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Showbiz Tonight
Video from Alleged Roethlisberger Rape Victim; Salma Hayek`s Snake Scare; Lady Gaga Versus Katy Perry; Lindsay Lohan Legal Shocker; Snooki and John McCain, Best Friends?
Aired June 10, 2010 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - caught on tape, the rape claim against Super Bowl hero Ben Roethlisberger. Dramatic video out today of the young woman who claims he raped her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was like no, this is not right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But why in the world would the cops release these tapes? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the great debate. Was this just plain wrong?
Also caught on tape, Salma`s snake scare. Salma Hayek totally losing it over a snake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SCREAMING)
SALMA HAYEK, ACTRESS: Oh, my God! Get the snake! Somebody do something.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Katy Perry -
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Lady Gaga -
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Are Gaga and Perry in a religious war?
And Lindsay Lohan legal shocker today. Why Lindsay may be able to drink and not get tossed in jail.
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 with big news breaking today - the shocking rape claim.
What you are about to see is just remarkable. The young woman who claims she was raped by two-time Super Bowl hero, Ben Roethlisberger, describing in graphic detail on videotape what she claims he did to her.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that what made this even more remarkable today is the fact that these tapes weren`t leaked. They were actually released by the investigators in the case even though prosecutors already decided not to charge the Pittsburgh Steelers superstar quarterback, which led to heated debates today over why the tapes were released and whether doing so was just plain wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): An NFL superstar partying like a teenager. And a shaken 20- year-old woman who claims that same NFL superstar raped her in a nightclub bathroom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was just so scary, because it like happened so fast.
HAMMER: Authorities in Georgia have just released hours of video from the rape investigation of NFL superstar Ben Roethlisberger earlier this year. No charges were filed against him, but this is the first time we`re hearing directly from his accuser about what she says happened that night.
JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Usually, with high-profile cases, things are kept entirely under wraps. So this is kind of a big deal.
HAMMER: In this video of her police interview, her face is blurred and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has disguised her voice to protect her identity.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was like, "No, this is not right, I don`t agree with this."
HAMMER: Roethlisberger denies sexually assaulting this woman. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this new video has Americans deciding whose story they want to believe.
PIAZZA: I think that now the American public can make their own decision.
HAMMER: The nation was shocked at the allegation when it was first made last March.
RICHARD MALONE, DEPUTY CHIEF, MILLEDGEVILLE POLICE: There are allegations naming him as the perpetrator.
HAMMER: Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, under investigation for allegedly raping a young student in this Georgia bar. In this newly released video, reportedly shot by one of Roethlisberger`s friends, we see the NFL star partying just before the alleged incident.
PIAZZA: Roethlisberger is the creepy old guy in the college bar. He`s fist pumping. He`s dancing to Miley Cyrus. You`re like, oh, my God, what`s my dad doing here? He is so completely out of place.
HAMMER: Roethlisberger`s 20-year-old accuser later told police how odd it was to see this NFL superstar in a bar frequented by college kids.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because we were like oh, why are you here? We asked him that at the beginning of the night. And he was like, "I`m just trying to change it up." You know, and we`re like, "OK, that`s weird. You`re in a college town. He`s 28 years old. That`s weird."
HAMMER: The accuser says she and her friends were doing shots with Roethlisberger when a member of his entourage led her into an isolated hallway and Roethlisberger soon followed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was like, "No, this is not right." Like, I don`t agree with this. I got up and I like went to the first door there I saw which happened to be like a bathroom. And he like followed me in and shut the door.
And that`s when he proceed to have sex with me and the whole time I said, no, we really don`t need to do this. This isn`t OK, like, we shouldn`t be doing this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know you kept saying it`s OK, but I don`t understand, did you try to fight him back or anything?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. Just because I figured it wouldn`t help anything because I noticed throughout the night that he had a short temper.
HAMMER: Citing lack of evidence and the wishes of the alleged victim, the local prosecutor decided not to charge Roethlisberger who`s being sued for another alleged sexual assault in Nevada in 2008. No charges were filed in that case either.
PIAZZA: This is one football player that has a reputation for being a bad boy and he`s living it up, and sometimes, it seems, probably living it up dangerously.
HAMMER: Now, the NFL has suspended Roethlisberger, citing his pattern of questionable behavior. And Ben, while denying the sexual assault allegations against him, is owning up to making bad decisions, decisions he promises he`ll never make again.
BEN ROETHLISBERGER, FOOTBALL PLAYER: I think this is a time for me to kind of close the chapter of the last couple years of my life and move on to a new one.
PIAZZA: We`ve seen so much bad behavior lately that apologies aren`t enough anymore.
HAMMER: But entertainment reporter Jo Piazza tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT these tapes are making Americans question just how much longer they`ll tolerate bad behavior from our stars.
PIAZZA: There has to be some kind of level where people say look, enough. Let`s stop paying them millions of dollars if they`re going to act like jerks all the time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, these tapes generated an explosive debate today about whether it was wrong for investigators to make them public.
Right now, in Hollywood, is Tanika Ray. Tanika is an entertainment journalist. With me in New York is Sunny Hostin. Sunny is a legal contributor from "In Session" on our sister network, Tru TV.
So it`s been months since Ben Roethlisberger was cleared of any wrongdoing. Despite that, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation released 50 DVDs from the case. Now, Sunny, no matter what you think of this guy, Ben Roethlisberger, or whether or not he should have been charged in the case, was it just wrong for them to release these tapes?
SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION": It was totally wrong. I am horrified by this, especially because I used to prosecute sex crimes. This is why women are afraid to come forward, because they don`t want the spotlight on them.
They don`t want this kind of thing to happen. I don`t understand why it happened. I mean, did someone request them? Was there a Freedom of Information Act? These aren`t public records. It is horrifying that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation would do something like that. Shame on them.
HAMMER: And it does seem this is a woman, the woman who made these accusations of him - she wanted this whole thing to go away.
HOSTIN: Yes.
HAMMER: Tanika, a lot of people just don`t get it. Do you understand or do you just think it`s wrong as well?
TANIKA RAY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Obviously, I think it`s wrong. But in today`s age, nothing is private. If it`s on tape, if it`s recorded, we will hear about it again. And it sounds like somebody had a personal agenda.
This guy has a pattern of doing this. Yes, he`s a great quarterback, but he`s hardly a Romeo. And I think he`s making up for lost time. When you are 28 years old in a college bar, you`re there only to see if girls are going to go wild, period, and take advantage of that.
So perhaps this will be the lesson he really needs to learn. If the tapes weren`t released, he would go on and possibly do this again. So lesson learned, Ben? Let`s hope so.
HAMMER: Well, in these tapes the accuser is heard giving her side of the story. Her image and her voice were altered to mask her identity. But she can clearly be heard making some pretty serious claims against the NFL superstar. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like no, this is not right, like I don`t agree with this. I got up and I like went to the first door that I saw, which happened to be like a bathroom.
And he like followed me in and shut the door. And that`s when he proceed to have sex with me, and the whole time I said no, we really don`t need to do this, this isn`t OK. Like we shouldn`t be doing this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, again, Roethlisberger was not charged in this case. But still, it`s tough hearing this woman`s account of what she says happened on that night. Do you see any upside here, Sunny, anything that could make this OK? Any reason why they would want to have done this?
HOSTIN: You know, the only upside I see is that perhaps people watching it will steer clear of him and people like him because he`s a rapist.
RAY: Yes.
HOSTIN: That`s how I feel about it. I mean, he did something like this before and he did it this time. He got away with it. Perhaps now, all the young women that are watching this know that this kind of thing can happen. That is the upside.
And I think the other upside is possibly maybe she sees this and perhaps now sues him civilly, perhaps. Maybe that`s what will come out of it.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: And as you know, we do have to say of course the charges were never fully brought against him.
HOSTIN: They should have been.
HAMMER: But they weren`t. I just have to point that out.
HOSTIN: They should have been.
HAMMER: Let`s move on to another big story that is making big news today. It`s the battle over Gary Coleman`s remains. Now, this blows my mind. It`s been almost two weeks since Coleman`s tragic death.
Still, he`s not been laid to rest because the executor of his will and his ex-wife can`t agree on what to do with his remains. Well, just in today, reps at the funeral home tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they`re letting a court decide.
Tanika, what does the court need to do to resolve this battle and let Gary Coleman rest in peace once and for all, for goodness sake?
RAY: Well, unfortunately, Shannon Price is being enabled. She has people around her that are helping her not only take things out of Gary Coleman`s house. She`s taking everything, from his furnishings to arcade games, his Dodge truck.
She`s left only his personal bed and his clothing, which is odd behavior if they were, quote, unquote, "married." She is being helped by people around her in order to make this happen. And until this gets sorted out this will go on and on and on.
It`s such a shame. Gary went through so much fighting his parents, then trying to have some privacy, so he moved away from L.A.
HAMMER: Yes.
RAY: He keeps getting assaulted over and over, even in death. And it`s about time she needs to go away and she needs to be stopped.
HAMMER: He was always very candid about how he felt betrayed through so much of his life, and it feels like everybody has an agenda here. Tanika Ray, Sunny Hostin, I thank you both.
All right. As we move on, you remember that movie "Snakes on a Plane," right? Well, you`ve got to see what happened when there were snakes on the set with Salma. Yes.
Caught on tape today - this is wild - it`s Salma Hayek totally losing it right in the middle of an interview because she saw a snake. Hide your glassware. This is loud.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAYEK: Somebody, do something!
(SCREAMING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Also, an unbelievable new Lindsay Lohan legal shocker today. Why Lindsay may be able to drink and not get tossed in jail. But wait, there`s more. Ponder this. Does Donald Trump really want Lindsay on "Celebrity Apprentice?" Could it be?
No, it can`t be. A big-time diva duel today. Katy Perry and Lady Gaga caught in a religious war over "Alejandro?"
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This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views. Now, it`s time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Backstreet Boys call for boycott of BP due to the oil spill. Keenan Thompson and Reba McEntire meet onstage at the CMT Music Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REBA MCENTIRE, SINGER: What are you doing?
KEENAN THOMPSON, COMEDIAN: Who the hell are you?
MCENTIRE: Who are you?
THOMPSON: I`m Reba. That`s right. R to the E to the B to the A - Reba!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Today, blackface backlash. There`s a fired-up debate going on right now about a controversial photo that`s just surfaced.
It`s of supermodel Claudia Schiffer in blackface. Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Claudia Schiffer, a catwalk queen, who for decades has graced the cover of countless fashion magazines, is making headlines again but for all the wrong reasons.
This shocking, newly published photo of the supermodel in the German fashion magazine "Stern Photography," posing in black makeup, sporting Afro wig, triggered an angry outcry in the fashion world.
(on camera): The blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty had many doing a double take when this controversial picture surfaced. It`s from a 2007 photo shoot with famed celebrity designer Karl Lagerfeld.
(voice-over): The black lifestyle magazine "Pride" in the U.K. tagged the photo offensive, even comparing it with minstrel shows.
RUTHIE FRIEDLANDER, SENIOR EDITOR, "STYLEITE.COM": I`m offended by the photo.
WYNTER: And Styleite.com, a news and opinion blog about the fashion world, also found the picture in poor taste. Says senior editor Ruthie Friedlander -
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FRIEDLANDER: I think that anytime people are taking away from the history and struggle of a minority group, there`s a danger that we will return to a point of view that we once had.
WYNTER: But former fashion model Roshumba Williams views the photo differently and thinks critics need to lighten up when comparing the image to blackface.
ROSHUMBA WILLIAMS, FORMER FASHION MODEL: It`s outside of the box, yes, because it`s shot by Karl Lagerfeld. And he`s known to push the envelope. When it comes to fashion and art, I think that we may want to look at the intent behind things before we kind of jump to the conclusion and think that, you know, maybe the person has mal-intent.
WYNTER: Williams also argues Lagerfeld wasn`t looking for a black model. He specifically chose Schiffer because of their long work history, to depict various backgrounds of beauty.
WILLIAMS: It was about Claudia and Karl`s working relationship and her being his muse for 20 years. He was capturing Claudia and the different faces of Claudia the way he saw her from his artistic perspective.
FRIEDLANDER: The truth is, is that it`s insensitive. It dates back all the way to the minstrel shows. White actors would dress up in blackface all for the purposes of stereotyping African-Americans.
And this is something that, you know, we hoped would have disappeared with the end of slavery. Unfortunately, it hadn`t, and Karl Lagerfeld, really, you know, shows this.
WYNTER: Schiffer`s camp told "Styleite.com," quote, "The pictures have been taken out of context. The images were designed to reflect different men`s fantasies."
FRIEDLANDER: Even more disheartening is that this was done for the purpose of men`s fantasies.
WYNTER: "Styleite.com`s" readers voiced their opinion on whether the photo is offensive. Twenty-five percent voted yes; 58 percent no and 17 percent were indifferent. Believe it or not, Schiffer isn`t the first model in blackface to make headlines.
French "Vogue" recently came under fire for publishing photos of a white model in black body paint wearing ethnic clothing. The issue of blackface may be a controversial topic but one that`s clearly not off limits. And you can bet if there`s a famous face attached it`s going to make headlines.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A little less posey.
WYNTER: Only last fall, "America`s Next Top Model" host, Tyra Banks, faced backlash for making show contestants wear dark makeup for a fashion shoot.
In October, Harry Connick, Jr., a guest judge on an Australian variety show, slammed an all-white group performing a Jackson 5 skit wearing black paint. And remember this blockbuster comedy?
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR. ACTOR: I know who I am!
WYNTER: Robert Downey, Jr. set off a firestorm for donning blackface in his "Tropic Thunder" role. It earned him an Oscar nod. While Schiffer hasn`t scored rave reviews for her latest work, it does have people talking about race and a topic that`s still taboo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter. Now, Kareen also tells me that Karl Lagerfeld`s people did not respond to her calls or E-mails for comments on the photos.
All right. You know, Lindsay Lohan has to wear this alcohol- monitoring bracelet, right? Well, get this. She may be able to drink and not get tossed in jail.
Snooki and John McCain. I never thought I`d say that together. Best friends? Why McCain is twittering today about he`s a total fan of "Jersey Shore`s" Snooki.
And the ex-wife of the guy LeAnn Rimes cheated with opens up today. Her unbelievable revelation that LeAnn was having an affair with her husband while she was pregnant. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views. Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: John Legend, Black Eyed Peas and Shakira play at the World Cup kick- off concert. Carrie "Cowboy Casanova" wins video of the year at CMT Music Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the video of the year - it actually goes to Carrie Underwood, "Cowboy Casanova."
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: So the ex-wife of the guy LeAnn Rimes cheated with says that the affair literally made her sick. In an exclusive interview with "E! News," Brandi Glanville, Eddie Cibrian`s ex says she knew something was up between her husband and LeAnn.
Glanville claims the affair between Eddie and LeAnn who he met on the TV movie, "Northern Lights," lasted for three years. And even more disturbing, it was going on when Glanville was pregnant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRANDI GLANVILLE, EDDIE CIBRIAN`S EX-WIFE: I literally went and threw up because these women - they act like they`re the victims, but they`re 50 percent of the problem. I mean, women have the power to change all of this. They could just say no to married men.
That would be - it would be a done deal. All of these scandals would not be happening right now, you know? I mean, these women aren`t the victims. It`s disgusting. I was physically ill. I was pregnant. I was having a hard time with one baby.
So to have - Eddie really wanted, you know, to get pregnant again. So to have that - he was pushing for that, pushing for that. And so to find out the whole time - and it was a really difficult pregnancy - that he was doing that was really - it just made me sick.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s just unbelievable. Well, in a new interview with "People" magazine, LeAnn Rimes finally says she does take responsibility for everything that happened, including destroying her own marriage while she was having the affair with Eddie Cibrian.
Well, I just checked our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall. There are so many posts today all about Lindsay Lohan getting in big trouble. Her alcohol monitoring bracelet goes off. Her bail is double. Lindsay denies she was drinking.
Jennifer B. is writing this, "I love Lindsay to death but if you do the crime, do the time. Tough love is what she needs. I`d hate to see such a talented person end up like so many others before her."
Corinna S. adding, "We all know she`s headed down the wrong path. But I don`t feel sorry for her because she has to want to help herself before anyone else can."
We`d love for to you join the debate on Facebook. You can get breaking entertainment news alerts on Twitter. Call us at "Showbiz on Call." There`s always E-mail. You`ll find it all at "SHOWBIZ Connects," CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Here`s the SHOWBIZ lineup. This is what we`ve got lined up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Poor Salma Hayek. Salma gets caught on tape seeing a snake during an interview, and she just freaks out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SCREAMS)
HAYEK: Get the snake! Somebody do something. No!
(SCREAMING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Am I reading this right? Snooki from "Jersey Shore" and John McCain best friends? That makes me want to scream. McCain`s even tweeting about it.
And a sex tape showdown. Why "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Danielle Staub says her sex tape is going to be huge. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, it`s the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." These are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: David Hasselhoff to be roasted on Comedy Central on August 15th. Five books based on the "Glee" TV series to be released, beginning August.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, a Lindsay Lohan legal shocker today. Why Lindsay may be able to drink and not get tossed in jail. Plus, could she get hired by Donald Trump?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SCREAMING)
HAYEK: Oh, my God! Get the snake! Somebody do something. No!
(SCREAMING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Salma`s snake scare. It is the caught-on-tape moment that is hard to look away from. The beautiful Salma Hayek totally losing it over a snake.
Are Katy Perry and Lady Gaga in a religious war? It`s the brand new smackdown today over Gaga`s controversial new video.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Plus, breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker," Susan Boyle`s new honor. And Kanye West`s awards show comeback.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
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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 with big news breaking today.
Caught on tape, Salma`s big snake scare. Now, you`ve heard of "Snakes on a Plane," the Samuel L. Jackson movie. How about snakes at a movie junket? And it`s all caught on tape. Yes, a snake actually scared the living daylights out of Oscar-nominated actress Salma Hayek while she was being interviewed with her co-stars Maria Bello and Maya Rudolph for the new movie "Grown Ups."
"Extra" correspondent Terri Seymour was conducting the interview. She joins me right now from Hollywood. All right, Terri, so there you are. You`re getting ready to interview the stars of the new movie "Grown Ups," and suddenly this happens. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERRI SEYMOUR, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Hello.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not going to come up here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God! Get the snake!
HAYEK: Somebody do something. No!
(SCREAMING)
HAYEK: No!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s OK. It`s OK. I got you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s gone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s going away.
HAYEK: Thank you so much.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We got you. Don`t worry.
HAYEK: No, I`m -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s over there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s going away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was like a python.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But it was like - it was this thick.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His head was up like this. He was like a cobra. He was like -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You don`t see that every day. Terri, what was going through your mind when that happened?
SEYMOUR: What was going through my mind? First of all, I was trying to keep quite still because, obviously, the girls are freaking out and there`s so much going on and it`s right down by my side - this like four-foot snake.
So I`m trying to keep quite still because I can see they`re freaking out. I`m thinking any sudden movement might freak the snake out. So I`m going off to the side. But there was so much happening. It was complete and utter chaos.
HAMMER: You know, I have to say it was really sweet when in her really cute accent Salma Hayek saying, "Somebody do something." But obviously, the snake terrified all of you. It quickly became obvious that Salma just wasn`t able to shake it off like the rest of you. And then, suddenly she`s gone. What happened to her?
SEYMOUR: Salma has a complete snake phobia, and she was incredibly freaked out. I mean, Maya, God bless her, with two other women like balancing on top of her on that director`s chair. Maya was so calm. I don`t know how she kept it together like she did.
Salma went off to do another interview afterward. She got her composure back together and went off to do another interview. And Maria and Maya just found the whole thing so hysterical they wanted to come back and kind of round up the whole event.
HAMMER: I love it. Well, you`re talking about Maya Rudolph, of course. She`s one of Salma`s co-stars in the film.
SEYMOUR: Maya Rudolph -
HAMMER: And I don`t know if I was more impressed with Salma`s scream there or the fact that she could climb Maya Rudolph in four-inch heels. But I`ve got to tell you -
SEYMOUR: I was pretty impressed. She was balancing on the arm of the chair in those heels, a single arm of a director`s chair.
HAMMER: Terri, let me ask you for a little advice here because now that I`ve seen this, I`m thinking the next time I go to interview Salma Hayek, I want to bring along a rubber snake and maybe put it on her chair. Bad idea? What do you think?
SEYMOUR: I think you`re just mean. I think you`re really showing your true colors.
HAMMER: I think that would be a lot of fun. "Extra`s" Terri Seymour, thank you so much.
Moving on now from snakes on Salma to no lockup for Lindsay Lohan? There is a brand-new bombshell report today that suggests why Lindsay might actually be able to get a little something to drink and not get tossed in jail after all.
Lindsay had to post bail for a second time earlier this week after her alcohol-monitoring bracelet went off. Well, the judge ordered a bench warrant for Lindsay`s arrest. She promptly posted bail and she remains free today.
So if this so-called SCRAM bracelet goes off again, will Lindsay just have to pony up some cash and all will be fine?
With me right now in New York is Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL." Jane is also author of an excellent book called "I Want." Also with me in New York is Sunny Hostin, who is a legal contributor with "In Session" on our sister network, Tru TV.
And Sunny, I need you to help me out. You`re a former federal prosecutor, so know the answer to this. If Lindsay`s SCRAM bracelet - let`s say it goes off again before her next court appearance - that`s on July 6th. Is it going to be same routine - she`ll post bail, be able to go out, do it all again?
HOSTIN: Not necessarily. I mean, a judge can say, "You what? Listen, enough is enough." I think a judge should have done it this time, by the way. The judge can say, "Enough is enough. We`re going to revoke your bail. You can be put in jail pending the probation -
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Yes, but how likely is that, really?
HOSTIN: It is likely. I think that, you know - I`ve spoken to a couple of people that have appeared before this judge. And they say, listen, she`s no nonsense. She will revoke her bail.
She will revoke her probation and put her in jail for six months. And let`s face it, that could still happen July 6th. I mean, Lindsay Lohan must be the most unlucky person in the world to have someone allegedly drop a drink on top of her SCRAM bracelet at a party.
HAMMER: Yes -
HOSTIN: Come on.
HAMMER: After losing the passport or having it stolen. You know, Jane, I actually think it would be outrageous if that bracelet keeps going off before her July 6th hearing and she doesn`t get thrown in jail. Are you with me on that?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Absolutely. Lindsay Lohan has made a mockery out of the entire criminal justice system. Everybody in the world is looking at this and realizing, hey, the rules do not apply to this person because she is rich and famous.
It doesn`t matter whether it`s a mandatory court hearing or an alcohol-monitoring bracelet. She offers lame, ridiculous excuses, and she gets away with it. Bench warrants have been issued for her arrest two times in less than a month.
Do you think she`s been arrested? Oh, no. That would be way too logical. All she does is pay her way out of the situation by posting ever higher bail. It is a disgrace. I say throw this girl`s butt in a clinker already.
HAMMER: All right. So Sunny, let`s go, let`s flash forward then to July 6th.
HOSTIN: Yes.
HAMMER: She goes into court. And the government, the prosecutor, whomever, is able to prove, yes, the SCRAM bracelet went off. You drank. You violated your probation. Realistically, how likely is it that she will get thrown in jail because of that?
HOSTIN: I think it`s very, very likely. I really do. And I know there are a lot of people saying it`s unlikely. I completely disagree. And I`ll bet on it.
HAMMER: I don`t want to get into the finer points of the law too much, but people are saying the charges against her, they`re misdemeanor charges -
HOSTIN: The underlying charge that she got sort of the probation on is a misdemeanor. But misdemeanors are punishable in California up to six months. She could get six months in jail.
Now, remember, before, she only spent like a day in jail because the jails were overcrowded. I`ve got to tell you this time -
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Eight-four minutes.
HOSTIN: Eighty-four minutes. That`s right, Jane. I think that the judge is going to find some space for Lindsay Lohan.
HAMMER: Good. You know, she doesn`t need a whole lot of space. But here`s the thing. There are a lot of people saying - and Jane, I`m going to get your take on this in a second - that jail perhaps not the best move for Lindsay if she does have a problem.
Now, she denies having any problem. I want you to take a look at what we asked in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll, "Which would be better for Lindsay Lohan, jail or rehab?"
I got the results late today. Look at this. A whopping 83 percent said send her to rehab. Seventeen percent said jail, thinking, you know, a program would be better for her if she really does have a problem. Jane, what`s your take on that?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The only problem is she`s already been to rehab at least three times. Obviously, it didn`t work. I see no reason why the fourth time would be a charm, especially considering she is so defiant and in such denial that she has a problem.
Now, if she was thrown in prison - the fact is they do have 12-step programs in prison, and what she needs more than anything else is a big giant smackdown -
HAMMER: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: To show the rules do apply to her. And being thrown in the clinker would do just that.
HAMMER: I`ve got to ask you quickly, Sunny. There`s a report that Donald Trump is talking to her about doing "Celebrity Apprentice." I think it would be a great idea. He can whip people into shape. He had known the Lohans for a while. Good idea?
HOSTIN: I think it`s a great idea. And I`ve got to tell you, I`d watch. I`d watch. People do like to watch a train wreck, but we want her to redeem herself.
HAMMER: She needs to be focused.
HOSTIN: Yes.
HAMMER: She needs to make more money, too. So I actually think a good thing. All right. Sunny Hostin, Jane Velez-Mitchell, I thank you both.
As we move on today, you remember when Sen. McCain got all uptight during the presidential campaign calling Barack Obama a celebrity? Of course, you do.
Perhaps he`s forgotten about all of that because the Arizona senator is now fist-pumping with Snooki from "The Jersey Shore." They`re actually teaming up on a hot political issue today. I`m not making this up.
Katy Perry, Lady Gaga - two of the biggest pop stars on the planet. But are they in the middle of a religious war today over Gaga`s new music video for "Alejandro"? It`s the gaga-Katy smackdown.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
The New "Real Housewives of New Jersey" sex tape shocker. Why Danielle Staub says today her tape could be a blockbuster. Really? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, it`s the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Susan Boyle likely to perform for the pope during his U.K. visit later this year. Keith Urban thanks wife Nicole Kidman after big win at CMT Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEITH URBAN, COUNTRY MUSIC SUPERSTAR: Thank you, girl. I love you so much. I`m glad you`re here. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tom Cruise`s crude alter ego may be getting a movie all his own. And in a possible sign that the world has gone mad, Sen. John McCain is on team Snooki. All that making big news in "The Buzz" today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Stop the doc. California`s medical board has just revealed it`s going after Michael Jackson`s doctor again to try to stop him from practicing medicine in the state.
The board has just asked a judge to suspend Dr. Conrad Murray`s license. Murray is accused of giving Jackson the drug that led to his death and faces trial on involuntary manslaughter charges. Murray`s lawyer claims this is all unnecessary because Murray doesn`t practice in California.
Big Tom Cruise news -
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I love it.
HAMMER: We`ve just learned that Cruise`s Les Grossman character from "Tropic Thunder" will be the focus of a major new movie. Cruise will produce the film and star as the wild Hollywood producer. The announcement comes after Cruise just reprised the role during MTV`s Movie Awards.
CRUISE: That`s my dirty dog.
John McCain joins team Snooki. McCain has just tweeted he`s on Snooki`s side in the great tanning bed controversy. The star of "Jersey Shore" just complained she`s quitting tanning beds because of a 10 percent federal tax just added.
NICOLE "SNOOKI" POLIZZI, REALITY TV STAR, "JERSEY SHORE": McCain would never put a 10 percent tax on tanning.
HAMMER: Sen. McCain, who beat skin cancer, tweeted, "You are right. I would never tax your tanning bed. President Obama`s tax-and-spend policy is quite the situation."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Way to tweet, Senator. Nice going. The big question that remains today, are Snooki and McCain BFF-ing it out?
Right now, in Hollywood, Tanika Ray, who is a journalist. Right here, in New York, Steven smith, who`s a music and pop culture expert.
So Sen. McCain is jumping right there on the Snooki bandwagon -
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: And using her comments about Obama to take a little political jab. Tanika, I never thought I`d see the day that Snooki would become involved in politics on Capitol Hill. Quite frankly, my head`s going to explode. Do you think this is a good thing here?
RAY: She is - come on, she didn`t become involved in politics. Somebody told her McCain wouldn`t do it and she`s like, "McCain? OK, I`ll just say it." She has no idea what McCain`s first name is.
And when it comes to McCain tweeting back, he knows that the Republicans need to make their image a little younger, a little hipper. He`s jumping on the "Jersey Shore" bandwagon.
HAMMER: Yes.
RAY: And hopefully all their fans will love the Republicans after this. It`s such a stunt, it`s ridiculous.
HAMMER: Yes. I`m certain the senator tweeted that himself, too.
RAY: Yes, exactly.
HAMMER: And here`s what I`m thinking. Maybe, maybe - just maybe, Snooki could become the new Sarah Palin. I mean, let`s think about this now.
STEVEN SMITH, MUSIC AND POP CULTURE EXPERT: Yes.
HAMMER: McCain -
RAY: Sure, let`s do it.
HAMMER: McCain needs a feisty sidekick. Look at this. Sarah may not have a tan. But their hair, kind of similar, right? Steven, are you with me? If McCain runs again, he`s got to pick Snooki as his running mate.
SMITH: He has to. He has to do it.
RAY: Definitely.
SMITH: I mean, he knows who Snooki is. She actually, I heard, thought it was an audition for "Die Hard 5" and it was actually a John McCain that was actually re-tweeting. But whatever works I think she`d be great on the platform. Bruce Willis, you know, big right-winger.
HAMMER: It would be genius. Although if you mentioned, you know, 2012 to her, she`d probably think the world`s going to end.
SMITH: Yes.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s move on to another outrageous news story that`s just in today. Could there possibly be? Is there a catfight brewing now between Katy Perry and Lady Gaga?
Well, it could be. It does look like Katy Perry doesn`t like Gaga`s controversial new video "Alejandro." Now, the video - you`ve seen this. It shows Lady Gaga dressed like a sexy nun wearing a cross on her nether regions and eating rosary beads.
Here is Katy Perry`s latest tweet today, quote, "Using blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke." Tanika, team Katy or team Gaga?
RAY: Well, you know what? Team Gaga. This is what it is. As far as I`m concerned, Katy Perry`s going, "It`s not fair that Gaga`s better on the billboard charts than I am." Look, you can`t draw the line in the sand wherever you want it.
Katy has blurred the line many times with "I Kissed a Girl," having the cream coming out of her breast area. You can`t just say oh, now that Lady Gaga`s doing this and she`s getting a lot of attention, that`s not fair. Basically, Gaga`s an artist and Katy Perry is basically irrelevant at this point. I think she has some problems.
SMITH: No -
HAMMER: Well, listen, a lot of people are saying what you`re saying, that it`s like the pot calling the kettle black here -
RAY: Absolutely.
HAMMER: With Katy going after Gaga saying Perry`s just as controversial and outrageous as Gaga. Sherri Shepherd had plenty to say about it on "The View" this morning. Let`s look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": They`re also talking about well, Katy, she had a video with like cream coming out of her nipples in one of her videos. But I think it`s a difference - I think it`s a difference with Katy`s doing the eroticism. Her stuff is erotic and, you know, you`re putting a cross on your private parts. There`s a big difference.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Now, Steven, what do you think? Are you with Sherri there? She said, hey, big difference between eroticism and blasphemy, essentially.
SMITH: I totally agree with Sherri Shepherd. May lightning strike me down - I agree with Sherri Shepherd. I think that - and I disagree with Tanika. I think that Lady Gaga is basically just doing what Madonna should have been doing with "Hard Candy."
RAY: Absolutely.
SMITH: I mean, that entire video is a tribute to every Madonna video she does. Katy Perry, on the other hand, has a lot of irony in her work. And yes, she does - her new song, "California Girls," I think much like Lady Gaga`s latest. It`s beneath both of them. I think they`re both much better songwriters than they are.
HAMMER: Here`s the thing -
(CROSSTALK)
Listen - listen, the whole thing is a stunt. It`s working. We`re talking about it.
RAY: Yes, absolutely.
HAMMER: Tanika Ray, Steven Smith, thanks, guys. Moving on now to the new "Real Housewives of New Jersey" sex tape shocker. I want you to forget about her hanging her head in shame. Reality star, Danielle Staub, is talking about her sex tape today on camera. Why she actually thinks it could be a blockbuster. Is Danielle really promoting her own sex tape? This is what the world has come to, isn`t it? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, it`s the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Kanye West to perform at the BET Awards June 27. It`s Kanye`s first awards show since upstaging Taylor Swift at MTV Awards. "Jersey Shore`s" The Situation and Snooki join Paula Deen at CMT Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA DEEN, TELEVISION PERSONALITY: They call me The Situation, and only because I`ve got this little thing called The Situation right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: It`s a sex tape showdown today. "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star, Danielle Staub, says her triple X tape is going to be huge. In fact, Staub, the woman so many love to hate, says her tape could be a mega- seller, bigger than Kendra Wilkinson sex tape. Now, Kendra is the former "Girls Next Door" star who just had a sex scandal of her own.
But Staubs says she didn`t fight the release of her video because, as she says, if you can`t beat them, join them.
Now, Danielle`s sex tape drama has people on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page just fired up. Carlos M. posted this on our wall, "What possesses these people to make sex tapes, let alone sell these things?"
And Tina G. writes - and I`m sorry I have to say this, "I just vomited in my mouth. Gross, Danielle."
Moving on. Did you see this? Ralph Macchio`s desperate plan to cook up a shocking scandal so he can get back on top. Now, the star of the original "Karate Kid" - well, he looks like he`s barely aged since that movie came out in 1984.
Macchio hasn`t had a big hit since then, but he`s now team up with the hilarious guys over at "Funny or Die" for a spoof documentary to change all of that. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That kid from England - what`s his name? Hugh Grant. He got arrested with prostitutes, had drug problems? You know, they were brilliant. What (EXPLETIVE DELETED) are you doing?
RALPH MACCHIO, ACTOR: No pictures, guys. Look, I am trying to have a clandestine brunch with my underage lady friend, OK? They want alcoholics. Drug addicts. You`re none of those. They got arrested with prostitutes.
MACCHIO: Hey, I just want to get photographed getting a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) from you. I`ll pay cash.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE). Why come back when you turn 18, OK?
MACCHIO: I`m 48 years old!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, what`s up Chachi?
MACCHIO: I`m not Chachi, (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s the Karate Kid.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, man. Do that crane (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(CROSS TALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Next up here, what was he thinking? An unidentified teenager caught on tape in a Hollywood club brawl.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He tried to get into the brat pack, but he wanted to change the name to the smile bunch.
MACCHIO: I don`t want you to have a nice day. Have a bad day! Game over, all right?
(CROSSTALK)
You don`t know what it`s like. You don`t have any idea what it`s like.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is it? What`s going to make you happy?
MACCHIO: I don`t want to be happy. That`s all I ever am. No more!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know this is $50, right?
MACCHIO: It`s so worth it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Nice, Ralph. Well done. Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday. And we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show seven days a week at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.
END