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Showbiz Tonight
Kanye West Disses Taylor Swift at the VMAs; Whitney Houston`s Shocking Confessions; Kate Gosselin`s Date with "The View"; Madonna`s Emotional Tribute to Michael Jackson
Aired September 14, 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: Right now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, shame on you, Kanye. Tonight, the unbelievable outrage today after Kanye West`s disgusting diss of Taylor Swift of the MTV Video Music Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KANYE WEST, SINGER: I`m really happy for you. I`m going to let you finish, but Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, one-on-one with Taylor right after it happened. Wait until you hear what America`s sweetheart told us about Kanye`s outrageous diss. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is it time to boycott Kanye?
Whitney Houston`s shocking confessions today on "Oprah." Whitney`s no-holds-barred revelations to Oprah about her drug use.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER: We were on pot. We weren`t buying $20 jumbles. We were buying - paying money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And her explosive brand-new claims to Oprah that hubby Bobby Brown abused her.
Plus, Kate`s date with "The View." Kate Gosselin`s must-see appearance, co-hosting "The View." What Kate is saying about Jon now 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.
And tonight, shame on you, Kanye. There was an absolutely remarkable reaction from coast to coast to what Kanye West did to Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards last night. And it all came down to this - shame on you, Kanye West.
I could not believe what I was seeing when Kanye pulled the mike away from America`s sweetheart after she won a big award and then downright dissed her in front of the entire world.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal that the fallout from Kanye`s unacceptable and shameful action made for big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It may have been the MTV Video Music Awards, but now, Kanye West seems to be the new winner of an entirely different award - jerk of the year.
PINK, SINGER: I just think he`s an idiot. He`s just a waste. He`s just a toolbox.
HAMMER: This morning, on the "Today" show, pop star Pink unloaded on Kanye.
PINK: I don`t know if he`s getting exactly what he wants right now. People are talking about him.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, tonight, stars are dissing Kanye after the rapper, who has a history of bad behavior at awards shows, interrupted an acceptance speech by 19-year-old country singer Taylor Swift at the VMAs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Taylor Swift.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
HAMMER: Taylor had just won for best female video. But apparently, Kanye thought another nominee, Beyonce, should have won instead.
TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER: Thank you so much for giving me a chance to win a VMA award.
WEST: Now, Taylor, I`m really happy for you. I`m going to let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.
(BOOING)
HAMMER: Even Beyonce was mortified. But later on the show, when Beyonce won Video of the Year, she cut short her own acceptance speech to make things right for Taylor.
BEYONCE KNOWLES, SINGER: I would like for Taylor to come out and have her moment.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
SWIFT: Maybe we could try this again.
HAMMER: After all the drama, Taylor Swift told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what she was thinking when Kanye rushed to the stage.
SWIFT: I was standing on stage and I was really excited because I won the award. And then, I was really excited because Kanye West was on the stage. And then, I wasn`t so excited anymore after that. I don`t know him and I don`t want to start anything. I had a great night tonight.
HAMMER: But not everyone is being as nice to Kanye as Taylor is. Kanye was loudly booed after his little stunt with Taylor Swift. And the Associated Press reports he was asked to leave the VMAs after his stunt.
RACHEL ZALIS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": The reaction in Hollywood has been swift, if we should say.
HAMMER: Backstage after the VMAs, Kristin Cavallari of "The Hills" told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what she thought of Kanye`s antics.
KRISTIN CAVALLARI, "THE HILLS": I feel really bad for Taylor Swift. I think it was disrespectful.
HAMMER: And tonight, some stars are taking their Kanye bashing to Twitter. Pink writes, "Kanye West is the biggest piece of (EXPLETIVE DELETED) on earth."
Katy Perry, "(EXPLETIVE DELETED), Kanye. It`s like you stepped on a kitten."
And Kelly Clarkson, in an open letter to Kanye she just posted today, writes, "I`m not even mad at you for being an (EXPLETIVE DELETED). I just pity you because you`re a sad human being."
ZALIS: They`re all giving Mr. Kanye West an attitude lockdown.
HAMMER: Rachel Zalis of "Life and Style" magazine tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it`s unusual to see so many stars come down on one of their own.
ZALIS: You know if people in your own community are doing that, you really did something wrong.
HAMMER: Some people are making light of Kanye`s moment. This YouTube video that just surfaced mashes up Kanye`s outbursts with another famous interruption during President Obama`s healthcare speech last week.
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: The reforms I am proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.
WEST: I`m going to let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.
(BOOING)
OBAMA: It`s not true.
HAMMER: In a message reportedly posted on his blog, Kanye writes, "I`m so sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans. I`m in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment. I`m sorry to my fans if I let you guys down. I`m sorry to my friends at MTV. I will apologize to Taylor tomorrow."
But with his long history of award show shenanigans, Kanye may have finally crossed the line.
ZALIS: Kanye West has proven year after year to be a hothead. He throws tantrums. He storms off stages, complains he`s not winning. And I think this is a good time for people within the music industry and within the celebrity world to band together and say, "You know what? It`s not cool."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, late today, Kanye posted this on his blog. Here`s what he wrote this time around, "I feel like Ben Stiller in "Meet the Parents" when he messed up everything and Robert De Niro asked him to leave. That was Taylor`s moment and I had no right in any way to take it from her. I am truly sorry."
Well, Donald Trump was among those weighing in today on the whole Kanye West, calling for a boycott of all things Kanye. A bit later on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we`ve got the great debate. Should Kanye be boycotted? Can he ever be forgiven for what he did?
And as we get ready for that debate, we of course want to hear from you. Here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Kanye West Disses Taylor Swift: Should Kanye be boycotted?" Let us know what you think at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Got more to say? E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, tonight, we are finally getting to hear Whitney Houston`s unbelievable confessions to Oprah. In the long-awaited interview with Oprah Winfrey that finally aired today, Whitney reveals the explosive details of her abusive marriage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOUSTON: He`d spit on me. He`d actually spit on me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. We`ve got breaking developments about Whitney`s violent and dysfunctional relationship including her revelations about beating husband Bobby Brown bloody.
There`s also Whitney`s bizarre claim on "Oprah" that Bobby has a strange, destructive side, including cutting off Whitney`s head in a family portrait.
With me from Hollywood tonight, Tanika Ray, she is an entertainment journalist. Here in New York is Carolina Bermudez. She is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
I`ve got to tell you, I expected Whitney`s interview on the season premiere of "Oprah" to have some bombshell revelations. But really, when you think about it, "bombshell" hardly describes what I heard today.
I can tell you I was just stunned watching this thing, hearing Whitney`s claims about abuse in such graphic detail. Listen now as Whitney describes what happened one night when she got home after throwing Bobby a birthday party.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOUSTON: He`d spit on me. He`d actually spit on me. And my daughter was coming on the stairs and she saw it. And that was pretty intense because I never - I didn`t grow up with that. I didn`t understand why that occurred. But he had such hate in his eyes for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s so powerful and you can see Oprah just struggling to hold the tears back. Tanika, off to you first. What is going through your mind when you hear Whitney saying what she did?
TANIKA RAY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Nobody is exempt from being emotionally and mentally abused. It is the worst kind of abuse in my opinion. Yes, physical abuse is horrible. But when someone is knocking away at your psyche and knocking down your self esteem, it`s hard to come back from that.
And even Whitney Houston was a victim of that. I was blown away. But I`m really proud of her for coming clean. Not just being clean without the drugs, but coming clean as far as just being honest with us about what`s been going on because we just want our Whitney back.
HAMMER: Yes. No, that`s absolutely right. And Whitney really does go through great lengths to tell Oprah that she was emotionally and not physically abused. But listen to what Whitney says happened just moments after that spitting incident when she tried to escape from Bobby and it wound up bloody.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOUSTON: Angry - I was very hurt and angry. And I knew somebody - someone was going to blow. I was almost two feet out the door at that point in time and I was ready to go. And I asked her to come get me and he pushed me against the wall.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) I was on the phone and I went back in and I took the phone and I hit him over the head with it. And he just fell out on the floor like it was just drama. You know, drama. My daughter came down the stairs. She`s like, "Daddy!"
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Blood?
HOUSTON: Yes. I said, "I told him not to do it."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. All I can say is wow. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did reach out to Bobby Brown for comment today, haven`t heard back from him as of show time. Carolina, we heard certainly heard all kinds of stories about Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown and their tumultuous relationship for years now. But watching Whitney today, how does that change how you see her now?
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Well, I don`t think there was any doubt before that there was drama in this relationship. But I think that it gives us an inside view as to how Whitney dealt with it.
I mean, having your daughter see that happen to you can`t be easy and it`s not easy to recover from something like that. But the fact that she is willing to reveal this and that she`s willing to talk about it on "Oprah," it shows that she really has turned a new leaf. And I think she is moving forward in the right direction now, finally.
HAMMER: And we also heard Whitney tell Oprah today that Bobby`s alleged drug-fueled rage wasn`t just against her. In fact, listen now as Whitney talks about Bobby`s strange attack on their house.
HOUSTON: You know what? He would smash things, break things in the home - glass. We had a big, big giant portrait of me and my child. He cut my head off the picture. The paint in our room - my bedroom eyes, just eyes. Evil eyes that were looking at every point of the room.
WINFREY: He started to paint on the walls?
HOUSTON: Yes. The rugs, the walls, the closet doors. If I opened the doors, there would be one picture. And if I closed it, there would be another picture. He`d use these eyes and faces. It was strange.
WINFREY: Have you had paint it?
HOUSTON: And he`d break things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tanika, obviously, we are all rooting for Whitney`s triumphant come back. But isn`t it remarkable that we have been talking about a comeback after now hearing her really horrifying story.
RAY: Absolutely. It is remarkable. But you know what? She had no choice. She has to tell us what`s been going on. This is her one and only comeback chance. I fee like all that she has been through, if she doesn`t knock it out of the park this time, the window may not be open again.
So you know, we`re really wise. The audience knows that if you say, "Life is great. Oh, it wasn`t a big deal with Bobby. We were happy." Nobody is going to believe that.
HAMMER: No.
RAY: She has to go for (INAUDIBLE) to expose herself.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Exactly right. This was her only move, Tanika.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: And I also couldn`t believe my ears when I heard Whitney break down her drug use in graphic detail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: You were free basing cocaine?
HOUSTON: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Whitney gave Oprah a blow-by-blow account of her desperate days on drugs. And we will have Whitney`s drug confession later on in the show. You have got to hear what she revealed. Tanika Ray, Carolina Bermudez, thank you so much for joining us now. We will be back with you later.
Well, I can tell you that the outrage is coming fast and furious about Kanye West`s Taylor Swift diss - what everyone is talking about right now. Should we boycott Kanye? I`ve got a very fired-up debate on this.
Also Kate`s brand-new date on "The View." Kate Gosselin co-hosted this morning. And she got grilled about Jon`s new girlfriend. Wait until you hear this.
And I just got in some of Michael Jackson`s brand-new movie called "This Is It." Really a fascinating look at the final days of Michael`s life, some amazing never-before-seen footage here. Your first look. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: John Travolta and Kelly Preston make first public appearance since son Jett`s death. Despite reports, Oprah has not booked Jaycee Dugard to be on her show yet.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Janet Jackson`s amazing tribute to her brother, Michael at the MTV Video Music Awards. It really was something. Look at that. Janet recreated her video with Michael, the one for the song "Scream." It really felt like she was dancing with him. And Janet didn`t speak, but she really didn`t need to. Her actions said it all.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Right now, your very first look at "This Is It." This is the movie that`s based on Michael Jackson`s final rehearsal.
Michael was just days away from kicking off his "This Is It" London concerts when he died. And tonight, I`ve got to share with you the movie that is coming out about his last days. Here is your first look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s Michael.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The man is here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re all here because of him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: May that continue with him leading the way.
MICHAEL JACKSON, KING OF POP: This is the moment. This is it.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
M. JACKSON: It`s an adventure. I want to take them to places they`ve never been before. I want to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) seen before.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Let`s do it one more time.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
I love you. I really do.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold for applause. Fade out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael has a depth to him that people don`t really know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has been a dream come true, like everybody comes in the room. His presence is just amazing.
M. JACKSON: This is why I like this kind of songs. It gives some sense of awareness and awakening and hope to people.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The why of the center of everything that we are doing is so much about this.
M. JACKSON: I`m feel so glad that I can give to the world back. It`s about the love - L-O-V-E.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, I think the film is going to be amazing. And I know there are all kinds of reports out there that Michael wasn`t really himself during those final rehearsals. But I think that you really can see by looking at that if he was ready to go. Tickets for the two-week limited run of "This Is It" movie are going to go on sale on September 27th.
And on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards, Michael`s death still very much on the minds of all the stars showing up. So with M.J.`s death now being investigated as a homicide, we asked the stars do they think that someone needs to go to jail for Michael`s death.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN KINGSTON, RAP ARTIST: Oh, definitely. That`s not even a question. Somebody should get locked up and throw away the key. That`s crazy.
AKON, SINGER: I mean, if someone did something wrong, definitely, you know. I just think we need to go and investigate and get the truth out. And then, after the truth, let God take it from there, you know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Dr. Conrad Murray who admits to giving Michael Jackson propofol - that`s the powerful sedative that has been determined to be a primary drug that killed Michael -has not been charged.
Well, I`ve got to tell you, when I watched Oprah Winfrey this afternoon, I couldn`t believe my eyes and ears. Whitney Houston`s shocking brand-new drug revelations. She was so graphic like about how early on she started using it and how Whitney`s mom saved her life.
I`ve got to tell you, I think what Kanye West did to Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards - it was just disgusting. So should we all boycott Kanye?
And Madonna`s brand-new personal revelations about her relationship with Michael Jackson and how she said Michael was the target of a witch hunt. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
It is time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Johnny Depp to star in another "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. Tyler Perry`s "I Can Do Bad All By Myself," number one at weekend box office, makes $24 million.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Did you see this? Look up there - it`s a bird. No, it`s a plane. Oh, actually it`s Pink. It`s pretty cool. Punk pop singer, Pink, flying high above the crowd at the MTV Video Music Awards. But wait, there is more. She is not only the daring young woman on the flying trapeze. She`s also singing her hit "Sober" and wearing pink pasties. Now, that takes talent.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
Hey, Ellen is flying high after being picked to replace Paula Abdul on "American Idol" and for the first time tonight, the former executive producer of "Idol," Nigel Lythgoe, is speaking out about it. Listen to what he told us when we caught up with him at the Creative Arts Emmys.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIGEL LYTHGOE, "AMERICAN IDOL" FORMER EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: I think she`s going to be a great benefit to "American Idol." You know, I think the magic of Randy, Simon and Paula has now moved on. And we`ll see the magic in Ellen. And she certainly can bring it. She certainly got it.
What I love about it is she can put Simon down. That`s always been my worry because Paula leaving - you know, Paula hates him. And growing out with him. She is allowed to do that.
Anybody else that came on the show and sort of slapped Simon, you would think, "Who the hell are you to do that?" So I think Ellen`s got a wonderful way with words.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I completely agree. Well, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page just exploding over Kanye West`s disgusting Taylor Swift diss at the MTV VMAs.
Let`s look at a couple of them. Zeynep saying, "I will never buy his CD or download his ring tones."
Ame N. agrees. Arrogant, self-loving, spoiled little brat. What a tool."
But Jill W. says Kanye was just being himself, "Just Kanye being Kanye. I think it should become a phrase if someone is acting like a stupid idiot. Just say, "Stop acting so Kanye."
And Rolfe N. actually thinks this was a great PR move, "This is what Kanye West does. He created the most buzzed about VMA moment since the Britney-Madonna kiss. Good for him. It was a great pop culture moment."
Remember, I want to hear from you on Facebook. You can also follow us on Twitter. For breaking entertainment news alerts, sign up for our Facebook and Twitter pages simply by surfing on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what is coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Kanye West`s big Taylor Swift diss. Tonight, the great debate. Should Kanye be boycotted?
Whitney Houston`s unbelievable drug confessions to Oprah. Just this afternoon, Whitney revealed how early on she started to use drugs.
And Kate`s date with "The View." Kate co-hosted the show this morning. And yes, man, she got grilled about Jon`s new girlfriend. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom, and they are making news right now.
TEXT: Tom Brady confirms wife Gisele Bundchen is pregnant. Ray Romano to be the focus of a reality show on The Golf Channel.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Kanye`s Swift diss. Tonight, brand-new Hollywood outrage over Kanye`s disgusting diss of Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs. Tonight, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT great debate - should Kanye West be boycotted?
Plus, Whitney`s striking brand-new drug confessions to Oprah.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: What was your drug of choice?
HOUSTON: Cocaine.
WINFREY: Cocaine?
HOUSTON: Yes. Marijuana.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Cocaine? Marijuana? Whitney`s dramatic revelations about how early on she started using. Plus, the dramatic story about how her mother came to her rescue.
Also, Kate`s date on "The View." Kate Gosselin co-hosts and gets grilled about Jon`s new girlfriend.
Plus, more stories breaking from the SHOWBIZ News Ticker. TV`s most provocative 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.
And right now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, shame on you, Kanye. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the big news breaking today after Kanye West`s disgusting diss of Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards. Taylor, right there on stage accepting her Moon Man after winning Best Female Video of the Year when Kanye rushes the stage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEST: Taylor, I`m really happy for you. I`m going to let you finish, but Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, today everyone from pink to Donald Trump to Kelly Clarkson ripped into Kanye in a startling attack on a star by other stars. And wait until you hear what Taylor Swift, the 19-year-oldd country music superstar told us about Kanye`s outrageous diss. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is it time to boycott Kanye?
Also brand-new tonight, big news breaking about Kate Gosselin after her brand-new date with the ladies of "The View" this morning. Kate sits in as a co-host and just gets grilled about Jon`s new girlfriend.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, who is a correspondent for "Extra." In New York tonight is Carolina Bermudez who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
And I`ve got to tell you, the outrage from coast to coast is still coming in. In fact, today, Donald Trump, of all people, called for a boycott of all things Kanye. Carlos, is there anything that can excuse what Kanye did?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Not at all. Let me give you a different angle of this because we`re going to talk about every angle that`s already been talked about and then some.
Let me give you a new angle, OK? Kanye West says he`s a big believer and a big supporter and loves Michael Jackson. Well, guess what you did, Kanye? You took the spotlight away from your idol, OK?
You know, everyone this morning should be talking about the stirring tribute to Michael Jackson last night with Janet Jackson, with Madonna. No one is talking about that. Congratulations, Kanye. You took the spotlight away from Michael. Great job.
HAMMER: Yes. It was really an incredible tribute to Michael Jackson among other great moments that really were basically destroyed by the fact that Kanye had to get up and be Kanye and make a fool out of himself.
And soon after what he did on stage, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Taylor Swift backstage. I want you to watch what she told us about how that awful moment felt for her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SWIFT: I was standing on stage and I was excited because I won the award. And then I was really excited because Kanye West was on the stage. And then I wasn`t so excited anymore after that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Carolina, he stole the poor girl`s moment in the spotlight. It should have been all about her. What do you think about what Donald Trump proposed and what I`m hearing from a lot of people on our Facebook page - boycott all things Kanye?
BERMUDEZ: Well, I don`t know if that`s a reality here, because Kanye is very popular. And he has got a strong, strong following of his fans.
But the problem with this is that he has done this before. This is not the first time that Kanye showed up at an awards show and voiced his opinion. Who the hell does he think he is that he can go and hijack this moment from Taylor Swift? He acted like a bully. Probably not, unfortunately, because I don`t think people are strong enough to do that.
HAMMER: Yes. But I`ve got to tell you, Carolina, I think even his fans see right through it this time because it was just so classless and disgusting. And really, when you see how many stars are now coming out today - this is unprecedented. They`re publicly slamming Kanye. They`re doing it online. They`re doing it on air. In fact, watch what Pink said about Kanye on the "Today" show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PINK: I just think he`s an idiot. He`s just a waste. He`s just a toolbox.
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: I know. Don`t hold back.
PINK: And you know what? He`s getting exactly what he wants right now. People are talking about him. So.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. But they are talking about him in a very unflattering light. Toolbox - I`m going to use that at some point. Tool I have heard before.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: Carlos, obviously, it can`t be good for Kanye that so many of his peers are ripping him a new one here.
DIAZ: Yes. By the way, I have been called a toolbox several times. But anyway, let me just say this to you. Let me read off three titles for you - "American Boy," "Gold Digger," "We Run This Town."
Those are some of Kanye`s biggest hits. What do they all have in common? They are all him working with somebody else. Kanye, I`ve got news for you. If you tick off your peers, no one`s going to want to work with you. And those number one hits, they might go away sometime very soon.
HAMMER: Yes. Self-indulgent, megalomaniacal - all of those things. Very self-important, too. But I`ve got to say and this was a real bright spot in this whole thing. As classless as Kanye was, Beyonce, the model of class, right?
I mean, she won the biggest award of the night - Video of the Year. She gave just a simple, brief little thank you. And she called up Taylor so Taylor could have her moment.
Kanye was kicked out of the place. And then, he later posted a message to his fans and a promise saying, "I`m sorry to my fans if I let you guys down. I`m sorry to my friends at MTV. I will apologize to Taylor tomorrow."
Well, also in a brand-new statement on his blog, Kanye writes, "Today, I feel like Ben Stiller in "Meet the Parents" when is he messed up everything and Robert De Niro asked him to leave. That was Taylor`s moment and I had no right in any way to take it from her. I am truly sorry."
Carolina, Taylor may forgive him. But should everyone else?
BERMUDEZ: I don`t think so. I think this is a - he took something away, like Carlos said, and I do have to agree with him. That Janet Jackson tribute at the very beginning of the show was what everybody was supposed to be talking about this morning.
Kanye, again, the egotistical person that he is, wanted to have the spotlight shine down on him. So now, I think that a lot of people are going to be very unforgiving about the fact that he did this not only to another artist and he showed no courtesy to this other artist, but to Taylor Swift, of all people. She`s like the most innocent, sweetest artist out there right now. How could he do that to her?
HAMMER: Well, I do have to get to some of the stars` reaction because the hits keep coming. A letter that Kelly Clarkson posted today where she writes directly to Kanye, "What happened to you as a child? Did you not get hugged enough? Something must have happened to make you this way.
And I think we are all just curious as to what would make a grown man go on national television make a talented artist, let alone a teenager, feel like (EXPLETIVE DELETED). The best part of this evening is that you weren`t even up for this award. And yet, you still have a problem with the outcome. Is winning a Moon Man that much of a life goal? You can have mine if it will shut you up."
Carlos Diaz, do you think that Kanye ever expected this much negative reaction when he jumped up on stage and did what he did?
DIAZ: No. And Kelly Clarkson makes a great point. You know, he has done it before. But that was the first time he`s done it where it has nothing to do with him. I mean, Kanye has nothing to do with you.
And let me give you a little background, by the way. I do radio across the country. And this morning, I was talking to stations, both top 40 and urban stations. The top 40 stations were staying, "You know, Kanye is an idiot. Kanye is an idiot."
I went to the urban stations, thought I would hear, "Hey, way to go, Kanye. You`re a rebel." But you know what? The urban stations saying exactly the same thing
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: "Kanye, you`re an idiot."
HAMMER: Yes. This was a transcendent moment, clearly, across the board. There`s nothing - it`s just reprehensible, what he did.
I want to move on to Kate Gosselin`s brand-new appearance on "The View" this morning. The reality show mom is guest-hosting on "The View" this week. And Kate was grilled about Jon`s 22-year-old girlfriend.
Now, she says she has taken the high road when it comes to keeping quiet about Jon`s new romance. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR, "JON & KATE PLUS 8": The truth is, for the sake of my children, I am going to continue taking the high road because it`s the only road for me.
It is not easy. I melted down over the weekend. In the privacy of my own home, I melted down. It`s difficult. It`s difficult to wake up every day and wonder what things are going to be thrown my way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, finally. I`ve got to hand it to her. She is not talking about Jon`s new girlfriend. Carolina, is this a good sign of things to come, perhaps?
BERMUDEZ: It`s a great sign because somebody has to do it, A.J. I mean, he`s out there talking about his love life, talking about everything that`s going on in his private life. And somebody has to be the rock and the foundation for these kids.
And it`s a good thing she is coming forward and saying, "Look, I am not going to do the mudslinging. I`m going to leave it alone. I don`t agree with it, but that`s going to be my stance. I`m going to do it in the privacy of my own home."
HAMMER: Carlos, you and I have been right here saying, wow, they should just shut up and she shut up. All right!
DIAZ: She did. Yes. Here`s the side of the apocalypse right now, though. You have Jon Gosselin at the "In Touch" VMA after party, you know, in New York. And then, hours later, she`s on "The View." These people just made babies. That`s all they did. And now, all of a sudden, they are running New York and on they`re on "The View."
HAMMER: That`s right.
BERMUDEZ: And then he`s at our party.
DIAZ: And there`s the VMAs and the whole thing.
BERMUDEZ: Yes, that`s right.
DIAZ: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) before too long. Carlos Diaz, Carolina Bermudez, thanks, guys.
OK. We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Sound off on this - "Kanye West disses Taylor Swift: Should Kanye be boycotted?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, tonight, Whitney Houston is revealing absolutely explosive new details about her life as a drug addict. I watched her interview with Oprah today. And I`ve got to tell you, my jaw was on the floor. Cocaine, marijuana, free-basing?
How early she started using. How Whitney`s mom saved her life. I promise you, you have never heard Whitney like this before.
Plus, Madonna`s unbelievably heartfelt brand-new tribute to Michael Jackson. And her personal stories about Michael and how she said he was the target of a witch hunt. I`m going to share with you her amazing words.
And Drew Barrymore has got a brand-new crush on a girl. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Justin Timberlake wins Emmy for stint as guest host on "Saturday Night Live." Tina Fey wins Emmy for impersonation of Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUEEN LATIFAH, COMEDIENNE AS GWEN IFILL: I would now like to give each of you a chance to make a closing statement.
TINA FEY, ACTRESS (as Sarah Palin): Are we not doing the talent portion?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: So your drug of choice was weed combined with cocaine?
HOUSTON: Cocaine - rock cocaine.
WINFREY: Rock cocaine?
HOUSTON: Yes.
WINFREY: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Whitney Houston`s explosive brand-new drug confessions today on Oprah. For the very first time, Whitney reveals the intimate details of her heartbreaking dramatic addiction.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, it`s Whitney`s drug confessions. Today, for the very first time, Whitney Houston revealed everything on "Oprah" about her drug addiction in a brand-new tell-all interview. And I`ve got to tell you, nothing here was off limits.
Tonight, we have the devastating and intimate details of Whitney Houston`s extreme, uncontrollable drug use. Her incredible secrets revealed today including the shocking revelation of just how early she began abusing drugs.
Whitney also revealed today on "Oprah" the explosive intervention that led to rehab and her recovery. How she says her mother saved her from the brink of self-destruction.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Tanika Ray who`s an entertainment journalist. Also tonight, in New York, Jill Simonian who a host for the Reelz Channel.
I`m declaring the Whitney Houston comeback - it`s official. The woman we saw today on the "Oprah" was the old Whitney that we knew and loved. She was so centered, articulate.
But let me tell you. The stuff coming out of her mouth - it was downright shocking. She didn`t hold back on anything today. And I`ve got to say, I was really surprised when Whitney revealed to Oprah she started using drugs right around 1993 when she was starring in "The Bodyguard." Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: When are did the drugs start?
HOUSTON: All right. Before "The Bodyguard." We were just - it was very light. After "The Bodyguard," I had Krissy. It started getting heavy.
WINFREY: Very light with what? What was your drug of choice?
HOUSTON: Cocaine.
WINFREY: Cocaine?
HOUSTON: Yes. Marijuana - that`s it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Light with cocaine and marijuana. Tanika, what is more disturbing to you? The fact that Whitney started using drugs that long ago or that she started getting so heavy into the bad stuff after becoming a mother?
RAY: Getting into the heavy drugs after becoming a mother is not shocking, because once you start down the road, it`s a snowball effect. What`s shocking is how early it started happening for her and how she justifies it in her head, "Well, it was just cocaine and marijuana." I think that`s still the addict talking.
HAMMER: Yes.
RAY: So I give her I give her mad props for just coming out and letting us in and revealing herself. And through her album and through promotion, she`s going to reveal herself more and more and keep peeling back those layers of addiction so that she can really, really set herself free.
HAMMER: Well, yes. Hopefully, it is cathartic for her.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: And the revelations certainly didn`t stop there. Today, Whitney Houston laid it all out on the table to Oprah and really revealed the nitty-gritty details of how she and her ex-husband, Bobby Brown, got high every single day. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: Because you were free basing cocaine?
HOUSTON: Basically.
WINFREY: Yes.
HOUSTON: Yes. And weed.
WINFREY: And weed?
HOUSTON: We weren`t doing the glass. We weren`t doing like pipe-smoking.
WINFREY: Yes?
HOUSTON: We didn`t get that far - no.
WINFREY: You did not?
HOUSTON: No. Oh, no.
WINFREY: So what were you smoking with? How do you.
HOUSTON: You put it in your marijuana, Oprah.
WINFREY: OK.
HOUSTON: Go with me here. You put your marijuana and you lace it. You roll it up and you smoke it. And your weed - it`s just another form. It`s almost like heroin and cocaine speed-balling and you level it off with the marijuana.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Whoa. I am betting a lot of people are really surprised that Whitney would be so willing, not just to come out with these disturbing details about her drug use, but to do it just when she is launching her big comeback.
But Jill, are you with me that she really can`t have a comeback until she puts all this out there once and for all?
JILL SIMONIAN, HOST, REELZ CHANNEL: Well, here`s the thing. I definitely agree with her putting it all out there. And it`s painful for us to see America`s sweetheart from, you know, 20 years ago putting it out there in the way she is.
But the fact that she is identifying every single type of drug that she did and explaining it is almost, in a way, to me, an explanation as to why some of the vocals on her album sound so hoarse.
That`s the one thing that people are maybe not giving her a hard time about, but they`re identifying. Gee, she doesn`t sound like the same Whitney.
HAMMER: Oh, no, no, no.
SIMONIAN: There is a reason why.
HAMMER: No, they`re talking about it. In fact, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT executive producer Dave Levin was listening very carefully to Whitney`s new album over the weekend. And he said she does not sound like the Whitney of old. There is a difference there.
SIMONIAN: No. And she`s not. And she`s not. She`s not going to be the old Whitney. She`s a different Whitney. And we still love her and we`re still fans, but she`s different Whitney now whether we like it or not.
HAMMER: Well, Whitney also revealed today on "Oprah" that her ex, Bobby Brown, was really her biggest addiction of all. She said that he was actually like a drug to her. And that`s what actually fuelled her own devastating drug abuse. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: Would you just sit in your room and do drugs?
HOUSTON: Yes. I talk on the phone ...
WINFREY: Watch TV?
HOUSTON: ... watch TV, listen to gospel.
WINFREY: Did you think something was going to happen in those drug-crazed, drug-filled days where you`re sitting for hours and days?
HOUSTON: There were times when - you know what? He would smash things and break things in the home - glass. We had a big, big giant portrait of me and my child. He cut my head off the picture.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The picture that Whitney paints just sounds like hell. Tanika, is there any doubt that dumping Bobby Brown after 14 years of marriage was really the best thing Whitney could have ever done to get herself clean?
RAY: Absolutely. That was the first step to her recovery. And it`s not like that`s a surprise. We all kind of knew Bobby was the first and biggest addiction and that if she separated herself from him, she might have a chance.
Her mother, thank goodness, Cissy, stepped in to intervene and got her daughter clean. If that had just happened for Michael Jackson, maybe he`d still be here today. But it`s definitely - the fame is no joke.
HAMMER: Yes.
RAY: I am so proud of her for being so revealing and open.
HAMMER: Well, and to that point, she goes into great detail with Oprah about her mother stepping in and doing an intervention. Jill, do you think it is, at least, possible to surmise that had that not happened, we would be having a much different conversation about Whitney Houston and her life could have taken a very tragic turn?
SIMONIAN: We would definitely be having a different conversation about her. My question is, you have to wonder why it took so long for that intervention to happen. And you can see - I mean, you know, when we watch Whitney, she opened up to Oprah. But that`s one thing to watching the interview. I wanted to know what took so long for that intervention. Thank God it happened. Yes, but -
HAMMER: Well, as you pointed out, maybe there will be more opportunities to ask more questions. Tanika Ray, Jill Simonian, thank you, guys, so much.
Well, I have to say, the Kanye West moment may have taken some attention away from perhaps what I certainly felt was the most dramatic moment of the MTV Video Music Awards. Madonna`s unbelievably emotional tribute and personal revelations from her quiet moments with Michael Jackson.
Plus, why she says he was the target of a witch hunt. I`m going to show you her touching tribute. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
It is time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Jennifer Hudson to perform free concert in NYC for 70th anniversary of "Wizard of Oz." Harrison Ford ready to take on "Indiana Jones" for a fifth time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you, Charles. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, Madonna`s stirring tribute to Michael Jackson at the MTV Video Music Awards. In all of my years of Madonna-watching, I think this was the most raw I have ever seen her.
And I especially got that sense with one particular story she told about Michael`s tragic life. Here`s Madonna opening the MTV VMAs and honoring Michael.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADONNA, SINGER: We went back to my house to watch a movie and we sat on the couch like two kids. And somewhere in the middle of the film, his hand snuck over and held mine. It felt like he was looking for a friend more than a romance, and I was happy to oblige him.
And in that moment, he didn`t feel like a superstar. He felt like a human being. We went out a few more times together, and then for one reason or another, we fell out of touch. Then the witch hunt began. And it seem like one negative story after another was coming out about Michael.
I felt his pain. I know what it`s like to walk down the street and feel like the whole world has turned against you. I know what it`s like to feel helpless and unable to defend yourself because the roar of the lynch mob is so loud, that you are convinced your voice can never be heard.
But I had a childhood, and I was allowed to make mistakes and find my own way in the world without the glare of the spotlight.
When I first heard that Michael had died, I was in London, days away from the opening of my tour. Michael was going to perform in the same venue as me a week later. All I could think about in that moment was, I had abandoned him, that we had abandoned him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Well, Madonna added that her two sons are just obsessed with Michael Jackson which goes to show, as she pointed out, Michaels has inspired a whole new generation of fans.
Also new right now, tonight, Drew Barrymore is revealing her girl crush. In a brand-new interview, Drew says she has a big old crush on "Juno" star Ellen Page. Drew and Ellen star in roller derby movie, "Whip It." And in the new issue of "Marie Claire," they share a kiss.
Drew explains her crush saying, quote, "Ellen has such a beautiful body. And I personally battled with my own body image for years." Drew added this about Ellen in their movie, "She was in her frickin` bra and with an open jacket and hot-pink shorts skating around the rink, with red lips and she was sexy as a mother. A feral creature. It was great."
For more, pick up "Marie Claire" on newsstands tomorrow.
That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern here on HLN.
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