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Showbiz Tonight
Why Women Ruled the Oscars; Farrah Fawcett Snubbed at the Oscars; "The Hurt Locker" Beats "Avatar"; Red Carpet Fashion; Simon Cowell Steps Out
Aired March 08, 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, HLN HOST: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - why women ruled the Oscars. And why we say, it`s about time. The unbelievable worldwide reaction today to the first woman ever being named Best Director.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHRYN BIGELOW, DIRECTOR, "THE HURT LOCKER": It feels like an honor and it feels surreal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Sandra Bullock`s big win. And how about that Mo`Nique? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on why women ruled and why we`re asking, what the heck took so long?
The explosive Oscar outrage today. Why Farrah Fawcett fans are absolutely furious. And why is the Oscar show itself so darned long? Is Hollywood totally out of touch?
But wait, there`s more. "The Hurt Locker" beats "Avatar"? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, did the Oscars get it right?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals risky business on the red carpet. Whose fashion chances paid off and whose risks totally flopped?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HLN HOST: And I am Brooke Anderson, thrilled to have A.J. here with me after our big night at the Oscars together. And tonight, A.J., talk about the women. Whoo!
Everybody today seemed to be talking about the women of the Oscars, especially Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win a best director Oscar in the 82-year history of the Academy Awards.
And like so many other women were saying today, I`ve got to ask, what the heck too so long? It took 82 years to find a woman worthy of a best director Oscar? How ridiculous is that? But at least it has finally happened.
And Kathryn Bigelow winning for "The Hurt Locker" was not the only women people were talking about today. From Kathryn Bigelow to Sandra Bullock to Mo`Nique, the Oscar big wins for all women made for big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first female best director.
ANDERSON (voice-over): From Kathryn Bigelow becoming the first woman ever to win an Oscar for Best Director to the Oscars for Sandra Bullock and Mo`Nique, today all the headlines and all the talk -
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": She`s the first female director to win.
ANDERSON: Are about the women who dominated last night`s Academy Awards.
JANELL SNOWDEN, RED CARPET CORRESPONDENT, VH1 NEWS: Women power yesterday at the Oscars. And I loved every minute of it.
ANDERSON: Jeff Bridges and Christoph Waltz, congratulations on your Best Actor and Supporting Actor awards. But this year, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, these women ruled the Oscars. And they all talked to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BIGELOW: For every young filmmaker, be them male or female, just follow your heart.
ANDERSON: By far, the biggest story is Kathryn Bigelow, who won for best director and best picture for the explosive war movie, "The Hurt Locker." And in doing so, Bigelow exploded a glass ceiling herself, becoming the first woman in Oscar`s 82-year history to win for Best Director, a point Barbra Streisand noted when she announced Bigelow`s win.
BARBARA STREISAND, SINGER: Well, the time has come. Kathryn Bigelow.
ANDERSON: After the Oscars, Bigelow told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT how excited she was to be making history.
BIGELOW: It feels like an honor and it feels surreal and I think it hasn`t really all sunk in yet.
ANDERSON: As big as Bigelow`s win was, many were saying today how ridiculous it was that we had to wait 82 years for that to happen.
SNOWDEN: The doors that she`s going to open up with her win are endless.
ANDERSON: Another woman dominating the day after Oscar talk - Sandra Bullock, who was named best actress for "The Blind Side." There wasn`t a dry eye in the house when Bullock paid an emotional tribute to her late mother.
SANDRA BULLOCK, ACTRESS: So to that trailblazer who allowed me to have that and this and this, I thank you so much for this opportunity.
ANDERSON: Afterwards, Sandra shared with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the role her parents played in her success.
BULLOCK: Well, you know, you owe everything to parents who - well, they were good parents. I get to benefit from all their hard work.
ANDERSON: And now Bullock`s Oscar win coming off a year when she had two major hits. And "The Blind Side" and "The Proposal" has made her perhaps not only the biggest female star in Hollywood, but the biggest star, period, man or woman.
SNOWDEN: Sandra Bullock was already on the A-list. Now, she`s like in another stratosphere.
ANDERSON: Another woman whose star was shining brighter than ever today, standup comedian, Mo`Nique after winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Precious." And she`s using her time in the spotlight to honor another groundbreaker, Hattie McDaniel, who was the first African-American to win an Academy Award back in 1940 when she was named Best Supporting Actress for her unforgettable role in "Gone with the Wind."
MO`NIQUE, STANDUP COMEDIAN AND ACTRESS: I want to thank Ms. Hattie McDaniel for enduring all that she had to so that I would not have to.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there backstage as Mo`Nique explained to us her personal tribute to her Oscar predecessor.
MO`NIQUE: The reason I had this gardenia in my hair, it was the flower Hattie McDaniel wore when she accepted her Oscar.
ANDERSON: It`s clear, there`s now a new, more female order in Hollywood.
SNOWDEN: For anyone who`s ever thought that women have had to play second fiddle in Hollywood, I think last night`s Oscars was the biggest slap in the face to that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: A.J., what an amazing groundbreaking night for all of these women.
HAMMER: It was truly incredible, Brooke. Unbelievable, remarkable that these women broke through Hollywood`s glass ceiling and their own personal boundaries, really.
ANDERSON: Yes, no doubt. Especially Kathryn Bigelow, winning for Best Director. So what in the world took so long?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Lauren Sanchez, who is a correspondent for "Extra." Also tonight in Hollywood is Tanika Ray who is an entertainment journalist.
ANDERSON: OK, Lauren, Tanika, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Kathryn Bigelow backstage after she won the Oscar and she told us that she has been making films for 30 years. Tanika, 82 years women had to wait to win a Best Director award. It`s ridiculous it`s taken so long.
TANIKA RAY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: It`s absolutely ridiculous, but here`s a song that will sum it up. It`s a man`s world. That`s all there is to it. Men just rule this world, and finally they`re going to recognize with Kathryn Bigelow that she`s the bomb and she did a man, testosterone- filled, explosion-packed movie.
So apparently, women can do it just as well as men. They cleaned up the Oscars last night and if that doesn`t prove it, I don`t know what will. I have a feeling the trend is going to change.
ANDERSON: It is a major step in the right direction. And Kathryn Bigelow says she hopes that she is the first of many female directors to win an Oscar. But when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was backstage, Bigelow told us she hopes she becomes an inspiration to others, male or female. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIGELOW: I`d love to just think of myself as a filmmaker and I long for the day when the modifier can be a moot point. But I`m ever grateful if I can inspire some young intrepid, tenacious male or female filmmaker and have them feel that the impossible is possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: She says she hopes the gender thing can become a moot point someday. Lauren, Kathryn was only the fourth women director to be nominated in 82 years. I`m hoping this really is a turning point for other women. Is that too much to hope for? Because it`s a whole new perspective.
The industry really needs a facelift, so to speak. It`s a big change. People are really going to have to adjust their way of thinking.
LAUREN SANCHEZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": It will be. I`m telling you, once we get more female directors directing more, we`re going to see a lot more of them. And look at the women that won. We have women over 40 that were winning Oscars.
We have women of different shapes and different sizes. It`s a whole new world out there. And all of us women have to embrace it and love it at this point.
RAY: But Brooke, you have to know -
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: There really is a message - the fact remains, they are still in the minority in this industry. But it really is a message that anything is possible, female or male, as she said.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
ANDERSON: OK. On to another woman who ruled the night at the Oscars, Sandra Bullock, 15 years since she stole our hearts in "Speed." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was with Sandra backstage and she told us that winning an Oscar isn`t going to change how she picks and chooses her roles. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BULLOCK: I`ve always been one of those people that I don`t like when people tell me I can`t do something. Just because, you know, I did commercial films doesn`t mean I couldn`t do wonderful, small art house films. Just because I won an Oscar, I don`t ever want to stop doing something that makes people laugh. I love making people laugh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes. We don`t want you to ever stop making people laugh either. I think this recognition for Sandra, long overdue. She`s kind of been stuck in romantic comedy land for a really long time.
Tanika, quickly, how great is it that Sandra is arguably not just the biggest female star in Hollywood, but the biggest star, period, man or woman?
RAY: Yes, it`s really fantastic, because she`s proven herself with the audiences. Now, she was able to prove herself to the academy and all the critics out there. So she really does have it all.
And what I love about her most is for her to accept a Razzie Saturday night for worst actress and the very next night, to accept an Oscar for exemplary work was just phenomenal all the way around. So I just applaud her. I think she`s the bomb.
ANDERSON: I do too. She is the bomb. Got a great sense of humor about all of it. Can`t wait to see what she does next. Lauren Sanchez, Tanika Ray, thank you both. Good to see you.
HAMMER: Well, I can tell you, there is a lot of outrage today over something that took place at the Oscars, or didn`t take place. Farrah Fawcett fans are just furious. Farrah snubbed, big-time. I think this was a huge, huge mistake.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there for the biggest Oscar parties. We saw Simon Cowell with his reported fiancee out on the town, reportedly the first time they were out together.
And when you`ve got to go, you`ve got to go, right? I got to show you this incredible video of Kelly Clarkson having to, well, pee, right in the middle of her concert. This is something we can all relate to, right? Not the rock star part, but the having-to-go-pee part. 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: Betty White confirms she will be on "Saturday Night Live." Reports: Conan O`Brien considering a standup comedy tour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIGELOW: It feels like an honor and it feels surreal. And I think it hasn`t really all sunk in yet. But I think for every young filmmaker, be them male or female, just follow your heart.
And don`t take no for an answer. And, you know, I`ve been doing this for a while and, you know, you can`t ever give up on your dream.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We welcome you back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
HAMMER: And I`m A.J. Hammer. And of course, Brooke, the Oscars gave us that variety we have come to expect over from years, certainly some very funny moments during the show and certainly some very touching moments as well.
ANDERSON: Yes. Absolutely, A.J. And a lot of variety on the red carpet, a lot of drama on the red carpet right outside the Kodak Theater. I was right there speaking with the stars as they sashayed their way in. It was an exhilarating experience and here are some of my most memorable moments.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Honey, you skipped class and went to this audition and here you are. It`s a dream.
GABOUREY SIDIBE, ACTRESS: I know. Life is pretty backwards nowadays for me.
ANDERSON: And what compelled you to go out for this role?
SIDIBE: I`m not sure. I just - I think it was part of my destiny and that`s why I was there. I never decided to go. I just went.
ANDERSON: And who do you have here with you tonight? Because I know you were going to ask Justin Timberlake to be your date.
SIDIBE: Oh, god, Justin Timberlake is so nice. He actually sent me flowers. I was joking about asking him to be my date.
ANDERSON: Here we have Miley Cyrus. And you know what? This is, what, your third time at the Academy Awards?
MILEY CYRUS, SINGER AND ACTRESS: Yes. So excited to be here.
ANDERSON: You`re like a veteran. This is old hat?
CYRUS: Oh, vet - no. this is my first time presenting so I`m so excited.
ANDERSON: Are you a little bit nervous to do that or is it -
CYRUS: Stairs are my - like a little bit of my fear. I don`t really like going up and down the stairs in a gown. So I`m a little bit nervous about that.
ANDERSON: How are you feeling tonight about your first Oscar nomination?
VERA FARMIGA, ACTRESS: It`s a nice pat on the back. It feels pretty great. Yes, I have to say -
ANDERSON: What kind of advice have you gotten from George Clooney? Because he`s been here. He`s done this. He`s on his fifth Oscar nomination.
FARMIGA: He`s usually not in the habit of giving advice. But with regards to this, he did tell me once, "You`re never as good as they say you are and they`re never quite as bad as they say you are," which I think is really - there`s some wisdom there. BULLOCK: I told our director, don`t bother me, I`m live on CNN. I`m so sorry, CNN.
ANDERSON: And have you seen Meryl Streep on the carpet?
BULLOCK: Not yet, but we will see each other and it will be a love - we love each other. It`s been - people like to pit people up against each other, you know. But I love that woman. She`s extraordinary.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Obviously, Brooke, you were having a lot of fun out on the red carpet. But I loved particularly seeing you with the young stars, like Gabby Sidibe. There was such excitement and energy when they come around.
ANDERSON: I love those fresh faces like Gabby Sidibe, like Anna Kendrick, like Carrie Mulligan. They were so wide-eyed. They were so hopeful. And then, on the other hand, I love the industry veterans, too. Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, laughing at themselves, not taking it too seriously. So I really did enjoy every conversation.
HAMMER: Ed Asner, too. That was really good.
ANDERSON: Ed Asner was great.
HAMMER: All right. Well, Brooke, it wouldn`t be the Oscars without some good old-fashioned controversy.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. As soon as the Best Picture winner was announced, our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines started lighting up.
HAMMER: Yes. And in the spirit of the Oscars, we had our "Showbiz on Call" all decked out in Avatar blue. Look at that. Sharon from Florida is red with anger because "Avatar" lost.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SHARON, CALLER FROM FLORIDA: I think "Avatar" should have won. Any movie that grosses as much as that did - that should be the winner. The one that`s most popular. The one that people see, not something else. I think it just should be about how much money a movie has made.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Sharon.
HAMMER: We also heard from Judy in Texas. She is thrilled with Sandy B.`s big win.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JUDY, CALLER FROM TEXAS: I want to congratulate Sandra Bullock. She is an amazing leading actress. From one Texas girl to another, you go, girl. You are wonderful. We love you in Texas. Happy trails to you, Sandra.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Judy. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about what happened at the Oscars or anything else at all.
ANDERSON: The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are always open. Here`s the number, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899.
HAMMER: "The Hurt Locker" winning Best Picture - just one of a whole bunch of things that`s causing a lot of outrage today. I mean no disrespect, of course, to the movie. I loved it. But you know, barely anybody`s seen it. Is Hollywood totally out of touch?
Farrah Fawcett fans livid over her getting snubbed. I`ve got to say, I totally agree with them.
And what about the Oscar show itself? You know, if you didn`t have 10 cups of coffee, you were snoozing. We were right there on the Oscar`s red carpet. Some real risky business going on.
So whose fashion chances paid off today and whose risks totally flopped?
And get this, totally amazing Sandra Bullock doing something no one has ever done before, winning Best Actress and Worst Actress in the same year. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
ANDERSON: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: "The Bachelor" videogame to be released for Nintendo Wii and DS. Brad Paisley to meet fans who put video of him falling at his show on YouTube.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson here in Hollywood with A.J. Hammer.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, one of my favorite Oscar moments definitely came when Sandra Bullock won for Best Actress for her amazing performance in "The Blind Side." What`s incredible this year, not only did she win Best Actress, she also got Worst Actress.
And this is the first time ever that anybody`s ever done this. Let me explain how this happened. We were right there at the Razzies. It happened the night before the Oscars.
Now, the Razzies are the awards for the worst in film and Sandra - well, she got two. How lucky for her - including worst actress for "All About Steve." So now, Sandy B. is the first person in history to win awards for being the worst and the best in the same year.
ANDERSON: Oh, boy. Sandra told me on the red carpet, A.J., that she loves her Razzie, but she does love her Oscar more, naturally. She told us backstage, though, she does have a special place for both.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BULLOCK: They are going to sit side by side, as they should. You know, they`re both - we`re in the entertainment business. That`s what we`re supposed to do. You know, you take the good with the not so good.
But I had the best time at the Razzie last night. It is what it is. And you know what? It probably means more that both of them happened at the same time because it`s the great equalizer.
You know? Nothing ever lets me get too full of myself. It quickly chops me off at the knees and I like it that way because it just - it keeps things stable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She has really shown what a great sense of humor she has about herself and the business. Well, we were posting all Oscar night on our Facebook page. A lot of you writing in that you weren`t impressed with this year`s Oscar show.
Look at what Alex J. said the show`s totally out of touch. He writes, "It`s not about what America thinks. It`s about what a few people in the Academy think. It doesn`t matter that no one saw `The Hurt Locker.` It still turned out to be the best movie for the Academy."
Rebecca M. agrees, "Martin and Baldwin had no chemistry. I thought it was all a big yawn. There goes three hours of my life I`ll never get back." And to be clear, it was 3 1/2 hours.
Become our fan on Facebook. You can join us on Twitter and you can always call "Showbiz on Call." And don`t forget, you can E-mail us. "Showbiz Connects," CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: And here`s the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here is what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Explosive Oscar outrage today. Farrah Fawcett snubbed, her fans devastated and angry.
Simon Cowell and his reported fiancee step out. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the Oscar parties and we caught up with these two who are out in public together for the very first time.
Plus, when you got to go, you got to go. Caught on tape, Kelly Clarkson`s shocking bathroom break right in the middle of her concert. You won`t believe this. 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: Placido Domingo recovering from colon cancer surgery. Katy Perry could join new "Smurf" movie as voice of "Smurfette."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MO`NIQUE: When they announced my name, Sidney and I went back to Randall Town High School on the balcony as 14-year-olds in the 10th grade. And I said, "One day, we`re going to be stars." And he said, "You first."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the explosive new Oscar controversies today, the fury as Farrah Fawcett is forgotten.
The war epic "The Hurt Locker" beats global box office dominator "Avatar." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, did the Oscars really get it right?
Red carpet risky business - the all-out Oscar fashion battle. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there. Whose risky dresses glowed and whose made us gasp?
And Kelly Clarkson goes number one, but not on the charts. The "American Idol" star`s embarrassing mid-concert pee break caught on tape.
Plus, more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, happily coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
ANDERSON: That`s right. I`m Brooke Anderson, here with A.J., the night after our big night at the Oscars. And tonight, the fury, A.J., over Farrah.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. There was absolute outrage today over the Academy Awards snubbing Farrah Fawcett. Everyone from Farrah`s fans to Ryan O`Neal just furious today that the Oscar show excluded Farrah for the tributes of those who died in Hollywood in 2009.
I couldn`t believe it when this happened. What were they thinking? Even Hollywood`s most beloved movie critic, Roger Ebert, slammed the Oscars today for not putting Farrah in.
Another big controversy today after the Oscars. People asking, is Hollywood just out of touch. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the Oscars when "The Hurt Locker" made history as the lowest grossing film ever to win Best Picture.
The little movie that hardly anybody saw beat "Avatar," which, of course, is the biggest grossing film of all-time.
And speaking of time, so many people saying it today, why did that show go on and on and on so long and take so darn long to get to the big winners? Well, the ladies of "The View" had something to say about that today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: Do we really need to hear who`s the great sound mixer in Hollywood?
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Yes, I do, I think so. It`s an important thing for a technical show, but this is supposed to be an entertainment show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Ken Baker, who`s the executive news editor for "E." Also in Hollywood tonight, Tanika Ray, who is an entertainment journalist.
All right, guys. I`ve got to begin with the brand-new outrage today over the Oscars snubbing Farrah Fawcett during their tribute to the Hollywood stars who have died in the past year.
I couldn`t believe this. I was right there at the Oscars. I don`t get how they didn`t acknowledge Farrah considering how beloved she was by her fans and considering the fact she was a member of the Academy.
Ken Baker, off to you first. I think this was a huge mistake. Are you with me?
KEN BAKER, EXECUTIVE NEWS DIRECTOR, "E": I`m totally with you. And I was surprised that the Academy actually didn`t apologize or spin it and say there was an oversight. They just said, "You know what? We didn`t think she deserved it."
But you know, A.J., I have here the list. They had on the memoriam of last night a publicist, a sound recording technician, a gossip columnist and Dom DeLuise, OK? Dom DeLuise.
So she doesn`t deserve it? These are all accomplished people in their own right, but just to give you perspective, she could have been on there.
HAMMER: Yes.
BAKER: She was in several films. She was a major celebrity. And she was even nominated one time for a Golden Globe for "Extremities." And this is someone who was out there - for them not to include her was really outrageous.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: Yes. You don`t want to diminish, look, the people who were honored or people who passed away. You don`t want to diminish them in any way. But there didn`t necessarily seem to be a parody if you were going to look at it that way.
Now, film critic Roger Ebert took to his Twitter account just after the show ended. Let me read to you what Roger Ebert tweeted, "No Farrah in the memorial? They have a lot of `splaining to do."
Well, as Ken alluded to, they did explain it in a way today. Let me tell you what the spokesperson for the Academy tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "It`s an unfortunate reality that we can`t include all of the notable people who have passed away in any given year."
Tanika, are you in any way satisfied with the Academy`s explanation?
RAY: No, not at all. Because when you say notable, you think they mean somebody who everybody knows, who`s popular. I mean, as much as the community might know an editor who sits in a closed room making a movie, we have no idea who they are.
So notable - she fits right in with that. And I`ve got to say, I have a friend who works out at Ryan O`Neal`s gym and that was the big buzz today. And people were even Facebooking and Twittering about it last night as soon as it happened.
So yes, I know you can`t get everybody in there, but Farrah who died on the same day as Michael Jackson, major oversight. That seems like a no- brainer.
HAMMER: Yes. It was actually amazing and given social media now, to see the instant reaction to this that you mentioned, because right after the memorial aired on the Oscars and Farrah wasn`t in it, a ton of unsolicited comments just poured into our Facebook page.
I want to read a couple of those. This is Melissa Z. Writing, "Very bad. Can`t believe they didn`t recognize Farrah Fawcett. Bad."
Kathy A. wrote on our wall, "How did they forget to honor Farrah Fawcett? They should fire the person who messed that up. No class."
Even Ryan O`Neal upset today. His spokesperson telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "We were disappointed that she was not included in this tribute."
Brooke, obviously, this was a huge mistake. I actually think somebody did screw up and is highly embarrassed.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J.
HAMMER: And they`re trying to sort of cover their butt in I think a pretty sloppy way.
ANDERSON: I think they need to be honest about it, though. Because, obviously, it was an oversight. The Academy doesn`t think that Farrah wasn`t worthy enough or notable enough to be included.
HAMMER: Right.
ANDERSON: And by the way, they didn`t have time? It was, what, a four-hour show. Come on.
HAMMER: The show`s still going on, I think.
ANDERSON: I think the show is still - trim some seconds here and there from some other segments. She deserved to be there. She was recognizable.
Surely, you know, maybe she wasn`t an Oscar-winning actress, but that`s not a requirement to be included. She deserved to be there. It was egregious. It was flagrant.
HAMMER: Absolutely. And I bet we`ll be hearing from the Academy again with a better explanation.
Well, here`s something else that people just didn`t get today. "The Hurt Locker" snagging that Best Picture Oscar over box office favorite like "Avatar."
Barbara Walters totally put this in perspective today on "The View." Watch what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: Not only did Kathryn Bigelow win for Best Director - she directed it - but it was the Best Picture of the year. It is also probably the least-seen, least-successful in terms of box office, of any movie in Academy Award history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Well, that`s the deal with that. Well, with all due respect to "The Hurt Locker," a film that I thoroughly enjoyed, and of course, due respect to the soldiers in uniform that serve and do us proudly every single day, this movie is not the movie that everybody has been talking about.
And the Oscars even expanded the Best Picture category to 10 films. That way, more pictures could be recognized. Tanika, back to you, are the Oscars just so far out of touch with what most people like and watch?
RAY: You know, they appealed to everybody last night, so they`re definitely making an attempt. For Miley Cyrus to be up there and all the kids from "Twilight" and Zac Efron - they`re definitely trying to grab the young quotient out there, and they did that.
However, when it comes to Best Picture and there`s 10 nominations, I couldn`t even pick a favorite. So I can`t imagine how tough it was for them, but let`s not forget that E-mail that went around in Hollywood last week.
Even the producer was banned from the Oscars. Maybe it actually worked. Maybe it was released like four days before the ballots were due. Maybe it actually influenced people. We`ll never know.
HAMMER: Well, we know that picture`s going to do extraordinarily well in DVD release.
ANDERSON: Definitely.
HAMMER: All right, let`s take a look at some of the Facebook comments because our Facebook page exploded with people who couldn`t believe "The Hurt Locker" won for Best Picture.
This is Tammy O. writing, "`Avatar` was by far the Best Picture. I don`t get how `Hurt Locker` took all those awards. Who was voting?"
Kimmer A. wrote on our wall today, "`Avatar` is an incredible movie that was robbed the Best Picture and Director. It`s the highest grossing film and the pick for art and technology. `Hurt Locker` flopped and had no credibility. I regret watching the Academy Awards."
All right. Ken, look. I get what the Oscars are actually all about. It`s not a popularity contest. That`s the People`s Choice Awards. But do you think that they are just out of touch with the regular moviegoer?
BAKER: No, I don`t think. I think what it is, though, is that clearly, if you`re a high-grossing movie, you`re a commercial success, perhaps the most commercially successful of all time, in the case of "Avatar," it actually can hurt you.
Because a lot of people in the Academy, they may look at that as saying, "Oh, maybe it was too popcorn. This was a real movie." And I think that that`s what happened with "The Hurt Locker" versus "Avatar." And I think it really was.
At the end of the day, there were 10 movies, but really, those were really the two that everyone was talking about. So I think it wasn`t like it was a total dark horse, like, wait, that movie?
People knew that it had been winning awards. They expected it to at least be in the running. But I think if you polled everyone in the Kodak Theater at that moment when they announced "The Hurt Locker," they were shocked, including Kathryn Bigelow and the entire producing team.
HAMMER: Yes. Let me quickly get to something else I think the Oscars are out of touch with - that`s how long an awards show actually should be. Gee, it just took forever to get through to the major awards.
How long did it take? I`m here to break it down for you tonight. They revealed Best Supporting Actor, 18 minutes into the show. But didn`t get to Best Supporting Actress until 88 minutes in. Didn`t get to Best Actor until something like 16 hours in - no, it was actually three hours into the show.
The last award for winner of Best Picture - three hours, 28 minutes from the beginning of the show. Please, wake me, someone, when it`s over. Tanika Ray, Ken Baker, I thank you for being here tonight.
RAY: I loved it.
ANDERSON: All right. So we know there may be a whole lot of disagreement on the Academy`s pick for Best Picture. But the real knockdown, drag out fight is the red carpet fashion showdown, right?
The bold, the brash, the slits up to there. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there checking out every inch of glitz and glamour. Everybody made us say, wow. But that wasn`t necessarily a good thing. Tonight, risky business on the red carpet.
Simon`s stepping out. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spots the "American Idol" judge with his reported fiancee at the biggest Oscar parties. The brand-new video today of Simon and his lady love taking Hollywood by storm.
And Kelly Clarkson`s embarrassing exit. The "American Idol" star`s unbelievable mid-concert bathroom break caught on tape. Kelly can hold a note, but apparently when you`ve got to go, you`ve got to go. 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: Season 7 "Dancing with the Stars" champ Brooke Burke is show`s new co-host. "Alice in Wonderland" tops weekend box office with $116 million.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is serious stuff. How many drinks did you have inside the party?
MERYL STREEP, ACTRESS: No, no. Nothing. Nothing. (SINGING) Now, that`s how much I had to drink.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, 16.
STREEP: Lit. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) lit.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson here in Hollywood with -
HAMMER: A.J. Hammer. And tonight, it`s Oscar fashion hits and misses. Of course, Brooke and I were right there at the Oscars to get to see firsthand the glamour that was just oozing off that red carpet. You actually got a little ooze on you.
ANDERSON: It was oozing.
HAMMER: You had your own ooze.
ANDERSON: It clearly was. Right. We were right there, A.J. But tonight, it is a fashion face-off as we take a look at all that gorgeous fashion to sort out the best dressed from the, well, the less-than-stellar looks.
We talked all night long during the Oscars with beauty and style expert, Mary Alice Stephenson, about the fashion highs and lows.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER (on camera): The fashion is oozing off this red carpet, Mary Alice.
MARY ALICE STEPHENSON, BEAUTY AND STYLE EXPERT: It is oozing off.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: I have to imagine there`s a lot of pressure on a star like Sandra Bullock. How did she do?
STEPHENSON: She did great. She was wearing Marquesa. It was down to two - two hours ago, she didn`t know which one she was going to wear. Her stepdaughter said, "I love the Marquesa," so she went with that.
ANDERSON (on camera): Hey, let`s talk about Sarah Jessica Parker, because she is a fashion diva in her own right.
STEPHENSON: I absolutely love what she wore. Chanel au couture just off the runway in Paris. Pale yellow - stunning, embellished at the bodice. She looked elegant. She looked - she was glowing.
ANDERSON: "Avatar`s" Zoe Saldana. I saw her. It took my breath away.
STEPHENSON: I agree with you completely. That was a true fashion high for me. Zoe in Givenchy au couture - colorful, beautiful, breathtaking, bold. It`s so great to see all this fashion on the red carpet. It`s been a long time since we`ve seen this much - this much fashionable statement.
HAMMER: Yes. Tell me about Charlize Theron who, in my mind, sort of, for a young star, has that old Hollywood style about her. She just always looks so elegant.
STEPHENSON: She just oozes glamour. And she was inspired by an old vintage photograph of Marilyn Monroe covered in roses. So she worked with John Galliano for Christian Dior haute couture to create this incredible dress that we saw her wear today on the red carpet. So glamorous. So sexy. I loved it.
ANDERSON: What is the big theme tonight on the red carpet?
STEPHENSON: Strapless. So much strapless on the red carpet. We saw it everywhere. And I adored, adored, adored it. Kristen Stewart -
ANDERSON: Kristen Stewart -
STEPHENSON: Monique Lhuillier made this dress. It took her seven days. She called me from Paris when she found out Kristen wanted to wear it and seven days -
ANDERSON: Made it special for Kristen, obviously.
STEPHENSON: Round the clock, made it especially for her. This dress ranges from $25,000 to $30,000.
ANDERSON: What?
STEPHENSON: Yes, absolutely.
ANDERSON: Holy molly.
STEPHENSON: Expensive. Here we have Penelope Cruz in Donna Karan. Love the Bordeaux color and the draping. She looks elegant, glamorous. Looks like - stunning.
Miley, when she glams it up in rocker style, people don`t like it and thinks she looks too old. And when, you know, she gets elegant, people complain, too. But I thought she hit it right.
STEPHENSON: This is Vera -
ANDERSON: Vera Farmiga -
STEPHENSON: Wearing Marquesa. She just looks stunning in this in this gown. Faux opal, diamond earrings which are fantastic. I love the ruffles. It`s fitted.
ANDERSON: Gabourey Sidibe in a beautiful gown tonight, living out her dream on that red carpet.
STEPHENSON: She absolutely was.
(CROSS TALK)
I ran into her and she told me that the dress made her feel like a princess, and just how she should look for the Academy Awards. Her dresses are made for her by Marquesa and she felt glamorous and I thought it was great to show off her curves instead of try to hide them.
ANDERSON: Yes. There were some fashion misses that you have.
STEPHENSON: Yes. I know how much time and energy it takes for these girls and how much it means to them. But still, I have to say, there was two I really thought could have stepped it up and done better.
ANDERSON: Really? OK -
STEPHENSON: Kate Winslet - you saw her. I thought it was a little matronly for her. I wanted her to get a little sexier. And loosen up, Kate. I love you, but to me, not so good.
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: What about Maggie Gyllenhaal?
STEPHENSON: Maggie Gyllenhaal - it`s so great she chose Dries Van Noten on the red carpet. Again, she is a fashion risk taker. But the print just didn`t work for me. It was an old `50s print. And I just felt, you know, it wasn`t - maybe for the Golden Globes (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: A little too casual, you thought?
STEPHENSON: A little too casual. It`s OK. It`s pretty. I mean, it`s not that these - everyone looked fantastic tonight. It was actually really hard for me to find any misses. I loved it all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And A.J., I`ve just got to say, I loved Zoe Saldana`s gown. Vera Farmiga is just breathtaking. Miley Cyrus - I thought, age appropriate, I couldn`t say it was.
HAMMER: Yes.
ANDERSON: But it blew me away. She was beautiful.
HAMMER: Were you watching yourself, Brooke, there? Were you taking a look? I mean, you were Oscar glamour, through and through, at the top of my list.
ANDERSON: Thank you. And you cleaned up well, too. You looked so dapper.
HAMMER: All right. I do the best I can. Well, it may be embarrassing to be called worst dressed at the Oscars today. But it`s certainly not more horrifying than Kelly Clarkson`s mid-concert pee break.
Yes. The "American Idol" star`s shocking got-to-go moment right in the middle of a concert, in the middle of a song. And yes, it`s all caught on tape. 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: Lindsay Lohan not working with Ungaro again after awful spring 2010 collection. NBC`s Thursday comedy lineup renewed: "Community," "The Office," and "30 Rock."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Describe how you feel right now.
JEFF BRIDGES, ACTOR: Clean and glad. Well, kind of like Etch-A- Sketch, then you would turn it upside down and you would shake it. Kind of like that, too, and then that. So I feel very stripped of everything - clean, kind of, newborn in a sense. And very glad, very happy about it all.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Just in today Simon is stepping out, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Yes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there on the red carpet at Elton John`s Oscar bash when right before our very eyes, Simon Cowell`s very first public appearance with his reported fiancee.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, this one is screaming, "We are a couple." The outspoken "American Idol" judge has been truly quiet when it comes to his reported engagement. Come on, Simon. Stop teasing us already. Tell us whether or not you are engaged to this lovely woman.
Here`s something I can tell you - Elton John`s AIDS Foundation Oscar party raised $3.7 million for charity.
HAMMER: He needs to button that shirt up a little more. I`m just here to criticize because that`s what he does. Tonight, Kelly Clarkson`s number one moment caught-on-stage, caught-on-tape. And I`m not talking about a hit song.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: That, of course, is Kelly on stage singing her big hit, "Save You," right before a packed house. And as she was belting it out, well, I`m here to tell you she was also holding it in because all of a sudden, Kelly bolts from the stage leaving the audience and her band wondering what the heck was going on.
Well, after a few awkward moments - voila. Kelly returns to the stage. Now, what caused Kelly to flee wasn`t a sudden case of stage fright. It actually rhymes with flee. She had an urgent need to go to the bathroom. You know, when you`ve got to go, you`ve got to go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLY CLARKSON, SINGER: I couldn`t hold it. I had to go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got to pee.
CLARKSON: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). The whole sit down session, I was like, oh, it was really bad. So we`re going to have to do that (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Kelly sang "Save You" one more time to make up for the mishap. So I guess she kind of fixed it.
ANDERSON: Yes, she did. She made it up. Well, asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day just before the Oscars. And just moments ago, we did get those final results. "The Oscars, which movie should win best picture?" Forty-two percent of you said "Avatar." Thirty- five percent said "Hurt Locker" which, as we all know, actually did win Best Picture last night. Twenty-three percent of you said the animated movie, "Up."
Here are some of the E-mails we received. We got this anonymous E- mail. "`Avatar` should have been the big Oscar winner. That movie was amazing. "Hurt Locker" who? What a disappointment.
Janel from Wisconsin, "We want `Up.` `Avatar` is overrated."
You know, A.J., with 10 Best Picture nominees, everybody is going to have a different opinion.
HAMMER: Yes.
ANDERSON: "Up" did win Best Animated Film, but "Hurt Locker" had a lot of momentum going into this. You can`t just help it.
HAMMER: As we know, it is not about who made how much money. So congratulations to all the big winners last night.
ANDERSON: Absolutely.
HAMMER: So good being with you, Brooke. That is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I am A.J. Hammer. I love hanging in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Nice to have you. Safe travels. Talk to you when you get back to New York. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Thank you so much for watching. Take care.
END
