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Showbiz Tonight
Whitney Houston Death Mysteries; The Situation Comes Clean; Kim K`s Flour Shower
Aired March 23, 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 - Whitney Houston death mysteries. Tonight, the puzzling new unanswered questions. Where did the cocaine come from?
Should there be a criminal investigation? What did Whitney`s family really know about her apparent drug relapse?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICIA HOUSTON, WHITNEY HOUSTON: If the handwriting was kind of on the wall, I would be kidding myself to say otherwise.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The Situation comes clean. The truth behind reports the "Jersey Shore" star went to rehab for prescription drugs and exhaustion. The SHOWBIZ flashpoint - should The Situation ditch reality TV for sobriety in real life?
Kim K`s flour shower. Kim Kardashian`s scary red carpet moment. But what Kim did next is probably the biggest shocker of all. Tonight, Kim K.`s flour bomb blow-off.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell in for A.J. Hammer with big news breaking tonight, new Whitney mysteries just a day after the cause of Whitney Houston`s death was revealed.
There are explosive new questions about what really happened right before and right after Whitney died. A coroner`s report just revealed that Whitney accidentally drowned in a hotel bathtub, her system overloaded with a cocktail of drugs including cocaine. So case closed, right?
No, not even close. Now, investigators are still searching for answers. Where did the cocaine come from? And why was there no trace of it in Whitney`s hotel room?
That`s just the start of a brand-new chapter in the Whitney Houston death mysteries.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRAIG HARVEY, LOS ANGELES COUNTY CORONER`S OFFICE: We have evidence of drowning.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So we finally know how Whitney Houston died in that Beverly Hilton Hotel room last month, an accidental drowning in her hotel bathtub with the contributing factors being her heart condition and cocaine use.
HARVEY: A cardiac event complicated by the cocaine use.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this announcement does not completely answer everything about this tragic death of a music icon.
DAX HOLT, TMZ: There are enormous amounts of unanswered questions.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT looks at the big unanswered questions in the Whitney Houston death mystery. The first unanswered question - did someone clean up Whitney Houston`s hotel room?
In its report, the L.A. Coroner`s office was crystal clear Whitney did cocaine moments before her death.
HARVEY: The level indicates like an acute dose, not probably too much before she collapsed in the shower area.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned that after Whitney Houston`s death, investigators found prescription drugs in the hotel room where she died. No one mentioned finding cocaine.
HOLT: When the police went in there for the initial investigation, they didn`t find any signs of illegal drugs.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So today the newly revealed fact that Whitney did cocaine moments before getting in that bathtub has people asking questions like, did someone go into Whitney Houston`s hotel room and remove cocaine before the cops showed up?
HOLT: If that did come out, that someone did remove the cocaine, that would be a crime and it would be tampering with evidence.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And that leads to the second burning question - could Whitney`s death lead to a criminal investigation?
The recent drug-related deaths of Michael Jackson and Anna Nicole Smith each led to criminal charges. Could the death of this superstar have the same result?
Again, Whitney`s potentially cleaned-up hotel room might attract police attention.
HOLT: They`re definitely saying the case is not closed at the moment.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And now that Whitney Houston`s death officially has been tied to an illegal substance, cocaine, everyone is talking about possible criminality in this case.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "ANDERSON": There`s questions like, where did she get the cocaine if she was flown into L.A. -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly
COOPER: She wasn`t living there?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE : I mean, it`s a crime. It`s a felony.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: On my HLN show, "JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL," last night former L.A. Prosecutor, Marcia Clark, who tried the infamous O.J. Simpson double murder case, told me pointblank, someone should be hauled into court for giving Whitney cocaine.
MARCIA CLARK, FORMER PROSECUTOR: Whoever sold it to her should be prosecuted if they can be found. It`s a very, very tough order.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And then, there`s the third burning question - what, if anything, did Whitney Houston`s inner circle know about her drug use?
In 2009, Whitney told Oprah Winfrey in explicit detail about the drug binges she and Bobby Brown indulged in during their marriage.
OPRAH WINFREY, MEDIA MOGUL: Your drug of choice was weed combined with cocaine?
WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER: Cocaine and rock cocaine.
WINFREY: Rock cocaine?
HOUSTON: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But Whitney said that was all in the past, and so did people close to her.
P. HOUSTON: I don`t think drugs was an issue for her before her death.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: In an interview with Oprah Winfrey after Whitney Houston`s death, Whitney`s sister-in-law and manager insisted there was no way Whitney was using during that hectic pre-Grammy weekend.
P. HOUSTON: When you are recording and when you have a meeting with Clive and when you have fittings and when you have to go in to see your throat doctor, are you high? Absolutely not. You would be too paranoid to do that.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But now, the coroner`s report tells us that`s not the case.
HARVEY: The toxicology findings suggest chronic usage.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has learned that within the next few weeks, the final autopsy report and the 911 tape will be released to the public. So we`ll see if they provide some answers in this death mystery or inspire more questions.
It`s almost as if the toxicology report has actually left us with more questions than answers. The big question - should there be a criminal investigation into Whitney`s death?
Joining me now from SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview from Chicago, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, president of Rainbow Push Coalition and a longtime friend of the Houston family. Thanks so much for joining us, Reverend.
Rev. Jackson, we were so saddened to hear that cocaine was found in Whitney`s system. As a family friend who knew Whitney, what was your reaction when you learned that cocaine was listed as a contributing factor in Whitney`s death?
REV. JACKSON, PRESIDENT, RAINBOW PUSH COALITION: I thought about her pain. You know, we are inclined to reveal our successes and conceal our pain. How much pain did she conceal? We do not know.
There`s a tension now between those who want closure and healing and those who want salacious details. I hope that this matter will be resolved quickly because we lost a lot in her. And we`re going to lose a lot of her reputation. I hope that`s not the case.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s take another listen to the assistant L.A. coroner`s statement about Whitney Houston`s death.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARVEY: That is 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 there`s no indication of foul play in this death.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. I want to bring in my dear friend, Pat Lalama, investigative journalist and correspondent with the crime network, Investigation Discovery.
Pat, no foul play, but, well, we`re hearing the case not closed. So do you think there should be a criminal investigation into Whitney Houston`s death?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Look, Jane, nobody likes a drug dealer, OK? No one likes anyone who supplies drugs to a person with a heavy, heavy addiction.
But as much as I`m saddened by her death, she and she alone is responsible for her chronic - that`s the key word - chronic use of cocaine. That probably means over time.
She never got off the addiction bandwagon. And unfortunately, we want to look for blame because she`s a celebrity. We don`t afford that to anybody else but celebrities.
She had to take responsibility for her own life. I don`t see criminality aside from someone probably giving her drugs when she asked for it, but that could be in any city across the nation. What are you going to do, find a crime network in all of this?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I, for one, would like to know who was giving her the cocaine.
LALAMA: But why?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Was it somebody in her inner circle?
(CROSS TALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me go out to Rev. Jackson. Do you think, Reverend, there should be a criminal investigation into Whitney`s death, specifically who was giving her the cocaine?
J. JACKSON: Well, I`m sure the investigation will be thorough. But I still see this as a sickness, not meanness. And while she had a sickness and a weakness, she gave us so much.
So those of us in this tension are kind of on trying to protect even her reputation. Somehow, some way, she had not gotten well, but was still exposed to the public and exposed to people who were obviously not operating in her best interest.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, we`re expecting the next big news, the 911 call in a couple of weeks along with the final autopsy reports. Pat, do you expect any bombshells?
LALAMA: I don`t. I think we`ll get a visceral sense of what went on in that room, who was asking for help had, what her condition was.
But I don`t think there`s - there is not going to be a smoking gun here, Jane. She abused drugs. It`s sad. I was a big fan. But I`m going to guarantee you right now, we`ll have a conversation for another show, there`s not a smoking gun here.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`d like to know who cleaned up the room so that there was no cocaine the room when policed showed up.
LALAMA: Why did they leave the bottles? Why did they leave the medication?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, because maybe they didn`t want the illegal drug to be found. Rev. Jackson, hearing all this and the questions that remain, tell me, do you yourself still have questions that you want answered about Whitney`s death?
J. JACKSON: I must it admit I`m still, like many fans, kind of in the grieving stage. We obviously want to know what happened, who did something that was hurtful to her or themselves.
I mean, that is a kind of curiosity because she was the most famous of her type in the whole world. And so we miss her. And if someone aided her early death, that concerns us very much.
But I think the family is right and they`re being more concerned about healing and closure than about an investigation. And so it`s not so much who did it, but what happened in her quest to get well and she never seemed to have accomplished that.
LALAMA: Right. Right. Exactly.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, reverend, I want you to stand by because as someone close to the Houstons - I really want your thoughts about what Whitney`s family may have known about her apparent drug relapse.
We`re going to talk to you about that and the family`s reaction in just a little bit, so please stay with us. Now, I want to hear from you at home. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll.
Whitney Houston`s death linked to cocaine use. Should somebody be criminally charged in her death? Vote at HLNTV.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also E-mail. Our address - showbiztonight@hlntv.com.
And Kim K.`s flour shower. All kinds of things get thrown Kim Kardashian`s way - jewels, fancy clothing. But this time, what came flying Kim`s way wasn`t exactly a lavish gift. Yes, Kim gets flour-bombed, but her reaction after the stunning attack was a real shocker.
You`ve got to see this. It`s burning up that whole dance floor. The hottest new couple on "Dancing with the Stars" is here. Mark Ballas and Katherine Jenkins spilling secrets from the ballroom and beyond. 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: Hilary Duff and husband welcome a baby boy, Luca Cruz. Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen reveals how Justin Bieber helped make her a star.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLY RAE JEPSEN, SINGER: I had never branched outside of Canada. I had no idea how to do that. And one miraculous day, Justin called. At the time, I was touring in Canada in a soccer mom van with my band. And yes, it seemed too good to be true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did you see those moves? That`s dancing pro, Mark Ballas, and his new partner, Katherine Jenkins, taking center stage on the season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars." Tonight, they`re sharing secrets from inside the ballroom.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell in for A.J. Hammer. And tonight, dancing secrets. The stars going head-to-head for that coveted mirror ball trophy on the all-new season of "Dancing with the Stars."
The celebs ready swing, stomp and twist until the end. But one dancing pair is already standing out from the pack, dancing pro Mark Ballas and Welsh opera singer, Katherine Jenkins.
Can they take it all the way? Or is there a bigger prize in store for these two off the dance floor? Carlos Diaz did some digging with the dynamic duo for an all-new SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARLOS DIAZ, GUEST HOST: First off, guys, congratulations on your first night of on the floor. You guys did a great job. Now, there is -
KATHERINE JENKINS, "DANCING WITH THE STARS" CONTESTANT: Thank you.
MARK BALLAS, DANCING PRO, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": Thank you.
DIAZ: There`s so much buzz about the show this season. The judges are calling it the best cast ever. "Dancing" fans seem to be loving this matchup, but I imagine that it`s got to add pressure.
Mark, what`s really going on in your head knowing this season, the competition is truly fierce? Do you have any extra tricks up your sleeve?
BALLAS: I always have tricks up my sleeve. I`m going to agree with the fans that, usually, every season, we`re, like, the biggest and best season ever!
But I think this time it`s really true. I mean, the standard this season is incredible. There wasn`t one dance where afterwards you were, like, "Oh, I don`t know about that," like everything was really great.
And you know, it was awesome to be on top of the leaderboard. We tied with Jaleel. Jaleel was on fire. I felt like Gavin DeGraw was awesome and unexpected. I feel like Marie and Derek got underscored that they`re in the middle of the pack.
I think they would have done better. There`s some really good talent. William was great.
JENKINS: Everyone was so good. They were so impressive.
BALLAS: Everyone was so good. It was just a rocking night in general. And I think it`s going to be real - you know, it`s going to be a fist fight in the end.
DIAZ: But you guys are the best, though, right? You guys are the best?
BALLAS: Well, thank you.
DIAZ: That`s not a statement. That`s a question.
JENKINS: We don`t feel like that, do we?
DIAZ: Are you the best. Do you think you`re the best?
BALLAS: I don`t -
JENKINS: I thought that Jaleel and Kim were outstanding.
BALLAS: Yes.
JENKINS: And it was so deserved and they - I mean, when they danced I really thought they were going to knock us off our top spot.
BALLAS: Yes. I thought they were going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(CROSS TALK)
JENKINS: Actually, they were brilliant.
BALLAS: But yes, Jaleel was really great. I mean, there are a lot of good ones. William is good, and William`s only had a week to train.
DIAZ: All right. You guys can keep talking about how great everybody else is. Katherine, every time you step up to the mike, you blow us away with your incredible voice and you look like a pro on the dance floor.
But this is also a popularity contest. Do you worry at all about competing with the star power of the rest of your cast mates?
JENKINS: Well, you know, I came into this knowing totally that, you know, I`m not known in America at all. And I just thought, if I come and enjoy this and have fun doing it, and just be myself, and the idea was go out Monday night and do the best foxtrot that we could. And if that brought some enjoyment to some people, then that was what we were hoping for.
DIAZ: Well, Mark, you`ve already brought home a mirror ball trophy. You`ve got 20 seconds. Can you do it again with Katherine?
BALLAS: I`m going to try, you know. For us, it`s about coming off the floor. It`s still only week one. You know, we`ve got another nine more to go so it`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But for me, I just want to, you know, get in there and do the best we can and come off the floor feeling like we couldn`t have done better every time.
JENKINS: And having fun while we do it.
DIAZ: All right. I`m just going to start rumors right now and say you guys make a great couple. OK, moving on - Mark Ballas, Katherine Jenkins, thank you guys.
BALLAS: You`re a week late.
DIAZ: You`re both very attractive and I`m just saying, if you decide, you have my blessing. Check out "Dancing with the Stars" Monday and Tuesday nights on ABC.
And look out for Katherine`s new video, "Tell Me I`m Not Dreaming." They are a good-looking couple.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And now, we`re switching gears. What did Whitney`s family really know? Did the Houston family know about her apparent drug relapse? What did they know about Whitney`s health? The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a Houston family friend, joins me tonight for a very special SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
And Kim Kardashian`s red carpet moment. Kim K. Getting blasted by a flour- wielding bandit. But what Kim did next, probably the biggest shocker of all. We`ll explain. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Fergie says "it`s not the right time" for her to be a judge on "The X Factor." NBC renews "Smash" for another season.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Primrose Everdeen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Prim! I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let "The Hunger Games" hysteria begin. Hollywood`s big new movie franchise finally hit theaters tonight. And fans are going fold.
I can tell you it just shattered a huge midnight movie record bringing in nearly $20 million. That is the highest midnight gross ever for a non- sequel movie. Nothing bigger in Hollywood right now than "The Hunger Games."
But what else and who else is up and down in the celeb world this week? It`s time for your SHOWBIZ exclusive look at Reputation.com`s weekly scorecard of who is up and who is down in Hollywood. It`s all determined by online and social media buzz.
And with us tonight for the reputation rap is Reputation.com`s vice chairman, the one and only Howard Bragman. All right. Howard, let`s get right to "The Hunger Games." Just how far up is this colossal movie today?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN, "REPUTATION.COM": Listen, it`s what everybody is talking about, overwhelmingly positive. That`s the huge thing - over 85 percent positive.
Look for this movie. It could easily do $125 million, maybe $150 million this weekend. The biggest movie of the year so far.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. On the other hand, bad news for "Jersey Shore`s" Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino. Now, Howard, why is his rep so down.
BRAGMAN: Well, it`s kind of interesting, you know. I think I have a funny reason. I mean, obviously he went into rehab. He announced it.
First, he was sort of coy about it. And then it was confirmed he`s going to rehab. I hardly think it`s shocking he`s going to rehab.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
BRAGMAN: I think people are going, I don`t think he`s as much fun if he`s sober. I think, you know, people are, like, "Oh, do I want to watch `Jersey Shore` if all these guys are clean and sober?" It won`t be as much fun, will it, Jane?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Give us the Scooby Doo(ph) on Tim Tebow. Up? Down?
BRAGMAN: You know, it`s interesting. Tim Tebow got fired from the Broncos. And now, he`s going to the New York Jets, and yet, he`s way up.
And two reasons - one, his fans love Tebow, his base. Number two, he`s going to the biggest media market in the world. And anything happens to Mark Sanchez, watch out, the Tebow fans are there.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. I`m Tebowing right now. Reputation.com`s Howard Bragman, thank you so much. Love you.
And now, the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
What did Whitney Houston`s family know about her apparent drug relapse? Do they really have closure now? The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a Houston family friend, joins me tonight for a very special SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why don`t you see it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re crazy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re crazy!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Another season of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" needs another really, really hot mess. Tonight, we`ve got your SHOWBIZ first look at what seems to be the most explosive season yet. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Usher to play Sugar Ray Leonard in upcoming film. Hugh Dancy to star in NBC drama based on Dr. Hannibal Lecter character.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - protecting Whitney. Tonight, what did Whitney Houston`s family know about her drug problems? Did they know she took cocaine before her death? What are they now saying the drugs were found in her body?
The Situation comes clean about rehab, prescription drugs and exhaustion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXIS TERESZCUK, REPORTER, "RADARONLINE.COM": Oh, he came clean. He posted on his Web site. He said, "You know what? I`m actually seeking help."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: What`s the real deal? Tonight, the SHOWBIZ flashpoint - should The Sitch quit "Jersey Shore"?
Kardashian flour-bomb. Kim Kardashian attacked with flour on the red carpet. The stunning new images of a powdered Kim K. and her surprising reaction.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell, in for A.J. Hammer with big news breaking tonight, who knew?
There are disturbing new questions tonight following the release of Whitney Houston`s explosive toxicology results. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there when the Los Angeles County coroner`s office revealed the shocking new details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARVEY: Cocaine use indicated an acute use and it appeared that the cocaine had been used in the time period just probably immediately prior to her collapse in the bathtub at the hotel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And we also learned 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.
The report raises new questions about what really happened the night Whitney died. Who was in the room? How did Whitney get those drugs? And why didn`t anyone stop her?
Let me bring in the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who is a friend to the Houston family. Reverend Jackson joining me from Chicago for a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Rev. Jackson, a lot of people just stunned to hear the coroner`s report revealing that cocaine use - cocaine use contributed to Whitney`s death, because the police had not found any illegal drugs in her hotel room.
Let me share with you the new statement released by the Houston family, quote, "We are saddened to learn of the toxicology results, although we are glad to now have closure," end quote.
So Rev. Jackson, what`s your sense of the family`s reaction to this new, disturbing report?
J. JACKSON: You know, I`m not sure about the members of the family, but her friends, those who were close to her, even some of her musicians - the wound has not yet healed.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) her mother, Cissy, is a strong woman of faith and integrity. No doubt she knew her daughter better than anyone did. I`ve witness her relationship her daughter, so that`s a real close circle there.
And they will survive this tragedy based upon faith. And now they are - just the media`s interest in trying to find out the details of what did happen. They`re trying to deal with the aftermath of it.
So I say this report comes rather quickly. We thought it would be later, but it`s come quickly with some degree of shock and trauma. But the family has to lean on its faith to get through it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, knowing the Houston family as you do, though, do you really believe the coroner`s report brings them closure?
J. JACKSON: Well, maybe it does to the family because nothing that happens in the report let them recall their daughter, recall their mother.
They cannot go back. They must go forward by their faith and by their hope and not back with their fear or their misgivings.
Of course the salacious detail, the press - we`re not interested, but - we`re not interested. The press will pursue it and the fans who buy the magazines.
The family does not own the magazine (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of this equation. They don`t know the last detail. You know something happened with her in the role.
We lost a star. We lost a great singer. They lost a child and they lost a mother. My sympathies, as a minister, goes more to the family and its feelings, its hurt and pain, and seeking to heal these wounds, and they are real wounds.
VELEZ-MITCHELL:: Well, it was just about two weeks ago when Whitney`s daughter Bobbi Kristina told Oprah Winfrey, hey, people were jumping to conclusions about her mom. Now, watch this with me, reverend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOBBI KRISTINA HOUSTON BROWN, WHITNEY HOUSTON`S DAUGHTER: We have so many people saying so many other things, but they don`t know who she really was. And I want people to know that, you know, she - everything that people are saying about her, all that negativity, is garbage.
WINFREY: Yes.
B.K. BROWN: That`s not my mother.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Rev. Jackson, is it really possible that Bobbi Kristina and the rest of the Houston family knew nothing about Whitney`s drug use? Because they all said she was cleaning up her act.
J. JACKSON: It`s possible they didn`t know. It`s also possible they wanted to keep it a family secret because that`s what love does. Love tends to cover and protect and conceal the interest in her legacy, image, her career.
And so the family does not feel free as if they were on the judge`s stand to come clean to make maybe the press happy.
This is, for some, a public affair, for them, a private and personal affair. And I think they`re right to do the best they can to get through this and keep her legacy and her image intact and they`re inclined to do that.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And Rev. Jackson, just briefly. In addition to cocaine, they found marijuana, Xanax, Flexeril, Benadryl. Were you surprised by that, briefly?
J. JACKSON: Well, I do not know what all she was (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But I do know that when people are in great pain, they use a lot of anesthesia.
And sometimes, it`s prescribed, sometimes not. But obviously, she had some deep hurt and she tried to cover it up as best as she could. At some point, it was the tipping point.
She`s gone. We lost her. We have a legacy. We have a memory. We have her songs. And so we who are back here must lean on that.
(CROSS TALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Reverend, we`ve got to leave it there. Sorry, but thank you so much for joining us, Rev. Jackson.
J. JACKSON: Thank you.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right now, The Situation comes clean. "Jersey Shore" star, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino sets the record straight on reports that he`s in rehab.
The Sitch just revealed the truth, saying he`s got a problem with prescription drugs, and he`s getting help for it. But that`s not the end of the story. It`s really just the beginning.
Now, there are new questions about whether or not The Sitch should bow out gracefully from the show that made him famous. It`s a major decision. Reality TV fist-pumping or real-life sobriety?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE "THE SITUATION" SORRENTINO, REALITY TV STAR, "THE JERSEY SHORE": It`s time to set the truth free and see what happens.
DIAZ (voice-over): Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino has finally decided to set the truth free. After spending almost an entire day denying reports that he`s in rehab, The Situation has finally come clean about getting clean.
TERESZCUK: Mike "The Situation" is seeking help for a prescription pill problem.
DIAZ: In a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, The Situation says, quote, "I have voluntarily taken steps to get control of a prescription medication problem I had due to exhaustion. I have spent the past several weeks getting treatment."
TERESZCUK: He finally came clean. He posted on his Web site. He said, "You know what? I`m actually seeking help." It`s a pretty honest statement. Most celebrities never even admit that they were in rehab.
DIAZ: But now that The Situation has finally answered questions about his rehabbing, there`s a bigger question looming out there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just get drunker and drunker.
DIAZ: When The Situation gets out of rehab, should he go back to the hard- drinking life that made him famous on "Jersey Shore"?
TERESZCUK: The brig problem is, the "Jersey Shore" crew, their entire life revolves around drinking.
DIAZ: If you turn on any given episode of "Jersey Shore" and you don`t see anyone drinking or talking about drinking, chances are you`re in a commercial break.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The music is jumping, the drinks are flowing, everyone is ready to have a good time.
TERESZCUK: This is the number one source of entertainment on the show is them drinking.
DIAZ: And with filming expected to resume soon for the shows next season, people are wondering if this is a good environment for someone like The Situation who presumably will be fresh out of rehab.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take a shot. There you go.
TERESZCUK: When he gets out of rehab, he`s going to be under intense scrutiny.
DIAZ: But "Jersey Shore" is far from The Situation`s only exposure to alcohol.
TERESZCUK: Outside of the reality show he is a huge draw at nightclubs.
DIAZ: In the celebrity paid-to-party night club circuit, The Situation is a top draw. He reportedly can get up to $50,000 for just one nightclub appearance. Plus, there`s his vodka situation.
SORRENTINO: I own my own vodka. Straight up drink my own (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
DIAZ: Sorrentino is part owner to a vodka line, Devotion Vodka. And promoting it puts him front and center in the party scene.
All told, The Situation`s professional partying lifestyle has been estimated to earn him up to $5 million a year. And "Radar Online`s" Alexis Tereszcuk tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT The Situation has no intention of giving all that up.
TERESZCUK: We learned that he doesn`t want to end his party lifestyle after he gets out of rehab. He has to continue doing that. It`s how he generates money.
DIAZ: So should someone getting over a substance abuse problem continue with a career and lifestyle that`s so centered around alcohol?
DR. DREW PINSKY, ADDICTION EXPERT: This guy should take a year off.
DIAZ: Addiction expert and HLN host Dr. Drew Pinsky says The Situation should take a much longer break or he might fall into the same tragic trap other celebrities have.
PINSKY: They make a lot of money for themselves and other people, and they don`t want to lose their career. I understand that, but they`re going to lose their lives if they don`t take care of this addiction.
DIAZ: But it looks very unlikely that anyone is leaving the shore. MTV announced plans for a sixth season of "Jersey Shore" just days before we learned of The Situation`s rehab stay.
In a statement, MTV tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, they, quote, "Fully expect and are looking forward to the entire cast returning for a sixth season.
So, while it looks like The Situation is telling the hard truth about his troubles with prescription pills, he may also have to face some hard truths about his future.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, who attacked Kim Kardashian with flour? First, it was Ryan Seacrest getting so-called ashes dropped on him by Sacha Baron Cohen. Now, Kim gets flour bombed. Tonight, the shocking images of Kim getting powdered like a doughnut and her had surprising reaction.
Also ahead, is the big bad feud between WWE John Cena and The Rock for real?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At your core, you will always be a little boy who will go down in history always as The Rock`s bitch!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: WWE smack down. Tonight, John Cena versus The Rock in "Wrestlemania 28." Who will be victorious? John Cena right here to issue his war of words for The Rock in a must-see showbiz newsmaker interview. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Jimmy Buffett, Kiss and The Black Keys to headline big dance concerts during final four. Jimmy Kimmel has comedians read their Twitter insults out loud.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHY GRIFFIN, COMEDIAN: It`s people like Kathy Griffin who are the root causes for why redheads are perceived as the spawn of Satan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Whoa! Get a load of that. Some woman stormed Kim Kardashian`s red carpet event last night with a bag of flour and gave Kim the shock of her life, dumping flour all over Kim.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell in for A.J. Hammer with Kim Kardashian flour bomb.
Flour, flour, everywhere last night all over Kim Kardashian. But the reality star kept her cool. And get this, she`s not pressing charges against the woman who dared gets Kim`s hair dirty.
With me now in New York, Megan Alexander, a correspondent with "Inside Edition." And in Hollywood, Hyla, an entertainment journalist.
All right. Here`s how it went down, people. Kim doing interviews on the red carpet one minute. And the next, a complete whiteout. Watch what "Access Hollywood" cameras caught on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: I told my makeup artist I need a little bit more powder. I didn`t think I need that much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow, she totally brushed it off. Well, today, there are conflicting reports out there saying this woman called Kim a fur hag.
PETA tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT while they weren`t behind the stunt, they are certainly OK with it, saying, quote, "PETA has tried everything from polite letters to public protests, but Kim Kardashian has not been moved by the news that animals are beaten, electrocuted and even skinned alive for real fur garments."
"Whoever threw that flour may reach her when our polite appeals did not." Megan, are you surprised by how this whole thing went down?
MEGAN ALEXANDER, CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": Yes, I am surprised. I think Kim`s reaction though was actually pretty classy. You know, Jane, when things occur, I think it sort of brings out someone`s true colors.
And she stayed pretty calm. I mean, she didn`t really throw a huge fit. She kind of went away for a minute, changed and then came back.
So I actually am pretty impressed with how she handled it. Kim, for the most part, stays pretty low-key in these types of situations. I mean, I don`t think we`ve ever seen her really throw a tantrum, so to speak. But you know, I give her an A-plus for how she handled it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I would give her an A-plus if she would reconsider her stance on fur and reconsider it.
ALEXANDER: True. Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page just lit up with comments about the way Kim handled the whole thing, a lot of people praising her.
Hannah B. wrote on wall, "Even though I`m not the biggest Kardashian fan whatsoever, I think she handled this very well."
But Jennifer L. smells a stunt, writing on our wall, "Her fame is fading. Maybe she had someone do it for the publicity."
Hyla, are you giving Kim credit? What`s your take on this?
HYLA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Whether she did this as a publicity stunt?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: What do you think?
HYLA: No, not at all. I mean, that`s not the move. She`s coming off her big wedding which a lot say was a publicity stunt. I don`t think so either. That`s bad press.
This is it bad, too. She doesn`t want people bringing to light the fact she`s still wearing fur. That wouldn`t be a good move for her.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Aha, interesting. Well, listen, I say that it takes a lot of guts to throw flour on somebody. And Kim, if you`re watching, just take a look at the videos and see for yourself what they do to these poor creatures and maybe go to faux fur.
Megan Alexander, Hyla, thank you so much. You guys are terrific. And there is more reality star drama-rama breaking tonight. We`ve got your first look at the cantankerous new season of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."
Plus, "The Hangover" is no more. All of the sober details in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): It`s a wrap for "The Hangover." The director of the hilarious "Hangover" movies just revealed that "Hangover Part 3" will be the last.
In a statement released to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Hangover" director Todd Phillips says, "It will be a fitting conclusion to our three-part opera of mayhem, despair and bad decisions." "Hangover 3" will star the original cast, Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms.
Teresa`s tirades. "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" are known for their table-flipping fights. Season four is loaded with even more drama. At the center of it all is tough girl, Teresa Giudice. In the sneak peek for the "Bravo" reality show which premieres April 22nd, Teresa proves once again she`s one Jersey girl who doesn`t play nice.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone else sees she`s full of (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Why don`t you see it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re crazy!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are evil people out there. Sometimes they come in the shape of your friends.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re calculating and thinking, how can I hurt?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like you`re trying to help but you cause problems.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) you, Teresa. I see you for exactly what you are.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Maybe Teresa and Carolyn need to get in the ring at "Wrestlemania." Tonight, big secrets from "Wrestlemania 28." Is the feud between WWE superstars John Cena and the rock for real or for show?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At your core, you will always be a little boy who will go down in history always as The Rock`s bitch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Is John Cena smelling what The Rock is cooking? Or is John serving up something special for his nemesis? John Cena right here to reveal the cold, hard truth in a must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.
TEXT: Hacker pleads guilty to hacking Christina Aguilera, Mila Kunis E-mail accounts. SHOWBIZ first look: Niecy Nash`s TLC docu-sitcom, "Leave it to Niecy."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We lived on Happy Meals that you gave us after school. That`s what we became accustomed to.
NIECY NASH, ACTRESS: Let me pick up the story. I was a mother out in the wilderness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I stop you?
NASH: No, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). No, wait a minute. Wait a minute. No, you cannot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You think that you shook The Rock`s confidence? The Rock has never, ever, ever been more confident about anything in his life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s John Cena and The Rock getting into it. The WWE legends are in a big-time feud tonight and are getting ready to face off for an epic battle at "Wrestlemania 28."
We are just days away from one of the most anticipated matches in wrestling history. John Cena and The Rock have been feuding big-time for a year.
We`ve heard colossal smack talk. We`ve seen tense standoffs. And on April 1st, John Cena and The Rock finally getting inside the ring for an epic "Wrestlemania" smackdown.
And just like the WWE, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was born to be provocative. So SHOWBIZ TONIGHT went face-to-face with John Cena to ask him just how real his beef with the rock is. You`ve got to watch Carlos Diaz take on John in a no-holds-barred SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: John, I know that that kind of a drama fuels wrestling. So I`ve got to ask, just how real is your monster feud with The Rock when the cameras are off?
I mean, do you guys - do you seriously have a beef with the dude? Or are you guys grabbing a beer after the match?
CENA: No. I`ve made it in public in any media forum that I can that we don`t see eye to eye. It`s moments like that, moments that the casual and experienced WWE fan can see the realism with The Rock`s anger with me.
Nobody has ever really stood up to The Rock. He`s made a career out of running people down with rather remedial and high school humor. And I don`t really think there`s a lot of merit behind his trash talk.
And I had a major problem with him fleeing off to Hollywood and really forgetting about all of us in the WWE universe.
And I`ve been WWE for 10 years now through a lot of good times and a lot of bad times. And I`ve been trying to get this match in the ring for the past six years.
DIAZ: Wow.
CENA: The WWE universe has been anticipating it for a year. On April 1st, it all goes down. But I`ve been ready for this my entire life. And he can try to talk all the trash he wants, but I can see the fear in his eyes.
DIAZ: And by the way, I`m fearful right now as well. So the beef is 100 percent real. And also 100 percent real is the car accident you were in on Monday. I can tell everybody it wasn`t a major accident. You`ve already been back in the ring this week.
But I`ve got to wonder, is there any chance that that car accident - a lot of wrestling fans want to know this - could that car accident postpone the big battle with The Rock?
CENA: This is the media making a big deal out of something that`s small. I go through 300 matches a year. In that same very night, I competed against the world`s strongest man who weighs 440 pounds and managed to lift and press him over my head.
I also had a "last man standing" match that night. I had a cage match the next night. I`m fully functional, fully ready to go. And it`s going to take more than a car wreck for me not to be in the ring on April 1st. I need this match.
DIAZ: All right. John Cena, you know what? You`ve got my vote. Any friendly bet that I have is going your way, my friend. Great work.
CENA: Thank you.
DIAZ: And don`t forget, John`s epic match with The Rock goes down April 1st. You can catch "Wrestlemania 28" live on pay-per-view from Sun Life stadium in Miami. It`s so cool.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I would not miss it for anything. And that is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell. Thanks for watching.
END
