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Showbiz Tonight
Lindsay Dodges Arrest; Simon`s Confessions to Oprah; Matt Lauer`s Alleged Mistress Speaks Out; Old Pals Reunite
Aired May 21, 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, is Lindsay Lohan getting off too easy? A warrant for Lindsay`s arrest lifted today. How did she manage a "get out of jail card"?
Plus, the outrageous new pictures today of Lindsay partying in Cannes when she should have been coming home to face the judge. As SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask -- would Lindsay be better off behind bars?
The woman who`s being called Matt Lauer`s alleged mistress speaks. She`s speaking out today for the very first time and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXIS HOUSTON, ALLEGED MATT LAUER`S MISTRESS: I feel that my privacy and personal space have been invaded.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Startling new revelations today from Jesse James about cheating on Sandra Bullock.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You cheated on your wife.
JESSE JAMES, SANDRA BULLOCK`S EX-HUSBAND: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HLN HOST: Hi there everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today.
Is Lindsay Lohan getting off easy?
HAMMER: Yes Brooke, Lindsay Lohan has dodged yet another jail bullet today, but you have to wonder how she gets away with it. Lindsay has managed to pull yet another rabbit out of her hat to once again avoid getting locked up after a judge ordered a warrant be issued for her arrest.
And today she`s finally got set to return to the United States from partying in France at the Cannes Film Festival, even as brand new pictures surfaced of Lindsay partying the night away, even as a jail sentence hung over her head. Wait a second. Did I just say "hung over"?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: How did she do it? How in the world did Lindsay Lohan managed avoid the slammer?
SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION" ON TRUTV: We all thought that she was going to land in the United States and immediately get picked up and arrested but she posted bond, $100,000.
HAMMER: TMZ is reporting today that Lindsay was able to make bail so fast because she put down the standard 10 percent wired to her from her business manager. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you even though Lindsay made bail she might not get off so easy.
HOSTIN: I could foresee her serving at least two months in jail.
HAMMER: Lindsay will find out on Monday.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned today she will appear in court Monday morning. She missed her hearing Thursday to defend herself against allegations that she wasn`t making good on her probation for her DUI conviction.
LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: I left for Cannes right now to announce a movie.
HAMMER: Lohan claims she was stuck in Cannes, France, promoting a movie in which she would play "Deep Throat" star Linda Lovelace. She says she would have been at her court appearance but, oops, she lost her passport.
HOSTIN: I don`t buy the passport story. I think it`s so ridiculous.
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that incredibly Lindsay Lohan is claiming today that her father Michael Lohan had someone steal her passport. He, of course, calls that ridiculous. And Lindsay`s judge wasn`t buying the passport excuse either.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you lose a passport, you need an emergency passport it takes a couple of hours to get one.
HAMMER: Instead Lindsay was partying it up on the French Riviera.
Today, TMZ posted photo after photo of Lindsay partying on yachts, Lindsay hanging out to the wee hours of the morning with friends including one with a bare butt in her face.
Sunny Hostin is a legal contributor for "In Session" on TRUTV tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, you better believe those pictures will come back to bite Lindsay right in the -- well, you know.
HOSTIN: They better be used against her. She`s partying, she`s living the high life. She should have been preparing for her appearance stateside.
HAMMER: "Us Weekly" reports today that Lindsay partied all night long in Cannes arriving in a VIP room at 4:00 a.m. and then continued to party on a yacht until 7:30 this morning.
HOSTIN: The fact that she`s partying and still hasn`t been held accountable, I think, is infuriating.
HAMMER: The judge was livid that she was a no-show and issued a warrant for her arrest.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now, the court is going to set bail in the amount of $100,000.
HAMMER: Lindsay posted bail but too bad for her there are a whole a lot of strings attached to that bail.
HOSTIN: The new terms of her release are random drug testing, absolutely no alcohol and the scram bracelet which is a very big -- it`s like a big square heavy duty bracelet that`s either on your wrist or on your leg. And it can detect if you have a sip of alcohol. She can`t even have a sip of alcohol without the court knowing.
HAMMER: This whole court fiasco all goes back to 2007 when Lindsay was arrested twice: once for driving under the influence and once for possession of cocaine. She pled guilty and spent a whopping 84 minutes in jail.
HOSTIN: Part of her guilty plea was that she had to have alcohol counseling and the bottom line is she screwed up that opportunity.
HAMMER: Lindsay`s judge made it clear just how she screwed it up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know that she`s had missed appearances. I know she`s come late. I know she hasn`t shown up.
HAMMER: "In Session" Sunny Hostin says Lindsay Lohan needs the cold hard reality of jail.
HOSTIN: The jail route is the way to go. The message needs to be sent out to her that you`re no different than any other citizen. You need to go to jail.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So break out the pitchforks and torches because there is brand new evidence today that the public wants Lindsay to pay in the pokey.
Right now from Hollywood Pat Lalama, is an investigative journalist right now in New York; Cooper Lawrence, is syndicated radio host and author of this fine book, "The Cult of Celebrity".
I could tell you, there`s no doubt people are just outraged today that Lindsay escaped jail.
Late today we got the results to our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll. Here is what we asked. Lindsay Lohan -- does she deserve to be arrested? Look at how this vote went down. A whopping 92 percent said yes; only eight percent no. Clearly people are just sick and tired of Lindsay`s behavior.
She is acting all entitled, like she can do whatever she wants. We also learned late today that Lindsay plans on showing up to court on Monday. But Pat, are you with me when I say Lindsay Lohan has got to be taught a lesson?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOUNALIST: Yes. I`d like to spank her on her bottom is what I`d like to do, four or five or six times. I don`t care about corporal punishment. She deserves it.
Here is the deal. Yes, we understand that the public`s had it. And we can tell by those statistics that`s how the public feels.
But that`s not what a judge -- it`s not the criteria a judge has to use. A judge has lots of discretion. I don`t think she`s going to the slammer this time. But let me tell you something, A.J. This judge is notorious for being an incredibly tolerant person. This judge champions success stories. She loves to see people do well. She`s incredibly fair, incredibly balanced, incredibly tolerant.
However, if you made her mad, you`ve done something really wrong. And Lindsay has made her mad because Lindsay has this "Oh, I`m entitled." She`s going to make the same mistake that Paris Hilton did which is to make the judge angry and show that you have no respect for the court. That`s what`s going to get her in trouble.
HAMMER: Yes, I mean, obviously this judge is ticked-off at Lindsay Lohan. And I`m not surprised. When you look at Lindsay`s indifference here, it really does show that she does -- regardless of what -- what we think, she does need to be taught a lesson.
COOPER LAWRENCE, SYNDICATED RADIO HOST: It`s unbelievable arrogance. I mean, there is no consequences to anything she`s ever done. So why should this be any different? But that`s our fault. Because we as the public this is the cult of celebrity. We treat celebrities differently.
LALAMA: Yes.
LAWRENCE: They have some sort of power that nobody else has. And the judge and people like us have to stop and go, you know what, you`re just like us, and you`re a terrible role model. She`s not somebody we want to promote right now.
And I don`t disagree with Dr. Drew that somebody should -- should help her. Because she does need help, she used to be a great role model. Everybody wants to see her go back to that, but there doesn`t seem to be any way to get her there.
HAMMER: Right, I mean, we keep saying and for how many months if not years somebody needs to help her. We`re waiting for that to happen and maybe this judge is going to be the person --
LAWRENCE: Maybe this judge and hopefully this judge will be the one, right.
HAMMER: Yes and here`s one of the things that really gets me about the way that Lindsay has handled all of this. Lindsay was caught on camera partying the night away in Cannes on the same day that the judge issued that warrant for her arrest. Lost passport, ok, yes, whatever.
Pat, do you have your bat with you? Because I`m going to toss you a little softball if you`d like. How stupid was it for Lindsay Lohan to be partying when she knew cameras were all around?
LALAMA: She`s not particularly a rocket scientist.
Here`s what she`s doing. She`s giving the -- I can`t do it, but you can just visualize the middle finger to the superior court of Los Angeles. She is -- I`d like to sit her down and say, are you just kind of going, come on, come on, come get me. Are you just that stupid?
LAWRENCE: But this is her parents` fault because it`s the parents that created this image.
LALAMA: Yes.
LAWRENCE: Anything in authority --
LALAMA: Absolutely.
LAWRENCE: -- that`s how you treat them. The parents allowed this to happen. She treats us like that. She treats the court like that.
LALAMA: Yes.
LAWRENCE: That`s just how she feels about authority and I blame both of her parents for that.
HAMMER: Pat, do you think the judge --
LALAMA: I`m with you.
HAMMER: -- do you think a judge could or would use photos of Lindsay partying the night away in Cannes against her in court?
LALAMA: I`m just going to guess here. You never know what a judge is going to do. My guess is the judge is not going to reveal them on a big screen but that the judge is going to say Lindsay Lohan, it is clear to me by your actions that have been printed and broadcast all over the universe that you don`t give a rat`s behind about your responsibility to this court.
She will take it under consideration but I highly doubt she will use that sort of exploitive process of showing pictures in court.
HAMMER: Right.
LALAMA: I don`t see that.
HAMMER: But what do you think Cooper, that Lindsay could possibly say or do in court on Monday morning when she is expected to appear to get the judge on her side?
LAWRENCE: Nothing. I mean, other than, I will go to these classes, I was supposed to go to, I will go to counseling, I`ll go to some sort of rehab. She really has to completely just clean out her life but I just don`t see that`s happening. I don`t think --
LALAMA: No.
LAWRENCE: -- I don`t know if this is enough of a court case to force her to do that.
HAMMER: All right. We`ll also wait and see at this point.
So Lindsay Lohan`s Cannes shenanigans are among the reason she is now a nominee to be named today SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week. Could it be Lindsay?
Will it possibly be Jesse James for speaking out finally about cheating on Sandra Bullock in his very first interview? Or is it Miss USA Rima Fakih for the controversy of those pole dancing photos?
Cooper, Pat, stay where you are. We`re going to be naming SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week.
But now I`d like to know what do you think? It is our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll, Lindsay Lohan: did she get off too easy?
You go to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight if you want to vote. You can also email us at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN.com.
ANDERSON: Ok. The woman who is being called Matt Lauer`s alleged mistress speaks. She is speaking out for the very first time today on camera. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there. You`ve got to hear what she`s saying.
And Simon Cowell`s brand new confessions to "Oprah" reveal today will he hire Paula Abdul for his new show? Plus, I`ve never heard Simon like this. He admits he suffers from depression.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON COWELL, JUDGE, AMERICAN IDOL: You should never put a painted smile on. When you`re feeling down, you`re feeling down.
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST OF OPRAH WINFREY`S SHOW: Of what do you have to be depressed about? Look at your life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And startling new revelations today from Jesse James about cheating on Sandra Bullock. Jesse`s finally talking on TV. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN, News & Views.
HAMMER: And now the showbiz news ticker more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with A.J. Hammer in New York.
HAMMER: And Brooke, get this. Susan Boyle may be coming to a high school cafeteria near you. And Madonna is absolutely furious today over what happened to a gay couple. It`s all making big news in "The Buzz" today.
Mad Madonna: Madonna is furious over the jailing of two gay men in Malawi. The men were sentenced to 14 years each after being convicted on sodomy charges. Madonna who has adopted two children from Malawi has just told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "I call upon the progressive men and women of Malawi and around the world to challenge this decision in the name of human dignity and equal rights for all."
A setback for Bret Michaels, the rocker and "Celebrity Apprentice" star just suffered a so-called warning stroke that landed him back in the hospital. Doctors have just revealed they discovered Michaels has a hole in his heart. Both conditions are reportedly treatable and are not related to the brain hemorrhage he suffered last month.
Susan Boyle, serving up floppy Joes? "Entertainment Weekly" has just reported that the head of the hit TV show "Glee" wants Susan to appear on the show as a lunch lady. Boyle would play the lunch lady in a special Christmas episode. No word on whether the "Britain`s Got Talent" star will accept but we do hear she has some pretty stylish hair nets. I`m just kidding, Susan.
ANDERSON: Now one of Susan Boyle`s biggest supporters has always been Simon Cowell. Now Simon is getting ready to leave "American Idol". And today SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing Cowell`s confessions to Oprah.
Right now in New York is Noelle Nikpour from South Florida`s Sun- Sentinel.
Noelle, Simon just sat down for an incredibly, incredibly revealing interview with Oprah. And let me tell you even I was surprised by just how open he was. We know Simon as the tough one. But he showed a much softer side to Oprah, even opening up about his very personal struggles with depression. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COWELL: I get very, very down.
WINFREY: And does that mean nobody should speak to you or call you, or talk to you depression?
COWELL: Pretty much depression, yes.
WINFREY: And then what brings you out of it?
COWELL: Well, first of all, what I always say which is, "You`re taking yourself too seriously, so stop it." At the same time, you should never put a painted smile on. When you`re feeling down, you`re feeling down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ok. I`m not completely surprised that he`s revealing his softer side. I always thought that he was at heart, a teddy bear, a guy who was vulnerable. Noelle, do you think now that Simon is leaving "Idol" he might be ready to drop that tough guy attitude?
NOELLE NIKPOUR, COLUMNIST, SOUTH FLORIDA`S SUN-SENTINEL: Yes, you know, I hope so because there is a softer side to Simon. And I think we`ve all kind of known that. And kudos to Oprah for really drawing that out and getting him to kind of come clean because behind every tough guy image is usually - they`re hiding something and it`s usually a softy underneath.
And the fact that he suffered --
ANDERSON: Yes.
NIKPOUR: -- from depression, I`m not really surprised.
ANDERSON: Yes, me either. And he definitely knows how to work that tough guy side when he needs to for the cameras. And speaking of that, Oprah definitely went right for it and asked about the recent drop in "Idol`s" ratings. She wasted no time asking Simon if he thought the drop in "Idol`s" numbers had anything to do with Paula Abdul leaving the show.
And take a look at his response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COWELL: I think we had a great team. She had her own decision -- her own reasons for doing what she did. I was saying this about her the other day she`s -- she`s a survivor, Paula. She`s got great instincts. So for whatever reasons she decided not to go back. She`ll come back on top. I`m absolutely convinced of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Noelle, I`m getting the sense he`s starting to build some suspense before he possibly maybe brings Paula onto his new show "The X Factor". Very quickly, do you think that`s plausible, a done deal maybe?
NIKPOUR: I think he`s always -- he`s just giving us a hint on Oprah`s show. And you know, I think that he actually said the right thing by saying that there was a dip in the ratings but what he failed to mention --
ANDERSON: Yes.
NIKPOUR: -- is that there was a dip because that on-air chemistry that we enjoy wasn`t there anymore.
ANDERSON: That`s right, exactly. And I think that Paula would do herself a favor by teaming up with Simon again.
NIKPOUR: Yes.
ANDERSON: Noelle Nikpour, good to see you again. Thanks.
NIKPOUR: Thanks.
HAMMER: So the woman who is being called Matt Lauer`s alleged mistress speaks. And we were right there today. Did she deny any reports of an affair with Matt?
And it`s time for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to name the most provocative celebrity of the week. Lindsay -- her, "my dog ate my passport" excuse for missing her court date. Jesse James, for talking out for the first time about cheating on Sandra Bullock or the new Miss USA, Rima Fakih and her stripper pole photo scandal.
As an animal lover this story really touches me. The amazing reunion today between a man and gorilla he raised.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He looked in my eyes with such intensity and such love. And it was an incredible experience. And we just sat there together sort of drunk on each other.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN News & Views.
Now the showbiz news ticker; more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Justin Bieber -- he`s got no problem fighting off teen girls. Glass doors, well, not so much. Did you see this? Check out the Biebs walking right into a revolving door at a German hotel and it`s all caught on tape. Ouch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN BIEBER, SINGER: I just walked into that door. I don`t know if you seen it, but my forehead hurts. I thought what happen was I pushed and I thought it opened but obviously it didn`t and I walked right into the window.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: There you have it. German glass door, one; hottest teen star on the face of the planet, zero.
HAMMER: Oh, Brooke, oh Brooke, I just sat down with the all of the stars from the new "Sex and the City 2" movie. So many people rightfully really revved up for this flick. Today it`s my revealing one on one with the lovely Kristin Davis who, of course, plays Charlotte.
Charlotte is really the more conservative one. I`m guessing Charlotte would have had a much different answer than the one Kristin gave me when I asked her if she thinks Hollywood is too obsessed with sex.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRISTIN DAVIS, ACTRESS: Culturally, no. I think sex is pretty darn interesting. So I don`t think we`re necessarily too obsessed with it. I think the thing that we`re -- I think we`re like not worked out about it yet.
I feel like young actresses are pushed into being on the cover of Maxim and whatever. And then when even younger actresses do something risque -- I don`t want to name anybody -- then everybody`s is all like, oh, my gosh. They`re up in arms. They have friends with daughters and sometimes I worry like that their role models are a little bit -- you know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, "Sex and the City 2" is out Thursday, May 27th. I saw this thing. I think it`s really terrific. And I`m also happy to say that Kristin happens to be a huge fan of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I got to send her a t-shirt or something. Come on.
ANDERSON: Yes. We should.
All right, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook fans fired up today about Lindsay Lohan missing her court date, her lame excuse that she lost her passport, and now Lindsay to face an angry judge on Monday. But Johnnie King says, "Go easy on Lilo (ph). To tell you the truth I wish everyone would leave her alone as she is a grown woman. Until she makes up her mind that she is ready for help she is not going to listen to anyone including a judge."
Here`s Julia B. She says, "She would have helped Lindsay get home. If I had a private plane I`d pick up Lindsay just so I could get her to jail that much faster."
HAMMER: Time now for the showbiz line-up. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: startling new revelations today from Jesse James about cheating on Sandra Bullock. He is speaking out for the very first time on TV.
Well, the woman being called Matt Lauer`s alleged mistress speaks - - she is speaking out for the very first time today and of course, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there.
And Heidi "I look scary with my ten plastic surgeries" Montag wants to be the next Megan Fox. Yes, you heard me right.
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN News & Views.
On our showbiz news ticker, here come more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the woman who is being called Matt Lauer`s alleged mistress speaks for the very first time today and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOUSTON: I feel sorry for Matt Lauer`s family for what they are obviously going through as a result of this unfortunate situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jesse James tells all. Jesse`s incredible admission on TV today that he is the most hated man in the world for cheating on wife Sandra Bullock.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week. Is it Lindsay Lohan for her missed court appearance and lame excuse? Jesse James for finally breaking his silence about cheating? Or the new Miss USA for those revealing stripper pole pictures?
Plus, more stories breaking today from the showbiz news ticker. Hit a high note with "Grease", big "Grey`s Anatomy" news and "Planet of the Apes".
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 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.
New revelations about Matt`s mess: the woman who`s been called Matt Lauer`s alleged mistress spoke out for the very first time today on camera with her attorney Gloria Allred by her side. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there to capture it.
HAMMER: Yes, her name is Alexis Houston and she`s finally setting the record straight about her alleged so-called relationship with Matt and all those pesky reports about her having had an affair or having had an affair with "The Today Show" host.
Right now, from Hollywood is Pat Lalama. Pat is an investigative journalist. With me in New York is Cooper Lawrence, who`s a syndicated radio host and author of "The Cult of Celebrity".
Well, all of this began with a "National Enquirer" report alleging that Matt Lauer was having an affair with this woman, Alexis Houston, and that Matt had actually moved out of the family home in New York City. I never believed it for a moment.
But Brooke, what has Matt said about these allegations?
ANDERSON: A.J., Matt spoke with "People" magazine and slammed the report. Matt said that he did not move out of the family home nor has he ever moved out. He labeled the cheating reports offensive and ridiculous. Even his wife Annette (ph) slammed the report saying she was speaking out to stand up for her family and to protect them.
HAMMER: Well Brooke, Alexis Houston also denied the reports from the very beginning. And today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was at this news conference in New York City where Alexis again denied having had this affair. Watch what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOUSTON: I feel that my privacy and personal space have been invaded. And I`m truly upset that my family and I have had to deal with the fallout from these vicious rumors. I also feel sorry for Matt Lauer`s family for what they are obviously going through as a result of this unfortunate situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, so she says her life has become a three-ring circus. Pat Lalama, I am wondering why she would perpetuate the circus by holding a news conference with, of all famed attorneys, Gloria Allred?
LALAMA: A.J., I`m going to insert my Lalamalian theory here and I`m going to borrow from Shakespeare. "Methinks thou dost protest too much". Why in the heck -- first of all, let`s just go back a little bit. She denied it from the beginning. She took the high road then. It never happened.
Go away. End of story. Don`t dignify it, you drag out Gloria Allred, you got some big hunky guy next to you -- I don`t know who that guy is. Is that the guy who is supposedly the boyfriend named Matt?
HAMMER: Hold on, hold on now. We`ll show that but go ahead with your Lalamalian theory.
LAWRENCE: Oh all right, we`ll get to that. Ok.
The point of the matter is something stinks in here. Something`s wrong. I`m just going to put a little seed in your head. I`m not saying I have any inside info but maybe a little quid pro quo like you go out there and tell the whole world it didn`t happen and maybe we`ll make life a little bit easier for you down the road.
I`m just saying.
HAMMER: Oh, no, no I don`t know.
LALAMA: I`m just saying.
HAMMER: Yes, I mean, look, look, I`ve said from the moment that this story -- and here`s what I thought stunk about this. You know, Matt Lauer, a guy of great integrity is -- is -- knows better than to nationally say nothing happened because he knows that would just come back to bite him which in fact something did. I`m not buying it for a second that anything took place here.
And I can tell you -- all right, Pat, let me get to this -- this guy you`re talking about at the news conference. Alexis did go on and admit she was in a relationship with Matt. It just wasn`t Matt Lauer. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLORIA ALLRED, ALEXIS HOUSTON`S ATTORNEY: I am here to say enough is enough. It is time for the press and public to accept the truth. Alexis does have a boyfriend named Matt. But it is not Matt Lauer. His name, instead, is Matt Lunsford.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, you can see how somebody might get confused.
LAWRENCE: Yes, I get confused all the time.
HAMMER: Here is the thing. I kind of feel, Cooper, like I`m in some kind of "Seinfeld" episode; it was like a press conference about nothing, right?
LAWRENCE: That is what it was. It was a press conference about nothing. But you know, we needed to fill some time. So a good thing they did it.
Because here we are but the truth is, you know, it`s always -- we`re so suspicious now because the thought is, if they really have an affair? Did they now, like as Pat as saying -- did somebody get paid off here? This woman wants fame? What does she want, why is she talking to us? And why is Gloria Allred standing next to her?
LALAMA: Exactly, exactly.
HAMMER: Interesting note -- interesting note about mentioning fame here, because this woman, Alexis Houston, is an aspiring music artist.
LAWRENCE: What a shock.
HAMMER: And yes and so now -- and now she happens to be a bit famous. We know her name. Pat, even though she wouldn`t address anything about her music career, if I were a betting man I would say perhaps she`s counting on all of this to further her career. I may be jaded. But that`s what I think.
LALAMA: Ludicrous. You`re going to get an esteemed lawyer like Gloria Allred to walk up this interview -- she`s walking on one side, the big hunk is walking on the other side to say "Nothing ever happened."
Baloney. There`s something more to this. It stinks.
HAMMER: I think life has just become so surreal. I mean, it`s now -- life is an episode of "The Surreal Life".
Let`s move please from a non-cheating scandal to a cheating scandal.
LAWRENCE: Sure.
HAMMER: At least we have something concrete here. And this one obviously rocked Hollywood, you know. I`m talking about Jesse James finally breaking his silence in this brand new interview with "Nightline" that`s airing on Tuesday.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal to you Jesse James does, in fact, confess for the very first time he cheated on Sandra Bullock. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The headlines say you`re the most hated man in America.
JAMES: I think it`s most hated man in the world now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You cheated on your wife.
JAMES: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. You think he got two things right there?
LAWRENCE: Yes, I love it. Yes.
HAMMER: Yes, he may be --
LAWRENCE: And I`d do it again.
HAMMER: -- one of the most hated man in the world. And actually, I think he did himself a world of good where he hasn`t done anything before by admitting on television that he did cheat on Sandra.
Pat back to you, obviously he`s got a long road ahead of him. This is the first step in a very long process of getting the public to forgive him. Is he at least on the right path here?
LALAMA: Oh, heavens no. Not for me anyway.
I mean, look, here`s the deal. I actually think this guy enjoys being the most hated man in the world. For Mr. Tough Guy, rebel, contrarian, this is a badge of honor; it`s going to be on his resume tomorrow. There is no real sorrow in this person.
HAMMER: Brooke Anderson, you`ve had very strong feelings about this. Now that you`re no longer sequestered in France and now that he is admitting that he cheated, will this be the break he`s finally looking for to get past this?
ANDERSON: I try to look for the best in people. And so I say potentially, A.J., yes. It was hard for him to admit this. That`s what I think. It was hard for him to say, yes, even though that sounded so lame the way he responded.
HAMMER: Yes.
ANDERSON: But maybe -- maybe he`s realizing, yes, he needs to treat his loved ones and his family with the dignity and the respect that they deserve. Stop taking the easy way out. I for one was glad that he was open and honest. It was past time for that.
HAMMER: Yes it definitely was. Well, in the interview Jesse does answer a question --
LALAMA: How about stop getting married?
HAMMER: Yes. Yes, well that`s the other side of it.
LALAMA: How about stop getting married.
HAMMER: Listen, Jesse did answer a question that everybody has been wondering about since Sandra Bullock stood on stage when she won her Oscar and thanked the man. Watch what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a woman who stood on stage and told the world "I never knew what it was like for somebody to have my back until you, I love you".
JAMES: I took a pretty amazing life and marriage and threw it away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, he`s kind of in a damned if you do, damned if you don`t speak up situation because in my mind, Cooper, this is just going to remind everyone of the terrible -- everyone of the terrible thing he did to Sandra at the height of her success.
LAWRENCE: Right and the thing is, this is somebody who should have not gotten married like Pat was saying. He`s -- he`s the quintessential bad boy but it`s more than that, he likes strippers and tattooed women. He shouldn`t have been with Sandra to begin with. And that was her fault for not recognizing that he couldn`t change.
LALAMA: Exactly.
LAWRENCE: That`s who he is. He can apologize all he wants to. That`s who this guy is always going to be. We don`t buy the apology.
HAMMER: Before I leave you, Cooper Lawrence, would you do your Jesse James impression for us one more time?
LAWRENCE: Yes.
HAMMER: Yes there we go.
LAWRENCE: And I`d do it again.
HAMMER: Cooper Lawrence, thank you very much.
Here is the question, though. We appreciate that impersonation. Is Jesse James going to be named "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S most provocative celebrity of the week for finally speaking about the cheating scandal? Will it perhaps be Lindsay Lohan for her wild international arrest warrant drama or will it be Miss USA, she of course, ignited a coast to coast firestorm as a result of those stripper pole photos that surfaced?
Pat Lalama and Cooper Lawrence, stay right there.
ANDERSON: Heidi is on a mission today. You`ve got to hear Heidi Montag`s desperate plea to replace Megan Fox in the next "Transformers" movie. Are you kidding me?
And long lost friends reunited, this is an incredible story today. A man raises a gorilla, returns him to the wild and finds him five years later.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He looked in my eyes with such intensity and such love. And it was an incredible experience. And we just sat there together, sort of drunk on each other.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN News & Views.
HAMMER: And as you look at the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT control room we`re going to launch the Showbiz news ticker; more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, the big reveal as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week. The nominees include Lindsay Lohan for her wild international arrest warrant drama, Jesse James for speaking out for the very first time after blowing his marriage to Sandra Bullock to bits, and Miss USA who ignited a coast-to-coast firestorm for her stripper pole photo scandal.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: We will name SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the weekend just a moment.
But first, Heidi Montag wants to do what? After ten plastic surgeries in one day totally transforming her face and body, Heidi is begging today and saying "Pick me, pick me" to replace Megan Fox in the next "Transformers" movie.
Right now in New York is Ben Widdicombe; he`s a celebrity journalist. Also in New York is Noelle Nikpour, she`s a columnist for South Florida`s Sun-Sentinel.
Ben, Noelle, I was stunned when I heard that Megan Fox won`t be in the third "Transformers". Whether she was fired or she quit, still not clear.
But I nearly lost my lost my lunch today when I saw Heidi Montag`s tweet to the movie`s director suggesting she be the perfect -- she would be the perfect choice to replace Megan. Check it out.
"Michael Bay, I love your work. I know what an artistic brilliant genius you are. Cast me in the next "Transformers".
Noelle, is it just me or has Heidi reached a whole new level of self-delusion?
NIKPOUR: Look, the only replacement she can be is a wax figure in Madame Tussauds (ph) Wax Museum in the place of Megan Fox. She can`t even run with her implants and she has so much botox she can`t even face her frame right on her face. She cannot replace Megan Fox. She has nothing to worry about.
ANDERSON: She would certainly have to have a stunt double for the jogging scenes.
NIKPOUR: Yes.
BEN WIDDICOMBE, CELEBRITY JOURNALIST: Yes.
ANDERSON: Ben, I`m going to put you on the spot to a prediction. What do you think will happen first, Heidi Montag replacing Megan Fox or hell freezing over?
WIDDICOMBE: Well, we would have to say hell freezing over to replace Megan Fox, but I think she would be great for the "Transformers" as a Decepticon, she can be a flooze (ph) button change into a Mazda. It would be wonderful.
ANDERSON: And she would probably really enjoy that. The girl just -- just wants a job.
NIKPOUR: Yes.
ANDERSON: And you know, if nothing else, Heidi is very bold. And even with Heidi`s wacky "Transformers" mission she did not make the cut to possibly be named SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S most provocative celebrity of the week. I`m sure she`ll do something to be in the running soon. But today we`ve got three real doozies. The nominees please.
Will SHOWBIZ TONIGHT name Lindsay Lohan for her on the lam international arrest warrant and bail drama or should we name Jesse James for speaking out for the first time about his sex scandal implosion or is it the newly crowned Miss USA whose win ignited a firestorm for her stripper pole photo scandal?
Noelle, who do you think deserves the esteemed title of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week?
NIKPOUR: Oh my gosh. Hands down this is Jesse "The Joke" James`. This has to go to him because number one, going on national television and just saying that you`re a cheater -- we already know that. And he cheated on a class act, Sandra Bullock.
Not only that, he should get the celebrity -- provocative celebrity of the week and the biggest idiot of the month.
ANDERSON: And he did admit he probably is the most hated man not in the U.S. but in the world right now.
NIKPOUR: Yes.
ANDERSON: Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Facebook fans rarely agree on anything when posting comments on our wall. And we love that about them, but today the tribe has spoken. One name popped-up over and over for this title. And it was Lindsay Lohan.
Nina R. writes, "Lindsay Lohan hands down." Sarah S. writes, "Lindsay the train wreck" and Granny M. chimes in, "No contest at all, Lindsay Lohan."
Ben, are you with our Facebook fans?
WIDDICOMBE: I do, I agree with the Facebook fans. I think Jesse James, we know all that stuff, we know he cheated. But Lindsay Lohan is a work in progress and blaming her father for starting the Icelandic volcano, whatever excuse she came up with today. I mean, it`s just -- the story is just getting better and better. So Lindsay is still entertaining us. I think she`s far and away the most provocative of the week.
ANDERSON: Ok, no more dilly-dallying, it is time now for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to name our most provocative celebrity of the week. Charles? Drum roll please.
It is Lindsay Lohan. Yes. I mean, really. Her "My dog ate my passport" excuse while she partied it up in Cannes and missing her court date story. It was ludicrous even for Lindsay.
Noelle, you did make a passionate argument for Jesse. I`ll give you that, so what do we have to do to convince you that Lindsay deserves the title this week?
NIKPOUR: Well, you know, let the fans speak. And I guess they already have. But you know, I still like Jesse, but all right. We`ll give it to Lindsay Lohan. After all she`s going to play --
ANDERSON: Jesse James may be a close second here.
NIKPOUR: Yes.
ANDERSON: And you know, no jail time for Lindsay when she gets back to L.A. -- not yet. But she could be sporting a new piece of jewelry, you guys, a scram alcohol detection bracelet. That means, one drop to drink and it`s a one-way ticket -- no passport required -- to the big house.
Ben, what do you think? Do you think Lindsay is going to clean up her act or are we going to see her back on the most provocative list next week?
WIDDICOMBE: You know, I think the judiciary is going to have to help her clean up her act. I don`t think she showed any indication that she`s going to take her life in her own hands and I think the judge is going to look very dimly on her farcical theater thinking she can evade them by staying in Cannes. So I think that she`s probably got some bad news ahead.
ANDERSON: Yes and you know what I think? I think the girl has got too much time on her hands and it allows her to get herself in trouble. She needs a steady job. The pick up is, not many people want to hire her. Lindsay, please, get it together.
Ben Widdicombe and Noelle Nikpour, thanks, guys.
NIKPOUR: Thanks.
HAMMER: This is pretty incredible. After five years of hard long lost friends reunited. It`s such a great story, a man spends five years raising a gorilla, returns him into the wild and this begins a daring journey to find his friend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He looked in my eyes with such intensity and such love. And it was an incredible experience and we just sat there together, sort of drunk on each other.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Grab your Kleenex. It`s a reunion that will melt your heart today. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN News and Views.
Now the showbiz news ticker: more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He looked in my eyes with such intensity and such love, and it was an incredible experience. And we just sat there together sort of drunk on each other.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is wild, literally. Did you see this incredible reunion? A man raises a gorilla, returns him to his natural habitat in the jungles of Africa and after five years apart finds his old pal for one very emotional reunion.
This is really a heartbreaking reunion; it involves a man and a gorilla. And it`s one of the biggest Internet hits out there right now. Damian Aspinall, this guy, a gorilla guru and expert. He raised a gorilla named Quibe (ph) for five years and then he returned him to the wild to continue his life with other gorillas.
Sounds about right. Well, after five years apart, Aspinall decided to head off on a really emotional journey to locate his long-lost friend.
Well, this morning on the "Today" show Damian told Matt Lauer he was determined to find Quibe the gorilla.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAMIAN ASPINALL, GORILLA GURU AND EXPERT: You never know. He is a wild animal now. But deep inside you -- you believe that things will be ok.
MATT LAUER, HOST, "TODAY" SHOW: And you got close, and it was clear you say -- I liked when you say we almost got drunk on each other. You looked in his eyes. You could tell that -- that this -- there were incredible memories that he had of you.
ASPINALL: Well, you know, the moment I heard the gurgle, when the gorillas have a gurgle and it`s very deep love gurgle. The moment I heard that I knew I`d be ok. And right at that moment everything stopped and the sounds of the leaves in the forest stopped and the sounds of the river stopped. I was just captivated in that moment.
LAUER: I don`t know why this sticks in my mind, Damian, but that gorilla could have just -- I mean, after five years in the wild, what`s the smell of that gorilla? That has to be a pungent odor embracing that gorilla.
ASPINALL: I have to say I love the smell of gorilla.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, when have you ever heard a man say it like that. Damian and his family have dedicated their lives to caring for gorillas and other exotic animals. His old gorilla pal rolled out the red carpet for him. He fed him, even introduced him to all his gorilla wives. This is definitely my favorite story today -- Brooke.
ANDERSON: Thursday, we asked you to vote in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. And I can reveal to you right now the shocking final results. Lindsay Lohan, does she deserve to be arrested? An overwhelming number of you say Lilo (ph) should be.
Look at these incredible results, 92 percent of you say yes, only eight percent no.
Check out some of the e-mails we received. Dan from California, says, "Lock Lindsay up. It`s time she pays the price. Send her to jail and maybe she will learn her lesson."
And it took SHOWBIZ staffers a long time today but finally we got a few e-mails supporting Lindsay. Mike from Oregon sent us this e-mail, saying, he`s not giving up on Lindsay. "Lindsay is still a young woman and deserves the right to be wrong and not pilloried by the public for not messing up."
HAMMER: Well Brooke, I`ve got to tell you, you did a yeoman`s job in France at the Cannes Film Festive. But man, is it good to have you back, Brooke. Welcome back. Thanks for those who saw it.
ANDERSON: Thanks for that.
HAMMER: I`m glad you didn`t break that $3,000 bottle of wine. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: Me too.
HAMMER: I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: Yes, my heart stopped with that wine bottle.
I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday.
HAMMER: Provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific seven day a week.
END
