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Showbiz Tonight
Corey Feldman`s Plea for Corey Haim; Don`t Mess with Jessica Simpson; Gabourey Sidibe Attacked for Her Weight; Heidi Montag Replacing Spencer Pratt with a Psychic
Aired March 11, 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, HOST: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the incredible brand-new mystery behind Corey Haim`s shocking death. Why did the `80s teen icon suddenly die? Was it drugs? Was it fame too soon? Brand-new revelations and his best friend`s passionate plea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: First thing you need to say is people need to stop. They need to stop jumping the gun. They need to stop saying it`s a drug overdose.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the late-breaking developments in the Corey Haim death mystery.
Don`t mess with Jessica Simpson. Tonight, Jessica Simpson`s brand-new confessions about her weight and her jaw-dropping slap at John Mayer about their sex life. Tonight, Jessica Simpson unleashed.
A major star`s attack today on the weight of "Precious" star, Gabourey Sidibe - out of line or on the money? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the great Gabourey weight debate.
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.
And tonight, what killed Corey Haim. The mystery over the sudden death of the teen idol exploded today as all of those theories that it might have been drug-related were seriously called into question.
But if it wasn`t drugs, what is it that killed him? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that there was no shortage of theories and rumors and speculations today which only added to the mystery.
And for the very first time since Haim`s death, his closest friend and former co-star is telling what he knows, which all made for big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): The day after the sudden death of former teen actor, Corey Haim, some of those closest to him still can`t believe he`s gone.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Are you shocked?
FELDMAN: Today?
KING: Yes.
FELDMAN: I was shocked, yes. Yes, I was shocked.
HAMMER: And some like this doctor who once treated Haim for his long-time drug addiction said today she`s not shocked.
DR. NICKI J. MONTI: It`s a little like driving your car fast over and over again. And at some point, you get a ticket.
HAMMER: Haim collapsed in front of his mother early Wednesday in this California apartment and was declared dead a few hours later. Police initially suspected a drug overdose.
But this morning, on NBC`s "Today" show, "Access Hollywood`s" Maria Menounos said Haim`s grieving mom doesn`t want anyone jumping to conclusions.
MARIA MENOUNOS, "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD": When I spoke with her yesterday, she was very upset about the fact that people were making assumptions about the cause of his death. She kept saying, you know, don`t make assumptions before you get results.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you it`s a mystery that has Hollywood baffled today. Exactly what killed this 38-year-old former teen icon?
FELDMAN: Corey Haim has had a long and detailed drug history.
HAMMER: Speaking out for the first time since Haim`s death, Haim`s close friend and frequent co-star, Corey Feldman, tells Larry King exclusively about the long drug history of the so-called other Corey.
FELDMAN: I know it better than anybody because I`ve been the guy stuffing charcoal down his throat when he was OD-ing. I`ve been the guy trying to make him, you know, stand up or say a complete sentence. I`ve been there with him through it many, many times and it`s happened very badly and very intensely through the years on many occasions.
HAMMER: But Feldman says his old buddy had recently cleaned up his act, an observation Haim`s agent shared this morning on CBS` "The Early Show."
MARK HEASLIP, COREY HAIM`S AGENT MANAGER (through telephone): He pulled away from, you know, the pills and he was getting his life together. He was excited about his life. He was getting movies again. He was supporting his mom with the cancer.
HAMMER: On HLN`s "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL," Haim`s agent revealed Haim had spent months working with a doctor to gradually wean himself off medications, medications Haim may have been taking as recently as two weeks ago.
HEASLIP: He was getting a very a small amount of them. Corey Haim`s tolerance when I met him - he was at a very high number of medications. It would kill everybody. But he got weaned down to literally zero medications in the last two weeks.
HAMMER: But now, some experts are saying that as an addict, Haim shouldn`t have been getting any meds at all.
HOWARD SAMUELS, WONDERLAND TREATMENT CENTER: You can`t be a little pregnant. You have to be off everything like I am, because I`m a recovering addict, too. I don`t take any drugs - none.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that today, those close to Haim are struggling with the sadly ironic theory that the drugs Haim may have been taking as part of his sobriety treatment may have ultimately helped kill him.
FELDMAN: This could have been a mixture of drugs. It could have been a cocktail that specific. Or it could also have been the fact that, you know, your body shuts down after years of abuse.
MONTI: As he himself said, he was a chronic relapser.
HAMMER: This morning, Dr. Nicki J. Monti, who counseled Haim on the reality show, "The Two Coreys" told CBS` "The Early Show" she believes Haim ultimately was killed by his own shortcomings.
MONTI: He had an inability, a constitutional inability, to be honest with himself at a deeper layer. And when you`re not honest with yourself at a deeper layer, when you don`t look the dragon in the eye, you can`t battle the dragon and you can`t fight the dragon. And you certainly cannot conquer the dragon.
HAMMER: It will be weeks before tests reveal whether drugs played any role in Corey Haim`s death. But it`s clear they played a big role in a life he was never quite able to put back together.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
With so many questions still out there, I have to ask, what are we to believe? And could the mystery deepen even more?
Joining me from Hollywood, Dr. Reef Karim - he is a psychiatrist and addiction specialist. In New York tonight, Jane-Velez Mitchell, the host, of course, of "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL" which you can catch every night right here on HLN. And Jane is also the author of must-read bestselling book "I Want." This book chronicled her struggle with addiction.
So Jane, let me begin with you. As I said, you tell all about your own addiction struggles in your book. You`re very open and candid about it on your hit show here on HLN every night at 7:00 p.m.
I am also quick to reserve judgment on what happened until this investigation into Corey Haim`s death is complete. But is it so far fetched to say that Corey Haim could have been lying about his sobriety?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Not far fetched at all. Listen, he was asked recently on camera by paparazzi, A.J., "How are you doing? Are you sober?" And he said, "I`ve been good for a while now." That`s a direct quote.
And that implies, "Yes, I`ve been sober." Well, now, we`re hearing from his agent that he was gradually weaning himself off drugs, using meds to get off other meds. And that`s not how I define sobriety.
I define sobriety as not using any mood-altering substances, period. Now, it could be - we`ve got to wait for tox reports. But it could be that he was managing his addiction, which is a completely different thing from getting truly clean and sober.
HAMMER: Right. And as I`ve heard you say before, there is a bit of controversy even within the addiction treatment community as far as what is the definition of clean and sober.
And we just heard so many people right there who are close to Corey saying he was clean. Look, I really hope that when the tox reports come back, that proves to be true. But Dr. Reef, he could have been fooling everyone around him, couldn`t he have been? I mean, this is what addicts do.
A cardinal sign of addiction is the denial, the manipulation, the lying to get the drugs - it infects your personality. It becomes a part of your personality structure.
But you know, another big point here is that when you`ve used for such a long time and you`ve used drugs, it takes a toll on your body as his friend said on the other show. And what happens is you become, you know, compromised.
You have more of a difficult time with just basic things. You get a fever. You have a problem - it can compound worse and worse on you. In fact, the life expectancy of somebody who has struggled with a long-term addiction is much lower than the average person in society.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The complications can be -
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: The complications can be much easier or much quicker to happen for somebody who has been through what he`s been through, in and out of his sobriety throughout the years.
Well, it`s been a long time when you think about it since Corey Haim was a big star. Reportedly, he was on his way back. But it`s really remarkable how much attention his death is getting given that it`s been so long.
I`m actually not surprised. He was such an icon of his generation. Jane, I have to believe that he`s going to become yet another symbol for everything that could go wrong for a young star growing up with the pressures of Hollywood. This is reminding me of River Phoenix every time this story passes here.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Hollywood can be a very, very cruel town, A.J., where you were once a star and then cease to be a star. And no matter what you`re doing, how many projects you have, if you`re off your pinnacle, some people will perceive you as a failure, and that`s tough.
And that`s where you have to have a real core identity to fall back on that`s separate from "I`m an actor." And when people don`t have that genuine core identity to fall back on, that`s when they really become despondent.
HAMMER: I can tell you Haim`s best friend and his former co-star, Corey Feldman, is just livid about how Hollywood can destroy a child star. You`ve got to watch what he said about that on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FELDMAN: All I can tell you is, you know, in this entertainment industry, in Hollywood, we build people up as children. We put them on pedestals. And then when we decide are not marketable anymore, we walk away from them. And then, we taunt them and we tease them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I have to agree with what Corey Feldman is saying here. We have seen so many child stars hit rock bottom, clearly a very lonely place for them to be. Dr. Reef, is it too farfetched to think that perhaps the seeds of the downfall were planted by being a child star?
KARIM: Absolutely. When you`re a child star, you don`t have normal adolescent emotional development. You don`t know ideal things. You don`t know who you are. And I agree with Jane - the identity formation concept of somebody growing up as a childhood star is incredibly difficult.
And then, add to it that celebrities don`t get good care. They get special care for their addiction and for their mental health issues.
HAMMER: Exactly right.
(CROSSTALK)
KARIM: Special is not good.
HAMMER: I`ve got to end it there. Dr. Reef Karim, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thank you so much. Just a sad story all around.
All right. moving on tonight, I`m so glad I can finally say this - don`t mess with Jessica Simpson. No, no, no. Tonight, Jessica`s brand-new confessions about her weight and her jaw-dropping new slam on John Mayer after he spilled the beans on their sex life. It`s Jessica`s explosive new TV interview.
"Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe under fire. Obviously, she was amazing in her movie debut. I think she was just terrific. But one major Hollywood star says if she doesn`t lose weight, her career is over. Now, is that completely out of line, or is it right on the money? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the great Gabourey weight debate.
And "The Hills" star Heidi Montag announced today she`s fired her husband and hired a psychic to run her career. I predict this is going to be a bad idea. 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: Conan O`Brien announces 30 city comedy and music tour on Twitter, tour begins 4/12. Oprah Winfrey No. 400 on "Forbes" richest with $2.4 billion, Donald Trump, No. 488.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN FEDERLINE, BRITNEY SPEARS` EX-HUSBAND: My whole attitude toward healthy food has changed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of my personal goals is to try to eradicate the image I have of you standing in that pool - that pool shot of you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: K-Fat to K-Fit. Britney Spears` ex-husband reveals the secret to his dramatic weight loss on VH1`s "Celebrity Fit Club." But what made him overeat and what made him finally lose all that weight? It`s K-Fed exposed in the interview you`ll see only in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, K-Fed`s weighty issues. Kevin Federline`s divorce from Britney Spears three years ago just threw him into an absolute tailspin. He packed on the pounds, you remember that. It made him a tabloid target.
But now, after joining the new season of VH1`s "Celebrity Fit Club" K- Fed is K-Fit and he reveals to Brooke Anderson the moment that he knew he had to fight the fat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: The tabloids were cruel and had a field day with you, poking fun at you for gaining weight. How hard was that?
FEDERLINE: You know - I mean, I`ve learned to ignore the tabloids pretty much. I mean, of course, you hear things here and there. I mean, it is offensive. But I use that as motivation to really get myself back in shape.
I think that it`s always been fuel for me. Anything that other people say, you know, because granted, I bet you half of America is overweight.
ANDERSON: Oh, yes.
FEDERLINE: So I mean, not too many people poke fun of somebody who`s going to lose the weight. So now, it`s almost like they are cheering for me to lose the weight instead of, you know, ragging on me for gaining the weight.
ANDERSON: It`s like when someone tells you, you can`t do something.
FEDERLINE: Right.
ANDERSON: Oh, yes, I can.
FEDERLINE: Right.
ANDERSON: I`ll defy you. When was the moment you said, Kevin, "I can`t deal with this anymore. I can`t deal with being heavy"?
FEDERLINE: I saw a picture of myself, probably at my biggest weight. I was at Miami out at a pool and paparazzi must have been inside the hotel a few floors up. I mean, when I saw the picture, I just really realized how big I had gotten.
I didn`t see it as much. You know, I ignored myself in the mirror and things like that. I didn`t go out much. You know, you stay home more because you don`t want to go out and get picked on.
So when I saw that - I mean, literally, a week after I saw that picture, I got a phone call and had to make a decision within four or five days to be on "Celebrity Fit Club."
ANDERSON: And you know, usually, it`s women in the tabloids who are getting so much heat. Kirstie Alley, Jessica Simpson, even Jennifer Love Hewitt at one point. Do you now kind of understand more about what women go through?
FEDERLINE: Oh, totally. I totally do. I mean, it`s hard enough to have to go through it yourself on your own and deal with it on your own, let alone be exploited. It`s tough. I definitely feel for somebody who is overweight, granted it`s in the media or not, you know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Check out K-Fed, so unguarded in this interview. Tomorrow, there`s more of K-Fed opening up to Brooke about how he was just blindsided when Britney Spears filed for divorce from him.
Kevin also reveals his major concern about Britney`s mental health now long after her meltdown. Make sure you tune in to the must-see part two of Brooke`s interview with K-Fed, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Friday. He reveals his life after Britney. You don`t want to miss it.
Kate Gosselin is about to get fit now that she`s joined "Dancing with the Stars." But seriously, this show, not even on the air yet. Already our "Showbiz on Call" phone lines on fire about Kate dancing.
In fact, look at our "Showbiz on Call" operators. The switchboard is lit up like a mirror ball trophy. We got a call into "Showbiz on Call" from Cheryl in New Hampshire who says Kate should pack up her dancing shoes for her kids` sake.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I think it`s ridiculous that Kate Gosselin is going on "Dancing with the Stars." She complained about her husband, Jon, not being responsible. And that is ridiculous. She can better use her time taking care of her children. She is just trying to cash in on the fame.
HAMMER: All right, Cheryl, thank you for that call. We also heard from Cynthia in Kansas calling into "Showbiz on Call." She says, hey, what`s wrong with Kate having a little fun?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I think Kate can dance. She can do what she wants. She`s been a devoted mother. And Jon can stay home watching the kids. But if she doesn`t think he`s a fit father, then find someone else. But go have fun. You deserve it after eight kids.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you, Cynthia. What about you? Call us at "Showbiz on Call" about Kate or anything at all. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time. This is the number right there - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728- 2899.
Well, there`s no doubt "Precious" star, Gabourey Sidibe, just lit up the screen in her movie debut, but is her career in danger?
Tonight, a major star says, you know, her career is over because she`s just too heavy. Was that completely out of line or is it on the money? Tonight, the great Gabourey weight debate.
Ellen DeGeneres reveals secrets from the set of "American Idol." Why is it that Kara and Simon sit so close together anyway? Does Ellen like her job on "Idol?" The burning questions and the answers straight from Ellen herself.
Plus, Chris Brown begging for fans?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CHRIS BROWN, SINGER: I need all of my fans` help. My singing, my music, is all great and I do it for you all and I do it for love and everything else.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is this just pathetic. Chris Brown begging fans to come back to him. Should people stop slamming him for beating Rihanna? Chris` passionate plea 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: Bravo announces four new shows, including "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Mattel to make "Mad Men" Ken and Barbie dolls styled after AMC show characters.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ELLEN DEGENERES, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: That was fantastic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hallelujah, indeed. Ellen DeGeneres obviously couldn`t contain herself after that "American Idol" contestant just knocked it out of the park.
Today, Ellen reveals behind-the-scenes "American Idol" secrets. Why does Kara sit so close to Simon? Does Ellen hate her new job?
Ellen`s been a judge on "Idol" for over a month now. I say it is high time to answer some tough questions. Fortunately for us, Ellen has got her own talk show. Just today, she answered some burning questions from her audience.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why do you think Kara sits so close to Simon?
DEGENERES: It`s weird because, you know, our chairs are evenly spaced. We`re all the same distance apart. And yet - sometimes I don`t even know she`s there. I look up, oh, there she is over there. What happened the first time that I noticed it is her bracelet got caught on his arm hair. And then -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Working on "American Idol," is it all you expected?
DEGENERES: It`s really hard. And they`re brand new so they think they`re ready and they think this is their ticket. And you can`t really say to them, "This is just the beginning and you have to get knocked down a lot to take it because this is a tough business." But I can`t say all that. But it`s really a challenge for me. It`s really hard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Honestly, I can`t really tell from that if Ellen likes her job or not. I`m guessing she does.
All right. Our Facebook fans continue to mourn the tragic loss of Corey Haim tonight. His sudden death sparked an outpouring of tributes on our Facebook page today.
Here are just few of the sentiments posted and thank you for all of them. June O. writing, "I will miss Corey Haim, another talented young life cut short. And we will all miss out. Rest in peace."
Kate P. posted this today, "Corey was a human being with wonderful talent. Corey, along with his family and friends, deserve to have all of our heartfelt unconditional love, support and respect in this tragic time."
You can connect with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in so many ways. You can become our fan on Facebook. Please join us on Twitter to get breaking entertainment news alerts. Call us at "Showbiz on Call." You can always send us E-mail. "Showbiz Connects" on our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Jessica Simpson`s stunning new confessions about her weight and her new slap at John Mayer for talking about their sex life.
Also, a major star slams Gabourey Sidibe for her weight. Will Gabby`s weight hurt her career, or is this just a bunch of nonsense? It`s the great Gabby weight debate.
Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler`s sexy new magazine spread sparks unprecedented outrage today. Is their romance a publicity hoax? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: "Little House on the Prairie" and former NFL star Merlin Olsen dies at 69. R. Kelly postpones upcoming tour after developing nodules on his vocal chords.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) n
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a major star`s vicious attack today on Gabourey Sidibe`s weight, slamming the "Precious" star saying Gabby won`t work in movies ever again. Out of line or on the money? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the great Gabourey weight debate.
Tonight, Jessica Simpson unleashed. A brand-new TV tirade about her weight and her new slam against John Mayer for shattering her image with his sex-and-tell.
Heidi Montag splits from Spencer Pratt and hires a psychic.
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`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
And tonight, it`s the great Gabourey weight debate. "Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe is being attacked and ridiculed today for being overweight. And it sparked a major debate that made for big news breaking.
In an over-the-top, nasty attack on Gabby, Howard Stern says she will never get another acting role in Hollywood because of her weight. And you are about to hear his explosive words.
Now, he`s ticked off a lot of people but also raised a major question tonight. Can Gabby survive in Hollywood if she doesn`t lose weight?
But it wasn`t just Howard Stern blasting Gabby. Howard`s sidekick, Robin, got in on the nasty attack as well which only sparked the pure outrage from the ladies of "The View" today.
Joining me is Emme, the founder of "EmmeStyle.com." In Hollywood tonight, Hyla, who is an entertainment journalist for "5DollarPrep.com."
Let me get straight to Howard Stern`s controversial rant about Gabby Sidibe`s weight. Listen to what he had to say on his Sirius XM radio show.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
HOWARD STERN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: There`s the most enormous fat black chick I`ve ever seen.
ROBIN QUIVERS, HOWARD STERN`S CO-HOST: Oh, my goodness.
STERN: Gabrielle(sic) (INAUDIBLE).
QUIVERS: Sidibe or whatever name is -
STERN: She is enormous. And you feel bad because -
QUIVERS: Everybody is pretending that she`s a part of showbiz.
STERN: Right. It`s just ludicrous because everyone`s pretending she`s part of showbiz.
QUIVERS: As if she`s going to be around.
STERN: And she`s not going to be in another movie. And she really should have gotten the Best Actress Award because she`s never going to have another - what movie is she going to be in?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Emme, let me get off to you first. As outrageous as the way Howard put it there, does he have a point that Gabby Sidibe can`t survive in Hollywood if she doesn`t lose weight?
EMME, FOUNDER, "EMMESTYLE.COM": I think she definitely can survive in Hollywood. I mean, this is going to be probably the first time that there is an actress that is much larger than, you know, a size 20, 22.
She is talented. I mean, there`s many, many people - and obviously, yes, I mean, there is concern about health. But there`s a lot of actors and actresses that have serious, serious drug problems that don`t get outed. And yet, they could die tomorrow.
You know, it`s about - you know, how can you body-bash someone when they really did an incredible job. Her health is in her own hands. And I`m sure she`s probably going to make some adjustments, possibly, you know, with getting into the acting career.
But I definitely think you`re not going to see her as a skinny mini. You might see her getting more fit. Wouldn`t that be great? She`d be healthier. But she`s a good actress.
HAMMER: Yes, she`s an amazing actress. She was certainly terrific in "Precious." And yes, I mean, look, we all hope that for health reasons, she does get into some kind of - whether it`s a program or into proper advice situation. You know, I applaud the fact that she`s proud of how she looks.
EMME: Yes.
HAMMER: But there is certainly are health concerns that exist there. Now, Howard was fired up, so was his sidekick Robin Quivers.
EMME: That is so wrong.
HAMMER: They also attacked Oprah Winfrey in this rant. Let`s listen to more of his radio show.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
QUIVERS: And she`s crying just because Oprah is talking about her.
STERN: Right.
QUIVER: And Oprah is lying and saying, "You`re going to have a great career."
STERN: Yes, yes. Oprah`s another liar, filthy liar. Here`s Oprah telling -
QUIVERS: Precious she`s going to have a career.
STERN: Yes, an enormous woman the size of a planet that she`s going to have a career.
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": We see a true American Cinderella on the threshold of a brilliant new career.
QUIVERS: Oh.
STERN: Yes. She`s going to be at a convention with Beaver and Eddie Munster.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. As out of line and insulting as that was, Hyla, with attacks like that, is Gabby now, you know, becoming the new poster woman for a whole new kind of Hollywood weight debate?
HYLA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST, "5DOLLARPREP.COM": Listen, Howard Stern is Howard Stern. I mean, this is what he does. And if he were to say it nicely, he wouldn`t be Howard Stern. You have to look at the spirit of what he was saying.
And he`s right. Him and robin are correct. Listen, it`s hard to make it in Hollywood. It doesn`t matter what your weight is. And the fact is that there are less roles, there`s less opportunities for Gabourey to showcase herself.
So this is going to be really, really hard for her. Case in point, 2007, "Hairspray," Nikki Blonsky. This is exactly the same thing that happened. Awesome actress. Very, very good at what she does. She won in a Critics Choice. She was up for a Golden Globe.
And what is she doing now? And it`s not because she`s not talented. It`s just because the roles are limited. And Emme, I would think that the same thing is in the modeling career -
EMME: It`s not easy.
HYLA: In the modeling business as well.
EMME: No, you`re absolutely right. But I have to say that what he`s doing for her, Gabby is getting a huge push. And with all of the exposure to this issue, I think it`s not hurting her. It`s actually helping any deal that`s on the table.
(CROSSTALK)
HYLA: She`s going to be getting this her whole career. I mean, look at Jennifer Aniston. She`s the skinniest mini out there -
EMME: I know.
HYLA: And she gets hit on her weight all the time. Gabourey is going to get it too.
EMME: She is -
HYLA: Guess what? You want to work in this business? This is what you`re going to have to deal with.
EMME: Well, you have to be fit and you have to, you know - but I think that the representation of people out there, we could definitely use a little bit more diversity.
However, you know, as with everybody, when they get into the modeling industry as well as the acting career, there is going to be some adjustments, I`m telling you. Take a look at Jennifer Hudson.
HAMMER: Yes.
EMME: She looks curvaceous and beautiful. She is talented. But she is really very - it looks like she`s a lot more trim and fit. She`s never going to be a skinny mini. So I probably think that that`s what`s going to happen here.
HAMMER: Let me jump in here because I want to get to the ladies of "The View" who were absolutely outraged over this.
In fact, Whoopi Goldberg could barely contain her anger over the whole thing. And she pointed out some men who became big stars despite the fact that they were so overweight. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": John Candy, John Belushi, John Goodman, Chris Farley. No one - I don`t recall anyone saying they would not have careers.
Gabby actually has a TV show and two movies that she`s doing. So you`re entitled to your opinion. You think she`s big. OK, but at least get the facts right. At least get the facts right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. It`s true she does have a few roles lined up. But Emme, what about Whoopi`s point, you know, it`s OK for men to be overweight like that and not women at all. There really is a double standard here, isn`t there?
EMME: A.J., there is. There is definitely a double standard. And I think if we see more women out there on the screen, talented - number one they have to be talented. And if they are diversified in size, that`s actually better.
I really think that we need to open our aperture. We need to see more women that are not just the singular digit, even size-zero, that is being representative of all - this is the beauty standard or this is the actor that represents us all.
So this is actually a step in the right direction. I think too much body-bashing from Robin and Howard Stern - I mean, mean-spirited stuff. That`s what we don`t need to have any more. This is what causes kids to go into eating disorder, all that fear of fat.
HAMMER: Yes.
EMME: If Gabby is owning herself, that`s a great starting point for feeling good. And it sounds like and it looks like she`s doing just fine as she is. It`s her decision to make some changes along the way if she does probably want to get more work.
HAMMER: All right. Let me get to some of the outrage that`s showing up on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall, because it`s been there all day long - an explosive debate going on.
Here`s Ernestine H. writing, "The industry would want her to lose some weight. I think just for health reasons. There probably won`t be a lot of roles for her at her current weight," a point that you were making, Hyla.
Nicole Z. writing this, "I don`t think her career is over but I do think her roles will be limited. She`s always going to be seen as the girl who played `Precious.`"
Good point. Quickly, Hyla, I mean, that`s something that she does have to take into account. She`s so identifiable there.
HYLA: Absolutely. Typecast is going to be an issue, but she`s going to have to deal with it especially if she`s going to be working with Tyler Perry. I mean, that`s the one thing that`s working in her favor.
HAMMER: Yes.
HYLA: She`s working with one of the biggest guys in show business.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: He`ll want to use her again, there`s no question. Emme, Hyla, got to wrap it there. Thanks, guys.
All right. Over to you, here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Vote on this - "Gabourey Sidibe: Will her weight hurt her career?" You can keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
All right. Jessica Simpson has been called a lot of things, right? Ditzy, dumb - all those names. Tonight, a new name for Jess - it`s gutsy. Jessica Simpson unleashed. Jess has come out swinging against just about everyone in a brand-new TV interview just out today, slamming John Mayer again for his sex-and-tell, firing back at her weight critics. If this is the new Jessica, I`ve got to tell you, I`m loving it.
Heidi Montag dumps her husband, Spencer Pratt, and hooks up with a psychic. I don`t have a crystal ball with me today, but I predict this will not end well.
Plus, are Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler faking their passion for publicity? You can`t fake love in Hollywood, can you? The startling results of our brand-new poll today. 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: Madonna and daughter, Lourdes, launching teen fashion line called "Material Girl." Smell like Jen! Jennifer Aniston to launch signature fragrance.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, don`t mess with Jessica. Yes, Jessica Simpson is speaking out in a brand-new, jaw-dropping interview that made for big news just in today.
In what might be her most blunt interview yet, Simpson is fighting back over the whole wacky weight debate that she`s had to deal with publicly in the past year or so with a boatload of laughs. I can tell you, Jessica is definitely having the last laugh about the whole John Mayer sex talk fiasco.
Also, just in today, a story that is just making my head spin. Heidi Montag announced today that she`s breaking things off with her husband and turning to her psychic. Say what? What?
Joining me tonight in New York, Rachel Zalis, who is a contributing editor for "Life and Style Weekly." From Hollywood, it`s Hyla who is an entertainment journalist with "5DollarPrep.com."
I must begin with Jessica Simpson`s brand-new interview. When David Letterman brought the whole weight debate - you know, the one that began after Jess showed up at a chili cook-off wearing those high-waisted jeans?
Well, Jessica not only took the high road in a very effective way, but she managed to deliver what I felt was a really stinging smackdown to her critics. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": But that looks fine to me for heaven`s sakes.
JESSICA SIMPSON, ACTRESS AND SINGER: It was fine to me. I was confident. I wouldn`t have been on stage if I wasn`t confident.
LETTERMAN: Right. But did you react to this? Did you say, "Oh, maybe I should lose weight," or - what happened?
SIMPSON: Well, normally you would think I would become anorexic after what everybody was saying about me. But I just decided to eat more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I say good for you, Jessica. Look at that. The confidence is oozing from her pretty pores, Rachel. Are you just loving how Jessica is now turning the tables on everyone? I think it`s great.
RACHEL ZALIS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": I love it, A.J. I`m totally going on record to say I love Jessica Simpson. No matter what gets thrown her way, whether being called fat, which - by the way she`s a size four in those pictures.
HAMMER: Yes.
ZALIS: It`s pretty unreal - to, you know, guys talking about her sex life or dumping her on her birthday. She always keeps it classy with a smile and sense of humor. I think she`s something that - a woman that most people in this country can relate to more than other Hollywood actresses.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, she`s been taking the high road but still having some fun. Another thing she did in the brand-new interview that I loved, Jessica really giggled her way delivering kind of a one-two punch to her ex, John Mayer, who, of course, famously blabbed to "Playboy" magazine about how Jessica was like sexual napalm. Watch how Jessica handled that one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMPSON: It was definitely a compliment in a way. But I don`t really want people to know that about me.
LETTERMAN: I think you don`t.
SIMPSON: I`m like the good girl and then that happens.
LETTERMAN: Yes. Well, I think - I mean, you can be both.
SIMPSON: Yes. But that`s the thing. I am.
LETTERMAN: You are both?
SIMPSON: Yes. But he gave away my game.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I love that, don`t you, Hyla? She said, "He gave away my game." It`s like John Mayer blew her cover as the nice girl who also can be, well, shall we say, naughty?
HYLA: I`ve been saying this from the beginning. What John Mayer did in regards to Jessica Simpson was a compliment. She finally admits it on "Letterman."
And you know what? She wasn`t mad that he was blabbing his mouth about their sex life. She was mad that her image was possibly going to be hurt in some way, that she wasn`t able to control what she wanted people to perceive as. That`s where all of anger came from. It had nothing to do with the sex comments.
HAMMER: Well, you know, you and I have disagreed on this before, Hyla. I do think that he revealed more than she really would have liked. But I want to talk about something that I thought was really funny, when Jessica joked about launching this fragrance called "Sexual Napalm."
They were goofing around about it. But I actually thought, wow, what a great idea. You know, they had this little mockup bottle here. But think about it. She could make millions off of a term that John Mayer coined. Would that, Rachel, not be the best revenge? Come on.
ZALIS: Did they happen to say where it`s being sold? I kind of like a bottle of that. But I mean, that`s what Hyla was saying. I think, you know, as low as it was what John was saying about her and divulging secrets of their sex life, he kind of did her a favor. I think more guys are going to sign up to date Jessica Simpson on "Match.com" right now. And it`s huge.
HAMMER: Yes. And it`s huge.
HYLA: And let`s just say, here`s publicity for her show. Come on.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: It`s all worked at the end of the day. She`s gotten great press and a lot of people siding with her where maybe they hadn`t before. Here, we`re doing it right now.
Let`s move on. Heidi Montag is going psychic, everyone. Yes, the plastic surgery-infused, former reality star revealed today she`s breaking things off with her husband, Spencer Pratt, as her manager and turning to her psychic to manage her career.
Now, I think Whoopi Goldberg relayed all the details to her co-hosts on "The View" this morning in such a hilarious way. You have to hear Whoopi explain it all. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLDBERG: Heidi Montag has announced that she is no longer being managed by her husband, Spencer Pratt and her new manager is an intuitive psychic, Aiden Chase, because she says that having a psychic meeting her team will give her an edge that no one else has.
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": What does he see, the psychic?
GOLDBERG: Like, I`m not sure. But I bet he didn`t see any more, you know, facial stuff for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Now, for the record, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did its due journalistic diligence and confirmed today with Heidi`s very excitable publicist that this is, in fact, true. Hyla, can you have a prophecy of about how this is going to go?
HYLA: My crystal ball tells me that we`ll have more of these little stunts from the greatest couple in Hollywood ever, Speidi. I love them. Good for them. This is what they do and I hope they keep doing more of this.
HAMMER: All right. Let us move on now to the startling results of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll about Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler.
We revealed to you this - the brand-new cover of "W" magazine featuring Jen and Gerard looking, well, like a sexy couple.
Here`s what we asked, "Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston: Do you think they are faking romance for publicity?" And the results came in late today. Look at that - a whopping 70 percent said yes; 30 percent said no. Quickly, Rachel, is the jig up for Gerard and Jennifer?
ZALIS: Listen, they`re obviously starring in a movie together. They`re going to do press together. But really? The same magazine, the same photographer that Brangelina had five years ago? They can`t one-up them. What are they doing?
HAMMER: Yes. Pretty, pretty coincidental in my mind, I`m just saying. Rachel Zalis, Hyla, thanks, guys. We appreciate it.
As we move on tonight, we have Chris Brown`s shocking plea after beating up Rihanna. The superstar is actually begging for help to save his butt and it`s all caught on tape.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BROWN: I need all of my fans` help. My singing, my music, is all great and I do it for you all and I do it for the love and everything else.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Chris Brown begging to save his career. This is unbelievable to me. But could it actually work? Tonight, it`s Chris` desperate plea. 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: Box office record! 3-D movies helped boost global movie ticket sales to record $29.9 billion. Betty White to host "Saturday Night Live" on May 8th. Former female "SNL" cast members to return for White`s show.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, a new Charlie Sheen domestic violence shocker. Chris Brown`s desperate plea. And Ms. Witherspoon goes to Washington. Lisa`s mission on behalf of women all over the globe.
Here`s Brooke Anderson with all the big news in the buzz today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Witherspoon`s war on domestic violence. Reese Witherspoon brought her battle against domestic abuse to Washington working with the Avon Foundation, an organization that raises awareness about domestic violence. Witherspoon tells CNN`s Wolf Blitzer why she is so concerned.
REESE WITHERSPOON, ACTRESS: It`s a huge problem here in the U.S. I think it`s something that affects women. Every nine seconds, a woman is hurt or beaten in her house. It`s affecting their children. It`s affecting schools and families and communities. So it needs to be addressed immediately.
Does Charlie Sheen have a new domestic violence defense? "Radar Online" reports Sheen will claim his alleged attack on his wife Brooke Mueller never happened. Sheen, who faces a felony charge, will reportedly claim Mueller was high at the time and did not tell police the truth.
Chris Brown says stop beating him up for beating Rihanna. Brown`s career has gone downhill since being convicted of attacking his former girlfriend, Rihanna. Brown has just released a dramatic recorded plea on the Web site "SayNow.com."
BROWN: I need all of my fans` help. My singing, my music, is all great and I do it for you all and I do it for the love and everything else. But it won`t be possible if I`m not relevant on the radio.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: All right. Let`s move right on now to Jimmy Kimmel`s Handsome Men`s Club, the outtakes. Yes. Jimmy did this great late night post-Oscar special with a really funny skit called the Handsome Men`s Club, a secret society of all of the great-looking superstars with Jimmy Kimmel as president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. You`re handsome. You`re perfect. You`re incredible. Are you one good-looking son of a (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Good job, mom. Amazing. Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": OK. The meeting of the Handsome Men`s Club will now come to order.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ethan Hawke there, Matthew McConaughey. And the skit has just been burning up the Internet. So many people have seen this thing.
Did you see this? Jimmy is now revealing the hilarious bloopers, the funny stuff you didn`t see on TV. Roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: The meeting of the Handsome Men`s Club - (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
KIMMEL: Matthew McConaughey was there and he`s really, really mean to me. And then, you said I wasn`t handsome.
BEN AFFLECK, ACTOR: Come on, now. You know I think you`re handsome. I didn`t say that.
JENNIFER GARNER, ACTRESS: Oh, my God. Oh, God. I mean, it`s like your worst nightmare.
KIMMEL: And maybe I have the breasts of a 14-year-old girl -
LENNY KRAVITZ, SINGER: The supple breasts of a 14-year-old girl.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The Handsome Men`s Club and Jimmy`s post-Oscar special was such a hit it`s re-airing on Saturday Night. And that`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and we`re on in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern, and of course, it`s here on HLN.
END
