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Showbiz Tonight
Outrage and Support for Catherine Zeta-Jones; Kobe Bryant Outrage Over Homophobic Slur; Donald Trump`s Big Presidential Announcement; Sean Penn and Scarlett Johansson Living Together?
Aired April 14, 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 -- outrage and support for Catherine Zeta-Jones after her revelation she has a mental illness. Was she forced to go public?
Did Michael Douglas` cancer play a role in her battle? HLN`s Dr. Drew is right here with the answers to the difficult questions.
Kobe Bryant outrage today. Kobe caught on camera making an outrageous gay slur. Why his apology may not be enough.
Donald Trump`s big presidential announcement. The Donald reveals today when he`ll say whether he`s in or out. The SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -- is this just a ridiculous big publicity stunt?
The odd couple. Are 26-year-old Scarlett Johansson and 50-year-old Sean Penn living together? The great debate today -- is this the oddest Hollywood couple ever?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
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Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, coming to you from New York City. We`ve got big news breaking today -- outrage and sympathy for Catherine Zeta-Jones.
One day after Catherine shocked everyone by revealing she checked herself into a mental health facility, there was plenty of outrage today over why she may have gone public.
Catherine`s hand may have been forced by the fact that the "National Enquirer" broke the story of her battle with bipolar II disorder. In just a moment, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is breaking news from the "National Enquirer" about why they decided do it.
But today there is also plenty of sympathy for Catherine and the news that her condition may have been triggered in part by the stress of dealing with husband Michael Douglas` battle with cancer.
HLN`s Dr. Drew is going to join me in just a moment to tell us how serious this all might be. But first, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the inside story of a star`s extraordinary public revelation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) A superstar couple that`s already dealt with so much pain is dealing with even more.
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: In fact, now, at 8:08, a brief stay at a mental health facility for Catherine Zeta-Jones.
HAMMER: Today, the morning news shows breathlessly reported the shocking news that Oscar winner, Catherine Zeta-Jones, wife of Oscar winner Michael Douglas, recently checked into a mental hospital to treat bipolar disorder.
In a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, her rep says, quote, "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 II disorder."
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Catherine Zeta-Jones has obviously been dealing with a lot of stress over the past year specifically because of her husband Michael Douglas dealing with being diagnosed with stage IV throat cancer.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you along with sympathy for Zeta-Jones, there`s outrage aimed at the "National Enquirer" for once again breaking news of a star`s private health woes.
HYLA, RADIO HOST, "THE HOLLYWOOD 5 COUNTDOWN": The "National Enquirer" absolutely crossed the line here. This is just nasty.
HAMMER: And in a newsmaker interview today with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the "National Enquirer`s" executive editor is defending his paper.
BARRY LEVINE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "NATIONAL ENQUIRER": We felt that that information was true and accurate and that the public had a right to know.
HAMMER: The "National Enquirer" broke the shocking story that Catherine Zeta-Jones spent most of last week at Connecticut`s Silver Hill Hospital, a $1,000-a-night facility that specializes in psychiatric disorders and substance abuse.
LEVINE: We were able to, fortunately, develop source, multiple sources, who told us that Catherine was admitted to the hospital on April 6.
HAMMER: The "Enquirer" did not specify exactly what the actress was being treated for. But just hours after the "Enquirer" story hit, Zeta-Jones announced she received treatment for bipolar II disorder. She did not say where she got treatment and she didn`t address any of the other details in the "Enquirer" article.
SERAFIN: I think a lot of times celebrities do come forward to talk about their condition, talk about their health issues because they want to get ahead of the story.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you if the "Enquirer" spilled the beans on this major star`s private health matters, it wouldn`t be the first time. In 2007, the tabloid broke news that Farrah Fawcett`s cancer had returned.
FARRAH FAWCETT, ACTRESS: I knew that if it came out, it was coming from UCLA.
HAMMER: One of the last interviews before her death in 2009 aired on the documentary, "Farrah`s Story." In it, story, Fawcett accused the "Enquirer" of buying private details about her health from the hospital that treated her.
FAWCETT: It`s like buying stolen goods.
HAMMER: No one knows if the "Enquirer`s" source on Zeta-Jones` story came from the hospital that treated her or from someone in her inner circle.
HYLA: They have a track record of getting information that really shouldn`t be public knowledge.
HAMMER: But radio host Hyla tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the "Enquirer" definitely crossed the line again.
HYLA: This is a complete private matter. This is really none of our business.
LEVINE: Of course, we did not force her to comment. She could have issued a no-comment.
HAMMER: "Enquirer" executive editor, Barry Levine, doesn`t buy criticism that the story forces Zeta-Jones to go public with her illness. And he tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Zeta-Jones and Douglas` openness about his cancer battle and the possibility that it contributed to her mental health issues makes her treatment fair game.
LEVINE: It was certainly a major celebrity story and, sadly, this is the aftermath.
HAMMER: Whether she intended to tell the public or not, Catherine Zeta- Jones`s battle with bipolar disorder is out there. And some are saying there`s a bright side.
SERAFIN: People are saying she`s shedding light on. She`s maybe taking the stigma away from bipolar disorder. So there`s a lot of people that are saying this was so great that she came forward.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It just bums me out that Catherine Zeta-Jones may have been forced to come forward with her battle. I think she`s very brave for doing so. But wow, to have to be forced into that.
With me right now from Hollywood, Dr. Drew Pinsky, the host, of course, of HLN`s "Dr. Drew" at 9:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN.
So Dr. Drew, help us understand exactly how serious this is for Catherine Zeta-Jones. We`re told what she`s suffering from is called bipolar II disorder. What exactly does that mean?
DR. DREW PINSKY, HOST, "DR. DREW" ON HLN: Bipolar disorder is an unstable mood. It`s a genetic, biological disorder. And it`s marked by periods of depression, and in the case of bipolar II, at least within episode of something called hypomania, an ability to have sort of an inflated sense of themselves.
They don`t need sleep. They can be very irritable. And actually, it can be somewhat of a dangerous condition -- but at least one of those episodes and depression.
In her case, it probably is something that`s been troubling her for a long time. It rarely comes on in mid-life, but it may go undiagnosed for long periods of time. It usually comes on in people`s 20s.
They struggle with it throughout their life. And people with bipolar II can live very, very normal lives without any serious consequences.
HAMMER: And she certainly had a lot of stresses to deal with over the last year. And Catherine revealed that she checked herself into that mental health facility as a result of all those stresses, including, of course, her husband Michael Douglas` life threatening battle with cancer.
Dr. Drew, is that a pretty common trigger for what she says she suffers from?
PINSKY: You know, I think the way to think of it is that people with bipolar disorder have delicate moods or delicate chemistry, so things can send them off balance.
So whether it is something as simple as not having a proper structure in their day or not sleeping enough, or eating incorrectly, or drinking -- even if they`re not alcoholics, if they`re drinking more than usual, smoking cigarettes more than usual.
And obviously, mounting psychological stressors can all contribute to set somebody off into trouble and to need what we call kind of a tune-up, to go into the hospital and get their medication adjusted.
HAMMER: And now, it seems to me she has even more stress to deal with. I`ve got to tell you, I`m pretty livid that Catherine may have been forced to go public with this because the "National Enquirer" was going to break the story.
If she had planned to keep it private, it seems it me that the pressure of now having to deal with this publicly could actually now add to the stress, Dr. Drew.
PINSKY: You know, A.J. --
HAMMER: I mean, could this actually make it more difficult for her to recover quickly?
PINSKY: Of course. I mean, I have two conflicting sorts of feelings about this. On one hand, she is categorically entitled for confidential health care for her physical and mental health if that`s what she needs to maintain. If we are saying that she has to feel shame or in any way outed by this, that`s just awful.
HAMMER: Yes.
PINSKY: On the other hand -- on the other hand, I think she needs to be commended because there are millions of people who are going to be helped by her saying, "Look, I have a medical condition. It happens to affect my brain. I take medicine. I`m normal."
"It`s no different than if I had a heart condition. I get a tune-up just like a diabetic would need a tune-up when they need their insulin adjusted. It`s no different and we don`t need to have shame attached to this thing." It really could help millions of people.
HAMMER: Yes. I absolutely agree with that. You know, it does come with the territory of being a megastar, an A-lister like she is, like Michael Douglas is. In fact, it seems at times like there`s a bounty on their heads from the tabloids.
In fact, when Michael declared on the "Today" show that he was cancer free back in January, he talked about how he feels like a hunted dog. Let`s look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL DOUGLAS, ACTOR: The amount of paparazzi that they have and these video cameras -- you know, you just can`t do anything. And I resent the amount of imposition on our children, too, because it used to be at least they would try to keep them out of that, and they don`t at all.
But they were having -- there was sort of a macabre enjoyment out of sort of watching me go down there for a while, I felt, by the paparazzi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And Dr. Drew, now that it`s out there, I do imagine Catherine will address it at some point. And obviously, it`s good for other people. Will it be good for her to speak about this?
PINSKY: Yes. You sort of posed that question to me already. And I don`t really know, unfortunately, A.J. I hope it doesn`t adversely affect her. I hope she is not shamed by it.
Not only would it make me angry as it angers you that her private, private health care should be made public, but that she should be made to feel bad for it.
HAMMER: Yes.
PINSKY: That`s unconscionable. And this is interesting, though. Michael Douglas is a guy that`s been Hollywood his entire life. And he has, firsthand, witnessed this evolution into the tabloid mentality, and it`s not so pretty.
HAMMER: Not pretty at all. Well, Dr. Drew, I appreciate your very special insight. Thanks so much.
Moving on now to Donald Trump`s big presidential announcement. The Donald reveals today when he`ll say he`s in or he`s out. The SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -- is this just a big old ridiculous publicity stunt? There`s no way this guy is running.
Kobe Bryant outraged today. The L.A. Lakers star caught on camera making an outrageous gay slur. Now, he`s apologized, but will his apology be enough?
The new odd couple? Are 26-year-old Scarlett Johansson and 50-year- old Sean Penn living together? The great debate today -- is this the oddest Hollywood couple ever? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Here comes the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Warner Bros. denies talking to Charlie Sheen about returning to "Two and a Half Men." Rebecca Black`s "Friday" to appear on upcoming episode of "Glee."
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UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I don`t know why you`re doing this to me. I mean, I`m hanging on by a thread here.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: This is not about you, Mom.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: The hell it isn`t.
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HAMMER: Just in today, shocking news for Susan Lucci and the rest of the cast of "All My Children" and the crew, too. The long-running ABC soap has been cancelled. "One Life to Live" has been cancelled as well.
"AMC" is going to end this September. "One Life" says goodbye in January. The guys are very upset here. ABC is replacing them about two shows about food and lifestyle transformations. And for all of you, "General Hospital" fans out there, "GH" has not been cancelled, but, wow, the end of an era.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And today, Kobe Bryant`s personal foul. Now, Kobe is arguably one of the biggest sports stars on the planet. Today, he is getting slammed big time for a game-time outburst that set off coast-to-coast outrage.
Kobe was caught on camera shouting a homophobic slur at an official during the NBA game. Now, he`s saying he didn`t mean it. Is that enough? Come on.
Joining me right now is Jane Velez-Mitchell, host, of course, of HLN`s "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL." She`s the author of the fine book called "Addict Nation: An Intervention for America."
Now, the whole drama started on Tuesday night during a Lakers game. Kobe was less than happy when the refs called during the game, so he let loose. Bryant was slapped with a $100,000 fine for what the NBA called "offensive and inexcusable comments."
And just yesterday, Kobe went on ESPN radio to try to explain his outburst. Here`s what he said.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KOBE BRYANT, BASKETBALL STAR, L.A. LAKERS: It`s frustration. It`s pure frustration. I think, you know, when you`re in an emotional game and heat of the moment, you have outbursts and you say things. It doesn`t mean you mean what you say.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. The heat of the moment. Jane, that, to me, in no way justifies at all what he said and that word that he used.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": That was a lame excuse. We`re talking about hate speech here, A.J. The word he used is right up there with the N-word.
Would he think that is OK in the heat of the moment when you`re frustrated? Of course not. And this homophobic slur is used quite often in bullying and gay-bashing.
And we all know -- you have to be living under rock not to know that this kind of bullying using this word has not only resulted in kids becoming depressed, but in some cases it has contributed to kids trying to kill themselves or even killing themselves.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, everybody should be shaking their head in disgust with this guy. Now, Kobe`s not only catching heat about what he said, but also how he handled the controversy.
He issued a statement that said in part, "The words expressed do not reflect my feelings toward the gay and lesbian communities and were not meant to offend anyone." I think a statement like that is so weak it makes him look even more foolish.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: He`s had to apologize now repeatedly because he didn`t get it right the first time. He should have immediately said, "I am sorry. I made a terrible mistake. This is a bad word. I should not have used it. I do not want kids to use it."
He has to realize he`s a role model. When he says something, he makes it cool. And I think, honestly, this is much bigger than just Kobe. I think this is a sports-wide problem.
HAMMER: There`s no question.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And I really think they should go to all these locker rooms and educate the players about why not to use that word.
HAMMER: Yes. Shame on him. All right. Jane Velez-Mitchell, always lovely to see you. Feel better, Jane. You have a little cough going on there.
All right. A lot of calls coming into our "Showbiz on Call" phone calls today all about Jennifer Lopez. Has "American Idol" saved her career, or has J-Lo saved "American Idol"? Now, Laura from Georgia thinks that "Idol" should be thanking J-Lo.
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LAURA, CALLER FROM GEORGIA: I think J-Lo is a force to be reckoned with and I`ve always loved her. I wish she would get a really good script and be in a fantastic (UNINTELLIGIBLE) musical. She gets more beautiful with age and knowledge.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Laura. We also heard from Karen calling into "Showbiz on Call" from California who says someone else has saved "Idol."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KAREN, CALLER FROM CALIFORNIA: Jennifer Lopez didn`t save "American Idol." Steven Tyler did. You`ve got the wrong one.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Go ahead. Let out a scream, Jay.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
HAMMER: Jay`s very excited. Thanks, Karen. All right. Moving on, you know, I`m surprised that Donald Trump hasn`t come out and said he saved "American Idol." He always has something to say about himself and what he`s accomplished.
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DONALD TRUMP, BUSINESS TYCOON: Part of the beauty of me is that I`m very rich.
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Seems like almost every day he`s got something to say that we can`t resist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you vote for one of them?
TRUMP: Oh, don`t ask a stupid question like that. That`s silly. Just go ahead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Coming up, Trump`s top moments revealed. Plus, Donald Trump`s big presidential announcement. The Donald reveals today when he`ll say if he`s in or he`s out.
Did Lady Gaga have work done? Well, today, she sets the record straight. Has Gaga gotten plastic surgery?
Courteney, David and Howard? Yes, for the very first time Courteney Cox and David Arquette reveal their marriage and split secrets to Howard Stern.
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COURTENEY COX, ACTRESS: In our marriage I feel like he rebelled against me a lot. I would say things and he`d be like, "Courteney, you know, come on! I`ll do it my way!"
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HAMMER: Will these two get back together? 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: Sally Field to play Abraham Lincoln`s wife in Steven Spielberg movie. Katy Perry`s "E.T." featuring Kanye West tops Billboard singles chart again.
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HAMMER: Was Shakira robbed right in the middle of her concert? I`ll tell you Shakira`s hips don`t lie, and usually, neither do cameras.
Now, watch as someone shakes hands with Shakira. There have been a lot of reports today that somebody actually pulled off one of her rings during a concert in Mexico while doing the handshaking.
But the SHOWBIZ truth squad checked this out. TMZ says no one swiped a thing, but it seemed Shakira did check to make sure her rings were all in place after that handshake.
And now, your very first look at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s summer blockbusters. We`re teaming up with "Entertainment Weekly" for a preview of the movies that will definitely be heating up your summer like "Thor."
This is an action packed thriller all about the legendary Thor who saves the earth and he swings a mighty hammer while he`s doing it. Our very own Brooke Anderson sat down with "Thor" star, Chris Hemsworth. There`s been a lot of buzz about how Chris really worked out for this film, which kind of made Brooke blush. Watch this.
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BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: When I watched the trailer, I felt, "Whoa, that guy is so big and muscular." And in person, you are very impressive. You are. You are. I will say that.
You are very -- you`re cut, you`re sleek. I`m not hitting on you, I promise. But how have you changed your routine since the film?
CHRIS HEMSWORTH, ACTOR: I`m on the way back up. I didn`t eat nearly as much as did when I shot the film, so I dropped weight. And the first thing I thought when I picked up the comic book is, "This guy is huge and I`ll never get that big."
We -- you know, obviously, I`m not going to say that wasn`t the aim but it was -- you know, you want to have some sort of representation of, you know, what we saw in the books.
ANDERSON: I think you hit the mark.
HEMSWORTH: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Let me ask you this. What was your training regimen like to become Thor?
HEMSWORTH: It was a good six, seven days a week of good old-fashioned body-building, lifting heavy weights.
ANDERSON: I`m sure you had to be very dedicated and very, you know, focused --
HEMSWORTH: Yes. Sure.
ANDERSON: To get to the point where you wanted to be.
HEMSWORTH: It became a bit of an obsession at times. You know, I`d be weighing myself and thinking, "I`m not big enough. I`m not big enough." Or more, more." And then we tipped the scale in one direction and to pull it back again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brooke was like a school girl there. Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup -- here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
A 26-year-old Scarlett Johansson and 50-year-old Sean Penn living together? Is this the oddest Hollywood couple ever?
Donald Trump`s big presidential announcement about his announcement. Donald reveals today when he`ll say if he`s in or he`s out.
A "Glee" romance shocker? One of the stars of the show sets the record straight today. Is she in a relationship with her female co-star? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
This is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Nick Cannon to host his first-ever stand-up comedy special on Showtime May 14th. Bruno Mars debuts new video for "The Lazy Song."
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HAMMER: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- Donald Trump`s big announcement today -- when he`ll reveal if he`s running for president. The SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -- is this all just one big publicity stunt? Plus, Trump`s top TV moments --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Part of the beauty of me is that I`m very rich.
MOOS: It seems like almost every day, he`s got something to say that we can`t resist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you vote for one of them?
TRUMP: Oh, don`t ask a stupid question. I think it`s silly. Just go ahead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Donald Trump`s toughest TV smackdowns today. Scarlett Johansson and Sean Penn shacking up? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is this the oddest star couple ever?
Courteney Cox and David Arquette airing their dirty laundry live on the radio today with Howard Stern.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
COX: In our marriage, I feel like he rebelled against me a lot. I would say things, he`s like, "Courteney, you know, come on! I`ll do it my way!"
HAMMER: Could Courteney and David`s public therapy sessions save them? Plus, breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- Uncle Sam`s big pay day from Ozzy Osbourne. And a big news day for Rihanna, Eminem and Lady Gaga.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City. We`ve got big news breaking today -- Trump`s stunt?
Everyone`s asking today is Trump`s blabbing about maybe running for president really just a great big publicity stunt? Now, personally, I`ve always thought so. I`ve made no bones about that.
But today, Trump gave me an even better reason to think so, breaking news to CNN that he`ll announce his decision -- get this -- on the season finale of his hit NBC show, "Celebrity Apprentice."
Oh, yes. But he swears to his critics he`s not doing this for the publicity. So my big question today is, are you buying it?
Joining me right now from Hollywood, Rachel Zalis, who is a contributing editor for "Life and Style Weekly." And with me, in New York, Selita Ebanks, who is a former contestant on Trump`s "Celebrity Apprentice." Selita is also a model, a fine actress. And she`s co- starring with Sean Combs in a must-see episode of "Hawaii 5-0." Make sure you catch it Monday night on CBS.
So Donald Trump is insisting that it`s nonsense to suggest that he`s making noise about running for president just to pump up his reality show, "Celebrity Apprentice." But watch what he just told Piers Morgan on CNN`s "Piers Morgan Tonight." Roll it, Charles.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TRUMP (through telephone): A lot of people thought did it for the "Celebrity Apprentice" ratings. So I think can you attest -- being a great champion, I think you can attest to the fact that the ratings are through the roof.
It is the number one show on NBC and I don`t have to do this in order to get ratings for "Celebrity Apprentice." It does great. So that was one, you know, theory people were putting out and it`s nonsense.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Rachel, to you first, are you buying his story at all? It seems really fishy to me that Trump is using "Celebrity Apprentice" to announce whether or not he`s running. Of course, that`s going to drive huge ratings to the show. How is that not a PR stunt?
RACHEL ZALIS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": I mean, A.J., didn`t you realize that this edition of "Celebrity Apprentice" is to actually find his vice presidential candidate. So the winner -- I mean, it could be Star. It could be NeNe, right?
HAMMER: Save us all, please.
ZALIS: Come on.
HAMMER: I want to go to somebody with a little "Celebrity Apprentice" experience. Selita, you had the pleasure, I suppose, of appearing with Donald Trump on that show. You got to know him a little bit.
So as somebody who had a sense of the man when the cameras weren`t rolling, what do you think? A huge publicity stunt? I mean, come on.
SELITA EBANKS, MODEL/ACTRESS AND FORMER "CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" CONTESTANT: Well, you know what? Donald Trump is an amazing businessman. And I think this is what it is.
You know, he`s right. "Celebrity Apprentice" does have amazing ratings, so maybe this is -- maybe we should switch the platform. And maybe he needs these viewers so that he can have a platform for his candidacy. I don`t know. Maybe? No?
HAMMER: I don`t know. I mean, it has huge ratings -- but it has huge ratings because, quite frankly, he`s such a blowhard about so many things that get so much attention for it.
EBANKS: Yes.
HAMMER: It`s also a terrific show. I take nothing away from the show, but don`t do it on the show is what I`m saying.
EBANKS: No. Absolutely. I think, as a politician, you should always separate the two. I don`t think America will -- we will not take him seriously if this is where it going to happen.
HAMMER: Yes. And the next big question today then is this -- if Trump isn`t running for president for the publicity, why is he running if he runs? Well, he tells CNN`s Piers Morgan is because he`s a change maker.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TRUMP: Piers, you know better than anybody that Donald Trump is a ratings machine. I don`t know if that`s good or bad, but it true. And I know the reporters are very happy if I get into the race. And I will be making a decision not based on any other fact other than I hate what`s happening to this country. So I will make that decision sometime prior to June.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. As we learned today, that date will be May 22nd on the season finale of "Celebrity Apprentice." Oh, and I can guarantee you it`s going to be at the very end of the show, of course.
Rachel, whether it for publicity or not, wouldn`t you agree with me that announcing your presidential intentions on a reality show is just in poor taste? I mean, he`s losing my vote on that alone.
ZALIS: Oh, come on, it`s the Donald. I mean, who else is going to march into Libya and say, "Qaddafi, you`re fired!" That`s what he`s going to do. He`s amazing. I love this guy.
No, seriously, come on. It`s obviously a huge publicity stunt. The reason he`s not announcing it right now is because he wants to draw publicity to the finale, of course.
HAMMER: And Selita, very quickly, I mean, doesn`t it really make a mockery of the whole thing? We`re talking about the highest office in the land.
EBANKS: Absolutely. I mean, have you seen "Celebrity Apprentice," especially this season?
HAMMER: Yes.
EBANKS: There`s nothing serious about this show. It pure fun and it just crazy that he wants to, you know, announce it at the finale. I don`t think anyone that is really into politics will be watching "Celebrity Apprentice" finale.
HAMMER: I just think that if he as any credibility going into this, it`s going to be shot. But I think Gary Busey as the running mate is actually a good idea. Selita Ebanks, Rachel Zalis, thanks. Make sure you check out Selita Ebanks with Sean Diddy Combs on the next episode of "Hawaii 5-0" this Monday on CBS.
So Donald Trump made "you`re fired" an instant catchphrase. But you know, that`s, of course, only one zinger from Trump`s arsenal about radio`s one-liners.
And Trump doesn`t discriminate. From top journalists to TV personalities, Trump`s tart tongue can be a deadly weapon.
Here now, CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the top Trump moments.
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(voice-over) For we, the media, Donald Trump is money in the bank. He`s been going through the motions of running for president for only a few weeks and, already, our cup runneth over with Trumpisms.
TRUMP: Part of the beauty of me is that I`m very rich.
MOOS: Seems like almost every day --
TRUMP: Our weak president that kisses everybody`s ass --
MOOS: He`s got something to say that we can`t resist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you vote for one of them?
TRUMP: Oh, are doesn`t ask a stupid question like that. That`s silly. Just go ahead.
MOOS: So we`ll go ahead with our top Trump moments, starting at the intersection of politics and obstetrics.
TRUMP: I want him to show his birth certificate. I want him to show his birth certificate.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Why?
TRUMP: There`s something on that birth certificate that he doesn`t like.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.
MOOS: The White House advisor`s response?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s kind of sideshow behavior. I think it`s a sideshow.
(on camera) The "New York Daily News" reported that with this, the famous clown cover calling Trump "Sideshow Don."
(voice-over) He even bragged about charging Muammar Qaddafi an arm and a leg for land on which to pitch his tent.
TRUMP: I don`t want to use the word "screw," but I screwed him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A president who is not afraid to tell the truth about being a lying (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Trump 2012!
MOOS: But Trump`s also got a sense of humor.
TRUMP: You know, you`re really beautiful.
MOOS: Unafraid to nuzzle Rudy Giuliani in drag for laughs at a dinner roast 11 years ago.
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: Oh, you dirty boy. Oh, oh.
MOOS: Just as entertaining as what Trump`s been saying is what he`s been scribbling. When he had issues with the "Vanity Fair" blog post about him, he sent it to the editor plastered with handwritten comments like "bad writer," "bad picture," no surprise.
When the article called him "tiresome," he wrote, "Tell that to the crowd. See ratings and polls." But it isn`t just what Trump says. Some of our favorite moments are people responding to the Donald.
GOLDBERG: That`s the biggest pile of dog mess I`ve heard in ages.
JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": His mother was American, (EXPLETIVE DELETED) wad.
BILL COSBY, ACTOR: The only thing that is running is his mouth.
MOOS: What America`s cartoonists can`t resist is running their fingers through Trump`s hair. What could be more of a rush? In a Mike Luckovich cartoon, "97 percent question whether your hair was born in this country."
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HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And by the way, if you want Trump`s hair and I know you do, well, "Time" magazine has a hilarious how-to guide on its Web site, "Time.com." I know the traffic is flooding there right now.
All right. So you can`t wrap your mind around Trump 2012? How about this -- 26-year-old Scarlett Johansson and 50-year-old Sean Penn living together? What do you think? A good match? Are Scarlett and Sean really the oddest couple in Hollywood?
Lady Gaga`s plastic surgery. Whispers today that Gaga had gone under the knife. Her face suddenly looks very different. So what is the deal here? Lady Gaga setting the record straight.
Courteney Cox and David Arquette`s very public marriage counseling session with Howard Stern. Courteney and David airing their dirty laundry for everyone to hear.
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COX: In our marriage, I feel like he rebelled against me a lot. I would say things, he`d go, "Courtney, you know, come on! I`ll do it my way!"
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HAMMER: You won`t believe your ears. That`s next. 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: Ozzy Osbourne pays off $1.7 million tax debt. Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore talk about keeping romance alive.
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PIERS MORGAN, HOST, "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT": Is he romantic?
DEMI MOORE, ACTRESS: I would think so.
MORGAN: Does he ruggedly put you over his shoulder (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(CROSS TALK)
MOORE: I would say he`s a little of both. I would say the -- you know, the type of romantic -- if you go to our house I have Post-It notes that are placed in various locations all with messages of encouragement or love or just thoughts. And some have been there, I don`t know, seven years.
MORGAN: Really?
ASHTON KUTCHER, ACTOR: Post-It notes are much cheaper than diamonds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And now, meet the new odd couple. "Us Weekly" is reporting today that Scarlett Johansson and Sean Penn are now shacking up.
It`s now been just three months since 26-year-old Scarlett and 50- year-old Sean Penn were first spotted out in Hollywood together. And "Us Weekly" is reporting today they`re now living in Penn`s home in Malibu. Sure looks like Scarlett`s already over her ex-husband, Ryan Reynolds.
With me in New York, Ericka Souter, who is a staff writer for "Us Weekly.
So tell us what you`ve learned about how Scarlett and Sean are now suddenly playing house together.
ERICKA SOUTER: Well, you know, she`s a New York-based actress but she`s been living out of a West Hollywood hotel for the past few months. And recently, she moved into Sean Penn`s $3.8 million Malibu mansion. And they really settled into domesticity. They host friends like Javier Bardem and Owen Wilson. They`re having a lot of fun together.
HAMMER: It`s crazy.
SOUTER: It is.
HAMMER: A lot of people just think this is nuts. It`s amazing. Maybe she likes the real estate.
SOUTER: It`s gorgeous.
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you, if you said a year ago to me, "Oh, yes. Scarlett Johansson will leave and divorce Ryan Reynolds, then move in with Sean Penn," people would have said you`re crazy.
Everybody is calling them the odd couple. Take a look at this right here. I want to you look at Ryan Reynolds and Sean Penn. Tell me exactly what did Ryan lack that Sean has?
SOUTER: Well, look, I mean, Ryan`s hot. He`s gorgeous. He`s talented. But their marriage just didn`t work out. They spent too much time apart.
With Sean, she gets a lot of attention. He`s very romantic. She says that he treats her like she is special and she feels really good around him. And you know, he`s smart. He`s intelligent. He`s philanthropic. That`s attractive to a lot of women, Scarlett especially.
HAMMER: Yes. Maybe it`s not so odd. I mean, I know there`s an age difference. That never really bothered me about this couple. Actually, nothing bothers me about it because they`re both very bright people. They`re very intelligent and they both think outside of the Hollywood realm. It`s not all about that.
But there is other big relationship news. Just in today, for the first time since they announced they were splitting up, Courteney Cox and David Arquette appeared together today for an interview.
And this all went down of course on "The Howard Stern Show" this morning on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Listen to this.
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HOWARD STERN, RADIO HOST, "THE HOWARD STERN SHOW": I think you need to work on relationships. You need to do work by yourself.
DAVID ARQUETTE, ACTOR: We`re fundamentally different creatures.
STERN: But you need to do work by yourself.
ARQUETTE: You have to be whole on your own.
STERN: You`ve got to go on your own and become your man.
ARQUETTE: Right.
STERN: That`s the only way to do it.
COX: The other thing is when you get the advice from your therapist, if you don`t actually take it, then we just keep going. That`s what we did the last go-round.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. I want to bring in former "Celebrity Apprentice" star, Selita Ebanks. We can`t wait to see her next Monday as a guest star with Sean Combs on "Hawaii 5-0." It`s on CBS.
All right. Selita, even if they do follow their therapist`s advice, which -- obviously, if you`re going to therapy, follow the advice. But even if they do, do you think David Arquette can become his own man?
EBANKS: I don`t know. You know what? It`s been such a long time they`ve been together. It`s just -- sometimes, you just have to let things go. And like, you know, Howard said, you have to be your own man. You have to figure things out on your own. I appreciate their honesty. I appreciate that, you know.
HAMMER: Yes.
EBANKS: Why not?
HAMMER: And it`s made me sad because -- I mean, pretty clearly, Courteney is ready to move on. David, if he could get back into it tomorrow, he would. I like them both a great deal.
And on Howard`s show this morning, with David listening, Courteney also revealed that she felt like she was David`s mother. So listen to this.
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COX: In our marriage, I feel like he rebelled against me a lot. I would say thing and he`d be like, "Courteney, you know, come on! I`ll do it my way!"
STERN: You became the mother.
COX: I`m the mother that he rebelled against. It wasn`t the mother that - - you know, and I was over-accommodating.
STERN: Right.
COX: And I would -- and he`s a people-pleaser, too. We just have our dynamics. But he also is completely different than me.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Look, I`ll say flat out I actually don`t think that Courteney and David are in fact going to get back together. I think the signs are all pretty clear right now.
Selita, Do you think they make a better couple apart now knowing all that we know?
EBANKS: You know what? For the sake of the child I think right now they should just go their separate ways and figure it out on their own. And at some point, they`re probably better as friends. Why not? You know, it works for some people.
HAMMER: Ericka, what`s your take on that? Because you know, a lot of people have sort of been championing the idea of them getting the right therapy and getting back together.
But as far as I`m concerned, it really seems to me that ship has sailed, not going to happen. Do you think that`s really the best thing here?
SOUTER: I mean, they`re dragging this out and they`re going to continue dragging it out for the sake of Coco because they think they`re better parents together.
But the truth of the matter is, it feels like Courteney has kind of moved on. And David, again, like you said is holding on. But I think they have a couple more rounds to go. I mean, no other couple in Hollywood has aired their dirty laundry like this.
HAMMER: No.
SOUTER: Never.
HAMMER: And quite frankly, and I think Howard`s been a master throughout this whole process. And quite frankly, I was really happy to hear Courteney stopping by today.
And it was also good to hear they do talk every day, not only for the sake of their child, but just for the sake of maintaining some kind of relationship. All right. Ericka, Selita, thank you both.
"Us Weekly" is on newsstands right now. And again, make sure you watch Selita`s guest appearance on "Hawaii 5-0."
Well, in just two weeks, the world gets a new princess when Prince William marries Kate Middleton. And we`ve got so many amazing entries for our contest to be the official CNN royal wedding iReporter. Here now is Lindsay from Chicago.
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LINDSAY, IREPORTER FROM CHICAGO: Hi. My name is Lindsay and I`m 25 years old. I was surfing the Internet last night when I saw the royal wedding iReporter competition. I thought to myself, "Why would I be a good iReporter for the royal wedding?"
Well, I`m stealthy like a ninja secret agent. I`ll elbow, shimmy, and shake my way to the wedding crowds to get the best footage.
I`m also very observant. No whimsical wedding detail will go unnoticed. There`s also the fact that I`m a great conversationalist. My quick wit and charm will dazzle any wedding guest I might run into.
I have the skills and ability to bring some snappy American insight into a British historical moment. Gee, all those are really good reasons why I would be the best royal wedding iReporter.
But how am I supposed to fit that into a short video? Oh, well, I`m sure I`ll think of something.
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HAMMER: All right. Very funny. Nice. Thank you, Lindsay, for that. Look for the big announcement of the royal wedding iReporter very soon.
And of course, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s own Brooke Anderson is going to be right there covering the royal wedding beginning April 25th. Stay here with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and HLN for the biggest and best coverage.
Lady Gaga`s plastic surgery mystery today. There`s been wild speculation that Gaga has gone under the knife. Her face is looking different. So what`s up with the transformation? Today, Lady Gaga sets the record straight. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Here comes the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: George Clooney producing movie about 2008 Wall Street bailout. Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Eminem lead the pack in Billboard Award nominations.
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HAMMER: Oh, that crazy Beetle Bailey. I know I`ve got a show to do, but it`s funny time. I`d like to read the funnies at this time of day.
All right. I actually just ran across this very funny comic about Gaga`s outrageous outfits today. I can`t believe this thing is now in the funny papers. You know the famous cute scene from "Lady and the Tramp"? You remember this.
The tramp is there and they`re sharing spaghetti and the meatballs. Check out this -- Mother Goose and Grim comic -- it`s Lady Gaga and the Tramp. You know Lady Gaga hasn`t worn a spaghetti dress yet.
She has, however, worn a meat dress as we all know so maybe she`s halfway to spaghetti and meatballs. I don`t know. Cameraman Mike, do you think she should wear like a beef stroganoff dress?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
HAMMER: Yes. That will be good, too. Maybe she`ll try that on our advice. Moving on now, Gaga, of course, was transformed into a comic strip character today, but she has transformed her body in real life.
That`s what some people are saying as they scratch their heads over a shocking new magazine cover that was just revealed. Right now, Lady Gaga`s new body revelations top "The Buzz Today."
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(voice-over) Gaga blasts plastic surgery. Lady Gaga has just opened up about reports that she went under the knife. In a brand-new interview, Lady Gaga is making it clear she is born this way.
And about her new look of sharp bones protruding from her body -- she tells "Harper`s Bazaar," "They`re not prosthetics. They`re my bones," adding, "I have never had plastic surgery. I think that promoting insecurity in the form of plastic surgery is infinitely more harmful than an artistic expression related to body modification."
"Glee" romance revelations. Dianna Agron is smacking down stories that she and her "Glee" co-star Lea Michelle are more than friends.
In a new interview with "Marie Claire," Dianna addressed the most absurd rumor she has heard, saying, "Everybody is convinced that Lea and I are in a relationship. There are supposedly forums with photos of us hugging at work or events. "It`s funny but flattering. Leah is beautiful. Since when can`t you hug your friends?"
"Idol`s" Pia conspiracy defense. "American Idol" executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has just shot back at fans still outraged at Pia Toscano`s unexpected elimination last week.
Lythgoe`s slam claims that producers fixed the vote to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) drama saying, quote, "There are always conspiracy theories, but, you know, we are still careful. Voting is done through AT & T and we get the results. It`s done so openly."
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And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday. And please keep in mind we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and pacific right here on HLN.
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