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Showbiz Tonight
Casey Anthony Cashing In Controversy; Big Oprah News; Crystal Harris Backtracks and Apologizes; Most Provocative Celebrity of the Week
Aired July 29, 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: More big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - brand-new Casey cashing in controversy. Startling news today - Casey Anthony is demanding $1.5 million for her first interview. And "Hustler" now offering Casey $500,000 to pose naked.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY FLYNT, PUBLISHER, "HUSTLER" MAGAZINE: A $500,000 payment is only part of it. We`re willing to pay 10 percent of the profits. She could make millions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint tonight - is Casey Anthony really worth millions?
SHOWBIZ breaks big Oprah news tonight. Our headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview today with Rosie O`Donnell. Is she worried about her upcoming show on Oprah`s troubled network?
And why did Jenny McCarthy just walk out on Oprah? Did she make a big mistake?
Sex with Hef. A shocking apology today from his ex, Crystal Harris, for saying sex with Hef only lasted two seconds. Why is she backtracking?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York City with Taryn Winter Brill.
TARYN WINTER BRILL, CO-HOST: That`s right, A.J. There is big news breaking tonight. She wants how much?
HAMMER: The "she" is Casey Anthony and the money she is reportedly now demanding to do her very first interview has redefined the meaning of the word "outrageous." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned today that Casey may be asking $1.5 million to talk about how she beat the rap on charges she killed her 2-year-old daughter.
But wait, there`s more. Possibly more money for her bank account. Casey also had an offer today to take her clothes off for one of the best known and raunchiest skin rags in America.
So if she says yes to everything, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that we will soon be calling her million-dollar Casey.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Almost two weeks after she walked out of jail, Casey Anthony is still a wanted woman. Reports of how much Casey can make from her first interview are rising faster than the numbers on the U.S. debt clock.
And now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there is a new offer on the table today that Casey may not be able to refuse.
LARRY FLYNT, PUBLISHER, "HUSTLER" MAGAZINE: We made an offer of a $500,000.
HAMMER: Yes, that`s Larry Flynt, publisher of the hard-core "Hustler" magazine. On HLN`s "NANCY GRACE SHOW," guest hosted by Tru TV`s Jean Casarez, Flynt said if Casey appears in his magazine, he`ll pay her $500,000 up front. He`ll even sweeten the pot.
FLYNT: We`re willing to pay 10 percent of the profits. So if this thing goes viral and it could be as big as everybody thinks it was because of how big the trial is, she could make millions.
HAMMER: $500,000 plus is nothing to sneeze at. But Casey might do just that.
ALEXIS TERESZCUK, WRITER, "RADARONLINE.COM": There are reports out there that Casey Anthony`s team wanted to get $1.5 million for her first interview.
HAMMER: That`s $1 million north of what Flynt`s offering, but he says Casey and company should go with him.
FLYNT: If they want to get their hands on big money, they`ve got to go through me.
HAMMER: Flynt may have a point.
TERESZCUK: It seems like maybe network money offers are drying up. So this might be the only chance she going to have right now to make any money.
HAMMER: There was also reportedly a bidding war going on this week between NBC, ABC and CBS for the first Casey interview that left them all embarrassed, defensive and, so far, still without a Casey Anthony interview.
TERESZCUK: It`s really just changed the whole game. It`s gone from a bidding war of over $1 million to no money whatsoever on the table. NBC says they`re not paying for the interview.
ABC News says they`ve completely revamped their entire news gathering process. They`re no longer going to pay for pictures.
HAMMER: Barbara Walters, co-host of "The View" and grand dame of ABC News made it clear on "The View," ABC isn`t offering Casey a dime.
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Their feeling is, and I leave myself out of it, that the journalists at ABC News and the coverage of ABC News should be enough to attract anyone.
HAMMER: Bottom line, Casey Anthony may get a network TV interview but she likely won`t get paid.
TERESZCUK: Seems like the network are really backing off and they`re not going to pay any money for the interview.
HAMMER: And Larry Flynt and "Hustler" aside, Casey is so untouchable that even the adult entertainment industry, i.e., the guys who sell porn, consider her damaged goods. Vivid Entertainment, which brought us the Kim Kardashian sex tape, made and quickly withdrew an offer to Casey Anthony because of what they said was public outrage.
HUGH HEFNER, PUBLISHER, "PLAYBOY": The answer is simply no.
HAMMER: And even "Playboy`s" Hugh Hefner tells CNN`s Piers Morgan he wants nothing to do with Casey Anthony.
HEFNER: I wouldn`t reward someone like that for what has happened.
TERESZCUK: I think it`s funny that even the porn industry won`t give Casey any money. They are afraid to even touch her with a 10-foot pole.
HAMMER: So if Casey is too toxic for "Playboy" and Vivid and too damaging for TV networks, why are Flynt and "Hustler" so interested in her? He said for two reasons, one, he`s just giving the public what they want.
FLYNT: While there may be a group of people out there who think that she`s guilty of murder, you`ve got the men that say, hey, you know, I want to see her in her birthday suit.
HAMMER: And, two, well, he is Larry Flynt.
FLYNT: I`m a businessman and I got to consider making certain business decisions.
HAMMER: Casey`s got to make some business decisions, too. Because with Casey proving too hot to handle for many potential suitors -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty.
HAMMER: And with the shock of her acquittal slowly wearing off, she risks seeing her value steadily tick down. If only that darned U.S. debt clock could do the same.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: There you go. Believe it or not, Casey could rake in $1.5 million for an interview and another $500,000 or more to pose nude in "Hustler." So to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, is Casey Anthony really worth millions?
Let me bring in attorney and TV host, Lauren Lake, who is in New York tonight.
Lauren, here`s the reality. People do want to hear about Casey Anthony about her infamous trial. They want to hear from her in her own words. So to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, is Casey Anthony really worth millions in your mind?
LAUREN LAKE, ATTORNEY: I hate to say it, A.J., but she is and we know she is. And this is where our obsession and our fascination with this girl is going to come back to bite us our good old butts, because you know what? Now, she is worth it and people are going to want to see the interview. And they`re going to want to see the pictures. And it`s sad. It`s distasteful, but it`s true.
HAMMER: But do people want to see her naked? That`s the thing I`m really trying to wrap my head around. And I guess some people are because the publisher of "Hustler" magazine, Larry Flynt, and expert at these things, says people are begging to see Casey, as he put it, in her birthday suit in his magazine.
He`s offered her a whole lot of money, $500,000 and 10 percent of any profits. I`ve got to get off to Rob Shuter, who is a columnist for "PopEater.com." Is Casey worth millions, Rob?
ROB SHUTER, COLUMNIST, "POPEATER.COM": I don`t think she is. I think we`re totally overestimating how much we think this woman is worth.
First of all, let`s not this - no TV channel, no network has offered her that amount of money. She might want $1.5 million. She might want $5 million. No one`s willing to pay it.
The only offer that she has is from "Hustler" for $500,000, which is a lot less than $1 million we keep talking about.
LAKE: But still a lot of money and more than the average American has.
HAMMER: Yes. And look, she may wind up in some venue we`re not thinking about. Maybe on the Internet. Maybe somebody will come up with the cash do this.
Just this week, Rob, you`re right about the networks not wanting to be involved. ABC, NBC - they say they won`t pay Casey a penny for an interview. They won`t even license photos and videos, which has been done in the past.
Larry Flynt believes there are other ways to make this a win-win for everyone in this race to cash in on Casey. I want you to watch what he told "In Session`s" Jean Casarez last night on HLN`s "NANCY GRACE SHOW."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FLYNT: Her attorneys are smart enough to know that they can go offshore and film these interviews or do these photo shoots or whatever they`re going to have to do. And that changes the whole dimension of where the money is and how the money can be gotten.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Lauren, what do you think? Does Larry have a point, come hell or high water, Casey is going to get big bucks to talk and there`s not a darn thing that can be done about it?
LAKE: Well, let`s not forget, A.J., she has a judgment against her. You know she has legal fees that she has to pay. This girl is going to have to find a way to make some money.
And unfortunately, this whole situation and saga is her best bet. And you`d better believe she`s going to use it. Right or wrong, it`s real.
HAMMER: Yes. I`m right there with you. Let me move on right now to big news breaking tonight about the woman who was arrested and charged with, of all things, trying to rip off "Jeopardy" host, Alex Trebek, in his San Francisco hotel room while he was sleeping.
BRILL: Absolutely. It would seem Alex is now out of jeopardy. But just to make sure, a judge issued a restraining order to further protect Trebek who chased her down the hallway, I might add, in his underwear and tore his Achilles tendon in the process. Rob, I go to you. Does it seem to you that maybe Alex is now out of jeopardy, so to speak? You still laugh at my joke.
SHUTER: You`re funny. You are funny.
BRILL: Go on.
SHUTER: He is out of jeopardy. This lady`s gone. What is unclear, though, is I don`t think she was ever after him. I think it was just the random hotel room that happened to be Alex`s. I might be wrong, but at the moment, we don`t know she was targeting him specifically.
BRILL: Yes. We don`t know. But I do want to mention that none other than 74-year-old Senator John McCain, who is three years older than Trebek, just tweeted this.
He says, "For decades, he made us smarter. Glad Alex Trebek is now making us safer, too. Get well." Very funny, John McCain. Real quickly, Lauren. Is Alex Trebek now the coolest 71-year-old dude, like, ever?
LAKE: He is, because you know what? I may be a television host. I may be a fabulous game show host. But first, I`m a man and if you rob -
BRILL: Yes.
LAKE: And try to get something from me, I`m going to get you.
BRILL: I hear you.
LAKE: I love it.
BRILL: I hear you. Lauren Lake, Rob Shuter, stay right there because Alex, the crime fighting bad ass, is a nominee tonight for our most provocative celebrity of the week.
Can Alex beat out Crystal Harris who is nominated for revealing her two-second sex with Hef and then backtracking? Or maybe we`ll name Kat Von D. for walking out of that interview because she didn`t want to talk about her Jesse James breakup. That`s coming up.
HAMMER: But first, tonight, a shocking apology from Hugh Hefner`s runaway bride for spilling the beans on their sex life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD STERN, RADIO HOST: Did you have an orgasm when Hef (EXPLETIVE DELETED) you?
CRYSTAL HARRIS, HUGH HEFNER`S EX-FIANCEE: No.
STERN: You did not. How long did this horror situation last, the actual sex?
HARRIS: Like two seconds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, that`s what she said. But now, Crystal Harris doing some major backtracking today after her stunning Hef sex bombshell. But why?
BRILL: Good question. SHOWBIZ breaks big Oprah news tonight. We`ve got a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview with Rosie O`Donnell. Is she worried about her upcoming show on Oprah`s troubled network?
And why did Jenny McCarthy just walk out on a talk show deal with Oprah? Did she make a huge mistake? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
HAMMER: Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Amy Winehouse`s dad hands out her belongings to fans outside her London home. Debbie Gibson and Tiffany perform their `80s hits on "Good Morning America."
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAT VON D., JESSE JAMES EX-FIANCEE: I didn`t know what time Jesse was going to cruise by the shop. I just knew that he was coming by today because he`s in town. And I`m getting his face tattooed on me and he`s about to see it. And like, I have no idea how he`s going to react.
Look.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRILL: Ouch. Well, long before calling off her engagement to Jesse James, Kat Von D. got a tattoo of Jesse James` face. Yes. That`s what I said. She must be saying love hurts, I guess.
Even though she`s keeping the tattoo, she caused a firestorm when she walked out of an interview when they wanted to ask about Jesse. Did she handle all of it wrong?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Taryn Winter Brill in New York.
HAMMER: And I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the big spin on Kat Von D`s TV interview walkout. Now, Kat`s defending herself in a lengthy post on her Facebook page. She called the post, "What Can I Say? I Suck."
Well, that`s certainly one way of saying you messed up, but did she spin it right? Calling the SHOWBIZ spin doctor - oh, there he is.
With us tonight from Hollywood, PR guru, Howard Bragman, who is the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations, and of course, our resident spin doc.
All right, doc, Kat tried to explain on her Facebook page how she feels about personal questions about her life. Let me read what she wrote, "I`m not going to flatter myself into thinking I`m interesting enough for the press not to pry into gossip-related questions so it`s unfair of me to expect them to respect that."
"But even though it`s not in my nature to cancel on people, it is in my nature to admit when I`m weak." Howard I thought that was a pretty clever way of going about that with her spin.
But if you were her PR guru, how would you have told her to spin it? Go ahead. Spin it within a minute, Howard.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, FOUNDER, FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Well, I know Kat pretty well and I like that she was honest and I like that she took responsibility.
What I don`t like is this trend we`re seeing where PR clients are not prepared. These questions about her and Jesse James are all so obvious and there are such easy ways to get through them and say, "You know what? It was a great relationship. It`s over but that`s not what I`m here to talk about."
And I get frustrated because they continually refuse to talk about these things, walk off the set and get upset, but - like I`m an old guy. Young people, it actually gets a lot more attention, A.J., by walking off than she ever would have gotten by staying there.
And did you ever notice it always happens an hour and a half before their reality show is going to debut? Funny how that is.
HAMMER: Yes. Of course - Howard, you know, you make a great point. There a lot of people out there that are saying, you know, Kat has gone through a lot, the breakup with Jesse, her house burned down this year, her cat died.
You know, it`s possible to give her a break if she went about it the right way. So what`s your bottom line spin? Spin it for Kat Von D.
BRAGMAN: My bottom line is you`re absolutely right. I do want to give her a break. Kat, go take a vacation, babe. You need it. You deserve it. Get some rest and come back ready to fight them again.
HAMMER: But you talk about that trend, Howard. And Kat Von D. really is the latest celebrity to walk out of one of these interviews when the questions got personal.
I mean, you had Paris Hilton. She walked out on ABC when she was asked if her 15 minutes of fame were over and, you know, Kim Kardashian was the new "it" girl.
Heidi Montag actually recently walked out on us at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just before her interview because she refused to answer questions about her train wreck addiction to plastic surgery. That was ridiculous to me.
So here`s what we just asked in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll - "Is it wrong to ask stars personal questions?" The results came in late today, most people siding with us. Twenty-three percent say yes, they deserve privacy. But 77 percent said no, it is part of their job.
Howard, I know this is something you deal with this every day. How would you have voted?
BRAGMAN: You know, this is the world we live in and for me, it`s not about questions. It`s about answers. It`s about preparing your clients. But I`ll tell you the controversy that it creates by walking out of a show is very appealing.
And I always say controversy is like yeast. It makes their career bigger in many cases.
HAMMER: So why don`t so many celebrities get it? Quickly, Howard.
BRAGMAN: Because they have a lot of PR people who don`t have the strength to sit down and say, "Here`s the way the world is. Here`s what you`re going to be asked and here`s how we`re going to answer it."
It has to be a team. They have to be prepared. You can`t do it on the fly or you`ll just get upset like these stars do.
HAMMER: Sounds like an ad for Fifteen Minutes Public Relations. Howard Bragman, everybody should hire you.
BRAGMAN: Thank you.
HAMMER: Thanks so much.
BRILL: All right, A.J. I wonder, how is Oprah going to spin this? Jenny McCarthy walks out on a talk show deal with Oprah on Oprah`s network. Pretty bold move if you ask me. I mean, is it dissing the Big O? Who does that? So I`ve got to ask, did Jenny just make a huge mistake?
Plus, it`s the Old Spice smackdown of century.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, old Old Spice guy, who is gross.
ISAIAH MUSTAFA, OLD SPICE GUY: This may in fact be the greatest Internet duel of all time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The Old Spice guy versus Fabio. So who won this duel of the macho men? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the winner, coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: "Ice Loves Coco" stars Ice-T and Coco renew their vows! Man who hit Rupert Murdoch with pie convicted of assault, distress harassment alarm.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, old Old Spice guy, who is gross.
MUSTAFA: This may in fact be the greatest Internet duel of all time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. It`s the spiciest showdown of the century - Fabio versus the guy he`s calling the old Old Spice guy. Is Fabio about to take over and make the Old Spice guy old news?
We are about to reveal the winner of this Old Spice duel. Taryn, I had no idea that people would get so riled up over Fabio and Old Spice.
BRILL: You can`t predict this stuff, A.J. My vote for Mustafa. I mean, the butter guy, Fabio? No way.
HAMMER: He does have that sort of perpetual hair-blowing-in-the-wind thing going on. But tonight, I can tell you the mano y mano el bano duel is over. The results revealed in this brand-new YouTube video.
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MUSTAFA: I am a man of peace and tranquility, and while I respect that you are the only man in history brave enough to challenge me, your shenanigans have upset the very balance of the galaxy. So now, I will end this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wait. Years ago I had all the love of the women. I had all the people. I was the top sexy TV spokesman, selling all the products to people. I was the most-loved TV spokesperson. It was happiness.
MUSTAFA: I have no idea what you just said. Here, hold this for me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me guess, you tried to take over the Old Spice guy, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did you know?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lucky guess.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: There you have it. Fabio shipped off to the land of Fabios, which probably has a lot of fake butter and - I don`t know - wind.
BRILL: Yes, quite a combination. And I love the fact that the Old Spice guy doesn`t understand a word Fabio is saying, so probably he (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the Old Spice guy. But poor Fabio, A.J., stuck on that planet.
HAMMER: There`s good news. We actually sent the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT shuttle out to get Fabio. He and the Old Spice guy will be right here Monday night on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BRILL: Yes!
HAMMER: Taryn, you and I discussed this on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page video, two make-up ads featuring Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington both banned in England for being too airbrushed. It sparked a whopper of a debate on our Facebook wall, including this message from Marcy R. who write, "Good. Girls As young as three are getting depressed after looking at pictures Photoshopped. It`s sickening and I hope they put up tougher laws.
Valerie N. writes, "Let`s be real people. There is no real in Hollywood! Cheers to England!"
Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Hugh Hefner`s ex, Crystal Harris, apologizes after she said sex with Hef lasted two seconds. Why is she backtracking today?
Remember "Friends"? Have you ever wondered who had the most sex on that show? How many partners did Joey really have? We`ve got that coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Here comes the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Nicky Hilton and David Katzenberg split after four years together. Kathryn Bigelow`s film on the killing of Osama Bin Laden to debut in theaters 10/12/12.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Hef`s ex apology. Hef`s ex, Crystal Harris, tweets a shocking apology for saying he`s a two-second lover.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STERN: Did you have an orgasm when Hef (EXPLETIVE DELETED) you?
HARRIS: No.
STERN: You did not. How long did this horror situation last, the actual sex?
HARRIS: Like two seconds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So why is she backtracking now? And who will be named SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week? Jesse James`s ex, Kat Von D. for walking out of an interview; Crystal Harris for kissing and telling; or Alex Trebek for chasing that burglar in his underwear?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks big Oprah news. Why is Jenny McCarthy walking away from a big time show on Oprah`s network OWN? Is it just the latest sign that Oprah`s empire is in big trouble?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: So for critics to say Oprah`s empire is crumbling is kind of -
ROSIE O`DONNELL, TELEVISION PERSONALITY: She is a force of nature. Make no mistake. This is not a network that`s crumbling or a woman that`s going away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Rosie O`Donnell sure doesn`t think so. And we have a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview tonight with Rosie on life in Oprah`s world.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
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Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BRILL: And I`m Taryn Winter Brill with big news breaking tonight - big Oprah news.
HAMMER: And it may not all be good news, Taryn. There are reports today that traffic on Oprah`s Web site, "Oprah.com," is down by, get this, a whopping 50 percent.
This followed the news today that Jenny McCarthy, who has been developing a talk show for Oprah`s network, OWN, has decided to jump ship and she is taking her show with her.
And then there`s Rosie O`Donnell. Oprah revealed that "The Rosie Show" is going to make its premiere on October 10th from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on OWN.
And just this afternoon, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter spoke with Rosie herself and asked her the tough questions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYNTER: So for critics who say Oprah`s empire is crumbling, you`re saying it`s kind of too early for that?
O`DONNELL: I say that`s funny.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And you are not going to believe what Rosie has to say about Jenny McCarthy`s seemingly sudden about-face. So we caught up with Rosie today when she appeared at the Television Critics Association - that`s where all the networks present their big shows and talk about what the shows are going to be.
And you`ve got to hear what Rosie had to say when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter asked Rosie about all this bad news for Oprah.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYNTER: So for critics who say Oprah`s empire is crumbling, you`re saying it`s kind of too early for that?
O`DONNELL: I say that`s funny. I mean, honestly, you can`t turn off the sun, honey.
WYNTER: Yes.
O`DONNELL: You might be able to have a cloudy day and people go, "I don`t think the sun exists anymore." But guess what happens the next day. The sun comes out again.
And she is a force of nature. Make no mistake. This is not a network that`s crumbling or a woman that`s going away. We`re just beginning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You can`t turn off the sun, honey. Let me go out to Howard Bragman, the founder of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations in Hollywood.
So Howard, Rosie says, yes, they`re just at the beginning. Oprah`s network is not in trouble. What do you think?
BRAGMAN: You know, it`s absolutely true. I work a lot with the Oprah Winfrey Network. I was part of the Chaz Bono documentary that aired on there, one of the producers. And they are a new network, and they`ve had some shifts in management.
There was a lot of focus last year on the end of Oprah`s show. And now, Oprah has taken over the network. I`ve known Oprah for 30 years. Like Rosie, I will never bet against Oprah Winfrey.
When she sets her mind to something, she`s going to do it. And that doesn`t mean that you don`t have a cloudy day, that there are not mistakes along the way. But in the long run, this is a brand people will love and revere and it`s a brand that will succeed.
HAMMER: Yes. I agree with you. I think there a lot of doomsayers out there. And realistically, I do think they wish it was doing better than it is doing at this point.
I want to go to Lauren Lake who is an attorney and TV host. Lauren, "Oprah.com" is faltering. The ratings for the network really aren`t that good right now. Do you think that Rosie can be the one to help Oprah turn things around? I think it`s a great get for Oprah.
LAKE: I do, too. I think Rosie still has a following. Rosie can be very interesting, very provocative. And you know what? Right now, empowerment is really not the big thing.
We live in the age of reality TV and confrontational TV. And you know what? Rosie can confront some people as we all remember. So maybe she`ll bring some juice and some excitement to OWN.
And I`m with everybody else. If you`re going to bank on anybody, bank on Oprah, literally and figuratively.
HAMMER: Yes. I think Rosie is certainly the one person who can sort of bridge both worlds, empowerment but also, you know, bringing that realness that a lot of people really expect and want that you see in reality TV.
LAKE: Yes.
HAMMER: Maybe we won`t get quite that real. Rosie did share one other piece of information today with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT when we spoke with her about her new show, what her kids think about mommy returning to television. Watch what she told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O`DONNELL: My kids said what kind of show are you going to do? I said, well, like, you know, a TV show. Like "iCarly"? No, it`s not like "iCarly." Well, what`s it like? "Zach and Cody"? "Sweet Life on Deck"? No, it`s not like - well, what`s it like? "America`s Got Talent"?
They only know the shows that they watch and they don`t really get. Then we started watching Oprah behind the scenes. I`m like, well, that`s where I`m going to be working and that`s going to be my stage.
And of course, my daughter`s like, are you going to be able to keep those dogs. Do you get to keep her dogs? No, honey. I don`t get her dogs. You should ask her for the dogs. I`m not going to ask her for her dogs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRILL: She should ask her for the dogs, I think, A.J. Well, I`ve got to say it does appear that Oprah and Rosie are having a great time working together. After all, Rosie tweeted out a picture of a very special delivery she received from Oprah, flowers and champagne.
And then Oprah posted this picture of her working from the OWN studios. Yes, check that out. I like that. But just hours before Rosie showed up to plug their show, we learned today Jenny McCarthy has bailed on a show she was going to be doing for Oprah`s network.
And she`s now shopping it around elsewhere. Seriously, Jenny? Well, we broke that news to Rosie. Listen to what she told Kareen.
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O`DONNELL: Well, I know all the talent that they have and that they`re working with. And I`m one of the very many Jenny McCarthy fans over there. I think that because she`s so beautiful, people don`t really realize how funny she is. She`s so funny.
I don`t know if you remember her sitcom. It was hysterical. She did this thing when got her tongue pierced and couldn`t talk. She`s like almost Lucille Ball-like in her physical comedy sense. But I think Jenny McCarthy can do whatever she wants.
WYNTER: So never had a deal with O?
O`DONNELL: Not to my knowledge.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRILL: OK. I guess Rosie wasn`t in the know. Howard, Rosie thinks Jenny can do whatever she wants. Do you think Jenny bailing on Oprah makes her network look bad or does it in the matter at all, Howard?
BRAGMAN: I don`t think it matters at all. Oprah has a lot of different deals going on. That may have been one of the problems was she had so many deals going on. And I, like Rosie, agree that Jenny McCarthy is a great talent, a wonderful girl.
And let me tell you - development, which is the art of getting a TV show on the air, is frustrating. It takes a long time, a lot of negotiations and you want to beat your head against the wall.
And Jenny`s a long-established star. I`m sure she finally said, "Let`s go somewhere that`s ready to pay up and get on the air quicker." And I`m sure that was a problem.
But you know, Oprah helped make Jenny McCarthy and helped her really provide a soap box for her cause. And I`m sure there`s still a great deal of affection.
BRILL: Yes, Jenny basically had enough. So I want to tell you what Oprah`s saying about all this. Late today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got this statement from Oprah`s production company.
It says, "Harpo Studios was working with Jenny McCarthy to develop a potential syndicated series. The parties mutually agreed several months ago not to move forward with the project."
Lauren, I`ve got to ask you. Do you think Jenny McCarthy is basically better off moving on here?
LAKE: We won`t know until we see what the show is and if it ever gets off the ground. Right now, all we can say is, Jenny, let`s hope you`re making the right decision because when the sun comes out and it ain`t shining on you, what are you going to do?
BRILL: What are you going to - I`ve got to say, it`s bold, you know, dissing O like that. But there`s more Oprah news today - breaking today, we should say, leading to speculation that Maria Shriver could be getting a show on Oprah`s network.
I mean, let`s not forget that we learned Maria and Arnold were getting divorced. You know, Maria made her first public appearance offer one of Oprah`s shows right after we heard that news.
But the other night, Oprah and Maria were seeing leaving a Hollywood restaurant together after having dinner. But Howard, we know they`re got friends. And I`m thinking Maria doing a show on Oprah`s network might be just what Oprah and Maria need. What do you think?
BRAGMAN: Well, if Maria was shopping a show, we would all know it in 11 seconds, OK? You would read about it everywhere.
BRILL: Spin it in 11 seconds, Howard.
BRAGMAN: I don`t think that - I don`t think Maria`s ready to do a show. I think she`s wisely investing her time in taking care of her family, getting through her divorce and seeing old friends like Oprah.
And I think, at the right time, she`ll make the right decision. She`s got the whole world open to her. Everybody would welcome Maria Shriver.
BRILL: All right. Lauren, I want you to weigh in. What do you think?
LAKE: You know what I think? I think if Maria wants to get on the TV and we can see the saucier side of her and have her deal with issues of truth and relationships and betrayal and have her drop a dime, I think we would all love it.
She`s been so poised and so reserved over the years. We would love to see her let her hair down.
BRILL: I hear you. I`m with you. All right. Lauren Lake, Howard Bragman, thanks very much.
All right. Well, now, I want to hear from you guys. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. Jenny McCarthy decides not to do a show on Oprah`s network, OWN. Big mistake or is it the right move?
Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Remember, you can always E-mail us. Our address, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
HAMMER: I`m kind of of the mind that Jenny can do whatever she wants to do. I think it was sort of a more mutual parting of ways.
BRILL: Yes.
HAMMER: So we wish her all the best and we wish Oprah all the best, quite frankly. I think the network, you know, is having a tough time getting launched, so here it goes.
Now, on to Hef`s apology shocker. Hef`s ex, Crystal Harris is backtracking big time after her explosive dig at the king of "Playboy." But why is Crystal now saying she made it all up?
And can you believe that Gloria Steinem, of all people, is weighing in on the Hef sex debate?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLORIA STEINEM, FEMINIST: If he thinks that he lost his wallet, it would somehow still be there. I somehow doubt it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. First, Crystal, now world-famous feminist, Gloria Steinem. Tough week, Hef.
BRILL: And who will be the most provocative celebrity of the week? I love that question. Kat Von D. for her mid-interview walk-out? Maybe it will be Crystal Harris for dissing Hef. Or is it Alex Trebek for that double jeopardy burglary? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
It is time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Mark Wahlberg says he wants to make "Entourage" movie, offers to finance it. Music producer, Mark Ronson, performs tribute to Amy Winehouse at London show.
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STERN: Did you have an orgasm when Hef (EXPLETIVE DELETED) you?
HARRIS: No.
STERN: You did not. How long did this horror situation last the, the actual sex?
HARRIS: Like two seconds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Breaking Hef sex news - Hugh Hefner`s ex-fiancee, Crystal Harris, apologized today for what she claimed on Howard Stern`s radio show that sex with Hef lasted a grand total of two seconds. So what changed? Why is Crystal backtracking now?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
BRILL: And I`m Taryn Winter Brill. Tonight, Hef`s sex apology. Inquiring minds want to know, why in the world is Crystal Harris changing her tune about Hef?
HAMMER: Yes. And Taryn, we were all caught off guard today when Crystal officially apologized for her tasteless comments. So now, the big question tonight is, is Hugh Hefner accepting her apology or is the damage already done?
Joining me right now from Washington, D.C., Sheryl Lee Ralph who is an actress, author and AIDS activist. And in New York tonight, Erika America, who is an on-air personality for Z100 in New York and a psychotherapist.
All right. Let`s take a look at the apology that Crystal just made, shall we? This was in a tweet form, "The Stern interview scared me. He`s harsh. I was unprepared and blurted out things I shouldn`t have said. I`m sorry."
Well, did Hef accept the apology is what I`m sure yourself right now. He sure did, you betcha. He tweeted his response, "Crystal apologized for her Howard Stern interview, which I appreciated. It didn`t have much to do with reality."
Sheryl Lee, I appreciate that Crystal apologized. But why do you suppose she`s backtracking? Do you think somebody got to her and said, "You better fix this now, Crystal?"
SHERYL LEE RALPH, ACTRESS, AUTHOR AND ACTIVIST: You know something? It surprises me. The man is 102, Crystal. How much good wood did you think he was burning down there? Come on!
HAMMER: Well, let me point out, good wood or not, that even though Crystal has apologized, she never actually really retracted her unflattering statements about Hef`s two-second performance, as she put it, in bed. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you his other former playmates - they came to Hef`s defense today saying he perfectly is satisfying in bed and that two-second claim is a bunch of bunk.
Now, famed feminist, Gloria Steinem, who actually went undercover as a "Playboy" bunny herself back in the `70s, if you remember that, she just told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she thinks that, for all these bunnies, it`s all about the money. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEINEM: In either case, it was a joke, you know, because if he thinks that he lost his wallet, those women would still be there. I doubt it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Erica America, I`m certainly glad that people are coming to Hef`s defense right about now, but does Gloria have that right? Is Hef just some - you know, if he was just some schmo without money, none of these bunnies would actually want anything to do with his 81-year-old body?
ERICA AMERICA, RADIO PERSONALITY ON Z100 N.Y.: I mean, she has a point. That`s obviously - you know, the obvious remark that many people are going to make.
But I don`t think that this is about the money. It`s about being a gentleman or a lady. And a lady or a gentleman doesn`t discuss the bedroom - you know, the affairs in the bedroom, after a divorce or an impending separation.
So that was just in bad taste on her part. And I think that`s something Hef would never do.
HAMMER: You know, true or not, Taryn, no guy wants to hear anybody blurting about anything like this, especially to the entire nation. And I think Hef is actually handling this with a whole lot of dignity and class.
BRILL: Grace, and just 100 percent class act all the way. Crystal Harris, not so much. Not at all. And that`s why Crystal is just one of the people has nominated to be our most provocative celebrity of the week.
Or maybe, A.J. - maybe Kat Von D. for walking out on a TV interview. Maybe we should name her the most provocative because she didn`t want to talk about her split with Jesse James.
Or how about 71-year-old "Jeopardy" host, Alex Trebek, for chasing down a burglar who broke into his hotel room while he was sleeping butt naked. I like saying "butt naked." It makes me giggle. Sheryl Lee, who do you think it should be?
RALPH: Well, it`s certainly not Crystal because it was classless and it was tasteless. But did you say that Alex Trebek was running naked down a hall chasing a burglar?
BRILL: I did. I certainly did.
RALPH: That`s the one right there.
BRILL: All right. Well, let`s get right to it, Sheryl Lee. It`s my favorite moment of the week. Let`s name SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity. Drum roll - there she is - Crystal Harris, ladies and gentlemen.
RALPH: Oh!
BRILL: She had my vote. Erica, we were basically thinking about her confessions to Howard Stern were just simply unacceptable. Did we get it right?
AMERICA: I`m sorry. I get your point but I`m obsessed with this Alex Trebek story. It is amazing. Running naked. He`s 71. He`s a man. Can`t get better. Yes, please.
BRILL: All right. We got it. All right. Sheryl Lee, Erica America, thanks very much.
HAMMER: Keeping up with the Kardashians. Is another Kardashian really going to be on another reality show? And sorry, Charlie. Ashton Kutcher is already making himself at home on the new "Two and a Half Men." All that in "The Buzz Today."
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(voice-over) Another dancing Kardashian? No, not Khloe, Kim or Kourtney. TMZ is reporting that their brother, Rob Kardashian has just signed on for the latest installment of "Dancing with the Stars."
We all remember Rob`s sister, Kim, appeared in season seven of the show. Hopefully, Rob will have better luck. Kim was kicked off only two weeks into the competition.
Charlie who? CBS has just revealed the very first look at Ashton Kutcher on "Two and a Half Men." Now, it may look familiar because it`s almost identical to the image CBS used when Charlie Sheen was on the show.
The new ad shows Ashton taking Sheen`s place in the famous pose featuring co-stars Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones in tuxedoes around a microphone. Ashton will make his debut when the new season premieres September 19th.
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Moving on tonight to the new study that ranks your favorite "Friends" cast members by how often they got lucky. That`s right. It`s a kind of sex by the number for "Friends." Coming up next, who came out on top? 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 tonight.
TEXT: Lady Gaga to release new photo book with fashion photographer Terry Richardson. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first look at trailer for action movie "Battleship."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: These naval exercises, Hopper, they`re basically your last.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: What the heck is that.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Unknown service contact.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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KELLY ROWLAND, SINGER: We`re just going with the flow. Everybody`s chilling. Everybody`s supporting each other and the most important thing that we do have is our relationship with each other, that friendship, that sisterly bond.
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BRILL: That`s Kelly Rowland talking with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about the unbreakable bond with her old band mates from Destiny`s Child. So are all those rumors true that the band is going to reunite for a blowout tour?
Well, SHOWBIZ breaks big news tonight on a possible Destiny`s Child reunion. The rumors are flying, I`ve got to tell you. And you thought SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just talked one-on-one with Kelly Rowland to set the record straight.
And while fans are hoping for a Destiny`s Child reunion, it looks like it`s not even on the ladies` radar. Kelly revealed to us today that they`re not even talking about it. Watch what she told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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ROWLAND: A reunion did not come up. We just enjoyed being around each other. We enjoyed talking. We enjoyed each other`s smiles. We enjoyed the room. We enjoyed dancing together. We enjoyed being around other people.
I have the best sisters and they`ve been so supportive and I support everything that they do. And I love them to death. They`re such exceptional women.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRILL: Yes, they all are. There`s no doubt about it. There`s still a lot of love there. But for now, Kelly, Beyonce and Michelle Williams are all working on their solo careers and their own lives, A.J.
HAMMER: They certainly are. We look forward to a hopeful reunion. I really want it to happen. So on Thursday, we asked to you vote in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. Moments ago, the final results came in. "Kat Von D. Walks Out on an Interview: Is it wrong to ask stars personal questions?"
Look at this - only 23 percent of you say, yes, they deserve privacy. A whopping 77 percent of you say, no, it`s part of their job.
Listen to this E-mail we got from our viewer who watched Kat Von D. walk out on "Good Day L.A." Marla from California writes, "I watched `Good Day, Los Angeles.` If Kat Von D. didn`t want to talk about her personal life, she needs to get out of reality TV." And I`m right there with you.
BRILL: Marla said it. Well, "Friends" sex by the numbers. The new study that ranks how many partners each cast member of "Friends" had over nine seasons on the air. I`m guessing Joey has got to be the frontrunner, A.J. But find out who made the top three, next. No pun intended.
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HAMMER: OK, got to listen to this. Somebody just released a brand- new study. It breaks down the sex lives of the cast of "Friends."
Now, we`re getting to the important stuff. Who do you think ruled the roost during "Friends`" nine seasons? Joey, of course. You know, "How you doing?" That line landed him 17 partners.
But get this. Super-nerd Ross and spacey Phoebe not far behind - they both tied for second place - 16 lovers each. Rachel had 14 partners. Monica, just 13. No surprise here. It was Chandler Bing who was never really much of a ladies` man. He only had nine partners.
I really have to wonder what this breakdown would look like, Taryn, for the "Sex and the City" cast. It`s probably entirely different.
BRILL: Totally different.
HAMMER: It`s been great having you here this week.
BRILL: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRILL: And I`m Taryn Winter Brill. Remember you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively Monday through Friday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.
HAMMER: Up next, Dr. Drew looks at the shocking new Casey Anthony reports. Has she already gone back to her partying ways? Dr. Drew on HLN starts right now.
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