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Showbiz Tonight

Nick`s Cellmates; Can Hulk Hogan Move Back on Top?; The Dumbest Reality Shows Ever; Hot Mamas in Hollywood; Clint Eastwood`s Word War with Spike Lee; Single Women in Hollywood; Gina Gershon Speaks

Aired June 09, 2008 - 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: From Hulk Hogan to Paris Hilton, the dumbest reality shows that are coming soon to your living room. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And Gina Gershon speaks out the rumor that she has something to do - something going on with former President Clinton. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.

HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.

On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Hogan family drama, the breaking brand-new outrage over Hulk Hogan`s son, Nick, being moved out of solitary confinement. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the revealing new details about Nick`s cell mate as Hulk makes a startling decision to finally speak out in a big way.

Tonight, is there anything Hulk can say or do to get back on top? Or has the Hulk been body slammed for good? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the late-breaking details, twists and turns in the Hogan family drama.

Hot mamas in Hollywood. Tonight, big baby news for Jessica Alba and she`s not the only young, hot star turned new mama - Ashlee Simpson, Nicole Richie. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the eye-opening revelations about Hollywood`s mommy mania.

Plus an explosive new shot fired in the Clint Eastwood-Spike Lee black and white smackdown. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the unbelievable war of words with disturbing racial.

(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 I`m just asking, is Hulk Hogan`s upcoming new reality show going to be one of the dumbest reality shows ever? Wait until you hear which celebrities he`s lined up to wrestle each other. That`s coming up.

HAMMER: But first, Hulk`s tough reality in his life right now, the beating he and his family have been taking over his teenaged son`s stay in prison. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal that the Hulkster is finally - finally about to break his silence.

And we can also tell you brand-new details about what his son is going through in jail now that he`s out of solitary confinement. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the big developments making news right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HULK HOGAN, WRESTLER AND REALITY TV STAR: Hogan knows best.

HAMMER (voice over): You thought the reality show, "Hogan Knows Best" was dramatic.

BROOKE BOLLEA, DAUGHTER OF HULK HOGAN: Nick, shut up.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the family of wrestler Hulk Hogan is dealing with enough drama and turmoil to fill a DVD box sets worth of episodes.

JULIA ALISON, "STAR" MAGAZINE: The Hogans went from reality show crazy to real-life crazy.

HAMMER: Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has for you the inside details on Nick Hogan`s new jail cell, his new cell mates and exactly how Nick is serving out his sentence for that street racing crash that severely injured his friend, John Graziano.

ALISON: Now, he has three roommates and a television set, so he could be watching this right now. Hi, Nick.

HAMMER: Late last week, Nick was moved from solitary confinement where Nick had said he was freaking out from all the isolation. NICK BOLLEA, HULK HOGAN`S SON: I`m really freaking out, Dad.

HAMMER: Now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned Nick is sharing his cell with at least two other juveniles. One Santiago Langsten(ph) was arrested for allegedly fleeing a police officer. The other, Christopher Johnson, is locked up for allegedly violating probation on a robbery charge.

But "Star" magazine`s Julia Allison tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Nick probably doesn`t have anything to worry about now that he`s in contact with other inmates.

ALISON: No one is going to mess with Hulk Hogan`s son, even though wrestling is fake, those are real muscles.

HAMMER: Nick apparently has won over at least one fellow prisoner. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the 17-year-old recently received a letter of support from this woman, Stephanie Ragusa who`s locked up herself, get this, for allegedly having sex with middle school students.

ALISON: Nick does have a baby face, so I guess I understand that.

HAMMER: The sheriff`s office says there was nothing salacious or illegal about the Ragusa`s letter. The "St. Petersburg Times" quotes Nick`s attorney as saying Nick, quote, "has no desire to be Stephanie Ragusa`s pen pal."

ALISON: Not writing this particular teacher back is a good move on his part. Way to go, Nick. It only took jail for you to start making good choices.

HAMMER: Back on the outside, Nick`s mother, Linda, praised her son`s new jail arrangement.

LINDA BOLLEA, MOTHER OF NICK BOLLEA: At least he`s got company. He`s got to finish out his time.

HAMMER: Linda neglected to mention that just last week when Nick petitioned to judge to move him out of solitary, Linda actually released a statement opposing the move. Now, that`s all water under the bridge.

L. BOLLEA: He`s happy to be in there and do what he`s got to do.

ALISON: Her attitude right now almost seems like he`s at summer camp. She`s like, "Yes, you know, he writes. He`s having fun doing arts and crafts," and that kind of thing.

HAMMER: Linda`s brief comments are nothing compared to what`s coming Tuesday when for the very first time since all the jail uproar, Hulk himself will be speaking out big-time. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Hulk is scheduled to appear on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE," Tuesday night.

ALISON: Just in time for Father`s Day, Hulk is going to go on and talk about how his kid`s in jail.

HAMMER: Hulk may also have to respond to the media body slam he got for that jailhouse tape of him and Nick discussing an idea for a post-jail reality show, all while his accident victim remained in a hospital bed.

N. BOLLEA: I want to do it where I`ll make the most money.

And Hulk may have to face a question or two about his ugly divorce from wife, Linda, which has turned nasty in a bitter fight over money and their children, Nick and Brooke, who debuts in her own reality show on VH1 next month.

ALISON: I do think that he`s in a really tough position. He`s getting divorced. His son`s in jail and have you seen his daughter? It`s a tough position for anyone to be in.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Well, with so many people just disgusted at the Hogans, I have to wonder what Hulk will possibly be able to say when he goes on "LARRY KING LIVE" on Tuesday to change some hearts and minds.

With me tonight from Hollywood, it`s Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. And here in New York, Marvette Britto, the founder of the Britto Agency Experts. In the PR field, both of them

All right. A lot of things that Larry is going to have to ask Hulk about, I would have to imagine, one of the most shocking things that Hulk is going to have to explain are those jailhouse phone calls to Nick. Because as we now know, Hulk said some pretty harsh things about the victim of Nick`s crash, a guy who still remains in a semi-comatose state. Let`s listen to this -

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

HOGAN: Well, I don` know what type of person John was or what he did to get himself in this situation. I know he was pretty aggressive and used to yell at people and used to do stuff and - but for some reason, man, god laid some heavy (EXPLETIVE DELETED) on that kid, man. I don`t know what he was into -

N. BOLLEA: John was a negative person.

HOGAN: He was what?

N. BOLLEA: He was a negative person.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HAMMER: Howard, I just don`t know what he can do about that. Specific to these phone calls and that conversation, is there anything Hulk Hogan can do to explain that away?

HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Absolutely. And as you know, I`ve prepped a few people for Larry King and exactly this type of interviews. The first thing, if I was asked that question, if I were Hulk Hogan, I`d say, "You know these conversations were personal and private between my son and I. Law enforcement illegally taped them and we`re suing on that very basis."

And then he has to add how much sympathy he feels for John, who was injured, and his family, that tapes were made that quotes were pulled out of context, that it`s a true tragedy and his heart goes out to his family. You have to understand, A.J., he starts out in the hole. He`s got to get out of this hole. And if even we like Hulk a little better, then you`re achieving something after he does this interview.

HAMMER: All right. I mean I definitely see the idea of the sympathy factor, trying to gain some sympathy there. Without getting off topic here, Howard, you know, the phone calls were not taped illegally. That would be - probably be a bad thing for him to suggest unless it was absolutely true.

BRAGMAN: But isn`t there a lawsuit to the effect that they were being taped illegally, I believe?

HAMMER: There`s a whole lot of stuff going on.

BRAGMAN: Yes, I know.

HAMMER: And of course, just as shocking was him and Nick getting caught on tape plotting that reality show that Nick wants to do when he gets out of jail. That got a lot of people really, really mad. Marvette, I`ve got to ask you, is there really any room for damage control here or is it too little, too late?

MARVETTE BRITTO, FOUNDER, BRITTO AGENCY EXPERTS: Well, it`s never too late, particularly for a man who resuscitated his brand around a show called "Hogan Knows Best." Now, we really need to see his best. It`s a little disheartening to hear a man and his son talking about, you know, what they`re going to do when his son gets out of jail, and they`re not dealing with the fact of why his son is in jail.

We want to hear remorse. We want to hear him feel sorry for what he did and then talk about how he`s going to change his life. How has he changed? What has he learned? It seems like his son is more concerned about what he`s going to do when he gets out of jail than showing genuine concern for the family and the victim.

So yes, you can do it, but we need to see celebrities come out and show a real effort rather than going on "LARRY KING" telling their side of the story and us not really seeing them make steps to change the circumstances that got them into the trouble in the first place.

HAMMER: Yes, weighing back people`s hearts and minds is going to be the main task here and it`s going to be tough. We know that Hulk tried to get his son out of jail early and get him placed under house arrest. That, of course, failed. Then on Friday, Nick got out of solitary confinement. So we had to ask in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Hulk Hogan`s Son out of Solitary: Is he getting special treatment?" Look at this, a whopping 74 percent of people who responded said, yes, special treatment. Only 26 percent said no. Howard, it seems to me there is this gut response to Hulk and his son and it is not good. And this is somebody, of course, who was such a beloved icon. So what exactly does Hulk need to do on "LARRY KING" to win people back?

BRAGMAN: He`s got to be a very sympathetic creature. He`s got to explain that is his 17-year-old son, who is involved in a tragic accident that he has to live with for the rest of his life and that when speaks to his son, he`s speaking as a father. When he talks about reality shows, he`s offering hope.

He`s not talking about the fact that the kid`s in jail and the kid`s being punished. I`m sure Hulk`s son is reminded of that every day when he wakes up and looks at the bars at the window. Hulk has to be very real, very honest, very sympathetic, a loving father, a compassionate person towards the young man who was injured. And he`ll start to heal. He will start to heal and it can get better, I promise you.

HAMMER: Marvette, quickly, I`ve got to ask you what would you add to that great list Howard just provided of what Hulk absolutely needs to do.

BRITTO: That`s absolutely what he needs to do. We really need to see concern. We need to see sympathy. We need to see that they care about something more than themselves which is all we`ve seen thus far.

HAMMER: All right. Howard Bragman, Marvette Britto, I appreciate you both being here. It is going to be some must-see TV for sure to seal that phrase. I do appreciate you all being here. On Tuesday night, we`ll all be tuning in for Hulk`s big interview. "LARRY KING LIVE" Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.

HAMMER: And now, we want to hear from you. This is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. We`d like you to sound off on, "Hulk Hogan: Can his career survive his son`s scandal?" You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail us if you have more to say, showbiztonight@cnn.com.

ANDERSON: So A.J., Hulk Hogan is doing a wrestling reality show with D- list celebrities. I`m not sure that`s the best career move.

HAMMER: I know what you mean, Brooke. It`s kind of hard to decide which is going to be more painful - his show or Paris Hilton`s new show?

ANDERSON: Yes. You know, we have seen some sorry reality shows come down the pike. But these two could make "Temptation Island" look like "Masterpiece Theater." Hulk Hogan`s wrestling show, Paris Hilton`s search for a best friend. Coming up, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes a look at the dumbest reality shows ever.

HAMMER: Also, it`s he-said, he-said in a war of words between Clinton Eastwood and Spike Lee. I cannot believe what Clint said about Spike or what Spike said about Clint. This thing is deteriorating into some petty name-calling if you ask me. And there are some disturbing racial overtones. That is coming up.

ANDERSON: Also, big baby news for Jessica Alba. Jessica is joining a club that seems to be growing - hot, young Hollywood stars getting married and having kids. But at the same time, other A-listers are saying "I don`t" to the traditional path. They`re happily unmarried in Hollywood. That is straight ahead.

HAMMER: And remember, you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT video anytime. We`re always posting new stuff for you to check out at our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. And among the videos playing right now, the Hogan family drama.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.

Tonight, the remarkable, racially fueled war of words between Spike Lee and Clint Eastwood has exploded. Spike Lee is firing back at Clint Eastwood after Clint said that a guy like Lee should, quote, "shut his face." Clint blew his stack after Spike complained explained two of Clint`s films about World War II didn`t have any blacks in them.

Joining me tonight in Hollywood is senior editor for "In Touch Weekly," Kim Serafin and in Los Angeles, Michael Yo, host of "Yo on E!" It can be heard on XM and Sirius satellite radio.

Kim, Michael, thanks for being here. And you know, his is truly unbelievable. Take a look at what Spike just told ABCNews.com about Clint in his latest response, quote, "First of all, the man is not my father and we`re not on a plantation either. He`s a great director. He makes his films, I make my films, and a comment like `a guy like that should shut his face.` Come on, Clint. Come on. He sounds like an angry old man right there."

Michael Yo, is Spike out of line?

MICHAEL YO, HOST OF "YO ON E!" You know, Spike summed it up best in what he was saying, "He makes his movies and I make mine." Why is Spike so worried about how Clint Eastwood is making movies?

I mean I think that Spike went way too far. I mean this is just disgusting and then how he throws in the Obama line at the end of it like, "Oh, I just want love and peace and Obama." You know, it`s just bad - I mean it`s just bad representation, and I feel really bad for Spike Lee right now to basically attack Clint Eastwood.

ANDERSON: Kim, do you find it remarkable that when talking about Clint Eastwood, Spike would say, "We`re not on a plantation." Now, I`m sure Spike wasn`t suggesting that somehow Clint supports slavery. But do you think he went too far?

KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Well, poor choice of words, obviously. But we`re talking about Spike Lee. I mean he certainly is known for controversy. He is certainly is very emotional and passionate about all of his movies. So if it was somebody else saying this, maybe there would be more of an uproar. But I think coming from Spike Lee, well, people know, you know, he talks a lot and does really care about his films.

You know, I don`t think it`s such a crazy thing for him to say. You know, he`s controversial. You know, that`s what his movies are, that`s what he`s known for. And it`s sort of strange for him to be attacking Dirty Harry. But again, I think - we`re looking at Spike Lee and he`s great at what he does, but this is sort of what he`s known for.

ANDERSON: They are doing some major verbal gun-slinging here. And you know, as you say, Spike Lee is known for his controversial comments, for stirring the pot. But Michael Yo, are you surprised that Clint Eastwood took the bait and said that a guy like Spike should shut his face? Was that a mistake on Clint`s part?

YO: No, anytime somebody attacks your character, you`ve got to defend yourself. A lot of things you can blow up when - blow off when somebody attacks your character, that`s when you`ve got to go after them and set the record straight, because Spike Lee in the black community is very influential.

So, yes, you`ve got to put that to rest and you`ve got to just put it out there that you`re not like that. I mean it`s just a bad case of Spike Lee talking out of terms. And the movies he`s talking about came out over two years ago. Did he just get them on DVD or something and making a big deal about it right now? Seriously, or -

ANDERSON: Well, you know, I was there at the Cannes Film Festival and that`s where the whole thing first started. Because Lee was actually talking about and promoting his upcoming film about African-Americans in World War II. And this is where he criticized Eastwood for not having black actors in "Flags of Our Fathers," also "Letters From Iwo Jima." Kim, what do you think? Does it smell a little bit like a publicity stunt to you? Here we are talking about Spike`s movie, "Miracle at St. Anna?"

SERAFIN: That is true. I mean it`s very convenient. Now, look, I don`t doubt Spike`s passionate, you know, words because he is promoting this movie. And I think it was on his mind because he is promoting a movie about World War II. He talks about how he knows the history of it. It`s something he has been involved with, that he is thinking about, and talking about and promoting. But yes, it certainly is helpful that he is promoting his own movie. But again, he has a movie that portrays - that talks about an African American troop in Italy, I believe it is.

SERAFIN: Right.

SERAFIN: And Clint Eastwood certainly was accurate I mean even "Letters from Iwo Jima," where he does it in subtitles with the most Japanese cast.

ANDERSON: And that`s right. He defended it by saying, historically, his movies were accurate. Spike has said that he`s going to end it right here, peace and love. We will see if that happens. They`re both revered filmmakers. Kim Serafin, Michael Yo, good to see you. Thanks.

HAMMER: All right. Quick question, Brooke - would you like to be Paris Hilton`s best friend?

ANDERSON: I can`t say that I would, A.J.

HAMMER: Not for me either. But, you know, there are plenty of people who`ve signed up to be on her new reality show. Sounds like an unwatchable show, if you ask me. Then you have the Hulk Hogan show. He`s hosting a wrestling deal where D-listers duke it out in the ring. I think you know where I`m going here. Coming up, the dumbest reality shows ever.

ANDERSON: Also, Gina Gershon is speaking out about that "Vanity Fair" article that has her so furious. It mentioned rumors that former President Clinton visited her. And now she is setting the record straight and is totally fired up about it. Gina in her own words, straight ahead.

ANDERSON: Also big baby news for Jessica Alba. Jessica`s joining a club that really seems to be growing. I`m talking about the hot, young Hollywood stars getting married, having kids. At the same time, other A- listers are saying "I don`t" to that traditional path. They`re happy unmarried in Hollywood. That is coming up.

And now you can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT anytime. All you have to do is download our podcast because it happens to be totally free. You`ll find the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast right there on our Web site, point your web browser to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also get it on iTunes. Just do a search for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming straight back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson. And here are some more stories that are new right now.

Patrick Swayze is going back to work. Swayze is reportedly doing well enough with his treatment for pancreatic cancer to start acting again. This is fantastic news. He`ll be in Chicago this summer to start filming the debut season of the A & E drama, "The Beast." In it, Swayze plays an unorthodox FBI agent.

Larry Birkhead is moving to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky with his daughter Dannielynn(ph). Birkhead has bought a house there, and he tells "People" magazine he might sell Anna Nicole Smith`s house in Los Angeles. He says he thought it would be great for Dannielynn to grow up in her mother`s home, but there`s no yard for Dannielynn to play in and no kids her age.

Anne Heche`s marriage to Coley Laffoon is officially over. And the judge ordered the actress to pay up. She has to pay her ex $275,000 and also $3,700 a month in child support for their son.

So, A.J., Hulk Hogan is doing a wrestling reality show with D-list celebrities. I`m not sure that`s the best career move.

HAMMER: Yes, and it`s going to be pretty painful to watch. Although I don`t know if it will be more painful than Paris Hilton`s new show.

ANDERSON: You know, there have been some bad reality shows but these could be the worst, A.J. Hulk Hogan`s wrestling show, Paris Hilton`s search for a best friend. Straight ahead, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT presents the dumbest reality shows ever.

HAMMER: Also Gina Gershon speaks out about that "Vanity Fair" article that has her so furious. It mentioned those rumors about her and former President Clinton. She`s really fired up about it.

We`ll also have this -

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN SCHEFFT, AUTHOR, "BETTER SINGLE THAN SORRY": My advice for women is don`t settle. Don`t ever settle and don`t wait for your life to start once you meet a man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: There are plenty of Hollywood A-listers who are following that advice. Coming up, a showbiz special report - unmarried in Hollywood.

But more hot, young stars are also saying yes to marriage and kids. That`s straight ahead as we take a look at Hollywood`s new mom mania.

You can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by checking out our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. All you have to do is go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. That`s where you subscribe so we can send to you every day. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming straight back.

(NEWS BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: On SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the dumbest reality shows ever. As Hulk Hogan desperately tries to repair his image, tonight he`s launching a controversial new show, celebrity wrestling. Are you kidding me? Plus, Paris Hilton - another ridiculous TV show for her. Enough already. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the dumbest reality shows ever.

Hot Hollywood mamas. Jessica Alba, Ashlee Simpson, Nicole Richie - they`re young, they`re gorgeous and they`re big-time stars. Tonight, a revealing look at Hollywood`s hot mamas who are juggling family and fame.

(MUSIC)

Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 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.

HAMMER: Well, tonight, two brand-new reality shows coming your way that truly may be the dumbest reality shows ever. You`ve got to listen to this. Over the weekend, Paris Hilton was out partying and shooting her new MTV reality show in which people are competing to what - be her BFF. Yes, her best friend forever. Seems the old-fashioned way of making friends just doesn`t work for somebody like Paris.

And Hulk Hogan is getting back into the ring to transform washed-up celebrities into wrestlers for a new reality show. I`m talking about "Different Strokes" star Todd Bridges, `80s pop star Tiffany, even "Partridge Family`s" star Danny Bonaduce, all getting set to rumble under the Hulk`s mighty guidance. We`re still waiting for the punch line here.

Joining me tonight from Hollywood, it`s Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. And Amy Applebaum, the creator of "Boot Camp for Your Mind."

Hello, Amy. Hello, Howard. I want to start off with this whole Hogan thing. I can`t even believe he`s going through with this. It`s a new series for CMT. He`s going to be training these has-been celebrities that I mentioned to be pro-wrestlers. Howard, can you imagine a pitch meeting on this one?

BRAGMAN: You know, I think I can imagine a pitch meeting. You know, when we called the segment, "The Dumbest Reality Shows Ever," that`s either a very high or a very low standard to reach. I think people want to see celebrities beat the crap out of each other, frankly. I`m surprised there`s not oil-wrestling or mud-wrestling involved with this, A.J. That`s the only element that I`m seeing missing here. Big numbers, big numbers. I`d like to be - yes.

HAMMER: You think this is a good idea? You want a piece of the bank into this show, huh?

BRAGMAN: Well, you know, so to speak. I think it may work.

HAMMER: All right, Howard. Well, you know, we haven`t actually seen any of the show or even Danny Bonaduce, one of the stars that`s going to be in it, wrestling in a ring. However, as far as Danny is concerned, we do have in our midst, the next best thing, because we can`t possibly forget Danny tossing Johnny Fairplay over his shoulders. Remember he did that at the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards. Really? Really. Take a look at this.

(VIDEO CLIP OF DANNY BONADUCE AND JOHNNY FAIRPLAY)

Just a great moment in television history. Amy, you`ve got to admit that was pretty impressive. So I`m wondering maybe you need some insight here. What do you think the Hulk could possibly teach Danny Bonaduce in a show like this?

AMY APPLEBAUM, CREATOR OF "BOOT CAMP FOR YOUR MIND": Well, A.J., very good question. I think Danny could use this show mainly because it will be a great anger management exercise for him. As far as the Hulk, I don`t think this is a good idea. I don`t think this is a good idea at all. I think right now, we don`t give viewers enough credit. And viewers are voting - 94 percent of them are not really interested in what he is up to at this point. He`s got to redeem himself today for everything that he`s done or we don`t see him as a human being. We don`t want to watch him.

HAMMER: Yes. See, I agree with you and that`s why I`m wondering if it`s going to be such a good idea. Howard, on the other hand, thinking, you know, this could be huge. Because all of this, let`s keep in mind, is coming as Hulk is just taking a beating for the way he`s been dealing with his son, Nick, in jail. Of course, they were caught on tape in those jailhouse phone calls plotting the reality show that Nick wants to do after he gets out of jail and finish his sentence, let`s keep in mind, for nearly killing his friend in a car crash.

Howard, let`s take a reality check on this - what I think is a dumb idea because reality shows have done nothing but bite Hulk in the behind. So do you really think it`s that good or could it possibly qualify as the dumbest reality show ever?

BRAGMAN: All right. Here`s the issue, A.J. We call this the politics of distraction. We like Hulk Hogan, the caricature. We like Hulk Hogan the wrestler. We don`t know that we like Terry, you know, the Hulk Hogan that`s the real person quite as much.

I think this gets back to what his strengths are. This gets back to why people liked him in the first place and that`s why I think it`s a good idea, A.J., as opposed to a reality show where they`re truly invading your personal life. Just let Hulk Hogan be Hulk Hogan.

HAMMER: I see. So as a PR standpoint, it is a good distraction. I got you there, Howard.

I want to move on to our next contestant for the dumbest reality show ever. It almost seems like a perfect fit here because I`m using the name Paris Hilton. She was in Vegas on Friday. She was wining and dining and dancing with her potential new best friends for her new MTV reality show.

Howard, I want to come back at you for this one. Is this as dumb as it gets?

BRAGMAN: Yes. This is truly as dumb as it gets. This is right down there with "Armed and Famous," if you remember that classic reality show where Latoya Jackson was Tasered. We can only hope that they kept the Taser and they use it on this show. Yes, it`s stupid. Nobody`s going to watch this. Bad idea. Nobody wants to be Paris` friend.

HAMMER: Yes. See - but you say that nobody`s going to want to watch it. And as dumb as you may think it is, and as dumb as I may think it is, I have to believe the fine folks at MTV are smart enough that they wouldn`t do the show if they didn`t think that people would watch. So Amy, over to you. What do think is really going on here? Do you think people really want to be Paris` new best friend forever?

SERAFIN: Yes, A.J. I think a ton of people are going to watch this show. The majority of the planet absolutely idolizes the idea of celebrity. And here`s an opportunity to watch somebody go and befriend her. I mean the reality is this - the person who is going to be selected as her best friend, if they really think that`s going to happen, they should probably check in with what their agenda is.

But if they`re going to kind of maybe get ahead and create some opportunities for themselves, this is a great idea. People are going to check in because we`re voyeurs. We want to watch and see what`s going to happen.

HAMMER: Howard, how can you argue with that? You know, and we love our Paris Hilton and knowing every little aspect of her life. It`s important stuff to us.

BRAGMAN: You know, my PR meter just tells me her 15 minutes are almost up, A.J. I just - we haven`t heard a lot from her. Her movies have been tanking. You`re just not hearing anything about her products. I think the brand needs a little energizing. I`m not convinced this is going to do it.

HAMMER: And you know, I`d be OK with that. If the 15 minutes are up, I`m fine. Howard Bragman, Amy Applebaum, I appreciate you both being here tonight.

ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., how about this for a reality show idea? Hot, young Hollywood stars who crank out the kids?

HAMMER: Brooke, you may very well be on to something there. You may want to get a piece of the back end of that project.

ANDERSON: Maybe so, but actually, A.J., it`s real life. Look at Jessica Alba, big baby news for her. Then there`s Nicole Richie - Ashlee Simpson has a little one on the way. They are some serious hot Hollywood mamas juggling career and kids. Just how do they do it? You`ve got to stick around for this.

Plus, also this -

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCHEFFT: My advice for women is don`t settle. Don`t ever settle and don`t wait for your life to start once you meet a man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Remember her? Jen Schefft from "The Bachelor." Well, she`s very happy being unmarried right now and so are many Hollywood stars. Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, you don`t want to miss my showbiz special report, unmarried in Hollywood.

HAMMER: Well, according to Gina Gershon, she is being accused of hooking up with a married man, former president Bill Clinton. You have got to hear Gina speaking out for the very first time about this truly shocking controversy. That is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Tonight, big breaking star baby news in Hollywood. Jessica Alba gave birth over the weekend. She and her new hubby Cash Warren are the proud parents of a baby daughter.

Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TV`s most provocative entertainment news show. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, Jessica Alba isn`t the only hot young Hollywood mama getting pregnant and then rushing to get married before the baby is born.

Twenty-seven-year-old Jessica Alba first announced she was pregnant in December and then got married just before giving birth. Twenty-three-year- old hot mama-to-be Ashlee Simpson went straight to the altar with 29-year- old rocker Pete Wentz just before they announced she was pregnant. So I`ve got to ask, are young Hollywood`s hot mamas changing the rules on babies and marriage?

With me tonight in New York, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, clinical psychologist and author the "Complete Idiot`s Guide to a Healthy Relationship." And in Hollywood, Kim Serafin, "In Touch Weekly`s" senior editor.

All right. Dr. Judy, Kim, I understand we are not living in the 1950s anymore. "Leave It to Beaver" is off the air. But let me ask, it used to be first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby carriage. But Dr. Judy, are Hollywood stars setting a bad example here that it`s OK to get pregnant first and then get married or is there nothing wrong with this?

DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: I don`t think it`s such a bad example. Years ago, really Brooke, there was the shotgun marriage where if you got pregnant, the guy was forced to marry her. Now, the guys want to just as well. It proves that women are not desperate. They may be waiting for the wedding band but they`re still together. They`re committed.

Look at Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz. They were very together. Now they`re married. And guess what? She even took his last name, which is a throwback. So people should not be worried. Marriage is not dead. It has a new look to it. But the family is still surviving and that`s good news, I think.

ANDERSON: Yes. Well, people certainly do have choices now. You`re right. Kim, what do you think? Are young girls looking at these young stars whom they look up to and want to emulate, getting pregnant before marriage and thinking, "Hey, this is OK"?

SERAFIN: Well, obviously, if you`re a parent you`re not going to tell your kid, "Hey, you should model your life after Jamie Lynn Spears," because obviously if you don`t have the kind of money to support yourself, you know, I mean a lot of these stars are in a position, whether you`re Ashlee Simpson or even Jamie Lynn Spears or Jennifer Garner or many of these girls who got pregnant before they got married, they could support themselves.

But I think Dr. Judy has a great point. I mean look at also marriages? Would you rather have your child emulate Pamela Anderson who seems to get married and divorced, you know, by the minute? I can`t even keep track of it these days. So certainly, you know, getting married, having a kid sometimes seems to help these couples, especially some of these girls who normally seemed out of control. They seem to have settled down once they got pregnant.

ANDERSON: Well, that is a great point and I want to bring up couples like Nicole Richie and Joel Madden who had a baby but haven`t even bothered to get married. It seems to me that even out of wedlock, they, especially Nicole, have become more grounded since the birth of this baby. And we all remember that Nicole was a bit of a wild child. So Dr. Judy, in that respect, can it be a good thing?

KURIANSKY: Yes, in fact, this is why people shouldn`t get worried about it because they`re waiting but they`re so together. Nicole Richie has settled down. In fact, in terms of what Kim said before about parents, parents should be glad because Nicole has been saying she had a terrible relationship in some respects with her parents. That made her worried about being a parent, as happens. And so she went ahead and she`s done it now. And she`s resolving some of those problems and so is Angelina Jolie, by the way. So this is a positive trend.

ANDERSON: Well, we spoke about Britney Spears` younger sister, Jamie Lynn Spears. We mentioned her and I think everybody agrees that 16 was too young for her to get pregnant. It was unexpected, obviously. But after announcing her pregnancy, she`s bought a home, she`s gotten engaged. Kim Serafin, can this be OK or is it a terrible example?

SERAFIN: Well, she does seem to have focused her life now, so that`s obviously a great thing. And I`m so glad Dr. Judy brought up Angelina because I mean that is the perfect example. I mean clearly, Angelina and Brad seem to be more together than most Hollywood couples I can even think of. So that is certainly a great example to set.

And, you know, again, obviously, if you are someone who is a star who has a job, who`s making money - I mean that is certainly a great example. If you`re not, if you`re an unwed teenage mother and don`t have any way of supporting yourself, then not such a good thing.

KURIANSKY: The most important thing -

ANDERSON: Well, bottom line - I do have to end it there, but hopefully, these babies are the top priority and are being well-loved and taken care of. Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Kim Serafin, thank you both for your insights.

And now we have a showbiz special report, unmarried in Hollywood. For years, a lot of women in Hollywood have thrown marriage to the curb like classic A-listers Katherine Hepburn and Diane Keaton. Today, we`re seeing more and more stars like Angelina Jolie and Oprah not walking down the aisle. And guess what? It`s not just the stars who are going it alone. New research shows that is more and more regular women are choosing to be unmarried, too.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARAH JESSICA PARKER, "SEX AND THE CITY" STAR: If you find someone to love the you you love. Hi! Well, that`s just fabulous.

ANDERSON (voice over): "Sex and the City`s" Carrie Bradshaw was perhaps the ultimate single woman, never giving up on finding love but never settling for Mr. Not-So-Right either. But happily unmarried women don`t just exist on television shows or among Hollywood single A-list like Oprah Winfrey, Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston. Believe it or not, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now tell you there are now more women in the United States who are unmarried than are married.

JEN SCHEFFT, AUTHOR, "BETTER SINGLE THAN SORRY": Women have an education now. They`re focusing on their careers. They`re focusing on bettering themselves versus, you know, 20 to 30 years ago. You were focused on getting a husband, getting a man.

ANDERSON: The numbers tell the story. The U.S. Census Bureau now says that a majority of women, 51 percent, are unmarried, some in no hurry to get remarried after a divorce, others simply putting off marriage.

DEBRA MESSING, ACTRESS: You know me better than that! The next time I ask you to tell me the truth, you give me the stock best friend response.

ERIC MCCORMACK, ACTOR: OK, you`re beautiful. You`re going to be a doctor tomorrow. You`re going to be married by the weekend.

ANDERSON: The choice to keep waiting for a Mr. Right, like Grace did on "Will & Grace," is no longer a stigma. Just ask Jen Schefft, who just a few years ago, made it her mission to find a husband on not one, but two reality shows. First, on ABC`s "The Bachelor," where Andrew Firestone picked her from a group of 25 women.

SCHEFFT: We dated for about nine months. We broke up. And literally, "The Bachelorette" people called me a month later. I was single. I didn`t - it wasn`t working at that point. I was living with friends and I just thought, well, of course, why not? I mean, maybe this was the way I was supposed to meet my future husband.

ANDERSON: Well, she didn`t find a husband on "The Bachelorette" either. But Jen, who wrote a book called, "Better Single than Sorry," tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that`s perfectly fine with her.

SCHEFFT: And my advice for women is don`t settle. Don`t ever settle, and don`t wait for your life to start once you meet a man.

DIANE KEATON, ACTRESS: You`ve got to sleep in the middle of the bed. It`s absolutely not healthy to have the side when no one has the other side.

ANDERSON: Academy Award winner Diane Keaton describes the art of sleeping single in the romantic comedy, "Something`s Got to Give." In real life, we`ve seen Keaton in some high-profile relationships, with everyone from Woody Allen to Warren Beatty. But none of them led to marriage. Reese Witherspoon and Angelina Jolie did get married - Reese to Ryan Phillippe and Angelina to Billy Bob Thornton.

ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: We wouldn`t leave the bedroom.

ANDERSON: Those marriages didn`t work out. And just like many women across the country, these A-listers are choosing not to remarry just yet, or maybe even ever.

SCHEFFT: Angelina doesn`t have to get married. Why would she get married? She`s been through some divorces; Brad has been divorced. I think they both realized, Marriage isn`t necessarily forever, but you can make a great, lasting, committed relationship without actually having a piece of paper.

ANDERSON: And while research shows most women eventually do get married, the difference now, more women are waiting, dating and enjoy life without Prince Charming.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

All right. I can tell you Gina Gershon is absolutely furious over that "Vanity Fair" article which she says implies she had an affair. And we`re not talking with just some ordinary guy - former President bill Clinton.

Tonight, Gina is speaking out for the first time about this startling controversy. She`s really fired up about this. You`ve just got to hear what she`s saying. Coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Thanks a lot Charles. And welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. HAMMER in New York. Tonight, Gina Gershon is speaking out for the first time since that shocking "Vanity Fair" article came out which she says implies that she had an affair with former President Bill Clinton. Listen to Gina really open up about it on "Live with Regis and Kelly." And Mario Lopez was filling in for Reg.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GINA GERSHON, ACTRESS: It is such a crazy, outrageous lie that really has nothing to do with me at the end of the day. You know, it`s -

MARIO LOPEZ, CO-HOST, "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": Do you know him? Is he a friend of yours? Or -

GERSHON: I`ve met him three times at events, at the white House or, you know, different places. But the thing is, you know, you`re so used to celebrity gossip and people always say stuff like whatever, it`s part of, you know, the world. They are used to deflect what`s really going on with things.

KELLY RIPA, CO-HOST, "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": This somehow seems serious.

GERSHON: This disturbed me on so many other levels that I kind of felt like I had to stand up for myself and speak the truth. And, you know, the thing is, journalists today - it`s so scary because they take these rumors ...

LOPEZ: Sure.

GERSHON: ... or hearsay. They put it in a story, then that story goes around the world in about a minute, courtesy of the Web and people read this, they perceive it to be the truth. So therefore, lies are the new facts.

RIPA: Well, it`s so true. We`ve talked about that before.

GERSHON: And that is scary.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Well, despite all that, "Vanity Fair" is still standing behind its story. The magazine insists that the article does not imply that Gershon and Clinton hooked up. Gershon`s lawyers want a retraction. The mag, not budging.

ANDERSON: On Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this - "Hulk Hogan`s Son Out of Solitary Confinement: Is he getting special Treatment?" Seventy-four percent of you say yes; 26 percent of you say no.

The E-mails - D from Wisconsin is all fired up, "Why should Nick Hogan get out of solitary when his friend has to live in it for the rest of his life? With brain damage and chances of never walking again, he will be living his solitary in a bed or wheelchair."

But Emily from Illinois disagrees, "I don`t know why everyone thinks Nick is getting special treatment. It was his friend`s fault for getting into the car."

HAMMER: Not a lot of sympathy there, though. That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. HAMMER in New York.

ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.

END