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Showbiz Tonight
Did Dr. Murray Lie About Comforting Michael Jackson`s Kids?; The Similarities Between the Deaths of Anna Nicole Smith and Michael Jackson; Showbiz Special Report: Reality Show Secrets Revealed
Aired October 14, 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 - brand- new Dr. Murray outrage. The stunning new claim from Michael Jackson`s son, Murray didn`t really comfort the kids in the E.R. Plus, why Murray may not go to jail even if he`s convicted of causing Michael`s death.
A SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview with the father of Anna Nicole Smith`s daughter. Larry Birkhead`s stunning comparison with Michael`s death and the death of Anna Nicole.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY BIRKHEAD, FATHER OF ANNA NICOLE SMITH`S DAUGHTER: She also had doctors that said yes, yes, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s a must-see headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview
Reality TV secrets revealed. We are blowing the lid off the secrets behind TV`s biggest reality show.
You we`re not going to believe what it`s really like behind the scenes of "Dancing with the Stars."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t know how to get by.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t give a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Get ready for a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, reality secrets.
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, mad over Murray.
There is brand-new outrage over Dr. Conrad Murray and a dispute over his recollection of the moments right after Michael Jackson died.
Now, Murray told police that he hugged and comforted Michael`s kids, who were naturally grief-stricken. But today, we are hearing that Jackson`s own son says that`s not how it all went down.
And not only that, there are also new indications tonight, even if Murray is convicted of causing Michael`s death, he may not spend a minute behind bars. I went straight to Hollywood where my colleague, Nancy Grace, broke it down for me.
So Nancy, the maximum sentence for felony involuntary manslaughter is four years. And now, today, we have TMZ reporting that even if Dr. Murray is convicted, he`s probably not going to spend a day in prison.
They`re reporting that because of prison overcrowding and Murray`s clean record, he`ll probably go to a county jail. And if that happens, his sentence will be sliced in half and maybe he`d even serve some of his time under house arrest.
Nancy, I`ve got to tell you I have a hard time feeling that that would be a fitting punishment if Dr. Murray is convicted.
NANCY GRACE, HOST, "NANCY GRACE": Well, A.J., I hope you`re sitting down and I hope your seatbelt is buckled, because, under California statute, he may not even get house arrest.
Did you know that in California, like many jurisdictions, on involuntary manslaughter, the perpetrator can be sentenced to straight probation. So you know what? The Jackson family would be lucky to get house arrest.
That`s why this case should have been charged at murder one and given the jury choices. Murder one, voluntary and involuntary. But we`re stuck with involuntary manslaughter.
HAMMER: I want to get your take on something else that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has unearthed. It`s another Dr. Murray shocker.
A Jackson family member is telling us that Dr. Murray`s dramatic story of comforting Michael Jackson`s kids at the hospital the day the pop star died - they`re telling us that never happened. Let`s listen again to what Dr. Murray told police about his encounter with Michael`s kids. Roll that, Charles.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DR. CONRAD MURRAY, MICHAEL JACKSON`S FORMER PERSONAL PHYSICIAN: The children found out that daddy wasn`t doing well, that he had passed away. And then, they really were weeping. Really weeping.
I stayed there. I hugged them all, gave them comfort, to Paris, comfort to Prince, comfort to Blanket, which is the last little guy, because whenever they were sick. they would always ask for Dr. Conrad, "Please call Dr. Conrad, you know, daddy."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s what you would hope he would have done. But now, you have Michael Jackson`s cousin telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Michael`s oldest son, Prince - he disputes Dr. Murray`s story.
Nancy, I`m wondering if the jury had that information in front of them. Would that be a pretty big deal?
GRACE: Well, I know that it seems that this is tangential to the homicide itself, whether he comforted the children or not. But in my mind, it`s very critical because this proves Conrad Murray is a liar.
Now, if it had been me prosecuting the case, I would have put it all out there in my case in chief. However, the state may be saving that as a rebuttal. Also, it may factor in that they don`t want to put the children on the stand as witnesses.
You know, there was a lot of scuttlebutt that some of the children may go on the stand. That hasn`t happened. Maybe they`re saving them for the rebuttal.
Maybe they`re not going to use them at all because it would require them going under oath in front of the jury and confronting the evidence of their father`s homicide.
HAMMER: Yes. I know a lot of the family members are being very vocal about the fact that they don`t want the kids to have to be exposed to anything that is going on with this.
GRACE: You know, I appreciate that. I appreciate the family not wanting the children on the stand. I don`t want them on the stand either. But the state has got a job to do.
HAMMER: Sure.
GRACE: And my advice is to go guns blazing, give it all you`ve got. And then, later, you can worry you did too much instead of worrying you didn`t do enough and you lost the case.
HAMMER: It`s going to be interesting to see what happens as this all winds down. Let`s move, you and I, onto other breaking news today involving Amanda Knox.
Now, we`re getting our first look at one of the many ways of Amanda enjoying her freedom today. This is a week after she was released from an Italian prison. There is this new photo that was just released today.
Amanda is out and about in Seattle. We have new reports now, Nancy, she could earn anywhere between $3 million and $10 million selling her story of being convicted and then cleared of killing her roommate.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you a lot of people seem to be OK with that. Let me read these results to you from our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. We asked, "Would it be wrong for Knox to cash in for telling her story?"
Only 24 percent said yes, they have a problem with it. The vast majority, 76 percent, said, no, nothing wrong with Knox cashing in. I want to know where you stand with that.
GRACE: Well, you know where I stand. I do not believe that anyone should make blood money. This is essentially making money, millions of dollars, off the brutal murder, the stabbing death and sex attack on her roommate.
HAMMER: Let`s move on to something light, shall we? Come on. Let`s have a little fun here. Let`s talk about "Dancing with the Stars" now.
GRACE: OK, hit me.
HAMMER: Let`s go. You`re in the thick of things right now. Earlier this week, you danced your Paso to "Flash Gordon" theme. Personally, I think the judges were a little too hard on you. Let`s watch what they said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re dancing is competent but I can`t get excited because it`s not exciting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nancy, you`ve got to become a ball-breaker out here.
CARRIE ANN INABA, "DANCING WITH THE STARS" JUDGE: I think we need to give Nancy a little more credit, because I think she`s doing a great job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Good to see Tristan joining you there. Nice to see you, mate. So what do you think, guys? Were the judges too hard on you?
GRACE: Well, I think we were robbed, but I do appreciate what Carrie Anne said. That really meant a lot to me. Even though I believe we were robbed with the final score and we did a near perfect Paso, I took to heart everything that the judges did say.
In fact, I cut and pasted it right here on my Blackberry. And we are going over it and over it and over it in practice to try to incorporate what they said.
TRISTAN MACMANUS, NANCY GRACE`S DANCING PARTNER: Good. I think that`s always the way to tackle it. I mean, whether you agree with it or not, you just have to respect people`s opinions. And we`ll take it on board and we`ll try our best to do a better job next week.
HAMMER: Yes. It`s good to know that the judge`s comments to you aren`t just, you know, for TV. They are actually real pieces of criticism that you can take and you can use.
And what`s been great is seeing how much more comfortable you`ve gotten with everything. And look at you. You made it through so many weeks of elimination, so I want to know, are you feeling more or less pressure than you did when this whole thing started?
GRACE: More - more pressure because the competition becomes more intense. And to me, the dances become more difficult. We`re doing a rumba this week. To me, it`s hard. To me it`s hard to -
MACMANUS: How hard?
GRACE: To grasp it physically and mentally and emotionally. It`s very draining sometimes to try and try and try and you still don`t get it right.
I mean, last night, after I did our HLN show, we went back to the rehearsal hall. And Tristan`s parents had just flown in from Ireland and he didn`t even get to see them. We had to go back to rehearsal hall and practice our rumba into the night to try to get down - did we make it through halfway?
MACMANUS: Yes.
GRACE: Yes. We did manage to make it through halfway to perfect it that far. It`s hard.
HAMMER: Yes. And there`s no question to me how dedicated you are, having had the opportunity to see that firsthand. All right. I`ve got to go, but before I do, Nancy, give out the phone number one more time so everybody can write it down.
GRACE: Have you memorized the number?
MACMANUS: No.
GRACE: Repeat after me - 800 -
MACMANUS: 800 -
GRACE: 868 -
MACMANUS: 868 -
GRACE: 3405.
MACMANUS: 3405.
GRACE: Speed dial, A.J. I checked your cell phone. It better be in there.
HAMMER: It`s at the top, Nancy. Love you. Have a great weekend and best of luck next week.
GRACE: Love you back.
HAMMER: Moving on now, I cannot wait to bring you a stunning SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview with Larry Birkhead, the father, of course, of Anna Nicole Smith`s daughter. Now, he testified at the emotional Anna Nicole drug trial.
Now, he reveals to me his take on the similarities with Michael`s death trial and Dr. Conrad Murray.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIRKHEAD: Some of the crazy things that you hear with Dr. Murray and the way he`s handled things as well as some of the doctors involved, you know, in all these different cases with these celebrities where tragedy strikes - it`s just crazy.
HAMMER: A must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview with Larry Birkhead.
The adorable YouTube sensation. I love this. It`s a viral video with more than nine million hits.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": You said that you love Nicki Minaj, right?
SOPHIA GRACE BROWNLEE, YOUTUBE SENSATION: Yes.
DEGENERES: Do you want to meet her?
BROWNLEE: Yes!
DEGENERES: Come on out, Nicki.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is so cool. You`ve got to stay around for it. And now, these girls are getting this heart-warming surprise you cannot miss.
Plus, at the bottom of the hour, we fire up a special edition of show SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - SHOWBIZ reality secrets. The secrets behind, biggest reality shows with TV`s biggest stars, from the Kardashians to "The Bachelor." 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: Diddy saves Harlem boys and girls club with $60,000 donation. Johnny Depp tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he wants to play Dr. Seuss in new biopic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNNY DEPP, ACTOR: I hope to. I was always a big fan of Dr. Seuss. And theater guys and some estate and his widow have been very, very welcoming to us and it`s looking very good. Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you are going to play him?
DEPP: I think so, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, a disturbing connection. This are downright startling comparisons between the deaths of Anna Nicole Smith and Michael Jackson. But just how much did these two celebrities have in common?
Well, I sat down with Larry Birkhead. Larry is the father of Anna Nicole Smith`s daughter. And I asked Larry how difficult it was for him to hear all the details surrounding Michael Jackson`s death and if any of it brings back some pretty tough memories for him. Watch what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BIRKHEAD: Obviously, you know, Anna had her problems with, you know - with her pains and medications and things like that. You hear the same coming out of this trial with the testimonies with some of the witnesses.
But just some of the crazy things that you hear with Dr. Murray and the way he`s handled things as well as some of the doctors involved in all these different cases with these celebrities where tragedy strikes, it`s just - it`s crazy.
HAMMER: Well, people obviously want to know if Conrad Murray enabled Michael Jackson`s drug addiction. It is sort of like what happened with Anna Nicole Smith.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spoke with one of Anna Nicole`s doctors, Sandeep Kapoor, who was charged with illegally prescribing her prescription drugs.
He was acquitted. His name was totally cleared in this. But he told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT we shouldn`t be so quick to judge Dr. Murray. Let`s watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANDEEP KAPOOR, ANNA NICOLE SMITH`S FORMER DOCTOR: I think, again, "blame" is a strong word. I mean, to blame one person, I think, is difficult to do. Conrad Murray arguably walks into a situation or is brought into a situation that arguably was pretty disastrous to begin with. Conrad Murray was sort of left holding the IV, if you will.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Do you think that it is possible that Conrad Murray was an enabler and did actually have a role in Michael`s death based on what you`ve seen as you follow the case?
BIRKHEAD: I don`t know if - you know, like Dr. Kapoor said, I don`t know he was left holding the IV, because I think he wasn`t really in the room.
But you know, I think that when these doctors commit to caring for the patient, some of the testimony that I`ve heard from some of the witnesses here, you know, where he wasn`t in the room. He didn`t perform CPR.
The same thing with Anna. You know, these people insulate themselves with a circle of friends or people that work for them around that actually keep the people out of their lives that actually could help them.
HAMMER: Yes. You witnessed firsthand the enablers, the so-called enablers who were right there basically doing whatever she wanted done or whatever the people who were supposed to be protecting her thought was in her best interest, which was, as we all know, proved to be far on the other side of that.
I imagine it has to be somewhat emotional for you watching this because that was obviously a very emotional time.
BIRKHEAD: It is. You know, the thing is that - do you know if any one person could have prevented it? Maybe and maybe not.
You know, the person, I do believe, you know, that I will say even though there are these doctors and there are these people that are swirling around in this group and entourage of people in most of these cases. Whereas, you know, you have to look back at sometimes the celebrity has to have a little hand in this.
HAMMER: It sounds like Dannielynn has a terrific home. And I can`t believe - I saw that she`s in kindergarten now. She`s five years old.
BIRKHEAD: She just turned five.
HAMMER: How is she doing? Give us a little insight into the life of Dannielynn.
BIRKHEAD: She`s doing great. She`s, you know, into everything. And she`s active and she`s got a great group of friends.
And she`s going to a great school, and she`s just, you know, really inquisitive and wants to learn. And that comes, you know, with her asking questions about her mom and -
HAMMER: How do you deal with that?
BIRKHEAD: You know, we`ve graduated. We started with, you know, "Mommy is in heaven. Mommy is in the clouds." You know, we now have a little bit of a deeper understanding on a kid level of, you know, that mom has passed away, and she understands it.
HAMMER: I appreciate you being here, Larry Birkhead.
BIRKHEAD: Thanks a lot.
HAMMER: Thank you so much.
BIRKHEAD: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It was nice speaking with Larry. I`ve got to say I think he`s doing a great job with Anna Nicole`s daughter, Dannielynn.
Well, moving on now to a trial of a very different kind, which may be soon in the courts. The bizarre new lawsuit over the movie "Drive." Why one woman says there wasn`t enough driving in it.
And did Johnny Depp really just try to plant a sloppy wet one on CNN`s Larry King? That story tops "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Johnny Depp`s kiss-and-tell with Larry King? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there for the premiere of Johnny Depp`s new film, "The Run Diary," where the actor joked he tried to plant one on Larry King during their interview together.
Depp said he was just following in his mentor, Marlon Brando`s footsteps who famously smooched King during an interview.
DEPP: I tried, but he wouldn`t have it. He was very sweet. He`s a good man. He`s someone I`ve admired for a long time. He`s a real old-school, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) proper journalist, and I enjoyed it very much.
HAMMER: Larry King`s interview with Depp airs Sunday night on CNN. "Drive" didn`t excel for one moviegoer, so she`s suing.
Sarah Deming filed a suit against the film`s distributors and the Michigan theater chain claiming the crime drama didn`t have enough driving in it.
The Michigan woman is seeking damages including the price of the ticket. "Drive," which has received critical acclaim, stars Ryan Gosling and Albert Brooks.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I didn`t get much of that lawsuit. All right. I`ve got to show you this. It could quite possibly be one of the cutest viral videos of all time.
I mean, look at this. At least nine million people have checked out little Sophia Grace and her cousin singing Nicki Minaj`s "Superbass."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: You said that you love Nicki Minaj, right?
BROWNLEE: Yes.
DEGENERES: Do you want to meet her?
BROWNLEE: Yes!
DEGENERES: Come on out, Nicki!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It was so great. Sophia Grace wowing the world and now, she gets a big surprise of her own. Coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, it is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - SHOWBIZ reality secrets.
Kendra Wilkinson practically grew up on reality TV going from stripper to Playboy to mom. Tonight, how reality TV shaped her real life. 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: Madonna`s rep denies rumors she is planning a 2012 tour. SHOWBIZ first look at Justin Bieber`s holiday music video, "Mistletoe."
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: So what do you get when an eight-year-old British girl covers Nicki Minaj`s "Superbass"? Try nine million YouTube hits, that`s what, and a video that really is adorable to the hundredth power, if you ask me.
Come on. You know that`s adorable. These singing kids are wowing the world. So what are they getting for being so darn cute? How about the surprise of their lives? Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When eight-year-old Sophia Grace Brownlee hit YouTube -
BROWNLEE: Let`s hit it now -
MOOS: She was a hit doing her version of the Nicki Minaj song, "Superbass."
(SINGING)
OK, so maybe Nicki Minaj had a few more pelvic thrusts, but Sophia Grace`s version has gotten around nine million views on YouTube and landed the little girl from Essex, England, on "The Ellen Show."
DEGENERES: Is that your favorite singer, Nicki Minaj?
BROWNLEE: We love Nicki Minaj. We want to meet her so much.
MOOS: That`s nice because Nicki Minaj tweeted the same about her, "I have to meet her. She`s a superstar." A superstar with a sidekick, her cousin, Rosie.
BROWNLEE: Rosie makes me feel more confident when I`ve got someone with me.
(SINGING)
MOOS: But Sophia Grace`s heartbeat really started running away -
DEGENERES: Come on out, Nicki.
MOOS: When Ellen introduced her idol. Even the parents were overcome, Dad asking for a tissue.
NICKI MINAJ, SINGER: She blew me away!
MOOS: As if meeting her idol wasn`t enough, Nicki promised Sophia Grace a shopping spree. She also got a wig so she could look like Nicki.
BROWNLEE: I look like Nicki Minaj!
MOOS: And then they sang a duet.
(SINGING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Sophia Grace and Rosie just make you smile, right, guys? Come on. Well, I think so.
Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Get ready for it - it`s a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`re talking SHOWBIZ reality secrets. The secrets behind TVs biggest reality shows.
Tonight, "Bachelor" bombshell. So what`s real? What`s just smoke and mirrors? We reveal all about the show that really put reality TV on the map. Our explosive one-on-one interview with a "Bachelor" insider. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Hilary Duff confirms she is expecting a baby boy. Ne-Yo and longtime girlfriend welcome second child, a baby boy named Mason Evan.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - reality show secrets revealed. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the startling secrets behind reality shows. All the tricks. All the smoke and mirrors. Are some reality shows actually fake?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The fact that they throw new a room full of women that normally you wouldn`t be want to be with. They`re not your type of people. They don`t enjoy the same things you do. So that`s a recipe for disaster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Reality star Kendra Wilkinson has spent most of her 20`s on reality TV, from stripper to "Playboy" girlfriend to wife and mom. And Kendra Wilkinson is right here to reveal her secrets about reality TV.
And Kelly gets candid. "Dancing with the Stars" champion, Kelly Monaco, reveals what it`s really like behind the scenes. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Reality Secrets."
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Reality TV Secrets Revealed."
Now, tonight, we are, in fact, blowing the lid off all the secrets behind the TV`s big reality shows. From the Kardashians to "The Real Housewives," even "Dancing with the Stars."
Reality TV`s biggest stars are telling SHOWBIZ everything. And so are the producers behind the camera, who, of course, make it all happen.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Jill Simonian has been doing some serious digging, and you have got to see what she found out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JILL SIMONIAN, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: They`re some of the most watched shows on TV - drama, puppets, fights, competition.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations!
SIMONIAN: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask - just how real is reality TV?
TROY DEVOLLD, REALITY TV PRODUCER: I think that people misunderstand the level of manipulation in reality programs.
SIMONIAN: Troy DeVolld has been a reality show producer for more than a decade and is the author of "Reality TV: An Insider`s Guide to TV`s Hottest Market."
Devolld reveals to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT some of the biggest behind-the-scenes secrets of reality shows like scenes that are staged and conversations that seem off-the-cuff but are somewhat scripted.
DEVOLLD: There`s a certain thing where you`re sort of following action and you understand things are brewing and things are happening.
And you start to realize, well, you know what? If I get this person in the room with this person and we just see the conversation, say could you please have a conversation about last Thursday night, that you`ll end up getting something great back.
SIMONIAN: Jeana Keough of Bravo`s "The Real Housewives of Orange County" fame knows this tactic all too well.
JEANA KEOUGH, CAST MEMBER, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY": They didn`t print a word of it because there was nothing to print.
SIMONIAN: She tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT all the housewives we love so much aren`t the friendly neighbors they seem to be.
KEOUGH: The fact that they throw you in a room full of women that normally you wouldn`t want to be with. They`re not your type of people. They don`t enjoy the same things you do. So that`s a recipe for disaster.
SIMONIAN: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can also reveal that you often won`t see and hear the whole real story, thanks to a reality TV trick in where sound bites are chopped up and edited called "franken-bites."
DEVOLLD: You know, an extended bite and it`s cut into 17 pieces. If you hear something and you don`t see it happen on camera, you don`t necessarily trust the bite.
SIMONIAN: Troy DeVolld says reality shows can paint a pretty distorted picture by compressing months of shooting into a single episode.
DEVOLLD: It`s such a distillation of time when you`re shooting for three or four months. You tend to use the product that`s most amplified, the things that are coming and that are really dramatic and very big.
SIMONIAN: Are there any reality show stars more dramatic or big than the Kardashians? Kim`s younger brother, Rob, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that when it comes to his family and their reality show empire, what you see is what you get.
(on camera) When you do watch "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and any of the other Kardashian brand of shows, do you feel as though everything is portrayed accurately?
ROB KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: Yes, for the most part. I mean, people who watch our shows - they don`t necessarily know me or my family on a one- on-one level. But I feel like this is giving them a better chance at seeing who I am.
SIMONIAN: For reality docu-drama stars like Rob, reality competition shows like "Dancing with the Stars" are, well, more real. And no one knows better than Kristin Cavallari, who starred in two hit MTV reality shows, "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills," and then moved on to "Dancing with the Stars."
KRISTIN CAVALLARI, REALITY TV STAR: I mean, they`re completely different. You know, this was obviously physically demanding and this one requires a lot more of me. So you know, I just definitely have to bring my A-game while the other one was just basically like filming a soap opera.
SIMONIAN: Yes, because in the end, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you most reality shows are just that, soap operas. And just like scripted soap operas, even reality shows can seem surreal, because what you see is not always the reality of what happens.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was absolutely fascinating. All the big secrets of reality TV revealed in a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. So Jill, I`ve got to ask, what surprised you the most?
SIMONIAN: A.J., I`ll tell you what really got me. The fact that Kristin Cavallari just came right out and told us that shooting "The Hills" and "Laguna Beach" were pretty much like shooting soap operas.
I mean, hello, if that doesn`t give us insight about how planned and canned some of these shows really are, then I don`t really know what else does.
HAMMER: You`ve got that right. All right, Jill, thank you so much. Have you ever wondered how reality show cameras catch all the drama? Are they really following reality stars 24/7?
Well, I went straight to the stars of reality TV`s "Big Rich Texas" to find out. And I asked Bon Blossman and Whitney Whatley what`s it really like to have a camera following your every move?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BON BLOSSMAN, REALITY STAR, "BIG RICH TEXAS": Once, in an episode, we sometimes get surprised with, oh, my gosh. A lot more happened than what we actually saw. For example, in my murder mystery party, it was five hours of taping and what actually -
WHITNEY WHATLEY, REALITY STAR, "BIG RICH TEXAS": You only see like six minutes.
BLOSSMAN: Yes, you see six minutes.
HAMMER: Right.
BLOSSMAN: And what actually happened was Pam, my nemesis, threw something at me and she actually got kicked out of my party from my doctor`s wife`s friend. And you know, all of it - once it was pared down, it looked like she had the upper hand.
HAMMER: Anything that you`ve experienced that would be a huge surprise to people watching reality TV that may not be? Because we all know you`re shooting tons of footage and only so much of it can make it on. You only have so many minutes. But what would be something that would really surprise us, do you think?
WHATLEY: About the editing, like what we were saying earlier, that it`s different when it`s edited than what you see.
BLOSSMAN: Also, there`s a lot that - I think there`s more drama that goes on behind camera, behind the scenes.
HAMMER: For all the drama we actually see play out on the shows -
BLOSSMAN: That is nothing.
HAMMER: That doesn`t touch it? Really?
BLOSSMAN: That is (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: That`s a little scary to me.
BLOSSMAN: No, it scared me. What are you saying?
HAMMER: Well, you`re living it.
BLOSSMAN: I know. It`s like - once the camera stops rolling, that`s when the drama happens. When the show premieres and like all of the fans start commenting, that`s when the actual drama and cyber-bullying -
HAMMER: Right.
BLOSSMAN: We`ve even had some of what we call laptop gate happen, like one of the cast members was accused of stealing another cast member`s computer.
Another one who wasn`t a cast member but they`re, you know, a temporary - I guess a cameo - they were accused of opening a checking account and writing like thousands of dollars of checks and taking off back to California.
And it`s like all of this is like - this is show worthy material.
HAMMER: So there`s a show going on behind the show.
WHATLEY: Yes.
BLOSSMAN: We always say, gosh, why are the cameras not here? It`s like almost a curse.
HAMMER: I`ve heard that they call you "Botox Bonnie," which seems strange to me because you`ve always been so candid about getting Botox. You even let the cameras in during a Botox procedure.
BLOSSMAN: Yes.
HAMMER: Why do you think there are so many haters out there?
BLOSSMAN: Well, I think most people who get Botox don`t admit it and I do. It`s like me and my husband talked about it before. He was like, "Are you sure you want to admit it?" I`m like, "Yes, I do." Because I`m over 40 and I don`t have wrinkles on my forehead.
And I don`t want people to think that, you know, why doesn`t she - what`s wrong with me? Why am I 40 years old and I`m starting to wrinkle? It`s like, I want to be honest.
HAMMER: Have you ever had a time, Bon, where you thought, "I really do enjoy doing the show, but it not worth it in the end to me"?
BLOSSMAN: I`ve never thought that actually. I did read some the hate at times. And I got consumed with it and wanted to defend myself, especially when it comes from another cast member. That`s when it goes a little bit beyond. You know, it crosses the line.
But I just - you know, I made a deal with myself. I`m not going to look at it. I know it`s out there. They`re probably saying I`m an alien. I have horns and I`m hiding them. Whatever.
HAMMER: Can you set the record straight?
BLOSSMAN: Yes, I`m an alien, and I do have horns and I hide them back.
HAMMER: OK, and you`re hiding them?
BLOSSMAN: Yes, I`ve admitted it now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I appreciate their candor. You can catch Bon and Whitney on "Big Rich Texas" on the Style Network. Well, tonight, on our special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Reality Show Secrets Revealed," Kendra Wilkinson has really grown up on reality TV.
She went from stripper to successful wife and mom. So what`s the secret of making a career of reality TV? Well, Kendra is right here to reveal how she thrives in front of the reality TV cameras.
Plus, a "Dancing with the Stars" insider. It`s Kelly Monaco revealing what keeps the hit dancing competition running. Here`s a hint -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MONACO: There`s lots of glitter, lots of tanning cream, lots of hairspray and lots of double-stick tape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Amazing what you can do with that double-stick tape. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ Reality Secrets."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKE BURKE-CHARVET, REALITY TV STAR: We love live television. But unfortunately, there`s not enough time to really show what goes on behind the scenes.
And it`s a lot of emotions, a lot of fear, a lot of nervous energy, a lot of rehearsing, literally moments before they step out there on the dance floor. It`s pressure unlike anything else when you have celebrities doing something they`ve never done in front of the world and getting judged for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENDRA WILKINSON, REALITY TV STAR: What`s that stuff wrapped around our house? What the (EXPLETIVE DELETED)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bank-owned property, foreclosure notice. What the hell has happened? We just got this place. How are we getting kicked out of this place?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s reality star Kendra Wilkinson with her family getting the shock of their lives with the cameras right there to catch it all for her hit show, "Kendra" on E!
Getting caught up in a foreclosure drama is pretty personal stuff to expose on TV but are there any deep, dark secrets that Kendra won`t ever reveal?
I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Welcome back to a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ Reality Secrets."
And right now, Kendra gets candid. There`s no doubt about it - Kendra Wilkinson is a reality show vet. You know, before her hit show, "Kendra" on E!, she, of course, starred in "The Girl Next Door." She competed on "Dancing with the Stars."
It seems that Kendra Wilkinson has spent her entire 20`s in front of reality TV cameras. And as if her life hasn`t been enough of an open book on TV, well, she`s written a very intimate and personal memoir called "Being Kendra: Cribs, Cocktails and Getting My Sexy Back."
Reality star and author, Kendra Wilkinson, joins me right now from Hollywood. Good to see you, Kendra.
WILKINSON: Hi, A.J. How do you doing?
HAMMER: I`m excellent. So let`s get to one of these big bombshells that you reveal in your book. It`s a secret that you put in here about your off-camera relationship with Louis Van Amstel.
Louis, of course, was your partner on "Dancing with the Stars." Here`s what you wrote, "We clashed constantly. He called me `dyslexic.` He asked if I was learning disabled. Part of me thought this is what selling out looks like."
Wow. Listen, Kendra, I know is about your personal experience. But I have to wonder if perhaps one of the great secrets of "Dancing with the Stars" is that partners often butt heads behind the scenes. Is that it?
WILKINSON: Yes. I mean, you know, the clip before said that, you know, "Dancing with the Stars" is the most real out of all the reality shows.
But I mean, we practice for like five to six hours and all you see is like one minute of the rehearsal before the dance. So I mean, you know, they just put what they can into the mix and that`s what you get.
But there`s so much more that happens behind the scenes, you know. You know, there was a time when I couldn`t do a ronde right or I couldn`t, you know, do - I didn`t know the language really.
But I just - you know, I couldn`t pick it up as quickly as I thought I could and it didn`t work out too well.
HAMMER: Well, I`m sorry we didn`t get to see that. But it`s interesting to know that there is a lot more fire going on behind the scenes than we actually get to see in the limited amount of time they have to show it on the show.
Now, you got your big reality break as one of Hugh Hefner`s girlfriends on "The Girl Next Door." And you were barely out of your teens at the time. I`ve got to say, it looked like we were living the ultimate glamorous life when we watched you on the show.
But here`s what I want to know - when the lights went off, was it really as glamorous as what we got to see or was a lot of it just a lot of show for the cameras?
WILKINSON: You know, we didn`t really - we didn`t really, you know, script who we were. So it is - it was what it was. I mean, I am who I am and I was - you know, that`s why I`m called like the sporty girl and the tom boy because-
HAMMER: Would you have been riding the ponies on the beach and off on these mega yachts like you were in doing all these sorts of things if it wasn`t for the TV show?
WILKINSON: Oh, no. Oh, not at all. Not at all. Not at all. I think that lifestyle was - it was very - it was a glamorous life. And that`s really how it was, even off camera, though.
We would go to Europe even off camera. So I mean, we just wanted to share our lives with the world.
HAMMER: It looked like you were having a darn good time doing that. Now, your book is called "Being Kendra: Cribs, Cocktails and Getting My Sexy Back."
And on your reality show, "Kendra," you show us in vivid detail just how you`re getting your sexy back. And in fact, in one episode, you whip out your "Dancing with the Stars" moves with your hubby, Hank. I want to take a look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILKINSON: Come on, let`s samba.
HANK BASKETT, KENDRA WILKINSON`S HUSBAND: We can samba right here in this bed.
WILKINSON: Come here. I want to see if I remember the dance, OK? Is that it? Wait, it was - was that it?
BASKETT: Yes. I don`t care what the dance is.
WILKINSON: Wait, wait. Come here.
BASKETT: I want to have sex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hank`s like, "I just want to have sex." You guys were obviously having some big fun there. But here`s one of the reality secrets that people want to know. You`ve got to help us out.
Is there ever a moment when you say, "All right, guys. The camera`s off. Get out of the room. This is all private." Or when you sign up to do this kind of thing, do you even have the power to do that?
WILKINSON: Yes. I`ve been on TV for nine seasons now with the same production company. And you know, you do. If you - when you get on that - when you have a good relationship with the production company, you have a little bit more power.
And you know, but I love to show. That`s the thing. I love to share my life. I love to be who I am and I love to make mistakes on TV. I hate looking perfect. And that`s like the last thing I want to look like on TV. Yes, so - it`s all about the relationship.
HAMMER: It`s all about the relationship. But I have to imagine every now and then, you just kind of give the guys who are running those cameras a look and they know, "We better get the heck out of here."
WILKINSON: I mean, when it comes to the baby - when it comes to the baby - I mean, he has his feeding times. He has his nap times, so those times are off limits.
HAMMER: That is fair. That is fair.
WILKINSON: Yes. Yes.
HAMMER: All right. Kendra, great to see you. Kendra Wilkinson, I appreciate you being here. Make sure you get her book, "Being Kendra: Cribs, Cocktails and Getting My Sexy Back."
Now, it`s "Bachelor" bombshells, the reality secrets behind "The Bachelor," the show that really helped put reality TV on the map.
I spoke with "Bachelor" star, Bob Guiney. Bob, of course, starred in the show`s fourth season. And get this - he thinks reality TV just isn`t keeping it real. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I watched "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." And it`s hard to avoid the feeling some of it looks a bit staged. Give me a real sense of how much is actually staged, because it`s not all spontaneous, right?
BOB GUINEY, REALITY TV STAR, "THE BACHELOR": No. To be really honest, I think that the entire landscape of everything has changed, because, you know, back in the day when I did it, which - I saw like my grandpa, you know, walking uphill both ways barefoot to school.
But it was still kind of new, you know, and you`re still going through the situation where you, I think feeling the whole thing out and trying to figure out what was a real situation and what wasn`t, granted you still had a lot of things that were crazy.
You know, I was always on private jets in Belize and Alaska and all these different circumstances that, you know, you don`t normally have in your everyday life. But now, I think people go on there.
And before they`re on the show, they`ve already created characters that they`re going to play. You know, I`m going to be the villain, for example, or whatever. It`s how they go into the whole mix.
And I think that`s actually interesting, too, because I think it really affects the way that people behave on the show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Grandpa or not, I`m thinking Bob`s right. Reality shows just keep feeling more and more scripted. I think they have to get back to reality.
Coming up next, we have the secrets from "Dancing with the Stars." The original champ, Kelly Monaco, revealing just how real the reality dancing competition is. And is it really as glamorous as it seems to be?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MONACO: There`s lots of glitter, lots of tanning cream, lots of hairspray and lots of double-stick tape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kelly gets candid. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ Reality Secrets."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What goes on behind the scenes?
NINA GARCIA, REALITY TV STAR, "PROJECT RUNWAY": A lot of fun. We have a blast. I don`t know. We laugh a lot. We fight a lot. Sometimes, I wish the cameras were behind the scenes because so much goes on and we have such a fun time. There`s really good chemistry between Michael, Heidi and myself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kelly and Alec - I give you the champions of "Dancing with the Stars"!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She was the first champion on "Dancing with the Stars." And now, Kelly Monaco is taking us backstage to tell us exactly what goes on behind the scenes on that show and why double-sided tape is a dancer`s best friend.
Many people know Kelly Monaco as a star of "General Hospital." But her "Dancing with the Stars" victory led her to a new challenge, reality TV. She`s starring on the show on E! that`s called "Dirty Soap," which follows soap stars off set.
When I spoke with Kelly, she shared with me the secrets she learned firsthand about "Dancing with the Stars." And she answered the big question, exactly how real is her reality show?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) You always had the distinction of being the very first mirror ball trophy winner on "Dancing with the Stars." Anything that goes on behind the scenes of the show that might shock us or surprise us?
MONACO: There`s lots of glitter, lots of tanning cream, lots of hairspray and lots of double-stick tape. And the girls, because there was that almost wardrobe malfunction, have to now wear pasties just in case.
HAMMER: Pasties are a requirement.
MONACO: That`s right.
HAMMER: Do you have to sign a little rider or something saying, "I will wear pasties"?
MONACO: Yes.
HAMMER: You know, Joy Behar told me what pasties were.
MONACO: Oh, really?
HAMMER: I`m proud to know because I had no idea prior to Joy Behar telling me.
MONACO: That`s hilarious.
HAMMER: It is obviously a very challenging show to do. Any suggestions for people who are appearing on the show, Nancy Grace from HLN, of course, on how to get through what a grueling and trying time? It must be, physically and mentally.
MONACO: Yes. I mean, you just have to work hard and be dedicated. And I think probably the biggest thing is, is that it`s not a competition within this community of dancers, right?
It`s a competition within yourself. Each week, I saw myself improving. Then I wanted do better and better and better. So I practiced more and my toes were bleeding. And yes, I fractured hips and did whatever I had to do to get the job done.
HAMMER: We`ve seen no shortage of wild interest in shows like the "Real Housewives" -
MONACO: Yes.
HAMMER: Like "Jersey Shore," like the Kardashian variety of shows. But you know, people are watching this and I think most are sitting back saying, "I don`t think what we get is really what`s going on."
MONACO: OK.
HAMMER: You know, there`s a lot of talk that there is a great deal of script or at least circumstances being put out there to play out in certain ways on reality TV. What is the reality of that?
MONACO: With "Dirty Soap" and what we`re doing is - it`s different. You have professional actors that are exposing their jobs, what we do every day. We have actual jobs that we`re going into.
And you get a sneak peek behind the cameras, behind the scenes. You go into the make-up room, up on the set. You get to see all this stuff, and in character. And then you get to come home with us.
We have the most outrageous story lines on the planet. We can`t possibly top that with scripting our real lives.
HAMMER: That`s true. No, that`s true. And I think that that`s a great distinction to make in the case of your show, in the case of "Dirty Soap." What you see is what you get is what it sounds like.
MONACO: Yes. I mean, what you see isn`t always what you want.
HAMMER: There`s that as well.
MONACO: But it is what you`re getting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kelly Monaco`s "Dirty Soap" airs on E! That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. You can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively Monday through Friday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.
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