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Showbiz Tonight
Billy Joel Battles Back; Rihanna and Chris Brown to Reunite?; Lady Gaga`s Confessions; Secrets of "The View"; Janet Jackson`s Disturbing Confessions; Miley Cyrus` "SNL" Debut
Aired February 11, 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 - Billy battles back. Billy Joel`s stunning response today to Elton John`s explosive comment that Billy needs some serious rehab.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELTON JOHN, MUSICIAN: He may want to punch my face in a moment but it`s OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - should Billy set the record straight? Does he have a drinking problem?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Unbelievable Grammy shockers today. Grammy nominees Rihanna and Chris Brown - are they about to reunite?
Plus, Lady Gaga nominated for six Grammys. Her unbelievable new confessions today.
HAMMER: Secrets of "The View" revealed. Barbara, Whoopi, Elizabeth, Joy - their very first group interview with Oprah today. And they spilled some serious behind-the-scenes secrets, and even go without make-up.
ANDERSON: Janet`s disturbing body image confessions. Janet Jackson opening up today about how she felt ugly until her 30s.
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 - Billy battles back.
HAMMER: Yes. A brand-new fire storm has erupted today in the Billy Joel/Elton John drama. Now, first, Elton called out his friend and sometime touring buddy telling Billy, "You`ve got to check into some serious rehab, Bill."
And now, the big buzz today over Billy Joel`s carefully-worded, point- by-point statement to Elton John. But will Billy`s words be enough to put this to rest once and for all? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the explosive battle of the music titans.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) It`s the piano man versus the rocket man. the weirdest musical battle we`ve seen in ages. Elton John is publicly accusing Billy Joel of having a bottle of red, a bottle of white far too often.
JOHN: He may want to punch my face in a moment.
HAMMER: Now, Billy Joel is telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT whether he really wants to punch Elton`s face for publicly calling him an alcoholic.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the very latest on this battle between two music legends. It all started when Elton said to "Rolling Stone" magazine that he and Joel have had to cancel concert dates during their tour because of Joel`s alcoholism.
NATALIE THOMAS, NEWS EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Elton also said that, you know - he calls what Billy is going through as rehab light.
HAMMER: Elton also told "Rolling Stone" magazine, quote, "I love you, Billy, and this is tough love. You`ve got to be serious. People adore you. They love you and respect you. You should able to do something better than what you`re doing now."
THOMAS: Very strange for anyone to kind of air their grievances and take their, you know, almost intervention public.
HAMMER: Elton John`s comments about Billy Joel started a fire all right. Headline after headline blared that John was calling Joel an alcoholic. At first, Joel shrugged off Elton`s comment telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Elton is just being Elton."
JOHN: I understand why he`s pissed with me.
HAMMER: But on the "Today" show this week, Elton revealed that Joel was upset with him, not that that`s enough to make Elton take back his words.
JOHN: He sent me a message and he`s not happy. I understand that. You know, I really love the guy. I`m sorry I have to say it but I`m saying it because I really want Billy to live a long life and be very happy. That`s all it came from.
HAMMER: Joel has been to rehab more than once, as recently as 2005. Elton John has also fought addiction.
JOHN: This year, hopefully, in July, I`ll be 18 years sober and clean.
HAMMER: In a 2008 interview with CNN`s Larry King, Elton says he`s fanatical about sobriety.
JOHN: And I put a lot of time and effort into it. You just don`t reverse that behavior instantaneously. You can`t just change it overnight. You have to learn how to become a human being again, basically.
HAMMER: In fact, Elton John`s made a habit of helping other music get and stay sober. Rapper Eminem has said Elton`s tough love approach helped him battle his own addiction.
THOMAS: Perhaps he has gone to Billy numerous times over the years and tried.
HAMMER: And "Us Weekly`s" Natalie Thomas tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Elton may be using that same tough love approach with Billy Joel.
THOMAS: Maybe this is his last final ditch effort and he`s going public in an attempt to kind of rattle Billy and get him to take notice.
HAMMER: In a new statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Billy Joel says that despite Elton John`s "Today" show comment -
JOHN: He may want to punch my face in a moment -
HAMMER: No one is getting punched. In a bullet point in his statement, Joel tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "One, I do not hate Elton John. Two, I do not want to punch him in the face. Three, if he wants to call me, my number is still the same."
THOMAS: It`s kind of a conversation that probably should remain behind closed doors and is very humiliating, I`m sure, for Billy Joel and his family.
HAMMER: But as John obviously feels -
JOHN (singing): That`s what friends are for.
HAMMER: Sometimes friends are saying things you may not want to hear.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So whether or not Billy Joel wants to hear it, Elton is standing by what he`s saying. So publicly, Billy, get some help. That brings us to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - should Billy set the record straight? Does he have a drinking problem?
I want to go to Megan Alexander who is with me. She is a correspondent with "Inside Edition." Megan, do you think that Billy Joel needs to set the record straight publicly and say, "Yes, I do have an issue here"?
MEGAN ALEXANDER, CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": Only if he wants to. A.J., I find this very refreshing that Elton John is speaking his mind, if he is a true friend. You know, true friends don`t always say what you want to hear.
He`s not sweeping it under the rug and saying, "Things are wonderful," on television. I think Billy Joel`s reaction was also interesting.
HAMMER: Yes.
ALEXANDER: He didn`t get mat at Elton. He didn`t really say much and said, "Good luck with the movie." So if there really was something going on there, I think it`s refreshing that Elton is speaking out.
And I think that Elton John is the type of friend that Charlie Sheen needs - tough love.
HAMMER: Yes. No kidding. And Elton, as we mentioned, certainly has helped other people who have had addiction issues. Whether or not Billy Joel chooses to speak out about it - yes, I agree - that`s his business. I get what Elton is doing though.
Let me go to Hollywood now. Janell Snowden, host of VH1 News. Janell, do you think Billy Joel needs to publicly set the record straight here?
JANELL SNOWDEN, HOST, VH1 NEWS: I think Billy Joel needs to get his life together. I think that his response was classic. I think that it was classy and I think he`s taking the high road.
It seems he has his priorities intact. So if he does have a drinking problem, then he`s handling that. And then, if he wants to, he can address it. But I think it was so un-cool of Elton John to publicly say this to him.
That`s not what friends do. That`s not what friends are for. I understand the tough love approach, but call the guy.
HAMMER: Yes.
SNOWDEN: And I think Billy`s response was telling, saying, "My number is still the same." You know, if he`s tried to reach out to him, and then that didn`t work, I still don`t think this is the way to do it. Take it off line.
I mean, I`ve interviewed Elton John a few times on the red carpet. And he`s always a character. He`s always saying something provocative. But take it off line this time.
HAMMER: Yes. There`s a lot of mixed opinion on whether the tough love so publicly was the right thing to do or not. But let me move right now from those two multiple Grammy winners to big breaking Grammy news we`ve got today.
Now, according to a brand-new bombshell report revealed today, Rihanna is reportedly allowing her restraining order against Chris Brown to be modified.
Now, keep in mind this news comes almost exactly two years to the day after Chris Brown assaulted her. Apparently, the reduced order would mean Chris would be able to contact Rihanna, but he would be not allowed to harass or annoy her.
Of course, he shouldn`t be doing that anyway. Megan, from what we`re hearing, Chris Brown is not planning on attending the Grammys this year in any event. But do you think this is the right move for Rihanna, dropping the restraining order down?
ALEXANDER: I don`t think so. I think there`s a couple of deal breakers in life and in relationships, domestic violence being one of them.
A.J., she doesn`t need to mend the fences with anybody. You know, we`ve heard that Chris Brown is doing very well on probation, that he`s an A-plus student in his domestic violence classes. And the judge was telling him, "You`re in fine fashion."
HAMMER: Right.
ALEXANDER: So if I were him, I would continue to put my head down and do good work. I found it a little ridiculous that he and his attorney are saying they want the restraining order eased because it makes the award shows rather difficult at times. Those are the consequences for your actions.
HAMMER: No kidding.
ALEXANDER: You should have thought of that before. So I don`t think Rihanna owes him anything, doesn`t even need to work with him.
HAMMER: Yes.
ALEXANDER: He can just keep going and, you know, see what happens.
HAMMER: Maybe it a case of her just moving on at this point. Well, Rihanna is nominated with Eminem for their song together, "Love the Way You Lie," for song of the year.
Lady Gaga is competing against Eminem for album of the year. Now, Gaga is speaking out in a brand-new interview revealed today in "Vogue" magazine.
Listen to what Gaga is saying, "Speaking purely from a musical standpoint I think I am a great performer. I am a talented entertainer. I consider myself to have one of the greatest voices in the industry."
"I consider myself to be one of the greatest songwriters. I wouldn`t say I`m one of the greatest dancers, but I am really quite good at what I do."
Janell, she goes on to say she thinks - you know, it`s cool to be confident in herself like that. And hey, I agree, confidence is really important. But do you think all of this praise that Gaga is heaping on herself is going to turn a lot of people off?
SNOWDEN: You know, she`s Gaga so she`s supposed to be crazy. She`s supposed to say wild things like that. There`s confidence and there`s cockiness. Now, every artist has a persona. Hers is wacky.
If she were Beyonce, if she made a career out of being gracious, then maybe it would be like, "Oh, my god. What is she saying?" But she`s obviously taken a page out of Kanye`s book.
As he`s shown us - the critics hailed his last album, cocky though he may be. And as many missteps he`s taken, apparently, cockiness sells.
HAMMER: Yes, apparently. Very quickly, Megan, what do you think? Is this exactly what Gaga should be doing because this is just who she is?
ALEXANDER: From the woman who wore a meat dress and has extremely suggestive lyrics, this is completely Gaga. And she`ll do even more tomorrow.
HAMMER: Although she`d be very quick to point "I wore the best meat dress ever and I wore it better than anybody else."
ALEXANDER: Right.
HAMMER: Megan Alexander, Janell Snowden, thank you so much. And there is no doubt we`re going to be seeing a whole lot of Gaga wearing who- knows-what is this weekend because it`s finally here.
I`m so excited. And we`ve got a very special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT great Grammy showdowns. We`ve teamed up with the Recording Academy, the people behind the Grammys, of course, to reveal the biggest battles at this year`s Grammy Awards.
We`re talking Jay-Z versus Eminem. We`ve got Justin Bieber versus Susan Boyle? Yes. And of course, Gaga versus Katy Perry among others.
Watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s great Grammy showdowns this Sunday, February 13th, right before the Grammys, 5:30 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN.
ANDERSON: Barbara, Whoopi, Elisabeth, Joy, sharing their very first group interview with Oprah today. Oprah asking some tough questions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Whoopi revealed something very personal on the show last week about her past drug addiction. Do you regret that now?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Big secrets of "The View" revealed. You will even get to see the ladies without make-up.
HAMMER: OK. Charlie Sheen`s doing what? He`s giving out public anti-drug advice? Charlie, shouldn`t you be rehabbing right about now?
ANDERSON: No, no, no, no, no. I can hear teen girls everywhere crying right now. Justin Bieber has shaved his head?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": Do you think the kid are going to be upset about this?
JUSTIN BIEBER, POP STAR: I think the girls are going to be upset, but you know, they`ll get over it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I don`t know if I`ll be able to get over this. Why, Bieber? Why? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Scarlett Johansson`s rep denies Scarlett is dating Sean Penn. Calling all little monsters! Lady Gaga`s new single, "Born This Way," released today.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s just two months left.
MARIAH CAREY, SINGER: Oh, I know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you nervous?
CAREY: No. I can`t wait. I`m ready. OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You just want it over and done with?
CAREY: Yes, I do. But it`s great. We love it, yay. But there`s just time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I think she`s done. Mariah Carey`s selling jewelry and updating us on her twins today. Mariah debuted her new collection of jewelry, footwear and perfume right from her house on the Home Shopping Network. Mariah and her hubby, Nick Cannon, are expecting twins, a boy and a girl, in April.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Brooke Anderson is in Hollywood.
And today, Brooke, Lindsay Lohan reaching out to her fans and telling them she is not a crook.
ANDERSON: That`s right, A.J. Even though Lindsay has been formally charged with felony grand theft, she still wants all her fans to know she`s innocent. Lindsay says she did not steal the $2,500 necklace at the center of her latest legal mess.
So posted a brand-new message on her Twitter page, writing this, "I would never steal, in case people are wondering. I was not raised to lie, cheat or steal."
All right. We`re bringing in investigative journalist, Pat Lalama.
You know, Pat, I admire Lindsay for trying to defend herself, but she`s doing all wrong. She says she was not raised to lie, cheat or steal. But it was established in a court of law that she was a liar in the past. So can anybody take her seriously here?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: No, no. Not at all. She`s doing it all wrong. First of all, she has absolutely, categorically no regard for the criminal court system, no regard for the courts at all.
Secondly, she`s lying to herself, to her fans, to the court. She`s in absolute denial. She does not take herself seriously. I really fear for her future. She`s ruining her looks. She`s ruining her career. She`s ruining a future.
I`m telling you, right here and now, this young woman better watch out. She needs a spanking and she needs a parent who is responsible and not seeking celebrity themselves. And I will volunteer -
ANDERSON: Are you signing up for that right now?
LALAMA: I will volunteer as a stepparent and will put her in a corner and make her do - you know, military school.
ANDERSON: Give her a little bit of a time out.
LALAMA: Something -
ANDERSON: Well, she has zero credibility right now. And not only is everybody talking about her legal mess and this tweet where she says she would not lie, she would not steal but everybody is still talking about that white mini-dress that she wore to court this week.
Lindsay worked that sidewalk like it was the runway at the New York fashion week. And now that dress is selling like hot cakes. Some places are even sold out.
So what does Lindsay think about all the attention her dress is getting? Well, on Twitter, Lindsay writes this, "What I wear to court shouldn`t be front page news. It`s just absurd."
Pat, this is not Lindsay`s first trip to court, so if she did not want all that attention, why did she wear it? Wouldn`t a black pantsuit have been more appropriate?
LALAMA: Brooke, because for her, the courthouse appearance is a photo-op. It`s a publicity stunt. She doesn`t look at this seriously.
She`s not saying, "If I go into court and dress a little bit played down, act like a reasonable, intelligent, mature adult, my chances of getting out of trouble will be better."
She doesn`t even think that way. And I`m going to really dog the poor audience for this now. Those of you who had to run out and buy that dress, all right. OK. But listen, please tell me you also take her problem seriously.
ANDERSON: Yes. Absolutely. The dress is cute, good fabric. But the hemline way too short, definitely not appropriate for court.
LALAMA: So inappropriate.
ANDERSON: Not professional whatsoever. But we do have to move now to another incredible story just in today. Charlie Sheen is giving advice. A.J., you`ve got to tell us more.
HAMMER: Yes. This is Charlie Sheen`s first public appearance since his reported attempt at rehab at home. Now, Sheen decides to attend a UCLA baseball game.
After the game, Charlie met the game and gave them his best anti-drug speech. Listen to what he said. "Stay off the crack. Drink a chocolate milk. Enjoy your moment."
Pat Lalama, I don`t know if Sheen was goofing around when he said what he said. But Charlie is supposed to be working on his own personal issues.
Do you think he really should be giving out advice, particularly drug advice, to anyone right now?
LALAMA: A.J., I`m just going to tell you the Lalamanian disgust meter is way off the charts. Here`s a man who started out by saying, "I`m going to do rehab for three months." And I told you on this very show that was promising - three months.
Then it was reduced to one month. Then it was, "Well, I`ll stay at home and get clean." Now, he`s out chatting up basketball players. And I have to tell you, that has to be completely tongue-in-cheek.
HAMMER: Yes.
LALAMA: He needs to be in lockdown. Another photo-op for him and that`s just wrong.
HAMMER: All right. Pat Lalama, thank you so much.
ANDERSON: What was it? The Lalamanian disgust meter. I like that. OK. Moving on to Janet`s shocking confession. Janet Jackson opening up today her new revelations about her troubled relationship with her father.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET JACKSON, SINGER: I know my father loves me. He just has a very, very different way of showing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Plus, Janet`s disturbing body confessions. How she felt ugly until her 30s.
HAMMER: Wow. An unbelievable battle has just erupted today between a "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star and Star Jones. Wait until you hear this, coming up.
ANDERSON: And Jennifer Aniston had the Rachel hair cut. Now, she`s getting the Snooki pouf? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: This is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Beyonce will headline Glastonbury Festival in U.K. June 22 to 26. One million bottles of Justin Bieber`s nail polish have been sold since December.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Now, another SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview with an Oscar nominee today, Geoffrey Rush. Geoffrey is nominated for best supporting actor for his fantastic role and performance in "The King`s Speech."
The critics love this movie. It is the favorite to win Best Picture. So we had to ask Geoffrey what did he think of one of the toughest critics out there, Queen Elizabeth, liking the movie?
Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter one-on-one with Geoffrey Rush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEOFFREY RUSH, ACTOR: It`s great. It`s fascinating because I think the palace has always been circumspect about - to my knowledge, they`ve never commented on the queen or any of the television movies that were made about Princess Diana and Charles.
They just don`t enter into that, which is probably a good thing in a way. They`d just get hounded. There would be paparazzi outside the palace gates every day. Your majesty, your majesty, what do you think of them?
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: I know. And the fact that they`re weighing in, I mean, it`s a huge honor that they`ve seen it and that the queen, you know, is giving it a thumbs-up.
Why do you think, Geoffrey, that Americans are so fascinated when it comes to the British royal family?
RUSH: I think, on one level, there`s sort of a sense of awe at the pageantry and all of those grand traditions. But probably more so in this film that Tom Vickers avoided that and really profoundly humanized the characters and their vulnerabilities.
WYNTER: I have to ask you this, Geoffrey. In addition to your performance, your role being amazing, so was your fellow co-star, Colin Firth - the women love him. They go nuts for Colin.
RUSH: Colin is very - he`s not guarded. I mean, he`s very open, you know. People come up and say, "Can I have a photo with you?" He`d go, "Sure, sure."
WYNTER: Good luck going into the big night.
RUSH: Yes, thanks so much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes. Good luck, Geoffrey. That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter. And this is actually Geoffrey Rush`s fourth nomination. He won the best actor Oscar for his film, "Shine," back in 1996.
HAMMER: He was simply amazing in both movies. It is time now for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Wait until you see this. It`s secrets of "The View" revealed. You`ve got Barbara, Whoopi, Elisabeth, Joy and Sherri. And you get to see their very first group interview with Oprah Winfrey ever today. And they are spilling some big time secrets. That`s coming up next.
So who will SHOWBIZ TONIGHT name the most provocative celebrity of the week? Lindsay Lohan for her new court mess? Will it be Christina Aguilera for messing up "The Star Spangled Banner"? Or could it wind up as "Glee" star Lea Michelle for her controversial sexy "Cosmo" cover? We reveal your pick as well.
And there is big news for Miley Cyrus. Get ready for Miley`s big comedy debut.
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: Bravo rejects Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt for "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Jack Black to host Nickelodeon`s 2011 Kids` Choice Awards.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the ladies of "The View" reveal emotional secrets to Oprah today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: Whoopi revealed something very personal on the show last week about her past drug addiction. Do you regret that now?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, Oprah gets the ladies to go on camera without make-up.
ANDERSON: Janet`s disturbing new family confessions. Janet Jackson opens up today about her painful relationship with her father.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACKSON: I know my father loves me. He just has a very, very different way of showing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Also, Janet`s stunning body image revelations. How she thought she was ugly until her 30s.
HAMMER: A bald Bieber? What the heck happened to Justin Bieber`s famous hair?
Plus breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - your first look, Rihanna`s sexy new commercial and Tom Cruise rocks on.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
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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 - "The View" shocker.
HAMMER: Yes. For the very first time, Oprah brought together all of the ladies of "The View" for a no-holds-barred interview today.
It was an hour-long blockbuster bonanza of humor, controversy and a whole lot of shocking revelations. And oh, yes, HLN`s own Joy Behar was, of course, right there on the set of Oprah live, so really it was the perfect opportunity for a little plug for her show here on HLN.
Watch Joy`s slick move after Oprah asked the ladies to reveal what`s in their purses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Oh, this is my CNN pass to get in because I have another show, my HLN show at 10:00 every night.
WINFREY: Which is doing very well, which is beating Larry King when Larry King was still on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, Larry may not be happy she said that. I`ve got my badge right here, too, Joy. Solidarity, sister.
HAMMER: Yes. I`ve got mine here, too. I guess I get some solidarity as well. All right. Really, that`s what we saw. It was an amazing chemistry going on between the ladies of "The View."
ANDERSON: Right.
HAMMER: And there were some truly inspiring moments there and surprising ones as well, Brooke. But why don`t we start with this blockbuster.
Today, Oprah asked Whoopi, pointblank, about Whoopi`s recent shocking revelation on "The View" about being addicted to drugs. Watch what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: Whoopi revealed something very personal on the show about her past drug addiction. Do you regret that now?
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": No. I mean, I just - I just sort of feel that sometimes experience trumps assumption. And so I could speak to -
WINFREY: That`s a good quote.
GOLDBERG: Thank you. I can speak to what we were talking about. I was touched on how he was able to do - how he`s able to perform and still go and have that other life. And I knew how it worked because I had done it for years.
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": We didn`t know.
GOLDBERG: No, they didn`t know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Which was really surprising because you would kind of think there would be no secrets between the ladies of "The View" after working together for so long.
I want to bring in "Inside Edition" correspondent, Megan Alexander. Megan, does it surprise you that Whoopi would drop such a bombshell on the show, you know, without anybody getting a heads-up prior to hearing that?
ALEXANDER: You know, I don`t think so, A.J. I think maybe it`s the fact that they don`t get together off camera as much as we think they do. And therefore, they can have these candid conversations.
I thought for a while now that Whoopi has sort of brought the voice of reason back to this show.
HAMMER: Yes.
ALEXANDER: You know, there had been moments when the catfights really, you know, were so big that we don`t even know what the issue was they were discussing. It was just people yelling at each other.
So I think Whoopi talking about this has sort of been the wisdom and, again, the voice of reason in saying, "Look, I`m OK with talking about my problems that I`ve dealt with."
And then the women were surprised but maybe it`s because she didn`t feel comfortable to talk about it before with them.
HAMMER: Yes. She didn`t want to bring it up just to make it about her.
ALEXANDER: Right.
HAMMER: As she said, going back to wisdom, you know, experience trumps assumption. Marvet, what do you think? I mean, were you surprised at that level that this just came up without anybody already knowing about it?
MARVET BRITTO, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: Not really, because "The View" is a platform to express your view, your belief system and your perspective on life.
And I think you`re never going to know where a person stands on every view in their lives until you happen upon that topic.
So I`m not surprised that she shared it. And I`m not surprised that she shared it in such a way. "The View" is really known for being an authentic platform for expressing your views.
HAMMER: Yes. And just because you`re candid, honest person like Whoopi Goldberg is doesn`t mean you have to blurt everything out just for the sake of getting it out there.
Well, after all of the bantering and all the debating and fighting that`s gone on on "The View" over the course of its 15 years on the air, Oprah had to ask the ladies what their biggest regret was. Listen to what HLN`s own Joy Behar had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: One too many I called Sharron Angle the B-word on television. And I know it was true that she`s really was the B-word.
But I regret that I used it because it obscured the fact she was doing damage to the people of her state and that she was a bigot.
And so the fact that I used the wrong word took precedence over the message and that I regret. But I don`t regret that she`s the B-word. She is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Well, Elisabeth also talked about being willing to apologize for some of the controversial things that she has said on the show.
I love that they are willing to admit their mistakes. I think it`s one of the things that make the show terrific. Megan, I mean the show really couldn`t work any other way, could it?
ALEXANDER: I don`t think so. And I think Joy saying that - I mean, she`s got a point. Once again, this was such a bitter and contentious political season, A.J.
And when joy did say that, I mean, there was a serious conversation going on in Nevada at the time with Sharron Angle.
But calling her that, suddenly we forgot what, you know, the conversation was, what the discussion was, just that Joy was calling her a name.
It became another big catfight. So she does make a point there. I think she still went a little too far having to throw it in there again.
HAMMER: No, she didn`t. That`s joy. That`s what she does. Let`s go to Brooke Anderson. Brooke, despite how open the ladies have always been, today, I feel like we really got see a side of "The View" being on Oprah that we`ve never seen before.
ANDERSON: We did, A.J. And I thought it was particularly entertaining to see how the ladies prepared for their big Oprah moment. Sherri was so excited. She made her Twitter fans pick out her outfit for the show. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: This, too, had been driving us crazy with how excited they are.
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I`m so excited. They voted on my hair. I`m doing my Oprah hair. This is my homage to Oprah. And they voted on my shoes. You know, when we do the hair, we want to do the hair right. And they voted on my shoes.
WINFREY: The shoes are banging.
SHEPHERD: They voted on my shoes.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
WINFREY: Whoa.
SHEPHERD: Thank you.
BEHAR: Whoopi and I are equally excited but we`re on different medications.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You know, these ladies are part of a live daily show. They interview all sorts of characters, from the cast of "The Jersey Shore" to the president of the United States, and they`re nervous about Oprah?
That`s really saying something about the power of Oprah. And A.J., there are more stories making big news in "The Buzz Today," right?
HAMMER: Absolutely. Are you ready for Arnold Schwarzenegger back in movies? He says it`s going to happen. Also, Britney Spears says she`s ready for her movie career to start up, too, in comedy. And Miley Cyrus is gearing up for her comedic debut on "SNL."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Live from New York, it`s Miley Cyrus. Miley is making her "Saturday Night Live" hosting debut. NBC has just announced Cyrus will get to show off her comedy chops as "SNL" host on March 5th.
According to "People.com," a separate musical guest will join Miley so she can focus on the funny. We still haven`t heard if Miley will play in the "Miley Cyrus Show" sketch where "SNL`s" Vanessa Bayer parodies the young star. That would be, like, pretty cool, right?
HAMMER: Arnold`s huge Hollywood homecoming. The Former California Governor Schwarzenegger has just declared "I`ll be back" to acting. He`s launching his post-political movie career and is going back to Hollywood.
The ex-Governator left office in January and can`t wait for his agents to make him an action hero again, tweeting, quote, "Exciting news. My friends at CAA have been asking me for seven years when they can take offers seriously. Gave them the green light today."
Britney`s comedy bombshell. Britney Spears has just revealed she wants to be a movie star again. In a new Twitter interview with her fans, Britney confessed her dream to being a big screen comedy and work with the director of "The Hangover" or the director of "Knocked Up," tweeting, quote, "I love to act and would love to be in a Todd Phillips or Judd Apatow movie."
Spears has made several TV appearances, most recently on "Glee." But it has been a decade since Spears starred in her own feature film. Remember "Crossroads"?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: How could I forget? Moving on now to Janet Jackson`s explosive new revelations today about her troubled relationship with her father.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACKSON: I know my father loves me. He just has a very, very different way of showing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Plus, Janet`s stunning body image confessions. Why she thought she was ugly until her 30s.
HAMMER: All right. Don`t adjust your TV. That is in fact a bald Bieber you`re looking at. What the heck happened to Justin Bieber`s famous mop top?
ANDERSON: A bombshell war explodes between Star Jones and a "Real Housewives" star.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m not feeling Star Jones. I`m sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I gave her a chance when I first got there. I did. But Star, I just don`t feel you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Wait until you hear her shocking message for Star. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Tom Cruise in talks to play "Stacee Jaxx" in film version of "Rock of Ages." SHOWBIZ first look: "X-Men: First Class."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Listen to me very carefully, my friend. Killing will not bring you peace.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Peace was never an option.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)! You psycho! The relationship is done, and it needs to be done because it`s not healthy. I feel like I need to get out of here. I need to like go home, really (EXPLETIVE DELETED) things out without him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ah, good times. Sammi`s dramatic "Shore" see you later. Sammi and Ronnie`s volatile relationship just erupted again on "Jersey Shore."
Ron was really not a good guy to Sammi on the latest episode. It looks like Ron and Sammi`s on again, off again, on again relationship is probably off again for now.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Janet Jackson`s private pain revealed.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J., for the very first time today, one of the biggest stars on the planet says that at the height of her career, she felt so ugly that she would literally bang her head against a wall and cry.
Today, Janet Jackson explains how her extreme self-hate started. Plus, the extraordinary emotional pain caused by her dad still - still reduces Janet to tears.
In an exclusive interview this morning on "Today," Janet reveals that the pressure to be thin started when she was just 10 years old on the `70s show, "Good Times."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACKSON: I started getting breasts when I was 10. And to make me look more flat-chested they would bind my chest. Immediately, that says, "OK, the way you are - you`re not good enough," and that affected me at 10 years old.
MEREDITH VIEIRA, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: Yes, on the binding, they also said to you at that point that you were fat?
JACKSON: Yes. They wanted me to go on a diet and I did. I never felt quite right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I cannot believe that. I want to bring in investigative journalist, Pat Lalama. Pat, I`ve known that Janet has struggled with her weight at times. But 10 years old, dieting? That`s outrageous and indicative of the pressure that she has felt for so long.
LALAMA: Show business is bad enough and hard on younger people in particular. And what really makes it bad is that these children - I`m just going to go out on a limb and say. These children, the Jackson children, were blessed with enormous talent.
ANDERSON: Right.
LALAMA: There`s never been a family like them as far as I`m concerned. But also equally cursed by a tyrannical, abusive father.
And Janet and the rest of them will suffer no matter all the things they`ve accomplished and bless them for that. They will suffer in so many ways for the rest of their life.
ANDERSON: Yes. Their talent definitely was not utilized in a healthy manner at all. And speaking of her family, Janet was very candid about her troubled relationship with her dad.
Joe Jackson has been accused of beating all of his children and they all say they lived in fear of him. But today, Janet says that it was his mental abuse that still haunts her. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACKSON: I want to be able to sit on his lap. I want to be able to call him dad.
VIEIRA: You call him Joseph, right?
JACKSON: Yes. He said, "That`s my name to you." You call me Joseph. You don`t call me dad. I tried it once.
VIEIRA: To call him dad?
JACKSON: Yes.
VIEIRA: And what happened?
JACKSON: Well, that`s exactly what happened. What you just said. He said, "I`m Joseph to you. You do not call me dad." That affects you.
VIEIRA: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Can you imagine your own father telling you that? It`s obviously still so painful for Janet. VH1 host Janell Snowden here now.
Janell, does it amaze you that despite all of this pain, Janet persevered, still has had an incredible career?
SNOWDEN: Absolutely. It`s a testament to the human spirit. Janet Jackson is a hero to so many women for publicly acknowledging that she`s had these issues and for speaking out about it.
And I think the interview is a testament to Meredith as a journalist for getting her to open up, because Janet`s talked about these things before, but never as passionately and as cathartically as I think we`ve seen.
So I feel for her. I mean, I think it`s unfortunate when anyone doesn`t have a good relationship with a parent. Those effects are lasting. We`ve seen that.
ANDERSON: She obviously is a survivor. I`ve got to move on now, ladies, because it is time for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to name the most provocative celebrity of the week. A.J., it`s an all-ladies lineup today.
HAMMER: Oh, it sure is, Brooke. This week`s nominees, Lindsay Lohan for her latest court dress, including that dress; Christina Aguilera for flubbing "The Star Spangled Banner" last week at the Super Bowl; or will we name "Glee`s" Lea Michelle for her sexy "Cosmo" cover that had all kinds of people buzzing? Pat Lalama, who do you think gets it?
LALAMA: I`m going to tell you this. I love Christina. She is a true talent. This is a woman who is not some studio-manufactured trollop who gets a record just because she`s hot.
I love her and it shows she`s humble and that we`re all human. And she was lost in the moment with the globe watching her. And she was very classy about it and said, "I want to make sure the country knows how much love it here. I love this country. I love being here," and being just a wonderful person. She gets all my credit.
HAMMER: All right. Fair enough. Well, we had you all fax us - no, not fax us. What am I talking about? That`s old school here. But you let us know who you think it should be. Watch now to see if you got it right.
What we chose, drum roll, please. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT names the most provocative celebrity of the week as Christina Aguilera.
I know Lindsay got a lot of headlines, but she gets headlines all the time for all the wrong reasons. Pat Lalama, Janell Snowden, we thank you both.
ANDERSON: OK. A new star showdown is exploding today and it involves Star Jones who is one of the original co-hosts on "The View."
Star just got a big old smackdown from her "Celebrity Apprentice" co- star - that`s "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star, NeNe Leakes. Check out what NeNe just said about Star on "The Wendy Williams Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NENE LEAKES, REALITY TV STAR, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA": I`m not feeling Star Jones. I`m sorry. I gave her a chance when I first got there. I did. But star, I`m just going to say it -
WENDY WILLIAMS, HOST, "THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW": Keeping it real with NeNe. Tell it, NeNe.
LEAKES: Star is a trip, like she is very special and I really - she`s special. No, seriously. I wouldn`t spit on Star if she was on fire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Whoo! It looks like the new cycle of "Celebrity Apprentice" is going to be dramatic.
HAMMER: All right. We must move on to this. It`s simply shocking. All across the world today, girls are in tears because of this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: Do you think the kids are going to be upset about this?
BIEBER: I think the girls are going to be upset but, you know, they`ll get over it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A bald Bieber? Did Jimmy Kimmel really chop off Justin Bieber`s famous mop-top? Well, you will find out 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: Pop star Aaron Carter leaves Betty Ford Clinic after completing one month in rehab. SHOWBIZ first look: Rihanna stars in ad for new perfume "Reb`l Fleur."
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: Let me give you a little trim there.
BIEBER: No, no! Oh, my gosh! You might as well take them all.
KIMMEL: Of course, I`ll take some more. In fact, I would like to shave your whole head.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Did you see this? Jimmy Kimmel, with a pair of scissors right next to Justin Bieber`s world famous hair. This can`t be good. Could the Bieb really be ready to trade in his famous shag for a chrome dome. Bieber bald? Yeesh!
ANDERSON: Oh, A.J. I break the bad Bieber news to you and the millions and millions of believers that Justin Bieber`s teamed up with "Jimmy Kimmel Live" to do the unthinkable.
Jimmy Kimmel shaved Justin Bieber bald. Kimmel gave Bieber one clean, smooth shave of his head. A bald Bieber? Really?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: What do you guys think? Do you love it?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
BIEBER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it shaved.
KIMMEL: You look like a young Lex Luthor
BIEBER: Yes?
KIMMEL: Yes. I like it.
BIEBER: I like it, too.
KIMMEL: You look like Michael Jordan.
BIEBER: I look like Michael Jordan.
KIMMEL: Yes, it`s going to be great for your basketball career.
BIEBER: Yes. I think maybe it`s going to - it`s going to help be more aerodynamic on the basketball court.
KIMMEL: Yes. And you know what? People won`t focus on your hair so much.
BIEBER: They`ll just focus on my beautiful, smooth, silky vocals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Hilarious. But I don`t like it. And all you Bieber fans can stop your screaming. He did not really shave his head. If you didn`t know, it`s just a joke.
HAMMER: See, I thought it was a good look for the Bieb, Brooke.
ANDERSON: No!
HAMMER: Kind of looked like Mr. Clean`s Mini Me.
ANDERSON: I don`t like it. All right. From a bald Bieber joke to Jennifer Aniston`s "Jersey Shore" surprise. Jen just sat down with "CBS Early Show" host, Erica Hill, on her birthday.
Happy birthday, Jen. Now, earlier this week, Aniston dropped a major bombshell that nobody saw coming. She`s a "Jersey Shore" fan. Jen revealed that she is, quote, "mesmerized" by the show.
Could it be The Situation`s abs that keeps Jen watching? Or is it Snooki`s shenanigans that keep Jen coming back for more. Check out the "Shore" birthday surprise that Jen received on "The Early Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you girls are just hanging, like you need the second season.
ANISTON: I do!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`ve got the second season. And just in case, a little light reading -
ANISTON: No!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we`re not done.
ANISTON: Look at that hair.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe you want to go out. Maybe you girls want to do karaoke. They`ve done it. They were sold out of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So instead, how about the Snooki-do?
ANISTON: You really got to be kidding me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. No, totally serious.
ANISTON: This is really awesome.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
ANISTON: Can I look at this? Did you see this? That`s going to be fun playtime for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Jen in that Snooki wig - now, that is something I would like to see.
HAMMER: Well, there`s a raging debate happening right now on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall. Should "Glee" star Lea Michelle`s brand-new "Cosmo" cover be banned because it`s too racy.
Here are a couple of comments. Laura R. writing, "She plays a teen. Her fans are teens, and she should realize the influence she has on her fans."
But this from Crystal H., "If you don`t like the cover, don`t look at it."
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live at 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.
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