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Showbiz Tonight
Octu-mom Faces off with Dr. Phil; Michelle Obama: The Coolest First Lady Ever; Will Charges Be Filed Against Chris Brown?
Aired February 26, 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, brand-new explosive octu- mom drama. The octu-mom faces off with Dr. Phil. Is she done having children? Would she do anything differently? The octu-mom answers the tough questions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I think what people will take from this is that this is someone who seems very pleasant and very nice, but completely doesn`t understand what she`s gotten herself into.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, a brand-new look inside her house. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has all the latest octu-mom drama.
The coolest First Lady ever. Tonight, an unprecedented look at America`s fascination with Michelle Obama. Her style, her love affair with the president. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT presents the coolest First Lady ever.
Plus, breaking news in the Chris Brown-Rihanna drama. Will charges be filed against Chris Brown?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
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, octu-mom`s big mistake.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. In a brand-new, unexpected development, octu-mom Nadya Suleman now says she was wrong to have eight more kids when she already had six others at home. It was a dramatic breakthrough and it went down during a TV showdown with Dr. Phil.
And the octu-mom`s amazing revelation is coming out just as we are getting a brand-new look inside her home. Is it too dangerous for the kids? Is she ready for more kids?
The ever-changing octu-drama is surely making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL MCGRAW, TV PSYCHIATRIST: Do you acknowledge that that choice was wrong?
NADYA SULEMAN, OCTUPLET MOTHER: I do.
HAMMER (voice over): A shocking and possibly overdue admission from octuplet mom, Nadya Suleman. On "The Dr. Phil Show," Suleman finally admitted that having more children when she could barely take care of the six she already had, may not have been the best idea.
N. SULEMAN: And I was like, I don`t know what I was thinking.
SERAFIN: It look Dr. Phil like, an entire interview of asking her and asking her over and over again whether she regretted going back to have even one more child. I think though people are going to take from this, she does not understand the severity of the situation.
HAMMER: Kim Serafin from "In Touch Weekly" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that despite Suleman`s shocking TV admission, many Americans still question whether she`s prepared to be a mom of 14.
SERAFIN: She doesn`t have a job. She`s getting food stamps. She`s living off of her student loans and she really has no plan in the future.
HAMMER: In the new dramatic interview, Nadya why tried to convince Dr. Phil and America that she does have a plan that once her octuplets, who remain at this hospital, join her at home with her six other children.
MCGRAW: You don`t have the money, housing, transportation or plan to handle these 14 children.
N. SULEMAN: The plan is definitely being - it`s underway, but not big enough.
HAMMER: The plan, she says, includes living on student loans.
N. SULEMAN: I think that was what helped me the most, the loans helping me and the children survive on these loans, knowing I would pay them back when I`m working.
MCGRAW: Living on borrowed money is not making it.
HAMMER: Renting a bigger house, even though she has no job -
N. SULEMAN: Temporarily, if I am unable to go rent somewhere else - because that`s a goal my mom`s friends are working on, finding a place even just to rent. Then, we`re going to fix up and change the house with all the manpower as you said, to alter it so it is safe for these babies.
HAMMER: And relying on volunteers to help her with her 14 kids.
N. SULEMAN: One human can`t do it. I`m (INAUDIBLE) down.
MCGRAW: (INAUDIBLE) my mother.
N. SULEMAN: Family, grandma, grandpa, all the teachers and the moms from their school are unbelievable, and they want to not just help with the babies. They want to help with the older kids.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And what`s your name?
HAMMER: "Radar Online" has provided SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with this brand-new video of the home Nadya shares with her six older kids.
CHRIS MYERS, "RADARONLINE.COM": It`s kind of like controlled chaos. It`s like any home you would expect with six children in it.
HAMMER: Chris Myers of "Radar Online" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Nadya does indeed have volunteers helping her, but says that won`t be enough.
MYERS: She has two nannies. People from the neighborhood are helping. Friends of hers are helping. But when you bring eight more babies into the mix, obviously, you`re going to need a lot more support.
MCGRAW: When you can`t handle the six you`ve got, having even one more seems to me to be way out of touch with reality.
HAMMER: And that brings it back to Suleman`s decision to add even more kids to this crowded house. Nadya tells Dr. Phil that she loves all of her children. But back when she had her fertility doctor implant her remaining frozen embryos, she`d only intended to have just one more, not eight.
N. SULEMAN: I just wanted so desperately not to dispose of those babies, not to kill them. And they were still alive - those embryos.
MCGRAW: Do you acknowledge that that choice was wrong?
N. SULEMAN: I do. I do.
MCGRAW: And that`s huge for me and I think it`s huge for people in America.
HAMMER: But maybe not big enough to change what people think of the octu- mom.
SERAFIN: I don`t think she really believes it and I don`t think a lot of people are going to believe it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: What`s going on? Are we making some progress here? Dr. Phil may have gotten through to the octu-mom, but will this latest confession gain her any sympathy?
Well, joining me tonight in Hollywood is Lisa Bloom, who is an anchor for "In Session." Also tonight in Hollywood is Carlos Diaz, who is a correspondent for "Extra."
So I think it`s a pretty big deal that the octu-mom finally admitted she made a mistake. But we heard it, even Dr. Phil had a pretty tough time getting her to say she made a mistake.
Lisa Bloom, after watching this interview, do you think Nadya Suleman gets it now?
LISA BLOOM, ANCHOR, "IN SESSION": I don`t. I think Dr. Phil is a very persuasive guy and she`s sitting next to him and he`s making it so clear that she was irresponsible. And she kind of goes along with it and says, "Yes, I was wrong."
But when she describes why she did it, she treats children like they`re collectible figurines, "So I had six - I just wanted to one more. I just wanted to have all these babies implanted because I love them and I just wanted to some more."
If you loved your children, you would have stopped when you already had too many to handle, and she never really vocalizes that.
HAMMER: Yes. Let`s take a look at how that went when Dr. Phil pressed her about that choice to have so many embryos transferred which, of course, as we now know, is the decision that led to the birth of the octuplets. Let`s roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N. SULEMAN: In hand sight, I don`t know what I was thinking. I know I loved my children and I know I loved those embryos.
MCGRAW: So you see now it was wrong?
N. SULEMAN: I do see. Maybe that choice was wrong, you know, to add another one. And I thought it would be one.
MCGRAW: Do you acknowledge that that choice was wrong?
N. SULEMAN: I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A little pause, but she said, "Hey, I do. I was wrong."
All right. Carlos, do you think people are going to watch that and at least feel enough sympathy to help her out?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": If you watched the entire interview - I completely agree with Lisa - if you watch the entire interview, she spends most of the interview saying she`s not wrong.
And I think finally Dr. Phil is like, "Now, are you wrong? Do you think you`re wrong?" And she`s like, "I do think I`m wrong?" Like it`s almost like, "Do you want me to say this?"
HAMMER: Like, "I`d better say this or else he`s not going to shut up and leave me alone."
DIAZ: Yes. Exactly. She says the word maybe in there.
BLOOM: There`s the word "maybe." She said the word "maybe" in there.
DIAZ: Yes. Exactly. Even when she said she`s wrong, she`s like, "Maybe." You can tell she`s like, looking on the clock on the wall, going, "You`ve been here four hours. Yes, I`m wrong. Just get out. You know, please."
HAMMER: Well, new tonight, People.com reporting that the babies are making progress. We`re very happy to hear that. They are all still under four pounds. All eight babies are off respirators now, so that obviously is a good thing.
So Lisa, does it go without saying at this point that people, despite what they may think about Nadya Suleman, at least want to help the babies out here?
BLOOM: Yes. This story should be about the babies. Nadya made an irresponsible choice - we all agree with that. But the babies are here and they shouldn`t be victimized or stigmatized because their mom made a bad choice.
They`re here. They`re completely innocent and they need the help. And they need, for one thing, a home that they can go to where they`re going to be properly cared for.
I don`t see eight cribs lined up in that home waiting for them.
HAMMER: Yes.
BLOOM: I don`t see bottles lined up, all the things that you would need when you have babies. You know, most of us - you`ve got nine months of pregnancy to plan. And most of us are going to have one child. We get everything ready so you come home from the hospital. It`s all organized. She just doesn`t have that and that`s what`s disturbing.
HAMMER: Yes. It`s a very disturbing point that everyone is talking about. And I think Nadya is even getting that finally. Because now, Dr. Phil says that Nadya is actually freaking out over the possibility that, you know, the hospital might not release the babies to her if the housing situation is questionable, as you were saying, Lisa. He says she literally broke down in tears after the interview.
Let`s take a look at this brand-new video from "Radar Online" of her home. I mean, take a look at this, Carlos. Do you think that the notice that she got from the hospital is perhaps what it took for her to get the gravity of her situation?
DIAZ: It`s a complete wakeup call. And I want to make a quick point. People keep talking about reality TV shows, whether she could be on a reality TV show. I`m serious when I say this, to heck with reality TV shows.
Think about a reality TV network, a complete network and follow me on this, devoted to her and raising these 14 kids where you can have - I mean, three of the kids already have special needs from the six that she had before. You have programming on that.
You have programming on the counseling it takes for her, you know, to get over the postnatal experiences that she`s going to have. You have all these different aspects that you can cover and you can devote an entire network to it instead of just one one-hour show.
BLOOM: Wow.
HAMMER: What an ambitious plan. It`s kind of like "The Truman Show" of the octu-mom`s life.
DIAZ: It would be a real-life "Truman Show" with 14 kids.
HAMMER: You know what? As much as people say they wouldn`t watch it, I bet they would watch it.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: Lisa, we`re taking a look at this video again from "Radar Online." Do you think anybody would look at this video of this house and say, "Yes, this place could actually work to raise 14 kids?"
BLOOM: Absolutely not. I don`t judge her. When you have a lot of little kids at home, the place is a mess. You`ve got their stuff everywhere. I think that`s fine. Maybe for the six kids, it`s OK.
But to bring eight more preemies home - and by the way, preemies require a lot more care than just an ordinary baby. They`re at much higher risk for disabilities or for diseases. And so, to bring eight little babies into that home when there`s no plan at all, that`s what is absolutely crazy here. I mean, she says she loves them. But love is not enough.
HAMMER: She says she has a plan, Lisa. And we will getting into that a little later on.
BLOOM: OK.
HAMMER: Lisa Bloom, Carlos Diaz, I thank you both. And you can follow and watch all the latest developments and video in the octu-mom drama by going to the special section now on our Web site. Surf on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Now, let me turn it over to you. Here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Octu-Mom: Would a reality show be the best thing for her?"
Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., there`s breaking news in the Chris Brown-Rihanna drama.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. I`ve been following this. Brand-new information is coming out about Chris Brown`s alleged assault on his girlfriend.
Plus, will there actually be charges filed in this case? That is coming up.
ANDERSON: Also, the coolest First Lady ever. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your unprecedented look at the national fascination with Michelle Obama, from her style to her marriage.
HAMMER: And Julia Roberts opens up about her own marriage. Julia talks about how she and Danny Moder make their marriage work. 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: Jerry Seinfeld returns to NBC: Launching reality series, "The Marriage Ref." Morgan Freeman sued for negligence by woman hurt in car accident with him.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Charles. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the very latest on the Chris Brown- Rihanna drama. New details tonight in the police investigation into Chris Brown and that alleged domestic violence case. Is there enough evidence to make a case?
Also making news right now, "The Daily News" prints the first photos of Rihanna since Grammy night. Is she getting the privacy she deserves right now?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Darren Kavinoky, who is an attorney for the Kavinoky Law Firm.
Hey, Darren, you know that fateful night when Chris Brown was arrested for his alleged altercation with Rihanna. He was scheduled for an arraignment March 5th.
Now, there are reports that that might not happen because people are still gathering evidence. Darren, does it sound like to you that investigators are struggling to build a case here, or are they just trying to be certain they`ve got all their ducks in a row?
DARREN KAVINOKY, ATTORNEY, DARREN KAVINOKY LAW FIRM: Well, Brooke, it could actually be a little bit of both. And let`s not ignore a third factor, which is Brown`s attorney, who is known as something of a Harry Houdini in the criminal law ranks here in California.
And he`s fully capable of making a case disappear. Typically, this kind of delay is good for the defense. Unlike fine wine, this cases don`t get better as they age.
ANDERSON: Right.
KAVINOKY: So it`s a real wait and see.
ANDERSON: Yes. And I`m sure investigators want to leave no stone unturned. In a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Los Angeles District Attorney`s Office says the case is, quote, "Still with the police department and we`re waiting for their investigation to be completed and to bring it to us for review so we can decide if we`ll file criminal charges or not."
Darren, do you think there is actually a chance criminal charges won`t be filed against Brown?
KAVINOKY: It`s possible, but it`s so tough to say without me having those reports in my hot little hands so I can analyze them based on actual facts rather than speculation. So Brooke, I`m going to give you my best lawyerly answer and that is, it depends.
ANDERSON: Well, let me ask you this - how difficult is it in a case like this to gather solid evidence when there are no direct witnesses?
HAMMER: Well, there`s one direct witness and of course, that`s Rihanna.
ANDERSON: Rihanna?
KAVINOKY: And what often happens in these kinds of cases is the victim of domestic violence may experience buyer`s remorse. They have some regret after they get law enforcement involved.
And of course, her attitude towards Chris and her attitude towards participating in the litigation - it doesn`t necessarily control, but it`s a significant factor to be considered.
ANDERSON: Could make an impact. OK. Also new right now, Darren, take a look at these photos in the "New York Daily News" today, showing Rihanna just days after her 21st birthday on a Mexico beach.
Now, these are some of the first photos that we`ve seen of her since the alleged incident. Darren, does it surprise you that the paparazzi aren`t respecting her privacy at all, even though that`s probably what she needs the most?
KAVINOKY: Wait, you`re joking a little bit about that one, I`m assuming. Because these are paparazzi that we`re talking about after all. Because that is, after all, their job - is to capture those interesting photos. So no. Personally, I`m not surprised that her privacy isn`t being respected.
But clearly I agree with the point that it really is what she needs most right now.
ANDERSON: I wish they would leave her alone. Have a heart. She needs the privacy, probably more than anything else right now.
Darren, very quickly. Is it normal for a case like this to be taking so long?
KAVINOKY: You know, every case is so different, Brooke. But in these cases, it`s more important to get things done right than it is to get things done quickly.
ANDERSON: Good point. Darren Kavinoky, we thank you so much.
KAVINOKY: Thanks so much.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines won`t stop ringing with people calling in about the octuplet mom. And I want you to look at something.
Look at this. The "Showbiz on Call" operators, busier than a woman with 14 kids, I tell you.
ANDERSON: They certainly are. We`ve got a call from Brenda in Oregon who doesn`t have much sympathy for the octu-mom.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BRENDA, CALLER FROM OREGON: I don`t think people should send money to the octu-mom. They should send clothing and food for the babies. But if they send money, they`re just going to be sending money for her nails to get done and any other plastic surgery she may want to get done.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Brenda. And we also heard from David calling into "Showbiz on Call" from Michigan.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DAVID, CALLER FROM MICHIGAN: I think - with the octu-mom, I think people need to leave her alone. She`s not the first woman who has raised 14 kids. My grandmother has done it. And people just need to leave her alone and let her raise her kids. If you`re not helping, leave her alone.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, David. We appreciate your call. You, too, can call us at "Showbiz on Call." Let us know what you think about octu-mom or anything else at all that`s on your mind.
ANDERSON: That`s right. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open around the clock. Give us a call, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Leave a voicemail. We will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And your calls to "Showbiz on Call" are also now online - that`s on our homepage, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
HAMMER: Now, Brooke, you may not find this shocking but there is brand-new octu-mom drama to tell you about.
ANDERSON: Oh, not shocking at all, A.J. That`s right. Dr. Phil faced off with the octu-mom in a brand-new explosive interview. And he`s actually asking people to help her. So should people help the octu-mom? The fired- up debate, coming up.
HAMMER: Also, the coolest First Lady ever. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your unprecedented look at the national fascination with Michelle Obama. From her style to her marriage.
ANDERSON: And Gwyneth Paltrow on the defensive. She`s taken lots of criticism for her lifestyle Web site where she shares recipes and workout tips. Critics say it`s everything from out of touch to downright dopey. And now Gwyneth is fighting back. 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: Jewel injures knee while training with "Dancing with the Stars." Clint Eastwood honored with top award at Cannes Film Festival.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(FOOTAGE OF "SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE" CHILD STARS` RETURN TO INDIA)
HAMMER: Wow, look at that. A hero`s welcome for the child stars of "Slumdog Millionaire" returning to India after their big trip to the Oscars where "Slumdog" won for Best Picture. Police escorted the kids through the cheering crowd at the airport in Mumbai where hundreds of people were waiting to welcome them home.
Now, the kids still live in the slums of Mumbai, but India`s housing officials say they and their families will get new homes, which is terrific. It was so cool meeting them at the Oscars on Sunday.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And I`m Brooke Anderson with some more stories that are making news right now.
HAMMER: Well, a California judge has extended a temporary restraining order against three men ordering them to keep away from Britney Spears.
Britney`s father Jamie is seeking a long-term order against her ex- boyfriend, paparazzo Adnan Ghalib, attorney John Eardley, and Britney`s ex- manager Sam Lutfi. In testimony on Wednesday, Spears` hairstylist says Britney told her that she was scared of Lutfi.
The judge extended the restraining order until April 1st when there will be more testimony. In a separate but related case, Adnan Ghalib appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to three felony charges that he hit a man with his car. The guy was trying to serve Ghalib with the temporary restraining order.
ANDERSON: Tonight, Rosie O`Donnell is returning to TV with a really powerful message. Rosie is the executive producer, co-writer and star of a new Lifetime movie called "America." It`s about the foster care system, a subject that Rosie is really passionate about.
Rosie and her partner have been foster parents themselves and Rosie is a crusader for the cause. In the film, she plays a doctor who makes a real difference in the life of a teenager who is about to age out of foster care. On "Good Morning America," Rosie said unfortunately, most foster kids don`t get that kind of one-on-one attention in real life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, "AMERICA": It`s sad when people who are the doctors and the social workers, who work with this population have unbelievably large caseloads. You know, to give the kind of individualized attention that happens in a residential treatment facility is hard to come by, especially because the facilities are being closed as programs are cut and cut and cut.
And, you know, they don`t have enough time to individually get to know every child that they need to know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You can see Rosie O`Donnell in "America." It debuts Saturday on Lifetime.
HAMMER: Yes. It looks pretty good, too. Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here is what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Brand-new octu-mom drama, an explosive new interview with Dr. Phil. He asks her if she has any regrets and he also asks people to help her.
The coolest First Lady ever. Tonight, an unprecedented look at America`s total fascination with First Lady Michelle Obama.
And Julia Roberts on marriage. Julia speaking out about how she and Danny Moder make their marriage work. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: George Clooney to appear on "E.R." on March 12. Dustin Hoffman honored with France`s national order of arts and letters.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N. SULEMAN: I know it bothers people, but I don`t feel overwhelmed. If I had no people, actually, to support and help me and my family, I would feel completely overwhelmed. I would be terrified.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. a dramatic plea for the octu-mom. Tonight, Nadya Suleman`s blockbuster new interview with TV`s Dr. Phil. And he`s actually asking people to help her. But will anyone open up their wallets? Should they have any sympathy for her? It`s a fired-up octu- debate.
The First Lady of cool. Tonight, a brand-new fascinating look at Michelle Obama. Her style, her marriage to President Obama. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks is Michelle Obama the coolest First Lady ever?
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 is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood, with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing coverage of the octu-mom. Tonight, helping the octu-mom.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. Nadya Suleman has been all over the airwaves talking about how she is going to handle raising her 14 kids. Fourteen. Wow, still blows me away.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the newest bombshell revelation from Nadya about how she really feels about having so many children. Does she have any regrets?
In a brand-new explosive TV interview, the octu-mom makes a shocking confession to Dr. Phil while explaining her plan for providing for the kids. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now asking, will all of these interviews actually convince people to help Nadya and her 14 kids? Or is she just making it worse?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Lisa Bloom, who is anchor for "In Session" and Carlos Diaz, who`s a correspondent for "Extra." OK. Let us begin with Nadya`s bombshell confession to Dr. Phil about getting pregnant again. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N. SULEMAN: In hindsight, I don`t know what I was thinking. I know I loved my children and I know I loved those embryos.
MCGRAW: So you see now it was wrong?
N. SULEMAN: I do see. Maybe that choice was wrong, you know, to add another one and I thought it would be one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. She admits that getting pregnant again with six kids already at home already struggling, not a good choice. I mean, that`s something, right?
(APPLAUSE)
A little collective applause for the octu-mom. Carlos, are you seeing a breakthrough here?
DIAZ: Well, the ironic thing is, you know, I went and saw "Frost Nixon" last night and it`s the same exact plot line. You know, the interviewer - all he wanted to do - all Frost wanted to do is get Richard Nixon to say, "You know what? I did the American people wrong."
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: And it`s the same here. You know, all Dr. Phil was trying to do the entire interview was to get her to admit, "You know what? I made a mistake here." And if she would have got to that point earlier said right off the bat it was a mistake and fallen on the people`s sympathy, I think she would be a lot better off.
HAMMER: I`m feeling an Oscar-nominated movie coming on here.
DIAZ: Maybe so. Yes.
HAMMER: Lisa Bloom, do you think that she needed to say this, make this admission that she was wrong, not only for herself but really for anyone who is following this incredible story?
It`s great that she`s admitting that she`s wrong and we`ve all made mistakes and we can have sympathy for her when she says that. But when she says, "Well, I only thought I was going to have one more," well, that doesn`t make a lot of sense considering the last time she had embryos implanted, she had had twins.
And she had six embryos implanted. Two of them split - that`s how she ended up with eight. So it`s a little hard to understand how she really was so certain she was only going to have one. And why would you be the single mother of six with no income, living with your mom who can`t pay her own mortgage, and decide to have six implanted? It still doesn`t make a heck of a lot of sense.
HAMMER: Yes. Even though, as everybody has been saying all along, the odds not in the favor of having as many as eight kids. But look, it is a possibility when you do something like that.
BLOOM: Right.
HAMMER: And while she may have admitted making some wrong choices, in my mind, she still seems to be in the dark about the whole master plan. You`ve got to watch what happens when Dr. Phil states what I think is the obvious here.
MCGRAW: You don`t have the money ...
N. SULEMAN: Money. Right.
MCGRAW: ... the housing or the transportation to handle these 14 kids.
N. SULEMAN: There you go right there.
MCGRAW: OK. Now, you think - you`re working a plan?
N. SULEMAN: Yes.
MCGRAW: But you don`t have -
N. SULEMAN: Temporarily, if I`m unable to go rent somewhere else - because that`s a goal. My mom`s friends are working on finding a place, even just to rent - then we`re going to fix up and change the house with all the manpower, as you said, to alter it so that it is safe for these babies, temporarily.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But that`s still a lot to accomplish with no money.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: Carlos, am I missing something? How is she going to do all this? And isn`t this exactly what has people so frustrated over this situation?
DIAZ: Yes. She has a plan, and it`s years away. She wants to go back to school, finish grad school, go to counseling - still not make enough money to support her kids if she does all of that.
What she needs to do is she needs to come out and say, "OK, listen. I`ve got this person in line - " she needs to say, "These are the people that are going to help me," and put faces to this mystery, these names that we don`t even know about.
HAMMER: And you would think anybody facing this prospect of raising 14 kids would be just freaking out. But not octu-mom. Oh, no. Watch what happens when Dr. Phil asks Nadya why she doesn`t feel overwhelmed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N. SULEMAN: I know it bothers people, but I don`t feel overwhelmed. If I had no people, actually, to support and help me and my family, I would feel completely overwhelmed. I would be terrified.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. She`s not worried. So Lisa, should we all stop worrying about the octu-mom and these kids?
BLOOM: She`s not overwhelmed because the eight little preemie newborns are still in the hospital being cared for by professionals. She`s totally unrealistic about what`s going to happen when they come home. I mean, that`s the disturbing part in this case.
And it`s all about her. Whenever she talks about this - "I love my kids. I wanted more kids," I remember when I had two children. And I was thinking about having a third, my grandmother said to me, "If you love your two, you should stop at two."
And I think sometimes, the most loving thing you can do for your children is not any more and focus on the children that you already have. That`s what Nadya seems to have completely missed.
HAMMER: Well, to your point, a little later in the interview, Lisa, Nadya actually says that the reality of the 14 kids and the fact she had them hasn`t set in yet because they`re not at home. Watch exactly what she says about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
N. SULEMAN: It hasn`t materialized yet. I go to the hospital. I`m torn, OK, right now. That`s how I`m feeling, I think, emotionally. I go to the hospital and I`m holding them kangaroo(ph) and singing to them and rocking them, but they`re not all with me at home.
So I 100 percent agree with you. The reality hasn`t set in yet. You know, here I am, a mother with eight at the NICU with the help of nurses, right? So I don`t feel it yet. I don`t feel the pressures yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. All right. I`m sorry. I`m getting a headache. Her life hasn`t changed because the babies are still in the hospital. I can get that to a point.
But Carlos, does the fact that she is admitting that - you know, she really is in someway disconnected from reality, does that make people want to help her more or does that make things worse?
HAMMER: It might make it, so she can`t even get the kids. I mean, if there are people from the hospital who are watching right this. There is already a discrepancy whether she`s going to be allowed to have the kids home. But like I said before, she just needs to say, "I get it. It was a mistake. I`m going to be overwhelmed," even though they`re not going to release all eight of the kids at one time. It`s going to be three at a time kind of a thing.
She needs to say, "Yes, I get it. When the lights go away and it`s 3:00 in the morning, and I`m looking at the ceiling, I will say I made a mistake. So please help me."
HAMMER: Well our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines, needless to say, have been flooded - dare I say, bursting with calls about all the octu-drama and the octu-mom. I have to say it`s not completely without her sympathizers. In fact, listen to Nana calling from Kansas.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
NANA, CALLER FROM KANSAS: I am one of 15 children. My mother raised us. We lived in public housing. We lived on food stamps and we all grew up with lots of love. Give her a chance. She is a wonderful person. What about all these other people that have variety shows that are making money off of it? Leave her alone.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, thanks, Nana. I do appreciate that. Lisa, I think Nana was talking about reality shows there. And it does beg the question, now that Nadya has told her story, perhaps.
Do you think that, you know, showing her situation in a reality show could actually work to make people more sympathetic and perhaps more willing to help her out?
BLOOM: You know, I think people are going to be more sympathetic when they hear her say, "I`m wrong," which she has now said, and when they see her struggling every day to take care of those children.
But look, to Nana`s point, when people had 14 or 15 kids years ago, they didn`t have them all at once. And so the older ones could take care of the younger ones. She`s got 14 kids under the age of seven. That`s what makes this an impossible situation.
And to Carlos` point, you`re absolutely right. The hospital is not just going to release them to her on a hope and a prayer, which is what she is basing everything on now. They`re going to want her to show she`s got a concrete plan of action in place. She`s got facilities at home to take care of the children. And so far, she doesn`t have that.
HAMMER: Yes. These next couple of weeks are going to be very, very interesting in all of the octu-drama. Lisa Bloom, Carlos Diaz, I thank you both.
And you can follow and watch all of the latest developments and video in the octu-mom drama by going to the special octu-section that`s now on our Web site at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Speaking of reality, we have been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Octu-mom: Would a reality show be the best thing for her?" Let us know what you think at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. If you have more to say, by all means, E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., you know what would be a really great idea for a reality show? What really goes on at the White House.
HAMMER: Yes. I think that would be an excellent idea, Brooke.
ANDERSON: And you know, I thought Michelle Obama would be terrific on camera - her style, her marriage to Barack. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a revealing new look at the fascinating life of Michelle Obama. And we are asking is she the coolest First Lady ever?
HAMMER: The surprising thing Julia Roberts and her husband talk about at the dinner table. Tonight, Julia opening up about making her marriage work.
ANDERSON: And Gwyneth Paltrow getting slammed. People are throwing some serious mud at her. But tonight, I can tell you Gwyneth is fighting back hard with plenty of goop of her own. 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: "Hollywood Reporter": Samuel Jackson signs nine picture Marvel film deal. Final Harry Potter film - "Deathly Hallows: Part 2" - to be released on 7/15/11.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: Had I not been a Stevie Wonder fan, Michelle might not have dated me. We might not have married. So the fact that we agreed on Stevie was part of the essence of our courtship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The president may have needed Stevie Wonder to woo Michelle Obama. But it seems the entire country is a full-on love affair with the First Lady. Forget Raymond - everybody loves Michelle.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
And tonight, in the "SHOWBIZ Obama Watch," is Michelle Obama the coolest First Lady ever? Check this out. A brand-new poll shows one out of every two people really, really likes her. From her style to her openness about her real-life romance with the president, Michelle Obama is the hottest new celebrity in town. All of this and she`s barely been in the White House a month.
With me now in New York is April Woodard. She`s the senior correspondent for "Inside Edition." Also in New York, Julie Menin, who is a political commentator.
April, Julie, I want to begin with this brand-new CBS-New York Times poll asking people how they felt about Michelle Obama. 49 percent view her favorably. Only five percent view her unfavorably. 44 percent undecided. That is higher than any First Lady going back nearly 30 years, way back to Nancy Reagan.
April, are you shocked that Michelle Obama has already become so popular? And does this alone make her the coolest First Lady ever?
APRIL WOODARD, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": She definitely gets cool points from me. But I`m surprised that it happened so quickly, because you can`t forget that not too long ago, people were trying to make her out to be this angry woman.
But truth prevailed and people realized that she`s warm and you can come up to her and just talk to her. I had a chance to interview her not too long ago.
The other thing - she`s Ivy-school educated woman but from humble beginnings. So people feel like they can relate to her.
ANDERSON: Julie, are you surprised that it did happen so fast? Because she`s only been there a month.
JULIE MENIN, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I`m not surprised. We have to remember that for the past 20 years, we`ve had two families in the White House, the Bushes and the Clintons. So this is really a breath of fresh air.
And I think she relates to women all across the country - to working women because she had a high-powered career as a healthcare executive. She`s a stay-at-home because she`s saying she`s going to stay at home and be a mom-in-chief. And she`s absolutely relatable. And people really like that about her.
ANDERSON: Well, she is relatable. She seems like a real person and I think people really, really appreciate that. I know I do.
And part of her cool factor is her style. She reveals in the new "People" magazine that she doesn`t consider herself a fashionista. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the First Lady is setting style trends left and right. Now, it`s the sleeveless look.
April, is this just another reason Michelle is so cool, that women everywhere want to dress like her?
WOODARD: It is. It really is. You know, I`m going to be picking up my curls tonight, getting my arms ready, because now, you can wear sleeveless in the middle of winter.
But she`s a trendsetter and even some people have credited her with all of the people in Hollywood during Oscar night wearing muted tones and white tones.
So she`s a trendsetter. She`s a mom. People love her and people want to emulate her.
ANDERSON: Yes, really looking up to her. And another really cool thing people love about Michelle is her love for her husband. President Obama says that Stevie Wonder helped him woo Michelle. You`ve got to hear what Stevie himself said about his role in the Obama`s love life. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVIE WONDER, SINGER: Mr. President, Mrs. Obama, I am so excited to know that I was a part of - I need say no more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Julie, too much information, or is it kind of cool to be in the front row of a love affair in the White House?
MENIN: It`s not too much information at all. And I have to say I`m channeling Michelle Obama with my sleeveless dress here.
But I think that this is great. I think that with the economy faltering and people really going through the troubles all across the country, they want to see this happening in the White House, a happy couple who really love each other and who are real, who are willing to admit not everything is perfect, but they do have a strong marriage.
And I think it`s terrific and it`s certainly in contrast to what we saw with the Bushes and the Clintons. And also the fact that the Obamas go out at night. They go out to the theater. They go out to dinner. We didn`t see that with the Bush White House, when the Bushes tended to go and stay at home until 9:00 at night. And I think that`s a real change for the better.
ANDERSON: Yes. They spend a lot of quality time together out in public. And Michelle admits - speaking about their marriage, she admits to "People" magazine that her marriage has its ups and downs just like everybody else`s. She says, quote, "It`s not perfect." People can identify with that. April, does that just add to the cool factor here?
WOODARD: It sure does, because, you know, they`re giving us a recipe for success. They`re telling us that they have ups and downs just like you and me and other people who are married. I don`t know who doesn`t fight who`s in a marriage right now.
But also, they`re telling you, you know, they go out on dates. They spend quality time together. They spend time with their children. So even though these are very difficult times in the economy - from the economy- wise, that you still can have a loving relationship. You can still hold together. You still have date nights. You still spend time with your kids.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. All right, girls, we`ve heard all the evidence. People love her. She is a fashion icon. She`s a wonderful mom.
Julie, is Michelle Obama the coolest First Lady ever, quickly?
MENIN: I think absolutely. I think when you compare her to Laura Bush, who`s very conservative, hands down. When you compare her to Hillary Clinton who angered a lot of people by saying she wasn`t going to stay home and bake cookies. Here, you`ve really got someone who is a trendsetter, who`s a fashion icon and most of all, who`s real and down to earth and people really seem to love her.
ANDERSON: And first and foremost, she`s devoted to her family, and that`s admirable. Julie Menin, April Woodard, good to see you. Thanks.
HAMMER: It is time now for making it work. This is other ongoing coverage of how the hottest couples make their relationships work in Hollywood and beyond which, as we know, is definitely not easy.
Tonight, Julia Roberts. In a revealing new interview with "Allure" magazine, Julia really opens up about her nearly seven-year marriage to cameraman, Danny Moder, and being a mother to the three kids, 4-year-old twins Hazel and Phineas, and a 2-year-old Henry.
Here`s how Danny and Julia make it work. She says, "My husband and I are very protective of our children. We go out of our way to shelter them from paparazzi and to still live a normal life. I`m very fulfilled in my home life and what films do for me is create is create an ironclad structure that, in my life as a mom, does not exist. Acting fulfills me in a creative way that has this myopic focus and gives me something to talk about at dinner."
So, obviously, working helps to keep Julia and Danny going strong. He`s actually the director of photography, the D.P., on her next movie which is called "Fireflies in the Garden." You can read more on the March issue of "Allure" which is on newsstands right now.
ANDERSON: OK. OK. I know this octu-mom story is a serious one. There are kids involved here. But there`s some humor in it, too.
Next, you have got it see what happens when one of the late night shows gets an exclusive interview with Nadya Suleman.
And Gwyneth Paltrow is getting slammed. People are throwing some serious mud at her. But tonight, I can tell you, Gwyneth`s fighting back hard with plenty of goop of her own. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
HAMMER: There is the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT control room. Now, it`s the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Get Out of Your Hairspray! Def Leppard, Poison, Cheap Trick team up for a summer tour. Exhibit of James Brown memorabilia opens at South Carolina State University.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We welcome you back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson.
Tonight, Gwyneth Paltrow is defending her lifestyle Web site, Goop.com. The "New York Times" is just the latest publication to question how relevant the site is with its tips for dieting and recipes for pizza.
The "Toronto Globe and Mail" even theorized that the site is called "Goop" because "Any Old Load of Rubbish" and "Learn From Me, Ungrateful Peasant" were already taken.
Ouch! Gwyneth tells "People" magazine the people who criticize her site don`t really get it, because if they did they would like it. Gwyneth says she started the Web site because she felt like she had a lot of really useful information to share because she has, quote, "this amazing, super- fortunate life."
HAMMER: Well, not surprisingly, the late night shows have had a field day with the whole octu-mom story. And "Jimmy Kimmel Live" even got an exclusive interview with her. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": The first thing I want to ask, how are the babies doing?
(as Nadya Suleman): They are wonderful. They are doing great. In fact, I`m feeding some of them right now. It`s a blessing from God. They really are.
(as himself): Correct me if I`m wrong but it seems as if the public first supported you. But they`ve done an about-face. Even your own mom seems to be upset with you.
(as Nadya Suleman): Well, my mother doesn`t know what she`s talking about. She had me and I had them. So really she had all these kids and she needs now to do the right thing and support them both emotionally and financially. I`ve encouraged her to go out and get another job.
(as himself): Well, you know, your dad said on "OPRAH" today - he said you`re, quote, "mentally not complete."
(as Nadya Suleman): I don`t know what that means, Jimmy. I am complete. Thanks to you, you complete me. I want you to raise my babies with me. I want you to raise a whole dumpster-full of babies with me.
(as himself): Well, I know you`re busy, Nadya.
(as Nadya Suleman): No, I`m not. I`m not busy.
(as himself): We`re out of time regardless.
(as Nadya Suleman): One more downswing.
(as himself): OK. All right.
(as Nadya Suleman): I`m pregnant again.
(as himself): Oh, look at that!
(END VIDEO CLIP) v
HAMMER: Nice. Very funny. Of course, that was Jimmy interviewing Jimmy as Nadya Suleman, although I can call him Jimmy in that.
ANDERSON: On Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Octu-mom Drama: Do you think she`ll lose her kids?" 68 percent of you say yes; 32 percent no.
The E-mails - Whitney from Texas, "I think she should lose them. I don`t think she really cares about her kids and this is all a big act."
Tally from Florida, "Nadya`s decisions was a hard one. I believe what she did was brave."
HAMMER: And that`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Thanks for watching. Take care.
END
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