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Showbiz Tonight
Ryan O` Neal Attacked by His Own Son; Is the Doctor the Daddy?; Jennifer Aniston on Being Unlucky in Love; The Kate Hairdo; The Divorce Dance
Aired August 04, 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 incredible rage over Ryan. Tonight, the explosive attack on Ryan O`Neal by his own son that Ryan was mad that Farrah was dying of cancer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN O`NEAL, RYAN O`NEAL`S SON: The attention had to be diverted here and he didn`t like it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Claims about Ryan`s faithfulness to Farrah Fawcett.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Was he not faithful to her?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The remarkable attack on Ryan on the same day Ryan said he hit on his own daughter at Farrah`s funeral. Tonight, it`s father against son in the O`Neal family showdown.
Tonight, is the doctor the daddy? Why in the world did Michael Jackson`s dermatologist demand a role in the lives of Michael Jackson`s kids? But is he really the biological father and why the demand now?
Plus, Jennifer Aniston`s brand-new revelations about being unlucky in love. Hear why Aniston says she doesn`t mind being the lonely girl, as TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
Tonight, the rage over Ryan. First, there was Ryan O`Neal confessing that he actually hit on his own daughter, Tatum O`Neal, at Farrah Fawcett`s funeral. And now, there`s this - an attack on Ryan so angry, so vicious, so intense, please don`t be surprised if you see smoke coming from your TV.
What makes this even more remarkable is that the attack you`re about to hear comes from Ryan O`Neal`s own son. And what he`s saying about his father and his father`s life with Farrah Fawcett, it is going to make your head spin, which is why SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this is all making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): With Ryan O`Neal making headlines for accidentally hitting on his daughter, Tatum O`Neal, at Farrah Fawcett`s funeral, he`s taking another public hit to his father of the year credentials.
KING: When was the last time you spoke to your father?
G. O`NEAL: The night he tried to shoot me in the face.
HAMMER: Ryan O`Neal`s oldest son, Griffin, who`s had several memorable fights with his famous father appeared on "Larry King Live" to make some explosive allegations -
RYAN O`NEAL, ACTOR: I love her more than I ever have loved her.
HAMMER: About the documentary, "Farrah`s Story" where Ryan was shown caring for Fawcett in her dying days. Griffin says -
G. O`NEAL: They were exploiting her.
HAMMER: About Ryan`s statement that he proposed to Farrah on her death bed, Griffin says -
G. O`NEAL: This was absolute B.S.
HAMMER: And about Ryan`s parenting of his four children, Griffin says -
G. O`NEAL: I was 11 years old when he gave me cocaine.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the latest on the son`s wild charges.
KING: Is he a narcissist or is a narcissist?
G. O`NEAL: Absolute complete narcissist in every way.
HAMMER: And the famous father`s response.
LESLIE BENNETTS, INTERVIEWED THE O`NEALS FOR "VANITY FAIR": Ryan said to me, "I hate him."
HAMMER: Ryan O`Neal, a major movie star in the 1970s has been more visible than ever lately as he talked about his final days with his long-time companion, Farrah Fawcett.
R. O`NEAL: She`s so much more of a woman and a powerful, courageous, fearless and I look at her with awe.
HAMMER: But his oldest son Griffin tells "LARRY KING LIVE" that Ryan`s portrayal as a loyal caregiver to Fawcett is just a Hollywood fantasy.
KING: Are you saying that interview was crocodile tears, that that wasn`t what you saw?
G. O`NEAL: I haven`t seen a tear yet.
HAMMER: In an explosive cover story in "Vanity Fair," Griffin took his father-bashing up a notch, claiming that Ryan was after Fawcett`s money and calling him, quote, "a vulture presiding over a carcass."
BENNETTS: Griffin accuses his father of only having helped Farrah at the end because he wanted her money.
HAMMER: In a blunt response, Ryan O`Neal`s spokesperson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Ryan has his own money." And Griffin is going off on his dad`s recent interview with Barbara Walters where he said Farrah had agreed to marry him before she died.
R. O`NEAL: We will as soon as she can say yes.
BARBARA WALTERS, TV PERSONALITY: Why?
R. O`NEAL: Maybe we can just nod our heads.
G. O`NEAL: This was absolute B.S. I could not believe it. She didn`t want to marry him. She loved him, but she didn`t want to marry him. My dad was not nice to her.
HAMMER: In response, O`Neal`s people say, quote, "Griffin has not had a relationship with Farrah or Ryan for many years. Therefore, there is no way he would have any knowledge of what was going on in their lives."
HAMMER: Griffin and Ryan`s relationship over the years has been volatile, to say the least. Ryan reportedly knocked out two of his son`s teeth in a fight in 1983. And they haven`t spoken since the 2007 incident where Ryan actually fired a gun during an argument. Ryan O`Neal was not charged in either incident but Griffin tells Larry King he`s still upset.
G. O`NEAL: He showed very little remorse for trying to shoot me in the face.
HAMMER: Griffin also blames his father for the drug abuse that`s plagued most of his family.
G. O`NEAL: It destroyed me. It wasted many, many years of my life.
HAMMER: About that claim, Ryan O`Neal`s spokesperson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "The claim that Ryan gave Griffin or any of his children drugs is categorically false."
HAMMER: But Ryan O`Neal isn`t denying everything his son is saying.
BENNETTS: The first time I talked about to him about his kids, he said, you know, "I wish I hadn`t - I should never have been a father. Look what a terrible job I`ve done."
HAMMER: Unfortunately, that`s the only thing on which this famously estranged father and son agree.
G. O`NEAL: I call him Ryan now because, you know, I`ve had to let go of him as being my dad, not that he was ever really a dad. I`m having a hard time thinking that there`s going to be some reconciliation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, given that both Ryan and his son Griffin both have big issues and axes to grind, who are we to believe?
Joining me now from Hollywood, Lisa Bloom who is a CNN legal analyst. Also from Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, who is a correspondent for "Extra."
So let me get this straight. Ryan O`Neal`s estranged son Griffin goes on national TV to viciously slam his dad, Ryan, right after Ryan confesses in another interview that he hit on his own daughter, Tatum, at Farrah Fawcett`s funeral.
Carlos, are you with me? Is it just not sad how dysfunctional this family is and at such a time of tragedy?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Yes, it is. And I think the truth kind of lies somewhere in between. I mean, maybe Ryan O`Neal isn`t as bad as Griffin says he is. But maybe Griffin`s upset with this whole situation. And there is truth to what you guys just talked about in that piece that Griffin hasn`t had a relationship, you know, with his dad. So I mean, how does he know all these things?
But the main point is, we saw a very, very angry - not boy - a very angry man last night on "LARRY KING LIVE" in Griffin O`Neal. And I think that there needs to be some kind of conversation between Griffin and Ryan.
HAMMER: Yes. That is a lot of rage burning up inside there. And I think what`s really going to strike a lot of people listening to all this is Griffin claiming that the whole idea that Farrah agreed to marry Ryan on her deathbed - you remember that? Well, he claims it was a big joke. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
G. O`NEAL: When I saw the Barbara Walters interview, I was screaming at the TV going, "Is it only me that sees this? Is it me - does anybody else see this?" Because this was absolute B.S. I could not believe it. My dad saying - oh, you know, did she say yes? "No, she can`t talk but we`ll nod her head for her." I was turning inside-out. I was like, you`ve got to be kidding me. How absolutely disgusting was that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Lisa Bloom, let me ask you. As Carlos just said, he believes the truth is somewhere in the middle. Given that Griffin and Ryan have not had a relationship for years, how would he know what was going on? Does that fact kind of make his claims less credible?
LISA BLOOM, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, Griffin claims he had a text message relationship with Farrah. I mean, who knows? Bottom line to me is Griffin probably has a lot of legitimate complaints against his father, but why now? Why would you choose this time so close to Farrah`s death to air your dirty laundry about your own father?
There`s a real lack of grace here. And it seems to me that Farrah, who was optimistic and brave and lovely to the end, was really the moral center of this family.
HAMMER: Yes.
BLOOM: And unfortunately, when she passed away, all this ugliness is now emerging.
HAMMER: Yes. And Griffin told Larry King when asked, "Why are you talking about this?" Now, he said a lot of people have a lot of questions about the O`Neal family. But to you point, Lisa, why now? You could wait a little longer.
And as we know, Farrah Fawcett did not put Ryan in her will. And in another remarkable claim, Griffin says he knows the real reason that Farrah left her entire estate to her son, Redmond. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
G. O`NEAL: I don`t think she was as unconscious as they thought she was. You know, when you`re dying of cancer - because I watched my mother die of cancer - you know, you`re in and out of a morphine haze. But I think she saw the transparency between my father and Alana and I think there`s a little bit more to be said about that. And we`ll find out later.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Griffin referring there to Farrah`s close friend and biographer, Alana Stewart. Carlos, what do you think? I mean, these two, Farrah and Ryan, were together for decades. Was it a shock that Farrah left Ryan out of the will?
DIAZ: Well, I mean, according to Ryan`s people, he has money. He doesn`t need Farrah`s money and maybe she knew that. And I was at the funeral and I can tell you firsthand, that I was struck at the funeral about how many references were made at the funeral inside that church about how we need to help Redmond, how we need to give Redmond responsibility.
And maybe that`s what Farrah Fawcett was doing by leaving Redmond all the money that she had. Maybe she was saying, "OK. Here you go. This is all that I have. I`m giving it to you. Now, this is your chance to finally be responsible."
HAMMER: Lisa, very quickly, you know, Griffin saying that he wants reconciliation with Ryan. But do you really see that happening?
BLOOM: Well, this is the wrong way to go about it, by dissing his father on national television in a very brutal and harsh way. I mean, he needs to lay the groundwork for a healthy relationship if he wants to get there.
Look, we hope this family reconciles. I would hope that they all remember Farrah and in her name, her legacy, have a little bit more decency when they`re talking about each other.
HAMMER: Couldn`t agree with you more. Lisa Bloom, Carlos Diaz, thanks, guys. I appreciate it.
All right. Moving on tonight, we all know that Jennifer Aniston hasn`t been so lucky when it comes to love. The divorce from Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn break-up, the back-and-forth with John Mayer.
But tonight, Jen is saying, "Hey, I don`t mind being the poster girl for lonely girls everywhere. That`s fine with me." I want to ask you, though. Do you feel sorry for her?
Also tonight, is the doctor the daddy? Why in the world was Michael Jackson`s dermatologist asking for a role in the lives of M.J.`s kids? Is this guy really the biological father?
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just got married a few weeks ago and already they`re dancing into divorce court?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, no! Could it be? Is forever not forever? Are the wedding dance bride and groom already in divorce court? What is going on here? Well, tonight, I have got the inside story of the divorce dance video that everyone is talking about. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom. And they are making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Michael Douglas` son, Cameron, arrested on meth- dealing charge in NYC. Hugh Jackman to play P.T. Barnum in "The Greatest Showman on Earth," a musical.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, a SHOWBIZ flashback. It is hard to believe, but it has now been 40 years since the horrific Charles Manson killing spree took place back in summer of 1969. The heinous crimes were something out of a horror film, but it was all very real and it really rocked Hollywood when actress Sharon Tate became one of the so-called Manson family`s first victims.
Well, in a week-long series on CNN`s "Anderson Cooper 360," Ted Rowlands is taking us back to that terrible time. Here`s Ted`s report on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The psychopath who carved a swastika into his forehead is 74 now. Time has changed his face, peer into the eyes. They are as dark and penetrating as they were when the world first met Charles Manson.
It has been 40 years since the messianic madman and his disciples slaughtered seven people. And it began right here on this Cielo Drive, a quiet, leafy cul-de-sac overlooking Beverly Hills.
See this security gate? Behind it, there is a mansion. But in the 1960s, a much smaller house was at this address. It was home to two rising Hollywood stars, director Roman Polanski and his wife, actress Sharon Tate.
At 26, Tate was young, beautiful. She was also 8 1/2 months pregnant when the killers arrived on August 9th, 1969. On Manson`s orders, four members of his cult, or The Family, as they were called, went on a murder spree at the home with knives and guns.
Before leaving, they left a message on the front door scrawled in blood - the word, "pig." The scene was horrific, but there would be more to come.
The next day, Manson himself accompanied the group to here to the home of supermarket executive, Leno LaBianca and his wife. Except for this gate and some remodeling, the house today looks very much the same as it did when the Manson family entered the property and tortured the couple before killing them.
Again, more cryptic words in blood like "rise" and "helter skelter," a reference to the Beatles` song of the same name.
BLOOM: I think the Manson murders were the iconic crimes of the 1960s. They incorporated everything from the sexual fascination of Manson with his many women followers to the Beatles music of the day, the outlandish courtroom circus that the trial became.
ROWLANDS: Manson was a 5`2" megalomaniac, a man who spent more than half of his life behind bars before moving to California where he portrayed himself as a hippie and a musician. He attracted the lonely, desperate and troubled, mostly women who traveled with him across the state until they moved into an abandoned building on an old movie set outside of Los Angeles. What was behind the murders?
BLOOM: Manson said that he did it to try to start a race war. His theory was that blacks would win in a race war against the whites. They would be unable to govern. And then, he would emerge and take over.
ROWLANDS: In 1971, Manson and four of his followers were given the death penalty. But the sentences were commuted to life when California abolished capital punishment. Over the years, Manson has turned his parole hearings into a circus filled with wild antics and ramblings.
He will likely die in prison, a fate other members of the so-called Family want to avoid. Susan Atkins, who has terminal cancer, was denied parole last year but is up again next month. Leslie Van Houten is also longing for freedom. This is what she said in 2004.
LESLIE VAN HOUTEN, MEMBER, CHARLES MANSON`S "THE FAMILY": I was raised to be a decent human being. I`ve turned into a monster and I have spent these years going back to a decent human being. And I just don`t know what else to say.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was amazing. That was CNN`s Ted Rowlands for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. His reports on the Manson murders will be airing all this week on CNN on "A.C. 360."
Well, moving on now, the very first episode of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" since Jon and Kate announced their split aired on Monday. And our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines started lighting up right after, a lot of debate going on over whether or not the show should be canceled.
Well, Angela from Texas doesn`t think so. She says we need to see what`s going on with Jon and Kate, warts and all.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ANGELA, CALLER FROM TEXAS: Of course, Jon and Kate is not a family show anymore. They are getting divorced, but "Jon & Kate Plus 8" was never a family show. It`s a reality show. That is reality in today`s age. 51 percent of America gets divorced. We should be able to see families on TV get divorced and see how they deal with it and their children deal with it.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks, Angela. We also heard from Jenny calling into "Showbiz on Call" from Minnesota. Now, Jenny says it`s time to back off from slamming Kate. It`s Jon who`s causing the problems.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JENNY, CALLER FROM MINNESOTA: You know, I think it just really shows what Kate was dealing with, that Jon is just so immature. And he was just acting like a kid and not a good - like a misbehaving kid. So when the stress of the situation came, and yes, she was nagging. But it`s because she was doing all of the work. And so, you know, I don`t think we need to demonize her anymore.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Jenny. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about "Jon & Kate Plus 8" or anything else at all. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; the number again is 1-888-728-2899.
Tonight, is the doctor the daddy? Michael Jackson`s dermatologist asking for a role in the lives of M.J.`s kids. Yes, his dermatologist. But why?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LONDELL MCMILLAN, KATHERINE JACKSON`S ATTORNEY: It`s hard to read between the lines. But I can tell you what he expressly said that Michael Jackson was a great father and that they loved each other.
KING: That`s what he said, but the question was, is he the father? He didn`t say no, he didn`t say yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is this guy, Dr. Arnie Klein, really the kids` biological father? And could all this just totally blow up this whole custody deal with Katherine Jackson, Michael`s mom, that they all worked out?
And the Brad Pitt divorce, the Vince Vaughn break-up, the John Mayer, whatever the heck that was. Yes, Jennifer Aniston`s been unlucky in love, to be sure. But tonight, she says, "Hey, I don`t mind being the lonely girl."
And Jon and Kate return to why people everywhere are running out to get Kate`s hairdo. Some say it`s a reverse mullet. I don`t know. But what I do know is that Kate`s do is in demand. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Dan Rather sues to have CBS executives put back into his $70 million lawsuit against CBS. Steven Spielberg to be awarded Philadelphia`s Liberty Medal for artistic work.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, Whoopi Goldberg totally unplugged. Whoopi sat down for a wide-ranging no-topic-is-off-limits interview with our CNN friend Campbell Brown. Well, Campbell asked Whoopi about why young stars, and specifically young women, have so many problems dealing with fame. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS: When you suddenly are presented with everything that you ever dreamed of, you want to do everything.
CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When you`re still a child basically.
GOLDBERG: When you`re still a child, and you want to do everything. And you want to go everywhere and you want to meet everyone and you want to try everything. And you get the opportunity to go everywhere all the time, every second of the day.
And some folks - they`re just not prepared for it. And because we as a society don`t say, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute.
BROWN: Right -
GOLDBERG: You`re really good but you`ve got to take a break because once you take a break, we don`t let you come back. So people feel like they have to stay on that treadmill. And some people are just sociopaths and are going to flip out.
You know, that`s just the way it is. It`s like, you know, you never know who you`re going to get. But sometimes, man, you know, people don`t stop and say, "Hey, are you OK?" Because they`re supporting their entire family or they`re supporting everyone around them and they have entourages. And no one says, "You know, you`re paying for all this and this money may not last."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You can watch more of the great Whoopi Goldberg with Campbell Brown. Their interview is on Wednesday, 8:00 p.m. on CNN.
All right. Right now, I want to head over to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page. I posted my video about Ryan O`Neal`s admitting to hitting on his own daughter at Farrah Fawcett`s funeral. . And I got a lot of fired-up responses.
I want to read this one from Elizabeth H. who writes, "Even if he didn`t recognize her, it still does not excuse hitting on any woman at a funeral. Even more heinous, the man hit on another woman who was his daughter. Seriously, that`s just plain disgusting."
And remember, I want to hear from you on Facebook. You can also follow us on Twitter. You`ll get breaking entertainment news alerts. You can sign up for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook and Twitter pages at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We all know Jennifer Aniston has been unlucky in love, right? Well, tonight, she`s saying hey, she`s OK with being the poster girl for lonely girls everywhere. Jen`s brand-new revelations about her love life.
Michael Jackson`s dermatologist wants to be a part of M.J.`s kids` lives. Will this throw a wrench into the custody deal Michael`s mom just got?
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: They just got married. Just got married a few weeks ago and already they`re dancing into divorce court?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Uh-oh, is forever not forever? Is the wedding dance couple ending up in divorce court? The inside story of the divorce dance. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: "24" star Mary Lynn Rajskub (she plays "Chloe") marries personal trainer in Las Vegas. Modest Mouse`s video for song "King Rat" directed by Heath Ledger debuts on MySpace.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, is the doctor the daddy?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCMILLAN: It was hard to read between the lines. But I can tell you what he expressly said, that Michael Jackson was a great father and that they loved each other.
KING: That`s what he said, but the question was, is he the father? He didn`t say no, he didn`t say yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The shocking mystery surrounding Michael Jackson`s dermatologist. Why does he want a role in the lives of Michael`s kids? Could this shake up the brand-new custody deal with Michael`s mom?
Jennifer Aniston - rocking body, check. Red hot movie career, check, check. Lonely girl, huh? Tonight, Jen`s brand-new revelations about why she doesn`t mind being the lonely girl.
The new Jon and Kate craze, the wild reason everyone is rushing out to get Kate`s "do."
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`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
Tonight, is the doctor the daddy? That`s what everyone`s wondering. It`s been long suspected that Jackson`s former dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, is the biological father of the two children that Michael Jackson had with Debbie Rowe.
The Jackson family`s jaws collectively dropped when an attorney for Klein showed up at the Jackson kids` custody hearing and actually asked for a role in the lives of Michael`s kids. People were surprised. They were baffled. And now, of course, everybody`s wondering, why? So is Arnie Klein the daddy of two of Michael`s kids?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Lisa Bloom, who is a CNN legal analyst. And in New York, Sunny Hostin who is a legal analyst and former federal prosecutor.
Let us begin with this bizarre request by Klein who asked to play a role in the education and medical care of the kids. The judge basically told Klein`s attorney, hey, take a hike. Well, Katherine Jackson`s attorneys told CNN`s Larry King they have no clue what the heck that was all about. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What did you make of the Arnold Klein lawyer coming?
DIANE GOODMAN, KATHERINE JACKSON`S ATTORNEY: I was totally confused by it.
KING: What did he want?
GOODMAN: Well, he couldn`t even tell us. He said his client was concerned about the children`s education and welfare. The judge made it very clear that he didn`t have standing. And I`m not sure what he was really looking for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A lot of people feel that way. Lisa Bloom, what do you think Klein`s attorney was looking for?
BLOOM: Well, I think he`s clearly hinting very, very strongly that Dr. Klein is the biological father. He says that Dr. Klein has had a special relationship with the kids. Klein has said, "To the best of my knowledge, I`m not the father."
I mean, come on. Can`t we all see through this? It seems apparent to me that he probably is the sperm donor. And if so, why not have a role in these kids` lives? They only have, right now, a mother who they don`t know at all, a grandmother who`s quite elderly. Why not step up to the plate? I mean, this would be the time.
HAMMER: Yes. Sunny Hostin, let me get your take on this. You were a federal prosecutor. You know how all this normally goes down in a courtroom, not that any of this is normal. But how bizarre was it for Klein to make this request? What do you think his motives were here?
SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL ANALYST AND FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Well, you know, I think it was as Lisa said it was expected. These have been rumors that have been swirling around forever. While he`s denied being the biological father, all of his denials have been very, very carefully worded.
And I think there really is no question that he is likely the biological father. And typically, in these types of case, parental rights are very, very important, and especially it`s usually found that it`s in the best interest of the children to know their biological parents.
And his parental rights certainly haven`t been established but they haven`t been terminated either. And so it`s being reported that on September 1st, he may go back to court and file for some sort of release and I think we`re going to see that he may very well indeed be given an opportunity to be part of these children`s lives.
HAMMER: Wouldn`t that be something? Let`s get some context here and also talk about his denials. We can`t forget that Klein`s one-time secretary, Debbie Rowe, is the biological mother of two of Jackson`s three kids.
Plus, there`s been this wild speculation that Klein is the biological father of those kids for years. And Klein, as we have been saying, has never actually denied whether or not he is the father.
But watch what happened a few weeks ago when CNN`s Larry King grilled him about why he can`t seem to give a straight answer if he`s the father. Roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: You said you couldn`t answer that one way or the other.
DR. ARNOLD KLEIN, MICHAEL JACKSON`S FORMER DERMATOLOGIST: I still can`t answer it absolutely one way or the other.
KING: That means you donated sperm?
KLEIN: I once donated sperm. I don`t know - but you have to know that -
KING: You donated to him?
KLEIN: No, absolutely not.
KING: But you donated sperm?
KLEIN: Once I donated sperm through a sperm bank.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Lisa Bloom, it`s almost as if Klein wants people to think he`s the biological father but he can`t say it. Isn`t that how it strikes you?
BLOOM: He probably promised Michael Jackson at the time that he donated the sperm, if he is the father, that he would take a backseat just like Debbie Rowe promised. He would not tell people that he was the father. And so he`s conflicted now because Michael`s gone and the children need a father.
And look, I think it`s fair to say that Dr. Klein is probably one of two suspects who`s the father of these kids. It`s either him or Larry Birkhead.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, I think we can probably rule out the second one. But hey, it`s been kind of strange, hasn`t it?
Now, Larry did bring up the whole thing to Katherine Jackson`s attorneys because, obviously, he wanted to get their take on why Klein would be so mysterious, not fessing up or denying claims that he is the baby daddy of two of Michael`s kids. Watch what they said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: But the question was, is he the father? He didn`t so no, he didn`t say yes.
MCMILLAN: Yes.
GOODMAN: He`s not the legal father. He doesn`t have any standing. I have no idea whether he`s the biological father. But that`s not -
KING: Can he prove that in a DNA test?
GOODMAN: Could it be proved? Yes, but this court`s not going to order it. And there`s no standing for him to ask for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So Katherine Jackson`s lawyers don`t seem threatened by Klein`s grandstanding. And Sunny, it really seems this guy could never pose a real threat, could he, to Katherine Jackson`s custody of the kids?
HOSTIN: I think he very well could be. And I have to disagree with that lawyer on television that`s saying the court is never going to order a DNA test. I don`t think that that is true.
I think it is quite possible that the court could order a DNA test because really, what the court is supposed to do is find what`s in the best interest of the children.
HAMMER: Right, right.
HOSTIN: And I think we can all agree that they may be in their best interests. So certainly, if he`s the biological father, he could ask for some sort of change in custody here and one of those changes could be that he got visitation. And let`s face it. These are sort of the billion- dollar children, are they not?
HAMMER: Yes.
HOSTIN: And there`s a little bit of a motive there.
HAMMER: I understand why there`s a lot of interest there. Got to end it there. Sunny Hostin, Lisa Bloom, thank you so much.
Who knows when we`re going to get to the bottom of the whole Dr. Klein drama? But right now, we`ve got another Michael Jackson mystery to solve. The SHOWBIZ truth squad all over it. How much is Michael Jackson`s estate really worth? Katherine Jackson`s attorney has said it is in the billions. Others say it is in the millions.
Here`s CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the true value of Jackson`s estate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was $400 million in debt by some estimates, so why the fight over his estate?
MARK ROESLER, BUSINESS AGENT: Michael Jackson will certainly be worth more dead than he was alive.
KAYE: Business agent Mark Roesler handled estates of other celebrities who have passed like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. He predicts Jackson will be the biggest grossing personality of all time. Good news for his mother Katherine and his three children, who together were left 80 percent of his estate.
(on camera): So what is the estate really worth? Katherine Jackson`s attorney has said it`s worth $2 billion. But a source close to the estate dealings called that ridiculous and called her attorney terribly misinformed.
That source told me the estate is more likely worth about $100 million right now with the potential to be worth a whole lot more.
(voice-over): Already, we`ve learned deals are in the works that could bring in hundreds of millions of dollars, including a movie featuring hours of Jackson`s final rehearsal footage. Our source says the estate will get 90 percent of the profits.
Also Jackson`s memoir, "Moonwalk," will be re-released in October. That deal is worth about $60 million.
ROESLER: You`re talking about the copyrights. You`re talking about the trademarks. You`re talking about the - what you call the right of publicity that`s associated with his name and likeness.
KAYE: One of the men in charge is John Branca, who also helped turn around Elvis Presley`s estate. Two years ago, "Forbes" magazine put Elvis at the top of its list of top-earning dead celebrities. If all goes as planned, Jackson may surpass him.
Since his death, he`s outsold every artist in albums and downloads. In fact, he`s the highest selling artist after death since Nielsen started tracking this stuff in 1991.
The numbers don`t lie, from January 1st of this year until the week he died, Jackson sold 297,000 albums. Compare that to 3.73 million five weeks later. And in 2009, prior to the week he died, fans downloaded just 1.3 million of his songs. Five weeks later, it had jumped to 8.5 million.
Also, he had the top 10 albums on the Billboard chart for two weeks, the first time any artist, alive or dead, has done that. This senior editor from "Forbes" says the time is now for Jackson`s estate to cash in.
MATTHEW MILLER, SENIOR EDITOR, "FORBES" MAGAZINE: Right now, Michael Jackson`s got his best shot ever because everyone is looking at it through rosy-tinted glasses. And the further we get away from his death, the more you`ll see those sunglasses taken off. And so the value of his assets will actually go down.
KAYE: No doubt, Jackson`s family and his creditors hope that doesn`t happen anytime soon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Now, the next court hearings involving Jackson`s estates are set for August 10th and 28th.
All right. Moving on now, Jennifer Aniston - obviously, she`s stunning. She`s rich. She`s box office gold. But is Jennifer really the loneliest girl in the world? Huh?
Tonight, what Jennifer Aniston is embracing - her lonely life. It is her revealing new confessions about being unlucky in love.
Plus, do you remember when Jen`s hair was all the rage when she was back on "Friends?" Well, brace yourselves tonight because there`s a new hair craze. It is sweeping the nation. It`s the Kate Gosselin. Wait until you hear the wild reason everybody is rushing out to get "The Kate".
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: Just got married a few weeks ago and they`re already dancing into divorce court?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Love on the rocks for the dancing wedding couple? Say it isn`t so. Wait until you hear the inside scoop on this laugh-out loud divorce disco. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: President Obama and wife Michelle top "Vanity Fair" magazine`s 2009 best dressed list. But Angelina Jolie doesn`t make the cut for "Vanity Fair" magazine`s 2009 best dressed list.)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
All right. Tonight, you`re going to want to buckle your seat belt because here come Kate minus Jon. "Jon & Kate Plus 8" returns for the first time since the bombshell divorce announcement.
And do you want to look like Kate? I know you do. I know this may seem a little crazy, but there are people who are just going crazy over this Kate Gosselin look for Halloween and it`s August.
Also, making big news right now, Jennifer Aniston`s brand-new confessions about her love life and what she`s saying about being called the lonely girl.
Joining me tonight in New York, Natalie Thomas, who is the deputy news editor for "Us Weekly." Also joining me tonight in Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, a correspondent for "Extra."
All right, guys. Let`s begin with "Jon & Kate Plus 8." Two episodes aired last night. But I want to show you a little bit of the second episode. And you`re going to see is where Kate is alone with the kids and Jon is - I don`t know, somewhere running around globe-trotting with his girlfriend. Watch what Kate had to say about her new single-mom status. Let`s look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR: This is a very, very difficult time right now. Those words almost don`t even cover it. But my main goal is to make this transition as easy and painless, if that`s possible, for the kids as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. And not a trace of Jon in this entire episode. Carlos, I`ve got to ask you - if Jon and Kate never appear together or even in the same show, setting aside that they should rename the show, why would anybody want to watch this thing?
DIAZ: Well, I didn`t watch last night. I watched the Tivoed Sunday "Entourage" that I missed on Sunday.
HAMMER: All right.
DIAZ: And by the way, A.J., on "Entourage," you looked marvelous, my friend. I`ll tell you, seriously, you`re a very talented actor.
HAMMER: But you digress -
DIAZ: But here`s the thing - I digressed. I think it`s still great TV. I really, really do. I mean, it is the struggle of a single woman who is trying to make it with not one, not two, not three, but eight children.
And I think, you know, that women can relate to this. I think that when you, by chance, bring Jon back into the equation, the numbers are even going to go even higher. And the numbers were great last night. So I think there are still several reasons to watch this show.
HAMMER: Interesting perspective, but I have to say among SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers, people don`t want this thing around anymore. We asked online and on-air in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "`Jon & Kate Plus 8`: Should the show be canceled?"
Look at this overwhelming response. So many votes came in - 90 percent said, yes, get rid of the show. Only 10 percent said keep it around. People basically saying the show should go. Jon and Kate say they`re doing it for the kids. Natalie, what do you think should happen?
NATALIE THOMAS, DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": I agree with Carlos that it`s compelling television. However, I have to agree more with the viewers. I think that it`s time to pull the plug. I really lost hope in them and faith in them when they were promoting their divorce.
They were teasing the upcoming episode that the divorce announcement was going to be made. And really, you`ve got to think about the kids here. What does their future hold? They`re having every moment on TV and their parents` much-publicized divorce -
(CROSS TALK)
DIAZ: All right. Think about the kids. Think about the kids, though, when you have that response. Because without the show, there is no money for these kids. So think about the kids.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: There are other ways to make money. We`ve been through this before. Listen, almost more importantly right now, because I`m just fascinated by this, besides the show, people are buzzing about Kate`s hair.
You`ve got to take a look at this. This is being called one of this year`s hottest Halloween costumes. It`s a wig so you, too, can be Kate Gosselin. Now, Carlos, that is pretty scary, isn`t it?
DIAZ: That`s amazing and it`s only fitting to have Kate`s fake hair because Jon has fake hair year-round.
HAMMER: Yes, exactly right.
DIAZ: That makes sense. But also I`m already working on my Jon impersonation because I want to take someone for Halloween, a date as Kate so I get to be Jon and just going to go - I don`t know.
THOMAS: Wear a party gear. Put some earrings in.
DIAZ: Yes, yes. Sure.
HAMMER: Let`s move on to the originator of the TV hair craze, Jennifer Aniston and her love life. In the brand-new issue of "Elle" magazine - I think this is pretty wild - Aniston taking the bull by the horns about her up-and-down love life saying, quote, "I`m not going to ignore the pink elephant in the living room. It`s fine. I can take it. If I`m the emblem for `This is what it looks like to be the lonely girl getting on with her life,` so be it."
HAMMER: Natalie, why is it that since her split with Brad almost four years ago, she can`t escape this unlucky in love thing?
THOMAS: She`s picking the wrong guys in my opinion. She`s going after these guys that are (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the fame and the spotlight as well, these high-profile guys. John Mayer was after Brad Pitt. He`s a notorious womanizer.
She needs to find a nice, secure man that is not in Hollywood that lets her have the spotlight. But I understand what she`s saying because that`s the picture of lonely and sad. Then, great, she`s making millions of dollars. She`s beautiful. She`s in great shape. She`s having the time of her life. And she`s laughing all the way to the bank.
HAMMER: Yes, she certainly is. Carlos, very, very quickly - do you fear that people might be less interested in her if she becomes lucky in love?
DIAZ: Not at all. Because if she finds love, then maybe you move toward marriage. Maybe you move toward her finally having kids. And then you have, whose kids are cuter, Brangelina`s or Jennifer Aniston`s?
HAMMER: Exactly right.
DIAZ: That`s what we`re going to see right there, yes.
HAMMER: We will end it there. Carlos Diaz, Natalie Thomas, thanks, guys.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day on Jen - "Jennifer Aniston Unlucky in Love: Do you feel sorry for her?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, Jen, may not be the only one with love on the rocks. Have our favorite dancing newlyweds possibly hit the skids?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: Just got married a few weeks ago and already they`re dancing into divorce court?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, no. Not them, dancing judges, lawyers and bailiffs are shaking their moneymakers this time. Tonight, the inside scoop on this hilarious divorce spoof of the heart-warming wedding dance video.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
(CAPTION READS: Beyonce and Lady Gaga each score nine nominations for 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Bethenny Frankel to return for 3rd season of "Real Housewives of New York.")
It is time now for "Making It Work." We find out how stars make their relationships work. Tonight, it`s Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. Believe it or not, they are about to celebrate their fourth anniversary next month.
Despite all the haters who thought the cougar thing wouldn`t last, Ashton and Demi seem stronger than ever. And at the premiere of his hilarious new movie, "Spread," Ashton told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he makes it work by not keeping count or even sweating all the small stuff.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASHTON KUTCHER, ACTOR: Demi and I don`t keep count. That`s why it still works. Demi and I have an agreement that we don`t keep count. So she gives to me. I give to her. As long as it all feels even, we`re good. We`re not keeping count.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And it was a familiarly affair on the red carpet for Ashton and wife Demi Moore. Stepdaughter Rumer was also right there. By the way, "Spread" is in theaters on August 14th. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. All right. Lots of people have seen the wedding party that danced down the aisle to Chris Brown`s "Forever."
But have you seen the divorce court parody? This thing has become a new YouTube sensation, and we have the behind-the-scenes secrets of exactly how the divorce dance came to be.
Here now is CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
MOOS (voice-over): They just got married, just got married a few weeks ago and already they are dancing into divorce court? There`s the groom. Here comes the judge. If this looks and sounds familiar, it`s because you and more than 15 million other people have watched the original wedding dance video on YouTube.
Real bride Jill Peterson and her groom Kevin Heinz, kick-started their ceremony dancing to "Forever" by Chris Brown. The video was such a hit, even with this toddler that the "Today" show asked the bridal party to reenact it.
Contestants in Australia`s "Dancing with the Stars" staged their own version. Even a local news team got into the act.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`ve got our own thing going here.
MOOS: But now, instead of groomsmen, lawyers are doing the dancing. Instead of bridesmaids, stenographers are kicking up a fuss in divorce court.
(on camera): Do you think they`re going to be divorced in six months?
MAX ROSEN, INDIGO PRODUCTION: No, we hope they`re together forever.
MOOS (voice-over): Max Rosen produced the parody divorce court video for Indigo Productions using real dancers and actors and Conan O`Brien`s choreographer in yellow.
(on camera): How long did you guys take to shoot it?
ROSEN: We shot it in one hour.
MOOS: Wow. In the real courtroom?
ROSEN: In the real courtroom.
MOOS: I can`t believe they let you in there.
(voice-over): The couple even stood on the furniture pantomiming a fight. In the end, they make nice with the newlyweds they are spoofing -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just kidding, guys.
CAST: We love you.
MOOS (on camera): And talk about marriage, the original wedding dance video and the parody are now together forever.
(voice-over): Do you take this spoof to be your lawful-wedded parody?
HAMMER: I just want to know why Conan O`Brien has a choreographer. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
You can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. In the mornings, we`re on at 11:00 a.m. Eastern here on HLN.
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