Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
A Mel Gibson Extortion Plot?; Brangelina`s Court Victory; Brand-New Lohan Family Drama; Arnold-Mel Smackdown
Aired July 22, 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 - a disturbing Mel Gibson extortion plot? A startling new turn today in the investigation into the so-called Mel tapes. Did his ex-girlfriend really demand millions to keep the tapes a secret?
But wait, there`s more. Why the Terminator is now taking shots at Mel. It`s the Arnold-Mel smack down.
Brad and Angelina`s incredible court victory today. Why you`d better be really careful now before suggesting they be splitting up.
Brand-new Lohan family drama today, and not just about Lindsay. Startling domestic violence claims against Lindsay`s dad.
And SHOWBIZ caught on tape - when creatures attack.
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 with big news breaking today - a case of extortion?
Yes, just when you thought you heard it all in the so-called Mel Gibson tapes, well, along comes another twist to make your head spin. Police are confirming today there is a full-blown investigation into the tapes featuring a man believed to be Mel ranting in calls to his ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva.
But hold the phone, this isn`t about another Mel investigation. Police are now investigating Oksana for possible extortion. And in yet another who- would-have-thunk-it development today, it seems the tide of public opinion is slowly shifting in favor of Mel, which is why SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, whose team are you on?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (allegedly Mel Gibson): (EXPLETIVES DELETED), gold digger!
HAMMER (voice-over): Mel Gibson`s war with his ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, has already cemented its place as one of Hollywood`s nastiest splits ever, thanks to those bitter recordings posted on "Radar Online."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (allegedly Mel Gibson): You`re a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) using (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!
HAMMER: But now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the Mel-Oksana war could end up where no Hollywood breakup has ever gone before - with both exes locked up in jail.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned today sheriff`s investigators are looking into Gibson`s claims that Grigorieva tried to extort money from him in exchange for keeping those explosive recordings secret.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (allegedly Mel Gibson): I spent too much (EXPLETIVE DELETED) money on you!
HAMMER: And while police investigate Mel`s claim, they`re also smack in the middle of their investigation into Grigorieva`s claim that Gibson abused her during an argument - a dueling ex-couple and now, dueling police investigations.
MARC MALKIN, COLUMNIST, "E! ONLINE": Just when you think you can`t get more odd between Mel and Oksana, it does. Oksana and Mel could be in really big trouble.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, attorneys for Gibson and Grigorieva met today for a court hearing on a restraining order that Oksana has filed against Mel.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (allegedly Oksana Grigorieva): Mel, you`re imbalanced. There`s something wrong with you. You need medication.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (allegedly Mel Gibson): Oh, you shut up!
HAMMER: In the latest recording just posted on "Radar Online," Oksana accuses a man who sounds like Gibson of hitting not only her during an argument, but also striking their baby daughter, Lucia.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (allegedly Oksana Grigorieva): You hit me, and you hit her, while she was in my hands. Mel, you`re losing your mind. You need medication.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (allegedly Mel Gibson): You need a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kick up the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) for being a (EXPLETIVES DELETED) gold digging (EXPLETIVE DELETED). And I want my child and no one will believe you.
MALKIN: I don`t think there`s any doubt in anybody`s minds that these tapes have hurt Gibson. (AUDIO GAP)
HAMMER: And now Gibson is claiming today that those damaging recordings were at the center of his ex`s attempt to extort money from him in their post-breakup settlement.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT now revealing what the L.A. County sheriff`s department just told us, quote, "Allegations of extortion have been brought to our attention and we are certainly going to look into it."
A source close to the investigation tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Gibson`s attorneys have met with police to present evidence to back up the extortion claims. There are new reports today about what that evidence might be.
MALKIN: "The Hollywood Reporter" now is reporting that Mel`s lawyers are saying that they actually have text messages from Oksana that prove that she was trying to extort the money from him.
HAMMER: Funny thing is, that extortion claim from Mel Gibson`s side is the closest they`ve come to admitting that the voice hurling nasty -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (allegedly Mel Gibson): You need a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kick up the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) -
HAMMER: Racist -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (allegedly Mel Gibson): If you get raped by a pack of (EXPLETIVE DELETED), it will be your fault.
HAMMER: And threatening comments -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (allegedly Mel Gibson): I`ll threaten - I`ll put you in the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) rose garden, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!
HAMMER: Is in fact the voice of Mel Gibson. Even if, you know, she was trying to extort from him, people are just - I don`t think they`re going to forget this.
HAMMER: "E`s" Marc Malkin tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the extortion claims won`t blunt the impact of the disgusting things we hear Mel purportedly say, but they might help him wiggle out of a domestic violence charge.
MALKIN: There is some legal opinion that these tapes, if they were part of an extortion plot, that may not be admissible to court on behalf of Oksana.
HAMMER: Here`s the latest today on what Oksana`s spokesman is telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. There`s, quote, "no credible evidence whatsoever of extortion by her." So as these two continue to hurl nasty and conflicting allegations at each other, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that it seems the only way this will all get sorted out is through the courts and the cops, and clearly, a terrible way for parents of a baby girl to part ways.
MALKIN: Eventually, this baby is going to grow up and probably read everything that went down between mom and dad and it is not pretty.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yes, not pretty, indeed. So what does this explosive new turn in the investigation mean for Mel Gibson? If Oksana really did try to extort him for millions of dollars to keep those tapes secret, what does this mean for Oksana`s claims that Mel hit her?
But that brings us to today`s SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - could Oksana`s case against Mel Gibson fall apart like a house of cards?
With me right now from Hollywood, Pat Lalama, who is an investigative journalist. With me in New York, Midwin Charles, who is a legal contributor for "In Session" on our sister network, Tru TV.
So if investigators do conclude that Oksana was trying to extort Mel, I`ve got to tell you, I think that Oksana`s case against Mel is going to be severely compromised. And in fact, to the SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, I think her case could fall apart like a house of cards. Midwin, would that be so farfetched?
MIDWIN CHARLES, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION": Well, I think law enforcement has to do an investigation and they`ve opened one in terms of the physical abuse claims and what have you. But I think when it comes to custody, it may hurt her only from the perspective of her credibility is shot.
If she is, in fact, reading a script, and I think - hello, no one here is boo-boo the fool. You can listen to that and tell - it sounds like she`s reading from something. And the tapes are a little crazy. It will hurt her credibility. That doesn`t mean that Mel Gibson is not a jerk.
HAMMER: Right.
CHARLES: I mean, think it`s abundantly clear that he`s a jerk and he`s a hateful person, a person in rage. But yet, it still goes to her credibility.
HAMMER: Well, let`s talk about that with you, Pat Lalama. What do you think? Could the whole case just implode here?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: Well, you know what? Midwin just stole all my thunder, because those are my two exact points. Credibility, credibility, credibility.
And also, yes, we all understand that there could be extortion and there could also be domestic violence. But the more I am looking at this - you know, you had a guest in your taped piece who, at the end of the piece said, this little baby`s going to grow up to read all this terrible stuff.
Well, why? Because of this drip, drip, drip of domestic toxins before the media. If she were a class act - I hope she didn`t get hit - but if she were a class act, she would let this play out within the courts and under some auspice of silence. What she`s doing is despicable.
HAMMER: Well, that is, in fact, if she did get these tapes out there.
LALAMA: Oh, come on -
HAMMER: And to this day - to this day, Pat - I just have to fair to her.
LALAMA: I know -
HAMMER: She absolutely denies that. But let`s take a look at what led up today`s new bombshell about this alleged extortion plot. It all began, of course, with Oksana confirming, yes, that`s her voice on the tapes.
But then as the tapes came out, and this is to Midwin`s point, the tide really kind of seemed to turn against Oksana because, to many people, it sounds like she`s reading from a script.
I`ve got to tell you, I was stunned late today when the results came in for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. They came into the newsroom to this question, "Mel Gibson`s Mess: Will the tapes backfire on Oksana?" And a whopping 73 percent said yes. Only 27 percent said no. Midwin, why do you think so many people do think these tapes will backfire on her?
CHARLES: Well, I think because I don`t think people like the idea of people lying, of trying to go through such an extent to try to frame someone or cutting and splicing videotapes.
If she, in fact, was abused by Mel - and I think we all can agree here that is a horrific thing, we do not want to live in a society where we tolerate physical abuse - go to the police.
This allegedly happened nine, 10 months later. And I`m not saying that because she didn`t go then. But play it out in the courts, as Pat suggested.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
CHARLES: Do it the right way. Don`t go ahead and start releasing tapes.
HAMMER: If she -
CHARLES: In order to be believed.
HAMMER: If she did.
CHARLES: If she did.
HAMMER: Now, even before that first tape was leaked, we had learned that Oksana had filed a restraining order against Mel. Well, today, lawyers for both sides met about that restraining order.
Today, we also learned that investigators are looking into whether Oksana tried to extort Mel, as we`ve been talking about. Late today, another bombshell - "Radar Online" reporting it has texts proving Oksana`s claim that Mel Gibson abused her.
Pat Lalama, I know this sounds crazy, but when you hear all that, do you think it is possible Mel and Oksana could both be headed for jail?
LALAMA: I think they could both be in trouble. You know, I don`t see any - I actually don`t think this case will see the light of day - that`s my prediction, just based on my instincts in covering these kinds of cases. Yes, and both of them could be in trouble, as well.
Look, there`s one thing that I think needs to be brought up, regarding Oksana in surreptitiously Mel and even if she is reading it. In California, the law states that you - it is a two-party state. But you may do something like this if you are helping a police investigation or trying to prove that you`re in fear or that something violent is happening to you.
HAMMER: Right.
LALAMA: So there is that. At the same time, there`s just something murky about the way that it`s gone on. And when I read that Judge Scott Gordon was beside himself, that her attorney didn`t - he just forgot one little thing. He forgot to mention before the judge that there was this $15 million settlement earlier.
That just confounds me. What kind of an attorney goes into a court and doesn`t mention something that big to a judge?
HAMMER: Yes.
LALAMA: There`s a lot of dirt in here and I think it`s going to ruin the credibility.
HAMMER: You hit on a good word, "murky." A lot of murkiness here. And listen to this. For all of Mel Gibson`s drama, there is, right now, at least one famous person who is busy cracking jokes at Mel`s expense.
I`m talking about the Terminator, himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, absolutely tearing Mel apart.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R-CA): The good news is that BP has contained the oil leak. The bad news is that no one has figured out how to contain Mel Gibson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It is the Arnold-Mel smack down. Pat Lalama, Midwin Charles, please, don`t move. There is so much Mel Gibson drama going on, so much new Lohan family drama as well. And this is actually not about Lindsay. There are startling domestic violence claims today against Lindsay`s dad.
A big court win for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie today. Let me tell you, you`d better be really careful now if you suggest these guys might be splitting up.
And what a whale tale. A whale crashes into a boat and it`s all caught on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine you`re out with your boyfriend for a sail -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The next thing I hear him say, "oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)."
MOOS: When a whale the size of your boat springs out of the ocean.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Whoa! In the land, on sea, it`s when creatures attack. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Lindsay Lohan shot Oct. 2010 "Vanity Fair" cover right before her jail sentence began. Elton John cancels Tucson, Arizona concert due to food poisoning.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Check this out. Absolutely incredible, and caught on tape - a whale jumps out of the water and crash lands on a sailboat off the coast of South Africa. Now, the boat got trashed. Incredibly, the people and the whale were not hurt. The big question today, though, is this photo real?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Yes, that picture has caused quite a big debate today. Is it legit or is it a Photoshop job? I`ll get to that in just a second. But first, it`s showbiz caught on tape, when creatures attack. Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice-over): Imagine you`re out with your boyfriend for a sail.
PALOMA WERNER, CAPE TOWN SAILING ACADEMY: The next thing I hear him say, oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
MOOS: When a whale about the size of your boat springs out of the ocean.
WERNER: This massive creature just going up next to the boat and smashing against the mast.
MOOS: This is the before, and this was the after. Sailing school partners Paloma Werner and Ralph Mothes both lived to joke about the encounter, just outside Cape Town Bay in South Africa.
WERNER: We said we had a whale of a time.
MOOS: Even if it will cost at least 5,000 bucks to fix their 32-foot boat, the whale seemed fine afterwards, though he left some blubber on deck.
(on camera): Were you thinking "Jaws"?
WERNER: No, not at all. I wasn`t scared at all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re going to need a bigger boat.
MOOS (voice-over): All Paloma and Ralph need is a repaired mast. The photo of the encounter was shot by a tourist in a nearby boat. They`d all been watching the whale repeatedly surfacing when suddenly it crashed the yacht.
(on camera): Now, it`s one thing if a flying carp flies into your boat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my -
MOOS: Or flies directly into you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh.
MOOS: We`ve even seen killer whales force a penguin to jump on a boat to escape. But when it comes to the most persistent boat crasher, take a gander at this goose.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my dog. Crazy goose - sucker won`t leave her alone. Will you stop? Damn it, get. This sucker`s crazy. Look at that crazy sucker.
MOOS (voice-over): At least the whale didn`t chase the sailboat. Actually, environmental officials are checking reports that perhaps the sailboat was harassing the whale by being too close. Paloma says that just isn`t so. They were sailing without a motor. The whale didn`t hear them and simply surfaced. If he`d landed on the deck, rather than smacking the mast -
WERNER: And we would have been - we would have been as flat as a pancake.
MOOS: Estimated weight of a right whale, 40 tons. All fins on deck.
WERNER: It was amazing. It was actually awesome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Awesome, indeed. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a real whale tale. I also wanted to point out, the whale wasn`t really attacking anyone. These whales apparently have really poor eyesight, so it probably didn`t even see the boat.
Now, so as far as all those explosive claims that the picture was a fake, well, the sailing couple was on the "Today" show this morning and they say, no way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, "TODAY" SHOW: Is this photo legitimate? There`s been no Photoshopping of this image or anything like that?
WERNER: It is definitely legitimate. We were on the boat and we saw the whale coming out and - and we saw it. So it`s legitimate. It hasn`t been Photoshopped.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So there you go. The whale tale is real. Well, there`s some very real Lohan family drama going on today. It seems to never end. And this doesn`t have to do with Lindsay. Startling domestic violence claims today against her dad. Could Lindsay and her father actually end up in matching prison jumpsuits?
Simon Cowell gets sued for something that he said to a contestant. Isn`t that what he`s paid to do?
And one of the most famous plus-sized models in the world, Crystal Renn, sets the record straight this morning on the "Today" show. Is she suffering from an eating disorder again? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz to compete in car race on British TV show, "Top Gear." Johnny Depp seen in new photo on the set of the new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Brand-new, plus-sized controversy today involving one of the most famous plus-sized models in the world. Crystal Renn is setting the record straight today after shockingly skinny photos of her surfaced in an ad campaign.
Now, Renn once suffered from an eating disorder and she is furious after she says these photos were retouched to make her look scary skinny.
Well, on the "Today" show this morning, Renn set the record straight with Meredith Vieira.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRYSTAL RENN, PLUS-SIZE MODEL: When I first saw the pictures, I have to say I was absolutely shocked. I think I sat in silence for a good five minutes, because I knew nothing of the pictures. That`s not - when I was looking at the computer screen, that`s not what I saw.
So I was absolutely shocked and I don`t think it`s an accurate portrayal of my body in any way. I mean, I`m a size 10 and that`s more like a size two. I`m known for my body. I`m proud of my body.
And I absolutely understand, you know, a reasonable amount of retouching, you know, if there`s a zit, for instance, or if you want to smooth things out. But to change my body completely - I think that that`s not - I mean, that`s not what I`m about. That`s not my message and that`s so important to me.
MEREDITH VIEIRA, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: So it`s about the message, really.
RENN: Yes.
VIEIRA: You`re concerned what young girls looking at that picture, maybe even some of those who might be dealing with anorexia right now, what they might think.
RENN: Yes. Because I don`t want them to think that my message isn`t the same, that I think only being thin is the only way to be beautiful. Beauty is not a pants size, and that`s what I`m about.
And I think that it`s about what I have to say and how I live my life, which is in a healthy way, I believe, for me. And I think that`s the most important thing and I want them to know I`m healthy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Renn admits she has lost some weight recently through exercise, but continues to call herself a plus-sized model.
So just moments ago, I checked the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall. There`s a fierce debate today over Sandra Bullock and Jesse James. Will they get back together once he moves closer to her?
Well, Tim and Patti B. say Sandra needs to resist temptation, "She should not take him after what he did. He didn`t make one little mistake. It was ongoing. But we don`t have to live with this lying sack of cow manure. It`s her choice."
Arlene K. hopes it`s over for good for Sandra and Jesse, "I hope that Sandra does not take back Jesse. He will only cheat on her all over again."
Why don`t you join the debate on Facebook or go behind the scenes at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT? You can get breaking entertainment news alerts on Twitter. Call us at "Showbiz on Call." There`s always E-mail. It`s always at showbiz connects, which you`ll find at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at the bottom of the hour.
Is Mel Gibson the biggest joke in Hollywood today? The Terminator, himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, absolutely tears Mel apart in a whole bunch of jokes. It`s the Arnold-Mel smackdown.
Lohan family drama today. Brand-new stunning domestic abuse claims against Lindsay`s dad the week she goes to jail.
And calling all foot doubles, because the Barefoot Bandit is on the loose in Hollywood. New details today about a Barefoot Bandit movie. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: HBO`s vampire series, "True Blood," becomes comic book, unveiled at Comic-Con. Zac Efron says girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens is "a good partner in crime."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Lohan family drama. Big news breaking as Lindsay`s dad is accused of domestic abuse. Will he end up in jail the same time as Lindsay?
The Terminator versus Mad Mel. How Arnold Schwarzenegger is making a big mockery of Mel Gibson. It`s the Arnold-Mel smack down today. Has Mel turned into one big joke?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARZENEGGER: The good news is BP has contained the oil leak. The bad news is no one has learned how to contain Mel Gibson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Don`t mess with Brangelina. The big victory for Brad and Angelina that may have tabloids coast to coast running for the hills.
Plus, breaking today from the SHOWBIZ News Ticker, Leo DiCaprio`s "Titanic" dating confession. And Katy Perry`s nude debut.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
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 - the Lohan family drama, like they need any more.
Now, Lindsay Lohan is already in a heap of trouble, of course, with the law, and she`s in jail. And late today, shocking news breaking that Lindsay`s dad, Michael, could also be facing jail time.
Today, Michael Lohan was charged with second-degree harassment for allegedly attacking his fiancee, Kate Major. What a week for Michael Lohan. First, his daughter thrown to jail and now this?
Joining me right now from Hollywood, Pat Lalama, who is an investigative journalist. Also in Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, who is a syndicated radio host.
I mean, really guys, this is one hot mess. The domestic violence claims against Michael Lohan are pretty disturbing.
Here`s what Kate Major, his fiancee, is claiming, quote, "He flipped the sofa chair over while I was sitting on it, causing me to bump my head into the wall and my body to the floor. He proceeded to throw a shoe at me and kick me in the mouth while I was down on the floor."
Now, we know, Michael Lohan has spent a lot of time begging people to help his daughter. But Pat Lalama, I`m thinking if these claims are true, Michael Lohan`s credibility is in real danger here, don`t you think?
LALAMA: You know what really cracks me up about that? Credibility? What credibility? The fact that anybody in the media ever gave this man two seconds of airtime confounds me.
You know what he is? He`s a leech off his daughter`s notoriety. I`ve been holding back because I love his attorney, Lisa Bloom. But today, I`m an erupting volcano. I`ve had it with this man. He`s so desperate for attention. If it weren`t for Lindsay`s problems, nobody would ever pay any attention to him.
And let me tell you one more thing, you hear it right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. If that man - and I`ve seen all kinds of people get reality shows - if he gets a reality show, I quit this darn business and join a nunnery.
HAMMER: No, Pat, that`s not going to happen. Even if he gets the show, we`re not going to let you do that. And it`s interesting, because, Carlos, you and I have both interviewed Michael Lohan a lot.
I think he has - Pat will argue with this - I think he has built his credibility back up to some degree, because it has appeared to me that he does have his daughter, Lindsay`s, interests at heart. It`s what I`ve always thought as things have progressed here.
But let me run some more of this down for you. Kate Major says, interestingly, all this happened on Monday afternoon. Of course, that`s the day before Lindsay was sent to jail. She claims in these court documents today, "After he kicked me, he said, `I`m going back to jail because I`m going to kill you.` I am very scared of Michael Lohan and I want to pursue charges against him for harassment."
Now, late today, Michael`s attorney says he flat-out denies that Kate is - that he hurt Kate in any way, flat-out denies all these claims. He`s cooperating with investigators.
But Carlos, what do you think? If the claims are proven true, his credibility is shot, isn`t it?
CARLOS DIAZ, SYNDICATED RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Yes. I mean, I think we`re seeing that maybe Lindsay`s right and there`s two sides of Michael Lohan. You`ve interviewed him, A.J. I have as well. I`ve sat with the guy and, you know, just had a chat with him.
He seems like a very calm person at times. But I think we`re seeing maybe what Lindsay`s talking about. Maybe this is where the hatred comes from. The most hilarious thing about this whole thing is Kate Major.
I mean, why is he engaged to Kate Major? At what point do you go, "Are you in it for the fame? I don`t know."
HAMMER: Yes. Let me remind everybody that Kate Major, Michael`s fiancee - you know, she`s had a little bit of a troubled past herself.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: She was romantically involved with none other than Jon Gosselin. That relationship ended bitterly, but after Jon denied that he ever dated her. Here`s what Kate Major told me. It was a wonderful moment and it was exclusively at the time. Please look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE MAJOR, MICHAEL LOHAN`S FIANCE: I would love for Jon to take a lie detector test, because for him to say there was no romance is a complete lie. That`s a shame that he`s a liar. It`s hard to accept the fact that the person who I thought he was clearly is not. And I think he`s shown his true colors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Now, Kate went to great lengths at the time, setting the record straight with Jon Gosselin. Pat, it seems to me that Kate is now preparing to perhaps give Michael Lohan a major public smackdown. Would that surprise you?
LALAMA: A.J., could I just get up and go take a shower, please? I mean, I just - I cannot - 30 years in the business, a journalism degree, I`ve covered some of the biggest cases of our society, and I`m sitting here talking about the likes of these two.
And I`m only doing it for you, A.J. You know what, here again, credibility, credibility. You don`t know what to believe. And right now, it`s he said-she said and there`s nothing to back it up legally as far as I can see.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, do you see, perhaps, Carlos, Kate taking advantage of this situation? And look, she says she wants her privacy right now. But do you see her giving him more of a public beat down?
DIAZ: Yes. I mean, you know, domestic violence is not a joke -
HAMMER: Correct.
DIAZ: And if this actually happened, it`s serious. But come on, I mean, obviously, she dated - she went from Jon Gosselin to Michael Lohan. She`s made really bad decisions.
HAMMER: We`ll stop right there, Carlos.
DIAZ: Exactly. Stop. We`re done!
HAMMER: Carlos, and particularly, you, Pat, thank you so much.
DIAZ: Can I get security?
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Get Pat a Purell, would you? So the question is, what is life exactly like for Lindsay in the slammer right now?
Well, joining me here in New York - it is Piper Kerman. Piper is a contributor for "The Daily Beast" and author of the book, "Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Woman`s Prison."
I actually used that line, orange is the new black, not having known you wrote that book, Piper. So we`re of a similar mind now.
But here`s the thing - you spent 13 months in a federal prison. You say that Lindsay is really in for a rude awakening here with her situation.
PIPER KERMAN, AUTHOR, "ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK": She is in for a rude awakening, A.J. And I think that she`s probably - that has definitely sunk in already, I think in the 48 hours that she`s spent in jail - not in prison, but in jail.
And you know, there are a lot of things that are different for Lindsay than for many other prisoners and inmates. She is definitely in protective custody. She is getting some preferential treatment, but she`s still subject to some of the things that all prisoners go through.
HAMMER: Right.
KERMAN: Every time she has a visit, she`ll be strip-searched, going in, going out. You know, she`ll, I think, still be eating the same terrible food and she`ll contend with -
HAMMER: Chicken Tetrazzini is what I heard.
KERMAN: I hope that is not the case. And she`ll still contend with, you know, the loneliness and the - in her case, solitude, but not quiet.
HAMMER: Yes. And you also mentioned the strip-searching. I mean, she`s going to experience, in my mind, a whole level of humiliation she`s not experienced before.
KERMAN: It`s very humiliating to be a prisoner. I think that`s very much built into the experience by intention.
HAMMER: And again, you were in a prison, not in a jail. And you say that`s a much different experience. Why is that?
KERMAN: I spent 11 months in a federal prison and the very end of my sentence in a federal jail - one in Connecticut and then a federal jail in Chicago, Illinois. And they were starkly different facilities.
A jail setting is a high-security setting by definition. And frankly, you know, my time in prison was much more negotiable and navigatable(ph) than my time in jail. Jails are crowded, dirty, chaotic places, whether they`re federal jails or city or county jails.
HAMMER: Well, obviously, everybody is talking about this right now. And we were watching "The View." We caught Sherri Shepherd and Whoopi Goldberg on the show. And they both said Lindsay is going to get a huge wake-up call in jail because, basically, they take your life away. Let`s take a look at what they said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Just that eight days that I was in there, you are humiliated every single day.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Once you go through and you suddenly realize that it is no longer your life, that someone is going to tell you -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have every bit of control.
GOLDBERG: Everything you`re supposed to - when to get up, when to pee, when to sit down, when to eat -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Now, Lindsay`s got some - I believe - some deep-seated problems. But do you think from your own experience of having gone through it, this could be the thing that could turn her life around, this experience?
KERMAN: I think that Lindsay will benefit greatly from rehab. And I think for folk who is struggle with substance abuse, that kind of health treatment is the thing that helps the most. I`m not sure that being locked in a room for 23 hours a day is the thing that will change Lindsay.
HAMMER: Well, that`s the thing. Everybody says, OK, yes, it`s going to be this rude awakening for her. But will that put her on the straight and narrow, really? It`s so much deeper than that, isn`t it?
KERMAN: I hope, for her sake, that it does. I mean, it`s very difficult for a lot of people to take responsibility for their own actions and to understand why they need to change. I suspect that rehab is what will help do that and not incarceration.
HAMMER: Yes. I couldn`t be more in agreement with you on that, Piper Kerman. Thank you so much. I appreciate you sharing your story with us.
KERMAN: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: Thanks. So here`s a question. Is Mel Gibson now becoming the biggest joke in Hollywood? Well, according to Arnold Schwarzenegger, yes. It`s the Terminator versus Mad Mel. You have got to see how Arnold is making a complete mockery of Mel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARZENEGGER: The good news is that BP has contained the oil leak. The bad news is that no one has figured out how to contain Mel Gibson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Don`t mess with Brangelina. Today, I`ve got the bombshell details inside Brad and Angie`s brand-new legal victory. It might have all the guys behind those tabloids running for the hills. That`s what I`m thinking.
And Simon Cowell sued. Yes, the "American Idol" judge might actually be in big trouble for something that he said about a contestant. You think? Could this lawsuit silence Simon for good? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Gwyneth Paltrow blogs about post-partum depression after birth of son. Katy Perry appears naked on cover of new album, "Teenage Dream."
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: When buffalo attack, caught on tape. You`ve got to check this out. A couple of tourists from Utah were walking around Yellowstone National Park when they spotted a bison roaming around.
Instead of walking away, they walked right up to the big guy, and yes, as you can see, boom, he charged. What do you think is going to happen? The woman holding the camera tells CNN that the bison actually tossed her in the air, but luckily, she only suffered minor injuries.
She says the bison was gone as quick as it came. That certainly is a good thing, but, really, what are you thinking?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. The Barefoot Bandit, the movie. And Brangelina`s big victory. Why you`d better be very careful if you even suggest that Brad Pitt and Angelina are breaking up. All that and more making news in "The Buzz" today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): "Barefoot Bandit," the movie. Twentieth century fox has just revealed it is moving ahead on a movie out 19-year-old Colton Harris- Moore, who gave the cops the slip for a couple of years allegedly stealing everything from airplanes to boats to cars often in his bare feet. He was caught in the Bahamas on July 11th. No word yet on who will play the Barefoot Bandit in the movie.
Wesley Snipes out of options. It looks like the action star is finally headed to jail. Snipes just lost an appeal of his conviction on tax evasion charges. Prosecutors are now demanding the judge force him to start serving his three-year prison sentence. Snipes was convicted in 2008 of failing to file his federal income tax returns.
Don`t mess with Brangelina. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have just beat back a British tabloid in court that reported they were splitting up.
"The News of the World" will have to pay them an undisclosed amount of money for reporting they were breaking up and dividing their assets and children. The BBC reports Brad and Angelina will donate the settlement to the couple`s charitable foundation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So it`s a big victory for Brad and Angelina and that leads to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - will this put an end to the Brangelina breakup rumors?
With me in New York, Midwin Charles. Midwin is a legal contributor for "In Session" on Tru TV. And in Hollywood, it`s Carlos Diaz who is a syndicated radio host.
Now, keep in mind that Brad and Angie won their court battle in London. It is a lot easier to win these libel cases in London. I actually don`t think it`s going to make a big difference at all to the tabloids here in the States. But Midwin, to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, do you think it will put an end to the Brangelina breakup rumors once and for all?
CHARLES: I doubt it. At least not in this country. Maybe in London because, as you said, it`s easier to sue there. But I think people are fascinated by them as a couple and as parents. And if there`s no other news going on with them, that`s going to be the only thing that you can talk about.
HAMMER: Yes. This is what people do. So it was good to see them out together. That helps to squash the rumors at least for the moment when they are out together.
Brad and Angelina recently walked the red carpet. It was for the premiere of Angie`s new movie, "Salt." And Angelina was gushing to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about Brad visiting the set with the kids.
Sure doesn`t sound like a couple that`s breaking up to me. Carlos, do you think there`s even a chance this will put an end to the Brangelina breakup rumors?
DIAZ: I mean, it`s - listen, all that happened was a great thing, because the money they got and any kind of damages is going to go to their foundation, so that`s a great thing.
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: And you know what, if it`s not true, you`ve got to go after it. I mean, Tom Cruise goes after rumors and tabloids and you really don`t see Tom Cruise a lot in the tabloids. So if it`s not true, I say, go after it.
But no, this is not going to stop the slightly-worded - oh, is there a problem? Does he still love Jen? You know, they can ask questions in a very vague way. But when you`re specific like "News of the World" was, then you get in trouble.
HAMMER: I can`t wait. They`re going to grow old together. They`re going to be in their 80s, and the rumors are still going to persist. I have a feeling that that`s actually how it`s going to go.
CHARLES: The pregnancy rumors, too.
HAMMER: No - yes. Nothing will surprise me. Well, there`s more buzz news today. The Terminator taking on Mel.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has just weighed in on Mel Gibson`s tape mess while he was making a little speech in California. Watch what the Governator said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHWARZENEGGER: The good news is that BP has contained the oil leak. That is good news. Finally. Finally.
(APPLAUSE)
The bad news is that no one has figured out how to contain Mel Gibson. Mel Gibson, no one knows how to contain. So this is why I wanted to ask all of you to just please turn off your cell phones, because we`re expecting a call from him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. He could work on his delivery a little bit but it was still pretty funny. Now, Mel`s spokesperson was quoted as saying about Arnold, he`s obviously paving the way for a return to showbiz.
Midwin, I don`t know about you, but I find it odd that Mel`s people are responding to Arnold`s joke about the tape, but they won`t respond or comment on the tape, itself.
CHARLES: Of course not. You know, it makes complete sense, because it`s legal. I mean, there are legal ramifications involved.
And if he admits or deny or says anything at this point with respect to the tapes, it opens up the floodgates and all that can be admissible, i.e., his admission or any other statements could be admissible in any court proceedings. So that`s the probably why he`s keeping his mouth shut.
HAMMER: All right. But they don`t want to act like they`re not talking about anything at all, so they`re talking about Arnold Schwarzenegger, making jokes about it.
CHARLES: Exactly.
HAMMER: It`s all very strange. Well, even Katie Couric is weighing in. I want you to watch what she just said on the "CBS Evening News." Roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATIE COURIC, ANCHOR, "CBS EVENING NEWS": One headline on MTV called Mel Gibson`s disturbing and disgusting rant racist and sexist. They got it half right. His alleged attacks, both verbal and physical, were not just sexist, they were downright violent.
I would prefer to see this story give voice to millions of women enduring abuse and longing for a way out, who have no tape recorder to capture their fear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well said, Katie. I`ve got to say, I could not agree with Katie more. Carlos? Is it too much to hope that maybe there is an upside to all this Mel and Oksana craziness that perhaps it will inspire some women who need help to get it.
DIAZ: You know, it`s - that`s the silver lining in this whole thing, that a lot of women across the country are saying to themselves, "I`ve heard this before. I`ve heard my man speak to me this way." And it is a silver lining.
But I`ll tell you what, and I`m being very honest about this. Women can now tape-record men having conversations on the phone so they have proof. And so a lot of them are saying, "Wait a minute. I can do what Oksana did."
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: "And show people I`m not crazy."
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: This guy is out there leaving their own guy that they`re with.
HAMMER: Great point. Carlos Diaz, Midwin Charles, thanks, guys. I appreciate it.
Moving on now, Simon Cowell sued. Yes, the "American Idol" judge might actually be in big trouble for something he said about a contestant. Could this lawsuit silence Simon for good? 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: Brad Pitt to star in "World War Z," a film about zombie apocalypse. Leonardo DiCaprio tells "Rolling Stone" he had more success with girls before "Titanic."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you, wacky Charles Wagman. Uh-oh, Simon is getting sued today. Simon Cowell, a judge on "Britain`s Got Talent" - a reject from the show is going after him for nearly $4 million. The contestant claims she was humiliated and degraded on the show and she even uses the words "exploitation" and "barbarism."
Anybody who has seen the show knows that`s what Simon does. It`s his job to do those things. He gets paid very well for it. If you want to go on a reality show, you pretty much have to know that that`s the deal.
Well, this is something very cool. The showbiz iReport team is at the Comic-Con Festival in San Diego today. We`re getting so many of your iReports. This annual event is huge.
It`s not just about comic books anymore. Big stars show up to plug their movies and people line up the night before just to see them. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last year was our first year, and we didn`t realize how many people actually came to this. So we would show up to events two hours early thinking that we`d be there before a lot of people. And we come to find out there would be people that had been waiting eight hours before us.
So we were determined not to be Comic-Conned again. That`s a term we came up with for showing up to something and realizing that there`s people who have less of a life than you and show up even before.
So that`s why we`re here, because we have no life and we can do this. And we are going to see Tina Fey and Will Ferrell tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That sounds like people are actually having a lot of fun there. Will Ferrell and Tina Fey are going to be at Comic-Con to promote their upcoming animated superhero movie, "Mega Minds."
Some of the other big stars that are showing up there, Val Kilmer, Morgan Fairchild, Bionic Woman Lindsay Wagner. And today, Angelina Jolie showed up to plug her movie, "Salt." We`re going to have more of these SHOWBIZ iReports from Comic-Con tomorrow right here.
You, too, can connect with us through SHOWBIZ iReport. Are you fired up about something that you saw on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT? Well, grab your camcorder, your webcam, cell phone cam, whatever you use to make a video. Keep it to 30 seconds or less and then head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight to learn how to do it. It is really fun and really easy. And yours might end up right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, today Mel Gibson`s battle with his ex, Oksana is heating up and it`s clearly got you all fired up. We asked in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll - "Mel Gibson`s Mess: Will the tapes backfire on Oksana?"
Final results hot off the press. Seventy-three percent of you say yes, the tapes will backfire. Twenty-seven percent say no.
Here`s an E-mail we got from Angel in Tennessee who thinks Oksana may have set the whole thing up, "Mel Gibson`s ex doesn`t sound as though she`s afraid of him. She continues to bait him time and time again."
We thank you for your E-mails and thank you for voting and we thank you for watching. 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 - that`s Monday through Friday. And please don`t forget, we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show seven days a week at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific here on HLN.
END
