Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
Big Oscar Face-offs; The Oscar Goes to the Dogs; Hosting the Oscars; Showbiz Reality Secrets: Reality Fight Club
Aired February 24, 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: Now, on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the Oscars covered like no one else.
Oscar fashion with "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, one on one with the biggest nominees.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter on the biggest Oscars showdown, including the Oscar fight club. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the big Oscar face- offs. Brad versus George -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: What`s up with this friendly competition going on between you and your best bud, Brad Pitt, up for "Money Ball"?
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: There`s nothing friendly about it. I`m going to say that right now.
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: We`re going to wrestle it out at the end.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Viola versus Meryl, Octavia versus Melissa - who will take home the gold? And the Oscar goes to the dogs. It`s the Oscar showdown that`s got Hollywood tongues wagging. Uggie from "The Artist" versus Cosmo from "Beginners." Who will be named best in show at the biggest show in Hollywood?
This special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Road to Gold," starts right now.
(MUSIC)
NISCHELLE TURNER, GUEST HOST: Hello, everybody. I`m Nischelle Turner in Hollywood in tonight for A.J. Hammer. And this is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold."
We are just two days before the Oscars on Sunday. And I will be right there along with A.J. Tonight, we`re talking to all of the biggest nominees and we`re getting the inside story on the biggest showdowns.
"Real housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump, will also be with us Oscar tonight as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s special fashion commentator. And Lisa is right here tonight with her must-see red carpet fashion forecast.
Tonight, we`re digging deep and going inside the Oscar fight club. You have friends and legends facing off in what`s expected to be the biggest Oscar showdowns Hollywood has seen in years.
George Clooney and Brad Pitt are up against each other keeping the battle hot, hot, hot. Meryl Streep and Viola Davis are taking their friendly face- off to a whole new level.
And Octavia Spencer and Melissa McCarthy are turning their head-to-head face-off into a battle of first-timers. What`s the real story behind the Oscar`s fight club? Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter.
(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 Oscar showdowns this year.
PITT: 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.
(on camera): 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 (voice-over): 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 the 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 Oscar winner, Meryl Streep.
DAVIS: I`m just honored to be in her 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, "Bridesmaids" 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)
TURNER: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter who will also be right there with us, Sunday at the Oscars. Hollywood`s A-list is going head-to- head at the Oscars like never before.
Honestly, I`m having a hard time believing just how much star power there`s going to be on the red carpet this year, which is exactly where I will be.
Kareen is with us tonight from Hollywood, right where the Oscars will take place at the Hollywood and Highland Center.
Now, Kareen, you know, there`s some serious Oscar underdogs who could wind up surprising everybody and going home with Oscar gold.
And I just got these results in from our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll on this. So we asked which Oscar underdog are you rooting for - Jonah Hill, Melissa McCarthy or Michelle Williams?
Now, check this out. Forty-four percent say they are rooting for Jonah Hill, 35 percent for Melissa McCarthy and 21 percent for Michelle Williams.
I know, Kareen, what do you think here? Does it seem to you now that Jonah Hill could be the underdog frontrunner in all of this?
WYNTER: You know, this is a toughie, but my bets are on Jonah Hill. When you look at it, Nischelle, this is a guy who`s known for his goof ball roles, like hit movies, "Super Bad."
Some people are just still blown away by the fact that he`s gone from "Super Bad" to Academy Award nominee. He`s undeniably such a talent. A lot of people say in "Money Ball" that he shines, that he was a scene-stealer.
Hey, when I caught up with Brad Pitt last month at an awards show, he even said that this guy was pretty darn good in this movie, so my bets are on Jonah. Heck, I`d like to see him take it home that night.
TURNER: Oh, I`m with you, Kareen. My bet`s on Jonah, too. I would love to see him win, but I`m showing my bias because I love "Money Ball." It`s my favorite film this year.
WYNTER: All right.
TURNER: But, you know, whatever happens with these Oscars` underdogs, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal to you what`s expected to be a very powerful, a very emotional moment at the Oscars.
SHOWBIZ just went one-on-one with the producers of the show and they revealed to us that Whitney Houston will be mentioned in a huge star tribute. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, she will be acknowledged during the evening, along with some of other, you know, men and women, both in front of the camera and behind the camera who were lost this year.
But she was definitely part of the motion picture community. There`s no question about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: So Kareen, about that, what else can you reveal to us about this Whitney Oscar moment that`s going to happen on Sunday?
WYNTER: Yes, Nischelle, Oscar show producers show us that this will occur in the traditional in memoriam segment of the telecast. They tell us there won`t be an actual separate Whitney tribute, that she`ll be acknowledged with other stars who passed in the film industry, Nischelle.
TURNER: All right, Kareen. Something else we`re going to be watching closely on Oscar night is whether George Clooney will win for best actor in "The Descendents."
Now, it could wind up being a huge night for George because he`s also nominated for an Oscar for co-writing "The Ides of March," you lucky dog. You spoke to him about his two nominations, right?
WYNTER: Oh, yes, absolutely. I sat down with George. Remember, we were duking it out to see who would talk to George? It was quite fun at the Oscar lunch. I got it, Nischelle.
Anyway, I spoke with George and his director, "Descendants" director, Alexander Payne. We spoke about George`s double nominations and, you know, what this all means to him. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYNTER: How gratifying is this to be recognized for your performance in "The Descendents" and your writing in "Ides of March"? A pretty big deal.
CLOONEY: It`s fun. Oh, it`s fun. You know, it`s fun form me for writing Grant and I were nominated for "Good Night and Good Luck," and to be nominated again for writing.
You know, you can get nominated once, it`s nice. Twice is a really nice spot to be. You`ve done this, too, you know. It sort of puts you in a very rare fight there for writing.
And it`s fun because it`s a big passion of mine. It`s important to me. And then to, honestly, to be given a part like this to work with the best director in the game is really - I feel that I`m very lucky.
WYNTER: Oh, you are good friends with Brad Pitt who is up in the same category.
CLOONEY: Yes, he is.
WYNTER: He`s a great actor.
CLOONEY: He wrote, as well. No.
WYNTER: What is the one thing, George, that would surprise us that really would get under Brad`s skin?
CLOONEY: Well, I don`t think people know this, but they should, that Brad`s like 5`2".
WYNTER: I`ve seen him. That`s not true.
CLOONEY: Well, he`s wearing big -
WYNTER: High heels, wedges.
CLOONEY: Heels. He`s much, much smaller in real life. And you would know he would understand.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER: Nischelle, you`ve got to love how George got a little jab - a little fun jab there to his good bud, Brad Pitt. It`s all in fun, hey.
TURNER: 5`2" with lifts in his shoes. That`s my favorite thing ever. Kareen, thank you very much. We`ll see you on Sunday.
So we will be sure to be there on Sunday, so be there with me on Sunday night. I`ll be live in Hollywood from the red carpet with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s A.J. Hammer and Kareen Wynter, and of course, "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" co-star, Lisa Vanderpump.
She`s also going to be with us on the red carpet with all of those fashion hits and misses, and you know there will be some. So when this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues, the Oscars go to the dogs.
The great debate - will Uggie from "The Artist" outshine his canine competitors at the Oscars?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEAN DUJARDIN, ACTOR: When I have sausages in my pocket, it`s better.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He wouldn`t come out of his trailer unless you brought him lots of sausages. And then even then, he wanted crystal champagne.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: So who will be the best in show at the show? And the toughest job in Hollywood. The pressure, the outrageous expectations, the whole world watching.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals the secret pressures of hosting the Academy Awards. We`re going to show you just what Billy Crystal is up against on Sunday. This is a special coverage of the 84th Academy Awards, "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold."
And this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold." Best supporting actress nominee, Octavia Spencer, reveals to SHOWBIZ the real world insight she gained for her Oscar-nominated role in "The Help."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OCTAVIA SPENCER, ACTRESS: I think I became more successful when I realized what success meant, you know, playing a character who also is from humble beginnings but does so much with so little. It made me realize that I have much work to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what he`s going to wear. Yes, it would be like this. Look.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s ridiculous.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: Oh, my gosh. So is that what they mean by getting Jiggy with it? That is Jiggy, the Pomeranian breakout star of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" who just took home the award for the best dog in a reality TV series at the canine version of the Oscars, the Golden Collar Awards.
Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold." I`m Nischelle Turner in Hollywood.
On Sunday, besides the biggest stars, the Oscars goes to the dogs, because this year, it`s also about the canine. Jiggy of course, is the beloved pup of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump, who, might I add, we are thrilled to say will be with me and A.J. Hammer live at the Oscars as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s special fashion guest commentator.
Lisa and, by the way, Jiggy are with me tonight in Hollywood. Lisa, so let`s get to that big canine showdown just coming up on Sunday.
But first, let`s talk about fashion, because I`m guessing, like most women, you`ll be keeping an eye out for what George Clooney will be wearing on Sunday, right?
LISA VANDERPUMP, REALITY TV STAR, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": Oh, my goodness. If I am on the bridge, I will throw myself off that bridge to land on top of George Clooney. I love that man I think because he has a sense of humor. I adore him.
TURNER: And I`m also thinking that Brad Pitt and his leading lady, Angelina Jolie, well, they`ll be turning a couple of heads, too. What do you think?
VANDERPUMP: Oh, good lord. I thought she really looked incredible. I wasn`t crazy about the color of the dress that she wore.
TURNER: Yes.
VANDERPUMP: But you really saw that she took it up a notch. The structure of the dress, the Versace dress, was absolutely beautiful, so I`m very excited to see what she`s going to wear. I think she`s really going to knock it out of the park.
TURNER: Yes, you know what? I`m excited to see them as a couple because they`re so regal. But Lisa, forget George and Brad for just a second, OK?
VANDERPUMP: Do I have to do this?
TURNER: Because the Oscars will be going to - yes, exactly. The Oscars are going to be going to the dogs this year.
Hollywood`s biggest pups will be going paw-to-paw at the Oscars this Sunday in a showdown of Great Dane proportions, led, of course, by Uggie, the dog from "The Artist." So who is going to be the best in show at Hollywood`s biggest show?
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter unleashes this Oscar canine face-off.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER (voice-over): Like many stars in Oscar-nominated films, this one arrives via limo, travels with an entourage and attracts a crowd. Hollywood`s top dog these days, Uggie.
The 10-year-old Jack Russell Terrier is a scene-stealer of 10-time Oscar- nominated film, "The Artist." The cast of "The Artist" revealed there`s a crucial secret to working with Uggie.
JEAN DUJARDIN, ACTOR: When I have sausages in my pocket, it`s better.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He wouldn`t come out of his trailer unless you brought him lots of sausages. And then, even then, he wanted crystal champagne. It had to be chilled to a certain temperature.
WYNTER: Has the success of "The Artist" transformed Uggie into a demanding super-celebrity? His co-stars think so.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He wanted a trailer and he wanted a trailer with a fire hydrant, which is really hard to find.
WYNTER: Even his owner acknowledges all the attention may be causing Uggie to misbehave at home.
(on camera) Has fame really changed him? It seems like it. It got into his head.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This morning he was eating the cat food and he knows that he`s not supposed to do it. And I said, "Uggie" and he looked at me like, "Hey, I can eat whatever I want."
WYNTER: How long did it take you to get ready?
(voice-over) There`s no mistaking Uggie`s star quality, but he`s not the only dog getting praise for a performance in an Oscar-nominated film this season. Oscar-nominee Christopher Plummer is passionate about his co-star, Cosmo, in "Beginners."
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, ACTOR: I loved him. He was a very human dog as opposed to Uggie who is a trick dog.
WYNTER: And the Oscar-nominated director of "Hugo," the dog in his film, Blackie, has been unfairly upstaged by Uggie.
MARTIN SCORSESE, FILM DIRECTOR: It`s just that I feel that, you know, because of maybe the character that`s lacking -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, because he was aggressive.
SCORSESE: Yes, he was aggressive.
WYNTER: Dogs don`t qualify for actual Oscars, but at the recent Golden Collar Awards, which honors Hollywood`s trick dogs, reality TV dogs, sitcom dogs and film dogs, there were six category winners, but no question who won the overall dog fight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the Golden Collar goes to -
WYNTER: Uggie, of course.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TURNER: All right, so back to how "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump who will be SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s special fashion commentator on Oscar night.
All right. Lisa, I`ve got to know. Who is Jiggy`s pick? Is it Uggie, Cosmo, or does Jiggy like Blackie?
VANDERPUMP: I think Blackie should have been included. I mean, Jiggy, you know, won the best reality dog. But I think Blackie should have been given a chance for that.
Uggie, he is so cute. Look at him. I mean, he really is. See, Jiggy can walk. You see him? Look at that?
TURNER: Nobody beats Jiggy in my eyes, Lisa. Thank you so much. Lisa will be right there with us live. I`ll be on the red carpet. Kareen Wynter will be covering the showdowns and A.J. Hammer is going to be hosting this whole thing.
Our 90-minute "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold" special starts at 6:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN. So who may have the best job at the Oscars besides us?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILLY CRYSTAL, ACTOR: The Oscars, not just an award show. Well, OK, it is, but it`s the best one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: The best, maybe. But is hosting the Oscars also the hardest job? Billy Crystal has done it eight - yes, that`s right - eight times.
But this year, the expectations are higher than ever. SHOWBIZ dares to ask can Billy live up to the hype? This is a special coverage of the 84th Academy Awards, "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold."
This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold." Best actor nominee Brad Pitt tells SHOWBIZ about his A-list show down with his good buddy, George Clooney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PITT: We`re going to wrestle it out at the end. We`re always going to fight it out. And the last man standing takes it all.
JOLIE: My money is on Brad. I mean, in a fistfight. I`m not even talking about this.
PITT: On the basketball court, maybe not. This has been such fun to do this and do this with him. You know, no one does it better. And it`s just - it just makes it so much more pleasant.
JONAH HILL, ACTOR: Billy says he needs $225,000 for Ricardo Rico. Please. Yes, I added the "please" at the end. OK. Let me - hold on one second, please.
PITT: Tell him I`ll pay for him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TURNER: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ Road to Gold." I`m Nischelle Turner. Now, there`s no question Billy Crystal will go down in history as one of the top Oscar hosts ever.
But Billy has set the bar for himself pretty high at the Oscars this year. So can he pull off yet another spectacular performance in Hollywood`s toughest job?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CRYSTAL: This year, Oscar and I are reunited.
TURNER (voice-over): It`s been called the toughest job in showbiz -
CRYSTAL: But it`s Hollywood, so, how long can I last?
HAMMER: Hosting the Academy Awards. Producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer may be teaming with veteran eight-time host Billy Crystal, but agree it`s a tough gig for anyone.
DON MISCHER, PRODUCER, ACADEMY AWARDS: It`s the wrong place to make a mistake, if you know what I mean. But with Billy, we`ve gotten one of the three greatest Oscar hosts of all time, the other two being Bob Hope and Johnny Carson.
TURNER: Bob faced off with sensitive studio executives, temperamental A- listers and a global audience of millions 19 times.
MISCHER: It`s seen in 200 nations. It`s translated into I think 73 languages. And you know, it`s weighty. It`s got gravitas.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS AND FORMER OSCAR HOST: I loved it. I had a great time. If they said come do it again, I would.
TURNER: After becoming the first woman or African American to host alone, Whoopi did do it again. But her third time followed 9/11 and the somber move led to the longest show on record.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": I`m, like, vibrating inside.
TURNER: From national crisis to overwhelming expectations, Ellen DeGeneres was hired after wildly popular gigs at the Grammys and Emmys. But critics called the show predictable and the Academy hasn`t asked her back.
DEGENERES: We`re saying good night. That was my best moment.
TURNER: Jon Stewart`s first hosting moment in 2006 flopped. But unlike Ellen, Jon got a second chance.
JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": Look, I`ve bombed in front of better and bigger crowds than this.
TURNER: But in 2008, Jon faced a new challenge and had to tough it out with the writers` strike. In the end, he only had four days to rehearse. But critics loved it.
STEWART: I`m just tired of getting my ass kicked in Oscar balls. But if I`m here, nobody can say anything.
TURNER: In all, more than 70 hosts have graced Oscar`s stage, but no one is more widely considered a better host than?
CRYSTAL: The Oscars, not just an award show. Well, OK, it is, but it`s the best one.
TURNER: Billy Crystal has faced obstacles. But look up any top 10 list and you`ll see his name a lot. Like in 1998, when "Titanic" won big and the Oscars won even bigger, hitting a record 55 million viewers. Of course, the question now is what about 2012?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s pretty spectacular and it`s funny.
TURNER: While producers aren`t spilling all the show`s secrets, you can count on one thing for sure.
CRYSTAL: I`m Billy Crystal. And I approve these Oscars.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: And I cannot wait for Billy. I`ll be live right there on the red carpet at the Oscars joined by SHOWBIZ TONIGHT A.J. Hammer, Kareen winter and "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump who will be SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s guest fashion commentator.
"SHOWBIZ Road to Gold" begins live at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT showbiz reality secrets, reality fight club. Body-slamming, in your face, all out wars. When reality cameras are on, the claws come out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to hit me tough guy?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will snap your neck.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bring it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Enough. No one is touching anyone in this house.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes to the force to find out why seemingly normal adults resort to schoolyard fights on reality TV.
"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" co-star Kyle Richards shares the secrets of the Beverly Hills smack down. And Tammie Burris of the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" reveals how she stays so calm surrounded by such explosive behavior.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you friends with her?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, they fight on "Jersey Shore" because they love each other? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes behind the scenes and reveals the real reason those crazy kids from Jersey fight so darn much. A special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Showbiz Reality Secrets," starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer in New York and this is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Showbiz Reality Secrets," reality fight club. Yes, tonight we are revealing the secrets behind all of those wild over the top fights between reality stars that we see all the time.
From the "Real Housewives," to "Jersey Shore" the cursing, insults, the fistfights. So how much of it is real and how much of it is staged to make you think it`s all real? Well, wait until you see what we found out. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the reality fight club secrets.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to fight club.
HAMMER (voice-over): In the movies, fight clubs come with rules.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first rule to fight club is, you do not talk about fight club.
HAMMER: But in the special fight club, known as reality shows -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bring it on.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m going to whoop that bitch`s ass, and I mean it.
HAMMER: There are no rules. For instance, in the movie "Fight Club" -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If someone else stops, the fight is over.
HAMMER: But in the reality fight club -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop it.
HAMMER: - just means keep fighting. In the movie "Fight Club" -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Only two guys to fight.
HAMMER: But in the reality fight club, two women are free to go at it.
HAMMER: So now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks all the rules.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You do not talk about fight club.
HAMMER: And we do talk about the secrets behind the reality fight club.
"Jersey Shore" has featured more Jersey-style whackings than the Sopranos.
NINA PARKER, TMZ: J-Wow and Sammy had a fistfight in the kitchen. Snooki fought Angelina in the living room.
It`s kind of like a "Jersey Shore" episode of Clue. Who fought who in what room, what weapon was used, who the police are looking for.
HAMMER: The Situation even once fought a wall, and the wall won.
JO PIAZZA, AUTHOR, "CELEBRITY, INC.": No one even has to be around in get in a fight at the "Jersey Shore." It`s is you versus an inanimate object, and that`s enough.
HAMMER: J-Woww tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT why the "Jersey Shore" gang is so slap-happy.
JENNIFER "J-WOWW" FARLEY, REALITY TV STAR: We have become a family. But just like brothers and sisters, we fight like a family.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can also reveal the fight club secrets line the "Real Housewives" franchise. No one is safe from "Real Housewives" catfights, even the furniture.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The "Real Housewives," particularly in Jersey and Atlanta, just get down and dirty.
HAMMER: But the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" get down and dirty too. Brandi Glanville clashed with the Richard sisters.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You threaten me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Listen -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Enough.
BRANDI GLANVILLE, REALITY TV STAR, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": I`m just me. And if I say it, I have to own it. And there`s no - there`s no going back - I mean, it is what it is.
HAMMER: And Brandi shares this secret with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, how they choose the housewives to make for a very volatile mix.
GLANVILLE: I think they pick women that are all very strong personalities. And when you put really strong person amounts in a room together and you are different, something bad - you know, people are going to clash.
HAMMER: No doubt reality show fights are entertaining, especially the one often described as the best ever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Slap me, bitch.
HAMMER: When the spit hit the fan on VH1`s "Flavor of Love."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You put your hands on me.
HAMMER: But as entertaining as the reality fight club can be, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, is it all for real? The guys on the Discovery Channel`s "Car Fellas" have been known to have fights that look like they are going to punch each other out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is not a problem.
HAMMER: "Car Fellas" reveal to me they don`t fake anything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is as real as you can get. And I mean that. You know, there is so much chemistry between him and Mario, and that`s us. We have been doing this for years.
HAMMER: That`s good to know, because in a reality show world where love isn`t always real -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Until death do us part.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now you`re stuck with me forever.
HAMMER: At least we can count on reality show smack downs to keep it real.
PIAZZA: When you pull a lady`s wig off, it doesn`t seem like it came from a script.
HAMMER: And unlike the movie "Fight Club" -
PITT: You do not talk about fight club.
HAMMER: The reality fight club is something we can`t stop talking about.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Enough!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And you know it`s true. We can`t stop talking about these fights, because frankly, they are entertaining. So what is the secret to holding your own in the reality fight club situations?
Well, I sat down with Kyle Richards who famously fought with her own sister and co-star on the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."
And I asked her if there was ever any concern about hoping up to family about everything that reality show cameras capture, including all the scrutiny and conflict. Watch what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYLE RICHARDS, CO-STAR, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILL": It was family decision. I sat down with my husband and my kids. We decided together. We thought, this would be a fun experience. I was a little naive, I have to say.
I didn`t realize the amount of conflict and drama. But you know, this is what happens when you put six female, you know, strong and sometimes more women together in a room, and they are obviously very opinionated women. But I did not expect it to be this difficult.
HAMMER: And that would include sisters because, wow, you and your sister, Kim, have had your share of ups and downs. Obviously, that happens in every family, sisters, brothers and whatever.
But yours was caught on TV for everybody to see. So I have to ask you, if could you go back now, knowing what you now know, would you make the same decision to appear on the show?
RICHARDS: I don`t know if I would do that. I mean, there`s so many negative things that do come with being on a reality show. But there are a lot of positive things too.
You know, you have the opportunity to bring awareness to your charities. I`ve lost a lot of families to cancer. So I try to make sure that I bring attention to my charities in each of the episodes, or each of the seasons, I should say.
One of the charities I was involved with, the Lollipop Theater Network. After being in my episode, their donations went up 200 percent. It can have an upside, but there are a lot of drawbacks as well.
HAMMER: And this is what I`ve heard from many of your co-stars. We`ve had them right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT talking about the fact that, yes, it`s great exposing my charities and getting much-needed funds to these excellent causes.
But the other thing that I hear from many your costars, is I watch the show back and that not exactly how it went down. That`s not what really happened.
Do you ever feel like you are a victim of the creative editing that is often done to present the greatest drama and conflict?
RICHARDS: I can tell new season one, in the finale, the fight with my sister, as difficult as that was, because so many people were angry about our fight, it was what I was feeling.
It was a lot of emotions built up over the years. So as much I took heat for that, I have to own it because that is how I felt. And I couldn`t explain the back story to everybody watching.
But the fight on game night with Brandi, I do look at that and think that is not me. I look like a mean person, and my sister does. We`re not mean people. We are nice people. But I think it a combination of being caught up in the moment.
And there is a little tongue in cheek. I did offer to help Brandi down the stairs with her crutches but that part wasn`t shown.
And I don`t know if it is because they can`t fit everything in, in an hour or what. But you know, you have to take it with a grain of salt.
HAMMER: So is the potential upside the opportunity to get a I don`t know, therapy you couldn`t get, where you can take a look at yourself and say, hey, you know, I`m seeing some kind of behavior that I need to work on here.
RICHARDS: Yes, absolutely. I do think that you can learn about yourself. And I really thought that going into this - I knew going into this that it would be difficult working with my sister at times.
But I think that in spite of our big blow up at the end of season one, that it actually ended up helping our relationship in a lot of ways, because we both had so much we held in for so long it just kind of came it a head that night. And I don`t think we would have ever gotten it out otherwise.
HAMMER: There you go. Something I`ve heard often from people, particularly about the "Real Housewives" shows, you look at the various franchises, and quite frankly, it often looks like a glorified version of high stool, mean girls and all. They are all there.
Do you watch the show regularly and cringe at your own behavior, or by and large, are you pretty pleased with the way you are portrayed?
RICHARDS: I think for the most part, it is, you know, fair. And there are a lot of times I watch when I see myself with my husband and my kids doing my bike ride in Napa to raise money for cancer with my husband. I do enjoy watching those episodes.
I look at that and think, that is not me. I don`t know how it got to that point. I`m very disappointed when I see that. I feel sad.
I actually cried, you know, a lot about watching that episode, just being disappointed in myself and the whole night and disappointing anyone, feeling like I let people down.
HAMMER: So for as much drama for what we see on the show, there is a whole lot of drama going on behind the scenes. You are well aware of it.
You know, the New York franchise of "Real Housewives" is a major turmoil. Jill Zarin, Alex McCord, Cindy Barshop, Kelly Bensimon, all fired from the show.
There are some questions raised about the New Jersey show imploding. "Real Housewives of D.C." didn`t come back after one season. Do you think the franchise is winding down or do you think it has more time than it would appear to at this time?
RICHARDS: I think that the ratings are still very strong, so that`s pretty indicative of people being interested and watching the show.
I think everybody likes to be a fly on a wall. And I think people want to look back and see that, you know, OK, I have a lot of problems in my life or whatever it is that they want to see what is going on in other people`s lives. So I think that people are still watching. The numbers prove it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Champagne and smack down, yes, it`s all in a day`s work for the "Real Housewives of Atlanta."
They fight because they love each other? The cast of "Jersey Shore" tells us the real bizarre reason why they are always tearing it up on their show. They`re going to share the secrets behind their on camera blowouts.
This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT "Showbiz Reality Secrets," reality fight club. Right now, "Real Housewives of New Jersey" costar Teresa Giudice turns a nice Italian family dinner into a table throwing free-for-all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s just not name change and arrested. There has to be something else - stripping, prostitution. Whore. You -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Teresa acted like a frigging caged animal at the zoo. Tables need to be thrown at me because I had a book written about me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York, and you are watching a special SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, showbiz reality secrets, reality fight club.
It`s a cocktail that makes for the best kind of reality TV. Add reality housewives and drinks, then throw in a dash of couture, and voila, let the fights begin.
Well, one show takes the cake when it comes to diva-licious smackdowns is the "Real Housewives of Atlanta." The lovely and talented Kandi Burruss filled me in on some of the secrets behind the drama. And I just had to ask her, what is up with all the fighting?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dress for me and my family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Grow some balls, bitch, and control your husband.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you don`t know if the -
HAMMER: We see these conflicts all the time, uncanny. Does it surprise you when they erupt?
KANDI BURRUSS, CO-STAR "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA": No, not at all, because the thing about it is, with our show, they have all these women with big personalities.
You know, when have you a lot of strong personalities and you make them be around each other a lot, things are bound to happen, especially when everybody is already having beefs here and there.
Certain times, people have issues before even the start of taping. Like - say for instance like Cherie(ph) and NeNe, last season, I think they didn`t have many issues, but off season they had something happen.
I don`t know what happened but by the time we came back for taping this year, they weren`t really talking.
HAMMER: So it has been feeding it all along and it`s bubbling up. Snap the cameras on and put them in some conflict-like situation and let them go.
BURRUSS: Yes, exactly.
HAMMER: What is your secret to keeping such a cool head through it all? Is that how you have been throughout life? Because for some reason, you seem to, you know, keep it real cool. Everyone is at war with one another.
BURRUSS: Normally I`m pretty laid back, so nothing that anyone has it say will faze me most of the time. But I`m going to lie, I have moments especially during the season where people get under my skin a little bit. But I try not to go too crazy.
HAMMER: Do you ever feel compelled though because you know the drama is what sells on reality shows to step it up a little bit?
BURRUSS: No. I just always - I say to myself when I even joined the cast that I was just going to be true to myself. I want to do me and hopefully everybody likes it. If not, oh, well.
HAMMER: It is working out well so far.
BURRUSS: Thank you.
HAMMER: Thank you, Kandi.
BURRUSS: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I love that Kandi keeps a level head by keeping things in stride.
Now, up in Jersey, not so much. It seems like Tracy DiMarco and Olivia Blois Sharpe use their styling scissors to stab each other in the backs more than hair on their hit show "Jerseylicious". So I had to ask, is there something in the air in New Jersey that feeds into the fighting frenzy?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Obviously, it`s a formula that seems to be working. There is of course your terrific show, "Jerseylicious." There, of course, is "Jersey Shore" and the "Real Housewives of New Jersey."
And it always seems like the women are getting into the massive fights on these shows. Your show is no exception.
I want to roll this in the background, if we could. You two go at it, from what I understand, you`re going that the again this season.
You sit here Tracy and Olivia, and everything seems to just be peachy, fine, OK between the two of you. How are you able to move past all of that?
TRACY DIMARCO, CO-STAR, "JERSEYLICIOUS": We haven`t.
HAMMER: Or the moment you walk out of the studio you turn away from each other and don`t speak?
DIMARCO: No, we haven`t moved past it. We just know how to come - we just met you. If he had known you for a couple months maybe you would see a different side of us.
We don`t know. But we have to come in and act professional. We are with each other every single day.
HAMMER: It`s not as peaceful as it appears?
DIMARCO: No.
OLIVIA BLOIS SHARPE, CO-STAR, "JERSEYLICIOUS": We know when to be mature and when to be business oriented.
HAMMER: OK.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: J-Wow versus Sammy, "The Situation" versus Ronnie. You know, the fights on "Jersey Shore," they have truly become legendary.
But do they really fight before because they love each other? The cast of "Jersey Shore" tells us the bizarre reason why they are always at war on their show.
This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, showbiz reality secrets, reality fight club.
Right now, who can forget "The Situation" facing off with a wall?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t get how your relationship - I`m sick of it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sick of it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. You want to hit me? You want to hit me? You want to hit me tough guy you want to do it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop. Stop it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my friend sunshine. Are you friends with her?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m going to leave.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hitting, screaming, name-calling, hair-pulling - ah, good times. The cast members of "Jersey Shore" are charter members of the showbiz reality fight club. Barely a week goes by without someone taking someone else down. But you have to hear why they fight. They do it because they care? Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know, just because I guess the environment that we`re in, we are kind of cut out from the world.
All we have is each other and we have to deal with each other 24 hours a day and heads clash sometimes. And just when you think that every conflict that could possibly happen has happened already, like two people will form another conflict. It just happens.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I love it. I think I can watch it. I bring popcorn and watch the whole thing, him and I. I stay away from the drama, you know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We try not to be in the fight but watch the fights.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At the end of the day, I love them. At the end of the day, it`s fun. I miss it when I go home. Like truthfully, I love doing this. They are all wonderful.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s weird for us to be we hate each other doing it and sick of seeing each other but the day we get home, we`re like, where are you. It`s like a family. You get sick of your family members and you`re like, I can`t deal with you today. Just walk away from me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But then there are types when the crazy kids don`t want to walk away from each other. That`s when the "Shore" stars go from fighters to lovers. Who doesn`t love a good make-up hookup?
And even though what happened in the share house doesn`t exactly stay in the share house, the ever eloquent Deena and "The Situation" say sex is bound to happen. And they have nothing to be ashamed of.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No regrets at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the "Jersey Shore" house.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the end of the day, people have either done it or, you know, are going to do it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you`re in your 20`s or you`re dating, not dating, you`re about to date, you know, you know, you`re in a relationship.
You`re having some sort of relationships or something, you`re doing something. You know what I`m saying? It just so happens that there is hidden cameras in the house.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You do sex also.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You do sex all the time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I did it a lot because I have a boyfriend. He was always here. But the cameras, we`re so used to it, we just hide under covers. Sometimes a boob slips out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A nipple.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. But they can`t show that because this isn`t like porno.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, not HBO.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Can you imagine Snooki uncensored? I don`t even think HBO can handle that.
Well, that is it for this special edition SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, showbiz reality secrets. I`m A.J. Hammer. END
