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Showbiz Tonight
Jessica Simpson`s Ultimate Revenge; Sarah Palin`s Brand-New Attack on "Family Guy"; Tiger Woods to Go Public; "Jon and Kate Plus 8" Back on TV?; Britney Spears` Million-Dollar Secrets
Aired February 17, 2010 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Big news breaking right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Jessica Simpson`s ultimate revenge. Jessica`s brand-new counter attack today over all of that grief she got for her weight.
And should John Mayer be worried, Jessica might spill secrets about him after his unbelievable sex and tell? Plus, Simpson` secrets about going nude on screen. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Simpson tell-all.
Sarah Palin`s brand-new attack on "Family Guy."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN, FORMER GOVERNOR OF ALASKA: This world is full of cruel, cold hearted people who would do such a thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Palin`s explosive new interview after "Family Guy" used her son with Down Syndrome as a punch line. And for the very first time today, the creator of "Family Guy" responds.
Britney Spears` million dollar secrets. A startling brand-new legal battle today over secrets about Britney that could be worth millions. But what could they possibly be?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood.
And tonight, Tiger Woods blockbuster. Big news breaking today - Tiger Woods revealed this afternoon he will be going public for first time since his disappearance after his sex scandals exploded. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing the latest breaking developments in just a moment.
HAMMER: But first, Jessica`s revenge. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal that Jessica Simpson is getting the last laugh over all of those really nasty and those cruel jokes about her gaining weight. Jessica strikes back in an explosive new interview and photo shoot out today. You`ve got to see these pictures.
But wait, there`s more. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can also tell you John Mayer may want to think about whether Jessica will also get some revenge for his sex-and-tell about what he and Jessica did behind closed doors. So let me tell you that, flat-out, without a doubt, all of this made for big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): Jessica Simpson is proving that revenge is a dish best served smoking hot. The brand-new issue of "Allure" seen everywhere today features a sizzling photo shoot of Simpson that got jaws dropping.
MARC MALKIN, COLUMNIST, "E! ONLINE": She looks really good. I mean, she looks very confident.
HAMMER: The compliments Simpson is getting for her sexy "Allure" photos are a big turn around from the grief and cruel jokes she had to put up with last year over her apparent weight gain, especially after the so-called mommy jeans video surfaced.
She now tells "Allure," quote, "I would not wish on my worse enemy what I went through."
MALKIN: There have been almost daily reports for the last year or so about how fat Jessica has gotten. Well, you take a look at these photos and this is someone obviously in shape, obviously not overweight. And Jessica, hopefully, is going to put an end to the big debate, is she fat or not?
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: When pictures of Simpson appearing curvier than usual at a Florida chili cook-off hit the Web last year, she was hit with a ton of tasteless cracks about her weight.
This was this TMZ headline, "This is How She Rolls." And this "New York Post" cartoon showing an overblown Simpson caricature dumping her ex- boyfriend Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Tony Romo, for Ronald McDonald.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Tony. Is Jessica around? We could use a defensive tackle.
HAMMER: The fat jokes reached a new low when a sponsored cartoon sketch on Fox`s NFL Sunday depicted Romo taking grief about Simpson`s weight.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unlike Tony, at least Jessica comes up big when it counts.
MALKIN: No one held back. Everyone was just calling her fat, fat, fat, fat. Things got really bad for Jessica.
HAMMER: Today, with her new sexy photos in "Allure" magazine, you can bet no one is making jokes about Simpson`s appearance. But Jessica tells "Allure" the hot body she`s showing off now is the exact same one she had in the infamous picks from the chili cook-off.
She says America`s weight obsession is, quote, "disgusting. My job is to be creative and I`m not weighing in for anybody."
MALKIN: She doesn`t even have to say anything.
HAMMER: "E! News" columnist Marc Malkin tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Jessica`s photo shoot gives her silent revenge against her critics.
MALKIN: She doesn`t have to say she`s in good shape. She doesn`t have to say that she`s gotten it all together. You just look at the photos and she does look good.
HAMMER: And while Simpson is dishing out payback revenge for those fat jokes, she may have some vengeance left over for ex-boyfriend, John Mayer. Mayer recently made headlines with an interview on Playboy where talked explicitly about his hot sex life with Simpson.
MALKIN: He said they had a crazy sex life. He said she was like sexual napalm. He couldn`t get enough. She was like crack cocaine.
HAMMER: Jessica`s interview with "Allure" was done before Mayer`s "Playboy" sex-and-tell all. But now, two tabloids, "Star" magazine and "Life and Style" magazine are suggesting in their new issues out today that Jessica is ticked at Mayer and plotting to get back at him.
We can`t confirm that, but with Jessica Simpson on a full media tour to promote her upcoming VH1 reality, "The Price of Beauty," should John be worried that Jessica might kiss and tell?
MALKIN: John should be worried because, you know, obviously, there are two people who know what went on in that bedroom. If she decides she wants to kiss and tell about John Mayer, we`re all going to be listening and we`re all going to be reporting on it.
HAMMER: But if looking good is the best revenge, then Jessica Simpson may be getting all the revenge she needs.
MALKIN: For now, she`s sort of saying, you know, "I`m finding myself. This is who I am. I am not the fat Jessica who you can make fun of."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: So has Jessica Simpson gotten her ultimate revenge? Should John Mayer be worried? And wait until you hear her revelations - wait until you hear her revelations about going nude on screen.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Rachel Zalis, who is a contributing editor for "Life and Style Weekly." And Carlos Diaz who is a correspondent for "Extra."
Carlos, Rachel, I`ve got to say Jessica Simpson looks absolutely stunning, showing off her svelte figure in the new "Allure" magazine that`s out today. Rachel, I think it is great revenge against all those people that slammed her mercilessly for her weight. Any doubt about that?
RACHEL ZALIS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": Absolutely. I mean, she looks amazing. But honestly, you want to know what her best revenge is? This woman is building a billion dollar business. She is selling everything from luggage to lingerie and laughing all the way to the bank. So people could call her fat. They could call her feisty in bed, whatever they want. But this woman is a huge success and she always looks amazing.
ANDERSON: Yes, capitalizing on her celebrity, no doubt. Well, the whole Jessica Simpson weight thing really came to a head back when she was made fun of for showing up and performing in a chili cook-off in a pair of so- called mom jeans.
I think she was unfairly criticized for this. And in the new issue of "Allure" magazine, Jessica calls America`s obsession with weight disgusting, saying, "When I walk through an airport and people, `Go you`re not fat,` I`m like, `Thanks, that`s great. Good to know I`m not fat today. Thank you.`"
I really think it`s despicable the way Jessica`s weight has been scrutinized. Carlos, between her new hot photos and her new heated words, is she getting revenge here? What do you think?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Completely getting revenge. And let`s make two things perfectly clear. Jessica Simpson is not fat. I`ve interviewed her even after the mom jeans thing. She is not fat, OK, people?
And secondly, she`s smoking hot, all right? I mean, she`s one of those people that, when you see her in person, you`re like, "Whoa! She`s even more attractive in person."
ANDERSON: Yes.
DIAZ: And that`s why people have no manners at all when come to her and they go, "Oh, you`re not fat." Thanks, appreciate that compliment.
ANDERSON: I know, really. It could catch her off-guard. And sure, those mom jeans were unflattering, but she has never had a weight problem. And while Jessica is proud of her body, she also reveals in this brand-new interview out today - hey, don`t ask her to take off her clothes on camera. No way, no how is she going to do any nude scenes in a movie.
Listen to what Jessica says, "I will never do nudity. I don`t care how dark and intellectual the role could be. I don`t care if I frickin` get an Oscar for it. I`m not going to do it. I don`t think people deserve to see what`s underneath my clothing. That`s only for my next husband."
Now, Rachel, I really admire her for sticking to her convictions. Bravo, Jessica. But there are some people who would say, do you really believe if Jessica were offered a role that she truly thought would win her an Oscar and had to do a nude scene, she would refuse? What do you think?
ZALIS: Yes. I mean, I agree with you. I do like she has convictions. But at the same time, honestly, Brooke, do you think she`s getting offered Kate Winslet`s roles? Not really. I don`t think she`s getting those, like, arty nude things that are going to lead to an Oscar nomination. You know, she`s very like "Dukes of Hazard," sex symbol. And I think she knows that, you know.
ANDERSON: Yes. Yes. There is always that potential, though, I suppose. We know that Jessica`s interview was done before John Mayer`s sex-and-tell all about his love life with her.
But she did set the record straight about that time she went from blond to brunette, saying, "He didn`t make me got brunette. John doesn`t get credit for making me brunette. He`d like to think so but he doesn`t deserve the credit."
Maybe it`s just me, but I`m hearing a tad bit of bitterness there. And the new tabloids out today reporting Jessica ready to spill some secrets about them. Take that with a grain of salt, though.
But Carlos, should John run for the hills? Should he be worried?
DIAZ: As a man, John, you should be sweating bullets right now, because you`ve already gone ahead and said that Jessica is amazing in bed. All Jessica needs to say is this, "John Mayer in bed? I don`t really remember that much. I don`t recall the sex with him. Must have been not that great, I guess." There you go.
ANDERSON: Oh, that would do it. But you know, I think - you know, don`t talk about it. Don`t sink to his level. Let`s not forget what John claimed about Jessica, telling "Playboy" about their relationship, "Sexually, it was crazy. It was like napalm, sexual napalm."
Rachel, do you think Jessica is going to strike back? Quickly.
ZALIS: I don`t think so. I agree with you, Brooke. I think he`s such a narcissist that giving any more air time to him or to this story would be such a waste. And it will only add and fuel his ego. So I think the less Jessica says about it, the better.
ANDERSON: Yes. John tried to make her look trashy, but I think she can remain classy if she remains mum on the dirty details. Nobody needs to hear them any way. Rachel Zalis, Carlos Diaz, thanks.
And now, we want to hear from you. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Jessica Simpson`s Revenge: Should she tell all about John Mayer?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: And we have more big news breaking late today. We just got details of when Tiger Woods will speak. This is first time he`ll be speaking since his cheating scandal broke.
Plus, dramatic new revelations about Tiger`s wife Elin today. So has she decided if she`s going to stick around or take a hike?
Also, big Jon and Kate news. A stunning move by Jon today. Could "Jon and Kate Plus 8" actually wind up back on TV?
HAMMER: And just in today, Sarah Palin`s brand-new attack on "Family Guy." Tonight, Palin`s explosive new interview after "Family Guy" used her son with Down Syndrome as a punch line. For the very first time today, the creator of "Family Guy," Seth MacFarlane - he`s responding. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: "Avatar" director James Cameron writing a prequel novel about the movie. Lady Gaga and Jay-Z win big at the Brit Awards, U.K. version of the Grammys.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We welcome you back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with A.J. Hammer in New York. And now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s road to gold.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. And on that road to gold, I know you just sat down with best actress Oscar nominee, Sandra Bullock.
ANDERSON: I did, A.J. Actually, I just interviewed a number of big Oscar nominees, including Sandra Bullock. You know, she is up for her role in "The Blind Side." It`s Sandy`s first Oscar nomination.
I had to ask her if she`s still having fun with her fake feud with Meryl Streep who is also nominated in the best actress category. And get this, Sandra also revealed how being married to "Monster Garage" host, Jesse James, has actually improved her acting.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera): Great to see you.
SANDRA BULLOCK, ACTRESS: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Congratulations. How does it feel to receive such critical recognition for your work? Because this is huge.
BULLOCK: This is what happens when one is an Oscar nominee.
ANDERSON: An entourage.
BULLOCK: They follow me everywhere now.
ANDERSON: Has your entourage grown since you`ve been nominated for an Oscar?
BULLOCK: Yes, considerably. My entourage has grown since today. Oh, thank you. I don`t drink out of paper anymore now that I`m Oscar nominee.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are an Oscar nominee.
BULLOCK: Yes, thank you. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sugar?
BULLOCK: No, run along.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we`re getting close to being ready.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was fun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re ready.
ANDERSON: But seriously, in that room, with all of those people you admire and have respected for years.
BULLOCK: Some of them I don`t respect.
ANDERSON: Like the feud with Meryl Streep. What`s up with that?
BULLOCK: You know, we dropped it because we realized it reached its limit. And now, we`re back to just liking each other.
ANDERSON: So you didn`t spike her soup or anything now?
BULLOCK: She gave me a little kiss on the hand today and that was it.
ANDERSON: Let me ask you this - you have said that your acting has improved since you married Jesse James. How so?
BULLOCK: I wish I never had said that because I`d say no more and I just became more selective and had - you know, I had this work before - that was my family until I had a family. And I realized work became number two. By elimination of certain things, my work became better.
ANDERSON: Let`s talk about this movie and the character, well, the real woman that you play, Leigh Anne Tuohy. What do you admire most about her?
BULLOCK: That she scares the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of me in the best way. And I know you can bleep that. You rarely meet people in your lifetime that don`t have fear. If she has fear, I don`t know where it`s living.
She`s able to take what she thinks is right and needs to be done and make it happen in a way that I`ve never seen another human being do.
Jane is your family, Michael. You have to protect them. Johnny here is the quarterback. You protect his blind side. When you look at him, you think of me.
ANDERSON: What do you think people can learn from her?
BULLOCK: That we all have this preconceived notion of how we think our family is supposed to be. There`s two women that are great parents.
You know, that`s a family. You know, I don`t care what color you are, what sexual orientation, what nationality or what religion you are. If you operate out of a place of love, that`s a family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And of course, you`ll find out if Sandra Bullock wins the best actress Oscar on March 7th. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be live at the Academy Awards. It`s the SHOWBIZ "Road to Gold."
I`m going to be live on the red carpet along with A.J. We`ve got a red carpet special at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN. And then, at 11:00, it`s a special live edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. We hope you`ll join us.
HAMMER: It`s always so much fun. All right. Brooke, wow, we really tapped into some mega outrage when we asked if the original "We are the World" should have been remade. Look at our "Showbiz on Call" operators. In fact, they`re fielding calls from around the world about "We are the World."
ANDERSON: A.J., we`ve got a call from Stacy in New York who thinks it was a bad idea to redo the song.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I hate the new "We are the World." They should have left it alone. It is iconic and it cannot compare at all to the original.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Stacy.
HAMMER: Now, Brooke, Barbara calling into "Showbiz on Call" thinks it was a good idea and that, in fact, "We are the World" should be revisited down the road.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I do think that the "We are the World" song should have been remade. It`s a new generation, new kids. These are people they know. The old one - there aren`t many people in there they know other than by reputation. I do believe it should be redone every maybe 25 years and just keep the story going.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Interesting theory. Thanks a lot, Barbara.
ANDERSON: The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open 24/7. Give us a ring - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1-888-728-2899.
HAMMER: All right. As we move on tonight, we have big news breaking today. Tonight, Britney Spears` million dollar secret. What could they be? A startling brand-new legal battle today over secrets about Britney that could be worth millions. But we`ve got to know, what dirt possibly could be so valuable?
More big news breaking today. We just learned Tiger Woods is about to speak for the very first time since his cheating scandal exploded. I know I can`t wait to hear what he`s going to say. Plus, dramatic new revelations today about Tiger`s wife, Elin. Also this - has she decided if she`ll stay or go?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If there`s one thing to bring a model to her knees, it`s falling to her knees.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, admit it. You sometimes laugh when you see the models falling on the runway, right? You`ve got to figure it`s got to hurt though. Tonight, I`m showing you the wildest wipeouts on catwalk. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, it`s the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Smooth operator! Sade`s "Soldier of Love" album sells 500,000+ copies in its first week out. Nickelodeon`s Kid`s Choice Awards showdown - "Twilight`s" Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson versus the Obama for "cutest couple."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Hi, darling.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: How was New York?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Short and sweet. Hi, Amelia. Hello. Who are you?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I`m your ghost.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brand-new stunning revelations today from the stars of "Ghost Writer." Now, that`s the film Roman Polanski was right in the middle of directing when he was arrested in Switzerland in connection with a 1977 case involving sex with a 13-year-old girl.
Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor revealed today what happened when they heard Polanski had been picked up by Swiss authorities. We just sat down with them and they both make this explosive claim. Polanski was going to do whatever it took to finish this movie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PIERCE BROSNAN, ACTOR: He edited the film from his cell. He would be in his nine-foot-by-four-foot cell, edit the movie and give it to the warden. The warden would give it to his lawyer and give it to the editor. So we were told the film would be made and finished.
EWAN MCGREGOR, ACTOR: There was one point shortly after his arrest where it was suggested they might bring in another director to finish the film. And I was very worried about that.
I thought it was a great pity for him not to be able to finish it, because he is such a perfectionist and he is such a passionate film maker. You know, he`s 76 years old when we made this film. And the first day, we shot for 22 hours and he was still, "OK, one more. One more."
You know, as an older man, he had more energy than all of us combined, really. So I knew that, for him, it would be desperate if he didn`t get to finish it. And personally speaking, selfishly, I thought the same. I thought it would be a great pity to be in the only Polanski film that was not finished by Polanski.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Polanski`s extradition to the U.S. is now on hold. "The Ghostwriters" is getting very good reviews. It opens up in limited release on Friday.
ANDERSON: Right now, there`s a raging battle on our Facebook page about director Kevin Smith getting kicked off a Southwest flight for being too fat. I just checked our wall. So many of you fired up about this.
Barbie D. says Smith should not have been booted, "They should have larger seats, end of story. We are all not size 10."
But Anna S. says rules are rules, "It`s the policy. He is no more special than anyone else. It`s called buy two seats and be courteous."
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Sign up at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
HAMMER: Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s Sarah Palin`s brand-new attack on "Family Guy." Yes, tonight Palin has an explosive new interview after "Family Guy" used her son with Down Syndrome as a punch line. Wait until you hear this.
Also, big new Jon and Kate news. Could "Jon and Kate Plus 8" actually end up back on TV? Oh, no.
Also, Britney Spears` million dollar secrets. A startling brand-new legal battle today over secrets about Britney that could be worth millions. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Abbey Road, U.K. music studio made famous by Beatles album, is up for sale. Willie Nelson`s New album, "Country Music," will be released at Starbucks.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, breaking Tiger Woods news. Tiger is about to finally break his silence speaking out for the very first time since his car wreck and sex scandal.
Plus, big news about Tiger`s wife Elin. Will she stay or go?
Sarah Palin`s blistering attack "on Family Guy." Palin`s explosive new interview today after the Fox show used her son with Down Syndrome as a punch line. Plus, the creator responds.
Also, stunning Jon and Kate news breaking late today. Could "Jon and Kate Plus 8" end up back on TV?
Plus, more stories breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: 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.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. We`ve got big news breaking today. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Tiger Woods will finally break his silence.
HAMMER: Finally broke late today. Tiger`s agent dropped a huge bombshell that Tiger does plan to speak to apologize. It is just one spectacular news story making big news today.
Tiger Woods will break his silence on Friday morning. Now, this will be the first time that we have seen him since more than 14 alleged mistresses stepped forward, making all sorts of lurid claims. What in the world is Tiger going to say? Are people ready to forgive him?
Plus, we have brand-new insight into his painful marriage to Elin Nordegren. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained today an advance copy of the new issue of the upcoming new issue of "People" magazine. Incredible details in here about Tiger`s wife, Elin, and her personal pain.
She faces the ultimate question now, will she keep Tiger or will she dump him?
Joining me tonight in New York is Megan Alexander who is a correspondent for "Inside Edition." Also tonight in New York, David Caplan, who is a senior editor with "People" magazine.
We begin with this big breaking news that came out late that Tiger Woods is holding this televised meeting. Now, it`s a meeting, not exactly a press conference. It`s going to happen on Friday.
He`ll be speaking with his friends and colleagues. And this is for the very first time since the whole mess broke right around Thanksgiving. Now, Tiger`s agent says this meeting will be to discuss his past and future and he intends to apologize for his behavior.
Now, his agent does say that Tiger feels it is time to make amends publicly. And Megan, I`ve got to tell you, I think this is exactly the right move. Keep it small. Keep it controlled. But what has been it been? Almost three months now. Is it too little, too late?
MEGAN ALEXANDER, CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": No, I don`t think it is. I think, actually, it could perhaps be a good sign he has waited this long, A.J., and that he`s really thinking things through.
We talked about this before. You know, this is not going to be a quick fix by any means. I think people are going to be looking at his behavior Friday. I want to say it`s possibly not so much what he says, but how he says it.
HAMMER: Yes.
ALEXANDER: Is he sincere? He really will be essentially addressing two audiences. Two, A.J. Of course, the first audience is his fans, the tons of people around the world that want to hear what he has to say.
But the second audience is his family. It will be interesting, you know, Tiger Woods notoriously private until the scandals broke. Didn`t tell us much about his family. But now, he really needs to.
HAMMER: Yes.
ALEXANDER: What will he say? Will he keep short and sweet or talk a lot?
HAMMER: Now, it`s not just about apologizing for his baker`s dozen of mistresses either. The PGA tournament is right around the corner. So I`d have to imagine he is going to be announcing that he`ll be competing. That is all the speculation of course.
What do you think, David? Is the world ready to forgive Tiger Woods and accept him, once again, as the world`s greatest golfer? I, for one, think we`re actually going to see a surprising wave of sympathy for Tiger Woods.
DAVID CAPLAN, SENIOR EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Yes, I think people are ready, you know, to accept his apology, to really get over it because they want him to come back for what he was known for and why we love him so much, as a golf star.
And really, in the new issue of "People," we expect him to come back, actually, for masters in April.
HAMMER: Megan mentioned he`s going to be addressing his family though. We`re really paying close attention to what he has to say. And of course, it`s not just the public persona that`s under fire tonight. A lot happens to be going on with Tiger privately right now as he and his wife, Elin, tried to work things out. .
It`s unbelievable to me that that it`s even possible. But "People" magazine reporting today in their upcoming new issue that Elin is still very angry at Tiger. But all the cards are in her hands while she decides whether they are going to stay together and build back trust again.
Megan, I`ve got to wonder, given how much Elin really is in control of Tiger`s world right now, how much of a role do you think she had in orchestrating what`s about to happen on Friday?
ALEXANDER: You know what the big question is? Will she be standing next to him? That`s what I`m curious about.
HAMMER: That would be a big message, yes.
ALEXANDER: Yes. Who knows if she`ll even be there? She has been very quiet through all this as well. I don`t think we`ve ever got a sense of where she is. You know, there were rumors that they were getting a divorce.
Then, she was visiting him in Mississippi where he was supposedly undergoing his rehab. I think it will be real interesting to see, again, a very private person herself. But, A.J., the most important thing is, so far, it does seem like there`s a chance that they may stay together.
HAMMER: Yes. David Caplan, from "People," Elin has taken a really tough stance with Tiger up until now, it seems and really kept her distance. The real question from what "People" magazine has learned, does it appear their marriage can, in fact, be saved?
CAPLAN: I mean, definitely marriage can be saved. Elin does want to try and work on the marriage. Like you said, (INAUDIBLE) divorced. However, she`s still angry. And every day, when these new reports come out about, you know, a new mistress, whether it`s allegations of paternity, it just really fuels the fire even more, and it`s taking a toll on her.
But what`s interesting with that - these two are actually within proximity of each other. They`re actually living a block apart in Windermere, Florida, which is actually pretty amazing.
And in the new issue, we also report that they are undergoing counseling. He visits the kids as well. So there is sort of contact in a weird way. Elin actually is having a higher profile right no.
Even though she`s not speaking, she`s definitely making an effort to be out, to be photographed with the kids and so forth, trying to show that normalcy is still there in her life.
HAMMER: Yes. Normalcy is still there under some extraordinary circumstances to be sure. All right. Let`s move on to some more big news breaking today, including Britney Spears` million dollar secrets and news about Alexander McQueen`s death.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): Disturbing revelations about the suicide of famed fashion designer, Alexander McQueen. A British coroner has just revealed that McQueen committed suicide by hanging himself in his London apartment.
Just hours before that revelation, Lady Gaga paid an emotional tribute to McQueen at the Brit Music Awards in London.
LADY GAGA, SINGER: We miss you so badly. This is for Alexander McQueen
HAMMER: Lady Gaga also thanked McQueen as she collected three awards at the show.
Judge Judy rules -
JUDGE JUDITH SHEINDLIN, TELEVISION JUDGE, "JUDGE JUDY": I think you have a problem.
HAMMER: Brand-new ratings reveal Judge Judy will mark her 700th week in a row as TV`s top-rated court show on TV. That`s 13 years in a row. And the queen of the court isn`t slowing down. Her ratings are up over last year.
Britney Spears` mysterious million-dollar secrets. Her attorneys are reportedly fighting to keep secret what they call critical information about Britney and her kids.
TMZ has obtained legal papers showing lawyers for conservatorship are concerned personal and medical information about her and her kids will leak out and are asking the court to seal the information. They say the secrets could be worth million if someone got and sold the information.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So the big buzz question tonight remains - and Megan, let me throw this one to you - what secret could Britney be so concerned about people discovering? Or is it just they don`t want any private information whatsoever, even if it`s not salacious, to get out there?
ALEXANDER: Well, you know, I think - you think about the average person that goes to the extent of getting Lifelock or these different protections against their personal information.
And then, a celebrity, who is under heavy scrutiny, times 10 - if you`re Britney Spears, times 100. I think their lawyers are being smart in just protecting her privacy and her children`s privacy with the Internet nowadays.
Information can get out there so quickly. And A.J., we see the appetite that is out there for celebrity information and the people that are wanting to make a buck off of somebody`s life. So I think - no matter what the information is, I think the lawyers are being smart.
HAMMER: No, you can`t blame them at all. And it`s so hard for me to believe this. But yesterday was actually the third anniversary of that terrible night when Britney Spears shaved her own head. It was a real low, very hard to forget.
And let`s face it, props to her - she`s come a really long way since then. And if you want proof, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got a first look today at these brand-new ads for Candie`s, Britney`s shot with the legendary photographer, Annie Leibovitz looking fantastic.
Quickly, David Caplan. Wow, what a difference three years makes. How great is she doing?
CAPLAN: Yes, I know, it`s amazing, actually. The (INAUDIBLE) shaved Britney - that`s like vintage Britney. So it shows you she`s not doing pretty well. And she`s - you know, I think she has a boyfriend to thank for a lot of that.
HAMMER: David Caplan, Megan Alexander, I thank you both so much. And you can grab your copy of "People" magazine on newsstands, Friday.
ANDERSON: I cannot believe Tiger finally is going to break his silence. Long time coming. And tonight, there`s somebody else who is refusing to remain quiet one second longer - Sarah Palin and her brand-new attack on "Family Guy."
Sarah`s explosive new interview out today after the Fox show used her son with Down Syndrome as a punch line. But for the very first time today, the creator of "Family Guy" responds.
Also, breaking late today, big Jon and Kate news. Could "Jon and Kate Plus 8" end up back on TV?
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS (voice over): If there`s one thing that can bring a model to her knees, it`s falling to her knees.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tonight, top models go bottoms up. The hilarious missteps at New York`s Fashion Week today. It is fashion road kill. Still looking good, though. You don`t want to miss the best of the worst fashion falls. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." It`s more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Wyclef Jean to get Vanguard Award for social issues at NAACP Image Awards. Faith Hill to be a guest judge on the season finale of Lifetime`s "Project Runway."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
And tonight, big news breaking, a Gosselin truce. Yes. Late today, Jon Gosselin confirmed he has settled his lawsuit with TLC. That`s the network that aired his family reality show, "Jon and Kate Plus 8." So does this mean "Jon and Kate Plus 8" will be back on TV?
Also breaking tonight, Palin`s "Family Guy" war. Sarah Palin has just done her first TV interview about her outrage over the Fox comedy, "Family Guy," using her son with Down Syndrome as an apparent punch line.
But wait, there`s more. Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page, our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines and our E-mail inbox almost exploded today on both sides of the Palin "Family Guy" controversy.
Joining me tonight is Rachel Zalis who is a contributing editor for "Life and Style Weekly." And from Atlanta, Vinnie Politan who is a host with "In Session."
Rachel, Vinnie, I`ve got to begin with Jon Gosselin settling his breach of contract lawsuit with TLC. In a brand-new statement late today, TLC told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that they have reached a settlement with Jon and the whole Gosselin family remain under contract with TLC.
Vinnie, it sounds to me like we might just be seeing Jon and rest of the family back on TLC ASAP? After all the bitterness, does that seem farfetched to you?
VINNIE POLITAN, HOST, IN SESSION: Yes. Well, it doesn`t seem farfetched to me. But what it does tell me is he`s not going to be popping up anywhere else. So he`s still under contract with them. They can choose to put him on the air, not put him on the air and prevent him from going on the air somewhere else.
You may see them together or maybe you`ll see them on the air separately. Who knows? But you know, I think this is good news for Jon and Kate fans wherever they are.
ANDERSON: Yes, exactly. And it does seem plausible to me, too. You know, nothing about the drama surrounding the Gosselins surprises me anymore or how quickly it can change directions.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT also spoke to Jon`s attorney today and he really added fuel to the speculation that we might see the whole Gosselin clan on TV again. He told us this, "Jon has expressed his desire to close the litigation chapter of "Jon and Kate Plus 8." And although all terms are confidential, he is hopeful that TLC will move forward with the best interest of the Gosselin family. Sometimes litigants that kiss and make up find their relationship is much better the second time around. As Jon`s attorney, I truly hope this new adventure for TLC and the Gosselins is a joyful journey."
Rachel, Jon`s attorney makes it seem like, hey, they`ve kissed and made up. Are you buying it?
ZALIS: Honestly, I don`t even know why TLC wants the association with this guy. They are supposed to be the learning channel, not the loser channel. I mean, I don`t know if I`m more scared - sorry.
I don`t know if I`m more scared to see, like, Heidi Montag posing for "Playboy" again, or Jon Gosselin back on TV? Who wants to see it?
ANDERSON: Yes. It is kind of hard to believe that all is forgotten, because it really did get ugly. And you know, this whole thing began Jon banned TLC from filming his kids.
Jon`s attorney did tell us just last week though that Jon was willing to put his kids back on television if TLC dropped the lawsuit against him. Rachel, do you think that Jon is getting desperate here, wants to get back on TV?
ZALIS: I think so. I think it`s breaking point. Really, the lowest point when the ex-faux best friend, Michael Lohan, started dating his ex-faux girlfriend, Kate Major. So I think this guy is desperate to have something going on in his life. So this will probably be the best thing that can happen to him.
ANDERSON: Yes. Money seems to talk with this guy, so I`m not surprised he`s had a change of heart and might want checks rolling back to his bank account again.
POLITAN: He`s got a lot of mouths to feed, Brooke. Come on.
ANDERSON: OK, you guys. I do want to move now to Sarah Palin`s brand-new tirade against the creator of "Family Guy." Palin appeared on "The O`Reilly Factor" for her first TV interview about her outrage over the fact that the show used her son, Trig, who has Down Syndrome, as an apparent punch line. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PALIN: This world of full of cruel, cold-hearted people who would do such a thing. Look, I look a Trig and I see perfection. I see a precious little child already toddling around. You can see that he has a heart of gold.
I also can see into the future, that Trig is going to have a pretty tough, challenging life in front of him. He`s going to face things as special needs children will be facing, much more difficult than we ever will. So why make it tougher on the special needs community? That`s what I thought when I first heard about this episode that really isn`t funny.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes. Vinnie, I agree with Sarah. It`s just not that funny. And she`s got every right to be outraged. What do you think?
POLITAN: Well, you hit the nail on the head. And I watch "Family Guy." This is a show that is built on political incorrectness and being outrageous. But it`s also supposed to be funny.
That`s the problem I had. It just seemed like it was very gratuitous and thrown in there without any real laugh lines. And for Sarah Palin, I think this actually makes "Family Guy" look like the bad guy here.
And I think it will actually help the whole world of special needs children and make people think a little bit more about - you know, when they are walking around in their day-to-day lives.
ANDERSON: And being more sensitive, maybe.
POLITAN: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Well, we also heard today for first time from the creator of "Family Guy," Seth MacFarlane. In a statement to "The L.A. Times," he defends the humor, saying, "From its inception, `Family Guy` has used biting satire as the foundation of its humor. The show is an equal opportunity offender."
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT E-mail inbox has been overflowing with comments today about this. Let`s look at this one.
Ashley from London, Ontario, who says she has a disability, writes, "First off, I`m fairly positive that the actress hired to voice Ellen has Down Syndrome. So kudos to Seth MacFarlane. Second, people with disabilities are not charities cases and are not above humor. Call me any time, Seth. I`m available."
So Rachel, Ashley there not offended. But does that give the show, "Family Guy," a pass because some people aren`t offended, aren`t insulted?
ZALIS: Sorry, guys. I agree with Seth and the viewer. I think it`s an equal opportunity show. Seth is a genius. The show is hilarious. And I actually don`t even think they made that much fun at the character. It was definitely more of a jab at Sarah Palin.
POLITAN: Well, it wasn`t funny. The clip was not funny.
ZALIS: Yes. But the character was sort of feisty and in charge. It was more of a jab at Sarah. And like - she just wants to take on everyone, whether it`s David Letterman, Rahm Emanuel, Seth MacFarlane. It`s like, grow a little bit of a thicker skin, you know. You have to have some sense of humor.
ANDERSON: But come on, Rachel.
POLITAN: But please be funny when you do it.
ANDERSON: Her child is a baby. Yes, go ahead, Vinnie.
POLITAN: At least be funny when you do it. They made the character a girl. They made her grown up, so they made her a little bit different. But the bottom line is, the show is going to be an equal opportunity offender. Let`s be funny while we`re offending. Otherwise, you are just offending someone.
ANDERSON: And Rachel, I know that they don`t discriminate, that anybody is fair game.
ZALIS: Yes.
ANDERSON: But don`t you think this is a new low for them? Because Sarah Palin`s child is a baby. He didn`t ask for the spotlight to be put upon him. You know, make fun of Sarah Palin all you want. She chose the political limelight. The baby did not.
ZALIS: I don`t know. I guess if they had made it more of a pathetic character. But I didn`t feel like they really did that in this episode. I think it was a little bit more.
ANDERSON: You`re right. The character was shown as a strong person.
ZALIS: Yes.
ANDERSON: Really holding her own on a date. So it`s been interpreted very differently by different people. We`re going to leave it there for now, you guys. Thanks so much, Rachel Zalis, Vinnie Politan.
HAMMER: Tonight, it`s the danger lurking in New York today and it can strike at any time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: If there`s one thing that can bring a model to her knees, it`s falling to her knees.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, that`s going to leave a mark. I can`t even imagine that. Wiping out on a runway with all those cameras catching it all. Man. Tonight, we`ve got the best of the worst fashion falls of all time. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Roger Ebert continues to review movies despite loss of speech. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen`s "The Row" fall collection gets glowing review.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, top models go bottoms up. It is fashion week in New York City. And the walking on the runway is astonishingly harder than you might think.
Think about this for a second. You`ve got the lights, the cameras, the sky-high stilettos. Of course, sometimes that makes for a dangerous mix resulting in fashion road kill.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with some of the best of the worst falls.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice over): If there`s one thing that can bring a model to her knees, it`s falling to her knees. How New York kicked off fashion week.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not once, but twice.
MOOS: Less than five second after Agnes Dina arose to applause in the "Fashion for Haiti Relief" show, down she went again. A perfect excuse to recall our favorite falls, to recall our favorite sprawls.
From catching a heel in the pants to falling through the runway, apparently unaware the center was only paper, someone ran to her rescue. No one helped at the time the great Naomi Campbell went down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get a photo! Let`s get a photo!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Idiots. What is wrong with people?
MOOS: Naomi made her fall into an insurance commercial.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because Naomi Campbell is smart.
MOOS: Jay Alexander teaches models how to walk and how not to. Carmen Electra demonstrated how not to, and the lady running to her rescue followed in her footfalls.
Most of the time, you can blame the high heels. What we have here is a potential shoe emergency. A beaded spat come undone could undo a model here at the Pamella Roland show. But the shoes here are tame compared to the late Alexander McQueen`s.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you see the shoes for his show last year?
MOOS: Armadillo shoes, they were dubbed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There were a couple of girls who wouldn`t do the show because it`s just so dangerous.
MOOS: After falling twice in seven-inch heels at the show for Haiti relief, what a relief. Take those heels off. We`ve seen Miss USAs fall twice in recent years.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oops.
MOOS: We`ve seen models conk their heads. We`ve seen a martial arts performer make a hole in the runway, then watched the model who followed his act fall in. But there`s one classic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My mom`s watching.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.
MOOS: Leaves even the models chortling. Maybe it`s the Washington, D.C., anchors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never quite recovered after that. There she goes again.
MOOS: Preserved forever on YouTube, replaying and laughing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You try walking in those shoes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey!
MOOS: Laughing and replaying. Fashion can stagger more than just the imagination.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s always fashionable Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Imagine the pressure, Brooke. I mean, imagine for a moment.
ANDERSON: Yes, the dangerous work they`re doing. Those heels - too high.
HAMMER: And that`s not right. Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Don`t forget you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT every night on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern on HLN.
END
