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Showbiz Tonight
Ashton Kutcher`s Out of This World Trip; Desperate Housewives Trial Declared a Mistrial; "Hunger Games" Treat; William Levy on "Dancing with the Stars"; Jermaine Paul on "The Voice"
Aired March 20, 2012 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARLOS DIAZ, HOST: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the ultimate "Desperate Housewives" cliffhanger. Tonight the brand-new desperate, burning question after Nicollette Sheridan`s nasty fight ends in a mistrial.
Is the fired actress still a big winner? Was there ever a smoking gun? Will ABC settle with a big bucks deal to make Nicollette finally go away for good?
Ashton`s big blastoff. Tonight, remarkable revelations about Ashton Kutcher`s plan to head to outer space. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovers Ashton`s trip of lifetime and the astronomical price he`s paying to do it.
Tonight, a tasty "Hunger Games" treat. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes one on one with "Hunger Games" star Miley Cyrus` boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth. Big movie secrets. Big Miley secrets?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you more comfortable now being open with that relationship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: We`re feeding all of your "Hunger Games" urges with tonight`s show- stopping, SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m Carlos Diaz, in for A.J. Hammer with big news breaking tonight - Ashton`s big blast.
Hold on. I think what you`re thinking. Not that kind of blast, people. I`m talking about the real thing. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned today that Ashton Kutcher has plans that are much bigger than "Two and a Half Men."
Ashton signed up to a flight into orbit to boldly go where`s never gone before - to outer space. It`s final frontier, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there might be other stars along for the ride to the stars.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) He conquered the world of Twitter, May-December marriages and Charlie Sheen`s old sitcom. But now, Ashton Kutcher is going where no "That `70s Show" star has gone before.
This is one star who`s about to have a close encounter of the expensive kind. It`s Ashton in space!
Yes, Ashton Kutcher is going into space. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned Ashton has officially signed up to be the 500th passenger to buy a spot so Richard Branson`s Virgin galactic spacecraft.
Branson`s Spaceship 2 aims to become the first ever private passenger commercial spaceship.
ASHLAN GORSE, CORRESPONDENT, "E! NEWS": I`m just completely jealous of Ashton Kutcher.
DIAZ: In his blog, Branson writes about Ashton, "He is as thrilled as we are at the prospect of being among the first to cross the final frontier and back with us and to experience the magic of space for himself."
Yes, Ashton`s voyage into space is one small step for man, one giant leap for "Two and a Half Men."
GORSE: I think that any of Ashton`s co-workers and friends are completely jealous. Jon Cryer is like arrgh!
DIAZ: Ashton`s seat on Branson`s space plane reportedly is costing him $200,000. But we think it if only Ashton would have shopped around, he could have gotten a ticket to ride on a much cooler space vehicle for much less than $200,000.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: $10,000 all in advance.
DIAZ: Ashton, you might have gotten ripped off, bro.
RICHARD BRANSON, CHAIRMAN, VIRGIN GROUP: If you`ve dreamt of joining the incredible crew of pioneering astronauts, your opportunity has arrived.
DIAZ: In his promo video for his Virgin galactic spacecraft, Branson promises Ashton and the other space passengers get a lot for their money.
BRANSON: During your adventure, you can accelerate to a breathtaking three-and-a-half times the speed of sound. Then, in the silent tranquility of space you will experience weightlessness and views of our beautiful planet that will change your perception of life.
DIAZ: And another thing about Ashton`s flight, it`s all first class. Even though Kutcher is the only confirmed passengers, his celebrity seatmates are rumored to include Brangelina, Tom Hanks, Katy Perry, and Jay-Z and Beyonce. Let`s hope they leave Blue Ivy at home, because, you know, no one wants to hear a screaming baby during a long space flight.
GORSE: I hope drinks and food would be free on this flight for $200,000.
DIAZ: The star-studded space flight is supposed to get off the ground next year, but Ashton shouldn`t clear his calendar just yet. You see, this has become Virgin`s longest ever delayed flight.
It was supposed to go up three years ago, but flight safety tests have repeatedly pushed that date back.
GORSE: If you have $200,000 just laying around, I think this is a really cool thing to do.
DIAZ: It looks like one day soon Ashton will slip the surly bonds of earth for his new adventure. Ashton in space!
But Ashton, remember one thing. In space, no one can hear you tweet.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Ashton Kutcher about to make the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs. We`re going from an A-list celebrity possibly headed to space to an A- lister back down here on earth. Can you feel the re-entry heat?
It`s the desperate cliff-hanger, because there were a remarkable number of brand-new, desperate burning questions today about Nicollette Sheridan`s nasty court fight that just ended in a mistrial.
The fired "Desperate Housewives" star will not get the $6 million she was demanding in her wrongful termination lawsuit against ABC and the show`s producer, Marc Cherry.
But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask tonight, is Nicollette actually still a big winner after all?
I want to go to Darren Kavinoky in New York, who is an attorney and the host of "Investigation Discovery`s" new show, "Deadly Sins."
So eight of the 12 jurors were actually siding with Nicollette. In California, only nine out of 12 to win a civil suit, so she just came up one juror short.
Many jurors said they believe Nicollette`s claim that Marc Cherry really hit her and then fired her when she claimed to the higher-ups.
Darren, that leads to the first burning question tonight - is Nicollette Sheridan still a big winner? Do those eight jurors vindicate what she`s been saying?
DARREN KAVINOKY, HOST, "DEADLY SINS" ON INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY: I know, Carlos. She was so close, just one juror away.
It makes you think perhaps that if she would have brought in, say, a shirtless gardener or a pool boy to help try the case, maybe they could have garnered that one more vote.
DIAZ: A soapy car if you will, maybe.
KAVINOKY: Exactly. I`m sure she feels emboldened by it knowing that she was so close that at least eight of those jurors saw it her way.
Here`s the problem for a retrial though. As I always say the most important part of any trial is jury selection. You can have the best case in the world, but if you don`t have an audience selected that is receptive to your position, it doesn`t matter.
It will fall on deaf ears. And so now that we`re going to be starting this trial again, she doesn`t get the benefit of those eight close-call jurors again. Now, she starts with a whole new blank slate.
So she might be feeling good, but I don`t know that that necessarily is going to translate to the new trial.
DIAZ: Well, to your point of jury selection, I can tell you at least two of the jurors say the trial basically came down to the credibility of the witnesses. Watch what one juror, who seemed very sympathetic to Nicollette, just revealed. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are a lot of people that some of the jurors found not too credible.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What was the biggest debate?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, there was a lot of evidence. Some people spoke of not having a smoking gun, so to speak.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: Was there ever a smoking gun in it this trial, or did the celebrity of the witnesses leave too many unanswered questions and the credibility of the witnesses?
I want to bring in criminal defense attorney Midwin Charles for this one. So was there a smoking gun in this one Midwin?
MIDWIN CHARLES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, there really wasn`t, and I think going in with this particular trial, I think a lot of people said, you know, this is not a slam dunk. It`s not going to be easy.
There just wasn`t any particular evidence that anyone could point to and say, she`s going to win or Marc Cherry`s going to win at all.
DIAZ: Well, I think that throughout the trial, Nicollette Sheridan came off as someone who, you know, stood up against a big, powerful corporation.
CHARLES: She did.
DIAZ: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal there were brand-new reports today that her lawyer will push that sympathy card if there`s another trial.
So that leads to their third big, burning question tonight - will ABC settle with a big bucks deal to make Nicollette go away for good? Darren, your thoughts?
KAVINOKY: Well, from a cost benefit standpoint, trials are expensive, and especially having endured one already. The smart, prudent, business decision may be to put some money on the table, although it would take quite a bit of that, I would imagine, to get Nicollette`s attention given how close she came to this verdict.
But it gets back to this fundamental premise that if you can`t trust the messenger, you can`t trust the message. And if those jurors are now giving feedback that they weren`t trusting of those folks, then it perhaps should indicate settlement is the wiser course.
DIAZ: Darren, great points as always. Thank you so much. And Midwin, thank you as well. All right. Remember you catch Darren on Investigation Discovery`s new show, "Deadly Sins." Don`t forget that.
All right. He`s been called the Latin Brad Pitt. And he set TVs ablaze from coast to coast on his debut of "Dancing with the Stars" last night. But tonight, everyone is asking, who is William Levy.
(MUSIC)
We`re getting up close and personal with William Levy. Will he dance away with America`s hearts?
Do you have a hankering to shoot the breeze with Michael Lohan? Well, now you can. Dial a star. It`s the latest celebrity moneymaking issue that will leave you speechless.
And did you see this? It`s parts adorable and parts amazing. A two-year- old sings Adele`s "Someone Like You."
(SINGING)
DIAZ: I love that she has the emotions going on there. It`s awesome. You don`t want to miss this video, coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Rep for Houston family says Whitney`s daughter Bobbi Kris is not engaged. Jason Biggs tells SHOWBIZ that "American Reunion" cast gets immature around each other.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON BIGGS, ACTOR: We came back to this movie eight years since the last film, all personally and professionally matured. And then you put the guys especially all back together in the room and we regressed in maturity levels so much.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You were instantly kids again.
BIGGS: We were instantly kids again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DIAZ: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz, in for A.J. Hammer. Tonight, a special SHOWBIZ report - bully battle.
"Bully" is a disturbing and an enlightening film about bullying. But the movie is in the middle of an ugly fight of its own.
Some say the documentary is getting unfairly shoved around by the folks who give movies their ratings. At the center of the firestorm, the R rating that the movie has gotten because the F-word is used several times.
But tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that this little film is getting some big-time muscle from stars like Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep and Justin Bieber in an effort to get the rating changed.
It has been an uphill battle, but as Kareen Wynter explains in this SHOWBIZ special report, the fight itself could be the best thing that ever up happened to this bully.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE CHILD: I feel kind of nervous going to school. I like learning, but I have trouble with making friends.
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lee Hirsch also knows how hard it is to fit in. As a boy, the filmmaker says he was relentlessly beaten up and picked on, and that`s why he wanted to make a movie like "Bully."
LEE HIRSCH, DIRECTOR OF "BULLY": For someone that`s a victim of constant and frequent bullying, it`s akin to torture. You know, you start to connect the suicides.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. He told him he is worthless, to go hang himself.
WYNTER: But Hirsch`s fight to help 13 million kids has hit a speed bump.
HIRSCH: We were given an R rating, which is a total blow. It`s just simply not an R film.
WYNTER: The MPAA`s R rating is for racy language. The group defends this and all its ratings saying, "We are parents who ask ourselves the same important question during every screening. What would I want to know about this film before I allowed my child to see it?" But this is what Katie Butler wants parents to know.
KATIE BUTLER, BULLYING VICTIM: If kids see this movie, it could save their lives.
WYNTER: The Michigan teen who says she was tormented for being gay started a petition on Change.org to have the R changed to a PG-13.
BUTLER: The kids who are being bullied need to see it, because it lets them know that they`re not alone. And the kids who are the bullies also need to see the movie, because they can see the direct repercussions of their actions.
WYNTER: More than 300,000 people - parents, teachers, pastors, even 19 members of Congress - have signed in support as well as a growing list of pop culture icons including Justin Bieber, Ellen DeGeneres and Drew Brees.
DREW BREES, NFL QUARTERBACK: I think it`s so tragic to see some of our young people, you know, taking their own life because their self-esteem and everything was beaten down by bullies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A Perkins boy 11 years old believed to be desperate enough to take his own life.
BREES: This is how bullies treat people as what they say, and kids need to see it.
WYNTER: For the children that have seen the film, Hirsch says the response has been remarkable.
HIRSCH: We have thousands of kids writing in. This movie has given them confidence and made them feel like they belong and that they`re not alone. And on the flipside, there`s been lots of kids that have written in and have said that, "I am now stepping up to bullying."
WYNTER: And once again, the movie is stepping up against the MPAA, hosting a screening for members of Congress and hoping to clear a path to the film for teenage viewers before it hits theaters on March 30th.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DIAZ: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter. I sincerely hope that as many kids as possible see this movie because the benefit could be life- saving.
Moving on now, Snooki`s baby. The newest "Jersey Shore" cast member. I wish I was joking. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has just learned about the new line- up for season 6 of "Jersey Shore." Can you say car-wreck TV?
And "The Hunger Games" romance secrets. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner with the guys of the games, Josh Hutcherson and Miley Cyrus` boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Who`s best for Katniss?
JOSH HUTCHERSON, ACTOR: They both have reasons. They both have their ups and downs, I think.
TURNER: Yes. But you have to fight for what you want.
HUTCHERSON: He has to fight. I don`t have to do anything.
TURNER: Convince me, though.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: Did Josh almost just cuss on TV? You have got to see this juicy SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Jessica Alba to release healthy lifestyle book, "The Honest Life." Brad Pitt says he gets too much credit for helping to rebuild New Orleans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": It`s got to make you feel so good that you`re doing this, and that everybody is, you know, saying thank you.
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: I know, but I`m getting far too much credit for this. I mean, this took a lot of very smart people coming in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: Time now for the SHOWBIZ buzz list - here`s what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is buzzing about this week. In just 48 hours, the wait will finally be over. "The Hunger Games" opens at midnight Thursday.
Ain`t no party like a Mario party. We`re so into "Mario Party 9" for Wii. Let`s go.
We can`t stop watching "The Adventures of Tintin" since it was released on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Kick some butt. You could become the action hero you always dreamed you could with this new, cool app. It`s an Action Hero FX app.
And we could not put down the steamy and controversial book, "Fifty Shades of Gray" by E.L. James. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DIAZ: Tonight, Rosie O`Donnell is speaking out for the very first time about Oprah canceling her show. And you`ll be very surprised to hear Rosie`s take.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter is with me right now in Hollywood. So Rosie talked about the cancellation of her show on Oprah`s network from a Chicago set. And Kareen, it appears she`s taking the high road.
WYNTER: Well, she sure is, Carlos. You know, Rosie - that`s right. She`s speaking out. And you know, she doesn`t seem that upset saying that the cancellation was fair and just business. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSIE O`DONNELL, HOST, "THE ROSIE SHOW": Here`s the bottom line. It`s a business, right? It didn`t make financial sense to continue the show at the cost because of the amount of viewers.
And you know, all I want to say is thanks to all the people that watched. Thanks to Oprah, because really it`s not about the things that occur in your life. It`s about how you react to them, really.
How you react to them. Oprah has treated me with nothing but dignity and respect from day one. So that`s all. It`s not a nightmare. It`s a good thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: A good thing. OK. But Kareen, I mean, if she really is angry, the last person you want to go against is Oprah Winfrey.
WYNTER: Very true. And in fact, a lot of people are on Oprah`s side. Take a look at our brand-new SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. We asked, "Oprah Cancels Rosie`s Show: Who is to blame for the show`s failure?"
And the results just in late today. Eighty-one percent said Rosie, while just 19 percent said Oprah. So our SHOWBIZ viewers, Carlos, it seems, are still in Oprah`s corner.
DIAZ: Yes. How could you blame Oprah for that? I mean -
WYNTER: You can`t.
DIAZ: OK. Kareen, there are reports today that Rosie was pushing to move the show to New York, her hometown. But Oprah insisted it be produced in her former studio in Chicago. Did Rosie address that at all?
WYNTER: She did not, Carlos. But she made it a point to thank her Chicago-based staff saying they were amazing, great and top-notch. But Rosie summed it up best - hey, it`s just business, and we both know, Carlos, in this television world, ratings are everything.
DIAZ: You know, Rosie`s great. She`s landed on her feet. She`ll be doing something in a few weeks, I guarantee it.
WYNTER: Yes. She`ll be fine.
DIAZ: It will be interesting to see, by the way, what Oprah does next to save her struggling network. That`s the big next question.
WYNTER: Exactly.
DIAZ: Kareen Wynter, thank you so much. Great job as always. Now, it`s the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ reality check.
(MUSIC)
Who is William Levy? He`s one hot hunk of man. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT speaks to the heartthrob who is set to dance away with America`s hearts on "Dancing with the Stars."
And fresh off his high octane win on "The Voice," we`re breaking big news with Jermaine Paul. Jermaine is right here to talk about reality TV pressure and about support from his former boss, Alicia Keys. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: "Victoria`s Secret" model, Adriana Lima, and husband expecting second baby! Johnny Depp joins Marilyn Manson on "You`re So Vain," a song on Marilyn Manson`s new album.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
DIAZ: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - dancing with William Levy. Tonight, who is the man who had "Dancing" fans swooning from coast to coast on "Dancing with the Stars"? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is with the hot new dancing sensation.
Dial a D-lister? That`s right. You can chat with the Octumom, gab with a "Real Housewives" star or even gossip with Lindsay Lohan`s Parents. Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes inside the bizarre new way you can connect with the stars.
And did you see this? A two-year-old sings Adele.
(SINGING)
DIAZ: Tonight, you cannot miss this viral video of a soulful two-year-old. Adele, are you watching?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
DIAZ: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Carlos Diaz in for A.J. Hammer with big news breaking tonight, shore baby.
Quick, get the towels and hot water ready in case Snooki has her baby on the set of "Jersey Shore." Apparently pregnancy can`t even hold party girl Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi down as "Jersey Shore" announces that she will be part of the new season filming this summer.
So will it be fist pumps and baby bumps all the way around. With me in Atlanta, Jen Hobby, who is the co-host of "The Bert Show." And in New York, Megan Alexander who is a correspondent for "Inside Edition."
So Snooki will be hitting the boardwalk this summer despite her surprising pregnancy announcement. She`s already promised to give up drinking. But you`ve got to admit, it`s a hard thing to do to picture Snooki sober on the show. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLE "SNOOKI" POLIZZI, REALITY TV STAR, "JERSEY SHORE": Hello, party is here. I started the freaking poof.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now Snooki and Deena are whacked off their face. We`re thinking there`s no way they can make it to dinner or even out to a club to do this again tonight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Snooki just ran into a bush face first.
POLIZZI: I couldn`t stop. I couldn`t stop. I (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Not you, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: Jenn - excuse me. The beeping just overshadowed me. Jenn, what do you think we are going to see in this season besides a lot of pickles and ice cream?
JENN HOBBY, CO-HOST, "THE BERT SHOW": Besides the pickles and ice cream, I think we`re going to see a lot more of Snooki`s body. I can definitely see her rubbing the tanning oil on that baby bump and getting outside to make sure that the bump is tan.
I can see lots more bodily functions being exposed on the show, all kinds of things that pregnant women typically keep private. I think Snooki will put all of that wide out there.
DIAZ: Well, if that`s not a reason to watch, I don`t know what is. Do you know the "Shore`s" favorite tag line is GTL - gym, tan, laundry.
And one of our brilliant associate producers came up with a new meaning for GTL this morning. It`s gym, tan, Lamaze. So why not get the whole cast involved in Snooki`s baby birth? Megan, do you think "Jersey Shore" fans are going to buy this new baby-focused "Jersey Shore"?
MEGAN ALEXANDER, CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": Very creative, the producers, by the way. Look, Carlos, if anybody out there is like me going, why, why another season, let me put this in perspective for you.
Last season, season five for the "Jersey Shore" at one point averaged seven million viewers an episode. So I can see why MTV doesn`t want to say goodbye to this franchise just yet.
It will be interesting to see how they incorporate the changes going on in the "Jersey Shore" household. Snooki no longer being able to drink. I`m not quite sure how that is going to work.
I can`t exactly see her sitting down her cast mates and talking to them about the consequences of casual hookups or her Lamaze classes. But again, I can see why MTV says let`s at least give it a try. We don`t want to lose viewers.
DIAZ: All right. From a well-known reality star to a breakout star - I don`t know if everyone knew William Levy when the new cast of "Dancing with the Stars" was first announced.
But after his debut on the dance floor last night, I don`t think anyone can forget him. Take a look.
(MUSIC)
Look at those pipes. Can you say, "Muy caliente"? Jenn, is he your biggest pick for reality TV breakout star of the night?
HOBBY: Absolutely. I have to admit I was one of those people who didn`t know him. But all it takes is one quick Google search and you are hooked on this guy.
DIAZ: Yes.
HOBBY: And from last night`s episode, I think women are going to be voting for him no matter if he can dance or not. We want more William Levy on the show.
DIAZ: Megan, 15 seconds to drool. Go.
ALEXANDER: Although he`s new to American audiences, this is a mega- superstar in Latin and South America. Carlos, I think ABC wants to pull in those diehard fans of those telenovelas or those soap operas that he`s on Mexico, bring them to ABC. And because he caused a frenzy last night, I think they made a wise choice.
DIAZ: All right. Megan, your drool time is now up. Congratulations. I appreciate that. Good job. Jenn Hobby, Megan Alexander, thanks so much, guys.
From the ballroom battles to singing showdowns. It was another night of fierce competition on NBC`s "The Voice" last night where contestants went head-to-head for singing survival.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Blake, who is the winner of this battle?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The winner of this battle is Jermaine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: What an unforgettable moment. Jermaine Paul won that battle last night. And now, he`s ready to take his amazing talent to the live rounds before he takes the stage again.
He joins me from New York for a newsmaker interview. All right. First of, congratulations on your big win last night.
JERMAINE PAUL, CONTESTANT, "THE VOICE": Thank you so much.
DIAZ: You went head to head with indy pop singer, Alex, in an unforgettable battle. And hands down, all four star coaches just loved you. Let`s see what put you over the top. Watch with me.
(MUSIC)
DIAZ: Rocking the Billy Ocean. Talk about pressure. If you didn`t win that battle, you were going home. How nerve-wracking was it, knowing this was like a make-or-break moment for your life?
PAUL: Oh, man, it was ridiculously never-wracking. The cool part about it is I had my wife and daughter there. And you know, the support was there, and it`s such a fun song.
I mean, I remember the movie "License to Drive," and that song was on the soundtrack. I remember hearing the song, and I just tried to have a good time, you know.
DIAZ: OK. But after eight years of singing backup for Alicia Keys, you made the decision to step out in front of the camera, in front of the stage, take center stage.
Why would you give up a great gig traveling around the world with a superstar like Alicia Keys to compete on "The Voice."
PAUL: Well, you know, it`s all a leap of faith, man. You know, I`ve been in the background for so many years, like you said. And it`s been great and I`ve been able to, you know, support my family and do really nice things.
It`s like opening act, being an opening act for her. For the most part, man, it`s been a leap of faith for me. It`s always been a dream I`ve always wanted to do, and an opportunity that I`ve always wanted to have.
And what better stage to do it in front of all of the country and all of the world? And yes, it`s been amazing, man. It`s just a big leap of faith, man.
DIAZ: It`s a little more time. What`s it like having Alicia Keys in your corner. I mean, she`s tweeting your support. She`s been supporting you the entire way. What`s it like having her support?
PAUL: Alicia is - she`s a philanthropist. She`s an amazing person. And everything that she`s done for me up to this point has been amazing. It`s been great to have her in my corner, man, you know.
DIAZ: Yes. I mean, it`s got to be an amazing thing. Kelly Clarkson has also been helping you out.
PAUL: Yes.
DIAZ: How is it been working with Kelly Clarkson?
PAUL: Kelly - she gave me some really good pointers, you know. And she really made me feel like I could go in and really give it my all and do really good in the battle.
DIAZ: Did she help you from the reality show standpoint?
PAUL: I think because she has done a similar show definitely, you know. Yes.
DIAZ: Blake Shelton is your coach/mentor on the show.
PAUL: Yes, big country. Big country.
DIAZ: You didn`t know he was big country. He didn`t know he was a big country star.
PAUL: No.
DIAZ: How awkward is that?
PAUL: I had no idea about his music, about, you know, his existence for that matter. But -
DIAZ: That`s got to feel great for him.
PAUL: Well, you know what? At the end of the day, this competition does allow us to kind of move into different genres and kind of make ourselves familiar with other kinds of music.
DIAZ: All right -
PAUL: My wife kind of gave me ideas about his coaching ability. I felt real confident going with them.
DIAZ: Jermaine, I`m sure that you and your wife are now big country stars. Thank you so much, dude. I`m now rooting for you on "The Voice." Check out Jermaine Paul on "The Voice" every Monday night on NBC.
All right. Moving on now, "Hunger Games" mania explodes. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes one on one with the stars of "The Hunger Games."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: Who`s best for Katniss.
HUTCHERSON: They both have reasons. They both have their ups and downs.
TURNER: Yes. But you`ve got to fight for what you want.
HUTCHERSON: He has to fight. I don`t have to do anything.
TURNER: Convince me, though.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: Well, hello there. Tonight, is "The Hunger Games" about to be the biggest movie ever? Plus, you`ve got to see what Liam Hemsworth just revealed to us about his relationship with Miley Cyrus.
Did you see this? It`s an unbelievable new video of a two-year-old girl singing the soulful sounds of Adele.
(SINGING)
DIAZ: You can see the heartbreak in her face. Does this little girl have a record deal yet? I`ll show you this remarkable video, next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Kathy Bates to join "Two and a Half Men" as the ghost of Charlie Harper. Pregnant Jessica Simpson reveals she`s definitely not having twins!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": Are you sure you`re not having twins?
JESSICA SIMPSON, SINGER AND ACTRESS: I know everybody is that to me. Apparently, I have a lot of amniotic fluid, so whenever my water breaks, it will be like a fire hydrant.
KIMMEL: Oh, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DIAZ: Let "The Hunger Games" phenomenon begin. The movie is set to open in theaters on Friday. But clearly, the "Twilight"-like obsession has already begun.
And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can uncover "The Hunger Games" secrets from two of the film`s biggest stars.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz, in for A.J. Hammer. Tonight, "Hunger Games" mania.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has just learned that "Hunger Games" could potentially be one of the biggest films of all time, bigger than "Harry Potter," bigger than even "Twilight." Experts say the film could rake in as much as $140 million in its opening weekend. That`s a lot of cash.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner caught up with the film`s two big stars, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. Nischelle asked them about becoming the next big Hollywood megastars. And Liam opened up about his famous girlfriend, Miley Cyrus.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TURNER: Who is best for Katniss?
HUTCHERSON: They both have reasons. They both have their ups and downs.
TURNER: Yes. But you`ve got to fight for what you want.
HUTCHERSON: He has to fight. I don`t have to do anything.
TURNER: Convince me, though. Who is best for her?
LIAM HEMSWORTH, ACTOR: We really don`t know.
HUTCHERSON: I don`t know, man. I mean, honestly, I think that -
HEMSWORTH: Gale`s grown up with her. And at this point in the story, they`re best friends more than anything and they`re more like brother and sister.
TURNER: Yes.
HEMSWORTH: And they`re just there for each other. There`s nothing romantic there at the moment.
TURNER: Yes. You got a leg up, because you got the smooch in.
HUTCHERSON: That`s true. That is true. But he`s had a lot of years of getting to know her.
TURNER: There`s something to be said about history with someone.
HUTCHERSON: History, yes. It does help.
HEMSWORTH: Yes, it does help.
TURNER: Have you guys in real life ever had to like buy a poor girl`s affection against another guy?
HUTCHERSON: I was planning to move it away. You have to try. It`s not just going to happen.
HEMSWORTH: It`s never that hard, actually.
HUTCHERSON: I mean, honestly I`m like Pete in the sense it`s hard for me to initiate first contact. Once I kind of start the conversation, I`m good at finishing it, but it`s getting that initial, like, hi.
TURNER: Do you have a game, Josh? Do you have a little bit of it?
HUTCHERSON: I have no game. My game starts after the initial - I can`t - if I see a good-looking girl, I can`t talk to her. I`m just -
WYNTER: You can`t approach her?
HUTCHERSON: Sometimes, yes. No.
TURNER: What about you, Liam? Is that how you got - I mean, were you good? Were you smooth?
HEMSWORTH: I usually try to make a girl laugh. That`s my approach.
TURNER: Yes, that`s a good one.
HEMSWORTH: To ease the tension.
WYNTER: We saw you guys, you and Miley, on the CNN`s Heroes red carpet. I think that was one of the first times. Are you more comfortable now being open with that relationship?
HEMSWORTH: Yes, I mean, you know, I had my personal life that I try to keep as personal as possible. More and more people want to know what`s happening in my personal life. I try to keep it as personal as possible.
TURNER: Yes. But that`s not possible, especially now with this movie coming out. You guys realize that, right?
HEMSWORTH: Yes. We have a life, which is in the light. And we have our personal life where we still do, you know, the same things we`ve always done and hang out with the same people we hang out with. So it`s - you know, you kind of have two lives.
TURNER: Yes. But have you prepared yourself at all for superstar status? Because I mean the movie`s trending so high right now, and ticket sales trending more than the first "Twilight." I mean, you know there`s about - something special is about to happen?
HUTCHERSON: Yes. I mean, it`s looking up. I can see it`s a good sign. I`m not a cart before the horse or chicken before the hatch kind of guy. But you know, it`s exciting.
There`s a lot of fans in book series and it means a lot to a lot of people. It means a lot to me. And I`m really proud of the movie. I think we did a really, really interesting, very cool rendition of the book.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DIAZ: I don`t think those guys know what they`re truly about to be in for. Now, if you didn`t know already, "The Hunger Games" opens in theaters this Friday.
Tonight, the soulful sounds of Adele interpreted by a two-year-old. Have you seen this? It`s two-year-old a singing sensation on YouTube, Makena. She`s singing Adele`s "Someone Like You."
The video has racked up over a million hits in over two weeks. I`ve got to say she had me convinced that she has gone through a really bad breakup. Watch this.
(SINGING)
Makena, two questions. First, who hurt you? And secondly, do you have a record deal yet? She also plays guitar. So Adele, you`d better watch your back. That`s all I`m saying.
So how would you like to call the octumom and ask her about her 14 kids? Maybe you chat with the Lohans or even call a booted "Real Housewives" star. You will not believe this, but there`s actually a way for you to dial your favorite D-list star. Bust out your phone lines, because I`ve got the details, coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Madonna to join Jimmy Fallon for live chat on Facebook. Chris Klein tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about Hijinks on the set of "American Reunion."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS KLEIN, ACTOR: I`m telling you the minute I walked on set, I got hit in the balls. All summer long just hijinks. They said, "Listen, guys, you really have to tone it down."
Some of the crew is, you know - they`re feeling uncomfortable about all this. Jason Biggs said, "Did anybody tell them what movie they were on?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DIAZ: Do you ever want to chat with octumom? You know, I mean, just check up on her 14 little kids? How about hearing what a real housewife who is a former real housewife does after she gets canned?
Now you can. You can dial your favorite D-lister. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you there`s a Web site offering a service called "Dial a Star" where you can call a celebrity directly and talk to them like you`re talking to your BFF.
For $12 a minute. You can talk to Nadya Suleman, a.k.a. octumom. Lindsay Lohan`s dad, Michael Lohan, for $10. And her Mama Lohan, Dina, will cost you $15 a minute. I guess she gets more because she actually still talks to Lindsay.
Joining me now in Atlanta, Jenn Hobby, co-host of possibly the best morning radio show on the planet, "The Bert Show."
HOBBY: Oh, thank you.
DIAZ: Jenn, dial a star - it sounds like a great idea if you can actually get some big stars. But it seems like the only stars that have signed on are not really stars. Is it worth it?
HOBBY: No, absolutely not. I will not pay a dime for this. But you know what, Carlos? I do think it`s a brilliant idea, because even though to the rest of the world, these are C-listers or D-listers, somebody out there is their number one fan and somebody will pay the price.
DIAZ: Yes. Exactly. Let`s take a look right now at some of the other B to D-listers you can call. How about Crystal Harris, who is the former fiancee of Hugh Hefner? She`s just $10 a minute to talk to.
But the big bucks go to "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star, Danielle Staub, $18 a minute. Jenn, is that worth it?
HOBBY: That is really pricey. It must be based on ratings, right? "Real Housewives of New Jersey" doing better than maybe some of the others. But I certainly wouldn`t pay it.
What is she really going to give up on the phone that she hasn`t already given up on the show? I`m just saying dial at your own risk, right?
DIAZ: Yes. Maybe you get a discount if she yells at you, I don`t know, if she flips a table. OK. Here`s our SHOWBIZ flashpoint, all right? Would you spend money to talk to any of the D-listers on "Dial a Star"?
Jenn Hobby, tell the truth. Give me one of the stars that you want to talk to. Come on.
HOBBY: Just one. I`ve got to go with octumom. I want to know what in the world it was like to birth all those babies.
DIAZ: I`d go with Crystal Harris, because I believe I have a shot at that. No, I`m kidding. No chance at all. But I think octumom would be great to talk to because it`s for a good cause. You know, the money goes to the kids.
HOBBY: Right. It`s for the children.
DIAZ: It`s for the children. Jenn Hobby, thanks so much. Great job as always.
All right. That`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz. Remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively weeknights at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific - I`ve to go dial a star right now - right here on HLN.
END
