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Showbiz Tonight
SHOWBIZ on Location: "The Wendy Williams Show"; Ladies` Fight Club; An Ultimatum for J. Lo?; John Mayer`s Health Confession; "Idol" Insider Information
Aired May 21, 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: SHOWBIZ on location. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with -
WENDY WILLIAMS, HOST, "THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW": Wendy Williams!
HAMMER: Hello. How are you doing?
WILLIAMS: I`m good.
HAMMER: Oh, I can`t wait to hang out with you. We`ve got to talk - oh, my god - so many things to talk about. Bobbi Kristina showing up at the Billboard Music Awards. Kim and Kanye - I think you have a thing or two to say about them.
Also, tonight, ladies fight club. Violent confrontation, bone-crunching battles, women behaving badly on reality TV. Tonight, the brand-new demand to stop the violence.
An ultimatum for J. Lo? Bracing for an "American Idol" showdown over Jennifer Lopez`s hints she may leave the show. Did J. Lo`s boss just demand she stop playing it coy? And SHOWBIZ dares to ask, is J. Lo about to make a huge mistake she`ll soon regret?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer with the ladies fight club, and it`s got Wendy Williams fighting mad. I spent an amazing day with Wendy on the set of her show today. You`re going to see that in a minute.
But I can tell you she`s all fired up about those ladies behaving badly on reality shows. We`re talking fists flying and hair pulling on shows like VH1`s "Basketball Wives."
I want you to meet Meeka Claxton. Meeka used to star on "Basketball Wives" until she got fed up with it all. Meeka, stay right where you are. We`re going to get to you in just a second.
But first, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT bringing you the anger, the outrage and the brand-new demands that it`s time for everyone to just catch their breath and take a chill pill.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): You act a real psycho right now.
HAMMER (voice-over): There seems to be a lot of that going around right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So you shut the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) up.
HAMMER: VH1`s "Basketball Wives" is getting a little too slap-happy with cast members insulting -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You will forever be a bum.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you`ll forever be a hoe.
HAMMER: Threatening -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m going to kill that (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
HAMMER: And worst of all, smacking each other with wild abandon. "Basketball Wives" violence is definitely taking its toll. Frequent abuse victim, Meeka Claxton, eventually left the show.
MEEKA CLAXTON, FMR. REALITY TV STAR, "BASKETBALL WIVES": She hit me for no (EXPLETIVE DELETED) reason.
HAMMER: And this slap actually led to a misdemeanor battery charge against the slapper, Nia Crooks.
OMAROSA MANIGAULT, "REALITY WEEKLY": Unfortunately, it`s gutter TV.
HAMMER: Reality TV`s Omarosa Manigault knows something about reality show conflict. She famously mixed it up on "The Apprentice."
MANIGAULT: Darling, sweetie pie, you have said so many things -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don`t call me sweetie pie.
HAMMER: But Omarosa tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what she`s seeing on "Basketball Wives" is just nuts.
MANIGAULT: I have never once taken part of any situation that escalated to the level of violence. I don`t believe that adults should resolve conflict by getting physical.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, like some of the short-tempered ladies on "Basketball Wives," some of the show`s famous fans have had enough.
Sherri Shepherd and Star Jones have both criticized the show. And long- time fan, Wendy Williams, announced in February she was done.
WILLIAMS: I can`t take the fighting. I think it`s embarrassing.
HAMMER: A Change.org petition protesting "Basketball Wives" has gotten almost 30,000 signatures. And today, the makers of Summer`s Eve feminine products confirmed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they`ve pulled their adds from "Basketball Wives."
MANIGAULT: Viewers are saying, you know, we like drama, but we don`t like violence.
HAMMER: Of course, "Basketball Wives" isn`t the first show featuring woman on woman violence.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Slap me, bitch.
HAMMER: Ever since bumpkin in New York mixed it up on "Flavor of Love," ladies have been going at it on reality shows.
The "Jersey Shore" ladies have had far more fights than the guys have. And the "Real Housewives" franchise has had its share of scraps from Beverly Hills to Atlanta. But the "Basketball Wives" violence is drawing particular attention because of its mostly African-American cast.
MANIGAULT: It is a predominant cast made up of African-American women who are fluent, who are educated, who are wealthy. And yet, they`re behaving like hood rats. It is unacceptable.
HAMMER: Now, we`re seeing "Basketball Wives" may actually start chilling out a bit on the violence. Shaunie O`Neal, the ex-wife of Shaquille O`Neal and the executive producer of "Basketball Wives" has announced a no- violence policy for the show`s next season.
SHAUNIE O`NEAL, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "BASKETBALL WIVES": We hear it. We know it`s going on.
HAMMER: And on the end of season reunion show, she promised a kinder and gentler "Basketball Wives."
O`NEAL: We are going to do our best, you know, moving forward, to show you some better content and more positive, intelligent women that, you know, we`ve got our act together.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
HAMMER: But Omarosa tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she`s skeptical.
MANIGAULT: To hear this producer, this creator to now say, "You know, we can do better," when she sat there as a bystander witnessing this and not stepping in, it`s just not enough. And I`m not certain that the viewers will trust her saying that.
HAMMER: So with violence continuing on the show in its fourth season, we see if all the anti-violence backlash -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you need to be, smacked in your (EXPLETIVE DELETED) face to wake up?
HAMMER: Really has helped the "Basketball Wives" wake up and face the error of their ways.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So there you have it - 30,000 signatures on a boycott petition on Change.org and one ticked off sponsor. But is that really enough pressure to bounce "Basketball Wives" off the air?
Right now, I`m joined by a woman who was right there at ground zero of one of those "basket-brawls," former "Basketball Wives" costar, Meeka Claxton.
Meeka, it`s great to have you here. This is such a tough subject. But now, you have stars like Wendy Williams demanding an end to "Basketball Wives" altogether. I want you to watch what Wendy told me when I visited her today on the set of her show about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: Originally speaking, I was very upset with "Basketball Wives," because as a woman, as a black woman, I mean, you know, we get enough stereotypes.
People will still call Michelle Obama an angry black woman. So we get enough stereotypes, so it was embarrassing for me and my female kind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. You made the same point after you were punched on the show. You have to be pretty happy that people like Wendy are now speaking out about this.
CLAXTON: I`m very happy that they are now speaking out, people like Sherri Shepherd and Wendy Williams. You know, it`s great to see powerful, professional women, my kind, as Wendy said, speaking out.
It`s just sad that, you know, it`s almost a year after I reached out to these same women and asked for them to stand up with me against the violence on television.
HAMMER: Because when you first signed up to do "Basketball Wives," Shaunie O`Neal, the executive producer of the show, did not say to you there was going to be hitting and punching and you might get beat?
CLAXTON: You know what? No. Actually, I didn`t even speak to Shaunie. I was speaking to another producer, and of course, I was hesitant. My husband and I both were both like - we were only - we maybe only caught a couple of episode of the two seasons that had been on. But what we saw was really negative -
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: But the violence wasn`t what you signed up for?
CLAXTON: Not at all. And you know what? The hesitation was met by reassurance that we`re going back to the lifestyle. This is not what we`re doing.
HAMMER: And that didn`t happen. I want to bring in another great voice. Sheryl Lee Ralph is joining us now from Hollywood. Great to see you, Sheryl Lee. Sheryl`s an actress and author of a great book called "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dream Girl."
SHERYL LEE RALPH, ACTRESS AND AUTHOR: Thank you.
HAMMER: And you write a lot about this very issue in your book. Do you want the boycott to end reality violence in "Basketball Wives" or in everything?
RALPH: Look, this is show business, and I`m not mad at Shaunie O`Neal. After all, she did get her show on the air, and I would like to get mine on the air, which might help, because what is lacking is a diverse image of black women on the screen.
It is sad that Michelle Obama doesn`t have a show. It`s sadder that Oprah`s is gone. So all we have is cast after cast of big-mouthed, big- butt, bad witches - spell it with a B - knocking each other upside the weave and down the other. It`s got to stop.
HAMMER: Now, it may get calmed down according to Shaunie. They claim that they`re going to have a more balanced show next season. Would that be enough for you?
CLAXTON: I agree with Sheryl 100 percent. The violence just has to stop. I`m not the woman that`s throwing bottles across the table. I`m not fighting with other women.
I teach my girls - I have two little daughters. I teach them to resolve conflict with their words. They`re not always going to like everyone, but you don`t start fighting. You`re a representative of a black woman.
RALPH: That`s right.
CLAXTON: And we`re not the stereotypical - which is sad what the stereotype is, you know.
HAMMER: Yes.
CLAXTON: It`s sad.
RALPH: That`s right.
HAMMER: We know it`s not just "Basketball Wives." It seems like if there`s a show with "wives" in the title, you can expect you`re going to see a fight and some tables flipped.
And you can also expect that it`s going to a ratings winner, though, Sheryl. Is it possible to turn the tide here and have shows that speak to a wider spectrum of women, particularly black women who don`t flip tables on a regular basis?
Because we all know it`s the drama that brings the ratings. Otherwise, the shows don`t necessarily live.
RALPH: You`re right. We love a good coliseum show where you throw the people to the lions. We love that kind of TV. All I`m saying is, we need shows that have different images of women of color, especially black women.
White women, Hispanic women have all different kinds of images of themselves on the screen. We seem to be very type-cast and very limited.
And our daughters are suffering. They don`t know that if your hand - you feel you need to put it upside somebody`s head, that`s wrong. Real people, divas, women do not carry themselves like that.
HAMMER: Meeka, let me ask you something, though, because you have inferred in a recent tweet you`re not done with reality TV. You`re ready for your next show. I`m thinking since it was such a lousy experience, why not walkway from it?
CLAXTON: Well, I`m on board with what Sheryl just said. The reason why I even went on this show is because I wanted to show another type of black women.
HAMMER: Right.
CLAXTON: I`m CEO of three blooming businesses. I`m a wife. I`m a mommy. I`m just - I`m a phenomenal woman.
RALPH: I love it.
CLAXTON: I want young girls - I want young teenage girls to not just want to be like what Sheryl said, the big bootie video vixen.
RALPH: Right.
CLAXTON: But to be like the strong, independent business woman.
HAMMER: Do me a favor. Get that on TV and figure out a way to make it a success, because I would love to see that happen.
(CROSS TALK)
Great to have you here. We have it leave it at that. Meeka, Sheryl Lee, thank you both so much.
CLAXTON: It`s great to be here. Bye, Sheryl.
HAMMER: We`ve got to move on now to a special SHOWBIZ special exclusive on location with Wendy Williams. Wendy talking to us about so many hot topics tonight, including Kim and Kanye.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: Obviously, she hasn`t learned her lesson. If you want a real relationship with anybody, you need to keep it off TV.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I am right there on the set with Wendy. She is fired up about Kim-ye tonight, about violence on reality TV and so much more.
Also, John Mayer`s health confessions. One surgery down, one to go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MAYER, ACTOR: Make a list of all the things you like to eat and drink and those are the things you cannot eat and drink.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: John Mayer on how he`s surviving without singing. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR., ACTOR: That`s why we call ourselves earth ace mightiest heroes, I think.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have an army.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a hulk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: There`s just no stopping the superheroes. "The Avengers" are no match for any other movie right now. They just finished at number one at the box office for an incredible third week in a row.
It is a superhero face-off of epic proportions. "The Avengers" went up against big old battle on the high seas. It was "Battleship" starring Rihanna.
Now, Rihanna was making her big screen debut, but not even she could stop Ironman and The Hulk and all the superheroes straight from the comic books in this battle of the blockbusters.
Director, writer, actor Kevin Smith showed us all about comic book obsession in his hit TV show "Comic Book Men." And now, he`s about to launch something really cool. It`s a brand-new movie talk show online on Hulu and Hulu Plus. It`s called "Spoilers." Kevin, it`s always good to see you.
KEVIN SMITH, ACTOR: Excellent to see you, sir.
HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT original guest from all the years gone by.
SMITH: I`ve been coming around for a long, long time. It`s surprising that they still let me come. The only reason I only work outside of here is to do projects that allow me to come here.
HAMMER: To come and join us.
SMITH: It would be like, "Hammer! Let`s get hammered."
HAMMER: Spot right now. Pop quiz. Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawk Eye, Black Widow -
SMITH: The Avengers -
HAMMER: Who would you be and why?
SMITH: I would go for, oh, Tony Stark.
HAMMER: Right.
SMITH: He`s brilliant and he`s very funny. He`s Robert Downey, Jr. That helps. Who doesn`t want to be Robert Downey, Jr.? And he`s got the armor, man.
HAMMER: The gear.
SMITH: The gear.
HAMMER: It`s about the choice of the gear.
SMITH: I saw a wonderful meme online that had a picture of Batman and a picture from the movie and a picture of Iron Man from the movie, and it said, "Money, the only real superpower."
HAMMER: Exactly.
SMITH: That was kind of telling. That movie is so much damn fun. It`s a charm factory on reels. Robert Downey, Jr. has brought the magic that he brought to Iron Man, and even I thought Iron Man II. But man, he upped the factor here.
HAMMER: No question about it.
SMITH: I could watch him play that character once a week. So based on that, I would choose Iron Man. His performance, like him and John Favre on the first movie really took that character to a place.
I`ve been reading comics for years and I didn`t care about Tony Stark or Iron Man. They redefined it and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) like this. Yes, oh, so good.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: Well, it`s going to be very interesting this coming weekend to see how all those films now do with the new challenger. You have "Men in Black III" and Will Smith.
SMITH: Right.
HAMMER: And Will was just at the film`s premiere in Moscow. I don`t know if you`re familiar with this.
SMITH: Yes, I saw this.
HAMMER: OK. A reporter, who is known for pulling pranks tried to -
SMITH: Yes.
HAMMER: Oh, well, let`s watch what happened.
SMITH: Watch the clip. It`s amazing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL SMITH, ACTOR: What the hell is your problem, buddy? All right. Hey, sorry. He said, "Kiss me on my mouth."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The guy tried to kiss him and he smacked him.
SMITH: This is what kills me about it, which I think is like, oh, my god. You never see that. You don`t normally see a celebrity react and be like, hey, if somebody does something - Tom Cruise got squirted on the red carpet once and stuff.
HAMMER: Right.
SMITH: And they react and they chastise them like, "You`re not allowed to do that. Don`t be that guy." Will Smith, the only person I saw who was like, "What`s wrong with you?"
And he went for the hit, man. And he had enough control not go this. But he just wanted to give him a little kind of bitch tap on the chin or something.
HAMMER: He was being real. We appreciate that.
SMITH: I mean, I don`t find it like some people said like, oh, it`s kind of homophobic. No, nobody wants like their personal space invaded and be forced to kiss.
HAMMER: That`s what it is. Exactly right.
SMITH: That`s it. And he was like, back off. But this was a nice touch. It makes every other journalist or red carpet bomber like this guy think twice before they go in again.
HAMMER: Yes.
SMITH: You know, they might chastise me, but he might just turn around and smack me.
HAMMER: Let me get to spoilers.
SMITH: Yes.
HAMMER: It`s your new show for Hulu and Hulu Plus. You`re doing movie reviews. We`ve got a promotional picture. Can we put this up?
SMITH: Look how happy I am. Look how delighted I am. What you can`t see below the frame tells the story. But moving on from there, it`s me being ecstatic about my new show. That`s me going, "Spoilers! Whee!"
HAMMER: And it`s just going to be very real and -
SMITH: Do you want to know what the show is? I think you`re asking me what the picture is all about.
HAMMER: I need it in a heartbeat what the show is going to be.
SMITH: Oh, then it`s done. "Spoilers" is a - we say it`s not a movie review show. It`s a movie revue - R-E-V-U-E. We say we don`t review movies but revere them. It`s a Hulu original series. They said, "Hey, do you want to do a show? And I said, yes.
HAMMER: Great to see you.
SMITH: Thank you, sir.
HAMMER: All right. Make sure you check out Kevin Smith`s news show. It`s called "Spoilers," Hulu and Hulu Plus, launching June 4.
Moving to John Mayer`s health confessions. Is there another surgery in his future?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYER: Make a list of all the things you like to eat and drink and those are the things you cannot eat and drink.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: John Mayer revealing to SHOWBIZ just what it`s like to be famous as a singer and you can`t sing. Also, J. Lo`s "American Idol" showdown. The brand-new evidence that J. Lo may actually leave the show as "Idol`s" producers give her an ultimatum.
And former "American Idol" winner, Taylor Hicks, right here tonight to weigh in on the J. Lo showdown for a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, Lady Gaga`s very animated appearance on "The Simpsons" season finale.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Love you Lady Zsa Zsa.
LADY GAGA, POP STAR (singing): Monsters don`t need implants or a bitchin` monster car. Monsters only need to love the monsters that they are.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: That is the latest from John Mayer. He`s got a brand-new album out. Unfortunately, for his fans, this is the last time we`ll hear his vocal blues for a while.
Tonight, John Mayer`s brand-new health confession. After two years out of the spotlight basically because of controversial interviews about his exes, Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson, John Mayer is back in the game with his brand-new album. It`s called "Born and Raised."
But just as he seems to be back on top, John is now revealing to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he`s been hit with a brand-new setback. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner is in Hollywood. Nischelle, what is John telling us?
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Well, basically, A.J., John Mayer has already undergone one surgery. And now, he`s just confessed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that he`s going to have another one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYER: I have to have another operation. And rather than go straight into another one, I figured I would take a second and look around and write a record and just catch my breath because it`s just such a discipline in terms of, not the operation, but what it takes after the operation.
There`s just - it is a Zen lifestyle that follows for several months of, you know, no speaking. Make a list of all the things you like to eat and drink, and those are things you cannot eat or drink.
And so I had just finished doing that to no avail. And so, you know, before I go and do it again, which I will, obviously, I just need to take a breather and maybe kind of explore this space between these two surgeries where I don`t think I`ll ever be again, thankfully, and maybe learn a little bit about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: So, you know, A.J., one of the things that he was doing to get that Zen lifestyle was to move away from Hollywood. He moved to Montana. He quieted his life.
He got out of all of that rat race. And hopefully, that will help him heal, because, you know, he did go through a lot of things when having these surgeries.
HAMMER: And he did get that. Perfect in Montana. Nischelle, what else have you got?
TURNER: Well, tomorrow we`re going to have more of our exclusive interview with John Mayer, A.J. He is setting the record straight with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about whether his new song, that one he`s got out now, is really about Jennifer Aniston.
HAMMER: All right. Thanks, Nischelle. We`ll see you then. Now, the SHOWBIZ line-up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
It`s an exclusive on location. I`m out there with Wendy Williams celebrating her 500th show. So much to talk about with Wendy, including why she`s all fired-up about women hitting other women on reality TV.
And Demi Moore`s big return to the big screen. SHOWBIZ dares to ask, are Demi`s troubles finally behind her for good? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, remembering Robin Gibb. Justin Timberlake and Lynda Carter tweet their farewells to the Bee Gees legend.
TEXT: We have lost a truly brilliant musician today. One of my idols. My heart goes out to the Gibb family in this time of sorrow. RIP Robin. @jtimberlake
Rest in peace Robin Gibb. Your contribution to your collective playlist is everlasting. @RealLyndaCarter
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ on location. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with -
WILLIAMS: Wendy Williams!
HAMMER: How you doing?
HAMMER: Oh, I can`t wait to hang out with you. We`ve got to talk - oh, my god - so many things to talk about. Bobbi Kristina showing up at the Billboard Music Awards. Kim and Kanye - I think you have a thing or two to say about them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
And who will be the winner of "American Idol," Jessica Sanchez or Phillip Phillips? I`ve got a former "Idol" winner in the house, so I`m going to ask Taylor Hicks who he thinks will win in another must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Wendy Williams and I hanging out. SHOWBIZ on location. It`s great to see you.
WILLIAMS: It`s nice to see you, A.J.
HAMMER: Congratulations, 500 episode episodes. Holy mackerel.
WILLIAMS: I know. It seems just like yesterday. You know, I can`t sit and enjoy it before I say, please, another 500 more, you know?
HAMMER: Yes. But you know, I mean, personally - and you and I have been bumping into each other for a long time.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HAMMER: I`m really happy for you.
WILLIAMS: Thank you.
HAMMER: And if I may say so, a little proud of you.
WILLIAMS: Thank you.
HAMMER: And very proud of you. And my director, Charles, would be very upset if I didn`t say, how you doing? But I can - how you doing? How you doing? I`m sorry. Charles, that was right? See? It was OK, right? He`s been on me all week about that.
One of the reasons, of course, you`ve had such an amazing success over all these shows and years is because people love to hear what you have to say.
WILLIAMS: Isn`t that funny? I mean, I`m just a woman from Jersey with an opinion.
HAMMER: Great opinion.
WILLIAMS: And -
HAMMER: Strong opinions.
WILLIAMS: But everybody has opinions. But you know, I`m flattered, and I really don`t think about it much other than to say that I`m flattered that people like whatever it is that they like about me and that we`ve been fortunate enough to be here for, you know, almost three full seasons and 500 shows.
HAMMER: Well, shall we get into some stuff? Because you and I obviously talk about a lot of the same things on our shows.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HAMMER: So let`s talk about some of what`s going on right now.
WILLIAMS: OK.
HAMMER: Did you see the Billboard Music Awards last night?
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HAMMER: OK. Bobbi Kristina -
WILLIAMS: I heard.
HAMMER: Got up on stage tearfully, really a very strong, powerful moment accepting the millennium award on behalf of her late mom, Whitney. Let`s take a look at that clip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOBBI KRISTINA HOUSTON BROWN, WHITNEY HOUSTON`S DAUGHTER: I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported us through it all, not just from - when it was good but when it was bad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Obviously - wow, she`s still in such this fragile, fragile place.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HAMMER: It was great to see her. Of course, she`s got a lot of love and support around her. You know that the Houston family, some of the Houston family members, including Bobbi Kris are now signed up to do this reality show. A lot of people are saying, you know what? A little too soon for that. What do you think?
WILLIAMS: Everybody around me is saying a little too soon for that. I seem to be the only one saying, well, there`s no accounting for how people handle mourning.
Sidebar, a little too soon for it. That`s for me and you and for everybody we know. But there`s no - you know, I`ve never suffered a loss that great at 18 years old. I think it`s a little too soon. But -
HAMMER: I hate the idea, though, that people will obviously think they`re being exploitive, you know, that they`re taking advantage of it, because that - whether or not that`s true, that`s how it can appear.
WILLIAMS: Right. Yes. Well, I mean, the reality show is going to have the brother and sister-in-law and Mrs. Houston, who I thought Cissy Houston was going to be virtually a ghost out the spotlight.
HAMMER: Off the radar, right.
WILLIAMS: And so I was shocked to hear she`s part of this reality show -
HAMMER: Yes.
WILLIAMS: With Bobbi Kris. Bobbi Kris is part of pop culture. You know, she`s a young girl. You know, her mom, as a performer and her dad and everything.
I think it`s not odd that she`s going to do a reality show. I think what`s odd to a lot of people is that she`s doing it so soon.
HAMMER: Yes. I think - well, you probably join me in thinking this way. Hopefully, it will turn into something good.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HAMMER: Hopefully, it will be the thing that helps propel her into whatever it is that she really wants to do with her life when that all goes away.
WILLIAMS: Yes. Yes.
HAMMER: So we`ll see. You know, you do love reality shows. You talk about reality TV on your show a lot, how you can`t wait to go home to watch whatever`s next. But you don`t love all reality TV.
WILLIAMS: No.
HAMMER: I speak specifically of "The Basketball Wives."
WILLIAMS: Well, yes, "The Basketball Wives."
HAMMER: Can I show a little bit of why you`re not so crazy about "The Basketball Wives"?
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HAMMER: Oh, let`s watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You need to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) get up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no, no, no. (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m not fighting you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, god, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, I mean, you know -
WILLIAMS: My point is made.
HAMMER: Over the top. So here`s the deal. Obviously, a lot of people have taken exception to it. You were really leading the charge saying, you know, this show needs to go off the air. Why this show though over other reality shows?
WILLIAMS: Well, no, no, no, no, because on Sunday night, I did watch "The Mob Wives" reunion and I am a fan of "Mob Wives." And VH1 is going to have to rethink them also.
HAMMER: OK.
WILLIAMS: You know, originally speaking, I was already upset with "Basketball Wives," because as a woman and as a black woman, you know, we get enough stereotypes.
People still call Michelle Obama an angry black woman. So we get enough stereotypes, so it was embarrassing for me and my female kind.
But there are shows on TV, including "Mob Wives," that make it embarrassing for womankind just overall. I mean, you know, they fight hard.
And it`s not sexy, and it`s not cute. And they`re too grown and too old. And I think it`s - you know, fighting with the fist is very ignorant. But it`s even more ignorant and less enjoyable for me as a black woman watching black women fight.
HAMMER: Well, Shaunie O`Neal, Shaq`s ex-wife, who, of course, is the producer of this thing. I actually spoke with her about a year ago about this.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HAMMER: And at the time, she was unapologetic. And now, I understand she`s saying, "Well, it`s a work in progress." If they tone it down, would that be enough?
WILLIAMS: Well, I`m out anyway.
HAMMER: Right.
WILLIAMS: And there`s so many other things on TV.
HAMMER: They`ve lost you?
WILLIAMS: Yes, they`ve lost me with that one. I just feel like once girls start fighting on TV, there is no pulling it back. We know the fabric and the fibers that they`re made of.
We know that, you know, they don`t know how to keep their hands to themselves. Shaunie was defensive of them at one point, but I think that Shaunie, between pressure from the public, online campaigns and advertisers -
HAMMER: And you.
WILLIAMS: Well -
HAMMER: They hear that noise. You have a huge audience.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
HAMMER: 500 shows. I mean, come on. Give yourself some credit.
WILLIAMS: Yes. You know - and I`m not trying to knock the next girl`s dollar. All I`m saying is that, you know, she`ll never be broke. She`s Shaq`s ex-wife. She`s got all the coins.
HAMMER: I mean, come on -
WILLIAMS: But yes, "Basketball Wives" is just not for me.
HAMMER: And you love the Kardashians and you love to talk about Kardashians anyway. And you`ve had some things to say about the Kim and Kanye deal.
WILLIAMS: Yes. I watched the season premiere on Sunday night.
HAMMER: It just happened.
WILLIAMS: Yes. I watched the season premiere. And you know, I like Kim and Kanye together for probably all the reasons that everybody else does.
I don`t believe that either one of them, particularly Kim, loves or could love anybody more than she loves herself.
HAMMER: Well, of course.
WILLIAMS: And you know, that is what it is. And with Kanye, I don`t think that Kanye has been right since the passing of his mom.
Hopefully, you know, he learned some lessons that will - you know, that will make him a decent man to her or, at the very least, keep it entertaining, honey.
HAMMER: But you would like to believe that Kim has learned some lessons. She actually said after the whole debacle with Kris Humphries she was going to keep the private life private.
She`s going on television on her reality show with Kanye West. I knew that was never going to happen.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: No, I`m not that ridiculous, Wendy, but I just think it`s a huge mistake that she would - if it`s a real relationship or if she wants people to - if she wants to have any integrity at all. And maybe that went away a long time ago. I don`t know.
WILLIAMS: You know, obviously, at this particular point, she hasn`t learned her lesson. If you want to have a real relationship with anybody, then you keep it off TV.
But she`s addicted to TV and Kim is who Kim is. And we`ve grown to accept that. So we will watch this one, I guess, get white hot and then fizzle out also. Because ultimately speaking, you`ve got to keep other people out of your relationship.
HAMMER: Wendy, it`s so great to see you.
WILLIAMS: Thank you.
HAMMER: Happy anniversary, 500 episodes. That was just stunning and nobody deserves it more than you.
WILLIAMS: Thank you. Thank you so much.
HAMMER: Great being here.
WILLIAMS: Thank you, A.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I had so much fun hanging out with her. That is just the start of SHOWBIZ on location with Wendy Williams. Tomorrow, Wendy shows me the secrets behind the set.
Be sure to join us tomorrow for our exclusive look at how the magic happens at "The Wendy Williams Show." And Wendy`s 500th episode airs on Wednesday.
Well, Jennifer Lopez is certainly a hot topic tonight. Is one of the America`s favorite judges leaving "American Idol"? Would leaving the show just be a huge mistake?
Well, I will ask former "American Idol" winner, Taylor Hicks. He`s right here for a must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. Plus, I`ve got your very first look at the new James Bond film.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: And then, they`re going to kill us. We`re going to kill him first.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Daniel Craig. Javier Bardem. Shootings. Explosions. What`s not to love? It`s your first look at "Skyfall," coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Is "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star, Teresa Giudice, leaving the show? Well, she tells Wendy Williams, maybe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: I think it might be time for you to it leave the housewives because it`s getting really ugly. And that way, you can handle your personal life personally and you could still make money off all your entrepreneurial endeavors.
TERESA GIUDICE, REALITY TV STAR, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY": And maybe a cooking show? I would love that.
WILLIAMS: Is it time for you to leave "Housewives"?
GIUDICE: Do you guys think I should have my own cooking show?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN SEACREST, HOST, "AMERICAN IDOL": The winner of "American Idol" season five is - Taylor Hicks!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And the crowd goes wild! That night, of course, changed Taylor Hicks` life forever. He was crowned the winner of "American Idol" season five back in 2006. Can`t believe it. Six years ago. And now, as "American Idol" gets ready to crown yet another winner this week, who does Taylor think should win that crown?
Well, Taylor is right here for a headline-making SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, a true "Idol" insider.
It is down to the final two on "American Idol." And this week, the country will crown their "Idol." Who is it going to be? Phillip Phillips. Jessica Sanchez.
Well, tonight, we really have one of the few people on the planet that actually knows what it`s like to win this thing - Taylor Hicks.
Taylor, of course, took the top prize on "Idol`s" fifth season. And since then, he`s released a few albums. He has starred on Broadway.
And starting in June, you have to check this out. He`s going to become the first "American Idol" to land a residency in Las Vegas.
He`s going to be performing at Bally`s. That`s a pretty great gig. And there he is, joining me from Hollywood for the SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. Season five "American Idol" winner, Taylor Hicks. Always good to see you, Taylor.
TAYLOR HICKS, "AMERICAN IDOL" SEASON FIVE WINNER: Always good to see you, too, A.J. How are you doing?
HAMMER: I`m good, man. Well, let`s get into it because everybody is sitting at the edge of their seat, wondering who is going to win the crown that you won.
The "American Idol" finale happens on Wednesday. You have to tell me who should be the next "Idol" in your mind? Is it Philip Phillips? Is it Jessica Sanchez?
HICKS: I think both of their styles are just completely unique. And I think both of them have a great shot to win. I really have no idea who is going to win.
Joshua Ledet`s votes are very important in the outcome. And I think both of them have a really good shot to win.
HAMMER: I think you think it`s one of them, and you just can`t tell me because you`re a man of diplomacy. I think - you know what? I`m actually not going to say who I think.
Our executive producer - I`ll put him - Dave Levine says it`s Jessica`s to lose. That`s what he`s saying, so we`ll put it on tape.
HICKS: There you go.
HAMMER: And at this point, as I mentioned, and it`s a pretty incredible statistic, Taylor, there are only 10 people in the world know what it`s like on to win the "American Idol" prize. You`re one of them.
But upon reflection all these years later, you know, and you can only speak obviously as a winner, how much does actually winning "Idol" really matter these days versus just doing really well in the competition in terms of the doors that can open for you?
HICKS: Well, I think if you look at numbers alone, I mean, you have over 100 top 10 contestants on "American Idol" now, and then, only 12 winners.
The show is built around the winner. The finale is built around the winner. And double the amount of people watch "American Idol" during the finale.
So I think it`s important to win. There`s no doubt about it. You`ve got to win this show.
HAMMER: And it certainly has opened huge doors for you, the Bally`s show, which I want to ask you about in just a moment.
And you know, of course, the showdown on that show no longer just happens up on that stage, Taylor. You know what goes on behind the scenes.
And right now, there`s this big "Idol" showdown brewing. "Idol" judge, Jennifer Lopez, is not saying if she`ll be returning to the show next season.
The show`s producers seem to be giving her an ultimatum to stop playing it coy. "Jen, we need you to make a decision," is basically what they`re saying.
I always thought it was, you know, kind of a negotiating ploy to get some more money. But separate from that, do you think it would be a huge mistake for J. Lo to leave "Idol"? I think she`s been great for the show, and it`s obviously been great for her.
HICKS: Oh, I think so, too. And I think, now, you know, TV is the new radio. And I think she`s a wonderful judge. I think she has great opinions.
And I think - I wouldn`t want to see her go, but if she has to, then I`m sure they`ll find another great judge as well.
HAMMER: They have seemed to work it out. They`ve survived even without Simon Cowell, who, of course, sat there in judgment of you, Taylor.
Now, of course, he`s doing the "X Factor." Simon has just signed on Britney Spears as a judge. What would that mean to you, if you had to be up on stage and you had Britney spears judging you? Can you imagine? How would you feel about that?
HICKS: Well, I think if you come from the pop world - obviously, we all know Britney. She`s a great singer. She`s a great artist and she`s a great entertainer.
I think she`ll be a great judge. I`m looking forward to see what she`s got to say.
HAMMER: Well, everybody is looking forward to seeing you starting next month headlining in Bally`s in Las Vegas. First of all, how long are you going to be there? Having a residency in Vegas is a great gig to have.
HICKS: I`m very, very, very fortunate and blessed to have the opportunity to be in the historic landscape of Las Vegas. It`s going to be two months, June 26th, I start.
And I`m just, you know, very fortunate to have the Bally`s people around me. It will be the first headlining act for an "Idol," and it`s just going to be a great show.
HAMMER: And pretty cool when you think about your life kind of coming full circle with "American Idol." Because Vegas is where you first auditioned for the show, right?
HICKS: After Hurricane Katrina, I took a one-way ticket to Las Vegas that night, walked down the convention center, won "American Idol" and in six years, in Las Vegas, I`m headlining Vegas.
HAMMER: Look at that. We can call it perfect symmetry, Taylor Hicks. Well, I wish you best of luck with the show. And it is always good to have you here. Thanks for joining us.
HICKS: Thanks, A.J. Good to talk to you.
HAMMER: Good to talk to you as well. We move on tonight to a missing "Terminator" star found. And Demi Moore returns to the big screen for the first time since her split from Ashton Kutcher. All that is making big news in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Demi`s big screen comeback. Demi Moore is headed back to work and has just signed on to star in a new movie. Demi will join the cast of "Very Good Girls" with Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Olsen and will play the role of Olsen`s mother.
This is Demi`s very first movie role since seeking treatment in January and since her split from Ashton Kutcher last year.
Missing actor found. "Terminator III" star, Nick Stahl, has just resurfaced after having gone missing for more than a week.
Stahl`s wife, who reported him missing last week, tells "People" magazine in a new interview that he checked into rehab Saturday night.
Rose Stahl reveals that the 32-year-old actor sent an unemotional and unapologetic E-mail to friends over the weekend saying he was entering a 30-day treatment facility to seek help for an addiction problem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And there is more big buzz today about the explosive new look at the brand- new James Bond film.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIEL CRAIG, ACTOR: He`s going to try to kill us. We`re going to kill him first.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I love Bond films. This looks incredible. Daniel Craig returning as 007. I`ve got your SHOWBIZ first look and I`ve got it next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, "Saturday Night Live," along with host, Mick Jagger, sing good-bye to Kristen Wiig after seven years.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Did you see this? I`m both shaken and stirred by the explosive new trailer for the 23rd blockbuster James Bond film.
Oscar winner Javier Bardem joins in as a bad guy in this one. And I can tell you that if you`re a Bond fan - even if you`re not even a Bond fan, you`ll be floored by this SHOWBIZ first look at Daniel Craig in "Skyfall." Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Country?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: England.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Gun?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Shot.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Agent?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Provocateur.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Murder?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Employment.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Skyfall? Skyfall?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Done.
CRAIG: Some men are coming to kill us. We`re going to kill them first.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I am psyched. I love a Bond film. "Skyfall," featuring Daniel Craig, will be in theaters on November 9th.
Well, did you see this? I`d like to tell you a story all about how Will Smith`s life turned upside-down, thanks to "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
You know, it`s been a mind-blowing 22 years since this show that launched Will`s career got on the air with this iconic opening song, of course.
So does Will remember the words to the song? Well, Will gave it a go on the British talk show, "The Graham Norton Show." Check this out.
(MUSIC)
My power of recollection, I guess, not as strong as Will`s. Will Smith though still fresh some 22 years later. Good for you, Will.
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. Have a good night.
END
