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Showbiz Tonight
Has "Idol" Saved J-Lo?; Has "Dancing with the Stars Saved Kirstie Alley?"; Matt Lauer and Katie Couric Reunited on "Today"; Is Charlie Sheen Begging for His Old Job Back?; Catherine Zeta-Jones` Health Scare
Aired April 13, 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 -- has "Idol" saved J-Lo? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks news about "American Idol`s" remarkable impact on Jennifer Lopez. "People" magazine today naming her the most beautiful woman. J-Lo`s music smoking again.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
J-Lo the judge. Our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint today -- has "Idol" saved J- Lo? Or has J-Lo saved "Idol"?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Has "Dancing with the Stars" saved Kirstie Alley? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is right there as Kirstie again survives "Dancing with the Stars." Kirstie`s rocky career, her weight battle -- but is Kirstie now the dancing queen?
HAMMER: Matt and Katie reunited today on "Today." Katie Couric`s surprising revelations. Are Katie and Matt about to team up on TV again?
ANDERSON: Stars without makeup revealed today. Ann Heche, Mandy Moore, Hayden Panettiere -- not a drop of makeup. Why in the world did they do it?
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative news show --
ANDERSON: Breaks news 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 -- has "Idol" saved J-Lo?
HAMMER: Yes. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you dramatic proof today that Jennifer Lopez`s out-of-the-box move to become a judge on American Idol is actually turning into a J-Lo fountain of youth.
Get a load of this. "People" magazine today named 41-year-old J-Lo the world`s most beautiful woman. Yes, I said the "world." And you know, the world is a pretty big place.
Not too bad for someone who, just a year or so ago, was almost being written off as a has-been, until that "American Idol" gig game along, of course. And now, well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that, as Charlie Sheen might say, J-Lo is definitely winning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) While Jennifer Lopez is helping pick the next "American Idol" winner, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you she`s now on a winning streak that even Charlie Sheen would admire.
CHARLIE SHEEN, ACTOR: Winning!
HAMMER: In an advanced issue that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained today, "People" magazine has named Jennifer Lopez the world`s most beautiful woman.
HYLA, RADIO HOST, "THE HOLLYWOOD 5 COUNTDOWN": Jennifer Lopez being on the cover of "People" magazine for their most beautiful person issue is a big deal. It`s not an Oscar. It`s not a Grammy. But the reality is it is a big pop culture honor.
HAMMER: About her new title as "People`s" most beautiful woman, Lopez tells the magazine, quote, "It so crazy. Rarely am I left speechless, but I feel honored. I feel not worthy, you know. I feel happy and proud."
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you 2011 is looking like J-Lo`s year. Not only does she have the world`s most beautiful woman title --
JENNIFER LOPEZ, SINGER AND "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: I`m shocked. I`m angry.
HAMMER: She`s become the emotional new breakout star on "American Idol."
(MUSIC PLAYING)
And her single, "On The Floor," is her biggest hit in years. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you J-Lo is on a J-High. Does she have "American Idol" to thank?
HYLA: "American Idol" has saved J-Lo`s career.
HAMMER: It wasn`t that long ago when it looked like J-Lo`s superstar status was another bygone relic of the 1990s, like grunge music, dial-up Internet, or scripted television.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Did you buy a new dress for our date tonight?
LOPEZ: Don`t flatter yourself.
HAMMER: J-Lo`s movies like "The Backup Plan" weren`t exactly burning up the box office. Her music career was going so badly her record label reportedly dropped her. And speaking of drop, let`s just say this jump during the 2009 American Music Awards didn`t end well.
HYLA: She fell right on her butt.
HAMMER: And in another live TV mishap, the less said about that skin-tight cat suit she wore at a New Year`s Eve performance, the better.
HYLA: Her professional career was a big mess.
HAMMER: But last year`s announcement that she was joining the "American Idol" judges` table gave J-Lo`s career a shot of adrenaline.
LOPEZ: No, I don`t want to do this anymore.
HAMMER: The sometimes emotional empathy she shows the contestants has made her an audience favorite.
HYLA: America loves this new emotional teary-eyed Jennifer Lopez. Why? It`s a side that we`ve never seen before. We only know the diva side of J- Lo. Now, she`s the girl that we love on "American Idol." She`s the judge. She`s the new Paula Abdul without the crazy.
HAMMER: In the new issue of "People" SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained today, Lopez says, quote, "This is the first time I`ve done something where people are really getting to see my personality. I felt like they knew me already, but they really didn`t know the type of person I was, which is nice."
And J-Lo`s "American Idol" deal, reportedly worth $12 million, is helping her career in other ways.
HYLA: Because of "American Idol," she also has a movie deal that goes along with her Fox contract, so we`re going to be seeing her on film soon.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you "Idol" may have saved J-Lo, but in a way, J-Lo may have saved "Idol," giving the show a buzz-worthy shot in the arm at a time when people were thinking it would shrivel up and die once Simon Cowell left.
HYLA: Jennifer has helped bring extra awareness to "Idol" and she kind of made people care.
HAMMER: So did "Idol" save J-Lo, or did J-Lo save "Idol"? That`s a chicken-or-the-egg question that we can debate forever. But one thing for certain, we may see her crying on "Idol" --
LOPEZ: I don`t want to do this anymore.
HAMMER: But J-Lo is smiling pretty back at the top again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Since joining "American Idol," J-Lo`s music career is back on track and her popularity is at a brand-new high.
That leads to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -- did "American Idol" save J- Lo or did she save "Idol"? I want to now bring in syndicated radio host, Ralphie Aversa. Ralphie, to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, did American Idol save J-Lo or vice versa? What do you think?
RALPHIE AVERSA, SYNDICATED RADIO HOST: It`s been a mutually-beneficial relationship, I think, Brooke. However, J-Lo has benefited much more from that relationship than "Idol" has. And you look no farther than the charts really. Her last album she put out in `07, the least-commercially successful of all of her albums -- the only single of that album charted at 31. "On The Floor," featuring Pitbull, her current single, has cracked the top five.
ANDERSON: Yes. She is having a heck of a year in so many ways. And I`ve got to tell you I didn`t really think "American Idol" needed saving because the ratings were still very, very solid, very strong. That said, I think J-Lo is a fabulous addition to the judge`s panel. She really cares and it shows.
Over to New York radio host, Egypt Sherrod. To our Flashpoint now, did "American Idol" save J-Lo? Or is it the other way around? What do you think, Egypt?
EGYPT SHERROD, NEW YORK RADIO HOST: I`d still have to say it`s mutually beneficial. I mean, after 10 years, "American Idol" did need a fresh face. They did need some new energy injected into them.
So although the ratings didn`t really waver, it`s good to catch it before the ship starts to sink, if you know what I mean. This is definitely way even -- you know, the flag over to Jennifer Lopez. Look at the endorsements. Look at how it`s paved the way for her new album.
ANDERSON: Yes.
SHERROD: But if anything, I want to say, you know, she has to be very careful not to over-saturate us this time. I think that was the problem last time. It was J-Lo everywhere, even poor Ben Affleck. You know, they named him "Bennifer." Can you blame the guy for finding another one?
ANDERSON: She has to hit that point yet, but that`s good advice. I think that J-Lo has never looked better. And I agree with both of you. It is a mutually beneficial relationship.
OK. We do have to move now to big news today about another star getting a huge surge in popularity from reality TV. There she is -- Kirstie Alley.
It really seems like "Dancing with the Stars" has turned Kirstie`s flailing career in solid gold. Just last night, Kirstie escaped another round of eliminations, even after back-to-back mishaps.
Clearly she`s fan favorite. So did "Dancing with the Stars" save Kirstie Alley`s career? Ralphie, what do you think?
AVERSA: I`m going again with "Dancing with the Stars" saved the contestant. The contestant is benefiting more. Kirstie Alley, very relatable -- and Brooke, let`s face it. It`s only a matter of time now before she`s going to endorse another weight loss product.
I mean, it`s this business model that we see over and over and over. These people use exposure to sell us a product. Kirstie Alley -- she`s no dummy. She`s probably going to do the same thing.
ANDERSON: The weight loss product is "Dancing with the Stars." The action, the dancing, the rehearsing. She`s already looking great. And I think that "Dancing with the Stars" has really been fantastic for her.
She even admits it motivated her to get healthy again. I really love watching her on the show. And actually, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Kirstie and her dancing partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy and asked Kirstie if she had any good luck charms that are helping her stay in the competition. Watch what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIRSTIE ALLEY, ACTRESS AND "DANCING WITH THE STARS" CONTESTANT: You know, if there`s one thing I`m good at, it`s being tenacious and turning bad things into good things.
So I`ll just use what I do. Just go in the bathroom, cry for a really good time, scream, ask God for mercy and get back out there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes. You`ve got to just get it all out. OK. Kirstie -- you know, she said she`s just good at turning bad things into something beneficial and positive and good. Egypt, do you think "Dancing with the Stars" has helped Kirstie win over fans again?
SHERROD: I mean, she`s 60 years old. The press has dogged her for years. She has been an underdog and there`s something triumphant about watching a 60-year-old woman get out there and shake her moneymaker in spite of what the press may say.
So you know -- and she`s been water-cooler conversation episode after episode, from her dynamic opening performance to the fall heard around the world.
ANDERSON: Yes.
SHERROD: And now, the other shoe dropped. Every episode she`s giving us something to talk about around the water cooler. I`d say Kirstie Alley is saving this season.
ANDERSON: The other shoe did drop literally.
SHERROD: Yes.
ANDERSON: I am a big fan of Kirstie on the show. Hines Ward, Ralph Macchio -- the list could go on. I love it all. Egypt Sherrod, Ralphie Aversa, thanks, guys.
HAMMER: All right. Now, from saving J-Lo and Kirstie to and other big stars literally saving face. I`m talking stars without makeup revealed today. And hey, Mandy Moore, even Hayden Panettiere -- not a drop of makeup. Why in the world would they do it?
ANDERSON: Matt and Katie reunite today on "Today." Katie Couric`s surprising revelations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: There an entire chapter in the book devoted to taking risks, seeking opportunities. You have heard any good rumors lately?
KATIE COURIC, ANCHOR, "CBS EVENING NEWS": No, have you?
LAUER: You haven`t heard anything?
COURIC: No, have you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Katie and Matt about to team up on TV again? That would be huge.
HAMMER: Charlie Sheen begging for his job back today? Is Charlie getting down on his hands and knees and saying, "Please. Please hire me back on `Two and a Half Men`"? And should they do it? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Demi Lovato says her family staged an intervention before she entered rehab last fall. Rihanna says she`d love to be a judge on Simon Cowell`s "X Factor."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
RIHANNA, POP STAR (through telephone): Yes, it`s something I would have loved to do, actually. But our schedule doesn`t allow. I`m going to be on tour for the rest of the year. And you know, you actually have to kind of be around for a long time.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer is in New York. And A.J., I`ve got to tell you, I can`t wait to head to London for the royal wedding.
HAMMER: I bet you can`t, Brooke. It`s a royal wedding frenzy. Now, the big day is just 16 days away. I can tell you the excitement is building around the world. But why, oh, why is there such a fascination with the royals? Well, we have genuine royalty right here right now to answer that very question.
With me in New York, Prince Lorenzo Borghese. You might remember him from season nine of "The Bachelor." He`s also the author of this fascinating brand-new book, "The Princess of Nowhere." It`s really cool. I`m actually looking forward to reading that.
PRINCE LORENZO BORGHESE, AUTHOR, "THE PRINCESS OF NOWHERE": I love that book. I`ve actually read it twice.
HAMMER: Well, there you go.
(CROSS TALK)
Listen, Lorenzo. Prince William and Kate`s wedding is supposed to be watched, not by millions of people but by billions of people around the entire world. Give me your royal perspective on why there is this incredible fascination.
BORGHESE: I`ve been doing the math. I`ve been asking a lot of people. I first said that I believed it was because it`s very historic. Everybody likes to be part of history. It`s very symbolic. It`s a 30-year essentially wedding anniversary of Prince Charles and Diana.
The last real big story that came from the royals was Princess Diana`s death in 1997. So this is sort of the happier, sunshine rebirth of something good in the royal family.
However, the more people I ask, the more of the same answer I got. It`s because people are interested in, what is she going to wear? What is her hair going to look like? What makeup is she going to have on?
HAMMER: And you hear that from the guys, too. Or do we only hear that from the women?
BORGHESE: Well, the majority of people who watch it are going to be women. And it`s -- the number one reason is fashion. What are they wearing? They also want to know who is going to be there.
This is the Oscars on steroids. There`s going to be tons of celebrities there. It`s the biggest wedding of my lifetime and a lot of people`s lifetime.
HAMMER: Sure.
BORGHESE: So it makes it exciting, but it all comes to fashion.
HAMMER: And look, the level of scrutiny, not just for their wedding, but for the lives is really unbelievable. You know something about having the cameras following you around while you were looking for love on "The Bachelor."
Can you even imagine the attention that these guys not only are getting now but will continue to get after they`re married?
BORGHESE: Well, I just read an article about Kate and it said that Kate was wearing a navy blue jacket and a navy blue skirt. That right there tells me something.
She is already being picked on what she is wearing. So imagine every time you go out, it`s not just about who you are as a person but what you`re wearing, what you`re doing. So the amount of pressure she has, going forward -- you know, obviously, Prince Williams is used to this --
HAMMER: Right.
BORGHESE: But the amount -- it`s, you know, jumping in a very cold bath. You`re excited at first but, at times, it gets very painful.
HAMMER: Staggering. Thank you for your perspective. I really appreciate it. All right -- Prince Lorenzo Borghese. And you can check out his book. It`s called "The Princess of Nowhere," and it`s out right now.
ANDERSON: Looking good. Just 16 days and counting to the royal wedding. We`ve been getting so many amazing entries for our contest to be the official CNN royal wedding iReporter, like this one from Linsy in Pennsylvania.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LINSY HINER (ph), IREPORTER FROM PENNSYLVANIA: I`m Linsy Hiner(ph), and to show my excitement about the upcoming royal wedding, I now channel Kate.
Aren`t we all a bit captivated with Kate? I mean, this girl has style. Brilliant choice, William. We can`t wait for the details of the most epic royal event of the century.
You will not find an American who is more fascinated with the British monarchy or who knows more about the royals, period. I`m not kidding.
This picture here -- I took myself inside Kensington Palace, the potential future love nest of William and Kate. This is Princess Diana`s birth place. This is in Park House during my Diana pilgrimage to England.
This is the actual room where Diana was born. The kind woman at Park House asked, "I can show you the room where Diana was born, or if you like the room where she was conceived." Very interesting.
I also visited the hospital where William was born and Westminster Abbey, the setting of William and Kate`s nuptials.
Are we excited or what? You`ll hear the details on the car, the carriage, the festivities, the excitement in the air, the processional route, the wedding guests. Ah, here comes the Duke of Gloucester, Queen Elizabeth`s cousin. Cheers. Big smile. Even bigger fascinators.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was really cute. Thanks, Linsy. And look for the big announcement of the royal wedding iReporter very soon.
I will be right there covering the royal wedding beginning April 25th, so keep it right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and HLN for the biggest and best coverage.
HAMMER: Oy vey. Justin Bieber`s rocky trip to Israel. Why did the prime minister just cancel a meeting with the Bieb?
ANDERSON: Stars without makeup revealed today. Ann Heche, Mandy Moore, Hayden Panettiere -- not a drop of makeup. Why in the world would they do this?
HAMMER: Twenty-eight people stuck in an elevator. This can`t be fun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When those doors close, do you sometimes wonder what you would do if they didn`t reopen? Would you kick and slap them? Now, imagine there were 28 of you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I`d be kicking and slapping, too. SHOWBIZ caught-on-tape. Check out what happened when nearly 30 people got trapped. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
It`s time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: "Jersey Shore`s" Pauly D. joins Charlie Sheen on stage in Boston. SHOWBIZ first look: "Dancing" star Karina Smirnoff`s "Playboy" cover.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Lady Gaga sure isn`t shy about showing off what she was born with. And today, another singer says she can`t keep her eyes off Gaga`s assets. I`m talking about Adele.
Now, Adele is a fantastic British soul pop star. And in the new issue of "Rolling Stone" magazine, Adele says, well, she`s not the type to do the whole skimpy outfit thing. She`s totally cool with other stars who do.
She says, "I love seeing Gaga`s boobs and bum. I love seeing Katy Perry`s boobs and bum. Love it but that`s not what my music is about. I don`t make music for eyes. I make music for ears."
Brooke, moving on Ricky Gervais. He`s still standing by his controversial Golden Globes hosting gig today?
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. He is. Ricky, as you know, got a lot of flak for this. Some of his jokes were funny, but some were absolutely brutal. He slammed a whole lot of stars. And today, on "The View," HLN`s own Joy Behar went after Ricky, throwing out some of his jokes and insisting that he`s playing himself. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Referring to "Sex and the City 2", you said, "I was sure the Golden Globe would go to the team that airbrushed that poster."
RICKY GERVAIS, COMEDIAN: Yes.
BEHAR: A little sexist.
GERVAIS: No, it`s not. Why is that sexist?
BEHAR: Well, because you`re saying that the girls are older and (INAUDIBLE).
(CROSS TALK)
GERVAIS: No. No, no. I think they look great at their age. Why hide it?
BEHAR: Oh.
GERVAIS: I don`t think really there is, you know (INAUDIBLE) because you hit 53. I`m saying, why are they hiding it?
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You think when you have to explain the joke, because maybe it wasn`t told, that, you know, because people didn`t get it? Or you think --
GERVAIS: No, I`m defending my motives. It`s not the joke. I stand by the joke. I don`t think I have anything to apologize for. But that`s not the joke. I think if you`re going to criticize, you`ve got to know, understand the joke before you can.
BEHAR: OK. How about this one? Referring to the "I Love You, Phillip Morris "movie -- you said, "Two heterosexual actors pretending to be gay so the complete opposite of some famous scientologist. Wink-wink."
GERVAIS: I didn`t name them. (INAUDIBLE). No I didn`t do it. They outed people. I would never do that. I think it`s terrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brooke, I think he did a great job defending himself there.
ANDERSON: Yes. Ricky is Ricky, A.J. He knew what he was doing when he made those jokes and he`s not going to apologize for any of them. God love him.
All right. And now the SHOWBIZ lineup -- here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Matt and Katie reunite today on "Today." Are Katie and Matt about to team up on TV again?
Is Charlie Sheen begging for his old job back? Does he want back in on "Two and a Half Men"?
And Catherine Zeta Jones` health scare revealed today. Why she checked herself into a mental health facility. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
It is time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Kelsey Grammer launches reality TV production. Ashley Tisdale, Bridget Moynahan pose nude in "Allure" magazine.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- stars without makeup revealed. And Ann, Mandy, Hayden taking it all off. So why in the world did they do it?
ANDERSON: Matt Lauer and Katie Couric reunited on "Today" today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUER: There`s an entire chapter in the book devoted to taking risks, seeking opportunities. Have you heard any good rumors lately?
COURIC: No, have you?
LAUER: You haven`t heard anything?
COURIC: No, have you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Are Katie and Matt going to team up on TV again?
HAMMER: Charlie Sheen`s desperate move. Does he want his job back on "Two and a Half Men"? Does he have a shot in heck or will his bosses say, "Sorry, Charlie"?
Plus, breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker," Russell Brand rocks out. And has Lady Gaga gone under the knife?
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 -- Matt and Katie reunited. Katie Couric hopped into the guest seat on NBC`s "Today" show this morning to promote her new book, "The Best Advice I Ever Got."
But what she got was a little more than she bargained for, A.J., from her former "Today" co-host, Matt Lauer.
HAMMER: I thought it was fantastic, Brooke. She really got a grilling from Matt during a very rare return to the show she, of course, once ruled.
Now, Matt wanted to know where the heck is Katie going next after her contract is done with CBS next year. It was Katie in the hot seat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUER: There`s an entire chapter in the book devoted to taking risks, seeking opportunities. You have heard any good rumors lately?
COURIC: No, have you?
LAUER: You haven`t heard anything?
COURIC: No, have you?
LAUER: No. What are you going to do?
COURIC: I`m not sure. I`m just in the middle of figuring it out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. So the big headline today is that Katie claims she really has no idea where she`s going to next. She swears.
Let`s bring in Egypt Sherrod, who is a New York radio host and editor of "EgyptSaidSo.com."
Egypt, do you believe Katie doesn`t know yet? Or could it be that Katie is brilliantly trying to drum up some hype?
SHERROD: Well, I really thought this one out, Brooke. I don`t think she knows where she`s going. We`ve heard the insider buzz that CBS allegedly decided to get rid of her. This is not her choice.
Sometimes, when we`re in that position, we are scrambling trying to figure out our next move. So no, there`s nothing tell yet. But she`s very brilliant in how she`s manipulating the situation in her favor.
ANDERSON: She certainly is. And I agree with you, it can be very complicated. I do want to bring in Ralphie Aversa now, a syndicated radio show host.
Ralphie, what do you think? Is Katie just being coy? Or do you really think she`s got no clue what comes next?
AVERSA: Brooke, let`s not forget -- I mean, her old seat at the today show -- she could have retired in that seat. And instead, she goes and moves to a different gig. I think this time, now moving again.
She needs to be -- I`m sure she understands this -- she needs to be 110 percent sure that wherever she`s going to, she`s going to say there for the long haul. So I don`t think she knows yet either, but I`m sure she has an idea.
ANDERSON: Yes. Maybe weighing all of her options at this point. Well, it really seemed to me that Matt Lauer was skeptical. He grilled her today on the possibility that she would get her won syndicated talk show, maybe even replacing Oprah`s time slot next year. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUER: A lot of speculations surround syndication. It`s an aspect of the business we all work in. What is it about syndication that you would find appealing? And what would be the risks of syndication?
COURIC: Well, I think there are risks with everything. What might appeal to me and that`s something I`m looking into and considering is, you know, just the creative freedom to pick subjects, to really dig deep, to have a smart, intelligent conversation, and to just -- you know, I think it would be fun for me to be -- you know me, Matt.
I`m like blah -- that`s the kind person I am. So it might be nice to have a little more wiggle room for me to show my personality.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I think that`s a great idea. Egypt, I could totally see Katie with a talk show of her own. Do you see her as the possible replacement for Oprah, the next Oprah?
SHERROD: You know, we shouldn`t say "the next Oprah" because no one can fill Oprah Winfrey`s shoes.
ANDERSON: True. Very true.
SHERROD: Hopefully, the next Katie. But you know what`s funny about this, Brooke? There`s so much talk that Katie and Matt are going to get together and do a daytime talk show. You have heard about this?
ANDERSON: I have. And it`s interesting that you bring that up because --
SHERROD: It was comical watching them. Yes.
ANDERSON: there has been a whole lot of buzz about Katie and Matt teaming up together to do their own talk show. But really, Egypt, the way Matt was grilling her today, it seems like he is just as curious as the rest of us. I want you to watch something else.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUER: But when you lay in bed at night and you close your eyes and you think of a possible syndicated show, are you thinking of something that looks like "Oprah," looks like "Ellen," looks like Regis, like "The View."
COURIC: You know I`m a good dancer.
LAUER: No, seriously, I`m trying to get my arms around what you`re considering.
COURIC: I think a smart conversation about a whole host of subjects would be really fun, I think. You know, I`m obviously interested in medical and health information. I`m interested in controversial topics and social issues, I`m interested in politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: OK. Ralphie, what do you think? Is it too farfetched to think that we could see Matt and Katie reunite and do a show together?
AVERSA: Let`s see here, Brooke. Matt`s going to have to get over the fact that Sarah Palin probably won`t do the show. Katie`s going to have to get over the fact that Kanye West probably won`t do the show.
If they can both get over those facts, I think they can co-exist and be successful.
ANDERSON: They`ll be just fine. OK. Well, by the end of the interview, you guys, Matt basically told Katie, "Make up your mind already, lady!" Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUER: But as the speculation continues, the longer it goes, the more headlines in the paper, the more time being taken away and space being taken away from important things like Charlie Sheen. So this is the problem.
COURIC: That`s true. I need to give the headlines back to Charlie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oh, I love it. A.J., she says she wants to give the headlines back to Charlie Sheen, so let`s help her out.
HAMMER: I`m happy to help out. But by the way, I think they`re both playing us. I think they both know exactly what`s going on there.
Let me get to the big news breaking today about Charlie. There you go, Katie. Charlie Sheen now claiming he`s been talking to CBS and Warner Brothers. And he thinks he`s got a great chance of actually getting back on his show, "Two and a Half Men." Listen to what he told Boston Radio Sports Hub 98.5.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What percentage chance do you think you`ll be back on "Two and a Half Men"?
CHARLIE SHEEN, ACTOR: Eighty-five percent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really?
SHEEN: God, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You talk about that tonight.
SHEEN: Yes. There have been discussions, but I was asked not to divulge anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Get this -- TMZ is reporting that sources say he`s talking a bunch of bunk here. We, of course, reached out to CBS. We haven`t heard back from them as of show time. Egypt, are you buying Charlie`s story at all? I`m not, one bit.
SHERROD: He`s delusional in every sense of the word. You know, whenever we hear something coming from Charlie Sheen, we have to say, "OK. Wait a minute." Charlie said or they said, because thus far, everything we`ve heard from him, which is a big question mark at the top of our head.
I believe Charlie that has put his foot in his mouth so many times. And now, he says, "Wait a minute. I need a job. I`m not even getting my residual checks from these guys right now. I`ve got big bills to pay. Let me backtrack. I burned some bridges that I need to cross again."
HAMMER: I think Charlie does believe everything he`s saying. He believes, Ralphie, that he has an 85 percent chance of getting back on "Two and a Half Men." Do you think that is possible or is it a bunch of smack?
AVERSA: No. I actually do think it`s possible.
HAMMER: Really?
AVERSA: Because I think ratings rule at the end of the day. And even if it`s not possible, I think what Charlie Sheen is doing -- the way Charlie he is manipulating the media is very smart of him.
But yes, I mean, CBS would be stupid not to bring him back, especially at this point.
HAMMER: Well, I don`t necessarily agree that manipulating the media this way is the right move. He`s talking about the fact, as you just mentioned, Egypt, that he`s not getting these residual checks, which, quite frankly, you know, from an insider business standpoint, I don`t really understand how that can happen or that can be held back. That`s money that`s owed to him.
So do you think him getting out there and talking all this smack, as I put it, about the network is possibly the right way to smooth over their relationship?
SHERROD: Absolutely not. I mean -- well, number one, there could possibly be a morality clause that allows them to withhold his check, at least for now. Or they say, "You know, he has knocked us over in the media so much. Let`s just do something to get under his skin a little bit for now."
Charlie is going about this entirely the wrong way. Big stars, you know, in the status we consider Charlie -- they stay very private for a reason. Overexposure can hurt you.
And at this point, if we see Charlie Sheen in a movie, are we going to laugh or are we going to say, "What is he going to do next?" We might not take him seriously the next time.
HAMMER: Yes. And we`re not going to show up because we showed up for the concert. And well, we know what happened with that. All right. Egypt Sherrod, Ralphie Aversa, thank you both.
ANDERSON: Justin Bieber`s big international controversy today. Why Israel`s prime minister just put the kibosh on a meeting with Justin?
HAMMER: Glamorous stars naked today -- well, their faces are naked. Not a stitch of makeup. Ann Heche, Mandy Moore, Hayden Panettiere. The pictures you just have to see, coming up next.
ANDERSON: Elevator emergency. What if the unthinkable happened and it was all caught on tape?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: When those doors close, do you sometimes wonder what you would do if they didn`t reopen? Would you kick and slap them? Now, imagine there were 28 of you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: No food, no bathroom. You`ve got to see what happens when 28 people get trapped in an elevator and how it turned them into stars. 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: Jane Curtain says John Belushi sabotage work by women on early "SNL" show. SHOWBIZ first look -- season three of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kill each other in your on homes, not in my house.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) goddamn thing anybody does. Nothing. Your family. Fix it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Want to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) with me? I`ll (EXPLETIVE DELETED) you back, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What happened?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Catherine`s health crisis revealed today. Catherine Zeta Jones has been by her husband, Michael Douglas` side as he fights throat cancer. But she had been suffering with issues of her own, bipolar disorder.
Here`s what a rep just told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "After dealing with the stress of the past year, Catherine made the decision to check into a mental health facility for a brief stay to treat her bipolar 2 disorder. She`s feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on her two upcoming films."
Wow, we wish both of them the best. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer in New York with big Oprah Winfrey news today.
HAMMER: Yes. Oprah and the Obamas to be exact, Brooke. The president and first lady returned home to Chicago for a very special visit. Justin Bieber`s visit to Israel hits a few road bumps. And Kirstie Alley is actually grateful for her dancing wardrobe malfunction. All that making news in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sugar Ray and Anna.
HAMMER: Sugar Ray knocked out. Sugar Ray Leonard just got dumped from "Dancing with the Stars." But Kirstie Alley got a major save by viewers, despite her disastrous dancing shoe-tastrophe. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there backstage where Kirstie told us how relieved she was to sweep by her plans for making it through another week.
ALLEY: If there`s one thing I`m good at, it`s being tenacious and turning bad things into good things. So I`ll just do what I do, just go in the bathroom, cry for a really long time, scream, ask God for mercy and get back out there.
Oprah`s Obamas reunion. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed that the first couple will be among Oprah`s final guests as she calls it is quits on her show.
An Oprah spokesperson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "The president and first lady will sit down with Oprah April 27th. That taped show will air May 2nd. The last episode of Oprah`s daily show will air May 25th."
Bieber`s diplomatic diss. Justin Bieber has just incensed the prime minister of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly blew off the Biebs and canceled a meeting with him because Bieber didn`t meet some of the country`s children who have survived a recent rocket attack.
TMZ reports Bieber is blaming his schedule for being unable to meet the kids. The reps said, quote, "Despite some logistical challenges, Justin is enjoying his first trip to Israel." Bieber is in Tel Aviv for a concert this week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I hope you`re prepared, because now, stars without makeup. And no, I`m not talking about stars who were ambushed by the paparazzi. They actually volunteered to be photographed without makeup for "People" magazine`s most beautiful stars issue that was just revealed today.
It has Jennifer Lopez right there on the cover. "People" has named her the most beautiful woman in the world. But while J-Lo certainly had on plenty of makeup for her "People" magazine shoot, a lot of other stars did not.
And also, inside that blockbuster issue, the stars who are revealing all -- 10 big stars from Ann Heche, to Mandy Moore taking off all of their makeup for the world to see their amazing natural beauty.
With me in New York is Julie Jordan who is a senior writer for "People" magazine.
I think it is great that these stars are so comfortable to take of all of their makeup, show everybody in the entire world how beautiful they are with nothing on.
But Julie, you`ve got to admit, kind of risky in some sense. I mean, you have Ann Heche. She`s 41 years old. Not that you can`t be beautiful without makeup at 41. But not a stitch of makeup on, perhaps save a little lip balm. Was she uncomfortable doing this?
JULIE JORDAN, SENIOR WRITER, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: No. And you`ve got to remember we`re asking these women to come in and basically pose for millions of people without makeup on.
HAMMER: Yes.
JORDAN: So there`s a comfort zone already in place. You know, if a woman is not comfortable without makeup, she`s not going to do this shoot. So these women are very comfortable without makeup.
They`re gorgeous, like Ann Heche. You know, her boyfriend takes pictures of her every morning. And she said they`re some of her prized photos because that`s just who she is.
And if they`re not working, a lot of them don`t like wearing makeup because they wear so much, you know, while they`re working and it calls for it. They`re stunning. They`re beautiful.
HAMMER: Well, you know who is stunning? Hayden Panettiere. In this issue, she dared to bare all without makeup. Now, Hayden is 21 years old. So she has an age advantage there perhaps over her older colleagues.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there with her at the premiere of the "Scream 4" movie this week. And we saw her face to face. She looked amazing. She had makeup on when we were with her. But is she just naturally flawless? Because it certainly appears that way in these pictures.
JORDAN: Yes. Well, you know, she started acting when she was 4. So she`s been wearing makeup a long time and she loves it, but she doesn`t need it.
When we said "flawless" -- truly. There are no wrinkles. There are no imperfections. And it`s natural for her to want to pose without makeup and to be without makeup most of the time.
HAMMER: What a beautiful young woman.
JORDAN: Yes. You know, no one is going to argue that she`s not deserving to be in this issue.
HAMMER: All right. I want to take a look now at Lucy Hale and Maggie Q. Let`s put those up. Two other TV stars without makeup in the new issue of "People" revealed today.
These days -- you know, you look at pictures and it`s been this way for a while. Celebrity photos airbrushed. But people are obsessed with seeing anti-glam picks like this. What is the fascination?
Are people just sick and tired of looking at all of those perfect shots in the magazines? Because certainly, people love this stuff. Whenever you put out this issue or these types of pictures, you sell a lot of copies.
JORDAN: Sure.
HAMMER: People want to open them up and see them.
JORDAN: But I think there`s a difference between, like, say, tabloids that show, like, stars without makeup, you know. And they want it to be shocking and dramatic.
HAMMER: Right. Those are the paparazzi. These are beautifully shot, composed photos.
JORDAN: (INAUDIBLE). But I mean, it`s -- I think they want to just see that these celebrities are real. This is what they look like when they wake up in the morning, you know.
HAMMER: Yes.
JORDAN: There`s no denying it. When they get out of bed -- I mean, maybe they`re a little tired, hair disheveled. But beyond that, this is the face that they live with their entire lives. So it`s nice to see them that way not behind the smoke and mirrors.
HAMMER: I want to very quickly put up this picture of Dana Delaney who looks terrific. She`s now -- first of all, I didn`t even realize that she`s 55 years old.
JORDAN: Fifty-five --
HAMMER: And so she was in her 30s when she was first hitting it big. Very quickly, how does she do it?
JORDAN: She hasn`t changed. She`s amazing, you know.
HAMMER: I believe you.
JORDAN: It`s all about her attitude, that`s what she says. She`s not married. She doesn`t have kids, so she just kind of lives her life. She takes really good care of herself. Yoga.
HAMMER: She`s very relaxed.
JORDAN: She`s one with the universe and she`s gorgeous.
HAMMER: Thanks, Julie. For this special issue of "People" magazine, check out your newsstands on Friday and grab it.
ANDERSON: OK. Most of us ride elevators every day, right? Several times a day, even. But what if the unthinkable happened and it was all caught on tape?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: When those doors close, do you sometimes wonder what you would do if they didn`t reopen? Would you kick and slap them? Now, imagine there were 28 of you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You have to see what happens when 28 people face that very dilemma and how it turned them into stars. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: It is time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Russell Brand to star in "Rock of Ages" with Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin. Lady Gaga says she has never had plastic surgery.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Right now, an unbelievable SHOWBIZ caught on tape. Twenty-eight strangers trapped in an elevator below ground for more than an hour. No food, no water, no bathroom. No, it`s not the plot for a new reality show. It really happened and it was all caught on tape.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When those doors close, do you sometimes wonder what you would do if they didn`t reopen? Would you kick and slap them, would you beat on them and bang against them, scream for help into the intercom and push some more? Now, imagine there were 28 of you. Coughing uncomfortably, trying to kill time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, what`s your favorite song?
MOOS: No, this wasn`t some Manhattan skyscraper. It was underground at the 181st Street subway station, a station so deep they need elevators, elevators with the reputation for breaking down.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We try to talk but we were very scared.
MOOS: And very hot. The video was shot by Isabel Demarco, an Italian who came to New York two weeks ago to study English. It was the English of a fireman she heard about an hour after getting stuck.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey listen, I`m going to come in with you guys.
MOOS: Dangling legs more welcome than a shapely rockette, the voice comforting a little girl who`s face we`ve obscured. She had had a panic attack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sweetie, it`s all right. It`s OK. We`re here. You`ll be OK. Five more minutes. You and your mom will be the first to leave. Anybody else? I need the young and the old.
MOOS: An hour and a half is bad, but that`s nothing compared to the time spent, almost two days stuck in an elevator with nothing to eat but a pack of Rolaids and no water.
Thirty-four-year-old Nicholas White was working late at his Manhattan office when he took the elevator up from a smoking break and got stuck. It was 11:00 on Friday night. He wasn`t rescued until 4:00 p.m. Sunday.
He reportedly got a six-figure settlement from the building and David Letterman parodied his video. But at least, elevators don`t discriminate. Even pop stars like the Jonas Brothers get stuck in them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is like my worst nightmare.
MOOS: They got trapped after a concert. It took more than a half an hour to get them out.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
But sometimes, the call of nature comes before the rescuers. Nicholas White pried open the doors and relieved himself down the elevator shaft. As for that little girl, despite her dance of desperation -- oh, yes she could and did. But whatever you do, learn from letterman.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Press the button, idiot.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. 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 don`t forget, we`re still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.
END
