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Showbiz Tonight
Sympathy for Jesse James` Mistress?; "American Idol`s" Ratings Down; Kate Gosselin`s Teary-Eyed Breakdown; The Most Provocative Celebrity of the Week
Aired April 16, 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 - sympathy for the mistress? An explosive new interview with the woman who claims she slept with Sandra Bullock`s husband. Michelle "Bombshell" McGee`s outrageous claims today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE "BOMBSHELL" MCGEE, ALLEGED MISTRESS OF JESSE JAMES: I`m not a home wrecker. I did not break up their marriage. Jesse destroyed their marriage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Michelle`s shocking attack on her critics. But wait, there`s more. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks the controversial question. Should we feel sorry for Michelle?
The startling new "Dancing with the Stars" "American Idol" war. "Idol`s" ratings down. Is Kate Gosselin to blame? And unbelievable reports today that Paula may return to "Idol."
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week. Kate Gosselin? Jim Carrey for slamming Tiger Woods` wife? Or Whitney Houston for her comeback concert nightmare?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today - sympathy for the mistress.
HAMMER: Yes. In an explosive new interview airing today, the woman who claims she had an affair with Sandra Bullock`s husband is lashing out at all of her critics.
Michelle "Bombshell" McGee is dropping more than a few bombshells today. She says she`s no home wrecker. She claims that Sandra Bullock`s husband, Jesse James, lied to her by saying that he was separated.
Well, McGee has choice words for Jesse about their alleged affair. And now, her words are sparking a fired-up, nationwide debate over this question - should people actually feel sorry for this alleged mistress?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): They`re scorned in the media.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They should be apologizing for their skank behavior.
HAMMER: They are mocked on "Saturday Night Live."
TINA FEY, COMEDIAN: The world has always been full of whores.
HAMMER: And seems the entire country looks down on them. They`re the mistresses, women whose sleazy, sexual encounters with famous married men led to humiliation for the men and scorn for themselves.
JODI MILLER, "JODIMILLERCOMEDY.COM": They`re just open targets.
HAMMER: Well, enough is enough. Today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you mistresses of America are laying their feelings bare and telling all of America, "We won`t take they ridicule lying down."
MILLER: It`s like the rise of the mistresses.
MCGEE: No, I`m not a home wrecker.
HAMMER: Michelle "Bombshell" McGee, the tattoo-covered stripper who allegedly had an affair with Sandra Bullock`s husband, Jesse James, is giving a brand-new interview to "E! News Online." McGee says when they first hooked up, James led her to believe he and Bullock had separated.
MCGEE: I thought I was dating a separated man. I was a single person dating another single person.
HAMMER: And McGee is sending a message to America, "Don`t blame me for damaging the marriage of America`s sweetheart."
MCGEE: I don`t believe that I destroyed their marriage. Jesse destroyed their marriage. My message to Jesse would be, "Jesse, if you were just honest to me in the beginning, if you were upfront, we wouldn`t be in this position."
HAMMER: Ever since McGee first spilled the beans to "In Touch Weekly" about her alleged affair with Jesse James, she`s been slammed for her background in adult entertainment, for her photo shoots in full Nazi gear and for her head-to-toe tattoos.
FEY: You know, there`s a term for women like Bombshell McGee. They`re called Bombshells McGees.
HAMMER: Last Saturday, Tina Fey ripped McGee apart on "Saturday Night Live."
FEY: I know you shouldn`t judge people based on their appearance. But when your body looks like a dirt bag`s binder from seventh grade metal shop, it doesn`t bode well for your character.
HAMMER: But McGee tells "E! News" the attacks against her are unfair.
MCGEE: It`s hurtful for people to attack me. The media has villainized(ph) me and they have made a character out of me. It`s easy to target a person that looks different than everybody else.
HAMMER: Putting aside her tattoo discrimination claim, McGee does bring up an interesting point - who deserves more of the blame in a cheating scandal, the cheater or the mistress? And do you feel sorry for these mistresses for the bad rap they`ve been getting?
ASHLEY DUPRE, FORMER ESCORT: He is the one that has the contract with the wife, made the commitment, made the vow, like, it`s his responsibility to keep it.
HAMMER: This week, I spoke with Ashley Dupre. She is the former high- priced prostitute whose business transaction with former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer forced him out of office. Dupre told me mistresses often get too much of the blame.
HAMMER: Do you think a woman, though, on the other side of a cheating scandal - the husband cheats with the woman, do you think that woman bears any responsibility? I mean -
DUPRE: Absolutely, they do. But nine times out of 10, it`s the guy that pursues the girl.
MILLER: These women obviously don`t want the bad press. Having said that, they obviously want the press.
HAMMER: Comedian Jodi Miller tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that McGee and these other mistresses are inviting the scorn they`re complaining about.
MILLER: If you don`t want to be an open target, A, don`t sleep with a married man and, B, don`t get on any network that will have you and talk about how you`ve been hurt and you`re the victim. You are just asking for it.
MCGEE: No, I`m not a home wrecker.
HAMMER: But it`s clear she sees things differently. And as we`ve seen in all of the big cheating scandals, one mistress can`t wreck a home all by herself.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: So should we have any sympathy for Michelle "Bombshell" McGee? With me right now in Hollywood, Pat Lalama, who is an investigative journalist. And in New York, Cooper Lawrence, who is a syndicated radio show host and the author of "The Cult of Celebrity."
OK. Ladies, I want you to hear one more time exactly why Michelle "Bombshell" McGee thinks she did nothing wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCGEE: No, I`m not a home wrecker. I did not break up their marriage. I thought I was dating a separated man. I was a single person dating another single person that I thought. So I don`t believe that I destroyed their marriage. Jesse destroyed their marriage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. I`m sorry. I hear that and I don`t have any sympathy for her, not one bit. Whether or not she thinks so, I think the girl is a home wrecker. I say have some dignity, have some respect, if not for anybody else, then for yourself. Cooper is there any way you can defend this woman?
COOPER LAWRENCE, SYNDICATED RADIO TALK SHOW HOST AND AUTHOR: Yes. But Brooke, she didn`t think that she was sleeping with a married man. She thought that she was with somebody who was single and she is so stupid she believed it.
You`re not talking about - yes, she`s not one of us, that would Google him or find out. I mean, look at what she does for a living.
Look at what she - I mean, not to judge what she looks like but she`s really dumb so you can convince her of anything. So I believe that she was a girl that was in love with what she thought was a single guy.
ANDERSON: You know, this is the most plausible explanation, Cooper, that I have actually heard in her defense. It was not duplicity on her part. It was stupidity.
LAWRENCE: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: I do think that we don`t need to have a permissive attitude towards mistresses a.k.a. home wreckers. And whether or not you feel sorry for McGee, she lays it on thick, Pat. She is the one who told her story to the tabloids. She`s portraying herself as a victim, but I`m not buying that.
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: I`m only with Cooper on the intelligence thing. I think she`s got the intellectual capacity of an amoeba. And I`m sorry to say that I don`t like to damn other women in any way.
And you want to know something? I don`t care if you are not, you know, informed, intellectual or don`t have a job as a lawyer. OK, you choose what you choose. But her is the thing. She is sleeping with a semi-celebrity who is sleeping with a super-celebrity. Are you telling me that she doesn`t have the capacity to keep tabs on what this guy`s marital status is?
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: Even if he told her they were separated -
(CROSS TALK)
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) is not going to do anything great for their marriage.
LALAMA: She said there were signals that she wanted to go for a ride and he said, "I really can`t do that." She chose to look the other way and she had an agenda, which is to brush elbows with fame and get herself somewhere. And that`s the point of that story.
LAWRENCE: She didn`t have any responsibility to Sandra Bullock. It wasn`t her responsibility. She didn`t marry Sandra Bullock.
LALAMA: Yes, she does.
LAWRENCE: No, she doesn`t.
LALAMA: What about respecting other women?
LAWRENCE: Tiger Woods` mistresses who went out to him for money or for fame are a different story. She`s somebody who truly thought this guy loved her. And she had no clue.
LALAMA: Oh, baloney.
LAWRENCE: She absolutely had no clue. It was her stupidity but still, she had absolutely no clue and it is not her responsibility.
ANDERSON: I think she needs to take some ownership.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: She needs to be a grownup.
LALAMA: No, no. You know what? I am telling you - and women do it all the time. You cannot just blame the men. You are not thinking about the hurt that you are inflicting on Jesse`s wife? You know, you have your own narcissistic reasons for wanting to sleep with him but never sit down and say -
(CROSS TALK)
LAWRENCE: Pat, she didn`t think he was married. She didn`t know.
(CROSS TALK)
LALAMA: I love you, Cooper, but I disagree with you. She knew. She knew. She knew.
LAWRENCE: You think she knew? I don`t think so.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: But Cooper, you are really giving her the benefit of the doubt. And you know, if there is one thing that -
COOPER: I feel sorry for her.
ANDERSON: I agree with, that Bombshell - I think we all in a way feel sorry for her for being so stupid. But I don`t feel sorry for her for having this affair.
LALAMA: I think she got a rush out of this. I think the danger thing gave her a rush.
ANDERSON: And I think she`s getting a charge out of all this attention at the same time.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
(CROSS TALK)
LAWRENCE: Brooke, she was very hurt and she was very angry. The reason she went to "In Touch Weekly" and the reason she went to the tabloids is because she`s a girl who feels like she got duped, too. She feels like this guy loves her. This is her boyfriend.
LALAMA: She wants to promote herself!
LAWRENCE: She`s not getting anything for it. What is she getting for it? No one`s taking her seriously.
LALAMA: Yes, she`s getting - she`s getting that 15 minutes. She`s getting 15 minutes of rush. And for these people, that`s all they can hope for in life.
LAWRENCE: I think she`s doing it -
ANDERSON: And you called her, what? Parasite?
LAWRENCE: OK. I think she`s doing it to give the last dig to Jesse because she`s very hurt.
ANDERSON: Well, he`s taking a lot. Everybody`s hurt in this situation.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Nothing good can come out of any of this. Pat Lalama, Cooper Lawrence, we`re going to continue this another time, ladies. Thank you.
HAMMER: Wow. All right. As we move on tonight, there`s a brand-new "Dancing with the Stars"-"American Idol" war today. "Idol`s" ratings are down.
So I`m going ask, does it have anything to do with Kate Gosselin who is on "Dancing?" And get this, there are reports today that "Idol" may actually want Paula Abdul to come back to the show.
HAMMER: Speaking of Kate Gosselin, just in today, Kate`s teary TV breakdown. She bursts into tears in a brand-new interview. Has raising her eight kids, "Dancing with the Stars," all her new TV shows finally caught up to her?
Porn for the blind? The controversy over the shocking new book featuring nude pictures that you can touch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Porn for the blind? You have to feel it to believe it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What will they think of next? 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: Lawyers for Michael Jackson`s doctor say there`ll be no plea bargain in case against him. Jennifer Aniston reveals ads for her new perfume, Lolavie.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: Oh, my ears. I`ve got to give Whitney Houston credit, though, despite bad reviews and lots of volcanic ash her tour is plugging along, Whitney was reportedly forced to take a ferry from Britain to Ireland.
That Iceland volcano erupting pretty much has shut down European air traffic. So Whitney took a car ferry across the Irish Sea to Dublin for her three concerts which kick off Saturday.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with A.J. Hammer in New York.
HAMMER: All right. Did you see this? Porn for the blind. Yes, it`s a shocking new book with raised pictures of nude men and women alongside Braille descriptions. It`s something you truly have to feel to believe.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice-over): There are plenty of racy pictures for people who can see. But, if you`re blind, this may be the only way to cop a feel.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What?
MOOS: Raised images of naked bodies with Braille descriptions alongside. Some are calling it "porn for the blind." But its creator, Canadian Lisa Murphy, has another term.
LISA MURPHY, CREATOR, "PORN FOR THE BLIND" (through telephone): I call it nudie pictures.
MOOS: The book is called "Tactile Mind" and lots of folks might mind if we showed the raised image on the cover but inside, things are far tamer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s the torso, right?
MOOS: Yes, but most of these torsos are wearing rabbit ears or elephant masks. As one critic joked -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those were clearly Abyssinian drawings taken from the palace that Nebuchadnezzar built. And they are only a turn on if you`re wearing a braided beard and riding a goat with golden horns on it.
MOOS: Actually, they are wearing masks because it was easier for Murphy get her friends to pose nude. Their faces were covered.
MURPHY: I`m actually in the book as well myself.
MOOS (on camera): Really? You are?
MURPHY: Yes, but you can`t tell who I am.
MOOS (voice-over): She used to be a volunteer at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. She spent two years and $14,000 making this book.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eww!
MOOS (on camera): What did it say?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re going to have to learn Braille.
MOOS: Now, is it supposed to be arousing?
MURPHY: It has aroused a few people.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My gut feeling when I looked at that for just a second was that, A, it`s hilarious, and B, that`s it, that I don`t have any other reaction to it.
MOOS (voice-over): The masks seemed to throw off our blind testers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It feels square.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope to god it`s a camera or a television.
MOOS (on camera): It isn`t sexy.
MURPHY: Well, maybe not for you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To me, it`s very cold and sterile.
MOOS (voice-over): Kevin Coglin(ph), it turns out, is gay and I`d been giving him nude women to explore. But he felt the same way about the male images. "Tactile Mind" is a labor of love for Lisa Murphy. Her homemade book sells for $225. She`s sold fewer than 100 copies of what she calls nudie pictures.
MURPHY: Some other people have been calling it crap but, you know -
MOOS: Porn for the blind? You have to feel it to believe it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eww!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ahh!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Now, if you think porn for the blind was a new idea, no, it`s not. "Playboy" magazine actually used to publish a Braille version but the photos weren`t raised, so there`s a little difference there.
ANDERSON: A.J., we asked our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT viewers who they think should get divorced first - Sandra Woods, Elin Woods or Charlie Sheen`s wife, Brooke Mueller. And we also asked who will get divorced first.
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, a heap of phone calls coming in to "Showbiz on Call" today. In fact, Annette from Michigan thinks Sandra should split.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ANNETTE, CALLER FROM MICHIGAN: Sandra Bullock - she`s strong. She is headstrong. She is very famous, and she can do it quick, like you said, no kids involved. And she`s the first on my vote -Sandra Bullock.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Thanks a lot, Annette.
ANDERSON: We also heard from Joyce. Joyce thinks it`s time for all three to send their husbands packing.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JOYCE, CALLER: As far as I`m concerned, all three of them should divorce. None of them have been married longer than five years. And to live with a man that cheats and treats you like that I think is far more disgusting than getting a divorce and starting your life over.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you, Joyce. Call us at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know what you think about this or anything else at all.
HAMMER: Let`s put the number up because the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are always open. And here it is - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. Leave us a voicemail so we can play your call right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
It`s a brand-new war today. On one side, we`ve got "Dancing with the Stars." And on the other, "American Idol."
ANDERSON: "Dancing with the Stars" has done the unthinkable, blasting "Idol" from the top of the ratings heap for two of the last three weeks.
HAMMER: Yes. There really is something. Could all of this have anything to do with Kate Gosselin being on "Dancing?" There are also explosive reports today that "Idol" may actually want Paula Abdul to come back.
And will SHOWBIZ TONIGHT name Kate as the most provocative celebrity of the week? How about Jim Carrey, you know, for slamming Tiger Woods` wife? Then, there`s Whitney Houston and her comeback concert nightmare.
And I don`t know what to make of this new Ricky Martin video here. He`s naked. He`s covered in tattoo. Is it creepy? Is it weird? Is it art? Whatever. 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: Trisha Yearwood`s cookbook debuts at number two on "New York Times" bestsellers list of "how-to" books. Garth Brooks gets award for advancing rights of music makers, honored by president.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you, Wegman. I`ve got to give it to Britney Spears, a real shout out for her today. I think she did something pretty cool.
I want you to take a look at this. Charles, would you put this up, please? On the left, the before picture, un-retouched. And on the right- hand side, that`s after it`s all Photoshopped up.
It`s Britney releasing these images from her Candies clothing ad. You can really see what 29-year-old Britney`s body looks like. Let`s be real. She looks pretty good without the help.
But some cellulite was airbrushed off. Her lower back tattoo was removed. And on "The View," the ladies really liked Britney`s decision to release both sets of pictures.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": The Britney Spears picture, I think, is a clearer point that they are trying to make, because she`s showing - do you have these? Before - this is I think the before picture or the after picture, I don`t know which is which. OK, before is on the left and the after is on the right.
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": They gave her more of a waistline.
(CROSS TALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they took the shading out.
BEHAR: They took off the blemishes and cellulite.
SHEPARD: With the body - because so many young girls have body image problems, as well as face, I think what this is showing with Britney Spears is that, you know, so many girls are trying to achieve the after photo and you can`t. You can`t achieve that kind of perfection.
BEHAR: Just trying to achieve the before body is hard to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I think they should have just done the ads un-retouched to begin with. That would have made an even bigger statement.
ANDERSON: Britney looks great un-airbrushed, too. OK. Lots of you are writing in already on our Facebook wall about Jesse James` alleged mistress, Michelle "Bombshell" McGee. Do you feel any sympathy for her?
Hel E. doesn`t feel sympathy one bit, "She knew what she was doing and she thought it would make her famous. Well, now, she has to settle for infamous. She`s ugly inside and out.
But Alicia M. doesn`t bash Bombshell for speaking out, "I think she`s doing the right thing. It was Jesse`s fault and it wasn`t her job to make his marriage work."
Become our fan on Facebook. Join us on Twitter to go behind the scenes of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and get breaking entertainment news alerts. Call us at "Showbiz on Call" and there`s always E-mail. "SHOWBIZ Connects" at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
HAMMER: Let me roll out the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
You don`t want to miss this - Kate Gosselin`s brand-new teary TV breakdown. Kate getting real emotional on camera. Have all those TV shows she`s been doing and raising her eight kids finally caught up with her?
The all-out new war today between "Dancing with the Stars" and "American Idol." "Dancing" is kicking some serious booty. Is Kate responsible?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice-over): "Dancing with the Stars" has done the unthinkable - blasting "Idol" from the top of the ratings heap for two of the last three weeks.
HAMMER: And get ready to see Oprah like never before, picking up after her dog and taking her bubble bath. Separately, of course. 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: "Harry Potter`s" Daniel Radcliffe to star in "How to Succeed in Biz" on Broadway. Mel Brooks to receive star on Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, April 23rd.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the startling new "Dancing with the Stars"-"American Idol" war today. "Idol`s" ratings down. Is Kate Gosselin to blame?
And unbelievable reports today that Paula Abdul may return to "Idol."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: "Dancing with the Stars" has done the unthinkable, blasting "Idol" from the top of ratings heap for two of the last three weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kate in tears. Kate Gosselin`s emotional new TV breakdown. Have raising her eight kids, "Dancing with the Stars," and all her new TV shows they finally caught up with her?
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week. Could it be Kate Gosselin, her own brother saying her kids are in danger? Jim Carrey for his outrageous Twitter rant, partly blaming Tiger Woods` wife for his cheating? Or will it be Whitney Houston and her big comeback concerts that many people say are a train wreck?
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 coming to you from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today - the explosive "American Idol" versus "Dancing with the Stars" all- out war. I`ve got to tell you, this battle is getting really ugly.
There`s brand-new explosive evidence today that "Idol`s" once rock- solid ratings are taking some serious hits from "Dancing with the Stars." With controversial contestants like Kate Gosselin and Pam Anderson on its side, it looks like "Dancing" is slowly cracking the coveted secret code to "Idol`s" ratings domination.
That`s got people asking from coast to coast today, who will win the "American Idol"-"Dancing with the Stars" smackdown?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It`s a TV phenomenon, the biggest hit of the decade and a primetime juggernaut.
(SINGING)
For years, "American Idol" has crushed everything in its path, until now. "Dancing with the Stars" has done the unthinkable, blasting "Idol" from the top of the ratings heap for two of the last three weeks. You can`t blame contestant Kate Gosselin from gloating.
This week, "Idol" regained the lead, but just barely. "Idol" recently scored its lowest Tuesday night ratings since 2002. What`s happened?
Veteran entertainment journalist Mary Murphy pins the blame on lackluster vocalists.
MARY MURPHY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: "Idol" has maybe one of their worst crop of singers in a while. And I`m a big "Idol" fan. And I am an "Idol" watcher. But I`d say this year, I`m not quite as interested as I was in the past.
ANDERSON: Murphy is not the only one yawning. Check this out. A Canadian newspaper declared this season a crashing bore.
(SINGING)
"Idol" watchers have posted critical comments to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT blog including this one, "The show this season is not even close to where it used to be."
ELLEN DEGENERES, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: I can`t help falling in love with you, Tim.
ANDERSON: One difference from last year, the dramatic switch at the judges` table. Paula Abdul out, Ellen in.
M. MURPHY: It was the Paula-Simon banter that I think really solidified the show.
PAULA ABDUL, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: Shut up.
HAMMER: I`m just reinforcing your points, that`s all.
ABDUL: Shut up.
M. MURPHY: Paula Abdul would say, "You should have paid me more money because you would have had higher ratings," and she may be right.
ANDERSON: But even before Paula`s departure, the show`s ratings had started to slip. In season five, "Idol`s" ratings peaked with an average 30.6 million viewers. So far, this season, the show is averaging 25.3 million viewers.
SIMON COWELL, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: Terrible -
ANDERSON: The prospects for next season might be murkier. Producers are looking for a replacement for Simon Cowell after he announced plans to leave the show at the end of this season.
M. MURPHY: Like him, hate him, you always want to know what Simon says.
ANDERSON: In a telephone call in February, Simon told me he thought his departure could actually boost the ratings.
COWELL (through telephone): I think, ironically, it`s going to help next season because I think there`s going to be a lot of interest as to who replaces me.
ANDERSON: Murphy says it`s way too soon to write "Idol" off.
M. MURPHY: It`s a behemoth. It`s not going away.
ANDERSON: The show stills clobbers "Dancing with the Stars" in the competition for younger viewers, the group most desired by advertisers. For that reason, "Idol" reportedly commands triple what "Dancing" gets for a 30-second ad.
M. MURPHY: I think its shelf-life of "American Idol" - it`s definitely - I mean, it is not time to restock, let me say that.
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: And "idol" remains the top-rated show on television for now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So why is "American Idol" losing its once-iron grip on the ratings to "Dancing with the Stars?" Could it be the Kate Gosselin factor?
Right now in New York, Kim Serafin, who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." Also in New York, Cooper Lawrence who is a syndicated radio host and author of this book, "The Cult of Celebrity."
Kim, Cooper, clearly, "American Idol" has to be looking over its shoulder a little bit especially when you look at those numbers. "Dancing" rated higher than "Idol" twice. And at least once this week, "Dancing" tied "Idol" with about 20.6 million viewers.
Personally, I just think "Dancing with the Stars" has hit its stride and "Idol" has a weaker crop of singers this season. But Kim, no question "Idol`s" ratings reign is far from over.
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Yes. I mean, look, 20 million plus viewers, not too bad. But there are a few problems with "American Idol" this year.
Number one, the contestants. They`re just - you know, they are talented. But they`re just kind of bland and boring. And there`s no behind-the-scenes drama. You know, there`s no issue like with David Archuletta`s father, you know, reportedly getting banned from the set.
There`s no voting controversy like last year with Adam and Chris. Adam the glam rocker from L.A. who wore guy-liner versus Chris Allen, the Christian missionary from Arkansas.
And any sort of drama that`s backstage in "Idol" kind of trickles out. You know, you had this report that Ellen and Simon didn`t get along. And then, no, they seem to get along.
And then, you know, this report that Crystal Bowersox was going to leave the show. But no, she`s still there. And then, Ryan was acting crazy. No, he`s fine. So, you know -
LAWRENCE: Well -
ANDERSON: Yes, exactly. Well, take a look at this because late today, I was handed the results to our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll, "Dancing with the Stars" and "American Idol" - we asked which show do you like better.
And 59 percent are saying "Dancing with the Stars;" 41 percent "American Idol." So "idol" loses again here in our poll. I say the "Dancing with the Stars" producers were very smart when they cast this season. You`ve got Pamela Anderson and how could you go wrong when you`ve got somebody as polarizing at Kate Gosselin?
Cooper, could "Dancing`s" edge over "Idol" this season have something to do with the Kate factor?
LAWRENCE: Well, "Us Weekly" magazine did more Gosselin covers this year than any other cover. I mean, they put - there`s such an important star for them and for people that watch the shows like these. When I say "people," I mean me, as well.
You know, she`s controversial. She`s interesting to watch. And like Kim was saying, there is nobody controversial this season on "American Idol." I want to watch for the controversy.
Yes, you can sing, I get it. Yes, you can`t dance, you never could. So, you know, the actual talent part is not why we are watching. We`re watching for the behind-the-scenes story and there`s a much better -
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: I think people aren`t just watching - yes, and I think people aren`t just watching Kate to see her improvement week to week in "Dancing," but also what is she going to say?
LAWRENCE: What is she going to say? We want to see her pull a Marie Osmond and fall or collapse or something. We`re waiting.
ANDERSON: But not get hurt. But not get hurt.
LAWRENCE: But not get hurt.
ANDERSON: Yes. And we know that "American Idol" doesn`t have Kate, but it does have Simon Cowell, but not for long. Simon has announced he`s leaving the show after this season. So Kim, now that Simon`s walking away, do you think fans are going to be walking away, too?
SERAFIN: Well, I mean, obviously, they are walking away a little bit this year. So you know, I was one of the people who said "American Idol" without Simon is not "American Idol."
But obviously, without good contestants, it`s also not "American Idol." So maybe this gives a little hope to "American Idol" that even without Simon, if they get some really good contestants next year, maybe it will a little more success if there`s a little more drama.
But yes, Simon doesn`t even seem to be really engaging with the other judges this year. It`s not the same show this year.
ANDERSON: Yes. It was a huge blow to "Idol" when Simon said he was leaving. But there was absolute outrage when Paula Abdul left the show.
But, get this, you guys, in an explosive brand-new report out today, "Idol" producers reportedly want Paula back. So, we are asking in our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll, "`American Idol` Ratings Down: Should Paula Abdul return to the show?"
Cooper, quickly, is Paula Abdul just what the doctor ordered?
LAWRENCE: Yes, she`s unpredictable. I can tell you exactly what Ellen is going to say, exactly what Kara is going to say. Paula - it`s like, is she going to talk. Is she going to make a weird noise? We have no idea what she`s going to do, and that`s the unpredictability factor. So if you can`t have her on stage, at least have her with the judges.
ANDERSON: Paula Abdul certainly appeals to a whole lot of people. I do have to move now to more big news breaking today, Kate Gosselin in tears.
In a brand-new interview, Kate breaks down over her kids and reports that make her out to be a monster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE GOSSELIN REALITY TV STAR: I tell my babysitter all the time, I wish I was you. I wish I had your job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Kate wants her babysitter`s job. We`ll show you Kate`s shocking meltdown caught on tape. Kim Serafin, Cooper Lawrence, thanks.
HAMMER: And to that end, three nominees but only one can win. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week.
And is it Kate Gosselin? Her own brother testified against her in court this week saying her kids were in danger. Jim Carrey for his outrageous rant saying Tiger Woods` wife is partly to blame for his cheating? Or will it be Whitney Houston and her less-than-stellar return to the stage?
Oprah like you`ve never seen her before. Wait until you see Oprah undone and picking up dog poop. Oh, she`s in a bubble bath, too. Not all at the same time, of course. 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: Settlement reached in photographer`s lawsuit against Woody Harrelson. Rihanna`s "Rude Boy" tops Billboard`s Hot 100 Singles chart for fifth week in a row.
(SINGING)
ANDERSON: We are just moments away from naming SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week. Is it Kate Gosselin for her wild emotional rollercoaster while dancing with the stars? Or Jim Carrey for his shocking Twitter slam blaming Tiger Woods` wife for Tiger`s mistress mess? Or will it be Whitney Houston`s disturbing caught-on-tape comeback crisis.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with A.J. Hammer in New York. And just in today, Kate`s teary TV breakdown.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. This is pretty incredible. In a new interview with "Inside Edition," Kate just dissolved into tears when talking about the high-wire act of being a working mom of eight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
K. GOSSELIN: And it`s not easy to let somebody else pick them up from the bus stop and to not be the one cooking them dinner, because I did that for a lot of years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`m really feeling badly for her here. Honestly, for all the scrutiny Kate`s been under since she`s been on "Dancing with the Stars," you had to see this coming.
Right now, in Hollywood, Pat Lalama. She is an investigative journalist. Also in Hollywood is Jim Moret. He is the chief correspondent for "Inside Edition" who just did this very revealing Kate Gosselin interview.
All right. You`ve got to watch Kate`s reaction when Jim asked her about the guilt that she feels leaving her kids behind and flying across the country for "Dancing" every week. Roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
K. GOSSELIN: I tell my babysitter all the time, "I wish I was you. I wish I had your job." It`s hard. I found a whole new crowd of women out there who understand because whereas I once worked, I know, without a shadow of a doubt, I have to work. And my job takes me away from them and it`s not easy. And while I love my job and I love what I do now, it`s hard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Jim, I think that Kate has really done a pretty good job keeping her composure in public until now despite all the pressure. Did it really catch you off guard to see her melt down right before your eyes and cameras?
JIM MORET, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": It did. It did. I will tell you honestly she`s been doing a lot of interviews. I know she`s tired. She takes a red-eye flight back home on Tuesday nights after "Dancing with the Stars."
And she uses that time while her kids are sleeping to travel so that she can then work out at home in her basement. Look, I had a working mom. My mom was a single mom for the first six, seven years of my life.
I know what it`s like when your mom has to work one or two jobs. I was the kid. I can tell you, I never felt my mom didn`t love me. I know she does.
And I think Kate adores her kids. This is what she does. Like it or not, she`s a celebrity. This is her job. She does her best to stay home but as you see - you know, you saw I think a real person right there.
And Kate is very polarizing. People love her or they hate her. There`s almost no middle ground. And I think you saw a real sensitive, honest woman right there.
HAMMER: And she`s dealing with a lot of tough circumstances right now. Her husband has accused her of putting fame before her family and is now suing for more custody rights.
And in fact Kate`s own brother just told a judge that her kids were exploited during "Jon and Kate Plus 8." Jim, I`ve got to tell you, I think your interview really humanizes her in a way that we haven`t really seen before.
Do you get the sense that people will now have more sympathy for Kate and maybe not just see her as the "Dancing" star that everyone loves to hate, as you put it?
MORET: I hope so. I hope that they see her as a person. She`s not one- dimensional. She`s a mom. She`s a mom first who happens to now be a celebrity. And I asked her specifically about her brother. She feels betrayed by her brother. She said that in her view, her brother sold her out for money to sell tabloid stories.
And she said to me he must have run out because he is coming back, hitting her harder for more. So I think that people - I certainly saw somebody that I could empathize with a great deal.
HAMMER: Yes. I think the tide is definitely turning towards that. Well, Kate`s teary TV revelations clearly cement her place as a nominee to be named SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week.
So will it be Kate? Will we name Jim Carrey for causing outrage for tweeting that Elin Woods could be to blame for Tiger`s sexcapades? Will it be Whitney Houston for this caught-on-tape catastrophe?
(SINGING)
Now, before we name who SHOWBIZ TONIGHT calls the most provocative celebrity of the week, Pat Lalama, quickly, who gets the week`s title for you?
LALAMA: It`s Whitney Houston for me. This is a woman could have been an icon, who did a horrible spiral down. We hope for her to come back up. It`s not looking good. I feel for her. She was so beautiful and so talented.
HAMMER: But that`s not it. We must announce our winner right now. May I have that drum roll, please? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is naming Jim Carrey as the most provocative celebrity of the week.
LALAMA: What?
HAMMER: That`s because he slammed Elin Woods on Twitter, essentially saying, "No wife is blind enough to miss that much infidelity. Elin had to be a willing participant."
I was with you, Pat, and I also voted for Whitney. But there you have it. Pat Lalama, Jim Moret, thanks, guys.
ANDERSON: Ricky Martin is living la vida naked? See for yourself. It`s the music video that`s got everybody talking, too. Ricky nude and covered in tattoos. Ricky is certainly sexy. You can`t keep your eyes off his body, especially since it is covered with all those tattoos. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: HBO renews Bill Maher`s "Real Time" for a ninth season with 35 episodes. "Ugly Betty," which just ended its run on ABC, could become a feature film!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: "Dancing with the Stars" contestant Erin Andrews who has been getting death threats has a brand-new celebrity security team. Plus, Oprah unplugged and in a bubble bath? It`s all in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Oprah undone. The queen of talk has just revealed the surprising details of her upcoming new reality show. Cameras will follow Winfrey behind the scenes in the final days of her iconic talk show and will capture Oprah in rare form.
Get ready to see Oprah picking up after her dog. Oprah just out of bed without makeup and Oprah taking a bubble bath. Reality show will publicize her new network, OWN, which launches in January.
Brett Michaels on the mend. The rocker and "Celebrity Apprentice" contestant is out of the hospital and recovering from his emergency appendectomy at a facility for diabetics.
His rep total "People" that Michaels was exhausted prior to the appendix attack and quote, "Coupled with the fact that he has diabetes, the surgery has taken its toll." The doctors expect him to make a full recovery. And the musician will resume his north American tour soon.
Erin Andrews` "Dancing" security. Despite threats to her life, the ESPN`s sportscaster says she feels protected, thanks to her appearance on "Dancing with the Stars." Andrews and her partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy talked about security on the Ellen DeGeneres show.
ERIN ANDREWS, "DANCING WITH THE STARS" CONTESTANT: I`ve got a Russian on my side now that isn`t going to let anyone come near me. Evan has said he will take his blade out, his skating blade, for anyone who comes near me.
HAMMER: Andrews continues her "Dancing" stint next week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Did you see this? A naked Ricky Martin music video revealed today. There he is in his birthday suit. Now, Ricky is definitely sexy.
And check out the tattoos. Thankfully, Ricky`s tattoo art covered all of his private parts. Actually, this video is from his 2007 Black and White tour. It`s just resurfaced again.
The tattoos all over Ricky`s body are written in Spanish. We translated them and Ricky`s ink contains inspirational messages about finding inner peace and changing your life.
It was just last month that Ricky announced that he is gay. Ricky`s rep tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that they don`t know why Ricky`s nude video just resurfaced and is in no way a response to Ricky`s announcement about his homosexuality.
Ricky took to Twitter today to say it`s all about positive affirmations. Peace gang.
HAMMER: Well, Thursday we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. I`m waiting for the results, Jay. Thank you. Gosh, what are you doing over there this Friday, getting all crazy on me.
"`Dancing with the Stars` and `American Idol`: Which show do you like better?" Look at this - 59 percent of you prefer "Dancing with the Stars;" 41 percent of you voted for "Idol."
Among the E-mails, Jenna in North Carolina telling it like it is, "With Simon leaving and the mediocre talent this season, I`m officially off the "Idol" bandwagon.
I think Carrie from Florida likes to dance. She writes, "`Dancing` is much better than the slow-moving `Idol.`"
That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Thank you so much for watching. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Take care.
END
