Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
A Beauty Queen Poisoned by Her Dress; Hulk Hogan Divorce Drama
Aired November 26, 2007 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: A beauty queen poisoned by her dress. And Anna Nicole Smith`s daughter in a "Who`s your daddy?" t-shirt. Are you kidding me? That`s ridiculous. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And I`m covering the secrets of one of the most popular celebrity web sites, how they`ve blown the lid off stars` shocking legal problems. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Hulk Hogan divorce drama. Did the Hulkster get sucker-punched by his own wife? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the disturbing story behind the startling break-up. D
Did Hulk really find out he was being divorced from a reporter? I guess Hogan doesn`t know best. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the stunning split that has rocked one of TV`s most beloved families.
Hollywood`s drama queens. The complaining.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEATHER MILLS, PAUL MCCARTNEY`S EX-WIFE: I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The crying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, TV TALK SHOW HOST: I just want the family to have the dog.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The whining.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, FORMER TV TALK SHOW CO-HOST: You can say all the Republican crap you want.
HAMMER: Why are so many stars going on and on about their problems? Shouldn`t they give it a rest already? Tonight a revealing show biz special report, "Hollywood`s Drama Queens."
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood. And tonight, a beauty queen sabotage mystery. The question, who put red pepper spray on her clothing and makeup before she stepped on stage? Ouch. The itchy details coming up.
HAMMER: But first, Hulk Hogan body slammed by his own wife. Well, sort of. What a divorce drama this is. The Hulk`s wife hitting him with divorce papers that seemed to come out of nowhere. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is digging deep to get to the bottom of the split that could have the Hulk`s marriage down for the count.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It hit Nick and Jessica, wrecked Whitney and Bobby, and did a number on K-Fed and Britney. Now, the reality TV curse has hit another famous couple who shared their lives with the camera.
MIKE FLEEMAN, "PEOPLE.COM": Another reality show couple bites the dust.
LINDA HOGAN, WIFE OF HULK HOGAN: In case you can`t tell, I`ve had it.
HAMMER: Linda Hogan, the wife of wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan has filed for divorce. The two star with their teenage children in the VH1 reality show "Hogan Knows Best."
FLEEMAN: Who would know? They seemed very happy on television.
HAMMER: In happier times, the family stopped by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to tell us how much fun they had bringing their lives into America`s living rooms.
HULK HOGAN, WRESTLER AND REALITY SHOW SUPERSTAR: It`s great for all of us. I mean, the show has been awesome. We love doing it.
HAMMER: But now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, things aren`t so happy for the Hogans. And their marriage and the happy family life they portrayed on the reality show may be down for the count.
L. HOGAN: Why are you starting this again? I`m hanging up.
HAMMER: Fans of "Hogan Knows Best" are well aware of the couple`s marital squabbles which were front and center in the show`s past season.
L.HOGAN: I`ll tell you what. It would take me two seconds to pack up my friggin` closet and be gone.
H. HOGAN: I really don`t care because I sure as hell am not going to live like this anymore with you.
HAMMER: The couple`s problems even led them to a marriage counselor.
H. HOGAN: It`s just so hard for me to understand how we got to this point.
HAMMER: But while on TV, it seems the couple had patched things up, but things in real life were a lot messier.
KATIE DARYL, "TMZ.COM": TMZ has found out that as early as April, back when the family was filming the reality show for VH1, there were problems with the marriage.
HAMMER: Katie Daryl of TMZ TV tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the couple has reportedly been separated for a while now, even as they were filming scenes for the show.
DARYL: From what we`ve actually heard from our sources is that things were not going so well. There were already problems in the relationship as early as April, and it was harder to get them to do scenes together.
HAMMER: In her video diary on VH1.com, the Hogans` daughter, Brook, admitted that all is not well with her famous parents.
BROOK HOGAN, HULK HOGAN`S DAUGHTER: My parents have been fighting like cats and dogs lately. This sucks, you know?
HAMMER: To make matters worse, the Hogans are having to deal with a real life tragedy that threatens to send their 17-year-old son to prison.
FLEEMAN: Hulk`s teenage son is facing possible felony charges in this very, very serious car accident.
HAMMER: Nick Hogan has been arrested on reckless driving charges for this alleged street racing crash this past summer. The accident left his friend, John Graziano, an Iraq war veteran, critically injured. Graziano`s family says they will almost certainly sue the Hogans, adding yet more stress to the troubled TV family.
DARYL: When push came to shove, and when Nick Hogan actually had the car accident in August, it just seemed like so many terrible things were building on top of each other, and this could almost be the straw that broke the camel`s back.
HAMMER: And what about those reports that Linda`s divorce filing was such a surprise to Hogan, he found out about it from a reporter? Let`s just say those reports may have been as authentic as one of Hulk Hogan`s old wrestling matches.
DARYL: Reports first came in, saying that Hulk Hogan found out about the filing through a newspaper in St. Petersburg, Florida, but we found out now that this is not true. That Hulk Hogan did find out about the divorce from his lawyer. HAMMER: No matter how he found out, the split, no doubt, comes as a crushing blow to the gentle giant who got emotional on his show as he recited a poem about what his troubled marriage means to him.
H. HOGAN: Being in love with you only if for a second means I`ll never live to regret it.
HAMMER: And it appears the split is hard on Hulk`s wife too.
DARYL: TMZ has an inside source close to the Hogan family. We have found out that although Linda did do the filing for the divorce, she doesn`t actually want it. She has said that basically she feels she`s up against a wall and would like to reconcile, but she`s not really getting what she needs out of the Hulk.
HAMMER: It`s all just a sad reminder that reality can get the best of any family, whether they have a TV show or not.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, representatives for the Hogan family aren`t commenting on the divorce. VH1 tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "In light of the current circumstances, it`s unknown if there will be a fifth season of "Hogan Knows Best."
ANDERSON: Divorce is just the tip of the iceberg for Britney Spears. Tonight, Britney is dealing with double trouble. Britney had not one, but two, count them two, court dates today. One over her bitter custody battle, and the other over driving without a valid driver`s license. Oh, the drama. Oh, the fun.
Joining me tonight from New York, investigative journalist Jane Velez- Mitchell, author of "Secrets Can Be Murder" and Ken Baker, "UsMagazine.com`s" editorial director. Ken, Jane, I want to start with the driving. Britney`s driving has been one drama after another.
First, she was driving without a valid license. Then in August, she hit a parked car and left the scene. In October, she ran over a photographer`s foot, and then the foot of a sheriff`s deputy. And in November, paparazzi videotaped Britney allegedly running a red light with the kids in the car.
Today, was all about the driving without a license, and because of the hit-and-run case, the L.A. City attorney wants her on two years probation. Jane, two years probation - would that be a fitting punishment?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: I think she should get more, and what`s astounding is that her people are saying she`s being singled out because she`s a star. Imagine any of us with the record that you just cited not being hit with a slew of charges.
When you run over somebody`s toe with a car, that could be assault with a deadly weapon because that`s precisely what it is, and, yet, no charges filed against her for that. No, charges filed against her for the other toe running. She`s really getting special treatment every step along the way, and, yet, they have the audacity to say that she`s being singled out because she`s famous.
ANDERSON: Yes. Speaking of that, you know, any final decision was put off today until January. And Britney`s attorney did say this, quote, as you mentioned, Jane, "She is being singled out because of who she is, just like Paris Hilton was. My client has obtained a valid license, and she shouldn`t be placed on probation. In California, once someone obtains a valid license, the charges are usually reduced or completely dismissed."
Ken, just like Paris Hilton, do you agree with Jane that she`s not being singled out here?
KEN BAKER, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, USMAGAZINE.COM: Well, we`re definitely in a new era of the criminal justice system in Los Angeles, where celebrities do not get special treatment. They either are treated just like every other civilian or they are treated harsher.
In the case of Paris Hilton earlier this year, we saw she was treated harsher. Everyone objectively can agree that Paris Hilton got more jail time because she was a celebrity and the judge didn`t like her. That is well established.
As far as Britney goes, I don`t know if it`s a case of her having the book thrown at her because she`s a celebrity. I think that these judges are under a lot of pressure out here because it`s become very much a political issue of how celebrities are treated. If a judge goes light on Britney Spears and everyone publicly is sort of on this grand opinion that Britney needs to be put away and locked up and have her kids taken away from her, the judge is put in a very bad position.
The same thing in the other case. Commissioner Scott Gordon, who is also doing the custody case, he has a big microscope on him. If he let Britney Spears drive without someone else in the car and she got into an accident, that judge would be taken to task. So there`s a lot of pressure on these judges. I can`t tell you whether or not she`s getting special treatment or if she`s getting harsher treatment. What I`m telling you is there`s a lot of attention. We`re here on "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" talking about this, and it affects the decisions that the judges make.
ANDERSON: We know the judge, the commissioners are facing a lot of pressure, but I do want to talk about Britney, who is in the middle of this mess. She causes a lot of the problems that she finds herself in, and she`s been scrutinized in the past for texting while driving. And on the eve of her court date, what was she caught doing? Paparazzi video, I want to show it to you, texting while driving. Jane, is she completely oblivious?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. I think she`s in defiance. And she still is operating on the notion that she is somehow being persecuted even though she has to realize at this point - Britney if you are watching, nobody feels sorry for a big star that makes the kind of money you make. Try another tact, because nobody is ever going to have pity for you given the fact that you are fabulousy wealthy.
And if you wanted to tweak it a little bit and behave just a little bit better, you could have the world at your feet. You`ve got this very successful album now. I mean, she has a chance to come back and, yet, she continues to take these self-destructive actions, and we have to ask ourselves why?
ANDERSON: So much potential, and it seems that she`s just wasting it. And talking about the driving case. At the same time in a courtroom across the city, a judge considering whether or not to unseal documents that could determine whether she gets visitation rights back with her kids. It`s Britney`s attorneys that want the documents sealed. Ken, what do you think they`re so scared about?
BAKER: Well, obviously, with all these problems that Britney is having driving, she either needs an optometrist or a psychiatrist, because she looks to be completely blind or she`s lost her mind. And I think that the reason why they want to seal these documents, it is very ugly what`s in these documents. Let`s face it. There were a lot of depositions that were done that got the judge to the point where he concluded that she was a continuous habitual frequent user of drugs and alcohol. That`s just the tip of the iceberg.
Can you imagine what the actual evidence is? We saw the conclusion. We never saw the evidence. So I think that Britney`s attorneys are very much wanting to keep this under wraps for the very reason that it could be a PR nightmare for her.
ANDERSON: I can`t imagine what those documents say. She may not need just one of those doctors, Ken. She may need both. Ken Baker, Jane Velez- Mitchell, thank you both. A.J., Britney texting while driving, totally ridiculous.
And you know what else is? A beauty queen poisoned by her own dress, Anna Nicole Smith`s daughter, Dannielynn, wearing a "Who`s is your Daddy?" t-shirt. Are you kidding me? Was something in the turkey this weekend? I`m investigating these absolutely off the wall stories, "That`s Ridiculous" at 30 past the hour. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL RICHARDS, STAND UP COMEDIAN: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) He`s a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.
RICHARDS: Look, there`s another (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Michael Richards` horrific racial rant. It totally disgusted me when I saw the tape. Well, TMZ were the ones that got their hands on that shocking video, and they have totally turned Hollywood upside down with how they cover stars.
Tonight it`s a revealing look at the take-no-prisoners way of breaking celebrity news from the guy who is leading the charge.
And Hollywood`s drama queens, the complaining, the crying, the whining. I`ve got to ask, why are so many stars going on and on about their problems? Enough already. Tonight I`ve got a provocative look at "Hollywood`s Drama Queens."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARDS: Throw his (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out! He`s a (EXPLETIVE DELETED)! He`s a (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.
RICHARDS: Look, there`s another (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Who could forget Michael Richards` disgusting racial rant on stage during a comedy routine? Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Celebrity news site, "TMZ.com" broke that story with Michael Richards by showing the actual cell phone video. And now, the web site is celebrating its second anniversary of its take-no-prisoners approach to covering celebrity news that has really revolutionized how stars are covered. I can tell you a lot of stars wish that TMZ would just go away.
Tonight the inside TMZ story with the man who put TMZ on the map, Harvey Levin, "TMZ`s" managing editor, joining us from Glendale, California. Happy anniversary. Always good to see you, Harvey.
HARVEY LEVIN, "TMZ`S" MANAGING EDITOR: Good to see you, A.J. Thank you.
HAMMER: So, that Michael Richards tape that we just showed, just one example how you guys really have changed the playing field in celebrity news. A lot of celebrities tell me they wish you didn`t exist. Why do you think it is that a lot of celebrities are afraid of you?
LEVIN: Well, I mean, we have good relationships with lots and lots of celebrities. And, you know, it`s not that we`re going, you know, hunting around for bad things. I mean, the Michael Richards video, we had no idea he was going to be at the Laugh Factory and do that. But once it happened, you know, our tentacles are out there, and we found the video. It wasn`t as if we had cameras inside the Laugh Factory.
So, yes, I mean, from time to time there are celebrities who are saying, you know, why are you doing this, but everything we do is legal. A lot of the stuff is based on court documents, and a lot of is just based on contacts. And it`s also not, by any means, all bad. I mean, we do fun things. We do serious things. You know, I hope that when people look at TMZ they don`t look at it as having a voice, but instead, a personality.
HAMMER: Yes. I would agree with you on that, and to the point that you do things other than the things that make celebrities look bad.
However, we showed the Michael Richards rant, it was another rant that really put you guys on everybody`s radar. It`s when you, guys, broke the story of Mel Gibson`s anti-Semitic rant after his DUI arrest. Was there ever any hesitation in that case, Harvey, that you wondered, hey, you know what, we put this thing out there, we could really ruin this guy`s career?
LEVIN: Absolutely. I mean, I remember when we did the story. I mean, initially we broke the story that he was arrested, and we were told it was without incident. And, you know, what`s interesting about it is when we were dealing with the sheriff`s department and they kept saying to us it was without incident. That`s when it became a story bigger than Mel Gibson because it was about the sheriff`s department not telling us what we knew was the case.
So we worked that story all day long, and, again, it became bigger than Mel Gibson. But absolutely when - you know, when it came time to publish that story and you are looking at that button, I mean, I waited a little bit of time before we actually did it, and you do think about that.
HAMMER: And that story was just one example of how you guys have really changed the rules forever, as I said, about how celebrities are covered. Basically if they`re out and about in public, they`re fair game. I want you to listen to what Danny Bonaduce told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about celebrities and the right to privacy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANNY BONADUCE, ACTOR: Everybody has every right to any part of me or them that they want because I sold myself to you. I do it on purpose. If you want to come up to me and ask me anything, say anything you want, you have that right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So what do you think, Harvey? Do you agree with Danny there, if you are a star out in public, it goes with the territory?
LEVIN: Well, out in public, yes, but, you know, I believe stars have a right of privacy, absolutely. One of the things that we tell, you know, all of our camera people is that we do not invade people`s privacy. I mean, we will never, you know, go on to their property and intrude. We won`t trespass. We don`t chase people.
I think stars do have a right of privacy, and, you know, every day I can`t tell you how many stories we don`t do, and even if it`s out in public. I mean, I remember when Heather Locklear was getting divorced, and somebody came to us with some video of Heather with one of her children, and the child just looked scared. The divorce had just been filed, and it looked like, you know, the camera was just too intrusive. And we didn`t do it. That happens. Everyday, you think about that.
HAMMER: Yes. I think it would be good for a lot of people to know that, and now they do. Again, Harvey, congratulations on your two-year anniversary and for really changing the way things are done. Harvey Levin from "TMZ.com."
LEVIN: Thanks, A.J.
ANDERSON: Some sad news from the music world tonight. The lead singer of the `80s metal band, "Quiet Riot," Kevin Dubrow, was found dead in his Las Vegas apartment Sunday night.
(MUSIC)
ANDERSON: Dubrow was the voice behind the Quiet Riot`s monster metal hit "Bang Your Head," "Come on Feel the Noise." The band sold more than six million copies of their album "Mental Health" back in 1983. Not clear what killed Dubrow. Kevin Dubrow was 52 years old.
HAMMER: So shocking to hear that. I was also totally stunned hear about a beauty queen being poisoned by her own dress. That`s right. And little Dannielyn, of course, Anna Nicole smith`s daughter, wearing a "Who`s Your Daddy?" t-shirt?" Are you kidding me? Well, coming up at 30 past the hour, we`ve got a revealing look at the totally outrageous stories that have everyone saying that`s ridiculous. We also have this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s sort of an MTV curse that`s destroyed a variety of marriages.
ANDERSON: Yes. It looks like the Hogans are the latest TV marriage to go the way of splistville. You know, I`ve got to ask, Nick and Jessica, Britney and K-Fed, is there a reality TV curse? Do these shows ruin marriages? We`ve got a shocking look straight ahead.
And, A.J., have you to see these shocking pictures. That`s "Heroes" star, Hayden Panettiere. Oh, no, has this good girl finally gone bad? Gone naughty, so naughty that she`s talking about hooking up with Angelina Jolie? I`ve got that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tuesday, the most useless celebrities of 2007. Who are the biggest waste of space in Hollywood? You know, some are famous for being famous. Some are famous for being train wrecks. But who is the most useless celebrity of the year? There are some real surprises. We`ll them to you Tuesday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: So, it was only a matter of time until good girl "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere got naughty, right? Get this. Tonight, she says she would love to have a lesbian affair with Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron, Jessica Alba or Kate Beckinsale.
OK. OK. Hayden is totally kidding, but she really did open up in a revealing spread in "GQ Magazine." "GQ" named her as "Obsession of the Year." And Hayden talked about all kinds of provocative stuff like all those rumors about who she is dating, guys, girls, and that`s why Hayden was joking.
Hayden also said there`s no way all this fame is going to mess her up. She says, quote, "You can`t schedule rehab for me, and I don`t think you can schedule any DUIs. I think I`m going to be one of those boring girls. I get into trouble on my own time, when nobody`s looking. Not bad trouble, though, goods trouble." Read more about Hayden in the "GQ Men of The Year" issue. It`s on newsstands everywhere, Tuesday.
Well, I hope I never see Hayden in a reality show, because that might lead to a devastating break-up. Just look at Nick and Jessica, Britney and K-Fed, Carmen and Dave. They all did reality shows. They all split. So I`ve got to ask, is there a reality TV curse? We`ve got it next. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: I have been close to suicide, so upset about this. I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murderer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Heather Mills breaking down. Ellen crying over a dog. Rosie O`Donnell whining about everything. I mean, come on, shouldn`t these stars give it a rest? Coming up next, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is naming Hollywood drama queens.
ANDERSON: I mean, A.J., it`s getting ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as a beauty queen poisoned by her own dress or Anna Nicole Smith`s daughter wearing a "Who is you Daddy?" t-shirt. Come on. It might knock your socks off. The look at the stories that has everybody saying that`s ridiculous.
(NEWS BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a whole mess of stories that made us say, "That`s ridiculous!" From a poisoning at a beauty pageant, to baby Dannielyn`s bizarre fashion, statement, to Britney`s antics behind the wheel. I have to wonder what the heck is in the water lately? Tonight, say it loud, say it proud, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has all the weird and wacky star stories that made us say, "That`s ridiculous!"
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But there`s sort of an MTV curse that`s destroyed a variety of marriages.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is there a curse on reality TV couples? Hulk Hogan and his wife are just the latest. The television landscape is littered with the failed relationships of celebrity couples who decided to invite cameras into their lives. Are marriages that are played out on TV doomed? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT examines the reality TV curse.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. This is TV`s most provocative entertainment news show.
Tonight, we here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did a double take today when we saw some shocking stories that are just too ridiculous to be true. First, there was the contestant at the Miss Puerto Rico pageant who was poisoned by her own dress. We also saw Anna Nicole`s cute little baby Dannielyn hit the town with daddy, Larry Birkhead, in a paparazzi haven of Hollywood. These are the stories that has SHOWBIZ TONIGHT saying, "That`s ridiculous!"
With us tonight in New York, Lisa Bloom, anchor for Court TV. Also tonight, in Hollywood, Howard Bragman, publicist and founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. Lisa, Howard, great to see you both.
I want to begin with that story of Ingrid Marie Rivera, who was competing in the Miss Puerto Rico pageant. Well, it turns out somebody put pepper spray in her costume, her makeup. She went on stage as she was breaking out in hives. Lisa, that`s not only ridiculous that someone would do that, but that`s one brave woman to put your feelings for the pageant aside.
LISA BLOOM, ANCHOR, COURT TV: There`s no business like show business, Brooke. Man, she the consummate performer. We would be saying ah, ah, ah! But she`s not only gorgeous, she held it together. She deserves the crown. She deserves a Broadway show where she gets to be the star. Hats off to her. What a great story.
ANDERSON: Yes. We`re looking at her wearing the crown, the tiara. She actually won the thing. After the fact, she got iced all over to bring down the swelling, and she said in a press conference, quote, "At one point I said, `Am I a masochist?` But I said I am with God, and this is my goal, regardless of the results."
Pageant organizers thought it was just allergies. Howard, you`ve got to hand it to her for sticking in this competition. But is it just ridiculous that someone would do that sort of thing to win Miss Puerto Rico? That is so catty, so underhanded.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, PUBLICIST: You know, I deal with the business of recognition all the time, and people would do just about anything to win. I mean, remember Tonya Harding had her competitor bashed in the thigh?
ANDERSON: Nancy Kerrigan. Yes.
BRAGMAN: You know, people really want to win. And when you`re talking about pageants, if she goes on and competes in Miss America and does really well, she has really the opportunity to get recognized by the entertainment industry and great things can happen.
So there`s a great price, and she has to realize that we in Hollywood have security around for a reason. There`s a lot of crazy people out there, and I think other pageants are going to do this. But I want to ask, I mean, do you think she spent, like, six hours studying geography? Was that required for all the contestants before they did that?
ANDERSON: Possibly. You know, she may be moving on to Miss Universe, not Miss America.
BRAGMAN: Oh, Miss Universe. OK.
ANDERSON: And I may be wrong about that. But now, I do want to move on to the most famous baby in America right now, Anna Nicole Smith`s daughter, Dannielyn. Take a look at this video from "Hollywood.tv." Daddy Larry Birkhead taking her to Robertson Boulevard. It`s a Hollywood shopping hotspot swarming with paparazzi. Her t-shirt reads "Who`s your daddy?" Come on. That`s so ridiculous. Funny, but ridiculous. Right, Lisa?
BLOOM: I like it. I like goofy infant shirts like, "Hey, baby, want to come back to my crib or dinner is on me?" The baby doesn`t get the joke, but the baby knows that everybody is smiling at her. I think it`s a win- win. I think it`s cute.
ANDERSON: And Larry Birkhead obviously has his sense of humor intact, which is nice. But I do want to listen to what Larry had said about the paparazzi`s attention back in June on "LARRY KING LIVE." Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY BIRKHEAD, FATHER OF ANNA NICOLE SMITH`S BABY, DANNIELYN: I can`t think of anything except this one right now. She keeps me so busy.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Are you dating yet?
BIRKHEAD: She`s my only date. Toy stores, anywhere she wants to go, I take her.
KING: Do they follow you around? The paparazzi?
BIRKHEAD: They do. They do. You know, they`ve been pretty kind with me, and it just -
KING: I think they respect you as a fellow photographer.
BIRKHEAD: They do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So, you know, Larry knows better than just really take Dannielyn, put her smack dab in the middle of Robertson Boulevard with a "Who`s your daddy?" t-shirt on. They`re going to take pictures. Howard, coincidence or just ridiculous?
BRAGMAN: The two easiest ways to get your picture taken in L.A. If you are a celebrity, get arrested. Number two, go down Robertson Boulevard. It`s a guarantee, and I think it`s cute too.
I think Lisa is right. It`s a cute shirt, but, you know what? I don`t want this baby to be used as a prop. Now, he has set her up so the paparazzi go she may wear something cute next time, and they are going to be that much more aggressive in following her. Larry is a little addicted to the spotlight, I think. And I hope that doesn`t run off on Dannielyn, but how can it not with her gene pool she`s swimming in, this girl. She`s going to love the spotlight, isn`t she?
ANDERSON: She`s adorable, too. Isn`t she, Lisa?
BLOOM: Absolutely adorable. She really is.
BRAGMAN: Does she have a makeup line yet?
BLOOM: She`s probably working on it.
ANDERSON: All right. Well, we will leave it there. I thank you both. This was a lot of fun. Lisa Bloom, Howard Bragman, we appreciate it.
BRAGMAN: Thanks, Brooke.
ANDERSON: All right. Shocking news that Hulk Hogan and his wife, Linda, are headed for divorce. This is after 24 years together. The couple had some rocky times that were chronicled on the reality show, "Hogan Knows Best." And sources tell TMZ that they were already separated during some of that filming.
This is certainly not the first couple to break up after inviting cameras into their lives. So we`ve got us thinking, is there a reality TV curse? I`ve just got to ask, is reality TV bad for marriage?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA SIMPSON, SINGER AND ACTRESS: Nick.
NICK LACHEY, JESSICA SIMPSON`S EX-HUSBAND: What?
SIMPSON: Our dumpling gooey a little.
ANDERSON: The good, the bad, and the ugly, courtesy of relationship reality TV.
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: I`ve had sex three times today.
ANDERSON: Whether it`s Britney Spears and Kevin Federline in "Chaotic" or Whitney and Bobby in "Being Bobby Brown," millions of us watched cutesy celebrity couples make their marriage into a hit TV show. And then we all watched as reality, single life, bit back hard.
JOHN HENSON, TV GUIDE CHANNEL, "WATCH THIS": Reality giveth and reality taketh away. There`s sort of an MTV curse that`s destroyed a variety of marriages. We`re talking about Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro, Shanna Moakler and Travis Barker; most famously, Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson. Ironically, the only marriage to survive the MTV curse is the couple who began the whole genre, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. I think that`s mainly because nobody could understand a word Ozzy says.
OZZY OSBOURNE, ROCK MUSICIAN: (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
ANDERSON: Relationship expert, Dr. Laura Berman, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she doesn`t buy into the reality show curse, but she says couples who decide to do reality TV may simply be predisposed to breaking up.
LAURA BERMAN, RELATIONSHIP EXPERT: I think that if someone is going to put themselves on camera 24/ and in particular, putting their relationship on camera 24/7, it says a lot about them as people in terms of the kind of attention they need in terms of the kind of feedback they need.
SPEARS: Hi, everyone. I`m Britney.
ANDERSON: Brit and K-Fed grossed us all out with their in-your-face UPN reality show highlighting the best of their home video collection. Look what happened to them.
SPEARS: Huh?
ANDERSON: Surprisingly, K-Fed told me he didn`t regret the reality show. He says he and Brit were just having fun and wanted the world to see how real they were.
KEVIN FEDERLINE, BRITNEY SPEARS` EX-HUSBAND: We had this footage, and we used it to give people a better idea that, you know, we found love. We wanted to show people the real, real side of it.
SPEARS: I`m ugly.
HENSON: "Chaotic" was arguably the worst reality show in history. But on the bright side, they did make up with it with lots and lots of headlines about their divorce.
LACHEY: Jessica, shut up.
ANDERSON: Nick Lachey blames a big part of his real life breakup on his reality show, "Newlyweds." He says the lines between what`s real and reality become blurred once the cameras start rolling. Telling "Rolling Stone" magazine, quote, "When you are on a reality show, your life creases to be reality. It becomes TV."
BERMAN: I`m sure that for many of these couples, when the cameras turn off, they`re still sort of on, and it`s hard for them to really tone it down, be genuine with each other, be vulnerable with each other, and be honest with other.
WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER: Damn! Damn! Lord, I just want to be a real person!
BERMAN: They feel like there`s always a third witness there, which is millions of Americans, watching their every move and their every mistake or every complication in their relationship.
ANDERSON: Not all reality relationships turn into reality wrecks. Rob and Amber, the couple we met on CBS`s "Survivor" are still going strong.
ROB: We`re in the reality TV show business, if you will, and our life together is the most important thing to us.
HENSON: Rob and Amber - Romber - I think they`re going to go public soon. You can trade these guys on the NASDAQ. They`re like pork bellies. They`re reality royalty.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler are an interesting case. They broke up after their reality show "Meet the Barkers," but have been on again, off again since then. Last we heard, they are together again, but stay tuned.
And we can add another couple to the list of failed reality show marriages, unfortunately. Danny Bonaduce and his wife, Gretchen, are in the process of getting divorced. Their reality show, "Breaking Bonaduce" chronicled their attempts at couple`s counseling.
HAMMER: Well, speaking of divorce and drama, oh, what do say we take another look at that Heather Mills clip that is really going down in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT history as one of the most over the top quotes ever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: I have been close to suicide. So upset about this. I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murderer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, the drama, the tears, the heartache and heart break. I`ve noticed this lately. So many stars fighting their personal dramas in such a public way. Well, coming up, we`re going to do it. We`re cramming the three Hollywood drama queens of the year. Definitely not to be missed.
ANDERSON: And Oprah speaking out about the doctor who performed cosmetic surgery on Kanye West`s mother. Oprah had Dr. Jan Adams on her show a while ago, but did she or her staff know he wasn`t a board certified plastic surgeon? We`ve got that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: I just want this family to have the dog. It`s not their fault. It`s my fault.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ah, who can forget Ellen DeGeneres` dramatic and tearful plea to a doggy adoption agency to give her hair dresser back her dog? Ah, the memories.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, we bring you Hollywood drama queens. There are so many celebrities battling very personal dramas in a very public way. So tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT crowns the top three Hollywood drama queens of the year.
To help me do that, joining me from Hollywood tonight is editorial director of "UsMagazine.com," Ken Baker. And in New York, Maggie Gallant, the founder of Spotlight Communications. Maggie, Ken, I appreciate you being here. A lot of work to get done, so let`s get right to it.
Who are these mystery ladies we speak of? Well, the first Hollywood drama queen crowned by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is Heather Mills. Of course, she went on TV show after TV show yelling and crying and pleading with the press to leave her alone. Oh, the drama. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILLS: I have been close to suicide, so upset about this. I`ve had worse press than a pedophile or a murderer.
HAMMER: OK. Ken, begs the question. If she`s so sick and tired of being vilified by the media, why does she keep doing so much press? Could it be, Ken, that she`s a drama queen?
BAKER: Well, I think she very much is obsessed with the idea that she needs people to love her. But my advice to her is if you want people to love you, then stop going after Paul McCartney`s money, stop trying to convince us that you are not a bad person who is just in it for the dough, and start going back to all the charitable things that made you popular in the first place.
Go help the baby seals in the North Pole. Go help people who are suffering from injuries from land mines. Do all that stuff. Don`t go on TV and tell us how terrible your life is when you are just about to get, like, $50 million to $100 million.
HAMMER: Yes, it doesn`t seem like it`s helping her at all. Maggie, how much damage is she doing to her reputation by constantly airing her dirty drama out in public?
MAGGIE GALLANT, FOUNDER, SPOTLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS: I couldn`t agree with Ken more, and I have to say, I could barely even understand what she was saying. She got so high pitched and squealy. I wasn`t even sure what she was complaining about. But PR 101, if you are going to insult the press, don`t expect them to be that understanding when you are trying to go for an image booster.
HAMMER: Well, if you couldn`t understand it, I could act it out for you. I have heard it a couple of times.
But I`m going to move on it our second Hollywood drama queen, crowned by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is Rosie O`Donnell. And really, for so many reasons. You have drama at every turn with Rosie O`Donnell, from the public battles with Donald Trump, of course, to her duking it out with her former co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck on "The View." This was a no-brainer. Oh, let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, FORMER CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Do you believe that I think our troops are terrorists?
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I do -
O`DONNELL: And you would not even look me in the face, Elizabeth, -
HASSELBECK: What are you talking about?
O`DONNELL: And say, "No, Rosie, I can understand how people might have thought that. Why don`t you take this opportunity?" like I`m six.
HASSELBECK: Because you are an adult, and I am certainly not going to be the person for you to explain your thoughts. They`re your thoughts. Defend your own insinuations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That really is just one of so many examples that we could give you from this year alone. But quite frankly, we only have time for one. Ken Baker, Rosie seems to thrive on the drama, doesn`t she?
BAKER: She does, but just let me point out. Who was the one that was actually shouting in that engagement there? It was Elizabeth. She`s a drama queen too. But getting back to the point, I guess, Rosie - she is known as the "Queen of Mean" when she first went on "The View."
And now, she`s the "Mama of Drama," and we love it. And the people who love Rosie love to see her being this way, causing controversy, stirring the pot. Whether she`s doing it on her blog or going on shows or writing a book and stirring it up, she is basically building an industry around this. This is her image. This is what she does. I personally think it`s great. And I think that whether you love her or hate her, she`s eminently watchable, and we cannot not pay attention to her.
HAMMER: Well, that really begs the question then. Maggie, does Rosie need to keep her mouth shut or is the drama so much a part of her personality that really her career at this point depends on it?
GALLANT: Well, the ratings were reflecting in "The View" that people were, indeed, just like Ken said, they were loving it. They loved to hear that she just has to get in the last word. We are loving it, and I think she`s really enjoying it. I think for a long time she was so nice and friendly when she had her own show. But when she wanted to go on "The View" and have a different kind of view, hence the name, she had too much of a good time.
HAMMER: She had a field day. Let`s quickly get to our third Hollywood drama queen crowned by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Let`s see, please. The big reveal for Ellen DeGeneres. Who can forget her dear-filled plea with doggies` adoption agency to get Iggy the dog back. Let`s watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: I tried to find a loving home for the dog because I couldn`t keep it. I was trying to do a good thing. Because I did it wrong, those people went and took that dog out of their home and took it away from those kids. And I feel totally responsible for it. I`m so sorry. I`m begging them to give that dog back to that family. I just want the family to have the dog. It`s not their fault. It`s my fault.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Let me start with this by saying I love Ellen DeGeneres. Everybody needs a good cry every now and then. But Ken Baker, did Ellen really need to do that on national television?
BAKER: The answer is no. What someone should have done right after she went and did that whole thing where she broke down, they should have sat her down and made her sit cross-legged and done this - aum. Relax. Take a break and redo it again.
Because, guess what, I don`t think people were really disagreeing with her. That adoption agency was really harsh. The ruling was so ridiculous that she couldn`t - the dog couldn`t stay and it was just all very technical why the dog couldn`t stay and all this kind of stuff. No one was disagreeing with her. But the execution was so poor, so over the top that we just felt sort of like, ah, you are hitting us over the head with a hammer.
HAMMER: Yes. And there`s a good chance she will never live it down. Ken Baker, Maggie Gallant, thank you for helping us out with Hollywood`s drama queens tonight.
BAKER: Thanks.
GALLANT: Thanks.
ANDERSON: We`re asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It is this. "Britney, texting while driving: Is she a danger on the road?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnm.com. Do it from your desk top, your laptop, even your Blackberry or cell phone. Whatever you want to tell us.
HAMMER: So Oprah is speaking out about the doctor who operated on Kanye West`s mother. Now, Oprah had Dr. Jan Adams on the show a while ago. But did she or her staff know that he wasn`t a board certified plastic surgeon? That`s coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You definitely don`t want to miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Well, Oprah is in the middle of not one, but two scandals, and it looks like she`s facing them head on. First, her school abuse scandal. Oprah made a secret trip to her school for girls in South Africa on Sunday, and met with students and parents. Now, the father of one student told "People" magazine that Oprah`s visit went very smoothly and she, quote, "resolved everything."
The "Oprah Winfrey Show" is also speaking out about another scandal, namely, why the show didn`t check up on Dr. Jan Adams before they put him on the air. Dr. Adams, of course, is the one who performed cosmetic surgery on Kanye West`s mother before she died. He was on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" back in 2003. And after doing some investigating, TMZ found that Adams had multiple DUIs and malpractice suits and was not a board certified plastic surgeon.
Well, a rep from Oprah tells TMZ that the show Dr. Adams appeared on was about TV shows that highlighted trends in cosmetic surgery and, quote, "Since he was booked as a guest commentator on the subject of medical television, not in his capacity as a surgeon, and since we did not promote him as a cosmetic surgeon, there was no reason to do a background check on him. We have removed all references to him from our web site."
ANDERSON: Last week, Dr. Adams walked off of "LARRY KING LIVE," refusing to answer any questions about Donda West. And we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Kanye West mom tragedy: Should the doctor be speaking out at all?" Twenty-one percent of you say yes; seventy-nine percent of you say no. And here are some of the e-mails that we received.
Tamisha(ph), from Texas, writes, "He really shouldn`t speak out because if he`s so close to the family, then he should show respect and not say anything."
Valerie, from Wisconsin, thinks, "The doctor should be speaking so that the public will be aware of the dangers of having any kind of surgery."
HAMMER: Is it that time? It`s that time, right? Let`s find out what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tuesday, the most useless celebrities of 2007. Who are the biggest waste of space in Hollywood? You know, some are famous for being famous. Some are famous for being train wrecks, but who is the most useless celebrity of the year? Some real surprises. That`s Tuesday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also Tuesday, does marriage matter in Hollywood anymore? Forget what you have heard about first comes love, then comes marriage and then comes baby. These Hollywood couples are mixing up the order. What`s behind this trend in Hollywood of having the baby first? That`s Tuesday on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks a lot for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is coming up next. Stay tuned. Take care.
END
