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Showbiz Tonight
Celebrity Entourage; Bristol Palin`s Bullfight; America`s Most Annoying Celebrity; Lady Gaga`s Heartbreaking Tribute
Aired September 26, 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: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- celebrity entourage. Tonight, a disturbing SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigation. People who should have been protecting Michael Jackson paved the way for his death.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LATOYA JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON`S SISTER: The people that were around him, they would always say he`s not well. He`s sick. He was constantly freezing and they didn`t care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen, were they also victims of being surrounded by a celebrity entourage?
Caught on tape, Bristol`s bullfight with a man in a bar who verbally attacked her mother -- and she brings up his sexuality?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRISTOL PALIN, DAUGHTER OF FMR. GOV. SARAH PALIN: What did you say?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your mother`s the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) devil. She`s evil!
B. PALIN: Is it because you`re a homosexual?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, was Bristol out of line or was the guy a jerk who got what he deserved?
Revealed tonight, America`s most annoying celebrity. Is it Snooki? Kim Kardashian? Lindsay Lohan? Or someone else?
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 -- celebrity entourage. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is investigating how and why so many stars get so messed up, even dying like Michael Jackson, even though they`re surrounded by people who are paid to make sure that they`re taken care of.
That is something we`re sure to learn even more tomorrow when, at long last, opening statements are made in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, who, of course, is accused of giving Michael Jackson the drug that led to his death.
And the dramatic stories we are about to hear in the courtroom will be carried live of course all day long right here on HLN. So how is it that Michael Jackson got to the point that he did?
And how is it that stars from Charlie Sheen to Lindsay Lohan to Anna Nicole Smith can get so out of control when they are paying people to protect them?
With us tonight is Atty. Debra Opri who was right there in the middle of the Anna Nicole Smith tragedy. And Danny Bonaduce, who has had his own battles with addiction and with Hollywood.
But first, here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Lindsay Lohan was making practically weekly court appearances, while Britney Spears was battling personal health problems and the constant pressure of the spotlight, while Charlie Sheen was on his winning rampage --
CHARLIE SHEEN, ACTOR: I`m a winner and their lives look like they`re, you know, ruled by losers.
WYNTER: We all watched and wondered who were the people surrounding these stars while they seemingly spiraled out of control. Lindsay, Britney and Charlie all appeared to be on better paths with trustworthy people by their side now. But when these stars were struggling, were their entourages supporting them or enabling them?
CHARLES SOPHY, PSYCHIATRIST: The dynamics in these entourage groups are very interesting because they almost implode on each other after a while.
WYNTER: Dr. Charles Sophy is a Los Angeles psychiatrist who treats many celebrity patients.
SOPHY: Everyone is insecure. Everyone is frightened for their job. Everyone is frightened to lose that connection and be disconnected from the celebrity.
WYNTER: The result -- those posses with troubled celebrity often end up enabling them.
SOPHY: They will deny. They will get them the drug. They will help them. They will enable them. They will tell them what they need to hear because they want their job. They want to be seen as important and they don`t want to be put out of that group.
WYNTER: Michael Jackson`s entourage included Dr. Conrad Murray and others whose Jackson`s family says ignored signs his health was in danger.
L. JACKSON: My brother was not healthy. He was very fragile. And when you embraced him, when you hugged him, he was nothing but bones, and he was very sick.
And the people that were around him, the hairdressers and people of that nature -- they would always say he was not well. He was sick. He was constantly freezing and they didn`t care.
WYNTER: So how does a celebrity surround himself with a trustworthy entourage? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went straight to the source of the original "Entourage," Mark Wahlberg, to find out.
Wahlberg is the executive producer of HBO`s "Entourage." His own life experience inspired the series with plots ripped from the headlines of Hollywood. Wahlberg`s advice -- not all entourages are created equal.
MARK WAHLBERG, ACTOR AND PRODUCER: It all depends. Everybody is different. If you have people around you that have your best interests at heart and are doing the right thing and keeping you on the straight and narrow, that`s a good thing.
If you have people that are influencing you in a bad way or for the wrong reasons, that`s not a good thing.
SOPHY: I think it`s very important for a celebrity to really know themselves and to really be able to know how they pick people and know whether they know somebody is trustable way before they even get to be a celebrity.
So the better solidified they are as a person, the better those tools are to be utilized when they pick these people in their entourage.
WYNTER: Good people surrounding talented stars translates to a strong celebrity support base and, with any luck, a trouble-free time in the spotlight.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter. Make no mistake about it. The whole issue of entourage as enabling will be front and center in the Michael Jackson death trial. The opening statements begin tomorrow, and of course, will air live right here on HLN.
Let me bring in CBS radio talk show host, Danny Bonaduce. Danny joins me from Philadelphia tonight.
Danny, you`ve been there from the beginning after you starred in "The Partridge Family." You went to the same high school with Michael Jackson in the `70s. Can you believe it has now come to this?
DANNY BONADUCE, ACTOR AND RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: No, I actually can`t, because of the Jackson family. Michael is an aberration, if you will, but he was never -- when I met him -- that`s from about the age of seven to about 40.
I saw Michael on and off. He never had a malicious bone in his body. But when you say, "Does your entourage enable you," I don`t think so as much as you enable your entourage.
Where did the name "entourage" come from? There should be a receptionist, a personal assistant. Where does "entourage" come from?
If this guy has your best interest at heart, but you want drugs, then he just becomes an unemployed guy. I think the celebrity enables the entourage equally as much as the entourage enables the celebrity.
HAMMER: Well, I`m curious about your own experience, because we talked a lot about your addiction troubles. You`ve been very open about it throughout much of your life.
Did you find that, as a celebrity, you had a much easier time getting people to enable and assist your habit than you would have if you weren`t famous?
BONADUCE: To be honest with you, no. I found people not wanting to get involved nearly as much, because, once and for all, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- when I say this guy -- I`m referring to myself -- this guy is in big trouble, you don`t want to be around the guy who might pass away, who might be in trouble with the law.
You move a little bit away. There are people -- you know, underlings, if you will, that you can pay -- I didn`t have an entourage. If I wanted drugs, I got up and I had to go drive for them like any other decent drug addict.
But I really think it`s the celebrity`s job to make sure what it is that he wants. If he wants to stay clean and sober, he can.
But it didn`t work for John Belushi. The night John Belushi died, he was in the employer -- he employed a martial arts expert, a jin-fighting karate expert, to make sure drugs didn`t get anywhere near him.
And then he gave him a slip and went back to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and went out for drugs and died. It never, ever works. You have to be in control of your own life. And an entourage will never save you. And an entourage, can, in fact, and often will hurt you.
HAMMER: Well, I want to get to this, Danny. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got some remarkable insight on all this from Anna Nicole Smith`s former doctor, Sandeep Kapoor. Of course, he was accused of providing her with the illegal prescription drugs.
But he was acquitted and his name was totally cleared. And it should be noted he wasn`t accused of providing any of the drugs that ultimately led to Anna Nicole`s death.
Dr. Kapoor tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he feels sympathy for Dr. Murray, who, of course, is accused of involuntary manslaughter in the Jackson case.
But when it comes to celebrity patients, who are often used to getting what they want, he does say it is up to the doctor, sometimes, to say no. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANDEEP KAPOOR, ANNA NICOLE SMITH`S FORMER DOCTOR: You can`t give into the demands of the celebrity or anyone for that matter. When a patient runs their care and demands things, that is a big red flag to sort of stop and say, "No, this is not the way that this interaction is going to occur."
Even in my case with Anna Nicole Smith, she fired me many times. And I told her that`s the way it going to be and you have to be the one that says no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I want to bring in someone else who is right there at the center of the Anna Nicole Smith saga, Debra Opri. She was an attorney who worked on the court case. Hello, there, Debra. Anna Nicole`s drug use was a big issue, of course. Debra joining from us Hollywood tonight.
So Debra, you heard Dr. Kapoor`s statement. Based on that, do you think that Dr. Murray should be held criminally responsible for apparently failing to say no to Michael Jackson?
DEBRA OPRI, ATTORNEY: I see things a little differently. I`m not looking this case from a doctor`s point of view. I`m looking at it as an attorney.
There`s a difference between the Anna Nicole case where she had prescription medication. She got sick -- flu. And there`s something about using and prescribing propofol.
Propofol is a serious drug. And from what I understand, it doesn`t belong outside of a hospital and it`s a 24-hour surveillance drug. So there`s a big difference between Anna Nicole and Michael.
As far as this entourage thing and the prescribing of medications and who says yes and who says no, here`s the bottom line, let`s reverse it. It`s not what Michael Jackson or Anna Nicole or anybody else may want and dictate and instruct and demand.
If a doctor has a license -- I`m a lawyer. I have a license. If a client says to me, "I want A, B and C," and a doctor, who has a license, is asked for A, B and C, it`s the doctor`s duty to say no.
And if the doctor doesn`t say no, guess what? He`s getting charged with manslaughter. And that`s exactly where Murray finds himself.
HAMMER: All right. Deb, I`ve got to jump in here. There is something that may not be such good news for Conrad Murray. We learned today many of the jurors are Michael Jackson fans.
And there was also big news about whether Michael Jackson`s kids will testify. Debra, Danny, stay where you are, please.
As we move on, caught on tape tonight, Bristol Palin`s unbelievable face-off with the heckler who slammed her mom, Sarah Palin. Did she have to bring sexuality into it?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
B. PALIN: You want her dead?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, but you know what? If there was a hell, which I don`t believe there is one, she will be there.
B. PALIN: OK, why is that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She`s evil. She`s evil. She --
B. PALIN: All right. Is this because you`re a homosexual?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Was Bristol Palin out of line here? Tonight, Bristol`s caught on tape smackdown.
Kim Kardashian has an empire. Kris Humphries, not so much. Millionaire matchmaker Patti Stanger says that spells trouble. The great debate tonight, will money be the end of Kim K`s marriage?
Also, it`s Lady Gaga`s powerful tribute to a teen who took his own life. Lady Gaga remembers a 14-year-old boy and sends an important message about bullying. 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: Justin Bieber surprises Selena Gomez with "Titanic" movie date at L.A. Staples Center. Jennifer Garner reveals her daughters` suggestions for baby names.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER GARNER, ACTRESS: On behalf of a lot of opinions, mostly about names and they don`t even care about the gender as long as we name it what they want.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": What are their names? I bet they have good ideas.
GARNER: They do. As a matter of fact -- Ralphie, Frankie, Mini Mouse, Daisy Duck --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Controversial Michael Jackson tribute concert in Wales just under two weeks away now. Just added to the all-star lineup, the magnificent Jennifer Hudson. She`s joining up with Christina Aguilera, Leona Lewis, Smokey Robinson and Beyonce among others to pay tribute to M.J. It all goes down on October 8th.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with the secrets of the jury.
Remarkably, when opening statements begin tomorrow in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael`s doctor, many of the jurors judging him are going to be Michael Jackson fans.
HLN will be carrying it all live tomorrow course. Here`s what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal about the jury. Five members are women. Seven are men. At least six of them are or have been Michael Jackson fans.
Get this -- one of them says he actually once met Michael Jackson. Two of them saw "This Is It." That, of course, is the documentary about the concert that Jackson was preparing for when he died.
Two of them say they do watch crime shows like "Law and Order" and "CSI." Three of them say they followed the Casey Anthony trial.
I want to bring back defense attorney Debra Opri who is joining me from Hollywood tonight. Debra, it really surprised me that so many jurors are or have been Michael Jackson fans. Could that be a problem for Dr. Murray?
OPRI: It`s not a problem if they follow the instructions that they`re going to render an unbiased deliberation and verdict, so that`s not the issue I have.
The issue I have is how many of those five women and seven men are parents who are going to sympathize with Katherine Jackson, who will be sitting in that courtroom every single day.
It`s going to be that connection they feel to her as the mother of a man who died, a father himself, and what are they going to bring in their deliberations from that connection.
That`s the thing that everyone should really be concerned about rather than how many people loved Michael Jackson`s music, me included. We all did. We all did to one degree or another.
HAMMER: And speaking of kids, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can also report tonight we have confirmed that Michael Jackson`s two oldest children want to testify.
I`m talking about 14-year-old Prince Michael and 13-year-old Paris. Both have said they do want to tell what they saw, what they know from the day that their dad died.
But just last week, Jermaine Jackson, right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT telling our own Kareen Wynter the family doesn`t even want Michael Jackson`s kids to attend the trial at all, to say nothing of testifying.
Debra, talk about sympathy. If Michael Jackson`s kids get up there and testify -- I mean, should they even be allowed do that? Because obviously, it was a huge trauma what they went through. Even if they want to testify, should they be allowed?
OPRI: It`s not unheard of for children to testify in criminal cases and, in fact, in family law cases. But Katherine Jackson is the guardian of these two minor children. Will both of them testify? Probably not.
May one of them testify? I would imagine there will be a rule or ruling set down by Katherine. She`s the matriarch and her word is considered at all times, and even maybe even the last word.
I think she will basically say unless and until it is absolutely necessary, i.e., prince has something that no one else has to offer to this case and it`s absolutely necessary to proving the case that Michael should not have died, then and only then will I allow it.
Do I see Prince testifying? No. Do I ever think Katharine will allow those two children to sit in that courtroom? Absolutely not. They will not be there. Not in my opinion.
HAMMER: It would be very interesting what ends up happening. Things getting under way again tomorrow. Debra Opri, we thank you very much.
Well, of course the big Michael Jackson debate is continuing over on our Facebook page. A lot of people are wondering if Dr. Conrad Murray can actually beat the rap.
I want to read to you what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook fans have been writing on our wall. This one is from Debbie J. who writes, "I do believe Dr. Murray will not spend a day in prison for this. There are lots of others involved in this case. If he goes down, there will be many more that will have to as well.
Martine D. writing, "I don`t think Murray killed M.J. I think all of this is because he was the last person standing."
Caught on tape -- wait until you see this. Bristol Palin flipping out on a heckler. Some guy shouts out some pretty mean stuff about her mom, Sarah Palin.
So what does Bristol do? She gets right in the guy`s face. Wait until you see the unbelievable face-off caught on tape.
Speaking of face-offs, Tony Bennett`s gym tan slam today. I`m going to tell you why the legendary crooner thinks the guys and gals of "Jersey Shore" are a bunch of morons. How do you really feel, Tony? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: "The Lion King" on track to become third biggest animated film of all time with 3-D release. SHOWBIZ first look: Katherine Heigl shows off Jersey accent in "One for the Money."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHERINE HEIGL, ACTRESS: John Roe(ph) -- he`s out on bail.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: $50,000 -- dead or alive.
HEIGL: I can do this.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: She wants to be a bad ass recovery agent.
HEIGL: I might like this better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tony Bennett`s "Jersey Shore" slam. Yes, the legendary performer just unleashed some fierce outrage on the "Jersey Shore" gang. He`s calling them morons and gangsters. Is the singing great out of line or is he right on target?
CBS Radio talk show host, Danny Bonaduce, back with us tonight from Philadelphia.
Danny, I don`t know about you. I`m loving this -- Tony taking on "Jersey Shore." Let me read to you what he told the "Los Angeles Times" about the "Shore`s" cast.
He says, "They`re all morons and gangsters. It`s terrible." He then went on to slam "Jersey Shore" for perpetuating the Italian-American stereotype saying this, "If you depicted Jews in a stereotypical way, there would be parades in the street and rightly so. Same thing with Chinese people and Poles. So why aren`t there any here?"
Of course, there was outrage, we all know, when the show started out. A lot of people went after them. Let`s face it. These guys are not exactly geniuses.
Danny, I think the world of Tony Bennett -- I`ve always admired the man. I find it very hard to argue with him, but do you think he`s off track here?
BONADUCE: I think he`s off track just because most of the Italian- Americans in that show aren`t Italian. And most of the people in "Jersey" don`t actually live in New Jersey. Most of the cast is from Staten Island.
The show should actually be re-titled "This Is What Happens If You Don`t Go to College." He`s right. They`re all morons and it`s an awful show. And it`s not mean, but it`s not mean because they`re gangsters and they`re Italians.
It`s mean because they didn`t do much with their lives, they`re not going to, and they`re all going to end up rich. And it perpetuates that thing.
Hey, if I can just nib someone, be good-looking, good enough to show them my hair, I`m going to be special. I`m sorry. That seat`s taken.
So can Tony Bennett, even if it`s not about the Italian-American thing -- they`re still putting some bad messages out there. Can the great Tony Bennett even possibly help them maybe think twice about what they`re putting out?
BONADUCE: No. I`m sorry. I don`t mean to be so crude about this. The answer`s no. As long as -- The Situation grossed $10 million last year. He out-grossed Tony Bennett last year. So if you`re going to try to tell The Situation, this is a bad idea. It`s going to be a very hard sell.
HAMMER: Yes. Pardon the expression. He`ll say forget about it.
BONADUCE: Right.
HAMMER: Danny Bonaduce, thanks, my friend. Moving now to the SHOWBIZ lineup -- here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ride Levi like that? Your mother`s a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bristol, what was that about?
B. PALIN: Repeat what you said to me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your mother`s a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) devil, dude.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Caught on tape, Bristol`s big bullfight. Bristol Palin flipping her lid at a heckler who was slamming her mom. This is unbelievable. It was caught on tape. The face-off between Bristol and her heckler, coming up.
Also, the most annoying celebrity in America revealed. Snooki? Kim Kardashian? Lindsay Lohan? Someone else perhaps? Who is the most annoying celebrity ever? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Molly Sims marries film producer Scott Stuber in Napa Valley ceremony. Fergie unveils was figure at Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
B. PALIN: So you want her dead?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, but you know what? If there is a hell, which I don`t think there is one, she will be there.
B. PALIN: Why is that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She`s evil. She`s evil. She --
B. PALIN: All right. Is this because you`re a homosexual?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- caught on tape, Bristol Palin`s bar fight with a man who slammed her mom big time. So why did Bristol bring up sexuality? And just who is out of line here?
The millionaire matchmaker`s words of caution for Kim Kardashian and her new hubby -- money can pull you apart. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, will money ruin Kim K`s marriage?
Plus, Lady Gaga`s heartbreaking tribute.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LADY GAGA, POP STAR: I don`t know if any of you know this, but we lost a little monster this week. So tonight, Jamey, I know you`re up there looking at us. And you`re not a victim. You`re a lesson to all of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The boy who took his own life and Lady Gaga`s powerful lesson of tolerance.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
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 -- Bristol`s bullfight.
Yes. Get this, Bristol Palin gets in a bar brawl with a guy after riding a mechanical bull. Let me tell you, this got pretty ugly. So why exactly did Bristol get into a screaming match at a bar? Because he insulted her mom.
And to up the ante another notch, Bristol brought up his sexual orientation. What was that about? Well, it was the bombastic moment and, of course, it was all caught on tape. But tonight, we want to know, was the whole thing staged?
With me right now from Philadelphia, is Danny Bonaduce. Danny is a former reality show star and is CBS radio talk show host. Right now, in Hollywood, Bill Rancic. Bill is the star of Style Network`s "Giuliana and Bill."
Great to see you both, guys. I know you`re all curious about how Bristol got caught up in this barroom brawl. Let`s watch how this all started.
While Bristol was riding a mechanical bull in West Hollywood and shooting her new reality show, that`s when all heck broke loose.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ride Levi like that? Your mother`s a whore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bristol, what was that about?
B. PALIN: Repeat what you said to me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your mother`s a (EXPLETIVE DELETED), dude.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, she`s the devil. She lives. She breathes.
B. PALIN: You want her dead?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, but you know what? If there was a hell, which I don`t believe there is one, she will be there.
B. PALIN: And why is that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She`s evil. She`s evil. She --
B. PALIN: All right. Is this because you`re a homosexual?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty much.
B. PALIN: And that`s why you hate her?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And why did you say I`m a homosexual?
B. PALIN: Because I can tell you are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. All right. TMZ is reporting today one of Bristol`s reality co-stars for the Bio Channel actually thinks the whole brawl was set up by producers. And looking at that, you can kind of go along with it.
Danny Bonaduce, you`ve experienced your fair share of reality shows and brawls. Do you think the whole thing was a big scam? I`m looking at that and it looks really faked out to me.
BONADUCE: Well, the first thing I want to say is you and I have a really different definition of the words "barroom brawl."
HAMMER: Yes.
BONADUCE: That was two people yelling at each other. Everybody escaped safely. But the fact of the matter is, those were some real-life fighting words. If it was a setup, I`ll bet Sarah didn`t -- I`ll bet Palin did not know about it.
I think somebody just said -- they`re probably muttering to themselves over here and some producer just said, "Why don`t you shout that if you feel so strongly?" And the guy just did.
I`ll tell you when you set something up in a reality show, you get better lighting and you get better sound. That`s the reason you set it up. You can make anybody say anything or do anything, but you get better sound quality and you get better lighting. It`s a really poor shot and it`s really poor quality.
HAMMER: Yes. You would think the production value would be a little higher there, wouldn`t you? For some reason, and I watch this play and I still don`t understand why Bristol would decide to bring up this guy`s sexual orientation.
Now, some people are calling it homophobic. Today, Bristol`s rep is telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT there is nothing homophobic about it.
Here`s what they`re saying, "Last night, Bristol Palin was approached in a confrontational and inappropriate manner when two men aggressively shouted expletives aimed at her in reference to her mother."
"Bristol responded to the unprovoked verbal assault by calmly standing her ground and defending her family. The situation ended with no incident, and accusing her of homophobia is completely unfounded and totally misstates her views."
I think Bristol`s comments about this guy`s sexual orientation were totally out of left field and her saying -- well, I just can tell. I mean, that`s ridiculous. But Bill, do you get the sense, looking at this whole thing play out, that it was all a big setup?
BILL RANCIC, REALITY TV STAR, "GIULIANA AND BILL": Well, I mean, it certainly could be and we know a lot of reality shows out there do things to, you know, spike up the ratings and we`re talking about it today.
You know, we`re certainly going to probably drive viewers to watch the show. But as far as the homophobic slur, you know, I think it was probably more geared towards her mother`s political views and her political stance on homosexuality rather than a homophobic slur.
If it was going to be a homophobic slur, she probably could have come up with something a lot more offensive than that.
HAMMER: Yes. And I think the point is, it wasn`t that she was making a homophobic slur. She was saying to the guy -- she asked the guy -- we heard it play out, you know, "Do you think my mother is evil because you`re a homosexual," presuming he was a homosexual.
RANCIC: Exactly.
HAMMER: But the whole thing, I`m here to tell you, got even uglier. And Danny, I`ll tone it down a bit. I won`t call it so much a brawl as a barroom fight as it continued for well over five minutes.
Bristol was not about to let this guy call her mom names. Watch what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How old are you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Forty-seven years old.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, then leave her alone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? She came up to me.
B. PALIN: You said it first. Why does she deserve to die?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She lies. She can`t complete a sentence.
B. PALIN: Can you give me one example because you haven`t yet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything about Obama she lies.
B. PALIN: Oh, really? You`re going around in circles, sir. You haven`t given me one example as I`ve asked. So if you`re going to call my mother a whore, I`d love to hear one example.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, well, you know what? You don`t look like anything like Glenn Rice and I thought you would.
B. PALIN: You`re right. You`re right. I`m half African-American. You caught me. You caught me, sir.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: My head is going to explode any moment now. Now, listen, Danny, a lot of people are up in arms actually over the fact a 47-year-old guy would get in the face of a 21-year-old.
Do you think this heckler, Stephen Hanks, was totally out of line? Or do you kind of have it coming if you`re a Palin?
BONADUCE: I don`t think you kind of have it coming if you`re a Palin. I`ve got brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews that have been put through a little bit of the middle because their last name is Bonaduce. But I don`t think you have it coming because you`re a Palin.
It`s a 47-year-old man. I don`t know. I mean, we said it on TV. I`m hearing it, so I`m going to say the words, "Your mom is a whore"? Really? You just get to say that?
And it`s a question, "Do you hate my mother because you`re a homosexual?" That`s a reasonable question to me. That`s a reasonable -- if you`re a homosexual, you might hate Sarah Palin.
If you read the book "Rogue," it calls her a whore. There`s a new book out called "Rogue." Being a whore is the only thing this poor woman has not been accused of, is having sex in exchange for cash.
I just think it went on too far. I think the only guy less liked than Sarah Palin is the guy in the clip. That man is so out of line saying that to that poor young woman about her mother. Are you kidding?
HAMMER: Yes.
RANCIC: And I think anyone put in her shoes would defend her mother.
HAMMER: Absolutely.
RANCIC: I mean, her mother has been by her side for a lot of hard times. So I do respect Bristol that she stuck up for her mother and defended her mom through and through.
BONADUCE: That`s true. Palin is not gay friendly, so it`s a reasonable question. You`ve just got to have a wording on it. So you say, "Do you hate my mother because you`re a homosexual?"
Aside from the fact that she didn`t have concrete evidence, which I think she kind of did, to ask the question seems viable to me, "Do you hate my mom because you`re gay?" Seems reasonable.
That guy -- I think that guy should wake up in the morning and be the world`s worst hated man in America today. That guy -- that`s a little girl.
HAMMER: Yes. I`m with you on that. Let me get to this really quick, because today, the now infamous heckler, Stephen Hanks, tells Harvey Levin over at TMZ that, yes, he might have overreacted a little bit. Watch what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN HANKS, SARAH PALIN HECKLER (through telephone): I am not a fan of the Palins. I think they`re dangerous people. Am I ashamed of myself today after watching it? Absolutely. Would I do it again today? No. I think I watched too much Jerry Springer as a kid.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You would have actually helped Sarah Palin, because, by saying that, what you`re doing is you`re really garnering sympathy for her because the attack is so personal that people would have felt bad for Sarah Palin by what you did so you would have actually helped the person that you`re against.
HANKS: Yes, I absolutely realize that now and you`re absolutely right. The thing is I got caught up in the heat of the moment and I know a lot of people do. No excuse. Absolutely not. Would not do it again in that way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So there you go, guys. You nailed it. What do we call that, morning after regret? Danny Bonaduce, Bill Rancic, I thank you both.
We must move on to the millionaire matchmaker`s brand-new marriage warning for Kim K. Money`s the money. SHOWBIZ dares to ask. Is money going to break up Kim and her new hubby?
And a heartbreaking tribute from the great Lady Gaga.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
LADY GAGA: Bullying is for losers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The 14-year-old boy tortured by bullies and Gaga`s powerful message of tolerance. How she`s turning a tragedy into a lesson for all of us. You`ve got to hear this. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: London officials want Britney Spears apology over "Criminal" video shot after riots. Alec Baldwin teases Steve Martin Bout breaking "Saturday Night Live" hosting record.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: Steve, what are you doing here?
STEVE MARTIN, ACTOR: Oh, I was just passing by the studio in full make- up. And I heard you were breaking my hosting record. And while I`m happy for you, I wanted to make sure that you were doing it without the use of steroids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Jesse James and Kat Von D split again. They were supposed to have that summer wedding, of course. But they keep breaking up and then getting back together. And now, they`re calling it quits for a second time. We`ll keep an eye on this just in case there`s a round three in all (UNINTELLIGIBLE) drama.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, the most annoying celebrity.
Yes, there`s a brand-new poll just out today. It asks which is the most annoying celebrity of them all? Well, I can tell you the competition here is pretty, pretty fierce.
With me, in New York, is Michael Billy, who is a TV and radio host. Also here in New York, Carey Reilly, who is a comedienne and a blogger for "GossipMama.com."
All right. Let me show you how tight this race for the most annoying celebrity actually was. Grasping just one percent of the vote, bachelor Brad Womack, so that`s not so bad. He was followed by Donald Trump, five percent of the vote.
Lindsay Lohan capturing 16 percent. Snooki had to make the list, right? She`s snagged 21 percent. Charlie Sheen is winning 27 percent. But the top spot goes to -- Kim Kardashian. Drum roll there, but there you have it -- 29 percent of the vote.
You know, it`s late in the evening. The most annoying celebrity of them all, Carey. I wonder if there`s any way even the great Kim K. could spin this into something positive and make money off of it.
CAREY REILLY, COMEDIENNE AND BLOGGER: Oh, she`ll spin it. She`ll going to, again, do another video. Everybody will love it. It doesn`t matter. She`s beautiful. But I`ve got to tell you, I don`t want to keep up with the Kardashians anymore.
HAMMER: Why?
REILLY: I think they`re exhausting. I think that they`re always trying to sell something. And she`s always half naked --
HAMMER: So annoying?
REILLY: Yes. Her products are geared toward women and I don`t want to buy something with a half-naked lady on it. I just think that she`s always complaining. They`re so privileged. They`re whining, complaining about everything. It`s exhausting.
HAMMER: Oh, it simply is. She`s annoying (UNINTELLIGIBLE), so it kinds of fits it. And Kim has done everything to stay in the headlines all these years. I mean, look at this. She made her marriage to Kris Humphries a big TV special.
REILLY: Yes.
HAMMER: She got her fashion line, her perfume with the naked people on the front, as you`re talking about. It`s nonstop Kim all the time, the reality shows and everything like that.
Michael, I`m wondering, though, to the extent that these things matter, is this bad news for Kim? Can this hurt her bottom line in any way, or do you think it can`t?
MICHAEL BILL, TV AND RADIO HOST: She`s not listening. She`s not paying. The big problems with celebrities on reality TV as somebody so successful as the Kardashians is the ego. She`s not going to quit. She`s going to keep selling, keep selling. But at this point, people have had enough.
REILLY: You have to be likable, too, and she`s not likable.
BILLY: She`s not at all.
REILLY: She`s gotten to the point where you just don`t like her.
HAMMER: Yes, but it sells and she`s turned that into reality TV fame and fortune, we all know. But I`m here to tell you that her extreme spending could actually mean trouble for her marriage to NBA star, Kris Humphries.
In fact, today, on CNN`s "AMERICAN MORNING," they had millionaire matchmaker, Patti Stanger, on. Patti said that Kim and Kris` different philosophies actually could be a huge drama. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATTI STANGER, MILLIONAIRE MATCHMAKER: Kim Kardashian is going through this with Kris Humphries as you see on their upcoming wedding special.
He is very cautious. He makes X amount of dollars a year. He`s young to the team. And she`s making zillions of dollars. And she`s like, "Wait, what do you mean we can`t buy this, we can`t do this?"
He`s like, "No, we don`t know what tomorrow`s going to bring." That`s good that there`s a balance. But you should have a money mediator.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So the millionaire matchmaker is suggesting that Kim and Kris need to get this money mediator. Carey, seriously, can you picture Kim being willing to ease off on the spending at all --
REILLY: No.
HAMMER: If it means keeping her marriage drama free? Do you think that`s motivation enough for her to stop, you know, throwing the credit cards and quite so much?
REILLY: No. That`s part of her business. That`s part of, like, who she is.
HAMMER: Her cache. Her allure. Her draw.
REILLY: Her allure, that`s it. But I do think that money is not an issue unless you don`t have any, then it`s an issue. These people have enough money that it not going to be a problem.
HAMMER: But it`s a philosophical difference.
REILLY: They don`t care. In the bank, they have millions of dollars and he`s mad she spent, what, $300 on a pair of sheets. Who cares? They still have money.
You know, the marriage suffers when you can`t pay your mortgage and you`re stressed out because somebody`s sick. This is like real problems. You know what I mean?
HAMMER: I`m curious on your take on this, Michael Billy, because everybody lives in their own reality.
BILLY: Right. Yes.
HAMMER: Do you think that if Kris gets used to the fact she blows all this money and is spending so lavishly -- do you think that will make things OK? Or do you think it`s going to be big trouble when he meddles in Kim K`s spending habits and screws around with that?
BILLY: A.J., have you heard Kris Humphries say a sentence? (UNINTELLIGIBLE) at all. Let Kim make all the decisions. Give it to Kris Jenner to make all the decisions. They`re the ones who know business. Kris Humphries should just be along for the ride.
(CROSS TALK)
REILLY: She`s spending her money, so who cares? She`s not spending his money.
BILLY: And that`s a lot of money. That`s right.
REILLY: But it`s her money. She`s making it. She`ll spend it.
HAMMER: And quite frankly, a lot of what we see being spent on reality shows -- it`s not their money that`s actually being spent, so maybe everything will work out. Maybe the millionaire matchmaker --
REILLY: With sponsorships and all the --
BILLY: Just be quiet.
REILLY: Oh, he needs to zip it. I can`t take his voice.
HAMMER: OK.
REILLY: It`s tough. It`s tough to watch.
HAMMER: OK, I`ll put in a phone call for you, guys. Michael Bill, Carey, thank you so much. Moving on now to more breaking Kardashian news tonight. This time, it`s about Kim`s infamous sex tape.
Could it be all Simpsons all the time? America`s favorite cartoon family could go 24/7. And Wanda Sykes surprising and candid cancer revelation. All that is making big news in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Wanda Sykes` cancer shocker. Comedienne Wanda Sykes has just revealed her decision to have a double mastectomy after doctors discovered she had breast cancer. Sykes, who also stars on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," told Ellen DeGeneres that she was about to undergo breast reduction surgery when the disease was detected.
The Simpsons Channel? Bart Simpson and his family could go 24/7 on television with their own channel. At least, that`s what Fox executives seem to be hinting. The offbeat animated family has been drawing in viewers for 23 years. The show is about to air its 500th episode.
Kim K`s sex tape sale goes bust. $20 million just isn`t enough for Vivid Entertainment`s chief, Steve Hirsch, to sell Kim Kardashian`s sex tape.
Hirsch, whose company owns the rights to the tape, turned down a $20 million from a secret buyer, telling TMZ, "Although the offer we ultimately received was substantial, when I realized that it wasn`t Kim, it became less appealing. Kim is a superstar, and if it were to be sold, it should be to her."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
As we move on tonight, I`ve got to show you Lady Gaga`s powerful tribute of tolerance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LADY GAGA: I don`t know if any of you know this, but we lost a little monster this week. So tonight, Jamey, I know you`re up there looking at us and you`re not a victim. You`re a lesson to all of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: One of her little monsters takes his own life because of bullying. How Gaga is transforming the tragedy into a powerful lesson of tolerance. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Here`s the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Jay-Z will perform concert series at Brooklyn`s Nets Arena when it opens next fall.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, Lady Gaga`s heartbreaking tribute to that 14-year-old boy who took his own life a little over a week ago. Jamey Rodemeyer was a victim of bullying at school because he was gay.
Jamey idolized the great Lady Gaga. He proudly called himself one of her little monsters. Just the other day, Gaga was performing at the iHeart Radio Festival in Las Vegas, and she dedicated her song, "Hair," right to Jamey. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LADY GAGA: Tonight, Jamey, I know you`re up there looking at us, and you`re not a victim. You`re a lesson to all of us. So tonight, I know it`s bit of a (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But sometimes the right thing is more important than the music, isn`t it? Let`s do this one for Jamey.
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Such a beautiful tribute. I think Gaga`s got it right. Jamie is a lesson to all of us. Let`s just hope people are paying attention.
All right. Moving on tonight to Hugh Jackman going all Wolverine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, come on!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Man, that was right in the face. Did Hugh Jackman really just punch out a WWE wrestler with everything he`s got? Is that what`s happening there? We`ll find out with the big debate, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Did you see this? Hugh Jackman channels his Wolverine character and punches WWE wrestler, Dolph Ziggler, right in the face. Jackman was at the event to promote his new movie, "Real Steel."
The punch, of course, is part of the regular show. But it turns out that Jackman may have accidentally broken Ziggler`s jaw.
Ziggler actually (UNINTELLIGIBLE) twice by getting an MRI that showed a small hairline fracture. Jackman just told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he hit Ziggler to make it look real, but there`s no way he used enough force to do any serious damage.
That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively Monday to Friday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.
And stay right here for "DR. DREW," next. Tonight, Dr. Drew begins his gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Dr. Conrad Murray trial. Dr. Drew starts right now on HLN.
END
