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Showbiz Tonight
Rielle`s Kiss and Tell Hell; Katy Perry`s Confession About Her Divorce from Russell Brand; Oprah Keeping Up with the Kardashians; Remembering Nora Ephron; SHOWBIZ on Location: "The Chew"
Aired June 27, 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: Tonight, kiss-and-tell hell. The brand-new blowups after John Edwards` former mistress airs all the dirty laundry about the affair that ended his political life. Why journalism great Barbara Walters is taking on Rielle Hunter. And just who else is fixing for a fight?
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, the million-dollar matchup. Forget barroom brawls. R & B star, Chris Brown, and hip-hop star, Drake, could get $1 million bucks each to settle their reported beef in a boxing match. But should they even entertain the outrageous idea?
First tonight, kiss-and-tell hell. There`s brand-new backlash tonight over Rielle Hunter`s tell-all tour promoting the book she wrote all about the affair she had with John Edwards that cost him his marriage and his presidential bid.
Now, this controversy is no longer just about airing their dirty laundry. Oh, no. Forget the cheating or the lying about the love child or even how she insulted Edwards` deceased wife.
Now, Rielle Hunter has managed to tick off a TV icon, and the fallout is just getting started.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I mean, it`s kind of like a crappy thing to do.
HAMMER (voice-over): For Rielle Hunter, it`s a crappy way to win sympathy. The woman who came on to then presidential candidate, John Edwards, helped break up his 30-year marriage to a dying woman and had his love child, is having a rough time as she promotes her tell-all book about the affair. The hosts of "The View" let her have it.
GOLDBERG: You had unprotected sex with a married man and had a baby.
HAMMER: And today, various media outlets are lighting up with a fresh round of Rielle bashing. Comedy writer Julie Klausner tweeted, quote, "One of the best things about Rielle Hunter is she knows exactly when to time her career moves so she never seems trashy or inappropriate."
And noting that Rielle mostly sailed through previous interviews with ABC`s Chris Cuomo and George Stephanopoulos before running into the buzz saw that was "The View" -
GOLDBERG: You put an entire nation in a very awkward position.
HAMMER: "The Washington Post" Lisa de Moraes quipped, "ABC should never send men to do women`s work."
BONNIE FULLER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, HOLLYWOODLIFE.COM: I don`t think there`s an iota of sympathy that Rielle has managed to cultivate or dig up on her book tour.
HAMMER: Now, Rielle`s romance with Edwards is over, and she remains America`s most hated mistress.
RIELLE HUNTER, JOHN EDWARDS` FORMER MISTRESS: I`m not a mistress. I`m a mom.
HAMMER: A correction. She remains America`s most hated mom/mistress. It`s clear Rielle`s book tour is a textbook example of how not to win over a skeptical public.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the latest on Rielle Hunter`s kiss-and-tell hell. What`s earning Rielle the most scorn? The nasty way she writes about John`s late wife Elizabeth Edwards who was dying of cancer while Rielle and John were carrying out their tawdry affair.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You called her crazy, venomous - just the rage -
HAMMER: The hosts of "The View" objected to that, especially Whoopi Goldberg.
GOLDBERG: You trash a dead lady whose husband you had an affair and a baby with. I mean, it`s kind of a crappy thing to do.
HAMMER: But Rielle didn`t back down.
HUNTER: Right now, the personas are of Elizabeth being a saint, and John Edwards being a demon and me as a home wrecker. And those aren`t true personas.
HAMMER: "Hollywood Life`s" Bonnie Fuller tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Rielle`s Elizabeth Edwards bashing was enough to derail her book/sympathy tour.
FULLER: I think she would have had a better chance if she had been respectful of Elizabeth, if she had been apologetic.
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I have my own little bone to pick with you.
HAMMER: Even Barbara Walters found herself with a personal score to settle with Rielle, after Rielle wrote in her book that Walters screamed at her for doing her first big interview with Oprah. ?
WALTERS: In 30 years of doing interviews, I have never screamed at anyone. I make people cry, but I don`t scream.
HUNTER: This is not the first time nor will it be the last that two people remember an event differently.
HAMMER: All told, it Rielle was hoping opening up so publicly would win her a mass outpouring of sympathy, well, it didn`t work.
FULLER: She may be successful in bringing attention to her new book, but that doesn`t mean that women are buying what she is selling.
HAMMER: And some aren`t buying Rielle`s bombshell announcement that she and John remained a couple for a lot longer than people thought.
HUNTER: As of last - the end of last week, John Edwards and I are no longer a couple.
FULLER: They have lied about their relationship so the many times before, but I bet we`re going to see this pair back together. They certainly deserve each other.
HAMMER: So now, after her kiss-and-tell hell, Rielle is left with no sympathy, no man, and very few, if any, fans. So what purpose did Rielle Hunter`s kiss-and-tell hell have? Maybe it`s reminding so many people have why they were so creeped out by her.
FULLER: I think if anything, she has just reaffirmed why most women wouldn`t let her anywhere near their husbands.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, Rielle`s kiss and tell sure does appear to have backfired on her. Do you think she saw that coming?
With me in New York Kelli Goff. Kelly is the author of "The GQ Candidate." It was just released in paperback. I`m also joined with Megan Alexander, who is a correspondent with "Inside Edition."
So we have seen in so many of her interviews, Rielle saying she didn`t want to keep her relationship with John Edwards hidden anymore. Obviously, Edwards didn`t agree.
Megan, do you think Rielle fooled herself into thinking that this relationship could possibly survive this tawdry kiss and tell?
MEGAN ALEXANDER, CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": I think her whole life, she has fooled herself. A.J., for somebody who says she repeatedly wants the truth to be out, she wants to be in the light, she did anything but in all these interviews.
We learned absolutely nothing through this whole media tour except that she supposedly broke up with John Edwards. We learned nothing. Instead, we heard some very cruel words said about a dead woman who can`t defend herself.
HAMMER: Well, I will say we did get to see some great fireworks today on "The View."
ALEXANDER: That was great.
HAMMER: That was amazing. You know, she said she`s not a mistress. She`s a mom. And, of course, the ladies of "The View," thankfully, were very quick to call her out on that.
Kelli, do you think that Rielle came across as if she expected people to say, "Oh, yes, I forgive you now," and really take her side?
KELLI GOFF, AUTHOR, "THE GQ CANDIDATE": Well, I think, long ago, we pretty much established that in the case of Rielle Hunter. The elevator doesn`t go all the way to the top if you know what I mean.
HAMMER: What do you mean?
GOFF: And I think that was kind of - well, what do I mean? I was going to say that she`s sort of that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) as one slice short of a pie.
HAMMER: Got it.
GOFF: How many more of these cliches do I have to quote? And my mom has ALSO said the same thing, so shout out. You know, what I was going to say though is everyone makes mistakes, A.J., right?
The difference between sort of sane people and not-so-sane people - hint, hint, hint - is that when most people knock off the liquor store, kick a puppy, they then don`t write a book about it and blame the puppy.
And that`s kind of what happened this time, you know. And that`s what I think is disturbing to people. They`re not judging people`s sex lives or a mistake because we all know plenty of politicians and people we personally know who have made mistakes.
Most people don`t get a megaphone and try to make a buck off of it which is what this woman is doing and to a dead woman and children.
HAMMER: It`s going to be very interesting to see how well this book does because it does appear that the book has backfired on her and the tour, the kiss-and-tell tour, backfiring on her as well.
Yet people are probably going to run out and buy it and read it on the beach this summer.
GOFF: It backfired professionally and personally, because I have a theory about the breakup, but I don`t know (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
But if I was one of his kids and someone was saying stuff like that about my deceased mother, I would say, "It`s either her or me, Dad."
HAMMER: Yes.
GOFF: I think there are a lot of people who are speculating that that`s a little bit of what is at play here, just speculation that`s going on.
HAMMER: That`s a great point. All right. Let`s move now from Rielle Hunter`s bombshell to another one, Katy Perry`s bombshell confession about her divorce from Russell Brand.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there on the red carpet for the premiere of Katy Perry`s new documentary. It`s called "Katy Perry: Part of Me."
And we see Katy`s ups and downs in this film as a pop star, including, of course, some personal moments when she was struggling with dealing with her divorce from Russell Brand. We asked her why she decided to get so personal in this film. Let`s watch what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATY PERRY, SINGER: I`m very open and honest with everything, especially my songs. This is kind of a big extension of my record and a great punctuation for this period of time.
And also, you know, it`s very important for me to give my point of view and perspective and do everything integrously(ph). I believe in integrity 100 percent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I think she meant, you know, have integrity while she did everything she did for the film. Certainly, there`s a lot of openness and a lot of honesty in this documentary. In fact, in one scene, we actually see her crying uncontrollably, actually delaying the start time of one of her concerts.
She eventually picks herself up. She goes on with the show. But she could have edited all this stuff out, Megan. Do you think, in any way, it`s a risky move for Katy Perry putting so much out there that is so, so personal?
ALEXANDER: No, I don`t. I actually think it`s a smart move. I think she`s able to control the message. She knows that the media is curious about her personal life.
Russell Brand also has made a few jokes when he was hosting the MTV Awards. I think she`s controlling the message, A.J.
And I think the difference is this is a celebrity known for her talent and her art. And a lot of times your personal life and your private - and your professional life come together when you`re an artist.
And it`s refreshing to talk about a true celebrity instead of Rielle who is not a celebrity.
HAMMER: Yes, I agree. Very quickly, do you agree she`s not revealing too much, Kelli?
GOFF: Well, I think it`s always endearing whenever a celebrity shows their flaws and their vulnerabilities. But I will say that I kind of miss the good old days.
When Ronald Reagan ran for president, his first wife who he acted with, Jane Wyman, the star of "Falcon Crest," she never gave an interview about him, ever, about their marriage.
HAMMER: There`s something to be said for laying low and having a mystique. Kelli Goff, Megan Alexander, always good to see you both.
We move on to Oprah getting real. Watch out Gail. Kim Kardashian may be Oprah`s new best friend. Oprah Winfrey getting ready to appear on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."
I can`t believe I`m even saying that, but this is after she bonded with Kim K. in a recent sit-down interview on OWN. SHOWBIZ dares to ask, could all this Kim hang time actually be bad for Oprah`s image? Plus, I`m on location at "The Chew."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) So I`m hanging out with the crew of "The Chew" in their kitchen. I want to know if they cook real chicken or rubber chicken in this chicken. You`re going to find out today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
I am behind the scenes and on set of one of the new faces of daytime that is cooking up some serious daytime heat, chewing the fat with the stars of "The Chew." This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight`s SHOWBIZ record breaker and talk about major Bieber fever. Justin Bieber`s new album, "Believe," just dropped at number one in 30 different countries.
Amazing. "Believe" has already made history with singles from the album hitting the charts before it was even released. And of course, this smash single, "Boyfriend," is one of them.
(MUSIC)
"Believe" has sold nearly 375,000 copies, more proof that Bieber is bigger than ever.
Coming up next, Oprah`s powerful new bond with Kim Kardashian.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
OPRAH WINFREY, MEDIA MOGUL: No one will believe that the Kardashians are not comfortable being famous.
ROB KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: We`re just a family and we`re just in certain situations and we`re very real about them and open about them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, there you have Oprah going head to head with the Kardashians and it`s not over yet. After reality TV`s royal family delivered big time for the talk queen, Oprah Winfrey. Well, now, Oprah is set to step into their reality TV world.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, Oprah gets real. Talk show queen, Oprah Winfrey, is set to make her reality TV debut appearing in an all-new episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."
Yes, those Kardashians. Now, if you`re scratching your head right now, wondering how did that happen, well, look no further than the numbers.
Oprah`s network, OWN, scored big time with her sit-down with the entire Kardashian clan. So we have to ask, isn`t turn about fair play?
From Hollywood, so pleased to welcome actress Tiffani Thiessen who is now starring in USA Network`s hit series, "White Collar." It returns for an all-new season on July 10th. Great having you here, Tiffani.
TIFFANI THIESSEN, ACTRESS: Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: Absolutely. Let`s talk about the Kardashians, shall we? Because they really delivered for Oprah.
THIESSEN: Who doesn`t talk about the Kardashians, right?
HAMMER: Everybody is talking about the Kardashians. They told Oprah everything. People tuned in, in droves to hear what they had to say.
And then we have the shoe on the other foot. So I`ve got to know, Tiffani, would you watch Oprah on the Kardashian`s reality show?
THIESSEN: Well, personally probably not, not because I maybe wouldn`t be interested. It would be more just time line. I have a two-year-old, so I don`t really watch a lot of TV these days.
But I do find it interesting, I guess. You`ve got millionaires and billionaires talking about money together. They`ve got a lot in common, so I guess that`s probably the reason why, right?
HAMMER: Yes. And some people are keeping up with the Kardashians. Tiffani is keeping up with her two-year-old. I think that`s a well- balanced life right there.
But do you think this is a good - do you think it`s a good move for Oprah to appear on the reality show? A lot of people have even suggested her getting involved with them seems a little bit desperate. I think it`s natural because they`re such, you know, pop culture figures.
THIESSEN: Well, actually I don`t think it`s desperate at all. I mean, she`s - you know, she`s a very smart woman. I think she`s actually probably tapping into a whole different type of audience and market that she`s not tapped into. So I think it`s actually very smart.
HAMMER: And I think what`s been great for fans is we`ve all loved seeing Oprah kind of back in the old Oprah mode doing these one-on-one interviews.
THIESSEN: Yes.
HAMMER: I`m thinking that Oprah should be doing more of them. Now, Tiffani, I`m going to throw some names at you. I want to get your pick for who you would most like to see Oprah go toe to toe with, if you could take the time from your two-year-old to watch.
THIESSEN: OK.
HAMMER: Justin Bieber, the pop prince - I think that would be a natural. He`s one of the biggest stars on the planet right now.
THIESSEN: Yes.
HAMMER: Or maybe a combo interview, get Chris Brown and Drake together, settle this beef that supposedly started a bar brawl over Rihanna. Or maybe mom-to-be Snooki. Who should get Oprah-fied? Who would you be tuning in to see?
THIESSEN: If it was me it would be Justin Bieber, but you know - I have a soft spot for Justin Bieber. Do I think he would still win out with everybody else? That`s hard. I always feel like controversy wins out more than anything so you might see Chris Brown.
HAMMER: I could just see you cruising around Sunset Boulevard singing "Wish I was your boyfriend." I can picture - I have the image in my head, Tiffani.
THIESSEN: Do you?
HAMMER: In fact, I was out in Hollywood last week. I could have sworn I saw you going the other direction from me. We passed by.
THIESSEN: You did. I swear you did. Yes.
HAMMER: There`s another big story in Hollywood tonight. Scarlett Johansson`s E-mail hacker has been ordered to pay Johansson just over $66,000 for stealing and then leaking these intimate photos of her.
THIESSEN: Yes.
HAMMER: I actually think $66,000 is not enough. What`s your take on that?
THIESSEN: It`s not a lot of money, especially to Johansson. It`s not a lot of money, actually. And isn`t it funny that she`s the only one that`s getting paid though, because didn`t he hack into a lot of people`s E-mails? It wasn`t just her.
HAMMER: Yes. No, there were several others involved as well - Christina Aguilera, Mila Kunis.
THIESSEN: Yes. Right.
HAMMER: So you know, he may be going to jail. I actually think that`s a better move and it would send a better message.
THIESSEN: I think that`s absolutely a better move for sure.
HAMMER: All right, Tiffani. Got to talk to you about your hit show, "White Collar." Stay right where you are. But we move on right now to look-alike lash-outs. The Kenny Chesney fan who was kicked out of one of Kenny`s concerts for looking like him. Why did the fan get the boot for being Kenny`s twin? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, remembering Hollywood icon, Nora Ephron. At 71, she lost her battle with leukemia. I am so pleased to present you this unforgettable scene from such an incredible romantic comedy. You remember this "When Harry Met Sally"?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILLY CRYSTAL, ACTOR: I love you get sold when it`s 71 degrees out. I love it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a crinkle above your nose when you`re looking at me like I`m nuts.
I love that after I spend a day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you`re the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it`s not because I`m lonely or because it`s not because it`s New Year`s Eve.
I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.
MEG RYAN, ACTRESS: You see, that is just like you, Harry. You say things like that and you make it impossible for me to hate you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
RYAN: Yes, yes, yes, yes! Oh, oh, oh, oh, god. Oh.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I`ll have what she`s having.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, yes. Who can forget that classic scene? That, of course, is from "When Harry Met Sally" and from the brilliant mind of legendary filmmaker, Nora Ephron.
Norah lost her battle with leukemia last night at 71. And she leaves behind a stunning film legacy that includes some of the greatest romantic comedies ever made.
Hollywood is remembering a true great tonight. Nora Ephron was one of the most successful screenwriters and filmmakers of all time.
She bought us "When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle," "You`ve Got Mail" and "Julie and Julia," all romantic comedies. But Nora`s movies always had a wit and a real intelligence that made them instant classics.
And she did it all while blazing a trail for so many other women directors at a time when, you know, Hollywood was still pretty much a boy`s club.
I want to bring in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner. Nischelle, I know you are a huge Nora Ephron fan. Can you put into perspective for everybody just how much of an influence she had on Hollywood?
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: You know, A.J., Nora was just one of those rare women working in the very top ranks of Hollywood back in the `80s and `90s.
And she had this career that spanned four decades. Now, not only did she bring us all of those classics that you mentioned, she was nominated for three Academy Awards including one for her first ever script, the drama "Silk Wood."
Now, A.J., she attracted some of the greatest actors in the business. And tonight, they are all mourning her. Billy Crystal, who starred in "When Harry Met Sally," just said, "She was a brilliant writer and humorist, being her Harry to Meg`s Sally will always have a special place in my heart. I was very lucky to get to say her words."
And Tom Hanks, who was in so many of her movies, just issued a statement with his wife Rita Wilson. They said, "At the dinner table and on a film set she lifted us all with wisdom and wit mixed with love for us and love for life."
And, A.J., you know, just plain and simple, Nora Ephron was a Hollywood icon. She really was.
HAMMER: Yes. Nobody would argue with that at all. And it is crystal clear she`s already truly missed in such a big way. I want to take one more look at what made Nora so famous, her hilarious movies and her incredibly funny writing. Let`s watch more of "When Harry Met Sally."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRYSTAL: Because to man can be friends with a woman he finds attractive. He always wants to have sex with her.
RYAN: So you`re saying that a man can be friends with a woman he finds unattractive.
CRYSTAL: Come on. You pretty much want to nail them, too.
RYAN: What if they don`t want to have sex with you?
CRYSTAL: It doesn`t matter, because the sex thing is already out there, so the friendship is ultimately doomed and that is the end of the story.
RYAN: Well, I guess we`re not going to be friends then.
CRYSTAL: Guess not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Nora Ephron famously said once that everything is a copy, Nischelle. She said everything is a story. Life, death, everything. Famous words.
Tonight Nora`s life and death are the story. It is remarkable just how beloved she was as a filmmaker and, of course, as a person. You have to tell me as a huge fan of hers what your favorite film was.
TURNER: Well, you know, I have two that are at the top of the heap for me. I have a hard time deciding between "Sleepless in Seattle" and "Julie and Julia."
And you know, right before 2009, I would have said "Sleepless in Seattle" without a doubt. But I love food, I love to cook, and something about that movie just stuck with me, "Julie and Julia."
HAMMER: I`m right there with you. All right. Nischelle, thank you so much.
Well, coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, I`m on location on the set of the Emmy-nominated, "The Chew."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So I`m hanging out with the crew of "The Chew" in their kitchen. I want to know if they cook real chicken or rubber chicken in this kitchen. You`re going to find out today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
You want to know, too. "The Chew," one of the new faces of daytime and one of the tastiest new shows on TV. I`m revealing the secret recipe for its success. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, remembering the great Hollywood filmmaker, Nora Ephron, who died last night of leukemia at 71. Here is a classic scene from her film, "Sleepless in Seattle."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM HANKS, ACTOR: This is what single people do. They try other people on and see how they fit. But everybody is an adjustment. Nobody is perfect. There`s no such thing as a perfect - come on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on location with one of the new faces on daytime, "The Chew."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) So I`m hanging out with the crew of "The Chew" in their kitchen. I want to know if they cook real or rubber chicken in this kitchen. You`re going to find out today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Rubber chickens, chat, and chewing the fat. I go behind the scenes and on location with daytime`s tastiest talk show. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on location with "The Chew."
And is Chris Brown about to step into the boxing ring with rapper Drake? A boxing promoter offers them each $1 million to finish their alleged nightclub tussle. So will these two settle their score in the ring? Should they?
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and thank you for watching. Tonight, SHOWBIZ on location. It`s one of the new faces of daytime TV, and one of the tastiest new shows anywhere.
So tonight, I am taking you behind the scenes and on location with "The Chew." You know the show, it`s kind of like "The View" meets "Top Chef," a truly delicious combination.
So what is the secret recipe to cooking up the show`s instant success? And do these hosts really get along as well as it seems? Co-hosts Clinton Kelly, Michael Simon, Carla Hall, and Daphne Oz chew the fat with me and share their secrets from the set.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) Here we are. I`m hanging out with the gang from "The Chew," one of the new cases of daytime. Congratulations, guys.
Amazing to have gotten on the air this season and you renewed for season number two. That`s got to feel pretty good. What do you think has been the key to your success this season?
CARLA HALL, CO-HOST, "THE CHEW": I think the fact we really and genuinely like each other. And people can feel our enjoyment and that we`re having fun. And we really - doesn`t feel like a job. We really like each other.
HAMMER: Even Mario Batali, who I notice is not here today?
DAPHNE OZ, CO-HOST, "THE CHEW": Everyone needs a vacation sometime, but seriously, we come together every day and it`s like, wait, they pay us to hang out with really good friends and eat amazing food?
MICHAEL SIMON, CO-HOST, "THE CHEW": Don`t say that on television. We`re very happy that they pay us. I could never afford that shirt if they didn`t pay us.
CLINTON KELLY, CO-HOST, "THE CHEW": It`s the Fourth of July show.
HAMMER: I should point out this is for a patriotic show with patriotic dishes. This is not a usual thing or maybe it is, but I don`t know.
But I know putting a new show on the air comes with its challenges. I`m sure things have evolved. What has had to change throughout the season to get you guys where you are at now?
KELLY: Well, we slowed our pace down quite a bit. In the beginning, it was like, "Let`s do 5,000 dishes per show and just cram it all in there."
So we sort of relaxed into it and we sort of like let ourselves like just hang out in the kitchen. The idea behind the show was always party in the kitchen.
So instead of it being a frenetic party, it`s sort of a more chill party that people can just, you know, walk into it any time.
HAMMER: But I know it`s also very challenging. What`s been one of the biggest challenges for you? I mean, you guys cook so many different things.
SIMON: Yes. We`re going to do 220 episodes the first year. So I figure if we just do three recipes, that`s almost 700 recipes throughout the year. So that`s always a challenge. I think the challenge for a lot of us, too, is some of us were always used to doing a show where we hosted the show.
So you have to kind of learn everybody`s pace and beat to work as a group and kind of where we fit in with each other. It was like Carla said - the easy thing is we all got along.
This is the only cooking show that I have ever seen that I`d say 80 percent of the food is done live to time without swap-outs.
And because it is a show that is completely done live to tape and usually shown that day, it`s unedited cooking. And in this day and age, you just don`t see that anymore, you know.
HAMMER: That`s right. I think that adds a lot to it.
SIMON: So you see the mistakes. I have burned more things on this show than I burned in 15 years of cooking on television.
OZ: That omelet.
HALL: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to a pan and you can take a stick at it.
HAMMER: Now, one of the great advantages and I think probably one of the reasons the show has had its massive success is this guy, Gordon Elliott, who is the producer of the show.
(CROSS TALK)
GORDON ELLIOT, PRODUCER, "THE CHEW": Did somebody say Gordon? I get so little camera time.
HAMMER: He hates being on TV, this guy.
ELLIOT: I know. I know. They actually have me restrained in the corner. I have been on the show a lot. They cut me out.
HALL: We hear you over there. We hear you over there.
OZ: He did have a spotlight installed overhead just for when we reference that.
HAMMER: Here is the thing, Gordon. You know, for me, I grew up watching you on TV.
ELLIOT: Yes, as a child.
HAMMER: No, but the audience is so used to seeing you and knowing you and you`re behind the scenes doing this. How is that for you?
ELLIOT: It`s frustrating, of course, you know, but this show isn`t really my show. It`s these guys. These guys make the show.
What I like to do - I don`t know. I have never had this discussion with you. I like to kind of be an unseen member. I`m in your ears. We`re talking. We`re laughing.
HALL: You like to be the voice in our ears.
ELLIOT: Yes.
HAMMER: The unsung hero. Here`s the thing - we know how tough it is to make it in television. You guys have been very successful being one of the new faces of daytime TV, and you`re going into your next season.
ELLIOT: Mr. Primetime.
HAMMER: Yes, thank you. What was the biggest challenge for you in making this show a success after you launched it?
ELLIOT: To be confident in what we came up with. This was a completely new format. No one had ever done it before the way we have done it. So we just have to stick to our guns.
There`s a lot of I suppose you could call cliche TV things we could have done, but we didn`t. And every day, we come in, we laugh, we talk and we say, wouldn`t it be great if it hadn`t been done before and we just do it.
We make stuff up every day, the games we play, the interaction with the audience, the way we create just little moments on the set.
And after a while, you want to believe the audience connecting, quote, "get you," like a friend. I think they get us.
HAMMER: I think they definitely get you. Here is the last thing - Mario Batali is not here today. Now is your opportunity to say anything you would like to him right now behind his back but in front of his face. Go ahead, Daphne. I know you have been bottling this up all season.
OZ: Mario, I really need you to cook your pasta a little bit longer.
HAMMER: He doesn`t have the stick test?
HALL: No, no. Everything else is perfect.
ELLIOT: The chili pepper. Man, that guy has no taste buds left.
OZ: He and I are on board. That spice is absolutely -
HALL: The thing we love about Mario - Mario, what we`re missing is your long stories, a man of 1,000 words.
ELLIOT: We have a lot of extra time to fill when Mario isn`t here.
HALL: It`s so true. Oh, my god.
KELLY: That`s right. Usually, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) when Mario would spend (UNINTELLIGIBLE) talking about -
HALL: But we learn so much, don`t we?
ELLIOT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the early crop of the olives in Sicily.
OZ: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) our vocabulary - mellifluous, fibrous -
ELLIOT: Fibrous is a good one.
OZ: Serendipitous.
SIMON: My father, who has more degrees of than a thermometer, every day, after the show, sends me a list of words that Mario used out of context.
ELLIOT: A.J., I`m going to give you a TV exclusive. Mario`s words have become so big we`ve actually put a chicken in the ceiling to drop down to explain the words Groucho Marx style. Look up right there. Do you see the chicken? We have a stuffed chicken.
HAMMER: Look at that.
ELLIOT: I have said that. And that chicken drops down with the word on its chest to explain to the audience what the word means.
HAMMER: So we`re learning how to cook and it`s educational in terms of language as well. That`s why the show is so successful.
ELLIOT: And the rubber chicken.
HAMMER: The rubber chicken?
ELLIOT: You`ve got to remember the rubber chicken.
HAMMER: Congratulations on being one of the new faces of daytime. Thanks for showing me around, guys. I appreciate it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: They`ve never cooked with that rubber chicken as far as I know. I did have such a great time, obviously, hanging out with "The Chew" crew today. And while I was there, I got to witness a really fun moment with celebrity chef, Paula Deen.
Paula just dropped 30 pounds. Look at her. She just debuted her new look on the cover of this week`s "People" magazine. She was right there at "The Chew" surprising the co-hosts and the crowd with her new fit figure, you all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: Isn`t it just fabulous?
KELLY: It is fabulous.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
PAULA DEEN, CELEBRITY CHEF: I know. I`m skinny!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You didn`t tell us you were coming.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are one hot mama.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my good.
DEEN: It`s really about moderation. I have said it for so long. But I`ve really - yum. But I`ve really started trying to practice that, like I`ll double my salad.
I have rearranged my plate, you all. I have like doubled my salad, doubled my green beans, and the carbs are like this.
OZ: But you still get the taste.
DEEN: Yes, I get to taste it, and it`s not like I didn`t know what it tasted like.
KELLY: Right, right.
DEEN: You know, I had tasted it many, many times before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Good for her. She looks fantastic, healthier than ever. You can look for Paula on the cover of "People." It`s out on Friday. And of course, be sure to check out "The Chew" every week day on ABC.
Well, tonight, imagine getting booted from a concert because you look like the star on stage. And this really happened.
You see the guy on the right? He was kicked out of a Kenny Chesney concert because people thought he was Kenny Chesney. So does this country fan deserve some payback?
And the "Hunger Games" hero. Jennifer Lawrence saves the day of one young girl who was found unconscious. I`ve got the unbelievable details coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, we remember the legendary Nora Ephron with one of her now classic romantic comedies starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, "You`ve Got Mail."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
HANKS: Don`t cry. Don`t cry.
RYAN: I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: OK. Take a good look. What do you think? Do these two look alike? Well, somebody thinks so, because the guy on the right got kicked out of the concert because he looks like the country superstar on the left.
You know what I`m talking about here? Tonight, we have look-alike lash out. A guy name Nate Blankenship has been told he looks like Kenny Chesney, but I bet he never thought that would get him booted from the country star`s concert.
The Chesney fan was actually escorted out of a show in Nashville by security who reportedly claimed his resemblance to the singer was creating a disturbance. Could the look-alike fan get some payback for getting tossed?
Joining me now in New York, Tommy Davidson, the star of "Black Dynamite." It`s a brand-new series premiering July 15th on Adult Swim. It`s great to have you here, Tommy.
TOMMY DAVIDSON, ACTOR: Nice to be here. There`s some differences.
HAMMER: Well, let`s talk about this -
DAVIDSON: The sleeveless t-shirt, first of all, the guy got on -
HAMMER: Yes.
DAVIDSON: Not the country star -
HAMMER: Yes.
DAVISON: Yes. It`s under-armor.
HAMMER: Under-armor, OK.
DAVIDSON: Yes. So he`s got athletic gear on, so that`s totally different right there.
HAMMER: Well, here is what was happening though. This concertgoer actually got tossed out of the concert because security said he was tossing a melee because he was impersonating Kenny Chesney.
DAVIDSON: Correct.
HAMMER: They were taking pictures or something.
DAVIDSON: Right.
HAMMER: And this guy - his name is Blankenship - he is sort of confused by the whole thing. Let`s listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NATE BLANKENSHIP, KENNY CHESNEY LOOK-ALIKE: They said because I wear the hat? I said I have seen a million of these hats here.
I wore baseball caps before and people still want to have pictures of me but it`s never caused any problems. I can`t believe they actually think I was him. Why would Mr. Chesney be in the crowd?
HAMMER: Now, yes, that`s right. Why would Kenny Chesney be in the crowd? The concert promoters, the venue promoters tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they weren`t aware that this was happening and they`re trying to get to the bottom of this. But I`m thinking this guy, this fan - he deserves some reparations, some payback.
DAVIDSON: It`s kind of creepy, you know. You`ve got a guy that looks just like him saying he don`t look like him. I don`t look nothing like him. I mean, I don`t look nothing like him.
I mean, I`ve got a sleeveless light blue t-shirt on, you know. But mine an under-armor. His is like Nike. They`re different. You know, he got on a black cowboy hat. It`s styled just like his, but mine is straw and his is leather.
HAMMER: So clearly you`re siding with the fan.
DAVIDSON: Yes. You know, I got a bald head but we don`t - and he had a bald head but we don`t know what he uses to shave his, you know. I know I use a Mach 3. He might use something else totally different.
HAMMER: Could be completely different.
DAVIDSON: Yes.
HAMMER: He could use the Sensor.
DAVIDSON: Yes, exactly. And he`s there taking pictures and he`s signing autographs.
HAMMER: It`s a little creepy.
DAVIDSON: One word, Selena.
HAMMER: OK. All right. Well, let`s move on then to another story that`s getting huge buzz. I want to get your take on this. This reported scuffle between R & B star Chris Brown and hip-hop star Drake at this New York nightclub sparking a whole new controversy.
But now, there`s a promoter who is offering them $1 million each to fight in the boxing ring, the money to be donated to charity. Do you think the guys should entertain this?
DAVIDSON: Right. You know what? First of all, that`s not enough money for them.
HAMMER: Right.
DAVIDSON: I mean, they get that per music video. They have to up the ante. Let`s make it real gloves. As a matter of fact, let`s go back to the old 1900 gloves like the old Jack Johnson when they used to wear just bikers, used to wear bikers and use like construction gloves for boxing. Let`s do that.
But I think more interesting, why do we have Rihanna fight like both of them?
HAMMER: No, you don`t want to bring Rihanna into the mix.
DAVIDSON: No?
HAMMER: No, I don`t think so.
(CROSS TALK)
She could definitely be the ref. She could definitely be in the ring and call it out.
DAVIDSON: Right.
HAMMER: And she`ll make the decision in the end. All right.
DAVIDSON: I think it`s a great idea.
HAMMER: Let`s do it.
DAVIDSON: Let`s do it. Let`s get ready to rumble.
HAMMER: Tell me about your new show, "Black Dynamite."
DAVIDSON: "Black Dynamite" is an animated adaption from my movie, "Dynamite," which came in 2009.
HAMMER: Right.
DAVIDSON: It`s now on Adult Swim. And I am so excited about it. The creators of "Boondocks" did this thing and it is like - I can`t describe it, but all I know is that my 16-year-old went online and he had all his friends in frames and they kept watching the pilot over and over and over again. So I know that I am actually getting somewhere.
HAMMER: Right. If the kid knows, then you`re onto something.
DAVIDSON: Leave them both - leave that.
HAMMER: And I`ll tell you something, the movie was so much fun so this looks like it will be, too.
DAVIDSON: Yes.
HAMMER: Tommy, great to see you. Thanks.
DAVIDSON: Thank you. Thank you.
HAMMER: Thanks for being here. Make sure you check out Tommy`s new show, "Black Dynamite." It premieres on July 15th on Adult Swim.
OK. Do you remember Kelly Kapowski from "Saved by the Bell"? Of course, you remember her. Tiffani Thiessen, all grown up.
She`s come a long way from her "Saved by the Bell" days, but does she still keep in touch with Zach, Screech and A.C. Slater? Six degrees of "Saved by the Bell" - I`m going to play it with Tiffani, next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Would you be my date for the senior prom?
THIESSEN: Zach, that`s so sweet.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Oh, then you will?
THIESSEN: I can`t. I`ve already said yes to Matt Wilson. I`m sorry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Good times and great hair. That was Tiffani Thiessen breaking hearts as the sweet and popular Kelly Kapowski on the teen series, "Saved by the Bell."
Tonight, Tiffani then and now. Tiffani Thiessen got her start on "Saved by the Bell." She starred on the show from 1989 to 1993. Well, that was then, this is now. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Stakeouts with me are the worst.
THIESSEN: How so?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You always want to listen to public radio or talk about curious, roman imperial manuscript.
THIESSEN: You miss him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, now, Tiffani stars as Elizabeth Burke, the wife of an FBI agent on the USA Network`s "White Collar." Great job on that show, Tiffani. Great to have you here from Hollywood tonight.
THIESSEN: Hey, thank you very much.
HAMMER: As we begin six degrees of "Saved by the Bell," I do need to point out - I`m sure it`s not lost on people your character`s name on "white collar" is Elizabeth Burke, close to Elizabeth Berkeley, who of course, played Jessie on "Saved by the Bell." Was that intentional?
THIESSEN: I don`t think it was intentional. And I actually asked our creator, and he didn`t say it was intentional.
But Elizabeth and I have actually talked about it and we actually think it`s quite funny. I love I get to play an Elizabeth.
HAMMER: Yes. You must have a good laugh at that. And you and your co- stars from "Saved by the Bell," so many of them have gone on to do great things in their careers. Mark Paul Gosselaar, of course, who played Zach Morris, went on to "NYPD Blue." He`s now on TNT`s "Franklin and Bash."
Mario Lopez, of course, he played Slater. He`s now the co-host of "Extra." I just saw him in Hollywood last weekend, and of course, he did "Dancing with the Stars" in `06.
Leah Remini - she did a stint on the show. She, of course, went on to "King of Queens."
THIESSEN: Yes.
HAMMER: Such a special bond when you`re so young and you`re starring on a show with these other young actors. I have to believe you will always have a special connection with the gang and you will root for them.
THIESSEN: Oh, very much so. I still talk to Mark Paul. I still talk to Mario. I still talk to Elizabeth. We actually see each other quite often, every now and then, when we can.
You know, a lot of us have kids now and we`re parents and we`re getting older. And it`s kind of fun to see how we`re kind of growing up and going sort of in the same direction with our lives.
And I`m always going to, of course, root for them. It was a really special time in my life and I did - I learned a lot, and it was a great period.
HAMMER: Yes. It always seems like it was a great club to be a part of and the other guys have told me that as well. And look, you have done so much great work since then. Your latest "White Collar" is fantastic. It`s doing well. What are we going to see from you this season on the show?
THIESSEN: A lot. The show is definitely known for its cliff hangers and for a lot of big things that are happening. We actually - as you know we shoot in New York City and I just got back yesterday.
And we normally shoot all the time in New York City, but this is going to be the first season where you`re going to see us in another location when we first start the season on July 10th.
HAMMER: All right. We`re looking forward to that. I think you should try a "Saved by the Bell" wig though, if you have a moment, just throw it in on the show, just for laughs.
THIESSEN: Who needs a wig? I can do it. Just a little teasing.
HAMMER: There you go. Thanks, Tiffani.
THIESSEN: Thanks.
HAMMER: Be sure to check out Tiffani Thiessen on USA Network`s "White Collar." It returns, as she said, for the new season July 10th.
Well, now, Jennifer Hudson is speaking out for the first time since the trial of the man who murdered her brother, mother, and seven-year-old nephew. How is she doing?
Jennifer Hudson sits down for a brand-new interview and she talks about how she and her family are holding up since the trial. That is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, Jennifer Hudson speaks out for the very first time since the trial of the man who killed her mother, brother and seven-year-old nephew. It has been over a month since William Balfour was found guilty of all three counts of murder.
Jennifer was there every day of the trial. And this morning on "Good Morning America," Hudson tells Robin Roberts despite the difficult circumstances, she`s doing all right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN ROBERTS, CO-HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": And I know you can`t answer anything specific about the trial, but just know that our hearts go out to you.
JENNIFER HUDSON, SINGER: Thank you.
ROBERTS: Your sister and your family. How are you doing?
HUDSON: Thank you. You know, it`s worked out very well and we`re all very grateful and everybody is doing extremely well. You know, it`s a trying time but it`s strengthened us all. And we`re still here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Such a remarkably strong young lady who really can now put the tragedies behind her and look forward to a wedding. Hudson is engaged to her fiance, David Otunga. And Robin Roberts was able to squeeze out one big wedding secret from Jennifer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: And you`ve got the wedding.
HUDSON: Yes. We`ve got all of that coming up.
ROBERTS: Do you have any details about the wedding?
HUDSON: I don`t have any more details. You have to wait and see.
ROBERTS: But didn`t you design your wedding dress?
HUDSON: I did. It has its own show, so I`m sure we`ll sit here and talk about that one day.
ROBERTS: I love her. It`s her own show.
HUDSON: The dress.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She`s doing all right. Jennifer has a wedding, a clothing line, a movie, and a guest spot on the season premiere of NBC`s "Smash" next year. We`re all so happy that she is doing so well. Can`t wait to see her in that dress.
Well, we move on now to SHOWBIZ on location with Katy Perry. Katy tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the real reason she included her divorce from Russell Brand in her new film.
And a "Hunger" hero. Jennifer Lawrence, who plays Katniss in the "Hunger Games," comes to the rescue of a girl who is found unconscious. All that makes big news in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TURNER (voice-over): Jennifer`s 911 scare. Jennifer Lawrence has become a hero to a young girl who collapsed on her front lawn.
Police tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Jennifer was walking her dog Tuesday and arrived home to her Los Angeles apartment complex to find the underage girl who appeared to be intoxicated on the ground.
Lawrence assisted her until paramedics arrived and treated the girl at the scene. She was not immediately taken to the hospital.
SHOWBIZ on location. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there with Katy Perry at the premiere of her brand-new concert film, "Katy Perry: Part of Me" where she opened up about why she chose to include such personal moments like her divorce from Russell Brand in the movie for all to see.
PERRY: It was very important for me to give my point of view and perspective and do everything integrously. I believe in integrity 100 percent.
TURNER: "Katy Perry: Part of Me" opens nationwide on July 5th.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Tonight, writer Tracy McMillan reveals why she thinks it`s your fault you`re not married. She says men aren`t the problem. Women are. Drew sits down with McMillan, talking about the controversial theory, next on "DR. DREW."
END
