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Showbiz Tonight
Letterman-Palin War of Words; Does Donald Trump Have Egg on His Face?; Judge Judy Beats Oprah; David Carradine Killed by Kung Fu Sect?; Cher`s Daughter to Become a Man
Aired June 11, 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 nasty, ugly, David Letterman-Sarah Palin war of words. The explosive fallout after Letterman`s X-rated cracks about Sarah Palin`s young daughter. Tonight, Palin`s outrageous response. And did Letterman cross the line? Tonight it`s the Letterman-Sarah showdown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, OWNER OF THE MISS USA FRANCHISE: Carrie will remain Miss California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, yes? Not anymore. Tonight, does Donald Trump have egg on his face after firing Miss California? And why did Trump do an about face?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You`re fired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Was it the gay marriage controversy? Was it the topless photos? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the ugly mess over the beauty and the Trump.
Tonight, Judge Judy`s giant Oprah smackdown. What Judge Judy did to Oprah that has everyone asking, is Judy now the new queen of daytime?
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, the almost unbelievable Sarah Palin-David Letterman smackdown. And let me tell you, it does not get anymore outrageous than this. Tonight, Sarah Palin on the warpath after David Letterman made sexually suggestive jokes about her young daughter.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can also tell you that this time, it`s personal. Tonight, everyone is taking sides over this, team Palin versus team Letterman. And the big showdown is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): In this corner, David Letterman, gap-toothed funnyman and host of "The Late Show." And in this corner, Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska and former vice presidential candidate. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, these two are in an all-out brawl over one of Letterman`s Palin jokes.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW": Her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.
HAMMER: Now, Palin`s calling Letterman sexually perverted and disgusting, while Letterman is apologizing - sort of.
LETTERMAN: Do I regret having told them? Well, I think, probably, I do. But you know what? There are thousands of jokes I regret telling on this program.
The category tonight, top 10 highlights of Sarah Palin`s trip to New York City.
HAMMER: It all started with the cracks Letterman made about Palin`s recent trip to New York.
LETTERMAN: Number two - bought makeup at Bloomingdale`s to update her "slutty flight attendant" look. And.
HAMMER: Palin wasn`t amused when she responded in a radio interview.
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What a commentary there. That`s pretty pathetic, good old David Letterman.
HAMMER: But Palin went from annoyed to absolutely ballistic about Letterman`s joke about the Yankee game she attended during her trip.
LETTERMAN: During the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.
HAMMER: Letterman says the joke was referring to Palin`s 18-year-old daughter, Bristol, who made headlines with her surprise pregnancy last year. But Bristol wasn`t with Palin at the Yankee game. Another Palin daughter, 14-year-old Willow, was.
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Sarah Palin and Todd Palin were very, very angry.
HAMMER: Palin ripped into Letterman on her Facebook page, writing, quote, "Laughter incited by sexually-perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is not only disgusting, but it reminds us some Hollywood/New York entertainers have a long way to go in understanding what the rest of America understands, that acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone`s daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others."
HAMMER: Palin`s husband, Todd Palin, took his own Facebook shot at Letterman, writing, quote, "Any jokes about raping my 14-year-old daughter are despicable. Alaskans know it and I believe the rest of the world knows it, too."
LETTERMAN: Why didn`t we hear from Alex Rodriguez?
HAMMER: Wednesday night, Letterman did have a laugh or two, but he got semi-serious when he stressed he was joking about the older Palin daughter, not the younger one.
LETTERMAN: I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex of any description with a 14-year-old girl. Here`s where you draw the line. Yes, maybe these are questionable because the girl, who actually - excuse me, but was knocked up, is now 18 years old.
So the difference there is 14 years old and of legal age, OK. Now, I can`t really defend the joke, I agree - unpleasant, ugly. But I would never, never think that it was funny to use a 14-year-old girl as a joke like this, for god`s sakes.
SERAFIN: He really seemed quite angry that he was accused of this.
HAMMER: Now, Letterman is trying to make nice.
LETTERMAN: Gov. Palin, if you`re watching, I would like you to consider coming to New York City, you and Todd, as my guests. Love to have you on the show. Yes, it would be exciting.
HAMMER: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you it`s looking like you`ll sooner see Jay Leno on Letterman`s show than Sarah Palin. About Dave`s invitation, a Palin spokeswoman says, quote, "The Palins have no intention of providing a ratings boost for David Letterman by appearing on his show." And taking a final shot, the spokeswoman adds, quote, "Plus, it would be wise to keep Willow away from David Letterman."
LETTERMAN: Now, here`s the other joke they`re upset about.
HAMMER: And for his part, Letterman is not sorry for every joke he made.
LETTERMAN: Bough makeup at Bloomingdales to update her slutty flight attendant look. The only thing I can say about this is, I kind of like that joke.
HAMMER: So, it looks like we may see several more rounds in the Palin versus Letterman spat.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
All right. So did David Letterman go too far with these jokes or is all of this just much ado about nothing as I think it is?
Joining me tonight in New York is Jane Velez-Mitchell, host, of course, of the great "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL." We`re watching you, Jane, every weekday night and every weekend night, 7:00 p.m. Eastern here on HLN. In Hollywood tonight is Leslie Marshall who is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show, "The Leslie Marshal Show."
OK. So, as you just heard it, Sarah Palin calling the jokes that Letterman made sexually perverted and disgusting. I`ve got to tell you, I don`t think it was any of that. And I think David Letterman, Jane, was doing what he does best. But do you think he crossed a line here?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Well, A.J., I think the bottom line is that there is a comedy writer on the Letterman staff who is in deep doo-doo tonight because he got his facts wrong, or she got her facts wrong. Even comedy writers have to get the facts right.
These jokes were intended to be about an 18-year-old, Bristol, who is very infamous, or famous, however you want to look at it, because she had a child as a teen out of wedlock while the Palins were very, very well known to be in favor of abstinence-only.
But the jokes ended up being directed at a 14-year-old. So Letterman is saying, "Hey, it wasn`t intended. This was a mistake. Yes, it was tasteless, but it wasn`t intended to be as tasteless as it was."
HAMMER: Yes. And I don`t want to correct you here, Jane. But I don`t believe that the jokes - I think we need to be clear about this. The jokes were not directed at the 14-year-old or intended for the 14-year-old. It was perceived to have been that way because it was Willow who was at the baseball game.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Exactly.
HAMMER: There was confusion there, but that was not his intent at all with the joke. So, what do you think? Given that, Leslie - given the fact that he was making this joke about Bristol Palin, do you think he crossed a line?
LESLIE MARSHALL, HOST, "THE LESLIE MARSHALL SHOW": I think, honestly, as a talk show host myself, not on television and certainly not the magnitude of a David Letterman, and he does have writers, that is very true, like Jane said.
But you know, looking at this, in my opinion, when somebody runs for office, they`re not off-limits, but I do believe their kids and spouses should be, whether 14 or 18. But I`ve got to tell you this - I think the joke was poking at Alex Rodriguez, because he`s been paired with everybody else, and then they tied in the pregnancy of the older daughter clearly, who is 18.
And you know, at 14, 18, I think kids are off-limits. I do think he regrets it. He is a dad. You know, certainly, you know, it was a bit sexist. But I took it more as a joke and a jab against Alex Rodriguez.
HAMMER: Yes. It was an all-encompassing joke. Sarah Palin, as we`ve heard, just beside herself over this whole thing. And I think what she wrote on her Facebook page just says it all. Let me read it to you. She says, "Acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl who could be anyone`s daughter contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minor by older men who use and abuse others."
I just get a kick out of the fact that Sarah Palin has a Facebook page. Also, Palin`s husband, Todd, chiming in on his page, "Any jokes about raping my 14-year-old are despicable."
Guess what? Todd Palin, I agree with you. Clearly, David Letterman agrees with you. But Jane, at no time did Dave say anything about rape or a 14-year-old.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Exactly. It`s the Palins who have brought in the words "perversion" and "rape." And frankly, their outrage is just over the top. It almost feels like they`re taking this ball and running with it as far as they can go.
HAMMER: You think? You think?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And so their motives are kind of suspect as well. And it was a joke that was tasteless, but as Letterman says, he makes thousands of tasteless jokes. That`s the business that he is in.
HAMMER: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And if they had a sense of humor, I think they would come off a lot better than really beating their chests over this.
HAMMER: Yes, he`s the first one to own that. Everybody talking about this today. Obviously, the ladies of "The View" were fired up. Listen to what Barbara Walters said this morning on the show. Let`s roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": There is something about talking about anybody`s child. I mean, however you feel about Sarah Palin, she is - and her family, they are a devoted family. "You can say anything you want about me," we all say this. Don`t talk about my child.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Leslie, this goes back to what we`re talking about earlier. So do you agree with Barbara that kids really should be off-limits and even 18-year-old Bristol?
MARSHALL: Yes, I do feel the kids should be off-limits. Unfortunately, when you put yourself in the public eye, you in a sense put your family in the public eye. And that`s a shame.
Sarah Palin is not off-limits. I mean, the joke about Bloomingdale`s makeup, slutty flight attendant attire, I thought was funny, quite frankly, and I`m a woman. And I don`t care if she`s a Democrat or a Republican.
But there are off-limits. I mean, Maureen Dowd called the first lady a whore and a stripper. She is first lady. Sarah Palin is governor of Alaska, but she is running, but the kids are not. I agree with Barbara Walters that kids are off-limits. And I`ve got to say, how does the governor of Alaska have time to even be on Facebook?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And A.J., it was the Palins. They were the ones who trotted out their entire family during the campaign.
HAMMER: Yes, that is exactly right. Let us not forget that. Jane Velez- Mitchell, Leslie Marshall, we`ve got to end it there. I thank you both.
All right, as we move on tonight, can you believe it hasn`t even been a month since Donald Trump let Miss California keep her crown?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Carrie will remain Miss California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, Donald, how quickly things change. Tonight, here`s some major fallout against the Donald. Does he now have egg on his face after giving Carrie Prejean a second chance? And why did he do this about face? Was it the topless photos, perhaps the gay marriage controversy?
And what did Judge Judy do to make Oprah number two? Well, tonight, wait until you hear this. I`ve got the spectacular talk show smackdown. Is Judge Judy the new queen of talk?
A dramatic new conspiracy theory around David Carradine`s death. Could he have been killed by a secret kung fu sect? Well, his ex-wife`s stunning claims about the kung fu legend`s mysterious death are on the way. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Michael Jackson sued for $40 million for allegedly breaching reunion concert contract. Queen Latifah tells "Essence" magazine that she was sexually abused as a child.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNY MASCHE, REALITY TV STAR, "RAISING SEXTUPLETS": Mommy`s sick. I just have babies hanging off of me everywhere.
BRYAN MASCHE, REALITY TV STAR, "RAISING SEXTUPLETS": All the kids - they got muddy and dirty and nasty and I wasn`t having any part of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Those are cute kids. Meet the Masche family - mom, dad and 2-year-old sextuplets. But are the country`s newest reality stars the next "Jon and Kate Plus 8?"
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, the next Jon and Kate? Well, Jenny and Bryan Masche and their six kids are the newest reality TV stars. They are opening up their home to TV cameras and they`re sharing all the chaos that comes along with raising six kids. Their show, "Raising Sextuplets," premiered tonight on the babies` second birthday. But are the Masches taking a big risk by exposing their family to the scrutiny of reality TV?
And are they worried that they`re going to be faced with the same kind of drama as Jon and Kate Gosselin who, as we know, have seen their show, "Jon & Kate Plus 8" get more popular as the family`s falling apart.
Joining me tonight in New York, Bryan and Jenny Masche, the stars of We TV`s "Raising Sextuplets." I do appreciate you being here, guys.
You deal with some very real issues on your show to be sure. You have financial worries. You talk about plastic surgery. There are squabbles about your parenting styles. A lot of people have said you are taking a huge risk by putting your family on camera.
Jenny, I want to start with you. You know you`re going to be scrutinized. You know critics are going to say you`re exploiting your kids by doing this. So given all of that, why is it worth it for you to do this show?
J. MASCHE: You know, we started the show just by documenting our pregnancy. They asked us - they said, "Hey, can we document your pregnancy?" Of course, we were like flipped out that we were having sextuplets. Who ever thinks in their lifetime that they`re going to have six kids at one time?
So we thought it would be a really cool thing to document. And this was two and a half years ago. So at that point of time there was no real media scrutiny out there about anything. So we started real innocently, thinking this would be great for our kids, great to show our kids someday.
You know, it was just a really cool opportunity. Now, apart from having a TV show, you get scrutiny and negative attention just from having six kids at one time.
HAMMER: Well, sure.
J. MASCHE: So we`re kind of used to that, even though I`m totally not comfortable with it. So I just don`t look at anything because I don`t like negativity, mean spiritedness - I`m just not that kind of a person.
But for us, it`s been a really positive experience, and we`ve enjoyed it. It`s five days a month of them filming in our home, which is nothing. And it`s just a real fun - for us, it`s been a really positive experience. And as long as it stays that way, we`ll continue.
HAMMER: OK. That`s good to hear. But obviously, the kind of scrutiny you get from perhaps the neighbors who know about the fact that you have sextuplets versus the fact that the whole country knows and it`s on television, it changes everything.
Now, I do want to play some more of your show. On "Raising Sextuplets," we get to see, as you said, how tough it can be to juggle your six kids and your own relationship. Let`s watch some more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. MASCHE: The other day, I was like, I do not think I can do this. They were so fussy and they wanted to be out. (INAUDIBLE).
B. MASCHE: No, I didn`t feed them anything. I`ve just been up, you know, the last hour and 15 minutes doing nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All couples obviously have tense moments. Yours are going to be captured on camera. The country`s going to be watching.
Brian, let me ask you. Are you worried at all about the negative impact sharing your lives, warts and all, could have on your family? Because it is possible.
B. MASCHE: A.J., I`ve got to be honest with you, it really doesn`t bother me. Jenny is a little more concerned than I am. I mean, the two of us understand that, you know, we have a marriage that`s grounded in our faith, you know. And you know, the two of us really are deeply committed to each other.
And you know, the media is going to put whatever is out there that it thinks is obviously going to attract viewers and make for the best show. So you have to remember, you know, you film 20 hours worth of television to come up with one hour of TV.
HAMMER: Right.
B. MASCHE; So there`s going to be small bits of pieces. There`s going to be flare-ups. I mean, every family goes through that.
J. MASCHE: And it`s real.
B. MASCHE: And it`s real, you know. But the two of us are deeply committed to each other and to this family. And I`m not going to say that things never happen or couldn`t happen, because I think that would be naive to say that.
HAMMER: Sure. Sure. Hold on one second. Hold your thought, Bryan.
B. MASCHE: Yes.
HAMMER: Let me ask you this, because, Jenny, we heard you say, you know, you started out trying to do a documentary. And quite frankly, that`s how Jon and Kate started out.
J. MASCHE: Yes, absolutely.
HAMMER: It`s the same sort of deal. Everybody says marriage is tough enough. Raising kids is tough enough - raising sextuplets. Well, for a lot of people, it`s unimaginable. So given that you went into this with a certain mindset and seeing what has unfolded particularly with Jon and Kate.
J. MASCHE: Yes.
HAMMER: . do you have an exit strategy where you can say, "Hey, you know what? This is going south. We need to pull the plug on this"?
J. MASCHE: Absolutely. I mean, for my husband - I think all this stuff coming out in the media, he`s like, it really didn`t bother him. I think as a mom, it bothered me a lot more, because I was like, oh, my gosh. You just never think - I can guarantee Jon and Kate two years ago never thought they would be where they are today.
HAMMER: Yes, there`s no question about that.
J. MASCHE: And so, for us, it was a blessing in disguise to have this happen because it`s given us a more of like, OK, Bryan, what ground rules are we going to set? What are our limits?
HAMMER: Jenny, I do have to end it there. I wish you, guys, the best of luck. I hope you keep your eyes wide open as this unfolds. And we`ll be watching. Bryan and Jenny Masche, thank you. You can watch "Raising Sextuplets" Thursday nights on We TV.
All right. As we move on tonight, Oprah dethroned? What did Judge Judy do to make Oprah number two? Coming up, the spectacular talk show smackdown. Is Judge Judy the new queen of daytime talk?
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Carrie will remain Miss California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Not so fast, Donald. It`s brand-new Miss California controversy. Talk about egg on his face. Trump gives Miss California a second chance only to turn around and fire her. Why did he do an about face? The topless photos, gay marriage controversy. The ugly mess between the beauty and the Trump, coming up.
And absolutely shocking news that Cher`s daughter Chastity is becoming a man. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Brad Pitt buys $1 million painting by German artist Neo Rauch in Switzerland. A Bollywood version of "I`m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here" is in the works.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: All right Did you see this? Phil Spector`s hair-raising mug shot. Wait a second, where did Phil`s hair go? Spector showed off a whole line of wigs before he was sentenced to 19 years in prison for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson.
But this look - I`m thinking not one of his best. Can we see some of the more spectacular Spector `dos? Yes, and personally, I`ve always liked the finger-in-the-socket one. That was always my favorite.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Well, former President George H.W. Bush will turn 85 on Friday. And he`s celebrating by skydiving with the Army`s Golden Knights and a special guest, HLN`s own host of "Morning Express," the lovely Robin Meade. I spoke with Robin about the big tandem jump and what she`s going to talk about with Bush senior.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN MEADE, HOST, "MORNING EXPRESS": People keep saying to me today, "Well, are you nervous about the jump?" To be honest, right now, all I`m thinking about is the interview. So, beforehand, I`m going to sit with him and interview him, you know, about his thoughts, everything from what it`s like to be 85, why are you jumping when you`re 85, you know, his reflections on his life, where he goes from here, the things he`s working on, the things he cares about right now, his projects.
And then, together, we`re going to go get trained really fast by the Army`s Golden Knights. Do you know who the Golden Knights are? These folks are the Army`s premiere parachute team you`ll see in the air shows. And they just do all kinds of stunts.
HAMMER (on camera): Right.
MEADE: And then, they get called upon to take people like myself and a former president skydiving. So they`re going to tandem jump. So we don`t have to do too much as far as I know. The biggest thing is that first leap out of the plane, because as I understand it, I`m going to have to leap first before the tandem guy behind me, right?
HAMMER: Oh, really?
MEADE: Yes.
HAMMER: This is what I`m most fascinated about. I`m certainly interested to hear what our former president has to say to you in the interview. But I`m really interested in what you`re going to be doing.
MEADE: You know, you`re strapped together kind of chest to front, basically - you know, back to front. So he`s behind me. So I have to be the first one to jump out of the plane with the tandem guy behind me. Otherwise, how would he get me out? I guess kick me, push me.
HAMMER: That is possible.
MEADE: And you know what? I will be white-knuckled, hanging on to the door. I just know it.
HAMMER: It`s pretty amazing George H.W. Bush celebrated his 75th and 80th birthdays by jumping out of airplanes. Well, Robin is scheduled to skydive with President Bush senior Friday afternoon and Robin`s going to be right her on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to tell us all about it.
It is time for the SHOWBIZ lineup. This is what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
So, does Donald Trump have egg on his face after firing Miss California? And why did Donald Trump do an about face? Was it the gay marriage controversy after all?
HAMMER: And the big Oprah-Judge Judy smackdown. Has Oprah been dethroned? Is Judge Judy the new queen of daytime talk?
Plus, big news about Joy Behar and why in this case you won`t be saying, "Who cares, so what?" This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Paris Hilton splits from boyfriend Doug Reinhardt of "The Hills." MTV`s "The Real World" heads to Washington, D.C. to tape its 23rd season this summer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Carrie will remain Miss California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Donald Trump let Carrie Prejean keep her crown after her huge gay marriage scandal. But now, will Trump eat crow after he was forced to reverse his decision? Or is it a good thing? Could this be the biggest Trump PR coup ever?
Is Oprah`s empire slipping? Find out why the queen of talk has been dethroned by the queen of the courtroom, Judge Judy.
Breaking developments in the David Carradine mysterious death. The possible tie to a secret kung fu sect and his ex-wife`s brand-new stunning claims.
Plus, more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
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.
Tonight, Donald Trump`s big shame? Now, he has officially said, "You`re fired," to Miss California, Carrie Prejean, after publicly supporting her in a big flashy news conference. Remember this?
But now he`s taken all that back in a big about face. And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, does Donald Trump now have egg on his face now that he`s fired her? Watch celebrity blogger Perez Hilton`s brand-new take.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON, CELEBRITY BLOGGER: I definitely think Donald Trump has egg on his face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So, did Donald finally bow to the pressure? Was it the gay marriage controversy that did Carrie Prejean in? Was it those topless photos that surfaced? Or did she simply break her contract?
And why on earth did Donald Trump fire her without the flashy news conference? Come on, Donald. This is the guy that loves to say "You`re fired." He does it all the time.
Joining me tonight from Las Vegas, Alicia Jacobs, who`s an entertainment reporter for KBBC TV and a judge for Miss USA. From Hollywood tonight is Claudia Jordan who is also a Miss USA judge. Both Claudia and Alicia were judges when Carrie Prejean lost the Miss USA contest. And I appreciate you both being here.
We`ve got to begin with this brand-new statement Carrie Prejean just released to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just this afternoon. Here`s what she says, quote, "I worked in good faith to meet my responsibilities as Miss California USA. I have met every scheduled appearance and responsibility as recently as May 31st. I have followed the proper protocol requested of me and haven`t made any appearance or speaking engagements without the consent or approval from the Miss California USA or Miss Universe organizations."
HAMMER: Claudia, let me start with you. Clearly, she`s not going down without a fight. But I find it hard to believe that Donald Trump would have fired her without cause.
CLAUDIA JORDAN, MISS USA JUDGE: Well, you know, Mr. Trump is a very intelligent man. You don`t become Donald Trump without being that. So for him to fire her, he has to have a good reason.
I think it`s clear that Carrie has breached her contract more than one occasion. So I think that it was time. And I don`t think he has egg on his face. I think he`s to be commended for giving this young woman - because she is a young woman - a second chance. That`s what he does. He gave her a chance to make good on her title. She didn`t do it and she is fired because of that.
HAMMER: And you don`t think that he has egg on his face. We`re hearing differently from Perez Hilton. Of course, you know Perez was the judge for the Miss USA pageant who asked the controversial question of Carrie Prejean that really got this whole thing started when he asked her about gay marriage and she said she doesn`t believe in it because she believes in opposite marriage.
Well, in a brand-new interview today with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Perez tells us he thinks this doesn`t make Donald look good at all. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON: I definitely think Donald Trump has egg on his face. I thought he had egg on his face last month at the press conference when he ignored the advice that Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler gave him, when he ignored all of the facts presented to him and decided to give her another opportunity. But like I said before, better late than never.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Better late than never. All right. Alicia, what do you think? Do you think Donald Trump has egg on his face as a result of all this?
ALICIA JACOBS, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER, KBBC, AND MISS USA JUDGE: Look, I think it`s great he gave her a second chance. I agree with Claudia. And Mr. Trump is a brilliant man and he`s accomplished a great deal in his life.
But clearly, Carrie was in breach of contract. You know, just the semi-nude photos alone for me would have been enough to pull her title, but Donald wanted to give her another chance. I know for a fact because I`ve talked to Keith Lewis. She skipped at least 20 to 30 appearances in the last two months alone. That`s a lot.
She refused to make any appearances that were in Hollywood, meaning red carpet, movie premieres, saying that she was above that. You know, if you don`t go to work and you don`t do your job, you`re going to lose your job. It`s that simple. We had to move on.
HAMMER: Yes. And quite simply put, Donald Trump, a man of his means and his business savvy, is not going to put himself in a position of being vulnerable saying she didn`t breach her contract when she breached her contract.
JORDAN: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Perez Hilton told us that he thinks he knows the reason why Donald Trump didn`t hold a press conference to celebrate this firing. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON: I think the reason why Donald decided to let Carrie Prejean have another chance last month is the same reason why he`s not having a press conference now to say that she`s fired.
And that`s because I think Donald might be afraid of alienating the right wing, the extreme conservatives and the Christians who have really rallied around Carrie Prejean.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Claudia, what do you think about that? I know from Donald that he is very guarded about how he handles his publicity. Do you think Perez is on to something with that?
JORDAN: Listen, I think at the end of the day, like the rest of America, we are so sick of Carrie Prejean and Miss California and probably Donald is, too. He probably gets it 10 times worse than us. Enough already with this girl. She`s not a genius. She`s not a rocket scientist or making a stand on her position on opposite marriage.
I think it was a mistake that landed her a career and now, she`s running with it. I don`t think she ever had this intention of working the national organization of marriage before the pageant. If she was so passionate about this, this is something she`d do far beyond Miss USA.
I think she took advantage of an opportunity. It made her a celebrity. And now, people are lining up and throwing money at her and opportunities. And she`s young, she`s hungry, she`s thirsty, she`s going for it.
I don`t think - I think that Donald was great to give her a second chance. He did that with Tara Connor and I think that, you know, showed he had a big heart. You know what? At the end of the day, it`s better to give her a second chance and then, you know, he gave her a chance and messed up again, than if acted and judged her prematurely.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: I`m with you, Claudia. The next time I ask you a question, I`d like you to answer how you really feel. Please.
JORDAN: I`m sorry. I`m so sick of her.
HAMMER: Hey, look. This is what the honest discussion is all about. It was really interesting to me, though, to learn that it was my colleague, "Access Hollywood" host Billy Bush, who broke the news to Carrie Prejean on her radio show that Donald Trump fired her. I think that`s amazing.
Well, when they talked about that, she also told Billy that she had kept in contact with Trump all along after this whole ordeal. And she even had an event scheduled this weekend. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CARRIE PREJEAN, FORMER MISS CALIFORNIA USA 2009: I`ve tried to reach out to them and I`ve done several appearances. And I`m going to be presenting at the Special Olympics this weekend as the honorary guest. I mean, I`ve been cooperating with them. I don`t see why - you know, I don`t see why this is happening.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: You know, a lot of people throughout the whole deal have said that this is happening because of the gay marriage controversy, because of the topless photos that surfaced of Carrie. What do you think, Alicia? Is that what it really comes down to?
JACOBS: You know, I think that she blew it. She had an opportunity given to so very few. There are women throughout this country that would kill for the chance to be Miss California USA and build it into a career and something that could last a lifetime.
And she flagrantly refused to do what she was asked to do. I mean, she wasn`t being asked to do anything inappropriate or a wet t-shirt contest. She was asked to make appearances on behalf of the State of California and snubbed her nose at it.
And you know what? You can`t do that. Now, they`ve passed the title to someone else who appreciates it. She`ll do a great job. And guess what? Can we please start talking about Miss USA, Kristen Dalton, who has been completely lost in the shuffle? And that is really a shame because she`s a fabulous woman.
HAMMER: Well, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines have been on fire about the decision to fire Carrie Prejean as Miss California. Listen to Curtis from Alabama who says she had it coming. Roll that.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: It seems like Carrie Prejean has stepped out of line one time too many and forced Donald Trump to fire her, as she should have in the first place, not for her stance on gay marriage but for the many other issues that he wrote off as miscommunication, just to clarify. He stood behind her when some, such as myself, but he shouldn`t. And it seems ungrateful of her to spurn what he did for her. Hats off to you, Perez. Better late than never.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, thank you for your call. Very quickly, Claudia. Does that pretty much sum it up and Donald Trump really did what he had to do?
JORDAN: He did. And you know what? She took advantage and, you know, he didn`t have to give her a second chance. He did. I just want to say one more time to people that think Carrie Prejean did not win Miss USA because of her stance on marriage. She was not winning the pageant when she gave that answer. She was like in third place.
HAMMER: Yes.
JACOBS: Exactly.
HAMMER: That`s what we`ve heard all along.
JACOBS: Right.
JORDAN: And the thing is, it`s very arrogant and a very disrespectful to the other girls to think that you had this in the bag. Sweetheart, you weren`t winning anyway.
HAMMER: Didn`t have it. Got to end it there. I do appreciate you guys and your perspective. Thank you for being here, Claudia Jordan and Alicia Jacobs.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - Miss California Fired: Did Donald do the right thing?" CNN.com/ShowbizTonight is where you vote.
Well, first, Miss California gets the boot. Is Oprah Winfrey next? Find out why the queen of talk has been dethroned by the queen of the courtroom, Judy. Could Oprah`s empire be slipping?
Plus, more breaking David Carradine developments. Tonight, his ex- wife reveals why she believes his mysterious death wasn`t suicide at all, but something more serious.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I don`t think anyone thinks at this point that he killed himself, but maybe it was an accident because he took some -
GAIL JENSEN, DAVID CARRADINE`S THIRD WIFE: I don`t think it was an accident. I think it was foul play.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Was Carradine really killed by a secret kung fu sect? You`ve got to see this disturbing new video.
And big news about Joy Behar and why in this case you won`t be saying, "So what? Who cares? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Spike TV honors David Carradine with movie marathon tribute on Saturday. David Beckham reveals new Armani underwear ad.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Welcome to "The View." And right off the bat, we want the start with the big announcement that the fabulous Joy Behar needs to make right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That, of course, Whoopi Goldberg this morning on "The View" setting up the unbelievably exciting news that we just can`t stop buzzing about here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Wait until you hear what Joy`s good news is and the very special SHOWBIZ TONIGHT connection. That`s coming up.
But first, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, is the queen of talk, Oprah Winfrey, officially dethroned? Tonight, the Judge Judy smackdown.
New tonight, Judge Judy kicks Oprah`s tushy in the ratings game. Judge Judy beating Oprah? That does not compute.
Also, a brand new autopsy report today ruled out a major theory in David Carradine`s death. We`ve got the latest from Thailand and a disturbing interview with the third wife of David Carradine who now believes he may have been killed by a secret kung fu sect.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood is Carlos Diaz, a correspondent for "Extra." Tonight, in New York is April Woodard, who is an entertainment journalist.
OK. This just in, this just handed to me - Judge Judy, for the first time ever, has beaten "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in the ratings. This is amazing. Judge Judy was the top-rated daytime show for a week straight for the very first time.
Carlos Diaz, off to you. I know we`re talking about just one week here, but should Oprah be worried?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Of course. I mean, she should be petrified. I mean, Oprah only made $275 million last year. If I`m Oprah, I`m shaking in my boots.
HAMMER: Freaking out, huh?
DIAZ: She should be freaking out right now. She might make $274 million next year - I don`t know. But I mean, come on, it`s Oprah. She`s the queen. No, it was one week.
And by the way, Judge Judy made $45 million last year; Oprah $275 million. There`s a big discrepancy there. Oprah is the queen. She always will be until she steps out herself.
HAMMER: Yes. Maybe Judge Judy`s bonus will kick in now with the number one ratings.
DIAZ: Maybe.
HAMMER: April, what do you think? Do you have the same optimism about Oprah as our friend, Carlos? Is it time for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" perhaps to get a little makeover?
APRIL WOODARD, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: I don`t know if it needs a makeover. I mean, we are talking about a week. The ratings happened after May. Everybody throws their resources into the May sweeps period. And then, of course, they take a breath of fresh air during June which is when this happened. So I mean, the ratings were 4.1 for Judge Judy and 4.0 for Oprah.
So, to me, this is like saying Kobe Bryant isn`t one of the best players in the NBA because he wasn`t able to make a couple of shots one time. It`s ridiculous.
HAMMER: All right. Well, let`s also put it in context of some other Oprah news that`s been going on, because she`s had these disappointing ratings. I mean, they have to be disappointed. It`s not like they`re celebrating that they lost to Judge Judy.
But we saw that Oprah came under serious criticism lately. This "Newsweek" magazine article with a huge expose just last week blasting Oprah, accusing her of not reporting fairly on health issues.
Carlos, when you hear this kind of criticism against Oprah and you mix it with the latest ratings, is it possible that this could be the first tremors in what could be a massive anti-Oprah movement? Or do you really think that we`re overreacting by even suggesting it?
DIAZ: Yes. You know, I`m encouraged by the fact that we`re keeping everyone under a microscope and we`re asking everyone to be the best that they can be, including Oprah. But Oprah is the best in the business. And the way she will respond to this, and this tiny dip in the ratings is like you said, to bring her game up to a different level in the next coming weeks and months, and that`s the thing.
I mean, you know, she`s come under fire recently because of her school in Africa, and this and that, too. I mean, every time that happens, she doesn`t run and hide.
HAMMER: Right.
DIAZ: She makes the problem go away by making it better.
HAMMER: She wants to be the best Oprah she can be. Let`s move on. Brand new information coming in, in the David Carradine death mystery to talk about. An independent autopsy report finds today that David Carradine did not commit suicide as has been suspected.
Now, Carradine, we know, was found dead in his hotel room in Thailand. He had a rope tied around his neck and his wrists and his genitals. April, this certainly is big news and it still doesn`t rule out foul play here or the other major theory that`s floating around that he died of autoerotic asphyxiation, does it?
WOODARD: No, it really doesn`t. And you know, I know that there`s some new information also from his ex-wife and also his other ex-wife. He has several of them that suggest that it might be the sex act. I think that, you know, people may be leaning towards that because his wives have confirmed that he`s into, quote, unquote "kinky sex." Of course, the bondage toys and items that he was buying from a sex shop in Los Angeles - they kind of all lean to that. Of course, it hasn`t been, you know, decided this is exactly how he died.
HAMMER: Right.
WOODARD: But I think taking out suicide definitely, you know, points in the other direction now.
HAMMER: Well, there are other theories and one of those ex-wives, a woman named Gail Jensen, believes that Carradine was murdered. She claims in a brand-new interview revealed today on "Radar Online" that she thinks a secret kung fu sect is really to blame and that it has something to do with Bruce Lee. We`ve got to watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENSEN: Bruce Lee, everybody in China, et cetera, wanted Bruce Lee to get this role and Bruce Lee didn`t get it, David got it. And David was not China man.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is your take on what happened to David?
JENSEN: I think he got in touch with the wrong people, because the tong and all those people over there. And he talked with the wrong people and maybe talked to the wrong women.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Carlos, let me this put simply for you. Is this woman out of her mind?
DIAZ: You know, I mean, it was 30 years ago. Kung Fu was on 30 years ago. Are they a patient group of people, you know, that are waiting to kill him for 30 years? Yes, I don`t really follow that that much. I mean, they keep talking to people and his ex-wives keep coming up with different theories. This is a new one that he was killed because he got kung fu. I don`t buy it.
HAMMER: Yes. I`m not buying it either. Carlos Diaz, April Woodard, I appreciate you both being here. Thanks.
All right, tonight are you ready for it? Because I have some huge news. One of my favorite people on the planet getting her very own show right here on HLN. I can tell you that this woman, Joy Behar, co-host of "The View," getting her own show on HLN starting this fall. We couldn`t be more excited.
And she shared the exciting announcement on "The View" this morning. And she also reveals who she really credits for helping her land this amazing new gig.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": No, I have another show. I`m not leaving "The View." I`m staying on "The View," and then I`m going to do another show over at the CNN sister channel, HLN. It will be on at 9:00 at night.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Starting when?
BEHAR: Starting in the fall. It`s called the "Joy Behar" show.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Let me just thank Barbara first before you say anything. Because if it really wasn`t for Barbara, none of us really would be sitting here. And I appreciate that and I want to thank you.
WALTERS: People may say, well, how do I feel about it? I am so proud of all of you. What I feel when it happens is, you know, great try, and wasn`t I smart?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Joy is certainly no stranger to our CNN family. She frequently fills in as a guest host on "LARRY KING LIVE." I was hoping to se her in the HLN cafeteria. I told Joy, "Hey, the food is pretty good there," and she said, "Who cares? So what?"
Moving on now, Cher`s gay daughter is becoming a man. Chastity Bono, the daughter of legendary performers Cher and Sonny Bono has just revealed the shocking news. She`s having a sex change operation. We`ll have those breaking details coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, it`s time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Lance Armstrong biopic in the works; Matt Damon mentioned as possible star. American Film Institute honors Clint Eastwood with honorary degree.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DAVE LEVINE, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: And this is all where it happened. This is the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff gathering for the morning meeting but getting ready to figure out what it is we`re going to do on the show today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is the voice of our fearless leader, executive producer, Dave "Cool Dude" Levine. And you`re looking at the amazing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff. Would you like to meet them all?
All you have to do is head to our Facebook page for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at our unbelievably shocking morning meeting. And remember to sign up for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page. To do that, go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Look for the logo.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And tonight, Cher and Sonny Bono`s gay daughter is becoming a man. Chastity Bono, who we first met as a little girl in the 1970s on "The Sonny and Cher Show" has revealed she is having a sex change operation.
Bono began the process earlier this year before turning 40. Late this afternoon, her spokesman Howard Bragman tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Chaz, after many years of consideration, has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity. He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown for his loved ones. It is Chaz`s hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his `coming out` did nearly 20 years ago."
Well, Bret Michaels is lashing out after getting hurt at the Tony Awards. Bret Michaels, as you might have seen, wipe out on Broadway`s biggest night after a prop hit him in the face at the end of his live performance on Sunday night.
Well, Bret walked it off at the time. But now, he is totally ticked off. Bret posted these really nasty looking pictures of his injuries. And on his Web site, he is blasting Tony producers for not caring about his condition and for being downright rude.
Bret says, quote, "I feel has this incident happened to Liza Minelli, Dolly Parton or Elton, the Tonys would have at least issued a letter of concern."
Well, Bret is demanding a statement from the Tony producers by the end of the week. And so far, the Tony producers are not commenting on the incident or Bret`s demand.
On Wednesday, we asked to you vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. It was this: "Angelina Jolie Named Most Admired: Do you agree?" It doesn`t look that way. Only 19 percent of you said yes; 81 percent no.
A lot of e-mails coming in. We`ve got one from Nora in Nebraska who writes, "It is a sad day when a home-wrecker like Angelina is voted most admired."
Sondra from Kentucky writing, "I totally admire Angelina. She has a very giving heart and does not take her celebrity too seriously."
Lynn from Washington, "Angelina has been advocating for children and women, she loves her kids and partner passionately and remains true to her art."
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 Eastern on HLN.
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