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Showbiz Tonight
The Balloon Boy Saga, A Hoax?; The Cougar Controversy; Marge Simpson Bares It All for Playboy
Aired October 19, 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, the Balloon Boy saga soars to new heights of outrage. A sheriff says the whole thing was a hoax cooked up by the family to get their own reality show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF JIM ALDERDEN, LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO: It has been determined that this is a hoax, that it was a publicity stunt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: If it`s true, how did the family pull it off? Major outrage over whether the parents put their kids in danger. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has all the late breaking Balloon Boy bombshells.
Cougar alert. Even before Courtney Cox`s show "Cougar Town," "cougar" became a household word, thanks to Demi Moore and Madonna. Is calling a woman a cougar demeaning, saying she`s a predator? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, is it time for the word "cougar" to be extinct?
Plus, the latest star to bare it all in "Playboy," Marge Simpson. Does cartoon nudity cross the line or is it just plain funny?
TV`s first, 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.
Tonight, hot air hoax? Talk about a dramatic turn of events, the runaway balloon drama that had millions of people glued to their TVs has taken an explosive new turn tonight. The Colorado sheriff`s investigating the incident now say, the whole wild ride was just an incredible stunt orchestrated for a shot at reality TV fame.
But that is just the beginning of this shocking spectacle. Tonight, we`re hearing brand-new evidence that Richard Heene the father behind the high altitude experiment gone wrong may have been plotting this hoax for months.
But were his kids used as pawns? There is no question that these balloon bombshells made for big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It started as a nail biting real-time drama.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A little boy who literally floated away.
HAMMER: Then, it became a national punch line on "Saturday Night Live."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s not news.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But I was on the news for a whole day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That doesn`t make you news, balloon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What if I said I had a boy inside me?
HAMMER: And now that the story of a boy trapped in a runaway balloon is deflated.
ALDERDEN: It is determined this is a hoax, that it was a publicity stunt -
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this alleged balloon caper is now a full-blown criminal case.
MARC MALKIN, "E! NEWS": Everyone is expecting that there will be charges brought against them.
HAMMER: Colorado police said they expect to charge amateur scientists Richard Heene and his wife Mayumi for allegedly duping the world into thinking their 6-year-old son, Falcon, was trapped in this runaway balloon. Well, it turns out he was nowhere near it. And now, the Heene family is fighting back.
DAVID LANE, ATTORNEY FOR RICHARD AND MAYUMI HEENE: The sheriff having a press conference saying that they are guilty does not make them so.
HAMMER: Today, on CNN`s "AMERICAN MORNING," the Heenes` new attorney, David Lane, said that his clients deserve the presumption of innocence. He added that the Heenes should not be arrested in front of their three young boys.
LANE: I think it`s child abuse for law enforcement to slap the cuffs on a couple of parents in the presence of three kids and haul them off to jail.
HAMMER: Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the cops also want to talk to a researcher who worked with Richard Heene and claims the amateur scientist is obsessed with two things - getting famous and aliens. The researcher, Robert Thomas, makes claims in a story he sold to Gawker.com.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The incredible storm chasing Heenes of Colorado.
HAMMER: Thomas says ever since the Heene family appeared on the reality show "Wife Swap," Richard Heene has been obsessed with getting a reality show of his own. Robert tells Gawker that Heene was cooking up a scheme to get attention for that proposed reality show, a scheme involved launching a mysterious balloon that the media would go nuts over. Sound familiar?
ROBERT THOMAS, RESEARCHER (through telephone): Richard said how much do you want to bet? We could facilitate some sort of a media stunt that would be equally profound as that of Roswell and we could do so nothing more than a weather balloon and some controversy.
HAMMER: The researcher says that unlike the alleged hoax we saw last week, Heene`s proposal did not involve his kids. That alleged scheme unraveled when young Falcon suggested on "LARRY KING LIVE" that the whole thing was an act.
FALCON HEENE, "BALLOON BOY": Dad said that we did this for a show.
HAMMER: And now, the future of those kids is becoming a big concern.
MALKIN: We are hearing that Children`s Protective Services are investigating the Heene family. But you know, police have assured us that no, the kids are not going to be charged as criminals.
HAMMER: But the Heene`s attorney tells "AMERICAN MORNING" no one should be worried about the kids.
LANE: They seem to be perfectly normal, happy, well-adjusted kids that are being insulated from this process as much as possible.
HAMMER: So if this unconventional family of reality show veterans and storm seekers were indeed plotting to get famous, then they definitely succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.
But now the question becomes, how much will their newfound infamy cost them?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
This alleged balloon hoax really could cost the Heenes dearly. But how in the world could they have possibly pulled the wool over the eyes of so many people? And why has the apparent stunt sparked so much outrage?
Joining me tonight from Hollywood, Hyla - he is an entertainment journalist with 5DollarPrep.com. Here in New York, the fantastic Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of HLN`s "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL" and author of this fabulous new book, "I Want: My Journey from Addiction and Overconsumption to a Simpler, Honest Life."
Jane, let me begin with you because you and I have been working this TV thing for a long time. And I don`t know about you, but I, for one, have never seen nor could I have ever imagined one person going through such lengths and being so reckless for a hoax.
What was your reaction when you heard the Colorado sheriff say, "Yes, the investigators believe we have been duped by the Heene family"?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": You think? I mean, a lot of us came to that conclusion as soon as we heard the little boy had been found inside the home. Very fishy indeed.
Now, it turns out that the sheriff`s department as early as Friday thought it was a hoax and they actually perpetrated a hoax on reporters saying that they believed the family because they wanted to gain the family`s trust so they could do an investigation over the weekend, which they did, interviewing them separately, giving them polygraphs, going into the house and taking out computer equipment.
And after all, then they officially announced it is a hoax. The reason people are outraged is because we all became emotionally invested. When I saw that saucer go up and I thought there was a little boy in there, my heart went out to him, as did everyone across the country, wondering is he going to die because it`s too cold, or is he going to fallout?"
And so we became emotionally invested and then when we found out it was a hoax, we became extremely betrayed. There is a sense of betrayal and outrage that a parent would use a child and exploit a child this way. It`s obscene.
HAMMER: Oh, yes, it is absolutely obscene and it`s obscene what officials did when we thought there was a 6-year-old boy, as you say, literally hanging in the balance. Let me run through part of the massive effort by Colorado officials for this alleged balloon hoax.
Denver International Airport shut down. Two National Guard helicopters - they were used. Price tag about $14,500. Dozens of officials in two counties ended up chasing an empty balloon. And hey, a wheat field got destroyed too.
An extraordinary ordeal and if it was really all for a reality show - Hyla, let me ask you, I mean, really not hard to understand why so many people are so ticked off by this.
HYLA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST, "5DOLLARPREP.COM": Yes. A lot of people are ticked off - understandably so. But at the same time, I think a lot of people are also entertained. I mean, this is the number one topic on Twitter, on Facebook on morning show, radio shows. Everyone is talking about this. Everyone`s fascinated by it. And I think people want more of this.
HAMMER: Well, twisted as it is, when you think about it and the kind of world and culture we now live in, it`s almost possible to understand that Richard Heene - yes, he wanted his 15 minutes of fame.
But what upset so many people, including "The View" co-host, Sherri Shepherd is that a 6-year-old boy was right there at the centerpiece of this bizarre plot. Watch her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You know what makes me so upset, Whoopi, is the fact that there is a picture of where they thought the little boy - do we have that - fell out of that balloon.
And I think everybody - but I`m just speaking as a mother, your heart just went out. People were praying for this family. People were shedding tears because they didn`t know if the boy had died.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. People, as you said, Jane, were angry that the poor Heene kids, in addition to the fact that he was used for the plot - alleged plot - was trotted out in front of cameras and apparently forced to lie.
Jane, what do you think should happen to the Heene kids if the parents are charged and arrested in this thing?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, what really got me was when this poor little boy threw up, not once, but twice when he was being grilled about all this. Imagine how conflicted he must feel wanting to be loyal to his mom and dad and yet not wanting to lie.
What horrible values these parents, if this is, in fact, a hoax, are teaching these kids, essentially telling them, "Lie. Pursue fame at all costs."
Nevertheless, I don`t think these kids should be victimized twice. I don`t think they should be taken from their parents. They seem remarkably well-adjusted despite the fact that they have this very kooky, "nutty professor, although I`m not a professor" father.
So to take them out of the home forever, I think, would really turn this into a major league tragedy. What I think is that they should prosecute the dad, not prosecute the mother and have these children remain in the custody of the mother or some other family member.
HAMMER: Yes. I have a feeling that the public at large will not feel satisfaction unless they throw the book at the dad if this does prove, as it looks like it`s going to, to be a hoax. We have to wait and see on that.
Hyla, Jane Velez-Mitchell, I urge you not to go anywhere because we are now move over, Jon and Kate, sayonara, octomom. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, will the Heene drama now go down as the most outrageous reality show ever? It`s the explosive new debate. That`s coming up at the bottom of the hour. I appreciate you just being here.
Now, let me turn it over to you. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Alleged Balloon Boy Hoax: Is it ever OK to put kids in reality shows?" Please vote by surfing on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You`ve got more to say? Well then, E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
So Courtney Cox`s new hit show "Cougar Town" has done a lot more for the cougar image.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COURTNEY COX, ACTRESS: The hell with it. Hey, kid! Pow!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I love that scene. But hold on just a second. Is using the word "cougar" to describe an older woman with a younger man offensive? Is it time the word becomes extinct? I have got the great cougar debate.
Also, I never thought I would see the day when Marge Simpson, of all animated people, would pose for "Playboy." So I`m asking, does cartoon nudity cross a line or is it just plain funny?
And is the Hollywood honeymoon over for President Obama? From late night comedy to stars speaking out. Has Hollywood`s love affair with the prez hit rocky times? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Beyonce delays show in Malaysia amid Muslim criticism. Miley Cyrus films scene for "Sex and the City" sequel.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You make Barack Obama angry. You make him angry, he turns - he turns into The Rock Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Rock Obama?
DWAYNE JOHNSON, ACTOR: Now, don`t be alarmed. The Rock Obama much like Barack Obama, only stronger and more angry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: He`s pretty good at that. Dwayne Johnson there as The Rock Obama on "Saturday Night Live," President Obama`s very funny alter ego.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. So tonight, is President Obama`s Hollywood honeymoon just over? From late night laughs to stars speaking out, it seems there may be a little lover`s spat in Hollywood`s affair with the president.
Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Brooke Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CO-HOST (voice-over): From serenades to screams.
LADY GAGA, POP STAR Obama, I know you are listening. Are you listening?
ANDERSON: From softballs -
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE JAY LENO SHOW": How cool is it to fly in Air Force One?
ANDERSON: To "Saturday Night Live" parodies.
FRED ARMISEN, ACTOR (as President Barack Obama): When you look at my record, it`s very clear what I have done so far. That is - nothing.
ANDERSON: President Obama took office with a sky-high approval rating in Hollywood, but he is starting to hear some voices of discontent.
LADY GAGA: We need change now.
ANDERSON: Singer Lady Gaga attacked him at the National Equality March in Washington for failing to get Congress to change the military`s "Don`t Ask, Don`t Tell" policy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did you get the job as (UNINTELLIGIBLE) secretary?
ANDERSON: Michael Moore bashes some of the president`s cabinet picks in his new film.
TED JOHNSON, MANAGING EDITOR, "VARIETY": "Capitalism, A Love Story" had some pretty biting things to say about Obama.
ANDERSON: And he is hearing criticism on Afghanistan and health care reform.
BILL MAHER HOST, "REAL TIME": It wouldn`t have been my choice to start the debate where he did like begging for a public option.
ANDERSON: Among stars who continue to back him, there is impatience.
DAVID ALAN GRIER, ACTOR: I along with million was others wish for - be bold.
MATT DAMON, ACTOR: It looks like, you know, everyone is angry at him right now.
ANDERSON: The biggest difference for the president may be in late night. Hosts once accused of going easy on him no longer are.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": When are I call your name, please come up and claim your Nobel Peace Prize, all right?
JOHNSON: It is almost like these writing staff were waiting for something that they could kind of hang their hat on.
ANDERSON: "Variety`s" managing editor, Ted Johnson, believes despite the recent barbs, the president still has got the entertainment community in his corner.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Brooke Anderson. Now, we did reach out to White House officials for comment. They said at a town hall meeting in New Orleans the president addressed complaints that he has not done more since taking office. The president responded he never said it would be easy and he is just getting started.
Well, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines have just been overrun with people calling in about the alleged Balloon Boy hoax. We got a call into "Showbiz on Call" from Joyce in West Virginia who says the parents should pay the price.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JOYCE, CALLER FROM WEST VIRGINIA: I think it was a hoax and I think the family should be made to pay a fine and all the expenses of the police and all of them being involved in trying to help him. I think they just wanted a reality show out of this.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you, Joyce. We also heard from Nancy calling into "Showbiz on Call" from New York. And Nancy says the whole thing is sickening.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
NANCY, CALLER FROM NEW YORK: I definitely believe it`s a hoax. I saw this family on "Wife Swap." Definitely very high strung and emotional. And I do believe that they are trying to get themselves in the limelight. And it`s a terrible thing to put people through this emotional trauma because we were all so worried about this little boy.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: We appreciate your call, Nancy. Remember, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ is the number that is translated to 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voicemail so we can play your call on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and post it, too, online right there on our homepage. Set your Web browser to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, I`ve got to tell you, there is a lot of back and forth on this whole Balloon Boy story today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALDERDEN: This is a hoax, that it was a publicity stunt -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely no hoax.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So hoax or not, from the dramatic 911 tapes to the pictures on live television that captured the whole nation`s attention, I`m asking, is the Balloon Boy`s story the most unbelievable reality TV show ever?
Also, cougars under attack. Is the word "cougar" demeaning to older women who go for younger men? What do you think? And is it time for that word just to become extinct? I`ve got the great cougar debate.
And Elisabeth Hasselbeck back on "The View" today. I`m right there on the set with her. Elisabeth tells a hilarious story about sending a picture to her family that, well, showed a lot more than she intended. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: "Where the Wild Things Are," number one at weekend box office, earning $32.5 million. Clump of Elvis Presley`s hair sells for $15,000 at auction.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: It was a big day on "The View" today. Elisabeth Hasselbeck back from maternity leave. She was at the table this morning for the first time this season. It`s the first time since she gave birth to a third child, a boy named Isaiah.
And today, I was right there on "The View" set. And I spoke with Elisabeth. I`ll get to that in just a moment. But first, you`ve got to hear this hilarious story that Elisabeth told on the show today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": When your baby smiles for the first time - I reached for the iPhone and I had been breastfeeding when I took the photo. And he had this huge, huge smile and it was the cutest picture. So immediately, I forwarded it to everyone in my family distribution list - my mom, my dad, my brother, Tim`s dad, his brother, his mom, his other brother.
And I send it to myself because I`m on the list. So I get home, after we get home from the hospital. And I open the photo and see - oh, look, see my cute little guy. Yes. No wonder why he`s smiling because my nipple is in the photo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Here`s a great Seinfeld episode right there. Well, I was right there on set to speak with Elisabeth after the show today. And I asked her about the experience of having a third child was different from the first two.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSELBECK: It`s been challenging. This time, I think you kind of go into your third child thinking in some ways it`s obviously going to be exponentially more difficult and challenging. However, in other ways, you think, I know what I`m doing. This is going to be easy.
The second ladder is not that true. The third child doesn`t necessarily know they are the third child. And they`re not going to be any easier because they are number three.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Isaiah was sick for a little while with an infection and had to spend time in the hospital which was tough on the family. But Elisabeth told me he is fine now. Happy to hear that.
The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page roaring with comments right now. We are asking whether you think the word "cougar" is offensive and demeaning to women. We`re seeing both sides of the story, you know, comments on the Facebook page.
Tiffany C. writing, "I think `cougar` is offensive. Why is there no name for men who rob the cradle?"
Michelle C. likes the word. She writes, "A grown and sexy woman looking for a young relationship. I think the word is sexy for us older women."
I want to hear from you on Facebook. Also follow us on Twitter so you can get breaking entertainment news alerts. Sign up for our Facebook and Twitter pages at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup. This is what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
So is it time for the word "cougar" to become extinct? What do you think? I have got the great debate.
Also the Balloon Boy saga -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALDERDEN: This is a hoax, that it was a publicity stunt -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely no hoax.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: From the 911 tapes to the drama that played out on live TV, is the Balloon Boy saga the most unbelievable reality show of all time?
And Marge Simpson poses for "Playboy." So does cartoon nudity across the line or is it just plain funny? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Here comes the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Paris Hilton lands cameo in new Will Ferrell comedy, "The Other Guys." Cover released for Susan Boyle`s album, "I Dreamed a Dream."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALDERDEN: This is a hoax, that it was a publicity stunt -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely no hoax.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the balloon family shocker. The dramatic 911 calls and the unbelievable video. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates, is this alleged hoax the most unbelievable reality show of all time?
Madonna, Demi Moore, Courtney Cox - People love calling them cougars. But is this degrading to older women who like younger guys? Should we ban that word? Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks should cougars become extinct?
Plus, the brand-new Marge Simpson controversy. Is her posing nude for "Playboy" a bad idea?
Plus, More stories from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." TV`s first 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.
And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is declaring this balloon family fiasco the most outrageous reality show ever. The way this story unfolded, especially with the new developments today, you could not have written a more outrageous script.
The balloon family caper is now a criminal investigation as authorities say they believe the Heenes started planning this vast hoax months ago. The sheriff said this whole plot was orchestrated so the family could get a shot at reality TV fame.
But tonight the Heene family is fighting back. They said they are innocent. There has been no hoax. Now, the family could even face felony charges that could mean jail time for the balloon parents. Then, what happens to the kids?
And with all the spectacular shenanigans that we`ve seen with the Heenes over the past few days, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is daring to ask, will their alleged elaborate plot work? Will Heenes get their own reality show out of this?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Hyla who is an entertainment journalist for "5DollarPrep.com." Tonight, in Boston, Wendy Murphy who is a contributor for "The Daily Beast."
So if the Sheriff`s claim that this whole hoax proves to be true, then, I`ve got to say I can`t believe what an outrageous plot they were able to cook up with this deal. I mean, think about this - when we saw that silver jiffy pop balloon careening through the air, supposedly with a small child inside, nobody could take their eyes off their TVs.
Wendy, you`ve got to admit, the astounding visuals, all the wackiness that ensued really set the stage for the most outrageous reality show ever, didn`t it?
WENDY MURPHY, CONTRIBUTOR, "THE DAILY BEAST": Yes, and I`m sorry to say I was one of the idiots who bought into it. An awful lot of people were saying it was a hoax from the beginning. I wasn`t one of them, A.J.
And you know, I`m angry. I`m angry. So OK, they played us. They certainly played me. They were doing it for fun. Well, you know what? An awful lot of people got hurt in their little hoax. If they get a reality show out of this, I think half the country, and I will lead the pack, will throw their televisions in the toilet. We will have reached a new low.
HAMMER: We will have you lead that revolution. I want to take a look at these plot points and why I just think this is already made for this amazing reality show. You`ve got the flying saucer. You`ve got a supposed stowaway 6-year-old kid on the saucer. You`ve got the self-described storm-chasing mad scientist father, a family that, by the way, has already had two controversial appearances on the reality show, "Wife Swap."
You have an airport shut down. You have the National Guard scrambling to help. And right there is just the start. Hyla, the only thing, I think, we are missing is dancing and dramatic weight loss. It is really the perfect reality show, isn`t it?
HYLA: Don`t forget Ryan Seacrest as your host. Yes. The Kardashians dream of this type of publicity. You know, say what you will about Richard Heene. Yes, he`s a little bit crazy, but guess what? He`s also a genius. When it comes to reality scripting the guy is a genius.
Not just the stuff you mentioned, throwing in UFOs, throwing in past associates talking to blogs, viral videos are already circling that he`s done in the past. This guy has all his angles covered - everything.
HAMMER: And that`s one of the reasons we are so angry about it. Now, the sheriff himself said that Richard Heene used his kids in this alleged hoax because he wanted to get a reality show.
And obviously, people are very quickly saying, well, he exploited his kids by doing that. But the sad truth here is we see it all the time using kids to gain fame in reality shows. Nothing new.
Wendy, some would say, "Hey, you know what? Richard Heene didn`t do anything wrong. This is America now and people do it all the time in reality shows."
MURPHY: Well, A.J., just because other idiots do it doesn`t make it right for this guy. You know, one of the problems with watching these stories unfold is it does make it seem OK between octomom, Jon and Kate and now this. Just because it happened in a big way in the recent past makes it seem more normal.
But the truth is, we don`t just have enough laws in place, frankly, to protect children from exploitation even at the hands of the parents and the people that are supposed to love them. So you know, shame on him. He`s not a genius. He`s a bad father who should lose custody of his children. He doesn`t deserve any awards for this.
He should be prosecuted. I would put him in jail. I`d certainly make him pay back all the public expenses he forced us to lay out for this. And you know, I`d take his kids away just so I could make sure they are OK. He made them barf on television to further his fraud. I mean, come on. You treat your kid like a tool to your fame and you think that makes you a genius? I don`t think so.
HAMMER: Wendy, I`m very much there with you for most of that. I don`t know that he actually made his kids barf on television. I think the whole experience them barf on television. I don`t think, "OK, when they come to you, Falcon, that`s when I want you to throw up."
MURPHY: Look, that`s not what I meant, A.J.
HAMMER: No, no, no. I`m giving you a hard time about that. Let`s talk about the sheriff who really added to this outrageous reality show drama of the whole story. Friday, of course, he said in a press conference, he believed the balloon family was telling the truth and said, well, we should believe them, too.
It turns out that was all a part of the sheriff`s ploy to get the truth out of the family. And of course, everyone`s jaws dropped when on Sunday the sheriff revealed this whopper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALDERDEN: It has been determined that this is a hoax, that it was a publicity stunt. We believe that we have evidence at this point to indicate that it was a publicity stunt done with the hopes of marketing themselves or better market themselves for a reality television show as point in the future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, Hyla, listen to that. Even the sheriff added to the whole smoking mirrors of this outrageous reality show drama right there.
HYLA: Reality show writers go to school for years, trying to come up with ways to make a show good. And Richard Heene did it. And I`ve got disagree with Wendy. The reality is, I think people are going to rush to their televisions if these folks get a reality TV show.
This guy had every element and he executed it. I`m strictly talking about the entertainment basis. Yes, as a dad, it`s a different discussion. But based on the entertainment factor, this guy is gold. You need to sign him quick.
HAMMER: Well, it turns out that Richard and his wife, Mayumi - they met in acting school. And apparently, as we`ve been hearing they have been jonesing for their own show for sometime now.
So if this really turns out to be a hoax, it makes it more remarkable to watch their theatrics over the past couple of days knowing, you know, that they didn`t need an acting school.
I`ve got to admit, maybe they are actually pretty good actors if this is a hoax. HLN`s own Joy Behar told the ladies of "The View," hey, you know what? Maybe this really was the best tryout ever. Watch Joy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": This guy is 48 years old. He really doesn`t have a gig. He`s looking for a gig. That`s what he`s doing here and he might get one.
SHEPHERD: I won`t support him.
BEHAR: You don`t have to support. Bravo will give him a show and all those other networks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Wendy, I know you wouldn`t watch. But with all of the anger surrounding this family, I`m kind of thinking any network would simply have to be nuts after the dust settles to offer them a reality show.
MURPHY: You know, I think we do have standards. I have to believe that although, you know, we all got sucked in, most of us. And we felt for what was, you know, potentially a little kid in danger. You tear at our heartstrings.
I hope we never become so cynical that we assume all of those kinds of stories might be a hoax. But giving them a show - I mean, rewarding the behavior - people have the power to say no to this guy. You can think he came up with a clever idea, but that doesn`t mean you have to give him a prize.
I`d put him in jail. I`d make him get a job at McDonald`s. And you know, I think we should be asking the question how come - if everybody thought it was such a great hoax, how come the cops didn`t figure it out faster? I don`t want to get on their case too much. But you know, it was CNN that cracked the case, not CSI. That`s the problem.
HAMMER: Well, that`s true. We did see Wolf Blitzer ask that question that got the answer that really got the ball rolling and here we are now. Hyla, Wendy Murphy, thanks, guys. I appreciate it.
So we have been asking you to sound off on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. The Alleged Balloon Boy Hoax: Is it ever OK to put kids in reality shows?" You know how I feel about this. You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
All right. Let`s move on. You know, so many people love to throw around that word "cougar" to describe people like Madonna and Demi Moore and Courtney Cox.
Well, Courtney Cox even has a brand-new TV show, and it`s called "Cougar Town."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COX: The hell with it. Hey, kid! Pow!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Courtney is 40-something. She looks great. But is that word "cougar" just offensive? Is it time for it to go? It`s the brand-new cougar debate, next.
(COUGAR SOUND EFFECT)
And maybe it`s time for that cougar sound effect to go, too.
Hey, have you seen Marge Simpson and her "Playboy" spread? Now, for work purposes, I did have to take a look at this. And I`ve got to say, a lot of people, very fired up. Is an animated cartoon mom posing naked totally wrong, or is it really no big deal?
Whitney Houston almost ended up naked with a good old-fashioned 2004 Super Bowl-style wardrobe malfunction. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
It`s time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Madonna sued by NYC neighbor for dancing too loud and playing music. Nicolas Cage claims he has money problems, suing ex-manager for $20 million.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER: I sang myself out of my clothes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Whitney, yes, you did. Did you see this? Whitney Houston with a little bit of a wardrobe malfunction there. That`s during Sunday night`s "X Factor." "X-Factor," a very popular British talent show. Her dress, well, it kept coming undone while she was singing, "Million Dollar Bill."
I`m thinking Whitney`s stylist has got a million dollar smackdown backstage. Here`s a fun fact though. This episode of "X Factor" turned out to be the highest rated ever. You think?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, cougar fight. An all-out war is breaking out and cougars are trapped in the middle. Now, ever since Courtney Cox`s show, "Cougar Town," debuted, the term "cougar" has come under some intense scrutiny.
But tonight, we`re asking is it so bad to call women over 35 who are unmarried and interested in younger men cougars? Well, yes. Some people say, yes get rid of the word.
Brand-new tonight, Marge Simpson naked on the cover of "Playboy." So what would Homer think about this? What do you think about this? Are you outraged or is it all in good fun?
Joining me tonight in New York is Cooper Lawrence. She`s a psychologist and author of "The Cult of Celebrity." From Hollywood tonight, Dr. Wendy Walsh - she`s a psychology expert from MomLogic.com.
I want to begin with this brand-new cougar controversy. There is a new column in the "New York Post" from Andrea Peyser who writes quite passionately about the term "cougar." Andrea, for one, says this word needs to go away.
Here`s what she is writing about it, "Cougars. The very word turned generations of hot babes overnight from sex objects into the butt of jokes. And it turns smoldering lust from something dirty into something nasty and skanky."
Wendy, I want to know if you think Andrea Peyser has this right, because I think, you know, cougar Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, the poster couple for a cougar relationship. Somehow nasty and skanky doesn`t seem to describe them accurately as far as I`m concerned.
WENDY WALSH, PSYCHOLOGY EXPERT, "MOMLOGIC.COM": Well, you know, it definitely implies a feminine predator. Well, we`ve always called men dogs, right? I think that men need to have equality here and be called wolves, because I don`t think being a cougar is necessarily any power. It`s a pretend power for a woman.
HAMMER: Yes. She is basically saying, too, though, it has this negative connotation until "Cougar Town," the show, came around. "Cougar" is really a word people throw around. They had some fun with it. I mean, you think about it, Courtney Cox plays a cougar on TV and she plays one in real life, too.
Her husband, David Arquette - he`s 11 years younger. Cooper Lawrence, should people have a problem with the term "cougar," Cooper?
COOPER LAWRENCE, PSYCHOLOGIST AND AUTHOR: Well, A.J. Hammer, I have a little bit of problem because it`s meant to be derogatory. It`s not meant to be a compliment. You don`t look at an older woman with a younger man and go, "Hey, cougar."
You look at it like there is something wrong with it. That`s the problem. Also, the word is not empowering. It wasn`t coined by women. It was a term coined by men in order to put women in their place once again.
I just think women are individuals. If you want to date somebody much younger, go for it without having to live up to some stereotype of what it`s called.
HAMMER: All right. Well, naturally our Facebook fans are very fired up over the new cougar controversy today. In fact, as soon as we posted this up on Facebook, our wall was jumping with comments. Let me get to a couple.
This is Niti H. wrote, "I think it`s cool for an older woman to date a younger man and the term "cougar" is so sexy." You`ve got Demi. You`ve got Courtney. You have Madonna, of course. Her boyfriend, Jesus - I mean, he`s 23 years old right now. Sexy women want it all, Wendy. Does it take away from their sex appeal do you think to be called a cougar?
WALSH: I don`t think it takes away from their sex appeal, but it takes away, I think, from their whole identity. I mentioned it was pretend power. Listen, A.J., any woman in her 40s can get a young guy. These guys have loaded guns that will shoot at any target.
What is that saying? Is that saying just that your derriere hasn`t gone to the south of France, it`s still up in Paris? I mean, really, ladies. Are you smart? Are you emotionally secure? Are you able to nurture your children and the world? Or are you just able to get a young gun? So what?
HAMMER: Yes. All right. Let me get to one more comment. This is coming from Monica S. who wrote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall, "I think we need to get over it when women date younger men. Apparently, it`s OK when men do it. How about getting with the times and saying that the women who get the younger men have rocking bodies and are just plain hot. The term `cougar` is outdated."
So there you go. That`s more your point, Cooper. Demi, not a cougar. Madonna, not a cougar. Courtney, not a cougar. Whatever you want to call them - hey, look. They are having the time of their lives. So in that case, no harm, no foul. Just get rid of the word?
LAWRENCE: Well, even the pressure to have to look a certain way. So now, you can`t just be a woman over 40. You`ve got to be a hot woman over 40. Well, if you weren`t a hot 20-year-old, you`re not going to be a hot 40- year-old. So it doesn`t mean you can`t date whoever you want to date. It just means that now, there is another level you`ve got to live up to.
HAMMER: All right. Well, speaking of hot women, can we move on to this other controversy which is just burning up today? Marge Simpson`s debut in "Playboy." Marge, of course, stars in the long-running animated sitcom, "The Simpsons." And she`s featured in the November issue of "Playboy" magazine. Wendy, can we put up the photos and - I want to show Wendy Walsh these are amazing pictures. Is it just outrageous, or is it all in good fun?
WALSH: Marge, Marge, Marge. First of all, the Simpsons are famous for chronicling all our times, all our culture. And remember, all comedy is this tragedy viewed from across the street, right?
So what is left for a woman who has no identity as a wife and mother anymore? You know, when we got feminism, we threw away a few rights, too, like the right to look dowdy and just be a wife and mother and have identity from that. So Marge has to be hot now? Marge has to be posing for "Playboy?" What`s up with that?
HAMMER: OK. Wendy, you know it`s a cartoon, right? I appreciate your insight tonight. Wendy Walsh, Cooper Lawrence, thanks for being here tonight, guys. I appreciate it.
Well, tonight, Drew Barrymore`s startling new confessions about her father. Drew opening up in a brand-new interview. You are not going to believe what she claims her father, the late John Barrymore, did while she was in rehab when she was just a teenager.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Roman Polanski temporarily let out of Swiss jail to treat a medical condition. Michael Jackson`s ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, suing woman for $500,000 for defamation.
HAMMER: Well, right now, it is time for a look at Hollywood`s A-list, what some of the top stars in Hollywood are up to. And tonight, it is Paula Abdul. Now, you know Paula walked away, of course, from "American Idol." Everybody has been talking about it.
And she has been laying kind of low, figuring out exactly what she`s going to do next. Well, tonight I can tell you that she might be heading to Vegas, baby. Listen to what Paula Abdul just told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA ABDUL, SINGER: I have many, many different opportunities in Las Vegas, which, you know, I have been offered for years. But the timing is right, because I have TV projects that I am doing and a lot of different things.
Things that are very exciting that, that I get to continue to live my dream now. You know, I have always been wanting to help - I always said if I ever made it in this business I am going to help people because I have done everything all by myself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Say what you want about Paula, her heart is definitely in the right place. Now, I`m thinking if she goes to Vegas, watch out Wayne Newton. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thanks, Charles. Tonight, Drew Barrymore`s brand-new dramatic confessions about her troubled relationship with her dad.
In a revealing new interview with CNNs Anderson Cooper on "60 Minutes," Drew says her dad, John Barrymore, was rarely around because of his battle with drugs and alcohol. Drew herself went into rehab when she was just 13 years old.
And shockingly, even while she was battling these painful demons, her own father wasn`t able to support her. In fact, he was more concerned about his problems.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER 360": When you were in rehab, your dad called you?
DREW BARRYMORE, ACTRESS: Yes.
COOPER: But he was calling to ask you for money?
BARRYMORE: Great dad. Yes. Yes. He would ask me for money on birthdays and inappropriate times. And then I just wrote him of like, "You`re not a father." I just learned you cannot emotionally invest in people who are not attainable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, after she got out of rehab at 15, Drew went on to legally emancipate herself from her parents. But she certainly has come a long way. Drew is out with the first film that she`s directed. It`s called "Whip It." It`s gotten some pretty good reviews.
All right. Drew Barrymore helped E.T. phone home. And I am wondering if Maria Shriver thinks that all this outrage over her phoning someone while driving is out of the world.
Maria, of course, is the wife of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who signed a law banning using cell phones without a headset while driving in his state. Well, as you may have heard, Maria got caught a few times breaking the law.
Maria was on the "Today" show hosting a series about women in America. Now, I`m not discounting how important that is, but just watch Maria squirm when the "Today" show crew went there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: Anything else happening. Oh, got a call? Is that your cell phone?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here we go.
LAUER: Is your cell phone somewhere?
MARIA SHRIVER, GUEST HOST: I don`t have a cell phone anymore.
LAUER: What happened here?
SHRIVER: I don`t have a cell phone anymore.
LAUER: But you have a hands-free device, hopefully?
SHRIVER: We should explain to people, though. Of all the things I have done in my life, this has gotten the most attention.
LAUER: Everything is OK. You don`t do that anymore.
SHRIVER: No. No. No. Hands-free.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Maria said she has terminated her cell and donated it to a charity that supports women who are the victims of domestic violence.
So on Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. And moments ago, on this piece of paper, the final results came to me, "Balloon Family: Do they deserve their own reality show?"
Completely one-sided as you see here. Only 2 percent said yes; 98 percent of you said no. Lot of angry E-mails coming in, too, including Kevin in Indiana writing, "The Balloon Family, I believe, was a hoax. I do not understand why it took the family 30 minutes to call 911 unless they wanted the balloon to have - one of the balloons to have a chance to get out of control."
And Barbara from New York, "I think the family that played the alleged hoax should pay back every penny spent for no reason."
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Now, remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern on HLN.
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