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Showbiz Tonight
John Travolta`s Startling Decision; Joe Jackson`s Confession; Kanye West`s New Apology to Taylor Swift; The Jerry Lewis-Lindsay Lohan Smack- Down
Aired September 07, 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 - Travolta`s troubles. John Travolta`s startling decision related to his son`s tragic death.
Joe Jackson`s startling confession today. Why Michael Jackson`s dad now admits he used to hit Michael. The great debate, can Joe really be forgiven?
Kanye`s swift move. Kanye West`s bizarre new apology today for what he did to Taylor Swift at the VMAs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KANYE WEST, SINGER: Taylor, I`m really happy for you. I`m going to let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint" - should Kanye just shut up already?
The Lewis-Lindsay smack down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERRY LEWIS, COMEDIAN: I would smack her in the mouth and be arrested for abusing a woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The wild Lindsay Lohan lashing today by the legendary Jerry Lewis.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today - Travolta`s trouble.
HAMMER: And John Travolta has sure had his share of troubles, beginning with the sudden death of his teenage son in the Bahamas.
But today, a shocking decision by the beloved star who has worked so hard to put the tragedy of his son`s death behind him, but getting in the way of that, was the trial over an alleged plot to extort him for $25 million related to his son`s death.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you today John Travolta and his family are saying enough is enough.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): For John Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston, it`s been nightmare after nightmare. The sudden death of their child. An alleged blackmail attempt. A draining trial, a mistrial, and a horrifying prospect of another trial.
But now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal today John Travolta`s shocking decision to put the nightmare to an end and move on.
IAN DREW, "US WEEKLY" MAGAZINE: John Travolta decided to step down and back away.
HAMMER: At Travolta`s request, prosecutors in the Bahamas say they`re dropping charges against two people accused of trying to extort $25 million from Travolta in exchange for information regarding the heartbreaking death of Travolta`s 16-year-old son Jett.
With Preston going through an uncommon pregnancy at 47, Travolta tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "The long pending status of this matter continues to take a heavy emotional toll on my family causing us to conclude that it was finally time to put this matter behind us."
DREW: He doesn`t want to deal with it anymore. He`s basically succumbed to the emotional toll that it`s taken on him and his family.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned more details about why Travolta made this shocking decision and where his still grieving famous family goes from here.
In January of 2009, Travolta, Preston and their children, 16-year-old Jett and eight-year-old daughter Ella Bleu, were on a new year`s vacation in the Bahamas when tragedy struck. Jett, who had autism, suffered a seizure and was found unconscious in the bathroom. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
DREW: John Travolta and Kelly Preston were completely sent into a shock.
HAMMER: But even as Travolta and his family were in mourning, the unthinkable happened - the arrest of two people, ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne and his attorney, former Bahamian senator, Pleasant Bridgewater.
They were accused of blackmailing Travolta and demanding $25 million in exchange for a private document related to Jett`s treatment that tragic night. The two alleged extortionists were put on trial last October. Travolta and Preston had to return to the Bahamas where Travolta took the stand to relive the trauma of his son`s death.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have some good news, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: During jury deliberations, in a clip posted on TMZ, a loose-lipped local official publicly announced that one of the defendants, Pleasant Bridgewater, had been acquitted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pleasant Bridgewater is a free woman.
HAMMER: Problem is, the jury was still deliberating and hadn`t announced any decision in the case. The judge declared a mistrial.
The prosecutors scheduled another trial for this year, meaning Travolta would once again have to travel to the Bahamas and recount the painful details of his son`s death. But today, Travolta is saying he`s had enough.
DREW: He has a very busy life, a very busy career. And he has a lot that he`s mourning still from his son`s death. Going down there would have not only been an incredible time commitment, but it would not have brought his son back and would have only brought up all of the painful memories associated with his death.
HAMMER: In a statement, Travolta tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "After much reflection, I concluded that it was in my family`s best interest for me not to voluntarily return to the Bahamas to testify a second time at trial. We are thankful to the people of Bahamas for the friendship, love and support they provided to us during this matter."
Last May, Travolta and Preston announced her pregnancy.
DREW: It`s a new gift they`re focusing on.
HAMMER: And "Us" magazine`s Ian Drew tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Preston carrying a child at 47, the last thing this couple needs is the stress of traveling again to the Bahamas to revisit their son`s death, especially now that their family is starting a whole new chapter.
DREW: It`s way for him to focus on the new baby, his career, his life and moving forward and putting the tragedy finally behind them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Now, both defendants in the extortion case have pleaded not guilty. I really hope that the Travoltas finally get the peace they so desperately deserve more than a year now after Jett`s tragic death.
That brings us to the "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint" today - did John Travolta do the right thing asking to drop the extortion case?
With me, in New York, is Midwin Charles. Midwin is a legal contributor for "In Session" on Tru TV. In Hollywood, Jim Moret, who is the chief correspondent for "Inside Edition" and an author of a book. It`s called "The Last Day of My Life."
Well, I think it would be terrible if the people who allegedly tried to do such a horrible thing to the Travoltas end up not paying for their crime. But look, I totally get why John and his family are coming from. I respect their decision to be done with it.
Jim Moret, to you first for our "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint" today - did John Travolta to the right thing here?
JIM MORET, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": I think he did, and for the reasons you just stated. I think it`s time for John Travolta and his wife and child to move forward. His wife`s pregnant.
Imagine the stress of losing a child. Imagine the horrible pain of that and for them to have to relive it especially now when his wife is pregnant. I think he just made the decision, "I can`t go through this. I don`t want to put my family through this."
HAMMER: Yes. It is just terrible what these people allegedly did to Travolta and his family, Midwin, given all of the circumstances here. So it`s hard to think of them not paying for the crime if they committed it. But do you think he did the right thing?
MIDWIN CHARLES, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION" ON TRU TV: You know, I do. I think he did what he thought was best for his family. Remember, his wife is pregnant. And at 47, it`s a high-risk pregnancy. And she`s due pretty soon, I believe, in November.
HAMMER: Right.
CHARLES: So I think he did what he thought was best for the family.
HAMMER: Yes. To both your points, the stress that all of this has added, we can`t even conceive what that is. So you know, good for John. Let`s hope this helps him get through it.
Let`s move on now. There`s a brand new Michael Jackson shocker we`ve got to talk about today. M.J.`s dad, Joe, now speaking out about all of those brutal beatings that Michael accused him of.
Brooke Anderson, I want to bring you in here to let us know what Joe Jackson is saying.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. Joe makes a startling claim today basically admitting that he spanked Michael to keep him out of gangs. Joe is speaking out in an interview released by "JacksonSecretVault.com." It`s part of a Michael Jackson documentary in the works being produced by Michael`s mother. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did it make you feel when he didn`t agree with, you know, some of the ways that you raised him? Maybe that you were a bit too strict? Or you know -
JOE JACKSON, FATHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Well, I had to be like that because in raising him in those days, so many gangs out there getting into trouble, going to jail, most of them are dead now, you know.
And he didn`t have to worry about that. See, they tried to make it a big issue when I spanked Michael or some of the kids. You know, it was like they didn`t spank their kids when they did wrong. Now, the media twists everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Call me crazy, but maybe Michael didn`t have to worry about gangs because he was the lead singer of the biggest band on the planet when he was a kid. And Jim, Michael describes his dad`s discipline not just as spanking, but essentially as abuse. So I think that Joe`s latest excuse here is the most outrageous one he`s come up with yet.
MORET: First of all, the idea that you`re keeping Michael Jackson out of gangs, you`re right, is ridiculous.
ANDERSON: Ludicrous.
MORET: Ridiculous. But Michael Jackson talked about his father, not in terms of spanking, but in terms of beating.
ANDERSON: Yes.
MORET: Tremendous difference. This wasn`t discipline. It went beyond that to where Michael said he was terrified of his father.
ANDERSON: Afraid of him.
MORET: And so I think that the allegations aren`t new, but for him to somehow justify them, is really -
ANDERSON: A spanking, keeping - I know it`s just ludicrous. Well, Joe Jackson isn`t the only person, Jim, Midwin, who is sparking coast-to-coast outrage today.
There are new revelations by Las Vegas cops today saying, "Yes, we gave Paris Hilton special treatment in jail after her cocaine arrest."
The Las Vegas deputy police chief tells the local paper there, "Yes, she was treated differently, so I don`t have a disruption of my process here at the county jail. When you bring somebody in like that, everybody comes over and tries to look at them."
Midwin, as an attorney, does this just make your blood boil or does the police chief make a good point here?
CHARLES: No, it does make my blood boil. Listen, he`s a police chief. He is in charge of making sure that every defendant that he has in his custody is taken care of and safe.
He clearly needs to just step up the security and do his job. We already know that celebrities get preferential treatment. And the fact that he is admitting this, I think, is quite interesting.
ANDERSON: I detest celebrity treatment. I do, but I get it. I understand where he`s coming from. He wanted his jail to be run in the smoothest way possible, get her in and out of there. Midwin Charles, Jim Moret, thanks.
HAMMER: OK. I know there`s a lot of fighting on MTV`s "Jersey Shore." But I`ve got to tell you, I`ve never seen anything quite like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now you call me a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, boy. It`s J-Wwow versus Sammi Sweetheart. You`ve got the hair pulling, a lot of broken press-on nails. One nasty new catfight that got everybody talking today. Ladies - ladies, please. Somebody`s spray-on tan might get smeared here.
All right. I don`t get this - Kanye West is apologizing again to Taylor Swift today. The "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint" - should Kanye just shut up already?
Jerry Lewis` startling lashing for Lindsay Lohan today. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEWIS: I would say you deserve this and nothing else - whack! And then, if she`s not satisfied, I would put her over my knee and spank her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, boy. Why the legendary 84-year-old comedian wants to tell Lindsay, lady, smack. 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: Possible plea deal in the works for former JetBlue flight attendant, Steven Slater. Bristol Palin`s official "Dancing with the Stars" press photo revealed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with A.J. Hammer in New York.
HAMMER: And right now, Brooke, I`ve got to tell everybody about an amazing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive Aerosmith surprise today.
Now, I am a fan of the bad boys from Boston, but no one, and I mean no one, is a bigger Aerosmith fan than SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s own stage manager, Jay Conroy. Jay has been to concerts to see this band, get this, 100 times.
I`ve got to introduce you to Jay Conroy. And big surprise, Jay, you`ve got an Aerosmith shirt on today. Do I have that right - no bigger fan than you?
JAY CONROY, STAGE MANAGER: I`m pretty big.
HAMMER: Your son`s name is Tyler.
CONROY: Yes.
HAMMER: I know your wife didn`t go for little Joe Perry.
CONROY: No.
HAMMER: All right. We had to do something amazing for you, Jay, for your 100th concert. You`re going to see it right now. Here now, CNN`s Ali Velshi, for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jay Conroy is a known quantity at CNN. He`s a set manager on the network shows that are produced out of New York.
CONROY: Do you need your light on, Tom?
VELSHI: His long, wavy hair, t-shirt and jeans mark him as a devotee of Aerosmith, in his words, "the greatest American rock and roll band of all time."
CONROY: All these guys were completely raised on Aerosmith. There`s home movies we were watching of them and in the background, there`s Aerosmith playing. It`s like we`re out there playing ball and something. It`s all nice, real family-oriented. The grass is green, but in the background you hear Aerosmith playing.
VELSHI: So when Jay told us he was taking his family to see his 100th show, we decided to arrange a little surprise for him.
CONROY: Oh, my god. I can`t believe I`m standing here talking to Aerosmith.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what? It could (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CONROY: And you guys are just like so down to earth.
(CROSS TALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 100th show. Come on now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joey, is that what I heard?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, in 1976.
CONROY: How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to see you, Joe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man.
CONROY: 1976, I got most of the tickets right here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa!
CONROY: First time I went to see you, guys, in the garden in `76, I paid $5.50.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh!
VELSHI: With a little help from us, Jay got to meet his favorite rock and roll band backstage.
CONROY: I love it when this happens, Steven.
STEVE TYLER, AEROSMITH LEAD SINGER: It`s the vortex of the -
CONROY: This will be something I will never forget. And the fact that my kids were in on this, it`s beautiful.
VELSHI: So he can be forgiven if he thinks that gives him the right to tell them what songs they should play.
CONROY: Will you do "Saddle" in the middle of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? It should be like an opener.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can`t figure it out. We`ve got so much -
CONROY: It`s so long in certain places.
TYLER: No, but I like your opinion, because someone has so many opinions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I like this. We`ve got the front of our set done.
(MUSIC)
VELSHI: But the band listed on to Jay and opened with the song "Back in the Saddle," and gave him the night of his life. Rock on, Jay.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Wow. It looked like you had a blast. You`ve got tell me what the highlight of that whole thing was, because you`ve met the band before.
CONROY: Yes. Yes. The highlight, definitely, my kids being there. That was the beauty of it. And another highlight was Steven Tyler signing my girlfriend`s stomach which she wanted to get tattooed, but (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: I`m sure you wanted your stomach signed by Steven Tyler.
CONROY: Yes. But he wouldn`t go that far.
HAMMER: Brooke Anderson, did you see our guy, Jay, there hanging with the band?
ANDERSON: That was fantastic. And Jay, how many Aerosmith t-shirts do you really have?
CONROY: I think somewhere about 75.
ANDERSON: Impressive.
CONROY: Yes.
ANDERSON: Hey, I`ve got another one for you. What do you think about Steven Tyler potentially becoming a judge on "American Idol."
CONROY: I can put it to you this way. Steven has got the talent. There`s no doubt. He`s a musician. He knows musicianship. He can do it. He can do it.
ANDERSON: I agree with you. I think he would be great. All right. Thanks, Jay -
CONROY: Thank you.
ANDERSON: So much. That was fantastic. All right. And talking about Steven Tyler, he may not have to dream on to be an "American Idol" judge. He really may get his chance after all because I can tell you that Kara DioGuardi is out after two seasons.
Lots of you writing on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall about this today. Sandy B. says she`s not going to miss Kara at all, "She needed to go. She was too much into herself."
But Tori Y. says that she`s changing the channel, "I`m so mad she left. She was my favorite and I don`t think I`m going to watch `Idol` this year."
HAMMER: Well, it`s an all-out bikini body showdown today. We`ve got Demi Moore versus Lisa Rinna. Now, Demi tweets a picture of her slamming bod. And Lisa does the same thing. They`re obviously both fabulous. They`re both 40-something. But who has the better bikini body?
The Sarah Palin hunting controversy. Sarah says she`s a big hunter. But there is a startling claim that she is making the hunting stuff up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you think of Sarah Palin, it`s one of the first things that pop into your mind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A hunter.
TINA FEY, ACTRESS: Good hunting.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Moose hunting, salmon fishing, pistol packing -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holding a dead bloody moose.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: From sneaking into the White House to "Playboy"? Is White House gate crasher, Michaele Salahi, really taking it all off? I`m sending out the SHOWBIZ truth squad to check this out today. 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: Hulk Hogan hospitalized for back spasms. Carey Mulligan graces the cover of the October issue of "Vogue."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, who says summer is over? It`s a bikini smack-down of epic proportions today. Demi Moore`s slamming bikini bod versus Lisa Rinna`s slamming bikini bod. So who`s hotter?
` The bikini showdown first began when 47-year-old Demi Moore posted a photo of herself in her teeny, weeny bikini on her Twitter account. Well, 47-year-old Lisa Rinna has just posted her very own bikini photo with the headline, "Doing the Demi" and called Demi her idol.
But today, critics are saying it`s just a cheap publicity stunt by Lisa.
Joining me right now in New York, Dawn Yanek, who is an editor-at-large with "Life and Style Weekly."
So Dawn, critics are saying today that the only reason Lisa Rinna tweeted a photo of herself in a bikini is because she was trying to get publicity for her new reality show with her husband, Harry Hamlin. It`s called "Harry Loves Lisa."
I say, so what if she did it for publicity. Lisa didn`t hurt anybody and she looks great. Dawn, do you think Lisa did anything wrong here?
DAWN YANEK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": No, I don`t. But I do think that it is absolutely 100 percent for publicity. Like you said, she has a show to promote. And the show is on TV Land, which is not one of the major networks out there.
And most people likely hadn`t heard of the show. I mean, I work in the entertainment industry and I hadn`t heard of this show. So she got people to do exactly what she wanted to do. She got people talking about this new venture of hers and that makes her a smart and savvy businesswoman.
ANDERSON: Yes. She got everybody`s attention with that bikini photo. And I`ve also got to say, more power to both Demi Moore and Lisa Rinna. They are pushing 50 and they obviously work hard to stay fit, to stay healthy.
OK. Dawn, now that we`ve got the controversy out of the way, let`s get to the real headline here. Who do you think has the better bikini body, Demi or Lisa?
YANEK: Oh, my goodness. It is so hard to choose between the two of them. I mean, I think it`s hard to compete with Demi on any level. I swear that woman looks better and better every year.
But you know what? Lisa Rinna really gives her a really good run for her money. I think that anyone would be happy to have a body like that at 47.
ANDERSON: Yes.
YANEK: Or any age for that matter.
ANDERSON: Very diplomatic answer. Very diplomatic answer. And I agree they both could stop traffic, no doubt.
YANEK: Definitely.
ANDERSON: Dawn Yanek, thanks.
HAMMER: Let`s move to the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Kanye`s swift move. Kanye West`s bizarre apology to Taylor Swift today. I`ve got to ask - should he just shut up?
The Lewis-Lindsay smack down. The wild Lindsay Lohan lashing today by the legendary Jerry Lewis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEWIS: I would smack her in the mouth and be arrested for abusing a woman. But I would say, you deserve this and nothing else. Whack!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got some Kardashian confusion today. Khloe says she loves the people who hate her. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney among this year`s Kennedy Center honorees. George Clooney`s "The American" tops holiday weekend box office.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (EXPLETIVES DELETED)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now, you call me (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop. Stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Big news, breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. the "Jersey Shore`s" big hit. The nasty new catfight millions watched and everybody is talking about today.
Kanye`s swift move. Kanye West`s bizarre new apology today for what he did to Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs. Should Kanye just shut up already?
Jerry Lewis, Lindsay Lohan. Jerry`s outrageous Lindsay smack down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEWIS: I would say you deserve this and nothing else. Whack! And then, if she`s not satisfied, I would put her over my knee and spank her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Eighty-four-year-old Jerry Lewis wants to spank Lindsay Lohan? What the heck is he talking about?
Plus, breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker," "Toy Story`s" billion dollar box office and Rihanna`s brand-new record.
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.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today - Kanye`s swift move.
HAMMER: Yes. Kanye West has just gone on a major tweeting frenzy about Taylor Swift and the whole debacle concerning her.
Now, this happened nearly a year ago when Kanye West jumped on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards while Taylor was making her acceptance speech. Let`s relive that fabulous moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEST: I`m really happy for you. I`m going to let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Not fabulous at all. But today, a year later, he`s on this tweeting frenzy and this is just days before this year`s VMAs. He apologized. He sang the blues all about his tarnished reputation.
Right now, in New York is Dawn Yanek. Dawn is the editor-at-large for "Life and Style" magazine. And in Hollywood, Jim Moret, who is "Inside Edition`s" chief correspondent and author of the book, "The Last Day of My Life."
We`re going to get to Kanye`s sudden blast of humility in just a moment. First, I`ve got to talk about legendary comedian, Jerry Lewis` outrageous new comments today about Lindsay Lohan. Now, Jim Moret, he said some pretty outrageous things right to you. Let`s watch exactly what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEWIS: I would say, you deserve this and nothing else. Whack! And then, if she`s not satisfied, I would put her over my knee and spank her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I`ve got to tell you, I think Jerry`s comments were just irresponsible. Jim, I did not get the impression he was joking around there. You must have been just flabbergasted when Jerry said what he said. Did you think he was totally out of line?
MORET: To be honest, no. And let me be very clear. I don`t advocate violence against women or anyone. And to be honest with you, I don`t think Jerry Lewis does either.
I think it`s generational. You know, your grandma said, "I`m going to smack you across the face if you do this." I think what he was talking about with Lindsay Lohan is a verbal smack.
I think he says, "Look, wake up. Grow up." I don`t believe for a second that he would hit, physically strike Lindsay Lohan. But I think she needs a shaking verbally and I think that`s what he was trying to do.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, good. And really, I hope that that is what was intended by what he said in his words there because we all - look, we`ve all agreed on this show before she does need a different kind of attention. Certainly, nothing physical like that. Dawn, what do you think?
YANEK: Yes. I mean, I think what he said was obviously completely shocking. But I think he verbalized something that a lot of people have been thinking. That said, the way that he voiced it - it makes him come across as a grumpy old man and also a dirty old man. It does seem highly, highly inappropriate.
HAMMER: Yes. And here`s the other thing. You know, and this may be sad and maybe we`re too politically correct these days. But when something of a violent nature is brought up in that sort of context, people are quick to react and especially the way things explode now.
Now, this morning, I was right there on the set of "The View" for the taping of the first show of the fall season. And the ladies were very fired-up about what Jerry Lewis said.
Sherri Shepherd and HLN`s own Joy Behar both told me that they think that Jerry was out of line. Let`s watch what they told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": If somebody smacked me in my face, I`m going to smack you back.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You don`t threaten physical violence, especially an old guy like him against a young girl like Lindsay. If I said it, it wouldn`t be as bad. But he`s going to take her over his knee and spank her. What is he, into S and M?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Now, look, I agree with Joy there. And again, it may not have been what he intended to say. But Brooke, I really feel like, you know, right now, you just don`t say stuff like that.
ANDERSON: I disagree, A.J. You know, I would never, ever advocate violence and I do not think that`s what Jerry Lewis was intending when he said this.
Listen, here`s a guy who has used his fame, his money, his time for years and years and years to help other people. And here, you have someone like Lindsay Lohan not contributing to society at all, being a drain on the system.
He`s frustrated. He wants to get her attention, help her help herself. He thinks she needs tough love. I get his point. He made his point in a very controversial, possibly insensitive way, but I get it.
HAMMER: All right. Hey, look, that`s Jerry Lewis and he has suffered the foot-in-mouth disease before. And I`m not saying that`s what happened here. But this is Jerry Lewis we`re talking about.
Obviously, this is not the only big drama making big news today. We`ve got to talk about Kanye West. Now, if Kanye was being sincere, I actually think it was a pretty good move for him to tweet this new apology that went on and on. I thought Twitter was supposed to be short.
It was to Taylor Swift, of course, right before this year`s VMAs this weekend. Maybe we can hold out hope he`s growing up, getting his massive ego in check. What do you think, Brooke?
ANDERSON: Maybe, just maybe, he is, A.J. as long as Kanye is not using Taylor`s name and the controversy to get publicity for his upcoming album. Because if he is doing that, shame on him. But if not, fine. But he needs to start acting like an adult.
Actions will speak louder than mere words on Twitter. So, let`s take a look at some of those words that he put on Twitter and his massive tweet that did go on and on, "I wrote a song for Taylor Swift that`s so beautiful and I want her to have it. If she won`t take it, then I`ll perform it for her."
"She had nothing to do with my issues with award shows. She had no idea what hit her. She`s just a little girl with dreams like the rest of us. She deserves the apology more than anyone. I`m sorry, Taylor."
And that brings us to our "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint" today - should Kanye West just shut up already? Jim, what do you think?
MORET: Look, I mean, I`d say move on at this point. But it was a nice apology and if it was sincere, great. It`s done. She`s already accepted his apology. She doesn`t need to come out now and say, "I accept again." And you`re right, let his actions speak louder than his words.
ANDERSON: Maybe let bygones be bygones.
MORET: Exactly.
ANDERSON: OK. A.J.?
HAMMER: Now that he has said what he has intended to say, he should step away from the Twitter, absolutely. This morning, on "The View," that was something else that I brought up to Sherri Shepherd. And she actually told me that maybe some good has come out of the whole Kanye fiasco. Watch what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHEPHERD: Well, you know, the good that came out of it is I think that Taylor Swift went global because of this. And I think now everybody - people who didn`t - weren`t too much into the country, they now know who Taylor Swift is. So it`s like if you take - if you look at the bad and go, "What can I get, you know, good from this," that is a great thing.
But you know, I think that`s good he`s apologizing, that he`s saying, you know, "I`m really truly sorry." And you know, as long as you talk to Taylor, everything is good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. And again, you know, I think it`s a done deal. Perhaps he`s drumming up a little publicity here, who knows? But yes, Kanye, don`t - Twitter only X number of characters, not pages and pages. Step away. Dawn Yanek, Jim Moret, thanks, guys. We appreciate it.
All right. Brooke, the ladies of "The View" were also very fired-up today about Barbara Walters. Of course, this was her big return to the show after having open heart surgery.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. I thought she looked great. How did she look in person, though?
HAMMER: She looked terrific, actually. And Barbara told me right there on the set of "The View" this morning, she wants every single woman out there to get a cardiogram. Watch what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Heart disease is the number one killer of women. We know it is for men, like yourself, but we don`t realize it is for women. And I want you to go to your doctor and have a cardiogram.
HAMMER (voice-over): It`s a very traumatic experience to your body and often people look tired or run down. You actually look younger to me today.
WALTERS: Well, that`s nice. You want to see my scar?
HAMMER: We can`t.
WALTERS: You can`t?
HAMMER: We`re trying.
WALTER: That`s the point. Here`s my scar. It starts somewhere around here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And the truth is, we can`t even see her scar now. On a sad and slightly personal note, I spoke with my good friend, Whoopi Goldberg, this morning. We just learned that Whoopi lost her mom a few weeks ago. So Whoopi, mine and everybody here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, our heartfelt condolences going out to you today.
ANDERSON: Yes. We`re thinking about you, Whoopi. OK. I`m going to really shift gears now from that. We`ve got to move on to the latest "Jersey Shore" fistfight. The women of the house let loose on each other.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Right now you call me a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop. Stop.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Get these girls a ring, a boxing ring. It`s "Jersey Shore`s" J- Woww versus Sammi. I think we`ve got a major catfight situation here.
From White House gatecrasher to playboy? You could see more, and I mean a whole lot more, of Michaele Salahi? I`m calling in the SHOWBIZ truth squad to set the record straight today.
And Sarah Palin has got one big old moose mess on her hands today. Shocking claims that Sarah made that whole "I`m a big hunter" thing up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS (voice-over): Well, according to an article in "Vanity Fair," citing an unnamed, long-time friend of the Palins, that woman has never hunted. The picture of her with a caribou she says she shot, she got out of the RV to pose for a picture. It`s all a joke.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: It`s time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker." These are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Amy Poehler to host "Saturday Night Live" season premiere September 25th. Katy Perry plans to become a British citizen after marrying fiance Russell Brand.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: So, want to see even more of White House gate crasher and "Real Housewives of D.C." star, Michaele Salahi? How about Michaele in a suit, her birthday suit?
There are bombshell new reports today that Michaele could be going from sneaking into the White House to the pages of "Playboy." So we sent the SHOWBIZ truth squad out there to uncover what`s really going on here.
Here`s what Michaele Salahi`s people revealed to us, "It`s another rumor. We have no information about any official offer from `Playboy.`" So there you have it. No nude gatecrasher for now.
ANDERSON: OK. Now, another reality nightmare, the big "Jersey Shore" catfight that people just can`t stop buzzing about today. Sammi and J-Woww having it out in the kitchen over some in-house drama. You`ve got to see the smack-down for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People become (EXPLETIVE DELETED) all of a sudden. (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now you call me a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop! Stop!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, my gosh. Right now in Hollywood is Hyla, who is an entertainment journalist for "5DollarPrep.com." Right now, in New York, is Dawn Yanek, who is the editor-at-large for "Life and Style Magazine."
Wow, I don`t even know what to say. And listen to this, MTV reportedly got record ratings for that - 6.5 million viewers. So that`s the highest series ratings for MTV in eight years.
Hyla, I get people watch for the drinking, the bar brawls, the hookups. But these young women having fistfights? Are you loving it, or is it just over the top?
HYLA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST, "5DOLLARPREP.COM": It`s over the top and -
ANDERSON: And you`re loving it.
HYLA: We`re loving it. It is both. I don`t know what it is and I`m just going to speak honestly on behalf of all men. We love to see girl fights. I don`t know why, but men really like to see this stuff.
And yes, of course, I`m going to tune in next week. We kind of knew this was coming. If you`ve been watching the season, you knew this smack-down was coming and we were kind of looking forward to it. Don`t hate me for saying that.
ANDERSON: I don`t hate you, Hyla. They need to watch out before they hurt themselves, though. And you, guys, there are more ugly battles making news in "The Buzz" today with a whole lot more reality news.
A Kardashian actually thinks - actually thanks, rather, the people who hate her. Jessica Simpson tweets and tells again about her love life. And, surprise, surprise, Danielle Staub ditches "The Real Housewives."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): A Kardashian thanks her haters. Khloe Kardashian is sending a big thank you on her blog to all of the people who say they hate her, writing, "I am a little confused as to why people who hate me so much follow my every move and know every last thing about me. You, my hater, are giving me more sales. So thank you to my haters. You truly are making me better. God bless. I hope you are proud of yourselves. I am proud of you."
Simpson`s brand-new tweet-and-tell. Jessica Simpson just posted another revealing photo of her with new boyfriend, Eric Johnson, tweeting, "I met a wonderful man. Damn, I`m lucky!"
Simpson raised eyebrows when she tweeted a photo of this awkward kiss with Johnson last month. She`s also asking fans to remember the one-year anniversary of when her dog was snatched by a coyote, tweeting, "Today, pay tribute to sweet Daisy Mae by chasing a squirrel and eating some chicken! I miss her and love her so very much."
Danielle ditches "The Housewives." Danielle Staub is out of the "Real Housewives of New Jersey." Bravo just announced Staub`s last appearance on the show was on Monday series reunion. After a season of dramatic smack- downs, Staub was all forgiveness and hugs on her way out the door. But according to reports, Bravo had enough of her and evicted the controversial star.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So Danielle says no more drama. But wait, Danielle isn`t done yet. In a brand-new interview with "Us Weekly" today, Danielle says she left "Housewives" because she says she`s too good for the show.
This is exactly what she said, "They need me. I don`t need them." Dawn, does she have that right?
YANEK: Oh, she has a right to say anything she wants, as she has throughout the course of the show. But as we heard at "Life and Style Weekly" a few years (sic) ago, when we broke the news that she was going to be leaving the show, it was really Bravo`s decision. You know, it was something that - she had taken the show in a different direction -
HAMMER: Right.
YANEK: In kind of a scary, threatening direction. And the other women are actually very fearful of their lives.
HAMMER: You can`t have that even in reality TV.
YANEK: You know, conflict is good, but this not this kind of conflict.
HAMMER: All right. Bye-bye, Danielle. Go to move on to more big reality news today, late-breaking news involving who`s going to win the "Dancing with the Stars" face-off between Jersey Shore`s Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and Sarah Palin`s daughter, Bristol Palin, this season.
I was just handed the results of our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll. We asked, "`Dancing with the Stars` Showdown: Who`s going to last longer on the show?" I want you to check out these results. A whopping 70 percent says "The Sitch" will last longer than Bristol. Thirty percent say Bristol Palin will last longer.
I will say The Situation has got the whole gym and tanning down. But Hyla, why do you think more people have more faith in The Situation?
HYLA: He`s just more entertaining. And we`ve seen his dancing skills on the "Jersey Shore" so we know what he`s bringing to the dance floor.
Bristol, we still don`t know, and she`s not going to be that entertaining. She already says she`s not going to wear a very revealing outfit like the other contestants. I`m sorry. Sex sells.
HAMMER: Just less interesting. All right. Bristol`s mom, Sarah Palin, also making big news today. Sarah Palin might see moose from her house. But a brand-new report today claims that she`s never shot one. So are her claims that she hunts moose just a bunch of hooey?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: When you think of Sarah Palin, it`s one of the first things that pop into your mind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A hunter.
FEY: Good hunting.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Moose hunting, salmon fishing, pistol packing -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holding a dead bloody moose -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So is Palin`s claim to moose-hunting fame one big joke? Hyla, Dawn Yanek, stay right where you are.
Let`s get out the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Rihanna`s new single, "Only Girl (in the World)" out now, new album, "Loud" out 11/16. "Toy Story 3" blasts past the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office.
ANDERSON: All right. And it`s time now for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT buzz list. It`s what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff just cannot stop buzzing about today.
We are counting down to the MTV Video Music Awards this Sunday. We love "My Boys" on TBS. We are Gaga for Google TV, surfing the web while channel surfing. How cool is that? We`re flipping out over the new Flipboard iPad ap. Flip through all your Facebook and Twitter updates super-fast.
And we are buzzing about Cee Lo Green`s new music video. We can`t tell you the title, well, it`s an expletive. And there`s a lot of this video we can`t share with you, but the part we can show, we think you`ll really like. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, Sarah Palin is caught up in a big old moose mess today. Believe it or not, a startling new report actually claims that Palin`s Alaska street cred as a gun-toting, sharp-shooting hunter - well, it may be full of holes. CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now on the hunt for the truth.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS (voice-over): When you think of Sarah Palin it`s one of the first things to pop into your mind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A hunter.
FEY: Good hunting -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Moose hunting, salmon-fishing, pistol-packing.
CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: Holding a dead bloody moose.
MOOS: Actually, it was a dead caribou in the famous photo. But now, according to an article in "Vanity Fair" citing an unnamed longtime friend of the Palins, that woman has never hunted. The picture of her with a caribou she says she shot? She got out of the RV to pose for a picture. It`s all a joke.
(on camera): Sarah Palin not a caribou killer? Not a stalker of moose?
(voice-over): Didn`t she prepare moose stew for Greta Van Susteren?
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST, FOX NEWS CHANNEL`S "ON THE RECORD": Who shot the moose, though?
PALIN: I think my dad did. Maybe my mom did.
MOOS: But that anonymous family friend says that Palin`s husband, Todd, was calling everyone he knew the day before, "You got any moose?" Desperate.
VAN SUSTEREN: How many caribou do you think you`ve ever shot?
PALIN: Oh, just a few.
MOOS: But she sure tried to shoot down a "Vanity Fair" reporter while she was on Sean Hannity`s radio show.
PALIN: Impotent, limp and gutless reporters take anonymous sources and cite them.
MOOS (on camera): But hunting for the truth is even more elusive than hunting for moose.
(voice-over): For instance, here`s what Palin`s dad said shortly after she became the VP nominee.
CHUCK HEATH, SARAH PALIN`S FATHER: I remember every time she would go home from college she`d say, "Let`s go bird hunting." She saw - shot several big-game animals.
TINY FEY, COMEDIAN: Sarah Palin is a tough lady. She kills things. Big -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t wait to kill with you.
MOOS (voice-over): Anyway, we need Sarah Palin the moose slayer for a computer games, for impersonators.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have spotted our prey, the Baracks Obamas (SIC), king of the liberals.
MOOS: Even for the prankster who called her up, pretending to be French President Nicolas Sarkozy -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You knew we have a lot in common, because personally, one of my favorite activities is to hunt, too.
PALIN: Very good. We should go hunting together.
MOOS: And it`s not just detractors. Fans, too, need the moose-shooting mama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): The moose shooting mama to help keep our country free.
MOOS: Even the moose-shooting mama herself clings to her guns and her red meat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She likes red meat!
AMY POEHLER, COMEDIAN: Shoot a mother-humping moose eight days of the week!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Oh, you can`t go wrong with the dancing moose. The great debate will just have to continue, Brooke. Thanks to CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday.
HAMMER: And please, do not forget, we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news work seven days a week at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.
END
