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Showbiz Tonight
Hollywood`s Bully Pulpit; LeAnn Rimes` "Crazy Women"; Payback Time for Taylor Swift; "Wheel of Fortune" Miracle Controversy; Bret Michaels Speaks Out About Alleged Affair with Tish Cyrus
Aired November 09, 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, CO-HOST: We`ve got big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Hollywood`s bully pulpit. Madonna`s shocking brand-new confessions today about her bullying connection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": Were you bullied as a kid? Or did you feel different than other people when you were younger?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, confessions from Fergie, Cher and the big "Glee" connection.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Outrage today over LeAnn Rimes` new song. It`s called "Crazy Women," and it`s about ex-wives, girlfriends. With LeAnn`s whole cheating scandal, is a song about crazy women such a good idea?
HAMMER: Payback time for Taylor today. How Taylor Swift may be planning to get the ultimate revenge against one of her star exes.
ANDERSON: The "Wheel of Fortune" miracle controversy. The woman who won after being shown just one letter is speaking out today. What she`s saying to people who believe this wheel may have been rigged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t know how (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show -
ANDERSON: Starts right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today - Madonna`s bully bombshell.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke, one of the most powerful women in music history made an unbelievable revelation today that she once felt powerless, lonely, and outcast. Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that Madonna`s confession comes on an extraordinary day for Hollywood`s anti-bully pulpit, including a remarkable episode of "Glee" airing tonight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the stars creating a no bully zone.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) These days it`s safe to say no one messes with Madonna. But today, we`re learning the shocking news that that wasn`t always the case.
DEGENERES: Were you bullied as a kid or did you feel different than other people when you were younger?
MADONNA, POP STAR: Yes. That`s an understatement.
HAMMER: On today`s "Ellen," Madonna shocked us once again revealing her own experiences with bullying when she was a kid.
MADONNA: I can totally relate to the idea of feeling isolated and alienated. I was incredibly lonely as a child, as a teenager. And I have to say I never felt like I fit in at school. I wasn`t a jock. I wasn`t an intellectual. There was no group that I felt a part of. I just field like a weirdo.
HAMMER: It`s not every day we see Madonna do a TV interview and it`s even more rare to see her share something so personal. So what led Madonna to share so much on Ellen today?
MADONNA: I am incredibly disturbed and saddened by the overwhelming number of teen suicides that have been reported lately because of bullying. I just feel like it would be incredibly remiss of me to not say something.
HAMMER: Madonna isn`t the only star moved by the flood of tragic headlines we`ve seen lately about teens, many of them gay, killing themselves after suffering vicious treatment from peers.
Today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you we`re seeing a Hollywood bully pulpit as some of Hollywood`s biggest stars and one of TV`s biggest shows use the spotlight to speak out against bullying and to send a message to kids who are experiencing it.
CHER, SINGER AND ACTRESS: Try not to let it crush your spirit.
FERGIE, SINGER: Bullying is not cool at all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m thinking about trouble in school.
HAMMER: Bullying is a big part of tonight`s special episode of "Glee," where the character, Kurt, who is gay, deals with a bully at school.
CHRIS COLFER, ACTOR: What is your problem?
HAMMER: For actor, Chris Colfer, who plays Kurt and is openly gay in real life, bullying is nothing to sing about.
COLFER: I know what it like to be bullied and teased every single day.
HAMMER: He recently did a public service announcement aimed at teens going through what he went through.
COLFER: I know that it may seem like there`s no chance of happiness left, but I promise you there is a world full of acceptance and love.
HAMMER: And "Glee`s" creator, Ryan Murphy, tells today`s "New York Times" "Glee`s" bullying episode is something moved the whole cast of the hit show. He says, quote, "Right when we finished writing this, that`s when there were these front page stories about teen suicides from bullying."
He adds, quote, "It really did ignite the cast and the crew to do their best and push themselves with the story."
Last night at "Glamour" magazine women of the year awards in New York City, stars shared their own personal bullying stories with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
FERGIE: They were bullying - I did have my locker burned one time, just because somebody who is older wanted to just make a point and it wasn`t cool.
HAMMER: Fergie tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT even with all these accomplished since then, she vividly remembers that humiliating experience from her childhood.
FERGIE: Yes. I mean, it did hurt. It did hurt a lot. It was embarrassing. We are who we are and we shouldn`t be afraid to be that. And people shouldn`t have a problem with that, and bullying is not cool at all.
HAMMER: And Cher shared with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT her own advice to kids suffering from bullying.
CHER: It`s so difficult when you`re different. But you have to try to not be ruined by the experience and realize that the thing that is happening now, that difference that you`re feeling now and not a part of it, is the thing that later is going to make you the person that you are.
HAMMER: So today Madonna, Fergie, Cher and even the TV show "Glee" are showing that the Hollywood bully pulpit can be a powerful weapon against bullying.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
It really is so terrific to see more and more stars enlisting in this war against bullying. But is Madonna`s voice going to have the most powerful impact yet?
Right now, in Hollywood, is Ken Baker, who is the chief news correspondent for "E!" And with me in New York, Ereka Vetrini who is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
It really does not surprise that Madonna felt like an outcast when she was in high school. Ken, are you with me that Madonna`s bullying revelations today really could make the biggest impact of all?
KEN BAKER, CHIEF NEWS CORRESPONDENT, "E!": I don`t know if it`s the biggest impact. I think it`s the chorus of voices who is celebrities who have spoken out in just the last few weeks about this issue that really does make an impact.
And I think that certainly she is someone who very much did go through a lot of bullying. This isn`t the first revelation. She`s talked a lot about being alienated as a kid.
But you know what? Kids can never hear enough of this message. And any time a celebrity of any level of fame or power does speak out for a cause like this, it`s only a good thing. And I was really happy personally to see her come out and talk in that way.
HAMMER: Yes. It`s always good to hear Madonna coming out on something because, well, let`s face it, she comes out about anything so infrequently. And speaking of all the celebrities getting on board here, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there was at "Glamour" magazine`s women of the year awards in New York City.
Kelly Osbourne was there, Fergie, the great Cher - they all spoke to us about bullying. And Ereka, to Ken`s point, I think, for a young kid who is dealing with this, hearing these stories can only give them comfort and hope that they might have otherwise lost.
EREKA VETRINI, SENIOR EDITOR, "INSIDE EDITION": Well, absolutely. It will instill hope, but also it warns the bullies out there - they`re forewarned, you know. I think what concerns me more is that bullying is different these days.
HAMMER: Yes.
VETRINI: And it`s more intense. There`s the texting. There is the video. There`s the Facebook. So parents can`t make light of it and say, look, we all come out of this and we all rise above it.
HAMMER: Yes.
VETRINI: Some of this is deadly.
HAMMER: It`s a new day and sometimes technology not our friend.
VETRINI: Yes, absolutely.
HAMMER: And do I want to move on right now to more big news breaking today. Brooke Anderson, apparently - and I`m just hearing about this - Charlie Sheen is the most popular actor on the planet. That`s according to his attorney.
ANDERSON: Yes. Isn`t that great, A.J.? Just a day after Charlie himself told the world that people were making a big deal out of nothing, referring to his alleged hotel rampage in New York City, his attorney, Yale Gallanter, went on HLN`s "THE JOY BEHAR SHOW" to set the record straight about Charlie`s reported blowout.
So Joy asked him, if all the reports about Charlie are false, why doesn`t Charlie take legal action? Watch what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, HOST, "THE JOY BEHAR SHOW": A lot of the tabloids have been reporting all this stuff. So if he`s telling the truth and nothing happened, why doesn`t he sue the tabloids? Or was he?
YALE GALLANTER, CHARLIE SHEEN`S ATTORNEY: I don`t think that somebody`s who has got the celebrity status that Charlie has could ever sue the tabloids.
BEHAR: That`s not true. Carol Burnett sued, I believe, "The Enquirer" because they said that she was drunk. And she sued them and won. He could sue them if he`s -
GALLANTER: Carol Burnett is not Charlie Sheen. Charlie Sheen is the most popular actor on the planet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Did I hear him right? Charlie is the most popular actor on the planet? Yale, with all due respect, that`s a strong statement. Ever heard of Brad Pitt? He sued the tabloids.
So that leads me to the SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - is Charlie Sheen really the most popular actor on the planet? Ken, take off with that one.
BAKER: Well, I think they maybe cut him off. What he maybe meant is he`s the most popular actor on the planet amongst porn stars. That is possible. So we don`t know how the editing was. Maybe this was edited. I don`t know. I`m just saying what I heard.
But I will say this - Yale Gallanter is a very talented, very skilled, very crafty defense attorney.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BAKER: Don`t forget, this guy represented O.J. Simpson. Now, to his defense, though, I will tell you this - it is very difficult for a celebrity, Charlie Sheen or anyone who is a public figure, to win a lawsuit of libel or defamation against a tabloid. This is a very difficult thing to prove. There`s a very high burden of proof.
ANDERSON: Maybe that`s what he was trying to say. You make a good point. Ereka, what do you think? Is Charlie really the most popular actor on the planet as Yale said? To the SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -
VETRINI: First of all, "actor" is an interesting word to use. He plays himself, so is he truly acting? I`m not quite sure about that. No. And I think he`s got a clean-up team that nobody can beat. Somebody -
ANDERSON: Right.
VETRINI: We understand what Charlie Sheen`s going to do. He`s got a team of lawyers, a publicist that come on in and make it all go away. He doesn`t have to worry about suing anybody.
ANDERSON: To me it all better.
(CROSSTALK)
You`re right. I think even Charlie Sheen would say that description - that`s a little bit of a stretch.
VETRINI: Yes.
ANDERSON: Ken Baker, Ereka Vetrini, thanks, guys.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s move on now. You remember those shocking reports about why Miley Cyrus` parents are breaking up, because Miley`s mom, Tish, reportedly had an affair with Bret Michaels? Well, Bret is speaking out for the first time about all this today. He is setting the record straight. Did he or didn`t he?
ANDERSON: A.J., there`s brand new outrage over LeAnn Rimes today and her cheating scandal. LeAnn Rimes is out with a new song. It`s called "Crazy Women." It`s all about ex-wives, girlfriends. With LeAnn`s whole cheating scandal herself, is a song about crazy women such a good idea?
HAMMER: And "The Wheel of Fortune" miracle controversy. I`ve got to tell you, I`m still blown away by the woman who solved the puzzle on "Wheel" after guessing just one letter. Well, she`s speaking out today. What she`s saying who believe this wheel may have been rigged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can I solve?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a prize puzzle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ve got a good feeling about this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I`m still cheering for her. 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: Lady Gaga passes seven million Twitter followers mark, Justin Bieber hits six million. Katy Perry thrilled with "Glee`s" cover of her song, "Teenage Dream."
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. And Brooke, there is a firestorm erupting over Michael Jackson`s kids today.
ANDERSON: You`re right, A.J. Michael Jackson`s kids are now saying, "We want to be in showbiz." Michael`s kids joined Michael`s mother, Katherine, for a very candid interview with Oprah. And kids shocked the world by saying they want to follow in their famous father`s footsteps.
That leads to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - would it be wrong for Michael`s kids to go into showbiz?
Right now, in New York, Cooper Lawrence, who is a syndicated radio show host and also the author of this great book, "Cult of Celebrity."
Cooper, I have to say, thought, I wasn`t that surprised when I heard Paris and Prince tell Oprah they plan on entering showbiz. I mean, heck, their dad of the epitome of showbiz. Check out what they told Oprah about their plans, about their aspirations for the future. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": You want to produce movies and direct?
PRINCE MICHAEL JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON`S SON: Yes.
WINFREY: What do you want to be?
PARIS KATHERINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON`S DAUGHTER: I`d like to be an actress when I`m older.
WINFREY: Are you going to, like, study it, take it seriously?
PARIS JACKSON: Yes. I sometimes do improvs.
WINFREY: Oh, do you? Where?
PARIS: Well, I used to do it with my dad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Aww. Cooper. To our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - would it be wrong for Michael`s kids to go into showbiz?
COOPER LAWRENCE, SYNDICATED RADIO HOST AND AUTHOR: No. I think they`re the best kids to go into it. They know the downfall. They know how to stay away from the paparazzi. They know what not do.
So many kids get into that industry and they don`t know how to protect themselves. These kids had lessons 101 from their dad and from their own lives. So yes, I say go for it. I hope they`re really talented like their dad.
ANDERSON: Yes. They`ve had a front row seat to the pros and cons of being in showbiz. And I can tell you the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page is really blowing up today with people weighing in on Paris and Prince possibly one day getting into showbiz.
Tawny Z. writes this, "I don`t think it would be a bad thing as long as they wait until they are adults to do so. They should enjoy their youth and then decide if they still want to be part of it."
Thank you so much for that, Tawny. Cooper, do you agree maybe it would be a good idea for them to hold off until they`re adults to make these types of decisions?
LAWRENCE: Well, I think they are too young to start a full-on career. But there are child actors all the time that actually are very successful. You know, for every Lindsay Lohan, there`s probably 10 Beyonces. So we hear more positive stories than negative stories if you really think about it.
You know, and also the fact that these kids - you know, not only will it make them feel closer to their dad to be part of the industry, but they help people around them that know how to protect them.
Look, they`ve been through the worst. How much worse could it get for them at this point, right?
ANDERSON: Right. And I love that point you made. Maybe they`ll feel a deeper connection with their father in a way long, long, long after he`s gone.
Well, you know, some people were surprised that Oprah was granted this interview at all with Michael`s children considering the fact that Michael really tried to protect them and shield them from the outside world.
We asked in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll - "Michael Jackson`s Kids on Oprah: Do you think Michael would have approved?" The results - we got them late today. Twenty-one percent say yes - only 21 percent. Seventy-nine percent say, no, he would not have approved. Cooper, what do you think?
LAWRENCE: She`s a rite of passage. I mean, if you sit down with Oprah, it really validates you as somebody that has some worth and some value.
But more than that, you know, it`s Oprah. She`s not going to ask them anything scandalous. She`s not going to say anything rude to them. She`s not going to say anything that`s going to make them uncomfortable.
ANDERSON: Yes.
LAWRENCE: She`s going to let them talk. I`m sure the pre-interview was all about what we shouldn`t say.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: She was very, very respectful.
LAWRENCE: She always is.
ANDERSON: And I think if it made them happy, it would have made their father happy. Cooper Lawrence, thank you so much.
And now we want to hear from you. What do you think about it? It`s our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll - "Michael Jackson`s Kids: Would it be wrong for them to be in showbiz?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us - here`s the address - showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: Well, tons of posts on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall today. A lot of people are really fired up about my exclusive Facebook video about Miley Cyrus being caught on camera with a beer in her and in Spain.
Now, the drinking age over there is 18. But Jacob S. is worried, writing this, "Oh, this is great. Now, we`re going to have another Lindsay Lohan."
But Cheryl L. thinks, hey, this is no big deal, "Well go, figure. She`s a real life teenager after all. For her sake, the end of her Disney Channel show can`t come soon enough. Leave her alone."
We would love for you to join the debate on Facebook, get breaking entertainment news alerts on Twitter, call us at "Showbiz on Call." E-mail still works. "Showbiz Connects" has it all at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
ANDERSON: It may be payback time for Taylor Swift today. Taylor may be planning to get the ultimate revenge against one of her star exes. I`m going to let you know the stunning way Taylor could be setting this up and the surprising place where it could all go down.
HAMMER: And I`m going to play for you the explosive "Teen Mom" 911 call. This is just out today. It`s "Teen Mom" start Amber Portwood who was caught on tape beating up her baby`s father, calling the cops on him.
ANDERSON: And The Situation`s ab secrets revealed today. I know you can`t wait for this. The "Jersey Shore" star tells all about how he gets his rocking six-pack. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: Here comes the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Photographer who sued Chris Brown for assault and batter settles his case. "Twilight" leads People`s Choice Award nominations with eight nods.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CONAN O`BRIEN, HOST, "CONAN": Welcome to my second annual first show. I know what you guys are thinking. Hey, it`s the guy from Twitter. That`s what you`re thinking right now.
ANDY RICHTER, ANNOUNCER, "CONAN": Wait, you mean you`re Kanye West?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Conan the ratings barbarian there. Our good buddy Conan O`Brien`s show premiered Monday night. Boy, did he whoop everyone. Take that, Jay Leno.
Well, the ratings just in today. I can tell you Conan`s new show called "Conan" drew more than four million viewers on its opening night on our sister network, TBS. That beat "The Daily Show," "The Colbert Report," David Letterman`s "The Late Show" and, yes, the show that Conan was dumped from, "The Tonight Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O`BRIEN: This show is called "Conan." Yes, yes. People ask me why I named the show "Conan." I did it so I`d be harder to replace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, Conan, we want you to keep it up. We`re all with you. And Brooke, you know, obviously, he was going to have plenty of jokes about everything that has transpired over the last many months in his career with the various networks. But it was good to see him just sort of sliding back to business as usual.
ANDERSON: Yes. I thought he seemed at ease and I thought he really seemed happy to be back in his element, A.J. And I think as he really gets into his groove, we`re going to continue to see bigger and much, much better from him. But he`s off to a great start and we`re with you Co-Co. We hope you keep up that momentum.
All right. Now, we`re moving to Eminem`s shocking new love confessions today. Yes, in a brand-new interview with "Rolling Stone" magazine, Eminem admits to having trust issues with women and says he doesn`t really date.
He says, "I have trust issues with women, friends, whatever. You always wonder what their real motives are. I`ve got a small circle of friends and it`s a lot of the same friends I`ve known forever. Right now, that works for me. I came out of some difficult things these past couple of years. I kind of feel like I`m just now finding my footing. As far as going out like dinner and a movie, I just can`t. Going out in public is just too crazy. I mean, I`d like to be in a relationship again someday."
Em had a really rocky relationship with his ex-wife, Kim, who he married and divorced twice. You can read more in the new issue of "Rolling Stone." It`s on newsstands this Friday.
HAMMER: It`s time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Outrage today over LeAnn Rimes` new song. This thing is called "Crazy Women." It`s all about ex-wives, girlfriends and cheating.
Bret Michaels speaks out for the first time today about reports that he had an affair with Miley Cyrus` mother.
Payback time for Taylor today. How Taylor Swift may be planning to get the ultimate revenge against one of her star exes. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
It is time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Actress Rachel Weisz and director Darren Aronofsky split after nine years together. Rihanna and Drake`s song "What`s My Name" tops iTunes singles chart.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - shocking new details about two Hollywood cheating scandals.
So did Bret Michaels have an affair with Miley Cyrus` mom? Bret sets the record straight today on live TV.
ANDERSON: Brand new LeAnn Rimes outrage today. Her new song about ex- wives and girlfriends. With LeAnn`s cheating past, is this a good idea?
HAMMER: The "Wheel of Fortune" miracle controversy. The woman who guessed the puzzle with just one letter speaks out today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Solve?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a prize puzzle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ve got a good feeling about this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So what is she saying to people who believe this wheel may have been rigged?
Plus, breaking today from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT news ticker - Jenny McCarthy`s "Two and a Half Men" bombshell. And Robert De Niro`s Golden Globe surprise.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
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 - "Crazy Women." There is brand-new outrage today over LeAnn Rimes` brand new song, "Crazy Women," because it deals directly with cheating men and the women they cheat on. Now, this song, of course, comes on the heels of Rimes` first tell-all TV interview in which she defended her affair with now-boyfriend, Eddie Cibrian. Both were married when they hooked up.
So with her new song, is LeAnn trying to send a message here? And is she making it even harder for her fans to forget about her cheating scandal?
Right now, from New York, Ben Widdicombe, who is a celebrity journalist. Also, in New York, Cooper Lawrence, who is a syndicated radio show host and author of "The Cult of Celebrity."
Ben, Cooper, in LeAnn`s new song, she tells a story about a woman who just goes right off the deep end after she discovers her man has been stepping out on her. The woman in the song confronts her in a bar and then apparently shoots him. LeAnn then sings about crazy women. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
LEANN RIMES, SINGER (singing): Crazy women, ex-wives and old girlfriends, keep their crazy hidden until they`re pushed off the deep end. Oh, yes, God forgive them. They weren`t born like this. Oh, no, crazy women are made by crazy men.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. I have to say I think the timing could not be better for her. She`s releasing a song when everybody`s talking about her, everybody`s curious about her. Smart move, career-wise.
But for her personal life, I think it just adds fuel to the fire of speculation. Cooper, what do you think?
LAWRENCE: Oh, there`s research about this, Brooke. You`ll love it. There`s actually research that shows that musicians use lyrics - now, I don`t know that she wrote this song, but the lyrics do explain what she`s going through and how she`s feeling and sort of explanation and maybe, you know, how she sees Eddie sometimes and how the ex-wife might be right now.
Maybe she`s feeling a little guilty about it. There`s actually research that shows that when a celebrity, specifically a musician, is in a place like this in their lives, they use their lyrics and they use the music to explain it to the world. And you can look back on other singers and see I`m right.
ANDERSON: I get where you`re coming from on all of that except the guilt part. I don`t know that there`s much guilt in this situation that she`s feeling.
LAWRENCE: You don`t know - she`s got to feel a little bit guilty, just a little tiny bit to make her human.
ANDERSON: That`s the point. Maybe a little bit guilty. All right. I do have to point out, again, that this song does come on the heels of LeAnn`s first big tell-all interview that was with ABC`s Robin Roberts just last week.
In that interview, LeAnn said that if it weren`t for her being a famous singer, no one would have batted an eyelash over her busting up two marriages - her own and Eddie Cibrian`s. Watch what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIMES: It happens every day to so many people. And if I take away my album sales, my words and you have just another couple, you had two couples whose marriages didn`t work, who really stumbled upon each other and fell in love and never, ever was I thinking of hurting someone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, that may be, but a lot of people are thinking that LeAnn falls into the category of crazy women for doing what she did. Ben, I`m not sure how a song like this is going to win her any sympathy.
BEN WIDDICOMBE, CELEBRITY JOURNALIST: Well, I think she is literally correct which says if she wasn`t famous, no one would have heard about or cared about the fact this relationship broke up two other marriages. But that doesn`t necessarily mean that`s a good thing.
This song just sounds like it`s gloating to me. It reminds me always when Julia Roberts stole her husband Danny Moder from his then-wife, Vera. Remember how she walked around with a T-shirt that said, "A Low Vera" on it which seemed to be taunting her. So this seems to me a little bit graceless in victory of LeAnn.
ANDERSON: One thing we cannot argue with, LeAnn Rimes has got one great voice. A.J., what do you think about all of this? Was it a good idea for LeAnn to release this song?
HAMMER: Well, you know, that all depends on what she was trying to accomplish here. It seems to me that if you want to lose the whole cheating association that she has pretty heavily right now, you should probably avoid singing about it, talking about it.
But then again, maybe she`s found her niche and she`s milking it for all it`s worth. I`m not exactly sure. But I know I want to move on to another cheating scandal that, quite frankly, I think should finally be put to rest once and for all.
It`s Bret Michaels and he is setting the record straight today over all of those reports out there that he and Miley Cyrus` mom, Tish, have been carrying on an affair.
Well, these reports hit fever pitch when Miley`s parents announced that they were splitting up. I want you to watch what Bret said on "Fox and Friends" this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRET MICHAELS, SINGER: The question is, did I or didn`t I?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s the question.
MICHAELS: The answer is no. But here`s the thing. I`ve been friends with her family forever. You know, it started out with me and Miley simply working on a song together. Her mom, Tish, likes "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." The first concert Miley ever saw was Poison. And so they wanted to remake it for the new record.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Cooper Lawrence, it appears to me that unless somebody`s got some proof here, it is just time to move on. Case closed here.
LAWRENCE: Well, you know, whenever these accusations happen, there`s no lawsuit that follows, it always makes me go, maybe there`s some truth to it. You know, because if someone says something about me or you, wouldn`t you go and hire a lawyer and have them take back what they said?
HAMMER: Well, it all depends. I hear your point. And I think, then, we`ll have an opinion on this. Sometimes, some things are not worth dragging out and dragging on regardless of what the truth is because it can get expensive and it can just keep the story alive.
WIDDICOMBE: I think he`s in a no-win situation.
HAMMER: Yes.
WIDDICOMBE: Because if he did get a lawyer, it would just keep the story in the headlines. It would make people second-guess. So I think he`s probably doing the right thing.
HAMMER: So are you of the mind, as I am, case closed, let`s let them move on, they didn`t cheat?
WIDDICOMBE: I agree. And I believe the explanation, too. I don`t believe he cheated.
HAMMER: All right.
LAWRENCE: And they`re just breaking up anyway. So why do we care why? You know, why is it our business why they`re breaking up? It`s a hard time for both of them.
WIDDICOMBE: It`s always our business.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Don`t think I didn`t see your note earlier that said "too bad it not true because this is a great story." I`m sorry. I just had to call you out on that one. Brooke Anderson, what do you think? There has been no proof here of an affair in the first place. We`re moving on.
ANDERSON: Well, I think you hit the nail on the head with that, A.J. You know, Bret said no, that nothing happened. And so until there is proof otherwise, there`s no reason not to believe him.
LAWRENCE: He`s got a family show now on VH-1. This is "Rock of Love," again, I think that he wouldn`t come out and be so - you know.
ANDERSON: All right. Well, guys, I can tell you though the one person you do not want to mess around with when it comes to romance - Taylor Swift. Her new album, as we know, chock full of songs aimed at ex-boyfriends.
There`s a report today that she`s going to perform "Back to December" at the Country Music Awards Wednesday night. That song is all about her ex-boyfriend, Taylor Lautner, the actor.
Ben, I`m actually thinking though that a lot of people may rather hear her get up there and sing "Dear John," in which she apparently rips ex, John Mayer, to shreds.
WIDDICOMBE: Well, of course, the song that`s allegedly about Taylor is a nice song. And the song about John isn`t a nice song. John Mayer is not a person you want to pick a fight with in the music business. I think it would drag them both into the mud.
A nice song about Taylor, who is not in music, I think, is a safer bet. And you know, we know John Mayer fights mean. He might give a press conference on a street corner like he did about Jen Aniston. So you don`t want to pick a night with John Mayer because he fights dirty.
ANDERSON: Yes. He`s not afraid to speak his mind. And we do love that about him. Cooper, what do you think? What do people want to hear from Taylor when she hits the stage?
LAWRENCE: Well, John Mayer can then go write a song about her, back at her, and it can be this whole fight that goes on. Whereas Taylor Lautner is an actor, so he can`t put out a song, can he?
But that song really is about a real love affair as opposed to some, you know, quick - whatever the heck that was between John Mayer. So we like Taylor Swift when she sings these beautiful love songs with real heart and real feeling. And it`s going to be, I think, an amazing performance as a result.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. And I think no matter what Taylor Swift sings, she`s going to blow everybody away. People love her. She could sing about the carpet in her living room, Ben, and people would cheer and love it. People are obsessed with Taylor Swift and that`s evident by the success that she`s had.
WIDDICOMBE: You know, I`m not sure I even believe that was a real relationship with Taylor Lautner either, by the way. That seemed to be a little bit too PR orchestrated from my taste.
LAWRENCE: My gosh.
ANDERSON: OK. You think it was contrived. Well, maybe - yes, maybe you guys are right. She should just let sleeping dogs lie in terms of the whole John Mayer thing. Ben Widdicombe, Cooper Lawrence, good to see you. Thanks.
LAWRENCE: Thank you.
HAMMER: Let`s move on now to - oh, what else? The Situation`s ab secrets. Now you, too, can have abs of steel just like The Sitch. That`s because he is telling all today about his very, very famous six-pack.
ANDERSON: "Teen Mom" star danger drama. New details today on what prompted Amber Portwood to call the cops on the father of her child.
HAMMER: I love this story. I`m not crazy about the controversy. It`s the Wheel of Fortune miracle controversy. The woman who guessed the puzzle on "Wheel Fortune" after being shown just one letter is speaking out today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can I solve?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a prize puzzle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ve got a good feeling about this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s right.
HAMMER: Wait until you hear what she`s saying today to people who believe this wheel may have been rigged. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time to roll out the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Robert De Niro to receive Cecil B. DeMille Award. Jennifer Grey talks about being an inspiration after scoring perfect 10 on "DWTS."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER GREY, ACTRESS: I`m so happy that I can help anybody feel like they can reclaim their joy or move their body again or believe that it`s not over when you`re 50, that you can still, you know, rock it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Did you see this? That is superstar Victoria`s Secret model, Miranda Kerr. It is no secret that she`s pregnant. There she is, posing nude in the December issue of "W" magazine. Kerr`s little bun in the oven is expected to bloom early next year. By the way, Miranda Kerr is married to actor Orlando Bloom.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Hey, A.J., The Situation`s abs are making big news in "The Buzz Today." The Sitch shares his six-pack secrets. Also, Gwyneth Paltrow goes country. And the shocking Lohan family reunion that everybody is buzzing about today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Shocking Lohan family reunion. A brand new photo just surfaced of Lindsay Lohan and her estranged father, Michael, in an emotional reunion. The "Radar Online" photo shows Lindsay visiting the mall with her dad after she was given permission to briefly leave the Betty Ford Center. "Radar Online" says Lindsay will be getting some therapy with Michael in order to understand her anger towards her dad.
Gwyneth goes country. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there in Nashville as Gwyneth Paltrow just premiered her new film "Country Strong." Paltrow says she enjoyed being in Nashville and playing a country singer.
GWYNETH PALTROW, ACTRESS: The whole experience of doing this film has kind of taken me on this amazing adventure, so I just am relishing every step of it.
The Situation`s ab secrets. Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino just revealed his secret to keeping his six-pack toned and it`s not GTL. He`s telling "Men`s Fitness" magazine he uses isometric exercises where he works the muscles by flexing them almost everywhere he goes.
"While I`m walking, I do it. On airplanes, I do it. In cars, I do it. So when somebody asks, `Hey, can I see your abs?` it`s always there."
HAMMER: Brooke, they didn`t mention anything about genetics there, you know, because - I`m sorry, if he really drinks as much as he appears to drink on "Jersey Shore" - genetics are involved. And by the way, he does reveal he drinks a whole lot of water. So I`m actually wondering if ice cubes in cocktails count for the water consumption.
ANDERSON: I don`t think they do, A.J. You know, The Situation also recommends six to eight hours of sleep. He says that sleep is when your body grows and repairs itself. Of course, that`s true. But we know that on the show, the Situation goes out a lot, so maybe he`s sleeping in the off season.
HAMMER: Health advice from The Situation. All right. Let`s move from The Situation`s ab secrets to the "Wheel of Fortune" winner`s secret to solving puzzles. Now, everybody is talking about the incredible one-letter wonder who stunned all of us by solving a puzzle with just a single letter.
You`ve got to admit, this was pretty awesome. But there is brand new controversy today. Was the wheel rigged? Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She was excited then. And she`s still excited. You`d be excited, too, if all you needed to solve this "Wheel of Fortune" phrase was a single letter.
CAITLIN BURKE, CONTESTANT, "WHEEL OF FORTUNE": "L."
PAT SAJAK, HOST, "WHEEL OF FORTUNE": One "L."
MOOS: One "L" and an apostrophe don`t help most folks. What is this phrase?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I buy a vowel?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no idea. I`m stumped.
MOOS: But fashion editor Caitlin Burke wasn`t. Host Pat Sajak was rendered momentarily mute when Caitlin asked to solve the puzzle so soon.
BURKE: Can I solve?
SAJAK: OK.
BURKE: It is a prize puzzle.
SAJAK: Yes.
BURKE: I`ve got a good feeling about this.
SAJAK: That`s right.
MOOS: no one looked more shocked than her fellow contestant. Look at his face.
BURKE: I had a good feeling about it. I had a good feeling about it.
MOOS: This transplanted New Yorker is such a fan of the show that she got tears in her eyes the first time she spun the wheel.
BURKE: If you`re a long fan of the show, there is a strategy a little bit, like always the apostrophe helped.
MOOS: It helped her know the first word was "I`ve" or "I`ll".
(on camera) If you think Caitlin is a one-letter wonder, what`s really amazing is she says she had the phrase figured out before there were any letters up. So you knew it when it was empty?
BURKE: Yes. I do this all the time at home. I call it before there`s any letters or a there`s only few and half the time I`m right.
MOOS (voice-over): Skeptics called her a witch. Said it was staged, rigged.
BURKE: I think that`s just funny. I mean obviously I didn`t - I don`t know how you would cheat.
MOOS: Caitlin won a total of around $53,000 which includes a Caribbean trip, plans to pay off her student loan.
BURKE: I have a bucket list of things I want to do and number one was be on "Wheel of Fortune". Somewhere in there is own a Chanel bag.
MOOS: This Chanel bag runs about $3,000. The fact that Caitlin solved this with only one letter prompted someone to post "I can`t even solve it when there`s only one letter remaining." We doubted that until we saw contestants blow it with no letters remaining.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa.
MOOS: Leaving us with a bad feeling.
BURKE: I`ve got a good feeling about it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Good for her. I think that`s so incredible she was able to pull it off.
ANDERSON: Yes.
HAMMER: And Brooke, I`m sorry, I will not be among the cynics who think it is rigged. It is a little bizarre but it`s happened to me before with maybe two letters I figured it out. Not just an "L" -
ANDERSON: You should go on "Wheel of Fortune" then, A.J. You should try. You should be a contestant. Well, you know, Caitlin has said that growing up, she played a lot of "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune" with her father and that she always excelled at "Wheel of Fortune."
And she said she`s been trying to get on the show for years. So, A.J., her dream finally came true in a really big way, right?
HAMMER: Yes.
ANDERSON: She`s obviously a born puzzler.
HAMMER: Good for her.
ANDERSON: Congratulations to her. Yes, and she`s going to use the money to pay off some student loans. That`s great.
OK. "Teen Mom" star danger. We`ve got to talk about this. Why did "Teen Mom" star, Amber Portwood, call the cops? The dramatic 911 call revealed today. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Shannen Doherty`s father, her "DWTS" inspiration, has died. Jenny McCarthy to return as guest star on "Two and a Half Men."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARY SHIRLEY, THE FATHER OF AMBER PORTWOOD`S BABY: Amber?
AMBER PORTWOOD, CAST MEMBER, "TEEN MOM": No. I swear to god I wish really (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
SHIRLEY: One more hit.
PORTWOOD: One more hit or what? Are you going to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) hit me?
SHIRLEY: No.
PORTWOOD: I am at the edge. Do you want to get hit on your (EXPLETIVE DELETED) face?
SHIRLEY: You want to hit me then -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: MTV`s "Teen Mom" star, Amber Portwood, came under fire for beating up the father of her baby. Today, there`s brand new "Teen Mom" star drama. It`s difficult to watch the really disturbing video of MTV "Teen Mom" star, Amber Portwood, beating up her baby`s father, Gary Shirley.
Indiana authorities launched an investigation shortly after Amber`s punching episode aired. And today there`s a new twist to all the "Teen Mom" drama. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just obtained the dramatic 911 call placed by Amber. Back in August, Amber called the cops to say she needed help because Gary kicked her out of the house. Listen to what happens next.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
911 OPERATOR: Anderson 911. What is your emergency.
PORTWOOD: Hi. My name is Amber Portwood. I`m at (DELETED) and my ex just threw all of my stuff everywhere and cussed me out and ran up on me like he was going to hit me and then hit me car.
911 OPERATOR: Is he there now?
PORTWOOD: I can`t breathe right now.
911 OPERATOR: Is he there now?
PORTWOOD: Yes.
911 OPERATOR: What`s his name?
PORTWOOD: His name is Gary Shirley and he just got out of jail tonight.
SHIRLEY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
PORTWOOD: Oh, I guess he didn`t go to jail?
911 OPERATOR: What`s your name.
PORTWOOD: My name is Amber Portwood. So you lied. So you didn`t go to jail, did you? Good, good, good. Good, Gary, good, because you`re going to prison for being abusive. Oh, really? Yes. OK.
I`m in the garage and he closed the door. And he is in the house but have I all my stuff everywhere all over the floor in the garage. He picked up my stuff and just threw it. And I did nothing at all to him.
911 OPERATOR: Hold on just a second.
PORTWOOD: And then he hit my car. And he is a very abusive person so I just want to say that right up front.
911 OPERATOR: Hold on. Let me transfer you, OK? To county - just a second.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The young couple`s relationship has been very rocky - toxic, really. A.J., I hope they can pull it together. They`ve got to pull it together for the sake of their young baby.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, that is a lot of drama to be going on in one household. Let us hope they pull it together.
So on Monday, we asked to you vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. I just received the final results to this question - "Michael Jackson`s Kids on Oprah: Do you think Michael would have approved?" Seventy-nine percent of you say no; 21 percent of you say yes.
Here`s an E-mail we got from Theresa in Canada, "Michael Jackson protected his children from the media. I know that M.J. would be very upset."
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday.
HAMMER: And of course, we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show seven days at week at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. And of course, that`s here right on HLN.
END
