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Showbiz Tonight
Reporter, Crew Escape Syrian Captors; Movies, Shows Postponed after Tragedy; Therapy Dogs Help Shooting Survivors; Phone Hacker Sentenced to 10 Years; Countdown of the Top Five Most Provocative Celebrities of the Year
Aired December 18, 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 SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood on edge. Violent shows and movies postponed after the horrific shootings in Newtown. But how long will Hollywood`s aversion to violence last? Is this change forever or will it be business as usual before we know it?
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer.
And the remarkable response today from Hollywood to the tragedy in Newtown. Movies and TV shows: changes, cancellations, in just a moment.
But we begin tonight with an amazing story with a plot line with the same kind of real-life breathtaking drama we are seeing now in movies like "Argo" and "Zero Dark Thirty." This one could actually be called "Escape from Syria."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learning brand-new details today about the kidnapping of one of the most well-known reporters on television and his death-defying escape during a gun fight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): An American held captive in a troubled Middle East country. A daring escape.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we`re going to kill them, we need to go now.
HAMMER: Sounds like the movie "Argo," but this real-life story involves one of America`s best-known foreign correspondents, NBC`s Richard Engel.
RICHARD ENGEL, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It was a traumatic experience. We`re very happy to be here.
HAMMER: Engel and two NBC colleagues appeared this morning on "The Today Show" to describe an ordeal that had until recently been a closely-guarded secret, that they had spent five days being held captive by masked gunmen in Syria right in the middle of a bloody civil war.
Engel, producer Ghazi Balkiz, and photojournalist John Kooistra tell NBC`s "Today Show" they were traveling with rebel forces in northwest Syria near the border with Turkey when they were taken.
ENGEL: As we were moving down the road, a group of gunmen just literally jumped out of the trees and bushes on the side of the road. There were probably 15 gunmen. They were wearing ski masks. They were heavily armed. We were with some gunmen, some rebels who were escorting us. They executed one of them on the spot.
HAMMER: The three men say the gunmen, who they believe were militants, loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, were taken to a series of safe houses and interrogation places.
ENGEL: They kept us blindfolded, bound. We weren`t physically beaten or tortured. It was a lot of psychological torture. Threats of being killed. They made us choose which one of us would be shot first. And when we refused, there were mock shootings. They pretended to shoot Ghazi several times. And we were fired, and then they fired the gun into the air. It can be very -- a traumatic experience.
HAMMER: The men say they leaned on each other for support.
ENGEL: We passed messages, we joked around.
HAMMER: Still, they were keenly aware that they could be killed at any moment.
JOHN KOOISTRA, PHOTOJOURNALIST: I was prepared to die many times.
HAMMER: NBC knew the three had gone missing last week. So you`re probably wondering why you didn`t hear anything about it.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, CNN`S "RELIABLE SOURCES": NBC asked other news organizations not to report that Richard Engel was missing, because that could have endangered his life.
HAMMER: Howard Kurtz, host of CNN`s "RELIABLE SOURCES," tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT news organizations often impose news blackouts when one of their reporters is missing and feared kidnapped.
KURTZ: It`s often hard to say no to that request, if you think you might be jeopardizing another journalist`s safety.
HAMMER: Even more harrowing than the capture of Engel and his crew is the story of how they were finally freed last night as their captors tried to move them to another site.
ENGEL: As we were moving along the road, the kidnappers came across a rebel checkpoint. The kidnappers saw this checkpoint, started a gun fight with it. Two of the kidnappers were killed. We climbed out of the vehicle, and the rebels took us.
HAMMER: Now safely back in Turkey, the three tell NBC`s "Today Show" they`re lucky to be alive.
ENGEL: We`re obviously very happy. There are many people who are still not at liberty to do this kind of thing. That are still hostages. There are still people who don`t have their freedom inside Syria.
KURTZ: At a time when everybody likes to hate the media, we forget that journalists who go into war zones are taking their lives in their hands. And they are risking everything to bring us the story from these dangerous places.
ENGEL: Well-known American journalist Marie Colvin was killed in Syria earlier this year. And kidnapping remains a real danger.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, CNN`S "AC360": Kidnapping for me is my greatest fear.
HAMMER: This morning on his syndicated show, "Anderson Live," CNN`s Anderson Cooper said Engel`s ordeal is every foreign correspondent`s nightmare.
COOPER: That is something I worry about a lot. And you know, we take precautions, and you do the best you can. But it`s -- you know, it`s a concern.
HAMMER: Still, this story had a happy ending.
And for NBC reporters who have spent the past few days covering the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, today brought a welcome change of pace.
DAVID GREGORY, NBC NEWS: We`ve had some terrible news to cover recently. We have such great news this morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Simply amazing.
What`s unknown is exactly who kidnapped the three. NBC says, while the crew was missing, there was no claim of responsibility, no contact with the captors, and no requests for ransom.
As we move on tonight, Hollywood on edge over the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learning today about brand-new changes and cancellations. There`s no denying that Hollywood is not only on edge but also appears to be taking a long, hard look at how they`re capitalizing on violence in television and in the movies.
HLN`s Jane Velez-Mitchell is in Newtown. Jane covering the tragedy every night on her show, "JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL," 7 p.m. Eastern on HLN. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner is in Hollywood tonight.
Nischelle, I`ve got to tell you, I do not remember seeing this much skittishness even after the mass shooting in that Colorado movie theater back in July.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You know, A.J., after that massacre during a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises," Warner Brothers canceled the Paris premiere of the movie. They pulled the trailer for the movie "Gangster Squad."
But take a look at this. After the shooting in Newtown, not only was the premiere of Tom Cruise`s new movie, "Jack Reacher," canceled. But the "Hollywood Reporter" revealed today a gun scene was just pulled from marketing materials for that movie.
Now, we also learned the premiere for Quentin Tarantino`s very violent new movie, "Django Unchained," was just canceled, as well.
HAMMER: And TV shows are also being affected, Nischelle. What`s going on on the small screen right now?
TURNER: Yes. You know, an episode involving a shooting on the TV show "Scandal" that was online, well, that was taken down. The debut of a new TLC special, "Best Funeral Ever," about a funeral home in Dallas, Texas. It`s being postponed until after the new year.
And we learned today the Discovery show "American Guns" has not only been canceled, but the network has also scrapped plans to air repeats of that series.
HAMMER: Well, people are thankfully paying attention. Appreciate that, Nischelle.
And with all these new developments, you`ve got to wonder if Hollywood`s actually going to remain on edge and these changes will actually last. Paul Dergarabedian is in Hollywood tonight. He`s the president of Hollywood.com`s box office division.
So Paul, what do you think? Is there any chance that these changes will stick around or, you know, is it just going to be business as usual once some healing time has passed?
PAUL DERGARABEDIAN, HOLLYWOOD.COM: Well, we see after the Aurora shooting that things got back to the status quo pretty quickly. A lot of violent movies, imagery on television, that kind of thing. Nothing really changed.
And in a sense, this is a broader debate about the chilling effect of events like this on the creative process and creative freedom.
The difference here is that, in the Newtown shootings, these were little kids, innocent children. It`s so unbelievably tragic. And in this case, maybe there will be a longer term effect. Particularly in the marketing of violent programs, television, that kind of thing.
I don`t know that we`ll see a change, perhaps, in the content, because violent content is part of TV, part of movies, part of life. But right now everyone`s so on edge, particularly in Hollywood. As we saw earlier, "Jack Reacher" premiere being canceled, "Django Unchained," two very violent movies. And I think that`s the appropriate step right now.
For the future, we`ll have to wait and see. But this is different. Nothing really is the same after something like this involving these small children.
HAMMER: I want to go to Jane Velez-Mitchell back in Newtown, Connecticut.
Jane, you are there. You are feeling what these people right there in that town are feeling. I`m sure there`s hope, if they`re even talking about these things, that these changes will remain in place. What`s the sense you`re getting or what do you think will actually happen once some time as passed?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN ANCHOR: People in this community want, more than anything else, real, real change. And this is a time of soul searching for all Americans. We all have to look in the mirror. Myself included.
At the end of the day, this is a consumer issue. Movies are determined by box office. So if people patronize violent movies and make them successful, at the end of the day movie makers will continue to make violent movies. It is that simple.
If people are fed up with violence, they need to not go to violent movies. They need to not watch violent TV shows. That is the key. It`s the law of supply and demand. So I think that all Americans need to look at their viewing habits, their movie-going habits, and stop being consumers of violence.
HAMMER: Yes. People are wondering "What can I do to effect change?" Jane, you hit it on the head right there.
And Paul, back to a point you were making. Something does feel different this time around. So maybe we can expect, if the content as you said, doesn`t change, maybe it will at least be curbed or the way people approach the marketing of these movies will change. I think that`s realistic.
DERGARABEDIAN: I think that is. And I think also it will be about presenting in a more profound way the content of movies and television so that the viewer can make an informed choice, to really go deeper into what is involved in the "R" rating, let`s say, of a movie.
HAMMER: Yes.
DERGARABEDIAN: Is it violence, is it language? What are the parameters here?
And as Jane said, it is up to the moviegoer, the television viewer, the consumer to decide if this is the kind of imagery they want to see or be subjected to.
But on the other hand, we still have the freedom in this country to decide what we want to see. Filmmakers can make the kind of movies they want to make. At the end of the day, it`s up to viewers to decide if they want to support that.
HAMMER: It is important to us also to keep this conversation going. Paul, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thank you both so much. And Jane, I want to talk to you about one of the big heroes in this horrific story. Victoria Soto, the teacher who self -- helped save some of the students from the shooter in Newtown. Her family has begun the painful process of saying good-bye to her.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Most children in Newtown, Connecticut, returned to school today for the very first time since Friday`s terrible tragedy. We`ve just learned that the children who went to Sandy Hook Elementary won`t attend classes again until after the new year. And that`s going to happen in a different school building in a neighboring town.
There will be many small steps like this in the long road to recovery for this community. And there is a way you can help. In fact, many ways you can help.
Organizations are raising money for the families for everything from providing more meals to helping with expensive and unexpected bills. There are a lot of great fundraising efforts. So what we`ve done is gathered them all for you in one place. For more information, all you have to do is log on to CNN.com/impact.
And as we look towards recovery in Newtown, we also reflect on the heroes of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary. One of them was Victoria Soto. The first-grade teacher was killed as she shielded her students from the gunmen. Victoria will be laid to rest tomorrow.
It has been another day of heavy emotions in Newtown, Connecticut. That`s where Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of "JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL" on HLN, is joining me now.
Grief, gratefulness, horror, and honor for the heroes, Jane. The emotions are as raw as ever in Newtown today. What has it been like there today as more victims are laid to rest and as we learn more about the heroes like Victoria?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, A.J., it`s been extraordinarily emotional. The town center is just about a block that way. And I was there. There is a huge memorial there that is growing by the minute as more and more people from the community and surrounding communities show up with crosses and candles and pets and all sorts of tributes for the slain.
And as I was standing there, one of the funeral processions went by us with a huge police motorcade, and it was shattering. It was just shattering to everyone. We just stood there. Words can`t describe the feeling to see that motorcade go by, that funeral procession.
And I turned to my left, and there were two first responders, it turns out, standing next to me with tears in their eyes. They had been at the fire station that`s right next to the school and had been there on the day of this carnage, and they were shaken. And I even asked them. I said, "Are you getting counseling." They said not yet. But hopefully they will. Because this is something that has hit everyone here to the absolute core.
HAMMER: Jane, how are people there managing the chaos? This is a small town, some 28,000 people. And obviously, the population has exploded with the media and people trying to pay their respects.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, this is a town that dates back 300 years. A lot of colonial history, very proud people. And as a reporter, I was hesitant to go into the town, fearing that I might be interfering or somehow be unwelcome. And all the media, it seems, has been welcomed with open arms. They understand that we`re here doing our job and that we don`t want to interfere necessarily. People have been loving; they`ve been kind.
I`m wearing a ribbon that one young lady gave me in honor of those who were slain. They`ve opened their hearts. They really seem to be exhibiting love to each other. People are hugging each other. There`s no rancor.
HAMMER: Yes, it is a delicate balance, for sure.
And one of the other stories that we`ve uncovered which really tugs at my heartstrings as an animal lover. Some special dogs that have traveled halfway across the country to help the children of Newtown process their grief. Jane, I know you love this story, too.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, this is absolutely incredible. I love animals, and these dogs are just the best.
And they`re called comfort dogs. Because they`re brought into areas where there is a national crisis, a national disaster, national tragedy such as this, and they can offer solace when words are just inadequate. They have that special ability.
Here`s CNN`s Gary Tuchman with a "SHOWBIZ Special Report."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nine Golden Retrievers on the march. Making their way into a recreation center in Newtown, Connecticut, for an emotional rescue, to help comfort the children who survived the attack at Sandy Hook Elementary and other children in town.
Therapeutic canines, who were sponsored and trained by Lutheran Church Charities, transported in a van for a 900-mile ride from Illinois.
(on camera): Let me give you a quick introduction to all the dogs here. This is Chewie (ph). This is...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ruthie.
TUCHMAN: ... Ruthie, Abby, Prince -- look at the name, Luther.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maggie.
TUCHMAN: Maggie, Hannah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barney.
TUCHMAN: Barney and...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sammy (ph).
TUCHMAN: Sammy (ph). These are the comfort dogs. What is a comfort dog?
TIM METZNER, LUTHERAN CHURCH CHARITIES: A comfort dog is one who brings comfort to other people. When they`re suffering or hurting or bring happiness to people, helps people process their grief. They...
TUCHMAN: They`re specially trained?
METZNER: They are specially trained. These are all trained service dogs. We don`t use them with disabled, but we use that training, and then we train them additionally to work with all different age groups and people.
To some people -- we`ve seen this with children -- it brings a sense of calmness in a time of confusion for them, during this period. To some, it helps them process their grief. They`ll start crying, and they`ll hug the dog. And to some children, they`ll come up sad, and they`ll walk away happy.
TUCHMAN: Do you know that Luther is incapable of being mean? Luther is a friendly dog.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hayden (ph) loves dogs.
TUCHMAN: When does training begin to be a comfort dog?
METZNER: Five and a half weeks. We buy puppies at five and a half weeks and turn them upside down and how their temperament is, and from that point on, we...
TUCHMAN: Well, you turn them upside down. So if they are turned upside down and they flail, they can`t be a comfort dog?
METZNER: Right. Our initial screening is, if they can be relaxed in that position, then we start the next process, which is a trainer that works with them one-on-one for the next eight months to a year.
TUCHMAN: And where else have your dogs been? What other disasters?
METZNER: Our dogs a month ago when Sandy hit, we were out in New York and New Jersey. We have been in Indiana with the floodings. We had dogs out in Joplin, Missouri.
Come here. This is Luther. He`s a comfort dog. You can pet him. Says right here, "Please pet me."
TUCHMAN: How do you feel when you see a child come up to one of your dogs who`s been in this kind of situation, and have a big smile on their face?
METZNER: Tears. They smile, I cry.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): And amid the continuing sadness here, there were a lot of smiles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And those smiles right here on my face and on Jane`s. What a great story. That was Gary Tuchman for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And our thanks to Jane for joining us from Connecticut.
We move now to big news in Hollywood tonight. The bombshell sentence in the celebrity hacking case. Ten years behind bars for leaking naked pictures of Scarlett Johansson and Mila Kunis. Will the tough sentence finally put an end to all that celebrity abuse?
Plus get ready for it. We are counting down our top five most provocative celebrities of the year. Will Madonna`s and Lady Gaga`s feud lead them to the top spots?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now "SHOWBIZ Justice."
The guy who hacked into Scarlett Johansson`s phone and leaked nude pictures of her is going to prison for ten years. This was a bombshell verdict in a major hacking trial targeting some of the top names in Hollywood.
I want to bring in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner. She`s in Hollywood with all of the new details.
Nischelle, ten years. I am thinking that people are just shocked by this ruling. That is a whole lot of time behind bars.
TURNER: Yes, it is, A.J. You know, the Florida man, Christopher Chaney, he`s going to prison for ten years, like you said. This is the guy who broke into the personal online accounts of Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis, Christina Aguilera and a lot of other women who are not celebrities. You know, he then posted revealing photos of these women on the Internet, along with their private information.
Now it wasn`t long before the celebrity photos spread across social media sites around the world, including some very personal photos taken by Scarlett Johansson of herself meant for Ryan Reynolds, who was her husband at the time.
HAMMER: So Nischelle, I`m really happy that this guy is getting nailed to the wall here, but why do you think the judge came down so hard on him?
TURNER: You know, the celebrities that were targeted by him say that the photos that he leaked simply devastated them. In a videotaped statement, a tearful Scarlett Johansson told the judge that she`d, quote, been "humiliated and embarrassed." Another victim told the judge she even considered suicide after her account was hacked.
Now, that judge apparently heard the victims loud and clear in this case.
HAMMER: Yes, but what`s going to stop this guy from doing it again once he got out -- gets out of prison? Are they going to take away his computer or something?
TURNER: Well, you know, that`s a good question. Because in addition to that ten-year sentence, he`s actually going to be on three years` supervised probation when he`s released. He`ll also have to notify officials of his online accounts. So there`s going to be a lot of watching of him even after he gets out of prison.
HAMMER: I think, you know, they should just -- I don`t know. Take away any Internet privileges for the rest of his life, perhaps.
TURNER: Good idea.
HAMMER: Obviously, Nischelle, this was a big victory in Hollywood today. And a lot of people breathing a major sigh of relief, thinking that anyone else even thinking about this sort of invasion of privacy will obviously give it a second thought.
All right. Well, that is good news for people in Hollywood, Nischelle. Thanks so much.
And tonight we`re also counting down the top five most provocative celebrities of the year. So could Nicki Minaj take the top spot for her nasty feud with Mariah Carey?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICKI MINAJ, JUDGE, FOX`S "AMERICAN IDOL": We got a room together, and we`re professionals. And you know what I mean? We`re adults. She -- she doesn`t want another woman on the show. That`s fine. But I`m there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I don`t know. Are you with me? I`m pretty sure we haven`t seen the end of this particular fight.
But the question is, is Nicki`s tough talk enough to outdo the always controversial Lindsay Lohan? Think about it. She`s had run-ins with the law. Of course, she had her infamous portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor. But who will top our SHOWBIZ Countdown? The most provocative celebrities of the year. You will find out.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICKI MINAJ, JUDGE, FOX`S "AMERICAN IDOL": We got a room together, and we`re professionals. And you know what I mean? We`re adults. She -- she doesn`t want another woman on the show. That`s fine. But I`m there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Right now the SHOWBIZ Countdown, "The Most Provocative Celebrity of the Year. Will it be Nicki Minaj? Her shocking new gig as a judge on "American Idol" and her more shocking public battle with Mariah Carey?
Or will Lady Gaga and Madonna top the list for their diva-sized love-hate smack-downs all year long?
Which star will top the SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Most Provocative Celebrity of the Year"?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
And tonight it is the end all, be all of countdowns. Because we are here to count down the "Top Five Provocative Celebrities of the Year". And I can tell you, it has been quite a year for stars to throw caution to the wind and some pretty jaw-dropping things. Hollywood`s biggest stars love to keep things entertaining on and off camera. And it actually made it tough for us to narrow down nominees this year.
Apparently, the Mayan calendar that suggested the world would come to an end in 2012 was taken literally in Hollywood, because this year stars acted like they`d been saving their most shocking provocative acts for last. Unlikely couples got together, unlikely couples split up, unlikely catch phrases were coined.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You better red-neck-onize.
HAMMER (voice-over): And stars already known for being outrageous went around being super provocative as if there really was no tomorrow.
OK, Taylor Swift may have not shocked anyone by writing about breakup song, "We Are Never, Ever, Ever Getting Back Together." But she did raise eyebrows by reportedly dating a Kennedy family member, teenager Connor Kennedy. A summer fling that ended as shockingly isn`t a game.
HEIDI KLUM, ACTRESS: It just didn`t work like I tried my hardest. You know, he has tried his hardest.
HAMMER: Heidi Klum explained to Katie Couric why she dumped her husband of seven years, Seal, and started dating the family bodyguard.
KLUM: He`s a great man.
HAMMER: It led Wendy Williams to be even more provocative than usual when talking about the romance on her show.
WENDY WILLIAMS, TV HOST: Seal, what are you going to do about this? And it better be I`m going in for half her money.
HAMMER: And Katie Holmes made headlines by leaving Tom Cruise, causing couples everywhere to ask if jumping on the furniture on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" wasn`t enough to make a marriage last, what is?
2012 stars also proved that getting together can be just as provocative as breaking up.
OPRAH WINFREY, TV HOST: How did it get all revved up?
HAMMER: Even Oprah Winfrey struggled to wrap her head around Kim Kardashian getting together with Kanye West this year. Kim, try to explain to her on the Own Network.
KIM KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: I feel like I`m at a really happy good space.
HAMMER: And if that wasn`t hard enough for Oprah, she along with the rest of us had to try to figure out why on earth Rihanna would hook up with Chris Brown again after her put her in the hospital three years ago? Rihanna tried to explain that to Oprah in Own Network.
RIHANNA, SINGER: We love each other and we probably always will.
HAMMER: Sorry, Rihanna. We still don`t understand. But judging by the provocative photos that she scene Chris Brown keep posting of each other, they couldn`t care less.
And some stars provoked us by stepping up their game.
DONALD TRUMP, CHAIRMAN & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: I have a deal for the president.
HAMMER: Donald trump took his anti-Obama crusade to a ridiculous new level with this offer to President Obama during the closing days of the election.
TRUMP: If Barack Obama opens up and gives his college records and applications, I will give to a charity of his choice, a check immediately for $5 million.
HAMMER: Even trump`s friend Barbara Walters had to call him out on "The View."
BARBARA WALTER, HOST, "THE VIEW": Donald, you`re making a fool of yourself.
HAMMER: And trouble from Lindsay Lohan made everyone forget about her widely mocked performance on the Lifetime TV movie, "Liz and Dick."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m bored. I`m so bored.
HAMMER: Days after aired, she pulled off her feet and most outlaws never managed. She got charged with four crimes on two coasts o then same day.
And speaking of which, Nicki Minaj allegedly threatened to shoot fellow "American Idol" judge, Mariah Carey. At least that`s what Mariah told Barbara Walters who recounted the story on "The View".
WALTERS: Multiple people heard Nicki say, "If I had a gun I would shoot."
HAMMER: Nicki Minaj denied that.
The Mayans may have predicted the end of the world in 2012, but there`s no way they could have predicted an alleged threat gun violence on "American idol" or that celebrities would be tripping over themselves to be named SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Most Provocative Celebrity of the Year."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I mean, look at that. So many stars to choose from this year but some really did push the limits to stand out from the pack, right?
Let`s get busy with our countdown, the "Top Five Provocative Celebrities of the Year". And kicking it off at number five.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it sometimes hard to get people to come into your world? Because I don`t know if I hung out with you I`d be afraid you`re going to write a song with me.
TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER: The only time it was an issue is when there was a bad breakup and he said, "You better not write about this." I said, "I won`t."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you?
SWIFT: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Taylor Swift breaking records and yes, breaking hearts. Wow! What a year she`s had topping the charts with her latest album selling 1.2 million copies in just its first week. And her big time album sales have been matched with one headline-making romance after another. Fans and critics can`t seem to get enough of Taylor Swift.
In New York, Megan Alexander, who`s a correspondent for "Inside Edition."
Megan, you`ve been following with me Taylor ranking up there as the second highest earning female this year, only behind Britney Spears. I`m thinking she is actually found the winning combination -- a breakup equals recordbreaker. And I`m actually starting to think, Megan, that the only reason she dates all these guys at all is just to keep her music hot.
MEGAN ALEXANDER, "INSIDE EDITION": I think she`s brilliant, A.J. I`m a huge country music fan already. Taylor Swift is a very talented performer and songwriter. But she`s also a brilliantly blending her personal life and her professional life. We no longer know if she really does like the guy she`s dating or if she`s just gathering song material.
But it is a bit dangerous, A.J., because she`s young. These guys, they may wind up in her songs as well. They may be just after the publicity. So, will she ever find true love? I don`t know.
HAMMER: Yes. So on many levels we have to wonder is this is wise thing to stay with this formula moving into a new tear?
I want to bring in Janelle Snowden. Janelle is correspondent for VH1`s "Morning Buzz Live."
So, Janelle, you know Taylor takes a lot of flack not just from us but from critics and fans for her romance songs. But, you know, you look at what`s going on with her, she`s got no shortage of guys still lining up to be with her. Are you fed up with Taylor`s romance hits or are you saying, as we hit the New Year, keep them coming.
JANELLE SNOWDEN, "MORNING BUZZ LIVE": I`m saying go Taylor. Here we are, working women struggling to get a date. And she can`t seem to turn them down fast enough. She is going from one guy to the next. I just hope she`s playing it safe. And I`m wondering if maybe part of the reason that she goes from guy to guy is because maybe she`s gathering song material and not giving them what they need in the bedroom, if you know what I mean.
HAMMER: Well, we don`t want to suppose any of that but you know. I do hope she has the capacity for stability. It`s tough when you`re touring the world and being a superstar like that.
ALEXANDER: She`s on fire. I wouldn`t worry about her.
HAMMER: OK. Let`s not worry about her. Let`s move from a superstar`s romance to a super showdown. It`s number four on our SHOWBIZ Countdown of the year`s provocative celebs, Madonna versus Gaga.
It really has been one of the most talked about feuds of the year, their never-ending war of words continued throughout the year. And ABC`s Cynthia McFadden asked Madonna to finally set it straight about the feud that seems to keep marching on. Let`s watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYNTHIA MCFADDEN, ABC NEWS: Of all these there`s one question that almost blew up the Internet. Do you have any idea what it is?
MADONNA, SINGER: I don`t know.
MCFADDEN: They want to know what you think about Lady Gaga.
MADONNA: It feels reductive.
MCFADDEN: Is that good?
MADONNA: Look it up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh. Look it up. Nice. That was kind of a dig right there at Cynthia But, we did look it up. It wasn`t a compliment. Reductive, as probably means simplified or crude.
Megan, even though this feud -- by the way, I think mostly on Madonna, do you think it`s time for the two of them to perhaps call a truce and perhaps take the stage together already, maybe in the New Year?
ALEXANDER: There you go. That`s the idea. Take the stage together. Maybe go on tour together.
A.J., the thing about this is one is a bona fide celebrity who stood the test of time. A triple threat performer, Madonna. Lady Gaga, the "it girl" of the moment. But they really share a similar fan base. I think a lot of Lady Gaga`s fans love Madonna and vice versa. So, I don`t think they really want these two to be in a feud because they share that fan base. But both ladies are enjoying getting the other, I think.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, I think so.
Janelle, I`m curious to see what you think, because quite frankly, I do believe that we now do have a bona fide star in Lady Gaga as she`s not a flash in the pan. She is a super strong foundation right now.
SNOWDEN: Totally. Yes. You know, a lot of people are saying that Madonna is using this Gaga feud to stay relevant or stay in the news because, you know, she`s older now and doesn`t have the same capacity for the antics that maybe she did when she was Gaga`s age.
But, you know, I think for Gaga, there was a recent story about how Gaga turned down a request according to Madonna to perform on stage as you mentioned. And you know, I think maybe for Gaga, it could be that she has so much respect for her still that it`s like that`s the ultimate in intimidation. You know, you`re performing with your idol.
Or she just maybe feels like Madonna has been mean to her and she doesn`t want energy. Artists are all about energy. And maybe, until she feels that Madonna is going to give her, you know, some love, she is like, I`m going to stay clear.
HAMMER: Yes, yes. All right. Well, I don`t know if we are going to see them on stage together.
We are going to see Nicki Minaj, at least, on the "American idol" stage in the New Year. And she was a surprise choice to become a judge in "American Idol." I think we all agree on that. Her face-off with fellow judge Mariah Carey during auditions has everyone counting the minutes until the new season starts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICKI MINAJ, SINGER: We got to work together and we`re professional and we`re adults. You know what I mean? We`re adults. She doesn`t want another woman on the show. That`s fine, but I`m there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But is Nicki`s no nonsense attitude enough to make her provocative celebrity of the year? Or will it be Lindsay for being a magnet for fights, car crash, to just about anything that can get you arrested? Who will top the SHOWBIZ Countdown, the "Most Provocative Celebrities of the Year"?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back.
We are counting down the "Top Five Most Provocative Celebrities of the Year". Let`s keep it going with number three.
Nicki Minaj, who made headlines taking her place as the newest judge on "American Idol" and setting off a battle even before the new season has hit the airwave airwaves, she told Power 105.1 radio it is what it is. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You and Mariah got to work together because you`re going to be together for months.
MINAJ: We got to work together and we`re professionals and we`re adults. You know what I mean? We`re adults. She doesn`t want another woman on the show. That`s fine, but I`m there and I`m going to make the most of it. And I actually thought it would be great to work with her because she`s so funny. And when we shot the video together, we had a great time. It didn`t work that way, but we`re moving on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: We`ll see if that happens. Let me bring back Megan Alexander from "Inside Edition" and Janelle Snowden from VH1`s "Morning Buzz Live."
And Janelle, let`s start with you. You know, we have seen so much drama already, it`s pretty obvious this provocative combination is going to mean monster ratings for "American Idol" in the new season.
SNOWDEN: Huge, huge ratings. I have not watched "American iIdol" since Fantasia won, but I will be watching. These are two of the most supreme divas we`ve known. It`s going to be explosive on every possible level. We haven`t seen the half of what`s to come. I am going to be chomping at the bit for it. I`m never one to, you know, advocate do women going at each other, but I also can`t say I won`t be watching.
HAMMER: I have to say, I bet "American Idol" is happy to have you and all the fans who have left back as viewers. Good luck with that.
Well, we will continue our countdown of the year`s "Most Provocative Celebrities" with number two. You knew she was going on the list. It`s Lindsay Lohan.
Wow. What a whirlwind year for her. I feel like I say that every year. Now, if you remember, she was off to a fresh start back in January but things turned around with a supposed hit and run. A couple of clashes over cell phone photos and even an attempt at a TV movie comeback.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: I`m bored! I`m so bored! What am I supposed to do? I`ve done 29 pictures since I was nine, 29. I`ve never learned how to do just absolutely nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. They did some big numbers, big ratings for that TV movie. Her role as Liz Taylor didn`t do a lot for her acting reputation though, Megan. Lindsay, you know what, she has defined provocative for a few years now. I quite frankly, don`t see any reason why she won`t be with us right back here on this very same list a year from now.
ALEXANDER: Oh, God. I hope not. She`s not just a train wreck anymore. She`s the Titanic going down and sinking fast. This is someone with no support system, no friends. Her mother couldn`t make it through her interview with Dr. Phil, couldn`t get it to that interview. They can do that interview as she`s got substance of this issue and somebody who really, I think her fame is now a true detriment to her. When she goes out, the paparazzi picking fights with her. She`s unstable. It`s somebody I think truly needs to go away and heal.
HAMMER: Wouldn`t that be nice?
But Janelle, there`s no way to have a most provocative list without Lindsay, right?
SNOWDEN: No. I mean, honestly, A.J., not to sound too morbid, but I just hope she`s around to be on the list, if anything, next year. I really worry about her. I feel like we`re watching the most tragic Hollywood story we seen in recent years. And I`m praying she gets it together. I think if she goes to jail, that might not be the worst thing. She could get some supervision in there.
HAMMER: All right, Megan and Janelle, the SHOWBIZ Countdown has surely been a year in the making. And now, we are just moments away from number one, but, who will it be?
Will you agree? The big reveal coming up next.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: We`re counting down the "Top Most Provocative Celebrities of 2012". Fights, feuds, breakups. Our favorite stars amped up the drama this year.
Well, here`s who we have so far.
Number five, Taylor Swift. She is certainly at the top of her game. And we love that her hit songs give us a glimpse into her life and her many loves.
Number four, a tie. Lady Gaga and Madonna. Their love/hate relationship is divalicious, isn`t it?
Number three, Nicki Minaj. She is the newest judge on "American Idol", of course. We cannot wait to see the fireworks between her and Mariah Carey.
And number two, Lindsay Lohan for her complete inability to stay the heck out of trouble.
And that brings us to the number one the most provocative celebrities of the year. Yes, it`s a couple. Rihanna and Chris Brown, and the reunion that pretty much no one really wanted, except for the two of them. The Reunion buzz grew to a fever pitch when Rihanna tearfully opened up to Oprah Winfrey about her undying love for Chris even after he was arrested for beating her up back in 2009.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIHANNA: We`ve been working on our friendship again. And now we`re very, very close friends. We`ve built a trust again. And that`s it. Like, we love each other and we probably always will. And that`s not anything that we`re going to try to change. It`s not something you can shut off if you`ve ever been in love.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Well, as we know, a few months after that interview, Chris broke up with his girlfriend and because of his renewed friendship with Rihanna, things didn`t work out on that end. So we`re naming Chris and Rihanna the most provocative celebrities of the year.
Megan Alexander from "Inside Edition" is back with me now. Did we get it right?
ALEXANDER: You did, but I say that unfortunately. A.J., two individuals who are incredibly talented but extremely immature. Rihanna is somebody who is a statistic. One in four women are effected by domestic abuse and she was in a situation like that. We don`t know if she`s still in a relationship where she is being abused.
But these individuals, these two have taunted the media with their relationship and I think really made light of a very serious subject which is domestic violence. And I still don`t feel, A.J., to this day that Chris Brown ever truly gave a heartfelt apology for what happened.
So to all those young kids watching, celebrities are not necessarily role models. And I don`t think this is true love, but they are in - they are young in love. And that`s not always true love.
HAMMER: And you know, what is interesting to reflect and thinking about how much Chris has come. Because I think people have started to forgive him or at least let him move on with his life a bit. But then as a couple, I don`t know.
Janelle, you were just with Rihanna on her 777 tour plane from VH1. Do you think that she and Chris are definitely the most provocative celebrities of the year? I didn`t feel like we had another choice.
SNOWDEN: Yes. No, you definitely made the right choice with this. And in fact, just as we were landing on the 777 tour, I asked Rihanna what the first thing she was going to do and she said she was going to go and see her friends for Thanksgiving. So, I obviously knew that that meant she was going to be Chris. We see the pictures.
And I got to say, my heart ached for her because I know I`ve done stupid things and perhaps desperate things for my first love. Chris is obviously her first. And you want to say, "Girl, get it together. Run. Go get more experience." But this is going to be something they have to learn on their own.
I agree with Megan that they`re exhibiting immature behavior and they`re not role models. But the thing is, they don`t pretend to be. So I really wish them the best, but I don`t see this ending to well.
HAMMER: Well, hopefully it ends as best it can if it ends.
Janelle, Megan, thank you. We`re going to see if our top five, keep himself out of any drama next year.
HAMMER: Well, we got to number one on our SHOWBIZ Countdown. But it`s not done yet because there is one celebrity so big and brash, we created a category just for him. That surprise reveal next.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: All he has to do to get $5 million for a charity or charities of his choice is get his colleges to immediately give his applications and records and also to release his passport records. When he does that to my satisfaction, if it`s complete, this check is delivered immediately.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, that`s Donald Trump. One of his many wild election rants against the credibility of Barack Obama and his presidency. You know I like you Donald, but I think you went over the line when you started seriously disrespecting the president and our democracy just after he won the election.
It was a tough call to narrow down our list of the "Most Provocative Celebrities of the Year". But we couldn`t overlook Trump`s erratic election year rants. So, he`s getting a "Most Provocative Celebrity of the Year" honorable mention from his continued drumbeat about Obama`s birth certificate, to implying that the president is lying about the real fate of the economy.
Donald Trump may not have been a candidate for president, but he was always asserting himself in the election this year. I was totally bummed out when Trump just went nuts on Twitter on election night. It was just at the moment it was declared President Obama had won his second term and he had messages like, "We can`t let this happen. We should march on Washington and stop this travesty." I honestly thought that he would be more hopeful than that. Oh well.
Well, thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Monday through Thursday, 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.
HLN continues right now.
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