Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
Sarah Palin Goes Hollywood; Jessica Simpson versus John Mayer Showdown; Simon Cowell Going Soft?; The Johnny Depp Ultimatum; SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Amazing Moments
Aired March 04, 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 today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Sarah goes Hollywood. The unbelievable reports today that Sarah Palin is pitching a reality show with the guy who created "Survivor."
But there`s more. About another big Sarah Palin book. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the Sarah Palin reality show, reality check.
The Jessica versus John showdown. The brand-new battle that exploded today after Jessica`s explosive tell-all on "Oprah." Jessica slamming John for spilling sex life secrets. And now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the must-see new video of Jessica backstage after Oprah.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSICA SIMPSON, SINGER AND ACTRESS: I kind of lost it when I got back into the dressing room.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, it`s the great debate. Team Jessica, team John. Whose side are you on?
Simon going soft? The remarkable Simon Cowell confession today. He says he`s been too mean. Hey, Simon, what happened?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: 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, Sarah goes Hollywood.
HAMMER: Yes. Move over, Jon and Kate, here comes Sarah Palin. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT confirmed today that Sarah Palin is shopping a show big time to all the big TV networks, an apparent Sarah Palin reality show.
Oh, yes. Some people were splitting hairs today about whether what Palin wants to do should be called a reality show or something else. So let`s take a SHOWBIZ reality check, shall we? Because there is absolutely no doubt that the frenzy over the new possible Sarah Palin show made for big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): She just did stand-up comedy on "The Tonight Show."
FMR. GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK): Alaska is so different from Los Angeles. Here, when people have a frozen look on their face, I find out it`s Botox.
HAMMER: She`s appeared on "Saturday Night Live." She`s had a bestselling book. And oh, yes, she almost became vice president of the United States. Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you we learned today that Sarah Palin may be gunning for the holy grail of modern American stardom, her own reality show.
KEN BAKER, EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR, E!: This just fits the pattern of what Sarah Palin is trying to do, which is to become more famous.
HAMMER: Snooki should be scared. The Kardashians should be careful because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Sarah Palin has gone Hollywood.
Last night, "Entertainment Weekly" broke the story that Palin is partnering up with reality show guru Mark Burnett, the mastermind and creator of reality shows like "Survivor" and "The Apprentice."
BAKER: Reportedly, Sarah wants to produce a documentary reality series basically on the State of Alaska, much like "The Planet Earth" series that`s on the Discovery Channel.
HAMMER: And Palin is knocking on just about every door in Hollywood to pitch her show. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned Palin and Burnett have either met with or plan to meet with Fox, NBC, CBS, ABC, A & E and either History or Discovery.
BAKER: I think if Sarah Palin walks in with a major producer into any network around town, they are going to take the meeting. Whether or not they green light it is another question.
HAMMER: Fox News, which pays Palin as a contributor, reported today that Palin`s show is not a reality show at all but a documentary that will focus on, quote, "the people, geography and wildlife of her native Alaska."
And Fox quotes a source who says the show has nothing to do with Palin`s personal life or family. But other reports today say the Palin family would appear on camera in the series. And E! News executive editor Kim Baker thinks that would be a good idea.
BAKER: I think for it to really get attention and for it to have her stamp, she would have to appear on camera.
HAMMER: Ever since she burst on the scene in the 2008 presidential election in which she and John McCain mocked Barack Obama for being a celebrity -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s the biggest celebrity in the world.
HAMMER: It`s Sarah who has turned into the big celebrity. Her book, "Going Rogue" is still a bestseller four months after its release. And it was announced today that Palin`s been signed to write a follow-up book.
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Let`s talk about interview with Katie Couric.
PALIN: Must we?
HAMMER: Palin`s appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in November gave the queen of talk her highest ratings in two years.
BAKER: Sarah Palin actually makes a great celebrity because there are a lot of people that love her. There a lot of people that hate her. But everyone can agree that they can`t stop looking at her and that`s a really good quality to have.
HAMMER: Now, even Sarah`s daughter Bristol is getting into the Hollywood act. This week, she started taping her guest role in an episode of the ABC family series, "The Secret Life of the American Teenager", a show about a girl who, like Bristol, is an unwed teen mom. Bristol plays herself.
But the Palin`s hard march to Hollywood has some people questioning whether Sarah cares more about stardom than politics.
BAKER: I`m not saying she doesn`t want to be a politician. But she`s making herself go on the path of being a TV star more than she is on the path of being the next president.
HAMMER: So it looks like Washington may have to wait. Sarah Palin has got another town to conquer.
ANDERSON: So now that Sarah Palin is going Hollywood, is she totally going rogue on politics? Joining me tonight in New York is Carolina Bermudez, who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly" and co-host of the "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show," heard nationwide on the radio. Also joining me tonight in Hollywood, Hyla, who is an entertainment journalist for "5DollarPrep.com."
Carolina, Hyla, what a week Sarah Palin is having. You know, she had the stand-up comedy, the new book deal, her daughter going on television, and now this docu-drama, or a realty show - whatever you want to call it.
I think she`s capitalizing on her popularity and I say, why not? Go for it. Carolina, Palin`s definitely gone Hollywood and no question there. But is there anything wrong with that?
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Brooke, I`m totally with you. I think she should take every opportunity now while she can. You know, the shelf life of a celebrity right now is about 15 minutes and she`s on 12.
So if she has any aspirations of going to - to run for president in 2012, then I wouldn`t suggest getting in front of the reality TV cameras. But if she`s doing a docu-drama, then she`s going to give people a different view of her home state of Alaska. Then, I say, why not? It`s not that big of a deal.
ANDERSON: Yes. Why not? Well, she`s meeting with all these network executives. And we`re told that her show won`t focus on Palin`s personal life. It`s more about Alaska. I think she`s going to deliver on that promise.
But Hyla, I`ve got to ask you - Sarah, obviously the big draw here. I`m thinking that she would have to be a big part of it for the show to succeed.
HYLA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST, "5DOLLARPREP.COM": Absolutely. And A.J. said it best - I think a Sarah Snooki show would be huge no matter what state you do it in. She has to appear in some capacity, whether it`s her husband shooting a moose or something. Yes, they have to be a part of it for networks to want to pick it up and for us to want to watch it. Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Yes. She needs to be a part of it. It doesn`t have to be about her personal life though. But she`s got to appear and be involved in some way. And Carolina, you addressed this. Let`s say Sarah Palin may be secretly planning to run for president in 2012. Do you think all this Hollywood attention could be some sort of a wacky strategy to get elected?
BERMUDEZ: Well, it would definitely be wacky, because it would come back to bite her in the butt. This is exactly what she said about Barack Obama when he was running for president.
So I think it`s not in her best interest to do the reality-based type programming. But the stuff she`s doing now, the "Jay Leno" appearance, it`s cute. It`s cheeky. And the book tours and everything - that can only help her.
BAKER: Maybe she could be a bigger celebrity than she is a politician. And why she`s not pushing the celebrity route - I think she could be bigger than Oprah one day.
BERMUDEZ: Hyla, what are you smoking? Bigger than Oprah? No way. Not Sarah Palin.
HYLA: Oh, 100 percent. People in Middle America love her.
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: That is one strong statement.
HYLA: Love her, yes.
ANDERSON: She does have a lot of appeal. She`s got a lot of fans. All right. I want to move to another big story breaking today. Tiger Woods` caddie speaking out. Tiger`s caddie of 10 years, Steve Williams, is defending himself.
In a brand-new interview that surfaced today from New Zealand`s version of "60 Minutes," Williams denies that he knew anything about Tiger`s sordid affairs. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE WILLIAMS, TIGER WOODS` CADDIE: I knew nothing. That`s my answer. I knew nothing. I don`t need to clarify. I knew nothing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some people might find it incredible that you couldn`t have suspected something or known something of what was going on in his private life?
WILLIAMS: Yes. I mean, if the shoe was on somebody else, I would say the same thing that it would be very difficult for the caddie to not know. But I`m going to 100 percent tell you, I knew nothing and that`s that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He sounds pretty confident. I believe him. You know, I think if Tiger could juggle over a dozen women without his wife knowing, he could definitely pull the wool over his caddie`s eyes. Carolina, what about you? Are you buying what the caddie is selling?
BERMUDEZ: No, way. Steve Williams - he has a wife of his own at home who probably is thinking, "If you knew anything, you`d better talk." And I think that right now, what he`s doing is standing behind his paycheck, and that is Tiger Woods.
And of course, he needs to side with his buddy because he wants to secure his own future. So did he not know anything? I`m not too sure about that.
ANDERSON: You know, I think Tiger has two very different sides and he`s very skilled at hiding one when he needs or wants to.
All right. We`ll see. And I`ve got to move now to another story making big news today - Simon Cowell going soft? In a brand-new interview out today, the "American Idol" judge says that he`s been too mean, too nasty.
Hey, Simon, what`s happened to you, man? Tonight, you`ve got to hear Simon`s brand-new shocking confessions. Carolina Bermudez, Hyla, stay right there.
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, I think John Mayer has been downright rude and mean to Jessica Simpson for spilling all that stuff about their sex life. Just so, so wrong. Check out this new must-see video out today of Jessica Simpson back stage at Oprah after she slammed him for his sex-and- tell.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMPSON: I just did my interview with the wonderful and lovely Oprah and I`ve already gone through two snot rags. Definitely kind of lost it when I got back into the dressing room.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Look at what Mayer did to her. Tonight, it`s Jessica versus John, the showdown. Team Jessica, team John, whose side are you on?
And is Depp in too deep? The unbelievable report out today that Johnny Depp`s long time girlfriend actually wants him to quit the film he`s on because she`s afraid co-star Angelina Jolie will steal him away. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Levi Johnston must pay an additional $3,500 in child support to Bristol Palin. President Obama to appear on 1000th episode of "America`s Most Wanted."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put down the fort!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can`t get a shot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was scared.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes? Well, everyone is a coward about something.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To become taronyu, Hunter, you must choose your own ikran and he must choose you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you are ready.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s the unbelievable battle of the exes. James Cameron and ex- wife, Kathryn Bigelow, both up for best director this year. But who will win?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And now, the SHOWBIZ "Road to Gold."
ANDERSON: A.J., we are just a couple of days away from the Oscars and you and I are doing two very special live editions of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT from the Academy Awards.
HAMMER: That`s right, Brooke. And this year is really shaping up to be the year of the Oscar showdowns. Probably, the biggest battle of them all, James Cameron taking on Kathryn Bigelow for best director. And these two actually used to be married. But now, it`s take-no-prisoners battle of the exes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): The showdown is explosive. It`s "Hurt Locker" director Kathryn Bigelow versus "Avatar`s" James Cameron.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re going up against (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with bows and arrows.
HAMMER: Her low-budget Iraq War drama wowed critics. His sci-fi juggernaut is the most successful movie ever. And oh, it gets better. They used to be married. Yes, Cameron was actually hitched to Bigelow from 1989 to 1991. So for best director, it`s come down to the battle of the exes. And they can`t quite believe it either.
KATHRYN BIGELOW, DIRECTOR, "THE HURT LOCKER": The chances of it are so astronomical.
HAMMER: Cameron scored the first victory at the Golden Globes. But Bigelow did stop him at the Directors Guild Awards. Through the combat, though, they remained friends.
JAMES CAMERON, DIRECTOR, "AVATAR": It`s very simple. We`ve always respected each other as an artist.
BIGELOW: We are really good friends, so this is so exciting.
HAMMER: The final showdown is set. Only one ex will emerge king or queen of the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
It is just going to be fascinating to see what happens with that one. And Brooke and I will be right there live at the Oscars this Sunday, March 7th, with two very special live editions of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s the showbiz "Road to Gold," 7:00 p.m. Eastern, we`ll be on CNN. And then, 11:00 p.m. Eastern, we will be live on HLN.
ANDERSON: We also want to tell you we`ve got the Oscars covered online like no other entertainment news show. We`ve got a whole team that`s going to be with us tweeting live from the red carpet from the Oscar parties, the up-to-the-minute Oscar winner reaction tweets and on Facebook.
We`re going to ask to you weigh in on all the Oscar shockers and controversies. We`re even including your wall posts on air all night long. So head on over to CNN.com right now. Check out the "Showbiz Connects" box and get connected right now.
HAMMER: As we move on tonight, Brooke, the minute we mention Kate Gosselin doing the next season of "Dancing with the Stars," I`ve got to tell you, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines exploded. In fact, our "Showbiz on Call" operators - they have had to do their quick step all day just to handle the volume of calls.
ANDERSON: A.J., we got a call from Stephanie in Indiana. She doesn`t know why so many people are against Kate doing the show.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I`m just calling to say that I`ve never heard anyone complain before about a mom being on "Dancing with the Stars." I think that she has her things together and she knows what she`s doing.
She`s got a dance studio in her basement to practice. So I do not understand why everyone is making such a big deal about a mom being on this show when there have been plenty of them before. I give Kate all of my support and hope she does well.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thanks, Stephanie.
HAMMER: You can call us at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about Kate on "Dancing" or anything at all.
ANDERSON: The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are always open. Here`s the number - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1-888-728-2899. Simply leave a voicemail. We will play some of your calls right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Well, this is just so scary. Dr. Drew`s horrific death threat. You know Dr. Drew Pinsky, of course, from VH1`s "Celebrity Rehab." You`ve seen him right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT a bunch of times.
Well, listen to this. Today I can tell you a guy allegedly threatened to hurt him and kill his children.
Also Johnny may be in Depp do do. Yes, the unbelievable reports out today that Johnny Depp`s girlfriend wants him off a movie that he`s doing with Angelina Jolie. She is afraid Angelina might try to hook up with him.
ANDERSON: OK. I want to move on to this. I am just thrilled to tell you about this. A.J. and I are about to show you the biggest, the wildest, most provocative SHOWBIZ TONIGHT moments that you will ever see. It is five SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And it is truly awesome, Brooke. But first, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: "Today" co-host Meredith Vieira extends her contract, but only by one year. Best Actress nominee Mo`Nique reveals she has an open marriage!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: I don`t know about you, but I`ve noticed something different about "American Idol" this season. There`s like a love fest going on at the judge`s table.
Well, apparently, the folks over at "Jimmy Kimmel" noticed this, too. Some people even think that Simon and Kara have gotten kind of cozy this year. Did you see this? Check out Kimmel`s take on what`s really going on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN SEACREST, HOST, "AMERICAN IDOL": Are you offended by anything that Simon is saying -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CONTESTANT: I`m not offended -
KARA DIOGUARDI, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: Every time you step on that stage, it`s got to be technically immaculate. You took a risk and the way that you learned, Mike, by taking that risk. So maybe next time, just pull it back.
Look, we all got the memo, the cougar is a fan. We all know, right? We got it. But tonight, I`ve got to say, you took two steps backwards.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my gosh, look at this. I don`t care what you look like. You`re so good.
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": To me, that`s unprofessional.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Very funny. You know, I`ve got to ask, though, is Simon going soft? I mean, he was the king of mean. Now, not so sure.
In fact, in a brand-new interview just out today, Simon says he`s sorry for being so nasty. Wait until you hear this.
ANDERSON: And there is new fallout today on our Facebook page from Jessica Simpson`s revealing interview on Oprah. Just take a look at this. You are all so fired up and you`re taking sides.
Angelina S. writes this on our wall, "John is a moron. He owes her way more than an apology. He should get on his knees and admit he is a jerk. Jessica is awesome. And I think she`s a great role model for anyone."
Rosie K. writes, "If you heard what she said on Oprah, she said that her phone was ringing off the hook ever since that loser Mayer made those comments about her. So it came out in her favor."
You can connect with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in so many ways. Become our Facebook. Join us on Twitter to get breaking entertainment news alerts. Call us at "Showbiz on Call" and there`s always E-mail. "Showbiz Connects" on our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
HAMMER: And now, the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is the unbelievable new Johnny Depp ultimatum. New reports out today that Johnny`s long-time girlfriend actually wants him to quit the movie he`s doing with Angelina Jolie because she`s afraid Jolie will steal her man.
Plus, a brand-new Jessica Simpson-John Mayer war erupts today, Jessica slamming John right there on "Oprah" for spilling everything about their sex life. It`s team Jessica, team John. Whose side are you on? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: "Idol`s" number one. 23.5 million watched Wednesday. Rob Lowe leaving ABC`s "Brothers and Sisters," next stop NBC`s "Parks and Recreation."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the stunning new Johnny Depp-Angelina Jolie drama. Reports out just today Johnny`s long-time girlfriend demands Johnny quit his movie with Angelina or else. She`s afraid Jolie might steal her man.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMPSON: I just did my interview with the wonderful and lovely Oprah and I`ve already gone through two snot rags. She`s definitely - I kind of lost it when I got back into the dressing room.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The Jessica Simpson-John Mayer showdown. The fury and fallout today after Jessica gets emotional on Oprah over John`s sex-and-tell. The brand-new video. Plus, team Jessica, team John. Whose side are you on?
And Simon the softy? The remarkable new interview out today with the "American Idol" judge. Why Simon now says he`s been too mean.
Plus, more stories breaking 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: I`m Brooke Anderson coming to you tonight from Hollywood. And tonight, the Jessica versus John showdown.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke, a brand-new battle exploded today after Jessica Simpson`s extraordinary tell-all on "Oprah" about everything, including, of course, John Mayer`s totally out-of-line revelations about what he claimed was a wild sex life with Jessica.
A lot of people actually took Mayer`s side today. And wait until you see the new backstage video of Jessica after her "Oprah" interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMPSON: I had to cry out a lot of stuff that I`ve been holding in. But Oprah is a very empowering person so I feel inspired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Also breaking today, new reports that Depp is in too deep. Johnny Depp`s long-time girlfriend and the mother of his two children is reportedly demanding he walk away from the movie he`s now shooting with Angelina Jolie.
And the remarkable Simon Cowell confession today. Wait until you hear this. Simon is now saying, he`s appalled by how mean he is to "Idol" contestants. Say what?
Joining me right now in New York is Carolina Bermudez who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly" and a co-host of the "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show." And from Hollywood, it`s Hyla who is an entertainment journalist for "5DollarPrep.com."
Well, I must begin with the brand-new showdown over Jessica and John Mayer. It`s all over the Internet today after Jessica appeared on "Oprah" saying she was disappointed in John spilling the beans about their sex life in that "Playboy" magazine interview.
Well, Jessica was clearly shaken up by doing this interview. Take a look at this brand-new video of her backstage after the Oprah show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMPSON: I just did my interview with the wonderful and lovely Oprah and I`ve already gone through two snot rags. She definitely - I kind of lost it when I got back into the dressing room.
I had to cry out a lot of stuff I`ve been holding in. But Oprah is a very empowering person so I feel inspired. Let`s go change the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, obviously, she was working out a lot of stuff, Carolina, by being on "The Oprah Show." Are you feeling sympathy for Jessica?
BERMUDEZ: Definitely. I think this was the best thing for Jessica to do, not only for her career but our thoughts of her as a person. She`s been in the tabloid since she came out.
I mean, basically, for the past 10 years, she`s been a tabloid queen. And so this showed us a real side of her. She showed us how vulnerable she was after those comments came out about John Mayer. So I think she painted herself in a really good light.
HAMMER: A lot of us born-again Jessica Simpson fans today.
BERMUDEZ: Yes.
HAMMER: But not everybody, Carolina. Some people not so much on our side. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producers were scouring the Internet today. It really is incredible how divided people are and how many people are actually supporting John Mayer.
Let me read to you something I found on "ABC.com." Somebody said, "I don`t blame anyone for being annoyed with someone who breaks trust. But I do think Jessica is overreacting just a bit there. He said she was hot in bed. Basically, wow, what an insult? Grow up, Jess. Stop your whining."
Hyla, that is the sentiment on a great deal of what I saw on the Internet today. Do you agree?
HYLA: I agree 100 percent. It was a compliment. If someone says, "Hey, you`re a good basketball player" - thank you. If someone says, "You`re good in bed," thank you very much. If that`s not the ultimate compliment -
HAMMER: A real man doesn`t talk up like that, Hyla. Come on.
HYLA: He was fine. He did nothing wrong. It was a compliment. And you know what? Jessica is loving this. Let`s be real here. This is the Simpson family. They are all about publicity.
Oprah fueled this entire episode based on promos from this conversation about John Mayer. She loved it. John loved it. It was good in bed - it was good for everybody.
HAMMER: Hyla, I`ve got to say when I saw her crying backstage and we`re seeing her holding up the tissues from her crying, I think it was genuine emotion. I think she was actually pretty shook up and not loving it so much.
But let me get to this because the debate raged on our Facebook wall as well. Here`s what Liz P. wrote, "John Mayer is a creep for talking publicly about private situations. He has no respect and needs to grow up and find a brain."
And I`m seeing as much as that on the Internet as the people who are now siding with John. No surprise.
BERMUDEZ: Absolutely. And I do have to disagree with Hyla. I mean, it may be a compliment to some people. But when you`re a professional and you`re out in the limelight, you don`t want people talking about your most intimate moments. He opened up a whole other area for people to think of.
HYLA: Carolina, you`re talking like people don`t have sex or something. They were in a relationship. Of course, they had sex. And he didn`t give any details.
BERMUDEZ: Of course, they did. And we don`t need those details, Hyla. We don`t need the details.
HYLA: He didn`t give details. All he said is that she was good. He didn`t say, "Oh, she has a birthmark in a special place." Or she has this move with the banana -
BERMUDEZ: He called her sexual napalm. I mean, come on.
HAMMER: All right. Hold on. Can we please bring in the voice of reason? Bring in Brooke Anderson for me? I`ve got to get you to weigh in on this, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Well, I think there is an unwritten rule, there is an unwritten code. You just don`t talk about such intimacy between two people. It is disrespectful.
I think that Jessica was very gracious, very tasteful in what she said to Oprah. And I think that John could learn a thing or two about that from Jessica and how she reacted.
I do not think she was whining. I think she had every right to complain even more than she did. But she took the high road and she didn`t do that. And we want to know what you at home think about this.
We are asking in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Whose side are you on, team Jessica Simpson or team John Mayer? Please vote, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: Yes. People are sounding off, Brooke. All right. I`ve got to move on to the brand-new report today that Johnny Depp`s long-time girlfriend and the mother of his two children, Vanessa Paradis ordered Depp to find a new gig after she learned that he would be sharing a very passionate love scene with Angelina Jolie.
Now, Depp and Jolie are currently shooting a movie in romantic Venice. Well, today on "The View," Sherri Shepherd really laid out what probably got Vanessa thinking. You`ve got to watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Laura Dern was engaged to Billy Bob Thornton. And then, he left Laura Dern for Angelina Jolie. And Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt did "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" and that was credited, kind of, with breaking up Aniston and Brad Pitt.
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": So you think that perhaps -
(CROSS TALK)
SHEPHERD: I think to let your man around Angelina is like giving Naomi Campbell a cell phone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Very funny, Sherri. But Carolina, do you really think that Johnny`s girlfriend has anything to worry about here?
BERMUDEZ: Oh, absolutely. Come on. I don`t care if you`re the most secure woman in the world. Angelina Jolie - she`s got something there. We don`t know what it is. But I would be a little bit nervous and I`m going to make a prediction. Maybe he`s going to get hurt. Or there is going to be a reason why he can`t finish it off. But you`ll never know. Women are crazy.
HAMMER: You think she`ll get her way in this?
BERMUDEZ: Oh, yes.
HYLA: Wow.
HAMMER: All right. Well, I`ve got to say we did reach out to Johnny Depp`s reps today for comment. As of show time, we had not heard back. But we do have more big news breaking today.
A brand-new interview that Simon Cowell did with "America`s Got Talent" judge, Piers Morgan for Morgan`s "British Chat Show." I actually couldn`t believe this. Simon sorry for being mean on "American Idol." Brooke, tell us what he said.
ANDERSON: I`ve always thought Simon was a big old teddy bear. But you know, I actually could not believe this was Simon talking.
Here`s what he said, A.J, "There`s many, many times where I`ve watched the show back and I`m absolutely appalled. You do the show. You`re not aware of what`s happening in the room outside. You know, somebody just said, `My dog Lassie died yesterday.` I`m in a bad mood and, you know, awful. And you see it in that context. It`s very, very difficult to watch."
So Carolina, I think Simon has a heart after all. What do you think?
BERMUDEZ: There is some emotion in that cold black heart of his. But I think that Simon needs to stay the way that he is. Those are natural reactions and we do appreciate them because he is the most logical judge on the whole panel. Let`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE) changing too much.
HAMMER: All right. Well, you know. I don`t know. Love softens people, doesn`t it? Carolina, Hyla, thanks, guys. We appreciate it.
ANDERSON: Tonight, the bone chilling Dr. Drew death threat drama. It`s hard to even wrap my head around this story. Tonight, the horrifying details about a man who reportedly threatened to kill the "Celebrity Rehab" doctor`s entire family. We`ve got those disturbing details.
And big news today about Marie Osmond as the beloved star struggles to deal with the apparent suicide of her son. Marie makes a big announcement about her future.
And now, moving on to something I am thrilled to share. A.J. and I are going to be showing you the biggest, wildest, most provocative SHOWBIZ TONIGHT moments that you will ever see in one place at one time. We`re popping a bottle for five years of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: And we are psyched. It is a blockbuster for sure. But first, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Kardashian sisters slam tabloids for slamming their men. New comer Ke$ha slams Britney Spears for lip synching during concerts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with A.J. Hammer in New York. And A.J., can you believe it`s been five years?
HAMMER: Yes. And not just five years, Brooke - five amazing years of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is celebrating its fifth anniversary on the air right here on HLN, five incredible years bringing you the biggest and most provocative entertainment news stories.
And it is not lost on us. We wouldn`t be here. None of this would have happened without you. All of us here thank you. We are sincerely and deeply appreciative. So as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT enters its sixth year on the air, we just had to look back at all the amazing moments that we`ve shared with you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
RICHARD SIMMONS, FITNESS GURU: Oh, my god!
ANDERSON: Hollywood`s biggest night.
MILEY CYRUS, SINGER: Thank you.
HAMMER (on camera): Wow, it is hard to believe, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been on for five years now. I still remember that first day.
Starting tonight, we`re live every Monday through Friday right here on Headline Prime.
ANDERSON (on camera): One thing that has not changed - A.J. The guy never ages. How does he do that? It`s remarkable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Ain`t nothing bad.
HAMMER: We really have interviewed them all. We talked to virtually every celebrity in the business.
Richard Simmons, we`d like to introduce you -
SIMMONS: Oh, no, please. Don`t -
HAMMER: To Nancy Grace. Welcome to the program.
SIMMONS: Oh, my god! Oh, my god!
HAMMER: We`re going to get you a pair of these shorts, Nancy.
ED MCMAHON, TV PERSONALITY: And now, ladies and gentlemen, here`s A.J.! I almost lost it.
HAMMER: I loved sitting down with Harrison Ford. It was, well, interesting.
What`s the one thing you wish you could talk about more that people don`t ask you about?
HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: Well, I`d like to know a little bit about you, A.J.
HAMMER: What would you want to know?
ANDERSON: One of the interviews that really stands out in my mind was our interview with Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg at the premiere of their movie, "War of the Worlds." They were so excited.
STEVEN SPIELBERG, DIRECTOR: We`re dreaming about this.
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: Yes.
SPIELBERG: We said, "What if it was a really cool premiere and everybody was yelling and screaming?"
CRUISE: That would be fun. It was a good party for summer.
SPIELBERG: Exactly.
HAMMER: I`ve been interviewing Mariah Carey for years, but I was so excited when she came into SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for the first time because she had just launched her major comeback and she was just over the moon.
This now makes you the most successful female artist in history. Could you ever have dreamed this big?
MARIAH CAREY, SINGER: I only was like - I want to hear my song on the radio and want to, you know, make a video, blah, blah, blah. But I didn`t know about charts.
ANDERSON: For me, it`s the award shows that are so exciting. I`m really lucky that I get to cover the Oscars, the Grammys, Golden Globes and Sundance Film Festival. It`s always a thrill.
HAMMER: What a night it has been. I`m A.J. Hammer.
ANDERSON: What a night, A.J. I`m Brooke Anderson. We are live outside the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.
HAMMER: So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got the first interview ever with Miley Cyrus before a little show of hers you may have heard of called "Hannah Montana" went on the air. In fact, at that time, her dad was with her and he was a bigger star.
BILLY RAY CYRUS, SINGER: I don`t know if you heard about her singing. She just signed a record deal with Hollywood Records.
HAMMER: Congratulations.
M. CYRUS: Thank you.
HAMMER: It`s not a bad deal.
B. CYRUS: She writes her own songs. She`s the real deal.
HAMMER: Every time we would interview a celebrity, they would deliver our signature line for us which was, "If it happened today -"
ANDERSON: It`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
DONALD TRUMP, BUSINESS TYCOON: I`m Donald Trump.
PARIS HILTON, REALITY TV STAR: I`m Paris Hilton.
ASHANTI, SINGER: Hey, I`m Ashanti.
KERMIT T. FROG: I`m Kermit.
MISS PIGGY: And I`m miss piggy. And if it happened today -
TRUMP: If it happened today -
HILTON: If it happened today -
TRUMP: It`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ASHANTI: It`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
MISS PIGGY: It`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
KERMIT T. FROG: It`s on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: It didn`t always go as planned.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hola, I am Charo(ph). And whatever happened today, it is "Show Business Tonight," don`t miss it. Do you understand what the hell I was talking about? One more time.
ANDERSON: You know who I loved interviewing? Kathy Griffin. That girl is a hoot. And who knew that she was a fan of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT?
KATHY GRIFFIN, COMEDIAN: You know, I watch the show every single night with the four boxes. And oh, I know all the things. I know Britney`s downfall.
HAMMER: We sure have reported a lot on Britney and Lindsay and Paris. You know, the train wreck trifecta.
Britney is now bald, giving herself a buzz cut, shaving her hair off and the whole thing caught on camera.
Lohan voluntarily checked herself into a treatment facility for unspecified reasons.
Paris is in the hokey, which is just a lot of fun to say. Help me out here, guys. Paris in the hokey. It`s fantastic.
ANDERSON: We`ve had a really good time on the show, but we`ve also had to cover some real tragedies.
HAMMER: This is a special live edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the shocking death of Michael Jackson.
Late this afternoon came the startling news that Anna Nicole Smith died in a hospital in Florida.
Heath Ledger has been found dead in an apartment here in New York City. He was just 28 years old.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has been there for every major breaking entertainment news story in the last five years - every one.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
HAMMER: Madonna shocked everyone today confirming that she is getting divorced.
ANDERSON: Chris Brown busted on charges related to domestic violence.
HAMMER: David Letterman`s sex extortion shocker.
ANDERSON: The past five years have been incredible and I look forward to five, maybe even 15 more. I am so proud to have been a part of the past five years.
ANDERSON: The best part of every day here is you never know what`s going to happen. And who knows what`s coming next?
HAMMER: Happy fifth anniversary, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, by the way, Brooke, Charo(ph) is still sitting in that chair wondering if she did OK and if anybody understood her. But as I`ve said in the past, how lucky are we? And we are only the most conspicuous part of this whole thing. My hat is really off to everybody who puts the show together and everybody who watches.
ANDERSON: Yes. Behind the scenes, those people are invaluable. It`s an honor to work with them every single day. And it`s a true testament for our viewers, too. Five years is a lifetime in this business. So we thank you for watching.
HAMMER: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And we aim to inform and entertain for a long time to come. So stick with us.
All right. Moving on now, just in today, the horrifying Dr. Drew death threat drama. Tonight, blood-curdling details about a man who reportedly threatened to kill the "Celebrity Rehab" doctor`s entire family. Who can do something like that? Is Dr. Drew safe? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Star baby news: Singer Keyshia Cole and NBA star Daniel Gibson welcome a son. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and his wife are expecting their fourth child.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Just in today, Megan Fox`s shocking sex confession. The smoking hot star reveals her intimate sex secrets, dropping a bombshell about how many men that she`s had sex with.
Are you ready for this? Megan Fox has had sex with two guys ever - two. That`s it. Fox tells the British "Harper`s Bazaar" the two lucky men are her current boyfriend, former "Beverly Hills 90210" star Brian Austin Greene, and her childhood sweetheart.
The woman who has launched a zillion fantasies says it`s going to stay that way for a while, telling "Harper`s," quote, "I can never have sex with someone that I don`t love ever. The idea makes me sick. I`ve never even come close to having a one-night stand."
Well, Megan also says she regrets being so darn sexy. She says what really makes her happy is playing stepmom to her boyfriend`s eight-year-old son.
ANDERSON: Tonight, Marie Osmond`s stunning announcement just days after her son`s tragic death. Legendary star Burt Reynolds gets a new lease on life. And the absolutely horrendous Dr. Drew death threat drama. It`s all making big news in the buzz today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): Dr. Drew stalker scare. A man has just been arrested and charged with threatening Dr. Drew Pinsky and his family. Pinsky, who is star of VH1`s "Celebrity Rehab," tells "Radar Online" the man threatened him on MySpace and harassed him at the station where Pinsky`s radio show is produced.
Pinsky says the man also sued him in small claims court claiming Pinsky implanted tracking devices in his body. The alleged stalker is also accused of threatening to kill Pinsky`s three children.
Marie Osmond back on stage. "People.com" reports Marie, still struggling after the suicide of her 18-year-old son, will resume performing with her brother, Donny, in Las Vegas on March 9. Donny and Marie are also adding five dates in April to make up for the shows canceled after the death of Marie`s son.
Burt Reynolds better after bypass surgery. Reynolds` manager is saying the 74-year-old star is feeling great after heart bypass surgery because he, quote, "has a great motor with brand-new pipes."
Doctors at a Florida hospital performed surgery on the star last week. And Reynolds is currently recovering at home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So on Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Just moments ago, I received the final results. I got them right here - "Jessica Simpson Tells All to Oprah: Should John Mayer publicly apologize to her?"
Look at this. Most of you say yes, 65 percent. Only 35 percent say no. Let me get to a couple of the E-mails. Here`s one from James in Tennessee writing, "Mayer sucks! He`s low class. He couldn`t satisfy Jessica that`s why he tries to act macho. A real man has no reason to brag about his sexcapades. Jessica is a true American talented sweetheart."
Sue from British Columbia, Canada writing, "Not only should he apologize, but he should beg her to forgive him."
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. 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
END
