Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
New Lance Armstrong Doping Accusations; Trump Lashes Out; Angelina Jolie`s New Man; Moving On From "Toddlers and Tiaras"; Hot Hollywood Body Countdown
Aired June 14, 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, SHOWBIZ HOST: Lance on the line. Explosive new developments in the Lance Armstrong doping scandal. The man who won the Tour de France seven times is on the brink. Will Lance lose it all or live strong once again?
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer. And tonight, Trump lashes out. Donald Trump is fired up today as new reports bolster claims that Trump`s Miss USA pageant is rigged.
A second contestant now says Miss Pennsylvania USA told the truth when she made headlines for calling Trump and his pageant out.
Miss Pennsylvania USA, Sheena Monnin, had claimed that the top five had been preselected, explosive claims that led Trump to rally his lawyers. Now, it seems that Monnin is getting new support. So what`s Trump saying now?
But first tonight, superstar cyclist Lance Armstrong`s good name is on the line more than ever before. He`s under investigation once again over allegations he used performance-enhancing drugs, charges that, if true, could actually cost Armstrong all the medals and worse, his reputation.
Armstrong calls the claims false and spiteful. But is his legacy already in jeopardy?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) He conquered the Tour de France. He conquered cancer, and he conquered the celebrity world where he`s revered by stars and world leaders alike.
The cyclist Lance Armstrong has never managed to conquer years of lingering rumors that he`s used performance-enhancing drugs no matter how many times he`s denied it.
LANCE ARMSTRONG, PROFESSIONAL CYCLIST: I have never doped.
HAMMER: Now, Lance Armstrong, one of the most beloved and bankable figures in the world, is facing a serious new threat.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Federal officials saying the seven-time champ of the Tour de France used performance-enhancing drugs.
HAMMER: The morning news today went crazy over new doping allegations against Lance Armstrong. The U.S. anti-doping agency or USADA says it`s opened a new investigation against him. And its winning record in cases like this is almost as good as Lance Armstrong`s winning record in the Tour de France. Speaking of which -
CINDY BOREN, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR, "WASHINGTON POST": What`s at stake are the Tour de France titles.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the new charges could end with Lance Armstrong losing all seven of his Tour de France titles, not to mention his status as a living legend.
BOREN: He`s in as much trouble as he`s ever been in.
HAMMER: "The Washington Post" broke the story today. It reports the USADA claims blood samples from Armstrong appeared consistent with blood transfusions and/or the drug EPO, which boosts oxygen-rich red blood cells. Athletes use it to boost their performance.
BOREN: At a level like this, you only need maybe a five-percent improvement in your ability and you`re going to be - you`re going to win.
HAMMER: In a statement, Armstrong says, quote, "These charges are baseless, motivated by spite."
BOREN: His lawyers responded by saying he`s been tested over 500 times. He contends that he`s been tested more than any other athlete.
HAMMER: Armstrong is much more than any other athlete. His legendary comeback from cancer to win seven Tour de France titles has made him an icon and an inspiration.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lance, what`s the story?
ARMSTRONG: Hey, Dan. I`m sorry. I thought everybody left for the night.
HAMMER: You`ve seen him in commercials and on Hollywood red carpets. Plus, those Live Strong bracelets we`ve seen on politicians, celebrities and fans Armstrong everywhere have raised more than $5 million for anti- cancer efforts.
BOREN: People appreciate how far he came back, you know, from really the brink of death`s doorstep.
HAMMER: But through it all, a dark cloud has hovered over Lance`s legend.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see Lance Armstrong using other performance- enhancing drugs?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At times, yes, at different training camps.
HAMMER: Armstrong has repeatedly been accused of doping over the years, often by fellow cyclists who themselves have been implicated in doping.
Armstrong has responded to these claims with a mix of denials -
ARMSTRONG: It`s all a bunch of (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
HAMMER: Lawsuits, and sometimes, angry confrontations with reporters.
ARMSTRONG: You are not worth the chair that you`re sitting on. Everybody wants to know what I`m on.
HAMMER: Armstrong even addressed all the doping rumors in this Nike commercial.
ARMSTRONG: What am I on? I`m on my bike busting my ass six hours a day. What are you on?
HAMMER: The result? Those doping rumors have remained just that - rumors. Lance has never failed a drug test. And this past February, federal prosecutors dropped a criminal probe against Armstrong due to lack of evidence.
BOREN: They`ve never actually come up with a real gotcha.
HAMMER: Could this new investigation be that gotcha? Armstrong, who now competes in triathlons, has been suspended from International Ironman Competition pending this probe.
BOREN: I`m not sure that that really hurts people`s affection for him.
HAMMER: Still, "The Washington Post`s" Cindy Boren feels that Lance`s legend can survive this scandal.
BOREN: He is and will always be an inspirational figure.
HAMMER: But if this investigation ends up validating all those years of rumors and whispers, Lance`s legend could end up as one that was just too good to be true.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
The cycling world really has been shaken by these new doping charges. And while Armstrong has faced similar accusations before, we`ve got to ask if these latest charges will forever tarnish Armstrong`s great legacy.
I want to bring in my friend, "MORNING EXPRESS" sports anchor, Carlos Diaz from Atlanta. And from Hollywood, my friend, Sheryl Lee Ralph, who is the author of this book, "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dream Girl."
Carlos, let me start with you. I know you`ve been covering every ounce of this story. Lance Armstrong, of course, denying the latest charges yet again. But aren`t these accusations alone enough to ruin his legacy at this point?
CARLOS DIAZ, SPORTS ANCHOR, "MORNING EXPRESS": No, not these allegations, but the pending investigation that we`re going to have.
Basically, what`s going to happen now is Lance Armstrong has 10 days to respond to the allegations. I know he`s already put out a statement. But he has 10 days to respond.
Of course he`s going to say, "I didn`t dope. I didn`t try to mask any doping because I didn`t dope in the first place." Then, what will happen will be a trial from the anti-doping agency.
And there`s no jail time at the end of that trial. But what they can do is they can strip him of his seven Tour de France titles, which is very important to him and his legacy.
So that is what`s riding here on this. The thing you have to remember, this is not something that came about because of pressure from anyone.
The anti-doping agency says that they are bringing this case because they have credible evidence to believe that Lance Armstrong was doping, and that`s the big thing.
And the big thing is also how important this is to Lance`s bottom line. I know this may not be the most important thing to him. But you know, a lot of endorsement deals came from the fact he won the Tour de France seven times.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: There is another who is champ facing a tough legal time right now. It`s boxing great, Floyd Mayweather. He is getting a knockout ruling from a judge.
Mayweather`s serving a three month jail sentence for domestic abuse. Listen to this. He`s asked a judge to let him serve his sentence at home, because he says, "You know what? Jail`s going to ruin my career because I won`t be able to work out or eat the right foods if I`m incarcerated."
Sheryl, I`m hearing that. I get where he`s coming from , but isn`t it even a bit ridiculous that Mayweather would even ask the judge to let him serve his sentence at home so he can get his workouts in?
SHERYL LEE RALPH, AUTHOR, "REDEFINING DIVA": Obviously, he hasn`t watched enough "Locked Up" or "Locked Down." If there`s one thing we know, there are some banging bodies in prison baby. You can get your workout on, Floyd. Get yourself a workout partner. Think about that the next time.
HAMMER: I don`t know about the food. A plate of gruel here and there - I don`t think that`s really going along with the right diet. Carlos, you think this is a legit request?
DIAZ: Now, let me get this straight, A.J., because I`m not following you. What you`re telling me, A.J., is that jail is not a comfortable place? Jail doesn`t have - it doesn`t have gourmet food?
It doesn`t have a five star Gold`s Gym inside? A.J., what are you saying? You`re talking crazy is what you`re talking here.
Here`s the thing, Floyd. I`m sorry. I know you think you run Vegas, like any other entertainer in Vegas thinks they run Vegas. But don`t try to use your trump card of, "Hey, I can`t get in shape for the Pacquiao fight," which is never going to happen anyway, so don`t throw that in our face.
You know what? You deserve to wither in jail. You should have fought Pacquiao. And you know who you shouldn`t have been fighting? You shouldn`t have been fighting with your girl. That`s your thing. Seriously, you deserve to be in there not eating, not drinking.
HAMMER: Yes. And I don`t know about these things that you claim, Carlos, you know. I have no personal experience there. But the Internet obviously buzzing quite a bit about this today.
Also on the Internet, I`m seeing a lot of buzz about the apparent scuffle between Chris Brown and Drake, which happened at a New York nightclub last night.
Now, after the dust up, Chris Brown tweeted this picture - if we could put it up - and then he deleted it, of course. It`s this gash in his face apparently from this altercation.
And I`m looking at that thinking, oh, the irony. Chris Brown claiming that he was the victim of a brutal attack.
Now, Sheryl, look, I don`t want to be insensitive to anybody getting in a fight, but do you think maybe Chris Brown deserves a little sympathy now that he`s been injured?
RALPH: You know, this is all very, very difficult, and I`m going to say this with love. Grow up. Chris, you`ve got to grow up and take responsibility at some time.
I really, really believe that all of this that we`re seeing with him is a cry out for help. He needs help, not just attention, but he needs help and assistance.
I`m afraid that we`re going to keep watching these things happen with him and it`s going to be another accident.
HAMMER: Yes.
RALPH: We`ve seen them happen before.
HAMMER: And that would be sad. And the brawl reportedly stemming from a feud over Rihanna with Drake`s camp telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he was on his way out of the club when the altercation began.
He wasn`t involved in any activity that resulted in an injury to any person. I`m going to chime in with Sheryl Lee Ralph and say, "Grow up." Carlos Diaz, Sheryl Lee, thank you both so much.
Tonight the tiaras are flying. Another Miss USA contestant says Donald Trump`s pageant is rigged. Meanwhile, there`s new evidence that could put an end to this drama once and for all. But I still wonder, does this mean the jig is up for the Donald?
Hollywood`s hottest bodies. Miley Cyrus, Matthew McConaughey, William Levy - who do you think rocks it the best? Well, tonight, wait until you see SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s countdown of the top five hottest bodies.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. COLIN POWELL (RET.), FMR. SECRETARY OF STATE (singing): I just met you and this is crazy, but here`s my number so call me maybe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It is crazy. That`s retired four-star general, Colin Powell, singing the song stuck in everyone`s head, "Call Me Maybe," with his duet partner, "CBS This Morning" co-host, Gayle King. But I`ve got to say I`m impressed.
Next, the war for morning show domination.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, the battle for ultimate morning show domination - "Today" versus "Good Morning America." Now, ABC`s morning show has been the bridesmaid, holding down the number two spot behind the rating`s juggernaut over at NBC.
But GMA is ready to shine and the show`s crowning glory could be a big win at the Daytime Emmys on June 23rd right here on HLN. Take a look at what`s at stake.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) And now, the main event in the Daytime Emmy race. In this corner, weighing in at a hefty 60 seasons on the air, the reigning champion, the king of talk at 30 Rock.
ANNOUNCER: This is "Today."
HAMMER: And in this corner, weighing in at 36 seasons, the scrappy challenger, the alpha dog at the alphabet network.
ANNOUNCER: "Good Morning America" -
HAMMER: The biggest combatants in the biggest rivalry in all of television are duking it out for TV`s biggest prize.
MAGGIE FURLONG, "HUFFPOST TV": The fight rages on. Morning television - "GMA" versus "Today." Who`s going to win the ratings war? Who`s going to win the Daytime Emmy? It is nonstop with them.
HAMMER: NBC`s "Today" and ABC`s "Good Morning America" are both nominated for a Daytime Emmy for outstanding morning program.
TOM O`NEIL, GOLDDERBY.COM: This category has only existed for five years. The "Today" show has won twice. "GMA" has won twice. And they tied once.
HAMMER: "Today" is taking the trophy for the past two years. And whether "Today" hosts say it -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hopefully, these things come in threes.
HAMMER: Or one of their guests says it -
HOWARD STERN, RADIO HOST: We`re in a competition with "Good Morning America." We have to win.
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: OK. We`ve got to go.
STERN: OK.
HAMMER: Have no doubts the "Today" show wants to beat "GMA."
FURLONG: They`re always neck-in-neck. They`re always back and forth. It really is one of the biggest rivalries on TV today.
HAMMER: This year, their rivalry got even fiercer. Back in April, "Good Morning America" topped the "Today" show in the weekly ratings for the first time in a whopping 16 years.
ROBIN ROBERTS, CO-HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": We are so grateful to you, you there at home, the viewers, for making us the number one morning show in the country last week.
HAMMER: The "GMA" folks weren`t shy about toasting it on the air and acknowledging their vanquished rivals.
ROBERTS: We tip our hats to our colleagues over at NBC for their amazing streak.
HAMMER: And you can bet the folks at "GMA" would love to end the "Today" show`s Emmy streak as well.
O`NEIL: "Good Morning America" really, really wants this Emmy as a crowning glory after all the success they`ve had in the ratings.
HAMMER: But GoldDerby.com`s Tom O`Neil tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the battle between the more traditional "Today" show and the looser, more entertainment-focused "Good Morning America" makes this Emmy matchup hard to predict.
O`NEIL: Emmy voters are notorious snobs. In general, they tend to lean toward serious news. That may give the "Today" show an edge. But there is an irresistible charm to "GMA."
HAMMER: So they battle each other over ratings. They battle each other over exclusive interviews. And now, these morning show titans are battling each other for an Emmy. It is on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Wow. What a matchup. And that is just one of the showdowns that you can expect when the 39th Annual Daytime Emmys air live right here on HLN on June 23rd at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
I can`t wait. I`m going to be right there on the red carpet, hang with your favorite daytime stars when we do a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That kicks off at 7:00 p.m. Eastern here on HLN.
And you can join me right in the middle of it all. You have to enter the HLN red carpet sweepstakes at HLNTV.com/DaytimeEmmySweeps.
We give you so many cool things -a trip to the Daytime Emmys, a red carpet makeover, you go to the show, and you appear with me that night here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Don`t forget to watch the Daytime Emmys live on Saturday, June 23rd, 8:00 p.m. Eastern on HLN.
Well, five-year-old Isabella Barrett was supposed to be the next thing among tiny pageant queens until her mom yanked her from the reality show "Toddlers and Tiaras."
And now, she is telling all. Grab your sashes and high-heels. Isabella and Susanna are right here for SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview with the inside scoop on the show America loves to hate.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRENTON THWAITES, ACTOR: Hey. You`re a morning person, huh? What are what are you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I`m trying to save us. What are you doing?
THWAITES: I don`t know. Might go for a swim.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, actually Brenton Thwaites is plunging into Hollywood, not just swimming. The Australian actor stars in a remake of "The Blue Lagoon." It airs on Lifetime this Saturday.
Angelina Jolie`s new main man. Star on the rise. Now, don`t worry, Brangelina is going strong as far as we know.
But next time Angie hits the big screen, she`s going to be starring with the man who could replace Brad Pitt as Hollywood`s ultimate heartthrob according to many, many people.
Get ready to hear this name an awful lot - Brenton Thwaites. And there he is. Not only is Brenton set to star with Angelina in "Maleficent," his first Hollywood movie. As I mentioned, he`s starring in "The Blue Lagoon: The Awakening."
Joining me now, Brenton Thwaites from Hollywood. Great to have here you here, Brenton.
THWAITES: Hi.
HAMMER: So listen. I`m looking at what you`ve accomplished here. This is a pretty big deal. We`ve got to talk about this.
You beat out a lot of young Hollywood actors to star with Angelina, who`s going to play the evil queen in "Maleficent." It`s a retelling of "Sleeping Beauty."
Look, I`m sure you put a lot of work into getting this role. But please tell me, when did it sink in? You know, "Holy cow I`m in a film with Angelina Jolie."
THWAITES: On the plane to London -
HAMMER: And just -
THWAITES: On the plane to London is when it sunk in.
HAMMER: Tell me what went through your mind when you actually realized you accomplished what, you know, most stars in Hollywood would aspire to do one day and never get to do.
THWAITES: I still don`t know what`s running through my mind. It`s crazy. I can`t believe it. It`s amazing.
HAMMER: Well, congratulations on getting that role. And as I mentioned, you`re also starring in this update of the 1980 classic, "The Blue Lagoon" - "Blue Lagoon: The Awakening."
It`s set to debut on Lifetime this Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. And the original, you all remember, launched the film careers of these people, Brooke shields and Christopher Atkins.
I have to share with you my strange little connection to the film or at least to Chris Atkins. His mother was my junior high school science teacher.
Chris came to our class one day and he taught us to make beer-battered chicken. Brenton, have you ever had beer-battered chicken before?
THWAITES: He didn`t make beer-battered chicken for us. No.
HAMMER: Did you get to meet him? Did he stop by the set? Was he part of the film?
THWAITES: Sure. We had a few scenes together. He`s a nice guy.
HAMMER: Very nice. You remember the original was considered super risque in its time because, well, frankly they were naked.
So everybody wants to know, do you guys push the envelope as much as you can on cable TV for this remake? I mean, is there nudity, Brenton? I`m being told to ask.
THWAITES: As much as we can, yes. But not as much as Chris and Brooke, I believe.
HAMMER: Yes. We all remember there was one particular famous scene which was lots and lots of nakedness all around.
And you got your start working in Australia on soaps, the same soap opera that launched Heath Ledger and Naomi Watts. For you, what has been the difference between doing Aussie soaps and doing a Hollywood movie?
THWAITES: I think just the time - the time and money. You know, back home, it`s common to have one or two takes or three takes. And over here, it`s a bit more time and money, so it may seem.
HAMMER: Yes.
THWAITES: And there`s a little bit more freedom to kind of relax and work on your stuff.
HAMMER: Plus, over here, you know, we have a strange accent. Well, Brenton Thwaites, thank you so much. It`s nice to meet you.
I want to remind everybody to catch Brenton in "Blue Lagoon: The Awakening." It premieres on Lifetime this Saturday. Thanks, man.
THWAITES: Cool.
HAMMER: Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Who broke into Kanye West`s $4 million Hollywood home?
New allegations tonight as well about Donald Trump`s Miss USA pageant being rigged. Is Trump toast?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, an explosive new claim in Donald Trump`s Miss USA controversy. Another contestant has come forward to claim that the pageant was rigged.
So while the Donald insists his pageant is legit, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is it time for all of the Miss USA contestants to be questioned?
Plus, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT countdown you do not want to miss - Hollywood`s hottest bodies. Miley Cyrus, Matthew McConaughey, William Levy - these stars` bombshell bods have all of Hollywood talking. But which one is number one? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to tell you.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. Tonight, Trump lashes out. A second Miss USA contestant has just come forward accusing Trump`s pageant of being rigged.
Now, this second beauty queen, who has chosen to remain anonymous, backs up accusations made just last week by Miss Pennsylvania, Sheena Monnin.
Now, Monnin claims her fellow contestant, Miss Florida USA had learned the names of the finalists before the show even aired. Miss Florida says she was just kidding, but Monnin stood her ground on the "Today" show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it possible you misinterpreted what she said?
SHEENA MONNIN, MISS PENNSYLVANIA USA 2012: Absolutely not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you so sure?
MONNIN: Well, I have many years of psychological training. I know when someone is telling a joke. I know when someone is scared, and when someone is serious.
And in my opinion, her body language was very serious. And she looked a little bit scared because she had just seen something that would potentially drastically change the reputation of the Miss Universe Organization. This is a big deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. That would be a pretty big deal. And now, Trump who owns the Miss USA pageant, is going after the accusers implying these two contestants have sour grapes because they lost the contest.
Joining me now, somebody who knows well the pageant world. From Hollywood, Sheryl Lee Ralph is here. She is the author of "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dream Girl." And Sheryl is also a former pageant contestant and judge.
And Sheryl, this second accuser says that she has proof that the pageant was not on the up and up. Do you feel that this does give more credence to the original claims made by Miss Pennsylvania USA, Sheena Monnin?
RALPH: Not unless that contestant is willing to come out and tell us her name and who she is and exactly what she saw. If it was a court of law, you`d have to prove it.
And right now, all we have is more hearsay. But look, these pageants don`t always run the way other people think they run. They`re beauty pageants, and sometimes beauty is just in the eye of the beholder.
HAMMER: And the thing is the two beauty queens are saying the top finalists were known before the show was even broadcast. Obviously, that wouldn`t be right.
They said that there was a list. Now, I have to ask you, when you were a pageant judge, Sheryl, did you ever see any claims, anything like these claims at all yourself?
RALPH: You know, I have never seen any claims like this. But the way they work, there are always lists going around. There are so many opportunities that you meet and interact with the different contestants in the parameters of the pageant itself.
So you know, this girl might be tops in personality. There`s a list for that, you know, posture, congeniality - there are so many different lists.
But is it the list? I`ve never seen that. But you do get a lot of coaching as far as who they might want to see on the list.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, I can certainly understand that. But it`s not what`s surprising about these allegations. Miss USA pageant and, of course, owner, Donald Trump are denying the claims and fighting back vigorously.
I want you to listen to what Donald Trump had to say about this today on "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, OWNER, MISS USA FRANCHISE: We have celebrity judges. These are great people, honest people. They`re the ones that make the decision. Nobody cares at Miss Universe who it`s going to be. These are people who lost the contest to a lovely young woman from Rhode Island, who is really lovely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My home state.
TRUMP: Beautiful. And it`s so unfair to the woman because they don`t talk about the winner. They`re only talking about the loser.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Man, he`s fired up as usual, Sheryl. What do you think? Could this just be a case of sour grapes on the part of these contestants here?
RALPH: Absolutely not. Because until Donald said the name of the winner, I didn`t know who had won. As far as I`m concerned, Miss Pennsylvania is the winner here because she`s the only one we`re all talking about.
HAMMER: Yes.
RALPH: This pageant - hey. This was basically a dead pageant that has been brought alive by this controversy. So I say, you go Miss Pennsylvania. Too bad you`re not from Philadelphia.
HAMMER: Well, it is interesting that really we talk about this contest mostly when we`re talking about the controversy surrounding it.
And just today, Ernst and Young, the company that tabulates votes for Miss USA, released a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Let me read what they said, "Ernst and Young tabulated the list of the top 10 Miss USA finalists after the swimsuit competition was completed and then tabulated the list of the final five Miss USA finalists after the evening gown competition was completed."
No one could have seen either list beforehand because they did not exist until they were tabulated by us." So it would be interesting to see if this pageant is in fact hurt at all by this. Sheryl Lee, thank you so much for being here.
We move now from Miss USA to "Toddlers and Tiaras." Now, it was just a few months ago that five-year-old Isabella Barrett was touted as the new "it" girl on the pageant circuit and on TLC`s "Toddlers and Tiaras."
But now, that has changed. Just this week, Isabella`s mother, Susanna, has come out against "Toddlers and tiaras." Susanna Barrett says she was not happy with the show and her daughter Isabella is off the show for good.
Joining me now in New York to tell us why they quit the show, Isabella Barrett and her mother Susanna Barrett. First of all, it`s nice to see you both.
ISABELLA BARRETT, FMR. STAR OF "TODDLERS AND TIARAS": Hi, A.J. Hammer. It`s nice to see you again.
HAMMER: It is a little reunion isn`t it?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
HAMMER: OK. Now, before we talk about why you`re no longer doing the show, let`s take a look at a clip of you in action on the show, shall we? Could we roll that, Charles?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
SUSANNA BARRETT, MOTHER OF ISABELLA BARRETT: When she got on stage, she was lost. I feel sad seeing her blow it. It`s like blowing the World Series. It`s like - it`s just so heartbreaking to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. See, I`m watching this now, Susanna, and it`s a nice clip of you being a caring and concerned mom. So why did you take Isabella off the show?
S. BARRETT: Well, it`s been one heck of a year for us.
HAMMER: Yes, I imagine.
S. BARRETT: You know, we`ve really done some fence-mending and we really just want to get away from "Toddlers and Tiaras." Everything that they`ve done, everything we`ve had in the media, any time we mention it, it`s just a negative impact on us.
HAMMER: What did they do specifically that you didn`t like?
S. BARRETT: Well, it`s really just we are a victim of - what everybody else does on the show. we`re a victim of. What I mean by that is that if - you know, some of the mothers do things that we certainly don`t agree with.
And we`re just put in a pool, just like all the other mothers, and we`re scrutinized. So we just wanted to get away from that. There`s a lot that we can`t fit into this segment.
HAMMER: So everything people warned you about reality TV actually sort of came true, because you`re putting your lives out there and that`s part of the deal.
S. BARRETT: Right. You expect that if you`re a good person and you put good out there, that you get good back. And then, you know, with "Toddlers and Tiaras," it`s really in the editing. They (UNINTELLIGIBLE) show. They dropped the ball for us when they needed them.
HAMMER: You weren`t happy with the way I think you were portrayed and the way your daughter was portrayed. OK. Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did reach out to TLC`s "Toddlers & Tiaras."
They don`t have any comment right now or they haven`t gotten back to us as of the time we`re doing this show. But Isabella, I remember when you came in here before the show went on the air, you were very, very excited, right?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
HAMMER: Did you enjoy doing it?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
S. BARRETT: Yes. We enjoy pageants, right?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
S. BARRETT: We`re still going to continue to do pageants. They don`t need to be filmed if we`re doing them. But Isabella just came back from - where`d you go?
I. BARRETT: California -
HAMMER: Wow.
I. BARRETT: And I went to the MTV Movie Awards. Guess who I met?
HAMMER: Who did you meet?
I. BARRETT: Adam Sandler and LMFAO.
HAMMER: Very nice. You didn`t meet The Situation, did you?
I. BARRETT: No.
HAMMER: Oh, good. I just wanted to make sure -
I. BARRETT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for it.
HAMMER: OK. Well, everybody - now, are you happy or are you sad that you`re off "Toddlers and Tiaras" at this point?
I. BARRETT: I`m happy.
HAMMER: You are happy?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
HAMMER: Why is that?
I. BARRETT: Well, I have so much things to do. I`m here today, was on "The View" -
HAMMER: So you`re on the move. Your career is flying. And Susanna, I guess that begs the question why speak out now? Because there are people who might suggest that you are talking out about this and you pulled her off the show so you can move on to promote simply other things that Isabella`s doing.
S. BARRETT: I want everyone to know that we have nothing to do with "Toddlers and Tiaras." And if that means I have to go out there, absolutely. Absolutely.
I am going to make sure that everyone knows that Isabella is not a toddler in tiara. And you know, if you see Isabella again, it`s not going to be with me. It`s going to be on her own, and let her do her thing. Let her take the guide on this.
HAMMER: So you really feel - you feel very strongly that you just want to disassociate her in particular from this show and the fact that she was ever on.
S. BARRETT: Right. My message in the beginning was we got into this for a good reason. That message got so clearly lost, you know. Now, we`re going to go and we`re going to promote, you know, cancer dolls and things that we want to promote, and it doesn`t need to be on TV.
HAMMER: Any more pageants though? Are you done with pageants? I mean, I`m looking at you now. You could win a pageant today. Is it something you want to keep doing?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
HAMMER: So you hope that will happen?
I. BARRETT: I have one in January.
HAMMER: Another pageant? Great. Any more reality shows in your future or are you done?
S. BARRETT: I don`t know about reality shows. I will say we`re going to pilot season -
I. BARRETT: Next year.
HAMMER: OK. So you`re not closed to the idea.
S. BARRETT: I`m not closed to the idea. I`d rather not do a reality show. I`d rather do something -
HAMMER: OK. If you do reality, make sure it`s the right thing. And no going in - this is what it`s all about. Isabella, it`s great to see you.
I. BARRETT: It`s nice to meet you - I mean, it`s nice to see you.
HAMMER: See, I mean, come on. We`re old friends at this point. Susanna Barrett, thank you both so much.
Well, there may not be any controversies at the 39th Annual Daytime Emmys. But I can guarantee you some serious excitement on that show.
We`re airing the Daytime Emmys live right here on HLN. It`s on June 23rd. It happens at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. I`m heading out to L.A. I`m going to be on the red carpet in Hollywood with all your favorite daytime stars doing a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN.
You can join me in the middle of all the action. But to do that, you have to enter the HLN red carpet sweepstakes.
To do that, you have to go to HLNTV.com/DaytimeEmmySweeps. We will set you up. You get a trip to the Daytime Emmys.
You get a red carpet makeover. You go to the Daytime Emmy show and you appear on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with me that very night. Don`t forget, catch the Daytime Emmy Awards live, Saturday, June 23rd, 8:00 p.m. Eastern here on HLN.
From Hollywood`s hottest daytime shows to Hollywood hottest bodies. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counting down the most smoking celebrity bods. All of these stars seriously beach-ready, and all of them will you gawking, but who will come out on top? It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s hot Hollywood body countdown.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down smoking bodies. And we`re not just talking about any body - the most smoking celebrity bods. All of these stars are seriously beach ready. So who tops the list at number one?
Hold on. Let`s kick things off right. It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Hollywood`s hot body countdown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Number five on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s hot bodies countdown.
(MUSIC)
Rihanna is the complete package. A sultry voice and a sexy body to boot.
JOEY GONZALEZ, CELEBRITY TRAINER: Rihanna is not afraid to take risks. She just lets it hang loose. She`s so cool.
HAMMER: Celebrity trainer Joey Gonzalez knows a thing or two about getting bodies into shape as the COO of Barry`s Boot Camp.
GONZALEZ: She loves her body and she embraces it all.
HAMMER: And while Rihanna just revealed to "Us Weekly" that she`s slimmed down to a size zero, working long hours on her next album, the sexy siren also freely admits she misses her bigger booty.
GONZALEZ: She has a unique way of showing her body off.
HAMMER: That is why we tip out hat to her for being our fearless number five in the SHOWBIZ countdown of the hottest bodies, 2012.
(MUSIC)
At number four, Latin soap star William levy salsa`d and sizzled his way into our living rooms on "Dancing with the Stars."
GONZALEZ: I have to talk about the genes. Joey Gonzalez is my name - he`s got the Latin genes. Secondly, you can tell he does a ton of cardio and also strength training. This isn`t a guy who just like goes to the gym, is a meathead and pumps. He runs, sprints - he does it all.
HAMMER: And while this perfect 10 didn`t walk away with that mirror ball trophy on the show, William does win the number four spot on our SHOWBIZ countdown for the hottest bodies of 2012.
ELLE MCPHERSON, PRODUCER AND HOST, "FASHION STAR": All right, America. Let`s get the show started.
HAMMER: At number three on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hottest bodies countdown, fashion icon, Elle McPherson, struts her stuff as the executive producer and host of the NBC reality show, "Fashion Star."
Elle lives up to her nickname "the body," a name she earned for her record- breaking covers of "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issues. And she also makes 48 look fabulous.
GONZALEZ: Elle McPherson is just so natural. You know, it`s like, who ages like that? She`s 48 years old, glowing skin. This is a woman who also earns that body. When you`re 48 years old, you don`t look like that without working hard.
HAMMER: And hard work keeps this former catwalker sizzling at number three on our countdown of the hottest bodies of 2012.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
All right. So that leaves the top two spots in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hot body countdown. Who are they? I`ll give you a little hint. One`s a tease and one can`t be tamed.
Time now for the SHOWBIZ buzz list. Here`s what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is buzzing about this week.
It`s going to be doggone good. HBO`s documentary, "One Nation under Dog," will tug at your heartstrings and inspire you. It debuts next Monday.
This will change the game. We`re buzzing about MapQuest`s new free voice- guided, turn-by-turn GPS app for the iPhone.
Can`t put this down. Joan Rivers` side-splitting new book, "I Hate Everyone Starting with Me," her 11th book.
Imagine Dragon is roaring. The band`s cult "It`s Time" has just been featured in the trailer, "The Perks of Being a Wall Flower," starring Emma Watson.
We can`t wait to see A-squared on the big screen. Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg`s new movie, "That`s My Boy," opens tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: And we`re back with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hot bodies countdown. Only the top two remain. I gave you a hit. One can`t be tamed. One`s a tease. So who did we pick? Without further ado, your final two in the hot bodies countdown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
(voice-over) Number two on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hot bodies countdown is Miley Cyrus, who sings from inside a cage in the beginning of her video for her hit song, "Can`t Be Tamed." There is no denying Miley`s new body transformation.
GONZALEZ: Miley Cyrus, that body can`t be tamed. Can I say that? I mean, it`s out of control. And I think that Miley has really sort of come into her own recently. She`s really blossomed into this beautiful woman.
HAMMER: Newly engaged to her boyfriend of three years, Liam Hemsworth, Miley credits her fit figure to going gluten free. Celebrity trainer, Joey Gonzalez, says Miley`s diet has made a difference.
GONZALEZ: She`s gone from this sort of like soft, adolescent look to a really tight, beautiful woman.
HAMMER: Beautiful and she rocks our countdown at number two. That leaves the top spot open for grabs on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hot bodies countdown. But sorry, spray tan six packs need not apply, Scott Disick. So who is it? Well, here`s a hint.
GONZALEZ: He doesn`t need one at all. As you can see, he has the most incredible eight-pack that I have ever seen.
HAMMER: And seeing is believing. That body belongs to a werewolf. Well, no, he just plays one on TV. It`s "True Blood" star, Joe Manganiello. He tops our list at number one as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s hottest body of 2012.
Lucky first fans - he shows it all off as a stripper in his latest film, "Magic Mike." If you`re looking for Hollywood`s hottest bodies, well, that`s one place to start.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, there you have it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s hot bodies countdown. And there is one all-time hot body that we left off the list because, you know, the guy`s made so many of these lists we have to give the other guys a chance. But we have to bring in David Beckham. I was told I had to. Honorable mention for you tonight, David.
Moving on now to Kanye`s crib. While Kanye West was on his "Watch the Throne" tour, some robbers were watching his home in L.A. Coming up next, how his house got hit by thieves. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, Robert De Niro honored. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on location with the acting legend as he receives an award from New York`s Ghetto Film School.
Weed whacker - why Showtime`s series weeds is getting whacked. And Kanye`s crib gets busted into. All that`s in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Kanye`s scary break in. Kanye West can officially consider himself a crime victim. The Los Angeles Police Department tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that burglars broke into Kanye`s Los Angeles home early Wednesday.
The LAPD reports West was not home during the incident. It`s not yet clear what items were stolen. The suspect was immediately being questioned, but police say an investigation is underway.
"Weeds" be gone? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you one of Showtime`s favorite TV series, "Weeds," is coming to an end. The network just announced that "Weeds" will wrap after its upcoming eighth season.
The show thanked fans via Twitter saying, "We`d like to thank you, the fans of `Weeds,` for your incredible support over the past seven seasons. This will be our final season and we can`t wait to share the last chapter of what the Botwin family and friends have in store." The final season premieres July 1st.
SHOWBIZ on location. De Niro`s ghetto tribute. SHOWBIZ was right there as he was honored for his efforts in film and philanthropy by the Ghetto Film School in New York. CNN`s own Soledad O`Brien shared with us why students at the Ghetto School are fortunate to have someone like Robert De Niro be part of their program.
SOLEDAD O`BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: It`s amazing. Imagine if you`re a high school student and Robert De Niro is teaching you how to be a director, how to tell your story, how to do a film. I mean, that`s stunning.
These kids are prepared and absolutely positioned to compete with other students for great jobs and great opportunities to tell their stories. They are taught by the best. It`s an amazing thing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And check this out. The legendary metal band Metallica is actually helping the FBI track down an apparent killer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES HETFIELD, VOCALIST, METALLICA: I`m Jim from Metallica. Remember, any information, no matter how small you might think it is, could be that crucial piece investigators need to help solve the case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. That`s James Hetfield, Metallica`s lead singer. He and the rest of the band are doing their part to catch a man the feds want in connection to the killing of a college student.
The Virginia Tech student disappeared after one of Metallica`s concerts and he was found dead a few days later.
This PSA is on YouTube and on an FBI site dedicated to the case. Sketches of the alleged killer are being posted up and down the East coast and on billboards. And I think it is incredible that Metallica is helping out with this manhunt. Good for them.
Moving on now to a terrible tragedy that Dr. Drew`s trying to help stamp out. The new surge in girls being forced into prostitution. Dr. Drew takes on that problem right now.
END
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Lance on the line. Explosive new developments in the Lance Armstrong doping scandal. The man who won the Tour de France seven times is on the brink. Will Lance lose it all or live strong once again?
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer. And tonight, Trump lashes out. Donald Trump is fired up today as new reports bolster claims that Trump`s Miss USA pageant is rigged.
A second contestant now says Miss Pennsylvania USA told the truth when she made headlines for calling Trump and his pageant out.
Miss Pennsylvania USA, Sheena Monnin, had claimed that the top five had been preselected, explosive claims that led Trump to rally his lawyers. Now, it seems that Monnin is getting new support. So what`s Trump saying now?
But first tonight, superstar cyclist Lance Armstrong`s good name is on the line more than ever before. He`s under investigation once again over allegations he used performance-enhancing drugs, charges that, if true, could actually cost Armstrong all the medals and worse, his reputation.
Armstrong calls the claims false and spiteful. But is his legacy already in jeopardy?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) He conquered the Tour de France. He conquered cancer, and he conquered the celebrity world where he`s revered by stars and world leaders alike.
The cyclist Lance Armstrong has never managed to conquer years of lingering rumors that he`s used performance-enhancing drugs no matter how many times he`s denied it.
LANCE ARMSTRONG, PROFESSIONAL CYCLIST: I have never doped.
HAMMER: Now, Lance Armstrong, one of the most beloved and bankable figures in the world, is facing a serious new threat.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Federal officials saying the seven-time champ of the Tour de France used performance-enhancing drugs.
HAMMER: The morning news today went crazy over new doping allegations against Lance Armstrong. The U.S. anti-doping agency or USADA says it`s opened a new investigation against him. And its winning record in cases like this is almost as good as Lance Armstrong`s winning record in the Tour de France. Speaking of which -
CINDY BOREN, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR, "WASHINGTON POST": What`s at stake are the Tour de France titles.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the new charges could end with Lance Armstrong losing all seven of his Tour de France titles, not to mention his status as a living legend.
BOREN: He`s in as much trouble as he`s ever been in.
HAMMER: "The Washington Post" broke the story today. It reports the USADA claims blood samples from Armstrong appeared consistent with blood transfusions and/or the drug EPO, which boosts oxygen-rich red blood cells. Athletes use it to boost their performance.
BOREN: At a level like this, you only need maybe a five-percent improvement in your ability and you`re going to be - you`re going to win.
HAMMER: In a statement, Armstrong says, quote, "These charges are baseless, motivated by spite."
BOREN: His lawyers responded by saying he`s been tested over 500 times. He contends that he`s been tested more than any other athlete.
HAMMER: Armstrong is much more than any other athlete. His legendary comeback from cancer to win seven Tour de France titles has made him an icon and an inspiration.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lance, what`s the story?
ARMSTRONG: Hey, Dan. I`m sorry. I thought everybody left for the night.
HAMMER: You`ve seen him in commercials and on Hollywood red carpets. Plus, those Live Strong bracelets we`ve seen on politicians, celebrities and fans Armstrong everywhere have raised more than $5 million for anti- cancer efforts.
BOREN: People appreciate how far he came back, you know, from really the brink of death`s doorstep.
HAMMER: But through it all, a dark cloud has hovered over Lance`s legend.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see Lance Armstrong using other performance- enhancing drugs?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At times, yes, at different training camps.
HAMMER: Armstrong has repeatedly been accused of doping over the years, often by fellow cyclists who themselves have been implicated in doping.
Armstrong has responded to these claims with a mix of denials -
ARMSTRONG: It`s all a bunch of (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
HAMMER: Lawsuits, and sometimes, angry confrontations with reporters.
ARMSTRONG: You are not worth the chair that you`re sitting on. Everybody wants to know what I`m on.
HAMMER: Armstrong even addressed all the doping rumors in this Nike commercial.
ARMSTRONG: What am I on? I`m on my bike busting my ass six hours a day. What are you on?
HAMMER: The result? Those doping rumors have remained just that - rumors. Lance has never failed a drug test. And this past February, federal prosecutors dropped a criminal probe against Armstrong due to lack of evidence.
BOREN: They`ve never actually come up with a real gotcha.
HAMMER: Could this new investigation be that gotcha? Armstrong, who now competes in triathlons, has been suspended from International Ironman Competition pending this probe.
BOREN: I`m not sure that that really hurts people`s affection for him.
HAMMER: Still, "The Washington Post`s" Cindy Boren feels that Lance`s legend can survive this scandal.
BOREN: He is and will always be an inspirational figure.
HAMMER: But if this investigation ends up validating all those years of rumors and whispers, Lance`s legend could end up as one that was just too good to be true.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
The cycling world really has been shaken by these new doping charges. And while Armstrong has faced similar accusations before, we`ve got to ask if these latest charges will forever tarnish Armstrong`s great legacy.
I want to bring in my friend, "MORNING EXPRESS" sports anchor, Carlos Diaz from Atlanta. And from Hollywood, my friend, Sheryl Lee Ralph, who is the author of this book, "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dream Girl."
Carlos, let me start with you. I know you`ve been covering every ounce of this story. Lance Armstrong, of course, denying the latest charges yet again. But aren`t these accusations alone enough to ruin his legacy at this point?
CARLOS DIAZ, SPORTS ANCHOR, "MORNING EXPRESS": No, not these allegations, but the pending investigation that we`re going to have.
Basically, what`s going to happen now is Lance Armstrong has 10 days to respond to the allegations. I know he`s already put out a statement. But he has 10 days to respond.
Of course he`s going to say, "I didn`t dope. I didn`t try to mask any doping because I didn`t dope in the first place." Then, what will happen will be a trial from the anti-doping agency.
And there`s no jail time at the end of that trial. But what they can do is they can strip him of his seven Tour de France titles, which is very important to him and his legacy.
So that is what`s riding here on this. The thing you have to remember, this is not something that came about because of pressure from anyone.
The anti-doping agency says that they are bringing this case because they have credible evidence to believe that Lance Armstrong was doping, and that`s the big thing.
And the big thing is also how important this is to Lance`s bottom line. I know this may not be the most important thing to him. But you know, a lot of endorsement deals came from the fact he won the Tour de France seven times.
DIAZ: Yes.
HAMMER: There is another who is champ facing a tough legal time right now. It`s boxing great, Floyd Mayweather. He is getting a knockout ruling from a judge.
Mayweather`s serving a three month jail sentence for domestic abuse. Listen to this. He`s asked a judge to let him serve his sentence at home, because he says, "You know what? Jail`s going to ruin my career because I won`t be able to work out or eat the right foods if I`m incarcerated."
Sheryl, I`m hearing that. I get where he`s coming from , but isn`t it even a bit ridiculous that Mayweather would even ask the judge to let him serve his sentence at home so he can get his workouts in?
SHERYL LEE RALPH, AUTHOR, "REDEFINING DIVA": Obviously, he hasn`t watched enough "Locked Up" or "Locked Down." If there`s one thing we know, there are some banging bodies in prison baby. You can get your workout on, Floyd. Get yourself a workout partner. Think about that the next time.
HAMMER: I don`t know about the food. A plate of gruel here and there - I don`t think that`s really going along with the right diet. Carlos, you think this is a legit request?
DIAZ: Now, let me get this straight, A.J., because I`m not following you. What you`re telling me, A.J., is that jail is not a comfortable place? Jail doesn`t have - it doesn`t have gourmet food?
It doesn`t have a five star Gold`s Gym inside? A.J., what are you saying? You`re talking crazy is what you`re talking here.
Here`s the thing, Floyd. I`m sorry. I know you think you run Vegas, like any other entertainer in Vegas thinks they run Vegas. But don`t try to use your trump card of, "Hey, I can`t get in shape for the Pacquiao fight," which is never going to happen anyway, so don`t throw that in our face.
You know what? You deserve to wither in jail. You should have fought Pacquiao. And you know who you shouldn`t have been fighting? You shouldn`t have been fighting with your girl. That`s your thing. Seriously, you deserve to be in there not eating, not drinking.
HAMMER: Yes. And I don`t know about these things that you claim, Carlos, you know. I have no personal experience there. But the Internet obviously buzzing quite a bit about this today.
Also on the Internet, I`m seeing a lot of buzz about the apparent scuffle between Chris Brown and Drake, which happened at a New York nightclub last night.
Now, after the dust up, Chris Brown tweeted this picture - if we could put it up - and then he deleted it, of course. It`s this gash in his face apparently from this altercation.
And I`m looking at that thinking, oh, the irony. Chris Brown claiming that he was the victim of a brutal attack.
Now, Sheryl, look, I don`t want to be insensitive to anybody getting in a fight, but do you think maybe Chris Brown deserves a little sympathy now that he`s been injured?
RALPH: You know, this is all very, very difficult, and I`m going to say this with love. Grow up. Chris, you`ve got to grow up and take responsibility at some time.
I really, really believe that all of this that we`re seeing with him is a cry out for help. He needs help, not just attention, but he needs help and assistance.
I`m afraid that we`re going to keep watching these things happen with him and it`s going to be another accident.
HAMMER: Yes.
RALPH: We`ve seen them happen before.
HAMMER: And that would be sad. And the brawl reportedly stemming from a feud over Rihanna with Drake`s camp telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he was on his way out of the club when the altercation began.
He wasn`t involved in any activity that resulted in an injury to any person. I`m going to chime in with Sheryl Lee Ralph and say, "Grow up." Carlos Diaz, Sheryl Lee, thank you both so much.
Tonight the tiaras are flying. Another Miss USA contestant says Donald Trump`s pageant is rigged. Meanwhile, there`s new evidence that could put an end to this drama once and for all. But I still wonder, does this mean the jig is up for the Donald?
Hollywood`s hottest bodies. Miley Cyrus, Matthew McConaughey, William Levy - who do you think rocks it the best? Well, tonight, wait until you see SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s countdown of the top five hottest bodies.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. COLIN POWELL (RET.), FMR. SECRETARY OF STATE (singing): I just met you and this is crazy, but here`s my number so call me maybe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It is crazy. That`s retired four-star general, Colin Powell, singing the song stuck in everyone`s head, "Call Me Maybe," with his duet partner, "CBS This Morning" co-host, Gayle King. But I`ve got to say I`m impressed.
Next, the war for morning show domination.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, the battle for ultimate morning show domination - "Today" versus "Good Morning America." Now, ABC`s morning show has been the bridesmaid, holding down the number two spot behind the rating`s juggernaut over at NBC.
But GMA is ready to shine and the show`s crowning glory could be a big win at the Daytime Emmys on June 23rd right here on HLN. Take a look at what`s at stake.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) And now, the main event in the Daytime Emmy race. In this corner, weighing in at a hefty 60 seasons on the air, the reigning champion, the king of talk at 30 Rock.
ANNOUNCER: This is "Today."
HAMMER: And in this corner, weighing in at 36 seasons, the scrappy challenger, the alpha dog at the alphabet network.
ANNOUNCER: "Good Morning America" -
HAMMER: The biggest combatants in the biggest rivalry in all of television are duking it out for TV`s biggest prize.
MAGGIE FURLONG, "HUFFPOST TV": The fight rages on. Morning television - "GMA" versus "Today." Who`s going to win the ratings war? Who`s going to win the Daytime Emmy? It is nonstop with them.
HAMMER: NBC`s "Today" and ABC`s "Good Morning America" are both nominated for a Daytime Emmy for outstanding morning program.
TOM O`NEIL, GOLDDERBY.COM: This category has only existed for five years. The "Today" show has won twice. "GMA" has won twice. And they tied once.
HAMMER: "Today" is taking the trophy for the past two years. And whether "Today" hosts say it -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hopefully, these things come in threes.
HAMMER: Or one of their guests says it -
HOWARD STERN, RADIO HOST: We`re in a competition with "Good Morning America." We have to win.
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: OK. We`ve got to go.
STERN: OK.
HAMMER: Have no doubts the "Today" show wants to beat "GMA."
FURLONG: They`re always neck-in-neck. They`re always back and forth. It really is one of the biggest rivalries on TV today.
HAMMER: This year, their rivalry got even fiercer. Back in April, "Good Morning America" topped the "Today" show in the weekly ratings for the first time in a whopping 16 years.
ROBIN ROBERTS, CO-HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": We are so grateful to you, you there at home, the viewers, for making us the number one morning show in the country last week.
HAMMER: The "GMA" folks weren`t shy about toasting it on the air and acknowledging their vanquished rivals.
ROBERTS: We tip our hats to our colleagues over at NBC for their amazing streak.
HAMMER: And you can bet the folks at "GMA" would love to end the "Today" show`s Emmy streak as well.
O`NEIL: "Good Morning America" really, really wants this Emmy as a crowning glory after all the success they`ve had in the ratings.
HAMMER: But GoldDerby.com`s Tom O`Neil tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the battle between the more traditional "Today" show and the looser, more entertainment-focused "Good Morning America" makes this Emmy matchup hard to predict.
O`NEIL: Emmy voters are notorious snobs. In general, they tend to lean toward serious news. That may give the "Today" show an edge. But there is an irresistible charm to "GMA."
HAMMER: So they battle each other over ratings. They battle each other over exclusive interviews. And now, these morning show titans are battling each other for an Emmy. It is on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Wow. What a matchup. And that is just one of the showdowns that you can expect when the 39th Annual Daytime Emmys air live right here on HLN on June 23rd at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
I can`t wait. I`m going to be right there on the red carpet, hang with your favorite daytime stars when we do a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That kicks off at 7:00 p.m. Eastern here on HLN.
And you can join me right in the middle of it all. You have to enter the HLN red carpet sweepstakes at HLNTV.com/DaytimeEmmySweeps.
We give you so many cool things -a trip to the Daytime Emmys, a red carpet makeover, you go to the show, and you appear with me that night here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Don`t forget to watch the Daytime Emmys live on Saturday, June 23rd, 8:00 p.m. Eastern on HLN.
Well, five-year-old Isabella Barrett was supposed to be the next thing among tiny pageant queens until her mom yanked her from the reality show "Toddlers and Tiaras."
And now, she is telling all. Grab your sashes and high-heels. Isabella and Susanna are right here for SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview with the inside scoop on the show America loves to hate.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRENTON THWAITES, ACTOR: Hey. You`re a morning person, huh? What are what are you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I`m trying to save us. What are you doing?
THWAITES: I don`t know. Might go for a swim.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, actually Brenton Thwaites is plunging into Hollywood, not just swimming. The Australian actor stars in a remake of "The Blue Lagoon." It airs on Lifetime this Saturday.
Angelina Jolie`s new main man. Star on the rise. Now, don`t worry, Brangelina is going strong as far as we know.
But next time Angie hits the big screen, she`s going to be starring with the man who could replace Brad Pitt as Hollywood`s ultimate heartthrob according to many, many people.
Get ready to hear this name an awful lot - Brenton Thwaites. And there he is. Not only is Brenton set to star with Angelina in "Maleficent," his first Hollywood movie. As I mentioned, he`s starring in "The Blue Lagoon: The Awakening."
Joining me now, Brenton Thwaites from Hollywood. Great to have here you here, Brenton.
THWAITES: Hi.
HAMMER: So listen. I`m looking at what you`ve accomplished here. This is a pretty big deal. We`ve got to talk about this.
You beat out a lot of young Hollywood actors to star with Angelina, who`s going to play the evil queen in "Maleficent." It`s a retelling of "Sleeping Beauty."
Look, I`m sure you put a lot of work into getting this role. But please tell me, when did it sink in? You know, "Holy cow I`m in a film with Angelina Jolie."
THWAITES: On the plane to London -
HAMMER: And just -
THWAITES: On the plane to London is when it sunk in.
HAMMER: Tell me what went through your mind when you actually realized you accomplished what, you know, most stars in Hollywood would aspire to do one day and never get to do.
THWAITES: I still don`t know what`s running through my mind. It`s crazy. I can`t believe it. It`s amazing.
HAMMER: Well, congratulations on getting that role. And as I mentioned, you`re also starring in this update of the 1980 classic, "The Blue Lagoon" - "Blue Lagoon: The Awakening."
It`s set to debut on Lifetime this Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. And the original, you all remember, launched the film careers of these people, Brooke shields and Christopher Atkins.
I have to share with you my strange little connection to the film or at least to Chris Atkins. His mother was my junior high school science teacher.
Chris came to our class one day and he taught us to make beer-battered chicken. Brenton, have you ever had beer-battered chicken before?
THWAITES: He didn`t make beer-battered chicken for us. No.
HAMMER: Did you get to meet him? Did he stop by the set? Was he part of the film?
THWAITES: Sure. We had a few scenes together. He`s a nice guy.
HAMMER: Very nice. You remember the original was considered super risque in its time because, well, frankly they were naked.
So everybody wants to know, do you guys push the envelope as much as you can on cable TV for this remake? I mean, is there nudity, Brenton? I`m being told to ask.
THWAITES: As much as we can, yes. But not as much as Chris and Brooke, I believe.
HAMMER: Yes. We all remember there was one particular famous scene which was lots and lots of nakedness all around.
And you got your start working in Australia on soaps, the same soap opera that launched Heath Ledger and Naomi Watts. For you, what has been the difference between doing Aussie soaps and doing a Hollywood movie?
THWAITES: I think just the time - the time and money. You know, back home, it`s common to have one or two takes or three takes. And over here, it`s a bit more time and money, so it may seem.
HAMMER: Yes.
THWAITES: And there`s a little bit more freedom to kind of relax and work on your stuff.
HAMMER: Plus, over here, you know, we have a strange accent. Well, Brenton Thwaites, thank you so much. It`s nice to meet you.
I want to remind everybody to catch Brenton in "Blue Lagoon: The Awakening." It premieres on Lifetime this Saturday. Thanks, man.
THWAITES: Cool.
HAMMER: Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Who broke into Kanye West`s $4 million Hollywood home?
New allegations tonight as well about Donald Trump`s Miss USA pageant being rigged. Is Trump toast?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, an explosive new claim in Donald Trump`s Miss USA controversy. Another contestant has come forward to claim that the pageant was rigged.
So while the Donald insists his pageant is legit, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is it time for all of the Miss USA contestants to be questioned?
Plus, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT countdown you do not want to miss - Hollywood`s hottest bodies. Miley Cyrus, Matthew McConaughey, William Levy - these stars` bombshell bods have all of Hollywood talking. But which one is number one? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to tell you.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. Tonight, Trump lashes out. A second Miss USA contestant has just come forward accusing Trump`s pageant of being rigged.
Now, this second beauty queen, who has chosen to remain anonymous, backs up accusations made just last week by Miss Pennsylvania, Sheena Monnin.
Now, Monnin claims her fellow contestant, Miss Florida USA had learned the names of the finalists before the show even aired. Miss Florida says she was just kidding, but Monnin stood her ground on the "Today" show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it possible you misinterpreted what she said?
SHEENA MONNIN, MISS PENNSYLVANIA USA 2012: Absolutely not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you so sure?
MONNIN: Well, I have many years of psychological training. I know when someone is telling a joke. I know when someone is scared, and when someone is serious.
And in my opinion, her body language was very serious. And she looked a little bit scared because she had just seen something that would potentially drastically change the reputation of the Miss Universe Organization. This is a big deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. That would be a pretty big deal. And now, Trump who owns the Miss USA pageant, is going after the accusers implying these two contestants have sour grapes because they lost the contest.
Joining me now, somebody who knows well the pageant world. From Hollywood, Sheryl Lee Ralph is here. She is the author of "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dream Girl." And Sheryl is also a former pageant contestant and judge.
And Sheryl, this second accuser says that she has proof that the pageant was not on the up and up. Do you feel that this does give more credence to the original claims made by Miss Pennsylvania USA, Sheena Monnin?
RALPH: Not unless that contestant is willing to come out and tell us her name and who she is and exactly what she saw. If it was a court of law, you`d have to prove it.
And right now, all we have is more hearsay. But look, these pageants don`t always run the way other people think they run. They`re beauty pageants, and sometimes beauty is just in the eye of the beholder.
HAMMER: And the thing is the two beauty queens are saying the top finalists were known before the show was even broadcast. Obviously, that wouldn`t be right.
They said that there was a list. Now, I have to ask you, when you were a pageant judge, Sheryl, did you ever see any claims, anything like these claims at all yourself?
RALPH: You know, I have never seen any claims like this. But the way they work, there are always lists going around. There are so many opportunities that you meet and interact with the different contestants in the parameters of the pageant itself.
So you know, this girl might be tops in personality. There`s a list for that, you know, posture, congeniality - there are so many different lists.
But is it the list? I`ve never seen that. But you do get a lot of coaching as far as who they might want to see on the list.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, I can certainly understand that. But it`s not what`s surprising about these allegations. Miss USA pageant and, of course, owner, Donald Trump are denying the claims and fighting back vigorously.
I want you to listen to what Donald Trump had to say about this today on "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, OWNER, MISS USA FRANCHISE: We have celebrity judges. These are great people, honest people. They`re the ones that make the decision. Nobody cares at Miss Universe who it`s going to be. These are people who lost the contest to a lovely young woman from Rhode Island, who is really lovely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My home state.
TRUMP: Beautiful. And it`s so unfair to the woman because they don`t talk about the winner. They`re only talking about the loser.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Man, he`s fired up as usual, Sheryl. What do you think? Could this just be a case of sour grapes on the part of these contestants here?
RALPH: Absolutely not. Because until Donald said the name of the winner, I didn`t know who had won. As far as I`m concerned, Miss Pennsylvania is the winner here because she`s the only one we`re all talking about.
HAMMER: Yes.
RALPH: This pageant - hey. This was basically a dead pageant that has been brought alive by this controversy. So I say, you go Miss Pennsylvania. Too bad you`re not from Philadelphia.
HAMMER: Well, it is interesting that really we talk about this contest mostly when we`re talking about the controversy surrounding it.
And just today, Ernst and Young, the company that tabulates votes for Miss USA, released a statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Let me read what they said, "Ernst and Young tabulated the list of the top 10 Miss USA finalists after the swimsuit competition was completed and then tabulated the list of the final five Miss USA finalists after the evening gown competition was completed."
No one could have seen either list beforehand because they did not exist until they were tabulated by us." So it would be interesting to see if this pageant is in fact hurt at all by this. Sheryl Lee, thank you so much for being here.
We move now from Miss USA to "Toddlers and Tiaras." Now, it was just a few months ago that five-year-old Isabella Barrett was touted as the new "it" girl on the pageant circuit and on TLC`s "Toddlers and Tiaras."
But now, that has changed. Just this week, Isabella`s mother, Susanna, has come out against "Toddlers and tiaras." Susanna Barrett says she was not happy with the show and her daughter Isabella is off the show for good.
Joining me now in New York to tell us why they quit the show, Isabella Barrett and her mother Susanna Barrett. First of all, it`s nice to see you both.
ISABELLA BARRETT, FMR. STAR OF "TODDLERS AND TIARAS": Hi, A.J. Hammer. It`s nice to see you again.
HAMMER: It is a little reunion isn`t it?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
HAMMER: OK. Now, before we talk about why you`re no longer doing the show, let`s take a look at a clip of you in action on the show, shall we? Could we roll that, Charles?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
SUSANNA BARRETT, MOTHER OF ISABELLA BARRETT: When she got on stage, she was lost. I feel sad seeing her blow it. It`s like blowing the World Series. It`s like - it`s just so heartbreaking to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. See, I`m watching this now, Susanna, and it`s a nice clip of you being a caring and concerned mom. So why did you take Isabella off the show?
S. BARRETT: Well, it`s been one heck of a year for us.
HAMMER: Yes, I imagine.
S. BARRETT: You know, we`ve really done some fence-mending and we really just want to get away from "Toddlers and Tiaras." Everything that they`ve done, everything we`ve had in the media, any time we mention it, it`s just a negative impact on us.
HAMMER: What did they do specifically that you didn`t like?
S. BARRETT: Well, it`s really just we are a victim of - what everybody else does on the show. we`re a victim of. What I mean by that is that if - you know, some of the mothers do things that we certainly don`t agree with.
And we`re just put in a pool, just like all the other mothers, and we`re scrutinized. So we just wanted to get away from that. There`s a lot that we can`t fit into this segment.
HAMMER: So everything people warned you about reality TV actually sort of came true, because you`re putting your lives out there and that`s part of the deal.
S. BARRETT: Right. You expect that if you`re a good person and you put good out there, that you get good back. And then, you know, with "Toddlers and Tiaras," it`s really in the editing. They (UNINTELLIGIBLE) show. They dropped the ball for us when they needed them.
HAMMER: You weren`t happy with the way I think you were portrayed and the way your daughter was portrayed. OK. Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did reach out to TLC`s "Toddlers & Tiaras."
They don`t have any comment right now or they haven`t gotten back to us as of the time we`re doing this show. But Isabella, I remember when you came in here before the show went on the air, you were very, very excited, right?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
HAMMER: Did you enjoy doing it?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
S. BARRETT: Yes. We enjoy pageants, right?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
S. BARRETT: We`re still going to continue to do pageants. They don`t need to be filmed if we`re doing them. But Isabella just came back from - where`d you go?
I. BARRETT: California -
HAMMER: Wow.
I. BARRETT: And I went to the MTV Movie Awards. Guess who I met?
HAMMER: Who did you meet?
I. BARRETT: Adam Sandler and LMFAO.
HAMMER: Very nice. You didn`t meet The Situation, did you?
I. BARRETT: No.
HAMMER: Oh, good. I just wanted to make sure -
I. BARRETT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for it.
HAMMER: OK. Well, everybody - now, are you happy or are you sad that you`re off "Toddlers and Tiaras" at this point?
I. BARRETT: I`m happy.
HAMMER: You are happy?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
HAMMER: Why is that?
I. BARRETT: Well, I have so much things to do. I`m here today, was on "The View" -
HAMMER: So you`re on the move. Your career is flying. And Susanna, I guess that begs the question why speak out now? Because there are people who might suggest that you are talking out about this and you pulled her off the show so you can move on to promote simply other things that Isabella`s doing.
S. BARRETT: I want everyone to know that we have nothing to do with "Toddlers and Tiaras." And if that means I have to go out there, absolutely. Absolutely.
I am going to make sure that everyone knows that Isabella is not a toddler in tiara. And you know, if you see Isabella again, it`s not going to be with me. It`s going to be on her own, and let her do her thing. Let her take the guide on this.
HAMMER: So you really feel - you feel very strongly that you just want to disassociate her in particular from this show and the fact that she was ever on.
S. BARRETT: Right. My message in the beginning was we got into this for a good reason. That message got so clearly lost, you know. Now, we`re going to go and we`re going to promote, you know, cancer dolls and things that we want to promote, and it doesn`t need to be on TV.
HAMMER: Any more pageants though? Are you done with pageants? I mean, I`m looking at you now. You could win a pageant today. Is it something you want to keep doing?
I. BARRETT: Yes.
HAMMER: So you hope that will happen?
I. BARRETT: I have one in January.
HAMMER: Another pageant? Great. Any more reality shows in your future or are you done?
S. BARRETT: I don`t know about reality shows. I will say we`re going to pilot season -
I. BARRETT: Next year.
HAMMER: OK. So you`re not closed to the idea.
S. BARRETT: I`m not closed to the idea. I`d rather not do a reality show. I`d rather do something -
HAMMER: OK. If you do reality, make sure it`s the right thing. And no going in - this is what it`s all about. Isabella, it`s great to see you.
I. BARRETT: It`s nice to meet you - I mean, it`s nice to see you.
HAMMER: See, I mean, come on. We`re old friends at this point. Susanna Barrett, thank you both so much.
Well, there may not be any controversies at the 39th Annual Daytime Emmys. But I can guarantee you some serious excitement on that show.
We`re airing the Daytime Emmys live right here on HLN. It`s on June 23rd. It happens at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. I`m heading out to L.A. I`m going to be on the red carpet in Hollywood with all your favorite daytime stars doing a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN.
You can join me in the middle of all the action. But to do that, you have to enter the HLN red carpet sweepstakes.
To do that, you have to go to HLNTV.com/DaytimeEmmySweeps. We will set you up. You get a trip to the Daytime Emmys.
You get a red carpet makeover. You go to the Daytime Emmy show and you appear on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with me that very night. Don`t forget, catch the Daytime Emmy Awards live, Saturday, June 23rd, 8:00 p.m. Eastern here on HLN.
From Hollywood`s hottest daytime shows to Hollywood hottest bodies. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counting down the most smoking celebrity bods. All of these stars seriously beach-ready, and all of them will you gawking, but who will come out on top? It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s hot Hollywood body countdown.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down smoking bodies. And we`re not just talking about any body - the most smoking celebrity bods. All of these stars are seriously beach ready. So who tops the list at number one?
Hold on. Let`s kick things off right. It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Hollywood`s hot body countdown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Number five on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s hot bodies countdown.
(MUSIC)
Rihanna is the complete package. A sultry voice and a sexy body to boot.
JOEY GONZALEZ, CELEBRITY TRAINER: Rihanna is not afraid to take risks. She just lets it hang loose. She`s so cool.
HAMMER: Celebrity trainer Joey Gonzalez knows a thing or two about getting bodies into shape as the COO of Barry`s Boot Camp.
GONZALEZ: She loves her body and she embraces it all.
HAMMER: And while Rihanna just revealed to "Us Weekly" that she`s slimmed down to a size zero, working long hours on her next album, the sexy siren also freely admits she misses her bigger booty.
GONZALEZ: She has a unique way of showing her body off.
HAMMER: That is why we tip out hat to her for being our fearless number five in the SHOWBIZ countdown of the hottest bodies, 2012.
(MUSIC)
At number four, Latin soap star William levy salsa`d and sizzled his way into our living rooms on "Dancing with the Stars."
GONZALEZ: I have to talk about the genes. Joey Gonzalez is my name - he`s got the Latin genes. Secondly, you can tell he does a ton of cardio and also strength training. This isn`t a guy who just like goes to the gym, is a meathead and pumps. He runs, sprints - he does it all.
HAMMER: And while this perfect 10 didn`t walk away with that mirror ball trophy on the show, William does win the number four spot on our SHOWBIZ countdown for the hottest bodies of 2012.
ELLE MCPHERSON, PRODUCER AND HOST, "FASHION STAR": All right, America. Let`s get the show started.
HAMMER: At number three on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hottest bodies countdown, fashion icon, Elle McPherson, struts her stuff as the executive producer and host of the NBC reality show, "Fashion Star."
Elle lives up to her nickname "the body," a name she earned for her record- breaking covers of "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issues. And she also makes 48 look fabulous.
GONZALEZ: Elle McPherson is just so natural. You know, it`s like, who ages like that? She`s 48 years old, glowing skin. This is a woman who also earns that body. When you`re 48 years old, you don`t look like that without working hard.
HAMMER: And hard work keeps this former catwalker sizzling at number three on our countdown of the hottest bodies of 2012.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
All right. So that leaves the top two spots in our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hot body countdown. Who are they? I`ll give you a little hint. One`s a tease and one can`t be tamed.
Time now for the SHOWBIZ buzz list. Here`s what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is buzzing about this week.
It`s going to be doggone good. HBO`s documentary, "One Nation under Dog," will tug at your heartstrings and inspire you. It debuts next Monday.
This will change the game. We`re buzzing about MapQuest`s new free voice- guided, turn-by-turn GPS app for the iPhone.
Can`t put this down. Joan Rivers` side-splitting new book, "I Hate Everyone Starting with Me," her 11th book.
Imagine Dragon is roaring. The band`s cult "It`s Time" has just been featured in the trailer, "The Perks of Being a Wall Flower," starring Emma Watson.
We can`t wait to see A-squared on the big screen. Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg`s new movie, "That`s My Boy," opens tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: And we`re back with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hot bodies countdown. Only the top two remain. I gave you a hit. One can`t be tamed. One`s a tease. So who did we pick? Without further ado, your final two in the hot bodies countdown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
(voice-over) Number two on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hot bodies countdown is Miley Cyrus, who sings from inside a cage in the beginning of her video for her hit song, "Can`t Be Tamed." There is no denying Miley`s new body transformation.
GONZALEZ: Miley Cyrus, that body can`t be tamed. Can I say that? I mean, it`s out of control. And I think that Miley has really sort of come into her own recently. She`s really blossomed into this beautiful woman.
HAMMER: Newly engaged to her boyfriend of three years, Liam Hemsworth, Miley credits her fit figure to going gluten free. Celebrity trainer, Joey Gonzalez, says Miley`s diet has made a difference.
GONZALEZ: She`s gone from this sort of like soft, adolescent look to a really tight, beautiful woman.
HAMMER: Beautiful and she rocks our countdown at number two. That leaves the top spot open for grabs on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT hot bodies countdown. But sorry, spray tan six packs need not apply, Scott Disick. So who is it? Well, here`s a hint.
GONZALEZ: He doesn`t need one at all. As you can see, he has the most incredible eight-pack that I have ever seen.
HAMMER: And seeing is believing. That body belongs to a werewolf. Well, no, he just plays one on TV. It`s "True Blood" star, Joe Manganiello. He tops our list at number one as SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s hottest body of 2012.
Lucky first fans - he shows it all off as a stripper in his latest film, "Magic Mike." If you`re looking for Hollywood`s hottest bodies, well, that`s one place to start.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, there you have it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s hot bodies countdown. And there is one all-time hot body that we left off the list because, you know, the guy`s made so many of these lists we have to give the other guys a chance. But we have to bring in David Beckham. I was told I had to. Honorable mention for you tonight, David.
Moving on now to Kanye`s crib. While Kanye West was on his "Watch the Throne" tour, some robbers were watching his home in L.A. Coming up next, how his house got hit by thieves. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, Robert De Niro honored. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on location with the acting legend as he receives an award from New York`s Ghetto Film School.
Weed whacker - why Showtime`s series weeds is getting whacked. And Kanye`s crib gets busted into. All that`s in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Kanye`s scary break in. Kanye West can officially consider himself a crime victim. The Los Angeles Police Department tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that burglars broke into Kanye`s Los Angeles home early Wednesday.
The LAPD reports West was not home during the incident. It`s not yet clear what items were stolen. The suspect was immediately being questioned, but police say an investigation is underway.
"Weeds" be gone? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you one of Showtime`s favorite TV series, "Weeds," is coming to an end. The network just announced that "Weeds" will wrap after its upcoming eighth season.
The show thanked fans via Twitter saying, "We`d like to thank you, the fans of `Weeds,` for your incredible support over the past seven seasons. This will be our final season and we can`t wait to share the last chapter of what the Botwin family and friends have in store." The final season premieres July 1st.
SHOWBIZ on location. De Niro`s ghetto tribute. SHOWBIZ was right there as he was honored for his efforts in film and philanthropy by the Ghetto Film School in New York. CNN`s own Soledad O`Brien shared with us why students at the Ghetto School are fortunate to have someone like Robert De Niro be part of their program.
SOLEDAD O`BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: It`s amazing. Imagine if you`re a high school student and Robert De Niro is teaching you how to be a director, how to tell your story, how to do a film. I mean, that`s stunning.
These kids are prepared and absolutely positioned to compete with other students for great jobs and great opportunities to tell their stories. They are taught by the best. It`s an amazing thing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And check this out. The legendary metal band Metallica is actually helping the FBI track down an apparent killer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES HETFIELD, VOCALIST, METALLICA: I`m Jim from Metallica. Remember, any information, no matter how small you might think it is, could be that crucial piece investigators need to help solve the case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. That`s James Hetfield, Metallica`s lead singer. He and the rest of the band are doing their part to catch a man the feds want in connection to the killing of a college student.
The Virginia Tech student disappeared after one of Metallica`s concerts and he was found dead a few days later.
This PSA is on YouTube and on an FBI site dedicated to the case. Sketches of the alleged killer are being posted up and down the East coast and on billboards. And I think it is incredible that Metallica is helping out with this manhunt. Good for them.
Moving on now to a terrible tragedy that Dr. Drew`s trying to help stamp out. The new surge in girls being forced into prostitution. Dr. Drew takes on that problem right now.
END
