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Showbiz Tonight
Should Elin Stand By Tiger?; Todd Bridges Shocking Revelations; The Curse of the Oscars?; The Tale of Two Kates
Aired March 17, 2010 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - should Elin stand by Tiger? Tiger says he`s coming back to golf. But should his cheated-on wife be there by his side? And is it too soon for Tiger`s comeback? The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT great debate today - should Elin stand by her man? .
HAMMER: Burning bridges. "Different Strokes" Todd Bridges` shocking revelations today to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on having sex with his co-star. Todd`s dramatic claims about being molested as a child -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD BRIDGES, FORMER CHILD STAR: I`ve been molested by my publicist three or four times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And his desperate attempts to help Corey Haim in his battle with drugs.
The curse of the Oscars? Kate Winslet wins an Oscar, then the titanic breakup. Halle, Hillary, Reese - they win, then lose their husbands. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask today, is there a curse of the Oscars?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most-provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
And tonight, stand by your man? Well, just one day after Tiger Woods made his dramatic announcement that he`s ready to return to golf, there are big burning questions tonight about his wife, Elin.
I can tell you it made for big news breaking today. Tiger shocked the world when he announced on his Web site that he is ready to return to the golf course in just a little over three weeks from right now at the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
But a raging debate broke out today over his wife, Elin who has had to deal with Tiger`s sex and cheating scandals publicly since Tiger`s mysterious car crash back on Thanksgiving. So should Elin very publicly and out in the open stand by her man when he makes his grand return?
Kicking off this hot debate with me right now tonight, in New York, Midwin Charles who is a legal contributor for "In Session" on truTV. From Hollywood tonight, Wendy Walsh, who is a TV journalist and a doctor of psychology.
OK. So Tiger says he`s ready to return to the public eye and I think if she`s into it, it would be terrific if his wife, Elin, was right there when he makes his big return at the Masters.
But Wendy, let me ask you first. Should Elin be there, front and center, standing by her man?
DR. WENDY WALSH, TV JOURNALIST AND DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY: Not necessarily, A.J. I mean, this isn`t her drama. These are his sins. And if he needs to go it alone, he should go it alone.
She doesn`t deserve the scrutiny of the press. She doesn`t deserve making an appearance with the children. People are going to stare at her. This is not her crime. It`s his. She`s got to take care of those babies. And if he wants to keep that wife and baby, he`d better keep this all business, all work.
HAMMER: Midwin, let me ask you because it appears she is, at least, standing by him in the marriage. But what about when he returns to the golf course? Should she be there with him?
MIDWIN CHARLES, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION": Absolutely not. Look, we all know Tiger for playing golf. It`s the root of his riches and the root of his popularity. It`s Tiger who knows how to work a nine iron, not Elin, at least according to Tiger.
But nonetheless, going on the golf course is akin to almost having another one of those press conferences. She wasn`t at the press conference. She doesn`t need to be on the golf course.
HAMMER: Well, somebody who knows Elin very well and actually introduced her to Tiger in the first place is a pro golfer, Jesper Parnevik. Now, Jesper spoke out this morning on the "CBS Early Show." He described Elin as being the type of a person who doesn`t really like to be the center of attention. Watch what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESPER PARNEVIK, PRO GOLFER: She`s a great girl. I mean, she is, like I said, a very strong girl, down to earth, very humble. Don`t like being the center of attention or media circus at all. Always keeps in the background. So of course, this has been a very, very tough time for her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. And as Jesper just said, she doesn`t like the whole media circus that travels around Tiger Woods. So for that reason, yes, I`m thinking that maybe it`s a good idea for her to stay far away. Certainly, she has been through enough.
But here`s my question - if Elin doesn`t show up with Tiger there, Wendy, could it possibly hurt the image that Tiger is so desperately trying to rebuild right now? I mean, certainly her presence could be a big help to him.
WALSH: Of course it could hurt his image. So what? There you go, Tiger. That`s part of the consequences of your behavior. It`s going to - we shouldn`t give him an easy haul pass back into the limelight. Make it take some work on his part, is my opinion.
HAMMER: Yes. I`ve always actually said that as well. If she wants to be there and help out the ride that she is apparently staying along for - she said she`s standing by him at least in the marriage for now. Maybe it would be to his benefit for her to show up.
Obviously, this hot debate is going on everywhere, spread right to our Facebook page today. We were flooded with comments that are coming in all day long about whether or not Elin should stand by her man.
Here`s one. This is Zak L. Zak writing, "I believe Elin should not be there at this tournament because it is about golf and not the marriage of the two. He needs to continue to separate the two.
But Jen L. wrote on our wall, "Honestly, if Elin wants to stand by his side, then that`s great. If not, that`s great as well. People shouldn`t have any expectations for her. But I expect him to win the tournament."
Now, Midwin, which do you think is more important to Tiger, to put his reputation as a cheater behind him, or to get back to the game of golf and actually win this thing?
CHARLES: I think it`s a combination of both. He needs to get back on that course and win golf tournaments. The sooner he does that, the sooner people will forget about his transgressions. Thereby, he`ll be dealing with that problem at the same time. HAMMER: Very quickly, Wendy - which do you think is more important?
WALSH: I think he just needs to stay out of Las Vegas, nightclubs, hotel rooms and as soon as that match is over, go home to his wife and children.
HAMMER: Well, what do you think? We`d love to hear from you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Here is the question - "Tiger Woods` Comeback: Should his wife be by his side?" You can vote by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail us your thoughts at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, the debate over Tiger`s wife is not the only hot debate tonight. When Tiger made his big announcement that he is returning, he also admitted that he had already undergone almost two months of in-patient therapy with more therapy to go.
So with him still being treated for a reported sex addition, even though Tiger says he`s ready to get back to golf, is it too soon? Midwin Charles, Wendy Walsh, I want you to stay right where you are.
Moving on now to burning bridges, the fiery revelations today from Todd Bridges, the one-time child star from the `80s sitcom, "Different Strokes." I can hardly believe what Bridges told me today about his battle with drug addiction and how he and Dana Plato who, of course, played his sister on "Different Strokes" snuck around, did drugs together and had a sexual relationship while they were starring on the show.
Bridges, of course, played the character Willis. And he`s now telling all in an explosive book he`s titled "Killing Willis." And what he revealed to me this afternoon, it made for more big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIDGES: I`ve done some stuff that I should be dead. I`m truly blest by God to still be alive.
HAMMER (voice-over): It`s a shocking story about the dark side of childhood fame. Today, Todd Bridges revealed his most explosive memories from his time as a troubled former child star.
The most shocking? That he had a sexual affair with the actress who played his sister on the hit sitcom, "Different Strokes."
HAMMER (on camera): You and Dana, who of course, played your sister on "Different Strokes," had a sexual relationship?
BRIDGES: You need to understand this. She wasn`t my real sister. There`s something (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: Your sister on the show - but, yes. And not even your real sister on the show. Right. I guess we`ll be clear about that.
(voice-over): Bridges was almost 13 when he began his role as the older brother Willis on "Different Strokes" in 1978.
BRIDGES: I can`t afford a taxi.
GARY COLEMAN, ACTOR: Get a job.
HAMMER: Bridges told me his co-star Dana Plato, who played Kimberly on the show, initiated a sexual affair with him.
(on camera): How long did that go on?
BRIDGES: Dana - well, the whole part of the show was (UNINTELLIGIBLE), when we were in between relationships, it happened.
HAMMER (voice-over): Bridges tell me that his affair with Plato was the first heterosexual experience.
BRIDGES: I was just trying to figure out whether I was homosexual or not because I had been molested by my publicist three or four times. And what then happened with Dana, it made me realize that I liked girls.
HAMMER: Bridges also tells me it was Plato who introduced him to drugs.
BRIDGES: She didn`t talk me into it. Those are my own choices.
HAMMER: Bridges` early experiments with drugs led to a hard core cocaine addiction after "Different Strokes" went off the air in 1986. Bridges wasn`t the only young "Different Strokes" cast member with problems.
JANELL SNOWDEN, VH1 RED CARPET CORRESPONDENT: They`re sort of like the poster children for child actors gone wrong. You have Todd Bridges who has been in and out of jail, addicted to drugs, once tried for attempted murder. Dana who died of a drug overdose. And then, Gary Coleman who is just angry and bitter and had his own run-ins with the law.
HAMMER: And today, Bridges told me if he thinks there is a "Different Strokes" curse.
BRIDGES: I think what happened was we had very unique family backgrounds. That`s what it comes down to. Gary came from parents that just didn`t care that much about him. They made him work when he was sick a lot.
And then Dana - her mother wasn`t around that much, you know. So I think that, you know, when those kinds of things - we come from those kinds of problems with our families - it`s going to create certain things.
HAMMER: Bridges got clean in 1992. He says days before his old co- star, Dana Plato, died of a drug overdose in 1999, he tried in vain to reach out to her to try and help her kick her drug habit.
Bridges tells me he unsuccessfully to tried to reach out to another child star with a well-known drug history, Corey Haim, who died last Wednesday.
BRIDGES: I stayed in contact with him for quite a while. And he just - you know, the unfortunate part about it is, I guess, a lot of addicts think that they can get through this without having to pay the price.
HAMMER: Bridges tells me how he was finally able to beat the demons that have claimed so many other child stars, including the ones he was close to.
BRIDGES: I`m happy. The way I look at it, we all have our days of being unhappy. But the way I look at it is, I`m going to be happy with me and I don`t care what people say about me.
HAMMER: There you go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Todd Bridges` new book is pretty amazing. It`s called "Killing Willis: From Different Strokes to the Mean Streets to the Life I`ve Always Wanted." And it is in bookstores right now.
As we move on, two big stories today about two people named Kate. So it`s the tale of two Kates. Yes, Kate Winslet who gushes about her husband. She wins an Oscar. And now, a titanic breakup. But you know, there`s Reese, Hillary, Halle - they won Oscars then they lose their husbands, too. I`ve got to ask today, is there a curse at the Oscars?
And there`s Kate Gosselin. She is talking for the first time today about all those reports that she has been an absolute nightmare on the set of "Dancing with the Stars."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": How do you feel when you read that stuff that you`re a big diva and nobody likes you over there and all that stuff?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is Kate acting worse than eight screaming kids? Is she a dancing diva? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Winnie Cooper is preggers! "Wonder Years`" Danica McKellar expecting first child. Watch out, guys! Britney Spears is single again, breaks up with boyfriend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Big trouble for rappers facing a wrath. And Charlie Sheen is back to work today. It`s all making news in the buzz today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Charlie Sheen back on set. Sheen has just returned to work in his hit sitcom, "Two and a Half Men" for the first time since an arraignment Monday on domestic violence charges.
Sheen also took time off to go to rehab and deal with the charges he`s facing in Colorado for allegedly attacking his wife. CBS has insisted Sheen`s troubles would not impact the show. But there are now reports the season will be cut short by two episodes.
Lil Wayne wanted in Arizona, but there should be no trouble finding him. An Arizona court issued a warrant after the Grammy Award winning rapper did not show up to face drug and weapons charges.
Lil Wayne is a bit tied up these days. He`s locked up and serving a one-year jail sentence in New York City on a separate gun charge.
Will Dr. Drew rescue DMX? A judge in Phoenix has just ordered that the rapper be thrown in jail for six months after violating his parole by using illegal drugs. A California rehab center featured in Dr. Drew`s hit TV show, "Celebrity Rehab," offered to treat DMX instead of sending him to jail. The judge says she is willing to consider that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And while the judge considers that, there are also plenty of burning questions about that report that Charlie Sheen is back to work today on his hit sitcom, "Two and a Half Men," after checking out of rehab.
Joining me tonight in New York, Dr. Drew Pinsky, who is, of course, the host of VH1`s brand-new show, "Sober House." Dr. Drew is also the host of two other VH1 shows, "Celebrity Rehab" and "Sex Rehab." Always good to see you, Dr. Drew.
So Sheen first revealed around three weeks ago that he was back in rehab. Then, on Monday, he was arraigned on the charges that he attacked his wife. There are a lot of people who might say that he should have gone to that arraignment and then gone right back into rehab. Does that (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
DREW PINSKY, HOST, "SOBER HOUSE": If this were his first treatment, absolutely, that would be the case. But Charlie has a long history of sobriety. He has a deep, rich connection with the sober community.
He needed a tune up, that`s for sure. When he was arraigned for the alleged domestic violence, apparently, both he and his wife were intoxicated. And anybody with a history of an addiction that is using substances is in full relapse and needs to get back into treatment.
But the fact is, it`s not the usual situation when somebody has long- term sobriety. It`s treacherous. It`s tough to get somebody really back into a sober mechanism if they sort of know too much.
HAMMER: Right.
PINSKY: But it doesn`t require long-term kinds of structured treatment that it often does early on in their course.
HAMMER: Yes. Because from the outside looking in, it`s easy for us to say, "Yes, get the heck back in there."
PINSKY: Right.
HAMMER: And here`s what I`d like to know from you in terms of having seen Charlie. And we`ve all watched it from afar and what he`s gone through in the past. But from what you know and from what you know about addiction, are you worried about him?
PINSKY: I was more worried about it when I heard about the domestic violence thing. Then I thought, oh, my goodness. He`s in harm`s way. And now, he`s clearly taking care of business. He has all kinds of obligations that are realistic.
But he has to deal with his television job and those are real obligations. And I guarantee you that he`s with a good team and they are balancing out these various things in such a way to try to keep him focused on his sobriety.
I guarantee you also that once this television series wraps, he`s going to be focusing on even more things (UNINTELLIGIBLE) his life.
HAMMER: Well, as I mentioned - I`m going to ask you this, quickly, it may wrap two weeks early. Would that be a gift to his rehab?
PINSKY: Good thing for him. Good thing - I`m hearing he has a sober coach on - these are non-ideal situations. Obviously, ideally, you`d want him just to focus on his sobriety for the next year.
But very few people ever really get to just do that. And when they have all of these other issues in their life, they can put them in harm`s way. But thank goodness, in this case, because he has a long history of sobriety, he`s had sobriety, there`s a lot of reasons that he could do OK.
HAMMER: Great support system around him. All right. Dr. Drew, stay right here. We`ve got to get back to you. Many more burning questions we have to talk about tonight - Tiger Woods getting out of rehab. Also Corey Haim and whether or not he could have been saved.
And we have so many calls coming in to "Showbiz on Call" today about John Edwards` mistress. She posed for some steamy photos for "GQ" magazine. And Shelly in Ohio doesn`t think it`s a big deal.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SHELLY, CALLER FROM OHIO: Give the poor girl a break. She fell in love with the wrong guy. She has a baby. She has to support that baby as a single mother. And I didn`t see anything at all in pictures. I mean, I`ve seen a whole lot worse that the stars and celebrities do. So give the poor woman a break.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Shelly, thanks for your call. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; that`s 1-888-728- 2899. Leave us a message so we can play your message here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
So Tiger Woods just announced his return to golf in a few weeks. But today, some are saying, "Is it too soon?" You know, Tiger is still in therapy for sex addiction. A lot of people don`t buy the whole Tiger Woods` sex rehab thing. We`ve got to ask, is the Tiger sex rehab legit? Or does he just want to sleep with a lot of women?
Making news today, Demi Moore is sick and tired of being called a cougar. The surprising thing that she wants to you call her now instead. Pretty wild.
And the Jessica Simpson-Jennifer Aniston smackdown. Who fascinates you more? We`ve got the shocking results of our smackdown poll. 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: Amy Poehler and husband Will Arnett expecting a second child. Sigourney Weaver will star in romantic horror-comedy called "Vamps."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, Demi Moore says, "Stop calling me a cougar. Call me a puma instead." The April issue of "Harper`s Bazaar" revealed today, 47- year-old Demi, who is married to 32-year-old Ashton Kutcher says puma, quote, "has a sweeter quality, more elegant. Cougar has become so distasteful."
Now, Demi, I`ve got to tell you, you have your cat-calling all mixed up because puma is already out there as a way to describe women in their 30s who go for younger guys. Well, you`re pushing 50. I mean that in the nicest way. You know, puma, cougar, leopards, friskies, tomato, tomato - whatever, you look great, Demi.
Yes, in this very same interview, Demi neither confirmed nor denied all those reports floating around that she`s had all kinds of plastic surgery. Here`s what she said about that, "I feel better in my skin 100 percent. Women who lie about their age, why?" As I said, whatever you are doing, Demi, you look fantastic.
Well, Demi isn`t admitting to getting work done but I can tell you tonight that Mackenzie Phillips is and she`s just dropped - are you ready for this - $50,000 for it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MACKENZIE PHILLIPS, ACTRESS: The vibe is new and sleek, and fabulous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Fifty-year-old Mack revealed her $50,000 makeover on "Good Morning America" today. The "One Day at a Time" star got Botox, Restylane, laser treatments, and nearly three days` worth of dental work and hair extensions. And Mack says she did all of this because she wanted to reboot her life inside and out.
Remember, last year, she dropped the bombshell claim that her father, Mamas and the Papas musician, John Phillips, raped her when she was just 18 and that led to a 10-year incestuous relationship.
Well, tons of posts on our Facebook wall right now about the guy who stalked ESPN reporter, Erin Andrews, and his being sentenced to jail.
Abdiel C. doesn`t really feel bad for Erin, "If she felt that embarrassed by it, she wouldn`t be going on `Dancing with the Stars.`"
Now, Zak L. thinks Erin`s stalker should be locked up longer, "She deserves to live and go on with her life however she chooses. Go Erin."
And I completely agree. We`d love for you to become our fan on Facebook. You can join us on Twitter to get breaking entertainment news alerts. Call us at "Showbiz on Call." And of course, there`s always e- mail. You remember that. "Showbiz Connects" right there on our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Now it`s time for the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what is coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Tiger Woods says he is headed back to the golf course and he`s ready. But he`s still in sex addiction therapy today. So is it too soon for Tiger`s comeback?
And the tale of two Kates today. Kate Winslet wins an Oscar. Now, a titanic breakup from her husband. Is there a curse of Oscars?
And Kate Gosselin is speaking out for the first time today about all those reports that she has been a big time pain in the butt on "Dancing with the Stars." 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: Paula Abdul tweets on "Star Search" reports: "You can`t believe what you read." Antonio Banderas appointed U.N. goodwill ambassador.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Tiger`s return to golf. Tiger still in sex addiction therapy. Tonight, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT great Tiger debate - is it too soon for Tiger to play golf again?
The tale of two Kates. Kate wins an Oscar. Now, a shocking breakup with her hubby. Is there an Oscar curse?
And is Kate Gosselin a dancing diva? Kate Gosselin`s bombshell revelations today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: How do you feel when you read that stuff that you`re a big diva and nobody likes you over there and all that stuff?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is Kate a demanding "Dancing with the Stars" diva, or a dancing delight? Kate speaks out today.
Plus more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
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.
Tonight, Tiger`s return. Brand-new questions today about Tiger Woods` shocking announcement that, yes, he is returning to golf, especially the fact that he is not done with his treatment for sex addiction.
It`s an explosive news story and it`s making big news today. Tiger just announced plans to compete in the Masters Tournament in Augusta in April. But he`s still in therapy for sex addiction and he`s admitted he`s got a long recovery ahead of him.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets to the bottom of the big question tonight. Is it too soon for Tiger to return to golf? Perhaps there is no one who could better answer that question than addiction expert, Dr. Drew Pinsky.
Tonight, he`s also going to reveal his insight into the tragic death of `80s teen idol, Corey Haim. In an open letter out today, Haim`s best friend, Corey Feldman, revealed his deep heartbreak over this best friend`s death. But it`s raising the brand-new and alarming question tonight - could Corey Haim have been saved?
Joining me here tonight in New York, Dr. Drew Pinsky. Dr. Drew hosts a great new show on VH1. It`s called - it`s the brand-new show, "Sober House." He`s also, of course, the host of VH1`s "Celebrity Rehab" and "Sex Rehab." As always, good to see you, Dr. Drew.
PINSKY: Good to see you.
HAMMER: If you were working with Tiger Woods on his sex addiction, would you advise him to return to the game of golf now?
PINSKY: It`s hard to know for sure. It`s early, no doubt. I`m concerned that when he gave that apology, I didn`t see much capitulation to sobriety, to a sober process.
I heard a lot of things that didn`t sound so good to me in terms of how his treatment was going. So my eye tells me this is a little bit early. It takes about three to five years to thoroughly treat a sex addict. So he`s right.
He`s getting involved in intensive treatment for a long time, but returning to a very stressful career obligation at this stage is going to at least take the focus off his recovery.
HAMMER: Yes.
PINSKY: And what I`ve been seeing so far concerns me greatly.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, talk about the heightened level of stress beyond what stress - much already exists.
PINSKY: Right. That`s right.
HAMMER: Hard to believe, less than a month ago, Tiger Woods stood before America. He admitted that he had a problem and that he`s in therapy. Let`s take a look at that.
TIGER WOODS, GOLF CHAMPION: It`s hard to admit that I need help, but I do. For 45 days, from the end of December to early February, I was in in-patient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I`m facing. I have a long way to go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So then, a month ago, he`s admitting he had a long way to go. In his statement saying, "I`m coming back to golf," he admits he has a long way to go. Separate from the stress, returning to golf means he`s going to be traveling again.
PINSKY: Right.
HAMMER: Inevitably, there are going to be women throwing themselves at him again. I don`t think that is going to stop.
PINSKY: No, that`s right. And there`s a lot of -
HAMMER: So isn`t that too much temptation?
PINSKY: Well, sex addiction already is fraught with what`s called slipperiness. The people tend to relapse early in sex addiction treatment. It`s not even early - throughout. It`s a very difficult thing for people to stay sober from.
This is going to add to those problems. And interestingly, that footage you put - that was the only sincere thing I thought he said when he said, "It`s hard for me to admit, but I need help." Then, everything else actually I didn`t like.
What he said - he was beating himself up, "I`m a bad person." Really, the reality is, he`s a person with a condition that took him to a place he never thought he could go. I didn`t hear any of that. I heard, "I am bad," which is not the greatest place for his head to be at this stage of the game.
HAMMER: And this is the condition you know about having worked with so many people who have had sex addiction. We`ve seen it on television.
On "The View" today, it was actually terrific seeing you appear there with some of the women that you treated. One woman in particular, Jennifer Ketcham - she overcame her sex addiction on your show, "Sex Rehab."
PINSKY: Yes.
HAMMER: It sounds like it was a long and difficult process. I would like to take a look at some of that.
PINSKY: All right.
JENNIFER KETCHAM, FORMER SEX ADDICT: The treatment is an ongoing process. Treatment is an everyday thing.
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Can you have sex?
KETCHAM: Yes. I took an abstinence vow when I was in sex rehab and was going to go for an entire year without having sex with anybody. I`d just like to connect with my feelings again.
I went about nine months and I met a guy and we started developing this very organic relationship. And we are in a monogamous relationship now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. I know you can`t speak exactly to what Tiger Woods is going through right now. But is it possible he`s in a similar situation, maybe a declaration of abstinence?
PINSKY: Oh, for sure. For sure he is. And Elin herself has got to make certain sort of concessions and who knows what`s going on specifically between them.
But what I - I`m so glad that you played this footage about Jennifer because what you get a sense of - with her in that footage is how slow and carefully she proceeds. She proceeds with the advice of her team and her sponsor.
And she`s slowly inches forward. She doesn`t go, "Well, I`m back at it now" two, six weeks - two months in. This is nine months later for her and she`s taking it very slowly. It`s called "slow-briety." And that`s why I`m concerned about Tiger.
HAMMER: Yes. Nine months later. This all came to light back in November, not all that long ago -
PINSKY: That`s right.
HAMMER: When he just started dealing with it. OK. It`s going to be a wait-and-see thing as far as Tiger Woods is concerned.
Right now, I do want to move on to the heartbreaking addiction story that`s making news today. Could Corey Haim have been saved?
Now, Haim`s best friend, Corey Feldman, wrote what I felt was just a heart-wrenching open letter to his friend that was just released.
Feldman writing in this letter, "My mission in life became saving yours. I never gave up. I tried. I walked away but I always came back to let you know I was there."
Now, Corey Haim battled with drug addiction for most of his life. Dr. Drew, do you think he could he have been saved?
PINSKY: No doubt in my mind. No doubt in my mind. Untreatable cases are people that have concomitant neurological psychiatric conditions, no resources. He had everything that it took to get well.
I`m not sure he wanted to. People reached out about him to me many times. He never followed through. I never had the sense that he was really interested in sobriety. He may have been. I don`t know. I didn`t know him. Yes, his name came up every season of "Celebrity Rehab" that some people were trying to get in.
HAMMER: Yes.
PINSKY: He may have made a sincere struggle. I don`t know. But the story with Corey is not so surprising because a young actor with addiction dies.
Addiction is more likely to kill you than the majority of cancers. People don`t realize this. But the fact that he`s so young and it`s a pharmaceutical, that`s the cleaning edge of a tsunami we are seeing right now, of young people, my patients being taken down by pharmaceutical meds.
HAMMER: Even Todd Bridges, who I sat down with earlier today - we saw it earlier in the show. When I sat down with him and told me about reaching out to Corey and he said Corey didn`t want to hear it, which is so typical of an addicted person.
PINSKY: Well, you`re right. A.J., you`re right. And this is really the mystery of addiction. How do you make somebody willing? If you have willingness, you have hope.
But there are some people that are just not willing. And what I`ve heard about Corey, he was one of those people.
HAMMER: And of the notion that he was being weaned off of drugs with drugs -
PINSKY: No. No way.
HAMMER: Is it true - is it true in your mind, you are not sober if you`re on anything?
PINSKY: If you are addict and on a benzodiazepine or an opiate even for appropriate reasons and maybe important reasons, but if you`re taking those medicines, your life is in harm`s way. Your life is in jeopardy.
And the idea of a hard core drug addict being tapered down as outpatient - never seen that work. And I`ve seen that tried 1,000 times.
HAMMER: Yes. And he faced this addiction for most of his life. A lot of people quickly point the finger and chalk it up to being a child star.
Now, it was terrific seeing you today on "The View" with Mackenzie Phillips, who starred, of course, on "One Day at a Time." And you`ve worked with Mack in the past.
But she says that child star wasn`t really the problem. It had more to do with family than fame. And I want to show a little bit of what she said.
PINSKY: Sure.
HAMMER: Roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MACKENZIE PHILLIPS, ACTRESS: I`m not saying that all child stars that have addiction problems have nasty families. But I think the incidence of it is pretty high.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So when you look at all the child stars we`ve seen go in and out of rehab you and I talked about - Lindsay and Nicole Richie and Britney Spears -
PINSKY: Yes. Danny -
HAMMER: Danny Bonaduce. It`s understandable why people can say, hey, they were child stars. It was fame and then the rug being pulled out from under them. But more often, is it family?
PINSKY: Oh, absolutely. Of course, the child star doesn`t get to go through the usual developmental milestones that adolescent typically does.
Of course, there are stresses. Of course, there are all sorts of letdown afterwards. Those are psychologically stressful but they don`t cause addiction.
The fact is - Danny Bonaduce has discussed this many times. He always said, "It was not because I was a child star. It was because of what was going on at home." And that`s what I hear over and over again from people that were child stars and became addicts.
HAMMER: Yes. So I think we need to perhaps take a broader and bigger look at it now and have a firmer understanding that there is more going on that just all -
(CROSS TALK)
PINSKY: Not different with other addicts. Other addictions are caused - other people get - they`re no different than anybody else, bottom line.
HAMMER: Dr. Drew, always good to see you. Thanks for being there. I appreciate it. Make sure you catch Dr. Drew`s new show called "Sober House" every Thursday night on VH1.
As we move on tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has a tale of two Kates today. Could Kate Winslet be the victim of an Oscar curse? I mean, think about it. She had a titanic breakup after winning an Oscar.
It`s happened to Reese and Hillary, even Halle. They win an Oscar and then their marriages go bye-bye. Curse or coincidence?
And Kate Gosselin as a dancing diva?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: How do you feel when you read that stuff that you`re a big diva and nobody really likes you over there and all of that stuff?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kate Gosselin`s bombshell revelations today. Kate fights back over reports that she is just a nightmare on the set of "Dancing with the Stars." Is she a diva or is she a delight?
And Jessica Simpson versus Jen Aniston - who fascinates you more? I`ve got the head-spinning results of our shocking new smackdown. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Tiger Woods` return to golf at the Masters will be seen in 3-D. Conan O`Brien reportedly close to signing a late night deal with Fox.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, Kate`s shocking split. Like so many people, I could hardly believe the news we just got that Kate Winslet is getting divorced from Sam Mendes, her husband of seven years, of course, who directed her in the movie, "Revolutionary Road."
What the heck is going on here? They seemed so happy to me and just about everybody. You`ve got to wonder if Kate is the latest victim of the Oscar marriage curse.
Joining me tonight in New York is Megan Alexander who is a correspondent for "Inside Edition." And in Hollywood tonight is Wendy Walsh, who is a TV journalist and doctor of psychology.
OK. So Kate and Sam were really known everywhere as one of Hollywood`s golden couples. Some couples, we could see the clock ticking with them. We can see the marriage coming apart at the seams. But Megan, not here. Were you as shocked as everyone else?
MEGAN ALEXANDER, CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": I really was, A.J. I was surprised because they seemed like a very balanced couple. I think a lot of times when somebody wins an Oscar, it`s such a milestone in an actor`s life.
And it can dramatically change the dynamic of the relationship. But in the case of Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes, they both work in the industry, she in front of the camera, he behind the camera.
And they also worked together on "Revolutionary Road," which is the award-winning film. So I`m surprised that it didn`t work out. I think I can`t relate.
HAMMER: Yes , And they publicly gushed about not only working with each other but just how they enjoyed being married to each other. And that`s something that makes this announcement so surprising to me because Kate proclaimed, just a year ago, her love to her husband as she accepted her Golden Globe Award for "Revolutionary Road." And again, Sam directed that.
Ironically, it`s about a marriage falling apart. And when I spoke with Kate when she was promoting the movie, she absolutely was glowing about just working with her husband. Watch what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE WINSLET, ACTRESS: You know, my husband Sam - I could guess at what kind of a director he was going to be like. And I imagined he was going to be wonderful but I haven`t actually experienced being under his guidance and it was so revealing to me in a really great way. I got to see sides of him that I just had never seen before. And I loved all of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So it didn`t seem to me that the "working together" experiences was what busted thing out. Wendy Walsh, when you hear that, it really does go to show that we never really know what is going on in a marriage, do we?
WALSH: Well, I think, A.J., she was probably defending from feelings of loss that were coming up. And also, I`m not at all surprised that a second marriage breaks up. You know, first marriages have a divorce rate of just over 50 percent. Second divorces, depending on which study you look at, up to 80 percent.
Once someone has survived a divorce once, it`s much easier to get divorced again. The Oscar doesn`t hurt. That`s a lot of power and privilege and a lot of sense of entitlement.
And then you look at what you`ve got at home and you`re like, "Why do I have to take this?" So yes, it all adds up to what we`re seeing.
HAMMER: Let`s get back to that then, because just a few weeks after the Globes, Kate, as we have been talking about, won the Best Actress Oscar for another movie, "The Reader," thus the legend of the Oscar curse.
Watch this little data we put together for you. 2002 - Halle Berry named best actress for "Monster`s Ball" and later split up from her hubby, Eric Benet. 2005 - Hillary Swank named best actress for "Million Dollar Baby." Within a year, she announces that she and Chad Lowe are divorcing.
Then, next year, 2006, Reese Witherspoon wins for "Walk the Line," later ends her marriage to Ryan Phillippe. And then, in 2009, Kate wins for "The Reader." Now, she`s getting divorced from Sam Mendes. Megan, curse of the Oscars?
ALEXANDER: I don`t think so much a curse as well as just a major factor in a relationship. A.J., anytime you get a big promotion, one part of the couple gets a big promotion, a big job, it`s going to shift the dynamic.
And I think in the case of these ladies - these are now strong, powerful ladies. They get tons of attention, tons of opportunities when they win that Oscar.
And in Hollywood, where egos are already very inflated and also very sensitive, I think that makes it difficult for the man to see where is his place, especially for a man to be able to relate to a powerful woman. Again, every story is different, but that could be a factor.
HAMMER: Yes. Factor, coincidence - I don`t know. It was just too much staring us right in the face. Hard to ignore.
All right. We`ve got to move on to Jessica Simpson`s news. The ratings just in today for Jessica`s new show, "The Price of Beauty." It`s a great show. It debuted Monday.
But the ratings are less than overwhelming. A million people watched the debut. Now, VH1 says another half million watched the repeat that night. And VH1 told us they`re pleased.
But Megan, back to you. A lot of TV experts said today, you know, considering how much publicity Jessica did for this - she was everywhere including right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. She should be disappointed.
ALEXANDER: I think so. I think it takes a while sometimes for a show to get off the ground. I will say that. Viewers hang in there. I think the concept of the show is still very powerful.
I think it`s a different side of Jessica that we don`t normally see. And that may take some adjusting for some people, A.J.
HAMMER: Yes.
ALEXANDER: I certainly like the show better than some of other reality shows on the menu. So viewers, hang in there.
HAMMER: Well, we have been rooting for her. But I`m sorry to say, we have some other news for Jessica Simpson she may not like.
We`ve got results in late today for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll pitting her against Jennifer Aniston. Here`s exactly what we asked - "Jennifer Aniston versus Jessica Simpson: Who fascinates you more?"
I was shocked by this. Seventy-four percent are fascinated with Jennifer Aniston. Only 26 percent said Jessica Simpson. Wendy Walsh, were you as surprised as I was that it`s so one-sided.
WALSH: I wasn`t surprised at all because watching a powerful woman coming of age in her 40s and really start to be effective and powerful is far more interesting than watching a little girl grow up.
HAMMER: OK.
WALSH: By the way, I think Jessica`s show was a little bit too smart for Vh1. Maybe that`s the problem.
HAMMER: Maybe that is. I appreciate your insight tonight. Wendy Walsh, Megan Alexander, thank you, both.
All right. Moving on, Kate Gosselin getting all set for her big debut on "Dancing with the Stars." But is her head getting too big for the ballroom floor?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: How do you feel when you read that stuff that you`re a big diva or nobody likes you over there and all that stuff?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, the bombshell reports that say Kate is snubbing the other stars on the show. So is Kate a dancing diva? What is Kate saying about all of this today. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
TEXT: It`s the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" now - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Facebook surpasses Google in weekly U.S. hits for the first time ever. Corey Feldman gets new tattoo in honor of his best friend, Corey Haim.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, an ode to David Beckham. No, this is not a joke. A British poet actually was inspired after soccer sensation David Beckham seriously injured his Achilles tendon in a game on Sunday. Carol Ann Duffy compares Beckham to an ancient Greek war hero in a poem called "Achilles" for David Beckham. Should I do an interpretive reading, Jay? OK. Here we go.
"With an athlete`s build, a sword and shield, he followed him to the battlefield. The crowds roar and it was sport, not war, his charmed foot on the ball. But then his heel, his heel, his heel."
Thank you. Thank you. Now, Duffy says Beckham`s life has the triumph and tragedy of a Greek myth.
OK. Tonight, Kate Gosselin, a dancing diva? Yes, the reality show mother of eight is reportedly a nightmare on the set of "Dancing with the Stars." The brand-new reports say Kate`s been a big-time diva right there on the set, turning her nose up at all the other stars and the crew and I take offense to that.
Kate`s not exactly happy about these reports. On "The View" today, HLN`s own Joy Behar had to ask Kate about all the diva talk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: How do you feel when you read that stuff that you`re a big diva and nobody likes you over there and all that stuff?
KATE GOSSELIN, REALITY TV STAR: It`s no different than what I`ve been facing for the last year. I feel like it`s unfair. If you meet me, not the tabloid me, not anything else, you will realize that I`m just like moms everywhere working. And I`ve had a great time with the whole cast. And so it`s untrue, unfounded, ridiculous.
And I typically - I mean, unfortunately, people will read this and believe it. I typically like to look at it and just laugh because I can`t change it. I don`t let it bother me. I`m too busy working, focusing on my kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Kate says the diva rumors not true. But when she was asked where her ex-husband Jon has been while she`s been doing all this dancing, Kate was suddenly at a loss for words.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOSSELIN: I made a dancing schedule. A lot of times, I`m dancing before they`re up in the morning or after they`re in bed or while they`re in school.
SHEPHERD: Is your husband helping you out at all? Is that his name - Jon?
GOSSELIN: Did you say my husband?
SHEPHERD: You guys - excuse me. Your ex-husband. Is he helping you out?
GOSSELIN: He was there. He was at our house for a week during the time I was in L.A. And you know, he`s there when he`s there, and (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
SHEPHERD: You`re very nice. You`re very gracious.
BEHAR: But financially, does he help you?
SHEPHERD: He`s there when he`s there.
GOSSELIN: We`re here talking about "Dancing with the Stars."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Diplomacy - I`ve got to hand it to Kate. She certainly knows how to answer or not answer those personal questions keeping a smile on her face.
That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern here on HLN.
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