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Showbiz Tonight
Dissing Paula Deen; First Golden Collar Awards; Ronnie`s Bullying Confession; Johnny Depp Back In the Market?
Aired January 18, 2012 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- dissing Deen. Brand-new heat today for Paula Deen, the butter-soaked queen of southern cooking after her diabetes confession. One of America`s top chefs accuses Deen of being a huckster.
And SHOWBIZ breaks news -- a "Dancing with the Stars" pro says --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOUIS VAN AMSTEL, DANCE PRO, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": If Paula Deen goes on "Dancing with the Stars," I`d love to have her as my partner.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, will Deen do "Dancing?" The best doggone awards of the season. The nominees for the first Golden Collar Awards are revealed today, including SHOWBIZ TONIGHT friend, Uggy, from "The Artist."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Years of acting lessons. Well, you know, it definitely paid off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, the artist co-star Penelope Ann Miller is right here for a very rough SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
From bullied to buff. "Jersey Shore" star, Ronnie, makes a shocking confession -- he was bullied as a kid. It`s Ronnie`s big-time bullying confession right here in ye another must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And we`ve got big news breaking tonight -- dissing Deen.
Now, for Paula Deen today, it was out of the frying pan and right back into the frying pan following her revelation she has type II diabetes.
The queen of frying and buttering and whatever else you can think of to create what is now being referred to as "diabetes on a plate" went back on the defense today following a brand-new, 100 percent certified delicious diss by her celebrity rival chef, Anthony Bourdain.
Now, as we all chewed on that, Paula went on to chew on ABC this afternoon and she served up a heaping spoonful of moderation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA DEEN, CELEBRITY COOK: I`ve always said "moderation," always said "moderation." I don`t eat every day the way that you see me cook on that show. It`s 30 days out of my life.
And it`s for your entertainment. I told somebody one day, "When my life is over, and you hear my name" --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that`s not for a long time, by the way.
DEEN: Not for a long time, baby. When you hear my name, I hope you associate the word "hope" with it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And that is sweet and you see how emotional she got there. But everybody is wondering today what is Paula to do next?
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks the news that we have just the thing, an exclusive offer made right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT from a "Dancing with the Stars" pro to be his partner on "Dancing with the Stars."
The question is, would she actually do it? Should she do it? Let us bite into all of this tonight with the fabulous actress and comedian Kim Coles. She appeared on "Celebrity Fit Club" and is returning to her comedy roots with the new one-woman show appearing this spring.
Also with me tonight, TV host, Alicia Renee, who is regularly on MTV, VH1 and BET.
Great to have you here. As I said, Kim, you played a doctor on "Frazier" once, Dr. Mary --
KIM COLES, ACTRESS AND COMEDIAN: OK. OK.
HAMMER: So I feel like this is the right place for you.
COLES: It is.
HAMMER: So first of all, let`s talk about Anthony Bourdain because he called Paula Deen the most dangerous person in America.
And listen to what Anthony is tweeting now about Paula, calling her basically a huckster, "Thinking of getting in to the leg-breaking business so I can profitably sell crutches later."
And Alicia, he is saying that, of course, because Paula Deen is now hocking diabetes medication.
ALICIA RENEE, TV HOST: Right.
HAMMER: Do you think it was a low-blow by Bourdain or is it fair?
RENEE: I think it`s a low-blow, but I think it is fair as well. Her timing is very ill.
HAMMER: Suspect.
RENEE: Very suspect. You know, apparently, she has known for three years that she was a type II diabetic. But you know, she wanted to wait until she had her book deal and her pharmaceutical deal acquired before she came out. It`s just a little --
COLES: So, OK. I do agree that the timing is a little off, but I understand why. Listen, she`s a brand and it`s like if I am going to add this -- this is part of what I am going through in my life. Let me add this to my brand. And I get it. I get this. She should wait -- she should have waited.
HAMMER: Here`s my take on that. I get she wanted to wait. You know, she wanted to eventually, I`m sure, reveal the news about her type II diabetes. She had a lot to take in to account, but three years is a long time.
COLES: Yes.
HAMMER: You know, there are a lot of people --
(CROSS TALK)
RENEE: In the interim, she released another book, you know.
HAMMER: Yes. A lot of people are saying maybe it should have been a few months afterwards.
RENEE: Right.
COLES: She also didn`t have to tell us at all, too, right?
HAMMER: Well, that is true but it eventually probably would have gotten out.
RENEE: The truth always finds a way.
HAMMER: And she -- let`s face it, she was dealing with this as she still preached eating her fatty recipes in moderation, but she was still putting it out there. I do think the decision to wait so long could actually backfire on her.
RENEE: I do as well. I really do. My stepfather -- he recently found out that he was diagnosed with type II diabetes. And they give you all the information right there.
They show you how to use your insulin. They even provide you with a cookbook on healthy ways to cook. So I think that that would have been more cathartic for her if she just would have taken the route --
HAMMER: Yes.
RENEE: To prepare to just go right into it.
COLES: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) first. Tell the truth and --
(CROSS TALK)
RENEE: What does it say? The truth shall set you free.
HAMMER: Yes. It`s interesting, guys --
COLES: She gave it to us a little bit late. A little truthie(ph) --
HAMMER: I thought maybe she should have immediately said, "OK. This is what I am dealing with and, now, let me release a cookbook with all of that stuff." But let`s face it -- her long-time brand is based on, well, you know, doughnuts with bacon on them and ground beef and rich creamery butter.
COLES: And it is not good for anybody. That`s not good for anybody.
HAMMER: No.
COLES: I think that it is interesting that today that "That is 30 days out of my life." That`s not all of the time. So it`s going to be an interesting shift. And it`s actually in line with what America really needs and wants right now, anyway, is to go towards a healthier lifestyle. Nobody should be cooking with that much butter.
HAMMER: And listen, let me just mention these, because these were all released in the three years since she got her original diagnosis.
She released a couple of books, "The Deen`s Family Cookbook." That was back in 2009. "Paula Deen`s Southern Cooking Bible" -- that was this past October.
COLES: Maybe these were all in place three years before she found out. Everything has a time and a place. No? No? OK.
RENEE: I hear you, Kim, but there is the responsibility.
COLES: I know. I agree with you.
RENEE: You can`t all of a sudden get on the "eat in moderation and do this" route now that you`ve already procured your financial stability and you`re now going to be living quite richly off of the very thing you are shoveling into --
COLES: Maybe she needed to complete those deals.
RENEE: I`m not buying it, Kim.
COLES: I`m devil`s advocate. I`m devil`s advocate.
HAMMER: I understand that, but there are a lot of people who are going to be, you know, feeling sympathy.
RENEE: I get it. I get it.
HAMMER: I actually -- I do feel badly for her in the sense that I think she was probably caught in this no-win situation and this is what she ended up doing.
COLES: Sure. Sure.
HAMMER: And I think she still has --
COLES: It`s also -- keep in mind that this is ultimately -- we`re talking about the cookbooks, the health and the butter.
RENEE: Right.
COLES: Ultimately, this is her personal health.
HAMMER: Right.
COLES: And there`s a lot of folks that have difficulty and they have to decide when to go public with this. So I`m sure that that was not an easy decision no matter what the timeframe.
RENEE: I agree.
HAMMER: And as you know, when you`re living in the public eye, it changes the whole equation.
RENEE: Everything changes.
HAMMER: I do think she has some damage control ahead. But here`s the thing. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is actually breaking some big news with "Dancing with the Stars" professional dancer, Louis Van Amstel right here last night.
Now, in case you missed it, I want you to watch this with me. Louie offered Paula a little opportunity. Let`s roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VAN AMSTEL: I have a good idea. Activity is the best thing. If Paula Deen goes on "Dancing with the Stars," I`d love to have her as my partner and she`s going to become an inspiration. How about it?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Louis Van Amstel is saying, "You know what? I would love for her to come on `Dancing with the Stars` and be my dance partner." Here`s our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, Alicia -- should she do "Dancing with the Stars"?
RENEE: I don`t think to see her. I`m sorry. I don`t want to see Paula Deen. I`m a southern girl, so --
HAMMER: Because you are angry at her?
RENEE: I think that there is a huge lack of responsibility that she has taken and just to continue to -- what`s the word -- profit off of -- it`s so mumbled in my mind, but I don`t want to see Paula.
COLES: Oh, shut up.
RENEE: I think, at this point, she`s very -- you know, she is not authentic in her approach. And if he`s preaching about her wanting to take the healthy route and things like -- three years is just late. It`s very late.
COLES: Well, you know, Alicia and I are friends. This is the first time we have disagreed.
RENEE: Yes.
COLES: I absolutely would love to see her on that show only because I want to go on the show, too, but that`s not the story. I have a bit of a tummy ache. Can I go on the show? That would really be good for me.
HAMMER: You`d be great on it. Yes.
COLES: I think it would be wonderful. I think it would do well -- it would bode well for her to win audiences back. She`s an older woman. She is also spicy and so beautiful.
I`d like to see her in all that Marabou trim and she would be a wonderful example for exercising and losing weight because there are a lot of folks with diabetes and other diseases because they don`t move.
RENEE: Oh, Kim --
(CROSS TALK)
COLES: I want to see her do a dip, a whole different kind of dip with a giant stick of butter. I think it would be fantastic.
HAMMER: Now, hold on -- but I want to back up to what you are saying because I told Louis last night I actually do think it would be a fantastic idea.
But I get your point. You are I feeling like, you know, as Anthony Bourdain said, maybe she is a bit of a huckster. She`s taking advantage of a situation --
RENEE: I really do. I feel that she`s capitalizing extremely on a situation that -- like Kim said, it is a very serious thing.
You know, we stayed in the hospital with my stepfather for three days, you know, to make sure that everything was OK.
So it is like, now, that you are financially set off of something that, you know, a lot of adults, not just adults but, you know, people in general are suffering from, it`s like I don`t want to see you gallivanting on "Dancing with the Stars."
HAMMER: But maybe it also would be a great opportunity certainly for her in terms of public relations. And I think she has a battle ahead.
COLES: You talked about the battle that she has and the work she has ahead. This would be on every week. She has her fans that would vote her back. She has a chance to mea culpa.
RENEE: You know what? Maybe if the money that she receives from "Dancing with the Stars" will go to a charity for diabetics.
HAMMER: Good. You`re in. Got to wrap it there.
COLES: That`s it for everybody.
RENEE: There we go. There we go. We`re all happy.
HAMMER: Kim Coles, Alicia Renee, great to se you both. Thank you for being here. All right. We`ve got to move on. You have heard what we think. I`m dying to hear from you on this.
Do you agree with the ladies that are with me tonight? Here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll -- "Paula Deen: Should she do `Dancing with the Stars`?" Vote at HLNTV.com/ShowbizTonight. Our E-mail address, showbiztonight@hlntv.com.
Well, forget the dog fight between Clooney and Pitt this awards season. What about those who are clawing their way to the top in Hollywood? They never get a fair shake, well, until now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Uggy, I love the bowtie. How long did it take you to get ready?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The nominees for the first Golden Collars Awards are revealed. You`ve got to see this. And of course, Uggy, from "The Artist" is included. Uggy`s co-star, the great Penelope Ann Miller, does the honors in a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. Wait until you see this.
Also, inside Johnny Depp`s split. Tonight, exclusive details about Johnny`s stunning split from Vanessa Paradis. Johnny back to his wild ways?
"Jersey Shore`s" Ronnie making a shocking confession -- he was bullied as a kid. But why is the bulked-up reality star the still a bruiser on the show? Well, Ronnie is going to explain in an all-new SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. 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: LL Cool J to host the Grammys, he`s the show`s first host in seven years. Nick Cannon posts video update about his kidney ailment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK CANNON, HOST, "AMERICA`S GOT TALENT": I`m not dead. First day back at work. Feeling good, feeling healthy. I appreciate all of the love, all of the concern, all of the letters and E-mails and texts, people sending me flowers and stuff.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Breaking beauty barriers. Of course, you remember that brilliant Oscar- winning film, "Little Miss Sunshine," right?
It was all about bashing beauty pageant stereotypes. Who can forget Abigail Breslin`s breakout film? It`s pretty amazing. Well, tonight, there`s a real life beauty queen who isn`t using Rick James to shock, but she is certainly turning the pageant world upside down.
Her name is Mollie Thomas. She was one of the first openly lesbian contestants in the Miss California USA pageant. Her groundbreaking move is inspiring women everywhere. Here now is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter with a SHOWBIZ special report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER: Who can forget Sandra Bullock`s transformation in "Miss Congeniality," playing an under cover FBI agent posing as a beauty queen and experiencing all that goes along with it. Real-life beauty pageant contestant, Mollie Thomas, can definitely relate.
MOLLIE THOMAS, FIRST OPENLY-GAY CONTESTANT, MISS CALIFORNIA USA: I just learned how to put on two pairs of false eyelashes.
WYNTER: In just three months, Mollie polished her look, studied up on pageants and joined the race for Miss California USA, and along with 26- year-old Jenelle Hutcherson, became the first openly gay women to compete in the 60-year history of the contest.
THOMAS: I wanted to put out a real person that someone could really say, "I can relate to this girl."
WYNTER: Mollie`s on a mission to disprove painful stereotypes out there about gay women like we saw in "Miss Congeniality" when Sandra Bullock`s pre-makeover looks and traits led to this question.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Honey, are you a lesbian?
THOMAS: So many people have this image of what a lesbian is. And if you don`t fit that, you can`t possibly be gay. I grew up with the comment of "you are too pretty to be gay." There is no such thing as too pretty to be gay.
WYNTER: So not for the cash or the crown but to make her point, the 19- year-old student ran openly gay in her first ever beauty pageant.
THOMAS: It`s never been done before and anything new is always scary.
WYNTER: And Mollie tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the risk was worth it.
THOMAS: I had my phone out all weekend. This was going nonstop and the interviews in the press and media.
WYNTER: Mollie just hopes her story inspires others to be themselves. And she admires women who are openly gay in the prime of their career, women like movie star Amber Heard.
AMBER HEARD, ACTRESS: I`m from Connecticut. My boyfriend`s making this speech.
WYNTER: Heard, who co-starred with Johnny Depp in "The Rum Diary" is an inspiration to Mollie. The actress who was also named the face of Guess` fall fashion campaign went public with her sexual orientation in 2010.
She later told the gay pop culture Web site, "After Ellen," "If you hide something, you are inadvertently admitting it is wrong. I don`t feel like I`m wrong. I don`t feel like millions of people are wrong because they love who they love or they were born how they were born."
Mollie says she`s not interested in hiding either and the Miss Universe Organization, which runs the Miss USA pageant was happy to have her center stage telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "The Miss Universe organization embraces diversity and we look forward to the day when a woman`s sexual orientation, religion or race is no longer newsworthy."
THOMAS: I just finished my first pageant.
WYNTER: So while Mollie didn`t win the title of Miss California USA her first go round, she tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that she`s going to run again next year --
THOMAS: I`m honored to be in the position I am and to be able to speak up for what I really believe in.
WYNTER: Where she will continue to wear a sash to make a statement.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter. And along with Mollie, there was another lesbian contestant in the Miss California USA pageant this year. And as the Miss Universe people pointed out, sooner or later, I`m thinking this won`t be headline anymore.
We move now to a Kardashian family cancer scare. We have new details for you tonight. And Jessica Alba breaks fantastic news to me. That story tops "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Alba wants more "Fantastic Four"? Jessica Alba just revealed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that she`s ready for a third "Fantastic Four" film. The super-mom of two is ready to don her superhero duds and get back in the action.
(on camera) OK. Before I let you go, you just have to tell me because everybody asked when they heard you were coming on the show, "Please, please ask Jessica" --
JESSICA ALBA, ACTRESS: What?
HAMMER: Another "Fantastic Four" movie, Sue Storm, coming out?
ALBA: I don`t know. I don`t know. I don`t know, but I`m excited. You know, I have been focusing on "Honest.com" and I`ve been focusing on, you know, just mommy-hood and everything that comes with that. And I`m ready to get back to work and I`d love to do an action movie. So --
HAMMER: So if it were to happen, you are right there?
ALBA: I would be right there.
HAMMER (voice-over): Jenner`s cancer scare. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has just learned that Bruce Jenner is recovering after skin cancer surgery.
The "Keeping up with the Kardashians" star had surgery on his face after doctors found a suspicious mark which turned out to be skin cancer. But don`t worry, Jenner`s rep told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he is doing fine, and that is good to hear.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
We move now from bullied to buff. "Jersey Shore`s" Ronnie making a shocking confession. This guy was bullied as a kid. How his pain led to him bulking up. And what you will never see Ronnie do again on "Jersey Shore." Tonight, Ronnie confesses all in a show-stopping SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Could I offer you a taste?
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Brad Pitt, compulsive eater? Hear me out on this one. We have the most unbelievable video of Mr. Pitt just stuffing his face in just about every movie he`s ever done. Forget "Moneyball." This is an award- winning performance. You`ve got to see it. 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: Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert reschedule tour after death of Blake`s dad. Harry Connick, Jr. guest stars on "Law and Order: SVU."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRY CONNICK, JR., SINGER AND ACTOR: I know it`s 7:00 a.m. meaning (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the mirror. So --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, the beautiful Kate Beckinsale wasn`t up for a Golden Globe on Sunday night. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you she`s still a winner.
Kate`s body was just named the best on the red carpet by "Fitness" magazine. Kate was perfection. She was wearing a Roberto Cavalli gown.
But "Fitness" magazine believes that it`s -- what was under that dress was the real show-stopper. And Kate wasn`t the only buzz-worthy body according to the people at "Fitness." Oh, no.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner has the rundown from Hollywood. What are they saying, Nischelle?
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, A.J., first I want to the say cheers to "Fitness" for looking beyond the jewels and the gowns to something with a little more, you know, substance.
That said, "Fitness" magazine named Lea Michele best butt of the red carpet. Now, she had on figure-hugging metallic Marchesa, which actually looks pretty good.
Oscar winner, Charlize Theron, can now add the award for best legs to her resume. "Fitness" says she was working the heck out of that high slit in Dior.
And the best abs title, also known as the no Spanx award, goes to Claire Danes. Indeed, enough said. New friend of SHOWBIZ Jessica Alba got the nod for best body after baby.
You know, she stepped out with fantastic skin and sparkling Gucci just five months after the birth of her second daughter.
And finally -- and you know, here`s the one I actually disagree with. "Fitness" named Jane Fonda as best comeback. And I have to say, where has she been? She didn`t come back. She has always been hot. And at 74, let me tell you, A.J., she is showing these young girls how it is done.
HAMMER: That`s a good point. All right. So that`s what "Fitness" is saying. I was standing right next to you there on the red carpet. You are watching some of these ladies and everybody walking by. And you`re saying, "Wow, look at that! Oh my god!"
TURNER: Yes.
HAMMER: Who`s your pick, though? Best body on that carpet?
TURNER: Well, you know, I had the eagle eye. I really did. You and I saw so many stars up close and personal on the red carpet. But by a mile, my favorite, and I have to tell you, this is a good pick -- Idris Elba.
HAMMER: Idris -- oh, shocking, Nischelle. You should have heard her gushing about Idris, and all I want to interview is Idris. And she got her wish and got to stand with the man. She was satisfied with that. All right. I knew it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner -- thanks, Nischelle.
Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup -- here`s what is coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYNTER: Uggy, I love the bowtie. How long did it take you to get ready?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, that long. OK. Hey, grab your favorite four-legged friend. The nominees for the first Golden Collars Awards are revealed including Uggy from "The Artist." Uggy`s co-star, Penelope Ann Miller does the honors in a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Inside the Johnny Depp`s split. Tonight, we have exclusive details about Johnny`s split from the Vanessa Paradis after nearly 14 years. 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: "Thor" star, Chris Hemsworth, and wife expecting first baby. Kate Hudson models for Ann Taylor`s spring campaign.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYNTER: Uggy, I love the bowtie. How long did it take you to get ready?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- nominees for the first-ever Golden Collars Awards are revealed. And Uggy, from "The Artist," is a frontrunner. Uggy`s co-star, Penelope Ann Miller, is right here to unveil Hollywood`s hottest new awards.
Living single? Is Johnny Depp is back on the market? Tonight, the brand- new reports that his blissful 13-year union has hit the rocks.
And smash -- "Jersey Shore`s" Ronnie can be one bad dude. But tonight, he`s revealing just what drove him to become a self-proclaimed gorilla. I go one on one with "Jersey Shore`s" Ronnie in a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
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. And we`ve got big news breaking tonight, the Golden Collars Awards.
Of course, we are days away from finding out who`s going to be nominated for an Oscar this year. But right now I`m saying, the heck with that. What about the dogs?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there today when the first-ever Golden Collars Awards were announced. And of course, it had to include Uggy, the scene- stealing Jack Russell terrier dog from "The Artist."
Now, the announcements were made by Uggy`s co-star in "The Artist," the lovely Penelope Ann Miller. We are thrilled to have Penelope joining us tonight from Hollywood for this SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
First of all, Penelope, congratulations on the big night at the Golden Globes. It looked like you were having a blast. So great to see "The Artist" winning for best picture. You`ve got to be over the moon today.
PENELOPE ANN MILLER, ACTRESS: I`m very, very excited. Very proud. It`s amazing a silent film is making so much noise.
HAMMER: And of course, to me, it makes you guys a frontrunner when the Oscar nominations are going to be announced in just a couple of days. We are thrilled for you.
MILLER: Thank you.
But right now, we need to talk about you and Uggy, because Uggy, the dog, and you reunited today for the Golden Collar presentations. He was one of the big nominees, of course.
You must tell me, how is the little guy doing and how immensely proud are you of him?
MILLER: Well, he got two nominations today, which is the most for any canine in this Golden Collar Awards. So we are just hoping it is not going to go to his head and he`s not going to get a huge ego.
But it is already starting, you know. The stretch limo pulled up outside of the theater and -- but you know what? He deserves it. He`s excellent in the film. He`s stealing every scene, which is hard on me. But it was really fun this morning. It was a lot of fun.
HAMMER: Yes. And don`t think for a moment -- he is not just stealing every scene right there in the film. We saw what he did on stage at the Golden Globes. Actually, I was watching him on the red carpet as he walked by me when I was talking to people before they went in.
He was taking everybody`s attention there, but he really stole the show. And I was very jealous of this, when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter went one on one with Uggy. Let`s watch what happened there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYNTER: Uggy, I love the bowtie. How long did it take you to get ready?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Uggy, very popular. There`s even a Facebook campaign, Penelope. Thousands of friends are pushing to get him an Oscar. Now, he would be of course up against Cosmo, the dog from "The Beginners." I think choosing a winner would be rough, if you don`t mind me saying. Sorry.
MILLER: Yes. I think he is up against the dog from "Young Adult" and "50/ 50" and "Water For Elephants." He`s up against himself. And then, the reality show, because there`s best foreign language dog and then there`s the best reality dog.
And two dogs from "Beverly Hills Housewives" Jiggy(ph) and I believe Jackpot are both going to be duking it out on "Beverly Hills Housewives.: So you have the women duking it out. And now, you`re going to have the dogs.
HAMMER: Oh, great. They`re probably going to start flipping over their dog dishes, throwing their water bowls at each other. And it`s nice to see that, like the Globes, they`re honoring both TV and the movies.
But in reality, do you think it is a nutty idea to even suggest that there should be a category for animals at the Oscars? We`ve got a lot of categories.
MILLER: Yes. You know, there`s so many award shows, but this one is fun. I think Uggy got the Palm Dog Award at Cannes. And so they`ve created an award for him. And they did that little one for Shirley Temple, right, at the Oscars. And why not one for a dog? And what would "Wizard of Oz" be without Toto, OK?
HAMMER: Yes.
MILLER: And what would "The Thin Mint Series" be without Asta. So you know, when dogs like -- you know, they are characters in the movie and they make a huge part of the film and make the film better. So I don`t know. Why not?
HAMMER: Why not?
MILLER: I mean, there are so many dog lovers out there. Yes, why not? Let`s have fun with it.
HAMMER: Count me among them. For sure, anybody who knows me knows I`m a huge dog lover and I will be campaigning for Uggy. Penelope Ann Miller, thank you so much. I appreciate it.
MILLER: Thank you. It`s great to be here.
HAMMER: Great having you.
MILLER: I love your show.
HAMMER: Make sure you check out "Artist" in theaters now. And we love you. Well, if the Golden Globes are any indication, Uggy and "The Artist" are the ones to beat come Oscar night for sure.
No one, however, knows better what it is like to sit there in the audience waiting to find out if you`re going to win that trophy than two-time Oscar nominee, Ray Fiennes. He`s with me tonight in New York for another SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. First of all, just great having you here.
RAY FIENNES, ACTOR: Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: Talking about the Oscars, talking about the Golden Globes -- and I want to talk to you about "Coriolanus." I want to make sure I pronounced it correctly, first of all.
Your new movie is opening on Friday. You star in it. You direct it. But I need to know. I have to get your take on this, Ray, should there be a category for animals at the Academy Awards? Because, as you see, a movie like "The Artist" -- that dog Uggy really did steal the show? What do you think?
FIENNES: I don`t think there should be a category for dogs at the Academy Awards. No.
HAMMER: Not going to happen in our lifetime?
FIENNES: I don`t know. Is this really true, this Golden Collar Awards?
HAMMER: Well, Golden Collars Awards --
FIENNES: OK.
HAMMER: But it sounds like they can do whatever the heck they want.
FIENNES: That`s my instinct in answer to your question.
HAMMER: That`s fair enough. But we do know at times -- and look, the movie industry is evolving. Right now, there`s a very serious push to get the actor Andy Circus nominated. I don`t know if you saw his role in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes."
FIENNES: Yes.
HAMMER: And of course, he plays the lead ape.
FIENNES: Yes.
HAMMER: But what they did is they filmed him with sensors on his body. And Fox actually just released some incredible video of him in this role. You want to look at this with me? Let`s roll that, Charles.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Everything`s going to be OK. Everything`s going to be OK. You can stay here now. It`s going to be OK. Everything`s going to be OK.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Don`t be scared.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You are going to stay here now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: How great is that?
FIENNES: Fantastic, yes.
HAMMER: Seeing the level of technology. And certainly, you have worked with some incredible technology in some of your films. What do you think? Should actors who are ultimately computer-generated on screen be considered for an Oscar? I mean, that`s incredible work and a lot of talent there.
FIENNES: Well, you definitely see in Andy`s performance. And I think it is his performance. You see the spirit happening in the face of the animal, of the chimpanzee that I don`t think that computer-generated actors will have that light in the eye of the human spirit, in the eyes.
HAMMER: Yes.
FIENNES: I don`t think you can create that. But I do think that -- I think it will still be animation, essentially, won`t it? It will be a formula at the end of the day.
HAMMER: At the end of the day, yes.
FIENNES: The human essence is not going to be there.
HAMMER: There wasn`t a computer that put Voldemort --
FIENNES: It was the computer that took away my nose.
HAMMER: Right, but the eyes --
FIENNES: But the eyes were mine.
HAMMER: Yes, I know.
FIENNES: In fact, there was a conversation early on because I think J.K. Rowling described him as having red eyes and they could have done all kinds of stuff. But I argued I`d like it to be my eyes and not messed with. Yes.
HAMMER: And it seems to have worked. And look, so many amazing movies. What an incredible career between "Harry Potter" films, "Schindler`s List," "English Patient," "The Reader" -- I could go on.
For the first time, you`re now starring and directing in your new movie. And Jessica Chastain, who I spent a little time with the other -- she is fantastic. Gerard Butler is starring with you as well in "Coriolanus."
Angelina Jolie just directed her first film and she said directing it literally caused her to literally have a breakdown. The process was so much different from what she has ever experienced. Can you relate to that when you hear her saying that?
FIENNES: Well, I suppose. I mean, every film is a massive set of problems to be solved. And I know there are films where the problems can mount up so high that I think a huge stress factor is in place on pressuring the director.
And I guess that can really push someone almost to the breaking point. Luckily for me, I was surrounded by the cast you just mentioned -- amazing actors and amazing crew. And I sure as hell felt the pressure, but I also felt huge adrenaline.
HAMMER: Yes.
FIENNES: And vigor, if you like. Yes.
HAMMER: It`s a whole different experience being the boss. I do want to take a look at a clip as we have come to know from you, another dark and intense film. Let`s roll it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FIENNES: I`ll fight with none but thee for I do hate thee.
GERARD BUTLER, ACTOR: We hate alike.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow! Just amazing. Ray Fiennes, it`s great to have you here.
FIENNES: Thank you.
HAMMER: And we look forward to seeing this film. And it opens on Friday -- "Coriolanus." Great to have you on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
FIENNES: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: We must move now to a "Jersey Shore" bully bombshell. OK, how many times have we seen "The Shore`s" Ronnie exploding into a rage like this?
All right. The toughest guy in Seaside Heights right here to reveal a huge secret about his life. Check it out. Before he became a self-proclaimed gorilla, he had a different experience. Ronnie right here for headline- making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
And Johnny`s heartbreak? Why one of Hollywood`s hottest hunks may be back on the market. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And this is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Beyonce`s rep says first post-baby interview with U.K. magazine is "completely fake." Neil Patrick Harris and his partner, David Burtka on the cover of "Out."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop! Stop! Stop it!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Typically explosive scene from "Jersey Shore." Tempers flaring. Obviously, Ronnie from "Jersey Shore" is not someone you want to mess with. But if you watch the show, you also know that Ronnie is a tough guy with a lot of heart.
Tonight, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Ronnie revealing a secret from his past. He was actually bullied as a kid, if you can believe that.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with a "Jersey Shore" bully bombshell. "Jersey Shore" may seem like, you know, it is all about GTL -- gym, tan and laundry, if you know nothing about the show.
But tonight, we learn there is a lot more to the "Jersey Shore" cast than meets the eye. A deep, dark secret that may actually shock you from probably the toughest guy in all of Seaside Heights.
Ronnie Ortiz Magro reveals that he was bullied as a kid growing up in the Bronx. Ronnie right here for a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. First of all, great having you here.
RONNIE ORTIZ-MAGRO, REALITY TV STAR, "JERSEY SHORE": Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: You know, I`m looking at you. You`ve always been the big tough guy. You rarely have your shirt on, on the show from the very first episode, man.
MAGRO: For the girls. I do that for the girls.
HAMMER: OK. But let me understand this. You were a small kid?
MAGRO: I would say up until about junior year of high school, I was probably about 5`3", 5`4", 145 pounds, 150 pounds. And you know, the older kids always picked on me. You know, the seniors picked on the freshmen.
You know, I got it the worst because I was younger. You know, I wasn`t always the most popular kid in high school. And that`s when I realized, you know, I started looking up to people like Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rock and everything like that.
And I started getting into body building and working out and then women. And then, you know --
HAMMER: So your thought was, "OK, I`m getting picked on. If I can look like or be as big as like an Arnold Schwarzenegger or somebody like that" --
MAGRO: They won`t pick on me.
HAMMER: "They are going to stay away from me."
MAGRO: Exactly.
HAMMER: OK. So it wasn`t as much as "let me get big so I can, you know, give them a beat down."
MAGRO: Not so I could get revenge. I just wanted them to just leave me alone and let me be. And then, as I got older, it was less about the fighting. It was more about the women.
HAMMER: Right. You had balance in your life. You figured that. And did that actually stop the bullying though as you got bigger?
MAGRO: As I got bigger and, you know, people started to leave me alone. The kids that did pick on me became friends with me. And it`s just weird I guess how people grow up.
You know, when you are younger, you know, people feel insecure and the kids want to pick on kids that are chubbier than them or, you know, different race or whatever and stuff like that, because of insecurities. As you get older, you become secure about yourself.
HAMMER: Yes. And as we know -- I mean, the nation has been talking about this for a while now. And I`m glad that you are now -- you`re stepping up and doing this.
But let me be honest with you, from, you know, I think back even to the very first season in some of the first scenes on the "Jersey Shore," you were a guy -- we just saw that scene play out, and maybe we can roll some in here, you and The Sitch going at it.
You were a guy known to give other guys a beat down. How do you reconcile that? Because a lot of people will say there is an element of bullying right there.
MAGRO: It was just -- I guess it was more of I just learned to defend myself. I got to a point where we`re just -- all right. I got picked on so much. I had no choice but to defend myself. So it is not that I am beating people up. It`s just that I`m defending myself.
HAMMER: Do you ever though -- you know, we are taking a look at -- and you`re laughing as we were watching that scene of you and the Sitch going at it.
Do you ever see that happening when you watch the show back and think, "You know, I want to change a little bit of that behavior and maybe not even defend myself and fight like that so much"?
MAGRO: With Mike, I felt like that was something that was built up season after season. I felt like we needed that, because, honestly, after we fought, we became even closer than we were before. Honestly.
HAMMER: The pressure cooker was building and you need to pop the top.
MAGRO: Right. It was really like you can always just cut -- like cut the weirdness like a butter knife between the two of us. But now, we are in a room and we have conversation together. It is weird.
HAMMER: Not that you are advocating fighting in order to better a relationship.
MAGRO: No, no. Most of the time, it`s going to mess up a relationship or our friendship.
HAMMER: Yes.
MAGRO: It happened to work. We were dysfunctional though. You have seen the show.
HAMMER: You are?
MAGRO: No? Didn`t you get that?
HAMMER: There at "Jersey Shore." Snooki, you and the Situation?
MAGRO: The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) machine didn`t work.
HAMMER: Here`s the thing. I went right to the Twitter today when I found out that you were coming in to see if anybody had any questions they wanted to ask you regarding the fact that you are coming forward talking about being bullied.
You`ve seen "Dancing with the Stars" champ, J.R. Martinez. He actually reached out @KnowJR. He tweeted back with a question.
He said, "Please ask Ronnie if you are going to do anything to help kids now." You know that kids are going through the same bullying that went through as a kid. It sounds like you have a plan to do that.
MAGRO: I would love to get involved with it. I just did an interview. I believe it was "In Touch" and it`s become now, I guess, a big issue the fact that I was bullied because I guess the show, I did fight a lot.
But it is something that I would like to get interested in because there are kids out there that get to a point where they don`t turn to the gym.
They don`t turn to girls to distract them from the bullying. They turn to hurting themselves or hurting the person that is bullying them. So it becomes a big issue in the end.
HAMMER: I think you have a message to share and I think it is really big of you, not literally -- well, and literally and figuratively that you are stepping up and speaking out about it, so good for you, man.
MAGRO: Thank you.
HAMMER: Great having you here.
MAGRO: Thank you, pal.
HAMMER: Please come back and join us. All right, Ronnie. Well, as we move on tonight, you may have noticed this. It`s a little fact about our friend, Brad Pitt. There is one thing that Brad seems to do in movies besides looking handsome all the time.
It`s he eats, really. Here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we counted no less than 50 scenes where Brad chows down. I`m talking about feeding on everything from caviar to peanut butter.
And we are not the only ones who have noticed this. There is a brilliant new mash-up on "MovieClips.com" of Pitt`s seemingly compulsive movie eating. You`ve got to see this. Here it is now, Brad Pitt`s eating.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Sir, you almost got us peanut butter, sir. Could I offer you a taste?
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And by the way, at the Golden Globes, I was sure I saw him with a cheeseburger in his hands as he was walking down the carpet, but I`m not sure about that.
All right. Now, I want you to pay attention if you love Johnny Depp because the A-lister may actually be back on the market. Tonight, the brand-new reports that Johnny is living single. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, where is his partner of nearly 14 years? 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: Bruno Mars cocaine possession charge dismissed in Las Vegas court. ATL "Housewife" NeNe Leakes makes acting debut on "Glee."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NENE LEAKES, ACTRESS AND REALITY TV STAR: Not to me. I`m going to say one thing to you, Sam Evans and I`m only going to say it to you once. If you pee in my pool, I will kill you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, is Johnny Depp living single? Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there`s some brand-new reports tonight that the legendary actor has split with his partner of nearly 14 years.
Depp and Vanessa Paradis have two kids and a relationship that had been really the envy of Hollywood. But today, "People" magazine broke the news that Depp`s long-time love affair has hit the rocks.
Now, the story is in the brand-new issue of "People." It will hit stands on Friday. Today, we got the very first look.
With me in New York, Joey Bartolomeo, who is a senior writer at "People" magazine.
So, Joey "People" is reporting that Johnny and Vanessa have actually been living separately for years or for a year now? You know, they had this idyllic life together in this sleepy French town.
And they have gone from that to barely seeing each other. What is the story here?
JOEY BARTOLOMEO, SENIOR WRITER, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: We spoke to multiple sources who said that they`ve essentially ended their relationship, that they lead separate lives when they are in the same city together.
They were in Paris and stayed at separate hotels. They don`t walk the red carpet together anymore and they`re really just living their own lives.
HAMMER: That is just sad to hear and see because they were making it seemingly to all of us anyway. And "People" magazine also reporting that Johnny is now having a lot of wild solo nights out in the town, which I think was how he was years and years ago.
BARTOLOMEO: Right. He definitely had a reputation as a party boy back in the day. And then, he really seemed to have settled down with Vanessa and the kids.
And recently, he had been on location shooting movies in Hawaii shooting movies and on trips, places, and was very flirty and friendly according to the people we spoke to, taking pictures, talking to a lot of women, having a very good time on his own.
HAMMER: Well, they do have kids. And would you say it is fair to hold out some hope that perhaps there will be a reconciliation?
BARTOLOMEO: We spoke a source who said they could definitely reconcile.
HAMMER: Let`s hope so. I really like those two together. Joey, great to see you. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Well, maybe Arnold Schwarzenegger can give Johnny some advice on living single if that is the way it`s going to be. Arnold has been on his own a while now.
Today, one of Arnold`s best friends is weighing in on Arnold`s explosive affair for the first time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM ARNOLD, ACTOR: He can no longer make fun of the women I have been with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, Tom. Yes, tell us how you really feel, buddy. Tom Arnold on Arnold. That`s coming up next on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tom Arnold dishes with the ladies of "The View. Now, today, Tom opened up big time about his good friend, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He talked for the very first time about Arnold`s explosive affair and about how Arnold and his ex, Maria Shriver, are doing now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Last year, we heard about the secret affair Arnold Schwarzenegger had for a number of years.
ARNOLD: He can no longer make fun of the women I have been with. They are friendly and they`re great parents and they have the best kids in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It is nice to hear that Arnold and Maria seem to be on friendly terms again because, obviously, it can only be a good thing for those kids.
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. Remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively weeknights at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.
Dr. Drew goes inside of the mind of convicted killer, Joran Van Der Sloot. The chilling new letter from the man suspected of murdering Natalee Holloway. Stay right here for "DR. DREW" starting right now.
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