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Showbiz Tonight
The Fight Over Farrah Fawcett; Sarah Palin Defends Miss California; The Most Controversial Mom
Aired May 15, 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, HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the fight over Farrah Fawcett. Tonight, a shocking lawsuit over Farrah`s documentary that just aired revealing her desperate battle to beat cancer. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the explosive brand-new war. Tonight, why is the film`s producer suing Ryan O`Neal?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ: Farrah`s and Ryan`s people say it`s basically despicable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wild claims of death threats. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, with Farrah fighting for her life, isn`t the timing of this lawsuit just plain awful?
Sarah Palin defends Miss California. Tonight, why Palin is slamming Carrie Prejean`s critics for slamming her about speaking out against gay marriage. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know, is Prejean the new Palin?
Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most controversial celebrity mom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: I think that the whole Spears family can get the trifecta of bad mothering.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, it`s the must-see SHOWBIZ special report, the top five most controversial celebrity moms. But who will be number one?
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.
And tonight, the fight over Farrah. Tonight, on the very night Farrah Fawcett`s documentary about her brave cancer battle is being shown on TV, there is a brand-new and explosive legal fight over the film.
In a move that some are calling downright insensitive, the producer of the film, a guy who was intimately involved in it, is now suing Farrah`s long time partner and lover, Ryan O`Neal and others, and making wild claims that include talk of death threats.
I have to tell you, this is really, really disturbing. And it is all making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FARRAH FAWCETT, ACTRESS: Of all of the things I`ve ever hoped for in my life, finding a doctor to surgically remove for my anal cancer, did not even make the top 1 million on my list.
HAMMER (voice-over): The nation finally gets a look at "Farrah`s Story," a searing documentary where the Farrah Fawcett shares on camera just about every shocking detail of her fight against anal cancer.
FAWCETT: Cancer is a disease that is mysterious, headstrong, and makes its own rules.
HAMMER: But while Farrah is fighting this brave battle, the people around her are fighting a battle of their own with each other. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you on the very day Fawcett`s friends and reporters gathered at a premiere to watch Farrah`s heart-breaking documentary, a producer named Craig Nevius, who was bounced from the project, filed a lawsuit against Fawcett`s companion, Ryan O`Neal, and Farrah`s friend, Alana Stewart, who also helped produce the film.
LEVIN: One of the key producers in this documentary says he was squeezed out. He says Ryan O`Neal on the telephone threatened to kill him. He is basically asking a court to declare that he is part of this documentary and he wants damages for being thrown out.
HAMMER: Headlines like the "New York Post`s" "Farrah Ghouls" shows the outrage. Everyone`s asking, how can someone sue the loved ones of Farrah ...
FAWCETT: It is seriously time for a miracle.
HAMMER: ... as she fights one last time to beat her cancer, which has also spread to her liver. Only in Hollywood.
LEVIN: It kind of underscores the word "business" in show business.
HAMMER: Craig Nevius, who filed the lawsuit, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "I take no joy in this. I tried to avoid, but I am doing it for Farrah." Doing it for Farrah?
LEVIN: This guy is saying, "Look, I`m entitled to credit to further my career." And he wants his due, and there are others who think it`s just tacky and unseemly.
HAMMER: Ryan O`Neal claims Nevius was bounced because Nevius kept insisting that the documentary pin part of the blame for Farrah`s sickness on the paparazzi, a point that was suggested in an earlier preview clip.
FAWCETT: Stress is what feeds your cancer. Stress is what gives you cancer. And here`s the paparazzi giving you stress.
HAMMER: Now, O`Neal is unloading on Fawcett`s former business associate. Fawcett and O`Neal`s spokesperson tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "I`m shocked by this type of behavior. Here`s a woman who everyone knows has been ill, and to do something like this is horrific."
The spokesperson also tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Fawcett has not been told about the lawsuit.
LEVIN: The last thing they want to do is start upsetting her with things she`s not going to have the ability to control anyway.
RYAN O`NEAL, ACTOR AND FARRAH FAWCETT`S LONG-TIME PARTNER: I feel like crying, I`ll tell you that.
HAMMER: For Ryan O`Neal, who has been caring for Farrah during her illness, this ordeal has been wrenching enough. He tells the "Today" show he`s been trying to keep his emotions in check.
O`NEAL: I was a lucky man to know her. And I still am. Just a little sadder.
KATE JACKSON, ACTRESS: She is one of the most human of beings I have ever known.
HAMMER: Kate Jackson, Farrah`s former "Charlie`s Angels" co-star appeared on the "Today" show Friday along with Fawcett`s doctor who updated us on her condition.
DR. LAWRENCE PIRO, FARRAH FAWCETT`S DOCTOR: She`s doing very well right now. She`s obviously having a lot of side effects that come with cancer.
HAMMER: Jackson says Fawcett had a very special purpose for baring all before the cameras.
JACKSON: This was a - sort of, you know, meant to be a gift to others, to help inspire them.
FAWCETT: I`m holding on to the hope that there is some reason that I got cancer.
HAMMER: But it`s clear that one thing that Fawcett did not intend for her documentary is for it to be the reason for another nasty Hollywood dispute.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
It is almost hard to fathom that Farrah`s brave battle could become part of an ugly court fight long after she`s gone. With me now in New York is Carolina Bermudez, who is a senior editor with "In Touch Weekly." Also in New York tonight, Lisa Bloom. She`s a CNN legal analyst and an anchor for the legal network, "In Session."
I`ve got to tell you, I don`t know Farrah personally. This makes me really mad. Farrah`s former producer probably knows better than anyone what a fragile state she`s in right now. Yet, he went ahead with this lawsuit anyway even though there were behind the scenes fights over this powerful documentary. Lisa Bloom, shouldn`t he have just waited?
LISA BLOOM, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, these kinds of lawsuits are very common in Hollywood. Who controls the outcome? Is there a contract? What was the verbal deal? And Farrah herself is not sued. It`s Ryan O`Neal who was sued.
But of course, the timing is awful. And Ryan O`Neal is clearly suffering now because he`s the primary caretaker for Farrah. So I`m not going to call it evil. I`m going to call it distasteful.
I think there`s no reason why he couldn`t have waited. After all, he`s not seeking any emergency relief. He wasn`t seeking an injunction. He`s just seeking damages. He could have waited weeks, even months, to bring the lawsuit.
HAMMER: Yes. Carolina, are you on board with that? I just don`t understand the timing. It just seems to lack any level of sensitivity. Often, lawsuits do. But this is something even a little bigger.
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Well, definitely, I have to agree with Lisa in that this is bad timing for a lawsuit. And somebody who was supposedly her friend before and who had followed her throughout another documentary really does know how fragile she is.
And I feel like this is taking away from the general message that she wanted to put out there. Not only to her fans, but to inspire other people who are battling cancer. It`s just really tragic.
HAMMER: And again, the lawsuit is essentially over creative control of the Farrah documentary. Ryan O`Neal says this producer who has filed the lawsuit, Craig Nevius, wanted to focus on how the paparazzi hounded Farrah, which possibly affected her health.
Well, O`Neal says that he took control to protect Farrah and carry out her vision instead of this guy who is now suing. You know, I`m thinking given all that Ryan has been through with Farrah over the decades, the fact that they have a son together, Lisa, would you agree that Ryan really would be the best person to protect Farrah`s vision?
BLOOM: Yes. And he`s the one who is standing by her, who is caring for her day after day. I mean, that speaks volumes as to the bond that the two of them have. And I would assume that he`s doing everything to protect the creative vision that she had for the film.
And the producer who`s on the outside saying, "Well, I wanted it a different way." Well, unfortunately, that`s not the way it went down. And P.S., the documentary is over now. It`s been released. I think it`s time for him to move on to other projects.
HAMMER: Well, the one thing that Farrah pleaded for over and over again was privacy in the early stages of her illness. She was so ticked off that stories about her were being leaked, that she actually set up a sting operation so she can help bust people at the UCLA Medical Center for allegedly giving information to the "National Enquirer." Watch this from the documentary that aired tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you like to see "The Enquirer" indicted?
FAWCETT: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`d be happy with that?
FAWCETT: Very. They obviously know it`s like buying stolen goods. You know, you know that you`re committing a crime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So the producer is now suing, Craig Nevius, had to know about this, obviously and also knows how hurtful a lawsuit like this would be to Farrah if she were to find out. Now, Carolina, we are told that Farrah is unaware that the lawsuit going on. But really, this is a betrayal, isn`t it?
BERMUDEZ: Absolutely, it`s a betrayal. I mean, she`s heavily medicated right now. She`s really battling for her life. Why are they going to bring it up that she`s being sued over some other person`s vision of what he wanted the documentary to be? It`s not about Craig Nevius. This is about Farrah Fawcett.
And if he was that - they were working that closely together before. Again, he should`ve waited until at least a little bit later. He could`ve waited months after to do this.
HAMMER: "Charlie`s Angels," of course, was the show that put Farrah on the map, made her star, made her a Hollywood icon. That show was produced by the legendary producer, Aaron Spelling, who died last year, also of cancer, by the way.
His widow Candy Spelling tells CNN`s Larry King that despite everything that`s going on, there`s only one real reason behind this documentary. Let`s take a look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Why do you think, Candy, she did the documentary?
CANDY SPELLING, WIDOW OF AARON SPELLING: I think that she wanted to give other people courage that, you know, are fighting this kind of thing. This is just so sad. And she`s so brave. That`s what I think is so amazing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And it`s amazing, indeed. That`s why we`re asking on air and online in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day this - "Farrah Fawcett`s Cancer Fight: Has she been an inspiration to you?"
Lisa, do you think that the story of Farrah that millions of people watching that on TV will, in fact, inspire people everywhere?
BLOOM: Very much so. When you think about the petty things that most of us complain about on a daily basis, and here`s a woman with - having terminal cancer. And she still has courage and integrity and even a sense of humor. What could be more inspirational than that?
HAMMER: Yes. I`m right there with you. Carolina Bermudez, Lisa Bloom, thank you both for being here. I appreciate it.
All right. Moving on now, I`ve got to give ourselves a little shout out. We called it first. Yay, us. When this whole Miss California controversy broke, we asked, is Carrie Prejean the new Sarah Palin?
She`s controversial. She`s attractive. She`s speaking out for conservative values. And now, tonight, Sarah is slamming Carrie`s critics and everyone`s comparing them. Go us! Go us! Is Prejean the new Palin? That`s coming up.
And wow, I am blown away by the response we are getting. We asked, do you have any sympathy for Kate from TLC`s "Jon and Kate Plus Eight"? You know, she and her husband are caught up in this alleged cheating scandal. Kate wants to keep doing the show. Tonight, your E-mails and "Showbiz on Call."
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PIAZZA: A lot of things can make a mom controversial. If she`s out partying with her daughter, or if she`s just doing things that people consider bad mothering.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The most controversial celebrity mom. Tonight, it`s the must-see SHOWBIZ special report, the top 5 most controversial celebrity moms. Who will be number one? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Oprah Winfrey now has one million Twitter followers. The Jonas Brothers cancel Mexico concerts due to swine flu fears.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Can we bring you coverage from Cannes? Oh, yes we can. And we are, because the stars - they are out in full force for the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT right there in the middle of all of the action in France.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And now, SHOWBIZ at Cannes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT right there at the Cannes Film Festival in France. And there are some huge stars and big stories. Two of the biggest stories at the festival right now revolve around Brad Pitt and the late Heath Ledger.
Pitt teamed up with Quentin Tarantino with a World War II, "Inglorious Basterds." Also getting big buzz, Heath Ledger`s last film, "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus." The story behind this film is just extraordinary. And here to tell us about the buzz on both movies, HLN`s Natasha Curry who is in Cannes in the south of France for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Natasha, I hear you`re having a little trouble with your voice. What can you tell us about Heath`s film?
NATASHA CURRY, HLN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, A.J. First of all, sorry about my voice. I`m kind of losing it in all of the excitement here at Cannes. But, you know, most people think that "The Dark Knight" was actually Heath Ledger`s last film. But really, it was "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus." Ledger died while filming that movie.
And that created a dilemma for director Terry Gilliam. So what did he do? He hired three actors, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Ferrell. So exactly how did Terry Gilliam make that work? How much do you see Heath Ledger? That`s what everybody`s wondering, and it`s definitely creating a lot of buzz.
We can tell you about the plot. A mysterious Dr. Parnassus makes a pact with the devil. Now, it`s a very unique film, really about choices between good and evil, dark and light. So again, A.J., this film definitely creating a lot of buzz.
HAMMER: All right. Now, the other big story out of Cannes. Brad Pitt teaming up with Quentin Tarantino. Wow. Tell us about that.
CURRY: Wow. First of all, Brad Pitt, one of the hunkiest guys out there. Anyway, it`s his first time teaming up with director Quentin Tarantino. This film is called "Inglorious Basterds." In it, Brad Pitt plays an army lieutenant who heads up a group of Jewish-American soldiers bent on terrorizing Nazi occupiers in France.
Tarantino`s described him as being dirtier than "The Dirty Dozen." Now, "Inglorious Basterds" is a violent film, full of quips. Vintage Tarantino, but definitely, the talk of Cannes, A.J.
HAMMER: So, Natasha, when is the premiere? And should we expect to see Brad and Angelina on the red carpet there?
CURRY: You know, A.J., those are great questions. "Inglorious Basterds" is set to premiere this coming Wednesday in Cannes. And word is that Angelina Jolie will join Brad Pitt on the red carpet.
Now, we`ve reached out to Angelina`s reps for confirmation, but for now, mum is the word. But they do have a history of supporting each other at Cannes. Brad escorted Angelina down the red carpet again twice last year alone for "Kung Fu Panda" and "Changeling." And the year before, he was right by her side for the premiere of "A Mighty Heart." So A.J., that`s what I call devotion.
HAMMER: Certainly a lot to look forward to. Thanks so much, Natasha. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to be right there in Cannes with all the big stories and the big controversies. The festival runs through May 24th.
Continuing coverage of SHOWBIZ in Cannes right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And our bilingual "Showbiz on Call" operators are telling me that the number eight in French is "huit." Now, why is that important? Well, it`s our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines being flooded with calls about "Jon and Kate Plus Huit."
Does anyone out there have any sympathy for Kate as she and her husband go through this alleged cheating scandal?
Well, Amy calls in to "Showbiz on Call" from Louisiana with no sympathy.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
AMY, CALLER FROM LOUISIANA: I don`t feel any sympathy for Kate because she`s very, very mean to him. And everyone has their problems. Maybe she should`ve handled things in a different way. She`s exploiting her children. She`s exploiting herself and her husband. And life`s not easy whether you are on TV or not.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, Amy, thanks a lot. But Diana called in to "Showbiz on Call" from California. And Diana admires Kate for hanging in there.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DIANA, CALLER FROM CALIFORNIA: I think Kate is a strong person. Not just a woman, but a strong person. It takes a lot to be in a marriage, a relationship, a parent. And for someone to stick to it and not walk out, you know what? It works out from both sides.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Diana. Call us at "Showbiz on Call" to let us know what you think about this or anything else. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time. The number`s 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voicemail, why not? And we`re going to play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Your call to "Showbiz on Call" online, too, right there on our homepage. We`re posting them at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Hey, maybe there`ll be a new reality show called "Palin and Prejean Plus Eight Moose," or something like that. Tonight, Sarah Palin defends Miss California. Why Palin is slamming Carrie Prejean`s critics for slamming her about speaking out against gay marriage. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know, is Prejean the new Palin?
Also tonight, why is one of the biggest supermodels of all time saying Michelle Obama is no beauty queen? I mean, come on. I think the first lady is a very pretty lady.
And you have got to stick around for this SHOWBIZ special report. We are naming the most controversial celebrity moms of all time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PIAZZA: I think that people detest women who create an industry out of their mothering skills.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, I am counting down the top five most controversial celebrity mommies. The question is, who will we pick as number one? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: "300" star Gerard Butler charged with battery after scuffle with a paparazzo. Neil Patrick Harris (a.k.a. "Doogie Howser" to host Tony Awards. They air June 7th.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer with some more stories that are making news right now.
Tonight, I have got your very first look at Rebecca Romijn`s three- month-old twins. May I have a drum roll please? Here they are, Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip. They are so adorable in "In Style" magazine. We`ve just got to say - in case you forgot, Dolly and Charlie`s dad is this Guy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cleve(ph) grew up and went on to marry Rebecca Romijn. Actually, I`m not even joking about that. The fat kid from "Stand By Me" is now married to Rebecca Romijn. Can you believe that? I swear to god, look it up on the Internet. Doesn`t that piss you off?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s Cleveland from "Family Guy." Rebecca`s proud husband is really this guy. Can we put him up there? Yes, and all grown up. That guy is this guy, Jerry O`Connell. Yes, Jerry was that kid, Verne, from "Stand By Me."
In the "In Style" interview, Rebecca jokes that Jerry is going to be a very strict daddy. He doesn`t want his daughters to date while he`s alive.
You can read more and see the pictures, the very cute pictures of Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O`Connell`s super-cute daughters in "In Style`s" June sexy issue which hits newsstands on May 22nd.
And did you see this? A big battle between CNN`s own Anderson Cooper and Ellen. Anderson stopped by Ellen`s talk show. And after the mandatory dancing, they got down to business and they played a high-stakes word game. Kind of reminded me of the "$100,000 Pyramid." Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": We both love reality shows. So I thought that we would do that.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER 360": So you start with something and I come up with -
DEGENERES: Yes, sure.
COOPER: OK.
DEGENERES: So we`ll start. And we`ll put 30 seconds on the clock. And "Real Housewives of New Jersey" -
COOPER: Amazing? Do I - descriptive or -
DEGENERES: You say a reality show, too.
COOPER: OK. I`m sorry. I didn`t understand. "Real Housewives of Atlanta."
DEGENERES: "Real Housewives of New York."
COOPER: "Real Housewives of Orange County."
DEGENERES: "A Shot of Love with Tila Tequila."
COOPER: "I Love New York."
DEGENERES: "Rock of Love."
COOPER: "American Idol."
DEGENERES: "Amazing Race."
COOPER: "Amazing Race 2."
DEGENERES: "Survivor."
COOPER: "The Mole."
DEGENERES: "American Idol."
COOPER: I said -
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Take it easy there, Anderson. You almost pulled a Tom Cruise.
All right. Now, the showbiz lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, Sarah Palin is defending Miss California. Sarah is slamming critics who are slamming Carrie Prejean for speaking out against gay marriage. A not-to-be-missed SHOWBIZ special report. I`m counting down the top five most controversial celebrity moms of all time. Who will we pick as number one?
And one of the biggest supermodels of all time says Michelle Obama - she isn`t pretty. Are you kidding me? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Chris Rock`s documentary, "Good Hair" scheduled to hit theaters this fall. Paula Abdul`s "I`m Just Here for the Music" enters Billboard Singles Chart at #87.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Sarah Palin`s beauty battle. Palin comes out swinging for Miss California. But are these beauty queens teaming up to take on the White House?
Jon and Kate plus sympathy. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers` overwhelming outrage over the alleged cheating scandal. But is there any sympathy for the Gosselins?
A SHOWBIZ special report. We are naming the top five most controversial celebrity moms.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PIAZZA: I think that people detest women who create an industry out of their mothering skills.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: 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.
Tonight, Palin`s beauty battle. Miss California`s got a surprise supporter, the one and only Sarah Palin. Are they the new conservative dream team? New tonight, Gov. Sarah Palin defends Miss California, Carrie Prejean. Her biting words to the beauty`s critics. Are these two spit- fire conservative beauty queens actually teaming up for something big?
Plus, Miss California is under fire again. You will not believe what she did this time to infuriate her bosses at the Miss California USA pageant.
Also new tonight, Jon and Kate plus irate? We cannot believe the flood of outraged E-mails and calls in to "Showbiz on Call" over the alleged Jon and Kate cheating scandal after we asked, do you have any sympathy for Kate?
Joining me tonight in New York is Lisa Bloom who is an anchor for "In Session" and a CNN legal analyst. Also tonight in New York, Carolina Bermudez, who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
So let us begin with conservative darling, Sarah Palin. Sarah is having none of this criticism against Miss California. She says, "Everybody, just back off." She is defending Carrie Prejean who, of course, has come under intense fire, first for her stance against gay marriage.
Palin released a statement saying of the entire ordeal this, quote, "The liberal onslaught of malicious onslaught of attacks against Miss California, Carrie Prejean, for expressing her opinion is despicable."
Lisa Bloom, are you with me? This is just kind of nuts. The Miss California thing is already such a debacle. Is it just insane that Sarah Palin is releasing a statement about this?
BLOOM: I think these two are birds of a feather. It reminds me of when Madonna took Britney under her arm. I mean, look, it`s not because she expressed her opinion. It`s because she talks about opposite marriage. And Sarah Palin who is Miss "I Can See Russia From My House" seems like the perfect role model for Carrie Prejean. I think these two should get together and stay together for a very long time.
HAMMER: And we`ll get to that in just a moment. Palin had more to say, by the way. She went on to say that she can relate to Miss California because she says she, too, is a liberal target.
Let me read more of what said, quote, "What I find so remarkable is that these politically motivated attacks fail to show that what Carrie and I believe is also what President Obama and Secretary Clinton believe. Marriage is between a man and a woman." Or as she put it, opposite marriage.
She really is defending Miss California in such a big way with such a vengeance, which almost makes me wonder. Do you think we should possibly be expecting a brand-new presidential ticket in 2012?
I mean, think about it. We have the conservative beauty queen dream team here. Palin and vice presidential candidate Carrie Prejean, or maybe the other way around. Carolina, you know, stranger things have happened.
BERMUDA: A.J., stranger things have happened, but this would be frightening. I mean, They would appoint Elisabeth Hasselbeck as like a Supreme Court justice. They would get to a level of craziness.
And you know, the liberals would have like their own little attacks. They would be like, "Dumb and Dumber" for president for 2012. You know, the probability of it happening, maybe not, but it is nice to have a little fun.
BLOOM: And I hate to get pointy-headed on you, but you do have to be 35 to run for president.
BERMUDEZ: That`s true.
HAMMER: OK. Thank you for that.
BLOOM: We`re safe for a few years.
HAMMER: Thank you for that pointy-headed moment, Lisa Bloom.
BLOOM: You`re welcome. Anytime.
HAMMER: Also tonight, more brand-new accusations from the Miss California USA pageant people about Carrie Prejean. A Miss California pageant spokesperson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Prejean is now - and this is the official term - in deep doo-doo for violating her agreement - it`s a pageant - twice in one day she violated her agreement.
First, Prejean was a no-show on CNN`s own "LARRY KING LIVE." I took that personally. Such scandal. The pageant director had asked Prejean to be on Larry King`s show. She agreed, but apparently she bailed at the last minute.
The ever professional Larry King, unshaken by it. Prejean did announce that she`s going to be doing a special one-hour anchor gig on "Fox and Friends." But you know what? She never got the deal OK`d with the pageant. And you`ve got to get the deal OK`d.
Lisa, it looks like Miss California has gone rogue, just like I said about Sarah Palin.
BLOOM: That`s right. Well, remember when she said that those topless photos were because she was on a cliff and the wind was blowing. I think what happened was she was trying to get over to the CNN studios and the wind just blew her over to Fox by accident. And then, the wind blew her away from there, too. So really, she can`t be held responsible for any of this. This is not fair.
HAMMER: Lisa, I do appreciate you getting to the bottom of it for us. It now makes entire sense to us.
All right. Let us move on to another truly extraordinary story. Jon and Kate plus outrage and plenty of it. Quite a - I don`t know - kerfuffle(ph). It`s an outpouring of passionate fired up E-mails coming into SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Also your "Showbiz on Call" phone calls, nonstop buzz that Jon is cheating on Kate, Kate`s cheating on Jon, all alleged, of course.
Well, we asked this in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day on air and online - "Jon and Kate Plus Eight Cheating Controversy: Do you have sympathy for Kate?" Apparently not - 31 percent said yes.
BLOOM: Ouch.
HAMMER: 69 percent said no - no sympathy for you. Carolina, are you with the majority here? Or do you have sympathy for Kate?
BERMUDEZ: I`ve got to go with the majority on this one. If you watch the show, she`s a tyrant, man. And now, we`re really seeing her true colors. The one thing that I`ve seen - you know, whenever somebody`s going through some marital difficulties or there`s infidelity in the marriage, they`re not willing to go out and tell everybody about it.
OK. We get that. But she`s promoting her book. She`s not really with her family right now. She doesn`t look like she`s really going through a tough time with it right now. That being said, I don`t know what happens behind closed doors, but I definitely know that Jon is in the dog house for sure.
HAMMER: Now, I`ll give her one thing - her hair does look terrific in all of these new interviews she`s doing. Can I read you a few E-mails? Because literally, our E-mail inbox - it actually jammed up and stopped working because of this whole scandal, so much criticism coming in for Kate.
I want to read one. This is coming from Cindy. Cindy writing in, "I have found Kate to be obnoxious lately. Most women treat their dogs nicer than she treats Jon." Thank you, Cindy in Florida.
Lisa? What about you? Sympathy for Kate?
BLOOM: Well, I probably do treat any dog nicer than just about anyone. Look, if he cheated on her and she`s about to be a single mother of eight, I mean, what is she going to do, be octomom? I have some sympathy for her.
I mean, I don`t care, you know, if she`s a nice person or she`s a mean person. Nobody should have to go through this and go through it publicly with the whole world watching and with so many darn kids. I`m in the minority. I have sympathy for her.
HAMMER: Yes. But Lisa, you know, she goes through it publicly because she chooses to go through it publicly.
BLOOM: She`s on a reality show.
HAMMER: I`m not saying - well, she`s going on a reality show and then she`s putting herself out there for all of these interviews - interviews, by the way, for the most part, which have not been to promote the show, "Jon and Kate Plus Eight." She`s been out there promoting a children`s book.
BLOOM: But A.J., we in the media do not criticize people who do interviews. People doing interviews is a good thing.
HAMMER: Yes, but -
BLOOM: It has been encouraged. It`s those who don`t show up for Larry King who gets criticized.
BERMUDEZ: Yes, but Lisa, you know what? She`s supposedly hitting it with that bodyguard that they have around all the time, you know. She`s not a very -
BLOOM: Is that him?
HAMMER: Supposedly, allegedly, unconfirmed.
BERMUDEZ: Yes.
HAMMER: Thank you, Carolina. Hey, look -
(CROSS TALK)
BLOOM: Have a heart. I feel sorry for her. She`s young. She`s in a vulnerable position.
HAMMER: But the thing I`ve been maintaining, you know, if you want to protect yourself, you want to protect your children, you get the heck off television. That`s all I`m saying about that.
BERMUDEZ: Yes.
HAMMER: Let`s get to a call, because so many of them are coming in. Our "Showbiz on Call" operators, working over time. We heard from Pat in Florida. Pat calling in saying, everyone needs to chill out. So this is a different take on this. She`s saying that Jon and Kate are just a normal American family.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
PAT, CALLER IN FLORIDA: You`ve got to take the good, bad, and the ugly. I love that show. It is phenomenal. Show me a perfect marriage. Show me perfect kids and the ideal family. These people are sincere. They`ll work it out.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, what do you think about that, Carolina, from that standpoint? Is it a valid point? Time to back off of Jon and Kate and just chalk it all up to the fact that this is a real family with regular marital strife and all of the kinds of stuff regular families deal with?
BERMUDEZ: How can we back off when they`re putting it out there for us to talk about? I mean, I think it`s really difficult for people not to delve into the details of their marriage when people are selling the story to the tabloids.
BLOOM: And A.J. - yes. Actually, the problem I have is the kids. You know, whatever adults want to do on TV, who really cares? But these are adorable kids and very young and they are publicly being dragged into all of this. That really is my concern.
HAMMER: And they`ll have these tapes to look at for the rest of their lives.
BLOOM: Oh, yes.
HAMMER: Lisa Bloom, Carolina Bermudez, thank you very much. I appreciate it.
All right. Moving on, I`ve got to say when I think of controversial celebrity moms, a couple of names come to mind. Dina Lohan, Madonna - but who`s the most controversial of them all?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PIAZZA: A lot of things can make a mom controversial. If she`s out partying with her daughter or if she`s just doing things that people consider bad mothering.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, a SHOWBIZ special report. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counting down the top five most controversial celebrity moms. Certainly a lot to pick from, but which will be number one? That is next.
Also, caught on tape, one of the biggest bands on the planet mugged. You have got to see which group got knocked to the ground, and robbed of a lot of cash and a bunch of stuff. And it was all caught on tape.
And a legendary supermodel says Michelle Obama is no great beauty? Really? I`ve got to tell you, I think this supermodel may need a pair of glasses. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - here come more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Sarah Palin`s daughter, Bristol, graduates from high school. Eminem admits Elton John helped him kick his drug addiction.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And now, one mother of a story. Tonight, right now, right here, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is daring to name the most controversial celebrity mom.
You know how there are some celebrity mothers out there who act so outrageously they have you screaming at the TV screen. Arguing with your friends or just plain obsessing over what these moms have done and what they`ll do next. Yes, those moms.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the mother of all countdowns. It is a SHOWBIZ special report as we name the top five most controversial celebrity moms.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): there are all kinds of moms out there, but it takes a certain kind of mom to make SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s list of the most controversial moms ever.
PIAZZA: If she`s out partying with her daughter, or if she`s just doing things that people consider bad mothering.
HAMMER: And that brings us to the fifth most controversial mother, stage mom Dina Lohan, mother of hot mess Lindsay Lohan. Dina fired up tons of controversy when she was constantly seen partying with her famous, but troubled daughter.
PIAZZA: She just tried too hard to be Lindsay`s best girl friend instead of being her best mother.
HAMMER: As if that wasn`t bad enough, Dina co-starred in a reality show "Living Lohan" with her younger daughter, Ali, leading some to accuse of her feeding yet another youngster into the rough Hollywood world that damaged Lindsay.
DAPHNE BROGDON, "WWW.COOLMOM.COM": Dina Lohan`s problem is that she`s seemed like she wanted to share the spotlight with her daughter.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s fourth most controversial mom, the Material Mom, Madonna. She got slammed for allegedly bending the rules to adopt little David Banda from Malawi, only to turn around and try to do the same with another Malawian child earlier this year.
PIAZZA: She`s kind of like a gypsy that goes in with a bag and who picks up babies and carries them out.
HAMMER: Was Madonna going through a post-divorce crisis?
BROGDON: What`s going on here? Are we at the midlife crisis with the young boyfriend? Or is it mid-life crisis "I want more kids" Mia Farrow?
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s third most controversial mom, Cougar Mom Linda Hogan. Linda, the soon-to-be ex-wife of Hulk Hogan ticked off her daughter Brooke and lit up the gossip and TMZ by stepping out with a much-younger guy, a guy who actually went to high school with her kids.
PIAZZA: She should have a right to be a cougar like anyone else. But I think you have to think about your kids` feelings and, you know, not date within their home room.
HAMMER: Our second most controversial mom is a double bill - the Spears moms - Britney and Jamie Lynn.
PIAZZA: I think that the whole Spears family could get the trifecta of bad mothering.
HAMMER: Britney`s constant partying and questionable decisions had an entire nation worrying about her cute-as-a-button boys, Sean Preston and Jayden James.
PIAZZA: Every mistake she did made huge headlines. One day, she`s almost dropping Sean Preston when she`s jostled by the paparazzi. And another day, she`s driving with him on her lap.
HAMMER: Brit ultimately lost custody of her kids in 2007. And in the process, she made ex-husband and rapper wannabe, Kevin Federline, look like Cliff Huxtable.
BROGDON: Remember how what a turd we used to think he was? And now, he`s like father of the year.
HAMMER: As for Jamie Lynn Spears at 16, the former "Zoey 101" star became perhaps the biggest teen star ever to announce a pregnancy.
PIAZZA: It puts parents in this awkward position to explain why Zoey has to drop out of high school to care for her now-illegitimate child.
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s number one most controversial mom, the octomom - Nadya Suleman. Come on, was there really any other choice?
PIAZZA: Not quality of bad mothering. It`s quantity of bad mothering.
HAMMER: Yes, this mother of 14 - 14 had mothers everywhere sharing the same reaction.
BROGDON: I almost kind of want to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) slap her sometimes.
HAMMER: Some were furious because she had 14 kids, including octuplets using in-vitro fertilization even though she was single, unemployed and had no way to care for them without help. A lot of it.
NADYA SULEMAN, OCUTPLET MOTHER: For every day that passes by, we`re faced with even more challenges.
HAMMER: Some people were up in arms about the way she turned her and her kids` lives into a pseudo-reality show spectacle on "RadarOnline.com." And some just hate her voice.
SULEMAN: My name is Nadya Suleman. And this is my life on "RadarOnline.com.:
BROGDON: I need to talk and I have to ask for help.
PIAZZA: I think that people detest women who create an industry out of their mothering skills.
HAMMER: Whatever it was, the octomom had more children and drew more controversy and anger than anyone out there. And if that`s not a scary thought, there`s this. One day, octomom will fade away, and someone even more outrageous will take her title as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most controversial mom.
BROGDON: It`s just human nature. I mean, people err and people err on camera. So we`ll always have controversial moms.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Very scary. There are some honorable mentions in our tally of the most controversial moms. Got to get to those. Kate Gosselin, of course, from "Jon and Kate plus Eight" and Angelina Jolie.
OK. Did you se this? It`s a member of Pearl Jam getting mugged and it`s all caught on tape. You`ve got to take a look at this dramatic surveillance video obtained by CNN affiliate WSB.
There, you see three masked men coming out of nowhere and mugging Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament and another guy who works for Pearl Jam. This happened last month when the two men drove up to the Southern Tracks Studio in Atlanta for a recording session with the band.
Well, if you look closely at the surveillance video, you can see the alleged robbers breaking the windows of the jeep. Now, police say they demanded money and just as Ament tried to run from the passenger`s side of the car, one of the guys knocked him down and stole his passport.
According to police, the three thugs took home $3,000 in cash and a bunch of computers and some personal items worth around $4,000. Nobody has been arrested, and Ament had to be treated for head injuries.
All right. Have you seen the hot new video for Jamie Fox`s song "Blame It?" It has got some of the coolest star cameos ever - Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker is in it, and even Opie? Yes, how did that happen?
Tonight, the inside story from Opie, a.k.a. Ron Howard and who he`s blaming for putting in one of the hottest music videos out there. Ron Howard blames it, coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Marie Osmond`s new talk show to debut in the fall. YouTube holds title of #1 online video site, Hulu.com is the fastest growing.)
HAMMER: Time now for "Making It Work" where we reveal the secrets of how stars make their relationships work in Hollywood and beyond.
Tonight, "America`s Got Talent" judge Sharon Osbourne. Sharon has been married to rocker Ozzie Osbourne for an amazing 27 years. So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just had to ask Sharon, how do they keep their marriage fresh and continue to make it work after all this time?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARON OSBOURNE, "AMERICA`S GOT TALENT" JUDGE: When you`re with someone that`s constantly growing as a person, they change so that you know, go on that journey together. He never ceases to amaze me. He never ceases to excite me. I go, "Oh, my god. That was just so touching." He`s a delight, you know. He`s a fantastic person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Tonight, Jamie Foxx`s hit song, "Blame It" is the hottest track in the country. So what is Opie, from the "Andy Griffin Show" a.k.a. Ron Howard doing in this sizzling music video?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, did you see this? Ron Howard is blaming Jamie Foxx for his coolest cameo ever. The music video for Foxx`s hit song, "Blame It" has a bunch of star cameos, like Forest Whitaker, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Opie? Now, how did that happen?
Well, this morning on "The View" while promoting "Angels and Demons," Ron Howard and Tom Hanks explain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON HOWARD, DIRECTOR, "ANGELS AND DEMONS": Jamie Foxx asked me. And it was the inauguration, and there is this whole sort of spirit of brotherhood. And I thought it was going to be some sort of "We Are The World" thing.
TOM HANKS, ACTOR: Jamie Foxx said, "I want somebody who (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I want that flies. I want Ronnie Howard."
HOWARD: The only direction over and over again - because I started off and they said, "The only thing is - we`re going to give you these clothes. And you know, you`ve got to have your party face on." I sort of knew what they meant, but just for the heck of it, I said, "Look, here`s my party face. Is this really what you want?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Nice party face, Ron. The "Blame It" video caught the attention of someone else at the inauguration, President Obama. In fact, the president himself did a spoof on YouTube called "Blame It on the Economy." Let`s look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: All right. That wasn`t the real Obama, but close. Actually, the voice was pretty good. And am I right? Did I see Sarah Palin dance in the background there? Yes, I thought so.
Tonight, it`s supermodel Iman dissing Michelle Obama`s looks. Well, in a brand-new interview with "Parade.com," Iman says being one of the world`s first black supermodels was not easy. She said she felt pressured being the standard of beauty for an entire race.
But listen to what she says now about First Lady Michelle Obama, Iman saying, quote, "Mrs. Obama is not a great beauty. But she is so interesting-looking and so bright. That will always take you farther. When you are a great beauty, it`s always downhill for you. If you`re someone like Mrs. Obama, you just get better with age." You can read the rest on "Parade.com."
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Thank you for watching.
END
