`re feeling good?
FRANKLIN: Heller.
TURNER: Heller.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Heller. she said her health is good. And I think that she`s lost a little bit more than 22 or 23 pounds, because she looks really good. And you saw her there on the stage. She was doing her little dance and she turned around and gave a little butt slap there.
HAMMER: Nice. You know what I love about Aretha? That was right before she went on stage. She`s sitting there backstage. She`s so completely chill. What a true professional. And I`m a little jealous, because I know you got to see a little bit of that show.
TURNER: So much fun, yes.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, thanks so much. Well, I`ve got to tell you, and you can`t see it happening right now, but my head is still spinning from the news about Kristen Stewart`s cheating scandal. Oh, it is.
I`ve got a million questions and I know you do, too. Tonight we are counting down the top five burning questions. Will yours be number one? You`ll want to find out. Should Kristen apologize to the wife of the man she cheated with? Will this real-life saga actually help the "Twilight Saga" star`s career or will it drive a stake right through it?
Tonight, the SHOWBIZ countdown, K-Stew scandal edition. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Time now for one of my favorite segments, the reputation rep on SHOWBIZ. It`s your exclusive look at Reputation.com`s weekly scorecard of who`s up and who`s down. This is all determined by online and social media buzz.
And if you listen closely, you can hear the hearts of twi-hards breaking everywhere as Kristen Stewart`s cheating bombshell unfolded this week. So is Kristen`s rep damaged forever now?
Here`s the guy who knows. In New York with me tonight, reputation rep, Reputation.com`s vice chairman, Howard Bragman. Always good to see you, Howard.
So first came the scandal, then the swift and unprecedented apology. I`ve never seen anything like that, but is Kristen`s rep now damaged to the point of no return?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN, REPUTATION.COM: Nothing is to the point of no return on social media, you know. It`s way down. It`s about three quarters, 75 percent negative. And that`s the lowest she`s ever been, not surprisingly.
Through her own admission of doing something inappropriate, through the Pattinson fans, through the "Twilight" fans, whose hearts are broken.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRAGMAN: When the movie starts to come out, they start to get buzz, how Robert treats her is really going to determine her comeback in terms of their hearts. As a movie star, she`s going to be fine.
HAMMER: Does something like this make his reputation, Robert Pattinson`s, rep go up?
BRAGMAN: His has gone up slightly, but everybody`s just heartbroken, so it`s all over the map on social media.
HAMMER: It`s very fresh right now, Howard.
BRAGMAN: Yes. There`s a wound that needs to heal, A.J.
HAMMER: Well, let`s move on to some other fresh news. Mariah Carey`s big news that she`s joining "American Idol." I`m very excited for her. I think she`s going to really bring - well, some people say, bring the crazy.
But I think she`s going to bring a lot of fun to the show. But everybody`s really talking more about the $18 million payday. That`s really getting the biggest buzz. What does that do to her rep, up or down?
BRAGMAN: Her rep is up, but surprisingly, it`s only like 55 percent. You would think that with good news like this, she would be at 60, 70, 80 percent.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRAGMAN: I think there are a lot of J. Lo fans that are kind of disappointed that J. Lo`s gone and I think there`s a lot of people questioning the payday and questioning whether Mariah has the right temperament for this job.
HAMMER: So very quickly, would that mean that J. Lo`s reputation is continuing to drop?
BRAGMAN: J. Lo has been holding pretty steady, actually.
HAMMER: All right. Well, good for her and good for you. Howard Bragman, see you next week. Thank you.
BRAGMAN: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Get ready for it. It`s the SHOWBIZ countdown, K-Stew scandal edition.
So many Kristen Stewart scandal questions. So few answers. Should Robert Pattinson forgive her or should he dump her? Will fans ever forgive her, as Howard thinks they might? Where will the burning questions land on our countdown? We are going to reveal all in just minutes. You don`t want to miss a single moment of it tonight. The SHOWBIZ countdown is coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Howard Stern`s J. Lo slam.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD STERN, JUDGE "AMERICA`S GOT TALENT": I think a lot of the judges are not that good in judging. They`re more interested in promoting their career. You know, I was critical of, you know, J. Lo, because I felt that she never said anything negative, let`s say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s the battle of the reality TV judges. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on location with Howard Stern, and he is telling SHOWBIZ why he`s hating on other celebrity judges.
Plus, the K-Stew scandal is exploding tonight. The coast-to-coast backlash over Kristen Stewart`s cheating ways. Are her fans going to sink the "Twilight" franchise?
And what about Robert Pattinson? Should he forgive Kristen or dump her? It`s the K-Stew special edition of the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT countdown. We are counting down the top five burning questions about the scandal. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. And in tonight`s SHOWBIZ countdown, the brand-new burning questions after Kristen Stewart admits to cheating on longtime boyfriend, Robert Pattinson, with her much-older, very married movie director.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that it looks like Kristen and Robert are now in the twilight of being the hottest young couple in Hollywood.
Robert today reportedly moved out of the home that they share together. And you have to wonder, what is it going to be like when they both have to go out there in just a couple of months to promote their last "Twilight" movie together?
And what the heck is the director going to do when he has to direct Kristen again in the sequel to "Snow White and the Huntsman"? And even though Kristen apologized to Robert, why didn`t she apologize to the wife of his director for possibly ruining his marriage?
Ah, so many questions tonight in the SHOWBIZ countdown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) How do you make fans of "Twilight" howl like a pack of werewolves? Tell them that "Twilight" star, Kristen Stewart, cheated on dreamy vampire, Robert Pattinson, with a married man.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t understand how she can do this!
HAMMER: YouTube is lighting up with fans angry that their Bella has driven a stake through their Edward`s heart.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It says here that Kristen Stewart issues an apology. She hasn`t apologized for her bad acting.
HAMMER: OK, that one was below the belt. But so is this. Today`s "New York Daily News" headline calling Kristen Stewart a "trampire." Even Lady Gaga is going gaga about Kristen`s bad romance. Today, she tweeted, quote, "Geez, this Kir-Stew-Rob stuff is brutal. Makes me sad the way press acts. Hope they`re OK."
Sorry, Gaga. It looks like they`re not OK.
ROBERT PATTINSON, ACTOR: I know the consequences of this choice you`re making.
HAMMER: Today, People.com reports that a heartbroken Robert Pattinson has left the home he shares with Stewart. Looks like he`s following the vampire code -
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: The Volturi don`t get stuck in Kansas.
BRADLEY JACOBS, SENIOR EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": This has exploded to become one of the biggest celebrity stories of the year.
HAMMER: The scandal exploded when the just-released new issue of "Us Weekly" published pictures of Kristen in some steamy encounters with Rupert Sanders. He`s the director of Kristen`s latest hit movie, "Snow White and the Huntsman."
Rupert`s wife and mother of his two children, Liberty Ross, was also in "Snow White and the Huntsman," playing the mother of Kristen Stewart`s character.
JACOBS: We have two photographs of them making out in Kristen`s car. He`s kissing her entire body.
HAMMER: Just this past Sunday, days after those incriminating pics were taken, but before they were published, Robert and Kristen looked cozy and happy at the Teen Choice Awards, the latest sign that this famously-shy couple was becoming more open about their four-year relationship.
JACOBS: Kristen and Rob have been very secretive about their relationship.
HAMMER: But now that she`s been caught cheating, the normally shy Kristen is putting it all out there.
JACOBS: Kristen Stewart gave a very personal statement, saying that she was truly sorry, especially to Rob, who she loves very much.
HAMMER: Director Rupert Sanders has also publicly apologized for cheating on his wife with Kristen. As for Robert, he`s suffering silently. But "Twilight" fans are not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m so, so not OK with this.
JACOBS: Fans of "Twilight" are truly invested in Rob and Kristen, not just onscreen, but also off-screen. And this is sort of poking holes in that dream, poking holes in that fantasy. And I think that they`re very upset about it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And that all leads us to tonight`s SHOWBIZ countdown, the K-Stew scandal. We are counting down the top five burning questions about Kristen betraying Robert. But which one`s going to be number one?
Let`s kick it off. Our countdown begins at number five, and it is this. Should Kristen apologize to the wife of the director she cheated with?
Now, we were all surprised when Kristen publicly came clean and admitted to what she called a, quote, "indiscretion," after those reports and then the pictures surfaced, showing her with her "Snow White" director, Rupert Sanders.
Now, Kristen`s walk-of-shame confession read in part, "I`m deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I`ve caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected. This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob. I love him, I love him, I`m so sorry."
Well, joining me right now from Hollywood, the great Sheryl Underwood of "The Talk." Also, the great Patrick Muldoon, star of the soap opera, "Days of Our Lives" is also in Hollywood tonight for this real-life soap opera. Great to see you both.
And you guys were listening closely to that apology which sounds to me like it was specifically written for Robert. And that`s why we`re asking, should Kristen apologize to Rupert Sanders` wife? Sheryl, what do you think?
SHERYL UNDERWOOD, CO-HOST, "THE TALK": Absolutely not. But she should take her shopping, because she - you know, she was probably being manipulated by the director.
You know what she should do? She should talk to the paparazzi, because weren`t they on side streets? So she was really trying to hide, like you should always do when you`re having an affair with a married man.
You`re trying to hide. You`re doing it in a car. It was exciting. The paparazzi followed her, and they`re the ones that are wrong.
HAMMER: I don`t know. It seems to me a little bit like they were hiding in plain sight. I think it`s pretty strange they were being so public about this.
Now, Patrick, I want to know from you and your expert insight, how would this play out, say, on "Days of Our Lives." Would they write in a scene where Kristen apologizes to the wife? I mean, certainly, there would probably be a lot of face slaps involved.
PATRICK MULDOON, ACTOR: This would definitely be a face slap situation. On "Days of Our Lives" this year, my character got together with a younger - I was a professor and I was with a student.
So actually, this whole story is encouraging. Us 40-year-olds can hook up with 20-year-olds, you know what I mean?
HAMMER: Well, there you go. And as you see, it`s life imitating art imitating life. And apology or not, there`s no doubt that Kristen has a tough road ahead of her, and that brings us to our next burning question on our Kristen Stewart countdown tonight.
And it is this at number four - will the next six months be awkward for Kristen? I mean, take a look at what she`s facing guys.
In November, the next "Twilight" movie, "Breaking Dawn: Part II" is coming out, so you know what that means - time for Kristen to do press with Robert, who she cheated on. That is awkward.
Here`s the other thing. Universal had wanted to move forward very quickly on getting the sequel to "Snow White and the Huntsman" into production.
That could mean that Kristen would have to yet again shoot with the director Rupert Sanders who she just had an affair with. I mean, wow, Sheryl. Will the next six months just be a little awkward for Kristen?
UNDERWOOD: No, what she should have done is she should have got with the huntsman, the boy that played in "Thor." Then she wouldn`t have this problem.
Or somewhere, Tom Cruise needed to be involved in this somewhere. It would make it easier for her if he was involved somewhere in this, to take the heat off of everybody.
But you know what really should have happened? The wife need to put her foot down and go tell her husband, "If you`re going to direct this film, you better get a lot more money to make me feel better while you`re with this scallywag that you`re messing with."
HAMMER: Make it a negotiating tool, nice. "Scallywag" - I haven`t heard that one on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in years, Sheryl. I`m going to mark that one down for you.
And look, since we`re talking about Kristen`s career, let`s go to number three on our burning questions countdown. We`ve all heard the expression that there`s no such thing as bad press.
So number three is this, will this cheating scandal be bad or good for her career? Patrick, I`ve actually never believed in that particular saying, but what do you think? Good or bad for Kristen?
MULDOON: You know what, I`ve got to go with the "any press is good press." Who is not going to go see the "Huntsman"? Who is not going to go see the next "Twilight" installment because of this?
The soap opera behind the soap opera is always more interesting than what`s on screen. And people buy tickets for it, and this - guess what? They`re already promoting these movies, because we`re talking about it right now.
HAMMER: We`re talking about them, and the scallywag, apparently. Well, we`re not done yet. There are so -
UNDERWOOD: And you know what? It didn`t hurt - it didn`t hurt Brad and Angelina, so it`s not going to hurt them.
HAMMER: Well, OK.
MULDOON: That`s right.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: But listen, we have so many more burning questions on our SHOWBIZ countdown, K-Stew scandal edition. Number two and number one just ahead. Can you guess where this "Twilight" fan will end up on our countdown?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t understand how she could do this! Why? Why would you cheat on Robert Pattinson?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Numbers two and one is next. But first, SHOWBIZ is on location with the great Howard Stern, who, of course, is the king of radio, and he`s quickly becoming the king of reality TV judges.
Well, tonight, Howard`s going off on other celebrity judges. Do they care more about their careers than the competitions?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STERN: I think a lot of the judges are not that the good at judging. They`re more interested in promoting their career. You know, I was critical of, you know, J. Lo, because I felt that she never said anything negative, let`s say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So was Jennifer Lopez just worried about her career while judging "American Idol"? It`s Howard`s J. Lo slam on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Plus, Howard`s going to set the record straight on whether or not he`s actually sticking around for a second season of "America`s Got Talent." This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: Is this totally necessary?
PATTINSON: Nothing if not traditional.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, it just breaks my heart seeing that right now, such a tender moment between Bella and Edward from "Breaking Dawn." "Twilight" stars Kristen Stewart`s and Robert Pattinson`s real-life romance, not so blissful right now.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down the top five burning questions about the Kristen Stewart cheating scandal, and here`s where we are so far.
Number five, should Kristen apologize to the wife? Kristen Stewart issued a public apology for cheating, but never mentions the wife of the man she was cheating with. Should she?
Number four, will the next six months be awkward for Kristen, having to promote the next "Twilight" movie in November with Robert Pattinson? I think that`s going to be a little awkward.
Number three, will the cheating scandal be good or bad for Kristen`s career? That takes us to number two on the SHOWBIZ countdown, the K-Stew scandal edition. At number two, will Kristen`s fans forgive her?
Back with me now, Sheryl Underwood, co-host of "The Talk," "Days of Our Lives" star, Patrick Muldoon.
So I can tell you, the blogosphere, Twitter, even YouTube - people are all over it. It lit up today with millions of people weighing in on what Kristen did.
And there is no doubt fans of the "Twilight" film series are not happy with her cheating on Robert. In fact, let`s right now take a little look at one fan posted on YouTube. This is as destined to become as famous as the classic "Leave Britney Alone" video. Let`s watch this together.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kristen`s released a statement, admitting to it and saying that she actually did cheat on him. And saying that she`s sorry, like that makes it OK!
I feel like everybody needs to back off, OK? This is none of your business. This is none of anybody`s business. But her releasing that statement, it`s like - it`s like saying, hello, world! Come on in.
It`s like saying it doesn`t matter, it`s OK. It - oh, I don`t understand how she could do this! Why? Why would you cheat on Robert Pattinson? What`s the point of that?
What do you stand to achieve by cheating on Robert Pattinson with (EXPLETIVE DELETED) Rupert whatever his - oh, I`m so, so not OK with this. Like, seriously, though, leave them alone.
Let them get over this by themselves, OK? Rob-Stew or whatever you want to call them, whatever, I`ve never been a big fan of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, I`m still - I`m wiping my eyes. I completely understand and I see where this young YouTuber is coming from.
Patrick, we`re talking about some serious fans here. Is there any chance that Kristen`s fans will actually just forgive her and get over this whole thing?
MULDOON: You know, the main point is, is that you obviously see that these fans are emotionally invested. So are they going to forgive her? I think, eventually.
I think, eventually. people will understand that just because you have - you know, in the script, you have a love interest doesn`t necessarily translate to real life.
HAMMER: Right.
MULDOON: You know, people get together and they move on. That`s part of being human beings. So I think, ultimately, the fans will understand.
HAMMER: Well, maybe the fans will figure it out, but can Robert? That leads us to number one on our SHOWBIZ countdown, the top five burning questions tonight, should Robert forgive Kristen or dump her? Sheryl, what do you think?
UNDERWOOD: Well, first of all, I think that girl in that video need to worry more about dental care than she is about some fictional characters.
She needs to focus on that. And if Robert had to move his coffin out of the apartment, then he`ll be back, because he has no place to sleep. He`s a vampire. He has no place to sleep.
So if you want to teach this the girl about true love, let her move in with the Jacksons! And then you`ll really see what love is all about.
HAMMER: OK. Well, I get you, Sheryl. Robert`s not really a vampire. I should probably clear you up on that. Got to end it there. Sheryl Underwood, Patrick Muldoon, thank you both so much.
UNDERWOOD: He`s not?
HAMMER: Moving on now to SHOWBIZ on location with the great Howard Stern. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes one on one with the "America`s Got Talent" judge. And get this, he`s slamming J. Lo.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STERN: I think a lot of the judges are not that good at judging. They`re more interested in promoting their career. You know, I was critical of, you know, J. Lo, because I felt that she never said anything negative, let`s say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Was Howard right? Was Jennifer Lopez more concerned about her career than fostering talent? It`s the battle of the celebrity judges, coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on location at the hottest show this summer, "America`s Got Talent." We hit the red carpet with all of the celebrity judges and we went one on one with "AGT`s" newest star, Howard Stern.
Howard may be new to reality competition judging, but he`s already making a name for himself for speaking his mind, just like he does on his radio show. I think he`s doing an amazing job this season.
And Howard definitely did not hold back with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Let me bring in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Nischelle Turner. So, Nischelle, what`d Howard tell us?
TURNER: Well, basically, A.J., Howard took on J. Lo and her time on "Idol". He slammed her for being more focused on her career than the contestants. Just watch what he told SHOWBIZ.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STERN: I think a lot of the judges are not that good at judging. They`re more interested in promoting their career. You know, I was critical of J. Lo because I felt that she never said anything negative, let`s say, or, you know.
And I felt like, well, it helped her career. She went very far. She suddenly got back on the charts and the show was good for her. And it became more about J. Lo or Steven Tyler signing up, and now, you know, Britney Spears and all of that.
It`s exciting. Judges bring something to it. But at the end of the day, you still have to have a very exact opinion and you`ve got to offer constructive criticism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: You know, A.J., I think you`ve got to respect Howard for caring about the contestants on the show and really trying to find real talent.
HAMMER: Yes. I know he takes it very seriously. So look, I need to know, is he going to stick around and do a second season of "AGT"?
TURNER: Well, you know we asked, right? You know we asked him that very thing. And this is what he said. He said it is his inclination to come back. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STERN: I love the show. I signed up for one year. NBC said, "Try it. See if you like it." And I do like it very much. And the only hesitation for me is I do a radio show in the morning, and the hours are long with this.
So I`m trying to figure out how my schedule goes, but I have to tell you, I`m inclined to take this job again, because this season has been phenomenal and discovering talent and bringing them to America is - there`s no greater rush than doing that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Look at how his face lights up when he says that. I hope he does figure it out.
TURNER: Yes. Me too.
HAMMER: All right. Nischelle, thank you so much. we`ve got to move on now to Justin Bieber`s revenge on the paparazzi. The Biebs just got the law on his side after his high-speed three-way race with a photog.
So is this the beginning of a new era in the war between celebrities and the paparazzi?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, Bieber`s revenge. Justin`s paparazzi perpetrator gets charged after that wild car chase. Gaga the brat? Why the company that makes Bratz Dolls is saying Lady Gaga is being one herself.
And SHOWBIZ on location with Sharon Osbourne. Sharon sort of setting the record straight about whether she`s really leaving "America`s Got Talent." That tops "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) SHOWBIZ on location. Sharon`s jumping ship for "Idol"? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Sharon on "America`s Got Talent" red carpet where she explained her puzzling tweet to Howard Stern about leaving the hit NBC show and she goofed around about joining forces with the competition.
SHARON OSBOURNE, JUDGE, "AMERICA`S GOT TALENT": Howard had said on his show that I was leaving because I wanted more money and that`s not true. I`m going to go to "Idol" with Mariah. I`m going to hold her dresses as she walks. That`s my next job.
Don`t mess with Bieber. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has just learned that the paparazzo involved in the Justin Bieber high-speed freeway chase is now being criminally charged.
The Los Angeles city attorney has filed a total of four charges against the freelance photog stemming from the July 6th incident.
This marks the first case filed under the 2010 anti-paparazzi law, which makes it a crime to create a dangerous situation for the sake of obtaining a photo for profit.
Gaga`s doll disaster. Lady Gaga has been slapped with a $10 million lawsuit by a toy manufacturer. MGA Entertainment claims that the pop star and her team at Universal Music Group have been deliberately delaying the debut of a Lady Gaga figurine that was in the works.
Gaga`s rep told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "This is a dispute between Universal Music Group`s merchandising company and MGA. There was no legitimate reason for dragging Lady Gaga into that dispute."
"Lady Gaga will vigorously defend MGA`s ill-conceived lawsuit and is confident that she will prevail."
And as we move on tonight, more in the Jackson family drama. So what`s really going on with Michael`s kids? Are there tweets that are clues to cracking the bizarre mystery? Dr. Drew has that starting right now.
END
