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Showbiz Tonight
Demi Moore Hospitalized; Paula Deen`s Publicist Quits; SHOWBIZ Exclusive Interview with Tony Bennett; Tim Gunn`s Revelation About His Sex Life
Aired January 25, 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 -- tonight, SHOWBIZ mysteries. What happened to Demi? Why was Demi Moore rushed to the hospital? Why was 911 called? Did she really collapse?
Is this all related to her devastating split with Ashton Kutcher? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the Moore mystery.
Tonight, another startling SHOWBIZ mystery -- why was Paula Deen just dumped by a long-time trusted member of her inner circle? Is it because of the controversy following Paula`s diabetes bombshell?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA DEEN, CELEBRITY CHEF: I was diagnosed three years ago, during a regular physical exam with my doctor that I had Type II diabetes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, with a national treasure. The legendary Tony Bennett right here tonight in a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview as Tony tells all about his show-stopping duets with Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, with big news breaking tonight -- the SHOWBIZ Moore mystery. What happened to Demi Moore?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is here to reveal the troubling and the mysterious new questions that surfaced after Demi was reportedly rushed to the hospital.
Well, tonight, Demi`s folks are only telling us that she`s being treated for exhaustion. And really, when you think about it, what an exhausting few months it has been for her ever since her marriage to Ashton Kutcher fell apart, that, of course, followed claims that he was cheating on her.
So where was Ashton the night of Demi`s reported emergency? Well, he took a break from partying with supermodels in Brazil for this -- get a load of this picture that Ashton tweeted, surfing the water-filled streets of Sao Paolo.
Well, Ashton went to Brazil for a fashion catalogue shoot while he was on a break from shooting his hit sitcom, "Two and a Half Men," certainly a far cry from the disturbing situation Demi Moore now finds herself in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) The news is as upsetting as it is mysterious. Actress Demi Moore, fresh from her painful breakup with husband Ashton Kutcher, was reportedly rushed to a hospital. Her reps say she`s suffering from exhaustion.
DAX HOLT, PRODUCER, TMZ: Demi has been suffering from a lot of stress over the last couple months.
HAMMER: Here`s what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed tonight. The L.A. Fire Department tells us, Monday night, they responded to a 911 call and took a patient to a local hospital.
The Fire Department wouldn`t say if the patient was Demi Moore, but it did say the 911 call originated from the very same street where Moore lives.
HOLT: Our sources are telling us that she was placed into this medical facility, basically for her own good.
HAMMER: Several outlets are reporting today that Demi Moore is being treated for substance abuse. Moore`s people aren`t commenting on those reports.
Her publicist tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Because of the stresses in her life right now, Demi has chosen to seek professional assistance to treat her exhaustion and improve her overall health." Meanwhile, Demi`s family is rushing to her side.
HOLT: We did see photos of her daughter, Rumer Willis, outside the hospital yesterday afternoon, looking very nervous and worried.
HAMMER: Demi Moore has wrestled with substance abuse in the past. Her reported drug and alcohol abuse almost got her fired from one of her most famous early roles, 1985`s "St. Elmo`s Fire." She went to rehab and cleaned herself up.
But around the time of her split from Ashton Kutcher, reportedly because of his cheating, there have been some signs that Demi is having a rough time.
HOLT: We know that over the last couple months, she`s looked extremely thin. There was a movie premiere in New York that she walked the red carpet in this dress. And everyone was commenting about how extremely skinny she was looking.
HAMMER: After her latest health scare, it appears now, just like in the `80s, Demi`s personal issues are affecting her movie career. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed Demi Moore has pulled out of her latest movie role playing feminist icon, Gloria Steinem, in a biopic of porn star, Linda Lovelace.
HOLT: So I don`t know if this treatment -- if this is a sign that she`ll be in for treatment for a lot longer than most of us think.
HAMMER: For now, no one can say for sure exactly what is troubling Demi Moore, but it`s looking very much like Demi Moore is a star in crisis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
It really is remarkably disturbing how far Demi Moore seems to have fallen incredibly fast. How worried should we be? Is her treatment for exhaustion a sign of even worse things to come?
With me here in New York, Wendy Walsh, a doctor of psychology and co-host of "Doctors." Also here in New York, entertainment journalist Jane Notar.
All right. Look at all we have going on here. You have Demi being rushed to the hospital. You have these unconfirmed reports of substance abuse. These pictures of her looking disturbingly skinny. All of this going on just after her marriage with Ashton Kutcher fell apart.
Wendy, what can something as stressful, as a public divorce has to be, do to somebody with the kind of past struggles Demi Moore has had?
DR. WENDY WALSH, CO-HOST, "DOCTORS": You know, these are classic symptoms of anxiety and depression related to a breakup. I mean, this is an attachment disorder.
This is what happens when, on some level, our brains believe that our partner is our lifeline, and when they go away, we could be dying.
You know, the point is, she should have done a lot of this work before she was on the eve of her 50th birthday. I mean, she`s potentially out partying with her 23-year-old daughter. She`s potentially flirting with young men again.
This is some work that I think the time -- she`s hitting the bottom, where it`s time to do the work.
HAMMER: Yes. Obviously, we have to be careful about giving her a hard time, if she has real issues that she`s dealing with.
WALSH: Right.
HAMMER: I think, hopefully, she`s getting the proper help that she needs. But you know, certainly, Jane, everybody is going to speculate, particularly given her past, that this is at least somewhat related to her breakup. I mean, it`s not farfetched at all.
JANE NOTAR, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: I mean, how can we say it`s not. I think the latest issue of "Harper`s Bazaar" where she talks about her fear of being -- that she`s going to die knowing that she`s not lovable, that she has no control over things anymore.
This is obviously a woman that`s racked with insecurities. She`s known for being gorgeous. She`s not necessarily known for being a great actress. Now, as you say, she`s hitting 50. Things are falling a little.
WALSH: It`s heartbreaking.
NOTAR: Yes. And she can`t keep up the facade anymore. It`s --
(CROSS TALK)
WALSH: There are other ways that women can get self-esteem. They can get through their children, through being wives, grandparents, through being a mentor and being a smart older woman. And that`s OK. You don`t have to be a highly-sexualized young woman well into your 50s.
NOTAR: Unfortunately, that`s not how society -- society has valued us.
HAMMER: Yes. And you know, the thing is you see this going on and -- I hate to use the cliche, the term "cautionary tale." But you wonder why anybody would get involved with Hollywood, if they`re really looking at what can ultimately happen.
WALSH: Yes.
HAMMER: You are so used to getting, you know, all this attention. And then, suddenly, things go south very fast. And the only thing, as I mentioned, that Demi`s folks are telling us that she`s being treated for exhaustion, which can mean a lot of things.
But Wendy, given everything that we`ve seen going on with her over the past couple months, how worried should we be?
WALSH: Well, remember, people enter Hollywood because they`re looking for a pill to fix their ill, the pill being all the attention -- lights, camera, action and entourage.
HAMMER: Not everybody.
WALSH: You and I for sure. And what happens is, they don`t count on the fact that it will and can go away. The young men, the lights, camera, entourage will go in ebbs and flows, so you have to find your self-esteem somewhere else.
HAMMER: Yes. And the truth is divorce, as we know, and I remember studying this somehow back in college -- I don`t know in what class. But the idea of getting divorced is worse than death for a lot of people.
NOTAR: Well, isn`t it? It`s so stressful. But then, how come it is in Hollywood, there`s so many divorces, and in reality, there`s not so many.
Is it a case of there`s more money in Hollywood, that people throw money at a problem? We can divorce, as if because if doesn`t cost us anything. And --
HAMMER: And this is something -- this is something we`ve gone back and forth on for years. And the truth is, obviously, I think, for anybody, as stressful as marriage can be for any person, when you put it under the glare of the spotlight, it adds a whole heap of other things.
But it`s remarkable the similarities between what Demi is going through, and of course, another glamorous `80s icon who is going through a hard time right now. And of course, is Heather Locklear.
Striking similarities here. Like Demi, Heather was recently hospitalized with what was widely reported to be substance -- related to substance abuse. Like Demi, Heather has reportedly struggled with substance abuse in the past.
Like Demi, Heather has also gone through a recent painful public breakup, back in November with actor Jack Wagner. They announced their breakup just days before Ashton and Demi announced theirs.
So many people wonder, how do stars, who seem to have it all, fall so fast and so furious?
NOTAR: Well, isn`t there -- I believe in -- and I know in Demi Moore`s family, there was substance abuse. And I think in Heather Locklear`s as well, there was substance abuse, so taking away the fact that they`re famous and they`re movie stars. Maybe that`s something that runs in the family.
(CROSS TALK)
WALSH: And let`s is not forget what substance abuse is. It`s a way for people to try to medicate emotional pain.
HAMMER: Right.
WALSH: So again, some people enter Hollywood because they have emotional pain. They enter these relationships hoping it will relieve emotional pain. And then, these relationships abandon them and this is what you call an attachment injury.
HAMMER: And also as I am quick to point out, it`s a disease for many people --
WALSH: Yes.
NOTAR: Yes.
HAMMER: Which is why we have to be careful of what we`re saying about. But great to have your insight on this, Wendy Walsh, Jane Notar. Thank you so much.
Still to come, a big-time shocker from the ladies of "The View" today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STARR JONES, FORMER CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": With prayer and counsel, I feel like this is the right time to tell you, the show is moving in another direction for its 10th season, and I will not be returning as co-host next year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s right. You remember Star Jones` dramatic exit from "The View." Well, today, Barbara Walters has made a startling announcement, Star is coming back. What`s going on here?
A stunning SHOWBIZ mystery. Paula Deen getting dumped by a longtime member of her inner circle. Is it fallout from the controversy around Paula`s diabetes bombshell?
And the legendary Tony Bennett right here for a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive. You`ve got to hear what he`s revealing about his infamous duet with Lady Gaga.
(MUSIC)
And Tony tells us if he thinks Gaga will go home with a Grammy at the awards show next month. 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: Simon Cowell teams up with Will Smith to launch new DJ talent show. Jerry Seinfeld says he never felt comfortable with success of his sitcom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERRY SEINFELD, COMEDIAN: To be honest with you, I never felt great being, you know, at that pinnacle. There was a point where the show was really at a very high level of, you know -- it was a thing. It was the thing for a period of time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes.
SEINFELD: And I just thought, this is not good. This is not where I belong. You know what I mean? This is not comedy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
SEINFELD: I always thought comedy and star are mutually exclusive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DEEN: I was diagnosed three years ago, during a regular physical exam with my doctor, that I had Type II diabetes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Celebrity chef Paula Deen made that shocking announcement on the "Today" show. That was just last week, and she has been under siege ever since.
And now, the queen of buttery cooking is dealing with a firestorm, and a fallout that can`t even be imagined. Her long time powerhouse publicist is now dropping out of the game.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, is Paula Deen in crisis in a huge way? She`s smack in the middle of a brand-new controversy tonight after it was revealed that her long time publicist quit.
Now, we learned this news just a week after Paula got skewered for confessing that she kept her diabetes secret for all these years while continuing to build an empire on buttery, high-fat cooking.
And of course, the icing on the cake, the fact that she signed on as the spokesperson for, of all things, a diabetes medication. Paula and her publicist parted ways back in December. But did Paula`s diabetes drama have anything to do with it?
With me now, in New York, entertainment PR and brand strategist is Marvet Britto. From Miami tonight, publicist Gary Rosen.
Gary, I want to start with you. You are a publicist. You know exactly how this game works. There obviously could have been other reasons, but the timing is certainly suspect to me and lots of people. Do you think Deen`s longtime publicist did quit because of Paula`s diabetes secret?
GARY ROSEN, PUBLICIST: I think, A.J., it could have been because of the secret, number one. It`s possible that she knew and kept that secret, but also because of the endorsement and the working with the drug company.
You know, when you`re a publicist, especially for a major celebrity, and I think Marvet will agree, you have to believe in the brand, and you have to believe in what they`re doing, because you have to sell it to the media.
And if you have a problem with it, a personal problem with that, you`re not going to be able to do that. So it was probably in everyone`s best interest that their relationship ended.
And they had a great relationship, and she did wonderful things for Paula`s brand. But sometimes it`s just better to part company.
HAMMER: Yes, you make a great point that maybe she just thought it could work. But she knew what was coming down the pike. Clearly, I think it`s pretty obvious that`s what happened here.
We reached out to Deen`s former publicist. Let me read to you what she told us. She said, "I had the pleasure of working with Paula for close to six years. I stopped working with her on December 1st. She`s a great lady. We had a lot of fun and I wish her well."
Clearly a well written statement, Marvet, by a terrific publicist. And her publicist -- top of the game. I mean, a really a very well-respected, renowned publicist. But she was with Paula for six years, really a part of the inner circle. I think this really looks bad for Paula Deen.
MARVET BRITTO, BRAND AND PR STRATEGIST: Absolutely. It really speaks volumes that a PR person would walk away from a client, particularly -- six years is like 60 in PR.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRITTO: But it`s important for PR people to always put their character and integrity before the check. And for her, the spirit of the brand had been compromised. So the very DNA and heritage that Paula Deen had built --
HAMMER: Sure.
BRITTO: Alongside the strategist was compromised. So it was harder for her to really effectively do her job.
HAMMER: And the truth is, you guys have a career to protect as well.
BRITTO: Absolutely.
HAMMER: If you want to get new clients in the future, they may say, "Oh, she was with Paula Deen when Paula went through that whole thing." So that can`t always be a good thing.
There is more news breaking tonight. This story blows me away. Star Jones returning to "The View." This is the first time she will be on the show since her dramatic stunning exit.
Of course, Star co-hosted "The View" for nine years. She was one of the originals. And then made the unexpected announcement live on the show back in `06. Let`s watch that together.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
S. JONES: I feel like this is the right time to tell you, that the show`s moving in another direction for its 10th season and I will not be returning as co-host next year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, that was then. Just today, Barbara Walters announced that Star is going to be a guest on "The View" in February. Gary, what do you think? Is that a good move?
ROSEN: I have to tell you something. I love "The View." I love Barbara Walters. I thought Star Jones, at that time, handled that situation so poorly.
Clearly, things were not working out and Barbara and company were giving her a wonderful exit with a big tribute and it was going to be terrific.
And Star took matters into her own hands and exited on her own terms and was done. As far as bringing her back now, I get -- you know, six years, bygones be bygones. Will it generate a rating that day? Absolutely.
HAMMER: Oh, sure.
ROSEN: You know, but --
HAMMER: Let me just point out. I don`t think it will work unless they`re totally honest with everybody, Marvet. I think they all have to put their feelings out on the table. Quickly, you represented Star for so many years. Do you think it`s a good move?
BRITTO: I think that hearts can mend around the topic of heart disease. And let`s not forget, Barbara Walters is --
HAMMER: Which is why she`s coming on the show.
BRITTO: Absolutely. Barbara Walters is a seasoned, strategic media person --
HAMMER: Yes.
BRITTO: The best in the business. So for her, it`s all about ratings.
HAMMER: Yes.
BRITTO: And "The View" has done a great job of being very in the forefront of media with having great controversial figures on the show, Star Jones being one of them.
HAMMER: I just want to see them be honest with one another.
ROSEN: Well, and also --
HAMMER: I want to see Joy say how she really feels. I`ve got to end it there. Gary Rosen, Marvet Britto, I do appreciate you both being here tonight.
Got to move on right now for something I cannot wait for -- a true living legend, the voice of the century. It`s a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive with the one and only Tony Bennett right here tonight for a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
And Tony will reveal to me some surprising new details about his infamous duet with the late Amy Winehouse.
(MUSIC)
Tonight, did Tony know that Amy was in trouble?
Also, Alec`s shocking revelation. Alec Baldwin speaking out tonight about whether or he`s leaving "30 Rock" to run for office. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
This is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Rihanna shows off tattoo tribute to late rapper Tupac Shakur.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks news about one of Hollywood`s biggest movie franchises. Nick Nolte is spilling the secrets about a movie institution. Plus, "Real Housewives" star is coming to daytime TV.
And is Alec Baldwin gearing up for a major career change, or can we actually expect another season "30 Rock"? Well, that story tops "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Alec for president? "30 Rock star Alec Baldwin just revealed in a brand-new interview with CNN`s Piers Morgan that once he`s had enough of the whole acting business, he plans to pursue his passion for politics.
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: I mean, I do want to run for office one day, but what it would be and when and how is still something that I`m trying to think very seriously about because, A, I`m not done doing what I`m doing now for at least a couple of more years.
There`s so many different things that happen in the political world over the course of two years, that in that amount of time, maybe the not too distant future, I`ll survey that again and think about, "Is there an opportunity for me?"
Bethenny`s new gig. Reality star turned business mogul, Bethenny Frankel is coming to daytime with a new talk show.
Bethenny Frankel took to her blog to share the big news, "I have exciting news for you, guys. The queen of too much information is coming to daytime. It is going to be an exciting journey and I can`t wait for you to join me. Thanks for being so loyal and supportive. Without you, this wouldn`t be happening."
SHOWBIZ breaks news. Nick Nolte, who has just received an Oscar nomination for supporting actor for his role in "The Warrior," revealed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what really got in the way of making a 48-hour sequel.
NICK NOLTE, ACTOR: They wouldn`t go with my story, you know. I have a story that I think would have made that sequel really work.
I wanted to be busted out and I had been thrown off the force. Eddie gets out of prison, and then he has to go figure out who it is that politically set me up. Nobody (UNINTELLIGIBLE) at that time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yes, I think that would have worked. Oh, well -- now, it`s time for the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(MUSIC)
Tonight, two blockbuster SHOWBIZ exclusives. I can`t wait for this. Music icon Tony Bennett revealing to me the secrets behind his amazing duet with the late Amy Winehouse. Tony right here in an exclusive must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
And SHOWBIZ rocks Sundance. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT going one on one with Sundance favorite, Chris Rock. And get this -- he`s got an Oscar secret he`s dying to tell us. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Kim Kardashian donates $50,000 to Trevor Project to prevent suicide among gay youth. "Big Brother`s" Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas to compete on "Amazing Race."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- two big exclusives. Tony Bennett is here. Tonight, Tony`s Lady Gaga Grammy prediction and his most memorable moment from his Grammy-nominated duet with Amy Winehouse.
Tony Bennett, the musician, the artist, the legend -- he is right here for an unforgettable SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
And another SHOWBIZ exclusive rocks the house. Chris Rock getting serious at Sundance. We go one on one with Chris as he reveals his biggest Oscar hosting secrets.
Reality star Tim Gunn`s sex confessions. Tonight, his very intimate new admission and why Tim doesn`t care who knows.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with an incredible SHOWBIZ exclusive, the legendary Tony Bennett.
Now, we`re just a few weeks away from the Grammy Awards. Once again, Tony Bennett will be up for more of them. He`s nominated three times this year for his remarkable album, "Duets II." It features him singing with the likes of Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse.
And if he wins he can add those trophies to the 15 trophies he`s won over his incredible 50-plus-year career. Tony is with me in New York tonight for an exclusive SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. It`s always a pleasure to see you.
TONY BENNETT, SINGER: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: I mean, here we are again, and talk about timing, Tony. I believe it is almost 50 years exactly from the time that you recorded your signature song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Can we watch a bit of that together?
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hey, yes, very nice, right?
BENNETT: I remember that.
HAMMER: You did pretty good there.
BENNETT: I remember that.
HAMMER: It`s always incredible watching you perform. And you won your very first Grammy award for that song. Here you are, 85 years old, still getting nominated. It never gets old, does it?
BENNETT: Well, I`m so fortunate about the Grammys I`ve received, 15 Grammys through the years. And I love it, because the convention of the music world gathers around the Grammys.
And it`s the one time all of us entertainers are on the road in different parts of the world. And it`s the one time when we all get together and have a big feast of saying hello to one another and reminding where we met and where we performed with one another. So it`s always a joy for me to be around the Grammys.
HAMMER: Yes. And it happens throughout the week. I remember distinctly, I think the first time you and I met was on the red carpet of the Grammys some probably 16 years ago, I think when the Grammys were still at the shrine.
And I said to myself, this is one cool cat right here, because he`s one of the biggest stars on the planet and he`s enjoying seeing every star around him.
And to think you were at the very first Grammy awards, and it`s still just as exciting today as it was then for you, isn`t it?
BENNETT: Oh, it gets bigger every year and it`s more exciting every year. I love it.
HAMMER: And we`re so thrilled that we have some new Tony Bennett to enjoy. I`ve been loving listening to "Duets II." Obviously, it`s an incredible album.
BENNETT: Thank you.
HAMMER: And a lot of people obviously were very quickly talking about the fact that you did "Body and Soul," this song, the duet, with the late great Amy Winehouse.
BENNETT: Right.
HAMMER: I know you have extraordinary respect for and really admired her talent. If you could take me back to that recording session, what`s the magical memory from that time in the studio with her?
BENNETT: Well, everybody said, look out, you know. But she showed up completely sober, you know, and with her dad. And they were so nice to me. And she told me -- she said when she received her first Grammy years ago, she said it wasn`t that she won that they`re thrilled of, but that fact that Tony Bennett announced that she won.
And she was a big fan of mine, and now, she`s recording with me and she just loved it. And she was very caring about what to do.
When we got to calm her down and everything -- I just mentioned Dinah Washington, I said, "I think you`re influenced by the late Dinah Washington."
She said, "How did you know that?" She said, "That`s my goddess." She said, "That`s the one I love more than" -- and it relaxed her completely and the record came out beautiful.
HAMMER: Yes. And you can hear that in her voice, anybody who`s listened to Dinah Washington and Amy Winehouse over the years.
So you say to calm her down -- was she just so nervous about the fact that there she was now about to record with you?
BENNETT: You know, I`ll tell you --
HAMMER: Because you`re not an intimidating guy.
BENNETT: What I found out is that entertainers that have butterflies before they perform are always good. It`s the ones that don`t have the butterflies that they don`t care if it goes over or not. They don`t go over.
The public is very intelligent about that. If they see someone that cares for what they`re doing, has that little edge of nervousness -- you know, they just say, "I hope the lights work. I hope the orchestra blends together with me."
And they feel that way before they hit that stage. They`re a thoroughbred. These are the greatest -- Sinatra, Lena Horne, all the greatest performers I`ve ever met. They always have little butterflies before they hit the stage.
So nervousness is not a failure. It`s when you`re not nervous that`s a failure, because that means if you don`t care, why should the audience care?
HAMMER: 100 percent. And I know somebody who definitely feels exactly that way is the great Lady Gaga who`s so meticulous about everything and wants everything to be perfect for her audience.
BENNETT: Oh, yes.
HAMMER: She`s so devoted to her fans. And how great that you are singing with her "The Lady is a Tramp" on "Duets II."
Take me back to that recording session, because I imagine it was a much different dynamic with the Gaga than it was with Amy Winehouse. What was the magical moment there for you?
BENNETT: Well, what happened -- a lot of my fans have mentioned, "How come you`re laughing while she`s singing?" On the record, you hear me giggling about it. And what happened is I had no idea that she was that good a singer.
A lot of people just look at her as a big pizzazz, you know, just kidding big, you know. But actually, she is a magnificent singer.
And the way she improvised spontaneously and so prepared, she walked in, memorized the songs and what she was going to do. And yet she really completely improvised the performance.
And I found myself chuckling every time she would do a phrase, I`d say, boy, is this -- I was saying to myself, boy, what a singer this girl is.
HAMMER: And did you get the sense that she was totally comfortable improvising on this song that she would do with you?
BENNETT: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
HAMMER: And you said go for it.
BENNETT: She`s a great singer.
HAMMER: She is in for a real showdown this year at the Grammys. It`s great to see her nominated again. She`s up for best album. Personally, I think "Duets II" should have been nominated. I know you`re thrilled just to have the nominations you got.
But Let me run down her competition for Lady Gaga. Of course, Adele, nominated for 21. I mean, she`s such an extraordinary performer. Foo Fighters are nominated for "Wasting Light," Bruno Mars for a great album, "Doo Wops and Hooligans."
Rihanna is nominated for her "Loud" album. I know it`s tough to make a prediction, but I`m going to ask if you have a thought on that category. I think Adele is going to be a tough one to beat this year, quite frankly, in any category.
BENNETT: I think she`s a magnificent singer and she`ll win an awful lot because she`s a beautiful new singer. Actually, she`s the best singer I`ve heard that`s ever come out of Britain. She`s a wonderful singer.
HAMMER: Well, we`ll see how she does come Grammy night. A lot of people make comparisons and I think it`s easy to make them between Lady Gaga and Madonna. I think that was easy to latch on to.
BENNETT: It`s two different people.
HAMMER: Yes. But there are people -- I agree, they`re so different. And there are people who say that Gaga is a Madonna copycat. I don`t see that at all. I get why people say it, but they`re not really looking that closely.
BENNETT: But there`s difference between Madonna and Lady Gaga. And even Madonna admires Lady Gaga, you know. I saw that on a television interview, you know, when she said she really admires Lady Gaga an awful lot.
There`s no -- it`s not competitive. It`s just two different things and she`s -- Lady Gaga is absolutely different. She`s very creative, very spontaneous and has so much talent that I think she`s going to end up surprising everybody through the years.
HAMMER: I think the best is yet to come for sure. There is another singer who`s getting a whole lot of buzz right now. And I would like to take a look at this individual with you, if you don`t mind.
BENNETT: OK.
HAMMER: Mr. Bennett, let`s look over here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: To know that Rev. Al Green was here.
(singing) I`m so in love with you.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, Tony. I thought he did great. I want to get your take on that. Your thumbs up or thumbs down. hang on to your thoughts.
I want you to analyze President Obama`s singing in just a moment from the Apollo Theater, so stay right where you are. I`ve got to find out exactly what you think about that, and some questions from our Facebook fans, people dying to ask you a few things.
We`ll get right back with the great Tony Bennett. I also have to get to Chris Rock`s big Oscar secrets tonight. Our exclusive new interview -- the former Oscar host tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what it`s really like to stand on that stage trying to make some big time movie stars laugh. That`s got to be tough.
And Chris reveals his favorite Oscar host of all time and the secrets about how Chris landed his serious new role, getting a lot of buzz right now at Sundance. 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: John Krasinski tells SHOWBIZ his advice for newly engaged Drew Barrymore.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KRASINSKI, ACTOR: Being engaged for a while is really, really fun. Everybody -- the first question they ask is, "When are you planning?" But you shouldn`t be doing anything for about three or four months.
DREW BARRYMORE, ACTRESS: I know. I totally agree.
KRASINSKI: Just enjoy. It`s a whole nice phase.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you enjoying that, too?
BARRYMORE: Very much. Yes, I don`t want it to go by too quickly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Then to know that Rev. Al Green was here.
(singing) I`m so in love with you --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, there`s been much debate about how well President Obama did when he sang a little bit of Al Green`s classic, "Let`s Stay Together." That was at an event at the Apollo Theater. So what does the great Tony Bennett think?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer, back with the legendary Tony Bennett for an exclusive SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. Tony up for three Grammys for his fantastic album, "Duets." Again, it`s just a pleasure having you here in the studio again.
BENNETT: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: So you saw the president.
BENNETT: Right.
HAMMER: He wowed the crowd. They all went nuts. He sang a little bit of "Let`s Stay Together."
BENNETT: I believe in that. So if the audience likes it, actually it should have gone on the charts. I think he would have had a hit record.
HAMMER: Now, with iTunes they could spin it out there right away.
BENNETT: Right.
HAMMER: It could have been released the next day. But you know, I was thinking, of course, they`re going to applaud for the president`s singing. I didn`t even realize he had that kind of voice, did you?
BENNETT: No, he`s a lot of fun. You know, he`s very intelligent and I admire him an awful lot. I think he`s a great man, great president.
HAMMER: It`s nice to hear you say that. And I know you consider yourself a pacifist when it comes to politics and certain things. But were President Obama to call you up -- maybe he sees you tonight and sees your enthusiasm --
BENNETT: You know, I like what he said. I`ve sung for every president since Eisenhower. And he came right out, not to me, to everybody. He just said, "I`m not interested in celebrities."
All the others needed celebrities to show how nice they are and all that. You know, we all performed in the White House for them. I did with Stevie Wonder. I performed with him when he first started out with his wonderful wife. We had a great time.
HAMMER: Well, you have great advice for other people out there, for the other politicians to pay close attention. And I understand, Tony, you`ve given out some good dating advice. Now, stay with me on this.
Alec Baldwin just appeared on CNN`s "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT." And he wanted to thank you apparently for setting him on the right path. Shall we watch what Alec said?
BENNETT: OK.
HAMMER: Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: I`m dating a woman who`s younger than I am. She`s a lot younger than I am. I sometimes think about that. And I know, Tony, you`re with Susan and you`re quite a bit older than her.
And he looked at me and he goes, "Yes, people say that to me all the time. And I say to them, consider the alternative." I want to thank Tony, but respect it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: There you go. You get a little thanks, which makes me wonder, what`s the best piece of advice somebody ever gave you? Because I know the grounding, the foundation of where you started from, you had a great deal of support.
BENNETT: Well, the best advice I ever got was Pearl Bailey. She started me out when Rosie and I were on an amateur show, and we both won that night.
And she said, "Now, Tony, I could give you a break." She started -- she booked me in Greenwich Village and herself in the Pearl Bailey Review. That was the first big time show that I did.
And she said, "Look out for the helium in the brain." And there`s a lot of truth. I mean, John Lennon even mentioned it when the Beatles first hit. They really hit the wall, because they became so big that they didn`t quite know what to do.
And they all kind of got in trouble at that moment. And I did the same thing, even though she said to me, "Look out for the helium in the brain."
Your ego -- it takes over like there`s so much happening when you become very successful that it just takes time to really learn how to relax and just do your work.
HAMMER: You figured it out, because as I said, the first time we met some 15, 16 years ago, I thought, for one of the most famous guys on the planet, he`s one of the most grounded guys I`ve ever met. So obviously, you let the helium go.
BENNETT: Yes, right.
HAMMER: We put on our Facebook fan page today the fact that you were coming on here. So many people were writing in their questions.
I want to throw a couple of them here. We have this one from Sharon L. who writes, "Who was his favorite duet and why?" Now, I know that`s tough. You have to be diplomatic there. You`ve done so many.
BENNETT: Right.
HAMMER: But if you have an answer for that --
BENNETT: Well, I love so many of them, but I must tell you, my favorite person to sing with is K.D. Lang.
HAMMER: I would have thought, yes.
BENNETT: You know, see, just every time I hear her sing, whether I`m doing a duet wither or not, whatever she`s doing. We did a tour down in Australia, and it was fantastic.
You know, she was a tough act to follow. The public loves her so much, and she sang -- I like -- every time she sings, I say, "That`s the right way."
HAMMER: Yes. And here she is on "Duets II" --
BENNETT: Right.
HAMMER: Which is so great. Let me move on to another question from our Facebook page, this one from Robert W., "Who is the one person you have not collaborated with that you would want to work with."
I imagine you could work with anybody you wanted simply by picking up the phone. Is there someone?
BENNETT: Well, unfortunately, the person`s gone now, but the late Louis Armstrong. I just regret that -- I loved his music so much. He invented rap and swing and hip-hop and all the disco. He invented all this that everybody`s doing, and I would have loved to have recorded with him once.
HAMMER: I`m going to skip ahead, Charles, if you stay with me here to the question from Donna Jean D., who writes this, "What is the connection for you between music and painting? Do you hear music when you paint?" And I know it`s a huge passion of yours.
BENNETT: It`s the same technique in both -- you know, learning about composition, what`s a good beginning, what`s a good ending, what`s a good middle.
Less is more is very important, you know, when you don`t do too much. It`s like staying on the stage too long. That`s incorrect. You have to know when to do just enough.
And it`s the same way in painting. So they`re both related. The painting teaches you how to sing, and the singing teaches you how to paint.
HAMMER: Keeps the brain moving along on both sides.
BENNETT: It does.
HAMMER: Well, Tony, it`s an honor and a pleasure to have you here.
BENNETT: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: We don`t applaud very often around here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(APPLAUSE)
BENNETT: Oh, thank you.
HAMMER: It`s Tony Bennett. Thank you so much for being. Have a great time at the Grammys and best of luck.
BENNETT: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: And make sure you watch Tony team up with some of the greatest singers out there for an incredible PBS special, its great performances and that airs this Friday.
Just two weeks after Tony Bennett hopefully takes home his Grammy award, we`ll be moving on so the Oscars, of course. Billy Crystal back as host this year.
Tonight, former host Chris Rock is revealing his favorite Oscar host of all time to us. One on one with Rock, next. 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: Actor James Farentino dies of heart failure at 73. "Glee" star Lea Michele is the new face of Candie`s.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, SHOWBIZ at Sundance. We are breaking big news at the Sundance Film Festival with Chris Rock in Paris. When we caught up with Chris, the Oscar nomination buzz was still in the air in Park City.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner had to ask Chris about reports that his friend, Eddie Murphy, might actually make a surprise appearance at the Oscars this year. And Chris reveals who he thinks is the best Oscar host of all time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: I had a good time hosting the Oscars. And maybe I didn`t make it for the room enough. You know, I`d rather make the ushers laugh than the executives laugh. Way more ushers.
TURNER: Exactly. So Billy Crystal, though -- I mean, he`s probably, I guess, one of the --
ROCK: He`s the greatest Oscar host of all time.
TURNER: You think so?
ROCK: He`s going to knock it out the park.
TURNER: Did you ever say anything to Eddie? Have you talked to him and said, "What are you doing dropping out?"
ROCKER: I was at his house to watch the fight. It never came up.
TURNER: Really?
ROCKER: Never came up.
TURNER: You never thought to say, dude, really -- I mean -- he`s a different cat. We know that.
ROCK: I would have loved to have seen him host the Oscars. I would love to see Eddie Murphy with a microphone, you know, what I mean? Even not hosting the Oscars.
TURNER: Yes. Because I mean, he hasn`t done standup in, what, 25 years or something like that? That`s crazy. There was a rumor that maybe he could make a cameo. Have you heard that? Maybe show up with Billy Crystal?
ROCK: No, I haven`t heard. I haven`t heard. That would be cool. I love him. It would be funny.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, Chris asked Eddie. I`m sure he did. Well, Chris actually not serving up too many laughs in his new movie. That seems to shock everyone except for Chris because he says there`s much more to his career than comedy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROCK: People, you know, I get offered what I get offered. What people don`t realize -- you know, people ignore the fact that, you know, I`m a husband. I`m a father. I`m this other guy, a taxpayer. I`m Republican.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "Two Days in New York" opens in limited release later this year.
Well, coming up next, reality star, Tim Gunn`s sex confessions. Tonight, his very intimate new admission and why Tim doesn`t care who knows.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: All right. I have to get into this. Right now, it is Tim Gunn`s sex confession. Now, we know that the mentor from "Project Runway" is always straight to the point.
So perhaps we shouldn`t all be surprised that he`s not cutting any corners as he reveals to the world why he hasn`t had sex in 29 years.
On his new daytime show, "The Revolution," Tim defended his choice to be celibate. Let me read to you what he said, "I haven`t had sex in 29 years. Do I feel like less of a person for it? No, not even remotely. I`m a perfectly happy, fulfilled individual."
Now, Tim says that the dawn of HIV AIDS around the time he ended an intense long term relationship is a big part of the reason why he hasn`t had sex in so long.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. You can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively weeknights, 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific here on HLN.
"DR. DREW" is next. Tonight, the medical mystery of 13 high school girls with Tourette-like symptoms continues starting right now.
END
