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Showbiz Tonight
Gone Too Favre?; Holy Cow Hookups; The Bachelor Bombshell
Aired January 04, 2011 - 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: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - gone too Favre? Shocking new sexting claims today against superstar quarterback Brett Favre, including unbelievable claims that Brett wanted group sex.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Holy cow hookups. Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez caught on camera locking lips. And the startling new death threats today against Selena for smooching the Bieb.
HAMMER: More holy cow hookups. Brand-new bizarre details about Hugh Hefner`s surprising engagement to his new fiancee. He`s 84. She`s 24.
And Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Bullock, hanging out on New Year`s. The SHOWBIZ Flashpoint today, would these two make the perfect couple?
ANDERSON: And "The Bachelor" bombshell. The big controversy today over the explosive slap heard around the world.
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show -
ANDERSON: Starts right now.
(MUSIC)
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. Has Brett gone too Favre?
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. there are outrageous new sexual harassment claims against Brett Favre today that have everyone wondering just how is he going to punt his way out of this mess?
Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained today a lawsuit that was filed against Favre. It accuses the football legend of trying to put some not-so-fancy moves on massage therapists who claim that they were fired after complaining he harassed them with sexting messages.
Now, I`m thinking if true, here`s how an NFL referee might explain it to the crowd. Unsportsmanlike conduct, Brett Favre, 10 yards.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): NFL superstar Brett Favre may have just retired from football again but it appears he hasn`t retired from embarrassing sex scandals. Today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained this explosive new lawsuit against Favre that accuses him of making a clumsy, off-the-field pass.
JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Two former massage therapists who worked for the Jets when Brett was quarterbacking for them in 2008 are suing Brett for sexual harassment.
HAMMER: The lawsuit obtained today by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT claims Favre, who has been married for almost 15 years, sent text messages to an unidentified third masseuse to try to set up a threesome, and he wasn`t talking about golf.
PIAZZA: It`s like Brett didn`t learn his lesson. Don`t play with someone with text messages.
HAMMER: The alleged Favre texts aren`t exactly the stuff of Harlequin romance novels. According to the suit, one read, quote, "Brett here. You and Crissy want to get together? I`m all alone."
Crissy is one of the ex-Jets massage therapists bringing the suit. In another text, Favre allegedly wrote, quote, "Kind of lonely tonight. I guess I have bad intentions."
FAVRE: No, Brett. What you have is bad game. I don`t think I`ve ever seen such bad flirting
HAMMER: The lawsuit contains even more hard-hitting accusations about Favre. It claims the quarterback blew off the husband of one of the plaintiffs when the man tried to confront Favre about the sexting.
PIAZZA: Both plaintiffs claim that after they raised the issue of Favre`s harassment, they were no longer asked to work for the Jets.
HAMMER: And though Favre left the Jets in 2009, they may soon be reunited in court. They`re both named in the suit. In their statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the Jets say, quote, "Unfortunately, the plaintiffs never reported the allegations to the Jets either during or after the conclusion of their work. The case against the Jets is completely without merit and we look forward to defending the matter in court where we are confident that the Jets will prevail."
PIAZZA: I think these lawsuits are coming out now because these women were so upset that Brett didn`t get in more trouble for the alleged text messages and phone messages that he left for Jets sideline reporter, Jenn Sterger.
HAMMER: Favre also allegedly pursued Sterger during his time with the Jets in 2008. DeadSpin.com broke the story last fall, posting voicemails of a man who sounds like Favre making a clumsy play for Sterger.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (allegedly Brett Favre): Send me a text. Love to see you tonight.
PIAZZA: The NFL launched an investigation into Jenn Sterger`s allegations and Brett refused to cooperate. At the end of the investigation, the NFL fined Brett a mere $50,000, which I think we all know is a drop in the bucket of an NFL quarterback`s salary.
HAMMER: It`s getting hard to remember that before he became the poster boy for naughty text messages, Favre was a legitimate superstar. He appeared in commercials and the movie "There`s Something About Mary."
BEN STILLER, ACTOR: What about Brett Favre?
HAMMER: But entertainment journalist, Jo Piazza, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Favre, the superstar quarterback, has now become something else.
PIAZZA: What he has become is a joke. Women are holding up signs in the stands saying, "Brett stop texting me."
HAMMER: So as the sleazy allegations and the embarrassing headlines pile up, Favre is in danger as being known as yet another sports superstar who couldn`t keep his passes on the field.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: So what`s Brett Favre have to say about all of this? Good question. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has reached out to Brett Favre. As of show time, we still have not heard back from him.
Well, I have the lawsuit right here in my hand and I find the claims of Brett`s alleged bad intentions absolutely detestable. If true, this guy is a married man with children, with a grandchild, for heaven`s sakes. He needs to come back down to earth from his big ego trip if the allegations are true.
I want to bring in family attorney Vikki Ziegler right now. Vikki, from what you have so far, should Favre be worried? He`s really painted as a dirty, dirty dog in this lawsuit.
VIKKI ZIEGLER, FAMILY ATTORNEY: Yes. He definitely should be worried. I mean, who knows - who else is going to come out now and make these allegations on top of the current complaint now?
And I think what`s going to happen is it`s going to be a court of public opinion and then he`s going to have to actually testify. He`s not going to get out of not cooperating with the investigation like the NFL did. He is going to have to speak under oath about embarrassing things.
I mean, if in fact these text messages are coming from his cell phone, which I can`t even believe could be possible in this day and age with all the scrutiny -
ANDERSON: Right.
ZIEGLER: He`s going to have a major problem. And I`m going to tell you the next thing, divorce, because no wife is going to stand by - if these allegations are confirmed to be true, she`s not going to stand by his side. So yes, I think he`s got major problems.
ANDERSON: And you make a good point. He cannot avoid talking about this forever. He may have to put his hand on that Bible and swear to tell the truth. But I do have to say the Jets are really fighting back right now.
They claim that the lawsuit is without merit and they`re claiming that the women never said anything before this.
Let me go to Vinnie Politan now, host of "Prime News," right here on HLN. Vinnie is also an attorney. Vinnie, what is your take on all of this?
VINNIE POLITAN, HOST, "PRIME NEWS": Well, I think the one problem that women have in the lawsuit is the timing of it, when they brought it and the complaints weren`t necessarily made at the time.
Although they said they brought this to the attention of the woman that was in charge and they were never called back to give any more massages to any more Jets. That`s what sexual harassment is all about. You make a complaint and then you lose your job.
So I think if they can get past the timing of it all, they may have a valid suit here. Now, there is one way that Brett Favre won`t have to talk here. If he pays up, OK? If you settle the suit before you get to depositions, before you get to trial, then he can avoid talking about it.
ZIEGLER: Vinnie, that`s a great point.
ANDERSON: Settle it out of court. OK. Well, to your point about the timing of the filing of this lawsuit, Vinnie, the women are claiming they filed this lawsuit now because the NFL gave Favre that virtual slap on the wrist over the allegations that he sexually harassed sports reporter Jenn Sterger. They wanted to see what the NFL was going to do.
Here`s what I`m thinking. If Favre really made a habit of this alleged behavior, we could see a Tiger Woods effect here where more women potentially, more lawsuits keep coming out of the woodwork. Vikki, should Favre really brace himself?
ZIEGLER: Oh, he absolutely should. Only he knows what he has done and to whom he`s done it to. So if two, three, four women now are coming out, you know more of those skeletons are coming out of the closet. He should be very concerned.
And Vinnie makes a very good point about sexual harassment claims and paying up. Most of them don`t go to trial. Most people do settle out of court and resolve them. So I think Brett is probably thinking about, "How do I resolve it now?"
ANDERSON: I want to move now to Lindsay Lohan. She`s pretty much a free woman except for the fact that she got in that so-called tussle with a rehab employee. A.J., sounds like Lindsay could potentially go back to jail.
HAMMER: Yes. This could be a real problem for her, Brooke. Lindsay should be very worried. It`s Lindsay`s get-out-of-rehab week, of course, but we learned today that sheriff`s investigators want Lindsay charged with battery. This is for allegedly pushing an employee at the Betty Ford Center.
Now, according to the sheriff`s investigation, that would be a violation of her probation, which means she may not be free for very long.
Late today, Lindsay`s attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, issued a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. They slammed the Palm Desert Police for releasing details of their investigation, calling it highly unusual and deeply troubling.
Vinnie, could we really actually see Lindsay Lohan getting thrown back in jail?
POLITAN: Absolutely. I mean, one of the conditions of probation is you don`t get in trouble anymore, OK? It doesn`t matter what kind of trouble it is.
If it`s a fight, it`s being under the influence, whatever it is - when you`re on probation, that means you`ve got to stay clean, not just clean urine tests, but you`ve got to stay out of trouble.
So if she`s getting into a fight, assaulting someone, that`s a big, big problem. That is a violation of probation. And if this judge, you know, stands by what the judge ordered before, if you come back to court, you`re going to jail, that`s where she`ll end up.
HAMMER: So much for a fresh start in 2011 for Lindsay. Vikki Ziegler, Vinnie Politan, thanks, guys.
ANDERSON: Moving on to the hookups that have you saying, "Holy cow!" Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez caught on camera locking lips. And now, there are startling new death threats today against Selena for smooching the Bieb.
HAMMER: "The Bachelor" bombshell. Some big controversy today over the explosive slap heard around the world. Look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not from me. It`s from every woman in America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Holy molly. Did this guy really deserve to get smacked?
ANDERSON: She could pour a shot of tequila down his belly and slurp it out of his navel. Gather around, it`s Snooki`s story time. I`m reading you some of the genius from her brand-new book. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: And this is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Jim Carrey to host "SNL" this week, Gwyneth Paltrow to host 1/15. Nicole Richie talks about her wedding to Joel Madden on "The Talk."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were the kids in your wedding?
NICOLE RICHIE, REALITY TV STAR: They were, yes. Harlow was the flower girl and Sparrow was the ring bearer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my gosh.
RICHIE: It hasn`t happened yet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
RICHIE: It hasn`t.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wait. That wasn`t your wedding in the picture, was it?
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMIE LAOU, PLAYS JUSTIN BIEBER: Do you know who I am? Do you know who I am?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: No, that`s not Justin Bieber. It`s just a kid that plays him on the Internet. Seventeen-year-old Australian Jamie Laou is tearing up YouTube with the songs. And, yes, he`s got the Bieb, too.
Laou has gotten nearly 250,000 views on his page since creating it back in April 2010. And I have to ask, does the real Bieb care? No. In fact, Bieber reached out to Laou and told him that he appreciates his support.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, A.J. Hammer in New York.
HAMMER: And Brooke, the real Justin Bieber is opening up with some very personal stuff today. Bieber says he`s nuts. Those are his words, not mine.
Also, Kim Kardashian says, "Hey, I`m not really that sexy." And dramatic new details revealed about why David Arquette checked into rehab. All this making news in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Desperate David? David Arquette`s "Scream 4" director, Wes Craven, just revealed Arquette was suffering a great deal emotionally before checking into rehab. Craven also tells "People" magazine, quote, "He was in a lot of pain, so it`s good that he`s getting some help."
Craven also tells "People" that Arquette`s split from Courteney Cox caught him by surprise since the two seemed to be doing just fine on the set of "Scream 4."
Bieber`s night fever. Justin Bieber is telling "Vanity Fair" he suffers from insomnia. The 16-year-old star is on the cover on the issue and he reveals some nights, instead of sleeping, quote, "I just turn over all night and think. My mind races."
"I think about all the things I didn`t have time to think about during the day, like family and God. Just the way my brain works. I`m not normal. I think differently. My mind is always racing. I`m just nuts but I think the best musicians probably are."
Kim Kardashian`s sexy insecurity. Kardashian is telling "Glamour" magazine she may be a sex symbol, but there are times she`s just not comfortable with her body.
She reveals, quote, "I don`t find myself as sexy as everyone thinks. I`m a lot more insecure than people would assume, but with little stupid things. When I get dressed, I`ll always so indecisive. There are definitely times when you don`t feel like myself, but you have to fake it until you make it."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. So what does "American Idol" judge, Randy Jackson, think about going head-to-head with Paula Abdul? You know, Paula`s show, "Live to Dance," premieres today and is actually going head-to-head on Wednesday nights with her former show, "American Idol" when that comes back in a couple of weeks.
That`s going to be some battle. So when I talked to Randy today, I just had to ask, "Hey, what do you think about taking on Paula?"
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) Have you talked to Paula about that at all? Do you think it will be friendly competition or will the claws be coming out?
RANDY JACKSON, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE (through telephone): No, we didn`t speak about that. But you know, we spoke a couple weeks ago. I mean, she`s doing great. I know she`s excited about her show, "Live to Dance."
So I`m excited for her. And look, it`s going to be - you know, it`s going to be friendly competition and fire. I`m sure both shows will do well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Such a nice guy. And I also asked Randy whether new judges, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, are letting the "Idol" contestants have it a la Simon or are they being soft?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
R. JACKSON: I think they`re doing an amazing, amazing job, you know, because people often hesitate when it`s an artist giving a critique, you know, an artist that, like, is still, you know, constantly on the charts all the time and in the headlines.
But I think they`re doing a really, really good job and giving them honest critiques. I think, you know, Steven`s been very funny. I think Jennifer`s been very loving.
It`s going to be fun. I think people will definitely enjoy this. I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: By the way, be sure to check out Randy Jackson`s new movie starring Season 7 "Idol" finalist, Brooke White. It`s called "Change of Plans" and it airs Saturday, January 8th, on Fox.
HAMMER: So Brooke, now, let`s hear from Paula. What does she think about taking on the show which really gave her, her big comeback?
Abdul`s reality dance competition called, "Live to Dance," premieres today on CBS. But it`s moving to a time slot right up against "Idol" in just a couple weeks. On the "Early Show" this morning, Paula revealed how she feels about that big showdown.
PAULA ABDUL, HOST, "LIVE TO DANCE": I feel blessed and fortunate to have been part of a show that made history. It was such a blessing. It was a lot of fun. And what gives me so much pride is that I get to be a part of a genre of reality competition talent shows that thrive right now.
When I was trying to do what these contestants are doing, "Star Search" existed and that was it. And it was - you know, I was a young kid. If I don`t get on "Star Search," mom, I think I`m going to die.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
ABDUL: Now, all of these shows are doing wonderfully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I think her show is going to do really well. It`s going to be a tough fight, of course. But remember, Paula knows her dancing. She used to be a big time choreographer and an L.A. Lakers cheerleader
ANDERSON: Yes. She`s got a lot of experience and she looks great. All right. Moving on to the hookups that have me saying "Holy cow!"
Brand-new bizarre details today about Hugh Hefner`s surprising engagement to his new fiancee. He`s 84, she`s 24.
HAMMER: And Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds hanging out on New Year`s. So I`ve got to ask in the SHOWBIZ Flashpoint today, would these two make the perfect couple?
Also this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEREZ HILTON, CELEBRITY BLOGGER: Hello ladies!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perez Hilton is the bachelor.
PEREZ HILTON: You all look so (EXPLETIVE DELETED) tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Is that really star blogger, Perez Hilton, as the new bachelor? They can`t be serious. We`re going to show this to you and try not to laugh, coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Vivica A. Fox is engaged! "Grenade" by Bruno Mars is number one on iTunes songs chart.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: All right. You`ve got to check this out. It`s Lady Gaga`s brand- new comic book - the final cover revealed today. The book will follow Gaga`s rise to fame and will show off some of her outrageous fashions.
Personally, I`m hoping it won`t include a scratch-and-sniff of her meat dress. "Fame: Lady Gaga" hits stores on Wednesday.
All right. So you know how Kanye West`s tweets can be a bit over-the- top, pretty outrageous, even down right bizarre. Personally, I can`t get enough of them.
But Josh Groban says, "Hey, Kanye, your tweets - they raise me up." So he`s making up an album of Kanye`s 140-character words of wonder. Check this out on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH GROBAN, SINGER: Oh, hello there. I`m Oscar and Grammy nominated singer, Josh Groban. If you love Kanye West`s tweets as much as I do, you are going to love my new album.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Josh Groban`s "The Best Tweets of Kanye West."
GROBAN (singing): Can we please toast to the (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Do you know where to find marble conference tables? I`m looking to have a conference not until I get the table though.
(talking) At most, his tweets are 140 characters. but the depth of his passion is immeasurable.
(singing) Fur pillows are hard to actually sleep on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s pretty funny. I would actually like Josh to take on Kim Kardashian`s tweets next. Just a thought.
ANDERSON: Oh, man. That`s fantastic. OK. As soon as I posted on Facebook that Lindsay Lohan is reportedly clear to check out of rehab, tons of you started writing on our wall. Do you think that rehab will work for her this time around?
Sammy B. doesn`t think so, "Lindsay might be checking out, but she is bound to do something stupid when she does."
But Jesse O. disagrees, "Lindsay can make it. If thousands of addicts around the world can get better with the help of a 12-step program, then Lindsay can."
Connect with me. Join our debates on Facebook. We`re "ShowbizTonightHLN" there. Follow @showbiztonight on Twitter for breaking entertainment news alerts.
HAMMER: Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. "The Bachelor" bombshell.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not from me. It`s from every woman in America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Big controversy today over the explosive slap heard around the world.
And the hookups that have us saying "Holy cow" Bizarre details about Hugh Hefner`s surprising engagement to his new fiancee. He`s 84, she`s 24.
Bieber, Gomez caught on camera locking lips. Startling new death threats today over this. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Oscar winner Mo`Nique to announce 2011 Oscar nominations. Toni Braxton gets new reality show about her family on the We Network, will premiere 4/12.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the hookups that have us saying, "Holy cow!" Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez caught on camera kissing. And now, Selena`s getting death threats.
ANDERSON: A new "Bachelor" controversy explodes today all because of this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It not from me. It`s from every woman in America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s the slap heard around the world and it`s for women everywhere.
HAMMER: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds hanging out on New Year`s. But are they more than just friends? The SHOWBIZ Flashpoint today - would Sandra and Ryan make a great couple?
Plus, breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker," Gwyneth Paltrow`s depression confession. And Justin Timberlake`s song scandal.
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 - holy cow hookups.
Justin Bieber smooches Selena Gomez. And today, there are reports she`s getting death threats.
Eighty-four-year-old Hugh Hefner has a brand-new fiancee. She`s 60 years younger than him and today started spilling the beans on Hef.
And here`s a proposal for you. We learned today that Sandra Bullock and her movie co-star, Ryan Reynolds, rang in the New Year together. Given her divorce, his split with Scarlett Johansson, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is asking, should they be more than friends?
Here`s our all-star "holy cow hookup" team. In New York, Kim Serafin, senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." Dawn Yanek, who is an editor-at-large for "Life and Style Weekly." And Brian Balthazar, who is an editor of "PopGoesTheWeek.com."
Guys, I`ve got to begin with the first holy cow hookup, two big teen idols, 16-year-old Justin Bieber, 18-year-old Selena Gomez. The news just breaking that they spent the New Year`s weekend together on a private yacht in the Caribbean.
Well, when photos of them canoodling got out, some of Bieber`s female fans went absolutely berserk and began sending Selena death threats via Twitter.
Take a look at this. I can`t get over these. "Selena Gomez, if you`re in love with Justin, I will kill you." And another one, "If Selena Gomez breaks Justin Bieber`s heart, I will not break her face. I will kill her without kindness."
I say holy cow, don`t have a cow. Simmer down. Bieber is going to date. Accept it. Kim, are you with me?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Yes. And this is kind of scary although we saw this a little bit when the Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian photos emerged. And clearly, they were not a real couple. That was just for a photo shoot.
So you know, it`s very interesting to see that this happened. Selena is a teen star, so I`m just really surprised about this. And I wonder how old these girls actually are that are sending these tweets.
ANDERSON: Obviously, not very mature, whatever their age. And yes, Selena has a ton of fans herself. But death threats - Dawn, I think his fans need to get a grip, come back down to earth. I mean, what is the big deal if Justin has a girlfriend?
DAWN YANEK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": I think you`re totally right. And here`s what I have to say to these ladies. Ladies, this is not very lady-like. This is not the way to win a guy`s heart.
You have to calm down. And he`s only 16. He`s going to be dating a ton. Do you want to have a chance with him? This is not the way to act.
ANDERSON: Very good advice. A.J., what`s your take on this holy cow hookup?
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, ridiculous death threats aside, these two are both at this time of their lives that they should be having as much fun as they possibly can. So I think to the extent that they can make it work, because I think it`s pretty tough given their individual careers and their lives at this time, I think it is great.
But now, let`s move to the other end of the age spectrum, shall we? It is the next holy hookup. Holy cow, Hugh Hefner! The 84-year-old asked his 24-year-old girlfriend, Crystal Harris, to marry him.
And today, we got the brand-new hot details on how it all went down. Brooke, to me, this proposal really seemed to shine a light on their massive age difference.
ANDERSON: Yes, it did. And I don`t know if I would call the details so hot, A.J.
HAMMER: Oh, come on.
ANDERSON: But Hef`s wife-to-be, Crystal Harris, explained it like a Disney fairy tale. In a new interview out there today with "People" magazine, she says this, "We were up in the bedroom and my favorite movie is `The Little Mermaid,` so he had the ring in a little mermaid box and that was so special. I opened it and the first thing he said to me was, `I hope it fits.`"
A.J., I`ve got to say this whole engagement to me is disturbing. It`s ridiculous. I mean, think about it. This guy could not only be her father, could not only be her grandfather, he could be her great grandfather.
HAMMER: Brooke, I`m just happy you don`t always talk like that, personally. But I`ve been thinking about this. Listen to this - if they had a kid, Hef would be somewhere around a hundred years old when the kid was getting ready to go to college. I mean, think about that. Brian, my friend, what do you think of this holy cow hookup?
BRIAN BALTHAZAR, EDITOR, "POPGOESTHEWEEK.COM": I don`t know what you`re talking about. I don`t think this is crazy. I`m sure they have a lot to talk about. I mean, she can talk about when she first got E-mail and he can talk about when he first got electricity.
There`s a lot for them to share. I`m sure this is transcendent. No. But seriously, I think it`s ridiculous and it`s just for show. I hope she`s got basic first aid training, because if they get intimate, it`s going to be ugly.
HAMMER: Now, hold on a second. Kim, I am a romantic at heart. I believe love can blossom in any form. This is certainly a unique form, but not for Hugh. He`s done it before. He`s been divorced twice. I`m thinking marriage doesn`t work for this guy.
SERAFIN: Yes, I think so. And the whole little mermaid proposal aspect, even if he really did give this to her - the ring to her in a little mermaid box, even to pretend that it didn`t happen, say, "He gave me a `War and Peace` novel and I opened it and there was the ring." At least, pretend like you`re a little bit mature. Pretend that "The Little Mermaid" is not your favorite movie.
HAMMER: She`s a smart woman. She studied psychology. Dawn, what`s your take? Is this holy cow to you?
YANEK: Oh, absolutely. You know, on one hand, I guess the little mermaid box signifies that he knows his bride-to-be really well. But on the other hand, of course, it`s super icky. And of course, I want to know what Holly Madison about all of this.
ANDERSON: Oh. May not be too happy. All right. I`ve got to move now, guys, to our next holy cow hookup today, Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. The two were spotted on New Year`s Eve in Austin, Texas at Sandra`s restaurant there just weeks after we learned that he was getting divorced from Scarlett Johansson.
Of course, we all know what happened with Sandra and Jesse James. We hear that they are just friends. But here`s our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint today - would they make the perfect couple?
Brian, I think they`re cute together. They had really great chemistry in their hit movie, "The Proposal." They`re making another film together. What do you think? Perfect couple?
BALTHAZAR: I think they`d be a great couple, like, they`re certainly very buff and toned. And they`ve, you know, just come off of pretty difficult times, both of them having marital problems.
And you know, yes, they`re just friend. But he flew down to Austin. It`s not like he`s visiting her in Hollywood or New York. So I think that there might be something to this.
ANDERSON: Oh, OK. Well, we posted this on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page today. And Mary T. wrote this on our Facebook wall, "I loved them in the movie `The Proposal.` They would make a cute couple." Smiley face.
But Elizabeth J. wrote this on our Facebook wall, "They are both on the rebound, so no, they would not make a good couple. I would rather see Sandra with Keanu Reeves."
Now, Elizabeth, you realize that "Speed" was 1994, something like that. But Kim, what do you say about all of this?
SERAFIN: Actually, maybe that`s a better idea. Sometimes we see that those romances that evolve on set don`t really last too long because that intensity of just being on set together makes it seem like this is a romance that`s going to last forever.
So maybe Keanu Reeves is a better here. It happened a long time ago. They had time to let it settle. But no, I do like Sandra and Ryan. They`re a cute couple.
ANDERSON: Dawn, do you like Sandra and Ryan together? Perfect couple?
YANEK: I do. They are two of our favorite celebs at "At Life and Style Weekly." And they`re just these A-list stars that everybody loves together.
And you know what? He would never hurt her in the way that Jesse ways did for sure. And I think they can both give each other some comfort at this difficult time for both of them.
ANDERSON: A.J., can you play matchmaker for a bit? I think they`re both - they seem to be nice, pleasant people and, like Dawn said, he wouldn`t hurt her. Do you think they could be a good match?
HAMMER: Yes. Why not? And look, Sandra deserves nothing but happiness after the terrible things that she had to endure last year.
I agree with our Facebook fan who wrote they`re both on the rebound, so perhaps this is a rebound-type relationship. But whatever it is, if it`s good for both of them, it`s good for me. I say, can we get a round of applause.
(APPLAUSE)
Generally, people seem to agree at least here in New York, Brooke, that these two would make a handsome and terrific couple.
ANDERSON: And if nothing else, they are great friends, which is wonderful. Kim Serafin, Dawn Yanek, Brian Balthazar, thanks, guys.
And now, I want to hear from you. It is our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll - Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock spend New Year`s holiday together. Would they make a perfect couple? Totally or no way?
Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us. Here`s the address - showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: Totally, we are not done with these shocking holy cow hookups. You are going to be fully surprised when I tell you who Meg Ryan is hooking up with now.
ANDERSON: Also, there`s a brand-new "Bachelor" bombshell today. The slap heard around the world. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not from me. It`s from every woman in America.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Ouch. Did "Bachelor" Brad deserve that slap in the face? A whole lot of women say, yes, he did.
HAMMER: And ponder this, my friends. What do you get when you combine tequila, a gorilla and flatulence? Please stay tuned for deep thoughts from Snooki.
Grab a cup of chamomile tea because I`m reading you more from Snooki`s new novel. Sit back and relax. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Country music and "American Idol" star, Kellie Pickler, gets married. Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block add more concert dates.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s not from me. It`s from every woman in America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That`s the new bachelor, Brad Womack, getting slapped in the face by a woman he just met for his bad boy behavior the last time he was on the show and didn`t give anyone the final rose. Revenge is a dish best served cold and on national television.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, A.J. Hammer in New York.
We`re going to get to Brad`s slaptastic return to "The Bachelor" in just a minute. But first, deep thoughts from Snooki.
HAMMER: Yes. I`ve been waiting for this all day. Snooki - yes, that Snooki from "Jersey Shore" is drawing on her expansive life experience for a new novel that`s in stores today.
And I feel the title is perfect. It`s called "A Shore Thing." It`s a riveting tale about, what else, as she calls them, guidos and guidettes, and their adventures at "The Jersey Shore." And you won`t believe your ears when you hear some of Snooki`s poetic pearls.
Right now are two people who certainly have downloaded Snooki`s book on their Kindles. Ken Baker, who is the chief news correspondent for "E!" With me, in New York, Kim Serafin. She`s a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
I`ve got to hand it to Snooki. She is certainly riding the fame thing until the wheels fall off. I`m sure that her book is going to be a huge hit with lines like this one from "A Shore Thing."
Chris, some mood music, please. That`s the fist pumping mood music when you`re talking Snooki. OK. Here we go - Gia danced around a little, shaking her peaches for show. She shook it hard. Too hard. In the middle of a shimmy, her stomach cramped. A fart slipped out. A loud one. And stinky."
Kim, sounds to me like this could be the next great American novelist right up there with Hemmingway and Twain. I don`t know.
SERAFIN: Absolutely. Though I have to say, no offense to your reading skills, but it loses a little of its charm when it`s not Snooki`s voice saying it. You know, so I think if you`re going to get this book, you want to get a book - book on tape. I want to hear Snooki`s voice.
HAMMER: OK.
SERAFIN: But really, I want to know what the first draft was, because this one, obviously, this is the line that came out after an editor went over it.
HAMMER: Exactly.
SERAFIN: After her ghostwriter went over it. So what was the first draft? What did that look like? How was it spelled? That`s what I`d really like.
HAMMER: Well, I can`t give you Snooki`s voice, but I can give you the voice of Brooke Anderson. May have I your help with the next one, please. We`d like to hear more deep thoughts from Snooki.
ANDERSON: I know I`m not going to - I know I`m not going to do it justice, but I will give it my best shot. Here it is, "He had an OK body. Not fat at all. And naturally toned abs. She could pour a shot of tequila down his belly and slurp it out of his navel without getting splashed in the face. Yum. Johnny Hulk tasted like fresh gorilla."
HAMMER: All right. Brooke Anderson as Snooki, ladies and gentlemen. And I`m sure if you`re Snooki, nothing does taste like fresh gorilla in the morning, or better than that, anyway.
Ken, obviously, we`re having a whole lot of fun with the ridiculousness of all of this. But I`m thinking in warped reality here this book is going to do gangbuster sales. And yes, wait until the audio book.
KEN BAKER, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, "E!": It is going to do well. And if Brooke Anderson reads the audio book, I think it will definitely be a bestseller.
But what you have to remember when it comes to the celebrity novel thing - OK, Nicole Richie has done it. She did fairly well with it. The real leader in this has been Lauren Conrad with her "L.A. Candy," that novel and the series she did.
And those did very well. And look, those weren`t exactly going to be American classics either, but they do well commercially. And I think that`s what you`re going to find with this. It`s going to do very well commercially.
People are going to be interested in that lifestyle. We already know people are because of the huge ratings on their MTV show. So as a commercial venture, yes. Literary, no.
HAMMER: If Nicole Richie can do well, why not Nicole Polizzi? It`s what I say. OK. I do have to move on now to the slap heard around the globe, "The Bachelor`s" Brad Womack back to find the love of his life again after breaking the hearts of the last two finalists by not asking either one of them to marry him. Brooke, talk about starting this new season with a bang.
ANDERSON: Yes. Absolutely, A.J. Last night, on "The Bachelor," Brad got a special message from all of the women screaming at him through their television sets back in 2007. Watch what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I watched your season.
BRAD WOMACK, REALITY TV STAR, "THE BACHELOR": Right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I have something for you.
WOMACK: Oh, no.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But it`s not from me.
WOMACK: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s from every woman in America.
WOMACK: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m just the messenger. I hope you understand it. I had to get that out of the way for everybody else.
WOMACK: OK. Two things. One, I deserved that. Two, I like you better already, and that`s it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. I watched the show. I thought it was harsh of her to do that. And I thought it was all for show. And I would not be surprised if a producer of the show had actually encouraged her to slap him.
Kim, do you think, though, that Brad may be lucky he got away with just a slap?
SERAFIN: Yes. And I`m kind of with you. It almost sounded like there was maybe a little sound effect going in the editing room. That sounded like a very loud slap compared to the tiny size of this girl. You know, look, I`m kind of the mindset that what he did was actually right.
He didn`t ask two girls that he didn`t love to marry him, so isn`t that a good thing? And by the way, he kind of milked this whole slap for the rest of the episode.
There was one girl kissed him on the cheek to make his cheek feel better. So I think it was actually a good thing. And maybe it was good she didn`t do anything else, because I don`t know what we would have seen from the girls (INAUDIBLE).
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: (INAUDIBLE) after he was vilified so much after being on "The Bachelor," I don`t know why he would put himself do this again. But Kim, Ken, I cannot wait to see the drama unfold this season.
But I have to tell you this. There`s a new bachelor that might be the most dramatic of them all. Did you see this? Leave it to Jimmy Kimmel, right, to dream up the ultimate bachelor. You`ve got to see this hilarious sketch from "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get ready for the most fabulous bachelor ever.
PEREZ HILTON: Hello, ladies!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perez Hilton is "The Bachelor."
PEREZ HILTON: You all look so (EXPLETIVE DELETED) tonight. I`ve never had any trouble attracting women, but for some reason, things haven`t clicked.
PEREZ HILTON: Ow! Careful with my hair, (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Perez is macho on the outside. On the inside, he has the soul of an artist.
PEREZ HILTON: All done.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He has this raw, animal passion that is totally irresistible.
PEREZ HILTON: I know the woman of my dreams is out there. If I don`t take this opportunity to reach out and grab her, I probably never will. I want it all. And I intend to find it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perez, it`s time to make a decision. Who will it be?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: A.J., all they needed was a helicopter ride and a date in the video.
ANDERSON: There were no roses involved. I`m just a little upset by that. All right. Let`s move on now to a shocking, absolutely stunning new hookup that`s got me saying "Holy cow!"
Meg Ryan has got a new man. You wouldn`t believe who Meg is hooking up with. I will tell you next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Justin Timberlake`s rep denies leaked song, "Take You Down," is J.T.`s. Gwyneth Paltrow says she battled postpartum depression after birth of her son.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, more breaking couples news, another holy cow hookup just in to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom today. Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp are an item, according to our friends at "People" magazine.
John just announced that he split from his wife of 18 years before the new year. And now, we`re getting this bombshell news he`s been quietly dating Meg Ryan for weeks.
And Kim, I`ve got to tell you, this catches me by surprise. Are you kind of scratching your head, imagining Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp as a couple? Or are you thinking good match here, this makes perfect sense?
SERAFIN: Yes. They actually seem like a good couple. I mean, even just think about they both had their most major success during the `80s and `90s, although they`re still big stars now.
They seem like a good couple. Of course, there is obviously going to be speculation about what happened, when did this start. He just announced the separation.
HAMMER: Yes. Let talk about the timeline, because, of course, Meg reportedly had this scandalous affair with Russell Crowe before the ink was dry on her divorce from Dennis Quaid.
And now, the shoe could be on the other foot here. You know, I don`t always say where there`s smoke, there`s fire. But in this case, do you think we`re going to have some kind of a steamy sex scandal to be covering and dealing with now?
SERAFIN: You know, I want to say no because they do seem like a great couple.
HAMMER: Yes.
SERAFIN: But isn`t there always some sort of steaminess behind the actual story? I hope not. I hope this is the real thing and they seem like a great couple. And everyone wants Meg Ryan to find true romance.
HAMMER: Yes.
SERAFIN: Because we see her in all the romantic comedies, and that`s how we picture her, just being happily in love.
HAMMER: And I don`t know her, but I like John Mellencamp a whole heck of a lot. So we wish them the best if they are together. Kim Serafin, thank you very much.
ANDERSON: On, Monday, we asked to you vote in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. Just moments ago, we received those final results. We asked you this, Oprah launches her new network. Most at the results, 29 percent of you think that Oprah`s OWN network is going to be huge. Seventy-one percent of you think that Oprah, though - that it`s too much Oprah. A.J., tell us about some the E-mails we received.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. We`ve got a few. We have Caitlin from Texas who thinks Oprah`s OWN network will be a success because "Anything Oprah touches becomes known worldwide. Look at Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz and Nate Berkus. OWN is next."
Here`s one from Andrea from Massachusetts who writes, "The shows are excellent on Oprah`s new OWN network."
We also heard from Jean G. who posted this on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page, "I was hoping that she would be fading into the woodwork and just be a normal person, but her ego is too big for that."
Brooke, I`m surprised to hear somebody saying that. You know, I don`t think - I`ve got to tell you, this was thought out well beyond ego, the fact that Oprah has done this network.
And I`m looking forward to it and I have a feeling it is going to be enormous live successful.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. You know, some people have reached their saturation point with Oprah, but I think the network will develop a huge following.
I`m kind of surprised that some people are reacting so strongly against Oprah. I think she genuinely want us all to find what makes us happy and live a better life.
HAMMER: That`s right. If you don`t like the idea, you don`t have to watch. We`ll leave it right there. That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday.
HAMMER: And we`re still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show seven days a week at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.
END
