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Showbiz Tonight
The Amazing Mystery; Chris Brown`s Wrestler Smackdown; Adele`s Flip Off Flip Out?; Star Jones Return to "The View"
Aired February 22, 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 - amazing mystery. Tonight, a reality show producer who once with worked for "The Amazing Race" found dead in his hotel room in Africa.
Disturbing reports he was poisoned. But what really happened? Tonight a must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker exclusive.
Chris Brown`s wrestler smackdown. Tonight, Chris` bizarre feud with wrestling champion C.M. Punk over Rihanna gets raw. Punk`s brand-new video attack revealed today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
C.M. PUNK, WRESTLER: I will make you feel as weak and as powerless and as scared and alone as any woman who has had the misfortune of knowing the sad, cowardly little boy such as yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, is C.M. Punk trying to body slam Chris Brown`s big comeback? We will ask him in yet another SHOWBIZ newsmaker exclusive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADELE, SINGER: Goodbye.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Adele`s flip off flip out? Why did Adele give the middle finger on the British version of the Grammys as SHOWBIZ dares to ask, did she really do anything wrong?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with big news breaking tonight - an amazing mystery.
Tonight, a reality show producer who once worked for "The Amazing Race" is dead in Africa. His name is Jeff Rice. And tonight, Jeff`s grieving family and friends are looking for answers after disturbing questions were raised today about why he died, including reports that he may have been poisoned.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ tonight is bringing you exclusively two very close friends of Jeff Rice, both executive producers of reality shows that they worked on with Jeff. Joshua Gates is the host and co-executive producer of "Destination Truth" on SyFy.
Liz Bronstein is the executive producer of "Whale Wars" on Animal Planet. Both are in Hollywood tonight. Our exclusive SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview with Liz and Joshua in just a moment.
But first, the late-breaking developments tonight in the mysterious death of Jeff Rice.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here we go.
HAMMER: On reality shows like "The Amazing Race," adventure and danger are part of the game. But for the "Amazing Race," the danger may have hit frighteningly close to home.
Jeff Rice, an American freelance producer who had worked on the current season of "The Amazing Race," died suddenly while working in Africa.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the death of this behind-the-scenes reality show adventurer is shrouded in mystery.
SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION" ON TRU TV: At this point, we really don`t know what happened.
ANNOUNCER: Exotic destinations -
HAMMER: Filming the exotic destinations in reality shows like "The Amazing Race" wouldn`t be possible without people like Jeff Rice. He worked as a facilitator who traveled the world making arrangements with local officials before American reality show casts and crews arrived to shoot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let`s see if you have what it takes.
HAMMER: In addition to his freelance work on "The Amazing Race," Jeff Rice had also done work for the Animal Planet show, "Whale Wars."
In this photo obtained today by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we see Jeff aboard one of the anti-whaling vessels feature on "Whale Wars."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed Rice`s globetrotting had led him to the African nation of Uganda where he was doing film production work in the city of Kampala. He reportedly was found dead in his hotel room. A production assistant was found unconscious.
HOSTIN: The first reports that came out said that he may have been poisoned by local thugs because he refused to be part of a shakedown by those thugs.
HAMMER: But today, a Ugandan newspaper reported that police are refuting that poisoning theory. They say Rice apparently died from a cocaine overdose.
HOSTIN: At this point, details are very sketchy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Frustrating challenges.
HAMMER: Although Rice had done work for the current season of "The Amazing Race" which premiered on CBS on Sunday, he was not working on the show when he died.
The executive producer of "Whale Wars" remembered Jeff in a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT saying, quote, "He was amazing, worked incredible magic and he and I have stayed very good friends since then. I`m devastated about his death. Such an incredible person. So heartbreaking."
Jeff Rice lived in Africa with his wife ,Sally Blackman, and their two young children. On her Facebook page today was this posting, "To my dear husband Jeff - tragically, you left this world and only time will heal the void that you leave behind. Rest in peace, my darling."
HOSTIN: This is just a tragedy all around.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And now, as Jeff Rice`s family tries to come to grips with his death, there are so many disturbing questions tonight. With us tonight for a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, two friends of Jeff who worked with him.
Joshua Gates is the host and co-executive producer of "Destination Truth" on SyFy. And Liz Bronstein is the executive producer of the terrific show, "Whale Wars" on Animal Planet.
I want to thank you both for being here, and my condolences on the loss your friend and colleague. I know it must be such a tough time.
JOSHUA GATES, HOST AND CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "DESTINATION TRUTH" ON SYFY: Yes, it really is. It`s a very difficult story to accept.
HAMMER: Let me start with you, Liz. I know the details surrounding Jeff`s death right now are pretty sketchy. There are reports of an attempted shakedown, and that he may have been poisoned.
And then today, we saw a headline in Uganda`s main newspaper where they quote police there as saying that Jeff died of a suspected cocaine overdose. Does any that make sense to you? Do you know anything more?
LIZ BRONSTEIN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "WHALE WARS" ON ANIMAL PLANET: That doesn`t make any sense to me. The Jeff Rice I knew was incredibly straitlaced, a family man with two beautiful daughters.
I`ve known Jeff for four years. I`ve never known him to take any drugs at all, so that cocaine story just seems completely false.
HAMMER: It does seem baffling given all the other information that has been coming in. But as I said, it is all still pretty sketchy at this point.
Joshua, what about you? Are you giving that report that Jeff may have died from a cocaine overdose any credence at all?
GATES: Look, I think it`s important to exercise a little bit of caution right now. You know, my understanding is that we`re just now seeing independent and outside journalists arriving in Kampala to verify the story.
There are a lot of conflicting reports coming out of the region about the story. You know, it doesn`t square off at all with the Jeff Rice that I knew, not by a mile.
But I think that there are a lot conflicting facts in this case that are going to take some time to sort out.
HAMMER: Is there anything more you`re able to tell us tonight about what you`ve learned?
GATES: No. I mean, you know, look, as you said in the introductory piece, Jeff Rice was a facilitator. We would call him a fixer.
And you know, fixers really are the backbone of overseas productions, whether it`s a documentary or reality show or an overseas film.
And these are people who have incredibly difficult demanding jobs. They travel often alone or in very small groups, sometimes to challenging regions.
And they have an enormous responsibility to smooth the road for these big productions that come in behind them. I`ve worked in almost 100 countries. I`ve never met anyone better at fixing than Jeff Rice.
This guy was a real maverick. He was confident and he was cautious. And he was - as Liz said, he was a straitlaced guy. He was very good at what he did.
I`ve never known him to get into a situation where he was in trouble. He was great at getting out of those kinds of situations. So it`s surprising news to me, obviously.
HAMMER: Yes. Obviously, it takes a very special individual to do what he does, work in some very difficult places. I imagine you have to have terrific instincts and a pretty thick skin to have to deal with some of the things you encounter.
Liz, can you give us a sense of how dangerous this work is, especially on these types of reality shows that you work on like "Whale Wars"?
BRONSTEIN: Well, the work that Jeff did on "Whale Wars" I wouldn`t say this was as dangerous probably as the work that he does on "Destination Truth."
But I do know that Jeff was just so professional, and so good and so creative at what he did. I remember a story he told me once. He was working in a small African nation and he needed to get a film permit in order to shoot there for the show he was employed by.
And none of the ministers of the country were in the same place at the same time, and he needed all the ministers to sign off on this film permit.
And he was so charming and creative that he rented a van and drove around the village and got each minister and talked him into coming into the van and drove the van to the ministry and had them all come into the ministry and sign off on the film permit.
And they just thought it was hilarious. So you know, it`s part, you know, pure courage and also part creativity and thinking on your feet. And you know, Jeff was the best at that.
HAMMER: And hearing a story like that, it`s no wonder that he was called the fixer, Joshua. Did he ever worry, though, about being in danger as good as he was, to your knowledge?
GATES: I think everybody who works in developing nations in the sort of work that Jeff did worries about that. I think a real testament, though, to his confidence is that Jeff fixed all over the continent.
He fixed for "Destination Truth" in the deserts of Namibia. He fixed for us in the back country of Madagascar, in South Africa. And he was able to do that, not necessarily because he had contacts in all those places.
He was able to do it because he was so good at bringing people together, at figuring out permissions and permits and how to get people to work together. And so I think that his confidence as a fixer superseded his fear about the work.
He was devoted to his family. He talked about them often. And he really believed in Africa, and he was devoted to Africa as a place of great stories and great cultures, and I think his confidence is what drove him.
HAMMER: Well, it sounds like he will be remembered for being a very strong individual and somebody who really had a passion for what they did. I really appreciate you both taking the time to give us a better sense of who Jeff Rice was and exactly what he did.
And hopefully, there will be some answers for the people who care about him. Joshua, Liz, thank you both so much.
We move on tonight to going to the mat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
C.M. PUNK: I will make you feel as weak and as powerless and as scared and alone as any woman who has had the misfortune of knowing the sad, cowardly little boy such as yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: WWE wrestler, C.M. Punk`s raw challenge to rapper Chris Brown tonight. How their twitter war has turned into this brand-new challenge to actually get into the ring. Tonight, C.M. Punk right here in a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview about his alleged feud with Chris Brown.
HAMMER: Also, Adele`s finger flip out? Why did Adele flip the bird at the British version of the Grammys? SHOWBIZ dares to ask, did she really do anything wrong?
And star crossed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: The truth about your departure is that when your contract expired, a decision was made for various reasons.
JONES: Barbara, are we really going to go there? Do we care at this point, my sister?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Star Jones` explosive return to "The View" for the first time since that ugly departure. We`re going to show you how that went down. 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: Adele`s album, "21," is number one for its 21st straight week. President Obama sings with B.B. King, Mick Jagger at "Red, White and Blues" event.
(SINGING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SACHA BARON COHEN, ACTOR: You were worth every penny. I trust everything is in there as your manager requested.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: What is this, a ruby? Is that a joke? What am I, a Kardashian?
COHEN: No, of course not. You`re much less hairy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yikes! That is Sacha Baron Cohen, playing a Middle Eastern general in his upcoming movie, "The Dictator." Cohen`s character is a sex crazed despot in the comedy.
And get this - the actor wants to show up at the Oscars as the dictator. I`m thinking the Academy is probably not too crazy about that idea.
Well, however, Sacha Baron Cohen shows up to the Oscars. I`m going to be right there covering all of the big breaking stories. Who knows? Maybe that will be one of them.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
One of the big stories will definitely be about the silent film, "The Artist." It is up for 10 Oscars, including best picture. And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the silent secrets of "The Artist."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner will be right there live with me on Oscar night this Sunday. Nischelle is in Hollywood tonight breaking news about "The Artist." Nischelle?
TURNER: Oh, yes, A.J. I dug up all of the secrets behind the making of the surprise hit. So take a look at what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
Hollywood, the late 1920s - this is the era of "The Artist," the story of the silent movie star, George Valentin, whose career crumbles when sound enters the picture.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Action.
TURNER: Recreating that era took some serious location scouting.
(on camera) I want to let you in on some secrets of "The Artist." The opening sequence of the film, well, that was shot in downtown Los Angeles right here at the fabulous Orpheum Theater.
(voice-over) That rapturous audience - part real and part fake. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal moviemakers hired extras and then digitally multiplied them to fill all the seats.
(on camera) For another important scene, filmmakers came here to the historic Bradbury building.
(voice-over) This is where George bumps into the starlet, Peppy Miller. The director wanted to convey that Valentin`s career is headed down and hers is rising, so a staircase was called for. The executive producer, Richard Middleton, helped select the location.
RICHARD MIDDLETON, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: All the staircases that you could possibly find are all so period appropriate. This is by far the best you can find.
TURNER: You may recognize the building from the Jack Nicholson movie, "Wolf" or "Blade Runner." Middleton revealed more secrets to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT like how hard a sell this movie was to Hollywood agents.
MIDDLETON: Is it silent? What? Why do I want to put my client in this movie?
TURNER: Middleton confirmed two big-name actors turned down roles. And they may be kicking themselves now. And Uggie, the beloved dog from the movie - well, it turns out he had a couple stunt doubles, Dude and Dash. The only problem, they didn`t all look the same.
MIDDLETON: So we had to, you know, do a little doggy makeup and doggy hair coloring. Dash, we sent in to the dog groomer for a cut and color.
TURNER: In the end Uggie`s doubles were seldom used. And finally, that title? Well, it wasn`t always "The Artist".
MIDDLETON: The original title when I came on board was "Beauty Spot." It`s a beauty mark that George puts on her to distinguish her from the other actresses.
TURNER: If voting goes "The Artist`s" way, it will earn another title - Oscar winner.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I think there`s no question it`s going to win the big prize. And what a great movie. Nischelle, you`re going to be right there with me as it all goes down. Kareen Wynter will be there as well in Hollywood when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals all of the Oscar winners.
TURNER: Oh, you better believe it, buddy. And of course, "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump is also going to be with us on the red carpet with her brilliant fashion analysis. She`ll be classing up our coverage for sure.
HAMMER: Yes. We are covering the Oscars like no one else. "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold," the live coverage gets underway at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday on CNN. You definitely do not want to miss it.
Moving now to wrestling over Chris.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
C.M. PUNK: I will make you feel as weak and as powerless and scared and alone as any woman who`s had the misfortune knowing a sad, cowardly little boy such as yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It is the heavyweight wrestling champ, C.M. Punk versus superstar singer Chris Brown. How their Twitter war turned into a full blown challenge to fight.
Tonight, C.M. Punk right here to tell his side in a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Plus, Elizabeth Smart happily ever after. Of course, after being abducted and miraculously rescued, Elizabeth now finds her prince charming. Tonight, Elizabeth`s brand-new marriage. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
This is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Conan O`Brien signs new two-year deal with TBS. Amanda Seyfried jokes about her on-set flirtation with co-star James Franco.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMANDA SEYFRIED, ACTOR: was I flirting up a storm? I don`t know. What`s your definition of flirting? I think Franco was a little bit in character, but you know, I respect that. Whatever it takes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Go ahead. I`m going to give you the chance to just get it off your chest right now and break some news for us and tells us if it is a girl.
KRIS JENNER, REALITY TV STAR: I don`t want to disappoint anybody, but I don`t know if it`s a boy or a girl. If it`s a boy, then I`m really happy, because Mason will have a buddy. And if it`s a girl, then I`ll be really happy, because then she`ll have one each.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So that was Kim Kardashian`s mom, Kris Jenner, right her on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, just refusing to spill the beans to me about her daughter Kourtney`s pregnancy. Kris, for whatever reason, wouldn`t tell me the sex of Kourtney`s new baby.
But tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has confirmed the sex of Kourtney Kardashian`s new baby. Let me go right to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, who is in Hollywood tonight. All right, Nischelle. Boy? girl? Other?
TURNER: A.J., break out the pink cigars because SHOWBIZ tonight has just learned today that a brand-new Kardashian girl is on the way. Yes, she`s expected this spring, so big congrats to Kourtney.
And A.J., there`s also another big celebrity story that`s breaking tonight - or should I say break-dancing tonight.
Jennifer Aniston`s boyfriend, Justin Theroux, just revealed on "Ellen" today that she`s obsessed with his break-dancing moves. You`ve got to watch what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN THEROUX, JENNIFER ANISTON`S BOYFRIEND: I have a very particular pair of shoes which I break-dance in. And actually, when my girlfriend - I don`t know if any of you guys know her - was on - she just recently celebrated a birthday.
And ever since she saw it she`s obsessed with making me break-dance, like literally obsessed with it. And I break-danced to the friend`s wedding. And she`s been saying, "When are you going to break-dance? I need you to break-dance."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: So it turns out that Jen actually sent Ellen those special break- in shoes. And Justin Theroux busted out his moves. Watch this.
(MUSIC)
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
HAMMER: Yes, a little raw basin. Some special kind of breaking shoes right there. I`ve got to get me a pair those. All right, Nischelle, thanks so much.
Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup - this is what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
C.M. PUNK: I will make you feel as weak and powerless and scared and alone as any woman who`s had the misfortune of knowing a sad, cowardly little boy such as yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is WWE champ C.M. Punk`s brand-new badass message to superstar rapper, Chris Brown. Is he trying to body slam Chris` big comeback? Tonight, C.M. Punk is right here to set the record straight. It`s another SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Plus, star tension. Star Jones` explosive return to "The View" today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: The truth about your departure is that when your contract expired, a decision was made for various reasons.
JONES: Barbara, are we really going to go there? Do we care at this point, my sister?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You are not going to believe what happened. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
It is time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: "The Hunger Games" stars go on mall tour before release of new film. Beatles ring tones released today on iTunes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the brand-new Chris Brown smackdown. World Wrestling Entertainment star, C.M. Punk, throws down the gauntlet at Chris over his assault on Rihanna, and it`s all caught on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
C.M. PUNK: I will choke you out and I will make you feel as weak and powerless and scared and alone as any woman who`s had the misfortune knowing a sad, cowardly little boy such as yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, should Chris Brown climb into the ring with punk? C.M. Punk is right here for a raw headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Angry Adele. Why is this British sensation flipping the bird at a big awards show? The great debate tonight - should she apologize?
And Star Jones returns to "The View," but was she welcomed with open arms?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: The truth about your departure is that when your contract expired, a decision was made for various reasons.
JONES: Barbara, are we really going to go there? Do we care at this point, my sister?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wait until you see this. It is the reunion we thought we`d never see. Star Jones back on "The View." But is this about to get really ugly?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and thank you for watching. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with big news breaking tonight - wrestling over Chris.
It`s superstar singer Chris Brown versus the heavyweight wrestling champion, and it`s all caught on tape. Wait until you see this. After days of slinging personal insults on Twitter, WWE world champion C.M. Punk decides there`s too much talk and not enough action.
Chris has been under an awful lot of scrutiny again for his beating up of Rihanna three years ago because of the news that he collaborated with Rihanna on two brand-new songs.
Well, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal Punk`s brand-new just-revealed video challenging Chris Brown to take him on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
C.M. PUNK: I don`t think Chris has paid for what he`s done. Picking up trash on the side of a highway does not make a man who repeatedly striking a woman in the face and sending her to a hospital.
So Chris wants to throw stones my way now, and I say, that`s fine, but put some gloves on and get in the ring. I`ll choke you out, and I`ll make you feel as weak and powerless and scared and alone as any woman who has had the misfortune of knowing a sad, cowardly little boy such as yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Put some gloves on and get in the ring. Right now, a SHOWBIZ exclusive with the man behind that video, WWE seven-time world champion, C.M. Punk, joining me by phone from New York for a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. I appreciate you being here, Punk.
C.M. PUNK (through telephone): I`m sorry I couldn`t be there in person. But the phone is as good as we can get.
HAMMER: You`re a busy, busy man. But let me put this in perspective for everybody. This beef between you and Chris Brown really started when you tweeted kind of a random message to Chris on Monday.
And here`s what you said in that, "I would like Chris Brown to fight somebody that can defend themselves, me curb stomping that turd would be a Wrestlemania moment." Well, that is absolutely right.
Right away, Chris responded to you. Here`s what he said, "C.M. Punk needs more followers. He`s such a leader, not to mention the `roids he`s on made it utterly impossible for him to pleasure a woman," or "women," as it says here.
Let`s just start at the beginning. Why did you send the first tweet to him, Punk?
C.M. PUNK: Well, I was having fun on Twitter with a few my followers, and I was talking about Wrestlemania and who I was going to wrestle at Wrestlemania.
I tweeted a whole bunch of people. You know, for instance, I didn`t say this specifically, but just as an example, I said, "Maybe I`ll wrestle A.J. Hammer at Wrestlemania."
And then, somebody tweeted something about Chris Brown. And now, I thought it was a good idea. I thought, yes, yes, he would be fun to beat up at Wrestlemania, just randomly.
And man, Chris - out of eight million followers, Chris for not knowing me read my tweet and replied like 18 times.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, obviously - and by the way, for the record, I`d take you on, man. But separate from that, you know, obviously, this is something that Chris is very sensitive about.
He`s having a hard time getting past it so this is why I think it was right there on his radar. But you didn`t pull any punches, so to speak in the video you made.
You really gave Chris a hard time over the probation that he served. When he pleaded guilty to beating up Rihanna, that`s what he got. He was ordered to work as a sanitation worker as part of that probation. Let`s watch that video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
C.M. PUNK: You want to pick up more trash on the side of the highway? To make some amends, you should donate some more time, maybe tell kids exactly what you did isn`t right.
But I`m also a realist, and I know that none of these things will happen, because Chris Brown isn`t a man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So you don`t think it will actually happen. But really, in your heart of hearts, is this a serious challenge? Do you really want to fight the guy?
C.M. PUNK: Well, I mean, if he wants to accuse me of being on steroids and everything like that - apparently, he has anger issues, you know. So to me, the best way to get those anger issues out is to actually fight somebody that can fight back or fight somebody his own size, you know, maybe fight a man.
I don`t know. I don`t think he takes - I don`t really think the whole thing seriously, him doing severe bodily harm to a woman, to me it`s the most deplorable thing he`s obviously ever done. I don`t think he`s paid for it.
He thinks winning a Grammy has absolved him of all wrongdoing, you know. And that`s the thing that kind of set this whole thing off.
HAMMER: Yes.
C.M. PUNK: So the Grammy`s allow him to perform. But OK, I can let that slide, you know. I`m all about forgiveness. I`m definitely about second chances.
I`m not saying everybody should be condemned based on a mistake. I just don`t think it`s a mistake, you know. A mistake is, you know, you borrow your friend`s car and get a parking ticket.
HAMMER: Sure.
C.M. PUNK: This wasn`t a mistake and I certainly don`t think this the first time he ever hit her, you know. Does it seem like I`m bringing things up like three years later? Well, you know, maybe. I just worry it`s going to happen again.
HAMMER: And here`s the thing. You know, he does want everybody to forgive him, but what he also wants is for everybody to forget and I don`t think it`s going to happen any time soon. Got to leave it there. C.M. Punk, I do appreciate you being with us tonight. Thank you.
C.M. PUNK: Thanks for having me on. Appreciate it.
HAMMER: You got it. Well, Chris Brown`s Twitter battle with C.M. Punk follows yet another Twitter feud with country singer, Miranda Lambert.
Miranda slamming the Grammys for allowing Chris Brown to perform and even holding up this sign from one of her fans at a recent concert which read, "Take notes, Chris Brown." But why is Miranda lashing out at Chris?
Dia Frampton was a contestant on the first season of "The Voice." She performed with Miranda Lambert on the show and she`s with me in New York where she`s headlining at Urban Plaza tonight.
HAMMER: So the sign at the concerts, the tweets, Miranda really comes off to me as one tough lady. Why do you think she`s so fired up about this?
DIA FRAMPTON, SINGER AND "THE VOICE" RUNNER-UP: I think she`s always stood for women`s rights and she`s an incredible woman. And definitely, just watching her, she has a lot of, you know, courage and gumption. And I really admire her for that.
HAMMER: And do you think she is just trying to send a message to Chris loud and clear that, hey, you know, we don`t care that this happened three years ago. People shouldn`t forget?
FRAMPTON: I don`t quite know, actually, but I know that - you know, she`s about forgiveness and she`s a really awesome person to hang out with.
And it was probably a spur of the moment thing. You know, her concerts are so in action.
HAMMER: Yes. All right. Well, let`s talk about somebody else we love to see in concert and that is Adele, because she`s facing some controversy right now. She flipped the bird last night at the Brit Awards, the equivalent of the Grammys over there. Let`s watch this very quickly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ADELE: Thank you very, very much. Nothing makes me prouder than coming from six Grammys and then coming to the Brits and winning album of the year. I`m so, so proud to be British and to be flying our flag. And I`m so proud to be in the room with all of you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m so sorry and I can`t believe I`m about to -
ADELE: Don`t cut me off. Can I just say then goodbye and I`ll see you next time around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, she did give the one finger salute there. She made it clear it was directed at the suits at the award. I was kind of bummed out that she was tossed off. I don`t think she needs to apologize to anybody. Do you?
FRAMPTON: I don`t think she needs to apologize either. I mean, it was her big moment and they kind of stole it away from her.
And I think she definitely deserved a few moments to thank her fans and the people that worked on her album. And I think it was rude.
HAMMER: Yes. And she`s been gracious and humble through the whole process. Well, Dia, I appreciate your insight on this.
FRAMPTON: Yes. Thank you so much.
HAMMER: Thank you so much for being here. Dia Frampton is headlining at Urban Plaza here in New York tonight. Thanks again.
Tonight, Star Jones, Barbara Walters - this is a reunion we thought we`d never see.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: The truth about your departure is that when your contract expired, a decision was made for various reasons.
JONES: Barbara, are we really going to go there? Do we care at this point, my sister?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, yes, we do, my sister. Star Jones versus the ladies of "The View." This is about to get really good.
And Elizabeth Smart gets married. Boy, I`m happy to say that. You know, she was abducted, of course, nearly 10 years ago. Now, she`s married. We go inside Elizabeth Smart`s Hawaiian I do`s, next. 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: "The X Factor`s" Rachel Crow lands Nickelodeon TV show and record deal.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Something`s been on my heart for a little bit. And after much prayer and counsel, 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: Tonight, Star Jones` big return to "The View" more than five years after that moment when she blindsided her co-hosts on the show by announcing live that she was leaving.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And tonight, Star tension.
Fireworks seemed as if they were going to explode today as Star Jones made her very first guest appearance on "The View" since she left as co-host in 2006. But really, did we expect anything less?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner is in Hollywood tonight.
So Nischelle, at least from the very beginning of their chat, it wasn`t exactly a love fest today between Barbara Walters and Star Jones, was it?
TURNER: It sure wasn`t, A.J. I thought it was awkwardly awesome. I mean, Star came on the show to talk about battling heart disease, but not before seeming shocked when Barbara confronted her about why she blindsided them by announcing live on the air that she was saying bye-bye to "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTERS: The truth about your departure is that when your contract expired, a decision was made for various reasons.
JONES: Barbara, are we really going to go there? Do we care at this point, my sister?
WALTERS: Yes, we really do.
JONES: I mean, I honestly don`t.
WALTERS: Star, you may not, but people keep saying, it`s been six years. Why haven`t you had her? What did that girl two? Why not?
What had happened was your contract was not renewed. And Bill and I then said to you, "Look, you can say whatever you want, because we were trying to protect you."
We loved you. You could say you had another assignment, whatever. Instead, you - and you have said yes, you were going to do that and we had picked the date.
Instead, you surprised us on the air. So the question that people ask me, and now we can do it, why did you do it that way?
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Why did you do that?
JONES: It was ugly.
BEHAR: What was ugly?
JONES: Everything around was ugly. It was a bad emotional time. Nasty things were being said in the media. It was just not a good emotional time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: Awkward. I tell you, A.J., it was so uncomfortable watching that this morning. So I guess when they say time heals all wounds, well, not necessarily all of them.
HAMMER: Yes. I am happy that they went there, though. And I do know that Barbara and Star really have seemed to patch things up behind the scenes for the most part. But it also got pretty tense when the ladies confronted Star about her asking them to lie about the fact that she had gastric bypass surgery when she was co-hosting the show which is, of course, as we now know, why she lost so much weight.
TURNER: Oh, yes, A.J., they kind of called Star out for asking them to lie about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: We were told by - don`t say it was gastric bypass, OK?
JONES: Yes, that`s right.
BEHAR: Say it was Pilates and dieting -
JONES: No, I didn`t.
BEHAR: Whatever -
JONES: I did not. I said -
BEHAR: Portion control.
JONES: No. I said don`t talk about my private way I decided to use weight.
WALTERS: But you did say it was diet and Pilates and what Joy is talking about. Really, because we loved you, we did lie.
BEHAR: Yes.
WALTERS: We never said it.
(CROSS TALK)
BEHAR: I go on stage for instance, and they would ask questions.
JONES: Do you care? I look good as hell, don`t I? I look good.
BEHAR: You do look good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Ah, just like old times, Nischelle. So were there at least a couple feel-good moments during that interview?
TURNER: Yes, A.J., there actually were. You know, the ladies did speak about Star`s health, about heart disease and how happy they all were that Star was back with them on the show.
So in the end, you know, it was all good, at least on the air. But I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in that green room afterwards. Boy, who knows what happened?
HAMMER: Unbelievable. All right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, thank you so much. Again, it was good to have her back on, and I`m glad I went there. Now, that`s done.
But we move on tonight to "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold." The Oscars now just days away. And no doubt Viola Davis, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams and all the actresses right now are scrambling to find that dress that may end up in the Oscar history books. So how do you dress for Oscar success?
It`s got to be tough. I believe we have the answer. Here`s CNN`s Alina Cho for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Marchesa designed it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Marchesa.
ALINA CHO, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): You don`t have to travel far on the red carpet to hear the name.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One-of-a-kind Marchesa.
CHO: (voice-over): This year alone, dressing Viola Davis, Sofia Vergara, Lea Michele. Renee Zellweger was the first, wearing this red Marchesa dress to the 2004 premiere of "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason."
(on camera) Do you remember what it felt like to see her walk down the red carpet?
GEORGINA CHAPMAN, MARCHESA CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Oh, my goodness. It was amazing. And I woke up the next day and I saw every newspaper with the name (inaudible) Marchesa, oh, my gosh. I couldn`t believe it.
CHO (voice-over): When Zellweger wore the dress, Marchesa was just starting out. Designers Georgina Chapman and Karen Craig didn`t have the budget for ads, so they made a strategic decision to build Marchesa, not on advertising, but on the backs of celebrities instead.
HAL RUBENSTEIN, FASHION DIRECTOR, "INSTYLE" MAGAZINE: The celebrity or the star, in effect, is their advertising campaign. And you know, and the more women who are coming down there, wearing Marchesa and the more beautiful they look, the more desirable the brand becomes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sandra!
CHO (voice-over): So what does it take to get a Sandra Bullock in Marchesa for the Oscars?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi. Come in.
CHO (voice-over): During awards season, Marchesa takes out a hotel suite in Beverly Hills.
CHAPMAN: We have like, you know, racks of dresses. We have beautiful shoes.
CHO: Then the real work begins. Take this gown Vanessa Hudgens wore to the Oscars in 2009.
CHAPMAN: I took the whole dress apart and started again.
CHO (on camera): Wow. You had five days.
CHAPMAN: In fact, we were working through the night. We actually got miners` lights so we could put them on our heads, so the light was good enough in the dark.
I want to add pieces (inaudible) here -
CHO (voice-over): Then, there`s this -
(on camera) What about what they call the Harvey factor?
CHAPMAN: The Harvey factor. Oh, my goodness.
CHO (voice-over): Chapman is married to Harvey Weinstein, Hollywood producer of "The Artist" and "The Iron Lady." Does having a Hollywood heavyweight behind your label help?
(on camera) It doesn`t hurt.
CHAPMAN: It doesn`t hurt. No, of course it doesn`t hurt. I think, you know, his relationship with actresses is a very different relationship. I don`t think that anybody is going to let Harvey tell them where to get a dress.
CHO (voice-over): And when it comes to the red carpet, actresses make game-time decisions.
HALLE BERRY, ACTRESS: I usually have about three or four choices. So I give myself some leeway to have a feeling on the day.
CHO: Because those pictures can last a lifetime. And that`s good business for Marchesa.
CHAPMAN: I think red carpet dressing really has made Marchesa what it is today. And I`m not sure Marchesa would be here today if it wasn`t for red carpet dressing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: You know half the reason people tune in is to see what all those women will be wearing. That`s CNN`s Alino for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And I am so excited to let you know that "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" co-star, Lisa Vanderpump, will be right there with me on the red carpet with her red carpet hits and misses.
It`s going to be quite the fashion showdown between best actress nominee, Viola Davis and her competitors on Sunday. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle turner and Kareen Wynter will also be there right with me, bringing you all the red carpet action. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT covering the Oscars like no one else. "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold: Live Red Carpet Coverage" starts at 6:30 p.m. Eastern this Sunday on CNN.
Elizabeth Smart gets married. She was kidnapped for nine months. And now, we`re celebrating her wedding. The inside story of Elizabeth Smart`s Hawaiian I do`s, coming up next. 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: Brooke Mueller returns to Los Angeles after release from Utah rehab. Jennifer Carpenter responds to rumors that she`s back with ex-husband Michael C. Hal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER CARPENTER, ACTRESS: You can have coffee with your friends, right? Right. Coffee is the first love of my life. I invite my friends to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I figured that was it was.
CARPENTER: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Elizabeth gets married. Can you believe it has almost been 10 years since Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her bedroom at just 14 years old? And look at her now.
She is right there on the cover of "People" magazine. And we are getting the big inside scoop on her Hawaiian I do`s.
And talk about happily ever after. Who can forget the nation`s anguish after Elizabeth went missing back in 2002? We were transfixed. Nine months later, she was found just 18 miles from her home, abducted by a then 48-year-old homeless man.
Well, fast forward to today, 24-year-old Elizabeth is in love and she`s now married to a very lucky 22-year-old guy and looking just stunning on the cover of this week`s "People" magazine. It will be on newsstands Friday.
With me in New York, Betsy Glieck, the executive editor of "People" magazine.
I think a lot people are very happy to see that because we remember what a dramatic moment her rescue was. People were captivated at the time. And now, we`re captivated by the fact that she`s moved on so well. So how did she meet the love of her life?
BETSY GLIECK, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, she met him in France. She was doing her Mormon mission and he, her new husband - his name is Matthew Gilmore. He`s from Scotland and he was in France as well on his Mormon mission.
And so, apparently, you know, they - there was a spark. There was a spark, and after they finished their missions, he invited her to visit him in Scotland where they took romantic walks in the Scottish rain and looked at castles and realized that they were in love.
HAMMER: And is it right that he had no idea who she was and she had been through this huge ordeal?
GLIECK: That`s right. That`s right. In America, everybody knows who Elizabeth Smart was.
HAMMER: Yes.
GLIECK: We all lived through this really unbelievable saga, and he had no idea. This was not a big story in Aberdeen, Scotland where he was from.
HAMMER: That must have been a big deal for her. So give me a sense of what their Hawaiian wedding was like? It has to have been a special day.
GLIECK: Well, it was really, really truly beautiful. We have incredible pictures. They had a luau. It was a very intimate wedding. It was just immediate family. They were married at a Mormon temple in Oahu.
And there were just tearful, emotional toasts. I think the most important thing about it is that Oahu is special to Elizabeth. It`s where she spent some time with her family after she was rescued from her kidnappers.
And she wanted to bring her new husband there to share this special place with him.
HAMMER: Yes, a special place, and obviously, a very healing place.
GLIECK: Right.
HAMMER: Not just for everybody who goes there, but particularly for her when she really needed it.
GLIECK: That`s right.
HAMMER: Fascinating story. I hope everybody checks it out. Betsy Glieck, thank you so much.
GLIECK: Thanks.
HAMMER: Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. thank You for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. Remember, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is covering the Oscars like no one else. I`ll be right there in Hollywood for the big Oscar showdown and red carpet shockers on Sunday.
"SHOWBIZ Road to Gold: Live Red Carpet Coverage" starts 6:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday on CNN. And "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump, will be our red carpet fashionista.
Who will take home the gold? It`s Brad versus George. You`ve got Viola versus Meryl. Do not miss the big Oscar showdown.
And remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively weeknights. We`re on at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN. Thanks for watching.
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