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Showbiz Tonight
Bobby Brown`s Big Blunder; Should Bobby Leave His Tour?; Never- Before-Heard Stories About Whitney Houston`s Funeral; Miranda Lambert Versus Chris Brown; Bethenny Frankel`s Pain; Are Seal and Heidi Back Together?
Aired February 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, SHOWBIZ HOST: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - - Bobby Brown`s big blunder? Tonight, why did Bobby walk out on Whitney Houston`s funeral? Did he make a big mistake?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Someone asked him to get up. He wouldn`t get up. I thought they should have accommodated him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, defending Bobby Brown. Is Bobby really to blame? And Bobby back on tour the night of the funeral.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOBBY BROWN, SINGER: I want to give blessings to my ex-wife, Whitney Houston.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -- should Bobby leave his tour for the sake of his daughter? Tonight, the never-before-heard stories about Whitney`s funeral from those who were inside.
Oprah, in tears. Ray J, in pain. Legendary singer Roberta Flack is right here tonight with her revealing experience at the funeral.
Her personal emotional connection to Whitney`s mom, Cissy Houston. How is Cissy doing? Roberta Flack tonight in a must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with big news breaking tonight -- Bobby Brown`s blunder at Whitney Houston`s funeral or not?
Well, there`s a raging debate tonight over whether Bobby Brown was wrong to walk out on his ex-wife`s funeral not long after he arrived.
But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing new information tonight about why Bobby left. And when you hear both sides of the story we are about to reveal tonight, if you thought Bobby we was wrong, you just might change your mind.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It seems like the entire world watched as Whitney Houston`s family, friends and fans said goodbye to her in this weekend`s touching funeral.
But now, that goodbye is somewhat marred by controversy, a controversy that like those Whitney Houston often faced in life involves her ex-husband, Bobby Brown.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Talk a little bit about what exactly happened in that Bobby Brown controversy.
HAMMER: This morning, news shows were talking about an ugly dispute at Whitney`s beautiful memorial. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can confirm Bobby Brown left the memorial in an apparent seating dispute.
ALEXIS TERESZCUK, SENIOR REPORTER, "RADAR ONLINE": He had a fit and he left and stormed out of the church after about 20 minutes totally causing a scene and totally embarrassing himself.
JOE CARTER, PASTOR, NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH: He was asking to come and have two guests. But the issue was he brought like nine or 10 people with him, seated in the family area.
HAMMER: This morning, the pastor of the church that hosted Whitney`s funeral told "Good Morning America" Bobby Brown simply brought too many people with him.
CARTER: We asked him to stay but to tell his company, those in the party, we were going to get seats for them, but he categorically said no and he left.
HAMMER: But right after the funeral, Jesse Jackson told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner that Brown should have been treated better.
REV. JESSE JACKSON, SAW BROWN LEAVE WHITNEY`S FUNERAL: It seemed that he was here in earnestness. He (INAUDIBLE). He should have been accommodated, so he left. I hope that matter will be resolved.
HAMMER: Another sad chapter in Brown`s long and troubled relationship with Whitney`s family.
TERESZCUK: There`s been a very complicated relationship between Bobby Brown and Whitney`s family. They blame him for a lot of her drug abuse.
There was even some concern after Whitney`s death that Bobby was not going to be invited to the funeral. So when he actually did show up, it was a sign of peace between the two warring camps.
HAMMER: There doesn`t seem to be peace now. Right after Bobby Brown left the funeral, he lashed out in a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT saying, quote, "I failed to understand why security treated my family this way. This was a day to honor Whitney. I doubt Whitney would have wanted it to occur. I will continue to pay respects to my ex-wife the best way I know how."
B. BROWN: I want to give blessings to my ex-wife.
HAMMER: The night of the funeral, Bobby Brown paid respects to Whitney Houston at a concert with his group, New Edition, in Connecticut.
B. BROWN: I love you.
HAMMER: But now, some are saying he needs to pay his respects by leaving that tour.
TERESZCUK: Sources have told "RadarOnline.com" that they think that Bobby Brown should end his tour. They think that he needs to be with his daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Bobbi Kristina is taking her mother`s death so hard.
HAMMER: And seemed, like her parents, reportedly has struggled with substance abuse.
TERESZCUK: She`s a little girl who has struggled over the years with the fame that comes with having two very famous parents.
HAMMER: And this morning, Whitney Houston`s friend, gospel singer, BeBe Winans, told "Access Hollywood Live" Whitney would want Bobby in daughter`s life.
BEBE WINANS, GOSPEL SINGER AND WHITNEY HOUSTON`S FRIEND: Even when they decided -- when she decided to divorce, she knew and told Bobbi Kristina, "He will always be your father. You will need your father."
No matter what happens, she will have her father because her family -- Whitney`s family understands that.
HAMMER: So as the world says goodbye to Whitney, attention turns to the troubles faced by those she left behind.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, as we`ve seen in recent years, it is hard to discuss Whitney Houston without Bobby Brown somehow entering the discussion.
And unfortunately, this whole Bobby Brown controversy today is taking away what was such a beautiful service on Saturday. So today, the question is, should Bobby Brown have performed at this concert in Connecticut just hours after storming out of Whitney Houston`s funeral?
Syndicated radio host, Ralphie Aversa was at that concert. He shot this video. He joins me now in New York for the SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. Appreciate you being here, Ralphie.
So give me a sense what his mood was like at the show, because, obviously, he`s got a job to do and he has to get up there and perform in front of a lot of people.
RALPHIE AVERSA, SYNDICATED RADIO HOST: Well, as we saw earlier with that introduction that New Edition does of each member between the third and fourth songs, everybody came out and said their names.
Bobby Brown paid respects to his ex-wife, Whitney Houston. There was no other mention of Whitney Houston until the very end of the show.
And really, in between those two mentions, it was one big party that they threw at Mohegan Sun Arena. I mean, they did all of (INAUDIBLE) sets. Bobby Brown did "My Prerogative" and they went as far back in New Edition`s catalogue, that "Candy Girl" debut from `83.
HAMMER: 1983 -- a song that didn`t even hit the charts, but it was a big hit.
AVERSA: I wasn`t even born yet.
HAMMER: Yes. I do want to take a quick look, again, Charles, if we can roll it out. This is the part where he did address Whitney Houston during the concert and Ralphie caught this on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
B. BROWN: I lost three great people in my life in the last year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know, Bobby. We`re praying for you.
B. BROWN: Nothing makes me happier than to be right here. Thank you so much. God bless you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Listen, we heard Brown said that nothing makes him happier in troubled times than performing and we heard the crowd more-or-less supporting him, it sounded like.
But there are reports out there of people saying that he should stop touring and be with Bobbi Kristina. What do you make of that?
AVERSA: Well, I don`t know if Bobbi Kristina and the family around Bobbi Kristina want Bobby there. It almost seems like, especially after he made that comment, which was towards the end of the show, that this tour with New Edition and being on stage is almost a form of therapy to help him get through all this.
HAMMER: Yes. And I think people -- look, the cynical people out there say, you know what? He wants the money and that`s why he`s doing it. And why shouldn`t he, after all?
But it will be interesting to see, now that they`re on a break, if he does spend time with his daughter. I`m guessing he will. Ralphie Aversa, thank you so much.
So Bobby Brown`s New Edition tour is set to resume in a month after the scheduled break that they`re on right now. A lot of people slamming him for taking the stage the very night of Whitney`s funeral.
This brings us to this SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -- should Bobby Brown stop focusing on his career and just focus on his daughter, Bobbi Kristina.
Let me bring you two people who were right there with me in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, bringing you HLN`s special coverage of Whitney Houston`s funeral.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner who is joining me from Hollywood. Jane Velez-Mitchell, host, of course, of HLN`s "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ- MITCHELL," with me here in New York.
And our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint is this, ladies, should Bobby Brown stop focusing on his career and just focus on helping his daughter through this very difficult time. Jane, let me get your take on that.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Well, there is an old SHOWBIZ motto, "The show must go on." And I know people in show business -- my mother was in show business -- take this very seriously. No matter what, the show must go on.
And it`s really something that`s very heartfelt. So I don`t judge him for that. Furthermore, these people who are saying he should cancel everything and not do anything. Well, how is going to pay his bills?
And if he were to do that and then spend a lot of time with his daughter, a lot of people would say, hey, he`s latching on to his daughter because she`s about to become a very wealthy woman.
So I don`t know that he can win. Now, I don`t applaud his behavior at the funeral, but I do understand why he took the stage.
HAMMER: And I also think it`s presumptuous for people who don`t know his relationship with his daughter to assume that she wants him there or that`s even the best thing for her if they do have a tumultuous relationship.
But there`s this other Bobby Brown controversy raging tonight. And Nischelle, right after the funeral, I know you spoke with the Rev. Jesse Jackson about Bobby Brown`s hasty exit and the reverend seemed to take Brown`s side. Our next SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, was it wrong for Bobby Brown to walk out of Whitney`s funeral or was he mistreated? What`s your take.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think it`s actually yes on both parts, A.J. You know, one of the things that Rev. Jackson said was he felt like Bobby should have been accommodated.
Bobby said the same thing. His side was he came there with his family, his kids, who are Whitney`s step kids for 14 years. And he felt like Whitney would have wanted them all there.
He says they were all invited, so feels like he was mistreated. Should he have left? Absolutely not though. I mean, he is the surviving parent. Bobbi Kristina lost her mother. There is no way in heck he should have walked out of that church.
Even if they moved him 25 times, he should have stayed here. Would he have been upset afterwards? Probably, but be the adult and stay there and be there for your daughter. He was wrong to leave.
HAMMER: I couldn`t say it any better than that. Nischelle Turner, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thank you both.
Well, tonight, the incredible emotions from inside Whitney`s funeral. Whitney`s very close friend, Ray J, breaks down, just devastated over Whitney`s death.
But what was it like to be right there? Well, legendary singer, Roberta Flack, is right here. And she reveals her experience at the funeral and a very personal connection to Whitney`s mom, Cissy.
It`s Roberta Flack tonight in a must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Miranda Lambert`s war of words with Chris Brown. Tonight, the country superstar not about to let anyone forget Chris Brown`s assault on Rihanna. I`m going to show you what she just did to teach Brown a lesson. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Tonight, the stars say farewell to Whitney. Oscar nominee, Viola Davis, reveals to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT why Whitney was so special to her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VIOLA DAVIS, ACTRESS: All of her songs meant something special to me at a special time in my life. And I just feel like her talent was an anointing. I don`t think there`s going to be anyone that follows her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, inside Whitney`s funeral at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey while most of us watched the funeral on television.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the untold story of what it was like inside the church.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And now, what you didn`t see at Whitney`s funeral from somebody who`s right there. Oprah in tears. Ray J devastated.
With me tonight, in New York, CNN producer, Raelyn Johnson. Raelyn was inside the church, sitting 20 pews behind Whitney`s family.
Raelyn joining me right now for a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. It is great to have you on the show. Clearly, Oprah was just one of many celebrities who came to what was called this home-going for Whitney and was very touched.
And the day after the funeral, she shared her thoughts on a video that she posted on YouTube. I want to watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, OWN NETWORK MEDIA MOGUL: You know, I woke up thinking about a home-going celebration for Whitney and wondering if there was some way we could have all come together and celebrated her while she was alive. That`s what I woke up thinking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, obviously, Oprah and everybody, very touched and very moved. Now, we didn`t see Oprah at all as we were watching this on television with the rest of the world. Tell us what we didn`t see.
RAELYN JOHNSON, CNN PRODUCER: What you didn`t see were all of the tears, the hugs, the patting on the back, the clapping, the standing, the singing. There was such a range of emotions.
And I tell you, that was nearly a four-hour ceremony, but I didn`t know that. It didn`t feel that way because, for three and a half hours, it felt like we were just having church on Saturday morning, which I`m used to.
I go to church a lot. My family is Baptist so I know what it felt like to be in church and to be celebrating someone`s life. It wasn`t until the very end that we all sort of pinched ourselves and it got really serious.
HAMMER: Well, yes. And that`s the thing for me. What struck me just watching it on television outside the church -- I`m sitting there in the CNN truck, watching this all go down. And it felt like a celebration.
And I was sitting there, actually, with CNN`s Don Lemon who also grew up in a Baptist Church, who said, yes, this is what a service feels like in our church.
And it felt like a celebration up until that moment when the casket was hoisted at the end. And I`m saying it now, I felt --
JOHNSON: I know.
HAMMER: I felt my heart getting tugged at. What was happening inside the church at that moment that we didn`t see with Cissy Houston, Whitney`s mother, and Bobbi Kristina, her daughter? Because it has to have been such a powerful moment.
JOHNSON: It was. It took all our breath away. And there was an audible -- we all let out a gasp when the casket went up in the air and just rested on the shoulders of these six broad men.
And at that moment, you could hear Cissy wail. And you can hear everyone breaking down. I saw Oprah has a face full of tears. Cissy Houston was completely, completely devastated. And I could Ray J reach his hand up towards the casket --
HAMMER: Right. He was trying to touch it. You could tell how devastated he was, I imagine.
JOHNSON: And wipe his tears away. There were no words because he was one of those people, like a lot of people who kept it together, for a long time.
But no one, no one could be that strong the minute her body went in the air with "I Will Always Love You" playing.
HAMMER: And to be clear, sitting inside, it was a funeral service. It was a home-going.
JOHNSON: Absolutely.
HAMMER: It didn`t for a moment to you, I imagine, feel like a television production at all?
JOHNSON: No, it didn`t at all. I know people might have a hard time understanding that. But Cissy Houston brought her child back to where she was born.
Whitney Houston went back home, listening to the organs and the piano and the singers who sang when she was a child. She went right back to the appropriate place. She shared her child for so long and it was time to bring her back home again.
HAMMER: Thank you for sharing the personal inside story of what was happening in there, Raelyn Johnson. It must have been just amazing. I appreciate it.
Well, fans outside of the funeral were just as emotional as the guests who were inside that church on Saturday. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner was right there on the streets of Newark with the fans who were standing out there.
We knew how cold it was, Nischelle. Even though the barricades were keeping them far away from the church, they were there and the fans didn`t care how far away from the church they were because they just wanted to feel connected and a part of Whitney`s farewell.
TURNER: Absolutely, A.J. They said they were the Whitney faithful. That`s what they called themselves. They told me despite the police barricades, they felt the need to be there, to pay their respects to the family.
And they said one thing was clear -- Whitney was always loyal to her hometown, Newark, New Jersey. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She always, always was a person, at least I feel, that always resonated with the people of Newark. She loved kids. She had a school named after her.
So you know, despite what happened with her personal life, we`re not concerned about that. The bottom line is that a mother has lost a daughter and daughter has lost a mother.
So that -- you cannot down grade that. Once the flowers die, when the cameras go away, the family has got to deal with reality. They lost a daughter.
TURNER: Well said. Well said.
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
You know what, that scene happened so much, A.J. Someone would just start singing a Whitney Houston song and the entire crowd would join in.
HAMMER: Yes.
TURNER: It was actually a really sweet, nice thing to see.
HAMMER: Yes. I always hear that going on everywhere. All right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, thank you so much.
So yes, the fans were watching from outside of the church. But what was it like inside Whitney`s funeral for one of the legends who was there?
Well, singer Roberta Flack is right here tonight with her revealing experience from the funeral. Plus, a remarkable connection to Whitney`s mom, Cissy Houston. I want to hear how Cissy is doing tonight. Roberta Flack right here from a must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
And inside the Whitney death investigation that`s still going on. How close are we to finding out what really happened to Whitney? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks news, next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Tonight, the stars say farewell to Whitney. Actor Anthony Mackie reveals to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT why it`s hard for him to say goodbye to Whitney Houston.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY MACKIE, ACTOR: I think Whitney was a musical genius. And I think the gift that God blessed her with, she was humble enough to give us many years of it. And I`m sad to see her go, but I love the fact I was able to experience her in my lifetime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have concluded the autopsy on Ms. Whitney Houston. It was concluded today. There will be no cause of death at this time because it is pending toxicology, and that could take up to six to eight weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, the still unanswered question, what killed Whitney Houston? It is now been a week since the coroner said that we have to wait for the toxicology tests.
So just when will we know why Whitney died? While we don`t know what killed Whitney, we do know that prescription drugs were found in a room.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that investigators are now looking into doctors, pharmacies, even Whitney`s behavior in the days before her death. But how soon will we learn the truth?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter has been investigating all of this since the day that Whitney Houston died. Kareen joining me tonight from Hollywood.
So Kareen, the coroner`s office made it clear the toxicology reports are going to take at least five weeks to complete. That`s pretty standard fare. But I know you`ve learned that it actually could be sooner?
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: That`s right, A.J. We just learned from a source close to the investigation that a rush has, in fact, been placed on the toxicology testing, so we could see something a lot sooner than five weeks come in.
We`ve also learned officials have contacted the doctors as well as the pharmacies, A.J., linked to the prescription drugs that Whitney was talking at the time of her death, including Xanax.
Sources close to the death investigation tell me that they`re actually going through Houston`s prescription drug history using a drug database to basically help them connect the dots here, A.J.
HAMMER: Yes. And we`re looking at these pictures, Kareen, from that night she was in Hollywood a couple of nights before she died, which brings up the behavior.
So much has been made of how she was acting in the days before she died. We previously confirmed from a source that Whitney was drinking heavily in the days before her death. Will that impact the investigation in any way though?
WYNTER: Well, A.J., that`s really what`s interesting here, the fact that investigators are looking at video of Houston from her various public appearances as well as possible surveillance video from the Beverly Hilton where she was found dead that may shed some light here on her behavior inside the hotel in the days and even hours, A.J., leading up to her death, so we`ll see.
HAMMER: We will see -- everybody looking for answers. All right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter, thank you.
Now, we move to the SHOWBIZ lineup -- here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
This is wild. Country superstar Miranda Lambert on the war path against Chris Brown. Tonight, why Miranda is still fighting mad about his assault on Rihanna and what she`s doing to make him pay.
Also, tonight, a reality star`s painful confession about her miscarriage. Bethenny Frankel is opening up today about her heartbreak. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Tonight, the stars say farewell to Whitney. Michelle Williams tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT how she defines Whitney`s legacy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE WILLIAMS, SINGER: For me, Whitney`s legacy will be just the awesome voice that she has. I honor her. God blessed her with such an amazing gift and I love her so much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- Whitney like you`ve never known her. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes you inside Whitney`s family.
Legendary singer, Roberta Flack, is right here. She is sharing her surprising personal connection to Whitney`s mom, Cissy. It`s an emotional and revealing SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
And Miranda versus Chris, the celebrity feud that`s getting hotter by the minute. Why Miranda Lambert thinks Chris Brown shouldn`t be allowed back in the spotlight three years after he abused his then girlfriend, Rihanna.
And Bethenny`s startling confession. Reality star Bethenny Frankel revealing today her emotional secret about having a miscarriage.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Thank you for watching.
We have big news breaking tonight -- inside Whitney Houston`s family, the terrible pain that they`re obviously dealing with tonight following Whitney`s funeral.
Tonight, fans are flocking to Whitney Houston`s grave site to pay their respects by flooding the site with flowers, tributes and mementos to honor her memory following her funeral that brought together some of the biggest celebrities in the world.
But even with worldwide outpouring of love and support, the Houston family must now somehow find a way to deal with their personal pain.
Legendary R & B star, Roberta Flack, is a close friend of the family and was invited by her mother, Cissy Houston, to attend the funeral. Roberta`s with me tonight in New York for a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. I`m honored to have you sitting here.
ROBERTA FLACK, SINGER: It`s my pleasure, A.J.
HAMMER: You know what? As we were talking before we got underway, I`m sorry it`s under these circumstances. But I think you can really give people some insight and help them feel better connected to everything that is going on. Obviously, Saturday a very difficult day for everybody.
FLACK: For everybody.
HAMMER: Particularly Cissy. Now, you have known Momma Houston, as she`s called, for a very long time. She sang backup for you from what I understand.
FLACK: Yes, she did. In my first couple of albums, she was there, right there.
HAMMER: Can you give us a sense of how you think she`s doing today?
FLACK: I think it`s very hard. I think when a mother loses a child under any circumstance, it`s a kind of pain that can only be described as overwhelming.
I mean, anything else -- if you say "devastating," "awful," "hard to bear," all of those things certainly can apply. But overwhelming, because when Cissy came out of the church behind Whitney`s casket, I was standing right at the door.
And she looked at me and I grabbed her face and kissed her. And she just broke down and, of course, so did I. But in her breaking down, I felt something. I felt an almost helpless kind of, you know, thing that she did.
When she gave in, she was like -- oh, you know. And of course, when she came out of the church behind the casket, she was screaming for Whitney, "My baby, my baby, my baby," which Whitney will always be, you know, no matter what the circumstances when we recall Whitney and her life and her accomplishments and her unfortunate passing.
To Cissy, the will always be, you know, "My baby, my baby." And it was very poignant.
HAMMER: It must have been so tough for you as long time friend to see --
FLACK: It was.
HAMMER: Particularly because all of the stories that I have heard say what a strong woman Cissy Houston is.
FLACK: She is strong. I mean, you know, she left the kids at home with their dad and went off to sing with Elvis and all the other people, Aretha, you know, and Dionne, I think.
But you know, this is -- in the show business world, especially world of music, where you are a background singer -- if you`re upfront like Whitney was, that might be a different kind of experience that she could have shared with her mother.
Cissy Houston`s experience with the most incredible vocals you have ever heard in your life singing background, you know, for all these artists, and not being out front herself, not having, you know, the people wait on her, you know, having to do a lot of her own stuff and just making herself.
And that is the kind of confrontation she would probably have had frequently and that will make you strong. If it doesn`t, you know, do you in, it will make you strong.
HAMMER: Yes. What about you? How did the funeral impact you? Was there a particular moment that you`ll carry with you the rest of your life, a particular point in the service?
FLACK: I think when Stevie Wonder, who I absolutely adore and love and admire, decided to honor what I guess he considered at least some sort of a request from Whitney. Whitney loved the song "Ribbon in the Sky." And Stevie sang that song and he substituted the words -- I`m getting ready to cry.
He replaced the words so that they applied to Whitney. And he started by saying April and his voice broke -- April and he went on to say 1963, which is, of course, her birthday.
And then he just ran through a little brief history, melodically, of what she had done, how she had gotten here, her mom, the church, her accomplishments, you know, and you know, that she would always be his ribbon in the sky, which is a very, very, very wonderful, special, special thing, I think.
The other moments that touched me deeply were, of course -- I was very, very moved by Clive Davis and Kevin Costner, especially Kevin Costner.
HAMMER: And it was heartbreaking --
FLACK: It was heartbreaking.
HAMMER: To hear Clive Davis talk about the conversation he had with Whitney just days before she died, where she`s talking about her plans for the future and talking about how she`s been working on getting better and stopping smoking.
FLACK: I know. I know.
HAMMER: It was tough to watch. I can`t imagine being there. And of course, everybody -- everybody is thinking about Cissy`s granddaughter - -
FLACK: Bobbi Kristina --
HAMMER: Whitney`s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, who understandably has had a very difficult time. And there have been so many reports about her having an especially difficult time since the funeral on Saturday. What sense can you give us of how she`s really doing?
FLACK: I think she`s suffering in a way that represents tremendous loss, because, you know, any time in our lives when we lose our parents, whether we`re, you know, her age, which is 18 or 38 or 48 or 58 or 68, when we lose our parents, that`s a connection that can only be described as so maternal as to make you almost feel an umbilical kind of separation, you know, if you can feel that.
It`s that intense. She has to grow like all young people have to grow and maybe make a few mistakes and have some great accomplishments. And --
HAMMER: You look at the list of legends who were at this service on Saturday -- you, right up there on the list of legends. I mean, look, Roberta, you`re iconic.
And I was so happy to see that you are covering another set of legends, the Beatles. I just think this is terrific, because, of course, we know you for your remarkable iconic hits that I`ve known for years that I`d listen to on the radio all the time, from "Killing Me Softly" to "Feel Like Making," "The Closer I Get to You" with the great Peabo Bryson.
And now, your first solo in 13 years, you choose the Beatles, which might strike some people as, really? And I think it`s genius, but can you explain why you chose to do that?
FLACK: I don`t think there is a better song than "Golden Slumbers." Once there was a way to get back home again. You know, and it was those kinds of lyrics that just kept playing over and over and over again in my head.
"There are places I`ll remember all my life, though some have changed." And just song after song after song, "Something in the way he moves me." You know, "Little Darling, it`s been a long cold winter."
I mean, I can just go on and on and on. The words, first of all, and then the melodies. I mean, there are so many people I know would not consider themselves singers or musicians or even people who like music enough to try to express it, their appreciation of the song.
But they can`t help but sing, "Let It Be," "When I find myself in times of trouble," you know, "let it be." They just can`t, you know. Any time somebody plays that song, "Here Comes the Sun," I mean, it`s just so incredible, the songs.
The thing that I liked that I had a chance to do, A.J., was choose some songs that were not that familiar to me and play with them like I changed the melody and a lot of the approach that we hear from the Beatles on, "I should Have Known Better," you know.
I threw in a little la-da-di, la-da-da, so that you hear that over and over again, because the songs says I should have known better that a guy like you would break my heart in two. I should have known better.
So at the end, la-da-di, la-da-da. And that`s not, of course, in the original. I had a wonderful time. I can talk to you about this forever.
HAMMER: Yes. It sounds like it. I`ve got to tell you, you give me chills just singing a couple of notes for me right here. It`s so good to have you here, Roberta.
FLACK: Thank you. Thank you. Make sure -- do you have a copy of the album?
HAMMER: I`m going to make sure you sign my copy of the album.
FLACK: OK. Great.
HAMMER: I`m not letting you leave without doing that.
FLACK: Great. Great. Great.
HAMMER: Roberta Flack, thank you again.
FLACK: Thank you, A.J.
HAMMER: And make sure you check out Roberta`s CD. There it is. It`s called "Let It Be, Roberta" -- Roberta Flack sings the Beatles. It`s available now on "Amazon.com."
Got to move on now to Miranda Lambert`s war with Chris Brown, the explosive celebrity feud. That`s all about Brown`s return to the spotlight three years, of course, after he beat his then-girlfriend, Rihanna.
Bethenny`s bombshell. Wait until you hear about this. Bethenny Frankel`s startling revelations today that she had a miscarriage.
Tonight, the stars say farewell to Whitney. Gospel singer Yolanda Adams talks to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about her close friendship with Whitney Houston.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOLANDA ADAMS, GOSPEL SINGER: I had a fun relationship with Whitney. Whitney was so beautiful, just wonderful, one of those friends that would always make you laugh when you saw them.
I want people to remember the giver that gave hundreds of millions of dollars to different charities. She loved children. She loved people. And that`s what I want people to remember about her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight, battling Chris Brown.
There is nothing like a good Twitter war. But today, country star, Miranda Lambert and Chris Brown took it to a whole another level.
Now, they have been going at it ever since Chris performed at the Grammy Awards over a week ago. And he also won a Grammy that night.
Now, you have got to hear what has been going on since. It is just unbelievable. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, right there in Hollywood tonight.
Nischelle, I think it would be a massive understatement to say that Miranda is furious that the Grammys let him perform twice because she thinks that he should still be punished for beating up Rihanna three years ago.
TURNER: Oh, that`s exactly what she thinks, A.J. Now, the Monday after the Grammys, Miranda tweeted this, "And Chris Brown twice? I don`t get it. He beat on a girl. Not cool that we act like it didn`t happen."
Now, she was, of course, referring to Brown`s arrest three years ago for beating up his then girlfriend, Rihanna, the night before the Grammys.
Well, you know what happened next. Brown responded to Lambert`s tweet with one of his own saying, "Oh, hate all you want because I got a Grammy now. That`s the ultimate (EXPLETIVE DELETED) off."
Now, Lambert tweeted back, of course, but she also went after Brown in her concert when she held up a poster that read this, "Take note, Chris Brown," and said where she comes from, beating up on a woman is never OK.
Then Brown fired back a few more tweets basically saying, "Oh, you`re using my name to get publicity. I love it."
HAMMER: Yes, of course, he does. All right, Nischelle. Thank you so much. Syndicated radio host, Ralphie Aversa, is with me tonight in New York.
And here`s what I`m thinking, Ralphie. Don`t invite Chris Brown and Miranda Lambert to the same party. It`s just not going to work. Yes, we`re going to have some trouble there.
But I`m also thinking, look, Chris has had trouble with Twitter and mouth disease before. He spouted off where he shouldn`t have said things that have gotten him into trouble. Shouldn`t he just not respond, finally, for once take the high road? I know it`s tough being beaten down in public but still --
AVERSA: Yes, you`re absolutely correct. Chris has not been treated fairly. That being said, Chris has not done Chris any favors whatsoever.
And I don`t understand it. At what point is this PR camp going to decide, "OK, you know what? Maybe Chris Brown shouldn`t be handling his twitter account. Maybe we should handle it"? And then Chris calms down, he could take it over.
HAMMER: Yes. But that`s not going to happen, because it would have happened already --
AVERSA: You`re right.
HAMMER: And he wouldn`t have gotten himself into all this trouble. At the same time, you can try to understand where he`s coming from, "Look, she`s saying smack about me. How can I just sit there and take it."
Sometimes, I think you`ve got to sit there and take it, I guess. Now, here`s another tweet I want to read to you that was fired off from Brown to Miranda, "Using my name to get publicity. Love it. Perform your heart out. Go buy Miranda Lambert. So motivational and perfect. Good night to all the people who live life and who aren`t stuck in the past."
Now, Miranda is not the only one who`s ticked off that performed at the Grammys twice. Some people said, "OK, if he`s going to perform once, that`s enough. But twice, are you kidding me?"
I`ve heard that from a lot of people. But is it wrong, do you think, for him to suggest that people who are so angry about what he did to Rihanna are stuck in the past?
AVERSA: Well, they are stuck in the past. And I think it`s fair for him to assess that because Rihanna is not stuck in the past, especially in this all of these reports now that those two may be back together, that this week, they`re supposed to release a track together called "Birthday Cake."
You know, Rihanna isn`t in the past. She`s forgiven Chris Brown. She`s obviously moved on. I think Chris has a hard time understanding why other people have not.
HAMMER: Yes, I hear what you`re saying. I guess the idea though that being stuck in the past when it comes to something like this that people need to be aware of.
I don`t hold them responsible in terms of I think he has the opportunity to rehabilitate himself if he does the right thing, and that means never doing what he did again and so far thank goodness, so (INAUDIBLE).
AVERSA: He has paid his debt to society and, you know, he`s listened to everything that his attorney, Mark Geragos, has told him. And you know, he`s gone through all of this rehab and his community service.
HAMMER: Now, if he could just keep his mouth shut.
AVERSA: Exactly.
HAMMER: All right. Ralphie Aversa and Nischelle Turner, thank you both so much. You know, we`re gearing up for the huge Oscar showdowns coming up this week.
So get on the SHOWBIZ road to gold with us. Hollywood`s A-list going head to head this year like never before.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigating the biggest Oscar face-offs. Here now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter with the knockdown battles for Oscar gold.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) George Clooney and Brad Pitt are going toe-to-toe. Viola Davis and Meryl Streep are duking it out. And Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer are neck and neck. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you these Academy Award nominees and long time pals make up the hottest showdowns this year.
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: I hope you were the groom.
WYNTER: Clooney and Pitt share one of Hollywood`s most talked-about bromances, first teaming up in "Ocean`s 11."
PITT: We`re going to shake things up.
WYNTER: Pitt shook up a lead actor nomination for "Money Ball." Clooney earned a nod in the same category for "The Descendants." And it sounds like the rivalry is heating up.
WYNTER: What`s up with this friendly competition between you and your best bud, Brad Pitt, up for "Money Ball"?
CLOONEY: There`s nothing friendly about it. I`m going to say that right now.
PITT: We`re going to wrestle it out in the end. We`re just going to fight it out and the last man standing takes it all.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: My money is on Brad.
PITT: Not at all. He`s my first --
JOLIE: I mean, in a fistfight.
WYNTER: And they`re not the only big stars squaring off on the road to gold.
VIOLA DAVIS, ACTRESS: I can whoop Meryl Streep`s behind in a good old- fashioned street fight. Now, as far as Oscar`s, I don`t know about that.
WYNTER: "The Help`s" Viola Davis may not know, but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you she`s currently the favorite in the lead actress category despite being nominated against two-time winner, Meryl Streep.
DAVIS: I`m just honored to be in their company.
WYNTER: Viola`s co-star in "The Help," Octavia Spencer, tells us she`s honored to battle it out for the supporting actress Oscar. That big showdown pits her against her pal, "Bridesmaid" standout, Melissa McCarthy.
OCTAVIA SPENCER, ACTRESS: Now, if it were people that I didn`t know, maybe there would be that competitive thing. But I know what she`s been through and she knows what I`ve been through. We`re thrilled to be there side by side.
WYNTER: Side by side or head to head, these showdowns will be decided on the Oscar stage. But no matter who ends up with the gold, the contenders seem to be enjoying it.
CLOONEY: It`s really nice. It`s fun.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And of course, we`re going to be having big fun covering the Oscars like no one else from the red carpet to the surprising behind-the- scenes stories. It`s "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold." Our live red carpet coverage starts 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Now, Heidi and Seal together again? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals Heidi Klum and Seal`s future as a couple. So are they about to kiss and make up? Or are they really splitting up for good? What is the truth? 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: Cheryl Tiegs first celebrity to be kicked off this season of "Celebrity Apprentice." SHOWBIZ first look: First clip of "The Amazing Spiderman" hits the Web.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I`m not a messenger. I don`t -- I`ve got to have - - I`m having dinner with these --
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: What`s in the bag?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I`ve got to go to dinner.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Who are you going to see?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Gwen Stacy. You know Gwen?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Your name?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Peter -- sorry. Peter Parker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETHENNY FRANKEL, REALITY TV STAR: We were pregnant with a second baby. At eight weeks, I miscarried. And that was a very emotional experience and it had a lot of different things that came with it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Some sad news from Bethenny Frankel. Her startling and heartbreaking revelation on the "Today" show about having a miscarriage.
Bethenny also revealed this morning that she went through a rollercoaster of emotions following her loss. Bethenny and her husband, Jason, were hoping to give their beautiful little girl, Bryn, a sibling. But now, Bethenny says she`s just happy to focus on Bryn.
And there`s also big news breaking tonight about Heidi Klum and Seal`s shocking split. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal brand-new reports the superstar couple will not getting back together.
Now, this is despite all the speculation since they announced their breakup last month that they might kiss and makeup. So happily ever is not on their horizon anyway.
Let me bring in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner from Hollywood. I know it`s sad, Nischelle, but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has just confirmed Heidi and Seal moving forward with their divorce.
And I think what really had so many people believing they might actually reconcile was we were watching Seal after the divorce announcement. He kept talking about how much they still loved each other.
TURNER: Yes.
HAMMER: People kind of held out hope, which I think is why it kind of feels like a second shocker, doesn`t it?
TURNER: Yes. I mean, a little bit. It`s kind of like a semi-shocker though, A.J., and here`s why. I mean, they announced they were separating.
The word "divorce," we didn`t quite hear. Both of them still had their rings on, so we all believed could there be a chance. But you said it just a second ago, and here`s the kicker.
We always heard Seal talk about how much they were still in a love and Seal talk about these things. But nobody ever heard anything from Heidi. And I think maybe Seal might have been wanting to put that out in the universe and hoped that that happened. Not sure if that`s the case for Heidi Klum.
HAMMER: Yes. Even though we don`t know exactly what happened there or maybe we`re getting a clearer picture of how things may possibly have gone down.
TURNER: Yes.
All right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, you know, sometimes you`ve got to keep your distance when you`re trying to get through a breakup. That`s how it works out. Thanks, Nischelle.
As we move on, tonight, listen to this, Paris Hilton hits the jackpot. She is now $30,000 richer tonight, as if she needs the money. Come on!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, Paris Hilton hits the jackpot as if she really needs it. Paris just hit a huge $30,000 payout in Vegas. It happened over the weekend when she was there celebrating her 31st birthday and she was playing blackjack.
Well, after her massive win, Paris hit the Vegas clubs and she tweeted that the night was epic. She also tweeted, "I love gambling." Yes, I`m thinking who doesn`t love gambling when you rake in $30,000 playing a hand of blackjack, right?
Hey, I`m glad that Paris had some big birthday luck. I don`t want to get down on her right there. But if anyone is not really in need of more cash, I`m thinking it`s Paris Hilton, right?
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively week nights at 11:00 p.m. and Pacific here on HLN.
Stay right here for "DR. DREW," next. Tonight, Drew takes you inside Whitney`s funeral. The surprising and emotional stories from the celebrities who were there, including her friend, Sheryl Britta(ph). That starts right now.
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