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Showbiz Tonight
Taylor Swift Accepts Kanye West`s Apology; The Connection Between the Addictions of Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson; Emotional Reaction to Patrick Swayze`s Death; Kate Gosselin Takes On Dr. Phil; Megan Fox Versus Angelina Jolie?
Aired September 15, 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, big news breaking. Kanye West, Taylor Swift, speaking out for the very first time since Kanye`s big VMA diss. Tonight, Kanye almost breaking down in tears on "The Jay Leno Show" as he begs Taylor to forgive him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KANYE WEST, SINGER: I immediately knew in this situation that it was wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And then, Taylor`s surprising response to Kanye this morning on live nationwide TV. What did she say? As tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, should Kanye be forgiven?
Part two of Whitney Houston`s stunning confessions on today`s "Oprah." Whitney`s dramatic revelations and connection with her battle with addiction and Michael Jackson`s battle with painkillers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER: I was looking at myself, going, "No, I don`t want this to be like this. This can`t happen. Not both of us."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, remembering Patrick Swayze. The overwhelming and emotional reaction today to Swayze`s heartbreaking death. And why his cancer battle is striking a special chord from coast to coast, as TV`s most provocative entertainment show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
And there was a powerful and emotional reaction today to the death of Patrick Swayze. I`ll have that coming up in just a bit.
But first, tonight, Kanye West`s desperate plea, "Please, forgive me." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing the absolutely remarkable big news breaking today in the explosive controversy over what Kanye West did to Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Kanye West nearly broke down in tears last night on "The Jay Leno Show" as he begged to be forgiven for the stupid, stupid, stupid thing he did to the 19-year-old country music superstar.
And then, this morning, Taylor Swift went on "The View" for her first big interview since the Kanye diss and apology. You have got to hear what Taylor told the world today.
And then, moments after Taylor`s appearance on "The View," she gets a dramatic phone call today from Kanye himself asking her to please, forgive him. So what did Taylor say?
With me tonight in New York, Perez Hilton, who is a celebrity blogger. And from Hollywood, Tanika Ray, who is an entertainment journalist.
Of course, guys, we know this all began on Sunday night. Kanye West just did an idiotic thing. He jumped on the stage just as Taylor had won for Best Female Video of the Year. And I thought it was just such a big- time diss. He interrupted the speech. She was accepting her award. And he said, "Beyonce had the best video."
Well, last night, Kanye`s desperate attempt to dig himself out of this huge hole in "The Jay Leno Show." And Jay asked Kanye what his beloved mother would have said about what he did if she was still alive. You`ve got to watch this as Kanye almost breaks down in tears.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE JAY LENO SHOW": Would she be disappointed in this? Would she give you a lecture?
WEST: Yes. You know, obviously - you know, I deal with hurt. And you know - so many, you know, celebrities - they never take the time off. And I`ve never taken the time off to really - you know, I just, music after music and tour after tour. And I`m just ashamed that my hurt, you know, caused someone else`s hurt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. I hear you, Kanye. I`m still not ready to let the guy off the hook. But Tanika, does it seem that at a minimum that Kanye West realizes just how badly he screwed up?
TANIKA RAY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: At a maximum - yes, at the minimum, of course, he realized that he`s made a major mistake when his peers are turning against him and calling him "toolbox" on the NBC "Today" show.
And people hate his guts now. People have taken all of his songs off their iPods. I think he felt that like a tidal wave. And he understands that he has got to make amends. And enough is enough. Enough with these outbursts. Enough with acting like a child.
Taylor Swift was 19 and she was more mature than Kanye. I think the message is loud and clear.
HAMMER: Well, the drama rolled on today. And I`ve got to say, in all of this, Taylor Swift has remained so, so classy. We all could not wait to see what she would have to say in her very first TV appearance since the big diss.
She went on "The View" this morning and she revealed what was going through her mind when Kanye jumped on the stage during her acceptance speech. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER: Well, I think my overall thought process went something like, "Wow, I can`t believe I won. This is awesome. Don`t trip and fall. I`m going to get to thank the fans. This is so cool. Oh, Kanye West is here! Cool haircut. Kanye West is here. Cool haircut. What are you doing there?" And then, "Ouch." And then, "I guess I`m not going to get to thank the fans."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: How do you not love Taylor Swift? All right. Perez Hilton, I know what you think of Kanye West. I`ve seen how you`ve decorated his picture on your Web site. But you were right there in the audience of the MTV Video Music Awards when this happened.
We just heard Taylor telling us what was going through her head while we were watching. But when you were there, what did you think was going through her head? You know, this guy is just the biggest jerk on the planet?
PEREZ HILTON, CELEBRITY BLOGGER: Well, I can clearly see what was going through her head. At the end of the day, it`s just a silly award. However, it was the first VMA that she had won so that meant something to her.
But what was surprising to me was I first saw Kanye on the red carpet. He goosed me, came up to me from behind, talked to me for a little bit and I clearly saw a bottle of Hennessy in his hand. And to me, he appeared to be intoxicated.
That`s surprising because according to interviews that I`ve read in the past that Kanye has given, he didn`t drink. So all of a sudden now he is drinking? That doesn`t excuse his behavior. It`s inexcusable. However, it just gets me to think, something deeper is going on with Kanye West here.
HAMMER: Yes. Yes, and that`s the thing that we`ve been talking about quite a bit. And again, we have no confirmation that he was drinking or wasn`t drinking. But there`s another thing that everybody`s been wondering about.
Kanye West said on "Leno" last night that he apologizes. And he also said that he wanted to apologize to Taylor Swift in person. But as of the time she was set to appear on "The View" this morning, she hadn`t heard from him.
But then, the late-breaking news that Kanye actually called her right after her appearance on "The View." Thank goodness for him. Listen to Taylor describe her conversation and reaction to Kanye`s call. This is what she told ABC News Radio.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SWIFT: Kanye did call me and he was very sincere in his apology and I accepted that apology.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Tanika, now that she has accepted his apology, do you think that everyone else who has been bashing him is going to do the same? I`m thinking not.
RAY: Well, I do think that everyone watched Jay Leno last night which, by the way, the luckiest get ever on his first debut at 10:00.
HAMMER: Yes, no kidding.
RAY: Score. But I think everybody watched it. And I feel like Kanye was so sincere it changed my mind. It makes you think, what has this man been through? Don`t forget, he was in a massive car accident, head trauma that he suffered. And he never really dealt with that.
He went right back. He was just into the studio like most artists do and got back to work. Then, when his mom passed, again, got right back into the studio, got number-one hits but has never really dealt with the trauma.
He needs some major, major therapy. I think people saw the sincerity in him on "Jay Leno." And I think they might give him another chance.
HAMMER: Yes. I think he`s doing the right thing by saying, "Hey, you know what? I do need to take a break."
RAY: Absolutely.
HAMMER: We`ve seen so many celebrities screw up and then just stay in the limelight. And hey, that isn`t a good thing to do. You have to give Kanye at least a little credit also for admitting that he knew right away that he screwed up so big. Watch what he told Jay Leno about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEST: I immediately knew in this situation that it was wrong and it wasn`t a spectacle or - it`s actually someone`s emotions, you know, that I stepped on. And it was very - it was rude, period. I`d like to be able to apologize to her in person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But until he did get on the phone with her this afternoon, there was this incredible backlash against him including over there on "PerezHilton.com." What do you think, Perez? If he realized it so fast, why in the world do you think it took him so long to make the call?
HILTON: Well, I don`t know if I necessarily believe him because I`m not sure if this was caught on camera. But in the audience at the VMAs after Kanye went on stage, everyone started booing him. Then he gave the audience the middle finger.
So maybe not instantly - he didn`t know that it was a wrong thing to do. But I`ve counted, and as of right now, Kanye has apologized four times - two times on his blog, one time on "Leno," and now, personally, to Taylor Swift.
So I do think he`s very sorry. And it will be forgotten because he is so talented. It will be forgotten temporarily.
HAMMER: Yes.
HILTON: But it will be remembered in the long term because Kanye has a history of doing this.
HAMMER: And wait until he shows up on another red carpet. You think they`re not going to ask him about it? I don`t think so. Perez Hilton and Tanika Ray, thanks so much.
And Perez, I know you`re on this big concert tour right now throughout the country.
HILTON: Yes.
HAMMER: You`re featuring Ida Maria. You`ve got Lady Hawke on the thing. The tour is going on through October 3rd. Sounds fantastic. Congratulations with that and the best of luck.
HILTON: Thank you.
RAY: Good luck, Perez.
HAMMER: Well, I have been watching the absolutely explosive new interview that Oprah`s been doing with Whitney Houston. And I can`t believe some of the stuff that I`m hearing in this.
Just this afternoon, part two aired. And Whitney had some stunning confessions like what led her to finally end her marriage to Bobby Brown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOUSTON: And she said, "No, no." She said, "No, divorce him."
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": What did your daughter say?
HOUSTON: Let him go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Whitney also reveals an unbelievable connection between her battle with addiction and Michael Jackson`s battle with painkillers.
And just this morning, Kate Gosselin took on Dr. Phil. Kate went face to face with him on "The View" and she had him set the record straight about whether he really tried to save Jon and Kate`s marriage.
Plus, remembering Patrick Swayze, the emotional and overwhelming reaction today to Swayze`s heartbreaking death. And why his cancer battle is striking a special chord from coast to coast. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Angelina Jolie takes daughter Zahara to Africa, first time since she was adopted in 2005. Oprah`s new season premiere, featuring Whitney Houston, up 55 percent from last year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PATRICK SWAYZE, ACTOR: Nobody puts baby in a corner. Come on.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Who can forget that classic line? Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, 1987`s "Dirty Dancing." Tonight, the world is mourning one of its most beloved stars of all time. Patrick Swayze, dead at 57 from pancreatic cancer.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, a massive outpouring of love for Patrick Swayze. The film star died Monday night of pancreatic cancer at the age of 57. His wife of 34 years, Lisa, was right by his side.
But today, we started the most amazing thing. Everybody, from stars who worked with Swayze on his many classic movies to all the fans who watched those flicks, spent today heaping praise upon praise on Patrick. It is a touching farewell from the countless people whom Swayze has touched during his career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I have a sad news to report. We lost a very special person, my friend Patrick Swayze.
HAMMER: An emotional Whoopi Goldberg took time out from "The View" this morning to mourn the passing of her friend, Patrick Swayze.
SWAYZE: I`m holding her hand.
GOLDBERG: He says he`s holding your hand.
HAMMER: They starred together in the movie, "Ghost." And today, on "The View," Goldberg could barely get the words out as she heaped praise on her friend.
GOLDBERG: Because of Patrick Swayze, I have an Oscar. And there you are.
(APPLAUSE)
HAMMER: Also on "The View" this morning, Barbara Walters played clips of her January interview with Swayze during the height of his cancer battle.
SWAYZE: The biggest line out of a "Ghost" was, "It`s amazing, Molly. You take the love with you." That`s all you can take with you. And I think that it validated that one thing for all of us that the only thing you can really take with you when you die is the love you have.
HAMMER: As we see from the fans who are leaving flowers on Swayze`s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the love people have for Patrick Swayze is on full display today.
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": There`s not a girl in her 30s that didn`t see "Dirty Dancing" a thousand times.
HAMMER: "Extra`s" Carlos Diaz tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Swayze touched everybody with his movies.
DIAZ: I`m saying this guy was a unique actor, I would say the actor of the `80s.
HAMMER: You, our viewers, have swamped our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page with your Swayze memories. Jessica A. writes, "It`s very sad. He was a very talented actor and amazing person. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. He will be missed by many, but never forgotten."
Stars who co-starred with Swayze in his classic movies are remembering him today.
SWAYZE: I love you, Molly.
HAMMER: Swayze`s co-star in "Ghost," Demi Moore, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Patrick, you are loved by so many and your light will forever shine in all of our lives. I will miss you."
(MUSIC)
The star of another Swayze classic, "Dirty Dancing`s" Jennifer Grey tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Patrick was a rare and beautiful combination of raw masculinity and amazing grace. Gorgeous and strong, he was a real cowboy with a tender heart."
CHARLIE SHEEN, ACTOR: When you drink it, you`ll be a real hunter.
HAMMER: Charlie Sheen, who co-starred with Swayze in "Red Dawn" talked to TMZ last night about Swayze`s passing.
SHEEN: It`s really sad. We lost a really good guy.
HAMMER: And Robe Lowe, who appeared on "The Outsiders" with Swayze tells CBS` "The Early Show" how he`ll remember the film star.
ROB LOWE, ACTOR: Patrick lived a thousand lifetimes in one life. And I`ll remember him most for his enthusiasm, his bravery and how much he loved his wife, Lisa.
HAMMER: It`s clear from the people who loved him, Patrick Swayze managed to stay grounded in a crazy Hollywood world. When I talked to him back in 2005, I asked him, how does he do it?
(on camera): We`re always hearing about what a good guy and a grounded individual you are and have remained throughout your career. What is the secret to that?
SWAYZE: My mama beat me when I was a child.
HAMMER: As simple as that?
SWAYZE: My dad made me wear hot pants and cowboy boots.
HAMMER (voice-over): All kidding aside, Swayze told me that he and his wife Lisa went out of their way to avoid the Hollywood scene.
SWAYZE: Having a wife that I absolutely love to my core and we - June 12th we will have been married 30 years.
HAMMER (on camera): Not too normal in the Hollywood scene.
SWAYZE: No, I guess not. And the first thing I did after "North and South" hit so big is we bought a little ranch in outside of L.A. and we don`t play that game.
HAMMER (voice-over): And that`s what Whoopi Goldberg is remembering him for.
GOLDBERG: To you, Lisa, to that relationship and let`s hope that "Ghost" was right.
SWAYZE: It`s amazing, molly. The love inside. You take it with you.
HAMMER: And it`s that love people had for Swayze that his fans are taking with them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Just a good, good guy. As I mentioned, our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page has been overloaded with lots of heartfelt messages about Patrick Swayze. Stick around because I`m going to share them with you in just a few moments.
Well, as we also reported the sad news about Patrick Swayze`s death on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page and our Twitter pages, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines immediately started ringing with your thoughts about Patrick.
We`ve got a call into "Showbiz on Call" from Julia who is in total shock.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JULIA, CALLER: I fell in love with Patrick Swayze ever since he did "Dirty Dancing." And I have loved him forever. I can`t believe that he`s gone. Rest in peace, Patrick. My thoughts and prayers to your family.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks for your call, Julia. Call us at "Showbiz on Call." Give us your thoughts on Patrick Swayze or anything else. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voice mail and we`ll play some of your calls here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, I promise you, you will be shocked by the results of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll on Kanye West. Do you think we should boycott all things Kanye? Do you really accept his apology from "The Jay Leno Show"?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEST: You know, it`s actually someone`s emotions, you know, that I stepped on. And it was very - it was just rude, period.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, you got that right, Kanye. Plus, yes, we`re going there. Is all this outrage over what Kanye did to Taylor Swift at the VMAs simply overblown? Is what he did really that big of a deal?
This Whitney on "Oprah" stuff - really, really good TV. And I`ve got to tell you, I just watched part two this afternoon. Whitney is revealing what pushed her to finally split from Bobby Brown.
Also, her explosive revelations about the connection between her battle with addiction and Michael Jackson`s battle with painkillers.
And this is really sad. Jessica Simpson`s desperate plea to find her missing dog. It was snatched right in front of her. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: A & E to honor Patrick Swayze with a biography and "The Beast" airing on Wednesday. Betty White to receive Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Unfortunately, I have some sad news tonight about Jessica Simpson`s dog. Terrible. I can tell you that Simpson`s dog, a Maltese-poodle mix, was snatched by a coyote right in front of her.
Jessica put up this missing poster on her Twitter account. And in her tweet, she writes, "My heart is broken because a coyote took my precious Daisy right in front of our eyes. Horror! We are searching and hoping. Please help!"
Jessica is offering a reward for the return of her 5-year-old caramel- colored dog. Unfortunately, as of show time, we didn`t hear anything about it being found. Well, Jess, we`re certainly holding out for some good news here.
Hey, who needs "The Tonight Show?" Jay Leno`s brand-new show kicked off Monday night. He got some ginormous ratings. Nearly 18 million people tuned in to see Jerry Seinfeld, also Kanye West apologizing to Taylor Swift.
So at least, for the first night, NBC`s big gamble paid off. Critics not so hot on show. I thought it was OK. But President Obama - well, he didn`t really agree. Did you see this? Look at the president talking about "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LENO: Let`s talk about television. Now, the ladies of "The View" - they are getting more and more popular every day. Why is that?
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: The loudest, shrillest voices get the most attention.
LENO: Look, while we`re on the subject, what do you think of my new show?
OBAMA: I guarantee you, this will be pronounced dead.
LENO: Hey, give it a chance. We haven`t even been on - what, a half an hour or so.
OBAMA: This is potentially going to get a lot worse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Pretty funny. Jay edited himself into "60 Minutes`" interview with the president. It wasn`t real.
Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page has exploded after Kanye West apologized on "The Jay Leno Show." Aaron B. didn`t buy it. He said, "It was like when you were a kid and your mom told you to apologize for something and you weren`t really sorry."
Britney B. also not on team Kanye, "He knows he`s a jackass. He`s proven he can`t stop himself."
Kara P. also not a fan, "How many times is he going to ask for forgiveness? I would understand if this was the first time. I think this is it for him."
But Sherry D. makes an interesting point, "He in no way slammed Taylor. All he was doing was paying tribute to Beyonce."
You can sign up for our Facebook and Twitter pages on our homepage, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Now the SHOWBIZ lineup. This is what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We have part two of Whitney Houston`s dramatic confession to Oprah, not to be missed. Tonight, Whitney reveals why she finally left Bobby Brown and the stunning connection between her battle with addiction and Michael Jackson`s battle with painkillers.
Kate versus Dr. Phil. Kate Gosselin goes head-to-head with the good doctor to set the record straight. Did he really try to save her marriage to Jon?
And Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox. They are beautiful, but are they caught up in an ugly new battle? We go one-on-one with Megan to set the record straight. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Michael Douglas to play Liberace in new movie, Matt Damon to play his lover! Colin Farrell and his girlfriend are expecting a baby.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, brand-new Whitney Houston bombshells to Oprah. Whitney reveals why she finally left Bobby Brown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOUSTON: And she said, "No, no." She said, "No, divorce him."
WINFREY: What did your daughter say?
HOUSTON: "Let him go."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus Whitney`s explosive confessions about the connection with her battle with addiction and Michael Jackson`s battle with painkillers.
Is the Kanye West-Taylor Swift drama overblown? Tonight, Kanye apologizes for dissing Taylor. But is all the outrage just too much? It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT great debate.
And Kate Gosselin takes on Dr. Phil. Kate gets Dr. Phil to reveal, did he really try to save Jon and Kate`s marriage?
Plus, more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." TV`s most provocative news entertainment show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
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, Whitney`s new confessions part two. Whitney Houston`s dramatic, honest and emotional interview with Oprah continued today. And I`ve got to tell you, the bombshells just kept on dropping.
Quite frankly, I didn`t think Whitney could reveal any more than she did in the first part of her interview with Oprah, but she did.
Tonight, you`re going to want to buckle your seatbelt because Whitney reveals even more about her devastating addiction to rock cocaine. And she unexpectedly opens up about the death of her dear friend, Michael Jackson. Why she said she actually feared for both of their lives.
And wait until you see Whitney`s jaw-dropping surprise performance on "Oprah" today. It, quite frankly, blew me away.
(MUSIC)
Yes. Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Hyla, who is an entertainment journalist. Also in Hollywood tonight is Tanika Ray, an entertainment journalist.
So, it is Whitney and Oprah, part deux, another dramatic, emotional interview today on "Oprah Winfrey." Whitney Houston didn`t hold back. Nothing was off limits including Oprah`s tough questioning about whether Whitney thinks she`ll ever go back to drugs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: Does that mean you`re drug free?
HOUSTON: Yes, ma`am. I mean, you know, don`t think I don`t have the desire for it. There are times like, you know, it takes a minute to cleanse, get off me. Just leave me alone. I have to pray it away. No weed. No coke.
WINFREY: Do you think you ever will, again, be tempted?
HOUSTON: I can only take one day at a time.
WINFREY: Yes.
HOUSTON: Yes, one day at a time. Right now, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Right now, no. And I understand the whole "one day at a time" principle. But Tanika, definitely not a very definitive answer. And I actually find that kind of troubling. What about you?
RAY: Absolutely, A.J. It made me clinch the chair when she said that. She`s definitely on the fence of her addiction and it makes me a little nervous that she`s going to set off on all these promotional tours and get down with her concerts.
I just want to make sure that maybe they have somebody with her to kind of guide her down the right path and make sure that she stays focused. Because, as I said yesterday, this is her one and only chance to blow us away.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, there`s so much pressure involved with what she`s trying to do right now. Yes, she may have shed Bobby Brown from her life. But still, a lot of pressure involved going out and promoting this new album, doing shows.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: One of the most poignant moments of today`s interview was when Oprah asked Whitney about Michael Jackson. Turns out the two were very good friends for almost 20 years. But Whitney says that she saw major parallels in their struggles with addiction. You`ve got to watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOUSTON: I knew he was on painkillers at one time. I didn`t know how far or how deep it was. I just remember doing the anniversary special - 30th anniversary. I remember looking at Michael. I remember looking at myself.
WINFREY: That`s when you were so bone-thin, you were frail.
HOUSTON: I was - yes. I was getting scared.
WINFREY: Looking at him?
HOUSTON: Yes. And then I could see myself. I was like, "I don`t want this to be like this. This can`t happen. Not both of us."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Whitney actually feared that she might wind up like Michael Jackson. Hyla, over to you. It really is scary how close we may have been to also losing Whitney Houston, isn`t it?
HYLA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Absolutely. And it`s also scary to see how isolated these mega-superstars are. I mean, Whitney has no one in her life that gives her that, "Oh, my gosh" moment except Michael Jackson.
I mean, that`s the scary thing. We could have been having a tribute to her on the VMAs. And thank God we haven`t and thank God she did do that anniversary special with him because a light bulb went off. And it looks like that was the beginning of her realizing, "OK. I need to change my life, and I need to do it now."
HAMMER: Yes. And fortunately, her family was around. Whitney`s big comeback album, "I Look to You" - wow, it is hot, hot, hot. This, of course, is her first album in over seven years.
And congratulations, Whitney - debuted at the top of the Billboard album chart. Whitney told Oprah today that she owes the success of her comeback to her mother, her family and of course, legendary record producer, Clive Davis. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: So through all of this, those people -
HOUSTON: Stuck by me. Yes. And then, there was Clive. He said, "I don`t believe it`s over. No way." He said, "God doesn`t give you gifts like that and says, "It`s over." It can`t end like this. It can`t go like this.
He said, "I`m going to give you a year and you make a decision." He said, "But the world`s waiting and they want to hear you again."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Whitney also says she doesn`t want to refer to this as her comeback. It`s really her "come through."
Now, Tanika, I love Whitney Houston. But I`ve got to admit I was pretty skeptical when all the talk of her coming back was announced that she could actually pull it off. Are you at all surprised that she was able to make such a big comeback so fast after being so low for so long?
RAY: Yes, absolutely. I also was surprised when I heard that she was going to make a "come through." I`m really digging that phrase right now. But at the same time, this woman is so gifted. And we knew - we all kind of felt that if she got her life straight that she would be able to do it once again.
So I`m so thrilled that she was able to get her life together. To this point, obviously, the journey is not over. She`s got to keep it together, day after day after day, one step at a time.
HAMMER: Yes. And she certainly fed our skepticism a couple of weeks ago with her performance on "Good Morning America." Because let`s face it - it was less than stellar. I have to say - you know, we all watched it. Her voice was cracking a bit.
But today, we got to see Whitney surprise Oprah`s audience with an appropriate last-minute performance of a song from her new album, the song called "I Didn`t Know My Own Strength." This song just blew us away. You`ve got to see this.
(MUSIC)
Hyla, let me go back to you on this one. I was basically struck by two things here. The fact that, number one, her voice doesn`t quite sound like it used to ...
HYLA: Not at all -
HAMMER: ... but the fact that she`s still pretty freaking phenomenal, isn`t she?
HYLA: You know, by general musical standards, yes, she`s pretty good. But Whitney Houston`s standards, no, I don`t think so. That`s why the studio album is so much more important because we`re never going to be blown away the voice again. That`s gone. It`s just like an athlete, Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France. It is just not the same.
So you`ve got to hope the studio album will help her make this come through. I still have a question mark on it. I don`t know if it`s going to happen. Of course, she`s going to get a big adrenalin boost from being on "Oprah." I can sell 300 records - 200,000 records being on "Oprah." Where is this album going to be in 52 weeks? That will be the question, whether she completes her come through.
HAMMER: Yes. I`m not surprised that it made such a big splash. It was so highly anticipated. It went straight to number one. So what it all comes do to - and Tanika, let me ask you first, what is your verdict here?
She gave these two emotional, intense, honest days of interviews that we saw on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and she`s just pouring her heart out. Separate from the success that she may have, do you see Whitney as a changed woman?
RAY: I do. And you know what? I don`t care. Let the past go. Yes, her voice doesn`t sound the same as it did in her heyday, at the apex of her career. But you know what? I have goose bumps all over my body watching her perform on "Oprah." She makes you feel it to the core of your soul and that`s what we love about Whitney.
So regardless of the past, she is - her voice is what it is today. And we all are going to stay there and make sure that she is singing for the gods, honey. And I`m not going anywhere.
HAMMER: Yes. And I want to echo something you said earlier. Let`s hope she has the right support system around her right now as she is diving into, you know, a very high-pressure situation. Hayla, Tanika Ray, thanks, guys. I appreciate it.
As we move on tonight, I have to say even after apologizing on the "Jay Leno Show," the whole Kanye West-Taylor Swift drama is still blowing up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEST: You know, actually, it`s someone`s emotions, you know, that I stepped on and it was very - it was rude, period.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. You got that right. A lot of people calling Kanye on "Leno" a big old Hugh Grant moment. You`ve got to see the results of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll. Should we all boycott Kanye West? Plus, the great debate - is all this outrage over what Kanye did to Taylor Swift overblown?
And Kate`s view of Dr. Phil. Kate Gosselin and Dr. Phil go head-to- head on "The View." Wait until you see this. She gets the doctor to reveal once and for all - did he really try to save Jon and Kate`s marriage?
And are Megan Fox and Angelina Jolie in some kind of major battle? Well, the SHOWBIZ truth squad is on the case. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Oprah to tape show with Mariah Carey in New York`s Central Park. Over 8 million viewers watched this year`s MTV VMAs, up six percent from last year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEST: I don`t try to justify because I was just in the wrong, period. But I need to - I just have to take some time off and just analyze how I`m going to, you know, make it through the rest of this life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kanye West`s desperate plea on the "Jay Leno Show" to forgive him for stealing the mike from Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards.
And today, Kanye called Taylor directly to apologize. But did Kanye really need to apologize? The great debate in just a moment.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, Jon and Kate plus Dr. Phil. Yes, Kate Gosselin filled in as a guest host again today on "The View" and made big news when she went face to face with none other than Dr. Phil. They both set the record straight about whether or not Dr. Phil actually got called in to try to save Kate`s marriage to Jon Gosselin.
With me tonight in New York, celebrity blogger, Perez Hilton. Also tonight in New York, Marvet Britto who is a publicist and brand strategist.
Let me set the plate for you here. Jon Gosselin has claimed that Kate wanted to fly to L.A. with Jon to see if Dr. Phil could help save their marriage.
Well, this morning on "The View," Kate Gosselin and Dr. Phil talked about this publicly for the very first time. They confirmed there was some sort of meeting and that Dr. Phil`s wife, Robin, was there. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR, "JON & KATE PLUS 8": It was a behind-the- scenes, kind of like Dr. Phil and Robin are in the spotlight. We felt like they have been a huge source of support to me. And I mean, it was just kind of like a friend-thing that he imparted his wisdom to us.
DR. PHIL MCGRAW, PSYCHIATRIST: It was a private meeting with someone that - you know, Kate and Jon have been on my show before and we know Kate and Jon - Kate more than Jon. So, you know, I talked to them over the years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, Dr. Phil and Kate today never really made it clear what role Dr. Phil actually could have played to save their marriage. But Perez, let me ask you this. Do you think even the great Dr. Phil could have saved this mess of a marriage?
HILTON: Before I go there, A.J., I just have to say, how amazing did Kate Gosselin look on "The View?" The hair, the makeup - I am loving this new Kate Gosselin.
HAMMER: I see actually a little similarity with the hair today with the Kate look. Very nice.
HILTON: I didn`t do that on purpose. But, you know, if you watch the show, "Jon & Kate Plus 8," you could pretty much tell this marriage was doomed for a while.
HAMMER: Yes.
HILTON: I don`t think that Dr. Phil could have saved it. I don`t even think Mother Teresa, if she were still alive, could have saved it.
HAMMER: Now, a lot of people have been blaming the cameras. And Dr. Phil did have a lot to say about the pressures that a reality show can actually put on a marriage. But Kate says, you know, cameras or no cameras, her marriage to Jon was, in fact, doomed. You`ve got to see how this all played out this morning on "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCGRAW: If you have a camera that becomes a new member of your family, I think that`s tough. I mean, I think it really is. It puts a lot of pressure on you. It seems like it would be highly intrusive. And I think it`s taken its toll.
K. GOSSELIN: I`m going to totally agree with you. However - and I appreciate that, but I`m going to go back and say I, personally, in my own marriage - having a marriage with a reality show, I`m going to say, for us, it was going to happen anyway.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. That may be so. But Marvet, let me ask you this, given how her marriage turned out, as Kate moves forward in life, maybe perhaps Kate should be thinking about how cameras can continue to mess up her life if she continues to keep them around?
MARVET BRITTO, PUBLICIST AND BRAND STRATEGIST: You`re right. And you know, for Kate to think that cameras didn`t play a part in the dissolution of her marriage is not being really, really realistic. She had a private marriage and she had, you know, cameras following her.
So everything she did became magnified. So the most important thing for her and for Jon is to try to resolve whatever issues. But certainly, the cameras and the reality show didn`t help. It certainly magnified and broadened and brought the public into a very private marriage.
HAMMER: Mark my words, cameras not leaving Kate`s life any time soon. Let`s move on to our other story that`s making big news today. Kanye West`s apology to Taylor Swift for dissing her at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Now, Kanye did call Taylor today after he appeared on "The Jay Leno Show" to also say he`s sorry. Let`s look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEST: I immediately knew in this situation that it was wrong and it wasn`t a spectacle or - you know, it`s actually someone`s emotions, you know, that I stepped on. And it was just - it was rude, period.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, we`ve seen how blown-up this whole thing has gotten. Some people are saying, what the heck is the big deal here? So one celebrity was rude to another celebrity at an MTV awards show.
Perez, what do you think? I mean, you`ve been talking about it on "PerezHilton.com." We`re getting all this whole reaction on our Facebook page. Do you think it`s been overblown? Or really, did Kanye deserve to get his butt kicked in a major way that it got kicked?
HILTON: Kanye definitely deserved it. And the reason he struck such a nerve is that Taylor Swift is the biggest-selling artist in America over the last 12 months.
So right now, she`s incredibly popular, has a very loyal Internet- active fan base. And they went to town on Twitter, message boards, on my Web site. They were very angry.
And Taylor had every right to be angry. Hopefully, tonight is the last night we`re talking about this though, so we can move forward.
And Kanye needs to. I`m kind of concerned that he says he wants to take time off, because coming soon, he`s supposed to be going on tour with Lady Gaga. And we don`t know the fate of that as of right now.
HAMMER: Oh, he certainly does need to have some reflection time because it doesn`t seem that he took enough of that time after his mother passed away not that long ago.
I`m hearing it on both sides. Some people think it`s overblown. A lot of people don`t think it`s overblown. In fact, look at this. In our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, we asked on air and online, "Kanye West Disses Taylor Swift: Should Kanye be boycotted? Check that out. Ninety-one percent say yes, boycott Kanye. Only nine percent said no.
As I mentioned, the Facebook page just blowing up. We heard from Chelsea C. who writes on our wall, "Yes, boycott! His lame speech on `Jay Leno?` Come on. He didn`t even apologize! He`s stuck up, arrogant, needs to be punished."
Marvet Britto, to you - what do you think? Has the whole thing been overblown? Or does Kanye deserve the butt-kicking?
BRITTO: You know he did deserve the butt-kicking in the beginning. You know, she was a child. She was a baby, and he humiliated her.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRITTO: But I think at this point, he did go on "Leno," a very shameful, contrite, humble Kanye.
HAMMER: Got to end it there. Marvet Britto, Perez Hilton, thanks so much. And again, congrats, Perez, on your big concert tour throughout the country with Ida Maria and Lady Hawke. The tour going on through October 3rd. It really sounds terrific. Best of luck with that.
HILTON: Thank you.
HAMMER: Now, Kate Gosselin has news reports from a very unlikely person, the woman who claims that she had a romantic fling with her ex, Jon.
Wait until you see my SHOWBIZ exclusive. I go one-on-one with the other Kate. Kate Major tells all about the short-lived romance she says she had with Jon, a relationship Jon denies. So how does the other Kate feel about Jon now?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera): It sounds like, from your vantage point anyway, the relationship developed fast and furious. Did you love him?
KATE MAJOR, CLAIMS SHE HAD A ROMANTIC FLING WITH JON GOSSELIN: No. No. I think I was in lust with him. But no, I did not love him.
HAMMER: Do you hate him now?
MAJOR: I despise him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: There you go. You will not want to miss my exclusive one-on-one with the other Kate, Wednesday night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
You know, I think a lot of people think that "Transformers" star Megan Fox is like a newer younger version of Angelina Jolie. Tonight, there are actually reports that a brand-new battle is brewing between them. Really?
Time to call in the SHOWBIZ truth squad. Not too bad of an assignment, right? We go one-on-one with Megan Fox to set the record straight. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: "Celebration" is Madonna`s 40th number one on Billboard`s hot dance club play chart. Beyonce to create her own signature scent due out in spring 2010.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, is Megan Fox in a major throw-down with Angelina Jolie? The "Transformers" beauty is speaking out in a big way about reports that she and Angelina Jolie are duking it out to play the title role in the remake of "Barbarella." "Barbarella" is the sexy 1960s sci-fi comic book character originally brought to life by Jane Fonda.
So are the reports true? Well, the SHOWBIZ truth squad caught up with 23-year-old Fox at the Toronto Film Festival. And she says the rumor that she is doing the movie is just that, a rumor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEGAN FOX, ACTRESS: I haven`t heard anything about it. It`s weird - you guys always hear about it way before I do. I don`t know if that`s a possibility or not. Of course, I would never sneeze at something like that. It is a great movie. But I am not involved with it. Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did these rumors start?
FOX: I don`t know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because rumor is that you`re up against Angelina Jolie for the role.
FOX: That`s so - please. That`s silly. These are two completely different age categories and two very different people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Not to flattered by the comparison, I guess. But another case closed. Thank you, SHOWBIZ truth squad.
Well, all day long, we`ve had plenty of tributes flowing in to our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page. Here are some of them that I want to read to you right now.
We`re hearing from Lynn B. writing, "RIP, Patrick. What an amazing actor, husband and man he was. He will be greatly missed. So sad, another great one taken away!"
Also, Trish P. admiring Patrick`s brave fight against cancer, saying, "Such a talented actor and such an inspiration to many that you can achieve great things if you set your mind to it and can even overcome hurdles in your way with determination. Thanks, Patrick, for your gift of strength.
Remember, you can sign up for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page and also our Twitter page. We will send you breaking entertainment news alerts. All you have to do is go to our homepage, and that is CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
So on Monday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, and this was it - "Kanye West Disses Taylor Swift: Should Kanye be boycotted. Put up the results, please. Look at that. Wow - 91 percent of you said yes, boycott, boycott. Nine percent said no.
Let me read a couple of the E-mails we got. Tai from New York writes, "I always thought Kanye was a jerk, but boycott is a bit much. Kanye did not slug the girl. I think everyone is losing it."
And Shannon from Louisiana writes, "I think Kanye should be ashamed of himself. If this had been the first time he did something like this, maybe an apology would be OK. But it`s not. He needs to learn his lesson. I think everyone should boycott him."
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And 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 on HLN.
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