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Showbiz Tonight
The Fall of Jermaine Jones; The Brand-New Hamm Slam; J. Lo Love Revelation; Rihanna's Controversial New Duets
Aired March 15, 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 - a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT worldwide "American Idol" exclusive, the fall of Jermaine Jones.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You put us in a very delicate position really.
JERMAINE JONES, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: I apologize.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to let you go, I'm afraid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Jermaine Jones is right here speaking out for the first time since getting booted from "Idol" for allegedly hiding his criminal past.
And we'll ask him the big, burning questions. What really happened? Was it all a publicity stunt? Tonight, the SHOWBIZ exclusive of how Jermaine Jones' lifelong dream of singing stardom was thrown into a shocking tailspin.
The brand-new Hamm slam. Does Jon Hamm regret slamming Kim Kardashian?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON HAMM, ACTOR: I never said anything personal about anybody in particular.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jon Hamm opens up to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about calling Kim Kardashian an idiot. Is the "Mad Men" star finally ending his feud with Kim?
Brand-new J. Lo love revelation. Tonight, why is J. Lo's own manager and close friend spilling the beans about her troubled love life.
TV's most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I'm A.J. Hammer in New York. Thank you for watching. We have big news breaking tonight. We have a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you for the very first time Jermaine Jones in his very first big interview since being kicked off "American Idol" just last night, accused of hiding a criminal record, including outstanding warrants for his arrest.
Now, Jermaine had gotten the nickname "The Gentle Giant," but there is certainly nothing gentle about the way he was booted from the show last night during a very dramatic on-camera confrontation with the producers of the show.
Jermaine is with me in New York tonight with a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker exclusive. It is great to have you here, first of all. It's so nice to meet you.
What a whirlwind you have been through in the past 24, 48 hours. How are you doing?
J. JONES: I'm doing very, very well. I'm great. I have an amazing support system. My team is outstanding, so I'm doing very, very well. My fans, I love them all.
HAMMER: It's good to see you and hear your big baritone voice and see the smile on your face, because I can't imagine it was easy at all knowing that the world was watching as the producers kicked you off the show on camera last night.
Obviously, I have so many questions to ask you. But first watch with me as we take a look back at why it all happened. Let's watch. Charles?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to let you go, I'm afraid.
HAMMER (voice-over): It may be "American Idol's" most controversial elimination ever. Jermaine Jones, known as the giant gentle with the equally big voice, is now off the show after reporting the past arrests and current warrants surfaced, which caused a media firestorm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just sit down there, mate.
HAMMER: In a dramatic taped showdown that aired last night, the producers, Ken Warwick and Nigel Lythgoe, brought him in, sat him down and, as cameras rolled, confronted him about his secret past.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In March of last year, you were charged, criminally charged, for giving a fake name to the police. November of last year, again, you were criminally charged and you gave them a fake name. You didn't disclose those charges to us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are four active warrants out for you.
HAMMER: In his own defense Jermaine denied reports his legal troubles stemmed from violence.
J. JONES: Me and one of my other friends had a disagreement, but it wasn't like there was any fist-fighting or any, like, you know - anything like that.
HAMMER: But in the end Jermaine's fate was sealed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The fact is we're not allowed to have anybody that has an outstanding warrant against them on the program. We have to let you go, I'm afraid.
HAMMER: And with that Jermaine Jones dreams of an "American Idol" victory are shattered. And "American Idol" is being slammed for how it handled the whole thing. In this elimination no one's left standing in the winner's circle.
Jermaine Jones is here for our exclusive SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. This is his very first since getting kicked off of "American Idol" last night.
So what did it feel like right now watching that confrontation between you and the producers of "American Idol"?
J. JONES: It was pretty difficult to watch, but, I mean, I was cut from the show at one time before. So this blow was kind of easier, because I already went through the process.
HAMMER: Because you had almost a second chance, and you knew what it was like to be cut from the show. But did you actually watch it when they played it on air last night on "American Idol"? Were you sitting at home, checking it out?
J. JONES: Yes. Me and my family, we sat and watched it. And we watched it all the way through, actually.
HAMMER: Were it there some tears? I know you're so close with your mom.
J. JONES: Yes, there was a few tears, but we're grateful, you know, for everything. We're grateful for the experience, grateful for the platform. And you know, God is still good at end of the day, so -
HAMMER: Well, "American Idol" obviously takes over your life when you get to the level that you did with the show, and it was the only thing you were doing for weeks on end.
Has reality even set in that you're off the show, that you're not going to be doing it anymore?
J. JONES: I mean, it has. It set in when they asked me to, you know, leave the show. And as I was packing my things, it was really setting in and when I went in on the plane, it was setting. So you know, for the most part, it has in. You know, it's in.
HAMMER: So here's what I've got to know. When you walked into that room with the producers, before you even sat down, were you told by "American idol," "Hey, we're going to kick you off the show and do it on camera"?
J. JONES: No. I was actually getting ready for rehearsal and getting ready to go downstairs and do some press and security had asked me to come down, that they needed to speak with me. And I walked right into the room and it was all camera and eyes on me.
HAMMER: As you were walking to the room, you had to imagine something was going on. What was going through your mind at the time?
J. JONES: I mean, you know, with the show, you never know, so I didn't know what was going on.
HAMMER: So you didn't think it was something bad necessarily?
J. JONES: No, not necessarily. So they just let me know the production wanted to speak to me, and that was that. So -
HAMMER: And then, when you get in there and you see the two chief producers of the show, did your heart sink a little bit, or you just were like, "I don't know what's going on here"?
J. JONES: You know, I didn't know what was going on, so not until, you know, they began talking to me about it did I -
HAMMER: Well, here's the thing. When they began talking to you about it, because I was watching face very closely, and I don't know - was that edited down a bit from how long the conversation actually took place?
J. JONES: Yes, the conversation was a little longer than that.
HAMMER: So at what point or at any point did you think even when they brought up these past arrests and these warrants, did you at all think, "Well, this is going to lead to me getting kicked off the show"? Or did you think they were just bringing it to your attention?
J. JONES: I thought they were bringing to my attention letting me know that now they are aware of, you know, this and that and the third. I didn't know what was going to happen. But -
HAMMER: So at what point before they said it did you know if at all, that they were going to toss you out?
J. JONES: I didn't until they said it. Until they said it, I didn't, you know, have any clue what was going to happen.
HAMMER: What immediately went through your mind at that time?
J. JONES: I don't recall it.
HAMMER: You were shocked?
J. JONES: I mean, I was shocked, but I really can't even, you know, express what my emotions were at the time.
HAMMER: Yes. I'm sure it has to have been quite just a stunning moment in all. And at one point during that conversation, you did explain why you kept your past hidden from the "American Idol" producers. Let's watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why couldn't you tell us any of this beforehand?
J. JONES: I just was scared and nervous. I didn't want to get judged. I didn't want to get penalized for anything that happened in the past.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, Jermaine, some people are accusing "Idol" today of exploiting this whole thing for ratings. Do you feel that way at all?
J. JONES: Well, I'm not sure and don't - I haven't even tried to take my mind into that and why they did what they did and all of that because then I'll drive myself crazy, you know, trying to figure out why they did what they did.
But I know that when I filled out my application, I circled yes, that I was previously arrested before. And you know, they did a background check on me.
And there was some information that I had to obtain a lawyer to take care of before I could even be on, you know, the show. And I took care of that information and I thought that, you know, I had taken care of everything that I needed to take care of to, you know, be an active member of the show. And then, obviously not.
HAMMER: But in terms of the exploitation - because I need to explore this a little bit with you, because it strikes me that they didn't have to film it and put it on the show.
Obviously, they knew it was a dramatic moment. The story leaked out early in the day. You had tweeted about the fact. Is that true, you actually did send out this tweet that was later deleted and your account was deleted?
J. JONES: Yes. Yes.
HAMMER: So in my mind, simply by shooting it and putting it on the show, that to me is an exploitation. They simply could have sent you on your way.
We've seen it in the past where "Idol" contestants have been asked to leave the show, not because they were eliminated from the competition, and they didn't show what happened.
J. JONES: Right.
HAMMER: So how does that make you feel? I mean, I just can't even imagine, and the whole world got to see it, too.
J. JONES: I mean, to an extent, you know, you feel a great disappointment, you know, because I trusted them. But it was a very humbling experience. And I learned a lot, you know, and I learned a lot about myself. And so I mean, it was a very humbling experience for me.
HAMMER: Would you have preferred, now that it you're off the show - would you have preferred that they let you go privately and just sent you on your way without actually recording it and then playing it back?
J. JONES: I mean, of course, you know, who would like their business aired out to the whole world whatever the case may have you?
But I mean, some information was true and some was false. But needless to say, I'm doing great, and I'm ready to, you know, get back into my music full-force and I'm grateful for everybody who's supporting me and loving me. It's just amazing.
HAMMER: Well, your voice and music are what got you there in the first place and got you so far along. Let's watch some of you in action because you really did go very, very far. And that's nothing to be ashamed of.
J. JONES: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: Roll it, Charles.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: I love just watching you smiling, watching that. Because, look, no matter what happened, it sounds like you're always happy with the fact you have some good memories.
But as you know, there have been a lot of conflicting reports out there about your criminal record, about some outstanding warrants against you.
You're here. I want you to clear all that up. So stay with me, and we'll get to that in just a moment.
J. JONES: OK.
HAMMER: All right, Jermaine. Well, you just heard from Jermaine Jones. Now, I want to hear from you. What do you think about him being kicked off "American Idol" last night?
This is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll, "'American Idol' Scandal: Should Jermaine Jones have been booted for his alleged criminal past?" Here where you vote HLNTV.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can E-mail me. Our address is ShowbizTonight@HLNTV.com.
Moving on now to Rihanna's Chris Brown defense.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
RIHANNA, POP STAR: I wanted him on the track, and then in turn, he was like, "Why don't you do the remix to my track." And you know, it was a tradeoff.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Rihanna defending her collaboration with the man who beat her. This is pretty incredible. She says her move to cut a controversial new track with Chris - it was just business. Our SHOWBIZ flashpoint, will her fans agree?
Also the stunning brand-new secrets about J. Lo's checkered love life. You've got to get this. Jennifer Lopez's manager, her trusted confidant telling the world why he think J. Lo is looking for love in all the wrong places.
Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reveals J. Lo's love secrets. 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: Arrest warrant issued for Russell Brand after he tosses paparazzo's phone. January Jones tells SHOWBIZ why she has to defend her character on "Mad Men."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANUARY JONES, ACTRESS: I definitely don't need to like the character I'm playing. I don't judge the characters I play. But I have a fondness for her and I find myself defending her often.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I'm A.J. Hammer in New York with real doctor drama. CNN's own Dr. Sanjay Gupta is about to go Hollywood with his brand-new book about the secret lives of surgeons.
This is a novel. It's called "Monday Mornings," and it follows the lives of five surgeons. It is based on his real life experiences as a surgeon.
In fact, this thing is so fantastic it has already caught eye of a top Hollywood producer. Shooting already underway for a pilot called "Chelsea General"(ph) for TNT.
He's in New York and he's flying back and forth from Hollywood. Sanjay right here, giving me all the brand-new details. Always a pleasure to see you -
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks for having me. Yes.
HAMMER: On my set, my friend. It's not that often that I get to see you here. Well, congratulations, first of all, on the book.
GUPTA: Thank you.
HAMMER: It looks absolutely terrific. You had a fun party the other night. But the pilot, holy smokes. David E. Kelly who, of course, we know from "Ally McBeal" and "The Practice."
And you have Alfred Molina and Ving Rhames lined up, shooting this thing. What else can you tell us about "Chelsea General"? I think it's going to be a smash.
GUPTA: Well, you know, it's a medical drama sort of based on this secretive meeting that takes place in hospitals where doctors discuss their mistakes.
And you know, all the - Alfred Molina, Ving Rhames, Jamie Bamber, Jennifer Finnegan - these are all doctors who are basically characters within this hospital.
They get together in these meetings. And you know, they hold each other accountable in some ways for things that each other have done.
Ostensibly, you know, meetings like that occur so that, you know, people learn from their mistakes and everyone else listening can also learn from their mistakes. But as you pointed out, it can make for some pretty high drama as well.
HAMMER: Well, we do know obviously things do go wrong in surgery. And in this book, it is unbelievable some of the things that you actually reveal.
What is one of those things that can go wrong that I think would really surprise people?
GUPTA: Well, you know, sometimes the most simple things, like if someone were to be operating, for example, on the wrong side of the brain.
HAMMER: Yes. You talk about that. There's a story about this in this book and it blows my mind, literally.
GUPTA: It can happen. And some of that is in the popular press as well when that's happened. It's made, you know, headlines in the newspapers.
But it can be as simple as a surgeon walks in. It's a trauma situation so things are moving very quickly. Someone hangs the CT scans up backwards on the light board, and all of a sudden everything gets sort of flipped around.
It shouldn't happen. I mean, obviously, it shouldn't happen, but these sort of things do. And the real question is, I think, for a lot of people is, "How do you prevent them from happening?"
Part of that comes out of these meetings. You know, everyone has to stop for a moment, for example, in an operating room, everybody, and say, "What are we doing here? What side of the patient are we operating on? Is this the right patient? Do we have the correct laboratory exams, you know, and all that sort of stuff.
So you know, there can be some growth that comes out of these sorts of things.
HAMMER: Sure. Yes. You would hope for that. Well, obviously this stuff doesn't happen to you when you're in surgery, I'm sure, Sanjay.
GUPTA: You know, everybody makes mistakes at some point or another. Or you know, the judgment or some sort of - something comes up. And so getting a chance to talk about it, I think, is so important.
By the way, I think those things can help other sectors of our society as well, having a closed door meeting and just, you know, holding each other accountable.
HAMMER: I couldn't agree me. We do a postmortem on this show every day. All right. Sanjay, great to see you.
GUPTA: Thank you.
HAMMER: Congratulations on the book. Congratulations on this pilot. The book is called "Monday Mornings" and it's available right now.
And now, get ready for more of our incredible worldwide exclusive with booted "American Idol" contestant, Jermaine Jones.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are four active warrants out for you, actually, to be honest, Jermaine, which surprised us, to be truthful.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to let you go I'm afraid. I'm sorry it's the end of the road.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. This was a jaw-dropping moment last night when Jermaine was booted off "American Idol." Is he really a criminal or was this just some kind of a publicity stunt?
Well, Jermaine is right here with me tonight. He's exclusively answering that big, burning question. And this is his very first interview since the dramatic end to his "Idol" run last night. You've got to see it.
Also, the brand-new Hamm slam. Jon Hamm is talking to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about calling Kim Kardashian an idiot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMM: And I think we are, as a culture, sort of wallowing in this celebration of the wrong things, and you know, I never said anything personal about anybody in particular.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So does Jon regret what he said? 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: Whitney Houston's hit '90s movie, "The Bodyguard," to be re-released on March 28. Rapper Drake says he regrets his promiscuous past in new "GQ" interview.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That's a scene from the excellent and controversial HBO series, "Luck." The show starring Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte about the seedier side of horseracing has now been canceled after three horses died during production.
The last one was actually just put down on Tuesday. Well, now, the group, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals is pressing law enforcement to investigate.
Joining me right now from Hollywood, Judge Alex Ferrer, star of TV's "Judge Alex." Always good to have you here, judge.
JUDGE ALEX FERRER, "JUDGE ALEX": Thank you, A.J. It's a pleasure to be here.
HAMMER: So PETA is very critical of this show and the treatment of the horses on the set. But what kind of legal ramifications could there now be for HBO or the producers, judge?
FERRER: Well, it depends on if you're looking at legal ramifications for canceling the show as to the crew that was left behind after season two was picked up.
Are you talking about legal ramifications with regard to the treatment of the animals? Obviously, there's an investigation to find out why these horses died. It's a heck of a coincidence to have three in one production die.
Maybe they were using horses that really weren't fit for the exertion that they were putting them under. Who knows? And obviously, if that's the case, then they are going to face some liability and possible charges for that.
HAMMER: And when HBO and the show's producers announced that they had canceled the show, the very high profile show, they said in a statement this, "While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen, and it is impossible to guarantee they won't in the future. Accordingly we have reached this difficult decision."
But judge, does the fact they canceled the show in any way protect them from any possible charges that could come as an investigation takes place here?
FERRER: You know, I don't have any indication that HBO has done anything wrong at this point. But obviously, if they did canceling the show would minimize their losses because, at that point, they will not have continued the bad activity.
But it's not going to absolve them, like let's say they were abusing the animals in some way. Well, they're going to pay the piper for that wrongdoing, you know. But we have to wait and see what the investigation shows.
HAMMER: Well, I appreciate your insight on this, Judge Alex Ferrer. Thank you so much. Check your local listings for his great syndicated show, "Judge Alex."
We move now to the SHOWBIZ lineup - this is what's coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Much more of our remarkable SHOWBIZ TONIGHT worldwide "American Idol" exclusive with Jermaine Jones. So did he really hide a criminal record?
Jermaine Jones is right here. He's setting the record straight for the very first time since his run on "Idol" came to a shocking end.
Also, why in the world is J. Lo's manager spilling secrets to the world about her troubled love life? I don't get it. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Actors Brandon Routh and Courtney Ford expecting their first child. "The Good Wife," "Undercover Boss" and "Two Broke Girls" getting early renewals from CBS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are four active warrants out for you actually, to be honest, Jermaine, which surprised us, to be truthful. We have to let you go I'm afraid. I'm sorry. It's the end of the road.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - a SHOWBIZ exclusive. Jermaine Jones breaks his silence about getting the boot from "American Idol," and he's only doing it here tonight.
No question is off limits. Jermaine Jones reveals if he thinks the issues his alleged criminal past were fairly addressed. Will there be a massive "Idol" fan fallout? And does Jermaine have any regrets? He tells all in a SHOWBIZ exclusive.
No regrets? "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm talks about the fallout after calling Kim Kardashian an idiot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMM: I think we are as a culture sort of wallowing in this celebration of the wrong things, and you know, I never said anything personal about anybody in particular.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is the "Mad Men" star finally ending his feud with Kim? Obsessed with Jennifer? Tonight, intimate new details why Jennifer Lopez might be unlucky in love.
ANNOUNCER: TV's most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It's 30 minutes past the hour. I'm A.J. Hammer in New York. Thank you for watching. We have big news breaking tonight. We have a SHOWBIZ exclusive.
After an "American Idol" megashocker, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you for the very first time Jermaine Jones in his very first big interview since being kicked off "American Idol" just last night.
Now, "Idol's" producers gave him the boot following reports he had a criminal record including outstanding warrants. And they turned the spotlight on Jermaine for one final time.
They confronted him with the cameras rolling and then they sent him packing as millions of stunned fans looked on during the live TV broadcast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to let you go I'm afraid. I'm sorry. It's the end of road.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And now, Jermaine's sudden departure is shrouded in controversy and it's raising all kinds of questions. Did he lie? Why didn't producers check his background? Was there a bigger motive for giving Jermaine the boot?
The man at the center of this firestorm is with us tonight in New York for his very first big interview since he was booted from the show.
Jermaine Jones telling his side in an exclusive SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. It's great to have you here, Jermaine.
J. JONES: Thank you. Great to be here.
HAMMER: So let's set the record straight about this criminal history that set producers off. What exactly were you arrested for? What was that about?
J. JONES: There was a few minor, small infractions back when I was younger of giving a false name, and there was an allegation of a fight which was not true. It was not actually a fight.
And then one for driving suspended and things like that. So they were very, you know, small, minor infractions, but -
HAMMER: But still, according to the "Idol" producers, this seems to have fallen under the umbrella what they want you or expect you to disclose to them?
J. JONES: Right. In the beginning, like I stated on my application, I circled that I was arrested before and they did an extensive background check. I mean -
HAMMER: They did?
J. JONES: Spoke with private investigators and all sorts of things, so you know, I'm not sure.
HAMMER: And they mentioned specifically the fact that you have these warrants out for your arrest. Do you, in fact, have warrants currently out for your arrest?
J. JONES: Not to my knowledge. And everything that needs to be taken care of, as far as that is concerned, my team is handling it very well.
HAMMER: Because it seem that's what they pointed to. We can't have anybody on the show who has a warrant out for their arrest.
J. JONES: Right.
HAMMER: Is that what they made clear to you?
J. JONES: I mean, that's what they stated in the video. But like said, I'm not sure of that and my team is handling that. So -
HAMMER: So do you feel you were unfairly kicked off the show as a result of something you think you did everything right, and they say you didn't do everything right? I mean, where do you stand with all that?
J. JONES: Where I stand is that everything happens for a reason and that there is a purpose for why this did happen. I'm not sure what that purpose is.
But I mean, I'm just grateful for all my fans and supporters who are behind me. I'm ready to work on, you know, my next project, you know, trying to get my album out there and things like that.
So this won't be the last of Jermaine Jones, the gentle giant.
HAMMER: I'm sure you're absolutely right about that. And look, you do have a lot of support out there from a lot of fans, and a lot of fans of our show who have been paying close attention to the story.
Let me tell you what we're seeing on our Facebook wall today. Here are few of the things that have been posted.
We had Terry N. posting this, "Tacky, tacky, tacky! They didn't need to show the video of the meeting between Jermaine and the producers. He handled it well though. I'm still a fan."
So in the end, you don't feel you were treated unfairly. But let me ask you this. Was there at least a piece of you that felt like you had this hanging over your head, all the while production for "American Idol" was going that, "Oh, maybe something isn't going to be right with this and it's going to wind up getting me into trouble?"
J. JONES: Yes, at one point, you know, I thought about that. But then after I was removed from the show and they called me back, I was thinking, I mean, they investigated.
HAMMER: They must have done their homework?
J. JONES: Right. They investigated everything. You know, I spoke with their lawyers and things like that. So I was assuming that, you know, they knew everything.
Ad like I said, the reason I didn't tell them in the beginning specifically everything that happened in my past is because I didn't want to get judged on that.
HAMMER: Sure.
J. JONES: In the beginning, I was just a number. You know, I was 108803. I was not Jermaine Jones, the gentle giant at that point. So you know, I was nervous about that and things like that. But -
HAMMER: After you got asked back on the show, I can see why you thought, oh, they must have done all their vetting and whatever they need to do.
Let me read to you another Facebook comment. This is the feel-good stuff here, "I will never watch 'American Idol' ever again. That's not how you treat people. He should have been honest, but the producers didn't even try to leave him with any integrity or dignity."
And there are a lot of people out there today saying, Jermaine, that this could really backfire on "Idol" because whether or not they did, there's a perception there that they put that conversation between you and the producers getting booted off the show on the air as a ratings stunt. Do you feel used by that?
J. JONES: By that, I was very disappointed. That's what I can tell. I was disappointed in that. I mean, that's, you know, the most that I can really say about that. I was very, very disappointed, and it hurt to watch.
HAMMER: It was very emotional, very much for you. I can tell.
J. JONES: It hurt to watch.
HAMMER: There's another thing I would like you to set the record straight, because there have been a lot of reports out there that you lied to producers of "American Idol" about being estranged from your father in order to gain some sort of sympathy. What's the truth there? Completely false?
J. JONES: False. False information. Me and my father are OK. My mother had spoken out about it after the situation. My mother and father were married, you know, what I mean, for more than 18 years.
And my father, he's fine. Me and my father OK. So all that, you know, he said/she said - and I never personally commented on anything. It was all he said/she said and speculation back and forth.
HAMMER: So whatever you said was true.
J. JONES: And this is what I'm saying. Me and my father are OK at this time.
HAMMER: OK. Right after "American Idol's" show last night, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there. We were talking to some of your former fellow contestants about what went down. And among them showing their support, Joshua Ledet spoke to us. I want you to watch that with me.
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JOSHUA LEDET, "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: We actually found out when America found out. We knew something was up because he wasn't around. And we were wondering, like, OK, what's going on?
And then when Ryan gave the announcement on live television, everyone was like, oh, my gosh. It was devastating because Jermaine is a great person inside and out.
And you know, sometimes we're judged for our past, which I don't think is right. And I think that's what happened in his case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So obviously, a big shocker even to your fellow contestants. You tweeted the news right away. That tweet vanished. Did they pull you said and say, "You know what, Jermaine? You've got to keep quiet until the show airs and we announce it on the show"?
J. JONES: Well, they told me that I wasn't allowed to say anything. So you know, I didn't have control over that Twitter page. You know, I was an active user and didn't have control over that page. Neither my "American Idol" fan page.
HAMMER: Any regrets?
J. JONES: No, I don't regret anything. I don't regret anything. And I really, really appreciate, you know, everything that "American Idol" did for me, the platform that they gave me.
I appreciate the ups, the downs, and the highs and lows. I appreciate everything in my past because it made me the young man that I am today. So I'm grateful for everything. And everything that I've been through, I'm truly, truly grateful in my heart.
HAMMER: Are you going to hang onto the name the gentle giant?
J. JONES: Yes. Yes, I am.
HAMMER: Well, you got something out of it, didn't you?
J. JONES: Yes, I did.
HAMMER: Jermaine Jones, I think you will be around for a while, and I think it is a name that we will know for a long time to come. And I wish you nothing but the best.
J. JONES: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: Thank you for being here with us. As we move on tonight, we've to talk about steamed Hamm. "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm has no regrets as he talked to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about the fallout after calling Kim Kardashian an idiot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMM: I think where we are as a culture sort of wallowing in the celebration of the wrong things. And you know, I never said anything personal about anybody in particular.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, this is a feud that shows no signs of letting up, but is it finally time for Jon and Kim to just make peace?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
RIHANNA: I wanted him on the track. And then, in turn, he was like, why don't do you the remix to my track, and you know, it was a tradeoff.
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HAMMER: Wait until you hear this. It's Rihanna's brand-new Chris Brown bombshell. The pop superstar says her collaboration with the man who beat her was all in the name of music. But will her fans agree? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Rolling Stones to release new documentary to celebrate 50 years in music. Jonah Hill says Martin Scorsese photobombed his picture at the Oscars!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONAH HILL, ACTOR: Brad Pit and I made this movie together. And you know, he's a really nice person. We made the movie. We both got nominated, him for best actor and me for supporting actor.
And he's like, "Oh, man. I've got to take a picture of you at the Oscars." Photobomb! It's Martin Scorsese (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Yes. That's the song that sparked a whole lot of outrage. Rihanna's duet with Chris Brown on her song, "Birthday Cake."
Everyone wanted to know why in the world she would ever choose to work with him just three years after he assaulted her. Tonight, in a brand-new interview, Rihanna defends her decision.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I'm A.J. Hammer in New York. Tonight, Rihanna's duet drama.
Rihanna's speaking out for the very first time about the firestorm that was ignited by her two duets with her ex, Chris Brown.
A lot of people wondering why would she ever want to share even one track with the man who beat her three years ago. Rihanna revealed the answer on Ryan Seacrest's radio show this morning.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
RIHANNA: I had talked to him about doing "Birthday Cake" because that's the only person that really - it made sense to do the record just as a musician despite everything else. That was going to be the person.
You know, I thought about rappers and I've done that so many times. The hottest R & B artist out right now is Chris Brown, so I wanted him on the track.
And then, in turn, he was like, "Why don't you do the remix to my track," and you know, I was a trade off. We did two records, one for my fans and one for his fans.
And that way, our fans can come together. There shouldn't be a divide, you know. It's music and it's innocent.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. I get it. From an artistic perspective, I totally get. Chris Brown is a top R & B singer and so is she.
But I want to bring someone who can perhaps give some perspective to what Rihanna is saying here. Singer Aubrey O'Day in Hollywood tonight. Nice to see you Aubrey, currently, of course, starring on NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice."
So tell me what think. As a singer, look, I think that perhaps she's making a whole lot of sense, again, artistically. But she says she's trying to bring her fans and Chris's fans together.
Even if it were a blockbuster idea, are you with me, Aubrey, that it sends mixed messages and really ends up being a bad move?
AUBREY O'DAY, ACTRESS: Well, just first off, music is always personal, so I don't agree with that comment at all. But I will say I like what she's doing, and I don't think it sends mixed messages at all.
What she's doing is bringing closure on something that was a heavily debatable topic. When there are big public breaks, obviously I was part of Danity Kane in the public break.
The fans wanted to come back together. They want answers. They want to feel like there was closure on something that is, you know, a difficult thing for fans of both of them to go through.
And fans take things very personal and I love that they're giving closure to everyone. Listen, breakups don't just happen because something bad occurs between two people that becomes public and they never talk again.
We all know that that's not the reality, A.J. We want to understand what happens after that. We want to understand how two people can come back together.
HAMMER: I don't disagree with you. I think because of the difficult circumstances here, the fact that he beat her within an inch of her life, it would seem, I think it creates a set of extenuating circumstances.
And it's not so black and white and we saw al the outrage as you know. When Rihanna and Chris Brown first tweeted about their duets, I have to tell you, we heard from so many people.
And I saw this all over the Internet that a great number of people, the majority from what I saw, thought it was a really bad idea because of what had happened between the two of them.
Let me bring back in Judge Alex of TV's "Judge Alex." Judge, do you buy what Rihanna is saying here? Or was this a bad idea in your mind all around?
FERRER: Well, I mean, I buy what she's saying. She's a grown woman. She can do whatever she'd like. If it was my daughter, I absolutely would want her anywhere near him.
We're not talking about a backhanded slap across the face, which alone would have been enough to break up and have him arrested and prosecuted. We're talking about, as you pointed out, A.J., just a beat-down. It was a vicious beat-down.
And I, as a judge, have seen this cycle of violence and domestic violence situations just tend to repeat itself where the victim goes back to the perpetrator and it just tends to go on and on and on.
And she's a role model and she's sending a message in the way she lives her life to a lot of young girls who find themselves in this situation.
I think she would have been better to say, "You know what? I want closure. I forgive and let's move on." I don't think that collaborating with him and letting him back in is a good move.
HAMMER: And we were hearing a great deal that - I do want to get to this other duet news tonight. It's Jon Hamm and Kim Kardashian and they are not making any kind of sweet music together.
Kim K. called the "Mad Man" star careless after he essentially called her an idiot. Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT just caught up with Hamm at the season five launch party for "Mad Men." We had to ask him if he had any regrets.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMM: No, I don't. I don't mind it at all. I believe in that. I think we are, as a culture, sort of wallowing in this celebration of the wrong things. And you know, I never said anything personal about anybody in particular.
That was taken a little out of context, but I do believe that it's an unfortunate place we're in. But here we are, you know. We've made our bed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: We've made our bed. All right. No apologies from Jon Hamm there. Aubrey, you're a reality star a couple of times over now. Jon Hamm is basically saying, it's not just Kim. It's all kinds of reality stars. Do you kind of take offense to that?
O'DAY: No, and I completely agree with it. We are focusing on the wrong things right now, especially in reality television, having it being so big and having so many people focus on it.
I think it's a problem with society. It's a problem with networks. It's a problem with what people want to see and what networks are buying.
Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton or whoever he mentioned in this article are just examples of smart women that are marketing and making money off of society's ignorance, period.
HAMMER: Really interesting to hear your perspective on that. Well, Aubrey O'Day, Judge Alex Ferrer, I do appreciate you being here tonight.
Make sure you watch Aubrey. She's competing on "Celebrity Apprentice" Sunday nights on NBC. And be sure to check your local listing for the great syndicated show, "Judge Alex."
Moving on tonight, is Jennifer Lopez's problem with men been solved publicly by her own long-time management manager?
You will not believe the intimate, the embarrassing new details just revealed about Jennifer and the men in her life. That's coming up.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Kanye West makes surprise appearance at SXSW show case. Real life couple Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis to star in "Rom Com," "Relanxious."
It's time now for the SHOWBIZ buzz list. This is what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is buzzing about this week.
Put on your cocktail dress or your skinny tie and break out the scotch because the new season of "Mad Men" starts March 25th.
We're getting inspired by bestselling author, Crystal McCrary's brand-new book, "Inspiration," all about 30 African-American women who have changed the world.
We can't stop smiling about the new iPhoto app for the iPad. Have you seen it? You can touch up your photos right in the palm of your hand.
We're grooving to one direction. The hottest new boy band around - they just released their first album "Up All Night."
And get hungry for "The Hunger Games," eight days until the first big midnight showing on the big screen. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, we have a SHOWBIZ love drama. Jennifer Lopez's longtime trusted manager, who is also the godfather to her twins, is speaking out about her love life and why she hasn't been able to have a real meaningful relationship. Those are his words, not mine.
Let me go back to Hollywood bring in Aubrey O'Day who is competing on "Celebrity Apprentice."
So Aubrey, listen to this. In a brand-new interview that was revealed today - it was done with "Vogue" magazine, Benny Medina, a legendary manager, says this about J. Lo's serial monogamy.
He says, "The thing that I always sort of wished is that she would give herself time to just naturally meet someone instead of having obsessive guys pursue her."
Now, Aubrey, if you were J. Lo, would you be angry that your manager, a very close confidant said something like that so publicly?
O'DAY: You know, Benny Medina is not known for being hush-hush when it comes to his opinions. I happen to probably agree with what he's seeing.
He knows her best. He's seen the guys that have come and gone out of her life probably a lot better than we have. And you know, maybe they'll be on the outs again in life.
But more importantly I think it's a great lesson for women to understand at that J. Lo doesn't it any easier than any of the rest of us.
HAMMER: Yes.
O'DAY: And a lot of times, it is really important to understand for women that it is about who you're picking. It's not always everyone else's fault or the men's fault. Sometimes, it's just as simple as, you know, "Maybe I need to make better decision and choose better."
HAMMER: And now, she's with 24-year-old Casper Smart. She's 42. And of course, she's divorcing Marc Anthony right now.
And in this interview Benny Medina reveals another personal conversation. That's kind of crossing a line, though, isn't it, when they talk about personal conversations that was had between the two of them, I would think.
O'DAY: It depends on the relationship that she has with him. I have no idea what she tells him to talk about or not talk about. That's something that's between them.
HAMMER: Sure.
O'DAY: If it's something he shouldn't be talking about, we probably won't see him much anymore.
HAMMER: Yes. That's exactly right. She won't be shy about saying, "You know what, Benny? We need to take a break right now.
All right. Aubrey, great to see you. Thanks so much. Make sure you check out Aubrey on "Celebrity Apprentice" Sunday nights on NBC.
Moving on now to trashing Kim Kardashian. It's become kind of a sport, right? Well, tonight, a California street artist is taking that to a whole new level. You have got to see this, and you will, next.
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HAMMER: I think we can all agree Kim Kardashian has been the subject of a lot of trash talk lately, right? Yes. Tonight, there's a whole new spin on that. Kim's trash has become art. Stay with me on this one.
An anonymous street artist just unveiled this. It is called slammed and dunked. It is a life-size sculpture of a basketball inspired by a deflated ball that was found in Kim K.'s trash after her split from NBA star Kris Humphries.
The artist says the work signifies Kim's, quote, "mockery of a marriage" that lasted, of course, only 72 days.
The giant basketball and other works inspired by Kim's trash are set to go on display this weekend in Los Angeles. I wonder if Kim is going to go that opening. I don't think so.
That is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I'm A.J. Hammer. You can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT weeknights at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific here on HLN.
Stay right here for "DR. DREW," next.
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