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Showbiz Tonight
Chris Brown Pleads Guilty; Jon and Kate Call It Quits; Perez Hilton Versus Will.I.am; Ryan O`Neal Plans to Marry Farrah Fawcett
Aired June 22, 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 a special breaking news edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Rihanna versus Chris Brown, Jon versus Kate. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show bringing you the latest breaking developments on two big stories.
Jon and Kate`s bombshell announcement, just revealed tonight on their show, "Jon & Kate Plus 8." are they separating? Are they getting divorced?
Also tonight, breaking news in the Chris Brown-Rihanna showdown. Rihanna set to testify about the night Brown allegedly beat her up. Did she get on the witness stand or did Chris Brown cut a deal? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there at the courthouse where it all just went down.
Plus, Ryan O`Neal`s shocking out of the blue announcement about him and Farrah Fawcett as Farrah fights to stay alive.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
And tonight, there are two big breaking stories, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show with the latest developments.
Breaking now, just a short time ago, Jon and Kate dropped a bombshell, announcing on tonight`s episode of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" whether or not they`re getting divorced. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the must-see drama as it played out on TV tonight.
Also brand new tonight, the Chris Brown-Rihanna blockbuster. Late today, Chris Brown went into a Los Angeles courtroom and pleaded guilty in the shocking beating of Rihanna the night before the Grammys back in February. The Chris Brown-Rihanna showdown is where we begin tonight. Really, what an unbelievable day. Everybody waiting to hear Rihanna testify at a hearing to describe what happened on that terrible night.
But then the bombshell - Brown pleading guilty to beating his ex- girlfriend. CNN`s Ted Rowlands is covering this for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Ted`s been at the courthouse in Los Angeles all day long. Ted, tell us what happened.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, A.J., a lot of drama leading up to this. This was going to be the first time that we heard from Rihanna in her own words about what happened in February, the night before the Grammys. She was going to take the stand.
Outside the courthouse, there were dozens of media outlets from around the world. They had formed sort of a gauntlet. Brown had to walk through it. He`s much more comfortable, undoubtedly, walking down a red carpet. This was a nightmare most likely for him.
In court, though, after the parties took their seat, everybody was waiting and waiting. The judge finally takes the bench and the first thing out of her mouth was, "I guess we have a deal." And from there, she started to spell out this deal where Chris Brown, as you mentioned, pled guilty.
Here are the details of it. Basically, the headlines - no jail time at all, five years probation, 180 days of community service and domestic violence counseling.
Now, Chris Brown did answer some questions in court but didn`t say anything coming to or from the courthouse. His attorney, however, Mark Geragos, did address the media.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK GERAGOS, CHRIS BROWN`S ATTORNEY: He entered a plea today of guilty. He did not enter a no-contest plea. He`s, as long as I`ve known him - in connection with this case, he`s wanted to take responsibility. I advised him to wait and let me work through the legal process, which he did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Ted, one of the big reasons everybody was waiting so anxiously, this was supposed to be the day that Rihanna was to stare down Chris Brown in court and describe in her own words what happened on that brutal night. Now, that didn`t happen, obviously, because of Brown`s plea deal. But Rihanna did show up at the court. What did the judge tell her, Ted?
ROWLANDS: Well, yes, it was interesting - as soon as Chris Brown was finished, the judge sort of excused him but kept court in session. And then, out of another door, Rihanna came out. During the hearing with Brown, the judge said that she was going to implement a restraining order against Brown towards Rihanna, even though Rihanna`s attorney got up and said that Rihanna didn`t think that was necessary.
Well, the judge said, "I`m going to do it anyway." Rihanna comes out and then, the judge basically tells her the same thing and says, "Listen, I`m going to do this. I know you don`t want me to, but I am going to do it. And you don`t call Chris Brown because if you call him and he says hello, he`s in trouble."
She said, "Yes, I understand." And that was it. Fairly short but she did make an appearance in court.
HAMMER: All right. Ted, I want you to stay where you are. A lot of reaction to this tonight. Joining me from Hollywood is Pat Lalama who`s an investigative journalist. And here in New York, Jane Velez-Mitchell, host, of course, of "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL" seen every night at 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN.
And Pat Lalama, I`m going to begin with you. Does any of this, this plea deal, any of it at all, come as a surprise to you?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: In a way, no, A.J. Here`s the thing - having to go to trial for this young man who has - who had, at least, a choir boy image, you`re talking about a major airing of dirty laundry. We may well have heard about prior similar acts, maybe.
My understanding is that the one leaked photo that we`ve seen of Rihanna, that that was actually the least severe of the pictures. The police statements are probably - the police records are probably very strong. It behooves him to stay out of the spotlight and move on with his life.
And I think probably Mark cut him a good deal. Although my understanding is he didn`t like the deal and didn`t want to sign it. He should be on his knees thanking the Los Angeles County District Attorney`s Office for making a deal that required no jail time.
HAMMER: Jane Velez-Mitchell, off to you. I know you didn`t like this deal one bit. The fact that Chris Brown is not going to even spend an hour in jail has you pretty upset.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Celebrity justice once again equals justice denied. What did the district attorney and, by extension, the people get from this plea deal? They didn`t have to do this except it`s just easier. They don`t have to deal with the hassle of the media going to court. Yada, yada, yada.
But they had evidence. They had Rihanna`s statement to police. They had the photos showing her beaten to a pulp. They had blood on the rented Lamborghini. They had a text message that he sent to an assistant apologizing. They had his public statement apologizing.
They had evidence. Why they let him walk like this without spending one single solitary day in jail - I do not understand. The jails are packed with people who have committed nonviolent offenses, drug offenses. He pummeled somebody. This was not just a momentary lapse; this was a pummeling that went on for minutes on end.
HAMMER: Yes. And a lot of people saying tonight, if you`re not going to go to jail for pummeling a woman, then what for? And what a wild ride it`s been getting to where we are tonight. I want to roll out the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT news line.
Let`s go back to February 8th - that`s when Chris Brown was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats against Rihanna. February 19th, the picture of a bruised and battered Rihanna is leaked to TMZ. March 5th, Chris Brown formally charged with felony assault and making criminal threats. April 6th, Chris Brown arraigned and pleads not guilty.
And then today, his guilty plea to a felony. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT right there after the hearing as his attorney Mark Geragos had this to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERAGOS: He entered a plea today of guilty. He did not enter a no-contest plea. He`s - as long as I`ve known him in connection with this case, he`s wanted to take responsibility. I advised him to wait and let me work through the legal process, which he did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And he wanted to - he went on to say that he wanted Chris to be able to get his career back on track. And I`ve got to tell you when I heard Chris` attorney say that, I`m thinking, where is the remorse? Where is the contrition?
Ted Rowlands, back at the courthouse, what was the reaction there? Were you hearing similar outrage?
ROWLANDS: Yes. Obviously, you know, when you look at that picture and you hear the details of the police report and you say, "Wow, this guy didn`t get any jail time," it is shocking.
But I think the real story is that that is pretty much accurate in terms of a sentence for someone in a similar position. We went to every attorney in this building, prosecutors who said, "Isn`t this an outrage?" And they said, "You know, not really. The guy had no criminal record. This is basically - this is what you get if you`re accused of this offense."
I think the deeper problem is - and Jane alluded to it - is how are these people staying out of jail when so many people do find themselves incarcerated? It seems shocking but here in L.A., at least, if you`re accused of what he was accused of with no criminal record, this is what you can expect as a sentence.
HAMMER: Yes. And we just saw that shocking photo that was leaked to TMZ. Ted, you mentioned that Rihanna was there in court today. And the Rihanna we saw in court, a far cry from this picture.
Rihanna`s bloodied and bruised face there. And of course, the chilling police statement of what happened that night to Rihanna whose real name is Robyn - let me read this again, "Robyn F. turned to face Brown and he punched her in the left eye with his right hand. He then drove away in the vehicle and continued to punch her in the face with this right hand while steering the vehicle with his left hand."
"The assault caused Robyn F.`s mouth to fill with blood and blood to splatter all over her clothing and the interior of the vehicle. Brown looked at Robyn F. and stated, `I`m going to beat the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of you when we get home! You wait and see!`"
HAMMER: Pat, you put those words together with that picture, does it just drive home the point to many people that the punishment here doesn`t fit the crime and he should have to do some jail time?
LALAMA: I think it`s easy for us to have an emotional reaction to it. It`s heartbreaking to me. I personally would have liked to see some jail time. At the same time, we have to remember, we didn`t hear all the evidence. We don`t know. We didn`t read every page of discovery. So I think it would be maybe premature and unfair for all of us because we`re upset to say justice was not served.
A.J., there`s a bigger problem here. One in four women will become a victim of domestic violence. Two-thirds of those women - I was talking to a defense attorney because Amy (ph) told me, two-thirds of these women recant. They don`t want to get up on the stand. They want to say, "Oh, it wasn`t so bad. Please don`t harm my boyfriend or my husband." There`s a real problem in our system overall, not just within the confines of a District Attorney`s Office.
HAMMER: Of course, but then of course, people will probably look at this - some men perhaps, and say, maybe he didn`t do any jail time here. They may not think twice before they raise their hand to a woman. I`m going to end it there. Pat Lalama, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Ted Rowlands, I thank you all.
All right. Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show bringing you the latest developments on the Chris Brown showdown and the dramatic "Jon & Kate Plus 8" showdown.
Breaking now, just a short time ago, Jon and Kate shocked the world in their brand-new episode of their TLC reality show. You have got to hear the bomb they dropped. Are they getting divorced? Well, I can tell you the reaction to this is blowing up already.
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON, CELEBRITY BLOGGER: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) you, Will.I.Am, for lying. Shame on you. God is looking down on you and shaming you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The bizarre Perez Hilton-Will.I.Am showdown caught on tape. Wait until you see this. The controversial star blogger and the Black Eyed Peas singer going at it. Were punches thrown? Were anti-gay slurs used?
And Ryan O`Neal`s shocking, out-of-the-blue announcement about him and Farrah Fawcett as of course Farrah fights to stay alive. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Dennis Quaid settles with L.A. hospital where his twins were given drug overdose. Sandra Bullock`s "The Proposal" number one at the weekend box office, her best opening ever.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: (EXPLETIVE DELETED), Will.I.Am, for lying. Shame on you. God is looking down on you and shaming you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is controversial celebrity blogger Perez Hilton going off on Black Eyed Peas singer Will.I.Am. Tonight, these two are caught up in a nasty, truly bizarre fight, and all of it is caught on tape.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, the showdown- smackdown between Perez Hilton and Will.I.Am caught on tape. This is a huge feud that erupted when celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, you know, the same guy who was right in the middle of the Miss California controversy, took to his Twitter page and accused the Black Eyed Peas singer of hitting him.
Well, Will.I.Am shot back at Perez with an online video of his own calling Hilton a liar. And the Twitter tirade quickly became one of the most talked about Hollywood stories of the day.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Perez Hilton gets punched, he doesn`t pull when he punches.
PEREZ: You`re shameful. You`re disgusting. You are subhuman.
MOOS: It`s the battle of the post-fight videos.
WILL.I.AM, BLACK EYED PEAS MEMBER: This dude twists it and says that I assaulted him.
MOOS: Pitting performer Will.I.Am versus the king of online gossip -
HILTON: And Will.I.Am, (EXPLETIVE DELETED), because you (EXPLETIVE DELETED) lied. You (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
MOOS: It all started after the MuchMusic Awards in Toronto. Will.I.Am and Perez Hilton exchanged words over the fact that Perez is always insulting Fergie on his blog, Fergie being part of Will.I.Am`s group, the Black Eyed Peas.
(MUSIC)
The "boom-boom" part is coming. But first, Perez used a gay slur against Will.I.Am.
HILTON: The worst possible thing that dug would ever want to hear and you`re a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
MOOS: TMZ dug up shaky video of the exchange -
WILL.I.AM: Not my (UNINTELLIGIBLE), dude.
MOOS: Perez Hilton says after that, Will.I.Am`s manager, nicknamed Polo, clocked him two or three times.
HILTON: I touched my eye and it was bleeding. I thought my eye was like falling out of my head.
MOOS: Perez called Toronto police then starting sending out tweets asking for help. When police arrived, Perez, asked his fans to stop calling them.
(on camera): Will.I.Am`s manager did surrender to Toronto police. He was charged with one count of assault and released. Talk about release. Perez let go emotionally, thanking well-wishers.
HILTON: From the bottom of my heart, thank you, because I am a human being.
MOOS (voice-over): Shades of another infamous video -
CHRIS CROCKER, BRITNEY SPEARS FAN: Leave Britney alone!
MOOS: Some won`t leave Perez alone, "glad this happened to you," "what goes around, comes around." Perez himself Twittered, "I am honestly shocked at the amount of people saying I deserved to be hit." This guy imitated -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shut the hell up. You started this train wreck.
MOOS: A train wreck it was hard not to look at.
HILTON: Shame on you. Shame on you.
MOOS (on camera): Shame on us for watching.
HILTON: And Fergie, you`re (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Wow! That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Well, breaking right now, big "Jon & Kate Plus 8" news, the dramatic announcement on the just-aired brand-new episode of "Jon & Kate Plus 8." So are they splitting up? That is coming up.
But first, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines - they have been bringing nonstop about Jon and Kate. We got a call into "Showbiz on Call" from Pat in Colorado. And Pat thinks Jon and Kate should split up.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
PAT, CALLER FROM COLORADO: On Jon and Kate, you know what? They look miserable. Miserable. And I don`t agree that they should stay together because of the kids. At times, it destroys kids. The kids can feel that friction, and it is not good for the kids.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Pat. We also heard from Jillena calling into "Showbiz on Call" from California. Jillena thinks that Jon and Kate are making a big mistaking by doing the reality show.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JILLENA, CALLER FROM CALIFORNIA: I just want to say about Jon and Kate - they would let a reality show or a few dollars break up a happy marriage with all those kids. Whatever happened to "till death do us part" or "for better or for worse?" Didn`t marriage mean anything to them? How can they be that shallow?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks, Jillena. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call." Please let us know what you think about this. Let us know what you think about anything. We keep the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines open all the time for your convenience at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1-888-728-2899.
Go ahead - leave us a voicemail so we can play your call here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And your calls to "Showbiz on Call" are also now online. They`re right there on our homepage. Point your Web browser to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
And breaking now, Jon and Kate`s bombshell announcement on the just- aired brand-new episode of "Jon & Kate Plus 8." So are they getting a divorce? Well, I`ve got the breaking developments, coming up.
Also breaking now, Chris Brown`s dramatic plea deal. Just this afternoon, Brown pleads guilty to assaulting Rihanna. But get this, he`s not doing any jail time. Tonight, we`ve got to ask, was justice served? Should Chris Brown have gone to jail?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show bringing you the latest breaking developments on this big story.
And why were Ryan Seacrest and Lindsay Lohan spotted together over the weekend? Ryan, Lindsay - together? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: "West Wing" star Bradley Whitford and wife Jane Kaczmarek split after 16 years. Cameron Diaz gets a star on the Hollywood walk of fame.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, tonight, Jamie Foxx says you can`t blame his super-steamy Halle Berry kiss on the alcohol. Did you see this? Jamie and Halle had a sexy lip-lock at the Spike TV`s Guys Choice Awards on Sunday. Jamie says it was all a big joke. But I`ll bet Jamie is not complaining about that joke.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And tonight, Bret Michaels is giving his first TV interview since his scary head-banging at the Tony Awards. The lead-singer of Poison suffered a broken nose and he had to get stitches on his lip when a prop came down and hit him on the head. Watch this happening here.
On the "Today" show this morning with Maria Menounos, Michaels was a pretty good sport about what took place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRET MICHAELS, LEAD SINGER, POISON: I`m looking up going, wait a minute. They`re not just going to knock me down. They`re going to finish me off, and the only thing that would be left is my boots kicking, you know, in Broadway. And I thought, I`ve never been to a place like this. I haven`t been to place.
So as I`m laying there, I look up and there - I`m not kidding you - is Shrek, goat-head creatures and monkey-like creatures - all like, should we get him out of the way? No one knew what to do with me because I`m laying there - my nose - because I broke my nose or fractured the top of it. You know, it was bleeding. So my face is bleeding. And they`re like -
MARIA MENOUNOS, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: And you`re looking at Shrek and Donkey.
MICHAELS: And so I`m like - man. All I had to do was just tape my head into something. It was all I needed to do to get that surreal trip.
MENOUNOS: You made it to Broadway heaven, it sounds like.
MICHAELS: I think I did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I`m thinking this is a guy who sang a song called "Un-skinny Bop." So I`m sure he has certainly seen a lot, but apparently never anything quite like that.
Well, tonight, Simon Cowell is admitting there have been mistakes in how "Britain`s Got Talent" star Susan Boyle has been handled. In the U.K.`s "Daily Mail," Simon who`s a judge on the show says he incorrectly thought that Susan could handle all of the pressure and all the fame after she became a worldwide star.
Susan, of course, was hospitalized for exhaustion after she lost in the finals of "Britain`s Got Talent." Susan has also missed performances on the show`s live tour but she did sing this weekend at London`s Wembley Arena.
(EXPLETIVE DELETED)
HAMMER: Well, we certainly wish Susan all the best. I think she still looks and sounds terrific.
Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup - here is what is coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show bringing you the latest breaking developments on two big stories, Jon and Kate`s big announcement. They just dropped a bombshell on their show. Are they getting divorced?
Chris Brown`s dramatic plea deal - should he have gotten jail time for assaulting Rihanna?
Plus, Ryan O`Neal`s shocking out-of-the-blue announcement about him and Farrah Fawcett as Farrah fights to stay alive. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: "Brothers and Sisters" star Rachel Griffiths gives birth to a baby girl. Stephen Baldwin leaves "I`m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here" due to insect bites.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Jon and Kate bombshell. The Chris Brown-Rihanna showdown. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show bringing you the latest breaking developments on two big stories.
Tonight, Jon and Kate just made a huge announcement on their show. Are they getting a divorce?
Chris Brown pleads guilty to assaulting Rihanna but should he have gone to jail? Did he get off too easy?
And Ryan O`Neal`s out-of-the-blue announcement about Farrah Fawcett as she fights for her life.
Plus, more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
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, the Jon and Kate bombshell. Just a short while ago, Jon and Kate Gosselin announced that they are separating. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show bringing you the latest breaking developments right now.
Tonight, America takes a collective gasp as Jon and Kate announce they are calling it quits. We have their brand-new dramatic announcement as it played out on their show just a short time ago.
And there are now so many brand-new burning questions to answer after this shocking news. Who`s going to get custody of their eight kids? What is going to happen to their show? And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, who exactly is to blame for this separation? Jon for not seeming to really care or Kate for being so bossy, or both?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Pat Lalama who`s an investigative journalist. Tonight in New York, it`s Jane Velez-Mitchell, who is the host of "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell". Catch her every night of the week, 7:00 p.m. Eastern here on HLN.
All right. Jane and Pat, late last week, that`s when we first learned there was going to be this huge announcement on the show tonight. And tonight, it did, in fact, happen. And I have to show you Jon and Kate Gosselin`s dramatic announcement that unfolded right before our very eyes just a short time ago. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR, "JON & KATE PLUS 8": Kate and I have decided to separate.
KATE GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR, "JON & KATE PLUS 8": Yes, we have decided that we will separate.
J. GOSSELIN: I tried to contemplate and think about it and would it be better for us - it`s just not good for our kids - for us to be arguing in front of our kids. And I just - we can`t be cordial with one another. We`ve decided to separate.
K. GOSSELIN: I`m not very fond of the idea, personally. But I know it`s necessary because my goal is peace for the kids. And if peace needs to be brought about by this, then I`m in agreeance (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So there you go, and again, not sitting together but sitting separately for those shots. They didn`t actually use the word "divorce." But there are several reports tonight that the divorce papers have actually been filed. Jane, off to you first, are you at all surprised?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I am not surprised in the slightest. I`d be shocked if it was anything else. If they`d say for example, "Oh, she`s pregnant again," or they`re moving the entire family to Costa Rica.
I think essentially watching this episode. that being on this kind of reality TV is making a pact with the devil in essence. You know how the devil says, "I`m going to give you immortality but I just want one little thing - your soul."
I mean, I`ve never seen two more unhappy people in my entire life and they look totally shut down emotionally. And I think it`s this show that`s sucking them dry.
HAMMER: Yes. It does seem so poisonous, particularly in their situation. Pat, they`ve said throughout the entire show they`re looking for peace. Yet, it still appears they`re going to continue to do the show. Would a divorce bring peace?
LALAMA: Come on, A.J., we all know this guarantees seven more seasons. We`ve got the custody battle. We`ve got Jon`s visitation on the weekends. We`ve got Kate`s first date and the kids meet the guy. We`ve got all kinds of stuff going on here.
I think we have more potential shows than if they had stayed together. And I don`t know whether that`s so good, to tell you the truth.
HAMMER: Well, we have to talk about Jon and Kate`s eight kids because we hope there is peace at least for their sake. They mention the kids a lot in this particular episode of "Jon & Kate Plus 8."
Both Jon and Kate say that no matter what, they watch how they say they`re going to make it work with their kids. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
K. GOSSELIN: It doesn`t matter where Jon and I are in our relationship. My kids still matter the most to me. If I have to put on a happy face to have a picnic with them and put all those issues aside, I do. Do I always feel jovial and happy and wonderful? No. Am I thrilled with how things have turned out? No. Did I ever think I would be in this situation in this position? Absolutely not, ever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jane, what do you think? Do you think they`re going to be able to raise these eight kids with some stability now? Is that even possible?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You know what`s fascinating? Watching this episode, I saw that the kids were much more authentic than the parents. And I think it`s because they have each other, so they`re still being spontaneous.
And I also think it`s because the kids didn`t make this deal. It was mom and dad who made this deal. The people I`m really worried about are mom and dad. They have a complete lack of affect. They seem completely shutdown and I think it`s because at some very deep level, they know the decision they made was wrong and it has affected them emotionally. The kids seem a lot more resilient.
HAMMER: Now, here`s the thing, though. You know, there are a lot of families out there who have let their kids watch "Jon & Kate Plus 8" over the past several seasons. Yes, nice enough families show the trials and tribulations of this young couple trying to raise this huge family.
But now, things are changing. Pat, I have to imagine there are a lot of parents out there right now giving the big breaking news tonight that they`re separating, that they`re reconsidering this show in a huge way. Do you really want to sit down with your kids to watch a real-life divorce drama playing out before your eyes?
LALAMA: I`ll tell you from a personal standpoint, A.J., I liked the show when they were all happy and it was cute and all that stuff. And I don`t like it so much anymore. It`s a downer.
Now, by the same token, divorce is a reality in America. 50 percent of marriages break up. It`s potentially a learning tool.
If it`s done without exploitation, if it`s done with tremendous sensitivity, with counseling, with a real - you know, all of us paying true attention to the livelihoods of these children. Perhaps other kids at home who are suffering through something like this might learn something. I`m just trying to look for something optimistic out of this.
HAMMER: It`s hard to those - especially when you say, you know, do it without exploitation. By the very nature of the fact ...
LALAMA: Right.
HAMMER: ... in my mind, that they`re putting the kids on TV and making money off of it, that`s exploitation. I`m sorry. I can`t get past that. We have not gotten a lot of insight into exactly what`s going on inside Jon and Kate`s marriage.
Really, it`s been about what we have read in the magazines. Well, in this latest dramatic show, Kate did give some insight into the dysfunctional dynamics between herself and Jon. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
K. GOSSELIN: It`s very uncomfortable at this point because Jon has a lot of anger towards me. And I would love to discuss it with him and he won`t talk to me. That`s the truth.
So you know, I`m kind of lost. He won`t hold a discussion with me. He won`t talk to me. Every once in a while, he holds a couple-minute conversation and I see a window into his world, and that`s about all.
I don`t know that he knows what he wants still. I don`t know if he knows where he`s going. I don`t know if he even realizes the repercussions of the decisions he`s making today, you know, what that`s going to do down the line. I don`t even know if this is really what he wants.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jane, it sounds to me like a couple of people who don`t know each other all that well even though they`ve been married for ten years. And it still makes Kate sound there like there might be some room for some kind of reconciliation. Do you think that`s really the case? Do you think their marriage has a shot at surviving? And should it?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I don`t think so. To me, this looks like two people who detest each other, frankly. And I think she might detest him less than he detests her. Yes, I detect a note in her voice of, well, if we talked - but that`s what women do. They`re about relationships. They`re more about reconciliation and men are a little bit more stubborn on this kind of front.
HAMMER: Right.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So I think that this marriage is doomed.
HAMMER: Yes, doomed indeed. Well, the big question now is, now that Jon and Kate are separating, who is to blame? Is it Kate for, you know, her snotty disposition? Or maybe Jon for being totally indifferent? Jane Velez-Mitchell, Pat Lalama, do not move. I want to hear what you have to say about that.
But first, Chris Brown and Rihanna`s explosive day in court. Chris Brown pleads guilty to assaulting Rihanna in a big-time plea deal. I`ve got to ask, should Chris Brown have gotten some jail time? Did he get off too easy here? Was justice served? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT right there at the L.A. County courthouse with all of the late-breaking developments.
Also Ryan O`Neal`s dramatic out-of-the-blue announcement about Farrah Fawcett as she fights for her life. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Matthew McConaughey and his girlfriend expecting second child. Madonna`s newly adopted daughter flies from Malawi to London to join new family.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the only entertainment news show bringing you the latest breaking developments on two big stories tonight.
Chris Brown pleads guilty to beating Rihanna. Brown admits he beat Rihanna the night before the Grammys. He is not going to jail. And in just a moment, the great debate, did he get off too easy?
But first, our continuing coverage of the Jon and Kate bombshell. Just a short while ago, Jon and Kate made an earth-shattering announcement that they`re separating. So now, let the blame game begin. Who`s at fault here? Is it Jon, Kate or is it both of them?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Pat Lalama, who is an investigative journalist. And tonight in New York is Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL" seen every night of the week, 7:00 p.m. Eastern here on HLN.
So ladies, now that Jon and Kate have announced they are, in fact, separating and the reports of their divorce papers were filed, everybody is starting to play the blame game and point fingers around.
The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines will not stop ringing over this. We heard from Jean calling in from Illinois who says it is Jon`s fault. Listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JEAN, CALLER FROM ILLINOIS: I think the only way this couple can get back together is if Jon quits being such a jerk. I have watched this show since the very beginning. And Kate has done just a wonderful job organizing, taking care of these darling babies.
And Jon always had a stubborn streak. And you know what? I think he`s just tired of staying home with a bunch of kids. He needs to wake up and see a counselor or something.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks, Jean. Jane, what do you think, are you with Jean, is it Jon`s fault?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I don`t think it`s right to blame one party or the other. I think they both made this really bad decision to put their family into a reality TV show. And so they`re both to blame for the dissolution of this marriage because I think that`s a major factor.
And I think they have that in common. Let`s face it. Water finds its own level. So I think they see in each other a mirror and they don`t like what they see in the mirror.
HAMMER: Yes. I don`t think they like it at all. And a lot of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers are posting on our Facebook page. Some fans have a totally different perspective on that last call.
We heard from Anna Marie who wrote this on our wall, "I support Jon in this all the way. Kate, I think, needs to go back and watch all these episodes and take a good long look at herself. Even if they cannot reconcile the marriage, they are still a family. They are still the parents of eight young children. Kate needs to get her head out of her Gucci bag and wake up!"
Pat Lalama, what do you think? Blame game - Jon, Kate, both? Who gets it?
LALAMA: Oh, I`m so with my good friend, Janey, on this one. I refuse to even pretend like I truly understand the dynamic.
What I can tell you from the outside looking in is that they`ve been contaminated by fame, by money, by glamour, by walking into the grocery store, as I mentioned on another night on your show, and seeing Jon and Kate, Jon and Kate, Jon and Kate, Lindsay Lohan, Jon and Kate, Jon and Kate. I mean, come on. It`s too much. And a miserable set of parents means miserable children.
HAMMER: Yes.
LALAMA: So I don`t necessarily think people need to stay together for the sake of the children. But bless those eight little darlings. I just hope for the best for them.
HAMMER: Yes. There`s a lot of finger-pointing that`s going to be done. And some of it is going to fall squarely on the show itself and the fact that they`re doing this show.
Leading up to the big announcement, we did ask on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, on-air and online - "Jon and Kate: Can their marriage be saved?" And there is not a lot of optimism here - 43 percent saying yes; 57 percent no.
Jane, what do you think? Is all hope lost for this marriage? Is there anything that can be done to save it or should anything be done?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, who am I to say that in the sense that I`m not in their bedroom, thank god. But I would say, probably not. I think that the best we can hope for is that both of these individuals learn something as a result of this experience. It is a cautionary tale. There`s no shortcut to accomplishment.
HAMMER: No.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And this was, I think, a really bad decision that really destroyed their marriage. And let`s hope it doesn`t destroy their souls.
HAMMER: Yes. And I`m with Pat - let the kids get the focus they deserve. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Pat Lalama, thank you both. I really appreciate it.
Well, now, we move on to the latest breaking developments on the other big story tonight - the Chris Brown-Rihanna showdown. Now, Rihanna was all set to testify. She was going to do it about the night that Brown beat her up.
But late today, Chris Brown agreed to a plea deal. Brown pleaded guilty to beating Rihanna the night before the Grammys in February. He is not going to jail. The judge instead ordered five years probation, 180 days of community service and domestic violence counseling.
Rihanna appeared in court after Brown left. A judge issued a so-called stay-away order, bars Chris Brown from having any contact with Rihanna and he was ordered to stay at least 50 yards away from her.
Joining me tonight from outside the courthouse in Los Angeles - CNN`s Ted Rowlands. He`s been covering this all day for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. In New York is Midwin Charles, who is an attorney for the law firm, Midwin Charles and Associates.
So a lot of people outraged tonight saying Brown got off too easy. Midwin Charles, let me go to you as the attorney here tonight. This was a plea deal that we`re hearing might be pretty typical in these cases and perhaps he did not get special star treatment. What is the reality here?
MIDWIN CHARLES, ATTORNEY, MIDWIN CHARLES AND ASSOCIATES: That is the reality. I mean, in this case, he pled guilty to a felony charge. And we`re going to have to remember here, he`s going to be known as a convicted felon.
And any time he has to fill out an application or he is asked whether - "Have you ever been convicted of a felony," he has to affirmatively state "yes." So he did not get off scot-free.
HAMMER: And he still has supporters. Ted, let me go to you. You were right there at the courthouse all day long. I was actually watching our internal feed here at the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT headquarters. And I saw some young fans who were camped outside. They were holding signs and they were cheering on Chris.
ROWLANDS: Yes, a lot of people came with posters and magazine covers hoping to get a signature. I mean, you think about it. If you`re a huge Chris Brown fan, are you going to support him most likely in good times and bad?
And then, this is an announced appearance. You know, he`s going to be at a certain spot. So I think that`s what brought people in here. But you know, as you might expect, in a case like this, no matter what somebody does, they`re always going to have that dedicated fan base. And some of them did come out today.
HAMMER: Yes. And it was just such a surprising and stark contrast to what was actually going on inside. Right after the plea deal, by the way, I`ve got to point out, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines were just lighting up. We got a call I want to play to you from Teen in California. A pretty typical call. Teen is just outraged. Listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TEEN, CALLER FROM CALIFORNIA: I guess it`s OK to beat your girlfriend according to Chris Brown and Rihanna. And I will never buy another one of their albums. My kids won`t go to their concerts. But I cannot believe that it`s OK for him to get away with this. I can`t believe it. It`s telling the world it`s OK.
HAMMER: Yes, thanks a lot, teen. I appreciate that. So Midwin, she is boycotting Chris and Rihanna over this. I`m saying if you don`t like the punishment Chris Brown got, don`t buy his records. Don`t support his concerts. Do you think we`ll be seeing more of that?
CHARLES: Of course. I mean - and stars have to expect that something like this will happen. And this woman who called and fans, the like, they`re well within their right to boycott artists who do things they find to be despicable and demeaning. But at the end of the day, I have to kind of remind folks here, he didn`t get away with anything.
HAMMER: Right.
CHARLES: He`s still a convicted felon and he`s still admitted - when you plead guilty, you say "I did it."
HAMMER: Yes.
CHARLES: In other words, those bruises everyone saw on her face, he`s saying now, "I did it."
HAMMER: He is saying, "I did it." Midwin Charles, Ted Rowlands, thank you guys so much.
There`s been so much big news today. But the news from Ryan O`Neal about Farrah Fawcett came out of the clear blue. You`ve got to hear what Ryan says how Farrah`s doing now and what he plans to do with her even as she fights for her life. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: "Dancing with the Stars" Julianne Hough to star in the remake of "Footloose." Mel Gibson`s girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, debuts video from her new single.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Ryan Seacrest and Lindsay Lohan spotted together in a Hollywood hotspot. But it`s not what you think. They hooked up but it was just to talk about doing a reality show together. On his Twitter page, Ryan says he pitched Lindsay`s show about giving people second chances.
Well, according to Lindsey`s Twitter page, she says she`s very excited and hopes the show will be meaningful.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, a dramatic announcement from Ryan O`Neal as Farrah Fawcett fights for her life. O`Neal has just revealed he`s going to marry her.
Ryan and Farrah had been together on and off for 25 years. They have a son together, but they never got married. Farrah is desperately fighting cancer that has spread in her body. It began as anal cancer three years ago.
In a brand-new interview, Ryan tells Barbara Walters how Farrah is doing and why he proposed. Barbara revealed part of her exclusive interview this morning on "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Describe her condition right now.
O`NEAL: Fighting for her life. If she`ll feel a little better, I`ve asked her to marry me again and she`s agreed.
WALTERS: Really?
O`NEAL: Swear to God.
WALTERS: Why didn`t you just go do it?
O`NEAL: Well, we will, as soon as she can say yes.
WALTERS: Ryan -
O`NEAL: She can just nod her head. No, I promise you, we will. We will. I`ve already got my costume ready.
WALTERS: What`s your costume?
O`NEAL: I`m like a gigolo, you know, with a little thin mustache and a slick back hair - I don`t know. We have fun. We tease about that. But she said to me - when I asked her to marry me, she said, "OK, OK, but prenup."
WALTERS: So you make her laugh?
O`NEAL: Oh, yes. If she can, I will.
WALTERS: So you really think you and Farrah will get married?
O`NEAL: Absolutely.
WALTERS: Oh, I hope so.
O`NEAL: Absolutely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. You can watch the full interview Friday on ABC`s "20/20."
Well, on Friday, before Jon and Kate announced their stunning split, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Jon and Kate: Can their marriage be saved? Not a lot of people think so. 43 percent of you said yes; 57 percent no.
Some of the E-mails coming in included this from Melissa in Texas writing, "They need to try to work out their problems for the children. Whether than means divorce or reconciliation, that is not for anyone but them to decide."
Erica from Florida, "Jon and Kate could save their marriage if they stepped out of the limelight and decided to focus on their problems.
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00 - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific and in the morning at 11:00 Eastern on HLN.
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