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Showbiz Tonight
Worldwide Outrage Over Susan Boyle`s Meltdown; Jon and Kate`s Brand- New Drama; Octo-Mom Attacks Jon and Kate; The Katie Couric-Sarah Palin Smackdown
Aired June 02, 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 Boyle breakdown backlash. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the worldwide outrage over Susan Boyle`s shocking breakdown. Who`s to blame? The tabloids? "Britain`s Got Talent?" Susan herself?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER LAWRENCE, PSYCHOLOGIST: Maybe she wasn`t ready for a competition at this level, but no one forced her to be there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, for the first time, Susan Boyle`s brother speaks. Will Susan have a career after her devastating defeat?
Brand-new Jon and Kate, brand-new drama. Two new episodes of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" air. Do they reveal clues about the fate of Jon and Kate`s marriage?
And the Octo-Mom attacks Jon and Kate. Tonight, the brand-new explosive attack by Nadya Suleman on Kate Gosselin caught on tape.
Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, the Octo-Mom`s new reality show, do you think it will be better than "Jon & Kate plus 8?"
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.
Tonight, caught on tape, the Octo-Mom`s explosive brand-new attack on Jon and Kate.
But first tonight, saving Susan Boyle. The fallout from Susan Boyle`s "Britain`s Got Talent" breakdown is sending shock waves from here to Hollywood and all the way to the U.K. The Internet singing sensation who captured the hearts of millions of people around the world remains in a London mental health clinic.
And tonight, her brother is speaking out for the very first time, revealing the truth about his sister`s breakdown.
But wait, there`s more. Now, critics are blasting the show that made Susan famous for not doing more to protect her from the nonstop media blitz. There is no doubt that the Susan Boyle breakdown backlash is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): From a small Scottish village to international YouTube sensation.
(MUSIC)
From certain "Britain`s Got Talent" winner -
PIERS MORGAN, "BRITAIN`S GOT TALENT" JUDGE: You should win this competition.
HAMMER: To surprise runner-up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Diversity!
HAMMER: From a hotel tantrum that lands her in the gossip pages to a case of emotional exhaustion that lands her in a mental clinic, fame has taken Susan Boyle on an amazing and sad journey in the seven short weeks she`s been famous.
KATRINA SZISH, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Susan Boyle has had an incredibly wild ride. She went from complete anonymity to worldwide fame instantaneously.
HAMMER: And as she recovers in this clinic after her shocking "Britain`s Got Talent" loss, Susan Boyle`s brother tells CBS` "The Early Show," she is getting better.
GERRY BOYLE, SUSAN BOYLE`S BROTHER: Susan seems is coming back to her old ways. I mean, she`s fine. She`s anxious to come home and starting to get a bit more like herself.
HAMMER: That`s a big difference from the Susan Boyle we`ve been seeing over the last few days.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: In the week before the world watched her perform in the "Britain`s Got Talent" finals, Boyle reportedly got so stressed that she stopped eating, frequently broke down in tears, and publicly freaked out at a London hotel.
G. BOYLE: Anxieties were high -
HAMMER: Her brother tells "The Early Show" the stress of performing on and losing "Britain`s Got Talent" got to his sister.
G. BOYLE: I think, eventually, exhaustion, worrying about the outcome of the competition and anxiety just took its toll.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you people all over the world are slamming the show "Britain`s Got Talent," accusing it of taking this small town woman with a reported learning disability -
SUSAN BOYLE, "BRITAIN`S GOT TALENT" FINALIST: I want to thank people for all the support that they`ve given me, especially people at home.
HAMMER: And thrusting her into a level of instant super-fame and heavy media criticism that may have pushed her over the edge. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you a British TV watchdog group may investigate "Britain`s Got Talent" to see if it violated Britain`s broadcasting code.
The code states that, quote, "People in a state of distress should not be put under pressure to take part in a program, unless it is warranted." Some say Boyle definitely was a person in distress.
LAWRENCE: Fame is dangerous for a lot of people, because they don`t realize, it`s more than just the glamour.
HAMMER: Psychologist Cooper Lawrence, author of "The Cult of Celebrity," tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Boyle clearly was not cut out for fame.
LAWRENCE: Not only is it hard work to stay in the public eye and to keep your talent going, but you have to contend with everyone`s opinion about you on a regular basis. It`s very damaging to the self-esteem.
MORGAN: There are all sorts of doctors and psychiatrists and support people around for all the contestants at any time.
HAMMER: "Britain`s Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan insists Boyle was well looked after, and she wasn`t pressured into anything.
MORGAN: Susan`s been regularly monitored and asked about her feelings, regularly asked, "Do you want to continue?" And she always said, "Yes, I want to take part."
G. BOYLE: It`s marvelous to have all this attention.
HAMMER: Surprisingly enough, Boyle`s brother says she has no regrets about the show or her fame.
G. BOYLE: Susan, seven weeks ago, was simply a little lady from Scotland. And you know, she`s very grateful that the opportunities are now opening up for her.
HAMMER: And in fact, even as Boyle sits in a mental hospital, she`s most worried about losing the fame that some say helped put her there.
G. BOYLE: Her biggest worry after Saturday night is that - where does her career go from here? Will she be still accepted if she didn`t win the competition? Will people still want to hear her sing? And will there be a career for her as we stand here today?
LAWRENCE: the fact that her brother is coming out and saying she still wants to be famous, the brother should be saying she is not capable of being famous. She`s not somebody that should be famous.
This is a great example of what`s the culture of celebrity has done to people. It makes you think that because you can, you should. Not everybody should.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: All right. So who is to blame for Susan Boyle ice breakdown? "Britain`s Got Talent," the media, could it be Susan herself? It is a fired up debate and it is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tonight, brand-new developments in the Jon and Kate drama. Two new "Jon & Kate Plus 8" episodes debuted last night. And even though these shows were shot before the cheating scandal broke, were there are already signs of trouble brewing?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, who is a correspondent for "Extra." And in New York is Jill Zarin, one of the stars of Bravo`s hit reality show, "The Real Housewives of New York City."
All right. We need to put these new episodes of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" in perspective. Now, in the first one, Jon goes to Utah in a little snowboarding vacation with his buds and he missed Kate`s birthday, while Kate was staying at home, celebrating her birthday, with her eight kids. And yes, no Jon.
Well, then in the next episode, it was Kate`s turn to get away with daughter Mady on a spa vacation while Jon stayed at home with the seven kids putting together a swing set.
Now, again, these episodes were taped before all the controversy hit. But, Carlos, are you with me? I`m sorry. You don`t go on vacation on your wife`s birthday and leave her at home. Is this just not more proof that there was already trouble brewing long before we knew about it?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": A.J., I`ve done some research on this topic and I have found that every year in Park City, Utah, it snows 361 inches a year. So I believe Jon, you could have put off that vacation a few days, and there`d still be snow on the ground.
Further research shows that Kate only has one birthday per year, ironically. So I`m thinking, Jon, that whole - and in the episode it goes, it just happened to fall on Kate`s birthday. Did it? Did it, Jon? Because you know what day your wife`s birthday is every year. Maybe you don`t schedule the ski trip for that weekend.
HAMMER: All right. Carlos, just know that the depth to which you go to research your material for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - it does not go unnoticed. Thank you very much for that.
Now, most of Jon`s trip to Utah showed him doing some great work. He was working with disabled kids, but he did take time to address the fact that he was away for Kate`s birthday and how he felt about getting a little freedom. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR, "JON & KATE PLUS 8": I went out to Utah for like five more days. And I just want to get back out there and actually just ride and ride with my friends. It just happened to fall on Kate`s birthday.
Snowboarding has always been a passion of mine. It`s freedom to me. It`s a total escape from reality and TV world. And, you know, it`s just something that I enjoy doing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It just happened to fall on Kate`s birthday. All right. So there he is. He`s enjoying the escape from reality and the TV world. Jill, let me ask you this. We see you on the "Real Housewives of New York City."
JILL ZARIN, STAR, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY": Yes.
HAMMER: From all accounts, you and your husband Bob seem perfectly happy. How would you feel if he decided to plan a trip with his buds on your birthday? Or let me ask you. Are we looking too deeply into this?
ZARIN: Well, yes. I think you`re looking too deeply into it. But does she care? I mean, that`s really what counts. Was she upset because - if Bobby really wanted to go away and it happened to fall on my birthday, but that was only time that they had people - by the way, Bobby doesn`t really have any guy friends. But I`m his best friend and I don`t think he would want to go.
But you know - OK. Let`s say he had a bunch of friends. If that`s when they could get off work and that was the right time and he asked me and I said OK, then there`s nothing wrong with it. So how did she feel about it? That`s all that counts.
HAMMER: You`re so completely diplomatic about it here. I don`t know. I guess we`re very tainted from what we`ve seen of the relationship between Jon and Kate. My guess is at this point, she probably was pretty happy for him to go and disappear for a little while. I`m just saying.
Jon and Kate were together for a few parts of the new show. But really, the majority of the time, was focusing on the kids. It was kind of like the good old days of watching "Jon & Kate Plus 8."
But still, Jon did address the fact that we may be seeing a little less of he and Kate together in future episodes. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. GOSSELIN: This season, sometimes you`ll see Kate and I interviewed separately. Sometimes you`ll see us together on the chair. It really depends on how things are going and we have really busy schedules, so - that`s it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, OK. That`s it. Carlos -
ZARIN: Wow.
HAMMER: Carlos, now, I don`t know about you. But you also work in TV. I`m thinking, number one, he read that.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: Number two, it sounds pretty clear that Jon is putting the audience on notice there.
ZARIN: Yes, of course.
DIAZ: Yes, very casually. Yes, a lot of foreshadowing there, Jill. And very casually, too. And if you look, by the way, as the seasons progress, they get further and further apart on that chair. That chair gets bigger and bigger every year.
By the way, in the first episode last night, they`re on screen for less than 30 seconds together. I counted, OK? But even when they`re on screen, like he`s hugging this side of the chair, she`s hugging that side of the chair. Not a lot of chemistry going on there.
HAMMER: Hey, Jill, you know very well that people are tuning in for the big adult drama.
ZARIN: They are.
HAMMER: Do you think people are just going to tune out if the show goes back to focusing on the kids and doesn`t focus on what we know to be the problem from there?
ZARIN: It will never be - it will never just go back to focusing on the kids, because the reality of the reality show is 10 million people viewed in to watch what`s going on with them. So even if you don`t see it, the audience is going to anticipate that you`re going to see it.
It really doesn`t matter if you`re going to, because we think you`re going to. And we`re going to wait until you show me something.
HAMMER: Well, I appreciate your insight on that, Jill. You certainly know from what you speak.
ZARIN: I try -
HAMMER: Jill Zarin and Carlos Diaz, I thank you for being with us tonight.
All right. As we move on, I can tell you, Jon and Kate have a lot more than their marriage to worry about. They better watch out for the Octo-Mom.
Tonight, Nadya Suleman is launching an all-out attack on Kate. She`s slamming her in a brand-new video. I`m going to play it for you, coming up.
Also tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks news of a brand-new Katie Couric- Sarah Palin smack down. Katie goes after Sarah. Sarah slams Katie. And you`ve got to hear what they`re saying.
Also, was the joke really on Eminem?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Did Eminem have advance knowledge of Sacha Baron Cohen`s crotch attack?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is a very important investigation we`ve got going here. Was the bare butt in Eminem`s face staged? Or was he in on this? We get to the bottom of the controversy. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Madonna will end her "Sticky and Sweet" tour in Holy Land! Tel Aviv, Israel. Brandy settles her 2006 fatal car crash with victim`s kids, they will get $300,000 each.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Hey, did you see this? It`s the French "spider-man" climbing one of Sydney`s tallest buildings. The spidey, Alain Robert, scaled the 41- storey Royal Bank of Scotland building in the Australian city.
Now, cops did arrest him as he was on the way down. Robert is definitely not afraid of heights. He has claimed the Empire State Building and the Sears Tower in Chicago, all to raise awareness about climate change.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, who`s the real butt of this joke? Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen`s flamboyant alter ego Bruno shocked everybody and bared his backside at the MTV Movie Awards.
Of course, he made a surprise landing right on rapper Eminem`s face. Well, Em got up and he stormed out of the place. But everybody`s asking, was this whole thing staged? "Entertainment Weekly" is reporting it was all a stunt and Eminem was in on the joke.
Here is CNN`s Jeanne Moos trying to get to the bottom of this for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice-over): Bruno is no angel. And on a wing minus the prayer, he stole the show. Actually, this was Sacha Baron Cohen`s second costume of the night. A new character, a gay Austrian fashion journalist, arrived at the MTV Movie Awards in skin-tight leotard.
But he was mostly just skin by the time he dropped from the ceiling to present an award, landing on Eminem, straddling the rapper formally known for his homophobic lyrics.
SACHA BARON COHEN, COMEDIAN: Eminem, nice to meet you.
EMINEM, RAPPER: Are you serious?
MOOS: Much fleecing then ensued. Eminem eventually stormed out, leading to the burning question -
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Was this all a stunt? I`m not sure it was the Internet.
MOOS: Obviously, the stunt was preplanned. But did Eminem have advance knowledge of Sacha Baron Cohen`s crotch attack?
TMZ ran a poll on Eminem`s reaction. You know you`re in trouble when Paris Hilton is an authority on the subject.
PARIS HILTON, SINGER AND ACTRESS: I don`t think he knew, because I talked to someone who was running the show before. He said a big surprise was going to happen and the person didn`t know it was going to happen.
MOOS: Bruno came across as a cross between Tinker Bell and Howard Stern. When Stern arrived on stage at the 1992 MTV Music Video Awards, getting cheeky with Luke Perry. Eminem was trying not to touch.
(on camera): We tried to get Eminem to comment, but his lips were sealed. Your lips would be with sealed, too, if they just had a close call with Bruno`s behind.
(voice-over): For his new movie, Bruno literally crashed a real fashion show in a Velcro outfit. He offended Congressman Ron Paul.
REP. RON PAUL (R-TX): I was expecting an interview on Austrian economics.
MOOS: Instead, Bruno put the moves on him.
PAUL: By the time he started pulling his pants down, I was like, what is going on here? I ran out of the room. This interview has ended.
MOOS: That ended up in the movie trailer. For some, the MTV stunt was a trashy, vulgar bore. But for others -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god! This is better than a sex tape.
MOOS: Our culture has hit bottom all right. Bruno`s bottom.
COHEN: I`ve already got a boyfriend.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Well, I`ve got to tell you, the calls into the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines about Susan Boyle and Jon and Kate haven`t bottomed out at all.
In fact, our "Showbiz on Call" operators haven`t been able to get off their fannies all day long because of all the work they`ve got to do. We`ve got a call in to "Showbiz on Call" from Rosemary in Arizona who can`t wait for Susan Boyle to put out an album.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ROSEMARY, CALLER FROM ARIZONA: I`m not sure that Susan Boyle will be able to come back, but I hope and pray that she will. She has a beautiful singing voice and I would certainly buy her album.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Rosemary, thanks for your call. We also heard from Jasmine calling in to "Showbiz on Call" from Georgia. And Jasmine thinks that both Jon and Kate from TLC`s "Jon & Kate Plus 8" got to chill out.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JASMINE, CALLER FROM GEORGIA: I really feel like, in watching the show, that Kate needs to listen up a little bit and Jon needs to grow up. I think that this situation isn`t any one particular person`s fault. I think it`s a combination of the two.
And I feel like if he would grow up and accept responsibility for the fact that he does have eight kids and if she would loosen up a little bit and realize that, OK, you`ve got eight kids. You can`t be quite so uptight. They then might be able to come to a happy median and actually make their marriage work.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, Jasmine. Thank you for your call. You`ve got something say? You can call us at "Showbiz on Call." The lines are always open, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899.
I`ve got to tell you, I don`t know if Jon and Kate are going to be able to loosen up once they hear the Octo-Mom going off on them. Yes, it`s true. Tonight, Nadya Suleman`s brand-new explosive attack. Why she`s slamming Kate. This is ugly.
We have also got this -
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Tonight, are Susan Boyle`s dreams shattered? Who is to blame for her breakdown after losing "Britain`s Got Talent?" Do we need to point the fingers at the show, the tabloids, or maybe even Susan herself? It is a fired-up debate.
Also, Lisa Ling`s dramatic, emotional appeal to save her sister who`s in a jail in North Korea. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Winona Ryder confirms a sequel of 1988 "Heathers" movie is in the works. Pearl Jam shoots a commercial for retailer Target, directed by Cameron Crowe.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with some more stories that are making news right now. Tonight, former "View" host Lisa Ling is making an emotional plea on behalf of her sister who`s being held captive in North Korea.
Reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee have been held since March for allegedly crossing the North Korean border. Lisa has been working with the U.S. Government for months now to free the women.
And now, in a brand-new interview with CNN`s Larry King, Lisa is sharing her bold and direct message for North Korea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LISA LING, FORMER CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": We don`t know the details of what happened on March 17th. But if, at any point, the girls went into North Korea, then we apologize on their behalf.
They never intended to do so and we are sorry. And we beg your government to allow my sister and Michael`s wife and Hannah`s mother to come home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Lisa and Laura`s parents really got emotional as they shared heartbreaking messages of their own. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG LING, LAURA LING`S FATHER: I just want to tell her how much I love her and how much I miss her. And I want her back. I want her and Euna back to the world.
MARY LING, LAURA LING`S MOTHER: Do not worry about us. Take care of yourself. Be strong and be brave. And we promise that you will be home with us soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What they`re going through, just unimaginable. The women will go on trial this Thursday.
Well, tonight, Sandra Bullock is revealing how she got her husband to marry her - some good old fashioned blackmail.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the premiere of Sandra`s new movie, "The Proposal," in Hollywood. Now, in "The Proposal," Sandra forces her assistant to marry her. In real life, she`s married to reality star Jesse James and she tells us she has some tricks of her own when it came to getting married.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDRA BULLOCK, STAR: Blackmail. You just have to find the one thing that no matter how old they are, they`ll never divulge. It`s one of those secrets, when I die, you can tell them about it. I found out what that was with him. I blackmailed him with it. And now, I`m in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Now, Bullock did not spill exactly what the secret is. So, you know, if you`re watching sandy, E-mail me or give me a call. I want to know. You guys want to know, right? You want to know.
Now, it`s time for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT lineup. This is what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Oh, boy. The Octo-Mom attacks Jon and Kate. Nadya Suleman slams Kate Gosselin in a brand-new interview and yes, it`s all caught on tape.
So who`s to blame for Susan Boyle`s breakdown after she lost "Britain`s Got Talent?" Are we looking at the show? Is it the tabloids, or maybe even Susan herself?
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks news of a brand-new Sarah Palin-Katie Couric smackdown. Oh, yes. It`s on - again. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: "Where`s Waldo?" book series is headed to the big screen with a movie deal. Sade returns to the studio for the first time since 2000`s "Lover`s Rock.")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NADYA SULEMAN, OCTUPLET MOTHER: Don`t you have, like, a lot of issues in your life, a lot of marital problems? Why are you trying so desperately to glom on to my life? For attention? So flagrantly obvious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Octo-Mom attacks "Jon & Kate Plus 8." Nasty name-calling, angry accusations caught on tape. Plus, which reality show will you like more - Octo-Mom`s or Jon and Kate`s?
Susan Boyle`s breakdown backlash. Who`s to blame - the tabloids, "Britain`s Got Talent," Susan herself? Plus, her brother`s brand-new interview revealing Susan`s next big move. And Katie Couric`s new Sarah Palin smackdown. Has Katie fired the first shot in an all-new battle?
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, Octo-Mom`s Jon and Kate smackdown. Wow. There is brand-new drama just boiling over tonight. Octo-Mom, Nadya Suleman, launching an all-out war against reality show mom Kate Gosselin after Octo-Mom hears Kate talking about her to Dr. Phil.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SULEMAN: I`ve watched it. It`s really annoying. She reminds me of my mother.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, brother. Well, get a load of this. In a brand-new interview posted today on "RadarOnline.com," Suleman says that she has moved on with her life. And she is slamming Kate, the mom of eight, for questioning her choices.
And Octo-Mom leaves nothing to the imagination when she directly attacks Kate about her marriage problems really hitting her where it hurts. And she responds to Kate`s comments about how the Octo-Mom is raising her brood of 14 solo without any daddy in the picture. Oh, boy. Are you ready to rumble?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Pat Lalama, who is an investigative journalist. And in New York, Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of the fantastic "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL" seen every night 7:00 p.m. Eastern here on HLN.
Let the games begin. I want to begin with Kate, questioning whether Octo- Mom is actually strong enough to handle being a mom of 14.
Now, in all fairness to Kate, Dr. Phil did ask Kate to weigh in on the Octo-Mom debate on his talk show back in February when everybody was first learning about Nadya Suleman. In this brand-new interview posted today on "Radar Online," Nadya slams Kate for judging her. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SULEMAN: Stop harshly making judgments towards me. She didn`t even know me. So that`s human nature. It tends to happen to people who are less- educated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Educated. Nice. All right. Jane, does Octo-Mom have a reason to be mad here? Or should Kate get ready to rumble? I mean, come on.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": A.J., I think this is reality TV`s version of professional wrestling. These two women, they love it. They can barely suppress their grins. I mean, they`re brassy. They`re obnoxious. They`re opinionated. They`re self- absorbed.
And I`m not talking about me and Pat Lalama. I`m talking about Kate and Octo-Mom. They really do instinctively understand. They`re that sophisticated, that this is what the public will eat up and it`s only going to increase their visibility and increase their stock, in essence. So they`re playing the game.
HAMMER: It really has become surreal. Go ahead, Pat.
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Well, I was going to say - Jane, this is history. You and I agree. Can you imagine - you and me, baby. Look, you took the words out of my mouth in a way. I was going to say, what`s next, a mud wrestling match?
Listen, let`s face reality. This is a manufactured media creation. And the networks and media outlets and the publicity machines are laughing all the way to the bank. My microphone`s falling - I`m so upset about all of this. I mean, really, this is a creation and they`ve fallen right into it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: A.J., I think they`re setting a new trend. Frankly, I think you`re going to see Hulk Hogan go up against Duane Dog Chapman to argue about who has worse manners. I mean, imagine the possibilities.
HAMMER: Yes. As they said in "Ghostbusters," dogs and cats sleeping together. Round two. Ding, ding, please. Octo-Mom slams Kate for questioning why Suleman even considered having more kids when she already had six kids at home. Now, Kate says, too many kids. And Octo-Mom blasts her. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SULEMAN: Don`t you have, like, a lot of issues in your life, a lot of marital problems. Why are you so trying desperately to glom on to my life? For attention? So flagrantly obvious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It is flagrantly obvious. Do you think that Kate Gosselin is really trying to glom on to Octo-Mom`s life? Pat, I mean, come on.
LALAMA: Well, first of all, why does she talk like that? I don`t really understand that. But look. Here`s the deal. They have both taken a bite out of the apple. And they`ve been poisoned by this dangerous level of self-importance.
I mean, this is what happens when you start buying into your own press. And whose fault is it? Those of us who want to watch the train wreck, the media people who create - the networks that create these shows.
I`m not saying that these two moms are entirely innocent. The fact is, they`ve fallen into the trap. They`ve bought into themselves. They think they`re opinions are so incredibly important and my disgust level has reached its limits.
HAMMER: Yes. I know they are playing right along with the plate that`s been set. But let`s move on now to round three, if we may. In her chat with Dr. Phil, Kate brings up the fact that there is no daddy in Octo-Mom`s life for her kids. Octo-Mom goes ballistic after hearing this. Let`s just watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SULEMAN: She`s the expert, huh?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. She says, "The workload that Jon and I share is often even too much for us. It`s unimaginable the amount of work she will have to bear as a single mother raising eight preemies as well as six other children.
SULEMAN: Do you think there was a question? Histrionic. I have nothing off my head, but histrionic. OK, mom. That`s all I have to say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you. I`m sitting here and I`m just mesmerized. Nadya does not have a good relationship with her own mom, so I`m taking that as a slam. Jane, tell me if you`re on board with me. Maybe Nadya and Kate get their own show together. I mean, there`s your reality show right there, huh?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And we could tell it - I don`t know - the species` cat fight? Get the koalas out. Listen, the fact is these two women are competitors now. We know Octo-Mom is going to get her own reality show.
And she`s had the opportunity to watch the "Jon & Kate Plus 8" train wreck, the scandals. So she wants to position herself differently and say, "Oh, I`m not going to be like Kate. I`m going to be more educational. I`m not going to exploit my kids. I`m going to talk about autism. And I`m going to talk about one child`s attention deficit disorder."
Well, guess what? That`s good for about 10 minutes of a reality show, Octo-Mom. What are you going to do for all the rest of the episodes? Of course, you`re going to exploit your kids. It comes with the territory.
HAMMER: Well, no surprise, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on call phone lines have been overflowing, I mean, like a sippy cup without a lid, I tell you. We heard from Kamay in Iowa who says she`s hearing a lot of octo-hypocrisy here. Listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KAMAY, CALLER FROM IOWA: Octo-Mom has a lot of gall slamming Jon and Kate. That`s more like a pot calling the kettle black. I think dollar signs were on her mind when she had those babies. She`s a poor example of parenthood. And taxpayers were griping about who`s paying her medical bills. I guess we don`t have to worry about that now.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Thanks, Kamay. Now, as Jane mentioned, Octo-Mom does have a brand-new reality show of her own. It`s not been picked up here in the States yet. So far, it`s only going to be seen in the U.K.
But Pat, what do you think? Is it a bad move for Octo-Mom to be slamming Kate, a reality show mom, that you know, despite the fact that there`s so much controversy around her, she has so many fans still.
LALAMA: Yes, but you know what? You talk about being raised without a father. I mean, now, the Gosselin children - you can`t tell me they haven`t been exposed to the rumors of affairs on the part of both of their parents. So, come on, who really has the right to be judgmental about either of these people?
It`s unbelievable. And I`ll tell you, it`s such a cultural cesspool now - to me, it`s what it`s becoming. It`s no longer an entertaining, informational show about a couple struggling, you know, with the daily issues of raising lots of kids.
Now, I`m seeing Kate Gosselin`s hot body on the Internet all over the place and talk of affairs. And the cultural cesspool is so deep and so thick now that I think the networks won`t be happy until we see the first child on camera trying pot or one of the children becoming an unwed parent. I mean, it`s really gotten to be -
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I have to disagree with you there, Pat.
HAMMER: Quickly, please, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of having too many kids. Think before you procreate.
HAMMER: All right. Pat Lalama and Jane Velez-Mitchell.
LALAMA: We`re explaining that -
HAMMER: Excellent words of advice right there.
LALAMA: Bye, Jane.
HAMMER: Let`s hope people start doing that. All right. What do you think? Here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Octo-Mom`s Reality Show: Will it be better than `Jon & Kate plus 8`?" You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, we have seen Jon and Kate`s marriage melt down under the media spotlight. But is the harsh glare of stardom to blame for Susan Boyle`s meltdown as well?
(MUSIC)
Tonight, who is to blame for Susan`s dream turning into a nightmare? "Britain`s Got Talent"? Her demanding public? Susan herself? Will she ever bounce back? That`s next.
Katie Couric versus Sarah Palin. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, breaking news about a brand-new smackdown. What the "CBS Evening News" anchor said that made Sarah so mad. The gloves - they`re coming off.
Plus, you`ve got to see this unbelievable caught-on-tape close call with a deer and cop in the middle of a busy street. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: MTV Movie Awards scores highest ratings in five years, up 92 percent from 2008. Paris Hilton is on the hunt for a new BFF in Dubai, that`s hot!)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You need to calm down.
(CROSS TALK)
HEIDI MONTAG, REALITY TV STAR: Everyone is just being so mean and completely took off all my labels and everything on my dry shampoo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: On the dry shampoo. Oh, boy. Did you see this? A full-on meltdown by Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag over shampoo in the jungle on the reality show "I`m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here." Bug spray, I can understand. But shampoo, in the jungle? Really, Heidi?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Well, shampoo tantrum aside, Spencer and Heidi also seem to show a different side of themselves when faced with limited beauty products in Costa Rica.
The stars of MTV`s "The Hills" got political asking the wife of impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich all about her husband`s fall from power. Now, of course, the governor is accused trying to sell Barack Obama`s vacated Senate seat.
Patty Blagojevich signed on to the show after her husband wasn`t allowed to travel out of the country. And you have got to see how her fellow celebrities reacted to her story and the absolutely stunning conclusion that Spencer comes to after hearing it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPENCER PRATT, REALITY TV STAR: Let`s get through this big elephant in the room, Patty.
PATTY BLAGOJEVICH, ROD BLAGOJEVICH`S WIFE: What`s that?
PRATT: Why is your husband facing jail time? What happened?
BLAGOJEVICH: The problem was - here`s the problem. He was fighting the special interests. I mean, he fights the special interests down in that entrenched state capital. You make these huge enemies.
PRATT: Well, like big money, big politics?
BLAGOJEVICH: Yes. Like other political figures in Illinois. They didn`t like that he went around them, see?
PRATT: But he`s the governor.
BLAGOJEVICH: Yes. Well, see, that`s the problem. Had he floated that to them, they would said, "No way." So he had to go around -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re so brave.
PRATT: Just so you know, when I met him, I was like, this is who I would have voted for the president of the United States of America.
BLAGOJEVICH: I appreciate that.
JANICE DICKINSON, MODEL: Patty, thanks for sharing that. You know, that must have been difficult. But you need to set the record straight and we`re glad that you did.
BLAGOJEVICH: It was sensational. It was a media frenzy. It`s been probably the worst - the worst six months of our lives, you know, the stress it`s put on our children. It`s unbelievable.
PRATT: I know. I look at them. It`s the Heidi-Spencer in politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. I have to imagine the Blagojeviches have been called a lot of things, but the Heidi and Spencer of politics - that`s got to be a first. And I`m pretty sure that`s not a compliment. Or maybe that`s just me.
Well, now, on to the outrage over Susan Boyle`s big meltdown. Who`s to blame here? This has brand-new backlash against the show that made Susan Boyle a worldwide phenomenon. Did the show do enough to protect her? Also, outrage against the tabloids that tore Boyle apart in the headlines.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Michael Yo, who is a celebrity correspondent for "E!" Also joining me tonight is Amy Palmer who is a senior editor with "In Touch Weekly."
So "Britain`s Got Talent" is now coming under fire by critics who say they did not watch out for Susan the way they should have. Clearly, Susan was not prepared for her massive overnight fame. No agent by her side. She didn`t have bodyguards shielding her from all the madness.
So Michael Yo, I`ve got to ask, is the show to blame for Susan Boyle`s emotional meltdown because it didn`t do enough to protect her?
MICHAEL YO, CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT, "E!": Not at all. It`s Susan`s fault for signing up. Anybody that signs up for one of the biggest shows in that country - of course, you`re going to get media attention. It`s like, you`re signing up for "American Idol," winning it and saying, "No, I don`t want any publicity."
It`s totally Susan`s fault for even signing up for the show. Because you`ve got to know the worst is going to come if you get fame off of it.
HAMMER: I don`t know if I completely agree with you, Michael because - and we`re going to get into this. You know, obviously, no one could be prepared for the level of superstardom. I mean, nobody could have ever imagined that.
And the show did see all of this taking off. But I`ve got to tell you, for their part, "Britain`s Got Talent" said they did do plenty to protect her. In fact, one of the show`s judges, Piers Morgan, spoke out in defense of Susan Boyle, in defense of the show. He did that on the "Today" show.
And Piers was asked if the show ever considered pulling Susan out of the competition. Watch what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MORGAN: Everyone`s been very concerned generally about the power of the show now, and taking someone like Susan and making her a global superstar and what kind of effect that has on her as a human being.
But I spoke to Susan almost every day last week. And I kept saying, "You want to do this right?" And she said, "Oh, this is what I want to do."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. He`s saying she wanted to go on. But Amy, let me ask you. Even so, do you think the show should have jumped in, seeing the obvious strain that it was putting her under?
AMY PALMER, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": You know, I have to say that I do agree with you, A.J. This is something unprecedented. Susan Boyle went from somebody who was in her home for 48 years with her cat to being on YouTube and being seen singing in front of 100 million people plus.
This is not your normal fame rise. So, yes, I think that the show had a responsibility to Susan to really look at the situation and say, "This is unique, and we have to help her. Let`s provide therapists. Why don`t we get her an agent? Why don`t we have someone who can sit down with her and walk her through what she is feeling?" Because this is overwhelming for even the most seasoned superstar.
HAMMER: Yes. I`ve got to tell you. I think there`s plenty of blame to go around here. In fact, Piers also said Susan really took the tabloid headlines to heart. And I`ve got to tell you, there was some nasty stuff out there.
I quite frankly was pretty angry at seeing her this stuff. They were calling her the "hair angel." They declared, "SuBo Goes Loco." And they said, "That makeover didn`t last long."
So what do you think, Michael? Are the tabloids partially to blame for what happened to Susan?
YO: Absolutely. It`s Susan`s fault for signing up, because none of this would happen if she didn`t sign up for the show. But it`s absolutely the media that blew it out of proportion. You took a lady that didn`t look like she could sing, sang OK, and then you blew that out of proportion. And we talk about it all the time. We`re talking about it right now on this show.
The tabloids are so mean to her here and across the seas. I mean, the thing is the media took advantage of the situation and it just got to her. And yes, the media is to blame for her mental breakdown. Absolutely.
HAMMER: Yes. I want to get back to something you were saying, Amy. I mean, let`s not forget, seven weeks ago, nobody at all knew the name "Susan Boyle." And as you said, there are big-time Hollywood stars out there who have all kinds of handlers around them, who have been at this for dozens and dozens of years who couldn`t possibly have handled the amount of pressure that Susan`s sudden fame brought on.
So let me ask you this. Is the fame to blame? Did it just come way too fast and furiously for the 47-year-old to deal with here, Amy?
PALMER: Yes, I do think that the fame is to blame. But I think if you look at it on a larger scope, the machine of the fame is to blame - the reality shows, the press, the media, the attention, the tabloids. All of it is a real interesting study into what fame is and how it affects somebody who goes under that microscope.
And this is a woman, like I said, who had no exposure to the media before. She was a very humble woman.
HAMMER: Yes.
PALMER: So this really is an interesting look into what fame does to a human being.
HAMMER: Yes. And I think it will really set a precedent for these types of shows as we move forward, because people are going to be watching closely. Amy Palmer, Michael Yo, I appreciate you both being here tonight.
All right. We have Katie Couric`s swipe at Sarah Palin. This is the brand-new smackdown you don`t want to miss. What "CBS Evening News" anchor is saying now.
And Sarah Palin fires back in a big way. Are these two on the war path again? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Johnny Depp names beach on private island after Heath Ledger. O.J. Simpson`s sports memorabilia likely to be auctioned in L.A. O.J. Simpson found guilty of robbery related to that same memorabilia.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Did you see this? A deer hopped right over the hood of a patrol car in the middle of a busy street in Des Moines, Iowa. Wow, look at him go!
Obviously, it was all caught on tape, and this was by the cop`s dash cam. Fortunately, the deer and officer were not hurt in this jumping incident. And the deer wasn`t even ticketed for jumping without a license.
And here right now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaking news of a brand-new Katie Couric-Sarah Palin smackdown. Katie Couric is making fun of Sarah Palin by digging up that whole "I can see Russia from my house" thing. And Sarah Palin is now striking back.
Now, in case you forgot, the whole thing got started when ABC`s Charlie Gibson interviewed Palin, then the Republican VP pick, and asked her about her foreign policy experience. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLIE GIBSON, ABC CORRESPONDENT: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of this state give you?
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), FORMER REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: They`re our next-door neighbors. And you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Well, then, of course, "Saturday Night Live`s" Tina Fey went to town on that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TINA FEY, ACTRESS (as Sarah Palin): You know, Hillary and I don`t agree on everything.
AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS (as Hillary Clinton): Anything. I believe that diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.
PALIN: And I can see Russia from my house.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Katie Couric then interviewed Palin for the "CBS Evening News." This was, of course, a headline-making interview, especially when Couric pressed Palin about the whole Alaska being close to Russia thing. And that set off a war of sorts between Couric and Palin.
Well, tonight I can tell you that Katie and Sarah - they`re at war again. At Princeton University`s Class Day ceremony, Couric told the Class of 2009 that coming to speak at the university was a, quote, "no-brainer because after all, I can see New Jersey from my house." A not so subtle hint at Palin.
Well, late today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did hear from Palin`s people. And I`ve got to quote what they said, quote, "No surprise here. The only time anyone pays attention to Couric is when she quotes Tina Fey. It`s job security." Ouch.
Well, on Monday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Susan Boyle: Will she have a lasting career?" 43 percent said yes; 57 percent no.
We heard from Gloria in California writing, "I think Susan Boyle is a great talent and has a future. We all await her first CD."
Oh from Pennsylvania thinks, "Susan Boyle will not have a long lasting career because, unfortunately, stardom is not based purely on talent."
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer New York. You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. And in the morning, we`re on at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. And that`s right here on HLN.
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