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Showbiz Tonight

Should Honey Boo-Boo Quit Reality TV?; Should LeAnn Rimes Be Open about Affair?; Is Tom Cruise Right to Sue Magazine?; Should Michael Lohan Leave Lindsay Alone?; Should Taylor Swift Exploit Past Relationships for Songs?; The Top Five Extreme Star Makeovers

Aired October 25, 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: Tonight on the SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Tough Choices." Should Honey Boo-Boo`s family quit reality TV after her meltdown right here on HLN? Should LeAnn Rimes be revealing the details of her cheating scandal for the world to judge? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down the top five "Tough Choices" celebrities are facing tonight. Which will be No. 1?

Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. Thank you for watching.

Tonight here on HLN, we watched "WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" People making tough choices. Tonight in the SHOWBIZ Countdown, we are counting down the top five "Tough Choices" that some of the biggest stars found themselves facing today, from Taylor Swift, to LeAnn Rimes to Honey Boo-Boo.

We`re kicking off our countdown at No. 5 with Honey Boo-Boo. It`s the great debate about whether it`s time for Honey Boo-Boo`s family to pull the plug on their hit reality show, "Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo" after what Boo- Boo`s mom just told Dr. Drew on his show right here on HLN, "DR. DREW ON CALL." Watch this with me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. DREW PINSKY, HOST, "DR. DREW ON CALL": What do we do with people that say it`s exploiting young girls, encouraging her to be perhaps hyperactive?

JUNE THOMPSON, MOTHER OF ALANA: Alana is a very hyperactive child.

PINSKY: Has she been diagnosed with that?

THOMPSON: No.

PINSKY: Assessed with that?

THOMPSON: No.

PINSKY: Have you ever thought about assessing her for that?

THOMPSON: No, because I mean a normal 7-year-old is hyper from time to time, and it`s not like overboard to where I can`t, like you know, control.

PINSKY: Teachers have never said, before all this happened...

THOMPSON: No.

PINSKY: ... this child may be ADD or...?

THOMPSON: No. No. At school she`s a very quiet child. She knows when to act crazy and goofy. And...

PINSKY: Does she do well academically?

THOMPSON: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Well, her mother there is saying, she`s just fine. Not everybody agrees, though.

With me tonight in New York, Jane Velez-Mitchell, who is the host of "JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL." You can see it every weeknight here on HLN at 7 p.m. Eastern. And in Philadelphia tonight, our dear friend, actress Sheryl Lee Ralph. We cannot wait to see you, Sheryl, in the upcoming new season of NBC`s hit show "Smash." So cool you`re doing that.

SHERYL LEE RALPH, ACTRESS: Thank you.

HAMMER: Sheryl also the author of this fabulous book, "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dreamgirls."

All right, ladies. So here`s the tough choice on the SHOWBIZ Countdown tonight. Should Honey Boo-Boo`s family quit reality TV?

Sheryl, I`m going to start with you.

RALPH: You know I love Honey Boo-Boo. But it seems as though Honey is much better when she does not see the camera. It seems to me that when you put the camera right on her, she`s a little bit uncomfortable. She does tend to act out a bit.

But when she`s in the reality camera situation, where she doesn`t necessarily see it, she`s an incredible character for all of us to watch.

But is it time for her to stop? I think her mother would say, "Uh-oh, I don`t think so, because we`re getting a new trailer."

HAMMER: Yes, I don`t know that their motivation really -- the more I watch these people, that it`s so much about the money or even about the fame. But Jane, what do you think? Because whether or not Alana, Honey Boo-Boo, actually likes being on TV, do you think it`s healthy? Because it sure doesn`t look like it is.

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN ANCHOR: Here`s my advice: Honey, take five. In fact, take five years, OK?

This little girl is smart. And I think she`s starting to realize that people are laughing at her, not with her. Her acting out is clearly a cry for help, a symptom that something is not right in her world.

Kids can`t talk in adult speak and say, "I`m overwhelmed by all this attention. I just want some uncomplicated fun and be able to live as a child." No, the way they speak that is by snoring on television, and by moving their hands and acting out.

HAMMER: Hitting the host.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And trying to hit the host, exactly.

HAMMER: Well, they wouldn`t try that with you, Jane. I don`t think that would happen.

But Jane calling for a time-out there, what about our audience? Well, we took the Honey Boo-Boo debate online with our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll, and we asked this question. Seven-year-old Honey Boo-Boo`s rise to fame, is she being exploited? Look at these numbers. We just got these back. Ninety-one percent say yes. That doesn`t leave a lot who say no. Only 9 percent.

Now Sheryl, you`ve worked side by side with a lot of child stars in your incredible career. Do you see this as exploitation pretty clearly?

RALPH: You know something? I don`t know if I see it so much as exploitation, but then again, it is reality TV. And so much of that is exploitation.

But you know, it gets complicated, because folks are loving watching this girl. They may think they hate it, but you know, we love to hate what we see sometimes and watch it go down in flames. I`m just sorry it`s this kid. But we love her.

HAMMER: Yes. We have such a healthy society, don`t we?

And look, we`ve seen Honey Boo-Boo`s sometimes really bad behavior, of course. And we`ve also seen some pretty bad behavior from LeAnn Rimes, who`s at No. 4 of celebs facing "Tough Choices."

But she`s copping to it. Today, we saw LeAnn opening up for the very first time since she checked herself into treatment for emotional issues. She spoke with Katie Couric on Katie`s talk show about her affair with her now husband, Eddie Cibrian. An affair that took place when they were married to other people. You`ve got to look at what she told Katie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATIE COURIC, TALK SHOW HOST: The way that you and Eddie got together. You were married at the time, he was married at the time. And there were a lot of people out there who were not exactly wishing you well.

LEANN RIMES, COUNTRY SINGER: I wasn`t sure if I was wishing myself well at the time. It was very, very difficult. I wouldn`t wish it on anyone. So -- and especially in the public eye to go through all of it.

COURIC: What was that like?

RIMES: I made my choices, and I`m living with them, and I also learned from them. And I`ve talked about this so much, but I know that I`m not the only person that goes through this. There`s so many that do, and there`s so much on the new album. There`s so much that I do share about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: OK, so she made the decision to cheat. Now she`s saying she really suffered for it. So here`s the tough choice that LeAnn Rimes faces. Should she be revealing the details of her cheating scandal?

Jane, she seemed to be looking for some sympathy today by being so open with Katie. Should we now be more understanding now that she`s essentially admitting her mistakes? It does happen to a lot of people as she pointed out.

RALPH: Yes, yes, yes. I don`t know a lot about love, but I know it only strikes when it`s totally inconvenient. And so that`s what apparently happened. Two people who are married to other people fall in love and a mess ensues.

And I think that the question is, do you handle that situation with integrity? And what`s your intention?

And I feel bad for her. Because she said it herself. She said, I wouldn`t wish it on anyone. Sometimes those things take over, and you`re not in charge. It`s like you`re being guided by something else. Maybe hormones, I don`t know. But you`re not in control.

HAMMER: I`m with you, and I`m willing to say maybe it`s time people start slacking off and giving her a little bit of a break. That, I think has arrived at that point.

People may not like that I said that, but there you have it.

So there`s another big star who just faced a tough choice. Tom Cruise, he`s at No. 3 on our "SHOWBIZ countdown tonight.

Tom is taking on the tabloids, claiming they published lies about him and he wants them to pay for it. Tom just filed a brand-new huge $50 million lawsuit against "Life & Style" and "InTouch" magazines, he`s they defamed him by reporting that he`d abandoned his 6-year-old daughter Suri after his split from Katie Holmes.

Look at this. On June 30, "Life & Style" wrote, "Suri in tears, abandoned by her dad." Then on October 1, this was the headline in InTouch: "Suri abandoned by daddy."

That takes us to our "Tough Choice" for Tom. Did Cruise make the right decision to sue the magazine -- Sheryl?

RALPH: Absolutely he made the right decision. You just cannot go writing and saying anything just because it makes a great headline.

If Tom Cruise is nothing at all, he is a loving, wonderful father. This man loves his child, all of his children. Suri is not the only one. But abandon his kids, I don`t think so. And you can`t just say it because it looks good.

HAMMER: I think this was a smart move on his behalf. Cruise and his legal team fired up over this whole thing.

Let me read to you what they`re telling us here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: "Tom doesn`t go around suing people. He`s not a litigious guy. But when these sleaze peddlers try to make money with disgusting lies about his relationship with his child, you bet he is going to sue."

And I should point out, guys, that the magazines are not commenting at this time, but I`m here to say I do believe Tom did the right thing. There`s a point.

And when it comes to your kid, I think that`s a major point when you`ve got to put your foot down and do what you`ve got to do.

All right. Tom Cruise certainly had a tough call to make about suing those magazines, but Tom`s tough choice did not make our top two on the SHOWBIZ Countdown tonight. However, Michael Lohan did. Oh, yes.

Jane, you know, Michael, as you well know, went head to head with an interventionist on your show, when he called in right here on HLN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL LOHAN, FATHER OF LINDSAY: I want to focus on my daughter. I love her, she`s battling demons, no one is helping her. And some of those very demons are the people around her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: OK. Should Michael Lohan make the tough choice and leave his daughter, Lindsay, alone? The SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Tough Choices." We reveal our No. 1 pick just ahead.

And get ready for yet another spectacular SHOWBIZ Countdown. It`s coming up at the bottom of the hour. It`s "Extreme Star Makeovers." Has there possibly been a more extreme makeover than Miley Cyrus`s incredible transformation from a super cute Disney start to this, Hollywood`s newest bombshell? Well, who would have predicted that Jessica Simpson would go from reality TV airhead to the savvy fashion mogul she is today? The question is, which celebrity`s epic makeover will top tonight`s special countdown, "Extreme Star Makeovers"?

This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s countdown of the top five stars facing some mind-blowing "Tough Choices" today.

At No. 5, should Honey Boo-Boo`s family quit reality TV? At No. 4, LeAnn Rimes opened up to Katie Couric today. But should she be revealing the details of her cheating scandal?

At No. 3 did Tom Cruise make the right decision when he sued two tabloid magazines for claiming he abandoned his daughter Suri?

That takes us to No. 2 on the SHOWBIZ Countdown of "Tough Choices." Should Michael Lohan leave his daughter Lindsay alone? Well, a top addiction specialist from Hollywood definitely thinks so. Watch him really lay into Michael on HLN`s "JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL" show with all the reasons why Michael should just leave Lindsay alone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re absolutely right. You were not arrested six months ago; you were arrested twice a year ago. And during that arrest on October 27, in the police report that I have right here, it says, "Condition, consumed alcohol and drugs. Now, that is not being sober for eight years, Michael.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Dude is not holding back. Jane Velez-Mitchell is back with us. You can see her show every week night at 7 p.m. Eastern here on HLN.

In Philadelphia tonight is Sheryl Lee Ralph, who will be starring in the upcoming new season, NBC`s hit show, "Smash."

Jane, I`ve got to start with you on this. This was fascinating to watch. Michael basically told you on your show that he still stands by the idea that he had the backing of Lindsay`s entire team when he recently tried to do this intervention with Lindsay, claiming that she was back to her old ways of drinking and doing drugs, which she, of course, denies. Let`s watch what he told you about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOHAN: I did everything I could under the radar, and her team came to me and said, "Michael" -- I do interventions, Jane. I`ve done 15 interventions in the last eight months. Of the 15, I`d say 12 were successful, a few people are still in treatment. However, I know it`s different to treat other people than my own daughter. But this was done under the radar. Her team told me to put this together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: OK. Now, Howard, the addiction specialist, claims that Michael still has his own demons to battle. So Jane, do you agree with him that Michael Lohan should just leave Lindsay, his daughter, alone at this point?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It reminds me of one of those YouTube videos, leave Lindsay alone.

I really think that there`s a saying in recovery, you can`t give away what you don`t have. And sometimes people need to work on themselves before they try to help other people.

The other thing about addiction is, nobody can get you sober but you. I don`t know if Lindsay is it using or not. I do know she`s out clubbing very late, sometimes until last call, but only she knows and whoever is testing her, if they are testing her.

The question is, can anybody force her to get sober by -- but herself? And I can tell you, as somebody in recovery, with 17 years of sobriety, until you`re ready to get sober, they can drag you kicking and screaming and say, "Get sober, get sober," and you will not do it until you hit bottom. Only you can do it yourself.

HAMMER: Yes. And that makes it even more evident that Michael, of all people, is pretty ill-equipped at this point in his life, it would seem, to be the one to handle getting her through this.

One thing is certain in this tough choice, and that is Michael Lohan clearly stated to you on your show that he loves his daughter. Let`s watch that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOHAN: I want to focus on my daughter. I love her, she`s battling demons, no one is helping her. And some of those very demons are the people around her. So she has to take it upon herself now to do what`s right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: All right, Cheryl, regardless of Michael`s problems in the past, he obviously cares for his daughter. But you know, given this very rocky road that he has had with addiction, do you think at this point he should just leave Lindsay alone?

RALPH: You know something? As a father, as a parent, I think he`s doing what he believes maybe in his own sort of unlevel, sort of warped way that he`s reaching out to care for his daughter.

But the hard part about it is, you hear a family member saying things about the star of the family just like we heard family members of Michael Jackson talking about the star in the family, saying that they need help. People in their camp are not helping them.

Maybe the daddy is not equipped -- well equipped. Maybe the mother is not well equipped. Somebody still has to say something, because we know Lindsay needs help.

HAMMER: There`s no question about that, and hopefully as was suggested on your show, Michael will adjust his approach at this point.

That takes us to No. 1 on our "SHOWBIZ COUNTDOWN" of the top five stars who face "Tough Choices" today. The big reveal is coming up in just a moment.

Jane, Sheryl Lee, do not move.

And I want to let you know, there`s another big SHOWBIZ Countdown, coming your way at the bottom of the hour. Can`t wait for this. "Extreme Star Makeovers," including Katie Holmes` epic reinvention after splitting with Tom Cruise. Her big return to Broadway, her big makeup mega deal with Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. Is Katie stronger and better than ever?

And whoever thought Alec Baldwin could transform from a hothead to a guru? Who will top our Extreme Star Makeovers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Tonight on the SHOWBIZ Countdown, we`ve revealed four of the top five stars who have been confronted with making some "Tough Choices" today. And now it`s time for the big reveal at No. 1 on our countdown. It`s somebody who has the No. 1 album in the country, Taylor Swift.

And the tough choice she makes to sing about her ex-boyfriends and make a mint off of it. And there`s yet another ex- we can all add to the list now, "Us Weekly" sadly reporting Taylor and her 18-year-old boyfriend, Conor Kennedy, have split up after their whirlwind romance. A lot of people were predicting Taylor would be marrying into the Kennedy family. And it doesn`t appear that that`s happening at this point.

"Us" reporting there are no hard feelings; it was simply a matter of the two of them being so far apart from each other all the time.

Sheryl Lee Ralph back with us from Philadelphia, and Jane Velez-Mitchell here in New York.

Sheryl, starting with you: Does Taylor Swift now face the tough choice of actually having to sing about an ex-boyfriend without slamming them? That will be something different for her.

RALPH: I -- and I love it. It`s a Kennedy. The house she bought right next to his family, she`s going to have to sell that one. Maybe she`ll write a song about that. That mortgage I no longer have to pay.

But hopefully, he was a wonderful kisser, and she`ll write about that. I still think of the fact that he was 18 years old. But he`s a Kennedy, so maybe that`s like 26 in real years.

Taylor has certainly left a lot of broken hearts in her wake and sung about all of them. She gave a brand-new interview to Katie Couric that`s going to be seen on Friday on Katie`s talk show. Katie addresses all those stories about Taylor`s ex, John Mayer, being mad at her for writing about John in that song, "Dear John." Let`s watch how that played out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COURIC: Some of the people you have been with like John Mayer claims your hit song, "Dear John," was about him, and he felt humiliated.

TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER: Oh, come on.

COURIC: Do you ever hear from these dudes like, "Yo, Taylor, guess what? I didn`t really appreciate this"?

SWIFT: Oh, God.

COURIC: Do they ever get in touch with you?

SWIFT: Well, some of them like to write really long e-mails.

COURIC: Oh, really?

SWIFT: Yes.

COURIC: Have you ever written a song that was so mean you couldn`t release it? Like, you know, those, like a burn song? Like, you know, when you`re really angry and you write a letter and you just put it in a drawer? Have you ever done that with a song?

SWIFT: No, I just put those on my albums.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RALPH: There you go.

HAMMER: And we get to hear them. So Taylor fully admits she does not hold back when she`s expressing her feelings over a bad breakup. And I`ve got to say, considering how successful Taylor has been using this formula in her song writing, she should just continuing exploiting her past relationships in her music. And there, I said it.

Jane Velez-Mitchell, Sheryl Lee Ralph, I thank you both.

And we have another blockbuster SHOWBIZ Countdown coming your way at the bottom of the hour. It`s "Extreme Star Makeovers." Wait until you see Jessica Simpson. Her warp-speed transformation from Chicken of the Sea reality joke to billion-dollar fashion mogul.

Who can forget Miley Cyrus`s stunning makeover, from Disney child star to sexy Hollywood starlet? The new blonde hair, the extreme attitude. Which star will come out on top of the SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Extreme Star Makeovers"?

This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight on a special edition of the SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Extreme Star Makeovers," Miley Cyrus dumps the teen queen crown. Jessica Simpson from Chicken of the Sea to big fish. And Katie Holmes` post- divorce shine. But which star will top the SHOWBIZ Countdown as the most extreme ever?

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HAMMER: Hello and thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer.

And tonight, it is a special SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Extreme Star Makeovers". Yes, we are counting down the top five transformations, and we`re kicking it off at number five with Jessica Simpson.

Who would have thought that the dim but sweet girl we saw almost ten years ago on MTV`s newlyweds would turn into a savvy rich fashion mogul she is today. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Jessica Simpson`s extreme star makeover wasn`t easy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER (voice-over): She`s gone from this --

JESSICA SIMPSON, ACTRESS: I have tuna, but this is chicken by the sea.

HAMMER: To this.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jessica Simpson is also a mega fashion brand.

HAMMER: Jessica Simpson`s extreme makeover is still hard to fathom, even for her, as she told CNN`s Alina Cho.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Did you ever think?

SIMPSON: No. Honestly this isn`t even a dream I had. I played with Barbies when I was little and I liked to dress them up.

JO PIAZZA, AUTHOR, "CELEBRITY INC.": She went from a subpar mediocre pop star to a ditsy reality star to a fashion powerhouse.

HAMMER: How did she do it? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Jessica Simpson accomplished her extreme makeover in three easy steps. Step one: she said good-bye to a faltering music career and hello to major success in the fashion world.

PIAZZA: Jessica licensed her name and her brands out to companies that make different things.

HAMMER: Jessica`s branded products which included clothing, jewelry and fragrances pull in an estimated $750 million in annual sales. That nets her bank account an estimated $30 million a year.

The second part of Jessica Simpson`s extreme makeover, straightening out her love life. Forget her reality show marriage to Nick Lachey and her tabloid beige relationships with Tony Romo and John Mayer. Her relationship with retired football player Eric Johnson is downright tame by comparison. The engaged couple welcome their first child, daughter Maxwell in May.

PIAZZA: Now, she`s had a big major reinvention, reinvented herself as a mommy brand.

HAMMER: And the final piece of Jessica Simpson`s extreme makeover, she grew up. She`s an accomplished judge, not a ditz in her reality show fashion star.

SIMPSON: I thought it was interesting you chose to do two different reds.

HAMMER: And being a new mom has given her all kinds of new opportunities to connect with her fans and make a buck.

SIMPSON: I really just want to be healthy for my daughter.

HAMMER: She signed a lucrative deal with weight watchers to lose her pregnancy weight. And she recently put her name on a line of maternity wear. That will make Jessica`s makeover as lucrative as it is amazing.

PIAZZA: For anyone who knew Jessica Simpson back in 1999, this brand makeover, this reinvention of sorts does seem so amazing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: I love it. It`s been so much fun to watch, from Chicken of the Sea reality choke two billion dollar mogul. It`s pretty incredible.

With me from Philadelphia, our dear friend, actress Sheryl Lee Ralph who we cannot wait to see in the upcoming season of NBC`s "Smash." Sheryl`s book, "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dreamgirls" is available in book stores everywhere, and here in New York, Jenny Hutt. Jenny hosts the great Sirius XM radio show, "Just Jenny."

So, think about this. Jessica Simpson is just 32 years old, Sheryl. She`s already gone through three successful extreme makeovers. Pop star, reality star, fashion star. And now, she`s a new mom. So, I`m wondering if we should just go ahead and crown her the queen of reinventions.

RALPH: Absolutely, I love this woman. She is the true Renaissance woman. You cannot hold Jessica Simpson down. This woman is moving forward. Dumb blonde, I don`t think so. She is bodacious, bold and a billionairess in the making. You keep on stepping, Jessica Simpson.

HAMMER: Yes, well said. And I`m actually thinking mommy mogul is pretty obvious to next to be Jessica`s list. She has reportedly already cashing to the tune of around four million bucks for just losing the weight after the birth of her daughter.

Jenny, is it me or is all signs now pointing to a mommy mogul transformation next for Jess?

JENNY HUTT, HOST, "JUST JENNY": Well, of course. But I don`t know that it`s a transformation so much as it`s just another piece of the puzzle and another piece of who Jessica is. She`s grown up, she`s now a mom, why not incorporate that into her business. What I really love about Jessica Simpson is, wherever she goes. People say the same thing she`s a lovely, kind, nice, sweet girl. So, why shouldn`t she have success? Good for her.

HAMMER: Yes.

HUTT: Keep going. It`s terrific. I love her.

HAMMER: Good for her. We all applaud Jessica Simpson.

And we move from one superstar`s dramatic life transformation to another which is at number four in the SHOWBIZ Countdown extreme stars makeovers. Alec Baldwin. Remember what a hothead this guy was? He had so many outbursts, he actually earned the nickname Bloviator from "The New York Post."

Now, Baldwin appears to be on the top of his game. He has had this dramatic 30-pound weight loss. He has got a beautiful new wife. He has new plans for the future. We have seen him kind of teasing a run for political office.

Now, Sheryl, with "30 Rock" is wrapping up once and for all after the season, do you think he should become a politician and really have what I think would be his most extreme makeover yet?

RALPH: No, no, no, no, no. There are other things out there for him to do. That is not one of them. But I`m happy for him with his new wife, Hilaria, and minus the 30 pounds. He`s now truly a rock. And that`s a good thing. And he seems happy. I love that.

HAMMER: Yes, I wonder -- I think about the political thing. Because it`s something we have been talking about, about him for such a long time. He, you know, he`s very, very passionate about his hometown of New York City. He has had really public blowups though, Jenny, as we know from very public dustups with the paparazzi which you can`t blame him for. But custody battles with his ex-wife, Kim Basinger. And yes, his fans love him. But will they really get on board to actually vote for the new Alec?

HUTT: This is what I think. I think he`s a super smart guy. And any time he`s interviewed we get to hear something unique and again smart. So if he goes into politics, he`s going to do it in a well thought out manner. And listen, is he the first guy who`s an actor who gets into politics? I don`t think so.

HAMMER: Yes. I think he could pull it off. It will be very interesting to see if fans support actually translates to voters support. I know where his politics lie. I know how his brothers, are few of them anyway, feel about him doing it. But the family would certainly stand by him. And that would be a good endorsement to have.

All right, Sheryl, Jenny. Stay where you are. Because there are three more stories that are left in our countdown. It is extreme celebrity makeovers. And I`m here to tell you, we are throwing you some curveballs tonight. You want to hang on to your seats. We all know how hard it is to go from teen idol to serious adult star.

Well next, a young mystery star`s extreme makeover. Could this transformation actually do more harm than good?

Plus, a diva has a major meltdown. Then, a triumphant comeback, and now she`s on TV helping young D.I.T.s, Diva`s in Training, that is. The countdown is going to roll next.

This is SBT SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And the SHOWBIZ Countdown of the top five "Extreme Star Makeovers". Jessica Simpson at number five. Alec Baldwin at number four. And now the big reveal at number three. It is Miley Cyrus and her makeover from a fresh face child star to blonde adult powerhouse.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER (voice-over): We here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT have fond memories of the old Miley Cyrus.

You seem very excited, Miley.

MILEY CYRUS, ACTRESS, SINGER: I am.

HAMMER: 13-year-old Miley Cyrus, along with her dad Billy Ray, appearing on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in 2006 for one of her first big TV interviews ever.

What`s the strangest thing you saw during your stay here in New York? There`s some freaks here.

CYRUS: Well, mostly just all the buildings. I`ve seen them in movies they look a lot smaller than they do in person.

HAMMER: Now, Miley is the one who has gotten big. And her extreme celebrity makeover has taken Miley from adorable Disney child star to a very grown-up woman flaunting her sexy side in music videos like this one for her song "can`t be tamed."

And now Miley has entered into a new phase of her makeover, debuting a new super short pixie do that had all the twitter-verse buzzing and burying her innocent little girl past once and for all, with a sexy guest spot on "two and a half men." Sometimes the most extreme makeover a celebrity can experience is growing up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Well, Miley has been making herself over for a while now. She just debuted that new short pixie do that was so dramatic that she actually was recently mistaken for Gwen Stefani.

Let me bring back actor, Sheryl Lee Ralph from Philadelphia and here in New York, Sirius XM radio show host, Jenny Hutt.

Let`s put that picture up, Charles, may we? Can we? Please?

Look at that. Easy mistakes to make, right? Miley Cyrus or Gwen Stefani, I`m not sure.

Sheryl, Miley`s makeover to grown-up pixie haired star, a good extreme makeover in your mind or not?

RALPH: Absolutely. It was the thing she needed to do. She needed to do something that cut her off literally from that Disney child we all thought of on the series, to now accepting her as a for real, walking in my own divadom woman. She looks great. If I were her, I would have done the same thing too. I don`t know about the blonde. Maybe a redhead for my, but I love it.

HAMMER: Yes. Jenny Hutt, I`m curious to get your take on this because we didn`t speak when she had this part of her makeover with the hair cut and all. I get the impression you probably shook your head kind like --.

HUTT: Yes. Well, I was first going to say, it`s really cool, remember on "SNL?"

HAMMER: Yes.

HUTT: This is what I think. I think in a way she`s rebelling. It`s the first time she feels she`s able to rebel and do something so wild and cookie, but she has great hair. So, I don`t really understand why she would take an asset and cut it off. I don`t get it.

HAMMER: Well.

RALPH: It will grow back. Grow back some new hair.

HAMMER: Well, it is part of the rebellion. It is part of showing less of her. We`ve seen a lot more of Miley in terms of wearing less the past couple years. You know, she had been photographed clearly not wearing a bra. There have been some pretty intimate photos out there.

Sheryl, will sex sell for Miley because as we know it, it is a long way from Hannah Montana?

RALPH: If it`s good, sex will always sell. And plus now she wore that bra on the outside, look how many other young women are following in those footsteps and putting their bra on the outside of their shirt. I don`t really get it, but it`s selling and it`s got our attention.

HAMMER: It was a great Seinfeld episode too, (INAUDIBLE). But that`s a whole different topic for a different time.

All right, guys, don`t go anywhere because we are getting very close to revealing who`s in our top spot of the SHOWBIZ Countdown tonight, extreme celebrity makeovers. We only have numbers two and one left.

This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Ready? Time now to reveal our number two pick in our countdown of the top five extreme celebrity makeovers. That goes to Mariah Carey. Let`s take a little trip down memory lane, shall we?

It was May of 1990 when Mariah first burst on to the music scene with herself titled album and her huge admission of low. But by 1997 her bitter divorce with her boss and husband, record executive Tommy Mottola really took its toll. She had a public meltdown in 2001 that left her hospitalized after promoting her critically penned movie "Glitter." But she came back in April of 2005 with a new album and clearly a new lease on life.

After saying I do to Nick Cannon on April 30th, 2008, well that a few years later she welcomed twins on her third wedding anniversary that was in 2011. And now, she`s a judge on American idol. I mean, talk about extreme makeover.

Back with me is Sheryl Lee Ralph and Jenny Hutt.

Mariah has really, I mean, it is amazing when you look at that context had so much success for so long, 22 years now, and now it is so great seeing her back on top. And who would have ever thought she would become a judge on American idol.

Sheryl, it is totally working for her, isn`t it?

RALPH: It is absolutely all working for her. And this is what I call a true diva, a divinely inspired victoriously alive woman. She keeps rolling with the punches and she keeps getting better. That`s the kind of woman I love. And I say, you go diva, Mariah Carey, M.C., now just make up with your sister and everything will be great.

HAMMER: Yes. Well, there is that.

Jenny, what do you think? I couldn`t be happier for her. I have run into Mariah and spoken with her, spent time with her on and off for really most of this past 22 years. And I`ve never seen her happier.

HUTT: Yes. Well, I think when talent wins out. It can only be a good thing and an exciting thing. That voice is so magnificent and I remember back to when she first came on the scene. Her songs would make me cry as a 20-year-old. So, watching her now being so triumphant and being so happy and married to this great guy with cute babies, and she should be a judge on a show like "Idol" because, she really has talent and really knows the business. It`s the perfect place for her to be. I love it.

HAMMER: And all these people who are competing on the show really do look up to her. And I love Nick. When Mariah and Nick began dating, of course, and this whirlwind romance happened, a lot of people said, not going to last. Here we are four years later, two kids, going strong.

Sheryl -- and I love you, Nick. You know that. But could she have gone through this makeover and been so successful at it without Nick?

RALPH: You know something, I think somewhere along the line. You just have to have that solid kind of love. And through everything, Nick Cannon seems to be the absolute foundation. He`s like, that`s my woman. Leave her alone. That`s my woman. Pay her what she asks for. That`s my woman, she deserves it. You have to have somebody like that. I got one, and I know what it can mean to you.

HAMMER: Yes. I look at the two of them, and I really do think they make a terrific team. As much of, to some people as an oddball pairing as it may have seemed.

Well, I hope you`re ready, because we are very close now, just minutes away from revealing our number one extreme celebrity makeover. Will we shock you, will you agree?

This is SBT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ Countdown "Extreme Star Makeovers" and here is where we are so far.

In at number five, it was Jessica Simpson who goes from Chicken of the Sea to big fish, building a billion dollar Fashion Empire.

At number four, Alec Baldwin transforms from hothead to guru, after marrying a 28-year-old yoga studio manager.

At number three, it`s Miley Cyrus. Miley shocked the twitter does verse by totally changing her look with this short, bleached pixie cut and totally changed her attitude from Disney child star to Hollywood bombshell.

At number two, Mariah`s miraculous makeover. Mariah Carey pushes forward from a public meltdown to a new marriage, revitalized career, and twin babies.

Who can it be? This brings us to our big reveal of number on our SHOWBIZ Countdown of "Extreme Star Makeovers", and it is Katie Holmes and her epic post Tom Cruise reinvention. Let`s take a look at how dramatic it`s been for Katie.

After years in seeming isolation, first, Katie of course stunned the world and moved to New York City with Suri, leaving Tom Cruise and Hollywood behind. And then she returned to Broadway and co-wrote a movie about single motherhood. And finally, Katie signed this megadeal with mega company, Bobbi Brown.

Back with us, actress Sheryl Lee Ralph and Jenny Hutt. Jenny is the host of Sirius XM show, "Just Jenny."

Sheryl, you first, could you ever have imagined that the, you know, quiet as a mouse, at least in public Katie Holmes would kick Tom Cruise to the curb and on top of that, pull a total reinvention in less than a year?

RALPH: You know what? I think I`m going to go with you on this one, because I was sort of taken by surprised by all of this. I was really broken hearted by the divorce. But only the couple knows best. But this reinvention of herself, my God, it`s incredible. The movie, like you said going to Broadway, because we all know, that is no easy gig and then with Bobbi Brown? I mean, make up guru Bobbi Brown. It`s so gratefully exciting.

HAMMER: You know, I thought it was a big deal when she transformed from Joey on "Dawson`s Creek" to Tom Cruise`s wife.

(LAUGHTER)

HAMMER: But watching what she pulled off in this last year, Jenny. It really is amazing.

HUTT: Yes. Well, I think it is survival. I think it`s really, really tough for anyone who has to go through a divorce. And to go through a divorce from Tom Cruise on a public level makes it that much more difficult. And then the way she`s handled it so gracefully and so lovely, and continued to move forward. It`s a fine example for her daughter. And I`m thrilled that she`s headed in this positive direction. And I hope it continues to be that. I`m sure she`s experiencing plenty of sadness along the way. So, hopefully the professional stuff is going to keep her afloat mentally and help heal her.

HAMMER: We have to remind ourselves, when we see all that she has done. It`s only been a matter of months since Katie split from Tom. She has already seemingly more outspoken than she was during her marriage. She seems excited to try new things like modeling, like riding.

Sheryl, what do you think we`re going to see from Katie in the future as her transformation continues?

RALPH: My goodness. If she keeps going the way she`s going, it seems as though the sky is the limit for her. And it`s so interesting, because during the marriage, it seemed as though she was being muffled. Now that she`s divorced, we are hearing that voice out loud. We are seeing that incredible woman just blossoming right before us. And like it was said, it`s into the just good for her. It is really wonderful for her daughter.

HAMMER: Yes, it`s going to be great to see what Suri will accomplish in life. Look at what she`s exposed to.

Sheryl Lee Ralph. Jenny Hutt. Thank you both so much for being right here for this very special SHOWBIZ Countdown, extreme celebrity makeovers.

And thank you for watching this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. What fun this was.

Remember SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now be seen exclusively Monday through Thursday. We are on at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.

Now, you are not going to want to move one bit because "WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" starts right now.

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