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Showbiz Tonight
Trump`s Incredible Seinfeld Smackdown; Lady Gaga`s R-Bomb; "Mob Wives" Whacked; Are "Idol" Judges Too Nice?
Aired April 21, 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 - Trump`s incredible Seinfeld smackdown. Donald Trump`s remarkable attack today on Jerry Seinfeld and it`s really nasty. What in the world does Donald have against Jerry? Our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint today - is Donald Trump too mean to be president?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Lady Gaga drops the R-bomb. Outrage today after Gaga says it, quote, "retarded" to say she ripped off Madonna. Gaga`s startling very sudden apology today. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask is Gaga`s apology enough?
HAMMER: "Mob Wives" whacked. SHOWBIZ breaks news today after Italian American outrage about the brand-new show. The guy leading the charge right here in a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
J-Lo, Randy, Steven, the "Idol" judges under fire today. The great debate. Are they too nice?
HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show -
ANDERSON: Breaks news 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 - Donald Trump`s Seinfeld smackdown.
HAMMER: Yes. The Donald has pulled a Rosie on Jerry. Donald Trump today brought back not-so-fond memories of his often nasty attacks on Rosie O`Donnell. But this time, it`s Jerry Seinfeld who is the target of the wrath of Donald.
Perhaps getting bored with bashing President Obama, Trump went after some fresh prey today, ripping into Seinfeld for bailing on a charity vent for Trump`s son Eric`s foundation. But this is not any old attack because the Donald, as he`s prone to do, got personal, very personal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Even though Donald Trump hasn`t even announced his candidacy for president yet, he`s racking up a presidential enemies list that Richard Nixon would envy. And today, Trump is adding a new enemy to that list.
JERRY SEINFELD, COMEDIAN: I hate everybody. Why would I like him?
HAMMER: "Seinfeld" star, Jerry Seinfeld. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you a major battle erupted today between Trump and Seinfeld with Seinfeld dumping Trump for questioning President Obama`s citizenship while testing the waters for a possible presidential campaign.
DONALD TRUMP, BUSINESS TYCOON: All I want to do is see this guy`s birth certificate.
HAMMER: And Trump going after Seinfeld for snubbing Trump`s son.
JO PIAZZA, "POPEATER" COLUMNIST: Donald Trump is not a man who takes "no" very well. I think it`s because he rarely hears it.
HAMMER: The battle started when Seinfeld pulled out of his scheduled appearance at a charity event raised by Trump`s son, Eric, to benefit young cancer patients at St. Jude`s Children`s Research Hospital.
PIAZZA: Seinfeld recently backed out of his performance at Trump`s charity event saying that he disagreed with Trump`s attack on President Barack Obama`s citizenship.
HAMMER: Seinfeld`s rep tells the "New York Post," "Seinfeld has grown increasingly uncomfortable with what they call Trump`s demagoguery."
PIAZZA: He doesn`t want to seem like he`s giving his endorsement to Donald Trump for a presidential bid.
HAMMER: But if you thought Jerry got the soup Nazi mad -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No soup for you!
HAMMER: Seinfeld`s snub has sent the Donald into full-on attack mode. Today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained a nasty letter Trump fired off to Seinfeld. Trump attacked Seinfeld`s old NBC show, "The Marriage Ref," saying, quote, "What I do feel badly about is that I agreed to do and did your failed show `The Marriage Ref,` even though I thought it was absolutely terrible."
"Despite its poor ratings, I didn`t cancel on you like you cancelled on my son and St. Jude. I only wish I did. You should be ashamed of yourself."
PIAZZA: You can picture Jerry getting a sweater, sitting back and saying, like, "What`s the deal with this?"
HAMMER: Donald`s attack didn`t stop there.
PIAZZA: He also released the details of Jerry`s performance rider. And Jerry wanted these trays of fruits, all of this different food, particularly carrots, but not baby carrots. What Donald wanted to do is embarrass Jerry Seinfeld.
HAMMER: Rocker Bret Michaels will replace Seinfeld at Trump`s charity event. Michaels tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "We should never allow the spirit of generosity to be overshadowed by divisive political beliefs." Still, Seinfeld isn`t leaving the charity high and dry.
PIAZZA: He did donate to Trump`s son`s charity as well as to St. Jude.
HAMMER: Trump`s Seinfeld takedown is the second time this month. Trump went after a beloved comedian for speaking ill of Trump`s White House flirtations. He released a statement calling Bill Cosby "dumb" after Cosby dissed Trump`s political activities on the "Today" show.
BILL COSBY, COMEDIAN: The only thing he`s running is his mouth.
HAMMER: So now, Trump`s feuding with the stars of two of NBC`s most beloved classic sitcoms, "The Cosby Show" and "Seinfeld." Hey, "Friends," you better watch your backs.
PIAZZA: And I think that it shows some very concerning signs.
HAMMER: But entertainment journalist Jo Piazza tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Trump`s Seinfeld smackdown raises concerns about Trump`s presidential temperament.
PIAZZA: If he does end up in the Oval Office, we can believe that if Angela Merkel, Germany`s chancellor, says something that makes him angry, all of a sudden, he going to be like, "Angela, you suck."
The way he went nuclear on Seinfeld - I don`t even want to know what he can go nuclear on in the Oval Office, pun entirely intended.
HAMMER: Today, Seinfeld`s people tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he won`t be responding to Trump`s diss. Maybe Seinfeld has decided it`s best not to get involved in feuds with possible presidential candidates and just stick to surly postal carriers.
SEINFELD: Oh, Newman.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So you would think that with everything on his plate, Donald Trump would have better things to do than attack Jerry Seinfeld like that.
And really, to be so nasty about it and take such personal shots on Jerry, that leads us to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - is Donald Trump just too mean to run for president?
Now, I`ve got to tell you, we really, truly wanted someone today on the show today to defend Trump`s attack on Jerry. So we had an army of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producers roaming the planet today. And as of show time we are still hearing nothing but crickets - nothing.
With me in New York, entertainment journalist, Tanika Ray. Tanika, to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - is Trump just too mean to run for president?
TANIKA RAY, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: I would say yes. Here`s the thing. You know, I love me some Trumpy as I like to call him. And I think he is the president of something - PR.
HAMMER: Yes.
RAY: He`s very good at putting his name out there and getting us to talk about him. But we cannot afford as a country - for this country to be run as an autocracy and that`s what Trump does.
He`s a man that is the master of his kingdom. He`s the one that makes all the rules. And he can fire people at will. And we, as a country, cannot afford that kind of president in office. So to me, not the right time in history, not going to happen.
HAMMER: Haven`t we had child-like behavior in the White House before?
RAY: I remember a couple years back, yes. Not going to happen!
HAMMER: All right. Let me go to Hollywood now. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s resident spin doctor, Howard Bragman, standing by. Howard, of course, the founder of Fifteen Minutes PR. Howard, you know all about this. So your opinion on our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - Trump too mean to run for president?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: No. He`s too naive to run for president. He`s too inexperienced. And I was going to say too egocentric but that doesn`t seem to get in the way.
No. You know, there`s been plenty of mean presidents, but you`ve got to know when to do it, A.J. And he really blew this one.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: And listen, I am certain that Jerry Seinfeld did not make his decision to drop out of this charity event without a lot of careful thought. I mean, it is an amazing and a very important cause.
But this letter from Trump - I mean, it sounds to me like the thing was written by an angry fifth grader. Listen, to some of what the Donald wrote. And you can hear his voice.
RAY: A temper tantrum.
HAMMER: He says, "We don`t care that you broke your commitment even though the children of St. Jude are very disappointed. What I do feel badly about is that I agreed to do your failed show, `The Marriage Ref.`"
You know, Tanika, that`s just silly. I mean, that`s just silly. In fact, if you ask anybody who`s ever worked with Jerry Seinfeld, they will tell you he`s one of the nicest guys -
RAY: Nicest guy -
HAMMER: In showbiz. I really think this could back fire on Trump.
RAY: I do, too. But I think we`re partly responsible. I think we, as the American people, have enabled Trump. We think everybody he does is funny. Every time he attacks a celebrity, we`re like, "Oh, Trump has got cojones to do that."
We think it`s hilarious, but we`re creating a monster. Now, Trump has gone too far. He`s gotten too big for his britches. He thinks he can do everything and he can`t, especially hitting on somebody like Seinfeld.
HAMMER: Seinfeld. I don`t think this is hilarious at all. I mean, we hear his voice in the letter. I felt his rage in the letter that he sent to Jerry Seinfeld, especially this part.
He wrote, "I learned that you cancelled the show for my son`s charity which benefits St. Jude because of the fact that I`m being very aggressive with respect to President Obama. You should be ashamed."
RAY: Oh, my gosh.
HAMMER: Listen, I get the protective father there. Donald is trying to protect his son.
RAY: Yes.
HAMMER: Come on. There are a lot of people who say he`s the one who should be ashamed for raising questions about whether President Obama is really a U.S. citizen. Howard, should he really expect everyone to be all lovey-dovey with him?
BRAGMAN: No. Donald Trump is sitting there and he`s very happy right now. He`s going, "The news is covering this."
RAY: Exactly.
BRAGMAN: "I`m in the press today." He`s thinks he won this one. And what he doesn`t realize is politics is very nuanced. Dan Quayle blew it a number of years ago when he went after Murphy Brown for having an unwed child.
Bill Clinton pulled the anger thing very well against Sister Soulja. And the lesson I see is, don`t go after somebody more popular than you are because it`s going to backfire.
HAMMER: Yes. Jerry Seinfeld, an American treasure. Donald Trump, certainly iconic.
RAY: We love him.
HAMMER: A treasure? I don`t think so.
RAY: Not so much. Yes. Unfortunately, Trump has gotten empowered by his performance in the "Celebrity Apprentice." And he`s great at getting people to talk about it. You`re right, Howard. He`s winning right now in his eyes, but ultimately, not so much.
HAMMER: By the way, he keeps saying "number one show on NBC."
RAY: No.
HAMMER: Not the number one show on NBC. I checked the ratings today. Tanika Ray, Howard Bragman, thank you both.
ANDERSON: All right. On to a brand-new "American Idol" controversy today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": One of the compliments Randy Jackson is very fond of giving is - he tells the singer, "You`re an artist. Yo, yo, yo, you`re an artist."
But you know, technically, the homeless guy outside our building who paints with his own poop is an artist, too, but that doesn`t mean he`s a good artist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jimmy Kimmel just went off on Randy, J-Lo and Steven. Are the judges being too nice? The SHOWBIZ great debate coming up.
HAMMER: Lady Gaga drops the R-bomb. There is a lot of outrage today after Gaga says it is, and these are her words, quote, "retarded" to say she ripped off Madonna. Well, we have Gaga`s startling, very sudden apology today. Is it enough?
ANDERSON: "Mob Wives" whacked after Italian-American outrage about the brand-new show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we should resolve this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Don`t put your fist near me.
(CROSS TALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The guy leading the charge right here in a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. 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: Lindsay Lohan expected in court on Friday on felony theft charges. Reese Witherspoon says she wore cowboy boots at her wedding reception.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REESE WITHERSPOON, ACTRESS: I was having the best time and I danced for four hours, so I had to put cowboy boots on.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": So you changed, obviously.
WITHERSPOON: Well, I changed into cowboy boots. They`re comfortable shoes that look like this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: OK. Here`s your chance to sleep like a royal. Did you see this? The U.K. Hotel chain, Premiere Inn, is offering up royal wedding bedding. The comfy sheets have the bodies of Prince William and Kate Middleton on them.
Yes, it`s a little weird, but obviously, a good publicity move. Hey, we`re talking about it. There`s plenty of talking about William and Kate going on, on the official CNN royal wedding blog. This is very, very cool. You`ve got to check it out. It`s "Unveiled.Blogs.CNN.com."
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Brooke Anderson is in Hollywood. And now from royal sheets to royal tea.
ANDERSON: Yes, A.J. Royal tea as in the drink. It`s that famous British tradition - afternoon tea. And I have got to figure this whole tea thing out because I`m getting ready to head to London to cover the royal wedding. So I asked HLN`s royal wedding contributor and "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump to help me get teed up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera): Lisa, here we are at the Peninsula Beverly Hills for afternoon tea and I`m thrilled.
LISA VANDERPUMP, HLN`S ROYAL WEDDING CONTRIBUTOR: I think this is the only place actually in Beverly Hills that does a proper tea. There`s a couple of different teas, actually. I mean, this is what they call a low tea and a high tea.
And high tea is more substantial, which is always served at a high table and the low tea with more snacks and little sandwiches. So a low tea - that`s where the name -
ANDERSON: Ah, that`s where the name came from.
VANDERPUMP: Yes.
ANDERSON: I didn`t know that. Why is it so special and integral to the British culture?
VANDERPUMP: I just think it`s something that most of us are brought up on. I mean, I`ve lived here five years. But funny enough, there`s like a little alarm clock goes off in my head at like 3:30. I think, "Got to have a cup of tea." Well, now you know.
ANDERSON: Wow.
VANDERPUMP: I know. Isn`t that beautiful?
ANDERSON: It`s beautiful. Hi, Chef James.
VANDERPUMP: Hello. Hello. It`s nice to meet you.
CHEF JAMES: We have some beautiful scones, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) scones, assorted pastries.
VANDERPUMP: And you did the right thing by putting the scones on top, which is the old fashioned (UNINTELLIGIBLE). They were warm. I think that`s where it came from. Heat goes up.
ANDERSON: Is it pinky in or pinky out?
VANDERPUMP: It`s pinky out, actually. I think it`s actually quite a tricky (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But it`s to kind of balance the cup, I think, really.
ANDERSON: And that`s very, very British, isn`t it?
VANDERPUMP: It very British, darling.
ANDERSON: What should an American, someone who doesn`t do tea on a regular basis - what should we not do at tea?
VANDERPUMP: Burp.
ANDERSON: Never burp, number one.
VANDERPUMP: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to that. Get drunk and fall over. I guess, behave yourself, Brooke. Don`t want you to let me down when you`re there.
ANDERSON: How long does tea typically last?
VANDERPUMP: I think it`s under half an hour, really.
ANDERSON: Quick.
VANDERPUMP: I mean, with this, it could last longer.
ANDERSON: We`re talking an hour or two maybe
VANDERPUMP: And hopefully, they have a room here.
ANDERSON: The saucer stays on the table?
VANDERPUMP: Yes.
ANDERSON: You never lift the saucer?
(CROSS TALK)
I`ll try to never drink out of the saucer. Oops! Ignore that. Her majesty the queen is not here. We`re fine. What`s the proper attire for tea?
VANDERPUMP: If you were going to a formal tea, you - absolutely, you just wear a nice dress. If you do get invited to the palace -
ANDERSON: I`m going to do my best.
VANDERPUMP: Don`t wear your hot pants.
ANDERSON: No hot pants.
VANDERPUMP: No. Leave those at home. You`ve got the outfit and the tea etiquette.
ANDERSON: Etiquette. That`s right.
VANDERPUMP: Absolutely. You`re all set.
ANDERSON: Thank you very much. Is this proper? OK. And my thanks to the always entertaining Lisa Vanderpump and the beautiful Peninsula Beverly Hills. We had a wonderful time that day.
Remember, I will be live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT from London beginning Monday, April 25th. Monday right around the corner. So be sure to watch me here on HLN for the biggest and best royal wedding coverage.
I also want to let you know that I`m also going to be tweeting from London all next week, too, so follow @ShowbizTonight on Twitter and you`ll be able to come along with me as I cover the royal wedding.
HAMMER: Next, Demi Lovato`s brand-new confessions today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEMI LOVATO, ACTRESS AND SINGER: A period of my life that I went through was really dark. And I became very depressed and my only way of really coping with it was through my eating disorder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The 18-year-old Disney star on battling bulimia and her painful revelations about the scary, horrible thing she started doing to herself.
ANDERSON: And then a big problem for Justin Bieber in Holy Land. The Bieb`s big surprise in Israel.
HAMMER: All right. So whether or not Trump runs for president, you`ve got to admit he`s saying some pretty funny things in all his recent interviews.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We`re going to see what happens when Chris Mathews counts Donald Trump`s other favorite phrase.
TRUMP: Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me, Savannah, you brought this up. Excuse me. That`s another - excuse me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The most outrage out, the funniest Trump moments caught on tape. Let call it a Trump-a-thon. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEMI LOVATO, ACTRESS: I had no idea that I was even bipolar until I went into treatment. I was conquering the world. But then, I would come crashing down and I`d be more depressed than ever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: More Demi Lovato shocking confessions today. The teen star reveals she is battling mental illness, specifically that she`s bipolar. And A.J., that`s not the only bombshell that the 18-year-old Disney star dropped today.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. On "GMA" this morning, Demi also opened up to Robin Roberts about being bullied and how that led her battling bulimia and another scary, disturbing addiction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOVATO: I became very depressed and my only way of really coping with it was through my eating disorder. So I just stopped eating and that was my way of coping with it.
ROBIN ROBERTS, CO-HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA" (voice-over): Her depression would eventually lead to urges to cut herself.
LOVATO: I`ve suffered from cross addictions over the past few years. I was trying to control my eating disorder, trying to get help for it. And when I was taking care of those things, the urges to do that came up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Demi checked into a treatment center last year after dropping out of the tour with the Jonas Brothers.
ANDERSON: Onto "The Buzz Today", oy, the Bieb is not such a hot ticket in Israel. And an absolutely awful sad turn of events for actor Tim Robbins.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Tim Robbins` double tragedy. Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins is in mourning after losing his beloved mother, Mary, 12 days after his father, Gil, passed away. Tim`s brother, David, told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that their father had passed away at their parents` home in Mexico, the same place their mother died.
Bieber`s Israeli bust. Apparently, Bieber fever is losing steam in Israel. The "Hollywood Reporter" says ticket sales for Bieber`s headline making show in Israel were disappointing.
While there are varying reports as to how many people actually showed up to the concert, everyone seems to agree that it wasn`t even close to a sellout. The Bieb seemed to enjoy himself anyway, tweeting after the concert, "Amazing night, amazing place, amazing show."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN TYLER, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: He rocked the house. It`s beautiful.
KIMMEL: You`ve all heard Steven Tyler cheer up "American Idol" contestants. Now, he can cheer you up with this exclusive CD offer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The "American Idol" judges under fire today. The great debate - are they too nice?
Lady Gaga drops the R-bomb. Outrage today after Gaga says it`s, quote, "retarded" to say she ripped off Madonna. Gaga`s startling, very sudden apology today. Is Gaga`s apology enough though?
"Mob Wives" whacked. SHOWBIZ breaks news today after Italian-American outrage about the brand-new show. The guy leading the charge is right here in a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. 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: Khloe Kardashian will make a cameo appearance on "Law and Order: Los Angeles." Justin Bieber, Prince William and Kate Middleton among "Time" magazine`s "most influential."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we should resolve this.
(CROSS TALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don`t put your finger to my face!
(CROSS TALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks news over "Mob Wives," the reality show slammed for giving Italian-Americans a bad name. The guy leading the charge is right here in the headline-making SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interview.
ANDERSON: Gaga`s R-bomb outrage. Lady Gaga drops the R-word in response to critics who say she ripped off Madonna. Gaga says she`s sorry, but is an apology enough?
HAMMER: The "American Idol" judges under fire today. Are they too nice? Where`s Simon Cowell when you need him?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: Some of the compliments Randy Jackson has become very fond of giving is - he tells the singer, "You`re an artist. Yo, yo, yo, you`re an artist." But you know, technically, the homeless guy outside our building who paints with his own poop is an artist, too. But that doesn`t mean he`s a good artist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: An "American Idol" mentor right here for a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. Plus breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker," Ricki Lake back on TV? And LeAnn Rimes` new affair confession.
ANNOUNCEMENT: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
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. And right now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is breaking big news about mob madness.
HAMMER: Yes. There`s big new controversy today over the hit new VH-1 reality show, "Mob Wives," about four women whose husbands and fathers are connected to the mob.
Well, today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spoke with the show`s stars about claims it gives Italians a bad image, a claim made by Andre DiMino of the Italian interest group, Unico - Unico National. And he is with me right now for a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interview.
Great to have you here, Andre. I appreciate you being with us. Now, right after this show debuted, here`s what you said, "`Mob Wives` is trash TV like `Jersey Shore.` I hope it dies because no one watches it. We were mobsters and mafiosos with `The Sopranos,` bimbos and buffoons with `Jersey Shore.` And now, we`re back where we started. It`s a disgrace."
Look, I do totally get where you`re coming from on this. But I also think people are smart enough to know this does not represent all Italian- Americans and can`t we give them credit for that?
ANDRE DIMINO, CHIEF MEDIA EXECUTIVE, UNICO NATIONAL: Well, no, because it`s just the repetition. Every time you see an Italian-American on TV, he`s even a mobster or a mafioso or a bimbo and buffoon. And to have this program now with two million viewers watching it, it`s just - here we go again.
HAMMER: Here we go again. Yet, when it comes to the mobster shows, it`s portraying a reality. It`s portraying something that actually exists. And the fact these people happen to be Italian-Americans is just part of the deal.
DIMINO: Well, the name of the show is not "Italian Mob Wives." It`s "Mob Wives."
HAMMER: Right.
DIMINO: And therefore they went out of bounds. There are other mobsters from other ethnicities, but yet, all four of them are Italian-Americans as is what is always perceived in the media.
HAMMER: Well, earlier today SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer Jenny D`Attoma spoke with the stars of "Mob Wives," at least two of them, Carla Facciolo - I don`t want to screw up her name - and Drita D`Avanzo. We read them your statement. Here`s what they told us. Charles, roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DRITA D`AVANZO, CAST MEMBER, "MOB WIVES": I think it`s really horrible that they think we`re portraying them. First of all, I`m not Italian. I`m Albanian, so that`s A. B, I don`t know why they take it so insulting. I just don`t get it. I don`t understand how - I guess that`s the way it works with anything, with race, with culture.
If someone gets arrested on TV, that`s Albanian. Does it take everyone down? Are they representing their nationality? We`re not representing anyone. This is our lifelong people. I feel terrible they even feel that way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Andre, she feels terrible. And like she said, Drita claims, you know, we`re only representing ourselves. We`re not representing any ethnicity.
DIMINO: Well, yes. But she does miss the point, because here you go again. Another popular show that focuses on Italian-Americans and the mob. It`s just this continuous repetitive thing.
And unfortunately, in our society, perception is reality and what people have out there is this perception that Italian-Americans equals mafia.
I mean, just on "Dancing with the Stars," Kendra Wilkinson, just last week - she heard Andrea Bocelli`s beautiful song. When she asked what that was, they said, it was Italian. She was, "I love the mafia."
I mean, so that just going to, of course - you know, ignorance has no lower boundary, of course, when it comes to Kendra Wilkinson, but the problem we have is that that`s the perception that`s out there.
HAMMER: I mean, fair enough. We did ask Carla and Drita from "Mob Wives" why they think their show happens to be different from all of the other mob shows and movies that we`ve seen before. Let`s watch what they said about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
D`AVANZO: When you see the movies and you see these things, you never see pain and the woman crying and talking to her child.
CARLA FACCIOLO, CAST MEMBER, "MOB WIVES": Or struggling and making money to support your kids.
FACCIOLO: Speaking to a child and trying to really explain to them about their parents.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Can you see that, Andre? Oh, it`s the redeeming quality that, here they are, representing women who are left to pick up the pieces.
DIMINO: Look, I don`t know the program they`re talking about. But the show that I saw, they were talking about AK-47s and whacking somebody. And their children are right there in front of them with their language. Every other word is an F-bomb.
So I don`t really see how they`re showing their struggles. If they played it a little differently on the show, it might be different. But of course, they`re playing up for the controversy.
HAMMER: All right. Appreciate your take on it all. Andre DiMino, thanks so much. I appreciate you being here.
DIMINO: Thank you.
ANDERSON: I have to say I am so excited about heading to London to cover the big royal wedding for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and HLN. And can you believe it has been 10 years since Prince William and Kate Middleton first laid eyes on each other?
In a brand-new documentary, "CNN Presents: The women who would be queen," Soledad O`Brien takes us back to where this amazing love story all began.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD O`BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fall 2001, Old Andrew, Scotland. Kate Middleton meets her prince.
KATE MIDDLETON, PRINCE WILLIAM`S FIANCE: I turned bright red (UNINTELLIGIBLE), feeling very shy about meeting him.
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON, AUTHOR, "WILLIAM AND KATE": Not long after William invited a number of friends to his dormitory room, she did this awkward curtsy and he reacted by instantly spilling his drink on himself because he realized he would do things like this to put people at ease. And from that point on, they became friendly.
O`BRIEN: They both lived in this dorm affectionately called St. Sally`s(ph). They bonded over their shared major of Art History, early morning swims in the campus pool and their sense of humor.
PRINCE WILLIAM, BRITISH ROYALTY: It was good fun. We really had a good laugh and (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
O`BRIEN: They stuck together in good times and in bad.
CHARLES WARREN, PRINCE WILLIAM`S TEACHER: He was panicking about approaching deadlines and, you know, struggling with some of it like other students.
C. ANDERSON: He was so desperately unhappy that after the first year, he was determined to leave. And it really was Kate who talked him into staying. She said, "Look, we`ll both stick it out together. And if at the end of sophomore year, we feel the same way, we`ll both leave."
O`BRIEN: It was a friendship that almost never happened. Most assumed William would go to Oxford like most of his family had.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it was an attempt to get away from the public eye to some extent.
O`BRIEN: St. Andrews is a small town in Scotland, population 28,000, so small and isolated that the school and palace could control the media there.
They even brokered a deal with the press that while William was at St. Andrews, they would stay away. In this private enclave, he was able to meet Kate, who some say was convinced to go to St. Andrews by her mother.
C. ANDERSON: Originally, Kate wanted to go to Edinburgh University. When it was announced by the palace that William would be attending St. Andrews University, enrollment among women in St. Andrews jumped overnight by over 40 percent. By putting her in proximity to William, magic happened.
O`BRIEN: That magic happened March 2002. The annual charity fashion show called, "Don`t Walk." A lingerie show. The models were nearly naked. Kate was no exception.
JULES KNIGHT, FRIEND OF WILLIAM AND KATE: She wasn`t what you`d call a kind of risque girl. She was pretty safe bet, quite conservative, really, in the way that she dressed and the way that she acted. And here she was not wearing that much, looking amazing.
C. ANDERSON: That was the point at which he pursued her romantically and very quickly.
O`BRIEN: A romance that would become St. Andrews` ultimate match.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Listen to this. St. Andrews is considered one of Britain`s top- 10 matchmaking schools. How about that? For more on Will and Kate`s story, watch "CNN Presents: The Women Who Would Be Queen" this Sunday at 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.
And remember, I will be live on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT from London beginning on Monday, April 25th, so be sure to watch me here on HLN for the biggest and best royal wedding coverage.
HAMMER: Ponder this - are the judges on "American Idol" just a bunch of softies? Is Steven Tyler just too nice?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: You`ve all heard Steven Tyler cheer up "American Idol" contestants. Now, he can cheer you up with this exclusive CD offer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Are all the judges on "Idol" too nice? Well, we`ll ask one of this season`s "Idol" mentors in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interview, next.
ANDERSON: Big news - Lady Gaga controversy today. Outrage after Gaga drops the R-word when responding to critics who say that she copied Madonna. Gaga says she is really sorry but is an apology enough?
HAMMER: The most outrageous, the funniest moments from Donald Trump`s I- could-be-president tour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS (voice-over): Lately, everyone`s making jokes about how Trump is already measuring drapes in the White House because he offered to build a new wing to replace the tent they have to use for big events.
TRUMP: Instead of a canvas tent, we will build one of the great ballrooms of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s an unbelievable Trump-a-thon. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT star watch presented by the NBA on TNT. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spotted plenty of stars last night in L.A., watching the Lakers taking on New Orleans in game two of the western conference playoff series.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spotted Tom Hanks, Bradley Cooper, Will Ferrell was there and so is David Beckham, all watching the Lakers beat the Hornets in yet another exciting NBA playoff game seen on TNT.
And keep on watching TNT for the best NBA playoffs coverage.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: One of the compliments Randy Jackson has become very fond of giving is - he tells the singer, "You`re an artist. Yo, yo, yo, you`re an artist." But you know, technically, the homeless man outside our building who paints with his on poop is an artist, too. But that doesn`t mean he`s a good artist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jimmy Kimmel thinks that the "American Idol" judges are too gosh darn nice. And quite frankly, so do a lot of people. But what does an actual "American Idol" mentor and Grammy Award-winning producer think? We`re asking him in a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interview.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Yes. A.J., today, judging the judges. As the pool of contestants gets smaller and smaller, it`s becoming really clear to a whole lot of people, what`s up with the judges? They`re so nice.
I personally am enjoying the show, but a whole lot of folks are saying, hey, we`re not asking for Randy Jackson, J-Lo and Steven Tyler to get all Simon all of a sudden, but seriously.
So we are asking today, are the "American Idol" judges just too nice? The backlash is rising to a fever pitch.
So let`s bring in the expert right now, and that is Jim Johnson. He is a Grammy Award-winning producer and he is a mentor on this season`s "American Idol."
Jim, love your hat by the way. My first question, you work on the show. You work with the contestants. You know firsthand how the contestants perform on and off the air. So do you think the judges are being too nice?
JIM JOHNSON, GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER: I think there`s times that, you know, they could give a little more insight on what they`re doing wrong. And they choose to say, you know, things like, "you`re great" or "you`re amazing" or "you`re flat on this note" or "that E note you sang was a little off or pitchy."
And most Americans don`t have a clue what they`re talking about. The idea of giving them, you know - of being a mentor on the show and being a part of the background was interesting to me because, you know, the judges - right now, America`s judging them. It`s not really Jennifer or Steven. It`s not them judging
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: Right. So viewers are voting. So you think they should be more specific. Are you able to coach them, kind of give the judges some guidance, "Be more specific in what you`re saying, constructive criticism"?
JOHNSON: They`re kind of taking the role as they`re cheerleaders, so to speak. They`re out there watching them sing right in front of them. And they`re just giving them, you know, their opinion of what just happened.
ANDERSON: They do come across as cheerleaders a lot of the time, Jim. And I have to say that Jimmy Kimmel actually talked a lot about that in his monologue Wednesday night. He devoted most of it to taking digs at the judges for being way too nice to the contestants. Watch what he did.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: We`ve all heard Steven Tyler cheer up "American Idol" contestants. Now he can cheer you with this exclusive CD offer.
TYLER: You are so good, man. I think you`re great.
KIMMEL: Steven Tyler, "You`re My Idol" CD is full of his inspirational comments to "Idol" contestants.
TYLER: I think you`re wonderful. You saved me. This is so not "the end of the road" for you. It`s just the beginning. It was beautiful. The thing you got on is gorgeous, too.
KIMMEL: We guarantee you`ll feel better about yourself and your life or your money back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jim, Jennifer Lopez says that she is super nice to the contestants because they are so good. Do you agree? Do you buy that rationale?
JOHNSON: Well, they`re all very talented.
ANDERSON: They are.
JOHNSON: But you`ve got to look at it - there is a competition going on here. And it`s something that - you know, there has to be some more maybe seriousness. Everybody`s nice as the judge.
Jennifer said something last night - I don`t recall exactly what it was but then she - it was something negative but then she followed it up by, "but we love you," you know.
ANDERSON: Softening it, I get it.
JOHNSON: They don`t want to disappoint the kids. Maybe they feel close to them. They`ve seen them grow. Someone like Simon Cowell -
(CROSS TALK)
ANDERSON: Yes. It`s a personal thing as well for them. And I just love that they`re having fun with their jobs. And I think Randy, every now - he tries to get in that constructive feedback.
But Jim, I`ve got to move on right now to another big story that`s rocking Hollywood today. Lady Gaga is apologizing for using the R-word when she responded to critics earlier this week who said that her new hit song, "Born This Way," was a rip-off of Madonna`s "Express Yourself."
She enraged her fans, enraged a lot of people with the insensitive comment, really ticked off the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff as well.
And today, here`s her apology saying, quote, to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "I consider it part of my life`s work in music to push the boundaries of love and acceptance. My apologies for not speaking thoughtfully. To anyone that was hurt, please know it was furiously unintentional."
"An honest mistake requires honesty to make. Whether lives disabilities left you outcast, bullied or teased, rejoice and love yourself today."
I honestly think that she did not mean to offend. She prides herself on being sensitive to those who are different. So she probably learned her lesson, but we`ve got to leave it there for now. Jim Johnson, good to see you. Thank you so much.
HAMMER: There`s a Trump. There`s Trump. Everywhere, it`s Donald Trump. Trump`s most outrageous, funniest moments today from his "maybe I`ll run for president" tour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: We`re going to see what happens when Chris Mathews counts Donald Trump`s other favorite phrase.
TRUMP: Excuse me, excuse me. Excuse me, Savannah. You brought this up. Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me. That`s another - excuse me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s a must-see Trump-a-thon. And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Ricki Lake returns to daytime TV with new talk show in 2012. LeAnn Rimes opens up about affair with Eddie Cibrian.
ANDERSON: It`s time now for the SHOWBIZ buzz list. Here`s what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is buzzing about this week.
We are jamming to Jill Scott`s new song, "Shame." It`s from her upcoming album, "The Light of the Sun." For TV junkies with no time to watch everything, we are loving "Primetime in No Time" on "Yahoo.com."
We are also buzzing about the Flipboard iPad app and the brand-new Oprah section which is going to feature messages Lady O herself.
We`re stepping out with "TheFabEmpire.com." It`s your VIP invite to the hottest events and parties. And we cannot wait to see "Jumping the Broom," the hilarious comedy starring Angela Bassett and Loretta Devine, opens on May 6th. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LORETTA DEVINE, ACTRESS: Well, you don`t usually see characters like (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in movies where they have a beautiful home -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.
DEVINE: Exactly. So I think people are going to be so surprised by that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: The most outrageous, the funniest Donald Trump moments caught on tape. So will Donald Trump run for president or not? Whatever the answer may be, the Trump-ster`s everywhere. Turn on the TV, there he is, saying something absolutely mind-boggling.
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with a Trump-a-thon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Don`t let the dainty wave fool you. This has become a Trump-a-thon. Long and getting tougher with labor pains from belaboring the birth certificate issue.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You sent investigators to Hawaii and you said, quote, "They cannot believe what they`re finding." What they have found?
TRUMP: Let`s see what happens. That`s none of your business right now. We`re going to see what happens.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have they found anything?
TRUMP: We`re going to see what happens.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When?
TRUMP: George, next question, George.
MOOS: And we`re going to see what happens when Chris Mathews counts Donald Trump`s other favorite phrase.
TRUMP: Excuse me, excuse me. Savannah, you brought this up. Excuse me. If he wasn`t born - excuse me.
MOOS: For the record in one interview there were -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eighteen "excuse me`s".
MOOS: Excuse us for yet another Trump hair joke.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald gets home at night (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He sits down and the hair goes. How are we doing today? Who shall we marry next?
MOOS: Though he`s riding high in Republican polls, Trump is getting pulverized by some conservatives like radio host Mark Levin.
MARK LEVIN, RADIO HOST: Does this guy sound stupid or what?
MOOS (on camera): Critics keep comparing Trump to other people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is now NBC`s Charlie Sheen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump is the Al Sharpton of the Republican Party, provocateur and clown.
MOOS: But there`s one name Donald Trump was called that we`re pretty sure he`s never heard himself called before.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s what`s called a blatherskite.
MOOS: It`s a natural real dictionary word -
GEORGE WILL, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: That`s a word my grandmother was fond of. That`s someone who blathers promiscuously.
MOOS (voice-over): Lately, everyone is making jokes about how Trump is already measuring the drapes in the White House because he offered to build a new wing to replace a tent they have to use for big events.
TRUMP: Instead of a canvas tent, we will build one of the great ballrooms of the world.
MOOS: He called former Obama adviser David Axelrod and offered up to $100 million to build something as ritzy as Trump`s Florida estate.
TRUMP: He said, wow, that`s interesting. I never heard from him. And that`s the problem with our country.
MOOS (on camera): The Donald Trump-a-thon possible presidential run reminds us of an old liberal sitcom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then there`s Trumps.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (sung): And then there`s Maude compromising enterprising anything but tranquilizing right on Maude.
MOOS: Anything but tranquilizing, right on, Trump.
TRUMP: Excuse me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Now, Donald says he`ll make an announcement about announcing whether or not he`s running on the "Celebrity Apprentice" finale which happens on May 22nd. But no matter what you think of Donald Trump, he sure does know how to trump up publicity.
ANDERSON: Yes.
HAMMER: And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks 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 don`t forget we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific here on HLN.
END
