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Showbiz Tonight
"The View" Walk-Off Fallout; Reality TV Wars; Cougar Love Drama; Jennifer Aniston Strikes Back at Joan Collins; Most Provocative Celebrity of the Week
Aired October 15, 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 - the explosive new "View" walk-off fallout.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I don`t want to sit here. I don`t want to sit here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brand-new coast-to-coast outrage today over Whoopi and Joy walking off their own show while fighting with Bill O`Reilly.
Reality TV wars today. The unbelievable brand-new attack on the so- called White House party crashers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was just an unhappy person.
MICHAELE SALAHI, CAST MEMBER, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF D.C.": If you find love within you, your husband will come back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Did she deserve it? Cougar love drama -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: David Arquette is 39, Courteney Cox, 46. And the pair`s shocking split has so many asking - can cougar couples stand the test of time in Hollywood?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s a revealing SHOWBIZ special report. Jennifer Aniston strikes back. Jen`s fired-up response today to Joan Collins for dissing her looks.
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 - the "View" feud firestorm. Yes, there`s brand-new outrage today after an on-set battle on ABC`s "The View" led co-host Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar to actually get up out of their seats and walk off the set; their sparring partner, Fox News host, Bill O`Reilly.
But today, the fallout is fierce as people coast to coast argue over whether this battle should have ever gone as far as it did. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there`s one thing that most people agree on, this latest "View" feud was definitely must-see TV.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera): Today everyone is talking about the great "View" walkout.
MATT LAUER, CO-ANCHOR, THE "TODAY" SHOW: You walk off your own show?
HAMMER: On the "Today" show this morning anchor Matt Lauer criticized "View" hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar for walking out on Bill O`Reilly during the heated discussion on "The View." Meredith Vieira, a former "View" co-host herself, had some fun with the controversy.
MEREDITH VIEIRA, CO-ANCHOR, THE "TODAY" SHOW: How many times I wanted to walk off and I was just sitting right here. I`m leaving. I`m out of here.
ROBIN ROBERTS, CO-ANCHOR, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": Let`s go now to Sam - Sam? Are you - did he storm off?
HAMMER: And this morning on ABC`s "Good Morning America," weatherman Sam Champion staged his own walkout.
SAM CHAMPION, WEATHERMAN: I`m not coming out of my trailer until the weather gets better in New England.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar`s "View" vanishing act is everywhere today. Why, no one sparked this much press for storming off the job since that Jet Blue flight attendant, Steven Slater, demonstrated his plane`s emergency slide.
CHLOE MELAS, SENIOR REPORTER, "HOLLYWOODLIFE.COM": The great "View" walk- off - it was so intense. This video has gone viral on YouTube, has hundreds of thousands of views. This would be perfect for "Saturday Night Live."
BILL O`REILLY, HOST, "THE O`REILLY FACTOR": The mosque down here on 9/11. That`s inappropriate.
HAMMER: In case you missed it, the great "View" walkout of 2010 started when their guest, Fox News host Bill O`Reilly, brought up the super- controversial Islamic center that`s being planned near Ground Zero in New York City.
O`REILLY: Hold it. Hold it. Listen to me because you`ll learn.
HAMMER: And that`s when it got worse.
O`REILLY: Muslims killed us on 9/11.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": No! Oh, my god!
HAMMER: It was basically the most tense moment on "The View" since Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Rosie O`Donnell mixed it up on air on what turned out to be Rosie`s last time on the program.
ROSIE O`DONNELL, FORMER CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": So for three weeks, you can say all the Republican crap you want. I`m not going to do it.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": It`s much easier it fight someone like Donald Trump, isn`t it?
HAMMER: Fortunately, no one`s quit "The View." Joy and Whoopi eventually returned to the stage for a relatively peaceful conclusion to their discussion with Bill O`Reilly. But now, the combatants are staking to their guns.
BEHAR: Oh, I was really angry. I`m angry.
HAMMER: On her HLN show last night, Joy Behar explained why she bailed on Bill.
BEHAR: I thought O`Reilly - I thought he was saying something that I construe as hate speech, frankly.
O`REILLY: No one I know, no one, wants to insult Muslims.
HAMMER: And on his show on Fox News, Bill O`Reilly didn`t back down from his opinion either.
O`REILLY: Almost everybody I know is tired of the political correctness surrounding the 9/11 attack.
HAMMER: But no matter your position on the Islamic center, you`ve got to admit the "View" walkout was can`t-miss-TV. That`s because whether you`re talking about reality show drama queens -
VIENNA GIRARDI, REALITY TV STAR, "THE BACHELOR": I`m done with this. You are the meanest person I`ve ever met in my life.
HAMMER: Guests who bail in the middle of interviews -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what? Go (EXPLETIVE DELETED) yourself. You know what? (EXPLETIVE DELETED) the network.
HAMMER: Or news host who is bail in the middle of contentious discussions -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ve proved my point. There you go.
HAMMER: A great exit always makes for great TV.
MELAS: People love the unexpected. People love people getting passionate over something and arguing.
HAMMER: But despite the great hype and publicity that can result, there is a risk to storming of the set, as Meredith Vieira found out this morning during her fake "Today" show walkout.
VIEIRA: I`m tied. Just so America knows, they tie you down.
HAMMER: Microphones that literally anchor anchors to their seats. Maybe that`s something "The View" will look into now.
All right. Frankly, I`m not sure tying Whoopi and Joy to their seats would do the trick. But the great "View" walkout is sparking a huge debate today over whether bolting from the set of their own show was the right thing to do. And that leads to today`s SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - should Whoopi and Joy have stormed off the set of their own show?
With me right now in New York is Rob Shuter, who is a columnist at "PopEater.com" and Dawn Yanek, who is the editor-at-large for "Life and Style Weekly."
Listen, I`m hearing a lot of debate over this today. And you heard Matt Lauer question Whoopi and Joy`s decision to walk out on their guest. So Rob, I`m going to start with you. Our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - what do you think? Should Whoopi and Joy have stormed off their own show?
ROB SHUTER, COLUMNIST, "POPEATER.COM": Absolutely yes. Absolutely yes. I saw Joy last night for about four hours after she walked off the show. I was with her and she seemed pretty proud of what she did.
Remember, Bill O`Reilly is not used to being a guest. He hosts his own show and he came on "The View" as if he was one of the hosts. And I think he treated these ladies really disrespectfully. And good for Joy. She let it be known she wasn`t going to take it and walked off.
HAMMER: Yes. She says she has no regrets hauling off the set there. But Barbara Walters, who, let`s face it, is the boss of the program, was not pleased about it. Watch what she said on "The View."
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You have just seen what should not happen. We should be able to have discussions without washing our hands and screaming and walking off stage.
I love my colleagues. This should not have happened. Now, let me just say to you in a calmer voice, it was extremists. You cannot take a whole religion and demean them because of what some -
O`REILLY: I`m not demeaning anybody.
WALTER: Yes, you are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Look, I get what Barbara is saying. I also get that Whoopi and Joy were furious. Now, I understand why. But what about you, Dawn. Are you with Rob, to the SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, that it was OK for them to walk of their own show?
DAWN YANEK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": You know, I think from a hosting perspective, it`s probably not OK. You invite guests on the show and, you know, you hear what they have to say and then you smack them down with your own points of view.
But that said, it`s great for ratings. Everybody`s talking about it today. Every media outlet is covering it. It`s great. And in all honesty, it probably the only thing they could have done to get Bill O`Reilly`s attention.
He would not be quiet about his point of view and they couldn`t get in a word edge-wise. He wasn`t going to apologize. So in lieu of slapping him in the face, this is probably the better choice.
SHUTER: Exactly.
HAMMER: Now, that might have been great TV (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Yes, "The View`s" Web site - I just heard from the "The View`s" publicist, Carl(ph), it melted down today because so many people are checking it out. So the ladies of "The View" are going to be responding to all this.
But I do want to move on right now because we have more breaking news today involving Barbara Walters and "Jersey Shore." Yes, Barbara - this is just wild to me. Barbara has reportedly chosen the cast of the "Jersey Shore" as one of the 10 most fascinating people of the year.
Are you kidding me? Well, a lot of people are scratching their heads over this today. The cast, of course, was secured on "South Park." It was brilliant, when Snooki was portrayed as a smoosh smoosh monster.
And it`s just really the latest in all the fun that people are having at "Jersey Shore`s" expense. Rob, as disturbing as it may be, these guys, obviously, are doing something right if they made Barbara`s list.
SHUTER: They`re the most fascinating cast out there. I think Barbara and her executive producer Bill Getty, who is a genius, picked the right people. We`re all talking about them. This is the most fascinating list. It`s not the smartest or the best dressed list. This is the most fascinating. I think nobody can argue that we are fascinated with the "Jersey Shore."
HAMMER: No, I think that`s exactly the point. For better or worse, you know, you can`t ignore their immense audience, the number of people who want to know everything that`s going on with them, even if it`s for all the wrong reasons.
And look, Barbara Walters is not the only legitimate news source who has taken notice of the cast of "Jersey Shore." Look who`s covered them - the "New York Times," "Newsweek," ABC`s "Nightline" - they`ve have all done stories on those guys.
In fact, in an interview with "Nightline," Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino was actually asked what he thinks about people calling the cast morons. Watch what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE "THE SITUATION" SORRENTINO, CAST MEMBER, "THE JERSEY SHORE": If they happen to see a different aspect of me, OK, which is the business owner, had trademarked, you know, most of my sayings and, underneath that, at least a dozen endorsement, if I was a moron so to speak, how did this moron, you know - was he able to do that if I was, so to speak, a moron.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So to speak. Well, look, I don`t think he`s really getting the point. He`s doing well because of the so-called moronic behavior that made him famous, but that`s beside the point.
Dawn, does all of this attention that they`re getting from all these legitimate people, including Barbara Walters, just validate that they are fascinating even if it`s for all the wrong reasons?
YANEK: I think we decided at "Life and Style Weekly" that all of "The Jersey Shores`" cast members wrongs make a right -
HAMMER: Yes.
YANEK: That`s because it`s a fascinating pop culture phenomenon. You can`t look away. Barbara Walters can`t look away.
HAMMER: Let`s all let out a collective sigh, shall we? Rob Shuter, Dawn Yanek, thanks, guys. I appreciate it.
All right. Let me turn it over to you. It`s our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll - "Barbara Walters Picks `Jersey Shore` cast as one of her `Most Fascinating`: Do you think they are fascinating?" Let us know at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can E-mail us, too, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Sarah Palin was one of Barbara Walters` most fascinating people last year. Today, wait until you see this - your very first look at Sarah`s new reality show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FMR. GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK): I`d rather be doing this than in some stuffy, old political office. I`d rather be out here being free.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Dumpy, old political office? Hey, does this mean Sarah won`t be running for any kind of office anytime soon?
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the show you said that you were a Redskins cheerleader.
MICHAELE SALAHI, CAST MEMBER, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF D.C.": Right. Because that`s what I`ve been told to say by the alumni.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, boy. A brand-new TV award today. The so-called White House party crasher under attack on "The Real Housewives of D.C." I`m definitely not a big fan of hers. But does Michaele Salahi deserve this?
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is naming the most provocative celebrity of the week. Is it going to be David Arquette for blabbing about his sex life or lack of one with Courteney Cox? Brett Favre for the sexting scandal? Or Miley Cyrus slammed for being sexy in her music video? Our pick and your vote, coming up. 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: Barbara Walters to interview Oprah Winfrey for "Oprah: The Next Chapter" special on December 9th. Courteney Cox`s "Cougar Town" ratings up nine percent this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COURTENEY COX, ACTRESS: You want to stay in, hang out on the couch, maybe watch a movie?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you hitting on me?
COX: This wine`s for Ellie. She`s been looking so hot lately I thought I`d get her drunk and try to hit that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
S. PALIN: Family comes first. It`s got to be that way. No, boys, go upstairs. This is flipping fun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, it sure is. It your first look at Sarah Palin`s brand-new reality show, "Sarah Palin`s Alaska." But will it win her new fans?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And today, yes, it`s your first look at Sarah Palin, the reality show star. We`re getting a never-before-seen look at Palin`s life in TLC`s new show called "Sarah Palin`s Alaska."
Now, it was a controversial move for her to do reality TV. But now that we`re getting to see Sarah in action, the question is, will she quiet the critics?
Right now, in Hollywood, Ken Baker, who is "E`s" chief news correspondent.
So "Sarah Palin`s Alaska" promises to show Alaska through the eyes of Sarah Palin, Ken. By looks of this trailer that just came out today, there will be no shortage of Sarah Palin in her elements. Let`s take a look.
S. PALIN: Gosh. We are somewhere that people dream about. Family comes first. It`s got to be that way. No, boys, go upstairs. This is flipping fun. How come you can`t ever just be satisfied with tranquility?
I`d rather being doing this than in some stuffy old political office. I`d rather be out here being free.
ANNOUNCER: An all-new eight-week television event, "Sarah Palin`s Alaska."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She certainly looks right at home. And we were seeing all sides of Sarah. She`s dog sledding. You`ve got her kayaking. She`s fishing, interacting with her children. Look, love her or love to hate her, I can see a lot of people tuning in to see what Sarah Palin is doing and what she`ll do next.
Ken, what do you think, the start of a new chapter in the Sarah Palin fan club right here?
BAKER: Yes. I personally am really looking forward to seeing this. I mean, my personal opinion is that in the political realm, she has all the depth of a teaspoon.
But being said, when it comes to reality TV, I can`t wait for her to be on this. I think it`s going to be really interesting. Just the teaser alone is interesting. I want it know how they got the guy who does the movie trailer voiceovers to do the voiceovers for this tease. It`s great.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: When you said teaspoon, you went beneath a tablespoon. I`m going to mark that down for the CIA. Look, there`s a line in this trailer that personally jumped out to me. You mentioned your feelings about her politically.
It says - while she`s enjoying the outdoors, she says, "I`d rather be doing this than be in some stuffy old political office." Ken, she`s definitely going to have people thinking by saying stuff that she`s done with politics.
But do you see her now as a reality show star first and a politician second? Or do you think people will see her that way?
BAKER: Well, I mean, the promo said, you know, it`s an eight-week event. This is something that`s going to run for a couple of months. Obviously, the election campaign for presidential campaign is far away from that.
And I think it was kind of taken out of context. I`m sure she meant that in the moment that, sure, I`d rather being out here in the country than in some office. Who wouldn`t?
Of course, I want to go to Alaska right now, it sounds like a lot more fun, no offense, than sitting here right now. But the bottom line is this is that I think she first sees herself as a political animal. Secondly, the reality TV is just a way for her to promote herself and to promote her brand.
HAMMER: Yes.
BAKER: But I think her intentions are very clear. She`s going to be running for office.
HAMMER: Right. So I want to ask you, nobody should be mistaken that Sarah Palin is going to leave the life of a politician for simply doing television and reality TV at that.
BAKER: Yes. You know, but I do think they should change the name. I work at "E!"
HAMMER: OK.
BAKER: We have a very successful model for this. It should be called "Keeping Up with the Palins."
HAMMER: Oh, goodness.
BAKER: I think they`ll get much bigger ratings.
HAMMER: No, no, no. Ken, I`m afraid I`m going to have to cut you off here and ask you to stop talking, but thanks for the suggestion. Ken Baker, thanks so much, man.
All right. As we move on, the so-called White House party crasher, Michaele Salahi, is under a brand-new and nasty attack today.
SALAHI: If you find love within you, your husband will come back.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t want him back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. What is going down on "Real Housewives of D.C."? This is ugly. So I`ve got to ask today, as bad as Michaele is - look, let`s face it. A lot of people really just don`t like her. Does she deserve it?
Also, cougar love drama. Can cougar couples - older women, younger men - really make it in Hollywood?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you look to Hollywood and you look at these men who could have anybody they want, you`d have to wonder why wouldn`t you want to date an age-mate? Are you using your wife as a mommy?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You know, a lot of people are saying Courteney Cox and David Arquette split because of their age difference. It`s a SHOWBIZ special report today - cougar love drama.
Jennifer Aniston strikes back. Jen`s fired up response today to Joan Collins for dissing her looks. 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: Bob Saget to star in new reality show called "Strange Days with Bob Saget" on A & E. Taylor Swift says "Guys get what they deserve" in her songs.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: Does it seem weird in here to you? Pretty much like a Mexican soap opera.
TINA FEY, ACTRESS: I don`t know. Does it?
BALDWIN: Good god. I can see every line and pore in your face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Live from New York, it`s "30 Rock" live. Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Jane Krakowski and the rest of the cast of the NBC hit show - this Thursday`s show live. I thought it was pretty great.
And it seems like "30 Rock" might be on to something here. The ratings out today show a 43 percent increase over last week`s show.
All right. So will Clint Eastwood ever act again? I think Clint is an amazing director and his latest film, "Hereafter" is out today starring Matt Damon and Bryce Dallas Howard, but he`s directing that movie.
Clint hasn`t acted in a film since 2008`s "Gran Torino," and he`s hinted in the past his onscreen days may behind him. I just sat down with Clint. Clint turned 80 this year and I asked him if we will ever see him in front of the camera again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (on camera): When are we going to see you back on the screen? Do you keep the door open at least a little bit? Because we miss you, quite honestly.
CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR: Yes. I keep it open somewhat. But that`s only if a great role comes along. I don`t see - there`s not that many great roles that you`d want to do that are interesting or a new challenge.
But directorially, there are new challenges all the time. But as an actor, you`re limited to what the perception people have usually of your past performances.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I have a feeling he`ll be back. "Hereafter" is in theaters now. OK. So a lot of people have been writing in to our Facebook wall today about my one-on-one interview with Paula Abdul.
Now, Paula`s got this new show that`s really cool. It`s called "Live to Dance." Pearl V. says, "I`m totally pumped for her new show. Bye-bye "Idol." By the way, she looks gorgeous." Yes, she does.
A lot of you also posted about the controversy surrounding Jessica Simpson`s new man who just got divorced and he started dating after he separated from his wife.
Becky M. says, back off, "Gosh darn, though, leave this poor girl alone already. If it`s not her love life, it`s her weight."
We would love for you to join the debate on Facebook, get breaking entertainment news alerts on Twitter. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call." There`s always E-mail. "SHOWBIZ Connects," CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Now, it`s the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
The so-called White House party crasher under a brand-new attack today on her reality show, "Real Housewives of D.C." Does she deserve it?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week. Will it be David Arquette? Perhaps Brett Favre? Or racy Miley Cyrus? Your pick revealed as well.
And Jennifer Aniston strikes back. Jen is fired up today. You`ll hear her response to Joan Collins for dissing Jen`s looks. 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: Liza Minnelli cancels upcoming concerts due to pneumonia. "GQ" magazine names Larry David 10th most powerful bald man in America.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the show, you said you were a Redskins cheerleader.
SALAHI: Right because that`s what I`ve been told to say by the alumni.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the so-called White House party crasher under attack. Michaele Salahi and "The Real Housewives of D.C." face off today. Does Michaele deserve it?
Jennifer Aniston strikes back. Jen`s fired up response today to Joan Collins for dissing her looks.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names its most provocative celebrity of the week. Will it be David Arquette? Brett Favre for his sexting scandal? Or Miley Cyrus for getting slammed for being too sexy in her new music video?
Plus, breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -big baby news for Neil Patrick Harris. And is Ellen DeGeneres going to Katy Perry`s wedding?
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 - TV wars.
Yes, people are still talking about Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar`s now infamous face-off with Fox host Bill O`Reilly Thursday morning on "The View." The co-hosts got into a super-heated debate over the planned Ground Zero mosque in New York City.
All of that began when O`Reilly said it was Muslims who attacked the World Trade Center, not Muslim extremists. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CROSS TALK)
O`REILLY: I`m telling you, 70 percent of the of the country -
BEHAR: I don`t want to sit here. I don`t want to sit here. I don`t.
(CROSS TALK)
O`REILLY: You`re outraged about Muslims?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And off they go. With me right now, in New York, Rob Shuter, who is a columnist with "PopEater.com. In Hollywood, Maggie Furlong, who is an editor with AOL TV.
Look, I`ve got to say as far as TV wars go, I think we may have a new contender for the top of the list right here. I mean, look at this, Rob. You got Bill O`Reilly. You got the very opinionated Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg and, of course, the controversial Islamic mosque.
I feel like if anything else had happened, it would have been a letdown. Rob, are you with me?
SHUTER: I`m sorry. I (UNINTELLIGIBLE) but I couldn`t hear you. I think you`re right. This is the new TV wars. This is the most exciting thing that`s happened all week and we`re going to be talking about this for months.
No one`s even talking about Rosie O`Donnell anymore in "The View." This tops that.
HAMMER: No, I`m going to talk about Rosie right now. Because, of course, fireworks - boom. They`re blowing up all the time on the set of "The View." Back in 2007, Rosie and Elisabeth Hasselbeck got into it. Let`s revisit that moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O`DONNELL: Do you believe that I think our troops are terrorists? And you would not even look me in the face, Elisabeth and say, "No, Rosie, I can understand how people might have thought that." With why don`t you take this opportunity like I`m six?
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Because you are an adult and I am certainly not going to be the person for you to explain your thoughts to. Defend your own insinuations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, I love it. I see that and, now, I`m thinking, oh, I don`t know. We have a serious war going on here. Maggie, do you think that the new O`Reilly smackdown tops the Rosie-Elisabeth smackdown?
MAGGIE FURLONG, EDITOR, AOL TV: Oh, absolutely, because we`re so used to people picking on Elisabeth and making her a target. And honestly, that`s their job. When they`re doing their roundtable and their hot topics, they`re supposed to go back and forth.
When they have guests on the show, they`re not supposed to go back and forth the way they did on Thursday. That was out of control.
HAMMER: Yes. And that`s what a lot of people are questioning today. Was it right on their own show to not just listen to what he had to say instead of walking off. But, wow, were they ticked off. Of course, "The View" not the only show sparking TV wars.
Got to move on to the downright horrendous display of really, in my mind, how bad a cat fight between two grown women can really get. This happened on "The Real Housewives of D.C." reunion show on Bravo on Thursday night between on the reunion show between Cat(ph) and Michaele Salahi, who, of course, is the so-called White House party crasher. Please watch carefully.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALAHI: I`m sorry that Charles left you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He didn`t leave me.
SALAHI: I think he would come back -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think she was faking those tears?
SALAHI: No. (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You`re just an unhappy person. If you find love within you, your husband will come back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t want him back anyway.
SALAHI: And you know what? At least I`m married, Cat, and I have someone that loves me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Rob, look, even if you don`t watch that show, how can you not be embarrassed for Michaele after seeing that? Come on.
SHUTER: You can`t be. You have to be embarrassed. It`s disgusting. They`re really, really repulsive human beings. And there`s no question that this is the lowest-rated of all these "Housewives" shows because nobody likes these ladies. There`s no one of them that has been pulling at our heartstrings. The show`s a train wreck. It`s just unwatchable, I think.
HAMMER: So you think she deserves what she got there?
FURLONG: No, they`re obviously grabbing for ratings. They`re obviously grabbing for ratings, trying to do this and trying to make a headline somehow, start a cat fight because no one cares.
HAMMER: God, but they do it so naturally, don`t they? Look, I think the so-called White House party crasher, Michaele Salahi, dug herself into a bigger hole when she tried to explain her way out of an apparent little white lie, or maybe it was big white lie that she told on one episode of the "Housewives" reality about apparently being a cheerleader for the Redskins. Look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold on. But you just said to me - hold on. You just said to me you weren`t a cheerleader. That`s what you just said.
SALAHI: No. I was never an NFL cheerleader out every week. I never said that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you hopped out on to the field twice? On the show you said that you were a Redskin cheerleader.
SALAHI: Right, because that`s what I`ve been told to say by the alumni.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oops. Maggie, when you saw Michaele - when Michaele, rather, saw herself back on the show - I know she was sitting at home and watching - do you think she then went to herself, look at herself in the mirror and realize, "You know what? I`d better just stop talking." Or do you think she watches it and just loving every minute?
FURLONG: I think she`s so beyond insane that she doesn`t even realize what she`s saying is nuts anymore. I honestly believe the fact that she lied about this whole Redskin cheerleading thing - it`s such a random lie. Who cares if you were a cheerleader? And she is just keeping up a lie on this show. Just come clean and quit. She`s obviously not there.
HAMMER: All right. Well, Rob, what do you think? Because I know you`ve watched each and every minute of this thing carefully. But again, even from watching the short clips for somebody who`s never seen the show, is this a woman who is now rethinking her life? Or is she just enjoying everything and all the attention that`s coming with it?
SHUTER: She`s enjoying this. She`s loving this. I`ve been unfortunate enough to actually be in a room with this couple and they are like Teflon. Nothing sticks to them. They were insulted many, many times in this room and anybody else would have got up like Joy Behar and walked out.
This couple just stood there smiling and grinning. They don`t care what we think about them and you can`t hurt them and they change their tune every minute. And that`s why they`re the disaster they are.
HAMMER: Their families must be so, so proud. Well, there is big news breaking today in "The Buzz" today that we must get to. Katherine Heigl`s hot tub war heats up as Katherine actually calls the cops looking for some help.
Also, Jennifer Aniston strikes back. Jen`s brand-new diss for Joan Collins for calling her "cute."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Jennifer Aniston fights back. Aniston has just responded to Joan Collins` public insult about her looks and is telling Collins to talk to the hand. Joan dissed Jen in a British magazine calling her cute but not beautiful like Angelina Jolie who is, of course, the current partner of Jen`s ex, Brad Pitt.
Aniston`s rep told "E! Online" they are aware of Collins` verbal smack but felt there was, quote, "no need to engage in that nonsense."
Heigl`s hot tub war. Katherine Heigl just revealed why cops showed up at her house earlier this week saying she called them on a bitter neighbor. Heigl said the neighbor went ballistic over the noise she and her husband were making during a late-night hot tub make-out session. She explained on Ryan Seacrest`s radio show.
KATHERINE HEIGL, ACTRESS: This guy`s always screaming at us. The neighbor starts screaming at us to go inside. I`m like, "I`ve had it, I`ve had enough if this. It`s ridiculous. It`s harassment and I`m calling the police."
HAMMER: All right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is about to name the most provocative celebrity of the week. Now, let me run down the names for you.
David Arquette for his big mouth. David and his wife, Courteney Cox, decide to split. David decides to tell all their sex secrets, even details about his sex with another woman. David, TMI, buddy.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Brett Favre, and his sexting scandal. Or will we name Miley Cyrus for getting slammed by a powerful parents` group who says, "Miley, you`re way too sexy in your new music video."
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you look at Hollywood and you look at these men who could have anybody they want, you have to wonder why wouldn`t you want to date an age-mate? Are you using your wife as a mom?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Get ready for some cougar love drama. Older women, younger man - can their love survive in Hollywood? It`s a revealing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special report.
And did you see this? It`s the unhappy happy meal. This thing apparently has been sitting out for six months and it hasn`t changed one bit. I think I just lost my appetite. 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: Neil Patrick Harris and partner are now fathers of twins, a boy and a girl. Russell Brand invites Ellen DeGeneres to his wedding to Katy Perry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": You seem to be a really great couple. You`re getting married soon. I did not get my invitation. I`m sure you`re trying to be secretive about it. But -
RUSSELL BRAND, COMEDIAN: Do you want to come?
DEGENERES: Of course, I want to come.
BRAND: Oh, I`d like to have you there.
DEGENERES: All right.
BRAND: You and your missus are most welcome.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: So who will SHOWBIZ TONIGHT choose as the most provocative celebrity of the week? Will we choose David Arquette for spilling intimate details of his split with Courteney Cox on Howard Stern`s radio show?
Will we choose Brett Favre for allegedly leaving creepy voicemails and sending naughty text photos to a former Jets sideline reporter?
Or will it be Miley Cyrus for her latest racy music video? She has just gotten slammed by the Parents Television Council.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is now ready to reveal the most provocative celebrity of the week.
Right now, from Miami, Eugene Ramirez who is an entertainment journalist. And right now, with me in New York, Dawn Yanek who is the editor-at-large of "Life and Style Weekly."
Well, we asked to you text your votes and also vote on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook fan page. I want to you check this out. Brett Favre won out the text vote with 42 percent of the votes. But on our Facebook fan page, it was David Arquette winning just by a slight edge - 43 percent of the vote there. Eugene who is your pick for most provocative celebrity of the week?
EUGENE RAMIREZ, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: A.J., I`m with the texters on this one. Definitely Brett Favre hands down. I mean, this guy - he may wear a Vikings uniform but he has definitely proven himself to be a cheese- head if all this, of course, is true after all.
HAMMER: Yes. We don`t exactly know if it actually happened. But can we find out? I mean, should we just get to the results. I think it is time. The moment of truth has now arrived. May have I a drum roll, please?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names David Arquette the most provocative celebrity of the week. I really couldn`t see it going any other way, Dawn. What about you?
YANEK: I absolutely agree. I think with Brett and with Miley - we`ve been there and done that. Unless you`re juggling more than 16 mistresses, I`m not going to get riled up about a pro-athlete having an affair.
Same goes with Miley Cyrus. If she didn`t do what she was doing, I would be shocked, because she`s turning 18 next month. She wants to break out from her Disney image.
But for David Arquette - we were so completely shocked at "Life and Style Weekly." Here was this couple that when you heard the news of their breakup, you thought, "Oh, my gosh. This is so sad." We loved them as a couple.
HAMMER: Yes.
YANEK: Overnight, it went to "Oh, my gosh. How did she not kick him out of the house any quicker than that?"
HAMMER: Well, yes. I mean, Eugene. He did go on the radio. And I got this and understood it and I have David`s back on the fact that he wanted to set the record straight with a few facts because there were some false rumors flying around out there. But then he spoke even more than I think his wife ever thought he would.
RAMIREZ: Absolutely. There are some things that should definitely be kept between spouses. And when he spoke about their sex and the details of it, it was definitely one of those things.
I wouldn`t say it`s the most provocative thing - he was the most provocative celebrity of the week though. I`d call him the biggest tool of the week for what he did in talking about those things with Howard Stern.
But if you want it talk about provocative, I think those pictures, again, if they are true, of Brett Favre`s - what can we call it? Little pig skin there -
HAMMER: Yes.
RAMIREZ: That`s provocative.
HAMMER: All right. We`ll let you have that. And look, I feel bad for both David and Courteney. And let`s just hope everything is smooth-sailing from here on out. Eugene Ramirez, Dawn Yanek, thanks, guys.
We move on now to a SHOWBIZ special report. It`s cougar love drama. You know, since David Arquette and Courteney Cox split up, a lot of people have been asking - can relationships between older women and younger men in Hollywood really work? Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COURTENEY COX, ACTRESS: This girl can flirt.
WYNTER (voice-over): She`s flirtatious, sexy, sassy. Courteney Cox is one hot mama on the prowl on ABC`s comedy, "Cougar Town," playing an over-the- hill, single mom who sometimes dates younger men.
COX: No more talking.
WYNTER: And despite her steamy onscreen role, it`s Cox`s love life off screen that`s gone up in smoke. Her 11-year marriage to screen co-star, David Arquette, is on the rocks.
DAVID ARQUETTE, ACTOR: I`m sorry.
WYNTER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you they`re not alone. Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, 12 years apart, ended their romance last year. Madonna and Guy Ritchie, a 10-year age difference. They called it quits two years ago.
David Arquette is 39, Courteney Cox, 46. And the pair`s shocking split has so many asking, can cougar couples stand the test of time in Hollywood?
Psychotherapist Dr. Bethany Marshall says not when older women take on the role of mommy instead of wife because of the age gap.
DR. BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: Marriages in Hollywood are often like a movie set. As soon as the props go down, so does the marriage. That`s why these marriages dissolve. They`re falling apart because of emotional immaturity.
WYNTER: Arquette was flooded with emotion when is he recently vented about the split on Howard Stern`s Sirius radio show.
ARQUETTE: She said, "I don`t want to be your mother anymore. I appreciated that." I`ve been going to therapy. I`m trying to grow up. We`re not having sex. It doesn`t feel right. She`s not - you know, she doesn`t feel like bonding in that way.
MARSHALL: The minute he`s away from mommy, he starts blabbering because mommy`s not there to contain his impulses.
WYNTER: Then, there`s the cheating factor when it comes to older female stars and their hot Hollywood husbands. Arquette also admitted to hooking up with another woman when he and Cox stopped having sex.
MARSHALL: When you look to Hollywood and you look at these men who could have anybody they want, you have to wonder why wouldn`t you want to date an age-mate? Are you using your wife as a mommy? Are you an out-of-control little boy and so you need to be contained? Why wouldn`t you want to date a younger woman?
WYNTER: And that`s exactly what Ashton Kutcher was accused of, allegations of infidelity after be a scandalous story broke that he cheated on wife Demi Moore who is, by the way, 15 years older. Kutcher has denied the allegations. And Moore, who is 47, recently flaunted these sexy photos of herself on Twitter
MARSHALL: This places pressure on the woman. Women in Hollywood who choose younger men face enormous pressure to keep themselves young, hot and beautiful.
WYNTER: Leaving no room to grow old gracefully in an industry so focused on body image, says entertainment and pop culture expert, Steven Smith.
STEVEN SMITH, ENTERTAINMENT AND POP CULTURE EXPERT: It`s always about looking young and trying to keep yourself looking young. And the problem with dating someone younger is that you`re going to look a little older
WYNTER: And while you can`t turn back the clock of time, psychotherapist Dr. Bethany Marshall tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it`s still enticing for older stars to choose significantly younger mates.
MARSHALL: It looks very good to snare a cub. We`re talking about a gorgeous, successful woman who can choose anybody she wants.
WYNTER: Courteney Cox and David Arquette may have found love on the set of the thriller "Scream."
ARQUETTE: I don`t think you`re that bad.
WYNTER: But like a bad Hollywood movie, this is one celebrity cougar marriage that may not have that fairy tale ending.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, it remains to be seen if David and Courteney`s marriage will survive. There is hope. For one, Hugh Jackman and his wife are 13 years apart and they are still going strong.
I don`t know about you. My parents always told me not to play with my food but I never could have imagined what would happen to a McDonald`s Happy Meal if you left it alone for six months.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The lack of decomposition had folks freaked out. That`s really disturbing. Some accused Sally of falsifying the photos.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why would I lie? You know, why would I do this? I`m not getting paid to do this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Do flies come with that? Get it? Flies? I don`t think Ronald McDonald is going to be happy about this one. That`s one unhappy happy meal. 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: Prince announces his "Welcome 2 America" tour will kick off in December. Eva Longoria unveils her new Madame Tussauds wax figure in Las Vegas.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Thank you, wacky Charles Wegman. Have you ever wondered what would happen to a McDonald`s Happy Meal if you left it out for - oh, I don`t know - let say six months? Forget "Where`s the beef." How about, "Where`s the mold?" Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Does a McDonald`s happy meal have a happy ending?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Astonishing refusal to decompose.
MOOS: A New York City photographer made headlines with her Happy Meal project. Sally Davies says she bought a happy meal, kept it on this shelf in her apartment and photographed it. Every few days for six months. There`s day one, there`s day 180. No mold, or as one newspaper asked, "You want flies with that?"
SALLY DAVIES, PHOTOGRAPHER: That`s the burger.
MOOS: No smell, though still a slightly greasy feel.
(on-camera) The biggest structural change took place between day 42 and day 49. When a section of the upper bun broke off.
(voice-over) But the lack of decomposition had folks freaked out. That`s really disturbing. Some accused Sally of falsifying the photo.
DAVIES: Why would I lie? You know, why would I do this? I`m not getting paid to do this.
MOOS: She started the project to prove a point to a friend, but what does it prove?
(on-camera) As a food scientist, what does this experiment tell you? Anything?
DR. JOHN LUCEY, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON: Nothing much.
MOOS (voice-over): Food scientist, Dr. John Lucey, says it`s just dehydrated food.
LUCEY: If you took a steak home and cooked it and then forgot about it, you`d get something similar like this.
MOOS: You don`t mind that I`m touching it a little.
(voice-over) How about the bun? Regular bread gets moldy.
LUCEY: Yes, but the burger buns are different because they`re made to be lower moisture content because they have to be tougher.
MOOS: Dr. Lucey has no connection to McDonald`s, but the company made the same argument. If food is/or becomes dry enough, it won`t grow mold or bacteria.
(on camera) A happy meal, fountain of youth.
MOOS: The funny thing is how many people keep old fast food?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is going on four years old, and it`s aging better than me.
MOOS: One guy even has a burger museum dating back more than 20 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The world`s first immortal hamburger.
MOOS: Morgan Spurlock did a similar experiment when he made "Super Size Me." Eventually, a Big Mac and jar got moldy, but after ten weeks, the fries look the same.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is wrong with that?
MOOS: Compared to moldy fries not from a fast food restaurant. Sally says her dogs lost interest in the Happy Meal within two days, but at 180 days, Jay Leno hasn`t.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s just disgusting.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it`s not nice. She`s basically was saying -
MOOS: Jeannie Moos,
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m just dehydrated.
MOOS: CNN -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s nothing wrong with me.
MOOS: New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I think I just lost my appetite for the rest of the weekend. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is 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. Of course, that`s at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.
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