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Showbiz Tonight
The Lady and the Chimp; Octuplet Mom May Soon be Homeless?; Sarah Palin`s Secrets
Aired February 19, 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, the brand-new, bizarre details about the lady and the chimp. Tonight, the outrage over the ape who nearly killed the lady`s friend.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 911 OPERATOR: What is the problem?
SANDRA HEROLD, OWNER OF TRAVIS, THE CHIMPANZEE: He is killing my friend!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 911 OPERATOR: Who is killing your friend?
HEROLD: My chimpanzee!
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the strange story of the chimp`s life with the lady, how she bathed him, drank wine with him - even kissed him?
HAMMER: Is the octuplet mom about to get kicked out of her home? Tonight, brand-new octu-mom outrage. Could she really become homeless and why did the almost broke octu-mom go shopping for expensive makeup?
Plus, the explosive new tell-all book about Sarah Palin`s secrets. Tonight, we`ve got the author right here in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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 lady and the chimp.
HAMMER: You know, that sounds like the name of some Hollywood comedy. But tonight, the story of the lady and the chimp - it`s more like a horror movie. Today, we learned almost unbelievable new details about the life of the lady in the chimp, a chimp whose attack on a woman is so grotesque, so disturbing it will send chills up your spine.
What really went on in the house of the lady and the chimp? Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the brand-new developments making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEROLD: The chimp is trying to kill my friend!
HAMMER (voice over): A horrific story that`s getting national attention.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the chimp who appeared in Gap and Old Navy ads goes on a rampage.
HAMMER: A cuddly chimpanzee named Travis who used to star in cute TV commercials is now the star in a real-life horror story.
The animal was killed by police after she brutally attacked Charla Nash of Connecticut, all while the Chimp`s owner, Sandra Herold, called for help in a chilling 911 tape played around the clock on TV.
HEROLD: He ripped her face off!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 911 OPERATOR: He ripped her face off?
HEROLD: He tried ... He`s trying to attack me! Please, please!
I got to touch him and at least try to have some closure.
HAMMER: And now, a devastated Sandra Herold is telling reporters about her final words to a long-time pet whose body she was able to visit at the morgue.
HEROLD: I told him I was sorry, and that I still loved him as much as ever. There was nothing I could do.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there are brand new details about this horrific attack and the bizarre-turned-tragic relationship between this lady and her chimp.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Sandra Herold cared for Travis the chimp for 14 years, virtually his entire life.
HEROLD: He couldn`t have been more my son than if I gave birth to him.
HAMMER: After the attack, Herold told NBC`s "Today" show about how she pampered him.
HEROLD: I used to buy everything for him - everything. I mean, he was - fillet mignon, lobster tails.
LAURA SCHREFFLER, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Travis and Sandy were best friends. They would share glasses of wine together. He would brush her hair. They were as close as two human people could be.
HAMMER: Laura Schreffler of the "New York Daily News" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Travis the chimp was all the 70-year-old Herold had left.
SCHREFFLER: Sandy has lost both her husband and her daughter. Her daughter was killed in a car accident, so she turned to Travis for comfort and she made him both things - daughter and husband.
HAMMER: But as we all know, that changed on Monday.
HEROLD: Send the police. Send the police.
HAMMER: We can hear the chimp`s blood curdling screams in the background as a frantic Herold calls 911, begging police for help after the chimp brutally attacked her friend, Charla Nash.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 911 OPERATOR: What is the problem?
HEROLD: He is killing my friend!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 911 OPERATOR: Who is killing your friend?
HEROLD: My chimpanzee!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 911 OPERATOR: Oh, your chimpanzee is killing your friend.
HEROLD: Yes. He ripped her apart. Hurry up! Hurry up, please!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 911 OPERATOR: There is someone on the way.
HEROLD: With guns, please. Shoot him!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 911 OPERATOR: What is the monkey doing? Tell me what the monkey ...
HEROLD: He ripped her face off!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 911 OPERATOR: He ripped her face off?
HEROLD: He tried ... He`s trying to attack me! Please, please!
HAMMER: At one point, in a desperate attempt to stop the horrific attack, Herold stabbed Travis with a butcher knife as she described on the "Today" show.
HEROLD: He looked at me like, "Mom, what did you do?"
HAMMER: When police arrived at the house, they shot and killed the chimp. Now Charla Nash is fighting for her life.
SCHREFFLER: Charla`s injuries are severe, but she`s stable right now. Travis actually ate her face and it took surgeons seven hours to reconstruct her face.
JEFF CORWIN, ANIMAL PLANET HOST: These animals don`t make good pets.
HAMMER: "Animal Planet`s" Jeff Corwin tells CNN`s "AMERICAN MORNING" that chimps aren`t people and don`t belong in homes.
CORWIN: Most of the situations where humans and chimps mix in the home environment ends up tragically, either for the human being, the chimpanzee or for both.
HAMMER: This was definitely one of those cases. But on the "Today" show, Herold said she has no regrets.
HEROLD: Would I have done it again? Yes. It was horrific what happened and I had to do what I had to do. But I still - I`ll miss him for the rest of my life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, no doubt about it - this story of the lady and the chimp has just stunned the nation. Tonight, what is the fascination with this story and why are some people feeling sorry for the chimp?
With me tonight in New York is Lisa Bloom who is an anchor for the Legal Network`s "In Session." Also in New York is Ben Widdecombe who is the celebrity editor of "StyleList.com."
Lisa, I want to go to you first. And by the way, I just find this thing heartbreaking on so many levels. But as strange as it seems, a lot of people are watching this story on TV and they are feeling terrible and just bad about the fact that this chimp was shot to death. Do you get why?
LISA BLOOM, ANCHOR, "IN SESSION": Absolutely. I`m an animal lover all my life. With me, it`s rescue dogs; with her, it`s a chimp. And look, if I had a dog for 14 years that I loved and we had a great relationship and the dog went haywire and had to be shot, my heart would break for the dog, too.
I mean, look, humans go haywire. It happened with this chimp, but it`s a terrible tragedy. This woman obviously loved that animal very, very much.
HAMMER: Yes. None of that takes away from the obvious devastation for, not only the victim, but of course, the victim`s family. But Ben, do you see why there`s really this outpouring of sympathy for this chimpanzee?
WIDDICOMBE: Oh, absolutely. I think people a crazy kind of bond with chimpanzees. They do seem to be quite closely-related in the animal kingdom, and because the animal was so well socialized. It joined her at the table. It bathed with her. You know, it took meals with her.
I feel that the chimp really was a part of the family and I think anyone could understand such a great loss.
HAMMER: Yes. See, I think there is this strange emotional connection going on and I think a big part of the fascination is exactly what Ben was just saying, the fact that this woman lived with the chimp as if the chimp were human, feeding it steak and lobster and ice cream and, yes, drinking wine. Lisa, do you see it that way?
BLOOM: Yes. I mean, I don`t give my dog wine or steak or lobster even. But who amongst us doesn`t give our pets special treats and we don`t hug them and say sometimes we love them more than any human we know.
I mean, that`s our natural connection, I think, as caring people with our companion animals. I think it`s a beautiful thing and she had 14 great years with this chimp with no problems whatsoever - and this one horrible, tragic day.
HAMMER: Yes, and you hear about the way the chimp was killed. I was just telling Ben before the segment started, I have a hard time with cartoon animal violence. So this thing I want to play for you is actually difficult for me to listen to.
It`s one particular sound bite that`s been played over and over on TV for the past couple of days. The woman describing her stabbing the chimp who, as we`ve been saying, she considered a son, stabbed the chimp with a knife. And each time I`ve heard this I get the chills. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEROLD: I stabbed him with it. He turned and looked at me like, you know, "What did you do, Mom?" You know, "What did I do?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Ben, what do you think is going on in the minds of Americans watching this story unfold? For the most part, do you get the sense that people are feeling sorry for this woman who essentially lost, you know, what she would consider a child here? Or do you think that people are saying, "Yes, maybe she`s kind of wacky and nuts"?
WIDDICOMBE: I think people have a great deal of respect for the incredibly difficult decision that this woman had to make. And when push came to shove, even though the chimp was like a son to her, she made a difficult decision. She actually physically attacked Travis with a butcher knife.
And it`s very clear from the 911 call that she tells the police, "You have to bring guns. You have to shoot Travis." So when push came to shove and her friend was having her own life threatened, she made the call and she did the right thing. And I think people respect that.
HAMMER: Well, Lisa, I mean, I agree with you, Ben, that people respect it. But Lisa, you know, as the story is unfolding, we are hearing expert after expert go on television, saying, "You know what? These animals - the older they get, the more unpredictable - and they are wild animals and shouldn`t be raised as pets.
BLOOM: Well, that`s true. Then let`s pass laws across the country that people are not going to have primates in their homes as pets. And I think that makes a lot of sense there are too many of these chimp stories. There`s one in California that also ended very, very badly.
But I don`t blame her. I don`t think she`s nutty or wacky. Frankly, she lost her family members. She`s like the old lady we all know who has a bunch of cats ...
HAMMER: Yes.
BLOOM: ... and dotes on them. I mean, so be it. They`re not hurting anyone and they`re bringing love into their lives and they`re caring for animals. God bless them.
HAMMER: That`s a good way to look at it. And people are looking at those laws you mentioned right now as a result of this.
Let`s move on to what is another heartbreaking story. Mickey Rourke and the death of his beloved 17-year-old Chihuahua, Loki.
Now, we saw that dog with Mickey everywhere particularly throughout the awards season. Mickey, of course, paid tribute to his dogs when he won his Golden Globe. And this, of course, is coming just a couple of days before Mickey might very well win an Oscar for "The Wrestler."
Ben, every dog owner, myself included, is feeling sorry for Mickey, aren`t they.
WIDDICOMBE: Oh, absolutely. The death of Loki was not unexpected. He told a colleague of mine at the Golden Globes that he had commissioned a bronze statue of Loki before he died because he knew the dog`s days were numbered. And he was so attached to his dog he actually has this piece of artwork now being created for his home.
So Loki was very beloved. He`s not the first Chihuahua that Mickey has owned, and he won`t be the last.
HAMMER: And separate though from the fact that he was expecting this - and Lisa, also as a dog lover, I mean, he`s got to be devastated.
BLOOM: Oh, gosh, absolutely. I mean, I lost a dog that was 14 years old a few months ago, and it`s absolutely heartbreaking and devastating. And I think it humanizes him that he is so open about the love that he had for his dog and how sad he is now.
I mean, we can all relate to that. He`s not just a big movie star with his great comeback story.
HAMMER: Yes.
BLOOM: He`s a vulnerable human being who`s just like the rest of us.
HAMMER: And for that, I`m looking forward to giving him a big hug when I see him on the red carpet.
BLOOM: Good.
HAMMER: Lisa Bloom, Ben Widdicombe, thank you both.
BLOOM: Thank you.
ANDERSON: You know, A.J., I`ve said it before, and I will say it again, this octu-mom story just gets more and more bizarre.
HAMMER: "Bizarre" is the right word, Brooke. Tonight, the octuplet mom - is she about to get kicked out of her home?
ANDERSON: Yes, that`s right, A.J. That`s a possibility. Are the octuplet mom and her babies about to become homeless? Plus, get this, why the octu- mom, who is nearly broke, went shopping for makeup, and not just any makeup - the expensive stuff. Are you kidding me? That`s coming up.
HAMMER: Plus, the explosive new tell-all book about Sarah Palin`s secrets. We`re going one on one with the author right here. It is the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the two of them together, and THEN they come in with all that va-voom factor. This what makes Oscar shows and Oscar nights great fun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: "Hollywood`s Gold Rush" - tonight, I`m revealing why Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, appearing at the Oscars this year, is absolutely extraordinary. 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: Charlie Sheen`s wife is "fine" after being hospitalized with early contractions. Tiger Woods releases first pictures of his son.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (on camera): Are you feeling any nerves or is it just pure anticipation, pure excitement?
HUGH JACKMAN, ACTOR: It is more excitement. I`m not impervious. There`s been moments in my life where I`ve been nervous going on stage, that`s for sure. And I`ll have a butterfly or two. You want to have a couple.
But ultimately, the way I see it is, if I`m not going to have a good time, how can anyone else have a good time? You know, you`re the host. It`s not really about you ultimately, but it`s your job to set the tone.
ANDERSON: And the butterflies kind of give you a little bit of adrenaline.
JACKMAN: Yes, and I`ll be drinking from about (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The very funny Hugh Jackman opening up to me today about hosting the Oscars this Sunday.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Now, "Hollywood`s Gold Rush," red carpet frenzy. This year`s Oscars are shaping out to be really exciting. You`ve got newcomers versus more experienced actors, films tackling some pretty heavy-duty subjects.
But one of the biggest stories this year - Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Amazingly, they are both nominated for Oscars. And let me tell you, Brad and Angelina are in some pretty good company. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): One Oscar-nominated star escorting another. It`s the ultimate in arm candy.
ROBERT OSBOURNE(ph), OSCAR HISTORIAN: With the two of them together, and then they come in with all that va-voom factor. It`s what makes Oscar shows and Oscar nights great fun.
Oscar historian and author, Robert Osbourne, is talking about the glamour and excitement of that rare event when a megastar couple scores Oscar nominations in the same year. This year, it`s Brangelina.
OSBOURNE: There have been few high-profile couples as famous and Brad and Angelina.
BRAD PITT, ACTOR (as Benjamin Button): They said I was going to die.
ANDERSON: Pitt earned his Best Actor nomination for "The Curious Case for Benjamin Button."
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: Stop saying that!
ANDERSON: Jolie is up for Best Actress for "Changeling." There are the latest famous duo to share Oscar nominations at the same time.
OSBOURNE: There have been many glamorous couples through the years. Probably, one of the most famous was Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor when they were both nominated in one year. Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner were married at the time when they were both nominees in 1953. Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh were a very high-profile couple back in the late `30s when they were both nominated, she for "Gone with the Wind," he for "Wuthering Heights."
ANDERSON: More recently, there was Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, both nominated for Oscars for "Brokeback Mountain" back in 2006, and Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon for "Dead Man Walking" a decade earlier.
OSBOURNE: It`s really fun to see them just kind of arriving and being themselves and all the glamour and the paparazzi. I think it adds to the excitement of the night and the glamour of the night.
ANDERSON: A night when international attention will be focused on Hollywood and Hollywood`s golden couple on the carpet.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be right there live at the Oscars. It is "Hollywood`s Gold Rush," a special live edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That`s at 11:00 p.m. Eastern this Sunday. We are the only entertainment news show live at the Oscars. You do not want to miss this.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. So the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines have just been ringing nonstop, people calling in about what else? Octu-mom.
ANDERSON: That`s right. Look at this. I mean, A.J., these ladies do not sleep. They have been working eight hours straight, fielding eight gazillion calls about the eight babies. What a coincidence.
HAMMER: Yes, and what technology we`re using there. We got this particular anonymous call into "Showbiz on Call."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ANONYMOUS CALLER: First of all, with that many kids, who is going to watch those kids when she has to go shopping or to the doctor when she gets sick? And with that many kids, who is going to do the washing, the meal-cooking? And also, who`s going to help them all with their homework? The day only lasts so long. I think they should be given away to people that love kids.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you, mystery person, for that call. We also heard from Chris who called in to "Showbiz on Call" from South Carolina.
CHRIS, CALLER FROM SOUTH CAROLINA: I think that we all have something in us that makes us love children. However, most of us have enough common sense to know that you only have as many children as you have time for and can financially afford.
And I love children and I`m very concerned about the children, their welfare and how they`re going to be taken care of.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
CHRIS: Thank you for that, Chris. And we also heard from Carol calling in to "Showbiz on Call" from the Sunshine State, Florida.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CAROL, CALLER FROM FLORIDA: My opinion, as part of the community and the taxpayer, I don`t want to pay for the octu-mom`s kids. She should have taken that responsibility on herself. I don`t think it`s our responsibility.
As far as loving kids, then open up a daycare center instead of having them. I think the whole thing is ridiculous. And yes, I do think she`s extremely selfish and those kids should be taken away from her.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thanks for that, Carol.
HAMMER: And remember, you can call us on "Showbiz on Call" so you can let us know what you think about octu-mom or anything else that`s on your mind. As you can see, or have seen, our operators are always standing by.
The number to call is 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voicemail. We`re playing your calls here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And we`re posting your calls, too. "Showbiz on Call" phone calls can be heard at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
And now, we want to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Octuplet Mom: Do you have sympathy for her?"
You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Well, let me tell you this. I don`t know how much sympathy people are going to have for the octu-mom, A.J., when they hear about her shopping for pricey makeup.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. This woman who is nearly broke even went for the expensive stuff. That`s not all that`s new on the octu-mom front. Tonight, is she about to lose her home? Are her and her eight babies going to get kicked out on the street? That`s coming up.
ANDERSON: Also, we`ve got a revealing interview with the author of a brand-new explosive Sarah Palin book. It is full of secrets. The author is right here in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And one of Hollywood`s biggest stars is outraged and now speaking out about that controversial cartoon, which some think links President Obama to a chimp. 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: Faulty fish tank sets off fire at Tracy Morgan`s NYC apartment, no one is hurt. Donald Trump a grandfather again! Son of Donald Jr. and wife Vanessa have second child, a boy.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(CAPTION READS: Taylor Swift`s "Fearless" back on top of Billboard`s country and top 200 album charts.)
HAMMER: More stories from the "SHOWBIZ News Sticker" straight ahead.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Here are some more stories new right now.
Tonight, Laurence Fishburne thinks the controversial "New York Post: cartoon, the one that some people think links President Obama to the chimp that mauled the woman is racist.
In the cartoon, police shoot and kill the chimp. The words say, quote, "We`ll have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill."
And that has got some outraged saying the cartoon implies Obama is a monkey, an ugly stereotype of African-Americans. On today`s "The View," Fishburne didn`t pull any punches.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURENCE FISHBURNE, ACTOR: I think it was very racist. And I think that listening to you guys talk about racism and it was really - it`s great to hear you, guys, talking about it.
We`re not a nation of cowards. We are a nation that has a family disease and racism is our family disease. And the history of that disease has affected white people and black people and we are afraid to talk about it because there is shame around it.
Because we are ashamed, those of us who are the descendants of slaves - it`s a very shameful thing. Those of us who were the descendants of slave owners - that is a very shameful thing to own.
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE VIEW": Look at him speaking.
FISHBURNE: So that`s, I think, what our problem is -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Also new tonight, Nick Carter is opening up about his dramatic battle with drugs and alcohol. Nick, of course, is a member of the boy band, The Backstreet Boys and he`s fought substance abuse for 10 years now.
In an emotional interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Nick revealed just how bad his addictions were.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK CARTER, THE BACK STREET BOYS MEMBER: I had many occasions and I had a lot of awakenings - rude awakenings at times, warning sides from DUIs -
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": Yes. What happened? You got a DUI. Wouldn`t that make you stop?
CARTER: Yes, I mean, at the time, what I had done was - you know, I got the DUI. And I realized that it was wrong and so I decided to go and do sort of punish myself, go do the classes, go do the DUI school, go do the community service, do everything that I was required to do.
And then I would end up in a situation where I was like, OK. Well, I`ll stop for like six months. And then after that, I would feel like it`s OK to get back into it ...
DEGENERES: Right.
CARTER: ... and sort of fool myself in a way.
HAMMER: Well, the upside of it now is that Nick says he`s sober and that his goal in life is to be the best person he can be.
ANDERSON: And now the showbiz lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Will the octuplet mom be kicked out of her home? Will she be homeless? And why is she shopping for expensive makeup?
The author of a brand-new Sarah Palin tell-all - it`s the interview you`ll see only right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And Kate Winslet spent a lot of time naked in her Oscar-nominated role in "The Reader." Tonight, Kate reveals if she`ll do any more nude scenes.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Oscar host Hugh Jackman to perform with Beyonce, Zac Efron at Oscars. "Hollywood Reporter": New "Meet the Parents" movie to be made: "Little Fockers.")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, brand new octu-mom outrage. She has no income and she may be losing her home. But she`s out shopping for fancy makeup?
Plus, why she may soon be homeless and will she be getting a reality show? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with all the twists and turns of outrage over octu-mom.
Sarah secrets, a blockbuster new book all about Alaska`s Governor Sarah Palin`s secrets. And we have the author right here in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Plus, more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
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, coming to you tonight from Hollywood. And tonight, why the octuplet mom may soon be homeless.
HAMMER: Brooke, there are so many brand-new developments in the octu-mom story, including the real possibility that Nadya Suleman and her 14 kids could be out on the street because it turns out their house is in foreclosure.
But wait, late today, breaking news, Suleman has been offered the deal of a lifetime from one of the most famous celebrity attorneys in Hollywood.
Just hours ago, Gloria Allred held a press conference to offer octu- mom a way out. And this comes on the heels of a brand-new poll by "USA Today" asking people if they feel any sympathy for octu-mom. Not surprisingly, an overwhelming majority say no.
And there`s also big news about a possible octu-mom reality show. Will the cameras be rolling any time soon? Joining me tonight in New York, Lisa Bloom who is an anchor for the Legal Network`s "In Session." Also in New York is Jane Velez-Mitchell, host, of "Issues with Jane Velez- Mitchell," seen weekday nights 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN.
So let`s begin with this press conference that was held late today in Los Angeles. Gloria Allred asking Nadya Suleman to accept an offer from a group called Angels in Waiting. And what they would do is help her care for all of her children, especially the eight babies that are still in the hospital. And the help will include constant care and nurses. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLORIA ALLRED, CELEBRITY ATTORNEY: Angels in Waiting is a wonderful organization. They have helped many at-risk, medically fragile infants in the past and they are offering to do so again. If Nadya Suleman accepts their offer and if the public supports them through donations, then her babies would receive the around-the-clock care that they will need without having to rely on taxpayer funds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. JVM, off to you first, are you with me? Do you think octu-mom would just have to be out of her mind to turn an offer like this down?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Well, A.J., she often appears out of her mind. So I think it`s very possible she could turn this down, but she shouldn`t. This is her opportunity to do right by her kids and to make sure that her children are cared for and not just worry about her own narcissistic needs and what she wants out of the situation. But worry about the responsibility of caring for 14 kids, three of whom are disabled.
I think it`s wonderful that this offer has been made and I hope that she comes to her senses and says yes. This would be the perfect way out and it`s kind of a win-win for everybody.
HAMMER: Yes, not a bad thing to say about this opportunity if you ask me. And good on Gloria Allred for putting this together. Over to you, Lisa Bloom. And in the interest of full disclosure, Gloria Allred is your mother.
Can you see any reason that octu-mom would not take this offer? I mean, she has no money. She doesn`t have a job. I think this is exactly what she needs.
BLOOM: Yes, and guilty as charged. That is my solo mom, Gloria Allred, making this offer. And as I understand, Angels in Waiting, this organization, actually made the offer to Nadya Suleman a week ago and she`s been absolutely silent, completely silent and has not responded.
So they made it today publicly to maybe put a little pressure on her to accept the help. Look, what single mother in her right mind wouldn`t take an offer of free help with the kids? I mean, I`m a single mom and anyone who wants to step up and give me some help, I would be happy to take it.
HAMMER: Yes.
BLOOM: And I only have two kids.
HAMMER: I was going to say.
BLOOM: I just can`t understand why she wouldn`t take it. I hope she will.
HAMMER: Yes, and I think the world will now be waiting to see if she does the right thing as far as we`re concerned and takes this offer.
But then you have this whole desperate mess concerning her mom`s house. And that, of course, is where Nadya Suleman and the other six kids already live. Now, we have learned today they could lose the house because it is in foreclosure. There are court papers that reveal octu-grandma hasn`t paid the mortgage in something like 10 months and I think owes more than $20,000 on this.
So Jane, is there really a possibility that they will have no place to live? And then if that`s the truth, what happens to the octuplets?
VELEZ-MITCHELL Well, I have an interesting theory, A.J. TMZ is now reporting that octu-mom was spotted shopping for a home in the price range of $1.24 million. Now, is she just going to an open house because she has time on her hands or has she secretly already made a deal?
I don`t know. But something doesn`t add up here. And the fact that we are hearing about the threat of foreclosure at the very same time that she says, "Hey, I need to find a new home. Yes, it`s not my house. It`s my grandmother`s house and she hasn`t made the payments in 10 months. I need to find a new home." And then she is spotted looking for a very expensive home. Something tells me a deal has been made.
BLOOM: Yes. And A.J., why wouldn`t she help her own mom out if she has come into some money before buying her own house? Her own mother has helped her with those six kids, three of them are disabled. She`s going to let her mother go into foreclosure and buy here own million-dollar home. I agree, something does not add up here.
HAMMER: Hold on a second. If you listen really carefully, you can hear the sound of my head about to explode.
All right. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines also exploding over the octu-mom`s desperate situation. I want you to listen to what Debbie in Colorado has to say about the octu-mom possibly losing her house and having the kids in the first place.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DEBBIE, CALLER FROM COLORADO: I`ve just got to say she may love her children, but who has six children, live on the system, lives with her parents who is clearly 10 months behind on their payments and then decides to have another pregnancy, let alone eight more children? I think that`s very irresponsible. I think that she`s looking for more money to pave her way. And I don`t think that`s right.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: I appreciate your call, Debbie. Lisa, the octu-mom really is in a desperate situation here, isn`t she? And save whatever may be happening with looking at million-dollar homes.
BLOOM: Yes. She should really be reaching out for help to the community. This is what I have been saying all week. I didn`t even know my mom had this project in the works. She needs to be going to her church, her mosque, her community, social services and, you know, do a big survey of what is out there, who`s going to help her.
Because those babies are going to come home and she clearly is not equipped to take care of them. Get some help. Get some other grownups involved. Otherwise, she`s going to lose those kids.
HAMMER: Also making my head explode today is this, octu-mom seen out and about yesterday buying expensive Mac cosmetics. She was at a Nordstrom`s store.
Jane, I`ve got to tell you, I heard this, I`m thinking - unbelievable. She does - what she doesn`t say here, to me, shows us she has no real sense of reality.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right, or it feeds into my theory that perhaps she`s made a secret deal. The other thing is, A.J., she doesn`t seem very concerned when they caught up with her and said, "Hey, your mother`s house is threatened to be foreclosed." She`s like, "Yes, we need to find another house." There`s absolutely no concern in her voice.
If you or I were about to lose our home, especially with a brood of 14 kids, there would be alarm in our voice. So something tells - and you know, there`s many ways to make entertainment deals.
You don`t have to make it directly with the parties involved. You can make with a third party. Then that third party can make the deal with those individuals and nobody is ever the wiser. And I`m not saying that`s the case, but it`s looking more and more like that.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, if it is a reality show deal, at least we can tell you it`s not with TLC, because that whole thing has gone to bust. Today, in a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, TLC, the television network, who originally said they were interested in Nadya`s story for a reality show, now they`re saying we have no plans to do anything like this.
But Lisa, could it actually be a good thing for her to not get involved with the reality show all together? Because as far as I`m concerned, she doesn`t really need any more public scrutiny right now, does she?
BLOOM: No, but she needs money. And maybe that`s why she`s buying that expensive makeup - is to go on TV and do some kind of a show. You know, we all need a little makeup when on the TV right.
I mean, I don`t think she`s going to get a reality show. I`ve been saying that all along. I think this is toxic. I don`t think advertisers want to get behind her. I think there would be outrage if there was a reality show. She might be able to sell her story to a British tabloid. She might be able to exploit it and get a little bit of money but I don`t see anything ongoing with any major American advertiser standing behind the octu-mom.
HAMMER: Well, what we`re learning also is that America pretty much all feels the same way. There`s a brand-new "USA Today" poll with some pretty shocking results, or maybe it won`t be shocking. I don`t know.
But when they ask how do you feel towards octu-mom? Look at this. Only 10 percent said, very sympathetic. 16 percent said somewhat sympathetic. 21 percent somewhat unsympathetic. And then a whopping 49 percent said very unsympathetic.
Jane, anything in this poll that surprises you?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely not. This is perhaps the most hated woman in America right now. And I don`t think that`s fair. She is clearly troubled. She clearly needs psychological help. Her mother has hinted as much.
And I think we have to have compassion for anybody who is suffering mentally or emotionally. The fact is, though, that a troubled woman has a very large brood and that is a very dangerous combination.
HAMMER: Lisa, are you surprised at all by really a complete lack of sympathy by our entire nation, it seems?
BLOOM: No, I`m not surprised. And like Jane, I do have compassion for her because she is troubled. But she has made choices that brought these troubles onto herself. It`s not as though she got accidentally pregnant and boom, she`s got eight babies. I mean, she used science to make those babies over and over again. And there`s a doctor out there who is clearly negligent, who implanted all these babies in her.
So you can`t make choices, bring a situation into your life and then cry, "Oh, poor me. Now I need help."
HAMMER: Yes.
BLOOM: I think that`s the source of the frustration with her.
HAMMER: Very big frustration at that. Lisa Bloom, Jane Velez-Mitchell, I thank you both. Please be sure to check out "Issues" with the lovely Jane Velez-Mitchell. It airs weekday nights 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN.
Well, still to come on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Brooke, you`ve got Sarah`s secrets, don`t you?
ANDERSON: That`s right. We do, A.J. There`s a bombshell new book, all about Gov. Sarah Palin`s secrets. And we`ve got the author right here in the headline-making interview you will see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And the lovely Kate Winslet speaking out about taking it all off on screen. She`s been naked in a lot of movies and feels pretty strongly about whether she`ll ever do it again. 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: Lance Armstrong`s stolen bicycle recovered. Unspecified number of Disneyland, Disney World employees to be laid off.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Right now, the explosive new book on Sarah Palin. This may be the most revealing book yet at the woman who ran for vice president and became an overnight worldwide celebrity. The book is just out. It`s called "Trail Blazer," an intimate biography of Sarah Palin.
And it was written by Lorenzo Benet who is assistant editor of "People" magazine. And Lorenzo joins us tonight in Hollywood. Lorenzo, it`s great to have you with us.
LORENZO BENET, AUTHOR, "TRAIL BLAZER": Thank you, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Hey, it`s truly amazing, the access to the Palin family that you got in writing this book, everybody from Palin`s parents to her older sister. What was the one thing you learned about Sarah Palin that will surprise us the most?
BENET: Well, one of the things I learned was, last year, she had her baby. She had her baby. It was a secret birth. She kept the birth secret from her children for seven months. And I was a little surprised at that and I was a little surprised she -
ANDERSON: She kept the pregnancy a secret, right? Kept the pregnancy a secret. OK.
BENET: Yes, kept the pregnancy a secret for seven months from her children. But they did find out - they found an ultrasound. And even though, as I say in the book, Gov. Palin explained it away, she didn`t really reveal it to them until March when she announced it publicly as well.
ANDERSON: So they found out from finding an ultrasound?
BENET: Yes. Yes, that`s true. And then she didn`t talk about the fact that Trig was born with Down syndrome. She knew of the diagnosis in December and she kept that from her family and from her constituents right up until Trig was born on April 18th.
And she had reasons for doing it. She had to come to grips with it herself.
ANDERSON: Right.
BENET: She wasn`t ready to talk about it until it happened. So I don`t see these as negative things. But she was also trying to protect her children from unwanted attention and lots of questions.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BENET: So she decided to keep these things private.
ANDERSON: And I`m sure many mothers feel the same way in similar situations. You know, and speaking of pregnancy, there, of course, was that other pregnancy of her teenage daughter, Bristol. Just this week, Bristol did her first interview since giving birth. And Greta Van Susteren asked her about being a teen mom. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST, "ON THE RECORD": Is this what you expected?
BRISTOL PALIN, DAUGHTER OF GOV. SARAH PALIN: I don`t know if it`s what I expected but it`s just a lot different.
VAN SUSTEREN: You had no hint of sort of the demands of being a new mother?
B. PALIN: It`s not just the baby that`s hard. It`s just like I`m just not living for myself anymore. It`s like, it`s for another person. So that`s different.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: She`s being honest. Hey, Lorenzo, Sarah Palin publicly supported Bristol when the news came out, that just as she was picked as John McCain`s running mate. What did you learn about what was really happening behind the scenes? Was Palin fit to be tied?
BENET: She admitted she was in shock. The family found out after Bristol came home from school in late May. She was all done with high school and she told the family. It was an open secret in Wasilla for several weeks long before it was admitted publicly after she was picked as a vice presidential nominee.
So that was pretty interesting to find out. That`s what I discovered in my research and what I write about in the book. But you know, in the end, she`s very supportive. Bristol, in fact, learned a lot about care- taking by babysitting Trig all summer and winter. So when her own child came along in December, she was ready to go. As was Levi.
ANDERSON: Yes, had some practice there ahead of time. Well, as we know, during the presidential campaign, "Saturday Night Live" spoofed Sarah Palin to the point that in many people`s eyes, she became a joke. And then there was that infamous Katie Couric interview when she was asked what newspapers she read. Here`s a SHOWBIZ flashback.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATIE COURIC, ANCHOR, "CBS EVENING NEWS": What specifically, I`m curious that you -
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK): All of them. Any of them that have been in front of me over all these years.
COURIC: Can you name any of them?
S. PALIN: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news. Alaska isn`t a foreign country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Hey, Lorenzo, from what you found out, is Sarah Palin and her family bitter about the heat that she got and even the "SNL" spoofs?
BENET: I think in the end, if Gov. Palin had to do it over again, she might have answered some of these questions differently. I know for a fact she gets up at 4:30 every day and reads, you know, the national papers as well as the Alaska papers.
But she got a little defensive toward the end of the campaign. And now, as we`ve seen over the last month or two, has regretted some of the statements and some of the coverage and may even be thinking twice about having gone on "Saturday Night Live." Although at the time, people thought it was OK and it didn`t seem to hurt the campaign at all.
ANDERSON: All right. Well, it`s interesting, everything that you uncovered. Lorenzo Benet, assistant editor for "People" magazine, we thank you for your time.
BENET: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Lorenzo`s new book, "Trail Blazer: An Intimate Biography of Sarah Palin," is in bookstores now.
HAMMER: It is time now for "Hollywood`s Gold Rush." Well, the Oscars just three nights away and all of Hollywood, of course, is getting ready for the biggest night of the year there.
That includes the tradition that`s been going on for, I can`t believe this, 28 years now, Barbara Walters` Oscar special. One of the reasons that people are definitely going to be tuning in this year is this guy. Barbara interviews Mickey Rourke, who of course is nominated for his amazing performance in "The Wrestler," and obviously is the comeback story of the year.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT sat down with Barbara and she said that Mickey really opens up about how he destroyed his own career.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: The interview with Mickey Rourke may be the most intense that I`ve done in a very long time. He talks about the lowest point, why he fell so low. He talks about his love affair. It`s - he`s one of the most open people. And maybe, it is because he`s had 14 years of therapy.
HAMMER: And you can watch Barbara Walters Oscar night special, Sunday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, and after the broadcast out there on the west coast.
We want to remind to you tune in for the special live edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on Oscar night. We are the only entertainment news show that`s going to be live. That is "Hollywood`s Gold Rush," live this Sunday, 11:00 p.m. Eastern, here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: That`s right. You don`t want to miss it. All right. Straight ahead, if you`ve seen Kate Winslet`s Oscar-nominated performance in "The Reader," you may have noticed she spent a lot of time naked in that movie. Now, Kate is speaking out whether she ever wants to take her clothes off for a movie again. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
HAMMER: Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT news room making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Anika Noni Rose stars as first black Disney princess in "The Princess and the Frog." CBS` "The Mentalist" tops this week`s Nielsen ratings.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Well, Kate Winslet says she`s done taking her clothes off on screen. I`m sorry.
In an interview with "Time" magazine, she says enough is enough, because, well, she doesn`t want to be that actress who is always naked. Kate is nominated for an Oscar for her performance on "The Reader," where quite frankly, she spends a lot of her time without her clothes on.
And she has appeared naked in nine other movies as well, including of course "Titanic" and "Little Children."
ANDERSON: Another Oscar nominee, Robert Downey, Jr. is getting a lot of attention for his remarkable road to the Oscar pool for his role in "Tropic Thunder." Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Robert Downey, Jr., in "Tropic Thunder."
ROBERT DOWNEY, ACTOR (as Kirk Lazarus): For 400 years, that work has kept us down. It took a whole lot of trying just to get up that hill.
I mean, the funny thing is, you know, I was playing a guy, an Oscar- crazed weirdo.
(as Kirk Lazarus): I know who I am. I`m the dude playing the dude, disguised as another dude.
DOWNEY: Whose every motivation was geared towards accolade, so I though it was kind of - what isn`t ironic when you think about me standing up here.
KAREEN WINTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: The Academy doesn`t typically recognize comedic performances.
DOWNEY: Right.
WYNTER: Were you surprised by that, the recognition?
DOWNEY: People told me I should be surprised, you know. I`m like the guy, you call sheet and bring me a set over here. And I go, look at the set, we should do this. And they go, "Hey, calm down. But it turns out a little better.
And then they go, "You know, the fact that you`re nominated, it`s actually - it`s a bit of a break from tradition." And I go, "Oh, wow!" How should I feel about that? Well, it makes you more exciting.
What I think is endearing about Kirk Lazarus and Lincoln Osiris in "Tropic Thunder" is that there is no way that I could have red the script and said, "It`s Oscar time."
WINTER: Deep down, though, was there a nervous bone, deep down where it`s kind of like oh ...
DOWNEY: I`m not really.
WYNTER: It`s really a big, though, being nominated for an Oscar.
DOWNEY: Yes. I`m not tripping on that.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: That`s the theme song for "The Jeffersons."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And a reminder, mark this down, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live for the Oscar`s, Sunday night, 11:00 p.m. Eastern.
HAMMER: And we will see you then. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Thanks for watching, guys. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern on HLN.
END
