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Showbiz Tonight
Forget Charlie; Cassidy`s "Partridge" Problem; The Royal Kardashians?; 10-Year-Old Poses for French Vogue; Octumom Hates Casey
Aired August 04, 2011 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
AJ HAMMER, HLN HOST: More big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Killing Charlie? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks big news about the new season of "Two and a Half Men" without Charlie Sheen. Will Sheen`s character really be killed off?
Plus Hollywood`s biggest stars sound off on the show`s new leading man, Ashton Kutcher.
SELA WARD, "CSI: NY": He`s such a winning adorable guy.
HAMMER: Can Ashton really save "Two and a Half Men"?
The Kardashians. American royalty? Unbelievable brand new comparisons between the Kardashians and the royal family. Just as brand new secrets about Kim`s wedding are revealed.
MARILU HENNER, "UNFORGETTABLE": I guess she`s our royalty. What can I tell you?
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, are the Kardashians really the royals of America?
Oprah, Oscar outrage. Big news about Oprah`s honorary Oscar. The Academy says she deserves it. So why are some people in Hollywood absolutely outraged?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
Hello, I`m AJ Hammer in New York with big news tonight.
Killing Charlie? Yes, Hollywood sure knows how to get the ultimate revenge after a bitter breakup. Kill off the leading man, bring in the younger version. That appears to be exactly what CBS is doing after Charlie Sheen forced its mega hit show "Two and a Half Men" to end its season early.
Tonight SHOWBIZ breaks news about men, like after Sheen, and the dirty details of Ashton Kutcher`s role as the new leading man.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates whether this headline-making revival is enough to save the sitcom that Sheen built.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JON CRYER, ACTOR: Can you come downstairs?
CHARLIE SHEEN, ACTOR: Sure. Give me an hour and a half.
HAMMER (voice-over): On "Two and a Half Men," Charlie Sheen`s character left behind plenty of ticked off exes. Come to think of it, so is the real Charlie Sheen.
But today SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you one of Charlie Sheen`s exes is moving on to a better manly man. A better future and a better life without Charlie. That ex being of course Sheen`s ex employer, CBS.
CRYER: He`s a spiteful turd.
HAMMER: Today SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks news with brand new details on how CBS plans to move on from the ex who did them wrong. Plus big news on who Sheen`s replacement, Ashton Kutcher, will be playing on "Two and a Half Men" and how Sheen`s character may be leaving the show. Here`s a hint, feet first.
MAGGIE FURLONG, WEST COAST EDITOR, AOL TV: Pretty sure it`s going to be closed casket.
HAMMER: And some of TV`s biggest stars tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT how they feel about Sheen`s departure and his replacement.
RICHARD SCHIFF, "HOUSE OF LIES": I think Ashton must have slept with somebody.
GREG GERMANN, "HOUSE OF LIES": They`ll make it three men, I think, because he`s kind of tall.
HAMMER: Sheen was fired by CBS last March after a long string of erratic behavior and some really nasty insults directed at the show`s producers.
SHEEN: I see you, you little worm.
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you new reports are saying the show`s producers are making darn sure now that Sheen stays gone.
FURLONG: It`s being reported now that Charlie Sheen will be killed off of "Two and a Half Men".
HAMMER: While CBS isn`t confirming numerous reports about Charlie Harper`s demise, the network is revealing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT who Ashton Kutcher will be playing when he joins the show next season. Let`s start with Ashton`s name.
FURLONG: Ashton Kutcher is going the be playing Walden Schmitt.
HAMMER: OK. That`s a unique. Then again so is Ashton Kutcher. Let`s move on.
FURLONG: He`s this billionaire, you know, amazing businessman. And he has a broken heart.
HAMMER: At the Television Critics Association gathering, plenty of CBS stars gave SHOWBIZ TONIGHT their own suggestions about how "Two and a Half Men" could kill off Sheen`s character. Here`s the suggestion CBS least likely to use.
WILSON BETHEL, "HART OF DIXIE": I wonder if it`s going to be as epic as the chef dying on "South Park."
JAIME KING, "HART OF DIXIE": To me a piano just falls or something like Looney Tunes-esque. Is that inappropriate?
HAMMER: The cast of the CBS cop show, "Criminal Minds," has their own idea of how to get rid of Sheen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They should put him on our show. We could kill -- we`ll kill him off in a minute.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Solve it. Solve it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`ll do a crossover episode.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think everybody in the country has been profiling Charlie, so I think it`s our turn.
HAMMER: But kidding aside, everyone at CBS has good things to say about Ashton Kutcher`s return to his TV sitcom roots.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just started watching "That 70s Show".
ASHTON KUTCHER, ACTOR: I`m going to commemorate our forbidden love with panties.
PAGET BREWSTER, "CRIMINAL MINDS": He`s outstanding. That`s a great show. So I hope -- and I`ve been friend with Jon Cryer for a long time so I really hope he does a great job. I hope that show does well and goes on forever and ever.
MELISSA RAUCH, "THE BIG BANG THEORY": I`m so excited for Ash on that show. I`m looking forward to seeing him around a lot. We`re -- our studios are right side-by-side. So hopefully I`ll see him in the commissary and give him a thumb`s up. I`m very much looking forward to how he fits in in the show.
WARD: He`s such a winning, adorable guy. I think he`ll do a fantastic job.
HAMMER: So it looks like CBS is moving on after its bad breakup with Charlie Sheen with its new man, Ashton Kutcher. May the live happily ever after, or until cancellation. Whichever comes first.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I guess the real question is, can Ashton Kutcher beat the odds? Is his talent enough to keep "Two and a Half Men" the top comedy in America.
I can tell you there are apparently already some big problems in the first week of taping. The president of CBS revealed today that the tension on the new set is so thick you can cut it with a knife.
Carlos Diaz of HLN`s "MORNING EXPRESS WITH ROBIN MEADE" is in Atlanta tonight. In Hollywood, it`s Carrie Keagan who`s the host of VH1`s "Big Morning Buzz Live."
You may find it shocking, but would you believe that every last CBS star SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with at the Television Critics Association gathering loves Ashton Kutcher. Amazing.
What? Really?
HAMMER: Yes, well, the "Men" of course does air on CBS and is coming back with Ashton this fall. Watch what the actors (INAUDIBLE) and Gregg Germann just told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he`s going to do great. I mean I think obviously the expectations are high. There`s been so much media attention surrounding this kind of shift. I`m looking forward to hopefully running in to him and possibly Demi as well.
GERMANN: I`m sure he`ll be great. He`s very funny. I mean he`s very -- you know, "That 70s Show" which is where I first saw him, he was -- he knocked me out.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean I think he will be great. And while the CBS stars think Ashton is going to keep "Men" as TV`s top comedy, I got to tell you, the TV network`s own president is saying that the tension is so outrageously high on the set.
Now we all know Charlie Sheen was always very generous with his crew, that was his reputation, Carlos. So I`ve got to ask, how tough is it going to be for Ashton to, you know, break through to a crew that probably still has a great deal of loyalty for Sheen?
CARLOS DIAZ, HLN`S "MORNING EXPRESS WITH ROBIN MEADE": Yes, I`m thinking Mercedes Benz for everybody.
HAMMER: All of them.
DIAZ: You know -- yes, I mean, and especially after that report that Ashton has got that mammoth trailer on the set. That`s not a very good start. But I`ll tell you what. This is -- CBS is playing this perfectly. The president of CBS not mentioning Charlie Sheen`s name today. Ashton Kutcher not being available to the press right now.
See, they know that they have the momentum. They don`t need to roll out everything right now. You do it slowly. And I`ve got news for you, I`ve never watched a full episode of "Two and a Half Men" all the way through, never. I will watch the premiere and part two the next week because I`m interested to see what they`re going to do.
HAMMER: Yes. I`m right there with you. And you know, who knows? Maybe they`re planting these stories about tension on the set because it is drumming up publicity. Here we are talking about it.
Charlie Sheen`s diva ways did play a big part in his epic "Two and a Half Men" flameout. But there are these reports that Ashton Kutcher already seems to be stirring up his own trouble, Carlos mentioned that mega trailer, the big two-story trailer on the set bigger than the one Charlie had.
The show is only in its first week of taping, Carrie. I don`t think Ashton is a diva. But wouldn`t you agree that he does probably need to tread lightly even if he`s a huge star because he is stepping into a pretty sticky situation?
CARRIE KEAGAN, HOST, VH1`S "BIG MORNING BUZZ LIVE": No matter what he did, he was going to be looked at strangely but I think "Two and a Half Men" has sort of become like the Van Halen of TV shows like, is Ashton going to be the next Sammy or is he going to be the next Gary Sherone?
We don`t know. You know? Can "Seinfeld" last without Seinfeld. That`s the question. And I guess we`re going to find out.
HAMMER: Yes.
KEAGAN: I have a feeling that it`s going to be a lot like Jay Leno when he moved to 10:00 p.m. It`s going to start really big and then it`s just gradually flat line. And I still have yet to talk to anyone who has watched "Two and a Half Men."
HAMMER: Isn`t that (INAUDIBLE)?
KEAGAN: So I`m very excited to see someone watching it.
HAMMER: Well, that`s really interesting because a lot of people I know don`t watch a show as big as it is. It`ll be interesting to see -- I actually think, and I`ve said this all along, Ashton was an inspired choice. I do think it`s going to work out very well in the long haul.
But right now, I want to get to some more big news breaking today about one of my favorite stars, a truly class act, Matt Damon. He had a clash with a reporter that`s going viral now. This all happened when the reporter claimed teachers get off easy with tenure.
Watch how Matt Damon blasted back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT DAMON, ACTOR: It`s like saying a teacher is going to get lazy when they have tenure. A teacher wants to teach. I mean why else would you take (EXPLETIVE DELETED) salary and really long hours and do that job unless you really love to do it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten percent (INAUDIBLE), 10 percent --
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Where did you get that number?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know. Ten percent of people in any profession maybe should think of something else.
DAMON: OK. But I mean maybe a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) camera man. I don`t know.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Good for Matt. Clearly he cares a lot about the issue. His mom is a teacher. She was right there.
Carlos, this just ups his credibility in my mind. You?
DIAZ: It totally does. And I`m not saying that because I`m totally frightened of him. No, here`s the thing. We always say that we want celebrities to tell the truth and to speak their mind.
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: Matt Damon does that. So let`s applaud Matt Damon. And I thought it was really cool the way he shaved his head he went off to add extra emphasis to the entire --
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Let`s applaud Matt Damon.
Carlos Diaz, Carrie Keagan, thank you both.
As we move on tonight, Kardashians, American royalty, really? Tonight unbelievable comparisons between the Kim K. and her clan and the royal family. Just as big new Kardashian wedding secrets are revealed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HENNER: I guess she`s our royalty. What can I tell you?
KAT GRAHAM, "VAMPIRE DIARIES": Hollywood is just -- people see so much of the drugs and the sex and the bad stuff and the negative that people do want to see a happy ending and I think that Kim Kardashian is that right now.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The great debate tonight, are the Kardashians really the royals of America?
Oprah, Oscar outrage. The Academy just announced Oprah is getting an Oscar. Now there`s big outrage in Hollywood.
Also octumom`s controversial Casey Anthony slam fest. Nadya Suleman playing Casey`s psychiatrist. This is outrageous.
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN, news and views.
And this is the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
GRAPHICS: Jerry Lewis retires as chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association after nearly five decades.
GRAPHICS: JJ Abrams talks about the possibility of directing "Star Trek" sequel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JJ ABRAMS, DIRECTOR: I definitely want to do it. And my feeling is, if I say I`m directing the movie until we know some key things that were very, very close to solving, then I fee like I`m kind of putting the cart before the horse and I just don`t want to get ahead of myself.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: That`s pretty cool. Coldplay`s tribute to Amy Winehouse. Chris Martin and the band took a moment at a concert on Wednesday to honor Amy by singing a chorus from her hit song, "Rehab," and Chris sang the lyrics very slowly just before breaking in to Coldplay`s hit "Fix You" which is a song about losing loved ones.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m AJ Hammer in New York.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates Cassidy`s partridge problem. David Cassidy was one of the biggest teen idols during the `70s playing Keith Partridge on the hit TV show "The Partridge Family" of course.
But now nearly 40 years after "The Partridge Family" went off of the air, Cassidy is mounting a battle to get paid for all of the merchandise that had his image on it.
Here`s CNN Money`s Poppy Harlow for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POPPY HARLOW, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It`s 1970 and a 20- year-old David Cassidy is starring in "The Partridge Family." Not only did the show and sold out concerts go on to make him a star, but the teen idol success spawned an avalanche of merchandise.
DAVID CASSIDY, ACTOR: This is a dress-up set. Remember these? Oh, gosh, nice outfit, David.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Could you please put your hands together for the one and only David Cassidy.
HARLOW: Thirty-seven years after "The Partridge Family" went off of the air, Cassidy is still performing and producing. And now he`s on a personal mission to get paid for that merchandise from Sony which owns the show.
(On camera): You say you`ve been robbed for the last few decades.
CASSIDY: How would you call it? If somebody does not pay you and you`re entitled to a percentage of the profits and you know they`re making profits, is that stealing?
HARLOW (voice-over): Cassidy says according to his contract, while the program was on the air, he was entitled to 15 percent of net merchandising profits when his image was used. Half that if he appeared with other cast members.
(On camera): Were you paid for that?
CASSIDY: I was told by my manager, I received a check for $5,000 and I never heard another word.
HARLOW (voice-over): Cassidy`s lawyer sent this letter to Sony requesting a prompt and full accounting of payment of proceeds for any merchandise sold using his name, likeness, voice, or other exercise of such merchandising rights.
Sony responded that he could not locate any merchandising statements but found letters showing that Mr. Cassidy`s representatives audited such statements, therefore they must have been rendered to him.
The company went on to say it was not aware of any new merchandising licenses with his name, voice, and likeness , after "The Partridge Family" went off the air, and said the statutes of limitations had run out on any claims.
Sony had no other comment to CNN.
CASSIDY: I don`t want to sue you, just be fair. Be real, be genuine, don`t be greedy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, as for the other cast members? Remember Brian Forester? He played Chris Partridge, and he says he did get about $1100 for merchandising back in the `70s. But the others we spoke with say they didn`t have a merchandising deal or don`t recall getting paid for any items.
And of course David Cassidy`s battle is coming at the same time as some of the cast members of "Happy Days" and CBS battle it out over merchandising money.
CNN Money`s Poppy Harlow is joining me now.
Poppy, I think a lot of people are really wondering what happens now because both sides in the Cassidy battle seem to be so far apart.
HARLOW: They absolutely do, you`re right, AJ. You know, it`s interesting, David Cassidy tells us that he`s in it for the long haul. He said he plans -- has no plans to back down.
And what`s interesting here is he has not found a lawsuit against Sony yet as the cast members of "Happy Days" have done against CBS. But he says he will if he has to.
So at this point, his lawyer has sent a letter demanding full accounting to Sony. Sony has said to him, basically, we don`t owe you any money. The statute of limitations has run out.
And we asked Sony for a comment multiple times, AJ, no comment from Sony at this point in time. I think it`s going to be really interesting to see how this plays out if he does go all the way to court with this like the cast members of "Happy Days" did or if that is not the case. We`ll follow it very closely and let you know.
HAMMER: All right, Poppy. And be sure to see our full story on David Cassidy this Sunday on "CNN PRESENTS" at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. And you can find more at CNN.com.
Poppy Harlow, thank you again.
Moving on now to big "Toddler in Tiaras" controversy tonight. A toddler gets a spray tan to look like Beyonce?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like tanning so I can get brown like Beyonce. I want to be just brown.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You want to be that brown? Armpit.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What the heck is going on here. This is outrageous.
Plus the Kardashians, American royalty? This is truly bizarre. There are stunning comparisons tonight between Kim K. and her clan and the royal family just as brand new wedding details are revealed like what Kim is going to smell like at her wedding.
THIS IS SHOWBIZ TONIGHT ON HLN, NEWS AND VIEWS.
Here comes the SHOWBIZ news ticker, these are more stories from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
GRAPHICS: Sarah Palin`s hair salon is getting its own reality show called "Big Hair Alaska."
GRAPHICS: NFL and "Police Academy" star Bubba Smith dies. He was 66.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: You see what this is? Check out the SHOWBIZ viral video. It`s a face in the clouds. This was shot in Canada. I have to say it`s pretty freaky. You can see the nose, the mouth, the eyes. Some people posted comments trying to guess whose face it is.
Here`s some of the choices that I picked out. Voldemort from "Harry Potter," Zeus, even the face of god.
Hey, I was thinking if this cloud face was on a piece of toast, maybe you could sell it? You remember? Somebody sold a claimed image of the Virgin Mary on a grilled cheese sandwich on eBay for nearly $30,000? That`s the business to be in, my friend.
Tonight, Ryan Reynolds` divorce revelations. It has been over eight months since Ryan and his ex-wife, Scarlett Johansson, went their separate ways. So far Ryan has been able to keep his emotions under wraps. Until now.
He was on the "View" today and Jason Bateman reveals how his co-star really handled the divorce while they filmed their new movie, "The Change-Up".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON BATEMAN, ACTOR: This guy, if you pick up any papers, know that he went through something pretty challenging while we`re shooting this movie, and not once did anybody ever have any sniff that anything was wrong in his life.
RYAN REYNOLDS, ACTOR: It`s because I`m dead inside.
BATEMAN: Right.
(LAUGHTER)
BATEMAN: He went through a divorce while we were shooting.
REYNOLDS: Yes.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Who hasn`t?
BATEMAN: And so you know he -- yes. He was just extremely professional through the whole thing. So I knew that he was talented, but I had no idea what a great leader and how professional he was.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s awesome.
REYNOLDS: I`m not going to cry around you, Barbara. Don`t even. Don`t even. OK, here it comes. Here it comes.
BATEMAN: Let`s go to a commercial.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I got to hand it to Ryan for having a sense of humor about something that, gosh, it must have been so, so painful. Nice going, Ryan.
All right. There is a major fist pumping outrage tonight over the season premier of "Jersey Shore." The new season takes place in Italy, of course. And the first episode just aired tonight. So quickly I want to ask you on our Facebook page, do you think it will be the best season ever?
Here`s what Dan P says, "Not so much. They should change the title to Jersey Snores." Jennifer Y is psyched, she writes, "OMG, can`t wait. I`m a huge fan." And Tesla R writes, "Seriously? Those kids are a disgrace and an embarrassment to America."
It sounds like you really feel it, Tesla.
Hey, tell me how you feel. Connect with me by joining our debate on Facebook, @showbiztonightHLN here, @showbiztonight is where you follow us on Twitter for breaking entertainment news alerts.
SHOWBIZ on all is 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. You can e-mail showbiztonight@CNN.com.
Time for the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
The Kardashians. American royalty? The stunning comparisons tonight between Kim K`s clan and the royal family. Are the Kardashians really the royals of America?
Kelly Osbourne`s big Christina Aguilera smackdown. Wait until you hear what Kelly just said about Christina`s weight.
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN, news and views.
Here`s the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
GRAPHICS: Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to "All My Children" but not as Kendall.
GRAPHICS: SHOWBIZ first look, Henry Cavill as Superman in "Man of Steel."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
The Kardashians, the new American royalty? Tonight the unbelievable new comparisons between the Kardashians and the royal family.
HENNER: I guess she`s our royalty. What can I tell you?
GRAHAM: Hollywood is just people see so much of the drugs and the sex and just the bad stuff and the negative that people do want to see a happy ending and I think Kim Kardashian is that right now.
HAMMER: Plus remarkable new details about Kim Kardashian`s wedding including what she will smell like.
Oprah outrage. Slammed after she`s awarded an Oscar. Tonight the great debate. Does Oprah deserve it?
The octumom takes on Casey Anthony. Tonight Nadya Suleman goes on an anti- explosive anti-Casey rant. Is octumom out of line here?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m AJ Hammer in New York, with big news breaking today.
The royal Kardashians? Well, there are brand new details today about Kim Kardashian`s over-the-top wedding to basketball star Kris Humphries. More proof that it will have all the trappings of a truly royal event.
Today new reports revealed that that Kim is modeling her 10-tiered wedding cake after the real royal couple, Will and Kate. Then there are the brand new details just out today about Kim`s over-the-top bridal shower.
So clearly the Kardashians have royal taste. But on the other hand this is a family willing to say anything on their TV show, and I mean anything. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRIS JENNER, "KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS": I`m heading toward the bathroom.
(CROSSTALK)
KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN, "KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS": I`m so -- she just jumped in like she has to pee all of a sudden.
KHLOE KARDASHIAN, "KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS": My mom definitely has a history of peeing on herself.
JENNER: I totally just wet my pants. Wet my pants.
KHLOE KARDASHIAN: I mean she needs to take care of the problem. At a black tie function, you can`t be peeing on yourself.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. And the nation loves them.
With me right now from Atlanta, Carlos Diaz from HLN`s "MORNING EXPRESS WITH ROBIN MEADE". In Hollywood there`s Carrie Keagan, the host of VH1`s "Big Morning Buzz Live."
Let us begin with all these brand new details that we`ll reveal today about Kim`s big wedding. First up, it`s Kim`s fragrance. Kim`s new perfume. Now Kim has just told "Us" magazine how she will smell when she walks down the aisle.
I don`t recall anybody ever doing that before. Here`s what she says. "My wedding day is going to be really special. My fragrance, Love by Kim Kardashian, will be a keepsake I can keep for years. And I`m excited to be able to share it with my fans."
Yes, she is smelling and selling at the same time.
Now we also learned today that Kim is going to be broadcasting her wedding in a two-part special on E! on October. The title of that special is "Kim`s Fairy Tale Wedding, A Kardashian Event."
And the register keeps on ringing. Look, the last time we called the wedding an event, you know, we were all talking about Will and Kate`s royal wedding back in April.
So Carrie, to you, is it such a stretch to think that perhaps the Kardashians are indeed the royals of this country?
KEAGAN: God. Really? Do we have to say that? But I guess it might be true. And nothing says romance like a two-part special on E.
HAMMER: Yes. I think that pretty much sums it up.
And look, if that`s not enough, you want some more proof that Kim Kardashian is at least trying really hard to be royal, look no further than the news today that Kim has decided she wants to copy Will and Kate`s wedding cake.
Let me tell you about this sugary treat. It will be a 10-tiered white cake with chocolate chip icing and black and white decorations at a cost of, oh, a mere $15,000.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the red carpet event of the Television Critics Association -- thank you. We asked Marilu Henner. Marilu Henner starring in the brand new CBS show, "Unforgettable," and we asked if she thinks Kim and the rest of the Kardashian clan are indeed our royalty.
Here`s what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HENNER: I guess it is. You know? I think people are -- I think they love that it`s a family. It`s a bunch of girls, it`s a sports hero. It`s connected to, you know, trials and O.J. I mean it`s got everything. It`s got, you know, all the different elements that make for good television.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Carlos, you know, it`s easy to make fun. But you can`t deny Marilu`s logic there. The Kardashians make good television. So do you think, my friend, they are indeed our royals?
DIAZ: We have officially given up, haven`t we? We have succumbed to the pressure that is Kardashian. But you know what, AJ, I`m drinking the Kool- Aid. Yes. They`re royalty. Why? Because everything that Star Jones got in trouble for on "The View" because she was killing her journalistic integrity by basically pimping her wedding out on the air, and Barbara Walters didn`t like that, Kim can do it because there`s no integrity there.
And for that I applaud her. It`s genius. Because what she`s doing is, she`s providing content for a TV show which is her life. And just like any other -- like any TV show out there, you`ve got to move the plot forward. And that`s what she`s doing by getting married. She`s giving us something to talk about.
HAMMER: I want to be clear about something by the way. For decades, the Kennedy family. They have been truly American royalty. We`re not comparing them to the Kennedys. But it is a new day.
Shall we hear more from some of the other stars? Because we talked to a lot of people. The star of the "Vampire Diaries" Kat Graham also told us last night that she thinks Kim K is exactly what people want to see, to Carlos` point. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAHAM: I`m a big supporter. I`m doing the OP campaign with Rob Kardashian. So that`s my little tie to the family. But you know, I think people want to see a happy ending. You know Hollywood is just -- people see so much of the drugs, and the sex, and the bad stuff, the negative, that people do want to see a happy ending.
And I think that Kim Kardashian is that right now. And I wish her the best of luck with her and Kris Humphries because they are so cute together.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: They are so cute together. Aren`t they? All right. Good enough for them.
Let`s move on right now to another story that`s making big news today. But here`s the good news. Oprah Winfrey is going to be honored with an honorary Oscar. The bad news, though, not everybody is applauding Oprah`s big prize. In fact there are some critics who are openly calling it a desperate ploy by the Oscar folks to get attention for the televised award show.
In fact the "LA Times" Patrick Goldstein -- I checked out what he wrote today. He said that Winfrey`s award is boneheaded. Another critic questioned why Oprah would be awarded with an Oscar for her philanthropy in the movie community since, you know, it was movie greats like Liz Taylor and Charles Heston who`d gotten this award in the past.
Carrie, let me ask you about this because personally I hear this and I think people need to relax. Oprah, yes. Certainly not known as a movie star. But I do think she transcends entertainment enough and people should just applaud when Oprah gets her nod.
What do you think, Carrie?
KEAGAN: Look at you, you`re just trying to save your own butt right there.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Wow.
KEAGAN: I think, you know what? When I first heard it, I was a little miffed but then I thought about it for a second, and I thought, OK, maybe I`m just mad about the whole Oprah like overexposure thing. Because really she has been sort of just everywhere, in your face, all the time since she left her show, and tried to start OWN.
And just I feel like it`s -- the overexposure is just sort of overshadowing all of the good things that she`s doing.
HAMMER: Yes.
KEAGAN: Now this award is being given by the Academy of Film and she`s not necessarily known for her film. But can`t we just take two seconds out of this show --
HAMMER: Yes.
KEAGAN: -- and talk about something good?
HAMMER: Yes. And to be clear, Carrie, I`m not just trying to save my butt, but it is true, you never go against Oprah Winfrey.
Carrie Keagan, Carlos Diaz, I thank you both.
As we move on tonight, Meredith Vieira is revealing the emotional reason why she really finally decided to leave the "Today" show.
Also a Kelly Osbourne-Christina Aguilera smackdown. Wait until you hear this. Kelly swearing as much as her dad, Ozzie, here if that`s possible.
And this is incredible. Ryan Reynolds, stunning revelation about nearly being killed as a teenager.
All this is making big news in the buzz today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Ryan`s near-death revelation. Ryan Reynolds has just revealed a long hidden secret he was once hit by a drunk driver. Reynolds described the frightening incident in Vancouver to CTV saying, "When I was 19, I was drinking. I was at a bar and I had a few drinks, and I thought, you know what I`m going to do? I`m going to leave my car here. Be responsible. I started to walk home and I was hit by a drunk driver."
Reynolds says he woke up three days later with every bone on his left side broken.
Kelly slams Christina. Kelly Osbourne went on a verbal tirade against Christina Aguilera. "Us" magazine reports Kelly, who hosts "E`s Fashion Police" knocked Christina for her weight and her dress saying, "Maybe she is just becoming the fat expletive she was born to be. I don`t know. She was a expletive to me and she bought my house. She called me fat for so many expletive years. So you know what? Expletive you. You`re fat, too."
Meredith`s "Today" confessions. Meredith Vieira has just revealed on a brand new interview the real reason she decided to leave the "Today" show slamming reports that it was because of husband`s Richard`s declining health. She tells "Good Housekeeping" magazine, "Family and health factored into my decision, but it`s not like Richard is taking some turn for the worse. I was more leaving because he`s healthy. So why not while we were able to enjoy life. He has secondary progressive MS. He`s doing great compared to a lot of people and he`s certainly self-sufficient. I mean the idea that I`m nursing him is ridiculous."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I`m so glad that Meredith put that out there.
All right, moving on tonight to brand new outrage over a 10-year-old model in "French Vogue." Yes, I said 10 years old. All made up in provocative poses.
Also tonight, a huge controversy over "Toddlers and Tiaras".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like tanning so I can get brown like Beyonce. I want to be this brown.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You want to be that brown? Armpit.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, that little girl waned to be like Beyonce, so they spray tanned her brown.
And is this wrong? The octumom Nadia Suleman going off on Casey Anthony even playing psychiatrist trying to diagnose Casey.
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.
GRAPHICS: MLB investigating Alex Rodriguez for possible role in Illegal poker ring.
GRAPHICS: "CSI" star Robert David Hall talks about Ted Danson joining the cast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT DAVID HALL, "CSI": Slightly corky but there`s a real dramatic catch. And he`s a guy who discovers things in a unique way. I don`t want to -- I can`t spill the beans yet. But it`s a different twist than we`ve had before.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER HUDSON, SINGER: Y`all ready to sing happy birthday? Y`all ready?
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Sometimes it`s very cool to be the man in charge. A very special birthday gift for President Obama who turns the big 5-0 today and Jennifer Hudson there singing "Happy Birthday" to him at a fundraiser in Chicago.
She did a great job.
And from SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, happy birthday, Mr. President.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m AJ Hammer in New York.
And tonight, crossing the line. Wait until you see this. There`s a worldwide debate happening today over a 10-year-old girl featured in a provocative fashion spread. I want you to check out these photos. Just this morning on "Good Morning America," we got our first look at this young model posing in a photo spread for "French Vogue," look at her, in lipstick, high heels, and a tight dress.
I can tell you a firestorm has erupted over these photos and a lot of people are asking, how young is too young for a child to be striking such a seductive pose?
Joining me right now via Skype, Jenna Sauers. Appreciate you being here, Jenna. A lot of people consider "Vogue" to be the bible of fashion magazines known for artistic layouts. There are those who say that these photos should be viewed as artistic. And personally I always get the idea of pushing boundaries in art and in fashion. But I do feel that 10 is just too young for a girl to be photographed in these poses and in these outfits.
Jenna, I know you started modeling when you were 14. What do you think about these pictures?
JENNA SAUERS, EDITOR, JEZEBEL.COM: I actually started modeling when I was 7 or 8 years old, although I did model in my teens as well. Personally, I think I can understand why these pictures have been very controversial. I think that if you read the "French Vogue" spread as a bunch of little girls essentially playing dress-up and designer clothes that costs thousands of dollars that most grown-ups can`t afford, you know, it appears as though they`ve gone a little wild with their mother`s makeup.
You can see that as sort of a version of what fashion magazines do with models who are barely older than 10 all the time and which nobody comments on. You know the fact is most working models are 13, 14, 15 years old when they start and they`re often photographed in extremely provocative situations, and you know they`ve walked on runways wearing see-through fits and that`s considered part of the job.
I sort of saw the "French Vogue" spread as a little bit of a satire of fashion zone`s extremely problematic relationship with age and the way that the fashion industry treats young women.
HAMMER: Yes and I do see that, Jenna. Let me just jump in, because I want to read something to you that I think cuts right to the heart of why people seem to be so upset about this. It was on "One Mommy" blog that I took a look at today.
This is what the person said. "I`m certainly bothered by the pictures even if it`s not `Vogue`s` intent. It`s inevitable that the pouty pre-teen in her stilettos will become the object of inappropriate attention by older men who should know better."
So Jenna, when you hear that, can you sort of understand why some women, especially moms, really think these pictures right or wrong are asking for trouble?
SAUERS: Well, I don`t know. I`m a little hesitant to make that argument because the key word seems to be that older men should know better. You can`t necessarily, you know, go through life as a publication trying to avoid the eliciting the attention of criminals. It`s possible that pedophiles would get the same reaction from the JCPenney catalog.
HAMMER: OK.
SAUERS: You know?
HAMMER: That`s fair enough. I`m going to stop you there because I do want to move on to this other story I think you`ll have some great perspective on. It`s raising a lot of eyebrows as well. And it`s centers around the hit TLC show "Toddlers and Tiaras" and Beyonce.
Check out what happened last night when one little beauty queen hopeful channeled her inner Beyonce. Roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Her red carpet wear, Alison is going to be wearing a dress that is similar to the one that Beyonce wore at the 2009 BET Awards. She`s obsessed with wanting to be bride and wanted to be brown. So that`s the perfect dress for her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like tanning so I can get brown like Beyonce.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you think?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow, it`s brown.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She gets her spray tan. She loves it, she`ll show it off. Look at me, I`m brown.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And she`s certainly cute. Spray tan is very common in the pageant world. But getting a spray tan to look like Beyonce.
Jenna, quickly, is that crossing the line?
SAUERS: Well, I mean, at least she`s not using a tanning bed which could give her cancer.
(LAUGHTER)
SAUERS: I don`t know. Hopefully -- I mean it`s so narrow-minded that a lot of these adult pop stars have fans who are surprisingly even shockingly young.
HAMMER: Yes.
SAUERS: And they need to be aware of that. But hopefully that little girl will grow up and realize that, you know, Beyonce`s skin color is not something that washes off.
HAMMER: Yes, hopefully. Jenna Sauers, I do appreciate your great perspective on all of this tonight. Thank you so much.
Coming up next, octumom taking on Casey Anthony. Wait until you hear how Nadya Suleman is blasting Casey, even playing the role of Casey`s shrink. And get this, octumom is doing all of it while wearing a bikini.
Now the SHOWBIZ news ticker, more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
GRAPHICS: Marilyn Monroe biopic starring Michelle Williams to premier at NY Film Festival.
HAMMER: Time now for the SHOWBIZ buzz list. Here are the things we can`t stop buzzing about this week.
You`re going to want to grab hold on "Love Handles." This new Lifetime show.
Happy birthday, CNN iReport. Can`t believe it`s been five years since you started sending us your videos.
Some of our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staffers going crazy for these brand new Japanese Momiji dolls, each one comes with a message inside.
If you`re ready for football, so are we. The NFL season is almost here and we can`t wait to see "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." It opens Friday.
This is on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN, news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, octumom`s Casey rant. I can`t believe this story. In the brand new issue of "Steppin` Out" magazine, a bikini clad Nadya Suleman goes on a total rant against Casey Anthony.
Get this, the octumom has actually diagnosed Anthony with mental illness. Got to wonder what the heck is going on here.
Joining me right now in New York for a SHOWBIZ news maker interview, Chaunce Hayden. Chaunce is the editor of "Steppin` Out" magazine and did the interview with the octumom.
Appreciate your being here, Chaunce.
Let`s face it. Octumom, not a particularly popular mother figure these days but she has no problems lashing out at probably the most hated mom in America, Casey Anthony.
CHAUNCE HAYDEN, EDITOR, "STEPPIN` OUT" MAGAZINE: Yes.
HAMMER: Suleman tells "Steppin` Out" magazine, I want to read this quote that you got from her.
HAYDEN: Sure.
HAMMER: "The thought that Casey Anthony would even entertain the idea of harming her child makes me sick. I don`t have all the facts but I`ve worked with the mentally disabled for many years before having kids, in my opinion, Anthony is not emotionally stable."
Now we all know a jury cleared Casey of murder charges. But let`s face, Octumom not getting mother of the year award herself for having 14 kids without a job to support them.
Chaunce, here`s my question.
HAYDEN: Sure.
HAMMER: Do you think it`s out of line for her of all people to be talking about mental health here? Even with someone as despised as Casey Anthony?
HAYDEN: I think if anyone deserves to speak up, it`s actually the octumom. Listen, the public has to pick a side here. You know, right now, of course, Casey Anthony is the most hated woman, you know, in America, maybe even in the world.
But let`s give octumom, Nadya, some credit. This is a woman who`s had 14 children. She doesn`t go out and party. She doesn`t get tattoos on her body saying let`s go nuts. She`s being a good stay-at-home mom. Now you can question whether or not what she did was morally correct.
HAMMER: Right.
HAYDEN: But this woman stays home and she raises her children as best she can. If anyone deserves the right to speak up about another woman who couldn`t even raise one child, who does?
HAMMER: OK. That`s fair enough.
Chaunce, I got to leave it there. And great to see you getting her in that bikini for the shot.
Chaunce Hayden, thanks so much.
Coming up next, the startling proof that the way J.Lo is handling her split from Marc Anthony is actually helping her image.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: So on Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. Moments ago I was handed the final results.
Jennifer Lopez, is her breakup actually helping her image? A slight edge to the yes, 55 percent of you say yes, 45 percent of you say no.
Let me get to one of the e-mails I received. It`s from Donnie in Rhode Island who`s not a J.Lo fan writing, "For her image, I think, well, in my mind, nothing could salvage her image. I think she`s shallow, angry, stuck up."
But over on Facebook, Levelle B thinks J.Lo is doing great. "I love J.Lo and I know she`ll pull through."
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m AJ Hammer in New York. Watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively Monday to Friday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific here on HLN.
And stay tuned for Dr. Drew coming up next. Tonight polygamist leader Warren Jeffs rests his case against him today. So what`s next? And young women searching for sugar daddies to pay off their college debt.
END
