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Showbiz Tonight
Sarah Palin-David Letterman Smackdown; Jon & Kate More Popular Than Brangelina?; Jennifer Aniston Pokes Fun at Her Love Life; Mel Helps Oksana with Her Music Career; Bruce Willis and Wife`s S & M Photos; Susan Boyle Bails on Her Performances
Aired June 15, 2009 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Sarah Palin-David Letterman smackdown. Tonight, brand-new explosive developments, the powerful demands to fire Letterman for making a sexual joke about Palin`s teenage daughter. Rallies are planned, even a brand-new anti-Letterman Facebook page and your unbelievable response when we asked, "Whose side are you on?" Tonight, from E-mail to Facebook, to "Showbiz on Call," your fired-up response.
And the "Jon & Kate Plus 8"-Brangelina smackdown - Jon and Kate versus Brangelina. In one corner, the troubled reality show couple. In the other corner, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the revealing story behind their showdown.
Plus, why in the world is Jennifer Aniston making fun of her own love life? Is she unlucky in love because of her movies?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello, everyone. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell, broadcasting tonight from New York City. A.J. Hammer has the night off tonight.
The David Letterman-Sarah Palin smackdown. There are brand-new and explosive developments today after Sarah Palin slammed Letterman for making a sexual joke about her young daughter. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal that an organized effort surfaced today to try to get CBS to fire David Letterman.
In fact, there is a big rally planned for Tuesday outside the theater where Letterman tapes "The Late Show" all to demand he be canned. That`s right.
Also, brand new tonight, the shocking results of a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll asking people whose side they`re on, David Letterman or Sarah Palin? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on top of all these breaking developments making news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): They debated about it first thing this morning on "The View."
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": She`s going for the jugular and I would, too. I would, too, as a mother.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: TV talking heads can`t stop talking about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In this case, I think people across the board say he went too far.
ANA MARIE COX, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, AIR AMERICA: She implied that he was a pedophile. And I have to say that I think the joke was over the line. That`s over the line, too.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And it`s all over the headlines because it seems everyone has an opinion about the Sarah Palin versus David Letterman feud.
JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: This Sarah Palin-David Letterman feud has become the likes of Donald Trump versus Rosie O`Donnell. It`s turned from a political spat into a celebrity feud.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ever since Letterman told that edgy joke about Palin`s daughter last week -
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW": One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game - during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Sarah Palin has been on a major anti- Letterman media battle, slamming him on the "Today" show.
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This so- called humor - I don`t find it humorous. And that does contribute to some acceptance of abuse of young women.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And on CNN -
PALIN: David Letterman`s crude, sexist, perverted joke -
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you when we asked our viewers in our online poll which side they were on in the Palin versus Letterman feud, they almost blew up our servers - with their overwhelming response. The final result - 32 percent of you are on Palin`s side. But more than twice as many, 68 percent, are on Letterman`s side.
PIAZZA: It`s not that surprising that people are backing David Letterman who is this celebrity and TV personality who comes into their homes every night, against Sarah Palin who a lot have seen as a very polarizing political figure.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But Sarah Palin has tons of supporters who think she`s in the right.
BEHAR: I have to say that I`m on her side this time.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: "The View`s" Joy Behar who`s taken her shots at Palin in the past said on "The View" this morning that she`s actually backing the Alaska governor this time.
BEHAR: I identify with her rage against anybody who says a sexually- implying joke about her daughter.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The National Organization for Women is slamming Letterman for his comments. And today, a conservative activist started a "Fire David Letterman" online petition, complete with a list of companies that sponsor Letterman`s show.
PIAZZA: People are like, you know, good for her that she`s coming to her daughter`s defense.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Letterman has been defending himself on his show.
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.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But some are ready for the whole thing to go away. Today, on "Entertainment Weekly`s" Web site, TV critic, Ken Tucker, posted a brand-new open letter to Letterman urging him to clam up and stop talking about the whole flap.
Tucker writes, quote, "Don`t give the TV cable news analysts shows, whether they lean right, left, or `objective,` any more fodder for what has been, for the most part, an ever-higher tower of Babel babble without any useful insight."
PIAZZA: It can`t do anything but help both of these people.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But entertainment journalist Jo Piazza tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT both parties in this feud may find this controversy good for all involved.
PIAZZA: This whole thing is great for David Letterman right now because regardless of whether or not he was wrong or right, he`s in a ratings war with Conan O`Brien. So this can only help him in the ratings.
And it`s good for Sarah Palin because a lot of America forgot that she existed. And now, she`s back in the spotlight. She can use this as a platform for women`s issues and get a lot of people that, you know, might not have been behind her before but now agree with her on this issue.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Whether this controversy helps Palin and Letterman remains to be seen. But it`s keeping both of them in the national conversation, something that, as politicians and late-night talk show hosts can agree, isn`t a bad thing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Our coverage of the Sarah Palin-David Letterman smackdown continues now with the unbelievable response we`ve gotten online through E-mails and Facebook and the overwhelming number of calls into our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines.
Joining me tonight in New York, Lisa Bloom, who is a CNN legal analyst. Also in New York tonight, Ben Widdicombe who is the celebrity editor for "StyleList.com." You know, let`s begin with what we asked in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Palin versus Letterman: Whose side are you on?" Only 32 percent of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers said they were on Sarah Palin`s side; that while a whopping 68 percent said they sided with David Letterman. Lisa Bloom, that`s not even close. Are you surprised?
LISA BLOOM, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I`m not surprised because David Letterman is clearly in the right here. Does Sarah Palin really think he was making a joke about her 14-year-old daughter who nobody has ever talked about Or about the 18-year-old who actually was knocked up and who puts herself out there as a role model for other pregnant girls, who puts herself out there as a national spokesperson against teen pregnancy funded by the Candie`s Foundation and therefore is subject to take some hits.
When you put yourself out there in the public, people are going to make fun of you. That`s what comes with being a public figure. She chose it. She`s an adult and the Palin family should get over the joke.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Also, good points there. Ben, are you shocked that by more than 2 to 1, people are siding with David Letterman?
BEN WIDDICOMBE, CELEBRITY EDITOR, "STYLELIST.COM": I am a little surprised. Most of the time I agree with David Letterman and even some of the time, I agree with Lisa Bloom. But not this time.
I think that, you know, the art of being a good comedian is not only writing funny jokes, but also editing your jokes. And I think that this was a real misstep on the behalf of the writer`s room to produce this kind of really tasteless humor. And even though Sarah Palin is behaving less than an aggrieved mother than she is a self-promoting politician on this, I don`t think Dave should have said what he said.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, but she is kind of taking this ball and running with it a little bit. You know, it`s not just our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day that has people fired up. We`ve gotten a lot of response on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Facebook page.
Take a look at what Margaret wrote on our wall, "If I were in that position as a mom, yes, I would defend my child. But publicly, not a chance. Some things are best left alone."
Thank you, Margaret. And Gale posted this about David Letterman on the SHOWBIZ Facebook wall, "How would Letterman like it if someone said that about his child? He would not be laughing, I assure you - people in the public eye should have privacy for their kids. They did not choose this lifestyle. The parents did. It was highly inappropriate and not funny."
Lisa, do you agree with Gale that the kids should be off limits, period? I mean, whether it`s 18-year-old Bristol or 14-year-old Willow, although some would say Sarah Palin put them center stage during the campaign.
BLOOM: Well, she did. And she even had the baby-daddy up there at the Republican National Convention who wasn`t even married and was never even engaged. Look, they never had a marriage.
But the key difference - and I agree with, in general, yes, you don`t attack people`s children. Number one, Bristol is not a child anymore. She`s an 18-year-old adult. Number two, she has chosen to be a public figure. She`s done all these interviews about her views about teen pregnancy and abstinence to become national spokesperson.
And look, any schmoe (ph) can start a Facebook group. I`m very active on Facebook. I love Facebook. But how many people are really in this group? Is it three people? How many are going to show up at this protest tomorrow? I suspect not very many.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, let see. You may be right, you may be wrong. This public feud between Sarah Palin and David Letterman started last week. And a whole lot of people cannot believe the two sides are still battling it out in public.
We`ve had so many calls into our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines, including this one from Diane. Take a listen to this one.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DIANE, CALLER: David Letterman was a little out of bounds on his comment. But Sarah Palin should have had a little more class and put it to rest immediately. Instead, she has dragged it out and now she`s beginning to look a little bit un-classy.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ben, do both Sarah and David need to let go of this debate already?
WIDDICOMBE: Well, I think, you know, right now, Sarah is the one who`s making hay out of it. She wants to remind the whole country that she`s probably going to be running for president in 2012 so she will take every opportunity to seize the headlines.
But in general, you know, it wasn`t Bristol who is at the baseball game. It was willow who is 14. So I do think, you know, David Letterman started it. And maybe he has to be the one to finish it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And I don`t think it is anywhere near over. I think we`re going to be back talking about this soon. I hope you both join me for that or A.J., whoever`s here. Lisa Bloom and Ben Widdicombe, thank you for the excellent insight.
There`s a lot of people who think Jennifer Aniston is really unlucky in love. You have the whole Brad Pitt thing, John Mayer thing. Tonight, I can tell you Jen is laughing at her own love life. That`s right. She`s making fun of herself. You`ve got to see this. And are Aniston`s movies all to blame for this unlucky in love stuff? Coming up.
Also the "Jon & Kate Plus 8"/Brangelina smackdown. Jon and Kate versus Brangelina. In one corner, the troubled reality show couple. In the other corner, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the revealing story behind their showdown.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILLY RAY CYRUS, COUNTRY MUSIC STAR: The world needs a whole lot more love than it needs hate right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Miley Cyrus` dad, Billy Ray there - his surprising and very candid words about this whole Miss Cali getting fired gay marriage mess. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right this minute.
(CAPTION READS: Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams team up again for "Mission: Impossible 4." Tom Selleck, Jane Seymour, Lucy Liu among mourners at Carradine funeral.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell in for A.J. Hammer. Tonight, Bill Ray Cyrus speaking out about the Miss California gay marriage controversy. Carrie Prejean just fired as Miss California by Donald Trump who co-owns the Miss USA pageant.
Trump said he got rid of Carrie because she was flaking on her contract by not showing up for appearances. Carrie says that`s ridiculous and that she was canned because of her anti-gay marriage comments.
Well, on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE," Billy Ray Cyrus, the father of "Hannah Montana" star Miley Cyrus, says he wishes everyone would just get along.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Do you have a quick opinion on all this Carrie Prejean thing with same-sex marriage?
CYRUS: You know what? I think you`re here at CNN. You see the news every single day. You know, there are so many things going on in our world that I think that we need to really focus on. You know, I think that people - you know, we just need to let people have the freedom to love each other, to take care of each other. The world needs a whole lot more love than it needs hate right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK, Billy Ray. Billy Ray also tells "Access Hollywood" that the upcoming fourth season of "Hannah Montana," which is expected to premiere in 2010 will be the last.
Tonight, the debate over gay couples in TV commercials. There are quite a few same-sex couples on TV shows. But they haven`t really appeared in commercials until now. A new ad featuring two men has viewers wondering, are they gay? But does it matter?
Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kara Finnstrom.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lesbian kiss on "ABC Family."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Time to move everything my family could ruin like our romantic vacation for two.
FINNSTROM: A gay relationship on "Brothers and Sisters."
(MUSIC)
"American Idol`s" runner-up coming out. Gay characters and storylines have become common on TV. But when a Progressive insurance commercial featured two guys who could be a couple -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need to start saving on car insurance.
FINNSTROM: The buzz started.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ve had to cut back -
FINNSTROM: People asked, are they gay or are they straight? Because it seems the one place on TV we still don`t expect to see a homosexual couple is the commercial break. According to Progressive -
LARRY BLOOMENKRANZ, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE: They`re supposed to be friends like Joey and Chandler, really.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa!
BLOOMENKRANZ: On hindsight, we`ve gotten a couple of comments and E-mails and so on and buzz about are they gay, or are they not gay? Originally, the intent was not to make them gay. If some people read it that way, that`s fine with us.
FINNSTROM: The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation keeps an eye on commercial content. And while it`s aware of the company`s stated intentions, the group says it`s noticing more ads open to interpretation.
RASHAD ROBINSON, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MEDIA PROGRAMS, GLAAD: A lot of companies are trying to include more images that are inclusive. And so they`re showing two guys going into a store to buy something. Well, they`re showing two women going together to book a trip.
FINNSTROM: Advertising experts say that kind of advertising can appeal to a broad spectrum of people without offending those turned off by ads featuring overtly gay couples.
JON FRIEDMAN, COLUMNIST, MARKETWATCH.COM: A lot of America still has problems with the idea of homosexual men and women being treated as, quote, unquote, "average people." So for our business, it`s definitely a risk. We`re not trying to do anything other than what you see, which is, you know, sell auto insurance. And people just read a lot more into it than certainly they ever intended in some cases.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And that was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kara Finnstrom. Let me tell you, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines ringing off the hook with people calling in about this Sarah Palin-David Letterman controversy.
Our "Showbiz on Call" operators tell me, "We have gotten more calls on this than anything else in a long, long, long, long time." Check out this call from Joyce in Florida who says Palin`s kids should be off limits.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JOYCE, CALLER FROM FLORIDA: David Letterman was 100 percent out of line on his comment that he made. If he wants to have jokes, that`s fine. But you don`t put it at the expense of a governor`s daughter. She had every right to defend her daughter. I would have done the same thing if I had been in her shoes.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you, Joyce. We also heard from Fran calling into "Showbiz on Call" from Wisconsin. She thinks Palin is getting what she deserves.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
FRAN, CALLER FROM WISCONSIN: I just wanted to call and - in support of the David Letterman. I think Palin is not one to point a finger at anybody. So after what she pulled during and after the campaign and how she talks about President Obama - no. I support David Letterman. I don`t think what he said was anything disrespectful at all towards her daughter.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks, Fran. Give us a holler at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about all this or anything else that is on your mind. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are always open for you. Give us a holler, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voicemail. We`re going to play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Your calls to "Showbiz on Call" are also now online on our homepage, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
You know, this is a question nobody`s really been able to answer - why does it seem that Jennifer Aniston is so unlucky in love? You know, the Brad Pitt divorce, Vince Vaughn, John Mayer - the list goes on. Well, could it be that Jen`s movies are causing all the problems?
Tonight, you have got to hear Jen actually make fun of her own love life. Her really funny comment. It busts a gut - that is coming right up.
And speaking of Brad Pitt, it is the "Jon & Kate Plus 8"-Brangelina smackdown. In one corner, the troubled reality show couple. In the other corner, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. It`s a revealing story behind their new showdown.
And Susan Boyle bails on one of her concerts. Uh-oh. Is she in trouble 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: Usher files for divorce from Tameka Foster Raymond, his wife of nearly two years. "The Hangover" hangs onto number one slot at the box office, pulling in $33 million.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Check out HLN`s Robin Meade skydiving with Bush 41 - former President George H.W. Bush for his 85th birthday.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell. Check out this brand-new, behind-the-scenes message from country star John Rich. "Morning Express" Robin Meade played it for President Bush right before they took that 10,000-foot jump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
ROBIN MEADE, HOST, "MORNING EXPRESS": There`s your copy of the CD. I hope you enjoyed that.
GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: I did. Now, we`ve got to call him up. You got a number for him?
MEADE: Yes, yes, absolutely. Now, won`t he just be upset if he doesn`t answer the phone?
BUSH: Well, we`ll just leave a message for him. John, this is George Bush. We`re sitting up here Kennebunkport, Maine. And the beautiful one just gave me this message you sent for me, a song. I`m very touched by it. I love your music and I love this song particularly. So you`re guaranteeing me a happy 85th birthday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Sounds like a great song. Robin and the president - very brave indeed.
And did you see this? Impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich making fun of himself at a show that makes fun of him? Blago made a surprise appearance in "Rod Blagojevich Superstar" at the famous Second City Theater in Chicago. Let me tell you, this superstar makes Blago look super-bad. But when Blago showed up, the crowd went wild. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
ROD BLAGOJEVICH, FORMER ILLINOIS GOVERNOR: What they say to you before you go out on stage I thought was very interesting. And that is, "We got your back." I`ve been in politics. That`s not anything that anybody would say. That brush he has - it`s too small.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK, it`s kind of funny. But can you say awkward? By the way, "Rod Blagojevich Superstar" runs until August so you still have time to check it out.
Hey, if they did a show about Jennifer Aniston`s love life, they can call it "Unlucky Love." Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Jennifer Aniston making fun of her bad luck with the fellows. Could her movies be to blame?
And it`s Jen`s ex, Brad Pitt and his lady Angelina Jolie taking on "Jon & Kate Plus 8." The brand-new showdown and smackdown.
And Mel Gibson gets his girlfriend pregnant. Now, he`s helping her with her music career. I`m playing her brand-new song for you. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right this minute.
(CAPTION READS: The Girl Scouts issue a "Dolly Parton" patch in her honor. "Octo-Mom! The Musical" to open at the Fake Gallery in L.A. July 18th.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER ANISTON, ACTRESS: If any of you have a project titled "Everlasting Love" with an adult, stable male, just go to my table.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Jennifer Aniston`s love life, one big joke? Aniston`s very public joke about her own very public love life. Are her movies to blame for being unlucky in love?
The "Jon & Kate Plus 8"-Brangelina smackdown. Has the G-rated reality TV couple eclipsed the sexy Hollywood megastars? The Gosselins versus the Jolie-Pitt. Tonight, the revealing "SHOWBIZ" showdown.
Bruce Willis in a little more than leather and the long limbs of his very sexy younger wife. The eye-popping "S & M" photo spread. Plus, the sexy habit they love doing in public.
And 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 Jane Velez-Mitchell in New York. A.J. Hammer has the night off.
Tonight, is Jennifer Aniston`s love life a joke? It is, if you ask her. You will not believe Aniston`s very public joke about her very public love life. But was it really funny or just plain sad? Or maybe freaky. It`s just one of the stories making big news right now.
Tonight, Jennifer Aniston jokes about her rocky love life. Just wait until you see this brand-new video today of Jennifer Aniston comparing her movie career to her love life. Is it funny or is it sad?
Also tonight, it`s the battle of the superstars. Who is the bigger celebrity couple - Jon and Kate Gosselin or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie? With both couples smeared across all the brand-new tabloid covers, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, are Jon and Kate actually more famous than Brangelina?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, a correspondent for "Extra." And also tonight, in New York, Lisa Bloom, a CNN legal analyst.
Guys, you`ve got to see this brand-new video of Jennifer Aniston making fun of her own turbulent love life. Over the weekend, a women`s film organization gave Aniston the so-called Crystal Award for Excellence in Film, which she deserves. She`s a great actress - right there for you, Jennifer.
But you`ve got to watch this. It turns out Aniston also gets an award for excellence in comedy. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANISTON: There seems to be this strange parallel between the movies I was doing and my - kind of my life off-screen. I started with, well - I mean, you know, "The Good Girl." And then that evolved into "Rumor Has It." Then, it`s followed by "Derailed," you know? Then, there was "The Breakup." And if any of you have a project titled "Everlasting Love" with an adult, stable male, just go to my table.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It takes a lot of courage to get up there in front of a whole roomful of Hollywood types and joke about your often very painful, very public love life. Lisa, was this a classy move on her part?
BLOOM: It is, although it`s a little distracting. I mean, is she even wearing a top? But putting that aside, look, anybody who can laugh at themselves, that`s a great thing. And if the gorgeous, talented, rich and famous Jennifer Aniston can`t find a decent man, you know, as the rest of us, maybe it`s not our fault. I think it gives us all some hope. And it`s great that she can laugh at herself.
BLOOM: Well, we can always go to Carlos for the male view. What do you think, Carlos? Given all what`s happened with everybody - I mean, Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn, John Mayer? Good joke or sort of a pathetic commentary?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": First of, Lisa, the top is just fine, all right? Just chill out. But secondly, come on, Jane, you`re the most honest woman on TV. You respect honesty. That`s what we want here.
All we want is for her to be fun and honest. But, yes, it`s the elephant in the room. She`s had problems with relationships. Let`s joke about it and then everybody - like, you know, they`re all in your corner, you know.
And that`s the thing. If you`re standoffish about it, then, we`ll keep coming at you. Once you let your guard down and joke like she did, I thought it was brilliant.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You know, the thing is, nobody`s ever going to feel sorry for Jennifer Aniston. That`s the problem with the whole premise. But when you think about it, it is pretty incredible, just how many movies Aniston has made over the years that so accurately coincide with her love life.
Let`s review, OK? There was "Derailed," right? There was "Rumor Has It." There was "The Breakup." And my personal favorite, "He`s Just Not That Into You." And now, she`s reportedly got a movie in development called "The Divorce Party." Lisa, is this a big old coincidence or is it kind of freaky and kind of weird?
BLOOM: It is. And you know, I never believe the tabloids. So when they say she hates Angie, she loves Angie, she and John Mayer are breaking up, I frankly always think it`s false.
I mean, this, to me is giving credence to what the tabloids have been saying for years. I guess she really has had a rollercoaster ride. And I do feel a little sorry for her. Is that wrong? I shouldn`t feel sorry for her because she`s so beautiful? I do.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Go ahead -
BLOOM: You know, she`s a human being.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You`re the only one, though. That`s the problem with that. Hey, we want to remind you that in just a moment, we`ve got these brand-new - and I`m talking outrageous photos of Bruce Willis with his hot, new young wife Emma.
I`m talking about a full-on "S & M" photo spread - I almost said session - in "W" magazine. Why in the world did they put this out there for all the world to see?
But first, we`ve got another big story making news right now. Jon and Kate Gosselin versus Brangelina - who is the bigger celebrity couple? Both couples are everywhere across all the tabloids again this week.
Both couples hounded, of course, by the paparazzi. Both know how to attract a huge audience. So, Carlos, what do you think? Could it actually be that we`re living in a world where Jon and Kate Gosselin are more famous than Brangelina?
DIAZ: I mean, Kate`s been on the cover of "Us Weekly" seven times in a row. And to give you a little back story, I mean, I was having dinner with the family on Sunday. And all we did was talk about Jon and Kate the entire dinner.
And I think the whole reason is because you can relate to Jon and Kate more than you can relate to Brad and Angie, because they`re kind of going through - if you`ve had problems in relationships or you`ve been through a divorce, you can kind of see that - you see yourself in that show. So they`re more relatable.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, I agree. It`s very hard as much as you love Brangelina to relate to them. They definitely broke the mold.
Take a look at these magazine covers in the last few weeks. Jon and Kate Gosselin, as you mentioned, all over the covers, selling magazines fiercely as the old stand-by favorite, Brangelina. Lisa, is it possible that Jon and Kate and all their real-life marital woes are just more interesting, more relatable and will sell more magazines than all the high-fallutin` stuff about Brangelina`s so-called relationship problem.
BLOOM: Maybe. I mean, they`re having their 15 minutes of fame right now. But I was just looking closely at those magazine covers. You do still see Brad and Angelina. And I think they have staying power. They`re true movie stars. And let`s not forget they do a lot of work for Katrina victims and for African refugees.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
BLOOM: So in the long run, they`re still going to be riding high when we`ve all forgotten about Jon and Kate.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely. Angelina Jolie is one of my heroes. I love what she does for the U.N., for orphan children around the world.
BLOOM: They`re here.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: She is doing something good with her celebrity which so few do. Now, Carlos, is it possible that the stars of a cable reality TV show could ever really eclipse the traditional power of mega-movie stars? What does that say about the Hollywood star system if it`s true?
DIAZ: Well, Lisa made a great point. It`s their 15 minutes. Because the way you look at it is, Brad and Angie have movies. They have, you know, their charity events. They have all these different things. And then you throw on the fact that they have a very interesting social life and a very interesting family life.
The family life is all that Jon and Kate have. All they have is their relationship and the kids. They don`t make movies and they don`t have these big charity events and this and that. So Brad and Angie will have longer staying power because they have more for us to be interested in them about.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And frankly, Brangelina just better-looking all the way around. We`ve got to say that. Let`s be honest.
Lisa, is it fair to say that long after people have forgotten about Jon and Kate - it`s just that Carlos said we`re still going to be talking about Brad and Angelina? We`ve got their movies.
BLOOM: I think so. Absolutely. They really have staying power. Look, they`ve both been around for a couple of decades in films now. And I think they will be for the rest of their lives and also continue to inspire us with their good works.
And they`ll probably also still fascinate us with their sex lives because it`s just who they are. We`ll be continuing to watch them long, long into the future.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. I think we prefer to live vicariously through them than through Jon and Kate. Lisa Bloom, Carlos Diaz, thank you so much. Great to see you both.
So what do you think? We`re asking you to vote on tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Battle of the Stars: Who are you most interested in, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie or Jon and Kate Gosselin?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, I know you`re going to be doing a very, very interested looking at this next, next story. Bruce Willis in an eye-popping "S & M" photo spread with his hot, new young wife. This is not for the shy ones out there.
Plus, the revealing new details about the sexy habit they love doing in public.
Mel Gibson`s girlfriend cashing in big-time. Her baby is not the only huge new collaboration she`s got cooking with the mega-star. You are going to believe your ears. And maybe the start of a brand-new career for Mel as well.
And breaking Susan Boyle news. Tonight, why the singing sensation bailed out on a big show? Is she really rested? Is she really ready to sing Or is she heading for another meltdown? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right this second.
(CAPTION READS: Brad Pitt and family donate $1 million for Missouri Cancer Center in Brad`s mother`s name. Daniel Craig will play James Bond in his third 007 movie.)
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell in New York, in for A.J. Hammer.
Tonight, Mel Gibson`s next big collaboration with his pregnant girlfriend. You know it really pays to be Oksana Grigorieva these days. She is not only giving birth to Mel`s eighth child, but she`s also getting his help on her brand-new album.
Get this - Mel signed her to his record label and even helped write her first single, "Say My Name." Listen to this -
(MUSIC)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oksana`s new song is free on her Web site, "Oksana.FM." No word on when the album is due out. But her baby is due out in the fall.
Tonight, two brand-new stories that are making big news right now. Brand-new revealing "S & M" photos of Bruce Willis and his new, much- younger wife, Emma.
Also tonight, Susan Boyle bails on her first set of performances after checking out of a mental health clinic. New tonight, you have got to see - these are shockers. Bruce Willis` revealing new "S & M" photo spread. And wait until you hear why Bruce says he and Emma are sickening to be around.
Also, brand new tonight, Susan Boyle takes a pass this weekend on a singing gig in order to get some rest. Is there something wrong with Susan?
Joining me tonight in New York, Ben Widdicombe who is a celebrity editor for "StyleList.com." Also in New York, Janell Snowden, who is the host for VH1.
Let`s get started. I want to start with Bruce Willis` brand-new "S & M" photo spread in the brand-new issue of "W" magazine. My jaw just dropped. 54-year-old Bruce and 32-year-old Emma tied the knot at Bruce`s home in Turks and Caicos back in March.
And in this brand-new interview, Bruce reveals they are like two teenagers, saying, quote, "We are sickening. We make out in public. I know there`s some rule that you`re not supposed to be doing - what is it? Public displays of affection?"
Public displays of affection? And starring in his own "S & M" ad. Ben, what were you thinking when you saw this photo spread? I mean, what does this say about him?
WIDDICOMBE: I was thinking that Bruce is way too old to be doing a shoot like this. Honestly, it looks like he`s playing the part of a John in this contrived "S & M" dominatrix photo shoot. OK. I understand he`s trying to make his girlfriend who isn`t working more famous. But really, Bruce, put it away. We don`t want to see it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Janell, are you embarrassed for him?
JANELL SNOWDEN, HOST, VH1: You know - first, Ben, let`s see. I think part of the reason that he wanted to do this is because you just called him his girlfriend. But she`s his wife and he wants to announce this to the world. And what better way to do it? My god, when I saw this picture -
(CROSS TALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, there are other ways.
SNOWDEN: No, I`m being sarcastic, of course. I mean, this is like, way to stick it to you. Tell me about it. And you know, he says in the article about feeling like in his older age less is more. I guess he only means when he`s talking verbally to the press because these pictures speak loudly and they`re saying, "In our face."
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. They`re saying a whole lot. I don`t know exactly what. But they`re definitely saying something. Bruce does reveal in the interview some details about this sexy photo shoot saying, quote, "Oh, it was awkward." You think? "We did stuff that I know a lot of other actors would not have done. Had I done it with another model, I don`t know that I would have been as into it."
Ben, do you think the guys out there are saying, "Hey, way to go, Bruce. Hey, live for me. I`ll live vicariously through Bruce Willis"?
WIDDICOMBE: Well, maybe. But the guys aren`t reading "W" magazine, you know. The shoot was done by Camilla Nickerson, who is a fantastic stylist and Steven Klein who is an amazing photographer. So as an avant garde fashion shoot, I think it`s OK. But for Bruce`s fans, no. I mean, he`s just too old to be in the shoot. You know, really, Bruce, it`s time to hang up, you know, the Speedos, I think.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, maybe the chains as well. Janell, if guys are saying, "Go Bruce," and maybe they are, maybe they`re not - what are the women saying about this?
SNOWDEN: My first reaction when I saw it was, ooh. I almost wanted to see her naked more so than I wanted to see Bruce. I wish they could just have like switch roles. I mean that in a very, you know, heterosexual way.
I`m only meaning that, you know, he is a little bit older and he looks great for his age. Don`t get me wrong. But my first instinct was, oh, maybe they should have switched naked roles.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, there`s so much to say about this, but it almost leaves me speechless at the same time. Bruce also reveals in his brand-new interview that he wrote off love before meeting Emma, a professional model, saying, quote, "I want from (EXPLETIVE DELETED) love to `Love is truly the answer.` I spent the last 10 years single and, for the most part, unhappy. In a dark place."
Ben, are you surprised to hear that he really wasn`t enjoying the bachelor life?
WIDDICOMBE: Well, you know, he seemed to be enjoying the bachelor life. His name was linked with all sorts of young starlets when he was in his single years. But I understand what he was saying. He was acting out like a lonely person. He was seeking company, seemingly wherever.
I mean, I read a story about him making out with Courtney Love and a whole list of inappropriate people. I can understand him saying, "I`m much happier now I`m married." But still, I can`t help (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this as a happy medium between married and doing the photo-shoot and being a bachelor.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s move on to another controversy. I want to move on to Susan Boyle bailing over the weekend. Boyle did the first show on "Britain`s Got Talent" tour, then, bailed on the second. Now, the reason given was she needed to rest.
Let`s remember, she only checked out of a mental health clinic on June 5th. The tour kicked off on June 12th, only a week later. Janell, are you worried for her?
SNOWDEN: I really am. I mean, this is a cat woman. She is like your stereotypical cat lady, you know, the women that are holed up in their houses. And she even said when she went to the hospital for her exhaustion that she missed her cat.
This is the woman who had very little social life, very little interaction with the outside world, was thrust into this stratosphere of fame and with little to no grounding.
I mean, so for her to now be overwhelm and be suffering from exhaustion and wherever else - of course, we know that in Hollywood, that`s key word for suffering a breakdown. I mean, I do feel sorry for her and I feel like we`re sort of exploiting her selfishly. She`s got a great voice, but maybe she just needs to go to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. You`re calling her a cat lady. Apparently, this is a woman who missed her cat, Pebbles, while she was in the hospital. Ben, do you think she jumped back in to early? Should she have taken more time off?
WIDDICOMBE: Apparently, she should have. She`s breaking the first law of show business which is give the public what they want. And if she has this talent, it`s not going to do any good if she`s not going to sing. And she`s sabotaging herself by missing dates.
Maybe the studio is the right place for her right now where she can be a little bit out of the public eye. She can have the cat with her if she wants it. And she can record on her own schedule.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Janell, we`ve got have 10 seconds. What should she do next, nothing?
SNOWDEN: No, she should take to the studio, take some time off and just record at her own leisure, but not like, thrust on the main stage.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I just wish her the best. I love that woman. Ben Widdicombe, Janell Snowden, thank you so much.
Tonight, the emotional and truly heartfelt reaction to Chaz Bono`s shocking sex change from the ladies of "The View." It`s their very personal message for his mom, Cher, next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Nearly 7,00 turn out for "American Idol" tryouts near Boston. "House" most watched TV drama in the world with estimated 82 million viewers. "Desperate Housewives" most watched comedy in the world.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell in for A.J. Hammer. Tonight, the emotional reaction from the ladies of "The View" to the shocking news that Cher`s daughter is becoming a man.
Just like all of us, the ladies remember little Chastity with her parents on the "Sonny and Cher" show. And they were stunned about the sex change news. Well, this morning, the ladies were sounding off and offering their compassion for Chaz and Cher.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": My first reaction would be worrying about my child and how difficult her life is going to be. I would be upset.
My second reaction, having dealt so much with this in different interviews, is to know how difficult it was for her to wish her well, to be supportive. This is not an easy thing to go through.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I think, as a parent, you never want your child to feel stuck or trapped or uncomfortable, and not in a place where they can be who they are. You always tell your kids, "I want you to be yourself."
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": It`s all how you reframe these things. Now, I have a daughter for 30-some odd years. Now, for the rest of it, I`ll have a son. It`s like having two children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You`ve got to hand it to Joy Behar. She`s got her own extraordinary sense of humor.
Tonight, the Jonas Brothers unplugged. CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE" packing up and heading to Europe with Kevin, Joe and Nick for their world tour. Larry has got stuff you will not see anywhere else. And he`s getting so close you can almost feel the Jonas` sweat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN JONAS, THE JONAS BROTHERS: Hey, Larry. We just arrived in Madrid. We arrived about 2:15 a.m. And we`ve got to go to the hotel because someone`s in there, get up and do the show tomorrow.
(MUSIC)
KING: To see the rest of our exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, go to CNN.com/LarryKing. Our interview with the Jonas Brothers airs Thursday night, 9:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. Pacific. Don`t miss it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "David Letterman versus Sarah Palin: Whose side are you on?" 32 percent for Palin; 68 percent for David Letterman.
Here is a response from Facebook. Susan G. writes, "Leave Palin alone. She is a very sophisticated and classy lady and we should all be proud to have her in politics."
And here`s an E-mail from Carla in Canada, "Sarah Palin is running with this to keep her name in the headlines. Relax, he`s a comedian doing his job."
Well, that`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell in New York. You can watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern on HLN.
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