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Showbiz Tonight

The Cause of Whitney Houston`s Death; "Hunger Games" Secrets Revealed; The Hollywood Ex-Wives Club; Tebow-Sanchez Mania

Aired March 22, 2012 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, GUEST HOST: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, how did Whitney Houston die? Late today, the startling revelations of what caused Whitney Houston`s death.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The finding of atherosclerotic heart disease suggests a cardiac event, complicated by the cocaine use.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Cocaine, heart disease, death by accidental drowning. Tonight, the results of Whitney`s toxicology report are in. But did it raise more questions than answers?

What does Whitney`s cause of death reveal about her final days of life? What her family is reportedly saying tonight about why she may have turned back to drugs. The great showbiz debate -- was Whitney feeling pressure to make a big come back?

TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks right now.

(MUSIC)

Hello, I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell in Hollywood. A.J. Hammer is off tonight, and there is huge breaking news tonight -- a Whitney Houston autopsy shocker. An explosive toxicology report released late today reveals exactly what killed Whitney Houston.

This brand-new report says Whitney died of accidental drowning, cocaine use, and heart disease. And we also just learned that there was a stunning number of other drugs in Whitney`s body when she died last month in a Beverly Hills hotel room the day before the Grammys.

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter has been breaking news on the Whitney Houston death mystery from day one, and is with us from the coroner`s office in Los Angeles. Kareen, this report is so disturbing, what do you know?

KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jane, roughly six weeks after Whitney Houston`s shocking death, well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal the cause of death -- accidental drowning.

Jane, there were also a couple of contributing factors, heart disease as well as cocaine use. In fact, coroners tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT there was acute cocaine use in the time period prior to Whitney Houston`s collapse in that hotel, Beverly Hilton Hotel, Grammy weekend.

Also found in Whitney Houston`s system -- listen to this -- marijuana, Xanax -- that`s an antianxiety drug -- Flexeril, a muscle relaxer as well as Benadryl. We`re also just told by coroners that Houston`s drug use over time may have actually contributed to her heart disease. Jane?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s so sad, so sad to hear that litany of drugs, a cocktail of drugs. Thank you, Kareen. Stay right where you are.

Let`s bring in criminal defense attorney Midwin Charles who is in New York along with TV and radio host, Michael Billy. And in Los Angeles tonight, Dr. Reef Karim, the director of the Control Center in Beverly Hills.

All right. Midwin, I start with you. Cocaine-related cause of death. Does this surprise you?

MIDWIN CHARLES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I mean, it doesn`t. You know, I think we all can see that Whitney had a very public image, and we all knew her to have addiction issues.

Just about six months before her death, she was in rehab, so I think it`s not shocking. It`s unfortunate. It`s sad.

Whenever someone dies of overdose of drugs, whether prescription drugs or illicit drugs, it`s sad because you almost feel as if it could have been prevented. She could have hopefully gotten help and assistance to deal with her demons.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, and I`m wondering who gave her the cocaine. The coroner`s report today revealed that Whitney`s cocaine use and heart disease seemed to act in concert to cause her death by drowning. Dr. Reef Karim, can you explain exactly how that can happen to the layperson?

DR. REEF KARIM, DIRECTOR, THE CONTROL CENTER: Yes. The most probable thing here is the cause of death was drowning. The drowning could occur because the medications on board, Xanax, is a sedative hypnotic that slows down your central nervous system which can make you sleepy.

Benadryl makes you sleepy. And Flexeril, the muscle relaxer, one of the primary side effects is it makes you sleepy. So when you put all three of them together, it could have simply been she took all these medications that work together to make her sleepy.

She got drowsy. She passed out and ended up drowning. The other possibility is the cocaine did so much damage to her arteries and cocaine clamps down on those arteries that there`s an outside possibility there may have been a heart attack or some kind of cardiac problem that caused her to pass out or to have a heart attack, a cardiac arrest, which put her in the tub and made her drown.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Somebody said to me that using cocaine chronically is worse than being an obese smoker for your heart. Now, we all know that Whitney had a lifelong problem with drugs, especially cocaine.

After she died, her friends insisted vehemently cocaine use was a thing of the past. It was in her past. Now, I want you to watch what the coroner`s office had to say about Whitney`s drug use.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Based on her physical condition, did you conclude she had a very long history of cocaine abuse?

CRAIG HARVEY, LOS ANGELES COUNTY CORONER`S OFFICE: The toxicology findings suggest chronic usage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Chronic cocaine usage. It`s so sad to hear. Michael Billy, we`ve been hearing for years that Whitney kicked her drug habit. People were upset when you suggested maybe she might be using again.

Now, today, we know for a fact that it wasn`t true that she had kicked her drug habit. Are you surprised?

MICHAEL BILLY, TV AND RADIO HOST: No, I`m not. I mean, just from my experience alone, I was a blackout drunk. In my life, I have been in rehab about five times.

And I can be honest with you and tell you within those five times of being in rehab, I was in there for a multitude of reasons, whether it was -- I was in a drunk-driving thing and I wanted to go to rehab because I thought it would look good in front of the judge.

Totally honest, I did it for my family and my loved ones to appease them. I did it so I can clean myself, and so I can start again, and binge and go as far as I could to keep drinking again.

So there`s a multitude of reasons somebody actually does go to rehab. Whether they`re being honest or not about their true will to be sober is something that is yet to be discovered.

And with Whitney, it seems not, and it is evident that it was a matter of people, places and things. Those friends that she had -- apparently from what we`ve learned from her family and friends that she was hanging out with the wrong crowd. And that`s something that`s a death sentence.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. We`ve got to look into who gave her the cocaine, and which doctor gave her those mood-altering pills. She`s a known addict. I appreciate your honesty, Billy. I am a recovering alcoholic and hopefully, April 1st, I`ll have 17 years of sobriety.

BILLY: Congratulations.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: After today`s report -- thank you. Whitney`s sister-in- law, Patricia Houston, after today`s report -- and she was also, by the way, Whitney`s manager -- she released this statement on behalf of the family.

It said, "We are saddened to learn of the toxicology results, although we are glad to now have closure."

Got to go back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Kareen Wynter out at the L.A. Coroner`s Office. You have been covering this nonstop since Whitney`s death. You`ve heard all the theories. What do you find most surprising about today`s report?

WYNTER: Jane, I actually was staring at cocaine as the cause of death on this paper. Sure, we knew she had a history of drug use. But it seemed as if she was turning her life around.

She was looking forward to her movie coming out this year, "Sparkle," the remake of the Supremes. A lot of people were rooting for her.

People speculated and said maybe it was alcohol. Maybe it was prescription drugs. I just didn`t think it would be cocaine. It is just really hard to know that this is now going to be part of her legacy.

WYNTER: Well, I didn`t feel any surprise because I am alcoholic addict in recovery, and I know that one thing leads to the other. When I heard that she was drinking in the days leading up to her death, immediately alarm bells went off.

Now, the coroner`s office said today evidence showed Whitney had taken cocaine before her death. We`re hearing someone may have removed the cocaine from the hotel room where Whitney`s body was found. Midwin, could we be looking at a criminal investigation here?

CHARLES: I don`t think so. I mean, I think there`s a lot of speculation at this point. I don`t see a criminal investigation here. Remember, Whitney was using.

I don`t know who may have supplied her with the drugs or what have you, but I think it`s a little bit too soon to tell, Jane.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Well, Dr. Reef Karim, 10 seconds, yes or no, would you be surprised if there was not a criminal investigation?

KARIM: I would not be surprised just because of who she is. But we have to remember relapse is a major problem, and celebrities get enablers that cause them to have problems to kick drugs, even more so than the average person.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. got to leave it right there. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Kareen Wynter, thank you so much. Defense attorney Midwin Charles, TV and radio host, Michael Billy, Dr. Reef Karim, stay right where you are.

So what do the details of Whitney`s death reveal about her last days alive? Tonight, Whitney`s family reveals the clues of why Whitney may have turned to drugs in her final days. Was she under pressure to rebuild her career?

Also tonight, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we go one on one with the stars of "The Hunger Games."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Were you fans of the book before at all?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was just before we started shooting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Stars reveal brand new "Hunger Games" secrets in a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.

Tim-sanity? Tonight, Tebow-mania headed to New York. Tebow teams up with Mark Sanchez and the Jets two quarterbacks -- two hot stars.

Tonight, SHOWBIZ dares to ask, who is hotter, Tim Tebow or Mark Sanchez? Think about it, people. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.

And now, more breaking news today by the L.A. coroner`s office in the death of Whitney Houston.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARVEY: Well, we believe that something happened that caused her to go down. And we know that when she slipped under the water, she was still alive. We have evidence of drowning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOUSTON: It was almost like heroin and cocaine speed-balling, but you level it off with marijuana, OK?

OPRAH WINFREY, MEDIA MOGUL: So your drug of choice was weed combined with cocaine?

HOUSTON: Cocaine and rock cocaine.

WINFREY: Rock cocaine?

HOUSTON: Yes. Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That was Whitney in a very candid 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey. Whitney going into frightening detail about her past battles with drug abuse.

Tonight, the shocking report on why she died reveals Whitney apparently never shook her demons.

Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell in for A.J. Hammer, breaking news tonight in the Whitney Houston death mystery.

We just learned late today exactly what killed Whitney. The newly revealed toxicology report was accidental drowning, cocaine and heart disease as a cause of Whitney`s death.

So what do these new revelations tell us about Whitney`s final days? It is certainly no secret Whitney struggled with drug abuse in her past.

But in recent months, just about everybody close to Whitney said she had her life back on track and she was ready for a big comeback.

Now, today, we find out Whitney didn`t just drown to death. She had a cocktail of drugs in her system including cocaine.

I want to bring in Dr. Reef Karim. He is the director of the Control Center of Beverly Hills.

Reef, today, assistant coroner Craig Harvey, told reporters that Whitney had used cocaine right before she collapsed and drowned in the bathtub.

Dr. Karim, what do you think this reveals about Whitney`s final days?

KARIM: Well, first off, if she`s acutely using cocaine, she obviously did not kick her drug of choice, which has always been, according to reports, cocaine. So she was still not really recovered in any way in regards to her drug use.

So those demons were very active in her life. Now, the problem with cocaine, outside of the fact it is illegal from the perspective of addiction, is it causes major, major heart problems.

The heart is the biggest organ that cocaine impacts the most. You could have a cardiac arrest or a heart attack from cocaine. You can have an altered heart rhythm that causes you to have a heart attack from cocaine.

So this could all be explained by cocaine itself, and the acute ingestion of cocaine, or a combination of cocaine with all those medications that could make her sleepy, or it could have been those medications that made her sleepy that caused her to go into the bathtub. Either way, she was not recovered at all.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. I agree with you there. We knew Whitney was partying, in fact, in the days before her death. People reported her drinking and ordering drinks and saying drinks were too weak.

TV and radio host, Michael Billy, does it surprise you that the people closest to Whitney told us they thought she was on the straight and narrow?

BILLY: No, because when you say something enough times, it becomes true when you`re talking about the people around you. At my worst, I was a television host on PBS.

I was a TV host and I was drinking. I was blacking out drunk. And everybody around me who wanted to be on the gravy train as I went to bars and bought drinks and bought anything that anybody ever wanted on my own dime, people -- you know, people tend to, you know, believe what they want to and just go along with things.

And unfortunately, that was my situation and it`s not so different from a lot of addicts out there who buy people`s friendships and buy people`s opinions.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. It`s called denial --

BILLY: Denial.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And enabling and rationalization.

BILLY: Exactly. Yes, exactly.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And co-dependency.

BILLY: Absolutely.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: TMZ also reporting today that stress may have played a role, that Whitney Houston`s mom, Cissy Houston thought Whitney was clean, and that it was probably the pressure of a comeback leading up to the Grammys that pushed Whitney off track again.

Now, got to go back to Dr. Reef on this. Whitney made a new movie with no reports of trouble. And then it was off to the Grammys. Do you think that could have been just too much for Whitney Houston to handle given her past struggles with addiction?

KARIM: Well, first off, when you have an addiction, stress is always one of -- stress and boredom, really, are the two primary reasons people go out, people end up relapsing.

So this is an incredible amount of stress. With this level of stress, you need a hardcore support system. You need to be going to meetings on a regular basis. You need to be talking to a therapist.

You need to be surrounded by good, influential people in your life, not people that are going to be problematic and that you`re going to party with. That`s the last thing you want to be doing in this case.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We also found out today the 911 tape will not be released for at least another two weeks after the final autopsy report comes out. Now, defense attorney, Midwin Charles in New York, what do you think that 911 call is going to reveal?

CHARLES: I think it may reveal a lot more than, you know, we`re being told at least up to this point. It may reveal the circumstances under which she was found. In other words, I`m not sure if we know whether she was found face up or face down.

That can tell us a lot of things. It may also reveal who else was in the room, who else was in close proximity, and things like that.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I certainly agree that more will be revealed in this case.

CHARLES: Definitely. Including --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely, we`re nowhere near the end.

CHARLES: Including those drugs that the toxicology report says was found - - could have been found on the scene as well.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Got to leave it right there. MIDWIN CHARLES, Michael Billy, Dr. Reef Karim, thanks so much. Make sure to tune in to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT tomorrow.

We dig deeper into the shocking results of Whitney`s toxicology report. Do we really have all the answers about Whitney`s untimely death?

And there`s more big news breaking today, one on one with stars of "The Hunger Games." Do they think "Hunger Games" will be bigger than "Twilight"?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s no way to compare it to "Twilight." They`re completely different movies and we don`t even know people are going to go see this movie, although we suspect it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, "Hunger Games" secrets revealed by the stars in a must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. And the Hollywood ex-wives club. The ex-wives of Eddie Murphy, Prince, Will Smith get their own reality show. Should their exes be worried? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.

And now, more breaking news revealed late today by the L.A. Coroner`s Office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARVEY: That`s the determination of both the Beverly Hills Police Department and the Los Angeles county coroner that there was no external trauma to the body and no indication of foul play in this death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CARLOS DIAZ, GUEST HOST: Did you spot her? That`s Katy Perry, trai9ning to be in G.I. Jane in her new music video, "Part of Me," and it is trending big time.

Forget the skin-tight clothes and the blue hair. Katy heads to boot camp, climbing ropes, eating military rations and even flipping real Marines. She tells MTV she was sore and exhausted in the end, but respects the military more than ever before.

You know, Jessica Simpson is way too pregnant for boot camp. Apparently, she`s too naked for one grocery store in Arizona. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned Jessica`s nude and pregnant cover for "Elle" magazine has been censored. So is her magazine cover offensive?

Joining me in Hollywood right now is Omarosa Manigault, the west coast editor of "Reality Weekly." Omarosa, you know I love you.

Here`s the deal. This cover of "Elle" magazine with a very pregnant and very nude Jessica Simpson was covered up with a piece of cardboard at an Arizona grocery store.

Take a look at the photo obtained by the Web site, "Jezebel." The sign reads, "Please do not remove cardboard."

Omarosa, I would understand if there was like a nude Jennifer Aniston on "GQ," but is this really necessary? I mean, Jessica`s about to be a mom.

OMAROSA MANIGAULT, WEST COAST EDITOR, "REALITY WEEKLY": First of all, Carlos, I love that sweater. And secondly, when I was on first season of "The Apprentice" with Jessica, I knew that everything she did really came from a good place.

She`s a good person. And for the folks in Arizona, to turn this beautiful aspect of being a mother into something dirty, shame on them.

DIAZ: And do you think that maybe that they need to like realize that it is not about nudity, it is about being a future mom?

MANIGAULT: It`s so beautiful and really, it`s something -- if you say, "Oh, this isn`t for young children," you can explain this is how mommy had you. And it is appropriate for a grocery store. I didn`t think it was too edgy, and I think they really just need to just chill out.

DIAZ: All right, Omarosa. Thank you so much. I like your top, too. Together, we`ll make a nice fruit basket.

And now the SHOWBIZ lineup -- here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

One on one with hot stars of "hunger games."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TURNER: Were you guys all fans of the book before at all?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wasn`t. They -- yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was before, just before --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: "Hunger Games" secrets revealed. The stars of the hot new film tell all in a brand-new must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.

Is Oprah going broke? Tonight, startling new reports that Oprah`s network is losing hundreds of millions of dollars. That can`t be good. So can Oprah`s network be saved? 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: "American Idol" to launch clothing line at Kohl`s called "Authentic Icon" on April 20th. Martha Stewart to guest star on "Law and Order: SVU" to air in April.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DIAZ: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- "Hunger Games" mania has reached a fevered pitch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s no way to compare it to "Twilight." They`re completely different movies, and we don`t even know if people are going to go see this movie, although we suspect it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: "Hunger Games" fanatics are just about to get their first fix of Hollywood`s big new franchise. The SHOWBIZ flashpoint, will "The Hunger Games" be even bigger than "Twilight"?

Plus, Tebow-mania heads to New York. Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez are teaming up on the Jets. Two hot football stars. Two hot celebrities. The big debate tonight, who`s the hotter Hollywood prospect?

And the ex-wives club. Why Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, R. Kelly`s exes are all spilling the beans about their celebrity former husbands.

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 am Carlos Diaz in for A.J. Hammer with big news breaking tonight, "Hunger Games" frenzy.

In less than an hour, the games will begin, "The Hunger Games," that is. Theaters are sold out, fans are camped out and the countdown to show time is in full play.

Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes one on one with the stars of Hollywood`s newest blockbuster, all in a quest to reveal the secrets of "The Hunger Games."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH BANKS, ACTRESS: You`re an attractive lady.

TURNER: You guys -- first of all, you don`t know this. My celebrity crush is in this room now.

LENNY KRAVITZ, ACTOR AND SINGER: You finally get to meet Woody Harrelson.

BANKS: It`s me.

TURNER: Yes.

BANKS: It`s me.

TURNER: It is Elizabeth.

HARRELSON: Yes, of course. I know.

KRAVITZ: Tell us why.

TURNER: Actually, my celebrity crush --

HARRELSON: I knew I would be the one guy on the outside of this thing.

WYNTER: You`re just one of my favorite actors.

HARRELSON: Oh, thanks.

BANKS: He`s known for his body.

TURNER: Well, look at him. Come on. He`s like a rock star for real, like you`re the epitome of rock.

BANKS: He is wearing sunglasses inside. I mean, come on.

HARRELSON: He gets uncomfortable, too, that`s what I`m talking about.

TURNER: Oh, come on. You really get uncomfortable after all this time? Do you just get uncomfortable when people gush about you?

KRAVITZ: I guess so. (EXPLETIVE DELETED). But no, let`s talk about the movie, because at one point, I was watching and I looked down and I was literally gripping my chair like this and I didn`t even realize it.

I thought it was like -- I felt kind of tension from the get-go. And when Elizabeth, when you came on the screen, I turned to the lady sitting next to me and I said, "Is that Elizabeth Banks? Bravo to the costume department."

BANKS: Thank you. I know they did a great job making me disappear.

TURNER: Were you guys all fans of the books before at all?

KRAVITZ: I wasn`t --

BANKS: I was not. They -- yes.

HARRELSON: I was before, just before we started shooting.

(CROSS TALK)

I got the first chapter.

TURNER: But you don`t have to be a fan of the book.

KRAVITZ: But it leads to so many things that people can grasp. Oppressive government, the 99 percent versus the one percent.

TURNER: And of course, I am sure you guys know that there now these comparisons being drawn to "Twilight."

KRAVITZ: "Twilight"? Oh, we haven`t heard that.

TURNER: No. That`s new to you? Am I breaking news to you right now?

HARRELSON: There`s no way to compare it to "Twilight." They`re completely different movies, and we don`t even know people are going to go see this movie although we suspect they will.

TURNER: Can you tell me about the parties in Lenny`s room? I mean --

KRAVITZ: How did you know about those?

TURNER: That`s my job.

KRAVITZ: Well, you know, my room became the hang.

BANKS: The wind-down room.

KRAVITZ: You know, not for kids. This is grown people -- grown people`s time.

TURNER: I think I read -- were you trying on his clothes?

HARRELSON: Yes, I was.

TURNER: Tell me about this. I like this a lot.

HARRELSON: You may not believe this, but I`m not particularly a stylish person. So it was a great experience to, you know, dance around the room in these incredible, exotic, you know, outfits.

KRAVITZ: He was. He was my fifth model, so I got to pick my outfits for the tour on Woody.

TURNER: I wish I could have been a fly on the wall.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DIAZ: What a weekend this is going to be for fans who waited so long for this big movie debut. And I can tell you, some people are already asking if "The Hunger Games" is going to be bigger than "Twilight."

Let me bring in Jamie Reno, an award-winning journalist from "The Daily Beast" who just wrote a great article about his own young daughter`s new obsession with "The Hunger Games." Jamie joins me from San Diego.

And joining me from Hollywood, reality TV star, Ruthie Alcaide.

All right. So Jamie, your 12-year-old daughter was just begging you to let her check out the midnight screening of "The Hunger Games" tonight.

And you wrote that you weren`t quite sure about letting her go, and your readers totally let you have it. How did she ultimately change your mind?

JAMIE RENO, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST FROM "THE DAILY BEAST": Well, she begged. She groveled. You know, it is hard to say no to my beautiful 12- year-old daughter.

We held out a few days, but ultimately, we caved, because many of her friends were going. I had read the book so I kind of -- I had to read the book first before I could OK it. But ultimately, I said --

DIAZ: But why didn`t you want her to go though? Why didn`t you want her to go?

RENO: Well, the truth is I didn`t want her to go to the movie tonight because it is a school night, and she is not going to get home until past 3:00 in the morning.

It had less to do with my concerns about her originally reading the book than just not getting any sleep, you know. But ultimately --

DIAZ: She`s going to be the coolest kid in school tomorrow though. It`s a cool thing. There you go. Now, Jamie, I love the way you summed up "Hunger Games" in your article, calling it reality TV at its most extreme.

Ruthie, having been there, done that from your time as a cast member on "Real World Hawaii," do you get why some parents might be a little iffy about letting their child see a movie like "The Hunger Games"?

RUTHIE ALCAIDE, REALITY TV STAR: I don`t think so. I think it is going to be huge. I think it is going to be probably as big as "Twilight," if not bigger. And I think it is awesome.

I mean, I heard -- I found out today that the inspiration came from some of those reality competition shows.

I would like to think maybe one of our shows inspired it, but I think it`s great. I think it`s awesome. I think everybody should see it. I`m excited. I can`t wait.

DIAZ: But see, this takes reality to a whole another level because it is life or death. I mean, you know, it is taking the obsession with reality to that next level.

This is obviously not the first time the tween crowd has formed an obsession with the movie. There was the "Harry Potter" series, then came the "Twilight" crew. Jamie, what`s the biggest positive in this kid tween obsession with these books that are becoming movies?

RENO: Well, you know, I have been a little concerned with the obsession with some of these dark themes in these movies, "Twilight" and, now, "Hunger Games" especially.

But ultimately, I think there are some really very redeeming qualities about the book. I was kind of branded as a book burner when I wrote this story.

But if you actually read my story, I ultimately give the book a lot of praise. It is wonderful fully-written book. There are positive themes of survival and loyalty and poverty and starvation.

You know, some of the themes are dark, but ultimately, it is life affirming. And so, you know, I want people to know that I am not anti- "Hunger Games."

I just had typical parent`s concerns about some of these -- I mean, we`re talking about children killing children in this book.

DIAZ: Right. Yes.

RENO: And my child is reading that, so I was just a little concerned. But ultimately, I think it actually sends a very positive message. It`s a strong book.

DIAZ: Ruthie, I want to put the same question to you. Reality TV shows really push the limits. And sometimes what we see in these shows will just make you cringe.

But when you compare that to "The Hunger Games," which is rated PG-13, by the way, there are still some very violent scenes.

Ruthie, do you think that kids take reality shows, you know, not as seriously as they should and say, "Well, it is OK, you know, for this to happen in `Hunger Games`"?

ALCAIDE: In a lot of competitions, when I`ve been in it, you know, there are a lot of similarities between that. There`s a lot of villains and everything.

But I would like to think that when I was on the show, I kept my integrity and I fought. And I would like to think that I was one of the good guys.

So when people watch these things, they`re also inspired by the people that actually keep their integrity. And I think in "the Hunger Games," they`re going to more relate to people that are trying to do good as far as that instead of the villains, I hope.

DIAZ: Jamie, we`ve got 10 seconds. Are you going to go see the movie with your daughter tonight?

RENO: I`m not going tonight. She`s going to be with a bunch of other parents. But I am going to see the movie with her probably next week when that dies down a bit.

DIAZ: Yes. You will see it on the fourth or fifth time that she sees it next week.

RENO: Exactly.

DIAZ: Jamie Reno, Ruthie, thank you guys so much. All right. Get ready for some more big Hollywood secrets tonight. Some of the biggest exes in Hollywood are spilling the beans.

Eddie Murphy`s ex. Prince`s ex. Will Smith`s ex. We`ll tell you why they`re dishing about their famous former husbands and we reveal just what they`re saying.

Also, it`s Tim Tebow versus Mark Sanchez. The celebrity quarterbacks are both now New York Jets. Everyone`s got an opinion on who should get more field time. But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, who should get more Hollywood face time? 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: The mansion where Michael Jackson died is on the market for $23.9 million. Kristen Chenoweth gets pranked by Ellen`s "dance dares."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": What you don`t know is we did it to you. Watch.

KRISTIN CHENOWETH, ACTRESS: I thought that something was weird going on behind me and I thought they were making fun of me.

DEGENERES: No, no, no.

CHENOWETH: I didn`t know they --

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DIAZ: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz, in for A.J. Hammer.

Tonight, Carnie Wilson`s big surgery revelation. How her decades-long battle with weight loss just got more serious.

Also, Hollywood`s A-list exes tell all about their former famous husbands.

And is Oprah`s new network going broke? That tops the buzz today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over) Oprah going broke? Oprah Winfrey`s OWN network could be on track to lose almost $143 million this year.

A brand-new report in "The Hollywood Reporter" quotes a business analyst that says OWN`s programming flops like "The Rosie Show" which was just cancelled mean the network will lose huge money because it will have to the drop prices it can charge advertisers and local cable systems which carry the network.

Oprah`s own partner, Discovery Communications, defended the network saying, "The venture is on more solid ground with more business momentum than ever before. We remain confident in the future of OWN and the long-term value we are building.

Carnie`s secret surgery. Carnie Wilson just revealed in a new interview with "People" magazine that she underwent weight loss surgery for the second time.

Carnie famously lost 150 pounds after gastric bypass surgery back in 1999. Carnie confesses she went under the knife again, this time for lap band surgery telling "People," "It was the right decision for me and I`m doing really well so far. It`s all about taking good care of myself."

Ex-wives club confessions. The exes of Eddie Murphy, Prince, R. Kelly and Will Smith are just about to tell all. VH1 has just announced a brand- new series that will follow the lives of the exes of famous men.

The network says the new series will show the world that women are more than just trophy wives. The one-hour episodes will follow the ladies as they try to establish new lives apart from their famous exes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Well, hello. I cannot imagine that any of those stars are doing the happy, happy joy, joy dance over the news that their ex-wives are starring in a reality TV show. This has got to be very bad news for them.

With me in Hollywood, Omarosa Manigault, who is the west coast editor of "Reality Weekly."

Omarosa, let`s run down the stats on these women. Nicole Murphy was married to Eddie Murphy 13 years. They have five kids together. Cherie Fletcher was married to Will Smith for three years. They have one child.

Mayte Garcia was married to Prince for three years. And Andrea Kelly was married to R. Kelly 12 years. They have three kids together.

These women have been friends for years, and I am sure they share their own war stories with each other about their exes. Omarosa, which of these famous ex-husbands should be the most scared about what could be revealed on this show?

MANIGAULT: I think Jose Conseco would probably be the most concerned. He also has been in reality TV himself, but he is very protective of his child, and he was very protective of his marriage.

So I can`t wait to see the details that come out. And just in terms of full disclosure, I was on a show with Jose Conseco. I`m following this story very closely for "Reality Weekly." And I sent him a note to see what his reaction was and I can`t wait to see what he has to say about his ex- wife spilling the beans.

DIAZ: Well, I`ve got to believe the biggest reason that VH1 selected these women is because producers know there is a lot to dish about. Omarosa, do you believe -- and I know you`re going to be watching this show. Do you believe the show is going to be a big hit?

MANIGAULT: I think that this is going to be a blockbuster for VH1. One, we have never seen Will Smith`s ex-wife. We`ve never seen her interaction. We`ve seen some pictures here and there, but we`ve never seen the behind- the-scenes interaction with her, her son or Will Smith.

And maybe he`ll make an appearance. But Nicole Murphy, stunning. These women are all gorgeous. They live these glamorous lives. And this is certainly something that the viewers want to see.

And we`ll be following it very closely in "Reality Weekly" magazine.

DIAZ: All right. Omarosa, just make sure that you never tell anybody about you and I, OK?

I want to move on to a brand-new report about "People" magazine that Carnie Wilson has undergone weight loss surgery for a second time.

Now, here`s what we know. Back in 1999, Carnie had gastric bypass surgery, losing 150 pounds. And now, almost 13 years later, Carnie is revealing to "People" magazine that she has had lap band surgery.

Joining me now in New York with more on this story is Michelle Tan, who is a senior editor for "People" magazine.

Now, I am no doctor, but this sounds risky. What else did she reveal to "People" magazine?

MICHELLE TAN, SENIOR EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, she said she struggled with this weight that she gained after having two babies. She has two girls. Lola is six, and her daughter, Lucy, is now two years old.

And for the last two years, she said the scale just did not budge. And she`s really struggling. She tried different diets. She even went on a Dr. Oz program where he was even mentoring her, and she couldn`t do it. And she finally decided surgery was the best option for her again.

DIAZ: Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has reached out to Carnie to come on the show to explain to us what she has been going through, because I think a lot of people would benefit from hearing her story.

Michelle, what has been the reaction to Carnie`s new revelation from "People" magazine readers?

TAN: Well, I will say comments have been varied. A lot of people are wondering, you know, she is a celebrity. She has access to a lot of resources that a lot of people don`t have. Why doesn`t she get a chef? Why can`t she get a trainer?

But there are people who understand that Carnie is suffering from real addiction to food. And she is really struggling and they`re rooting for her, and they want to see her get better.

And if surgery, she feels, is the right option for her, they say go for it and they hope it really works for her this time.

DIAZ: Very quickly, was she emotional during the interview?

TAN: We just talked a really brief bit, but really, she just wants people to know that she doesn`t feel like a failure. She feels really confident in her decision and very hopeful for the future.

DIAZ: Michelle Tan, great job. Omarosa, thank you so much, guys. I appreciate it.

All right. From Hollywood love gone bad to Hollywood`s next bromance? It`s official. Celebrity athletes Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez are now both teammates on the New York Jets.

So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, are football`s two biggest stars about to become celebrity BFFs? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.

Time now for the SHOWBIZ buzz list -- here`s what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is buzzing about this week.

The wait will finally be over. "The Hunger Games" opens tonight at midnight. 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 just released on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Kick some butt. Become the action hero you always dreamed to be with the reality and real cool app, "Action Hero FX."

And we cannot put down the steamy and controversial "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DIAZ: You don`t have to be a big football fan to know that Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez are superstar athletes. They have the attention of Hollywood, celebrities and, yes, women everywhere.

And get this, now, they`re both going to be quarterbacks for the same team, New York Jets. Mark and Tim will go head to head in playing time and celebrity status. So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, who is going to be the hotter star?

I want to go to Omarosa Manigault in Hollywood who is the west coast editor for "Reality Weekly."

All right, Omarosa. I know you love this category. I want to break down the Tebow-Sanchez battle for stardom. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal the celebrity stats on these superstars and they are impressive.

Take a look at this. Both these guys are big time cover boys. Tebow has eight "Sports Illustrated" covers. Yes, eight. Plus, he`s got a huge Nike endorsement and another big Jockey endorsement.

Sanchez has two "Sports Illustrated" covers and a "GQ" cover to his name and he a mother-lode endorsement with Pepsi.

Omarosa, I know you`re a big fan of Tebow and we have the big picture to prove it. So try to be impartial in this and tell me who you think is going to be the hotter Hollywood star?

MANIGAULT: Well, I have to tell you that I met Tim Tebow. Like you said, it was one of those nights where you`re like, "Oh, wow."

I was with my boyfriend, Michael, and even Michael was impressed with this guy`s charisma and his personality. He`s got that "it" factor.

But Sanchez has been wowing people forever. And I`m going to tell you he is smart, not just athletic. But here is the deal breaker. This is the one that just gives the advantage to Tim Tebow. Tim is a virgin. That makes him hotter than hot.

DIAZ: Allegedly. Reportedly. We cannot confirm that. Well, OK. But Sanchez has got (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

MANIGAULT: I have to go with Tebow.

DIAZ: All right. Fine. I`m going to with Sanchez.

MANIGAULT: Listen, Tebow wins in my book.

DIAZ: Whatever. I met Tim Tebow several times. He is a great dude. I can tell you that Tim Tebow has already reportedly been courted by the reality TV world.

Reports had him on "The Bachelor." He told me that he wasn`t doing "Dancing with the Stars," even though they wanted him.

Other reports say Mark Sanchez went on several secret dates with reality queen, Kim Kardashian. Omarosa, you have been in more reality TV shows than I can count, including "Celebrity Apprentice." So who do you think would make a better reality star, Tim Tebow or Mark Sanchez?

MANIGAULT: Well, I`m going to speak for Donald Trump here. I`m going to go out on a limb and say that Donald would like to have both on his show. And particularly since they`re both in New York, I think it would be perfect if they were both on "Celebrity Apprentice."

DIAZ: Well, firstly, you`ve got to think these either going to love each other or hate each other. So I`ve got 20 seconds. Do you think there`s going to be a Tim Tebow-Mark Sanchez bromance? Or are they both going to be jet-lagged?

MANIGAULT: I think that you`ll see these two guys have so much in common they`ll become bros in the game and bros in New York. So I expect to see a bromance between the two of them.

DIAZ: Omarosa, thank you so much. Great job. All right. That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Carlos Diaz. Remember, you can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively weeknights at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.

END