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Showbiz Tonight

Inside Sandra Bullock`s Heartache; Rosie O`Donnell and "The View" Smackdown; Tough Pill to Swallow for Dr. Phil; Oprah Settles Lawsuit

Aired March 24, 2010 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - brand- new revelations inside Sandra Bullock`s heartache. New details about how Sandra may have found out her husband allegedly slept with a tattooed stripper and how she could have been so duped.

But, wait, there`s more. Why there could be more possible mistresses coming out of the woodwork. Will Sandra become the victim of the Tiger Woods effect?

The brand-new, take-no-prisoners Rosie "View" smackdown. The startling news that Rosie could be taking over for Oprah. But "The View" could also be taking over for Oprah. The explosive battle today. It`s Rosie versus the show that she left in an uproar and it isn`t pretty.

A tough pill to swallow today for Dr. Phil. Why a judge in a criminal case just called Dr. Phil a terrible, terrible man, a charlatan. What`s that about?

ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today. Inside Sandra`s personal heartbreak.

HAMMER: There were disturbing new revelations today about the personal pain Sandra Bullock is going through over her husband`s alleged cheating with a tattooed stripper. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got a first look at brand-new information in the upcoming issue of "People" magazine, and it is truly troubling.

How did Sandra find out that her husband may have been sneaking around her back? How could she have been duped? What happens to her stepkids? And is the worse yet to come for Sandra? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with all of today`s late-breaking developments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): The headlines are almost riding themselves. News that "Blind Side" star, Sandra Bullock, found out her husband, Jesse James, reportedly cheated on her, has unleashed a string of blindsided references.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was totally blindsided by this.

HAMMER: Though "Bullock blindsided" may make for a jazzy headline, we`re learning today it`s also not far from the truth.

DAVID CAPLAN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Sandra was completely taken by surprise by these allegations.

HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you an early peek at the new "People" magazine out Friday. It has shocking inside details about Sandra Bullock`s marriage crisis.

CAPLAN: She was just completely devastated.

HAMMER: "People`s" David Caplan tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Bullock found out about her husband`s alleged affair with stripper Michelle "Bombshell" McGee only hours before the rest of the world did.

CAPLAN: Sandra found out on Monday, March 15th, when the magazine that broke story initially contacted here. She immediately confronted Jesse James. And then, shortly afterwards, she grabbed her stuff and she left the family home.

HAMMER: Bullock has not been seen in public since she learned of her husband`s alleged betrayal. A friend of hers tells "People," quote, "Her life, as she knew it, changed last Monday, March 15th, when information was brought to her that took away her faith in what had been her home for the past 6 1/2 years." Her family was everything to her.

CAPLAN: A friend of Sandra tells "People" that Sandra is really essentially grieving from this loss of the marriage essentially and that she`s really just trying to collect herself and make sense of everything that has happened right now.

HAMMER: When Sandra Bullock and Jesse James got married in 2005m they seemed like the oddest of the Hollywood odd couples.

CAPLAN: She was this glamorous movie actress while Jesse James has this bad boy reputation. He`s this big, hulky tattooed guy. However, what drew Sandra to Jesse was the fact that he was different.

He sort of was outside the Hollywood bubble. He was sort of a guy`s guy. And for Sandra, that was really refreshing.

HAMMER: But friends tell "People," James was hiding another side of himself from Bullock. A friend of the couple tells "People," quote, "Jesse is such a chameleon. I can see how Sandy could get duped and think he is the greatest guy on earth because Jesse can be that guy when he wants to."

CAPLAN: A source tells "People" that they actually thought Jesse sometimes was almost playacting in his marriage to Sandra.

HAMMER: "People`s" David Caplan tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that kind of duplicity may have been the foundation of James` alleged cheating.

CAPLAN: A source tells "People" that Jesse hung out with some people, women in particular, that Sandra may not have approved of. But Sandra was very trusting of Jesse during their marriage and she never really thought anything would come of it.

SANDRA BULLOCK, ACTRESS: All I had was work before. That was my family, until I had a family. And I realized work became number two.

HAMMER: Just last month, Sandra told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson that her career as a Hollywood superstar was taking a backseat to being a wife and mother to Jesse`s children from previous marriages.

BULLOCK: I became very selective about what took me away from the thing that was my priority.

CAPLAN: When she got with Jesse, she really put a lot more emphasis in her life towards family. She even said that she expected to be married for a really long time.

HAMMER: Jesse James hasn`t exactly admitted an affair but has publicly apologized for the embarrassment his, quote, "poor judgment has brought Bullock and his kids." And "People" reports he`s devastated.

CAPLAN: Jesse is really hoping to salvage the marriage.

HAMMER: No one knows if that will be possible. Bullock`s reps say she`s not interviewing divorce attorneys despite reports that she is. The only thing known for sure say her friends that Sandra Bullock will survive this crisis.

CAPLAN: Friends of Sandra tell "People" that they really do expect Sandra will eventually recover from this, that she`s a strong person, and that she really will be able to weather the storm.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Sandra may weather the storm. But the big question remains today, will her marriage? Joining me today in New York, Robi Ludwig, who is a psychotherapist. And in Hollywood, Leslie Marshall with "The Leslie Marshall Radio Show."

Robi, Leslie, one of the things that really struck me was how completely blindsided Sandra was from Jesse`s alleged affair. It`s not hard to believe what "People" magazine`s sources say, that Sandra totally trusted Jesse to be faithful.

I mean, come on. She waited so long to even get married, waited to find the right person for her. Robi, will Sandra ever be able to love again, be able to trust again, after such a hard fall?

LUDWIG: Well, I mean, listen, it`s obviously going to be much more difficult for her to trust because she experienced this kind of trauma. Will she be able to trust Jesse? It would take a long time.

And after an affair, the trust is never the same as it was prior to the affair being found out. So it almost breaks the naivete of the relationship.

ANDERSON: Yes. Well, Jesse is hoping to get a second chance. He wants to salvage the marriage. "People" magazine reports today that he`s not hiding from the fact that, yes, he`s made some big mistakes and that he will do whatever it takes to get Sandra back.

Leslie, do you think that there`s anything he could do to win her back? Where would it even start?

LESLIE MARSHALL, HOST, "THE LESLIE MARSHALL SHOW": Well, you know, I know some couples that have gone through this and they get stronger after.

I think it really depends on not only how much Sandra loves him but how much she can trust him again because this is the ultimate betrayal. Any man or women knows that that`s been through it. And of course, there are the kids.

If she really feels the kids belong with him, it`s going to help him and the children to have that win in a custody battle if she remains with him. So I think she`s probably going to look at the kids first and then herself when she makes this decision.

ANDERSON: Well, speaking about the children, Sandra has been very open about how much she does love Jesse James` kids and how much his kids love her.

Robi, this has to be a double heartache for Sandra. Leaving Jesse and her stepchildren, her stepchildren whom she adores.

LUDWIG: It would be the loss of an entire family which makes this extremely hard. But what we do know is that couples don`t stay together because they have children together. And they don`t stay together because they have stepkids together. And there`s all different kinds of ways to remain in a child`s life. So, yes, she will consider --

ANDERSON: Really? Because you do hear a lot of couples who say, "Let`s stick it out for the sake of the kids until they get a little bit older." No?

LUDWIG: Well, but there are couples that say, "You know, I`m not going to live a lie," or "I`m not going to be miserable just because of my children."

I think people make all kinds of decisions and even the people who say that they are staying because of the kids. I don`t know if that`s the only reason why they are really staying. They could be saying that --

ANDERSON: Yes. She`s no doubt been a devoted stepmother, as we know, to Jesse`s kids. She has fought vehemently to help him gain full custody of his daughter, Sunny.

But, Leslie, if Sandra and Jesse do get a divorce, would it surprise you if Sandra actually fought for visitation with the children?

MARSHALL: It wouldn`t, because she just seemed like a fighter. I don`t know her personally, you know. But from what she seems - somebody who says that they love those kids and has had the role of being a mom, which, Brooke, as you know, they have you at hello before they can say hello.

And these kids can say hello. So certainly, you know, I think, you know, that she might fight because the kids love her and she loves them. But because she hasn`t seen a divorce attorney yet, I don`t know that they will be in different homes for visitation.

LUDWIG: And also, why would there be an assumption that she would have to fight for custody? It could be that Jesse would want Sandra to have a very important role in his children`s lives, whether they stay married or not.

ANDERSON: Yes. To get visitation, she would need a biological parent`s consent. And I don`t know why Jesse wouldn`t give that. All of this is his fault. Sandra - those children, don`t need to suffer any more than they have.

But if that were to be the case in the future, Robi, what kind of dynamic would that make for this fractured family trying to hold it together in a way?

LUDWIG: You mean if they decide to stay together for the kids or if they separate? What would happen?

ANDERSON: Or if they divorced since she had access, had visitation and still had to confront Jesse regularly?

LUDWIG: They would go through mediation. Listen, couples do it all the time with biological children.

ANDERSON: Yes.

LUDWIG: You find a way to put the children first. You find a way to deal with your feelings separately.

ANDERSON: Put their best interests at heart. No doubt. They are the priority. Well, another big question today - could Sandra be bracing herself for even more bad news?

Yes. Could there be more Jesse James` mistresses who are about to come forward? It`s the Tiger Woods effect. Robi, Leslie, don`t go anywhere. We`re going to get to that in just a moment.

HAMMER: Wow. Did Dr. Phil get slammed or what? You`ve got to hear this one. Why a judge in a criminal case just reportedly called Dr. Phil a terrible, terrible man, a charlatan. What the heck is that about? This is a pretty tough pill to swallow for Dr. Phil today.

All right. So you remember the whole Rosie O`Donnell and Barbara Walters mess after Rosie left "The View?" Well, Rosie and Babs - they`re at it again. Yes. It`s a brand-new, take-no-prisoners Rosie "View" smackdown. Rosie could be taking over for Oprah but "The View" could also be taking over for Oprah. Oh, boy.

And five, six, seven, eight --

CREW: Schlemiel! Schlimazel!

HAMMER: Yes. Jamie Foxx incorporated? Jamie bringing "Laverne and Shirley" to the big screen? Huh?

And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.

TEXT: "Two and a Half Men" to air two fewer episodes due to Charlie Sheen`s rehab stint. "Wife Swap" participant suing show producers for $100 million, says she was hurt by show.

ANDERSON: I`m eager to tell you that beginning this coming Monday, March 29th, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be live every day, 5:00 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday. And every night, we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: We welcome back you back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with A.J. Hammer in New York.

HAMMER: Well, Brooke, say bye-bye to "Scrubs." Paula Abdul may be saying hello to the mob. And Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Is there a foxy new "Laverne and Shirley" coming our way? We`re going to make your dreams come true in the buzz today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Jamie Foxx bringing back "Laverne and Shirley?" What`s that about? Well, "TV Guide" reports the Oscar winner is working on a script to turn the classic `70s sitcom into a major movie.

"Laverne and Shirley" creator Gary Marshall is co-writing the script and says "Laverne Shirley" would be tougher ladies in the film, including Laverne getting a big letter L tattooed on her arm. Marshall says Jennifer Garner might play Laverne and Jessica Biel, Shirley.

Scrubs gets scrubbed. Zack Braff who starred on "Scrubs" since the beginning writes on his Facebook page the end is near after nine seasons. "Scrubs" moved from NBC to ABC and added new cast members but the ratings did not hold up.

Braff writes, "`Scrubs without J.D.` is no more. It was worth a try but alas, it didn`t work."

Dancing with Paula Abdul. "Entertainment Weekly" has just reported that Abdul might star in a new reality dance show on NBC centering around so-called "flash mobs." The report says Abdul would choreograph dances for flash mobs that show up out of nowhere in public locations. "EW" says the folks behind "The Biggest Loser" are working on the show.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: Could a reality dance show bring Paula Abdul back to TV or will she still hold out for Simon Cowell`s new show, "The X Factor?"

With me right now in New York is Lauren Lake who is an attorney and author of the fine book, "Girl, Let Me Tell You."

Lauren, let`s talk Paula Abdul. First, we heard that she was going to get involved and be a part of the new "Star Search" which was coming. Well, that didn`t pan out.

Now, there`s talk about Paula getting involved in this show involving flash mobs. I think Paula is a great dancer. Obviously, she`s made it as a choreographer in her life. And I happen to love the flash mobs. I think they are really cool when they do those. Do you think this is a good idea? Because it sounds like a good idea in theory. Should it be her gig?

LAUREN LAKE, ATTORNEY: You`re exactly right. It`s a good idea in theory but will it pan out? Because she needs a bombshell. She needs a great show. She can`t come out with all of this hype and then have a flop.

HAMMER: Yes.

LAKE: Now, the flash mob could be trendy. It could be cool. But it`s got to be done right or it`s going to be a hot mess.

HAMMER: I think you said it right. Expectations are very high for her to come out with something huge which brings us to the idea that she was in talks apparently with Simon Cowell for his "X Factor" show when he brings it here in the United States.

Now, let`s flesh that out. Simon Cowell has had success with that in the U.K. I`m loving the idea. I`ve seen these two working together. So if I`m Paula Abdul, I think I`m hanging out for that thing to come together.

LAKE: I`m with you. That was some of the best TV chemistry we have seen. It was just a train wreck every night. He didn`t know if he loved her or if she annoyed the living heck out of him.

HAMMER: Yes.

LAKE: And we loved to watch it. I don`t know, but Paula, I would maybe stick with Simon.

HAMMER: Yes. I think that would be a great opportunity. All right. Let`s move on to Jamie Foxx who may be putting a modern twist on "Laverne and Shirley" for the big screen. And that`s show - look, we loved watching it.

LAKE: Yes.

HAMMER: I loved it. I have to tell you I heard the idea that Jamie Foxx was behind this. I was sort of scratching my head and having a hard time with it. Could you see a hit version of "Laverne and Shirley" coming to the big screen?

LAKE: Absolutely. My name is Lauren Lake. I`m still wearing L on everything. I love "Laverne and Shirley," never missed it as a kid. And I think that Jamie Foxx is a comedic genius and an entertainer extraordinaire with Gary Marshall on board.

HAMMER: And I love Gary Marshall. But the idea of the messing with the formula and toughening up the ladies, I don`t know about that.

LAKE: No. It could be fun.

HAMMER: All right.

LAKE: It could be fun.

HAMMER: It`s a wait-and-see deal. Lauren Lake, it is always good to see you.

LAKE: And you, too.

ANDERSON: Hey, if Jesse James really cheated on Sandra Bullock, what a jerk. But there could be even more bad news for Sandra today. More mistresses may come forward. Sounds familiar, right? Will Sandra become the victim of the Tiger Woods effect?

A tough pill to swallow today for Dr. Phil. Why a judge in a criminal just reportedly called Dr. Phil a terrible, terrible man, a charlatan? What`s that about?

And wait until you see this. It is Jon Gosselin like you`ve never seen him before. In fact, I can tell you that Jon Gosselin has never seen himself like this before. Is there a Jon Gosselin imposter?

HAMMER: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.

TEXT: "Twilight: New Moon" sells more than four million DVDs in its first weekend out. ABC`s "Castle" draws nearly 13 million viewers on Monday, its best ratings ever.

HAMMER: I am so excited to tell you that beginning this coming Monday, March 29th - mark it down because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to be live every day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. That`s Monday through Friday. And every night, we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Now, the stars that keep getting hotter as they get older. Let me tell you, these ladies look amazing and I think they can definitely hold their own against any 20 or 30 something.

Here`s some of "More" magazine` brand-new list of stars who are 40 something and fabulous. Jennifer Lopez, Marisa Tomei, Queen Latifah, Sheryl Crow, Cate Blanchett and Sandra Bullock.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN SWIMMER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "MORE" MAGAZINE: Sandra Bullock looks more beautiful today than she`s ever in her life, because Sandra Bullock - Sandra Bullock is one of these women who - she stayed out of the sun. She`s taken care of herself. She`s amassed this great body of work. She`s a down-to-earth person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Yes, she is. Jesse James, are you listening? It looks like you`ve made a whopper of a mistake. And to see more of "More" magazine`s "Stars Who Keep Getting Hotter," pick up a copy of the April issue of "More" magazine on newsstands today.

HAMMER: Well, Brooke, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall is still being flooded today with posts about the Sandra Bullock cheating scandal.

Let me get to a couple. Sue F. writing, "Seriously, is no one safe from this crap? If these beautiful, successful women are getting cheated on, makes me worried for the rest of us. Too bad, they seemed so happy together."

Juliet T. thinks Jesse James is definitely no Romeo, "Jesse James is an ass because Sandra seems like such a wonderful woman and she also has been helping to raise his kids. Sandra doesn`t deserve any of this."

Sandy K. adds, "I feel so sorry for Sandra Bullock. She has always been my favorite actress. I hate this for her, but she deserves privacy to work this out on her own."

ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., we`ve got Facebook. We`ve got Twitter, E-mail, and now there`s a new way that people can connect with us. This is really cool.

Today, we`re launching SHOWBIZ I-Report. Are you fired up about something you saw on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT? Then grab your camcorder, web cam or cell phone cam and make a video. Then head over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Just send us your I-Report. We will put some of them on the show.

HAMMER: Pretty, pretty cool. And now the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here is what is coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

Wow, a tough pill to swallow today for Dr. Phil. Why a judge in a criminal case reportedly called Dr. Phil a terrible, terrible man and a charlatan.

Big news today about that Oprah lawsuit related to a sex scandal at Oprah`s South African school for girls.

HAMMER: And a brand new battle today over who is going to take over for Oprah. Rosie, "The View," I`m telling you, this isn`t going to be pretty.

And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.

TEXT: Jerry Springer to host dating game series on GSN called "Baggage." "Til Death" is dead! Brad Garrett`s Fox sitcom has been canceled.

ANDERSON: Listen up. Again, beginning this coming Monday, March 29th, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be live every day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday. And every night, we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Dr. Phil`s explosive new court drama. Why a judge reportedly called Dr. Phil a terrible, terrible man and a charlatan. Is Dr. Phil in hot water today?

Inside Sandra Bullock`s heartache. Brand-new revelations today on her husband`s cheating scandal. Could more women be coming out of the woodwork claiming they also had affairs with Jesse James? Should Sandra brace herself for the Tiger Woods effect?

The brand-new war today between Rosie and "The View." Today, the surprising new twist to their feud. And, yes, you know it, Rosie is ready to rumble.

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 coming to you from New York City.

ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Big breaks news today in the Dr. Phil shoplifting drama.

HAMMER: Yes. A San Diego judge is slamming the TV host today and calling Dr. Phil a charlatan for featuring a shoplifting family on his talk show.

Now, get this - Dr. Phil not only featured the pair of thieves, but he also gave them the opportunity to actually brag on his TV show all about the dubious tricks of their trade including how they use their kids as a cover-up.

Also breaking today, Oprah Winfrey settles out of court. The queen of talk won`t be talking to any judge now that she and the former head of her girls` school in South Africa have settled their lawsuit.

And today, Rosie O`Donnell is telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exactly how she feels about the idea of filling Oprah`s shoes. You are not going to believe what Rosie told us.

Right now, in New York, Lauren Lake is an attorney and an author of "Girl, Let Me Tell You." From Atlanta, Ryan Smith who is a host with "In Session."

OK. I`ve got to begin with this brand-new smackdown today by a San Diego judge to Dr. Phil McGraw after Dr. Phil, for some reason, featured a shoplifting couple who bragged about how they used their kids to help steal from stores. You`ve got to watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When my kids were in the car seats, we would stuff things in the car seats. We go into stores and fill our diaper bags with stuff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sometimes we just kind of go in together as a nice little family to make it seem like we`re normal people and we don`t look like the kind of people that steal. We have our kids with us. And they usually always buy it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Yes. OK, that`s nice. Well, the couple was sentenced by the judge who not only put them in the slammer but also took time to slam Dr. Phil for even having them on his show in the first place.

During their sentencing, she reportedly called Dr. Phil a, quote, "terrible, terrible man and a charlatan." Now, Lauren, it does seem to me that by having these criminals on his show, Dr. Phil was glorifying what they did in some way. Was the judge out of line for what she said?

LAKE: I would have been surprised had I been in that courtroom as a lawyer or heard her go off on Dr. Phil in that way. The only bad, bad people are the people that you are sentencing at that time. And I think she needed to make example of them.

HAMMER: True.

LAKE: The Dr. Phil thing - she obviously did think that Dr. Phil was glorifying their actions. However, Dr. Phil will probably have a different story and say he was simply illuminating something that is going on that could potentially help merchants.

HAMMER: Well, we wanted to know exactly what Dr. Phil`s story was. And Dr. Phil`s reps tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they are not able to comment on the case.

Ryan, out to you. Do you think Dr. Phil was out of line for even inviting them on to his show in the first place?

RYAN SMITH, HOST, "IN SESSION": Well, I think it`s borderline irresponsible. And I`m not surprised that the judge said something. Because you know what? Judges sometimes say the craziest things.

And she wanted to make a point. So she said, you know, "How could you have a show like this, do one episode with them and try to get them to change their behavior?" Obviously, they didn`t, found with 500 boxes of stolen goods. I mean, that`s just unbelievable. But he didn`t really help them and that`s the problem.

HAMMER: And it`s not exactly good press for Dr. Phil even though some people would say any press is good press. Brooke Anderson, what do you think about the judge calling out Dr. Phil a charlatan, for goodness` sake?

ANDERSON: Well, it is strong to call him a charlatan. But if anybody knows about strong criticism, it`s Dr. Phil. He spoons out that tough medicine on his show every single day, A.J.

So I`m sure he was a little bit stunned but he`s a big boy. He can take it. And to Lauren`s point, he may have been thinking that he was alerting retailers or merchants or helping people in some way to find out the secrets of how these sorts of things happens.

But it`s hard to hear people talking about how they make bombs. No, it`s not a good idea. There are unstable people maybe plotting their own crime. It`s not a good idea to highlight this sort of thing.

HAMMER: Always seems a little strange to me when this goes on. All right. Let`s move on now to the court drama that did not happen. Oprah Winfrey has settled her defamation lawsuit with the former headmistress of Oprah`s girls` school in South Africa.

Now, the former headmistress accused Oprah of defaming her after the abuse scandal at the school. Winfrey`s attorney told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Oprah met with the former headmistress without attorneys present. They resolved the dispute peacefully.

But Lauren, doesn`t the fact that Oprah settled things out of court sort beef up speculation that maybe she did do something wrong and maybe was admitting it?

LAKE: Settlements always do that because people love to think, "Oh, they settled because they knew that they were going to lose."

But sometimes, from a legal perspective, people settle because they just want it to go away. They don`t want to deal with it. They don`t want the publicity. And Oprah, for goodness` sake, we would have been following every single aspect, word, minute of this trial.

HAMMER: Yes. Listen, I smell speculation running rampant. Where is Oprah going to stay? What`s she going to order for dinner? It was all out there.

LAKE: Right.

HAMMER: Ryan Smith, let me go out to you, because before this settled, you told me right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, you thought that Oprah was going to see this case through to protect her good name. So are you surprised that Oprah settled?

SMITH: I am a little bit. In a way, I thought if they really wanted to push this and really ask for a lot of money, then, it could go through.

But in this case, I think the woman came to her senses. She actually admitted in a statement that there was no evidence that Oprah was trying to slam her in this way. So in that sense, I can understand the settlement.

But I thought if she was really willing to press it, because Oprah has a lot of money, that you might see it through.

HAMMER: Yes. But you can`t have a bigger team of lawyers than Oprah Winfrey. I don`t think anybody in the planet could.

All right. Let`s move on now to Rosie O`Donnell`s brand-new revelation late today to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, confirming - yes, she is confirming to us - she is shopping a new talk show in hopes of filling Oprah`s shoes.

Listen to what Rosie O`Donnell is telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "I want to build on what Oprah began and excelled at for 25 years in my own style and with new adaptations and ideas. I would like this show to make a difference in viewer`s lives, to be real, uplifting, authentic and focus on life, love and laughter."

I mean, listen, I think it`s going to be tough for anyone to follow Oprah. Rosie, in fact, has said herself she doesn`t think that she can fill Oprah`s shoes. But, Lauren, do you think Rosie stands a chance of succeeding at least picking up where Oprah leaves off?

LAKE: People love Rosie O`Donnell. She still has a really big following. And she can be a formidable, viable television talk show host. Why she has to say that she`s going to take off where Oprah left off - just start your own new thing, Rosie. You know, don`t try to come behind Oprah, because, really, nobody can.

HAMMER: And really, Rosie is recognizing, again, that she can`t necessarily fill her shoes. But she also recognizes she has changed a lot in the eight years that she has been off of TV and that things have changed quite a bit.

All right. Well, I`ve got to show you the shockingly lopsided results to our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll. We asked in our question of the day if Rosie could fill Oprah`s shoes. A whopping 92 percent said no. Only eight percent said yes.

Ryan, out to you, why do you think it was so lopsided? I expected, you know, more people to say no than yes. But wow.

SMITH: Because Rosie a bull in a china shop, A.J. She always has been and she always will be. Now, Rosie - look, she`s great on TV. She`s a great host. But there`s a difference between being sensitive and open-minded.

Oprah is very much that way. Rosie is a great person at connecting with people. But she`s also hard core. Rosie does what she wants to do and that`s not necessarily Oprah.

So I don`t think she`s necessarily going to follow in her shoes. I think she`s got to create her own thing, just as Lauren said. Otherwise, it`s not going to work.

HAMMER: The comments were coming fast and furious on our Facebook. We`re getting E-mails about this. People really don`t see this at all. The bull in the china shop is actually a pretty good metaphor.

LAKE: Well, I`m not going to call another woman a bull sitting here six months pregnant feeling very, very large. So Ryan, I`m mad at you for that.

LAKE: Lauren, forgive me.

HAMMER: All right. Well, who could possibly forget that big war between Rosie and "The View?"

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROSIE O`DONNELL, FORMER CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I asked you if you believed what I though --

ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You answered your own question. I don`t believe that your suggestion was right.

O`DONNELL: Elisabeth (INAUDIBLE) since September?

HASSELBECK: Yes.

O`DONNELL: I have told you that I support the troops.

HASSELBECK: I have done the same for you.

O`DONNELL: I asked you if you believed that the Republican pundits were saying.

HASSELBECK: Did you say that?

O`DONNELL: You said nothing and that`s cowardly.

HASSELBECK: No, no, no. No, no, no.

O`DONNELL: Nothing.

HASSELBECK: Do not call me a coward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Ah, good times, huh? How could this possibly factor into the brand-new war between Rosie and the ladies of "The View" as they duke it out over replacing Oprah. Lauren Lake and Ryan Smith, thanks, guys.

ANDERSON: This Jesse James-Sandra Bullock alleged cheating scandal has been making my head spin, making my stomach churn. And today, there are new reasons to hold on to my hat.

Could Sandra be bracing herself for the Tiger Woods effect? Mistresses coming up from here, there and everywhere, just piling on to Sandra`s misery? We`ve got new evidence today that the worst could be yet to come. Let`s call it the Tiger Woods effect.

Plus, there`s some Jon Gosselin drama that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovered today that is quite possibly the most disturbing thing that I`ve seen in a long while. When you see it, you won`t know whether to laugh or to cry. You`ve just got to see this.

HAMMER: Now, it`s time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.

TEXT: Fmr. Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden arrested on DUI charges, a child was in the car. MTV`s "Jersey Shore" cast to pen book, "Never Fall in Love at the Jersey Shore."

HAMMER: I am thrilled to tell you that beginning this coming Monday, March 29th, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be live - live I tell you. And it`s going to every day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday.

And every night, please keep in mind we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Brooke, is there really more bad news for Sandra Bullock?

ANDERSON: A.J., sadly, yes. Today, there are explosive new revelations that could blow her husband`s cheating scandal sky high. New reports today say more women plan to come forward to claim affairs with Jesse James. So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask, should Sandra be bracing herself for what could be the Tiger Woods effect?

And a brand-new war ignites between Rosie O`Donnell and the ladies of "The View" over Oprah. But who will win the daytime showdown at the Oprah corral? Only the (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

Joining me right now in Hollywood is Carlos Diaz who is a correspondent for "Extra." In New York, Robi Ludwig who is a psychotherapist and contributor to "Care.com."

Carlos, Robi, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got an advanced copy of "People" magazine today. And in this issue, the explosive report that more women are ready to claim publicly that they had affairs with Sandra`s husband, Jesse James.

Let`s face it. I think there are women out there who will say anything for money, for fame. But Carlos, should Sandra brace herself for what we, at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, are calling the Tiger Woods effect?

CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": OMG, the TWE, if you will. Yes, I mean, seriously, you know, that`s the new thing. Once you have one person come forward, other women come forward for a variety of reasons whether it`s monetary - they figure they can get paid by the tabloids.

Or you know, they find strength in numbers. But, yes. I mean, there`s a new girl today, Melissa Smith, who claims that she had a 2 1/2 year relationship with Jesse James. They had unprotected sex, that he was texting her and she has the texts to prove it.

That`s a new thing, too, by the way. Text messages, you know, is seen as proof of a relationship. I mean, the bottom line is, it`s a really tough time to be a guy right now.

ANDERSON: Yes, and it`s really devastating for Sandra Bullock. And I think this really may be the start of an avalanche of allegations against Sandra`s husband.

Remember, Tiger`s alleged mistresses were everywhere. They were on television. They were on magazines. They were on radio. Still are - everywhere I turn. I can`t get away from them.

Sandra is already dealing with tremendous heartache here. Robi, could this get any worse emotionally for Sandra Bullock if there are more women? Or is pain just pain just pain no matter if there`s one affair or 10 affairs?

LUDWIG: Listen, it`s not going to be easy either way. But certainly, the more women that come out, the more difficult it is. And one of the things these ladies have to deal with now is actually seeing who these women are, reading about them, hearing about the text.

It`s not just hearing, "Oh, you know, my husband had an affair." But it`s almost knowing too many details. There aren`t any boundaries anymore. So that makes this whole scenario far more hurtful.

ANDERSON: Oh, I hope Sandra is just isolated from it all although I know that would be very, very difficult. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

I`ve got to move on now to the brand-new war breaking out today between Rosie O`Donnell and the ladies of "The View." Today, Rosie confirmed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that, yes, she`s developing a daytime talk show and she has suggested that she wants Oprah`s timeslot. The drama? Barbara Walters and "The View" reportedly want Oprah`s timeslot, too. Well, how could we forget the last time Rosie butted heads with the ladies of "The View?" Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O`DONNELL: Do you believe that I think our troops are terrorists.

HASSELBECK: I --

O`DONNELL: And you would not even look me in the face, Elisabeth and say, "No, Rosie."

HASSELBECK: What are you talking about?

O`DONNELL: I can understand how people may have thought that. Why don`t you take this opportunity like I`m six?

HASSELBECK: Because you are an adult.

O`DONNELL: And so are you.

HASSELBECK: And I`m certainly not going to be the person for you to explain your thoughts. They`re your thoughts. Defend your own insinuations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Oh, yes. That was tense. You know, a lot of people might think that Rosie is swooping in to steal Oprah`s timeslot simply because Barbara Walters and "The View" may have shown interest.

I don`t think Rosie is that kind of person, the person would be out to get revenge like that. But Carlos, what do you think? Could this be Rosie`s ultimate revenge?

DIAZ: Rosie, if you`re going to do this, you`d better bring your A game, because, you know what? You step into the ring with Barbara and company and you get knocked down. That could be humiliating unto itself.

The winners here are us. We win because "The View" is going to step up their game. Rosie is going to step up her game. So it`s always great to have competition and I love this.

ANDERSON: Yes, and I think that Rosie is definitely getting a kick out of this friendly competition, probably getting a big chuckle out of it. Barbara Walters - not so sure that she`s feeling the same.

And now, I want to you vote in our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll. We are asking in our question of the day, "Who should replace Oprah - Rosie O`Donnell or "The View?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, the address is showbiztonight@cnn.com. Carlos Diaz, Robi Ludwig, thank you both.

HAMMER: All right. I`ve got to tell there`s some Jon Gosselin drama that`s seriously made me do a double take when I saw this today. It is Jon Gosselin like you`ve never seen him before. For that matter, it`s Jon Gosselin like he`s never seen himself before. You`ve just got to see this.

Let`s roll out the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." These are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.

TEXT: "Real World: San Francisco" star, Puck, injured in car wreck, son also seriously hurt. Nintendo announces new 3-D gaming device, to debut next year.

ANDERSON: Right now, Shannen Doherty`s emotional "Dancing with the Stars" revelation. Shannen has been on Hollywood`s A-list for a long time. But she confesses that "Dancing" has been her biggest challenge as a star yet. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was with Shannen just moments after her big "Dancing" debut.

Shannen couldn`t really hold back the tears when she revealed that she is dancing for her dad. In December, Shannen`s father suffered a stroke. He was right there Monday night to cheer his daughter on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHANNEN DOHERTY, ACTRESS: Couldn`t have meant more to me - my dad, my dad`s reaction, my dad looking at me. You know, I caught his eye throughout my dance a bunch of times. And it`s really emotional, but pretty beautiful and amazing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Aww. That is so sweet. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: I am very excited to tell you that beginning this coming Monday, March 29th, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will do it live every day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday. And every night, yes, we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

Today, a brand-new Jon Gosselin shocker. Yes, the reality dad of eight and alleged womanizer has got an imposter.

All right. Let`s put up the real Jon Gosselin, shall we? Now, "Radar Online" reports there`s a guy hitting all the hotspots in Atlantic city pretending to be Jon Gosselin. So let`s show the fake Jon Gosselin.

Ed hardy t-shirt, check. Cigarette? Check. Hey, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But I`ve just got to say this guy just needs to give it up.

ANDERSON: OK. Well, we still can`t confirm whether Gerard Butler`s reported romance with Jennifer Aniston is real or fake. But did you see this? Things are getting very intimate between Gerard and Ellen DeGeneres.

Gerard told Ellen today that he`s definitely available. Good news for Ellen because she wants to get in his pants. Well, actually, under Gerard`s kilt. Gerard, who is from Scotland, takes pride in wearing traditional kilts. So Ellen gave him one of her own design and a little something to wear underneath.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(APPLAUSE)

ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": Here.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GERARD BUTLER, ACTOR: It`s like the (INAUDIBLE). It`s like the Argentina kilt with your face on it.

DEGENERES: Good. Now, sometimes you don`t wear underwear under things like that, right?

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

BUTLER: That`s right, yes.

DEGENERES: Well, in case, you can put that on under there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: I think Ellen may be on to something there. World domination, one sexy man at a time.

HAMMER: Let`s move on now because, Tuesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day.

ANDERSON: We did. And right now, the shocking final results to our exclusive poll - "Rosie O`Donnell`s New Talk Show: Can she fill Oprah`s shoes?" The overwhelming response from you today, loud and clear, you don`t think Rosie stands a chance. A slim eight percent of you say yes while 92 percent say no.

HAMMER: And Brooke, the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines have been exploding today with people calling in about Rosie`s return to television and if she could possibly replace Oprah. We got this call is from Debbie in Ohio.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

DEBBIE, CALLER IN OHIO: Give me a break. Nobody can replace Oprah. She`s a classy lady and Rosie O`Donnell is nothing - she`s nothing. She is arrogant, deceptive and argumentative. And I don`t think she could ever compete to Oprah. Oprah is the queen of talk and of Rosie.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HAMMER: Thanks, Debbie. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call" to let you know what you think about this or anything else at all.

ANDERSON: The door is always open here at the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines. The number 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899.

HAMMER: And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.

ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson Hollywood. Thanks for watching.

END