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Showbiz Tonight
Kate Gosselin`s Showdown on "The View"; Is Oprah Bashing Marriage?; Jessica Simpson`s Dramatic Move in the Search for Daisy; Paula Abdul Strikes Back
Aired September 18, 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, Kate`s explosive view. Tonight, Kate Gosselin`s stunning showdown on "The View." Her dramatic apology about the night cops were called to her house. What Kate said that absolutely outraged Whoopi Goldberg.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You could have gone to jail. You could have gone to jail - do you realize that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And brand-new details today about Kate`s possible talk show as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks would you watch?
Is Oprah Winfrey bashing marriage? Tonight, Oprah`s unbelievable brand-new confessions about her longtime relationship. Oprah`s startling revelations about why she won`t get married. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is Oprah sending the wrong message?
Plus, Jessica Simpson`s heartbreaking, dramatic move in the search for her beloved missing dog, snatched by a coyote. So why in the world is Martha Stewart now slamming Jessica?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
And tonight, Kate`s explosive view. I could hardly believe what I was seeing and hearing today when Kate Gosselin co-hosted "The View" one more time. Now, we thought it was just going to be another appearance by Kate, but wow. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the big news, breaking today.
Kate made an incredible apology today for something she did to her soon to be ex-hubby Jon Gosselin in their remarkably bitter divorce battle. For the very first time, Kate spoke publicly today about the magazine cover stories about Jon`s previous relationship with their babysitter.
And you have to see the big Kate smackdown with Whoopi Goldberg right there on "The View" today. What Kate said that got Whoopi so riled up.
With me tonight for the big news breaking from Hollywood, Jessica Weiner who is an author and a self-esteem expert. In New York is Suzanne Rozdeba who is a senior with "Star Magazine."
A lot of ground to cover tonight. Let`s begin with Kate responding today to a brand-new interview with the babysitter who claims that she and Jon had an affair at the same time that she was taking care of Jon and Kate`s eight kids.
Now, just a couple of weeks ago, the cops had to be called when Kate confirmed to Jon when he had custody of their eight kids. And at that same time, he was with that babysitter.
Well, this morning, the ladies of "The View" asked Kate if she was surprised to hear that the babysitter had claimed she had an affair with Jon. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR, "JON & KATE PLUS 8": Based on the behavior over the last several months, am I surprised? No. To me, it goes -
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": When did it happen? When did she say it happened?
K. GOSSELIN: Honestly, I don`t know. Over the last few months, but it goes -
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": After you were separated?
K. GOSSELIN: Yes, yes. It goes back to the recent, you know, the police being called, blah, blah, blah, the whole babysitter thing.
GOLDBERG: You objected to this particular babysitter coming.
K. GOSSELIN: This is the babysitter I objected to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Jon denies the affair. His attorney tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT these claims are shocking. They`re sensational. Jess, let me ask you first. Do you think that Kate really had no other choice today but to address this woman`s claims in this new interview? Or do you think she should have ignored it?
JESSICA WEINER, AUTHOR AND SELF-ESTEEM EXPERT: You know, I think that Kate is obsessed with hearing herself talk in the press, A.J. to be quite honest. And also, quite frankly, I want to know when this lady`s 15 minutes is up because I want her to go home and take care of those kids.
There are plenty of women out there who raise eight kids and more without being on TV. She has become her own worst enemy in a way. I think people are getting tired of her. I personally would like to hear somebody else talk about their life right now and not this woman.
HAMMER: Well, I`m sorry to tell that you the 15 minutes are probably going to be extended. More on that, coming up. But when Kate called the cops on Jon during that whole confrontation that we mentioned, there was a lot of confusion about what happened.
So, this morning, on "The View," Kate described exactly what it is that went down. Let`s roll that.
K. GOSSELIN: It was Jon`s custody, and obviously, I wasn`t supposed to be there which is understandable. I learned that he had asked this babysitter to come over. He was not going to be home.
And it started out very friendly. I called him, I said, "If you`re not going to be home, can I come home and be with the kids?" I mean, I don`t if he`s not going to be there. I`d rather be there. And it turned into this big thing. No, it`s my custody day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So, things clearly blew up. But Suzanne, let me ask you this. In Kate`s defense, all of this is new to her. They have to share custody, and this is something she`s not dealt with before. I`m kind of thinking we need to cut her a break on this.
SUZANNE ROZDEBA, SENIOR EDITOR, "STAR MAGAZINE": Well, you know, I think we definitely need to cut her a bit of a break. She went over there because, like everyone else, she`s been hearing the reports that Jon has been allegedly sleeping with this nanny.
So she`s going to check up on this woman who is supposedly taking care of her kids. I mean, if Jon is in a Jacuzzi with the nanny, who is taking care of the kids?
HAMMER: Well, I always love what Whoopi Goldberg has to say. She`s truly one of my favorite people on the planet. And I`ve got to tell you, she wasn`t amused one bit this morning when Kate explained what she did. In fact, Whoopi went ballistic. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLDBERG: I understand that, but when now you go into a custody thing with someone, you have your specific time and their specific time. And you`re not supposed to walk on - and I`m sorry. That`s the law.
SHEPHERD: I know that`s what the law says -
(CROSS TALK)
When you know somebody else is watching your child, no.
GOLDBERG: You could have gone to jail. You could have gone to jail. Do you realize that?
K. GOSSELIN: I have learned my lesson and I learned that it was not a good thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Jess, why do you think that Whoopi got so angry with Kate? You know, this is, as I said, all new to her. You think a lot of people are feeling what Whoopi is feeling right now - follow the rules?
WEINER: Yes. I`m on team Whoopi. I`m on team Whoopi for a lot of reasons. But I also think, A.J., she got so angry because it might be really frustrating for a genuinely talented person to share the stage and the spotlight with somebody who got here by selling their story to tabloids, by being salacious, by buying into the reality bull junk.
And so I think she`s partly expressing her frustration around that. And I think the choices - when you become a public persona like this, the choices are completely scrutinized.
This woman knows that now to a degree, and she just wasn`t using common sense. Again, think about the kids. And I think that`s what Whoopi`s anger was about.
HAMMER: Well, today was the last day that Kate co-hosted "The View." So if she was angry, doesn`t have to deal with her anymore. Now, she also did it on Monday. She did it on Tuesday.
Joy Behar even commented on how her appearance this week on "The View" really has helped Kate win the whole PR war that`s going on against Jon. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: The beauty of the story is that he was winning the PR wars when you were on the air. People were talking about you, that you picked on him, you were shrewish. You don`t look shrewish.
K. GOSSELIN: Thanks, Joy.
SHEPHERD: Maybe you were about getting stuff done.
K. GOSSELIN: I was about - you know what?
BEHAR: Let me finish here. But now, you are winning the PR wars because of this story about the babysitter.
K. GOSSELIN: I`m not really out to win anything.
BEHAR: And coming on the show and being sweet.
K. GOSSELIN: I see what you`re saying. I`m not out to win any awards. I`m out to be the best mother that I can possibly be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. That being said, Suzanne, do you think that Kate`s co- hosting "The View" is actually helping her win the image war against Jon? I do.
ROZDEBA: Absolutely. I mean, she`s out there talking openly about what she thinks happened with the nanny, and she`s really proving that she is a good mom. And then, even though she may have broken the law, going over when the kids are with Jon, that she really and truly cares about them.
HAMMER: Well, in a brand-new development today, Kate`s career just may be taking off to the complete chagrin of Jess Weiner. She may be going in a new direction because of her success co-hosting "The View" this week. She`s reportedly actually taping the pilot for a new talk show in the next couple of days with Paula Dean.
Look at the results of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. We asked on air and online this - "Jon and Kate: Is Jon`s bad reputation helping Kate`s career?" Look at the results - 71 percent of the people who voted said yes. Only 29 percent said no.
So, Jess, do you actually think, even if it`s something you don`t love, Jon`s bad behavior is helping Kate launch her career in a brand-new direction?
WEINER: Well, certainly. He looks like a total loser trying to get into these clubs and hanging out at these, you know, parties with people. I mean, they`re both revealing themselves to be, I think, who they are becoming, as media celebrities.
And that`s what we do to this sort of average folk that become reality stars, right? We end up giving them a ton of opportunities that most people have to work forever for. And so where I get frustrated, and you are definitely hearing that in my voice tonight, is that there are so many talented, vibrant people out there who work hard who deserve a chance to lead cultural conversations.
This woman didn`t take that path. I don`t know what she was doing before she had eight kids and on TV. But again, I want her to go back and focus on those kids and not kind of hawk herself out for money.
HAMMER: Yes. I couldn`t agree with you more on that. Well, we`re hearing from everybody on this. We`re seeing your responses on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page. We`re getting your E-mails. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines have truly been flooded.
A lot of compliments for Kate in addition to a lot of people saying, not-so-nice things about Jon. One call I want to play for you - this is Desiree who things a talk show would be perfect for Kate. Let`s listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DESIREE, CALLER: I think it`s fantastic. And if she has the personality, and now she has the notoriety and she has to support those kids somehow. She`s definitely interested in being in the limelight. And I think she really has the genuine interest in other people, so good for her.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, some people feel that way. Suzanne, you know, as hard as Kate has had it, could all of this actually help launch her into this brand-new career? Do you actually see this happening? Whether or not we want it to happen, do you see it actually taking place?
ROZDEBA: Absolutely. She did a decent job on "The View," and everyone`s buzzing about Kate having a show. I think that she could definitely be the next queen of talk show hosts.
WEINER: Oh, no, no, no! It will never happen on my watch, A.J.
HAMMER: Yes - well, no, no. Jess, I mean, really, is it your worst nightmare because of the kids? And I know you`ve expressed there are other people you`d like to see out there. But hey, this is America and this is what happens in America. You get on TV. You get all the exposure. And hey, maybe you take off.
WEINER: I know. I know. No, it`s not - I`m not just all anti-Kate. I just think that we have to put in perspective reality stars, where they are. And I just think we kind of have lost the talent pool in this country because of that. That`s what I`m advocating for.
HAMMER: All right. But you are on board with her new hair cut, right?
WEINER: It`s a lot better, yes.
HAMMER: Jessica Weiner, Suzanne Rozdeba, I do appreciate you going through this with us tonight.
All right. So with all of this talk about Kate possibly getting her own show, I really need to know what you think. Please let me know. Here is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Talk Show Showdown: Who would you rather see get her own show?" Paula "I just ditched American Idol, seal clap and all" Abdul or Kate "I ditched my reverse mullet for a new do for `The View`" Gosselin?
You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. If you`ve got more to say, well, by all means, E-mail us, please, at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, tonight, I can tell you, Oprah Winfrey is stirring up some serious new controversy. Is Oprah really bashing marriage? She`s revealing some brand-new details about her long-time relationship with Stedman Graham, like, why she won`t get married to Stedman. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is Oprah sending the wrong message?
Poor Jessica Simpson. I really feel badly for her. Her dog gets snatched away by a coyote right in front of her and she starts this dramatic search. And now, tonight, she`s making a heartbreaking, dramatic move. But why is Martha Stewart, of all people, now slamming Jessica?
Also, Paula strikes back at Ellen. Look at that. That`s pretty funny, in my opinion. Paula Abdul, caught on camera, imitating the woman who just got her big gig on "American Idol." So what do you think? Does Paula resent Ellen DeGeneres? Will this spoof give Paula "Idol" closure or is Paula straight up out of line? 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: Halley Berry shoots down pregnancy rumor on "The Jay Leno Show." Katherine Heigl and hubby finalize adoption of daughter Naleigh from South Korea.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KATHY GRIFFIN, COMEDIENNE: What? I see you giving me the evil eye, Paula. I see it.
PAULA ABDUL, FORMER JUDGE, "AMERICAN IDOL": I`m not leaving this (EXPLETIVE DELETED) alone.
GRIFFIN: All right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Just last night, at VH1`s "Divas," it was Paula Abdul took a playful jab at reality show star and comedienne Kathy griffin. Kathy, of course, known for her hilarious stand-up routines where she takes swipe at almost everyone in Hollywood.
But tonight, I have a side of Kathy you don`t see that often - her very serious side.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, it`s Kathy`s painful past. Kathy Griffin makes a living, of course, from making people laugh. But in this, Kathy`s new memoir, "The Official Book Club Selection," Griffin writes about something that`s no laughing matter. Her oldest brother, Kenny, was a pedophile.
I can`t imagine a whole lot of people who would want the world to know such a personal, shocking family secret. So when I sat down with Kathy, I had to ask her why she felt the story needed to be in her book.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: You know what? I`m not a secret keeper, as you know. And there`s nothing about my life that has any secrets. And what I learned is - you know, I grew up in a very traditional Irish Catholic family.
And you know the mix - they love their secrets. And that`s all well and good. But I think, at the end of the day, when you talk about pedophilia, something as serious as that, you can`t keep that secret. It`s something that needs be exposed.
You know, when I was a little girl - you know, I`m 48 now, so when I was a little girl, it`s almost like that word "pedophile" didn`t exist in our world. And yet we all sort of had that relative that you kind of knew not to go near.
It`s very sort of amorphous thing, and I couldn`t write the book without writing about him. Because, in fact, he was actually a very influential character in my life, because, you know, obviously, a very difficult person for my whole family to deal with and he was a divisive figure in our family.
So I felt like if I`m going to write a book that has stuff that you haven`t seen on "The D-List" - you don`t see my act. There are serious parts, too, like anybody else in life. You know, you have serious and heavy things that happen to you. And so, I couldn`t write the book without writing about him.
HAMMER (on camera): And separate from learning about you from -
GRIFFIN: Could that answer have been any longer?
HAMMER: It was pretty long.
GRIFFIN: Because how are you ever going to cut around this?
HAMMER: We`ll cut around it.
GRIFFIN: All right.
HAMMER: Is there anything, though, from your story about your brother, Kenny, and the things that you say about him that other people may take away and perhaps look at their own lives?
GRIFFIN: Of course. I think the most important thing to take away is, it didn`t just happen to my family. It happens in many families. It needs to be talked about. And I believe this is a topic that only when you shine the light on it will we start to get some - I don`t know if you can say healing.
I don`t personally believe people can be cured from this. But it`s something that needs to be talked about. And I think that`s how you protect people.
HAMMER: Just an awareness that hey, it going on.
GRIFFIN: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Have the conversation.
GRIFFIN: Have the conversation, which - by the way, my dad ultimately did have the conversation with my brother before he died. And he said, "You know, Kathleen thinks you`re a pedophile. And my brother`s answer was, "Well, I do what I do."
HAMMER: Wow.
GRIFFIN: Probably not how you would answer if someone accused you of being a pedophile. I mean it`s a pretty intense thing. So yes, I write about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And you can pick up a copy of Kathy Griffin`s memoir. It`s terrific - called "Official Book Club Selection." It is in bookstores now.
Let`s move on to our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines, which have caught on fire, quite frankly, as soon as we showed you the very first interview with Hulk Hogan`s wife, Linda, who is 50, with her boyfriend, who`s 20.
We`ve got a call into "Showbiz on Call" from Jeanette in Michigan who thinks if it were the other way around, people would be cheering.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JEANETTE, CALLER FROM MICHIGAN: I think if he was 50 and his girlfriend was 20, everybody would think that was just rocking and he was hot. But if you are a woman, you`ve got to be some kind of creepy.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you, Jeanette. We also heard from Kaitlyn calling into "Showbiz on Call" from New Hampshire. And Kaitlyn doesn`t like what Linda is doing.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KAITLYN, CALLER FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE: She`s crazy. Just absolutely ridiculous that she`s putting her kids through this. Hulk Hogan worked his whole life to give her everything that she had. And she ripped it all out, went ahead and dated a child who`s half her age. I think it`s absolutely disgusting.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, appreciate your call, Kaitlyn. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call." That`s how you let us know what you think about this or anything else. The "Showbiz on Call" are always open - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728- 2899. Please give us a ring. Leave a voicemail so we can play your call on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`re also posting them, too, online. Check out our homepage, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, Oprah and her guy - certainly no cougar issues there. She and her long-time boyfriend Stedman Graham are about the same age. Tonight, you`ve got to hear this. Oprah`s brand-new, explosive words about marriage.
Not only is she revealing why she`s never married Stedman, but is she actually trashing marriage at the same time?
Also tonight, Kelly Osbourne`s unbelievable drug confessions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLY OSBOURNE, OZZY OSBOURNE`S DAUGHTER: I started experimenting with drugs when I was 13.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": Thirteen?
K. OSBOURNE: Yes. And by the time we started doing "The Osbournes," I really was a full-blown drug addict.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow - 13. In a brand-new interview, just today on "Ellen," the daughter of rocker Ozzy Osbourne reveals how she became a drug addict. And why being made fun of for her weight just fueled her addiction.
Also, poor Jessica Simpson. You know what? Her dog was snatched by a coyote. And tonight, she`s making a sad, dramatic move in the search for her little Malti-poo. But why is Martha Stewart now slamming her on top of the whole bunch of other people? I`m thinking, everybody needs to leave Jessica alone. 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: Oprah picks short story collection "Say You`re One of Them" as official book club choice. N.C. town where "Dirty Dancing" was filmed plans memorial service for Patrick Swayze.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Right now, I want to tell you an unbelievable story about one of my coworkers here at HLN, my good buddy, Robin Meade. Robin, of course, is just amazing as the host of "Morning Express," seen on weekday mornings, 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. right here on HLN.
But I can tell you, Robin, believe it or not, had major self- confidence issues.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?
HAMMER: Yes. Sure. Robin has this brand-new book out. It`s called "Morning Sunshine." In it, she reveals her battle with major anxiety that nearly destroyed her career. Now, listen to what Robin told me about her dramatic story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN MEADE, HOST, "MORNING EXPRESS": My hands would shake uncontrollably, and I would just say, "Oh, my gosh. I hope I`m not going to have a panic attack today." Well, when you say that so much and you put so much emotion into anything, you are attracting that thing.
So of course, I was saying, "I hope I don`t have this panic attack," so of course I had panic attacks. And they didn`t stop until basically I gave them permission to stop, and stopped fearing them.
But the hardest thing was, I couldn`t breathe on the air. Little bit of a problem. I want people to know that the person that they see on the air is the same person you`re going to read about in the book. But we don`t necessarily have to be perfect and hide things about ourselves.
You know, it`s all right to have problems, it`s all right - I don`t want young people to look up and go - in your career, my career, any high profile career and go, "Oh, that must have been so easy. They don`t have any problems like I have."
Well, that`s not true. I mean, I think we all have issues that we need to work through. And hopefully, this might be an inspiration for someone working through something similar.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I strongly urge you to pick up Robin`s book, "Morning Sunshine: How to Radiate Confidence and Feel It, Too." It`s on sale everywhere right now. It is a great read.
Well, our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page is just lighting up afternoon we showed you the very first interview with 50-year-old Linda Logan and her 20-year-old boyfriend.
Let me read a couple of the entries. Pamela M. writing, "If people are happy together, then why do we care what they do?"
Sherry W. thinks there`s a double standard, "Why is it `ick` when the woman is older, but when the man is older, nobody says anything?"
And by the way, I need to thank everybody who is a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook fan. We have just passed the 10,000 fan mark on our Facebook page. It is just nuts around here. We`re very excited, as you can see.
And I believe our executive producer Dave Levin promised us all new cars, guys, if we reach 1 million fans. So please tell your friends. You can sign up at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Let`s get to the SHOWBIZ lineup - this is what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Is Oprah bashing marriage? Tonight, you`ve got to hear her brand-new revelations about why she hasn`t gotten married. But is Oprah sending the wrong message?
(MUSIC)
And Paula strikes back. Paula Abdul making fun of Ellen DeGeneres. Is she resentful that Ellen got her "American Idol" gig? Or is this all just a good laugh?
And tonight, I`ve got the brand-new secrets from the "Sex and the City" sequel you will not want to miss. 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: Avril Lavigne and husband Deryck Whibley separate after 6 1/2 years of marriage. Ozzy Osbourne admits to biting the head off a bat in new memoirs, "I am Ozzy."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, is Oprah bashing marriage? Tonight, Oprah Winfrey`s brand-new stunning revelations on her long-time relationship. Why Oprah says she won`t marry Stedman. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the provocative question, is Oprah setting a bad example?
And big breaking news in the search for Jessica Simpson`s dog who was snatched by a coyote. And why is Martha Stewart slamming Jessica?
Plus, Paula Abdul spoofs Ellen. Is Paula slamming Ellen for swiping her gig at "American Idol?" Or is this all just in good fun?
Plus, more sties breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
TV`s most provocative entertainment news 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, Oprah now revealing why Oprah won`t marry. In a rare and candid interview, Oprah Winfrey is revealing what she`s never revealed before. There is outrage tonight over what Oprah said and her take on marriage.
Oprah opens up about what she really thinks and why she may never get hitched to her long-time boyfriend Stedman Graham.
And Paula Abdul strikes back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDUL: Good evening, everyone. I`m Paula Abdul - and this is not "American Idol."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The dancing diva returned last night on the return of the VH1 show, "Divas Live." And in her first TV gig since she left "American Idol," Paula wasted no time spoofing Ellen DeGeneres, who of course got Paula`s job on "American Idol."
The big question everyone was asking and debating today, was it all fun and games? Or is Paula a little bitter?
Joining me tonight in New York, Jessica Weiner, who is a self-esteem expert and author of this fine book, "Life Doesn`t Begin Five Pounds From Now." Tonight in New York is Marvet Britto who is a strategist for brands - a brand strategist, we like to call her - and a publicist.
And let`s start off with Oprah Winfrey. I`m sorry. I`m just very excited tonight. We love Oprah. We love her show. We love her interviews. Not everybody is loving what she`s got to say about marriage. And you are about to understand why. Everybody has always wondered why she and her long time partner, Stedman, have yet to tie the knot.
Well, now we know why. Oprah has just told this to Atlanta TV station WS, quote, "Had we made the official marriage commitment, we wouldn`t still be together. The reason the relationship works is that we get to define it on our own terms. It would be very different if we were in a traditional relationship where I was expected to be a wife and every now and then cook a meal."
No surprise, blogs were just burning up today, a lot of people just outraged by what Oprah said. They are saying, basically, what does marriage have to do with cooking?
Jess Weiner, off to you first. What do you think? I`m pretty surprised by this. Is Oprah really slamming marriage here?
WEINER: Are you surprised? I`m not surprised. I love that Oprah said this. Here is the dirty little secret nobody wants to talk about the gender roles in traditional heterosexual marriages. They still exist. And I think she`s absolutely right.
Oprah would never be Oprah, A.J., if she had to raise her children by herself and/or with a husband, and do the traditional roles that women are expected to do in marriage. Name me one billionaire in her position who is man who is also hands-on raise a kid and been part of that family. It doesn`t happen and she`s just speaking the truth.
HAMMER: Yes. But Jess, you know - and Marvet, tell me if you agree with me that the definition of marriage has certainly changed. And I don`t want to debate that. You know, Oprah is such a progressive woman. So to equate marriage with being expected every now and then to cook a meal just doesn`t seem very Oprah-esque to me, Marvet.
MARVET BRITTO, BRAND STRATEGIST AND PUBLICIST: Well, I think, A.J., there are traditions and expectations when you get married. And for Oprah, she clearly marches to the beat of her own drum.
And for her, you know, marriage is about the commitment that you make to each other. It`s not about the vows. So I think Oprah is more interested in the actions, you know, that the commitment brings rather than the vow. And I think she has every right to do what works for her and Stedman.
HAMMER: I agree -
BRITTO: When you look at America, when you look at the staggering divorce rate, I don`t think it`s something that everybody should aspire to have. I think commitment is more important.
WEINER: Absolutely.
HAMMER: I agree with you. What I guess I`m saying is, you know, you make the point that Oprah marches to the beat of her own drum. You can still get married and march to the beat of your own drum and don`t let the word "marriage" define you. That`s what I`m saying.
And another thing that is not at all surprising is that the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page fired up. And by the way, may I have a round of applause, please? As I mentioned, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT now has over 10,000 friends and fans on Facebook.
Anyway, I digress. We`ve got a lot of hits on the wall today when we asked if Oprah was sending the wrong message. Let me read a couple of things that we heard.
Sindy Z. writing, "Of course she`s sending the wrong message. Enough people already feel marriage isn`t what it is all said to be and this type of commenting does not help."
But Julie-Ann H. says, "No one makes a big deal out of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. They`ve been together forever, so have Stedman and Oprah. Big whoop. You do what`s best for you regardless of who you are. Just because her name is Oprah doesn`t mean she should live her life inauthentically (sic) just to appease the public."
So Jess, I`m guessing you agree more with Julie-Ann H. saying to their own, as opposed to Sindy saying Oprah`s sending the wrong message here.
WEINER: Well, I do, A.J. And it`s simply because of this - I think marriage is a union between two people and what goes on - rules, regulations, their relationship - it`s all individual.
And I think we should all get out of everyone`s marriage and everybody`s relationship. And if it works for Oprah and Stedman, it works. They are responsible human beings. She`s doing a beautiful job, as is he. Everybody just needs to take a chill.
HAMMER: I agree with that. I think she could do whatever the heck she wants. And let me just say one more time, Oprah Winfrey.
Let`s move on now. We have more big breaking news today. Paula Abdul, the dancing diva, debuts on her very first TV gig since she left "American Idol" and was replaced by Ellen DeGeneres.
Well, Paula hosted VH1`s "Divas Live" last night. She didn`t waste any time poking fun at Ellen. You`ve got to check this out. It was the highlight of the night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
ABDUL: Why are you all staring at me? Can`t a girl try out a new job? All kidding aside, nothing but love, Ellen. And I wish you the best of luck and congratulations on your new gig. And call me. You`ve got to call me if you have any Simon problems because, you know, I know him best.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I think it`s pretty clear that Paula was just having some fun, acknowledging the elephant in the room, even throwing some love Ellen`s way. But Marvet, there are some people out there - I`ve seen the comments -who say she came off as a little bitter last night. What was your takeaway?
BRITTO: I don`t think she was bitter at all. She should be able to make fun of herself. This is a very difficult situation, I`m sure, being replaced on a show that she very much is apart of, a strong part of "American Idol" brand.
So, I think we should support Paula`s decision to make fun of a very difficult situation. Maybe that`s the way that she chose to deal with it. I thought it was amazing.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRITTO: And I think it`s really showing "Idol" and "Idol`s" fans what they`re missing.
HAMMER: Well, Paula started the show out by singing and dancing to some of her big hits from the `80s. Let`s roll that.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Now, the way I look at it, everything Paula is doing right now is basically an audition for her next job. What do you think, Jess? She needed to hit it out of the park last night. Did she?
WEINER: You know what, A.J., I like Paula. I don`t agree completely with Marvet that it was, you know, much fun and hilarious to watch. I think Paula`s not a comedian. It felt flat for me. It seemed a little desperate.
And I think that`s part of what people can pick up on with Paula. And so I just - you know, I want Paula to stay being Paula and do what she does, but leave the comedy to Ellen and other comedians.
HAMMER: Very quickly, Marvet. Did she maintain the Paula brand? As a brand strategist, you would know.
BRITTO: She absolutely maintained the Paula brand. She made light of it. Ellen is a comedian. Ellen will get it. Ellen makes fun of people all the time on her show. If that`s how Paula chose to deal with this situation, we should support her in that.
HAMMER: Marvet Britto, Jessica Weiner, thanks, both of you. And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Talk Show Showdown: Who would you rather see get her own show, Paula Abdul or Kate Gosselin?" Let us know at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Tonight, there is big breaking news in the search for Jessica Simpson`s dog who was snatched by a coyote before her very eyes. I`ve got to say, I am a big-time dog lover. I`m very upset that a lot of people are slamming Jess for going on an all-out search to find her dog.
Even Martha Stewart is slamming Jessica. What`s going on here? Well, I`ve got the latest on Jessica`s dog drama.
Also, Kelly Osbourne revealing her dramatic battle with drugs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
K. OSBOURNE: I started experimenting with drugs when I was 13.
DEGENERES: Thirteen?
K. OSBOURNE: Yes. And by the time we started doing "The Osbournes," I really was a full-blown drug addict.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ozzy Osbourne`s daughter opens up about what fueled her addiction. Is her family`s MTV reality show, "The Osbournes," to blame?
Plus, we`ve got brand-new secrets from "Sex and the City," the sequel. We are right there on the set. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Time Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Eighteen-year-old man arrested in connection to Lindsay Lohan burglary. Man arrested for trying to get into Ryan Seacrest`s car as he was leaving event.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK LACHEY, JESSICA SIMPSON`S EX-HUSBAND: We haven`t named it yet. It`s Jessica`s responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, bad news for Jessica Simpson and her doggie drama. The desperate search for beloved Malti-poo Daisy, who was snatched by a coyote, a dog first given to her by her ex-husband Nick Lachey in their MTV show five years ago. But why the heck is Martha Stewart slamming Jessica over this?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, Jessica`s doggie drama is coming to a heartbreaking end. Today, we learned that the official search is over. Jessica had been holding out hope over hope that Daisy is still out there somewhere.
But a lot of people said she was being unrealistic, including Whoopi Goldberg on "The View." Well, today, we learned that Martha Stewart is also dogging Jess, blaming her for being careless.
With me tonight in New York is Steven Smith. He`s a music and pop culture expert. Also in New York tonight, Suzanne Rozdeba. She`s a senior editor for "Star Magazine."
So from the moment Jessica sent out a tweet that Daisy was snatched by a coyote, people were having a big laugh at her expense because she thought there was a chance that maybe Daisy would come home. Well, today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dug up the automated call that was sent out by a company to Jessica help find her dog. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Daisy is a honey colored ten-pound Malti-poo. If you have seen her or can help, please call. You can also view your neighbor`s lost pet and their contact info at "FindToto.org."
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, despite those efforts, today, we did learn the search has been called off. There`s no sign of Daisy. Jessica, of course, is bracing for the worst.
And Steven, let me start with you. I`m pretty ticked off that people have been making fun, just because Jessica was hoping for a miracle here. Are you with me on that?
STEVEN SMITH, MUSIC AND POP CULTURE EXPERT: I`m completely annoyed. It`s really, really rude. I mean, we`ve all lost pets. We`ve lost pets, you know. They`ve escaped. We lost pets to disease or something.
And any time someone is grieving, you do anything you can to get your animal back. And for everyone to weigh in - it`s really none of your business to discuss things like that.
Martha Stewart saying, "You know, you should have watched it more." What if it had been a child, Martha? Who are you to say anything like that?
HAMMER: Yes. And a lot of us feel that our pets are like our kids.
SMITH: Yes.
HAMMER: And I was pretty shocked about the Martha Stewart comment, because Martha is supposedly a fellow dog lover. She`s given Jess a smackdown in the whole doggie drama.
Now, Stewart was at a party for "Us Weekly." Here`s what she said, "It`s pretty sad. She should have watched it more closely. She should have been more careful."
Suzanne, are you with me that is Martha just out of line here?
ROZDEBA: I don`t think so at all. I think Martha is basically saying what we`ve all been saying, kind of saying, shut up. I mean, Jessica has really, I think, pushed us to the limit. And then, Martha actually said, "It`s time maybe to get a new dog."
HAMMER: No, no. But in this comment, she was saying here that it was her fault. And I just think that`s hideous. It wasn`t her fault. She doesn`t know what happened there.
ROZDEBA: No, she doesn`t know what happened. I mean, it`s sad. She saw the dog being dragged off by a coyote. But to go on Twitter and put up these signs - it`s highly unlikely that this dog is going to be returned unless the coyote decides to bring it back.
HAMMER: Yes, but there`s nothing wrong with hoping. I think that`s really all she was doing. Now, before Martha even had her smackdown, "View" co- host Whoopi Goldberg and one of my favorite people, made the suggestion that Jessica was being unrealistic, and that`s what a lot of people thought, that Daisy would never return from the clutches of the coyote. Watch Whoopi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLDBERG: I`m not sure whether Jessica realizes with coyotes, they don`t generally read these flyers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, Steven, do you think that Jessica is really being picked on because she has that public image that she`s not really that bright? I mean, obviously, you don`t think that`s fair. Do you think that`s the core of it?
SMITH: I don`t think she`s being picked on because she`s not that bright. She does have that image, sadly. But as someone who used to live in Los Angeles and have seen the coyotes come down, it is kind of common sense that, you know, if you have a small dog, don`t let it out at night. Don`t let your cats go out.
She probably knew it and she`s kicking herself more than anybody else could. Maybe she turned around. Maybe she was on the phone. You have no idea. So, for everyone to just jump on the bandwagon - shoot, if I lost my pet, I`d be on Twitter. I`d use everything possible ...
HAMMER: Yes.
SMITH: ... even if I saw it get run over.
HAMMER: Me, too. I want to get back to what Suzanne was referring to a moment ago where Martha Stewart was basically suggesting that Jessica go out and get another dog.
Here`s what she said, "Get another dog. I think it`s very important to get another dog, someone else to love. You just have to find the dog that`s the right match for you."
You know, Martha has a whole bunch of animals. But I don`t feel like that`s good advice from one pet lover to another, Suzanne. I think that is basically saying, "Oh, you know, you love that. You can love another one just as easily." It`s not like that.
ROZDEBA: Well, you know, it`s just that Jessica really has gone to the limit with publicizing this and getting an agency to help her out. I mean, she hasn`t gotten a dog whisperer. Where is that?
HAMMER: All right. OK. Clearly, Suzanne, cynical. Steven, you`re on my side. Thank you for being there for me, Steven.
SMITH: I`m with you, A.J.
Well, tonight, we have Kelly Osbourne`s dramatic revelations about her battle with drugs. Kelly, of course, the daughter of shock rocker, Ozzy Osbourne. Even thought, we watched Kelly`s every move on the MTV reality show, "The Osbournes," we really never could have known that she was seriously addicted to drugs the entire time she was on the show. I didn`t see it.
Well, today, we got our hands on a brand-new interview Kelly did on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Kelly revealing how early she started using and what really fueled her addiction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
K. OSBOURNE: I started experimenting with drugs when I was 13.
DEGENERES: Thirteen?
K. OSBOURNE: Yes. And by the time we started doing "The Osbournes," I really was a full-blown drug addict. And it was at a time in my life where suddenly I was famous. My mom had cancer. My dad almost died in a bike accident.
So I was going between a hospital in London and a hospital in L.A. And on top of dealing with - every time, I felt like I didn`t deserve to be this miserable. But - oh, I didn`t have the right to be, rather. And you know, I would open up magazines and it would be like, "The fat daughter of Ozzy Osbourne."
And I would have things to an extreme where people would drive past our house because it was right next to Sunset where we filmed "The Osbournes," scream, "You`re fat and ugly. We hate you." And it would be like, consistently every Friday and Saturday night. And -
DEGENERES: Unbelievable.
K. OSBOURNE: And it was a lot for me to handle.
DEGENERES: Yes. Yes.
OSBOURNE: A lot. And I didn`t handle it very well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, I am happy to see that Kelly is now clean and sober. I think she looks terrific, too. Ellen`s interview with Kelly is going to air on Monday. That`s the same day Kelly makes her debut on "Dancing with the Stars." And of course, we wish her all the best.
Well, I`ve got to tell you, people are just going nuts about the brand-new "sex and the city" sequel. The movie is not even in the theaters until next year.
Well, if you can`t take it any longer, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has brand-new secrets from behind the scenes from someone who knows the ladies better than anyone else.
It`s time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Patrick Swayze memoir, "The Time of My Life," to be released on September 29th. Lisa Ling, former co-host of "The View," to return as a guest in October.
It`s time now for "Making It Work," the secrets of how stars make their relationships work in Hollywood and beyond. And tonight, it`s Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber. Naomi and Live have been together since 2005. They have two young sons together.
So when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Naomi in New York, we had to ask her, how do you juggle your kids and make your relationship work at the same time?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAOMI WATTS, ACTRESS: There are days when I cannot believe how one functions with the sweet deprivation that you go through constantly. And then, there are days when I feel like, "Oh my god, I can do this. I can do everything." No matter how tired you are, you get so much out of just one little smile.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. So "Sex and the City" is a huge hit, of course. And there`s no denying fashion plays a leading role in the movie`s success. So many of the shoes, the clothes and the bags the characters wear suddenly become major fashion trends.
And it`s by accident. Here`s CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It`s Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha or the fab four -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They wore about four different dresses.
CHO: Patricia Field is the fifth girl, the flame-haired iconic costume designer for "Sex and the City."
(on camera): Can you explain what the experience of working with Pat Field is like?
CYNTHIA NIXON, ACTRESS: It`s, you know, you`re in the hands of the master.
CHO (voice-over): The woman who some fashion insiders say is single- handedly responsible for starting countless fashion trends, be it bags, accessories or shoes.
SARAH JESSICA PARKER, ACTRESS: Hello, lover -
CHO: No matter how quirky -
MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV, ACTOR: You look -
PARKER: Why, thank you.
CHO: How crazy the look, if someone on "Sex and the City" wears it, it sells. I caught up with Pat Field on the movie set of "Sex and the City 2," the sequel, in production right now.
(on camera): What inspires you?
PATRICIA FIELD, "SEX AND THE CITY" COSTUME DESIGNER: If it tells me some story and it communicates something to me, I go with it.
CHO (voice-over): It could be anything. Field is inspired by what she sees on the runway.
FIELD: Good luck to the two of you.
CHO: On the street. Even fans.
FERN MALLIS, SVP, IMG FASHION: Pat is the crystal ball. She`s magic - a crystal ball with red hair.
CHO: But her real talent is putting it all together.
NIXON: Pat loves clothes and she`s not afraid to mix the highs and the lows. Something very expensive with like, a $2 belt.
CHO: She has the eye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pat is the great editor. She can capture what happens in the world.
CHO: And the world follows.
PARKER: Manolo Blahnik.
CHO: So do designers who flock to her, hoping Pat will choose them and put them on the map.
(on camera): Basically, anything your heart desires is yours.
FIELD: Well, 95 percent. There are a few (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CHO (voice-over): And there`s no denying "Sex and the City" has made Pat, too. The paparazzi, the fans can`t get enough.
FIELD: I don`t know what they do with these photographs of me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. "Sex and the City 2," the movie, is due out in the spring of 2010.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s -11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific and weekday mornings at 11:00 a.m. Eastern here on HLN.
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