Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
Hollywood Murder Mystery Revelations; Divorce Slam Dunk for Kobe Bryant`s Wife; "Mob Wives" Hit Job; Special Edition: Showbiz Newsmakers
Aired January 20, 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, HOST: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - startling new revelations in the Hollywood murder mystery and the chopped off human head found near Brad Pitt`s house.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets gruesome details from the dog walker whose dog found the head.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was working at something under the bush. And then I came up and had something in his mouth that he dropped immediately.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. A divorce slam dunk for Kobe Bryant`s wife. Three mega-mansions and $75 million. Tonight, is Kobe paying the ultimate price?
"Mob Wives" hit job. Reality show star, Renee Graziano, drops $30,000 on plastic surgery and it all goes wrong. Major blood loss, fearing for her life. Tonight, Renee and costar, Karen Gravano, talk about surviving surgery and swinging fists.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, man. Are you going to throw a punch?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: 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 - SHOWBIZ mystery witness, a mystery no more.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the woman who was right there when the dog she was walking found a human head. And this was not far from Brad Pitt`s house and it was right near the iconic Hollywood sign.
The mystery only deepened today when police revealed they have now identified the victim who also had his hands and feet chopped off. This is pretty unbelievable.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter just spoke with the woman who made the gruesome discovery. Wait until you hear what she told her. Kareen joining me right now from Hollywood. Fill us in, Kareen.
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: A.J., the woman who found the head - it`s so difficult for me to imagine something like that happening.
Her name is Lauren Kornberg. She`s a dog-walker and it actually when she was walking nine dogs, A.J., including a two-year-old golden retriever whose name is Ollie. Let`s take a look at Ollie. There he is, a dog everybody is talking about.
He was actually with Lauren when I spoke with her about this absolutely bizarre discovery in the area where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie - they have a house. You have to hear Lauren`s story. Let`s listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) You are walking Ollie. How did this all come about? How did you find yourself in the middle of this investigation?
LAUREN KORNBERG, PROFESSIONAL DOG WALKER: Well, I was actually walking a group of dogs. I had nine dogs with me. I do group hikes in the canyon with the dogs. And I was up at the Brunson Canyon. I`ve been there for about 15 minutes or so.
And he pulled away off of the leash and went up into an area underneath a bush, which isn`t odd. He is often sort of hunting and looking for things and most of the time comes back with nothing and occasionally there is a mouse or a rat or something that he`ll bring me as a present and parade in front of the other dogs.
On today - the other day, on Tuesday, he was working at something underneath the bush. And then I came up and he had something in his mouth that he dropped it immediately.
His behavior was really strange. He dropped it and it rolled down the hill to a ravine. And my mom and I went to go investigate it. I told her it looked like a soccer ball or actually it looked like a head.
WYNTER: So at this time, you had no idea it was a body part?
KORNBERG: No. No, no, no. There was just odd and the way it rolled was odd. It seemed heavy. The dog`s reaction to it was really strange. As opposed to chasing it, they all seemed very put off by it.
And so we went to look down and see what it was. And from above, we could see it was a male head, but we assumed it was a prop, a Hollywood movie prop and that somebody was filming something up there and he had just, you know, happened upon it.
We walked down the ravine and went to go get a closer look and realized that it was a human head.
WYNTER: And I can imagine just how horrified you were.
KORNBERG: I kept saying, "Are you sure? Are we sure? Are you sure? Are you sure?" to my mom, "Oh, my god. Are you sure?" And she was more at a front angle and I was behind.
So - and She was like, "Come over here and look," to the front part. And I did not want to have any more of a visual than the angle that I was already at.
WYNTER: Describe the condition, if you will, of this head when your dog found it.
KORNBERG: It was in very good condition which is what sort of led us to think it was fake. It was - nothing had really happened to it. It looked very, very new. You know, the color wasn`t - you know, it wasn`t what I would have expected. I would have expected, you know, pale or bruised or injured.
WYNTER: Was it hidden? Was it in the bushes? Was it covered in dirt?
KORNBERG: No, it was in a pile of leaves. It had rolled down into a pile of leaves. One of my other dogs actually proceeded to go down and cover it with leaves with her nose and covered a portion of it and kept moving with her nose, leaves over it to hide it.
And I was so shaky that a couple of the leashes got away and she ran down there and stood there and looked mournful and began to move leaves over it and covered it.
WYNTER: And for some people who think, you know, crime - it doesn`t happen there. It happens even in the neighborhood of the rich and famous, the fact that these parts that your dog found, not far from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie`s home.
KORNBERG: It happens everywhere.
WYNTER: What did detectives want to learn from you? And how have you been working with them in terms of helping to perhaps move this case forward?
KORNBERG: You know, I don`t know. I mean, I told them pretty much the same things that I`ve said to the media that I talked to, just what it was that we saw.
And we went through the timeline of the day and have offered up anything that we can to them. So I hope that, you know, with us pointing out the location and where we were and the sequence of events and the timing, we were actually - I hiked that area the same day before.
So I had talked to the investigators about the fact that I was there and they were questioning whether there was anything weird.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So Kareen, I`ve got to tell you, I`m sitting here watching this and listening to her in absolute disbelief. This is unbelievable to me.
And it`s almost appropriate it happened in Hollywood because it sounds like it came right out of a script. Now, we mentioned that the victim was identified today. So who is it?
WYNTER: Well, that also remains a mystery to the public, because police say they`re not going to publicly reveal his name right now. They`re not going to let us know who this person because they have so much investigating to do.
But at the same time, in fact, A.J., right before coming on air, my sources say they have so many leads that continue to pour in, so the pieces - they are filling them in, A.J.
HAMMER: Well, it is unbelievable. All right. Kareen Wynter, thank you so much. As we move on tonight, it is looking like revenge is best served with a possible divorce slam dunk for Kobe Bryant`s wife.
Vanessa Bryant gave the NBA star the boot. That was following reports that he was cheating on her again. Now, listen to this. TMZ reported today that the divorce deal is done and Vanessa will reportedly walk away with $75 million.
That is about half of the couple`s fortune. She will reportedly get three, count them, three incredible mansions.
With me tonight, someone who knows a thing or two about divorce and husbands cheating on them, Renee Graziano from VH1`s hit reality star, "Mob Wives" - well, it`s true, Renee - along with her costar, Karen Gravano. "Mob Wives" just started its second fabulous season on VH1.
Truthfully, Renee, you have talked about the fact that your husband, who you are divorced from, cheated on you. You know a bit about something of this.
RENEE GRAZIANO, REALITY TV STAR, "MOB WIVES": Yes.
HAMMER: So let me bring you right to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint. These guys were married for 10 years. Does Vanessa Bryant deserve to get $75 million?
GRAZIANO: Oh, sure.
HAMMER: Yes. No kidding.
KAREN GRAVANO, REALITY TV STAR, "MOB WIVES": Slam dunk.
GRAZIANO: Honestly, if that`s his wife and they are together a long period of time, she deserves what she deserves. And if that`s $75 million, then she gets it.
HAMMER: And it makes it sweeter though, doesn`t it?
GRAZIANO: Absolutely.
HAMMER: I mean, there is something - look, divorce - everything I have always known, it`s worse than losing somebody to death.
GRAZIANO: Right.
HAMMER: But $75 million - that will make you feel OK, I guess.
GRAVANO: yes. It`s not a funeral. It`s a party after you get the $75 million.
GRAZIANO: I would be miserable.
GRAVANO: No.
GRAZIANO: It was never about money for me.
GRAVANO: It isn`t about money, but I think, you know, when you go through that - we don`t know what she went through, the pain and the suffering.
HAMMER: Yes.
GRAVANO: So at least she got something that she can walk away with.
HAMMER: I don`t want to make light of it at all.
GRAVANO: Yes.
HAMMER: But it is wild. You know, we`re not used to hearing numbers like thrown around. Plus, the three mansions - let`s not forget about that.
Now, we did reach out to both Kobe and Vanessa today about that reported divorce settlement. I haven`t heard back on that as of show time.
But you know what it`s like to be under the constant spotlight, something that Kobe has to deal with, with his wife right now. You girls know very well because of the reality TV cameras always following you around.
Imagine being a Kardashian. Imagine what`s that like. Well, now, there is a website called "BoycottKim.com." This site started a petition to boycott all things Kardashian.
And TMZ reported today that the guy behind the site is actually a convicted con artist who may have grossly exaggerated the number of people who have signed this petition.
But when you think about it, it`s one thing after another for the Kardashians. Crazy reports questioning who is really Khloe`s father, even mentioning O.J. Simpson as a possible candidate.
And just the other night, Kim K was actually booed an at NBA game. So let me bring you our next SHOWBIZ Flashpoint. It is this - has everyone been piling on the Kardashians unfairly? Renee, what do you think?
GRAZIANO: Leave the family alone. They are making their own way. I personally - first of all, the convict that`s involved, that says it right there.
He was a conman, so whatever he said really shouldn`t hold - it shouldn`t be valid for Kim whatsoever or any of the Kardashians for that matter.
HAMMER: See, here`s the thing and I agree like the idea of a petition. There will always be haters out there in the world that when you have a public figure, you always know no matter how big or how small you are in the public eye, you are subject to people criticizing you. You`re subject to possible ridicule.
You have to develop a thick skin and get over it. However - and I am curious to hear what you think about this - the Kardashians have put their lives out there.
GRAVANO: Right.
HAMMER: So there those who would say, you know what? Really, how can they complain about it when they have put everything out for the world to see and sold it to us?
GRAVANO: Right. I mean, I agree. It`s hard to complain about it when you put it out there. But after a while, it just becomes too much.
And to be honest, if someone`s doing a website to boycott the Kardashians, they are just like - they`re trying to become famous off of their name, too.
He is just trying to get some notoriety or, you know, attack them because they are famous. You are just making them more famous.
GRAZIANO: You can`t buy privacy back.
HAMMER: Yes.
GRAZIANO: So once you open that door up, be prepared for whatever and whomever is going to attack.
HAMMER: A cautionary tale for sure. Absolutely.
GRAZIANO: One hundred percent.
HAMMER: Renee, there`s something that you have been open about among many things on your show, "Mob Wives," putting it all out there.
Your recent plastic surgery. You went in with high hopes for a new body and you`ve now revealed that you went through a plastic surgery nightmare. It cost you an incredible amount of money, not to mention what it did to your health.
So I want to know what happened to you and hang on to that. You`re going to fill me in, in just a moment and we`ll talk you through.
As we move on, coming up later on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at the bottom of the hour, SHOWBIZ newsmakers.
We have confessions from superstar moms. As we turn blue holding our collective breath to see those coveted first pictures of Beyonce`s baby girl, Blue Ivy, is Beyonce feeling some pressure?
I imagine she is. Well, we asked a Hollywood mom who knows all about that pressure, Jessica Alba. Tonight, Jessica`s advice for her friend, Beyonce.
And Katherine`s crisis. Katherine Heigl revealing her emotional struggle to bond with her adopted daughter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHERINE HEIGL, ACTRESS: She was well cared for and loved in her foster home. And you know, she loved - that`s who she knew and responded to. So then they shove her in my arms and I want that immediate like maternal and child thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You have to hear all this. Katherine, Jessica - you cannot miss tonight SHOWBIZ news-making mommy confessions. 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: Etta James passes away at 73, suffers from complications from leukemia. Friends and fans Blythe Danner and Melanie Lynskey remember Etta James.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLYTHE DANNER, ACTRESS: I`ve been around a long time so I have listened to her from the time I was very young. And really, she was a trailblazer in many ways. She was (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
MELANIE LYNSKEY, ACTRESS: Nobody liked her, really.
DANNER: No.
LYNSKEY: She`s - that voice.
DANNER: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAZIANO: After the surgery I split my head back open. That`s what happened to my back.
GRAVANO: Whoa!
GRAZIANO: I went in beautiful and I came out ugly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plastic surgery nightmares on the hit VH1 reality series, "Mob Wives." Tonight, the stars of the show right here with stunning new revelations about their terrifying plastic surgery ordeal.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, plastic surgery nightmare.
You have to have nerves of steel to take a scalpel to one of VH1`s mob wives. But that hasn`t stopped half of the glamorous women of the hit reality show from going under the knife to transform their looks.
Just take a look at what some of the stars from the show have reportedly done. $30,000 on a body lift, Botox and skin resurfacing. $10,000 on laser, lipo, Botox and fillers. And another $800 to $1,200 per treatment for Botox and fillers.
But now, breakout star, Renee Graziano, says that after her surgery, she`s lucky to be alive. Renee and her costar Karen Gravano are here tonight for a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. I appreciate you being here to share this with you.
And when I heard your story, Renee, lucky to be alive - that is startling to me. What happened?
GRAZIANO: Well, unfortunately, it`s become a legal issue. But what I can tell you because it`s in my medical report that I just received and read is that I had lost 6.3 pints of blood.
When I had came out of the first procedure, I accidentally ripped my back stitches open and there was some blood - well, obviously, there was more than some blood loss.
And then they had to take me in for a second surgery. I stayed overnight in the doctor`s facility. The next day, I had gone to the hospital where they told me I had lost the 6.3 pints of blood and then I had a three-pint transfusion.
After being there for eight days, I returned home and I just really didn`t feel well. And I ended up with MRSA, which just ate away at the back, unfortunately.
And when I say I`m lucky to be alive, the doctors at Staten Island Hospital South saved my life. They truly did. Dr. Michael Fiorillo - they just - I`m not blaming because there is no blaming allowed. But the truth of the matter is -
HAMMER: Dr. Fiorillo is the doctor -
GRAZIANO: The new doctor that I`m working with.
HAMMER: Right. OK.
GRAZIANO: Yes. And he has - he`s removed scar tissue already. There were some staples and some stuff left in my back. And so he has gone in and removed them. I probably have to have more surgery to remove the scar tissue.
HAMMER: That`s unbelievable. And Karen, I know you also had some difficulties following your own plastic surgery procedures. You have a legal action going on right now?
GRAVANO: Yes. I have been advised by a lawyer not to speak or comment at this point.
HAMMER: OK. Well, Dr. Kappler(ph) was your doctor. And I should point out that we did reach out and haven`t heard back as of show time.
Let me shift gears for a moment, Karen, because we do see you and your cast mates on the show come into blows sometimes, inflicting bodily harm on each other. I`ve got to know, when you see this stuff playing back on TV, are you at all embarrassed by it?
GRAVANO: I`m embarrassed that it got to this point, but to say embarrassed at defending myself, no. And if you watch every episode, I have been attacked first.
And yes, when I`m attacked, I just - you know, I`m going to attack back. So I`m embarrassed. It`s sad that it did get to this point and we`re on TV.
It`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE) because I`m a mother. I don`t want kids to look at us and think this is the right thing to do.
HAMMER: Right.
GRAVANO: And I have a real issue even with my daughter explaining to her, you know, what happened and how to move past it.
But if I`m attacked, I`m going to have to defend myself. So if someone is going to throw a punch at me, you know - and hopefully, we can just end it. I don`t want do it.
HAMMER: End it there.
GRAVANO: Yes.
HAMMER: We will see what happens as the season progresses with "Mob Wives." Renee and Karen, great to see you both.
GRAVANO: Thanks for having us.
GRAZIANO: Thanks for having us.
HAMMER: Don`t miss an episode of "Mob Wives" every Sunday on VH1. And coming up later on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at the bottom of the hour, we have SHOWBIZ newsmakers.
So as Beyonce says hello to motherhood, can she kiss sexy movie roles goodbye? How will she shed the baby weight? When are we going to get to see her baby Blue? Tonight, Mommy advice for Beyonce from another superstar mom, her friend, Jessica Alba.
Losing it with Louis. You know how all those stars of "Dancing with the Stars" drop the lbs like crazy on the who? Well, dancing pro, Louis Van Amstel, reveals how you can do it, too. It`s a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview you do not want to miss. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - here come more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Halle Berry`s stalker pleads no contest, sentenced to 386 days in jail. President Obama does his best Al Green impression at the Apollo.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: And then to know that Rev. Al Green was here.
(SINGING )
I`m so in love with you.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, SHOWBIZ at Sundance, Park City, Utah ground zero tonight with Hollywood`s hottest stars and the most in-demand directors as the 2012 Sundance Film Festival kicks off.
A lot of great movies, movies like "Hustle and Flow" "Supersize Me," "Precious" - they all got love at Sundance. They all went on to get big Oscar buzz, even some wins.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner right there at Sundance right in the middle of all the action. So Nischelle, you`ve got to tell me what`s the energy like with all of those big stars in that tiny snow town.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Oh, yes. You know what? Huge stars untapped here. This is where the pretty have come to play and celebrate movies for the next 10 days, A.J.
Big stars like Bruce Willis, Sean Penn, Catherine Zeta Jones all have films at Sundance. But of course, the biggest star is Robert Redford himself.
Now, he has been the brain, heart and soul behind the Sundance Film Festival for more than 30 years. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was one-on-one with Robert.
And although he is really passionate about the films and the festival, he got really riled up when he spoke to us about the political drama playing out in Washington. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT REDFORD, ACTOR: Politics is supposed to be the art of compromise. So they`re supposed to compromise to move our country forward, OK? It`s just not happening. Why? Because one side - forget whether this side isn`t big, articulate enough or strong enough or assertive enough, whatever their points of view are, or clear enough.
This side is paralyzing the entire process by refusing to do anything, by refusing to do anything but do whatever they can to try to eliminate that person. That`s about as unhealthy as you can get. And I think we are paying the consequence of that as a country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: The political theme does continue here at Sundance. Rory Kennedy is bringing the documentary about her mother, Ethel Kennedy, here. I have seen it, A.J. I`ve seen it, A.J. It`s really, really well done, so we`ll see what play it gets here at Sundance.
HAMMER: All right, Nischelle. Thank you. Look out for the big snow you got coming your way tomorrow. Nischelle`s going to be speaking with all the big stars at the Sundance Film Festival.
Check out our star-studded coverage all next week 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And here`s what`s ahead at the bottom of the hour. We`ve got a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Beyonce after baby Blue. How will she bounce back after the baby weight and survive the paparazzi? When do we get to see her baby? I go one-on-one with superstar mom, Jessica Alba. She survived it all. Jessica`s got mommy advice for her friend, Beyonce.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop! Stop!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: From bullied to buff. "Jersey Shore`s" Ronnie making a shocking confession he was bullied as a kid. Tonight, how his pain led him to bulk up and what Arnold Schwarzenegger had to do with it. Ronnie right here for our SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. 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: Kenny G. and wife split after 20 years, musician is reportedly worth $50 million. Kyle Richards tells SHOWBIZ about casting rumors on "Housewives."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KYLE RICHARDS, REALITY TV STAR, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": Each season, they kind of like go and look and kind of feel what`s out there. The girls have friends and this and that.
So I don`t really know where that came from, but it hasn`t even been announced, the third season. But I would imagine that that`s really true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - SHOWBIZ newsmakers - superstar mommy confessions. The world is watching and waiting for the very first glimpse of Beyonce`s baby Blue.
Tonight, Jessica Alba`s mommy advice for Beyonce in a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Superstar mom Katherine Heigl`s crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEIGL: She was well cared for and loved in her foster home and, you know, she loved them. That`s who she knew and responded to. Then they shove her in to my arms and I want that immediate like maternal and child thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, the details of the emotional struggle to bond with her adopted child.
Dancing weight loss secrets. All those stars shed the pounds in a hurry on "Dancing with the Stars." Well, dancing pro, Louis Van Amstel, is revealing how to lose it like the stars. And you don`t have to do it on national television.
A special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ newsmakers, starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome to the special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ newsmakers. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
The Beyonce and Jay-Z baby watch is in now full effect. The world is waiting for those coveted first pictures baby Blue Ivy. I`ve got to think that Beyonce is feeling a bit of pressure right now. What to do, what to do. Release a photo? Do you keep it private?
Well, I`m thinking, who better to give advice to the superstar duo than another superstar mom, Beyonce`s friend, Jessica Alba. Jessica is the cofounder and chief inspiration officer the Honest Company, which offers safe, all-natural products for babies.
And in a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview, Jessica reveals to me the advice only she could give Beyonce.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) It`s terrific to see you.
JESSICA ALBA, ACTRESS: Nice to see you, too.
HAMMER: And I get the impression not having seen you since you`ve been a mom now for, well, four years. Honor is almost four years old - three-and- a-half.
ALBA: Yes, she`s three-and-a-half.
HAMMER: And Haven is five months.
ALBA: Five months.
HAMMER: Amazing. I get the impression it`s the best job on earth for you.
ALBA: It is. I mean, it doesn`t even feel - I mean, it doesn`t feel like a job. It just feels like it`s life and it`s what I always should have been doing. I feel like I finally, like, came into my own as a mom.
HAMMER: And how does the second time around compare? It`s obviously different. You`re coming from a place of experience now.
ALBA: Right.
HAMMER: How does it compare to what you expected it to be like having a second child?
ALBA: It`s not as daunting. And every milestone, I`m not so anxious for Haven to reach, where with Honor I was, like, "When is she going to sit up?"
HAMMER: Right.
ALBA: "When is she going to eat solids? When is going to roll?"
HAMMER: You`re not freaking out about that stuff.
ALBA: No, no, no. I`m like she`ll do it eventually. So -
HAMMER: And I remember reading somewhere you loved being pregnant, which struck me because my sister said that she loved being pregnant. Did I have that right? I saw in one interview you had given after you gave birth the first time.
ALBA: I don`t know. I don`t know if I loved being pregnant. It was fine. It was fine.
HAMMER: Maybe a third? A fourth?
ALBA: I don`t know. I don`t know. My baby is still young.
HAMMER: I do love following you on Twitter and you get to talk about being a mom and everything that`s going on in your life.
And I saw where you were exchanging tweets with another soon-to-be celebrity mom, Jessica Simpson, who said she wants to follow in your footsteps.
You really are setting such a great example for new star moms like Beyonce. Let`s talk about B for a second, because we have talked a lot about the fact that, look, people are clamoring to get a picture of baby Blue.
This always happens. It happened to you. It happens to any celebrity mother and it is a ton - a ton of pressure. Do you think she should go ahead and shoot their photo and release it?
Do you think she should just let it happen organically? I mean, everybody has a different choice to make.
ALBA: Yes.
HAMMER: But you know, it worked for you to put your picture on "OK" magazine.
ALBA: Well, really, for us, for our family, we just wanted to control the experience. And then we put the money that the picture made into a bank account for Honor to do whatever she wants to do with.
You know, it`s her picture and it`s her birth. And we didn`t want it to be like a weird thing, you know, walking out of the house with her for the first time.
HAMMER: Well, it`s scary too.
ALBA: Yes. I mean, it`s - and certainly if there`s, like, a price tag on your child, which is so bizarre, people will go to like crazy lengths.
And we wanted to avoid that like hysteria. And then also if you can control the experience and we`re friends with the photographer and always like a nice day in the house and we got pictures for our family that we`ll always have and that are really beautiful.
And yes - and then, obviously, people want to buy them and all of that. And you can just give the money to charity, to your baby and that`s it.
HAMMER: Done.
ALBA: And so - done. But I think, you know, to each his own. And it`s really not the end of the world. It`s not really the biggest thing in the world. The biggest thing is having a healthy baby and being happy in your home. And so I`m sure Beyonce will make the best decision for her family.
HAMMER: Yes. I have a feeling they will figure it out. When you gave birth, I remember you were very candid about what you felt it did to your body.
I know there`s a lot of pressure on some actresses to immediately whip themselves back into shape. And I read somewhere where you said, "You know, this is how I am and it will be what it will be."
But I also remember you got back to work pretty quickly after your first child was born. So what worked for you that you might advise a new mom like Beyonce to do, or any new mom, just something that worked for you in your regimen.
ALBA: Beyonce is not a human being. She`s, you know, really different to other people. She`s insanely talented.
HAMMER: No, no. But seriously, you had stuff that obviously - stuff that obviously worked for you.
ALBA: Yes.
HAMMER: What in particular might you suggest she do to sort of get her pre- having-a-baby body back?
ALBA: I don`t know - I don`t know if for her - I mean, I wouldn`t say - I would call her and talk to her about it because I know her. So it would be weird for me to like, I`m dishing advice on a TV show.
HAMMER: Well, can you tell us what you might say to her?
ALBA: No, no, no, no. That`s weird.
HAMMER: OK.
ALBA: But to any mom out there, you - I don`t know. It`s really just about the health of your baby and what makes you feel good.
And when you`re ready to start working out and if that fits in with your lifestyle, then go for it and try to make healthy choices. I found that prenatal yoga was really great and I continue to do yoga after.
And I just think - yes, whatever makes you feel good is what you should do. And I don`t think you should have so much pressure to like lose the weight and be this like - this idea of something perfect.
I think everybody is different. And it`s more important to be, like, genuine with what`s happening in your life at that time. So I don`t know. It`s really nice having a brand-new baby.
You just want to like stare at them all day and night and get butterflies in your stomach and you fall in love all over again.
HAMMER: Which is what makes it weird when the whole world is watching, I suppose, because you really want it to be so private. But obviously, it`s unavoidable in your line of work.
ALBA: Yes, it`s true. It`s interesting.
HAMMER: Have you spoken to her since she gave birth?
ALBA: No, I saw her right before.
HAMMER: Anything you want to say to her right now before we move on? Because I want to talk about the Honest Company.
ALBA: I don`t think she`s going to be watching.
HAMMER: She`s watching. I guarantee you.
ALBA: I`ll call her and tell her.
HAMMER: Let`s talk about the fact that, you know, not only are you a successful actress and a busy, busy mom, but now, a business owner. I don`t know if you ever imagine the time when you would be running your own company. The Honest Company was inspired by your daughters, why?
ALBA: Yes. Well, I was trying to find safe and healthy products for my kids. When you are pregnant, they`re like, like, "Oh, you now have to use this, you know, shampoo and this laundry detergent and all these things."
And I was, like, why? You know, what`s wrong with normal products? And I found that there are all these toxic chemicals in normal products and in baby products. And so I basically had to make a company that didn`t exist that offered eco-friendly, beautifully-designed, affordable products that delivers straight to your door.
HAMMER: Sounds like you are filling a good need -
ALBA: Yes.
HAMMER: Because obviously, it is a maze out there of figuring all that out.
ALBA: And it`s nice to have one company that you know did all the hard work.
HAMMER: Yes. And eco-friendly. You know, I`m right there with you on that part of it. OK. Before I let you go, you just have to tell me because everybody asks me when they heard you were coming on the show. Please, please ask Jessica.
ALBA: What?
HAMMER: Another "Fantastic Four" movie, "Sue Storm" coming out?
ALBA: I don`t know.
HAMMER: Coming back?
ALBA: I don`t know, but I am excited. You know, I`ve 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 would love to do an action movie so -
HAMMER: So if it were to happen, you`re right there.
ALBA: I would be right there.
HAMMER: Jessica, thanks so much for being with us.
ALBA: Thank you for having me.
HAMMER: And congratulations on motherhood. Hope to see you before, you know, another dozen years passes.
ALBA: Yes. Thank you.
HAMMER: Make sure you check out Jessica`s new venture, the Honest Company. It`s online, as she mentioned, at "Honest.com."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Moving now to two amazing SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. First up, it`s a "Jersey Shore" bully bombshell. You have got to see this.
How many times have we seen Ronnie explode into a rage on "Jersey Shore"? Well, the toughest guy in Seaside Heights is about to reveal a huge secret about his life before he became a self-proclaimed gorilla.
I got one on one with Ronnie. It`s a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Plus, so many celebrities have shed the pounds on the dance floor. Tonight, how "Dancing with the Stars" can help you lose weight in your living room. Tonight, dancing pro, Louis Van Amstel revealing the ballroom big weight loss secrets.
This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ newsmakers. Country legend Dolly Parton tells me about her incredible new adventure. Everyone knows about Dollywood, of course. But now, the country legend is bringing snow to Nashville. Yes, a snow park right in the middle of the south.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOLLY PARTON, COUNTRY MUSIC SUPERSTAR: But you will be able to build your snowmen at the park and the tubing and a lot of snow sports that we are going to have. That`s our first lap of this 100-plus acres that we have started.
The same as what Dollywood is. It`s a fun place for families to come. So we want to have something wonderful for tourists when they are traveling around and when school is out or in the winter time when kids are on their breaks.
Not just for tourists outside Tennessee, but for the local folks as well. But we just want the people to have a wonderful time and have a wonderful place for families to come.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: That`s Louis Van Amstel showing off his moves on "Dancing with the Stars." He has taught celebrities like Kelly Osbourne and Niecy Nash how to dance like a pro.
And of course, the extra benefit for the stars is shedding those unwanted pounds. Well, now, Louis is ready to reveal his dancing weight loss secrets right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Welcome back to a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, dancing weight loss secrets straight from the ballroom.
Think about it - Kirstie Alley, Kelly Osbourne, Ricki Lake. We have seen stars slim down while competing on the show. And now, we are revealing the real secrets to how it`s done.
The "Dancing with the Stars" pro Louis Van Amstel in a must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. Louis has a great new DVD series that`s called "La Blast." And he tells me why there is no better way to shed the lbs than with dance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) It`s always good to see you. Happy new year to you.
VAN AMSTEL: Happy new year to you, A.J.
HAMMER: We`re not past the point where I can wish you a happy new year.
VAN AMSTEL: Yes. Well -
HAMMER: And look, just to mention a few of the stars that we have seen literally transform their bodies on "Dancing with the Stars," obviously, they are all working very hard. But what would you say is the main secret to their success, the fact that they take so much off?
VAN AMSTEL: Two things that are really important. First is that dance is a workout in disguise. You don`t really feel like you`re working out.
And then, the other thing is because dance really touches you, it really is very revealing. So when celebrities get involved and they really get into it, then their self-confidence comes out.
And then, when the audience reacts to that, they want to work even harder, so they get more involved. And the more involved you get in dance, the more you shed those pounds.
HAMMER: But as you well know, there are some people who say, "You know what? I`m so out of shape I can`t possibly do this. I can`t get up there and dance." So what kind of a strategy do you have to getting people on board to let them know, "Hey, you can really do it"?
VAN AMSTEL: That`s why I developed the "La Blast" DVD series with five different DVDs. So level one is for the absolute beginner. "Let`s Dance" is basic what you need.
And anyone from losing 50, 60 pounds to people that are older or younger - it doesn`t matter. If you can clap to rhythm, you can dance it. That`s level one.
HAMMER: But here - no. Let me just - I`m going to pause you there so people - we`ll look at all the different levels which will take through different steps.
But you`ve said that about the rhythm. You`ve seen tape of me dancing and you know I can`t dance.
VAN AMSTEL: Oh, come on. I saw you -
HAMMER: So what do you tell people who can`t dance who want to do something like this? Do you need to be able to actually have that rhythm?
VAN AMSTEL: First of all, did you really give it an hour? No. You were in there for five seconds and then gave up.
HAMMER: All right.
VAN AMSTEL: And you want to control the situation. That`s the one thing if you are ready to give up control and get out of your head and let your body do it, you can do it.
HAMMER: Perfect. It`s a great program -
VAN AMSTEL: If you give me 10 minutes, wiggle on this table and you can do it.
HAMMER: I would be on my butt on the floor. I won`t be any good. Louis, great to see you.
VAN AMSTEL: Thank you.
HAMMER: And make sure you check out Louis`s DVDs called "La Blast."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
You`re not going to see me dancing on the table any time soon. My thanks again to dancing pro, Louis Van Amstel.
We move now to a "Jersey Shore" bully bombshell. Now, "Jersey Shore" may seem like, you know, it`s all about GTL - gym, tan and laundry.
But tonight we learn that there is more to the "Jersey Shore" cast than meets the eye. There is actually a deep dark secret that just might shock you about the toughest guy in Seaside Heights.
Now, it`s a SHOWBIZ news maker interview with Ronnie Ortiz Magro who reveals to me that when he was a kid, he was bullied.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) 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.
RONNIE ORTIZ-MAGRO, REALITY TV STAR, "JERSEY SHORE": 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 a friendship.
HAMMER: Yes.
MAGRO: It happened to work. We were dysfunctional though. You have seen the show.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I really do get the impression that Ronnie is pretty serious about trying to bring bullying to an end. We know it`s a very real problem. Obviously, it has hurt so many kids, so if that`s your goal, Ronnie, good on you for that.
We move on now to another startling star confession, Katherine`s crisis. Katherine Heigl revealing her emotional struggle to bond with her adopted child.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEIGL: She was well cared for and loved in her foster home. And you know, she loved - that`s who she knew and responded to. So then they shove her into my arms and I want that immediate like maternal and child thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Katherine`s incredibly candid SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview, next. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ newsmakers.
Penelope Ann Miller tells me why she thinks animals should be eligible for the Oscar and talks about her canine costar, Uggy, in the artist.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PENELOPE ANN MILLER, ACTRESS: I think Uggy got the Palm Dog Award at Cannes, so they`ve created an award for him. What would, you know, the thin man series be without Asta? So you know, when dogs like - you know, they`re characters in the movie and they make a huge part of the film and make the film better. And so - I don`t know. Why not?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Right now, Katherine`s ultimate motherhood test. Katherine Heigl is part of a wild, dysfunctional family in her new movie called, "One for the Money." It opens on January 27.
But her off-camera family drama could be the stuff of movies, too. Katherine just revealed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the details of her epic struggle to bond with her adopted daughter.
She just wasn`t sure how she would ever make it. But tonight, Katherine`s brave admission is an inspiration to moms everywhere. Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner with the SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TURNER (on camera): One of the things that I just read in an interview that you did and I thought it was actually real open of you as a mother to say and I think a lot of moms read that and said, "Oh, thank you," is the fact that you said you felt kind of inadequate for a long time -
HEIGL: Yes.
TURNER: And maybe that your bond wasn`t what it should be and you were a little jealous because you thought your husband had this great bond.
HEIGL: Yes.
TURNER: Like, really, how did you overcome that and like where are you now?
HEIGL: You know, it`s interesting because it took a while with me. I mean, not a while. It took probably a good I want to say a year of us having to work on our relationship before I felt like she really trusted me.
And it`s interesting because that`s - you don`t think of that when you go through the process of adoption. And now, this child had spent nine months of her life in somebody else`s arms and she was well cared for and loved in her foster home.
And you know, she loved - that`s who she knew and responded to. So - then they shove her into my arms and want the immediate maternal and child thing. And she is looking at me like, "Who are and you why did you just steal me from these people?"
TURNER: Wow! That`s -
HEIGL: And I don`t know when - I think with Josh, it was - I`m actually - I directed a video for him. He wrote a song called "Naleigh Moon" about our daughter for his album.
And I`m watching all this old family home video footage of the two of them and it was so effortless for him. He put no pressure on himself. He just was himself with this child where I was trying to be, you know, the perfect mother and everything that I expected or thought she expected.
We were supposed to have this thing and I`m supposed to create this, you know. He just kind of would into a room and make her giggle and make her laugh. And there were videos like when she first came, she was like a little, you know, grumpy or something.
And there videos of him like filming her and he`ll say things to her like, "Look at you, sour puss!" You know, and she is just like looking at the video and look at him. And he`ll do something and she will finally laugh.
I learned a lot from him, actually. I started following his lead and just had to let it go and be - have enough perspective to know that this will come around, that this child will come around.
TURNER: And it did?
HEIGL: Oh, yes. She needs us for different things, like from me, she wants snuggles and cuddles and kisses and comfort. From him, she wants, you know, to be chased around the room and to be tickled and attacked and that sort of thing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That makes sense. I can`t wait to see Katherine`s new movie called one for the money it opens next Friday.
And that is it for this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ newsmakers. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Thanks for watching.
END
