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Showbiz Tonight
Dr. Sandeep Kapoor on Dr. Conrad Murray; Brad Pitt Back Tracking; Levi Johnston Tells All; The Kardashians Versus Elisabetta Canalis
Aired September 22, 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, HOST: Tonight, why are the Kardashians so upset over George Clooney`s ex-girlfriend? I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
More big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Michael Jackson exclusive. Tonight, what the doctor, who was accused of getting Anna Nicole Smith drugs, is saying about the doctor accused of killing Michael Jackson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t think it amounts to anything.
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HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ breaks big news. It`s a tale of two doctors in a must-see SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive.
The brand-new big Brad backlash for appearing to diss his marriage to Jennifer Aniston. Brad Pitt`s remarkable new revelations today about what he said and why he says he may never talk about Jen again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: I think it`s a shame that I can`t say something nice about Angie without Jen being dragged in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Levi Johnston tells all to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Did he really steal Bristol Palin`s virginity? Did Sarah Palin have a cougar crush on Levi? Levi Johnston right here tonight for a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with big news breaking tonight - a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Michael Jackson exclusive that has already been making big headlines today.
And now, you are about to see what all the fuss is about. It`s a tale of two doctors. Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, who was acquitted on charges he illegally provided Anna Nicole Smith with prescription drugs that led to her overdosing and dying.
And Dr. Conrad Murray, who is on trial for allegedly causing Michael Jackson`s death by giving him the drug, propofol.
Tonight, in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, you will hear Dr. Kapoor say, hey, don`t be so quick to rush to judgment about Murray because, he says Conrad Murray may not be to blame for Michael Jackson`s death.
Dr. Kapoor spoke exclusively to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Do you believe Murray is the monster so many in the public, from Jackson`s fans to family and friends, have described him as?
DR. SANDEEP KAPOOR, ACQUITTED OF CHARGES THAT HE CAUSED ANNA NICOLE SMITH`S DEATH: I don`t think he`s a monster. He`s a physician. He`s a cardiologist. He meant well. And you know, he has a patient base that he`s done a lot of great things for.
I don`t think he`s a monster. Conrad Murray had every intention, I am sure, that Michael Jackson should be healthy and live. And he wanted to get him to London to perform his performances.
WYNTER: So Murray, in your opinion, isn`t entirely to be blamed here for what happened?
KAPOOR: I think, again, "blame" is a strong word. To blame one person, I think, is difficult to do. And Conrad Murray arguably walks into a situation or is brought into a situation that arguably was pretty disastrous to begin with.
In reality, nobody really knows what happened in that room or in that house the day he passed away. Conrad Murray is sort of left holding the idea, if you will.
WYNTER: It`s really a crucial issue in the trial how sick Michael Jackson really was toward the end, his final days. Do we know?
KAPOOR: Arguably, he had medical issues. I`m sure he did. And I would contend that he needed a team of physicians. I`ve reports that he may have had a respiratory condition - pneumonia. There were reports that he was dehydrated.
So as a physician, I sit back and say, well, geez, could he have gotten an IV perhaps, or just normal saline fluid? Was he treated with antibiotics? Was he - did he have a respiratory condition? We may never know what his real health status was prior to his death.
WYNTER: As a doctor, have you ever heard of another doctor giving propofol in a home setting?
KAPOOR: I`ve never heard of a case where they`ve actually - you know, any other doctor have used propofol in the home. It was clear that he was way over his head.
And this should have been done in a hospital setting. It should have been done under strict monitoring in a hospital setting.
WYNTER: Dr. Kapoor, how much responsibility do you think Jackson ultimately bears for his untimely death?
KAPOOR: Ultimately, you can`t really blame the victim. You cannot blame Michael Jackson for his own demise. I just don`t believe that`s the case. I don`t think that - I don`t think any physician really truly believes that if a patient passes away that it was their fault. They asked for it.
WYNTER: Jackson fans would argue, where`s the justice here? You know, you can`t really blame Michael but also you are defending Conrad Murray in many instances. So where`s the justice?
KAPOOR: There may be none. I mean, there`s so many factors that went into his death and there are so many issues and elements.
And you just can`t put them all into one place and say, well, this is what it is. This is it. This is the only way it could have happened. It`s almost like the media and public wants someone to blame. But again, there may be no one to blame.
WYNTER: Conrad Murray - what do you think he`s going through right now it?
KAPOOR: Probably the same anxiety that I was feeling in the days leading up when, for example, now with jury selection and just like, who are these people and who are they?
You know, are they going to know what to do? Are they going to understand? Are they going to care about the truth? And that`s the scary part.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Pretty interesting. You just heard it in that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive. Anna Nicole Smith`s former doctor thinks Conrad Murray is getting a bad rap. Let`s get right out to the L.A. courthouse where the Conrad Murray trial is going down today.
Joining us are Beth Karas and Jean Casarez, who are both correspondents for Tru TV`s "In Session."
Beth, let me start with you. I have got to imagine that what Dr. Kapoor said is going to enrage a whole lot of Michael Jackson fans and anybody else who thinks Conrad Murray is absolutely to blame for Jackson`s death.
BETH KARAS, CORRESPONDENT, "IN SESSION" ON TRU TV: Well, true. But he did go on to say that you can`t really blame the victim either. And he did say that Dr. Murray was in over his head.
This is very different from the situation that Dr. Kapoor was in. Propofol is not a drug you write a prescription to and you send your patient into a pharmacy to get. Michael Jackson never would have had that propofol if it hadn`t been for Dr. Murray.
HAMMER: Yes. There`s no question about that. So you know, Jean, I think people are going to be outraged when they hear that. But I also think maybe, just maybe, this will garner some sympathy for Dr. Murray. What do you think?
JEAN CASAREZ, CORRESPONDENT, "IN SESSION" ON TRU TV: You know, one of the magical things about a trial is that all of a sudden, everything changes or should change, because you`re in a courtroom and you suddenly hear what is the evidence.
So far, we`ve seen police reports, the preliminary hearing, the timeline according to law enforcement, according to Conrad Murray at the time. It`s not good for him. It`s not good at all.
But now, there`s going to be more and now we`re going to hear evidence including evidence we`ve never heard before from the defense.
HAMMER: Well, in the interview that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT revealed today where Dr. Kapoor is defending Conrad Murray, he also told us that Murray is kind of being demonized and he said that`s not right. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAPOOR: I don`t think he`s a monster. And he`s a physician. He`s a cardiologist. He meant well. And you know, he has a patient base that he`s done a lot of great things for.
I don`t think he`s a monster by any means. Conrad Murray had every intention, I am sure, that Michael Jackson should be healthy and live. And he wanted to get him to London to perform his performances.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Of course, Dr. Conrad Murray didn`t want to see Michael die. I don`t think anybody is going to dispute that. But Beth, do you think the jury is going to think, well, he didn`t intend to kill Michael, but he was responsible for Michael?
KARAS: He`s not charged with an intentional crime. He`s charged with being so negligent in his care and it became reckless and criminal. It looks like a medical malpractice, but it`s many more times worse than that.
It was so substandard. There are about 20 different deviations from the standard of care. No doctor is going to get on the stand in this case and say that what Dr. Murray did was OK and good care for Michael Jackson. No doctor.
HAMMER: So you guys are right there at the courthouse. And obviously, we know there`s so much passion for Michael Jackson fans around the world and so much, in fact, that the judge in the case - the judge is laying down the law.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can report that the judge booted several of Michael`s most passionate fans who got locked into, get this, a staring match with Conrad Murray.
If we can put this up, take a look at HLN`s own Jane Velez-Mitchell and one of the M.J. super-fans who was actually kicked out of the court. Roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE MICHAEL JACKSON FAN: We were in court and Conrad Murray was staring at the fans. And we were staring back and it got rather heated between the two parties. And we were basically asked to leave.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": So how did it get - how did a stare get heated?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE MICHAEL JACKSON FAN: Well, Conrad Murray and I have somewhat of a history. He knows that we work every day in the community to make sure that the fans know and that the public knows that we feel he committed murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HAMMER: So they feel Murray is a murderer. Michael`s fans - we`ve seen them pouring in from around the world and the Conrad Murray hate factor - I have a feeling it`s only going to increase as this thing builds and the trial begins. Jean, I imagine there has to be a major concern about all that.
CASAREZ: You know, I watched the whole thing as it came down in court yesterday. And I didn`t see Dr. Conrad Murray give the glare that the fans of Michael Jackson gave to Dr. Conrad Murray. But they did lock eyes for at least a few minutes.
And it was the bailiff that had this group of diehard fans escorted out. And they want justice for Michael Jackson. They`re passionate. It`s from their heart. It`s from their soul.
But the courtroom is not the place to express your opinions, verbal or otherwise, and I think the precedent was set. But that`s what you have to be careful of with jurors because now they`re trying to select a jury. You can`t have people that are so passionate.
HAMMER: And that is exactly why this judge is laying down the law. All right. Beth Karas, Jean Casarez, thank you guys so much.
HLN and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, of course, covering the Conrad Murray trial like no one else. Everyone on HLN is a part of it - Nancy Grace, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Dr. Drew, Joy Behar, Vinnie Politan. I`ll be here, too. Justice for Michael. Be sure to keep it here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and HLN.
Brad pity? Brad Pitt is backtracking now big time on an apparent diss of his marriage to Jen Aniston.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: Let me just read what came out and get your reaction.
PITT: No, please don`t read it, because I don`t read these things
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wait until you hear what Brad Pitt is saying about Jen now. The big question tonight, do you feel bad for Brad?
And I`ve got some burning questions for Levi Johnston. Did Sarah Palin really have a cougar crush on him? Levi right here tonight for a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
And why are the Kardashian sisters slamming George Clooney`s ex? What do they have again Elisabetta Canalis? Wait until you see this unbelievable smackdown. 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: Arnold Schwarzenegger to write memoir, "Total Recall," but it isn`t a tell-all. "X Factor" debuts but loses in ratings to "Modern Family"!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON COWELL, PRODUCER, "X FACTOR": I`ve done this a long, long time. That was one of the best auditions I have ever heard in my life. You did more than sing it. You believed in it. Loved it, loved it, loved it. I love you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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JOSH DUHAMEL, ACTOR: Emil and the company were so charming the other day. I thought I`d serve you breakfast for life.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Do you have a different of (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
DUHAMEL: I`m afraid I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You recognize the guy, right? That`s "Transformer" star Josh Duhamel on "All My Children." That`s before he became very famous. The show has really been a breeding ground for some of Hollywood`s biggest celebrities.
And tomorrow, the iconic soap comes to an end after nearly 42 incredible years. The "All My Children" all-star team is pretty much unbeatable in Hollywood. So many big-time celebrities got their start on this legendary soap.
It`s kind of hard to keep track but I tried a bit. You just saw Josh Duhamel. He`s going to reprise his role as Leo in Friday`s final episode. The show also launched the career of morning TV queen, Kelly Ripa, and her husband Mark Consuelos.
We cannot "Mamma Mia" sweetheart, Amanda Seyfried. Yes, she started on "All My Children" as well. And then, Sarah Michelle Gellar, who, of course, is world-famous for playing "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer."
And as if that`s not enough, legendary actress, Elizabeth Taylor, once made a cameo on the show. She said she was one of the show`s biggest fans.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, soap dish. It`s unbelievable it`s been more than four decades of murderous rivalries, fairy tale romances, kidnapped babies and even a resurrection from the dead.
But tomorrow, an era truly comes to an end. The legendary soap, "All My Children," signs off the air for the very last time.
With me tonight for a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interview, we`re thrilled to have Vincent Irizarry. He starred on "All My Children" for 14 years. He`s right here in New York for the shows finale.
He`s also appearing with the cast in a special series of events for fans. It`s called "A Tribute to Pine Valley." It`s really a thrill to have you here.
VINCENT IRIZARRY, ACTOR: Thank you, A.J.
HAMMER: I`m sorry it`s on a sad occasion. It really is a sad day.
IRIZARRY: Yes, you know, it is. People have been asking, "How is the last day?" And it was. A lot of tears were shed. But honestly, it was also a celebration.
The cast, the crew, Agnes Nixon, the creator - she was there. She gave a beautiful speech. And we just celebrated something that was very unique that we all shared together.
HAMMER: Everybody has a theory as to why soaps have been coming to an end. Part of it may be, I`m thinking, perhaps all the real life drama we always see on daytime television and on evening television now.
Do you think that possibly soaps have been killed off by reality TV to some extent?
IRIZARRY: I think to some extent, certainly. It`s encroaching upon the dramatic series all the way around. You`re seeing it in nighttime television as well.
Then, there`s also - there`s such an enormous amount of choices out there for people to watch and basic cable. You have on demand. You have Internet now. It`s going to be streamed.
There`s a hope that it`s going to be streamed from the Internet now through Prospect Park who purchased the rights for the Internet to continue the show on after this year. We`ll see if that happens. They`re in the process right now. So we`ll see.
HAMMER: Yes. You heard me running down this list and you were smiling as you were watching the videos of all of these stars -
IRIZARRY: Yes. Right.
HAMMER: And images of these stars that have been on "All My Children" over the years. Really, more stars have come out of that show than any other. It`s almost like it has been this farm team for Hollywood.
And with so many iconic shows, soap operas, being cancelled this year, what do you think the new farm team is going to be? I mean, please don`t say it`s going to be, you know, "Jersey Shore" or something.
IRIZARRY: I would hope not. It`s an interesting thing that we`re - at the time that we`re in some respects putting up the dregs of our society for the world to watch as a form of entertainment.
And these people are becoming personalities, so to speak. But they really don`t contribute much to society other than who they are. And that`s a shame because that has nothing to do with talent.
There`s an enormous amount of talent out there, whether it`s actors or writers or directors, producers. And hopefully, this is just a trend that will someday soon narrow down. We`ll see what happens.
HAMMER: Work itself out somehow.
IRIZARRY: Yes.
HAMMER: Well, Vincent, thank you for all you have brought to the soap opera for all these years.
IRIZARRY: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: I do appreciate you being here.
IRIZARRY: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: And you can catch Vincent and the rest of the cast of "All My Children" in a special series of events for fans who want to check this out. It`s called "A Tribute to Pine Valley." Tickets are on sale right now at "ATributeToPineValley.com."
And as we move on tonight, are you feeling some Brad pity? Brad Pitt in hot water over apparently dissing his marriage to Jennifer Aniston. So is he sorry?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PITT: I`ve got a knack for stepping into (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
LAUER: Did you ever think that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The big Brad backlash today. You feeling sorry for Brad? Also outrage over Schweddy Balls?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to say your balls are so tender.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, there`s no beating my balls. They`re made from a secret Schweddy family recipe. No one can resist my Schweddy Balls.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The unbelievable movement today to boycott Ben and Jerry`s version of "SNL`s" Schweddy Balls. Should the ice cream be boycotted? I can`t imagine that. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
It`s time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Pastor Ted Haggard and Gary Busey to swap wives on upcoming episode of "Celebrity Wife Swap." Zoe Saldana talks about rumors of an upcoming "Star Trek" film sequel.
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SALDANA: I hope so. I`ve been hearing things left and right. And I`m just ready regardless.
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ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: Hi, I`m Alec Baldwin, hosting the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" this week with musical guest, Radiohead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alec, I heard you told a joke about Rupert Murdoch at the Emmys and Fox censored it?
BALDWIN: That`s right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don`t tell us now?
BALDWIN: OK. So Rupert Murdoch is testifying in front of parliament and (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
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HAMMER: Alec Baldwin is ready to host the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" this week. And in this brand-new "SNL" promo - there he is.
He`s poking fun at the Rupert Murdoch hacking joke that he wanted to make at the Emmys, but it, of course, got nixed. It`s nice to finally hear what sparked all that controversy.
And SHOWBIZ trending tonight, another big Alec controversy. Well, he`s involved in the story anyway. It`s a character he made famous on "Saturday Night Live." Do you remember Pete Schweddy and his Schweddy Balls?
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BALDWIN: Well, there are lots of great things this time of year - zucchini bread, fruit cake. But the thing I most like to bring out this time are year are my balls.
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HAMMER: Ah, classic. Well, Ben and Jerry has just created Schweddy Balls ice cream. And tonight, there`s a family group that`s actually calling for a boycott. But is that really necessary?
With me, in New York, the star of the new GMC movie, "A Mile in His Shoes," Dean Cain. All right, Dean. We`re going to get into the Schweddy Balls here.
DEAN CAIN, ACTOR: All right.
HAMMER: Let me read to you the statement that One Million Moms wrote on their Web site today about Ben and Jerry`s ice cream, Schweddy Balls.
They said, "The vulgar new flavor has turned something as innocent as ice cream into something repulsive. Not exactly what you want a child asking for at the supermarket. It seems that offending customers has become an annual tradition for Ben and Jerry`s."
I`m thinking if you don`t want your kids having Schweddy Balls ice cream, you don`t buy it for them. But you know, as a dad, you have an 11- year-old. Do you get where they`re coming from. Do you want your son to say, "Dad, you get me some Schweddy Balls today?"
CAIN: I get where they`re coming from, but I couldn`t disagree with them more. And it comes down to parenting. And if you`re going to be there - if I`m with my son - I mean, the kids are going to say things.
They`re going to have fun with their words. But if I bring them in there and I explain the whole situation, it`s no big deal.
HAMMER: Your kid is running around the supermarket going "Schweddy Balls. Schweddy Balls."
CAIN: Well, I would say.
HAMMER: That`s what I see happening.
CAIN: Yes, it could happen. Of course, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You know -
HAMMER: All right. It will be interesting to see if the boycott actually comes to fruition.
CAIN: Yes.
HAMMER: And Schweddy Balls gets some room in the shelves. I don`t see that happening. Dean, thanks so much. We`re looking forward to seeing the world premiere of Dean`s new movie, "A Mile in His Shoes," Sunday on GMC.
Moving now to the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at the bottom of the hour.
Levi Johnston right here to tell all. Sarah Palin. Bristol Palin. No question off limits. Tonight, Levi Johnston`s must see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
And the Kardashians versus George Clooney`s ex? What`s going on here? Why are the Kardashian sisters slamming the lovely Elisabetta Canalis? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
It is time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: New film based on "Scarface" in development. Lady Gaga`s little sister opens up about being related to Gaga.
TEXT: "Whenever I wear something crazy and my dad gives me a hard time, I say, `Well, at least I`m not walking out on the street with red pasties,` and he`ll be like, `Good point.`"
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HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Brad`s backlash. After appearing to diss his marriage to Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt backtracks today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUER: Let me just read what came out and get your reaction.
PITT: No, please don`t read it because I don`t read these things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, what Brad`s saying now and why it could be the very last time he utters Jen`s name in public ever again.
Levi Johnston tells all tonight. The burning questions - did Sarah Palin have a cougar crush on Levi? And does he have the hots for Kim Kardashian? Levi Johnston right here to tell all in a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
The Kardashians versus George Clooney`s ex? Kim and her sisters in a Twitter smackdown and Elisabetta Canalis is right at the center of it.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. We`ve got big news breaking tonight - the low down from Levi.
And that news is going to break right here right now. It has been said that Levi Johnston walked on stage with Bristol and Sarah Palin at the Republican National Convention looking like a deer in the headlights.
So I`d have to imagine that is why Levi Johnston`s brand-new tell-all is called "Deer in the Headlights: My Life in Sarah Palin`s Crosshairs."
And in the book, Levi gives the low down on his life with the Palins. He makes some pretty startling claims.
Levi Johnston joining me in New York for a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. I do appreciate you being here, Levi.
LEVI JOHNSTON, AUTHOR, "DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS": Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: Good to have you here. Do you feel like a deer in the headlights?
JOHNSTON: I do. I do. You know, the first time that it actually hit me was when I was actually thrown, you know, to Minneapolis.
I was standing out there and I cut my hair, talking about spray tans and you fingernails getting done. And that`s not what I was about, you know, to basically smile, wave out there, hold Bristol`s hand.
There`s thousands of people there. They`re all taking pictures. And you know, it really took me out of my comfort zone. And you know, when you`re doing something like that, it`s really living your life for somebody else. But you know, at the time I was just trying make - you know, be different for Bristol and support her.
HAMMER: But do you still feel that way? Because obviously, you didn`t seek out the attention. You certainly didn`t seek out the fame.
And now, here you are. You know, you`ve been a known personality in pop culture for a couple of years now. Do you still feel kind of like a deer in the headlights?
JOHNSTON: I just feel that way. You know, I went eight months - I didn`t say a word about the Palins. I was dead quiet. And yet, they still decide to write - you know, Bristol starts to write a book, writing stuff about me, as well as Sarah.
You know, that`s - I can`t just get away from it. You know, that`s when I finally decided to come out with my book. You know, they started attacking my mom and my family.
And that`s kind of when it really drew the line with me. And I felt like it was time for me to kind of get my story out there.
HAMMER: Yes. You wanted to set the record straight, certainly something that is understandable. And you also make some pretty startling revelations.
And look, if you`re going to put a book out there, they`re going to want some juicy nuggets in there. And I have to tell you one that really jumped out at me was the claim that Sarah Palin had a cougar crush on you.
And you know, Levi, I`ve got to tell you, I think about some of the fairly nasty things that Sarah Palin has since said about you -
JOHNSTON: Right.
HAMMER: Since you broke up with her daughter, Bristol, it`s kind of hard for me to imagine her having this cougar crush on you.
JOHNSTON: Right. You know, well, I dated Bristol for three years and she`s got nothing but bad things to say about me, too. So it`s - you know, that`s something that a lot of my friends have mentioned, you know, from when I started dating Bristol to on, and then, even afterwards.
You know, they`re reading this book, you know, they`re like, "Hey, I think she had a crush on you." So I`m hearing it from a lot of different -
HAMMER: So I mean, did you ever feel flirtation from Sarah Palin when you were dating her daughter or even after?
JOHNSTON: You know, I kind of did. But she`s really kind of a huggy person, too. She always was to me. And that just kind of seemed normal to me, you know. That`s my girlfriend`s mom. But you know, after - you know, she doesn`t act like that to anybody else. Looking back on it, it was kind of strange.
HAMMER: Yes, it is strange. And, hey, cougars are very trendy right now, so you`re right on that bandwagon. Another big claim that you made in the book - and this is something that really surprised me and I think a lot of people - is that Bristol actually got pregnant with your son on purpose.
Obviously, this goes against everything Bristol has said since Bristol has been out there campaigning for abstinence -
JOHNSTON: Right.
HAMMER: And against unwed teen moms.
JOHNSTON: Yes.
HAMMER: How do you reconcile that?
JOHNSTON: You know, her whole side of the story is ridiculous. We have talked about getting married. We`d been together for a long time. We talked about kids.
Obviously, I was young. I was, you know, in hockey. I had goals. I was just more or less saying it just to keep her happy, you know? And then Sarah, you know, got pregnant with Trigg. And having Trigg - that really, you know, kind of sparked Bristol. And we really started talking about it. And that`s when, you know, she got off birth control. You know, we were just kind of - we didn`t - we were reckless. We just kind of went with it.
HAMMER: So you believe without question she intended to get pregnant with your son?
JOHNSTON: I would say we weren`t practicing safe sex.
HAMMER: We think so.
JOHNSTON: We were no way being careful about it.
HAMMER: Obviously, we`ve seen play out very publicly three years of some pretty heavy duty back and forth, major firestorm between you and the Palin family over these past few years. Anything you had put out there that you wish you hadn`t now?
JOHNSTON: You know what? The only thing I can say is, you know, about that statement of made of Trigg and Sarah calling him retarded, because I don`t want that boy to grow up and read that.
You know, I started to say that, but at the same time, you know, it was probably taken out of context a little bit, you know, the way I said it. And you know, that`s the only thing I wish I may have took back.
HAMMER: All right. Well, Bristol had her own book out. And she did her own press tour. And she talked about you quite a bit because people were asking.
I do want to play a little bit of what she said to HLN`s own Dr. Drew when Dr. Drew asked her about her relationship with you. Let`s watch that.
JOHNSTON: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRISTOL PALIN, FMR. GOV. SARAH PALIN`S DAUGHTER: I think lots of women do go for the bad boy. And I also saw him as - you know, he came from a broken family. He didn`t - he didn`t really have any morals or beliefs or anything like that.
And I saw him as something that I could fix, that I could come into his life and be like, "Let me show you the good path. Let me help you. Let me help you grow as a person."
DR. DREW PINSKY, HOST, "THE DR. DREW SHOW": How did that work out?
B. PALIN: It didn`t work out at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, Levi. So probably not a great thing to hear, but she called you a bad boy. And apparently, a lot of people agree. I`m not looking to ruin your day.
JOHNSTON: Right.
HAMMER: I want to share something with you. I don`t know if you saw this poll. E Poll Market Research did a poll about the most hated people in America. Casey Anthony number one.
Here you are, right at number six, just above Sandra Bullock`s ex Jesse James and just below Jon Gosselin. Why do you think it is that so many people seem to dislike you? You seem like a perfectly nice guy.
JOHNSTON: Yes. Well, I don`t know who the poll is coming from. But you know, that doesn`t bother me. It`s the same people blogging all the negative stuff about everybody. It`s - you know, as far as Bristol calling me a bad boy, I mean, I don`t see how I was a bad boy.
HAMMER: And thinking she could fix you.
JOHNSTON: Fixing me. You know, that`s crazy. But the bad boy - you know, I went to high school just like everybody else. I was first line varsity hockey team as a freshman. You know, I was doing good.
I had a lot of junior teams looking at me. You know, I was never in trouble with the law. Nothing like that. You know, so for me to be a bad boy, I mean, I`d really hate to see a real bad boy.
HAMMER: Well, and as far as what people say about you, it seems like you have developed a thick skin and you kind of let that roll off of you.
It has been three years now since we first saw you again at the Republican National Convention. And all of a sudden you were in the center of the spotlight. If that whole circus had not happened, what do you think? What would you be doing today?
JOHNSTON: You know what? I`m sure that without the media and all the stuff that went on, you know, I`d like to say that Bristol and I would still be together raising Tripp, you know, like a family.
But you know, that`s hard to say. But you know, the media did play a big role in us splitting up.
HAMMER: You want to have some fun, real quick, before we go? A little game of name associations, because you`re not the only guy in the headlines. I`m going to throw some names out at you.
JOHNSTON: All right.
HAMMER: Just give me a quick response what do you think when you hear these names? Kim Kardashian.
JOHNSTON: She`s hot.
HAMMER: All right, fair enough. Lindsay Lohan. You can`t say she`s hot.
JOHNSTON: She got in trouble a lot. But you know, again, I don`t want to be like everybody else not knowing her side of the story. So -
HAMMER: It`s something you can relate to for sure.
JOHNSTON: Something - yes. She`s -
HAMMER: Rick Perry.
JOHNSTON: Don`t know who that is.
HAMMER: Don`t know who that is. OK, hold on a second. Don`t know who that is. Justin Bieber.
JOHNSTON: Love Justin Bieber.
HAMMER: Are you a Bieber fan?
JOHNSTON: I`m a Bieber fan, all the way in Alaska. A guy like me in the big pickup trucks, we jam the Bieber.
HAMMER: Jamming the Bieber. I can see you screaming out your window, "Baby, baby, baby."
JOHNSTON: Oh, yes.
HAMMER: Levi Johnston, thank you for being here. I do appreciate it. Levi`s new book is called "Deer in the Headlights" - this it right here - "My Life is Sarah Palin`s Crosshairs." And it`s in stores right now.
And moving on now to Brad Pitt`s backlash tonight. Apparently, people aren`t that happy with his big diss of his marriage to Jennifer Aniston. Brad`s back on TV now and he`s backtracking again. But is he only doing it to protect his new movie from tanking?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PITT: I`ve got a knack for stepping into (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
LAUER: Do you think that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brad Pitt`s remarkable new revelations tonight. Why he says he may never talk about Jen again.
The Kardashian sisters ganging up on George Clooney`s ex? Kim and her sisters start an unbelievable Twitter war and Elisabetta Canalis is at the center of it all. 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: Alex Rodriguez has "a lot of love" for Cameron Diaz even after their split. Gerard Butler denies death threats for taking the role in "Machine Gun Preacher."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERARD BUTLER, ACTOR: No, that`s not true. That`s not true. I was talking about my previous experience on "300." But that happened a little bit. I never said - then suddenly - you know, that`s what happens when you do a thousand interviews.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PITT: I don`t know what was pieced together or put together. All I know is that my point was the best thing I`ve done as a father is make sure that my kids have a good mother. That`s all I was or am trying to say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brad Pitt defends his honor. This morning, he told NBC`s "Today" host, Matt Lauer, that he did not say anything wrong about his ex-wife, Jen Aniston.
The big question tonight, should Brad be forgiven? And will the backlash actually hurt his new movie, "Money Ball," when it opens on Friday?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, do you have any Brad Pity?
Well, Brad said today that his comments about Jen Aniston were taken totally out of context. Are you buying it? Do you feel sorry for the guy?
Joining me right now in New York, we`re so pleased to have Dean Cain along with us. Dean is starring in the GMC world premiere of the movie, "A Mile in His Shoes." It`s on Sunday. Do not miss it.
Right now, from Hollywood, Melanie Bromley, who is a Los Angeles bureau chief of "Us Weekly," which is reporting in its new issue today that Jen Aniston`s camp is going ballistic over what Brad said.
Let me begin with the quote in question that`s really caused this international outrage. Everybody has been talking about it. Here`s what Brad told "Parade" magazine.
He said, "I spent the `90s trying to hide out. It became very clear to me that I was intent on trying to find a movie about an interesting life, but I wasn`t interested in living an interesting life myself."
"I think my marriage had something to do with it. Trying to pretend the marriage was something that it wasn`t."
And Brad went on to say that the best thing he ever did for his kids was have Angelina Jolie as their mom. Now, today, Brad told Matt Lauer his words were taken out of context. Here what`s he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PITT: I think it`s a shame that I can`t say something nice about Angie without Jen being dragged in. You know, she doesn`t deserve it.
LAUER: You`re smiling because you know it came out differently.
PITT: Oh, yes, I know. There was some - yes. It happens to me every time I - you know, every cycle.
LAUER: But the interesting thing is, you know - go ahead.
PITT: But my point is, I just want to say she`s good (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know. There should be a statute of limitations on this thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And I get where he`s coming from. It has to be tough being Brad Pitt and really never being able to move past his divorce from Jen. Dean, are you feeling a little bad for Brad these days?
CAIN: I feel bad because he feels guilty for saying something like that. But I think he`s talking about himself. And even when you`re in a relationship, you know, you may have some shortcomings with things going on with yourself. It`s not your spouse`s fault.
So I think I hear what he was saying. And I also heard him say something where he just said he shouldn`t talk.
HAMMER: Listen, as a big time Hollywood star yourself who has given thousands of interviews over the decades, you know that sometimes the words don`t come out exactly right and certainly can be misconstrued very easily.
CAIN: Really easily. And I`ve got to go, you know, with that piece of advice he gave himself - don`t talk so much. I think he was trying to say he didn`t find himself interesting.
He was at a different place in his life and he`s like, "That`s not what I want to do." He didn`t have kids then and go, "Here`s a better mom."
HAMMER: Right.
CAIN: He wasn`t making that comment. Everyone wants to infer that, and it`s painful. I`ve said some things about some exes and some have said some things about me. And that`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Sure, of course. This was really interesting, particularly somebody who does interviews, today, watching Matt Lauer, trying to read Brad a bit of his controversial interview in "Parade" magazine. That didn`t go so well. Watch what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUER: Let me just read what came out and get your reaction.
PITT: No, please don`t read it because I don`t read these things. By choice I don`t want to be encumbered by any of that. I know my intentions and I know what I believe. And I know things get misconstrued and I live outside of that and it`s a much healthier place to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "Us Magazine" seems to have a lot of information on the Brad backlash after his comments. But overall, do you feel sorry for the guy? Do you think people should be forgiving him?
MELANIE BROMLEY, LOS ANGELES BUREAU CHIEF, "US WEEKLY": Absolutely not. Look, we`ve got here one of the most famous actors in the world. The only reason we`re talking about Jennifer Aniston right now is because he brought her up.
He did not have to do that. He was asked a question about "Money Ball," about why it was an interesting story for him. And he decided to bring up his marriage and say a negative thing about his marriage.
Now, he can also do interviews and say that his words have been taken out of context. But the point is that he should not have brought it up if he didn`t want people to focus on it.
HAMMER: Well, here`s the interesting thing. Everybody is wondering, is this going to have any impact on his new movie? The "New York Post" reported Brad`s main fan base, obviously women, are totally alienated over Brad comments.
I`ve been reading a lot of that online myself and hearing people saying that. And obviously, if that`s the case, that could possibly hit him right where it hurts the most - at the box office.
Do you think this could happen to Brad? Do you think it`s even possible? Or in this case, is there no such thing as bad publicity?
CAIN: I was going to say he`s getting an awful lot of publicity for "Money Ball" before it`s out. You know, I think it`s painful for him. I think he wishes he could take it back.
I don`t think it`s going to hurt the film and I don`t think it should hurt the film. And I`m sorry, but I completely, 100 percent forgive him about that comment.
I don`t think he was trying to say anything derogatory or negative about his marriage. It was more, I think, a comment about himself. But you know, that`s what happens in this business. But he`s not a politician.
HAMMER: That`s right.
CAIN: And that`s what I found interesting with Matt Lauer reading back his comments. He doesn`t want to hear it. He`s not -
HAMMER: That`s what we do, Dean. That`s what we do during interviews. It will be interesting when the box office opens tomorrow.
We do need to leave it there. Dean Cain, Melanie Bromley, I thank you both. Make sure you catch Dean`s world premiere of "A Mile in His Shoes" on Sunday on GMC.
All right. What do you think? Let me turn this over to you, please. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll - "Brad Pitt Denies Diss of Jennifer Aniston: Whose team are you on?" Team Pitt? Team Aniston?
You can vote by going to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail us. Our address is showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Tonight, the Kardashian sisters are rolling up their couture sleeves and they`re getting ready for a battle. Their target - George Clooney`s ex. Kim and her sisters start a Twitter smackdown and Elisabetta Canalis is right at the center of it. The details, next.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Emily Deschanel gives birth to a baby boy named Henry. SHOWBIZ first look: "J. Edgar" starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Naomi Watts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: What if every citizen in this country were uniquely identifiable by the patterns on their fingers, how quickly we could find how he committed a crime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Time now for the SHOWBIZ buzz list. These are the things we cannot stop buzzing about this week.
We`re just hooked on the fascinating documentary called "Planet Rock: The Story of Hip-Hop and the Crack Generation." Look for it on VH1.
We are downloading Demi Lovato`s latest album that`s called "Unbroken."
It is time to break out your iPad and download the TNT and TBS apps. You can watch your favorite shows and movies on the go.
We are card-carrying members of NBC`s "The Playboy Club," starring Ed Cibrian.
And finally, I`m very excited about this. Take home the hilarious comedy "Bridesmaids" with Kristen Wiig. It`s out on DVD. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: What are we doing for the bachelorette party?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: What about like a princess theme or Sachi(ph), the gold rush.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I`m thinking tanned gentlemen that swallow fire and wear sarongs.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: You know fight club. We grease up. Surprise! Beat the crap out of her.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I don`t hate it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, the Kardashian sister`s outrage over George Clooney`s ex- girlfriend. Kim, Khloe and Kourtney set up a Twitter frenzy in defense of their baby brother, Rob, who barely made the cult this week on "Dancing with the Stars."
On Tuesday`s "Dancing," George`s ex, Elisabetta Canalis, was safe from elimination. But Rob was in the bottom three. Well, Rob`s sisters aren`t having any of that.
Here is what Kourtney tweeted about that, "There is no way Rob Kardashian was trending worldwide last night in the bottom three. Impossible. How is Elisabetta safe? How? Seriously?"
Then, Kim chimed in tweeting, "This just can`t be. He did so good."
Dean Cain is back with us. Dean is starring in a great new movie, "A Mile in His Shoes." It premieres this Sunday on GMC.
So Dean, we know the Kardashians are thick as thieves. They fight for their own. They all look out for each other.
So I`m thinking we go need to brace ourselves for a Kardashian Twitter rant against, not only Elisabetta, but perhaps even Nancy Grace or anybody who gets had Rob`s way here.
CAIN: Anybody. We`re in high school, right? This is all in high school, because that`s what it feels like. Twitter, like that - I don`t tweet. I don`t Facebook. But it feels like high school.
HAMMER: Yes.
CAIN: That feels like, you know, a popular kid in high school and the girls are coming to defend him. You know, it`s going to get a lot more ratings. And good for them for doing that, but you know, it just feels like high school.
HAMMER: Yes. It does feel like high school. And here`s the thing. There was another tweet that Khloe put out there where she suggested that these shows are rigged all the time.
Look, I get where she`s coming from but I have a hard time believing a show as big as "Dancing with the Stars" could get away, in any way, with being rigged.
CAIN: yes. Well, you never know. I don`t know. I suspect there can be some of that for sure. But you know, they spent a lot of money with Ron Artest out there doing all those ads and he`s gone.
HAMMER: Right. Very quickly, yes or no - would you ever do "Dancing with the Stars"?
CAIN: Absolutely not.
HAMMER: That`s two words, but - Dean, it`s been great to see you. We`re looking forward to Dean`s world premiere of the new movie, "A Mile in His Shoes" on GMC. That`s this Sunday.
Moving on to Justin Bieber. I want you to pay attention, Justin. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) your mega-fame Tonight, the results of a surprising new poll that just might make Justin`s hair stand on end. That`s next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, there is a shocking new poll out just today that says that Justin Bieber could be washed up in no time.
Well, according to a poll by "SodaHead.com," 76 percent said no one will be listening to Justin Bieber in 10 years. Only 24 percent say that Justin will still be a musical force in 2021.
Now, to be fair, it is very difficult for teen sensations to make the switch to adult rock stars. That said, hey, look at New Kids on the Block. They`re still hanging tough. They started 10 years before Justin was even born.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tune in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Friday for a SHOWBIZ special report, "Reality Show Secrets Revealed." We`re getting all the dirt from some of the biggest reality stars on TV.
And remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively Monday to Friday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific here on HLN.
Stay right here for "DR. DREW," next. Tonight, the cast of the controversial reality show, "Sister Wives." Dr. Drew asks how it works, and are they really happy? "DR. DREW" on HLN starts right now.
END
