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Showbiz Tonight
Ashley Judd Slamming Sarah Palin; Etta James-Beyonce-President Obama Smackdown; Faye Dunaway versus Hillary Duff; Is Michael Phelps Pulling Out of the 2012 Olympics?
Aired February 05, 2009 - 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: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, slamming Sarah Palin. Tonight, Ashley Judd declares all-out war on Sarah Palin. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Ashley`s dramatic video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASHLEY JUDD, ACTRESS: It is time to stop Sarah Palin and stop this senseless savagery.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Judd`s dramatic demands and Palin`s fired-up response. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Ashley Judd taking aim at Sarah Palin.
The Etta James-Beyonce-President Obama smackdown. Tonight, why one of the most beloved singers of all time is bashing Beyonce -
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ETTA JAMES, SINGER: She`s going to get her ass whipped.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: And even goes after Barack Obama.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JAMES: He isn`t my president. He might be yours.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Etta James` remarkable attacks caught on tape.
Plus, brand-new developments in the Michael Phelps pot scandal. Is Phelps pulling out of the next Olympics?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you from Hollywood. And tonight, the number of brand-new celebrity feuds is absolutely astounding.
HAMMER: It is sure is, Brooke. And we begin with the wildest one of them all over the killing of animals in the wild. Tonight, the slamming of Sarah Palin by one of Hollywood`s hottest stars, Ashley Judd who is hot under the collar and using a must-see video to make her point.
So let`s see here. We`ve got a Hollywood star, Sarah Palin, Palin- bashing, and the killing of defenseless animals, which why is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there is no doubt this is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): It`s an unlikely battle.
DAPHNE BROGDON, TV HOST AND COMEDIAN: It`s the battle of the babes because Ashley Judd and Sarah Palin are duking it out over who should save the animals in Alaska.
HAMMER: That`s right, they`re duking it out over - wolves?
JUDD (voice over): When Sarah Palin came on the national scene last summer, few knew that she promotes the brutal aerial killing of wolves.
HAMMER: Ashley Judd has teamed up with eco-group Defenders of Wildlife to lead a campaign against Palin and Alaska. Judd`s got a beef with Palin`s endorsement of a plan to hunt wolves and bears from airplanes. Judd`s so mad she made this.
JUDD (on camera): It is time to stop Sarah Palin and stop this senseless savagery.
BROGDON: She wants to go after Sarah Palin because, you know, who the heck else do we know who`s up in Alaska?
HAMMER: But Palin says, "Back off, Judd." She calls Defenders of Wildlife an extreme fringe group saying, quote, It is reprehensible and hypocritical that the Defenders of Wildlife would use Alaska and my administration as a fundraising tool to deceive Americans into parting with their hard-earned money. Shame on Defenders of Wildlife for twisting the truth."
Palin says they`re distorting the facts and that Alaska needs to control the population of wolves and bears so there are enough moose and caribou for hunters.
BROGDON: On the one hand - OK. Sarah Palin`s got a point - the flat-out actress lady. But at the same time, I think Sarah Palin`s credibility is so weak right now.
HAMMER: But why target Palin with this video?
BROGDON: She`s really put herself out there in the forefront of being, you know, Caribou Barbie. And so if they`re going to go after somebody, you know, that`s who they`re going to go after.
So there`s no way she`s going to put up with anybody like Ashley Judd or anybody else getting in the way between her and her moose.
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK): I know you guys love your good moose-hunting also.
HAMMER: This isn`t the first time Palin has been targeted for her love of hunting and the mighty moose. Who can forget this "Saturday Night Live" spoof?
AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS: Shoot a mother-humping moose eight days of the week. Lying dead - lying dead because I`m an animal and I`m bigger than you
HAMMER: Palin has never shied away from her love of moose.
BROGDON: When she lost the vice presidency, she invited all the press into her kitchen and she`s making them moose cocktails, moose burgers, moose meatballs -
HAMMER: It`s been months since Palin was on the national stage as a candidate and she`s still a lightning rod for controversy.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Hang on a minute. Don`t tell me what I can think and what I can`t think.
HAMMER: Today, the mere mention of Palin`s name made the ladies of "The View" get into a big-time yelling match. Conservative co-host Elisabeth Hassleback right to Palin`s defense.
HASSELBECK: That`s pretty easy for anyone to right now try to jump on Sarah Palin. You want your name in the paper? Say something about Sarah Palin. You want a little attention? Say something about Sarah Palin.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": The main thing with Sarah Palin is that she`s not kind. You saw her - the turkey incident. Now we see the wolf thing. She`s not kind to animals.
(CROSS TALK)
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) in two videos now.
HAMMER: It`s this fire that put Sarah Palin smack dab into the center of controversy time and time again. But will this video go down in Palin infamy like the Katie Couric interview or Tina Fey`s subsequent SNL spoof?
BROGDON: I don`t think it`s going to have a lot of staying power. I think anytime anybody has an issue anywhere near Alaska, they`re going to use Sarah Palin as their prime target.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So is there more to this slamming of Sarah Palin than meets the eye?
Well, joining me tonight in Hollywood is Carlos Diaz who is a correspondent for "Extra." In New York, it`s Lauren Lake, who is a criminal defense attorney and a TV host.
All right. Let`s take a look once again at some of that Internet video that Ashley Judd is starring in. She`s a spokesperson for Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund here. Let`s roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDD: When Sarah Palin came on the national scene last summer, few knew that she promotes the brutal aerial killing of wolves. Now, back in Alaska, Palin is again casting aside science and championing the slaughter of wildlife.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I know how this all works. It`s not lost on me at all that Ashley Judd is invoking Sarah Palin`s name in the ad to give her cause the most attention it possibly could. Carlos, what do you think? Is this a terrific strategy or is this a cheap shot?
HAMMER: I mean, Ashley, you know, has got ties to Kentucky and there`s absolutely no hunting at all in Kentucky. Oh, wait. Come on. I mean, I don`t get this whole thing anyway. It`s like, aerial killing? So it`s OK if you`re on foot but not if you`re on a helicopter? The helicopter shouldn`t be going so fast?
You know, here`s the thing. Yes, she knows if she invokes Sarah Palin`s name, and by the way, she invoked Sarah Palin`s name first, "We must stop Sarah Palin, not this group. We must stop Sarah Palin." So she invokes her name for simply the publicity of the entire thing.
HAMMER: Yes. Defenders of Wildlife wants the thinning of the herd, as they call it, to go away all together. And to be clear, Lauren, this is not going on just in Alaska. It`s going on everywhere. So using Sarah Palin`s name actually probably a pretty smart idea for them.
LAUREN LAKE, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, for them, yes. It`s marketing and strategy. They go after the big fish and you know what? Sarah Palin has always wanted a lot of attention.
Unfortunately, now, she`s getting attention she does not want. But she should have thought about that because they were spoofing the animal killing, even on "Saturday Night Live" if we can remember that just a little while ago with the campaign. So now, it may come back to haunt her.
HAMMER: Yes, and let`s not forget Sarah Palin still has a lot of supporters out there. And a lot of people, quite frankly - we`ve seen this before - they don`t like it when celebrities get involved and start mouthing off to support a certain cause or agenda like this.
Carlos, what do you think? Are more people going to wind up on Palin`s side or Judd`s side?
DIAZ: I`m going to have to side with Sarah Palin on this one. I think Ashley Judd is an amazing person and I think she`s as a great interview. But I think - I mean, on this one, you know, you`re attacking Sarah Palin for something that Alaskans had in effect a thinning of the herd for years.
It`s not something Sarah Palin put into effect. It`s something that`s been around for a long time. And maybe if Ashley would go up to Alaska and spent a lot of time up there, visit and do some research, maybe she would have a different story.
HAMMER: That`s true, but the other side of this also, the extra piece to fit in here is the fact nobody likes to see these pictures of these animals getting hurt or killed. And I`ve got to tell you, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producers - man, our crew is hard at work. Hours were spent scanning the blogosphere by our producers. Ashley Judd, I have to say, was getting slammed by most of what we were seeing out there. So Lauren, who do you think is going to come out on top in all of this?
LAKE: You know what? I feel like people are going to see through this. This is just a marketing propaganda-type campaign. We`ve seen it with PETA. We`ve seen it on so many occasions. And that`s why I say Sarah just has to be careful.
When you seek attention, sometimes you get the negative attention and this is one of those times she actually did and she may not have deserved it. Unfortunately, that`s the way campaigning goes, whether it`s for animals or for the presidency.
HAMMER: Yes. And Sarah Palin remains a lightning rod as I have said. And as we`ve seen in the past, every time her name comes up on "The View" in conversations is like mixing oil and water. And we saw it happen again today as we just showed you.
But I want to watch again what took place between Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Joy Behar when they went off on a little bit of a tangent. Can we roll that, Charles?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": That`s vastly different.
HASSELBECK: She`s using Sarah Palin who has also been standing up for human rights and in terms of children`s rights. To attack her for this -
(CROSS TALK)
BEHAR: Animals, not children right now.
HASSELBECK: Hang on a minute. Don`t tell me what I can think and what I can`t think.
BEHAR: It would be nice if we could just stay in the area.
HASSELBECK: Are we at a socialist table here?
(CROSS TALK)
I can make a jump if I make that assertion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Kind of takes you back, doesn`t it? Carlos, are you amazed? Here we are, Obama is in office, the election is history. And just mentioning Sarah Palin`s name on the panel of "The View" is like throwing gas on a fire.
DIAZ: It is. It is like throwing gasoline on a fire. I missed that. I missed those bickering debates from the girls on "The View." I`m happy to hear that once, not a lot. I happy we can get that back on.
I think we saw this whole thing with Ashley Judd and Sarah Palin with the wrestling ring, maybe some oil. And then you know -
LAKE: No.
HAMMER: I`m marking it all down, right here, Carlos. And you will get the attribution if this ends up happening. Got to end it there, Carlos Diaz, Lauren Lake, thank you.
All right. Brooke, moving on, I can tell you that there is an attack on another big star that`s caught on tape. We`ve got it. This is wild. Legendary singer Etta James going off on Beyonce.
ANDERSON: Yes. She sure does, A.J. And I not only does Etta rip into Beyonce, she also takes a swipe at President Obama. It`s the Etta James- Beyonce-President Obama smackdown. You`ve got to hear this take. Coming up.
HAMMER: Also, Michael Phelps speaks out for the first time about that shocking picture of him smoking marijuana. Is Phelps actually having second thoughts about competing in the 2012 games? Is he pulling out?
We`ve also got this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kevin Allen called the police on the police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m being dragged out of my car. This is ridiculous. I`m being assaulted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, a guy calling the cops on the cops. And it`s all caught on tape. Talk about a wild 911 call. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Mother of octuplets leaves California hospital, 10 days after giving birth. HBO picks up polygamy series "Big Love" for a fourth season.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CHRISTIAN BALE, ACTOR: You got any (EXPLETIVE DELETED) idea about, "Hey, it`s (EXPLETIVE DELETED) distracting, having somebody walking up behind Bryce in the middle of a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) scene. Give me a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) answer. What don`t you get about it?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was Christian Bale`s F-bomb tirade on the set of his new movie. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dared to ask, should "The Dark Knight" star be forgiven for his rant? And right now, the shocking response from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, the Bale-istic defense. Now, for a lot of people, Christian Bale`s rant seemed indefensible. But some are actually defending the "Batman" star, including viewers who are burning up the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines.
In New York tonight is Ashleigh Banfield who is an anchor with the Legal Network "In Session." And with me in Hollywood is Michael Yo who is an "E!" celebrity correspondent.
Michael, Ashleigh, we know that Bale`s rant happened on the set of his upcoming movie, "Terminator: Salvation." It was directed and his director of photography who stepped into a shot. Here`s another small sample.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BALE: I`m going to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kick your (EXPLETIVE DELETED) ass if you don`t shut up for a second, all right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Christian, Christian - just hold it.
BALE: I`m going to go - do you want me to go (EXPLETIVE DELETED) trash your lights? Do you want me to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) them? Then are you trashing my scene?
SHANE HURLBUT, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: I`m not trying to trash -
BALE: You are trashing my scene!
HURLBUT: Christian -
BALE: You do it one more (EXPLETIVE DELETED) time. I`m not walking on the set you`re still hired. I`m (EXPLETIVE DELETED) serious!
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, we asked, "Christian Bale`s Rant: Should he be forgiven?" An astonishing 51 percent said yes; 49 percent said no. Michael, are you surprised?
MICHAEL YO, CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT, "E!": No, I`m not surprised. I think Christian should be forgiven. Because here`s the deal - when I first heard about the story, I was kind of mad about it. I was like, how can anybody talk to another human being like that.
But then, I remembered me hanging out with friends. I`ve said some very inappropriate things and if it was taped and it was played on TV, then people could interpret it in whole different ways. So I think he should be forgiven.
ANDERSON: Wait. Have you really had a moment like that, Michael? You know, I love you. But we all have moments but then, there`s what Christian Bale did.
YO: Yes, yes. I get that. I mean, that was like 3.5 minutes way too long. But you know, everybody on the movie is defending him on the set. And right after that, you know, he moved on. And we talked to his associate A.D. on the movie and he said that he was fine after that scene. Yes. He took it to the limit but I think - look, everybody back (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ANDERSON: Took it to the limit, crossed the line, in my opinion. I don`t -
YO: Yes. Yes.
ANDERSON: Ashleigh, are you and Michael on the same page with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers that he should be forgiven?
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR, "IN SESSION": Well, I just completely disagree with Michael. And I was going to go on a three-minute and 55-second tirade against it.
(LAUGHTER)
You know what? This abuse got almost physical. And there`s absolutely no excuse for this. And this is a director of photography, may I add, which is an executive on - not to say that anyone is more important than the other. But this is a problem that Christian Bale obviously has. He thinks that he`s better than everyone else.
And can I also add that nobody ruined the shot. This D.P. did not walk into the shot. He simply walked into an eye line, meaning Christian Bale could have continued what he did and kept the shot and kept the scene. But chose not to and instead chose to go on for four minutes berating everybody around him.
YO: But I think -
ANDERSON: And they could have already done another take, I agree with you.
BANFIELD: Yes. Many. Many.
ANDERSON: And yes, status, fame, influence - nothing, nothing gives anybody the right to act like this. And our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines have really imploded. Blake from North Carolina doesn`t think that Bale should be blamed. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BLAKE, CALLER FROM NORTH CAROLINA: I think it`s a very thinly-veiled attempt by the studio to release this information just mere months before the movie hits the theaters. This happened months ago. They`re just trying to generate buzz to try to get people to get into the theaters to see the movie, and I think it`s a shameless publicity stunt.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Blake. But we do want to point out that the producers released the tape to an insurance company because they were worried that Bale might walk off the job. Michael, what do you think about Blake`s point - publicity stunt here?
YO: I don`t think you try to ruin a man`s career for a publicity stunt from a movie company. Because remember, if there`s another "Terminator," they`ve got to cast Christian Bale in it.
So I think his point is well-thought, but it doesn`t make sense because why would a movie company try to destroy the lead actor`s credibility? You know, it just doesn`t make sense for them. Because if Christian Bale - if Christian Bale found out, he could sue the movie company.
ANDERSON: Yes. And too far out, in my opinion, for any sort of publicity stunt.
YO: Yes.
ANDERSON: And another caller, Kate from Iowa, feels that the way Bale treated the director of photography was verbal abuse. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KATE, CALLER FROM IOWA: Abuse is abuse, whether it`s used on an adult to an adult or an adult to a child. Abuse is abuse. He needs to be reprimanded for it.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Amen. Thank you, Kate. Ashley, do you see Bale being reprimanded? Or is he such a big star that isn`t happening?
BANFIELD: I don`t think - I think we would have seen him reprimanded by now. But there are natural consequences, Brooke. There are a couple of big stars out there who are no longer big stars because of reputation. I think Axl Rose has suffered. I think Brett Butler has suffered a lot from the rumors of their reputation.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BANFIELD: And I also want to ask you this, Brooke. What do you think would have happened if this were a woman who went on this kind of a tirade? What sort of effect would that be?
ANDERSON: I think - yes. If it were any of us - if we were a crew member - fired in a second, I think. You know, I`m going to leave it there. It`s reprehensible. Where`s the decency? Ashleigh Banfield, Michael Yo, thank you.
YO: OK.
BANFIELD: Thanks.
ANDERSON: And we also want you to call us at "Showbiz on Call" to let us know what you think about this or anything else that is on your mind. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are always open.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. And you can call us at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1- 888-728-2899. To leave us a non-Christian Bale-like voicemail - because we want the nicer ones that we can play without bleeping, your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And Brooke, I`ve got to tell you, here`s a story that is definitely going to be lighting up the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines. Legendary "At Last" Etta James ripping into Beyonce, even dissing President Obama.
ANDERSON: Yes, I`m really shocked by this. Why would she do such a thing?
HAMMER: Well, coming up, Brooke, it is the Etta James-Beyonce-President Obama smackdown. We`ve got it all caught on tape.
And then, there is this battle between old school and new school stars Hillary Duff and Faye Dunaway. Faye, who starred in "Mommy Dearest," "Network," "China Town," "Bonnie and Clyde," ripping into Hillary`s acting skills. Hillary trashing Faye`s looks. Ouch. It`s ugly and also caught on tape.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: Dearborn, Michigan policemen called for help, saying he and his wife had overdosed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 911 DISPATCHER: Overdose of what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLER: Marijuana. Please come. I think we`re dying.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 911 DISPATCHER: OK. We`re on our way. How much did you guys have?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A cop calling the cops because he ate too many pot brownies. Definitely a bad idea. Some of the most outrageous 911 calls ever. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Bruce Springsteen "furious" at Ticketmaster. Fans had problems trying to buy tickets to Springsteen`s concerts this week. E! Online: "Sex and the City" movie sequel confirmed.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson. Here are some more stories new right now.
Angelina Jolie is calling on Thailand`s government to change its attitude towards thousands of Burmese refugees living in camps. Angelina who is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Refugee Agency wants Thai authorities to give more than 100,000 refugees more freedom to move around and get an education. The Burmese government has been accused of ethnic cleansing, forcing thousands to flee the country by Thailand.
HAMMER: And did you se this? Tonight, Drew Barrymore speaking out about being friends with her exes. That`s pretty good. Drew tells Ellen DeGeneres that it`s not really that big of a deal and that she gets along with all the guys she used to date, including Justin Long, her co-star in her new movie, "He`s Just Not That Into You" and Fabrizio Moretti who is the drummer in the rock band, "The Strokes." Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": You said you`re single.
DREW BARRYMORE, ACTRESS: Yes, for nine months.
DEGENERES: But you`re with - Justin Long was here.
BARRYMORE: I wasn`t - well, I talked to you about it in the party. Him and I talked about it because we`re still really, really good friends. And we had this movie opening together and we hang out all the time.
And people are like, "Are you getting back together?" And we`re like, "No, we`re just friends." And he`s just the sweetest guy.
DEGENERES: He is.
BARRYMORE: He said like he had a blast and he has the best sense of humor. I mean, he`s wicked funny.
DEGENERES: And so that`s great that you are still friends ...
BARRYMORE: Yes.
DEGENERES: Even though you went out and you`re having to promote a movie, because that would be very awkward.
BARRYMORE: People are always like, "Is it awkward?" And I`m like, "No." Because, you know, if you can`t be with somebody, it doesn`t mean - by the way, I`m just keeping this - it doesn`t mean that the love has to go away.
It just transfers, you know, to something different that works at that point in your life. And I`m really close with, you know, some of the people I`ve been with in my life because they`ve had such an impact on it, so I don`t want them to go away, you know.
DEGENERES: Yes. I`m friends with just about everybody I`ve ever been in a relationship with.
BARRYMORE: Yes.
DEGENERES: You should be able to.
BARRYMORE: Yes. I mean, my ex-boyfriend Fabio is with me five years. He`s the drummer of The Strokes. And you know, I was just showing him my new movie and we were talking about doing a song together. And I mean, that`s just the way, if you`re fortunate enough, that life can be.
DEGENERES: Yes.
BARRYMORE: And it`s so harmonious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Nice to hear. Sometimes easier said than done. Drew has got some pretty good advice. And she`s obviously very chill about being friends with her exes, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Yes, she is. A.J., you know, I cannot believe how Etta James, one of the most beloved singers of our time, is going after Beyonce.
HAMMER: Hey, Brooke. This is pretty wild. Etta James is furious. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JAMES: I can`t stand Beyonce. She has no business up there, singing up there on a big old president day, singing my song that I`ve been singing forever!
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Not only is Etta going after Beyonce, she`s even taking a swipe at President Obama. You have got to hear this caught on tape, coming up.
ANDERSON: And Michael Phelps is speaking out for the first time about the dramatic picture of him smoking pot. And get this - is he actually considering pulling out of the 2012 Olympics?
HAMMER: Also, Miley Cyrus speaking out about her new photo scandal, and why she`s complaining she is the new Britney Spears?
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. I would like you to sign up for our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. It`s easy to do. Just surf on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Click on the "sign up for newsletter" link. We keep that link at the bottom of the page. It`s right there. Just scroll down. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Etta James versus Beyonce. Why the singing legend says she can`t stand Beyonce and is mad at her and President Barack Obama. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the celebrity smackdown you`ve got to hear for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: Kevin Alan(ph) called the police on the police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m being dragged out of my car. This is ridiculous. I`m being assaulted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Caught on tape, a guy calls the cops on the cops. You don`t want to miss the craziest 911 calls caught on tape on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
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 in Hollywood. Tonight, two brand-new explosive celebrity feuds. The gloves are off and things could get ugly.
HAMMER: Really ugly, Brooke. You could call these brand-new battles the old school versus new school smackdown.
All right, first up, singer Etta James disses Beyonce. The legendary singer just goes off on Beyonce`s performance of "At Last" as the presidential inauguration. Etta James even gets to dig in at our new president. It is the shocking, new caught-on-tape moment you have got to hear.
Also new right now, Faye Dunaway disses Hillary Duff going after the pop star`s acting chops. And then, wow, Duff goes for the jugular, attacking Dunaway`s looks. These two are going after it over Duff`s remake over the classic movie "Bonnie and Clyde" that made Dunaway a star way back in the `60s. Can you say "catfight," anyone?
With me in New York is Lauren Lake. She`s an attorney and TV personality. And in Hollywood is Carlos Diaz who is a correspondent for "Extra." Also tonight in Hollywood, it`s Michael Yo. He`s a celebrity correspondent for "E!"
We`ve got to begin with this Etta James thing. This I just can`t wrap my head around. She goes nuts on Beyonce at a recent concert. Etta, obviously, is a certifiable, verifiable legend. And she got all fired-up about Beyonce singing "At Last" while the Obama`s had their first dance at the first inaugural. Let`s listen to what Etta said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES: You guys know your president, right?
CROWD: Yes, we do.
JAMES: You know, the one with the big ears?
CROWD: Yes, we know him.
JAMES: Yes. Wait a minute. He is not my president. He might be yours. He isn`t my president, but I`ll tell you that woman here singing for him and singing my song - she`s going to get her ass whipped.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
The great Beyonce! I can`t stand Beyonce. She has no business up there singing, singing up there on a big old president day. Don`t be singing my song that I`ve been singing forever!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: First time I heard that, I said, "Wait, what?" out loud. I was sitting by myself. Now, "At Last" has been Etta James` signature song since Etta recorded all the way back in 1961. Carlos, why do you think she`s so riled up?
DIAZ: Well, first off, let`s get serious before we have fun. If Etta James was white, she would be kicked out of this country right now, seriously. I`m sorry. If any white person says the president with the big ears who is not my president, she would be persecuted, OK? That`s on a serious note.
On a fun note, I wouldn`t mind seeing Etta James trying to kick Beyonce`s ass. You know, it would be kind of fun. She`s like going at her like this. You know -
HAMMER: Oh, Carlos.
DIAZ: But no, it comes down to jealousy. I mean, Etta James wrote a beautiful song. And she`s mad that she wasn`t invited to a very historical moment and Beyonce took her thunder.
HAMMER: And quick correction here, Carlos. She did not write the song. It`s just her signature song.
DIAZ: It`s OK. I`m sorry.
HAMMER: We`ll talk about that in just a moment. Yes, I think maybe she just feels slighted. It is worth taking a look at Beyonce`s emotional performance of "At Last" at the inaugural ball. I thought she knocked it out of the park. Let`s roll that.
(FOOTAGE OF BEYONCE KNOWLES SINGING "AT LAST AT THE PRESIDENT`S INAUGURAL BALL)
HAMMER: As I mentioned, Etta James did not write that song. She was not the first to perform "At Last." The legendary Glenn Miller did it back in `41. Nat King Cole did it in `57. But it is the song where - she is most closely associated with that song. And that all said, Lauren, are you surprised Etta was so personally offended here?
LAKE: You know, I`m not surprised that she`s just a little bit bitter. I mean, that`s a lot of attention to get. And she - you know, she calls her the originator of this song, the original performer, she feels like she is. She didn`t get her just due.
We`ve seen this with Jennifer Holiday and Jennifer Hudson with the "Dream Girls" thing and "I am Telling You." This is not anything new. But at the same time, I just feel a little bit disappointed because I want Etta to be a little more gracious and pass that torch.
But you have to remember though, A.J., Aretha Franklin got to sing at the actual ceremony.
HAMMER: Yes.
LAKE: So it was a little bit of a dig, probably, for Etta because she was probably like, "Hey, if Aretha is on, I need to be on too."
HAMMER: Yes. I get all that. And I give Etta really all the credit for that song being known to all of us. You know, but there is a reason Beyonce sang it. And this is to me what adds to the shock of it is the attack on Beyonce.
Beyonce just portrayed Etta in the movie "Cadillac Records" which came out last year. Beyonce even consulted with Etta. And then Etta was singing Beyonce`s praises as they were on the red carpet together when the movie was first opening. So I`m confused now by the sudden turn. Michael, I`m guessing Beyonce is thinking, "What the heck happened here?"
YO: Yes, I think Beyonce is like an innocent bystander. Here`s what it comes down to. Barack Obama didn`t ask Etta James, that`s it. And he asked Beyonce to do it. Etta James is mad. She probably was surprised people even showed up at her show, so she needed something to say to rile them up.
And the other thing is, it goes down to Barack Obama - he picked Beyonce. If you`re going to say any attacks, attack Barack Obama, that`s it. But not Beyonce when she spoke well of you. She portrayed you in a movie. You know, don`t attack her.
HAMMER: Well, she took care of attacking the president. Let`s move on, because also new right now, another brand-new old school-new school celebrity feud. This one is between legendary actress Faye Dunaway and `tween queen Hillary Duff.
And this got all started when Dunaway got wind of a planned remake of her 1967 flick "Bonnie and Clyde" starring Duff. So Dunaway reportedly said, quote, "Couldn`t they at least cast a real actress?"
Ouch! But that`s not it. The claws really came out when Hillary Duff was asked about Dunaway`s comments on "The Daily 10" on "E!" with a friend of ours. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YO (on camera): The Faye comments affect you in any way at all?
HILLARY DUFF, ACTRESS: Not really. I mean, I think that my fans that are going to go see the movie don`t even know who she is. So, you know, I think it was a little unnecessary, but I might be mad if I looked like that now, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "I might be mad if I looked like that now, too." All right. Michael Yo, I`ve got to go back to you because you were sitting there doing that interview with Hillary Duff. Were you shocked by how catty she was?
YO: First of all, I`ve known Hillary Duff and her mom for five years. Fantastic people. I was shocked because Hillary Duff comes from the Disney World. She is so PC. But everybody says Hillary Duff should have played, you know, the better role on this.
But the thing is, she was attacked by someone else that actually was nominated for the movie, played the bigger role. Why didn`t the other person, Faye, play the bigger role in all this? But yes, I was shocked.
HAMMER: Yes. There`s always the high road. And I guess, Michael, she`s so comfortable with you that she felt OK saying that. And now, I`m guessing she regrets it.
Now, let`s see what the ladies of "The View" had to say about this because they never back down from a good controversy. Believe it or not, co-host Joy Behar actually sided with Hillary Duff in this particular war of words. Let`s watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You know, it`s like - and Faye Dunaway - that is not attractive for an older woman to criticize a younger girl coming up who is trying to make a bounce. It doesn`t look good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Carlos, are you with Joy? Should Faye have taken the high road or does she have a right to be completely territorial about her iconic role here?
DIAZ: I mean, you know, she should try to at least support Hillary Duff in this instance. I think it was completely catty what she said. First off, I applaud Michael. Great job on that interview. It`s amazing. It`s a great sound bite. And secondly, when I heard that sound bit this morning, I`m like, "You go, Hillary. Defend yourself."
If somebody calls me a bad reporter, then I`m going to come right back at them as anybody would in their own profession.
HAMMER: Lauren Lake, do you think that Faye Dunaway owes an apology to Hillary Duff here?
LAKE: I think they both owe each other apologies and set a better example for young women out here. You know, what I have to say - Faye, pass the torch. Give it up. The flame is burning. You know, it`s burnt out. And Hillary, be gracious enough to know this is an older woman who`s hanging on to the last bit of her career. Just let it go.
HAMMER: What`s going on week that the planets are lined up in some strange configuration, I think. Lauren Lake, Carlos Diaz, Michael Yo, I thank you all.
ANDERSON: And we`ve got this, A.J. Michael Phelps speaking out about his pot scandal.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. This is Michael`s very first interview since that dramatic picture of him surfaced smoking pot from a bong. So what has this week really been like for Michael Phelps? Is he having some second thoughts perhaps about competing in the 2012 Olympics because of what`s going on? That is coming up.
And speaking of pot, we`ve also got this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: Dearborn, Michigan policeman called for help saying he and his wife had overdosed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 911 DISPATCHER: Overdose of what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Marijuana. Please come. I think we`re dying.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 911 DISPATCHER: OK, we`re on our way. How much did you guys have?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Caught on tape, some of the craziest 911 calls ever. You don`t want to miss this.
HAMMER: Miley Cyrus speaking out about her most recent photo scandal, and complaining she is the new Britney Spears. Wait until you hear the logic behind that one. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
ANDERSON: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Judge dismisses 50 Cent`s ex-girlfriend`s $50 million lawsuit. James Franco named Harvard`s hasty pudding man of the year.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, you`ve got to see this, caught on tape, calling the cops on the cops.
So there`s this guy in Florida who got into trouble with the police and he called the police. This is the craziest 911 call you`ve ever heard.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice over): So there you are, waving your arms around, being wrestled to the ground by a highway patrol officer. Who are you going to call?
KEVIN ALAN: This is crazy. This is insane.
MOOS: Kevin Alan called the police on the police.
ALAN: I`m being dragged out of my car. This is ridiculous. I`m being assaulted. He`s yelling at me and grabbing me. And he has maced me once, OK. This is not cool.
MOOS: After being stopped for speeding on a 55-mile-per-hour interstate, Alan (UNINTELLIGIBLE) his cell phone on a Florida highway patrolman and dialed 911.
ALAN: Get channel 2, channel 5. Fox 35 - all of them down here.
MOOS (on camera): Police say that Alan passed a marked police car, that he was going 72 miles an hour. But when they pulled him over, he refused to hand over his license and registration.
SGT. KIM MILLER, FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL (on camera): He told the troopers it was a matter of principle, that he felt he did nothing wrong and therefore he decided to break the law and batter a law enforcement officer.
MOOS (voice over): Alan thought the officer was battering him.
ALAN: I`m going to hold the phone as long as I can. Dude, I`m not even fighting you. I`m not even fighting you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 911 DISPATCHER: OK. Sir, you need to listen to what the trooper is saying.
MOOS: Hey, now we`re all listening, thanks to Alan`s cell phone -
ALAN: Help! Help! This guy is beating me.
MOOS: Alan was charged with resisting arrest and battery on an officer. He was released on $2,700 bail.
(on camera): Now, there is something odder in calling the police on the police. And that`s when police call police on themselves. "Current TV" made an animated cartoon out of this classic 911 call from a few years back. Dearborn Michigan policeman called for help saying he and his wife had overdosed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 911 DISPATCHER: Overdose of what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE Marijuana.
MOOS: Remember, this is a real 911 call.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please come. I think we`re dying.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 911 DISPATCHER: OK, we`re on our way. How much did you guys have?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know. We made brownies and I think we`re dead. I really do.
MOOS: He didn`t die, but his career as a police officer did when he resigned. We may be in the age of the cell phone, but that won`t necessarily keep you out of a cell.
ALAN: Get off of me!
MOOS: The question remains -
RAY PARKER, SINGER (singing): There`s something strange, in the neighborhood. Who you`re gonna call?
MOOS (on camera): When you get busted?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: All right. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And also caught on tape, and this is just chilling, the cockpit recordings from when the U.S. Airways pilot landed that plane on the Hudson River.
This tape reveals that Chesley Sullenberger calmly told an air traffic controller that the plane was going into the Hudson after hitting birds and losing power in both engines.
Now, Katie Couric landed the much-sought-after interview with Sully airing this Sunday night on "60 Minutes."
And tonight, here`s your very first listen to those chilling cockpit recordings.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: This is 1539 in 270.
CAPTAIN CHESLEY "SULLY" SULLENBERGER, PILOT, U.S. AIRWAYS FLIGHT 1549: This is cactus 1539. Hit birds. We lost thrust in both engines, we`re turning towards La Guardia.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: OK. Yes. You need to return to La Guardia. Turn left heading of two, two, zero.
SULLENBERGER: Two, two, zero.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: Tower, stop your departures. Got an emergency returning.
LA GUARDIA AIRPORT: Who is it?
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: It`s 1529. He - bird strike. He lost all engines. He lost the thrust in the engines. He is returning immediately.
LA GUARDIA AIRPORT: Cactus 1529, which engines?
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: He lost thrust in both engines he said.
LA GUARDIA AIRPORT: Got it.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: Cactus 1529, if we get it to you, do you want to try to land runway one three?
SULLENBERGER: We`re unable. We may end up in the Hudson.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Just amazing. The hero-pilot and the crew of the flight are going to be together next Tuesday, February 10th on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE." That happens at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.
ANDERSON: Tonight, Michael marijuana mess. Michael Phelps is speaking out in his first interview since a tabloid published a picture of him smoking pot from a bong.
In an interview with "The Baltimore Sun," Phelps said the past week has been embarrassing and uncomfortable. And all the public scrutiny is making him reconsider whether he will swim in the 2012 Olympics.
Phelps says the pot-smoking incident was clearly a mistake. He says, quote, "This was stupid and I know this won`t happen again. It`s obviously bad judgment, and it`s something I`m not proud of at all. I will say that with the mistakes I`ve made in my life, I`ve learned from them. Every one of them. And I`ve become a better person. That`s what I plan to do from here."
Phelps says one of the toughest parts of the whole mess was telling his mom. But then, he has spent the past few days with his mother and two sisters and they`ve been talking a lot.
As for the Olympics in 2012, Phelps says it`s not a decision he`ll make any time soon, but he wants to think about it.
HAMMER: And Brooke, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines, not surprisingly, have really been smoking - I mean, lit up with people calling about Michael Phelps` pot scandal.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. And we`re really hearing both sides here. We`ve got calls in to "Showbiz on Call" from Mary Anne in Arizona and Eddie in Iowa supporting Michael Phelps.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MARY ANNE, CALLER FROM ARIZONA: I just wanted to say, Michael Phelps didn`t do anything wrong that I can think of. I`m a 70-year-old woman and let them who never done something like that throw the first stone.
EDDIE, CALLER FROM IOWA: I believe he is an outstanding athlete and for him smoking cannabis or marijuana or pot is not a big deal. He should be left alone. He`s an amazing athlete. He`s proven himself to us, Americans, that he did an amazing job in the Olympics.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Eddie and Mary Anne. But not everybody thinks this is no big deal. Lamar from North Carolina and Beverly from South Carolina called in to "Showbiz on Call" to voice their disapproval.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LAMAR, CALLER FROM NORTH CAROLINA: I think that Michael Phelps should be ashamed of himself being a role model for kids and he does not set a good example. I think he should definitely apologize and he needs to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in a community to show kids that it`s not OK to smoke weed and stuff like that.
BEVERLY, CALLER FROM SOUTH CAROLINA: Michael failed. He needs to learn what marijuana can really do to a person. Marijuana leads to so much more and it can literally destroy your life. No matter what anybody says, he needs to understand that. He needs to go and see what it does to people.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Beverly and Lamar for your calls. Give us a ring at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about this or anything else that`s on your mind.
HAMMER: And the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are always open for that very reason at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. Leave us a voicemail and we will play your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT
And your calls to "Showbiz on Call" are also now online on our homepage which is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
HAMMER: And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, which is this - "Michael Phelps` Pot Scandal: Should he do an anti-drug PSA?" \
You can keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Straight ahead, Miley Cyrus is speaking out about her most recent photo scandal and complaining that she is the new Britney Spears. Wait until you hear the logic behind that one. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Aretha records new version of "My Country `Tis of Thee." Doritos ad is most-viewed Super Bowl commercial on YouTube.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Nice move, Don. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with some more stories that are new right now.
Miley Cyrus is speaking out about her most recent photo scandal. See, there`s a picture on the Internet of Miley and some of her friends using their fingers to make their eyes slant.
Well, an Asian-American group demanded an apology saying the picture is offensive to Asians. But on her official Web site, Miley says she and her friends were just goofing around and she didn`t mean anything by it.
She writes, quote, "In NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity! I was simply making a goofy face. When did that become newsworthy? It seems someone is trying to make something out of nothing to me."
Miley also says that the press is trying to make her the new bad girl now that Britney Spears is back on top of her game.
And speaking of Britney, well, she and Kevin Federline are close to finalizing an agreement for how they`re going to manage custody of their sons while Britney is on her comeback tour.
Federline`s lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan tells "Hollywood.tv" that the kids won`t be going on tour with her, but she`ll still get to see them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK VINCENT KAPLAN, KEVIN FEDERLINE`S ATTORNEY: She`s not taking the kids away. He is bringing the kids with him so that when she is at various locations, when she comes off of the performances, she can have custody of the kids.
The kids are not going to be with her when she is performing. They`re not going to be with her when she is traveling to or returning from any specific venue. I don`t think that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) are appropriate child centers locations for children, especially of that age to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I think this is probably good news for Britney. Kaplan says a final agreement will probably be reached tomorrow. Britney`s two-month "Circus" tour starts March 3rd in New Orleans.
ANDERSON: On Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Christian Bale`s Rant: Should he be forgiven?"
It`s a pretty even split here - 51 percent of you say yes; 49 percent say no. And here are some of the E-mails we received.
Lorey from California writes, "As far as I can see, Bale is hiding behind his director`s defense of him. I will never go to a movie again if Bale is in it."
Jeff from Oregon says, "I think it`s amazing how many people will write off Bale and boycott his movies. Everyone loses their temper and movie stars are no different."
Thank you for sharing your opinions.
HAMMER: And thank you so much for watching. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. That`s on HLN. Take care.
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