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Showbiz Tonight
Charlie Sheen in Rehab at Home; Camille Grammer`s Sex Talk; Halle Berry`s Custody Bombshell; Can Katie Couric Replace Oprah?; Is the Oscar Curse Real?; Snooki`s Pick for Hottest President
Aired February 01, 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: We`ve got big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- rehab at home? Yes, Charlie Sheen in rehab at home. Unbelievable reports today that Charlie is doing rehab at his house. Is that just absolutely ridiculous?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Grammer`s sex talk. Camille Grammer`s startling claim today about why she had no sex life with Kelsey. Why she`s blaming Fox News.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAMILLE GRAMMER, REALITY TV STAR, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": I mean, we tried. It`s just that we didn`t mesh sexually. We weren`t intimate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Berry`s bombshell. Halle Berry`s dramatic move today in her brand-new custody war with her ex. Her stunning decision about her career.
ANDERSON: Could Katie replace Oprah? Blockbuster reports today that Katie Couric may do a talk show when Oprah signs off. The SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -- could Katie replace Oprah?
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 -- a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, Charlie Sheen 911.
HAMMER: That`s right for the very first time, the doctor who called 911 to get Charlie Sheen to the hospital, then took him home from the hospital is telling what happened. And late this afternoon, he told it exclusively to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. On the same day, we got the news that Charlie Sheen is trying out a very unique kind of rehab, rehab at home.
ANDERSON: The doctor who called 911 last week after Charlie`s alleged porn star and drug bender is Dr. Paul Nassif. Dr. Nassif and his wife are two of the stars of the reality show "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and they are friends of Sheen.
On the morning Sheen was rushed to the hospital, they got a call from someone inside Sheen`s house asking them for help.
Late this afternoon, I spoke exclusively with Dr. Nassif who came to the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom here in Hollywood dressed in scrubs because he had just finished a surgery and he told his story publicly for the very first time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. PAUL NASSIF, CHARLIE SHEEN`S FRIEND: I just was waking up, so I was still very, very groggy. And the phone rang and it was Charlie Sheen`s residence. And someone at his house -- I don`t really know who it was - - mentioned that Charlie was having some severe abdominal pains.
So you know, at that point, you know, I spoke to Charlie for a few minutes. He got on the phone and said he`s in a lot of pain. And remember, I`m Charlie`s friend. I`m not his doctor. I`m a facial plastic surgeon. The best thing like we would do with anything is call 911.
ANDERSON (on camera): How did he sound?
NASSIF: Well, I mean, when I spoke to Charlie, he sounded like he was in a lot of pain, severe pain.
ANDERSON: Did he sound in pain and inebriated or could you tell?
NASSIF: I couldn`t tell if he was inebriated. I mean, you know, when spoke to him for a very brief moment, because as soon as I heard him say he was in a lot of pain, I wanted to get on the assistant so we can just immediately dial 911.
ANDERSON: How long you guys have been friends? How did you meet Charlie?
NASSIF: You know, I met Charlie -- actually, they got married at our house. So Adrienne and I hosted their wedding --
ANDERSON: which wife?
NASSIF: Brooke.
ANDERSON: Brooke. OK.
NASSIF: Brooke Mueller. And so they wanted to get married. And a mutual friend introduced all of us and they said, let`s get married -- "Can we get married at your house?" And that`s how we met. And soon after that, we became very good friends. Charlie`s a great guy. He`s wonderful.
ANDERSON: Have you spoken with him since that call Thursday morning?
NASSIF: Yes. I mean, I have spoken to him. Sure.
ANDERSON: And what did he say?
NASSIF: Well, you know, I was already at the hospital. I was actually -- someone was in the hospital when he was there. And of course, I wanted to check on him and make sure everything was getting set up properly.
And as a matter of fact, that night, since he was already checked out, I wanted to make sure he got home safe since there was a lot of media outside. I took him home and we had a nice conversation about all kinds of things.
And it was very light-hearted but, you know, a little bit serious at times. And I took him home and then his friends came over and then I left.
ANDERSON: So you yourself drove Charlie Sheen home from the hospital Thursday night?
NASSIF: Yes, I drove Charlie home.
ANDERSON: And you were able to avoid all the paparazzi that were at the hospital? How did you do that?
NASSIF: Well, there`s different, you know, routes where the doctors park at the hospital obviously. And so I (INAUDIBLE) and go home.
ANDERSON: And at that time, did he say, "I need help, Paul"?
NASSIF: You know, I mean, there`s certain things that were said between both sides which I really don`t feel comfortable discussing because he`s my friend. Friendship is first more than anything.
ANDERSON: Are you hopeful that he will get the help he needs to maintain his sobriety? Because a lot of people around him -- fans, friends family -- are very concerned for him.
NASSIF: Well, obviously, we all want Charlie to have -- we all want Charlie to keep his sobriety. That`s what everyone wants. And obviously, no one can push someone to do it.
You know, we can recommend things. We can be that person`s friend, God willing. You know, this was maybe a little bit of a scare for him and, you know, this might be it.
ANDERSON: His manager is saying that he`s not rehabbing in a traditional rehab facility. Rather, he`s doing it at home to protect his privacy. What are your thoughts about that?
NASSIF: You know, I mean, about where you rehab to me, it doesn`t matter. I mean, to me, this is my opinion. This is -- I`m not an expert on this.
But if you have someone with you that`s helping you, whether it`s at another facility or at a home, especially if you`re in your environment, I mean, that would be nice to be at your own environment as long as you have the right structure and the way things are supposed to be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Of course it would be nice. Well, there you have it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks news again with another exclusive. Well done, Brooke Anderson. Well done.
And as you heard, that exclusive comes on the very same day that we learn something else remarkable in the never-ending Charlie Sheen drama that he`s doing his rehab at home. He`s hanging at the same house where he partied with porn stars and got himself into trouble in the first place.
I know HLN`s Jane Velez-Mitchell is fired up about this. And Jane is not only the host of HLN`s "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL." She`s also the author of this new book. Congratulations, by the way. The book out today -- it`s incredible. It`s a must-read. It`s called "Addict Nation."
All right, Jane. Rehab at home for Charlie Sheen. Hey, he wants to do it at home. He says it`s the people, not the place. Anything wrong with that?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": That guy who just said it doesn`t matter where you do rehab, you`re wrong, dude. Rehab at home is a non sequitur. It doesn`t make any sense. It`s a joke. It`s an insult to our intelligence.
Rehab, specifically, is where you go somewhere else where you don`t set the rules, where you`re not king of the castle, where you have to deal with life on life`s terms, where you cannot remain in denial.
It is absolutely imperative that you get out of the environment where you partied with porn stars, where you did all the bad stuff and go somewhere else.
HAMMER: But what if you have all the right people around you, the doctors who really know what they`re doing?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Look, I`m not saying it`s impossible, but do I think it`s a cop out. And I do think that the true story is probably that he`s resisting.
Because once you surrender, and I`ve done that as a recovering alcoholic, you`re willing to do whatever it takes. You`re willing to follow direction. You`re willing to go anywhere you have to go.
There`s a phrase in recovery, "Half measures avail us nothing." This is a half measure.
HAMMER: Right. Yes, I think you make a great point about that point of surrender where you`re saying, "Just get me the help that I need. You tell me what I need to do."
Well, after hearing the wild stories about Charlie and what we`ve been calling his "Sheen-nanigans," I`m thinking this house rehab is probably not a great idea, and that`s what the ladies of "the view" think as well. Watch what they said today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": It really depends on how much he wants to change. Obviously, he doesn`t. They found somebody that said who will come to the house and give him rehab.
I mean, rehab is a name, but it`s a whole system of living when you`re there. And it really depends on whether he wants to change and obviously --
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": It doesn`t look like it.
WALTERS: He doesn`t.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Let me bring an expert here, Ken Seeley, who is the founder of "Intervention 911." Ken, does rehabbing at home sound to you like it`s a good idea?
KEN SEELEY, FOUNDER, "INTERVENTION 911": Yes, A.J. I`ve seen it happen before. You know, I`ve seen people recover and get rehab at home. So yes, it is a possibility.
But as Jane stated, it`s going to be a lot harder for him. And it`s going to be like six to nine months of treatment versus 30, 60, 90 days of inpatient treatment. Has it happened before? Absolutely. Is it going to be easy? No, absolutely not. It`s not going to be easy.
HAMMER: And, can he work, Ken, in your mind? Or does he just need to stay at home with the doctors giving him this care 24/7?
SEELEY: No, he could go to work, but it`s about the accountability. And it`s really about what he puts first and foremost. Is his job the most important or is his recovery most important?
And I think if he puts his -- if his family, his treatment team and his employers all come together, put a contract together, do random drug testing on him, I think he has a good chance in staying clean and sober.
I think that would be the key element -- everybody being a unified front on the same page, putting his recovery first. Nothing more. His recovery first. He has a good chance, no matter if he does it in treatment or if he does it at home.
HAMMER: Well, there is a rationale to this whole thing, at least on their side. Charlie`s rep saying that rehab at home is the best way to protect Charlie`s privacy, because Charlie, you know, was bombarded with offers from all the rehab facilities around the country.
And today, his rep told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he can`t reveal much because of the privacy laws. But here`s what he told us, "I can say that all of us who know Charlie care about him very much. We will support him in any way we can in this journey beginning by respecting his privacy.
Look, I get that there might be a real privacy issue for Charlie Sheen. Look at what Lindsay Lohan and other celebrities had to deal with. Lindsay at Betty Ford.
Jane, what do you say, though, to the argument that Charlie wants to do -- needs to do his rehab at home because of this privacy issue? To me, it sounds like a cop out.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I don`t buy it at all. First of all, who is violating his privacy? A porn star who was at his house. And when you go to rehab, you don`t always have to get in a shoving match with a rehab worker.
There are plenty of stars who have gone to rehab uneventfully -- got in. We don`t know what the heck they`re doing. They come out X, Y, Z days later.
Look at Tiger Woods, one of the biggest stars on the planet. If he could go to rehab and have no real eruptions in rehab, so can Charlie.
HAMMER: Yes, I would think so. Certainly, other big stars have done it before without a lot of trouble. Well, as it stands now, Charlie Sheen is getting help, we think.
And "Two and a Half Men" is on hiatus in terms of the production indefinitely. Now, a source tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CBS has ordered extra episodes of "Rules of Engagement" to replace episodes of "Two and a Half Men."
But late today, TMZ reports that Charlie will return to "Two and a Half Men" in about a month. We shall see.
ANDERSON: All right. The Kelsey and Camille Grammer split -- we`re going to talk about that now because it is getting messier today as Camille dishes details about why they had a sexless marriage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, HOST, "THE JOY BEHAR SHOW": You said that for two years, you hadn`t had sex with him.
CAMILLE GRAMMER, REALITY TV STAR, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": I think it was a little longer than that. I mean, we tried. It just that didn`t mesh sexually.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Why in the world is Camille Grammer blaming Fox News for her sexless marriage?
HAMMER: Oh, who doesn`t? The Halle Berry custody war explodes today. You`ve got to hear about the stunning career sacrifice Halle is making to fight back in the custody showdown with her ex.
ANDERSON: Katie, the new Oprah? Katie Couric`s reportedly signing on to do a talk show. But will she be the new queen of daytime talk? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they are having a boy and a girl! "Jersey Shore`s" Pauly D says he has Bieber fever in new "Never Say Never" promo.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL "PAULY D" DELVECCHIO, REALITY TV STAR, "THE JERSEY SHORE": My hair won`t even stand up anymore, and I can`t stop buying purple pants. I think I`ve got Bieber fever.
JUSTIN BIEBER, POP STAR: It`s going to be OK, Pauly. Think of me as your wingman. Here`s tickets to my movie, "Never Say Never."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Jennifer Lopez drops a bombshell today about marriage and depression. The "American Idol" judge just revealed in an exclusive interview with "In Touch Weekly" that having children with her husband, Marc Anthony, saved their marriage.
And in another big bombshell, J. Lo says her twins also saved her from a depression that lasted six years.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Brooke Anderson is in Hollywood.
We`re going to get to Jennifer Lopez and her dramatic family revelations in just a moment. But first, let`s talk about sex.
ANDERSON: Why not, A.J.? Camille Grammer is talking a lot about sex, or perhaps I should say the lack of it when she was married to Kelsey Grammer before he ran off with a 29-year-old woman.
Now, in a brand-new interview, Camille tells HLN`s Joy Behar that Kelsey often picked F-O-X over S-E-X. Watch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: For two years, you hadn`t had sex with him?
C. GRAMMER: I think it was a little longer than that. I mean, we tried. It`s just that we didn`t mesh sexually.
BEHAR: It didn`t mesh anymore.
C. GRAMMER: We weren`t intimate.
BEHAR: Well, was it his fault or your fault or both?
C. GRAMMER: It could be both. But I mean, it was more on his end.
BEHAR: More on his end?
C. GRAMMER: Yes.
BEHAR: Well, then, again, good to be rid of him.
C. GRAMMER: Yes. I miss intimacy. You know, I think that`s an important part of a marriage, is to be intimate with your partner.
(CROSS TALK)
BEHAR: Cuddling is fun.
C. GRAMMER: Oh, I love cuddling. We didn`t even do that.
BEHAR: You didn`t do that?
C. GRAMMER: He was too busy watching Fox News he didn`t want do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. Right now, with me here in Hollywood is Kim Serafin. She is a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly."
Kim, Fox News has been blamed for a lot of stuff. But the demise of Camille Grammer`s marriage? Come on. Is Camille looking like a bitter ex here? Or does Kelsey deserve all of this?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": You know, yes, Fox News does get blamed for a lot of things. I`m sure now we`ll hear Sarah Palin getting blamed with (INAUDIBLE) service and traffic.
ANDERSON: Right.
SERAFIN: You know, the usual takes. But you know, I think that people are seeing also the fact that Kelsey apparently has already planned a wedding for the end of this month. Reportedly, wedding invitations have gone out.
So normally, you would say, yes, she may be seems a little bit bitter. She`s really reaching. But then we hear this other side.
And we all know she has this other -- younger girlfriend, kind of like an exact replica of what Camille looks like, but just a younger version. We saw her on "Letterman" with the kids.
ANDERSON: She was very bold and arrogant, I thought.
SERAFIN: She really was. And even though he is a beloved TV personality and we see how -- even with Charlie Sheen, you know.
He is beloved. He has problems with people still tuning in to the show. People still love him. So obviously, she`s going up against that but I feel like people maybe are feeling bad for her because they see could have (INAUDIBLE).
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: Yes, I think so, in a way. But let me ask you this because their children are very young, nine and six years old, old enough to go online, old enough to watch television, maybe see their mom talk about sex with their dad. And how horrifying is that for any child?
I know she`s trying to politely answer questions about this. But should she think about those kids a little bit more in this situation and put a lid on it sometimes?
SERAFIN: I think it is maybe a little too much information, because you`re right. They`re at an age where they can probably understand what is going on. And maybe there was that incident where she said Kelsey was a cross- dresser. Then she said, no, she was just joking.
ANDERSON: Right.
SERAFIN: But you know, a lot of these things come out. They do have kids and they should really put the kids first.
ANDERSON: What a difficult situation everybody involved. Kim, I want to move on to your magazine`s shocking revelations from Jennifer Lopez who says that her kids saved her marriage.
A.J., I don`t think I`ve heard J. Lo open up like she has in this new "In Touch" magazine interview.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. Jennifer says that she and her husband, Marc Anthony, who got married back in 2004 -- they used to fight like crazy until their twins came along.
Here`s what Jennifer tells "In Touch," "There have been tough times where I did not know what the end looked like. Having kids made us both see that there`s a bigger picture."
"Yes, we still fight but at the end of the day, we know we have these amazing children who need us. My kids make Marc and I stronger than we have ever been."
Quickly, Kim, are you surprised J. Lo is basically confessing, hey, their marriage could have ended up in divorce, divorce number three for her without the kids?
SERAFIN: No, I`m not surprised, because I think "American Idol" this year, you`re seeing a whole different side of Jennifer. She`s kind of this maternal woman. She`s brought to tears by a woman who sings about her special needs child. She`s a girl that can`t say no.
HAMMER: OK. Yes.
SERAFIN: So I think this is a whole new side of her that we`re seeing and I love it.
HAMMER: Definitely makes sense then. All right. Kim Serafin, thank you so much. Read more about J. Lo by picking up the new issue of "In Touch Weekly."
ANDERSON: Gwyneth Paltrow is absolutely outraged. Why she says that she`s upset because people are being mean to her.
HAMMER: Big news about the so-called Oscar curse, from Sandra Bullock to Kate Winslet. What do you think about this? Win best actress, lose your marriage? Well, there`s a brand-new study that says the curse is real.
ANDERSON: And a bizarre reported connection between Tom Cruise, his movie, "Top Gun" and the Chinese air force in this brand-new video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: China`s state television, CCTV, was showing a training drill that sure looks like the final dogfight in the movie, "Top Gun."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: How did Hollywood`s "Top Gun" end up in a Chinese air force training video? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Derek Hough is taking a break from "Dancing with the Stars" to film a movie. Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert lead ACM nominations.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICKY GERVAIS, COMEDIAN: They didn`t see the script. It was nothing to do with them. I`m sure my sense of humor isn`t theirs, but they hired me for a job. And if they didn`t want me, they shouldn`t have hired me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s Ricky Gervais telling CNN`s Piers Morgan that he`s not sorry for his raucous performance hosting this year`s Golden Globes. But get this -- Ricky just revealed that the Globes have supposedly invited him back to host next year`s show.
Here`s what Ricky tells "Heat" magazine, "The organizers asked me to consider a third year. I don`t think I should. I don`t know what I could do better. I certainly couldn`t get more press for them. That`s for sure." Brooke, I`m thinking, he`s got to be joking here.
ANDERSON: Well, there`s only one way to find out, A.J. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. And President Spielberg tells us this, "There is no truth to this rumor. We have not asked him to come back. Nice try, Ricky," end quote.
HAMMER: All right. There you go. Well, "Private Practice" star Kate Walsh is setting the record straight today about a reported feud with Bristol Palin.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. Reports were everywhere that Kate pushed for a boycott of Bristol`s abstinence speech at Washington University that was cancelled.
Walsh was slammed after she tweeted, "Welcome to the idiocracy," while re-tweeting a message that read, "Please join students at Wash U to boycott Bristol Palin`s speech on abstinence. What does she know about college or abstaining?"
HAMMER: Well, Brooke, a rep of Kate Walsh denied she was protesting Palin, telling ABC`s "The View" today, "Contrary to what was reported, Kate Walsh did not boycott Bristol Palin`s speech at Washington University, nor she urged anyone else to do it. She simply commented on a tweet. A comment is not a call to action."
Washington University tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the cancellation of Bristol`s speech was actually a mutual decision between Bristol and the university.
ANDERSON: And there`s this, A.J. Jessica Simpson is also setting the record straight to day about this -- is Jessica going to be a judge on Simon Cowell`s "X Factor"? Reports say that the 30-year-old star is a top contender for the show exploded this week.
But today Jessica says, hey, it`s not true. She tweeted, "Just to clear up a rumor, I am not going to judge `X Factor.` I don`t even know where that info came from." I don`t know. I kind of like the idea though.
HAMMER: Yes. I do, too. All right. The SHOWBIZ lineup -- here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Halle` custody war explodes. You won`t believe what Halle Berry did today to play for her child.
Is the Oscar curse real? Win best actress, lose your marriage? The big news breaking today on that.
Also, Snooki gets political, taking her pouf to D.C. and revealing her pick for the hottest president. Here`s a hint. Not who you think. 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: "Gossip Girl" star Blake Lively tops "AskMen.com`s" top 99 women. Julianna Margulies explains her SAG Award thank you speech.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIANNA MARGULIES, ACTRESS: I mean, it`s the kind of thing where you win one year. So I won last year and I was so grateful to tears. It`s such a compliment. And so I didn`t expect it.
I was a little bit moved to tears, which I can`t bear so I was trying to hold them back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big News breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- Halle Berry`s child custody battle explodes today. Did Halle quit a film to take her case to court?
ANDERSON: Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon, Oscar winners, but losers in love? Could there be an Oscar curse?
HAMMER: Gwyneth Paltrow outraged today. Why in the world would Gwyneth say people are mean to her?
ANDERSON: Katie Couric, the new Oprah. Could Katie replace Oprah as the queen of daytime talk? It is our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint.
Plus, breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- SHOWBIZ first look -- "Glee`s" Super Bowl show and Justin Bieber takes on the NBA.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 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 -- Halle Berry`s battle. The fight between Halle Berry and her ex- boyfriend over their two-year-old daughter absolutely exploded today.
This whole thing started when Gabriel Aubry filed for custody and it was revealed his name is reportedly not on the baby`s birth certificate.
Today, Halle is taking remarkable action, dropping out of a movie she was shooting so that she can fight back. And she`s implying that her ex is an unfit dad.
Right now, in New York, is family attorney Vikki Ziegler.
Vikki, I have to tell you I was really sad to see Halle split from Gabriel Aubry last year, because we were all hoping that she would finally get the happily ever after that she deserves.
And then, today, Halle`s rep told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that "She has attempted to resolve these custody issues amicably with her daughter`s father. But given his lack of cooperation, Halle has no choice but to seek swift judicial intervention."
"Halle has serious concerns for her daughter`s well-being while in the care of her father for any extended period of time and is prepared to take all necessary steps to protect her."
Wow. Vikki, are you surprised that Halle is being so publicly aggressive here?
VIKKI ZIEGLER, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: Yes, I do, because those are fighting words. I mean, she is really making very strong allegations. And when you go into a court of law, you need to be able to back them up.
So she`s saying that he`s potentially unfit. She has concerns when the child is with him. She`s going to have to be able to have to prove it, because we know a court of law is a court of evidence.
And we have to be able -- she`s going to have to come in there with her lawyers and really start fighting and say, "Listen, my child is in danger. Forget about what we tried to agree to before. Moving forward I`m going to put my career on hold potentially and make sure that my child is cared for."
So yes, I`m really shocked that she`s making these public releases and statements. So we`re going to see what happens.
ANDERSON: Yes, because they are serious allegations that she is making. You`re right about that. And you know, talk about putting her career on hold. Yes.
What`s almost as stunning to me as Halle`s battle itself today is the news about her dramatic decision to drop out of a major movie to fight for her daughter.
Halle`s film was being directed by the legendary Gary Marshall and she was co-starting with Sarah Jessica Parker and Ashton Kutcher. Vikki, I`ve got to say that is a big deal and it says to me she means business. What do you think?
ZIEGLER: Oh, I agree with you, Brooke. I mean, this is unprecedented in a sense. Putting your career on hold, saying, listen, no money in the world is going to make up for the safety and well-being of my child.
That goes a long way in a court of public opinion and, obviously, in the court of law. So I think Halle means business. This is not about just getting back at him if they had some tiff about parenting over a weekend.
I think this is serious stuff and she could come into court and show that he`s an unfit parent. This could be explosive and somebody could lose parental rights here, really lose custody.
ANDERSON: Well, and we also heard that his name, Vikki, is reportedly not on the birth certificate. And we know that this whole custody battle started because he was reportedly demanding custody.
Vikki, if his name is not on the birth certificate, quickly, could that hurt his custody plea?
ZIEGLER: Well, unless he takes a paternity test and the test comes back negative, he`s not the father, not likely. They`ll amend the birth certificate, add him on as long as the test results say he is the father. Strange occurrence -- that`s it.
ANDERSON: OK. All right. Vikki Ziegler, thank you.
HAMMER: Well, this mess with her ex-boyfriend is only the latest of Halle Berry`s relationship problems. She`s had a pair of high-profile divorces, something she has in common with other actresses who`ve won Oscars.
Well, today, just in time for this month`s Oscars, there`s new study that actually proves something we have long suspected. Winning an Oscar can break up marriages, but only for actresses.
So does Oscar frontrunner and newly engaged actress, Natalie Portman, have anything to worry about? New fears about the best actress Oscar curse. It`s all big news breaking today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) It`s an affliction that`s sweeping through Hollywood and claiming some of our greatest actresses like Sandra Bullock, Kate Winslet, Reese Witherspoon, Hillary Swank and Halle Berry. It`s the best actress Oscar curse.
JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Best actress winners are more likely to get divorced than non-winners.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you we now have scientific proof that this little guy has threatened more marriages than tattooed strippers.
In a new study just out today at the University of Toronto and Carnegie Mellon University looked at every best actress winner starting in 1936 with future divorcee, Bette Davis.
This study finds that best actress winners are more likely to divorce, 1.68 times more likely than the actresses who didn`t win. And the marriages of best actress winners lasted less than half as long as non- winners.
PIAZZA: But notably, the one we love to talk about is Sandra Bullock who announced that she was separating from Jesse James within weeks of her big win.
We`ve seen Halle Berry and Kate Winslet get divorced very soon after their Oscar wins. We also saw Hillary Swank break up with her husband, Chad Lowe, and Reese Witherspoon break up with her husband, Ryan Phillippe, very soon after they both won the best actress award.
HAMMER: We know what you`re asking. What about the guys? New study out today looked at best actor winners, too. They found while Oscar winning best actresses were divorced more often, there was no difference in the marriage divorce rates for best actor winners.
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: It is still the case in this society that when a woman is more successful than a man, the man gets threatened.
HAMMER: Clinical psychologist, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT inside and outside of Hollywood, there`s often a problem when a wife is more successful than her husband.
KURIANSKY: If she wasn`t happy at first, then all of a sudden, she could be financially independent and doesn`t need to put up with that guy who may be giving her trouble to begin with. And on another level, the men can also be threatened.
PIAZZA: It`s one thing for man to realize that his wife is more successful than him. It`s an entirely different thing for the entire world to realize that and for her to get an award for it. And I think that`s what sent a lot of these men over the edge.
HAMMER: Wow. Could fear of the best actress Oscar curse be the real reason why Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie won`t get married? Or the reason why Lindsay Lohan keeps making bad movies?
PIAZZA: She`s just been filming it in and spiraling out of control, guaranteeing she will never be a best actress winner.
HAMMER: But there is hope, Hollywood. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the best actress Oscar curse doesn`t strike everyone. And clinical psychologist, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT if she were giving out free marital counseling backstage at the Oscars, she would give best actress winners this bit of advice --
KURIANSKY: Make her husband feel as important as she could possibly imagine. Make her feel a part of her winning.
HAMMER: Still, actresses who are struck by the Oscar curse at least have one heck of a consolation.
PIAZZA: Frankly, some of these actresses would prefer to have a little gold man than they would to have a husband. Husbands come and go. But Oscar, that`s forever, baby.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Here`s the deal. If Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are actually letting fears of the best actress Oscar curse keep them from getting married, I`m here to tell you, guys, you shouldn`t, because the study only looked at best actress winners. Angelina Jolie`s Oscar for 1999, "Girl Interrupted" -- that was for best supporting actress.
ANDERSON: All right. Thanks. Now moving on to Gwyneth Paltrow`s outrage today. Does Gwyneth really think that people are mean to her? Yes, she does. But why?
HAMMER: Is Katie the new Oprah? Could Katie Couric actually replace Oprah as the new queen of daytime TV? It`s our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint today.
ANDERSON: Is there a Top Gun switch-a-roo going on in China?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: China`s state television, CCTV, was showing a training drill. That sure looks like the final dogfight in the movie "Top Gun."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Tom Cruise, "Top Gun", the Chinese government. The bizarre alleged connection. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: It`s time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Justin Bieber to headline NBA celebrity all-star game. SHOWBIZ first look! "Glee`s" Super Bowl show.
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ANDERSON: We welcome you back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, A.J. Hammer in New York.
HAMMER: And there`s big news breaking in "The Buzz Today." Brooke, Gwyneth Paltrow is outraged. Yes, she is fired up mad because she says people say mean things about her.
Minka Kelly one on one with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Minka`s dramatic revelation about babies in the spotlight. Plus, Christina Applegate welcomes a new baby girl.
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(voice-over) Married with baby. Former "Married with Children" and "Samantha Who" star, Christina Applegate and her fiance, Martin LeNoble are new parents of a baby girl. Her rep tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that "Baby Grace LeNoble was born January 27th and mother and daughter are doing great."
Minka`s battle over baby. Don`t expect to see pictures of "Friday Night Lights" star, Minka Kelly and longtime love, New York Yankee star Derek Jeter`s future children on any covers of magazines. She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT kids should be off limits.
MINKA KELLY, ACTRESS: What`s more adorable than a baby? I don`t know. It`s better than being obsessed with something else. I just think we should keep the kids off the camera, you know. I think we should keep them of the weekly magazines. It`s not their choice.
Poor little Paltrow? Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow just revealed she`s considering shutting down her lifestyle Web site "Goop" because people were hurting her feelings.
The actress tells "Harper`s Bazaar U.K.," There were a couple of times when I thought I`m just going to stop doing it. People are so mean to me. I don`t want to do it. But then, was like, who cares what some lame person out there says."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Gwyneth caught major heat after she and her famous friends wrote about their high-profile lifestyles and high-priced lifestyles, sharing their luxurious secrets to balancing work and motherhood.
Some people slammed Gwyneth calling her out of touch. But today, Gwyneth is telling all her critics, so what? Who cares? I say, good for Gwyneth.
Now, bring in Brian Balthazar. Brian is the editor of "PopGoesTheWeek.com."
And I totally get where Gwyneth is coming from. But Brian, does Gwyneth complaining about all the criticism just fuel the fire of her critics even if they`re way out of line?
BRIAN BALTHAZAR, EDITOR, "POPGOESTHEWEEK.COM": I think she takes this very personally, because it`s not like they`re criticizing a movie role. She`s being herself on this thing.
HAMMER: Right.
BALTHAZAR: So she`s taking it very personally. But does America want to learn how to de-bone a chicken from Gwyneth Paltrow? And that`s what she`s doing on --
HAMMER: Yes. Of course, we do. I want to know how to puree. I want to know how to slice.
BALTHAZAR: Yes. I will say I did de-bone a chicken off of "Goop," and it was amazing.
HAMMER: All right.
BALTHAZAR: So I think she gets a little bit of credit. But people don`t expect a movie star to be doing this kind of thing.
I think that they kind of look at Gwyneth as a -- they look at her as a little bit entitled, maybe a little bit stuffy. "Time" magazine said if there`s an American`s sweetheart, it`s not her. That was in "Time" magazine.
HAMMER: Look, times are changing. I think you can learn to de-bone from Gwyneth, if you ask me. I do want to bring in Kristin Cruz. Kristin is the co-host of "The Mark and Kristin Show" on radio`s KOST 103.5 in L.A.
Kristin, are people being too hard on Gwyneth? Or do you think she needs a reality check?
KRISTIN CRUZ, CO-HOST, "THE MARK AND KRISTIN SHOW": Well, I`ve got to say maybe this is big news to Gwyneth. I mean, I`ve been following "Goop" for about a year now, too. I love it.
But news flash -- maybe not everybody in the world is going to love you. It`s kind of how it goes. And A.J., you know, in our jobs and on my radio show, blogging is a part of what we have to do nowadays. For Gwyneth, I think she`s just bored.
HAMMER: I don`t actually know about that. I think she`s got a lot to say. Look, as I said, times are changing. Stars want to put themselves out there. But they have to be ready for the criticism that comes along with that.
Let`s get to another big story that is making big news today. Just in -- could Katie Couric be heading to daytime television? Brooke, could Katie the new Oprah?
ANDERSON: Potentially, A.J., because there are brand-new blockbuster reports today that Katie Couric is working on a new talk show that, yes, could replace "The Oprah Winfrey Show" after Oprah`s final season.
And now, for our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -- would Katie be a good replacement for Oprah. Brian, what do you think?
BALTHAZAR: Absolutely. I can say I`ve worked personally with Katie before, so -- and I think she`s great on "The Evening News." But what`s missing is the fun. And she is a fun person.
She connects really well with celebrities, with everyday people -- these great interviews she does. And she`s stylish and fun and funny.
So I think that`s what`s missing from "The Evening News" obviously because it`s hard news. Seeing her in a talk show, I think she`s going to be really in her element and I think she could be really a huge contender.
ANDERSON: Yes. I think that she is so talented and she could definitely do it. If she wants, I think she could be a huge success in the talk show arena.
But listen to this. When we asked on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- our Facebook page if she would be good replacement for Oprah, a lot of people thought it was a terrible idea.
Michelle K writes this, "I liked Katie on the `Today,` but since she left, she has lost her edge. I do not think it will last and nobody should try to replace Oprah."
Jay J writes, "Ms. Oprah Winfrey will forever be a daytime diva and I don`t think anyone could replace her, not even Katie Couric."
Kristin, you know, I think even Katie Couric would say that, yes, Oprah Winfrey is irreplaceable. But I think she could carve out her own side, her own niche in the talk show arena. What do you think?
CRUZ: Yes. Katie`s smart enough to not try and fill the Big O`s shoes. She`s not going to do that. But I do think that maybe we`ve forgotten the "Today" Katie, who was kind of fun in that Meg Ryan type of just, you know, morning best friend -- the scenario.
She was fantastic. She`s taking a different role at night. That`s not the Katie we will see if she did a daytime talk show. I think she`ll be great, too.
ANDERSON: Yes. I think she`d be excellent. And Brian, don`t you agree she`s not going to try to replace Oprah.
BALTHAZAR: I think that would be the first thing that she would say. She`s not going to be anyone but herself. And that`s she has to do to succeed. The only she`s going to pull this off is be authentic Katie. And that`s what America fell in love with so long ago.
ANDERSON: Brian Balthazar, Kristin Cruz, thank you both.
HAMMER: Well, let`s move now from Katie possibly taking over for Oprah to Snooki taking over Washington D.C., Brooke.
ANDERSON: Oh, boy. Snooki gets political, A.J. Snooki hits the nation`s capital to participate in the D.C. auto show. And what really got Snooki`s motor running -- talking about U.S. presidents and which one is the hottest. Watch.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Out of Bill Clinton, George Bush and Obama, who`s the hottest?
NICOLE "SNOOKI" POLIZZI, REALITY TV STAR, "THE JERSEY SHORE": I thought George Bush was pretty cute for an old man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She never disappoints there. Watch out, President Bush. Snooki likes you.
ANDERSON: Maybe Snooki will want to take "The Jersey Shore" down to Texas, A.J.
HAMMER: Now, before they can do that, of course, Brooke, the stars of the hit MTV show were taking their wild and crazy antics off to Italy. Here`s what Snooki had to say about that little trip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POLIZZI: All we know is that we`re going to Italy for season four. I have no idea where in Italy or what our house looks like. But I`m very, very excited because I`ve never been out of the country before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I could listen to her all day. Snooki also said that she`s going to use Rosetta Stone to learn how to speak Italian.
ANDERSON: Well, I`m thinking that her first words in Italian might be "gym," "tan," and "laundry," right.
HAMMER: That would make perfect sense. All right. We move now from Italy to China. Is the Chinese government really using Tom Cruise`s "Top Gun" to train its troops?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: China`s state television, CCTV, was showing a training drill that sure looks like the final dogfight in the movie, "Top Gun."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: New details today about a so-called "Top Gun" switcheroo. More stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Tyler Perry is the new "Alex Cross` in new film based on James Patterson character. Anne Hathaway, Mila Kunis to appear in "Vanity Fair`s" Hollywood issue.
ANDERSON: It is time now for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT buzz list. Here`s where the Showbiz Tonight staff is buzzing about this week.
The Super Bowl halftime show is going to be off the hook with one of my favorite group, "The Black Eyed Peas." Ricky Martin`s new CD, "Music + Soul + Sex" is out today. Love Ricky`s new sound.
"Bringrr" -- it`s a new device that makes sure we never leave home without mobile phone ever again. And Show Time`s "Shameless." William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum are amazing in this. And Rihanna`s provocative new music video for "S & M" is out. Watch if you dare. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
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HAMMER: Making news today, Tom Cruise and the bizarrely, absolutely unbelievable connection he may have to the Chinese military. Here`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Take off those sunglasses, Tom Cruise, and look where you may have ended up. China`s state television, CCTV, was showing a training drill. Chinese fighter planes doing maneuvers. But someone online noticed that missile strike looked awfully familiar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s the shot!
MOOS: That sure looks like the final dogfight in the movie "Top Gun." "OMG, Tom Cruise has defected," said one post.
The "Wall Street Journal" grabbed the footage before it was taken down from the CCTV Web site and slow-mo`d it to show the debris patterns matched. Maybe CCTV just needed a glitzy shot fast.
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I feel the need -- the need for speed!
MOOS: CCTV did not feel the need for speed when we asked for comment, but gave a "no comment" to others.
(on camera) "Top Gun" backfiring on the Chinese reminds us of another doctored missile photo that blew up on the Iranians.
(voice-over) Iran`s revolutionary guard`s Web site first published a shot of four missiles going up. Then bloggers noticed one of the four seemed to be a composite of the others.
The Iranians later updated the shot, showing three missiles. One theory was they put in an extra missile to cover up a dud. At the time, CNN did its own demo.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We put this picture in Photoshop to sort of show you how easy it is. Smoke from the bottom of another missile over here, which it looks like they did, because this cloud matches over here. And then you just grab up here, some of the missile there and you sort of add that in.
MOOS: Even if it doesn`t add up, these days you can`t believe your eyeballs, even when they`re seeing great balls of fire.
CRUISE: Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Thank you to CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
ANDERSON: On Monday, we asked to you vote in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. I just received the really surprising final results. We asked, "Charlie Sheen Goes to Rehab: Do you feel sorry for him?" Only 19 percent of you say, yes, you do feel story for Charlie, and a whopping 81 percent of you say no. You are sick and tired of Charlie Sheen`s shenanigans.
Check out the explosive response on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page. Salima H. says, "He needs to straighten up."
Mary R. says, "I believe Charlie can turn things around."
Now, check out what Carol W. just posted. She`s really pulling for Charlie, "Hopefully he will see what he`s doing to his family and friends and will really try now to get his life back together." There is hope.
HAMMER: There is hope, indeed. 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 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday.
HAMMER: And we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show seven days a week 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific here on HLN.
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