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Showbiz Tonight
A Hip Hop Pioneer Lost; Junior Seau`s Life-Saving Legacy; Octomom`s Last Resort; Khloe Kardashian`s Drastic Marriage Move
Aired May 04, 2012 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. A hip hop pioneer is lost. MCA - Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys has died. He was 1/3 of the group that helped bring rap into the mainstream nearly 30 years ago.
Tonight, we remember one of the original bad boys from Brooklyn.
Also, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Junior Seau`s life-saving legacy. As the NFL legend`s family donates his brain so science, could Seau`s tragic death unlock a troubling and tragic issue plaguing professional football?
Plus, Khloe Kardashian`s drastic marriage move, pulling the plug on her reality show to avoid the reality marriage curse. Will it work? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts right now.
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Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, stars and fans from coast to coast are paying tribute to a man who leaves a lasting mark on music.
Adam Yauch, also known as MCA from the Beastie Boys lost his long battle to cancer just a month after the Beastie Boys earned one of music`s highest honors, a spot in the Rock `N` Roll Hall of Fame.
Yauch added that distinction to a trophy case filled with three Grammys and lots of other awards. Today, hip hop mogul, Russell Simmons, who managed the Beastie Boys early on released this statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
He said, "Adam was incredibly sweet and the most sensitive artist who I love dearly. I was always inspired by his work. He will be missed by all of us." Yauch was only 47 years old, but I can tell you his inspiration lives on.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
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(voice-over) This is how a generation of partiers remembers Beastie Boy, Adam Yauch, better known as MCA.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have devastating news for Beastie Boys fans.
HAMMER: Today, the shocking news that Yauch had died after a long battle with cancer hit music fans hard. Twitter erupted with fans and celebrities sharing their shock and grief.
Justin Timberlake said, "Crushed to hear the news of Adam Yauch`s passing. A true pioneer of art. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones."
Singer-songwriter, Michelle Branch tweeted, "That awkward moment at the gym when they blasting the Beastie Boys and you want to cry."
Fellow rap pioneer, Reverend Run of Run DMC tweeted, quote, "RIP, Adam. I`m devastated. Praying for Adam Yauch`s family from the legendary Beastie Boys. You will be missed."
And Green Day`s Billy Joe Armstrong shared a personal memory, "Lollapalooza `94 talked to Yauch almost every day. He was full of wisdom and encouragement for a freaked out kid like I was. Thank you, MCA. Love BJ."
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HAMMER: Yauch`s death comes just weeks after the Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock `N` Roll Hall of Fame. Just today, new preview footage of the ceremony, which airs Sunday on HBO was released.
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The Roots, Kid Rock and Travie McCoy tour through some of the Beastie Boys` biggest hits. In their acceptance speech, Beastie Boys` Michael "Mike D" Diamond and Adam "Ad Rock" Horovitz, paid tribute to their sick band mate who wasn`t able to attend.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was in his house, his parents` house in Brooklyn where I remember I would go every day after school and we would make a damn god-awful racket.
HAMMER: But Yauch`s absence wasn`t a good sign. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT got another ominous sign last week when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Denise Quan asked Mike Diamond how his band mate was. Mike struggled to find an answer.
MIKE DIAMOND, BAND MEMBER, THE BEASTIE BOYS: He`s, you know - unfortunately, he couldn`t be in Cleveland because he`d been undergoing treatment. It was just too hard for him to be there. He definitely wishes he was there, but he wrote a great speech. So -
ADAM YAUCH, BAND MEMBER, THE BEASTIE BOYS: I actually have a form of cancer in the gland that`s over here.
HAMMER: From the moment Yauch announced he had cancer on the group`s Web site back in 2009, legions of fans were hoping for the best.
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Since they burst on to the scene with their 1986 mash album, "License to Ill," the Beastie Boys went from novelty rappers -
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To become among the most respected rap pioneers ever. Yauch leaves behind a wife and daughter. And millions of fans will have to keep the party going without him.
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Just such tragic news. Adam "MCA" Yauch dead at just 47 years old.
Joining me now in New York, the rapper and producer, Erick Sermon, who knew and worked with Adam and the Beastie Boys back in the day.
Amanda Seales is here, too. She is the host of MTV`s "Hip Hop POV." She also has a little rapping in her history that I`m sure had inspiration from the great Beastie Boys.
It`s great to see you guys. Obviously, this is just terrible and really shocking news. I mean, even though Adam was not able to be at the Rock `N` Roll Hall of Fame induction a couple of weeks ago, I don`t think any of us really, really expected this right now.
I guess you never do. Erick, what was your reaction when you first heard the sad news?
ERICK SERMON, RAPPER AND PRODUCER: Again, it was like, you know - I knew he had cancer in 2009. He had cancer, but again, you`ll still be shocked when you hear that he passed away. He was an influence on my career. So you know, for him to be lost is a big loss to hip hop.
HAMMER: Influence on so many people whether they be musicians or artists of another kind or just people who love their music.
And I was really struck when the shocked reaction blew up on Twitter by the diverse reaction, the different types of people. We certainly - you know, we just mentioned Justin Timberlake a moment ago.
I saw reaction on Twitter from Josh Groban, from Snoop Dog, Juliette Lewis, the actress, Lenny Kravitz. Amanda, help people understand why their impact was so far-reaching it wasn`t strictly a hip hop thing.
AMANDA SEALES, HOST, "HIP HOP POV": Well, I mean, because the Beasties were never just strictly hip hop. I mean, they actually started on the punk side of things, you know, and then became a hip hop group.
And even within that, they expanded on to the rock genre, et cetera, within their music. But then, outside of music, they were also great philanthropists and they were people who spoke out and used their notoriety for greater causes.
So that extended their, you know - their vision of what they were and who they were to many, many other people outside just like rappers and people who like hip hop.
HAMMER: And I want to be careful to not talk about the Beastie Boys as if the Beastie Boys doesn`t exist anymore. But certainly, having one of the pioneering founding members gone is going to have a huge impact on the band. And they did influence you in your career, didn`t they?
SEALES: Of course. Yes. I mean, you know, the Beasties were just so genuinely them, you know, like - and I really also just love and respect the fact that they actually grew as people and as artists and they weren`t afraid to do so.
I think a lot of the artists these days, especially - and you can attest to this. You know, they just do one type of music and they want to stick to that.
And the Beasties were like, "We`re going to be who we are and we`re going to grow," and they made the culture grow as well.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, the cultural impact was incredible, wasn`t it, Erick?
SERMON: I mean, again, the Beastie boys, as far as being a white hip hop group, you know -
SEALES: Yes. White -
(CROSS TALK)
SERMON: Jim is from New York. Come on. When did that happen? The swagger was on a thousand. To watch them do what they do, after Run DMC, I mean, she can attest though that was something to watch.
So I mean, I paid (UNINTELLIGIBLE) bills like over and over and over again when I first heard the song, you know what I`m saying?
HAMMER: And of course, the song that still plays at every party you go to is really their anthem from 1986, when "License to Ill" came out. Can we listen to a little (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Charles, do we have that spooled up ready to go?
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HAMMER: I remember it so well, playing that song on the radio back then when I was spinning and hearing it in clubs and at the frat houses. That song changed the musical landscape, didn`t it?
SERMON: It did. It did (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Again, when you said hip hop, them trying something different. And doing that is what the first step of a hip hop group going to that side was just, you know, kind of rock-ish, you know what I`m saying?
For the Beastie Boys, doing the rock thing was something new for hip hop.
HAMMER: Tell me about Adam the person because I always heard about his kindness, about his generosity of spirit well beyond him just being a terrific artist and visionary.
SERMON: Again, he was just like - like you said before, those guys are being not just hip hop, but people who had a vision to help people who needed help. They spoke of all types of, you know - (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
SEALES: Too bad.
(CROSS TALK)
SERMON: He was all quiet. That was the bugged out part about them. They were quiet.
HAMMER: Until those mikes were open.
SERMON: Exactly. Until those mikes were open. So to see that - it was a song called "Body Rockin`" they came out with.
And they had, you know, hit me up saying, you know, "Erick, I want you to hook this up, record with me." I said (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So he came to the studio and he was like, "Add a couple of things to it. You know, nothing big." But soft spoken, you know, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: Amazing.
SERMON: But to hear and see the Beastie Boys, I wasn`t expected to be that soft spoken in front of you.
HAMMER: Their lasting legacy to you?
SEALES: Their lasting legacy to me is -
HAMMER: His lasting legacy.
SEALES: His lasting legacy to me is - because he was also just very about his philanthropy. And so, you know, he was somebody who, from what I saw from the outside, was very dedicated to not just being an artist, but using their notoriety for a greater purpose, and I commend that wholly.
HAMMER: How can you not? Great insights. Thank you so much, Erick Sermon, Amanda Seales.
SERMON: He will be missed though.
SEALES: Yes.
SERMON: He will be missed.
SEALES: Beasties!
HAMMER: And celebrated for years to come. We move on now to Junior Seau`s life-saving legacy as his family lays the NFL legend to rest, they also decide to donate his brain to science to save others.
So could Junior Seau`s suicide put an end to a troubling issue that`s plaguing professional football?
Also, the Octomom`s drastic move to save her family from the brink. Nadya Suleman finds a deal to do porn. SHOWBIZ is on location with Octomom and her 14 kids, breaking news about the bankruptcy, foreclosure and a porn deal. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
TEXT: George Clooney`s Obama fundraiser could raise $12 million, biggest presidential fundraiser ever. Rob Lowe to play prosecutor in Casey Anthony TV movie on Lifetime.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUNIOR SEAU, FORMER NFL STAR: You know, it`s fun to be in a position in a position that we`re in, for kids that look out for us and to give so much back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This morning, CNN released this exclusive video of NFL legend, Junior Seau, in what turned out to be his final interview. It was at a charity golf tournament this past Monday.
Hard to believe that just 36 hours later, Seau had taken his own life. Tonight, the search for answers in Seau`s sudden death is taking a dramatic turn.
We learn today that Seau`s family has decided to let researchers study his brain to see if there are any signs that he suffered from a brain disorder that might have led to his suicide.
The big question, could his hard-hitting career in the NFL somehow - somehow have contributed to his tragic death?
Joining me now for a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview, Vai Sikahema, who is the sports director for WCAU in Philadelphia and a former NFL player.
Vai was also a friend of Junior`s. So Vai, please let me start by offering my condolences to you on the loss of your friend. How did you find out the news that Junior had died?
VAI SIKAHEMA, SPORTS DIRECTOR, WCAU (through telephone): Well, I got text messages Wednesday morning from mutual friends and family. And by the way, I apologize I`ve got to do this over the phone. We had some technology bugs here.
But then I confirmed his passing with my station producers. And of course, I turned on ESPN, CNN and just started watching television and saw that he had passed. I`m just completely devastated.
HAMMER: And were you as stunned as everyone else was?
SIKAHEMA: I was. You know, I knew the transition from the NFL to civilian life was a difficult one for him. It is for everybody that makes the transition.
But for him who played 20 years - I mean, how many - you know, you can count on probably one hand the number of people that played 20 years in the National Football League.
And so for him, it was especially hard and difficult. And you know, I know there were some things in his personal live that didn`t go as well as he had hoped.
He had gone through a difficult divorce from years back. However, he remained friends with his ex-wife, Gina. In fact, I saw that she had spoken and said that the last communication she had with him was Tuesday before he passed, just the day before he passed away.
He sent her and each of their three children a text message that simply said, "I love you." Maybe he knew what was about to happen.
But - so you know, he was like the rest of us, A.J. You know, he dealt with personal problems and situations in his life. But I don`t know that any of us, you know, could have known that, you know, he was going to take his own life.
HAMMER: That`s just the thing. His circumstances certainly were difficult, but still, a lot of people are asking today, why did it lead to him or what led to him to killing himself?
And today, we learned that Junior`s family has agreed to let researchers study his brain for evidence of trauma. I imagine that you are hopeful, Vai, that that will somehow clear up the mystery surrounding Junior`s death.
SIKAHEMA: Yes. But you know, I don`t know that that`s going to completely clear everything up. I don`t know that it`s ever, you know, one thing.
You know, I know there is speculation because he played for so long that perhaps concussions had something to do with it, although, you know, he was never diagnosed officially with a concussion throughout his 20-year career.
But clearly, through 20 years of playing, especially the way he played the game and even his wife did as much, that he had concussions. It just they were never diagnosed.
But I am glad that, you know, his last act in life was to preserve his brain perhaps in hopes that it may be studied. I am glad that he did that.
HAMMER: Well, I`m sure, Vai, it`s not lost on you, another football star, David Duerson, texted his family before he shot himself in the chest, and he requested that his brain be studied.
Much has been made about the fact that Junior shot himself in the chest, not in the head. Do you think that perhaps Junior was trying to send that same message?
SIKAHEMA: Perhaps, you know, but we will never know. I did know Dave Duerson. I also played - you know, I was a teammate of Andre Waters and two other guys who took their lives, and they likewise did the same thing.
You know, I am glad that their brains can be studied. I don`t know what`s going to come of it, but it`s the best hope that they will find the reason for why these guys are taking their lives at such an early age and that, you know, we can find some way to secure it.
HAMMER: Tell me very quickly what his lasting legacy is to you, Vai.
SIKAHEMA: I think his legacy certainly will be his family. His legacy will be the millions of dollars he raised for charities throughout San Diego. And his legacy will be the way that he played with ferocity and he was so tender-hearted off the field.
HAMMER: Yes. A hometown hero - he certainly will be missed. Again, my condolences on your loss. Vai Sikahema, I do appreciate you being with us tonight. Thanks so much.
SIKAHEMA: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: Well, as we move on tonight and shift gears, Khloe Kardashian`s crisis is on our minds. The reality star`s astonishing new move to save her marriage.
Now, Khloe may be the first Kardashian in history to walk away from a reality TV show, and it is for a noble cause, her marriage. The question is, will it work?
And how has Khloe`s decision affected her reputation as reality royalty? Well, we have got the reputation rap run down with Khloe, with Jessica Simpson and with Miley Cyrus tonight. That`s up coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
SHOWBIZ first look - Justin Bieber`s new video, "Boyfriend."
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HAMMER: Tonight, Khloe Kardashian proclaims divorce is not an option. The very same week Khloe announced her marriage to baller, Lamar Odom, will be her number one priority, her reputation takes a nose dive. So what did she do wrong? I don`t get it.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has your exclusive look at Reputation.com`s weekly score card of who is up and who is down in Hollywood, all determined by online and social media buzz.
Joining me tonight in New York for the reputation rap, Reputation.com`s vice chairman, the great Howard Bragman, who is here. Howard, I`m confused by this because Khloe Kardashian, in my mind, should be having a great week.
She announced she was standing by her man, putting her marriage first. Yet, her reputation is down. What gives?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN, REPUTATION.COM: You are not getting that when these marriages are falling apart, we want to watch it.
All of a sudden, we have a reality star, who is in the middle of a personal crisis and she is leaving TV? Clearly, we don`t like it. And on a personal level, I thought Kris Jenner raised her kids much better than that, A.J.
HAMMER: Oh, did you? Did you? Is this going to hurt the Kardashian brand overall, do you think?
BRAGMAN: No, I think it`s actually - in truth, it`s a touch of humanity that somebody says, "This is important." And I think, in the long run, your marriage is much more important than your reality show.
HAMMER: Oh, part of the master Kardashian plan. OK. So Khloe down. Jessica Simpson, not surprisingly to me, is up after she gave birth to her baby girl, Maxwell Drew. I think people are just happy that she finally had this child after six years of pregnancy.
BRAGMAN: It was only 4 1/2 years or shorter than that. She`s way up. But you know, there`s a lot of negative buzz about the name. People are not digging the Maxwell. And I think -
HAMMER: A very masculine name.
BRAGMAN: I think she would have been up even further had she chosen a different name. But again, it`s her choice, I`ve decided -
HAMMER: OK.
BRAGMAN: Even though the public doesn`t like it.
HAMMER: That`s how I feel as well. I mean, look, at the end of the day, it`s her kid. Tell me, though, who was the biggest surprise this week in terms of reputation?
BRAGMAN: I think the really big surprise this week - Miley Cyrus was a big surprise this week. You know, Miley tends to go up and she tends to go down and a little all over the map.
Well, two things. One, she found a puppy and adopted it and everybody loves puppies. You can tweet out pictures, knocks your social media way up. And the second thing is potential as an "X Factor" judge, a lot of positive response from young people to that.
HAMMER: That would be huge. Great feedback this week, as always. Howard Bragman, the vice chairman of Reputation.com, thanks as always.
And now, the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
We are on location at Octomom`s house. She is filing for bankruptcy, may have a porn deal to pay the bills, too.
Also, Khloe K`s startling move to save her marriage. Yes, a Kardashian walks away from a reality TV. Unheard of, I know. We have Khloe in her own words about her dramatic move. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
TEXT: Michael Jackson`s estate announces partnership with Pepsi. Jennifer Lopez`s boyfriend, Casper Smart, to choreograph Lopez`s world tour.
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HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - tonight, SHOWBIZ on location inside the Octomom`s home. Her 14 kids, all the chaos and Nadya Suleman`s confession to us why she would be willing to do porn now.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is inside Octomom`s wild world.
Also tonight, Khloe`s Kardashian`s crisis. The reality star`s astonishing move to save her marriage, pulling the plug on her show. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, will Khloe`s drastic move work?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
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HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. We are on location at the Octomom`s house with a porn shocker.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT first broke the news that Octomom, Nadya Suleman, is open to doing porn to support her 14 kids. And then we learned the news that a porn deal is apparently done.
We also learned that the Octomom filed for bankruptcy. It is octo-chaos, I tell you. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner was right there on location at the Octomom`s California home when the news broke.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: A.J., the shocking news that the Octomom, Nadya Suleman, filed for bankruptcy has people wondering, what`s really going on inside the walls here at her home? Well, I can tell you because Nadya invited us in for an exclusive look just days before making her bombshell bankruptcy announcement.
TURNER: How are you doing? I`m Nischelle. Nice to meet you, Nadya.
NADYA SULEMAN, THE "OCTOMOM": I do everything I can possibly do to take care of them to the best of my ability.
Everyone outside. Come on. No, no, no, no, no. Go outside. I don`t want them to see you, and it`s not safe.
TURNER: Nadya confessed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for the first time that this house, where she has been raising her 14 kids, is in foreclosure.
But it gets worse. She`s had so much trouble supporting her family, she`s had to go on food stamps.
So hitting rock bottom was making the call to go to welfare -
SULEMAN: Absolutely. Yes.
TURNER: And asking for help?
SULEMAN: Yes, 100 percent.
TURNER: What is that like?
SULEMAN: You will never know unless you actually live a day in my shoes.
No, Isaiah, get down. Who`s screaming? You cannot go there. You are in time out. You cross the boundary. We are not allowed there.
There`s nothing I won`t do to take care of my kids.
TURNER: Because you realize you remember saying. "I will never -"
SULEMAN: I`m so against all of this stuff.
TURNER: "I would never go on welfare. I will never take a single -"
SULEMAN: Well, yes. Food stamps, here we have to because I cried before making that call. And you know what? I would do it again. My goal is to get off it immediately. And that`s why. It`s like a catch 22. Damned if you do, damned if you don`t.
So just how bad is the Octomom`s financial situation? Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has obtained these documents that tell the story.
In these filings, Nadya estimates her assets at somewhere between zero and $50,000. But her debts - well, they could go as high as $1 million.
SULEMAN: This is beyond - beyond little tumbling experiences in my entire life. I never would have imagined my life unfolding or, you know, manifesting into something like this. Do I regret - I`m not getting into that. I can`t do that. It`s not fair to my children.
TURNER: So how is the Octomom going to get out of this financial mess? Her most controversial idea is one she rejected before. She broke news to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that she will do porn for the sake of her kids.
SULEMAN: In regard to "I will never pose nude," you know what? If the opportunity comes up, I`m going to be the first to - I`m going to eat my words because all that matters is I have to take care of my family. That`s all that matters.
TURNER: What about the porn offer?
SULEMAN: I will not touch another human flesh. They I won`t be eating my words there, because that`s one thing I will never do.
TURNER: But porn doesn`t necessarily mean you do have something with someone else.
SULEMAN: OK. Then, if you want to call it porn, then call it porn. I don`t care. It`s a job and it`s a really well-paying job.
TURNER: Adult film.
SULEMAN: If it`s a job and it`s a well-paying job and if it`s going to allow me to get us out of here and into a very huge home that they deserve, I`m going to do it.
TURNER: OK. The Octomom told me all of the pressure she is under and not just financial, but all the attention and the criticism makes her feel embattled.
SULEMAN: It`s a war we have to win, right? Because I`ve got 15 of us, you know, lives at stake. So I have to win the war. And I think, yet again, we`re going to survive and we`re going to be beyond surviving.
We`ll be riding. And I think that in and of itself will be an inspiration I think for women, moms especially, who are struggling with two, four, five kids.
TURNER: There`s no doubt she`s got some major challenges ahead. Next up could be finding another place to live. Nadya told me she hopes to buy a new home for her family soon. But now that she`s filed for bankruptcy, getting a loan may be tough, A.J.?
HAMMER: What an amazing life. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner - thanks, Nischelle. Well, while it is surprising that Octomom finally may have signed on to do porn, the fact that she was offered a deal - that`s no surprise at all.
I spoke with someone with a bit of history with the Octomom. Steve Hirsch is the head of the adult film company, Vivid Entertainment. And they`ve made several offers to Nadya in the past, but she`s turned them all down.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) Hey, Steve?
STEVE HIRSCH, VIVID ENTERTAINMENT: How`s it going?
HAMMER: Good. And appreciate your being here. I want you to set the record straight for us now. Is it your company Vivid that is paying the Octomom to do this reported solo porn movie?
HIRSCH: No, it`s not. It`s not us. As you know, we`ve made her several offers in the past. She`s turned them down. And I guess she found another place to make her first movie.
HAMMER: She`s had a change of heart, it appears, Steve. And yes, as you mentioned, you at Vivid have been pursuing Nadya for years now.
I remember you once had put this $1 million offer out to her to star in a porn video and you recently dropped that price to $100,000.
And you basically were saying, you know what? Octomom is no longer the same draw that she once was. Why is that?
HIRSCH: I think people have, you know, sort of tired of all of the Octomom stories. Initially, people were really interested and I felt excited to potentially see a movie with her.
But over the years, I think that`s waned a little bit. There`s been a lot of negativity surrounding her. But that doesn`t mean there aren`t some people who would still be willing to pay to see her in a movie. So I think that this movie will do OK.
HAMMER: Yes, you were really fired up. I remember we spoke around the time that you were putting that offer out to her. And you genuinely thought there was a huge demand at that time.
HIRSCH: Yes, we did. And I still think at that point there was huge demand. But, you know, over the last several years, there have been so many negative stories written about her that, you know, I`m not sure that the same interest is there. But certainly there`s some.
HAMMER: And I know now, OK, that you had put that $100,000 offer out to her for some kind of a porn video. Does that offer remain on the table even though now of course you would be second to come to play?
HIRSCH: Well, I think it does for now. We`ll wait and see what happens with the solo video. That may increase demand, more likely decrease demand only because there`s already something out there. But as of now it stands. We`ll have to see what happens.
HAMMER: Do you hear from your customers? Do you hear from people who purchase your videos that they want to see Octomom? Do you guys get E- mails saying, "Yes, we`d be interested if you get a hold of her?"
HIRSCH: Less interest now than before. I think people will always be sort of fascinated by her and what she stands for and who she is. But certainly, we don`t see the interest that there once was.
HAMMER: You know, Nadya says now that she would only do porn - this is what she told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - if she didn`t have to touch anyone else.
So my question is, are you willing to make a porn with her for, say, $100,000 if that was the kind of film it would be?
HIRSCH: No.
HAMMER: Doesn`t meet your standard of what you think people want?
HIRSCH: No. People would like to see an explicit movie with her. There`s no question about it. I think if she wants to make this movie, that she has the right to do that.
In the past she said a lot of things. And ultimately, they haven`t turned out the way that we all thought. Now, she`s willing to make a solo movie. At some point, she may be willing to make an explicit movie. I do respect the fact that she`s trying to take care of her family and provide for her family.
HAMMER: And here`s the thing. Obviously, she`s controversial. You know that people find the idea of porn controversial and that`s not a secret to you.
You can`t help but notice that Nadya changed her stance on porn only after she declared bankruptcy, went on food stamps, and had her house go into foreclosure.
Some might think that in signing her to a porn deal now, a porn company is just taking advantage of a desperate single mom with 14 kids.
What would you say to that? I know it`s not your company that signed her in this case, but what would you say to that?
HIRSCH: I don`t know. I think if it`s something that she wants to do and she`s comfortable with it, then she should go ahead and do it. And that`s really the bottom line. It`s all about what she`s comfortable doing.
Hammer: Well said.
HIRSCH: In the past, she hasn`t been comfortable making a movie. Now, she is. We`ll see what happens.
HAMMER: We`ll see what happens. Steve, I`m sure you will be eagerly waiting to see sort of how that all pans out and what kind of demand remains once this one, if it does get done, gets done. All right, Steve Hirsch, thanks so much.
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We move on tonight to Kardashian marriage confessions. Tonight, a bombshell from one of the Kardashian sisters. Did Khloe just really pull the plug on her reality show to save her marriage? It`s Khloe in her own words, next.
Also, a "Bachelor" marriage meltdown. Host Chris Harrison ends his marriage after 18 years. Should Chris be the new bachelor? I will ask the former star of "The Bachelor," coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Tonight, country superstar Carrie Underwood tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT how her new album, "Blown Away," is different than her other albums.
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CARRIE UNDERWOOD, SINGER: I feel like I really got the chance to be more creative on this album, take a little time, change up writing, my writing methods and reporting methods and I really do think they can hear that.
I think we found little better pieces of me the way we switch things up. And I`m just really excited that, you know, no two songs on the album are alike. Really, there`s something for everyone.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, Khloe`s confessions. Allow me, if you will, to welcome you to a strange new world where a Kardashian actually quits a reality show.
How could it be that Khloe Kardashian actually pulled the plug on her reality show with her husband? Well, for the first time, we`re getting the answer to this great mystery from Khloe herself. Here`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner.
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TURNER (voice-over): It could be one of the grandest, most romantic sacrifices since King Edward VIII gave up the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, since Bogie gave up Ingrid Bergman in "Casablanca," since Jack gave up his life for Rose in "Titanic."
Oh, that one still makes me teary. But those sacrifices don`t amount to a hill of beans compared to this new sacrifice - a Kardashian has actually given up a reality show for her man.
JO PIAZZA, AUTHOR "CELEBRITY, INC.": I`m telling it you, this is the Rose and Jack of reality television.
TURNER: Khloe Kardashian Odom has pulled the plug on her "Khloe and Lamar," her reality show with her husband, NBA star Lamar Odom. And in the new issue of "People" magazine, she explains the shocking reason why.
CARLOS GREER, REPORTER "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Khloe tells people that marriage comes first.
TURNER: Khloe says she and Lamar are taking a break from their show to focus on Lamar`s troubled basketball career. She tells "People," quote, "We just want a little pause. Now there`s less pressure on us."
There certainly was a lot of pressure on this celebrity couple. Soon after the NBA lockout ended last December, Lamar was suddenly traded from the L.A. Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks, a stressful move that was reflected on their show.
LAMAR ODOM, NBA PLAYER: Somebody tells you one day to pick up and go, you`re uncomfortable.
TURNER: After an on-the-court slump, Odom was put on the inactive list in April. Khloe tells "People" "with the NBA lockout, then the short season and all eyes on Lamar because of the attention that surrounds our family, it almost felt like there was no right way he could have handled things."
GREER: Khloe pulled the plug on the show because Lamar really wants to focus on his basketball career.
PIAZZA: No one`s going to hear the story and not think about Kim`s marriage to Kris Humphries.
TURNER: Ah, yes. As we all know, Khloe`s older sister, Kim, also married an NBA basketball player, Kris Humphries. And like Lamar, Kris was promptly thrown into the Kardashian reality show world with slightly different results.
KRIS HUMPHRIES, NBA PLAYER: I`ve been able to be focus here, getting my workouts in.
TURNER: On "Kourtney and Kim take New York," we saw Kim and Chris`s marriage strained by his need to take a break from the reality show spotlight to train for the upcoming NBA season. Kim wasn`t exactly 100 percent accommodating.
KIM KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: It`s weird to me and frustrating that he`s so content with living separately.
TURNER: We all know how that ended, divorce after 72 days. But Khloe apparently has a decidedly different view on marriage.
She tells "People," quote, "I have old fashioned marriage values. Nowadays, people don`t take marriage as seriously as they should. For me, I like to think that divorce is not an option."
She adds "I`m a modern girl, but you should put your husband first and you need a partner who will do the same for you."
GREER: They both made sacrifices in their marriage. Lamar and Khloe are very devoted couple. They really have each other`s back.
TURNER: Khloe and Lamar`s reality show days aren`t completely over. Khloe is still very much a part of that huge $40 million deal the Kardashians recently signed with "E."
GREER: They`re still going to tape "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."
TURNER: But with TV cameras no longer following them 24/7 for their own show, Lamar and Khloe can focus on more important matters. As Khloe tells "People," quote, "I hold our relationship sacred."
OK. So maybe walking away from a reality show doesn`t reach a "Titanic" level of sacrifice.
KATE WINSLET, ACTRESS: I`ll never let go. I promise.
TURNER: But keeping their marriage afloat seems to be Khloe and Lamar`s top priority.
PIAZZA: Kudos to Khloe for realizing that, realizing her marriage comes first. Khloe Kardashian is maybe the smartest Kardashian.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Imagine that. As we move on now, "Avengers" mania is well under way. The film that is sure to be a blockbuster hit finally opened today. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT sat down with Mark Ruffalo, who plays Bruce Banner and his mean green alter ego, the Incredible Hulk. Ruffalo revealed to us that the role was pretty intimidating.
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MARK RUFFALO: It scared the daylights out of me. It was a - I had a lot of trepidation about it. And you know, it has so much on it and so many great versions of Banner up until today.
And to be able to do something that would be my own and that was building on what had already come before was daunting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s daunting, yes. Mark revealed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that his 10- year-old son, Keen, actually helped him understand the green giant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUFFALO: When Josh and I were sort of talking about how we wanted the Banner to be, we ended up talking a lot about "The Incredible Hulk" TV show with Bill Bixby.
And so I went and got it, got the whole box set. And me and my son, my 10- year-old, were watching it. And we got to the third episode and he turns to me. He was like, "Pop, he is so misunderstood."
And that was kind of my way into the Banner. And that was my experience of Hulk and Bruce Banner when I was a kid. And that`s what we loved about him.
And this 10-year-old boy with all this emotion raging and all of this - you know, he has the Hulk force in nature urging, rushing through his body. But at the same time, he is in that horrible space-time in a child`s life and sits down and starts misbehaving.
You know, get it together. That`s the Banner experience and that`s the Hulk. That`s who I dedicate this performance to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: From the mind of a 10-year-old. And that`s apparently what people are dying to see. We asked to you vote in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll - "`The Avengers` expected to break box office records: Which film are you looking forward to seeing most?"
And look at these final results. We just got them in. Fifty-four percent of you say, yes, "The Avengers." I`m surprised by the fact that only three percent said "The Amazing Spiderman." Forty-three percent said "Dark Knight Rises." I want to see them all.
Big "Bachelor" bombshell news tonight. The host of the bachelor, Chris Harrison, splits from his wife of 18 years. The big question tonight, should Chris be the next "Bachelor?" I`ll ask a former "Bachelor" star, next.
And now, here`s your SHOWBIZ first look at one of the summer`s big blockbuster releases, "The Amazing Spiderman."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: It`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE) about yourself, Mr. Parker. What does your father do?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I never really knew my father. My parent left when I was very young.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Peter, it`s OK. You will understand.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Did you tell the boy about his father?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: If you want the truth about your parents, Peter, come and get it. Ready to play god?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, Demi`s debut. The soon-to-be former Mrs. Kutcher reveals her new, Ashton-free Twitter handle.
Also, "The Bachelor" host is soon to be a bachelor himself.
Beyonce, singer, showstopper, scribe? You`ve got to hear about the high honor Beyonce just got, and that tops "The Buzz Today."
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(voice-over) World`s most beautiful journalist? Just after being named "People`s" most beautiful woman, Beyonce can now add award-winning journalist to her resume.
The New York chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists is giving Beyonce the award for an article she wrote in "Essence" magazine. "Eat, Play, Love" chronicles Beyonce`s nine-month break from the music industry.
Kutcher no more? Demi Moore has gotten rid of Ashton Kutcher for good, at least on Twitter. Nearly six months after her split from Ashton Kutcher, Moore is rid of her @MrsKutcher handle.
Demi debuted her new Twitter name to fans last night with a tweet, "Hard finding a name that was fun, somewhat playful and available. So for now, it will be @JustDemi. It could grow on me."
A bachelor split. "The Bachelor," Chris Harrison, is a bachelor himself. Harrison and his wife of 18 years announced their separation after much heartfelt consideration.
In a joint statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the couple stated, "Though we have made this incredibly difficult decision to separate, our love and mutual respect remain and we look forward to sharing in the lives of our wonderful children."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OK. So this qualifies irony? The host of one of the most famous dating shows in the country is suddenly single? Well, I don`t know if it`s ironic, but the question everyone wants answered now is, should Chris Harrison be the next bachelor?
Let me ask former "Bachelor" Matt Grant, joining me from Hollywood. Nice to see you, Matt. So Chris Harrison guided you and all the other "Bachelor" contestants through the show. Do you think he would make a good bachelor?
MATT GRANT, FORMER "BACHELOR" STAR: I think he would make a brilliant bachelor. He is very charming. He`s funny, charismatic, and I think he would be good, plus the fact I can then host the show.
HAMMER: Oh, is that your master plan? Yes, I guess he couldn`t really host the show be the bachelor at the same time.
But let me ask you this, more importantly, Matt. You got to know Chris fairly well doing the show when you did. Knowing what you know about the guy, do you think he would actually do it?
GRANT: Oh, no. Certainly not. Why does he need to? He`s got plenty of money and I think he`s too smart for that.
HAMMER: But what if he is looking for true love now, Matt? Isn`t that how you find it on a reality show? Just laugh. That`s fine.
If you were to do it, tell me before I let you go, what would the biggest piece of advice having been the bachelor be for Chris Harrison?
GRANT: Don`t do it.
HAMMER: I guess that will keep it pretty simple and pretty clean. All right. Well, there you have it. Matt Grant, former bachelor saying, "Chris Harrison, don`t even think about it for a moment." Nice to see you, Matt. Thank you so much.
Well, that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. You can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusively, weeknights at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN. Don`t do it, Chris. Don`t do it.
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